Northern Arizona University’s student voice since 1914 Vol. 114 Issue 9 | November 3, 2022 — November 9, 2022
OPINION CULTURE Performative activism NAU brings in the light with Diwali celebration MONTY GANTT perpetuates inaction
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LISA HALL
n Oct. 14, an activist group called Just Stop Oil vandalized Vincent Van Gogh’s famous work of art, “Sunflowers,” valued at $40 million, to draw attention to the current climate crisis regarding oil and gas exploration and fracking in the United Kingdom. The two activists, Phoebe Plummer, 21, and Anna Holland, 20, threw tomato soup onto the painting and glued themselves to the wall beneath it, at London's National Gallery. Plummer began speaking to the crowd about the oil crisis being intertwined with the high cost of living before both women were removed and arrested. This is a prime example of performative activism. Some may think performative activism is effective because it often involves doing daring, public stunts to draw attention to a certain cause. Although it sparks conversation, there is no actual change that stems from these types of protests because they are simply exploitative in nature and are only meant to catch shortterm attention. There is no point to performative activism — it draws negative attention, and most people see through the displays and respond with criticism to the stunts pulled. Performative activism is also referred to as slacktivism because of the surface-level effort it takes and the impact it has on the standing of those participating on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. The organization reached international news, and most headlines highlighted how awful their actions were. It begs the question of the organization’s effectiveness in its fight. Twitter users have already begun to dispute their legitimacy.
See PERFORMATIVE on PAGE 8
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or students of any descent, staying connected with their culture can be a difficult aspect of leaving home. Being away from family, friends and, for many, even the country they were born in can cause some to lose touch with important traditions. Some oncampus celebrations of these traditions can help students bring those pieces of home to their life at university. The Indian Association of Northern Arizona (IANA) is a non-political, on-campus organization formed to bring together and educate students, faculty and community members who are interested in Indian culture. It also provides a space for Indian students and staff to create one community. On Oct. 28, the IANA hosted a celebration to commemorate the Diwali holiday. Diwali is a traditional Hindu holiday honored throughout India that essentially celebrates the triumph of good over evil, or light within darkness. During the days-long festivities, diyas are displayed among homes to represent different good fortunes, gifts are exchanged and families partake in large feasts. The evening began with a video from NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera wishing those in attendance a happy Diwali. Cruz Rivera was unable to attend the event in person due to a prior obligation. “Indian Association of Northern Arizona’s Diwali celebration serves as one of the highlights of the year for everyone in the university community, and it is fantastic to once again welcome everyone to an in-person Diwali celebration," Cruz Rivera said. "On behalf of our Northern Arizona University community, I wish all of you a wonderful and happy Diwali.”
Indian Association of Northern Arizona’s secretary and treasurer Sanjana Ramesh prepares to perform a song at the Diwali celebration in the du Bois Ballroom, Oct. 29. Victoria Medina | The Lumberjack The IANA’s Diwali celebration was filled with festivities that put Indian culture on full display. Many student-led dance groups performed traditional Indian dances and modern variations of dances from the Bollywood world. Students performed celebratory songs from their home country. The crowd was even treated to a surprise traditional Chinese lion dance from the Sacred Mountain Fighting and Healing Arts Dojo. See DIWALI on PAGE 17
NEWS
Biden administration announces subsidies to mitigate drought Biden administration to pay per acre-foot of water conserved from the Colorado River
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ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY DELABARRA
WILLIAM COMBS III
he Colorado River’s water levels now sit at 34% of capacity — down from 40% the previous year. Since 2000, the river has lost 20% capacity compared to its 20th-century average. Lake Mead and Lake Powell, its two largest reservoirs, lost 50% of their total capacity in the past five years. Forty million people rely on the river for drinking water as well as irrigating farms and powering electric grids in the region. The river is split into halves. The upper basin supports Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico, and the lower basin provides water and energy to Arizona, Nevada, California and Mexico. Due to this unprecedented drought crisis in the southwest, the Biden administration announced new measures to mitigate the river’s water levels. Starting in January 2023,
Arizona must decrease its water consumption by 592,000 acre-feet. Moreover, Nevada is mandated to cut back 25,000 acre-feet. As part of the Inflation Reduction Act — which passed in August — $4 billion was allocated to drought mitigation efforts in the region. On Oct. 12, the Department of the Interior announced its plan to disperse this round of funding to the region — The Lower Colorado River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program. Since the lower basin is experiencing harsh symptoms of drought and climate change, the first round of funding will be allocated to these states. The department said it is working on long-term conservation efforts which will include the upper basin states. For large water consumers on the river’s lower basin, mainly farms, the department opened subsidy applications for every acre-foot of water conserved from the river. Applicants will receive higher payments based on the length of the commitment. See SUBSIDIES on PAGE 5