Vol 127 no 29 september 20, 2017 by The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Volume 127, No. 29 Wednesday, September 20, 2017

OPINION

SPORTS

A&C

ARE YOU RADICAL?

GAMEDAY IN SEC COUNTRY

LIFE WITHOUT WASTE

PAGE 6

PAGE 9

PAGE 14

NFL Bloodlines:

Colorado State senior linebacker Evan Colorito brings down Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay during the first quarter of action. PHOTO BY ELLIOTT JERGE COLLEGIAN

By Eddie Herz @Eddie_Herz

Colorado State redshirt senior linebacker Evan Colorito was practically born with a football in his hands. Colorito’s older brother grew up playing football and his father, Anthony, had a lengthy playing career that took him to the NFL. Colorito recalls a childhood

filled with tossing the pigskin around the yard and spending weekends watching games on TV. Even around the holidays, his eyes would be glued on the television for Thanksgiving NFL games. It comes as no surprise that a football oriented family watches football while surrounded by friends and family on Thanksgiving. However, there

Evan Colorito’s football path shaped by family roots

is something unique about the Colorito family’s Thanksgiving pigskin viewing tradition. For as long as he can remember, the Coloritos would watch a replay of the 1986 AFC Championship every Thanksgiving, a game in which the Denver Broncos defeated the Cleveland Browns 23-20 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. This game was the peak

of Anthony Colorito’s playing career. Anthony was a rookie at the time, and served as a backup nose tackle for the Broncos after being selected 134th overall out of USC in the 1986 NFL Draft. His career was cut short soon after Denver’s Super Bowl loss to the Giants that season after suffering a knee injury in a 1987 exhibition game. Regardless, watching his

father play alongside John Elway, Karl Mecklenburg and other Bronco greats put a twinkle in young Evan’s eyes. Evan started playing tackle football in third grade, but the Beaverton, Ore. native yearned to put on the pads before then. “Evan really wanted to play ever since second grade,” Anthony said. see NFL on page 8 >>

COLLEGIAN.COM Wednesday, September 20, 2017

FORT COLLINS FOCUS

Werner Schreiber, a painter with over 40 years of experience, paints “The Chess Party” on a piano in Old Town Square during a Friday afternoon. Schreiber is one of many artists that volunteer their time to create works of art in the form of painted pianos. Once Schreiber finishes his painting, the piano is then moved all around Fort Collins. Each piano never stays in one place for more than 2 weeks. The City of Fort Collins acquires all pianos through donations and looks for local artists to create new works of art. PHOTO BY MATT BEGEMAN COLLEGIAN

overheard

on the

plaza

“Don’t even talk about ‘gif’ being an art form. You didn’t even know how to pronounce it.” “Can you stop playing Grateful Dead?” “No, you’re 23 years old and shop at Hot Topic.”

“Want to get irresponsibly drunk tonight?”

“If it looks good on my Bitmoji, it will look good on me.” Have you recently overheard something funny on campus? Put your eavesdropping to good use. Tweet us @CSUCollegian and your submissions could be featured in our next paper!

Lory Student Center Box 13 Fort Collins, CO 80523 This publication is not an official publication of Colorado State University, but is published by an independent corporation using the name ‘The Rocky Mountain Collegian’ pursuant to a license granted by CSU. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is a 6,500-circulation student-run newspaper intended as a public forum. It publishes four days a week during the regular fall and spring semesters. During the last eight weeks of summer Collegian distribution drops to 3,500 and is published weekly. During the first four weeks of summer the Collegian does not publish. Corrections may be submitted to the editor in chief and will be printed as necessary on page two. The Collegian is a complimentary publication for the Fort Collins community. The first copy is free. Additional copies are 25 cents each. Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@collegian.com.

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Erin Douglas | Editor-in-Chief editor@collegian.com Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick | Managing Editor managingeditor@collegian.com Haley Candelario | News Director news@collegian.com Rachel Telljohn | News Editor news@collegian.com Allec Brust | Opinion Editor letters@collegian.com Justin Michael | Sports Director sports@collegian.com Colin Barnard | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com

CORRECTIONS In the article “Red Whistle Brigade responds in support of survivors” published Tuesday, Sept. 19, Barack Obama’s name was incorrectly spelled as “Barrack.” Everybody makes mistakes, including us. If you encounter something in the paper you believe to be an error, email errors@collegian.com.

Randi Mattox | A&C Director entertainment@collegian.com Zoë Jennings | A&C Editor entertainment@collegian.com Casey Martinez | Design Editor design@collegian.com Tony Villalobos May | Photography Director photo@collegian.com Davis Bonner | Photo Editor photo@collegian.com Mikaela Rodenbaugh | Digital Production Manager mrodenbaugh@collegian.com Darby Osborne | Social Media Editor socialmedia@collegian.com

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Wednesday, September 20, 2017

NEWS Wednesday, September 20, 2017

CRIME

CITY

Westfall peeping suspect identified By Abby Currie @abcchic15

Authorities released the identity of the Westfall Hall peeper suspect as Tinus Kogoya, a Colorado State University student. Spokeswoman Dell Rae Ciaravola confirmed in an email to the Coloradoan that Kogoya, 21, is a student. Police confirmed that Kogoya, 21, admitted to looking at a female student as she showered in a Westfall Hall restroom, according to the Coloradoan. Kogoya was arrested on suspicion of unlawful sexual contact and criminal invasion of privacy near the intersection of Laurel and Shields streets, the Coloradoan wrote. According to a campuswide email from CSU’s Public Safety Team sent around 1 p.m. on Sept. 16, police were notified of the peeping incident by a female student. The student reported that at 1:15 a.m. on Sept. 16, a man looked through a shower curtain at her while she showered in a Westfall Hall restroom.

Police arrested CSU student Tinus Kogoya on Sept. 18 in connection with the peeping incident at Westfall Hall. PHOTO COURTESY OF LARIMER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

CSUPD later apprehended and identified Kogoya through their investigation according to a campus-wide email from the CSU Public Safety Team, sent out around 4 p.m. on Sept. 17. Kogoya admitted to the peeping incident. According to the Coloradoan, Kogoya remains in custody at Larimer County Jail and police had not released other information about the arrest that took place. Abby Currie can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Gardens on Spring Creek drives discussion at City Council By Matt Bailey @matnes1999

Fort Collins City Council covered and discussed a broad range of topics during Tuesday night’s meeting, including property annexations, intersection improvement and off-site construction staging permits. Of the 16 topics, the Gardens on Spring Creek modification project was the most discussed. The Gardens on Spring Creek project consists of expanding the current garden by removing the western sound wall and current override sound system and appropriating $2.4 million for construction of the Gardens on Spring Creek facility. Michelle Provaznik, the manager of Gardens on Spring

Creek, began the discussion by delivering a presentation. “Thirty years ago, the idea for a botanic garden in Fort Collins emerged from our founder, Jim Clark,” Provaznik said. “And, 20 years ago, our master plan was developed. We’re here tonight to talk about completing the master plan of the Gardens on Spring Creek, and both those plans include a great lawn, foothills and prairie gardens, and a xeriscape demonstration garden.” Provaznik described the amount of work that had gone into moving the project along within the past three years, detailing public meetings and follow-ups with planning and zoning before the project was eventually approved in 2016. The Fort Collins community

raised $2 million dollars for the project in 2017, but it was not enough to completely move the project along. The main purpose for discussing the project at the City Council meeting was to appropriate the donated funds as well as additional funds. “As a part of this effort, we have asked for the removal of the western sound wall as well as the sound override system, but to continue to report back to council after the first year of operations,” Provaznik said. With the request to remove the sound wall and sound override system and with live band performances, members of the public questioned how well compliance with the local sound ordinance would be met. Barbara Albert voiced her concerns about the potential

noise intensity. “This project is easy to love if you do not live next to it,” Albert said. “The gardens have provided sound mitigation for every property except for ours. When you took away a wall and the sound override system last month, you did not replace it with any other mitigation. You will break code on my property.” Noise compliance is one issue members of the Gardens on Spring Creek will have to pay close attention to, since there is no way of telling how intense the noise from concerts will be for people living in the area until concerts begin. Matt Bailey can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Fort Collins city councilors meet to hear citizens’ concerns Tuesday, Sept 19. PHOTO BY AJ FRANKSON COLLEGIAN

CITY

Fort collins placed under extreme fire warning By Samantha Ye @samxye4

If there was ever a good day to stop setting things on fire, it would be today. With winds racing up to 40 mph and relative humidity as low 8 percent, most of Northern Colorado, including Fort Collins, has been placed under a red flag warning by the National Weather Service. All of Larimer County that is below 9,000 feet in elevation will face extreme fire weather

conditions from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. “Colorado is dry and windy ... often, and those are the conditions now,” said Madeline Noblett, spokesperson for Poudre Fire Authority. “We have low humidity, and all those things combine for a higher risk of fire.” While an incoming cold front is expected to alleviate the higher temperatures and low humidity this weekend, advanced wind speeds preceding the front contribute

to increased fire danger today. “We just always ask people for whether it’s a red flag warning day or any day of the year to be extra cautious with how they are using fire,” Noblett said. Noblett recommended standard safety precautions include keeping firepits at least 15 feet away from the house, not throwing cigarette butts out of car windows and thoroughly extinguishing all outdoor fires, including those from a barbeque grill, and

letting the ashes cool before disposal to prevent embers from escaping. Current weather conditions could lead to extreme fire behavior if recommended safety precautions are not followed. For full red flag warning information, visit the National Weather Service website, www. weather.gov. Samantha Ye can be reached at news@collegian.com.

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Student Diversity Programs and Services (SDPS) would like to acknowledge the heightened acts of bias that have been occurring locally, nationally, and globally as well as the recent changes to the DACA program. While incidents of oppression are not new, the emboldened nature of recent events compel us to reach out to the campus community to express our collective outrage. We echo President Tony Frank’s message of campus-wide unity and inclusion and reaffirm our commitment to Colorado State University’s Principles of Community. The SDPS cultural and resource centers are committed to fostering welcoming and affirming spaces for students, faculty, and staff - particularly those who face any form of bigotry and oppression. SDPS and Colorado State University offer programs, workshops, and classes that can help us all learn more about ourselves and others. We hope each person on campus will take the opportunity to engage in your own learning to broaden your perspective to create a more inclusive community. We want to offer a united voice of support to anyone affected by harmful acts of oppression and join in solidarity with anyone who is actively working to disrupt bias and hatred on campus. You are not alone. Together we can make CSU a more inclusive place. Asian Pacific American Cultural Center Black/African American Cultural Center El Centro Native American Cultural Center Pride Resource Center Resources for Disabled Students Women and Gender Advocacy Center

http://studentdiversity.colostate.edu/

OPINION Wednesday, September 20, 2017

COLLEGIAN COLUMNISTS

Some want to be radical, some have to be Tatiana ParafiniukTalesnick @tatianasophiatp

Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by the Collegian or its editorial board. I was recently in a feminist theory class when I found myself looking around the room and thinking, “yeah, there are a lot of lesbians in here.” During my first encounters with feminism, I found myself very defensive of the ideology. So when the internet, family or other 13-year-olds spat out insults to keep me from the inevitable radicalism (and possibly, manhating witchcraft) that feminism would bring I often had to defend what I didn’t understand. People would talk about how all feminists were angry. They would talk about how they were ugly. They were all lesbians. So, a couple of years into acquiring my undergrad in feminist theory, I looked around at my fellow feminist scholars and yeah, I could count a lot of lesbians. I realized how wrong I am to defend certain ideologies as empirically good and true and not the byproduct of certain identities and geographic location. A more informational (and honest) analysis would be to explore why and what certain identities push us to radicalism. (This became the topic of my final paper in that class. Email me, and I’ll totally give you a copy if you love wordy and pompous academic papers.) Here’s my point: Our politics tend to be the byproduct of our identities. This can help us understand why we stand where we do and why others stand where they do. More than helping us understand where our identities locate us, an understanding of what pushes people to radicalism can help all of us be better allies (eh hem, we’re gettin’ radical my friends). It is important for me to acknowledge how I am using the word “radical”. When I refer to radical I am talking about people/ideas that exist away

from the existing framework. When I use the word radical I’m not referring to specific ideology, I am referring to any ideology that exists far away from the norm. Our national political landscape is proving to be polarizing. Hate crimes are on the rise. White supremacy is trendy. Racism, antiSemitism, ethnocentrism and all their ugly cousins have come out for a rowdy, obnoxious family get-together. In all of this commotion many people are asking themselves “What the f*ck?” Shock and disgust have pushed some people into activism. In Fort Collins, new groups formed in the name of progressive action and resistance. Although they are likely also disgusted, many people aren’t shocked — people who already had to be radical. Ask a Black person if they’re newly shocked by race-related hate crimes. Very soon after white supremacists rallied in Charlottesville, ending in the death of one counterprotester, a paper noose was found in a residents’ hall at Colorado State University. The paper noose was placed in the hall of the building’s only Black RA. In interviews the student is upset, but not surprised. He

told the Collegian that he felt targeted, but not shocked. Ask a person under DACA if they’re newly afraid of deportation and displacement. Last spring, I wrote a feature on a sophomore CSU student under DACA. When I asked her about Trump and the possible end of DACA, she cried. But she also made it clear that every year under DACA was precarious. It took bravery to give the government her fingerprints. Every college party held for her different consequences. She had to be perfect – there was never security. Ask a survivor of genderbased crime if they feel universities no longer have their back. When I wrote a feature on a college basketball star’s exgirlfriend looking for justice following what she felt was an abusive relationship, she told me she felt abandoned by her university’s Title IX coordinator. This was more than a year before Secretary of education Betsy DeVos announced what is looking like a rollback on Title IX. Some people have always had to be radical. I don’t think that radical ideology being the byproduct of identity is a particularly

profound thought, in fact, it seems a little obvious. But I can admit there are flaws in the logic. For one, not all women are pro-woman. Not all people of color feel oppressed. Some working class folks are under the impression that rich people deserve to be richer than them. Having a marginalized identity isn’t always enough to push a person to radical thinking. There has to be some privilege of position and knowledge of self.

“Some people are radical because their existence demands it.” But in general, people are endowed with a better grasp of social issues when they’re in the line of fire. I’d say it’s the epistemological privilege of being in a subordinate position. In other words, you know what you have to know to survive. Black Feminist icons Barbara and Beverly Smith describe this in “Across the Kitchen Table a Sister-toSister Dialogue,” when they talk about feminist “clicks,” and, more insightfully, the lack of them for Black women.

While describing how women’s social movement differs according to race and ethnicity, Beverly tells her sister, “This ties in with another thing we had talked about in the past, which is the difference between women’s politics, who come to a realization that oppression exists say, at age 22, 25 or even 18, versus Black women’s and other women of color’s perspective which is that your oppression is a lifelong thing.” The Beverly sisters had this conversation in 1980 and more than three decades later their contemplations still feel topical. Some people are radical because their existence demands it. A large amount of neoNazis and white supremacists could also claim their location has necessitated radicalism. And, they might be right. I’ve read plenty heartwarming testimonies from former white nationalists. These pieces usually describe being forced into radicalism through upbringing, location and desperation. Interconnectedness is a fundamental part of Buddhist philosophy. I recently read “the Bodhicaryāvatāra” by Sāntideva. What struck me the most was the idea that nothing happens independently. see RADICAL on page 7 >>

A protester at the Trump rally held at the capital building faces off against Colorado State Patrol officers. PHOTO BY DAVIS BONNER COLLEGIAN

OPINION Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Radical

NOPE DOPE

>> from page 6

37TH

ANNUAL RACE

The Beverly sisters are radical because of their location, and maybe David Duke is radical because of his location. We are a product of our environment. With this in mind, an updated thesis might read, “We do what we think we must do in order to survive.” But I refuse to humor the idea that whiteness is struggling for survival. Understanding how our politics are the byproducts of our identities can help us understand those that are different from us, it can even help us have compassion for them. However, there is a difference between being forced into radicalism out of the need to survive and being radical to maintain dominance. I would like to focus on the former. So, if you’ve bought that location (literal as well as geo-political) necessitates radicalism, then there’s a second point here. If your location and identity have not demanded you to be radical, how can you be an ally and be sure you’re doing it right? I think the secret sauce is care. The most intense, and ridiculous, example of doing it wrong is Rachel Dolezal,

infamous for passing herself off as Black while she held a leadership position in a chapter of the NAACP and taught African-American studies. Part of what was so confusing and frustrating about Dolezal was that she could have admitted that she was an ally. She could have entered into pro-Black communities as a white woman who loves Black people and Black culture. Certainly activists would have challenged her on grounds of fetishization, they would have questioned her intentions and mostly questioned her knowledge.

However, there is a difference between being forced into radicalism out of the need to survive and being radical to maintain dominance.

I don’t believe most people take her approach towards social justice, there are certainly quite a few other issues at hand in this situation, but I do think people have this fear. Can precocious academics admit they don’t know something? Can stubborn radicals in their studded jackets admit they’ll never know something? Again, here’s my point: Understanding what pushes you to being radical is essential to understanding your own politics, but understanding what experiences lead other people to their politics can help you alter your own. An instructor I admire once asked a class of mine who we knew. He asked us how old they were. What age are they? What language do they speak? Who do they pray to? He was trying to get across that what you know about has a lot to do with who you care about. So if you want to be rad, locate yourself and care about others. Tatiana ParafiniukTalesnick can be reached at letters@collegian.

Being sick.

Vitamin C chewables. #SickLyfe.

Missing class a lot in one week. Dogs that look like glorious potatoes. Professors that make assignments due earlier than they mentioned in class.

Wanting really really badly to pet a dog and the owner not letting you.

Family coming to visit...and buying you food.

Getting paid to make alcoholic beverages.

Dragons #SoIsFirebreathing.

Smoking #TobaccoKills.

And I think that’s what she was afraid of. I think she was unwilling to admit a lack of epistemic knowledge.

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8 Wednesday, September 20, 2017 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Wednesday, September 20, 2017

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SPORTS Wednesday, September 20, 2017

VOLLEYBALL

Rams begin conference play with two home matchups By Luke Zahlmann @lukezahlmann

CSU volleyball begins its conference schedule this week following a 10-2 start in the non-conference portion of its schedule. Coming off a loss to their rival, the University of Colorado, the Rams bring new lessons to the table, and look to capitalize on a loss, rather than dwell on what could have been. “You do not ever want to lose,” Jasmine Hanna said. “But losses are teaching moments so it is not the worst thing, we are going to recover and be better.” The first game of the Rams’ opening weekend in conference is against the University of New Mexico on Thursday. The Lobos present an instant challenge for the Rams as they enter Mountain West play with the third best record in non-conference. The Lobos are led by sophomore outside hitter Lauren Twitty and junior middle blocker Mariessa Carrasco. Twitty leads in overall kills (142) while Carrasco leads the team in hitting percentage (.354). The Rams front line will be tested

early and often by the power of the Lobos hitters, and will have to again fill the void left by Kirstie Hillyer who is still recovering from a knee injury she suffered in CSU’s sweep over Florida State. Fortunately for the Rams, Alexandra Poletto is working her way back to full speed and will be available for their matches this weekend. Though she will be available, the team is still enforcing a set limit for Poletto that will hold her from participating fully in their upcoming conference schedule. In her stead, Paulina Hougaard-Jensen has actively stepped up for the Rams and been one of their best players to this point in the season. Despite a rash of injuries to begin the year, the Rams battled a tough non-conference schedule and came out with just a pair of losses. The challenging schedule gave the Rams a chance to improve against competition they are unfamiliar with, and improve their defense as part of a season-long goal posed by coach Tom Hilbert. “We have gotten better (defensively),” Hilbert said. “We are better now at digging and

controlling balls. We are just better on defense and we are a little better on serve receive.” In the toughest part of their schedule, the Rams will face a new challenge: familiarity. Getting in their conference schedule, the teams they will play have extra intel as well as further analytics. With a target on their backs, the Rams will face each team’s best effort and the responsibility of not taking a night off has been hoisted onto the shoulders of Hilbert. Each team will know the Rams’ weaknesses and look to exploit them in a way out-of-conference opponents are unable to do. “That is my job as a coach,” Hilbert said. “Make sure they are prepared and it is done by telling them, ‘Look, everyone brings their A-game to play us in this league.’ So they are going to play well and they all know us really well so tactically they will know how to win against us.” The latter match of the opening weekend welcomes the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to Moby Arena Saturday, as the Rebels come in to town losers of five straight (pending their match against Wyoming in Laramie on Thursday). A

team largely dominated by freshmen, the Rebels resemble the youth that the Rams have and will test the Rams’ ability to not overlook an opponent, especially in the early portionof conference-play.

NON-CONFERENCE STANDINGS ■ Colorado State (10-2) ■ San Jose State (8-3) ■ New Mexico (8-4) ■ Utah State (8-4) ■ Boise State (7-5) ■ Air Force (7-7) ■ San Diego State (6-7) ■ Fresno State (5-7) ■ Wyoming (5-7) ■ UNLV (4-9) ■ Nevada (2-10)

“We did a really good job of (not overlooking teams) in the preseason,” Katie Oleksak said. “Just kind of playing the same

The Rams celebrate after a point in the third set during their win over Xavier on Saturday, Sept 16. PHOTO BY JOE OAKMAN COLLEGIAN

on our side, and not really caring about who is on the other side.” The matches offer an opportunity for Sanja Cizmic to continue her hot streak that included setting a personal best in kills against Xavier (21). Despite winning early awards, Cizmic has continued to improve and set new highs for herself. The senior led the Rams to wins over higher competition in Michigan and Florida State without lowering her level of play to match teams like Albany and Xavier. Travel for the Rams will be light in the first two weeks of their conference schedule as they only travel to the Air Force Academy and Wyoming in September. The Rams have only suffered a single loss at home and will look to capitalize and create momentum in their opening weekend. New Mexico comes to Moby Thursday at 7 p.m. while UNLV will be hosted on Saturday at 1 p.m. Currently sporting one of the largest attendance rates in the country, Moby Madness will be in full effect in the dawning of another rigorous conference schedule. Luke Zahlmann can be at sports@collegian.com.

ARTS & CULTURE Wednesday, September 20, 2017

FEATURES

Bird watching club provides unique perspective on nature By Casey Setash @caseylovesbirds

Francis Commerçon whips his binoculars up to his eyes, and the eight or so other people milling around him follow suit. They follow a small white shape as it floats lazily above Barr Lake, the namesake of Barr Lake State Park. “It looks like a Bonaparte’s gull,” Commerçon said. A chorus of hushed gasps follows, and some begin to aim spotting scopes, or telescopes specialized specifically for watching birds, towards the species in question. The group are birders - or bird watchers for the uninitiated - on a field trip organized by The Field Ornithologists at Colorado State University. Commerçon, a senior fish, wildlife and conservation biology major, and his friend and fellow FWCB student, Megan Miller, formed the organization in 2015, focusing solely on their

ecology.” Since its inception, the club has recruited dozens of members and has transitioned to new leadership as more people begin to cultivate an interest in the subject. Commerçon reflected on his time as an officer of the organization. “I love seeing younger students learn about the thing I love so deeply,” Commerçon said. “... People I did not know when (Megan Miller and) I helped found the club are now at its helm, organizing their own events, calling their own meetings, and gaining indispensable leadership experience in the process. I feel like I have invested my entire undergraduate experience into this organization. I am contemplating migrating onward. My baby bird has learned to fly.” The day of the Bonaparte’s gull sighting, approximately 20 attendees gathered at Barr Lake State Park to witness a bird banding demonstration.

A Green-Tailed Towhee is held for a photograph before being released. The small metal band around its right leg helps track its movement and survival. PHOTO BY CASEY SETASH COLLEGIAN

shared passion for birds. They called themselves The Field Ornithologists at CSU, or CSUFO for short. CSUFO offers a unique opportunity for students, faculty, and local residents to connect with nature through birds. “Before CSUFO, the CSU Community did not have a specific outlet for all those interested in birds to share and kindle their passions,” Commerçon said. “CSUFO has brought together those interested in birds from disparate parts of campus, and it has lit a passion for birds in numerous students who had not previously given much thought to birding or avian

Birds are caught in large, nearly invisible nets along the perimeter of the forest. They are then fitted with small aluminum bands around their ankles to study where they are going, how many of them survive, and to share an intimate portrait of these mysterious creatures with anyone who might be interested. Meredith McBurney, a biologist and banding education specialist with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, holds up a drab yellow bird. “Does anyone know what it is?” Answers start punctuating the silence from the crowd. “Yellow warbler?”

someone offers hesitantly. “Orange-crowned warbler,” someone else chimes in. “Blackpoll warbler,” a third guesses. McBurney smiles and points towards the third person, indicating that their answer is correct. A collective “Ooooh” echoes throughout the group.

GET INVOLVED: ■ Email-

csuornithology@gmail.com ■ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ groups/CSUFO ■ Instagram @CSUOrnithology ■ Next Meeting-

Oct. 2 at 5 p.m. in Wagar 231

With the assistance of Commerçon, McBurney educated the spectators on this species’ migration and when they typically start to see them coming through the Front Range. The trips typically require early mornings and occasionally long days, but the reward is often well worth it for many aspiring naturalists. They not only provide reflective experiences on the world behind one’s computer screen but offer learning experiences far beyond those of the classroom. “I like being able to take students to places they’ve never been before to see things that we’ve only read about in textbooks,” Miller said. “It’s helped me value the things I experience even more. I sometimes forget that people go their entire lives without watching a Wilson’s warbler flit through a willow collecting insects in the tip of its beak. Or listen, really listen, to the incredibly complex song of an American robin. In the birding club I can share those experiences with other people.” CSUFO has made it a goal to be accessible to people of many backgrounds and fields of study. The Barr Lake trip consisted of many students in ecology-related majors but also an English teacher from a language program at CSU, a Chinese teacher at The Confucius Institute and even a

three-month-old baby named Gabby, the group’s youngest member. Commerçon hopes the club will continue to foster an environment of inclusivity among its members. “You don’t need any e x p e r i e n c e ,” C o m m e r ç o n said. “We provide guidance, binoculars, field guides and carpooling to some of the most amazing places you have never thought to visit. Come to one of our meetings or our speaker seminars. This could change your life.” Miller echoed these sentiments. “We really, really do welcome anyone,” Miller said. “It doesn’t matter if you’ve ever been bird watching before in your life.”

Since the club’s participation has blossomed, they have begun to turn their attention toward a larger goal. “In our present era of local and global conservation concerns, bird conservation, avian ecology and birdrelated environmental communication are needed more now than ever,” Commerçon said. “CSUFO has taken a large step toward providing the platform for an increased awareness, understanding, and appreciation for birds at Colorado State University.” Casey Setash can be reached at entertainment@collegian. com.

ARTS & CULTURE Wednesday, September 20, 2017

FEATURES

Skateboarding non-profit empowers youth By Miranda Moses @mirandasrad

Fort Collins is home to five skate parks, and for many, these are a sanctuaries of refuge where every drop in feels like home. As skate culture continues to grow since its start in the 1950s, so does the demand for legal skating spaces. The various free locations around the town propagates a community of skaters who utilize the seemingly independent activity that breaks the bounds of team sports while simultaneously participating in physicality that brings people together.

space to give back. Affectionately known as Launch by those who go there, the group is a Fort Collins-based 501c3 non-profit organization with the mission to “empower youth to benefit themselves and their community through active physical engagement, participation in hands-on learning experiences, peer to peer connections and community service opportunities,” according to their website. The establishment came to life six years ago when the Founder and Executive Director of Launch, Andy Weiss, decided to close the skate shop he

“I had an opportunity to open a skate store when I was 19 years old,” Weiss said. “Our strength as a store back then was that we were kind of providing a place for people to come hang out, and there was a lot of community around it. So, after doing that for so long, I selfishly wanted to get back to more of connecting with the community of skateboarders and relying less on just selling a product. As skateboarding has grown from a sub-culture that I grew up with, there is more people participating in it, and it is a point now where there is a population of people

Launch’s lobby is home to a collection of skateboards and skateboarding magazines, such as Thrasher. PHOTO BY MIRANDA MOSES COLLEGIAN

Launch: Community Through Skateboarding aims to harness this idea and create a

owned for 15 years in the hopes of creating something that went beyond making money.

who really benefit from programs around skateboarding.” Launch’s physical location re-

sides at 1007 N. College Ave., and includes a lobby that holds one of the largest collections of skateboarding magazines in the country, a wood shop space for creating custom boards and the main attraction: one of Northern Colorado’s only indoor skateparks. For Weiss, it was pivotal to provide a space for kids to come after school and make connections with others who share their interest. But, Launch is more than the physical skatepark. Due to budget, Launch originated with no physical location and predominately centered on offsite programs. Before he began Launch, Weiss worked for the city of Fort Collins Recreation doing skateboarding programing, including skateboarding lessons and camps. Launch began taking on similar functions such as summer camps and utilized co-op spaces for such programs. Today, the programs and events that the organization puts on, in the building and beyond, are part of what makes Launch extraordinary. New skaters like Carlson can sign up for private lessons or join group lessons on Saturday mornings. The organization also provides Build A Skateboard workshops and hosts themed skate nights and birthday parties. At the end of 2013, Launch was able to invest in a 15-passenger van that brings young skaters to outside skate parks for day trips around Northern Colorado. Launch also hosts competitions, and is soon hosting an annual Halloween skate competition at Northside Aztlan Skatepark on Saturday, Oct. 28. The event is free, and all participants must be in costume to compete. The organization applies for many grants and sells merchandise such as T-shirts and hats with the Launch logo, but Launch largely operates on public support to keep it thriving. Launch recently had a fundraiser at New Belgium Brewery called All Hands on Deck. The art show was made possible by 60 artists donating their time to paint skateboards that Launch sold at the brewery. “Our focus is definitely on adolescents, and I think by default, that is who is getting involved in skateboarding,” Weiss said. “But in our recent fundraiser, you know, no kids were really involved in it, yet there are all these people that are my age that value what skateboarding gave them especially in their younger years. That is one of the reasons I think launch can exist, because there are people with kids of

their own now that really see the benefit of it.” Weiss said that most of Launch’s programs are concentrated on working with an at-risk population. Because skateboarding is engaging to a population of people who are not necessarily team sports people that are attracted to the independence and no-rules aspect of the sport, accessibility is a high prioritization for Launch. Skateboarding has personally gotten Weiss through heavy times in his life the way sports like football can do for others.

UPCOMING EVENT: ■ What: Annual Halloween skate

competition

■ Where: Northside Aztlan

Skatepark

■ When: Saturday, Oct. 28 ■ Cost: free ■ Collegian reporter Miranda

Moses can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @mirandasrad.

Frank Bishop, a junior forest fire science major at Colorado State University, volunteered at Launch’s front desk after skating at the indoor Skatepark during the winter. “What I think is really is cool is that Launch fosters an intersectional space to be used. There are over 30’s nights, there are ladies’ nights, there are 13 and under sessions and beginner sessions,” Bishop said. “And you know, what that does is create a space to be used by everyone to make skateboarding an accessible thing to them, which is super beneficial to everyone who is involved in it.” Weiss said he would love to see more CSU students get involved with Launch in the future. For those who do not own their own equipment, Launch provides quality skateboards and helmets to rent for a low price. Skating at the Launch location is only one dollar an hour, a reasonable fee for an indoor park. The organization is primarily volunteer driven, but there are plans in the process of expanding hours during the winter with an addition of a new part-time position so that Launch can continue to foster an accessible community of growth and empowerment all year round. Miranda Moses can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Wednesday, September 20, 2017

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