PORTLAND STATE VANGUARD
VOLUME 74 • ISSUE 11 • NOVEMBER 12, 2019
Percy's safety plan proposes hiring ambassadors of color NEWS ECONOMIC REPORT BY PSU PREDICTS POSSIBLE RECESSION OPINION DID YOU KNOW IF CIRCUS ANIMALS ATTACK, IT’S YOUR FAULT? ARTS PSU’S FIRST ART MUSEUM OPENS
CRIME BLOTTER
Nov. 4–10
SOPHIE CONCANNON NOV. 4 Vandalism
A Portland State student reported that her vehicle was damaged at SW Hall and 6th between 12:01 a.m. and 10:10 a.m.
NOV. 5 Public Intoxication
NOV. 7 Vehicle Break-in
Found Property
CPSO found a person breaking into a vehicle belonging to a PSU student in Parking Structure 1 at around 1:32 a.m.
Trespass
CPSO responded to a non-student who was intoxicated and unable to care for themselves in the Academic Student Recreation Center at around 11:06 a.m. The person was later transported to the Hooper Detox center.
Vandalism
A PSU employee reported damage to a door at Lincoln Hall at around 9 p.m.
A non-student was issued a trespass warning after being found wandering around Parking Structure 3 at around 4:59 a.m. A non-student was issued a trespass warning after being found in Lincoln Hall while it was closed at around 11:00 p.m.
NOV. 8 Trespass
A non-student was issued a trespass warning after being found sleeping in Cramer Hall at around 4:55 a.m.
Property was received by CPSO that contained narcotics at around 10:48 a.m.
NOV. 9 Trespass / Warrant Arrest
A non-student was issued a trespass warning and an outstanding warrant after being found in Montgomery Residence Hall at around 12:24 a.m.
Arson
CPSO found a cold burnt pile of an unknown substance in the lower level of the northwest exterior stairwell of the Stott Center at around 9:10 p.m.
NOV. 10 Trespass
Three non-students were issued trespass warnings after being found in Blackstone Residence Hall at around 4:45 a.m.
CONTENTS COVER BY DANA TOWNSEND NEWS HILL TO HALL
P. 3
OPINION DEEP FLAWS AND DOUBLE STANDARDS
P. 11
DECLINING ECONOMIC GROWTH
P. 4
WHEN CIRCUS ANIMALS ATTACK
P. 12
INTERNATIONAL THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD
P. 5
P. 13
SOUTH SUDAN DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER FLOODING
P. 6
ARTS & CULTURE PSU’S FIRST ON-CAMPUS ART MUSEUM OPENS TO THE PUBLIC, FREE OF CHARGE
JOHNSON FAILS TO DELIVER BREXIT
P. 6
PORTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL’S UNPUBLISHED AUTHORS
P. 14
AIR POLLUTION CAUSES PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IN NEW DELHI
P. 7
PICA’S LATEST EXHIBIT HUMANIZES THE INDUSTRY OF SEX WORK
P. 14
COVER PSU PRESIDENT ADDRESSES CONCERNS OVER NEW SAFETY PLAN
COMICS
P. 15
P. 8–9
EVENTS CALENDAR
P. 16
SPORTS SPORTS AS PLATFORM FOR PROTEST IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS
P. 10
STAFF
EDIT ORI A L EDITOR IN CHIEF Nada Sewidan MANAGING EDITOR Marta Yousif NEWS EDITORS Sophie Concannon Dylan Jefferies INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Madison Cecil ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Nick Townsend OPINION EDITOR Anthony Montes SPORTS EDITOR Rich Rigney
ONLINE EDITOR Sangi Lama COPY CHIEF Hannah Welbourn CONTRIBUTORS Hanna Anderson Sebastian Brose Cassidy Brown Saqif Maqsud Adrianna Pineyro Emily Price Quinn Stoddard PHO T O & MULTIMEDI A PHOTO EDITOR Alex Wittwer MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Owen Demetre
PRODUC TION & DE SIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR John Rojas
A DV ISING & ACCOUN TING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood
LEAD DESIGNER Dana Townsend
STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Corrine Nightingale
DESIGNERS Brandon Pahnish Sam Person DIS T RIBU TION & M A R K E TING DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING MANAGER Dylan Jefferies T ECHNOL OGY & W EB SIT E TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Juliana Bigelow Tien Pham John Rojas
STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Sheri Pitcher To contact Portland State Vanguard, email info@psuvanguard.com
MIS SION S TAT EMEN T Vanguard ’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills highly valued in today’s job market.
A BOU T Vanguard, established in 1946, is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. Find us in print Tuesdays and online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @psuvanguard for multimedia content and breaking news.
NEWS
NOV. 4–8 HANNA ANDERSON
NOV. 4: U.S. FORMALLY BEGINS PROCESS TO LEAVE PARIS AGREEMENT
The Trump administration notified the United Nations that the United States has formally begun the process to leave the Paris Agreement, which addresses greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. The decision comes two years after President Donald Trump’s original announcement of his intent to leave the agreement on June 1, 2017. Rules within the Paris Agreement prevented participating countries from withdrawing for the first three years since it was first ratified in 2016, according to AP News. The U.S. is currently the only country attempting to withdraw from the agreement. However, the withdrawal will not begin to take effect for another year, according to the statement posted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who announced the decision.
NOV. 5: MAYOR RETURNS DONATIONS FROM U.S. AMBASSADOR TO EU
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced he will donate $16,000 in campaign contributions to various charities, as well as a grassroots coalition supporting the impeachment inquiry into President Trump. The contributions were received from U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, who is heavily involved in the current Ukraine scandal and impeachment inquiry according to The Oregonian. Sondland amended his previously closed-door testimony, acknowledging that he knew and communicated about withholding U.S. aid to Ukraine if Ukraine’s president didn’t begin an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden.
NOV. 8: PORTLAND MAYOR CHOOSES NOT TO USE PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FINANCING
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced he will not participate in Portland’s public campaign funding program for his re-election. The program, called “Open and Accountable Elections,” encourages candidates not to fund their campaigns with large donations, by requiring participants to only accept donations from individuals up to $250. In return, the program’s fund will match those contributions. In his statement, he explained his decision as not wanting to use taxpayer funding “at a time when we are asking more from our public employees, non-profit partners and law enforcement in the face of so many pressing challenges.” His leading political competitor, Sarah Iannarone, has qualified and chosen to opt into the program according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
NOV. 8: RETIRED FORESTERS BACKED BY TIMBER INDUSTRY PROPOSE PRO-LOGGING INITIATIVES
Three new initiatives regarding Oregon’s forestry and logging regulations and protections were filed by retired foresters backed by timber industry groups. The measures—if placed on the ballot and passed—would give counties and forestry groups more control in appointing state Board of Forestry members, require the state to compensate wood owners if new regulations prevent them from logging. It would also require the Board of Forestry to use unbiased and peer-reviewed sources to create policy, according to The Oregonian. The initiatives were filed in response to three rejected initiatives meant to increase regulations and protections for Oregon’s forests.
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NEWS
DECLINING ECONOMIC GROWTH DYLAN JEFFERIES A new economic report released by Portland State states the risk of a national recession has increased, but a sharp economic decline is not expected. The study also found Portland is subject to the same slowing of economic growth due to a large and increasing housing gap and slowed manufacturing. The study, titled “Portland MSA Economic and Population Outlook,” was conducted by PSU’s Northwest Economic Research Center, a research group committed to providing unbiased economic analysis for the private, nonprofit and public sectors of Oregon and Washington, according to their webpage. The study looked at multiple aspects of the economy, including employment, wages, housing and interest rates. Ultimately, the report concluded that “signs point to a heightened risk of recession in the next couple of years.” “We don’t think there will be a recession in the next year, but risks are increasing,” stated Peter Hulseman, senior economist with PSU’s NERC, in a press release. “While there are many elements (national and international) that could indicate trouble on the horizon, at this time the underlying data do not support fears of an imminent recession,” the report states. The study also states the United States has been experiencing its largest economic expansion in its history over the last 121 months, but that signs are beginning to point that growth may begin to slow.
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“NERC isn’t predicting an economic decline,” Hulseman stated in an email. “We are forecasting declining growth, but not a decline.” Warning signs on the national level of a potential recession found in the study include costly housing, manufacturing cutbacks, slowed consumer spending and trade wars. Hulseman emphasized that none of these individual signs indicate that a recession is forthcoming, but that people who react to signs of a slowing economy may exacerbate the problem. The study also found that Portland is experiencing many of the same factors that may signify signs of a recession on the national said level, such as slowed manufacturing and a decline in overall hours worked. But, according to the report, Portland’s job market is steady. The Portland housing gap and its effects on the economy were also examined in the study. “The supply of affordable homes is not only dwindling throughout Portland, but also across Oregon and the broader United States,” the report states. “At the state level there are only 28 affordable and available homes for every 100 low-income renters, below the already morose national figure of 37.”
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 12, 2019 • psuvanguard.com
JOHN ROJAS In a press release, Hulseman said the report highlights the fact that simply building more housing units or affordable housing won’t fix Portland’s housing problem. “It’s not that simple,” he said. According to Hulseman, Portland has a better chance of fixing its housing gap than income inequality. “Filling this [housing gap] will require concerted efforts from both private and public sectors,” the report states. “New [housing] is an important piece of the affordability puzzle (especially in the long run) but requires redistribution in the short run in order to alleviate the [uneasiness] currently felt by Portland residents.” According to Hulseman, universities tend to fair pretty well during recessions. “A general point about how colleges fair during downturns: better than you would expect,” Hulseman said. “A lot of people who lose jobs go back to school for a number of reasons, such as
to add job skills and because they have more free time. So the college might do relatively well, but students will likely find it harder to get jobs and all of the problems associated with that.” While the report didn’t look at how factors such as tuition, student housing and food insecurity may be affected by slowing economic growth, the findings on both the local and national level indicate that college students could likely be affected. According to the report, declining economic growth is likely but not inevitable. “There is no doubt that the risks for a recession have heightened,” the report states, but the researchers conclude, “At this time, we do not see a particular imbalance or speculative bubble occurring in the economy as has preceded other recessions.”
NEWS
THIS WEEK
around the
WORLD
Nov. 3–10
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6 5
1
Nov. 3
PORT OF COTONOU, BENIN
Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea kidnapped nine crew members of the MV Bonita, a Norwegian-flagged ship that was anchored off the coast of Cotonou, Benin. The boat is owned by JJ Ugland and was carrying gypsum, a mineral commonly used in fertilizers. “The Ugland Emergency Response Team are handling this situation as per contingency plans, and they are in contact with relevant authorities,” a statement from JJ Ugland said, according to Al Jazeera. “...The families of the crew members have been contacted and will be kept informed by Ugland.” 2
Nov. 5
SONORA, MEXICO
A drug cartel killed nine United States’ citizens, including three women and six children. The three mothers had a total of 14 children between them and were traveling to Chihuahua, Mexico when their three SUVs were ambushed by gunmen from a local drug cartel. Of the eight children who survived, five are currently
receiving treatment at a hospital in Phoenix, Ariz. Officials said the cartel members believed the SUVs were carrying members of a rival drug cartel in the area and had no intention of killing the families. “As a mother, I feel anger,” Sonora Governor Claudia Pavlovich Arellano tweeted, according to TIME. “...I don’t know what kind of monster could hurt women and children.” 3
Nov. 6
KOKOLA, CONGO
An armed group attacked the village of Kokola in the Beni region of the DRC, killing 10 locals and kidnapping two more. Authorities have blamed the Allied Democratic Forces—a rebel group originally from Uganda—for the attack, but the ADF has yet to claim responsibility for the attack. DRC security forces launched an operation against rebel groups in the eastern forests of the DRC, specifically the ADF, on Nov. 1. “While the army launched large-scale operations deep into the forest, the rebels took the opportunity to attack the towns and civilians,” Beni official Donat Kibwana told Al Jazeera.
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Nov. 6
EST, BURKINA FASO
Unidentified gunmen attacked a convoy of five buses, including one military transport vehicle, taking miners to a mine owned by Canadian-mining company, Semafo. The attack left 37 civilians killed and wounded 60 more, making the attack one of the deadliest in several years. Authorities have not released an official death toll for the security forces who were accompanying the convoy but have reported they expect the death toll to continue to rise as several people remain unaccounted for, according to The Guardian. The military transport vehicle was leading the convoy when it hit an IED on a stretch of road with no mobile phone signal. The gunmen quickly opened fire on the vehicles. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. 5
Nov. 8
CUNTIBA, BRAZIL
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was released from prison following a decision by the Supreme Court on Nov. 7,
which decided defendants could not be imprisoned until all appeals to higher courts had been exhausted. The former president spent a year-and-a-half in prison after he was convicted on charges of corruption and money laundering in relation to Operation Car Wash. The Supreme Court decision could lead to the release of up to 5,000 other prisoners, including several high-profile politicians who were arrested along with da Silva in relation to Operation Car Wash, according to NPR. 6
Nov. 10
SUCRE, BOLIVIA
Bolivian President Evo Morales resigned in response to several weeks of protests. International monitors who had been analyzing the results of the Oct. 2019 elections decided there had been “clear manipulations” in the elections on Nov. 10, and Morales resigned hours later. Vice President Garcia Linera and Bolivia’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal President Mariá Eugenia Choque also announced their resignation, according to AP News.
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 12, 2019 • psuvanguard.com
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INTERNATIONAL
SOUTH SUDAN DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER FLOODING
PEOPLE CROSS THROUGH FLOODED STREETS IN PEMBA CITY, MOZAMBIQUE ON MAY 2, 2019. TSVANGIRAYI MUKWAZHI/AP IMAGES
JOHNSON FAILS TO DELIVER BREXIT
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON LEAVES 10 DOWNING STREET TOWARD BUCKINGHAM PALACE ON NOV. 6, 2019. STEFAN ROUSSEAU/AP IMAGES
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PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 12, 2019 • psuvanguard.com
EMILY PRICE Heavy rainfall and flooding displaced tens of thousands of people from their homes throughout several countries in East Africa. Kenya, South Sudan and Somalia are the three most-affected countries. More than 100,000 people in Kenya alone have been affected by the flooding, with approximately 14,000 people displaced from their homes and at least 29 floodrelated deaths, according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Roads, bridges, schools and health facilities were heavily damaged or destroyed due to the flooding and rain. According to Relief Web, an online reporting system of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, at least 939 acres of Kenyan farmland has been destroyed. “What happened is a sudden flood which occurred here in Pibor, and the water covered the whole town from market, to schools, houses and cattle camps...” Regina Marco, a health worker in Pibor, South Sudan, told Reuters. “We are gathered here in this small dry land which is caving in as well. Even the airport. Up to now, there’s no relief.” AP News reported South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit declared a state of emergency in 27 counties throughout the country in response to the flooding on Oct. 27. Some areas of the country are completely submerged in water from the floods, which have been ongoing since July 2019, according to Voice of America. “We now live with dead animals, waste and garbage all submerged under these waters,” South Sudan resident Veronica Komor told Reuters.
In Somalia, people were evacuated from underwater homes with tractors and boats. Several experts in the country have attributed the increasingly heavy rains and flooding to climate change. “Somalia is on the front line of the climate crisis, and resources are being stretched to their limits,” said Mohamud Mohamed Hassan, Save the Children Somalia Country Director, to CNN. “The current needs are huge and we’re in danger of being overwhelmed if donors don’t step up urgently. Right now, our main concern is the potential health crisis, including cholera and malaria outbreaks, which are devastating diseases for children.” There is concern for potential disease outbreaks throughout the affected countries. With many people now surrounded by dying animals and garbage, the risk of disease spreading is higher than usual. Reuters reported Medicins San Frontieres has been working in South Sudan to prevent potential outbreaks. According to Voice of America, approximately 60% of the countries affected by the flooding face moderate to extreme levels of acute malnutrition in the population. The high rates of malnutrition make preventing diseases more difficult as immune systems are already weakened. Heavy rains and flooding are expected to continue for an additional four to six weeks throughout East Africa, and the UN estimates at least $35 million in emergency aid will need to be sent to South Sudan alone in the aftermath of the floods, according to Voice of America.
ADRIANNA PINEYRO British Prime Minister Boris Johnson failed to meet his first Brexit deadline of Oct. 31, despite his “do or die” pledge. Brexit, or “British exit,” began as a referendum that proposed the termination of the free roam and trade relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union that began in 1973. In mid-2016, British citizens voted to leave the EU, and former Prime Minister Theresa May and Parliament attempted to create a separation deal with no success. Now in its third year, the Brexit dilemma led to the resignation of May, and the responsibility has fallen to Johnson, who was elected to the position of prime minister in July 2019. Johnson has faced criticism from within his own Conservative Party and does not currently possess a majority in Parliament. These two factors, combined with the lack of a separation deal with the EU, resulted in Brexit being delayed once again, this time until Jan. 31, 2020. The EU agreed to a “flextension” for Brexit. The “flextension” would allow for the UK to leave the EU earlier than the deadline of Jan. 31 on either Dec. 1 or Jan. 1. The second “flextension” deadline is approximately one month after premature general election in the UK, which is set to take place on Dec. 12. This special early election was proposed by Johnson in an attempt to reclaim a majority in Parliament. The Prime Minister has already begun his campaign trail for the Dec. 12 general elections, but critics doubt his ability to strike a separation deal with the EU. Johnson also faces criticism for his plan to establish a border between the UK and Northern Ireland, a region that has been affected by a fragile political climate and could be further damaged by Brexit.
Johnson, however, said he believes Brexit and the UK-Northern Ireland border will allow the UK “to take back control of [their] money, [their] borders and [their] laws. But also, it allows [the UK] to have full unfettered control of [their] tariff schedules.” Experts believe a no-deal Brexit would lead to detrimental effects on the economic and political climate of the UK, despite Johnson’s insistence that it may be beneficial for the country. The Labour Party stands as the biggest opposition to the Conservative Party and Johnson’s potential majority in the upcoming election. The Labour Party announced they will be prepared to propose another referendum to allow voters to re-vote on leaving or remaining in the EU. The Labour Party hopes to maintain a relationship with the EU that will be mutually beneficial and sustainable in the long run, according to The New York Times. Despite the Labour Party’s willingness to negotiate Brexit depending on the outcome of the proposed referendum, some believe Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party and the likely replacement for Johnson if the Labour Party wins a majority in December, is unfit to hold the position. “I can’t really believe it’s come to this, but I think I need to tell people that Jeremy Corbyn isn’t fit to lead the Labour Party,” Ian Austin—who was the advisor to former Prime Minister Gordon Brown—said, according to The New York Times. “He’s certainly not fit to lead the country.” Austin left the Labour Party in 2019 after accusing Corbyn and other Labour Party leaders of associating with enemies of Britain, including the Irish Republican Army, Hamas and Hezbollah. He also claims many members of the Labour Party express anti-Semitic sentiments but that Corbyn neglects to stop these conversations.
INTERNATIONAL
AIR POLLUTION CAUSES PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY IN NEW DELHI
MADISON CECIL New Delhi officials declared a public health emergency on Nov. 1 as a result of air pollution nearly 20 times the levels deemed safe by the World Health Organization. A combination of factories, Diwali fireworks, more than 8 million cars and seasonal burning of agricultural land to make room for new crops—known as stubble burning—typically cause increased air pollution levels this time of year in New Delhi, but this year is worse than in the past, according to The Atlantic. Safe air pollution levels are between zero and 50 on the Air Quality Index, according to WHO. India Today reported the average air quality rating across New Delhi was 484, with some areas maxing out the scale at 999. A Supreme Court-appointed panel ordered the announcement of a public health emergency due to the “adverse health impacts on all, particularly [the city’s] children,” according to The Independent. As part of the public health emergency, New Delhi closed all schools until Nov. 5 and implemented an even-odd vehicle schedule. According to this schedule, cars with even-numbered license plates can only drive on even days, while odd-numbered license plates can drive only on odd-numbered days. Officials told residents to shut their windows and limit their time outdoors. Construction projects in and around the outskirts of New Delhi were ordered to pause operations. NPR reported 40 flights in and out of New Delhi were canceled or diverted due to poor visibility on Nov. 3, and no trucks were allowed to enter the city limits. Rivers are covered in toxic white foam.
CHEMICAL POLLUTION FOAM, NOT SNOW, COVERS THE YAMUNA RIVER. ALTAF QADRI/AP IMAGES “We use our car only when we have to,” New Delhi resident Krishen Kak told NPR. “We keep our doors and windows closed because of all the health warnings. Our evening walks have stopped, and even the few errands we need to do are kept to a minimum.” “The firecrackers, traffic on Diwali and stubble burning led to more pollution while the weather conditions such as cyclonic winds in the Arabian Sea and low wind speeds are not helping [New Delhi’s] cause,” Bhurelal, chairman of the Environment Pollution Authority, told India Today. “Health of the citizens of Delhi is being compromised. Children suffering from bronchitis and asthma are being affected. We want to take further steps and that’s why we have announced this health emergency in Delhi and neighboring areas affected by pollution.” Experts believe children in New Delhi may have permanent brain damage due to the pollution, according to The New York Times. Approximately 5 million face masks were distributed across New Delhi to children in an attempt to limit their exposure. Doctors have connected an increase in heart attacks, asthma, heart disease and lung cancer to the worsening air quality in the city, according to TIME. Some experts estimate that breathing the air in New Delhi for one day is equivalent to smoking roughly 25 cigarettes in the same time frame. According to research performed by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, living in the region
of India where New Delhi is located—known as the IndoGangetic Plain region—can cause an individual to lose at least seven years of their life expectancy. “We need short term actions—the odd-even scheme, distributing masks, really dramatic action,” Vijay Limaye, a climate change and health sciences fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council told TIME. “But we also need sustained work to address the underlying problem and in doing so we can tackle the climate crisis. It’s really a win-win for climate mitigation and for public health.” New Delhi authorities have failed to implement effective policies to limit pollution despite warnings from experts about the severity of this year’s air quality beginning in August 2019, and many officials have faced international criticism for their comments. In response to complaints of people’s eyes and throats burning as a result of the pollution Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Science and Technology, Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardham recommended the complainants eat more carrots. “Eating carrots helps the body get Vitamin A, potassium and antioxidants which protect against night blindness common in India,” Vardham said, according to NPR. “Carrots also help against other pollution-related harm to health.” While the pollution is expected to minorly improve in coming weeks due to slightly higher wind speeds, it is likely the majority of the smog will remain until the end of the winter months, according to The Independent.
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 12, 2019 • psuvanguard.com
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COVER
PSU PRESIDE ADDRESSES C OVER NEW SA QUINN STODDARD In response to the Homelessness Action and Research Collaboration stating concerns that Interim President Percy’s holistic public safety plan fails to adequately address race, Percy said they will seek to recruit and hire students with diverse racial backgrounds to the newly created Student Safety Ambassador program. Percy said along with hiring diverse students to the ambassador program in order to better understand issues of race in regards to campus public safety, they will count on student ambassadors to report back on safety concerns on campus, including those of faculty, staff and students of color. In a letter to the editor published on Nov. 5, the HRAC stated concerns that people of color experience disparities during police encounters, which planning for campus safety needs to incorporate, and that real risks for people of color faced with armed security have not been fully considered. Data from the Police-Public Contact Survey shows Black and Latino men experience use of force by police officers more often than other groups. According to a Federal Bureau of Investigations Report on Crime in 2016, Black Americans comprised 27% of all individuals arrested in the U.S.— double the total Black population in the U.S. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights reported in 2018 there are consistent patterns of racial disparities in police use of force against people of color. Police-involved killings of white people occured at a rate of 2.9 per million, while police-involved killings of Black people occurred at a rate of 6.66 per million. Black people were fatally shot by officers at twice the rate compared to white people. The Guardian also reported 32% of Black people killed by police in 2015 were unarmed, as were 25 % of Latinx people, compared to 15% of white people.
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PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 12, 2019 • psuvanguard.com
COMMUNITY CONCERNS
The newly adopted public safety plan— described in the plan as “the next step to advancing our ethos of caring, equity and dignity for all”—has spurred varying reactions from the PSU community. “Research has demonstrated that when we do not name and expressly discuss race, we fail to integrate it into the planning and implementation,” the HRAC stated. “A safety plan that does not explicitly discuss race and describe how race matters in safety planning is not a safety plan for all community members.” In response, Percy said he wants all safety personnel to understand issues of race, discrimination and harassment policies and unconscious bias, among other issues. Percy said one component of the plan that relates directly to race is the comprehensive training of campus public safety personnel on race and issues related to race. “One of the most important requirements is training in de-escalation techniques designed to minimize the need for the use of force,” Percy stated. In addition to race, members of HRAC also stated worry over current progress and the future of the University Public Oversight Committee, a group of students, faculty and staff charged with reviewing situations and providing recommendations for campus public safety. “We are concerned that oversight for the campus safety will be done internally,” HRAC stated. “...We hope these issues will continue to be addressed especially as UPSOC is re-formed, but the lack of external oversight is concerning.” In response, Percy said the campus safety plan strengthens oversight, and that it would be outside and separate from the Campus Public Safety Office. Percy also said it will report directly to the president.
COVER
DENT CONCERNS SAFETY PLAN “PSU administrators will be required to respond to UPSOC recommendations and provide an explanation for any that are not implemented, and we ensure transparency by making all UPSOC reports and recommendations—and the university’s response—public on UPSOC’s website.” ASPSU President Violet Gibson said there were concerns in ASPSU regarding the new public safety plan as well. Gibson said she personally thought it was difficult to tell if the plan addresses race adequately before seeing the outcomes of the training. Gibson also mentioned that not everyone in ASPSU had openly expressed their opinion on the matter. She also stated the possibility of a vote from ASPSU on a resolution of support for the safety plan. “I think increasing [CPSO] staff will be good for them,” Gibson said. “Of course I think the trainings are 100% necessary and the implementation of having student community oversight.” Gibson voiced concern that the safety plan didn’t properly address the main impetus—the death of Jason Washington. The HRAC also said bringing attention to houselessness and mental illness within the campus safety plan, but not race, obscures the “specific and significant issues” that people of color face in police encounters, and that it’s important to discuss the death of Jason Washington as the impetus for changing campus safety. “There’s a lot of people who feel like Jason Washington’s family hasn’t received justice,” Gibson said. “I’ve heard of putting up an actual memorial for him, instead of having the tree because for Veterans Day and Father’s Day people come over to that tree where he passed and they decorate that.” “This fight that people have been having over the Washington case has been going on for years so in all honesty I feel it should be addressed more seriously.”
SUPPORT FOR CAMPUS SAFETY PLAN
Joe Schilling, interim chief of police for CPSO, said there weren’ any foreseeable issues with the safety plan. “[The safety plan] really is a nice, balanced approach to addressing the concerns of the community,” Schilling said. Schilling said the new aspect of student safety ambassadors stood out to him, and that previous student employees working with CPSO were static. “This is a much more holistic approach to getting folks out in the community and having interactions,” Schilling said. In conjunction with their concerns, both the HRAC and Gibson voiced their continued support toward facilities within the PSU community and Percy himself. Violet voiced her support for the student community having oversight, referring to the student safety ambassador positions that will be added to the CPSO staff roster. “These students will also be able to walk students to class if they don’t feel comfortable in having an armed campus public safety officer to walk them to class in cases like that,” Gibson said. HRAC also stated their support of certain elements of the public safety plan and president Percy himself. “We do believe that President Percy can help us find a path forward and look forward to collaborating with him about our concerns,” HRAC said. “We appreciate that the plan still invites input from stakeholders.” HRAC also noted—in their letter to the editor— appreciation of elements of the public safety plan that cover those experiencing homelessness. “We appreciate that the report commits to campus security engaging with people experiencing homelessness in the most appropriate way possible,” HRAC said. “We also note the wide range of trainings that CPSO is expected to participate in.”
BRANDON PAHNISH
PSU Vanguard • NOVEMBER 12, 2019 • psuvanguard.com
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SPORTS
SPORTS AS PLATFORM FOR PROTEST IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS RICH RIGNEY There’s an ongoing debate on the extent to which college athletes can use sports as a platform, specifically regarding the limitations to athletes’ freedom of speech and the power universities have in controlling that speech. Athletes have been using sports as a platform to protest for as long as sports have existed, with the first documented protests dating back to the Roman chariot races in 532 CE. College athletics are no exception. Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey sparked controversy when he posted a tweet in support of protests in Hong Kong. Morey received instant backlash, and the resulting controversy led to suspended cooperation between the Rockets and multiple Chinese corporations. NBA commissioner Adam Silver expressed that the NBA suffered substantial losses as a result of the ongoing dispute. Morey’s comments highlighted the impact of sports as a platform and reinvigorated the debate over members of athletic organizations and their role in speaking out on controversial issues. The University of Missouri college football team demonstrated the influence of protest within college athletics on Nov. 7, 2015, when at least 30 members of the team threatened to boycott all football-related activities if the university’s president did not resign following the president’s handling of a string of racist incidents on campus. The president subsequently resigned. Not every athlete who’s chosen to participate in a peaceful protest has experienced the same results. In October of 2017, Gyree Durante, a Division III quarterback at Albright College in Pennsylvania, was dismissed from the team for choosing to kneel during the national anthem. A spokeswoman for Albright College stated the team had elected to kneel during the coin toss and stand during the anthem before Durante made the decision to kneel on his own. Some colleges have attempted to get ahead of the issue by implementing strict rules or outright bans against student-athlete protests. In September of 2017, the College of the Ozarks implemented a “No Pledge, No Play” policy. The policy required all players and coaches for the Ozarks and their opponents to stand at attention during the national anthem, otherwise, the school’s president required the team to forfeit the game. A similar statement was issued by Colorado Christian University in September 2017, reminding all studentathletes of the university’s existing policy requiring participants to stand for the national anthem.
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Portland State has no such policy. However, a policy is in place outlining the allowed behavior of studentathletes wishing to express their views. “We adhere to our student-athlete code of conduct for all matters,” Athletic Director Valerie Cleary said. PSU’s code of conduct states, “On and off campus and in cyberspace communities, every student-athlete is expected to conduct himself or herself in a manner that exhibits honor and respect to the team, department, university and surrounding community for the duration of his or her tenure as a student-athlete.” The policy goes on to address appropriate usage of social media, encouraging athletes to “avoid social media criticism of others, as well as debates and arguments that are played out in a public forum.” If an athlete at PSU were to participate in a non-disruptive protest, Cleary explained the stance the athletic department would take. “We support the rights of students and staff in nonparticipation of the anthem and other forms of speech that are protected by our school policies and laws,” Cleary said. “Free speech is a treasured right and critical component of learning. We will engage in this learning with civility and respect that is the bedrock of our First Amendment rights.” While a policy protecting the freedom of speech of student-athletes exists at PSU, the number of athletes informed of this policy and their level of understanding remains unclear. “I try and stay out of things like [protesting],” said PSU studentathlete Davis Alexander. “I don’t have much of an understanding of the policy because I use my social media for my own personal brand.” “Something extremely drastic would have to happen where I feel like my freedom is being completely taken away for me to protest,” Alexander said. “I think people should be able to do what they want, but at the same time realize you are representing not only yourself but your team and university as well,” he continued. “Social media things can be interpreted the wrong way.” In her explanation of the athletic department’s
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stance on protecting student-athletes’ right to protest, Cleary referenced an article written by the Minnesota School Boards Association Director of Legal & Policy Services: “School personnel must recognize this form of protest is covered by the constitutional right to free speech and efforts to stop the protest and/or force participation in singing or standing for the national anthem could be met with lawsuits for infringing on those rights.” Participation in the national anthem is just one example of a student-athlete’s right to protest. Protests in sports will likely continue as long as athletes feel there is a need to speak out. There are rights protecting student-athletes who wish to use their sport as a platform for protest. In order for student-athletes to shed light on issues they deem important in a manner that corresponds with university policy, athletes must be informed of the rights protecting them and the limitations to those rights.
JOHN ROJAS
DEEP FLAWS AND DOUBLE STANDARDS
OPINION
CONGRESSWOMAN RESIGNS WHILE ACCUSED SEX OFFENDERS KEEP SEATS CASSIDY BROWN Women in power are being scrutinized more severely than our own president. Enough is enough. Katie Hill, a former House representative of California, was forced to resign after allegations surfaced claiming Hill engaged in a consensual relationship with a female campaign staffer, along with leaked photos corroborating the allegations. Hill reportedly had over 700 intimate photos of her leaked to right-leaning news outlets and Republican operatives allegedly by an abusive ex-husband who engaged in a polyamorous relationship with Hill and the staffer. Hill did admit that she was in the wrong for having a consensual relationship with a staffer. Nonetheless, this does not condone the crimes committed against her. Hill is a victim of revenge porn, which is not a federal law, but there is a law in California that states it is illegal to intentionally distribute private, consensual images depicting “the intimate body part or parts of another identifiable person” with the intent of causing “serious emotional distress, and the person depicted suffers that distress.” She should not have to be the only one to deal with the consequences; however, the state law has limited jurisdiction and enforcement hinges on proving “malicious intent” on the part of the publisher, Daily Mail—not Hill’s husband—which may be difficult to prove. In her final defiant move against the U.S. government, Hill waited until she could put her impeachment vote before she resigned. During a final speech on the congressional floor, she railed against the double standard that forced her to resign and called out a misogynistic culture that let an abusive ex-husband to continue his abuse, now in front of the whole country. She also touched on the fact that there are men in office that are “credibly accused of sexual assault who are in boardrooms, in the Supreme Court and, worst of all, in the Oval Office.” We are going backward, and Hill is on the receiving end of this injustice. She’s being pushed out of a position of power when men of
higher status are allowed to have actual legal allegations against them but are still in their positions of power. Take Brett Kavanaugh, for instance, who was accused by four different women of sexual assault. Four! But did he have to resign? No, he was promoted and elected into the Supreme Court; even after a tumultuous confirmation process that involved testimony by one of the alleged victims. There have been myriad cases in which congressmen have been accused or have resigned from office after the #MeToo movement inspired their victims to come out. It is jarring to see a woman forced to resign when literal predators are allowed to be in the highest levels of government. What is even more jarring is the $300,000 of taxpayer money has been used to pay off sexual harassment lawsuits against congressman since 2003; this is appalling. Trump is all for attacking women, not just sexually, but also through executive action. In 2017, Trump issued interim rules that could have restricted access to birth control for hundreds of thousands of women; thankfully, this was blocked by the courts, striking down rules that would have allowed employers to claim religious or moral objection in order to deny women coverage for contraception. Also that year, Trump’s Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy expanded the Global Gag Rule. This severely impacted STD screening and access to hygiene products on a large scale. Additionally, earlier this year, Trump furthered the Global Gag Rule by restricting the “gagged” organizations from using any funds that might go toward abortion services regardless if they actually provide the service or just have information on the procedure. The Trump regime is here to terrorize women and scare them out of government. However, Hill doesn’t want this “experience [to] scare off other women.” She wants women “to overcome this setback [and] for women to keep showing up, to keep running for office, to keep stepping up as leaders.” That is exactly what we need to do. DANA TOWNSEND
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OPINION
attack WHEN CIRCUS ANIMALS
SAQIF MAQSUD
Did you know that if circus animals attack you during an event, it’s actually your fault? Wild animals in captivity should never be blamed in this situation. We make the mistake of claiming ownership of these animals when they are not ours to own. They are not meant to be in cages, fed periodically or trained to perform to entertain. Animals in circuses have been an ever-so-familiar sight in the past. However, to consider this as an attribute of a circus today should be outdated. It was perhaps acceptable and entertaining 200 years back, but featuring wild animals violates the laws of nature and displays a lack of humanity. These animals are trained with fear and abuse to entertain people. The torturous techniques include whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bullhooks—heavy batons with a sharp steel hook on one end—and other painful tools of the circus trade. The concept of the modern circus was originally born in the 1770s in England, when a man named Philip Astley brought the elements we know—such as acrobatics, riding and clowning—together in a ring at his riding school near Westminster Bridge in London. Since then, the circus has evolved with time, but wild animals are still featured. A recent video clip from Russia, reported by The Guardian, shows a bear pushing a wheelbarrow, and at the 13-second mark, the bear leaves the wheelbarrow and begins to attack its handler. One can make an assumption on how that particular circus maintains and treats animals by the way the situation was handled. At the 19-second mark, when the bear has one of the men pinned down, another man is seen kicking the bear repeatedly. Any novice in wild animal training can make an educated guess that randomly kicking a bear is not an effective tool for taming it.
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Caging wild animals and keeping them in captivity only promotes the absence of their voice. It increases their chances of behaving impulsively, as seen in the Russiancircus incident. Circuses which carry elephants, for instance, most frequently torture them, eventually leading to dangerous situations in which elephants snap. During a 2014 Moolah Shrine Circus show in Missouri, three elephants escaped from their handlers in the children’s rides area and were loose for about 45 minutes damaging cars and property. A similar situation happened in a circus in Virginia, where another elephant broke off from its handlers and charged directly at the audience. Situations like these should not be considered as unexpected. On the contrary, it is the most likely outcome. “Even if animals were born in captivity, they still retain all their natural instincts, which are completely thwarted when they are trapped in small cages and shuttled from city to city in trucks and trailers,” said Wayne Pacelle, the CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, to National Geographic. Regardless of circus animals being kept in captivity and their wicked treatment, the debates on animal captivity are ongoing. Most circus people claim it is their way of life. They enjoy their seats filled with smiling audiences, which brings us to the complicated matter of blame. The use of animals in this way, does not issue a black and white blame. The audiences and people who enjoy such acts are equally to blame. In addition to animal captivity for exploitation, there are people in the U.S. who keep tigers as pets and/or in private zoos. The U.S. has more tigers in cages than there are in the wild—an estimated 5,000 tigers, exceeding the approximately 3,200 tigers in the wild. Some might see the bear as the culprit and the two men in the video as the victims. I see it the other way. The video is an example of the absence of compassion and humanity. Toying with another life and using it for the purpose of money and amusement cheapens the concept of life. If anyone is to blame, it is the people of circuses like this and the silent patrons smiling in amusement.
BRANDON PAHNISH
ARTS & CULTURE
PSU’S FIRST ON-CAMPUS ART MUSEUM OPENS TO THE PUBLIC, FREE OF CHARGE SEBASTIAN BROSE Free of charge, backpacks allowed and talk as much as you want. Welcome to Portland State’s first on-campus museum—the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State. The museum opened on Nov. 7 with a morning ribbon cutting and remarks, followed by an evening First Thursday exhibition. Around 1,300 visitors gathered for the grand opening on the 7,500 square-foot floors of the Fariborz Maseeh Hall, formerly Neuberger Hall, to enjoy a wide range of paintings, prints, sculptures and installations. The pieces were handpicked by Linda Tesner, the museum’s director and curator, from more than 13,000 objects making up the collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his family foundation. The motto of the opening exhibit is “Art for all,” with the goal of having “at least one work that resonates at a profound level with every visitor.” Tesner further stated that the goal was to use the arts to connect different fields of study—“providing rich creative, educational and collaborative opportunities across disci-
plines. Everyone is welcome here, no matter what interests you have or what you do.” Entering the bright spacious atmosphere, framed by the unique glass window facade on SW Broadway, many engaged visitors were taking in the exhibit. Viewers are greeted by a large canvas immediately upon entry—a piece by Robert Colescott—“Mother Nature.” Colescott, who in addition to being a personal friend of the Schnitzer family, was also an instructor at PSU from 1957 through 1966. “I hope that this is an opportunity for Portland to remember that Robert Colescott taught at PSU before traveling to Cairo to investigate his African American roots,” Tesner said. The museum, curated by Tesner, former gallery director of Lewis & Clark, and the rest of her team, features works by local, national and international artists, all exhibited with a sense of detail. The lower floor of the museum is larger and more softly lit. The wall furthest back in the room consists of a collection of photographs. Crossing the basement floor, the viewer faces
some of the more socially critical work: pieces that possess the embedded power to spark debate. Sarah Kenney, the operations manager, pointed out—“Everything you see here tonight is supposed to be a launchpad for the museum and its goals.” If the goal is to assemble people of different backgrounds and different ages, the collection has, so far, done the job. In addition to PSU’s new showcase, Schnitzer—who has indulged himself in the “creativity of the human spirit” since he bought his first piece of art at the age of 14—also sponsors museums at Washington State University and the University of Oregon. The investor and collector is in the possession of one of the country’s largest collection of prints. “Many people view museums as a place for someone else,” Schnitzer said. “But I firmly believe art is for everyone. I’m trying to take down those perceived walls.” The museum is open on weekdays from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Thursdays 10 a.m.–8 p.m.
JORDAN SCHNITZER’S NEW ART MUSEUM, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE FARIBORZ MASEEH HALL, OFFICIALLY OPENED ON NOV 6, 2019. ALEX WITTWER/PSU VANGUARD
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ARTS & CULTURE
PORTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL’S UNPUBLISHED AUTHORS
PICA’S LATEST EXHIBIT HUMANIZES SEX WORK INDUSTRY
WORKSHOPS HELP LOCAL WRITERS HONE THEIR CRAFT NICK TOWNSEND The Portland Book Festival, held on Nov. 9, attracts upward of ten thousand visitors every year. Crowds pour into the Portland Art Museum, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and the handful of other venues hosting talks by authors from Oregon and across the world. The book festival this year offered 11 different two-hour writing workshops, taught by a mix of local and national writers. With titles such as “The Ethics of Writing Outside of Your Ethnicity,” “Using Collage in Memoir” and “Building a Writing Career on the Internet,” the workshops attracted a diverse pool of writers working to build off of their existing skills. The Northwest Film Center on the corner of Salmon and 10th hosted this year’s collection of writer’s workshops. Two workshops in particular used structure to grapple with the struggle faced by all burgeoning authors: writer’s block. “Using Collage in Memoir,” taught by Wendy Noonan, and “Experiments in Narrative Structure,” taught by Miranda Schmidt, both challenged workshop participants to forgo chronology in their works to break from traditional and limiting forms. In the case of Noonan’s class, the focus was specifically on the collage form. The
form borrows terminology and techniques from the visual arts, merging fragmentary sections into a resonant final product that both alludes to and resists cohesion. “We are all people with stories burning inside of us,” Noonan said at the opening of her class. “Your story may resist a cohesive narrative because it’s so sad or so messed up.” Miranda Schmidt’s class also rebuked the status quo, but instead of deconstructing cohesion, “Experiments in Narrative Structure” resisted the standard narrative structure. Usually represented as a pyramid with the dramatic climax at the top, Schmidt explained that this structure inherently limits the stories a writer is able to tell. “We’ve been taught a very narrow narrative structure, and this structure inherently veers toward violent and external resolution of the conflict,” Schmidt said. The workshops brought together local master’s students, new empty nesters and visitors from other countries under the roof of the Northwest Film Center. Included in the fee for the workshops was admission to the rest of the Portland Book Festival, so all amateur authors had the opportunity to experience the hundreds of events unfolding a block south in the Park Blocks.
AUTHOR STEVAN ALLRED—ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER AUTHORS—ATTENDED BOOK FEST AT THE PORTLAND ART MUSEUM. ALEX WITTWER/PSU VANGUARD
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ATTENDEES AT THE “NO HUMAN INVOLVED” GALLERY VIEW ARTWORK CREATED BY SEX WORKERS. NICK TOWNSEND/PSU VANGUARD NICK TOWNSEND Walking into the opening night celebration of “No Human Involved: The 5th Annual Sex Workers’ Art Show” on the night of Nov. 8 felt a bit like entering an inversion of conventional reality. No longer was the sex worker the “other,” homogenized and marginalized, cast to the fringes of a polite society. Here, the sex worker was the multi-faceted and dimensional subject of a warehouse-like gallery space, where all art was produced by fellow sex workers. Dozens of people mingled throughout the exhibit, clustering around TVs, sculptures and canvasses: contemporary work with a resonance beyond their materiality. All who walked through the doors of Portland Institute of Contemporary Art on Friday night, including sex workers themselves, experienced an exhibit that seemed to exist independent of society’s expectations and presumptions. “The goal of this exhibit is to teach people how to listen better,” said Kat Salas, one of three co-curators of this year’s show. Salas and cocurator Matilda Bickers, both founding members of STROLL PDX (Sex Traders Radical Outreach & Liberation Lobby), have run the annual show for five years as a team. This year was their first time partnering with PICA and Roya Amirsoleymani, the third and final co-curator and artistic director for PICA. All three curators individually mentioned equity as being among their top priorities when picking artists, specifically working to highlight BIPoC and trans voices. Their efforts reflected themselves in the opening night exhibit.
The title “No Human Involved” reflects the traumatic history of the sex work industry. Police in the 1980s picked up the phrase to refer to “crimes involving the murder or injury of sex workers, drug users, gang members, immigrants and transient folks, with Black and Brown populations disproportionately affected,” according to the joint curators’ statement on the exhibit. The title also reflects the positionality of sex workers, commonly being grouped with other marginalized members of society. The works on display showed the intersections between sex work, addiction, poverty and other factors. In her live performance, artist Juicebox told the audience that she herself is an addict, and that “addiction manifests itself through trauma.” Her performance merged dance, singing and spoken word in an extremely emotional rendering of the Black transwomanhood experience. The collaboration with PICA brought a dramatic increase in funding. Salas remarked that “it is our first exhibition...having any kind of real budget to pay artists outside of whatever we had in our pockets.” In years past, “No Human Involved” had accepted all submissions. This year the promise of display in a nationally recognized contemporary gallery—and the pay that comes with that—brought in a slew of submissions from across the globe. “No Human Involved” runs through Dec. 14.
COMICS
“THE CUTE FACTOR”
“KILLIN’ IT”
DANA TOWNSEND
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Nick Townsend
NOV 12–18 ART
MUSIC
FILM & THEATRE
COMMUNITY
TUE NOV 12 WED NOV 13 THU NOV 14 FRI NOV 15 SAT NOV 16 SUN NOV 17 MON NOV 18
BLUE SKY: “AHEAD” BLUE SKY GALLERY NOON–5 P.M. FREE A new exhibition of work by six local photographers representing the future of Oregon photography.
THE GHOST OF PAUL REVERE DOUG FIR LOUNGE 8 P.M. $13–15 Folk rock band from the other Portland.
“THEY CAME FROM THE BINS” KICKSTAND COMEDY SPACE 9 P.M. $5 Improv showcase where props and characters are drawn from Goodwill bins.
INFARMATION: INCREASING FOOD ACCESS IN OREGON PATAGONIA DOWNTOWN 7–9 P.M. FREE Learn about food insecurity and stretching your dollar at this panel featuring free food and drink samples.
“GIVE ME THE MESSAGE!” COOLEY GALLERY AT REED COLLEGE NOON–5 P.M. FREE Political posters from Cuba, France and the United States, 1960–75.
SON LITTLE THE OLD CHURCH 8 P.M. $20 Prolific Philadelphia-based R&B musician brings his sound to the intimate church venue.
“LANA DEL SLAY” BIT HOUSE SALOON 8 P.M. $5 A cabaret tribute to the pop icon Lana Del Rey.
‘SHINE OF THE EVER’ BOOK TALK POWELL’S CITY OF BOOKS 7:30 P.M. FREE Claire Rudy Foster discusses her new short story collection about the queer community of ‘90s Portland.
“NO HUMAN INVOLVED” PICA NOON–6 P.M. FREE Works by 15 artists exploring the complex nature of sex workers and their lives.
QUEER LATIN NIGHT CRUSH BAR 8 P.M. FREE • 21+ Dance to Latin hits and throwbacks.
“CLOWN DOWN” WITH CARLA ROSSI CENTER OF CONTEMPORARY ART AND CULTURE 8–9 P.M. PAY WHAT YOU CAN A drag queen gets stuck underneath a cabinet and contemplates the nature of life, art and Mister Rogers.
VIKINGS VOLLEYBALL VS. IDAHO STATE VIKING PAVILION 7 P.M. $5–25 Come support the women’s volleyball team as they take on Idaho State.
“JUST BECAUSE YOU FEEL IT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S THERE” P:EAR GALLERY 9 A.M.–2 P.M. FREE Abstract works by artist Ryan Birkland and houseless youth in P:ear’s development program.
NOTS POLARIS HALL 8 P.M. $12–14 A post-punk group of four Memphis women exploring new dimensions in the genre.
HUMP! FILM FESTIVAL REVOLUTION HALL 9 P.M. $20–25 • 21+ A display of short amateur porn films in the spirit of body and sex positivity.
GEM FAIRE OREGON CONVENTION CENTER NOON–6 P.M. $7 A display of jewelry from across the West Coast.
“WORKS ON PAPER” PDX CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY 11 A.M.–6 P.M. FREE A display of personal painted notes and expressions from artist Nancy Lorenz.
GHOST LIGHT WONDER BALLROOM 8 P.M. $15 Five person artsy-rock band touring on their anticipated debut album.
‘WOLVES EAT ELK’ BOILER ROOM STUDIO IN LINCOLN HALL 7:30 P.M. $6–15 A soil scientist is pulled into a fantastical world of Elk Kingdoms and talking wolves.
SOUL’D OUT: THE ECONOMICS OF OUR BLACK BODY INTERSTATE FIREHOUSE CULTURAL CENTER 7:30 P.M. FREE A performance piece investigating how Black bodies are used in the American economy.
LILLA LIT FALL READING: “BRAVE” LEACH BOTANICAL GARDENS 4–6 P.M. $10 SUGGESTED DONATION Roundtable readings from Oregon authors in a lush botanical setting.
A TUBA TO CUBA: PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND REVOLUTION HALL 7 P.M. $26 The world renowned New Orleans brass band tours in support of their new documentary about the Cuban roots of jazz.
‘FLASH! AH-AHHH!’ CLINTON STREET THEATER 2 P.M. $18–23 A final revival of the camp ‘80s production about Flash Gordon.
“GHOSTS OF HIGHWAY 20” CENTRAL LIBRARY 2–3:30 P.M. FREE The team behind a new true crime podcast about an Oregon serial killer discusses their investigation.
“WHITE NOISE” NORTH VIEW GALLERY 8 A.M.–4 P.M. FREE Large-scale photography about the crisis of white male masculinity in America.
MILK CARTON KIDS MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS 8 P.M. $16–20 The eclectic folk duo has performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk and internationally and are known for their Simon and Garfunkel-like harmonies.
‘PRINCESS MONONOKE’ REGAL FOX TOWER STADIUM 10 7 P.M. $12.50 Catch a subbed version of one of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s most acclaimed works.
UNIVERSITY CHOIR AND COMMUNITY CHORUS FALL CONCERT LINCOLN RECITAL HALL 7 P.M. FREE Catch the fall performance of Portland’s oldest continuously performing choir.