VOLUME 78 • ISSUE 21 • FEBRUARY 1, 2024
S&T: PSU helps launch cybersecurity hub combating rising cyberattacks P. 5
NEWS: Winter storm cripples PSU, impacting students' mental health and academics P. 6
NEWS: PSU faces campus waste concerns, calls for sustainable initiatives P. 7
DISRUPTIVE LIBERATION Choosing to value people over convenience and profit P. 4
SU P T A L L A R O F N OLUM C M R O F T A L P N O SU N OPINI
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FILIATION W/P • STATE NAME AND AF OSEN BY THE EDITOR CH D AN ED TE AN AR PAID, NOT GU COM • SUBMISSIONS ARE UN ITOR@PSUVANGUARD. ED TO NS IO IN OP D AN ORIES • SEND THOUGHTS, ST
CONTENTS
COVER DESIGN BY BRIANA CIERI PHOTO BY ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI
OPINION What happened to peaceful protests?
P. 4
ARTS & CULTURE Faculty Spotlight: Chuck Dillard
SCIENCE & TECH Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence
P. 5
NEWS CROSSWORD Answers in stories
P. 10
NEWS Ice storm turns MLK weekend to week-long break
P. 6
COMMUNITY & WELLNESS RESOURCES Updated weekly
P. 11
NEWS Trash buildup on campus
P. 7
PDX events column
P. 8-9
STAFF EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Kat Leon
OPINION EDITOR Cameron Rodriguez
MANAGING EDITOR Tasha Sayre
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani
NEWS EDITOR Zoë Buhrmaster
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Josi Struck
CO-NEWS EDITOR Alyssa Anderson
ONLINE AND PROMOTIONS EDITOR Alley Henrici
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Macie Harreld
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Aishwarya Suresh
SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR Anish Kumar Arumugam
COPY CHIEF Isabel Zerr CONTRIBUTORS Amber Finnegan Lilli Rudine Milo Loza
PRODUCTION & DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Briana Cieri DESIGNERS Arianna Thomas Haley Hsu Abby Raymundo TECHNOLOGY & WEBSITE TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS George Olson Hongzu Pan Sara Ray ADVISING & ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood SALP ACCOUNTANT Maria Dominguez STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Rae Fickle
To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com MISSION STATEMENT 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. ABOUT 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 online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com.
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ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD When protesters rally for justice, the historical and continued dismissive reactions highlight a broader challenge—a prevailing perspective built on incomplete historical narratives
WHAT HAPPENED TO PEACEFUL PROTESTS? MYTH OF HISTORICAL SUPPORT FOR NON-VIOLENCE CAMERON RODRIGUEZ As we see an increase in political activism—especially with younger people taking to the street and demanding not to be ignored—the people who want to ignore them will be angry. We see that across the internet with comments like, “This isn’t how you get support,” and, “What happened to peaceful protests?” There are usually a variety of different messages trying to tear down a movement, because they honestly don’t care and don’t want to see it. Criticisms of these movements are not new. While the movements’ topics may have changed, many previous movements faced similar backlash and comments. Although any group can perform nonviolent protest, the focus here is to broadly talk about disruptive events which center on marginalized people—workers, students, people of color, etcetera—and their attempts at demanding liberation or showing solidarity for groups not treated with justice and respect. A few years back, this would most likely have included the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests. BLM received mass media coverage during protests and demonstrations, which were often labeled as violent riots. This coverage was mainly used to demonize the organization and frame the movement as unjustified. Now, the focus is on the Free Palestine movement, which has gained international attention and traction as a global protest. The dismissive response to these protests—with what is seemingly the more moral high ground—gives insight into the pervasive perspective which lacks accurate historical retelling and is ultimately what these protests fight against. Many comments react to political protests by citing the civil rights movement’s history of being nonviolent and peaceful. However, upon closer examination and comparison with today’s political landscape, it becomes apparent how these historical protests were not entirely nonviolent and how significant parallels exist between then and now. This criticism often draws parallels to figures like Martin Luther King Jr. but overlook historical facts, such as King himself participating in major highway shutdowns—most famously during the march from Selma to Montgomery. Comments that shame activists—portraying their collective action as sloppy and lacking decorum—ignore the historical context which these movements are built upon. In reality, history is repeating itself in terms of criticism, the role of the federal government and the general public’s support level.
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During the civil rights movement, 85% of white people believed that the demonstrations were detrimental to the movement, showcasing a historical pattern of skepticism and criticism. You can call the presentations of protest disruptive and annoying, sure, but what becomes nefarious is the active villainization and criminalization of the political activity of marginalized people and liberation movements. Though the inconvenient actions of collective demonstrations are pretty standard after football games, festivals and street events, it seemed that—due to the topic of the event—it was worse than a holiday parade inconvenience and thus deserved harsh and cruel punishments. Moreover, when protests start being called riots, or people believe it is righteous to try to say, “Just drive over them,” it shows how we have started to justify cruel and dehumanizing treatment. Despite facing backlash, misrepresentation and mistreatment, protests are not diminishing. Instead, they are growing in strength and numbers. The World Political Review has termed the increase in public demonstrations “The Age of Global Protests,” giving a broad overview of various civil unrest worldwide. In the United States, numerous local and nationwide movements and collaborations exist. Despite receiving less coverage than some prominent issues, the Stop Cop City movement in Atlanta has established direct connections with BLM, Free Palestine, Land Back and environmentalist movements. Although mainstream media tends to overlook these demonstrations, they are gaining traction and visibility through online platforms. We are witnessing a growing trend of disruptive actions with increased frequency and higher levels of online engagement. These actions range from spreading information on social media to various collaborations which support and promote online activism. However, there is still a need for tangible, material action. Online activism carries the issue of black box algorithms and content bubbles. These shield people from seeing what might not involve them by either suppressing tags on certain content or only spreading it to those who are already informed and in the web of activism. Websites such as TikTok have also made comments trying to explain how the algorithm does not push pro-Palestinian content, and how it’s simply a reflection of the younger user base’s pro-Palestine beliefs. This insight sheds light on the limited support these platforms might have for such engagements.
COURTESY OF DAVID HOROWITZ/PSU VANGUARD ARCHIVES The humanitarian crisis is gaining support from those directly affected and individuals expressing solidarity. While people are eager to join and show support, there is a recognition of the complexity and risks associated with this step. Boycotts are one of the most peaceful forms of activism which people can participate in, yet there are various laws and powerful attempts to create barriers for the creation and expansion of protests. This was expressed in the “IGO Anti-Boycott Act,” or H.R. 3016, which passed last year by the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs. An additional misconception about boycotts is that they are ineffective and pointless. However, if boycotts were truly ineffectual, why would proposed bills attempt to establish legal measures to curb boycotting? The protest style of shutting down transportation—called carpool caravans or simply car caravans—has happened around the country, blocking major highways and interstates in cities like Chicago and San Francisco. Caravans of protesters have even taken place here in Portland, where they caused disruptions in support of Palestine by blocking highways to the PDX airport with around 50 cars. These forms of nonviolence—labeled as violence—have been around at least since the ‘60s with goals and strategies focused on informing and spreading the message of peace by shutting down and disrupting economic, congressional and labor efforts. The effort of these movements—which show up again and again—is for liberation. Rooted in the belief that our struggles are interconnected, they carry a rich history from the civil rights era. The central goal was the liberation of all people, which is worth more than a little inconvenience for some.
PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 1, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
OREGON CYBERSECURITY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE PSU HELPS ESTABLISH CYBERSECURITY HUB FOR OREGON’S DEFENSE
COURTESY OF BIROL YEŞILADA Governor Tina Kotek signs H.B. 2049 into law, establishing the Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (OCCOE) in collaboration with Portland State, Oregon State and the University of Oregon to fortify the state's digital defense against cyber threats ANISH ARUMUGAM In the ever-evolving landscape of the digital age, Oregon is gearing up to fortify its defenses against cyber threats with a groundbreaking initiative—the Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (OCCOE). The center—which will serve as an advisory body to the governor and the state legislature— was formed by the collaborative efforts of Portland State, Oregon State and the University of Oregon. Oregon’s House Bill 2049 was signed into law by Governor Tina Kotek in July 2023. Representative Nancy Nathanson—co-sponsor of the bill—emphasized the urgency. “The threat of cyber warfare and ransomware is real and not just a theoretical discussion,” Nathanson stated. The bill represents years of concerted effort to fortify Oregon’s digital defense and addresses the increasing frequency of cyberattacks. The Oregon Department of Justice’s Data Breach Notice database recorded a significant increase in breach notifications in Oregon from Feb. 1 to Oct. 1, 2023. This surge averaged almost one breach notification every other day during this period, signaling a concerning trend in cyber incidents. Some entities affected by these breaches include the Bank of Eastern Oregon, PayPal, Klamath County, Heritage Life Insurance and OnPoint Community Credit Union. “Smaller entities that can’t afford full-time cybersecurity personnel will have the ability to work with the Center, which can conduct vulnerability assessments and offer cyber hygiene services to prevent a cross-domain attack,” Nathanson stated in June 2023 during her floor speech supporting the center. Dr. Birol Yeşilada—the director of the Cybersecurity Center—envisions a united front against cyber threats. The center serves as an advisory body to the state and a hub for
coordinating education, workforce training and awareness. Yeşilada underscored the center’s impact on students. “The center offers many workforce training programs that students can participate in and enhance their knowledge in the area of cybersecurity,” he said. Plans include offering core education courses in cybersecurity for all students, as well as developing training for the general public to bridge the gap in cyber literacy across society. Yeşilada challenged the stereotype that cybersecurity is exclusive to computer science majors and emphasized inclusivity. “Our goal in all three universities and all across the state is to provide inclusive and equitable activities that can accommodate a diverse population,” he said. Recognizing the multidimensional nature of cybersecurity, the center aims to attract students from diverse academic backgrounds. Yeşilada emphasized creating pathways for students from various disciplines to pursue knowledge in cybersecurity. “The center offers many workforce training programs that students can participate in and enhance their knowledge in the area of cybersecurity, which creates great job opportunities for them and helps address the shortage of trained workforce across the state and the nation,” said Dr. Reza Rejaie, the associate director of the center. Students with cybersecurity knowledge can participate in various cybersecurity services, activities and training that the center offers to other stakeholders across the state and gain more hands-on experience on issues related to cybersecurity. Dr. Rakesh Bobba—the associate director of the center—said that it helps students and the
PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 1, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
community as a whole. “OCCOE is tasked with supporting workforce development in cybersecurity throughout the state,” he said. Higher education schools—such as Mt. Hood Community College, Portland Community College and the Oregon Institute of Technology—work with the center to grow cybersecurity programs. “In addition to formal education and workforce development, OCCOE will also undertake general cybersecurity awareness initiatives that target the broader community,” Bobba said. The center envisions outreach through libraries, community centers and popular media to enhance cybersecurity education at a grassroots level. The center is jointly operated by three of
Oregon’s public universities. It will meet the challenge of having nearly 7,000 unfilled, high-paying cybersecurity jobs in Oregon and help local governments, school districts and other public, non-profit and private entities prepare for and defend against cyberattacks. Yeşilada envisions a transformative impact. “Activities coordinated by the center will measurably improve the security, privacy and resiliency of cyberspace in Oregon,” he said. With plans to expand the Teaching Security Operations Center and develop interdisciplinary degrees, Oregon’s cybersecurity hub is poised for innovation and education.
SCIENCE & TECH
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ICE STORM TURNS MLK WEEKEND TO WEEK-LONG BREAK STUDENTS FACE CHANGES TO THEIR SCHOOLING, SAFETY AND SANITY
ZOË BUHRMASTER Editor’s Note: The student interviews were done as part of a multimedia project produced by Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani. A winter storm began in Portland and stretched the MLK weekend break from a three-day break into a weeklong campus closure. Portland State campus closed early on Friday, Jan. 12, before the predicted storm. Due to ice and lingering freezing temperatures, it did not reopen until Saturday, Jan. 19. “My experience with the snowstorm was pretty bad,” said student Chavez Perez. “I didn’t have power for four days, and I got behind on all my assignments. I’m just playing catch-up now.” The storm left Portland with hundreds of downed trees and extensive power and internet loss. Nine people lost their lives due to weather-related incidents. Among the visible markers of the incident were the psychological effects of the event. “It started affecting my mental health,” said Omar Sanchez, another PSU student. “I was going crazy. I wish I had a nice warm jacket; that’s all I could think about this entire time. I was freezing. I was shivering. Thankfully, I’m still here.” PSU’s Incident Management Team (IMT) in charge of deciding whether or not campus should close. When temperatures were supposed to reach around 40°F on Wednesday, Jan. 17, the IMT sent out a late-opening notification the night before when the freezing rain and ice storm began. Nonetheless, students woke up Wednesday morning with a PSU alert in their inboxes postmarked for 6 a.m. relaying that the campus would remain closed, as the road conditions saw little improvement overnight. Temperatures hung around 30°F that day, hitting a high of 33°F, according to the National Weather Service. “The snowstorm was pretty bad here on campus,” said Ariana Acevedo, a student at PSU. “The entire Park Blocks were totally covered in ice, so nobody could even walk to school, so I knew classes were going to get canceled. The library was even closed, so I couldn’t go do my homework there.” Pipes burst in the Smith Memorial Student Union building on Jan. 17, necessitating a water shut-off throughout the building. The campus operations team repaired the broken pipe and turned the water back on, cleaning up the resultant mess in time for the campus to reopen on Monday, Jan. 22. PSU’s protocol in the case of inclement weather is to notify the campus community by 6:30 a.m. for daily closure, or as soon as practical, if the campus must close early. Tiara Johnson—director of emergency management and one of the IMT overseers—said the team met daily to analyze safety concerns. Some notifications were sent out in advance of the protocol deadline when conditions made it clear that the campus would be unable to open. “The reason we normally wait [until] the morning [is because], if you spend enough time in Portland, weather forecasts are really variable,” Johnson said. Students and the rest of PSU’s community are alerted to campus closures by signing up for PSU Alerts—the campus emergency notifications system. Students receive an email to their @pdx.edu email account. Otherwise, the campus does not have a way to enroll students in the program automatically. Johnson said that students can also go into their MyPSU account and staff into their Banweb account to sign up for the alerts and update their notification preferences. “I acknowledge that we’re making decisions for a very diverse community that lives all across the Portland metro and people have a variety of different circumstances,” Johnson said. “It’s
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ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD
Weather in Portland caused power outages, which led to class and assignment delays for students and had a significant impact on some students’ mental health hard to always know how we can best support every single person and so we do our best to ensure safety on campus.” Essential services—such as housing facilities, Campus Public Safety and the University Place Hotel—remained open throughout the winter weather. PSU’s IMT created a landing page for campus closures the week prior to the storm in preparation. This page contains all the necessary information for students, faculty and staff on
what to do in case of a campus closure. The team attached the link to all PSU Alerts emails to make the information available. “I really encourage folks to consider now [what] personal safety measures they can take,” Johnson said. “And that’s not just for winter weather, that’s for extreme heat, flooding and wildfire smoke. Again, we all have all our own circumstances, and we encourage students to have proactive conversations with instructors and/or supervisors as needed.”
PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 1, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD Overflowing trash bins on Portland State campus reflect a broader city issue, students note an increase during their time on campus
TRASH BUILDUP ON CAMPUS PSU’S APPROACH TO WASTE MANAGEMENT ALYSSA ANDERSON The sight of overflowing trash bins has become a Portland staple—especially in the downtown area. The issue has spread to the Portland State campus in the last few years, causing concern among students and community members. A recent Portland State Vanguard Opinion article addressed how houseless people are often scapegoats for excessive trash buildup. However, it explained how the housed population is often the real culprits of the overflowing trash throughout the city. Regarding the situation on campus, various factors contribute to garbage getting out of hand. Zoe Slabodnik is an environmental studies and French student, the former Reuse Coordinator for the Planning & Sustainability Office and the former Waste Reduction Coordinator for the Student Sustainability Center (SSC). Slabodnik said she’s noticed an increase in trash buildup during the three years she has lived on campus. According to Slabodnik, the trash buildup accumulating around campus—especially when on-campus students move out—is something students can help prevent. “It’s not a student’s fault for having to throw items away when they move out—myself included as someone who is very conscious of all of the items I discard—but it’s partly because of our consumer culture,” Slabodnik said. “We are used to getting rid of the old and bringing in the new without realizing where the old is going… It’s also largely based on having little to no options to dispose of the old items properly or in a sustainable way.” In order to help students reduce trash, Slabodnik said PSU should provide more education about campus sustainability resources, such as the Reuse Room in Cramer Hall, PSU EATS’ recyclable to-go containers in Ondine and the weekly volunteer teams the SSC facilitates. “What needs improvement is constantly changing, but I’d say every aspect of sustainability and our waste management could
PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 1, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
be improved,” Slabodnik said. “But what would really help us improve is the amount of people who are passionate about sustainability. If we had more engagement with volunteers and also the student body, our programs would be more widely known… We can’t have successful programs and innovation without the help of people and collaboration.” To reduce waste on campus, Slabodnik suggested that members of the PSU community educate themselves about the detrimental effects of plastic pollution, learn how to compost properly and review local recycling guidelines available on Oregon Metro’s website. On the other hand, Slabodnik said the PSU administration should plan for events like move-out days by providing extra dumpsters or organizing trash pick-up days. Cleo Needham is an environmental studies and sustainable urban planning student and the SSC’s garden coordinator. She lived on campus for two years and currently lives in the area. Needham said she noticed the trash buildup but understood that custodial staff may be understaffed and unable to keep up with the level of waste on campus. “I’m okay with extra waste knowing that PSU will continue to work on it,” Needham said. “I think people could try to not overflow trash cans by choosing a trash can that is not full. They can choose to wash and recycle plastics. They could research what plastics or paper or electronics can be recycled. I think investing in better recycling or food waste systems would improve things.” Since 2017, janitorial staff have been contracted through the nonprofit organization Relay Resources. Custodial Services was unavailable for comment, and the Facilities and Property Management website shows that the custodial supervisor position is currently unfilled. Brandon Lesowske—assistant director of the Planning & Sustainability Office—said there are plans to revamp the Reuse
Room and highlighted PSU’s contributions to sustainability. PSU is always looking to improve in these efforts, and the Planning & Sustainability Office is open to hearing from those that we serve in what steps the campus community would like us to take next,” Lesowske said. “When possible, I would highly encourage members of the PSU community to engage with others—and our office—around these topics. We see this work as being a collaborative effort, and without the PSU community’s involvement it can become challenging to know if we are representing the values and ethos of those we serve.” Slabodnik said students should get involved by volunteering or working for the university if they want to improve campus conditions like waste buildup. “If you want positive change, you are already motivated and certainly capable of making things happen,” Slabodnik said.
NEWS
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: CHUCK DILLARD COLLABORATIVE PIANO, PSU OPERA AND QUEER OPERA
COURTESY OF CHUCK DILLARD Chuck Dillard (right), founder of the non-profit Queer Opera, aims to diversify opera and share queer narratives. He also established the collaborative piano graduate program at PSU and serves as the music director for the PSU opera MACIE HARRELD Chuck Dillard is an associate professor of collaborative piano at Portland State. He is also the music director for the PSU Opera and the founder of the non-profit organization Queer Opera. Originally from South Carolina, Dillard came to PSU in 2016 to create the university’s collaborative piano graduate program. Dillard will speak in The Arts at the Vanguard of Change, a conversational series hosted by PSU’s college of the arts. At this event, PSU faculty “who demonstrate equity of expression, scholarship and creativity will share their radically inclusive ways of seeing their disciplines and, by extension, the world,” stated the description on PSU’s website. Portland State Vanguard spoke with Dillard to learn more about his work at and around PSU and about opportunities for students to get involved with PSU’s School of Music & Theatre.
VG: What is collaborative piano? Dillard: So... if you imagine what a pianist does, a collaborative pianist does everything other than playing by themselves. And so they play with singers, they play with violinists or flutists, they play with a choir for rehearsal or concerts. They work with operas, or they might play a keyboard part in a band or orchestra. We used to be called accompanists back in the day, but that is a subservient-sounding role. And so collaborative pianist
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makes it sound a little bit more equal, which it is. We’re working just as hard as the people that we’re playing with.
VG: Why might a student be interested in a graduate degree in collaborative piano? Dillard: In almost every area of music performance, a piano is needed in one way or another. Maybe not in an orchestra or in a band, but in every voice performance, every violin recital, every opera rehearsal needs a piano. And training students to be in those roles of service and performance is what collaborative piano is all about. It’s also because these skills are really needed in the music profession. It provides students with a pretty easy school-toemployment kind of path, because there is always work for these kinds of pianists. For pianists that focus on just solo performance—although there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that—it is much harder to go from school to employment, unless you’re just planning to teach piano lessons out of your home. If you want to be a world-class solo artist, that is a much harder path. But you can be a world-class collaborative pianist. There’s always room for that in one way or another. VG: What does your day-to-day look like as a professor of piano here at PSU?
Dillard: My specific position allows me to work with students one on one, to work with them as a group, to work alongside them. So I’m not only teaching them as, like, an authority figure, but I’m also performing with them. Like a student singer and I—we are giving a concert this Sunday together—and we’re partners rather than teacher and student. I like that every day of my work life at PSU is different. I might start with a… repertoire class, and then I might teach a pianist, and then I might rehearse with a flute player, and then I might have a rehearsal with a colleague, and then I might have an opera rehearsal at the end of the day. And every single day is different… I enjoy that the student body are nontraditional students, that they bring really unique perspectives and very unique personalities to everything. I think it makes teaching at PSU a lot more interesting than at more traditional universities… [who] have more traditional student bodies. And I think that also means that the students that leave PSU create a more interesting world, rather than perpetuating the status quo. I think we’re actually doing a good job at diversifying and just making the world a little bit more colorful based on the students that we’re graduating.
VG: Can you tell me about the PSU Opera, and what it’s like being a part of this group? Dillard: Every year we have auditions for the opera program
PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 1, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
and we have a lot of opera students that fill out the main roles, but we also have chorus roles, like smaller roles in the show, that are often hard to fill. And so I would encourage anyone that might be interested in being on stage—anyone that can sing, that enjoys being on stage, being dressed up in costume, being under the lights and all of that—to audition for our opera chorus. It is a lot of work, a lot of time, but it’s also a really great way for students to be a part of a community that has a goal to go towards performance…You don’t have to pay for it, you don’t have to register for it. All you have to do is audition and then commit to be at all of the rehearsals.
VG: What is Queer Opera and how is it connected to PSU? Dillard: [Queer Opera] is a PSU initiative. It’s housed under, it’s held at PSU. We use the facilities at Lincoln Hall. And initially all of the singers except one came from the PSU student body, but each year we have grown. It’s open to anyone in the world that wants to come. We normally meet for about 10 days every beginning of September before school starts. And we will have three shows. One show will be of songs and the songs are… individuals that are presenting poetry through music that speaks to them. So it’s not necessarily about relationships. It’s about a connection of an individual to the audience. And then the other two shows are what we call opera scenes. And so they are small chunks of an opera, because we don’t have the time or the budget to do a whole opera. But we’ll do like a 15- [or] 20-minute opera scene that shows a relationship between two people in that final concert. VG: How did Queer Opera start? What inspired you to found this organization? Dillard: [Opera] is generally almost a 100% heteronormative and cis[gender] in terms of the stories that are being told on stage… And so a lot of music students that were being placed in opera roles—and I’ve seen this for my whole career—were being… expected to play straight
characters when they themselves do not necessarily identify as such, or [play] female characters when their genders don’t align with that. And for a lot of these singers, that was very uncomfortable. And even though they would do it, it was another layer of acting that they had to do. If the Romeo in Romeo and Juliet is gay, then he not only has to pretend to be straight, he has to pretend to be Romeo. And so it’s just like an extra barrier. And so what I decided to do was create this opera program where I choose the singers and they tell me, ‘I identify as this and this, and I want to be in a relationship on stage with this kind of a person.’ They would still be playing a character like Romeo and Juliet, for example, but they would be able to portray the relationships that are really authentic to who they are.
VG: What are the goals of Queer Opera? What do you hope it will provide for the performers and for the audience? Dillard: One thing that is important to me is that the music be at a high level, so that no one can fault us for just playing the queer card and not playing, like, the artistry card. Like, we want to be artists who happen to be queer. And so it’s not… like anyone can come and join just because they happen to sing… They need to be trained singers. The scenes that we do are in other languages. So they have to know, like, French, German, Italian—things like that—in order to participate… The purpose is to tell queer stories, but we have plenty of straight allies that join us, because I identify as queer myself, and I’ve been telling straight stories, like, my whole life, because that’s the world we live in—it’s heteronormative. And so we didn’t want to make it exclusive to people that only identify as queer. And the allies that have been a part of the program have found it really fascinating to push themselves to be telling stories that don’t align with who they are. Because outside of that—in regular opera—they are telling straight, cis stories, and in Queer Opera they get to practice telling a different kind of story.
Local A&C Events MILO LOZA
Portland Light Festival
Pioneer Courthouse Square Feb. 2, 6 p.m. Free A dazzling symphony of light, exploring the mysteries of the deep sea
Gasolina: Reggaetón Party
Revolution Hall Feb. 3, 9 p.m. $15 A nationwide perreo featuring the sounds of classic and current reggaeton
Portland’s Folk Festival
McMenamins Crystal Ballroom Feb. 4, 2 p.m. $35 An annual celebration of folk, Americana and roots music hosted by the historic ballroom
Karaoke From Hell
Dante’s Feb. 5, 9 p.m. Free Sing karaoke with a live band and backup singers
Montavilla Station Open Mic
Montavilla Station Feb. 6, 7 p.m. Free A comedy open mic with three-minute sets and lots of energy, hosted by Lucas Copp
Lunar New Year Lantern Viewing Lan Su Chinese Garden Feb. 7, all day $14 Immerse yourself in Lunar New Year festivities, featuring cultural performances, lantern displays, and more
Knife Making
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware Feb. 8, 2:30 p.m. $85 This class will take you through the process of making your own pocket knife
COURTESY OF CHUCK DILLARD Rosana Klaus (left)—Master of Music student in Collaborative Piano—and Zoe Schlussel (right)—graduate student in Music Performance—play collaboratively together
PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 1, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
ARTS & CULTURE
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VANGUARD CROSSWORD Answers in stories MILO LOZA
Down:
2/1/2024
1. Chuck Dillard is the founder of this non-profit organization, two words
1
4. This building had a pipe burst during the snowstorm but was fixed before classes resumed, acronym 5. This area on campus was covered in ice, preventing students from walking to classes during the snowstorm, two words
2
6. Term used by Chuck Dillard to describe the traditional nature of opera storytelling and how it often excludes queer perspectives
3
10. The groundbreaking initiative Oregon is taking to fortify its defenses against cyber threats, acronym
4
5
Across:
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2. A campus sustainability resource housed in Cramer Hall aimed at reducing waste, two words 3. This campus concern is often blamed on the homeless, but the housed population is the true culprit 7. Joint efforts of PSU, OSU and UO resulted in the establishment of a center to fortify Oregon's defenses and increase this
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8. “ Websites such as TikTok have also made comments trying to explain how the _____ does not push proPalestinian content, and how it’s simply a reflection of the younger user base’s pro-Palestine beliefs.” 9. “Now, the focus is on the Free Palestine movement, which has gained international attention and traction as a global _____.”
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11. O ne of the principles highlighted in The Arts at the Vanguard of Change series emphasizing fairness and justice
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Answers from last week’s issue 1) Children, 2) Park Blocks, 3) FAFSA, 4) Be Kind, 5) Illiteracy, 6) PSAS, 7) University
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CROSSWORD
Across Pointe, 8) Moms For Liberty, 9) Scholarship Universe, 10) Phone, 11) MinTS Down 1. Chuck Dillard, an associate professor of 2. A campus sustainability resource housed in collaborative piano, is the founder of this n Cramer Hall aimed at reducing waste. profit organization. 3. Campus concern blamed on the homeless, but the 4. This building had a pipe burst during the house population is the true culprit. snowstorm, but was fixed before classes re 7. Joint efforts of PSU, OSU, and UO resulted in the PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 1, 2024 • psuvanguard.com acronym. establishment of a center to fortify Oregon's 5. This area on campus was covered in ice, defenses and increase ___________.
Community & Wellness Resources UPDATED WEEKLY By Milo Loza
Happening Soon Winter Lights Social Montgomery Plaza Feb. 2, 6:00 p.m. Free for students Pick up some hot cocoa and walk with others to view the Winter Lights Festival. This year’s theme is “What Glows Under Pressure”
Free Angela and All Political Prisoners 5th Avenue Cinema Feb. 2, 6 p.m. Free for students A documentary about young college professor Angela Davis and how she ended up on the FBI’s most-wanted list
George Gershwin: Oregon Symphony and PSU Chamber Choir Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m. $25 Celebrate the music of George Gershwin with the PSU Chamber Choir
Weekly Bible Study SMSU, Room 323 Feb. 5, 4:30 p.m. Free Join the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in their Bible study regardless of your faith background
Live @ Lunch Parkway North, First Floor Smith Memorial Student Union Feb. 6, 12 p.m. Free for students Meet and listen to local musicians as you eat lunch, study and dance
Journal Roundtable SMSU, Room 298 Feb. 7, 6 p.m. Free for students Bring a journal article to share and learn about neuroscience
PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 1, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
Resources
Wellness
PSU Basic Needs Hub
SHAC Mind Spa
SMSU Suite 435 Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free for students
UCB Suite 310 Mon–Fri (by appointment) Free for students
Helps students access resources such as funds, food, housing, employment, childcare and health support.
Solo space to experience biofeedback, light therapy, meditation, massages, relaxation and more. Must be enrolled in at least five credits for summer or fall.
PSU Food Pantry 1704 SW Broadway (temporary location) Tues–Thur, 12–4 p.m. Free for students Access to free groceries in a welcoming, equitable, trauma-informed way. Must be enrolled in at least one credit for summer or fall.
Multnomah Behavioral Health Online Available 24/7 Free Discover resources and communities for behavioral health, including mental health and addiction
SMART recovery meetings
Mindful Meanderings
University Center Building 340 E Times vary Free
Listen on Spotify Available 24/7 Free
In peer recovery, students with shared experiences connect to reduce stigma and build a campus recovery community.
PSU-produced podcast about being mindful while outside, practicing gratitude, finding joy and being in the moment
SHAC weekly online parent support group
Telus Health Student Support
Online Thursdays 11 a.m. Free Come together as parents in a relaxed setting to support each other, share ideas, collaborate and commiserate
Women’s Resource Center Online Mon–Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free Confidential advocacy services to students who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, violence and stalking
Oregon Energy Fund Varying Locations Mon–Fri, hours vary Free Provides energy bill assistance to low-income Oregonians to support household stability
Download on App Store or Google Play Available 24/7 Free Connecting students with free, confidential mental health and wellbeing support
Outdoor Workshop Wednesdays Watch on Youtube Available 24/7 Free PSU Campus Recreation Center staff videos about topics ranging from Leave No Trace and plant identification to hiking spots and land acknowledgments
BORP online fitness studio Watch on Zoom Mon–Sat, hours vary Free Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program’s (BORP) virtual exercise classes for people with physical disabilities
RESOURCES
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Apply on our website psuvanguard.com
CREATE DESIGN WRITE RECORD Become a Vanguard Contributor