April 18, 2023

Earth Week’s excellent events

By CARLY BAHR Staff Writer

Earth Week kicked off Friday with an experiential presentation on Indigenous Astronomy and light pollution.

Minnesota State University Astronomy Prof. Michael Rutkowski, gave an hour-long lecture on light pollution and the importance of preserving the night sky before traveling to the Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site in Comfrey, a trip that included a tour of the facility, a presentation about archaeoastronomy and wrapped up with an 11 p.m. telescopic viewing of the sky.

“We owe our existence as humans to our connection with the night sky,” Rutkowski said about ancient humans studying the Earth in relation to the cosmos. “Those connections that we have developed have led to the development of the civilizations that we have today.”

More events are scheduled every day through April 23, the only paid event, which is a $10 hiking road trip through three Minnesota State Parks: Minneopa State Park, Flandrau State Park and Fort Ridgely State Park.

Participants, who must pre-register online, will leave the Otto Rec Center at 9 a.m. to return at 4 p.m.

Other events, all of which are open to the public as well as current MSU students, faculty and

staff, include a mix of lectures and physical activities.

Sunday’s event was a climbing challenge at the Myer’s Field House rock wall for prizes, in partnership with Maverick Adventures.

Monday’s day of gardening, “Growing in the Food Garden,” is hosted in partnership with the Maverick Food Pantry and the

Women’s Center.

More physical activities are planned for Tuesday with outdoor HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), a median temperature day in the week.

Wednesday and Thursday will be volunteer events involving campus cleanup. Wednesday’s cleanup is focused on removing tobacco waste on

campus in partnership with the American Lung Association, MN.

Data will be collected from the collected waste and its locations to determine “hotspots’’ for tobacco use on campus.

This day is dual purpose for litter attention and offering support for those who wish to quit smoking and/or vaping. An ALA

Certified Tobacco Cessation Specialist will be on campus to talk about quitting techniques.

Thursday’s cleanup, sponsored by the Kearney International Center, is focused on general trash litter on campus and neighboring areas. Trash bags and gloves will be provided to volunteers both of these days.

Thursday also has another outdoor exercise class, this being the Total Body Conditioning class. As with Tuesday’s outdoor HIIT class and Friday’s All Levels Grounding Yoga class, it is in partnership with Campus Recreation.

Friday will be returning to the Astronomy-focus of seven days prior with a nighttime telescope viewing of cosmic rays from the Andreas Observatory.

An indoor presentation on cosmic rays will be followed by outdoor s’mores and the night sky viewing.

Earth Week closes its on-campus activities Saturday with a festival of interactive stations between Trafton and Armstrong Hall.

Stations will be Geography and drones, Biology and biodiversity, water quality, Anthropology and the history of the region’s human habitation and sustainable environmental planning by the Urban and Regional Studies Institute.

Registration for each event is available online and they are all weather-permitting.

Hygiene drive to help those in recovery

By EMMA JOHNSON News Director

Students for Alcohol and Drug Education are coming together to help donate toiletries for people in recovery.

The inspiration behind the drive came about after SADE President Kylie Komaridis said she noticed clothing drives are not successful.

“Most of the time, people just get ratty stuff. One of the gals in our group works for WEcovery and she said, ‘People don’t have toothbrushes and more when they come in,’” Komaridis said. “We started talking about a drive for underwear as people sometimes don’t have them when they come into treatment off the street.”

Originally deemed an underwear drive, Komaridis decided

to expand it to hygiene products of all kinds.

“Underwear is a really big deal. Sometimes people go from being either homeless or from a bad situation to a facility for 90 days with not even a pair of underwear or a toothbrush,” Komaridis said.

While the drive is still including new underwear in all sizes for everyone, SADE has extended donations such as hair care, body wash and menstrual products.

Vice President Phebe Jones said she wanted to get involved with the drive because she realized how she takes her hygiene products for granted.

“If I need new shampoo or body wash, I can go buy it. There are people out there where resources need to be spent and used in other ways and because

of that, there are things that get sacrificed,” Jones said. “When they go in to start their recovery journey, it’s nice to just have those things that might not have been available to them before.”

Secretary Grace Sohn said she wanted to get involved with the drive as it makes her think of dignity.

“It takes a lot of courage just to go in and get treatment. If you don’t have those basic supplies, you’re not going to feel human,” Sohn said. “I feel like you’re not going to do as well during your treatment. You’re going to be focusing on all the things that you don’t have at that time that’s making you feel comfortable.”

Once the donations have been collected, SADE is looking at distributing locations such as WEcovery/Beyond Brink and

Services in Garden City.

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter

Students for Alcohol and Drug Education are hosting a hygiene and underwear drive for those on their way toward their recovery journey.

PHEDIAS PIERIDES • The Reporter

Professor Michael Rutkowski kicked off Earth Week by giving a presentation Friday about light pollution and the importance of preserving the night sky before the group went to a historic petroglyphs site for a telescopic viewing.

Chauvin murder conviction upheld in George Floyd killing

GOP states targeting diversity

By DAVID A. LIEB The Associated Press

Frustrated by college diversity initiatives he says are “fomenting radical and toxic divisions,” Texas state Rep. Carl Tepper set out to put an end to diversity, equity and inclusion offices in higher education.

The freshman Republican lawmaker filed a bill to ban such offices. Three months later, he filed a new version of the legislation doing the same thing.

Court TV via The Associated Press

The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday, April 17, 2023 upheld former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin’s

By STEVE KARNOWSKI

The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday upheld former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s second-degree murder conviction in the killing of George Floyd, and let his 22 1/2-year sentence remain in place.

Chauvin’s attorney had asked the appeals court to throw out the ex-officer’s convictions for a long list of reasons, including the massive pretrial publicity.

He also argued that legal and procedural errors deprived Chauvin of a fair trial. But the three-judge panel sided with prosecutors who said Chauvin got a fair trial and just sentence.

Floyd died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin, who is white, used his knee to pin the Black man’s neck to the ground for 9 1/2 minutes. A bystander video captured Floyd’s fading cries of “I can’t breathe.”

Floyd’s death touched off protests around the world, some of which turned violent, and forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism.

“Police officers undoubtedly have a challenging, difficult, and sometimes dangerous job. However, no one is above the law,” Appeals Judge Peter Reyes wrote for the panel. “When they commit a crime, they must be held accountable just as those individuals that they lawfully apprehend. The law only permits police officers to use reasonable force when effecting a lawful arrest. Chauvin crossed that line here when he used unreasonable force on Floyd.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who assembled the prosecution team, said in a statement that he was “grateful we have a system where everyone, no matter how egregious their offense, is entitled to due process and fair treatment.”

The difference? Tepper switched the wording to align with a new model bill developed by the Manhattan Institute and Goldwater Institute, a pair of conservative think tanks based in New York and Arizona, respectively.

Republican lawmakers in at least a dozen states have proposed more than 30 bills this year targeting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in higher education, an Associated Press analysis found using the bill-tracking software Plural. The measures have become the latest flashpoint in a cultural battle involving race, ethnicity and gender that has been amplified by prominent

donations will determine how they are distributed.

“It’ll be any of the facilities around here. We’re just going to wait and kind of see what we get. Instead of promising it to one, we’re going to see who needs it the most,” Komaridis said.

With donations going to

Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, potential rivals for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024.

Many of the proposals root in one of a half-dozen conservative or libertarian organizations offering recommendations for limiting consideration of diversity, equity and inclusion in employment decisions, training and student admissions.

Some measures mirror the

those on their recovery journey, Komaridis said having hygiene drives is just one of the steps to having people reach out in regards to destigmatizing addiction.

“In any situation, wherever you are, at any moment during the day, you could run into an addict or someone struggling with some kind of substance

model bills nearly exactly. Others copy key definitions or phrases while adapting the concepts to their particular states.

“There’s a tremendous appetite on the right to deal with this issue,” said Joe Cohn, legislative and policy director for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which in February added its own model bill to the swelling ranks of proposals.

use disorder. People just need to realize there’s nothing wrong with admitting they need help,” Komaridis said.

The drive is accepting donations by the Centennial Student Union Starbucks until Friday. For any questions or off-campus drop-offs, contact sademnsu@gmail.com.

murder conviction.

The Associated Press

DAVID A. LIEB • The Associated Press Jay Devineni, right, a student at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, talks with fellow medical school student Supriya Vuda in the hallway of the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, MO.

 HYGIENE from page 1

Minnesota settles lawsuit against Juul

By STEVE KARNOWSKI The Associated Press

Minnesota announced a settlement Monday in its lawsuit against Juul Labs and tobacco giant Altria — the first of thousands of cases against the e-cigarette maker to reach trial — just ahead of closing arguments.

The terms will be kept confidential until formal papers are publicly filed with the court in 30 days, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement.

“After three weeks of trial highlighting and bringing into the public record the actions that JUUL and Altria took that contributed to the youth vaping epidemic, we reached a settlement in the best interest of Minnesotans,” Ellison said.

Juul said it would work with the state to finalize the details over the coming weeks.

“We have now settled with 48 states and territories, providing over $1 billion to participating states to further combat underage use and develop cessation programs,” the company said in a statement. “This is in addition to our global resolution of the U.S. private litigation that covers more than 5,000 cases brought by approximately 10,000 plaintiffs.”

Attorneys for the state argued at the start of the trial that Juul unlawfully targeted young people with vaping products to get a new generation addicted to nicotine.

Juul attorneys countered that its purpose was to convert adult smokers of combustible cigarettes to a less-dangerous

product — not to lure kids. Ellison said ahead of the trial that he was seeking more than $100 million in damages.

Juul has faced thousands of lawsuits nationwide but most have settled, including dozens with other states and U.S. territories.

The largest settlement came last week when it was announced that Juul Labs will pay $462 million to six states and the District of Columbia to settle lawsuits related to how it marketed addictive nicotine products.

Minnesota, which also won a landmark $7.1 billion settlement with the tobacco industry in 1998, was the first state to take Juul to trial.

It filed its lawsuit in 2019 and added tobacco industry giant Altria, which formerly owned a minority stake in Juul, as a co-defendant in 2020.

Altria completed its divestiture last month and says it effectively lost its $12.8 billion investment.

During opening statements in March, Ellison accused Juul of using “slick products, clever ads

and attractive flavors” to hook children on nicotine.

“They baited, deceived, and addicted a whole new generation of kids after Minnesotans slashed youth smoking rates down to the lowest level in a generation,” Ellison said last month. “Now, big tobacco is back with a new name but the same game.”

David Bernick, an attorney for Juul, countered during opening statements that Juul’s purpose was always to convert adult smokers to a less-dangerous product that would still

provide a satisfying nicotine experience.

He said Juul did nothing to intentionally drive youth demand, suggesting the growth in youth vaping was a secondhand result of increased adult demand.

William Geraghty, an attorney for Altria, denied Ellison’s assertions that Altria invested heavily in Juul because it ultimately wanted to hook kids on its cigarettes, which include Marlboro.

Washington D.C.-based Juul Labs launched in 2015 on the popularity of flavors like mango, mint, fruit medley and creme brulee.

Teenagers fueled its rise, and some became addicted to Juul’s high-nicotine pods. Amid a backlash, the company dropped all U.S. advertising and discontinued most of its flavors in 2019, losing popularity with teens.

Juul’s share of the now multibillion-dollar market has fallen to about 33% from a high of 75% in 2018.

In September, Juul agreed to pay nearly $440 million over six to 10 years to settle a two-year investigation by 33 states into the marketing of its high-nicotine vaping products to young people. The settlement amounted to about 25% of Juul’s U.S. sales of $1.9 billion in 2021.

Three months later, the company said it had secured an equity investment to settle thousands of lawsuits brought by individuals and families of Juul users, school districts, city governments and Native American tribes.

SETH WENIG • The Associated Press

Minnesota announced a settlement Monday, April 17, 2023 in its lawsuit against Juul Labs and tobacco giant Altria — the first of thousands of cases against the e-cigarette maker to reach trial — just ahead of closing arguments.

Boston remembers deadly marathon bombing 10 years later

G7 vows to step up moves to renewable energy, zero carbon

By MICHAEL CASEY The Associated Press

With a bagpiper playing “The Bells of Dunblane” and a few runners looking on, families of those killed in the Boston Marathon bombing marked the 10th anniversary of the tragedy early Saturday by slowly walking together to the memorial sites near the finish line and laying wreaths.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who was making her first run for City Council when the

bombing happened, joined the somber procession along with Gov. Maura Healey. At each memorial site — marked with three stone pillars — they stood with the families in silence.

Thousands, including many marathon runners in their blue and yellow windbreakers and several former Boston Red Sox players, came out to a second ceremony Saturday afternoon near the finish line.

Church bells were rung and the Boston City Singers and Boston Pops performed

“Amazing Grace” and “America the Beautiful.”

The 127th running of the Boston Marathon takes place Monday.

“The day never leaves me,” said Jennifer Black, 71, a realtor from Loveland, Ohio, who was watching the morning procession and recounted how her race in 2013 was cut short due to the bombing and talked about those who died in the attack.

She is back in Boston to run this year.

By ELAINE KURTENBACH The Associated Press

Energy and environment ministers of the Group of Seven wealthy nations vowed Sunday to work to hasten the shift toward cleaner, renewable energy, but set no timetable for phasing out coal-fired power plants as they wrapped up two days of talks in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo.

The officials issued a 36page communique laying out their commitments ahead of a G-7 summit in Hiroshima in May.

Japan won endorsements from fellow G-7 countries for its own national strategy emphasizing so-called clean coal, hydrogen and nuclear energy to help ensure its energy security.

“Recognizing the current global energy crisis and economic disruptions, we reaffirm our commitment to accelerating the clean energy transition to net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 at the latest,” the communique says.

“We call on and will work with other countries to end new unabated coal-fired power generation projects globally as soon as possible to accelerate the clean energy transition in a just manner,” the document says.

The leaders reiterated the need to urgently reduce carbon emissions and achieve a “predominantly decarbonized power sector” by 2035. They also stressed the importance of ensuring supplies of critical minerals.

REBA SALDANHA • The Associated Press

HIRO KOMAE • The Associated Press

Participants of a gathering for victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing process between memorials of wreath layings near the finish line on Boylston Street, Saturday April 15, 2023, in Boston.

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Japan’s Environment Minister Akihiro Nishimura shake hands before their bilateral meeting in the G-7 ministers’ meeting on climate change.

Why are teen girls in crisis? It’s not just social media

By LINDSEY TANNER and ANGIE WANG The Associated Press

Anxiety over academics. Post-lockdown malaise. Social media angst.

Study after study says American youth are in crisis, facing unprecedented mental health challenges that are burdening teen girls in particular. Among the most glaring data: A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed almost 60% of U.S. girls reported persistent sadness and hopelessness. Rates are up in boys, too, but about half as many are affected.

Adults have theories about what is going on, but what do teens themselves say? Is social media the root of their woes? Are their male peers somehow immune, or part of the problem?

The Associated Press interviewed five girls in four states and agreed to publish only their first names because of the sensitive nature of the topics they discussed. The teens offered sobering — and sometimes surprising — insight.

“We are so strong and we go through so, so much,” said Amelia, a 16-year-old Illinois girl who loves to sing and wants to be a surgeon.

She also has depression and

anxiety. Like 13% of U.S. high school girls surveyed in the government report, she is a suicide attempt survivor. Hospitalization after the 2020 attempt and therapy helped. But Amelia has also faced bullying, toxic friendships, and menacing threats

from a boy at school who said she “deserved to be raped.”

More than 1 in 10 girls said they’d been forced to have sex, according to the CDC report, the first increase noted in the government’s periodic survey. Sexual threats are just one of the

• DSS's primary role is to provide the appropriate supports tailored to the needs and desires of each individual. Staff will work with individuals with special needs. Cares can include finances, cooking, cleaning, shopping, transportation, medication administration, etc.

• Candidates must be 18 years of age, have valid driver's license, and pass a DHS background study.

burdens teen girls say they face.

“We are trying to survive in a world that is out to get us,” Amelia said.

Emma, an 18-year-old aspiring artist in Georgia with attention deficit disorder and occasional depression, says worries

about academics and college are a huge source of stress.

“Lately in myself and my friends, I realize how exhausted everyone is with the pressures of the world and the social issues and where they’re going to go in the future,” Emma added. ”All of these things pile up and crash down.”

Zoey, 15, was raised in Mississippi by a strict but loving single mother who pressures her to be a success in school and life. She echoes those feelings.

“School can be nerve racking and impact your mental health so much that you don’t even ... recognize it, until you’re in this space where you don’t know what to do,” Zoey said. She’s also had friendship struggles that ended in deep depression and felt the discomfort of being the only Black kid in class.

Several girls said they face added pressure from society’s standards that put too much focus on how they look.

“A lot of people view women’s bodies and girls’ bodies as sexual,” Emma said. “It’s overwhelming to have all these things pushed on us.”

The #MeToo movement began when these girls were quite young, but it intensified during the pandemic and they’re hyperaware of uninvited sexual advances.

ERIN HOOLEY • The Associated Press

Amelia, 16, sits for a portrait in a park near her home in Illinois on Friday, March 24, 2023. Amelia has also faced bullying, toxic friendships, and menacing threats from a boy at school who said she “deserved to be raped.”

Made in China: Importance of closure

Julia Lin Editor In Chief Emma Johnson News Director Joey Erickson Variety Editor

Alicia Reed Sports Editor Dylan Engel Photo Editor

Earth week is essential

As spring is in full swing, people are starting to enjoy more time outdoors. We as students can take nature for granted, spending time sitting outside doing our homework or walking around our neighborhoods breathing in the fresh air. With this week being dedicated to Earth, a multitude of events are taking place on campus to celebrate all Mother Nature has to offer, and for good reason! We as students need to start appreciating the Earth more.

Nature has several benefits for both our physical and mental health. For example, nature trails are perfect for running, walking and biking. Physical activity paired with nature has immense effects on our well-being, including reduced blood pressure, reduced muscle tension and a halt to the production of stress hormones. Nature has also been proven to show significant boosts to our mental health by improving our attention, lowering our stress and boosting our moods. With all the benefits nature gives us for free, we as students need to take advantage more.

With all the hype around Earth Day, surprisingly enough, taking care of the planet is not talked about enough in school. Growing up, a good portion of us had to take biology, geography or both. We were taught the names of landmarks, food chains and how natural disasters can have an impact on the environment just to name a few. What we are not taught about, however, are the consequences that can occur if we don’t care enough.

Earth provides us with all we need to survive, including food, water and oxygen. The longer we neglect to learn more about how crucial it is for us to take care of the environment, we are only slowly destroying our futures. Climate change has drastic effects on both our health and the planet’s health. There are multiple ways the Earth impacts our daily lives on a small and grander scale. We as students have the power to take initiative and raise awareness on the outcome of the future of the planet.

Small steps can be taken collectively in order to help take better care of the planet. While we as students don’t have to swear off driving and start biking everywhere (definitely not realistic with Minnesota winters,) there are other smaller actions we can take instead. Recycle as much as you can. Turn off the lights when you leave a room that you are not using. Use reusable shopping bags when you go out. By taking the time to educate ourselves on some of the smaller everyday actions, we can all actively pitch in to better the Earth.

Make sure this week you participate in one of the several events here on campus or spend some time outside. Power off your phone, take a walk and enjoy the fresh air (albeit bundled up.) We only have one Earth, so make sure you show it some love.

Pulse

By JULIA LIN Editor in Chief

I was 18 years old when I realized the importance of closure. As someone who never had a formal in-person high school graduation ceremony due to the pandemic, I never truly felt that significant chapter in my life end.

Quickly transitioning into college, but covid edition, I felt like my life dramatically shifted instantly.

Transitioning from one stage to the next, I was so busy thinking about what was next that I did not take the time to reflect on the end of an era.

Walking across the stage in the Taylor Center in three weeks will be significant for me. Not only does it signify the accomplishment of hard work throughout my time at

Mankato State, but also the recognition of finishing an era in which I dedicated so many long nights to achieve my goals.

Since I came here in 2020, I have strived to push myself. Taking summer classes every year, reaching out for internship opportunities and working odd jobs in the community, May 5 will not only be a day to celebrate, but also recognize all of my efforts over the past three years.

Although the turnover from this adventure to the next will be sudden, I am glad that I will be able to have closure this time.

From an outsider’s perspective, having a full-time job doing what I love right after college is a great accomplishment.

But to be honest, about two months ago, I had no idea where or what I was go-

Compiled by Dylan Long

ing to do for work post-graduation.

I feel like many upper-level students can feel this way at times, not knowing what their next stage in life will be.

To that, I say you just have to trust the process and believe in yourself that you put in the work and that it will pay off.

None of the efforts I made throughout my time here really came to fruition until this semester.

The long days and even longer nights went unrecognized, or so I thought, for years. However, when you finally get your first break, it makes it all so worth it. Looking back, I never would’ve gotten the opportunities I have now if I didn’t put in those hours.

No matter how important you think your job is, every

TANNER MEREDITH, SENIOR “Avoid littering.”

ZACH LOES, SENIOR “Recycling.”

ANDREA CONTRERAS, FRESHMAN “Use

TRINITY BRYANT, JUNIOR “Recycling.”

MACKENZIE RICH, SOPHOMORE “Recycle

LEANNA BRISENO, GRAD STUDENT “Recycle

Editorials represent the opinions of The Reporter editorial board. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the college, university or student body.

COLUMN on page 7 

Letter to the Editor: The Lived Experience of Autistic Adults: ABA and the Inconvenient Truth

As a professor and a social worker, when a student comes to me expressing concerns about something that I teach, at minimum I should listen to their concerns and entertain the possibility that they have a point worth consideration on my part.

Last fall, when a student on campus, who self-identifies as an autistic activist, asked to meet with me to discuss their concerns about how “autism” was being taught on our campus, I accepted the offer.

Their concerns centered on classroom teaching that equates autism with “abnormal development” or “abnormal neurology” and the teaching of applied behavior analysis (ABA) as a gold standard practice to “help” autistic kids look and act “normal.” ABA is commonly referred to as “conversion therapy for autistics” by autistic activists.

I was predisposed to accepting the request to meet because of my 30-plus years connected to the intellectual and developmental disability services and advocacy systems.

I am well aware of the prominence of behavior management, under all of its various names and incarnations, in the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

I also know how prevalent sexual and other forms of interpersonal violence is among this group of people. And, how compliance-based training makes people easy targets for such victimization.

People are conditioned to comply with the directives of others, to accept unwanted touch, to defer to the needs and preferences of others, and to suppress their natural instincts for self-protection.

I mostly listened to their concerns and reasoning. After all, the student was advocating for change based on their own lived experience, and the collective experiences of many autistic adults, who are telling allistics (non-autistics) that their experience with ABA was physically, psychologically and emotionally painful, and it has had lingering negative consequences to their mental health and well-being.

I tried to offer support and encouragement, knowing that unrecognized and unacknowl-

 COLUMN from page 6

effort makes a contribution to your overall end goal. Keeping your focus is key and trust that your time will come.

Besides academic milestone closures, personal relationship and friendship closures are

edged neuralism and ableism on our campus would likely prevail.

Afterall, most people on our campus fail to recognize MavPODS as deeply ableist, so how likely is it that the campus-community would seriously entertain a conversation about how we “teach autism.”

I tried to imagine being an autistic student sitting in a class and being assigned readings and videos, and having to listen to your professors talk about your neurology, your mindbody as being abnormal, deviant, damaged or referred to as “special.”

I tried to put myself in the place of a student in the classroom who experienced ABA (or any of its derivatives), knowing the harm it caused you, your peers, and the larger autistic community.

I imagined autistic students wondering: Will my critical questioning be tolerated? Will my lived experience and the lived experiences of two-generations of autistic folks, speaking out against this practice, be acknowledged, and better yet, honored? Will students learn that ABA is not a cultural-affirming practice for autistic folks.

At minimum, will students learn that there is an international movement to ban such practices led by autistic adults who as children, against their free will, were subjected to ABA? Will students learn that the autism industrial complex is a multi-billion-dollar industry that is so financially lucrative for providers that private equity firms are getting into the “autism business.” The answer to these questions is: “No, probably not.”

How many people on this campus took the time to hear Dr. Nick Walker, Professor of Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, when she spoke on campus in the spring and fall of 2022 about the neurodiversity paradigm and autistic empowerment?

Or read Dr. Walker’s book “Neuroqueer Heresies” — a book often referenced by autistic activists? Or read other literature, listened to podcasts, or watched videos created or endorsed by the autistic community to further their own understanding of the issue?

It is easy to focus on the

equally as important. This past weekend, I had to say goodbye to my best friend who is in the army. She is getting deployed for a year in Kuwait working as a mental health specialist for soldiers in the middle east.

Although this will be the

messenger and the manner of communication or engagement as a way to dismiss or ignore the larger issue. History is fraught with oppressed people being told by more powerful and privileged people to “behave,” “mind their station,” to “not rock the boat.”

However, this is an academic institution, and as such we have an ethical and an intellectual obligation to critically question and challenge status quo thinking, policies and practices.

A legitimate concern has been raised. Before flat out dismissing autistic activists and their concerns, we should be thinking and acting like an enlightened, critically questioning community of learners. The least we can do is step out of our academic or professional paradigm and educate ourselves.

If “Neuroqueer Heresies” is too academic for you, consider reading “I will Die on this Hill: Autistic Adults, Autism Parents and the Children Who Deserve a Better World” by Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards (an Indigenous autistic woman and mom to autistic children).

For those totally unfamiliar with this issue, listen to a news story that aims to present “all sides,” like the PBS segment “The Battle Over Autism ‘Therapy’ ABA” (October 7, 2022), to help you to better understand the issue.

Although, be mindful that not “all sides” are subjected to the mindbody altering practice. Thus, from an equity and justice standpoint, we must ensure we center the people with lived experience in our collective conversations.

I am not autistic. This is not my personal fight to fight. Yet, it seems wrong to sit on the sidelines when students get gaslighted for speaking their truth. This is the same truth that an international community of autistic adults are telling.

Perhaps it is time that all of the allistic students, academics, researchers, experts, professionals, teachers, therapists and administrators listen.

It’s the least we can do as an “innovative, student-centered learning community that values: integrity, diversity, access, responsibility and excellence.”

Nancy M. Fitzsimons Professor, Research Graduate Faculty

longest time apart since we’ve been friends, I am so incredibly proud of her and what she is doing for our country. Although this isn’t goodbye forever, I am so thankful I was able to get closure and wish her the best for her new adventure.

Speaker McCarthy vows to pass debt bill -- with spending cap

By LISA MASCARO The Associated Press

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pledged on Monday to pass legislation to raise the nation’s debt ceiling — but on condition of capping future federal spending at 1% — as he lashed out at President Joe Biden for refusing to engage in budget-cutting negotiations to prevent a debt crisis.

In a high-profile speech at the New York Stock Exchange, McCarthy, the Republican leader who is marking his 100th day as speaker, said the nation’s debt load is a “ticking time bomb” and Biden is “missing in action” as the deadline nears to raise the debt limit.

“Since the president con-

tinues to hide, House Republicans will take action,” McCarthy said.

His Wall Street address comes as the Washington is heading toward a potential fiscal crisis over the need to raise the nation’s debt limit, now at $31 trillion, and avert a federal default.

The Treasury Department has said it is taking “extraordinary measures” to continue paying its bills, but money will run short this summer.

McCarthy faces his own challenges. With his slim majority and less-than-strong grip on power, he has been unable to rally his troops around a budget-cutting proposal that he could offer the White House as a starting point in negotiations.

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE • The Associated Press Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., talks to reporters after passing the GOP’s sprawling energy package that would counter virtually all of President Joe Biden’s agenda on climate change.

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Securing the Second Seed

By HAYDEN LEE Staff Writer

After sweeping Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston this weekend, the Mavs women’s tennis team has officially finished their regular season.

With a 13-1 record, this Mavs team is looking forward to big things in the NSIC Tournament. Speaking of NSIC opponents, the Mavs’ 10 wins in in-conference play are the most in a season since joining the NSIC in 2009.

The Mavs have earned the no. 2 seed in the upcoming NSIC Tournament and will face the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs Friday, April 21.

Before they were locked into the two seed, the Mavs traveled to Bemidji to close out their regular season, starting with a matchup against the Beavers.

There was one hiccup for the Mavs this weekend, as the courts at Bemidji State are made of a rubberized multi-purpose surface, very different from that of which the Mavs are used to.

“It really forced us to focus on footwork and getting in the right position for our shots,” said head coach Jeff Thomae. “Definitely took some getting used to.”

However, you would never have been able to tell that the Mavs were thrown off. Extending their win

streak to double digits, the Mavs began the afternoon sweeping the doubles matches, beginning with senior Lois Page and sophomore Avery Stillwell. They earned a 6-0 win in the no. 1 doubles match, setting the tone for the rest of the day.

Senior Chiara Carnelutti and sophomore Freia Lawrence were up next, and they took care of business in another 6-0 win. Sophomore Elizabeth Felderman and freshman McKenna DeMarce weren’t able to shut out the no. 3 Beavers duo, but

OPINION: From concussion to discussion

By ALI REED Sports Editor

Ever since I was just a little gal, I dreamed of being involved in the world of sports no matter what it took or what danger I would face.

Growing up, I was always involved in some kind of sport, spending the majority of my time in gymnastics and soccer.

From the time I could run, my mom would have to tie me down when we went to my sister’s gymnastics practices. Otherwise I’d be crashing into everyone on the mat showing off my “skills” (none of which I had at age 2.

they still won 6-2.

In order for a sweep to work, a team must win all available points. The Mavs did just that, winning all six of the singles matches. Page took down Nicoleta Anes-

SEED on page 11

Mavs fall in sweep against Augustana

By CHARLIE GROEBNER Staff Writer

For the first time this season, Minnesota State baseball finds itself on the opposite side of things as it was swept by University over the weekend, the first series the team has dropped all year.

After the team won back-toback against Upper Iowa, the Mavs

took on the Vikings in a Saturday doubleheader. As the Mavs took the field on a sunny afternoon, things went poorly right out of the gate. The Mavs tallied one run off an RBI single from junior Aiden Byrne, however, the Vikings responded with a two-run homer to give them the lead in the second.

While senior Nick Baker connected an RBI double to tie the

game, the Vikings successfully pulled off a bunt with bases loaded in the fourth to give them a 3-2 victory over the Mavs.

Following the intermission, the weather changed from sunshine to chilly winds with a slight drizzle. While the conditions changed, the Mavs continued their sluggish performance.

The Vikings jumped out in front once again to take a quick 2-0 lead in the first and scored again in the third to make it 3-0 before the halfway point.

Entering the bottom of the third the Mavs finally started clicking as Byrne would homer to left to get the Mavs back in the game down one. The Vikings then extended their lead off an RBI double to give them a 4-2 lead.

However, the true highlight of the weekend came in the seventh inning for the Mavs. With bases loaded and two outs, it is the situation that can define careers.

Freshman Matthew Fleischhacker walked up to the plate and played hero ball for this team, hammering a ball into center field to clear the bases for a double and giving the Mavs the lead.

Following the game, Head Coach Matt Magers had high praise for Fleischhacker.

“He is everything that we hoped

for when we recruited him. A guy with that hockey player mentality, obviously able to get on base, get hits, bunt, he can do a lot of different things that can affect the game and had some big hits today, even as a freshman,” Said Magers.

After receiving a day off due to inclement weather, the Mavs were unable to bounce back. As they took the field on Monday afternoon, the Vikings struck first with an error and single to give them a 2-0 lead. The Mavs responded with two RBI singles to give them a 3-2 lead. Reaching the eighth, the floodgates opened as the Vikings scored three more runs to take the lead late in the game. While the Mavs made it a one-score game after the eight, it would not be enough to overcome the Vikings in a 5-4 loss.

Following the game Coach Magers credited Augustana for the win. They clearly showed that they were able to control aspects to get them the wins.

“They [Augustana] played very well in all aspects of the game, especially in pitching. We had our hands full defensively, they made several diving plays and offensively they came with a lot of two-out hits, and then they were able to rally with stronger comebacks when it mattered.

Finally, when I was 3, my mom decided it was time to give me my shot on the mat — or at least time for me to actually be allowed to be out there. As a kid, I had no fear and was insanely flexible (people would ask me if I even had a spine), so I became a good gymnast very quickly.

My coach (shoutout Jason) would use me as an example when showing the other kids how to do certain skills. Basically, I was a pretty big deal. Oh, and everyone called me Alioop, if that matters.

A couple of years later, I joined a team with the same coach and made a ton of friends; I was having the time of my life. While my parents were happy to see me so happy, it also meant the end of their free time until I moved out. (Thanks, mom and dad!)

From that point, I had gymnastics practice almost every day. And when I wasn’t at practice, I was cartwheeling through the house or practicing on the beam we set up in our basement. My family thought I’d be a gymnast forever.

I thought the same thing … until I stumbled across the sport that swept me off my feet: soccer. If my parents thought their freetime was taken up by gymnastics, well, they were in for a big surprise.

When I was 10, I decided I needed a change: I took a break from gymnastics and tried out soccer.

Why? For whatever reason, I started freezing while on the beams. I couldn’t jump to the high bar. I stopped doing flips on the floor. I was scared of getting hurt, which is ironic considering what happened to me in soccer. We’ll get to that later.

Honestly, when I started soccer I was pretty trash. I was a cherry picker forward; all I could do was stand by the goal and score. My real calling was on the CONCUSSION on page 12

Courtesy MSU Athletics

The Minnesota State’s Women’s Tennis team concludes their regular season with a 7-0 win against Bemidji State Friday and 7-0 win against Minnesota Crookston Saturday.

DYLAN ENGEL • The Reporter Minnesota State’s Men’s Baseball team loses to Augustana Monday with a 5-4 score. The Mavericks were swept 3-0 overall during the three-game home series.

Mavs rise to the top of the nation

OPINION: Top 5 NBA playoff storylines

By MOHAMED WARSAME Staff Writer

The 2023 NBA playoffs got underway this weekend with all eight first-round matchups tipping off. The race to 16 wins and the right to be crowned 2023 NBA champions is going to be a hell of a ride.

As a lifelong basketball fan, I can’t tell you the last time the league felt this open going into the playoffs. You could make a legitimate argument for seven teams in the Western Conference to make the finals, while the three favorites in the Eastern Conference will likely have to go through each other to make the finals. There will almost assuredly be no shortage of drama. Here are my five most important storylines.

The G.O.A.T debate ends once and for all

NBA all-time regular season scoring record along the way.

By LUKE JACKSON Staff Writer

The top track and field athletes across the nation went to the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California and the Loper Invitational in Kearney, Nebraska to showcase their talents. Minnesota State’s No. 5 Women’s and No.17 Men’s Track and Field teams dominated the meets and continue to place at the top of the nation.

Junior duo Makayla Jackson and Denisha Cartwright had a standout weekend.

Jackson finished in first place in the long jump with a leap of 6.62m. This broke her personal record and all MSU records and places her at the top of national rankings.

It was the longest jump in the nation this year and the third longest in NCAA Division II history. She also sits at the top of the national rankings in the 200m dash with a 23.75s finish which earned her 10th in the competition.

Finishing just before her, Cartwright finished the 200m dash with a time of 23.18s. This broke her own record at the top of the MSU all-time list and ranks her second best in the nation.

Lastly, Jackson and Cartwright finished within milliseconds of each other’s 100m time. Jackson finished in 11.60s placing her 15th in the nation while Cartwright placed 16th in the nation with a time of 11.62s.

In Nebraska, the women’s throwers furthered MSU’s success with three of the top five finishes. Senior Lexie Hurst took first in shot put with a throw of 14.67m while Kaitlyn Schroeder finished

second and Madeline Fretag took fourth.

The men also showcased that they have national talent as well.

In Nebraska, the duo of junior Carter Aguilera and freshman Ben Wieser stood out in the field.

Aguilera took home gold in discus throwing 54.02m which earned him fifth overall in the nation. Aguilera also competed in the hammer where he recorded a personal best of 53.22m which finished in ninth place.

His partner Wieser competed in shot put, discus and hammer Shotput was his best event where he finished in third with a throw of 15.57m. He ended in ninth for discus and tenth in the hammer event.

To finish off the weekend highlights, more personal bests came from the men in California.

Junior Carson Dittel finished in second place in the pole vault as he reached 5.20m.

This personal best helped him climb the ladder of MSU athletes as he now sits with the second-highest vault in MSU history.

Junior Onyekachi Ukaobasi got his best performance in the triple jump which propelled him to both the fourth best at the event and fourth best as an MSU athlete. His triple jump was 15.28m.

Both Jackson and Aguilera were rewarded for their remarkable performances by being named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Field Athletes of the Week.

Depending on the weather, the Mavericks are expected to compete in the M City Classic hosted by the University of Minnesota Wednesday.

Let’s get things straight. The greatest basketball player to have ever lived is LeBron Raymone James Sr. There’s no question in my mind about that. However there are those that disagree. Because I am such a nice guy, I won’t look at them with disgust if they claim Michael Jordan or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to be better for now. That all can change in about two months. If the Lakers can somehow turn a 2-10 start to the season into a 17th title for the franchise, surely the debates end. The fact that a 38-year-old James can still be one of the best players in the league in year 20 having averaged 28.9 points 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists in the regular season and be one of the two main reasons the Lakers can compete for a championship along with Anthony Davis is remarkable.

A fifth ring for “The King” would be a storybook ending to a season that saw him break the

Warriors last ride?

The Warriors have been the golden standard in the league for nearly a decade. They’ve appeared in a staggering six of the last eight NBA finals and won four titles in the process. Led by two-time league MVP Steph Curry, the Warriors have built their dynasty from excellence throughout the organization, but the reigning NBA champs will be at a crossroads this offseason. One of the most important pieces in the Warriors puzzle throughout their run has been Draymond Green. Green has a player-option at the end of the season, where he can become an unrestricted free-agent. The 33-year-old is seeking a long-term extension with the franchise, but the Warriors have a difficult decision to make. The team went into the season in turmoil after Green punched teammate Jordan Poole in the face on the practice court right before the start of the season.

This incident contributed to the Warriors having an up and down regular season and going into the playoffs as the sixth seed. With the two-time defensive player of the year still one of their best players and having the responsibility to maximize the years you have with a generational player like Curry, who just had one of his best regular seasons of his career, the Warriors will have to decide whether or not keeping the veteran is worth it considering their already ridiculously high pay-roll.

Jokic on fraud watch

Nikola Jokic is undoubtedly a great player. The man has won the last two regular season MVPs and is in contention to win it again this year. Unfortunately for him, as Uncle Ben once said in Spider-Man, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

That quote rings loud for NBA superstars. Fair or not, this is where their legacies are made. In Jokic’s case, he has yet to have a

File photo

Makayla Jackson broke this year’s national long jump record at 6.62 meters while competing at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ • The Associated Press

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) celebrates after a 3-point basket by Dennis Schroder in the closing second of regulation.

TOP 5 on page 11

OPNION: The greatest first round of all time… besides the Hawks

 SEED from page 9

tiadi in the no. 1 singles match, 6-1 and 6-3. Stilwell handled the no. 2 singles, 6-1 and 6-4 while DeMarce was able to win 6-3 and 6-1 in the no. 3 singles. Felderman cruised to victory in the no. 4 singles, ghosting Isabella Nelson 6-0 and 6-0. Freshman Georgia Deml saw some action in the no. 5 singles match, winning 6-1 and 6-0. Another freshman, Taina Cordiero, dominated the no. 6 singles 6-0 and 6-0.

“I was very happy with the performances of some Mavs who were given the nod to play singles in the Top 6,” Thomae said, regarding the play of Deml, Cordiero, and sophomore Hana Minisy.

Picking up two wins in a week is always great, but the Mavs still had one more match to look forward to: Minnesota Crookston.

TOP 5 from page 10

Beginning, as always, with doubles, the Mavs took all three matches to secure the first point of the day. Page and Stillwell won the no. 1 doubles match 6-1, Carnelutti and Lawrence won 6-0 in the no. 2 doubles and freshman Daria Podmogilnaia and Minisy won 6-2 in the no. 3 doubles.

Lawrence was the only Mav to drop a set, which she did in her first one of the morning, 4-6. Fortunately for the Mavs, she rebounded to win 7-5 and 1-0 in her next two sets, winning the no. 1 singles match. Carnelutti battled for the no. 2 singles match, winning 6-3 and 6-1. Podmogilnaia won easily in the no. 3 match, 6-1 and 6-0 and DeMarce won 6-3 and 6-2 in the no. 4 singles match. Minisy won in the no. 5 singles, 6-2 and 6-4, while sophomore Brynn Psooy won 6-4 and 7-5 in

the no. 6 singles.

After completing one of, if not the greatest season in Mavs women’s tennis history, the Mavs will take their talents to Sioux Falls to begin their run at the NSIC title.

As predicted in the pre-season NSIC Coaches’ Poll, MSU came in second after dual match play, behind only Augustana, who gave the Mavs their only loss of the season. While the Mavs have their sights set on the championship game, they still have to face SMSU, and if they win that match, the winner of #3 University of Mary and #6 St. Cloud State University.

“While we’re hungry to have the chance to face Augustana, we take nothing for granted,” Thomae said.

Friday’s match in Sioux Falls, South Dakota begins at 9 a.m. at Huether Family Match Pointe.

By HAYDEN LEE Staff Writer

I’m so stupid. I should have had this ready to go last week, but like with most things. I forgot. We only publish twice a week, so I’ll chalk it up to that.

However, we have now seen every first round series of the NBA Playoffs play at least one game. Now that I have seen that, I think I can confidently predict the winner of every series, with minimal details so I don’t look that bad if I am wrong. But I won’t be!

CLOSE CALLS:

#3 Sacramento Kings vs. #6 Golden State Warriors- After seeing De’Aaron Fox drop 38 points in the first playoff game of his career, I have come to the conclusion of LIGHT THE BEAM. The Kings have the talent to win this series, and if they can just win their home games, they will win this series. However, if the defending champs can steal a game on the “road” then they will take this series. It’s as simple as that. VERDICT: This will be a seven game series, but I just can’t bet against Steph Curry. Warriors in 7.

#2 Memphis Grizzlies vs. #7 Los Angeles Lakers- LeBron is the greatest player of all time. You could make the case that Ja Morant is the best player in this series, but unfortunately for the Grizz, he got hurt in Game 1. Will he return? And how will he play if he does? Either way, the Lakers have been one of the hottest teams in basketball and just like I said with Steph Curry, I can’t bet against LeBron. VERDICT: The Ja injury hurts the Grizzlies a lot, but they got a tough shake this year. Lakers in 6.

#4 Phoenix Suns vs. #5 Los Angeles Clippers- If Russell Westbrook can shoot 3/19 and the Clippers still win the game, I don’t know how they can lose. Oh wait, yes I do. Maybe if the Suns would INVOLVE KEVIN DURANT DOWN THE STRETCH? Like yeah, he can make everyone around him better while passing the ball. But he just like, shouldn’t.

He is the greatest scorer of our generation, and maybe even all time. So, do that more? The Suns were undefeated with KD until Sunday night, so I will cut them some slack. VERDICT: Another seven game series for me, but I think that the Suns have to come out on top. If they don’t, this season was a waste. Suns in 7.

#4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #5 New York Knicks- Why am I doing this? Why would I ever give the Knicks some good publicity? Well maybe because they won Game 1. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I think this could be the best series of the first round. Two unproven teams battling it out to get wiped in the second round. What’s better? Let these guys create narratives and underdogs stories around their teams, because both of them will be back. VERDICT: I think this series goes seven games too, but at the end of the day, I have to bet on the Cavs. Strictly because of Donovan Mitchell. He’s the best player in this series, and we have seen him step up in the playoffs before. Cavs in 7.

THIS COULD GO 6 GAMES?

#1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. #8 Miami Heat- Of all people, why did it have to be Giannis? The Greek Freak has led his team to another stellar year, but will it all be for nothing? The Heat have been anything but hot recently, but Michael Jordan’s abandoned son Jimmy Butler has that dog in him, so he could literally carry them to wins just like he did in Game 1. The Bucks should be able to pick up the slack, even without Giannis, but putting the game in the hands of Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton is a completely different story. This Giannis injury scares me a lot, but I think he will come back and do just enough. VERDICT: With the Bucks being “optimistic” for a Giannis return in Game 2, I think it is safe to say that the Bucks will win this series, but it will be closer than I ever thought. Bucks in 6.

#3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. #6 Brooklyn Nets- This one might be closer to the Sweeps category, but I could see the Nets stealing

signature playoff run that a player of his caliber and accolades is expected to have. The furthest the Nuggets have gone with him was the Western Conference Finals in the 2019-2020 season.

In the two subsequent playoffs, the Nuggets have been dispatched by the Suns and Warriors respectively. The Nuggets being eliminated in embarrassing fashion hasn’t brought Jokic the criticism it would normally warrant due to injuries to key players on his team like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. This year they are healthy and the Nuggets are the no.1 seed. There will be no excuses for “The Joker” this time.

KD finally gets his dueIn a way, it’s sad that we are still at a point in the basketball universe where Kevin Durant still has something to prove for some people. Not in my eyes. I see him as one of the 15 greatest players to ever grace the hardwood. The main criticism that Durant’s detractors will throw

at him is that he joined the 2016 Warriors after they blew a 3-1 lead to the Cavs. Durant’s Thunder at the time blew a 3-1 lead of their own to the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals that season. The Warriors went on to win two titles with Durant, where he won Finals MVP both times. After realizing he would never get the credit that other superstars get for winning titles due to joining a ready made situation, he decided to team-up with his buddy Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.

That experiment was a disaster and he got his wish in February to be traded to the Suns. Durant has a great supporting cast in Phoenix with guys like Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, along with a chance to remove any doubt that anybody has about his greatness by being the unquestioned driving force of a championship team.

Sixers stars change the narrativeThe Philadelphia 76ers go into these playoffs as one of the

favorites to win it all in large part due to the dynamic duo of Joel Embiid and James Harden. Both players have the chance to rewrite how people view them. One in the present and the other historically. Let’s start off with Embiid. The big man is one of the three finalists for MVP after a monstrous regular season that saw him average 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and shoot 54.8% from the field. Embiid joined an esteemed list of guys that consists of his teammate Harden, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan to average at least 33 points per game in the regular season in the last 40 years. If he were to win league MVP and cap it off with a title, he would be well within his right to proclaim himself the best in the world. As for Harden, a title run where he plays well throughout the postseason would change his legacy from a great player who consistently underperforms in the playoffs, to an all-time great that finally got over the hump.

JOSE LUIS VILLEGAS • The Associated Press Sacramento Kings guards De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk celebrate in the third quarter during Game 1 against the Golden Sate Warriors.

Chiefs’ Mahomes: ankle recovering as offseason work begins

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one of these games just out of pure luck. Joel Embiid is the MVP this season, and they will not lose this series, but I think that this Nets team will find a way to win at least one game. Not much to talk about here.VERDICT: The 76ers need a layup here, they will face the Celtics next round. That series will be must-watch TV. Sixers in 5.

SWEEPS

#2 Boston Celtics vs. #7 Atlanta Hawks- Why? Why was I even excited that the Hawks won the play-in game? All for them to be down by 30 AT HALFTIME? No. I give up. There could not have been a worse matchup for the Hawks. Everyone sucks, Trae

 CONCUSSION from page 9

opposite end of the field as a goalie. Makes sense right? I was scared of falling onto a soft and squishy mat, but smashing into people, landing on the hard ground and a hard ball flying at my face? No problem.

Young is gone, and John Collins will never be traded. Please just do not put the rest of the series on national television. Just let the Celtics move on. VERDICT: Celtics in 4… Don’t give me hope.

#1 Denver Nuggets vs. #8 Minnesota Timberwolves- I think the Wolves gave the Hawks a run for their money when it comes to being embarrassed. Their offense was awful Sunday night. De’Andre Jordan reminded all of us that he was still in the league, that is how bad it got. Simply put, this is just not the Timberwolves’ year. With everything that has happened recently, I do not see any way that the Wolves can pick the pieces back up this season. Something

loved.

Now, you might be wondering what happened to me in soccer.

needs to change heading into the 2023-24 season. VERDICT: Maybe the Wolves can grab a game in the Target Center? I don’t know. For me, this is Nuggets in 4. With all that being said, the second round will officially look like this.

WEST:#1 Denver Nuggets vs. #4 Phoenix Suns. #6 Golden State Warriors vs. #7 Los Angeles Lakers EAST: #1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. #4 Cleveland Cavaliers. #3 Philadelphia 76ers vs. #2 Boston Celtics If it is not, it’s rigged. Hey Adam Silver, just remember this: I’m always right. Skol.

By DAVE SKRETTA

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes plans to be ready for training camp with no limitations from the high ankle sprain that occurred during the playoffs and was such the focal point of their run to a Super Bowl victory in February.

The Chiefs began their offseason program Monday, though most of their players will spend the first two weeks of voluntary workouts at home and meeting through Zoom.

That includes Mahomes, who has gathered a group of wide receivers, running backs and tight ends at his home in Texas for the second straight year for their own workouts.

Mahomes was hurt in the divisional round of the playoffs when a Jacksonville pass rusher landed on his ankle late in the first quarter. He had X-rays taken at the stadium and returned to lead Kansas City to the 27-20 victory, then managed to play with the injury in an AFC title game win over the Bengals before beating the Eagles for his second Lombardi Trophy.

“Right now it’s been more about managing it and getting the mobility back as best I can,” Mahomes said. “I wouldn’t say I’m 100% but I haven’t had any limitations. ... You want to make sure you’re still building. You might be a little sore on the weekend, but I feel like we’ve done a good job of pushing it to the limit.”

Soccer consumed my life. I had practices almost every single day, all year long, three different seasons of games and tournaments all around the country.

It may seem like a lot, but there was nothing I would’ve rather been doing. I had the best team, the best coach (shoutout other Jason) and I was really good at what I did.

As I got older, I realized I wanted to play soccer forever. There was nothing more exciting than getting to stand on the field and protect the goal for my team. The best times in my life came from my days playing soccer. I was in love with the game.

In hopes of achieving my goal, I wanted to start working my ass off. I joined bigger and better clubs, attended goalie camps and had extra training on the side. This meant my parents had to drive me at least 45 minutes away every day so I could do what I

While I was at the top of my game and working hard to get where I wanted to be, what I forgot to mention is that I had just come off of my third concussion. Sounds crazy, I know, but I guess I have a kickable head (sad face).

My first concussion occurred when I was in eighth grade. A girl was running at me with the ball at her feet, and when I slid and secured the ball, she wound up her leg, unleashing on my head. That kick made me miss my last few weeks of school and the end of that soccer season.

My second came in similar fashion half a year later, but much less severe.

My third concussion was entirely my fault. Somehow, I combined gymnastics and soccer together and did a flip while diving for the ball. I pretty much landed on my head, need I say more?

Still, having had three and still being able to play was unheard of. It took a hell of a lot of convincing my physical therapist and parents to let me continue on after that third one.

However, the deal was that if

I got one more, I was done with soccer forever. In a way, I felt like a ticking time bomb, but I never let it slow me down. Although, I probably should’ve…

I think you can guess by now what happened. Toward the end of our regular season (and the end of my career), I got kneed in the head during a game.

My coach that year tried to drag me off the field, but I wasn’t having it. I convinced him to let me stay in because I felt fine (enough). Then, that same girl who kneed me in the head decided to kick me in the head in the exact same spot.

There was no arguing after that. Forrest marched onto that field and carried me off.

After that final kick to my noggin, I knew that was the end for me.

Yes, I miss soccer and I wish I was still playing. However, it was the best decision for me, and it brought me here. Now that I can’t play sports, I get to write and talk about them, which I am starting to love just as much. Next time, I’ll talk a bit more about how I got involved in sports journalism.

End of discussion, no more concussion.

VERDICTS from page 11

CHARLIE RIEDEL • The Associated Press Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks to pass during the second half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game.

The Associated Press

VA RI ET Y

Campus-grown produce for students

By KENDALL LARSON Staff Writer

The Maverick Food Garden is a small community garden of 12 growing beds by Carkoski Commons. The purpose of the beds is to help students access fresh, healthy options and combat food insecurity. The seasonal produce grown is donated to the Maverick Food Pantry, which distributes it to students.

“We were thinking about ways to serve students and to think about where our food comes from. It seemed like a cool option to try to grow some fresh things we could share with folks. And to offer nutritious and extraordinarily fresh things to students facing food insecurity feels like a lovely gift,” said Liz Steinborn-Gourley, Director of the Women’s Center.

The food garden allows students who don’t have access to a car or a garden of their own to enjoy fresh produce. It gives a free, convenient option for students who either love fresh vegetables or want to add a bit more nutrition to their diet. Additionally, the beds help students see exactly where the food comes from.

“I think that (the beds) are a great way to start to see where your food comes from and recognize that it doesn’t take a massive amount of space to grow a

good quantity of food, and we have a lot more agency to feed ourselves than I think convenience foods really tell us. And I think that there’s a lot more to food production that we don’t think about,” said, Steinborn-Gourley.

The garden was a collective effort among several groups:

the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Facilities and Ground; Residential Life; the Women’s Center; and volunteers. While these departments all helped start the garden, volunteers are the ones who maintain it throughout the year, including in the summer.

“The garden is volunteer

driven, and the more volunteers we have, the more care we can give to the garden,” said Steinborn-Gourley. Over last summer Steinborn-Gourley stated that she maintained the beds with some help from her colleagues. She looks forward to more student volunteers this summer and the

upcoming fall season.

“We’re gladly accepting volunteers for the summer and fall seasons. Once the academic year returns, we see students for various support needs [at the Women’s Center]. It gets a little harder to get over to the garden. And we’re still in the prime growing season when the semester begins,” said Steinborn-Gourley. If you’re a student interested in gardening, there also may be more opportunities besides fresh produce in this garden.

“We really would love it if there was a student group interested in agriculture or local food production. We’re more than happy and willing to be a partner,” said Steinborn-Gourley.

The garden beds are a rather new addition to the campus, established in the spring of 2021. This means that the beds are tests that need student feedback and participation to grow further.

“Having students run a student-serving resource is important. Student voices have been a big part of the planning for this space. And there are so many ways students could see their degree program or their interests tying into it. We’re happy to take whomever, and if there’s a direction that folks want to see it go, we will support them as long as feeding students is the end goal,” said Steinborn-Gourley.

The expectations of womanhood: there are a lot

By MERCEDES KAUPHUSMAN Staff Writer

Gender expectations greet us all at birth, and stay with us for life.

For women, failing to fulfill these expectations can be seen as lacking in femininity in society’s eyes.

To highlight stereotypes and address society’s issues, representatives from theWomen’s Center spoke Thursday on the expectations of being a woman.

“Girls play with Barbie dolls, boys plays with fire trucks, and at first you don’t think it’s a big deal, but if it’s something that happens for a lifetime, since birth, you start creating these roles for yourself without thinking about it,” said Mai Ker Thao, graduate assistant at the center for its violence awareness and response program.

Since as long as history books say, children have been bred to satisfy their gendered duties. For young girls, this looked like dedicating their lives toward attracting a future husband, and

spending the rest of their lives catering to them.

For centuries, women have battled for rights and created a new life for the women alive today, but the expectations are still evident.

“I feel like women don’t get taught to live for themselves,” Thao said. “I feel like they often get taught to act a certain way so you attract this person, act this way so people can admire you for being a good wife, being a good mother. Why can’t I act this way so that I can love myself, and so that people can love me for me?”

This problem quickly becomes more serious when the topic of sexual assault comes into play. On a college campus, where the risks are high, women are encouraged to undergo prevention training, and educate themselves on their own prevention once alcohol consumption is factored in.

“It’s emphasizing that if a woman does all this, if they bring a buddy with them, if they

LILLY ANDERSON • The Reporter

The Maverick Food Garden is a more recent addition to campus; the garden was introduced in May of 2022.

Mav Success Workshop gives students tips to survive finals

OPINION: How band has impacted my life

By LAUREN VISKA Staff Writer

Band is a place many students call home. I, for one, call it home. It’s a place I can be whoever I want, and no one will judge me for it. Some may judge people in band, but they don’t know how much it means to us.

wanted to play alto saxophone for marching band instead. I said yes and have not regretted that decision since.

I’ve met a lot of cool people through band. Most of my friends I have I’ve met through band, and I wouldn’t have as many friends as I do now if it weren’t for band.

The Maverick Success Workshop has occurred nearly every week this semester on campus, covering a variety of topics. Past themes have included studying tips, budgeting, and building resumes.

By JOEY ERICKSON Variety Editor

The Maverick Success Workshop has returned to campus, offering students new insights on ways to improve their school habits. On the agenda this week is how to survive college finals and all the stress that comes with it.

According to the National College Health Association, 45% of American college students claim to undergo “more than average stress,” while 33% of students report “average stress.” Another 12.7% say that their stress is “tremendous.” Students who reported “no stress” or “less than average stress” regarding their school life amounted to a combined total of just 9%.

This week’s Maverick Success Workshop, put on by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office, aims to counteract those feelings. In charge of the event is Sherona Stewart, graduate student and assistant to the DEI office.

“The workshop will cover strategy and technique used to study, do’s and don’ts of studying, study style, dealing with anxiety for academics and more,” Stewart said.

Stewart is a current student

at Minnesota State, pursuing a master’s degree in public health. As a Program Advisor for the Maverick Success Workshops, she conducts weekly meetings with students who are struggling to guide them toward achieving their academic goals.

Despite being the one teaching at the workshops, Stewart herself has done a fair bit of learning from the workshops, and the lessons she’s educating students on.

“The Maverick Success Workshop helped me to improve my public speaking skills, (and) helped me to discover other needs of students that I can aid students with through the workshops. It gives me the opportunity to learn specific information about the department that I can apply to my life,” Stewart said.

Past themes covered in the workshops include time management, resume building, studying tips, budgeting and more.

According to Stewart, the workshops are only good for the students who attend them. It can help them build a variety of skills, not only pertaining to school, but also for life in general.

“It’s a great opportunity to learn something new, gain inspiration, make friends, and

about the root of the problem?” Thao said.

watch their drinks, and they still get sexually assaulted, then that’s their fault,” Thao said.

Regardless of women’s efforts, sexual assault numbers are not decreasing.

“I feel like on college campuses, we always want to make sure that women have the resources they need, and women have the provisions that they need, but why don’t we talk

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month, and validating women that sexual assault is the fault of the perpetrator, not the victim’s, is a heightened value for the Women’s Center.

Faculty plans on keeping this month-long theme going with their event, “Take Back the Night,” April 25 5-7 p.m. in Ostrander Auditorium.

expand the knowledge and understanding of ourselves. We also have study supplies for students that may require them,” Stewart said.

One tip for studying is to utilize professors’ office hours. If you are having trouble with a concept or topic, your professors can help. Not only could they help to make the material more understandable, but building a relationship with your professor is also important. It could even lead to potential career opportunities down the line.

Another tip is to be sure to give yourself mental breaks. The brain can only handle so much new information, so taking the time to let your head cool down can help in the long run to retain more information.

For graduate student Kaycee Ryan, her favorite way to study is rewriting notes, to remember them better.

“I rewrite all my notes on colored paper, so I can section off different topics and better associate things in my brain. It also makes studying more interesting that way to me,” Ryan said.

The next Maverick Success Workshop is coming up this Wednesday, on April 19.

I joined band in the summer of fifth grade. In fourth grade, we got to go to the high school and hear the wind ensemble play all the different instruments. After that, we picked three that we were interested in playing. I chose clarinet, trumpet and flute. My mom played flute and my dad played trumpet, so I tried those two. As for clarinet, I am still trying to figure out why I chose it. My band director said I was good at all three and could pick which one I wanted. So I went with clarinet to be different.

I started playing alto saxophone in seventh grade. I wanted to play in a jazz band, but the clarinet isn’t a jazz band instrument. My band director suggested I play alto rather than tenor or bari because my hands were too small.

I then started marching band in high school and did clarinet in my first year. It was pretty interesting marching clarinet. There were a lot of people in my section, so I didn’t get to know them super well. After the season ended, my band director asked me if I

In fifth grade, I had a difficult time making friends. Being in band gave me an opportunity to meet new people and get out of my comfort zone. I was a shy kid growing up; I never went out and talked to people. Now I have so many friends. I even met my boyfriend through band.

Band has also taken me to many incredible places. In sophomore year of high school, we went on a trip to Hawaii for spring break. We visited Pearl Harbor and performed in front of the USS Missouri, which is something I will never forget.

I traveled with the Maverick Machine to Rome this past New Year’s to perform in the New Year’s Day parade. We visited the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and Pompeii. We also got to ring in the new year on the roof of our hotel with fireworks in the distance.

Without band, I would never have had these opportunities or any of the friends I have now. What I’m saying is: sign up for band and get ready for a journey that will take you places you thought you’d never go.

“The purpose of the event is to show support for victims and survivors of sexual assault,” Thao said. We’ll have advocates there, and then we’ll have some organizations talk about the importance of culturally specific resources, and then we’ll end the night with a march to show our support for victims and survivors of sexual assault.”

PHEDIAS PIERIDES • The Reporter

‘Mario’ tops charts again Malala working on new book, her ‘most personal’

By LINDSEY BAHR The Associated Press

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” scored the best second weekend ever for an animated movie in North American theaters with $87 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The family-friendly Universal release dropped a slim 41% from its record-making opening weekend.

With $94 million from international showings, “Mario’s” global total now stands at a staggering $678 million, surpassing “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” to become biggest film of 2023 in just two weekends.

“There are not enough adjectives to describe the enormity of this box office performance,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comsore.

For most blockbusters, second weekends are usually down by about 60%, making “Mario’s” 41% drop especially noteworthy.

According to Comscore, only a handful of films that opened over $100 million have had less of a fall, including “Shrek 2,” “Frozen 2,” 2002’s “Spider-Man,” “The Force Awakens” and 2016’s “The Jungle Book.”

“To the casual observer that may not seem like a big deal, but that is an important metric,” Dergarabedian said. “It’s the greatest indicator of audience love for the movie.”

“Mario” faced little major competition this weekend even

with a slew of new national releases including “ Renfield,” “The Pope’s Exorcist,” “ Mafia Mamma ” and the animated “ Suzume.”

It still has two weekends before “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” flies into theaters to jumpstart the summer moviegoing season.

Sony and Screen Gem’s R-rated “The Pope’s Exorcist” starring Russell Crowe as the late Father Gabriele Amorth — the chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome from 1986 to his death at 91 in 2016 — fared the best. It made an estimated $9.2 million from 3,178 locations.

Third place went to “John Wick: Chapter 4” in its fourth weekend with $7.9 million.

The Lionsgate action pic has now made over $160.1 million domestically.

Universal’s “Renfield,” the

supernatural thriller starring Nicolas Cage as Dracula and Nicholas Hoult as the title character, opened in fourth place with $7.8 million.

Some wondered if opening “Renfield” and “The Pope’s Exorcist” the same weekend — both R-rated and of similar genres — hurt the films. But Dergarabedian said that while audiences may have been similar, “these films play for more than just one weekend.”

Ben Affleck’s Air Jordan origin story “Air” rounded out the top five, with $7.7 million in its second weekend to bring its total domestic earnings to $33.3 million.

Makoto Shinkai’s PG-rated anime “Suzume,” released domestically by Sony with both dubbed and subtitled versions available, opened in 2,170 theaters.

By STAFF WRITER Staff Writer

Nobel laureate Malala

Yousafzai is working on a new memoir, the latest book by the young activist from Pakistan known for her advocacy for education for girls and for surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban when she was in her teens.

Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, announced the memoir Monday. It is currently untitled and has no scheduled release date.

Yousafzai’s previous works include the million-selling “I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban,” published in 2013, the

year before she won the Nobel Peace Prize at age 17. She has since graduated from Oxford University and married Asser Malik, a manager with the Pakistan Cricket Board. Her production company, Extracurricular, has a deal with Apple TV+ for a wide range of film and television projects.

“The last few years of my life have been marked by extraordinary transformation, and all the anguish and joy that accompanies growth,” Yousafzai, 25, said in a statement released by Atria. “This is my most personal book yet and I hope that readers will find recognition, reassurance, and insight in my story.”

Atria is calling the new book a “breathtaking story.”

NATHAN HOWARD • The Associated Press

Nintendo and Universal Studios via AP Malala is working on a new memoir, the latest book by the young activist from Pakistan known for her advocacy for education for girls and for surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban.

This image released by Nintendo and Universal Studios shows Mario, voiced by Chris Pratt, left, and Princess Peach, voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy, in Nintendo’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”