Portland State Vanguard, Vol. 72, Issue 19

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The celebration and eviction of Village of Hope houseless community

Murders of crows P. 5

Mochitsuki celebration at PSU P. 6

‘Chameleon Street’ at 5th Ave. Cinema P. 10

How schools misteach slavery P. 12

SEND YOUR VALENTINE

A MESSAGE IN VANGUARD’S FEB. 13 LOVE & SEX GUIDE! Submit up to 150 words of love, suppo! and friendship to fellow members of the PSU community at psuvanguard.com/valentines2018 Submissions due Feb. 10 and must be through valid pdx.edu account

How to choose a major workshop. 2 p.m.–3 p.m. Cramer 169

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Spring class schedule is now online

Deadline to submit poetry, prose, reviews and visuals to PSU’s student-run Pathos Literary Magazine.

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STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Po!land State Vanguard Online Editor: Visit psuvanguard.com/jobs

Harvest Share Free Market noon outside Sha"uck Hall on the Park Blocks. First come first serve.

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Last day to pay 2nd payment plan installment to avoid $100 late fee

Po!land State Professional Sound Technician: Visit pdx.edu/professional-sound/employment ASPSU student government leadership positions: Email askaspsu@pdx.edu

CONTENTS B

NEWS

COVER

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ARTS & CULTURE

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INTERNATIONAL

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ONLINE EDITOR NOW HIRING

EDIT ORI A L EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Evan Smiley

COPY CHIEF Missy Hannen

MANAGING EDITOR Danielle Horn NEWS EDITORS Alanna Madden Anna Williams INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Fiona Spring ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR NOW HIRING OPINION EDITOR Nada Sewidan

COPY EDITORS Molly MacGilbe! Jesika Westbrook CONTRIBUTORS Reem Alka"an Anju Babu AJ Earl Eve Echternach Cory Elia Andrew Gaines Joe Riedl Justin Thurer Anamika Vaughan Jessika Westbrook

PHO T O & MULTIMEDI A PHOTO EDITOR Zell Thomas MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Emma Josephson PHOTOGRAPHERS & VIDEOGRAPHERS Cory Elia Joe Riedl CR E ATI V E DIR EC TION & DE SIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Ughoc LEAD DESIGNERS Robby Day Chloe Kendall

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OPINION

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ON & OFF CAMPUS EVENTS

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DESIGNERS Sydney Bardole Georgia Hatche" Elena Kim Lisa Kohn Jenny Vu DIS T RIBU TION & M A R K E TING DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING MANAGERS Colleen Leary Aaron Ughoc T ECHNOL OGY & W EB SIT E STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Corrine Nightingale TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Damaris Dusciuc Long V. Nguyen Annie Ton

A DV ISING & ACCOUN TING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Sheri Pitcher To contact Po!land State Vanguard, email info@psuvanguard.com MIS SION S TAT EMEN T Vanguard’s mission is to serve the Po!land 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 every Tuesday and online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com Follow us on Facebook and Twi"er @psuvanguard for multimedia content and breaking news.

ASPSU SENATE APPROVES RESTRUCTURED STUDENT FEE SFC PROPOSAL SENT TO PSU PRESIDENT SHOURESHI ANAMIKA VAUGHAN At a special senate meeting Monday, Jan. 29, the Associated Students of Portland State University approved the Student Fee Committee’s 2019 budget proposal with 15 ‘yes,’ 2 ‘abstain’ and 2 ‘no.’ After 22 days of committee meetings and senate discussion, the proposal will now be sent to PSU President Rahmat Shoureshi. As reported last week, the proposal calls for the termination of the prorated Student Incidental Fee structure. All students taking eight or more credits would pay a flat fee of $223 per quarter. For students right at the eight credit level, this would mean a $60 increase on their bill per term. The fee increase comes in response to the rising cost of maintaining fee-funded student resources, including the minimum wage increase, cost of living adjustments and program expansion. ASPSU President Brent Finkbeiner said he surveyed students in his human resources class prior to Monday’s final deliberations.

Finkbeiner said his peers did not feel too optimistic about the SFC’s proposed restructuring. “About three quarters of the class suggested they did not want the prorated structure to go away,� Finkbeiner said. “The majority of the class said...if they pay more, they would like to know they are getting more.� However, Some ASPSU representatives argued a unified decision was necessary in order for students to have their say in total expenses. “If the senate does not concur with what the SFC has proposed, what’s going to happen is that two separate proposals are going to be sent to the president,� said Judicial Board Chief Justice Josh Friedlein. “What happens then is all the power is taken out of the students’ hands because [Shoureshi] gets to choose whatever he likes about those two proposals, and the students don’t have as much power as if a united proposal is sent.� At the previous week’s senate meeting on Jan. 22, ASPSU senators requested more information from the SFC regarding the pro-

posal, including an impact analysis that showed how students might be affected by the restructuring and clarification on how credit levels would affect access to feefunded campus resources. However, SFC Vice Chair Suwadu Jallow said the analysis was not possible to provide. “We will try our best to recommend to the [2018–19 academic year’s] SFC to really send out maybe some type of survey,� Jallow said. The SFC presented information on access to resources at each credit level, showing that students taking eight credits had full access to all resources excluding campus athletics, which requires an 11-credit load. Shoureshi has 10 business days from Jan. 31 to either accept the SFC’s proposal or to notify the SFC of any changes under consideration. Once the president approves the budget, the PSU Board of Trustees will issue a final vote. Follow our coverage of these proceedings online at psuvanguard.com

ASPSU PRESIDENT BRENT FINKBEINER. SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD

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DREAMERS PARTICIPATE IN STATE OF THE UNION ANNA WILLIAMS

Oregon DREAMer Esli Becerra and younger brother Kevin Becerra-Segura attended President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address on Jan. 30 in Washington D.C. as guests of Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Wyden said he invited the brothers in part because they have both pursued their educations and financially supported each other since they were old enough to work. Because of that, Wyden said, Becerra does not deserve to be sent back to Mexico if the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is rescinded under Trump. “[Becerra’s] story of success in Oregon and sacrifice for his brother exemplifies how much he and his fellow DREAMers have contributed to our communities and earned an opportunity to stay in the country they know and love,” Wyden said in a statement. Becerra’s parents brought him to Oregon when he was 8 years old and he now works as a visual effects artist. Becerra’s younger brother Kevin Becerra-Segura was born in Springfield shortly after their parents immigrated and

now attends Portland State as a triple political science, criminology and Russian language major. Becerra-Segura has also interned for Wyden’s office. Becerra was one of six DREAMers Oregon representatives invited as guests or sent in their place to the SOTU address. The address occurred fewer than two weeks after the weekend-long government shut down, a consequence of an impasse between bipartisan leaders regarding an immigration bill. Trump has since proposed a path to citizenship for 1.8 million DREAMers, several hundred thousand of whom are DACA recipients. The plan, which might grant citizenship to individuals after 10–12 years, includes a conditional $25 billion for a wall on America’s southern border and a nearly 25 percent reduction in legal immigration. “If you don’t have a wall, you don’t have DACA,” Trump said on Jan. 24. DREAMers would also have to prove their “good moral character” while pursuing their education and employment. Becerra-Segura

argued his brother fits that model perfectly. “At his employment [Becerra is] considered a very very important individual,” BecerraSegura said. “Many American citizens including myself depend on him.” Both brothers began their educations in a Japanese immersion school but started helping support the family as children by helping their parents clean apartments, houses and parking lots. When Becerra reached high school, he realized he wasn’t like everyone else. “I grew up with all these friends having these dreams of what they were going to do out of high school and all the sudden realizing I wasn’t going to go into higher education,” Becerra said. Undocumented students, including DACA recipients, do not qualify for federal financial aid. However, Becerra was able to get a oneyear scholarship at Lane Community College. After Becerra’s first year at LCC, BecerraSegura said he worked up to 80 hours a week to support his older brother through college. Support for DACA followed partisan lines

at Trump’s SOTU address. Greg Walden, Oregon’s only Republican congressman, was the only state legislator who did not bring a DACA recipient to the address. Trump himself invited parents of children killed by the MS-13 street gang as a case for stronger border protection. Becerra-Segura said terrorists who enter the country illegally and DREAMers cannot be compared. “On our side we’re presenting the example of the American dream through these kids who come into this country and [are] trying to better themselves,” BecerraSegura said. “This is all they know, and they are trying to become hard-working members of society...this is what makes America great.” If Capitol Hill does not make a decision before DACA expires March 5, the program’s future is unknown. Referring to his brother, Becerra-Segura said, “If this is not an American I don’t know what is.” He added, “This is the life we got. I have no other option but to fight for my brother.”

BURRITO BRIGADE DONATES 100,000 VEGAN MEALS REEM ALKATTAN

Burrito Brigade, a Portland- and Eugene-based non-profit that serves hungry communities, just delivered its 100,000th hot vegan meal since its inception in 2014. On Jan. 14 alone, volunteers distributed 738 vegan burritos to people experiencing houselessness. Portland State student and Burrito Brigade Board of Directors President CJ Myers said the organization primarily focuses on people living on the street. “We try to keep up with people living outside organized camps or otherwise overlooked or fall outside the reach of other organizations,” Meyers said. “In Portland, hundreds of burritos are handed out on production days to Right2Dream2, Dignity Village, and organized camps such as Hazelnut Grove,” the organization added in a statement. “But most are distributed under bridges, in parks, at intersections and bottle distribution centers

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and on the streets of downtown.” The non-profit also stated it delivers meals directly to the hungry by car, bicycle and even on foot. The distribution volunteers also deliver water, fruit, bread, clothing, hand warmers and rain ponchos. Burrito Brigade works with other local grassroots organizations such as Free Hot Soup that collect clothing, sleeping bags and tents. In Eugene and Springfield, the Brigade delivers meals to at least 14 locations including Opportunity Village, First Place Family Center and University of Oregon. Volunteers convene every second Sunday of the month at Sunnyside Community House near SE 35th and SE Yamhill St. to prepare and taste burritos. Burrito Brigade is funded by donations from organizations and individuals and receives supplies from community members’ gardens, organic food organizations and local companies.

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CHLOE KENDALL

“We only can use vegan ingredients in our burritos but can pass non-vegan food along to other organizations or individual people in need,” Myers said. Myers encouraged other PSU students to

get involved as Burrito Brigade volunteers. Those interested in receiving food deliveries, donating or volunteering can email burritosundays@gmail.com.

SICK CROWS DROP FROM SKY MURDERS OF CROWS POTENTIALLY POISONED ANJU BABU Northeast Portland residents reported crows falling from the sky on the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 30. Audubon Society of Portland and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife collected almost a dozen dead crows near NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and NE Jessup St., as well as one in the Park Blocks near Portland State. The birds were seen falling as a large flock flew west, some seizing on the ground before dying. Because the crows appeared healthy, experts suggest they may have been poisoned. “While it cannot be confirmed until the birds have been tested, the deaths are consistent with some sort intentional or unintentional exposure to toxic substances,” ASP stated in a press release. The dead crows were sent for necropsy. According to The Oregonian, a similar incident occurred in December 2014 when nearly 30 crows died in downtown Portland. A federal investigation linked the deaths to the crows’ intake of a common pesticide used on farms, specifically from contaminated corn. If the crows were intentionally harmed, resulting penalties could add up to $200,000

SYDNEY BARDOLE and prison time, as crows are covered under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Flocks—or murders—of crows are a spectacular sight at PSU in the winter. Thousands of crows flock to the Park Blocks to nest and utilize the urban environment’s accessible food and nest supplies.

According to ASP Wildlife Care Center Manager Lacy Campbell, the dead crow found downtown was indeed poisoned. Test results for the others may take a few weeks. Until results are confirmed, the risk dead crows pose to humans or pets cannot be determined and the public is advised to avoid

handling dead crows. Any pets or other animals that scavenge on the birds require immediate medical attention. ASP has offered a reward of $1,000 for any information that aids in the investigation. The public can report dead or dying crows to ASP by calling (503) 292-0304.

LAS MUJERES CELEBRATES SIXTH ANNUAL LATIN NIGHT EVE ECHTERNACH The sixth annual Latin Night event, organized by student organization Las Mujeres PSU, was in full swing on the evening of Friday, Feb. 2 in celebration of Latinx cultural heritage. The celebration began with a buffet-style meal of traditional food. Colorful decorations adorned the ballroom along the ceiling, and members of the Latinx community on campus hung art pieces they created. Later on, music and dance took the night with salsa and bachata performances by Joy Studios and a live set from Dina y Los Rumberos, a band from Havana, Cuba. Las Mujeres, founded in 1983, is a Latinx and women’s empowerment organization at Portland State. The group’s mission, as listed on their Facebook page, is to “create a posi-

tive space for Hispanic/Latina/Chicana/all women/allies on campus and in service to the greater community while celebrating Latin American culture and striving to promote strength, unity and empowerment for all women and our allies.” “I think the biggest thing with our student group is just celebrating the achievements of our students, of our Latino students specifically,” said member Genara Solis. In addition to organizing cultural events, Las Mujeres strives to create safe spaces in the community for people of all genders and cultures. “That’s the idea of our whole group really, to have that space for everyone to join, ” said Las Mujeres Event Coordinator Jackelyn Cortez. STUDENTS DANCE AT SIXTH ANNUAL LATIN NIGHT. COURTESY OF LAS MUJERES PSU

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JAPANESE-AMERICAN FESTIVAL RINGS IN NEW YEAR FIONA SPRING More than 2,000 people gathered Sunday, Jan. 28, in Smith Memorial Student Union for the annual Mochitsuki Japanese New Year celebration. The family-friendly festival showcased Japanese and JapaneseAmerican culture through music, dance, food, art and storytelling. The Japanese word mochitsuki refers to the pounding of rice into mochi, a Japanese sticky rice cake traditionally eaten to celebrate a new year. The creation of mochi dough from many individual grains of rice into one cake represents communitybuilding, a goal of the festival. “Mochi symbolizes the traditions that bind us together as a community,� said Alton Takiyama-Chung, storyteller and Mochitsuki master of ceremonies. The festival marked the beginning of the Year of the Dog in the Chinese zodiac, also recognized in Japan and across East and Southeast Asia. The zodiac associates a different animal with each year in a repeating 12-year cycle. In his opening speech, Consul General Kojiro Uchiyama said 2018 would be a lucky

LOCAL GROUP UTSUKI-KAI ACTS OUT A SCENE FROM PAUL MATSUSHIMA’S BOOK ‘THANK YOU VERY MOCHI.’ ZELL THOMAS/PSU VANGUARD year for people born in the Year of the Dog: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994 or 2006. While New Year traditions took center stage, the festivities also celebrated Japanese culture, featuring hands-on ex-

periences from tea ceremonies to photo ops with Hello Kitty. Katherine Morrow of the Portland State Institute for Asian Studies explained the scope of the celebration sets Mochitsuki apart from the

New Year celebrations one might encounter in Japan. “This is a very Japanese American–style festival,� Morrow said. “In Japan, it would be much more specific and focused.�

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Several high-profile political figures have called for a boycott of Egypt’s upcoming presidential election, citing a wave of repression they say has undermined the election’s legitimacy. A series of candidates have withdrawn from the race following the arrest of Sami Anan, the leading challenger to incumbent Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Sisi stands as the sole contender only one day before the official nomination deadline.

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Legislators have voted to ban the sale of ivory in the world’s largest ivory market, a move wildlife activists have called a lifeline for elephants. Sales will be phased out gradually in a three-part process and are set to end completely by 2021. The decision follows the passage of a similar ban in mainland China earlier this month.

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Lawmakers have approved a bill to criminalize acts or speech suggesting that Poland was complicit in war crimes during the Holocaust. The ruling Law and Justice party has defended the bill as necessary for the protection of Poland’s historical reputation in the face of criticism from Israeli officials, who have denounced the bill as “de-facto Holocaust denial� and an “attempt to challenge historical truth.�

Jan. 29–Feb. 4 Fiona Spring

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Darren Osborne, the 48-year-old man found guilty of murder after driving a van into a crowd of people outside a mosque in June 2017, has been sentenced to 43 years in prison. Osborne allegedly became obsessed with Muslims after watching a TV drama about a sex abuse scandal involving British-Pakistani men only weeks before carrying out the attack that killed two people.

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A lone gunman has injured six people in what police are calling a racially motivated attack targeting African migrants. The suspected shooter—named as 28-year-old Luca Traini—allegedly had ties to the anti-immigration Northern League party and was apprehended while making a fascist salute and wearing an Italian flag around his shoulders. The attack occurred amid rising anti-foreigner rhetoric days after a Nigerian man was arrested in connection with the death of an 18-year-old Italian woman whose dismembered body was discovered near Macerata.

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OPEN LETTER TO TED WHEELER: PRESERVE HOPE FOR HOMELESS To Mayor Ted Wheeler, I am writing to ask you to allow the self-managed houseless community in Northeast Portland, Village of Hope, to remain in place. Please listen to the advocates attempting to save lives among the homeless: Steve Kimes, Ibrahim Mubarak and Lisa Lake. They’re out helping those without housing every day and have better ideas for solutions than anyone else. Maybe the current solutions aren’t ideal, but ideal solutions are often either too expensive or allow undue suffering while being developed. I grew up one block from Peninsula Park and enjoyed the pool there every summer. In 1957, it transformed into a temporary home for Portland Zoo’s penguins while a new home was built for them at the zoo. Was it ideal? Not to my childhood mind, but it was a sacrifice necessary to make our city a better place. I think it was the right choice. In my opinion, today’s homeless are more valuable than penguins. Village of Hope is a step toward reclaiming the area for all of us by providing the homeless a safe space to receive the help they need for now. I am a 63-year-old woman who has never been homeless. I’ve had no fear walking the trails of the Big Four Corners natural area since the Village of Hope was established. I drive by the area every week, and I’ve never seen it used by anyone but homeless folks. Trying to keep the homeless out is a losing battle. I know many homeless people trying very hard to meet the expectations of the housed in order to qualify for help. When they are not allowed to live anywhere, they can’t make progress. Without support they do put stress on the environment, but with an organized village, crime will be minimized and damage will be reduced. Why not preserve the area by allowing advocates to assist? We can overcome this crisis if we are willing to live with lessthan-perfect solutions for a season. Village of Hope should remain in place. Thank you for your ear, Elsie Frani Grover Homeless advocate; lifelong Portland Metro area resident

VILLAGE OF HOPE LEAD ORGANIZER STEVE KIMES. JOE MICHAEL RIEDL/PSU VANGUARD

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KEEPING H THE

CELEBRATION JOE MICHAEL RIEDL Village of Hope, Portland’s newest selfmanaged houseless community, opened and shut within five days this week Nestled inside a thicket of trees and meandering trails along the Columbia River Slough in Northeast Portland, the camp was cleared out by city officials on Friday, Feb. 2. The camp held an opening celebration on the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 29 following weeks of secret planning by volunteers across Portland. That day, half a dozen bright red heart balloons attached to a vehicle gate flapped in the wind. Between the roar of semi trucks and planes flying overhead in and out of Portland International Airport, birds chirped in the trees. A homemade path of fresh bark dust and pine needles led to a bright blue door. “People keep wanting to open this,” said organizer Steve Kimes while he tried to shut the door and prop it back up. “It’s supposed to symbolize a couple things. One, that this is a

welcoming environment and two, this is our home—don’t come in and mess it up.” Originally, the village was dubbed Protest Camp. Organizers, unafraid of arrest, vowed to stay on the property and protest in the event the City of Portland attempted to sweep the area. Organizers said in a statement that local officials “are making progress [combating houselesness] but many people continue to fall between the cracks.” The statement added, “Their shelter development processes have engendered intense neighborhood conflicts and come with huge price tags.” One day after the opening celebration, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler expressed his disapproval of the village. “This kind of unilateral action undercuts the efforts of government, nonprofits, and the private sector partners who are aligned on a solution,” Wheeler said in a statement.

According to The Portland Mercury, Village of Hope was constructed on land called the Big Four Corners natural area, which is owned by Portland Parks and Recreation. Deer, coyotes, river otters and 175 bird species habitate the area. “The outright appropriation of environmentally sensitive public lands, intended for the use of everyone, is unacceptable,” Wheeler stated “Rigid structures should not be constructed

JOE MICHAEL RIEDL/PSU VANGUARD

TWO TENTS—THE KITCHEN AND THE COMMUNITY ROOM—ACT AS A SPACE FOR FOLKS TO GATHER AND CHAT. JOE MICHAEL RIEDL/PSU VANGUARD

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on lands the public has invested in heavily to preserve.” However, Village organizers argue that since houseless people camp in the area all the time, the environment is better protected with consistent trash pick up and monitoring by volunteer security and site managers. Village of Hope is not the first of its kind. Other self-managed camps such as Right 2 Dream Too and Dignity Village have sprung up across the city over the last few years. Along an elongated streamside clearing sat large tents on handmade wooden platforms. “The tents are 7 foot by 9, and the platforms are 8 by 12, so everything you own can be placed in the tent or on the platform,” Kimes said. “We wanted [to make] the lowest impact on the environment.” At the end of the camp, volunteers and passers-by gathered to chat in a makeshift

kitchen and community room. Barbara Hood usually volunteers to supply folks in need with clothing, but on Monday her focus was bringing those in need to take showers. “Can you imagine not being able to bathe for a month at a time?” Hood asked. “[We’re trying to provide] a secure place to make services more accessible,” Kimes said. “Unless there’s stability, there’s no way of getting [the houseless] off the street.” Kimes said he would not speculate about the future of the village or the possibility of it getting shut down. Rather, Kimes wanted to focus on providing security for those who need it. By mid-week, Village of Hope received multiple eviction notices. Almost immediately, activists across social media summoned supporters to surround the property and protest Friday’s impending sweep.

HOPE ALIVE THE

EVICTION CORY ELIA Before sunrise and fewer than 24 hours before Village of Hope was forced to vacate, activists gathered at the houseless community Thursday, Feb. 1, to protest the camp’s impending eviction. Organizers announced City of Portland’s planned sweep on social media the night before.

A VOLUNTEER SWEEPS TRASH OUTSIDE THE MAKESHIFT KITCHEN. JOE MICHAEL RIEDL/PSU VANGUARD

MORE THAN 20 BAGS OF TRASH WERE COLLECTED AT THE SITE BY VOLUNTEERS BEFORE THE VILLAGE WAS SET UP. JOE MICHEAL RIEDL/PSU VANGUARD

Approximately 10 personal tents and belongings had been donated to the Village, including sturdier tent structures made for cooking and socializing. All such necessities were at risk of eviction by city officials. “The city will come in and remove our stuff,” said Lisa Lake, a primary Village organizer leading the protest. “If we’re not able to take it, [the city] will supposedly store it for us somewhere.” One day after the first eviction notice, a handful of protesters, including prominent activist Jamie Partridge, picketed at Wednesday’s Portland City Council meeting. City Commissioner Amanda Fritz released a statement that read, “Parks are for everyone—not open for settlement by particular individuals or groups.” It continued, “Encampments are not sustainable in a park or natural area, neither of which are designed to have people living there.” Lake said because people frequently camp in the area, sweeps occur often. However, Lake claimed no one comes to clean the site up after it is cleared out. “[The natural area has] been trashed more than once, and we don’t like how the city is managing it,” Lake added. “We plan to have naturalists and arborists come in and train the residents. Since moving in here, we have actually had the management of the local businesses come out and see how we’ve improved it.” Fritz and Mayor Ted Wheeler both argued the campsite placement on the Big Four Corners natural area is a threat to the local ecosystem. An activist who called himself Bob said

no matter what the city’s arguments for sweeping the camp are, “They are not valid in any way.” “This camp is unique,” Bob said. “I feel that it is in a more secluded area then most [houseless communities]. As long as they are not hurting anyone, leave them be.” Lake said campers facing eviction have mostly chosen new locations to set up their tents. “The city says it has offered up beds at shelters,” Lake said, “but most of those are full.” Early Friday, Feb. 2, Portland Police Bureau and park rangers showed up to sweep one hour before the Village anticipated. Police wrapped yellow tape around the camp’s perimeter and, according to activists on the Village’s public Facebook group, threatened to arrest occupants if they crossed the tape border. A video from Partridge’s Twitter showed organizer Steve Himes helping to haul property from the camp in a wagon while PPB officers behind him chanted, “This is criminal activity.” Currently, Portland is short hundreds of shelter beds, and houselessness has steadily risen in the last few years. Though people living on the streets have been more likely to visit shelters since 2015, Portland’s housing crisis designation was recently extended to April 2019. Until then, police are deprioritizing complaints about people camping on private property. By the afternoon of Feb. 2, online supporters were saying they would be back to defend Village of Hope. “I’m coming back,” said village occupant Kerry on another video from Partridge. “[The city] cannot keep me out.” “We have a home,” Kerry added. “It might be a tent, it might not have walls or a roof, but by God it’s what we’ve got.”

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‘CHAMELEON STREET,’ FASCINATING, FORGOTTEN AND (MOSTLY) FACTUAL WENDELL B. HARRIS JR.’S 1989 FILM ANDREW GAINES CHAMELEON STREET, the only film by writer-director Wendell B. Harris Jr. is, in some ways, a classic American narrative. A young man (Harris) is unsatisfied with his life and decides the only way to get to a better place is to completely change who he is—and who he appears to be. William Douglas Street Jr. is a real-life con artist who still pops up in the news from time to time. At the beginning of the film, Street has had it with his dad’s alarm installation business and quickly sets out on a path of scandals that get him on the nightly news, into a cushy position as a surgeon at a hospital, and eventually into a jail cell. Street isn’t a great character; he’s a great series of characters. Harris writes and portrays him as a man seeking purpose, becoming whoever he needs to be in that moment to climb the social ladder. He spends his entire life attempting to live for himself, but ends up living according to the needs of others. He’d be pitiful if he wasn’t so charismatic and sharp.

Much of the film is overlaid with Street’s narration commenting on and cracking jokes about his own predicaments. Harris’ comic timing is impeccable, and the combination of his acting and internal dialogue keeps the film light and genuinely funny. Some details of the film cannot be confirmed as true due to the real-life Street’s penchant for embellishment, but many of the main events are based on real events. Despite an award-winning run at Sundance Film Festival, the strong, charming and thoroughly researched Chameleon Street never found national distribution. Though Chameleon Street lacks a place in the American film lexicon, it’s an outstanding biography of a deeply flawed man and a great way to spend an afternoon this weekend. Portland State’s 5th Avenue Cinema screens Chameleon Street Feb. 9–11. All 5th Ave. screenings are free to PSU students and faculty w/ ID, $5 general admission and $4 for all other students and seniors.

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A WORD ON‌ Homeless (adj.) synonyms: derelict, outcast, desolate, abandoned, unwelcomed, exiled

CHLOE KENDALL

MISSY HANNEN “By choosing how you frame and talk about something, you are cuing others to think about it in a specific way,� said Lera Boroditsky, a cognitive scientist at University of California, San Diego. “We can drastically change someone’s perspective by how we choose to talk about and frame something.� In an interview with Scientific American, Boroditsky discussed the impact of the Trump administration’s decree to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to not use words like fetus, vulnerable and

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science-based. Why is this important? In short, words—and the ideas associated with them—matter. Most people don’t define things like a dictionary entry. We put them into our own words using ideas that relate to the word in question, and often those associations reflect our own biases. The synonyms listed above come from thesaurus.com. Other sites list words like poverty, addiction, alcoholism, depression, stigma and abuse.

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Word association means certain words and the ideas behind them are linked with other words and ideas. Homelessness is connected with some pretty negative ideas and feelings, and your interpretation of those connotations might affect how you view Portland’s increasing homeless population. This might be why some individuals and organizations have started using a new term: houseless. Changing half the word alters the connotation and therefore might alter how individuals think about the topic.

Our words impact others, which is why we should choose them carefully and reflect on why we choose the words we do. Think about personal biases—the negative and positive associations with certain words. Using the word houseless may seem like a tedious change to our daily lexicon, but it can have a huge impact on how we think about the issue as a whole. Changing a word won’t solve the houselessness crisis, but reframing how people talk about a marginalized group is a step in the right direction.

CANNABIS FOR

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CONNOISSEURS A BOOK FOR THE BLAZED NADA SEWIDAN People can now add cannabis to their list of DIY artisanal projects. Grow Your Own: Understanding, Cultivating, and Enjoying Cannabis is a new book co-authored by Liz Crain among a team of marijuana growers from Olympia, Wash. Grow Your Own gives a play-by-play on how to grow cannabis and comes fully equipped with stylistic and informative charts, illustrations and easy-to-understand methodology. It’s about cannabis, but it’s more about the artistry of the product, describing the care and cultivation of marijuana in the style of artisanal wine and beer. The team behind the book introduces craft by giving a brief history of cannabis, from its use as a holy anointing oil in 1450 BCE to when Bob Dylan rolled The Beatles’ first joint in 1964. Following an introduction of what cannabis is, the authors delve into a detailed methodology of how to grow, from setting up your own grow room and getting the right tools and equipment to different growing mediums and processes. The guide also includes a cannabis flavor wheel alongside short descriptions of different terpenes, which are chemical compounds that have different effects. For example, pinene can function as an anti-inflammatory antiseptic, and limonene is a natural relief for heartburn. The book also discusses the benefits of cannabis, from reducing stress and pain to eliciting creativity and relaxation. Grow Your Own field experts Nichole Graf, Micah Sherman, David Stein and Liz Crain show readers how to build a greenhouse and include ideal conditions for airflow, humidity, pest control and soil compositions. Drying, trimming and curing instructions are available toward the back of the guide, and an FAQ–style dialogue follows each section. One of Grow Your Own’s best qualities is its ability to relay information clearly while keeping cannabis chemistry interesting for the general 420-friendly public. It also includes an illustration and guide on how to properly roll your own joint and trivia such as which strain won back-to-back High Times Cannabis Cups. Growth notes accompany strain descriptions if you want help growing. Grown Your Own isn’t only for growers, it’s for anyone interested in learning about cannabis, the different strains and how what is grown becomes what you consume. From Prohibition to cannabis couture, marijuana has come a long way, and as stereotypes turn into understanding, Grown Your Own is the guide to viewing cannabis cultivation as an art form; it’s an indication of the direction cannabis is headed in our culture. The team behind Grow Your Own include Nichole Graf, Micah Sherman, David Stein and Liz Crain, with photography, visual aids, and illustrations provided by Allen Crawford.

COURTESTY OF TIN HOUSE BOOKS

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HOW SLAVERY IS TAUGHT AND WHY IT’S A PROBLEM MISSY HANNEN

As consumers of polarized media, we are increasingly aware of the need to fact check everything—even textbooks. What we know about history from a young age shapes how we perceive the world and connect with our past, and to that end, history books are failing to give children the truth about slavery. A new report by the Southern Poverty Law Center outlines how schools fail to provide a comprehensive view of the history of slavery and why that needs to change. It also provides framework and instructional tools for new pedagogy and curricula. The report even points to the government’s failure to address the issue; however, the report neglects to identify the need for people in power to implement such reform. “Teaching history of any kind is complicated,� wrote Mary Schmich in the Chicago Tribune. “All stories of the past are incomplete. What we value and understand shifts. Our understanding of slavery is complicated by the fact that so many Americans treat the study of its history as if it were a sporting event in which they’re obliged to pick a team,� she continued. “But black history—which is American history—isn’t sport. There are no sides, no teams.�

Teaching Tolerance—a project organized by the SPLC—polled 1,000 high school seniors in an online survey asking questions about slavery. The results are alarming. When asked the question, “What was the reason the South seceded from the Union?� 79 percent of polled students answered incorrectly. “Among 12th-graders, only 8 percent could identify slavery as the cause of the Civil War,� wrote Melinda Anderson for The Atlantic. “Fewer than one-third (32 percent) correctly named the 13th Amendment as the formal end of U.S. slavery, with a slightly higher share (35 percent) choosing the Emancipation Proclamation,� Anderson continued. The study also polled 1,786 K–12 teachers. The report stated that only 39 percent of teachers reported teaching about “religion and slavery,� and just over half (52 percent) teach students “the legal roots of slavery in the nation’s founding documents.� While the study polled students and teachers from across the country, all states are not equal.

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CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES “The Mississippi fight against integration and civil rights was the most organized, defiant, and violent of anywhere in the country,� The Atlantic reported. “But until 2011, civil-rights history was not part of the required curriculum in Mississippi public schools.� Even after the 2011 standards were set, “At least 40 districts relied on books published before 2011 for the study of U.S. history after Reconstruction, usually taught in 11th grade. Some school districts were using textbooks with copyrights as early as 1995,� and these textbooks are “full of holes and omissions about the state’s

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civil-rights history,� the article continued.

N M o “If you teach someone the truth of what happened then they cannot help but to change their perception of what reality is,� said Mississippi teacher Kristin Kirkland in an interview with The Atlantic. It’s concerning to think children today are not being taught the truth about slavery because the implication, as stated by SPLC, is that, “We rarely connect slavery to the ideology that grew up to sustain and protect it: white supremacy.�

The report fails to fully address the fact that education policy must be reformed. It points out the failure of the institution and outlines how things can change, but it does not address the magnitude of the task at hand: Reforming educational policy requires reforming legislature and policymakers themselves. We are in an era of non-truths presented as truth for political agenda and gain, and we must elect people who support such change if we are to see the change we desire. Kids need to know the truth about our history in order to understand the world we live in.

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ON CAMPUS

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CORGIS 4 P.M. PARKWAY NORTH U B B ? A crew of corgis is comin’ to town, and you’re invited. Also there’s free food, massages, coloring and other stuff to take your mind off of the term or reward yourself for doin’ so gosh darn wonderful. Corgis!

SEMINAR =C;8 C KARL MILLER CENTER ATRIUM B Pan-African entrepreneurs, business owners and creatives are slated to share stories of success, challenges and hopes for being community leaders in Portland. Come learn about businessy things and have some refreshments.

SCIENCE ;C9= SCIENCE BUILDING I 98? C B Cossairt will be talking about a bunch of crazy things: inorganic “molecules� with atom-level precision. Why is molecules in quotes? Is it because they are inorganic? No, that just means they don’t have carbon? SCIENCE!

LITERATURE >C;8 SMSU 238 C B

Lee is an Assistant Professor of Fiction at PSU. Snyder is a local editor. Both are published authors and will be reading selections of fiction right here on campus.

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SWIMMING CAMPUS REC CENTER O U B 5 P.M. Splish, splash, but don’t take a bath while you make waves with transgender, genderqueer and body-positive people of all types. Winter is typically not pool time, but it is if it’s indoors! Come honor and support individual identity while floppin’ on noodles and chillin’ in the spa.

SNOW >C;8 CAMPUS REC CENTER FA8o998B Hitch a ride to the mountain to shred some pow! Or whatever the hip kids say. Prices include transportation and either a beginner package with equipment but restricted access or an all access lift pass with no equipment. If you have your own pass, it’ll only cost you $20 for the shuttle as a member of the ASRC. This time, the early bird doesn’t catch the worm—they catch a ride on the Snow Town Express!

MUSIC LINCOLN RECITAL HALL 75 B 9: Come listen to the impressionistic sounds of France during the time of Manet and Monet, but remember to Gogh to the bathroom before you arrive, this sounds like something you’ll want to enjoy the whole way through. This performance is a part of the School of Music & Theater’s noon concert series.

PHILOSOPHY 7 P.M. PARSONS GALLERY C N (URBN 212G) ~M B Angela Coventry of PSU is joined by Alex Santana of the University of Portland and Ken Brashier from Reed to discuss the wide range of philosophical traditions, including Aztec, Chinese and Western. Philosophy is about asking questions, so looking to diverse sources is important.

LECTURE SMSU 238 B >C;8 What do Allen Ginsberg and Bob Dylan have in common? Visiting Fulbright-Nehru Scholar Dr. Geetanjali Joshi explains how Baul singers—“mad men� in search of the divine—from West Bengal in India influenced these 1960s U.S. counterculture icons.

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B > MUSIC PARKWAY NORTH IF RAIN) 9: B PARK BLOCKS (OR Acoustic pop?! Let’s get Wild. If that’s not copyrighted yet, get on it. It’s free, it’s lunchtime, and we all need a boost to get us through the day. Have some music while you munch. SEMINAR =C;8 B PARSON’S GALLERY (URBN 212G) B Lindsay Benstead, interim director of the Middle East Studies center, will moderate a panel with Anita Haidairy, Tagrid Khuri, and Issrar Chamekh. They will discuss gender policy, economic empowerment and civic engagement as they relate to the wide range of female experiences in North Africa, Asia and the Middle East. FIRST NATIONS PSU NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENT AND C COMMUNITY CENTER

B > A recurring session where native language teachers Linda Meanus and Jermayne Tuckta teach about Warm Springs, Ore. history and its language: Ichishkin! Contact Yolonda Salguiero via email to participate: yms@pdx.edu.

HISTORY 5 P.M. LINCOLN RECITAL HALL 9A?9 75 B Heather Ann Thompson literally wrote the book on it. Dr. Thompson comes to PSU to talk about why this protest was relevant, how it relates to mass incarceration today, and why we should rethink the criminal justice system.

MUSIC 4 P.M. LINCOLN

C PERFORMANCE HALL R 9S F<=o==B Vondracek performs Novak, Suk, Smetana, Liszt and Schumann. These composers are from or influenced by Eastern Europe. FILM 5TH AVENUE CINEMA U B F< = R9A@AS

B ? R Ao99S Turn to p. 10 to see our review of this powerful film. A historical fiction about a man who grows tired with his own life and chameleons his way into a variety of lives he builds and destroys.

MUSIC 4 P.M. LINCOLN

C PERFORMANCE HALL R :S F<=o==B Continuing his Eastern European inspired performance, Vondracek tackles Schubert, Brahms and Scriabin during his second installment of the series.

B 9: FOOD OUTSIDE SHATTUCK C HALL IN THE PARK H BLOCKS B 9: The second Monday of every month you can be inspired to eat fruits and veggies by getting them for free! Bring reusable bags and have one of each fruit or vegetable per person. Quantities limited; first come first served! SCHOLARSHIPS 3 P.M.

KARL MILLER 610C B

Come learn about the opportunities to have a global education at a reduced cost. Learn about how you can be that person that spent a year in Thailand—or any number of other amazing places!

ROBBY DAY

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OFF CAMPUS C

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THEATER :9S PERFORMANCE WORKS R:89?S NORTHWEST B ? F= F:8 @ R B This will most likely be a heavy performance as it references the Clark Doll Experiments of the 1940s. The play is about three Black women who find themselves confined in a space and how the three women react to that confinement while trying to survive their circumstances.

DANCE ?C;8 MISSION THEATER F9= F:8 Espacio Flamenco hosts the annual event featuring several choreographies showcasing the rich tradition of dance that is Flamenco. Each of the company members have picked their favorite palo (style) for the group to perform.

FISHING ALADDIN THEATER F9@B < H @ This is an evening of films about fishing. I have no idea what to expect from this, but I’m intrigued and it sounds strangely calming. Get there early to mingle with your fishy friends?

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DOUG FIR C F98o9=B :9T An evening in tribute to one of hip hop’s most notorious and prolific producers on the eve of Dilla’s birthday. Go up the street and get some doughnuts if you’re feelin’ like havin’ a themed evening. TV A C CC SLAUGHTERS K B :9T Come hang out and have a drink watching Bob make punny burgers while he and his family get into all sorts of shenanigans.

B ? POETRY INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING RESOURCE CENTER > F=o9=B Come write, read and get inspired to write poetry in a place where it’s okay to try new things. Writing materials, prompts and readings will be provided. SELF-CARE ?C;8 BLUE SKY GALLERY F:8o;8B After you pet corgis at PSU, head over to Blue Sky to continue the good vibes with the Portland Sound Sanctuary. Let the sounds of crystal singing, Tibetan bowls, gongs, chimes and tuning forks wash over you. Beware, there will be didgeridoos. BYO cushions for the cement floors.

JAZZ @ ; JACK LONDON REVUE F?o98B :9T Come see some Oregon jazz legends perform at their weekly Thursday haunt. The B-3 has a sound all its own, and watching someone who worked with Diana Ross for 10 years is a real treat.

B A BAZAAR 4 P.M.

100 SE ALDER B Cruise on over to the Central Eastside for an evening with several baker’s dozens of vendors selling a wide variety of objects. There will also be food and people-watching. MUSIC A R THE FIXIN’ TO S F?B :9T Yes, this is only a tribute, but will there be costumes?! Purple is optional but probably encouraged. MUSIC BUNK BAR WATER U F9: F9< B H :9T AC;8 Tezeta Band is inspired by Ethiopian Jazz and Afro-Beat. Korgy & Bass is a beat centric chillout group. Sounds groovy.

MARDI GRAS SPLASH ULTRA LOUNGE :89@ B :9T 5 P.M. Splash Ultra Lounge is a party bar. Mardi Gras is a party holiday. Let’s party. COMEDY <C:8 HELIUM F::B :9T

Come watch Doug Benson talk about movies with people. I’m surprised he didn’t make the ticket price $4.20. There will be jokes and Benson will probably have smoked a doobie before the event.

B 99 DANCING PORTLAND CITY GRILL F<8B :9T 99 Heartbeat Silent Disco is raising money for the American Lung Association. There is a Fight for Air climb at 9 a.m., and this silent disco and brunch is the afterparty. MUSEUM THE ZYMOGLYPHIC MUSEUM 99 B Once again, I am baffled. What exactly is Zymoglyphic? The museum looks like a collection of natural oddities smashed together to make them even more odd. If you want to see who’s keeping Portland weird, look no further.

GAMES HOUR TO MIDNIGHT ROOM ESCAPE GAMES

B 5 P.M. Despite the clunky business name, an evening playing board and card games with friends is sure to leave you not so bored. Games are available for sale, as are beverages. FILM F? FA B ?C;8 HOLLYWOOD THEATRE Afrofuturism tends to be focused on Blackcentric science fiction and fantasy. This compilation features several short films including aliens and other horrors. This event is a part of The Portland Black Film Festival. FILM @C;8 R Ao9=S HOLLYWOOD THEATRE F? FA A variety of intense short films on heavy subjects from deafness, school shootings, overcoming terrorism through solidarity, psychiatric delusion and the brutal racism that led to Emmett Till’s death. This will be heavy.

B 9: MARDI GRAS @ H GOODFOOT PUB F?B :9T O Portland staple Ural Thomas & the Pain expand their soulful sound to include some classic New Orleans R&B, soul and parade songs as well. This will definitely be a sweaty party with lots of boogying. MARIJUANA POTS NW CANNABIS CLUB

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F= @ B :9T Come join so-called celebrity Chris Crayzie for all of the dabs, dabs and dabs. Vanguard does not endorse excessive consumption of the devil’s lettuce, but we figured it’s important to inform our readership of the perils awaiting them when they leave the sanctuary of our campus. MUSIC HOLLYWOOD THEATRE L@8 F?

FA B ?C;8 Get in the spirit of Valentine’s Day by singing along to all of your favorite cheesy ‘80s love songs projected on the big screen.

ROBBY DAY

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