Issue 21 - Volume 134

The Vermont Cynic FEBRUARY 20, 2018

VOL. 134 – ISSUE 21

VTCYNIC.COM

Students battle with meal insecurity Ben Elfand Staff Writer Lee Hughes Staff Writer Roughly a quarter of UVM students are unsure of where their next meals will come from.

The SGA Student Action Committee is now working with several departments to identify and address student food insecurity, senior SGA Senator Bhumika Patel said.

The committee will design a plan to resolve the issue of student food insecurity. They will meet within the next month to discuss survey results, Patel said.

Food insecurity is “repetitively not knowing when your next meal is or what you’re going to eat, maybe not having an adequate meal,” Patel said.

The newly formed committee is a collaboration among University departments, said Nicole Rohrig, an on-campus registered dietitian.

The committee conducted two surveys in February and November 2017 to gather data.

Each survey was sent to a random sample of 4,500 students, staff and faculty and had a response rate of around 25 percent, said Meredith Niles, a professor of nutrition and food sciences. The survey is based on the USDA food insecurity survey.

The results of the surveys will not be officially released

GENEVIEVE WINN until the committee examines the data and decides the best course of action, Niles said.

“We wanted to look at whether this was an issue and to what extent,” Rohrig said.

The new committee is considering a few possible solutions to the problem, Rohrig said. Swipe Out Hunger

is a program that has been effectively implemented on 36 campuses nationwide.

“You can donate extra meals or points at the end of the semester and those would basically go into a bank for students who are food insecure to be able to get meals added to their CATcard,” Rohrig said.

Other potential solutions include a campus-wide food pantry, a food bank of leftover dining hall food and a system to alert students of free food on campus, Patel said.

The issue is rarely addressed due to stigmas around hunger, Rohrig said.

“We could have the resourc-

es available, but if nobody feels comfortable coming forward and talking to somebody about it, they’re not going to get the help they need anyway,” she said.

Patel attributes the trend of food insecurity to a lack of access, financial means and education.

“It could be a budgeting problem,” sophomore Sharon Webster said.

Webster recently moved off campus and has been able to keep a steady food source from living in the Slade co-op.

Students on the points meal plan, or students living off-campus with no meal plan, often run into trouble because they lack budgeting experience, Rohrig said.

“A lot of expenses come before food and food is almost the most dispensable,” she said. “So if you have to really cut back one week that’s where it’s gonna take a hit.”

Getting nutritious food can be a problem too, Patel said.

Sophomore Grace Skylstad, who is on a points plan, said “the biggest issue I’ve had is being able to get enough vegetables…There’s not really any cheaper options of vegetables.”

She said she has people with unlimited plans steal fuit for her.

Currently, food-insecure students must seek help from outside organizations, many of which are difficult to qualify for, Rohrig said.

After three years, some say Wellness has lost its way

her expectations as she has never had a personal experience with other WE students drinking or smoking in the dorms.

But Sophomore WE resident Marissa Flynn said she is disappointed about the impact the program’s size has had on its quality.

“They have expanded the program a lot, so it doesn’t feel specialized and it doesn’t feel like they care about us anymore,” she said. “I think they shifted their priorities.”

Last year, she felt the program focused more on individual student needs, Flynn said.

“As more students are being put into it, it feels like

ery

Recov

Since it began, the Wellness Environment has lost what initially attracted many students: an inclusive, holistic approach to wellbeing, several UVM community members have said.

Though some are satisfied with what WE offers, others said that instead of focusing on the wellbeing of its students, the administrators are more concerned with increasing the community’s positive reputation — sometimes to the detriment of students with significant health needs.

WE doesn’t focus on the health of students recovering from substance abuse problems, said Amy Boyd Austin, director of the Catamount Recovery Program, a University-run program for students in recovery from addiction.

Fitness

Brandon Arcari Ben Elfland Lee Hughes News Staff

Mentorship

This is part 3 of an investigation into the Wellness Environment.

Mindfullness

Feb. 20

Nutrition

The Cost of WE

Feb. 6

Wellness Environment

SElf

The Wellness App

Jan. 17

Assistant WE Director Jeff Rettew said his program doesn’t focus on counting calories and reinforces positive impacts of exercise on the brain.

“We’ve tried to be really intentional,” he said.

WE communicates with the Catamount Recovery Program, but there is no sub-community for recovering students.

But students in recovery are welcome in WE, he said.

“We’re trying to hold students accountable to the [WE code of conduct] that they signed, but in the case of the code being broken, we’re sending them to another UVM community that has resources for them,” Rettew said.

Students are offered the option of Catamount Recovery Program if they have substance abuse issues, he said.

The WE code changed Nov. 13. Students returning to the residence hall intoxicated and needing medical help will not lose their housing.

Sophomore Sarah McLaughlin said she joined WE because of its substances policy.

“I decided to join WE because I wanted a relatively alcohol and drug-free environment,” McLaughlin said.

“I know technically campus is dry, but that’s not true and everyone knows that.”

McLaughlin said WE met

Love

Blue Penis Gate

“WE has nothing to do with recovering students,” she said. “They have no place for students in recovery.”

She feels that WE perpetuates the white, thin ideal her organization works to fight against because of its approach counting calories and tracking exercise, Boyd Austin said. “[It’s] like there’s a ‘one size fits all’ kind of thing as opposed to acceptance and doing what’s right for you and feeling good in your body,” she said.

She also raised concerns with the WE zero-tolerance alcohol policy, which removes students from housing if they are found with alcohol.

This is problematic because students are just relocated to a different building, she said.

“It’s not like you’re kicked out of UVM and/or housing,” Boyd Austin said. “You just don’t get to live in WE. “So if the person has a problem with a substance, you’re pawning that problem off on some other residence hall to deal with, and that’s not cool.”

Boyd Austin said Living Well is a space for all students, but WE is exclusive.

The Wellness Environment, which serves select students, has been given less space and fewer resources, she said.

The Catamount Recovery Program operates out of a shared space on campus.

it’s becoming more of a study than being about wellness anymore,” junior Meagan Cummings said.

In fall 2016, 86.83 percent of students who were in WE returned to the program, according to Steve Szopinski, a University assessment and technology specialist in the Department of Student Affairs.

In its first year, WE had 124 students, according to UVM records.

It has grown over a threeyear period, first to 477 students, then to 1,160, according to Szopinski.

NEWS

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The Vermont Cynic

Mumps outbreak alarms students Lindsay Freed Senior Staff Writer A mumps outbreak at UVM was confirmed by the Vermont Department of Health last week.

One student tested positive for the mumps, and two other students are highly likely to be positive as well, University Communications Director Enrique Corredera stated in a Feb. 17 email.

The Vermont Department of Health’s criteria for an outbreak is three probable cases, Corredera stated.

Mumps is a virus bestknown for puffy cheeks and swollen jaws, though symptoms also include fever, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Students were first informed about possible mumps cases in a Feb. 9 email from Student Health Services. A Feb. 16 email to students from Annie Stevens, vice provost for student affairs, stated the University met criteria for the outbreak, but did not disclose the number of positive cases.

Families of UVM students were informed three students have tested positive, according to a Feb. 16 email to families from Stevens.

Affected students were asked to stay isolated in their dorm rooms until results returned from the Department of Health, ResLife Director Rafael Rodriguez said.

ResLife worked with Student Health Services and UVM Dining to set up meal trains to deliver food and medicine to

Burlington residents to vote on fighter jets Joey Waldinger Assistant News Editor

LINDSAY FREED/The Vermont Cynic

A number of residents of the Living/Learning Center developed a case of the mumps, according to the Vermont Department of Health. With these cases, UVM is a confirmed mumps outbreak site. the students, he said.

“The affected students have been extremely thoughtful, calm and inquisitive about ways to make sure they remain healthy,” Rodriguez said.

As of Feb. 15, no additional students beyond the 10 students evaluated by Student Health Services have symptoms consistent with the mumps, Stevens stated.

“The second we were informed about it, we reached out to the students, their suitemates and their resident advisers,” Rodriguez said.

Student response to the outbreak has primarily been a mix of confusion and fear, said sophomore Will Wuttke, a community student leader in

the Living/Learning Center.

“When we got the first email there was a lot of panic,” Wuttke said. “I remember everyone on my floor got together and we just Googled the symptoms and what to do to not get sick.”

Students are cautious when using facilities because they don’t know where the affected students are living, he said.

“I’ve been putting off laundry way too long because I’m worried about interacting with anyone that could be in the common area by the laundry room,” Wuttke said.

The University will provide vaccinations to students in the Living/Learning Complex, University Heights and Davis

hall as soon as Wednesday, Feb. 21 as a precaution, according to the Feb. 16 email.

UVM requires proof of MMR vaccination, a two-dose vaccine most commonly received before the age of 6, for enrolling undergraduate students, according to the UVM Center for Health and Wellbeing.

A mumps outbreak has also been confirmed at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, according to the Vermont Department of Health press release.

Students exhibiting symptoms are advised to reach out to Student Health Services or their primary care provider, according to the Feb. 16 email.

Staff member strikes to combat injustice Brandon Arcari Assistant Breaking News Editor A hunger strike began outside of Waterman as part of a new demand for racial justice action at UVM and in the City of Burlington.

John Mejia, a student services professional in the Office of Student and Community relations at UVM, said that they were protesting anti-black racism at the University.

Mejia planned to camp outside Waterman, but as of Saturday, Feb 17, the tent was gone.

The strike began at 4 p.m. on Feb. 16, Mejia said.

“I am on a hunger strike until the list of demands that I gave to UVM and the City of Burlington are met,” they said.

The strike is due to the “the amount of anti-black racism that is rampant at this University,” Mejia said.

UVM police services said that though they were aware of the protest, they did not remove Mejia.

“I stand in support of John.

I believe everything they are fighting for is valid and that their voice needs to be heard,” sophomore Harmony Edosomwan, president of the Black Student Union, said.

Mejia’s list of demands in-

Feb. 20, 2018

LINDSAY FREED/The Vermont Cynic

John Mejia, a student services professional in student and community relations, takes part in a hunger strike Feb. 16 outside of Waterman. The strike protested anti-black racism at UVM. cludes all of the demands from the list submitted by anonymous activist group NoNames for Justice Sept. 25. Mejia’s list adds that a fourth flagpole should be added to the Davis Center to fly the Black Lives Matter flag.

“The anti-black racism at UVM has been here forever, but recently it has been given license to grow and be visible,” Mejia wrote in an online petition. “I have worked within the system to try to effect meaningful change but I believe it is

time for something radical.”

“It’s ok to be white” flyers were found near where Mejia was camped on Feb. 17.

The flyers appeared on campus Nov. 7 as part of a national campaign against the media, according to a Nov. 3 Washington Post article.

The posters, despite seeming innocent of racial intent, were created as part of an online campaign to sow social unrest through the deliberate appearance of innocence, according to the Post article.

The posters have also appeared at colleges across the country, including Tulane University in New Orleans and Harvard University in Boston.

“To the extent that the signs were intended to promote a white nationalist ideology, as news reports have suggested, we condemn the activity in the strongest possible terms, as it is completely antithetical to our core University values,” University Communications Director Enrique Corredera stated in a Nov. 7 email.

Burlington residents get another chance to voice their support for or opposition to F-35 fighter jets at the Burlington International Airport.

City councillors voted Jan. 29 to add a non-binding question, the outcome of which would advise, but not force, the council to request cancellation of the plan to base F-35s at Burlington International Airport to the Town Hall Meeting Day ballot, according to city records.

It is hard to predict the outcome of this ballot question as many citizens continue to support basing the planes in Burlington, Mayor Miro Weinberger said.

“When I’m out knocking on doors talking to people in Burlington, I don’t hear a desire to make that decision,” Weinberger said, referring to the request to base the planes elsewhere.

Much of the opposition comes from worries about damage caused by noise from the planes, said James Marc Leas, a patent lawyer and member of Save Our Skies, an organization campaigning against the F-35s.

Low-income communities would be disproportionately affected by the F-35s, according to the Air Force’s 2013 Environmental Impact Statement.

The planes’ impact would be concentrated in Winooski and South Burlington. Winooski has a larger low-income population than the state average.

Both cities have a larger than average population of minority residents, according to the Environmental Impact Statement.

Millions of dollars have been spent modifying the airport in anticipation of the arrival of the F-35s, Weinberger said.

Save Our Skies spent months gathering petition signatures to put this issue on the ballot. Going forward the group has a new focus, Leas said.

“Our key task right now is to get the truth out,” said Rosanne Greco, Save Our Skies activist, former Air Force Colonel and former chair of the South Burlington City Council.

Save Our Skies is now passing out flyers, speaking to the media and using social media to spread their message, Leas said.

By continuing to educate the public, Greco is confident that Burlington citizens will vote against the F-35s, she said.

Whether or not the greater public agrees that the planes should be stationed elsewhere, all residents should have the right to vote on the matter, said Julie Macuga ‘17.

“The planes shouldn’t just get Burlington’s stamp of approval without the approval of the citizens,” she said.

The Vermont Cynic

OPINION

Feb. 20, 2018

The Vermont

CYNIC

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Develop an active form of activism Staff Editorial

W

EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Erika B. Lewy editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Greta Bjornson newsroom@vtcynic.com OPERATIONS Advertising Manager Kaysie Smith ads@vtcynic.com Distribution Manager Brittnay Heffermehl distribution@vtcynic.com PR Manager Sara Klimek cynicpr@gmail.com Social Media Sorrel Galantowicz socialmedia@vtcynic.com EDITORIAL Arts Bridget Higdon arts@vtcynic.com Copy Chief George Seibold copy@vtcynic.com Features Maggie Richardson bside@vtcynic.com Life Izzy Siedman life@vtcynic.com Multimedia William Dean Wertz media@vtcynic.com

hen we heard about the work that several departments and students are doing to address food insecurity in the UVM community, our hearts swelled.

Their work, which is rooted in action, is more meaningful than that of sofa protesters upset with the political climate.

If the special brand of activists on campus who buy sustainability stickers and repost NowThis News videos on Facebook cut down on screen time and volunteered, we’d be living in a beautiful place.

The committee working to address food insecurity remembers what many of have forgotten: you must be active to be an activist.

It’s a fact of life that people have a finite amount of time and energy: a limited pool of hours, calories and thoughts we pull from each day.

At college, students spend time striving to learn, love and make meaningful change in the world.

But nearly all of us could do the last part better. We waste too much time focused on the destruction of evil: calling out the government, standing on soap boxes, blowing hot air.

When we’re sharing Facebook articles and protesting

Podcasts Chloe Chaobal vtcynicpodcasts@gmail.com Sports Eribert Volaj sports@vtcynic.com Video Kailey Bates video@vtcynic.com Web Connor Allan web@vtcynic.com Illustrations Genevieve Winn illustrations@vtcynic.com Layout Eileen O’Connor layout@vtcynic.com Photo Phil Carruthers photo@vtcynic.com Assistant Editors Henry Mitchell (Opinion), Locria Courtright (Sports), Tiana Crispino (Layout), Kyra Chevalier (Layout), Katie Brobst (Life), Joey Waldinger (News), Addie Beach (Arts)

Henry Mitchell Opinion Writer

F

ree college education.

Ok, now that I have your attention, I’m going to talk to you about tradition. We’ll get back to the college thing in a second.

On Feb. 9, Sen. Bernie Sanders hosted German Ambassador Peter Wittig in Burlington to discuss how Germany governs differently from the U.S. While Sanders tried to encourage Wittig to fully commit to portraying the beauty of socialism, the ambassador kept bringing up one word, “tradition.”

To understand how Canada and European countries can afford programs such as universal health care and tuition-free higher education, you have to look at tradition.

Germany came out of World War II completely horrified at its actions and, along with many other European nations, decided to form a union to prevent such a catastrophe from happening again.

Page Designers Meg Stevens, Lindsay Freed Copy Editors Brandon Arcari, Lindsay Freed, Sabrina Hood, Claire MacQueen ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu

The food insecurity committee is swaying in the right direction.

Use this initiative as a model: see a global issue and look locally to see how you can help.

Standing for the issues you care about doesn’t mean carving out more time in your schedule.

It simply means rethinking how you use your time and energy.

Staff editorials officially reflect the views of the Vermont Cynic. Signed opinion pieces and columns do not necessarily do so. The Cynic accepts letters in response to anything you see printed as well as any issues of interest in the community.

Please limit letters to 350 words.

The Cynic reserves the right to edit letters for length and grammar. Please send letters to opinion@vtcynic.com.

U.S. should mirror German education From the

News Lauren Schnepf news@vtcynic.com Opinion Sydney Liss-Abraham opinion@vtcynic.com

government policies, we could also be putting our energy toward the creation of good.

Senior SGA senator Bhumika Patel and other students are working to identify and aid students who are struggling to feed themselves off campus.

If there’s a pendulum between speaking out about what disgusts us and taking action to improve issues locally, most students have swayed too far toward the former.

Comic

by Joe Ortiga

This eventually became the European Union, which traded complete independence for a more reliable and prosperous continent that didn’t have constant wars over border disagreements.

That is why its citizens choose to pay more taxes in return for more benefits.

But we’ve never had to reconsider whether our current system of governing is appropriate, and therefore accept its flaws as temporary inconveniences.

Instead, we kept our tradition of rugged individualism, or as I like to call it: “poor-people-should-just-deal-with-itism.”

Why should I pay for some kid’s education if I chose not to go to college?

Why should I help some poor person get medical help when I haven’t been sick in years?

Why should I pay my employees a decent wage if they’ll work for me anyway?

What would we actually gain by paying our tax dollars for this?

Germany has amazing apprenticeship tracks for stu-

dents that prefer to be more hands-on, in which they spend most of their time working for a company with an actual salary.

After three years in a track, they can get a diploma that is just as respected and professional as a college degree.

Often they’ll be offered a full-time position at the company where they worked. Not only are colleges tuition-free, but there are also subsidies to pay for the room and board for anyone from a low-income family.

Plus, with laws that prohibit unpaid internships for students, it should be no surprise that Germany has low youth unemployment rates.

The U.S. could have these things too, but we’d have to change our traditions to do so.

So seeing how our generation is the most educated and progressive yet, to paraphrase our lord and savior Bernie Sanders: I guess we kind of have to.

Henry Mitchell is a first-year political science major. He has been writing for the Cynic since 2018.

editor’s desk

S

Cynic Staff

ince “Assault in ‘Safe Spaces’” was published in the Feb. 13 issue of the Cynic, we have heard serious concerns about the reporting and editing of the piece.

We are deeply sorry to those who were hurt by the story.

We did not intend to portray sexual assault as anything less than a serious issue. It is never the victim’s fault and it is wrong to silence the victim.

Sexual assault is an immediate and serious issue that must be addressed at this university and beyond.

The article was intended to be a look into different ways in which a Burlington community addresses sexual assault.

As journalists, we seek to represent as many viewpoints as possible.

It is crucial to remain objective and also recognize the limits of reporting in addressing traumatic issues like sexual assault.

We apologize for the ways this piece hurt some readers.

We are trying to understand the consequences of how we presented the story. We regret how it was presented.

We will try to better support survivors and their stories.

If you’re looking to get involved, or need support around sexual or intimate partner violence, contact the UVM Women’s Center at (802) 656-7892 or women@uvm.edu.

ARTS

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The Vermont Cynic

Feb. 20. 2018

Peter Pan to be re-imagined on stage Ella Webster Staff Writer Those who grew up wondering how Tinkerbell got her pixie dust and Captain Hook became a marauding pirate can find out this week.

“Peter and the Starcatcher,” the Tony Award-winning prequel to Peter Pan, hits the UVM stage starting Thursday, Feb. 22.

All performances will be held at Royall Tyler Theater.

Written by Rick Elice and Wayne Barker, the show details how an unknown orphan became the Peter Pan audiences know and love.

The play is an adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson’s best-selling novel of the same name, according to Music Theatre International.

The first book in the fivebook series was published in 2004. “Peter and the Starcatcher” was re-imagined for the stage in 2009.

The Peter Pan character was created by Scottish novelist and playwright J.M. Barrie and first appeared on stage in London in 1904.

He was an instant hit — “from beginning to end a thing of pure delight,” according to a December 2014 Smithsonian Magazine article.

The UVM production of “Peter and the Starcatcher” pays homage to Peter Pan’s life before he turned into the recognizable character.

Viewers will gain insight

into the background of the boy who stays a child forever.

The cast of 15 students spent five weeks rehearsing.

“Peter and the Starcatcher” is an ensemble-based show.

The cast spent the majority of rehearsals developing the group dynamic, said director Sarah Carleton, an associate theater professor.

Carleton has taken a new approach to this show. She called it “bare bones” and “story theater.”

In “story theater,” actors play multiple roles and narrate, she said.

“Everyone plays everything from doors, to trees, to a storm,” Carleton said.

The show uses found objects such as sticks and ropes as props.

She said that they tug at the imaginative child inside us all.

People should come to the show because it has a vast range of characters from all walks of life, she said.

There are little kids, brutish pirates and fancy aristocrats that will be relatable to everyone, she said.

“People know about Peter Pan, but this is a fun way of learning who the characters are and where they came from, and how they became who they are,” Carleton said.

The UVM production of the play will be both funny and beautiful, she said.

“What I love about the play is that it’s a true ensemble,”

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic

The UVM Theatre Department will open its spring semester show “Peter and the Starcatcher” Feb. 22 in Royall Tyler Theatre.

Carleton said. “Everyone’s on stage, and everyone supports everyone in the storytelling.”

The play brings up themes that are bigger than the individual, said senior Samantha Lavertue, the show’s marketing coordinator.

It showcases community, something she’s found in other theater productions on campus, she said.

Last year, Lavertue helped build the “Spring Awakening” set, she said.

“I love how ‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ resurrects the mystery and adventure of the Disney Peter Pan story,” Lavertue said. “I think it’s going to be a hit.”

Experience the Magic!

7:30 p.m. Feb. 22-24 and March 1-3 2 p.m. Feb. 24 and March 4 Student tickets are $10 and can be bought online or at the Royall Tyler Box Office

Co-op educates photographers Alec Collins Staff Writer On a campus where many students have high-quality digital cameras built into their phones, some students are obsessing over analog photography.

The Photo Co-op in the Living/Learning Center is a space for UVM students, staff and their families to develop creative photography skills.

For $90 a semester, students have access to the facility and its fully equipped darkroom, as well as individual instruction.

All necessary equipment, including film cameras and a Mac laboratory for scanning and editing is included, according to its website.

The Co-op has been under the direction of coordinator Ann Barlow for the last 13 years.

Barlow, a professional photographer, has displayed her work in dozens of solo and group exhibits.

The Co-op offers a unique opportunity for students and community members to gain hands-on experience in film photography, Barlow said.

“Students go through the whole process from taking the picture to developing film, to printing in a relaxed, non-credit-bearing, non-graded setting,” she said.

The Co-op offers program-

ALEK FLEURY/The Vermont Cynic

The Photo Co-op in the Living/Learning Center gives students access to the facility for $90 a semester. The Co-op offers a fully equipped darkroom and individual instruction in film photography. ming for film photographers with any level of experience, including short workshops that give newcomers a general introduction to the subject.

During February, the Coop offers a three-class series called “Intro to Darkroom.”

Other classes focus on teaching advanced students specific skills, Barlow said.

The space is also the perfect place to “meet and connect with others that have a similar interest,” she said.

“There’s plenty of room for growth and to engage with more students,” Barlow said.

Sophomore Jake Schevling, who studies environmental science, finds the Co-op valuable because it’s a way for him to stay connected with his creative side, he said.

“I became interested in film photography in middle

school,” he said, “but in high school I switched over to digital. The Co-op is a great place for me to develop skills in both.”

Sophomore Lucas Herrera-Mindell is interested in developing his own photos.

“The time it takes to print the photos makes them more important than instant photos,” he said. “I like all the control I have, much more than when I take a roll to the pharmacy.”

The Photo Co-op has much to offer students of all abilities, and it is an artistic, on-campus space that deserves more attention, Barlow said.

“I feel that the darkroom is a hidden gem and would love to see more people take advantage of this great resource,” Barlow said.

The Vermont Cynic

FEATURE

Feb. 20, 2018

5

CAROLINE SLACK/ The Vermont Cynic

Tattoo artist Aja Briana discusses her tattoos, identity and the experience of being Latina in her field. Briana is a full-time artist at Vermont Custom Tattoo and Piercing on Church Street.

Girl Got a (Tattoo) Gun A conversation with a female tattoo artist

Vermont Custom Tattoo and Piercing is tucked away a flight of stairs above The Cosmic Grind coffee shop at 104 Church Street Marketplace.

You might miss it if it weren’t for a plastic sign on the brick wall outside. The shop makes the most of a small space, with orange and teal walls adorned with murals of a sailor girl and a dragon — and sheets upon sheets of tattoo designs.

When Aja Briana introduces herself, the first thing you notice is her radiant personality. There’s an immediate warmth about her, one that would make any nervous client feel instantly at ease. The only outward marker of her career in the tattoo industry is a dainty hand inked onto her forearm.

The 22-year-old tattoo artist is a new member of the team. She started her apprenticeship in October 2016 and has now joined their staff as a fulltime artist.

Equipped with two rotary machines that she bought from fellow Vermont Custom tattoo artist Joe Demers during her apprenticeship, she has made a career out of putting art on skin.

Vermont Custom’s website displays a gallery of her art on dozens of bodies: from hummingbirds to mountain ranges to stunning floral arrangements to dog portraits. Her favorite tattoos to create are the products of personal consultations with clients.

Briana was drawing before she could write. Her childhood was invested in writing, art and music. The sight of inked skin sparked her interest in the path she eventually chose: “When I was 7, I saw someone with a tattoo and thought about being the person to put art on someone else’s body.”

Briana, who hails from Las Vegas, came to Vermont a few years ago to be closer to her younger sister. She was unable to attend college for financial reasons and, following a PTSD diagnosis, “basically came to Vermont for [her] mental health.”

“The tattoo industry is a white male industry,” she said. “As a Latina female, I feel lucky to work with people my age.” She believes the current generation will destigmatize tattoos and embrace them as art.

As a Panamanian-American queer woman, she’s an outlier in her field, especially in Vermont. According to the July 2016 census, Vermont’s population was 93.1 percent people of white ethnicity with no hispanic origin.

Because of her fair skin and current male partner, she said she appears straight and white for the most part.

“If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t necessarily have the same relationships with coworkers”, she said.

“I’m certainly very white-passing,” she said. “I’m freckled with typically light skin. But I think I take extra strides to assert that.”

Briana said she is outspoken about her sexuality because of the degree of discrimination against LGBT people.

As a queer person and a Latina person, she said she will always be outspoken.

She supports Black Lives Matter and wants to use her rare position of having white privilege while still being a minority in a strong, powerful way.

“If you have white privilege, fucking use it,” Briana said. “It’s a tool that can be used to point a finger to the voice that isn’t being listened to, a neon arrow to the people that aren’t being heard, but need to be.”

Her passion for social justice is a driving force behind her work.

“I’m still finding my grounds and bearings, but I want to be part of an

“

“I see a lot of beautiful humans and have the utmost honor that they choose to share this transformative experience with me,” she said.

The meticulousness she once considered a weakness has worked to her benefit as a tattoo artist.

“I remind myself to take my time,” she said.“I was always the last one to finish tests, the last one to finish in art class.”

The fact that she is patient with details makes her tattoos beautiful and intricate, every stroke made with full intention.

This career has also forced her to roll with the punches and make the best out of things that don’t turn out perfectly.

“I have learned so much through this form of art,” she said. “If a line doesn’t turn out, I can’t crumple up a person and throw them away.

“I’m more accepting of my own mistakes. It’s a funny job for one with anxiety, but everything happens for a

I have regretted every single one of my tattoos at one point.

But trust the self that put ink on you. Even if it’s bad, it’s a bookmark of your past self.

Aja Brianna Tattoo Artist

inclusive community,” she said. “I hope that in 100 years, this industry is dominated by people who are passionate about the fact that people come with the vulnerability of wanting permanent art on their skin.”

Right now, her womanhood is the thing that “sticks out” the most, Briana said. “When someone calls asking if there’s a female artist, I carry in mind that this is an experience that they chose to share with me.”

She’s thrilled to be a queer woman who is able to relate with those who might otherwise feel intimidated by tattoo artists.

She comments on the fact that women inking intimate areas of their body might feel more comfortable with a woman doing the work, while queer people may feel more comfortable with an artist who is part of their community.

“I want people to be able to share with their artist,” she said. “It’s so important to feel accepted in such a vulnerable situation.”

Beyond her artistic prowess, Briana gives care to each and every client she takes in.

“

Caroline Slack Assistant Features Editor

reason. Hiccups are a component that help it become a work of art.”

While Briana was inking one of her first clients, the girl laughed and it messed up the line she was working on.

Briana was nervous telling the client what happened, but ultimately, the hiccups inked onto her body gave the piece personality, she said.

One of her recent clients was an 18-year-old from Puerto Rico who came into the shop with a friend who was getting a piercing, and asked for a tattoo on a whim.

He decided on his sister’s birthdate in Roman numerals, only to return a few hours later after the realization that he had gotten one digit wrong.

His thought? That the universe wanted the two of them to spend more time together, she said.

They eventually figured out a way to cover the error with a heart. “He was beautiful and gracious, and smiled the whole time,” she said. “I honor that day and that boy.”

Tattoos are taxing and painful and not everyone reacts well to the experience.

“We get told we should be first responders,” she said of herself and fellow artists at the shop.

Some clients “throw up, faint, seize, but we still want them to leave here feeling as comfortable as possible. I like to think that people usually feel comfortable here.”

A huge component of maintaining her job is self-care.

“You can’t come in hungover or on half a night’s rest,” Briana said. “I give myself time to sit and breathe, not bringing any negativity to the client.”

As a tattoo artist and collector herself, she has plenty of advice for those looking to get inked.

“Research your artist,” she said.

“Write that in all caps.

“Find someone whose work you like.”

Getting a tattoo can be a healing experience. Briana believes it’s about taking ownership of one’s own body.

“Tattoos are for no one but yourself,” she said.

After a client leaves the shop, it’s up to them to take care of their body modifications and ensure that they heal safely.

“Tattoos heal like sunburns; they peel and flake, and usually heal in about three weeks,” Briana said. “Healing is an afterglow of the process — it’s up to you once you leave the shop.

“It’s a great practice of self love to take care of this decision that you made.”

During a difficult time, she tattooed a snake on her thigh and now she says it looks a bit scaly.

“I have regretted every single one of my tattoos at some point,” she said.

“But trust the self that put ink on you.

Even if it’s bad, it’s a bookmark of your past self.”

She’s given herself three tattoos in addition to the snake: the first was a pie based on the one from Crockett Johnson’s children’s book “Harold and the Purple Crayon.”

After the Las Vegas shooting in October, she tattooed a cactus on her Achilles as a tribute to her hometown and gave the same tattoo to a few friends as well. Just the other day, she gave herself a tiny white-ink eye on her finger for fun, she said.

Her eyes light up as she describes her younger sister: a spunky, artistic 10-year-old.

Briana took her sister to a water park. It was the first time she had worn a bathing suit since she got a tattoo of a maple creemee — a staple of Vermont culture — on her butt, she said.

Seeing it, her sister said “Your life is complete,” perhaps a nod to the fact that the new generation is celebrating tattoos.

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ISRAEL SUMMER 2018 The Vermont Cynic

Feb. 20. 2018

MAY 23 - JUNE 4

Registration opens Jan. 30th UVM2Israel.com This trip is a gift from Birthright Israel For more information, contact: sarah@uvmhillel.org (847) 730-4728

The Vermont Cynic

Feb.20, 2018

7

SPORTS

Basketball loses two-year win streak Sabrina Hood Staff Writer

For the first time in over two years, UVM men’s basketball left the court with a conference loss.

The Catamounts’ win streak came to an end Sunday, Feb. 18 with a 69-68 loss to the University of Hartford at Patrick Gym. Senior forward Drew Urquhart posted a double-double in the defeat, with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Trae Bell-Haynes and senior forward Payton Henson added 12 points each.

Hartford started the game on fire, pulling out a 14-2 lead.

Vermont would even the score by halftime, and the second half was tight.

Trailing by one with 15 seconds to go, UVM put their hopes on the reigning conference player of the year, BellHaynes, hoping for a clutch bucket.

It was not to be. BellHaynes had two attempts to win the game blocked by the Hawks’ defense.

Jason Dunne dominated for the Hawks with 26 points.

George Blagojevic added 13 off the bench, along with two clutch blocks on Bell-Haynes’ desperate attempt to salvage the streak.

The final game in the win streak came three days earlier, as UVM beat the University of New Hampshire 71-58 at Thursday’s Rally Against Cancer game.

The Catamounts had a

SABRINA HOOD/The Vermont Cynic

First-year Ra Kpedi sets up against a UNH player Feb. 15. The Catamounts are currently 22-6.

bumpy start at the beginning of the game, as UNH scored some early 3-pointers. To make matters worse, Bell-Haynes and Drew Urquhart got into foul trouble at the last eight minutes of the half, with each sitting on two early fouls.

UVM continued to press and was able to tie with UNH at the half.

“Being tied at the half the way we played was a huge lift for us,” head coach John Becker said. “I went into the half saying that now we have a 20 minute game.”

Redshirt sophomore guard Everett Duncan gave sophomore guard Cam Ward credit for inspiring the team at the half. “[Ward said] we didn’t work this hard to play like this at home and told us to pick it up,” Duncan said. “It was great to see, I’m really happy he did that because he really showed senior leadership.”

At the half, with most of the players on the bench due to foul trouble or injury, Ward felt that he needed to encourage the team to keep playing hard

in the next half.

“I just wanted to do whatever I needed to do to help us win,” Ward said.

He was the highest scoring player of the game for UVM with 14 points.

“I thought Cam Ward for the second straight game played inspired, tough basketball,” Becker said. “He was a leader in timeouts and I can’t be more impressed with what Cam is doing late in his career.”

UVM obtained a larger lead towards the end of the second half when first-year guard

Stef Smith scored a 3-pointer, bringing the score to 52-48.

From then on, Vermont kept scoring until finally winning the game 71-58.

“For the seniors on our team, it’s our last run and we want to go out on top,” Ward said. “We want to just play as hard as we can every day and represent our state in the right way.”

Their next game is 7 p.m.

Wednesday Feb. 21 against Binghamton University at Patrick Gym.

Korean unity headlines the Pyeongchang Olympics Locria Courtright Assistant Sports Editor

KYRA CHEVALIER

T

he Baron Pierre de Coubertin designed the Olympic rings to represent the world united by “Olympism,” according to a February 2014 The Week article.

Perhaps the biggest show of unity in Olympic history is happening right now, with two bordering nations still technically at war coming together in cooperation and union.

At the Parade of Nations, part of the Olympic opening ceremonies, the host country enters last.

But when it came time for the hosts to enter Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium in Pyeongchang, South Korea, it wasn’t just the hosts that entered.

Two flag bearers, a hockey player and a bobsledder, entered the stadium, holding a single white flag.

The flag the bearers shared was a simple white flag with a silhouette of the Korean peninsula on it.

It was not the South Korean flag which, though it is also white, has a red and blue circle in the middle officially known as the taeguk.

It was not an act of antagonism from the either side of

the Korean border, but rather a display of unity between the two nations: one Korean people, torn apart by war, coming together on the biggest stage in sport.

Though most of the events have seen North and South Korea compete separately, they are competing together on a unified women’s hockey team.

The team is made up of 23 players from the south and 12 from the north, coached by the head coaches of the two nations’ women’s hockey teams - Sarah Murray from the South and Pak Chol-ho from the North.

This isn’t the first time two nations, largely divided by political conflict, have competed in the Olympics as one nation.

A divided Germany sent a united team to three Olympiads in the late 1950s and early

1960s, according to the International Olympic Committee website.

Unlike that German team, the North and South are still technically at war, as no peace treaty was signed following the Korean War in the 1950s.

The peninsula’s split came following World War II and the end of Japanese occupation.

Japan had annexed the Korean Empire in 1910, and held the peninsula until their surrender after World War II. The People’s Republic of Korea, a provisional government set up by the Korean people following Japan’s surrender, was quickly dissolved when the United States set up a military government in the southern part of the country, leaving the north to the Soviet Union.

The unified women’s hockey team went up against Ja-

pan in their final Group B round-robin game at the Kwandong Hockey Centre following two 8-0 defeats to Switzerland and Sweden.

In the second period, with Japan up 2-0, Randi Heesoo Griffin, a U.S. native of Korean heritage, slipped a puck through the legs of Japanese goaltender Akane Konishi, which cut the lead in half and gave Unified Korea its first goal of the tournament.

An entire peninsula, beyond just the 4,110 in the arena waving the unification flag from the opening ceremony, erupted in joy.

Korea lost the game 4-1, and fell 2-0 to Switzerland in the classification game, sending them to the seventh place game against Sweden. The women’s hockey tournament only has eight teams, so the

loser will finish in last place.

Despite the result on the ice, the Koreans are the true winners of the Olympics.

U.S. Olympic Committee member Angela Ruggiero, a former women’s hockey Olympian, proposed that the unified Olympic team be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, according to a Feb. 11 Reuters article.

In a time when it feels like every piece of news is bad, perhaps Ruggiero has a point: the results don’t matter.

This joint venture is bigger than sport and could be a huge step toward peace on the peninsula.

Locria Courtright is a junior English major. She has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2015.

8

FEATURE

The Vermont Cynic

Feb. 20, 2018

Searching for the Snowy Owl Michael McGuire Cynic Correspondent

A

s a wildlife photographer and bird lover, I made it my mission to search far and wide to find and photograph snowy owls.

First, I scour online birding forums and Facebook pages to get a general sense of where sightings are occurring.

Next, I wait for a sunny day and drive to a general spot. Addison, Vermont is a hotspot for snowies right now. Going there requires driving slowly around and exploring open fields for lumps of snow on the ground, which upon further inspection, turn out to be just lumps of snow.

Their namesake as Tundra Ghosts rings true, as you can spend hours searching to no avail. However, you may not have to go nearly that far to see an owl.

While taking an evening stroll, I saw a female snowy perched right atop the Redstone water tower and others have seen her in front of the Interfaith Center as well.

Michael McGuire is a sophomore wildlife biology major. He is interested in nature photography and enjoys mountain biking, skiing and pistachios.

MICHAEL MCGUIRE/The Vermont Cynic

The Vermont Cynic

Feb. 20, 2018

LIFE

9

BSU celebrates Black History Month Katie Brobst Assistant Life Editor When sophomore Harmony Edosomwan came to UVM last year, she found a community in the Black Student Union.

“I went to every single meeting last year and wanted to run for president to shift us in a new direction: a little more politicized,” said Edosomwan, now president of BSU. BSU was founded in 2003.

It is a place of sanctuary for students of color and a place where others can learn about black culture, their website states.

“It’s just a black space and it’s such a beautiful thing,” Edosomwan said.

The group’s mission statement has seven principles: leadership, community, awareness, dedication, equity, respect and scholarship.

“We have a mentorship thing where people can learn about organizing and activism and what it means to be a black leader on campus,” Edosomwan said.

They have also helped organize the march on Waterman last semester that resulted in a meeting with University President Tom Sullivan where the students voiced their concerns about discrimination and racism on campus.

A September 2017 Burlington Free Press article quoted

President Sullivan saying, “our goal is to reach an understanding of the concerns received today, as well as identifying a path forward that assures progress.”

Edosomwan said that people are calling it the third Waterman takeover.

The first two were in 1988 and 1991.

There are other ways BSU is promoting diversity awareness on campus.

On Wednesday Feb. 21, in honor of Black History Month, BSU is teaming up with the UVM Program Board to host a private screening of “Black Panther” at the Roxy Cinema.

They will host their annual fashion show Saturday, Feb 24.

“We fly out designers from different urban communities and they showcase their work,” Edosomwan said. “We have models who are students of color. It’s really fun.”

The theme for this year’s fashion show is “For the Culture.” It focuses on West African culture.

Edosomwan loves Black History Month, a time when people take a keener look at black history and culture, she said BSU is present throughout the year, hosting general meetings Wednesday nights.

Edosomwan has introduced new things to these meetings.

“I think my favorite part

SAM LITRA/The Vermont Cynic Sophomore Harmony Edosomwan, president of the UVM Black Student Union, discusses the founding of BSU and community. Their annual fashion show is Feb. 24 in the Grand Maple Ballroom. about this month so far is that we just started an intellectual talk series,” she said.

The series draws from topics chosen by the general body that are difficult to talk about.

One week the group talked about who can use the “n-word.”

Something else Edosomwan has been focusing on in BSU is oneness: “not uniformity but unity which is really important,” she said.

Every meeting ends with members standing, holding

hands and repeating a quote by Assata Shakur, former member of the Black Liberation Army.

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win.

We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains,” the quote states.

“We repeat that twice so we understand that we are oneness and we are here for each other, to protect and serve and support each other,” Edosomwan said.

“We’re a space for everyone

to come,” Edosomwan said.

“Even if you’re new to all this.”

Buy tickets for the fashion show Feb. 24 at Tickets.uvm.edu.

This show and a free screening of “Black Panther” are open to everyone.

Out with Rooster & in with Dog Weed extract catches on Erin Powell Staff Writer

Alexandra Shannon Staff Writer

The promise of Asian cuisine and a new community waiting on the top floor of the Davis Center offered fun and comfort to students of Asian descent.

The Asian American Student Union hosted the 2018 Lunar New Year celebration in the Grand Maple Ballroom at the Davis Center.

Though the official start of the Year of the Dog is Feb. 16, the annual event kicked off at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10.

The Grand Maple Ballroom was decked out in red and filled with people celebrating.

Guests also sported red, a color that signifies luck and vitality in Chinese culture according to nationsonline.org.

The Lunar New Year is celebrated throughout many Asian countries, and each culture has its own traditions AASU’s Lunar New Year party honored many of these cultures through its food and entertainment.

The wide scope of clothing styles, from Qipao to American Eagle, was also representative of the range of attendees.

“Even though I was underdressed, I still felt very welcomed into the experience,” first-year Caeli Rice said.

Guests enjoyed a performance by the Cat’s Meow, UVM Taiko and a keynote speaker, Eliot Chang.

Chang is an actor and comedian who has appeared on

Forget back-alley drug deals and sketchy smoke shops to get cannabis, in Burlington, cannabidiol can be found in coffee shops and grocery stores.

CBD is a non-psychoactive chemical component of weed, according to the World Health Organization.

It can offer anxiety-reducing and antidepressant effects as well as relieve joint pain, according to WHO. Sophomore Lara Cwass uses CBD oil in a tincture that she drops under her tongue.

“I’ve read about CBD being great for inflammation and a number of other health benefits,” Cwass said. “But my primary use is to relax my body before going to sleep.”

For Cwass, this cannabis product isn’t a drug.

“Combined with meditation, it is a wonderful, natural way to launch the mind into a calm state and get a deeper night’s rest,” she said.

The number of retailers that offer products made with CBD in the Burlington area has recently increased.

Dobra Tea now sells CBD-infused honey by the jar, Ceres Natural Remedies makes CBD chocolates and The Cosmic Grind offers CBD lattes.

Monarch & the Milkweed, Maglianero, Tom Girl, Pingala and Healthy Living Market & Café also have CBD products on their menus.

Conversation around can-

LUC BURNIER/The Vermont Cynic The Lunar New Year event hosted by the Asian American Student Union included performance by the Cat’s Meow, UVM Taiko and comedian Eliot Chang Feb. 10 in the Grand Maple Ballroom.

Comedy Central and gueststarred in Law and Order: SVU, according to IMDb. In addition to his comedy act, Chang discussed serious issues of race when sharing stories from his upbringing as a Korean immigrant.

The event was not only fun for students of all backgrounds, it also provided comfort for those like first-year AASU member Jenni Stocker.

This year was her first celebrating the New Year away from home. It was “a new experience, but nothing foreign,” Stocker said.

Her membership in AASU has made her feel “more accepted within that community and fully comfortable and proud being Asian,” she said.

Though the Lunar New Year

party reflected many aspects of traditional celebrations, it was not meant to perfectly mirror a specific tradition, Stocker said.

“Everyone in AASU knows and accepts that we all come from different backgrounds and were raised in different ways that do not fit the stereotypical’ Asian,” she said.

The night was topped off with a traditional Filipino dessert and closing remarks from AASU event organizers.

The mission of AASU is to focus on “empowering students to raise their voices around issues surrounding the Asian/Pacific Islander community,” according to their Facebook page.

It echoes one of Chang’s messages: “to be bold, daring and take risks: a great way to start off a great 2018,” he said.

AUTUMN LEE/The Vermont Cynic This chocolate contains CBD, a non-psychoactive chemical with anxiety-reducing effects. nabis is not new to Vermont.

Governor Phil Scott signed bill H.511, which legalized the use and possession of a limited amount of cannabis in Vermont Jan. 22.

“CBD’s presence in Burlington is representative of a socially liberal community that is moving towards accepting the medicinal benefits of cannabis,” sophomore Julian Lathrop said.

CBD can be harvested from hemp — a non-psychoactive form of cannabis legalized in Vermont in 2013, according to Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Market’s website.

“Honestly it might have practical applications in college,” Lathrop said. “It’d be cool to see how it could help kids get to bed at a reasonable hour as a sleep aid or reduce stress from classes.”