California declared monkeypox as a state of emergency on Aug. 1 and Santa Clara County and San Jose State have been gearing up for the fight against it. The monkeypox virus has spread throughout the state and Santa Clara County, with 110 total confirmed cases as of Saturday. The county public health department said it expects more cases in the coming months. The SJSU Student Health Center stated in a campuswide email that it will continue to provide updates for everything the campus community needs to know about the virus. “We learned much about what we need to do to prepare for future outbreaks from COVID-19 and continue to get our guidance from [the] CDC, local PHD and OSHA,” the Student Health Center stated. “We will utilize those communications and preventions should there be an outbreak on campus.” Monkeypox is a virus that is related to the smallpox virus, but is generally less severe and less contagious, according to the Student Health Center campuswide statement. It is usually spread through skin-to-skin contact and people who contract the virus may have a rash that initially looks like blisters, which can be painful and cause itching, according to the same campuswide statement. The rashes can occur on various body parts but they’re mostly found near genitals, anus, hands, feet and mouths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Monkeypox webpage. Other symptoms include fever, chills and exhaustion.
Jason Laker SJSU counselor education professor, former vice president of student affairs in 2010-11 of presidents at CSUs from 2010-Present
About 16 people gathered in front of San Jose City Hall Sunday to protest the ripple effects taking place across the U.S. after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24. Organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation Bay Area chapter (PSL), the protest was set to be just a few days before Aug. 25, when trigger laws in several states such as Wyoming, Utah and North Dakota will begin to take effect – banning abortion. Abortion is now illegal in eight states while 19 others having been deemed “hostile” toward legal abortion, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights website. The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global legal advocacy organization that seeks to advance reproductive rights, according to its Therewebsite.have been 20 states that have codified the right to abortion or expanded funding and protections for abortion services, according to the same“Thiswebsite.isnot taking place in California, but we are here to stand in solidarity with all of our brothers and sisters who will be affected by this,” said Maggie Yao, organizer with PSL and San Jose resident. Some protesters also expressed concern about
SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY Volume 159 No. 1Aug.Monday,22,2022 NAMED NATIONAL FOUR-YEAR DAILY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR FOR 2020-21 IN THE COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION’S PINNACLE AWARDS
What can I tell you? Is this the seventh president [since I’ve been here]? So at this point, I wonder, what’s the point of remembering their names?
Nearly nine months after the search for the next San Jose State president commenced, the California State University (CSU) Chancellor’s Office reports “strong interest” from potential candidates. Lisa Millora, SJSU vice president for strategy and institutional affairs and chief of staff, said the Association of Governing Boards (AGB), a higher education search firm that’s partnered with SJSU, has received numerous interested candidates from across the nation.
Local protesters rally against trigger laws in other states
By Nathan Canilao NEWS EDITOR
Monkeypox rise sparks concern
“The ad for the presidency was placed in national [education trade] publications in early June, and AGB has sent the leadership profile to numerous potential candidates and nominators across the country,” Millora stated in a July 29 campuswide email. “They will continue to recruit potential candidates throughMichaelAugust.”Uhlenkamp, CSU senior director of public affairs, said the CSU is unable to comment on specifics related to the candidates including the number of candidates because the search committees’ information and processes areUhlenkampconfidential. said the intent of
By Bryanna Bartlett PRODUCTION EDITOR
Number
There are 14,115 cases total in the U.S. as of Saturday. California accounts for about 19% of cases nationwide with 2,663 cases, according to the same CDCThewebpage.virus has also disproportionately affected gay and bisexual men. CDC data shows there’s a high concentration of monkeypox
PRESIDENT | Page 2 ABORTION | Page 2 MONKEYPOX | Page 2
PHOTO FROM FREEPIK A hand of a pharmacist holds up a microscopic image of the monkeypox virus, which causes the disease that’s similar to smallpox.
SJSU president search goes on
By Nick Zamora STAFF WRITER
INFOGRAPHIC BY BRYANNA BARTLETT; SOURCE: CSU PAST & PRESENT LEADERSHIP WEBPAGE
ROE V. WADE
Key priorities listed in the SJSU leadership profile include: expand initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion; foster an environment that provides a sense of belonging for everyone and model best practices in justice; convene various groups within and beyond the SJSU community to gather perspectives on relevant issues and Potentialconcerns.candidates have until Aug. 31 to submit their letters of interest to the Association of Governing Boards in order to receive “full consideration,” according to the SJSU leadership profile.SJSU students, staff and faculty can email questions or nominations to the presidentsearch@calstate.edu.
Michelle Smith McDonald, SJSU senior director of media relations, said SJSU’s policy toward a potential case within the university community follows the CDC guidelines on quarantining and treatment. The quarantine period for monkeypox can vary depending on the case’s severity. The CDC recommends that one should quarantine until the rash goes away and a new layer of skin forms, according to its treatment webpage.
Fernandez said he hopes to see SJSU continue to “I think San Jose State should continue to educate people on what monkeypox is and inform them that it’s dangerous and that we should be careful about what we are doing,” he said. Smith McDonald said the university has already disseminated campuswide communication and updated its “Additionally,websites. we will be sharing prevention messages in all spaces that may be high risk and we are looking for support from student organizations to help promote prevention messages,” Smith McDonald said in an email. confidentiality is to gather the largest possible pool of qualified candidates.
Flores expressed concern about the lack of pressure from San Jose City Council toward companies, including Facebook, that works with authorities who seek to criminalize abortion. “They should be doing something about it. They should be creating some policy where we are protected and we have privacy in the messages that we are sending on these platforms and the city council should be pressuring these companies to do that,” Flores said.
Facebook complied with a police investigation in Nebraska into an abortion done at 28 weeks, which is illegal in the state after 20 weeks, according to an Aug. 9 NBC article.
“[The leadership profile] was developed in consideration of some of the feedback provided by stakeholders during the open form held on May 3,” Uhlenkamp said in an Lakeremail. said the next president needs to tend to all areas of mistrust, which includes reforming SJSU athletics, University Personnel and labor relations. “I think, given the amount of trepidation at this campus, not to mention how many lawsuits, how many settlements, how many government interventions, one could argue San Jose State is a special case that merits a special response,” said Laker, regarding the 12-year sexual misconduct scandal in athletics, the recent Department of Justice investigation and multiple whistleblower and Title IX litigations. “If you really want to make the reform . . . you have to change how you’re operating.”
sjsunews.com/spartan_daily MONDAY, AUG. 22, 2022 NEWS2 cases among gay and bisexual men, though anyone can catch the virus through close contact.
Regarding vaccinations and testing, the SJSU Student Health Center and the Santa Clara County Public Health Department both offer monkeypox tests to those who are at risk. Students can request tests from the Student Health Center if they believe they might have contracted the virus or if they’ve been in close contact with someone who has testedTestingpositive.iscurrently available through Valley Connections Medical Center or at the Valley Health Center Downtown Urgent Care office for walk-ins.
“The thing with monkeypox is that anyone can get it,” said Aaron Groff, Santa Clara County Public Health Department communications officer. “It just happened to start in this social network.”
During the May 3 open forum in the Student Union Ballroom, many SJSU community members expressed to the president search committee that issues of labor relations, transparency, diversity and inclusion were necessary for the next president to address.
The search committee, which is composed of both the trustee and advisory committees, is appointed by the CSU board chair, in accordance with CSU policy. The trustee committee, which includes the board chair, four trustees and the interim CSU chancellor, collectively handles recruitment, selection and appointment of the next SJSUThepresident.advisory committee is made up of SJSU representatives including faculty, staff, students, alumni and a campus advisory board member, who all provide consultation to the trustee committee. The SJSU presidential search committee is made of 18 members in total, according to an April 22 SJSU news release. The CSU Board of Trustees launched the national search for a new president after former SJSU president Mary Papazian announced her resignation last October, according to an Oct. 7, 2021 SJSU blog post. Papazian concluded her tenure on Dec. 21. SJSU counselor education professor Jason Laker said while he is a “fundamentally optimistic person,” he finds it hard to have hope for the next president.
Valley Connection is the appointment line for Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s primary care clinics, according to its website. Monkeypox vaccinations are also starting to become more readily available to county residents. Santa Clara County recently announced that it will be able to administer five times as many vaccinations through a new method that involves injecting the vaccine intradermally as opposed to its previous method of injectingIntradermalsubcutaneously.injections are injections that occur just under the top layer of the skin; these injections are commonly used for “Intradermal injections has been used with other medical procedures like tuberculosis skin testing and essentially allows more doses out of one vial to be used,” Groff said. As of now, only men and transgender people who have sex with men, and sex workers and people who’ve been in close contact with someone who contracted monkeypox are eligible to receive a vaccine dose in the county, according to the Santa Clara County Public Health monkeypox webpage.
Microbiology junior Rafael Fernandez said he has learned from his experiences during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been more cautious. “Yeah, ever since COVID happened, I’ve been very particular with what I do. I tend to not go out as much as I used to,” Fernandez said. “I’ve been sanitizing and trying to be as careful as possible. Especially knowing that people will be in contact with people who could get sick and not possibly recover as well as others.”
Laker said students come and go and don’t live through the changes quite like faculty and staff do, adding that students may be affected but not “as acutely, at least not“Presidentsobviously.” have come in, kind of forgetting what the rest of us have lived through,” he said. “They come in with their enthusiasm for whatever plans they have and generally tend to not give attention, focus attention on helping people ease their anxieties and their pain over the things that happened before.”
Outside the Student Union,
Rafael Fernandez microbiology junior helle director of media relations JSU’s ithin the u nit y follows D C on tining and quarantinetreatment.period ypox can var y ding on the severit y. recommendsThethat way and a new n forms, reatment arding vaccinations sting, and the Santa Clara County both ypox are risk ents if believe have contracted the virus h’b l hhh of the are skin testing. tuberculosismhas“Intradermabeenusededicalprocskin allows mo said As of no and me pe someone are receive a vaccine dose in to the Santa C Public Health web educate students and faculty on the virus. I lhk d f
ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH GREGORIC MONKEYPOX Continued from page 1 PRESIDENT Continued from page 1 ABORTION Continued from page 1 Follow Bryanna on @brybartlettTwitter Follow Nathan on @nathancanilaoTwitter Follow the Spartan Daily on Twitter @SpartanDaily
Santa Clara County – 110 California – 2,663 U.S. – 14,115 monkeypoxConfirmedcases: Infographic source: Santa Clara County and CDC monkeypox webpages, data as of Saturday.
Uhlenkamp said every search is different and takes into account what’s currently taking place on campus or has happened in the recent past. He added that while the recent issues at SJSU aren’t included in the leadership profile, all of that information will be shared with candidates so that they’re informed.
The Bay Area-based tech company provided chats to Nebraska police that showed Celeste Burgess, 41, instructing her daughter, Jessica Burgess, who was 17 at the time, on how to take abortion pills that she obtained, according to the same NBC article.
SJSU students have expressed some anxiety toward contracting monkeypox, especially as it has been nearly two and a half years since California declared the coronavirus as a state emergency.
NICK ZAMORA | SPARTAN DAILY Protesters gather at San Jose City Hall Sunday to advocate for reproductive rights.
Laker, who was the university vice president of student affairs in 2010-11, said SJSU has a lot of potential, but there has been so much change in leadership and hardly any change in regards to trust, morale and labor relations. “What can I tell you? Is this the seventh president [since I’ve been here]? So at this point, I wonder, what’s the point of remembering their names?” he said in a Zoom call. “I mean, I hope things will improve, but it’s hard to invest too much in such hope when you’ve had so many of them so far in such a short period of time.” Since 2010, SJSU has had six presidents, according to the CSU Past & Present Leadership webpage. Within that same 12-year period, three other CSUs have had four presidents while the remaining 19 campuses have seen one to three, according to the same CSUThewebpage.sixthSJSU president since 2010 is current interim president Steve Perez, who assumed his role on Jan. While1. specifics regarding candidates are confidential, Perez said he trusts the search process, that the committees will do a thorough job and the final decision will be what’s best for SJSU’s“I’mfuture.proud to be leading this great university and look forward to continuing to do so,” Perez said in a statement to the Spartan Daily. “The energy and enthusiasm of our students, staff and faculty can be felt all across this campus.”
Associated Students President Nina Chuang said she has enjoyed working alongside Perez. “Upon his arrival, [Perez] has been present on campus by attending student-led events and bringing approachable, excited energy during graduation,” Chuang said in a text message. She said she feels that former president Papazian was unwilling to meet with various student organizations and groups during events and meetings. “The most important part of SJSU is the students,” Chuang said. “I hope the next SJSU president is genuine with their students and has a heart to elevate our student voices [amid] the demands of systemic and institutional practices.”
local technology companies’ involvement in the issue. “Not only do they create rental hikes, but now they’re using our private messages against us and at the same time, saying they ‘support women’ and that they ‘stand up for women,’ ” said Kamila Flores, PSL Bay Area member and event organizer. “Giving these messages to a court is actually not standing up to women.”
Uhlenkamp said the Association of Governing Boards, the search firm partnered with SJSU, has been sharing the university’s leadership profile to interested candidates.
Uhlenkamp said establishing or rebuilding trust with various stakeholder groups will also be a priority for the incoming president.
I think San Jose State should continue to educate people on what monkeypox is and inform them that it’s dangerous and that we should be careful about what we are doing.
SJSU staff and facilities workers protested for wage increases and negotiations with the university administration before the forum began.The protest was organized by the Teamsters local 2010, a labor union representing more than 14,000 workers in higher education, which includes the CSU employee union, according to its website.
Alexa Solomon Dam Worth It president & senior gymnast
Athletes: mental health mattersmatters
By Kyle Tran SPORTS EDITOR San Jose student-athletesStatekickoffyearwithmarch
Bottom: Brynann Venters (middle) holds up a shirt while standing next to other student-athletes. Follow the Spartan Daily on Twitter @SpartanDaily
sjsunews.com/spartan_daily MONDAY, AUG. 22, 2022SPORTS 3
More than 100 San Jose State studentathletes marched through South Campus to spread awareness on athlete mental health Sunday morning.Theevent was organized by Dam Worth It (DWI), an SJSU-based group run by student-athletes looking to end the stigma of mental health in athletics. Alexa Solomon, Dam Worth It president and senior gymnast, said the purpose of the march was to bring athletes together and realize that no one stands alone and everyone can be a part of this issue. “I had my own mental health struggles throughout my first couple years and I wish that there was a committee like this to show that everybody does go through their own struggles,” Solomon said. “I just hope that [the march] empowers others to reach out when needed or just to Thesupport.”Dam Worth It organization originated in Oregon State. Like the one in San Jose, the program was created to shed light on the significance of mental health in athletic programs. Along with Solomon, Natasha Forrand, Dam Worth It vice president and gymnast junior, spoke to the crowd on what this march means to them. “We really wanted to kick start this year so people know about DWI,” Forrand said. “Anytime we post events or have activities going on, they know what DWIThroughoutis.” the year, Dam Worth It plans to host events during sporting contests with the goal of spreading resources and giving athletes opportunities to share their personal experiences regarding mental health. “We did not expect this much turnout and we’re really grateful we had connections and help from everyone,” Forrand said. “We were surprised that we had so much, but we thought it was a good amount and it was a good way to start vthe year.”
Top: SJSU student athletes show support doing the Dam Worth It march for mental health at South Campus on Sunday morning. Middle: Softball players pose for a photo at the beginning of the march.
I had my own mental health struggles throughout my first couple years and I wish that there was a committee like this to show that everybody does go through their own struggles.
TRAVIS WYNN | SPARTAN DAILY
sjsunews.com/spartan_daily MONDAY AUG. 22, 2022 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT4 ACROSS 1. Breath fresheners 6. Dull pain 10. Riot spray 14. Utopian 15. Foot digits 16. Black, in poetry 17. Andean animal 18. It was 19. Pew area 20. Trustworthy 22. Detail 23. Threesome 24. 90 26. Belch 30. Whichever 31. Unit of energy 32. District 33. Smooch 35. Male monarchs 39. Cheer 41. Grazing land 43. Dawdle 44. Not bad 46. Notion 47. Sphere 49. Influenza 50. Stitches 51. Skin art 54. Dossier 56. Cain’s brother 57. Dramatic 63. Fern clusters 64. Suggestion 65. Not below 66. Kitchen or bathroom ____ 67. Celtic language 68. One more than six 69. Apart from this 70. Marsh plant 71. Strain DOWN 1. Gentle 2. Inactive 3. Half-moon tide 4. Domestic 5. Bias 6. Achieving 7. Cattlemen 8. Make well 9. Ancient ascetic 10. Brain fever 11. Diminish 12. Desire 13. Foe 21. Male duck 25. Bothers 26. Thai currency 27. Fertilizer component 28. Towards the back 29. Imitative 34. Pillaged 36. Naked 37. Got bigger 38. Oceans 40. Apprentice 42. No longer a child 45. Transgression 48. Irritate 51. Thigh armor 52. Agitated 53. Sea swallows 55. Delete 58. Employ 59. Wild goat 60. Bay 61. Affirm 62. Advanced CLASSIFIEDSCROSSWORDPUZZLE SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively. YOURhair?”toa“WhatAROUNDJOKIN’doesbeeusebrushits“Ahoneycomb!”PLACEADHERE Place AdsClassifiedyourOnlineat CampusAve.comSpartandaily. Contact us at 408.924.3270 or email us at SpartanDailyAdvertising@gmail.com SOLUTIONS Check back here next issue for the solutions! Our office at DBH 213 is thebecauseclosedofpandemic. 6917017166167168631641655615758596061625152531545511111114748149150431444514639401414232133341353637382627282913013111111112312425202112217118119142012345x67891010111213152516 Beyoncé electrifies with new-era sounds ILLUSTRATION BY KATIA KASOWER
In times of darkness, struggle and chaos, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter’s work has not only been an escape but an inspiration as a person struggling to find her place in the world.
Beyoncé just released her seventh studio album titled “Renaissance” on July 29, the first “act” in a trilogy project. On this dizzying album, she explores escapism, self-assurance and self-expression under the backdrop of eclectic and upbeat styles that sound straight out of a 1980s Miami dance club. It’s a lot to be alive right now.
Beyoncé has given us perfection yet again, with standout tracks such as “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” an ode to Queer dance floor anthems to “VIRGO’S GROOVE” that quite literally sounds like a sparkling disco ball under the backdrop of a dark retro dance floor. Another standout, “AMERICA HAS By Bojana Cvijic BEYONCÉ
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
| Page 5
The world feels truly apocalyptic with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and international turmoil, I find myself waiting for that sensation of bleakness to lighten. When will there be something that just lets us “Renaissance”float?transports me to a world in which I’m dancing under the dazzling lights of a Studio 54 dance floor in ecstasy wearing the full wardrobe of your typical 1970s discotheque. Since her self-titled album, which was a surprise release in 2013 that shocked the world, Beyoncé has continued her journey in creating new visionary and auditory peaks for not only herself, but her audience. She continues to ask the question “What new peaks can I reach?” and the possibilities seem endless. On her latest release, Beyoncé encapsulates the genres of house and dance music and pays tribute to Black Queer folks, with features from icons such as rapper Big Freedia and TV personality and activist Ts Madison. When the first track “I’M THAT GIRL” started, I was greeted with the line “These motherfuckers ain’t stopping me,” and I knew she had me by the neckAlthoughagain. the opening song is slow and disjointed compared to the rest of the album, “I’M THAT GIRL” seamlessly transitions into the next track “COZY,” a joyful upbeat track about celebrating yourself with being comfortable with who you are. From “COZY,” we journey into “CUFF IT,” a song that sounds like you started a soul-train line in the middle of the club at 2 a.m., hoping the person who has been staring at you finally comes up and dances with you.
album review “Renaissance” Rating: Artist: Beyoncé Release Date: Jul. 29, 2022 Genre: [ R&B/Soul ] INFOGRAPHIC BY SAUMYA MONGA BEYONCÉ Continued from page 4 be submitted as letters to the editor or online comments. EDITORIAL STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOJANA CVIJIC MANAGING EDITOR CARTER FULHORST ASSOCIATE EDITOR SAUMYA MONGA PRODUCTION EDITOR BRYANNA BARTLETT NEWS EDITOR NATHAN CANILAO A&E EDITOR SAMANTHA DIETZ CONTACT US EDITORIAL –MAIN TELEPHONE: (408) 924-3821 EMAIL: spartandaily@gmail.com ADVERTISING –TELEPHONE: 408-924-3240 ADVERTISING STAFF ADVERTISING DIRECTOR MIA WICKS CREATIVE DIRECTOR BRIANNE BADIOLA ABOUT The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San Jose State community’s top news source. New issues are published every comments.tobeReaderFirstexpressionstudentsbywrittenTheupdatedonlinetheThursdayWednesdayTuesday,andthroughoutacademicyearandcontentdaily.SpartanDailyisandpublishedSanJoseStateasanoftheirAmendmentrights.feedbackmaysubmittedasletterstheeditororonline OPINION EDITOR CAROLYN BROWN SPORTS EDITOR KYLE TRAN SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR ASIA TUGBENYOH STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS TRAVIS WYNN HANA GARCIA COPY EDITORS CHRISTINE NGUYENCHRISTOPHERSTEVENSGRAPHICS EDITORS HANNAH KATIAJOVANNAGREGORICOLIVARESKASOWER SENIOR STAFF WRITERS JOAQUIN DE LA TORRE D’NETRUS CHEVIS-ROSESTAFF WRITERS MATT ADRIANALESSIOJOSHUAJEREMYVANESSANICKMYENNWEINERRAHNOMAZAMORATRANMARTINATKINSONCAVALCAPEREDA PRODUCTION CHIEF MIKE CORPOS NEWS ADVISER RICHARD CRAIG EMAIL: spartandailyadvertising@gmail.com CORRECTIONS POLICY The Spartan Daily corrects all significant errors that are brought to our attention. If you suspect we have made such an error, please send an email to spartandaily@gmail.com. EDITORIAL POLICY Columns are the opinion of individual writers and not that of the Spartan Daily. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors. Follow Bojana on @bojanaacvTwitter
A PROBLEM,” at first glance makes you think “will this be a political commentary of the United States?” but is just her saying she’s the baddest bitch alive and you can’t handle her. Her form of tribute shines in the single of the album “BREAK MY SOUL,” which I initially didn’t love as much as I thought I would because I felt like the track was missing something. However, in the context of the album, it finds its place as an uplifting powerful anthem backed by the sample of Big Freedia’s trackBig“Explode.”Freedia is credited with popularizing New Orleans Bounce music, inspiring Beyoncé on her 2016 track “Formation,” their first collaboration prior to “BREAK MY SOUL.”
In “COZY,” Beyoncé samples a June 27, 2020 video where Ts Madison candidly speaks on what it means to be a Black Transgender woman. Madison recently said Beyoncé made sure she was credited for her work on the track. “[. . .] Leggra, my manager, went and got the numbers from them and it was like a number and then zero, zero, zero, zero, zero. Then, not only were there all these zeros but it said percent of streaming and a percent of pure sales.
I was like, “OH, THIS BEYONCÉ!’” Madison said in a Friday Essence magazineBeyoncéinterview.shows a deep love and respect for the artists she works with on her projects. She shows us time and time again that an album is a collaborative process and music can be better when people work together to honor certain communities. Her attention to detail on “Renaissance” showcases the collectivism that our deeply individualistic society sometimes lacks. Other features include Queer icon Grace Jones, a music and fashion performer of the 1970s and 1980s, in the powerful track “Move.” In the Drake-produced track “HEATED”, she pays tribute to her Uncle Johnny who she called the “most fabulous Gay man I’ve ever known [...] he lived his truth and he was brave and unapologetic during a time when this country wasn’t as accepting,” during a Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation awards acceptance ceremony in 2019. The lyric “Uncle Johnny made my dress that cheap spandex, she looks a mess!” made this my favorite track off the album. The album ends with “Summer Renaissance,” an homage to Queer icon Donna Summer and her 1977 track “I Feel Love,” another song that changed the landscape of music. It serves as a perfect ending, considering Beyoncé’s own trajectory in the music Beyoncéindustry.hasbeen an icon to the LGBTQ+ community since her career started, adding to a long list of divas that the community continues to embrace. This release, in turn, is her ultimate tribute. My brain can’t comprehend the new peaks Beyoncé creates for herself and that is the genius of her talent.
From waking up from a nap to her self-titled surprise album to 2016’s “Lemonade” – where I, along with the rest of Twitter users, assumed she was divorcing her husband and rapper Jay Z on premium cable – Beyoncé has perfected the art of mystery and anticipation. Despite the release of “Renaissance” being more traditional than her last two solo releases, I still felt the same amount of suspense andThisexhilaration.latestBeyoncé release has electrified life back into the world of music. There is no artist alive right now that does what Beyoncé does, and “Renaissance” is a timely reminder of Historicallythat.after the Renaissance, came the Age of Enlightenment, followed by Revolution. If Beyoncé follows historical precedent, I’m confident she will do exactly that in her next two acts: enlighten and revolutionize.
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