PORTLAND STATE VANGUARD
online at psuvanguard.com & @psuvanguard
VOLUME 70 • ISSUE 36 • MAY 17, 2016
PSU GETS HIVES
SUSTAINABILITY STUDENTS NET BEE CITY USA CERTIFICATION
News International A&C Opinion
CLEANUP CREW EXPOSES CAMPUS BUTTS p 4 ‘RICE, NOT BULLETS’: INDIGENOUS NATION PROTESTS p 6 TUNE UP FOR FINALS WITH JAZZ NIGHT p 10 BEING ALONE CAN BE A GOOD THING p 12
PROTESTERS WALK OUT FOR #DISARMPSU p4
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NEWS INTERNATIONAL ARTS & CULTURE OPINION ETCETERA CALENDAR
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COVER COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY CENTER. MASTHEAD PHOTO SERINA HERSEY PSUSU members Sonya Friedman, Donald Thompson and other participants raise their fists in solidarity at the Urban Plaza.
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MISSION STATEMENT: The 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 a quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills that are highly valued in today’s job market. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Colleen Leary editor@psuvanguard.com
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ADVISER Reaz Mahmood ADVERTISING ADVISER Ann Roman The Vanguard 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 those of the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration.
NEWS
VOICES HEARD AT DISARM PSU WALK-OUT Multimedia at psuvanguard.com
SERINA HERSEY
People gathered and marched in support of the #DisarmPSU campaign on Tuesday, May 10. Participants met at the Branford Price Millar Library and made their way down to the Market Center Building to carry out a die-in. Activists stopped at the Campus Public Safety Office and the Urban Plaza as well, and speakers talked more about the campaign and shared their experiences on violence and racism on campus. Organizations such as Portland State University Student Union, Portland Jobs with Justice, Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights and Lewis and Clark’s Black Student Union participated to support the disarmament of PSU campus police.
PHOTOS BY SERINA HERSEY
CAMPUS REC ORGANIZES CLEANUP WALKS JESSICA POLLARD Park Blocks flush with trees, a waterfront view, the bustle and ring of the streetcar, and what else? Countless cigarette butts. Community members at Portland State are working to reclaim the downtown area from refuse. Every first and third Thursday for most of this year, the Academic and Student Recreation Center has organized Community Cleanup Walks to make a dent in the city’s litter problem. Much of that, according to coordinators, involves cleaning up after smokers. “Cigarette butts are the overwhelming majority, and probably do the most
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damage,” said Community Cleanup Walk coordinator Dina VanderWaal. Around 65 percent of all cigarette butts are littered in the U.S., according to the organization Keep America Beautiful. According to a 2009 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health report, cigarette butts are not biodegradable—they do not decompose naturally and therefore spend time leaching chemicals into the run-off water and soil while littering the environment as refuse. The cleanup crew has picked up more than spent cigarettes: ASRC Marketung and Outreach Coordinator
Erin Merz noted that finds also included food waste and a syringe during previous cleanups. “We’ve found entire cheeseburgers,” Merz said. This is the cleanup walk’s first year, and they have collected 78 pounds of trash, according to Merz. While the event has not received large numbers of participants, partnering with sports teams and other campus departments has helped raise awareness. “[Participation has been] pretty low,” VanderWaal said. “It was hard to get people motivated to want to do the walks.” Merz offered a different take on total participation thus far.
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“I think of it as a grassroots effort,” Merz said. “In terms of total participants, we’ve had around 75. But that includes some repeats as well, which I would claim as a success for a new program.” The cleanup coordinators have partnered with Student Health and Counseling, women’s basketball and the TRiO student support program this year. The walks have yet to form partnerships with the Sustainability Leadership Center or academic departments. “Partnerships are pretty key for our success,” Merz said. The walks are hosted through Campus Rec for a Cause, an initiative that aims
to pair Campus Rec with community service. “There’s a physical component as well as a service component to the activities we provide in Campus Rec for a Cause,” Merz said. Numbers have been better this term, and Vander Waal explained that many people feel if they do not litter, they are not contributing to the problem. “We’re in the middle of the city, it sounds cliche, but we are in Portland and we’re big on sustainability,” VanderWaal said. PSU Facilities and Property Management on campus provides participants with all trash-picking
materials. Because facilities regularly addresses litter on main campus areas, the walks have often been located just off campus. “This is very timely with the smoke and tobacco free campus which happened in the fall,” said Merz, who noted that Southwest Broadway and near Fourth Avenue are hotspots for trash. “People don’t understand where the campus starts and stops.” This year, the walks are held from noon to 12:50 p.m., and no registration is required. The ASRC will host the final Community Cleanup Walk of the year this Thursday, May 19.
BIO LAB APPROACHES NEW LEARNING METHODS
NEWS
MACKENZIE MYERS When Dr. Erin Shortlidge became part of Portland State’s biology department in fall 2015, she was put in charge of a new sort of science project: how to effectively absorb and share scientific information with others who may not be familiar with or trusting of science. This past fall, Shortlidge started the Biology Education Research lab in an effort to address these issues. The lab currently has undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students working toward understanding how people relate to the scientific world. “While I was finishing my Ph.D., I realized I was interested in how to convey the fascinating nature of science to other people,” Shortlidge said. “I realized there was an entire group of researchers, most with a biology background like mine, that were becoming more interested in how we teach and learn science.” Shortlidge is the department’s first biology education researcher, and she said the lab’s work can be confusing to some. Often, biology education research is equated with improving the way educators teach science, but Shortlidge says her lab goes to great lengths to collect rigorous, repeated data in its projects. She said the lab’s projects “often use many, many people and we use quantitative and qualitative research methods to see what we can say about what’s happening in a classroom.” Some of the lab’s current projects include examining new student-centered pedagogy techniques used in PSU’s intro-level STEM classes, as well as analysis of how graduate STEM programs prepare master’s students for careers outside academia. Senior biology major and lab member Emily Olsen works with intro-level STEM pedagogy on campus. According to Olsen, the lab focuses within the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics, but also connects with geography and geology. “It is really nice to gain multiple perspectives from different disciplines to help better education methods,” Olsen said. Olsen believes the sort of work the lab is doing will have a big impact on how students learn science and take it with them into the world. Rather than sitting in a lecture, absorbing information from a professor, students can interact with each other and directly apply critical thinking to their work. Shortlidge said a major component of her interest in science education is the use of CURE methods in teaching, or coursebased undergraduate research experiences. The work within a CURE class is different than a typical lab-and-lecture science course. CURE classes allow students to experience science more authentically, according to Shortlidge; rather than having students con-
duct predictable experiments with a predetermined outcome, students perform labs where the result is unknown. This allows students to hypothesize and discover why something turns out the way it does, instead of working toward an already specified goal. CURE courses also involve collaboration with other students and the instructor and may encourage connections across a broad range of research and disciplines. “The classroom dynamic plays such a huge role on the growth and developers and has a large impact on our future workforce,” said BER lab member and PSU senior Lucas Bennington. “It is important to examine how labels such as race, ethnicity, gender [and] orientation could have an impact on the learning envi-
ronment,” he continued. “The work the lab is doing is really good at exploring what steps we can take to ensure a balanced education for everyone.” Shortlidge said that because of its diverse environment and proximity to the natural world, PSU is ideal for this sort of research. The water quality and sustainability issues— as well as social issues—that Portland faces can provide engaging research avenues for PSU students. “Having students working on bigger societal and community problems is a way to gain authentic research experience, but also helps to see why it’s important,” Shortlidge said. “I don’t feel like students necessarily see the relevance of science if it’s not in front of them.”
Shortlidge said that in making science education at PSU more student-centered, she hopes the university can cultivate a community of citizens who understand the importance of discussing issues based on the data and evidence presented. Part of accomplishing this goal, according to Shortlidge, is getting students involved and invested in their own scientific education at the start of their college careers. Students will then have an opportunity to sharpen these skills throughout college and use them as they interact with the world. “Science education is starting to be more valued as our society progresses in medicine and technology and with climate change looming over our heads,” Olsen said. “I believe there is still a long way to go, however. This is just the start and I am glad to be part of it.”
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/COURTESY OF USER WESLEY WILSON THROUGH PEXELS
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INTERNATIONAL
INDIGENOUS LUMADS TOUR SHEDS LIGHT ON CULTURAL VIOLENCE CATHERINE JOHNSON Leaders of Lakbay Lumad USA: The Continuing Journey of Mindanao’s Indigenous Peoples for Peace and Justice visited Portland State to share their culture and raise awareness of the Philippine government’s violence against their people and land. On May 12, PSU Kaibigan and members of nearly a dozen different organizations gathered to show their solidarity with the Lumads, the indigenous people of Mindanao, whose way of life is facing a serious threat. Portland is one of the last stops for Lakbay Lumad USA, who are on a speaking tour of the United States in order to garner support for the plight of their people. They began in Washington, D.C., lobbying members of Congress and describing how U.S. foreign policy and multinational corporate interest in their natural resources are connected to their repression. Dr. Cornel Pewewardy, a professor and director of Indigenous Nations Studies at PSU, opened the event by acknowledging the significance of the land on which the event was taking place and identifying its indigenous people. Dr. Pewewardy explained the need for indigenous people around the world to support one another. “It’s a blessing to be here and honor those who have been resilient,” Pewewardy said of the Lumads and their struggle. The government of the Phillipines is using armed forces to remove the Lumads from the land and granting foreign ownership of their mineral resources for mining. This displacement has erupted in violence and the killing of Manobo leaders. Bai Norma Capuyan is one of the leaders on this tour and a survivor of the recent Kidapawan Massacre. In addition to the government’s militarization, she explained their severe shortage of food due to the drought caused by El Niño. According to The Inquirer, about 6,000 peasants and farmers, including children, the elderly and pregnant women, held a protest and demanded their use of the calamity fund, which the government is required to provide in Kidapawan. They chanted, “bugas, bugas, dili bala, rice, rice, not bullets!” Instead of rice, the police responded by firing guns at them. “We really want all of you to know our call: food, land and justice,” Capuyan said. “We want to be able to go back home to our ancestral lands.” They want the government to be held accountable for its actions, to stop bringing criminal charges against protesters and to allow those who have been removed from their farms to return. The word Mindanao means “Land of the Lakes,” and for the Lumads, land is life—not something one person owns, but something to
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MAY 11–16 Molly Ozier
MAY 11
Coca-Cola temporarily stops production of all canned drinks in Namibia due to water shortages. Canned drinks will be now imported, according to AFP news report.
MAY 12
Brazil’s Senate voted to impeach and suspend President Dilma Rousseff. President Rousseff is accused of illegally manipulating finances to mask the country’s deficit, and will face trial.
MAY 14
About 97 percent of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia is being hit with massive bleaching. An area almost the size of Scotland, Dr. Justin Marshall, a professor at the University of Queensland, said it’s the country’s “biggest ever environmental disaster.”
MAY 14
Four activists protesting massacres are arrested by Congo police. Since October 2014, 500 people have been killed from these raids near Beni.
MAY 16
Swedish court sentences 61-year-old Claver Berinkindi to life in prison for the genocide in Rwanda that occurred in 1994. Berinkindi, a Swedish citizen originating from Rwanda, “was convicted of genocide and gross crime under international law consisting of murder, attempted murder and kidnapping in Rwanda.”
LEADERS OF LAKBAY LUMAD USA: THE CONTINUING JOURNEY OF MINDANAO’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE VISITED PSU ON MAY 12. BRAD BOURGEOIS/PSU VANGUARD be shared and protected by all. Because they don’t believe in private ownership, they view their plea for peace and justice as one for all humankind. The Lakbay Lumad USA tour will end in New York for the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. They hope to inspire
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global support for their call to “stop the killings, save our schools, and protect indigenous life.” Pewewardy said events like this are significant for the PSU community because they affirm the university’s motto by letting knowledge serve the city. They also teach students the importance of their histories.
“This legacy of resistant stories can inspire our people to continue to defend their territories and communities against ongoing colonial aggression,” Pewewardy said. “This is succinctly why these cultural events are important because they tell the stories of hundreds of years of resistance.”
INTERNATIONAL
THE AGROECOLOGY MOVEMENT: THE ALTERNATIVE TO UNSUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
HIGH ATTENDANCE AT INDIA NIGHT BRINGS COMMUNITY TO PSU GRAZIELLA ALLEN
YUNI CHOI Portland State Multicultural Student Center hosted a food and environmental justice discussion focusing on the global agroecological movement on May 6. Agroecology is a form of sustainable agriculture that offers an alternative to the current unsustainable industrial agricultural model. Around 20–30 people attended the event co-organized by the PSU Environmental Club and the Asociación de Trabajadores del Campo. ATC is a global organization that works locally and internationally to fight for human rights, particularly of rural workers. Through collaboration with the PSU Environmental Club, PSU became one of the stops for ATC’s 2016 Peasant Agroecology for Food Sovereignty and Mother Earth West Coast speaking tour. “There are many folks working on the issues of sovereignty and justice at all levels of work,” said Erika Takeo who helped organize the event. “[The purpose of the event is] to give some space for the local native groups to share ideas and thoughts that are not often shared to the public.” The discussion was led by four guest panelists: Marie Knight, D’Ana Soto, Miguel Robles and Nils McCune. Soto is a traditional Native American farmer, similar to Robles who is a farmer originally from Mexico City. McCune is a researcher of agroecology, and Knight is a member of the Warm Springs tribe in Oregon and a natural helper with the Future Generations Collaborative. McCune suggested the model of agroecology as a solution to the issue of accessibility to food and environmental justice. Other participants of the discussion included members of the Environmental Club, students from other academic institutions, Ph.D. students in urban studies, members of the local community and food activists. Each panelist introduced individual aspects of the food and environmental justice issue. Some overarching points of the discussion included agroecology, traditional food production, consumption practices, the historical impact of colonization on the food practices of the indigenous people and problems of global capitalism.
COURTESY OF USER THEBITTENWORD.COM THROUGH WIKIMEDIA COMMONS The panelists discussed how the present view of food violates people’s rights to accessibility of food and land that can be used to grow food. Before colonization indigenous peoples had a long-standing relationship with the land and an established diet. “Traditionally, my people did not eat grains or dairy. When we were put into reservations the [U.S.] government provided us with food that we didn’t even need or know how to eat instead of what we [were] in need [of ],” Knight said. “Students should really research about the foods that they eat—how they are grown and taken care of. This includes animals too.” Food insecurity is not a distant topic or problem PSU students face. Michelle Chan, an intern at the PSU Food Pantry —an organization that provides access to food for students—spoke about local issues of food injustice. “Food insecurity is a big issue. Students are trying to pay for school and trying to survive at the same time,” Chan said. “For some students, the PSU Food Pantry is the only source of food.” Just as coffee or processed flour was not the desired choice for indigenous nations, it is not processed food that students seem to desire. In fact, fresh produce is the most requested item at the Food Pantry. For more information about the ATC tour, go to friendsatc.org/tour.
PERFORMERS AT THE 2016 INDIA NIGHT HOSTED BY THE PORTLAND STATE INDIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION. BEVERLY FRISK/PSU VANGUARD “About 12 years ago [the Portland State Indian Student Association] started with 60 [people] and [we] now have 182 people,” said ISA Secretary Srinath Reddy of India Night 2016. “[Our mission is] to show Indian culture to people from other countries, come taste India’s food [and] meet some Indian people, for all students. Last year we had 600 people. We expect 650 [this year].” India Night took place on May 14 in Smith Memorial Student Union. The Vanguard met up with Madhavi Lukalapu and her family waiting in line for the dinner served by Urban Masala. Lukalapu is from Andhra Pradesh, India, and is currently a substitute teacher at Westview High School. When asked why she came to India Night, she replied, “Just to keep the tradition, because this is the next generation, “ Lukapalu said, motioning to her daughter and son. This year Lukalapu’s daughter had a dance solo. “It’s been six years [since] we’ve been coming here and my daughter’s first performance here [was] in 2011 [when] she was six.” “Indian classical dance, the students organizing, [it’s all] very good and the audience
[is] increasing year by year. I really appreciate [it],” Lukalapu said. “In 2011 only one quarter of the amount of people [were involved with ISA],” Lukalapu said. “Before it was only PSU students and now it is [an entire] community. It shows the efficiency and passion for the tradition. In fact my son wanted to dance but we were told we registered too late because of the amount of participants; that shows [how much the event has grown]. I really appreciate the students,” Lukalapu said. Attendee Joel Jacob recorded his friends’ dance performances. “I am from India and this is one of those nights where we get to perform. [I’m not performing] this time but my friends are so I am here, [to] be [in] support [of ] them.” “We[’ve,] [Jacob and friends] looked forward to this event since last year. [During] the course of [getting] a master’s degree, it is quite strenuous and hectic. This just gives a feeling of being back home—some time [to] relax with people and to meet Indian [people] from all over Portland.”
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COVER
Sustainability students acquire Bee City USA certification
BEEHIVE INSTALLATION. COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY CENTER
UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY GARDEN ABUZZ WITH NEW NEIGHBORS CATHERINE JOHNSON This month, Portland State officially became the 10th certified Bee Campus USA institution in the country since the initiative launched last year. The new apiary, which consists of two beehives and one mason bee nest box, resides in the orchard at Southwest 12th Avenue and Montgomery Street, and was largely brought to campus through the work of the Student Sustainability Center and many dedicated students, faculty and staff. Bee City USA certification is focused on creating pollinator-friendly environments. Bees are important because they are among the insects that pollinate one-third of our food. Recently, the numbers have been declining, giving rise to great concern and alarm. This is due to the fact that much of our food is now mass produced in monocultures that are heavily sprayed with pesticides—which are neurotoxins—making pollinators susceptible to disease. Mass transportation and migration are problems too. Bee colonies are placed under great stress when they are moved to other climates and forced to share space with other bees, often sharing their diseases and viruses. Receiving certification doesn’t necessarily require having bees, but can include planting native flowers that attract local pollinators. “That’s the really cool unique thing about Bee Campus USA,” said Genevieve Harding, a graduate assistant in PSU’s Institute of Sustainable Solutions. “Yes, we have honeybees, but we’re also trying to educate for a larger group of pollinators as well.”
“ T here’s a lot of people who have come out of the woodwork as either bee enthusiasts or personal beekeepers to support this initiative.” – Genevieve Harding, graduate assisant for ISS
ROAD TO CERTIFICATION
Harding worked closely with Heather Spalding, the Sustainability Leadership and Outreach coordinator responsible for facilitating this process. However, the idea to bring bees to campus is largely attributed to Stefanie Steele, who is now the bee intern. Bees have been part of Steele’s life for almost 15 years, starting when she was in middle school in Cincinnati. “It was so fascinating,” Steele said. “It’s really relaxing and mesmeriz-
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INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS HAS ACQUIRED BEE CITY USA CERTIFICATION. COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY CENTER
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ing. They work in such great harmony. I have a lot of respect for them.” Steele has experience starting and managing several apiaries on various farms, including Zenger Farm in Southeast Portland. But after two seasons there, she was looking for bees closer to home. In her Environmental Ethics and Actions class, she wanted to address the problem of threatened pollinators and how to raise awareness. That’s when she thought about starting an apiary at PSU and found Jacob Sherman with the ISS last spring. He had been interested in the idea for several years and was happy to have Steele’s help finally getting it off the ground. “Having an apiary on campus is a good way for us to help educate students and community members about the plight of pollinators,” Sherman said. “It’s an opportunity to remind people that this is a natural environment and that bees are all around us and that we fundamentally depend on them as a society for our food supply.” The process took a year and required approval and feedback from many departments on campus, such as the Office of Risk Management, Facilities and Property Management, and Contracts, as well as off-campus organizations including the Oregon Department of Transportation and Multnomah County. Despite the extensive approval process, those involved have had overwhelming support. “There’s a lot of people who have come out of the woodwork as either bee enthusiasts or personal beekeepers to support this initiative,” Harding said. “That’s been really helpful.” Harding was one of the key figures managing the administrative pieces and logistics. “It took a lot of work,” Spalding said. “We definitely had some moments where we didn’t know if this was happening. But we just kept going.” One obstacle was the issue of liability. They had to determine who would be responsible for students and employees, identify the various risks and mitigate each one in order to ensure the apiary is a safe space. Tim Wessels, a local beekeeping expert and one of the founders of the Portland Urban Beekeepers and the president of Bridgetown Bees, lent his expertise and experience. He said navigating the legal issues and necessary paperwork was challenging, but he was impressed by how everyone worked together to make it happen. “It was actually one of the smoothest setups I ever had,” Wessels said. “The energy and focus was very good. There’s definitely a hassle factor and they didn’t give up.”
COVER Together, Spalding, Harding and Steele conducted research, went to conferences and ultimately created a detailed 22-page report with a five-year plan, something that sets PSU apart from other certified campuses. “I haven’t actually seen any other schools that have a longer-term plan for their bees, so I think that could be something we really offer to other schools, especially urban schools that are big,” Spalding said. Harding said another challenge was time. This project is a seasonal endeavor. There’s an optimal time to start a new hive, which is between April and May. It can’t be rushed and requires people committed to seeing it through. “Ultimately you want the process to be the best for the bees as well,” Harding said. “You don’t want to rush getting them to campus when they’re not going to be ready and don’t have the proper equipment or environment.”
HIVE MAINTENANCE
Bringing bees to campus also opens up educational opportunities for students and the community about how to keep bees. “I’ve been wanting to get into beekeeping for a number of years now,” Harding said. “So to have that tangible, hands-on opportunity to engage with it on my own campus has been really special.” In fact, the actual task of maintaining the hives has not been as difficult as Spalding thought it would be. “It seems really intimidating, but then when you get started they’re actually pretty calm,” Spalding said. “I was more nervous than I needed to be when I first interacted with them and then I felt really safe.” The project has garnered a lot of support and excitement not only from offices across campus and from students, but also in the Portland community. In the fall, a student-led task force will manage the apiary, and Steele is even hoping to eventually get children involved, just as she did when she was a child. “It’s good to see that people are getting pumped up about trying to better our planet,” Steele said. “It’s good to see that people are stepping outside of their comfort zone and trying something new.” Another key to success and an important educational component has undoubtedly been Wessels’ involvement. Students were given the chance to do the initial hive inspection alongside him. “To have that really personal, hands-on experience with a local expert is a really unique opportunity for PSU students,” Harding said. “That was really cool and personally rewarding.” The feeling is mutual. Wessels is thrilled to offer his guidance and is excited that students want to do something to help the bees. He’s hopeful that with their involvement and enthusiasm they can help find a solution to honeybee loss. He was also happy to report that both of the hives are doing very well so far. He didn’t see any of the issues or problems that many colonies face. It seems like they have a strong start going into the summer and fall, and hopefully through the winter too. “Both of them are doing very well. I have high hopes for them,” Wessels said.
LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY
Spalding is also excited because this is a cause that doesn’t feel politically divisive. Food is important for all of us, and bees play a vital role in
BEEHIVE INSTALLATION. COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY CENTER
BEEHIVE INSTALLATION. COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY CENTER how our fruits, vegetables and nuts grow. This makes it an issue that is undeniably close to home and that anyone can do something about, like planting more pollinator-friendly plants, having gardens with a diversity of plants and not using harmful chemicals. “When we think about huge global issues like climate change, the poster child of climate change has been polar bears, but the only place I’ve seen a polar bear is zoos and I can’t really do anything to help them,” Spalding said. “But all of
BEEHIVE INSTALLATION. COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY CENTER us have seen bees and all of us have seen bees pollinate a flower. So I think they could become a more tangible way to connect with these issues.” Spalding also hopes the group can serve as a model for other schools. “I think if we can do it at PSU, most other institutions could do it,” Spalding said. “I’m excited to share our process and how we got to this place. And maybe the research that we did would allow other schools to feel more comfortable allowing students to work on something like this.”
Having an apiary is one of many examples of PSU’s commitment to sustainability and how student interest and excitement can bring meaningful projects to campus—and keep them going. “I want them to realize that what they’re doing is something very special,” Wessels said. “It’s special to me and makes my heart happy to see that there’s commitment to make this work. “I feel very proud to be involved and hope that I can continue to be a mentor to that group for years to come,” he said. “I hope it continues on.”
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ARTS & CULTURE
JAZZ ENSEMBLE TO PLAY LINCOLN PERFORMANCE HALL EXPAND YOUR MUSICAL PALETTE WITH FREE JAZZ NIGHT ON MAY 23 COMMENTARY BY THOMAS SPOELHOF Never has there been a truer form of free musical expression than jazz. Musicians work together to perform a song’s prescribed structure, its form, building tension through harmonic dissonance and providing release through a satisfying return to familiarity. The resulting sound is a feast for audio aficionados in which brass, woodwinds, guitars, percussion and keys construe an amalgamation of groovacious melodies and rhythms. Now you have the opportunity to experience the distinctly American musical tradition that is live jazz. The Portland State jazz ensemble plays Monday, May 23 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Performance Hall. The concert, billed PSU Jazz Night, is free to students and the public and will be the last chance this year to witness the emerging talent congregated in the ensemble’s lineup. First year jazz ensemble director Derek Sims anticipates an energetic show riddled with a range of talented student performers. “We are playing very exciting music,” Sims said. “We have great soloists, great arrangements and great energy.” If this year’s jazz ensemble were to be summed up in one word, it would be “eclectic.” This outfit plays funk, cool jazz, bebop and big band swing. Expect to hear classics from Thad Jones, Bob Mintzer and Sammy Nestico. If the names aren’t immediately familiar, the grooves will be. “One of the great things about this art form is that there is such a wide view from which great composers can operate,” Sims said. “All of the music we are play-
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THE PORTLAND STATE JAZZ ENSEMBLE PLAYS MAY 23 IN LINCOLN PERFORMANCE HALL. THOMAS SPOELHOF/PSU VANGUARD ing was performed by the great bands of the 20th century. It becomes a challenge for the students to emulate and experience the genius of each composer’s craft.” The students assembled represent a range of professional-level talent with a variety of instruments. Principal soloist Noah Simpson smashes improvisations brandishing a goldplated trumpet, and Chang
Park brings a colorful expansion to the trumpet section. Allow yourself to get lost in a Wyck Malloy saxophone solo, and keep your eyes and ears on Nicole McCabe, an up-and-coming sax wunderkind. “Nicole McCabe is playing a beautiful Billy Strayhorn feature,” Sims said. “This band is very young so I look forward to the next few years as they progress.”
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McCabe is one among several freshmen in the band and a part of this growing community within the School of Music at PSU. Professor Sims hopes to attract more students interested in learning and playing jazz music, not just music majors. “These kids are working hard to follow their passion,” Sims said. “So many students play in high school
and then quit because they think there isn’t a place for them. I am very interested in starting a second band comprised of non-majors next fall.” McCabe also praises the dedication of her fellow musicians, their individual talents and solo capabilities. She welcomes greater participation from the PSU community at large. “Jazz is something that is
really important to our culture and is something that should be more valued,” McCabe said. “Coming to support live music and jazz is something that more people should do.” The jazz ensemble has had a range of performances throughout the year, including opening at Jimmy Mak’s last fall and performing as part of the College Summit at University of Portland in March. The ensemble has played Lincoln Hall, and they participated in the Jazz Noon concert series. Sims, though he is a firstyear director for PSU, is no stranger to the professional jazz circuit. “I have been playing trumpet with Mel Brown for the last 13 years, and I have been a member of quite a few Portland bands: Pink Martini, Linda Hornbuckle, Pepe and the Bottle Blondes, to name a few,” Sims said. “I have also performed with Benny Golson, Freda Payne, Bobby Watson and Martha Reeves. I am honored to be part of this faculty at PSU and think this band could be one of the best bands I have had the pleasure to conduct.” The jazz ensemble is on the rise. The band rehearses Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2–2:50 in Lincoln Hall and welcomes guests to listen and view. For anyone who enjoys the challenge and camaraderie of performing sophisticated musical compositions and being part of a community of likeminded artists, shine up that trombone, tune up on those seventh chords, and consider joining the waking giant that is the PSU jazz ensemble.
ARTS & CULTURE
‘BEETLE SONG’: MFA CANDIDATE EMILY LEWIS FUSES TRAUMA AND ART THOMAS SPOELHOF
EMILY LEWIS AND HER EXHIBIT, BEETLE SONG. THOMAS SPOELHOF/PSU VANGUARD What happens when the trauma that can accompany growing up in a small town— gossip mongering, alcoholism, corporal punishment—manifests through multidisciplinary artistic expression? Portland State Master of Fine Arts in Contemporary Art Practices/Studio candidate Emily Lewis provided her interpretation in Beetle Song, which was on display from May 5 to 13 in the MK Gallery in the Art Building. Lewis’ exhibition is one part of graduating MFA candidates’ capstone presentations, also featuring works of K.C.R. Anderson and Kyle Lee. Beetle Song is, first and foremost, a graphic novel visualizing the folktale of a girl growing up in Southeast
Texas. Lewis’ story and illustrations reflect the culture of the region and its wilderness, a trove of mysterious beauty housing poisonous snakes, alligators, scorpions and spiders. The region also happens to be where Lewis grew up. “I wanted to capture a little bit of the culture of that region and the magic of growing up in the Sam Houston National Forest, growing up in nature and all of that,” Lewis said. “I wanted to tell about some of the dangers of the culture there and some of the dangers of the nature. I thought that making a sort of folktale about it would be a nice touch.” Lewis created a fully immersive, interactive envi-
ronment for her exhibition through a unique style of installation—the sounds of cicadas and crickets recorded on location, story characters brought to life via claymation displayed on a trio of televisions, and themed backdrops featuring the Loblolly Pines indigenous to Southeast Texas. The interface of the senses engages the viewer and invites participation. “I’m interested in ways that comics and sequential art can be translated into different spaces and how you can think about a story, how it can get into a gallery and out into real life,” Lewis said. “I think comics and animation share a similar language and structure, and I felt it was a natural progression.”
Her process, Lewis described, consists of first drawing a page in ink, then scanning and working digitally. Beetle Song’s black-and-white images, with occasional saffron highlights, channel the simple yet high-impact works of Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis or Art Spiegelman’s Maus graphic novels. “I’ve been working with black and white for a while, because I think it’s something that is overlooked a lot of the time,” Lewis said. “Not everyone wants to use black and white because it can seem boring, it’s not as seductive as color. But I see it related to literature. It’s a little bit more literal, and depending on how much value you use it can create a heaviness
that I wanted to get across in the story.” Heaviness fits the territory from which Lewis draws influence. She cites inspiration from a wide range of artists, including the intensely graphic black-and-white video art of Mary Reid Kelley, cartoonist Alison Bechdel, graphic novelist Chris Ware, and Czech filmmaker and animator Jan Svankmajer. Lewis also read many comics and graphic novels during the process of creating Beetle Song. She hopes interested viewers will embrace the immersion experience and dig into what the work has to offer. “I have a bench here. I want you to be comfortable, take a comic off the wall, sit and read it and get to know the story and
its characters, and feel invited to be a part of it,” Lewis said. In addition to completing her MFA this spring, Lewis also teaches 2-D Design at PSU, an undergrad course akin to an introduction to art. The course explains value and color, art and design principles, all packaged in a clean and graphic presentation. Viewers can see more of Lewis’ work on her website, emilylewis.us, and art fans can see additional MFA exhibitions which will include work by Sarah Calvetti, Hyunju Kim and Amanda Wilson. The second round takes place May 19–27, with an opening reception on May 19 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Gallery Talks on May 26 from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
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OPINION
IT’S TIME TO BE ALONE The Bigger Picture Brenden Leary
As another week full of classes, interning and daily errands wraps up, I finally reach the one thing that keeps me going strong: Friday. Friday is a golden opportunity to recharge my internal batteries and clear my mind. The one day where I have the right to be selfish. It’s a day for no commitments and sweet, solid serenity. Suddenly, the moment I jump into my sweats and set the oven temperature for my pizza, my phone vibrates. My friends have sent me an underwhelming social call to arms to storm the bars of España. Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate every friend that sends me an invite to hang out, but at this time of the week I haven’t got a single speck of energy left to walk through the front door. Many seem to haplessly forget that we live My mind starts weighing out the pros and in a world where we are constantly encourcons of options A and B. I scroll through my aged to engage and socialize. Whether it be list of excuses to use in order to avoid go- Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, when you ing, although the fear of missing out comes to click the “like” button, you are saying, “Hey, mind and I’m caught tussling with the devil’s I see this and I’m with ya on that.” Being soadvocate. cially engaged has I decide to play it safe and drag myself to become an intermy couch, sink inside the cushions with a hot minable chore. slice of DiGiorno’s Hawaiian in hand. The obsession As I finally sit down, I can’t help but feel a bit has gotten to the guilty for not going. Why? point to where if It’s a classic game of “should I stay or you have Snapchat, should I go.” For many of us, college is a time you can post a of growth while learning to become indepen- photo or video on dent. Learning to be OK with being alone is your story and see what gives us that ability to take critical think- who’s seen it. There’s no “like” button, no ing to the next level and without it, we suc- “emotional response” button, but only an “eye” cumb to intellectual stagnation. icon that reveals who’s seen it. We need to be capable of being OK by Now consider the amount of people who ourselves. compulsively refresh their stories waiting to see
ILLUSTRATION BY ARLEN CORNEJO who’s looked at theirs. Psychologically, it’s quite disturbing. Are we really progressing as individuals with this? The endless search for company has only damaged our ability to self-reflect. Of course I wouldn’t recommend you spend the rest of your life locked up inside your room
sense of motivation and days get duller and duller. It’s necessary and healthy to have time for self-reflection in order to be someone and live your life. Fearing alone time is affected by these views and can lead to even more serious emotional problems such as depression and anxiety. The decision I would normally make is to go out with friends and suffer the consequences later, but that day I dared myself to do the opposite. To be honest, it changed me. Now, I will try to save at least an hour a day to myself doing whatever activity that involves me, myself and I. As our world becomes even more socially integrated, my personal intermission will continue, and I think it’s time for all of us to do the same.
The endless search for company has only damaged our ability to self-reflect.
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after you’ve thrown your electronics out the window—yet over time this kind of “connection” hinders your ability to, well, be someone. Your opinion of yourself blurs in with others’ opinions of you. You slowly lose your
YOU DO YOU, BOO Page by Page Brie Barbee I hate guilty pleasures. Not the concept itself, but the way we talk about it. The words “guilty” and “pleasure” are straightforward enough, but what I don’t understand is the “guilty” part of the equation. Why does something that’s supposed to make us feel good also have to make us feel guilty? As a society, we don’t talk about guilty pleasures often, but when we do it’s clear that a guilty pleasure is something you should feel embarrassed about or not be willing to tell other people about. The top definition for a guilty pleasure on Urban Dictionary is “something that you shouldn’t like, but like anyway.” It goes on to describe it as an activity that is “believed or informed to be abnormal, improper or incorrect.” There’s also some much weirder stuff involving buttholes and ABBA, because, well, it’s Urban Dictionary, but you can enjoy that on your own time. As for guilty pleasures, no matter where you find the definition, the message is the same: There are things we enjoy in our day-to-day lives that are weird and we just shouldn’t talk about them. But why? What are we so worried about? Is the very act of spending time on ourselves and our pleasure that strange that we’re supposed to feel bad about it? Or are we just so worried about our self-image that we feel strange whenever we like things that are out of the ordinary? A quick search on Twitter with the keyword #guiltypleasure proves that there are a lot of things that people are embarrassed about enjoying. Anything from reality TV, Disney music or stuffed crust pizza seem bad enough to warrant the hashtag—although the point can be made that because these people are posting about it on social media means they aren’t actually that embarrassed about it.
However, guilty pleasures are still not a good thing. Even if people are able to admit they like something, it’s not good to continue to allow ourselves to feel bad about enjoying something that other people might not like. You should never feel embarrassed about something you love. If you’re a girl who plays video games, but worry that gaming is only for guys, it doesn’t matter! Play as many video games as you want and don’t waste a single minute wondering if it’s weird or not. Other people’s approval doesn’t make you a “real” gamer, playing games does. If you love to read romance novels but feel compelled to read more literary fiction because it looks better to your friends, who cares? Read whatever you want! If you enjoy it, isn’t that all that should matter? If you love to read Harry Potter or watch Disney movies, but think those things are just for little kids, rock it. Age doesn’t prevent you from enjoying a piece of entertainment; it just allows you to interpret and understand it in new ways. If you’re a guy who likes to knit, but worry what other people will think, screw them! You do you, and if something is fun or you like doing it, you should have every right to do it. So yes, I hate guilty pleasures, but I don’t hate pleasure. I hate the idea that we can’t enjoy ourselves or our entertainment without wondering what other people are going to think. There are too many bigger problems in the world that deserve more attention. If you like something, great! You should never feel guilty about it.
OPINION
ILLUSTRATION BY SHANNON KIDD
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ETCETERA
COMICS BY ELISE FURLAN
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ETCETERA
COLORING PAGE BY TERRA DEHART
SUDOKU COURTESY
OF PRIZESUDOKU.COM
1 4 9 3 9 7 4 5 2 3 7 6 2
5 4 2 3
1 4 7 3
CROSSWORD
4 3 9
Š Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com
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3 6 2 1
COURTESY OF ALBERICHCROSSWORDS.COM
Solvers may like to identify and shade in two depictions of 26 across in the grid, to celebrate the milestone reached by this puzzle. ACROSS 1 Bob is back in a position to give help (10) 11 Set trap for one involved in racket (4) 12 Concerned with land management, German company managed to include valley (8) 14 Student’s beginning to appear weary, securing university degree having worked hard (8) 15 Note, house wants a yard badly (6) 16 Rank given to English poet laureate in the past (4) 17 Read out part of list (4) 19 Old robber is in state again? (6) 20 Taking everything into account, somewhat pusillanimous on reflection (5, two words) 22 Fallow pasture (3) 25 Side petal seen regularly in dahlias (3) 26 Unclued (5) 27 Son abandons spurious solemnity when convenient (6) 28 I look half-heartedly over
headgear (4) 30 Everyone walked in Algerian city? (4) 32 Component of plant cells for limitless straightening up? (6) 34 Sign underground worker’s been repairing hole in factory (8) 35 A British general lacking resistance, notably (8, two words) 36 Song first heard on the radio (4) 37 Forced away gentle bird (10, two words) DOWN 2 Twenty-one gun salute perhaps is a way of saving appearances (5) 3 Like I’m getting involved in rail strike, first of all, that’s crazy! (7) 4 It will keep time in unfavourable environment (4) 5 American shrub entirely covered with salt (6) 6 Wild boar leads soldiers to a line of trees (8) 7 Name given to a very large temple (4) 8 Like a leg spinner finally brought
in to remedy Essex opener departing with a half century (6) 9 At sea, we mates rely on it to save us from drowning (7, two words) 10 Not being dishonest enough is essential? (10) 13 Keep on ignoring first of signs of disease of area round the mouth (10) 18 Foolish person scratching head followed a course to absorb one ancient language (8 ) 21 Capital I invested in Iran somehow maintains old boy (7) 23 You needed a hundred to be up to the mark (7) 24 Avenge mischievous spirit (6) 26 Be disappointed with the French silk (6) 29 A bit of graphic sex finally imported by confused type heading for Liverpool (5) 31 Champ has to appear in Saskatchewan (4) 33 Lie about rearing Australian lizard (4)
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M AY 1 8 –2
CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK OF WEDNESDAY, MAY 18
JOHN PINNEY
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FRIDAY, MAY 20
SUNDAY, MAY 22
MANAGING YOUR RESOURCES
STORIES OF THE BUDDHA
CONVERSATIONS WITH GAY ELDERS
4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Library, room 160 Have you heard of Zotero and Mendeley? They provide research database organizing tools that will help keep any major or academic researcher from going insane, so you can find that reference you swore you put into page six but can’t find the night before you need to turn it in.
6:30 pm Smith Memorial Student Union, room 236 On the northern route of the Silk Road, there is a town called Kucha. This town has a series of caves with beautiful artwork depicting stories about the life of the Buddha. Come and hear about the academia and mythology surrounding these mysterious desert caverns.
12 p.m. Hollywood Theatre Fee: $11 David Weissman’s new film project is a docuseries called Conversations with Gay Elders. Come attend this Q&A with this quirky and honest look at the lives of the elder set.
RESTAURANTS FOR RAPHAEL HOUSE
PORTLAND NIGHT MARKET
Varying locations At this current time, there are 42 different restaurants signed up in support of Raphael House. Eat at one of these restaurants on this night and support a domestic violence shelter and survivor nonprofit. Get all your up-to-date options at raphaelhouse.com.
100 SE Alder St. This not-creepy-sounding, all-ages event is a weekend-long showing of diversity among local businesses. Food, drink and more will be available for purchase. The venue is an old Produce Row warehouse.
7 p.m. Alberta Rose Theatre Fee: $16–$23 Honesty is en vogue, and Mortified is about as honest as you can get. People get up to a microphone and share old yearbook, diary and personal-story memories. They are cringe inducing and hilarious, showcasing the idea that foresight would be best used in our younger years.
THURSDAY, MAY 19
SATURDAY, MAY 21
THE SCRUMPTIOUS CHEF
CAPE HORN DAY HIKE
5:30 p.m. Holocene Fee: $40–$50 If you’re an Iron Chef or Chopped fan, check out the local competition and grab some on-the-fly grub made fresh from the chef’s own furrowed mind. Much like Chopped, who knows what you’ll end up imbibing?
8 a.m. Outdoor Program Office Fee: $25 (Member), $50 (Nonmember) Registration deadline is May 18 for one of the most spectacular hikes along the Cape Horn Trail. Some sections are closed off for falcons, but there’s no skill level needed for this hike, and you’ll be going about five miles, experiencing waterfalls and wildflowers.
DAVID BOWIE LECTURE 6 p.m. Belmont Library Though Prince is the latest in a dark trend of musical geniuses passing, David Bowie went back up to the stardust not long ago, and this lecture will examine his influence both musically and socially.
AMERICAN BONSAI 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Portland Japanese Garden Fee: $8 (with student ID) Ryan Neil turns the ancient art of bonsai-tree clipping and meditation practice into a literal art form. This breathing and living monument to style and hope runs through June 19.
HOROSCOPES FOR THE WEEK OF
Taurus April 20–May 20
Though you may go looking for gold, all you will find is destitution. The pursuit of money will not lead to happiness or security, only frustration.
Gemini May 21–June 21
Believe in yourself, even if others are there to witness your downfall. You have the strength of a fighter within you and can readily prove yourself.
Cancer June 22–July 22
There are things in the world that wish us harm and those in the world who wish to protect us from that same harm. Which are you?
Leo July 23–Aug 22
The jealous will always be drawn to those with true talent and immense personality when conflicted. Beware of those claiming to be your friends because they may be willing to sacrifice you to achieve their ultimate goals.
MORTIFIED PORTLAND
•FEATURED EVENT• QDOC May 19–22 Hollywood Theater Fee: $10 (per ticket, multi-ticket discount) What’s your favorite Q-word? Is it queen? Is it quite? Well, how about queer? What if I told you there was a magnificent film community dedicated to the queer experience, and once a year, the Hollywood Theatre hosted some of the best and brightest in the queer-film galaxy? Whether you’re seeking a film with a face similar to your own or completely different, you’re bound to find someone to identify with among the masterworks. From Madonna’s backup dancers to Black and Gay in Portland to the work of the queer community in San Antonio, this is a not-tomiss weekend fest.
M AY 1 8 –2 2
Virgo Aug 23–Sep 22
Internal prejudice can be almost as hard to fight as external prejudice. But that ugly little voice in your brain does exist. That voice also seems to think you are the be-all and end-all of humanity, and we both know that’s not true.
Libra Sep 23–Oct 23
Your journeys are about to begin afresh! You have a choice of embracing the restorative power of the journey or kicking against the bricks as you walk, but a journey will be had.
Scorpio Oct 24–Nov 21
Getting caught up in the fantastical narratives of others’ lives means that you’re not living your own. You’re always looking at others. Why not get out and experience the world for yourself?
Sagittarius Nov 22–Dec 21
You shouldn’t judge another’s relationship. Perhaps it doesn’t fit within your strict standards, but you’re not the gold standard of relationships either. Instead of trying to offer change, why not offer support?
JOHN PINNEY
Capricorn Dec 22–Jan 19
Don’t rise to the occasion when others taunt you. They taunt because of their own insecurities, not because you are not a capable and beautiful human being worthy of honor, trust and love. That and the use of a Taser should get your point across nicely.
Aquarius Jan 20–Feb 18
One night is all it takes to change everything. The right outfit, the right party, the right person. Our lives are precarious in that way. But that one moment reveals so much about us that is actually quite irresistible.
Pisces Feb 19–March 20
You may not find the big success you always dream of, but the people you’re connected to can soften that blow by offering support, encouragement and guidance in moments of soulsearching when you need it most.
Aries March 21–April 19
Nothing can be held on to forever. Whether it be good looks, fame or talent, all things eventually pass. The things that matter are the relationships we build with others, ourselves and the earth.