Metrosphere Vol. 35 | Issue 3

Vol. 35 Issue 3

Bringing Back Burning Man

Black Rock City to Auraria Campus p.28

Photo by J. Renae Davidson

@dhirschnews @dhirschnews

Letter from the Editor

/dhirschnews

I

nspiring. Uplifting. Respectful. Enlightening. Unifying. Kind.

These are not the words most people would use to describe the 2016 presidential race. With our final issue of the semester hitting stands a week before the country elects our next commander in chief, we thought long and hard about whether or not to cover, or how to cover, the spectacle that has swept our nation. Do we put Clinton and Trump on the cover? Should we further dissect Trump’s comments or examine the implications of Clinton’s gender? What could we, the students of MSU Denver, and staff of Metrosphere possibly add to the quagmire that is this election?

And speaking of love–as Lin Manuel Miranda said during this year’s Tony Awards, “Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love,” and not just between heterosexuals. For too long, bisexuals have been left out of everything, from research related to love and sexuality, to fair and equal representation in the media. That ends now. At least in this issue. In this month’s INTERSECTION we feature the BiPan Fluid Awareness day that took place recently on campus, as well Cheyenne DeChristopher’s personal experience of being bisexual, in the hopes that by leading this discussion others in may follow.

The answer. Nothing.

There is nothing to say about either candidate or the state of our fractured union that hasn’t already been said before. This non-stop cycle of election speak and sparring has not only monopolized social media, it’s literally stressed out citizens regardless of party affiliation. The American Psychological Association recently released preliminary results from its Stress in America survey and found that more than half of those polled showed significant stress effects from this election, stress that one psychologist dubbed as Election Stress Disorder.

At the beginning of the year, we at Metrosphere committed to go high and make the theme of Reformation a guiding force for all of our content. Rather than regurgitate what is wrong in our world, we decided to highlight what some of the best and brightest in our community are doing right.

In this month’s METRO you’ll meet Jordan Sauers, a 26 yearold City Council member serving the citizens of Northglenn, Ward 1, who just might make you believe that there are still some politicians out there that place people before ego.

If you are one of the many who have felt despair after the debates, then the love story of Ursula Caraway and her American soldier during the worst days of WWII may restore your faith in humanity.

Finally, you may have noticed that we’ve felt the burn this month and not the Bernie Sanders kind. Staff writer Dayna Himot and photo editor Carl Glenn Payne, put themselves through several grueling days on the playa in Black Rock City to bring back the experience of Burning Man in all its glory, minus the dust. From the cover, to the IMBUE photo story, to the About Town feature in THREADS, Glenn’s photos are a visual feast. Dayna’s story on The Awesome Sweater project is everything this election wasn’t: inspiring, uplifting, respectful, enlightening, unifying and kind.

We hope that you enjoy reading this issue as much as we have enjoyed preparing it for you. November is not only our last issue of the semester, but a love letter to stressed out students and citizens combined. May you take comfort in these pages and take heart in remembering that while America may be going through the growing pains of presidential politics, there is still greatness in its people. We look forward to sharing more of their stories and stories of Reformation with you in the Spring.

Deanna Hirsch Editor-in-chief, Metrosphere Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 1

Staff Editor-in-Chief Deanna Hirsch dhirsch6@msudenver.edu Managing Editor Pacific Obadiah pobadiah@msudenver.edu Metro Editor Teresa Diaz-Soriano tdiazsor@msudenver.edu Intersection Editor Cheyenne DeChristopher cdechris@msudenver.edu Technosphere Editor Hayes Madsen hmadsen3@msudenver.edu Threads Editor Alysha Prieto aprieto4@msudenver.edu Photo Editor Carl Glenn Payne cpayne16@msudenver.edu Assistant Photo Editor Victoria Edstedt

2

| Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

Creative Director Ethan Casady

Art Ivy Lindstrom

Art Director Maddi Troisi

PR Associate Preston Morse pmorse3@msudenver.edu

Assistant to the Creative Director Joella Baumann Layout Contributor Mary-Lynn Elliott Words Nicholas Thomas Victoria Edstedt Andrea Herrera Adam Barnhardt Jacquelyne Mido Golver Keenan McCall Dayna Himot Bianey Bermudez Photos Sara Beet Brandon N. Sanchez Sara Hertwig Keenan McCall Nikolai Puc’ Michelle Risinger

Met Media

Steve Haigh, Director Ronan O’Shea, Assistant Director Kathleen Jewby, Production Manager

Elizabeth Norberg, Office Manager

Met Media P.O. Box 173362, CB57 Denver, CO 80217-3362

Cover: Chester the Mutant Vehicle on the Playa, Sept. 1, 2016 at Black Rock City, NV. Photo by Carl Glenn Payne Printed by Frederic Printing No part of this book may be used or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior permission of Met Media, except in the context of reviews.

Table of Contents

METRO

• Mariachi culture takes center stage p.6 • True north: Jordan Sauers, Colorado’s youngest elected official p.10 • Ryan Chris and The Rough Cuts: Old country in a new fashion p.12 • Love in a time of war p.16

INTERSECTION

• Taking space: Bi/Pan/Fluid awareness day p.18 • Being Gray p.21 • The gay’s gaze: Fifty Shades of Secretary p.22 • Queer-inspired poetry at Blush and Blue p.24

IMBUE

TECHNOSPHERE

• Culture vs. cannabis and code p.26

• What is Kan, 20 years later p.38

• Bringing back Burning Man: The Awesome

• Talk tech to me: Using social media

Sweater project p.28 • Pieces of the playa: Burning Man 2016 p.30 • Mindfulness in marksmanship p.34

professionally p.42 • 5 anime movies everyone should watch p.44

• Imbue review: The Little Prince p.36

THREADS

• Tastemaker: Dr. Anna Ropp p.46 • Branded: Spruce p.50 • In a world of beauty, I chose to dumpster dive p.52 • About town: Black Rock City p.54 Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 3

HOURS MONDAY–FRIDAY: 10 A.M.–10 P.M.

20% Discount

SATURDAY: 11 A.M.–10 P.M. SUNDAY: 11 A.M.–8 P.M.

for students and faculty.

Not valid on alcohol.

900 AURARIA PARKWAY SUITE 240 DENVER, CO 80204 720-458-5885 FOLLOW US @TIVOLIBEER

COLLECTIVE NOUNS: FACULTY EXHIBITION Friday Nov. 18 — Jan. 21, 2017

TIME

Tsehai Johnson

GALLERY

In conjunction with

AN MSU DENVER STUDENT EXHIBITION

Opening Reception: Friday Nov. 18, 6-9pm

Center for Visual Art | 965 Santa Fe Dr., Denver, CO 80204 | 303.294.5207 | msudenver.edu/cva | Hours Tue-Fri 11-6 Sat 12-5

25

Sp

Pa r

k

rB

lvd

Buffalo Exchange 226 E 13th Ave 51 Broadway

Center for Visual Art City O’ City

16th Street Mall

E Colfax Ave

Denver 6th Ave

Tattered Cover Book Store 1628 16th St 2526 E Colfax Ave

The Bardo Coffee House

North Capitol Hill

Auraria

E Colfax Ave

Santa Fe Dr

Arts Building Auraria Library King Center Emmanuel Gallery Tivoli Brewing Co. Tivoli Station, 300 Level

W

York St

MSU Denver

Five Points

Broadway Blvd

Fluid Coffee Bar

Av e

Downing St

ee

Sp

ee

25

rB

lvd

Cherry Creek

The Market at Larimer Square The Molecule Effect Racine’s

E Alameda Ave

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 5

Photo by Teresa Diaz Soriano

METRO

Jorge Dominguez, a student in the Mariachi Ensemble strums a solo in class. Dominguez is a jazz and classical musician, but joined the mariachi group to break out of his comfort zone.

Mariachi culture takes centerstage

By Teresa Diaz Soriano & Nicholas Thomas

M

ariachi music is undoubtedly tied to Latino culture, but it’s a style of music meant to transcend heritage and appeal to many. Performances are an intimate experience between the musicians and the crowd. The infectious, powerful rhythms of the guitarrón weave against the violin’s melancholia. Trumpets burst with sound and seize the moment, as strong, forceful vocals cry out, releasing passion in the harmonies. Mariachi music tells a story through the tone and style in which it is played.

Prior to the existence of the course, students had the opportunity to join the club Mariachi Los Correcaminos, but it wasn’t enough education for the dedicated few in the group.

Since the fall of 2015, the sweet sounds of mariachi can be heard coming from room 293 in the Arts Building every Friday. The music course Mariachi Ensemble is offered at MSU Denver for academic credit. The diverse music offered in this course expands beyond the classroom by being applicable in the real world.

The real reward for the students is being connected to something that keeps the Latino culture alive. “It’s a huge step forward to preserving the musical culture,” MendezFlores said, “and that in itself is very important to me.” Students strive to perfect the iconic mariachi sound by learning its unique style. For many of the students, earning academic credit is a bonus.

Through the persistence of former club president and music education major Isahar Mendez-Flores, MSU Denver created this course. “The Mariachi Ensemble is an amazing opportunity for students of all backgrounds to be introduced to and play authentic Mexican music,” Mendez-Flores said.

“Having a mariachi class being provided by Metro is a big step for the university.”

— Miles Justice

6

| Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

METRO Miles Justice, vocalist and guitarrón player, found his true passion playing mariachi music. “Having a mariachi class being provided by Metro is a big step for the university. It’s been a pleasure seeing all the hard work that Isahar MendezFlores has been doing to get the mariachi program at the school where it is today,” Justice said. Students like Justice hope Mariachi Ensemble becomes “the best academic mariachi [class] in the nation.”

Bringing mariachi education to students at the university level persuaded musicology professor Lorenzo Trujillo to take on the position. Trujillo is a purveyor of the arts and has worked tirelessly throughout his career to promote and be a part of the mariachi culture, as a means of keeping kids in school.

Mariachi Ensemble equips students with diverse music abilities beyond the traditional music majors.

Professor Lorenzo Trujillo

Photo by Sara Beet

Metrosphere

The Mariachi Ensemble perform on Sept. 15, 2016 at the Boettcher Concert Hall for the event El latir de Mexico.

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 7

METRO More than half of the students in the class are earning a degree pertaining to music, like music education major Benjamin Kellogg. Kellogg is using this class to expand his music skills beyond his extra-curricular involvement with Mariachi Los Correcaminos.

He plans on using his mariachi abilities to help him teach in the classroom.

Trujillo said mariachi teachers are in high demand. “I’ve actually got calls from schools because they can’t find mariachi teachers,” Trujillo said. Trujillo is sharing his experience and extensive mariachi knowledge with students, in hopes of keeping the culture alive for younger generations.

Giving students the opportunity to take Mariachi Ensemble also supports MSU

Photo by Teresa Diaz Soriano

Professor Lorenzo Trujillo conducts the armonia section as they rehearse a difficult part in the song “El Son de la Negra.”

8

| Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

Denver’s HSI Initiative. This plan, created in 2007 with the goal of becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution, promotes Hispanic enrollment and caters to MSU Denver’s existing hispanic demographic.

“I feel the mariachi class adds an opportunity for an authentic, unique cultural experience that reflects the diversity and population of our campus,” Kellogg said.

Most students trained in jazz and classical composition find the switch to mariachi difficult because the style is performed with no sheet music, all members must sing and there is improvisation. “It’s impossible,” joked Jorge Dominguez, an audio engineer and music business major at CU Denver and member

The dedication to the style and the level of musicianship it takes to play mariachi are defining elements of this class. Trujillo expects a lot from his students and eventually wants them to compete in mariachi events. Till then, the mariachi sharpens their skills in the classroom, getting ready for their performance in December.

Check them out

Where: King Center Concert Hall

When: 4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016 Tickets: King Center Box Office: 303-556-2296 All performances are free

with a valid MSU Denver ID.

Photo by Sarah Bell

of the class. Dominguez describes mariachi as more rhythmically challenged and heavily syncopated than other styles of music he is used to, but the music is worth the effort, he said.

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 9

METRO

True north: Jordan Sauers, Colorado’s

youngest elected official

By Deanna Hirsch

W

hile most college graduates spend their first year out in the real world trying to land a job, so Jordan Sauers spent hers campaigning to change the world. Seated at just 23, Sauers is a City Council member representing Northglenn, Ward 1. The Daniels Fund Scholar and University of Denver graduate, who doublemajored in Sociology and Communication Studies is now pursuing her master’s there in Public Policy when she’s not working full time as director of communications and public affairs for Denver’s Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. How does she do it all and stay inspired? Through a combination of passion and purpose and the hope that no child ever goes to bed hungry as she did.

Photo from www.northglenn.org/jordansauers

When did you first know that you wanted to get into politics?

It’s one of those things that I wanted to change the world, and how was I going to find my means of changing the world? It just kind of presented itself and I thought I better jump on it.

How did the opportunity present itself?

I was at a program called Emerge Colorado, which trains women to run for office. So, I researched my city where I lived and where I grew up and I realized that the gentleman sitting in the current seat [Wayne Dodge] was up for either re-election or choosing to not run. Over a course of a few meetings, he said, ‘If you run, I will support you and I won’t run.’

Was it hard knocking on doors?

I’ll never forget those first few doors at an apartment complex in my ward. I was afraid. I was just like, ‘I’m sorry to bother,’ and I think that that’s what women, a lot of women, have a problem saying is, ‘I’m sorry to bother.’ You know, you’re not bothering if you really think about it. You’re taking the time to invest in your community.

10 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

How many hours do you think you spent knocking on doors for your own campaign?

I would hit the streets every night, Monday through Sunday, from say 4 o’clock until about 7 or 8. Every night, I was out there.

How has your age been an issue?

I’ve heard every young joke in the world and I think that obviously, you need to grow up faster. I had to make sure I knew every issue, everything, every council meeting that I set foot in. I don’t have plenty of years to end world hunger.

I want to end world hunger tomorrow, not in 10 years.

With your time on the council, what was your proudest achievement?

It was a movie in English with Spanish subtitles.

They would bring this movie to the park and it was going to cost the city so many odd dollars, $2,500, I think. I was like four months in and I was like, ‘We’re really excited, I’m really excited for this,’ and they shot it down. One council member had stated blatantly, ‘I don’t understand the whole enchilada.’ Another council member had said, ‘She’s not going to bring this in her first term when it took me three years.’

I just remember sitting there thinking to myself, you’ve got to be kidding me. So, we left this council meeting and I told the city manager on my way out, I said, ‘I will find you that money so it costs our city nothing.’ Sure enough, I found the money through a local sponsor and the “Minions” came to Northglenn. It was great, and I think that that was one of the nice successes of saying, ‘Your community needs you and this is why you’re there.’

at 4:30, 5 a.m. where I make it to the gym for at least an hour, hour and a half. I’ll go home and get ready and be at the office until 5, 6 o’clock.

From there, Monday nights I’m in a council meeting until we end. Tonight on a Thursday night I’ll go from work to class. The remainder of the nights are dedicated to board meetings.

“It all comes down to fight like hell.”

— Jordan Sauers

It gives you a window to see how things can get so stymied for really no good reason?

No good reason.

What do you do for fun?

That’s it. You know, I’ve lived an immensely blessed life, and it’s just about making sure that I can give to others what I’ve received in my life.

Any national ambitions?

Yeah, I definitely think that I want to pursue higher office, but I want to make sure that I have my education in line.

What is your best piece of advice that you would give any woman who’s considering running for office?

It all comes down to fight like hell. I know what it was like to go to bed hungry. To realize that I can go from a trailer park to the chambers of Northglenn and be a city council member. I think that if that’s the case in you, you have a dream and you know what you want to do, then you know that you have that fire in you to make the community and the world a better place. And that’s what you do for fun. But fight like hell. (Laughs)

And how if that happens in Northglenn over “Minions,” what’s going on everywhere else?

And I think that comes to the importance of it being like, wait, not only do we need women, not only do we need people of color, not only do we need millennials, we need people who are genuinely represented on each board.

I was going to have you walk me through a typical day, but I’m guessing your days aren’t too typical right now?

Jordan Sauers

Northglenn City Council member, Ward 1 JSauers@Northglenn.org

I mean, a typical day I think, really, for me is, thank goodness for fitness. It’s your outlet. And beyond that for me it’s work. I enjoy being at community meetings and investing. My typical day will start Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 11

Photos by Brandon N. Sanchez

METRO

Ryan Chrys & The Rough Cuts: Old country in a new fashion

By Victoria Edstedt

I

n August 2016, the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame named Ryan Chrys, lead vocalist and guitarist of Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts, as Entertainer of the Year. This award became more than a recognition of talent, it affirmed that the band is on the right track.

“We take a knife blade that says ‘country’ on it. We stick it in the dirt and leave it there in water for about a year until it’s nice, rusted and corroded,” Ryan Chrys said. “Then we pull it out and stab you with it.” The band’s music is rough and provocative.

their general audience as “old-school country people, Southern rock people, and rock people of all ages.”

Tough on the outside, but soft on the inside, these guys restlessly follow a dream to create unity and inspiration through their art. “Music is unifying to us,” said Bradley Weaver, a vocalist and lap steel player, “it has the ability to bring people together, and that’s what’s great about it.”

“It’s country, but it’s crusty, edgy, non-formulated.” ­— Ryan Chrys

“It’s country, but it’s crusty, edgy, non-formulated,” Chrys said. The band plays for everyone, identifying

Dealing with the music industry is a hard business. It requires extensive touring and constant recording and publishing. Even songwriting for PR strategies can be overwhelming.

“The stuff that nobody wants to think about is the money, the booking, the traveling,” Weaver said. In the end it’s From left to right: Paul Lanier (bass), Michael Jochum (drums), Ryan Chrys (vocal and guitar) and Bradley Weaver (vocal and lap steel).

METRO

worth it and the band believes music is beyond all the commercial trappings. “Do it for the right reasons. Do it because you love it and keep practicing,” he said.

Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts definitely love what they do. Overcoming the struggle of being a musician, they find a way to give back to the community and contribute to the greater good.

“We try to be as altruistic as we can, and the benefits are great,” drummer Michael Jochum said. The next charity event the band will be a part of is “Sing It to Me Santa” in December. It’s a concert to help the Denver Public Schools Foundation, where Chrys will be a Santa Claus playing his authentic, unrepeatable tunes.

Sincerity is an important element of the band’s music.

It is their motto and a core value in their lives. “We are not doing this for fakeness,” said Paul Lanier, the bass player and the quietest guy in the band. “We are

Photos by Victoria Edstedt

Ryan Chrys believes that music can unify people and eliminate the differencies.

14 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

being real and our heart is pouring for our fans.”

The band has a big vision: they want to sign up with a major booking agency, get on a national tour and hit the markets they’ve never been to. “Keep growing is the goal; keep moving forward,” Weaver said.

“Yes, to grow, to progress,” Chrys agreed. “We hope our music stays true to who we are, and we get to share our feelings and to assist people and their journeys. Come see us. Let’s have a relationship because that interests me.”

Open Wednesday – Monday from 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. $27 per person 8 players/room

ROOM THEMES We have 5 different room themes, including a brand new room - now open.

NEW Timescape

Conspiracy Theory

Dorm of the Dead

The Grand Theater Presents: The Mustache Thief

Pikes Peak or Bust: Colorado's Gold Rush

Photos by Andrea Herrera

Caraway, shares her story on how she came to marry her, “American soldier.”

While revealing her beautiful antique ring, she reminisces about the ‘good ol’ days’ she had with her husband.

Love in a time of war

By Andrea Herrera

U

rsula Caraway was only a child when she witnessed the suffering of Germany and its people.

Caraway, now 84, remains healthy, smart and sharp, with an incredible memory that allows her to sit on her pappy living room sofa and recollect the past as if it were yesterday.

Flaring her arms up in the air and using more than an inside voice, Caraway gazes back at what was once her life in Essen, Germany.

“I thought Hitler was the greatest.

He built schools, libraries, he did so much. I had no idea about the Jews,” Caraway said.

Caraway is one of many German children taught to believe Hitler was great a leader. Families of high income were able to receive help

16 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

from him. They would learn how to read and write in English, which was necessary in order to move forward.

He was the ideal man. To Germans, the Russians were the enemies, not Hitler. This sort of mentality went on for quite some time. The division between Jews and others was not realized in the community, so it was much later that Caraway realized the damage that had occurred.

“He was the greatest devil,” Caraway said. “If I could, I would have fought him myself.”

When she was young, she did not understand she was witnessing war, but nonetheless she feared for her life as well as that of her younger brother at night. The curfew that was enforced in Essen during WWII is one highlighted memory she can recall.

“The American bombs on the left, while the Russian bombs were on the right,” Caraway said. “Another bomb [came] from up top, feeling as if it would land on my head.”

By the time the war was over, people like Caraway did not know what had happened. Caraway was 23 and the peace after the darkness was approaching. This was when Caraway met the love of her life, her “American Soldier,” as she called him. John G. had been sent to help alleviate the crisis in Germany and those who were in need of evacuating Essen. Along the way he stole this German woman’s heart.

Tall, handsome and in uniform, Caraway was not able to resist staring at him. After conversing for quite some time, they were able to find several things in common and were

METRO eager to continue their new relationship, whether as friends or perhaps more.

Time flew by and before they knew it, they were getting engaged. “I would move with him to the United States. I was ready to be with him. I loved him,” Caraway said.

Married in 1956, Caraway was thrilled and ready to see new worlds, since she would be moving to the United States after their marriage in Germany. A new chapter in her life would soon begin. Nearly the only issue she faced when traveling to the United States was becoming sea sick. “I did not do well in a boat.”

Leaving Germany, she never felt homesick, since she managed to keep in touch with some of her family members.

“I was the only one from Germany who left. I still talk to my sister every day, but my mom, dad, brother and uncles are all gone now. My sister is the only one I have. I’m all by myself,” Caraway said.

Life took a huge toll on Caraway once she arrived in the U.S. Delighted at first, Caraway ended up moving to Denver, buying a house and living with her “American Solider,” who was not only an amazing husband but also an incredible dad to their two boys, Garner and Kurt.

However, life slowly started to change once John became sick. “Back then, you couldn’t diagnose people,” Caraway said.

John simply was not able to bounce back after his accident.

“His friend Ted had bought a plane. I got a phone call from a farmer who was able to help John, but Ted did not make it,” Caraway said. After an awful plane crash into a nearby lake, John received help from a farmer, but his friend died.

Caraway is very animated when sharing her memories of sirens going off in the middle of the night during WWII.

Weeks passed and Caraway managed to help John cope with the depression of being sick and losing his friend. “It was because of me that he was not completely depressed, I believe,” Caraway said.

“I just have to wait to be with my American Soldier again, he was the love of my life.”

— Ursula Caraway

However, once they were able to get through John’s depression, it was too late. Hypothermia ended up getting the best of John, and he was not able to continue his life with Caraway.

Caraway is able to look back at her life and truly admire all that she has gone through. With water in her eyes and cracking in her voice, Caraway believes it was all worth it, and soon she will be reunited with her “American Soldier.”

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 17

INTERSECTION

Taking space:

Bi/Pan/Fluid Awareness Day

By Adam Barnhardt

B

isexual, Pansexual and Fluid Awareness Day was more than just a lecture or social gathering; instead, it took the form of an exercise, one that gave participants a chance to walk in the shoes of another’s sexuality.

What blossomed from this experience was an in-depth conversation about Bi+, Bi-phobia, Mono-sexism and the erasure of fluid sexualities on Sept.

22, 2016, courtesy of the LGBTQ Student Resource Center at Auraria.

I think they are complex, they are complicated and they are not simple. And that’s exactly the way they are supposed to be.

Bi+ describes bisexual, pansexual, fluid sexuality, omnisexual, polysexuals, multisexuals, and ambisexuals. biphobia and mono-sexism refer to

programming assistant, said, “There isn’t a lot of representation or talk about bisexuality around.”

Lumley stated the importance of shedding light on these identities, saying it was a chance to educate people on what bisexuality and pansexuality is, and dispel some of the myths around it. The myths are a prime example of bi-phobia and erasure.

Phrases like “It’s just a phase” or “Experimentation” diminish the validity of these identities.

“I want you to embrace the messiness of your identities.”

— Apphia Kumar

Apphia Kumar was the keynote speaker for the event. Kumar handed out anonymous surveys that were distributed and then shuffled and redistributed, after which people literally walked another’s numerical path on the Kinsey scale, a sexual rating scale polarized by heterosexual and homosexual orientations. People moved up and down a scale from one to seven along the walls of the lounge. An area in the middle took the place of areas on the scale that could not be represented.

Kumar has been a bisexual activist for 10 years in both India and the United States. This workshop drove home the point that not only is sexuality deeply individualized, but also it’s uniquely fluid for every person.

“I think identities are very messy.

18 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

categories in both heterosexual and homosexual people who consider Bi+ identities less valid. This also reinforces the term “gay-washing” in which Bi+ identities get labeled as gay. This coalescing bias or confusing of one identity for another leads to erasure.

“I don’t think the LGBT community is exempt at all,” said Beck Mayhew, an employee of the LGBTQ. “People like to think that the LGBT community is like a safe little bubble where we’re all just loved and accepted and nothing bad happens here, but that’s not true. Trans people are still routinely discriminated against, Bisexual people are too, so are pan people, and so are fluid people.”

Mathlan Lumley, the event organizer and LGBTQ center

“If you look in the media, it’s gay rights and gay media; it’s very dismissive. There’s this problem with fluid identities, people coming into their identity and their identity changing” Lumley said, “There’s this idea that bisexuality is like just an intermittent sexuality as you figure out if you’re straight or gay.”

Kumar described sexuality as a field, with two boxes for non-monosexual identities, aka homo and hetero, and the field is where the fluid, or Bi+, sexualities exist. Outside of the field is where asexual identities exist.

“A lot of us aren’t limited; we’re on the playing field you have your spots on,” Kumar said, “I have this concept that any space around me is middle earth, so it’s safe for you to identify however you want to

Beck Mayhew of LGBTQ Student Resource Center at Auraria.

Photo by Michelle Risinger

Graphic by Maddi Troisi

INTERSECTION

Sadly, even these seemingly inclusive environments can be equally responsible for silencing its community members.

Kumar offers a simple but sweeping concept of taking the space that’s yours and reclaiming the conversation, stating, “I’m a firm believer of taking up room when you’re not included in the conversation.”

Artwork by Ivy Lindstrom

identify. You’re one of my people if you identify as being in the middle, like a middle person. I like being middle-person. I think when we come into that space, and when we own that space, and when we trust that space, we can move further. We do move further. We talk about our different intersectionalities, or our own definitions of queerness. This whole idea of the playing field came from being in that space.”

20 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

Being gray

Cheyenne DeChristopher is the Intersection Editor at Metrosphere Magazine and a senior at MSU Denver. A young queer person of color, she is charmed by activism, deconstruction and all things extraordinary. Cheyenne plans to continue her travels and share stories from underrepresented persons and topics.

By Cheyenne DeChristopher

In identifying within the LGBTQ community, you have to do a lot of work to create spaces and places where you can feel safe and supported. For myself, that place was with my former partner, the first person with whom I began to question my relationship to the institution of heterosexuality. My relationship was that of being “other.”

In being an outsider, compared with my primarily heterosexual and cisgender classmates, I struggled to identify the queerness within myself.

With the support of a romantic relationship, I was able to name it and begin the process of self-acceptance.

Bisexuality was the identity I found most comfortable, despite strong opposition from our heteronormative society and, unfortunately, the gay and lesbian community at large.

Fluidity in identity, especially related to gender and sexual orientation, makes people uneasy because you cannot fit neatly into the much loved binary system of being either gay or straight and male or female.

Photo from wikipedia.org

I

magine sweaty palms being able to hold you in a firm, knowing grip.

Nervous laughter and sideways glances giving way to lazy Saturday nights spent critiquing Korean horror films. After almost seven years you settle into a comfortable rhythm, sure of how your breaks will be spent and whom to call to share all those funny stories you’ve encountered after another grueling work day.

And here you’re left after all this time alone and afraid, though a little excited, of a life without security and reassurance in who you are and what that means to the world.

Being in a same sex relationship for the entirety of your teenage years affords you credibility and security within your identity as a member of the queer community. When that relationship dissolves, you often find yourself spiraling back into the scary and often isolating world of being single. For me, my newly found singleness was not just lonely, but it also triggered a fear I thought I had resolved years ago. Do I belong in the LGBTQ community?

Robyn Ochs, leading bi advocate and author, defines bisexuality as, “The potential to be attracted romantically and or sexually to people of more than one sex and/or gender, not necessarily at the same time, not necessarily in the same way, and not necessarily to the same degree,” as said in an interview with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

Though I agree with this definition, it is not widely accepted. A common thought is to see bi as meaning two, and so bisexuals can only ever mean attraction to men and women, ignoring the multiple other gender identities that exist. To further the misconceptions that plague the bisexual community, many hold the

belief that if a person is attracted to, dates, marries, etc., a person of one gender, then they have finally chosen to be either heterosexual or gay/lesbian.

And that is where I find myself today. Surrounded by ignorant and harmful rhetoric that labels bisexuals as greedy and misguided people who just need to make up their minds.

Even well-meaning friends who try their best to lessen my feelings of confusion still seem to be asking me to pick a side. But that’s the point of bisexuality, not the inability to pick a side but the lack of need to.

“I feel that’s what I am. I see a worrying trend among LGBT people that if you identify yourself in just one way, you close yourself off to other experiences. My sexuality has never been black and white; it’s always been gray,” said Alan Cumming, actor and bi advocate, in an interview with The Advocate.

And that’s OK. To find fluidity in your sexuality is not wrong.

For now I’ll do my best to embrace to grey.

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 21

INTERSECTION

The gay’s gaze: Fifty Shades of Secretary

By Adam Barnhardt

I

made a personal decree to not watch “Fifty Shades of Grey” because I pegged it as being a bastardized version of the film “Secretary.” One can’t help but be curious about why something as taboo as BDSM would reach mass acclaim in the first place, so I broke my rule and trudged through all two hours of “Fifty Shades of Grey” for the benefit of my argument. What followed was a very interesting compare-and-contrast of two very different interpretations of BDSM culture.

But before I delve into all “Fifty Shades” let me tell you about BDSM, or bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism. This is a form of role-playing that places heavy eroticization on slave and master dichotomies.

BDSM is immensely consent driven and aftercare for partners is essential. It has been around for ages, but really rose to prominence among gay men in the 1930s to present day. Known then as just “leather,” it has evolved to become a fetish that encompasses all sexual orientations.

Both the films focus on heterosexual BDSM relationships.

But in both of these films the male serves as the dominant in the relationship, which tends to pull more toward the normative side of heterosexuality strictly from a patriarchal standpoint of men being in power. But men are not immune to the concept of submissiveness. You need only refer to the archetype of the dominatrix.

In “Fifty Shades,” Anastasia Steele is a virginal student who has essentially no backstory and is just waiting for the right guy to give her some dimension; enter Christian Grey, a billionaire bro who is too cool to smile.

Grey stalks Steele, manipulating her with expensive gifts like computers, until she finally hears those words every hopeless romantic longs to hear, “non-disclosure agreement.” Grey presents her with paperwork that expressly dictates the level of consent in their relationship. This contract ultimately

Graphics by Maddi Troisi

“For some vanilla is the best flavor, but not all flavors complement one another.”

22 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

Adam Barnhardt is a staff writer for Metrosphere and student at MSU Denver focusing on Journalism and Women’s studies. He is an advocate for the LGBTQIA community and an avid film-goer.

He’s an artist and often looks like he’s late for a costume party.

becomes more of a suggestion than a legal and binding document as the film progresses.

They enter a psychosexual entanglement, in which the psychological aspects of sexuality are predominantly on display. They’re constantly questioning the other’s true intentions. This is not a dominant meets submissive story. It is a story about a dominant man who solicits submission from a non-submissive partner with the promise of material goods. This is where the film “Secretary” takes the proverbial reins in presenting a more endearing movie about BDSM. Lee Holloway is the female love interest in “Secretary.” She has a past with self-harm.

She is proficient at dictating and transcribing so she naturally applies for a job as a secretary.

Enter the aptly named E. Edward Grey. He’s an attorney who is distant and demanding.

They, too, enter a psychosexual entanglement, but instead of questioning each other’s intentions, they both know exactly what the other wants but are too afraid to state it.

Holloway is a way more complex and thoughtout character than Steele. She is talented, fallible, has had normative relationships with other men, and finds solace in pain. Steele goes from a virgin to jumping feet first into a fetish she is vocally uncomfortable with.

Christian Grey wants to withhold tenderness in favor of sole domination, Edward Grey wants to experience both extremes. Edward Grey is ashamed of his sexuality and pushes Holloway away. The opposite is true in “Fifty Shades,” as Steele does not understand Christian Grey’s desires so she keeps him at a distance.

Both of these films carry the burden of trying to discuss a form of abuse that is not supposed to be intrinsically abusive.

It is difficult to unpack BDSM culture because it’s rooted in extremes.

What is easier to unpack is the medium of film.

“Secretary” is very wellexecuted and does not water down the identities of its characters for the sake of its gratuitous nature. “Fifty Shades of Grey” is a film about BDSM for a vanilla audience. I do not use vanilla in the pejorative sense; instead, I use it as being synonymous with normative sexual desires. For some, vanilla is the best flavor, but not all flavors complement one another.

BDSM has very well-established boundaries for its practice. The boundaries exist because the line between sex and abuse is stretched so thin that it necessitates the utmost attention to detail. Much like how queer audiences desire accurate representation in film, the BDSM community deserves the same amount of respect.

The Greys share more in common than I care to admit. Both are meticulous, have a tendency to stalk women, and are well-off financially. Where

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 23

INTERSECTION

Queer inspired poetry at Blush and Blu

By Jacquelyne Mido Glover

W

ednesday nights on Colfax, the queer inspired poetry at Blush and Blu invites LGBTQ women and friends to come together to read poetry that speaks to their experiences as individuals and as a community.

Blush and Blu is a lesbian-centric coffee shop at the intersection of East Colfax Avenue and Franklin St. Owned by Jody Bouffard, Blush and Blu provides a safe space for queer, lesbian and bisexual women to socialize over cocktails or coffee. They host many LGBTQ events including comedy nights, bisexual speed dating, queer-inspired poetry night, and drag king and drag queen shows.

Bouffard, a woman with an easy-going manner and the quirky smile of a jokester, emcees the poetry night. A comedian as well as an entrepreneur, Bouffard entertains the crowd with comical clippings from the missed connections board of Craigslist and wisecracks about the happenings on East Colfax.

Blush and Blu began as a coffee bar and lounge known as tHERe, before becoming Blush, and then later Blush and Blu, after the addition of a 2,000-squarefoot meeting space. Bouffard, who received the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year award in 2014, began in 2000 owning and/or running businesses like The Wave and HER bar.

Poet Renee Winston

create a safe space for women that allowed them to be themselves.

Susan Robinson, Bouffard’s ex and best friend, added, “It’s admirable to continue this. Jody told me once she

“The best gayborhood bar.”

— Susan Robinson

After years of working in the lesbian bar industry, Bouffard felt that a torch had been passed. She wanted to 24 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

wanted to have the best neighborhood bar.” Bouffard cracks a grin and said, “The best gayborhood bar.”

This sense of community and safety attracts a diverse number of poetesses, from students to urban professionals, women who have identified as queer for years and women who are only just starting to come out.

Renee Winston is a lesbian poetess who frequents QUIP night. “The phone rings to say that someone is there, but that would be a lie because only money talks,” Winston read, as audience members snap.

Winston has been coming to Blush and Blu for almost 10 years, but only began reading this past year. Her poems reflect her experiences – from the mundane, capitalistic grind of working an office job to the torturous uncertainty of romantic experiences both realized and unrealized.

“Poetry is a big release,” Winston said. “I love slam poetry because it makes me feel under-restrained.”

She enjoys QUIP night because, “I have a safe house to read in!”

Photos by Carl Glenn Payne

Owner Jody Bouffard speaks on open mic poetry night at Blush and Blu.

Eliza Beth Wittington is a poetess who identifies as queer. Inspired by nature, justice, and sex, Wittington began writing poetry. She read her poem “Treat Me Like You Treat The Earth” in a breathy, alluring voice.

“I want you to plow me, plant me, poison me, mono-culture and enslave me, steal my young before they’ve gone to seed, then call me ugly,” Wittington read. Themes like ecojustice, religion and femininity weave together seamlessly in Wittington’s rhythmically enchanting poetry.

Cushamore Morrison is a lawyer who just started getting in touch with her creative side in the past year. She sang “Prey,” a chilling song about life in a cruel, capitalistic culture. “The capitalistic heart must prey,” sang Morrison.

Followed by “By the Rivers of Babylon,” a song that originated in Jamaica. Afterward, Morrison said, “With my coming out process, my discovering my homosexual identity,

I suddenly feel this rejuvenation and connection to my creative side.”

Her songs focus on truth, love and especially the idea of one love – of people coming together despite the differences that keep them apart.

Among this diverse group of women is Jenny Cloud Gaeng. She has recently finished the Continental Divide trail, a grueling 3,100-mile journey that spans America from Canada to Mexico. Her poetry is inspired by pain. “It’s how I cope with losing significant people in my life, or transforming as a person. It’s a way to get my feelings out,” Gaeng said.

She focuses on the positive aspects of transformation, loss and life and has been attending QUIP for about two years. “It’s a safe space,” she said. “This has been the most supportive community I’ve broken into since I’ve been in Denver,” citing the sense of validation and support readily given by the audience of the queer inspired poetry night.

QUIP continues to be a safe space for members of the LGBTQ community and their allies to express themselves, to share their experiences and gain strength in the support of others. It unites these unique individuals by offering them a platform to express themselves and a community.

As Morrison said, “There are so many things that divide us as people, but we all need to be individuals and be able to respect that.”

QUIP takes place at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday nights, and welcomes all who are looking for community, poetry and fun.

Blush & Blu Bar 1526 E. Colfax Ave. Denver , CO 80218 303-484-8548 www.blushblubar.com

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 25

IMBUE

di

y

sb

hic

ap Gr

d Ma

i

is Tro

Culture vs. cannabis and code

By Keenan McCall

C

aught in the rapid gentrification driven by new and expanding industries, Denver’s art community has been struggling to keep their place.

For many years, Denver has been a home to artists looking to hone their craft and display their work to the public. They’ve had access to galleries and studios along major streets like Broadway, Larimer and Santa Fe, and have found housing in low-income areas around these locations.

Recently though, artists have felt the impact of Denver’s changing culture and demographic. New businesses have bought up real estate in these low-income areas at a rapid rate, driving up rent costs and driving artists to other areas such as Elyria Swansea and Globeville.

26 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

Those in the community expected this to happen eventually, but not as quickly as it has.

“Artists are organic. They pull up the plug and move to another unwanted part of the city. This has been happening for decades.

But it’s at a new level, on steroids now,” said Mark Sink, a longtime artist and resident of Denver. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

This rapid change was largely triggered by the development of new industries in Denver, one being marijuana. Following the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2014, the number of marijuana business licenses held in Colorado exploded, with more than 900 registered by the end of 2015. Of those, at least 600 were held by recreational dispensaries with physical store locations.

These shops, as well as the grow houses used to supply them, were built in lower income areas in which artist communities originally developed.

This was due to the low cost of the properties, which was vital for many of the new dispensaries dealing with the costs of starting up a business from scratch. As these dispensaries have brought in more and more revenue, the prices on rents and leases have increased to the point that artists and gallery owners can’t keep up.

“Rhinoceropolis is on the way out; the Colorado Center for Photography lost their lease; Hinterland Art Space is out of their space on Walnut,” Sink said.

Those that weren’t pushed out have been worried about the impact that nearby recreational shops and grow houses would have from a business perspective. Kit Mahoney,

a co-owner and artist for Brushstrokes Studio Gallery at Florida Avenue and Broadway, recalled the apprehensions she and her business partners had about being located near a marijuana shop.

“When we were looking for space along here, we did not want to be next door to a dispensary because we’re an art gallery,” Mahoney said. “The clientele that support dispensaries are multi-varied, but being amongst the antiques with antique row, that’s generally going to be more our clientele.”

Mahoney noted that she and her business partners had no problem with the marijuana industry or its supporters, and that she smokes recreational marijuana.

In terms of the business they’re aiming to run, though, the group wants to provide a different type of service from those that dispensaries may provide.

“I think you want to be where you’re going to draw the kind of traffic and collector base that responds to your product and is at the income level that they can afford it as well,” Mahoney said.

The art community has felt pressure from the growth of the tech industry as well. Denver’s tech industry has seen steady growth over the past decade, with companies like ProtectWise and Ibotta earning the Denver Gazelle distinction from the city for their sustained growth and growing role in the state’s economy.

“Every single one of my friends from Cornell have mentioned that Denver is the place to be, and most of them have been from the tech industry,” said Max Boyle, an MSU Denver student and Denver resident.

This is due mainly to the difference in environment from Silicon Valley. Once the tech startup capital of the country, overcrowding and intense competition has driven many aspiring tech industry workers to seek other locations to build their businesses. In an article published by The Denver Post, Scott McNealy, the CEO of tech company Wayin, noted these as his reasons for not starting his company in California.

“The prices of everything have skyrocketed: The regulations, the pension deficit, the traffic. It’s just not a fun place to go start,” McNealy said.

As a result, tech companies have found space for their businesses in the same low-income areas as art communities. Some have even found their work spaces in the same locations as displaced galleries, for example the tech company Code Talent now found where Andenken Gallery and Design once was.

Though residents acknowledge the challenge artists are facing, most see it as an inevitability with little to be done about it.

“No matter what, we’re going to grow,” Boyle said.

Artists agree, though there is fear over the role artists now play in the gentrification of Denver.

“We’re kind of the canary in the coal mine,” Sink said. “I always saw artists as a good thing, moving into the area, but that tends to be the first step that (gentrification) is coming.”

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 27

IMBUE

Bringing back Burning Man: The Awesome Sweater project

By Dayna L. Himot

E

very year thousands of people come together in Black Rock City just three hours north of Reno, Nevada to create a culture of art, community and radical self-reliance. Referred to by some as “that thing in the desert,” the occasion is commonly known as Burning Man. This nine-day event is fueled by Ten Principles that were written by co-founder Larry Harvey. These principles are the fuel that ignite the communal efforts among burners around the globe. This is a story of two men, a sweater and making a difference that began at Burning Man, and is creating a positive influence on people’s lives year round.

The sweater, also referred to as a colorbomb of love, has been to Burning Man three times. It has traveled around the world at least once in the past five years. “Because of our interconnectedness, it’s always flowing through, and that sweater is one of the many magical objects that come out of the playa,” Allen said. Subsequently finding its way to becoming the “Awesome Sweater Project.”

About 10 years ago former East Texas native Tex Allen found himself welcomed by the San Francisco Burning Man community during an intense time of change in his life. In 2006, while he was at a San Francisco State University costume sale, he saw a brightly colored sweater in a bin, purchased it, and began wearing it in the hot summer sun.

People gravitated to the sweater. Everywhere he wore it, without prompting, Allen would hear people say that’s an “awesome sweater,” earning the name, “The Awesome Sweater.”

Allen has worn the sweater to Santacon, and multiple Halloween and Christmas events.

The awesome sweater continued to have an endearing effect on all who came in contact with it. Allen has unsuccessfully attempted to have the sweater replicated. The reality is this sweater had its own path, its own journey to fulfill, and Allen has committed himself to this 100 percent.

In November of 2015, Manny Torres reached out to Allen. He wanted to be the caretaker of The Awesome Sweater. “I was inspired by the magic that the sweater brings and the love it reproduces,” Torres said. He received it in the mail from Allen within a few days.

“It’s not my sweater; it’s whoever owns it at the time; it’s whoever is the caretaker of the sweater­-they’re the alchemist in real time.

That sweater changes you,” Allen said.

“It’s not my sweater; it’s whoever owns it at the time; it’s whoever is the caretaker of the sweater–they’re the alchemist in real time. That sweater changes you.”

–Tex Allen

28 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

Torres, about to complete his master’s degree from California State University in Educational Therapy, was born and raised in Peru until the age of 9, then raised in Pasadena, California. Often he finds himself in downtown Los Angeles and overwhelmed by the conscious act of “skipping over people on the streets.” Instead of spending money on himself and ignoring the issue, in the spirit of the Burning Man principle of “gifting,” Torres would spend his time finding art in downtown LA and gifting homeless people socks and toothbrushes, while wearing the sweater.

Over the next five months, what started from the Burning Man principle of gifting expanded.

Photos By Carl Glenn Payne

Manny Torres, caretaker of the Awesome Sweater

The Awesome Sweater Project had 30 people in attendance at it’s most recent event to help feed the homeless on the streets of L.A. “We nicknamed the sweater the ‘smile maker;’ sometimes it repels people too,” Torres said.

Torres, wearing the sweater, describes his appreciation for Allen in Center Camp during Burning Man in August of 2016. He has never met Allen in person. He was supposed to meet him at the 2016 burn, but at the last minute, plans changed. Torres believes that Allen achieves so much through the sweater and other projects without even physically being there. Allen often refers to the concept of “Burning in real life,” and Torres did just that with his project he is calling “Silliness and Joy.” “I was handing out gifts; it brought people to tears. That is my goal, to touch people, with nothing in return. It’s creating a change for me,” Torres said.

Torres now has a board of eight members working to become a nonprofit. Three words he used to describe Allen were, “Amazing, beautiful and speechless- speechless because I don’t have real words to explain this man. The outreach he [Allen] does balloons, bigger and bigger,” Torres said.

The awesome sweater was promptly returned to Allen in September, dust included, per his request that it not be washed. Allen is well-known for wearing a red nose all over the United States in order to make people smile and spread happiness in an otherwise occupied world. One can find more information at whythenose.com. Currently he is devoting his time to “spreading love around the world” person-to-person with his latest project, Hugs Across America.

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 29

Photos by Carl Glenn Payne

Pieces of the Playa :

BURNING MAN 2016

Words and photos by Carl Glenn Payne

E

very year tens of thousands of people make the long journey to a dried up lakebed an hour outside of Gerlach, NV. Once they are there, a community comes together to create a temporary metropolis dedicated to art, expression and self-reliance. They call it Black Rock City, but once you’re there it is often referred to as the playa.

Leading up to it I spent months trying to mentally prepare myself for what lay ahead of me. Burning Man is extreme or very unusual, and not suitable for people who like only safe and familiar things. All the things you need to prep

can be found in the survival guide offered online, but you may still encounter problems along the way. After my first 24 hours there I had already started to make mental notes on how to make next year easier and better.

I went to Burning Man by myself and it forced me to open up and have amazing conversations with almost everyone I met. During my 10 days on the playa I made great connections with people from all over the world.

I can’t wait to go back.

Photos by Carl Glenn Payne

Photo by Sara Hertwig

Alex Halpern stands with other students of the Zenko Kyudojo in Boulder as they prepare to raise their bows at the targets ahead.

Mindfulness in marksmanship

By Keenan McCall

W

hen the members of the Zenko Kyudojo in Boulder line up their shots, every detail is given careful attention.

Where they plant their feet, the posture of their upper body, how far back they pull the bowstring and the positioning of the arrow – every aspect of the shot has to be perfect, and it’s often several minutes before one arrow is shot. Even then, a proper form must be maintained after shooting the arrow, completing the process before starting all over again.

The goal of this process isn’t to get better at archery though.

“Kyudo is a form of meditation,” said Alex Halpern, a student 34 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

and member of the dojo since its founding. “It’s more zen practice than actual practice.”

The only Kyudo dojo in Colorado, Zenko Kyudojo was founded by Shibata Kanjiro Sensei XX after he retired from being the imperial bow maker to the Emperor of Japan.

Following his retirement, he was invited to the United States and requested to begin giving instruction in Kyudo by Tibetan Buddhist, Master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, founder of the Boulder Shambhala Center. “(Rinpoche) was interested in finding some of the true representatives of genuine warrior tradition who were still in the world, and through mutual friends he was introduced

to Shibata Kanjiro Sensei XX,” Halpern said. “In 1980, Sensei and his son came here at Rinpoche’s invitation to begin to teach kyudo.”

The two made a good connection during his visit and by 1985, the dojo was officially opened. Shibata sensei continued to teach at the dojo until his death in 2014.

Since its founding, the dojo has closely followed and imparted the traditions of Kyudo. Students are given careful instruction in the proper use of the bamboo arrows and long bows, which are handmade in and imported from Kyoto, Japan. They are also encouraged to wear the traditional equipment, including robes and a leather archery glove.

IMBUE

Aki Shikami White and Kyoki Ward kneel, lining up their arrows, before standing to line up their shots.

Several students from Zenko have gone on to open their own dojos across the country, while others have remained in Colorado to pass on what they learned to new students.

Maria Bogomaz, a student who began practicing Kyudo at a dojo in Florida, said this well of knowledge helped set Zenko apart from other dojos she’d attended.

years. “You can walk into any dojo around the world and you’ll have a place to go.”

Above all, those giving instruction at Zenko hope they can pass along the meditative qualities of Kyudo.

Aki Shikami White, the granddaughter of Shibata Sensei XX, has practiced archery almost all her life and enjoys having an outlet for something that is non-competitive.

“This practice is for any age, male or female, and it’s never too late to practice Kyudo,” —Aki Shikami White

“It’s great to have access to instructors with so many years of experience,” Bogomaz said.

“The amount of experience that’s here, all of the people who shoot here, is tremendous.”

Others have kept up with Kyudo for the sense of community it provides.

“These days, a lot of stuff is for competition,” White said. “I’m not saying it’s bad, but sometimes you want to avoid that kind of mindset.”

“If you practice Kyudo, you become a part of a very close community,” said Kyoki Ward, a practitioner of Kyudo for nine

It’s for this reason as well as its other benefits that White encourages anyone and everyone to try Kyudo.

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 35

IMBUE

Imbue Review: The Little Prince

By Victoria Edstedt

W

hen I picked up The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry for the first time, I hated it. No wonder: the book was written in a childish manner with charming, humorous illustrations, and yet I could not make any sense of it. What a disappointment for an 8-year-old reader. I was furious!

As it turned out, the book was never intended for a child, but rather for a grown-up who once was a child, and I decided to give The Little Prince another chance.

on many levels. I identified three: basic, figurative and hypothetical.

On a basic level the author discusses eternal topics of love, friendship, loss and self-analysis. Then he complicates the narrative with social criticism that is pronounced in images of adults, whom little prince struggles to understand.

Also, on this figurative level, Saint-Exupéry introduces new characters - a snake and a fox. One

of readers. They enhance the morality of the story, capturing the essence of being a human.

Finally, on a hypothetical level, it is believed that Saint-Exupéry described his own experiences: gloom of a World War II, dramatic relationships with his wife Consuelo, and constant search for inner peace in an overall chaos.

There is no right or wrong way to interpret The Little Prince. Of course, Saint-Exupéry found inspiration in what was happening to the world around him - we all do when we create. However, he did more than telling a story of his time.

He was able to distort reality just enough, so his readers could discover their own. And I did.

“Too often we get lost in the chase for the wrong ideals forgetting to enjoy simple things.”

After an aeroplane crashes in the Sahara Desert, its pilot, Saint-Exupéry, gets stuck in the middle of nowhere with a broken engine and hardly any water to drink. He has no mechanic to help and decides to start a difficult repair himself. In these life and death circumstances SaintExupéry meets the little prince who left his planet with three volcanoes and a rose to travel the universe.

If the story begins to sound strange to you, we are heading the right direction. The Little Prince is a fusion of autobiography, fantasy and moral allegory. Some call it “poetic tale,” the others “adult fable,” and all agree that this short novella is philosophical 36 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

is a representation of despair and death, another guides little prince through complications of life.

Lessons of a wise fox helped little prince to realize that happiness is what you make it. Too often we get lost in the chase for the wrong ideals forgetting to enjoy simple things.

Fox’s lines like “You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.” or “It is the time you have lost for your rose that makes your rose so important.” are quoted back and forth by generations

I discovered not only the many wisdoms of the book, but the power of children’s literature. When your heart is ready - come back and reread The Little Prince, and if you’ve never read it before, don’t be discouraged by its symbolism. Instead, enjoy the beauty of it’s mystery, because as the fox said “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 37

Image from www.booklovers-bookclub.blogspot.com

Photos by Keenan McCall

What is Kan, 20 years later

By Keenan McCall

W

hen Nan Desu Kan Board of Directors member Guy Davis looked back on the convention’s growth the past two decades, one word said it all.

“Surreal,” Davis said.

One of the original founders, Davis is the director of history and archiving for NDK. With the convention celebrating its 20th anniversary this past September, he oversaw a room dedicated to the 20 years of history behind the event. Davis could still hardly believe he’d been along for the entire experience.

“When it was the first couple years, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m just helping out,’” Davis said. “Now it’s been 38 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

20 years and I’m like, ‘Wow, this is kind of my baby somehow.’”

The largest anime convention in the Rocky Mountain area, the con started as a small gathering of only 205 local fans, mostly male. Organized by the Denver Anime International and Rocky Mountain Anime in Colorado Springs, it came about after members of DAI attended A-Con in Dallas.

“We all said, ‘Hey, this is kind of like a big DAI meeting. You know what we should do, is do our own convention,’” Davis said.

Working together with RMA, members from both groups organized and staffed the con themselves. It was seen as a general success and

warranted being held again the next year, but those behind the event were still unsure of how long it would go.

As time went on, though, those fears subsided. The con quickly gained attention from fans both inside and outside the state, male and female. Members of the industry from the United States and Japan attended the convention to speak with fans of their work, and anime merchandisers began selling their goods to fans at the convention.

Today, NDK attracts 21,000 attendees, with female attendance now surpassing male attendance, and members of the industry known throughout the fandom are honored as special guests. Shinichiro

Doots Nugent accepts the audience choice award during Nan Desu Kan’s annual Cosplay Contest. Nugent’s costume, modeled after the happy Mask Salesman from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, was entirely handmade.

TECHNOSPHERE

Watanabe, director of the legendary anime Cowboy Bebop, as well as Dai Sato, a writer for Bebop and several other acclaimed series like Eureka 7, flew out from Japan for NDK 20. For both, it was their first time in Denver.

“Denver is not the best-known city in Japan, so until I came here myself I didn’t really know much about Denver,” Watanabe said.

Watanabe was happy to learn the state had so many fans, and hoped to return for future conventions. Sato mirrored this sentiment and enjoyed the relaxed and inviting atmosphere of NDK, compared with other conventions.

“I’ve been to the mega cons in places like New York, San Diego and France, and there it’s much more business-oriented. Here, I get to be much closer to fans, and I really get to have a firsthand feel for the fans’ love for anime,” Sato said.

Notable members of the Western half of the industry have also come to support the con regularly. Longtime voice actors Johnny Yong Bosch, Richard Epcar, Wendy Powell and several others spoke with fans through panels and in person at NDK 20, discussing their views on anime and their appreciation for the fans’ support through the convention.

“We’re in dark booths all day long doing this stuff and we never know if someone’s going to like it,” Epcar said. “When we come to the conventions and you guys really appreciate the work we do, and many times know more about it than we do, it’s a joy for me.”

Outside of attracting famous guests, the convention has grown to attract artists from all over the country. Artists from Colorado and beyond offered their work to fans through the artists alley, with works based off of anime and

40 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

video games. James Ghio, a first time NDK artist who came out from Minneapolis, was impressed with the con’s treatment of artists and how it helped for interacting with attendees.

“It’s cool. It’s very intimate,” Ghio said. “Artist’s alley is right in the middle of everything, which is great.”

He also enjoyed that crafters were present and mixed in with the artists. Seeing a growing presence at the con over the years, crafters have offered handmade jewelry, buttons and other goods to attendees. Stephanie Carrick, who has attended the con since 2014 offering handmade clay cameos of anime characters, was impressed with this year’s convention. She was happy to be a part of the anniversary.

“I feel very lucky, very blessed, to be here.

It’s been so much fun,” Carrick said.

Cosplayer presence has gained a sizable presence at NDK since the con’s inception as well. Increasing in popularity since the con’s inception, many attendees now dress in some form of cosplay, dressing as characters from anime, comics, video games and many other mediums considered part of geek culture.

Many participate in the con’s annual cosplay contest, displaying handmade costumes and acting out skits or performances to go along with them.

Doots Nugent, who dressed as the happy mask Salesman from “The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask,” won the audience choice award in this year’s contest. He encouraged hesitant attendees to try cosplay and not to worry about being embarrassed.

“Do something you love. It’s not about looking the best,” Nugent said.

The convention has also worked to use its growth for good. Through donation bins and a yearly charity auction offering merchandise signed by voice actors, artists and directors, the convention regularly raises money toward charitable causes. This year’s con raised $15,000 worth of donations toward Canine Companions for Independence.

“You guys showed some amazing generosity for Canine Companions for Independence at our charity auction,” said George Robert, RMAA adviser during his announcement of the charity tally. “You have shown the true heart of NDK.” Above all, though, a core goal Davis and the other founders have had for the con is to offer fans an accepting and safe environment to enjoy their hobbies

with others. They’ve been largely successful, with most attendees feeling accepted and passing that feeling onto others. Lisa Oldham, a regular attendee, was nervous the first time she attended, but quickly felt accepted by the rest of the con’s attendees.

“As soon as you get here, you’re not shy anymore,” Oldham said. “Everybody’s nice. It’s a great environment.”

Looking forward, Davis hopes the attendees and future board of directors will carry on this spirit.

“The thing I hope we always will be is a safe place for geek culture to live and thrive,” Davis said. “I hope we have an eternal life with this, even long after I retire.”

SOMETIMES THE LIBRARY CAN BE A LITTLE TOO QUIET...

STUDENT & FACULTY DISCOUNT!

With your valid ID. (Happy Hour excluded) Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 41

TECHNOSPHERE

Talk tech to me:

Using social media professionally

By Hayes Madsen

Hayes Madsen is the Technosphere Editor at Metrosphere Magazine and a senior at MSU Denver. His radio show, Playing With Perspectives, airs Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-7 p.m. on mymetmedia.com/listen.

Graphics by Ethan Casady

Twitter: @Solfleet Instagram: @tsingshatsui

F

or this section of Talk Tech To Me, we’ll be covering a question asked by a reader on what are effective ways to use social media professionally.

Social media has become a huge part of our lives, and it has both good and bad connotations. It can easily be a powerful thing to integrate into your everyday life and use for professional purposes. There’s a wide world of social media out there, so it’s important to know how to properly use them, and it can be easy to lose your way. Of course, there’s no be-

42 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

all and end-all, solution for how to use social media, but there are some basic ideas you can apply to each.

Depending on your career choice, your needs with social media may differ too.

As a journalist, I’ve had to try and find ways to integrate it into my work, and while my experience won’t translate over for everyone, I’ve had a few people ask about what I’ve learned.

By covering the wide array of social media, I hope to share a few things that might be valuable for the future.

First off, there are a few general ideas

to practice, including positivity. That’s right, positivity is king in social media, not only in what you post, but also in how you interact with others. Always keep in mind that potential employers or contacts could be looking at your profiles, and that having negative or “sad” posts could potentially give an unclear representation of your personality. While of course it’s necessary to sometimes make announcements that may be sad in nature, you should always work to keep a positive image both in how you appear and interact with others.

At the same time, it goes without saying that you should be real on social media. Don’t put out a fake persona, as you want your profiles to be the best representation of who you actually are. Social media is also a great way to make positive, constructive commentary on current events. With some of the basics out of the way, let’s talk about ways that you can constructively use specific social media sites and apps.

Facebook Facebook is the foremost social media platform used, and as such a place that a lot of us put our general thoughts. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that anything you put on Facebook may be seen by others, including employers. Keep things professional to a degree, at least, but also use the platform to share what you do. As a writer, I put everything I can on Facebook, to let as many people see what I do as possible.

Be enthusiastic about your work and share it as much as you can, whether it’s something you write, a picture, a note you type up on Facebook itself, whatever it might be. There’s another handy thing you can do on Facebook too, by using the groups search. There are thousands upon thousands of groups on Facebook made by people.

Find groups related to what you do or what you’re interested in, and share your thoughts and work there too. You can keep your profile as private as you want still, but groups on Facebook can be a great way to find like-minded individuals who do the same thing that you do, and possibly find even more places to share what you do.

Twitter Twitter functions in a couple of different ways, including one that I’ve found particularly helpful. As a journalist, particularly one who writes about video games, Twitter

has been a great help for compiling news. This can function in terms of anything you’re interested in.

Follow tons of accounts, anything that might be related to your work, new advancements, and general world news. If you’re interested, you can set any Twitter accounts to push notifications to your phone.

This means as soon as a new tweet is sent out from that account you’ll receive a notification on your phone. This is a great way to keep in the loop about news updates on whatever field you work in, as long as you find the right accounts.

The platform can also function as a way for you to comment on current events and put your thoughts out there. It goes without saying that things should be kept professional and that you should refrain from insulting others, but if you have something to say, put it out there! Show people that you care about what happens in the world, you care about the election, or whatever else it might be, even if that’s by sending out a few tweets every day. It may not be much, but as long as you consistently show that you’re commenting or paying attention to things, it’ll look good to a potential employer.

do. Take pictures of all the interesting work you do, no matter what it is.

Instagram easily integrates into both Facebook and Twitter, and really allows you to show others what you’re doing and what you’re interested in.

LinkedIn LinkedIn’s use is maybe the most obvious of all social media platforms, as its primary function is to connect you with professionals in your industry and display your work. There are a ton of options the site gives you for displaying all of your work experience and skills. You can also search for people in your area or field to connect with. Simply having a profile up that people can see, or a way to connect with other professionals might be just the chance you need to get a job offer.

Snapchat Believe it or not, Snapchat can have a professional use as well. If you’re working on a project that you’re excited about, make a snapchat story out of that for your followers. It can be a great way to share your passion.

Making videos or pictures, showing what you do and what you have a passion for is the best use you can find.

Instagram If there’s a strong visual aspect to the work you do, Instagram is a great place for you. The social media platform definitely caters to artists and the like, giving you a place to display your work, but there’s a use for everyone as well. First off, if you want to connect with artists or photographers, etc., Instagram gives you a great place to compile all of that. For instance, I follow artists who draw primarily video game or sci-fi related things, as it’s related to my field of work. It also gives you a great way to visually represent what you Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 43

TECHNOSPHERE

5 anime movies everyone should watch

By Hayes Madsen

“Akira” is a strange movie with a unique vision, set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo. It follows two teenage bikers in the broken down city–Tetsuo and Kaneda. Tetsuo begins developing strange psychic powers, which the government catches wind of, as his powers are similar to an esper named Akira that destroyed Tokyo. The film was a landmark in Japanese animation, both visually and in showing that the medium can deal with violent, dark and mature themes.

Image from cdn.collider.com

Akira

Spirited Away Studio Ghibli has consistently set the standard for Japanese animation and storytelling. “Spirited Away” is undoubtedly one of the studio’s most beloved films. The movie focuses on a young girl, Chihiro, who moves away from her friends to a new town with her parents. Along the way, the family gets lost and happens upon an abandoned train station and small town. Chihiro’s parents strangely turn into pigs, and she stumbles upon a mysterious and vibrant world of spirits.

“Spirited Away” brings a unique kind of imagination, unique even to the storied history of Studio Ghibli.

44 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

Image from acmi.net.au

Image from theonlineanimestore.blogspot.com

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Momoru Hosoda has been an up-and-coming director for a while now, also responsible for “Summer Wars,” “Wolf Children” and “The Boy and His Beast.” His first independent film, “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,” still stands as possibly his best and an instant classic. Makoto Konno is a high school girl who inadvertently gains the power to time travel, and begins using this power to solve frivolous problems. Of course, this begins to have a detrimental effect. The film combines some top-notch animation, with a deep and complex character story about Konno and her relationship with those around her.

Image from thevaultpublication.com

Ghost in the Shell Science-fiction has always been a prominent part of anime, with everything from mech to mind control. “Ghost in the Shell” was a defining feature of sci-fi anime, with highly philosophical themes about technology and finding self-identity in an advanced world. Motoko Kusanagi is a member of a public security agency known as Section 9 on the hunt for a mysterious hacker.

She and her team quickly get tied up in a deep plot full of political conspiracy. “Ghost in the Shell” is also the movie that would launch a successful anime series that lasts until today.

Image from wall.alphacoders.com

Princess Mononoke Years before “Spirited Away,” Studio Ghibli crafted another anime epic that helped set the standard for the genre. “Princess Mononoke” is an epic tale directed by Hayao Miyazaki–set in the Muromachi Period of Japan–that also mixes in fantasy elements. The film’s plot revolves around a young warrior named Ashitaka as she becomes embroiled in a conflict between forest gods and humans. Mononoke’s animation is crisp and vibrant, and the movie tells a complex tale that mixes in themes of environmentalism.

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 45

Photo by Nikolai Puc

Dr. Ropp received her Ph.D. in social psychology and teaches several courses at MSU Denver including Psychology of Gender.

THREADS

Tastemaker: Dr. Anna Ropp

By Bianey Bermudez

D

r. Anna Ropp’s title as a professor of psychology at MSU Denver speaks to her professionalism and accomplishments, but her stylish clothing choices and colorful hair give you a glimpse of her creative side.

She discovered her sense of style through the years and admits it was something she had to attain with time. “When I was an undergraduate, actually I don’t think I had much style. I mean, I went to class in jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers everyday. And they were not stylish jeans, T-shirts and sneakers,” Ropp said. With age came confidence and the ability to express her style grew.

fixed the problem by simply adding binder clips to hold up them up through the day.

As a professional on the other side of the classroom, she acknowledges that being a professor can affect the way she and her colleagues dress. “It is this interesting issue that professors have where we are in this setting where students are often very casual, but it’s in our professional environment and we can be judged by how we are dressed.” She finds that it’s important to maintain balance between building rapport with her students and staying in charge of the class.

“We make very quick judgments about strangers and whether we like them or not, part of that has to do with fashion choices,” ­— Dr. Anna Ropp

As for where she gets her style, she keeps an open eye everywhere she goes, noting that some of her favorite jewelry has come from a furniture store.

Ropp finds that style can be a way to take you back in time to good memories and adds a confidence to your day that you might not have without it.

She shared memories of embarrassing fashion moments that still bring laughter to her day. “In graduate school one time, I pulled out what had been an old pair of tights and a skirt that was OK with the tights. The elastic in the tights, part way through the day, gave out.” Ropp didn’t want to wear the skirt sans tights, so she

She said, “I’m aware of that when I color my hair blue. Is that something that’s rapportbuilding or is that something that challenges my authority?”

Ropp describes the psychology of fashion as something we all use to fit in with the people we want and also as something we judge others for. “We identify who is in our in group and who is in our out group by what they wear, how they look, how they express themselves. We make very quick judgments about strangers and whether we like them or not, part of that has to do with fashion choices,” Ropp said.

She explains how fashion is an expression of whom we want to be and how we want to be recognized. “Some of us are making choices to fit in because fitting in psychologically feels good.”

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 47

THREADS

Her developed style is a mix of what makes her feel happy and comfortable and what’s going to express her personality best. Her passion for gender studies also informs the way she thinks about dressing. “Style could be a great way to express yourself, but it’s also a way that people can judge you; so, it goes both ways,” she stated.

Ropp says that as a cisgender women she has more of an advantage because she can express her femininity and culturally, that’s OK. She points out that some people fit into these ideas of what other people think they should look like and some people don’t, which again makes fashion decisions a place of both expression and judgment.

NOW OPEN

She says that judgment can often be harsher on women, making it more difficult for women to express themselves without fear of what society thinks. “I think it’s tough. I think our culture tells us that we are not enough. We are not enough in how we look, in how we are.” Her advice, “Don’t believe the lies.”

“I’m aware of that when I color my hair blue. Is that something that’s rapportbuilding or is that something that challenges my authority?”

— Dr. Anna Ropp

HOME BASE OF DENVER FASHION TRUCK

Come on by!

Denver Fashion Truck now has a brick and mortar — but don’t worry, we’re still a mobile shop too! Stop by during shop hours: Tuesday–Friday 11a.m.–6p.m.

Saturday 10a.m.–6p.m.

Sunday 10a.m.–4p.m.

Shop

Local, Art, Fashion, Handmade, Upcycled, Lifestyle and Vintage

www.denverfashiontruck.com

2343 W 44th Avenue Denver, Colorado 80211

@denverfashiontruck

Photo by Nikolai Puc

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 49

THREADS

Branded: Spruce Trial and Error

By Alysha Prieto

T

aylor and Becca Romero have turned the classic “boyfriend makeover” quandary into a bonafide business success. Spruce, their Denverbased style consultancy, barber and clothier, serves as a one-stop-shop for men looking to revamp their look.

The couple sat down to discuss putting all of their eggs in one basket, the importance of technology in brick-and-mortar business and failing the right way.

The Romeros opened Spruce in June 2015. They had launched numerous tech startups together until that point, but it served as their first venture into the retail realm. After styling male friends and co-workers, and realizing how underserved that demographic is in fashion, they decided they wanted to create a place that could streamline the experience they had found so difficult.

“It was just such a time consuming process of going around to the mall, to all of these different shops and then also having to book an appointment at a barbershop,” Becca said.

points” and finding technological solutions. Their interest in innovative solutions has made technology as essential for Spruce as the trendy apparel hanging on the racks.

The most helpful technological element in the shop has been the arrival alerts. Spruce uses a notification system that sends customer information directly to each of their employees phones when a client books an appointment as well as when they arrive. Employees can view everything from client names and past services to notes on current life happenings, all in an effort to connect and serve customers in the most genuine way possible. Most other retailers discourage phone use while on the job. Taylor and Becca are the opposite and compare the disadvantage with not allowing the use of calculators or having to tie an arm behind your back.

“If something here doesn’t work, then we have to change. And if that doesn’t work then we change again.”

—Taylor Romero

The duo sold their condo, maxed out their credit cards and set to work on building Spruce. Becca wanted a space that was fast, efficient and curated — but still versatile.

And while she was working on the concept, she had Taylor looking over her shoulder through his software development lens, figuring out what she called the “pain

“It’s the most powerful piece of machinery that we have that gives you all of the information that you need in real time. Why would you take that away from your team?” Becca asked. Taylor added that the majority of the elements that they have built and use on a daily basis, including the alert system, are things that he can’t point to but are crucial to customer service success.

While their experience with mobile devices has been mostly a positive one, they are always eager to grow.

Taylor is trying to implement wearables in the form of Apple watches in the shop. He wants to keep the

Photos by Michelle Risinger

Jose Davila (left) cleans up the edges of Taylor Romero’s new hair do Tuesday, September 27th at Spruce Barber and Clothier. Romero is the owner of Spruce, which is located off Tennyson Street in Denver.

information they are receiving but repackage it in a way that eliminates any awkward fumbling through pockets and scrambling to digest details swiftly and accurately.

Because the watches’ capabilities are so limited in comparison, it hasn’t been as perfect of a solution as they had hoped for. But the Romeros don’t really believe in perfect any way ­– at least not on the first try.

“If something here doesn’t work, then we have to change. And if that doesn’t work then we change again.

And since we have that “going in to learn” mentality to this, we really can’t fail. We can just keep trying different things until we find what works. I think there’s a common misconception that you come up with this idea and you release it and it works or it doesn’t. Generally what happens is it never works and then you tweak it until it does,” Taylor said.

One thing that has always worked for the Romeros is collaboration. Taylor says that they are not too cool for school just yet and are willing to work with whoever’s interested. The only

thing that they qualify people on is follow-through. The ideas that they have implemented in the shop, from the price points of merchandise to the sweet digital shoe display, have come from experience and seeing what works as well as family, friend and customer opinions and ideas. They are more concerned with their immediate surroundings than trying to copy or outdo the next guy. Taylor calls this method “head in the sand syndrome.”

It’s easy to chalk up their willingness to develop and change with the times to their youth–they’re both only 32–but they do believe in traditional retail and customer service elements as well. For instance, they have found that the best method of advertisement has been the tried-andtrue practice of word of mouth.

“Get someone in here, they’ll go back to their company, get compliments, follow us up for feedback. It’s really organic. We used to run ads a lot, and two months ago I shut them all off, and no impact to business. We don’t run ads anymore. Word of mouth is the best. We do our job well? Customer

and client for life, and then he’ll bring in one or two people,” Taylor said.

The belief that human interaction is the magic in retail, the only thing that genuinely sets us apart from the internet, is a driving force for Spruce. They push the innovative envelope and use tech to connect with customers rather than take a back seat.

They know that while technological advances can make a shopping excursion or fresh cut exceptional, it is the services and overall human experience that bring a customer back for a second, third, or fourth Spruced Up Shave. They also know that while something can work great today, it may not be the best solution tomorrow. They are eager to continue to fail, succeed, and most importantly, grow in everything that they do.

Becca said, “Taylor and I have done multiple businesses together and it definitely is hard when one of those businesses fail but we live to tell the tale about it. We recover and then we pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off and do the next thing.”

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 51

THREADS

In a world of beauty, I chose to dumpster dive

By Bianey Bermudez

Y

ears ago, women might have needed only a few products in their daily routines to achieve beauty. Today, the list of beauty products the average woman uses can easily overwhelm a grocery list.

I wouldn’t be able to name all of the products accumulating in my makeup drawers and shelves on both hands, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Being the makeup junkie that I am, I know how expensive the world of beauty is and I’m always looking for ways to save money on my beauty regimen. Imagine my excitement when I came across a video online of women dumpster diving in an Ulta dumpster and hauling home $500 worth of products. After that video, seven more popped up, each with its own impressive collection at the end of every video.

I immediately texted my best friend.

We were so positive that we were going to end up with as many products as everyone in the videos that we prepared trash bags and boxes ready for our massive haul. It didn’t pan out that way, of course.

Primers, mascaras, eyeliners, foundations, blushes, pigments and shadows–the list can go on forever.

Beauty, even the drugstore products,

Photo by Carl Glenn Payne

We thought this was a great idea, so we mapped out a plan to go to all the Ulta stores in our area and even some a little farther away. We scoped out our stores, found the dumpsters and tried, unsuccessfully, to look up trash day for those certain areas.

Bianey Bermudez is a self-proclaimed makeup addict who put her pride aside in the name of beauty.

will run you a nice bill that can leave you crying every month when the pretty bottles and containers run out of whatever juicy contents made you glow.

Why do we spend this much money on beauty products? These products create a sense of security, comfort and even confidence. We layer up to make the best versions of ourselves and to make us feel as if we could run the world when we step outside. But is the return on investment really there?

This is what came to my mind while standing in the middle of a dumpster trying to figure out what was touching my ankles. My obsession with beauty had literally run me into the dumpster and I was not proud.

I was mad, not only because spending hours in a dumpster and not finding anything great can put you in a bad mood, but also because beauty had

already cost me so much in cash and now I was paying in pride.

As a society, we often expect women to wear makeup on a daily basis.

When we see a woman with makeup, we associate her with a sense of high social status. The more she buys, the higher she can sit on the social ranking.

The question we should be asking ourselves as women is, “Am I buying and wearing makeup to please myself or am I doing so to please the world around me?”

Once we’ve established that we are doing this for ourselves, we can start to concentrate on what we really need in our beauty routines.

many products they have, we start to think that should be the norm, when in reality everyone is different. Let’s be honest, we probably don’t need six different bottles of moisturizer or three different shades of foundation, and what most gurus don’t tell you is that a majority of their products were sent to them for free.

Makeup isn’t going away anytime soon, but the way we look at it should.

We shouldn’t want to break our banks with new makeup, and we shouldn’t want to jump into dumpsters for it either. I learned that the hard way.

The new era of makeup uses YouTube gurus and makeup artists with massive social media followings as its medium to advertise. As women seeing how Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 53

THREADS

Words and Photos by Carl Glenn Payne

O

n my fifth day on the playa a campmate named Audrie presented me with a large wooden polaroid frame. Audrie had gone out to one of the build shops found in Black Rock City and made me the frame. I was there as a photographer in that strange and wonderful land and had been accepted by amazing people from Beats Boutique. She found me and told me go out and have fun talking with and meeting people, so that’s what I did.

54 | Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3

Metrosphere Vol 35 | Issue 3 | 55

“ ASK

FOR THE COLLEGE SPECIAL ”

Students: $3 Off Crave Burgers!

Flash us your student ID, get $3 off any of these kick butt Crave burgers: Luther, Popper, Krusty, Fatty Melt or Cheesy Jane.

Good all day, every day. No coupon necessary.

LoDo only. Ask about our $3 CO craft beers and cocktails!

Not good with any other offer or discount.

M ar ke tS tre et

Bl ak e

et re St

Krusty

th 16

St re et

Luther

Fatty Melt

th 15 et re St

Open every damn day

Popper

(see website for hours)

Crave is a CO native!

1550 Blake Street, Denver, CO 80202

303-534-5878

where art, lit and culture collide

Reformation noun ref·or·ma·tion /refərˈmāSH(ə)n/

1. The action or process of reforming an institution or practice.

submission.metrosphere@gmail.com | Metrosphere

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS ART • MUSIC • JEWELRY DRAMA • POETRY • VIDEO GRAPHICS • LITERATURE PHOTOGRAPHY • SCULPTURE

mymetmedia.com/metrosphere

@Metrosphere

Metrosphere is now hiring | visit mymetmedia.com/applynow

@MetrosphereMag

ENVER, CO 51 BROADWAY - D 226 E 13TH AVE - DENVER, CO 1813 PEAR L ST - BOUL DER, CO

Photo: Josh Olsen