AS Review - February 1, 2016

Inside this issue:

Womxn of color speak out, an event about climate change and systems of oppression.

PAGE 5 A recap of the Social Issues Resource Center’s first event from the Cultures of Resistance series. PAGE 8

Vol. 31 #13 02.01.16

Vol. 31 #16 02.01.16

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The Living Arrows perform at the Underground Coffeehouse on Wednesday, Jan 27. Photo by Trevor Grimm // AS Review Viking Union 411 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360.650.6126 Fax: 360.650.6507 Email: as.review@wwu.edu as.wwu.edu/asreview @TheASReview facebook.com/theasreview © 2015. Published most Mondays during the school year by the Associated Students of Western Washington University.

The AS Review is an alternative weekly that provides coverage of student interests such as the AS government, activities and student life. The Review seeks to enhance the student experience by shedding light on underrepresented issues, inclusive coverage, informing readers and promoting dialogue.

Letter to the Editor: For the last three and a half decades, I have been on a one woman campaign to de cool-ize smoking. It has not been an easy feat, considering I was part of the Minneapolis punk/ alternative/ artistic community. “ Why would any self-respecting DIYer want to support those evil corporations?” This was my mantra. I was also a nonconformist, in that I liked my hair, clothes and body to be clean.

I realize smoking is a very strong addiction, and I am compassionate to those attempting to quit. But realistically, with all the information that has been made available, I have little patience for anyone born after 1980 who takes it up. It must be the new status symbol since it costs so much.

I take issue with the implication that religion is the determining factor of deciding which schools are smoke free and which ones are not. Also, to use the term non-smokers rather than anti-smokers would sit better with me. I had to relocate here from Portland, a larger city with many more people, due to developing health complications as a pedestrian from the epidemic second hand smoke. I am surprised at how many young people here STILL smoke- it hasn’t been cool since the Millennium.

If you must be a conformist in this antiquated way, please be considerate of the rest of us.

After all, I don’t assume the whole block needs to participate in my addictions by default.

Smoking is NOT sexy, glamorous nor daring. Get out of 1950!

Thanks for letting me rant, Diana Swan, Community member

We welcome reader submissions, including news articles, literary pieces, photography, artwork or anything else physically printable. Email submissions to as.review@wwu.edu.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please limit your letter to 300 words, include your name, phone number and year in school, if you’re a student.

Send them to as.review@wwu.edu. Published letters may have minor edits made to their length or grammar.

Marina Price Alexandra Bartick Trevor Grimm Morgan Annable Will McCoy Chris Beswetherick Ian Sanquist Alexandra Bartick Adviser Jeff Bates

Editor in Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Writers

Audience members get excited for a performance by The Living Arrows at the Underground Coffeehouse on Wednesday, Jan 27. Photo by Trevor Grimm // AS Review

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EVENTS Jazz Jams Monday, February 1 // 7-9 p.m. // Underground Coffeehouse // Free Open jazz jam for students. Bring your own instruments and join.

Womxn of Color Speak Out Tuesday, February 2 // 5:30-8 p.m. // TBA // Free A series of presentations from speakers about topics of social justice and equalityspecifically patriarchy, capitalism, the prison industrial complex, colonization, climate change and solutions to all the above from an intersectional perspective. It will be an event to learn, raise awareness, find solutions, and find community. This event is hosted by The Environmental and Sustainability Programs, the Social Issues Resource Center, ESC and Womxn’s Center.

Open Mic Night Tuesday, February 2 // 6:30-9:30 p.m. // Underground Coffeehouse // Free Have an amazing hidden talent? Want to knock the socks off of all your friends?

Brave enough to perform in a 5 minute slot? Then come to Open Mic Night! Every Tuesday at the Underground Coffeehouse, third floor VU. Sign ups at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m.!

presentation on sex, relationships and loving yourself and others.

Two speakers from Babeland will provide demonstrations on sexual techniques as well as hold a Q&A with the audience after. A frank and entertaining presentation for all identities to enjoy!

Wednesday Night Concert Series Wednesday, February 4 // 7-9 p.m. // Underground Coffeehouse // Free This weeks concert will Mostafa, a hip hop artist from Bellingham with Lyfe.

Comedy Open Mic Night Thursday, February 4 // 7-9 p.m. // Underground Coffeehouse // Free Hop on down to the Underground Coffeehouse to show off your funny bone at Comedy Open Mic Night!

Sign ups at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m..

Cultures of Resistance Series: Juan Espinoza Thursday, February 4 // 6-7:30 p.m. // MH 152 // Free

A conversation on queer Chicanx social movements, student activism, The Sex Ed You Wish You and Latin American, Afro-Caribbean, Had Indigenous, and Afro-Latinx Wednesday, February 3 // 7-9 p.m. // spiritualities and resiliency in the Americas.

AH 100 // Free A queer and disability-inclusive

Top Ten: January 25-31 1

Blackstar David Bowie

2

Thank Your Lucky Stars Beach House

3

Art Angels Grimes

4

Another One Mac Demarco

5

Currents Tame Impala

6

The Waterfall My Morning Jacket

7

What Went Down Foals

8

Timeline Mile High Club

9

The Beyond/Where Giants Roam Thundercat

10

Every Open Eye Chvrches KUGS is the Associated Students’ student-run radio station. Listen online at kugs.org. If you’re interested in getting on the waves, pick up a volunteer application in the station’s office on the seventh floor of the VU.

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Staying active this winter with Morgan Annable: Zombies Have Hearts, Too!

Students for Sensible Drug Policy to host event on psychadelic-assisted psychotherapy

BY WILL MCCOY

Students for Sensible Drug Policy will host an event on Feb. 4, where they will present information on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, a type of therapy where a patient takes a drug with psychedelic compounds and is guided by a trained psychotherapist.

Kyle Jigani is the president of Students for Sensible Drug Policy and will be presenting. He will touch on the research conducted by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies around this type of assisted psychotherapy, as well as the effects patients would expect.

The drugs used in these therapy sessions can range from marijuana to ayahuasca (pronounced iowaksa), a hallucinogenic plant found in the Amazon and brewed into tea.

Before many of the psychedelic drugs, like ecstasy and LSD, were banned in the sixties and seventies; scientists conducted research on their effects and how they could be integrated into our society for public use. We have become more progressive in the new millennium and associations like MAPS are starting up similar drug research.

Racers participate in last year’s Zombies Have Hearts, Too! 5K Run/Walk. Photos courtesy of the Jigani said he is not using this event to advocate Max Higbee Center drug use; he wants to inform his audience about The third annual Zombies Have Donovan Park to finish in the field. because it is a fun way to get in shape the positive and negative effects of assisted psyHearts, Too! 5K Run/Walk is on Feb. Zombie costumes and makeup while also supporting a good cause. chedelic therapy. His main goal is to educate and 6 this year. It benefits the Max Higare not required, although they will After the race, venture over to advocate the research of MAPS, and explain that bee Center, a nonprofit organization make the event a whole lot more fun.

Kulshan Brewery for the all-ages after psychedelic drugs do have a place in the medical that provides recreation programs for Face-painting booths in the park will party, full of zombie-themed carnival community. teens and adults with developmental help racers transform into the undead games, a costume contest and prizes “It is not all flowers,” Jigani said. “These patients disabilities. at the last-minute. for the top three finishers in the 5K. work through traumatic times in their past to Registration and face painting will Kait Whiteside, Executive Director “It will be a really great time to meet reduce the fear they have.” begin at 8 a.m. at Bloedel Donovan of the Max Higbee Center, said that some of the members and families that The Students for Sensible Drug Policy Club Park, and the race starts at 10 a.m. money raised from the 5K will go we serve and to have a fun afternoon,” seeks better ways to approach the drug problem The whole course is wheelchair and toward staff payroll and supplies for Whiteside said. we have in America. Their motto is “schools not stroller accessible. From the park, programs at Max Higbee.

Registration costs $20 for non-mem- prisons”, Jigani said. racers will take Railroad Trail along the 250 people raced last year, and the bers or $12 for Max Higbee members, If you are interested in learning more about Stunorthern edge of Whatcom Falls Park. event planners are hoping for 300 this if you sign up before the day of the dents for Sensible Drug Policy and cannot attend Flaggers at the one street crossing year. Whiteside said that they are on race. Day-of registration costs $25 for their presentation on psychedelic-assisted psychowill help with the safe crossing of the track for more racers this year than non-members or $15 for members. therapy, you can come to their weekly meetings runners, walkers, and rollers, who ever before.

To register or for more information, where they discuss different drug policy-related then turn around at the Klipsun Trail Whiteside wants to encourage West- visit maxhigbee.org or call (360) 333topics ,like current presidential candidates’ policy junction and head back toward Bloedel ern students to sign up for the race ideas and how they will affect our country.

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Womxn of Color Speak Out: Climate Change and the Systems of Oppression

BY MORGAN ANNABLE

Poster design by Zach Becker // AS Publicity Center

The Environmental and Sustainability Programs, Social Issues Resource Center, Ethnic Student Center, and Womxn’s Center are collaborating to bring four women of color activists to speak about the intersection between environmental problems and systematic oppression.

Womxn of Color Speak Out: Climate Change and the Systems of Oppression will explore the ways that environmental movements have traditionally been dominated by white men despite the fact that ecological problems greatly impact people of color, particularly lower-class women of color.

“Just like the problems are interlinked, the solutions are also interlinked,” Western senior Galen Herz said.

Herz, a member of the club Students for Renewable Energy, has put a lot of effort toward bringing the Seattle women to campus for this event. He said that the four of them came together last summer and have since given talks all over the state.

The group consists of activist Afrin Sopariwala, scientist Sarra Tekola, system practitioner Yin Yu, and writer and public speaker Zarna Joshi.

Sopariwala grew up in Mumbai, India and she is working toward living a zero-waste life. She said that it is time for everyone to realize the connections between oppression and the global climate crisis.

Tekola has collaborated with the Black Lives Matter movement in addition to working on fossil fuel divestment, carbon policies, and juvenile incarceration reform.

“This system isn’t working, and it is run by rich white men,” Tekola said. “If we want to see something different, it cannot be led by the same people who created this mess.”

Yu explores the complexities of paradoxes and tensions involved in human interaction. She advocates for questioning the existing approaches to environmental activism which conform to capitalist ideals.

“The environmental movement focuses on animal species instead of the human species, while expecting the poor and people of color to sacrifice their lifestyle for the benefit of rich white societies,” she said.

Joshi’s activism takes the shape of writing and public speaking. She said that people of color know that there is a deeply ingrained connection between colonialism and overuse of fossil fuels.

“If we want to see something different, it cannot be led by the same people who created this mess,” Joshi said.

Herz said that he hopes that students will better understand both institutional oppression and climate change and that such an understanding will lead people with diverse passions and talents to unite in the fight for justice.

In addition to explicit issues of race and climate change, the speakers will touch on the subjects of the prison industrial complex, corporations, war, slavery, and banks.

The event is at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb 2 in Artzen Hall 100.

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Bellingham Film hosts film mixer

BY MORGAN ANNABLE In our current overflowing landscape of communication technology, film is quickly becoming the popular choice for conveying messages to a wide audience.

From documentaries to cartoons to commercials, film is everywhere we look, but it can be difficult to know how to break into the industry.

Bellingham Film provides services such as networking events, including a mixer on Feb. 9 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Pickford Film Center. Their bimonthly film mixers provide a chance for local filmmakers and actors to connect with each other and potentially begin working together on projects.

After a little over an hour of meeting people from all areas of the film production process, a guest speaker shares their experiences. This month, X-Files executive producer Bob Goodwin will tell stories from his days of producing and directing iconic science fiction television.

“We have a new host at every mixer so there are fresh perspectives,” Avielle Heath, Owner/Operator and Executive Director of Bellingham Film, said. “In

this way, we offer education mixed with entertainment.”

Heath began making films during her time at Western. She quickly realized the need for a film cooperative.

“My friends and I all had to start from scratch,” she said. “As we graduated and went out into the working world I found that there was a need for something to help us band together.”

Students with no experience in film should not feel discouraged from attending the mixer. Heath said that the mixers provide opportunities to meet filmmakers and ask any questions you might have about the business and how to get started.

“Our local filmmakers are more than happy to show others the ropes,” she said. “Some past student-volunteers have begun their film careers through job referrals through our network.”

Bellingham Film partners with Pickford Film Center and other film and media companies, giving members access to a wider network within the industry as

well as discounts on goods and services.

In addition to mixers, Bellingham Film provides services such as location scouting, equipment rental and finding funding. They also produce film festivals, hold monthly script workshops for screenwriters who are working on scripts and are working with Left Coast Developers to compile a database of people who work in any capacity on the filmmaking process.

Heath emphasized the fact that there are a plethora of roles available that are crucial to the process. In addition to directors and actors, Bellingham Film helps match projects to people with experience or interest in lighting, costuming, producing, animation, editing, props and even craft services (on-set food).

“Just because a person doesn’t have a flair for theater, doesn’t mean there isn’t a fit on set somewhere,” Heath said. “There are many technical aspects of filmmaking that requires designers, carpenters, electricians and other skilled trades.”

To learn more, visit thebfo.com or Bellingham Film’s Facebook page.

A freshly curated exhibit at the Western Gallery: concerts

BY CHRIS BESWETHERICK High ceilings, bare-white walls and a morphing landscape in the background accompanied the first ever concert at the Western Fine Arts Gallery on Jan. 13.

Featuring local bands “Distance Runner,” “Tom Nook” and “Couch” Sam Wells, Nick Emard and Paul Rhoads curated the first installment of a series of concerts inside Western’s echoing gallery.

“I remember one day I was sitting in the gallery and it was really quiet,” Rhoads, one of the project curators, said. “I went to talk to Paul Brower [the interim gallery director] and asked why they never played music,.and so it went from there.”

Both Wells and Rhoads were independently keen to plan the concerts and eventually started to collaborate. Wells, an art history student, and Rhoads, a previous gallery employee, both respect the gallery and began work on this project to popularize it.

“The reason I wanted to do it is because the Western Gallery doesn’t get a lot of traffic,” Wells said, “so I feel like playing music in there is a familiar base for a lot of people on campus that wouldn’t necessarily walk into the gallery throughout the day.”

Even more irking to the two is the campus-wide unfamiliarity with the gallery.

“Usually when you say ‘the gallery on campus,’ people normally think about the on in the VU,” Rhoads said.

Their plan is to broaden the audience of the gallery to non-art students as well, and it’s working.

“I tried to go in with no expectations, but people were so much more responsive about it than I expected,” Wells said.

Fortunately, with a reasonable turn out, the project received an unexpected amount of donations, which without would end up making the shows impossible.

The curators are responsible for the expenses of the show, which cumulates to a not-easily-self-funded project. Most importantly, the show needs bands and any

proceeds from the show are disbursed to every performer. Beyond that, comes the cost of pre-production: posters, equipment, parking passes and anything necessary for a smooth show.

“We don’t have a personal budget to put on the shows,” Wells said.

They entirely rely on donations to organize the concerts, and would obviously come to a quick end without them.

“Hopefully it will continue for a long time,” Wells said. “But, people have been coming up to us and wanting to play, so it lets us know people liked it.”

The curators are working to bring various types of musicians to the venue in order to diversify the show. . A large part of the Bellingham music scene revolves around pop-punk, metal and math rock. While the venue does value music as a whole, Wells says a repetitious venue wouldn’t maximize the crowd. “[The venue] calls for different kinds of musicians to come in and play. We’re interested in switching up genres every once-in-awhile,” Wells said. “Right now we are looking at solo artists.”

The space is also big, and can comfortably fit a crowd. The passion of the event is there and the collaboration is visibly cohesive at the show. Predictably, the first show had flaws, however almost immediately, the problems disappeared. The bass drum for many of the bands became loose and with every kick, the drum moved away from the drummer. Fluidly, the volunteers promptly repaired the issue, and the show went on. The students use the art gallery space resourcefully and to a far extent.

In the future, the venue will also feature installations and artwork so the audience can immerse themselves in visual arts, as well as music. Every show will take place on Wednesday at 6 p.m., granted the art in the gallery allows for a crowd.

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SVA film exhibit brings a change to the VU Gallery

BY WILL MCCOY There are many creative components to Western’s campus. Some areas are meant to create content, and others are meant to show that content off. The gallery in the Viking Union is one of the special places on Western’s campus that showcases student and local artists.

The most recent exhibit shown at the VU galley came from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

This school provided Western with films from their student’s senior thesis project.

The SVA film exhibit has a wide variety of videos. There are short animated clips that are funny and deep, as well as documentaries the cover a vast amount of topics. These videos are compiled into one 90-minute film that is on constant loop.

This exhibit ran from Jan. 11 - Jan. 29, where Everett Aiaon, a founder of the film school in SVA, spoke and introduced each film.

“I hope people enjoy it and walk away with something,” Jean-Louis Gazabat, VU Gallery Director, said. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and trying to tell people what they should see is not an idea that I buy into.”

Normally, the gallery is filled with physical pieces

of art and is brightly lit. This time the gallery is dim and virtually empty. The only things in the room are rows of chairs for patrons to sit on and watch the films. A projector places the video on a wall for everyone to watch.

Although this is the perfect setting to watch these videos in, it was also the biggest difficulty, Gazabat said. Many would-be attendees thought the gallery was closed because it was dark and the door was closed to keep the sound in.

Last year, Gazabat was interested in bringing the SVA films to Western, but the gallery schedule was already full. When he was offered the director position again, he made sure to obtain the SVA exhibit.

One of Gazabat’s main goals is to bring diversity to the gallery. In the past he has had everything from paintings and photographs, to an exhibit dedicated to bicycles.

“You can’t make everyone happy with one show, but if you have nine very different shows throughout the year you can reach different audiences,” he said.

Gazabat also tries to keep a balance between local and student artists. He receives requests from people about getting their work into the gallery. Having to turn people down is one of the toughest parts of the

job, he said.

The next installation in the VU gallery will start on Feb. 1, and will center around sculptures.

This month at the VU Gallery Iterations: BFA student Melissa Hand’s art will be on display in the VU Gallery from February 1 - February 19. The closing reception will be on February 18 from 6 - 8 p.m.

Artist’s statement: My work is about the

human body. I contort, fracture, disassemble and reconstitute the bodily form through the use of organic and gestural forms. In my work I express elements of the human condition as experienced from inhabiting a bodily form. I was profoundly affected by my father’s death in early adulthood, and my mother’s death 9 years after.

Since those traumatic events, I have been interested in the concept that our consciousness is trapped within our body, and we must face that body’s eventual demise and decay. My work references both the beauty we recognize in our brief mortality and the repulsion we experience as a result of this confrontation.

Gallery attendees watch films produced by students from the School of Visual Arts in New York. The videos are compiled into a 90 minute film that is on a continuous loop. The closing reception for the gallery was held on Thursday, January 28. Starting February 1, the VU Gallery will be showing the art work of Western art student Melissa Hand. Her artwork looks at the human body through the medium of sculpture. Photo by Trevor Grimm // AS Review

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Cultures of Resistance event series: A review of the first event featuring Pierce Freelon

BY CHRIS BESWETHERICK “Lean toward discomfort,” a member of the Social Issues Resource Center (SIRC) stated as she and her peers introduced artivist Pierce Freelon.

Freelon, who teaches at the University of North Carolina, is an activist and artist who came to Western for a discussion and performance on Thursday Jan. 28. Freelon explored the idea of artivism, Afrofuturism and a creative approach to activism. Freelon is the first in a series of speakers in the SIRC’s Culture of Resistance Project, where speakers from various cultures come to share their ideas and spur social action.

His hour-and-a-half performance gave Freelon the freedom to flow between lectures he prepared, poems he wrote and raps he created. One poem in particular, inspired by Nat Turner, a leader of a slave rebellion in 1831, alluded to and revered many iconic civil rights stakeholders.

In fact, Freelon’s understanding of African-American history illuminated details and allowed the audience to make profound connections that simplify but also strengthen the civil rights movement. He referenced “spirituals” which were songs written by slaves which later influenced blues music, jazz music and hip-hop.

Freelon heavily featured Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad in his discussion of spirituals. The song “Wade in the Water,” which

could be mistaken as a religious song, or a song about God and baptism according to Freelon, was actually a song which advises to escaped slaves to “wade in the water” in order to lose their scent and avoid being found.

Freelon, also discussed Captain America in a poem he wrote, about what it’s like to be black in America. Freelong effectively presented his poem and as a result properly put the crowd on edge.

Many times throughout the performance, Freelon asked for audience input.

The SIRC will host a series of speakers at Western in the coming weeks, all with unique ideas to share. The beginning started small, but has the capacity to develop if more students come. The SIRC wants to involve as many students in their discussions, so they offer these events free of charge.

All they ask is for audience participation, and respect. The SIRC will next host Juan Espinoza, who will demonstrate queer chicanx spoken word poetry on Thursday Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. in Miller Hall 152. Following that will be Xiutezcatl Martinez on Thursday, Feb 18 at 7 p.m. in the MPR, who will speak about mobilizing environmental Pierce Freelon speaks to the crowd attending his change through hip-hop. Finally, Remi Kanazi will finish up the series with a poetry workshop Cultures of Resistance event on Thursday, Jan 28. on Tuesday, March 1 at 6 p.m. in Miller 152.

Photo by Trevor Grimm // AS Review

BFA Candidates Jasmine Escalante and Hugh Rountry’s work looks at “identity formation through memory and place.” LEFT: A video of Escalante plays on a continuous loop. In the video the artist shows pictures of her family, shares family stories and talks about her families experience with immigration.

RIGHT: Rountry’s work titled “Local I” and is made of wood block, bees wax, gel medium and screen print.

Photo by Alex Bartick // AS Review