The InterActivist - Spring 2015 by InterActivist

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INTER ACTIVIST WRITING FOR PROGRESS

Issue 56 | Spring 2015 athensinteractivist.com

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norms. Since its inception, The InterActivist has evolved to encompass

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conversation on all the latest in facets of the innovative Athens culture

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– from politics, to art, to music, to science, to religion – and how it re-

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OHIO. It is the second-oldest student publication in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University in beautiful Athens. It is pro-

lates to its residents and the world at large. The InterActivist’s mission

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is to speak loudly the voices that would otherwise not be heard.

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MEET OUR ACTIVISTS

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ON THE COVER: New BLAC Members Olivia Wallace, Jasmine Renee

DIGITAL EDITOR

Riley, Oliver Stone, Shambrion Treadwell, Ryant Taylor, John Brown and Olivia Busby pose for a portrait outside on the Scripps Amphitheater on Mar. 29, 2015. The group stemmed from the public demonstrations from last fall semester such as #HANDSUPWALKOUT, #OCCUPYBAKER and the die-ins that took place in Cutler Hall after the New York Supreme Court decision not to indict Eric Garner’s killer.

Kate Hiller

PHOTO EDITOR Eli Hiller

WRITERS

in humanistic equality regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, orientation,

Kate Hiller Marley Scott Jordan Simmons

or biology is core to InterActivists as is a fierce desire to challenge the

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University, the city of Athens, and the surrounding Appalachia. A belief

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

duced with funding from the OU Student Senate’s Student Activities

The InterActivist is a socially progressive counterculture magazine pub-

PUTTING A FACE ON STUDENT UNION

8 THE NEW BLAC

WRITING FOR PROGRESS

CIAL JUSTICE AND PROGRESSIVISM IN SOUTHEAST

In this issue...

Chance Brinkman-Sull Jaci Mullally Lauren Settlemyre Rachel Rogala

PHOTOGRAPHERS Alex Cenci Alexandria Driehaus Lucas Reilly

COVER PHOTO: Eli Hiller COVER DESIGN: Kelly Bondra

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In terms of the university with the Student Union right now, there is a hierarchy that’s preventing us from living the lives we want to live.” - MADELEINE TOERNE, sophomore LEFT: Hundreds of Ohio University students, faculty and staff stand outside of 29 Park Place in Athens, Ohio to protest the Ohio University’s Board of Trustees decision to buy a new house for President Roderick McDavis and his wife on Mar. 31, 2015. The president’s new home, on 31 Coventry Lane, will cost Ohio University $1.2 million.

photo by ELI HILLER

PLACING A HUMAN FACE ON STUDENT UNION written by JORDAN SIMMONS

“P

eople view us as trendy hipsters,” said Olivia Wallace, a member of Student Union. When I saw nude images of people holding up BARE signs on Facebook, representing Bobcats for Affordability, Responsibility and Empowerment, I heard some people say how they are sick of Student Union and Student Senate. It is obvious that communication is necessary for better general understanding of what’s going on at Ohio University right now. “I can understand why people would be frustrated with Student Senate, because we as Student Union are frustrated with Student Senate,” said Wallace. “We don’t want a representative body that supposedly tries to advocate for students. We want to let students be 4 | THE INTERAC TIVIST | SP RING 2015

a part of the conversation.” After attending one meeting with Student Union, I learned that they have a hell of a lot more in common with me than I knew. One icebreaker and I already sensed their compassion and support for one another. One student said, “I love getting naked for politics,” as people laughed and I immediately understood the campaign’s intentions. Student Union strives to empower students to participate in the collective transformation of a more democratic world. In fighting for long-term goals they yearn for a democratic university that is governed by students, faculty and staff for mutually beneficial outcomes. They are passionate people who want an alternate reality, one where they are

not confined to the prison of student debt and can live as an intelligent being, not a commodity in a business world. Some are interested in solving environmental problems, some are for education reform, and some are called because of the underlying structural problems in our capitalist and supposed democratic society. A CALLING “This is about…no, don’t say it, don’t say it—changing the world,” said sophomore Madeleine Toerne, as she sits in the grass on College Green and jokingly slams her fist to the ground. “This is about trying to create a better space for us to exist because right now it’s not working. It basically has become such a part of my life that I am thinking about

RIGHT: Evie Weir, Emma Holman-Smith and Esther Brueggemann listen to fellow students tell their stories about their fears of student debt at the civil war monument on College Green on Friday afternoon on Jan. 23, 2015.

capitalism and oppression all the time because I am around these people. Everything else suddenly becomes not important anymore.” People simply want more control over their lives. They feel that society is indebted to them and wonder why they are forced to feel like they owe something to society. Toerne is a sophomore integrated language arts major who strives to create an ideal community with direct control over what she consumes. Her personal moral code is conflicted because as an underclassman, she must support things like the dining halls who invest in companies like U.S. Foods that invests in supplying to prisons, which goes against her values. “There are so many injustices in the world that I can’t even wake up without thinking about it,” said Toerne. “In terms of the university with the Student Union right now, there is a hierarchy that’s preventing us from living the lives

we want to live.” The hierarchy she’s referring to is the education system as a business and students as the consumers. Formerly she wanted to be a teacher, but is turned off by this elitist, expensive product of a university. Toerne believes in generating human power and community building for a better future. The Student Union started with about six people and now almost 30 people come to every meeting. People are beginning to realize that Student Union is the body that cares about social change. New faces are at every protest. No one is alone in their general discontent with the current system and in a democratic society there is no reason to believe it cannot be changed. A BETTER FUTURE The Student Union is not fighting for short term, individualistic changes. Grant Stover is a sophomore

photo by MEGAN CARTELLONE

who fights for divestment of fossil fuels and knows that while he is a student, he will not see the goals he is working for. “If everyone had the mindset that we are working for a better tomorrow for someone else, rather than for a better today for ourselves, then we would live in a better world and I think that is the [Student] Union’s vision,” said Stover. “It’s the long term goals that make the whole system better, rather than just trying to help our own personal life and advance ourselves.” THE SOCIETY “There are certain channels that people in power in our society want you to go through,” said Rachel Baker, a freshman who went to her first Student Union meeting after being inspired by the Bat Rally, a Student Union led protest to demand for more transparency in how tuition money is spent. C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T PA G E

photo by ELI HILLER Caitlyn McDaniel and Evan Charles wait for the People’s Climate March to start in New York City, New York on Sept. 21, 2014. Members of the Student Union, other Ohio University students and Athens citizens chartered a bus to join over 400,000 individuals to march against climate change.

Student Union refuses to put on a suit and take whatever they can get from institutions. Reading reports of arrest and hearing shouts of protest, many rely on the media and do not see the spirit inside these individuals. Student Union uses protests to serve as powerful opportunities that bring people together to share the goal of creating a more fair society, where classes are not as divided, and people have more of a say in how they are governed, especially at universities. Students are calling for reforms and more dialogue between students and trustees to solve issues like the lack of higher education being a democratic institution. Professor Kevin Mattson, who teaches history at Ohio University, spoke out at the Bat Rally and in a follow-up interview, he restated that the administrators are in a bubble. “Because they inhabit this bubble, 6 | THE INTERAC TIVIST | SP RING 2015

they are cut off from the rest of the community,” he said. “They make decisions that reflect their own interests and where they want the university to go. Then they are surprised when they find out that they don’t have, you know, the consensus on the part of the rest of the rest of the academic community.” Mattson is referring to an editorial by Steven Golding for The Athens News, which stated that conversations about the president moving had been going on for a year and it was the first that faculty had heard of it. Hundreds of students gathered to protest the decision to purchase the home on 31 Coventry Lane at the Bat Rally. OU decided not to purchase the home, but The Athens News reported that Stephen Golding said the protest did not play a role in the decision. Whether it did or not, it generated a message that students, faculty and staff are pissed off. “The Bat Rally is another good

example where we see a clear injustice,” said Toerne. It might be awkward to protest, and much easier to do homework or something else. But the point is that more and more new people are being drawn to these protests. More people are wondering why. “Once you get that buzz of having an opinion and standing up for it, it’s so hard to stop after that. I think we want people to feel that… those feels,” said Toerne. “There is something powerful about fighting alongside people.” CREATE CHANGE “Everyone knows that there is something really wrong about the way the world is right now,” said Ryan Powers, a sophomore who was initially motivated to join Student Union because of his uncomfortable placement in student debt. “They can feel that there is injustice and the injustice is being acted upon them.” Powers said that “we must

challenge the system outside of the system.” He calls for a completely different model of governing society where people have more say in how they live their lives. The Student Union is building infrastructure for a new system. Powers explained how the structure of all organizations is now a corporate model of hierarchy and how Student Union is much more horizontal in its distribution of power. The equalization of power is efficient and gets things done. Student Union wants Ohio University to be built on that model. Protest is a symbol for discontentment with at least some measures of the system. Powers explained how within a protest there can be other symbols. People are chanting things like, “Brick by brick, wall by wall! Another world is possible!” Looking at human potential, we know that “we have the power to change everything. We just need to build that power,” said Powers. “People already have this feeling of discontent, the burden of debt, discontentment with the university. It just takes an event to really spark it.” Anyone disinterested in protest just sees the yelling and screaming and views these people as angry and possibly intimidating. The behind the scenes work that creates these campaigns, that fights to empower students, is unseen. A better world would be more socially responsible investing, especially for environmental and ethical concerns, and more state funding for those struggling in student debt. A better future would not leave people at the whim of capitalists, the people in power with the money who set the standards for everyone else. Student Union wants to solve the problem of lack of democracy by challenging the world that prohibits that from happening. Members of Student Union devote their daily experiences to their mission of creating a better future. Conversations continue as they strum acoustic guitars and sing on college green, and while they attend a weekly community potluck at Megan Marzec’s home, the current Student Senate President. Their mission of getting people to talk is being accomplished and more people join their sentiments at each protest, event, or meeting, as students realize that change is possible. v

photo by ELI HILLER Jolana Ozara, a member of the Student Union, admits that last academic year she was on verge of dropping out of Ohio University because she couldn’t pay the last 2,000 dollars of tuition and that her mother pawned off her jewelry to help her pay the remaining costs at the civil war monument on Friday afternoon on Jan. 23, 2015.

photo by ELI HILLER Masters student Paige Walters and sophomore Madeleine Toerne chant and march through east green in Athens, Ohio, during the Bat Rally on Mar. 31, 2015 during the Bat Rally.

Hundreds of people from across the U.S. march in the streets of St. Louis, Missouri, to protest police brutality and the shooting of Michael Brown shooting on Oct. 11, 2014.

THE NEW

BLAC I

written by MAR LE Y SCOTT photos by E LI H ILLE R

t was the feeling of helplessness following the unjust death of Michael Brown, proving to be more and more relevant following the unjust death of Eric Garner, the unjust death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, the injustices against black men and women every 28 hours and the public lens shifting to the systemic racism ingrained in the justice system.The members of the Black Life Action Coalition were sick and tired of feeling helpless.A series of discussions between friends about the fear and isolation faced as a person of color in America gave birth to the New BLAC, a force founded in activism and hands-on approaches to change. Olivia Wallace, a 21-year-old junior studying Visual Anthropology, found herself in Ferguson, MO shortly after the death of Michael Brown. She was babysitting for a friend and mentor, Eva Ball, in Columbus that summer. “We spoke about it every morning while she was making oatmeal for the babies, and her daughter one time asked her ‘Why, mom, did that happen? Why was he killed in the streets?’” Wallace said.“Eva was very taken aback that her daughter was interested, and she was like ‘Olivia, I want to go to Ferguson. I want to show her this environment and I want her to have a voice’.” With no hesitation, they went for a weekend, the weekend before Ohio University resumed classes for fall semester. Coincidentally, it was the weekend the NAACP organized a march. Wallace was particularly struck by how many people set up camp along Florissant Avenue (Florissant is the street most often covered by the media for rioting and looting, perpendicular to the street in which Michael Brown was shot) with Churches handing out food and art supplies, and, when she arrived at the site of the shooting, how small and neighborly the street was, between a few C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T PA G E 9

This is an activist-based coalition, or at least that’s what it started from— actually getting out and doing something not just sitting in meetings and having discussions” - OLIVIA WALLACE, a junior studying

backgrounds.According to Ohio University’s campus diversity statistics released in 2010, our campus is:

From left, Ohio University students Jasmine Renee Riley, Kelli Oliver and Ryant Taylor hold their hands up at a peaceful protest outside of the Ferguson police station in Ferguson, Missouri on Oct. 11, 2014. The group drove nine hours the previous Friday evening to attend Ferguson October, an organized social movement that uses protests and resistance to oppose police violence in the U.S.

“I grew up in apartment complexes, and I rode my bike all around the street all the time and I was always running over to my neighbor’s houses, so for me to imagine Mike in this little tiny street and like someone calling him out to get out of the street— it was just crazy to me that that was ever a cohesive argument,” she said. The most present community members were women and children, some outside, confused and frightened by a bullet hole in a window above their home, something reporters never really investigated.The families felt that the only reason anyone cared about the shooting is because the community was angry and violent. “They were like,‘Our kids aren’t even in school right now, what are we supposed to do? They’re going to be next,’ ” Revisiting the moment made Wallace emotional and frustrated, even if for a split second. She drove back to Athens early in the 1 0 | THE INTERACTIVIST | SP RING 2015

morning and missed her first class.Angry and unable to let what she saw rest, she organized a small walk-out protest among friends. Following the walk-out, Ryant Taylor, a 20-year-old senior, was interested in keeping up the dialogue.The two discussed more and more ways to organize, with guidance from Hands Up United, a social justice activist organization based in Ferguson.Their individual connections with the Student Union and previous experience with organizing for activism gave them a supportive base. “Honestly it was a very intuitive process, I don’t think we ever had a plan,” Wallace said, speaking of the organization of the New BLAC.“Because it was such a national topic, it was almost easy to congregate people, because people wanted to be there, which goes to show that these instances are not isolated just to urban areas, obviously it felt really relevant to people on our campus or else they would’ve never showed up.”

Enter Kelli Oliver a senior studying Commercial Photography from Columbus, Ohio, Taylor, a Creative Writing major from Cleveland, Ohio and Shambrion Treadwell a senior studying Theater Performance also from Cleveland, who found themselves inspired by Wallace’s experience “Mike Brown was killed August 8th and it was all we thought about for like four months,” Oliver said.“By the time we hit December and we were having our walkouts and 200 people would show up; I was like ‘Wait a minute, it’s been like four or five months? This is all I’ve thought about,’ it became a response of people continuing the conversation and needing a structure.” This conversation is a conversation which started from racial injustices in places far from Ohio University and turned into a conversation about how to make our white-dominated campus more understanding and inclusive of people of minority

4.5% African American 1.0% Asian American 0.1% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 2.4% Hispanic 7.0% International 0.3% Native American 1.8% Two or More Races and, 81.6% Caucasian. To put percentages into perspective, Ohio University’s Caucasian population is made up of 17,404 individuals, Compared to 958 African American individuals, 504 Hispanic individuals, 212 Asian American individuals, and 61 Native American individuals. In total, according to these statistics, there are 1,735 individuals who belong to minority groups. Maybe these statistics have increased over the past five years, but there are no updates to be found. New BLAC has held a few summit meetings over the school year to discuss with students what they want to see happen with this racial divide. “The majority of people were like,‘We’re tired of having the black people over there and the white people over there, and people being ignorant,’ and afraid to talk to us, not in the way that a white person is afraid of a black person, but there are those cultural, ethnic background differences, and I feel like it’s hard to sometimes have the courage to

TOP: From left, Jasmine Reene Riley, Ryant Taylor, Kelli Oliver and Olivia Wallace lead a group of protesters through the streets of Athens, Ohio, on Oct. 22, 2015, after returning from Ferguson. BOTTOM: From left, Adam Strong, 11, and Larry Bridges, 10, sit in Kiener Plaza after over a thousand people peacefully protested police brutality and the shooting of Michael Brown during Ferguson October in St. Louis, Missouri on Oct. 11, 2014.

C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T PA G E 11

say ‘Hello,’ when we live in a world where it’s much easier to sit in the same seat all of the time or look at your phone,” Wallace said. So, if this lack of diversity and understanding has been an issue since at least 2010, is this the first time these issues are being discussed? No. Ohio University’s Multicultural Center has 35 organizations listed on its website, including Black Student Union. New BLAC wants to do something a little different. “This is an activist-based coalition, or at least that’s what it started from— actually getting out and doing something not just sitting in meetings and having discussions, I felt like we had enough of that on campus, I wanted action, I wanted us to do something and actually contribute to making a difference,” Treadwell said of other organizations pertaining to Black lives on campus. Taylor agrees and emphasizes the strength in numbers and the organization of people. “Once you have a large number of people in the same place there’s this energy that’s there,” Taylor said.“If you direct that energy in a way that is powerful, productive, and meaningful and not concerned with the social constraints that are usually placed upon black people, it’s one of those things that really starts to produce change.” New BLAC has made progress in its slow, steady, natural formation since the beginning of the school year.The coalition has made significant moves in making themselves heard by administration, and has faced some set backs in the same right.The members of New BLAC are students, who simply care about the issue on top of all of their other responsibilities.They are making it their job to propose things like Cultural Competency classes as a requirement for incoming freshmen to administration, who they feel hears them out, but are hesitant to put the work in to making it something tangible. It isn’t an easy feat to accomplish, especially when the group is informed constantly of the brutalization of Black individuals. “When we heard about the kid, recently, who got brutalized by the police at UVA, immediately we were responding to that and getting help while we can to support what we can support. But it’s exhausting when every other day you’re like,‘Oh, well now we have news that a homeless man got shot, or someone in Akron has suffered from injustice,’ it’s hard to keep up while also trying to do stuff on your own local level,” Oliver said, referring to the excessive police force

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applied to 20-year-old Martese Johnson over an alleged attempt to enter a bar. A significant event for Taylor in getting the administration’s attention was the Occupy Baker movement dedicated to conversation and understanding amidst protesting Michael Brown’s death. “[The administration] didn’t really step forward or try to interact with what was in the hearts of a lot of students, and even then we had to push back against them and say ‘No, we’re not leaving this building, we’re going to sit here, and we’re going to talk about this because this is really horrible, and we as students need to work through this together, we don’t need you here, you can be here, you can join in on the conversation but if you’re here to move us to a different location, that’s not going to happen,’ ” he said. According to Taylor and Wallace, (members of the administration), President McDavis in particular, are not willing to allow open criticisms of their actions.A common quote from McDavis to the students is,“Paint me an ideal picture,” of what they want, which

the coalition members find ineffective and pointless, among other uses of vocabulary that virtually means nothing of substance. “It’s difficult as activists to go into these meetings and have people say,‘Oh, don’t say that, say this instead,’ ” Taylor said.“That has been where our main struggle is but I definitely feel we are overcoming that the more that we interact and meet with them because we see the importance of what we’re doing and we don’t want to mess up, we want this to mean something.” “While we’ve had progress there is still an air that they’re putting on faces to appease us,” Oliver chimed in, and the group nods in agreement. While New BLAC feels there is a genuine interest in their efforts to challenge the current state of diversity on campus, there is no real energy to make that change.They are constantly referred to someone else in a relevant department and in the meantime, they’ve made a substantial cut to an important space for diversity cultivation on campus by firing the director of the Multicultural Center, Linda

TOP: A wet sign is left atop a portrait of Manasseh Cutler, a cofounder of Ohio University, after student protestors performed a die-in in Cutler Hall on Dec. 5, 2015. The rally was a reaction to a New York grand-jury decision to not indict Officer Pantaleo after he had choked and killed Eric Garner. LEFT: A wet sign is left atop a portrait of Manasseh Cutler, a cofounder of Ohio University, after student protestors performed a die-in in Cutler Hall on Dec. 5, 2015. The rally was a reaction to a New York grand-jury decision to not indict Officer Pantaleo after he had choked and killed Eric Garner. RIGHT: A wet sign is left atop a portrait of Manasseh Cutler, a cofounder of Ohio University, after student protesters performed a die-in in Cutler Hall on Dec. 5, 2015. The rally was a reaction to a New York grand-jury decision to not indict Officer Pantaleo after he had choked and killed Eric Garner.

C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T PA G E 13

Daniels with no reasonable explanation to students who truly cared about her; not to mention, an addition of a new administrative position. An emotional Treadwell spoke out about this toward the end of a Martin Luther King Jr. panel discussion earlier in the year, revisiting it during our conversation. “She’s just gone, 17 years here means nothing, you put in 17 years and it means absolutely nothing they can just cut you whenever; you can be the director and head of a center and they can just cut you,” Daniels was Treadwell’s advisor, support system and mentor throughout her years at Ohio University. For these reasons and occurrences, the members of the New BLAC feel personally entitled to defend faculty and students alike in a university structure that does not appear to work to help people from minority backgrounds or low-income families. They want to be at the table when important decisions are being made by the university, like how the freshmen class is recruited, and ultimately making all members of the community feel loved and supported and as though they have a valuable role in this structure. 

SUBMIT TO US Have story, photos or art you’d like to see published in The InterActivist? Contact us, and your ideas could be published in our next issue. , FREELANCE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

TOP: From left, Shambrion Treadwell, a senior in theatre performance, brings up the abrupt firing of Linda Daniels, who was the Director of the Multicultural Center, as Ryant Taylor and other participants listen during the MLK and Strategies for Social Change during MLK week in the Front Room in the Ohio University Baker Center on Jan. 23, 2015. Daniels had worked at Ohio University for 17 years at the multicultural center and was informed she was fired four days before the 2014-2015 spring semester begun. BELOW: A student walks past cardboard signs that represent hundreds of individuals that were killed because of police brutality within the past century on Jan. 23, 2015 outside of Memorial Auditorium in Athens, Ohio. The tombstones were placed by members of New BLAC earlier that morning.

Briefs: Briefs must consist of a brief summary of an event or news item, told concisely and completely. Minimum of one human source, preference is three. Source is not required to be local. Length should be at least 350 words, no more than 850. Commentary: Commentaries are opinions pieces about a specific topic of interest to the progressive community. The word limit for commentary is a minimum of 800 words and a maximum of 1,600. Commentary must be supported by some checkable fact, with a minimum of three sources, at least one of which should be local. Features: Features include in-depth investigative reporting, commentary and feature coverage of topics that require more coverage including special coverage that merit additional coverage. These should be a minimum of 1,500 words and a maximum of 2,000 words.These pieces require a minimum of three human sources, at least one of which must be local. At least five sources are preferred.

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Having Fun Without a Buzz Student organization, Sober Bobcats, brings students together for substance-free fun

earing “sober” and “Bobcat” together might be an oxymoron to many, but for many Ohio University students, “Sober Bobcat” is a name to embrace. Now a student organization, Sober Bobcats is a group of students who come together to plan and attend events that are geared towards those who want to have a good time together, sans alcohol. The group was originally started by Ann Addington, the assistant director of health promotions for tobacco, other drugs and recovery programs — which are geared towards students who have struggled with the abuse of a variety of different substances since being at school. Addington had noticed a large number of students coming in her office that weren’t in recovery, but instead were interested in interacting with students that were frequently participating in sober activities. “Some of these students just don’t like to party,” she said. “Or, they may have had some things happen to them while under the influence. Or, it’s just not their thing.” According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about four out of five college students drink alcohol. From these statistics, about half binge drink. More than half a million college students are injured while under the influence and more than 100,000 are arrested. 100,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 also report having been too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex. Addington said there was already a lot of programming through the Recovery Center, but none was specifically related to students who wanted to have access to sober activities. After sending out emails to a large number of students about the group she was trying to put together, 28 students came to the first meeting. A majority of the members of Sober Bobcats are underclassmen, but she said all different ages attend the meetings and events. “[At the first meeting], we asked what brought you here. A lot of students said that they were in the residence halls and they were finding themselves isolated,” Addington said. “They were really looking for a way to connect with other students who want to love a sober lifestyle, and do the things that college students do minus

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written by SOPHIE KRUSE

the drugs and alcohol.” lated.They just had a hard time connecting Alexandria Stewart, the president of with other students.We’re kind of filling Sober Bobcats and a freshman studying that need by putting out some resources to marketing, joined the group at the beginsome students who have already chosen a ning of the year. sober lifestyle,” Addington said. “You can be “I don’t drink. I have a few friends who a Bobcat and be sober and still have fun.” do. I’ve met people here who do. I’ve felt According to the data from Alcohol like people who don’t drink feel Edu, the required survey about alcohol excluded,” Stewart said. “I hear and drugs for freshmen, nearly 2,000 stupeople tell me, ‘If [Sober Bobcats] had been here my freshman year, I wouldn’t have drank!’” Addington said that some students don’t live completely sober lifestyles — some enjoy drinking socially but found they wanted to participate in more alcohol-free activities. “There are no rules, you don’t have to be totally abstinent from alcohol,” Addington said. “The idea is they want to have fun and [drinking] is certainly not of any importance in their lives. The student’s don’t need that alcohol experience. And they all enjoy college.” Stewart said that it is hard to be sober in college, especially in a school like OU with such a prominent drinking culture. “I think it definitely helps to have ALEXANDRIA STEWART, President a group of people who don’t do it... of Sober Bobcats It’s nice to have a community.” From coming together for movie nights or craft nights to planning and executing a sober tailgate event for dents at Ohio University don’t participate homecoming with the collegiate recovery in any use of substance. group that Addington oversees in the “It doesn’t seem like that much, but Recovery office, Sober Bobcats has done that’s 2,000 students that are spread out a wide range of activities. For the future, over campus,” Addington said. they’re thinking about doing fundraising While the number of sober students and community service activities, but might be small, Sober Bobcats is creatnothing is concrete. Funding for the group ing a necessary safe space for students has come from a grant received by Addto have fun without the use of alcohol ington, as well as donations and fundraisand drugs. v ing. The group is also working on getting t-shirts for members with their motto on them: “Hangovers Suck.” “Right now, we’re working on gaining more people, gaining more of a reputation,” said Stewart. “20 people come to almost every event.There are about 15 people who are hit or miss with others.” Another way the group connects is through a private Facebook group, where Addington said students frequently post to make plans and hang out. “The biggest thing is that they felt iso-

There are no rules, you don’t have to be totally abstinent from alcohol...The idea is they want to have fun and [drinking] is certainly not of any importance in their lives. The student’s don’t need that alcohol experience. And they all enjoy college.” -

Athenian Vision An Athens art community group promoting the creative ideas beyond the boundary of just students written by KATE HILLER

Athenian Vision members and attendees dance to electronic music during a morning rave on top of the Athens Parking Garage on Oct. 1, 2014. The 17 rave began at 6:30 a.m. and went until 10 a.m. on a Wednesday morning. photograph by ELI HILLER

(Athenian Vision is) a network of people who are collaborating in order to do things that are bigger than they could ever accomplish themselves,” Galiszewski explained. “If somebody has…a big idea, but they don’t know how to do it themselves, we can help people with that.” -Cas Galiszewski Founder of Athenian Vision

Photograph by ELI HILLER Grace Hermanns, an Athenian Vision member, watches Ava Wamsley, left, and Ella Wamsley play with bubbles in the kids section of the Nuit Blanche Festival on Oct. 4, 2014. Nuit Blanche is an annual all-night arts festival that occurs worldwide in many major cities.

Cas Galiszewski, president of Athenian Vision, and Collin Patterson work to restore a vandalized Aethelred Eldridge's avant-garde paintings underneath Seigfred Hall's arch on Mar. 25, 2015. photograph by LUCAS REILLY 18 | THE INTERAC TIVIST | WINTER 2015

was about 6:30 a.m. in October, and Cas Galiszewski was on top of the Athens Parking Garage on W. Washington St. for a morning rave. Inspired by a group in London, England, called Morning Glory Experiences, Athenian Vision’s first morning rave began with a yoga session, food, craft vendors and a lot of dancing. “It’s an incredibly stimulating, refreshing way to start your day,” Galiszewski, founder of Athenian Vision, said. “I know that there are people who love to dance in Athens, and there’s definitely a very progressive group of people out there. It’s a whole different way of starting (your day), flipping over a new leaf.” As a senior at Ohio University studying sculpture and expanded practices with a certificate in entrepreneurship, starting up Athenian Vision was a no-brainer for Galiszewski. From visual artists to musical artists and everyone in between, the group welcomes creative people

from all disciplines to are in its mission to promote creativity and provide students and locals alike with positive, rewarding experiences that don’t necessarily revolve around the drinking culture that has permeated Ohio University. “We try to push away from alcohol-fueled events and focus more on the music,” Galiszewski said. “It has been difficult because it’s so normal, an accepted part of the culture here. That’s definitely been something we try to incorporate and keep in mind when we’re planning things.” But planning morning raves isn’t Athenian Vision’s only way of promoting its brand and ideals. “[Athenian Vision is] a network of people who are collaborating in order to do things that are bigger than they could ever accomplish themselves,” Galiszewski explained. “If somebody has…a big idea, but they don’t know how to do it themselves, we can help people do that.” Athenian Vision is working to obtain

a space that can become a place for the group’s community to meet and create together. Athenian Vision is not an Ohio University sponsored organization, as the founding members want it to be open for community members as well as students. “It’s shown me a new light that artists and creative people together can make a well being together,” said Jack Demain, a sophomore studying painting. “And it has made being a painter a real pursuit for me as a person.” In addition, the group is trying to become a non-profit organization to continue spreading its message and to expand its reach of creativity. “Athens completely changed who I am,” Galiszewski said. “It made me who I am today, and so Iw anted to try to kinda flip that and give back to Athens. I’m just so interested in the local aspect of art and collectives, and cooperation to do things I could never do along. I can’t just stand on the sidelines and see people with talents go unused.” v 19

Exploring the Divide

story and photos by E L I H I L L E R

y sophomore year, I was immersed in Ohio University’s diverse groups of international students as the marketing and public relations director for the International Student Union. I photographed numerous events and made close friends from Oman, Zambia, Botswana, Peru, Indonesia, China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain and countless other countries. Although these groups all seemed to mingle well with one another, it was uncommon to see many Caucasian or African Ameri-

can students at international events or gatherings. Although Ohio University administrators flaunt the racial diversity of our campus, students among Black Student Union, University Program Council and the International Student Union seldom attend one another’s events. This divide inspired me to explore racial disparities that international students have experienced in Athens, Ohio and the United States.

“I believe we should talk about racism and not shy away from it. All these things people do and say to one another, if we talk about that, I believe people’s thinking will actually influence the way they act. My mother would always say, ‘You can’t punch someone’s brain. You can only punch them with your words.’” - Kombe Kappatamoyo, Masters Student in Public Health Hometown: Mansa, Zambia, Africa

“Sometimes you are reluctant to say where you are from originally. Coming from Palestine, I had some concerns just saying the country. For Palestinian students that have to go back home, they are under constant fear of being arrested at borders or interrogated by Israeli authorities.” - Faisal Saleh, Masters Student in Communication and Development Studies Hometown: Nablus, Palestine

“People are really conscious of race. There’s that need to identify someone’s race if they look different. When I’m asked where I’m from, I always answer Laos in southeast Asia. They would say ‘Oh, you don’t look Laos. I thought you were from Bolivia or something.’” - Sankerdas Latthanhot, Masters Student in Communication and Development Studies Hometown: Vientinane, Laos 2 2 | THE INTERACTIVIST | SP RING 2015

“In most cases when you apply for a U.S. visa, we’re going to be granted a single entry visa. When we leave our families, everyone is asking us when we’ll be back but we can’t even think about it!” - Ali Khaledi Nasab, PhD Student in Physics Hometown: Ahvaz, Iran

“In Oman, everyone was told that we should expect this and we were told how we should react to it. I think people should interact with everyday Muslims and Arabs to see that they are not how they are represented here. I think it starts with you, me and every individual, to accept themselves and others.” - Sarah Al Harrasi, Sophomore in Journalism Hometown: Rustaq, Oman

2 4 | T HE INTERACTIVIST | SP RING 2015

“There’s so much more to human beings that if you focus on their ethnicity that’s just one part of who they are. My identity has now became a feminist of color, a women of color, an activist of color. So I can’t just be a feminist or an activist as I was in Guyana.” - Deandra Bobby Walker, Sophomore in Women, Gender and Sexuality studies Hometown: Vreed-en-Hoop, Guyana

Listen to the full audio interveiws on our website! athensinteractivist.com

2 6 | T HE INTERACTIVIST | SP RING 2015

s t s i v i t c Our A Lucas Reilly

My name is Lucas Reilly. I’m a sophomore studying photojournalism and Spanish. I shoot photos for IA, play guitar and drums for Island Gigantism and enjoy mountain biking and Appalachian skimboarding. I’d write more but Marley only gave me this much spa –

Marlena Scott

I’m Marlena Scott. I’m a sophomore in the journalism school. I’m from Cocoa Beach, Florida. Why am I in Ohio? Who knows. I love reading and writing and fighting the good fight. I still play Toontown, it is a sick game, I hope you give it another chance. Thanks for reading!

Kaylee Powers

I’m Kaylee Powers, a sophomore strategic communication journalism and interactive media double major. I am the PR director of our lovely, little magazine as well. Translation: I spend an unholy amount of time scrolling through Instagram and stalking on Twitter. I’m a fan of coffee, doing good, and beautiful fonts.

Chance Brinkman-Sull Sophie Kruse

My name is Sophie Kruse and I’m a junior studying journalism and business. I’m the managing editor of this lovely magazine and joined almost two years ago. I like naps, dogs and sweaters – preferably at the same time.

Eli Hiller

I’m Eli Hiller, a junior in photojournalism and environmental geography. I”m a photo editor the IA, freelance photographer for The Athens NEWS and staff photographer at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. I’m what they call a “townie” but I grew up traveling much of Latin America during winters. They have better coffee and mangoes.

Hi, I’m Chance. I have brown hair. I wear glasses. I slay mythical creatures. I do not take candy from strangers. One of my favorite colors of ice cream is blue. I’m a sophomore studying Publication Design in VisCom. “I’ve got dreams, and stuff.”

Alex Cenci Kate Hiller

Kate Hiller is a junior-senior hybrid at Ohio University who will be graduating in December 2015 with degrees in journalism and Spanish. Though she changes her mind about exactly what she wants to do when she graduates on a daily basis, travel, data and multimedia are always in the mix. Originally from a small suburb of Columbus, Ohio, Kate plans to conquer the world one country at a time.

Jordan Simmons

My name is Jordan Simmons, a senior journalism major. I view myself as a positive and open-minded individual with a strong desire to see the entire world before I die. I spend my time either searching for good conversations or caring for and loving my two bunny rabbits. They motivate me to rock the biggest smile I can every day. Well, among other things.

Alex Cenci is a junior photojournalism student who likes food, puppies and the third person. When not running around photographing for IA, she likes to be a lazy bum and stuff her face with pizza. The End.

Rachel Rogala

I’m a publication design major who can’t decide on a minor and pretends to be an old soul.”

Lauren Settlemyre

Raised on a farm in southwestern Ohio, Lauren Settlemyre is a freshman majoring in publication design. This is her first semester working for The InterActivist. She is currently involved with the Ohio University Multimedia Society, The Post and Ad Club. She is also the upcoming website developer for Alpha Lambda Delta. Lauren enjoys traveling, drawing, photography, playing volleyball and discovering new music.

Jaci Mullally (Not Pictured) Sean King

I am the former director of public relations and treasurer for the magazine. Due to my absence abroad in the east I have had little to no role in the production of this issue, yet I still appear on the staff page. Perhaps I will be more involved in issues to come, or maybe I will remain a ghost.

2 6 | THE INTERACTIVIST | SP RING 2015

Kelly Bondra

I’m Kelly Bondra, InterAct’s new creative director. I’m a freshman publication design major, I enjoy photography and have an obsession with pugs and really fat cats. I’m also not ashamed to say I cried tears of joy when Missy Elliot made her surprise performance at Super Bowl XLIX

I’m Jaci Mullally, a sophomore majoring in publication design and specializing in marketing. This is my first semester working for IA and can’t wait to work with it more. I love watching a ridiculous amount of Netflix, hiking around Athens and being amazed by others’ designs.

Alex Driehaus

My name is Alex Driehaus, a freshman photojournalism major. This is my second semester working for IA. My favorite things are ugly Christmas sweaters in September and ridiculous Netflix documentaries.

ACTIVIST

agenda

Summer 2015

Photograph by ELI HILLER

May 2nd | CHESTERHILL PRODUCE AUCTION

8380 Wagoner Rd, Chesterhill, Ohio 43728 Handcrafted wood furniture, farm equipment, glassware, antiques and much, much more will be auctioned off starting at 10:00 am. Listing will be updated as items are reported to staff. The event will begin at 10:00 am and will run through the day. The CPA Country Cooking Cart and CPA Country Store will both be open on this day. Bring the whole family for this fun filled day of auctioning!

May 6th | BOOKS TO PRISONERS

Help pack and mail books to fill requests from people in prison Sign up at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084bafad2aa7fb6-book/

May 15th-17th | ROCK ON THE RANGE FESTIVAL Volunteer With LA Animal Rescue Animal lovers please email: TMHrescue@gmail.com

Every First and Third Monday of the Month| ATHENS CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

8 East Washington Council meetings are held on the third floor in the Council Chambers room. Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. Come and observe what is going on in local Athens politics.

May 28th-31st | NELSONVILLE MUSIC FESTIVAL

Performances by The Flaming Lips, St. Vincent, Built To Spill, Black Lips and much more. Buy tickets at: http://nelsonvillefest.tix.com/

June 13th | LAKE AND LAND FESTIVAL Atwood Lake Park Minerva, Ohio Join Rural Action for a one-day event full of hands-on demonstrations, educational workshops, and family-friendly activities that reinforce the messages of natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation! The event is a collaboration of efforts between Rural Action, Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD), Carroll and Harrison Soil and Water Conservation Districts’ (SWCD), and many more partners to provide numerous recreational and educational opportunities in a fun and safe outdoor environment. The event will be at Atwood Lake Park from 10am-4pm on Saturday, June 13th. We hope to see you there! Entrance to the Park is only $2/car when you present the event flyer or voucher, which can be found at: http://www.carrollswcd.org/lake-andland-festival.html

July 10th-18th |OHIO BREW WEEK’S 10TH ANNIVERSRY Location: Uptown Athens, Support Local Breweries

Volunteer With United Campus Ministry Email Melissa Wales at melissa@ucmathens.org See UCM’s schedule at www.ucmathens.org

PICTURED ABOVE: Center, Herschel Hoehne, a junior in ceramics and artist member of Athenian Vision, teaches Ava Wamsley and Talal Alsheri how make a face mask out of a paper plate and markers at the kids section of the Nuit Blanche Festival on Oct. 4, 2014.