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Photo by Morgan Hancock | Travis Allen pole vaulting at the Green and Gold Track Meet on Feb. 12

Index News...................3 L&A......................4 Science..............5 Sports................6 Opinion...............7

Mask Mandate

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Marine Lab

Lumberjack Associated Students Relay

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HUMBOLDT ATHLETES ARE ‘DAM WORTH IT’

by Morgan Hancock

Athletes live in a culture of perfection and pressure that can lead to high stress, these Cal Poly Humboldt students want to address that. Gracie Kasberger founded this campus’ branch of Dam Worth It. Dam Worth It is a nonprofit that supports athletes struggling with mental health. Athletes’ mental health has become a bigger conversation since the recent double feature Olympics. High-profile athletes are setting precedents by putting their mental health first. Students like Kasberger are laying the groundwork for a new culture in athletics.

Kasberger is a kinesiology major and track athlete, she saw a need to support her peers. The athletics department doesn’t have any counseling services for athletes, so students are on their own. They balance classes, practice, work, and self-care. Kasberger expressed that students will often put their mental health on the back burner.

“I’ve noticed more pro athletes coming out about their mental health and saying that they are struggling,” Kasberger said. “It’s something that is being normalized. Athletes go in and get help when they’re injured, but they’re not doing the same for their mental health. We’re bringing attention to it, we want athletes to have access to help and feel like they can speak out.”

Travis Allen is a track athlete who

Photo by Morgan Hancock | Masters Student Demi Ogunwo speaks at the Black Exellence in STEM event hosted by the Umoja Center in Founders hall 118 on Feb. 11

opened his season at the Green and Gold event last weekend. Allen expressed how sports can offer a mental haven for athletes, but comes with added stress too.

“Mental Health is often overlooked, especially with athletes,” Allen said.

“Teammates are like a family, there is a lot of support from each other.”

Each athlete filled out a card with the reason why they are ‘dam worth it’.

“I’m ‘dam worth it’ because I am me,” Allen said.

Sue Grigsby, Lumberjack class of ‘79 track hall of famer and record shatterer, attended the legacy event. Grigsby has seen the pressures change for students over the years. Students have increased pressures from athletics and an unstable world.

“If you have a vision problem or dental problem or a knee injury you seek help,” said Grigsby. “Athletes should do the same for their brains. It’s okay to seek help, there are ways to get help.”

Student-Athletes often define themselves by their sport. They use athletic success as a measure of their worth.

Clara Lenihan struggled to define herself outside of her sport once she ended her soccer career.

“When I introduce myself I start with ‘oh I play soccer,” Lenihan said.

“Now that I don’t play anymore I don’t know what to say. Sports is such a big part of our lives.”

Photo by Morgan Hancock | Track Athletes Kaela Dennert-frederick, Emily Bath, Joy Hano, Grace Kasberger pose for a photo at the Green and Gold Event Feb. 12

Umoja center celebrates Black chemists

by August Linton

Claps and cheers echoed through Founders Hall during the Umoja Center’s Black Excellence in STEM event, far more than had graced the room in quite a while. Many HSU community members filled out the seats, just as their enthusiasm and passion filled the room.

Dr. Kim White, Cal Poly Humboldt professor of chemistry, hosted the event at the request of Umoja Center for Pan African Academic Excellence.

After an indigenous land acknowledgement, she began by paying homage to several Black scientists under whom she studied. One of these was Dr. Loyd Noel Ferguson, the first Black person to earn a PhD in chemistry from UC Berkeley.

“He was the original backyard chemist, he synthesized moth repellent and stain removers in his backyard in Oakland when he was growing up,” White said. “He also used his academic talent not only to propel his own career but also to create opportunities for others.”

She also spoke fondly about Dr. Phillip Crews, a UC Santa Cruz professor of chemistry known for his involvement in diversity programs.

“Phil instilled in me a strong desire to use my privilege for the benefit of others… seeing him use his strengths to lift up others was pretty fundamental in the trajectory of my career,” White said.

SEE BLACK STEM ● PAGE 3

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NEWS

BLACK IN STEM FROM PAGE 1

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Symptomatic and want to teach online?

Steer clear of Cal Poly Humboldt

by Liam Gwynn

Photo by Morgan Hancock | Asia Anderson explains her research into membrane protein isolation on Friday Feb. 11.

Dr. Chris Harmon, another member of Cal Poly Humboldt’s chemistry department, spoke next. He spoke on the importance of acknowledging and celebrating the growing diversity within science.

“It matters where you come from, it matters what language you grew up speaking, and absolutely the color of your skin matters, Harmon said.

“When I got into chemistry, one of the things that I loved was all of these rich, beautiful colors that you would see in the lab… if we celebrate the colors of the chemicals why can’t we celebrate the colors of the chemists?”

Harmon introduced Dr. Kensha Clark, a highly celebrated and accomplished Black chemist currently teaching at the University of Memphis.

After brief technical problems, she appeared on the projector screen, Zooming in to the event.

Clark discussed her work, both as a private sector chemist with Chevron and as an academic. Her current fields of interest include molecular electronics, solar energy conversion, and small molecule activation, among others.

In her lab, she makes sure that students of all backgrounds feel welcome.

“I think [our diversity] makes our science all the better,” Clark said.

When she was a student, however, Clark felt that her interest in science was quashed. She described only being encouraged to become a writer or an artist, all the while never wavering from her passion for science.

Even though strong familial support allowed her to achieve her dream, Clark is still faced with a shocking lack of diversity in her field.

“By default, you are the representative of your people,” Clark said. “It makes it exciting when one sees upand-coming scientists of color.”

Cal Poly Humboldt student Asia

Anderson took the stage after Clark, to a joyous round of applause from the audience. A transfer student from College of the Redwoods, Anderson is obviously beloved to the campus community.

She spoke about the community and support that she has found while studying chemistry at Cal Poly Humboldt, and how her mother’s going back to school to study English inspired her.

“I feel like every step of the way I’ve had this ushering of peers around me… I will also be the first person in my family to graduate from college,” Anderson said.

Anderson’s research during her undergraduate degree at Cal Poly Humboldt has been in the targeted extraction of membrane proteins. She said that the proteins’ sensitivity to light means that further study could illuminate ways to use these proteins for targeted medication delivery.

After graduation, Anderson will study to receive a graduate degree at UC Santa Cruz.

The Umoja center hosted this event in collaboration with NSBE, the National Society of Black Engineers.

Demi Ogunwo is a masters student in Cal Poly Humboldt’s Energy Technology and Policy Program, and spoke at the event as the president of the school’s NSBE chapter.

“NSBE offers a platform for students to network and get mentored by … Black professionals,” Ogunwo said.

“It’s not for engineers alone, it’s for all STEM students.”

NSBE is a community focused on supporting Black scientists, whether academically or professionally. They will be hosting a social hangout for students potentially interested in joining this Friday Feb. 18, from 1 pm to 3 pm in the University Upper Quad.

Hunt for new police chief continues despite adversity

by Carlos Pedraza For the last two years, Cal Poly Humboldt’s University Police Department has been plagued with resignations at the very top of their hierarchy. Anthony Morgan, the most recent chief, resigned early in Jan. 2022 after a year in the position.

UPD is still in the early stages of searching for a new chief.

“Cal Poly Humboldt has not yet made the public announcement for accepting applications,” said Grant Scott-Goforth, a communication specialist in the CPH’s News and Info department.

The search for UPD’s next leader will be nationwide. Representatives from different university sources will be involved in the decision, including students, faculty, and university police department staff.

“The University aims for a July 1, or sooner, start of the new permanent chief,” said Scott.

Morgan was only the latest chief of the campus police to resign.

Cal Poly Humboldt’s current acting chief of police is Peter Cress, a 25-year police veteran. He started his career at what was then Humboldt State before moving to Sacramento, and eventually returning to UPD in 2021. Cress stated he will likely apply to become the permanent chief of police.

Even if the position is filled, the UPD has barely enough officers to be fully staffed. With a more critical eye on police nationwide, the UPD is struggling to maintain leadership and swear in new officers.

“A lot of people have just said no, they are not interested in living under that kind of criticism,” said Cress.

For students interested in giving their input for the hiring process or for UPD, the police conduct bi-weekly phone calls with students. The university directory also provides all officers’ contact information, and the general UPD contact number is 825-55-55.

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Dr. Christopher Aberson came into contact with COVID-19 the weekend before he was supposed to teach. He requested the school let him teach over zoom and his request was denied. The school would not let him switch his modality despite the Omicron surge and the numerous COVID-19 cases reported on campus.

“I was told I was not authorized to change modality. After several emails, clarification came that I could not move online. I have symptoms. I am well enough to teach. Not allowed to,” said Dr. Aberson.

Dr. Aberson is the Professor of Psychology at Cal Poly Humboldt and came into contact with the virus after one of his son’s friends tested positive.

He claims that this issue is larger than his individual case.

“My issue with the surge has and continues to be that faculty who agreed to teach in person are not being allowed to change to online. Faculty agreed to teach in person at times when it seemed we had gotten over the hump and were headed toward a better situation,” said Dr. Aberson in an email, he continued. “In both the fall and spring semesters, as I understand it, most requests to change to online were denied.

Both semesters began during surges.”

Dr. Aberson has been outspoken about a number of issues on campus and believes that could be playing into why he wasn’t allowed to teach online.

“I have been outspoken about under-compensation of chair duties -- it is a full-time job but during the summer and other off times, we are grossly under-compensated for our time. Also, campus safety and working conditions during both the delta and omicron surges,” said Dr. Aberson.

The California Faculty Association

(CFA) negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with campus administration regarding teaching during COVID-19. The document was signed by CFA and Cal Poly Humboldt management. Dr. Aberson presented a passage from the MOU that explicitly supports his position.

“During the time that an employee may be waiting for an appointment or for testing results every effort should be made for them to be able to work remotely,” states the MOU. Prior to Dr. Aberson’s situation, the CFA had already made an official statement addressing the administration and their lack of leniency.

“No faculty member should be forced to work in conditions that put themselves or their loved ones at risk, especially when there are alternatives,” states a press release provided by the CFA. CFA Humboldt president Loren Cannon still supports this idea and thinks the administration needs to be more flexible in situations like Dr. Aberson’s.

“We have urged that Administration approve all such requests for temporary, or sometimes permanent change in modality,” said Cannon.

Cannon acknowledges that for some cases transitioning to online can be difficult, however for many other classes transitioning online for a week or two is relatively easy.

“I believe that at this time, as we still are not ‘in the clear’ of this incredible health crisis, we need to trust each other and make decisions that recognize the complexity of individual context,” said Cannon.

Leadership has yet to make an official statement regarding the MOU breach and has also failed to respond to our request for an interview.

A.S. President refuses to resign

A.S. Board members make move to impeach President Finley

by Matthew Taylor Prior to the A.S. Meeting last Friday at Siemens Hall, President Finley received a letter by the collective student body calling for his resignation that evening. If he failed to do so actions would be taken towards impeachment.

This letter was written in part due to his actions at the previous A.S. Meeting on Feb 5th which can be read about here.

“I have come to understand that recently there are many that felt disrespected,” Finley said, in response to the letter during the meeting. “Reduced to only a vote to count as opposed to the valued team member they are throughout the year by my unintentional behavior.”

The president continued in offering apologies to any members he may have unintentionally hurt over the past months. He pleaded with the student body to talk personally with him and to allow him to end this final semester of his, as a student and president, without burnt bridges. He explained that the extra weight of responsibility expected of him as a Black leader in a predominantly white university may have also gotten the better of him.

“I can not leave till I have had a chance to put in order what is out of place for those that are hurt and be your champion once again.” Finley

said, ending his speech and thus refusing to resign.

No members present at the time had further comment. Conflict between Board members and the president continued later on in the meeting, however, as Finley attempted to appoint a new student for Legislative Vice President.

“First, I want to apologize to you,” At-Large Representative Gio Guerrero said, to the new candidate. “Our Associated Students are in a really big hurdle at the moment, internally. I don’t feel confident that we can support an additional new member on this Board until we get through [this] storm.”

All other Board members, excluding Finley, concurred with this sentiment.

Members expressed that they did want the candidate to be appointed but only once internal conflicts had been figured out. Finley accused the Board of allowing personal opinions of him to cloud their decision.

All members present disagreed and appointed Student Affairs Vice President Marcum and Guerrero to keep in contact with the candidate. Plans to properly vote in this appointee are scheduled to happen at the next A.S. Meeting.

The next A.S. Meeting will be held on Friday, Feb. 18, at 4pm in Siemens Hall 117.

PAGE 4

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Life & Arts

THE LUMBERJACK

New A24 film “The Sky is Everywhere” shows off the beauty of Humboldt County

by Sophia Escudero

On Friday, Feb. 11, the A24 movie “The Sky is Everywhere” premiered on Apple TV+, accompanied by a red carpet event in Old Town Eureka. Filming took place locally on such locations as Moonstone Beach, Arcata High School, College of the Redwoods, and Sequoia Park, and over 500 locals were involved in the production, myself included.

The film itself explores the grief of Lennie Walker, a high school girl grappling with the sudden loss of her idolized older sister. Lennie, portrayed by actress Grace Kaufman, finds herself caught between a grief-forged connection with Toby, her late sister’s boyfriend (Pico Alexander), and Joe, an intriguing new music student fresh from a Parisian conservatory (Jacques Colimon), but more than that, she finds herself torn between mourning and moving on.

Director Josephine Decker depicts this world through a lens of magical realism. Lennie’s inner turmoil causes a storm around her only she can see, and the act of playing music literally leaves her walking on air. While these slightly surrealist aspects could serve to take one out of a film, here it serves to highlight Lennie’s turbulent emotions and sense of unreality. The visuals help set

Humboldt locals pose at the red carpet in Old Town Eureka on Feb. 11. | Photo by Sophia Escudero

“The Sky is Everywhere” apart from many other YA dramas, while characterizing it with a certain twee sensibility and aesthetic.

The film’s minor characters round out the ensemble with heart and soul.

Tyler Lofton’s nice guy Marcus, JiYoung Yoo’s supportive bestie Sarah, and Jason Segal’s stoner uncle Big are all highlights, but Cherry Jones as Lennie’s grandmother Fiona is the standout star of the ensemble. Jones grounds the piece with her kind yet authoritative presence, quietly stealing the show

Glass art with John Gibbons

by Lex Valtenbergs Tucked away in a small alley behind Six Rivers Solar on Broadway in Eureka is John Gibbons Glass. At his glass art workshop, Gibbons can be found coaxing hot molten glass into stunning art pieces or after melting down raw glass in his homemade furnace.

Gibbons was first introduced to glass art by his father at antique glass shows when he was five or six years old. He’s been hooked ever since. While studying glass art at college, he dreamed of it when he slept.

“All I could think about was blowing glass,” Gibbons said. “I dreamed about it every night for a year.”

The glass artist community in Humboldt County is small but tight-knit.

Matthew Gagliardi, a glassblower with three decades of experience under his belt, has worked with Gibbons for the last five years. Gibbons and Gagliardi both use soft glass, a fluid type of glass that is ideal for sculpting.

“We all kind of work with each other,” Gagliardi said. “There’s only so much of us in the county that work with soft glass.”

Michelle Coelho is another one of the few Humboldt-based glass artists who works with soft glass. She has been doing it for 20 years, about as long as Gibbons has. Gibbons, Gagliardi and Coelho all specialize in Venetian glassblowing, a technique that dates back to the 8th century AD. The type of tools that they use goes back to the 14th century AD. The trio worked in synchronized harmony on the morning of Feb. 1 to transform a glob of raw glass into a beautiful pendant light, a lime green sphere with a hypnotic spiral pattern

rolled into the glass on a steel table - a marver - and inlaid with a mold.

“It’s like a well-orchestrated dance,” Coelho said. “John’s body language tells us what to do next. It’s not so much verbal, it’s visual.”

They were constantly in motion to prevent the glass from losing its temperature and shattering or drooping down towards the floor like viscous honey falling off a honeycomb, as Coelho put it. They have to be on sharp alert at all times. Not only is the glass is heated up to over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the operating costs involved are expensive as well.

“There’s a lot of trust, and also money,” Gibbons said. “You gotta trust them not to break your investment because there’s a lot of money that goes into it.”

Gibbons hired a media assistant in April 2021 to vamp up his online presence. Makayla Sandifer worked in information technology before she found a niche in media production and picked up the job at Gibbons’ shop.

As a Black woman in a white and male-dominated field, Sandifer enjoys the opportunity to work in such a dynamic space that fosters her creativity.

“It’s honestly awesome,” Sandifer said. “It allows me to bring diversity to spaces that didn’t have it previously and to reflect that in my work. It’s super gratifying.”

The product photos that Sandifer takes for Gibbons’ Etsy profile do justice to his vibrant glass art pieces. Whimsical starfish vases, turtles with bubbles of glass trapped inside their shells, and light fixtures adorned with alluring spiral patterns boggle the mind with their complexity, vibrant colors, and otherworldly beauty.

John Gibbons grinding a starfish vase on a homemade lapidary in his glass art shop in Eureka on Jan. 31. | Photo by Alexis Valtenbergs

without detracting from her costars.

Though the film focuses on Lennie, it, unfortunately, does so at the cost of the people around her. We never get more than one or two shallow notes on many of the people populating this world, despite the actors turning in genuine performances with what they were given.

Still, nothing is quite like seeing my own hometown (and in one scene about four minutes in, my own face) filmed so beautifully and professionally on the silver screen. Humboldt is on full display here, with every scene reminding

the local viewer of a place they know well. A jubilant dance scene appears before the Old Town Gazebo, a heartfelt apology takes place in the streets of Ferndale, and the Arcata Presbyterian Church hosts the funeral that sets so much into motion. The emotion of seeing one’s home in this way was one shared by Deputy Director of the Humboldt Film Commission Nate Adams, who I interviewed at the red carpet.

“It’s overwhelming, trying to focus on the movie and seeing the locations, and the people, and the art, and even my friend’s stickers made it into the movie,” Adams said. “It’s just overwhelming to see so much of Humboldt.”

Film Commissioner and HSU alum Cassandra Hesseltine teared up as I asked her about her experience helping create this production.

“I cried at the end of the movie yesterday when I watched it,” Hesseltine said. “Part of why I cried is because I love working in film. I wanted to work in film since I was five. Besides the content of the movie, and it is a beautiful movie, the reason why I cried was just to think about how all this happened in my community, that I helped it happen, and it was really, really special.”

“The Sky is Everywhere” is available for streaming at Apple TV+.

THE LUMBERJACK

SCIENCE

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

PAGE 5

Students dive into oceanic research Cal Poly Humboldt’s lean marine learning machine

Photo by Firstname Lastname | Marine biology major Jordan Neal checks brine cultures at the Marine Lab on Feb 11.

by Nina Hufman At Cal Poly Humboldt’s marine lab, graduate students run between the workspaces and laboratories, students stir beakers of brine shrimp instead of cups of coffee, and Percy the giant pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) tugs on the fingers of the lab tech feeding him.

Percy’s isn’t the only interesting face one can see at the lab. Other notable critters include Gaia the red octopus (Octopus rubescens), Eleanor the Wolf Eel (​​Anarrhichthys ocellatus), and Butters the Albino Dungeness Crab (Cancer magister). Sea stars, baby jellyfish, sea urchins, clingfish, nudibranch, sea cucumbers, and anemones are among the lab’s other aquatic residents. There are also rockfish older than most of the people working at the lab, “There’s so much potential at this place for doing even more than we are

now,” said Lab Director Rick Zechman.

Although it’s currently closed to the public due to COVID-19, the students and staff of the Telonicher Marine Lab are offering guided virtual tours and virtual educational programs. Cal Poly Humboldt students also have the option to visit and explore the lab in person.

If they want more experience than a visit will offer, students can sign up for courses in oceanography, fisheries biology, and marine biology, which all include instruction at the marine lab.

Marine naturalist Jordyn Neal is in charge of tours.

“Most of my job is public outreach,” Neal said. “I try to inform the public on the fish here, and conservation.”

Neal gives guided tours of the lab and is in charge of the summer school program. She says that one of her main goals is to bridge the gap of sci-

Food Forests flourish at Cal Poly Humboldt

entific literacy.

Neal is a fifth year marine biology major who is currently doing shark research outside of her degree. She takes CT scans of shark species living at different depths in the water column and looks at the morphology of their ears.

Neal’s focus is on how the depth of the water in which a species lives impacts the structure of its ears.

The marine lab also hosts a number of grad students doing research projects, including Rose Harman. Harman is currently working on her master’s thesis and grant applications to fund her research. This summer, Harman will be studying habitat usage and predation of leopard sharks in Humboldt Bay. “Our new plan is to do field work combined with lab experiments,” Harman said. “One of my goals is to publish my research.”

Graduate students Marzia Fattori and Kalani Ortiz are doing their research on growing bull kelp in Humboldt Bay. Ortiz’s project is focused on

kelp as an agricultural product. She is currently growing the seaweed on string, and will be outplanting it to kelp farms in the bay until it reaches a harvestable size.

Fattori’s project is focused on conservation. She is growing bull kelp on gravel and on ceramic tiles to see which substrate is more effective. In the second stage of her research, Fattori will grow the bull kelp in warmer water to examine the impact that rising ocean temperatures will have on kelp populations.

The marine lab has two classrooms, a running seawater system, and access to the Coral Sea, a 90ft research vessel. Lab director Zechman says the lab is situated on an important part of the Pacific coastline, where students can expect a learning experience that is unique to Cal Poly Humboldt.

“Our intention is to be a different kind of polytechnic,” Zechman said.

“How many CSUs have a marine lab and a research vessel?”

Photo by Morgan Hancock | Percy the giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dolfleini)

Students learn sustainable organic farming methods

by Morgan Hancock CCAT courses are back this spring.

One of the classes on the roster this semester is Organic Gardening. In this one-unit course, students will learn the basics of gardening. Students grow their plots in the campus community garden using sustainable techniques.

Since the pandemic disrupted CCAT operations, the course has not been offered. Now, the course has returned, and students have a lot of work ahead of them. Ben Cross is a political science major who’s more than excited to be back in the Buckhouse.

“I’ve got lots of passion for this, and it’s an amazing area to learn it,” Cross said. “If there is a place I’d want to take this class, it’s at Humboldt. I want to have my garden and tend to it with confidence.”

Julia Simmons is the student instructor of ENST 123.

“We’re teaching the basics of what goes into gardening,” Simmons said. “I want to focus on how plants affect each other. Some plants have nitrogen-fixing properties and support other plants in the soil. I want to teach students to cultivate ecology and grow food forests.”

Food forests are a farming technique that mimics the natural patterns found in ecosystems. Growing plants interact with each other in a network of reciprocal relationships. The result is healthy biodiversity, nutrient-rich soils, and a sustainable food source.

Agroecologic farming methods have the potential to localize food systems and make them more efficient. A 2018 study titled “Permaculture—Scientific

Evidence of Principles for the Agroecological Design of Farming Systems” by the EU Institute for Environmental Science establishes environmental damages caused by industrial agriculture. Monoculture causes biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and alteration of biogeochemical cycles and greenhouse gas emissions. The study cited food forests to remedy the damage done by monoculture.

Monoculture is the standard agricultural practice in the United States.

Crops are planted in rows, where they can be most efficiently harvested by machine. Though it is convenient for machinery, this practice does not benefit plants or local ecologies. Without ecological support and context, isolated crops require fertilizers and pesticides to grow.

Plants can fend off pests and fertilize each other in food forests. One example Simmons describes is the three sisters.

This pairing of beans, squash and corn, comes from traditional ecologic knowledge.

“They grow really well together, and they use each other to grow well,” Simmons said. “The beans provide nitrogen for the other plants to grow.

Ground cover [from the squash leaves] keeps weeds from growing.” The tallest sister, corn, acts as a trellis for the beans to climb up. Growing together, they protect each other and help one another flourish.

“We’re going to be working in the community garden. We’ll design food forests with their own ecologic networks,” Simmons said. “I want anybody to be able to garden, and everyone should garden.”

Photo by Morgan Hancock | Jordan Neal holds a leather star (Dermasterias imbricata) at the Marine Lab Touch Pools on Feb. 11

Photo by Morgan Hancock | Julia Simmons instructs ART 123 Organic Gardening in the CCAT Buckhouse on Thursday Feb. 10

PAGE 6

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

SPORTS

THE LUMBERJACK

Jacks on track No Gods, no masters, only logs

by Eddie Carpenter Cal Poly Humboldt hosted the annual Green and Gold track meet at the Redwood Bowl on Feb. 12. The Eventwas open to alumni and local collegiate athletes. The unusually warm day hosted the annual 400m log relay, a famed lumberjack tradition.

It was a beautiful, sunny day with nothing but blue skies, perfect weather to run in. Unusual weather for a Humboldt Feburary.

Head track and field coach Sarah Ingram says a huge amount of effort went into preparing the Jacks for this event.

“We’ve been training since August… both on the track and in the weight room,” Ingram said. “It was a really fun atmosphere. The 400-meter log relay is not something we usually have, but it was a team bonding event.”

Women’s team captain Joy Hano is also proud of her team’s strategy for game day.

“We spent a lot of time visualizing and training. Mindful training is what we did the most,” Hano said. “I do the 100-meter hurdles, long jump, and today I did the 150 meter and the log relay. It felt great. There were a lot of nerves, but being here in front of our home crowd made it all worth it and made the nerves go away.”

College of the Redwoods coach Reed Elmore shared what it was like to see his former athletes compete at last weekend’s scrimmage. “[As a coach], you don’t always get the best athletes. Our main goal is to get our athletes to work together as a team. We want them to compete with each other and not against each other,” Elmore said. “It’s exciting! We’re a developmental program. We take kids that need love and a little extra time.

Humboldt does something different.

We’ve been working with Sarah and Jamie to bridge that gap. [We make] sure everyone feels supported. We had a good performance, but our important races are at the end of the season.”

Junior thrower Savannah Henninger wrote down all the marks for the throwing events. She is one of those athletes who transitioned from a Corsair to a Lumberjack.

“It was definitely super weird. It’s not necessarily better or worse,” Henninger said. “It was a different atmosphere. Both Sarah and Reed are amazing advocates for their athletes, so that really helped a lot. I saw a lot of team support. Everybody was cheering their teammates on as best as they were able to, there was a lot of camaraderie going around.”

In the latter half of the scrimmage, many athletes participated in the 400-meter annual log relay. As the last athlete rounded the corner, a member of the crowd shouted out, “Better start running with a purpose!”

Delanay Montes opened her season with some shotput and discus. “I did good today, first in shotput and second in discus,” Montes said.

“I pushed myself hard today to get the marks I wanted. At the end of the day I’m going back to practice and working hard for it.”

Malachi Arthur

Photo by Morgan Hancock | From left to right, Maggie Stacy (CR), Melissa Pinter, Rosa Granados, Kayla Penny, Emilie Cates line up for the women’s 400M at the Green and Gold event on Feb. 12.

Photo by Morgan Hancock | Travis Allen in the High Jump event at the Green and Gold track event on Saturday Feb. 12.

Photo by Morgan Hancock | Emilie Cates brings it home in the 400m log relay on Feb. 11.

Photo by Morgan Hancock | Present and former Lumberjacks line up for the annual Lumberjack log relay in the Redwood Bowl on Feb. 12.

PAGE 7

THE LUMBERJACK

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

That rash or sore might be

SYPHILIS Syphilis is on the rise in Humboldt County

GET FACTS. GET TESTED. GET CURED.

Contact your primary care provider or visit humboldtgov.org/STD.

This campaign borrowed from Pima County Health Department.

Esa erupción o lesión puede ser

La sífilis está aumentando en el condado de Humboldt OBTÉN DATOS. HAZTE LA PRUEBA. CURARSE. Comuníquese con su proveedor de atención primaria o visite humboldtgov.org/STD.

THE LUMBERJACK

OPINION

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

PAGE 8

LETTER TO EDITOR To our Cal Poly Humboldt Family, Associated Students do not stand nor condone any kind of disrespect. We value everyone’s thoughts, opinions, and presence within AS. We are aware of an unsettling situation that occurred during our Executive cabinet meeting on Feb. 4 concerning members of the Associated Students and members of AS Core Programs at Cal Poly Humboldt.

During the meeting, President Jeremiah Finley was uncooperative with fellow board members and had cut the meeting short. During this meeting, the WRRAP’s R.O.S.E branch team was expecting a response from the board, but would not move forward due to solely wanting in-person attendance.

In addition to this, President Finley neglected his team by failing to acknowledge the presence of appointed members who joined through Zoom, assuming that, “they only joined through Zoom simply because they didn’t want to be in attendance in person,” though this was not the case.

First and foremost, we, the Associated Students do not accept or tolerate the sort of behavior that was presented on that evening. We understand the concern, the anger, and the feelings of disrespect. You are heard and your feelings matter.

Next, we find it critical, to be honest with our student body and with each other. Unfortunately, there has been an unhealthy power dynamic within AS. There have been many issues regarding communication, equality, and access to opportunities. These are issues AS members have been dealing with but have managed to persevere through while keeping our student body and AS Core Programs at the top of their priority list. We are actively working towards community building and furthering our relationships with our staff and student leaders.

Due to the continuous amounts of disrespect and unacceptable behavior, AS will be moving forward with the impeachment process.

Associated Students stands for the purpose to educate, empower, and most importantly elevate all student voices.

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In Old Town

218 F St. EUREKA

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Signed, Associated Students of Cal Poly Humboldt

OPINION

Disconnected

by Cheyenne Wise These past few years have created this heavy and strange feeling that has found itself settling on my chest.

It’s a constant feeling of disconnect—a disconnect from my peers, professors, friends, and even family. I’m staring at a black screen or the muted faces of people I should know, but it feels like I’m watching a TV show.

I was 21 when COVID-19 hit, and now I’m 24. I’ve already lost most of my early 20s, and I don’t know when I’m

‘I already lost most of my early 20s’ ever going to get it back. A lot of people are telling me, “well, you could have gone out and partied with your friends or traveled” as if COVID-19 doesn’t exist or like I’m not terrified of getting sick. I was supposed to be a graduate and living in another state working a dream job, but here I am, sitting in my room in my hometown, waiting for my next class to start while getting ready for work. I’m not unhappy with where my life is, but I’m not exactly delighted with everything. I love my jobs, my

coworkers, and the fact that I’m living with my childhood best friend, but some part of me is mourning the loss of what could have been, just like many people.

I miss having exciting conversations with my peers and being excited about my classes. The disconnect and lack of inspiration are like a smack to the face when I sit down to log onto Zoom for my lecture. I’ve become one of those black screens that remains muted, and I hate it. Even writing has become a

struggle for me. I’m a storyteller, but all I have is nothing when I sit down to write. There’s no ‘aha’ moment of what story needs to be told or list of potential events to look to reporting on.

I know I’m not alone in this feeling because I see it everywhere. Other college students are no longer being inspired by their studies. I just wish I had some great advice on mediating a solution, but I don’t. It’s a dreadful feeling, and I feel a particular type of guilt for not having a remedy.

My mental illness makes me a better leader It can make you a better leader too

by Lex Valtenbergs You sleep too much or too little and neglect your personal hygiene. You’re a ticking time bomb that can’t be defused. You oscillate between extremes like a pendulum. Your own thoughts wage war against you and, in some circumstances, the people around you.

Being mentally ill is a constant struggle, and that is only the surface of it.

In my case, I have undiagnosed traits of borderline personality disorder (BPD), specifically a subset of the disorder called quiet BPD, as well as comorbid anxiety and depression.

To be clear, I am not diagnosed due to being assigned female at birth (AFAB) in a rural county, one with a disproportionately high rate of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and inaccessible or understaffed mental healthcare facilities.

Seeking and getting a diagnosis from a psychiatrist is also protracted and difficult, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

It must also be said that being branded borderline in our society is not ideal, especially as someone who was is perceived as female. There is a lot of stigma around the four Cluster B personality disorders: narcissistic, borderline, histrionic and antisocial personality disorder.

I stigmatized narcissism in particular, before I became self-aware and realized that narcissism is merely the inverse of codependency. Both stem from traumatic formative experiences with maladaptive object constancy and abandonment, but they manifest differently. For me, narcissism was a mirror into my own dark traits that I wasn’t able or willing to peer into.

Most borderlines are stuck in an incredibly alienating and painful catch-22. The people who understand us aren’t necessarily healthy for us, and the people who don’t understand us are usually stabilizing for us. Couple that

would rather shrink than dare to take up space. The latter is contingent upon us being vulnerable, which includes the risk of failure.

Because my judgment is skewed by my mental illness, I make a lot of mis-

Graphic by Lex Valtenbergs

with the chronic emptiness that borderlines endure daily and you quickly rack up a series of short, toxic relationships that end in violent staccato.

The Western culture of individualism makes things worse for mentally ill people. In our society, we have a tendency to overlook our ability to affect other peoples’ lives. We also have the tendency to sell ourselves short. We

takes. I assume the worst of people who don’t deserve it. I misread peoples’ intentions before giving them the benefit of the doubt, or idealize people who haven’t yet earned my trust or respect. These behaviors open me up to exploitation and abuse. I can also be abrasive, intense and even callous, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have compassion or remorse.

If anything, I feel too much, more strongly and longer than the average person does. I constantly emotionally regulate myself, to grapple with my volatile moods and intense emotions.

Most of these emotions go inward towards myself rather than radiate outward.

Believe it or not, my mental illness makes me a better leader. Because I am mentally ill, I have put myself in situations where I needed to be held accountable for the sake of myself and people around me.

I couldn’t play the victim. I had to own up to my behavior, even though it stemmed from something out of my control. At the end of the day, I am fully responsible for my choices and the consequences.

Owning up to your dark side every time it creeps up and wreaks havoc enables you to build healthy, strong relationships. Relationships are hard work.

Good leaders have good relationships. Good relationships are contingent on accountability, boundaries, trust and clear communication.

The first step of realizing your ability to lead others and trying it is hard no matter what, but mentally ill people just have more barriers to overcome.

I have had to learn how to use the dark side of my mental illness to harness my light and use it to influence others around me. The skills that I’ve developed to cope with my borderline traits, anxiety and depression allow me a self-insight which is extremely useful.

Every day, we have the choice to be a positive or negative influence in the lives of people we know. Try to go against the grain of your darkest tendencies of your humanity and use your light as a guide.