PHOTO BY TRI DUONG
NEWS: Student Disability Center reopens space in LSC PAGE 5
L&C: Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale shares his story PAGE 7
CANNABIS: Weed to Know: Getting in and out of a dispensary fluidly PAGE 10
OPINION: LTTE: CSU basketball fans shouting ‘Russia’ need education, respect PAGE 15
SPORTS: CSU women’s basketball wins 2nd straight in California PAGE 18
A&E: CSU theater examines HIV/AIDS epidemic discrimination PAGE 19
PHOTO: Loveland Sweetheart Festival PAGE 9
Battery Bonanza at the Garbage Garage Education Center 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 21-23
Foothills Coffee House Music Sessions at The Shops at Foothills 3:30-5:30 p.m. Feb. 22
Elevating Voices Student Documentary Film Screening at the Lory Student Center Theatre 6-8 p.m. Feb. 23
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Trevor Stewart works on a painting titled “Alchemical So(u)n” in his Fort Collins home Feb. 12. Stewart is in his final semester at Colorado State University majoring in cellular and molecular neuroscience and minoring in chemistry. “I was trying to find a way to express myself that really captured my uniqueness,” Stewart said. “I feel like it started off in college. Beginning of college, I didn’t really go out or anything like that and just spent time in my dorm, drawing and doodling and just thinking about myself and existence. So art was kind of a way for me to process my reality and process the growth I was going through as an individual, and (I) put that into an expression through symbolism and just expression. I also started experimenting with psychedelics and art, and I feel like that really opened up the whole thing and really showed me the potential that was inside of my own mind. I feel like that’s ... to inspire the community.” PHOTO BY MILO GLADSTEIN THE COLLEGIAN
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While not yet official, Colorado State University students may see a higher tuition bill in the next academic year.
Some students support faculty in seeking a pay increase; however, many do not support a tuition hike to pay for it.
“I didn’t sign up to be a piggy bank for the Board of Governors,” said Nick DeSalvo, speaker of the senate for the Associated Students of CSU, in response to the proposed tuition increase brought to the CSU System’s Board of Governors in December 2022.
DeSalvo is also the organizer of a petition that has garnered more than 2,000 signatures in opposition to the proposed tuition hike and 138 followers on its associated Instagram account.
DeSalvo said the goal is to get 10,000 signatures by the end of the semester in May when the Board of Governors makes the final decision whether to adopt the proposed tuition hike.
DeSalvo said a variety of students support his opposition to the proposed tuition increase, including those who may not be able to stay at CSU because of the financial impacts of the proposed tuition hike and graduating students who feel the tuition increase runs counter to the university’s legacy as a landgrant institution.
e proposed tuition increase the petition refers to would amount to a 4% increase on in-state and out-of-state undergraduate students and a 3% increase on instate and out-of-state graduate students, a roughly $14 million increase overall, according to the most recent working budget provided by CSU.
DeSalvo explicitly supports a pay increase for professors in his petition but said funding a raise for CSU’s faculty and staff should not be the students’ responsibility.
“I wanted to stress in the petition that, of course, we support faculty getting a pay increase,” DeSalvo said. “I think it’s essential. Particularly (for) nontenure track faculty because they do the vast majority of the teaching, and even folks with Ph.D.s are still getting paid less than they would at the Poudre School District from what I’ve heard from faculty, and I think that’s unacceptable.”
President of CSU’s Graduate Student Council Derek Newberger said the financial
difficulties in balancing CSU’s budget can be chalked up to three main problems after a meeting with the President’s Student Financial Advisory Council he took part in recently.
Newberger said the first problem is a deficit left by pandemic-era spending, the second a 7% national inflation rate and the third a salary increase for CSU’s faculty and staff
“When I walked out of that meeting, I was demoralized,” Newberger said.
e newest working budget for CSU still has a roughly $4.5 million shortfall to make up. Newberger recognizes the need for greater funding for the university to face the deficit created by these three main stressors but said it’s sad the weight of the three problems has fallen on the wallets of undergraduate and graduate students.
Brendan Hanlon, vice president for university operations and chief financial officer of CSU, would love to avoid a tuition increase, but without more support from the state of Colorado, he has a hard time seeing how that would be possible.
“Let’s say the state number stays the same,” Hanlon said. “It is (then) tuition, or cost cuts or some combination of the two. ... erein lies the three knobs of this conversation.”
Hanlon said personnel account for roughly 70% of CSU’s operating budget, making cost cuts difficult to turn to as the solution when adequate compensation is so important for retaining skilled staff that are crucial for the quality of education CSU offers.
Colorado ranked No. 49 in the country in spending on public universities in 2021, said Jeff Dodge, director of internal communications at CSU, citing an article published in STATE magazine that focused on the risks and benefits of getting a college degree.
e same STATE magazine article also showed that the state of Colorado used to cover two-thirds of the university’s tuition cost at the turn of the century, while students and families only covered a third. at has flipped, and since 2011, it has been closer to the opposite; the state covers a third, and students and families cover two-thirds of Colorado universities’ budgets.
Hanlon said he does not think the state of Colorado is paying its fair share into public universities yet.
back to tuition (to cover costs).”
e petition started by DeSalvo may be especially helpful in convincing the state legislature to allocate more funds, Dodge said. He encouraged DeSalvo to send the petition to members of the legislature to show how many students oppose a tuition increase, and both Hanlon and Dodge encouraged the group organizing the petition to be specific about the action they want to see from the state as the solution to the proposed tuition increase.
Even if the increase goes through, Hanlon pointed out that $4 million appropriated through the increase would go back into financial aid in the most recent working budget to alleviate the strain on the lowest-income students at CSU.
BRENDAN
VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY OPERATIONS AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
CSU is forced to work inside the parameters set by the governor’s budget, and this does not leave them in a very good spot.
“I think there have been some moments where they have stepped up,” Hanlon said. “But what I’m looking for is a sustained minimum commitment because right now, it feels like every year we are waiting on the snapshot. Is the number (from the state) going to be zero? Is it going to be double? We don’t know. I think having a dedicated commitment would alleviate that concern. … I don’t have to worry that in two years the bottom falls out of that, and then I’m going
is money would go to the CSU Tuition Assistance Grant, said Tom Biedscheid, CSU’s assistant vice president for enrollment and access. e grant can help not only with the cost of tuition and fees but also living expenses for students who qualify for a Federal Pell Grant. It is designed to increase at the same rate tuition increases.
“ e fact that the grant increase is baked in to the process is unique to CSU,” Biedscheid said. “And (it’s) done intentionally to ensure that any tuition increase will automatically be covered for our limited-income students.”
e grant is just one tool of many at the disposal of the Office of Financial Aid to help students with the cost of attendance, said Joseph Donlay, the director of financial aid at CSU.
Donlay said the Office of Financial Aid is there to help students, and the quickest, easiest way to to get information and assistance regarding the variety of programs the Office of Financial Aid offers is to connect directly with their financial aid counseling team located in Centennial Hall or to email financialaid@ colostate.edu.
e development of the final budget that CSU will present to the Board of Governors is an ongoing process, one that Hanlon said he is open to input on.
“ ere’s always going to be some tension around a subject like this,” Hanlon said. “But I think I would prefer to see a setting where we are having these conversations and dialogues and getting people’s ideas because this institution is about ideas.”
Reach Grant Coursey at news @collegian.com.
“I think there have been some moments where they have stepped up. But what I’m looking for is a sustained minimum commitment. … I don’t have to worry that in two years the bottom falls out of that, and then I’m going back to tuition (to cover costs).”
HANLONGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY DYLAN TUSINSKI THE COLLEGIAN
Colorado State University Parking and Transportation Services is developing an updated Transportation Demand Management plan for transportation on campus. e plan will become part of the 2024 Campus Master Plan and will outline the future of transportation through and around campus for the coming decade.
PTS plans to focus on transportation demand management and maximizing the transportation choices available to students and community members. e updated plan will also prioritize access and safety for all modes of travel. e department will be collecting student suggestions and feedback over the next several weeks.
e last transportation plan update was in 2014 and focused on creating a denser, more urban campus in response to increased student enrollment. is involved lowering the ratio of parking spots to students and concentrating them around the perimeter to promote walking,
biking and public transit once students reach campus.
e new plan seeks to build on past improvements and make transit available to anyone who might need it.
“Equity is certainly at the heart of this plan,” said Jamie Gaskill, a PTS active transportation professional. “Especially when we’re considering access.”
Gaskill said the goal is to achieve a balance between all modes of transportation that prioritizes reliability and convenience.
is goal is outlined in the concept of a person’s “travel shed”: the range of options they are able to choose from in order to get from their home to CSU. ese could include taking the bus, biking, walking, driving or utilizing ridesharing or scooter rental services.
Gaskill said the updated transportation plan will strive to “use strategies to make sure that people, no matter where they’re coming from or what they’re doing, that they do have options ... and hopefully the options that work best for them.”
On the city side, Fort Collins is also focusing on transportation demand management. e FC Moves 2020 Strategic Plan outlines goals similar to the university’s: choice, equity and convenience.
Melina Dempsey, a senior transportation planner with FC Moves, said Fort Collins works closely with CSU on planning efforts.
“CSU has a seat at almost all the city’s transportation planning efforts since CSU is the largest employer, and many students do not have a car and are dependent on the variety of transportation options provided in Fort Collins,” Dempsey said.
Over the long term, expanding these options means increasing bus frequency, opening more MAX rapid transit bus lines and implementing “microtransit,” smallscale transportation that responds to demand in areas that are underserved by the current transportation system. PTS is currently wrapping up phase one of the development process, which consisted of presentations to over 35 stakeholder groups at CSU and in Fort Collins.
Phase two will focus on input from the community. Staff will be conducting focus groups with registered students, holding pop-up events around campus and emailing an online survey to a sample of the university community. A draft of the updated plan will be open to public comment from late February to early April, and the
final version will be presented to CSU’s Master Plan Committee at the beginning of May. Students interested in shaping the future of transportation on campus can get involved in a number of ways. PTS offers a focus group signup form on their website. Reach Finn Carnahan at news @collegian.com.
By Miles Buchan @buchanmiles
e Student Disability Center has reopened its Community Space located in the Lory Student Center. After being closed for several years, this space, located in room 223 on the second floor, will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays for students, staff and community members. is space has a handful of seats and tables for students to use as well as a TV and a Keurig coffee maker. It also has two offices that will be staffed part time by members of the SDC team. is space can be considered a lounge for students who need somewhere to eat, relax, hang out or do homework.
“One thing I’ve been hearing from students in the space is how it is nice to have a smaller, quiet space in the LSC,” said Joe Tiner, assistant director for access and accommodations at the SDC.
“It allows students who might be overstimulated by the large crowds and noise level in the LSC a place
to go and decompress,” Tiner said. “ e lights are LED and dimmable, which can be really helpful for those who do not like florescent lights.”
SDC Director Justin Dove discussed the staff presence and said, “We just want to be here in case students need us but also to be in community in case they want to talk to us, ... making sure that everybody gets what they need in this space while we’re here.”
Originally, the SDC Community Space opened in 2014 but closed around the time of the first pandemic lockdown in 2020.
“ e space was provided to us so that we could have a space among the other Student Diversity Programs and Services offices,” Tiner said.
When asked about the differences between then and now, Tiner said, “ e biggest change is we are not meeting with students to discuss accommodations in the space. is is to help protect their privacy and
to help focus the space to being a place for community.”
For Tiner, one drawback to the space is its size.
“ e space is small; we’d love to expand it in the future to allow more room for more students to use the space,” Tiner said.
Alisha Zmuda, assistant director for operations and programming, discussed the size of the space and what she sees for the future.
“When I am envisioning events and being in community with our SDPS offices, that space is just a little bit too tight to really be able to function in the ways that I think other SDPS offices do and invite participation and community,” Zmuda said.
“It definitely could use some updating and upgrades to make it as beneficial as possible,” Zmuda said. “(We are) really trying to make it a space that students want to come and spend time.”
ere is a lot to be offered in this space as well as a lot of room for growth, and the SDC is seeking feedback for the process. Feedback and comments can be sent to the SDC front desk email.
“Even if the feedback seems very big picture, lots of money, outlandish, I still want to hear it because even if we can’t do it to its fullest extent, maybe we can still pull something out of that to make the space conducive to what students want,” Dove said.
“I would love if this space could be expanded some (and have) computers with assisted technology,” Dove said.
Zmuda shared several ideas about what kinds of upgrades she hopes to see. “I know that other SDPS offices have computer banks that students come and use to print, and I just think it would be really awesome for us to have something similar,” Zmuda said. “I would love to see more art in there, to see it be homey feeling.”
“Disability often is only seen as a compliance measure, but it is way beyond that for me and our office,” said Dove, who believes the office is a step forward to recognize people beyond an accommodation.
“Sometimes students feel alone,” Dove said, mentioning that the number of accommodation letters for students has reached nearly 3,000. “(But) you’re not a small number, so never discount your voice.”
Reach Miles Buchan at news @collegian.com.
“Disability often is only seen as a compliance measure, but it is way beyond that for me and our office.”
JUSTIN DOVE STUDENT DISABILITY CENTER DIRECTORThe Student Disability Center Community Space opens on the second floor of the Lory Student Center Jan. 20. PHOTO BY REUEL INDURKAR THE COLLEGIAN
In the winter seasons, snow and ice buildup create potentially hazardous conditions for all, but these issues can disproportionally impact people who may have physical disabilities.
Community members with disabilities at Colorado State University are likely to face more adversity when trying to get around town and campus, especially when roads, parking lots and walkways are not well maintained.
ere are efforts being made when it comes to plowing, shoveling, de-icing and salting certain public areas, but on campus and around Fort Collins, these efforts are often not sufficient to effectively help members of the disabled community.
Many different accessibility and mobility tools exist for different purposes, but there are a few that are particularly challenging to use in snowy and icy conditions, such as crutches, wheelchairs and scooters. ese tools help people with all kinds of conditions be more independent but typically depend on a clear path to operate.
Rory Low, a CSU student and Associated Students of CSU member, expressed some of the issues they’ve faced in relation to mobility on campus and around town. Low spoke about how they formerly used forearm crutches to help with mobility but have recently made the switch to a wheelchair with SmartDrive power assist.
Low said one of the difficult aspects of this switch is “being confronted with how inaccessible so many things are.”
“ e ice has been a huge risk to me,” Low said. “Sometimes they shovel the sidewalk to the point where I don’t even have clearance for my wheelchair.”
Low lives in an off-campus apartment and regularly rides the bus to get around. At the stops, a section is carved out for people to walk through, but large piles of snow get in the way of the wheelchairassist platform.
“Sometimes they don’t plow around the stops, which so many people rely on,” Low said.
Low said the recent transition to a wheelchair has been completely liberating. Using crutches before allowed Low to do
other things such as going up stairs. Even then, snow and ice buildup made this very dangerous.
“ ere are a lot of challenges I didn’t expect to face, but I didn’t expect how awesome having a wheelchair would be,” Low said. After a short time, they have come to realize the level of effectiveness with which the wheelchair accommodates their disability.
levels and far less pain than walking,” Low said.
CSU student and member of ASCSU Ariadne Athey also experiences some difficulty with mobility in winter conditions. Athey has a condition that causes severe pain, especially when walking. She too described the transition to using a wheelchair as liberating, as it allows her to travel farther and longer to more places.
“It started in ninth grade and progressed from there,” Athey said. “All of high school, I was climbing ladders (and) doing things as a stage manager, but by my senior year, I had to drop out of theater stuff and did my last semester from home.”
Living off-campus as well, Athey drives to campus but acknowledges that if she didn’t drive or make it on the bus, then there would be no way to travel from her complex to campus when ice and snow are a factor.
One reason for limited mobility in the snow is the SmartDrive function on many wheelchairs.
“It has truly changed my life ... and given me the ability to be outside again with good energy
“If I were to roll over an ice chunk, my SmartDrive would just pop up, and then it doesn’t work, and then I’m stuck,” Athey said.
“ e biggest thing that I find on campus is that the buttons aren’t going to work,” Athey said, referring to the accessibility buttons on many doorways. “ e tiny bits of access they give are broken down or aren’t there.”
Athey gave one specific example, describing how the outside of the south and southeast sides of the Lory Student Center are regularly neglected, and snow and ice buildup make it difficult to enter the ASCSU chambers and the food pantry.
“Even though it’s technically covered, the wind blows snow under, and they never plow it, ... and I’ve called them multiple times, ... and there’s still snow,” Athey said.
“If things were built with inclusive design, then people would not have to change or accommodate for themselves,” Athey said. e same goes for how things are maintained. If CSU and Fort Collins invested more in clearing roads, lots and walkways, then more spaces would become more accessible for all people, especially those with disabilities.
Reach Miles Buchan at life @collegian.com.
“If things were built with inclusive design, then people would not have to change or accommodate for themselves.”
ARIADNE ATHEY ASCSU MEMBER AND CSU STUDENTWest Myrtle Street and South Grant Avenue, along with many other residential streets, remain unplowed days after the last snowfall while larger streets such as West Mulberry Street are plowed and supporting traffic flow Jan. 20. PHOTO BY REUEL INDURKAR THE COLLEGIAN
e month of February marks the U.S. annual Black History Month, which is a time to reflect and learn about those who have fought and been activists for members of the Black community as well as understand the history of the community within the United States.
On Feb. 13 Colorado State University had keynote speaker Bobby Seale, a co-founder of the Black Panther Party, visit campus as one of the many events held by the Black/African American Cultural Center to celebrate the month.
Seale grew up in Oakland, California, which is about a 30-minute drive from the city of San Francisco. He began his talk by explaining what the time looked like for people of color, what he grew up with and how the idea of civil and Black rights was not even a thought for him.
“I was raised by a carpenter,” Seale said. “ ere was no such thing as Black history in the 1950s and 1960s. I thought it was a communist movement.”
e idea of being able to stand up for Black rights at the time seemed foreign to Seale, and he was unsure if it was even legal.
During the 1950s and early 1960s, prior to the official founding of the Black Panther Party in 1966, Seale worked hard with other people of color to understand how to practice
activism legally. is was to ensure they would be safe and reduce the chances of arrest. Seale explained they did this by studying the law and recalled times they had to use the knowledge in defense.
In the early beginnings of the party, the few members they had at the time observed police and studied the laws around doing so for over a month. Even at 86 years old, Seale can recall the information of the time he founded the Black Panther Party as if it was yesterday. He often told jokes and had the audience laughing at each one.
During the founding of the Black Panther Party, Seale said what sold him was the connection of civil rights to economic status.
“After I saw Martin Luther King speak, I was told that fighting and activating for these rights would not only help us be equal, but it would help us become economically established at the time,” Seale said.
“After that, I was in.” e villainization of the Black Panther Party was a key point in Seale’s speech, as the idea of Black individuals standing up to the police
at the time painted the group in a dangerous light.
“We were portrayed in the media as hooligans and thugs,” Seale said. “I wanted to capture the imagination of what could be and unify my brothers and sisters.”
Seale wanted the audience to understand that the party was not violent, but rather, the media and government portrayed them that way. e idea of unifying the Black community was a scary thought for those in power at the time, and to make the Black Panther Party
feared was an easy way to target them. Seale wrapped up his speech by reflecting on the early beginnings of the Black Panther Party and encouraging those who want change to seek change. His first-hand accounts of the history were eye-opening and allowed the audience to understand the struggles people of color were facing. Seale made the point that although his work was influential, it is far from over.
Reach Katherine Borsting at life @collegian.com.entered a comedy contest and won “Funniest Person on Campus.”
Jones came to CSU for basketball, playing as a redshirt 1986-87. She found peace and happiness in comedy and has continued on that path ever since, appearing on shows like Saturday Night Live 2014-19. Leslie also has a podcast with Lenny Marcus called “ e fckry,” which premiered Aug. 11, 2022, on Earwolf. It is now available on most platforms.
2. John Amos
By Rebekah Barry @csucollegianColorado State University has had several notable graduates. ey are a part of school history and go on to accomplish great things in the world. During Black History Month, it’s important to recognize former Black students who continue to make history.
Here are seven notable graduates who demonstrate Black excellence
and have accomplished an array of different goals and achievements. eir stories of inspiration encourage others to continue to work toward their own goals.
1. Leslie Jones
Although Leslie Jones did not graduate from CSU, the university was her last stop before her rise to fame. Since her time as a student, she has become one of the most notable comedians in the United States. During her time at CSU, she
John Amos is an avid activist and American actor who graduated from CSU with a degree in sociology. Before acting, he played football for the CSU Rams and was a Golden Gloves boxing champion. Some of the most well-known titles he starred in include “Good Times,” “ e Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “ e West Wing” and “Coming to America.”
3. Shaquil Barrett
Shaquil Barrett transferred to CSU to continue his path in playing football 2011-13. After graduating, he was drafted by the Denver Broncos as a free agent in 2014. Barrett was with the Broncos when they won
Super Bowl 50 before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019. His latest big win was Super Bowl 55 in 2021.
4. Yusef Komunyakaa
Yusef Komunyakaa is a poet and writer. He graduated from CSU in 1978 with a Master of Arts in creative writing. He won the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award and Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1994. He won the 2007 Louisiana Writer Award for his continued contribution to poetry. He also received the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize and currently teaches at New York University as a professor of English.
5. Stanton Kidd Stanton Kidd is a professional basketball player. He played college basketball for three colleges, including CSU 2014-15, before he continued to play professionally in Belgium, Germany and the NBA. He graduated from CSU with a degree in liberal arts and a minor in sociology. He played for the Lokomotiv Kuban of the VTB United League in Russia. He left the team due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
6. Paula Hicks-Hudson
Paula Hicks-Hudson is currently an Ohio state senator. She graduated from CSU in 1975 with a master’s degree in communications development. She served as an Ohio state representative 2019-2022. She was formerly the mayor of Toledo, Ohio, 2015-18.
7. Grafton St. Clair Norman
Grafton St. Clair Norman was the first Black person to graduate from CSU. He was actively involved in many activities, including ROTC, Science Club and the Columbian Literary Society. During his spring semester in 1895, he suffered from typhoid fever. He took time off from his studies to recover and eventually went on to graduate with a degree in mathematics and engineering in 1896.
ese CSU alumni are just a handful of those who continue to inspire others through their work, their strength and the example they set for the public eye.
Reach Rebekah Barry at life @collegian.com.
“After I saw Martin Luther King speak, I was told that fighting and activating for these rights would not only help us be equal, but it would help us become economically established at the time. After that, I was in.”
BOBBY SEALE CO-FOUNDER OF THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY
e Lyric in Fort Collins does a great job at providing a wellrounded screening opportunity for local filmmakers to show their films.
ere are many filmmakers that need support who are passionate and are looking for a space to screen.
“We pride ourselves on elevating local voices and giving them a canvas on which to paint their creativity, some either literally or figuratively,” said Aaron Varnell, the chaos wrangler at e Lyric.
e Lyric organizes their own nonprofit film festival to connect local nonprofits to local filmmakers.
Shari Due, an independent local filmmaker, said e Lyric’s event organization has really changed over the COVID-19 pandemic.
e Lyric started their own outside music stage and started to have bands after one major music venue closed in downtown Fort Collins.
Although e Lyric has always intended to be more than a movie theater, movies are still the most important. ey have worked with many film festivals like the Horsetooth Fest and Black
Sparrow Media to bring a wider array of content.
“We contact local filmmakers or local visual artists to make compilations or original material,” Varnell said.
Local filmmakers like Due make documentary- and feature-length films that have been screened at e Lyric. Due’s films mostly revolve around issues that are usually happening in the West but could still be anywhere. One of her big hits was “Watering the West,” a series of three feature-length films.
“It covers pretty much any water issue and all things about water in the western United States, and it covers it through the characters, through the people who are living those stories,” Due said. “From the very first independent film that I made, it went to e Lyric.”
“ e Lyric has always supported local filmmakers by splitting the ticket price with us, which is helpful for us to pay the bills on the films in terms of production costs,” Due said.
ey’ve always given filmmakers a place to show local films when other theaters would not. Due said she felt encouraged a lot by e Lyric because they promoted their film on their website as well.
Varnell said they’ve hosted well-known filmmakers like Calvin Shepherd, an independent individual feature filmmaker who screened his feature-length horror movie about a year ago and sold out e Lyric’s big theater for his movie premiere.
work with ACT Human Rights Film Festival all the time.”
“We curate and collect films to show in Fort Collins,” said Seymour, who is the managing director of ACT Human Rights Film Festival. “ ey are human rights films, mostly documentaries but not entirely.”
ey will announce their upcoming 2023 film festival screenings March 7 at Odell Brewing’s eighth annual ACT Human Rights Film Festival kickoff party.
“We recently showed a film called ‘All at Breathes,’ which is currently nominated for best documentary feature for an Oscar,” Seymour said. “We screened it at e Lyric, and it completely sold out.”
e Lyric has had many local filmmakers, such as Ben Hess, Beth Seymour and José Chalit Hernandez, involved in the screenings. ey even maintain good connections with colleges like Colorado State University and Front Range Community College, which have done two film screenings, Varnell said.
“We have done many things in the past with CSU,” Varnell said. “We
“ e Lyric is a super welcoming place for local filmmakers,” said Hernandez, a documentary filmmaker who works at a nonprofit called “Trees, Water & People,” an organization that does environmental, international and domestic projects.
His short film “Homeland” did well at e Lyric. e audience was very enthusiastic about the Native American culture and diversity represented.
After screening their film, they had the participants go along with musical performance with traditional Native American drums. e Lyric helped audience members see live art and musicians play.
“It was amazing and so special to screen my film for the Fort Collins community and to have the film participants also be there,” Hernandez said.
“Even filmmakers who are just premiering their first film who they don’t have an audience yet, just their own private audience, they’ll do that; they’ll show those films,” Due said.
Varnell said e Lyric also shows short films by letting individuals rent out their theater by having them screen and charge tickets if they want.
“Our priority of what we do is creating places for people to come and enjoy things together, and when that’s movies, fantastic. And we nail it, and we try to do the best that we can,” Varnell said. “We’re here to tell stories. We’re here for the tale of people.” Reach
Sulaiman Akbar at life @collegian.com.“The Lyric is a super welcoming place for local filmmakers.”
JOSÉ CHALIT HERNANDEZ DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER
1. A dancer from Lighthouse Dance performs a double stag jump during a Valentine’s Day-themed group dance at the Loveland Sweetheart Festival Feb. 11. Lighthouse Dance performed many different dance routines using different dance styles like hip-hop, modern and jazz.
PHOTO BY SOPHIE STERN THE COLLEGIAN
2. Flower bouquets are displayed outside Blue Llama Designs’ booth Feb. 10. Blue Llama Designs, owned by Christa Cech and Billy Bletcher, specializes in artwork made with dried flowers.
PHOTO BY AVERY COATES THE COLLEGIAN
3. A dancer from Lighthouse Dance performs a solo during a group dance at the Loveland Sweetheart Festival Feb. 11. Lighthouse Dance performed many different dance routines using different dance styles like hip-hop, modern and jazz.
PHOTO BY SOPHIE STERN THE COLLEGIAN
4. Sue Brungardt, left, hugs her high school best friend of 40 years Feb. 10. Brungardt attended the Loveland Sweetheart Festival to display her creations with her company, “B” Sweet Cupcakes.
PHOTO BY AVERY COATES THE COLLEGIAN
5. Lighthouse Dance performs the Cupid shuffle at the Loveland Sweetheart Festival Feb. 11. To close out their performances, Lighthouse Dance invited the crowd to join in and perform the Cupid shuffle alongside the dancers.
By Taylor Paumen @taytaypau
Here at the cannabis desk, we’ve let our minds stretch to create lots of informative, silly and exciting content and columns in the desk’s short 2 1/2-year life span. Our audience can submit anonymous crazy stories with our “Because I Got High” column, and you can get reviews of different strain options around town while learning more about the cultivating industry as a whole.
Now we’re introducing our newest creation: the “Weed to Know” column, where we’ll present things for beginners to feel more comfortable as they navigate this new consumer era.
To kick off our grand commencement, I’m going to walk you through what to expect when going into a dispensary: things like how to enter, what you’ll need to get in, who you’ll be interacting with, how to order and how to leave.
For those of you who have been to only one dispensary or none at all, don’t be frightened. Personally, a cannabis shop asking you for your driver’s license at the front door is much more inviting than at a bar.
While Fort Collins alone has over 10 dispensaries, there are a few constant things you can prepare for in every single one. First, let’s make sure you have everything you need to get in. is includes being 18 or older if you have a medical marijuana card. Otherwise you have to be 21 or older with a hard state ID license, or if you’re recently 21, your old punched ID with your new paper copy ID will do just fine. Other acceptable options are a passport book or card, a valid military ID or a Native American tribal ID card.
Every spot has an entry section of some sort where you’ll wait to get your ID checked by a front desk employee. Some shops like LivWell Enlightened Health, Flower Power Botanicals and Verts Neighborhood Dispensary may have you waiting in line outside if it’s busy. Patience is key, so wait to be called in, or ring the doorbell if you’re next.
Other spots like Organic Alternatives and e Green Solution have more spacious areas to wait inside once your ID has been checked. But don’t put your ID away just yet because once you’ve made it through the first line of defense and been given a line number, it’ll be your turn, and you’ll hand both to your budtender to double-check you’re not an underage imposter.
You’ve made it in and, at last, can ask for what you want. Your options will generally include
edibles, pre-rolls, flower, wax, cartridges, disposable pens, merchandise, smoking devices and many brands and strains of each. You can come in knowing exactly what you want, or you can ask your budtender what they recommend. You can also learn more on what is available for you to buy at any shop online at collegian.com.
for your herbal treats, but not so fast: ere’s one last thing before you’re home free.
Most dispensaries will put all your goodies into a bag with your receipt, but some places like Verts will ask if you can put it in your purse or conceal it in any way possible. Either way, you can then head out
and safely get your products home before consuming them.
Now you can enter any dispensary looking like a pro and enjoy the experience instead of feeling anxious before heading in. Even if you do still feel nervous, my best tip is to find one dispensary you really enjoy that
offers anything you’d need, then go there only. Otherwise I do encourage you to branch out and explore all the dispensary options in Fort Collins. You never know where your next elevated experience could come from. Reach Taylor Paumen at cannabis@collegian.com.
Once you’ve decided on your desired product, you can either buy it with cash or a debit card. Almost every dispensary should have an ATM, especially if you go somewhere like Flower Power that only takes cash. But if you’d like to avoid extra fees, getting cash beforehand or going somewhere else that accepts a debit card could be more convenient. Because cannabis isn’t legal federally, using a credit card may not work due to your credit card company, so be aware of that.
Now you’ve made it into the compound smoothly and paid
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“I do encourage you to branch out and explore all the dispensary options in Fort Collins. You never know where your next elevated experience could come from.”
By Miles Buchan @buchanmiles
Winter is winding down, and we all need a little getaway, but we can’t all afford a physical trip. Fortunately, people over the age of 21 can get this little package from the friendly Verts Neighborhood Dispensary for just $22, far cheaper than any plane ticket.
“The smell of this Maui Wowie cart is potent, delicious and somewhat sweet. It certainly smells fruity, but to a nose unfamiliar with cannabis, I’m sure this would be overpowered by the citrus-like terpenoids. Regardless of your cannabis comfort levels, the smell and especially the taste will be delightful.”
Aptly named Maui Wowie, this sativa strain cartridge is offered in both half and full grams, testing at 79% THC with an almost 4% sprinkle of CBD. is product is made by Bonanza Cannabis Company and is carried frequently at Verts along with other strain-specific carts made by the same company.
Bonanza is a Colorado-based business founded in 2018. On their website, you can find information about this cart and many others along with other edible products. Bonanza also produces Tommy Chong cannabis products in Colorado.
With the very appealing wood tip, these cartridges look and work better than many I’ve tried in the past. Connecting it to a battery is simple,
and the hits starting out are as clean and as smooth as can be. Strain aside, I’m drawn to these Bonanza brand cartridges whenever they’re an option.
at being said, the fact that these are strain-specific cartridges is another positive. Many carts will specify whether it’s sativa or indica and might even be flavored, like grape. But these carts are strainspecific, which means the smells, flavors and feelings will be more consistent than when smoking a mystery cart.
e smell of this Maui Wowie cart is potent, delicious and somewhat sweet. It certainly smells fruity, but to a nose unfamiliar with cannabis, I’m sure this would be overpowered by the citrus-like terpenoids. Regardless of your cannabis comfort levels, the smell and especially the taste will be delightful.
As mentioned before, the first hits are clean and smooth, which can typically be expected to continue until it is mostly empty. e smell is quite sweet, but the taste leans toward being more sour in a lemon kind of way. Turn your battery up a little bit too high — as I often do — and its flavor profile turns a bit tangy.
e feeling from smoking this strain is what one might expect from sativa: a mild and upbeat high that turns a bit racy when you keep smoking. In low doses, I would say this strain offers a great pick-me-up effect. Up your dose, and you’re going to get a more stimulating response.
Physically, this strain comes with a nice little head high, and mentally, it can offer a genuine boost in mood, energy and possibly productivity. Afterward, I did not experience any drowsiness or fogginess that might come with smoking other strains.
Unlike many other strains, which I may save for the evening when I’m winding down at home, this cart would make a great addition to any cleaning task, self-care routine, social outing, favorite hobbies and a lot more.
Reach Miles Buchan at cannabis @collegian.com.
Sale prices are for in-store shopping only. Does not include phone, curbside pick up orders, delivery, online or app orders.
join our
changes, we can enable our attention span to enter deep states of concentration and focus. ere are many simple things students can do to more effectively concentrate in class and complete assignments. Limiting distractions may seem obvious, but is the easiest way for students to improve their academic and professional performance. is means putting away and turning off all unnecessary technology, such as a phone or the television. Reducing the number of interruptions we have access to allows us to maintain focus on the task at hand.
By Aaron Peck @aa_peck7Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by e Collegian or its editorial board.
Nowadays, many students struggle to pay attention in class or aimlessly scroll their phones while attempting to do homework. ey often lack the ability to focus on one thing for extended periods of time and are easily distracted by any disruption.
Some of the possible explanations for decreasing attention spans are technology and, specifically, social media. Social media provides instant satisfaction that individuals use to boost their self-esteem or improve their mood. In turn, this creates a feedback loop where the user becomes dependent on instant satisfaction.
e internet provides a saturation of content and information, making it easy to get distracted without even noticing. ese are problems I have certainly
dealt with in college and noticed others have as well. Our attention spans are short and picky; we focus on one thing for a few seconds and then quickly move to the next thing that catches our eye.
It is one thing if this happens when you are hanging out at your house, but it is especially a problem when these habits bleed into work and school.
“We now live in a world where we can get instant gratification through social media,” said Bradley Conner, Colorado State University’s director of addiction counseling and a professor in psychology. “ at is not how schooling works; it is not instant. It is designed to be a long, slow process.”
School is a difficult journey that forces students to practice patience and discipline. It requires students to use critical thinking and complex problem solving, which cannot be accomplished if you are unable to absorb and retain information. Being unable to focus in class or complete an assignment efficiently is a serious problem for students.
However, by understanding the problem and making necessary
Many students benefit from socializing and interacting with each other while at school. is leads to a more active environment where students discuss, debate and practice critical thinking. When a class is more dynamic and interesting, students tend to care more, resulting in a more useful class.
Meanwhile, CSU faculty and teachers can also take steps to improve student engagement during class. Studies have shown that attention lapses occur more frequently as a class goes on. Dividing each class period into different sections and activities keeps the students focused. is could include discussions, questionand-answer sections or activities. Technology provides endless possibilities and opportunities, but with it, new problems are presented. When incorporated correctly, technology can accelerate education and research exponentially; however, if we let it corrupt our mental space, then we destroy our potential.
It is easy to become consumed by the online world, but becoming addicted can lead to colossal issues. We are not destined to succumb to these problems. We can fight back to improve our education, health and lives.
Reach Aaron Peck at letters @collegian.com.
Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by e Collegian or its editorial board. Letters to the Editor reflect the view of a member of the campus community and are submitted to the publication for approval.
A chant of “Russia, Russia, Russia” erupted from the student section of Moby Arena during a recent Colorado State University men’s basketball game against Utah State University. e chant was directed at Max Shulga, a Utah State player from Kyiv, Ukraine.
It has been suggested that the chant arose from ignorance, that if the students only knew of the atrocities Russia is inflicting on the Ukrainian people during its yearlong unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, they would have not used this uncivilized chant as a tool to try to win a basketball game.
of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. ey may not know of the mass murder, torture, rape, kidnapping and reeducation of Ukrainian civilians, including children.
ey also may not know that in bravely confronting Russia in this David-and-Goliath struggle, Ukraine acts for us all in defending democracy and the rule of law against authoritarianism and government by terror.
But is it those who initiated the chant that need this education? Or are they aware of the horror and for this reason believed the chant to be an effective tool to break the concentration of Max Shulga?
In this teachable moment, I would urge CSU to commence its next game by showing a video of the realities of the war so that fans who may be oblivious learn what it means to hear the name of the country responsible for these unspeakable horrors, echoing as a cheer through Moby Arena and on the CBS Sports broadcast.
In so doing, CSU’s fans may learn how this incident reflects on the CSU community. I would urge the CSU players to consider ways they may demonstrate that they understand the depths of disregard for human suffering shown by those who would use the chant of “Russia, Russia, Russia” to show school spirit in the name of the sport they love.
What symbolism the players might use is theirs alone to determine based on their understanding of the power sports have to influence our world for good. Inspiring examples are not hard to find.
For those who uttered the chant, the need for education unfortunately goes much deeper.
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However, if the chanters were truly ignorant of the situation, would they have conceived this chant as a means to disturb the composure of Max Shulga in an attempt to make him miss the free throw so the Rams could win the game?
e incident presents a teachable moment for CSU as some of its fans may be unaware of the horrors
How does an institution like CSU, geared toward higher education, teach basic human decency to those who have arrived at the university without having learned this lesson somewhere along the road that led them to this moment?
Nancy Johnston Wahl Loveland resident Send letters to letters@collegian.com. When submitting letters, please abide by the guidelines listed at collegian.com. by Nicole Atiles“I would urge the CSU players to consider ways they may demonstrate that they understand the depths of disregard for human suffering shown by those who would use the chant of ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ to show school spirit in the name of the sport they love.”
Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by e Collegian or its editorial board.
Although the current impact of the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t as severe as it once was, there are still systems in our society that have yet to come back to normal. An example of this is our education system.
Blindsided by the pandemic,schools quickly went to online learning, which led to different curricula, different activities and different systems of grading. Although we are done with nationwide Zoom classes, many classes still offer hybrid options, online tests and flexible deadlines.
In the past five years, we’ve seen an uptick in average GPA among college students. Although the average GPA has gone up, there’s been a decrease in studying and test prep. is points to the fact that college courses today put less demand on their students in terms of homework and course material.
classes were during online school. I got straight As that semester while putting in 20% effort.”
It’s hard to place blame on the education system for how they handled the pandemic because it couldn’t have been foreseen. However, some worry that our education system isn’t going back to normal after the pandemic.
Landon Laman is a graduate student at Colorado State University and serves as a graduate teaching assistant for the journalism department. He acknowledges how classes still seem to be far easier today than they were before the pandemic.
“I feel like a lot of people got used to the easiness of Zoom classes,” Laman said. “It was really difficult to get people to engage in that first semester back in person. It felt like students forgot how to communicate with each other, follow deadlines and even pay attention in class. at was really draining for the teachers I worked with.”
Laman is concerned with how college courses have gotten much easier. He explained how although this may seem convenient for students at the moment, it will likely bring long-term consequences.
“If you look back a few decades ago, being a college graduate meant so much more in the workforce than it does today,” Laman said. “Back then, you couldn’t access information on Google. Passing your classes meant that you sat down in the library and spent hours studying and retaining the information you needed. Modern-day employers know that it’s not as big of an achievement to graduate college.”
Lucas Dines, a 22-year-old CSU graduate, is experiencing challenges trying to get a job related to his business administration major.
“I’ve been in college for almost two years now, and I’ve only had one class that did in-person tests,” said Sam Anderson, a sophomore at Colorado State University. “ e rest of them have been online and open notes. I usually gloss over my notes for an hour or so beforehand, and that’s usually enough for me to get a good grade on the test.”
Noah Stephens was a first-year student when the COVID-19 outbreak hit CSU.
“I went from having to spend at least 25 hours a week on classes to spending less than 10,” Stephens said. “It was laughable how easy the
“I was confident going into the job market,” Dines said. “I didn’t feel a need for too many resume builders because I had a solid GPA, and I liked what I was doing. But I was applying to any finance job I could find, and I wasn’t able to get a job.”
It’s important for students to acknowledge that earning a college degree isn’t as coveted as it was in our parents’ generation. Although it’s important, it doesn’t set people apart as it did in previous generations.
“ e technological Pandora’s box that we opened helped us in a lot of areas,” Laman said. “But in the sake of valuable knowledge, you have to specialize and be incredibly niche for anything like that to matter as much as it once did.”
Reach Jack Miller at letters @collegian.com.
“It’s important for students to acknowledge that earning a college degree isn’t as coveted as it was in our parents’ generation. Although it’s important, it doesn’t set people apart as it did in previous generations.”
e Colorado State University throwers have been dominant all year, consistently placing top three or outright winning the shot put and weight throw. A big part of their success has been junior Gabi McDonald.
McDonald has always been tied to Fort Collins, graduating from the nearby Rocky Mountain High School. e decision to go to CSU was an easy one for McDonald, as the school runs deep in her genes.
“My whole family went to CSU,” McDonald said. “My grandfather was a professor here, my parents met here (and) my brother (Max) played football here. … My blood really does run green and gold.”
Her older brother Max McDonald has always been a big inspiration for Gabi McDonald. As he started throwing for the track and field team in middle school, she followed in his footsteps.
“My brother is my hero,” McDonald said. “I wanted to do everything he did.”
e Fort Collins local competed as a three-sport athlete all four years of high school. In addition to track and field, she was also extremely skilled in both basketball and soccer. McDonald was initially recruited to CSU to play goalkeeper for the soccer team.
Despite already living the dream and committing to play Division I
soccer, McDonald wasn’t ready to give up her life as a multi-sport athlete. She already knew Brian Bedard, the head coach of the track team, because she played soccer alongside his daughter at Rocky Mountain High School.
“(Bedard) knew how far I was throwing based on being around (me) in high school,” McDonald said. “He offered to let me do track, so I did both.”
year with the CSU soccer team. She started all 20 of the Rams’ matchups, racking up 109 saves while only allowing 15 goals.
But the toll on her body was too great, as she aggravated a nagging knee injury far enough to need surgery.
“It got to the point where it was really holding her back,” Bedard said. “She elected to get a complete reconstruction on the knee.”
After plenty of rehabilitation, McDonald was ready to officially compete as a Ram at track meets. Despite entering her third season as a member of the program, she still held freshman eligibility. She immediately made an impact, throwing the 10th best indoor shot put in CSU history at her debut meet.
By the end of McDonald’s first year, she had competed in 11 meets, earned outdoor All-Mountain West Honors in shot put and discus and placed seventh all-time in CSU outdoor shot put.
“(She was) a really competitive person,” Bedard said. “Loves to compete, (has) good intensity (and is a) high-energy person.”
e first year at Colorado State went great for McDonald as she gained experience in both sports. After playing in five games in the fall during soccer season, the multisport athlete was redshirted and allowed to compete unattached in eight separate meets.
McDonald was promoted to starting goalkeeper her second
McDonald was riding high heading into her fourth year but was forced into a nearly impossible decision. e new women’s soccer coach was unwilling to approve of McDonald’s two-sport approach, forcing her to choose either soccer or track and field.
“ e new (soccer) coach is great — she just wasn’t supportive of two sports as much,” McDonald said. “I had more eligibility with track, so I decided to focus on it and stay with Bedard.”
is decision immediately paid dividends for her track resume. McDonald continued to dominate the shot put event, winning the indoor title at the Mountain West Championship and placing fifth in CSU history. In the outdoor portion, she finished second at the conference championship, and her career high mark of 53 feet, 8.5 inches was good enough for fourth in CSU outdoor history.
Outside of track and field, McDonald has plenty of other hobbies and interests. She enjoys lifting, hiking, reading and still playing soccer in her free time.
But her biggest interest outside of track is a person. at person is her fiance, fellow track and field athlete Jackson Morris.
e couple first met in high school at a Colorado State throwing camp. e two then became close friends after spending a year on the team together with all the travels and a shared love of throwing heavy objects.
But the romance didn’t bloom until McDonald’s surgery, as Morris was recovering from surgery on his elbow at the same time.
“It was weird. … We just had to watch other people throw,” McDonald said. “It was really fun to get really close to him, and then we started dating shortly after.”
ose recovery days sparked McDonald’s favorite memory, as the two drove down to New
Mexico together to support their teammates during a meet.
“Trying to keep up with him as he sprinted around the track cheering for everybody — it was the most insane love of track any of our teammates (and myself had) ever seen,” McDonald said. “I try and match that every day. at’s definitely my favorite memory (with Morris).”
For Morris, his defining moment was a little less romantic.
“She used to whip me with her braid at track practice,” Morris said. “I just loved interacting with her at practice, and I think that’s where it all started.”
After dating McDonald for over two years, Morris finally mustered up the courage and proposed to McDonald last September. She responded with a resounding yes, and the two are set to be wed over the summer.
“ e thing I remember most was seeing her reaction to me asking her to marry her,” Morris said. “I just loved her reaction — and then our dog stepped on a candle and ruined it.”
Between the track season and the upcoming wedding, it’s easy to get lost in the busyness of it all. For McDonald, it’s all about enjoying the ride of a lifetime.
“I’m just looking forward to the time I have left and making the most of it,” McDonald said.
Reach Dylan Heinrich at sports @collegian.com.
“I’m just looking forward to the time I have left and making the most of it.”GABI MCDONALD CSU TRACK AND FIELD THROWER Gabi McDonald, Colorado State University track and field athlete, practices with the outdoor shot put at the Glenn Morris Field House Feb. 14. PHOTO BY TRI DUONG THE COLLEGIAN Jackson Morris and Gabi McDonald, Colorado State University track and field athletes, practice with the outdoor shot put at the Glenn Morris Field House Feb. 14. PHOTO BY TRI DUONG THE COLLEGIAN
Colorado State University women’s basketball continued their road trip Feb. 11 with a 6154 victory over California State University, Fresno. It was the second win of three consecutive California road games for the Rams after a triumph against San Jose State University 59-57 Feb. 9.
first quarter. e Rams made seven of 13 attempted field goals and the Bulldogs five of 14. e Rams widened their lead in the second quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 1311 to take a 29-23 lead at halftime.
Entering the second half down by 6, Fresno State slightly outscored CSU 11-10 in the third quarter to shrink the deficit to 5 points.
e Rams managed to close out the game in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 22-20 to secure a 61-54 victory.
Guard McKenna Hofschild scored 13 of the Rams’ 22 fourthquarter points en route to leading all scorers with 17 points in the game. She also led all players in assists with six and tied with guard Hannah Ronsiek for the most rebounds for the Rams with seven.
Unlike their previous game against SJSU, CSU led Fresno State for most of the game, holding the lead for just over 78% of the game.
With a measly 1-13 conference record, Fresno State sits at the bottom of the Mountain West Conference. eir sole conference victory came against SJSU Jan. 7.
CSU got out to an early lead, outscoring Fresno State 16-12 in the
e Rams hope to close out their California road trip undefeated with a victory over San Diego State University Feb. 16 before returning back to Fort Collins to host the U.S. Air Force Academy Feb. 18.
Reach Kaden Porter at sports @collegian.com.
“The Rams managed to close out the game out in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Bulldogs 22-20 to secure a 61-54 victory.”Colorado State University guard Destiny Thurman (2) pushes past Utah State University forward Ashya Klopfenstein (43) at Moby Arena Feb. 2. The Rams won 86-64, breaking a three-game losing streak. PHOTO BY SERENA BETTIS THE COLLEGIAN Senior guard McKenna Hofschild (4) throws a pass at the Colorado State University game against Utah State University at Moby Arena Feb. 2. The Rams beat the Aggies 86-64. Hofschild led the team in scoring with 21 points. PHOTO BY SERENA BETTIS THE COLLEGIAN Colorado State University freshman guard Marta Leimane (14) pushes past Utah State University defenders to make a layup at Moby Arena Feb. 2. The Rams won 86-64. PHOTO BY SERENA BETTIS THE COLLEGIAN
By Christian Arndt @csucollegian
With HIV/AIDS awareness still lacking within our society, Colorado State University’s latest theater production of Larry Kramer’s “ e Normal Heart” brings this issue to light in a very real tale of discrimination, underrepresentation and injustice.
“ e Normal Heart” premieres 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at Colorado State University’s Studio eatre at the University Center for the Arts and offers free admission to CSU students.
e production is a stage play created by Larry Kramer that was released in 1985. e story tackles the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City throughout the 1980s, which was something not a lot of people recognized or took action against mostly because of the group it was associated with during that time.
e story centers around Ned Weeks, an HIV/AIDS awareness activist and a prominent voice for the LGBTQ+ community during the 1980s.
Kramer’s push for HIV/AIDS awareness and his consistent presence in the LGBTQ+ community inspired him to write this stage play. Due to the injustices he experienced, “ e Normal Heart” came to be.
is prompted Wesley Longacre, director of CSU’s “ e Normal Heart,” to spearhead the play and bring the inhumane experiences to light.
Longacre reflected on the production and the overall message of the play.
“I think at the heart of it, it’s just this really human story,” Longacre said. “ ese were, specifically in ‘ e Normal Heart,’ gay men. ese were just men who were wanting to live their lives. ey wanted to love who they love, and they were wanting to have the basic human rights that we all deserve.”
As Kramer was such a prominent figure in the LGBTQ+ community, “ e Normal Heart” shares the story with accuracy and power.
“ is is a piece of LGBTQIA+ history that really needs to be told,” Longacre said.
Peter Young, a junior at CSU who plays the character Ned Weeks, offered his perspective on the perception of HIV/AIDS.
“For audience goers, I think the importance of the show, in this character especially, is being able to understand that this did happen,” Young said. “I can’t even count the amount of people who I’ve told about this show who are from my hometown or anything
like that who are like, “Wait, that happened?” which is extraordinarily surprising to me because HIV/ AIDS is a huge disease that people just don’t know about.”
HIV is commonly misunderstood to be a disease only transmitted through gay sex, which is not the case. e premise of “ e Normal Heart” speaks to this issue, which is commonly used to attack the LGBTQ+ community.
Arina Bratkovska, a senior at CSU who plays Emma Brookner, reflected on the weight of this play and what it means to so many people.
“ e most important thing is that this is not just the issue of the ‘80s. ere is still no cure to AIDS,” Bratkovka said. “ is is still happening to this day. Every day, people’s lives get
lost to something that could possibly be prevented (with) ... better communication from authorities, government and professionals had they taken it seriously.”
“ e Normal Heart” is much more than a production. It is a message about the lives lost due to the negligence and discrimination of the greater public.
“It shows everything that didn’t happen because we lost so many lives of young men and women,” Bratkovska said. “ e art that was lost, the stories that were never told and the lives that were disregarded. What better way to shine a light on that than theater?”
Reach Christian Arndt at entertainment@collegian.com.
“AIDS isn’t even a disease that is just for homosexuals,” Young said. “It is luckily now sort of destigmatized. However, it is still used against the community, unfortunately.”
“It shows everything that didn’t happen because we lost so many lives of young men and women. The art that was lost, the stories that were never told and the lives that were disregarded. What better way to shine a light on that than theater?”
ARINA BRATKOVSKACSU SENIOR PLAYING EMMA
BROOKNERGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY FALYN SEBASTIAN THE COLLEGIAN
With over 79 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Taylor Swift is currently dominating the music industry. As she prepares for her upcoming “Eras Tour,” starting in March, some tickets are priced as high as $22,000.
On Saturday evening, the Aggie eatre held “Taylor Fest,” a night full of Swift’s music played for nearly five hours straight. e event sold out at $20-$23 a ticket, and fans came dressed ready to dance the night away.
On the Z2 Entertainment website, where tickets were available for sale, the event was described as “a party for Swifties BY Swifties, where everyone is the main character.”
e evening began with what ended up being an hour wait to get inside with people standing in a line stretched out the door.
Abby Probst, a student at Front Range Community College, was one of the many people patiently standing in the cold, anxiously waiting for the doors to open.
“I don’t have tickets to the real Taylor shows,” Probst said. “However, I’m trying to convince myself this will basically be the same thing.”
Once inside, the venue attendees were greeted by a sea of Taylor Swift fans, also known as “Swifties,” screaming the lyrics of every song played. e music ranged from Swift’s debut album, “Taylor Swift,” released in 2006, to her most recent album, “Midnights,” released in 2022.
“I have listened to her since I was 10. Her music is just relatable and fun at the same time. I think she is the best musician of our time, and I love her.”
had numerous hosts standing on the stage, hyping up the crowd, dancing and waving signs with Swift’s ex-boyfriends on them.
So what makes Taylor Swift so special? Why are people willing to spend $20 to stand in a crowded room and listen to her music?
Emma Hager, a resident of Fort Collins, said Taylor Swift changed her life.
“I have listened to her since I was 10,” Hager said. “Her music is just relatable and fun at the same time. I think she is the best musician of our time, and I love her.”
Hager described her fans as a family and even explained that she feels like she knows Swift.
viewed over 50 billion times.
e majority of the partygoers at Taylor Fest were women who all appeared to be bonding over their love of her music.
During the event, fans were allowed to go up on stage and sing to the crowd as if they were Swift, many holding their hands out and reaching for people in the crowd.
Swift has garnered a cult following willing to stand by her side through thick and thin; her enemies are theirs too. is was truly exhibited at Taylor Fest, where fans were excited to hear her music in the company of each other.
e event was sponsored by the radio station 96.1 KISS FM and put on by Perfect Night Productions, LLC. e event
Many feel the same way about Swift on the popular social media platform TikTok, where the #TaylorSwift hashtag has been
Reach Katherine Borsting at entertainment@collegian.com.
1. A Taylor Fest goer dances on stage to Taylor Swift songs in front of a sold-out Aggie Theatre crowd Feb. 11. Taylor Fest is an event that travels across the country to bring Taylor Swift fans together, often selling out venues as they did at the Aggie.
2. Taylor Fest goers dance at the Aggie Theatre in Old Town Feb. 11.
3. The crowd of Taylor Swift fans dances to a collection of Swift’s music during Taylor Fest at the Aggie Theatre in Old Town Feb. 11.
4. A Taylor Swift fan holds their hands in a heart shape while dancing on stage at Taylor Fest Feb. 11. Early in Swift’s career, she was known for making this hand shape to fans.
5. A Taylor Swift fan watches the Taylor Fest organizers dance along to Swift’s music onstage in front of a soldout Aggie Theatre crowd Feb. 11.
6. Taylor Fest goers dance and sing at the Aggie Theatre in Old Town Feb. 11. Many attendees wore outfits and costumes inspired by Taylor Swift’s most iconic outfits.
7. Taylor Fest organizers and eventgoers dance in front of a sold-out crowd at the Aggie Theatre Feb. 11. Organizers wore custom Valentine’s Day shirts that read, “My heart, my hips, my body, my choice,” an homage to lyrics from Taylor Swift’s song “Death by a Thousand Cuts.” Organizers announced that 22% of proceeds from the shirts were donated to Planned Parenthood.
8. A Taylor Fest organizer dances onstage in front of a sold-out crowd at the Aggie Theatre Feb. 11. Since 2009, when Kanye West interrupted Swift’s Video Music Awards acceptance speech, he remains an infamous figure among Taylor Swift fans. Their grudge against the rapper intensified in 2016 after drama surrounding lyrics in his song “Famous” that objectified Swift.
9. Taylor Fest goers dance at the Aggie Theatre in Old Town Feb. 11.
10. The crowd of Taylor Swift fans dances to a collection of Swift’s music during Taylor Fest at the Aggie Theatre in Old Town Feb. 11.
11. Taylor Fest goers dance at the Aggie Theatre in Old Town Feb. 11. Taylor Fest is an event that travels across the country to bring Taylor Swift fans together, often selling out venues as they did at the Aggie.
“The
By Abby Flores
Valentine’s Day. You are action oriented, but you may not know what this special someone feels yet. Try not to overthink it, and take a chance.
TAURUS (APRIL 20 - MAY 20)
You may be dealing with a lot in life right now, Taurus. Take time to reflect and give care to yourself this week. You deserve to feel pampered.
GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20)
going to receive a special surprise from them this week.
LEO (JULY 23 - AUG. 22)
You love grand gestures and are the kind of sign that shows love to everyone no matter what. Your friends and family appreciate your big heart because you make them feel cared for.
VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEPT. 22)
especially when it comes to fashion. Your fits are sure to pop off this week.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)
You are the kind of sign that pretends to dislike Valentine’s Day, but come on, Scorpio. Let’s admit it. This holiday makes you happy, so go out and embrace the love.
so enjoy this Valentine’s Day by giving love to yourself and the people you care about. The present is now.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)
TODAY’S
ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 19)
You may be thinking about asking someone out this
You have a busy week ahead of you, Gemini, but don’t let that stop you from going on a date when someone asks. You never know what it could bring.
CANCER (JUNE 21 - JULY 22)
You have a unique soul mate bond with someone, and you are
A secret admirer is looking toward you this week. They may be shy, so try to spark up a conversation. You never know what may come of it.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23 - OCT. 22)
You are ruled by our loving planet, Venus, so this may just be your favorite holiday,
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22DEC. 21) You love having time for yourself to see the world. The universe will bring you sightseeing and fun times with your friends this week.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19) This week will be a relaxing one. You are already on top of your game at work,
You may not be a fan of Valentine’s Day this time around after some heartbreak, but that doesn’t mean you have to distance yourself. Give your friends a call this week and spend some time together — it is all a part of the healing process.
PISCES (FEB. 19 - MARCH 20)
You are one of the most romantic signs of the zodiac. You tend to show love in small gestures, so your inner poet is sure to come out this week.
“I’ve always imagined myself marrying a man with a last name of Minklemyer.”
“I’ll see him on campus and pretend I didn’t.”
“I’d still love you.”
