July 12, 2021

MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021

MNDAILY.COM

MSA

‘I want to push student gov. out of the box’

MSA President and Vice President discuss goals for the upcoming year.

Courtesy of Abdulaziz Mohamed and Samiat Ajibola

By Sonja Kleven skleven@mndaily.com The Minnesota Daily sat down with the new Minnesota Student Association (MSA) President Abdulaziz Mohamed and Vice President Samiat Ajibola to discuss their plans for advocacy and what they are excited to accomplish as MSA’s new leaders in the coming year.

The pair will be the first Black leadership team elected as student body president and vice president at the University of Minnesota, and Mohamed will be the first Somali student body president. Mohamed and Ajibola began their terms on July 1.

How does it feel to be elected as MSA’s president and vice president?

Mohamed: I don’t think it has necessarily set in yet. It’s really humbling to be able to be elected as student body president of one of the largest undergraduate student populations. I’m really looking forward to this opportunity to represent students at all levels of government, as well as at the institutional level, too.

Ajibola: I am very honored.

Honestly, if I was asked if I would be in this position a year ago today,

HOUSING

New housing proposed in Marcy-Holmes neighborhood Residents worry that affordable housing options are diminishing.

By Hanna Van Den Einde heinde@mndaily.com Several area developers proposed three new townhomes in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood amid resident concerns about affordability and losing the historic character of Dinkytown.

If approved, these townhomes would provide student housing in the Dinkytown area and replace homes on 4th Street SE, 7th Street SE and 10th Street SE that were built as long as 100 years ago.

The proposed townhomes would give students more options for housing, with 13 new five-bedroom units. If approved by the city, construction on all units would begin fall 2021 and renters could lease units by summer 2022, said William Wells, owner of Wells & Company Architects, which designed the three townhomes.

Dinkytown Rentals is developing the project on 7th Street and submitted it to the city for a final permit. The 4th Street and 10th Street projects, developed by the Miles Group and GoGopher Rentals, are slated for public hearings in July 2021 before they go to the city for approval.

The townhomes would provide students with more safe housing options in Dinkytown with additional external lighting, said Chris Lautenschlager, the executive director of the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association.

“They are a clear improvement over what’s existing there, and it will allow the opportunity for more students to have more options, options that are safe,” Lautenschlager said.

The proposed properties would replace houses that have been a part of the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood for up to 100 years. Barbara Camm, a founder of Preserve Historic Dinkytown, said that she is disappointed with the deterioration See HOUSING Page 2

I would probably laugh because I never saw myself in student government. But I realized that a lot of students don’t see themselves in student government, which is a big reason why I wanted to run in the first place. It’s not a place that’s super prestigious and only for certain types of students, but it is really a place for anyone who’s just passionate about advocacy.

What are your goals for the upcoming year?

Mohamed: One of our goals for this upcoming year is to meet the basic needs of students. This pandemic has exacerbated many issues that students have been facing for some time now, some of which being food insecurity, housing insecurity, college affordability and worsening mental health. With that comes some personal and professional responsibility to get it right this year. And for us, by pursuing a multifaceted advocacy approach that engages with the Board of Re-

gents, University administration and elected officials at the local, state and federal levels of government, there’s immense opportunity for change when it comes to dealing with these types of issues.

Ajibola: My goal, and I say this a lot, is just to make everyone really uncomfortable. I want to push student government out of the box that they’re usually in. I want to push administration out of the same pattern of the way that they’ve been interacting with students. I also want

to push students to rise to an occasion where they realize that they’re paying tuition for this University, so this is their school, and whatever they want, as long as it’s valuable to every single student, I would love to push for it.

What are you most excited to do in your first semester?

Mohamed: I’m very excited to go back in person and have in-person meetings. There’s so many people that I hope to have the pleasure of seeing and working with, some of whom are MSA members, student groups and faculty alike, and just getting back to campus life and having an in-person MSA experience is something I’m looking forward to.

Ajibola: I want a food co-op so bad. I need a grocery store on campus [as soon as possible]. To have our campus be classified as a food desert when we’re one of the top universities in the world seems really backwards to me. I want to give every student a chance to find affordable food that’s also healthy.

How do you feel that MSA has fallen short in the past and how do you plan to improve?

Mohamed: I’ve been in [MSA] since my freshman year, and one thing I’ve noticed is that, while MSA has done a great deal to help students, at the end of the day, nothing has fundamentally changed for See MSA Page 2

FACULTY

New FCC leadership sets out new goals The FCC represents faculty across University campuses systemwide.

By Maia Irvin mirvin@mndaily.com As complicated as a jigsaw puzzle, University Senate governance plays an important role in the University of Minnesota’s functioning, including representing groups of faculty, staff and students and advising senior leadership.

However, many members of the University may be unaware of these committees representing their voices when important decisions are made. One of these seemingly underground, yet highly significant, committees is the Faculty Consultative Com-

mittee (FCC), which represents faculty across University campuses systemwide.

“A lot of people don’t know about the Faculty Consultative Committee specifically,” said Ned Patterson, FCC chair and University professor of veterinary medicine and genetics.

“They [may] know vaguely about the University Senate, [but] unless you’re in the middle of it or involved with an issue, not everybody knows.”

Patterson officially transitioned into the FCC chair position Thursday — a role he will hold for the next year.

Born in Colorado, Patterson moved to Minnesota when he was six years old and has resided here for most of his life, he said.

He attended the University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, received a doctorate degree and

is now a practicing veterinarian and professor.

“I’ve been working for the U in one way or another since 1996, so 25 years,” Patterson said.

“Started as a student in ’92 and haven’t left. I really liked it.”

Patterson’s participation in University committees began prior to his appointment as FCC chair. He was a member of several committees while at the veterinary school, which led to his appointment on the Health Sciences Faculty Consultative Committee (HS FCC), he said.

Serving on this committee allowed him to become a member of the FCC for two years. After this, Patterson was elected to a three-year term as an FCC member and served one year as the committee’s vice chair before

See FCC Page 2

COVID-19

Colleen Manchesternposes for a portrait. Photo courtesy of Colleen Flaherty manchester

CITY

Frey proposes $28 million in affordable housing projects The money aims to help communities disproportionally affected by COVID-19.

By Olivia Stevens ostevens@mndaily.com

A cloth mask and bouquet of flowers are seen on the Goldy statue outside Coffman Memorial Union on April 1, 2020. (Parker Johnson / Minnesota Daily)

A summer update on UMN COVID-19 rules and protocols The University has lifted many of its COVID restrictions.

By James Schaak jschaak@mndaily.com The University of Minnesota has removed mask requirements and capacity limits for fully vaccinated individuals on campus as Hennepin County reports a 77% vaccination rate among those aged 16 or older

and its lowest COVID case rate in over a year.

A May 14 announcement from University President Joan Gabel lifted the campus mask mandate whereas venue capacity limits were lifted on May 28

by Governor Tim Walz.

University departments that are still hesitant to loosen restrictions may pursue the restriction exception process, a submission-based review in See COVID-19 Page 2

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey proposed $28 million toward new programs for those in need of stable housing, which will go to the City Council for approval on July 2.

The city received nearly $89 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to address economic recovery, public safety and basic income in Minneapolis. Frey’s proposal of $28 million is divided among 17 programs that address housing and homelessness.

Some of this money will go toward public housing in the University of Minnesota neighborhoods. Federal guidelines require that the money be spent by the end of 2026.

Promising programs Of the total funds, $4.6 million will go to the Scattered-Site

Construction program. Under the program guidelines, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) will repair scattered-site public housing units and replace 16 existing units with 84 higher-density units.

Ward 3 Council member Steve Fletcher said this initiative holds great promise for large-scale renovations and redevelopment, and some of the units are within the MarcyHolmes neighborhood near the University. “[MPHA is] revamping their scattered-site housing so that they can add units and create housing all over the city that is deeply affordable for families,” Fletcher said.

The renovations include making the scattered-site units energy efficient and restructuring single-family homes into four- or six-unit properties.

However, not all community members share his enthusiasm for the program.

Ladan Yusuf, campaign organizer for Defend Glendale & Public Housing Coalition, said See CITY Page 2 Volume 121 Issue 15

2 Monday, July 12, 2021

MSA page 1 students. My diagnosis is that change and progress happens with narrative shifts in our administration, and the Board of Regents have had a narrative of comfortability and complacency. This year especially, we’ll be looking at shaking up the comfortable and pushing to change the University’s narrative by empowering and uplifting students through our advocacy.

Ajibola: I think that MSA has fallen short in the fact that they really are passionate about important issues, but then we pass things through forum and when [the administration] says

no, that’s just kind of it. And that’s super frustrating to those who worked hard and also to these students who really need things. I really want MSA this year to not take “no” for an answer, especially when it’s for the common good of all students.

How do you feel about the University’s decision to not mandate the vaccine and how do you feel about making the campus a safe place for students to come back?

Mohamed: Although MSA hasn’t formally taken a position on mandating the vaccine, what was most concerning about the University’s announcement of

this decision was the lack of measurable action steps to drive up the vaccination rate and help students feel safe when coming back to campus. I think one of the ways we will emerge from this pandemic is to be strategic and creative about how we encourage folks to get vaccinated, and ensure students’ health and wellness. These conversations will be extensive in the coming months and I look forward to engaging in them.

Ajibola: My background is in public health, so I have a unique interest in this.

Mandates can be important if they’re utilized correctly, but I don’t think a mandate is absolutely necessary to

Proposed renderings of the townhomes on Fourth Street SE, Seventh Street SE and 10th Street SE. (Courtesy of William Wells from Wells & Company Architects)

Housing page 1 of historic Dinkytown homes.

“It’s really a shame that Dinkytown homes, historic or otherwise, are being lost due to negligence on the part of property owners,” Camm said. “The character of the neighborhood is being systematically destroyed. Onehundred-year-old houses are being replaced by buildings constructed of shoddy materials that will last perhaps no

COVID-19 page 1 which the department must provide evidence to University Health and Safety personnel that their COVID restrictions are still necessary.

However, departments seeking exceptions are somewhat rare, according to Katharine Bonneson, the assistant vice president of University Health and Safety.

“Generally, we have received very few exception requests related to the lifting of COVID-related restrictions,” Bonneson said. “The total number of requests to date is fewer than ten.”

Spaces that have qualified as an exception include medical facilities, like Boynton Health. Yet even in buildings that are not an exception, the University urges students to respect others’ decisions to wear a mask and continues to require masks for anyone who is not fully vaccinated.

“I also ask all members of our community to support anyone who chooses to wear a mask, noting that there could be many reasons one might do so,” Gabel said in her

more than 40 years.

According to Camm, these townhomes would replace naturally occurring affordable housing, which are houses that cost less than the market rate. She added that these new developments, geared toward student living, tend to drive out young families from the neighborhood.

“These buildings are not ones in which to raise families, and actually, this is no longer a family friendly neighborhood,” Camm said.

“Young families need to have a place to live near campus and they need to have services like schools and health care available near them.”

Joe Schaedler, a board member of the MarcyHolmes Neighborhood Association, said his biggest concern about the townhomes was affordability.

“I want to make sure that developers steer away from [expensive apartments] and try to make things as affordable and as livable as possible,” Schaedler said.

May 14 announcement.

The University’s definition of a fully vaccinated individual is someone two weeks removed from the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the second shot of the PfizerBioNtech, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Sinopharm vaccines.

Although vaccinations will not be required for fall enrollment, the University is encouraging unvaccinated individuals to schedule a vaccine appointment with Boynton upon their return to campus.

While the vaccine is considered highly effective, public health experts have noted that fully vaccinated people can still contract COVID-19.

academic year.

Nonetheless, the pandemic is still dynamic; much like tuberculosis or measles, it is expected that the coronavirus will be a constant for the foreseeable future, according to the University’s COVID-19 Response Team.

According to Ricker, the University continues to encourage all students, regardless of vaccination status, to get tested for COVID-19 as necessary — especially if symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath occur.

The new Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus now makes up 20.6% of all new cases in the United States.

And though many COVID precautions have been lifted, Ricker said the University will continue to consult public health experts to monitor the virus and its variants.

“As there are a variety of factors to consider in these situations, ranging from community spread to vaccine effectiveness against any COVID-19 variant that occurs, the University will evaluate changes to current public health measures, as needed, on an ongoing basis,” Ricker said.

Protocols moving forward The University plans to work with faculty, student and staff governance organizations to create a robust plan for students’ return to campus, according to Jake Ricker, the director of University public relations. Notably, the University announced on June 22 a plan for full capacity audiences at athletic games for the upcoming

get people to get vaccinated.

When we think about vaccines, we have to remember the institutional racism against other communities and the fear that has brought in the medical system. We also have to think about different religions and things like that. I would like to see more campaigns focused around vaccinations and overall, not just vaccinations, but how to keep yourself safe on campus — with or without them. So, talking about the use of masks and how they work, talking about washing your hands, about talking about taking care of yourself … really making sure that everyone’s educated on how that works.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Mohamed: I think the impact that I want to have, and something that I’ve heard from past MSA presidents, is to leave the organization and the University better than when I found it. I think to step into a leadership position of this magnitude, representing 35,000-plus undergraduate students, can seem daunting. But also it’s an honor to be able to serve in this position and to have an impact like that is something that will not come easy, but I really look forward to that challenge.

Ajibola: Over the past couple of months there has been a lot of mistrust

in MSA as an organization, and I think that it’s really fair to have that mistrust, but also to remind people that every single student at the University is a member of MSA whether they like it or not. And as a member of an organization that reflects us as a student body, I want everyone to know that they have a voice and that they have a stake in the organization and this University, and be willing to voice what they need and be able to come to all of us and say what they want — and then we can formulate a plan to make it happen.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

FCC page 1

the other FCC members plan to prioritize continuing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the University, which includes integrating social justice themes into every classroom, Patterson said.

Additionally, the FCC wants to increase faculty accountability in relation to sexual misconduct and promote a positive, respectful culture, Patterson said.

Another concern is improving two-way communication between the University community and the FCC, and thinking about how to effectively communicate with the rest of the faculty about issues, Manchester said. “[This means] making sure faculty know who to contact if they have a concern or issue,” she said.

The FCC is a consultative body to University President Joan Gabel, Manchester said. It creates advisory resolutions for the president around faculty issues and concerns, and has limited decision-making powers.

The committee can make recommendations when appropriate.

The FCC consists of approximately 20 members, all of whom are professors, associate professors

or assistant professors.

Currently, there are 12 elected members and 10 nonelected members.

The committee also represents faculty at large in the University system and is only designed to address issues that affect more than one college, Patterson said. If a concern affects only one college, the responsibility goes to the dean or department head.

“We’re not meant to get into the internal affairs of a college,” Patterson said. ”But for any issue that affects more than one college, we are supposed to represent all of those groups, so they can always come to us.”

This knowledge of the FCC, what it does and how it fits into the University, is important to know because it helps facilitate and strengthen shared governance, Patterson and Manchester said.

“The idea of shared governance is really important … so leadership can understand the consequences of its decisions as well as share its rationale,” Manchester said. “It’s important for an institution to function well to have input from its constituencies and for those constituents to have a voice that matters.”

being elected as chair this year.

“So that’s where I first really knew about the FCC,” Patterson said. “I started hearing about it when I got on that committee [the HS FCC].”

Similarly, Colleen Flaherty Manchester, FCC vice chair and University work and organizations associate professor, was not aware of the FCC until she became involved when the University announced in 2018 it was going to close the childcare center on campus.

“That’s when I first learned about the FCC because I went to the FCC to advocate for keeping the center open and expanding,” Manchester said. “I realized it was a group that could mobilize around issues that were really important to faculty. I saw how impactful it could be.”

Previously, Manchester served as a member of the Women’s Faculty Cabinet and just finished her first three-year term as an elected FCC member, during which she was elected as vice chair for the 202122 term.

For the upcoming year, Patterson, Manchester and

Construction close to complete on the Elliot Twins Apartments in on Wednesday, June 30 in Minneapolis, Minn. Elliot Twins Apartments is a public housing option for low-income households on campus. The complex is not specifically mentioned in the spending plan, but could potentially experience renovations under certain initiatives.

(Audrey Rauth / Minnesota Daily)

City page 1 she is concerned about the plan’s impact on individual families who live in the existing scattered-site structures.

“They want to demolish 16 units of scatter-sites and replace them with 84 units of privatized apartments, and those families will not come back,” Yusuf said. “Why did they have to go after 16 families who make that community their home?”

MPHA asserts that existing tenants will not be forced to relocate and there will be little change in rent. Yusuf said she would prefer that MPHA invest in new locations instead of reconstructing existing homes.

“Why can’t you [build] on empty lots if you’re trying to expand public housing?” Yusuf said.

Envision Another program included in the proposal is Envision, which will be transitional housing that provides an “intentional community that is designed and led by residents with lived experience of homelessness.”

The $1.2 million project will consist of one-bedroom “microhomes” organized around a central house. David Hewitt, the director of housing stability for Hennepin County, said the first priority is to “get people who are currently homeless into housing, not into shelter.”

Envision’s organizers opened the Avivo Village tiny home community in a North Loop warehouse on March 8, and the success of this initial project helped lead to the investment in Envision.

“They’ve already placed a lot of people into some more permanent housing,

Elliot Twins Apartments reflect the afternoon sun on Wednesday, June 30 in Minneapolis, Minn. (Audrey Rauth / Minnesota Daily) so that process is working,” Fletcher said. “Getting people into supportive transitional housing … gives them the time and space to take care of themselves enough to be able to look for the next step.”

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The event brought locals out to interact with neighbors.

By Hanna Van Den Einde hvandeneinde@mndaily.com Yard sale days returned to the Prospect Park neighborhood on June 26 and 27 for the first time since the pandemic began, giving residents an opportunity to shop and meet their neighbors.

The neighborhoodwide yard sales have been a tradition in Prospect Park since 2014. After more Minnesotans received the vaccine and Gov. Tim Walz lifted restrictions on outdoor gatherings, the event was brought back.

In order to increase foot traffic in the neighborhood, neighbors hosted the yard sales at the same time as plant sales, some also offering tours through their gardens.

Gib Ahlstrand, the coordinator of the event, said that he felt

Thomasson said. “Doing the tailgating, or the boot sale is for those of us who don’t have yards or garages to have a sale. It’s been great, plus I’ve met neighbors.”

Yard sale days gave an opportunity for residents of Prospect Park to get rid of household items, but it also allowed residents to interact and meet their neighbors for one of the first times since the pandemic started.

By Emalyn Muzzy emuzzy@mndaily.com

Tell me about yourself.

“My name is Yusra Arab, I’m a mother, an advocate and a Ward 2 resident.

I went to high school in Washburn and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a political science degree. I have a 12-year-old daughter and I currently reside in the Southeast Como neighborhood.”

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Many items were for sale at the Prospect Park Yard and Tailgate sale on June 26th. The event featured yard sales, free items, and garden walks. (Alexa Lewis / Minnesota Daily)

Arab wants to be a community voice on the City Council.

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there was a sense of enthusiasm throughout the neighborhood about the yard sales returning.

“It’s part of the community tradition,” Ahlstrand said. “Like any tradition when the cycle is broken and then you come back to it again a bit later, it’s a resurgence of enthusiasm again to see the old tradition coming back and giving people an opportunity to unload junk.”

There were 25 yard sales and five tailgate sales during the weekend.

The tailgate sales allowed neighbors who do not have yards to sell items out of the back of their cars. Over two-thirds of Prospect Park residents rent their homes, according to the Prospect Park Association website.

Barb Thomasson moved to Prospect Park in 2020 and participated in the tailgate sales for the first time in 2021. “[The tailgate sale] wasn’t available and we still had a lot of things that we needed to get rid of,”

Kristen Rainey has lived in the Prospect Park neighborhood for 12 years. She shopped in past years, but decided to participate as a seller for the first time last Saturday.

“My parents are starting to downsize their house into an apartment and it was sort of an inspiration for me this year to be in the tailgate sale,” Rainey said. “I thought there would be

more traffic, foot traffic, if I came over here and did the tailgate sale.”

Ruby Dennis and Lee Werner participated in the tailgate sale for the first time this year. Dennis said that it felt great to be selling off vintage clothes.

“I feel like a part of the neighborhood again, being able to see everybody, run into people I know and it feels like things are opening up,” said Dennis.

Q&A with Ward 2 city Council candidate Yusra Arab

The Minnesota Daily sat down with Yusra Arab, one of the Ward 2 City Council candidates to talk about her policies and how she plans to bring more BIPOC representation to City Hall.

The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future.

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3

So you’re right over by the University?

“Yes, I’ve been out here since my days at the U. I’m an only child, which isn’t really typical in the East African family. I was raised by a single mother in public housing in St. Paul.

Yusra Arab poses for a portrait on July 4 in Minneapolis, Minn. (Alice Bennett / Minnesota Daily) I fled Somalia when I was around three, and I haven’t been back since. I’ve been in Minnesota for 23 years now.”

Why did you decide to run for City Council?

“I worked as a policy adviser in the sixth ward for four years and, to be quite honest with you, it was what I saw and experienced while at City Hall that prompted me to run. One of those things were the wide disparities that exist for BIPOC communities.

The fact that we don’t really have a champion at City Hall. We have allies but we don’t have actual individuals who reflect the communities they serve, who are on those decision making teams.”

What big issues are you focusing on in your campaign?

“I’m a big supporter of affordable housing. I grew up in public housing and I remember the importance of my mom qualifying to get a voucher and how

that helped us get out of poverty. And so, housing is a big issue to me and a personal issue. Public safety is another area.

[I want] a more holistic approach to public safety, one that makes sure that all members of our community are protected equally …

And environmental justice, and injustice, and making sure that communities of color, who historically were at a disadvantage when it comes to the environment, partake and are aware of what is on the table in finding sustainable solutions.”

What are your plans for dealing with policing and public safety?

“Police in its current form isn’t working … and we need to address it urgently.

Our law enforcement officers should be held to the highest standard, they should be accountable for their actions.They should be appropriately trained, and they should be demilitarized, and they should be an extension of the communities they serve … Public safety is more than just police response. At least to me through public safety,

ensures that individuals and communities have the resources and support needed to address critical societal thinkers. We need access to affordable housing, food security, clean and reliable transportation and accessible health care, including mental health.”

What are your plans for housing? “[I will] continue to invest in affordable housing production and preservation, whether it’s in assistance with Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, making sure that public housing isn’t privatized and gentrified. One of my main priorities is advancing partnership opportunities with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority and expanding the number of affordable housing units for residents at or below 30 AMI [Area Median Income] … I also prioritize the creation of pathways to support affordable homeownership, especially our BIPOC communities.”

This interview was lightly edited for length and clarity.

University receives funding for genome sequencing The study is an effort to help the future outlook of the pandemic.

By Marlee Louden mlouden@mndaily.com The University of Minnesota Genomics Center (UMGC) recently received funding to conduct genome sampling for COVID-19 in an effort to combat the spread of variants and mutations in the future.

The UMGC, in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and with funding from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is working to establish the genetic baseline of the virus in order to prepare for future COVID-19 complications.

Although COVID-19 vaccinations are widely available in Minnesota, it is still critical to monitor the viral strains for potential mutations, according to Sean Wang, the sequencing and bioinformatics supervisor

at the MDH public health laboratory.

The UMGC developed the sequencing method in May 2020. When people test positive for COVID-19, their tests are sent to labs for genome sequencing, where strands of DNA are studied.

Over the next year, the CDC will fund the University to conduct sequencing on 6,000 samples from nine states in the Midwest, including Minnesota, Wang said.

Sequencing genomes is particularly important now in order to prevent the spread of variants, said Kenny Beckman, director of the UMGC. “Now is the time to treat every single instance as an ember you need to stamp out. If you have a raging forest fire, you just escape the forest fire, but when you have the occasional ember, you can go in there and stamp it out,” Beckman said.

The more people that get infected with COVID-19, the more variants are able to emerge, as each new host gives the virus another chance to mutate and adapt,

Daryl Gohl, left, and Kenny Beckman pose among DNA sequencers in their lab in the Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building in Minneapolis on Monday, June 21. Gohl is the principal investigator for a COVID-sequencing project that recently received funds from the CDC and Beckman is the director of the Genomics Center at the University of Minnesota. (Shannon Doyle / Minnesota Daily) according to Daryl Gohl, the principal investigator from the University and genomics professor.

“I think there will still be work to do to investigate the outbreaks,” Gohl said.

“It is very important to keep tabs on that and to make sure that there aren’t variants arising that are becoming resistant to invading the immune system of vaccinated people.”

The low number of

COVID-19 outbreaks in Minnesota has made it much easier to sequence all of the samples, Beckman said. When there were high case numbers, it was not possible to sequence each test.

MDH collaborates with the UMGC to help determine which samples to sequence. In some cases, samples from an outbreak investigation are sequenced, and other times random samples are

sequenced for generalized surveillance.

“Our job is still critical to closely monitor whether or not we have a surge of the [most contagious] variant.

Or, who knows what kind of variant we’ll have once we step closer into the fall/ winter time,” Wang said.

“The term restrictions have loosened up so there are more opportunities for the virus to spread. So we definitely will not put our guards down.”

Daily Review

4 Monday, July 12, 2021

Sheila Nezhad is running a “winnable” and community-oriented campaign Nezhad has an activist background to bring to city hall.

By Emalyn Muzzy emuzzy@mndaily.com Sheila “For the People” Nezhad, the grassroots Minneapolis mayoral candidate, described herself as the “top challenger” to incumbent Jacob Frey in the upcoming election.

Although she did not earn the 60% of votes required for a DemocraticFarmer-Labor Party (DFL) endorsement, she was the clear leader of the caucus with 53% of votes. Mayor Frey came in second with 40% of votes. The Stonewall DFL, the Minnesota Young DFL and the Twin Cities Mutual Aid Project have all endorsed Nezhad.

Nezhad, a queer woman of color, has a background in activism and if elected, plans to support renters, emphasize crime prevention over policing and make

Sheila Nezhad outside Ricardo Levins Morales Art Studio on Thursday, June 24. (Liam Armstrong/Minnesota Daily) it easier for Minneapolis residents to be involved with city government.

“She’s not someone who has been in politics her whole life and made being

mayor her goal,” said Elham Mohamud, Nezhad’s communications manager. “She is an activist who, after last summer, decided, ‘I need to do something.’”

Nezhad’s policies Nezhad said she wants to make sure Minneapolis citizens are able to participate and understand city government. One way she plans to do this is by paying community advisory committee members, such as people on the pedestrian advisory committee.

“The city has all these wonderful advisory councils … There are over 700 volunteers right now,” Nezhad said. “What happens when those positions are volunteer, unpaid positions is only the people who can afford to be there … so working class people and parents really get left out.”

Along with that, she wants to better the city’s communications so that residents are knowledgeable about what is happening in city government. Nezhad’s goal is to allow the community to decide on government budgeting by introducing a $10 million participatory budget. Minneapolis citizens would decide how to spend it, rather than the government.

“People will have a direct say in being able to advocate for what they want to see funded in the city government,” said Janet Nguyen, campaign fellow and University of Minnesota graduate.

Focusing on a preventive approach to crime is one of Nezhad’s objectives.

“When we talk about safety, we need to talk about the things that keep us safe, which are housing, youth programs, education and mental health care,” she said.

Nezhad spent several years working as a policy organizer for Reclaim the Block, a local group that aims to move the police budget to other safety measures.

During her time there, she helped create the Office of Violence Prevention.

This fall, ballots will contain a charter amendment dubbed Yes 4 Minneapolis that Nezhad helped author.

If voted in, it would take the police department out of the city charter and replace it with a Department of Public Safety.

Nezhad said she has been a renter for 12 years and believes in renter protections.

She supports the tenant’s opportunity to purchase, which means renters have the first chance to purchase their house when it is up for sale. She also supports the upcoming rent control bills and preventive programs that keep people from living on the streets.

“I know what it’s like to be displaced by increasing rents. I know what it’s like to have bad landlords,” Nezhad said. “That’s why we also fight for a fully funded tenant protection board.”

Nezhad has an uphill battle to defeat incumbent Frey, but if the DFL caucus results mean anything, it is that she has a real chance to win.

“I feel very confident that she is not only equipped to be able to serve in office, but she holds all these genuine experiences with the community,” Nguyen said. “I really, really believe in the fact that she will carry those voices with her.”

U to make safety changes after Dinkytown shooting Students have mixed reactions to increased police presence.

By Hanna Van Den Einde hvandeneinde@mndaily.com The University of Minnesota announced public safety changes in an emailed response to a shooting in Dinkytown that left five people injured, three of whom were students.

The shooting occurred early in the morning on Saturday, June 19 near the corner of 14th Avenue Southeast and Fourth Street Southeast. The public safety changes include increased police presence and mobile cameras in Dinkytown and Marcy-Holmes, while long-term changes include installing lighting and blue light kiosks.

None of the students were critically injured, but it left many students on

edge. Regan Anderson, a student at the University, said the shooting and recent crime left her shocked and upset.

“I love living in Dinkytown and I love being on campus but I do sometimes think is it really worth it if I’m just gonna have to deal with this kind of stuff day in and day out,” Anderson said.

An increase in police officers has improved safety in Dinkytown in the past, according to an emailed statement by University Police Department Chief Matt Clark.

“Numbers [of police officers] will vary by shift, but there will be an increased presence of UMPD officers in Dinkytown for the foreseeable future,” Clark said. “An increased visible presence of law enforcement and ability to respond quickly to emergency calls traditionally helps improve safety.”

Andy Oien, a member of

Illustration by Morgan La Casse Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), said that he was frustrated with the increase of police on campus. He said that SDS is holding a protest against

the increase on Saturday, June 26.

“What I would like to see is the [University] work with the city of Minneapolis to try to get

them to implement more programs that address the cause of this violence,” said Oien. “We’d prefer to see the U trying to go after the root causes of all this crime

and violence.”

In the future, the University is looking at installing additional blue light emergency kiosks in Dinkytown. In case of an emergency, these kiosks connect students to campus police with the push of a button.

Anderson said adding more of these kiosks in Dinkytown would be helpful for students.

“I feel like just being able to physically see a light up blue thing that reads emergency, it’s like okay, that is clearly a place I can go to like get help,” Anderson said.

Victoria Epshteyn, a junior, said that after the recent crime in Dinkytown, she is looking forward to seeing these public safety changes implemented by the University.

“I feel like people were just taking advantage of the fact that there really wasn’t a police presence at all on our campus,” Epshteyn said.

49 years of of Pride at the Twin Cities; three generations come to celebrate on the University campus University community members discuss Pride.

By MaryKate Fenstermaker mfenstermaker@mndaily.com This month marks 49 years of Pride celebrations in the Twin Cities, and what started as just 50 people marching to downtown Minneapolis is now a weekend-long event celebrated by hundreds of thousands of people.

Toni McNaron was the first openly lesbian faculty member at the University of Minnesota and taught in the English department from 1964 to 2001.

During the early years of Pride, McNaron said she and other University community members would march down Hennepin Avenue but did not feel secure.

“I have had people throw things at me, scream things at me, call me names and all the rest of it,” McNaron said.

Back then, McNaron was working in the English department and was working to establish the

Department of Women’s Studies, now called the Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies (GWSS) department McNaron helped establish the GWSS department in 1973 — the same year she came out as a lesbian — and she remained the only openly lesbian woman at the University “for a while.”

Lisa Vecoli, former curator of the JeanNickolaus Tretter Collection, attended Pride events in Minneapolis during her time as a college student and said she remembers that it was a time she could be out and be herself. “[After Pride events], I remember walking out of Loring Park across the bridge and realizing that I was leaving that cocoon of safety in the park. I also had to strip off my lesbian identity because I was not [openly a lesbian] at home at that point,” Vecoli said.

Now that she is publicly out as a lesbian, Vecoli said she takes that identity with her everywhere, adding that there is more acceptance today than 50 years ago because more people have come out and

are now visible.

A more inclusive community Joe Blake is a fourthyear student who has been attending Pride since the age of 15 — one year after he came out as gay.

Blake talked about the significance of the origin of the Pride movement: the Stonewall Uprising started by activists like Marsha P. Johnson, a Black transgender woman.

He said it is important that the LGBTQ community acknowledges the contributions that Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) have made to the Pride movement.

“If we are going to take this time to celebrate who we are, we also have to acknowledge where it comes from,” Blake said.

In the early days of the GWSS department, the women active in the department were all white, middle class women and the Black history material was lacking, McNaron said.

Vecoli also acknowledged the under representation of BIPOC, as well as transgender and bisexual people. During

her six years at the library, she worked to diversify the material in the collection to feature more than just white, gay men.

“If we are going to be an archive that really serves the entire community, we have to represent the entire community,” Vecoli said.

The modern version of the Pride flag seeks to represent more communities. In addition to the six-striped rainbow, the flag now includes

“

Illustration by Mary Ellen Ritter

If we are going to take this time to celebrate who we are, we also have to acknowledge where it comes from.”

pink, white, blue, black and brown stripes to represent the experiences of marginalized people of color and transgender individuals.

“I hope that it is a reminder — especially with this new rendition of the Pride flag becoming a little bit more prevalent — I hope that it is a reminder for queer, [cisgender] white people to use their privilege to uplift their other community members,” Blake said.

5 Monday, July 12, 2021

CELEBRATION

Oromo Student Union holds longawaited annual cultural celebration

Students gather to show talents, cultural displays and tributes.

By Sophia Zimmerman szimmerman@mndaily.com Unable to hold Oromo Night in February like usual due to COVID-19, the Oromo Student Union (OSU) board had to adjust plans for their annual cultural celebration upon its approval in March. Their flexibility and willingness to adapt to eased restrictions and bumps along the way led to an event filled with colorful displays of Oromo culture, encompassing its complex nature in a variety of ways through the participation of OSU and community members.

Oromo Night 2021 was a celebration of Oromo culture consisting of dancing, music, storytelling

Photo courtesy of Oromo Student Union. and tributes to the late Oromo musician and activist Hachalu Hundessa.

Hundessa, killed in June of last year, was known for his protest songs and revered by many in the Oromo community — particularly the youth.

Due to a lack of university funding and a minimal budget, the OSU board had to get creative in figuring out how to make Oromo Night happen in its entirety. The help of community sponsors

such as Adama Restaurant, a Columbia Heights joint specializing in Oromo, Ethiopian and East African cuisine, made it feasible to fund the event’s festivities.

“We made it happen because of the theme of the night — Hachalu Hundessa,” said Leensa Ahmed, president of OSU. “We made sure the timing fell around the one year mark. He symbolized strength, and his music resonated with the youth. It’s the reason we continue to hold these cultural events.”

It took a village to make Oromo Night happen this year, with many hours spent choreographing dances, selecting music, directing mini documentaries, writing and performing skits, selecting outfits for the fashion show, hand-painting props used and many days dedicated to rehearsing it all.

While the OSU board all

played a part in the event, secretary of OSU Meea (Mi’aa) Mosissa served a variety of different roles throughout the months of planning leading up to it.

“Meea does everything,” said Nahili Abdullahi, communications coordinator of OSU. “He’s carried us on his back the last couple of weeks.”

Serving as a choreographer, dancer and script writer, among other things, Mosissa truly did dabble in a little bit of everything. His dedication to the Oromo community is fierce, but he remains humble when it comes to the way he serves it.

“I wanted this show to be an example,” said Mosissa.

“Sort of an ‘I’ll come out for you, you come out for me’ thing. It’s important that everyone sees everyone coming out to support one another.”

According to Mosissa,

what he wants from events such as Oromo Night — apart from spreading general awareness of Oromo culture — is to encourage members of the community to keep showing up for one another.

He wants to shift the culture in order to see community members come together beyond one night a year.

“I hope that people learn more about the culture, and pay more attention to who we are,” said Ahmed, on her hopes for people’s takeaways from the event.

Running on “Oromo time,” as Mosissa calls it, members of the community trickled into the St. Paul Student Center slowly but steadily over the course of a few hours before the event’s start time around six. By the time the lights dimmed, the seats of the theater were nearly filled with friends, family and community members filled with eager anticipation for

Oromo Night.

The OSU board, on stage in an assortment of coordinating blush-toned outfits, began the night with introductions before kicking things off with “Jirra” by Hundessa. The song played across the speakers, lyrics displayed on screen and voices in the crowd soon chimed in with echoes of the chorus. Some audience members danced and swayed in their seats as they sang along.

The energy among the crowd remained high all night.

Throughout the performances, cheers and applause erupted from the audience.

“Oromo Night is a solidification of our communal identity,” said Mosissa. “We are often overshadowed by a larger Ethiopian identity. The point of having events like this is to show that we are Oromo.”

LOCAL

A&E’s ultimate guide to local farmers markets

A&E gives you all you need to know about a few markets.

By Grace Davis gdavis@mndaily.com An exciting part of a Minnesota summer is the abundance of farmers markets the Twin Cities has to offer. Whether it’s a self-started herbal remedy company or a family-owned coffee vendor with beans delivered weekly from their family’s farm in Guatemala, these local farmers and artisans have been waiting for this summer to showcase and sell all their hard work.

The Twin Cities has a lot of different en plein air shopping experiences with unique qualities and neighborhoods. A&E gives you the rundown on just a handful of these markets to add to your todo list this summer.

St. Paul Farmers Market — $ Every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. & Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

290 East 5th St, Saint Paul Just blocks away from the Mississippi River and the St. Paul Saints’ CHS field, the St. Paul Farmers Market greets

you with an abundance of magnolias, poppies and the smell of fresh, buttery pastries every weekend.

The St. Paul Farmers Market is a happy medium of busy, but not overwhelming, energy. At the market you can find a variety of products from salsa, jams, pasta, hot sauces, chocolates, cheeses, eggs — basically any craving you’re having, they’ve got it. It would take a lot of willpower to leave this market empty handed.

An honorable mention for produce vendors goes out to Edgie’s Veggies. Fan favorites of theirs are the pea shoots and radishes, perfect on an avocado toast or fresh salad.

After an hour of hanging out at the St. Paul Farmers Market, Isabella Azzaro and Kate Johnson, rising third-years at the University of Minnesota, made their way to Mears Park where they planned to have an afternoon picnic with fresh pastries and iced coffees purchased from the market.

“It’s such a different experience getting to actually meet the person who actually grew and made the food we’re eating,” Azzaro said.

Mill City Farmers Market — $$ Every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

704 S 2nd St, Minneapolis Abutting the Guthrie Theater and Stone Arch Bridge, the Mill City Farmers Market is a prime location for spending an afternoon in the heart of Minneapolis.

Besides the location being enough of a reason to make the trip, the Mill City Farmers Market develops a theme every week with speakers and demonstrations on everything from planting, raising urban chickens and cooking. Follow their Instagram for updates.

A vendor to check out is Ever Wild Herbal Company, a women-owned body care company founded in 2016 by farmer and maker Gina Kuhn. Kuhn creates and sells bath and beauty products like serums, lotions, salves, essential oils and botanical herbal remedies grown and processed locally.

Aayush Patkar, a rising third-year at the University, appreciates this market in particular because “everyone always seems happy to be there.”

After the market, folks like to head to Gold Medal

Park to sit on the grass hill and indulge in their new purchases.

Minneapolis Farmers Market on Lyndale Avenue —$ Daily from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.

312 East Lyndale Ave North, Minneapolis The Minneapolis and Nicollet Mall Farmers Markets are the largest farmer managed markets in the state, with the flagship Lyndale location having up to 170 vendors on the weekends. If you prefer a more intimate experience with vendors and browsing with fewer people, going during a weekday is recommended, as the weekends get fairly busy.

According to Minnesota Grown, the produce that are in season now are beets, carrots, cauliflower, blueberries, cucumbers, herbs, peppers, potatoes, raspberries, summer squash, sweet corn and tomatoes.

The early bird gets the worm when it comes to getting the pickings, so make sure to bring your grocery list to stock up on these fresh goodies while you can. With loads of affordable produce options and farmers who are ready

The Mill City Farmers Market attracts a crowd on Saturday, June 19. (Audrey Rauth / Minnesota Daily) to answer your questions about how their products market, the market provides an education and enriching market experience.

Linden Hills Farmers Market — $ Every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

2813 W 43rd St, Minneapolis A 10-minute walk from Lake Harriet, the Linden Hills Farmers Market is a great spot if you’re looking for a smaller, more intimate market experience.

Occupying the Settergren Ace Hardware parking lot, this market has vendors of everything from produce, plants, meats, pastries and coffee.

Talk to the farmers at First Blush Farm & Garden about what heirloom starter plant to get for your garden — the oregano and sage are a popular option for a lot of folks.

The Biscuit Babe vendor bakes at the crack of dawn every Sunday morning to make sure there are warm, freshly made sweet and savory biscuits for the early marketgoers.

With this market being on the smaller side, stop by one of the many surrounding lakes and take a walk, rent a paddle board and hang around until night comes and check out the Lake Harriet Bandshell for some possible outdoor live music or outdoor movie screening.

MUSIC

It’s not beginner’s luck when it comes to Papa Mbye, it’s the real deal

Local artist Papa Mbye prepares for the release of his debut EP.

By Frankie Carlson fcarlson@mndaily.com

Though he’s just getting started in the local music scene, rapper Papa Mbye is making a name for himself.

With his unique delivery, hard-hitting lyrics and lively production, Papa has been blazing his own trail and making it look easy while he does it.

Hot off the release of the frenetic and hype-filled music video for his single “NOFOODINMYTUMMY,” the Minneapolis based MC is just getting started for the summer of 2021.

His debut EP, “MANG FI,” is in the final stages of production and is set to drop within the coming months.

Following a loose narrative, the project dives into topics of loneliness, self perception and self

discovery. Mbye discussed how the EP’s underlying themes of isolation are feelings that stem back as far as the age of two, when his family immigrated to north Minneapolis from Gambia/Senegal.

“When I came here, I always stuck out so much.

I always got noticed very easily,” Mbye said. “I still didn’t feel normal or like I wasn’t included, and I guess it’s hard to shake it. Those feelings never left me.”

According to Mbye, the creation of “MANG FI” came about nearly by accident. In the beginning of quarantine, he began experimenting with production software and creating his own songs.

His experience as a musician at this point consisted of several performances at house shows, rapping and freestyling among friends.

Despite this, Mbye dove in head first and came out the other side with six tracks and a newfound passion.

“I feel like a kid that just started a music class because

I guess I don’t really have any musical understanding or experience before this, so I’m kind of just learning everything now,” Mbye said. “I still kind of feel like a beginner that got a crazy head start.”

Musical collaborator and producer on “MANG FI” Ben Farmer champions the work Mbye has put into learning the ins and outs of music production, and his drive to continue to improve his skill set.

“Papa is one of the fastest learners that I know,” Farmer said. “I remember a yearand-a-half ago he was asking all types of questions about Ableton and how to do this and how to do that, and I’d be in the studio with him and I can see him frustrated at the fact that he can’t work quick enough. And then in no time he has completely learned his way around those tools.

He is fearless when it comes to his art and I’ve learned a lot from him in that regard.”

Though music production and rapping

is a newer enterprise for Mbye, he has always been a natural creative. He first discovered his artistic side at an early age through illustration and cartooning.

Producer for “MANG FI” Zak Khan first began collaborating with Mbye after an unplanned meeting at one of Khan’s studio sessions. Mbye did what he does in whatever setting he is in: create.

“Papa showed up with his drawing book and a bunch of crayons and pens and stuff in a bag.” Khan said.

“He sat down and while we we’re making music he was just drawing. At some point, I just remember looking over what he had and it seemed like he was making drawings but also writing lyrics. And we were curious to hear what he had written over the beat I was making, and so he performed what he had written for us. It was really spur of the moment and organic.”

As live shows are finally returning, Mbye is making

Photo courtesy of Jacob Pesci. plans to re-take the stage, “You know I’m still most notably at his show pretty early on in my September 9 at 7th Street musical journey and more Entry opening for local artist than anything, I’m just Miloe alongside Bugsy. having a lot of fun figuring Mbye hopes to continue things out,” Mbye said. honing his artistic skills “Finding this new form from all areas. Whether it of expression is really be through music, video, exciting and I guess I’m illustration or anything else just kind of developing my he takes on, this is one artist language, and what I want to keep your eye on. to say through it.”

6 Monday, July 12, 2021

MUSEUM

Bell Museum opens larger-than-life bug exhibit The museum introduced an insect-centered exhibition.

By Frankie Carlson fcarlson@mndaily.com Fearful of bugs? Rest assured, you are not walking into your own personal nightmare. With interactive activities, fascinating facts and magnificent 3D renderings, the Bell Museum’s latest exhibit has plenty to offer for even the biggest entomophobe.

Running now through Sept. 14, Bugs: Outside the Box brings the insect world to a larger-than-life size.

The exhibition, which is free to the public, presents a selection of enlarged bug sculptures that allow a close look at insects’ unique architecture and body parts.

Though there are insects featured throughout the Bell Museums permanent galleries, this is the first exhibition that has been fully devoted to the science of bugs.

If a critter crawls on your skin or you find a spider in the

corner of your apartment, you might meet the insect with a bit of disgust, or even fear. But Gallery Programs Coordinator Heather Cummins explained that the little bugs around us require less fear and more understanding.

“Not only are insects beautiful, but they make the world work,” Cummins said. “They make up 75-80% of the diversity of life on the planet and, within that diversity, they do a lot of the dirty work of keeping our planet clean and habitable.

They are a truly essential part of living on this planet, and learning about them helps better inform us so we can continue to improve the ways we care for the Earth.”

Now as you walk in the Bell Museum one of the first things you see across the lobby is an enormous moth at the exhibit entrance, greeting visitors.

The colossal bug models were crafted by Italian artist Lorenzo Possenti. Carved and painted by hand, Possenti took immense care in creating these sculptures and each one remains a unique work of art.

Director of Public Engagement and Science Learning at the Bell Museum Dr. Holly Menninger shared how, as a temporary rented installment, “Bugs: Outside the Box” was chosen for exhibition, not only for its unique appeal for visitors, but also its safety in light of COVID-19.

“We wanted something that would be visually exciting and interesting and that would wow our audiences, but didn’t have a lot of things that people would touch or interact with,” Menninger said.

“This exhibit was really attractive because we created an opportunity to invite our visitors to really look closely at insects, observe their body parts, their wonderful architecture and color — to look at things from a new perspective.”

Organizers at the Bell Museum hope that visitors will be inspired to get outside and explore the world of insects both at the museum and at home. The exhibit’s “Learning Landscape” section offers the chance for visitors to observe insects

Photo courtesy of the Bell Museum. in action and engage with a plethora of unique species.

Several of these exhibit activities are also available on the Bell Museum website for access anytime.

In addition to these activities, the museum is hosting a number of virtual programs lined up for the summer. From Bugs Trivia Night to Be a Pest Detective

and Helping Insects Build Their Homes, there are plenty of interactive events to get involved in.

Associate Director of Public Engagement and Science Learning Jennifer Stampe hopes that visitors leave the exhibit with a new or renewed appreciation and respect for the world of insects.

“This exhibit and the associated activities give visitors a chance to move from art to science to direct observation of nature,” Stampe said. “The one big takeaway is that the natural world is fascinating and beautiful and vast, and we can learn so much about it when we slow down and take the time to observe what we find around us.”

ALUM

Q&A with recent University alum Vibia Fagdalene about her upcoming drag album release

Fagdalene released the first single on June 25.

By Megan Phillips mphillips@mndaily.com

Vibia Fagdalene, also known as Tony Burton, is a recent University graduate and founder of Loring Collective, a queer artist collective devoted to the empowerment and progression of queer visual and musical talents in the Twin Cities.

On June 25, Fagdalene released the first single, “Urban Queens,” off of her upcoming album of the same name. This is Fagdalene’s first drag album and Burton’s first time doing drag.

A&E spoke with Fagdalene to discuss her journey into drag, the Twin Cities drag community and the inspiration behind “Urban Queens.”

Fagdalene poses on the album cover for “Urban Queens.” (Tyler King / Minnesota Daily) How did you get started in drag?

I was interested in drag for a while and then COVID hit. I was like, “This is the perfect time to start trying out.” My boyfriend is a go-go dancer at the Gay 90s, so he already knew

about the drag community and he brought me to the 90s. I started meeting the queens and asking them questions. They encouraged me to come to the 90s amateur drag night and, since then, I’ve performed twice.

I love your name! How did you choose it?

Vibia’ is inspired by an ancient gay Greek love affair involving the Roman emperor Hadrian and his mister Antinous. Hadrian’s wife’s name has been altered throughout history and time but one name I came across for her was Vibia and I really connected to it. Because Tony’s last album was called “Hadrian & Antinous,” and tells the story of their affair, I was thinking about how I could put an aspect of Tony in my name but also give myself my own spotlight.

‘Fagdalene’ was inspired by one of my favorite albums, “MAGDALENE” by FKA twigs. As I was listening to it, I thought, “I would love to perform this one day,” so to be kind of tongue-in-cheek I decided on Fagdalene.

What is your favorite part about doing drag?

Escaping expectations.

When I was in high school, I did theater and I loved

performing but I could never be the female lead. I wanted to play the musical divas my girlfriends got to play in the shows but I couldn’t because society didn’t think a man was capable of playing those roles. Drag allowed me to play those parts for the first time. It’s finding yourself in a whole other light.

on drag queens and although drag queens are amazing, there are so many other identities in drag that need to be lifted up, like drag kings and nonbinary performers.

What was the inspiration for “Urban Queens”?

It’s based on the expectation that drag is glamorous, but the reality is that a lot of these queens are broke and they have to be really creative to put on a show. I was thinking of a way to represent that and give it a name. Like, yes, they’re queens but there’s also this grittiness or grossness to urban life that I love.

Can you give us any sneak peeks off the album while we wait for it to release?

The last song on the album is called “Red Light Special” and it features Tony.

It’s an eerie, serious song that showcases a bit of a conflict between myself and Tony because we’re both such strong individuals. In the song, it’s hard to distinguish who is singing, representing the unknown future of their musical careers. Who will produce the next album, me or Tony?

What is something you want people to know about drag?

You don’t need to identify with the binary to do drag.

Often in the queer and drag communities, they just focus

When do you plan to release the album?

I’d like to release it on my birthday, November 28.

This interview has been edited for length, grammar and clarity.

LGBTQ

Minneapolis’ Quatrefoil Library is preserving history and fostering community The library is a gathering place for the queer community.

By Macy Harder mharder@mndaily.com With a collection of over 15,000 books, the shelves of Quatrefoil Library are rich in history and queer culture spanning decades.

But its legacy does not stop there.

Since Quatrefoil opened in 1986, the library has offered a variety of LGBTQ materials in an effort to protect these stories from erasure. As its collection expanded over the years, so did the library’s impact.

Today, Quatrefoil operates as a gathering space for the Twin Cities LGBTQ community, bringing people together in a place where everyone is welcome.

Quatrefoil moved to its East Lake Street location in 2013 where it remains today. All of the books available are queerfocused, written by LGBTQ authors, or in many cases, both. The library offers

a rich assortment for readers of all genres, with ever-expanding sections of both nonfiction and fiction materials.

Quatrefoil is gearing up for its annual Pride Book Sale. The library will have tents at the Twin Cities Pride Festival on July 1718, where festivalgoers can purchase T-shirts, buttons, and of course, some great LGBTQ reads.

Claude Peck is a writer and former Star Tribune arts and news editor. After serving on the library’s Board of Directors for five years, Peck took on the role of Quatrefoil’s president in January 2021.

Peck explained that in recent years the library has been focused on expanding into a community center.

“We’re also a crossroads for ideas and events, and for people who are thoughtful and people who have things to say and argue about,” he said.

Quatrefoil encourages conversation and connection by hosting various queer book clubs, poetry readings, book launches, panel

discussions, game nights and more.

The combination of being a library and a place that brings the community together through activities is what makes Quatrefoil unique.

“Our events are often tailored to the crowd that might not come in here on a typical Saturday afternoon to check out a book,” he said. “I think it’s kind of a patchwork of wonderful things that people can do with this community.”

Paul Kaefer discovered Quatrefoil at a Pride event in 2016, shortly after moving to the Twin Cities.

He said he and his partner “had no idea this kind of thing existed,” and that they thought the library was a “really cool place.”

Kaefer started volunteering with Quatrefoil in January 2017, and joined the Board of Directors in September of that year. Today, he serves as one of Quatrefoil’s vice presidents, and having an LGBTQ-specific library helped him find community. In fact, he said that many of his

LGBTQ friends are people he met through the library.

“I came out as gay during college... but I didn’t feel like I had a big support network,” Kaefer said. “Until finding Quatrefoil, it felt more like I had to seek it out. I had to meet people individually, or have a friend who had a friend that I could become friends with.”

Kaefer also said it’s important that LGBTQ places exist for queer people of varying interests. “[The] gay community exists outside of bars.

I’ve definitely met more bookish people who would totally love to go to a book launch instead of going out partying,” he said. “That’s not everybody’s thing, so it’s cool to have a place that’s about preserving, collecting and sharing literature and history.”

David Lenander studied English at the University of Minnesota and worked at the University’s Health Sciences Library for over 30 years.

He’s a member of the North Country Gaylaxians, a book club that meets monthly at Quatrefoil to discuss LGBTQ

Claude Peck, President of the Quatrefoil Library in Minneapolis. (Alice Bennett / Minnesota Daily) science fiction, horror and June 1 as a way to reduce fantasy literature. barriers to patronage For Lenander, the and make their materials library’s mission to preserve accessible to all. “Q queer stories and make cards” are available for no them available to others is a charge, and upon signing celebration of history. up, members can check “You don’t want to out Quatrefoil’s books, celebrate the awful things, DVDs and other items. but you want to celebrate Peck said he hopes this the progress we’ve made,” change will help young Lenander said. “I hope people and those on a that we can learn from tight budget who still want history and do better, and to use the library.

I hope we can celebrate “Our idea was to just say literature and poetry and everyone’s welcome,” Peck all those things.” said. “We welcome and The library introduced invite your patronage, and free membership on we want you to get involved.”

Editorials & Opinions

7 Monday, July 12, 2021

COLUMN

Would you like a Taser with that?

Yet another disappointing email from the desk of Joan T.A. Gabel.

I

n May of 2021, the GoEmily Eaton pherwatch Monthly columnist Safety Report recorded 11 aggravated assaults, 12 burglaries, 12 burglaries from a motor vehicle, 15 robberies, 15 motor vehicle thefts and 76 thefts for the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood (including Dinkytown). Prospect Park (including Stadium Village) experienced 24 thefts, among other crimes. And that was just in the month of May. It took University of Minnesota students receiving nonfatal gunshot wounds while

waiting to enter an off-campus bar for President Gabel to acknowledge the crime crisis around campus. Given that it took so long, I’d like to walk through her administration’s response to the extreme rise in crime faced by the campus community.

Immediate steps outlined in Gabel’s June 21 email include making Minneapolis Police Department officers more visible at night, with a greater number of officers assigned to the area and more cameras installed. Longterm solutions include increased patrols, cameras, “Blue Light” kiosks and a safety ambassador program.

When talking about these plans, Gabel’s email was carefully worded to avoid a guarantee of any of these long-term initiatives actually being implemented. At the risk of sounding like an overly analytical high school essay, the liberal usage of “evaluate,” “analyze” and “examine” in place of “complete,” “implement” or “fund” leave the impression that Gabel is leaving herself a little too much room to backtrack.

With that being said, there are more issues with the short- and long-term solutions than the verbiage. Blue light kiosks are essentially useless — I have never heard of a student actually using one, though I don’t doubt they promote a facade of increased security. They are expensive to implement and to maintain. Most students carry personal cell phones these days, many of which have technology to make emergency calls

easily accessible.

Increasing police presence, on the other hand, is a double-edged sword, and not in the way you might think. It actually does deter violent crime, but it doesn’t lead to an increase in arrests for said crimes. Essentially, the threat of getting caught is often enough of a crime deterrent. However, these positive statistics also decrease in cities with large Black populations, playing into the narrative that communities of color are simultaneously over and under policed. The University has a prominent student activism community, with many whom have had negative experiences with the MPD. There was no acknowledgement of the violent and all too recent past of MPD, or of last year’s decision to separate UMPD from MPD, made in Gabel’s email.

Increasing police presence must be a placeholder for effective, long-term change.

As it stands, the suggestions made by the Gabel administration rely on lessening the symptoms, not solving the root cause. Crime in our community is not the issue of the University alone, but it would be foolish to ignore the immense influence the administration has. Lobbying for increased gun control is one step towards prevention. Beyond the obvious gun usage in recent shootings, many students have been robbed while being threatened with a weapon. In 2020, Minnesota earned a C+ for gun control due to a lack of firearm licensing and registration, as well as no lost or stolen firearm reporting. Public in-

stitutions do actually have a decent amount of freedom when it comes to lobbying and are subject to fewer regulations than their private counterparts.

I’ve lived in Dinkytown for the duration of my college career. I can tell you first hand that the atmosphere has changed dramatically. As a first year student, my friends and I were rarely concerned about our safety during the day, and harbored the reasonable concern most young women are trained to have once night fell. This past year, living mere blocks from my freshman dorm, I witnessed a fatal shooting from my apartment window.

My friends and peers have been robbed, assaulted, carjacked and more. President Gabel’s response to the dramatic change in the off-campus environment is inadequate.

Accessible education is not just need-based scholarships and retrofitting buildings — it includes ensuring that students are not putting themselves in danger by living close to campus. Increasing police presence is not a long-term answer: Only prevention efforts will restore the campus environment to a semblance of its former self.

Emily Eaton welcomes comments at eeaton@mndaily.com.

COLUMN

His pardon is “not a priority” After waiting 43 years, Kevin Strickland must wait even longer for freedom.

A

strange debate is takMatthew Doty ing place in Missouri columnist over an innocent man’s life. On one side sit those who argue for the release of Kevin Strickland, 62, who has been locked up for 43 years for a triple homicide that he maintains he did not commit. On the other side sits, essentially, just Missouri Gov. Mike Parson. After decades of Strickland’s own legal struggles from an initial Missouri Supreme Court hearing in 1980 to a 2017 Denial of Post-Conviction Relief affirmed by the Missouri appellate court (under then Attorney General Josh Hawley), Strickland’s petition for pardon has landed on the desk of Gov. Parson. The Governor, at this crucial moment in the aging inmate’s life, is wary to sign it. All the while, the Missouri Senate was working on and has now passed a bill containing language that could make Strickland’s freedom conceivable even without the aid of a pardon. The bill, SB53, now also sits on Parson’s desk, waiting to be signed into law.

Parson was recently quoted saying he expects that he will sign the bill into law effective this August, but does this go far enough for

Strickland’s case? (hint: I do not think so) Strickland was sentenced to one count of capital murder and two counts of second degree murder to be served concurrently in relation to a triple homicide that occured on April 25, 1978, in Kansas City, Missouri. Since his conviction, he has maintained his innocence, saying that he was at home watching TV and talking to his girlfriend on the phone, an alibi that his family members corroborate.

Nevertheless, Mr. Strickland was found guilty.

He was 18 years old at the time of the murders.

The case against him relied heavily on an eyewitness account from the only surviving victim, Cynthia Douglas, who was 20 years old at the time. She identified two of the defendants, Vincent Bell and Kilm Adkins, the night of the murder, and stated that night that she did not know the other two involved in the shooting, only to testify against Strickland the next day and then again in trial. In modern cases this would have been weak evidence against Strickland given what we now know about the veracity of eyewitness accounts, especially delayed ones like this.

Another key (but, in my opinion, ridiculous) piece of evidence levied against him by the prosecution was the presence of Strickland’s fingerprints on the car of co-defendant Adkins. Somehow, this proof of Strickland’s very real friendship with Bell and Adkins was twisted to be used as evidence supporting his participation in a murder. These were the most salient pieces of evidence against Strickland. After a hung jury in his first trial (11/1 among 11 white jurors and one Black juror), an all-white jury found him guilty.

I hesitate to spend any more of the readers’ or my own time recounting the evidence of this man’s innocence here. For more who attest to his innocence, look to current Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker. Look to co-defendants Bell and Adkins, who stated to investigators that Strickland had nothing to do with the crime while they plead guilty, and key witness Douglas who

expressed regret over her role in the trial in 2015. Look to James Bell and John O’Connor, who both worked in the office of the prosecutor at the time and attested to Strickland’s innocence after re-reviewing the facts, or any of the Missouri State Senators who sent a bipartisan letter to the Governor urging him to pardon. I cannot blame you should you still hesitate to believe this incredible case. I urge you to review the case yourself and check out the Midwest Innocence Project’s “Suggestions in Support of Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus.”

But even in the face of such a widely acknowledged and glaring lack of evidence against Mr. Strickland, Gov. Parson has refused to budge, letting the pardon petition gather dust while Strickland continues to sit in prison. When pressed on the issue by reporters, Parson has said “there is a lot more information out there,” appealing to the case’s complexity and that he is not “willing to put other people at risk” by letting Strickland go free, a clear mistreatment of the facts and neglect of his ability to salvage the freedom of an innocent man. To be clear, stating that the case is “more complicated” is simply not true, and suggests he believes that others who read the case lack the ability to clearly understand the information presented to them. As a rule, I think we should be wary of people who say something is “more complicated” than it seems while refusing to say in what ways.

It likely is not. In a recent interview, Parson showed all of his cards, saying “nobody has been proven innocent here in the court of law, you know, is the bottom line.” I feel ridiculous even pointing out what is wrong with that sentence.

In the same interview, Parson references the new Bill 53, saying that he anticipates it will get signed into law this coming August.

If this happens, Strickland will be given a potential route to freedom, which County Prosecutor Baker has personally promised to help him navigate. But is August enough? The matter is urgent. Every second that Strickland

remains in prison is a second in which the state of Missouri robs him of his civil liberties, a second in which he continues to be a victim of legal red-tape and indifference to injustice. Consider the fact that his codefendants that plead guilty spent about 10 years each imprisoned for a gruesome triple homicide while Strickland has spent 42 years in prison in a country that touts freedom and fair treatment under the law as its principle values. SB53, no doubt, will make the lives of future wrongfully convicted inmates much easier, but Strickland’s case requires so much more than his release. Through this pardon, Gov. Parson has the power to send a profound message on behalf of justice, a message of regret and a promise of dedication to the innocent. Kevin Strickland will never receive true justice. When asked what justice looked like to him, he said “I don’t know. I haven’t seen it yet.” But, if Parson acts with urgency using the pardon for its true purpose (to correct and express remorse over the inevitable but hopefully rare mistakes of the criminal justice system), he can give Kevin Strickland a glimpse of the promise this country made upon his birth.

So, Gov. Parson, you have come into contact with the rare case of a moral binary. You have two choices, one good, one bad: waste no more time and set a deserving man free, or let him spend more time in prison for a crime for which his innocence is not even in question. Prove to us that the freedom of innocent Missourans is your priority, or prove to us that your apathy towards injustice is truly unshakable. Every day that goes by without a pardon for Strickland suggests the latter.

Sign this petition addressed to Parson to support Mr. Strickland and to advocate for his freedom.

Matthew Doty welcomes comments at mdoty@mndaily.com.

COLUMN

The University’s budget and bureaucracy Ski-U-Ma(ybe another tuition hike isn’t the best idea).

T

he University of Emily Eaton Minnesota is a columnist special place — and I’m not just saying that because my education is the largest purchase I’ve ever made. It is one of the original land-grant universities as established by the Morrill Act of 1862. Essentially, the Morrill Act designated land to states who then sold

that land and used the profits to establish public universities. While the ethics regarding land ownership are deeply questionable, in the age of skyrocketing college tuition and educational inaccessibility land-grant universities often provide a more affordable option to private colleges and universities.

Today, the “land-grant” designation means that some portion of that funding comes in the form of federal and state funding. The one-to-one match requirement is a key component of the identity of land-grant universities: The home state of the university must match federal funding for these institutions, dollar for dollar.

However, at the end of the day, the state legislature determines whether or not that matching actually occurs.

The University of Minnesota financial requests for the 2022-23 fiscal years are lower than they have been in the last 20 years. Amid pandemic-related deficits and government delays, it seems strange for the University to request less funding from the state, not more. The question remains: Will the budget deficit fall on the shoulders of students?

President Gabel’s proposed budget

already allots $49.7 million dollars to be reallocated from lower priority projects.

It also states that “the projected increase in tuition revenue of $13.6 million results from projected enrollment changes, a proposed increase in the general resident and nonresident, graduate and undergraduate rates on all campuses of 1.5%, the continued phase in of the tuition surcharge for the TC College of Science and Engineering and a proposed surcharge for the UMD Swenson College of Science and Engineering, and various market driven rate changes for various masters and professional programs.”

In a June 9 email statement, Director of State Relations Kelly Mellberg stated that, in the agreement published by the legislature’s higher education working group, only 82% of the University’s proposed budget was fulfilled by the legislature. Provisions that were not included by the working group include a request to decrease undergraduate tuition and a reduction in funding for Regenerative Medicine Minnesota.

The University’s budget does more than dictate tuition prices: It directly affects the economy of Minnesota. The

University of Minnesota system employs over 27,000 people across the state and is considered one of the best employers not only in the state, but also nationwide. At a legislative breakfast, Gov. Tim Walz stated that “there’s strong agreement that the foundation of this state’s economic engine, cultural engine [and] social engine has been our University systems and of course, the University of Minnesota being the flagship.”

While the legislature’s decision remains subject to change, the impact of the University’s budget goes much farther than the boundaries of the Twin Cities campus. With budget requests at a 20 year low, it is unacceptable for the state legislature to deny the University this funding. It is deeply unfair for budget cuts to fall on the shoulders of the student body — many of whom spent the last two semesters paying full price for online courses — or on employees.

Emily Eaton welcomes comments at eeaton@mndaily.com.

8 Monday, July 12, 2021

Editorials & Opinions

COLUMN

A republic, if we can keep it A look at our democracy and what we need to do to strengthen it.

A

s we approach our Zach Courtney nation’s birthday, columnist we also approach another historic anniversary: this Tuesday, July 6, will mark six months since the insurrection at the Capitol. I thought this was a perfect opportunity to discuss what this week is about: our nation’s great experiment with democracy.

I’ll start with a story.

The year was 1787. The United States, having had problems with the Articles of Confederation, were concluding the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where they wrote the Constitution that still stands today. Elizabeth Willing Powel, wife of the Philadelphia mayor and known herself as the “Founding Mother,” asked Ben Franklin an important question: what type of government was being created?

“A republic,” Franklin replied. “If you can keep it.”

If you can keep it.

I’m a man of many quotes; I’ve probably said that before in a previous column. But I’m not sure there is a quote that has been more influential in my life than this one.

This highly influential quote has two parts, the second more important than the first. But let’s talk about the first part, well, first: a republic.

A republic (Note: I’ll try my best to avoid making this column read like a U.S. government textbook.) A republic is, simply put, the form of government that the United States operates under today. Instead of having a monarchy, which we were trying to escape in England, we wanted the people to have power in government. Some refer to our government as a democracy. They aren’t wrong. The founding fathers preferred the term republic, however, because democracy was the term used to describe what we now would call a direct democracy. A simpler term for our government would probably be a representative democracy, but to each their own.

If you can keep it This part of Franklin’s famous quote is far more interesting and important: “if you can keep it.”

Creating a better democracy starts with each of us as individuals. To put it bluntly, we need to do better. According to a 2017 poll from the Annenberg Policy Center, only 26% of Americans can name all three

branches of government.

Some will read that statistic and think it’s pretty cool that they are in the 26% of Americans that can name the three branches of government. I think it shows that our journalism and educational systems are in a bad place. I could go on about the changes that need to be made to fix this, but I already wrote a column on that.

I’m a small “d” democrat, meaning that I believe in democracy, not that I am a member of the Democratic Party. I hope everyone is a small “d” democrat. We need to do more to show it, though. Being a small “d” democrat doesn’t mean that one day every four years, you go in and vote.

It means you cast a well-informed vote in every election, whether it be for the city council, school board, U.S. Senate, or presidency. It means reading the newspaper, watching the news and forming political opinions. It means not shying away from healthy, civil discussion on politics with your friends, family and neighbors.

We often talk about our jobs, meaning our 9-to-5 jobs: banker, teacher, lawyer, cashier, et cetera. We don’t talk about our most important job enough, one that we all have: our job to be good, well-informed citizens of our republic.

In times of economic crisis, some are always quick to blame the “free riders” — those who don’t work hard enough are relying on the social safety net created by the rest of society. I don’t really agree with this logic economically. But we are in a time of democratic crisis, and this same logic applies well here. We have free riders on democracy, and it leads to events like those

of Jan. 6.

If we want to solve the problems of our era — climate change, health care, poverty, you name it — it all starts with fixing our democracy. So, how do we do that?

There are a number of ways we can go about fixing our democracy through good policy. It starts with curbing corruption.

First would be overturning Citizens United, but that seems unlikely. We could pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act. We could offer full vouchers that Americans spend on local newspaper subscriptions, ensuring that local news remains strong.

Though CNN and MSNBC would like to argue that Jan. 6 was just a result of some ignorant conservatives listening to Trump, it was and is a much deeper, more systemic issue than that. I’m a fan of sports analogies: if your baseball team loses 10-0, you could blame it on everyone else (those damn Trumpers!) or take a good, hard look at what needs to be done to ensure it doesn’t happen again. If we don’t come together as Americans and fix our republic for the better, the next Trump, Jan. 6, and election will be even worse than the last ones.

We, the people, hold the power in our government. If we use it, that is. Ben Franklin and the founders created a great republic for us, but the events six months ago should be proof that we need to do more to keep it.

Zach Courtney welcomes comments at zcourtney@mndaily.com

COLUMN

Big Tobacco’s bait and switch strategy Why we need to be careful about our relationship with vapes and e-cigarettes.

V

Matthew Doty aping devices columnist and other nicotine products have been received with mixed feelings since their introduction in the United States in 2006. Many claim they are a safe alternative to cigarettes and can thus aid smoking cessation, while others see their dangerous chemicals and a potential inverse effect in which these devices could be a gateway to get non-smokers (especially young first-timers and “social smokers”) to try electronic cigarettes’ infamous cousin.

Cigarette smoking itself has steadily declined in the U.S. adult population since 1966, from 42.6% to just 13.8% by 2018. Part of this decline is likely due to shifting public opinion about cigarettes in the face of studies proving their danger.

Unfortunately, however, this trend was not mirrored by the country’s youth. Call it teenage rebellion, call it misinformation or even plain angst. The American Lung Association reported an almost 10% increase in youth cigarette smoking rates from 1991 to 1997 (from 27.5% to 36.4%).

From then on, however, rates of smoking increase have dropped sharply to well

below 10%.

Beyond the high volume of anti-cigarette advocacy and research, many attribute this drop to landmark lawsuits against Big Tobacco culminating in the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), a contract in which some of tobacco’s largest companies settled litigation with 46 U.S. states and five territories. Within the MSA were new requirements that kneecapped the companies’ marketing abilities. Among these are the complete prohibition of targeting minors in ads; selling merchandise with brand logos; and outdoor, billboard, and public transit advertising. Really, the MSA was a shining victory in the fight against teen-targeted smoking advertising — and when an industry spends over 7.62 billion dollars a year on marketing and advertising, they can expect a shock to their system after agreeing to such sweeping prohibitions.

The benefit of a device like a Juul (one of the most popular vaping devices on the market) is that they provide an opportunity to alleviate “industry standard” pressure felt by cigarette companies because they are selling a different product.

Therefore, a company that sells vaping devices simply does not feel the direct pressure from old Big Tobacco lawsuits.

Of course, these e-cigarette companies came on the scene well after the MSA, so they did not feel any of its influence at the time. Even still, the standard that the MSA put in place would have retroactively pressured a new company to fall in line.

The real trick of the Juul or e-cigarette, however, is the novelty. Medical, and now public, understanding of cigarettes is that they are indisputably dangerous to your health and well-being. The same cannot quite be said for the public opinion about vaping devices. It is difficult to regulate these products when people lack solid understanding about their effects. Thus, ads nearly copying pre-MSA cigarette ads (adjusted for trends and aesthetics) were free to circulate.

As we saw above, youth smoking rates are declining. This statistic is at least a little heartening, though we may need to update the data we look at to get the full picture. Current “tobacco use” by high school students in 2018 was reportedly 27.1%, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey.

Also shown was a steady increase in vaping among this demographic since 2011.

Tobacco companies are taking notice of this shift; old tobacco giants like Altria and Phillip-Morris have even gotten skin in the game, buying up stock of newer, smaller (in comparison) e-cigarette companies, likely to offset their losses in cigarette sales.

E-cigarettes, then, are the undisputed rising stars in the tobacco world, both to customers and the rest of the industry. Their rise may be attributed to the fact that they substitute the scientifically proven danger of cigarettes for a sort of speculative danger, one that those looking for an excuse to vape can easily refute.

But science and attorneys are following suit, shifting their focus to e-cigarettes and vaping devices rather than cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. For example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institute of Health have awarded $151 million in grants to research. With this funding, researchers can investigate tobacco, including health of effects ecigarettes and marketing for the financial years 2018-2022, through their Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science program.

Alongside the scientific shift in focus is a recent, but palpable, legal focus on the strategies of e-cigarette companies. One legal battle that gained notoriety in recent years is North Carolina v. Juul. The complaint, brought about by North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, details the company’s customer demographic, their early marketing campaigns and their failure to gain or even seek FDA approval as a designated cessation aid. All of these examples support Stein’s claim that Juul

played a large role in the nicotine addiction of this generation. Specifically, Stein says they helped to “reverse the historic decline in teen tobacco use.” Looking at the tobacco use trends noted above, it will be hard to refute these claims, and failure to do so (and do so decidedly) could land Juul in hot water.

The thing about tobacco products is that because they kill off their most loyal customers, and because adults are simply less likely to start smoking, the most powerful and important advertising will always be that which targets kids (if you’re already addicted to nicotine, you don’t need much of a push to keep using it). Regulations and lawsuits like those mentioned above are certainly starting to catch up and hold these companies accountable, but they cannot be fully responsible. An unknown, but likely high, number of teens have started vaping in the few years since North Carolina lodged its initial complaint against Juul. If we let vape companies tell us that their products are safe and only intended to be a cessation aid, we are falling into marketing schemes the same way that our grandparents did when Lucky Strike called their cigarettes “toasted” or when Camel said they were the most popular cigarette among doctors. In the meantime, while legal battles are fought and scientific studies are conducted, we — as the generation being marketed to — should do our best to not shovel dollars into the companies that are responsible for the deaths of millions and that pay for the very ads that get more of us addicted. Getting us addicted to e-cigarettes is, in the end, the only way that tobacco giants can stay in business, or at least retain a shred of the power they had in the last century.

Matthew Doty welcomes comments at mdoty@mndaily.com.

COLUMN

Teenage girls, boy bands and ill placed shame Why are the musical interests of teenage girls so looked down upon?

I

was in the sixth grade Tara Brankin when the iconic boy columnist band One Direction released their first single, “What Makes You

Beautiful.” The pure pop track, which is overwhelmingly catchy, skyrocketed One Direction into worldwide popularity, especially amongst preteen and teenage girls like myself. As a young girl in the throes of puberty, I liked One Direction not only because of their music, but also because I found the band members, especially Harry Styles, to be very attractive. I am not ashamed to admit that.

But just as quickly as “What Makes You Beautiful” got stuck in my head, I learned that my interest in One Direction, and boy bands in general, was something to be ashamed of.

According to Rolling Stone, boy bands, no matter what era they are from, are connected by one thing: their proclivity for playing to venues full of screaming teenage girls.

These girls, which make up the majority of their fanbase, are what make these bands so popular and successful. When I was 13, I experienced this phenomenon firsthand when I attended One Direction’s Take Me Home tour with opener 5 Seconds of Summer. I had never experienced anything so loud and exhilarating and had an absolute blast. It was

also amazing to be surrounded by thousands of other young girls with the same, seemingly silly interest. Looking back, I consider myself very lucky that I was able to see One Direction live before their infamous breakup in 2015.

But when I returned to school for seventh grade, I was promptly told by my male classmates that liking One Direction, or any boy band for that matter, was unacceptable. “One Direction sucks,” they would say. “Girls only think they’re good because they have a crush on Harry Styles.” They did not consider these bands as making “real” music. I also observed that adult men made snide comments regarding my interest in boy bands.

I find the fact that some claim boy bands don’t make “real music” to be ludacris. In doing research for this column, I found that not only are the Beatles deemed the greatest rock band of all time, but they are also considered to be the most popular boy band of all time.

Personally, I think you would be hard-pressed to find someone who believed that the Beatles didn’t make “real music.”

Additionally, in 1965, the Beatles played

their most iconic gig of all time: Shea Stadium in New York City. This performance has been regarded as one of the most famous performances in rock ’n’ roll history, right alongside festivals like Woodstock and Monterey. But the Beatles didn’t play to tens of thousands of adult men and women that night. The 56,000 people at Shea Stadium were mainly teenagers. Therefore, one of the greatest rock ’n’ roll moments of all time was put in place by a boy band and screaming teenage girls.

I am not saying that One Direction’s, or any boy band’s, music is particularly earthshattering or profound. But I want to point out that teenage girls are scrutinized for their taste in music and that boy bands are scoffed at in part because their fan base is primarily made up of teenage girls. Just because teenage girls are interested in something does not mean that it is necessarily unworthy of praise.

Tara Brankin welcomes comments at tbrankin@mndaily.com.

Sports

9 Monday, July 12, 2021

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Gopher women’s hockey Bench, Brown and Knowles returning All three players accepted the offer to return from the NCAA.

By Michael Lyne mlyne@mndaily.com Gophers women’s hockey’s Lauren Bench, Emily Brown and Olivia Knowles will return to Ridder Arena for the 202122 season after all accepting the additional season of eligibility granted by the NCAA as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are so excited to have these three super seniors back for another year,” Gophers head coach Brad Frost said in the email announcement. “They are wonderful hockey players and great representatives of our program.”

The Gophers will retain one of their co-captains in Brown, one of their assistant captains in Knowles and their starting goalie in Bench from last season.

Lauren Bench – Goaltender (Graduate Student) Bench joined the Gophers last season after spending the majority of her collegiate goaltending career at Bemidji State.

In 2020-21, Bench

appeared in 15 games for the Gophers, where she started in goal for 14 of them, posting an overall record of 9-5-0 with two shutouts.

The Eagan native’s .920 save percentage ranked third in the WCHA and her 2.26 goals-against average ranked fourth.

“Having the opportunity to play for the University of Minnesota this last year has been a dream come true,” Bench said in the email.

“Support from Gopher fans near and far has made this experience one I will never forget and never want to end, which is why I am extremely grateful to rep the Maroon and Gold for another year.”

After a fantastic season, Bench earned a spot on the HCA Women’s Hockey Goalie of the Year Award Watch List.

The Gophers goaltending veteran also played a magnificent month of hockey in November, posting an overall record of 3-1-0. She led all WCHA goaltenders with a 0.962 save percentage and 1.26 goalsagainst average, earning her National Goaltender of the Month and WCHA Goaltender of the Month.

Emily Brown – Defense (Fifth Year) Brown led all Gophers defense in points with 12 (three goals, nine assists)

Knowles (Left) and Bench (Right) celebrate a victory on Nov. 21, 2020. Photo courtesy of Brad Rempel of Gopher Athletics.

in 20 games as a co-captain last season. Her 12 points ranked third among WCHA defense. She also tied for second on the team with 27 blocked shots.

“Being a Gophers women’s hockey player has been a dream of mine from the first time I had a stick in my hands,” Brown said in the email. “These last four years have been everything I could have hoped for and more.

I have been challenged to become the best student, hockey player, and person

I can be day in and day out.

Throughout this process, I have gained a second family. I am so grateful to have received an additional year to wear the ‘M’ on my chest and live out my dream alongside my best friends.”

Last season, the Blaine native earned All-WCHA Second Team honors and tied for the most powerplay points among WCHA defense with four.

Olivia Knowles – Defense (Fifth Year)

Serving as an assistant captain last season, Knowles tied for seventh among WCHA defense with nine points (four goals, five assists) as she also appeared in 20 games for the Gophers.

“The past four years have been nothing short of incredible. Being a Gopher is a privilege, and I would never take a moment for granted,” Knowles said in the email.

“With that being said, I’m very blessed to be back for a fifth year in Minneapolis to play the sport I love with the

people I love.”

The Gophers will get their blocked shots leader back in the Campbell River, British Columbia native after she led the Gophers with 33 blocked shots last season.

What’s up Next The Gophers women’s hockey team will open their 2021-22 campaign against Ohio State University at Ridder Arena on Friday, Oct. 1 and Saturday, Oct. 2, as they search for the program’s eighth national

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Eric Curry announces return to Gophers men’s basketball

Curry accepted another season of eligibility from the NCAA.

By Tony Liebert aliebert@mndaily.com

After stating that the 2020-21 season would be his last at the collegiate level, veteran forward Eric Curry has had a change of heart, announcing his plans to play one final season with Minnesota.

Curry took to Instagram Tuesday afternoon posting a photo stating, “Let’s have one last dance, Gopher fans.”

He captioned the post, “ONE more time.”

Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, Curry has had a tumultuous Gophers career. He made an instant impact as a true freshman, averaging 5.5 points per game. Unfortunately, he

Gophers forward Eric Curry challenges a defender on Dec. 10, 2020. (Emily Pofahl / Minnesota Daily) battled knee injuries, playing in only 15 games across the next three seasons. Last season as a redshirt senior was

Curry’s healthiest since his freshman campaign.

He played in 29 games, averaging 15.8 minutes and 3.7 points per contest.

“I’m so incredibly excited for Eric,” head coach Ben Johnson said in a statement. “I’m happy with how he is feeling

physically first and foremost, and that he is hungry to compete and lead for one more year. I know he is pumped to be

able to wear the maroon and gold and we are just as thrilled to have him back with us.”

Standing at 6-feet-9inches, Curry will likely play a large role again for the Gophers in the upcoming season. He will serve as a much needed veteran post presence on a roster that lacks experience and depth in his position. After being previously recruited to Minnesota by then assistant Ben Johnson, Curry’s relationship with the now head coach could prove to be very valuable.

With the addition of Curry, the Gophers currently have two open scholarships spots, as Ben Johnson and his staff continue to construct the roster. We are currently 125 days away from Minnesota hosting UMKC on Nov. 9 to kick off the 2021-22 season.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Parker Fox plans to continue with Gophers Even after a knee injury, Fox’s plans haven’t changed.

result in much attention onwith the game and wanted toNorthwest Missouri State.

He is now set to reunite withchance that Fox will be able the recruiting scene, earningget better.”

Following the season, heformer AAU teammate Seanto contribute in the upcoming only one scholarship offer from He ended that seasonentered his name into theSutherlin, who announced hisseason. If he is not able to make Northern State University, ashooting a team-high 60.5%NCAA’s transfer portal. Afterplan to transfer to the school inhis Gophers’ debut during the division two school. from the field while averagingbeing contacted by more thanlate April.

2021-22 campaign, however, After making the trip toa team-high 19.9 points and100 schools, the high-flying Fox’s plan to contributehe will still have two years of

By Tony Liebert Aberdeen, South Dakota for his8.8 rebounds per game. On thewing opted to return home andto the team right away haseligibility remaining. aliebert@mndaily.com official visit, Fox would commitdefensive side of the ball he ledplay for the Gophers. unfortunately hit a roadblock. The Gophers are fewer than In the summer before histo the school less than onethe team in blocks, with 75 on “I think that came from ourAfter suffering a knee injury in140 days away from tipping off senior year of high school,week later. When he began histhe season. team’s success to be honesta workout less than a week aftertheir 2021-22 season on Nov. Parker Fox was playing AAUcollegiate career, he redshirted With serious expectationswith you. All of the best playerscommiting to the school, Fox9 against UMKC at Williams basketball for the Minnesotahis first year with the Wolvesentering his redshirt-juniorin the country are usuallywill have a six-to-nine-monthArena.

Heat. He and teammateand prepared for his trueseason, Fox lived up to the hypeon a pretty good team,” Foxrecovery time before he returns Sean Sutherlin had desires ofredshirt-freshman campaignand then some. His 22.3 points,said. “I played in 107 gamesto full basketball activities. playing basketball past highwhere he would finally have9.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists andand would win 90% of them. Fox’s injury, the fact that the school, but neither player wasthe opportunity to prove that henation’s best 3.5 blocks a gamePlaying for a program whichGophers have a first-year head being recruited heavily at thebelonged. would earn him All-Americaexpected excellence allowedcoach, nine total new players scholarship level.

In the 2018-19 season, hishonors. He put together twome to strive to be a playerand only one returning from Nearly four years later Foxfirst as a collegiate basketballjaw-dropping performances,that they looked at to scorelast year’s team raise serious and Sutherlin are at Minnesota,player, the 6-foot-8-inch forwardwith 39 points and eight blocksthe rock.” concerns of how much success their dream school, playingled the Wolves in scoring off theagainst Moorhead, and 21 As a childhood Gophers fan,they can find this season. for the program they grew upbench averaging 10.5 pointspoints and 21 rebounds againstit made it hard for Fox to choose “It motivates me even more. rooting for. per contest along with 5.3St. Cloud State. any other school than the oneI have always kinda been the Fox, from Mahtomedi,rebounds.

Fox’s historic 2021 campaignhe grew up rooting for. guy that has had the proveMinnesota, had a very Fox bettered his stats theled to serious success as a team “I have always dreamed ofthem-wrong mentality,” Fox productive high school careerfollowing year, and credits thefor Northern State. The Wolvesbeing a Gopher, and he [Bensaid. “Nobody thought that I with the Zephyrs, finishing asextra work he put in off thefinished with a 19-2 recordJohnson] knew that. Me andshould be playing division two the Mahtomedi High Schoolcourt for his improvement. on the season, and reachedcoach Johnson formed a reallybasketball out of high school, so record holder for points in one “Spending a lot of time in thethe third round of the 2021strong relationship and I get toI have always been that guy that game (39), points per gamegym, a lot of time in the weightNCAA Division II Nationalcome home and be 20 minuteswould love you to doubt me.”

(22) and points in one seasonroom and a lot of time watchingTournament until falling shortfrom home so that’s really After having surgery in (538). His success did notfilm,” Fox said. “I just fell in loveto eventual national championexciting to me,” Fox said. late April, there is still a slim