The Lumberjack -- March 26, 2020

STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE A SPECIAL ISSUE

THE LUMBER JACK

MAR. 26, 2020 – MAY 1, 2020

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

T

ake a deep breath. In and out. Do it two more times. I know there are many unknowns right now, and I know it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But trust me, we will get through this.

It’s funny, I never thought in a million years I would be spending my last six weeks of college social distancing myself from it. But yet, here we are. There are positive takeaways from this experience and I highly encourage you to partake. Over these next few weeks, practice some self care, cook a meal, plan out your day in terms of what you need to accomplish and don’t forget to breathe. When will we ever get this chance again?

We have an opportunity to grow and to adapt during this pandemic. The Lumberjack is required to adapt to a circumstance we never imagined. As an organization linked to a university, we are staffed with students. Our editors, writers, photographers and illustrators are all students. With school not being in session, in person, we are forced to complete our daily and weekly operations remotely. Most of our staff is back in their hometowns and if they are in Flagstaff, we are asking them to stay home. With that being said, for the remainder of BAILEY the semester, The Lumberjack will become an online publication. We will no HELTON longer be circulating a printed edition. There will still be daily content on our EDITOR-IN-CHEIF website and a social media presence to help keep readers connected to NAU and Flagstaff, no matter where they are now.

So, here we are with the final issue of the semester, and it’s a good one. Back in January, all the editors sat down and planned our three special issues for the semester. Our first one was the “Blinded

by Love” issue, and this one is about women, politics and some content about the cross-section of the two. Regardless of COVID-19, we have historical political campaigns and elections occurring, as well as the celebration of Women’s History Month.

Although it is a bit of a downer to have our print edition cut, we are so excited to share with you what our writers and editors found within the topic. I hope you enjoy the read.

continuous coverage of covid-19 available on jackcentral.org

Thank you for reading.

Illustration By Brady Wheeler

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 109 ISSUE 10

Editor-in-Chief Bailey Helton Faculty Adviser David Harpster

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

Director of Digital Content Managing Editor Copy Chief Senior Reporter Sabrina Proffitt Sebastian Moore Brady Wheeler Print Chief Sports Adviser Sales Manager Photo Adviser Bella Valenzuela Rory Faust Marsha Simon Taylor Mahoney

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board Op-Ed Editor Online News Editor Director of Social Media Caitlin Burke Ray Anne Galzote Shannon Degrange Asst. Op-Ed Editor Features Editor Ryan Dixon News Editor Ash Lohmann Sports Editor Scout Ehrler Asst. Features Editor David Church Asst. News Editor Jacob Meyer Asst. Sports Editor Karin Johnson Cameron Richardson Culture Editor Director of Circulation Nathan Manni Online News Editor Anel Lamadrid Senior Reporter Asst. Culture Editor Asst. Dir. of Circulation Trevor Skeen Nayomi Garcia Micah Meehan

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Director of Illustration Madison Cohen Asst. Dir. of Illustration Aleah Green Director of Photography Morgan Fisher Asst. Dir. of Photography Bess Valdez Senior Photographer Shannon Swain Director of Multimedia Shawn Patti

On the cover Illustration By Christian Ayala

Corrections & Clarifications The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email Bailey Helton at brs289@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat March 9 At 1:43 p.m., a staff member at the NAU Bookstore called to report a theft.

NAUPD responded, and one student was cited and released for shoplifting.

At 11:55 p.m., staff at Cowden Hall reported a resident who had been injured while moving a bed. NAUPD, FFD and a GMT ambulance responded. The student was transported to FMC.

At 9:26 p.m., a student at Cowden Hall called to report March 13 the theft of their AirPods.

At 11:37 p.m., NAUPD NAUPD responded and took reported a vehicle with its a report. headlights on at Knoles Parking Garage. Two students March 10 were deferred for possession of At 3:06 a.m., NAUPD marijuana and possession of reported contacting a student drug paraphernalia. carrying a bottle of alcohol at parking lot 33. The student March 14 was cited and released for At 11:35 p.m., a student underage possession of alcohol. at the Honors College called to report an intoxicated subject At 5:05 p.m., a staff yelling outside the building. member at lot 7A called to NAUPD responded, and one report someone purposefully non-student was arrested and drove into their vehicle. booked into CCDF for first NAUPD responded, and one degree trespass. non-student was booked into CCDF for aggravated assault, March 15 endangerment, disorderly At 1:13 a.m., NAUPD conduct and a hit-and-run. initiated a traffic stop at San Francisco Street and Franklin March 11 Avenue. FFD and GMT At 3:28 a.m., a student responded, and one nonat Mountain View Hall called student was cited and released to report a male subject for DUI above 0.15 and shouting obscenities. NAUPD underage DUI. The passenger, responded but were unable to a non-student, was transported locate the subject. to FMC by ambulance for intoxication.

At 3:02 p.m., a nonstudent at the HLC called At 5:03 p.m., staff at to report a professor making FMC reported a student who possibly inappropriate had been bitten by a dog at comments.

NAUPD SkyView apartments. NAUPD responded and information responded and took a report. was provided.

March 16 March 12 At 1:34 a.m., NAUPD At 12:31 a.m., a contacted two non-students student at Ernest CalderĂłn who were fighting at lot 3C. Learning Community One non-student was booked reported experiencing alcohol into CCDF for assault and poisoning. NAUPD, Flagstaff disturbing the peace. The Fire Department (FFD) and a second non-student was given Guardian Medical Transport a ride to Flagstaff Shelter (GMT) ambulance responded. Services.

The student was transported to FMC.

Compiled by Ray Anne Galzote March 17 At 7:24 a.m., a staff member at the Babbitt Administrative Center called to report a suspicious package.

NAUPD responded, but no criminal activity was witnessed.

March 18 At 9:14 p.m., NAUPD reported finding a non-injury traffic collision at the South Campus Recreation Complex.

One non-student was cited and released for a DUI above 0.08 and their vehicle was impounded for 30 days.

March 19 At 3:50 p.m., a staff member at the University Union called to report a suspicious person. NAUPD responded and found the subject was moving along.

March 20 At 5:13 p.m., a staff member at the NAU Performing and Fine Arts Center called to report someone sleeping under a ramp. NAUPD responded, and one student was identified and advised on camping policies.

March 21 At 9:12 a.m., a staff member at Sechrist Hall called to report two suspicious subjects. NAUPD responded, and the subjects were found to be family of a student. No criminal activity was witnessed.

March 22 At 9:16 a.m., a staff member at the Nursing Sciences building called to report a suspicious odor.

NAUPD responded but was unable to determine the source. Facility Services was notified.

MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

3

NEWS

Voting stations for the Arizona primaries are set up at Walkup Skydome at NAU in Flagstaff, March 17. Shannon Swain| The Lumberjack

NAU students talk voting and voting rights for 2020 Nicholas Bratcher

W

ith the presidential election in November, several NAU organizations have been working to inform student voters regarding registration.

Both NAU Young Democrats and College Republicans, along with the Arizona Students’ Association (ASA), have been working diligently to encourage students to register and discuss the issues of concern in this election cycle.

“Members of our club run voter registration on campus twice a week,” junior Calli Jones, NAU Young Democrats president, said. “At any of our tabling, we have voter registration forms available to anyone willing to fill them out.”

Jones also said it is important to reach out to community members as opposed to college students only.

Treasurer of the College Republicans, junior Keri Huber, said the club takes a similar approach.

“That’s not for students but just to get other voters in the community,” Huber said.

“But when it comes to students, tabling is a big thing.”

Among the NAU Young Democrats, there is a wide variety of beliefs reflected in the club.

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However, Sen. Bernie Sanders is regarded as the most popular presidential candidate in the group. Sophomore Collin Gunn said they will support whoever is the Democratic nominee.

The College Republicans regard themselves to be behind President Donald Trump for the most part, although senior Steve Marin said he sees good and bad elements to the current president.

“His behavior is erratic, but I’m also looking at the policies and some are pretty decent, but I think the way he handles some foreign nations can be done a little bit better,” Marin said.

Senior Anthony Galdi said both Democrats and Republicans can be corrupt and just tell people what they want to hear. In Galdi’s eyes, the president does not fit this mold.

“He follows through with what he says, and he’s not working for other people,” Galdi said.

One of the key priorities for students across the spectrum is being registered to vote in Flagstaff, even if they do not reside in the city all year. Jones said this is particularly true among the Young Democrats.

Many College Republicans also chose to register in Flagstaff. Junior Mackenzie Kirby explained his desire to vote on local issues.

“The Republican vote is worth a bit more

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in Flagstaff compared to other places because it’s majority Democratic,” Kirby said.

One issue that affects college students more than other voters is having a temporary address through a dorm or nearby apartment, especially since State Rep. Bob Thorpe proposed House Bill 2461. If passed, it would ban students from using a dorm or other temporary address to declare residency in order to register.

According to an article from The Arizona Republic, Thorpe proposed the bill to ensure that the votes of full-time Flagstaff residents are not canceled out by those of students, but many including ASA opposed the law. ASA held a press conference March 10 with Flagstaff’s Vice Mayor Adam Shimoni regarding the proposal.

ASA’s organizing director Kyle Nitschke spoke about the perceived motivation behind such a law.

“It would ban any address where students don’t reside for at least 12 months,” Nitschke said. “[This is] targeted at college students who are turning out to vote in record numbers.”

Armando Montero, a member of the ASA chapter at ASU, came to Flagstaff for the March 10 press conference to express his opposition.

Montero noted the struggle young people have endured throughout history in regard to voting

rights.

“It was only in 1971 that the voting age was lowered to 18,” Montero said. “This [bill] is targeted at students to oppress voices.”

Like ASA, NAU Young Democrats were unanimous in their opposition to such a voter registration law.

“He (Thorpe) is very afraid of expanding the electorate because his policies are not supported by the majority of young people,” Jones said.

The College Republicans were split on Thorpe’s proposal but Marin supported the idea.

“I think it’s a fair assessment, Marin said.

“What ends up happening is some of these students will come in and they’ll vote for an issue, but in maybe four or five years, they’re out the door, to another school, another state, leaving the residents here with the repercussions of their vote.”

In contrast, Kirby was of the opposite view.

“Rather than banning voters, you should be persuading them to the other side,” Kirby said.

“How that’s done, I don’t know. But I just think this [bill] is the wrong way of going about it.”

Each organization will continue its efforts throughout the remaining primaries and general campaign until election day, Nov. 3.

NEWS

COVID-19 demands Census Bureau adjustments Trevor Skeen

T

he pandemic created by COVID-19 has refined local, state and national responses to the 2020 census, generally with online platforming favored over inperson communication. As the new virus continues to spread around the United States, many aspects of the upcoming census — specifically online surveying and data collection — will remain strikingly similar.

However, other features are already different, particularly the lack of field outreach and operations.

The New York Times reported March 18 that the U.S. Census Bureau suspended all field activities for two weeks to protect both workers and participants. This decision came in light of COVID-19’s transmission throughout the entire country.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus has spread between 54 jurisdictions, including all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

As of Monday, the CDC reported 33,404 COVID-19 cases in the U.S., which have also caused 400 deaths. Although these figures constitute a mortality rate as low as 1.2%, COVID-19 has the potential to change participation and recordings within the 2020 census.

Nuvia Enriquez, a media specialist for the Dallas Regional Census Office, sent an email to media partners and collaborators regarding COVID-19’s noticeable influence. More specifically, she said online data collection within the upcoming census helps to facilitate both safety and accuracy.

“It has never been easier to respond on your own, whether online, over the phone or by mail — all without having to meet a census taker,” Enriquez’s email stated.

Enriquez explained the U.S. Census Bureau is making adjustments

based on two critical factors. The first consideration is protecting the health and safety of everyone involved with the census, and the second is fulfilling the legal requirement to deliver scheduled demographic counts and information to the president. By following these guidelines, the 2020 census is still happening similarly and predictably — but also with slight changes.

“Currently, the planned completion date for data collection for the 2020 census is July 31, 2020, however, that date can and will be adjusted if necessary as the situation evolves in order to achieve a complete and accurate count,” Enriquez stated.

Sara Dechter, comprehensive planning manager for the City of Flagstaff, said the Census Bureau already extended its final count deadline to Aug. 14. Furthermore, future responses and reactions to COVID-19 depend on executing the census, she added.

“The models that health officials rely on to make decisions daily related to COVID-19’s health and economic impacts would not be possible without a complete and accurate census,” Dechter said.

As of Monday, Dechter said only 17.6% of Flagstaff households have responded to the census, along with 10.6% of

the entire county. Moving forward, all residents will also receive informative door hangers from Census Bureau employees.

In addition to refining national procedures, COVID-19 also changed local census operations. Residents of Coconino County can complete surveys through online software or phone calls, Dechter added, which makes data collection more safe and isolated.

“COVID-19 has certainly changed our outreach strategies,” Dechter said. “The FlagstaffCoconino County Community Census team had originally planned numerous in-person outreach events with kiosks and laptops to make it easy for people to spend 10 minutes completing their census. Those plans have been postponed with the current crisis.”

Dechter also addressed the NAU community’s significance in accurately completing the 2020 census. She said recording all students — regardless of academic year — noticeably influences the funding Flagstaff receives, including adult education grants; the Federal Pell Grant Program; agriculture, science and engineering education; and mental health services, among other areas. In this regard, the census supports both resources and capital.

During a meeting

Infographic By Aleah Green

with The Lumberjack’s editorial board March 2, NAU President Rita Cheng also discussed the importance of students’ participation and surveying around the community.

Cheng said Flagstaff is filled with NAU graduates, which makes the university’s role in the 2020 census even more significant. She explained how one in every five adults residing in the city are NAU alumni.

Additionally, 50% of households have at least one graduate.

“We really want to make sure Coconino County — including Flagstaff and NAU — are recorded accurately,” Cheng said.

Moreover, Cheng said current NAU students comprise one-third of Flagstaff’s adult population.

Considering this prevalence, the university community contributes immensely to the census and its accuracy.

Greg Webb, an event coordinator for Flagstaff’s Complete Count Committee, hosted a census education event for the general public Jan. 30.

During a personal presentation, Webb said NAU students have an obligation to correctly document themselves and their living situations, especially when it comes to helping eventual students.

“You represent future NAU students who will be here, even if you, yourself, are leaving,” Webb said.

Although the U.S. Census Bureau operates under the Department of Commerce and reports findings to the president, its data collection is widely applicable to other areas.

Webb explained that institutions like NAU can use demographic statistics within a variety of settings and studies.

“Almost every department in the university potentially uses census data,” Webb said. “If you care about your discipline being able to get good information — whether it’s natural sciences, housing or architecture — there are ways that you can use census data.”

Illustration By Amy Czachowski

The ongoing threat of COVID-19 has postponed planned portions of the original census schedule. In her email, Enriquez stated the start of the Mobile Questionnaire Assistance Program is officially delayed from March 30 to April 13.

Similarly, the beginning of the Early Nonresponse Followup operation is prolonged from April 9 to April 23.

Both these changes display two-week postponements.

In her press release, Enriquez also addressed how the widespread academic transition to online coursework is unrelated to census data collection. Although the three Arizona public universities canceled in-person classes and moved them online, most students attending NAU still qualify as Flagstaff residents.

“In general, students in colleges and universities temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 virus will still be counted as part of this process,” Enriquez stated. “Per the Census Bureau’s residence criteria, in most cases, students living away from home at school should be counted at school, even if they are temporarily elsewhere due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

For these students around the country and anyone else looking to complete digital surveys, internet response servers for the 2020 census opened March 13. Shortly thereafter, April 1 marks official census day.

MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Law deemed voter suppression by court remains in effect Jacob Meyer

A

n Arizona law that bans the process known as “ballot collecting” or “ballot harvesting” has been overturned in court. However, the law has been allowed to remain in place as Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The ruling handed down by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Jan. 27, stated that Arizona House Bill 2023 — the law that bans third parties from collecting and delivering ballots to polling places — violated the “intent test” of the Voting Rights Act and the 15th Amendment. This means that the law was created with “discriminatory intent.” The 9th Circuit Court also found that HB 2023 had a “discriminatory impact,” placing a “significant disparate burden” on minority voters. The ruling also threw out an Arizona state policy that required polling places to discard ballots delivered to the wrong precinct.

The suit was brought against state officials by the Democratic Party, but it’s not the first time legal action has been taken against HB 2023. The January ruling came after the same court upheld the law in 2018.

HB 2023 not only bans ballot collecting but also makes it a Class 6 felony. Additionally, it only provides exemptions for family members, household members or caregivers to turn in someone’s ballot on their behalf.

Despite the 9th Circuit Court’s decision, it granted Brnovich, one of the defendants in the case, a plea to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. HB 2023 was in effect through the Arizona Presidential Preference Election and will remain law until the Supreme Court decides whether or not to hear the case.

Arizona Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who created and sponsored the law, rejected the notion that it was intentionally discriminatory.

“I don’t know how you can conclude that there was any discriminatory intent as it relates to the motivations behind that bill,” Ugenti-Rita said “I can tell you that is completely false and frankly offensive.”

Ugenti-Rita said she created the bill because of concerns that ballot collecting could be used to perpetrate voter fraud.

“The intent behind the bill is to make sure that we have integrity in our electoral process, that there is a chain of custody when it comes to mail-in ballots,” Ugenti-Rita said. “[Ballot harvesting] is ripe for a lot of things to go wrong.”

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The senator said the issue of voter fraud is too significant to allow convenience to come at the cost of integrity and ballot collecting presents too much of a risk to be allowed. While she is against ballot collecting, Ugenti-Rita said she recognized the need for convenience and would support the creation of additional voting sites to meet community needs.

However, not everyone agrees with the sentiment that voter fraud is an issue and that it is a consequence of convenience.

Bawadden Sayed is the spokesperson for the voting rights organization Let America Vote. He said the ban on ballot collecting, which certain minority communities previously relied on, amounts to voter suppression and is a partisan election tactic.

“HB 2023 is a calculated effort to suppress Arizonans’ right to vote, specifically targeting communities of color,” Sayed said. “Republicans are running scared that Arizona is becoming a blue state, so they’re responding by preventing voters from exercising their constitutional right.

It’s a shameful example of what Republicans are doing throughout the country.”

In Coconino County, HB 2023 adds to an already complex set of election issues. In many parts of the county, polling locations are few and far between while many homes, particularly in the Navajo Nation, lack mailing addresses.

Precincts like Havasupai 60, Kaibab North 64 and many others lack physical polling places altogether while, as the 9th Circuit Court’s decision stated, only 19% of indigenous voters receive mail services directly to their homes.

Darrell Marks, a Navajo Nation activist and adviser to Native American students at Flagstaff High School, said his family members are some of the people affected by the law. No home mailing addresses and distant polling places make it difficult for people like his mother and grandmother to vote. While Marks’ mother receives mail to a P.O. box, conflicts with her work schedule meant it could take weeks for her to access it and receive her ballot.

“Her mailing address is in our home community and the post office there operates on limited hours,” Marks said. “She would have to wait and wait and wait, and sometimes we would check the mail on a weekend, and sometimes it would be two weeks before we’d check the mail.”

Marks said there have even been situations where deadlines for mail-in ballots had passed before his mother had the chance to check her mailbox.

When it comes to both HB 2023 and other voting issues in Arizona, Marks said he is

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both hopeful and concerned. He pointed to the Navajo Nation’s history of being disenfranchised and needing to defend voting rights as reasons to be wary. Marks said laws have long been dictated to Navajo communities without taking into account the consequences.

“I come from a community that’s been impacted negatively by legislation by somebody signing a document that’s never been to our community, that doesn’t recognize or realize the impacts that it has on our community,” Marks said.

Marks emphasized the complexity of election laws and how unintended consequences can easily arise, making it harder for people to vote and leading to disenfranchisement.

“The solutions aren’t just one and done or let’s just check this box and then everybody’s happy,” Marks said. “You have multiple boxes that need to be filled in so that equity and access to be able to participate is available.”

Rep. Tom O’Halleran serves Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, which includes a large portion of the Navajo Nation.

Concerning his efforts in Congress to preserve voting rights, O’Halleran said many of his constituents face unique difficulties when voting.

“In rural and tribal areas across Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, families face more challenges to voting than those in urban areas,” O’Halleran said in an email interview. “I remain committed to protecting the integrity of our elections and ensuring the right of all Americans to the ballot box.”

The fate of HB 2023 hangs in the balance as Brnovich waits to hear the Supreme Court’s decision. In the meantime, however, it remains law, and delivering someone’s ballot on their behalf who is not exempted remains a criminal offense.

Photo of Mark Brnovich courtesy of the Arizona Attorney General.

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MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

7

NEWS

Connecting with Secretary of State Katie Hobbs Scout Ehrler

S

ecretary of State and NAU alumna Katie Hobbs has been in office for 10 years but assumed her current role in 2018.

Previously a social worker who specialized in areas of domestic violence, behavioral health and homelessness, Hobbs has taken this knowledge with her into her political career. She spoke to The Lumberjack about her time at NAU, her passion for social work and what her current position entails.

Scout Ehrler: First of all, how did you enjoy your first year as secretary of state?

Katie Hobbs: “It’s been a great experience, especially after spending eight years in the legislature.”

SE: Can you describe your journey into politics? What made you want to run for the Arizona House of Representatives in 2010?

KH: “I am a social worker and I was actually involved in student government in high school. When I went to NAU, I was involved in a lot of different clubs and was usually in the line of leadership in those clubs. Then when I got into the real world, I sort of didn’t know what to do with that or how to get involved in politics, so I didn’t. I just kind of stayed in my little corner as a social worker. Then eventually, I was working in public policy and somebody that I worked with encouraged me to do this candidate training that specifically trained democratic women to run for office. So, I did, although I had no idea why she was asking me to do that. I think the thing that I got the most out of that was it helped me connect the policy with the politics. Like if you can’t change the policy, you can do something about who’s making the policy. It also made me feel like I was someone who could run and help make different policies.

To me, running for office is an extension of social work in that we are supposed to be responsible for helping to make societal change, too, not just individual. That is part of our code of ethics as a profession, so it sits for me.”

SE: If I can ask, which did you like best: Serving in the Arizona House, the Arizona Senate or being secretary of state?

KH: “They’re all unique experiences and when I ran, I was really excited to be in the House — that’s where I spent most of my time

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working on policy issues. I didn’t necessarily want to go to the Senate. It was a different chamber that seemed foreign and quieter, but the way redistricting panned out, that’s what worked best in my situation. As I got into the Senate, I also had more experience as a lawmaker, so I felt like I knew more [about] what I was doing and also had the opportunity to be in Senate leadership, so that was a great experience as well.

I really value all that experience as a legislator, but being in an executive office is so different.

I think the thing I enjoy most, number one, is that I have the chance to get all over the state because I represent the whole state, but also I can actually just make things happen. It’s not dependent on my bill getting a hearing or even having to beg people to hear my bill, but I can make decisions to make things happen. That was one of my frustrations in the legislature.”

positive ways. As a social worker, I’ve always been surrounded by really strong women leaders because social work tends to be a career that has more women. I was always surrounded by very positive female leadership, which set great examples for me, and I was never really in an environment where I felt held back because of gender, which was great. I think with politics, particularly in Arizona, we have such a long track record of electing women. Arizona had suffrage before it was in the U.S. Constitution — it was on the first ballot we voted as a state in 1912 and we had some of the first females in the legislature, we sent a woman to Congress pretty early on, we’ve had more female governors than any other state. So, I think Arizona is a state that has a long history of strong female leadership.

Certainly, I think being a woman — particularly a democratic woman in this last election — is a good thing. The democrats who won state-wide were all women. So, it’s been a very positive thing.”

SE: What is your biggest personal accomplishment?

KH: “I have two great kids, who are adults now. My daughter is going to be voting for the very first time on [March 17]. She’s 18. My son is 21 and he’s a senior at ASU.” Katie Hobbs will be up for reelection in 2022. In the meantime, she will continue to serve the state of Arizona.

SE: Can you tell me a little bit about your experience at NAU? KH: “I loved NAU so much and I loved Flagstaff. I would’ve stayed there, but jobs are an issue. My experience at NAU was so great. I had gone to small Catholic schools for elementary and high school, so to me, even though NAU is the smaller of the state universities, it was a huge community. It always felt like a community — no matter where I went on campus, I knew someone and there was always something to be involved in. I’m a huge joiner, so I joined everything. Having grown up and lived my whole life in Arizona, it was cool to be in a place where you actually experience all the seasons.

It’s just such a great learning environment and a great community.”

SE: What was your favorite club or organization you were involved in?

KH: “I don’t know if it counts as a club or organization, but when I was a resident assistant [at McConnell Hall] my last year, I enjoyed that experience very much. But also, the social work club associated with the degree program. I felt like it was a chance to really make a difference in the community. Not just at NAU, but the greater community of Flagstaff. We did a lot of service-oriented projects.”

SE: Do you think being a woman, at all, affected your professional and political experience?

KH: “You know, I think definitely in

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Photo of Katie Hobbs courtesy of Phoenix New Times

MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

9

OPINION-EDITORIAL

Young boys need female role models Shawn Patti

Sororities can benefit careers

F

rom an outsider’s perspective, sororities may seem like they are merely a group of superficial women. Some people believe that being in a sorority is only about hanging out with fraternities or having themed date parties.

However, behind the stereotype of women in a sorority, there are many lifelong career benefits from joining these organizations.

Holding leadership positions through an organization prepares women for their future careers.

Many powerful women in politics were involved in Greek organizations during college. Sororities are a great tool for teaching leadership, which is essential for a successful career in politics. Through holding officer positions in a chapter and the networking opportunities, there are MADELINE many ways that women in sororities can HOLLMANN advance their careers.

Even though there are different types WRITER of sororities, they all have the benefits of developing skills that have contributed to success in politics. Sororities are not just confined to Panhellenic chapters, which are the most prevalent ones. Cultural sororities provide the same concepts, but are more focused on providing a space of inclusion for specific multicultural groups or ethnicities.

Arguably one of the most famous female jurists, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is an alumna of Alpha Epsilon Phi. She joined the historical Jewish sorority during her time at Cornell University in 1950, according to Fortune, a business magazine.

A sorority’s goal is to foster lifelong friendship and sisterhood, academics, social involvement, and community service while providing a home-away-from-home for its members. These emphases on service and devotion are disciplines that enrich the futures of women in politics by getting them involved in their communities and the basics of politics early in their lives.

Condoleezza Rice, who served as former President George W. Bush’s secretary of state from 2001 to 2005, was in a Panhellenic sorority during her undergraduate college career.

During Rice’s time at the University of Denver, she joined Alpha Chi Omega, also according to the Fortune article.

Greek life provides many networking opportunities between chapter members, national members and the outside world. In politics, your network and who you know are critical pieces of running a successful campaign and better serve your constituents.

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omen as role models are critical for the positive development of young men.

The media industry has seen a massive shift toward the inclusion and advancement of women in powerful roles. The casting of actress Gal Gadot as DC’s Wonder Woman is a great example of someone using their profession to become a role model for young women and men alike. According to an interview with BBC, Gadot is against competition between genders.

“It’s not about women versus men any longer, and who is better or stronger than who,” Gadot said. “There’s enough room for all of us — and boys and girls, women and men should remember that.”

Women in power have great influence over the development of young men as much as they do over young women.

Providing a basis for how the different genders should treat each other is not a role limited exclusively to men. Having a powerful, woman role model allows children to comprehend the meaning of equality and mutual understanding between the genders.

Throughout my life, I have had many female role models, but none quite so respectable as my mother. My childhood was guided by her strong will and ability to adapt to situations.

Her strong influence over my upbringing allowed me to develop a proper understanding of how I should conduct myself when confronted with an issue of gender.

With the lessons from my mother in mind, I melded easily enough into the job market.

Throughout my working life, I have had many more female superiors in the workplace than males. Without these constant influences, I do not know how my views and beliefs on culture and our society would have changed.

Another strong influence over young men, according to The New York Times, are animated heroines like Korra from the animated show “The Legend of Korra.”

The article states the importance of the show is “its mature characterization of adolescence, touching on sexuality, family and gender dynamics.” As a show that is remembered fondly by both men and women, the show impacted the growth of society as a whole.

However, the tide of influential women does not stop there. New shows with female-led casts are more abundant than ever, like Netflix’s “Carmen Sandiego” and “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.” These shows aim to tackle complicated issues like personal identity and responsibility while providing a diverse cast living in a fantastical society most would consider ideal — a cultural utopia.

Children are in desperate need of role models and female idols are helping.

The National Fatherhood Initiative states that in the U.S., more than one in four — about 19.7 million children — live without a father in the household. This dangerous example and lack of guidance from both parents can lead to four times the risk of poverty and the likelihood of

Illustration By Aleah Green

abuse. While the number of households without a mother is significantly lower — approximately 5 million homes — it is apparent that children in the U.S. require outside sources of influence.

With multiple avenues showcasing female authority and a general need for cultural direction, we should be attempting to elicit proper behavior in the next generation of children.

Regardless of in-home influences, we should strive to provide young men with media that properly demonstrates the importance of gender equality and the values expressed by female-led protagonists. Animated shows like “SheRa and the Princesses of Power” are on Netflix and available for young children; live-action movies like “Wonder Woman” and “Rogue One” are huge influences considering the impressive histories and universes of DC Comics and “Star Wars”; musical exemplars are also impactful, with artists like Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift dominating modern music with catchy tunes and often well-meaning messages.

We oftentimes latch on to people who exemplify the ideals and traits we hope to attain. Female influencers are fundamental to the well-rounded comprehension of each other, for men and women alike.

It is crucial for us as individuals to recognize the cultural impact these women can and do have on our perception of complicated issues such as gender norms, equality of pay and importance of character.

With the month of March being battered by history-altering events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the democratic primaries taking place, it is also important to remember the trailblazers of gender neutrality during National Women’s History Month.

Go watch a season of your favorite female-led TV show or purchase your favorite Emily Dickinson poems. Then, show them to your younger brother, nephew, male cousin or any young man in need of a woman role model.

OPINION-EDITORIAL

Women offer valuable political opinions Trinity Archie

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omen in politics are often labeled as highly emotional or overly sympathetic. These generalizing labels are placed on women regardless of the context of their political opinions. This negatively deters women from political involvement.

Society continues to uphold the stereotype of the reckless, emotional woman. It seems as though a woman’s political opinion is predicted before she can even open her mouth.

We need to move past this. I want to see more women in politics. I want to hear more female voices in policy discussions.

It is often assumed that women in positions of power allow emotion and empathy to influence all their actions. According to a 2018 survey conducted by the public opinion research organization Pew Research Center, United States citizens believe that women in business and politics are more compassionate and empathetic than men in the same fields.

Another survey from the same study concluded that participants view female political leaders as 41% more likely than men to serve as good role models for children. Through the study, it was supported that citizens also believe that women are more likely than men to maintain civility and respect.

This research is reflective of the stereotypes surrounding women’s ability to serve as strong leaders. Negative assumptions of female leadership cloud our perception. As a result, many women shy away from anything political out of fear of the unequal judgment they would face.

When women hold roles in politics, they are forced to cope

with constant gender-based criticism. dominated roles.

One female political leader who often deals with this type of Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s departure from the 2020 democratic scrutiny is New York’s 14th congressional district Rep. Alexandria primary sparked discussions on whether the U.S. is ready for a Ocasio-Cortez. At the time she was elected to office, Ocasio- female president.

Cortez was only 29, according to a CNBC article. She then Warren’s decision to drop out of the race was announced became the youngest woman to serve in the U.S. Congress. quickly after she fell far behind the other candidates following the Ocasio-Cortez spoke on public scrutiny in an interview with Super Tuesday primaries.

The New Yorker.

Although Warren was not a perfect candidate, as one does “I believe health care is a right and people should be paid not exist, I do think that gender bias impacted her numbers. enough to live,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Those are offensive values to Warren spoke on the complexity of gender inequality in politics them. But this ravenous hysteria — it’s really getting to a level that in a Washington Post article. is kind of out of control,” Ocasio-Cortez said about her political “Gender in this race, you know, that is the trap question for peers who doubt her. every woman,” Warren said. “If you say, ‘Yeah, there was sexism in Female political leaders like Ocasio-Cortez are put under this race,’ everyone says, ‘Whiner.’ And if you say, ‘No, there was a microscope. It seems as though requirements for women in no sexism,’ about a bazillion women think, ‘What planet do politics far exceed what is expected of men. you live on?

In The New Yorker article, Ocasio-Cortez provides As Warren explained, women who pursue careers a possible explanation for the criticism of women in in politics often have to avoid speaking on gender issues leadership roles. to be taken seriously. However, this is part of a woman’s “The idea that a woman can be as powerful as battle when working in a male-dominated field. Women a man is something that our society can’t deal with, should be able to speak on gender issues and have a voice, but I am as powerful as a man and it drives them even when that voice contrasts with what people want crazy,” Ocasio-Cortez said. to hear.

I agree with this statement. I think that society Women should not have to silence their opinions dismisses women as too emotional for politics out of fear of being dismissed. Society needs to rid itself because they ultimately do not want women in of the belief that women are incapable of developing politics. People claim to support women in Illustration By Christian Ayala rational, informed and objective opinions. This is the positions of power, then go on to label them as first step in bridging the gender gap that is still so too empathetic, too emotional and too feminine to fill male- prevalent in politics.

Sexism in journalism should be old news Her position led her to realize that historically, and still, in society, men have dominated high paying positions like s a journalism major, I’ve noticed that women editing jobs. Griffin stated that women recognize there make up the majority of students in my classes. are few opportunities to move up to higher levels so Considering this, I assumed that the career field they are often forced to leave journalism. She found must be the most diverse of any major. this happened because men hold positions of power That assumption couldn’t be further from the and men are the ones most likely to get promotions. truth. The reality is that women in journalism This belittling experience Griffin faced in programs still face male-dominated newsrooms. her line of work is a classic example of what A 2016 report from the nonprofit American institutionalized sexism looks like within a career Society of News Editors, which is a membership field. It’s a sad reality that regardless of how motivated organization for journalistic organizations, found and hardworking a female journalist is, she won’t be that women make up two-thirds of graduates whose Illustration By Tonesha Yazzie taken as seriously as her male counterparts. degrees are in journalism or mass communication.

Another female perspective of working in the The report states that women only make up one-third of the media newsroom comes from Jill Abramson, who was the first female industry. This is a puzzling gap in availability and employment. executive editor at The New York Times. After taking that position, It’s possible that female journalism graduates are finding she soon found that her authoritative role made her a target for careers that aren’t in their field of study. It’s also possible that the her co-workers. media industry is hiring more men than women at an unfair rate.

In an article from The Atlantic, she spoke about her experience Either way, there’s a serious problem for future female journalists. in that position. Abramson said her position as an editor made her In an article from the Nieman Report, Anna Griffin wrote seem unlikable. She saw these types of comments as hypercritical about her experience as a former columnist at The Oregonian. and sexist when she compared herself to male co-workers who had

Frank Espinoza

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positions similar to hers. For Abramson, she was seen as pushy but the other male editors were regarded as aggressive, which for men is associated with good leadership.

Another hot topic Abramson brought up regarding The New York Times was that she wasn’t getting paid the same amount as a male editor at her same level. It’s widely discussed in any career field whether women are getting paid for the same amount of work as their male co-workers. For her to eventually be fired for discussing the issue shows that there is a deep-rooted equal pay issue for women in journalism.

This should change. Women deserve equal pay and women with journalism qualifications deserve the same opportunities that men with the same qualifications receive.

For the women who are going to graduate with a degree in journalism, it doesn’t seem like it will be easy to find a career that can guarantee growth in the sometimes toxic culture of newsrooms. As a male student in journalism, I can’t fathom the obstacles that my female classmates face in pursuit of getting their dream job.

For too long, journalism has been ruled by male voices. It shouldn’t be that way anymore.

MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

March sheds light on dark t Tess Stafford

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arch is recognized as Endometriosis Awareness Month around the world. Endometriosis, a whole-body chronic illness, affects millions of women worldwide, including many members of the Flagstaff community. Students agreed that the disease affects their daily activities and quality of life.

Freshman Sarah-Grace Crocco has been living with endometriosis since high school. She explained that it is a wholebody disease where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it.

Crocco said the tissue produces its own estrogen and can grow in multiple locations in the body. Specifically, endometrial tissue can grow on the reproductive organs, bowels and even on the lungs.

Freshman Mary Laffidy is being treated for symptoms of endometriosis as well. However, she has been unable to receive a definitive diagnosis due to how difficult it can be to obtain one.

“Sadly, the only way it can be confirmed is by surgically going in and seeing the fibroids,” Laffidy said.

Although endometriosis has no cure, Crocco said there are treatment options available to manage symptoms. However, she said treatments come in a limited range due to the lack of research surrounding the condition, even though one in 10 women have endometriosis, according to endometriosis.org.

“The best option in terms of what’s effective is something called excision surgery,” Crocco said. “There’s only like 100 gynecological surgeons in the country who practice that. So, it’s pretty inaccessible.”

As surgery is out of reach for many with the disease, Crocco said she and others use birth control pills to regulate estrogen levels. This can be effective in managing symptoms because estrogen feeds the growth of endometrial tissue.

Over the course of several years, Crocco has had three surgeries for endometriosis. She said her first surgery was performed under emergency conditions, as the tissue had caused her ovary to twist. During this surgery, the tissue was burned off rather than cut out, which damaged her reproductive system.

After her first surgery, Crocco received a second in Chicago.

She said a similar approach was taken during this surgery, which ultimately led to an infection that left her in a hospital for a month.

While many local residents have only experienced women’s health care in the United States, Crocco has received treatment for the illness in Spain as well. Following the infection, Crocco eventually went in for a third surgery. She had been studying abroad in Spain and received the treatment there. She described her experience overseas as “incredibly different.”

Crocco’s surgeon used the excision technique to cut out endometrial tissue, a procedure she said is the gold standard.

Crocco said she has never experienced a better quality of life than after her third surgery.

“I was back on my feet in a week versus in the states I had

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these horrible experiences,” Crocco said. “My surgeon in Spain even told me, ‘Most of the work that I had to do wasn’t even the endometriosis. I had to repair a lot of the burning and adhesions that other surgeons have done.’”

Endometriosis can also cause a multitude of symptoms.

Crocco and Laffidy said symptoms can include debilitating pelvic pain, pain during sex, gastrointestinal issues, vomiting and severe bloating. Additionally, the adhesions caused by endometriosis cause inflammation throughout the body.

For Laffidy, severe bloating was her first indication of endometriosis. She said she knew something was wrong when her symptoms started to occur outside of ovulation and menstruation.

“I cannot describe the cramping because I’ve never felt anything like it to compare it to, but I almost imagine there’s hands around my ovaries just squeezing them,” Laffidy said.

“That’s how intense the cramping is. You can’t move and it just stops you in your tracks.”

Pain management has been difficult for Laffidy, as over the counter painkillers and more holistic methods like CBD have been unsuccessful. She avoids stronger medications like opioids due to their addictive nature but gets frustrated because her symptoms make daily activities difficult to manage.

Similarly, Crocco said her pain is confusing at times. Prior to her diagnosis, Crocco did not understand why she couldn’t do as much as other people her age.

“Most of the time, I would just spend the day curled up on my bathroom floor, vomiting from the pain,” Crocco said.

“It was that severe and intense, not being able to move out of an infant’s position. If that lasted one or two days, that meant I didn’t go to class for one or two days a month.”

Laffidy said one of the most difficult aspects of her condition is the inability to fully understand what is going on in her body.

She said doctors have told her she is simply going to live the rest of her life in pain, which she found appalling.

Freshman Andrew Henning maintains a close friendship with a woman afflicted with endometriosis. He said he is still learning about the disease

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through what his friend tells him and her experiences.

Henning said the symptoms of endometriosis have impacted his friend’s school life, as she often has to miss class due to pain.

In addition to her education, he said her dating life has also been impacted significantly.

“She goes on dates and it’s going well and then she says, ‘I can’t have sex because it’s painful’ and then they leave her,” Henning said.

As one of the symptoms of endometriosis is pain with sex, some women might encounter issues in their romantic relationships. According to WebMD, two-thirds of women with the disease experience some form of

FEATURES

truths about endometriosis pain with intercourse. The amount of discomfort depends on the location of the endometrial tissue. More pain has been associated with tissue located on the lower uterus, which can be stretched and pulled causing irritation.

Both Crocco and Laffidy explained they have to be cautious of certain foods to avoid additional inflammation. Specifically, both have cut dairy and gluten out of their diets almost entirely.

Crocco said food sensitivities and other gastrointestinal issues are commonly linked to endometriosis. However, she explained these symptoms are often overlooked.

“You tell people you have endometriosis and then they Google it, and the

definition is painful periods and sometimes painful sex,” Crocco said. “I wish it was just those two instances and not like if I eat a certain food I’m going to be so inflamed that I look like I’m in my first trimester of pregnancy.”

Along with the issues of symptoms and treatment, an article published by the Endometriosis Foundation of America said endometriosis research is funded only one research dollar per woman affected by the chronic illness. Crocco said this underfunding is a big issue.

“The cost associated with treating the disease is probably one of the more psychologically enduring things about it because at the time I had the surgery, I was actually uninsured,” Crocco said.

Almost two years after her first surgery, Crocco s a i d she is still paying the hospital on a monthly basis. She said the overall cost was thousands of dollars, which she w a s unable to pay. Crocco said she has to consider costs due to her illness when budgeting, unlike her peers.

An additional cost Crocco has encountered is co-pay fees for doctor’s appointments, which are required even with insurance. She said she has often had to find several doctors after moving to a new state to make sure she can get the proper medication and care she needs.

Laffidy said there is a lack of awareness and knowledge among the medical community, which can make endometriosis that much more difficult to live with.

While the disease is centered around the female reproductive system, Crocco emphasized the importance of rebranding endometriosis as a full-body illness. She explained it is often overlooked because people do not trust women when advocating for their health.

“It’s still one of the most underfunded chronic illnesses in this country,” Crocco said. “If 10% of men were all having a similar chronic

illness, we would’ve had a cure, a scholarship fund, support groups and marathons all over the country.”

Crocco said women with endometriosis struggle to receive proper treatment due to a lack of knowledge among medical professionals. In her case, she was examined by multiple doctors who all told her nothing was wrong.

One of the hardest parts of dealing with a chronic illness is the mental toll it has taken on Crocco. She said her chronic pain is exhausting and prevents her from doing what she would like to on a daily basis.

After doctors and other people in her life said everything was in her head, Crocco said she started to believe them. She said she felt crazy without an explanation for her symptoms.

“There was a lot of dismissive language around it,” Crocco said. “As it progressed and got worse, the same family doctor even suggested that I was making it up because I didn’t want to go to school.”

While awareness is a problem among the medical field, Henning said there is also a lack of awareness among the general population. He said he had never heard of the disease prior to his friend explaining it to him. Further, Henning said due to how common and severe the illness is, it is imperative it receives more funding for research.

Crocco said progress in endometriosis research can only be made if the disease is taken as seriously as it should be. She said it is important for people to believe women when they say they are in pain.

“If you know someone who has endometriosis, be more understanding of them,” Laffidy said. “Chronic illness is a horrible thing. It takes over our lives in so many ways. So, just be understanding of that.”

Laffidy said people are often uncomfortable talking about endometriosis because it is related to women’s health. Crocco explained it is essential to restructure the health care system and politics to make endometriosis part of the conversation.

Although it is important to see a doctor, Laffidy said it is crucial for everyone to do their own research and figure out what may be going on in their body. She said chronic illnesses like endometriosis should not be something people just have to cope with.

“It affects a lot of women and not a lot of people know about it,” Henning said.

Henning said Endometriosis Awareness Month is important not only to women who suffer from the disease but also for the general public. Laffidy emphasized that people need to advocate for themselves if they are experiencing symptoms of endometriosis.

To learn more about the disease and awareness, visit SpeakEndo’s website.

“It’s still one of the most underfunded chronic illnesses in this country” – Freshman, Sarah-Grace Crocco

Illustration By Shelsey Braswell

MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Women in mathematics: The limit does not exist Alliya Dulaney

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argaret Cozzens is now one of the most esteemed mathematics professors at Rutgers University, but she overcame many obstacles to get where she is now. In graduate school, she was dating a man who was also in the math field. She had to put hers on hold because she got pregnant, and she waited while he completed his master’s and doctorate degrees. Then she finally went back. Eventually, she pushed through her doctorate program and is now a recognized scholar of mathematics.

Cozzens was a guest speaker at The Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics held Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 where sophomore Chloe Frechette was the only NAU student to attend.

NCUWM celebrated undergraduate women in pursuit of continuing their education at the graduate level and seeking mathematical careers. There, Frechette presented her research from her internship project called Sylver Coinage, a math game that utilizes digraphs to depict a game in a picture. She said the conference was a prideful experience.

“I felt empowered that it was an allwomen’s conference because not only were all the undergraduates attending women, the faculty and speakers that attended were as well,” Frechette said. “It showed that yes, I am a girl and I can do this.”

The idea of an all-women’s math conference brings to light what it means to be a woman in a male-dominated field. Frechette’s internship mentor Jeff Rushall, principal lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at NAU, said this gender imbalance is in some cases historical, cultural and systemic.

“There are old school men all over the math profession who still believe that a woman’s place is in the home,” Rushall said. “They won’t say it out loud anymore, but that’s what they think.

They don’t actively try to recruit or promote women in mathematics at all.”

Rushall said female students have to work harder to get noticed or appreciated. He said they don’t fake and rely on their ego as much as their male counterparts. Because of this that, he said, female students, in general, tend to have higher averages on exams and higher overall grades in classes.

Senior Kameron Filardi, a math and math education dual major, said she noticed in her courses that those who speak up the most are men. Her capstone class consists of 14 students,

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only four of whom are women.

“It depends on what level of math class it is because the higher you are in math, the fewer females you’re going to see,” Filardi said.

The majority of students in advanced math classes are male, and Filardi said she sometimes feels uncomfortable answering a math problem she knows the answer due to feeling outnumbered.

Filardi and her classmate, senior Kara Jones, who is also a math tutor and is in the same area of study, explained when it comes to discussions in class, men tend to dominate the conversations. Jones said it can feel as though their male classmates feel the need to explain math to their female peers.

When she is tutoring, Jones said her male students tend to have a different attitude toward her than her male co-workers. Jones said she sometimes feels the need to ask a male coworker to check her work to be confident in her answer. This way, if her male student questions her teaching, she can provide affirmation with that of a male’s knowledge.

“I felt a lot of pressure to always know what I was doing particularly because I was female,” Jones said.

In regard to her area of study, Filardi said people are surprised to find she studies math.

She said that many people expect her to teach elementary or junior high math, as it has often been depicted as the norm when in reality she wants to pursue a career in secondary education.

Filardi said there are women she has learned about in her math history class. She said that as a woman studying mathematics, it’s difficult to find someone in history to identify with.

“I think it would be helpful if our female professors talked a little bit more about it,” Filardi said. “We’ve had it mentioned a couple of times about being a woman and being in math but not to the extent of where I feel like I can be supported.”

Ye Chen, who has a doctorate in mathematics, is an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and teaches higher-level math like linear algebra.

She said there is a gender disparity in the field of mathematics as 15% of tenure-track positions are held by women. However, she said women are just as competitive as men in the field and should be treated equally.

“Feeling bad for women doesn’t fix the problem,” Frechette said. “It’s the support, the encouragement, and the tools that they need to advance themselves and be seen as someone that

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can do what a male can do. Women need to be out there encouraging each other and standing up for each other.”

Issues of gender are of concern to Jones, as it highlights the lack of recognition females and gender-fluid individuals receive. The challenge now is to make an environment that provides equal opportunity for everyone.

Junior Alea Lwanga, a math tutor and math education major, said she has to prove herself to others by competing with her classmates.

Lwanga said she is trying to stop comparing herself to others and competing since it is unhealthy. Chen agreed that as a woman in math, it is best to focus on one’s individual ambitions.

“To be a successful female mathematician, I think the most important thing is to have a clear and determined goal as early as possible,” Chen said. “There will be many challenges along the way, especially pregnancy and child care.”

Gender equality for Jones means being provided the same, or similar, opportunities as her male counterparts. Jones said women can achieve great levels of success, however, many don’t receive the same opportunities offered to men.

Rushall said a reason why the mathematics field is male-dominated is that some men feel threatened by a woman being as good, or better, than them at something, resulting in women feeling intimidated about the situation.

“It’s like a cycle that can’t really be broken, but it is slowly being broken one hire at a time and one retirement at a time,” Rushall said. “Slowly things are leveling out but it’s going to take time.”

As an educator, husband and father of three daughters, Rushall said it is important to include more women in the picture.

He

encourages female students who have talent to pursue undergraduate research projects whenever possible. For Rushall, showing female students opportunities will make them realize there are many avenues they can take.

Both Rushall and Chen explained that to make students feel equal in the classroom, they intentionally call on specific students to create a balanced environment.

When looking around his profession, Rushall said the cross-section of the student population and the graduate student population is not representative of the country, as it is heavily male-dominated and also lacks racial diversity.

Lwanga said that while the gender disparity is intimidating, her race is also something that makes her different than most people pursuing careers in math.

“I don’t always see it as a gender thing,” Lwanga said. “For me, it’s also because I’m a different color. So, sometimes I just don’t know which box to check. I just feel like there’s stigma for everyone in different boxes.”

As education has been accessible to men longer than it has been for women, Lwanga said the gender difference in the mathematics field is unsurprising.

For her, empowerment means staying true to oneself despite the challenges ahead and to keep doors open.

Instead of placing limitations on what women can do, empowerment through tools and support can go a long way. Frechette said victimizing the situation won’t be the solution to this rather complicated mathematics problem. When it comes to women in mathematics, the limit does not exist and the doors remain open for encouragement and opportunity.

Alea Lwanga, a junior math education major, works on homework in the Adel Mathematics Building, March 13. Sharon Holtaway | The Lumberjack

MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Jamie Whelan paves the way for female leaders in Flagstaff Camille Sipple

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lthough councilmember Jamie Whelan may not have lived in Flagstaff all her life, she has made it her home.

From her dedication to the education system to her involvement in local politics, the mayoral candidate has been an engaged community member since she arrived from New Jersey 30 years ago.

Whelan’s involvement within the Flagstaff community began with the Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) and The Arizona Teachers Academy at NAU. “Leadership-wise, I have had vast experience. I’ve been a school teacher for a total of 36 years,” Whelan said. “So, having students, being able to run a classroom, that give and take, that collaboration is such an important skill.”

Along with her countless years of experience in education, Whelan has also been on Flagstaff City Council for four years and has served as vice mayor for two of those years.

Whelan’s campaign manager, Bernadine Lewis, said the concept of Whelan running for mayor was introduced almost concurrently with Mayor Coral Evans’ decision to run for the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District 6. Lewis said it seemed like a very natural follow up to Evans’ leadership.

She said that when Evans decided to run for the representative position, she suggested that Whelan run for mayor.

Whelan said she strongly believes that mentorship is one of the most important parts of learning the ropes when it comes to politics. Throughout her years on city council, both Whelan and Evans mentored each other based on their individual strengths.

Whelan said seeing what a day in her own life is like can be both a great teaching opportunity and a way to build confidence.

“Mentorship is so important,” Whelan said. “I’d love for you to just call me up and say, ‘Hey, can I hang out with you?’, and that connection one on one, or even a small group, is so important.

It’s just like teaching. It’s more like, ‘Let’s do this together,’ and I think that’s what builds our confidence.”

Whelan said she constantly views her political positions as a way to save the seat for the younger generation because she believes everything is up to them.

Lewis said a candidate’s experience often plays a large role within political campaigns, regardless of the office. Whelan’s campaign is no different and focuses on her experience within Flagstaff’s local politics as well as the local education system.

Lewis teaches a leadership class at NAU’s W. A. Franke College of Business and insists there are certain qualities that a leader must have in order to be great and well-respected.

“We need to look for individuals who have the capacity to listen, empathize and then have the ability to persuade,” Lewis said. “When you have those three qualities, that’s the making of a good leader … Are we always going to agree with the direction that they’re trying to take us into? No, but if we have someone who we can sit down and talk to, who will make us feel like our concerns and our opinions matter, then we have a good leader.”

Lewis said she has witnessed the strong leadership qualities within Whelan over the years they’ve known each other. She also said political candidates must look at their campaign as a job application and show the community what experience they have

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to offer.

“Ms. Whelan is offering experienced leadership,” Lewis said.

“All it’s about is what you have to offer Flagstaff. Experienced leadership.”

Whelan said she didn’t always dream of being a public official but when she saw problems within the local government, she felt compelled to fix them. She said she wanted to be an agent of change in the community — a change for the better.

“I remember I went to a council meeting years ago,” Whelan said. “The mayor hit his gavel and told me to sit down and I said, ‘I have three minutes,’ but he said, ‘No, you sit down now.’ That’s when I knew I needed to do something and that’s exactly what I did.”

The negative experience helped form one of the main pillars in Whelan’s political philosophy: As a representative of the community, it is important to remember that the people are ultimately the boss of city council.

Lewis explained that Whelan’s campaign team is in a precampaign mode because first, they need to obtain enough signatures to even get Whelan’s name on the ballot. Throughout all of this, Lewis said it is important that Whelan is involved with the community and creating connections.

“We’re ensuring that she’s out in the community, but then again, she always has been as a councilmember,” Lewis said.

Whelan said that while she is out in the community, she has to keep her duties as a councilmember and mayoral candidate separate from each other in order for her campaign to remain ethical. She described it as similar to taking off a nametag or hat when she switches from councilmember to mayoral candidate within the community.

Lewis said it is important to note how grounded Whelan is within the Flagstaff community as well as within her own spirituality.

“She’s very much rooted and grounded in her spiritual belief as a Buddhist,” Lewis said. “She instills those principles in her daily life, as a professional and just as a human being trying to have this experience called life.”

Marsha Modrell, treasurer for the Whelan campaign, said the community support that Whelan has been receiving is immense and has really helped the campaign’s early success. Modrell said Whelan’s success is also based on her innate leadership qualities.

“I think Jamie’s success is based on her honesty, integrity and knowledge of issues that are of concern to the community,” Modrell said. “She is a hard worker and wants to reach closure on important issues.”

To Lewis and Modrell, Whelan’s hard-working personality is another side of her that allows her to be a strong member of the community.

Women within Flagstaff have been empowered to aspire to leadership positions for years. Whelan said it is a town where women succeed as business owners and politicians alike. She said in Flagstaff, women are truly able to thrive.

Whelan said she cannot recall any specific instance where she faced a major challenge due to being a female candidate.

However, she said women can often become numb to certain feminine struggles and view it as just another day.

Despite the immense empowerment of women within

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Flagstaff, Whelan said there are still aspects of gender discrimination that need to be addressed and changed.

“Do people think about walking out to their car after a late council meeting? Men certainly don’t. Do I? Absolutely,” Whelan said. “You know, it’s dark and I think about those things. I don’t think people get that until you walk in those shoes.”

Lewis said she has not seen any campaign difficulties due to gender and said respect is a big factor. She said if the campaign members are respectful to each other in terms of what they bring to the table, then everything essentially falls into place.

“Everyone has a place,” Lewis said. “We all have these different personalities. I like to just look at it as working with each individual to make up Team Jamie to get the job done and that’s for her to be the next mayor of Flagstaff.”

Modrell also explained how she has felt her quality of life improve because of the relationships she has fostered as a member of Whelan’s campaign team.

“It has been a privilege to work with a group of intelligent, driven women,” Modrell said.

Lewis said women have truly stepped up to the forefront of politics, not only within Flagstaff but across the country. In this sense, Whelan’s mayoral campaign is simply another stone on that path, contributing to the success of women within the Flagstaff community.

Flagstaff City councilmember Jamie Whelan speaks about her campaign for mayor of Flagstaff at the Flagstaff Public Library, March 11. Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

crossword puzzle by aleah green

MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Students step up on politics and activism Jacob Meyer

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hile circumstances have no doubt changed in light of NAU’s move to online instruction for the remainder of the spring semester and other actions taken to limit the spread of COVID-19, students have been politically involved in their communities.

Nearly every day leading up to the closures and social distancing practices that began around the start of NAU’s spring break, students could be seen tabling and taking signatures for initiatives, while politically active clubs met regularly. Additionally, high-profile speakers like journalist Michel Martin and United States Senate candidate Mark Kelly addressed students on campus this semester and events such as climate change forums, discussions of indigenous issues and many more occurred almost weekly. There is no mistake that student involvement in politics and activism has been on a roll and will continue in some capacity as the 2020 election approaches.

As political battles rage in Washington D.C. and around the country, voter participation is spiking. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that more people voted in 2018 than in any midterm election in decades, with an 80% increase in participation among voters ages 18 to 29. This comes alongside upward trends in overall engagement during the 2018 midterm election cycle in a study conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute, a nonpartisan research organization. This study found 68% of Americans were the same or more likely to participate in civic and political activities than they were two years before. NAU students have followed suit through involvement in clubs, campaigns and attending various events where they engage the issues and take matters into their own hands.

Senior Jessica Mendoza is the president of the NAU chapter of the Arizona Students’ Association (ASA). Her organization seeks to increase educational opportunities for students across the state.

“We’re an organization that has been around for a long time and our main mission is fighting for more affordable and accessible higher education for all students,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza said the ASA works to achieve these goals by engaging the student population and turning out to vote in important elections. In light of the upcoming 2020 general election, Mendoza and the ASA have turned their attention to voter registration.

“Since it is coming up on election season, we’re mainly focusing on student turnout for the elections and the tuition rises,” Mendoza said.

As club president, Mendoza was also instrumental in the ASA’s presence at NAU. She said after losing funding in 2014, the NAU chapter was forced to shut down. However, Mendoza personally worked to reestablish the organization as a club in 2019 and has been working hard to raise awareness of their efforts and recruit new members.

Mendoza said it is important for students to get involved in issues

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important to them. She said they need to address issues like climate change and student debt while they are still in college.

“If we don’t get involved now, it will only keep going downhill from that and we don’t want to see what happens in the next 10 years when we don’t do anything about it,” Mendoza said.

The ASA club president also suggested that getting involved in political issues can be a learning experience. Mendoza said many skills that can be learned from working on a campaign are also applicable elsewhere, such as organizing, communication skills and working with IT infrastructure.

Senior Haley Evans is the president of the Civic Engagement Club. She is a founding member and became involved in it after enrolling in the civic engagement minor program.

“I started my freshman year when I took an FYI class, which is a first-year seminar,” Evans said. “They referred me to the [civic engagement] minor, and I’ve been doing that two years now.”

Evans said the club aims to get students involved in activism and engaged in issues of public importance so they can, in turn, help their communities.

“We’re trying to teach people how to be better engaged in their community whether that’s organizing for a political campaign or going to a city council meeting,” Evans said.

Like Mendoza and the ASA, the Civic Engagement Club is looking ahead to upcoming elections. They are focused on registering more people to vote and actually getting them to cast ballots in 2020.

The club trained members to take part in voter registration drives, teaching them the rules and the paperwork requirements. They also lobbied the university to regularly invite students to register.

“We’re also trying to work on a project that involves including voter registration with class registration at NAU,” Evans said.

The Civic Engagement Club and several other NAU

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organizations invited Mahima Mahadevan, a political organizer and member of the Peace Corps, to speak on campus. Mahadevan addressed students on getting involved in campaigning and how grassroots organizing can be the best way for them to engage in important political issues and work toward achieving desired outcomes.

“Grassroots organizing is the practice of authentically and mindfully engaging with people and communities to enhance their political power, not only get their votes,” Mahadevan said.

She also discussed her time as the co-deputy director for Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan’s 2018 congressional campaign. In that election, Tlaib claimed a surprise victory to become one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress, a win that Mahadevan largely attributed to Tlaib’s relationships with community members and the campaign’s strategy of grassroots organizing.

Mahadevan said that grassroots organizing can be an important part of any political movement. Even though Mahadevan’s experience with the campaign strategy is largely through elections, she said it can be used for various activities, even something as simple as on-campus student initiatives.

Mahadevan said that interacting directly with community members and addressing their concerns can not only help to win an election but also create an engaged coalition of voters for years to come.

“Grassroots organizing is a long-term investment, which kind of counters what we think a lot with campaigning when we think of election work,” Mahadevan said. “Grassroots organizing means you’re building political power, which inherently means that’s not just a short term cycle but that you’re building something longlasting.”

Mahadevan described the campaign as an uplifting and formative experience. She took a chance by getting involved but encouraged students to do the same.

“Rashida’s campaign was the first time I worked on a political campaign as a staff person,” Mahadevan said. “If there’s someone out there that you are really motivated by, inspired by and believe that they are the person that you want to see in office, don’t hold yourself back.”

Many students like Mendoza and Evans have done just that, turning their attention to their communities as political issues abound. By working hard, giving their time and engaging those around them, students like these are truly taking matters into their own hands.

Zachary Owens leads a protest before the Spring Campus Forum, March 3.

MacKenzie Brower | The Lumberjack

CULTURE

Women empower women in power Lisa Hall

Five powerful albums from uplifting females

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hroughout history, women have shown they can make their mark on the world in many ways, and music is just one example. Female musicians have shown they can create a positive impact in the lives of their fans. Here are five awesome albums by women to listen to whenever you need encouragement, advice or songs to jam out to.

NAYOMI GARCIA ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR

5. “When My Heart Felt Volcanic” — The Aces While opening for 5 Seconds of Summer in 2018, The Aces performed their catchy indie-pop music at each show. During the tour, The Aces performed music from their debut album “When My Heart Felt Volcanic.”

One of the singles, “Last One,” is about letting go of a tough relationship. This empowering single showed their fans that even though they may be struggling in a relationship, it’s OK to let go and put yourself first.

4. “Back to Black” — Amy Winehouse No songs in this album fail to highlight the beautiful, deep and smooth voice Amy Winehouse had. In “Back to Black,” Winehouse sang about the experiences that one might encounter in a relationship. “Tears Dry on Their Own” discusses a heartbreak after a failed relationship. Even though the song is about heartbreak, the upbeat vibe of the song makes you want to dance along to it. This song could have easily been a ballad, but Winehouse wrote it as a song similar to music from the ’50s. Winehouse’s music is definitely something to listen to when you need an upbeat song or a ballad.

3. “Ctrl” —SZA This is the ultimate album to listen to when you need to hear uplifting music. Featuring Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar and others, SZA expresses many feelings through this album. One of its singles, “Broken Clocks,” always stands out to me. In this song, SZA sings about how she struggles to maintain her romantic life along with her work life. Even though she’s struggling to balance both, it shows that women can be independent with or without a relationship.

2. “Norman F*****g Rockwell!” — Lana Del Rey Lana Del Rey’s sixth album comes packed with emotional lyrics in each track. This isn’t out of the ordinary for her though, as her songs always hit the listener with an array of emotional punches. One of the most intense tracks on this album is “Happiness is a butterfly.” Despite the happy title, she sings about feeling like she doesn’t matter in the relationship she’s in. This song describes the complicated emotions one might feel in a similar situation.

1. “thank u, next” — Ariana Grande Ariana Grande is a musician that defines female empowerment. Grande released her moving album “thank u, next” within six months of her previous album, “Sweetener.” In “thank u, next” Grande’s tracks range from emotional, slow tracks like “imagine” to catchy pop songs like the album’s title track. Her music on this project is a go-to whenever you need inspirational music.

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owntown Flagstaff is both a tourist hotspot and hub of activity in the city. Most downtown businesses are locally owned and run by community members, with a large majority of those businesses operated by men.

However, some Flagstaff businesses are run by women who had to go the extra mile due to the historic patriarchal nature of our society. The women who break this mold do not let fear hold them back, and they push with everything they have to be successful.

Jessica Garnello, the owner of Crystal Magic in downtown Flagstaff, is one example of a female business owner who has found success.

“My family started Crystal Magic back in 1984, and I am a third-generation [owner],” Garnello said. “My grandfather started it and it has been passed along through my family until it got to me. I guess you could say it is in my blood. I was raised in these crystal stores and could not imagine a more important path to have taken with my life than to continue on my family’s legacy.”

At Crystal Magic, there are only female employees and although this is not an intentional decision, Garnello said it creates a very unique working environment.

Garnello said she feels very blessed and fortunate that her father, who was her business partner, entrusted the business to her. Garnello said she took over the store almost eight years ago.

“Since taking over this store, I believe I have grown tremendously as a person,” Garnello said. “I strive to offer my staff a safe, enjoyable and abundant work environment. I strive to offer my customers the most unique and beautiful experience I can. My priorities in life have shifted to helping others, which was a beautiful lesson to learn. I owe who I am now to this store and to the amazing people I have had supporting me throughout my experience, both my family and my incredible staff.”

Miranda Sweet, the owner of a boutique called Rainbow’s End, had a very different experience to get her shop up and running. Sweet said she had to work hard to earn the respect of the male business owners around downtown when she first started 20 years ago.

Above all, Sweet said that finding a mentor is the best course of action one can take when starting. Finding someone with pure intentions who is willing to teach and guide can be helpful. Sweet said that a mentor is something even she wished she had when she was starting her business.

“I was young, and being a woman, I just remember going to meetings and feeling like my voice was silent,” Sweet said. “I would bring something up but wouldn’t get the same consideration as the men. I’ve got a lot of gumption so, I was not about to let anyone stop me from pursuing my dream.”

After 20 long years of running Rainbow’s End, Sweet decided to run for a spot on city council in this

year’s election. Sweet said this experience will help with her campaign, as she’s spent 20 years in the working community. She knows her business, but she also knows what the community struggles with, loves, and what residents want for now and for the future.

The Old Town Creperie is owned and operated by city councilmember and Flagstaff mayoral candidate Jamie Whelan and her wife, Laura Anne WhelanChapman. They took over The Creperie in 2007 from John Conley, and it was a spur of the moment decision that has grown into being a large part of both their lives.

Whelan credits Laura Anne for the creperie’s success.

Whelan said Whelan-Chapman is the face of the creperie while she handles the business aspects.

“I have this beautiful wife who thinks creperie, runs creperie and is truly the crepe lady. I just get to be a part of it,” Whelan said. “We’re constantly thinking and working together, especially with the changes that are coming.”

As the only creperie in Flagstaff, one is guaranteed to get the best crepes in town at the Old Town Creperie, where good music and a great environment can be expected. Although the creperie is closed for the winter season due to the outdoor seating, it operates from the first Friday of May until Halloween.

Women in positions of power were once a rarity in society, but with original trailblazers like Sweet and many others in the community, women are encouraged now more than ever to pursue their passions.

The exterior of Old Town Creperie, which is owned

by Jamie Whelan and her wife, Laura Anne WhelanChapman. Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

comedians provide perspective on politics Olivia Charlson

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Comedian Reena Calm, headliner at Orpheum Theater’s comedy show, March 6, tells a joke about Walmart parking lots. Taylor Schwartz-Olson | The Lumberjack

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ith the election season underway, it can be hard not to drown in the heated waters of political debate.

Talking about politics does not have to be a dreaded conversation of disagreement and disaster. Comedians value talking about hard issues in their stand up and illustrate the ways that comedy can stir up some humor in a whirlwind of confusion.

Orpheum Theater is a Flagstaff staple where anyone can watch unique musicians perform, see original films, and see stand-up from locals or those making their way through town. On March 6, it hosted a show featuring comedians JC Anderson, Daniel Bridge-Gadd, Kerri Gallagher and headliner Reena Calm.

Calm is a stand-up comedian working on touring in all 50 states. Calm said her work is autobiographical and involves a lot of puns.

Her comedy is silly and dirty with a punchline around every corner.

Calm has visited many clubs and venues to perform and tries to represent the female perspective in her comedy. Calm said the playing field is gradually becoming more level, with comedy clubs specifically having more women on their calendars each month, but it is clear that there is a long way to go for equality.

“That’s the difference in how we’re raised.

I think men are encouraged to be heard and share their opinions and women are encouraged to be polite, seen, and not heard and support men,” Calm said. “I feel like even if comedy culture is booking more women, we still have to go up against the audience’s perception and it’s an uphill battle when it comes to talking about equality.”

Calm said she feels an obligation to speak up for and represent other women when she performs. She said talking about relationships is a good way to do that. Her material is about sex and relationships and she said it is progressive to talk about topics like reproduction rights. She said she jokes about abortion, sexual health and the act of getting someone pregnant is a twoperson job.

Gallagher is one of the comedians who opened. She is from Phoenix and performs mostly around Phoenix and Southern California.

Gallagher’s stand-up consists of anecdotes about her own life and commentary on current events.

“I like to be able to connect with the audience based on what is going on around us,” Gallagher said. “What I’m saying needs to be accurate and for comedians, of course, it needs to be funny.”

Gallagher said since people are very divided on current political issues, she tries to come at it in a way that can bring people together on a topic. She said she wants her comedy to lead to a really good conversation, not an argument.

There are comedians all over Flagstaff eager to share their perspectives and comedy. Students had the chance to experiment with stand-up and develop their characters and style in front of an audience.

Sophomore Marcus Russell recently began performing his stand-up in front of local crowds.

Russell said stand-up allows him to express his identity in a funny way people can understand even if they are not black, Jewish or bisexual like he is. He said it’s important to frame comedy and share one’s culture even if it is subjective.

Russell said crowds often filter in and out at shows, so a comedian should aim to establish a character before talking about edgy topics.

“It’s an exchange of culture. Someone says ‘This is my life,’ you consume it for a second and then laugh. That’s all it is,” Russell said. “Who am I to be the guy to talk about this really edgy thing for no reason? You don’t know who I am.

I’m as familiar to you as a stranger on the street, only I have a microphone in my hand. I think it’s really important to establish who I am and what I identify with first.”

Russell said he does not believe in “punching down,” or joking at somebody’s expense, even when it is within his own community. He said the jokes are at face value and have to be making fun of something because they need context.

Russell said he can make light of something or someone without actually attacking them.

Comedy is an outlet for people to share their lives, experiences and what makes up who they are. It does not hurt to be funny either.

Humor can reflect the harder issues happening in society. When something goes sideways, there is bound to be someone who can relieve the stress by making a joke or two about it.

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CULTURE

Halsey, Swift and Grande: Music industry inspirations Katelyn Rodriguez

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omen within the music industry have used their voices and platforms to express their political views for decades. Billie Holiday began performing “Strange Fruit,” a poem turned song that protested the lynchings of African Americans, in 1939. It was the revival of folk music that allowed artists like Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell to perform politically charged songs like “Birmingham Sunday,” originally written by Richard Fariña, in the 1960s and ‘70s.

These women helped pave the way for future generations of artists to speak out about political issues they are passionate about, especially in the current digital climate where social media makes it easier to advocate for such causes.

Ashley Frangipane, better known as Halsey, has always been candid with her legion of fans about a wide variety of issues, such as mental and reproductive health. In 2018, Halsey recited her poem “A Story Like Mine” at the Women’s March in New York City, which details experiences with rape, assault and miscarriage.

Exactly eight months prior to releasing her third album “Manic” in January, Halsey released her feminist anthem “Nightmare” May 17, 2019.

The song was released shortly after multiple states, including Georgia and Alabama, enacted the Human Life Protection Act, also known as the Alabama abortion bans. Due to a legal challenge against the bill, implementation of the act has been delayed.

“Watching the demise of our reproductive rights sends a sickening rage through my core,” Halsey tweeted at the time. “Autonomy is the basis of our humanity. The ability to feel and the right to choose. I’ve always been open about my struggle with reproductive health and pregnancy.

What happens to the body that I live in, that you live, is nobody else’s choice.”

In addition to releasing “Nightmare,” she also released a

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limited edition shirt, which featured lyrics from the song. The proceeds went to the yellowhammer fund for abortion accessibility.

During the 2016 election period, Halsey endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders for United States president. She revealed March 10, through a video posted by Sanders on Twitter, that she is endorsing him again as he goes up against former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden for the democratic nomination.

The video details Halsey’s prior need to access housing assistance, financial assistance and abortion before turning 21 in 2015.

For Tucson resident Carlie Gillette, the singer’s decision to endorse Sanders for the current election period did not come as a surprise.

Gillette is a fan of Halsey’s music.

“I fully support her choice because he is fighting against the effects of marginalization, something that has affected her, a member of the LGBTQ+ community and raised in a multiracial family, for her whole life,” Gillette said. “(Sanders) has also spoken out about the issue of climate change and how it’s a real problem, where other candidates push it aside like it isn’t really happening. He isn’t afraid to talk about the real issues we are all facing today.”

Taylor Swift has been a household name since she was 16 when she released her first single “Tim McGraw” in 2006. Although she has grown up in the spotlight, Swift was not very vocal regarding her political stance until early October 2018. Swift shared a post via Instagram about the midterm elections with a threeparagraph caption, which extensively detailed her beliefs.

“In the past, I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions but due to several events in my life

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and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now.

I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love,” Swift stated via Instagram.

The post explained that Swift could not support Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn and highlighted her reasons why, which included Blackburn’s vote

Illustration By MAdison Cohen

against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. Swift finished the post by telling her 128 million followers that she would be voting for Phil Bredesen and Jim Cooper for Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively. She also encouraged her fans to register to vote.

The statement came as a surprise to Gillette, who has been a fan of Swift’s since she was 10 years old.

“I was extremely surprised seeing her post something about her political beliefs,” Gillette said. “In the past, she

always said it was something she was going to keep private.”

Swift also took a stand against toxic masculinity in her recent music video for “The Man” off her seventh studio album “Lover.” The video shows the protagonist, which is actually Swift under prosthetics, throwing a tantrum on a tennis court as well as “manspreading” on a subway.

Ariana Grande wrapped up the Sweetener World Tour in December 2019 and achieved a milestone while touring. During the tour, Grande teamed up with Headcount, a non-partisan voter registration organization, to hold voter registration drives at each tour date.

Just before the tour ended, Headcount announced via Twitter that it had broken the o r g a n i z a t i o n’s record for most voter registrations on a tour, making it the most successful one in its history.

Grande’s tour accumulated 33,381 voter registrations and actions.

Both Texas native Jeremy Neira and freshman Janelle Saucedo are fans of Grande and attended the tour last year. Neira said he was surprised to see the voter registration booths at Grande’s shows.

“I have never seen anything like that at previous concerts that I have been to,” Neira said. “It gives a new generation of voters a chance to use their voice and to prevent certain disasters and chaos from history from happening again.”

Saucedo said it was great that Grande included the registration booths since it allowed people to become informed on political issues so they have a sense of what is going on.

When it comes to the upcoming election, Grande, like Halsey, endorsed Sanders for president.

Sanders attended Grande’s show in Atlanta Nov. 19, 2019. After the show, both Grande and Sanders posed for photos backstage, which were later posted on both of their social media accounts. Grande praised Sanders in her tweet for making her night as well as for everything he stands for.

“I support Ariana in her endorsing Bernie Sanders,” Saucedo said. “Ultimately, it is her decision on what she shares to the public. Either way, I think it is great that she’s using her voice and stepping up.”

In addition to helping fans register to vote, Grande also performed at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington D.C. March 24, 2018, which was held almost a year after the suicide bombing at her concert in Manchester, England, where 22 people died.

When it comes to being inspired by the artists mentioned above, Gillette, Neira and Saucedo all agree that the artists’ use of their platforms inspired them to get involved politically. Gillette said both Swift and Halsey taught her to speak up for her beliefs as well as to always exercise one’s right to vote.

Neira said he was inspired by Grande to use his own platform to speak about political issues that are important to him as well as educate himself on them. Saucedo said Grande’s political views inspired her to register to vote and take part in elections.

“People love to spread news and tell others everything about what’s happening,” Neira said. “Word gets around super quickly and it goes to everyone. So, it has certain effects on certain people.”

Overall, Halsey, Swift and Grande have been vocal about their political ideologies on their social media platforms and through their music. They are just three examples of women in the music industry who have inspired their legions of devoted fans to get involved in politics as the election approaches.

CULTURE

Kristen Arnett (center), talks about her career with moderator Chelsey Johnson (left) and author Jami Attenberg (right) at Bright Side Bookstore event, March 12.

Anthony Cataldo | The Lumberjack

Bright Side Bookshop hosts two best-selling female authors Cynthia Gerber

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n March 12, Bright Side Bookshop welcomed authors Jami Attenberg and Kristen Arnett for a discussion forum about their bestselling novels, “All This Could Be Yours” and “Mostly Dead Things,” respectively.

The female force was in high supply as Bright Side welcomed these authors. The owner of this independent book store is a woman, many women work in the store and the event was supported predominately by a staff of women.

Sam Butler, the events manager at Bright Side, said it was a great opportunity to host an event while both authors were in Flagstaff.

New ownership of Bright Side has helped integrate the store into the downtown scene and connect it with the city’s community of readers.

Annette Avery, an NAU alumna, is a coowner of the independent book store. Flagstaff couple Lisa Lamberson and Ben Shaffer make up the other 50% of ownership. Lamberson also owns Mountain Sports, which is located downtown. These three make up the dynamic trio of leadership for Bright Side, each with their own focus.

Avery handles all the book-buying for the shop.

“There are roughly 1,500 titles that publish

every Tuesday,” Avery said. “It’s exciting to get a sneak peek at titles that are publishing in the future and see what’s trending in the publishing world.”

Lamberson focuses on human resources and management needs along with being the general manager for Bright Side while Shaffer handles the bookkeeping and taxes. Avery said they all have niches at the bookshop, such as attracting talented people like Attenberg and Arnett to come and present their work.

Attenberg has written about a myriad of topics including food, travel, books and relationships for magazines, newspapers and other platforms. In 2017, her novel “All Grown Up” was published in numerous countries. Her most recent, “All This Could Be Yours,” was published in 2019.

“All This Could Be Yours” is a timely and poignant look into what it means to be caught in the web of a toxic man who abused his power.

It shows how those webs can tangle a family for generations and what it takes to break free.

Arnett is The New York Times bestselling author of “Mostly Dead Things,” which was listed as one of The New York Times’ top books of 2019. She was awarded Ninth Letter’s Literary Award in Fiction and is a columnist for Literary Hub, a daily website that produces content

relating to literature and culture. Her work has appeared in newspapers, magazines and other platforms.

“Mostly Dead Things” is a shining example of success for the new, funny and bold. Arnett said the book is about a lesbian taxidermist who takes over her family’s shop after her father kills himself.

Due to the COVID-19 concerns and strong recommendations from Arizona’s state leaders to stay away from public gatherings, Bright Side Bookshop held a Zoom cloud meeting during the authors’ talk. With the Bright Side poster in the middle and the speakers on both sides, the authors discussed their work and fielded questions from the audience.

Many of the audience members had read Attenberg’s and Arnett’s books in preparation for this literary event and were thankful to the authors. Attendee Haley Davis was present over the Zoom meeting and is a supporter of the authors.

“Thank you for answering my silly question about characters,” Davis said. “Flawed people are definitely the most interesting.”

Even though the Zoom meeting was new, Avery is no stranger to challenges. Widowed at a young age, she focused on her children as they grew up. Once they were older, Avery thought it

was time she did something for herself. Being an avid reader for most of her life, plus the fact the independent book store was for sale, seemed to align with her next phase.

The rate of growth in the first couple of years was unprecedented. Avery and her team worked around the clock to keep inventory levels stable and the store running. Now, Avery has her sights set on e-commerce. The importance of allowing patrons to buy items online cannot be overlooked as they compete with goliaths like Amazon. Avery stopped to ponder what major factors culminated in her independent book store’s incredible success.

“It’s important to find good partners, the right partners,” Avery said. “I also think I may not have successfully started this independent book store if I had opened it when I was 30. I switched careers at 50, and you have to have a plan. You have to have a passion for what you do.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bright Side Bookshop will be closed until March 27, however this is subject to change.

MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

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SPORTS

I

Women’s sports deserve more equality

n the history of sports, there has always been a question associated with women and their ability to play sports.

I have dealt with the doubt and worked hard to prove myself. Becoming a sports lover at a young age, there has always been a higher number of professional sports played by men than women, and the women’s sports that are professionally recognized do not have the same salary structure as men’s sports.

Luckily, women have made an impact in sports and are making names for themselves across the globe. Although women are coming out strong, there are still some discrepancies regarding equality.

Take the pay gap between men and women soccer players.

United States women’s soccer forward SUSIE Alex Morgan is the highest-paid female CONRAN soccer player with a $450,000 annual WRITER salary. Argentinian forward Lionel Messi earns $111 million annually. An $84 million salary and $27 million in endorsements.

Women’s sports like softball do not bring in the same amount of money that MLB brings in, which results in a lower salary and less advertising and promotion. However, there are several female athletes that have made names for themselves outside of their professional careers. Jennie Finch and Jessica Mendoza are two of the most recognized former professional softball players. Mendoza is currently a baseball analyst for ESPN. Finch continued her endorsement with the sports equipment company, Mizuno, after her career ended, creating a line of products with her name on it. Finch also started her own line outside of Mizuno called Dream and Believe, which skyrocketed due to its appeal to young players across the world.

She continues to be known as one of the greats to the up-andcoming stars and still holds her own pitching camps.

On a positive note, the NCAA’s Title IX rule requires equality of opportunities in men’s and women’s sports. This rule helped women be recognized for their abilities in athletics and squashed the bias significantly. Schools like NAU have had to cut back on male sports, like men’s swimming, due to Title IX. The Gender Equity Committee stands by the law that mandates the participation rate in sports must match the total enrollment of students. If the school has a total enrollment of 80% women and 20% men, the sports must reflect that rate.

Since football carries so many players, it minimizes other male sports and maximizes women’s sports.

Overall, women have come a long way from where they started. Women’s equality is a topic that females around the world are fighting for. Believing in ourselves and standing firm in our beliefs is pushing us closer to being seen as an equal and being rewarded with what we deserve.

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THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

Caitlin Malvar pushes the tempo Thomas rodgers

T

he NAU women’s basketball team called a timeout early in the second quarter of its game against the University of Idaho Vandals, Feb. 20. During that time, the bench huddled around the players who just came off the court, while the coaches drew up a game plan in their own adjacent huddle.

Before head coach Loree Payne talked to the team, there was a loud voice coming from the players’ huddle, shouting adjustments and motivational phrases as if Payne had been huddled with her team from the start. Upon closer look, it wasn’t a coach — it was junior guard Caitlin Malvar, doing what she does best.

“I’ll be very honest and say that [Malvar] is one of, if not, the best point guards in our conference,” Payne said. “It’s not just because of what she can do on the court either. It’s what she does when she’s off the court that makes her the best.”

When Payne a r r i v e d in 2017 from the University of Puget Sound, a Division III school in Tacoma, Washington, along came Malvar, a player with a loud personality and commanding court presence.

Malvar and Payne have had a close relationship, one that shook the very foundation of the NAU women’s basketball program.

Malvar came with Payne in an opportunity to take her talent to the Division I level. It meant leaving behind a successful program that she was becoming an integral part of. It also meant she would sit out for an entire year, as per NCAA transfer rules. Nevertheless, she made the move to be with the coach she had built a trust with during her time at Puget Sound.

In Malvar’s freshman season at Puget Sound, the Loggers

finished with a 26-3 record. She played a good amount of minutes and proved to be an effective player and a leader on the court.

Malvar and Payne have a lasting relationship that spanned before their time together as player and coach. Malvar’s mother

Illustration By Maddie Cohen

SPORTS played alongside Payne at the University of Washington, a relationship that inspired Malvar to go to Puget Sound.

The two arrived at a program that had not seen a lot of success in recent history. In the 2016 season before Payne’s arrival, the NAU women’s basketball team finished with a 9-21 record, which was three more wins than the 6-24 season in 2015. Since Payne and Malvar arrived, they have helped turn the Lumberjacks’ fortunes around significantly.

With a year of Division I exposure, but no playing time, Malvar hit the ground running as soon as she stepped on the court. Using a season on the bench to learn the ins and outs of Division I basketball, Malvar’s transition was seamless.

Malvar’s first season in 2018 ended with a 13-18 record. It was the first season with more than 10 wins for any Lumberjack women’s basketball team in over three seasons. Malvar was on the court for the majority of the 2018 season, averaging the second-most minutes on the team and leading it with 102 assists. The writing was on the wall — Malvar and success went hand in hand.

Malvar’s vocal leadership and court

presence are two traits she has brought to the Lumberjacks.

“As a point guard, you need them to be the loudest on the court,” Payne said. “They need to know what they’re in and what everyone else is doing and take on a lot of responsibility. For her to carry that load and lead her team to this many victories is just huge.”

In the Feb. 20 matchup against the Vandals, Malvar fouled out of the game in the final minutes. As she exited the court, there was a round of applause; It was one of the few times that game Malvar had come off the court, and it was a moving show of gratitude for the effort she gave NAU that night.

“It was a great moment. Everyone in the crowd, including myself, wanted to show her some love,” junior Tyler Beach said. “You can see her passion in every game she plays, she leaves it all on the floor and does everything she can to lead the team to a win.”

Malvar helped elevate the Lumberjacks to heights not seen since their 13-win season her freshman year. With the 2019-2020 season in the books, Malvar showed that she is capable to lead the team to future success.

Left: Redshirt junior guard Caitlin Malvar turns against Idaho State players in the first quarter of the game at the Walkup Skydome, Feb. 6. Madison Easton | The Lumberjack Right: Malvar dribbles down the court in search of an open opportunity at the Walkup Skydome, Feb. 20. Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

MARCH 26 2020 – MAY 1, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

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April is Water Awareness Month WAM on the Wire

Due to current concerns regarding social gatherings, Water Awareness Month is going digital! Tune in to our Facebook and Instagram pages @Flagstaffwater and our website at flagstaff.az.gov/WAM for announcements, fun activities and tons of prize giveaways!

@Flagstaffwater

Water Awareness Month Art Contest

Social Media Giveaways!

MONDAY- Tips and tricks for upgrading your home to save water with EPA WaterSense products!

TUESDAY- At home kid’s water activities WEDNESDAY- Flagstaff Water Fact Wednesday THURSDAY- Answer water trivia questions to win prizes!

FRIDAY- 5 social media giveaway winners announced every week!

Join us all month long to learn about water conservation and win great prizes!

Submit a photo of your water themed art work to savewater@flagstaffaz.gov to enter by April 22nd. Categories: student, armature and professional. Winners will be announced on April 30th on Facebook and Instagram, and will be hung in City Hall in May.

Post a photo or video with a caption about the value of water and how and why you conserve on our Facebook or your Instagram page, TAG US, and include the following hashtags: #IloveFLAGwater, #2020WAMontheWire, #flagstaffwater

Keep an eye out for virtual water treatment plant tours and video content all month!

Contact the Water Conservation office at (928) 213-2116 or savewater@flagstaffaz.gov to claim prizes.

Additional information at flagstaff.az.gov/WAM 28

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

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Water conservation tools and swag (Kleen Kanteens) 55-gallon rain barrel EPA WaterSense high-efficiency toilet Gift cards to local business and free local event tickets And more great prizes!