The Advocate - Issue 21- March 13, 2020 by The Advocate

Volume 54, Issue 21 March 13, 2020 advocate-online.net

FOR THE STUDENTS BY THE STUDENTS

Colleges respond to COVID-19 PAGE 2

Doom meets Animal Crossing PAGE 3

Track season preview PAGE 7

GETTING TO KNOW ELIZABETH PERRY PAGE 6

St. Paddy's Day history lesson PAGE 4

2019 FIRST PLACE

General Excellence

Pacific Northwest Assoc. of Journalism Educators

NEWS | OPINION

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

MHCC TAKES STEPS TO PREVENT CORONAVIRUS ON CAMPUS Chloe Collins The Advocate

With outbreaks beginning in California and Washington (frequent stops for travel between the U.S. and Asia), Oregon was – and still is – a coronavirus sandwich. As expected, the virus has worked its way to the Portland area and beyond, with cases now springing up in Washington, Clackamas and Multnomah counties, close to home. There has been a lot of misinformation spreading through the news, which has caused panic among the public. Grocery stores are struggling to keep hand sanitizer (and toilet paper) stocked; hospitals have seen a spike in theft, as citizens are stealing face masks; and institutions, including MHCC,

Letter to the Editor:

Community College (where the Mt. Hood women won their firstround game on March 5), had tested positive for COVID-19. The conference rescheduled games for Albany and Oregon City this week – only to shut them down for good. At MHCC, the administration has set into action a plan to help minimize the spread of the virus on campus. The school has implemented daily cleansing plans, distributed sanitizing kits to offices, and placed hand sanitizing stations throughout campus. Mt. Hood is following the advisements of the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Oregon Health Authority, and Multnomah County. OHA is advising against school closure currently. As of press time on Thursday (March 12), MHCC has

are rushing to develop plans to combat the virus. Harvard University, along with many other colleges and universities, has switched to online-only classes until further notice, to combat the spread of the virus. Students there have even been asked to vacate their dorm rooms and have been given five days to do so. Here in the PNW we have seen quite a few public school closures, and now the University of Oregon, Oregon State University and Portland State have formally switched to online-only classes through the duration of this pandemic. By Thursday, the NWAC (Northwest Athletic Conference) canceled its championship basketball tournaments. This came after finding out a student at the host school, Everett

Parrish Chang | The Advoacte

category, you will likely come in to contact with others who are. The precautions that have been recommended to help limit the spread of the virus are as follows: -Wash your hands frequently, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water -Stay home when you are sick -Avoid close contact with people who are sick -Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue -Avoid touching your face -Clean frequently touched surfaces

THE DANGERS OF SPRING BREAK

by Selena McCone MHCC Public Safety Work Study student I get it! Spring Break is a great time to let loose and rejoice that you made it through yet another quarter of challenging college courses. However, if you are planning to party hardy, think before you drink. Knowing the precautions you can take to care for yourself and the dangers of binge drinking will help keep you out of harm’s way so you can continue to party safely. Traffic accidents with drivers under age 25 increase during Spring Break. The CDC states that

drunk driving accidents occur every 31 minutes normally, but during Spring Break that number rises by 23%. Binge drinking is a major factor of those numbers. One study by The American College of Health published in 2015 showed that males will consume 18 drinks a day and females up to 10 drinks a day during Spring Break. It is also important to note that even after becoming unconscious or you have stopped drinking, your blood alcohol content continues to rise and you may even consume a lethal amount of alcohol before you pass out. This means that you really need to pay attention to the amount of drinks that you consume in a certain amount of time (Mayo Clinic, 2020).

Driving under the influence is another serious hazard and can cost you upwards of $10,000. So please, do yourselves a favor and be safe! As a Mt. Hood Community College student, I want you to know of the ways you can minimize risks for yourself as well as others even in party environments off campus. Take an Uber; have a designated driver; do not become a statistic! Make sure to have a blast over your Spring Break vacation, but please do so safely! MHCC’s Public Safety department cares about you! After all, you can still have a great time and follow these guidelines. Go Saints!

Eli Rankin | The Advoacte

for the students by the students Editor-in-Chief Chloe Collins Associate Editor Omar Saradi

Graphic Design Editor Eli Rankin Copy Editor Chris Barney

Arts & Entertainment Editors Kurt Larson Eli Rankin

Broadcast Producer Naethaniel Lile

Opinion Editor Omar Saradi

Broadcast Tech Director Gage Linhares

News Editor Daniella Young

Broadcast A.D. Wensdai Pearson

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announced that the school will not be closing, in accordance with the recommendation of Oregon Gov. Kate Brown – but will, however, work to shift as many classes as possible to a distance learning format. COVID-19 has a mortality rate of between 3 and 4 %, according to recent calculations by the World Health Organization (WHO). Many of us will catch the virus and feel rough for a week or so before returning to normal life. Those most at risk of a coronavirusrelated fatality are the elderly, infants, and persons affected by chronic medical conditions. While the public panic may not be necessary, individuals are still encouraged to take the recommended precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19. Even if you aren’t a part of any of those groups in the increased risk

Broadcast Hosts Robert Frank Thomas Silk Kurt Larson Mazey Copeland

Photo Team Bethy Fallgren Landon Spady Fletcher Wold

Broadcast Graphic Designer Annie Avila

Staff Writers Brad Le Daniella Young Kel Buell Laura J Clement Omar Carrillo Ash Espinoza

Photo Editor Maysee Thao Ad Manager Parrish Chang

@mhccadvocate

Social Media Manager [Position Open] Distribution Specialist Julia MacDonald Advisers Dan Ernst Howard Buck

@theadvocateonline

@mhccadvocate

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MARCH 13, 2020

THE MERGING OF DEMONS AND FLOWERS

Parrish Chang The Advocate

On March 20, two very different new games come out: “Doom Eternal” and “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.” Doom is a very intense shooter game series that gives the player the task of slaying demons, by any means possible. Animal Crossing, on the other hand, is a game known for its cute animal characters and the relaxing atmosphere it provides. The bond between these two franchises started from the Reddit messages and art of users Genkiz and Agent Strange. Agent Strange hopped onto the Doom Reddit page and wished the business happy greetings from the Animal Crossing Reddit page and said “Thank you” for sharing their release date. About a week after this message was sent, user Genkiz hopped into the Animal Crossing Reddit page with a similar message. Both users made their introductions by showcasing two pieces of art of the mascots of Doom and Animal Crossing hanging out and being friends. This wholesome and cute trend started to spread rapidly through the entire gaming community, and even more art was drawn of these two mascots together. The community has made its own headcanon (fans’ interpretive narrative) that says Animal Crossing’s mascot, Isabelle, is a hardcore gamer who loves the Doom franchise and that the mascot for the Doom franchise, simply called “Doom Guy,” is a super-wholesome Animal Crossing player. The art between the two communities is probably the cutest thing ever and has even created its own meme culture around the fact

that the games release on the same exact date. The art and interactions between the two are more kind than most other online interactions between two very different communities. Isabelle is a very common and recurring character in the Animal Crossing franchise who had recently made her appearance in the hit Nintendo game, “Super Smash Brothers: Ultimate” – the main reason she became the mascot. She is known for being the cute and ditzy secretary in the series, she has a very likable personality in the games, and is a fan favorite. The Doom Guy is very famous, despite being void of an actual name. Doom has always been a

game that was in a different category than all the other first-person shooter adventure games: It has been the target of controversy with its demonic imagery and violent gameplay and visuals. Some critics said that it raised young people who play the game to be satanists, but it actually shows (the player) getting rid of the demons, rather than joining them. Doom Guy is a brute in his games, and on his mission to eliminate the demonic spawn. Doom Guy and Isabelle are very different characters and yet the community’s art of the two show how even if we gamers prefer different kinds of games, we can all get along and just enjoy talking about our favorites.

Artwork commissioned by /Agent Strange | Reddit (r/Doom)

Art by /Genkiz | Reddit (r/animalcrossing)

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GET TO KNOW THE ADVOCATE

Cover by: Fletcher Wold On the cover: MHCC Transiciones coordinator and local radio Co-Host Elizabeth Perry.

Robert Frank Broadcast Host

Contact us! E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 Website: advocate-online.net Mt. Hood Community College Room 1369 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham OR 97030

The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission. Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board. The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length. Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print. Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.

Robert Frank is a host and reporter on The Advocate’s Broadcast team, a periodic writer, and a first-year video student at MHCC – even though he would be considered a junior in a four-year university. Whenever he is not making a fool of himself, he enjoys acting, singing, listening to music, and hanging out with his friends in Salem. He hopes to become director of photography on an independent film or work as a television camera operator. He also hopes to re-learn the German language so that when he returns to his birthplace, he won’t look like an idiot in front of the people there. PA G E 3

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

ST. PATRICK’S DAY

Brad Le

The Advocate The green holiday is coming up and the leprechauns with their pot of gold are certainly something to look forward to. However, while St. Patrick’s day has a rather joyous tone in our contemporary celebration of the holiday, the background surrounding Saint Patrick – the real person – has tales of tragedy and an influential conclusion. While Patrick’s date of birth is debated, it’s noted that he lived most of his adult life in the 5th century. Born in Roman-controlled Britain, he came from a Christian family. At the time, modern-day Scotland and Ireland were not part of the Roman Empire and not affected, to the same degree, of Rome’s transition from Latin paganism to Christianity. Despite Patrick’s grandfather being a priest and his father a deacon, he was not a particularly faithful participant in

his family’s religion. At the commonly assumed age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped by Irish pirates, and forced to become a slave. Over his six years of slavery, he began to contemplate his spiritual relationship with Christianity. At age 22, hearing a divine voice, he escaped captivity and was able to sail back to Britain. After reaching home, he began formal training as a priest. After receiving his priesthood, Patrick returned to Ireland to attempt to conver t many of the Irish. Although he faced opposition, he became successful in his

conversion of many of the Irish people. Over the time of his missionary period, many stories were created of Patrick and his

exploits in Ireland. Some of the more grounded stories state that he had convinced noble women to become nuns and that he even converted some princes and their fathers to Christianity. Other stories of his exploits are mythological by nature, claiming that all the snakes in Ireland were banished. While circumstances involving just how he died, and what year he died, are debated, assigning his date of death as March 17 has generally kept consistent. Just as the beginning of St. Patrick’s tale starts off with a taste of tragedy, so does the history behind St. Patrick’s Day’s

popularity in the United States. In the mid-19th century, Ireland was suffering during what is now called the Great Famine. As a result of mass starvation, many of Ireland’s residents had emigrated to the U.S. to seek more opportunity. While the Irish formed a subculture who faced difficulties in the developing nation, they eventually commingled with the rest of the American population. This resulted in the integration of Irish culture into the growing U.S. culture – including the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. It is ironic that St. Patrick’s Day is a celebrated holiday. In modern practice in America, it is a secular holiday with a carefree culture. However, it has religious roots with serious themes of slavery and kidnapping, before entering the U.S. historical arc with famine and cultural integration.

Eli Rankin | The Advocate

‘HALF-LIFE ALYX’ AND THE STATE OF VR Kurt Larson

The Advocate Five years ago, when the first practical VR headsets became available to consumers at a reasonable price, the hype and potential surrounding the technology seemed endless. But half a decade later, it still feels like the tech is in its adolescence. Due to this fact, the high price of adoption, and the lack of triple A titles on the platform, interest in virtual reality gaming has steadily waned. Although much has been done to improve the experience of VR, the platform still lacks a “killer app” that will give customers a real reason to invest in the potential of the technology. However, that might not be the case for long. Ever since Valve and HTC first announced their plan to partner in order to develop a premium VR headset, gamers knew it would only be a matter of time before the developer would return to pioneer the industry with another installment in their biggest franchise. But, after seven years have passed since their last notable game release, and the utter failure PA G E 4

that was Artifact, is Valve still capable of greatness? “Half-Life” is a name in gaming that carries a weight and a prestige that few others are afforded. In fact, the standards that the first two games set were so high that in fear of not living up to fan expectations, Valve famously sequestered away the franchise for over a decade. After realizing the next entry in the series was beginning to go through development hell, the long awaited sequel to Half-Life 2: Episode 2 was put on ice. TIMING IS RIGHT Now, 13 years after the last Half-Life expansion came out, a new game is finally being released: “Half-Life Alyx.” Having come along at just the right time in VR gaming’s life to give it the resuscitation it has been so desperately craving, Alyx is set to be the first notable VR game release since the technology reached the PS4. Is it going to be capable of innovating the platform enough to convince people to invest in their own headset? The game may not be the sequel fans have been waiting for, but this prequel should satiate gamers for

now – at least the ones who can afford to play it. Being a VR-only experience, Alyx has automatically limited its potential player base to those who have the spare income to spend on a headset. Valve also has gone one step further, and decided to limit the game exclusively to PC for the time being. Although this is not necessarily an issue, Valve risks not casting a wide enough net, if the goal is to attract new players to the franchise, and VR gaming as a whole. Perhaps there will be a Playstation port at some point, but for the time being, Half-Life Alyx relegates itself to PC gaming enthusiasts who already own a capable computer and headset, and fans of the series with enough disposable income who have also been holding out for a reason to purchase a VR gaming setup. Due to Half-Life’s extended time out of the spotlight, the general brand recognition and insane fervor surrounding the series has declined so much over the years that there is potential for Alyx to underperform, despite how good or innovative the game may be. With less than a month left

before the game hits store shelves, the fate of Half-Life Alyx will be known soon enough. With any luck, Valve will have continued its trend as a stellar game developer. Judging from official gameplay footage, Alyx looks promising and seems to provide the delicately crafted virtual reality experience that VR as a platform has been lacking. FOCUS ON IMMERSION According to Half-Life Alyx developers Robin Walker and Greg Coomer, no expense has been spared when it comes to immersion. Valve has been working tirelessly for the past few years to ensure that every action the player takes is as intuitive as possible, such as moving and manipulating objects. Though it is invisible, by using an actual player model, instead of just a floating head like most VR titles, more polish and attention to realism has been afforded to the ways the player interacts the environment. While there are many ways to navigate Half-Life Alyx, unlike many VR titles that utilize a teleport style of locomotion, the “teleport” system of movement in this new game has been

designed to behave like other more traditional movement systems. Instead of being able to teleport through a game level, passing through geometry and ignoring enemies, players will have to move around objects and interact with spaces in a more realistic way. In order to maintain immersion, a number of audio cues and other visual indicators have been used in conjunction with this unique take on VR locomotion, providing what will hopefully be one of the most seamless virtual reality experiences to date. Of course, there is more to be excited about when it comes to Half-Life Alyx, such as the story, or the gorgeously updated Source engine graphics. However, for most gamers, just the simple fact that players will be able to return to the world of HalfLife will be enough to keep their attention. Is this enough to give VR the revival it has been seeking? The potential is there and the possibilities are endless. For now, the only thing we can do is wait and see.

NEWS

MARCH 13, 2020

MAKING TEXTBOOKS ACCESSIBLE FOR BOTH STUDENTS & INSTRUCTORS

Laura J. Clement The Advocate

Last week, the MHCC Textbook Affordability Team (TAT), celebrated a global event, Open Education Week, by hosting a series of campus learning events meant to inspire the use of Open Educational Resources (OER). The TAT presented the events in conjunction with the MHCC Library and participating faculty members. Mt. Hood students have already saved over $2 million since Summer Term 2017, when the college first started tracking savings, according to Hunter Grove, Associated Student Government (ASG) Academic Affairs Representative. However, the TAT has said 9 out of 10 students still don’t know what OER is – and so the motivation for the learning events, to help better spread the word. “I am passionate about OER,” Grove said, as he showed off a trifold board and other display materials he made with facts, figures and other details. OER is basically using opencopyright textbooks and online resources instead of traditional, costly textbooks. With funding support from the MHCC Foundation and TAT grants, the college is promoting the impact and reach of scholarly work through open sharing that allows instructors

to format their own instructional materials. Whenever this is feasible, instruction itself can be easier, because it is more comprehensive and conducive to the instructor’s needs –with the added value of saving students money. With OER, textbooks are free, or low-cost. Current Mt. Hood ASG President Kazu Lewis agreed, noting a video he created about OER for students, available on the MHCC website. (Look under ‘Course Search – How to find affordable textbooks.) The word has spread to Mt. Hood’s instructors, who are slowly adapting to OER. Lori Wamsley, faculty librarian in MHCC’s Library Resource Center, said she hopes more instructors will use OER. She recognizes each has the academic freedom to choose to do so, or not,

but praised in particular changes made by biology instructor Lisa Bartee, noting her dedication to implementing more affordability. “(She) is a great example of an instructor who has found a way to make OER work well,” Wamsley said. Bartee herself said, “I would never go back to using a published text, although they (textbook sales reps) stop by and ask all the time. An open-copyright textbook can be edited; I can add pertinent information, or delete (non) required sections. The best part of OER texts, aside from the savings to students, is that when a large amount of content can be edited, it helps with student confusion ‘on the fly!’ ” The OER events ran March 2-6, and included webinars about getting started with OER; identifying, adapting to and Photo by Maysee Thao | The Advocate

authoring the resources; and open pedagogy (instruction) through collaboration. There also were two open forums for attendees to provide feedback on MHCC’s Textbook

Affordability Plan. Concluding the activities, nine faculty members attended a panel discussion to share the experiences they’ve had with transitioning to the use of OER.

THE HISTORY OF OER

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), OER was started in 2002, as a global initiative of openly sharing educational resources for higher education in developing countries. UNESCO’s website states that OER are made up of teaching, learning, and research materials in any medium – digital, or otherwise – that reside in the public domain or are under copyright that have been released under an open license, that permit no-cost access, reuse, repurpose, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions. Since its implementation, OER has increasingly been recognized by the international community as an innovative tool for lifelong learning opportunities for learners of diverse levels and modes of education worldwide, UNESCO notes.

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NEWS | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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ELIZABETH PERRY STRIVES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Daniella Young The Advocate

As a first-generation college student herself, Elizabeth Perry highly enjoys the work she does at Mt. Hood every day. For her passion and care, Perry, bilingual and a culturally diverse student retention coordinator and Transiciones/MSCP coordinator at Mt. Hood, recently received an Excellence Award from the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC). Perry has been working at MHCC since 2003. She was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and moved to Oregon when she was 6 years old. She attended John Marshall High School in Portland, Eastern Oregon University, and then transferred to Portland State University to finish her master’s degree in Adult Education. “I feel super lucky. I feel like I won the lottery by getting a job that I love,” she said about her work at Mt. Hood, and expressing gratitude for the award. Her role in Transiciones is to primarily help first-generation students enter college. The key difference between Transitions and Transiciones is that classes are

taught in English in Transitions, and Spanish in Transiciones. Both programs focus on career planning and passing on valuable life skills that students find helpful for college. “A lot of the work I do is to help students navigate college systems,” Perry said. Throughout her career, Perry has been working with immigrant rights organizations and working to make a difference in the Latino community, especially with students, she said. She loves the school for many different reasons. “My favorite thing about MHCC is the students. Each student inspires me. It’s amazing and I love it,” she said. “I’ve learned about how important a community college is. I’ve been so motivated to help Mt. Hood fulfill its mission and help people achieve their dreams.” She also feels grateful to work with others who share that passion for helping others and making a difference in their lives, as well, especially Administrative Assistant Jenny Ruelas, who has worked at MHCC for 14 years. “I’ve been extra fortunate to work with colleagues that put their heart and soul into the mission,”

Transiciones/Transitions programs continue in September-December. Perry said. Before coming to MHCC, Perry that students who are interested At the Maywood Park satellite campus during Fall and Winter was also involved and worked in may apply to. Spring cohorts for Transiciones, terms, sessions will take place nonprofit organizations, and she which involve three linked Human during the day, also consisting of has a passion for helping others. She contributes to the KBOO- Development classes in Spanish, three linked courses. For more information: mhcc. FM Community Radio show will take place at the Gresham “Mujeres Bravas” (Fierce Women) campus during evenings from edu/Transitions/ that airs/livestreams noon to 1:30 March-June for Spring Term, and p.m. on Sundays, which she cohosts. The show mixes music and public affairs discussion, focusing on the experiences of Latinas. On the personal side, she really enjoys music, especially Tejano and R&B, she said. She loves the song “Como La Flor” by Selena y Los Dinos, and her favorite dish is homemade enchiladas. Perry has other hobbies and interests, at home and elsewhere. “I have a lot of passion for the environment,” she said. She loves watching movies, gardening, and other physical challenges. A milestone for her was a triathlon that she participated in. Perry also enjoys spending time with her three adult children and extended family. As for travel, she hopes to see Italy Fletcher Wold | The Advocate Elizabeth Perry, longtime MHCC employee and co-host of if/when the current coronavirus KBOO-FM’s “Mujeres Bravas” (Fierce Women) show. quarantine is lifted, she said. There are upcoming

‘ETERNAL ATAKE’: GOOD, BUT NOT GREAT Omar Saradi The Advocate

It’s been almost 3 years since the release of “Luv is Rage 2,” the debut album from Philadelphiabased rapper and artist Lil Uzi Vert. There’s almost a sense of mythology for his recently issued album, “Eternal Atake”: It was announced sometime in 2018 but never given an actual release date before it finally emerged last week . In fact, Lil Uzi’s career has gone through some legal troubles and other ordeals since Luv is Rage 2. He had a music contract battle, in that his record label wouldn’t let him release music. At one point, he announced that he had retired from music and canceled Eternal Atake. In time, Jay-Z and his Roc Nation company stepped in and freed him from his contract, prompting the release of the track “Free Uzi,” where he broke away from his PA G E 6

signature melodic music and went for a more drill-style rap song. Since Free Uzi, the artist has released the songs “That’s a Rack”, “Sanguine Paradise,” “Futsal Shuffle 2020,” and “That Way” – the latter two are on the final release for the new album. Un f o r t u n at e l y, Eternal Atake doesn’t live up to my expectations. I can’t think of a situation where it actually lives up to or surpasses the hype surrounding it. The new album is composed of 18 tracks separated into three acts, according to Uzi himself. The first six have a hardcore trap rap

aesthetic, similar to Free Uzi. The next six are more in tune with Uzi’s

3.5 out of 5 stars

melodic style and auto-tune singing but with an unorthodox production. The last six tracks are more traditional Lil Uzi Vert-sounding tracks, two of which are the aforementioned Futsal Shuffle and That Way. For me, the first six tracks are more interesting than the rest. We rarely get Uzi rapping with a fast flow and fun production style – the song “Homecoming” and “Silly Watch” embody the aesthetic of this first act. My complaints for the second act are that the vocal lyrics and melodies feel very rushed, like Uzi didn’t put any effort into Web Graphic his performances. The production on this part is fantastic, in my opinion, especially the Chief Keef-

produced “Chrome Tag Hearts” and the track “Urgency,” which features a vocal from Odd Future affiliate Syd. I was expecting a lot more from Uzi’s performances in this style, since he’s delivered in the past. The final six tracks are interesting because they mix the singing-rapping formula that Uzi has made his bread and butter. The most notable of these is “P2,” a follow-up to his biggest hit, “XO Tour Llif3” – and while I like the track, I think it’s best if Uzi moved past that era of his career now. That’s my biggest gripe with the album: While I can throw it on and have fun with the tracks or vibe to them just like any other Lil Uzi project, it doesn’t entirely feel like a new chapter in his career. I knew this album wasn’t going to live up to the hype that was building for 3 years, but it seemed like this, at least, was going to be his magnum opus.

SPORTS | OPINION

MARCH 13, 2020

GORDIEN AND NWOKOMA COMPETE FOR SUCCESS Daniella Young The Advocate

The MHCC track and field teams are gearing for their spring season – ready to sprint, leap hurdle and throw. The Saints’ first meet of the season took place March 7. They will travel to Forest Grove on Saturday, March 14, to participate in the Pacific Preview at Pacific University. Here’s a look at two Saints who are hoping for great results in 2020: GOING FOR DISTANCE Dayne Gordien, 20, is a freshman who hails from California and moved to Oregon when he was a sophomore in high school, 2016. The events that he participates in include the shot-put and discus throw. At Sandy High School, he enjoyed throwing during all four years of high school, winning the championship at the Oregon state meet for shot put and discus his senior year. One of his favorite memories about track is going out to dinner with his family after meets over the years, he said. Gordien has specific goals for the

upcoming season: “I want to win the NWACs (league championship) in both events and set records in school events.” He said he loves how supportive everyone on the Saints team is. “Everybody’s really encouraging, helpful,” he said. He chose MHCC for many different reasons, including the coaches and the short distance between his home and the school. “I live in Sandy. It’s really close to me,” said Gordien, who is studying General Education. Eventually, he hopes to move somewhere warm and keep throwing the discus, continuing his track and field career at a four-year school in California. On the personal side, Gordien really enjoys spaghetti as his favorite food, and 1960s rock is his favorite type of music to listen and jam to, he said. Meantime, track has given him something to look forward to each morning, he said. “It’s given me something to pursue. It’s given me a purpose,” said Gordien. LOOKING TO LEAP Competing on the women’s track

team this year is 19-year-old sophomore Ujunwa Nwokoma. This is her second year competing for MHCC; she participates in the long jump and 100 meter sprint. Her goal for this upcoming season is to jump 20 feet in the long jump. Nwokoma was born and raised in Portland, attending Clackamas High School and participating in track and field all four years there. One reason she chose MHCC is because her sisters came here, as well. The career she hopes to pursue is dental hygiene, as it offers a solid financial future. One big track highlight for her is placing at the NWACs last year: She placed fourth in the 100 meter run and won the long jump event for Mt. Hood (hitting18 feet, 5 3/4 inches). Another favorite memory for Nwokoma took place her senior year at Clackamas, when her relay team won third at the state meet and broke the school record. Overall, “Track and field has taught me to keep trying and to not give up,” said Nwokoma. As far as favorites, her favorite foods include rice and beans, and she enjoys listening to pop music.

(Top) Freshman, Dayne Gordien (Bottom) Sophmore, Ujunwa Nwokoma

Photos by Maysee Thao | The Advocate

NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED

Chloe Collins The Advocate

To do justice to all the women before me in a single article would be impossible. However, in the spirit of reminding myself and others of why we continue to advocate for ourselves and true equality, let’s take a moment and look back on the true beginning of the women’s movement in the United States. The women’s suffrage movement began in 1841 in Seneca Falls, New York. The convention – originally named the ‘Women’s Rights Convention” but now usually referred to as the Seneca Falls Convention – lasted two days. Despite very little publicity, 300

people attended. At the start of this convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered a speech and in very clear terms defined the purpose of this meeting as “to declare our right to be free as man is free, to be represented in the government which we are taxed to support, to have such disgraceful laws [erased] as give man the power to chastise and imprison his wife, to take the wages which she earns, the property which she inherits, and, in case of separation, the children of her love.” Today, we celebrate the fact that we achieved these rights but still must continue to work toward true equality. When we break the glass ceiling, when women no longer have their symptoms dismissed by doctors simply because they are women, and when rape culture is dead and buried – then, you could argue that women no longer need to advocate for their rights. Until then, thank an activist the next time you see one.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

A memo on self love Dear myself, I love you said myself If I say myself one more time I’m going to lose it Giving the phrase “I’m losing my marbles” A literal meaning.

by Bobby Beeler

‘THE MARTIAN’: THE PERFECT SCI-FI AT ANY TIME Kel Buell

The Advocate The red planet has fascinated the human mind for as long as we’ve known it was there. Deep in our hearts, we’ve always known this particular planet was a hostile place: It’s why we named it Mars, after the Roman god of war. The directors of “The Martian” were well aware of this fact, and combined with one of the greatest fears of space exploration – getting left behind – have made a powerful film out of the original novel of the same name, written by Andy Weir. What is really well done is how both the book and the movie manage to make actual, accurate science not only entertaining, but interesting and understandable. I feel that I can fairly confidently say that the majority of people wouldn’t typically understand or have a lot of interest in watching someone create water by burning hydrogen. However, stranded astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) manages to not only make the scene interesting, but also fairly humorous, which mirrors the book extremely well. Despite the rather grim premise (Watney being stranded alone on Mars), both book and movie do a surprising job of keeping

Because my brain cells are marbles just bumbling and bouncing and rolling and dashing and mixing and spilling all over into a big Mess. I love you, person that stares back at me in the mirror... I mean You’re kinda hot! And cute and a little bit quirky, and screwy and you kinda don’t understand boundaries because you didn’t really grow up with them and it’s hard to express feelings sometimes... But this time I love you slipping on today’s bomb ass outfit, looking the fuck outta the ’80s but with a little modern fling. Because standing out is your way of fitting in, because I need to look pretty and flowey and snatched and colorful but I can also rock a goth look. It makes me happy to pretend to be a woman from the comics. It makes me happy.

things upbeat when possible, rendering a lot of the movie into almost a comedy. One of the constant themes is Watney’s hatred of some of the only entertainment that he still has access to on an abandoned Martian research station: disco music left behind by one of his team members. Although the movie is generally fairly comedic, it does a good job of showing tension when necessary, making sure that viewers never forget that Watney is in a significant amount of danger despite how much he jokes. While obviously there have never been manned Mars missions, this movie stays very much within the realm of possibility, using modern technology instead of shoehorning in “future tech” as a plot device to make anything/everything possible. Both movie and book are extremely well-written and made. If you’re in the mood for a thriller, a comedy, a space adventure, or are just bored and looking for something new, try The Martian. I was entertained from start to finish, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

4 out of 5 stars

And you deserve to be happy, you work hard, you overthink and baby that is ok because you just want the best for you and everyone around you and you just want to put a smile on people’s faces. Baby I love you. You’re a ball of light How do I compare thee to a summer’s day type shit Honey, you’ve got this.

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