FACEBOOK.COM/NORTHERNIOWAN
WWW.NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA CEDAR FALLS, IA
CEDAR FALLS, IA
TWITTER: @NORTHERNIOWAN
THURSDAY, APRIL 5
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27
VOLUME 114, ISSUE 42
VOLUME 116, ISSUE 39
LEOPOLD LECTURE
FILM REVIEW
Erin Brockovich presents her lecture “The Power of One.”
Film Critic Hunter Friesen reviews “The Last Thing He Wanted.”
TENNIS
NEWS PAGE 2
CAMPUS LIFE PAGE 5
SPORTS PAGE 6
Panthers split matches at home against Milwaukee and Gustavus.
NISG announces election results The Northern Iowa St udent G over n ment (NISG) election this year wasn’t an especially tight race. With only one set of candidates running for student body president and vice president, Elle Boeding and Rachel Greene could be fairly certain of the outcome of the elections, which ended Wednesday night at 6 p.m. But Boeding said that, although their victory — with 100% of the vote — wasn’t exactly a surprise, it still felt good. “We’re excited to get to work,” she said. “We’re excited to actually start advocating for students in a way that is going to make a broader impact and we’re really excited about that.” “To be completely honest, it hasn’t hit me yet,” Greene
said. “But I’m super excited. We already have meetings set up with the current administration to see what our duties are going to be. I’m just excited to actually do the job. I’m better at that than the campaigning part, so to actually do that and hear students and continue to stay engaged, I’m super excited.” Boeding and Greene’s campaign, with the slogan “For the Students,” focused on a three-pronged platform of Advocacy, Access and Academics. Within their platform, the newly-elected president and vice president hope to emphasize diversity and inclusion services on campus, establish trainings and better access to resources for mental health and sexual assault support and continue to hold higher administration accountable for student success. Election results were
improvised solos by voice artist Dakota Anderson and tenor saxophone artist Andrey Floranovich. Concert attendee Holden Caloud, a junior history education major, said, “[It was] an overall great performance by everyone. I thought a wide variety of ideas were shown by the soloists.” In particular, Caloud noted Johnny Hartleip of the Roomba Cats, is one of his childhood friends. “It’s been
great to see him grow and I can’t wait to see him do great things in the future,” he said. “I think my favorite part about coming to these concerts is seeing students’ own arrangements and how they get to try them out,” Alayna Ringsby, a freshman music education major, said. “I feel like it’s a really good setting for them to do [so] and it’s always fun to see what they come up with.”
ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor
COURTESY PHOTO
announced by the NISG election commission in Maucker Union at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Chief Justice Bekah Bass, a junior sociology major with minors in Spanish and women and gender studies, introduced the commission before the evening’s winners were announced. “The names that we are about to announce will have large responsibilities to fulfill as the new voice for students on UNI’s campus,” Bass said. The commission began by announcing the winners of Senate seats from the various colleges. Many of the colleges had at least one open seat, and two — the College of Undecided/ Interdisciplinary/General Studies and the College of Education — had no viable candidates. See NISG ELECTIONS, page 2
Jazz combos present spring concert ANNA ALLDREDGE Staff Writer
On Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m., audience members settled in for a night of improv and individuality in Russell Hall’s Bengtson Auditorium with the UNI Jazz combo groups. UNI’s School of Music faculty artist Chris Merz, along with graduate student conductors, organized this event to feature four groups of UNI students. Leading off the concert was the Isaac Schwartz combo with a set featuring trumpet, saxophone and electric guitar solos. Their final chart, “Back in June,” was written by combo member Andrew Piper. Piper, who had played trumpet on their two previous selections, switched over to the piano to give this piece a melodic and resonant component. As the title suggests, “Back in June” portrayed melancholic and
nostalgic emotions. The Max McBride combo, which followed, performed the charts “Kryptonite,” “Echoes” and “Minorities.” Throughout their three pieces, the group demonstrated control over rhythmically diverse music. Their soloists and rhythm section dynamically complimented each other throughout the performance, which enhanced the emotion of the solo sections. The Roomba Cats, the next combo to enter the stage, kicked off their portion of the night with a chart that began with only the wind performers, showing off the group’s control of tone and time. Their final selection was a fast-paced swing tune featuring technically challenging solos from saxophone artists Johnny Hartleip and Tyler Utter. The Flat Earth combo closed out the night with both unison lines and
GABI CUMMINGS/Northern Iowan
PAGE 2
NEWS
ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor
Brockovich gives Leopold Lecture FEBRUARY 27, 2020 |
NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
|
Brockovich described her exhaustive investigation into the poisoning of the water in Hinkley, California. “I can’t believe it’s been 29 years since my work in that small desert town,” Brockovich said. “I’m deeply sad that at the time I thought it was a one-off, if you will. It was only a microcosm of something that was happening in the entire United States, if not the world. I had absolutely no idea what I was about to uncover or the tragedy that I continue to discover is happening to the environment.” Despite her fears, Brockovich mentioned that she still maintains a sense of optimism. Although many people see the issues of pollution and climate change as out of their control, she has seen the struggles of everyday folk that are fighting for environmental issues. She’s seen people that do similar work in China and Kenya who brought up food contamination and allergies to their local governments. Brockovich wanted to get across the message of environmental change being in the hands of the people. “The number one thing
that people seem to want when I go to towns is some kind of permission,” said Brockovich. “Empowerment is a process that happens when we give ourselves that permission to believe in ourselves. Oftentimes we get stuck and we’re afraid to do that. I encourage you to be the hero that exists right inside of you.” When Brockovich examined a map that looked at water contamination issues, she found a connection between toxic substances in the water and cancer rates. Throughout the lecture, Brockovich encouraged people to examine environmental issues and unite towards a common goal of changing policies. She said that not every chemical that enters the marketplace is thoroughly tested for its health and environmental effects. “We have to change that policy,” said Brockovich. “These chemicals, I want to know what they do in the environment before you put them into the marketplace and we become the guinea pig. Students are so eager to look at these things. We are inherently great; the problem is that we haven’t been
Senator-elects from the Graduate College were Denise Kassis and Jaclyn Davidshofer. From the College of Business, Esha Jayswal, Mohammad Rawwas and Matthew Barton as a write-in candidate were elected, leaving one open seat. New senators from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (CSBS) were Ochuko Avwunuma, Rocio Castrejon, Danielle Goedken and Gisselle Herrera. Finally, in the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences (CHAS), Abigail Kraft and Alisanne Struck were elected, with Randy Everding and Noelle Sampson as write-in candi-
dates and two open seats. Bass encouraged UNI students to apply for at-large Senate and NISG upper cabinet positions to fill the empty seats. She said that, while numbers vary from year to year, certain colleges typically have tighter Senate races than others. “We tend to have a lot of people run for CSBS seats, but there aren’t enough for them, and then don’t have enough people running in places like the College of Education, CHAS, people who are deciding majors [and] graduate students. We have a hard time getting them to run for Senate seats,” she said. This year, six candidates vied for the four seats in CSBS, while in all the other
colleges, the number of candidates was less than the minimum number of seats available, meaning that all candidates were elected. Boeding echoed Bass’ call for students to get involved in NISG. “We hope more people decide to get engaged,” she said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of [open] Senate seats, so that’s something that we’re going to really be pushing for.” The student body will receive an email on Feb. 27 with instructions for how to run for at-large seats and upper cabinet positions, and Bass said that students looking for other ways to get involved in NISG should email nisg@uni.edu.
NORTHERN IOWAN
EDITORIAL STAFF
CIRCULATION
COLBY WEBER Staff Writer
When she was growing up in Kansas, Erin Brockovich had two women that inspired her. The firs was her mother, who taught her the value of what Brockovich called “stick-to-it-iveness.” Her second inspiration was her teacher, who let her take tests orally when she found out that Brockovich had dyslexia. Through this action, Brockovich was able to believe in herself. These values have stuck with Brockovich and given her the tenacity to fight against climate change. As part of the Aldo Leopold Lecture Series, Brockovich presented her lecture titled “The Power of One” on Feb. 25, 2020, at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Before Brockovich gave her speech, UNI President Mark Nook and sophomore actuarial science major Samantha Bennett provided introductions to the lecture’s history and what Brockovich had done in her case against the Pacific Gas Company. During the presentation,
NISG ELECTIONS
continued from page 1
L011 Maucker Union Cedar Falls, IA 50614 www.northerniowan.com northern-iowan@uni.edu 319.273.2157
GABRIELLE LEITNER Executive Editor leitnerg@uni.edu 563.845.9067
SIERRA STEEN Managing Editor steens@uni.edu 319.939.8190
GABI CUMMINGS
Art Director cummigaa@uni.edu CECILIA MITCHELL Campus Life Editor ceciliam@uni.edu COLIN HORNING Sports Editor chorning@uni.edu ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor kelseye@uni.edu
CARTER HOVEY Circulation
PRODUCTION STAFF SIERRA STEEN Webmaster Graphic Artist
KARLA DE BRUIN
Associate Managing Editor
KARINA VALDIVIA
Business/Desk Assistant
LAUREN MCGUILL Desk Assistant
VOLUME 116, ISSUE 39
solution-driven. We have every means to change antiquated systems, policies and ideas.” Throughout her time working on the case in Hinkley, Calif., Brockovich was bullied and ridiculed for not being a lawyer or scientist. Despite these criticisms, she wanted to let the audience know that being different doesn’t mean that you can’t make a difference. She encouraged everyone to stay informed while using a combination of logic, leverage,
loyalty and love to get things done. Brockovich recognized that climate change is here, but there’s something that we can do about it. “We all see it,” said Brockovich. “It’s weather patterns, it’s water, it’s the environment and the culture. The shift is here. But if we come back here and know who we are, I’m telling you, we’ll find our way back. I think that we’ll be absolutely fine, and we’ll be better than ever.”
GABRIELLE LEITNER/Northern Iowan
Environmental activist and advocate Erin Brockovich delievered the final Leopold Lecture of the school year, “The Power of One, on Feb. 25.
Crime brief: sexual assault reported NI STAFF
Trigger Warning: The following article contains mention of a report of sexual misconduct. On Sunday, Feb. 23, the UNI student body received an email regarding a rape reported to UNI police by a student. The email stated that the assault was committed by an acquaintance in a residence hall between midnight and 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20. The only person responThe Northern Iowan is published semi-weekly on Monday and Thursday during the academic year, except for holidays and examination periods, by the University of Northern Iowa, L011 Maucker Union, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0166 under the auspices of the Board of Student Publications. Advertising errors that are the fault of the Northern Iowan will be corrected at no cost to the advertiser only if the Northern Iowan office is notified within seven days of the original publication. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement at any time. The Northern Iowan is funded in part with student activity fees. A copy of the Northern Iowan grievance procedure is available at the Northern Iowan office, located at L011 Maucker Union. All material is © 2019 by the Northern Iowan and may not be used without permission.
sible for sexual assault is the perpetrator. According to the email, “the most common type of sexual assault is not committed by a stranger but by someone known to the victim, typically a date or other acquaintance.” Survivors of sexual assault or misconduct can contact UNI police at (319)273-2712 and can also seek support by contacting the Riverview Center’s 24-hour sexual assault crisis line at 888-557-0310. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters must be less than 300 words in length and are subject to editing. Not all submissions will be printed. Send submissions to leitnerg@uni.edu.
SEND US STORY IDEAS
Tell us what’s happening on campus. Email submissions to northern-iowan@uni.edu. Do you want to have an event listed here? Email us at northern-iowan@uni.edu with information about the event to have it featured.
PAGE 3
OPINION
GABRIELLE LEITNER Executive Editor
FEBRUARY 27, 2020 |
NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
|
VOLUME 116, ISSUE 39
Disclaimer: The opinions featured in The Northern Iowan do not reflect the views of The Northern Iowan staff as a whole.
Fascism, neoliberalism and oligarchy MOHAMMED RAWWAS
Opinion Columnist
In 1992, Francis Fukuyama declared “the end of history,” in which the decline of the Soviet Union heralded the end of ideology as such and the triumph of Western capitalism and liberal democracy. (It is important to note that the declaration of the “end of ideology” is, of course, ideology at its purest.) In his 1989 inaugural address, George H. W. Bush declared that “We know how to secure a more just and prosperous life for man on Earth: through free markets, free speech, free elections and the exercise of free will unhampered by the state. For the first time in this century, for the first time in perhaps all history, man does not have to invent a system by which to live. We don’t have to talk late into the night about which form of government is better. We don’t have to wrest justice from the kings. We only have to summon it from within ourselves.” Perhaps signaling towards the fall of the Berlin Wall just two years later in 1991, Bush foretold a future in which one system would dominate for the rest of human existence: liberalist individual rights combined with free markets, which, for him, are simply two different modes of freedom. Capitalism and
democracy were inextricably linked and they had demonstrated their success as the predominant structure of governance. China today problematizes this thesis. The economic miracle in China and the accelerated economic development of the last few decades has certainly been the result of “liberalization” reforms, in which the market was opened up to global markets and capital and increased trade with other countries. However, China demonstrates that the link between “democracy” and capitalism is certainly not as inextricable as ideologues such as Fukuyama and H.W. would have you believe, as China’s government structure is certainly far from any Western bourgeois conception of “democracy.” Yet, the Chinese government is a far more efficient manager of capitalism than any Western “democracy.” And in an ideology and economic system that worships “efficiency,” we may begin to see a trend in this general direction. Nothing could demonstrate this phenomenon better than the Michael Bloomberg campaign. Suffice to say, Michael Bloomberg is an authoritarian. As mayor of New York City, he presided over a police and surveillance state that pursued
a racist stop and frisk policy that terrorized racially minoritized populations in New York City and oversaw surveillance of mosques and Muslim citizens in flagrant violation of the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. As president, Bloomberg would undoubtedly mobilize the police and military to terrorize minoritized populations and silence dissent. As a billionaire who is self-financing his campaign by pumping tens of millions of dollars into buying an election, he also represents oligarchy as he attempts to single-handedly dismantle what little “democracy” we have in the United States. And as a wealthy businessman, he represents the face of capitalism. As a reinvigorated left enters the mainstream in the U.S., liberal authoritarian capitalists such as Bloomberg will do anything in their power in order to ensure that they can maintain a grip on their power and influence in Washington. And if “liberal authoritarian” seems like a self-contradictory term, it is being utilized intentionally to show that this is exactly not the case. It is clear at this point that the democratic primary is now a race between Bernie Sanders and Bloomberg. After Joe Biden imploded in all three states that have already
Tribune News Service
Opinion Columnist Mohammed Rawwas discusses fascism, neoliberalism and oligarchy in relation to the 2020 election.
voted and as Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar imploded just as soon as they reached a state that was demographically representative of the broader country, it is clear that they are no longer viable. Elizabeth Warren performed so poorly as to barely warrant mention. Considering Bloomberg did not compete in early states and the fact that we do not know how his abysmal debate performance will affect his turnout, it remains an open question as to whether his polling in upcoming states can translate into actual votes, or if he will be another paper tiger like Biden who will crumble as soon as a vote actually takes place. At this point, however, it is
clear that the choice between Bloomberg and Donald Trump is a false one; a choice between one authoritarian billionaire oligarch or another. A choice between one serial sexual assaulter or another. A choice between a racist or another. A choice between a Republican or another. Sanders, Bloomberg, Trump. One of these three will be the next president. Or, to put it more accurately, Sanders, Bloomberg/Trump. One of these two will be the next president. The result will determine whether the U.S. is ready to fulfill those Enlightenment ideals of liberty and equality, or whether it will continue its descent into oligarchic authoritarianism.
‘Star Trek’ and progressive representation in television EMERSON SLOMKA
Opinion Columnist
“’Star Trek’ was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms.” — Gene Roddenberry Few works of fiction have the power to challenge our notion of normalcy and inspire progress as much as “Star Trek” has. Since its original run beginning in 1966, “Star Trek” and its various iterations have presented an idealistic and optimistic view of what the future could be like, from space travel to social equality. Gene Roddenberry envisioned a future in which humans had progressed beyond the confines of their bigotry and fear of change to explore the galaxy as a united race. Roddenberry was no stranger to controversy — in fact, he seemed to welcome it and the way that it forced a dialogue about what he considered important. For example, Lieutenant Commander Nyota Uhura (portrayed by Nichelle Nichols) is considered to be one of the first black women
on TV portrayed in a position of power; famously, Whoopi Goldberg, who would go on to portray Guinan on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” proclaimed upon seeing Uhura, “I just saw a black woman on television, and she ain’t no maid!” “Star Trek’s” embrace of social progress did not end there, however; in fact, “Star Trek” has arguably paved the way for queer representation in television, using its science-fiction platform to tackle real-world issues such as homophobia and transphobia. The boldest example of LGBTQ themes in “Star Trek” can be traced back to the 1992 episode “The Outcast.” In this episode, we are introduced to the character Soren, a member of an androgynous race who consider both gender and sexuality unacceptable and taboo. Soren, being unfamiliar with the concept of gender, is fascinated by the crew of the Enterprise, and begins to experience a romantic attraction to Commander Riker. Soren admits to Riker that she identifies as a female, but cannot openly express her identity or her species will force her to undergo conversion therapy in
order to reform her into a genderless individual. This is an obvious allegory for the questionable conversion therapy found in our own society, used to “reform” LGBTQ individuals (a practice that is thankfully becoming illegal in many states). Soren and Riker’s relationship is discovered, as well as Soren’s female identity, and she is placed on trial, eventually being forced into conversion therapy. This therapy proves to be “successful,” convincing Soren that she is asexual and genderless — while this episode certainly has a bleak ending (one that was criticized by many LGBTQ viewers), this was done intentionally in order to make a statement about the cruel nature of conversion therapy and how it can be seen as brainwashing rather than a true form of therapy. While this episode makes a bold statement about gender and sexuality, Jonathan Frakes, the actor who portrays Commander Riker, felt that it didn’t go far enough; he insisted that Soren be played by a male actor in order to solidify that she was a transgender character, but this was quickly rejected by the studio, who felt
that a relationship between two biologically male characters was too risky (the studio rejecting progressive concepts and ideas will become a recurring theme throughout this analysis), reportedly leaving Frakes enraged. The first same-sex kiss in “Star Trek” came from “Deep Space Nine,” the series released after “The Next Generation.” The character Jadzia Dax is a Trill, a race of aliens that are often conjoined with symbiote who are passed through Trill, taking the previous hosts’ memories and identities with them. Jadzia is a new recipient of a symbiote, with the prior host having been a man. Thus, Jadzia feels as though she once was a man (supported by characters such as Commander Sisko who knew her previous host). In the 1995 episode “Rejoined,” Jadzia encounters Lenara Khan, the wife of Dax’s previous host. Still feeling the previous host’s attraction and love for Khan, the two kiss — a scene that would become one of “Star Trek’s” most controversial. Many stations either edited the scene out or refused to air the episode whatsoever, as Paramount staff reportedly
had to work back-to-back shifts just to deal with the volume of complaints. One such call was answered by a production assistant who, in response to hearing the caller complain about the scene “ruining his kids by making them watch two women kiss like that,” responded by asking if he would have been okay with seeing one of the women shoot the other with a phaser, and the man answered that he would have been unbothered. The PA then responded, “maybe you should reconsider who’s ruining your kids.” While these examples were by far the most notable and controversial, “Star Trek’s” queer representation hasn’t faltered. “Star Trek: Discovery” includes Lt. Paul Stamets and Dr. Hugh Culber, a married gay couple, and J.J. Abrams’s Star Trek Beyond portrays Hikaru Sulu (a character who was originally played by gay actor George Takei), as having a husband. “Star Trek” portrays humanity free of bigotry and discrimination, and has been unafraid to challenge modern inequality and injustices, painting a hopeful future for us to strive towards.
PAGE 4
CAMPUS LIFE
CECILIA MITCHELL Campus Life Editor
‘Last Thing’ is a confusing mess FEBRUARY 27, 2020 |
NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
|
VOLUME 116, ISSUE 39
HUNTER FRIESEN
jointed pieces that produces more questions than answers. I know it’s a tired trope to say that a movie should have been a mini-series, but this seriously should have been a mini-series.
Film Critic
Netflix has been on a roll these past few years. While changing the idea of how television can be consumed, the streaming giant has also financed dozens of films from revered auteurs and budding talent. This level of investment has paid dividends with films such as “The Irishman’’ and “Roma.” But like all portfolios, there are some stinkers such as “Bright” and “The Ridiculous 6” that blemish the hits. Joining the latter pile of garbage is the newest film to be dumped unceremoniously on Netflix: “The Last Thing He Wanted.” A journalist for “The Atlantic Post,” Elena McMahon made her mark with hard-hitting investigative pieces detailing the revolutions in 1980s Central America. One day, her secretive father attempts to reconnect with her after years apart. It’s revealed he’s rekindling their relationship because he has fallen victim to Alzheimer’s. With his final days winding down, he confesses that he is a gun smuggler for the Nicaraguan Contras and asks her to complete his final deal. To fulfill her father’s dying wish, Elena must go back to the place where everything began for her. Only this time, she’s on the opposite side of the law than she was before. Directing: 1/5 Re-teaming with Netflix after the critical success of “Mudbound,” director Dee Rees makes some of the most shocking failures a respected
NI Film Critic Hunter Friesen reviews “The Last Thing He Wanted,” now streaming on Netflix.
filmmaker could make. Her command of the material is nonexistent as the plot and characters move along without any rhyme or reason. For a two hour movie (that feels twice as long), Rees offers little in terms of suspense and subtlety. The choppy editing lacks any cohesiveness between its revolving door of throwaway characters and locations. Even when Rees is supplied with quality supplemental material, such as the score by Tamar-kali, she cues it at the most obvious times, turning it against her intentions. Rees does throw in a nice camera movement every once in a while, but it’s painfully obvious that it’s only being done to try and cover-up
the catastrophe that is being filmed. An example is the laughably bad final shot that looks ripped straight from a parody movie. Writing: 1/5 Adapted by Rees and Marco Villalobos from the book of the same name, “The Last Thing He Wanted” is one of the most incomprehensible movies ever made. I would feel safe betting someone a billion dollars to watch this movie and then properly explain what they had just seen. The dialogue is both cliched and flowery as it makes even the smallest detail hard to comprehend. Characters speak English in a way so cryptic that it seems they aren’t even speaking English
Tribune News Service
at all. No amount of rewinding or looking through a dictionary could help me understand what exactly someone was saying. Fortunately, the poor sound mixing makes half of the dialogue muddled, saving me from further anguish. Also part of the problem is the script’s overabundance of half-baked storylines and details. I would say that almost every one of these plots and subplots is filled with holes, but I’m not sure of what the plot was, to begin with. Characters and locations come and go, barely leaving a mark on the overall narrative. That is, until the end when Rees wraps a dozen different things up in the final three minutes, ending the film in a pile of dis-
Acting: 2/5 Anne Hathaway is mediocre as our supposedly tough main character. Hathaway tries her best, but she is woefully miscast and can’t muster a sliver of enough fortitude to convince us of her believability. Ben Affleck plays a CIA agent hot on Elena’s trail. Affleck seems to have been on set for less than a week and has as much energy as someone who just woke up from a nap after downing a bottle of NyQuil. Factoring in his minuscule screen time, it’s safe to say that the main reason he was cast was to put his name on the poster. Playing the ailing father is Willem Dafoe, who has recently been on a career resurgence. Disappointingly, Dafoe falls into the type of hammy overacting that plagued the middle third of his career. Overall: 1.5/5 “The Last Thing He Wanted” is a glaring misfire on the careers of the usually dependable cast and crew. It will surely land on many “worst of the year” lists and may even take the top spot on a few. Thinking about this awful movie is the last thing I ever want to do.
Follow us online for news wherever you go. facebook.com/northerniowan Twitter: @northerniowan northerniowan.com
PAGE 5 CECILIA MITCHELL Campus Life Editor
CAMPUS LIFE FEBRUARY 27, 2020 |
NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
|
VOLUME 116, ISSUE 39
‘Warrior Women’ documentary screened EMMA STOFFER Staff Writer
On Monday, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m., the documentary “Warrior Women” was screened in Lang Hall Auditorium as a kickoff for Women’s History Month. Before starting the film, director Elizabeth Castle spoke about her inspiration. “I wanted to learn how these women [...] who had no political power [...] managed to change the world,” Castle said. In its 62 minute run time, the documentary’s focus spanned decades and touched on many of the issues faced by Native Americans across the country. The figure tying them together was Madonna Thunder Hawk, a leader of the American Indian Movement (AIM). AIM began in the late 1960s in response to police brutality and it quickly became Thunder Hawk’s home. She joined other activists in the occupations of Mt. Rushmore, Alcatraz Island and Wounded Knee with the resolve to “drop and everything and go if [she felt] it’s important enough.” Although many of her contemporaries have passed on, Thunder Hawk represents them through the issues and battles of today, including Standing Rock and human trafficking. The film’s overall theme was one of survival, as Thunder Hawk and her family were fighting large scale social destruction and the loss of their freedom. The movement is based on their commitment to keep their culture alive and rebuild the relationships that
have been hurt by the actions of the US Government. A question and answer session followed the film and was opened by the graduate students who applied for the grant to bring Thunder Hawk and Castle to UNI. The first question, directed to Castle, concerned the circular narrative the film employs rather than a linear story. Castle said that she “wanted it to be an experience” which would capture how Thunder Hawk “carries the history” of the movement. The documentary jumps across the timeline of Thunder Hawk’s activism with archival footage of her reservation and her involvement in historical events to modern day discussions about the impact those moments had on their fight for freedom. Thunder Hawk explained the struggles she faced from her own people. Tribal governments wanted her to “sit back and be quiet.” Rather than confronting them head on, she went around them with the support of her people. She laughed when remembering how she had been “mostly supported by the young, the old and the have-nots.” Thunder Hawk also discussed that she did not face additional challenges from the men in her community because the respect of women remained an integral part of her culture. She said that their activism could not be split by gender roles because it was their shared responsibility as a people to tackle the issues they were facing. Thunder Hawk believes
GABRIELLE LEITNER/Northern Iowan
Madonna Thunder Hawk (pictured middle) and director Elizabeth Castle (right) address audience questions in a Q&A held following a screening of their documentary “Warrior Women,” presented by the UNI Women & Gender Studies department, the UNI Department of Geography and the School of Applied Human Sciences, with assistance from David O’Shields and Humanities Iowa.
the focus of the next front will be support. As a grandmother, she said that she feels it is time for the younger generation to make their stand and lead the charge. Thunder Hawk said she is honored to be an elder for them and offer guidance for their journey. Still, she maintains an active role in raising awareness, particularly about the issues of human trafficking and the Social Services. Indigenous women and children have been disappearing and Thunder Hawk worries about the dangers brought by the construction of the pipeline as the trailer camps are close to reservation borders. Veterans from Standing Rock have kept
Get paid doing something you love! Contact Art Director Gabriella Cummings (cummigaa@uni.edu) for details.
in touch with many leaders and have been hosting self defense training. Thunder Hawk also said that she wants to see an end to the actions of Social Services that place indigenous children in foster homes. She and other leaders have been working with the organization Simply Smiles to build children villages to provide at-risk children the support they need on the reservation. The final question addressed Castle’s interest in following Thunder Hawk’s life’s work. Castle said she felt like she had “found something that can stay alive in [her] heart” and that she was “overwhelmed to see [her] thesis come alive.”
Castle said that Thunder Hawk’s never-ending fight for justice was an inspiring story that needed to be told. As for why Thunder Hawk agreed to work with Castle, she said that “it was amazing to find somebody real” after years of being dismissed by the press. Rather than looking at Thunder Hawk as a subject, Castle feels that they “create things together” and that makes the biggest difference. More information about their movement can be found at warriorwomen.org. Both Thunder Hawk and Castle called the audience to support local initiatives as well, because they believe it only takes something small to begin to make a change.
HAVE A PASSION FOR SPORTS? TURN THAT PASSION INTO A PAID JOB WITH US! APPLY TODAY FOR A SPORTS WRITER POSITION! CONTACT SPORTS EDITOR COLIN HORNING (CHORNING@UNI.EDU) FOR MORE INFORMATION.
PAGE 6
SPORTS
TRACK & FIELD
FEBRUARY 27, 2020 |
NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
COLIN HORNING Sports Editor
|
VOLUME 116, ISSUE 39
Panthers move up in rankings before MVC tourney BRIELLE KIEWIET Sports Writer
The UNI track and field team headed on the road last week for their last two regular season meets of the season. The team traveled to Ames to compete in the Iowa State Classic on Friday, Feb. 14 through Saturday, Feb. 15 and to Minneapolis, Minn. for the Cold Classic on Friday, Feb. 21. UNI competed in Ames with ten Panthers earning top-three finishes at the meet. Cam Bauer took first place in the triple jump with his career-best mark of 14.29 meters, moving him up to fifth place in the MVC. Darius King added another first place finish for the Panthers in the
weight throw with a career best throw of 16.12 meters, putting him at third place in the conference. “I think six to seven athletes made significant improvements on their standings (in their individual events) heading into this weekend,” said head coach Dave Paulsen.
Sven Van Den Bergh moved up in the MVC standings by adding a sixth place finish in the 400 meter dash. McKayla Cole finished ninth in the 5K with a time of 17:14.26. Both athletes recorded second-best times in the MVC. With only throwers and pole vaulters traveling to com-
Courtesty Photo/UNI Athletics
pete in Minneapolis, the team earned three top-three finishes. King and Alanna Nietert set new personal bests, moving up to No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the MVC, respectively. Anna Hoyman moved to fifth place in the rankings with a fifth-place finish in the shot put. Panther pole vaulter Cierra Laux finished second place with a jump of 3.53 meters. “We’ve been really consistent with where we’re at and that’s key, because consistency is really important. It’s something we can rely on,” said coach Paulsen. After closing out their regular season, the Panthers are now prepping for the MVC Indoor Championship. UNI will host the championship on
Courtesy Photo/UNI Athletics
UNI thrower Darius King set a career best throw and earned a first place finish in the shot put in the Iowa State Classic on Feb. 14-15.
their home turf in the UNIDome on Saturday, Feb. 29 through Sunday, March 1.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Tennis splits matches at home against Milwaukee, Gustavus NICHOLAS SCHINDLER Sports Writer
The University of Northern Iowa Women’s tennis team was coming off their first win of the season this year against Ferris State. Last weekend they turned right around to host Gustavus Adolphus and the Milwaukee Panthers in Waterloo. Heading into this match UNI was 1-6 on the year, Milwaukee was 5-4 and Gustavus was 1-0. The women of UNI started off play against the Gusties,
earning their second win of the season with a 7-0 victory. UNI swept all six singles with wins from Harri Proudfoot, Emma Carr, Kim Zizek, Madeline Dohorty, Thaissa Moreira and Vale Caro. They also earned sweeps in all three straight sets. Saturday proved to be a largely one-sided affair in favor of the Panther tennis squad. After the big win on Saturday, UNI hosted the Milwaukee Panthers and were looking to get their third win in a row. It was a hard-fought
match, but Northern Iowa eventually suffered the 3-4 loss. Much of the defeat was mostly due in part to Milwaukee’s doubles teams. UNI was swept in the doubles 0-3, but did get victories from their 3rd, 5th and 6th singles teams on Sunday. UNI is now 2-7 overall this season. The next match for the Panthers is on Saturday, Feb. 29 at the University of Iowa, who are coming off two straight wins. Dating back to 2009, the Panthers have yet to defeat the Hawkeyes.
Courtesy Photo/UNI Athletics
OPINION
MLB preview: who reigns supreme after offseason drama? PATRICK HANSEN
Sports Writer
Tribune News Service
Former Boston Red Sox outfielder and AL MVP Mookie Betts was acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a blockbuster trade this offseason. Betts and the new-look Dodgers look to be a force in the National League this season.
Spring training is officially in full swing and as Opening Day inches closer, fans and players are eager to see how their teams will produce in the 2020 season. Despite the excitement of a new season, there are, of course, still many players, fans and ball clubs angered over the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, many of which are still looking for some action or punishment from the league to implement on the former World Series champion and runner-up. Through all the debates and with play already underway, it is a perfect time to start making predictions for this season on who will succeed and who will disappoint. A little over a year ago, Bryce Harper made his move from the Nationals to the Phillies and said, “I want to
bring a title back to D.C.” and it seems as if him leaving the D.C. area was just the move they needed as the Nationals brought home the title, and Bryce Harper and the Phillies struggled all season long. With the Nationals being the reigning World Champs, questions arise on if they will be able to return and reclaim their title. In the offseason, the Nationals did lose their star batter from last season in Anthony Rendon but kept their pitching rotation which was truly a hit or miss last year. This year, look for them to just miss out on the Wild Card game in a tight race with our next team up to bat. The next team on the list is the Chicago Cubs. Going into the offseason, the biggest question in Chicago baseball was the question if the Cubs could retain Kris Bryant and Javier Baez. With the Cubs able to keep them in the organization, the fans who go crazy for the two
stars will be happy, as well as the stats. That’s right, the stats will be happy too. The return of Bryant and Baez, along with Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber and Ian Happ should be a plus for the batting stats. Aside from the batting lineup, the Cubs need to see major improvements in the bullpen if they are going to be successful and get back in the hunt for the title this season. Look for the Cubs to grab a Wild Card spot. The team that will have the most success this year? The Los Angeles Dodgers. L.A. has finished runner-up in two of the last three World Series, with one being attributed to cheating. The Dodgers have consistently been in the driver’s seat getting to the playoffs but just not being able to complete the goal of lifting the trophy at the end of the season. With the retention of Clayton Kershaw, the bullpen will strengthen with for-
mer CY Young winner David Price joining the rotation, and also have a strong outfield with Cody Bellinger and Joc Pedersen and also adding former American League MVP Mookie Betts to the lineup. The Dodgers seem like they could be the dangerous team this season, bringing in a very well-rounded team. Look for them to make another appearance in the World Series come October.
Tribune News Service
SIERRA STEEN Managing Editor
KARLA DE BRUIN
Associate Managing Editor
FUN & GAMES FEBRUARY 27, 2020 |
NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
SUDOKU ONE
CROSSWORD
Across
1 On a peg, as a golf ball 5 Panda Express kitchen items 9 Aerospace giant __ & Whitney 14 Pre-deal payment 15 Rapper/actor with a cool name? 16 Talk show host in the
PAGE 7
|
VOLUME 116, ISSUE 39
SUDOKU TWO
31 Airer of old films 32 Kindle download 33 Norse royal name 36 Was shown on TV 40 Authorize someone to represent you at the shareholder meeting 44 Tea biscuit 45 Sank, with “down” 46 Fellows 47 Pontiac muscle car 49 Financed like many fleet cars 52 Personal unrest 57 __ Paulo 58 Bruins star Phil, to fans 59 Eye surgery acronym 63 Singer Ronstadt 65 Command to bypass a recap of prior episodes ... and what the puzzle circles do National Women’s Hall of 68 Make sure not to see 69 “Electric” fish Fame 17 Keyboard chamber 70 Product preview 71 Like a bad breakup work 72 Deuce topper 19 Pending state 73 Smoochy love letter 20 Go off-script letters 21 Indian royal 23 Very long time 24 Shih Tzu or Chihuahua 28 Wet just a bit
Down
42 Prepare (for) 43 __ extra cost 1 Cantina snack 48 Tense NBA periods 2 Oklahoma city 50 Taylor of “Mystic 3 And others: Abbr. Pizza” 4 Jeans 51 Largest living ante5 Quipster 6 Text digitization meth. lopes 7 Knightley of “Love, 52 Muslim religion 53 Hardly worldly Actually” 54 They’re forbidden 8 Brown ermine 9 Frigid zone ice forma- 55 Unexpected win 56 “Today” weather tion anchor 10 N.Y. tech school 60 Crock-Pot dinner 11 Carrying a weapon 61 Hogwarts librarian __ 12 It’s forbidden Pince 13 Skimpy swimsuit 18 Column that aptly 62 Screwball 64 Prefix with card or includes the letters BIO count 22 Stick (out) 66 Land in l’eau 25 Sign gas 67 Future therapist’s maj. 26 Relative via marriage 27 Mideast bigwig 28 Magazines with Alfred E. Neuman 29 Intl. oil group 30 __ facto 34 Had lunch 35 Snake’s poison 37 Capital of Italia 38 They aren’t together anymore 39 Unit of force 41 “Picnic” dramatist
Puzzle answers on page 8
PAGE 8
CLASSIFIEDS
FEBRUARY 27, 2020 |
NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
|
SIERRA STEEN Managing Editor
VOLUME 116, ISSUE 39
Disclaimer: The advertisements featured in The Northern Iowan on this or any other pages do not reflect the views of The Northern Iowan staff.
Interested in advertising with us? Go visit northerniowan,com/ advertisement or contact Managing Editor Sierra Steen (steens@uni.edu) for more details.
HAVE A PASSION FOR SPORTS? TURN THAT PASSION INTO A PAID JOB WITH US!
Get paid doing something you love! Contact Art Director Gabriella Cummings (cummigaa@uni.edu) for details.
APPLY TODAY FOR A SPORTS WRITER POSITION! CONTACT SPORTS EDITOR COLIN HORNING (CHORNING@UNI.EDU) FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Puzzle answers
SUDOKU ONE
SUDOKU TWO
CROSSWORD