The Lumberjack -- September 10, 2020

THE LUMBER JACK

SEPT. 10, 2020 – SEPT. 16, 2020

STANDING UP, SPEAKING OUT A SPECIAL ISSUE

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

G

rowing up, I was never shy. In fact, I was the polar opposite. I always got in trouble in kindergarten for how much I talked in the middle of class and my parents never thought I would stop. However, somewhere between the span of fourth to eighth grade something changed and I became very reserved. The talkative, happy-go-lucky girl I was had disappeared in the blink of an eye. I almost quit singing and began bottling up all my emotions, too afraid to let anyone in.

This shyness didn’t help me much during my freshman and sophomore years here at NAU. I was too afraid to talk to the people sitting next to me in lectures, let alone talk to my professors. Once I let people in, they had to peel me back like layers on an onion in order for me to fully express myself and feel comfortable around them. As soon as that happened, I was an open book, it just took time.

Since the pandemic began I’ve been doing some soul searching, which has allowed me to see what the root of my shyness is: fear of being judged for things I say or do. I realized that when we were younger, we didn’t care about what our KATELYN peers thought in regards to what we said or did because we were doing what RODRIGUEZ made us genuinely happy. This carefree attitude and happiness is something I ASST. CULTURE would like to grab a hold of again.

EDITOR The last six months have made me realize that, in the midst of all the loneliness and fear going on in the world, I shouldn’t be scared to speak up or out about what I enjoy or issues I’m passionate about. Sure, there will be people who disagree, but there’s always going to be a select handful who agree. By the end of the summer I was slowly finding my voice again. I participated in protests and spoke out about the injustices taking place within the Black community, while also finding creative ways to express my feelings instead of hiding them.

This issue marks The Lumberjack’s second special edition issue of the semester and it’s dedicated to standing up and speaking out. With that in mind, I encourage you, our readers, to reflect on the ways in which you stand up and speak out from the rest of the crowd. Take the time to appreciate your uniqueness, passions and aspirations. They’re a part of what makes you who you are. Don’t be afraid to show the world your true, unapologetic self. I know that’s what I’ll be working on.

Continous local and campus covid-19 coverage available at jackcentral.org

Online at Issuu.com Latest Edition & Archive Social media

Thank you for reading.

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

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 110 ISSUE 5

Editor-in-Chief Brady Wheeler

Managing Editor Scout Ehrler

Copy Chief Nathan Manni

Faculty Adviser David Harpster

Print Chief Jacob Meyer

Director of Digital Content Sabrina Profitt

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board Director of Social Media Maddie Cohen

Op-Ed Editor Ryan Dixon

Asst. Culture Editor Katelyn Rodriguez

Director of Illustration Aleah Green

News Editor Trevor Skeen

Asst. Op-Ed Editor Kyler Edsitty

Sports Editor David Church

Asst. Dir. of Illustration Blake Fernandez

Asst. News Editor Camille Sipple

Features Editor Ash Lohmann

Asst. Sports Editor Cameron Richardson

Director of Photography Michael Patacsil

Online News Editor Alliya Dulaney

Asst. Features Editor Olivia Charlson

Sports Adviser Rory Faust

Asst. Dir. of Photography Mackenzie Brower

Senior Reporter Mark Fabery

Culture Editor Nayomi Garcia

Senior Photographer Brian Burke

Director of Multimedia Shawn Patti

2

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

On the cover This cover is inspired by Oluwatoyin Salau, a Black Lives Matter Activist, who went missing and later pronounced dead in June of this year at age 19. Her life and fight for the cause serve as a beacon of commitment and dedication to the movement. Illustration by Aleah Green

Corrections & Clarifications The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email Brady Wheeler at bew85@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat Aug. 31 At 12:26 p.m., staff reported a student using marijuana outside Gabaldon Hall. NAUPD responded and one student was referred for a code of conduct violation.

At 8:17 p.m., staff at Drury Inn & Suites reported a suspicious subject. NAUPD responded and one nonstudent was arrested and booked into Coconino County Detention Facility (CCDF) on two warrants.

Sept. 1 At 4:44 a.m., custodial staff at the Science & Health building reported being stuck in an elevator. NAUPD and Flagstaff Fire Department (FFD) responded and the subjects were successfully removed.

Facilities were notified.

At 6:35 p.m., a subject reported a student who fainted and hit their head at University Union. NAUPD, FFD and Guardian Medical Transport (GMT) responded and the student was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC).

Sept. 2 At 12:45 p.m., NAUPD reported a vehicle obstructing traffic outside the Babbit Administration building. No criminal activity was witnessed and the vehicle was moved from the roadway.

At 9:26 p.m., staff at Cowden Hall reported receiving information that a resident had drugs in their room. NAUPD responded but no criminal activity was witnessed.

Compiled by Mark Fabery

At 11:07 p.m., Flagstaff Communication Center transferred threats made via social media to NAUPD. One student was contacted but no criminal activity was witnessed.

At 10:10 p.m., Safety Aides requested a welfare check on a nonstudent sleeping at the intersection of Knoles Drive and West Dupont Avenue.

One nonstudent was located in good health, but they were Sept. 3 arrested and booked into At 9:37 a.m., NAUPD CCDF on an outstanding reported assisting FPD with warrant and possession of drug locating a suspect in an paraphernalia. attempted kidnapping on South Woodlands Village At 11:01 p.m., a resident Boulevard. at SkyView reported a loud party. NAUPD responded and At 1:40 p.m., an employee one student was referred for reported a subject loitering code of conduct violation. in the lobby of the Blome building. The nonstudent Sept. 5 exposed themselves to another At 12:15 a.m., staff at employee prior to NAUPD Wilson Hall reported an arrival, but the victim did not intoxicated student. NAUPD wish to pursue charges. The responded, one student was nonstudent was warned for transported to FMC and trespassing. will be cited at a later date for minor in consumption of At 3:43 p.m., staff at alcohol. the Honors College reported witnessing a subject sprayAt 7:28 p.m., an RA at painting graffiti on a dumpster. McConnell Hall reported the NAUPD responded and odor of marijuana. NAUPD one nonstudent was arrested responded and two students and booked into CCDF for were criminally deferred for criminal damage. possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

At 7:24 p.m., staff at Allen Hall reported the Sept. 6 odor of marijuana. NAUPD At 12:08 a.m., NAUPD responded and one student reported hearing fireworks was cited and released for near Knoles Drive and West possession of narcotics and Dupont Avenue. Officers drug paraphernalia. One checked the area, but no student was deferred for use of contact was made. marijuana.

At 9:38 p.m., an RA at Sept. 4 McConnell Hall reported the At 7:27 a.m., NAUPD odor of marijuana. NAUPD reported checking on a possible responded and one student transient camp behind Cline was referred for possession of Library. No criminal activity marijuana. was witnessed.

Coconino County COVID-19 Snapshot

Community Transmission Case Rate

Moderate 37 per 100,000 pop.

Positivity Percentage

3%

Cases in NAU Zip Code

52

Flagstaff Medical Center COVID-19 Resources

In house COVID-19 Patients Hosptial Capacity Critical Care Capacity

Positive: 8 | Pending: 2 202/300 39/55

NAU confirms Campus COVID-19 cases, Begins Random Testing ALliya Dulaney

A

s students returned to campus for the start of in-person classes, President Rita Cheng provided the NAU community with further information on randomized testing, or “mitigation testing,” in an email.

NAU began a plan to test approximately 2,500 students, faculty and staff weekly at the University Union Fieldhouse on Sep. 2. Currently, 36 individuals are known to have tested positive for COVID-19 within the NAU zip code.

NAU spokesperson Kimberly Ott explained that NAU has an ongoing relationship with local officials to keep COVID-19 statistics up to date.

“NAU has posted the Coconino County Dashboard on our website which is updated weekly with positive cases associated with the NAU ZIP code,” Ott stated in an email. “We are working closely with the county which officially releases numbers of tests and tests by ZIP code. NAU will provide an update on current positive cases at the end of each week.”

Data provided through ZIP codes does not necessarily reflect data within that particular area, NAU News mentioned in a brief. Possible irregularities could include individuals who may not have a residency on campus but tested through NAU Campus Health.

Those assigned to be tested will be notified via email and the NAU Central Alert System (CAS) for further instruction. Cheng also mentioned in the email regular testing hours will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

To mitigate the spread of COVID-19 students, faculty and staff are highly encouraged to continue wearing masks in public areas, follow guidelines from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in maintaining self-care and taking precautions when feeling unwell.

Read more online at jackcentral.org

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

3

NEWS

NAU President Rita Cheng Won’t Pursue Contract Extension

Camille Sipple

N

AU President Rita Cheng announced that she will not pursue an extension of her current contract as president.

Cheng’s contract expires in June 2022. In a recent email to the NAU community, Cheng said she will be leaving the position completely at that point in time.

“Although a difficult decision, after 40 years in higher education, I have decided that it is time to step away from this role,” Cheng said.

Cheng provided the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) with early notice to ensure they are able to find a replacement for the position by June 2022, when her contract ends. ABOR confirmed Cheng’s announcement with a statement on its website and recognized her achievements during her time as NAU President.

“The board recognizes and appreciates the many accomplishments of President Cheng and supports this personal decision,” ABOR’s statement said. “Cheng’s legacy will include many student-focused successes and an expanded national reputation for NAU.” Within the email announcement, Cheng reflected on several NAU accomplishments throughout her tenure as president, including increased research funding, first-generation student aid, an expanded international presence and financial sustainability.

Cheng also recognized the current and upcoming challenges COVID-19 has presented to the current academic year. NAU’s leadership remains dedicated to maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for its campus community, Cheng said.

“Rest assured that I remain committed to our institution and to you—NAU’s students, faculty, and staff,” Cheng said. “The year ahead will have its challenges, but I look forward to meeting them together with you and to advancing NAU’s academic and student-centered mission.”

Just as Cheng has since her arrival at NAU in 2014, she said she will continue taking pride in all future NAU achievements and endeavors.

ABOR’s official statement confirmed that the board will begin searching this fall for an individual to fill Cheng’s position.

“The board is expected to commence a comprehensive nation-wide search for President Cheng’s replacement this fall,” ABOR’s website stated.

“President Cheng will continue to serve as president until her replacement is found.”

NAU President Rita Cheng talks to Lumberjack reporters about the audit and rumors of resignation Jan. 29, 2020. Cheng states that she does not intend to resign.

Shannon Swain | The Lumberjack

4

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

NEWS

NAU students walk through central campus along the pedway between MacDonald Hall and Raymond Hall, Sept. 2. Brian Burke| The Lumberjack

The controversy over in-person classes Camille Sipple

F

ollowing the start of in-person classes, students and professors expressed reservations about returning to a blended learning modality amid the pandemic. Despite these concerns, however, there are some students who are ready to get back in the classroom and leave academic Zoom meetings in the dust.

Sophomore Isaiah Stancil said video calls are not nearly sufficient in delivering a college education, and that classes should be more interactive and engaging. This expectation, he continued, cannot be replicated through a computer screen. In terms of potential COVID-19 infection due to in-person classes, Stancil said he is not very concerned because professors are dividing meetings between smaller groups of students and observing social distancing guidelines.

The student experience regarding in-person classes has been fairly good so far sophomore Logan Johnson said. Only a few other students physically showed up to one of his classes.The hour consisted of forming a small, socially-distanced group and working on an activity together. The only downside Johnson recalled was it seemed difficult for the professor to keep track of both her online and in-person groups of students. He said he anticipates the difficulty will lessen with time, though.

“Overall, my in-person class was not too bad,” Johnson said.

“We were able to physically distance and also clean our spaces after the class was done.”

Despite increased safety guidelines applied to all in-person instruction, some professors said they feel conflicted about returning to the classroom, even if time is split between small groups of students. Professor Mark Neumann, who teaches creative media and film, explained that his course, introduction to documentary studies, started meeting face-to-face for students who selected that learning modality. Neumann said that although

he prefers and enjoys teaching in person, it is simply not a feasible option given the current state of the world. There were very few students who physically attended Neumann’s class when in-person learning began, and he said that shows his students’ understanding regarding the gravity of the situation.

“I like to teach students in a physical classroom,” Neumann said. “There is a spontaneity in the discussions and chances to be together and get to know each other as people … however, given the health risks of being on campus and being in a classroom, I would prefer to work with my students through Zoom meetings.”

During an Aug. 31 faculty senate meeting, Faculty Senate President Gioia Woods said she understands the concerns among faculty members. Woods also said the concerned members of faculty do not intend to harm student learning outcomes or be uncooperative in any way. She added that these fears are based on the simple fact that faculty have direct contact with students on a weekly, or even daily, basis.

Neumann is currently teaching two other asynchronous classes, which use weekly discussions to address the materials and objectives. He said these courses have been successful — at least so far — because the students are allotted a certain amount of flexibility in terms of their work.

Overall, Neumann stressed that his students are much more partial to having class virtually rather than risking their health in the classroom.

“We’re doing the best we can given the current dangers of a pandemic, and I find that students are doing a great job of showing up for our Zoom meetings, participating and adapting to all of this,” Neumann said. “Given the options of coming to class or meeting together on Zoom, they seem to prefer the latter.”

Many people around the university community share similar opinions regarding in-person learning, which remains a controversial discussion among students and faculty.

Students walk to class along the pedway near the Chemistry and Biochemistry building, Sept. 2.

Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

5

NEWS

New energy bill at odds with city’s stance Collin Vanderwerf

S

eemingly at odds with the city’s declaration of a climate emergency, Flagstaff residents passed Proposition 434 with 67% of the vote. This development will extend the city’s natural gas contract for 25 years, although Flagstaff’s current deadline to offset emissions and reach carbon neutrality is 2030.

The city’s primary elections were held Aug. 4, and one of two propositions on the ballot — Prop.

434 — sought to renew the lease on natural gas infrastructure for UniSource Energy’s parent company, UNS Energy Corporation. However, very little about the proposition was publicized before the election.

The main public information about the ballot came from the Coconino County Democratic Party website, which discouraged voting for the proposal on the grounds that it was “out of step with that unanimous City Council Resolution.”

This statement was a reference to Flagstaff City Council’s climate emergency declaration, which was announced June 23. The resolution expedited the date for local carbon neutrality to 2030, while also committing to revise the city’s Climate Action Plan. According to the aforementioned council meeting, these changes were intended to reflect the urgent attitude expressed by scores of citizens who attended another council meeting in January and voiced their support for more aggressive action to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Local environmental activist Neha Khurana said she voted no on the proposition, but “had to look it up.” This sentiment was similar to the other Flagstaff locals who voted against it, and the lack of knowledge about this new policy was owed to a lack of publicity: No yard signs, pamphlets or commercials sought to alert voters about the issue.

Even the city’s sustainability section seemed caught off-guard by the proposal. Over an email interview,

6

Illustration By Tonesha Yazzie sustainability manager Nicole Antonopoulos said, “I only learned of the measure too late to propose any alternative strategies to the City Council.”

Scouring the Internet for ballot information resulted only in a letter to the editor published by the Arizona Daily Sun and quoted on Coconino County Democrat’s website. Written by a group of local climate activists, the letter encouraged locals to vote against the proposition.

“We believe that if it passes, it will have been a missed opportunity to increase much-needed city funding for climate action,” the letter stated.

The publication suggested renegotiating the city’s contract with UNS and implementing higher charges, specifically from 2% to 4%.

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

It also explained that half of these fees would go to maintaining the payment into the city’s general fund, allowing Flagstaff to keep a similar budgetary balance. Meanwhile, the other half could be allocated toward funding climate action policies that need to occur in order to reach the 2030 carbon neutrality deadline.

Citing a current lack of alternative energy infrastructure, councilmember Austin Aslan said, “There are a lot of residents in Flagstaff that still use gas, and it’s going to be that way for a long time.”

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), there are an estimated 12,907 natural gas customers in Flagstaff, while the United States Census Bureau approximated a population of

75,000 in 2019. Common sources of residential natural gas consumption include water heaters, stoves, gaspowered fireplaces and central heating systems used during winter months.

Flagstaff’s residential natural gas rates, according to the same EIA report, are about 15% higher than the national average. According to UniSource Energy, the increased fee on UNS’s lease would fall on the consumer, and this change would disproportionately affect those with lower income who may already struggle with winter’s high energy costs.

Echoing the increasing concerns in climate activist circles about environmental justice, Aslan said, “It’s a social justice issue … there are a lot of folks in town that could not

afford to upgrade their home or go all-electric.”

Environmental justice is the notion that while the world’s wealthiest people are disproportionately responsible for the impacts of climate change, while marginalized communities are unfairly affected.

It contends that responsibility for environmental justice and climate action fall upon the shoulders of the wealthy first in order to buy time for those who are less responsible — but are more damaged — by climate change.

The city can still discourage the use of natural gas, though it likely missed the window to charge UNS for its contribution to Flagstaff’s carbon footprint.

NEWS

March on Washington anniversary: The fight for change continues

Top: The crowd of protesters moves down East Aspen Avenue before turning on South San Francisco Street to walk toward campus, Aug. 28. Trevor Skeen | The Lumberjack

Mary Goldmeer

W

hile underrepresented and marginalized communities advocate for social reform, Aug. 28 has been an important day for civil rights over the last 57 years, dating back to the first March on Washington in 1963.

Emmett Till was beaten and shot in 1955, his death igniting a movement of boycotts and protests, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). A decade later, the National Parks Service reported 250,000 people gathered in 1965 to attend and listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, John Lewis’s “Speech at the March on Washington” and a list of 10 demands from the protest’s sponsors. This year, the “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” protest was hosted by many organizations — including the National Action Network (NAN) — and it supported the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020.

“This bill addresses a wide range of policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability,” the United States Congress website stated. “It includes measures to increase accountability for law enforcement misconduct, to enhance transparency and data collection, and to eliminate discriminatory policing practices.”

After the Justice in Policing Act was introduced to the House of Representatives in June, the excitement was enough to rally behind positive change. Although this year’s anniversary and the original “I Have a Dream” speech were both held at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., Flagstaff held its own protest

to allow locals to show their support.

Flagstaff’s event began at Heritage Square shortly after 3 p.m. Participants were urged to register to vote and socialize with one another.

“Lean On Me,” by Bill Withers played on a handheld speaker, picked up by the crowd as they sang together. Protesters filtered into the square until nearly 4 p.m., and then the group marched down South San Francisco Street and looped onto South Milton Road, before heading north to reconvene at the square.

By 4:30 p.m., the protesters walked through NAU’s campus and repeated various chants: “Hands up, don’t shoot” and “Say their names [Emmett Till, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, George Floyd.]”

The protesters’ shouts echoed off parking garages and student housing facilities, vibrating around campus. Families of incoming freshmen — who were attending their move-in appointments — even stopped to watch as they crossed streets, guided by two officers from the Flagstaff Police Department.

The Black Lives Matter supporters were met by a few unorganized anti-protesters who passed by in cars or sat outside businesses in the surrounding area. These individuals asked questions like “Why don’t all lives matter?’’ and commented on injustices the Indigenous community faces. Most spectators, however, honked their horns in encouragement or joined the march.

Flagstaff residents of all ages gathered at the event. NAU students Abi Haidet and Gabi Leblanc recognized the gravity of this protest specifically, and they shared senitiments about their voices ability to make a difference.

“Even if our voices don’t matter, we are still

supporting a cause we believe in,” Haidet said.

Flagstaff resident Debra Block has attended protests and rallies for 40 years, which accounts for the majority of her adult life. Block urged those beginning their journey as activists to attend events and she said that although change starts with the individual, people must act together. Protests are significant because they allow people to unite, thus demanding attention from congressmembers, senators and other political figures to change along with the community.

NAU and the greater Flagstaff community advocated for local progress, along with the protesters in Washington, D.C. who asked for national change.

“Pay attention and make your voice heard,” Block said.

Although Lewis said, “We want to be free now” at the original March on Washington 57 years ago, today’s protesters recognized that even small steps are moving in the right direction.

“Get in and stay in the streets ... of this nation until true freedom comes,” Lewis said.

A protester supports Black Lives Matter and the LGTBQ+ community Aug. 28. Trevor Skeen | The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

7

NEWS

Students consider tuition and fees during COVID-19 cole stewart

M

illions of students around the country are paying full tuition costs for the fall 2020 semester, which provides funding for seats and campus resources they are not using. As students use remote learning and online resources, this pricing has raised numerous concerns, especially because these resources are cheaper than traditional coursework.

For NAU specifically, the cost of attendance varies. For Arizona residents the tuition cost hovers around $12,000 per academic year, with fixed costs throughout four years of study. Meanwhile, Western Undergraduate Exchange students pay about $17,000 per academic year and out-of-state students shoulder a cost that exceeds $25,000 per academic year. Attending school can be costly, and with the world wrestling the COVID-19 pandemic, students are struggling to pay tuition and other university expenses.

those learning remotely. Along with a decreased tuition, he explained that students should be able to opt out of certain amenity fees, such as the gym and other in-person services, that they are unable to utilize while attending classes online.

“I understand that money is important, but I feel that the price of college should be reevaluated due to COVID,” Laurier said.

Arthur Taylor’s book, “Perspectives on the University as a Business: the Corporate Management Structure, Neoliberalism and Higher Education” delves into the idea that universities around the western world — and particularly the United States — are business-oriented.

“The perception of higher education as a business rests firmly on the basic premise of neoliberalism where in its most complete form, all

social interactions are contextualized as part of a market,” Taylor wrote.

“There is no collective good, there is only the individual and their interaction with the market. Under this view, the traditional academic mission of the university to create and disseminate knowledge is subsumed by the market and its demands.”

In other words, Taylor’s book stated that the primary concern of universities is maintaining their market, which in turn, provides schools with money. The entity cares about the business over the individual — the larger collective,

the larger the monetary value of the university.

Junior Hector Campos said he dislikes that students are forced to pay fees for amenities they rarely, if ever, use. Even if the costs are low, he added that students should not fund services they cannot access.

Although fees constitute a large portion of costs, tuition is even more significant. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing guidelines, these payments are not covering the typical system of faceto-face instruction, although NAU recently granted limited occupancy to on-campus classrooms.

Many professors developed a hybrid learning environment, wherein some students can attend classes inperson and others can livestream to participate remotely. Many students expressed personal struggles with

– Senior Chase Laurier

8

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

“I personally want classes in person because that’s how I learn, but I do understand why we are online.”

– Junior hector campos Online learning can be frustrating, especially for international students who take classes during the early morning hours or late into evenings while still paying full costs. Time zone differences and travel restrictions prevented many from making it into the country, nonetheless into Flagstaff and onto campus.

“What we can do as a Lumberjack community is stay healthy, opt for online and ensure that our university president understands the risks she is bringing in by making it seem like everything will be OK and charging us full tuition for an education that does not reflect those full tuition costs,” Campos said.

College students are living in a time when education is evolving and adapting regularly and it will be interesting to see what happens as the pandemic continues. The education system could be changed indefinitely around the world, especially with so many changes already underway.

“I understand that money is important, but I feel that the price of college should be reevaluated due to COVID.”

According to The New York Times, unemployment figures hit an all-time high of 14.7% toward the start of the pandemic in April. When students specifically cannot find work, many of them will not be able to afford the living expenses that go along with attending university, which could be another argument for tuition cuts or exemptions amid COVID-19.

Senior Chase Laurier provided first-hand insight on the topic, and he said NAU’s decision to continue standard tuition rates is both interesting and unfair, especially for

online learning and want to be in the classroom, but this preference is not always possible.

“I personally want classes in person because that’s how I learn, but I do understand why we are online,” Campos said. “A small city, a lot of students in a small area, upcoming holidays and a state that opened too early is not a good mix for COVID-19.”

Illustration By Blake Fernandez

COMIC SPOT

This illustration depicts an activist that is a representation of activism itself, portraying both sides of an argument. The painted stripes on the left give a reference to LGBTQ rights whereas the red and white stripes on the right give a reference to American patriotism. Illustration by Christian Ayala

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

9

OPINION-EDITORIAL

Trans rights are human rights

10

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

dez

an

ern

eF

lak

nB yB

C

ati o

Content warning: Sexual abuse ontrary to popular belief, feminism is not about elevating women to a superior level, although some do feel that way. Feminism, in its truest form, is about equality, no matter what gender somebody identifies as.

Dosomething.org mentions how women are paid less, given less opportunities and elected for federal government positions less often than men. In every capacity, the system works against women and in favor of men.

There isn’t just one straightforward type of feminism. It can take many forms and have many meanings to different people. Nonetheless, every feminist group deals with various kinds of discrimination that women and men face.

KYLIE SOTO Toxic masculinity forces men to believe that anything remotely feminine WRITER or not hyper-masculine is odd and has no place in their world.

This has led to the creation of websites like Return of Kings.

The website states, “It’s meant for a small but vocal collection of men in America today who believe men should be masculine and women should be feminine.”

They are intolerant of the LGBTQ+ community and discourage them and women from commenting on their site.

I looked further into their site and found an article that the Southern Poverty Law Center posted about male superiority, in which they posted numerous quotes from articles by male supremacists.

One example is from the Return of Kings website from February 2015. It reads, “Make rape legal if done on private property. I propose that we make the violent taking of a woman not punishable by law when done off public grounds … If rape becomes legal under my proposal, a girl will protect her body in the same manner that she protects her purse and smartphone … After several months of advertising this law throughout the land, rape would be virtually eliminated on the first day it is applied.”

This is precisely what feminists fight against. Historically, men have felt the need to control women and their bodies and sadly that impulse has not dwindled with time. Feminists reject that concept of control and superiority.

If men truly understood the purpose of feminism, perhaps women wouldn’t have to continuously argue for freedom of agency over their own bodies.

Certainly, the world has progressed and life has gotten slightly less difficult for women, but I think as famous poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

T

str

A failed understanding of feminism

ransgender people are far too often excluded from discussions of equality and human rights. Recent social movements neglect to tackle the issue of trans oppression. Minority groups that face discrimination every day contribute to the normalization of transphobia. Minorities and other oppressed groups should understand that equality will never be achieved unless trans rights are acknowledged.

The statistics surrounding crimes against the trans community are highly disturbing. According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, the number of transgender people killed in 2020 surpassed the 2019 total in only seven months. At least 28 trans people were killed after only the first seven months of 2020 compared to 26 killed in the entirety of 2019.

These hate crimes prove that society is not advancing toward equality. The idea that we are making progress toward abandoning discrimination is an illusion. Equality must include the equal treatment of trans people.

Minority communities often fail to acknowledge transphobia as a form of discrimination. As a result, trangender racial minorities are left unprotected.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, of the 26 transgender people killed in 2020, 19 were People of Color (POC). Furthermore, 13 of those murdered were Black.

These tragedies should be a prominent topic alongside the discussion of racially motivated killings. These fatal hate crimes are just as significant as those that receive an outpouring of grief and media attention.

As I researched these 26 killings that occurred within a seven-month span, I realized I heard little to nothing about these crimes from the media.

According to ABC News, Tony McDade was a Black trans man shot and killed by police in Tallahassee, Florida. McDade was shot only two days after the killing of George Floyd. His name should have chanted alongside the other victims of brutal police shootings. Brayla Stone was also one of the 26 killed. Stone was a child.

A 17-year-old girl was killed and yet no major news outlets picked up on the story.

This is not the first time the killing of a Black person was given little media coverage. This was, however, one of

few times that the Black community did not come together to raise awareness of a Black woman’s death. Not only did I see little media coverage on Stone’s murder, but I also saw almost nothing on Black social media spaces about the incident.

Stone’s gender identity does not warrant such a lack of sympathy from the Black community, which should have served as a safe haven. Stone suffered through the oppressions of being Black, trans and alienated from the Black community.

Not only do trans POC face discrimination from the racial communites they belong to, but they also face a particulary cruel form of police brutality.

According to CBS News, Bree Black was shot and killed July 3 in Pompano Beach, Florida. Black, like many of the trans people killed or attacked this year, was an African American woman. No suspect was identified. No witnesses came forward, despite the fact that the killing took place near a crowded celebration. Black’s case was neglected by police and investigators.

This injustice should have angered the Black community just as much as the other brutal killings being protested. Instead, a Black trans woman was once again neglected by her own people.

Police have a long history of neglecting the investigations of hate crimes against trans people. As most of these cases involve trans POC, this should have been a prominent topic within the Black Lives Matter movement.

As a Black woman, I have seen firsthand how transphobic my community can be. I refuse to pretend that this behavior is acceptable.

We need to have conversations about the treatment of trans people. Often, people avoid conversations that go against the beliefs of the communities they belong to. This is not justifiable when compliance results in murder.

Transphobia cannot be dismissed. These conversations will save lives. I know that I cannot single-handedly end trans discrimination, but these conversations are a starting point.

The next step can be donating to charities that benefit Black trans folk like the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. This organization challenges transphobic institutions by offering support directly to these people through employment.

The trans community deserves a voice in all human rights movements. The normalization of transphobia within minority communities is highly hypocritical. We cannot demand equality while simultaneously contributing to the discrimination of trans people.

Ill u

TRINITY ARCHIE

OPINION-EDITORIAL

‘Hamilton’ SPARKS VARIED REACTIONS IN VIEWERS EMILY GERDES

T

he hit Broadway show “Hamilton: An American Musical” took the world by storm in 2015. Created by Lin-Manuel Miranda and inspired by Ron Chernow’s biography, “Alexander Hamilton,” the musical centers around the establishment of the United States, told by People of Color with hip-hop music creating a narrative that has attracted a mixed audience.

The musical received acclaim in the form of 11 Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize in Drama, a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, a Billboard Music Award for Top Soundtrack/Cast Album and an invitation to perform in front of the Obama family at the White House in 2016.

After being released on Disney+ in July, “Hamilton” reached a greater audience and thousands of people watched the musical for the first time. However, the nation is not in the same place it was in 2015 and the release brought an influx of controversy over the musical praising white, slave-owning founding fathers of the United States.

Despite the modern-day criticisms of the musical, I believe “Hamilton” holds quality educational insight into history for viewers.

Along with all there is to learn from “Hamilton,” there are problematic elements that left some viewers frustrated and formed an air of controversy regarding the musical.

Certain parts of history were left out of the 2-hour and forty-minute show because it can only be so long. Skipping certain elements allowed for a more dramatic story. However, different aspects that were cut are crucial to the country’s overall history, which has led to the most controversial piece of the play: Hamilton’s view on slavery.

In the musical, Hamilton is portrayed as an individual who was against slavery, but History. com reported that he owned slaves through his wife’s family. The musical largely ignores the issue of slavery, motivating people to speak out against its inaccuracies and glorified image of the founding fathers of the U.S., whose views on political and social issues are largely looked down upon by modern society.

Miranda made it a point to include a cast diverse in race, background and culture. This level of inclusion is a point of discussion being

debated among viewers. The actors, however, seemed to take away a sense of empowerment from their involvement in the musical.

Daveed Diggs, who played Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, said to The Wall Street Journal, ‘‘I walked out of the show with a sense of ownership over American history. Part of it is seeing brown bodies play these people.”

I think it is poetic how the founding fathers wanted to create a nation where all immigrants would be welcomed, and the cast of “Hamilton” depicts a scenario where this is a reality. Yes, there is a presentday disagreement about immigration and the way the U.S. should handle it, but generally, all creeds, races, ethnicities and religions can be found in the U.S. Renée Elise Goldsberry, who played Angelica Schuyler, said to Time, “We have the opportunity to reclaim a history that some of us don’t necessarily

think is our own.”

The actors seem to have left the production with purpose and a beautiful, newfound sense of power. The mark that this performance left on the nation is something truly special, and I believe it impacted individual lives. This particular representation removes what is thought to be the mold of American politics and allows young people to see themselves in power, creating change.

Alexander Hamilton came to the U.S. as an immigrant with no family or social status, but who rose through society and became the Secretary of the Treasury, executing historical changes. If Hamilton’s story were to happen in 2020 it would be just as, if not more, powerful. This is the story I believe Miranda was aiming to tell when he wrote the original script for “Hamilton.”

My interpretation of the musical has evolved over the last few years. At

first, it was a quick and simple way for me to understand my U.S. history class and I enjoyed listening to the melodies and overall soundtrack. Then, my attraction morphed toward the foundations of the U.S. government, Constitution and founding documents. I made connections to novels, films and my day-to-day knowledge of government history.

It was around this time when I truly began listening to the lyrics and the story the musical was telling. I learned about each Schuyler sisters’ feelings toward Hamilton, the friendship that Aaron Burr and Hamilton had and how Burr acted as a mentor. The musical also taught me about how Hamilton had a strong desire to fight in a war rather than to be a secretary and how Hamilton’s affair kept him from running for President — an interesting contradiction to modern-day U.S. presidents.

The founding fathers made mistakes.

They were human. These mistakes were often gambling with the lives of others and are looked down upon in the overall perspective of history, but that distinction is important. No matter how racist, sexist, misogynistic or contradictory these men were, they remain the founding fathers of the U.S. Although they had their flaws, we must learn from the experiences of these historical figures. The adage goes that if we don’t learn from history, we are bound to repeat it.

In Act One during the song “History Has Its Eyes On You,” George Washington says, “I made every mistake. I felt the shame rise in me.”

I hope that fans of the musical will appreciate the performance, but go a step further and conduct research about the founding fathers. Ultimately, being educated with a historical context allows individuals to understand the difference between documented history and a piece of entertainment, and also learn from the actions of those who lived before us.

In 2020 we are challenging what society believes is acceptable and asking each other the difficult questions, criticisms of “Hamilton” included. These are important conversations to have and if people are willing to sit down and hear all sides, we could make productive changes to society.

Illustration By shelsey braswell

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 | THE LUMBERJACK

11

Protesters anticipate FEATURES

Ash Lohmann

T

hus far, 2020 has been filled with protests, most notably Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests since the death of George Floyd on May 25. While many protests have been Wpeaceful, others have been riddled with violence.

Many agree that protesting is a powerful way for people to speak out and stand up for others and what they believe in, however violence can be a deterrent for potential participants.

Junior Grace Goebel said she has participated in several Flagstaff protests throughout the year. For the most part, she explained that her experiences were peaceful. However, there have been a few instances where she felt unsafe. During one BLM protest, Goebel said the group of protesters were marching around downtown Flagstaff and ended up blocking intersections on Route 66.

“Luckily, the cops were blocking traffic because if they hadn’t been, there were some protesters who would have been hit by a car, either accidentally or maybe purposefully,” Goebel said.

Goebel explained that while getting hit by a car is an immediate danger of going to a protest, potentially getting arrested after attending a protest is another worry she has.

Since she heard police officers talking to one another, taking down faces and other information about protesters, Goebel said getting tracked by police officers is a fear of hers while protesting.

Overall, Goebel explained that protesting is powerful and important. However, in the moment it can be discouraging when people who disagree with the protest show up.

“There are so many people who are so vocal and actively trying to dishearten us, people yelling at us, all in our faces and stuff like that,” Goebel said.

A source who requested to remain anonymous due to safety concerns also shared their protesting experiences. They described the first protest they attended in Washington state as not only peaceful, but empowering. They said police officers were absent and while some people were yelling and arguing, no violence broke out.

However, a sense of community is what the anonymous source said made them proud to participate.

“The community out there was amazing,” they said.

“People were handing out free food, water, Gatorade, masks, anything you could imagine, someone was supplying it for free for one another.”

Though unfortunately, the anonymous source said the atmosphere at a protest in Arizona was the exact opposite of

12

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

the one they attended in Washington.

“The most dangerous protest I’ve been to was in Tucson when we attempted to make it onto the freeway,” they said.

“Cops blocked us on all sides, so we kneeled for George Floyd.

They started setting off those sonic booms to intimidate us before they started throwing tear gas. Thankfully no one was hurt and we all made it home.”

While violence is one thing that can deter potential protesters from participating, COVID-19 is another risk.

Goebel said that it is important for protesters to wear a mask, even if they are protesting outdoors and at a distance.

According to an article published by UC Berkeley, there are many things one must consider before and during protests, as COVID-19 is still a mighty concern. In order to prepare for a protest, the article suggests people consider who is in their household and how they can best accommodate those individuals’ health needs. Additionally, before attending a protest, participants are instructed to bring masks and hand sanitizer, as well as sanitize items that might come in contact with others. During a protest, the article suggests participants keep their masks on, maintain social distance and avoid touching their faces.

This deep into the pandemic, preparing to wear a mask and social distance can feel like second nature, but preparing for the chance of encountering violence while protesting is another story.

While preparing to attend a protest, Goebel suggested equipping oneself with essentials and protective gear.

“People brought water and food,” Goebel said. “We were pretty prepared but if you’re going into it for the first time, prepare to be on your feet for a long time.

It’s tiring. I wouldn’t want to scare anyone by saying to wear bulletproof vests, but anticipate anger and hostility.”

Goebel also explained that medics often attend protests to assist medical emergencies and offer first aid, in the case it is necessary.

If a violent situation does arise, Goebel suggested protesters move away from any place where they could get hurt or arrested.

“100% do not continue to instigate,” Goebel said. “Don’t fight with a person, don’t get involved.”

As protesters use their presence and voices to fight against injustice, Goebel explained that those who disagree can get stirred up and respond angrily or with violence. To prepare for such situations, she suggested that protesters plan ahead and always stick with a buddy. She also suggested protesters try to blend in and cover anything identifiable, such as tattoos or bright-colored hair.

“The bigger t more people th out for each o big reason I try many a

– Anonym

e and avoid violence

FEATURES

The anonymous source explained that the most dangerous part of going to a protest is being unaware of how the police are attempting to identify participants. They said that while many who attend BLM protests are concerned about Trump supporters showing up and causing trouble, that is not something they have witnessed. However, they explained they have witnessed police officers recording individuals and off-duty officers taunting crowds.

As it is a possibility, the anonymous source suggested that those who plan to participate in a protest prepare to get arrested.

“If you get arrested, knowing your rights is the most important part to keeping yourself and others safe,” they said. “You only have to know these three lines: ‘I wish to remain silent,’ ‘I do not consent to a search’ and ‘I would like to speak to a lawyer.’”

Additionally, the anonymous source said in the case of an arrest, it is a good idea to keep an emergency contact updated on their whereabouts as well as having an emergency contact’s phone number memorized. A common tactic is writing an emergency contact number in permanent marker on one’s body.

Another common fear for potential protesters is the possibility of getting tear-gassed.

The anonymous source shared tips for staying safe while getting tear-gassed, having been in that situation themselves.

“I would say to stay with the group, no matter what,” they said. “Have a buddy who you stick with and keep an eye out for, and follow whatever direction the organizer is heading. Also, if you wear glasses, do not wear contacts in case of tear gas.”

According to WUSA, a Washington D.C.based news station, wearing contact lenses can cause increased pain and potentially damage one’s eyes when getting tear-gassed because the lenses can soak in and trap the fumes.

For more detailed information regarding riot safety, a flyer distributed by Amnesty International, a non-governmental organization that campaigns to end human rights violations, features important instructions for protesters. The instructions include guidelines on what to do, what not to do, what to bring and wear, how to deal with tear gas and protesters’ rights.

Regardless of all the tips and ways in which one can prepare themselves for violence at a protest, the possibility of a dangerous situation coming to fruition can be enough to deter even those who are passionate about the cause. This fear can be more prominent for some more than others, Goebel explained.

“My one friend didn’t want to come to protests because she was pregnant and scared for the potential of violence,” Goebel said.

While it is important for many to speak up and protest injustices, Goebel explained that for some individuals whose situations make it difficult to justify participation, offering support from afar might just be their best option.

However, for those still on the fence, the anonymous source

the protest, the here are to look other, which is a y to make it to as as I can.”

mous Source

suggested they remember that their fellow protesters make up a supportive and protective community.

“There’s a risk of violence going to any sort of protest, unfortunately,” they said. “The community keeps each other safe, though. The bigger the protest, the more people there are to look out for each other, which is a big reason I try to make it to as many as I can.”

Goebel explained that going into a protest and avoiding violent situations is all about setting good intentions. She said that going in with productive intentions is better than approaching the situation intending to cause a scene.

Protesting, Goebel said, should be approached with the intention of helping people and spreading a message. Protesters want their voices to be heard so they can feel as though they are making a difference. She said when they do feel as though they are empowering people and sparking change, it can be powerful.

The anonymous source explained they believe that even though violence is a possibility when protesting, it is important to show up for the people who are enduring injustices.

“I think the potential for violence is a big reason a lot of people decide not to show up because we see all over the media about cars charging through crowds, all that,” they said.

“If you’re white, the danger you could possibly endure is nothing compared to the danger people of color and Black people face when they show up. We show up to amplify their voices and keep them safe, nothing else.”

As Black Lives Matter protesters marched along the streets in Phoenix, hand sanitizer, Gatorade, water and other supplies were handed out for free, June 5.

MacKenzie Brower | The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020| THE LUMBERJACK

13

FEATURES

Artistic activism: Moving aud Ash Lohmann

A

mid a formidable presidential election, the COVID-19 pandemic and the height of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, those living through 2020 are no stranger to activism. In the mainstream, activism can take shape through petitioning, protesting and political campaigning. However, art is a form of protest that has the potential to be altogether more captivating and emotional.

Neal Galloway, a lecturer within NAU’s School of Art, defined activism as something that incorporates one’s strengths in order to make a difference.

“Activism is using your skills and actions in order to achieve positive change in the world,” Galloway said. “Activism almost always pushes against some other social, political or legal force which perpetuates or causes social problems.”

By Galloway’s definition, art can be activism, especially if that is what the creator intended. While art can be activism, he said it doesn’t always have to be. However, Galloway mentioned that oftentimes, even if a work of art is not intended for activism purposes, if an audience interprets the piece as activism, it can still serve as such.

Ted Martinez is a senior lecturer at NAU’s Honors College and is the managing editor for Carbon Copy, a Flagstaff-based literary journal specializing in climate activism. He explained that local activism artist, Chip Thomas, or Jetsonorama has been creating popular pieces commenting on current events. Thomas is a Black muralist living on the Navajo Nation whose pieces, rich with social commentary, exist on billboards and on the side of buildings in order to reach vast audiences.

According to Thomas’ website, much of his recent art reflects the Navajo Nation’s struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Artists help us see society through the lens of their work,” Martinez said. “They can create anything from the sublime to the critical and both

can exist at once. They are not exclusive.”

Thomas’ art invites society to see through the lens of his murals, whereas other artists might approach activism through different mediums.

For example, NAU English professor Monica Brown highlighted writers, such as Louise Erdrich, Luis Valdez and Frederick Douglass, who used literature as the medium for their activism.

“If we think of activism as strong, dynamic and robust work toward social and political change, then history is filled with writeractivists,” Brown said. “The brilliant Frederick Douglass wrote ‘Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass’ at great risk, and in support of the movement to abolish slavery.”

However, depending on the medium of the art, Galloway explained that the effectiveness of its activism might vary. He said the forms and media of an artwork have a huge effect on how audiences construe its message. For example, a particular generation might consume one type of medium more than others, like how older people tend to not listen to much rap music. Thus, the message might not reach that generation because they are not coming across much within the media they feel aren’t geared toward them.

Additionally, Galloway mentioned that there are pros and cons to working within particular methods and media. He explained that traditional art mediums, such as painting and literature, might be taken more seriously than nontraditional or newer media, such as internet art. However, Galloway also explained that newer and more unconventional media might be more productive in challenging the systems activism aims to disrupt compared to traditional mediums.

Regardless of medium, Galloway explained that it can be difficult to determine the effectiveness of activism art, like many other forms of activism. He said that one activist action rarely directly results in the change it pursues.

“The goal of an activist-artist should be to move the viewer from casual observer to active participant” – Ted Martinez, senior lecturer In NAU’s Honors college and managing editor at Carbon Copy Photo Illustration By Jack Mehl

14

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

FEATURES

diences to make a difference “It takes a great many actions, artworks and the like, which swell all together to break past or overflow long-established conventions and barriers to equality and to instigate change,” Galloway said.

Though even when creating single works of art, activism artists have uniquely powerful tools that are useful in conveying their message, Galloway explained. Artists have devices, such as metaphors, symbolism and emotion at their disposal. Galloway said such devices are important ways in which humans make decisions and process the world, and because of this, activism art that involves those elements can be more effective in moving their audiences.

Devices like metaphors, symbolism and especially emotion, can be key in what Martinez described as the goal of an activism artist.

“The goal of an activist-artist should be to move the viewer from casual observer to active participant,” Martinez said.

Such movement toward action comes from the involvement of humanity: the emotions, processes and values of people.

Galloway said this humanity is what gives artistic activism the upper hand compared to utilizing science and facts to achieve effectiveness. He explained that while science is naturally important for building knowledge and presenting facts, a human audience might respond better to the humanity within art.

“Science and facts can sometimes fall short when you are attempting to access people’s hearts,” Galloway said. “That is the place where art can be a powerful force.”

Thus, among the most effective examples of activism art pieces are ones that make its audience feel something profound and encourage them to take action. If their work sparks action, then the artist achieved what Martinez described as the goal of an activism artist.

However, Galloway explained that another challenge to the effectiveness of activism art involves the artist’s sensitivity to the points of view and realities of those who might consume it.

“Art that only speaks to those who already agree with its message is limited,” Galloway said. “You need to find a way of connecting with and accessing those who oppose your point of view.”

So, Galloway said artists must not only be incredibly informed and compassionate, but also willing to shift their points of view to address misinterpretation or the potential exploitation of vulnerable populations.

“You need to be aware of your place in the conversation,” Galloway said. “For instance, if you are creating artwork on racial justice, your racial identity and experience will matter in the artwork you are making. An acknowledgment and sensitivity to this identity is important.”

Fostering such awareness can be difficult, but Galloway explained it is necessary to an activism artist. Whether it is necessary for all artists is more or less up in the air.

While many might believe that it is an artist’s duty to create activism art, Martinez and Galloway said it is up to the artist whether they want to use their talents for activism.

“Science and facts can sometimes fall short when you are attempting to access people’s hearts. That is the place where art can be a powerful force.”

– Neal Galloway, Lecturer in NAU’s school of Art “Artists can use their platform to do anything or nothing, it’s their choice,” Martinez said.

Galloway said he thinks what an artist does with their skill and platform depends on their personal convictions and intentions. He explained that one of his professors said that every

person must find the intersection of their talents and the needs of the world.

“Art is an amazing way to speak up and you could argue that if your skills lie with art-making, you have a social or moral obligation to use those skills to better the world,” Galloway said.

“Of course, art is not the only way to make a difference.”

Additionally, Galloway explained that it is also more than acceptable for an artist to use art in whatever way they want, whether that be personal therapy, as an educational tool, as meditation or for activism.

For artists who intend to use their skill and platform for activism, there are resources available through The Center for Artistic Activism. According to the organization’s website, it aims to transform the practices of art and activism by using the best of each in order to bring about social change. Now, the organization is helping activism artists by funding political and COVID-19 related projects. Resources for artists can be found here.

As the world faces social, political and environmental tensions throughout 2020, activism will exist in many shapes, sizes and mediums. Professionals insist art has the power to move audiences to make a difference.

Photo Illustration By Jack Mehl

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020| THE LUMBERJACK

15

FEATURES

Vote and stay woke: How students can stay politically active Olivia Charlson

A

ctivism and calls for political change have been on the rise all summer. Movements like Black Lives Matter and the upcoming presidential election have been a spark that has lit younger generations on fire, and many believe that fire must keep being fed.

According to The Washington Post, activism can suffer when the movement begins to fizzle out, so everyone needs to take responsibility and stay as aware as they possibly can. That way, a student’s political flame is not doused by the stress of the pandemic and school. Even though a connection has been lost through online socialization due to COVID-19, there are many clubs, services and events that are welcoming students with open arms.

NAU has many resources for students to add to their college experience, cultivate their beliefs and figure out how they really feel about growing issues. Many believe that the best way to do that is to look toward the surrounding community.

The NAU Votes Coalition is a collection of faculty and students who work to make student voter registration easy and accessible. The coalition tries to get students to be as politically active as possible by pouring effort into student voter registration and educating students with activities. For example, members are organizing an online event to familiarize students with ballots and propositions, which takes place on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. Another event is a Constitution Day panel on voter suppression from noon to 1 p.m. on Sept. 17, with activities to follow like Bill of Rights virtual bingo.

Leah Mundell is a lecturer of anthropology and the chair for the NAU Votes Coalition. Mundell described the program as a campus-wide effort to increase voter registration and engagement.

Mundell said the coalition is working on many events and ways for students to register to vote. They have been contacting professors to arrange in-classroom presentations where students can register. The coalition is also making virtual adjustments like setting up voter registration in the NAUgo app and LOUIE. Mundell said they have already seen hundreds of registrations come through digitally and although face-to-face contact is important for some to make a connection, it is also crucial to make the voter registration process easy for students.

Students could make a huge political impact, not just within the upcoming presidential election, Mundell said. If students register to vote in Coconino County, they can have a significant effect on state-level officials because the county is such a competitive district, she explained.

“I think that registering to vote as a student sets in place a habit of voting,” Mundell said. “I think this is an incredible right and responsibility that we have that we take for granted. Getting established as a voter sets you on that path of learning how to navigate the civic process and not being overwhelmed by it.”

Students often say they don’t know enough to vote or don’t feel invested enough to vote, Mundell said. She explained that organizations and even religious institutions are adapting to online communication and there is no reason students should have to feel like they are taking risks to be involved.

16

Mundell said looking at the map of voter turnout in Flagstaff shows the precincts with the lowest number of people who participate are dominated by students, low-income households and minority neighborhoods. She said she thinks it is so important for student and underrepresented voices to be heard and NAU Votes Coalition is going to make sure no one is being left out due to a digital divide.

Kyle Nitschke is the organizing director of the Arizona Students Association on campus and works closely with Mundell on student voter registration efforts. Nitschke said with the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of the work has been figuring out how to register voters online. He said they ran into a few problems at first, but after months of planning, they were able to implement push notifications to encourage students to register with the NAUgo app.

Nitschke also stressed the importance of registering to vote as soon as possible and the impacts it can have locally. He said Flagstaff has promising propositions on the ballot this year that could be interesting to students regarding recreational marijuana and education funds. Nitschke described Arizona as a battleground state for the presidential election and said everything someone votes on now is going to matter in November.

“Voting is just the very first step that you can take in getting involved in a larger organization and figuring out what is really going on in your country,” Nitschke said. “Voting is the first step and kind of the first line of defense or action that you can take to make change.”

Voting is a leap in the right direction and politically educating oneself is the necessary stride toward political competence, Nitschke explained. Even while socially isolating, most of NAU’s clubs and services are operating online.

Nitschke said that no matter what, there are ways to get involved or start something. He explained that organizations like the NAU Young Democrats and the American Student Association have been around for decades and are valuable student-led programs.

“I know it’s been really tough for our clubs to do recruitment this semester,” Nitschke said. “So, please go check them out on True Blue Connects. You can find something that you’re interested in. There’s a club for you here on campus and there are people organizing events around things that you are interested in.”

There are a variety of clubs students can join to stay in the loop.

Clubs like the Civic Engagement Club, NAU College Republicans, the Black Student Union and the Associated Students for Intersectional

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

Feminism are all options for students to get involved.

A notable example of how students can both stay informed and dive into a specific interest is with the Green Jacks collective.

Junior Justin Coakley is a member of the NAU Green Jacks. Coakley described the club as a group of environmentally conscious students who get together and brainstorm ideas on how to make the campus a better and more sustainable place for NAU students.

Coakley said the club tries to change some policies at NAU and show individuals how they can make a difference on the environment themselves by not using single-use plastics, eating less meat and walking instead of driving.

Students can still participate in clubs like Green Jacks and practice being environmentally conscious, even through the pandemic. Coakley said people obviously cannot stop using hand sanitizer and soap, but there is no reason not to buy eco-friendly soap. The Green Jacks promote such ideas throughout campus and students just need to share a love of the environment in order to feel included.

“There is a more left-lean in the club, and even though we aren’t officially bipartisan, I would encourage conservatives, liberals, pretty much anybody to join,” Coakley said. “We’re welcoming of all people as long as you want to help out the environment.”

Although they may not be apparently obvious at first, there are a lot of efforts in place to make sure students can still join communities where they fit in and have their voices heard over the blaring siren of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This semester may bring challenges but students can still join clubs, go to events and even go the extra mile to sign up to be paid poll workers for the upcoming election. Students can find resources to help at True Blue Connects and attend events hosted by the NAU Votes Coalition.

Illustration By Aleah Green

CULTURE

A real-life superhero Cameron Richardson

Revisiting Far Cry 4 during quarantine

B

ack in March when the World Health Organization first declared COVID-19 a pandemic, I found myself with a lot of free time on my hands. As the months passed by, I began to get bored of the video games I had consistently played, such as MLB: The Show, Minecraft and Call of Duty. Then, on July 12, the first trailer for Far Cry 6 was released, which reinvigorated my enthusiasm to revisit one of my all-time favorite games, Far Cry 4.

For those of you unfamiliar with Far Cry 4, the sixth installment of the video game series is played from the perspective of Ajay Ghale, who is a Kyrat-American that SEBASTIAN fled with his mother to the United States to MOORE escape the villain of the story, Pagan Min. SENIOR SPORTS Ajay’s father, Mohan Ghale, founded the REPORTER Golden Path, the fictional rebel resistance fighters who are at war with Min’s forces to liberate the country from his dictatorship. Kyrat is located in the Himalayan region and while it incorporates real-world elements, the country, storyline and settings are fictional.

Ajay is forced to finish what his father started and liberate Kyrat in order to spread his mother’s ashes at Lakshmana deep within Min’s territory. The Golden Path is led by Amita and Sabal, and the missions the player undertakes determine who the commander of the Golden Path will be. Throughout the missions, Ajay is given choices that alter the outcome of the story. There is no real spoiler to the storyline. Each player must determine their own path, whether that be after 15 minutes or 30 hours of playing time.

As of the time I am writing this article, I completed 84.81% of the game over a period of 28 hours and 20 minutes of playing time. Needless to say, these numbers support how much I personally enjoy the game. The campaign missions are the heart of the story, obviously, but the game itself is a free-roam experience. Aside from the thrilling campaign missions, there are several side missions that need to be accomplished. There are hundreds of hidden Masks of Yalung, Propaganda Posters and Mani Wheels that take the player to each corner of the map. The Shangri-La experience transports the player to a mystical location to defeat the demonic force, Rakshasa.

I highly recommend this game to anyone who wants to get lost in a free-roam world. The game was released in 2014, so of course there are some missing game mechanics that are present in more recent titles. Even as the highly anticipated release date of Far Cry 6 approaches, Far Cry 4 will go down as one of the most engaging and exhilarating games of the 2010s.

T

wo horrible days in this awful year— Jan. 26 and Aug. 28 — that will never leave the memories of people who follow the entertainment world. The world has now lost two Black kings in 2020 with Kobe Bryant’s death, and just a few weeks ago, the shocking announcement of Chadwick Boseman’s death due to colon cancer.

Throughout his film career, Boseman portrayed Black icons, such as musician James Brown in “Get on Up” and former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall.”

Boseman’s breakout performance came in 2013 with his portrayal of Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer Jackie Robinson in “42.” It would be the true introduction to an actor who would go on to achieve one of the greatest feats for a Black actor in film.

With many iconic roles under his belt, it only made sense that Marvel Studios would cast Boseman as T’Challa, better known as Black Panther. When Black Panther first made his debut in “Captain America: Civil War,” audiences knew they were in for something

special.

“Black Panther” became a solo film in 2018, instantly receiving worldwide acclaim and marking the first time the Black community could enjoy an all-Black cast in a major comic book superhero film.

An actor who portrayed Black icons from the past would become his own icon, as the film grossed over $1 billion and gave Black youth around the world someone they could look up to for years to come within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Boseman’s death broke the hearts of millions across the world. When it was announced, it felt as though hope had been lost. However, we should remember and appreciate everything Boseman did in the four years he was battling colon cancer.

The late Stuart Scott said, “When you die, that does not mean you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and the manner in which you live.” No one embodied these words better than Boseman.

He put smiles on everyone’s faces and entertained millions while fighting cancer. There is nothing more honorable or inspiring than that. Chadwick Boseman was a superhero.

Rest in peace, king

Illustration By Aleah Green

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020| THE LUMBERJACK

17

CULTURE

Strengthening feminist student voices jorja Heinkel

I

n this year of turmoil and change, the Associated Students for Intersectional Feminism (ASIF) fight for equality, just as they have since the organization’s founding in 1932.

As the 2019 winner of NAU’s Diversity and Equity Award, ASIF has been recognized for community-impacting events like Riot Fest, an arts and music festival that raises money for a local domestic violence shelter. In addition to fundraising, ASIF provides free counseling, tampons and pads, a feminist library and an inclusive community.

This year, COVID-19 forced ASIF to make changes, but the club still brings positivity and inclusion to NAU. With meetings every other Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m., the club is staying connected and strong. Senior Abigail Paternina, president of ASIF, said the club’s purpose remains the same, even in the era of COVID-19.

“The purpose of this club is to educate and empower members of the NAU community to speak up about social injustice and gender inequality,” Paternina said. “We have a lot of fun and relevant topics coming up, and it’s crucial that now more than ever we stay united and active in our community.”

The club is considering hosting events via Zoom, such as movie streaming, baking parties and socially distanced picnics to stay united in a safe way.

Despite the changes of this year, Paternina said ASIF wants to make events as fun and comfortable as possible for members. The club is a community and is family-driven by helping members in whatever way possible, she said.

That sense of community was very strong at ASIF’s first meeting of 2020, hosted through Zoom. Positivity radiated off the returning and new members of the club.

Freshman Cheyenne Holloway said she joined ASIF to talk about her passions and take part in activities to help others.

“I’ve always been interested in learning, participating in and helping others with issues like the patriarchy, women’s reproductive rights and mental health,” Holloway said. “This club piqued my interest since it included these aspects and seemed like an open-minded space to freely discuss these topics without judgment.”

Conversations during the first meeting ranged from the definition of intersectional feminism to controversy around the color pink, along with ideas of body positivity and self-acceptance.

Throughout the meeting, leaders and returning members of ASIF explained that club meetings are a safe place to share experiences and thoughts, and to learn and grow among accepting minds.

Junior ASIF member Megen Schachter has been a part of the club since she was a freshman. As a woman, Schachter said ASIF has enabled her to build a supportive community and feel comfortable in herself.

“As a feminist, this club has educated me so much,” Schachter said. “There were so many issues I never thought about or things I could be more sensitive to. This club really helped give me perspective, and every time we meet, I feel like I learn something new and important I can take with me into my own activism, and

18

even into my classrooms as a future teacher.”

At its roots, ASIF is an educational club that strives to educate and empower while introducing members to relevant discussions and prepare them with truth, Paternina said. In all the chaos that is 2020, Paternina said she knows ASIF has important work to do.

The club has meetings scheduled around important topics in today’s world, such as the Black Lives Matter movement and how COVID-19 disproportionately impacts People of Color.

“We have a platform and we intend to use it to educate people on how they can be an ally to the movement,” Paternina said. “We plan to show how they can pay reparations and help people in need through petitions and GoFundMe fundraisers, and how to navigate difficult conversations about race and inequality with ignorant family members.”

Paternina said she plans to continue education and activism throughout the year and is looking forward to a virtual Riot Fest in spring. She said people are free and safe to share their art with other people motivated in resisting institutional oppression at the festival.

Members of the club are encouraged to participate in the arts and music festival or just attend and enjoy the expression and accepting environment.

Schachter said that ASIF as a whole is an opportunity to express oneself and grow together.

Even if someone is afraid of speaking their thoughts, Schachter said their club is open to hearing anyone out. Their club represents a way to do something for the community in a safe space where everyone can feel comfortable.

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

“We have a platform and we intend to use it to educate people on how they can be an ally to the movement.”

– Abigail Paternina, Asif president

Illustration By Aleah Green

CULTURE

NAU Young Democrats after the College Demomcratic Convention in February at ASU. Courtesy photo of Sam Manning| The Lumberjack

Young Democrats share their voices at NAU Lisa Hall

W

hile scrolling through Twitter or Instagram, people may find themselves bombarded with an abundance of opinions or news about the current political climate. It can be confusing or upsetting and a lot to take in and understand.

With an upcoming election, citizens have the opportunity to vote and use their voice to stand up for what they believe in. There are many ways to get involved and make a difference at NAU. The NAU Young Democrats are active members of the political community in Flagstaff, using their voices to speak about relevant issues.

The club was at the forefront of the #RitaResign coalition which consisted of protests regarding the undocuented spending of presidential travel funds. Sophomore Sam Manning is the director of graphics for the organization and said it has united with other clubs on campus to write a letter to NAU President Rita Cheng and the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR).

Along with being politically active on campus, the club has been given opportunities to use its voice on a larger scale. Members attend biannual conventions for the Young Democrats of Arizona, as well as conventions for the Arizona Democratic Party.

“With this club I have had amazing opportunities to attend events across the state, including meeting local and federal politicians, working with the Northern Navajo Nation Fair with congressmember Tom O’Halleran, lead numerous protests and attend the College Democrats of America Convention in Tempe, Arizona,” Manning said.

The Young Democrats encourages students to register to vote. It holds voter registration drives each year, registering over 500 students last year, Manning said. Having this kind of club at NAU encourages students to be informed and get involved, Manning said.

President of the Young Democrats, junior Collin Gunn, said politics impact every aspect of life and speaking up about important issues

is crucial because people’s voices can help influence legislation and change the world.

Gunn said he has used his voice to demand accountability from those in positions of power in both legislative and university settings.

For those wanting to be more involved in the community or be more politically active, Young Democrats may be the right fit. One can reach out to the club members via Instagram or Twitter.

Gunn said this club helped him discover his career path and the importance of political engagement.

“This club represents hope and possibility,” Gunn said. “It is absolutely amazing seeing what the members of the club can accomplish. Seeing the dedication and passion of our club members fills me with hope for our future.”

Tackling issues that are personally important to members is taken into consideration within the club as well. Junior vice president Makanakai Simson said that creating diversity within the club and on campus is an important matter to

him. He said the organization has reached out to other organizations on campus like the Black Student Union to help promote and create more diversity.

Being the voice for the voiceless is a significant part of why Simson said he is politically involved and an active member in the club.

“I remember when I was younger, I was bullied because I had a learning disability and for the color of my skin,” Simson said. “They said to me that I would never matter, and my voice would never matter as well. Now, I want to continue fighting for the voiceless to have a voice in their government.”

The NAU Young Democrats is one of many clubs on campus that can provide a variety of opportunities for students. Becoming a member of a club may help guide and lead the way to success in political activeness. Using a person’s voice gives them the opportunity to speak out and make a difference.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020| THE LUMBERJACK

19

CULTURE

NAU students participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative March on Jan. 20. Sharon Holtaway | The Lumberjack

Students speak out for change sophia salazar

A

s this year has been filled with events that shook the world, many found themselves speaking out in order for people to hear what they believe in. Even in local communities, many have taken advantage to speak their minds.

Sophomore Noah Brown gave his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. As the movement progressed, Brown said he has signed multiple petitions and donated to various organizations.

“I think it’s a very vital and important movement,” Brown said. “I haven’t gone to any protests yet, unfortunately. My parents are very susceptible to COVID-19, so I’ve had to stay mostly online with my activism.”

While the public watched what happened to George Floyd and other Black citizens, many began to speak up about what they were seeing.

Camille La Dell, an NAU alumna and former member of the Black Student Union executive board, said she believes the BLM movement not only covers police brutality, but environmental, educational and medical racism.

“Most people associate the Black Lives Matter movement with racism in policing, rightfully so,” La Dell said via email.

“However, policing is not the only racist system in our country to which people should be discussing Black Lives Matter. For example, environmental racism can be seen in the lack of healthy and sustainable nutritional options in low-income communities of color.”

20

La Dell also said she has seen medical racism in the disproportionate amounts of childbirth mortality in Black women and other communities of women.

For La Dell, using her voice has helped her spread awareness to the realities of Black communities in places where most people try to ignore the topic of race. She said she does not let subtly racist or prejudiced comments pass her by with no repercussions.

Junior Montrell Gantt recalled when the BLM movement was founded, as well as his participation in the movement.

“I was 13 years old when Black Lives Matter started trending as a hashtag in response to George Zimmerman being acquitted in Trayvon Martin’s murder,” Gantt said.

Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical technician, was shot eight times by Louisville Metro Police Department officers on March 13. Taylor was sleeping when the officers entered the apartment with a no-knock search warrant. Taylor was pronounced dead on the scene.

Freshman Kolby Nelson said he has “joined others in lining the streets of [his] town with signs, demanding justice for social changes to happen,” shared his thoughts on Breonna Taylor’s death.

“The fact that our justice system has failed to charge the killers of Breonna Taylor is appalling and is not at all OK,” Nelson said via email. “The fact that Elijah McClain’s killers were cleared of wrongdoing shows the preference our justice system has for law enforcement and white people in general.”

Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, was walking home when Aurora (Colorado) Police Department officers detained

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

him. McClain was held in a chokehold and was later injected with ketamine by paramedics. The incident resulted in his death.

Gantt said he has signed petitions for Elijah McClain’s case to be reopened and petitions for Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. He said he has been involved because as a Black man, equality hits home for him.

Freshman Charlie Dors expressed her thoughts on how students can help advance the BLM movement.

Dors said people should be open to starting a dialogue. Even though she is white, she said all people must be open to discussing what is happening in society.

“It’s uncomfortable,” Dors said. “It’s scary. It hurts to talk about, but the thing is Black, Indigenous and people of color deal with that every day. They live that truth every single day and the fact that some people can’t handle those conversations is ridiculous when they are the people that uphold the system.”

Dors also said that NAU students can get involved with the BLM movement by reading books and watching movies that are produced by Black creators. One can also help by buying essential products from Black-owned businesses and donate to nonprofits who serve BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color).

Getting involved by going to protests, and having conversations with family and friends can advance the movement in the right direction.

There are many ways to publicly voice thoughts and opinions.

With so many ways to have voices heard, it is easier than ever to get involved to support a political cause.

CULTURE

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020| THE LUMBERJACK

21

SPORTS

Enough is enough

F

ollowing a remarkable performance in Game 6 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray broke down in tears during his post-game interview. Not just because of keeping his team alive in the playoffs, but because of the ongoing police brutality that continues in the United States.

While the NBA Playoffs were in full swing, Jacob Blake, a Black man, was senselessly shot seven times in the back by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin even though he did not pose an immediate threat. I believ the shooting occurred because the cops used racial bias and assumed that Blake would become violent because he is a Black man.

The Black Lives Matter movement, CAMERON although this doesn’t need to be explained RICHARDSON ASSISTANT SPORTS anymore, is not anti-white or anti-police.

EDITOR The movement spreads awareness that Black people in the United States are being brutalized or murdered by police at an alarming rate. How many times on the news in the last few years do we hear about Black people and their unfortunate run-ins with the police? Too many.

It’s not just being pulled over in a car. Black people can’t even sleep in their beds without threat of being killed by police like Breonna Taylor was.

Now that Black athletes want to speak up in support of racial justice, people are continuing to tell them to “shut up and dribble” or “stick to sports.” No more.

Today, we are only seen as sources of entertainment, we are the professional athletes, the singers, the actors, the dancers. Any form of entertainment you can think of, we are the majority.

But when it is time like these where our voices need to be heard because we are sick and tired of constantly being second-class citizens, we are told to not get involved and continue providing entertainment.

There is nothing more privileged than saying that you use entertainment to escape from reality’s horrors. Do you know why? Because Black people have to live out these horrors and live in fear on a daily basis because of the tone of their skin.

I have never had any negative interactions with police, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get nervous whenever I see a Flagstaff Police Department car pass by me when I’m walking outside. It’s that instinctual fear as to why I can’t respect people who need Black people to escape from the world.

We aren’t just entertainers, we are people as well. Our voices mean just as much as anyone else’s.

Now is the time to take a step back and actually listen to us. We know you hear us because you want to denounce us, but you aren’t actually listening. All Black people want is to be seen as equals and not be stereotyped or have police judge us because of the color of our skin.

Now’s the time for you to join the Black community and say one important phrase — enough is enough.

22

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

NAU athletes and the Black Lives Matter movement jacob terrill

T

he world is changing day by day before society’s very eyes.

Although, to enact change there must be indivudauls that speak out and stand up for what they believe in. The harsh truth that racism still lives in this world has been exposed. With all the examples of social injustice people see on social media and other platforms, it is hard to not accept there is an issue that must be addressed in the United States.

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has become a hot topic both on social media and in the country’s current events, which was sparked on May 25 when police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on 46-year-old George Floyd’s neck, ultimately leading to his death.

Since then, the BLM movement has been protesting in the streets, asking the world for equality and providing perspective of what Black people face in this country.

After the incident, athletic organizations have become a key catalyst within the movement. The NBA and WNBA have taken it on themselves to be the voice for the movement, as players in both leagues have participated in some of the protests and spoke out during postgame press-conferences and interviews.

The reason this has become such a prominent issue in the NBA is because of the significant representation of Black athletes in the league. According to interbasket.net, 81.1% of the NBA is Black as of 2020.

To NAU sophomore volleyball player Neche Newton, sports are a massive platform that can get the attention of many different people in the U.S., even though it might not please everyone.

“They know that a lot of people are watching,” Newton said. “It is going to make some people angry because they want to just watch their sports.”

NAU senior volleyball player Heaven Harris said that the movement’s relationship to sports is beyond what goes on between the lines. It is the idea that all players can feel equality outside of sports as well.

“This is more than sports. It’s more than athletics,” Harris said. “What matters is that [the players] want to just feel equal in what they are doing.”

Joseph Paige and James Chevious stand with a poster reading “United We Stand” before the march January 16, 2017. Micheal Patacsil| The Lumberjack

SPORTS Portrait of junior Heaven Harris of NAU Women’s Volleyball at Rolle Activity Center Oct. 7, 2019. Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

Athletes want to feel like the program they are playing and putting their bodies on the line for care about them beyond the stat sheet. They want to feel like they are treated as human first and to have the players and coaches stand with them. This is true for NAU graduate and former football player Brenndan Johnson.

“The most important thing to me would be having unity and standing with me,” Johnson said. “At times you feel like a second-class citizen and I want to know I came to a program where I am not just seen as a football player, but as a student-athlete and guy that they care about and love. Honestly I think that [NAU head coach Chris Ball] has done that.”

“This is more than sports. It’s more than athletics. What matters is that [the players] want to just feel equal in what they are doing.”

– Nau Senior Volleyball player Heaven Harris The first step in solving a problem is to acknowledge that there is one. To understand that even though some might not witness or experience the pain, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. In this situation, not experiencing it can come from living in a place where diversity isn’t as high or just ignoring the issue altogether.

To understand the issues more is to become more educated on what injustices Black people face in this country and have for centuries.

“Education is so important because in your 10th-grade history class, you’re not going to learn about the red-lining, disenfranchising or systematic oppression because it doesn’t get taught,” NAU graduate student and football player Tristen Vance said. “So I feel like a commitment to educating people on the missing parts of history is big.”

Even with all the online exposure, Newton and Harris said they don’t believe that the

movement has made much progress. It is good that the world is talking about it, but after the shooting of Jacob Blake on Aug. 23, they feel the world is at a standstill.

One of the main notions for BLM is that it is not a political issue. It has nothing to do with the right or left-wing political parties.

“It is not politics or what you think politics is,” Newton said. “It is completely and solely a human rights thing.”

With athletics using their platform to push the BLM movement, that helps promote change.

It just takes an open mind and a willingness to listen.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020| THE LUMBERJACK

23

24

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG