Winter 2019 | Issue One

Page 1


what’s INSIDE

O N T H E C OV E R Director of Photography Zahn Schultz shreds the mountain to capture the start of snowboarding and skiing season. Photo by Zahn Schultz Design by Matthew Conrardy


LIFE HACKS 1 0 Government Shutdown 1 6 A Little Goes a Long Way: College Students and Minimalism

1 8 Veg*n PA S S P O R T 2 3 Minimum Wage, Maximum Wanderlust 2 6 Discovering DNA SPOTLIGHT 2 8 Big Resort, Small Mountain Vibe 3 4 Your Lines & You 41 The Filtered Face SPORTS 47 Rejoicing in Suffering CWU Football Player Sings through Struggles

AFTER DARK 5 0 The Bechdel Test 5 2 Rap Music and Feminism 5 6 The Impact of Fashion Bloggers 5 8 PULSE8 ft. Austin Smith 6 0 Bar Calendar 6 2 Cannabis Calendar


OUR TOWN OUR TOWN

Bailee Wicks editor-in-chief

Lexi Phillips associate editor

Matthew Conrardy creative director

Anakaren Garcia features editor

Zahn Schultz director of photography

Nikole Chumley copy editor

WINTER 2019 LEADERSHIP S TA F F

Molly Nutt social media manager

4 4

FALL 2018 | ISSUE ONE FALL 2018 | ISSUE TWO


PULSE STAFF EDITORIAL

M U LT I M E D I A

editor-in-chief Bailee Wicks

social media manager Molly Nutt

associate editor Lexi Phillips

CONTRIBUTORS

features editor Anakaren Garcia copy editor Nikole Chumley

DESIGN creative director Matthew Conrardy graphic designers Isabelle Grotting Joe Petrick Amanda Smith Lisa Yamakawa Reyes

PHOTOGRAPHY director of photography Zahn Schultz

Jared Bessett Mason Elliott Sammy Miyake Michaela Phillips Desmond Rodriguez Aly Schwab Savannah Scriven Madeline Wilson

A DV E R T I S I N G business manager Cait Dalton (509) 963.1026 cait.dalton@cwu.edu

A DV I S I N G faculty adviser Jennifer Green

jennifer.green@cwu.edu

photographers LeAnna Chard Connor Chilson Josh Julagay

for more exclusive content, visit us at www.cwupulsemagazine.com CWU Pul se Ma g a z i n e

@cwup u l s e m a g a zin e

@ CW U Pu ls e

PULSE magazine is a student-run lifestyle magazine, both in print and online at www.cwupulsemagazine.com. PULSE produces two issues an academic quarter. Student editors make policy and content decisions for the magazine, which serves as a public forum for student expression. PULSE serves the Central Washington University community with informative, engaging and interactive content covering campus and community life, trends and issues, and providing practical magazine and multimedia training.


EDITOR’S NOTE

F

our issues down, three more to go— which means I am officially halfway through my senior year. AHHH! Not only is the excitement of graduation growing day by day but counteracting it is the unknown future ahead of me. On top of the four classes I am currently in and working two jobs, dealing with my obsessive thoughts of the future can be a lot to deal with. Do you need a mental break like me? Check out “Minimum Wage, Maximum Wanderlust” to help plan your next trip on a broke college student’s budget. Only a month until spring break, where are you going? To read more, start on page 23. Although the government shutdown is over (for now), the concept of a partial shutdown can be confusing to say the least. To learn more about the longest government shutdown in history and stories from people accross the US, start on page 10. As a woman, there are a lot of apps or products telling you how you should look. Read The Filtered Face to learn more about how apps like Facetune and Snapchat are affecting our self-esteem and mental health. To find out more, open up to page 41. And on that note… stretch marks! The idea that they’re ugly and to be covered up is prevalent in our society, but PULSE took on the stigma to share the experiences of people with stretch marks and show how their beauty can be embraced. To read more, go to page 34. It is nuts to think that it is officially 2019, the year I have waited for and dreamed about for the last four years. As the end comes creeping closer, all I can do is reflect on my time here at CWU and it would be nothing without PULSE Magazine. I started this class winter quarter exactly three years ago and I am grateful for the staff and Jennifer Green, who gave that bright-eyed freshman a chance. To anyone who reads and supports this magazine, thank you for letting me do what I love. Now that I got all sappy, it is not a goodbye—I am just an obsessive planner. Cheers to the next three issues,


cwu pulse magazine .com

Visit us online for exclusive web content including the interactive magazine, photos, videos and more.

PULSE

Pregnant? You don’t have to

make decisions alone.

Visit us:

111 E 4th Ave Ellensburg, WA

Call or Text:

(509) 925-2273

Find us:

CareNetEllensburg.org

FALL 2018 | ISSUE TWO

CARING & CONFIDENTIAL

7


b e h i n d t h e SCENES of the “Your Lines and You” photoshoot

Photographer LeAnna Chard poses her models.

Photos by Lexi Phillips


Chard reviews the shots with the models.

The models pose for the next shot.


OUR TOWN

government

t u Sh

Story by Bailee Wicks | Design by Matthew Conrardy 10

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


t

n w do What happened and what is next for the US?

O

On Jan. 25, 2019, President Donald Trump made an announcement to end the government shutdown until Feb. 15, or until further notice. PULSE dug deeper to ďŹ nd out the real impact on our country and its people. On Dec. 22, 2018, the United States government began its longest government shutdown in history lasting a total of 35 days. According to CNN, before the most recent one, Former President Bill Clinton held the longest shutdown for 21 days from 1995 to 1996. But both of these shutdown were partial and created due to federal budget issues. According to The Hill, over 800,000 federal employees were affected during the partial shutdown, but what even is a shutdown? WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

11


OUR TOWN

Full vs Partial Shutdown? According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget’s website, a government shutdown happens when a new fiscal year begins and there is a lapse in funding when only some of the 12 appropriation bills setting discretionary spending levels are not passed. A full government shutdown would turn off all government-funded sectors or entities. Whereas in a partial government shutdown, all fully-funded government operations such as the military, social security/Medicare/Medicaid and the federal judiciary are still running, says the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. However, many of those services can only run for so many days with limited funding without having to temporarily shut down until the congress comes to a decision. Food stamps are to stay open during a shutdown, but because the shutdown bypassed 30 days and the program was without funding, families’ received their last food stamps until the shutdown came back on. Without more funding, the United States Department of Agriculture could only guarantee them through February. 21-year-old Jordan Dixon-McMann, a stay-athome mom, says that without food stamps it would be difficult for herself and her husband, who is currently in the military, to supply for their threemonth-old baby. “The last two months more than 75 percent of [the food stamp] money goes toward baby formula to feed my son,” says Dixon-McMann. “I have now received the last bit of food stamps until further notice.” Nick Lawson, a member of the United States Air Force, states that during the shutdown, “In military, everyone is getting paid, except Coast Guard because they are not Department of Defense.” Dixon agrees, adding that the military only had sufficient funds to be able to pay the entire United States Department of Defense until September 2019 if President Donald Trump’s previous statements that the shutdown can last months or even a year turned out to be true. Effects of the 35-day partial shutdown Many people across the US were laid off or furloughed, according to Vox. Two of those people happen to be married and the parents of Alyssa Carle, a 22-year-old student at University of Nevada Las Vegas.

12

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

“My parents have both worked for the government for over 30 years. … My dad works for the US Attorney’s Office and my mom works for the FBI,” says Carle. “This year, it has been extremely stressful financially, and my family has had to reduce our spending and be cautious of how much money we have. Paying for college books, car repairs and more have fallen completely on my part-time job as a math tutor.” Although losing two incomes in a household of four is scary, it was not detrimental for the Carles. “I’m very lucky that my parents have had such good jobs, because we do have some time before we are really in serious money troubles,” Carle adds. Not everyone is as lucky. According to a NPR survey, over half of the United States said they could only go without two paychecks before going completely broke. More than just fiscal repercussions have happened due to the shutdown. The National Parks all across the US have had a dramatic increase in vandalism and excess littering during the shutdown, according to Forbes. “The shutdown has led to a number of issues at parks, overflowing trash cans, clogged and overflowing toilets, poaching, damage to off-limits areas of parks, and theft,” wrote Trevor Nace, Forbes Contributor. During the shutdown, the National Parks stayed open but unattended. According to the National Geographic, not only can the trash upset guests, but it could also alter the balance of the park’s natural wildlife. In an interview with the National Geographic, Diane Regas, President of the Trust for Public Land, stated, “[E]xposure to sewage is a huge risk to human health.” In a recent interview conducted by the San Francisco Chronicle, Jon Jarvis, former National Park Service director under President Barack Obama and now executive director of UC Berkeley’s Institute for Parks, People and Biodiversity, mentioned the difference between zoos and national parks. “Nature was not on furlough. Now the parks have to figure out how to make it so visitors can be safe,” said Jarvis. “These are not zoos. They are open wild places. Those places are vulnerable.” Now that the government is open, it gives the 16,000 park workers who, according to Vox, had been previously furloughed a chance to access the parks to see how much damage was truly done and how long it will take to clean it all up.


Assistance for the ones affected Sandra Salas, a bankruptcy specialist at HarborStone Credit Union, says that the credit union is making adjustments to current loans to aid in the people suffering from the shutdown. “I have heard there has been an increase in delinquent accounts … Recently an email went out to all staff members letting them know of how we can help our members out that currently bank with us,” Salas says. “The credit union is offering two different things to help these folks out … one being a modification to their current loans by deferring their payments for six months and waiving any interest that would normally be occurring. The second thing they are offering is a signature loan up to the amount of $7,000, payments and interest also being deferred for the first six months.” However, these methods are time-consuming for employees to do and abnormal. “HarborStone is trying to prepare for a long run of this because they are offering six months deferred payments and interest. A typical loan modification is for three months only,” adds Salas. Melanie Lancaster, a full-time employee at Jet Chevrolet and volunteer at the United Service Organizations, says that “Us at the USO are doing what we can to help” the Coastguard who were being unpaid during the shutdown.

As the future remains uncertain, Trump’s opening of the government is temporary, but the damages caused to about 800,000 people and National Parks could take years to fix.

The Future Presidents Trump and Former President Carter are the only two presidents to ever have a funding lapse while their affiliated parties held both the House of Representatives and the Senate according to CNN. Trump is still having issues with seven of the bills in the federal budget passing due to opposing forces in the government. One of the bills includes his 5.7 billion dollar plan on border protection and building the wall. The data is coming from both the democrats and republicans saying opposite things. The Hill, a news website covering politics, states that the majority of the country does not want a wall, while the another news source, Rasmussen Reports, say that the wall is not immoral and the majority of the US wants stronger border protection. During Trump’s speech on reopening the government, he mentioned it was only until Feb. 15 so the federal workers could be paid. However, he said within the first minute of his speech, “As everyone knows, I have a powerful alternative that I could use.”

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

13


A Little Goes a Long Way College Students & Minimalism It’s a capitalist world, and we’re just living in it. With 71 percent of America’s GDP being consumer spending, we lead the world in consumption, according to the United Nations’ National Accounts Main Aggregates Database. Nearly everything about American lifestyle is built around consumerism. It was only a matter of time before an anti-consumer lifestyle was presented as an alternative. Minimalism is that counterculture.

14

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


Story by Jared Bessett | Design by Joe Petrick | Photo by Connor Chilson

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

15


LIFE HACKS

M

inimalism is about freedom. Less posJorgenson’s dietary choices are fueled by his sessions mean less responsibility, and awareness of the environmental crisis regarding plasmore time for you to spend doing what tic and other garbage, as well as general awareness really matters to you. There is a sense of liberation, for his health. This is also why he rides his bike to being freed from your things, that comes with this class every day, despite living a mile and a half from massive lifestyle decision, but getting rid of all your campus. He adds that he shops at secondhand stores stuff sounds terrifying. Why would anyone do this? for nearly all his belongings. According to Colin Beavan’s 2009 autobiography, Whereas Jorgenson has been motivated by health “No Impact Man,” making the necessary changes can and his personal green initiatives, Xander Patten, a be driven by a desire to live cleaner, eat better, save 26-year-old CWU grad, started his journey into minmoney or to be more environmentally conscious. imalism for the challenge, and stayed for the peace. Whether these are your “I guess it was… motivators or not, minpartly a challenge. I just imalism can be applied wanted to live as simply to your entire lifestyle or as I could, and also I just even just aspects of it. liked it a lot,” Patten says. Riley Jorgenson, a “Everything has its own 22-year-old CWU stufunction--its own placedent with a love for fish-and if it doesn’t have its ing and hunting, strives own function, then pretty to only eat meat he can soon I’ll get rid of it.” reel in himself. “I try He refuses to own a and derive all of the protelevision. In his words, tein I consume from fish “TV is just this stream of and animals I harvest,” entertainment, you just -Xander Patten he says. turn it on, and you can He also only takes watch it endlessly.” two- to three-minute showers to avoid using an He also only owns four spoons, hates plates and unnecessary amount of water. He doesn’t eat frozen only spends three to four dollars a day on food. His foods, avoids preservatives, and attempts to buy interest initially came from reading about monks things with as little packaging as possible. after the fall of the Roman Empire. “I guess it is sort “I make all my breakfast from scratch, with the of like the monk’s life,” he says. “They don’t have reexception of things that come in packages, no matter ally any possessions. They were the people who had what. Like yogurt, some kinds of berries [or] a carton enough time on their hands to actually focus mentalof eggs; no matter what, it’s always going to come in ly and still make pretty beautiful artwork in what was a package,” says Jorgenson. “The most you can really called the Dark Ages.” do is to optimize the amount of food you’re getting Patten spent his first year of college calculating based on the amount of packaging.” how much he spent by keeping all of his receipts.

“Everything has its own function—its own place—and if it doesn’t have its own function, then pretty soon I’ll get rid of it.”

16

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


From this, he was able to plan on spending only a few dollars a day on food, from his two-egg and oatmeal breakfast to his rice and potatoes later on. This obsession with organization and the comfort it gave him ultimately led to the minimalistic lifestyle he developed. Patten was so confident in his persistent organization that he said he could probably navigate his apartment with his eyes closed and be able to find everything he needed. Order brings him peace, and minimalism for him means having few possessions and keeping what little you have organized. “I like to have every item have its own place,” he explains. “Whenever I have a mess it’s hard to think, you feel less motivated.” Like Jorgenson, Patten also uses his bike to commute everywhere. “Every day I would use my bike to at least go to classes, so I just had my car parked outside my building, but I would only use that pretty much to get groceries,” says Patten. “It’s a good workout, and it actually is faster because you don’t have to use parking space and you can go right next to buildings.”

All of Patten’s minimalistic habits come from practicality. He started out just trying to save money, and realized this practice is actually what keeps him in check. He believes that the modern American lifestyle and capitalism make it difficult to be a minimalist, if not hinder it completely. “Society is kind of designed to stop you from being a minimalist,” says Patten. “What they want you to do is be a constant consumer.” Minimalistic habits are not exclusive to your every-day life at home. Rachel Hanson, a 28-yearold WSU graduate, has been living out of a suitcase and backpack for three and a half years while traveling through Australia, and says it wouldn’t have been possible without her decision to embrace minimalism. Hanson was motivated by the idea of being able to pick up and go whenever and wherever she wanted. “All I have with me now is a suitcase and a backpack full of clothes which has allowed me to move around Australia very easily,” she says. She finds work opportunities online all over Australia, so moving is a regular task for her. “If I hear about a job on

“If I hear about a job on the other side of the country that I want I can easily pack my bags and jump on a plane and take it.” -Rachel Hanson

the other side of the country that I want I can easily pack my bags and jump on a plane and take it.” While many of us struggle to pack light for a vacation, Hanson is living her whole life out of a suitcase and a backpack, and the most important part is that she is happy. “It’s been a great experience to not feel held back by the logistics of how I’d move everything or get all of my belongings from point A to point B,” she says, adding that she “wouldn’t be able to do it without minimalism.” Minimalism is not just a counterculture, but a way of life that gives people the chance to live without possessions weighing them down. Even a small change in your diet, clothing and transportation tendencies can not only help the broke college student lifestyle, but also contribute positively to the environment. Rather than buying into consumerism, give into minimalism.

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

17


LIFE HACKS

Editorial by Molly Nutt Design & Photo Illustrations by Matthew Conrardy

18

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


Even though major restaurant chains have added vegan menus, elite athletes have attributed veganism to increased performance and celebrities have professed their commitment to the lifestyle, I still sometimes find myself saying, “I’m vegan,” as if it’s an expletive. There’s no doubt that the fringe movement has gone mainstream, so what will it take to lose the negative stigma? Whenever I tell people that I’m vegan, they usually say, “I’m glad you’re not that vegan that shoves it down people’s throats.” Although I’m thankful people don’t think that of me, I think it says volumes about what people assume vegans are like. I’ve never even met that vegan, and truthfully, I’m not even sure if that vegan exists. Is it just a socially constructed stereotype perpetuated by hilarious memes on social media? Veganism is full of misconceptions, just like any subculture. Knowledge is power, so let’s break it down.

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

19


LIFE HACKS

Veganism

After a year of being vegetarian, I decided to take the next step and give veganism a shot. Reading the According to Webster’s Dictionary, a vegan is “one book “Eating Animals” by Jonathan Safran Foer left who consumes no food coming from animals.” This the greatest impact on me and opened my eyes to means meat, eggs, milk, cheese, butter and any other the grim realities of the meat industry. After doing animal byproduct. Most vegans would feel like this more research and watching documentaries about definition only tells half of the story, since veganism industrialized farming, I was in also dovetails with opinions on sheer disbelief about how much animal rights and environmental “I figured that consumers don’t know about what protection. Although universally goes on. I can’t fix the all vegans chose the lifestyle for Arcelia Kent, who stopped similar reasons, it’s important to world, but I can eating meat over two decades ago not make assumptions about what certainly watch and has been vegan for now for 14 someone that follows a vegan lifeyears, uses her website EburgVeg style will be like. what I’m doing.” to inform the Ellensburg com“People always want to group - Arcelia Kent munity about where to find vegan vegans together and act like we’re options in town and educate about all the same,” says Krista Kok, veganism. Her choice to become vegan stemmed a junior graphic design major who has been vegan from a desire to take responsibility for her impact on for three years. “I think the judgement comes from the earth. people just not knowing much about it. We’re not all “I figured that I can’t fix the world, but I can cerhippies, some of us just don’t just want to eat animal tainly watch what I’m doing,” she says. products.” Kendall Collins, a freshman at CWU, was initially drawn to veganism for the health benefits. “I watched What’s the Point? a lot of documentaries and did a lot of research on it. For a while I thought that veganism was too extreme, Every person has their own reason but once that I was vegetarian for two years I really for choosing a vegan diet. started looking into what veganism is and why people do it,” she says. “I realized all the health benefits, For me, it started when I was trying to find a natural tried it for two weeks and never went back.” way to reduce inflammation in my body in hopes of Talking about veganism from a health perspective helping a knee injury. All the research pointed me in is fairly easy. Everyone has diets they follow and the direction of eliminating animal products from it’s normal for people to try new eating habits. Not my diet, so I decided to try out vegetarianism. eating meat isn’t usually what makes people uncomfortable, but why vegans don’t eat meat is often what causes controversy.

20

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


People don’t want to talk about the slaughterhouses, conditions livestock are raised in or the environmental impact of industrialized farming. If you are curious about some statistics or want more information, I encourage you to watch the documentary “Eating Animals” to get a glimpse of what it means to eat animals in our industrialized world.

The College Vegan

I’m from Portland, Ore., which according to CNN, Peta and VegNews, is one of the best places to be vegan in the country. From vegan restaurants, bakeries, bars, clothing shops, furniture makers and more, Portland has become an epicenter for the vegan culture. When I’m home I feel like I’m surrounded by a community of people who understand and appreciate what it means to be vegan. Coming to a town like Ellensburg is completely different. In an agricultural town that thrives on the yearly rodeo, veganism can be seen as taboo to some. Kent’s website, EburgVeg, offers restaurant guides for local vegans and tries to initiates conversations with restaurant owners about why including vegan options would be beneficial for them too. “Some people say they’ll follow up, but they don’t. A lot of times they just ignore me. That’s why I really try to highlight the restaurants when they’re accepting,” says Kent. She mentions that Cafe C5 and the Lunchbox Cafe were extremely receptive and offer some great vegan options. I’ve noticed the CWU population to be a little more knowledgeable and curious when I tell them I’m vegan. I think it helps that a lot of students come here from Seattle, which is also dubbed as one of the most vegan-friendly hubs. A recent report compiled by market research firm Nielsen Holdings found that plant-based food sales grew 20 percent last year, a growth rate that’s 10 times faster than all other food categories. With that in mind, there’s no doubt that dining on campus hasn’t caught up with the trend by adding vegan-friendly options. Since Central dining services doesn’t receive any federal funding and relies on the revenue it makes to operate, they serve what students traditionally demand. I questioned whether or not their pursuit of maximizing revenue through the sale of unhealthy options comes at the expense of student’s health. The new Director of Dining Services himself, Dean Masuccio, knows what brings in the big bucks.

WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? Growing feed crops for livestock consumes 56 percent of water in the US. Source: Center for Science in the Public Interest

Livestock and their byproducts account for at least 51 percent of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Source: WorldWatch

2,500 gallons of water are needed to produce one pound of beef. Source: Journal of Animal Science

Livestock covers 45 percent of the Earth’s total land. Source: International Livestock institute

1.5 acres can produce: 375 pounds of beef or 37,000 pounds of plant-based food.

Source: Iowa State University Animal Industry Report

Every minute, 7 million pounds of excrement are produced by animals raised for food in the US. Source: USDA

The leading causes of rainforest destruction are livestock and feedcrops.

Source: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

21


LIFE HACKS

“On any college campus across the nation, the top five selling items are typically the unhealthy options. It’s burgers, pizza, coffee, fries and soda. We really can’t take those five away, but we can include many other options,” he says.

Since dining services is an auxiliary enterprise, what they serve to students is entirely at their discretion. This means that the decisions made by the director and head chef impacts the health of thousands of students. Consumers worldwide are demanding plant-based alternatives at a steadily increasing rate, yet our dining on campus hasn’t followed suit as quickly. “Some of [the education on healthy choices] could come from a dietician, but we need the leader to be gung-ho about the initiative, it trickles down from the top,” says Dining Services Dietician, Emily Shaw. “I think there are going to be a lot of changes in the positive direction in the next couple of years.” I transferred to CWU and luckily never had to depend on campus dining services for vegan options. Collins, however, has experienced what it’s like this year firsthand. “It’s definitely hard sometimes. The first few weeks I had to figure out what my options were. I bought the smallest meal plan on purpose, that way I could go to the grocery store still and buy my own food,” she says. This fall, Masuccio joined CWU as the new dining services director after spending 18 years in food services at University of Washington. Although from an administrative standpoint, there’s no doubt that his bottom line will be generating revenue, it was refreshing to hear his plans for adding more healthful options for students on campus to choose from. “As we look to redesign our menu, we want to have more inclusive offerings. If it’s one item or one ingredient that’s making the dish not vegan, how critical is that one ingredient?” says Masuccio. “It’s decisions like that we will be planning. Conversations like that have already been started.”

22

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

Cost of Veganism

Often, people shy away from veganism because they assume their wallets can’t handle it. However, eating a natural plant-based diet is much cheaper than the carnivorous alternative. If you’re a broke college kid like me, consider subbing out chicken breast for beans. Your wallet (and the chicken) will thank you. “If you’re eating in a way that you’re subbing meat for processed meat, or subbing cheese for processed cheese, it is more expensive,” says Kent. “But if you make meals with plants, it’s cheap. Think of beans, rice and other cheap pantry staples, those are all vegan.” When you take meat out of your shopping cart and replace it with things like beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, not only are you increasing your variety of nutrients, but you instantly save at checkout. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average national cost of boneless chicken breast in 2018 was $3.11 per pound, where beans were only $1.30 per pound. “A lot of times people worry about not getting enough protein, but for the most part protein isn’t an issue. Most americans in general are never short in protein,” says Shaw.

Gaining Momentum

It seems like our society is constantly searching for the optimal diet. Whether that means trying Keto, Whole30, Paleo or Weight Watchers, mass media likes to talk about the latest and greatest diets. In fact, Baum + Whitman, a world-renowned restaurant consulting agency, dubbed plant-based eating as the most popular food trend of 2018 and 2019. Most vegans would agree, though, that veganism is more profound than just eating plant-based. “I don’t like it when people treat veganism as a diet, because then they won’t stick to it. I don’t think children would choose eating animals naturally, but they are just desensitized to it as they grow up,” says Kent, who has raised her four-year-old son as a vegan. Since celebrities and elite athletes are endorsing veganism, I think the negative stigma is slowly fading. Vegan options are scattering the shelves of grocery stores, restaurants are tagging themselves as vegan-friendly and even Taco Bell is rolling out a vegan menu. The global shift away from eating animal products is here to stay. What was once nothing but a fringe movement now has a place in society, and it’s our generation that’s spearheading the movement.


MINIMUM WAGE, MAXIMUM

WANDERLust Story by Savannah Scriven | Design & Illustrations by Lisa Yamakawa Reyes

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

23


PASSPORT

V

acation, freedom from homework, sleeping in. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Your bank account might disagree. Minimum wage is tough to live on as a college student, especially if you want to travel. Airline tickets are too expensive, hotels are overpriced and how on Earth are you supposed to save money while paying for rent, food and tuition? PULSE set out to find tips and tricks on how to travel on a low budget. Dr. Carla Jellum, a professor for the recreation, tourism and event management program at CWU and an avid traveler, has experienced firsthand the troubles of managing expenses while traveling. “Don’t get hung up on bucket lists. That can happen later,” Jellum says, adding that budgeting “forces you to be creative.” Places such as Morocco, Bolivia or the Dominican Republic allow you to travel for under $50 a day as long as you are conscientious about your spending habits. Travel companions can make for a more leisurely stay and may offer you lodging at their house the next time you visit. If you do couch surf, Jellum recommends packing light for more comfortable travel and to save room for your sleeping apparatus. If you find that you packed too much, see if you can donate some items to a local charity.

24

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

Step 1: Flying

Step 2: Accommodations

One of the biggest concerns when it comes to traveling are the costs regarding airfare. Tickets may be relatively expensive depending on the destination; however, if planned right, you can work the system. For those of you who do not have credit cards, Alaska Airlines is one of many airlines that allow you to purchase a credit card and rack up mileage points based on the amount of money you spend. Once you pay off your balance at the end of the month, you will build your credit while simultaneously saving toward your next plane ticket. Make sure you are checking sites such as Google Flights (or your airline/website of choice) up to an entire year in advance to check the price fluctuations and the cheapest days to purchase tickets. Don’t get stuck on staying with the same company because different airlines offer more affordable options at varying times and dates.

The next thing to book is your accommodations. You can always reserve a suite that can hold eight people and divvy the cost amongst one another, but you are still going to have a pretty price to pay. In order to save some money on your temporary home, here are a few alternative options: 1. Air BnB. A way to get to know the locals while also having the feeling of home away from home. This option is cheaper than most hotels if you can find the right location at the right time. 2. Camping. This might not be as glamorous as staying inside, but there are serious cost benefits. Dr. David Rolfe, assistant professor of recreation and sport management, says some national parks such as Yellowstone allow you to camp for under $30 a night, and other places may even be free. 3. Stay with friends. There are many exciting adventures awaiting in our own backyards. You might have a great coworker or friend that lives in another state who would be more than happy


to have you stay with them and explore their home town. Jodi Musser, a business marketing and family and consumer sciences career & technical education adjunct professor, noted how staying with friends would allow for free accommodations and a few meals paid for by their parents or parental figures. 4. Hostels. Now, some of you may not be comfortable bunking with strangers, but for the freelance traveler, hostels may be a perfect alternative. With many people sleeping in the same area, prices are immediately lower and can save you money for an extra activity during your vacation. Jellum says, “The key here is meeting people.” Making friends and finding groups to travel with can make future accommodation planning way less stressful. A thorough internet search can result in discovering hostels for $10 a night or even less. 5. Housesitting. This method is not as common and is targeted more toward the laid-back traveler, but if you are open to new experiences, you can save almost all of your lodging costs through housesitting. There are a few websites where you can set this up, such as Trusted Housesitters and Mind My House, but you must be extremely flexible with your departure and length of travel time because you are on the homeowner’s time frame.

Traveling as a Student It is easy to get caught up in the lives of your friends and classmates as they post about their luxurious trips on Instagram, but Rolfe says, “Don’t get hung up on what your friends are doing. Try to find the things that you enjoy.” Between Labor Day and late September are when traveling prices drop. Coincidentally, we are still on summer break during this period so it’s helpful to take advantage of this time. Most students are back in school during these weeks and aren’t looking to go on a vacation, so you can plan a trip and save a chunk of money while avoiding a significant amount of people on the roads or in the airports. There is a population of students who use their loans to take vacations, which may further their debt. “I think you can vacation affordably and have life balance without going into debt,” says Musser, who watches flight prices for an entire year in advance to find the best deals. She makes sure to acquire a hotel room with a kitchen so she can utilize the Safeway delivery program and have groceries shipped to her hotel before she arrives. Musser will cook breakfast and lunch for her family every day on their trip and only eat out for dinner.

Saving the Money Every time you want to eat out, calculate the cost and eat at home. Put the money you would have spent in a jar and watch the pile rise. Do the same if you want to go out to the movies, buy new clothes or decorations, etc. If you are comfortable, have a conversation with your friends and family about your finances and let them know that you can’t afford to spend money on as many gifts during holidays or birthdays. They are likely to understand and will simply appreciate the moments and time they have with you. Traveling is about the precious memories you make while you are exploring a new place, a new culture, a new cuisine, a new feeling. Although money is a significant factor in planning a trip, don’t let it dim the breathtaking experiences which were the reasons you wanted to travel in the first place.

“Don’t be afraid to spin the globe.” - Dr. Carla Jellum

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

25


PASSPORT

Discovering Y Story by Nikole Chumley | Design by Matthew Conrardy

You eagerly open your DNA test results after weeks of waiting. As you scroll through the various percentages and probabilities, you get a notification. Some seemingly random person wants to connect with you. You read their DNA results and it hits you, this is your cousin! But that can’t be right? You know all your cousins… or so you thought. While most people are happy with their results, some are apprehensive about sending their DNA to a company, especially if it’s known that some results are less accurate than others. But learning your genetic makeup can still provide you with relief, more concrete knowledge and even let you discover family you never knew about.

Finding Family

Nick Ross, a 21-year-old from Seattle who has taken two DNA tests, one from 23andMe and another from AncestryDNA,

26

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

has always been interested in genealogy projects. When the opportunity to take DNA tests arose, he jumped at the chance.

explains, adding, “Neither one of them really wants to take a DNA test so I’m kind of left in the dark a little bit.”

“I was adopted at birth and I know my birth mother’s side of the family but my birth father’s side has remained relatively unknown,”

Not-So-Accurate

says Ross.

He notes that every test is different and it was possible that he had family who had taken one test but not the other. After getting his results, Ross says he found “a very close relative of my birth father.” While Ross succeeded in his goal of learning more about his biological family, it hasn’t come without a few complications. “There’s two main candidates for who [my father] is,” Ross

This brings us to an important point when it comes to DNA testing: it can’t, and won’t, give you all of the answers you may want. While Ross’ experience with this is because of the individuals he matched with, there are cases of DNA testing that were shown to have given inaccurate results upon a second reading of the same raw data (your saliva). This begs the question: how accurate are these tests? Well, if you’re of Western European descent, they’re more accurate than if you’re of, say, Polynesian descent according to the International Society of Genetic Genealogy. This happens for a couple of reasons. One is that 23andMe bases their results off of a panel of subjects that represent about 43 different populations. The panel is used to give customers their broad genealogy but is un-


DNA able to provide a more detailed breakdown. In order to get that detailed breakdown, more people have to send in their DNA to the same companies. This is why 23andMe and AncestryDNA can give different results for the same person--they have a different set of individuals with which to compare and analyze the DNA. It is for this same reason that the two aforementioned companies will be the most accurate when compared to smaller companies, a larger clientele base means higher accuracy. As for people of non-Western European descent, both companies started in the United States and then branched out to Western Europe as their operations expanded. This means that the racial bias is upheld because those are the people that are being marketed and advertised to from the two biggest DNA analysis companies. Basically, in order to mitigate this inaccuracy, more people from non-European descent need to take the tests.

But is it worth it?

New Discoveries

According to Wendy Chord, a 49-year-old woman from La Center, Wash. who found her biological grandfather through AncestryDNA, it is definitely worth it. Chord said that because of her results, they have been able to visit her grandfather’s biological family in Indiana twice, something she would not have been able to have done without the DNA testing service. “We had to do additional research because I matched [with] a cousin,” she explains about her experience. It wasn’t until she had a few conversations with her new relative that he suggested his grandfather might also be Chord’s grandfather. They then had the grandfather take a lab DNA test at a hospital, which matched himself and Chord’s mother with 99.6 percent accuracy. According to Chord, “AncestryDNA is awesome.” Some who take the test find nothing surprising at all, even if they expect a surprise. Jordan Byersdorf comes from a cauca-

sian family but has a much darker complexion than his mom, dad, brothers and sister. He took the test thinking he would get some shocking results but found nothing out of the ordinary. “Nothing from my results reflected [my tan skin], only places in Western Europe,” he says. “Mostly Germany.” There are others who don’t take the tests for a variety of reasons, including price, security, effort, disinterestedness, etc. Ross has advice for those who are on the fence: “It’s definitely worth it.” So, if you want to know more about yourself, your family or just like the idea of having your DNA analyzed, take the leap and do it; your results just might surprise you.

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

27


SPOTLIGHT

Story by Mason Elliott | Photos by Zahn Schultz | Design & Illustration by Amanda Smith

Annual Snowfall

28

RESO RT M O U N TA I N

VIBE

Located directly off of Interstate 90 and an hour from Seattle or Ellensburg, The Summit at Snoqualmie is your one-stop shop for skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels. Whether you’re trying to rip fresh groomers before class, want to get some laps under the lights after class, or just have a fun weekend with good food, live music and a little skiing on the side, The Summit has it all. It’s the perfect place to have fun, learn to ski or snowboard or take your skills to the next level. WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


Tubing, Nordic & Snow Shoe Tracks

Terrains

Skiable Acres

Vertical Feet

Food and Drink:

Webb’s Mountain Grill, Silver Fir Cafe, Timberhouse Cafe, Timberwolf Bar and Grill, Tiroler Stube, Stan’s Cafe, Milwaukee Lodge Cafe, Silver Fir Bar, Whiskey Pete’s, Backcountry Bar, Broken Tip Bar, Side Door Speakeasy, Webbs International Market, Coyote’s, Hot Shotz Espresso, Rodeo’s BBQ, Big Air BBQ, and Powder House

Events:

Alpental Freeride Open (March) USASA Slopestyle (February) Annual Banked Slalom

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

Source: www.snoqualmiepass.com/stats

Ticket Prices:

Window Rate: $89 Off-Peak Day, $99 Peak Day Online Rate: As low as $35 Night Skiing: Window Rate: $52 Online Rate: As low as $25

29


SPOTLIGHT

KNOW YOU

B E FOR E

S K I & S N OW B O A R D C H E C K L I S T Here’s the stuff you’ll need to enjoy your day on the slopes. If you don’t have an item, rentals are available. Or you can buy something from one of the three shops at the resort.

30

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


Goggles

Helmet & Beanie

Jacket

Balaclava

Gloves

Ski or Snowboard

Pants

FULL DAY RENTAL

PACKAGE DEAL

Boots

$

45

Includes skis, boots and poles or snowboard and snowboard boots

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

31


SPOTLIGHT

IN

FO UR MO UN TAI NS ONE

The Summit in Snoqualmie is one of Washington’s largest ski resorts and with four unique areas there is something for everyone. The four areas are Summit East, Summit Central, Summit West and Alpental; all of which can be found off of exit 54 from Interstate 90. PULSE set up a resort guide to find the perfect area for you and to know what to expect on your tip up to The Summit.


Summit East

The Summit East area is great for skiers and snowboard riders at the low intermediate to advanced skill levels. With runs that have been cut through trees, it offers a completely different feel than many of the other wide-open areas at this resort. That being said, the trees that surround the marked runs is typically where the best snow can be found. Karter Riach, the director of marketing at The Summit describes this area as, “The ultimate adventure area for everybody.” If you’re going up on the weekend, another aspect of this area that sets it apart from the rest is that there are no ski school sessions which means shorter lines and more laps. Night skiing is not available at Summit East, but this means that powder stashes can typically be found for days following a storm. Home to the Milwaukee Lodge Cafe and what Riach describes as having “lots of character,” the Broken Tip Bar is the perfect place to get a drink after skiing with your friends. The Summit East Music Series, which occurs every Saturday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., is a great way to unwind and listen to amazing live music after a day on the hill.

Summit Central

Summit Central is another area that has just about everything for every type of rider or skier. From wide open groomers, to tight, technical off-piste runs, you can find it here. Although there are advanced runs in this section, it is known for inspiring progression. CWU student, Carly Quirk, a family and child life major with specialization in child life, describes Summit Central as, “Definitely a good place for beginners and people who want to go learn.” Also saying, “The progression of hills made learning a lot easier.” If you’re a park rat, this is the section for you, with 3 parks where you can gain confidence by naturally progressing from small to large features. The parks include rail gardens and jumps appealing to every type of rider or skier. For the more advanced, the Silver Fir chair is one of the hidden gems of Summit Central which is brand new to night skiing this year. This chair offers challenging and fun terrain which allows for pushing limits and crushing groomers. On the other hand, if you’re looking for an Instagram-worthy picture, the Silver Fir chair takes you to the top of the ridge overlooking the beautiful Cascade Mountain Range. And for good eating, there are a lot of options such as Rodeo’s BBQ, Coyote’s, Timberhouse Cafe and Whiskey Pete’s.

Summit West

Raich describes Summit West as “the place to learn.” Three “magic carpets” and gradually sloping runs make this is the best place to start improving your skiing or snowboarding skills. Summit West is most unique because of its schedule. Want to get untouched groomer and powder laps after class? You can find that here. Wednesday through Friday, this section doesn’t open until 4 p.m., which is somewhat unheard of, making it perfect for getting fresh tracks after a day in the classroom. The dining at Summit West is hard to beat. Webb’s Mountain Grill leads the way routinely offering new gourmet meals. Other options include the Timberwolf Bar and Grill, Stan’s Cafe and Webb’s International Market.

Alpental

Appearing in various ski and snowboard movies due to its incredible big-mountain features, this is the area with some of the steepest chutes and biggest cliffs that the state of Washington has to offer. Peter Kalbfleisch, a CWU alumni who works in accounting confirms that Alpental has some of the most technical aspects at The Summit at Snoqualmie. “Inbounds one of my favorite areas is off of the Edelweiss Chair,” says Kalbfleisch. Riach says the top of Alpental provides the best option when searching for the perfect view, picture or both. Be cautious, this specific area isn’t for beginners as there’s no easy way down. Once you’re up there though, you can look into the distance and see the various peaks of the Cascades, or look back and see the entire resort. Distinct dining options are available here at Alpental. If you’re looking for a beverage, the Backcountry Bar is a great place to stop in, rest the legs and enjoy your time on the mountain. Riach explains The Backcountry Bar is a staple of The Summit. Residing in a loft above the ticket window with a down to earth and easy-going vibe, it’s a local favorite. Adding that both the Backcountry Bar and The Broken Tip Bar “have the most character” leading to a great time when you’re not on the slopes. From beginner terrain, professional parks, steep chutes, good food and drinks and live music; this resort has everything you could ask for and then some. It’s a big resort with a small mountain vibe, and as Riach states, “We want people to make this place their home mountain.”

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

33


SPOTLIGHT

YOUR LINES Your Lines

& YOU Story by Anakaren Garcia Photos by LeAnna Chard Design by Amanda Smith

34

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

35


SPOTLIGHT

Just like middle school and high school, college can be a time of feeling uncomfortable in your own skin. Being happy about your body can take a lot and worrying about imperfections only adds to the stress and stretch marks come at no mercy. But you’re not alone, so many people get them and it’s time to get real with them. PULSE learned the truth about stretch marks and how these are normal and there’s nothing to worry about.

Stretch Mark Purging

From oils to laser surgery, there’s a handful of products out right now that promote getting rid of your stretch marks, not only that, but they’ll get rid of them fast. Unfortunately, these products aren’t all what they’re worked up to be. Kelly Bauer, a RN at CWU’s Student Medical and Counseling Clinic says, “They don’t work.” She adds, “There are some prescriptions you can get, some retinoid, that can help lessen the effects of them, but they never go away completely.” If this comes as a surprise to you, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many products advertise “instant results” if you use their products. Some go as far as showing you a noticeable difference in just a few weeks. But, of course, unless you’ve tried it for yourself, you never really know if these prod-

36

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

ucts are going to work. Ericka Arellanes-Rios, a CWU alumna says, “Anybody that wants to use them, cool, but I don’t think I would really trust them.” Then saying she thinks these products are almost too good to be true.

Normalization

It’s easy to say that stretch marks occur on many parts of the body and that’s okay. But, do you often feel like you’re alone when it comes to this natural bodily occurrence? Does having stretch marks worry you because of the stereotypes of how they occur? Bauer mentions that people think that stretch marks only come from getting pregnant, which is not always the case. “A lot of teenagers, especially when they’re going through puberty and they’re growing they’re shocked when they see them appear and they really want to get rid of them,” says Bauer. Stretch marks can come to be from a lot of different aspects in your life; puberty, growth spurts, weight lifting/bulking up, pregnancy and weight loss/gain are some of the more common reasons behind getting stretch marks.


WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

37


SPOTLIGHT

Perspective

Isaiah Venegas, a Yakima barber, says he’s had stretch marks since he was in the 7th grade and that they don’t really bother him. “A lot of them came from just working out so once I knew it was from that and I started hitting the gym anyways,” says Venegas. Also saying that he went from being 180 pounds to 140 in less than two months while he was wrestling in school. Arellanes-Rios never had to deal with stretch marks during her early to late teen years. It wasn’t until early adulthood that she began to notice her stretch marks. “Before pregnancy I started to get them at 21, on my inner thighs, and they made me very insecure and then while pregnant I started getting them on my belly and I was kind of insecure but I knew it came with it,” says Arellanes-Rios. To some, stretch marks aren’t something they are too proud of, or something that helps boost their confidence, but to others it doesn’t phase them. “I just don’t care, they don’t bother me. I know a lot of people that they try to hide their stretch marks or they’ll wear different types of shirts to hide them,” says Venegas.

Commonality

Stretch marks aren’t something that just happened a few years ago, they’ve been around and have been seen in many different areas of the body and in many different places in public. “I’ll see a lot of people with

38

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

stretch marks like on their backs, in the middle of their backs they’ll get them, or on their chest, the insides of their arms,” says Venegas when talking about his experiences at the gym. “A lot of kids get them in puberty from growing so fast, boys tend to get them more on their backs and their shoulders and the girls will get them more on their thighs and their tummy and their breasts so, just from development,” says Bauer. “Some people may be more likely to get them if they run in the family.” Venegas says that everyone has them and “if someone says they do not have stretch marks, it’s a guaranteed lie.”

Conf idence Is Key

As you know by now, people say confidence is key and you know that sometimes things are easier said than done. But in today’s world stretch marks are more common than you think. “There was a recent campaign launched called ‘Love Your Lines’. It was started by two mothers. It’s on Instagram and they have like 84,000 hits in the first few days,” says Bauer. “They’re just trying to get people to realize that it’s just a normal thing and you don’t have to hide them.” Arellanes-Rios feels that stretch marks are something that both define us and not. “Because they remind us of things that we probably went through and how we got them but at the same time there is so much more to us then just the stretch marks,” she says. “For me, confidence is key. Depending on how you feel about

it or how you feel about yourself. Its natural, everyone gets them at one point,” says Venegas. In today’s world it’s easy to feel alone, especially when you don’t know if someone else is going through the same as you. Bauer says talking to others about your stretch marks, especially if they have some also, really helps in feeling more confident about having stretch marks.

“Learning to embrace who you are, accept who you are and know you’re not alone, there are many like you, goes a long way to adjusting.” -Kelly Bauer


ACCEPT

& LOVE

YOUR BODY

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

39


40

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


THE FILTERED FACE Story by Lexi Phillips | Photos by LeAnna Chard Design by Isabelle Grotting

Facial features modified in less than 15 minutes using Facetune, a popular mobile app for convenient photo-retouching

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

41


SPOTLIGHT

THE THE

FILT FIL LT

In this day and age, we have become fully ingrained in social media culture;

there are dozens of different places (and ways) to post your selfie, many of our trends stem from what we see online and we are able to receive information at the drop of a hat.

But with that comes the constant impulse to compare ourselves. When given the ability to put our faces and our lives out into the world, we are offered the chance to choose which side of ourselves we present, which is often an idealized version of who we really are.

42

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

“It’s remarkable,” according to Neelam Vashi, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Boston University School of Medicine in a 2018 interview with the Washington Post. “What used to lie in the hands of . . . celebrities and beautiful people who were innately beautiful made to look more beautiful, now it’s in the hands of anyone.” While this can allow us to strive for a better style of life, it can also leave us feeling helpless as we reach for something we may never be able to attain. This is made especially harder with invention of Snapchat and Instagram filters and apps like Facetune, which is described as “a Photoshop editing job in the palm of your hand,” according to a review on the App Store. With technology ever-advancing and our reach across the world spreading, it may come as no surprise that inventions of convenience can have such a significant impact on the way we work and think. PULSE set out to find just how significant this impact is.


LLTTE TTER EERRE REEDD FFAACE Filtering It Out Ever since Snapchat introduced their filters—called ‘lenses’—in 2015 according to The Daily Dot, it seems adding effects to your face is the new normal for selfies. It wasn’t long before other apps like Instagram and Facebook continued the trend. Whether it be dog ears or a younger, smoother-looking appearance, changing your looks has become a crucial step in putting yourself out there. “I mostly do the fun little ones and the ones with the hearts around my head,” says PULSE photographer LeAnna Chard of her filter usage. “Sometimes I use the one that kind of smooths over your face, but I only really use those if I’m breaking out, to be honest.” Chard adds that while she thinks filters are fun to use, she doesn’t believe they’ve affected her selfesteem. She adds, though, that they have impacted the way she handles clients’ photos. “A lot of my

“What used to lie in the hands of . . . celebrities and beautiful people who were innately beautiful made to look more beautiful, now it’s in the hands of anyone.” - Neelam Vashi

clients want their face to look like the filters make them look, which is super glossed skin, no flaws, your eyes are bigger and more colorful,” she says. “I’m editing out manually zits, imperfections, I’m blurring out the line they don’t want or the scar they don’t want on their face. … Since they can get that quality on Instagram or Snapchat to really meet that standard, you have to do a lot more work than you used to have to do.” Lexi Wicks, a 17-year-old photographer from Fife, Wash., says that with Facetune, it works the other way around. “A lot of [photographers] use Lightroom or Photoshop, [and] that’s a lot more complex. It takes more time to learn and if you’re not super skilled on it, it can go south very easily, where Facetune is something super quick [and] easy,” she says, adding that it can also go too far. “A lot of teenagers are using Facetune just to … cover up insecurities that no one else would really notice. Like, ‘Oh, my skin looks super rough,’ so

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

43


SPOTLIGHT

they’ll make their skin unbelievably smooth, to the point where it doesn’t even look real,” says Wicks. “You look like a porcelain doll or something.” Wicks also argues that Facetune opens the door wide for comparison, allowing someone to edit a photo into “their utopian view of the situation.” She jokes that 17 years old is the “prime teenage age for Facetune,” explaining that the desire to make memories in your last year of high school and especially to impress your peers in your first year of college calls forth the desire to make your public persona as polished as you can. “On Instagram, they feel the need to uphold this standard and they’re trying to impress their old high school friends and make sure that their family back home thinks that they’re doing amazing … when in reality, they’re on the verge of dropping out of college and their life is crumbling to the ground,” says Wicks. “They have to put on this front because they know that’s how everyone back home is probably seeing them, and they don’t want to be less than that.” The ability to edit so much of your appearance in so little time has its consequences, though. In a January Instagram post, Senior CWU Film Major Chahala Handy shared two pictures: one with a filter and one without. In her caption, she described her experience with filters. “[A]ll I could think about was the bags under my eyes. How could I hide them? Is there a filter that can smooth them? Then I compared these two pics side by side.” She added, “Although the filter helped with one insecurity, it called forth way more questions. Why is my face so much smaller?

Why is my face so much smaller? My complexion is lighter, eyes bigger, chin smaller? - Chahala Handy

44

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

My complexion is lighter, eyes bigger, chin smaller. Why would I sacrifice so many great features just to hide one small insecurity[?]” Speaking to PULSE, Handy shares her issues with filters that lighten skin color, pointing out that many filters do this. “There’s a huge cultural thing within our society about people of color, that the lighter-skinned people of color are a little more accepted. They’re seen [as] less threatening than those who are darker,” she says, adding that when she takes photos of people of color, they will sometimes ask her to lighten their skin in editing. “If you look at a lot of the women who are celebrities today within the black community [or the] Latin community, you can see that the most popular ones that caught on or were promoted were the people who are lighter of their culture,” she says, adding that it’s only now that we’re starting to more widely accept darker-skinned celebs. In a 2017 HuffPost South Africa article titled, ‘Let’s Be Honest: Snapchat Filters are a Little Racist,’ author Shandukani Mulaudzi writes, “When applied, a user’s face morphs into a brighter, often light-skinned, blemish-free and slimmed down version of the original, sparkly-eyed and with a small nose. You may even end up with thinner, different coloured lips and blushed cheeks.” Summing it up, “facial features are tweaked to suit Western standards of beauty.” Snapchat has yet to address this criticism. It isn’t the only offender, though. While Snapchat does the work for you, Facetune allows you to change entire aspects of your face and body manually. According to Wicks, the app has the ability to change the appearance of your weight as well as certain facial features. “You can manipulate how narrow your nose is and the tip of it; there’s [something like] three different dimensions of your nose that you can manipulate in order to make the whole thing look ‘ideal,’” Wicks explains, which attributes to the issue of Western beauty standards. When we’re told we must look a certain way to be beautiful—a way that is most often achieved by white people or people of European descent—then the ability to change our appearance rather than learn to love it can be harmful. “There’s this little button I always press right before I finish [editing] and it’s the before and after,” adds Wicks. “If you’re comparing yourself to what you want to be and what you are, it can do a lot to your self-esteem. [You’re saying], ‘This is what I want to be, so this is what I’m going to post,’ and that can do a lot of damage.”


A Mental Image

Not only can this damage your self-esteem, but your mental health can be impacted as well. “Being inundated by these edited images on a regular basis can take a toll on people,” according to the Washington Post. “Looking at a photo of yourself and not seeing the same thing reflected in the mirror or an unedited photo can make people unhappy.” The Washington Post adds that this phenomenon has been coined as ‘Snapchat dysmorphia’ by Dr. Tijion Esho, a cosmetic doctor in the UK. According to a 2018 article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Snapchat dysmorphia is a type of body dysmorphic disorder, which is “a body-image disorder characterized by persistent and intrusive preoccupations with an imagined or slight defect in one’s appearance,” as stated by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. BDD shows itself in many ways, including repeatedly checking your appearance, comparing yourself to others, excessive grooming and exercise and seeking surgery, according to the ADAA, and is seen almost equally in men and women. It often appears during adolescence. “People who have body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) think about their real or perceived flaws for hours each day,” explains the ADAA. “They can’t control their negative thoughts and don’t believe people who tell them that they look fine. Their thoughts may cause severe emotional distress and interfere with their daily functioning.” BDD can also cause someone to overestimate the significance of their insecurities, according to the International OCD Foundation. “For example, when walking into a restaurant, a patient with BDD who has concerns about his nose might think, ‘Everyone in the restaurant is staring at my big, bulbous nose,’” they state. “Patients are also more likely misinterpret minor flaws (e.g., perceived asymmetry) as major personal flaws (e.g., ‘If my nose is crooked, I am unlovable’).” According to the International OCD Foundation, “Most patients with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) do not seek psychiatric/psychological care, but look for costly surgical, dermatologic, and dental treatments to try to fix perceived appearance flaws.”

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

45


SPOTLIGHT

A Plastic Perception

IT’S LIKE LIVING IN A FANTASY

With society becoming saturated in social media, a new trend has been spotted: people are now seeking cosmetic surgery to look more like they do with a Snapchat filter or Facetune, or to look better in selfies. In the past, it was more common to see people wanting to look more like celebrities. This shift is largely due to the rise in filtered and Facetuned photos, according to a February 2018 article in the Independent, which states, “These images are now readily accessible and judged, whereas before we had to see images via magazines or TV. We now see them daily via social platforms, making us more critical of ourselves.”

46

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

According to a 2018 survey by The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 55 percent of facial cosmetic surgeons in 2017 saw this type of patient. Moreover, over 50 percent of AAFPRS members saw “an increase in cosmetic surgery or injectables with patients under age 30 last year,” it said, “and over four-fifths of treatments in 2017 were cosmetic non-surgical procedures.” Dr. Alex Sobel, a cosmetic surgeon at Anderson Sobel Cosmetic Surgery in Seattle, Wash. and president of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, says this trend is not as common in Washington, but rather in Los Angeles or Miami. Despite this, Chard says she is considering getting cosmetic surgery—more specifically, either a double chin removal surgery or a jawline-sharpening surgery. “When I take pictures and I feel … more like myself is when my face does look really angular and I like how sharp my features look when it’s at those angles,” she says, “I wish that’s what my face looked like normally.” Chard adds, “Everyone has the best version of themselves that they have in their head and what you think you look like, and if your external could match your internal, why not? That’s plastic surgery for you.” However, Dr. Esho said in his interview with the Independent that doctors hardly ever take these desires at face value. “We have a stringent consultation process in place, which assesses the patient’s suitability for treatment and we never do treatment on the same day, allowing the patient to ‘cool off ’ and really think about their choice,” he added. Doctors also look for any “red flags” or signs of BDD before going through with the procedure, according to the Independent. Dr. Sobel also warns not to be fooled by postsurgery photos, since full results can take almost a year to show up. For example, Brazilian butt lifts are still swollen for some time after surgery, so it’s likely that post-op photos you see on social media aren’t indicative of the final result. He also says that surgery often can’t replicate filters of Facetune, adding, “Filters aren’t a replacement for expert consultation.” So, how long will this trend last? Doctors believe it won’t be going away anytime soon, as stated by the Washington Post. “I’m just one small person in a big world, I can’t change everything, but I can make people aware and recognize and know that it’s not the real world,” said Vashi. “It’s like living in a fantasy.”


REJOICING IN Suffering cwu football Players sings Through struggles

Story by Desmond Rodriguez | Photos by Connor Chilson Design by Matthew Conrardy

F

lying on a plane for the first time wasn’t easy for Elisha Paaga. He was about to land in Seattle not knowing any English, having zero friends and very little belongings. Starting life over again wasn’t his choice, but if his grandpa wanted to survive, they had to get better medical help. Paaga was born in American Samoa in the village of Tula. In 1999, he made the 5,223 mile trip to the States when he was just four years old. Now, Elisha Paaga lives to overcome his obstacles and inspire.

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

47


SPORTS

Language Barrier

Making the trip with Elisha Paaga was his father, Natia Paaga, mother, Tauasi Paaga and brother, Jeremiah Paaga--all of whom were tasked with learning the English language after only speaking Samoan back home. The early stages involved watching a lot of American TV shows to introduce them to the new language. At four years old, though, it was a slow process for Elisha Paaga as kid shows were often more expressive through gestures. “A lot of our communication was showing teachers what we wanted to say instead of actually talking,” says Elisha Paaga. “It was really tough trying to keep up with our classmates.” Elisha Paaga and his brother were enrolled in English as a Second Language classes after school. More focused on learning the language than learning the material taught in class, the two fell behind their classmates. It even held Jeremiah Paaga back a grade because of it, but the language was gradually picked up.

Obstacles

Elisha Paaga took a strong liking to football after discovering the sport on TV. With no previous experience playing any sport, he decided to try football for the first time in eighth grade. His larger stature had the coaches playing him at running back and defensive line. As the season went on his performance improved, which caught the attention of Eastside Catholic, a private high school in Sammamish, Wash. “I had to choose between them and Kennedy high school,” Elisha Paaga says. “Going into ninth grade 48

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

Eastside Catholic offered me a scholarship to play football so I couldn’t turn that down.” The transition from public to private school proved to be harder than he imagined. Elisha Paaga was a minority at first, as he was the first ever Polynesian student to attend Eastside Catholic. The different environment and new group of students was something he had to adapt to, especially through the family’s continued financial struggles. “During lunches it was tough because I was trying to find food and I didn’t have much money. I was always eating people’s leftovers,” Elisha Paaga says. “There were days where I would just feel alone.” The distance was also poor, as he was 45 minutes away from school and didn’t drive at the time. Eastside Catholic started a program his freshman year that sent buses through Renton, Auburn and Seattle to pick up the enrolled students. “I would wake up every morning at 5:30 a.m. for the bus at 6 a.m. Would get to school at 7:20 a.m. and the bus would take us back after practice,” Elisha says. “I wouldn’t get home till nine or 10 at night.”

Development

Even through the tough days, he remained true to his character. At one of his Eastside Catholic football games, a mother approached his family thanking them so much for Elisha Paaga; a moment that brought them all to tears. “She said he was spending a lot of time with her son who was in special ed. There were times where he could go out to lunch with his friends, but he chose to stay in and spend the time with


her son,” Jeremiah Paaga says. The Injury Faith In The Comeback “She kept complimenting my Elisha Paaga started the opening Surgery left him unable to walk parents on how they raised such game against Portland State his for two weeks. The six-inch a fine young man.” sophomore season in front of a surgical scar on his right knee All of the effort eventually paid packed crowd in Portland, Ore. reminded him of the painful off for Elisha Paaga. After making With his family in attendance, experience, but he flipped varsity all four years of his high he jumped off the snap when the script and viewed it as an school career, CWU came knocksuddenly a loud pop echoed from opportunity to send a mesing on the door and offered him a his knee. Down he fell, screaming sage--everything happens for a scholarship to play football. in pain. Trainers rushed onto the reason, and Elisha Paaga wasn’t That summer he packed his field as the crowd stood in dead done playing football yet. belongings and brought one silence. “He put all of his faith in God thing not very many people knew “I remember the trainers runfirst and he knew that his family about--his singing ability. ning out and yelling, ‘Where’s his was always supporting him,” Elisha Paaga grew up singing knee cap?’” Elisha Paaga recalls. Natia Paaga recalls. in the choir at his church. His “It ended up being up in my The injury not only tested his grandfather was a minister and thigh.” physical strength, but mental his parents are pastors at HighElisha Paaga laid there waiting strength as well. Elisha Paaga Point LightHouse Assembly of for the stretcher with what turned had to regain the ability to move God in Seattle, Wash. Strong out to be a ruptured patellar tenhis leg to learn how to walk faith has always been a again. From beginbig part of their lives. ning to end, he had On days when he’d to remain patient. help lead worship, peo“Your story is not one of suffering; “The first thing I ple told him that his want to be known your story is not one of pain, voice helped the hard[for] is my faith ships they were going before anything,” through. Elisha Paaga ex“It really pushed me presses. “There is a to use my voice as a verse from the bible gift after hearing the that always kept me testimonies,” Elisha —Elisha Paaga going.” Paaga explains. “I love The verse reads: helping people through “More than that, their lives and I use it we rejoice in our to help me get through my own don. It was a season ending injury sufferings, knowing that sufferproblems.” that would take 10 months to a ing produces endurance, and The singing followed him outyear at minimum to recover from. endurance produces character, side of church as well. At practice, He covered his tears with his jerand character produces hope, in the classroom and even during sey as he was carried off the field, and hope does not put us to games, his vocals were always thinking that may have been his shame, because God’s love has heard. He knew the ‘macho man’ last snap of his career. been poured into our hearts mentality football had, but it through the Holy Spirit who has didn’t stop him from continuing “It really put my life been given to us. Romans 5:3-5.” to break the football stereotype. into perspective, not tak“Your story is not one of “There was a time in the game ing anything for granted suff ering; your story is not where I was singing before the and taking everything as one of pain,” says Elisha snap and the other team stopped an opportunity,” Elisha Paaga. “Your story is one of and said, ‘Man, you got a voice,’ Paaga says. character and hope.” and then snapped the ball,” Elisha Paaga recalls. “It’s definitely one of my favorite memories.”

Your story is one of character and hope.”

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

49


AFTER DARK

The

BECHDEL TEST

Story by Michaela Phillips | Design & Illustration by Isabelle Grotting You’re sitting in bed browsing Netflix, but every movie you find that looks interesting is centered around a man. And for once you want to see a kick-butt girl movie. How do you know which movie to pick? Have you ever tried the Bechdel test? The test has three points. Are there at least two women in a movie? Do they talk to one another? Is that discussion about something other than a man? The test, created by Alison Bechdel in a 1985 comic strip, has been putting movies to the test for over 30 years. The Bechdel test is a major step in determining female involvement in the films we watch. 50

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

The Big and the Small

Melissa Johnson, a senior lecturer for the film program, sees value in the Bechdel test. “What is perhaps the most useful aspect of the Bechdel test is how surprising the results often are,” she says. “Even when there are ‘strong’ women in films or a large female cast of characters, the focus is still often on men and their stories,” says Johnson.


“Women are still often relegated to the role of reflecting male desire, pondering male needs, and shaping their character goals around their relative proximity to or relationship with men.” However, passing the test doesn’t necessarily mean the movie is all about equality. CWU junior Art Major Riley Kizziar says, “Yeah, it could meet those three things [but] that could be all the representation that there is, so I would say it’s more about the storyline than points to check off.” Victoria Weigand, a law and justice major, agrees with Kizziar’s view, but says, “[‘Titanic’] passes the test, but what did Leo get paid and what did Kate get paid?” These students weren’t just worried about representation in movies, but the actual treatment of female actresses in the entertainment industry, arguing that issues in Hollywood can’t be solved by a simple three-point exam.

So, what does the Bechdel test’s passing or failing grade tell viewers? There are many positives to the Bechdel test; it does show if there are women in a movie that have other interests than men. But that does not mean that every movie that passes the Bechdel test is female-oriented. Still, Johnson argues, “Any framework that highlights gender inequality and strives to solve that imbalance has value.” There are many other tests that have been created in recent years akin to the Bechdel test, such as the Mako Mori, Sexy Lamp and Ellen Willis tests, but creating an all-encompassing analysis of women in movies seems like a difficult task. Robbie Collin, chief film critic of the Telegraph said in a 2013 article, “I suspect that many critics and bloggers are happy to overlook the [Bechdel] test’s flaws because the conclusion it seems to lead us to is one that they want to hear: cinema is perilously lacking in well-drawn female characters. Well, if that’s true – and it obviously is – can’t we just forget about the test and talk about that?”

Do these films make the cut? “Love, Actually”

“The Imitation Game”

Synopsis: A classic Christmas movie that follows several stories of love, loss, and drama during the holiday season. Does it pass the test? Yes; Karen (Emma Thompson) speaks to her daughter Daisy (Lulu Popplewell) about being a lobster in her school’s Christmas play. How Women are treated: There are both strong female characters and stereotypes in this movie. Thompson’s character remains a strong rock for her children even with the knowledge of her husband Harry’s (Alan Rickman) affair. Adversely, Colin Frissell (Kris Marshall) travels to America and finds four American women who invite him back to their home to ‘spend the night’ just because of his British accent. Verdict: “Love, Actually” passes the Bechdel test on a few occasions, and there are many woman in the film, but misogynistic stereotypes are present in the movie. Two women do speak about something other than a man, but that does not shed light on the sexism that occurs in Marshall’s plotline, or other instances of stereotypes throughout the movie that hamper positive female representation.

Synopsis: A l a n T u r i n g ( B e n e d i c t C u m b e r b a t c h ) and Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley) attempt to crack the Nazi coding system during World War ll. Based on true events. Does it pass the test? No; There are two named women in the movie but they only speak of men. How women are treated: Clarke is not wanted by the rest of the code-breaking men (she is the only female), but she remains on the job even though she is berated by her peers. She is a strong female character that stands up for herself in a male-centric world. Verdict: This movie is definitely male-driven, but primarily due to it being set in the 1940s. Joan Clarke may be alone in a world full of men, but she shines. There is a large amount of strong female representation even though the movie is set in a male-centric era.

(2003)

(2014)

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

51


AFTER DARK

RAP MUSIC & FEMINISM Editorial by Madeline Wilson Design & Photo Illustration by Isabelle Grotting

Have you ever questioned if you’re a ‘bad feminist’? Chances are, you’re probably not the first person to believe that your actions are detrimental to the feminist movement. You may be thinking that because you listen to music that objectifies and promotes the sexualization of women, you’re devaluing the progress made toward equality. However, many college students like yourself find that they are able to empower others while still enjoying the explicitness of the rap and hip-hop genres. Rap music has ignited controversy in the past 20 years because of what is believed to be outright vulgarity expressed in the lyrics. Many people are shocked that artists would discuss topics such as sex and drugs that most people consider taboo. Despite this assumption, the genre has grown in popularity.

52

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

53


AFTER DARK

DO VULGAR LYRICS HOLD POWER OVER WOMEN?

54

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


Why are people so willing to listen to music that many believe degrades others and promotes a lifestyle that is supposedly wrong? It could be the recent induction of rap music into mainstream radio or because people use the music as a release for pentup stress. Regardless of the reason, CWU sophomore Patrick Rogers explains that, “It is just about sex, money [and] drugs,” and that is the life that many impressionable teenagers and young adults desire. It is not surprising that young people, including those who consider themselves activists, would consume music within the genre. Gayla Blaisdell, associate professor of voice and opera, believes that “music is an expression of our emotions,” and even people who identify as feminists enjoy listening to music that has a good beat and can help liberate their feelings. Many people, including yourself, may question the integrity of people involved in social movements such as feminism when they support people who stand for opposing ideas. Yet there are many who define feminism differently. CWU junior Sione Sausau explains that feminism “is trying to establish equality and equity between men and women and all forms of gender.” According to Merriam-Webster, feminism is defined as “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” You may believe that supporting music artists who constantly degrade women and calling oneself a feminist is a contradiction. However, it is important to consider not just a person’s definition of feminism but also why they listen to the music. Rogers explains, “If you come from the same background or situation as them, obviously you can relate.” It is necessary to remember that not everyone who is a feminist grew up in an environment where equality was fostered and accepted. Many people enjoy listening to music that aligns with their cultural background. Now that the intersection between rap music and feminism has been introduced, you might still be wondering why people write objectifying lyrics in the first place. Despite gender, modern artists from all genres may sacrifice their artistic integrity in order to sell records.

Sexualization of women is a way to control women -Masonya Bennett

Blaisdell explains, “Female artists are taking hold of their own image, yet they are still objectifying themselves because … they are popular artists who need to sell records.” Even artists such as Beyoncé who are outright feminists are indirectly forced to objectify themselves in order to promote their music. Blaisdell proposes that much of the misogyny and sexism in the rap genre is due to the prevalence “of male-dominated producers.” The rap music genre has been dominated by men since its creation. Even though young women are a large portion of the consumer base, it is influenced by producers, writers and artists who promote objectifying and sexualizing women. Masonya Bennet, a full-time lecturer in African and Black Studies, says that the “sexualization of women is a way to control women … [that] not only empowers white men but [also] black men who can write objectifying lyrics.” Rap music is predominantly performed by black men, yet white men find power and confidence in the exploitation of women elicited through the lyrics. There are many issues within rap culture that make it difficult to undo the oppression women have faced in the past 10 years from the music. But it is important to consider the context in which people listen to the music. If you are turning on the radio to a random station and are consuming music that you don’t actually like, what is the point? Listening to rap music requires conscious effort because vulgar lyrics hold power over women. Promoting this type of music does not always exemplify your own beliefs but it is important to consider how these lyrics affect your role in society. Whether you are listening to rap music for pure enjoyment or because of the message, it is necessary to remember the culture surrounding this genre and how it affects you personally. WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

55


AFTER DARK

The Impact of

Fashion Bloggers

on the Fashion Industry

Story by Sammy Miyake | Design by Lisa Yamakawa Reyes

O

one of the most satisfying things in this world is when fashion bloggers post direct links to where they got certain products or pieces of clothing because yes, I do want to buy that, thank you very much. We live in a time where social media is making everything move ten times faster. Fashion trends are living, breathing and dying at a rate faster than ever

56

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

before with the amount of exposure we get through social media alone. In the more recent years, online influencers are everywhere. Fashion bloggers in particular have made a huge splash in the fashion industry by creating partnerships with luxury brands, attending fashion weeks and more. Their influence on the fashion industry is starting to become more noticeable.


Emma Cortes is a Seattle-based blogger. On top “Many of the trends now are trickling up from conof running her full-time blog, Emma’s Edition, she’s sumer stylists in smaller groups,” she explains. “Fashkeeping up her Instagram feed daily for her 23,000+ ion is not just coming from the top down anymore.” followers, all while being a graduate school student at Eklund’s take brings up a more business look the University of Washington. on the topic. “One thing to One of the biggest changes remember is that there are with fashion bloggers rising “I think [fashion bloggers experienced bloggers who to the scene is the need for have actual knowledge of the are] important to get looking through fashion magindustry and bloggers who are azines, according to Cortes. smaller brands out there. doing it as a hobby without Trends can change quickly much experience or research They have a huge influand a post to a blog can go out to back up their blogs,” she ence in people buying faster than an issue of a magsays. “Its important to know azine. With fashion blogging the validity of the blogger to different brands, since and social media growing, assure you are getting the best they have a huge influa subscription to a fashion information out there and magazine is almost unneeded they actually know what they ence on their followers.” entirely. “I’m still subscribed are talking about.” -Erika Bawcutt to Vogue but I hardly read it. Bawcutt points out the I need to cancel this subscrippersonal connection you tion!” Cortes says. can get with a blogger and Andrea Eklund, CWU’s Student Fashion Assofollower influence. “I think [fashion bloggers are] ciation adviser, has been teaching apparel, textiles important to get smaller brands out there. They have and merchandising on campus for 12 years. Eklund a huge influence in people buying different brands, says she finds fashion inspiration through Instagram since they have a huge influence on their followers,” and Pinterest more often than from flipping through she says. “It makes fashion more available to people magazines. and it makes it more of a personal connection to the Just as the opinions of those well-versed in fashclothes.” ion are important, so are the opinions of regular Fashion magazines aren’t going anywhere, fashion consumers. Erika Bawcutt, a long-time lover though many are taking to a digital-only format. of fashion and a Nordstrom sales associate of three Big contenders like Vogue will continue in print but years, had subscriptions to fashion magazines as a their digital presence has and will continue to grow teen but has since canceled her subscriptions since in content. she can just read them online now. Like Ecklund, We live in a digital era and the fashion industry she gets her fashion inspiration from Pinterest and is learning to grow and work with bloggers to help Instagram, but will also occasionally flip through achieve the same end result, spreading the love for magazines. fashion. Which almost proves the initial thought--fashion magazines aren’t what they used to be. Most people now are looking to their favorite online influencer for their fashion inspiration. So the real question is, how have fashion bloggers impacted the fashion industry? “Before fashion blogs, fashion was a top down approach. Designers showed at fashion weeks and exclusive events and then those trends would trickle down to department stores and onto the streets,” says Cortes. “Now with fashion blogs, Instagram, Pinterest and more, street style and trends have driven what everyday people wear more than just the runways.” Similarly, Eklund mentions the way fashion trends are being discovered by big-name brands. WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

57


PULSE 8

Austin Smith Contributions by Aly Schwab | Design by Matthew Conrardy

After discovering his passion for art, Austin Smith gave up a sports scholarship to travel to Santa Fe, N.M. and pursue his new dream. Now, he is an alumnus of CWU and works with the community sharing his talent.

58

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


1

Were you active with art when you were younger?

2

What motivates you the most when it comes to art?

3

Who helped motivate you at CWU?

4

Who has been your biggest supporter?

Art has always been a part of my life, in one form or another. ... The creative side has always been part of my family.

In high school, I traveled to Santa Fe, N.M. and studied art. Not academically, but with the culture I got involved with. … It was very inspiring to me. I also got to travel around Europe and see some amazing history. It seemed so sophisticated and so grand.

Chris Popadopoulos ... was the most interesting and dynamic professor I’ve ever had. … He pushed me in ways that got me to think in new ways and encouraged me more on a personal level. I understood what he was doing.

My wife, Aubrey, supports me as a human first and foremost. I think she engages with me in a way that is challenging, and I know she has the best intentions for me. My parents have really helped me. ... They have been a huge support to me.

5

What is your favorite medium? Painting. It’s the most available to me. Painting is always about layers for me and the most enjoyable is abstract expression. It is the most freeing, the most meditative and it’s the most challenging.

6

What is your painting process?

7

What are you working on now?

8

Do you have any advice for CWU art students?

I like to build my own canvases. I like to do larger scale … and create my own surfaces out of different, non-historical mediums. ... I have used anything from salmon eggs to concrete, to art-typical acrylics and oils and found ways to create emulsions that work together to create a strong surface that will be archival. I’ll go into it not expecting too much out of it or try to control it and see where it wants to go.

I’m working on putting together a body of work for some shows. I want to do something in the community here and do some larger paintings. There is always an element of exploration but I’m trying to put together a solid show in the next year or possibly two.

Always be a student. Never feel like you’ve arrived. Find people who are in that environment, start to try to understand what your work is [and] more importantly how it speaks to you and with whom it speaks. The other most important thing is to always make work and don’t worry so much about needing to know what it is while you’re making it. Allow it to teach you. Instagram: @austinjoaquin & @austinjsmithstudios WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

59


AFTER DARK

CALENDAR E V ERDAY SPECIALS The Fire House Military & Medical Discounts 10% The Green Shelf Military & Industry 10% Cannabis Central Happy Hour 2-5pm Wake n’ Bake Special 9-10am 20% off Sativa + Indica Hybrid Night Cap Specials Sun-Thurs 8-9pm

60

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


MON DAY Cannabis Central 15% off Edibles/ Tinctures & all single Grams $10 & under

WEDNESDAY The Fire House “Wax Wednesday” $15 Gram Concentrates $15 Eighths of Flower

T U E S D AY The Fire House Student Discounts 10% The Green Shelf Student Discounts 10% Cannabis Central $4 Joints 2 for $7 $5 Joints 2 for $8 $7 + $8 Joints 2 for $12 $13 Joints 2 for $22

T H U R S D AY Cannabis Central All $15 Single Grams $10 All $25 2g for $20

Cannabis Central $5 off Concentrates & Cartridges

F R I D AY

S A T U R D AY

Cannabis Central 9-10pm 20% off Indica + Sativa Hybrid

Cannabis Central 15% off Topicals 20% off for Seniors (55+) & Students

Vendor Day Specials

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

61


AFTER DARK

DAILY SPECIALS • AROUND ELLENSBURG •

MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

Iron Horse Brewery $5 tasting menu

Blue Rock $5 burgers

$2 tequila wells Wings $1 off all bottles & 16 oz. beer

The Porch $5 Mojitos

Iron Horse Brewery $5 tasting menu

301 $1 Rolling Rock Beer

The TAV $1.50 RBR

The Palace $4 Moscow Mules

FRIDAY

Wings $2 Bud Light

The Porch $5 glasses of wine

TUESDAY

The TAV $7 domestic pitchers

Blue Rock $1 tacos Iron Horse Brewery $5 tasting menu The Palace 88 cent tacos $2.50 Coronas $3.75 loaded Coronas

301 Ladies Night - $1 wells

The Porch $2 tacos $2 Coronas $5 loaded Coronas $3 well tequila shots

Blue Rock $1 beer $5 Long Island Iced Teas

The TAV $7 domestic pitchers Wings 59 cent wings 1/2 off bomb shots

62

Wings $2 Coronas $3.50 loaded Coronas $5 Coronitas

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

THURSDAY

The Porch $4 pints The Palace 88 cent tacos $2.50 Coronas $3.75 loaded Coronas The TAV $5 wells

The Palace $3 Fireball shots The TAV $2.50 Fireball shots

SATURDAY The TAV $2.50 Fireball shots

Wings All drink specials


HAPPY HOURS 301 5 - 7P.M. AND 9-10P.M. EVERYDAY

BLUE ROCK 2 - 6 P.M. TUESDAY - FRIDAY

THE PALACE 4 - 7P.M. EVERYDAY

ROADHOUSE 7 - 6 P.M. TUESDAY - FRIDAY

THE PORCH 3 - 6 P.M. EVERYDAY

THE TAV 3 - 3:30 P.M. MONDAY - FRIDAY

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE

63


OUR TOWN

www.cwupulsemagazine.com 64

WINTER 2019 | ISSUE ONE


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.