The Commuter - April 2023

Roadrunners Repeat?

Linn-Benton Focuses on Another NWAC Baseball Title

Journeys from Afar

Students Travel Overseas to Begin New Chapter in Life at LB

Artist Spotlight

Ryan Sparks

staff

design editor

KAILYN MCQUISTEN

photo editor

SARAH ROSE LARSON

sports editor

CARSYN MEYERS

feature editor

KATIE REYNOLDS

news editor

JOSH CANDÉ

arts & lit editor

CODI WOOD

marketing director

RYAN JANOWITZ

reviews

STEVEN PRYOR

advisor

ROB PRIEWE

contributors

BRENDA AUTRY

LEAH BIESACK

LARISSA DE OLIVEIRA

KACEY MONTGOMERY

RYAN SPARKS

QUINN WAHL

contents

4 6 8 10 12 13 14

Peace Initiative Grant Pays for Campus Painting Project

peace mural roadrunners repeat?

Linn-Benton Focuses on Another NWAC Baseball Title

journeys from afar

Students Travel Overseas to Begin New Chapter in Life at LB

artist spotlight

Ryan Sparks

writing on the wall

Quinn Wahl

arts & entertainment

Five-word Reviews & Gold Medal Openers

steven’s reviews

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

about us join the team

the commuter is the student-run magazine for LBCC, financed by student fees and advertising. Opinions expressed in The Commuter do not necessarily reflect those of the LBCC administration, faculty and students of LBCC. Editorials, columns, letters, and cartoons reflect the opinions of the authors. LBCC is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

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The Commuter encourages readers to use its “Opinion” section to express their views on campus, community, regional and national issues. The Commuter attempts to print all submissions received, but reserves the right to edit for grammar, length, libel, privacy concerns and taste. Opinions expressed by letter submitters do not represent the views of the Commuter staff or the College.

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cover photo by KACEY MONTGOMERY

contents photo by SARAH ROSE LARSON

COMMUTER

▲

Photo by Sarah Rose Larson

Grant Project Brightens LB’s Evolving Makerspace

The spirit of collaboration is in the air. Gathered at the back wall of the MILL, Painting 1 students shared cups of acrylic paint and chatted with one another while using their brushes to materialize two-dimensional olive branches, a bird of paradise flower, and other motifs of peace.

The centerpiece of the mural is a young BIPOC woman, an homage to a former LBCC student, Yannie Reyes Alvarez. It was unveiled March 13 in The MILL, which is housed in Takena Hall, Room 229, a makerspace funded and facilitated by the Mid-Valley STEM-CTE Hub.

“Yanni was an art student here at LBCC and has since moved on,” LBCC art instructor Anne Magratten said. “She has done a lot of social justice work as well as continues to make art. She came to mind when working on the concept sketches for this mural because when thinking about peace, I was also thinking a lot about diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Immortalizing Reyes Alvarez in this mural was work performed by student artists leaving their mark on LBCC, including recently retired mailroom whiz Cheryl French, who reported having a great time being a part of this massive project.

This is a massive project indeed, and the class working on it put weeks of labor into this beautifully vibrant wall, though it is more than just a labor of love for the students of Magratten’s painting class. This mural was funded by the Peace Initiative, allowing LBCC to pay the students for their time and effort. The Peace Initiative grant pays for projects that promote peace in the community.

“The mural is supposed to set the tone for the space,” MILL Coordinator Forrest Johnson said.

“This is a space for collaboration, a place where people engage with each other, and themselves doing cool work.”

Making sure the students were fairly compensated was something that Magratten and the rest of the organizers of this project felt was important to set a precedent for the students; that their skills are valuable and this type of work is important to their professional livelihood.

“A lot of times creative people get asked to do things for free, and I think that it’s important to acknowledge artwork for what it is, labor and work,” Magratten said, “and now this can be put on their artist resume.”

“Oftentimes it’s hard to get mural jobs if you haven’t worked on a mural before,” Johnson said. Frequently to get that experience artists have to take jobs that aren’t great, he added. They could be high off the ground and outside and the great thing about this project is that students are working on their first mural in a safe environment, indoors and low to the ground.

“I’m learning to mix paints and also how to collaborate on a large-scale project like this,” student painter Rachel Severns said while working on the mural’s hummingbird.

The mural is now complete. Interested parties can now visit the Peace Mural. The MILL is open most business days; you can reach out to the MILL via email – mill@ linnbenton.edu – to confirm a time to visit.

words by KACEY MONTGOMERY

▲ Photo by Sarah Rose Larson

▲▼ Students collaborate on the mural. Photos by Kacey Montgomery

RUNNERS REPEAT?

culture, and we have fun and work hard. Team experiences, mini golfing, bowling, hanging out outside practice. We want to win the South Division, make it to the tournament and win the championship again. That’s our standard.”

Asked what the team could do to improve on their record, second-year pitcher Chase Reynolds noted “our mindset when facing a deficit, not getting down, staying up in your head. Getting ahead in the count as pitchers, winning every series, one day at a time, pitch-bypitch mindset. All that helps.”

The players are focused, know their roles, know their strengths, and know their weaknesses. Peterson keeps them focused at practice with constant reminders about their goals and how good they can be, all while maintaining a strong connection with the players.

Standing at sixth place in the NWAC with 92 runs allowed is a good position to be in; the Roadrunners lead their division with 91 runs and hope to use this offense to break from a recent 4-6 slump, propelling their way into the playoffs.

Such mindsets have an impact beyond merely the players, as the team is an integral part of the LBCC social fabric and school spirit, a notion embodied by starting pitcher Brady Baltus.

“As a baseball player, I think we bring the community together because so many people like sports and we like the culture that the baseball and sports teams bring to the school. It’s a source of entertainment and community and bond-forming for the student body.”

Second-year Assistant Coach

Humberto Alarcon, when asked about his coaching philosophy, said, “I just try to take what I learned from my previous coaches and help make these players better using whatever they respond to best. I don’t try to force anything on anybody, and I try to learn from them as well and see what works from one player to another.”

Incoming freshmen are ecstatic to be a part of the organization, too, as pointed out by third baseman Kace Malone.

“It was definitely exciting coming into a place with a winning culture and improving upon what they built and continuing their successes,” he said. “My favorite part at LB is the team camaraderie and people holding one another accountable and working together to build something special. I want to do whatever I can to help the team get back to the

NWAC championship and repeat as champions.”

Infielder Kyle Perkins displayed how well a machine the baseball team is.

“I want to make everyone else around me better and facilitate development in skill,” he said. “We want to be building off one another’s successes and picking up each other and if someone struggles on the field we support them and pick them up.”

The team certainly has the pedigree, the talent and the coaching to bring home another banner to the LB campus. With such great team chemistry and focus, they like their chances.

LB students and staff are encouraged to attend games and support the team as they strive to bring home another trophy, adding an incredible chapter to the Roadrunner legacy.

▼ Dylan Rush

JOURNEYS fromAFAR

Bre Tainatongo was born in Malesso’, located in the south of Guam, or Guåhan, in the CHamoru language meaning: the native people of Guam.

Surrounded by water, Bre lived an island life back home. The beach, sunsets, warm weather, great food, and language were symbols of family and friends. Bre said, “Everywhere I go, I bring the CHamoru culture and hospitality. It’s in everything I do.”

She was 17 years old, two days past her high school graduation, when she decided to move to the United States to look for new beginnings out of the island. She wanted to be more exposed to a diverse culture other than Asian, and find more job opportunities. Her older sister offered her a place to live in Nevada.

Along the way, she discovered her individuality and how much she valued her culture. Bre said, “Before surrounded by what felt like a million family members, now narrowed down to one, no friends, no familiar places, no late-night drives to my favorite restaurant, Fugi

Ichiban.” It was a new reality, and she had to adapt to it. Battling homesickness, she discovered that home is not a place, but rather a feeling.

Eventually moving to Oregon, she opened her business at the age of 22, the MongoTongo art. It was a way to feel more connected to home and her people. Guam has always been an inspiration for her, and she started creating products such as stickers, key chains, notepads, journals, folders, and earrings reflecting her culture.

“Creating these things made me realize my love for graphic design and art.”

At LBCC, Bre is pursuing a graphic design degree. In September 2022, she reactivated the Graphic Visual Arts Club, along with other students interested in visual arts. As a student representative, she plans meetings and activities for the group. Also, she’s a part-time worker for the LBCC Admissions Office. In addition, she’s part of the Student Leadership Council as campus outreach director. Some of her tasks include creating posters, advertising events, and writing for The Commuter on behalf of the SLC.

▲ Bre walks at Monteith RiverPark, in Albany. Bre says that the water reminds her of Guam, which reminds her of her earliest memories.

“Once I started realizing how much this world has to offer, I was humbled by my experience of being able to leave.” —Bre Tainatongo

“I brought my culture and started showing it to others. It made me feel better. It made me feel proud.”

—Bre Tainatongo

words and photos by LARISSA DE OLIVEIRA

Born in Bulawayo, located in the southwest of Zimbabwe, Audrey Moyo’s hometown is famously known as the city of kings, and the spoken language is Ndebele. Growing up, Audrey also spoke Shona, which is the language her family members speak at home.

Audrey grew up with her older sister and her grandmother, who supported her along the way. She studied at a boarding school in Zimbabwe, crafting her way to college, where she studied geomatics for three years.

When Audrey decided to become an international student and move to the United States, she knew she would need to sacrifice time with family and friends. The memories and a few pictures would fit the backpack.

“Staring at my favorite Sunday dresses, comfortable casual clothes, letters, gift cards, and all the other sentimental belongings I had which defined me. How could I possibly leave all this behind? These were not only pieces of my life but myself and a sense of belonging which was home.”

Audrey moved to the United States to study and live with her uncle. She’s majoring in mathematics at Linn-Benton Community College. Currently, one of her fun activities is the yoga class on campus with Subbappa Ribeiro.

At home, she enjoys her uncle’s company

and care; they both had to make room for this relationship. Together, they enjoy watching football games. They’re Seattle Seahawks fans.

Audrey brought her purest form of personality, kindness, and respect for people. In this new experience, she discovers that she’s an introvert. Although it has been difficult to make friends in a foreign country, she discovered her determination and resilience.

Despite the challenges and adaptation to a new language and culture, Audrey is currently engaged in multiple activities outside of the classroom. She’s a part-time worker for the LBCC Student Life & Leadership office. Also, an International Student Ambassador on campus responsible for organizing events and connecting the international students’ community at LBCC. Additionally, she will be joining the 2023-24 Student Leadership Council team as the financial director.

This has been a learning experience, the one she planned and was excited about. Audrey says, “Sitting on the window seat in the airplane, I couldn’t help myself but smile at the beauty of Mother Nature as I viewed the sky. Looking at the curves and folds of the Earth reminded me that in the past, the present, or the future, life will always have straight and crooked.”

“Packing made me realize that to best prepare for the new and unknown, I had to let go of the old known and make room.”

—Audrey Moyo

“This is truly a journey. I’m living in a community where I barely see another person that looks like me.”

—Audrey Moyo

▲ Audrey practices yoga during Subbappa Ribeiro’s class at LBCC’s Albany Campus. Audrey decided to try a new thing by enrolling in this class.

Artist Spotlight:

Ryan Sparks

An active observer of life with a keen eye for beauty, Ryan Sparks is a local illustrator and student at LBCC. Ryan is inspired by the beauty of the Northwest and especially Oregon scenery. His love for travel, nature and sightseeing is expressed in his work, which encompass very personal experiences and feelings. Ryan plans to make art his career with many plans in mind. Currently, Ryan is working toward an Arts Media and Technology Degree at OSU. He hopes to gain the professional skills necessary to work as a visual development artist in the entertainment industry or become an illustrator for books and magazines. Motivated to express his message about enjoying nature, travel, and sightseeing, he also plans to share his art with the world at art shows and community events in the upcoming months. If you would like to follow him on his exciting journey, you can follow his Instagram page: @ryan.draws.art

photo by SARAH ROSE LARSON

poem by QUINN WAHL

There is wisdom found in nature that is oft elsewhere forgot

Beauty in the decadence of productive fungal rot

Roots run deep beneath the mossy forest floor

The jungle is content within itself, it requires nothing more

Everything in nature sustains itself through nothing but the sun and air

Yet we who rule the sea and sky constantly despair

For all that we have we still desire more

“Man’s reach exceeds his grasp,” and out of greed comes war Contentment was once a virtue held in highest esteem

Now to be ambitious is among men the greater dream

Take a lesson from the forest, wisdom from the sea Learn to exist without desire and live contentedly.

illustration by RYAN SPARKS

reviews by LEAH BIESACK

Cream-of-the-crop opening paragraphs throughout literary history

Rose Josten sat at a table under a patio umbrella gazing out at a sea of pugs. She wouldn’t have been able to pick hers out of the crowd except for the Gucci dog coats her sister Gigi had given them in honor of Rose’s birthday. Thirty-eight. Rose was not in middle-aged pug lady territory yet, but middle-aged pug lady territory was visible in the distance. Her dogs were visible in the distance because they were wearing coats with bows that made them look like fat butterflies. Rose’s three sisters – Gigi, Ty, and Cassie – sat around the table, sipping lemonade from commemorative Portland Pug Crawl pint glasses. “Designer labels are part of the capitalist conspiracy.”

graphic by MACROVECTOR via FREEPIK

BEHIND THE SCENES BY KARELIA STETZ-WATERS

REBOOT

DIRECTORS: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic

STARRING: the voices of Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Anya-Taylor Joy, Seth Rogen, Keegan-Michael Key, and Kevin Michael Richardson with Charles Martinet, Fred Armisen, Khary Payton, Sebastian Maniscalo and introducing Juliet Jelenic

RATED: PG

OVERALL RATING: ★★★★

Nearly thirty years have passed since the release of the 1993 live-action Mario Bros. film. The result infamously cast a shadow over subsequent video game adaptations for years, with Nintendo themselves being hesitant to attempt more.

Now, following on the successes of 2019’s Pokémon Detective Pikachu and the recent Sonic the Hedgehog films, an animated reboot of the franchise has arrived with Mario Bros. Movie.

The film follows Mario (voice of Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy brother Luigi (voice of Charlie Day, Sunny in Philadelphia ), who have started their own New York plumbing business after leaving the wrecking crew of their former boss Spike (voice of Sebastian Maniscalo).

One night, a look at a burst water main in Brooklyn transports them to the Mushroom Kingdom. There, they must unite with Princess Peach (voice of Anya-Taylor Joy, Witch ) in order to stop Bowser (voice of Jack Black, School of Rock ) from conquering their worlds with the magic Power Star.

While adapting video games has never been as easy as adapting other mediums to film, directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (who previously worked on Teen Titans Go and the 2011 version of Thundercats ) have immense enthusiasm for the material and have made it work as a 92-minute animated action-comedy.

Some allusions to the video games are obvious, with the sequences centered around Donkey Kong (voice of Seth Rogen) and racing karts on Rainbow Road being highlighted. Other Easter eggs are more subtle, rewarding eagle-eyed fans and planting the seeds of future adaptations (including an end credits scene that shall not be spoiled here).

With the film set to break new records, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the powered-up reboot that fans of all ages have been waiting for. It’s highly recommended for viewing on

words by STEVEN PRYOR photos by UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3x3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit.

ACROSS DOWN

1. "That's a laugh!"

2. Do in

3. Commercial competition

4. Future state, often: Abbr.

5. Bone depository

6. Short-legged hound

7. Della's creator

8. Appear threateningly 9. Not pro

New Jersey township with motto "Let There Be Light"

Measuring the amount of

36. "Jeopardy!" host before Alex

37. ___ Nahasapeemapetilon of "The Simpsons" 38. Most basic part

"Don't be afraid. I don't ___!"

40. "Not ___ many words"

41. Lana Turner in "The Postman Always Rings Twice"

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Tips to Care for your mental health:

-Get regular exercise

-Eat healthy & stay hydrated

-Make sleep a priority

-Try a relaxing activity

-Set goals and priorities

-Practice gratitude

-Focus on positivity

-Stay connected