03.02.22

the S T U D E N T S S E R V I N G T H E H U M B O L D T S TAT E C A M P U S A N D C O M M U N I T Y S I N C E 1 9 2 9 FREE

LUMBERJACK WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 | VOL. 120 NO. 7

H S U L U M B E RJ A C K K T H E L U M B E RJ A C K .O R G

EDQ

SIGNS OF CHANGE Photo by Morgan Hancock | Facilities staff Charles Day removes the lettering from the iconic “Humboldt State University” signs on Monday, Feb 28.

Index News...................3 Intl.studies......4 Sports................6 Opinion...............8

Associated Students pg 3

Communications Department.

International studies takeover pg 4 & 5

Troubled police recruitment at Cal Poly Humboldt

by Carlos Pedraza

The Cal Poly Police Department has a total of eight vacant spots in its organizations: two administrative, three dispatchers, one officer, and two sergeants. The CPD has enough staff to work all necessary operations, but this significant gap in positions and recruitments is now common throughout the nation.

Sergeant Chance Carpenter has noticed fewer people willing to become officers. The College of the Redwood police academy has also had lower recruitment.

“When I went to an academy in 2006, approximately 27-28 graduated from that police academy,” Carpenter said. He explained how the current number of graduates has dropped to only twelve at an academy that once graduated over double the members yearly. Carpenter added most law enforcement is having staffing issues, not just the ones in Humboldt. Speaking of his feelings, Carpenter feels some portion of society is less supportive of law enforcement.

Black Lives Matter protests and reaction to police violence changed the public opinion on policing. A recent Black History Month protest in the Arcata Plaza articulated community concerns regarding police officers.

“I think society should always be critical of professionals that offer services,” said Carpenter in response to questions about the change in the public view of police. Carpenter explained in his view that law enforcement should be invested in their communities and positive changes in policing should be supportive.

There is still a disconnect between students and the CPD despite Carpenter’s hopeful sentiment. Cal Poly

Graphic courtesy of Cal Poly Humboldt Marketing and

Humboldt freshman Elaina Wargala expressed her feelings about law enforcement.

“I think that a portion of society may be less appreciative of the work law enforcement does,” said Wargala. She expressed her own discomfort with law enforcement in general.

“I think a lot of people take advantage of their position,” Wargala said.

The disconnect between campus law enforcement and the student body makes it difficult to maintain staff and even harder to hire new staff. Despite the high number of vacant positions, the CPD has still been able to maintain operations successfully.

Black Out Goodbye Game Lumber jack? pg 6 pg 8

Cyclists fill streets in honor of late Arcata woman

by Liam Gwynn

Critical Mass cyclists took over the streets of downtown Arcata on Friday night, carrying flowers to the scene of a tragic accident that took the life of a mother. The bike ride was a memorial and demonstration to raise awareness for the problems facing cyclists and the dangers of unsafe driving.

This January, a 40-year-old mother was killed in Arcata after attempting to cross a crosswalk with her child. In a heroic last act, she pushed the stroller out of the way, saving the child. The local branch of Critical Mass hosted Friday’s bike ride to memorialize her life and put pressure on the city to make infrastructure changes with pedestrian safety at the focus.

The group met in the Arcata Plaza where organizers handed out flowers to bring to the locations of two accidents involving pedestrians getting hit by cars. The peaceful demonstration took up the streets and

Photo by Morgan Hancock | on Friday Feb. 25 Critical Mass cyclists left flowers for the late Jennifer Garcia who was struck by a car in January near the intersection of St. Louis Road and Janes Creek Drive in Arcata, California.

blocked traffic on K st, Spear Ave, and finally the crosswalk of the fatal accident on St. Louis road. The group ended the night by regrouping at the Plaza.

They then took turns telling stories of dangerous encounters they had with cars while cycling.

Critical Mass is a peaceful international movement with a focus on promoting ecologically-friendly transportation and raising awareness for safe driving. Jonathan Maiullo is the lead organizer for the Arcata branch and explained how Friday night differed from the usual rides.

“It’s important that the city be aware that we are paying attention and when a cyclist is killed or injured, something needs to change,” said Maiullo.

SEE CRITICAL MASS● PAGE 3 Photo by Morgan Hancock | Critical Mass cyclist confronts an angry driver complainng about the road block for Jennifer Garcia’s memorial bike ride in Arcata, Feb. 25.

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THE LUMBERJACK

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

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CRITICAL MASS FROM PAGE 1 Maiullo explained how this issue requires local development that gives more freedom and safety to cyclists.

“In the city, we just want greater visibility and that would come with having clear and separated bike lanes,” said Maiullo.

Carisse Geronimo is the social media manager as well as an organizer for Critical Mass Arcata. According to Geronimo, the biggest problem facing the cycling community is the interactions between people driving cars and cyclists on the road.

NEWS/SCIENCE “The whole interface between cars and pedestrians and cyclists’ safety is a big problem. I think our structure is all backward and we shouldn’t feel like we have to yield to cars,” Geronimo said.

Critical Mass hosts monthly bike rides in the plaza, however, many new faces showed up for the first time in order to honor the mother who was killed, including community member Johnny Newsome. He was drawn to the event after he heard where the accident took place.

“I go through that intersection where that lady was killed all the time, and I got to admit I drive through there too fast sometimes myself,” Newsome said. “And you know it needs to be addressed. Some change has to be made on the street.”

Critical Mass meets in the Arcata Plaza on the last Friday of every month at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Photo by Abraham Navarro | Felix O’donnell, 6, sits between his parents on his lit up bike at the Arcata City Plaza before the Critical Mass bike ride on Feb. 25.

Healing a broken student body Associated Students moving forward after impeachment

by Matthew Taylor It felt like he had become a completely different person. This was a sentiment that current and previous A.S. members echoed in detailing their experiences with ex-A.S. president Jeremiah Finley over the years.

On Feb. 20, Finley was officially impeached and removed from his office.

Due to the Legislative Vice President role being empty, the role was given to previous Social Justice and Equity Officer, Lizabeth Cano Sanchez. A unanimous vote on an impromptu Feb. 8 meeting approved this decision. Currently, six positions within A.S. remain open, with an important and daunting budget season right around the corner.

Many inside and outside A.S. remain both worried and hopeful for the association, along with many still healing from their time serving under Finley’s terms.

“I have witnessed many great powerhouses of [the] Associated Students’ with strong voices drop off of the A.S. Board [of Directors],” Representative Tashenea Burns Young said. “Because of the negligence, [disrespect] and [inability] to do their job to their full potential, because of President Finley.”

For longtime members of A.S. such as Malluli Cuellar, Finley’s change in demeanor beginning in the Summer of 2021 was both shocking and confusing, akin to a light switch being flipped.

“If we ever had any disagreements it was still very respectful,” Cuellar said, explaining his previous demeanor. “He was still actively listening, I felt like he was taking in a lot of the feedback that we would get back then and you would see your feedback implemented into the work.”

For Cuellar, much of this seemed to change after the pre-agenda meeting of

August 2021, which can be read about in our A.S. impeachment article. However, for previous Administrative Vice President (AVP) David Lopez, this had begun as early as June that year.

As AVP, Lopez was expected to be the head of the association’s yearly budget proposal. This was a task he took very seriously and based on feedback he had assumed he successfully did that year.

A phone call from Finley days after the budget books should have been closed and signed told him differently.

Under the advice and pressure of the university, Finley had almost completely revised the budget without Lopez’s or the Board’s input. When asked what changes he had made, Finley refused to respond until the next board meeting two days later.

“I’m not ready to share those at the moment, I’ll bring them up tomorrow at our meeting,” Lopez said, directly

PAGE 3

Photo by Morgan Hancock | Charlie Caldwell brings flowers to the bike ride memorial Critical Mass hosted on Friday in Arcata, Ca.

quoting Finley’s words at the time.

Huge cuts were made to General Operations, and funds given to student employees under A.S. programs such as WRAPP and CCAT, along with money taken out of the reserves for reallocation. Lopez also expressed that over the pandemic, Finley repeatedly proposed legislation that directly or indirectly centered power into his presidential position.

“He’s not like that,” Lopez said. “He doesn’t portray himself as someone who is into power [in that way], he’s the perfect politician.”

Despite the turmoil, both past and present A.S. members have hope for the future of the organization.

“As for Associated Students, we are working together to further engage in collaboration,” Burns-Young said.

“Understanding that we are students and most importantly we are human.

With the support of our advisors, core programs, and staff we are the Associated Students who will once more rise above the conflict to further empower our student body.”

The next A.S. meeting will be March 4, at 4 p.m. in Siemens Hall 117.

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Wednesday, March 2, 2022

THE LUMBERJACK

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

Global engagement begins at home This year’s keynote speaker, Mary Akpovi, who was born in Nigeria but has lived most of her life in California, inspired us to be both local and global citizens. While Akpovi has spent most of her career in public accounting, her true passion, in recent years, has been charity work. Having been involved with several charity organizations here in the United States and abroad, she has a lot of wisdom to offer.

In California, Akpovi was previously a board member for the Exceptional Children Foundation, an organization that provides services to children and adults with learning and developmental challenges. She also worked with Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, an organization that assists people experiencing homelessness.

Her international work has been centered in Sierra Leone, Uganda, and

Kenya. She has been instrumental in opening vocational training centers in these countries and continues to support several vocational schools, primarily in tailoring, catering and salon care.

When asked where her passion for charity work comes from, she said it was the support she received in her own life, from her father, her religion, and from others. Now, she is paying it forward by mentoring, and it is at the heart of everything she does. In her opinion, it is one of the best investments a person can make.

She hopes participants got the overall message that everyone has potential. That potential can be fostered by encouraging one another, being intentional, and “staying in your lane,” a phrase that Akpovi holds close to her heart.

Photo courtesy of Mary Akpovi

Movement and identity In light of forced displacements, violence, and complex geo-political issues, Dr Tani Sebro (PSCI) explored the cultural performances that have served the critical function of Myanmar’s refugee population in her session “Aesthetic Nationalism: The Dance of War and Exile along the Thai-Myanmar border.”

In the context of conflict and exile, music, dance, and the performing arts play a pivotal role in creating a sense of national and community, according to Sebro. As a cultural ethnographer who also underwent training in the tra-

ditional performance arts called Jaad Thai, Sebro was able to experience how dance and performing arts made life possible outside the contemporary nation-state system for exiled people.

In essence, physically synchronized rhythmic movement promotes a strong sense of unity within all cultures, religions, and nations. It also holds potential for expressing ethnic identity for refugees, especially for the Tai living in a time of danger.

Levels of connection International Education Week helps inform us about the issues that connect us wherever we are in the world; two presentations made this point very clear.

COVID-19 is perhaps the most immediate example of how globalization affects our daily lives. Economics professor Beth Wilson brought this idea closer to home by looking at the impact of the pandemic on education.

Wilson’s information-packed presentation examined the different ways that the pandemic has affected the lives of one billion students worldwide, particularly in developing countries with little access to technology.

Short term decisions made by local authorities will have long term economic consequences Wilson argued that “COVID-19 is the biggest education disruption in history.”

To finish out the week and bringing the world back to Humboldt, alum Viridiana Preciado discussed the work done by the Sovereign Bodies Institute, an organization that helps locate missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Preciado’s presentation highlighted the injustices that indigenous communities face on a daily basis and talked about the work SBI has done locally with the Yurok tribe and offered ways people can support this effort. She concluded her presentation by pointing out that she got her job after meeting the CEO of her organization at an IEW session two years ago.

“I just followed my heart and introduced myself after the session. I told her I really wanted to help make a difference and here I am,” said Preciado.

IEW highlights Black voices On Feb. 14, Professor Maxwell Schnurer kicked off International Education Week with a presentation about the music and activism of Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti, a Nigerian Pan-Africanist and musician.

During his life, Kuti reinvented African culture as a revolutionary act to subvert colonialism and reassert his autonomy as a Black person. “I never thought about it, being African as such,” Kuti said in an interview from the 1970s. “It didn’t mean anything to me until much later in my life.”

Schnurer deconstructed the sociology of colonialism to provide a framework for cultural appropriation, a phenomenon that exploits indigenous Black cultures in particular.

Colonialism is a kind of discourse that

perpetuates a narrative of European superiority.

“You’re born out of the womb into a world of discourse,” Schnurer said.

“Your grandparents, your aunts and uncles had language on this planet, before you arrived.”

Umoja Center for Pan-African Academic Excellence Coordinator and International Studies alumnus Doug Smith also spoke, sharing his ongoing master’s research about Pan-African identity.

“For many people of color, the use of English as a language, as a means of communication, is very tied into their history and engagement with colonialism and settler colonialism,” Smith said.

Following the flow: coffee and gold We are very fortunate here at Cal Poly Humboldt to have professors who are passionate about the work they have done, and who want to share their knowledge and experience. IEW offers faculty from across the university the opportunity to showcase their work.

Gordon Ulmer and Noah Zerbe traced the “social life” of two very different commodities economically and culturally.

Together, they explored the impact

of global markets for gold and food (and specifically for coffee) on local communities around the world. Each of these common goods ties together different social, cultural, political, and economic ideas. They also asked us to think about our own responsibility in that global exchange.

“Starting my day with a cup of coffee connects us, connects me, connects all of us to these broader economic, political, cultural, environmental questions,” Zerbe said.

THE LUMBERJACK

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

PAGE 5

Only 1% of college students study abroad Stand out from the crowd Despite COVID-19 and lockdowns, Cal Poly Humboldt is beginning to plan for study abroad again. Five different sessions during International Education Week helped students prepare for their trips. Videos are available on the IEW website (iew.humboldt.edu/ schedule) where you can hear from students about their own experiences; from budget planning and cell phone plans to what it was like to be a student of color in a strange place.

Professors Matthew Dean and Joseph Diémé also hosted a session to talk about their Leon, Spain and Nantes, France programs scheduled to take place this summer. They discussed the appeal of faculty-led programs, including the ease of transferring credits and even the possibility of gaining a minor.

More information can be found on the Humboldt Study Abroad web-

site, which also includes information about other programs through the CSU or third-party providers. All programs are available to any student at Humboldt regardless of major.

A final look at study abroad was presented by Jonathan Maiullo of College of the Redwoods, who discussed the importance of recognizing the impact you have in the communities where you travel. He stressed the importance of “responsible storytelling” as a way to share your experiences with others while respecting the culture you visit. If you are thinking study abroad is not for you because of cost, there are a number of scholarships with deadlines coming soon.

Stand out from the crowd – study abroad: https://humboldt-international.terradotta.com/

A world of love, education and grief Kicking off on Valentine’s Day, it seemed natural for anthropologist Mary Scoggin to speak of love in the context of China. She discussed the many different ways in which we understand and express our affection, and how even our most cherished emotion is rooted in our own cultural history.

Educating the next generation is deeply rooted in culture. Vincent Biondo, Department Chair of Religious Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, talked about Islam and citizenship education in Europe. Biondo addressed the question of how Europe should respond to diversity and incoming migrant communities, specifically Muslims. Biondo argued that Europe should invest in schools that teach pro-social values.

“There’s a lot of evidence that shows that people solidify their prejudices by the time they’re in middle school,” Biondo said.

In other words, if one educates students at a younger age about diversity,

communities would become more accepting.

On the other end of the spectrum, Kerri Malloy of San Jose State discussed a workshop he was asked to help host in 2019 on promoting and protecting civil and human rights.

That year the seminar was exclusively designed for members of the US civil service like ICE and FBI agents.

Perhaps more importantly, it took place at the Auschwitz concentration camp as organizers felt there was no better place to talk about the erosion of human and civil rights.

As Malloy showed multiple pictures of the camp, he asked his audience to consider these images not simply as foreign, but to think of places here in California that are also places of violence.

“These places were built to last – they have a permanence – they mark the landscape forever,” Malloy said.

Photos from International Studies Major Danika McKeever’s study abroad trip to South Korea.

Work around the world International careers offer an extraordinary experience for anyone to branch out of their comfort zone and explore the world.

Through your experience abroad you can gain a stronger understanding of other types of cultures, peoples, environments, and governments depending on the work you choose.

People who work in an international setting are often pushed to confront extraordinary new elements that open any number of lifetime options.

Careers extend from working on a campus to help students to build their own international experience. Nora Montoya of Cal Poly Humboldt’s Academic and Career Advising Center took time to work for the Peace Corps, and Ryan Gliha worked for the State Department. He has since spent his career helping build strong relation-

ships between the United States and other nations around the world. Now, as the diplomat in residence for California, Gliha is helping students join the foreign service.

Even while still in college there are ways to build a strong international profile. For example, the State Department has remote internships around the world and every government department hosts internships that could help you build your career.

“International work is an opportunity like no other,” Gliha said. “It will change your life”.

For support or more information contact ACAC and Nora Montoya (nora.montoya@humboldt.edu), John Keller, Peace Corps (Jkeller2@peacecorps.gov) or Ryan Gliha, State Dept (DIRnorthwest@state.gov).

About International Studies

Photo courtesy of the International Studies department

International Studies Capstone Spring 2022 Laura Gurney Rachel Hood Johnny Medoza Leslie Ortiz Abby Reina Guerra

Debora Rios Emma Roberts Haley Rodden Cataleena Tchieng Lex Valtenbergs

International studies is an interdisciplinary major that examines the drivers of globalization. The goal is to better understand the forces that shape the world so we can make changes in that world. Students study other languages and are required to study abroad as part of their own exploration of the interconnections between people and places local and global.

International Education Week, now in its 23rd year at Humboldt, is a 1-unit colloquium crossed-listed by six majors and open to the community, but required for international majors. This year, IEW brought together faculty and staff from across

Humboldt, California and the world via Zoom to present 30 hours of programming to well over 700 attendees.

Students in this year’s international capstone class acted as hosts for each session and wrote this report of the week’s events. We are honored to be guest reporters for The Lumberjack and hope this helps you feel less distanced in a time of COVID-19. We are rooted in this community but still reaching for the world.

If you have any questions about IEW or international studies, my door is always open.

Feel free to Contact Professor Alison Holmes at alison.holmes@humboldt. edu.

International Education Week would like to thank its sponsors and all of our presenters. The full schedule and videos of sessions from 2022 (and 2021) can be found online: https://iew.humboldt. edu/.

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Wednesday, March 2, 2022

SPORTS

THE LUMBERJACK

BASKETBALL CCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE HELD IN LUMBERJACK ARENA MAR. 3 - 5

Get tickets here :

Basketball hosts Black Out Night Umoja Center celebrates black faculty and staff

by Angel Barker Students lined the Redwood Bowl Plaza for food, music, games and a performance on Feb. 24 for the Black Out Basketball pre-game rally. Organized by the Umoja Center for Pan African Student Excellence, it was a celebration of Cal Poly Humboldt’s Black faculty and staff.

The celebration was not just for the faculty and staff, but for the black student community. Douglas Smith, coordinator of the Umoja Center and masters student in English, was a critical part in making the event successful.

“It means a chance to have community,” Smith said. “A chance for Cal Poly Humboldt to support our Black student community like we would in society.”

The Umoja Center’s mission is to support the pan-African student community. Lots of students were in attendance for the pre-game tailgate, to support and celebrate community and the campus.

“I came out to support the game and the celebration that’s going on right now,” said Joy Mehn, a political science major.

The center is very important to Mehn.

Photo by Angel Barker | Dancers for Duniya Dance and Drum Company at the Redwood Bowl Plaza on Feb. 24

“To me the center means family,” Mehn said. “So many good friends are in the Umoja Center. It is a place to just relax and come together.”

Gloria Thompson, a child development major, was attending the rally to celebrate Black excellence. Thompson found her people at the Umoja Center.

Basketball honors their seniors in last game

by Jake Knoeller

Two seniors celebrated their college basketball careers for Humboldt State here at the Lumberjack Arena on Saturday night.

For the women, Sharon Roldan closed out her second season for the ‘Jacks with 8 points and an emotional moment at the end of the game with

gram,” coach Tae Norwood said. “We got this memoir that we utilize: I give myself for the team. He represents that to the fullest.”

Green said he was very grateful for the memorable night he had celebrating his career here at Humboldt. His family was up in Humboldt for this game and he said how it was amazing to have them and his teammates sup-

“I was a student at home dealing with a toxic family,” Thompson said. “I found my community and family there [the center].”

The rally featured Southern food and a drum and dance performance by the Duniya Dance and Drum Company.

The San Francisco-based company was

formed in 2007 to create dance and music.

Before the men's basketball game, a video was played in honor of Black History Month and featured student athletes and what the month means to them and who they look up to.

All throughout the men’s game, free t-shirts were given to every person featuring the hashtag #LoveIsTheNewBlack and Black Out Game 2022.

During half time of the men's game, many of Cal Poly Humboldt’s Black faculty and staff were honored with flowers and a gift bag. The drummers from Duniya Dance and Drum Company were also in attendance and helped hype up the crowd with their music.

Thursday Feb. 24 was just one of the days to celebrate the Black community on the Cal Poly Humboldt campus.

“It is to celebrate school spirit, hang out and enjoy each other,” Smith said.

“To enjoy good food and Black culture.”

Madison Parry has standout year as freshman

by Mekiah Glynn

Madison Parry started playing basketball when she was 6. Now, she’s a freshman on the Cal Poly Humboldt’s women’s basketball team. Throughout this season that lifetime of practice has become apparent with her contribution to the ‘Jacks.

Parry leads the team with 363 points total for the 2021-22 season and started in 23 games. She said that Family, friends, and her teammates are all factors that keep her motivated to continue pushing herself and playing her best. “[The coaches] challenge me every day with practices and games,” Parry said. “They always motivate me to be the best version of myself.”

The practices involve competition that makes it fun for Parry and gives the athletes a reason to push themselves.

After all the practice Parry finds her joy in the crowd when she plays home games. She said that her favorite part of the games is the atmosphere.

“When playing in the Lumberjack arena, It’s really amazing,” Parry said.

Parry said she appreciates the energy and motivation that having a crowd full of Cal Poly Humboldt students brings and while they don’t have that at away games, Parry believes that the away games bring the team together more.

“A highlight from this season would probably be the Chico game,” Parry said. The Chico game resulted in a Humboldt win after the game had 3 overtimes. Parry scored 20 points in the game against Chico.

For the remainder of the season, Parry hoped to finish strong with more wins. “We’re not gonna make the tournament,” Parry said. “But if we win these games we can change other team’s rankings.”

The basketball season came to an end for the ‘Jacks on Feb. 26 where they fell to the Cal State San Marcos Cougars 47-75.

Photo by Thomas Lal courtesy of Humboldt Athletics | Senior Sharon Roldan is honored by teammates, coaches and family members on basketball's senior day on Feb. 26.

her coaches Michelle Bento-Jackson and Guillermo Blas, who she said have had an amazing influence on her.

“They helped me both on and off the court,” Roldan said. “Coach Blas especially, he would work around my work schedule too. I would always ask him ‘Hey, can you open the gym’ at 7 or 8am. He would always come no matter what.”

Roldan also expressed how grateful she was that Bento-Jackson accepted her into the Lumberjack family.

“I can’t thank her [Bento-Jackson] enough,” Roldan said.

On Thursday night, she scored a career high 20 points and left it all out on the court.

On the men's side, Amari Green finished off his fourth straight season with the Jacks, playing 38 of his total 2,054 minutes on Saturday and scoring 10 points.

“Amari’s meant a lot to this pro-

porting him.

“I just loved it,” Green said. “Thank you to the environment, thank you to the fans for coming out, and it’s everything I thought it would be.”

Both of these teams faced a lot of challenges and adversity during the season and showed a lot of perseverance through it all. They were hit with a lot of injuries and absences and showed their character by never slowing down, even when the results didn’t always show.

“Obviously our record is not indicative of what these girls went through, however I do feel like we underachieved in certain areas too,” Bento-Jackson said.

Even though the team will not be playing in the conference championship tournament, the coach did show a lot of optimism about the experience all of the returning players have gained this season from their minutes and

Photo by Thomas Lal courtesy of Humboldt Athletics | Madison Parry played in the senior night game on Saturday, Feb. 26 where women's basketball honored two seniors.

believes they will move forward and become much better next year. Norwood had similar feelings about his team, touching on how they always play hard.

“When we got eliminated from this conference tournament about 3 or 4 games ago, some teams tank it and just go through the motions,” Norwood explained. “I thought these guys came and practiced hard and practiced with great

intensity.”

He said that he felt the character was always great, and when they lost it was never due to a lack of effort. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the next season and all the returning players. Both teams will have a busy offseason in preparation, and later in the year they will be back out there ready to give it their all again.

THE LUMBERJACK

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

PAGE 7

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.

PAGE 8

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

OPINION

THE LUMBERJACK

I am a queer Christian, not an Dear Mr. Putin oxymoron

by Matthew Taylor

My entire existence is a tightrope balancing act between two facets of myself, that are constantly told they cannot exist together. Yet these facets can not be divided from me nor from one another. I am queer. I’m a person of faith. I am a trans and bisexual Christian.

As Lent rolls in, I often find myself having to reflect upon these two identities. I take this time of the year to re-orientate myself back to my spiritual core. It is a beautiful process that reminds me of my humanity and the love I receive everyday from my Creator, but it is a side that I often feel compelled to hide, just as I am often compelled to hide my queer side from the greater Christian community.

It is a fine line. I’m constantly aware of my fellow queer peers’ religious trauma, something I’d never want to make them relive. It hurts, though, to know that my faith comes with so many automatic assumptions of my character.

Some have ideas that I’m conservative in my politics or that I don’t affirm my own queer identity. I am neither of those, and neither are many other queer people of faith. So, I stay silent.

Yet in this very silence I only continue to feed into the false narrative that all religious persons or persons of faith are non-affirming of queer identities, bigoted, or close minded.

Growing up, I was extremely lucky to live in both a queer affirming and religious household. I was raised predominantly in a Christian denomination that had already begun to take the steps towards full LGBT+ inclusion by the time I was born.

We are here and we refuse to be erased

by Cheyenne Wise In March 2020, Gal Gadot released the infamous “Imagine” video on her Instagram page, an asinine attempt to convey solidarity with a world being ravaged by COVID-19. The rich and famous banded together to imagine a world with “no possessions” while people around the country suffered a social, health and economic crisis wasn’t what the world needed at the time.

The whole thing was cringy and overall tone-deaf. Step aside, Gal GadPhoto by Christopher Marciel | Matthew Taylor posing with his Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book by the ot, because a new savior is here to stop bay in Old Town, Eureka on Feb. 27. the Ukraine crisis. Actress AnnaLynne It is a huge privilege, one I constant- power to those of faith who may wish McCord, self-proclaimed human rights ly try to stay aware of. I also believe it is to silence us, oppress us or destroy us activist and anti-human trafficking ama statement of hope. I am living proof both within these religious spaces and bassador, released a slam poem video in an attempt to make Russian Presithat one can grow up as Christian, as out of them. a religious person, and still fully affirm I want to extend my love and vali- dent Vladimir Putin stop and feel the their own queer existence. It is because dation to any fellow LGBT+ people out love. McCord’s over 2-minute long vidof this very truth that I continue to live there who also desire to stay in or are eo implies she might have been able to knowing these two identities are not currently part of any certain religion, change the Russian leader had she had mutually exclusive. whether you be Christian, Jewish, Mus- been his mother.

Don’t worry Ukraine and everyone I don’t wish to proselytize or to con- lim or belong to any other faith. There vert any person to my own faith, nor to are people out there just like you, and else, another white American has once any religion in general. There is truth, there are resources out there that can again stepped up to the plate to put a validity and importance to be found allow you to flourish fully and wholly as stop to this devastation.

“Dear President Vladimir Putin: I’m in both agnosticism and atheism. All you are.

I wish is to break the narrative that all This Lent, as many like me take this so sorry that I was not your mother. If I people of faith are non-affirming. moment to pause and self-reflect on was your mother, you would have been This perception erases the amaz- ourselves, I hope to show through my so loved,” chanted McCord.

Putin should be on his knees sobing work that queer people of faith all actions and pure existence that religion around the world are doing to create and spiritual expression are as much bing at the realization that all he needrightful places for us in these sacred a right to LGBT+ people as they are to ed was love, right? McCord continued, lamenting that if she was his mothspaces. More frightfully, it gives more others. er, she would have died to make him warm, to protect him from the unjust, violence, terror, and uncertainty, and to “give you life.”

If you aren’t convinced that American influencers can save the day, you need to look again. John ‘You Can’t See Me!’ Cena tweeted out, “If I could somehow summon the powers of a real life #Peacemaker I think this would be a great time to do so.” Cena wished upon a star that his DC character Peacemaker was real so he can help, making sure to tag the marketing account for the show.

All that’s missing from this A-Team is our girl Kendall Jenner with her can of Pepsi to take the front lines.

Watching the atrocities in Ukraine unfold on top of dealing with the savior complex of these influencers is just disgusting. These influencers are so sincere in thinking that they are uplifting the masses, when in reality they are doing the absolute least. The last time a group of influencers gathered together Graphic by Abraham Navarro and actually created change was in the 80s, when “We Are the World” raised settlers saw the forests and valley floors as barriers to Manifest Destiny. consider rebranding ourselves as the millions of dollars in aid of Africa.

The performative activism of celebThere are pictures that depict how Cal Poly Humboldt Bigfoots. the invaders swaggered around muIf a tree falls down in the forest and rities during these times is unneeded tilated tree trunks. In their final judg- nobody is around to hear it— it must and repugnant. To them I say: keep ment, the white settlers had set fire to be Bigfoot! He is an anomaly that sim- your slam poetry and songs to yourself. the entire forest in order to make sure ply cannot be contained. He thrives by The world doesn’t need cheering up, that the redwoods were vanquished. In hiding in the foliage and greenery of especially from people like you. turn, Indigenous populations saw their his environment. Bigfoot could come to homelands turn to ruins. represent our local community’s stewI do not think an icon with such a ardship of the environment. checkered past is very representative of Whether you’re a skeptic or believthe social equity and diversity that our er (or perhaps somewhere in between), departments wish to strive for. It is the you cannot deny the impact that the manifestation of white, cisgendered, mighty Sasquatch has left around the heterosexual and patriarchal values. world. Graduating as Cal Poly HumThe question still remains: what boldt Bigfoots could mean leaving should our new mascot be, if not Lucky nothing but footprints in our wake inthe Lumberjack? I think that we should stead of taking from others..

To change or not to change

by Eddie Carpenter

Humboldt State University is now Cal Poly Humboldt, and with this shift comes a lot of rebranding. Cal Poly Humboldt’s marketing partner SimpsonScarborough recently sent out a survey regarding possible logo concepts. If the marketing and rebranding is at the heart of this process, I think that we are in a dire need of new mascot. After all, what does a lumberjack really represent?

At first glance, it’s a kind of nod to how pervasive the culture of the timber industry used to be in Humboldt County. At one point in time, it dominated the local job market.

My father was among the masses who used to log up in the hills and work the mill yards. Nowadays, the industry’s number of workers has been reduced to a fraction of what it used to be. Therefore, this figure has sort of faded to the background of the public imagination.

When my friend used to go to the campus bookstore, she was always greeted by a lumberjack cutout that you could put your face in. This is where you too could’ve been a large bearded white man wielding an ax.

Even in advertising, lumberjacks are portrayed asserting their dominance over nature with brute force.

When I look at our mascot, I am reminded of the horrors committed

by American settlers in Northern California. In my Native American Studies class, I learned about a book called Genocide in Northwestern California

by Jack Norton. In the 1850s, white

Why celebrity activism is asinine and unneeded