October 12, 2018

The Oberlin Review October 12, 2018

established 1874

Volume 147, Number 6

Oberlin Prepares for Re-accreditation Amber Scherer

Students occupy Senator Rob Portman’s office to prostest against the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

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Photo by Mitch Mitchell-Israel

Students Rally Against Kavanaugh Gabby Greene News Editor Editor’s Note: This article contains mention of sexual assault.

Oberlin students rallied in Cleveland in a series of protests against the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court last week.

The demonstrations began Thursday, Oct. 4 with a sit-in at Senator Rob Portman’s Cleveland office, and ended with a march through downtown Cleveland Saturday, hours before Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

“It would be a complete atrocity and a perversion of the justice system in the United States if Kavanaugh — when Kavanaugh gets elected,” College sophomore Mitch Mitchell-Israel said Thursday. “I’m a bit more cynical of it now than I think I should be, but he lied to Congress, he’s a likely rapist, and he frankly doesn’t have the character to be on the Supreme Court.

I think having him on the Supreme Court would not only be a insult to the American people but a degradation of the institution itself.”

Controversy over Kavanaugh’s nomination spiked after an anonymous source leaked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein in which Ford alleged that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when the two were in high school.

Following Ford’s allegations, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick came forward to accuse Kavanaugh of sexu-

al misconduct as well. Protestors at the Thursday and Saturday demonstrations expressed support for survivors of sexual abuse and disdain for Kavanaugh’s views on abortion.

“We need to keep rapists and domestic terrorists out of the Supreme Court,” protester Mo Mzik said. “We need to represent people, and not corporations.”

Mzik is a member of the Cleveland Democratic Socialists of America, an organization that strives to limit the power of corporations. DSA Cleveland led the Thursday sit-in as part of the group’s #CancelKavanaugh demonstration. The goal of the protest was to raise awareness rather than change minds.

“It’s [the protest] calling attention to the elephant in the room, and knowing it’s not going away,” Mzik said.

Portman is vocal about his support of Kavanaugh, having worked with him at the White House during the Bush administration. Regarding the sexual assault allegations, Portman stated that Kavanaugh was unjustly accused.

Oberlin Student Progressive Front, a student-led activism initiative that began this semester, joined DSA Cleveland to occupy Senator Portman’s office. Members of Oberlin SPF organized a phone bank the week prior to the protest, calling on senators to oppose Kavanaugh’s nomination.

SPF member and College first-yearFaith Ward protested to communicate her disbelief of Kavanaugh’s innocence.

“Right now, we have a Supreme Court Justice who’s nominated, who has been accused of sexual assault, and I would personally prefer if a predator was not in the highest court of the land for the rest of his life,” Ward said.

Students like College first-year Mark Sheehan disapprove of Kavanaugh’s policies as well as his actions.

“I have been disgusted by everything I’ve seen with Kavanaugh, including his history of sexual assault, his complicity with U.S. war crimes at Guantanamo Bay, his dismal record on environmental issues and reproductive rights, and his decision to repeatedly lie under oath,” Sheehan said.

Oberlin students entered the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building Thursday after 4 p.m. and were met with barriers while trying to visit Portman’s office. “[Security] kind of tried to bottleneck us a little bit,” Mitchell-Israel said. “First at security, they wouldn’t let people in for a while, being very slow. And once we got upstairs, they tried to stop people at the hallway so that they couldn’t actually go to the office to sit in there, but eventually we got everyone in to occupy, and it’s a really tiny office.” Most students could not enter the office, and chose instead to sit in the hallway.

Once admitted into Portman’s office, demonstrators asked staffers to call Portman about his support of Kavanaugh. Staff refused to comply.

“There was this one woman who we talked to for a very long time, and she expressed repeatedly the senti-

Oberlin College and Conservatory will be evaluated for re-accreditation on Oct. 15 and 16 to determine if the education provided by the College meets both internal goals and quality levels set by the U.S. Department of Education. This will be the College’s first evaluation in 10 years.

The federal government appoints accrediting agencies to oversee colleges and universities in different regions. Oberlin College’s regional agency is the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a Chicago-based organization entrusted with accrediting collegiate institutions from Ohio’s eastern border all the way to New Mexico.

According to Conservatory Dean Bill Quillen, re-accreditation is a “a peer-driven process.”

Accreditors are fellow academics who decide upon the institutional integrity of the school they evaluate.

The accreditors are Calvin College’s Dean for Academic Administration, Emeritus Dr. Michael Stob; Dean Dr. Najiba Benabess of Millikin University; Dr. Brian Ernsting, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Wartburg College; Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Mountwest Community and Technical College Dr. Harry Faulk; and Dr. Donald Bowyer, Dean of the Schools of Arts at Sunway University in Malaysia.

Though the HLC is not a federal agency itself, the organization is recognized by the U.S. government and given authority to determine accreditation. HLC states that its regional schools must fulfill specific criteria.

“Oberlin has to affirm and demonstrate how it fulfills the five criteria,” Dean Quillen said.

“Mission; Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct; Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support; Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement; and Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness.”

The College compiled a document known as the Assurance Argument in preparation for the evaluation. This 35,000-word document outlines Oberlin’s compliance to the five pillars as mandated by the HLC. Though similar in focus and timing, the accreditation process is a separate evaluation from those of the Academic and Administrative Program Review Steering Committee. Whereas the AAPR investigation is an internal process, accreditation is external. If successful, the accreditation process will ensure access to federal financial aid for both the College and its students.

Compiling the Assurance Argument has been a year-long, campus-wide effort. Members of Student IT, Student Life, the academic departments, Admissions, and Communications have all contributed information to the document, according to Ross Peacock at the Office of Institutional Research.

Specifically, as stated by Dean Quillen, they have been “gathering information, talking to individuals, gathering prose, talking to all kinds of people across campus.”

Based on the quality of Oberlin’s assessment, the accreditors will reach one of three conclusions: the College meets or exceeds expectations, and

See Protestors, page 4

See College, page 4

CONTENTS NEWS

OPINIONS

THIS WEEK

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

02 Local Scholarship Honors Founder Ruby N. Jones

05 Whose Land Are We On?

08 Dating In Oberlin Without Spending Money

10 Kishi Bashi Duo to Play at Cat in the Cream

15 Remembering an Oberlin Legend: Joe Johnson

11 One Last Time: Spice Lo Performs at Oberlin

16 Power Panel Celebrates Women Success

03 Local Candidates Meet with Oberlin Voters

06 Speak Up, Support Survivors, Vote in November

The Oberlin Review | October 12, 2018

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Local Scholarship Honors Founder Ruby N. Jones Jenna Gyimesi News Editor The Oberlin Community Youth Scholarship Fund recently changed its name to the Ruby N. Jones Community Scholarship Fund to honor its founder, who passed away in January of this year. The scholarship has been providing funds to make higher education more accessible for students from Oberlin for 20 years, raising over $200,000. According to the Chair of the scholarship board, the fund has awarded 43 scholarships and currently supports 16 students.

Ruby Jones, better known as Ms. Ruby, worked in the Oberlin Public School system for 25 years as a teaching aide. Jones received the Distinguished Community Service Award at Oberlin College Commencement in 2003 and the Sojourner Truth Award from the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club in recognition of her community service.

“She helped where help was needed, wherever it was needed,” board member and Oberlin Manager of Academic Operations Maggie Robinson said. “She impacted hundreds of students’ lives in a quiet and graceful way.”

Jones founded the scholarship with a vision to create a financial support system and community network for students who may be unable to access higher education without such support.

“Jones did not think of this as an individual endeavor on her part, as much as it was a community effort,” said Del Mason, chair of the scholarship board.

A.G. Miller, scholarship board member and Religion professor, added, “She would say, ‘it’s not about me, it’s about the community.’”

Board members hope that Jones’ dedication to the betterment of the Oberlin community will live on through this fund.

“She devoted her life’s work to her students, and their dreams of going to college became her dream too,” board member and Vice President for Communications Ben Jones wrote in an email to the Review.

“She created the scholarship in 1998 to encourage the entire Oberlin community to come together to support those dreams, and hundreds of Oberlin residents now contribute to the fund annually.”

Recipients of the award believe that this fund has strengthened the community and has offered local students increased educational opportunities.

“For me, [this fund] has really changed my perception of community support,” said award recipient Kailey Vilyus. “Students pursuing academics can feel isolated. To have members of the community support me, and ask me about how I am doing financially and academically meant a lot.”

Vilyus, a psychology major, obtained an associate degree from Cleveland State University earlier this year. Henry Smith, another recipient, echoed Vilyus’ sentiments.

Smith recently graduated from Hiram College, where he studied finance.

“It gave me the finances that I was looking for,” Smith said. “I didn’t have to stress to come up with the money. I know a couple of other people who benefited in the community. It really helped out and al-

lowed me to continue my education.”

Scholarships are awarded to recipients based on need and drive. The recipients are often not students at the top of the class, but students who demonstrate potential.

“Many of them will tell you that they started their freshman year with poor grades and then something happened that made them realize ‘Hey! Wait a minute, I may want to do something with my life.’

You see this turn,” Miller said. “These are the students that Ms. Ruby felt were the most deserving and needed the support from the community.”

Board members seek recipients who show improvement and academic dedication.

“We look for students who have shown an upward trajectory in their grades over time, who have a palpable desire to continue their education, and who demonstrate the drive and commitment needed to be successful in college and to graduate,” wrote Ben Jones in an email to the Review.

Robinson is one of the board members tasked with interviewing applicants. She noted the challenge the board faces in selecting award winners.

“All of these students are so worthy of this scholarship,” Robinson said. “They are all so awesome. Especially once you hear their plans for their future, and see their curve of improvement in high school. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to make this selection.”

In order to continue to support and encourage higher education in Oberlin, the fund relies on donations from residents.

“The support of our community is our

principal source [for funding],” Mason said.

Members of the College and several student organizations have contributed to the Ruby N. Jones Community Scholarship Fund.

“Some money has been given to us from the bookstore, from various student groups on campus, the President’s Office, and occasionally from the co-ops,” Miller said.

In the past, the fund also received proceeds from “Colors of Rhythm,” an event sponsored by the Multicultural Resource Center.

The scholarship fund memorializes Jones’ legacy and continues to strengthen the Oberlin Community.

“She was one of those people who just had an aura, a life force that was so positive and so determined — very humble, very warm, and able to get people to listen to the angels in their nature,” said Ferd Protzman, board member and Oberlin Chief of Staff. “[She would inspire people to ask,] ‘why wouldn’t I want to help Oberlin’s young people?’”

Jones was highly regarded by neighbors, students, and colleagues.

“She was a very capable and a modest person,” Mason said. “She was not a highprofile position in the school, but worked in a capacity that put her in contact with a lot of the students.”

Awardees currently get $6,000 spread over the course of their studies. These funds can be used for tuition, books, or various other expenses. This year, the fund awarded five recepients.

UndocuWeek Promotes Awareness Roman Broszkowski Senior Staff Writer UndocuWeek strives to raise awareness and increase community engagement with issues faced by undocumented students.

The Multicultural Resource Center and Obies for Undocumented Inclusion have sponsored a series of events and lectures from Oct. 7–13 that unite Obies in efforts to support undocumented students.

Student immigration activists are concluding this year’s UndocuWeek this Saturday, Oct. 13 with a 5K Dream Run. Proceeds will go to the Undocumented Student Scholarship Fund, a critical resource for undocumented students on campus.

Organizers hope that this year’s events appeal to a wider range of students than UndocuWeek reached in past years.

“We wanted to do something different to raise awareness,”

College senior Jesus Martínez said. “ I’m looking forward to the 5K.” The race will also be used as an educational opportunity; participants will learn about undocumented student issues while directly supporting those on Oberlin’s campus.

“Markers are going to be placed along the race with statistics about undocumented student life,” OUI co-chair and College junior Dulce Cedillo said.

The Undocumented Scholarship Fund, which the College endowed in spring 2016, supports students in a variety of ways.

“The fund is used for all sorts of things,” said Libni López, program coordinator for undocumented initiatives. “Students use it to pay [for] tuition, transportation, or any other emergency needs.”

Although the fund helps many students on campus, activists are

The Oberlin R eview October 12, 2018 Volume 147, Number 6 (ISSN 297–256) Published by the students of Oberlin College every Friday during the fall and spring semesters, except holidays and examination periods. Advertising rates: $18 per column inch.

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Editors-in-Chief

concerned about potential budget cuts and the College’s financial situation. Fundraising efforts are still necessary to maintain resources for undocumented students even though the fund is financed by the College every year.

The scholarship fund is unable to alleviate all of the financial burdens placed on many undocumented students, and many undocumented students lack access to affordable education.

“Undocumented students are ineligible for Free Application for Federal Student Aid,” added programming associate for the MRC and College first-year Nasirah Fair.

In addition to not being able to travel abroad, undocumented students in Oberlin face difficulties with domestic travel. The city lies within 100 miles of the U.S.Canada border and within the jurisdiction of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which

Sydney Allen Nathan Carpenter Managing Editor Ananya Gupta News Editors Gabby Greene

Jenna Gyimesi Opinions Editor Jackie Brant Cont. Opinions Editor Luce Nguyen This Week Editor Mikaela Fishman Arts Editors Kate Fishman

Katie Lucey Sports Editors Alexis Dill

Ify Ezimora Photo Editors Mallika Pandey Maria Turner

Layout Editors

College senior Le’Priya White participates in Call Your Rep Day, an UndocuWeek event meant to encourage local representatives to adopt policies supportive of undocumented immigrants. Photo by Maria Turner, Photo Editor

sometimes conducts raids on interstate buses.

“Oberlin identifies as a sanctuary city [and limits its cooperation with federal immigration authorities], but it can only do that to a certain extent,” Fair said. “The city can’t stop federal patrols from targeting folks in the area.”

Oberlin’s proximity to the highway increases the likelihood of state police patrols passing

Anya Pearl Spector Tori Fisher Lila Michaels Lillian Jones Business Manager Jared Steinberg Ads Manager Jabree Hason Web Manager Mikaela Fishman Production Manager Giselle Glaspie Production Staff Olive Hwang Lior Krancer Leo Lasdun Courtney Loeb Devyn Malouf Katherine MacPhail Madi Mettenburg Annie Schoonover

through the city. Additionally, there was no established protocol for a potential detention when Oberlin students traveled for the recent Connect Cleveland event.

UndocuWeek organizers see the event as part of a larger movement for immigrant rights.

“Such a big issue, like immigration, can’t be constrained to just one group,” Martínez said.

“It is a catalyst for solidarity.”

Corrections: The Review is not aware of any corrections this week.

To submit a correction, email managingeditor@ oberlinreview.org.

Local Candidates Meet with Oberlin Voters

Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018

Anisa Curry Vietze Ten local candidates answered questions from community members at Community Candidate Night on Tuesday, Oct. 2. The event was organized

by Oberlin’s League of Women Voters chapter, and encouraged residents to interact with candidates and learn about their platforms. Candidates for Ohio State Senate, Ohio House of Representatives, local judges, county commissioners office, and the county auditor’s office were in attendance.

Republican State Senator Gayle L. Manning currently represents Oberlin in Ohio Senate District 13, but has reached her term limit. In her place, Manning’s son Nathan is running against Democrat Sharon Sweda.

“I feel I bring a unique perspective because I’ve spent my life helping the underdog,” Sweda said. “My life’s work has been building communities, helping to restore broken communities. I know what keeps people up at night.”

Sweda added that her priorities include affordable healthcare, a sustainable economy, and immigration reform.

Libertarian Homer Taft is challenging both Sweda and Manning.

“I’m running as a Libertarian because Libertarians are back on the ballot after many years of being pushed off,” Taft said.

“I’m running because I believe in you, a lot more than I believe in government.”

Democrat Dan Ramos has served District 56, which include Oberlin, in the Ohio House of Representatives for nearly a decade. Democrat Joe Miller and Republican Rob Weber are running for his seat.

Miller mentioned his experience working as a teacher at Firelands High School in Oberlin and as a member of the Amherst City Council.

“I plan on approaching [The House of Representatives] the same way I approach education, teaching, and my fellow citizens — and that’s [with] an unbiased, open mind,” Miller said. “The very logical, approachable person that I am. I’m going to make sure we focus on good solutions, not political solutions.

We’re going to get policies that work for more people.”

3:17 a.m. Campus Safety officers were requested to assist an intoxicated student at a Goldsmith Village Housing Unit. The student was transported to the Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

10:18 p.m. Campus Safety and Oberlin Police officers responded to an intoxicated non-student at the entrance to the ’Sco. The individual believed he was at a downtown business and claimed he was looking for his brother. The individual was transported to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

John Miraldi, a judicial candidate, speaks with a community member at Community Candidates Night.

Maria Turner, Photo Editor

Miller spoke about the Nexus pipeline passing through the city of Oberlin and his passion for environmental sustainability.

“I was disheartened with the fact that we are still promoting the movement of fossil fuels, and the pipeline is a good example,” Miller said. “Of course you know what’s north of us — a lake — a clean water source, a source of wind, a source of current, a source of tourism.

We need to keep this area as clean and renewable energy-based as possible.”

If elected, Weber’s concern would be the economy, and the opioid epidemic.

He plans to support law enforcement and prioritize mental health services to combat the opioid crisis.

Incumbent Judge John Miraldi shares this concern over the impacts of addiction.

“I preside over and created the Lorain County recovery court,” Miraldi said. “It is a drug court that assists individuals who are addicted to opiods who become involved in the criminal justice system.

I’m the only judge in the general devotion to have three dockets. I don’t receive any additional compensation for that, but I saw the need.”

Miraldi’s opponent, Jenifer Berki Merrill, would be the second woman to serve on the county’s general division for Common Pleas if elected.

“I am running because I feel that I can make a difference,” Merrill said. “I feel

that I can bring a fresh, new perspective to the bench.”

The current Lorain County Commissioner, Democrat Matt Lundy, is running for re-election against Republican John Ciarrone.

“Two events got me involved in running for county commissioner, and both were in 2016, within weeks of each other,” Ciarrone explained. “One was President Trump’s victory. I know he’s not the most popular fellow, but you’ve got to love the story of the underdog.”

Two candidates have risen to the top in the race for the County Auditor’s office: Democratic incumbent Craig Snodgrass and Libertarian Mike Doran. During Candidate Night, Doran discussed the changes he wants to make in office.

“I’d like there to be more transparency as to the non-real estate part of the office,” he said.

Snodgrass responded with a quip, joking that Doran hadn’t done his research.

Snodgrass has been the County Auditor for nearly nearly six years and was a certified public Accountant before that.

“I’ve made public service my life; 24 years I’ve worked in government,” he said. “I love what I do. Love my office, love my job, and I love hearing from the people.”

Midterm elections will take place Nov. 6.

Library Renaming Caps Inauguration Mudd’s main library center has been renamed to honor renowned feminist and civil rights activist Mary Church Terrell, OC 1884. Terrell was a founding member of the National Association of Colored Women and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The renaming ceremony took place last Saturday, Oct. 6 as part of Oberlin President Carmen Twillie Ambar’s inauguration festivities. An exhibit honoring Terrell and her work is currently on display in Mudd library. In the coming months, visitors should expect to see redecoration and renovation in Mudd to accompany the name change.

Text by Sydney Allen, Editor-in-Chief

Photo Courtesy of the Oberlin College Archives

The Oberlin Review | October 12, 2018

Security Notebook

Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018

10:00 a.m. Officers and members of the Oberlin Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at the Heisman Club Field House. An anonymous person pushed a cart into the cover of a pull station, activating the alarm. The cover was replaced and alarm reset.

10:50 p.m. Officers were requested to assist an intoxicated student in the South Hall lobby. The Student was transported to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

11:13 p.m. Officers were requested to assist with two intoxicated students in the basement of Wilder Hall. An ambulance was requested and both students were transported to the Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

11:36 p.m. Officers were requested to meet with members of the Oberlin Police Department at East Hall to assist a student who had ingested unknown drugs and potentially had a sports injury from a match earlier in the day. The student was transported to the Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018

12:39 a.m. Officers were requested to assist an intoxicated student on the first floor of Barrows Hall. The student was unresponsive and an ambulance was requested. The student was transported to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

Monday, Oct. 8, 2018

11:46 a.m. Officers were requested at Mudd library to assist a student having chest pains. An ambulance was requested and the individual was transported to the Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

6:34 p.m. Officers responded to a report that a student was choking at Stevenson Dining Hall. Officers made contact with the student who requested transportation to Mercy Allen Hospital for treatment.

5:20 p.m. A student reported the theft of their phone while attending a party at an off-campus residence on Professor Street.

10:10 a.m. A student reported the theft of a black iPhone 7 from outside the squash courts at Philips gym. The phone was left unattended for a short period of time.

Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018

8:12 p.m. A student reported the theft of a wallet, brown in color and containing a debit card, driver’s license, and approximately $25 cash, from the concession stand area at Kahn Track. The wallet was left unattended for approximately an hour and a half.

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Protestors Occupy Senator’s Office Continued from page 1

ment that the best we could do would be to write down something, and to have her give it to him,” Mitchell-Israel said. “I think it’s a cop-out move on their part and I think it’s evident by the fact that so many students have written to Sen. Portman and have gotten no response, have seen no change in policy, or in his ideas that he talks about in his speeches at all.”

Approximately 20 students attempted to call Portman’s multiple offices. College senior Claudia Baker was the only to receive a response, speaking to a representative in Portman’s Washington, D.C. office after her third call.

“I tried to contact Senator Portman multiple times over the last year and a half, and he has never responded to any of my inquiries to his office,” Baker said.

The low success rate motivated many demonstrators to occupy the office.

“You can call your senators as many times as you want and send as many letters as you want, but I think a lot of people know that that just doesn’t get it done, you know, it’s not enough,” Ward said.

Other demonstrators do not believe protesting will be enough to affect change.

“Sadly, protests are nowhere near as successful as people think they will be, or as they should be,” College senior Lotte Brewer said. “I think one of the best things that comes out of protesting is that it’s bad press for the people in power, for the people you’re protesting.”

The sit-in ran 45 minutes past the office’s closing, at which point two police officers approached students, informing them that they needed to leave.

“Someone kind of kept asking, what are the consequences if we don’t leave, and they never directly said we would get arrested, but they kind of kept implying it,” Brewer said. “They said, ‘you’d be trespassing.’”

The police spoke with four students inside the office, notifying them that because Portman’s Cleveland office is located in a federal building, any trespassers would be charged with a federal crime, prompting protesters to disband. Ward was one of the four students police spoke with, and believed the students did the best they could to make a statement.

“I personally was not planning on getting arrested and getting a federal charge today; it wasn’t on my Google Calendar,” Ward said. “But at that point we figured that was the closest we were gonna get to getting escorted out, so we figured out, like, we should just call it.”

Hours before Kavanaugh’s confirmation Saturday, Brewer returned to downtown Cleveland along with Emma Davey, OC ’18, and College senior Emma Baker and junior Emma Bredthauer.

The four joined more than 100 protesters in the “No Justice, No Seat” rally organized by the Women’s March of Northeast Ohio. In attendance were local speakers Kenyona Sunny Matthews and State Representative Janine Boyd.

“The protest was pretty small, but the speakers that came were amazing and very powerful,” Baker said.

After Kavanaugh’s confirmation, the students who protested insisted that the midterm elections in November are the next opportunity to affect significant change.

OFF THE CUFF

Karen G. Fleming, Professor

Karen G. Fleming is a Biophysics Professor at Johns Hopkins University. She frequently speaks at universities across the nation about fostering a more supportive environment for women and people of color in the STEM fields. In recognition of her work, Fleming received an award from Johns Hopkins Diversity Leadership Council in 2015. Fleming visited Oberlin last Wednesday to present her talk, “#WeCanBeBetter: Bystander Intervention as a Tool for Achieving Equity in STEM,” which details how all people can work to make STEM more inclusive.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Gabby Greene, News Editor You focused a lot on personal responsibility and accountability in this talk. Why is the talk called “#WeCanBeBetter?” Why is the ‘we’ so important in that?

I think the ‘we’ is important because we are the STEM pipeline. We are all the lives and souls of universities.

We all have to make it better. Someone else is not going to make it better for us. We all need to do the work, from the president down to the undergraduate students.

How does harassment play into STEM? The gender, ethnic, and racial distributions of people in STEM are not representative of the population.

There is some kind of selection going on and it has to be inclusive.

Karen G. Fleming

What are the benefits of having a more inclusive and diverse group of people in research?

Companies have studied diversity, and diversity increases profit — so diversity should lead to better science or creativity, more diverse opinions, more applications. It’s not one gender or ethnic group that holds all of the ideas; there are ideas in all of us, and we all need to be part of it.

the urgency of the situation, and then you have to decide. If you decide that you need to do something, then there are ways to do it. You can ask a question, you can ask for clarification, you can repeat what was said with a different tone of voice. You have to find your own comfort level for every situation and how you want to intervene. You have to practice self-care, I guess, would be a way to put it.

What inspired you to give this talk?

I give a lot of talks on social psychology literature that discusses the challenges faced by women. Everyone wants to know how to be better — how do we solve this problem? So that’s why I have been trying to figure out ways to teach skills to be a better bystander, and that should help us all be better.

I know that you’ve been giving these talks for a while, but why do you think it’s important to have this conversation now?

I think for me, it’s important to have this conversation now because I’m in a position to do it. I think change needs to come from within the system. I am in the system. I’m in a privileged position in the system, and I want it to be better. I want the next generations to be evaluated on their merits without bias affecting them.

How would you be a better bystander in general?

So you have to notice, right? You have to interpret

College Evaluated on Institutional Integrity Continued from page 1

new accreditors will return in 10 years; there are some issues that need to be addressed, so accreditors will visit in five years; or the situation is dire and the HLC will give the school two years to address its issues. Oberlin has only ever received the first of the three results. Nonetheless, Oberlin’s current financial situation is a potential concern.

The Review received a summary of Oberlin’s Assurance Argument, spanning six pages. In the final section (“Resources, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness”), the document states, “As reflected in the FY 2017 audited financial statements, Oberlin College’s financial condition

continues to be very solid.” Despite the confident statement, concern over the College’s financial future circles the administration.

“Oberlin is, granted, in financial problem. We are trying to address them. Nor with controversy, but we are trying to address them. We have a plan,” Peacock said.

Vice President for Finance and Administration Rebecca VazquezSkillings could not be reached for comment.

Next week, accreditors will meet privately with Oberlin President Carmen Twillie Ambar, faculty, the Registrar, representatives from Financial Aid, the AAPR Steering Committee, Educational Plans and

Oberlin Community News Bulletin Cowspiracy Highlights Sustainability Problems The environmental documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret will screen at the Oberlin Public Library Oct. 15 at 5:30 p.m. free of charge. The film explores the impact of animal agriculture on sustainability and the environment. The documentary touches on issues of conservation, global warming, deforestation, water usage, and animal agriculture, and all are encouraged to attend.

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Oberlin Community Celebrates Dr. King Join Oberlin community members in festivities to honor and celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy with a memorial walk through Tappan Square at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14. Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize 54 years ago, in 1964. All are invited to gather at the Clark Bandstand in Tappan Square and walk together to The First Church in Oberlin, for a reflection by Rev. Otis Moss Jr. The program will feature a city-wide choir and an MLK actor.

Programs Committee within the Conservatory, and the Budget Team.

They will likely interview students.

All five accreditors will host three public forums. These are open to all students, faculty, and community members. According to a recent email from the Arts and Sciences Dean, “The First Forum is on Monday, Oct. 15 at 9:30-10:15 a.m. in Kulas Hall and will focus on Oberlin’s Mission and Integrity. The Second Forum is on Monday, Oct. 15 at 10:15-11 a.m. in Kulas Hall and will focus on Oberlin’s Teaching and Learning. The Third Forum is on Monday, Oct. 15 at 4:155 p.m. in King 106 and will focus on Oberlin’s Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness.”

James Ehnes Performs in Finney Grammy-award winning violinist James Ehnes will perform alongside pianist Andrew Armstrong this Sunday, Oct. 14 at 2:30 p.m. in Finney Chapel. Ehnes will perform using Oberlin’s newly-restored 1722 Stradivarius “exVallot” violin. This performance will be the first time the violin has been used in two decades. Attendees will hear four celebrated works played on the impressive instrument, including Maurice Ravel’s Violin Sonata No. 2.

Tickets are $35 for the public, $30 for seniors, military, Oberlin College staff, faculty, and alumni, and $10 for students.

OPINIONS October 12, 2018

Letters to the Editors

Students Should Vote in Local Elections

I was deeply disturbed by “Oberlin Students Must Evaluate Their Place in Local Elections” by Opinions Editor Jackie Brant (The Oberlin Review, Oct. 5, 2018). She makes the case that students should not vote in Ohio for the midterm elections because — as parttime Ohioans — we cannot possibly understand the stakes or feel the repercussions of our vote.

Brant illustrates her point in great detail using Issue 11, a complex education funding proposal that Oberlin residents and students can vote on this November, as a frame. Brant says Issue 11 is an example of how Oberlin students may overstep in the election, voting on a proposal that will not affect them but could be quite impactful to the full-time residents of Oberlin.

Should only the people directly affected by an issue vote on that issue? By this reasoning, people without children should not vote on school issues at all and people intending to move out of a location should have their voting rights restricted. Elections weren’t intended to so narrowly define eligible voters.

Everyone who resides in a location is affected by all the legislation in their jurisdiction.

If Brant had discussed nearly any other issue, the stakes of student voting here in Ohio for the midterms would be abundantly clear. The gubernatorial race will likely determine whether Oberlin students have access to legal, safe reproductive services, whether undocumented students or their families are at risk of deportation, whether our air and water is clean, whether marriage equality remains legal, whether affordable health care is accessible, and whether the leader of our state stands up to corporate malpractice or growing white supremacist groups.

The Senate race will determine a future Supreme Court seat, which party controls the Senate, and whether the president gets another chance to repeal Obamacare, give more tax breaks to the rich, and futher undermine democratic norms.

The congressional race will deter-

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mine whether Rep. Jim Jordan is held accountable for allegedly ignoring past sexual misconduct and trying to discredit survivors in recent months. Oberlin voters will help decide whether we continue to be represented by one of the most extreme Republican voices in a party filled with extremists. Jordan, if re-elected with a majority Republican House, is the most likely candidate for Speaker of the House, one of the most powerful positions in Washington.

The Ohio Secretary of State race will determine if voter suppression laws continue and whether student voting restrictions will remain in place.

Even Issue 11 will impact us. Will quality faculty come to Oberlin if there are higher taxes or if the school system is not adequate for their children?

It is true that many students will not be here in a couple of years, but the impacts of our votes will live on after us.

That is why we must vote not only to represent our own voice but those of future Obies. Our country now faces a critical test, with Ohio front and center in the battle for the soul of our nation.

That is why I will be voting in Ohio in the upcoming election and implore you to do so as well.

Ezra Andres-Tysch College Junior

Voting Difficult for Off-Campus Students If you are a student registered to vote in Ohio and are living off-campus, you might encounter some difficulty when voting at your precinct’s location if you can’t provide the proper identification.

Utility bills, bank statements, paychecks, and government documents are generally valid if they include the current street address where you are living (and registered) and are dated within the past year. If all your mail is directed to your OCMR number, then you have a problem. Please note that out-of-state driver’s licenses, passports, Oberlin College ID cards, leases, and Social Security cards are not adequate to receive a regular ballot. Students living off-campus See Letters, page 7

SUBMISSIONS POLICY

The Oberlin Review appreciates and welcomes letters to the editors and op-ed 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 that week’s issue. Letters may not exceed 600 words and op-eds may not exceed 800 words, except with consent of the Editorial Board.

All submissions must include contact information, with full names and any relevant titles, for all signers. All writers must individually confirm authorship on electronic submissions. The Review reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity, length, grammar, accuracy, strength of argument and in consultation with Review style. Editors will work with 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. Headlines are printed at the discretion of the Editorial Board. Opinions expressed in editorials, letters, op-eds, columns, cartoons or other Opinions pieces do not necessarily reflect those of the staff of the Review. 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 a contributor.

The Oberlin Review | October 12, 2018

Volume 147, Number 6

Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief

Sydney Allen

Nathan Carpenter

Managing Editor Ananya Gupta

Opinions Editors

Jackie Brant Luce Nguyen

Whose Land Are We On? The City of Oberlin celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day for the second time ever this Monday, after officially changing the holiday’s name from Columbus Day in 2017. Oberlin joins a growing number of cities around the country in rejecting dominant narratives of colonial expansion, instead choosing to recognize and remember the violence that Columbus and other settlers inflicted — and continue to inflict — on Indigenous peoples across North and South America.

We stand behind the City of Oberlin in changing the holiday’s name. We also view the change as an opportunity to further consider the histories of Indigenous communities who lived here before us.

A land acknowledgement is a conscious, historically-grounded statement about the histories of lands, peoples, and how they connect. There are many important moments for reflection on who lived on this land prior to our arrival — the week of Indigenous Peoples’ Day is particularly timely, so we now take the opportunity to acknowledge the history of the land now known as Oberlin.

Interestingly, while different historical clues have led scholars to some conclusions about the history of Ohio’s Indigenous communities, much remains unknown about the area’s inhabitants prior to European contact.

Living in the Vermilion River Watershed, edited by Professor of Biology Mary Garvin and John C. Reid Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Composition and English Jan Cooper, provides some insight. Specifically, this issue is covered in the chapter, “The First Settlers: Native Peoples of the Vermilion Watershed,” written by Brian Redmond, Curator and John Otis Hower Chair of Archaeology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Redmond broadly lays out Ohio’s population history, dating back about 13,000 years. He leans heavily on the findings of Ohio archaeologists who, over the past nearly 100 years, have discovered spear points distinctive to the area, indicating an early society largely dependent on hunting mammoths and mastodons. Later, fragments of clay cooking pots dating back about 3,000 years were found along the Vermillion River, indicating a transforming social lifestyle.

For thousands of years, communities lived in relative prosperity in northern Ohio.

However, historical evidence suggests that most Indigenous populations had left the region by about 400 years ago. Scholars hypothesize that these departures were at least partially due to conflict with Iroquoian-speaking groups to the northeast, who sought to gain dominance over competitors in the growing trade of beaver pelts with the Europeans.

Because this departure came prior to significant European presence in Ohio, not much is known about the communities who left. For about 100 years, beginning in the mid-17th century, northern Ohio is believed to have been relatively devoid of human presence. Then, in the mid-18th century, Indigenous communities returned to the Vermilion Watershed — most notably the Wyandotte and Ottawa tribes, according to Redmond.

Similarly to Ohio’s original Native populations, the Wyandotte and Ottawa had been driven from their homes at Lake Huron’s basin due to mid-17th century conflict, arriving in northern Ohio roughly a century later — around the same time Europeans had arrived to the area. By the early 19th century, however, both tribes had largely left the area.

While Redmond doesn’t provide much detail about why the tribes left, it’s important to recognize that they did so around the same time Rev. John J. Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart founded the Oberlin Collegiate Institute, now known as Oberlin College and Conservatory.

Shipherd and Stewart were both disaffected by dominant culture on the Western frontier.

They sought a new space in which to bring their vision of learning, labor, and religious commitment — inspired by pastor John F. Oberlin — to life. They settled in Oberlin, the land recently vacated by the Wyandotte and the Ottawa, which had previously been occupied by Native peoples for more than 100 centuries.

By all accounts, Oberlin is a place that has done much to uphold and promote social justice and equity. Why, then, is it important to acknowledge that this land — like all land in the United States — is not originally ours, and that we, its current residents, unfairly benefit from the histories of those who we displaced? What bearing does this have on our lives today?

In short, thinking about these things is important because, without doing so, we don’t have a shot at making things better going forward. Ignoring our history means ignoring the impacts of colonization and how that process paved the way for Oberlin College, the institution we all care so deeply about.

So, this week and in the weeks to come, consider the traditional caretakers of this land — particularly in the context of the latest UN climate report, which further illuminates the extent to which our social and economic ideals have created an unsustainable world.

It’s a small gesture, especially in scale of the violence committed against Indigenous communities in this country. But it is an important one nonetheless — and one that makes good on Oberlin’s historical and present commitment to social justice. As we celebrate all that Oberlin has to offer, we must do so with those who we displaced in mind, or we risk remembering only part of our history.

Editorials are the responsibility of the Review Editorial Board — the Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editor, and Opinions Editors — and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the Review.

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Opi n ions

Speak Up, Support Survivors, Vote in November Ilana Foggle Columnist Leading up to the midterm elections, Ilana Foggle will be writing articles for the Review about local candidates and issues to increase awareness of Oberlin and Ohio politics.

Editor’s Note: This article contains mention of sexual assault, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, and victim-shaming.

Meet Jim Jordan.

Republican Jim Jordan has been the representative for Ohio’s 4th Congressional District since his election in 2006. In 2015, Jim Jordan founded the House Freedom Caucus, a group of the most active conservative and libertarian members of Congress. Since his election, Jim Jordan has voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and funding enforcement of equal pay for women. He has voted to restrict and ban legal abortions, to restrict birth control and limit women’s healthcare services, and defund Planned Parenthood.

Recently, Rep. Jordan has been accused of willfully ignoring claims of sexual abuse at Ohio State University, where he served as assistant wrestling coach. Former wrestlers at the university claim that Jordan knew about sexual abuse perpetrated by team doctor Richard Strauss, which he failed to report. Should Jim Jordan be re-elected

this November, he will be a major contender for Speaker of the House, the most powerful member of the House of Representatives and third in line for the United States Presidency.

Meet Janet Garrett.

Oberlin native and Democratic candidate Janet Garrett is running to take Jim Jordan’s seat in Ohio’s 4th Congressional District. She is a retired schoolteacher, former union president, mother, and survivor of domestic abuse. In light of the allegations against Jim Jordan, Brett Kavanaugh, and President Trump, Janet Garrett shared her own story of abuse. In her latest video, Janet Garrett describes the abuse that she endured at the hands of her ex-husband, because she wants other women to know “that this is something that goes on, and there is life after being in an abusive relationship.” She has found her voice, and other women “can find their voice too.” Janet Garrett proclaims that during a time when women are standing up to say “enough,” it is important now, more than ever, to stand up for what you believe in, and vote that way.

These past few weeks have been devastating, to say the least, for sexual abuse and assault survivors across the country. Women and men all around the world felt inspired by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s courageous public service and brave testimony. However, many survivors have had to relive their trauma due to Kavanaugh’s confirmation and the backlash that Dr. Ford and fellow survi-

vors have faced from politicians in Washington, D.C. and the President of the United States. During this time, supporting survivors is crucial. There are many ways to support those who have been affected by these recent events.

Reach out to your friends. Support and listen to those who need it. Show your support and solidarity on social media.

Protest. But most importantly, vote.

Allyship and activism come in many forms. As constituents of Ohio’s 4th Congressional District, we have the opportunity to support survivors on a national level. We have the opportunity to end the cycle of complacency toward assault that politicians in our country have displayed time and time again. We have the opportunity to remove Jordan from office — a man who has failed to report sexual assault and has continually demoralized women and survivors of abuse. We have the opportunity to vote for someone who was brave enough to stand up, share her story, and inspire women to find their voices. We have the opportunity to show Anita Hill, Monica Lewinsky, Dr. Ford, and survivors of harassment, assault, victim-shaming, and abuse across the country that they have been heard.

This is not about partisan politics. This is about taking a stand against sexual abuse in all forms. This is about saying “enough is enough.” On Nov. 6, you have the privilege, the right, and the duty to directly transform our country through the power of the polls. Speak up. Support survivors. Vote.

Oberlin Students Impact Local Politics UndocuWeek Seeks Progress Saul Kester Contributing Writer

Barbara Turnbull lights up when she talks about Democratic candidate Janet Garrett. The third-year Oberlin College student, a communications fellow for the Janet Garrett for Congress campaign, believes in her candidate. It’s why she does the work, advertising events and photos on social media, as well as canvassing and phone banking, to elect Democrats up and down the ballot for the upcoming Nov. 6 midterm election.

Conversely, Turnbull grimaces when she talks about Republican Jim Jordan, the incumbent Congressman for Ohio’s 4th congressional district, which includes Oberlin College. Jordan has been implicated in covering up sexual misconduct at Ohio State University in the 1980s, when he was working as an assistant coach for the university’s wrestling team.

Naturally, Turnbull finds it difficult to balance being a full-time student with her campaign work. But because of Jordan’s disgusting behavior and his harmful policies, she’s committed to replacing him.

“He founded the Freedom Caucus,” Turnbull said. “He’s as right-wing as they come … and he’s running for Speaker of the House now.”

Many Oberlin students work for Garrett’s campaign. She is a former union leader and retired school teacher who worked many years teaching young children in the Oberlin school system.

“She really knows the community,” Turnbull said. She and Garrett know that apathy among voters is high, but if they can unite the people dissatisfied with Jordan, then they have a path to victory. Garrett’s mottos express this drive: “People over Politics.”

Ken Harbaugh uses a similar slogan, “Country Over Party.” Harbaugh is running to represent Ohio’s 7th congressional district, which include cities such as Canton and North Ridgeville. Harbaugh is a former Navy pilot and disaster relief coordinator from Avon, Ohio. He founded and led Team Rubicon, which gives veterans work as natural disaster first responders and deploys them in emergency situations.

Ohio’s 7th is a heavily gerrymandered district that hasn’t seen Democratic representation in some time, but College junior Alec Perlow sees this election year as an opportunity.

Perlow is an organizing fellow for the Harbaugh campaign. He trains volunteers, canvasses in the community, and organizes phone banks for the campaign. He has

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been working for the campaign for over six months, and has gradually taken on more responsibilities. Harbaugh is running against incumbent Republican Bob Gibbs in a race that has gotten significant attention from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

One of the most admirable things Turnbull and Perlow do for the campaigns is also one of the most difficult: convincing non-voters to join their team of Democratic voters.

“I noticed a lot of these people have never been talked to [about political participation] before,” Perlow said. “This is the first time that anyone is knocking on their doors.”

Turnbull sees something similar happening with non-voters in the 4th District: People who are unhappy with the Republicans in office, but haven’t found ways to engage in politics in the past.

“They don’t necessarily know about Janet, but they know they don’t like Jim Jordan,” Turnbull said. In a district where there are almost twice as many independents as Republicans, the path towards victory is convincing these people — who may not be enthralled by the Democratic Party — to vote for Democrats.

That’s where Oberlin students come in.

These campaigns can only succeed if we assist them. I can’t pretend to believe that an electoral victory on Nov. 6 will solve all of the country’s problems. But I do believe that the United States will be better off with Garrett and Harbaugh in Congress. I do believe that their victories would be a step in the right direction. Most importantly, I know that these campaigns can only win if Oberlin students step up and knock on a lot of doors in the next month. That’s all I’m asking for: a few hours of volunteering in the next four weeks.

The Ken Harbaugh for Congress campaign meets for canvassing every Sunday in Wilder lobby at 2:30 p.m. If you want to canvass, you can contact Alec Perlow at aperlow@oberlin.edu. If you want to canvass but can’t do it on Sunday, Alec can help find a different time that works for you! If you’re interested in being a paid canvasser for the campaign, ask Alec Perlow for more information. If you want to volunteer with the Janet Garrett for Congress campaign, contact Marilee Marks, the Lorain County Democratic Party field organizer, at mmarks@ohiodems.org.

Garrett’s campaign is coordinating with the Ohio Democratic Party to canvass for Democrats throughout Ohio, including Sherrod Brown for Senate and Richard Cordray for Governor.

Graham Armknecht Contributing Writer

Whether it’s as small as a professor who won’t provide accomodations or as large as structural racism within the government, certain systems prevent people from succeeding. It’s often very difficult to reform these systems, and the people who attempt to are in for a Herculean task comparable to Oberlin’s current predicament.

Changing a system often takes months, years, or even decades. The average person will live about 75 years, which allows us only a few systemic changes within our lifetimes, assuming progress is always being made.

This week, Oberlin recognized UndocuWeek, an intentional time to think about the experience of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Immigration has been a pressing issue in recent years, particularly in light of President Donald Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric. Immigration in the United States is an incredibly complex issue, shaped by overlapping and often conflicting systems and institutions. UndocuWeek has sought to help community members understand these systems, which helps us move within them.

Because these systems take an incredibly long time to change, people will continue to suffer and be at risk in the meantime. Tens of thousands of people are deported every year, victims of the system. People trying to provide for their families are deported, women seeking asylum are deported, and even children brought into the U.S. before they have agency over themselves are deported.

Before coming to Oberlin, I lived all 18 years of my life in Phoenix, AZ — a border state where immigration is a pressing issue. While immigrants to the United States are diverse, my experiences of immigration revolve around Latinx immigrants because Arizona borders Mexico. The wisest piece of advice I received as an Arizona high school student was, “the complexity of the world needs to be taken into account.”

My school’s approach to discussing immigration recognized the complexity of the system at hand; since my school was only a few hours from the border, they would give us opportunities to travel

to Nogales, Mexico for a day, to volunteer for the Kino Border Initiative.

KBI serves three main purposes.

First, they reclothe recently deported immigrants. When they leave ICE detention centers, immigrants are given grey sweatpants and blue sweatshirts.

This uniform is easily recognizable, potentially making them cartel targets — an outcome KBI helps avoid. Next, KBI gives individuals something to eat. One time when I visited, the meal was a meat stew along with tortillas fresh from the market. Finally, KBI also runs a shelter for women seeking refuge, as they are especially targeted by the cartels.

KBI, largely run by volunteers, encouraged us to go outside of our comfort zones. With our limited Spanish vocabularies, my classmates and I would sit down at tables of recently deported immigrants and talk to them. Some would be bitter, some angry, some happy, some crestfallen — a wide variety of reactions.

In particular, I remember the story of a young man named Ricky. Ricky was brought to Orange County, CA, when he was two years old. He lived in the States for 18 years after that. He started his own family, with a wife and two little kids. Then, one night, he decided to walk home inebriated after a party and was pulled aside by the police for public intoxication.

Ricky had one small prior charge, so he was checked for documentation; he had none. He was then deported to Nogales. He lamented on being a man without a country — he’d grown up in the United States, but was seen as illegal and deported. Then, when he’d arrived in Mexico without knowing any Spanish, he was very obviously out of place.

Deportation deeply affects immigrants not just on a structural level, but on an individual level as well. And in simply being there to serve and listen, I learned more than I ever would from any news article. I now understand that these issues affect real people. It motivates me to bring these issues to the forefront, and I’m happy that we take UndocuWeek seriously at Oberlin.

However, we must realize that changes around complex issues like immigration take time, and sometimes the best thing to do is interact with affected individuals on a personal level. Changing the world can start with something as simple as changing one person’s day.

Letters To The Editors (cont.)

Continued from page 5

received an email Sept. 25 from the Dean of Students account with information about how to request a letter from State Rep. Dan Ramos that can function as sufficient identification.

If you have a problem providing the proper identification, then you might consider requesting an absentee ballot before the election instead of completing a provisional ballot at the polls. In Ohio, any registered voter may request such a ballot. Doing so is not difficult. Use your internet browser to go to loraincountyelections.com and click on “Print an Absentee Ballot Request Form” in the left column. You will then see a PDF document that you can print. It will take just a few minutes to complete the application and send it to the address shown at the bottom of the form. You may use the last four digits of your Social Security number for identification. Then, when you receive your ballot, mark your choices and send it back in the envelope provided for you.

Voting is a privilege of citizenship. Exercise this privilege in a way that is most convenient for you this election.

Kevin Weidenbaum Director of Client Services Emeritus

Group Forms to Oppose Issue 11 We represent a growing group of residents who believe that the proposed new Oberlin City Schools building (Issue 11) is not in the best interest of the community. We have established a group called Oberlin Concerned Citizens to collectively express our views.

If you are curious about our concerns and interested in alternative options to a new building, please visit oberlinconcernedcitizens.org.

Melissa Ballard Lorrie Chmura Debbi Walsh Joan Webster Members, Oberlin Concerned Citizens

Issue 11 Benefits All After years of study and debate, the local school board, to its credit, has finally put the bond issue on the ballot to start building a single-campus school designed to meet the needs of our small but special district. Despite careful stewardship over the last 50 years, we cannot further extend the health and life of the four school buildings we currently struggle to heat, cool, and maintain — all built at a time when there were about twice as many students, all sitting (often sweating) in rows upon rows of desks trying to hear the teacher, see the chalkboard, and follow along in the textbook.

Times change, and we must adapt. New teaching methods, pathways to learning, modern approaches to architecture, engineering, energy efficiency — a new building can enhance our ability to take advantage of all these.

We cannot ward off the law of diminishing returns any longer. The balance has shifted, and continuing to plow $150,000– 200,000 per year into maintenance at Eastwood Elementary School, Prospect Elementary School, Langston Middle School, and Oberlin High School is not fiscally prudent.

Fortunately, we don’t need to.

To educate Oberlin’s students, we need only half the space we now have. Renovate and consolidate instead? The board has already explored those options.

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, which recommends new construction when the cost to renovate a building is more than 66 percent of the cost to build new, recommends that we build new instead of renovate, and will provide a good portion in matching funds. Nexus Pipeline money — like it or not — will soon be there for the taking as well.

Our current four-building predicament means that the district is maintaining four libraries, four gymnasiums, four cafeterias, four kitchens, four parking lots, etc. The current buildings were not designed with adequate spaces for specialized services, grandparent readers, and tutors to work with

CARTOON OF THE WEEK

The Oberlin Review | October 12, 2018

students. There are few rooms or areas for small group work.

The buildings were not built with environmentally sound objectives and adequate electrical capacity for 21st-century needs.

The heating systems are old and inefficient — the school district had to close recently when the weather was excessively hot.

Issue 11’s consolidation plan envisions a Pre-K–5 building on land near the high school. When it’s completed, both Eastwood and Prospect schools would be closed and sold or demolished.

A second phase, beginning in about three years, would result in a 6–12 building attached to the previous building, resulting in one building holding all the grades in separate sections.

Building a new Pre-K–12 centralized campus is the wisest long-term solution, with district savings expected to reach $1.1 million per year. As with the steps already taken to realign the administrators, the superintendent and board will aim, as best they can, to sync the expected reduction in force with anticipated attrition among clerical, custodial, and cafeteria staff.

Not to mention all the inevitable benefits to students, teachers, property owners, community members, and the environment.

In exchange for a $133 per year tax increase on houses with a value of $100,000 or over, homeowners will likely see a more marketable home when it comes time to sell. Generations of students today and tomorrow will likely benefit from seeing more of the sun and more of each other in a safer, greener, more comfortable complex. Music, art, language, physical education teachers, IB coordinators, school nurses and counselors, plus resource officers, and community and College tutors can all spend more time in touch with our students instead of in transit getting from one building to the next.

Teachers will be able to collaborate more easily with each other, assemble students in flexible settings, and target lessons for those who are ready, regardless of what grade they are in.

Community members — even those without property or children — stand to benefit from an array of inviting spaces open to meeting the needs of various groups and gatherings after school and on the weekends,

Mikaela Fishman

plus the good vibe generated by a small, diverse town that values education. College students live here for a good part of the year — not to mention those who return or never leave — and in keeping with President Carmen Ambar’s “Good Neighbor” program, should engage with their neighbors by casting their vote on this issue. Right-minded voters of all ages should jump at the chance to vote yes on Issue 11.

Mary B. McKee Oberlin Resident

Unity, Cooperation, Community this Voting Season A week ago we celebrated the inauguration of Oberlin College’s 15th president, Carmen Twillie Ambar, the first Black and second female president.

She wasted little time in her acceptance speech to remind us that over 180 years ago when it was legal to own slaves, Oberlin College’s founding fathers voted to be the first college to admit both women and Blacks. While today we might think that the vote was an easy unanimous one just for men to do the right thing, President Ambar underscored the fact that the Board of Trustees was actually split, requiring the chairman — Finney at the time — to break the tie. Nevertheless, Oberlin College did do what history commanded, and we can boast of our College’s long and distinguished history and commitment to a more just world.

The question facing us now is what we must do so that those associated with Oberlin College, especially students, can assemble to celebrate 180 years from today. At first blush, we start with assets hardly imaginable 180 years ago — the abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, advances in medicine, space travel, the internet, etc. It may seem that we have found a panacea for a perfect life, the attainment of which would justify any celebration. But no matter what we have, tragedy can strike in a second for multiple reasons, either because of all the nuclear weapons nations possess or because we are about as split as a nation today as we were during President Lincoln’s era. Sadly, there is no panacea, but if there were, we do not seem unified enough to discuss what it is for each of us.

Panacea or not, we know that doing our best to be physically and emotionally healthy, to be caring, supportive, and respectful, and to be well-rounded educationally and artistically; these are the right steps to increase our chances of having a very good life. In its broadest sense, education was the ever-present

illumination of humankind from our earliest moments on this planet. The founding of colleges like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc. showed just how imbued the men of that era were with the absolute necessity of education to advance their causes of religion, much as the founders of Oberlin College were. Their best efforts were made to educate their children and to have colleges ready to further that education.

Oberlin College today is faced with a financial challenge like no other in the past 50 years. Our local schools too have their challenges. Both seem headed by a leadership team of experts, professors, and others gifted with the boldness, confidence, and ingenuity to maintain and surpass all past achievements. The strengths today are exactly those of all past generations — that our children be in schools and colleges. Never has our nation nor our world faced challenges anything like those we face today.

While religion was the primary reason so many of this country’s leaders in the 17th century and beyond stressed the importance of education, we must make it our highest priority for the sheer survival and prosperity of all humankind, whether or not we are moved principally by religion.

Oberlin College stands virtually alone as an institution seeking to advance the cause of social justice. For the past 50 years, programs offered by the College have been unsurpassed by their focus on supporting education, community involvement of College students, etc. Arguably, Oberlin College is one of the top schools among the more than 3,500 in America. In such a hotly politicized climate, where about half the nation is branded

by President Trump, Senate leader Mitch McConnell, House of Representatives leader Paul Ryan, and many others as “an angry mob,” we must remind ourselves and our students to fight to make America and the world greater than ever by championing the mantra of “let us agree to disagree” in manners and ways that unite and inspire us, and that we welcome to our campus those whose views we may reject.

We must be very wary of those advocating behaviors and strategies that undermine our focus on all the issues strongly supported whether we are conservatives, liberals, or independents. In the long run, nobody gains by divisiveness, offensiveness, and alienation. Intemperate language of the “mob” is dangerous, shameful, and evokes the haunting memories of what President Lincoln faced in the 19th century. Meanness must be rejected by our getting excited to vote next month, replacing it with compromise, cooperation, and calm continuity achieved by many small acts of togetherness.

Booker C. Peek Emeritus Associate Professor of Africana Studies

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STY king BAKE SOMETHING TA could embark on a ba u yo b, Ar e th to go ce enough to to bake If the weather isn’t ni u can use its kitchen yo p, -o co a in re u’ yo theart. If p or clean-up time). If project with your swee re l-p ea m t no s it’ as e two of you (as long ably something for just th Hall kitchens are prob n to ur (B n he tc ki rm you can use a do d velvet you’re not in a co-op, mantic, try baking a re ro ly al ci pe es be to t . If you wan the nicest on campus) shape of a heart. cake or cookies in the

GET MARRIED What better way to get to know a new beau than by planning a wedding? Scrounge up some fancy clothes from the free store, grab the nearest Conservatory student to play some wedding tunes, pick a venue (I suggest the bandstand in Tappan Square or the big lounge on the second floor of North Hall), and you’re good to go. Invite all of your friends, or at least the ones who don’t have too much work. Now go forth and get married, and don’t forget to take some pictures. You wouldn’t want to forget the single most important day of your life.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12 Oberlin College Folk Open Mic Night An opportunity to play folk music or listen to your friends play in the cozy living room of Keep Cottage. Sign up at goo.gl/forms/emtrswRI7y59CZZv2 or in person at the event.

Keep Cottage, 8–10 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12 – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14 Warm and Cozy Pajama Party Blues Workshop Internationally accredited blues dance instructor team Ruth and Mike are returning to Oberlin to teach a series of workshops.

Blues dancing is a form of social partner dancing generally done to blues or blues fusion music. There will be classes from 10 a.m.–3:10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, as well as dances from 9–11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights. All events are free for Oberlin students!

Wilder Main

CREATE A TOAD ARMY Nothing is more romantic than being in the Arb at night with your lover — except being in the Arb at night with your lover and an army of toads that will do as you command. Head to the Arb at dusk and search for toads along the bank of the pond. When you find enough, bring them to a central location, arm them, and train them to follow commands.

Then, march through the Arb with your lover and your toad army and slay enemies.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14 Consent 201 Workshop An in-depth follow-up workshop to the Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct trainings attended by all first-year students. Topics discussed will include hook-up culture, power dynamics, checking in with your partner, and boundaries.

Wilder Hall, room TBD, 2–3:45 p.m.

ooking for a way to spice up your love life? Are you r a way to impress your romantic interest? Try one r dates aren’t necessarily first dates and advanced or those in long-term relationships.

by Mikaela Fishman, This Week Editor DECORATE YOUR ROOM TOGETHER If you really want to ge t to know someone, try decorating one of your rooms togeth er. Whether or not th ey’re into Command hooks, how much thou ght they put into the spacing between posters, if they’re both ered by crooked paintin gs, or how much they plan their color sc heme will certainly pr ovide clues to their inner psyche. And if yo u want to be truly vuln erable, try letting them decorate your ro om. If you can escape that escapade with your relationship inta ct, you’re doing pretty well.

BIKE TO LAKE ER IE If you h ead nor thwest in Verm of Oberl ilion, a l in, you’l o l end up v ely town Erie. You on the e and you dge of L r date c walk on ake a n t ake a cl the bea i c ch, or at hé long the jetty least a s . It’s a lo h ort walk ng bike round tr down ride — a ip — but b o u t thirty the view worth it miles of the la . Be war k e makes i ned tho is flat, b t all ugh: You ut after m a y t 3 hink Oh 0 miles all the s io you real neaky in l y start no clines. ticing

MAKE A CROP CIRCLE What’s steamier than contemplating the presence of extraterrestrial beings? Nothing! Find a cornfield and a scythe with the person you love and cut down some corn stalks in the shape of a circle. Come back the next day and pretend to be surprised to see the crop circle, then tell stories about the aliens that you assume must have landed in the field the night before. For extra fun, tell the local press about your evidence of extraterrestrial activity.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17 Mindful Meditation in the Allen TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16 The Allen Memorial Art Museum and the Neighborhood Policy and Planning Issues in the Northeast Counseling Center are partnering to pilot this Ohio Asian Immigrant and Refugee Communities new program in which experienced meditation An opportunity to hear Michael Byun of ASIA Inc. and Joyce practitioners will facilitate mindful meditation Huang of MidTown Cleveland discuss the lives of local Asian inspired by art in the museum.

Please arrive five immigrants and refugees, as well as urban planning issues minutes early to stow bags and jackets.

Free and in Cleveland’s Asia Town. There will be an information open to students, faculty, and staff. session following the talk about internship opportunities Allen Memorial Art Museum, with these organizations.

East Gallery 12:30–1:15 p.m.

King Building, Room 239, 12:20–1:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18 Green Legacy Fall Talk: Stories of Peace Did you know trees that survived the bombing of Hiroshima are planted in Tappan Square?

Come learn their story through Japanese-style storytelling in this event sponsored by the Luce Initiative on Asian Studies and the Environment and Oberlin Friends of Green Legacy Hiroshima.

Memorial Arch, Tappan Square (Peters Hall, in the event of rain), 12:20–12:50 p.m.

A r t s & C u lt u r e

ARTS & CULTURE October 12, 2018

established 1874

Volume 147, Number 6

Pottery Co-Op Provides Welcoming Space to New Members

Members of the Pottery Co-Op sit at potters wheels. The co-op aims to be an inclusive space for students of all levels who want to learn how to create pottery.

Photo by Maria Tuner, Photo Editor

By Kate Fishman and Katie Lucey Arts & Culture Editors Watching potters work with clay is an almost hypnotic experience. They make the form look so easy, yet, they are creating a physical artifact that will exist in the world to be touched and used. Although clay seems to move effortlessly beneath expert fingers, for a novice, a piece can collapse into nothing but wet lumps.

Learning to work with ceramics can be intimidating. The skill is both artful and quite complicated, with different pottery styles and techniques requiring many unfamiliar tools and processes. For $30 a semester, though, Oberlin’s Pottery Co-op provides resources to students and community members who are dedicated to beginning or developing their craft.

“The [Pottery Co-op] is welcoming and inviting to people of all different skill levels,” wrote College ju-

nior Mecky Kuijpers, who was a member of the co-op during her first year, in an email to the Review.

Similar to dining and housing co-ops, the Pottery Co-op could not function without the support of its membership and student leaders. Within the co-op, a leadership committee organizes and oversees claymaking, firings, cleanings, and ExCo classes, among other tasks. Unlike housing and dining co-ops, members are only required to put in about five hours a semester for assigned maintenance tasks. They are also required to sign up for a two-hour cleaning shift when they renew their co-op membership.

“I learned to throw almost two years ago, during Winter Term of my sophomore year,” College senior Lulu Scherman wrote in an email to the Review. “It’s wild how quickly pottery has become a central element of my life both [inside] and outside of this town … I attribute that largely to the community I found at the Pottery Co-op.”

Scherman is the instructor of the Introductory Pottery ExCo, a course for people who have never worked with ceramics before. The entry-level class helps students learn the basics — how to use the wheel, create perfectly-centered pieces, and begin to conceptualize and execute their own works.

“They also learn what it takes to keep a pottery studio running — all the less glamorous but very essential dirty work,” Scherman explained.

The co-op also has opportunities for students looking for a challenge to expand their skills.

“The [Intermediate Pottery ExCo] is for students who have some experience with pottery, and feel pretty comfortable using the potters wheel,” wrote College senior and ExCo instructor Emma Dreyfuss in an email to the Review. “Students are therefore able to focus on making more conscious design choices and learning more complex forms like lidded jars or teapots.”

Scherman and Dreyfuss understand that the co-op can feel closed off at times, especially due to its limited space.

“We try to combat that inaccessibility, though, by offering office hours, during which anyone — students, faculty, and community members — can come in and learn to throw,” Scherman said. Office hours are held Monday from 1:00–2:00 p.m., Tuesdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m., Wednesdays from 12:00–1:00 p.m., Thursdays from 4:30–5:30 p.m., and Fridays from 1:30–2:30 p.m.

Dreyfuss emphasizes pottery’s capacity to improve mental health.

“I think that what makes pottery so important to me and many people who do it is the tactile, almost meditative aspect of working with clay,” she wrote. “It’s a very calming activity, but it also requires a lot of your focus, so it’s a very useful escape from anything stressful in your life.”

The co-op provides a place for people with similar artistic interests to work in each other’s company, but also has an outward focus. One of their communityoriented events is “Empty Bowls,” a holiday sale of beautiful ceramics pieces that directly benefits Oberlin Community Services. In addition to the sale, musicians and performers take to the stage to get in the spirit of the season.

“This year, we’re really trying to combat a feeling of exclusivity at the Pottery Co-op,” Scherman said. “It’s a space run by and for Oberlin students and community members.”

Kishi Bashi Duo to Play at Cat in the Cream Carson Dowhan Staff Writer

American singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter Kishi Bashi will perform at the Cat in the Cream this Saturday, Oct. 13.

He will be showcasing songs from his critically-acclaimed 2016 album Sonderlust, described as “frantic, unpredictable, digital, and danceable” by NPR. In an interview with Bandcamp, Bashi said Sonderlust “chronicles the life, death, and possible re-birth of a relationship.” The whimsicality behind the album title comes from John Koenig’s blog Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, the title of which captures the theme of the album perfectly.

His work takes an eclectic approach to the indie-rock genre, with noticeable inspirations from ’70s pop. Hints of influences behind Sonderlust range from Bill Withers to Pink Floyd, according to Spotify playlists of Bashi’s citing inspiration. Songs intertwine swaying strings in an electronic soundscape, carried by upbeat vocal melodies — the consistent pursuit of lighthearted playfulness characterizes Bashi’s discography.

Bashi’s show at the Cat will feature his signature live style of looping and sampling.

He will be joined by indie-folk band Tall

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Tall Trees. They have been friends since their days in New York as jazz musicians, and have performed with one another for several years. Unaccompanied by drums, the duo emphasizes rhythm on their own.

“It’s a fun show. We’ll be doing a lot of improvisation,” Bashi said. “In my live stuff, I do a lot of beatboxing and looping — it will be a completely different sound from the studio performances.”

Even minimalist productions like his Spotify single “The Only Living Boy in New York” continue this rhythmic trend, often sounding reminiscent of The Beatles.

The playfulness of his compositions downplays the deeper lyrical content, especially in tracks like “m’Lover.” “Did you mean to misinterpret images of our innocence/On vestiges of virtue/Would you feel pity for the masses/We were adding with scandals that we made together.”

This is one of many songs that benefit from being left on repeat, the meaning sinking in more each time. Beyond the lyrics, Bashi describes his work as “positive and quirky.” His instrumental compositions have scored major licensing deals — for example, his work was featured in the Netflix cartoon Hilda.

Bashi’s musical career is also unique — he dropped out of Cornell’s School of Engi-

neering to pursue film scoring at The Berklee College of Music, and later founded the electronic rock group Jupiter One. He broke off as a solo artist in 2011, supporting acts like Sondre Lerche, and opened for of Montreal during their 2012 tour. Since his first solo release of 151a in 2012, his albums have been met with overwhelmingly positive reviews.

While Bashi’s solo work remains his priority, he has also put on contests for fans — the current one is the “Honeybody Remix Competition,” in which fans are tasked with re-arranging his song “Honeybody” on splice.com using the song stems — audio files that split tracks into their different musical elements. Fans have already come forward with compositions that have entirely changed the flow of the song.

Between his most recent releases, Bashi has been composing and co-directing the documentary Omoiyari.

“It’s a film about World War II history and minority identity in this country and around the world,” Bashi said. The documentary follows his tour to incarceration sites around the country. “I’m improvising and writings songs around that — it’s been the focus of the last two years..

Organizers said it was a challenge to bring Bashi to Oberlin, considering his

popularity.

“He’s the biggest artist we’ve worked with yet,” said Hanne Williams-Baron, College senior and manager at the Cat in the Cream. “He has a very tight performance schedule, so there were many moving pieces to coordinate.” There was even some difficulty accommodating Bashi’s instrumentation: “We are still working on procuring a bass for the show,” she added. “There are particular specs they need, so it’s been tricky to figure out so far.”

Bashi’s style of music is different from what the Cat has hosted in the past.

“We love bringing strings to the Cat, and are excited to expand more into baroque pop territory,” Williams-Baron said.

“We are experimenting with the variety of groups on stage this semester, and hoping to show students all the different kinds of music they can dance to.”

Past experimental performances, like Ari Lennox, have filled the Cat to capacity, and this trend is sure to continue.

Kishi Bashi’s show at Oberlin will be a rare treat. Conservatory majors and musicminded students will appreciate Bashi’s blend of classical and jazz techniques and sounds, as well as his dynamic emphasis on improvisation with duo partner Tall Tall Trees.

One Last Time: Spice Lo Performs at Oberlin Photo Courtesy of Derek Mahone Text by Kate Fishman, Arts & Culture Editor

Last Saturday marked the final “Lo at the ’Sco” concert, and although College sophomore Derek Mahone — or as he is perhaps better known, Spice Lo — has been at Oberlin for just over a year, it feels like the end of an era. Described on his website as an independent “recording artist, engineer and producer,” Mahone has tremendous ambition. He’s released two albums as Spice Lo — I Can’t Relate: A Love Story and The Cabernet Facade — as well as an EP, Growth.

Most recently, Mahone’s ambition has led him to withdraw from Oberlin at the end of this semester.

He plans to move to Los Angeles in early 2019, where he’ll pursue his music career and continue his education in community college, eventually transitioning to a larger university. “[Los Angeles], that’s where you go to make it happen,” Mahone said. “It’s highly saturated with

the same type of people, but … I’m me, though. I’ve been doing this for a minute now, so I know that this is what I want to do. I’ve been morphing my environment to what it needed to be in order for my music to flourish, and [Los Angeles is] kind of a place where it’s already flourishing. As soon as I do a concert, somebody’s going to hear it and then somebody else is going to hear it, and it’s going to just flow around like that. … Plus [the perks of] the palm trees, and the beaches, and the nice weather.”

Currently, Mahone is working on a project called 8teen, chronicling his journey thus far (he’ll soon be turning 19). He’s also planning to launch a joint record label and clothing company called The Daily Drip. His eventual goals for this company include mentoring youth, which he’s done for about four years.

“I want to use my company to teach kids music in the future,” he explained.

For Mahone, everything started when he was a kid.

“My brother said I was playing piano and keyboard as early as like four, but I remember really delving into music and wanting to produce at around the age of seven,” Mahone said. “I would just be there every day on my computer, trying to look up different techniques and my favorite producers, watching videos for hours on end, watching little documentaries and stuff like that. I never really lost the love for it, and that kept me going through middle school, high school, and now.”

And as for what’s to come?

“I’m excited for the future,” he said.

Studio Art Majors Receive Career Advice with Pathways

Sara Krugman, OC ’09, returned to campus as part of the series Studio Art: Pathways from Classroom to Career, which aims to highlight the plethora of career options available to Art majors.

Photo Courtesy of Sara Krugman

Katie Lucey Arts & Culture Editor Majors in any artistic field are conditioned to defend their academic path to friends, relatives, and new acquaintances alike. Many are used to deflecting inevitable pointed questions such as, “Oh, so you’re an art major? What are you going to do with that?”

Pathways, a speaker series hosted by the Art department, challenges the antiquated trope of the “starving artist.”

By bringing together current art students and alumni in conversation, the series looks to showcase how an Oberlin art degree provides a plethora of possible career trajectories.

Sara Krugman, OC ’09, spoke last Monday to a room The Oberlin Review | October 12, 2018

of current and prospective Studio Art majors. Krugman pursued a path that integrated her interest in user experience design with her drive to improve the way medical devices are experienced by people with diabetes.

Professor of Studio Art, Installation, Sculpture, and Book Arts Nanette Yannuzzi described Krugman as someone who “rarely saw boundaries, only possibilities” during her time at Oberlin. Indeed, since graduating, Krugman has worked tirelessly to understand her own relationship with diabetes through art while pursuing professional design opportunities.

After attending the Copenhagen Institute for Interaction Design following her time

at Oberlin, Krugman began working within the healthcare industry to design products that resist the cold and clinical nature of data and instead create a more personal user experience. She has worked as a healthcare consultant, a user interface designer at a nonprofit that delivers open source software to people with diabetes, and a designer for various artificial pancreas projects.

“A lot of what gets addressed with diabetes care is logistics, and that’s not what’s in the way,” Krugman said during her talk. “It’s emotional, and physical, and psychological.”

Krugman’s experience with the exhaustion and trauma of living with type 1 diabetes form the basis of how she understands the potential for user experience design in the healthcare industry. Rather than subscribing to the metaphor of the body as machine, Krugman is more interested in the body as a system that interacts and responds to the externalities affecting it.

“My life is to be moved through, not figured out,” Krugman said.

The Pathways series provides an opportunity for students to engage with alumni who, at one point, struggled to identify what they wanted to do after Oberlin. Krugman expressed that life after grad-

uation is “scary and hard, but that’s OK.” The senior Studio Art students, despite being required to attend the event, were all highly engaged in the conversation. Several students asked questions about Krugman’s design work and how she maintains her artistic practice.

“We all were required to come, but it makes sense that I would come anyway,” said College senior Amanda Poorvu, a Studio Art major. “It’s giving a brief look on what’s possible after college.”

While Krugman gave credence to the fact that it is possible to make it in New York City as a visual artist, she personally decided that the so-called “starving artist” lifestyle wasn’t for her.

“For people that stay with [art] and can manage the variability of it, it does work,” she said.

Still, Krugman worried about how sustainable a career in studio art would be and felt drawn to design, where she could work directly with the healthcare industry to make meaningful change. When colleagues and fellow design school students encouraged her to move away from the diabetics niche, she pushed back.

Krugman has used design as a tool to understand the relationship between technology, feeling, and healthcare in all her different jobs. She wasn’t

afraid to take chances and pursue opportunities that would let her channel the creative problem-solving skills that she learned at Oberlin to make a real, effective change.

“Make decisions based on your values,” she said. “And if you don’t know what your values are, figure them out.”

In addition to providing timely wisdom to seniors graduating this spring, the event motivated new students to start thinking about what they want out of their time at Oberlin.

“I thought this would be a really good way to not be so overwhelmed about everything,” said College first-year Grace Kirk, a prospective Studio Art major. “[For example,] not second-guessing myself about being a Studio Art major.”

Ultimately, Pathways provides a window into what it means to be a creative professional, and an Oberlin-educated one at that. Needless to say, the series will have a substantial impact on students who may seem a bit unsure of the artistic landscape that defines their future.

“I think going to [the speaker series] is also beneficial because every person [who] comes is completely different,” Poorvu said. “Knowing that there are a bunch of options after graduation is reassuring.”

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A r t s & C u lt u r e ON THE RECORD

Chanda Feldman, Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Chanda Feldman read her original poetry during the Allen Memorial Art Museum’s Tuesday Tea series this week. Some of her poems were directly inspired by a multimedia exhibit currently on display in the Ripin Gallery, Radically Ordinary: Scenes from Black Life in America since 1968. Feldman has been teaching at Oberlin since the fall of 2017. This year, she was one of two professors in the department to be offered a coveted tenure-track position (alongside Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Emily Barton).

Feldman specializes in poetry, and she has received awards and fellowships from prestigious organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Sustainable Arts Foundation, among others. She was a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, and has previously taught at Cornell University. She is also a manuscript reader for The Virginia Quarterly Review. While Feldman has been published in numerous journals, she released her first full-length poetry collection, Approaching the Fields, last February.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Kate Fishman Arts & Culture Editor

Chanda Feldman

Photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz

Approaching The Fields was released in February. What has it been like to have that done and out in the world?

It’s been a really wonderful experience. I’ve done a lot of readings for it, and so I guess the best part is that I get to see immediate responses to the work. People come and talk to me after I read, and they tell me their stories that intersect with stories in the poems. So that’s been really wonderful. That’s probably been the major highlight of publishing a book.

What have you been working on since Approaching the Fields was published?

There are so many artworks in the Radically Ordinary exhibit that I felt really drawn to, so I wrote a couple of poems in response to images in the exhibit.

There are more that I would like to write poems for, so I think I’m going to continue working on ekphrastic poems [or poems based on visual art] for a little while. I’m teaching a documentary poetics class this semester, and I’m also figuring out ways that I can incorporate actual documents into my poems.

Can you explain what documentary poetics is?

Documentary poetics is a mode of writing poetry in which you bring evidence into the poems. And that evidence can take many forms: from oral ethnographic accounts — oral stories coming into a poem, [perhaps] those that usually get left out of the dominant culture’s narrative of history — to legal documents. There’s a really wonderful book by the poet Layli Long Soldier called [WHEREAS: Poems] where she takes up a speech [by President Obama] … she takes up those words, and it’s an apology offered to Native Americans and then interacts with this kind of

COMIC

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official American document and shows how it doesn’t match up to the needs of that community, how it falls short in actually being a genuine way of communicating. … Overall, the genre — some people refer to it as a genre [and] some people say that it’s not really a genre, it’s a mode of poetry — is just one aspect of what poetry can do, [and that is] provide an alternative history in the form of a poem. By doing that, it’s allowed to sort of reach into the world of the objective and the journalistic, perhaps. But it can also provide feeling and emotional and personal response and kind of use both of those together to give a fuller experience to what’s actually happening around us.

What are you excited about right now in poetry? Any specific works or poets?

There are a lot of things that I’m excited about. One is this book by Daniel Borzutzky called Lake Michigan. It [mixes]documentary poetics and persona poetry [and responds] to Black Lives Matter and [other] protests, embodying what it would be like to be in those protests and standing up for one’s humanity. There’s a really wonderful book by the poet Rickey Laurentiis called Boy with Thorn. Overall, the project talks about ekphrastic work, but also poems about the Black experience — and those also appear in the ekphrastic work. [There are also] some lovely long poems in the book, and I just find the kind of mix of lyric in his work and this kind of radical politics that gets embodied in the form of the ekphrastic poem just really powerful.

Do you have any favorite particular works or genres to teach? What things are you particularly hoping to impart in classes?

I mostly teach poetry at Oberlin, and in my classes I generally try to teach a range of poetry. I’m interested in teaching some classic poetry that I respond to, but I’m also interested in exposing students to contemporary works so that they can see how poetry is operating right now. In any class I teach, I try to put in poems by Rita Dove and Robert Hayden and C. D. Wright, and it’s always interesting to see how students respond to that work because it changes from class to class. I love

teaching this documentary poetics class that I’m teaching this semester, and I hope that’s something I’ll be able to teach again in the future. I have a personal interest in African-American poetry, and so that would be an interesting class to teach here — like an African American poetics class, going from traditional poetry to the avant-garde.

What interests you about teaching undergraduate writing specifically?

My favorite part of teaching undergraduates is that they are — at least here at Oberlin, this particular student body — so open to experimentation. It gives a lot of freedom and challenge and inspiration for me, because I feel like I can bring almost any poem and any exercise into the classroom and students will be like, “Yeah, let’s do it!” So that’s one of my favorite things. When [students] take Creative Writing classes, they’re usually there because they really want to be there. So there’s this passion and energy in the classroom, and this desire to really spend some time working with the craft of literature. Yet at the same time, there’s not this hindrance of “Well, this is how I should write.” I guess what I’m trying to say is there’s an openness to style still, whereas at the graduate level students might have a sense of “Well, this is what I sound like” or “This is how my poems or my fiction should look.” I find that students are more open as undergraduates.

So that’s really exciting.

You talked about passion and energy being really present in undergraduates. When do you think you found that passion and energy for writing and knew that you wanted to do that?

Where that first came for me was as a high school student. I was very lucky to [go to] a high school where they offered creative writing.

[My poetry] was encouraged by my creative writing teacher. So I would go home, sometimes neglecting my other work, putting off my math and my English essays so I could write poems. But there was an outlet for it, and I had, in my creative writing teacher, a mentor. That’s where wanting to be a writer really solidified for me.

I’m curious what the relationship is between the familial, the historic, and the personal for you in your writing.

I think they’re really intimately linked.

I believe that growing up in the time period that I grew up in — the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s — and coming from a very specific background of growing up in the South, and being in a large family that came from a rural life in the South, an agricultural life in the South, and my parents growing up in America during legal segregation, that the laws of the United States impacted their lives very directly and specifically, and the culture. And so in that way, I think I conceive of history as being very intimate.

Radically Ordinary: Scenes from Black Life in America Since 1968, is an exhibiton at the Allen Memorial Art Museum. Radically Ordinary was a source of inspiration for poet Chanda Feldman’s most recent book, Approaching The Fields.

Photo by Mallika Pandey, Photo Editor

Claire Wang

“What I Didn’t Say” Showcases Marginalized Voices in STEAM Kate Fishman Arts & Culture Editor It’s no secret that cisgender men outnumber women and nonbinary people in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and design, and mathematics) fields. The disproportionate dominance of cis male thoughts and ideas within those spaces is often less emphasized.

“While lack of gender diversity is a significant problem in many STEAM fields, equally troubling is the extent to which the voices of nonbinary individuals and women are underrepresented in proportion to their relative representation in these fields,” wrote TIMARA Technical Director and Lecturer Abby Aresty in an email to the Review.

Over the summer, Aresty envisioned the upcoming sound art installation “What I Didn’t Say,” which will run Saturday, Oct. 13 from 1–3 p.m. in the Science Library. It will be preceded by a Friday workshop that will help put the finishing touches on the installation itself.

“Last year, I attended the wonderful event for women and nonbinary individuals working in STEM fields organized by [Nicollette Mitchell, OC ’13], and [Assistant Professor of Physics] Jillian Scudder, and hosted by CLEAR,” Aresty wrote. “A while later, I was chatting about the event with Jillian, and she mentioned that while students had really loved the event,

The Review in Review

CROSSWORD Katie Lucey Arts & Culture Editor 28

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they also were interested in having additional events with some sort of hands-on activity [incorporated].”

Aresty worked with Alexandra Amaral, a graduate student from Wheaton College, to create the earliest prototypes of the technology that Oberlin TIMARA students have helped turn into reality.

The hope was that this event would directly address the underrepresentation of non-cis male voices.

“I hope that the workshop that precedes the installation will encourage dialogue and build community among nonbinary individuals and women working across disciplines in STEAM,” Aresty wrote. “We are so busy with work in our own disciplines, we rarely have the opportunity to have these important conversations across disciplines; the goal for the workshop is to provide the space and time required for these conversations.”

During Friday’s workshop, participants will make homemade speakers out of cardboard and modules for recorded playback, each person literally constructing the device that will transmit their narrative to a listening audience. Each speaker will be hexagonal, reinforced with copper wiring, and play a unique audio loop.

Individuals will record themselves speaking about personal experiences in STEAM, which will then be heard by visitors to the installation on Saturday.

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The workshop will be led in part by double-degree seniors Sophie Shalit and Leslie Lang. The two TIMARA students are currently completing an apprenticeship with Aresty focused on community outreach.

While Shalit was initially worried that the task of building the speakers would be too complicated, they found it surprisingly easy.

“I think it’s really nice to be able to bring that to people who maybe aren’t experienced with hardware technology,” Shalit said. “I also think the idea behind the workshop is really cool, elevating the voices of women and nonbinary people in a [cis] male-dominated field … That’s something that I care about.”

The hexagonal speakers will be stacked inside a wooden frame that Aresty’s class installed in the Science Library. “[The installation process] was kind of crazy, because none of us knew how to do it,” Shalit said, laughing.

Aresty named several individuals whose work inspired the exhibition.

“The project is inspired by the work of artists and educators like Leah Buechley and her former student Jie Qi, who blend crafting and technology to make [it] more inclusive, as well as Betsy Greer, who writes and speaks about craftivism, and uses crafting as a form of empowerment and activism,” she wrote.

The stacks of the Science Library

will remain a normal, silent study space for those who do not seek to listen. Using wire coil equipment to pick up on the electromagnetic waves, the audio for “What I Didn’t Say” will be played through headphones.

“The [Science Library] is such a lovely, peaceful space ­— extremely quiet even when full of people studying,” wrote Alison Ricker, Head of the Science Library, in an email to the Review. “I like to see it used for other purposes when possible, and this seems like a perfect use of a public space where people can listen to recorded voices … and reflect on what they hear.”

For participants who choose to engage with the art, the underlying fabric of individual voices and experiences recorded during the workshop will be revealed. This lack of overbearing spatial domination also represents a rejection of historically male assertions of power.

“We cannot create a lasting solution to the gender diversity challenges these fields face simply by recruiting more girls, women, and nonbinary individuals into the STEAM classroom,” Aresty wrote. “In order to build a sustainable model for the gender diversification of STEAM fields, we need to create meaningful opportunities for these voices to be heard. I hope that the installation, which invites visitors to actively seek out and listen to underrepresented voices, will provide one such opportunity.”

15. to a greater extent than usual; especially.

16. Opposite of From 17. Brit version of trash can 18. intensely-focused beam of light 19. Shakespeares’ “Much ____ About Nothing” 20. Chinese currency 21. Move with a curving trajectory.

22. End of a boxing match round 23. Character in Progressive Insurance commercial 24. Grayish white; gray or gray-haired with age.

25. What we breathe in 26. Opposite of pop 27. Keynote Speaker at President Ambar’s inauguration** DOWN

1. Opposite of out 2. Nature preserve south of campus 29. 45th Vice President of the United States 45 14 15 16 30. Acronoym for when you don’t quite know where or when the event will happen 31. Make a choice from a range of possibilities.

17 32. Horse noise 33. The night before 48 50 51 18 19 20 49 34. Ron Weasley’s position in Quidditch 4. Manipulate 21 22 23 6. Able to adjust to new conditions.

35. Contraction for “It Is” 46 47 24 25 26 36. 3.1415926, etc.

8. Uttered (a greeting or farewell) to 27 42. See 12 across 37. Added on 38. Dining space in Wilder basement ACROSS 39. See 9 across 40. A brief statement or account of the main points of something.

1. Occurred October 5, 2018 in Finney Chapel** 41. Obtains (money) in return for labor or services.

28. Mature female reproductive cells 43. Prefix meaning two 29. Booker C. ______ , wrote a Letter to the Editors this week 4. Denoting an outstanding or supreme example of a particular kind of person or 44. As the truth or facts of a situation; really.

45. Counterpart to FBI thing.

24. Hello, informally 5. Not engaging in or involving any or much physical activity.

46. This ___ that 6. “Take Me ___ I Am” 47. An advertisement 7. A mild expression, typically of surprise, enthusiasm, or sympathy.

48. Form of festival music that originated in Haiti 8. Neatly skillful and quick in one’s movements.

19. Super fruit often frozen and made into smoothie bowl 52.(of a stock broker) inclined to sell because of an anticipated fall in prices.

49. Vegetable often fried and seasoned with spices 50. University of Florida Alumni Association, abbrev.

51. A brief record of facts, topics, or thoughts, written down as an aid to memory.

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The Oberlin Review | October 12, 2018

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Sp ort s IN THE LOCKER ROOM

Justin Godfrey, Defensive Lineman and Northeast Ohio Native College junior Justin Godfrey, a Westlake, Ohio native, is a defensive lineman on the football team and studies History and Classics. During his time at Oberlin he has used his familiarity with Northeast Ohio and passion for Cleveland to attract prospective students and help out-of-state students become comfortable on campus. Godfrey worked for the College of Arts and Science’s Admissions team over the summer, is a co-captain of the football team, a member of Athlete Bible Study, and a former student senator.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Alexis Dill Sports Editor You’re a captain this year, and last weekend you recorded your 100th tackle. How does it feel to have achieved these two things?

Being a captain as a junior is something that is really special to me. I think I’ve always been a person who really values hard work and dedication, and it’s really been an honor to receive the ultimate validation that I have been working hard and have been dedicated to our team.

I think 100 tackles is really great and is a personal achievement. I didn’t get to play a lot of defense in high school, and when I came to college, the transition from O-line to D-line took place immediately. [Reaching 100 tackles] is something I really wanted to do by this year, but I’m not the first one. [College junior] Von Wooding got his 100th tackle last season.

What do you hope the team will accomplish by the end of the season?

Obviously we have our team goals; we have certain games we would like to win.

We believe we have the chance to win every single game going down the line. We have a lot of talent and are really explosive on offense. [College junior] Zach Taylor just reached 5,000 passing yards. He’s one of the best quarterbacks in Oberlin history.

[College junior] Jason Hewitt just had one of the best games I’ve ever seen from an offensive lineman in my time here at Oberlin last weekend. Our entire O-line is great. I really have those guys to thank when it comes to preparing every week. We have six offensive linemen, so having those guys — our starting offensive line — as the guys who you’re going against every single day [at practice] is really helpful for me and for all of our defense. I think we have been progressing in our defensive identity, and it’s something that you see in practice and in games. We play really hard, and I’m really proud of us.

You were in the same high school conference as current teammates and College juniors Jack Lesniak and Chandler Laird. Did you know each other when you faced off in high school?

I didn’t commit to Oberlin until December, but Oberlin was one of my top schools throughout my senior season. I didn’t know about Jack until I was training at T3, and someone was like, “Oh, you’re going to Oberlin? My buddy Jack is going there.” I found him on Twitter, and we kind of became friends from there.

Chandler and I actually got into a scrape our senior year, which is a story I love telling. He cut-blocked me and was on the ground, and I may or may not have stepped on him. It was interesting when I learned that Chandler was coming to Oberlin as well, but now I love him. In high school he was just this gigantic football player that I had to go up against, but now he’s one of my best friends. Same with Jack. They’ve both become some of my best friends here at Oberlin.

It’s cool, because they’re guys who kind of understand how I grew up. There’s just a certain way of being when you’re from Northeast Ohio — certain mannerisms. It’s Midwestern with hints of Boston culture.

Cleveland and Boston have a very similar feels to them. It’s something you can tell on the practice field or just hanging out.

Something with us just kind of clicks.

Can you explain what you did through Admissions and Senate to connect students to Northeast Ohio?

It was really cool with Admissions, because during my tours or interviews [or] info sessions I was able to give a perspective that I don’t think other students were able to. I’m not the only one in Admissions from Northeast Ohio, but I was definitely a part of expanding the new Admissions presentation, and we included more and more Cleveland stuff in it toward the end of the summer.

With Senate, I did some work trying to connect students to Northeast Ohio through the Cleveland [Immersion] Program. That was something [Assistant Vice President of Student Life] Adrian Bautista and I and a few others were really interested in doing. We had a couple meetings this summer about possibilities of what this should look like and where we should go.

I think there was a good response to that program.

It’s hard to teach being a Northeast Ohioan, especially at Oberlin. Oberlin is a little bit different from the rest of the area because it is a small college town, with people primarily from outside of Ohio. But I hope Oberlin students — especially the first-years — feel more comfortable going to places like Westlake, Avon, North Ridgeville, Ohio City, and other places around here.

What are some of the hotspots around the area that you recommend to out-ofstate students?

Obviously I have to hype up Westlake, where I grew up. It’s one of my favorite towns ever. I grew up, like, two streets down from Crocker Park. It’s just a cool atmosphere. Obviously it’s very commercial — there’s the outdoor shopping center.

But there are a lot of little hidden gems.

They have performances there and this big chess board set outside. I remember my brother and I used to play chess there all day long. That was the hangout for middle schoolers.

I also love Ohio City. My girlfriend lives there, so I spend a lot of time there. She works at the West Side Market, so that’s where I get all my groceries. Downtown Cleveland is amazing. Playhouse Square is my favorite part of it. Plays and musicals were big in my family growing up — going out to see Jersey Boys or Aladdin. It’s something I’ve always appreciated — that entire downtown area. Obviously Cleveland sports are near and dear to my heart too. I’m a New England sports fan as well,

Justin Godfrey Photo by Erik Andrews

but I always root for Cleveland. Cleveland Browns games are the coolest atmosphere ever. I’ve been to Patriots and Browns games, and the atmosphere at Browns games is so much different and, in my opinion, better than Pats games, just because everybody wants to win so bad.

What role did you play in bringing in trainers from T3 Performance to work with student-athletes after former athletic trainer Grant Butler accepted a position at Notre Dame College?

I remember I was in Massachusetts, where my parents now live, and [Head Football] Coach [Jay] Anderson did a big conference call and told us Coach Butler was leaving and that there was a wide search going on. I asked Coach Anderson, “Can I call my friends at T3 to see if they’re interested in coming in and talking to [Delta Lodge Director of Athletics and Physical Education] Natalie [Winkelfoos]?” I called them, and they were like, “Oh, yeah, that’s awesome.” They work with [University of] Mount Union, a Division III powerhouse, so I was really excited. I talked with Natalie and kind of talked them up a bit.

I love T3. I’ve been training there since I was like 14 years old. CT [Collin Taylor] is awesome and just an absolute bro.

James [Dibiasio] and I have very contrasting personalities, but he was my coach all summer. I love him. I’m really happy to have Maddy [Mullins] back. She was gone for a year and half in Texas, I believe getting her Master’s in coaching there. She’s very quiet and reserved and I’m very loud and kind of a jokester, so our personalities mesh really well.

The Jewish Development in the NBA and Oberlin Julie Schreiber Senior Staff Writer There are numerous professions in which Jewish people have achieved notable success, but the world of professional sports has not historically been one of them. As a result, many American Jews have long been intrigued when Jewish athletes emerge in a professional sport, especially when they do well — consider Sandy Koufax.

This fascination — yes, there are many websites devoted to this issue — is even apparent in fans who are not Jewish. A lot of jokes grow out of this preoccupation, which brings us to the Oberlin men’s basketball team.

At a school with a 23 percent Jewish population, 12 of the 20 players on this year’s squad — 60 percent — identify as Jewish.

“This [dynamic] has definitely established a unique bond between me and some of my Jewish teammates,” said College senior and captain Eli Silverman-Lloyd. “Most of us have never been on a team with so many Jews before — it’s fun to talk about.”

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This Jewish representation is largely a result of the influx of the now-sophomore class, in which five of the six players are Jewish. Many of these players hail from coastal cities like New York and San Francisco, which are known for their large Jewish populations.

“We definitely joke around about it a lot,” said Jordan Armstrong, one of the six Jewish players in the sophomore class. “We laugh about a lot of the stereotypes of Jewish athletes.”

None of this should be surprising to anyone who knows the roots of the National Basketball Association and the significance that many Jews had in its growth. Many Jews growing up in American cities quickly embraced the sport, which required just a court, two baskets, and no outdoor field. The first basket ever scored in the NBA was shot by Ossie Schectman, a Jew from Queens, in 1948. One of the most renowned NBA coaches in history was Red Auerbach, a Jew from Brooklyn.

The Jews of that early basketball era could survive in the early NBA but were slowly phased out once height

became a much bigger factor in success on the court. Nevertheless, the significance of Jewish basketball players remains.

According to Rabbi Shlomo, the codirector of Oberlin’s student Chabad organization, this year’s weekly holiday dinners at Chabad House have regularly hosted at least six members of the men’s basketball team.

“The Jewish players on the team love going to eat at Chabad House,” College junior Abe Kuhn said. “We always eat as much as we possibly can.”

The men’s basketball team hasn’t always been a fixture at Chabad House.

According to Rabbi Shlomo, there tends to be a different team each year with a large Jewish membership that spends a lot of time at the family’s house, eating, celebrating, and spending time with the kids.

“We’ve gotten to know some basketball, baseball, soccer, and field hockey players pretty well over the years,” said Rabbi Shlomo, who also noted that the men’s soccer team used to have such a large crowd of Jews that they played an annual “Jews vs. Gentiles” scrimmage.

And, of course, the presence of the basketball players at Rabbi Shlomo’s house isn’t limited to just Jewish folk.

According to Silverman-Lloyd, the non-Jews on the team often spend time at Chabad House as well, for the community and the opportunity to eat a high-protein brisket dinner prepared

by Rabbi Shlomo’s wife, Devorah.

“Many of my non-Jewish teammates come to Chabad for the food and a taste of a Jewish experience,” Silverman-Lloyd said, “And they usually like it a lot and want to come back.”

Meanwhile, last Sunday, the usually hapless Cleveland Browns beat the Baltimore Ravens in overtime on a 37-yard field goal by Greg Joseph, who is Jewish and a National Football League rookie. According to Rabbi Shlomo, Joseph had been visited by a Chabad rabbi from Cleveland a week earlier, who gave him a mezuzah, a Jewish wall ornament meant to fill a home with blessings. So as Oberlin approaches the start of the basketball season, don’t be surprised to see mezuzahs on members of the men’s team’s doors.

Remembering an Oberlin Legend: Joe Johnson Alexis Dill Sports Editor Oberlin alumni crowded the Knowlton Athletics Complex Saturday for the homecoming tailgate and football matchup between the Yeomen and the DePauw University Tigers. At halftime, the Heisman Club celebrated its 40th anniversary by honoring select teams and athletes of the past, including all football alumni.

I hadn’t been at the game for more than five minutes when one of the former football players — a man I didn’t recognize — approached me.

Rich Johnson, OC ’88, saw the last name on the back of the jersey I was wearing and wanted to know if it belonged to my dad, a 1986 graduate of the College.

“Yes,” I responded, startled. “My dad is Brad Dill.”

“Oh my God,” he said to himself as he shook my hand. “Your dad played baseball with my brother.”

I interrupted before he could say anything else.

“Joe Johnson,” I said. “Your brother was Joe Johnson. I’ve heard all about him.”

Rich took his sunglasses off and blinked back tears before shaking my hand again.

It was true. I had heard many stories about Joe. He had an unorthodox batting stance, holding the bat sideways at a perpendicular angle to his body — similar to Jason Kipnis, a professional baseball player for Cleveland. Except Joe never straightened the bat out before starting his swing.

He was an artisan at the plate, and, man, could he crush a baseball.

Joe hailed from Cincinnati, Ohio, where he played baseball and football at Roger Bacon High School. He continued playing both sports at Oberlin from 1984–87.

Although baseball was Joe’s preferred sport, the 6’1”, 205-pound man was a force to be reckoned with on the gridiron as a punter and tight end. He was an All-North

Coast Athletic Conference first-team selection as a sophomore, helping the Yeomen pull off the biggest upset of the fall against nationally-ranked Denison University.

The Yeomen were on the Denison 12yard line before a penalty pushed them back to the 31. Quarterback Jeff Andrick, OC ’85, connected with Joe, who then trudged into the end zone with two defenders on his back, securing a 23–21 win.

“He was an incredible athlete,” my dad said. “He was a catcher on the baseball team, but fielding wasn’t his forte. He was just an excellent hitter. He was a great football player too, and when we played intramural basketball together, he was a beast on the boards. He had giant calves and was 200-some pounds of pure muscle.”

My dad met Joe after transferring in from Kent State University in 1984 during his sophomore year, when Joe was a first-year. Joe was adventurous and liked to have fun, and he didn’t care how intelligent you were, where you went to high school, or how wealthy your parents were. He was interested in you. My dad was drawn to him instantly.

Joe never had it easy. His mother died from cancer during his sophomore year, and a heart attack killed his father. Joe had to be a father figure to his younger siblings, including Rich, who was a first-year at Oberlin when their mother passed.

“Joe and I danced to ‘Bad to the Bone’ in a dance contest at a party the day that his mom died,” my dad said. “He wanted to stay that night, so we did that. The next day he went home for the funeral.”

Things were vastly different back then.

The Union Street Housing Complex didn’t exist, and Zechiel House wasn’t a quiet hall. In fact, it was where most of the male student-athletes lived and threw parties.

The baseball program wasn’t as good as it is now, barely notching 10 wins a season.

Joe hit a league-leading .459 with 24 RBIs and two home runs his sophomore year, but the team record was 7–23.

Joe and my dad were named co-captains for the 1986 season, which was when both of them began thinking the team had a chance to make school history.

“Oberlin had never been that good,” my dad said. “My senior year and Joe’s junior year was when we knew we were going to be good. We had a bunch of guys on the team who could hit. I think we hit over .300 as a team and scored eight or nine runs a game, but we had little pitching, and that made it difficult to win.”

Nevertheless, the team set a program record for wins in a season with 15. The previous record was set by the 1945 squad at 13. Oberlin hadn’t won more than 10 games in a season since 1967, and until that 1986 season, only seven teams in the program’s 100 years won 10 or more games.

Joe broke five individual records that spring, hitting .406 with seven home runs and probably would’ve hit even more had his season not been cut short by a herniated disk in his back — the same injury that kept Joe out of sports his senior year.

Don Hunsinger, an Oberlin legend who coached football, baseball, men’s and women’s tennis, and was an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s basketball programs across three decades, had the honor of coaching Joe in both football and baseball. He said he remembers Joe as a phenomenal athlete and a joy to coach.

“My favorite memory about Joe happened during spring break,” Hunsinger said. “He hit a line drive to right center so hard that he was almost thrown out at second base. If it would have been a few inches higher, it would still be going. The field had a brick wall instead of a fence, and I am almost positive that wall has a dent.”

According to my dad, if Joe had played the field as well as he hit, he probably would have been drafted.

“I used to pitch to him in the batting cages, and if you didn’t let go and get behind the screen, you were taking the ball off your shoulder or your shins,” my dad

Softball Celebrates Canadian Thanksgiving

The softball team hosted its first Canadian Thanksgiving Monday night in support of its two Canadian players, senior first baseman Kat Ladouceur and first-year outfielder Caley Dunlop. Coaches Sara Schoenhoft and Sally Snover bought turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, mac and cheese, and pies for the players and began the dinner with a toast. Ladouceur, who is from Nova Scotia, said she was touched by the gesture.

“I don’t get to go home much throughout the school year, so it was really wonderful to take a piece of my home life and celebrate it with my second family,” Ladouceur said. “I am so grateful to have every single one of these strong, intelligent, beautiful women as part of my home away from home.”

Text by Alexis Dill Sports Editor Photo by Maria Turner Photo Editor

The Oberlin Review | October 12, 2018

said. “I played with Division I guys at Kent State who got drafted, but Joe was the best hitter I ever played with.”

Joe wasn’t just talented. He was competitive.

“I remember one time we were playing Baldwin Wallace [University],” my dad said. “They made the playoffs every year I was in college and thought they were so much better than us. It was 1–1 in extra innings, and it was getting late and dark. Joe hit a bomb, and running down the first baseline, he told the BW dugout with two fingers that we were number one.”

My dad moved to Redondo Beach, CA, five or six years after graduation and fell out of touch with Joe. “Guys are like that,” my dad said. “They aren’t as good at communicating as girls.

But Joe was sick, so I called him one day.

I wanted to see him. But he told me to wait until the spring when the weather would be better, and that he was feeling great.”

Shortly after that conversation, my dad received devastating news. Joe had passed.

“I think he died from colon cancer when he was about 28,” my dad said. “I wish I would have just gone to see him. He was like a brother.”

Joe was one of my dad’s three best friends in life. He introduced my dad to my mom Aug. 14, 1986. Without Joe, my parents probably wouldn’t have met. When Joe passed away, my dad was a pallbearer in his funeral.

It’s true that Joe was one heck of a ballplayer. He still holds the program record for career batting average at .386, is tied for first in home runs at seven, and is tied for second in single-season batting average at .459.

“A Joe Johnson does not come along every day at this level of competition, and those who never saw him hit missed a dandy display of batsmanship,” wrote then-Sports Editor Don Richardson, OC ’89, in an article titled, “Johnson’s career shortened by pain” (The Oberlin Review, April 10, 1987). And those who did. Well, they may have witnessed the best Oberlin has ever had.”

But as good as Joe was on the baseball diamond, he was an even better teammate and friend. He loved watching pro wrestling and playing cards, and he always stuck up for the little man. He never cared about what other people thought of him, and had a heart of gold.

I wish Joe could have been at the football game Saturday, so I could have shaken his hand too.

The 1986 Oberlin College baseball team set a program record for wins in a single season with 15. Joe Johnson, who was a legend in the program from 1984–86, broke five individual records that year.

Photo courtesy of Alexis Dill

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SPORTS established 1874

October 12, 2018

Women athletes gathered together Sunday morning to listen to a power-packed panel of OC women alumnae to cap off of Homecoming Weekend. After a brief breakfast, the participants engaged in an intense discussion about personal impact of OC athletics in Oberlin and beyond.

Photo by Natalie Winkelfoos

Power Panel Celebrates Women Success Ify Ezimora Sports Editor In a powerful conclusion to homecoming weekend, nearly 100 athletes from women’s sports teams gathered in the Knowlton Social Space on Sunday morning for a panel featuring three former Yeowomen.

Organized by the John W. Heisman Club, the panel was designed to showcase how athletics and their Oberlin educations have impacted their lives postgraduation.

The necessity of a panel like this at the start of the school year, when so many women student-athletes at Oberlin are evaluating their involvement with athletics due to the heavy time constraints from classes, extracurriculars, and social pulls, was not lost on students.

“I often worry about what my future will look like after Oberlin and if the things that I am doing now will prepare me for postgrad,” said Nae McClain, College junior and one of two student representatives on the Heisman Board. “So I think any chance that I get to [meet people with similar experiences and hear them talk] … about their journey after college is reassuring, especially if they are doing something that makes them happy.”

Colleen O’Neill, OC ’79, T. Billie Streets, OC ’86, and Amanda VanAllen, OC ’09, discussed their professional trajectories and why they consider their experiences with Oberlin Athletics integral to their success as professionals. The panel was moderated by Carla Freyvogel,

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OC ’79, President of the John W. Heisman Club and ’94 Oberlin College Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.

O’Neill, a four-year member of the women’s swim team, was also an eager participant in intramural basketball, varsity softball, and cross country. After majoring in Psychobiology (which Oberlin now offers as Neuroscience), O’Neill went on to earn a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia. She currently leads the Korn Ferry Hay Group’s Consumer Market in North America.

Diagnosed with polio at age 12, O’Neill had to amend her workouts and find ways to continue participating in the sports she loves. She emphasized how sports have taught her to be resilient in all facets of her life.

This resonated with some student-athletes who often feel undervalued in their athletic pursuits.

“The value of athletics beyond college, or even high school, is not a narrative I often hear talked about, even as an athlete, but it is a very important one,” said Lauren Fitts, College first-year and member of the women’s cross country team.

“I was struck by how [O’Neill] mentioned the fact that a majority of corporate leaders and CEOs were athletes in college. I think it’s a common issue for athletics to be undervalued, especially at competitive liberal arts colleges like Oberlin. But this dynamic makes the points that [O’Neill] made even more essential and empowering to hear as a college athlete.”

Freyvogel — a pre-Title IX athlete who found a career in museum education — makes an effort to find common ground with people everywhere she goes.

“Before I came to Oberlin, I felt like I never really fit into any one place,” she said. “And at Oberlin, I still didn’t. [Practically no] art history majors are athletes. But here, it’s normal to move from circle to circle, without the people from one circle knowing the people from another. It’s about becoming comfortable with not fitting in [just] one place, but fitting in everywhere.”

The panel inspired some women athletes with the uplifting stories of life after Oberlin.

“As a senior on the women’s soccer team, having the opportunity to listen to four accomplished women speak about their lives post-athletics was a privilege — especially as an athlete approaching the end of my own athletics career,” said College senior and women’s soccer player Maddi Kimball. “A lot of inspiration and hope grew within me when they each spoke to how they brought Oberlin into their lives today — how they spread OC love wherever they go and continue to use their ferocity as female athletes in their careers.

Specifically, … Freyvogel spoke a lot to how, as young women and athletes, we have the opportunity to control our destinies and ultimately achieve our dreams if we allow ourselves to.”

Streets, who was on the basketball team during her time at Oberlin, graduated with a degree in Sociology and went on

Volume 147, Number 6 to earn an MBA and a Doctorate in Management and Marketing.

She recently retired from her career as the Senior Vice President of Events and Communications Administration at the Madison Square Garden Sports and Entertainment Company. Though she is currently invested in using her experience in the corporate sphere to nurture social justice initiatives, Streets didn’t come into Oberlin as an activist.

“For me personally, I learned a lot at Oberlin,” Streets said. “I came from a conservative white town in New Jersey. So I was like, ‘What the hell?’ when I got to Oberlin. [This] is a very unique place. If you don’t come to Oberlin with a passion, you learn how to be passionate here. I learned about diversity of race, thought, and personality, and I took that knowledge into the corporate world. I was able to champion diversity of sexual orientation, race, etc. [in my workplace].”

College junior and member of the women’s basketball team Mackenzie Michaels was touched by Street’s narrative.

“I was so excited to hear that Streets is originally from New Jersey, worked in sports entertainment, is a breast cancer survivor, and was a women’s basketball player. I could tell from her personality and disposition that she has worked hard all of her life, which I immediately idolized. Her experience as a student-athlete helped her stay strong and persevere in a field dominated by white men. She made it clear that as former athletes in the workplace, we can harness the drive and grit that we learned in sports. Billie Streets climbed the ladder within MSG entertainment, which has empowered me to look within and ask ‘why can’t I?’” Michaels said.

While the panelists touted how beneficial a liberal arts education was to their careers, there were certain aspects of their lives where their athletic experience played key roles in their day-to-day performance.

VanAllen, a television reporter for WEWS-TV station in Cleveland, was nominated for her first regional Emmy last year. She talked about a relatable hardship that many Oberlin women athletes struggle with.

Recalling personal experiences of men in her workplace possessing unwarranted confidence and doing lackluster work, VanAllen lamented that she and her women peers, and herself personally, lack the confidence they need to take what’s owed to them.

“Women tend to doubt ourselves for absolutely no reason,” she said, adding that the aggressive vibe she cultivates in interviews and at work makes her feel like she’s on the court again. “We have to exude more confidence, and things will come to us.”

College junior and field hockey player Fatima Escalera discussed how the lessons gleaned from athletics are transferable to

post-grad life.

“She made a point to talk about how being a woman in sports helped her dominate her field as a woman who works in a field [where] all her advisors and bosses are males,” Escalera said. “And she talked about how she has to do double the amount of work than her superiors and peers, but that doesn’t mean that she stops working. When she was in college doing sports she had to do the same thing — she had to prove to her teammates and her coaches that ‘I am good enough to be on the court, I am good enough to play this game.’

And when she’s at work, it’s like ‘well, I’m good enough to go on TV, I’m good enough to pitch my stories, and if one story doesn’t make it, that doesn’t mean I stop trying. If anything, it just means I have to speak louder to be heard,’ because once [she does] get heard, she can pitch out stories that, for her, seem very relevant because they’re not being talked about, especially when she talked about how POC get represented in the media.”

VanAllen, who was a double-major at Oberlin, reported that while her career involves constantly speaking on-air and writing articles, she finds herself harkening back to her African American studies major more often than her English major.

When reporting on local crime, VanAllen chooses to ditch the racial identifiers, recognizing that police profiles can be wrong and can perpetuate negative stereotypes for certain communities. Additionally, in her weekly pitches, she advocated for many hopeful stories about community building and positive events happening in communities of color, hoping to highlight the good in these communities, rather than stereotyping the negative.

Attending the panel afforded the women athletes an opportunity to hear from Obies who had already graduated from athletics navigated the world around them.

“We never really see post life for D-III athletes — it’s mostly D-I athletes — or when we think of athletes we mainly think of D-I sports, it’s never D-II or DIII, and it was kind of empowering to hear [from them],” Escalera said. “To see that they’re all in strong positions — we had a news anchor, we had someone with a medical degree, we had someone who works for a big arena — it’s very important.”

Following the end of the structured panel, in the midst of athletes going up to talk to the panelists one-on-one, a comment made earlier in the session

by Streets hung in the air as an important reminder to women athletes.

“You’re in a great place right now,” she said. “You can do whatever the hell you want to do. There are so many possibilities. If I was 21 again, the world would be in trouble.”