Horizon Magazine Spring 2020 by Horizon Magazine

SPRING 2020

issuu.com/horizon.magazine

Horizon Magazine

@cmuhorizon

cmesauhorizonmagazine@gmail.com

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear readers,

This issue of Horizon Magazine was created under stranger circumstances than any issue before it. The COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm midway through this magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production, halting classes, the economy and life as we knew it. But with the unprecedented strife that our world is facing comes opportunity for change. Never before in our lifetimes has the entire world pressed a reset button, and now is a more perfect time than ever to better ourselves and the world around us. â&#x20AC;&#x192; In these pages, you will meet creative students who started their own businesses, gain fresh perspectives on local flora and fauna, find inspiration for self-compassion and perhaps discover a new hobby. We hope these stories remind you to treat yourself and others kindly, support our local community and be mindful and intentional in your interactions with the natural world. Stay safe, wash your hands and enjoy. Jenna Kretschman Editor in Chief Horizon Magazine

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STAFF

CONTRIBUTORS

Jenna Kretschman

Elias Born

Athena Baldo Elias Born Ian Golba Carmen Hernandez Matt Kennedy Jenna Kretschman Eowyn Larson Ian Thomas Olivia VanGundy

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Editor in Chief

writers

Managing Editor Kasia Kucera Jacob Penick Hector Salas

Kasia Kucera Photography Editor

Levi Kramer Judy Morrow Brenna Rhiness

Logan Wagner Art Director

Raymond Hamer Advertising Director

Gabrielle Bode Esme Contreras Erica Duda Kristen Hunkar Agatha Moriera Blake Poole Laurian Quezada Jessica Todd

designers

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

Sarah Noble DafnĂŠ Theroux-Izquierdo

photographers

illustrators

Logan Wagner

all of above

Rhema Zlaten

advisor

Casey Smith Social Media Director

05 5

FEATURED STORIES

6 32 46 59

06 10

18 20 22 25 27 29

35 38 41 46 50 55 59 63

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PUMP TRACK BIO CONTROL POUR ARTIST LULU CRÃ&#x160;PE RADICAL INCLUSION AT COPEKA FALL IN LOVE WITH GJ CALENDAR QUARANTINE TUNES HORROR CULT CLASSICS IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON KINGS & QUEENS MARGINALIZATION MINDFUL REFLECTION UNDERRATED ADVENTURES ADVENTURE CATS BY THE SEED OF YOUR PLANTS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE BIRD NERDS BIRD FIELD GUIDE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

07 7

WORDS PHOTOS & LAYOUT ART

JACOB PENICK DAFNÃ&#x2030; THEROUX IZQUIERDO LAURIAN QUEZADA

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“It isn’t like you’re that high off the ground.” now? “No, I know, but … it’s still freaky. Y’k I know it’s all in my head; I just need to go for it.” jump. That was progression. “Sometimes it’s frustrating, or just kind of like, janky and discordant. For the most part, riding in general is just kinda nice — you don’t really think about anything but riding the bike for a moment. It’s simple, but it’s nice; it’s kind of an escape from everything for a minute. Satisfying, for sure,” Grant said. People who love wheeled sports are all about this new pump track on campus. Bikers, skateboarders, even scooterers often take the 15 minutes they have between classes and spend it throwing themselves

Pump track (n.) A circuit of rollers and berms that allow for lap after lap after lap after lap after lap ... you get the idea. Roller (n.) A 3-foot-high bump in the asphalt that is the bread and butter of what a pump track is all about.

INSERT PUMP TRACK PAGE CONTENT TITLE

iain GRant eyes up a sketchy transfer — he wants to jump from a roller on the dirt track into a berm on the asphalt track. It’s a bit of a huck. Grant’s tried this particular jump before. He lost his bike from underneath him and landed square on his left side, skinning his business up bad. His hesitation is totally understandable. “I’m just gonna pull for it; we’ll see what happens!” Grant pedals off the starting pad, all other riders’ eyes on him, wondering if he’ll survive his flight. After a few well-timed pumps, Grant prepares himself to pull his wheels into the air and hold on for dear life, hoping to make contact with the landing. He launches and lands without a hitch. Fear: conquered. This is it! This is the process. A process that pump track people know well and swear by — progression. Progression sounds like success, but that isn’t always the case. When Grant hit the ground trying that jump in the past, he learned how not to hit that

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What's that baloney?

09 9

Berm (n.) A banked turn that connects rollers to create a circuit. Go way too sideways for maximum effect. Pump (v.) Pushin’ and pullin’ between berms and rollers to make a bike go fast. Manual (v.) One wheel only! Front or back wheel, whichever — if you only have one wheel on the ground, you’re pulling a phat manual.

around the track. It’s a major release, the same way going to the gym is, or skydiving is. Riding the pump track falls somewhere between those. It literally doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, you could show up at the pump track and have a blast. Bring your commuter bike, your old beater board, or don’t bring anything at all! Just hang out at the starting platform and chill with the riders! They’d love to show you what they can do out there. The track didn’t just appear out of nowhere — it has had no shortage of advocates rooting for its creation for years. Brian Flaherty, the Colorado Mesa University mountain biking

coach, has been there since the beginning of development. In fact, Flaherty recollects a couple of team riders first planting the pump track idea seed in President Foster’s head. “The pump track started two years ago at the team dinner. President Foster attended. Each table at our team dinner gets paired with donors of the team, special guests and a few team members, and that particular year, there were two athletes at President Foster’s table. The story goes that they were chiming in his ear throughout the evening that we should have some sort of pump track on campus,” Flaherty said. As Flaherty tells it, years went by without any word on

a pump track. That is, until July 2019. CMU called Flaherty into a meeting to have him make a case for a pump track being worthy of a small amount of funding left over from upcoming construction. Flaherty assured the higher-ups that this track would not just be for his mountain bike team; it would be for kids on Razor scooters, local mountain bikers, skateboarders, everybody. They bought it. Funding was allocated, and a track design was laid out — mostly asphalt, partially dirt. While the track today is impressive, it is far from finished.

Pump track people can expect to see an electronic starting gate and timing system on the starting platform, Mavroon and gold paint on the asphalt tracks, more landscaping and tons of other little tweaks to make this thing sparkle. From 3 to 5 p.m. each evening, the pump track will be allocated for CMU’s cycling team practice — come by and watch them slay. Otherwise, this track is open to the public and every single student on campus. There’s nothing like spending an hour on the starting platform on a warm evening. The sun falls beneath the horizon, but nobody stops riding. ▪

INSERT PUMP TRACK PAGE CONTENT TITLE

Wallride (n.) Those big wooden things on either side of the starting area are, believe it or not, actually for riding bikes on.

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Case (n.) Have your lawyer on speed dial, ‘cuz you’re gonna need to settle some major cases if you’re going for gaps! Come up too short on the jump and you’ve got a case on your hands.

HORIZON MAGAZINE

Gap (n.) Lift off! Hit up air traffic control so they know you’re about to yank on it hard to sail from one roller to another.

011 11

WORDS ART

ELIAS BORN GABRIELLE BODE

PALISADE INSECTARY USES INSECTS AS PEST CONTROL in an agricultural world filled with pesticide and chemical usage, the Palisade Insectary, located in Palisade, Colorado, stands strong as an alternative that’s been in business for 75 years and counting. The insectary conducts biological pest control — a substitute to pesticides that involves using insects to combat pests and invasive species. Since 1945, the insectary has sought to provide farmers and residents with a more natural way to fight weeds and other pests. “Peach growers [of the past] were faced with a problem,” Director of the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Palisade Insectary Dan Bean said. “They didn’t have the chemicals that are present today. This was before the development of most of our modern-day insecticides.” The problem in question was Grapholita molesta, otherwise known as the oriental fruit moth. Originally native to China, this particular moth was a huge pest to peach farmers in the Grand Valley after its introduction to the United States.

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OPPOSITE: Grapholita molesta Oriental Fruit Moth

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BELOW: Macrocentrus ancylivorus AKA 'the Mac'

BIO CONTROL

With pesticides proving to be a tricky endeavor, given their early development and possible health and environmental hazards, it was time for innovative measures to combat this new pest. That’s the first job the insectary was created in 1945 for. “The goal was to raise a small parasitic wasp, which is actually, in entomological terms, a parasitoid,” Bean said. The key difference here is a parasitoid will kill its host and spends its whole life inside of a singular host, while a parasite may latch onto several different ones. This wasp is known as Macrocentrus ancylivorus, or as the insectary dubs it, “the Mac.” The insectary is responsible for cultivating over 2 million of them per year. The Mac begins its life by being deposited as an egg inside of its host larvae. Hatching soon after being laid, the Mac completes its development by the time the moth larvae are ready to spin a cocoon. The Mac has been successful in the Grand Valley, and the insectary has cultivated these wasps, along with a host of other projects, ever since. The process to raise the Macs involves a few steps for the insectary, including supplying an alternate food source in the form of a potato-boring caterpillar.

THE INSECTARY CONDUCTS BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL — A SUBSTITUTE TO PESTICIDES THAT INVOLVES USING INSECTS TO COMBAT PESTS AND INVASIVE SPECIES.

“[Macs] can't survive without a host, and the caterpillars that we raised here are relatives of the oriental fruit moth,” Bean said. “So, we're basically giving them an alternate food supply and allowing them to parasitize the potato larva. We don't want to raise oriental fruit moths right in the middle of Palisade peach groves. We don't want any [moths] to get out on the peaches.” So, what are some of the other projects that the insectary tackles? Their most popular order, with over 500 requests per year, is to help control field bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis, with the bindweed gall mite, Aceria malherbae, which eats the weed. Field bindweed, otherwise known as morning glory, is another invasive species to the United States. The mites are nearly microscopic and collected out in the field. “They come in a paper bag, kind of like a lunch bag, and it's got some field bindweed with its leaves all curled up with mites residing in those curled up leaves,” Bean said. One of their other popular requests is the containment of Russian knapweed, Haponticum repens, which was accidentally introduced to the U.S. in the 1800s. Two different biocontrols are used for this knapweed, namely the gall midge, Jaapiella ivannikovi, and the gall wasp, Aulacidea acroptilonica. “Every year it varies, because people go out and see what weeds they have, and depending on temperature conditions, rainfall and how good it was last year, we get variable numbers of requests,” Bean said. The insectary handles a variety of other insects, and they distribute around 10 total species, with more that they collect out in the field, depending on what is needed for the year. “We have to figure out for each insect how we're going to raise it, and we have to make sure that we have a steady supply of plant material to keep them happy. Most of them don't do well on anything but live material,” Bean said. To keep this steady supply of plant material, the insectary has two dedicated greenhouses. Other insects the insectary cultivates include the root mining weevil Hylobius transversovittatus, the tamarisk beetle Diorhabda carinulata and

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

BELOW: Aulacidea acroptilonica Russian Knapweed Gall Wasp

BIO CONTROL

stem-boring weevil Mecinus janthinus. They feed on a variety of invasive weeds and plants in the West. The Palisade Insectary has few facilities quite like it in the United States. “We serve Colorado," Bean said. "But in order to do our job right, we actually have a lot of cooperative agreements and do projects with every state in the West. Every state west of the Mississippi, we've had some sort of project with. They send us biocontrol agents and let us know how they're doing in their state, and we do the same, so that we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel.” The insectary has also worked with Colorado Mesa University both in the past and the present. They’ve previously worked with Professor of Environmental Science Dr. Deborah Kennard and Professor of Biological Sciences Margot Becktell to analyze data and conduct research. Given the continual challenges posed by invasive species and pests alike, biological control offers an alternative to chemical and pesticide usage, and the insectary looks to stand strong in the future right here on the Western Slope. ▪

ARTIST CMU GRAD JAMIE CHRISTINE FINDS SUCCESS IN ART WORDS PHOTOS & LAYOUT

ATHENA BALDO SARAH NOBLE

SPRING 2020 POUR ARTIST

Jamie Christine Copley, a the effects you get from acrylic Grand Junction artist and 2018 pouring in any other media.” Colorado Mesa University As she started her studio and graduate, has endeavored class work at CMU, Christine to make it not only as a noticed she was becoming a local artist, but as a teacher perfectionist, and it started to and business professional weigh on her confidence. She within the Grand Valley. found inspiration to break her “I actually wasn’t an artist habit of perfectionism through at all before CMU,” Christine this form of abstract art. said. “I wanted to be, and I “Both [acrylic pouring and had no skill whatsoever. But epoxy artwork] don’t allow for I loved it, and so I was like, much pre-planning,” she said. ‘I'm just going to go and see “This really helped me let go and where it takes me.’” build my self-confidence …. I Christine, also a mostly chose acrylic pouring photographer, initially went as an art form because of the to CMU for a degree in lack of control you have in it. entrepreneurship to help open It really requires you to let go her own photography business, and let the art create itself, and before falling in love with art I thoroughly enjoy that and and changing her major to find it therapeutic.” studio art. Thus began her As a senior at CMU, Christine journey as an acrylic pour artist. was taught how to make a “While studying the business from art. But getting printmaking process, I really into galleries and selling her wanted to find my style and work proved to be difficult. individuality as an artist. That Instead of depending on is when I came across acrylic galleries to get her work into pouring and epoxy artwork,” the gaze of the public, she Christine said. Acrylic pouring partnered with local businesses is a style of abstract art in which like First Street Tattoo and fluid acrylic paint is poured over New Athleisure and Apparel a surface, resulting in a variety to display her art. And then, of patterns. “They have a very to build her revenue and unique aesthetic that is unique connect with the community, to this medium. You can’t get she began teaching acrylic

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“You essentially freeze time in [an] art piece. This is exactly who you were at this time.” – Jamie Christine

pouring classes at parties and events, where she teaches step-by-step fluid painting with a variety of different methods, patterns and colors. “The great thing about fluid paint is that anybody can do it; it’s all about the mixture,” Christine said. “They just get to mix colors, make a mess and have a good time.” At the beginning of her classes, most people walk in with the mindset that they aren’t an artist and could never make incredible art. By the end, everyone leaves with beautiful paintings that

they created themselves and smiles on their faces. Of the thousands of paintings Christine has made, she doesn’t have a favorite. They have all meant something special to her in the moment she created them. “You essentially freeze time in that art piece,” she said. “This is exactly who you were at this time. All these things come into place to make this art piece.” In the future, Christine hopes to open her own pop-up gallery. She wants to make a local space for artists to show their work

without having to deal with fees or high commissions. But the gallery won’t just contain paintings – it will feature all things creative, from home decor to handmade art pieces. “I truly just want to help facilitate the success of local makers in any way that I can and get their items seen by the right people so that they can pursue their dream of creating daily,” she said. “My vision for the gallery is truly to just bring the community together and help fill the gaps between the makers and their audience.” ▪

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

POUR ARTIST

LULU CREPE

WORDS

OLIVIA VANGUNDY

PHOTO

DAFNE THEROUX IZQUIERDO

when eliza grégoire offered to make crepes for one of her favorite bands, she didn’t expect it would lead to her watching from backstage as indie-rock singer Mac DeMarco performed at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Grégoire was animated as she shared the story of how she made crepes for DeMarco and electro-pop singer Clairo during the very first week she opened Lulu Crepe. It was a magical experience for the young entrepreneur and an opportunity, she said, that wouldn’t have happened if she didn’t have the courage to just ask. This attitude is what ultimately brought Grégoire and her delicious crepes

to the Grand Valley. Before she moved to Colorado, Grégorie grew up in Indiana. Her parents moved to the United States from France so her father, a professional race car driver, could race in the Indy 500. Grégoire fondly remembers hiding in golf carts to get past security at her father’s races. It was through watching her father that she developed a desire to race. Her father knew the danger of racing cars, so he encouraged her to pursue cycling. Grégoire became a competitive cyclist and was invited to Colorado Mesa University on a cycling scholarship. When she started at CMU,

LULU CREPE

Grand Valley. She wanted to create quality crepes at an affordable price. The summer after her freshman year, Grégoire decided to spend her break in France to work at her uncle’s bar. She was inspired and motivated to finally start pursuing a crepe business, which she named after her great-grandmother. Working for her uncle helped her develop a work ethic and skills in customer service. That summer, Grégoire said she could see her dream forming into a tangible business plan. “I had brainstormed my idea for a year, and when I

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“I really don’t want to be a business person. I’ve always been interested in art. This is art to me — it’s a way for me to express myself.” - Eliza Grégoire

was in France, I could see it happening," Grégoire said. "I saw crepes everywhere. I thought about how we don’t have this in the United States.” Grégoire reached out to Kiln Coffee Bar owners David and Jonathan Foster about operating a crepe stand inside the coffeehouse. David said it felt natural to believe in what she was doing, so they agreed to partner with her. “She thinks, for the most part, that she’s getting the better end of the stick, but I think it’s been huge for our customers. It brings in a different demographic. It’s a natural partnership,” David Foster said. Lulu Crepe opened in October 2019. Grégoire operates out of Kiln several days a week and has worked many local events. When it comes to marketing, branding and making crepes, Grégoire does it all. For Grégoire, Lulu Crepe is about art and being able to create. “Art has always been huge for me. I really don’t want to be a business person. I’ve always been interested in art. This is art to me — it’s a way for me to express myself,” she said. Grégoire intends to continue growing the business, and she has the strong support of her customers and Kiln. “We would love to see her open her own space. We want to help be a part of that,” David Foster said. ▪

HORIZON MAGAZINE

she dreamed about opening a business in which she could create something she’s passionate about. Grégoire is currently taking a break from school to focus on her new crepe business. “I grew up with crepes being my favorite thing to eat. My mom would make them for me,” said Grégoire. Her mother, who grew up in France, learned how to make crepes from her grandmother, Lulu, and carried on the after-school tradition with her own children. Crepes were a sweet treat that Grégoire thought should be more accessible in the

A COFFEE HOUSE THAT SERVES MORE THAN JUST COFFEE WORDS

EOWYN LARSON

PHOTOS

JACOB PENICK

Copeka Coffee can be best summarized with their mission statement: radical inclusion. “That’s what we do here. That’s the whole point. That is why we offer mostly vegan pastries. That is why we have three different types of non-dairy milk options. We are saying, ‘Hey, whatever you’re coming with, we are able to serve you something that tastes delicious,’” Copeka co-owner Kyra Rossier said. From the drinks to its mission statement, Copeka is anything but ordinary. What makes Copeka most extraordinary are the people inside, who foster a welcoming and spunky environment for anyone, no matter their age or background. Offering an array of drinks from coffee to cocktails on the corner of 5th and Belford Avenue, Copeka is owned by Rossier, Jana Joramo and her husband Lee Joramo. The name Copeka was inspired by a 1930s dance hall in Grand Junction called Copeco Dance Hall, which is where Jana Joramo’s grandparents met. The Copeco Dance Hall was originally an industrial farming operation with a two-story barn, in which the bottom floor of the barn held animals while partygoers danced on the floor above, according to The Beacon. With this namesake, Copeka first opened its doors in November of 2017. They decided to run Copeka as a family-owned business, and through their coffee shop they wanted to create a common ground for anyone to be welcome and accepted. “When the last election happened, we realized that what we really wanted to do was create a place where people could actually get together and not

live in silos, but instead have a college student sitting here and some curmudgeonly old people sitting there, and slowly but surely, they'll end up being together,” Jana Joramo said, who is licensed as a nurse specializing in trauma but is currently focusing on Copeka. Along with running Copeka, Jana’s husband Lee is a computer programmer and works in the IT department for School District 51. Rossier lived in New York in the Hudson River Valley for roughly nine years, where she experienced a community with people who genuinely cared for each other no matter how different they were. She wanted to replicate that in Grand Junction through Copeka. “There's kind of a gap in our larger culture — not one gap, but many gaps between communities of people, and specifically in Grand Junction. There was a lack of connection starting to occur,” Rossier said. She noticed that people were growing apart and weren’t making meaningful connections with people diverse to them. Colton Mahoney, a barista of Copeka, explained that he grew up in Grand Junction and felt like he was missing something from the community, always wishing for some place like Copeka where he could be comfortable being himself. “Working here feels like being a part of a bigger community. It’s so much more than just a coffee house,” Mahoney said.

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

us apart ... in terms of the way we treat our customers, [because] whatever we do, it's going The owners wanted their business plan to to be incredibly precise,” Jana Joramo said. break the status quo. Rossier has worked for Copeka employees pride themselves on other businesses in the past that have made being coffee nerds. The third-wave coffee business-driven choices that she felt were not movement is the notion that coffee is an artiin the best interest of the employees. sanal product made with precision and quality. “I am a mission-driven and ethically-driven “Third-wave coffee is like the beer person, and I’ve been told that you have to movement or fine wine," Rossier said. "We make tough choices and sometimes can’t care about where our coffee is grown, the be so idealistic, but I believe that’s not true," well-being of the people that grew and Rossier said. "We want to disrupt the system processed it, and we are attentive to detail by doing it more ethically and paying more all down the line. The beans are roasted to attention to the greater good." elevate the flavor profile of the beans, then This has resulted in a business that feels your barista gets hyper-nerdy about how they more like a family. Rossier and the Joramos extract the coffee so that it tastes distinct and focus on making their shop comfortable of course, delicious." and supportive, both for the community Copeka Coffee isn’t just a place to get coffee and their employees. and free Wi-Fi — it is truly a place of radical “We're incredibly precise — we're not inclusion; thus, its doors are open to anyone, just slinging shots, and I would say that sets no matter who they are. ▪

RADICAL INCLUSION AT COPEKA

WORDS ART

JENNA KRETSCHMAN & LOGAN WAGNER ERICA DUDA

Keep up on self-care and embrace the place we live every day of the month!

Host a Zoom party with a group of friends

Pick up some spices and seasonings from Willow Creek and whip up something tasty

Lay out a blanket and have a riverside picnic

Improve your trash flow by composting with CMU Sustainability Council and recycling with GJCRI

Make a playlist or mixtape for a friend composed entirely of local bands

10 Bust out the art supplies and paint a masterpiece of Mt. Garfield

Have a spa day using local, handcrafted products, like those from Heaven Scent downtown

Bike or skate the new CMU pump track

Reduce your leisure screen time and pick up a game from Board Fox Games

17 Substitute your normal Starbucks for a local coffee shop, like Pressed, Roasted, Kiln or Copeka

Decorate your sidewalk or driveway with chalk to brighten up your neighborhood

Night hike Serpents Trail with your roommates

23 Go for a walk at the Audubon Nature Preserve and listen mindfully to the sounds of birds

Hike your favorite trail and bring your camera. Look up the plants and animals you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t identify!

Eat a delicious cinnamon roll from Copeka Coffee

30 Find your new favorite book at Mesa County Libraries during Summer Reading

24 Try out a CMU Rec Center virtual fitness class

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

Use the field guide in the back of this magazine to go birdwatching!

Relax on the fun, artistic benches at the Mesa County Libraries Discovery Garden

Do some digging on GJhikes.com and give a lesser-known trail a go

Spruce up your space with a new plant from Bookcliff Gardens. See page 50 for inspiration!

Pizza night! Order Pabloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizza of the week Pizza night! Order Pabloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizza of the Week

Take a bike ride down the Riverfront Trail

18 Try a crepe from Lulu Crepe at Kiln Coffee Bar

Try upcycling some of your grocery packaging. Marinara jars are versatile!

20 Spot some wild horses at the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range

25 Start a backyard veggie garden with the help of local plant nurseries

Take a neighborhood walk on a different route than usual and notice new details

FALL IN LOVE WITH GJ

String up a hammock and lounge the afternoon away outside

Note: The COVID-19 situation is ever-changing. Only attempt these activities if it is safe to do so, and remember to practice social distancing and follow CDC guidelines.

HORIZON MAGAZINE

Speaking Sonar

Would That I

Let Me Down Slowly

Human

Lemon Boy

Cruel Summer

IDGAF

Maniac

Dirty Old Town

Pluto Was Never Really A Planet Either Even

Friend of Nothing - Acoustic

Snakes & Waterfalls

Let's Go Surfing

Class Historian

Mirrors

Tell Me More

Disease

Anvil

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

18 19

lawrence

summer salt hozier

alec benjamin jon bellion

cavetown

taylor swift dua lipa conan grey the pogues

hot mulligan

together pangea nick shoulders the drums broncho

justin timberlake

wstr

matchbox twenty lorn

Chaos

mutemath

Blitzkrieg Bop

ramones

Where Eagles Dare

misfits

Human Fly

the cramps

Lexicon Devil

germs

Don't Talk To Me

gg allin

Swamp Song

cancerslug

Hokus Pokus

INSERT PAGETUNES QUARANTINE CONTENT TITLE

The Weather

SPRING 2020

We asked for your favorite songs, and you delivered! Enjoy our official spring 2020 playlist, made by readers for readers, organized from softest to hardest tunes.

insane clown posse

Rx Queen

deftones

Doom City

king gizzard & the lizard wizard

Overkill

mĂ&#x2013;torhead

Strong Reflection

mars red sky

Scissors

slipknot

Somebody Someone

korn

Push It

static-x

Carino Brutal

slapshock

Check out this playlist on Spotify.

Raining Blood

slayer

Briefcase Full of Guts

metalocalypse

Lalassu Xul

rings of saturn

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HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

Over the decades, the genre of horror has created a monumental amount of new films, some masterpieces and others, well ... let's say you would rather gouge your own eyes out before watching it again. Then there are those films that show enough of a realm of creativity to become a cult classic. Each one of these films has earned a rightful spot on this list and deserves a chance to be watched with some popcorn. â&#x20AC;&#x192; This list could go on and on, but these 10 films each have their unique qualifications as a cult classic. One thing they all have in common is the ability to tell a story you will soon not forget.

1. "Freaks" 1931 Real sideshow performers star in Tod Browning's infamous cult classic. Trapeze artist Cleopatra plans to wed and then murder the dwarf Hans for his fortune. However, when Hansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fellow 'freaks' discover her scheme, she becomes the target of their horrifying vengeance. This is one of the most powerful films ever made about the need for humanity and solidarity in the face of cruelty and oppression.

CULT CLASSICS

WORDS : CARMEN HERNANDEZ

2. "The Evil Dead" 1981 The beginning of the movie repeats the vulgar premise of an abandoned house visited by some naive young people. What it lacks in narrative weight, it compensates for with a relentless pace, disturbing atmosphere and some imaginative displays of dismemberment. It's a truly unforgettable film by Sam Raimi.

3. "Psycho" 1960 When Alfred Hitchcock released “Psycho,” he forever changed the shape and tone of the screen thriller. This film is a brilliant technical exercise, an intimate character study and the ultimate variant on the premise "boy meets girl." 4. "Rosemary's Baby" 1968 In Roman Polanski's first American film, a young wife comes to believe that her offspring is not of this world. This is a slow-burn movie that will slowly pique the curiosity of its audience and keep it in touch while throwing a tricky mystery within the characters and between Rosemary's sanity and belief. 5. "The Shining" 1980 When you sit down to watch “The Shining,” you sit down with normal expectations of being diverted, perhaps even being gripped, but not being undermined. The film undermines you in powerful, inchoate ways. Stanley Kubrick's eerie adaptation of Stephen King's horror novel reveals the truth of how complete isolation can affect an individual. 6. "A Nightmare on Elm Street" 1984 Wes Craven is known for revolutionizing horror, and this unique film changed horror in the 1980s. The movie is simple and keeps a great pace, being sure to dole out the horror sporadically to always make you feel on edge, even during the day. 7. "American Psycho" 2000 The slick satire directed by Mary Harron cleverly equates materialism, narcissism, classism and misogyny with homicide, but you may laugh so loud at the protagonist that you won't be able to hear yourself

laughing with him. Christian Bale stars as a Wall Street chump named Patrick Bateman who wants only power, money and sex. He also mass murders whenever he feels fit. It’s the American dream alright. 8. "Let the Right One In" 2008 Beautifully made and exquisitely realized by all involved, this is a remarkable movie that redefines horror filmmaking and deserves to reach as wide an audience as possible. A remarkably moving horror tale, the movie follows a bullied 12-year-old boy and his first love, who happens to be a vampire. It’s a vision that Tomas Alfredson created that will surely not disappoint. 9. "Train to Busan" 2016 This is a harrowing zombie horrorthriller that follows a group of terrified passengers fighting their way through a countrywide viral outbreak (sound familiar?) while trapped on a blood-drenched bullet train ride to Busan. Director Yeon Sang-ho makes clever ideas of the cramped quarters and the hypercleanliness of South Korean life with bloody, neck-biting chaos. 10. "Get Out" 2017 Jordan Peele hands out a great lesson in creating eerie suspense and jawdropping concepts. “Get Out” isn't a great film because of its excellent pacing, strongly defined characters and mastery of tone. It's a great film because it never loses sight of its social commentary on racism.

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON

WORDS : HECTOR SALAS

ART : ESME CONTRERAS

YOU SOMEHOW M YOU' EVERYONE AROUND BE F BETTER THAN Y

In the pursuit of passions and careers, there’s always the feeling like there’s someone who’s better than us. Regardless of how many toilsome hours we spend on our craft, it feels like there is someone else who has spent five minutes more than you. Yet, you have the awards and accomplishments. You got the internship. You were hired for the job. Not the other person. Why? You somehow managed to trick everyone around you that you’re better than you actually are. Any compliments you receive are out of pity. Surely you are out the door soon enough. One mistake might send you packing. One screw-up might ruin your whole reputation. So you slave away in front of your computer, late at night, losing precious hours of sleep. You hit the books hard. The concept of three meals a day is foreign. You turn in your work on time like expected. You refresh the

gradebook obsessively. It’s not a perfect score. You could have stayed up later. You tell yourself that you could have sacrificed more. There’s always room for improvement. There’s always the need to prove that you belong. Not only that, but are you as good as you think you are? How much of your achievement is luck? One project goes great, but can you repeat your performance? This is the struggle of impostor syndrome. There is never an end to the fear of being a fraud. “With any job, the person that hired you knows the position and they see the potential in you," Sara Hogue, a Residence Hall Coordinator for Colorado Mesa University’s Lucero Hall, said. "Trust in the process. You’re there for a reason — ask for help and just let it all go. It’s fine if it feels like you don’t know how to do it, because that’s where the practice comes in.”

SPRING 2020 IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON

Impostor phenomenon goes Continue to push forth.” further than the fear of failure. It Sometimes, a project goes so can extend into the fear of success. well and you feel like you executed Succeeding and being recognized it well enough that a small, warm as excellent at something means and back-straightening feeling that more opportunity is coming starts to grow inside. This feeling your way to expose you for the is pride. Sometimes, you surprise poser that you were that whole even yourself with your ability. time — or at least that’s the feeling. Perhaps just this once, and maybe Here’s the point. It’s a feeling. for the foreseeable future, you feel Impostor phenomenon is often like you’re brimming with drive mislabeled as impostor syndrome. and skill. This is the dichotomy The gloomy, treacherous world of of the impostor phenomenon. assignment and project submis- You aren’t stricken with impossion isn’t always that. tor syndrome like some illness. “Allow yourself to be human. Instead, you’re conditioned by Remember that we are all human yourself to believe that you’re not and we do make mistakes,” CMU who you say you are. If, however, student Isayah Wheeler said. “We you just take a moment and look have problems that come up all the up from your studies, work or time. It’s important to remember self-loathing, then you might that the people we look up to, it realize that the person who had took them several years to get to worked harder than you by five where they are. Even if we are minutes to take a break … and capable now, we have to realize you should too. You’ll be fine. ▪ that we have to start somewhere and work towards progression.

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MANAGED TO TRICK 'LL D YOU THAT YOU'RE FINE YOU ACTUALLY ARE.

KINGS & QUEENS OF THE WESTERN SLOPE

WORDS : EOWYN LARSON

PHOTOS : BRENNA RHINESS

ART : JESSICA TODD

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

OPPOSITE & ABOVE: Kandrii Zavalla applies makeup before a drag show.

an art form that utilizes dancing, lip syncing and comedy. Javie Saenz, a local drag king, is a resource and ally for both the LGBTQ+ community and drag performers in the Grand Valley. Saenz runs Delta Pride and is the promoter for the Grand Valley Shining Star Pageant. “The youth is basically what it’s always been [about] for me,” Saenz said. “Watching them grow and being a leader for them, showing them that they can be whatever they want to be [through drag]. I give them a safe place to perform, to be whoever they want to be on stage.” Rose has been doing drag for the past four years after his roommate got him involved in a Las Vegas competition called Breakout Star, while Saenz started experimenting with drag at eight years old alone in his room. Saenz

KINGS & QUEENS

The drag scene in the Grand Valley may be niche, but it includes an array of remarkable performing artists. “Grand Junction is a great community to grow in. [The LGBTQ+ community] is becoming more accepted and noticed here,” drag queen Onyx Rose said. While the drag community is tied to the LGBTQ+ community, they aren’t necessarily the same thing. Drag began to popularize as a more mainstream form of art and entertainment in the early 1900s in Prohibition-era nightclubs before evolving into today’s modern form of drag. Drag is a performance art that typically features a person dressing up in extravagant outfits and makeup, with performers often dressing as the opposite of their identified gender. Often performing in clubs, bars and contests, it’s

was assigned female at birth but transitioned to male after drag helped inspire him to transition. To be clear, doing drag and being transgender are not the same thing, as many transgender people do not perform drag and never have, though there are transgender drag queens and kings, like Saenz. “I completely underestimated how hard drag really is,” Rose said. “It takes a lot of practice and skill. Drag is really a jack-ofall-trades; you have to know how to do makeup, dance in heels, act, sew, design costumes, know your words on your songs, know how to pad your body to resemble a woman, know how to style hair. It's a lot to learn.” For Saenz, drag has become so much more than putting on an alternate persona and performing on a stage. He helps the youth by giving them a safe space to perform and figure out how they

want to express themselves. “I call them my children,” Saenz said. “I have plenty of drag children and a very large drag family.” Delta Pride hosts drag shows and has featured performers ranging from 4 to 50 years old. During a Delta Pride celebration, a 13-year-old boy expressed his desire to do drag to a local drag queen from Rifle named Kandrii Zavalla. Drag kings and queens were notified throughout the celebration, and the boy was supplied with clothes, makeup and a wig, and he was able to go on stage. To Zavalla, this moment showed the strength of the western Colorado’s accepting community. “I'm so thankful for Grand Junction. Other places don’t do drag like Grand Junction; it's super accepting,” Zavalla said. However, there are still roadblocks to the drag scene. “The more political we get, the more people who are against what I

am doing come out and say it,” Saenz said. He’s had the police threatened to be called on him for hosting ‘perverted parties.’ “They say they’re going to report me to the police for putting on these events and I say, call them — they usually are already there having a great time.” How can one support the drag scene in Grand Junction? According to Saenz, just show up and support their events — there’s nothing else to it. “This is a great way to show people that you can come out, have fun, see what we’re like, and meet a friend,” Saenz said. ▪

if you were tasked to fill a blank page with drawings and sketches, you’d start near the middle. You’d take up space freely; without caution. As you creep toward the edges, your drawings would get smaller and smaller until you’d realize your drawings are being created to fill the space that’s left. There is less and less freedom for every drop of ink added. Each doodle is crammed into small spaces left by the others that had

MARGINALIZATION

WORDS & PHOTOS : HECTOR SALAS

SPRING 2020

HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES IN LIMITED SPACES

HORIZON MAGAZINE

MAR GIN ALI ZAT ION

the luxury of having a blank page. This is living on the margins. To be damned to the spaces where no one would go looking for them. Existing fully within space someone else made for you is the most unapologetic and inspiring thing a person can do. The margins have been relegated to people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, senior citizens, women, people living with a disability, those of lower socioeconomic status, immigrants, refugees and sadly, so many more people we just don’t have all the room to name. If our voice doesn’t echo the status quo, then very discriminately we are told not to raise it. Instead, we are regulated to tokenism and agenda-setting puppetry. And when we do get the spotlight, we get it briefly. We get it just long enough for those looking to know what group we belong to. Yet, those watching might be like us. They might be wide-eyed and hopeful. It might be disheartening to see disingenuous representation, but hey, it’s a voice like theirs. Being heard. Being listened to. With this in mind, we have to make the most of the time we are given. Nothing in this world is more symbolic of the proverbial middle finger than existing as loud and as careless and as bright and as odd and as big and as fulfilling and as

unapologetic and as everything you, the individual, wants to be. The more we can do that, the more the door opens for the rest of us to enter. Success of one encourages the success of many. We can dream of a world where there aren't any -isms and -phobias, but if we can thrive in a world where

THERE ARE SO MANY CULTURES ON OUR CAMPUS THAT WE CAN GET INVOLVED WITH SO THAT OUR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES FEEL AT HOME these ugly things exist, then bursting through the doors will feel sweeter. Sure, we might look like we’re outrageous and unusual, but why would we want to be anything else? At Colorado Mesa University, the Cultural Inclusion Council (CIC) hosts a fashion show every year. This show is a full celebration of groups such as the Black Student Alliance,

Latino Student Alliance, Genders and Sexualities Alliance, International Student Alliance and the Ho'olokahi Polynesian Alliance. The alliances come together and highlight what makes their identities important. At the show itself, there is nothing but love shown. Applause and screams fill the room. CMU student Lucas Torres found himself modeling for the Latino Student Alliance (LSA). He hadn’t engaged much with the alliance beforehand, but he saw the show as a wonderful opportunity to participate in his culture. “The fashion show allowed me to get in touch with something inside myself that I never fully experienced before. It’s a great reminder of who I am and where I come from,” Torres said. Gaby Rodriguez, the former vice president of the CIC, was involved in planning the logistics of the fashion show. She witnessed countless weekends the alliances sacrificed in order to put on the show. “It wasn’t only about the tickets, pretty lights or art exhibits. It was about the alliances and what their cultures had to say. The overarching message CIC was trying to convey was that there are so many cultures on our campus that we can get involved with so that our underrepresented communities feel at home,” Rodriguez said.

SPRING 2020

cultural wasteland, flowers sprout from what came before. The cultural ash left over from years of oppression is the fertilizer for the budding flora that we recognize to be awfully familiar to ourselves and our people. Once these parts find their way to us, it is now our responsibility to celebrate them. Perhaps if enough people join the festivities, then maybe we can see entire groups of people emerge as the only way we can ever hope to exist: happy. ▪

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Engaging with culture is an active action. If we don’t engage or let people engage with their identities in a positive, outward way, then the culture remains dormant. Reclaiming identity is the act of finding pieces of yourself and those that are like you after a decimation of culture leaves a wasteland. Claiming and reclaiming identity is not so much about searching for the pieces and parts of our world that resonate with you, but about those pieces and parts finding you. In a

WORDS : MATT KENNEDY ART : BLAKE POOLE & LOGAN WAGNER

Sometimes, we really do need a break. A moment for ourselves. The daily demands of life — classes, relationships, family, jobs — can pick away at a student’s composure. Respite from all that chaos can range from exercise, to socializing, to sleep, to mindful meditation. Many colleges and universities have a space available for students to contemplate and reflect based on personal or religious beliefs. In January 2021, such a place is coming to Colorado Mesa University. The CMU Center for Reflection is in the final stages of the architecture and design process and will begin construction this summer. The university has planned to build a sanctuary/chapel building for the better part of the past three years and is in the final process before physical construction starts. The building is estimated to cost the university $1 million. “For a long time we’ve had

students, community folks, faculty and staff just talking about the fact that there really is no place for students to really take time for themselves,” CMU President Tim Foster said. “To just sit and decompress, reflect, pray if they want to pray or whatever, to contemplate life.” The new reflection center will be a non-denominational building and available to all CMU students to utilize for meditation, prayer and quiet time. The building will feature the sanctuary itself, which will be able to hold up to 70 people, according to Foster. There will also be a grass quad, enclosed atrium connected to the

SPRING 2020 MINDFUL REFLECTION

to anticipate the construction of the building and regard it as a positive asset for CMU. Nate Robertson, the CMU campus director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, was a student and baseball player at CMU and currently runs one of the largest campus ministries at the university. “I am super encouraged to see that our student body has so much of a say in this [sanctuary],” Robertson said. “I really think that gives the students value and brings to light the needs desired for our campus.” “I think it’s really cool, if not else for the architecture, garden and atrium,” CMU junior and KMSA General Manager Mia Fairbanks said. “I don’t see myself using it, though I am religious, just because that’s not what I would do personally. But, I think it’s a great resource, and I think it’s a good place to just get away, especially if you live on campus.” Only time will tell how popular the Center for Reflection will be when it makes its debut come wintertime. ▪

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building and a reflection garden space will be utilized based along the sidewalk bordering on the preferences of the the sanctuary and quad. student body, though President Architects assigned to the Foster says it will not be a project went through the designated study space. process of analyzing and “It needs to be a flexible space. creating ideas that would It needs to be a space that encourage inclusion and diver[students] can come in; they sity without portraying bias to can think. But naturally, I want a certain religion or belief. to come in and sit and kind of “You gotta give people do my own thing,” Foster said. the ability to come and do Multiple student leaders from their own thing,” Foster said. faith-based and non-faith-based “Some people don’t want to clubs and organizations were be reminded of church, while invited by the school to attend some people want to feel like a meeting with the architects they’re in a church. So you designing the sanctuary in try to balance all of those.” order to give feedback and Administration and architects suggestions near the beginning must consider whether the of the Spring 2020 semester. building will be flexible Overall, the meeting drew posienough to be well-utilized tive feedback. Members of orgaby students. Ultimately, the nizations on campus appear

ILLUSTRATION: Rendering of future Center for Reflection building.

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

WORDS

IAN GOLBA & LOGAN WAGNER

PHOTOS

LEVI KRAMER E A S Y : 2- 4 H R S

Staying in town over break or just need a weekend getaway? Let a local show you the best sights in and around the Grand Valley. As you visit these sites, please remember the Leave No Trace principles and follow designated trails.

TURTLE ROCK – DEVILS CANYON, FRUITA

Standing strong and visible from most trails on Kingsview Road in Fruita, two large sandstone outcroppings await your boots to walk their way up. Starting from the Devils Canyon trailhead off of Kingsview Road, take trail D1 to D2 and follow the trail until you reach a game trail that splits off to the left as you near a large sandstone outcropping. Feel free to explore the rocks, though use caution as the east side drops to a blind overhang. To the southeast lies another outcropping resembling a turtle from the trail. Follow the game trail along the southwest side of the overhang outcropping and turn south with the wash.

UNDERRATED ADVENTURES

HIDDEN GEMS LOCALS LOVE TO EXPLORE

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M O D E R AT E : 1-2 H R S

Although Liberty Cap may be mainstream, spidering off of this popular trail one could easily spend an entire day exploring all of the lesser-known canyons cutting into the Colorado National Monument. Following the right fork at the beginning of the Liberty Cap trailhead leads east between the Colorado National Monument and a residential area. The trail veers toward the monument slightly, across a dry creek bed, then continues to parallel the wildlife fence. Walk up the creek bed, climb the boulders and continue to the mouth of the canyon. Here, stunning sandstone spires jut in front of 200-foot cliffs on either side as the canyon narrows and the temperature drops.

HORIZON MAGAZINE

ROCK SPIRES, LIBERTY CAP

MIRACLE ROCK, GLADE PARK INSERT PAGEADVENTURES UNDERRATED CONTENT TITLE

EASY : 3- 4 HRS

Tucked high on top of the Colorado National Monument sits one of western Colorado’s best kept secrets. This site, located just under 10 miles from the Glade Park store, is the Grand Valley’s own Miracle Rock. This 12,000-ton boulder is perched on the edge of a small outcropping just a half a mile from the trailhead. Follow DS Road for about 8 miles, then take a left onto 9 8/10 Road.

JOUFLAS HORSE TRAIL

M O D E R AT E : 5 H R S

Looking to try out some backpacking this year? Jouflas Horse Trail is an 8.3-mile long loop starting around 2.5 miles into the Kokopelli Trail. Follow sandstone outcroppings which open to a stunning view of the Colorado River cutting through Ruby Canyon. Located on the Bureau of Land Management’s land, this trail allows dogs, horses and camping. When picking a campsite, be mindful of game trails and cryptobiotic soil.

CONNECTED LAKES STATE PARK & AUDUBON NATURE PRESERVE

E A S Y : 1 -2 H R S

The wetlands created by the reunion of the Redlands Power Canal and Colorado River provides crucial solace for many different riparian critters. The paved trails throughout the area begin just behind Chow Down Pet Supplies and connect to the bike trail system throughout the Grand Valley. Pick up a bird field guide from Mesa County Libraries on your way via Mav bike from campus. This trip is 2.5 miles one way.

1 Plan ahead and prepare 2 Travel and camp on durable surfaces (stay on trail) 3 Dispose of waste properly (pack it in, pack it out) 4 Leave what you find 5 Minimize campfire impacts 6 Respect wildlife 7 Be considerate of others For more information, visit lnt.org

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

UNDERRATED ADVENTURES

ADVENTURE

CATS As local middle school science teacher Alanna Piccillo backpacked through a canyon in Moab, Utah, her fearless felines followed, strapped into harnesses and meowing contently while strutting through the dirt, tails high. Unwilling to accept a simple life of window birdwatching and dozing on the couch, Lewis and Clark, a pair of 2-year-old littermates, are adventure cats, trained as Piccillo’s outdoor recreation companions. Piccillo decided to adopt a kitten in 2018 after gaining inspiration from the thousands of Instagram accounts dedicated to cats and their outdoor excursions. “I got on Instagram and I started seeing these cats that people hike and go camping with, and I kind of became obsessed with adventure cats,” Piccillo said.

WORDS PHOTOS ART

JENNA KRETSCHMAN JUDY MORROW ERICA KOLANOWSKI AGATHA MOREIRA

In preparation, she dove into resources published by AdventureCats.org, an organization dedicated to teaching cat parents how to turn their typical house cats into outdoor explorers. In the summer of 2018, Piccillo showed up to a Roice-Hurst Humane Society cat adoption event to pick out a hiking buddy. She noticed Lewis first, a fluffy seal point, but quickly realized she couldn’t just pick one. She also adopted his brother, Clark, a handsome long-haired tabby. “As soon as they got comfortable in the house, I bought two little harnesses for them on Amazon that didn’t even fit them yet," Piccillo said. "And I would take them to Riverbend Park on a leash. I bought a clicker [for clicker training] and a target wand [for them to follow], and just started running

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020 ADVENTURE CATS

around with them and feeding them treats, and they just fell into it. The enrichment for them, especially as active kittens, was just great.” Clicker training is a training method in which good behavior is rewarded with a treat and a loud click sound. Once the cats felt confident in their harnesses, they began exploring the great outdoors through hiking, camping and even paddleboarding. From the Grand Mesa to Fruita to Moab, Lewis and Clark lived up to their names. They accompanied their mom at a music festival in Paonia, as well as at middle school football games at Canyon View Park. “I took Lewis to my friend’s house, because she lives on the river in Palisade, and I just put him in the cat backpack on the paddleboard and just paddled around a little bit," Piccillo said. "He was just smelling the air. He didn’t come out of the backpack, which I don’t really blame him, but he was enjoying the breeze on his face. He didn’t make a sound and was half asleep.” When hiking, Lewis and Clark get plenty of attention on the trail, both positive and negative. The pair seldom receive snide remarks from dog owners, but the majority of passersby are impressed and happily surprised to meet the boys. When they were kittens, before finding their current sense of independence and rebellion, they often hiked off-leash, which made for some nerve-racking moments.

“We went camping in Moab," Piccillo said. "It was snuggle up inside your sleeping bag, you’re like, ‘Oh like our second or third time camping with them, my gosh.’ They’re lovebugs, and I love to see their and there’s just sand everywhere. They were loving goofy little faces,” Piccillo said. it. It took a long time to get there. We had a dog Naturally, felines have an instinct to hunt and with us, and there were four people, and the cats roam. But cats who are allowed to roam freely were great. They didn’t go off-trail very much. We outdoors unsupervised may face dangers of cars, took a break to water the dog, and the cats wanted disease, predators and malicious humans. To keep water and treats, too. We got into this canyon, and their pets safe, many cat owners opt to keep their Lewis just took off to a cliff and jumped over a kitties inside, but a lifetime confined to a house with sandstone crevice. I almost died. He just parked it a perch by the window may not provide sufficient on a little ledge right next to a cliff. But all I had to mental stimulation or physical exercise for some do was click the clicker, and both cats came right to cats. Thus, adventure cats were born. me. That was probably one of the most endearing Plus, adventure cats are remarkably hikes and one of the longest hikes we’ve done. They Instagram-mable. After adopting Lewis and did such a good job.” Clark, Piccillo quickly began documenting their Adventure cats are a growing niche of companion adventures on their very own Instagram account, animals. But why cats? @lewis_clark_explorecats. “I’m not a dog person, so adventure cats seemed “My biggest advice would be to follow the to fit with my lifestyle. They keep you active,” Piccillo ‘Adventure Cats’ book [by Laura Moss], because it said. “You see dogs hiking all the time. But when really does help. Make sure that they are clicker you’re with a cat on a trail and they’re actually follow- training, and don’t really let them free roam. ing you, and they’re turning around to wait for you Going outside should be something that is led by to catch up, it’s so heartwarming. I can’t even handle you and not by them,” Piccillo said. “It’s been so it. I mean, my heart explodes. It’s so stinking cute.” gratifying having these two in the house and just “I’d never camped with cats before, so when they outside with me. They’re just really good cats.” ▪

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

ADVENTURE CATS

SPRUCE UP YOUR SPACE WITH HOUSEPLANTS

PHOTOS

KASIA KUCERA

it’s a pandemic — not covid-19, but plant blindness. As humans continue to develop the earth, people are separated from nature. Plants don’t play the same role in our lives that they used to. General perception of them is devolving into mere objects or even obstacles, and not breathing, growing, complex forces of nature. Our monkey brains struggle for the capacity to empathize with plants, or really anything that doesn’t have forward-facing eyes. Keeping plants can force you and the people around you to notice plants more often and acknowledge how neat they can be. The more attention people pay to nature, the more they appreciate it, and the more they protect it. Keeping plants is environmental activism. Here are 12 suggestions to get you going. 1

Aspidistra elatior

cast iron plant If you don't have a green thumb (more like a black thumb), this plant could work for you. They may grow slow, but at least they are hard to kill. Just dust the leaves and water every now and then, and you are good to go.

crassulaceae

LOGAN WAGNER KASIA KUCERA

asparagaceae

WORDS

Crassula ovata

jade This plant is natively found in dry parts of South Africa and Mozambique. Allowing soil to dry in between watering sessions will mimic its natural environment. In the wild, they grow to shrub size, but starved of space and restrained in a pot, it will stay miniature.

Chlorophytum comosum

spider plant After producing small white flowers, these plants will produce pups, which can be separated and grown individually. Ideally, water these plants about every three days, but they can go up to a week without water.

3 3

BY THE SEED OF YOUR PLANTS

asparagaceae asparagaceae

snake plant This exotic, leafy plant is native to tropical West Africa and Nigeria. If you seem to neglect plants, this one is for you! You couldn't get more classic with this houseplant. This plant will take up more vertical space than horizontal if you're tight on room.

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Dracaena Trifasciata

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SCIENTIFIC NAMES Beyond being the most accurate way to identify plant species, scientific names offer an excellent gateway to understanding order connections, plant lineage and habitat origins. "Snake plant," for instance, tells you little to nothing, while Dracaena belongs to a group of plants mainly from Africa that are built of dragon-like scales, and the scientific epithet, trifasciata, relates to its three-bundled growth habit. Acknowledging that both the snake plant and the spider plant both belong to the Asparagaceae family and seeing structural similarities already puts you on a good path to understanding synapomorphies, the patterns of plant family heritage. Understanding the structural patterns allows you to identify and categorize plants without having seen them before in your life.

POT SHOPPING Drainage is key â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or rather imitating natural draining processes is key. To prevent your soil turning into soup, opt for up-cycled or second-hand containers with drainage holes, or set up a false bottom using found gravel. Natural soil conditions should be emulated as closely as possible, because you do not want root rot for your cute little plants.

orchidaceae

crassulaceae

BRomeliaceae

Phalaenopsis ambilis

moth orchid Commonly found in your grocery stores, these exotic plants normally grow on trees and have stunning flowering displays that can last up to three months. Check American Orchid Society's website for culture sheets for best care practices.

Schlumbergera bridgesii

christmas cactus Not a lot of plants bloom during the dreary months of Thanksgiving through Christmas, but this cactus won't disappoint. Unlike the cacti in the Grand Valley, these plants are epiphytic, meaning they naturally grow in trees or on rocks in the humid coastal mountains of Brazil.

Guzmania lingulata

scarlet star This tropical beauty is characterized by a pop of color. They are relatively short-lived, but they produce enough pups to multiply. Keep its cup (the center of the plant) filled with an inch of water, and dribble enough water to the roots to keep them lightly moist. Water every two to three weeks.

crassulaceae

Fun fact: Orchidaceae contains the greatest number of species of any plant family on the planet, and seven native terrestrial orchids call Mesa County home.

aloe vera This plant grows wild in tropical and semi-tropical areas around the world. It works great to soothe sunburns! When it's hearty enough, break off an arm from the plant and enjoy the cooling sensation on your skin. Aloe plants are robust and grow well indoors.

Echeverias lilacina

hen & chicks This plant is native to semi-desert areas, particularly Mexico and Central America. These are your classic succulents. Their rosettes offer a unique feature. With the potential to grow up to 8 inches wide, the plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaves vary greatly, featuring different shades, colors and textures.

BY THE SEED OF YOUR PLANTS

Aloe Vera

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asphodelaceae

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A WORD ON EPIPHYTES Tree-dwelling plants can be tricky to care for but are very rewarding. Since they play by a different set of rules than their terrestrial counterparts, they aren't suited for soil, or at least not in the conventional sense. Take note how your epiphyte grows in the wild and replicate their soil environment. They have specialized roots for clinging to various trees or rocks, so they require specific substrates. American Orchid Society has excellent culture sheets, no matter what species you get your hands on. Otherwise, the internet is your friend.

LET THERE BE LIGHT If you are dorm-bound, chances are that the plants you have will never get too much light. Many houseplants can survive low-light situations, but there are very few that won’t improve with more light. If you can, try to hog south-facing windows or add supplemental light with your desk lamp or a LED grow light — shoot for full-spectrum.

piperaceae

emerald ripple This plant is a magnoliid, meaning its ancestors diverged from early seedbearing plants before the more evident monocot or dicot clades came about. It has interesting leaves that are wrinkled with a deep green color and features a flower spike, commonly known as a mouse tail.

english ivy This is an evergreen, climbing vine that can be diversely used to spruce up your space. Keep its soil slightly moist with excellent drainage. Fun fact: the aerial rootlets on this plant bind to its surroundings and can hold up to half a pound of weight!

Ctenanthe Burle-marxii

marantaceae

Hedera Helix

Araliaceae

Peperomia caperata

fishbone prayer plant This pet-friendly variegated plant will close up its leaves at night, like praying hands — hence the common name of prayer plant. The underside of each leaf is a deep purple color. The new leaves present as a cylinder and unravel in a spiraling motion.

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

WORDS

IAN THOMAS

PHOTOS

KASIA KUCERA & LOGAN WAGNER

ART

KRISTEN HUNKAR

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

western colorado is fast becoming known for its vast recreation opportunities, the best peaches in the world and a vibrant, tight-knit community. We’ve withstood economic booms and busts, floods and dry years and have always regrouped, emerging stronger on the other side. However, our greatest challenge yet is already here and will continue to unfold over the coming decades, testing the very foundation of our community. Climate change affects everyone indiscriminately, affecting water supply, snowpack, disease spread and even what it means to be a Coloradoan. Agriculture in the Grand Valley has been a cornerstone of our economy since the first field was plowed in the late 1800s, drawing on irrigation from the Colorado River and fertile soils. Today, our vibrant agricultural community has an estimated yearly sales figure upwards of $150 million, employing an estimated 400 workers in Mesa County, according to the Grand Junction Economic Partnership. The mighty Colorado River not only provides the water for our growing agricultural industry, but also serves

around 40 million people in the western United States, according to Yale Environment 360. It’s the most managed river in the world, with more water promised to users than actually flows through its watershed. From 2000-2014, the Colorado River saw a 19 percent drop in flow, the worst drought since 1904. If carbon emissions remain as is, water in the Colorado River is projected to drop as much as 40 percent by the end of the century. Without taking water use restrictions into account, this massive drop translates to 16 million people without reliable access to water, according to The Conversation — 16 million people is equivalent to the cities of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Austin without water by 2100. In a show of unity, the Colorado River Basin States, Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation signed completed Drought Contingency Plans into action in 2019, providing a comprehensive plan for the most vulnerable communities, including Grand Junction. Solutions to a problem of this magnitude do not come easy, but difficulty has never been a barrier to our community. We are connected to our surrounding lands in more ways than purely economic, with a love of the outdoors pervasive throughout the state. Adventures in the North Desert, skiing on the Grand Mesa and wandering through the secluded canyons of the Colorado National Monument are all staples of life on the Western Slope. Unfortunately, the environmental stability of these areas becomes more tenuous as more carbon enters the atmosphere. Heat and drought stressed forests are more susceptible to historic wildfires, with unprecedented fire conditions becoming more common. Several studies have found that climate change is “responsible for doubling the area burned since 1984,” according to a quote from Colorado Mesa University professor Deborah Kennard published in the Summit Daily. Water scarcity, expected to increase, strongly correlates to the flammability of our state's forests. As Coloradoans, we are proud of our state’s vast wilderness, untouched

SPRING 2020 A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

is also providing the catalyst for enormous positive change. Investments in clean energy are creating an entirely new industry, creating high-paying, technical jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign (and domestic) oil and gas. This vast transformation is a manifestation of the American Dream itself. Not only is such a burgeoning industry providing opportunities for success and prosperity, but such massive investments are allowing workers to put their ideas into practice and pull themselves up by their bootstraps. The efforts of those workers are helping to provide a livable climate for generations to come, as well as providing income to those who need it, and investing in the most vulnerable communities. The American Dream has drawn millions to our shores, and will continue to do so, as long as it stays alive. The ability to improve your position through hard work, determination and our collective willpower is reflected in its entirety by the clean energy revolution. High-paying, technical jobs are beginning to flood the planet, just as low-paying menial jobs flooded the planet during the Industrial Revolution. Right now, we have a choice that no previous human civilization has had to make. We have no reference for what may come, be it revolution or ruin. On one hand, we can listen to the brightest minds humanity has to offer, embrace our most advanced technologies and preserve our most cherished ways of life. On the other hand, we can live as we always have, at least for a decade. After that, it’s a roll of the dice. And I, for one, refuse to leave the future of humanity in the hands of a gambler. ▪

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peaks and remote valleys. Our collective Western identity, enshrined in wilderness, is going up in smoke. For generations to come, the ability to find solace and meaning in the forests and mountains is at risk. A fundamental ideal of our country is that we leave a better place for our children, ensuring good health and opportunities for fulfillment, both spiritual and otherwise. If the wild places humans have retreated to for centuries fall ill, we lose that ability to commune with nature. The inspired ideas, philosophy and art flowing from the trees, rivers and mountains have a future as questionable as that of our agricultural communities. Each threat from a changing climate is more real and terrifying than the last, be it a lack of water in an increasingly arid West, the ever-present threat of wildfire or the changes coming to the wild places we cherish. However, each of these threats can be prepared for and fought directly through a reduction in carbon emissions and forward-thinking management of public lands. The economic viability of the clean energy industry continues to become stronger every day, with nearly 3.3 million employees in the clean energy industry. All but two of America’s over 3,000 counties are home to jobs in clean tech, providing almost triple the amount of jobs as the fossil fuel industry (3.26 million to 1.17 million), according to E2 Reports. Grand Junction is no stranger to the benefits of the clean energy industry, with more than 66,000 Coloradans currently employed in the clean energy industry, and 1,200 of those in Mesa County, according to the Grand Junction Economic Partnership. Colorado’s first solar company, Atlasta Solar, calls Mesa County its home, with work trucks seen buzzing around town all year long. The infrastructure for vast change is already present. Climate-friendly practices are no longer reserved for “tree huggers,” but are now open to everyone who wants to save money. While climate change has the potential to change the very fabric of our global society, it

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

CITIZEN SCIENTISTS SAFEGUARD AVIAN DIVERSITY WORDS & PHOTOS ART

LOGAN WAGNER LAURIAN QUEZADA

OPPOSITE: A spotted towhee awaits a response to his morning song perched atop a pollen-loaded Utah juniper.

inhabit campus grounds. It goes going to see birds. I'm going to without mentioning the cacophony hear birds. I may not have my of diversity within the Colorado binoculars, but I'm going to River corridor. Grand Junction, know they're there. It's just sort despite its semi-arid high desert of another layer of awareness that status, still supports a wealth of you take with you as you become diversity, especially in birds. a birder,” Cary Atwood, chapter Decorating the water, land and leader of Grand Valley Audubon skies of the Western Slope are 349 Society (GVAS), said. unique avian species. Shy of that Since 1870, naturalists with total are 151 playable animated a knack for birds have joined characters that make up the structured counts alongside 450 Pokédex in the original Pokémon (and counting) Audubon Society game. Pokémon gameplay is chapters around the nation. These how birders feel outside. If you seasonal and annual counts paint have spent any time in tall grass, a picture of what kinds of birds are you’ll see a character. Sometimes present at any given time of year. they flee before you can identify GVAS held their 48th Christmas them and add them to your list. Bird Count in December 2019. It’s exciting to see new birds, and Out birding that day were 15 groups different habitats lead to different divided around the Grand Valley, species. Many birders feel driven and two groups were in rafts to “catch them all,” compiling a life floating the icy Colorado River. list of birds they have ever seen. In total, 107 different bird species “[I tune in] with my ears and my were counted among the groups. eyes, anytime I'm outside, because “I've been doing the Christmas I always feel like, baseline, I'm Bird Count now for probably five

BIRD NERD

look up. you miss a lot when you don’t look up. You miss even more when you don’t listen to your surroundings. All too often we rush through our days with our heads down, and the natural world passes through our fingertips. If you listen closely on campus, you can hear the songs of house finches, shrill sounds of cedar waxwings and even the trumpeting of sandhill cranes passing overhead. Birds are some of the easiest critters to observe. They are ubiquitous. Horned larks, meadowlarks and mountain bluebirds litter the north desert. Ravens, robins and black-chinned hummingbirds

ILLUSTRATION: A blue heron fishes in a river-fed pond.

"I tune in with my ears and my eyes, anytime I'm outside, because I always feel like, baseline, I'm going to see birds. I'm going to hear birds. I may not have my binoculars, but I'm going to know they're there. It's just sort of another layer of awareness that you take with you as you become a birder." — Cary Atwood years," said Stephanie Matlock, birder and Colorado Mesa University biology professor. "And that's a classic citizen science thing, because there's a group of us — we're not experts — and we're out there counting as best as we can. And then they try to look at patterns over the years with how things are different from one year to the next and which birds are missing and which ones are increasing.” Along with organized counts, dozens of birders (and the bird-curious) in Grand Junction create useful lists whenever they go out and submit detailed digitized lists to Ebird. “Ebird, run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is the largest citizen science project or effort worldwide. Thousands of checklists every month are submitted from all over the world. It's incredible,” Atwood said. Lists of bird species and numbers contribute to a more accurate picture of where the birds go, whether it’s further north due to climate changes or out of existence completely from being out-competed, eaten by predators or inundated by human development. With definitive numbers on species and individuals,

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020 BIRD NERD

Audubon Society chapters and restoration project reclaiming 13 With a reduction of food Ebird contributors provide data acres of land parallel to the last resources and a heightened compethat can be tracked from year to portion of the Redlands Power tition with invasive Eurasian year on the diversity of birds in Canal into shallow wetlands, species, diversity plummets. their areas as well as quantities which hopes to strengthen the Naturalists can agree that of species populations. These populations of resident wetland the loss of the passenger counts in particular can show birds like the belted kingfisher and pigeon is lamented. that western meadowlarks, a provide resources for a plethora “There are declines in songbirds songbird that nests in grasslands, of migratory birds. and it sucks. It does," Atwood said. now subsist on one quarter of There are more migratory "I know I feel like, ‘dang, why wasn't their population from the 1970s. birds that travel through North I a birder back in the 70s?’ I would However, belted kingfishers, who America than anywhere else in have loved to have been alive rely on wetlands, have doubled in the world. As such, every piece of when passenger pigeons were population, according to a 2019 used habitat contributes toward a still around, but then you can go study published in the journal more treacherous flight path for to places like Delta and look at 3 to Science about the decline of the birds. Habitat, and specifically 4,000 cranes. Seeing those kinds North American avifauna. These food sources, become farther and of spectacles is just incredible, but statistical results can show how farther between. avian decline is just another part human activities, both beneficial On top of our human expansion of our changing world, and birds and detrimental, have directly and reduction of untouched land, matter.” It is hugely important affected bird populations. many people don’t feed birds. to protect the spectacles we still The GVAS is the caretaker of “Nobody feeds birds in this town have and cherish them while we 57 acres near Connected Lakes when I've been on the bird counts still can. ▪ State Park called the Audubon before. It's a long stretch before Nature Preserve. Already in the you finally find somebody who's works is another volunteer-driven feeding birds,” Matlock said. ILLUSTRATION: Invasive European starlings (right) often out-compete native species like the killdeer (left) for resources like food and nesting areas.

RIGHT Along a stretch of river cobbles on the Colorado River, a breeding pair of killdeer chase each other. Killdeer are the most common of the plover family in the Grand Valley.

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INTRO TO: MESA COUNTY SUMMER ORNITHOLOGY

FIELD GUIDE LOGAN WAGNER

Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri

Increasingly prevalent as elevation increases. Adult males' wing beats produce a loud whistle.

During migration, may appear almost everywhere, although densities diminish greatly in higher elevation.

Black-headed Grosbeak Pheuticus melanocephalus

Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana

L 4"

L 6 3/4"

L 3 1/4"

BIRD FIELD GUIDE

Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycerus

SPRING 2020

WORDS, PHOTO & ART

Birds are ubiquitous. Anywhere you go, you can marvel at the sounds and spectacles they create. Every habitat lends a new set of avian life to enjoy. This selection is nowhere near a complete guide, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good start at discerning some common species of interest. â&#x20AC;&#x192; Before heading out, check an Ebird.com hotspot for a recent list at your planned destination and prepare yourself to find the noted species. Borrow some binoculars from Tomlinson or Mesa County Libraries or use a camera with a zoom lens to get a closer look at birds. Try out some of our suggested bird hotspots.

L 7 1/4"

Generally found in low-elevation habitats with thick cover including riparian and montane shrublands.

First spring migrants arrive in mid-May along low-elevation rivers. Nests most abundantly in forests from pinyon/juniper zone to spruce/fir zone.

Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena L 5 1/2" Most common birds to sing from cottonwoods in low elevation riparian areas. Also found in Gambel oak and mountain mahogany shrublands.

Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea L 6 3/4"

Primarily found in dense shrubs of lowland riparian zones and adjacent agricultural areas. Nest in tamarisk, willow, three-leaf sumac and Russian olive.

INTRO TO: MESA COUNTY RESIDENT BIRDS

BIRDING HOT SPOTS JAMES M. ROBB COLORADO RIVER STATE PARK

The state park comprises five separate properties along the Colorado River: Island Acres, Corn Lake, Colorado River Wildlife Area, Connected Lakes and Fruita. Most of the locations are connected via bike path along the riparian corridor. During migration, it is not unusual to count more than 100 species in a day here.

Gambel Quail Callipepla gambelii L 11" Birds can be found along permanent waterways among thickets, especially greasewood and skunkbush sumac, year round.

COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT

Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon L 13" Females adorn the rusty belt coloring. Common and conspicuous foraging around clearwater habitats up to 10,000 feet. Unique loud dry-rattle call.

The property has a multitude of different habitat zones among its sheer cliffs, including pinyon/ juniper forests, sagebrush shrublands, riparian areas and oak woodlands that support many kinds of birds.

Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris L 7 1/2" Common year-round. Resides in extensive open areas with sparse and short vegetation from arid lowlands to frigid, high plateaus.

GRAND MESA

The Grand Mesa towers above Grand Junction at 10,000 feet. The varied elevations foster a wide array of untouched high-elevation bird habitat areas. HIGHLINE STATE PARK

Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana L 7" Some winter in low elevation valleys, other migrants begin to arrive in March. Most abundant in ponderosa pine forests and open pinyon/ juniper woodlands.

North of Loma, the northern irrigation canal meets its terminus at a reservoir. Many rarities have been spotted here. The birding is good all year except for the middle of summer, when the boaters outnumber the birds.

Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides L 7" Found year-round in a variety of habitats from sagebrush shrublands to alpine meadows, especially at dawn singing at the tops of trees.

UNAWEEP SEEP NATURAL AREA

Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus L 7 1/2" Gravitates toward brushy pinyon/juniper and Gambel oak habitats. Most abundant in summer, but a good number winter here.

Eight miles northeast of Gateway along highway 141 lies a mosaic of streams and hillside seeps that sport a rare assembly of plant life and a great density of birds.

HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

INSERT PAGE CONTENT TITLE

Horizon Magazine Spring 2020

Articles inside

BIRD FIELD GUIDE

BIRD NERDS

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

MARGINALIZATION

ADVENTURE CATS

BY THE SEED OF YOUR PLANTS

MINDFUL REFLECTION

KINGS & QUEENS

BIO CONTROL

LULU CRÊPE

HORROR CULT CLASSICS

PUMP TRACK

IMPOSTOR PHENOMENON

FALL IN LOVE WITH GJ CALENDAR

RADICAL INCLUSION AT COPEKA

POUR ARTIST