Ethos | Winter 2024 by Emerald Media Group

Winter 2024 | Vol 17 | Issue 2

Bold and Unsilenced Union-Strong Strippers Set a New Precedent

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Letter From the Editor

thos returned to campus this fall! On campus, we kicked-off the term with a collage-making session in which we created Ethos vision boards and cultivated community with one another. Our vision boards represented the different perspectives present in our publication and its dynamic nature. Ethos is what we conceptualize it to be, changing with its staff and the stories it tells. But our publication’s mission to elevate the voices of marginalized people remains at its core. Our mission is present in this issue of Ethos. You’ll find stories in this issue about topics ranging from access to healthcare, youth homelessness, unionization in the adult entertainment industry, addiction and more. Some of these stories –– like Alex Hernandez’s photo story about the University of Oregon Fandangueros –– connect to campus, while others –– like Ellie Graham’s cover story about union-strong strippers –– expand beyond Eugene. In “Bold and Unsilenced,” Graham discusses the intricacies of unionization in the adult entertainment industry. Graham features the voices of those within the industry who hold various opinions about unionization, coming at a time when student workers at our own university recently voted to unionize.

Bringing us back to our own community, Maya McLeroy examines the closure of PeaceHealth University District in “Over the River, Into Springfield, To the Emergency Room We Go.” McLeroy –– in her first piece for Ethos –– explores the closure’s impact on healthcare workers and community members, particularly on community members’ access to mental health services. Lily Reese explores an alternative mental health service in “Embracing Change.” Reese –– also in her first piece for Ethos –– discusses psilocybin treatment following the passage of Oregon Measure 109 and highlights those who have utilized such treatment. This story, along with the others in this issue, not only examine problems facing our community but solutions to these problems. While the stories in this issue take us in and out of Eugene, they are all human-focused and connected to our mission. I hope you connect to them and see yourself in Ethos. Thank you for reading.

Ethos Editor-in-Chief Maris Toalson

Our Mission

thos is a nationally recognized, award-winning independent student publication. Our mission is to elevate the voices of marginalized people who are underrepresented in the media landscape and to write in-depth, human-focused stories about the issues affecting them. We also strive to support our diverse student staff and to help them find future success. Ethos is part of Emerald Media Group, a non-profit organization that’s fully independent of the University of Oregon. Students maintain complete editorial control over Ethos and work tirelessly to produce the magazine.

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“CAHOOTS brings our sick and struggling patients to the University District Hospital 24/7,” says Chelsea Swift, a first responder crisis counselor for CAHOOTS.

Email editor@ethosmagonline.com with comments, questions and story ideas. You can find our past issues at issuu.com/ethosmag and more stories, including multimedia content, at ethosmagonline.com.

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Table of Contents

Over The River, Into Springfield, To The Emergency Room We Go

PeaceHealth’s recent closure of its University District hospital has left Eugene without nurses and crisis

Bold and Unsilenced —

Union-Strong Strippers Set a New Precedent

One Portland strip club has been recognized as the second venue to

responders and community members

unionize in the U.S. following efforts to

wondering where to go.

combat unsafe working conditions and alleged harassment.

Magnifying the Issue of Youth Homelessness

Amidst a housing crisis and rent strikes, Looking Glass New Roads provides homeless youth housing through renters in Lane County.

Addiction at Home It’s easy to look at addiction through a scope, all numbers and statistics. Diving deeper into the individual stories

help

society

see

these

individuals in a more humane way,

University of Oregon Fandangueros

Bring

making the issue hit closer to home. Traditional

Mexican Music to Campus

The recently-founded student mariachi provides

alternative

other

musical groups on campus, welcoming musicians and would-be musicians to play music representative of Eugene

Embracing Change:

Exploring Alternative Psilocybin Treatments in Eugene

A personal journey, legal challenges and the quest for inner healing in Eugene.

and the UO’s Mexican and Hispanic populations.

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Staff List Editorial

Design

Photography

Editor-in-Chief

Design Editor

Photo Editors

Maris Toalson

Sydney Johnson

Ayla Rivera Violet Turner

Social Media Manager

Designers

Maggie Delaney

Kayla Chang

Photographers

Mia Pippert

Shane Balian

Abigail Raike

Mary Grosswendt

Writing Associate Editors Bentley Freeman

Illustration

Nate Wilson

Art Director Maya Merrill

Writers

Alex Hernandez Paris Snider

Fact Checking Fact-Checking Editor

Missy Appel

Illustrators

Mirandah Davis-Powell

Bee Baumstark

Ellie Graham

Aiko Gaudreault

Fact-Checkers

Millicent Hopkinson

Kaia Mikulka

Aaron Drummond

Alice Kay Manchester

Mia Pippert

Talia James

Maya McLeroy

Ellyce Whiteman

Aedan Seaver

Elena Nenadic

Lily Reese Emily Rogers

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OVER THE RIVER, INTO SPRINGFIELD, TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM WE GO PeaceHealth’s recent closure of its University District hospital has left Eugene without nurses and crisis responders, and community members wondering where to go. Written by Maya McLeroy | Photographed by Mary Grosswendt and Ayla Rivera | Illustrated and Designed by Abigail Raike

n Dec. 1, 2023, the beat of PeaceHealth’s University District emergency department came to a halt. The tan, reflective complex that overshadows much of 13th Avenue is now empty, aside from the behavioral health unit, which will remain open. There is no longer a hospital in Eugene, Oregon. PeaceHealth announced the closure of University District in August 2023. In a statement from Mayor Lucy Vinis, she revealed the City of Eugene “was not consulted in advance” of the announcement. Regarding the closure, Vinis wrote, “It’s one more terrible message that our healthcare system is broken.” With a population of about 175,000 people, Eugene now must send people in need of medical treatment to Springfield. Healthcare options in Springfield include PeaceHealth

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Sacred Heart Medical Center RiverBend, where most people are expected to go, and McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center. What lies between University District and RiverBend? The Willamette River, questions of access and 5.8 miles which — in an emergency — could cost lives. To get from University District to RiverBend via car requires taking a bridge over the Willamette, merging onto Interstate 105, turning onto Pioneer Parkway and finally onto Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. Only then will you approach a tree-lined road leading to a hospital promising better care and expected wait times of 12 to 14 hours, a number relayed from CAHOOTS responders via their Communications Specialist Keaton Sunchild.

On Oct. 13, nurses and community members held a “DieIn” protest outside of University District’s doors. About 75 protestors — some covered in trash bags to resemble body bags — laid on the ground for 15 minutes, the amount of time it would take an ambulance to reach RiverBend. While protestors were strewn across the pavement, speakers took turns expressing their feelings about the closure. Their voices mixed with passing cars honking their horns in support. Whereas RiverBend opened in 2008, University District began as Pacific Christian Hospital in 1924. Since then, the hospital has changed leadership and ministries; expanded some buildings while tearing down others; and cleared paths where students can be seen walking to class with backpacks, guitar cases and lacrosse bags slung across their shoulders. Kevyn Paul started at University District as a receptionist in 1988, where she remembers the community feeling very close-knit and like a family. Now, as an ER nurse and an Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) member leader, she is dealing with the loss of

As the hospital closed on Dec. 1, 2023, signs are posted around the building to inform citizens. In August, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center announced its University District Hospital closure, leaving Eugene without a hospital.

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“PeaceHealth’s mission is to provide healthcare to people in need, not to have the most profitable hosptals around.” this part of her life. Looking back on the past 35 years working at University District, she says, “It’s been my second home.” As of Nov. 14, ER nurses like Paul were bidding for jobs to take when they transfer to RiverBend. Nurses in the inpatient medical cohort had recently been laid off, but they were included in the bidding process to start completely new positions at RiverBend. “[The bidding process] is complicated, and there are a lot of rules and anxiety around it,” Paul says. “People don’t know if they’re going to get the same type of position that they’ve had for the last five years that works with their life. You know how life can revolve around work.” The closure of University District disrupts the rhythm and routine of all of the workers who have kept it running. Throughout our interview, part of Paul’s attention was understandably fixated on bidding updates coming through her Microsoft Teams. Most of the staff members at University District have chosen to transfer to RiverBend or another PeaceHealth location, according to Alicia Beymer, chief administrative officer for University District and RiverBend. “It’s a very complex transition for sure. Part of it is financial,” Beymer says. PeaceHealth claims University District was losing $2 million monthly amidst a dwindling number of ER patients. At the same time, RiverBend has been described as one of the most profitable hospitals in the United States, according to KEZI. “PeaceHealth’s mission is to provide healthcare to people in need, not to have the most profitable hospitals around,” says Kevin Mealy, ONA’s communications manager. “I think if the goal was to serve the most people in need, they’d expand services at University District, instead of expanding them to the wealthier hospital.” From working at University District for the past 35 years, Paul has seen firsthand the ER regulars, and how their income compares to those visiting RiverBend. “We’ve often called ourselves the Mission Hospital because we are the ones who carry out the

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On Oct. 13, community members gathered to protest the closure of the PeaceHealth University District hospital. The closure leaves PeaceHealth RiverBend hospital in Spring field as the closest emergency room for Eugene residents.

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PeaceHealth mission. We do see a disproportionate amount of uninsured or underinsured people,” she says. Another community University District has historically served are those struggling with mental health crises. With the closure of the ER, University District is putting all of their mental health resources into the behavioral health unit –– which was expanded in 2014. The unit will remain open for the foreseeable future, and PeaceHealth also plans to build a new rehabilitation center. “I think we haven’t been a traditional hospital since the opening of RiverBend,” Beymer says. “Starting in 2008, when we kept University District open, it really was to be able to retain behavioral health services and the inpatient rehab. We’ve found other pathways to do that as well.” Services like CAHOOTS also address mental health. CAHOOTS depended on University District’s ER to help those experiencing mental health crises, drug overdoses or suicidal ideation. Many CAHOOTS jobs involve transportation to psychological evaluation centers and treatment centers for drugs or alcohol — but in most cases — to hospitals. “We’re taking people to RiverBend in Springfield; that’s a lot of extra driving. Sometimes for people, every minute counts… And then they make it to RiverBend, and a crowded waiting room is a stress-inducing factor all on its own,” says Sunchild. The waiting room at University District once served as a place for people to gather and collect themselves, according to Sunchild. This is no longer an option.

The City of Eugene can be described in many different ways. Some believe it’s “one of the most livable communities in America.” For others, it’s a college town painted in yellow and green. Others may remember in 2019, Eugene had the highest rate of unhoused people per capita in major cities in America. Regardless of how you see it, Oregon’s second most populous city does not have a hospital. If needing to visit urgent care, members of the community can go to PeaceHealth’s recently opened location on Hilyard or BestMed Urgent Care. University of Oregon Student Health Services serves students on campus on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the case of emergency, Springfield offers PeaceHealth RiverBend or McKenzieWillamette Medical Center and an emergency department in Cottage Grove.

In an address about the closure, PeaceHealth says it is working “with careful discernment on what the next best steps are for [the Eugene] community.”

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The hospital is the largest multispecialty medical group in Eugene. In August, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center announced its University District Hospital closure, leaving Eugene without a hospital.

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Magnifying the Issue of Youth Homelessness Amidst a housing crisis and rent strikes, Looking Glass New Roads provides homeless youth housing through renters in Lane County. Written by Emily Rogers | Photographed by Shane Balian | Illustrated and Designed by Mia Pippert

ustin Folnagy’s home laid along the path of one the largest wildfires in Oregon history: the Holiday Farm Fire. Burning 173,393 acres and 768 structures, the fire swept through the McKenzie River Valley and Lane County area. Along with many others, the Holiday Farm Fire burned Folnagy’s home, leaving him –– a landlord with a passion for helping those experiencing housing insecurity –– homeless for a year. Folnagy’s property management business started in Klamath Falls, Oregon, working alongside Community Action Agency services. His rental property portfolio focused on assisting people get into housing through Catholic Charities and Lutheran Community Services and aiding homeless veterans and others who were housing insecure.

In 2020, Folnagy moved to Lane County for the area’s homey charm. In the same year, the devastating Holiday Farm Fire left Folnagy displaced, earning his food and clothing from the generous hands of Lane County residents. Eugene is still under a housing crisis, meaning there is a major shortage of affordable housing. This shortage has led to Eugene being the second most housing constrained market in the country, according to Betsy Shultz, Better Housing Together’s board president and the regional director of strategies and government affairs. “Recently, our home sales price has gone up to like $510,000, and our wages have certainly not kept pace with that,” Shultz says.

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This in turn affects the amount of those experiencing homelessness in Lane County. According to Lane County’s Homeless Management Information System, “the total number of individuals experiencing homelessness has increased by 72% in the past 5 years, from 1,641 individuals in 2018 to 2,824 individuals in 2023.” Once he was back on his feet, Folnagy decided there was only one option for his next business venture –– giving back to the community that saved him. “Quite frankly, to impact homelessness, it does take individual care, attention and resources. But the first step is housing; and that’s where I come in,” Folnagy says.

more likely to experience homelessness in adulthood,” the National Conference of State Legislators says. Looking Glass New Roads is making action towards stopping this cycle. Their housing programs are able to rapidly connect families and individuals experiencing homelessness to permanent housing with time-limited financial assistance and targeted supportive services. Unlike homeless shelters that house a wide range of people, Looking Glass New Roads focuses on homeless youth and their individual needs.

After the fire, Folnagy joined the Landlord Liaison in Klamath Falls, which is a pro-tenant organization dedicated to providing long-lasting housing solutions and good relationships between tenants and landlords. Folgany noticed many landlords wanted to get out of the Oregon rental market because of protenant laws and rent strikes. “They want to be able to have maximum profit margins, full ability to terminate a rental agreement, full ability to kick a tenant out. They’re more part of the problem than a solution,” Folnagy says. “So I bought from landlords that were trying to essentially get out of the Oregon market.” These rental properties then went to help Looking Glass New Roads, which has been dedicated to stabilizing homeless youth since 1970. Of the 72% increase in the homeless population in the past 5 years, 411 cases involved homes with children. There are many adverse effects of youth homelessness, and they often are cyclical in nature. “Children who experience homelessness are also

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Austin Folnagy photographed at his office in Eugene, Oregon.

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Looking Glass New Roads offers two programs: traditional emergency housing assistance and a developmental project. To enter either of these programs, youth must meet the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) definition of homelessness. According to HUD, there are four categories of homelessness: literally homeless, imminent risk of homelessness, homeless under other federal statutes and fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence. Only categories one and four will get youth into the Looking Glass New Roads programs. “It’s a flawed system, but that’s the system we’re working in,” says Director of Homeless and Adjudicated Youth Services Maleigha Myers. The emergency housing assistance program enables youth to move past trauma by providing a rent-free unit for two

years and case management aimed to help stabilize them. The developmental project extends that timeline because Looking Glass New Roads learned 24 months was not enough time to recover. In this program, youth are provided with the first two years rent free, then they gradually begin paying their own rent for two more years. Myers oversees both programs. Myers has been working with teens in some capacity for the past 15 years and believes in this program because it allows youth to create their own goals towards stabilization. “I think what’s different about our program is we do go above and beyond, and we don’t just hit those bare minimums in the county contract. We really go based off of what we know teenagers and young adults are going to need,” Myers says.

“The goal is we want to help these kids become productive members of society in the future, and to do that, we need to teach them problem solving.” — Maleigha Myers

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Once youth are placed in a home, Myers requires her staff

The process isn’t always glamorous. “We have a lot of kids

to keep constant communication, which involves an array

with mental health issues and kids with addiction issues.

of activities: helping the youth find their identification doc-

And sometimes when those issues take over, it can be hard

uments, clean their space, earn a GED or budget their gro-

to watch them go down that path,” Myers says. However,

ceries.

Myers uses these setbacks as learning processes for the

“The goal is we want to help these kids become productive members of society in the future, and to do that, we need to teach them problem solving,” Myers says.

youth. According to Myers, these setbacks show them the depth of life in how they may get pushed back, but it is how they recover that matters.

The landlord’s end of the process includes tailoring the

Folnagy holds this same standard when renters have bad

facilities to the renters’ needs, signing Looking Glass New

days. Having dealt with property damage or other accidents

Roads as the beginning primary lease holder and eventual-

from residents, he believes things can be replaced but peo-

ly putting the properties under the renter’s name, all while

ple cannot.

providing them with supportive services.

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Univer sit y of Ore g on Fandanguer o s Bring Traditional Mexican Music t o Campus

The recently-founded student mariachi provides an alternative to other musical groups on campus, welcoming musicians and would-be musicians to play music representative of Eugene and the UO’s Mexican and Hispanic populations. Written and Photographed by Alex Hernandez | Designed by Sydney Johnson

Marlene Fernandez stands with her harp. She has played the harp and mariachi music for three years.

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Connor Wier stands with his trumpet. Weir has played mariachi music for one year and trumpet for 13.

alking through the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance (SOMD), one might expect to hear jazz standards or classical pieces. But when the Fandangueros practice, “gritos” –– shouts or yells that typically convey emotion –– echo through the halls, accompanied by the strings and brass of mariachi music. The Fandangueros are UO’s sole mariachi group. They began practicing together in fall 2022 and had their first performances the following spring. In their most recent performance at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art’s 42nd annual Día de los Muertos celebration, the group performed with Sindy Gutiérrez and Paax K’aay Cuarteto de Cuerdas — artists from Guanajuato, Mexico. The group, which was conceptualized in the basement of Hamilton Hall, “initially started by playing music from the contemporary fandangos from the Mexican state of Veracruz…but now has expanded to playing mariachi music,” according to their Engage website. Past their basement-jam days and now an ASUO-certified organization, the Fandangueros have more opportunities to perform and receive funding from the university. 17 | ETHOS | WINTER 2024

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AnaLaura Penaloza Betancourt stands with her guitarrón. She has played mariachi music for three years and guitarrón for one.

Will Harding stands with his viola. Hardig has played mariachi music for two years and viola for nine.

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Antonio Soltero stands with his vihuela. Soltero has played vihuela and mariachi music for a year and a half.

Jason Villa, one of the co-founding members hailing from Southern California, says the SOMD teaches vital fundamentals but lacks opportunities to explore and focus on different types of music, pushing up-and-coming musicians into relatively narrow boxes.

According to the UO’s Office of the Registrar, the SOMD has 477 (2.1%) enrolled students while the university’s total enrollment is 23,202 students, with 3,371 (14.5%) identifying as Hispanic. In comparison to census data, the city of Eugene is 10.4% Hispanic or Latino.

“The reality is that most musicians — or most prospective musicians — would choose to pursue the type of music that they enjoy,” he says. “It’s here, it’s important, and it’s not getting the support it needs from the school.”

“The fact that I was able to find a friend that I could play my music with — it was the most exciting thing I could find in the music school,” Villa says. “Through doing this I have met so many, so many great people that are in the Latino community.”

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Mariachi is a fundamental part of Mexican history and culture, officially recognized by UNESCO as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage” in 2011. Mariachi ensembles can include a range of instruments, varying widely between groups. Common contemporary mariachi instruments include the guitar; vihuela, a

small five-string guitar; violin; guitarrón, an acoustic bass guitar; and trumpet, which made its appearance later in the history of mariachi. More traditional instruments include the harp and the guitarra de golpe, a five-string guitar similar to a vihuela. The Fandangueros feature almost all of these instruments.

Emily Andrade Gonzalez stands with her violin. She has played mariachi music for seven years and violin for ten.

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Danny Lemus Torres stands with his violin. He has played violin and mariachi music for two years.

The organization is made up of two groups. There are weekly meetings for both the performance group, composed ofmusicians and singers with some experience, and the “Patitos” group, featuring musicians or would-be musicians of any level who are eager to learn about and play the music. The Fandangueros plan to continue expanding, recruiting more musicians and playing at more events, according to members. 21 | ETHOS | WINTER 2024

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Bold and Unsilenced Union-Strong Strippers Set a New Precedent One Portland strip club has been recognized as the second venue to unionize in the U.S. following efforts to combat unsafe working conditions and alleged harassment. The process to unionization reflects the complex nature of employment reform emerging in the adult entertainment industry. Written by Ellie Graham | Photographed by Paris Snider | Illustrated by Bee Baumstock Designed by Kayla Chang

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mbient neon lights color an ill-lit room as stray 5s and 20s circulate — a venue where eight-inch heels and poles co-exist. While customers order drinks and observe the stage, others are led to discrete corners following brief cash transactions. Alluring employees confidently direct paying patrons to private cubicles. While the space appears to be appointed with rolling cameras, the status of strippers’ safety is not a guarantee. There’s a late-night nature to this work that in the morning may be forgotten about and erased. Despite being a $7.6 billion national industry, strippers in Oregon and California are concerned with their employment conditions, including wage theft, the safety of poles and stages in venues, benefits and harassment, according to Actors’ Equity Association, also referred to as Equity. Like several other sectors, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the systemic flaws burdening strippers, prompting a reexamination of their workplace and triggering a resurgence of unionization. The Economic Policy Institute cited the pandemic as illuminating union vitality and the power of collective action to institute reform.

and racism impact people and shape experiences within social systems such as employment, health care, education, government and policy, displaying the complexity of their fight. Since unionizing, Equity has outlined preferable terms that should be used and adopted by the mainstream to replace stigmatizing and inaccurate labels. Retiring the original terms such as exotic dancer and pole dancer is part of strippers standing up for their rights. Equity allows them to enroll with their stage name and occupation, which is either “stripper,” “dancer” or “sex worker” for those formally working in the sex trade. Beyond derogatory labels, strippers have several fundamental grievances with their working conditions, including mandatory minimum wage violations. Reports of strippers not receiving pay and garnishing a fraction of their earnings to the owners of the governing clubs are prevalent across Oregon. Moreover, strippers don’t set their own prices with customers. Prices are determined by the club owners and management.

By virtue of being categorized as “independent contractors,” strippers have also been susceptible to on-the-spot firings. The National Labor Relations Board recognized the strippers “It used to be a In concert with these efforts, one area at Magic Tavern didn’t have enough matter of some debate of employment is no exception — freedom to build their own work Portland strippers. schedules and choose their clients if strippers could — the essential components unionize, not because of Portland has been cited of being an independent as the mecca of adult contractor — yet the label the nature of their work, entertainment, earning this persists. This risk, along with but because of how label by having more strip clubs the reality of unstable income, has per capita than any other state. For inclined some to pursue alternative they’re employed.” every 11,826 residents, there’s a strip gigs. Many opt to utilize an OnlyFans — Gabriella Geselowitz club — outranking cities such Miami and Las platform where they sell adult content to Vegas. paying subscribers. Many dancers self-promote their OnlyFans network to stabilize their earning In fall 2022, dancers at the Star Garden in Los Angeles capacity –– a more apt example of independent voted on whether to unionize, followed by an election at contracting. the Magic Tavern in Portland in September 2023. All 33 dancers at the two clubs voted yes. As the first unionized clubs “It used to be a matter of some debate if strippers could in the country, strippers reclaimed their power and ability to unionize, not because of the nature of their work, but because advocate for themselves, backed by union resources. Equity, of how they’re employed,” says Gabriela Geselowitz, project a union that represents more than 51,000 actors and stage manager and senior writer at Equity. According to Equity, the managers, now represents strippers too. employer at the Los Angeles club, Star Garden, tried to make the case dancers were independent contractors, and not employees, Situated on Northwest 24th Avenue and Nicolai Street in to hamper unionization efforts. Portland, the dancers at Magic Tavern spent months organizing before the vote, from striking demonstrations in April to According to Equity, strippers have at times worked in unsafe picketing the club in June and demanding reform. Picketers environments, citing uneven flooring and unstable poles. A stood equipped with signs that read “strippers need safety now” union contract, however, will ensure stronger protections for and “strippers united will never be divided,” signaling solidarity workers and will condemn bullying and harassment, which the and rebuking poor working conditions. dancers at Magic Tavern have encountered. “[Strippers] are considering what standards should apply to their workplace, The dancers at Magic Tavern have a growing Instagram from how security guards are assigned to how they can be assured following, which dancers oversee and administrate. They cited of a properly installed pole on a safely constructed stage,” says intersectionality as a prism for illuminating how sexism, classism Geselowitz. 23 | ETHOS | WINTER 2024

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Along with Equity, the Northwest Workers’ Justice Project (NWJP) in Portland has been a resource for strip club dancers. The nonprofit organization offers legal advice, representation and education to protect the dignity of workers considered as low-wage, immigrant or contingent. They have been working with dancers for around ten years, according to the project’s director and attorney Corinna Spencer-Scheurich. Spencer-Scheurich spoke about the misclassification of strippers and how the Portland stripper strikes during the pandemic primed the efforts and conversations happening today. Reflecting on the industry as a whole, Spencer-Scheurich says, “Strip clubs can’t operate without strippers.” However, unionizing may not compel the majority of dancers due to the classification as an employee impacting the level of control, be it perceived or actual, dancers have in their respective roles, says Spencer-Scheurich. She explained dancers may perceive unionizing as reducing their workplace flexibility and potentially making their jobs less lucrative. Elle Stanger, also known as @stripperwriter on Instagram, has 14 years of stripping experience in Oregon and is a certified sex educator. While Stanger isn’t against the union movement, they clarified unionizing isn’t a onesize-fits-all solution and gave perspective to the argument of resisting formal employee status. “Often the carrot is dangled that you will get benefits and healthcare and you’ll qualify for shit because you’re an employee now. But what they don’t tell you is that you still need to have a minimum number of hours to qualify,” Stanger says. Since the requirement for employee status can vary from 30 to 35 hours per week, some dancers just miss the cut-off. Allegedly, strippers risk being left with less pay if owners distribute wages. As it stands now, dancers engage in mandatory tip-outs where a fraction of their shift earnings garnish other workers’ salaries at the venue. Dancers at some clubs are expected to pay for their station, which Stanger compared to renting a workstation at a hair salon. Shifts can range anywhere from four to nine hours, and a lap dance sits at $20 to $50 or $100 for three songs being a popular deal some venues boast. Of course, there are still downsides. “The stage fees can be exorbitant and very extortionist, which is one reason why some strippers prefer to be employees,” Stanger says, proving just how complex such categorizations are.

Looking locally, the Eugene and Springfield area harbors three strip clubs, following the recent closure of one club named Bobbi’s in October 2023. A dancer at Nile Gentlemen’s Club in Eugene, referred to by the stage name Bunny, was recently compelled to monetize her newfound fitness hobby, pole dancing, into stripping. Bunny, unlike other strippers, aligns with the independent contractor model as she has complete autonomy over her schedule. “I don’t feel like I’m working for someone else or wasting my time,” she says. While she feels empowered by dancing and getting to work for herself, adversities inevitably exist. “Going home after borderline being assaulted [at work] and having to brush it off like it was nothing” is an intimidating part of the job, according to Bunny. She linked this to inebriated clients who devolve into aggressive behavior. While Bunny feels protected by the bouncers who surveil, “there’s only so much they can see to,” she says. Despite the challenges, Bunny has no plans to leave the industry anytime soon and has aspirations to remain dancing in the coming years, hopeful of where this may take her. While the efforts in Portland haven’t spread to Eugene or other Oregon towns, unionization on a club-by-club basis remains a possibility. Nevertheless, the union model doesn’t appeal to all strippers due to the myriad benefits and drawbacks of being labeled as an employee or an independent contractor, according to NWJP and Stanger. Even so, Equity predicts the organizing efforts seen at Magic Tavern may be the template for future strippers in the industry to follow suit. Ethos Magazine contacted Magic Tavern’s owner by email and phone but did not receive a response. A statement released on the company’s Instagram account in August wrote, “Any further actions that hinder our business will be viewed as harassment and be vetted for its criminal intent or civil liability.” Organizing efforts in Portland are nascent, making it premature to forecast a statewide unionization wave. Resources are in place for union representation as demand increases, according to Equity. Community resources and the unity of dancers in the industry are what uphold safety and ensure an inclusive and equitable work environment is attainable. There’s optimism for improved working conditions anchored in stability for all strippers. Their voice is salient, and their work is here to stay. Adult entertainers are striving to transform and empower their work by building alliances with unions or leaning on community nonprofit resources. While unionizing may not suit every situation, safety should be a guarantee, regardless of whether strippers are employees or independent contractors. All people deserve a safe working environment.

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“[Strippers] are considering what standards should apply to their workplace, from how security guards are assigned to how they can be assured of a properly installed pole on a safely constructed stage.” — Gabriella Geselowitz 26 | ETHOS | WINTER 2023

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Addiction at Home It’s easy to look at addiction through a scope, all numbers and statistics. Diving deeper into the individual stories help society see these individuals in a more humane way, making the issue hit closer to home. Written by Alice Kay Manchester | Photographed by Alex Hernandez Illustrated by Aiko Gaudreault | Designed by Kayla Chang

inda and her granddaughter have an eccentric routine: using a mini shopping cart and going “‘shopping”’ in the kitchen. I would stand by, coloring the pages her granddaughter would push towards me with eager eyes, and watch as she would load all her treats into the cart while Linda smiled. I thought, “If I don’t have that when I’m old and gray, then what is the point?” I work in home health care, and I assist elderly clients, like Linda, in and around their homes. When I was first hired for the job, I had no caregiving experience. I didn’t even want to work in healthcare. But the significant pay raise the job would give me was incentive enough to apply. I had previously worked many places, never finding the right fit. I knew I liked helping people, and seeing the way I could positively affect them. I saw the job listing on Indeed, and with a well-played cover letter and a follow-up email, I was hired. On the first day of training, it was made clear we should not get too close to the people we care for, that we must have a sense of sterile professionalism. When a large part of home health care is spending time with and talking to clients, it’s hard not to get attached. They tell you their triumphs and downfalls, and we are encouraged by them to share ours. They become our homes away from home, our friends we help around the house. If you have a recurring client that requests you as their main caregiver, then it’s almost impossible to remain impartial.

going to the local thrift shops, playing board games, or baking. We would sit on her bed, every inch of her walls adorned with photos of her family, drawings from her grandchildren, and the dolls she would hold to ease her into sleep. As I was brushing her hair one day, she spoke softly about her past. She told me stories of her step-father and the abuse she experienced from him, a. And how her mother knew, but chose to pretend she didn’t. She would occasionally look up at the picture she had framed of them while she talked. Many people choose to use drugs to self medicate traumas that haunt them. This self medication can lead to addiction., The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as “...a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.” Linda shared her own journey with drug use and addiction as I brushed through her dyed black hair. She was ashamed and said she hated talking about it. But she needed to get it off her chest to help her heal from a lifetime of hurt. She had relapsed about two months before she met me, as she was at a low point in her life. With the challenges of her disabilities and mental illness, she felt isolated from the world. She was growing older, so and she couldn’t get out of the house and socialize like she once did.

38% of American adults battled a Linda, who is using an alias for privacy, was a woman in her early 60’s who substance use disorder She had started spending time with lived in a trailer with her husband of over 30 years, her step-son, and girlfriend, who (SUD) in 2017. 9.5 mil- herwe’llstep-son’s his girlfriend. She was assigned call Devon. Devon was 22, as my client, and we hit it off and she gave Linda a rush of lion or 3.8% of adults have immediately. She was quiet, youth that helped with her with a sarcastic streak. We depression and bipolar would spend our days disorder. What she did not both an SUD and mental illness. 28 | ETHOS | WINTER 2023

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Many people like Linda, who struggle with both addiction and mental illness, lack treatment. Only 51.4% received mental health care or substance abuse treatment, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics.

know at the time was that Devon was actively using substances. They bonded over their shared experiences, and Devon gave Linda a hit of meth. Linda said she wanted to use it to get closer to Devon and have a little fun to distract from her sometimes rocky marriage. Most of all, she wanted to hide her debilitating depression. Psychiatric Times states, “It is not so much that these individuals seek euphoria, but rather the aim is relief of dysphoria.” Linda, who had not used any substance for over 20 years, immediately went into convulsions and was, resulting in being sent to the emergency room. Staff at the hospital labeled it as a suicide attempt, and she was sent to rehab after they got her stable. Linda was a lonely woman, spending her days only with her caregivers. She reached, and her reaching out and triedying to build a connections with Devon is a human thing to do, to try to escape from her lonelinessroutine life that had dragged her down to a life- threatening point. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, loneliness is being declared as a national epidemic by many researchers, and new studies have linked addiction to the feeling of being alone in the world. “... addiction and loneliness are closely linked and often mutually reinforcing. Treating addiction is a priority when addressing the loneliness epidemic… Addiction and loneliness often co-occur; individuals with addiction often struggle to maintain social connections, and loneliness is a risk factor that drives the use of drugs and alcohol.” Belle is another woman who works for an in-home health care service and has witnessed addiction. She recently had a client whothat was an elderly lady living in Eugene with her husband. When Belle first stepped in the house, she noticed a woman

with a light blue nightgown on, sitting in an old recliner that rested on stained carpet. She smelled fruit, and heard the faint chings and canned laughter from a television show. “The ambience of the home was very melancholic,” Belle says. “She was very positive, but when she started talking about her husband, and what he was going through, it all came crashing down.” The client’s husband was struggling with addiction. While it was a problem before their marriage, it had stopped. But a sour couple of years brought back the need to self-medicate, and the medication of choice? Heroin and crack cocaine. “He would use it in the house, or leave and be on the streets. Do it there for a couple of days. She tried to get him out of it, and he has too, but it didn’t go anywhere,” Belle says. “When she was telling me [about her husband’s drug use], she was tearing up. She was trying to stay tough, trying to keep herself together. I just tried my best to be there for her while she talked about it.” The opioid epidemic has hurt communities around the nation. We see television broadcasts of people experiencing withdrawal or homelessness. We also see glamorous portraits of drug use depicted in movies, online and just about every medium that shows the outrageous lifestyles of the elite. Oftentimes, substance use is seen as one step removed, that it “doesn’t happen that often.” It is ignored, repressed and talked about with shame. It’s a dark smudge on a white carpet you try to hide with that old recliner. 38% of American adults battled a substance use disorder (SUD) in 2017. 9.5 million or 3.8% of adults have both an SUD and mental illness — like Linda. 29 | ETHOS | WINTER 2023

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“Treating addiction is a priority when addressing the loneliness epidemic.. loneliness is a risk factor that drives the use of drugs and alcohol.” — National Institute on Drug Abuse

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When Belle spoke to me about her client, my mind kept wandering back to Linda and how tender my time with her was. Many similarities arose between my experiences and Belle’s: the sweet touches that accompanied the homes, the brave exteriors our clients presented. If you peered into the windows of their homes, you would never suspect the stories they told and the ones they were still creating. When I moved for college, Linda was heartbroken, and I was too. It felt like I was losing a friend. Linda was not only losing a friend, but someone she trusted to care for her. When we said goodbye to one another in her room, she took two clown dolls off her wall and pressed them into my hands. “These are yours,” she said. I wasn’t allowed to take anything from my clients, but she insisted. If I didn’t take them, she said she would throw them in the trash. They look at me now as I recollect my memories and put them down in this article. While Linda and others have struggled with addiction, there are many paths individuals can take to manage the disease, and none of them look the same. “Addiction treatment is not a cure, but a way of managing the condition. Treatment enables people to counteract addiction’s disruptive effects on their brain and behavior and regain control of their lives,” the National Institute on Drug Abuse states. Relapse is almost always guaranteed, but it isn’t a failure. Recovery is a slow process that involves addressing what the National Institute on Drug Abuse calls “deeply rooted behaviors.” The client’s husband was struggling with addiction. While it was a problem before their marriage, it had stopped for several years. But a rough life and a sour couple of years brought back the need to self medicate, and the medication of choice? Heroin and crack cocaine. “He would use it in the house, or leave and be on the streets, do it there for a couple of days. She tried to get him out of it, and he has too, but it didn’t go anywhere,” Belle says. “When she was telling me [about her husband’s drug use], she was tearing up. She was very upset. She wasn’t handling the situation well. She was trying to stay tough, trying to keep herself together. But she was crying, and I just tried my best to be there for her while she talked about it.” “The most likely truth about addiction is that it’s not a single, basic mechanism, but several problems we label ‘addiction,’” says Michael F. Cataldo, Ph.D., chief of

behavioral psychology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes. “No one thing explains addiction,” echoes Miller. “There are things about individuals, about the environment in which they live, and about the substances involved that must be factored in.” The opioid epidemic has hurt communities around the nation. We see television broadcasts of people experiencing withdrawal or homelessness. We also see glamorous portraits of drug use depicted in movies, online and just about every medium that shows the outrageous lifestyles of the elite. Oftentimes, substance use is seen as one step removed, that it “doesn’t happen that often.” It is ignored, repressed and talked about with shame. It’s a dark smudge on a white carpet you try to hide with that old recliner. 38% of American adults battled a substance use disorder (SUD) in 2017. 9.5 million or 3.8% of adults have both an SUD and mental illness –– like Linda. When Belle spoke to me about her client, my mind kept wandering back to Linda and how tender my time with her was. Many similarities arose between my experiences and Belle’s: the sweet touches that accompanied the homes, the brave exteriors our clients presented. If you peered into the windows of their homes, you would never suspect the stories they told and the ones they were still creating. When I moved for college, Linda was heartbroken, and I was too. It felt like I was losing a friend. Linda was not only losing a friend, but someone she trusted to care for her. When we said goodbye to one another in her room, she took two clown dolls off her wall and pressed them into my hands. “These are yours,” she said. I wasn’t allowed to take anything from my clients, but she insisted. If I didn’t take them, she said she would throw them in the trash. They look at me now as I recollect my memories and put them down in this article. While Linda and others have struggled with addiction, there are many paths individuals can take to manage the disease, and none of them look the same. “Addiction treatment is not a cure, but a way of managing the condition. Treatment enables people to counteract addiction’s disruptive effects on their brain and behavior and regain control of their lives,” the National Institute on Drug Abuse states. Relapse is almost always guaranteed, but it isn’t a failure. Recovery is a slow process that involves addressing what the National Institute on Drug Abuse calls “deeply rooted behaviors. 31 | ETHOS | WINTER 2024

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If you or someone you know needs immediate help, you can call the Behavioral Health Resource Network of Lane County Hotline at 800-422-2595,

or dial the Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988 to talk with a person who can listen and offer help. 32 | ETHOS | WINTER 2024

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Embracing Change:

Exploring Alternative Psilocybin Treatments in Eugene A personal journey, legal challenges and the quest for inner healing following Oregon’s Measure 109. Written by Lily Reese | Photographed by Shane Balian | Illustrated by Aiko Gaudreault Designed by Abigail Raike

ody McConnell, a sophomore at the University of Oregon, has been embarking on a psychedelic therapy program after exploring various paths offered by mental health facilitators. Each morning, he takes a small dose of psilocybin mushrooms. He compares the dose to an antidepressant, as it doesn’t induce a hallucinogenic experience but provides a mild mental boost. “It’s not a drug trip. It’s more like a little pick-me-up, waking you up in the morning,” McConnell says.

The accessibility of this new therapy McConnell describes is wider now than ever in Oregon. As of November 2020, Oregon voters passed Measure 109, which decriminalized psychedelics and established a program for administering psilocybin products to individuals aged 21 and older. This program covers psychedelic treatments, including ketamine and “magic mushrooms,” both known for their ability to alter perception, provide clarity in feelings and distort time. However, the effects of psychedelics vary among individuals.

McConnell’s program is highly individualized, emphasizing breathwork, self-discovery, reading, meditation and the use of psilocybin to delve deeper into one’s existing self. “This is all inside. All that dopamine, happiness, [solidifies] in thoughts that bubble up. And all [mushrooms] are really doing is bringing out those thoughts. Making those bubbles,” he says.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board (OPAB) formulated a set of rules and regulations as a foundation for psilocybin treatment centers. The treatment process includes three main sessions: a preparation session, where clients meet with licensed facilitators to discuss the process and review medical history; an administration session, where clients consume the product at the service center under the guidance of licensed facilitators; and an integration session, where clients have the option to follow up with a licensed facilitator and explore additional peer support and resources.

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While preparing to play an assortment of singing bowls, Hin describes the purpose of each note. He says he is still working to create his own style of play.

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Jesse Sweet, an OHA Policy Analyst, is actively involved in establishing a framework for psilocybin services to operate in Oregon. The measures implemented by OHA aim to enhance client safety by accounting for product manufacturing, testing, security at service centers and facilitator training. Oregon Psilocybin Services have been criticized for the high cost of these services. Sweet clarified their section does not control product or service costs, but they do manage license fees, which fund the program.

similar organizations is in question as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) decides how to regulate substances like psilocybin, empowered by the Controlled Substances Act.

to utilize psychedelic healing here in Eugene.

increase in danger to the community. So putting this false narrative, like it’s unsafe and people can’t have it themselves, is bullshit,” he says.

Despite the legal risk, Hin believes helping people heal is worth it and the First Amendment provides adequate protection. “The reason that this country was founded was religious freedom. There is precedent for the Ayahuasca churches like this for things that the DEA has given exemptions to,” Hin says.

“It’s not about danger to the community. There Hin strongly emphasizes that is no increase in PSILO temple is not crossing Confronted with financial legal boundaries with grounds danger to the barriers, alongside the to be persecuted. Hin notes his fact treatment centers don’t practice is no more dangerous community.” implement practices from than those treatment centers that other therapies or shamanistic are regulated. “It’s not about danger — James Hin traditions, others have found a way to the community. There is no James Hin established PSILO as a non-profit organization and a religious community. When exploring psychedelic therapy, Hin realized treatment centers were not accessible to a diverse clientele and saw value in creating a space that could serve people from various financial backgrounds. Originally Hin was going to wait for a license, but due to his personal concerns about the licensing process, he decided not to delay the work any longer “I’m not interested in micromanaging what I’m doing when that prevents me from helping people,” Hin says. PSILO is a part of the North American Association of Visionary Churches (NAAVC), which advocates for the freedom of visionary religions that employ substances to alter consciousness and engage in spiritual practices. However, the legality of PSILO and

Hin founded PSILO believing psychedelics can unlock the inner potential within all individuals. His vision was to create a space where people could not only experience psychedelics but also apply the insights gained from those experiences to their lives. “No one taught me that you need to know that [psychedelics] are the first part of the journey. The next and most important and bigger keys is what are you going to do with what you’ve learned. I really started to hone in on one of those practices, and that’s where our meditation practice and our whole transformative journey of having a custom program that helps you with the lifestyle change,” Hin says. Hin, being 12 years sober and having previously battled a heroin addiction

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Cody McConell photographed at the University of Oregon.

“It takes us one small step. And eventually people get the help that they need.” — Cody McConell he developed as a teenager, was confronting family trauma and recent loss when he discovered psychedelics. His sponsor, whom Hin described as a father, passed away, and Hin was grappling with the aftermath of a dental accident that left him in emotional and physical pain. “It took me to the lowest point in my life,” Hin says. While weighing his life, Hin came across a advertisement that spoke to the effects Ayahuasca had on individuals contemplating suicide. It felt like a sign to Hin and motivated him to consider giving Ayahuasca a shot. This led Hin to Joshua Tree National Park in California, where he took Ayahuasca for the first time, fundamentally altering his perspective. Following this ceremony, Hin found it difficult to articulate the emotional trials he had endured, but those close to him noticed a significant shift in his attitude; he had rediscovered the will to live.

McConnell says, “It takes us one small step. And eventually people get the help that they need.” Moving forward, the OHA hopes to expand services to a more diverse clientele, PSILO will continue to offer services to anyone seeking change in their life and other nationwide services are available by doctors recommendations. Psilocybin therapy encourages inner reflection. Users will often say they have the solutions they just don’t know how to find. McConnell views mushrooms as tools to access solutions that are already within oneself. ”Imagine you’re skiing down a mountain, and the path to serenity is at the bottom. The mushrooms are like paving those paths. They help you discover the way, so the next time you start from the top, the path is already there, and you know how to reach your destination,” he says.

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Imagine you’re skiing down a mountain, and the path to serenity is at the bottom. The mushrooms are like paving those paths. They help you discover the way, so the next time you start from the top, the path is already there, and you know how to reach your destination. — Cody McConell Hin spins an ancient wind instrument. While he does not use this one as often because of its unique sound, he finds its origins interesting and tries to incorporate it into his sound baths.

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