February 19, 2016 by The Oberlin Review

The Oberlin Review

FEBRUARY 19, 2016 VOLUME 145, NUMBER 15

Local News Bulletin News briefs from the past week Man Brings Paraphernalia to Court Oberlin man Arvis Townsend was arrested on Feb. 10 for bringing drug paraphernalia into the Elyria Municipal Court. He was stopped by an officer working at the court’s front metal detector, which sounded after Townsend passed through with a spoon, needles and a tourniquet. He was charged with possession of drug abuse instruments and the items were turned over to the Elyria Police Department as evidence. Townsend currently faces a felony charge. He has previously been arrested on multiple drug charges, burglary and disorderly conduct by intoxication. Car Strikes Pedestrians in Hospital Parking Lot A driver struck four pedestrians in the Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain on Feb. 16. The driver, who has yet to be identified, drove onto the sidewalk between the building and a pole, crashing into two empty parked cars. The driver then hit a “Do Not Enter” sign, sending it flying 20 feet, before the vehicle finally came to a stop in a flowerbed in front of the entrance. Two of the four pedestrians required medical attention, with one man in serious condition. Sheriff’s Office Investigating Crash The Lorain County Sheriff ’s Office is investigating a snowmobile crash that sent three people to the hospital on Monday. The three were riding two snowmobiles around 5 a.m. through an open field when they crashed into a ditch. It is believed that alcohol played a role in the crash, but the Sheriff ’s Office is still investigating. It is also unclear whether the riders had permission to be on the land and who owned the snowmobiles.The Sheriff ’s Office is seeking charges.

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Routine Board Retreat Ends in Employee Strike Adam Gittin News Editor The Oberlin Student Cooperative Association’s four non-student employees are striking after a heated discussion with students about structural change. Members of Third World Co-op used the OSCA Board Retreat last Sunday at the Oberlin Public Library as an opportunity to voice their frustrations with OSCA and its employees (the non-students who work for OSCA are employees, while the students who work for OSCA are staff). Two employees were singled out by name. The students from TWC then presented a list of demands and staged a walkout back to their co-op. “A summary of the demands is as follows: that OSCA’s employees leave more decision-making room for student staff; that Miliaku Nwabueze, a former TWC member, be compensated for her current and future work with OSCA’s Rent Contract Negotiation Team; [and] that the process of hiring future employees be entirely transparent and open to membership input,” said OSCA’s student officers in an email addressed to OSCA’s 615 members. The officers, who are OSCA’s president, membership secretary, treasurer and chair of the Board, did not intervene when the policy discussion at the retreat escalated into personal attacks on OSCA’s employees. Student staff and the Board, which includes the officers, representatives from each co-op and elected OSCA members, met without the employees after the walkout to discuss structural change, the officers said. The employees who are on strike — Food

College sophomore Hannah Sklar chops vegetables while College first-year Emma Doyle Cooks in the background. Co-ops will still function normally as emplyee strikes continue. Bryan Rubin, Photo editor

Safety Advisor Rachel Beiser, Business Coordinator Kevin G. Gilfether, Financial Manager Iris Hunt and Office Assistant Arlene Muir — are responsible for the work students are unable to do because of the sheer workload and swift turnover among student staff positions, they said in an email to the Review. “Many of these responsibilities are directly related to maintaining legal compliance and can be both very specific and complex,” the employees stated. “OSCA’s employees have been asked to make exceptions to a degree that could be considered violations of compliance.” OSCA operates as a 501(c)(7) non-profit, so it is exempt from paying certain taxes, but there are legal limits to what it can do based on this tax status. Losing that status could mean hav-

Ohio Heroin Epidemic Draws Local, National Attention

A Life Care ambulance vehicle parked outside of the emergency entrance to Mercy Allen Hospital. Local Senators Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown recently passed legislation that could change the hospital’s heroin policies. Rick Yu

Sydney Allen In a heroin epidemic that is sweeping the nation, Ohio is the second-most-affected state. Ohio senators have recently passed legislation

that will work to prevent and treat drug addiction and overdose. Over 2,400 people died from drug overdoses in Ohio in 2014. From 2013 to 2014, there was an 18.3 percent increase in the number of heroin-

related deaths in Ohio alone. Ohio Senator Rob Portman is co-sponsor of a bill called The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. A congressional committee sent it to be reviewed by the House or the Senate on Feb. 11, 2016. The bill expands efforts to prevent the abuse of opioids and heroin around the nation. It will provide up to $80 million in funding for treatment, prevention and recovery. It also expands resources to identify and treat inmates with addictions by means of evidence-based intervention programs. While there are services and medications available to treat addiction, like Naloxone — a drug that reverses the effects of opioid overdose — there is serious need for training and resources necessary to address the epidemic. “[The bill] is the most expansive federal, bipartisan legislation to date for addiction support ser-

Historical Happening Oberlin’s Underground Railroad Center found a forever home. See page 4

ing to pay back taxes, which would likely cripple OSCA’s finances. The employees explained that they were confronted with a dilemma: either comply with the demands and potentially compromise OSCA’s legal standing or maintain their professional integrity and face the students’ ire. “OSCA’s employees are striking until we can meet with the full OSCA Board of Directors to discuss this problem and solutions,” they said. “We care deeply for the organization as a whole and want to keep it functional for future generations of Oberlin College students.” Both sides will likely meet in the coming week to determine the best ways to accommodate student demands while ensuring that employees have a fair and safe work environment.

Aquatic Action Swimming and diving concluded the NCAC championships this weekend.

Love in the Air College junior Misaël Syldor wowed at OSLAM’s Love Slam last Saturday. See page 11

INDEX:

Opinions 5

This Week in Oberlin 8

See page 16

Arts 10

Sports 16

vices,” according to the Association for Addiction Professionals website. Additionally, it encourages states to support recovery for individuals who are trying to recover from drug addictions. In response to the increase in Overdoses, several Ohio pharmacies, including Kroger and CVS, have started selling Naloxone over the counter; they are among the first to do so. Naloxone, which can be given as a nasal spray, is meant to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, including extreme drowsiness, slowed breathing and loss of consciousness. Kroger will supply Naloxone in 216 of its locations. On average, Naloxone costs $40.69 for the nasal spray and $52.99 for the injection. Selling anti-overdose drugs is a relatively new idea, as TIME magazine reported. The FDA first heard See Legislation, page 4

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The Oberlin Review, February 19, 2016

Board of Education Agrees to Contract Locally Kerensa Loadholt News Editor Though still lacking the go-ahead to officially pursue construction, Oberlin City Schools has taken another step toward building a new elementary school. Oberlin City Schools Board of Education officials recently entered an agreement with the Oberlin Community Benefits Coalition to hire locally for the project, which has been in the works for the past two years. Under the resolution reached by the two groups, the School Board must hire local community residents, subcontract local, minority owned and woman-owned businesses and purchase materials and services from local suppliers. “Oberlin Community Benefits Coalition seeks a joint written declaration of intent with Oberlin City Schools Board of Education committing both parties to use their best efforts to develop and enter into a Community Benefits Agreement pertaining to the construction of a new PK-5 facility for Oberlin City Schools,” the School Board’s resolution stated. The decision comes after almost a year and a

half of work and negotiations with OCBC. Members started working on their proposal in March 2014, and the idea was presented to the School Board in April, OCBC co-chair Arlene Dunn said in a statement to the Review. “The first time we submitted these proposed terms was in May; at the time this was all in anticipation of the idea that the schools would be going ahead with a new construction levy,” Dunn said. “In November of 2014 they were expecting funds from the state and were to receive twenty percent of the cost of construction.” OCBC is currently in the process of restructuring and reorganizing its goals, but Dunn said the group is excited about the recent developments in the situation. According to Dunn, the organization has struggled to reach resolutions with local construction projects. In the past, OCBC has made similar attempts to sign community benefits agreements when working with the College and the City. The Board of Education’s decision to pass a resolution to hire locally was unanimous. “[The agreement] is a great opportunity for our community and the school system to collaborate together on the new school project,”

Superintendent of Schools David Hall said. Board members were unavailable for comment. If the school is built, the local hires will receive union-determined wages, training and mentoring in efforts to build the local workforce. “The Board was really receptive to the idea before the funding got pulled. The state money got pulled, and so the Board decided not to put the [construction] levy with the November ballot. Everything got put on hold for a while,” Dunn said. While the Board appreciated the idea of hiring locally, they could not go on with the construction of the school because they lost funding they were to receive from the state. The construction levy would have been the key to breaking ground on the new school. “They passed this resolution. It shows their intent, but if you look at the very bottom term, they’re not going to implement this if it will cause a reduction in funding from the Ohio Facilities Construction Committee,” said Dunn. The discussion about the construction of the new school has been ongoing, but it remains unclear when the final decision will be made.

According to the resolution, “The parties agree that no provision of the Community Benefits Agreement shall be implemented if the implementation of such provision will cause a reduction in funding for the project from the Ohio Facilities Construction Committee.” “For [OCBC], this means that the schools have good intentions, but they may not be able to carry them out,” said Dunn, but the sanctions don’t stop there, because “since the election five years ago, the OFCC has essentially banned the use of the use of community benefit coalitions.” The OFCC, in order to prevent setbacks and cost increases, would rather outsource work; by banning the usage of community benefit coalitions, they have successfully prevented the intervention of local residents in their projects. Dunn said that OCBC has previously tried to help President Marvin Krislov work with Ministers Lester Allen and Professor A.G. Miller to hire locally for the College’s construction projects and other employment opportunities. “They were told that for construction projects in particular that it was important for them to be working with the unions and that the trade unions are the key to deciding who gets hired.”

Women, Trans, Non-Binary Gym Hour Cancelled Jacqueline McDermott Enthusiasm transformed into confusion for many after the Oberlin Athletics department reneged on its plan to add an hour designated for women, transgender and non-binary students to Philips gym’s regular Sunday schedule. The Oberlin Student Senate sent an email on Wednesday, Feb. 10, announcing the new hour at Philips. The statement said that the gym would be open from 5 to 6 p.m. on Sundays, during which cisgender men would be asked not to enter the space. The extra hour was supposed to be implemented Sunday, Feb. 14, and continue every Sunday for the rest of the semester thereafter, but the Oberlin Athletics department quickly rolled back on the proposal. “At this time, we are not able to offer hours designated specifically for specific groups,” Natalie Winkelfoos, Delta Lodge director of athletics and physical education, said in an email to the Review. She asserted that the extra hour would not occur at Philips in the near future. The mistaken announcement was apparently the result of a miscommunication on a few levels, according to College junior Dana Kurzer-Yashin, a member of the Student Health Working Group, the first organization to advocate for the additional hour at the gym. Kurzer-Yashin said she received word from the athletics administration on Friday that the hour would not start due to “logistical concerns regarding staffing and risk management.” “It seemed to me that [the hour] would start at the beginning of the se-

mester, and I guess that wasn’t their understanding of things,” said KurzerYashin, referring to Winkelfoos and Director of Wellness and Student-Athlete Services Jason Hudson. “There was a lot of delay in emails that then led to the announcement being made,” she said. Some students were mystified when they heard about the athletics administration’s mix-up. “I can’t quite tell whether I’m upset or confused by the cancellation of the [women and trans] hour at the gym,” said Peyton Boughton, College sophomore and a member of the women’s track and field team, in an email to the Review. Boughton added that they would understand — though still be frustrated — if there had been a scheduling error or staffing issue. “Lacking any information as to the cause of this abandonment, on the other hand, is a major disappointment,” Boughton said. There are safe spaces for women and trans people on campus, such as Baldwin Cottage, but many students remain uncomfortable navigating certain male-dominated spaces. “It’s absolutely imperative that there be some form of safe space or time for ciswomen and trans [people] to use the workout equipment without having to nervously recoil within their own bodies,” said Boughton. Kurzer-Yashin echoed this sentiment, “[The hour] is something people were pretty excited about, and a lot of students have reached out and said they think that it’s a thing that needs to happen. … We’ve been talking with trans student groups, and they were really in support of it too.” The hour would have been an ad-

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February 19, 2016

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concerns about using the facility,” Winkelfoos said. “We will also be providing additional information about hours in which the facility is underutilized. On our website, we also have listed the weight room schedule so users may view when varsity teams will be working out.” Kurzer-Yashin said that she appreciated the attempts made by the administration to foster inclusivity through education. Still, while education can help some students find acceptance, more needs to be done to College senior Evan Lowry and Conservatory senior Jackie Meger exercise make workout spaces into comfortin Philips gym. The gym recently cancelled its women, trans and non-binary able places for all students, she added. hour. Bryan Rubin, Photo editor Upon receiving news that the women, trans and non-binary hour at dition, rather than an alteration, to the student groups, she had additional Philips was cancelled, Kurzer-Yashin the gym’s existing schedule. Some meetings with Hudson over Winter relocated the hour to South gym on students objected when the plan was Term and the two arranged to allocate Sunday at 5 p.m. She said it was posiannounced, but Kurzer-Yashin coun- the Sunday 5 to 6 p.m. hour for women, tively received. Yet there are those who tered people’s claims that the new hour trans and non-binary people. believe weight room inaccessibility will would be discriminatory. However, the administration’s ef- persist and is emblematic of a larger “I would say to people like that to forts to implement the new hour in problem. stop and listen for a second,” she said. Philips gym were met with large logisti“There are reasons why women “If there are people that are saying ‘Hey, cal problems, according to Winkelfoos. aren’t in certain realms in our society, I’m deeply uncomfortable in this space,’ She said that she and fellow Athletics including sports,” said College sophotake a minute and think ‘Okay, they’re department officials are doing their more and women’s track and field athuncomfortable. That might mean best to serve all aspects of the Oberlin lete Lilah Drafts-Johnson. “It’s because something. Maybe I should listen to community. the space isn’t accessible, and why the people who it does affect and who “With an aged facility and an explo- would you want to continue working in feel deeply uncomfortable, and respect sion of diverse users, we closely track a space that’s inaccessible?” their wishes.’” the concerns of patrons in order to Drafts-Johnson pointed out that, Kurzer-Yashin and other members identify strategies to achieve our mis- across the board, non-males occupy of the Student Health Working Group, sion to serve all,” Winkelfoos said, add- significantly fewer coaching positions as well as members of Student Senate ing that the administration plans to than men, especially at the collegiate and transgender student groups like Li- supply more resources to help students level. lac, began advocating for the extra hour and community patrons feel comfort“I think that the only way we’re goabout a year ago. able when using the gym. ing to have more women coaches and Kurzer-Yashin first met with Hud“We are continuing to explore women weight trainers is if the spaces son and Winkelfoos about additional strategies to monitor and improve the are able to nurture that, and right now, accommodations last spring. After climate, and I would be happy to meet for me personally, it does not nurture discussing the options further with with you to understand better your me.”

Julian Liv Combe Ring Madeline Allegra Kirkland Stocker Managing editor Samantha Vida Weisblum Link News editors Rosemary Adam Boeglin Gittin Kerensa AlexLoadholt Howard Opinions editor Will Kiley Rubenstein Petersen This Week Weekeditor editor Zoë Hannah Strassman Berk Arts editors Louise Kara Edwards Brooks Georgia Danny Evans Horn Sports editors Sarena Quinn Malsin Hull Madeleine Randy O’Meara Ollie Layout editors Sydney TiffanyBernal Fung Ben Alexa Garfinkel Corey MelanieAlanna Nepomnyaschy Sandoval Photo editors Anya OliviaSpector Gericke Photo editors Brannon Rockwell-Charland Bryan Rubin Online editor Alanna Ben Shepherd Bennett Editors-in-chief Editors-in-Chief

Business manager Maureen CurtisCoffey Cook Business manager Savi Ads manager JuliaSedlacek Murphy Ads manager Reshard el-Shair Production manager Ryanne Berry Production manager Sophia Bamert Kira Findling Production staff Stephanie Bonner Production staff Victoria Albacete Emma Eisenberg TaylorBisesi Field Abbey Katherine AnneliseHamilton Giseburt Julia Hubay Auden Granger Tracey Knott Jennifer Jimenez Noah Morris Anna Peckham Sami Mericle Silvia Julia Sheffield Peterson Drew Wise Distributors Adira Baum Distributors Joe Camper Brady Marks Joseph Dilworth James Ben Steger Kuntz

Corrections The Review is not aware of Corrections: any corrections this week. The Review is not aware of any corrections Review strives to print allemail thisThe week. To submit a correction, information as accurately as possible. managingeditor@oberlinreview.org. If you feel the Review has made an error, please send an e-mail to managingeditor@oberlinreview.org.

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Off the Cuff: Kai M. Green, Author, Scholar and Activist Kai M. Green is a writer, scholar, poet, filmmaker, abolitionist and feminist. He has a Ph.D., in English and American Studies and Ethnicity, and he has also received graduate certificates in Gender Studies and Visual Anthropology from the University of Southern California. Green is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University in Sexuality Studies and African American Studies. He is active in the Black trans and LGBT communities. What drew you to Oberlin and its community? For people of African descent, I think it’s particularly important in this moment that we have spaces with one another and to hold each other, hear each other and listen to each other to understand how we can support one another. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to [be here] and see what’s happening in Oberlin, especially since I heard earlier about the demands that you all had come up with. What else are you involved in related to this kind of work? I am a part of Black Youth Project 100, the Chicago chapter. I work with the healing and restorative justice committees. We do a lot of work around internal grievances, internal conflicts within the organization. We’re dealing with issues like sexual violence and intimate partner violence. How do we sort of get ourselves together so we don’t reproduce the things that happen in terms of misogyny and patriarchy and other moments of black freedom needs?

Sunday, Feb. 7 12:56 a.m. Staff reported an unauthorized party taking place at a village house on South Professor Street. Loud music was heard from outside. The party was closed down and approximately 150 party attendees were dispersed. 11:02 a.m. Officers and Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at a Union Street apartment. Smoke from cooking was the cause of the alarm. Alarm was reset with no problems. 9:04 p.m. A student reported an activated smoke detector at a village house on Woodland Street. Officers and Oberlin Fire Department responded. The alarm was activated by smoke from cooking. The smoke was cleared and the alarm reset.

For you, name-changing is a form of healing and self-care. What else do you consider to be a form of selfcare, and what motivates you to come out and visit schools and host talks like this? Self-care for me definitely involves running and exercising and meditation journaling. I really love self-care and I think it’s really important to keep ourselves functioning as a community. So that’s something I’ll be talking about tonight, the importance of self-love in terms of keeping our community together. Faith motivates me, the idea that there can be something different than what exists in this moment. What also motivates me is being around young Black folks who are trying to put new things into practice that they haven’t seen modeled before. [People say] they wish they’d been born in [a different era], but we are absolutely in the right moment right now. There are exciting things happening right now. Of course we are inspired by these moments from the ’60s and the ’70s and the ’80s and ’90s that we don’t really talk about as being art of the Black freedom struggle. There’s something about right now that’s just really powerful, particularly if we’re thinking about capitalism, but we won’t talk about that. How does the topic of namechanging relate directly to experiences within the African diaspora and diasporic identities? We used to have a group called Plain Blacks when I was an undergrad and it was just Black Americans. I think it’s really important to point out the nu-

Kai M. Green Ph.D., Author of Ph.D, candidate at the University of Southern California

ances when [discussing African and African-American] names in the diaspora. Blackness has a different meaning depending on where you are. So a Black American in another country might have a certain kind of privilege that the native Blacks of that space may not have, and you get to see that dynamic working. It’s an interesting thing to grapple with, and I think that naming is a very important thing that happens, whether or not it’s a name that is given to you. Names have significance and power; particularly as someone who has a trans experience, my name is important to me because I have a name that I chose, and I chose it for a specific reason, which I’ll talk about later tonight. Specifically, if you look at the Black radical tradition,

Tuesday, Feb. 9

Friday, Feb. 12

8:37 p.m. Officers and Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at a Goldsmith apartment. Cause of the alarm was smoke from burnt popcorn. Alarm was reset. 11:48 p.m. Officers were requested at Williams Field House to assist a student with a hand injury. The student was transported to Mercy Allen Hopsital for treatment.

8:45 a.m. Facilities staff members reported a bagged smoke detector in a village house on South Professor Street. A photograph was taken and the bag was removed. 12:20 a.m. An officer on routine patrol of Kahn dorm observed vandalism to the east side of the building exterior, where wet toilet paper was thrown against the building. On the north side several eggs were thrown against the window. A work order was filed for clean up.

Thursday, Feb. 11 8:17 p.m. Officers were requested to assist a student who injured their kneecap during an Akido class in Hales Gym. The student was transported to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment. 1:58 a.m. Custodial staff reported vandalism near the Nancy Dye lecture hall. An officer observed what appeared to be a phone jack of some type, missing the cover. A photograph was taken and a work order was filed for repair.

Sunday, Feb. 14 12:04 a.m. Officers responded to the report of a loud, unauthorized party at a village house on Elm Street. Approximately 190 attendees were asked to leave and the music was turned off for the night. 1:48 a.m. Officers were requested to assist with an intoxicated student at a village house on Woodland Street. The student was able to walk unassisted and

there has been a pattern where everyone has kind of changed their name. Part of saying, “I am a person who is self-determining” is about saying “I want you to call me by this name that I gave to myself.” We can think about Muhammad Ali and Toni Morrison. These are people who have changed their name and [with the intention of deciding] what they want to be in the world. “How do I have power over who I am going to be in the world?” Part of this is about self-actualization, but I think a major part of it is about self-determination. I would say that it is amazing, and this is the crux of the whole talk tonight, being able to change your name as an individual is really important, and I believe in that, but it can’t just stop there. We’re not going to all be free if we all are able to change our names and our gender pronouns or whatever else we want to do; that doesn’t necessarily change the systems that create and construct how we can be in the world, especially if you think about something like the gender binary. If we think of a normal narrative of trans experience, it’s “I was born in this wrong body and I’m transitioning to be this other thing,” but I’m still sort of upholding the gender binary and moving from male to female or female to male. This erases and [obscures] this whole host of other beings and people and identities that don’t exist along the binary.

answered all questions asked. The student was escorted to their room for the night. 3:45 a.m. Officers were requested to assist a student, ill from alcohol consumption, in the kitchenette at Barrows Hall. The student was transported to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

monday, Feb. 15 4:49 p.m. Officers were requested to assist with a Safety Inspection on the second floor of South Hall. Several cans of beer and a bottle of alcohol were confiscated, along with marijuana grinders and marijuana cigarettes. Alcohol was disposed of and the grinders and marijuana cigarettes were turned over to the Oberlin Police Department. 6:18 p.m. Officers were requested to assist a student in Asia House who had burned their hand when picking up a hot pot. The student was transported to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment. 9:23 p.m. An officer conducting fire drills at Goldsmith apartments observed an odor of natu-

Interview by Kerensa Loadholt, News editor Photo Courtesy of Kai M. Green

ral gas. A plumber responded and found that the inspection port was left uncapped. The caps were replaced and the main was tested for leak; everything was found to be ok.

Tuesday, Feb. 16 2:28 p.m. Facilities staff members reported a strong odor of something burning on the second floor of the Chemistry Department. Officers responded to the lab where a student was using a Bunsen burner to heat plates, which caused the odor. 6:54 p.m. Officers and Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Goldsmith apartments. Cooking had created a haze that activated the smoke detector. The alarm was reset.

Tuesday, Feb. 16 9:17 a.m. Officers and the Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Dascomb Hall. The cause of the alarm was found to be a faulty detector. Repairs were made and the alarm was reset.

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The Oberlin Review, February 19, 2016

Shift Project to Open Office Space Downtown Vergil Demery The Oberlin Project will open its most recent endeavor, the Shift Project, on Feb. 22. Set to run until March 18, it will support local entrepreneurship by offering students and community members a working space. The Shift Project is a follow-up to SEED Ventures. Both were conceived at LaunchU, Oberlin College’s annual startup accelerator and pitch competition. Like its predecessor, Shift will be located at 29 South Main Street. Shift is an office space designed to be the perfect work environment for student and community businesspersons who are looking to further their endeavors. Shift looks to be a valuable resource for customers who want to do business in Oberlin, and nothing like Shift exists locally. The space will provide a place for entrepreneurs to launch their ideas and network with other professionals. It includes private areas for phone calls, a 60-megabyte broadband connection and a space for meetings

and socializing. A weekly schedule of events — like brainstorming sessions over lunch or happy hours — will be posted to encourage members to meet each other. Ryan Sprowl, an entrepreneur who pitched the idea of a coworking business at LaunchU, will be partnering with Shift during its month of operation. A coworking business is a low-cost, shared-use office space that promotes collaboration between entrepreneurs, freelancers and remote working professionals. “I’m excited for this pop-up space [at 29 South Main Street] to act as a pilot for Shift, the coworking concept I recently pitched,” said Sprowl in a press release. “I hope the pop-up will provide insight into the viability of a coworking space and a chance to work out any major kinks as my start-up progresses toward creating a permanent space.” Cullen Naumoff, Director of Sustainable Enterprise at the Oberlin Project, hopes the success of SEED Ventures reflects how Shift will be

received. “The timing is opportune, based on the momentum we carried from the SEED [and LaunchU] ventures that ended in January,” she said. The Shift team hopes to capture the attention of students before they leave for spring break, she added. College senior Scott Hulver has been working on the website for Shift and organizing the registration and reservation of the space. He’s excited about the opportunity to go beyond what the College offers. “When it launches on the 22nd, I’ll be involved with helping staff the space, too, and solving any problems that arise,” Hulver said in an email. “It’s an opportunity unlike anything I can do through the College.” Naumoff has repeatedly been asked why an entrepreneurial space like Shift would only exist temporarily. “The Oberlin Project is using this as an opportunity to shape a longterm space and [ find out] what it would bring to the community,” Nau-

Ventures storefront depicts the recently closed store. The Shift Project, opening Feb. 22, will take over the space. Rick Yu

moff said. The space will function as a field test for popularity and functionality. If it receives a positive response from students and community members, Shift will be improved and relaunched in the future. “Shift is the next phase of infrastructure The Oberlin Project is test-

ing to better determine the value it brings to the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and local economy,” Naumoff said in an email. “We ask individuals with even an inkling of interest to try the coworking space at least once to assist in shaping a more relevant space for the longterm.”

Underground Railroad Center to Revitalize Gasholder Grounds Xiaoqian Zhu After seven years of planning, the Oberlin Underground Railroad Center expects to move forward with Phase II of its implementation plan this spring by breaking ground on a new Park-&-Ride facility near the Gasholder Building. The project will be paid for through a combination of donations and state funding. The OURC will install restroom facilities, an open bike shelter, a picnic center and 22 new parking spaces along the North Coast Inland Trail. Sidewalks will also be added to the trail, which runs down Edison Street. There has been widespread support for the conversion of the Gasholder Building into a historical site and tourist gateway. The OURC raised more than $8,000 in donations from local organizations, businesses and community members at a fundraiser last October. The OURC will function as an educational site and transportation hub. It will make use of the updated Gasholder Building to raise awareness of Oberlin’s historical role in the anti-slavery movement and honor African-American heritage. “Oberlin was a very strongly abolitionist town,” said Elizabeth Schultz, executive director of the Oberlin Heritage Center. “Numbers vary, but a significant number of people did come through Oberlin on their way to freedom, and most people would continue through Oberlin up to Lake Erie, where they would find boats to take them up to Canada.” Programming in the OURC will include lectures, participatory activities, interactive displays and theater and dance productions designed to highlight Oberlin’s role as Station 99 on the Underground Railroad. The OURC Implementation Team has broken Phase

The Gasholder Building, pictured above, will become the new Oberlin Underground Railroad Center. The project has already been implemented and is currently in Phase II. Briana Santiago, Staff photographer

II into two parts, said Diane Ramos, administrative coordinator and secretary of the OURC Implementation Team. Phase II A involves the construction of parking spaces, the addition of underground utilities and preparation of the land surrounding the Gasholder Building. Funding is coming from the State of Ohio Capital Budget. Phase II B will use grant funding from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency matched by the city and the OURC Implementation Team. A bike shelter, picnic area and sidewalks will be constructed at the

site. “With Phase II plans underway, the OURC Implementation Team is focusing on its other responsibilities to fundraise for the project and to act as a community liaison for the project. As such, the Team is working to develop a speaking series that will include topics such as African-American history in Oberlin, quilt-making, slave songs and spirituals,” Ramos said. According to Ramos, the team anticipates Phase II to be completed in its entirety by summer 2017. Afterward, the third and final phase of the project will cover interior renovations for the Gasholder Building and future programming for the OURC, Ramos said. “It’s great that they could repurpose a historical building to tell these stories,” Schultz said. The College has also been a resource for the OURC in the months leading up to Phase II. “We have hired students and alumni to create some of our promotional materials, including a promotional video and the design of the OURC logo,” Ramos said. “Students and faculty have also participated in some of our programming events.” The OURC Implementation Team will be expanding its community outreach efforts by developing a quarterly newsletter to provide updates on the project. Tony Mealy, a member of the OURC Implementation Team, said that student organizations at the College could still get involved. “There are a number of organizations on campus that might be able to assist us, because we have to raise funds to match the government grants, along with other funds we received, to go forward with this,” Mealy said.

Legislation Focuses on Preventing Heroin Addiction, Relapse Continued from page 1 the proposal of selling Naloxone over the counter in 2012. “While [Naloxone] will save lives, reviving someone is just the first step. The hope then is getting them into treatment,” said Senator Portman during a press conference announcing the drug’s arrival in the Krogers statewide. Other bills have also been proposed in response to the increase in overdoses. Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown introduced his own bill last week, The Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Reduction Act. His bill is geared more toward preventative measures and the resources needed for successful recoveries to stop relapses. The Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act would update U.S. law to

enable physicians to treat larger numbers of patients struggling with addiction by allowing qualified physicians “to request approval to treat an unlimited number of patients under specified conditions, including that he or she: (1) agrees to fully participate in the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program of the state in which the practitioner is licensed, (2) practices in a qualified practice setting, and (3) has completed at least 24 hours of training regarding treatment and management of opiate-dependent patients for substance use disorders provided by specified organizations,” according to Congress’ website. It is co-sponsored by Senator Brown and would also allow certain nurse practitioners and physician assistants to provide supervised, medication-assisted treatment for patients.

“Addiction isn’t an individual problem or a character flaw — it’s a chronic disease that, when left untreated, places a massive burden on our healthcare system, our families and communities,” Brown said in a press release. “That’s why I’ve introduced the Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Reduction Act — a comprehensive solution to address this multifaceted problem. It should not be easier for Ohioans to get their hands on opioids than it is for them to get help to treat their addiction.” One of the reasons for the recent rise in heroin usage is its low cost and availability compared to other opiates, according to the website of Clarity Detox, an opioid rehab center. Heroin can cost up to $140 a day, while Oxycotin can cost up to $300. Oberlin has had problems with heroin in

the past. In 2013, Director of Safety and Security, Marjorie Burton, released a warning to students on the Oberlin OnCampus blog. The post advised students against a dangerous batch of heroin that was circulating Lorain County, responsible for 21 overdoses and at least three deaths. In 2014, Oberlin first responders reported 18 overdoses. The College has a medical amnesty policy in place that will prevent the direct arrest of a student who seeks help relating to instances of illegal drug usage. Heroin users seeking help on campus would not find themselves formally sanctioned unless other college policies were violated. “It is extremely important that any person in need of medical assistance obtain it promptly at the time it is needed,” Burton said.

Opinions The Oberlin Review

February 19 , 2016

Letters to the Editors

Amid Policy Issues, We Should Observe Lunar New Year To the Editors:

My son, Minh-Jeffrey Lê, attends Oberlin College as a senior. I arrived in the United States as a young immigrant child, grew up mostly in Michigan and regard myself proudly as a “Midwesterner” and a Vietnamese American. I now reside in San Francisco, CA. I applaud President Obama for meeting with the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in California. The challenge to the Asian region’s security from the conflicts over territorial claims regarding the Spratly Islands between China and Vietnam, as well as China and other neighbors, reminds us of the continuing potential threat of war looming over this oil- and gasrich region, also a vital maritime trade route. In 2014, when Vietnam called for international negotiations and adherence to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, China rejected it. We must call on President Obama and Congress to de-

mand that China work with ASEAN countries to resolve these regional conflicts peacefully and according to international law. Let us also call on the U.N. and the World Court to address these issues resolutely. Even as the ASEAN Summit was ending on Feb. 16, we learned from news reports that China had recently deployed and installed batteries of advanced surface-to-air missiles on one of the Parcel Islands, a move regarded by many as a significant military escalation in the region by China. The conflicts in the Pacific region must be resolved diplomatically and peacefully, and according to international law. Otherwise, the potential of military conflict and war in the region could erupt into a major war that would involve the United States, Russia and China, one that would be catastrophic to all parties. Let us wage and embrace peace as we celebrate the Asian Lunar New Year. Minh-Jeffrey, my family and I wish to express our deepest thanks and gratitude to the professors, staff and students at Oberlin College for making Oberlin such a special, rich and unique place for learning and discovery.

My family and I send our warmest wishes to everyone at Oberlin College and all the people of Oberlin, Ohio. I look forward to attending the Commencement Program at Oberlin in May! Chúc mừng năm mới! “Happy New Year!” – Anh Lê Oberlin parent

New Road Campaign Essential for Safety To the Editors: I heartily support the Oberlin Police Department in its safety campaign. As I drive through the Oberlin College campus, I always have to worry about hitting bicyclists and students on foot who have little regard for people operating vehicles. Jaywalking is ubiquitous and bicyclists ignore stop signs and red lights. When driving through the campus area, it is almost impossible to avoid hitting a student or bicyclist unless you slow down to 10 miles an hour, and even then, you have to be on constant guard. – Bob Gross Oberlin visitor

Obama’s Change Absent after Two Terms Ben Silverman Contributing Writer At the recent Jan. 12 State of the Union, President Obama delivered a signature, uplifting address, returning to his original message of hope after eight years and ultimately asserting that the state of the union is strong. In this address, President Obama attempted to stifle the discontentment and frustration in politics, denouncing popular notions of the U.S.’s shortcomings. “Anyone claiming that America’s economy is in decline is peddling fiction,” he said in response to his critics. At the New Hampshire primary, however, voters responded with a repudiation of their president’s assessment of the country. Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump secured decisive victories for the far left and right, respectively, and inspired anew a strong validation of national frustration in the 2016 election. The frustration felt in New Hampshire and across the country is a real problem, as the peo-

ple are not represented by the current government as well as they could be. The root of this problem is exemplified by the juxtaposition of Obama’s State of the Union address to the surrounding political landscape. The cause of anger today can be traced back to President Obama’s 2008 campaign. It was one of the most successful campaigns in the history of the electoral process, ripe with idealism and high aspirations. Getting out of the recession, creating new jobs, making healthcare affordable, even ending racism — these were the hopes of an Obama administration. After a slow and steady two terms, Obama has succeeded in delivering on many of his promises. The economy did rebound, Obamacare now covers millions of previously uninsured people and job creation is on a consistent rise. But the common denominator of all these policy decisions is that the average American does not see a significant enough change in quality of life, especially See Voters, page 6

SUBMISSIONS POLICY The Oberlin Review appreciates and welcomes letters to the editors and column submissions. All submissions are printed at the discretion of the Editorial Board. All submissions must be received by Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at opinions@oberlinreview.org or Wilder Box 90 for inclusion in the following Friday’s Review. Letters may not exceed 600 words and columns may not exceed 800 words, except with the consent of the Editorial Board. All submissions must include contact information, with full names, for all signers. All electronic submissions from multiple writers should be carbon-copied to all signers to confirm authorship. The Review reserves the right to edit all submissions for content, space, spelling, grammar and libel. Editors will work with columnists and contributors to edit pieces and will clear major edits with the authors prior to publication. Editors will contact authors of letters to the editors in the event of edits for anything other than style and grammar. In no case will editors change the opinions expressed in any submission. The Opinions section strives to serve as a forum for debate. Review staff will occasionally engage in this debate within the pages of the Review. In these cases, the Review will either seek to create dialogue between the columnist and staff member prior to publication or will wait until the next issue to publish the staff member’s response. The Review will not print advertisements on its Opinions pages. The Review defines an advertisement as any submission that has the main intent of bringing direct monetary gain to the author of a letter to the editors. Opinions expressed in letters, columns, essays, cartoons or other Opinions pieces do not necessarily reflect those of the staff of the Review.

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The Oberlin Review Publication of Record for Oberlin College — Established 1874 —

Editors-in-Chief Julian Ring Madeline Stocker Managing Editor Vida Weisblum Opinions Editor Kiley Petersen

For Scalia, Legacy and Humanity Inextricable Cibolo Creek Ranch in the Chinati Mountains of western Texas is about as distant a scene as possible from the courthouses of Washington, D.C., which is probably why former Justice Antonin Scalia chose to accept the invitation for a free vacation there from ranch owner John Poindexter. After Poindexter, a wealthy Democrat funder, found his visitor dead in his guest room on Saturday, conspiracy theories and political upheaval ensued. Amid the chaos, the public seemed divided on how to treat the event: to mourn the passing of a great legal mind or to criticize his originalist leanings, decry his “raw and provocative” comments, as kindly described by The New York Times, and rejoice that the conservative justice had passed. We asked ourselves a similar question after the passing of David Bowie on Jan. 10. The British singer was almost universally celebrated as a musical innovator, a gender-bending genius and a role model for outsiders. Yet within hours of his death, internet commenters were quick to remind Bowie’s admirers of his rape of 14-year-old groupie Lori Maddox, sharing multiple articles pointing out that heroes, too, can be predators. To view Bowie as merely a larger-thanlife personality and influential public figure, these pieces argued, is naïve. He had a dark personal history for which he never publicly atoned. His legacy tells only half of the story. From Bowie to Scalia, the death of a celebrity inevitably brings forth equal parts vitriol and solemnity from the public. Fans and detractors seem to latch onto whatever casts their hero or nemesis in the most agreeable light. What this one-sided approach misses, however, is that nobody as influential as Bowie or Scalia is defined by either their legacy or their personal life alone. Separating the two is impossible, and to argue otherwise is indeed naive. Those who celebrate Scalia’s passing may feel relief with the end of a conservative influence on the Supreme Court. They may rejoice in the fact that a man who attempted to overturn Roe v. Wade, who suggested that Black students should enroll at “slower” colleges and who publicly supported torture practices is no longer able to dictate the terms by which Americans live their lives. But in doing so, they rejoice — whether implicitly or intentionally — at the death of a human being with loved ones whose grief is no less genuine than his critics’ joy. Scalia, like any other public figure, did not exist in a vacuum. And because Scalia’s rulings, like those of any justice, were influenced by his beliefs and character, they cannot be rightfully divested from his personhood. Therefore, those celebrating must understand that to condemn Scalia’s voting record is to condemn his humanity — an act that serves to disrespect the grief experienced by the late justice’s friends and family. This may not have been the majority of revelers’ intentions, but the significance of accountability remains. Likewise, those who call for pause to honor Scalia, the person, may note an alarming lack of decorum on the part of his opponents. It may seem as though politics are being elevated above human decency and respect. But they forget that some of the rulings over which Scalia presided — and certainly the minority opinions he expressed — did enormous damage to marginalized communities in the United States. The LGBTQ community, racial minorities and low-income individuals have ample reason to celebrate Scalia’s passing. By glossing over his legacy in an attempt to recognize the passing of a prominent justice, mourners erase the pain these communities have experienced, however indirectly, at Scalia’s hand. They too must be mindful and hold themselves accountable to the views they express. Both parties should be aware of the complex nature of Scalia’s death — the pain his family and friends are going through right now and the pain his legal principles have afflicted on members of the American public. We should respectfully criticize his policies, but also be conscious of what the justice’s passing means to those closest to him. Editorials are the responsibility of the Review Editorial Board — the Editors-in-Chief, managing editor and Opinions editor — and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the Review.

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Opinions

Gaining Accessibility

Weight Room Causes Anxiety for Many Kiley Petersen Opinions Editor Anyone who has met me knows I’m all about feminism and dismantling the gender binary. Also, anyone who has met me knows I really, really hate working out. My hatred of the gym probably stems from years of dancing, playing soccer and running varsity track — activities that are generally relegated to the grassy outdoors or a bright mirrored studio. I never felt comfortable in the gym spaces in my high school — the weight room was dark, humid and loud. There were a lot of bodily fluids coating every surface (hopefully only sweat). There were a lot of bulging muscles and men attached to those muscles, and with those men came their toxic masculinity. I felt weak and small and judged if I wandered into the weight room; I would either choose a wimpy 10 lb. dumbell, or if I was feeling ambitious, something heavier that I could inevitably only complete two or three reps with, and probably a few of the varsity boys would scoff at my attempt. At Oberlin, I was freed from both intense varsity training schedules and the standard that I needed to work out to be cool. Here, there’s an environment of apathy, even mild revulsion, when someone mentions that they work out. It’s why jocks are often marginalized on campus — the hipster elite would much rather smoke on the Mudd ramp than jog a quarter of a mile to class in King. But that doesn’t mean that a comfortable and non-judgemental workout

space is not necessary on this campus. For many women and trans students, Philips gym is a source of anxiety because of its atmosphere of judgement and privileging of masculinity. I didn’t frequent Philips until my friends and I began attending women and trans only hours at the rock climbing wall, where I found a welcoming, non-competitive environment to scale the boulder wall and learned how to belay my friends. Despite the joy I felt when I stepped into my harness at the wall, the rest of Philips, especially the weight room, felt daunting in comparison. Whether I was running on the treadmill or using the free weights, I either felt pathetically weak or non-consensually sexualized, especially if I wore shorts or yoga pants. Sometimes those feelings of humiliation compounded — not only did I feel weak, but I felt ashamed of my body even as others were sexualizing it, criticizing my weight gain since leaving competitive sports. It’s all a part of the cycle of body-shaming that misogyny plays right into — that women or people assigned female at birth are only valuable for their bodies, but that their bodies need to be the right type of body. That was a large part of why I felt ashamed in toxic and misogynistic workout spaces. So I was very pleased to learn that the Student Health Working Group, along with feminist and trans student groups on campus, were looking to expand the safe space to the weight room. But the safe space hours, slated to begin See Oppression, page 7

The Oberlin Review, February 19, 2016

Voters Strive for Real Change in 2016 Continued from page 5 after the suffering experienced during the recession. The economic fixes and universal health care were significant, but they were issues that did not address the root of discontentment in the U.S. The voters in 2016 now express the grievances they have held inside since the recession and before: income inequality, education, money in politics — these issues are perceived to have more tangible impact on the lives of citizens. The policies instituted under Obama were conceived with high ideals for improving the country in mind, but the benefits have remained out of reach for many Americans. The endeavor to strengthen the economy in 2008 was viewed as a necessary sacrifice on the part of the people, a country-wide effort to escape the recession. Wall Street and the auto industry were able to bounce back, a sign of hope that Americans may be able to return to the lives they had in the ’90s and early 2000s. So the President prioritized job growth in an attempt to have a tangible impact. Job growth is frequently cited as one of the greater victories in the economic comeback of the past few years. In terms of the country’s overall happiness, however, it hasn’t been enough to rid people of their qualms. A job isn’t that great if income hasn’t seen any change in the past 30 years; many citizens have already had to settle for less after being uprooted from their old jobs. Voters in New Hampshire have subscribed to the belief that average income may better measure happiness and well-being than employment rate.

Now Bernie and Trump have their openings. Income inequality, a government that doesn’t actually work for the people — the attention on these issues distills the frustration voters have with Obama’s administration. The fruits of the Obama presidency were subtle, and his policies may find more appreciation under a future president. His stabilization of the economy –––––––––––––––––––––––––––———–

A job isn’t that great if income hasn’t seen any change in the past 30 years; many citizens have already had to settle for less after being uprooted from their old jobs. Voters in New Hampshire have subscribed to the belief that average income may better measure happiness and well-being than employment rate. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––———– was an effective response, laying the foundation for wages and quality of life to rise sometime in the future. Obamacare now saves the lives and wallets of millions of Americans. Racism is alive and well today, but every child of color in future generations will see that a precedent was set for them, an incalculable positive impact on race relations. This election now will decide the direction the U.S. takes to improve the lives of citizens directly.

The Oberlin Review, February 19, 2016

Opinions

Page 7

In 2000, Nation “Felt the Bern” for McCain Primary Results Mark Riley Pearsall Contributing Writer

must be released in the order they were captured). College campuses all over the country are filled with students who are “feeling the Bern,” but McCain supporters also provided the 2000 New Hampshire primary with the highest youth voter turnout in U.S. history at the time. Sanders has taken up the cause of reducing income inequality and getting big money out of politics, just as McCain ran on the promise to “take our government back from the power brokers and special interests and return it to the people and the noble cause of freedom it was created to serve,” even refusing

His supporters love him for his character and candor while his rivals and opponents decry his extreme ideas. He is beloved by the youth and has energized them to a degree not seen in years. He has crushed mainstream opposition in the New Hampshire primary with a double-digit lead. He is John McCain circa 2000, a strong contender for — but ultimately the loser of — the Republican presidential primary. Readers can hardly be faulted for failing to remember a primary campaign that occurred when this –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– writer was only three years old, but McCain’s first presidential bid, McCain’s first presidential chronicled in David Foster Wal- bid, chronicled in David Foslace’s fantastic essay “Up, Simba,” ter Wallace’s fantastic essay has so far eerily mirrored the recent ascent of Bernie Sanders. Both “Up, Simba,” has so far eerily men are anti-candidates, populists mirrored the recent ascent at the fringes of their parties who of Bernie Sanders. refuse to play by the rules of traditional politics, facing established –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– candidates who are members of presidential dynasties — George W. to take money from PACs and relyBush and Hillary Clinton. ing on grassroots donations. Sound Sanders’ image as a maverick familiar? who refuses to compromise his Of course, in every other reprinciples is credible because he spect, Sanders and McCain are as has called himself a socialist and different as two old white men can voted or advocated accordingly possibly be. But isn’t that a little for decades. McCain’s came from scary? Are we still so desperate for his time as a POW in the Vietnam a politician who is, as Wallace put War, when he was offered early re- it, “somewhat in the ballpark of a lease but chose to remain in cap- real human being” and unafraid to tivity for four more years rather stick it to the Man that the specifthan violate the military’s Code of ics of their ideologies hardly matConduct (which states that POWs ter? Now, you may say that you are

voting for Sanders because of his ideas, but Bernie’s charisma has done an excellent job of distracting people from the fact that many of those ideas are thoroughly unworkable. They’re not necessarily wrong: If Bernie could wave a magic wand that would enact all his policies without a hitch, the country would be better off than it is now, although I do believe many of his specifics go too far. But Republicans have stonewalled Obama for eight long years because they think he’s a socialist: Bernie actually is one (or a “Democratic Socialist,” as the kids call it these days). He constantly promises a political “revolution” that will make all these changes possible. Mostly, Bernie seems to be peddling a dream of “Yes, We Can” proportions. Given how gray Obama’s hair is by now, you would think we would know better. The similarities between the Sanders and McCain campaigns will continue to accumulate. Once the race enters states that are more representative of the nation as a whole and that don’t play to a fringe candidate’s strengths in the way that New Hampshire does, Hillary Clinton will start winning primaries and gaining momentum, sending Sander’s campaign into a tailspin from which it will never really recover. As unusual as this election has been, it looks as though history will repeat itself in this case. McCain was not elected in 2000; it is my guess that Sanders will not receive the candidacy this year either.

Oppression Still Prevails in Women, Trans Safe Spaces Continued from page 6 this past Sunday, Feb. 14, were cancelled due to “logistical concerns.” On the Oberlin 2018 Facebook page, comments abounded about the new policy. The first was, “Petition to fire and provide a year’s supply of protein to whoever decided to close the weight room at 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.” Initially, some of the commenters seemed unsure about the reasoning behind closing the gym — once informed that this would be a safe space for woman and trans people they backed down. Other students took offense at what was supposedly gender discrimination. Someone commented, “Are you kidding? So they are segregating the weight room by sex?” and another student seconded that opinion: “I would prefer not to be thrown out of the gym for having a penis.” What should have been an important conversation about making women and trans people comfortable in the gym morphed into non-constructive conversation about not having access to everywhere all the time. So I think you can see why I would love a women-and-trans-only weight room, even if for one hour. I could lift in peace without having to worry about cisgender men judging my form and physique, sexualizing my body or making comments on my trans friends’ gender non-conformity. However, I would love it even more if that safe-space hour was

trans-specific or femme-specific. While cis men circulate the majority of discourse and judgment around the weakness or inferiority of women and trans bodies, cis women and masculine-of-center people aren’t exempt from perpetuating that same body policing and objectifying that cis men are vilified for. In a Facebook post last Tuesday, Feb. 9, Dominique Pearson ex–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

While cis men circulate the majority of the discourse and judgement around the weakness or inferiority of women and trans bodies, cis women and masculineof-center people aren’t exempt from perpetuating that same body policing and objectifying that cis men are vilified for. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– plained their annoyance with the new policy. I share similar views. “Women and trans folks are not the same. Trans folks and trans folks are not even the same. Stop sticking us in a room with cis women like that group of people does not also perpetuate violence and erasure against trans bodies, or like trans men can’t participate in the same misogyny that makes women

uncomfortable and unsafe,” they wrote. In most circumstances, I believe that fighting gender oppression requires solidarity from all marginalized groups — cis women, trans men and women and nonbinary people — to be most effective. However, that doesn’t mean that we need to constantly be lumped together as one monolithic group. We don’t all experience the same oppression — the newly passed South Dakota bathroom ban against transgender students is an excellent example. The College already has women-and-trans-only housing (Baldwin Cottage, Old B housing co-op); the rugby team; and now the gym. But there’s hardly any official trans only space on campus. Cis women and trans people don’t need to enter every space hand in hand, despite the whole “divided we fall, united we stand” saying. Fighting gender oppression means also acknowledging the very real ways that privilege and oppression play out in marginalized spaces — how gender non-conformance, femininity, race and ability add complex layers to oppression. For now, I’m happy with the women and trans gym hour, providing that it’s officially instated soon. For the future, I look forward to a trans- or femme-specific safe gym space — and dare I think, light years into the future, that the weight room will be free of transmisogyny, sexism and excess amounts of sweat.

Turning Point for 2016 Sean Para Columnist If this year’s Iowa Caucus was a dramatic beginning to the presidential election season, last week’s New Hampshire primary was a true game changer. Both the Republican and Democratic primaries were won by radicals who have built their campaigns around anti-establishment sentiment and promises of major change in the government. Donald Trump won the Republican primary with 35.3 percent of the vote. The viability of the leading Republican candidates — specifically Trump and Cruz — with their deplorable policies and childish antics would lead many to question how they are serious contenders for the highest office in the land. But that is the ludicrousness that has befallen the Republican party. It is a sad fate for a party founded in opposition to expanding slavery, and which had, in generations past, been open to new ideas and intellectualism rather than foolhardy and ignorant populism. The Democratic results were even more shocking. Senator Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire with an astounding 60.4 percent of the vote. This is a serious setback for Hillary Clinton, who campaigned hard in New Hampshire and saw widespread support in the state during the 2008 election. It has opened up a path for Bernie Sanders to become the Democratic nominee for president. Despite my avowedly leftist leanings, I had little faith that someone who espouses socialism and wants to fundamentally change the American state could be a serious contender for the presidency. I have been proven wrong. He has achieved victory in a bellwether state early in the primaries, assembled a broad liberal coalition and raised large amounts of funds. A campaign that once seemed to be little more than an anointing of the chosen Democratic candidate has quickly transformed into a duel between an establishment mainstay and someone at the very edge of the American political spectrum — someone who doesn’t use “socialism” as a dirty word, but as a promise of change. Sanders does, without a doubt, have a hard path to the candidacy, much less the presidency. Hillary Clinton has the support of 362 Democratic superdelegates, individual delegates untied to any state who can choose any candidate they want — giving her a total of 394 delegates compared to Sanders’ 44. This is a sign of the Democratic establishment’s total support –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

A campaign that once seemed to be little more than an anointing of the chosen Democratic candidate has quickly transformed into a duel between an establishment mainstay and someone at the very edge of the American political spectrum — someone who doesn’t use “socialism” as a dirty word, but as a promise of change. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– for Clinton. Sanders, on the other hand, has built his campaign around being an outsider. In order to clinch the Democratic nomination he will have to win over Clinton state by state until he gains the 2,382 total delegates he needs. Before Tuesday this did not seem truly possible — now, however, it does. This is a time of both cynicism and hope. Our political system is archaic, ineffective and hopelessly corrupt. However, the New Hampshire primaries tell us that people want change. There is widespread disillusionment with our system, with very good reason. A clear message has been sent to the political establishment: traditional candidates do not have a lot of support in the 2016 campaign. Perhaps, when all is said and done, things in our country will change for the better. But this will only happen if we can come together to affect major changes in our economic and political systems.

BAKERY IN SOUTH A typical Oberlin day might begin with a quiche from the Science Cart, continue with a sandwich from Stevie and end with a slice of lemon cake from Dascomb — but where do all of these baked goods come from?

Calendar Women’s Tennis vs. Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indoor Track (Philips gym) Friday, Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m. Come out and support the women’s tennis team! They won their last three games and, with the support of fans, they could win this game, too.

Danenberg Honors Recital (Part II) Friday, Feb. 19, 7–8:30 p.m. Warner Concert Hall Spend your Friday night appreciating the hard work of Conservatory students as they perform works by Saint-Saëns, Bach, Pok Yee Pauline Ng, Shulamit Ran, Andrew Norman and Michael Orenstein. If you can’t attend in person, you can always watch the webcast.

New Works Festival — Transdudes: The Musical

Mia Mingus: Transformative Justice and Community Accountability 101 Teach-In Sunday, Feb. 21, 1–4 p.m. Wilder 112 Learn about transformative justice with Mia Mingus, a core member of the Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective. Mingus, a queer Korean woman, works to create justice for disabled people and advocates for a nonviolent world for disabled children.

Men’s Lacrosse vs. Olivet College Saturday, Feb. 20, 2 p.m. Savage Football Stadium Start off spring right by attending the first lacrosse first game of the season against Olivet College. Help the Yeomen beat their opponent by showing up and giving support.

Friday, Feb. 19–20, 8 p.m. Feb. 21, 2 p.m. Little Theater

Angel Haze!

You can be the first to see Transdudes this Friday. Conceived by College senior Tae Braun and directed by College junior Dean Grosbard, the production tackles sexuality, hormones and privilege, particularly within the trans community.

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Angel Haze is kind of big deal at Oberlin. The rapper has impressive skills, which they'll bring to their Saturday night show. I would tell you to get tickets, but they are already sold out! So if you have tickets, go! Otherwise, feel free to

Photo by Briana Santiago All of the cookies, breads, sweet breads and general baked goods produced for Campus Dining Services are baked in the basement of South Hall. This arrangement may come as a surprise to many students, but it allows CDS to provide food that’s not only baked fresh but also baked on campus.

Why South? South Hall used to include a dining hall — one of the main dining options before Stevenson Dining Hall opened in 1990. The current bake shop resides in the main kitchen space that used to handle all the food prep for the dining hall. This kitchen stretches most of the length of South basement. The remainder of the basement has since been converted into dance studios and fitness rooms.

Saturday, Feb. 20, 10 p.m. The 'Sco

stand outside and listen.

Text by Zane Markosian. Drawings by Maya Sosland. What happens in the shop?

Typically, the bake shop opens at 5 a.m. as workers begin to bake the breakfast foods. All of the quiches, scones, chopbread and muffins are baked fresh each day. After they come out of the oven, they’re loaded onto a truck and transported to Dascomb Dining Hall and the Science Center, where a steady stream of sleepy students eagerly pick them up to begin the day. After the morning rush, the baking moves onto lunch and dinner items. Things finally wind down in the afternoon. Michelle Buss has worked in the bakeshop since 2011; during her time, she’s noticed that the demand for cookies really goes up around finals. For most students, that pattern is probably all too relatable. After all, what could be more helpful during reading period than a vegan sunflower cookie?

New Works Festival — Transdudes: The Musical

Friday, Feb. 19–20, 8 p.m. Feb. 21, 2 p.m. Little Theater

Angel Haze!

Saturday, Feb. 20, 10 p.m. The 'Sco

stand outside and listen.

Text by Zane Markosian. Drawings by Maya Sosland. What happens in the shop?

Arts The Oberlin Review

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February 19, 2016

Terada, Huckaby Versatile in Lengthy Electronic Sets Danny Evans Arts Editor Soichi Terada is best known for scoring classic video games like Ape Escape, but no one would have ever guessed that based on the sheer amount of energy and dancing at the ’Sco during his set last Saturday. The Tokyo electronic musician proved that his production and DJ skills extend far beyond the world of gaming. He had just about every audience member in an especially packed ’Sco jumping and cheering as if they were at a mainstream electronic dance music show. After a lengthy — yet consistently entertaining — opening set by beloved Detroit house and techno musician Mike Huckaby, Terada took the ’Sco stage to momentous applause. He proceeded –––––––––––––––––––––––––––

He had just about every audience member in an especially packed ’Sco jumping and cheering as if they were at a mainstream electronic dance music show. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– to bounce around over an hour of lush beats, constantly emoting and dancing with a ferocity that many DJs 30 years his junior cannot match. Oftentimes, DJs as critically acclaimed as Terada tend to nod their heads stoically during performances, but Terada looked joyful throughout the set,

and show attendees definitely seemed to catch on. The ’Sco was thick with excitement from the powerful beginning of Terada’s performance to its icing-on-thecake finale. Musically, the elements of Terada’s signature sound that distinguish him from countless other DJs and producers were front and center throughout his set. For one, Terada’s impressive ability to fluctuate between electronic dance music subgenres — exemplified by songs like “Sun Showered,” which was simply explosive — shone through the set. Attendees were treated to a lesson on how to successfully meld seemingly incongruous styles into a single, cohesive sound as Terada drew on elements of drum and bass, jungle, house, traditional EDM and even chiptune (a subgenre whose gaming-influenced sound owes much to producers like Terada himself). At any given moment, Terada could have been mixing eerie, detuned vocal samples with minimal drumming or just as easily spinning festival-ready club beats. Terada also showcased the fluid, unencumbered sound that has characterized much of his output as a DJ. He transitioned from track to track effortlessly throughout the show, subtly introducing melodies, textures and rhythmic figures from one track into the sonic landscape of another until the original track became unrecognizable. This way, he offered a wide variety of different styles and sounds without ever sacrificing momentum or pausing between songs. These patient transformations of songs into entirely different

Detroit house music producer Mike Huckaby DJs at the ’Sco last Saturday. Both Huckaby and Japanese electronic musician Soichi Terada, for whom Huckaby opened, kept attendees dancing with lengthy but entertaining sets. Photo by Benjamin Shepherd, Photo editor

pieces of music belied the artfulness of Terada’s set as a whole. Critics of electronic dance music who claim the genre lacks the technical ability requirements of other musical styles would have been silenced by Terada’s set. Aside from dancing and transitioning between musical ideas, he also played synth lines, chopped up vocal parts and crafted rhythmic movements the entire time. Tracks like the crowd favorite “Saturday Love Sunday” come off as repetitive or loop-centric upon first listen, but there is actually quite a bit going on throughout these sorts of songs. The subtle changes Terada made kept them

exciting and reinforced his skill as a DJ. Opener Mike Huckaby also showed a mastery of DJing as a –––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Terada also showcased the fluid, unencumbered sound that has characterized much of his output as a DJ. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– craft. Much like Terada, he employed samples, drum patterns and synth motifs to keep attendees hooked throughout lengthy

tracks. Songs like “The Deep House World,” “The Jazz Republic” and “I Human” — which feature catchy, if repetitive, main themes — benefitted from Huckaby’s constant sound manipulation. ’Scogoers remained energized for all of Huckaby’s performance, which is no small feat for a house producer, especially given that Huckaby was given two full hours of run time for his set. Terada and Huckaby were successful in crafting an enjoyable yet complex and crafty dance show; the two showed just how skillful DJs can be but still offered an accessible look into the wide and intriguing field of electronic music.

Con Opens Doors to College Musicians with New Jazz Ensemble Sam Rueckert As an aspiring musician who has recently committed to taking every possible musical opportunity, I now realize that I have very little experience with auditioning. Yesterday I went to my second real audition since I’ve gotten to Oberlin. My friend Justin invited me to audition to drum in a jazz combo for which he is the pianist. The combo is a new experiment for the Conservatory: It’s the first Conservatory-sponsored jazz ensemble consisting of only College students. I knew I would be competing against my friend Cole for the place in the combo. Having seen Cole drum before, I was pretty certain that I wouldn’t have much of a chance at winning the spot. I’ve practiced a lot this year and have gotten confident in my playing (especially after having a lot of time to practice over Winter Term), but Cole is at the point where I ideally want to be in two years — or less, hopefully. Furthermore, I’m friends with both Cole and Justin, and I was a bit nervous about the awkwardness of auditioning with one friend to be in another friend’s group. All of that aside, I convinced myself to go in for the audition. I reasoned that I should practice being in the mindset of seeking out every musical opportunity I can, even though I was pretty certain I

would not be selected for the ensemble. I did a similar thing in auditioning for OSteel last spring; I had little knowledge of steel drum music or the organization and little experience playing in groups, so I really had no expectation of getting in. In fact, at the time, I hardly considered myself a drummer. But somehow I got lucky, and by September, I was their full-time kit player. So, trying to remain positive, I got to the audition room and was met by the group’s singer, Cordelia. Soon enough, the rest of the combo and Bobby Ferrazza, the director of Oberlin’s Jazz program, showed up. The audition simply involved playing along with the band to one of the songs in their repertoire (“Love You Madly,” a song which I’d heard maybe once before). Cole went first and played as well as I had anticipated him to. He knew how to follow the cues of the band and used fills that I was unfamiliar with. However, I was relatively calm when it was my turn to start. I confirmed the tempo with Justin and counted the group in. It then occurred to me that I had never actually played jazz on drums with a group before; I had never even really tried playing along to jazz while practicing. Fortunately, I knew some basic grooves that I had messed around with before, so I could hold the song to-

gether, but not much more than that. I made a few mistakes and didn’t find room for many fills but was able to get through the song okay. One lesson I learned from the audition was to try to familiarize myself with the music I would be playing beforehand. Of course, I couldn’t have predicted the exact song they would ask me to play, but I could have at least tried to get comfortable with ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The combo is a new experiment for the Conservatory: It’s the first Conservatorysponsered jazz ensamble consisting of only College students. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– playing the genre, so that I could focus on perfecting my strokes rather than just staying afloat. OSteel had sent me some of their songs before their audition, so I was able to get a sense of what kind of playing was necessary for the genre. I focused more on feel and listening to the band in that audition. I don’t mean to say I regret not preparing for this audition, as I really had no idea what the audition would be like. But now I know, and I think that is

valuable in itself. Needless to say, I did not get the part. Bobby and the group, however, were extremely gracious and encouraging. Bobby explained what gave Cole an edge in the audition but encouraged me to keep practicing. He explained that the College ensemble was an effort of the Jazz department to give more opportunity to College students to play and that I should audition again come fall. One important realization I had was that, just by showing up for the audition, I was opening up doors for myself. Just by being there, I demonstrated my interest and had the possibility of being in a combo in the future. The same thing happened with my audition for OSteel last year; I never would have thought I would be picked, but here I am a year later, regularly playing gigs with OSteel and preparing to tour over spring break. The experience also changed my perception of the Conservatory overall. From having talked to students from both the Conservatory and the College — and from being a Musical Studies major — I was under the impression that the Conservatory was not interested in working with College students. But after talking to Bobby, it seems that he has a genuine interest in helping all students improve their musical skills.

The Oberlin Review, February 19, 2016

Arts

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OSLAM Switches Focus with Love-Centric Slam Max Van Cooper The night before Valentine’s Day, the Cat in the Cream filled with excited OSLAM fans. The large audience spilled onto the floor; friends huddled in from the cold with coffee and cookies. OSLAM is best known for its gripping political and emotional poetry, but the group’s Feb. 13 performance focused on love and positivity. In keeping with the romantic theme, the group also held a “Date a Poet” raffle where, for $1, audience members could win the chance to go on a friend date with their favorite poet. The hype was up, and the poets were energized. The overall tone of the poetry read was less slam and more spoken word. It was lighter, sweeter and softer than previous slams, with each poet bringing their unique interpretation to the genre. College sophomore Justin Jiménez spoke of his childhood love; College firstyear Hanne Williams-Baron performed a love poem to cows, which touched the heart of every vegan; and College sophomore Deborah Johnson read the audience wise words from her younger self ’s Tumblr. Poets

shared love poems dedicated to their unsuspecting girlfriends in the audience, revealed their fears about love and intimacy and wrote poems to their past selves and ex-lovers. Some poems had been written in anticipation of the evening and were sugary without being cliché, while others were more unconventional takes on the theme. One poem that embodied this originality was “Body Language,”

home. Berkley uses her previous relationship to talk about the power imbalances within some relationships. Her descriptions of body language were incredibly personal, but also very relatable. It’s the kind of poem one doesn’t even realize they’re snapping to;

your heart just moves your fingers. When an entire room of people are simultaneously snapping, laughing or murmuring “mhm,” when the entire room shares one mutual and personal experience — it’s magic. It’s the reason slam poetry has power,

and it’s the reason Berkley is a gifted poet. Judge for yourself; “Body Language” is on Button Poetry with more than 40,000 views and counting. Another highlight of the eveSee Poets, page 13

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Poets shared love poems dedicated to their unsuspecting girlfriends in the audience, revealed their fears about love and intimacy and wrote poems to their past sleves and ex-lovers. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– written and performed by College sophomore Maya Berkley. Berkley commanded the audience’s attention with her uninterrupted, piercing gaze. The poem itself is humorous, heartwrenching and — as with all good slam poetry — hit close to

College junior and OSLAM member Misaël Syldor presents a slam poem at the Cat in the Cream Saturday. OSLAM’s Valentine’s Day-themed performance focused on feminism and relationships. Photo by Kellianne Doyle, Staff photograper

Feature Photo: “Thanks for Coming”

College sophomores Kyla Van Gelder, Isabel Levey-Swain, Lola Gatti and College first-year Sophia Attebery perform in College senior Alana Reibstein’s senior dance recital piece, “Thanks for Coming,” in Warner Main Space Friday and Saturday. The piece focused on how women struggle to find their voices within a patriarchal society. A male voice directed the performance by commanding the eight women dancers to perform absurd actions, a commentary on the unreasonable societal expectations placed on women. Video projections and sound contributed to the multimedia piece’s theme, the result of a collaboration with College senior and Cinema Studies major Katalina Cabrera. For instance, a live video feed played back parts of the performance the audience had just viewed, emphasizing the presence of the male gaze and the audience’s complicity in such a perspective. College senior Caitrin Hughes performed her senior piece in a double bill with Reibstein. Hughes, a Religion and Dance double major, incorporated her interest in how women are portrayed in Renaissance art into her performance. Her piece, titled “I Belong to my Beloved” opened with women standing in profile, a pose that Renaissance brides-to-be struck in portraits painted for their intended partners. It was thought that women facing forward were intimidating, so most women kept their eyes cast downward when walking outside. As the piece continued, Hughes performed as Eve, whom she portrayed as a seductress — one of the main subjects of her Religion capstone. Text by Louise Edwards, Arts editor Photo by Aaron Henry

Arts

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The Oberlin Review, February 19, 2016

Nguyen Blurs Line Between Candid and Staged Julia Peterson Production Editor Holding Water, the current exhibit at the Richard D. Baron ‘64 Art Gallery, is deceptively simple at first glance. Unlike many art shows. in which each piece is accompanied by a title and a short paragraph with contextual details, the photographs by Duy Phuong Le Nguyen — Oberlin’s artist in residence for the month of February — stand alone. For his first solo show, the artist has chosen to let his work speak for itself. Without any information provided on the photographs’ subjects or locations, each image is all the more captivating. As the exhibit’s title would suggest, its unifying theme is water. Water is, however, much more than just a backdrop to the people in the photographs. Nguyen’s photographs present water with an unusual degree of depth and variation, making it almost a character in its own right rather than a backdrop. The water is never tangential to the human story being hinted at. One image juxtaposes a child in an orange balloon hat against a landscape of blue, the background stretching so far behind him that the line between lake and horizon is blurred. Another depicts a person washing clothes in shallow water, surrounded by foliage on all sides. Many of the photographs are of children, some who sit and stare seriously into the camera, some who float on their backs in the water and others who play, seemingly ignorant of the photographer’s presence. Al-

though many of the images convey a sense of vastness and distance, there is also intimacy in the moments captured here. A short distance away from the hub of campus life, the gallery seems like the perfect setting for these photographs. The deep blues and greens in the images stand out against the unvarnished wooden frames and white walls on which they are mounted. The images are not crowded on the gallery’s walls, but spread in a way that almost forces a visitor to devote their entire attention to one photograph before turning their attention to the next. In this arrangement, the images seem like windows to another time and place. In such a silent space, it almost seems possible to hear the ripples of lake water on the shore. Taken over a five-year period, Nguyen’s photographs follow the lives of the people who live around Tri An Lake in the artist’s native Vietnam. Although almost all of the photographs focus on human bodies interacting with water — often via boats — one aspect of Tri An Lake is strikingly absent. This lake is home to one of the largest hydroelectric dams in South Vietnam for which the lake is best known. The relationship between human and water in terms of hydroelectricity could have been the dominant narrative of this exhibit, but instead, the artist takes a very different route. On his website, the artist describes his style as “[a combination of ] documentary approach and staging.” This adds a dimension of mystery to the exhibit; it is

Oberlin’s Artist in Residence for February, Duy Phuong Le Nguyen (left) and Art Department Cochair Pipo Nguyen-Duy pose in front of Nguyen’s photos in the Richard D. Baron ‘64 Art Gallery. The exhibit, Holding Water, depicts Tri An Lake in Vietnam. Photo by Clover Linh Tran, Staff photographer

not always clear whether an image was contrived or whether the captured moment would have happened regardless of the photographer’s presence. A viewer who is willing to suspend their disbelief and accept the images simply as they see them is treated to the artist’s interpretation of life around Tri An Lake over time. While it is possible to treat this exhibit as a puzzle to be solved in terms of classifying the images — some of which may have elements that are both documentary and staged within one photograph — there

is real enjoyment to be gained by taking it as a testament to something the artist wanted people to understand, no more and no less. The title of the exhibit, Holding Water, seems apt. Aside from its literal meaning, the title can also be read as a challenge to see whether this combination of images “holds water” in presenting a cohesive picture of Tri An Lake and the people who live around it. The exhibit poses a challenge to viewers and meets this selfimposed challenge easily.

Feature Photo: Melodies of the Soul

Double-degree sophomore Raffi Boden on cello, Conservatory sophomore Max Weiner on bass, double-degree sophomore Theo Rosenfeld on saxophone, Conservatory junior Zoe Cutler on trombone and double-degree senior Emily Kuhn on trumpet perform at the Cat in the Cream. On Tuesday, the Jewish Art Collective hosted Melodies of the Soul: An Explosion of Music, which allowed students to express their spiritual identities through music. The event was based off of nigunim, a Hebrew word for wordless melodies. Some of the music performed was original, including “Exodus,” composed by College senior Andrew Seligson for guitar, bass and flute. The composition, inspired by an author who wrote a piece about Genesis, created an intense tone while grappling with interpersonal themes. The sorrowful flute that opened the piece was quickly joined by moving guitar and bass chords. In the past, the Jewish Art Collective has hosted spoken word, storytelling and open mic nights. Text by Louise Edwards, Arts editor Photo by Kellianne Doyle, Staff photographer

The Oberlin Review, February 19, 2016

Arts

Hail, Caesar! a Joyride through the ’50s Christian Bolles Columnist Few feelings are more satisfying than those incited when viewing a piece of entertainment that pays tribute to its own medium. Films like Hugo, books like Inkheart and games like The Beginner’s Guide occupy a special place in the annals of their respective crafts because they represent a purpose that steps outside of pure spectacle, referencing the basis on which they’re built to say something unique about the nature of their existence. Hail, Caesar! is one of these pieces, placing the viewer in the shoes of a ’50s movie mogul bent on finishing the titular film no matter what. Yet the basis for Hail goes deeper, for at its absolute core, this is a Coen Brothers movie. It bears the same tone, flies the same narrative flags and treats its characters with the same frankness as their other work. In the end, Hail, Caesar! never really escapes its premise, settling to be exactly what one would expect. Fortunately, that means that the performances are pitch-perfect, the production design sets an immersive tone and the admittedly shallow puzzle of a narrative nonetheless has nary a piece out of place. Eddie Mannix ( Josh Brolin) is having a bad day. His production company’s blockbuster of the year, Hail, Caesar!, is forced to halt filming when its prestigious star, Baird Whitlock, mysteriously disappears. With a deadline looming and an intricate plot involving a shady group of men at a seaside retreat threatening his career, Mannix must race against the clock to retrieve his cherished centurion from the hands of his kidnappers. But that’s not the point. The film follows a single day in the life of Mannix, and the camera’s interest is not solely relegated to the burgeoning conspiracy within the ranks of Capitol Pictures. If anything, Hail aims to please, and it does so by breaking away from the central narrative every chance it gets to acquaint the viewer with the brilliantlychoreographed, absolutely hysterical scenes unfolding elsewhere in the studio.

Of its many sub-plots (though ‘recurring skits’ may be a more apt description), the most successful involve Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich), an actor defined by his nearly wordless roles in Westerns who has now been recruited to expand his public image through a period adaptation of a stage play called Merrily We Dance. His interactions with director Laurence Laurentz and Mannix himself are the highlights of the movie, showcasing the usual wit of the Coens in brilliantly innovative style. His growing prominence in the narrative is welcome, and his involvement in the final act proves to be the key to a satisfying ending. Other memorable scenes include a musical/tap number by Burt Gurney and his troupe of ‘sailors’ (Channing Tatum); here, the craft of the dance is apparent, as this scene was performed in full by Tatum himself. DeeAnna Moran also (Scarlett Johansson, with an inexplicably good cigarette-ridden Brooklyn accent) underlines life at the studio well with a through-line focused on the near-oppressive control Capitol exerts over its stars. No matter where Hail takes the viewer, its full committal to every one of its ideas sets it a cut above other films of the genre. Between the sumptuously detailed sets (the best seen in theaters since Crimson Peak), moments of comedic brilliance (including a short cameo by Jonah Hill that you won’t soon forget) and well-realized characters, it’s a beautiful, delicious angel food cake of a movie. Unfortunately, this cake doesn’t have many layers. While the narrative takes

a surprising turn, its machinations are played more for humor than anything else, and by the end of the film, it doesn’t feel as if Mannix has gotten much of anywhere since he first confessed his sins in the opening scene. None of the characters other than the producer himself get enough screen time or dialogue to establish them as much more than movie stars (with the notable exception of a dinner between Hobie and his arranged date, which is strikingly genuine and funny). Hail, then, falls victim to its glorification of the subject matter it portrays, never getting far enough past the glamour of Hollywood to leave a deep impression on the genre. Its sociopolitical elements, while certainly present, seem to be less commentary and more a trite wink to history, serving little purpose other than to introduce conflict. While the movie deals with the looming ‘end’ of the film industry, we all know that it, in fact, did not end; if anything, Hail is a celebration of ’50s film culture and nothing more. That’s all right, though. If the viewer sets their expectations right, they’ll watch Hail, Caesar! for its glorious set pieces, witty dialogue and precise performances. Coen Brothers fans may be disappointed if another No Country for Old Men is expected, but this is still a Coen movie at heart, no matter what vitriol ‘true fans’ may fling its way. Hail, Caesar! is simply wonderful, and accepting its lack of depth may leave the audience pleasantly surprised when the curtains fall. I give Hail, Caesar! 3 out of 4 stars.

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Poets Hit Home in Love Slam Continued from page 11 ning was College sophomore Jane Werntz’s poem about learning to love their femme self. Werntz’s work exposes a lifetime of gender exploration, comparing gender to flowers. In poignant prose, Werntz validates both their non-binary and femme experiences and their complex identity. Their poem questions what femininity means and how to nurture those roots as someone who doesn’t identify as female. Some of the other compelling poetry that evening conceptualized love more literally. College junior and CoPresident of OSLAM Annika Hansteen Izora had a message for the boyfriends not willing to perform oral on their girlfriends: “Kneel before what is holy.” The crowd roared before Izora even took the stage. The energy the audience brought was reciprocated, if not amplified, by Izora’s presence. In a rich, deep voice, she tossed words melodically, tantaliz––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

College junior and CoPresident of OSLAM Annika Hansteen Izora had a message for the boyfriends not willing to perform oral on their girlfriends: “Kneel before what is holy.”

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ing the crowd with playful language that riffed on religion, sex and feminism. Her poetry was sharp but harmonious, each line smoothly delivered, each slam leaving the crowd howling. The Cat in the Cream filled with a frenzy of applause after she delivered the last line “… And you will drink ‘til kingdom come.” OSLAM was once again a success, turning a Hallmark holiday into something sincere, thoughtful and, yes, full of love.

Sports

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The Oberlin Review, February 19, 2016

IN THE LOCKER ROOM

Women’s Lacrosse

This week, the Review sat down with women’s lacrosse team seniors Grace Barlow and Suzanna Doak to discuss their season on the heels of last year’s North Coast Athletic Conference runner-up title, away-game bus shenanigans and their feelings about the end of their college lacrosse careers. How do you see last season’s success impacting this season? Suzanna Doak: I think it will [impact this season] in a very big way. I think we’re all pretty charged up off our success from last season, and we’re ready to enter the season with the same amount of energy that ended it. Grace Barlow: Last season was hard, because when we were met with success, we didn’t know how to handle it or sustain it, and now we have been there, and hopefully we’ll have much more composure over the course of the season. I think it will really help us. What are your goals for this season? GB: Beat. Denison. Beat them just in the regular season and then obviously make it back to the tournament. SD: And win the tournament this year! What was the atmosphere like at the championship game? SD: It was good; I think we were all very excited to be there. At the same time, it was also a challenge, because we were a pretty injured team at that point. GB: We were excited and really thrilled to have made it that far, but at least for me, in the back of my head I was thinking, “Wow, we actually made it here? This is a weird feeling.” Coming out of the first round game

mented some important attacks and defensive plays that have been key for how we approach games mentally and physically. As Grace said, her constant support has been a positive influence too. How is that integration on the team going so far this season? SD: It’s going pretty good. I mean, we’ve always been a really close team, and this year definitely hasn’t been an exception. GB: The atmosphere when we came in as first-years was great, and we hope our first years feel the same now. There’s a lot of love on our team.

Grace Barlow (left) and Suzanna Doak [against] Wittenburg [University] was unreal. It was such a good game, and I’ve never seen a team more excited. SD: And we were lucky, we got a ton of people to come out and watch us — friends, family. It was a really good feeling. How do you stay focused for games on the road like that? SD: Everyone has their own personal habits. GB: Well, [Suzanna] falls asleep. She’ll be asleep in the back of the bus for the first half, and then like clockwork she’ll wake up like halfway through the bus ride. I’ll see her stick her head out from the seat, and then she goes and gets a snack from the front of the bus. SD: That’s all I do. GB: Personally, I’m a big music fan — Suzanna is too — and I’ll listen to the same playlist or the same type of music when go-

ing to away games. I try to do homework, but it doesn’t work. What are you looking to do for your first game this season? SD: We have [seven] new freshmen this year, so we’re really looking to integrate them and see how they play and what their comfort levels are for their first game. That will be really key in determining how the rest of our season is going to go. Do you see making the conference championships for the first time in 15 years as a turning point for the team? What do you see in the team’s future? GB: I think that in the past, we’ve been told we’re a good team and we should expect success. But now that we have a group of upperclassmen who have experienced it, we can integrate the underclassmen into

that [mentality] that we should expect to be a contender in the tournament every year from this point on, and that the team is only going to get better, especially with our coach. How has Coach McCandlish impacted the team? GB: Coach McCandlish has had a huge impact on our team. She played at a high level in college, and the field strategy that she implemented into our program has really helped us grow as players and as a team. It takes a lot to faze her on the sidelines. It’s nice as a player to know that she’s always there to say, “Just breathe. Go back on the field and try it again.” SD: Coach McCandlish has been the most important person for transforming our team so far. Coming in, she immediately worked to bring [up] everyone’s stick skills and has imple-

— Women’s Tennis —

What are you going to miss the most about the team when you graduate? SD: Definitely the people. GB: I’m going to miss [how] there are always these times on bus rides to or from games where sometimes our team just gets in these really weird moods, and it’s just the funniest thing. I’m going to miss that a lot. Are there any words of wisdom you’re hoping to leave with the team? GB: My words for the team would be: Winning is important, lacrosse is important, but our relationship and our responsibility to each other is going to trump everything at the end of the day. SD: I would agree with that. I think our history, what with changing coaches and losing people over the years, has [shown] that staying close and being supportive is the most important. Interview by Sarena Malsin, Sports editor Photo by Benjamin Shepherd, Photo editor

Yeowomen Fly Past Yellow Jackets, Cardinals

Oberlin Outlasts OWU 62–56

Jack Brewster

Continued from page 16

The women’s tennis team defended its home turf in style this weekend against the Baldwin Wallace University Yellow Jackets and the Otterbein University Cardinals, easily sweeping both teams with an impressive score of 9–0. Catalyzed by an uncontested doubles performance by sophomore Mayada Audeh and senior Erin Johnson, Oberlin jumped to a quick 3–0 lead over Baldwin Wallace in the first match. The pair dominated at the number two lineup position, besting the Yellow Jackets’ Claire Watts and Mackenzie Donalson by a score of 8–0. From there, the Yeowomen continued to stifle Baldwin Wallace in the singles portion of the match. Audeh, a native of Washington, D.C., cruised to a victory at the number one position in the lineup as she defeated Kelsey Blatt 6–0, 6–2 to continue her winning streak. Sophomore Jackie McDermott added to the sophomore class’ supremacy on the court. Playing in the number four singles position, she crushed Mackenzie Donalson 6–0, 6–1. In the battle at the final lineup position, Oberlin junior Olivia Hay overtook Shannon Finkenthal 7–5, 6–1.

Audeh, who won North Coast Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week honors for her performance, said that while the competition wasn’t particularly challenging, it served as a good jumping-off point for the rest of the Yeowomen’s season. “It was nice to play a team that wasn’t necessarily our level to see where we stand,” she said. “Last year we dropped a couple matches in the beginning of the season. But at the same time, it’s sometimes hard to get excited and get your feet moving for [a match like this].” The Yeowomen started their second match of the day against Otterbein much like their first, wasting no time taking control of the doubles portion. Rested sophomore Sarah Hughes — who sat out the match against Baldwin Wallace — joined junior Emma Brezel to knock off Otterbein’s Adrien Leatherwood and Rylie Markle 8–1. Likewise, senior Ariana Abayomi and Audeh took care of their opponents by an 8–0 margin. Oberlin capped its day with a shutout in singles competition. Hughes was unrelenting against Otterbein’s Sophie Allen, winning 6–0, 6–0. West Virginia native McDermott was tested by Adrien Leatherwood in her first set, where she won by a narrow 6–4 margin. Still,

she rallied to finish off her day on a high note, cruising to a win in the second set by a score of 6-1. McDermott said her first performance of the spring season has shown significant physical improvements since her first year on the team. “Its always a challenge for me in singles to control my mental game,” McDermott said. “But I think my physical game has improved significantly over [the] last year. I feel a lot faster, I think I’m serving harder, and I definitely feel a lot savvier than I did as a freshman.” Head Coach Constantine Ananiadis said he was proud of his team’s impressive play in the match. He asserted that playing weaker teams like Baldwin Wallace and Otterbein is not the cakewalk the scoreboard would make it out to be. “What impressed me the most is that we didn’t have any hiccups or loose sets or matches,” Coach Ananiadis said. “There’s always a risk of playing ‘down’ to your opponent’s level when you’re the better player [or] team, and to our credit, we didn’t do that at all.” The women’s tennis team will look to extend its three-game winning streak as it takes on a doubleheader this weekend against Indiana University of Pennsylvania on their home turf on Friday and Denison University in Granville, Ohio, Sunday.

good job of being really focused and being attentive to what they were doing on the floor,” Jenkins said. The team’s win, boosting its record to 11–13, 5–10 NCAC, places the Yeowomen well within the field of eight for the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament, which will begin next week. With a Saturday tilt at 2 p.m. at Wittenberg University marking the final contest in the team’s regular season, every game down the final stretch is a must-win. Oberlin currently sits in a two-way tie for seventh place with Ohio Wesleyan. But since the Yeowomen swept the regular season series with the Battling Bishops, it seems like they will win the seeding tiebreaker. While the Yeowomen may not be exactly where they want to be in conference standings, Coach Jenkins has high hopes for the team to make the most of the tournament and meet their season goals. “If we are playing our brand of basketball, we can play with or beat anybody,” Jenkins said. The Yeowomen are confident after this win and are ready to take some momentum into the NCAC tournament, which begins on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

The Oberlin Review, February 19, 2016

Sports

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New Fitness Hashtag Distorts Body Image Isabel Hulkower Columnist

The internet is a cesspool of aspirational rigamarole. You can enjoy looking at your dream kitchen, the perfect trip to a tiny European village, or every piece of designer clothing you desire, all without leaving the safety of the blogosphere. However, the most pervasive brand of online drivel goes by the name of “fitspo.” The word is short for fitness inspiration, but whether you’re familiar with the term or not, it has undoubtedly wormed its way into your newsfeed at some point or another. Fitspo is an umbrella term that generally encompasses three types of content: nice photos of fresh, low-calorie food, iPhone gym selfies and stock photos of athletic women with inspirational phrases Photoshopped on top. While all three together comprise the fitspo trend, the most notable and perhaps malignant corner of this iron triangle are the stock photos. These usually portray extremely slim, toned women wearing revealing athletic

wear and often bear delightful phrases like “Working out is hard, being fat is hard, pick your hard,” “Sweat more, bitch less,” and “Don’t stop until you’re proud.” Despite their terse, pithy nature, this trend says a whole lot. The images evoke a simple, straightforward ideal: a perfectly toned, sexy physique gained from hard work and dedication. On the surface that doesn’t seem particularly bad; tenacity should be lauded, and a reminder of one’s potential can be helpful at times. But it is hard not to see these images without being awash with shame — these are pictures of the most “desirable” and “perfect” bodies coupled with the sentiment that they are perfectly attainable, and that it is your own fault if you don’t have them. The images derive their power from reminding viewers that their bodies are extremely imperfect and that failure is due only to their own shortcomings and dearth of willpower. These controversial images have become quite common, but their popularity has not appeared randomly from the ether. Before fitspo came down the pike,

its ancestor “thinspo” was well known in many pockets of the internet. Thinspo is structurally similar, mostly portraying extremely thin bodies with messages like “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” These images, however, have stayed out of the mainstream. For the most part, culture has little trouble identifying that these are destructive and unhealthy, so much so that #thinspo is banned from Tumblr. While thinspo is rightly stigmatized, fitspo flourishes. Strong has replaced skinny as the operative word, representing the ultimate goal for mental and physical achievement. Since fitspo approaches this ideal through the construct of health and fitness, it is given a pass from the scrutiny applied to the media’s promotion of thin bodies. A simple glance at a fitspo image, of course, tells a different story. The bodies showcased are unquestionably slim, and though some may in fact be muscular and healthy, fundamentally the majority are the same unattainable, illusory figures we have been conditioned to covet by pop culture and society as a whole.

The fitspo mantra is “strong is the new skinny,” but the extreme centricity of bodies that just happen to be both shows what this trend is truly about. This portrayal of fitness skims over the reality of what being in shape really entails. Proper fitness does not always include an aesthetic component; it’s possible to be fit and in good shape but not be super slender. For example, many super fit women and professional female athletes have physiques that rarely show up in fitspo. Photoshopped fitspo images of models with catchy slogans can be toxic for many viewers, especially those who did not seek them. Despite this, the other side of fitspo — the gym-time mirror selfie — does not necessarily bring the same baggage. Friends and acquaintances posting about their actual exercise adds more reality to the equation. These photos, though often very annoying, at least portray a wider range of bodies, reaffirming that proper fitness is not only for mega hotties. Fitspo in general is pretty noxious, but with a critical eye, it can be debunked and robbed of its shaming power.

P L AYE R O F TH E WEEK Randy Ollie Senior center and Review Sports editor Randy Ollie sets up a free throw against the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops Wednesday night. Even though the Yeomen fell to their opponents 93–75, Ollie made the most of his last time on the Philips gym hardwood, netting a team-high 24 points for the night. This number only adds to Ollie’s already impressive tally for his Oberlin career, which surpassed 1,000 points after the Yeomen’s victory over the Allegheny College Gators on Feb. 10. The Evanston, IL native was the 23rd player in the men’s basketball program to reach this milestone. Ollie and the Yeomen finish their regular season on the road against the College of Wooster Fighting Scots this Saturday at 5 p.m. Photo by Benjamin Shepherd, Photo editor

Editorial: to Trade or Not to Trade? Continued from page 16 agrees to return next season for less money than he could get elsewhere and the Warriors’ bench unit remains largely intact — something that seems highly likely if the Warriors claim a consecutive NBA championship — the team will boast the league’s most talented roster for the third year in a row. In the wake of what could turn out to be a formidable dynasty, you can’t blame teams for playing it relatively safe in the midst of a season that the

Warriors are running away with. Several notable moves were made prior to the deadline: the Phoenix Suns got Kris Humphries, Dejuan Blair and a firstround pick by sending Markieef Morris to the Washington Wizards. Similarly, the Los Angeles Clippers bolstered their bench with the addition of Jeff Green for the small cost of the inconsistent Lance Stephenson and a first-round pick. One could argue that the Clippers and the Wizards profited most from the deadline, considering that they gave up little to acquire two versatile players. But the Clippers are 14 games back from the Warriors, and the Wizards are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. While both teams will undoubtedly benefit from their new acquisitions, it is unquestionable that they played this deadline cautiously, since neither player will substantially im-

pact the prospects of their new team. While the Cleveland Cavaliers were no exception to the lackluster dealings that took place Thursday, their transaction makes the most sense. In a three-team deal, they received a dependable shooting big man from the Orlando Magic for the minimal cost of Anderson Varejao, Jared Cunningham and a conditional firstround pick. Like the rest of the league, the Cavs played it safe, but adding a veteran shooting big man to their roster means Kevin Love’s place in Cleveland has become even more uncertain. A questionable defender, and at times the odd man out with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, the former Minnesota Timberwolf has been at the core of Cleveland’s trade discussions since his arrival last season. While the Cavaliers followed the rest of the league by completing a mini-

mal-risk trade, considering their erratic front office and the consistent scrutiny of Love’s role on the team, there seems to be some dramatic changes on the horizon. In any case, it is undeniable that the Warriors’ current NBA dominance extends beyond the court and into the front office. With Golden State poised to run away with the league, general managers and team executives were faced with the choice of rolling the dice or playing it safe — the latter being a general trend throughout the league since the start of the season. While a rational person might find this trade deadline understandable, diehard NBA fans recognize that the Warriors are commanding the league on and off the court. While being safe is certainly sensible, taking risks is far more entertaining and is why fans across the globe love the NBA.

Sports The Oberlin Review

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February 19, 2016

— Women’s Basketball —

Team Effort Fuels Yeowomen’s Win Darren Zaslau Staff Writer

The final buzzer ending the women’s basketball team’s match against the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops Wednesday night was a bittersweet sound. It solidified an Oberlin victory but also marked the last time seniors Lindsey Bernhardt, Katie Lucaites and Caroline Hamilton would play on their home floor. The trio concluded their senior night in the best possible way, with a satisfying win of 62–56 against the

same team that ended the Yeowomen’s postseason one year ago. The victory snapped a six-game losing streak and completed the Yeowomen’s regular season sweep over the Battling Bishops, who fell to 6–18, 5–10 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. The game was tightly contested throughout the 40-minute duration, as there were six lead changes with seven ties. Oberlin had a slim 17–16 lead at the end of the first quarter but would trail 33–29 at halftime. In the second half, Oberlin’s de-

Senior guard Lindsey Bernhardt drives the baseline against an Ohio Wesleyan University defender. The Yeowomen delivered on their Senior Day match against the Battling Bishops, closing out the close game 62–56. Photo by Bryan Rubin, Photo editor

fense illustrated its potential in the NCAC, holding Ohio Wesleyan to just 23 points in the final 20 minutes of play. The Yeowomen’s team effort on the defensive side limited the NCAC’s top two scorers, Megan Keuther and Taylor Dickson of Ohio Wesleyan, to just seven total points. With a defensive stronghold at their backs, the Yeowomen managed to outscore their opponents 33–23 in the second half to seal their victory. Head Coach Kerry Jenkins said he was thrilled with his team’s ability to stop the Battling Bishops’ dynamic duo. “We have some kids that can be really tough defenders,” Jenkins said. “Everybody did a good job of sticking to the game plan and executing our defensive principles.” Senior guard Lindsey Bernhardt led the way for the Yeowomen, scoring 15 points while adding a team-high four assists. Sophomore forward Abby Andrews and firstyear center Olivia Canning were forces to be reckoned with down low, as they added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Canning, a Massachusetts native, was happy that the team’s performance in their home finale coincided with a satisfying senior day.

“We did it for the seniors,” Canning said. While the offense only shot 36.4 percent from the field on 24–66 attempts, Canning believes that they showed signs of progression in the win. “I think we were more relaxed in general,” Canning said. “We were more comfortable and were having more fun.” First-year guard Sabrina Deleonibus added valuable minutes off the bench in the victory and was happy with the defensive performance of the team. “We trusted each other,” Deleonibus said. “Help-side [defense] was strong, but in reality we just communicated well, and it turned into a win.” Oberlin’s aggressive defense forced 16 Ohio Wesleyan turnovers while the Yeowomen only gave up the ball 11 times, which is well below their season average of 22 per game. The Yeowomen didn’t let their opponents forget their errors, either; they scored 17 points off of the Battling Bishops’ turnovers. Coach Jenkins was pleased with the team’s ability to take care of the basketball. “I thought the players did a really See Oberlin, page 14

— Swimming/Diving —

Oberlin Hangs Tough at Conference Meet Scott Rivlin The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams concluded their season this past weekend with a grueling four-day test of their training in the form of the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships in Granville, Ohio. After pushing his team’s physical limits all season, Head Coach Andrew Brabson stressed rest and healing as his team tapered off to prime themselves for Conference competition. Focus on muscle building and speed turned towards perfecting technique. “We train hard all year, and the last three weeks or so is all just about getting some rest and then finetuning some of the details,” Brabson said. “Whether it’s working on your turns or working on your start, ultimately the last couple weeks of preparation is about getting the body rested and ready to go.” With thorough preparation under their belts, both the Yeowomen and Yeomen anticipated impressive results at the competition, an expectation turned reality as both squads recorded impressive individual and group performances throughout the tournament. One notable showing came on day two of the championships in the women’s 200-yard free relay when the team of junior Nora Cooper, first-year Elsa Mark-Ng and seniors Jill Sarazen and Samma Regan set a school record with a time of 1 minute, 39.27 seconds. Later in the day, sophomore Adam Winikoff would do his part for the Yeomen by setting a school record with a time of 21.01 seconds in the men’s 50-yard freestyle, which qualifed him for the B-Final. Winikoff acknowleged that breaking his previous 50-yard freestyle record had been a personal goal. “My strategy heading into the meet was to just go out as fast as I could and pray that my training was good enough,” Winikoff said.

There was no shortage of memorable moments on day three of the NCAC championships. The men’s 200-yard medley consisting of Winikoff, junior Nils Gudbranson and first-years David Bright and Jacques Forbes, set a school record with a time of 1:35.69. Forbes had another impressive performance later in the day when he finished first in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 55.37. On day four of the championships, junior Kathleen Falk qualified for the A-final in the two hundred backstroke with a time of 2:08.18. She would be the lone member of both the men’s and women’s swimming teams to qualify for an A-final. Despite both squads turning out some of their best performances at the championships, stiff

competition ensured that Yeowomen finished fifth overall, and the Yeomen concluded the conference competition at ninth. Head Coach Brabson had nothing but high praise for his team’s efforts over the weekend. “Adam Winikoff had a great meet,” Brabson Said. “On the women’s side, Oriene Shiel and Kathleen Falk both dropped a lot of time and had some pretty huge performances, placing in the top nine in the conference.” Oberlin swimming and diving concludes its regular season Saturday at 1 p.m. when they travel to Gambier, Ohio, to compete in Kenyon College’s Fast Chance Invitational for a chance to qualify for NCAA competition.

NBA in Golden Limbo Randy Ollie Sports Editor As another NBA trade deadline came and went on Thursday, the NBA rosters officially cemented for the rest of the season. Barring a few possible exceptions, teams will remain virtually the same until after the NBA Championship this summer, when trades become legal by league guidelines once more and teams look to bolster their talent and productivity for the upcoming season. In past years the trade deadline has commonly been associated with blockbuster deals in which franchise players are exchanged between teams, usually to help fulfill championship aspirations or to serve as building blocks for future success. However, this deadline was devoid of any such transactions, a testament to both its insignificance as well as the current hierarchy of the NBA. One can’t help but wonder whether the Golden State Warriors’ current league dominance had anything to do in the lack of front office initiative to shake things up. With a historic record of 48–4 under their belt, the Warriors look poised to break the 1995–1996 Chicago Bulls’ all-time league record of finishing a season 72–10. Stacked to the brim with talent, the Warriors have four franchisecaliber players who would each star on any roster across the league. Scarily enough, the prolific scorer and reigning 2014–2015 NBA MVP Stephen Curry is the thirdhighest paid of the quartet, behind the max contracts of shooting guard Klay Thompson and twoway superstar Draymond Green. If Harrison Barnes See Editorial, page 15

Oriene Shiel vaults off the platform in the 400-yard individual medley. Shiel finished the B-Finals with a time of 4 minutes, 45.20 seconds, contributing to a fifth-place finish overall for the Yeowomen in the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships last week. Photo courtesy of Erik Andrews