The Wake, Issue 3, Fall 2015

ERASING THE STIGMA

POLITICAL REFLECTIONS

// PG. 9

PG. 13 //

TURN UP FOR WHAT?

RONDA ROUSEY

PG. 21 //

// PG. 11

VOLUME 15, ISSUE 3 // NOV 2–NOV 15

Works by Linda Seebauer Hansen and Keith Kaziak November 5–December 4 | Art Opening: Friday November 6, 6–8pm Keith Kaziak

Linda Seebaur Hansen

arts

FALL 2015 EXHIBITIONS

culture AT THE LARSON ART GALLERY

ST. PAUL STUDENT CENTER • LOWER LEVEL

sua.umn.edu

VOLUME 15, ISSUE 3 FUNNIEST GROUP // PG. 8

POLITICAL REFLECTIONS // PG. 13

ERASING THE STIGMA // PG. 9

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS // PG. 5

RONDA ROUSEY // PG. 11

TURN UP FOR WHAT? // PG. 21

EDITORIAL: Sound & Vision Editors Peter Diamond Shawnna Stennes

Editor-in-Chief Grace Birnstengel Managing Editor Lauren Cutshall

Art Directors Lizzie Goncharova Max Smith

Cities Editor Kevin Beckman

Copy Editors Alex Van Abbema Joe Rush

Voices Editor Kayla McCombs

Editorial Interns Emma Klingler Sally Samaha Olivia Heusinkveld Carson Kaskel Faculty Advisor Chelsea Reynolds

PRODUCTION: Executive Director Kelcie McKenney Head Designer Becca Sugden Graphic Designers Caleb Vanden Boom Kate Doyle Olivia Novotny Web Manager Carter Gruss

Public Relations/ Advertising Manager Sara Erickson

PR Interns Jenna Ogle

Social Media Manager Abby Richardson

Photography Interns Juliet Laske Kellen Renstrom

Finance Manager Nels Haugen

Illustration Interns Aaron Musickant Taylor Severson

Distributors Abigail Rommel Sam Gunderson

Design Interns Breanna Vick Erin Bankson

THIS ISSUE: Cover Photo Kellen Renstrom Photographers Kellen Renstrom, Sara Erickson, Juliet Laske Illustrators Lizzie Goncharova, Aaron Musickant, Max Smith, Taylor Daniels, Emily Denio, Breanna Vick, Andrew Tomten Contributing Writers Sammy Brown, Logan Carroll, Lauren Cutshall, Emily Deuker, Peter Diamond, Carson Kaskel, Sara Erickson, Emma Klingler, Lianna Matt, Erin Stevenson, Mishy Wang, Aleezeh Hasan, Auston Borowitz, Russell Barnes, Kortney Kell, Max Smith, Emily Hill, Claire Becker, Olivia Heusinkveld, Colin Miller, Karl Witkowiak, Andrew Tomten ©2015 The Wake Student Magazine.

All Rights Reserved.

Established in 2002, The Wake is a fortnightly independent magazine and registered student organization produced by and for students at the University of Minnesota.

The Wake was founded by Chrin Ruen & James DeLong.

Disclaimer:The purpose of The Wake is to provide a forum in which students can voice their opinions. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not representative of the publication or university as a whole. To join the conversation email gbirnstengel@wakemag.org.

The Wake Student Magazine 126 Coffman Memorial Union 300 Washington Avenue SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 www.wakemag.org facebook.com/ thewakemagazine @the_wake wake-mag.tumblr.com

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR More often than not, I am reminded that anything worth our time and energy is driven by one thing: Passion. When we’re excited, we want to shout it from the rooftops and passion is a beautiful thing to witness. It’s one of those things that make us human.

Luckily,The Wake is full of passion. Passion that I can personally connect with—like our piece on the U’s Comedy Club on pg. 8—as well as passion in how we react to the things we love—perhaps a rap concert pg. 21. More importantly, we need to stay passionate about our values, which often means combating stereotypes and stigmas (p. ??).

Lastly, as young people, we must stay passionate about politics because soon they will be our politics. In a country of 319 million, it’s easy to feel like your passions are lost in the mix. But in voting, we have a chance to contribute as one of those 319 million. No matter whose policies you lean into, the vote counts—in both big and small elections.

Grab hold of these opportunities and shout your passions from the rooftops.

Lauren Cutshall Managing Editor

KELLEN R ENS TRO M

5 Alternatives to The Selfie Stick

BY LAUREN CUTSHALL 1. Duct tape your phone to anything in front of you and use the self-timer.

2. If you have a durable case, try setting the self-timer and throwing your phone in the air.

Will it take a photo? Yes. Will it be blurry? Yes. 3. DIY tripod using a stack of books, your backpack, and a pile of laundry.

4. Use the original selfie stick: your arm.

5. Ask a stranger to take the photo for you.

People like being helpful.

S A R A E R I C KS O N

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND BLACK BEAN ENCHILADAS Comfort food that tastes right for fall DIRECTIONS:

INGREDIENTS:

—Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place 1/4 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a medium baking dish.

• • • • •

—Cut squash in half and microwave for 5-7 minutes to soften.

—Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large skillet.

—Add onions and garlic, cook 2-3 minutes until onions become translucent and garlic is fragrant.

—Add cubed butternut, Rotel tomatoes, black beans, water, and cilantro.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the squash is tender, about 10-15 minutes.

—Place 1/3 cup of filling in the center of each tortilla and roll. Place on the baking dish seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake covered with foil until hot and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Garnish with scallions and serve with sour cream, if desired.

Adapted from an original recipe on: Skinnytaste.com

• • • • • • • • • •

1 cup red enchilada sauce 1 tsp olive oil 1 small diced onion 3 cloves minced garlic 2 1/2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut 1/2-inch-dice 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies 1 1/2 cups reduced sodium canned black beans, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup cilantro Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tsp cumin 1/4 cup water 8 medium whole wheat flour tortillas (corn for gluten free) 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese 2 tbsp chopped scallions, for garnish Sour cream, for serving (optional)

BY SARA ERICKSON These vegetarian enchiladas are flavorful, plus a little spice, and easy to make. Also, leftovers for days.

Serving size: 1 enchilada, 8 servings

WHICH MADE UP POLITICAL PARTY WOULD YOU JOIN? 4 // NOV 2–NOV 15

37.14%

FIESTA PARTY (PARTY PARTY) 22.86%

PUPPIES! PUPPIES! PUPPIES! DIY PARTY

14.29%

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE PARTY

25.71%

THE WAKE // CITIES

MAX S MI TH

The Lofty Cost of Common Core Protests against racist curriculum beg deeper questions

BY SAMMY BROWN The value of education has often been said to be priceless, but sometimes the cost is far too high. For Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), the cost was $1.2 million and the risk of implementing racial stereotypes into the minds of young children. In July, the Minneapolis Board of Education signed a contract with Reading Horizons, a literacy program for K-2 students, which has since been given the boot due to teacher, parent, student, and resident protests.

Teachers began raising eyebrows at the new curriculum in August. Among the racist examples was a page depicting a black girl named “Lazy Lucy” from an unspecified area of Africa, running from her chores against the background of a hut and an acacia tree. Kenya is also described as a place where people “run very fast” and make clothes for people in the United States.

One book in the 54-book series curriculum is dedicated to “Nieko the Hunting Girl” who hunts woolly mammoths.

Another connects the enduring benefits of the printing press with Christopher Columbus’ discovery of America after reading a book about Marco Polo. The next page asks readers what they think would have happened had Columbus not read that book. The decision to contract with Reading Horizons seems to be in conflict with the attitude of a state that takes so much pride in celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day.

Lecturer Eric Daigre, who teaches a literacy and American cultural diversity course at the University of Minnesota, is one of many teachers exasperated with Common Core and leading literacy programs like Reading Horizons. He considers these literacy programs to be a part of the corporate apparatus, led by opportunists who design the programs behind closed doors.

This system allows corporate heads to easily cash in on desperate teachers and administrators—the ones who are held responsible for struggling students and take the heat from angry parents.

The cutesy alliterative stereotypes of European-named African girls and the notorious Christopher Columbus lie didn’t cut it for the teachers. Pictures began circulating on Facebook, and the protests commenced. Though Michael Goar, interim “The same forces pressing for performance pay and tying superintendent of the district, apologized via Facebook for the teachers' salaries to test scores are part of the same machine “culturally insensitive and unacceptable material,” he continued that's creating the tests and cut-offs, so that a certain to downplay the situation, stating that, “Research shows this percentage of students fail by design,” Daigre said of the program has been successful in improving student outcomes futility of isolating Common Core from the “wider agenda of across the country, including outcomes in diverse districts like corporate education reform.” ours.” While research points to its successful phonic program and active-learning strategies, the ends do not justify the Even deeper than the pressure to keep pace with the Common blatantly racist means.

Core standards, which leaves little room for discussing the relevant social justice issues that shape children's lives, is the Ultimately, programs like Reading Horizons are employed to keep problem of little diverse representation. With “Lazy Lucy” and schools on track with Common Core and the high-stakes testing “Nieko the Hunting Girl,” diversity is not only slighted, but that plays puppeteer in today's classrooms. High-stakes testing misrepresented with outdated figures. Irrelevant representation is often what forces administrators to make rushed curricula significantly hinders Reading Horizons’ proclaimed goal of decisions with programs that promise to raise those test scores. narrowing achievement gaps.

Studies have shown that students learn better when they see themselves in the learning material. Hannah Sajban, a University alumna, currently works for Reading Corps, and has seen first-hand how representation of one’s culture increases learning engagement. While reading with a Somali English-language-learning (ELL) student about a girl named Sara, Sajban recounted, “He stopped the moment he saw the name and very excitedly pronounced, ‘That's how my sister spells her name!’” The student was having a difficult time enjoying reading, and Sajban said that was the first instance he’d shown enthusiasm for the subject.

Why couldn’t Lucy be a black girl from Minnesota who did her chores, even though she was tired? Couldn’t Nieko hunt for information on the Internet, like the Native American students who are reading about her? These considerations have proven to be less important to curricula writers and administration, as seen in Reading Horizons and MPS’ hasty decision to sign on.

However, awareness and persistence, as shown by Minneapolis teachers and residents, is alive and thriving.

WAKEMAG.ORG // 5

THE WAKE // CITIES

A Boys Club Norwood Teague fostered a culture of depravity in the U’s athletic department

BY LOGAN CARROLL Give a man some power and he’ll build a little corner of the world to suit himself. In 2012, Norwood Teague was given the University of Minnesota athletic department. By the time he left, it was a reflection of him.

TAY L O R D A NI E L S

Following several years when athletic department revenues fell just short of expenses, Teague was brought on to reverse course. He had a solid track record of facilities development and fundraising at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Immediately, Teague and University President Eric Kaler announced that they would focus on revenue-generating sports, especially football. The influence of the highly efficient Teague was felt almost immediately: In 2013, for the first time in five years, Gopher athletics were in the black.

In his first full year at the University, Teague led the department to nearly $2 million in profit. However, there was considerable controversy within the department about how the money had been made.

Senior associate athletic director Regina Sullivan was fired in October 2012 and sued the school. She claimed that her termination was retaliation for criticizing Teague’s commitment to Title IX. The school settled for $175,000.

Five months after Sullivan was fired, in March 2013, Kimberly Hewitt, the University’s director of equal opportunity and affirmative action, had been so alarmed by the athletic department’s annual report that she pushed for an internal review of its Title IX compliance.

profitable. “Colleges and universities all over the country have to supplement collegiate athletics budgets,” she wrote, “often at taxpayer expense.”

Despite the growing concerns about Teague and the new direction of the athletic department, he was producing. Or at least, he was selling.

When he first arrived in Minnesota,Teague was often compared to a salesman, and even once said, “If you can sell hope, you can sell anything.” He had sold his $190 million vision: a massive upgrade to the athletic facilities. (After all, he had a proven track record of facility development.)

In 2014, the Athletes Village was being refined, the internal equity investigation was underway, and the U paid a quarter million dollars to settle a claim related to sexual harassment.

“We wanted to look at the difference in budgets [between men and women’s sports] — equipment budgets, scholarships, Jim Stephenson, a volunteer gymnastics coach, was accused of coercing a player into posing for what the Pioneer Press called travel budgets,” Hewitt recently told the Star Tribune. “And “semi nude photos.” also we were concerned about the participation numbers.”

In June 2013, former women’s volleyball coach Steph Schleuder wrote an op-ed for the Minnesota Daily that summarized her concerns about Teague’s commitment to (and basic understanding of) Title IX. In the letter, she accused Teague of, among other things, padding the football roster to skew participation numbers (an important Title IX metric) in favor of men’s football.

Schleuder also criticized the mandate Teague had been given to turn the athletic department into a moneymaker, pointing out that less than 12 percent of college athletic programs are

6 // NOV 2–NOV 15

Stephenson was forced to quit the program, but after the incident, his wife, head coach Meg Stephenson, was accused of retaliating against students. She resigned in August 2014 because of the scandal.

Five months later, in January of 2015, the Pioneer Press reported that the Department of Education (DOE) had opened a Title IX investigation into the athletic department. The investigation was prompted by the Athletes Village, which would displace men and women’s track to make more room for the revenue generating sports of men’s football and basketball.

This was what Teague had promised since his first day on the job. According to the U’s Equity in Athletics 2014 report, the U spent three times as much on men’s sports as it did on women’s, even though women participated more than men.

In August 2015, Teague went supernova, imploding in a blaze of documented misogyny, which included sending a coworker extremely graphic, and sexually explicit text messages long after she asked him to stop.

During the fallout from the scandal, the Associated Press reported that the University was facing internal and external investigations of the athletic department’s spending, expenses, its general culture, and more.

Fast forward to this fall, the DOE investigation is ongoing, and after two years of investigation, the University released a mere eight pages about its Title IX compliance, which does not include any findings from the internal investigation.

When asked by the Star Tribune, Kaler declined to release more information from the internal review, saying it isn't necessary because the DOE investigation is “the gold standard process.”

As I write this (October 16, 2015), members of the Gopher football team have been accused of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and retaliation. This is the athletic department built by Norwood Teague.

THE WAKE // CITIES

Just for the Health of It University of Minnesota recognized as one of the healthiest campuses in the nation

BY MISHY WANG

L I Z Z I E GO NC H AROVA

The University of Minnesota has recently been recognized as a 2015 Active Minds Healthy Living Campus, a prestigious health award given to only five campuses nationwide. According to the Active Minds website, a national panel of expert reviewers select colleges that “celebrate leadership, innovation, collaboration, and excellence in campus health,” defined in a comprehensive list of criteria such as “providing quality, responsive, accessible clinical services” and “championing student voices.” Prestigious standards indeed, but how does that translate on this University campus?

College campuses are notorious for perpetuating unhealthy decisions in the void of fast food and all-nighters. It’s easy to get caught up with the overwhelming demands of college life and neglect one’s own psychological needs. However, I’ve always felt secure in my health on campus, but I couldn’t pinpoint why. Curious, I decided to delve into the health resources on campus and determine how they contributed to my piece of mind.

A key component of the University’s dedication to student health is the comprehensive mental health website, set up by the provost’s committee of student mental health. Information for 24-hour phone counseling, stress management, and online therapy are easily found on the website, as well as a plethora of resources with regards to mental health. All students—including graduate, veterans, and international students— can find resources suited for them. After casually perusing the website myself, I was impressed with the neat, aesthetically appealing setup, which carefully lays out a broad range of specific topics.

“We thought that organizing all the [University] student mental health resources and information in one place would be helpful for students, staff, faculty, and parents,” said Barbara Blacklock, co-chair of the committee. The website has since transitioned to a responsive website that allows access from all electronic platforms, indicating the University’s commitment to accessibility.

Yet the defining factor of the award includes a sense of inclusivity from all students—a chance for everyone’s voice to be recognized and heard.

A prime example of student leadership in health at the University is the Student’s Health Advocates program, which brings direct peer health support to students in 44 on-campus residence halls and 33 fraternities and sororities. I met an advocate from my residence hall, Tessa Dahlgren, after I received a nasty cement burn during capture-the-flag. The meeting was straightforward and casual, two elements not readily available in healthcare. Plus, the commute is incomparable: three floors down versus a 15-minute walk to Boynton. “Students are probably more comfortable coming to me than CAs for sexual health supplies,” Dahlgren said about the program. “They also come to me for simple first aid supplies.”

Yet my all-time favorite program on campus is Pet Away Worry and Stress, or PAWS. Every week, registered therapy animal teams visit various locations on campus for a few hours of animal assisted interactions, or AAI. Translation for students: cuddling with cute, furry animals! There are few experiences more stress-relieving than walking into a room with eight of the sweetest, calmest dogs I've ever seen. The program is evergrowing; on average, 205 people attend each session, an increase from

last year’s average of 150. Information about times and locations of PAWS sessions can be found on Boynton’s website.

“Animals don’t care if we’re stressed, if we’re happy, or if we’re sad,” Tanya Bailey, head of the PAWS program with 20 years of experience with therapy animals, said. “They’ll just meet us where we are, and oftentimes that’s all students need: a genuine, non-judgmental connection.”

My personal favorite was Chutzpah, a lovely gray poodle. Chutzpah seemed to suck all of my stress away with his gentle, relaxed soul. Every student that encountered him couldn’t help smiling and sharing stories about their respective pets, creating a sense of community rarely found in everyday life.

Chutzpah’s trainer revealed more about his past; his legs were in terrible shape when she first found him. He was abandoned, distrustful of the harsh environment. Through patient care and faith, his trainer nursed Chutzpah back to health, including his capacity to love and be loved. Now he is fit and healthy, ready to bring happiness to the world.

This, more than anything, symbolizes what the Active Minds award recognized in our University. Health care isn’t about complicated jargon or fancy medicine; it’s all about the experience. It’s about the simple joy of knowing that even on a ginormous campus, the individual’s needs matter.

No matter what, everyone deserves a chance to be healthier.

WAKEMAG.ORG // 7

THE WAKE // CITIES

THE FUNNIEST GROUP ON CAMPUS University Comedy Club continues to expand

BY ALEEZEH HASAN Looking for a student group to join? Want a few good laughs?

You may be able to find both in the University of Minnesota’s Comedy Club. Originally created in the ‘90s, the club relaunched in 2012 after a several-year hiatus. Club organizers said it was created as a space for students who might enjoy stand-up comedy.

The club president, senior Steven Kreager, said the Comedy Club is a great place for a bunch of people to hang out together and crack jokes. He encouraged individuals who have any interest in comedy to join the club, as he said it is an excellent gateway to becoming a part of the larger comedian scene in the city of Minneapolis. “The club is a place to find like-minded individuals and give them a place to perform,” Kreager said.

John Thomas, the club’s external relations officer, added that all members are accepting and friendly.

“A lot of the older kids will help the younger ones with getting into stand-up and with meeting new people through the activity,” Thomas said.

Thomas said the group has expanded over the years to become more welcoming of new kinds of people, explaining that there are more women and minorities joining the club, too. Club secretary Jared Hemming said the club does not align with typical comedian stereotypes.

Some Comedy Club shows are improv-based, where speakers get a prompt on stage or have to think of their moves and lines on the spot. Typical shows involve pre-written content that performers prepare at the club’s meetings.

Comedy Club meets every Wednesday in Coffman 323 from 6-7 p.m. The main aim of the meetings are to spend as much time as they can having fun.

“At meetings, we spend five to ten minutes on administrative boring stuff, but then the next 50 minutes are full of grand-slam fun,” Kreager said.

Club board members want more people to come to the meetings, and they think anyone who enjoys a good joke would love to be a part of the fun.The “grand-slam fun” portion of the meetings involves everyone sharing ideas and brainstorming for their next shows. They attempt to create close-knit bonds between all the group members so that no one feels left out.

As more new people come into the club, they try to break into smaller groups to foster a more relaxed atmosphere.

//A lot of people think that college comedy clubs are just a bunch of frat bros making jokes that demean women, and you’re

//

not going to see that here.

Group members have an easy time integrating jokes into their conversations and performing them up on stage. President Kreager put it best himself: “The comedy club is warm and opening, please come if you’re at all interested.We want you!”

A typical show produced by the club involves a number of students who are assigned a certain amount of time to do their bit. Performers arrive more than half an hour early to become well-acquainted with the performing area and to calm their nerves. Kreager stressed the importance of making everyone feel comfortable in order to keep the show moving.

The Comedy Club also finds national headliners from the local Acme Comedy Club in Minneapolis to perform. Some of the past shows have featured comics from “The Last Comic Standing” and Comedy Central. All the shows are free for students and take place the first Thursday of every month in the basement of the Corner Bar, located in the Seven Corners District of Minneapolis. To kick off this year’s spring semester, the club has plans to do a show at The Whole Music Club.

8 // NOV 2–NOV 15

FACEBOOK. COM/UMN COMEDYCLU B

“A lot of people think that college comedy clubs are just a bunch of frat bros making jokes that demean women, and you’re not going to see that here,” Hemming said. The Comedy Club strays away from humor that may offend people in the audience.

Occasionally they have run into the problem of derogatory humor, but Hemming said the club creates an understanding within the group that this sort of behavior is unacceptable. At shows, the jokes tend to be tasteful and insults are avoided.

THE WAKE // VOICES

Erasing the Stigma

How education and other strategies can help break down misconceptions of mental illness

BY AUSTIN BOROWITZ Mental illnesses have been present in societies around the world from all periods of time, and only recently have they become a major topic of discussion. Despite this, they have always had some sort of stigma associated with them; people with clinical depression are just choosing to be sad and people with PTSD just need to move on with their lives. Mental illnesses have always been treated as ways for people to get attention in our world, but for people actually struggling, this is absolutely not the case.

This stigma is something that needs to be defeated and I believe that there are a few different ways in which one can do so.

AARON MUSI C KA NT

One of the most important contributing factors to almost all stigma is the lack of knowledge about a topic or subject. If people can begin to educate themselves about the ins and outs of mental illness, then the negative connotations associated with mental illnesses should begin to shrink. I know personally

how much knowledge alone can help to minimize the negative mindset people often have when dealing with mental illnesses.

Approximately six months ago, I was diagnosed with clinical depression. During the early stages of my treatment, some of my family members and friends were very uneducated about it, which led them to view my illness as more of a toll on them then it was on me. Certain comments were made to me such as, “When are you going to get this depression under control?

It is really beginning to create a lot of stress for me,” and, “I was depressed once, and I got over it pretty quick. Why don’t you try harder to do the same?” They made me feel as though my illness actually was more of a burden to others than it was to me, which created even more trouble and ultimately made my illness worse than it already was. After some period of time, I realized that the only way to make the people in my life understand that I was dealing with this illness the same way that an athlete would be dealing with a torn ACL was to educated them about the facts and myths of clinical depression.

I began to sit down with each of these people in my life and explain to them that clinical depression is not a choice, and that I don’t need a specific reason to be down or sad on any given day.

The key point that often changed people’s mindsets was the fact that my depression was due to a hormonal imbalance of serotonin in my brain. Once people began to realize that this illness stemmed from the brain and was not a conscious effort by me to gain attention, they began to shift their mindset and are now some of the most supportive people in my battle.

on the mind and body, and it is even more important to educate faculty members about possible signs that someone may be struggling with a mental illness. Early identification and knowledge are the two most crucial tools to be utilized in public areas where people struggling with a mental illness often try to cover it up because they are ashamed. On the flip side of that, it is important for those struggling with a mental illness to be open about their condition, and to ultimately own their illness. You will never see someone with a broken leg take their cast off before going into work, so you should never feel like you have to hide your illness in similar scenarios. If someone asks about how you are doing, tell them, be open and honest with them, try to educate them about your illness, and never let the stigma get the better of you.

//

You will never see someone

with a broken leg take their

cast off before going into work, so you should never feel like you have to hide your illness in similar scenarios.

//

I feel that my experience serves as good evidence that educating people is the fastest and most effective way to combat the stigma behind mental health issues. Of course, it doesn’t mean this method is always effective for everyone, which is why it is important to incorporate other strategies into your battle against the stigma behind mental illness. In schools and places of employment, it is important to go over the negative effects of stress

WAKEMAG.ORG // 9

THE WAKE // VOICES

Bombings in Ankara Peace rallies turn savage as the Turkish government stands on thinner ice

BY EMMA KLINGLER Chaos erupted on October 10 at a peace rally in Turkey’s symbolic capital city. At the rally organized by Turkey’s public workers’ union and other pro-Kurdish groups, protesters gathered together to advocate for increased democracy and for the halting of violence between Turkish security forces and Kurdish rebel populations.

Dancing and chanting were interrupted by the first of two explosions, later determined to be suicide bombings, which killed 95 people and injured some 248 more. The attack has since been called the deadliest of its kind in the modern history of Turkey. Those civilians who were uninjured participated in a triage of the victims, administering CPR and first aid to those downed in the blasts and covering the bodies of those killed with flags and banners that had been used in the protest.

MA X S MIT H

The location of the peace rally and the tragic bombing, the city of Ankara holds special significance to the people of Turkey. Located in Central Anatolia, it is the capital of Turkey and the location of the headquarters for Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the man who founded the Republic of Turkey a little over 90 years ago. Ataturk’s reforms are the foundation upon which the modern day Turkish state has been established and the reason that it has been able to remain autonomous.

10 // NOV 2–NOV 15

Born simply Mustafa, he was given the name “Kemal,” which “For some time, we have been receiving intelligence means perfection, by a mathematics teacher for his academic information based from some [Kurdish rebel] and Daesh achievement. He took on the surname Ataturk, meaning “Father statements that certain suicide attackers would be sent to of the Turks,” in the 1930s when surnames were first introduced Turkey,” Davutoglu told reporters. “The [Kurdish rebels] or inTurkey.TheTurkish parliament forbid the use of the surname by Daesh could emerge [as culprits] of today’s terror event.” any other person.Ataturk’s efforts to modernize and secularize It later came to light that the brother of one of the bombers the new Turkish nation included the abolition of the caliphate had participated in a suicide attack last July against a proand the establishment of a constitution separating government Kurdish population on Turkey’s Syrian border. The identity and religion. Though effective in advancing his country into of the perpetrators suggested that ISIS ties were very likely. the modern world, his reforms concerned some groups who Many Turkish citizens have criticized the government in Turkey, were afraid that they compromised their cultural traditions. and President Erdogan in particular, for inciting violence with the Kurds in order to weaken their pro-Kurd opposition, the Despite controversies,Ataturk remains to this day a symbol of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP). Members of this party resilience of the Turkish people, and Ankara the symbolic center were present at the peaceful rally, calling in particular for of their proud tradition.The attack on the peace rally in Ankara an end to underhand violence for political gain. The attack takes on added significance in the hearts and minds of Turkish has only intensified the division between the two sides. citizens fighting for the stabilization of conflict and continued progress toward democracy and reform in the Ataturk tradition. The government’s response to the attack seemed to disregard this sentiment. From the moments after the bombing, police The timing is also significant.This attack happened just a month forces clashed with citizens in an effort to maintain control, even before the national elections were to take place.In the immediate using tear gas in crowds and blocking ambulance access to victims. aftermath of the bombings, there had been speculation as to Since the attack, there has been increased police presence in the whether the bombers were associated with ISIS or Kurdish major Turkish cities, as well as accusations of the government rebels. Ahmet Davutoglu, Prime Minister of Turkey, insinuated for shutting down social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. evidence for the latter in his statements to the public.

The question remains how this attack, and the anger that it has incited, will affect the election to come and the future of the Turkish government.The emotional implications of the bombing for the members of the labor unions and the HDP has caused further polarization against the establishment. The people of Turkey must look to their past as an example of the great resilience of which they are capable as they mourn the losses of this devastating attack and prepare for an unexpected future.

THE WAKE // VOICES

RONDA ROUSEY’S POWERFUL INFLUENCE Why she deserves thanks for redefining female athletes

BY RUSSELL BARNES Ronda Rousey’s success in MMA is clear.The undefeated fighter has had 12 MMA fights; nine have ended with her trademark judo armbar, 11 have ended in the first round and 14 seconds was the duration of her shortest fight against Cat Zingano, which can be watched on Instagram.

Her success hasn’t just made her the highest paid UFC fighter, but also a pop culture icon, and her star power is giving other female athletes opportunities that they may not have had otherwise.

WHAT MAKES ROUSEY SO SPECIAL According to Forbes, over half of Rousey’s $6.5 million salary comes from endorsements such as Carl’s Jr. and her guest appearance in “Fast and Furious 7”. Getting endorsements requires having cultural significance and charisma, which is shown by her five million Instagram followers, more than double that of tennis player and fellow dominant female athlete Serena Williams.

Female celebrities like Serena, her sister Venus and their rival tennis player Maria Sharapova have also received numerous endorsements in the past, and continue to do so.Yet they haven’t been able to take pop culture by storm like Rousey.Why is that?

It’s because Rousey is becoming the face of a male-dominated sport.

THE ROUSEY EFFECT: HOW ROUSEY IS INFLUENCING OTHER ATHLETES

Various female wrestlers of the WWE star in the reality show “Total Divas” on the E! network. The show, which has run for over two years, has an average of over one million viewers per episode. It has turned its stars, which include the Bella Twins, Eva Marie and Nattie Neidhart, into household names. This allows the product to appeal to an audience outside of wrestling, allowing for the women to be exposed to a broader audience.

The WWE has also provided its female talent increased time on its match cards. Even in 2015, matches with female talent were lucky to go over six minutes. Now, ten-minute matches are becoming the norm for its female talent, with two wrestlers, Sasha Banks and Bayley, participating in an unprecedented 30-minute match in the main event of a pay-per-view earlier this month.

This increased amount of time and main event status provided to female talent reflects WWE’s belief that female athlete should be a higher priority–and a big part of this is due to Ronda Rousey’s success.While the WWE has had some of its female talent main event its cable television shows in the past (and even then, I can only count the number of times this has happened on my left hand), it’s female talent had never been given the opportunity to main event a pay-per-view. Ronda Rousey has done this twice in 2015 (in February and August) and is set to do so again in November against Holly Holm. Once again, if Rousey does something, her competition is set to listen.

The WWE has also set their eye on Rousey. She’s even appeared at the WWE’s equivalent of the Super Bowl–WrestleMania 31–engaging in a brief altercation alongside Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson with Triple H and his wife, Stephanie McMahon.

Although Rousey has said she will not appear at next year’s WrestleMania 32, her influence has still been profound. WWE inviting her to appear at its largest event reflects that they value her as an asset, and also for her contributions to women’s athletics–in particular, their Diva’s division.

Rousey is most definitely a successful businesswoman, but she is also the gold standard for female athletes in pop culture. She is a brand; she models, she acts, she has her own merchandise and she is not a “do nothing bitch.”

She may break arms in the octagon, but her most important victory is demonstrating that women don’t just have a brain in their head, but are also capable of being headliners.

L I ZZI E G ONCH AROVA

The Williams sisters had various men–Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and even Pete Sampras–to compete with as the face of tennis. Rousey hasn’t had that competition; she’s the clear face. Her success is leading to the advancement of other female athletes in other sports, such as professional wrestling, that have historically been branded with men.

while fighting for the UFC, the WWE is trying to provide its ladies with similar opportunities as it recognizes that women can sell out crowds for reasons bigger than their breasts.

The girls’ social media presence has exploded; all have over 1.5 million followers on Instagram.With this widespread appeal, the WWE has also released specific merchandise for nearly half of its female talent. Prior to last year, it was extremely rare for a female talent to receive their own merchandise, to develop themselves as a brand. Yet, as Rousey has done this

WAKEMAG.ORG // 11

THE WAKE // VOICES

Basic or Bashing?

The difference between jokes and jabs

BY KOURTNEY KELL

Last summer, one of my guy friends woke up at 5:30 a.m. to to forever come under fire when we as females actually enjoy bid on some new edition basketball shoes. After placing his the products directly marketed toward our demographic? bids for five whole minutes, he ended up getting these limited edition shoes for $455. That friend of mine has never, and “Oh but the selfies,you’re such a basic white girl because you post so will never, step foot on a basketball court. Yet, for weeks many selfies. Selfies with your duck lips and pumpkin spice lattes!” on end after he acquired these sneakers, he claimed that those shoes were “the best purchase he has ever made and I am very sure the first person to ever take a selfie was some he could not be happier.” Which was great, except that he basic white girl, dressed head to toe in basic white girl things didn’t make this claim because they were comfortable, that with basic white girl duck lips and a basic white girl caption.The much I understood by how often he complained that his two, pumpkin spice lattes and selfies, are no doubt completely feet were sore. In fact, he made this declaration solely on and equally related. How else would the trend come about? the basis that anyone and everyone stopped to compliment After all, when a guy takes a selfie, it’s not a real selfie. He him on them. And for the next few weeks, other guys just just does it to be funny. Their duck lips and peace signs are like him, ones who had never participated in athletics once just a way to ridicule all the girls out there that commit in their entire lives, started to order and bid on overpriced, said offence, though I can personally say I have never seen “wear once and never wear them again” basketball shoes. a girl actually post these type of photos. Maybe I just don’t follow any “basic white girls,” or maybe society has found yet Now let’s say that I, a teenage girl of the blonde haired blue-eyed another way to generalize, throwing the female population variety, woke up at 5:30 a.m. to bid on a pair of Uggs—limited under the bus for traits a minor portion of the group exhibits. edition, authentic fur, one of a kind. I get them, paying the same $455 that my friend paid for his basketball shoes. In a reversed “Ok, sure, but that doesn’t dismiss the fashion sense. It’s all situation, I walk around for a few weeks proud and comfortable, so basic! Every girl wears the same thing, the same outfit, with very warm toes. When other girls see how good I look in they’re all the same with their leggings and their yoga pants!” my new boots and how much I love them, they will buy their own pair to wear around. And suddenly there’s a whole bunch Yet when I walk down the street I see more guys with of us that never again complain that we are cold and that we their jerseys over their sweatshirts and their flat bills hats want to leave the football game early to go warm our toes. turned backwards than I see girls in leggings and yogas.

In this switched role, there would be an uprising.

Suddenly, we are all the same, sentenced to live out the rest of our sorry “white girl” lives in our local Starbucks, sipping on venti pumpkin spice lattes and listening to Taylor Swift.

EMI LY DEN I O

“Basic!” everyone would scream, throwing white Converse and Victoria Secret panties at us. “You’re all just basic!”

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It leaves those of us who notice this ballistic basic bashing to wonder why this has become our fate. Is it because we all seem to like the same things? Or is it because we wear them so often that the trends become over used and expected to a certain, shall we say,“breed” of females? Or is it just our destiny

In the end, no matter what fashion trend or product they enjoy, girls will always be shamed for sporting whatever trend is currently Pinterest worthy. How come when a guy wears a flat bill hat, he will never fall under the same scrutiny that a girl that wears yoga pants will? Why is it only that females are deemed “basic,” when in reality, the sole expectation of modern society is to fit in, in whatever way you can.

THE WAKE // FEATURE

KE L L E N R E NS T RO M

Broad Stripes & Bright STARS

OUR POLITICAL REFLECTIONS

Before we could multiply double digits, we knew the pledge of allegiance. Before we could be called “adults,” we could enlist in the military. Before we could rent cars, we could vote. Long before we knew many things, we knew about our country.

BY

How couldn’t we? America—and the president—means power, and we are enthralled by it. In fact, I’ve always had a kind of fascination with the presidency. In elementary school, I wrote a letter to President Bush—not because he was Bush, but because he was president—and I was ecstatic when I received a kind letter back, in a thick, crisp envelope stamped with the seal. Over and over, I read a children’s book filled with facts about former presidents and memorized the order of former leaders.There was even a point when I convinced myself I wanted to be president (not to worry, I don’t anymore).

The political landscape seems to be changing with our generation, a change that I think is for the better. Maybe it’s not as generationally unique as I think, but then again, maybe it is. Politics seem more embedded in pop culture and technology than ever before. During his presidency, Barack Obama danced with Ellen DeGeneres, read mean tweets with Jimmy Kimmel, and slowjammed the news with Jimmy Fallon. Hillary Clinton reminded us of email etiquette and Internet mishaps. And for better or worse, Donald Trump is all over Twitter.

Yet all change comes with some sense of uncertainty. Bear with us as we solidify our views in a changing world. Here’s a look into our young minds.

STAFF

—LAUREN CUTSHALL

WAKEMAG.ORG // 13

THE WAKE // FEATURE

YOUTH

an d Pol itical E ducati o n

BY SARA ERICKSON If we peel back the complex and multifaceted layers of politics, we find social studies at the core. What caused me to be an informed citizen and cast my vote? Where does my desire to follow politics stem from? I can boil it down to one thing: social studies. Yes, the subject we all had in elementary school, also known as “history,” “civics,” etc.

We are privileged to live in a country where education is valued to the point of creating informed citizens. Without social studies classes, where would students learn to become civically competent? Parents are an influence, but also a burden to the cause. We don’t want our youth to solely adopt the views of their parents.

Yet I also realize those frustrations made me politically active and informed. Through social studies I was given a voice for change. I was molded and shaped into an informed citizen. It wasn’t easy, so shout-out to my social studies teachers, and all other social studies teachers who incorporate the hard-hitting content into their curriculum. Learning about these heavy topics can be challenging, and it’s hard to for young people to wrap their minds around things like mistreatment and culture, but it’s more than worth it.

Cheers to creating an educated future.

KELLEN REN STROM

There’s an important connection between youth, social studies, and political education. Perhaps this is my way of saying “thank you” to all those teachers who forced me

to think about social structures and what it means to be politically active. Politics is my way to reflect on the frustrations of studying marginalized communities, the history of voting rights, and segregation laws and culture.

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THE WAKE // FEATURE

// Polit ics are I mpor tant //

BY MAX SMITH Remember that time in fifth grade that Mr. Hansher taught us about the three branches of government? He popped that Schoolhouse Rock video into the VCR and I still have the “I’m Just a Bill” song stuck in my head today. It was one of our first introductions to the American political system.

We should follow politics, Mr. Hansher said, and when we’re old enough we should vote. Why? Because it’s important. Civic duty and all that. But if “importance” was all it took for me to be interested something, I’d be less of an apathetic slob and be better about diet and exercise.

Instead, over the years I’ve found my own intrinsic motivations to care about politics, and they have less to do with civic duty and more to do with enjoyment and feeling fulfilled.

First, American politics can be crazy entertaining. It’s Game of Thrones, with slightly less murder. On election night in 2012, watching the presidential candidates race to 270 electoral votes and hearing the cheers echo throughout my dorm any time a state was called for Obama was more tense and thrilling than any football game I’ve ever watched.

Politics have only improved my worldviews. As I’ve followed the gay marriage debate, I not only developed a strong opinion on the issue, but I grew deeper in my convictions that all people should be afforded the same respect and dignity that I would want shown to me. It may sound corny, but politics really did influence how I treat and think about others every day.

In the end, Mr. Hansher was right; politics are important. But they’re not just important to the country, they’re important to me.

That’s why I’ll keep coming back to the ballot box.

I Guess I Voted

?

BY LIANNA MATT Walking into the Weisman Art Museum to vote for the first time, I felt… awkward. There was no Leslie Knope from “Parks and Recreation” to cheer me on. Instead, there was someone telling me I had to re-register to vote because my previous registration hadn’t gone through.

Looking over my ballot, the one area I knew something about—the gubernatorial race—was still a question mark in my mind. No candidate is perfect, and even after watching debates, reading articles, and perusing websites, I found that rhetoric could hide anything and bureaucracy could halt the rest of whatever good intentions.

With that, it’s hard to tell which opinions are actual priorities and aren’t.

I voted on the gubernatorial election, skipped many of the other races (mea purgando), and filled in whatever proposal questions were at the end.

When faced with the long list of names for various representatives, I was tempted to pick a name just because I liked the aesthetic, sound, or, in a false spark of social activism, because they sounded more diverse. The ethics of voting weighed down on me: Do I vote because democracy needs voters as the cog of their machine, or do I not because I don’t know what the heck I’m doing?

I walked out of the Weisman feeling guilty. The “I Voted” sticker that looked so peppy on my dad’s jacket when I was a child now seemed dull and flat. Without filling out my ballot completely, I felt like I was failing. An incomplete test in school is an F. On my ballot, it wouldn't be failing from an academic standpoint, but it would be from a citizenship standpoint. I had attempted to do what my social studies teachers had presented as the core of democracy and therefore the core of America. It left me passionless.

my hope for america’s political future

BY KEVIN BECKMAN Imagine a Congress that actually does its frickin’ job. Whoa-hoah, pretty radical idea, huh?

Right now, Congress’ approval rating is 13 percent. The “Twilight” saga has a higher approval rating than Congress.That mouse you saw in your apartment once? Higher approval rating. At least his stance on cheese is consistent (he’s for it). If Congress was a band on the main stage of a music festival, I’d go over and listen to Nickelback at one of the side stages.

You get it: Congress is a big ol’ clusterfuck. Do I have a solution? Hell no, I’m a liberal arts student.

We love to point out problems in things without offering ways to fix them. But I do have hope for the future.

I hope to live in an America where substantive policy discussion doesn’t take a backseat to meaningless bickering. Where campaigning means more than attacking your opponent. Where reaching across the aisle doesn’t mean climbing over a brick wall. Where “no” isn’t met with “Well, screw you then.”

My desperate plea to Congress is this: get it together. Please just get it all together and put it somewhere safe so it stays together.You live here too, you know. If you don’t have enough respect for everyday Americans to actually work towards a better future for them, then have some respect for yourselves. Because you’re Americans, too.

The country you’re currently running into the ground is your country, too.

I hope you can turn it around. I hope you can listen and respond to your constituents and actually run this country the way it’s supposed to be run.

Open your eyes and just do your job. It’s the only hope we’ve got.

WAKEMAG.ORG // 15

THE WAKE // Q & A

Q&A: Alex G

BY PETER DIAMOND Alexander Gia n n a s c oli is a s of t spoken , c r ypt i c in d ivid u a l . T h e Ph ila d elphi a -b a s ed a r t i s t ma d e h i s n a me as Alex G s in ce 2 0 1 0 , wit h a va st catalogu e of s el f -rel ea s ed h om e record ings on B a n d c a mp, fos t er i ng a cu lt followin g in t h e proc es s . He reac h ed w id er a u d ien ces in 2 0 1 4 wit h t h e cr it ic a l ly s u cces s fu l “ D S U,” a n d con t inues t o r i s e wi t h h i s recen t Dom ino label d eb u t , “ B ea c h Mu s ic .”

His la t est c rea t i on is i n lin e wit h h is form er a l b u ms , it is a s t ra n ge yet com pel lin g col lec t ion of wa rpe d, melod ic sh or t s t or ies t h a t b l en d po p sen sib ility wi t h a D I Y work et h i c .

Ea c h c hara ct er h e pla ys wi t h h i s pit c h-shift ed voi c e i s l ike a b ra n c h of Giannasc oli’s own i n t ern a l ps yc h e , a n d once you t h i n k you ’ve figu re d ou t t h e 2 2 -yea r-ol d , you ’re l e f t guessing a ga i n . T h is mu c h i s c lear : Alex G foll ows h i s in s t i n ct s , a n d t h e resu lts are en t i rely s in gu l a r, a n d entirely his own .

P H OTO S B Y J E F F A L L E N

The idiosyncratic, DIY singer-songwriter remains at peace in his own head.

The Wake : I noticed when I began looking you up that there are a lot of Alex G’s out there.

shorter bursts, I didn’t really record every day. But I think that’s the only real difference.

Alex G: Oh yeah!

Is the recording process still mostly entirely you? Is the album mostly your vision?

Have fans ever been confused by any of them?

AG: Only a few times has there been confusion, like people come into our shows to see the other Alex G, and they’re really upset when it’s just me. But I think it’s only happened twice. It’s really funny but I think we usually avoid confusion.

I’ve been listening to as much of your discography as I could find in preparing for this, and you have a lot of work to your name, some that is hard to track down. Is “Beach Music” your seventh album?

AG: Something like that. I don’t really keep count, because there’s a lot of shit that I wouldn’t count that other people do count. [laughs]. So I don’t know.

What’s different about “Beach Music” compared to your previous work? What’s the same?

AG: There’s not much different. I made it the same way as I made the other ones. I guess the main difference is just where I was at when I recorded it, as far as my career and shit, and being on tour a lot around that time. I was recording in a lot

16 // NOV 2–NOV 15

AG: For the most part.

You’ve been blowing up ever since “DSU” came out last year. What’s it been like being exposed to a wider audience?

AG: It’s nice being able to play shows, and then pay your bills with the money you get from those shows and shit. I mean, that’s the best part. [laughs]. When a lot of people feel like they can relate to you or something, it makes you feel like you’re doing something right, I guess.That’s about it. I don’t really think of it.

What’s your songwriting process like?

AG: Most of the time I start with a guitar part, and then record that, and keep adding onto that when I find a chord progression I’m happy with.

What do you like to write about?

AG: I like to write about stuff that I think will make other people feel something, you know? That sounds like me, someone who

THE WAKE // Q & A

on it. I was always really interested in music, trying to write little things. When I saw that this was a really easy-to-use recording program, it was just a no-brainer that I got sucked into it, and couldn’t stop using it.

You mentioned before the importance for artists to learn how to both produce and write songs. As a DIY artist, do you find that you have to take on a variety of different roles?

AG: At this point in my career there a lot of responsibilities that I didn’t have before I got signed to a label. Back in the day, when it was just me, and there was no label in mind or anything, the only responsibilities I took on were the ones

AG: Right. It doesn’t feel like work at all. Instead of doing some other shit, I don’t know what people do-like play video games or something-I just make music.

I also wanted to ask you about the album artwork for “Beach Music.” Where did it come from, and what does it mean?

AG: It came from my sister. I usually ask her to make the album art because she paints a lot, and we’re pretty close. I just gave her the album and said, “Hey, do you want to figure something out for this one?” And that was the image she sent over for the cover. That’s about as much thought as I put into it - I thought it was a great painting that Rachel made so I thought I’d use it.

She’s a pretty spiritual person, so she probably invests a lot into that, into whatever religious symbolism or myth is associated with that image.

is listening. That can come from my own life or experience. I just figure it out in the moment.

Where does the title for “Beach Music” come from too? It seems like it might be a little tongue-in-cheek.

A signature I’ve noticed throughout your songs is the pitchshifting of your vocals. Why do you use it, and what effect do you think it achieves for the listener?

AG: Yeah, a lot of people do think it’s tongue-in-cheek, and I understand why now. When I came up with it I didn’t think it was funny - I just thought it was a cool set of words. There wasn’t much to it other than I saw this cool book called “Beach Music” and thought it was a really title. I figured I’d call my album the same thing. [laughs].

But that’s about as much thought as I put into that too! I just thought it sounded cool.

AG: I like that it creates a new kind of character, like a new speaker in the song. There are some lyrics that I think would be better spoken by someone else. I use the pitchshifter to make it like that, but still use my voice.

What are you listening to right now? What artists do you find yourself being inspired by?

AG: I don’t listen to that much music, but there are some bands from Philly that I think are really good. There’s a band called Shelf Life, a guy from that band is actually on tour with us playing the drums. He makes music in a similar way, where he just does it all himself. There’s another band called True Widow that I think is really good, from Houston.

With all these new technologies coming out, it feels like it’s so much easier for anyone to become an artist with complete, independent creative control. Have you noticed a similar trend in the DIY community?

AG: Yeah, I think the fact that this technology exists makes it inevitable that people who are interested in music will just get right to it instead of spending their time waiting to get studio time. Instead of that, they can just finish it all right away, and get good at recording themselves. Then you got two skills under your belt - one is producing and one is songwriting. [laughs].

I think it’s just a better idea.

How did you get started in making your own music?

AG: I got started when I was about 12 or 13. My parents got a Macintosh computer for our house, and that had Garageband

When you’re making an album, are you trying to make a story that tells itself through each song, or is each song its own self-contained narrative?

I really enjoyed: making the music, which was something I couldn’t wait to do, and producing the stuff, which was part of creating it, and was really exciting. And that’s it. Once I was finished, I would just post them online so a lot of people could hear it, because I like the feedback.

AG: My sister said the different albums all work together because I record them all in the same chunk of my life. It all comes from the same place because I record it in such a small timespan. They are all united in that way. But as far as the narratives within each song, I think they stand alone.

Do you find constructive criticism in uploading your material online?

So what’s the common thread through “Beach Music”?

AG: Personally, I don’t really like criticism I guess, as far as music is concerned. [laughs]. In other aspects of my life, criticism is great and shit, but I think music is something I really… I don’t know. It’s something I hold very dearly. I don’t really like listening to someone tell me what to do.

How have you come to create so many albums?

AG: I think because I record it at home it’s a really fast process. It’s not hard for me to believe because I know how much time I’m putting into it. It’s not like I lock myself away.

I can lead a pretty normal life, and in my free time I just write songs and record them. It’s like a fun hobby, you know?

AG: I wasn’t really listening to any music in particular, so I think they all branched off kind of in an extreme way, from wherever they started. If one was slightly waltzy, I just kept going in that direction rather than be grounded by some music I wanted it to sound like, because I didn’t have anything in mind.

What’s next for Alex G? Will you still be pumping out albums in your free time?

AG: Hopefully, yeah! [laughs]. A little less free time now, but we’ll see.

It doesn’t feel like work.

WAKEMAG.ORG // 17

THE WAKE // SOUND & VISION

Revolution HOW APPLE CHANGED THE WAY WE RECEIVE AND LISTEN TO MUSIC

When was the last time you listened to music? How did you listen to it? You’re probably listening to music as you read this article. For many years, the only way to get music was either by listening to the radio or buying physical albums, but times have changed. One company has been especially influential in making music accessible to everyone: Apple.

The computer giant which first revolutionized the personal computer industry dipped its feet into music in 2001, and changed it for years to come. It all started in with the release of the iPod, a digital music storage device. Using software called iTunes, users could import their CDs onto their computers, converting the music to digital MP3 files and then download that onto the iPod. This was a mind-blowing concept for many, and it proved to be extremely versatile. “We could listen to music constantly at times we wouldn’t have before,” said Ben Miller, a graduate professor in the School of Journalism.

Just a few years later, the iTunes store opened its virtual doors.

This would change music sales for years to come. Users could now access nearly every song ever recorded with an internet connection. A record store trip to get that newest (insert your favorite early 2000s band) album was unnecessary. With the iTunes store, it was possible to only purchase individual songs for $0.99 rather than an entire album.

Apple quickly became the pioneers of digital music, and were able to do away with pirating websites such as LimeWire and Napster. Apple standardized the $0.99 a song and $9.99 an album rate. iTunes leveled the playing field for all musicians with standard pricing and equal space. It gave independent musicians greater opportunity to market their music. “[Apple] fundamentally changed how music is distributed,” Miller said.

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It soon became socially acceptable to have an iPod and get music digitally.

Apple ran countless advertisements displaying silhouettes of people dancing in different colors with iPods. Music had found a home online. Record stores began to see their sales drop, with many closing, forcing musicians to rethink how they distribute their work. Bands like Radiohead experimented in distribution, releasing their 2007 album “In Rainbows” exclusively online, allowing listeners to choose how much they wanted to pay for it.

As technology continued to evolve, the iTunes store made its way onto iPods. It was now possible to build a music library without needing to import a CD to your computer or connecting your iPod to it.

In response to the ever-growing popularity of Spotify, Pandora, and Amazon Music, Apple Music was born. For $9.99 a month, the price of one digital album, users will have access to all the music that Spotify and Pandora offer, plus more music that is not available on those services. It is now possible to speak to your phone and ask it to play a song. How convenient!

The trends seen in the music industry can be compared to that of movies and television. “Music is 100 percent on demand on Apple Music and Spotify, just like movies are on Netflix and Amazon,” Miller said. Streaming services have taken over cable, much like they have taken over CDs and digital downloads.

MA X S MI T H

BY CARSON KASKEL

From showing a friend a song on your iPod, to Spotify becoming a type of music social media outlet, Apple drastically changed how we share our music. Spotify allows users to view the songs their friends are listening to at that exact moment.

Users can create profiles, showing which bands they are most interested in and playlists they have made publically available.

Miller sees it as a convenience, “If I want to listen to a random Snoop Dogg song from 1994, I can just open Apple Music and it’s right there.”

Apple completely changed the music industry, turning away from physical CDs and putting them online. It now takes just seconds to find a song to listen to, something that in the past could take hours or days. “We have our music with us everywhere,” Miller said. “It changes our habits and makes us lazier.” While the digital revolution has put a major emphasis on the “single,” it is now much easier to dig deeper into an artist’s discography.

Economically, music sales have benefited the consumer more than the musician, but when has the musician ever benefitted more than the consumer? Either way, the last 15 years have seen a major overhaul in how music is distributed and listened to. Who knows what the next 15 will bring?

THE WAKE // SOUND & VISION

The Dead Musicians Society

How we, as a culture, apotheosize and exploit defunct artists

BY CLAIRE BECKER I have seen the ghost of Elvis Presley.

Kind of. About a year ago I had the misfortune of touring the late Mr. Presley’s infamous former home, Graceland mansion.

As I was herded like cattle through the narrow, musty halls of the stale yet uncannily preserved manor house, I couldn’t help but imagine the hip-swivelin’ phantom of the King of Rock n’ Roll lurking around every corner, wondering what all these gawking tourists were doing in his house.

L I Z Z I E GO NC H AROVA

When Presley died, the general public somehow made the executive decision to make him God. This odd sanctification of dead musicians is actually a pretty common phenomenon.Artists elevated to godlike status after their deaths include: Michael Jackson, Kurt Cobain, Freddie Mercury, and John Lennon.

These musicians all have something in common (besides being dead): their music continues to be produced, and their personal brands continue to be used post-mortem. The successful “Nirvana Unplugged” MTV Session was released closely following Cobain’s death in 1994, Queen continued to produce music after front-man Freddie Mercury bit the dust in 1991, and Jackson’s hit biopic, “This Is It,” was released mere months

after his passing in 2009. Then there’s Graceland, where items ranging from Elvis key chains to musical toilet seats are sold for as much as $40,000.

According to Forbes, Elvis has been raking in about $55 million every year since his death, but money isn’t the only thing being leeched from the dead, helpless King. By exploiting Elvis’ legacy for monetary gain, producers are slowly stealing his credibility as an artist. The endless plastering of his face onto phone cases and tennis shoes turns the artist into a cheesy figurehead, wellknown but seldom respected.Yes, he is considered a “King,” and sometimes even a God, but how much respect can you truly have for him once you’ve laid your eyes on a custom-made toilet seat featuring a poorly drawn picture of fat Elvis? The same goes for seeing Kurt Cobain’s suicide note on a novelty t-shirt or hearing a song written by Freddie Mercury used to sell diet soda.Their images remain, but the true essences of the artists fade into crappy jokes and consumerism.

Within the stuffy, commercialized walls of Graceland, Elvis’ ghost is forced to live on while his successors reap the financial rewards of his legacy. I suppose ghost Elvis isn’t too sad about it though, he’s still The King.

Captivating Commonalities The mystifying idolization of used celebrity memorabilia

BY EMILY HILL

In the unusually profitable “used celebrity products” market, earned money and irrefutable dedication has not declined.

Besides a kitchen table, other objects that have received similar celebration are a plate of half eaten French toast from Justin Timberlake (on the market for $3,154) or even J.D. Salinger’s toilet listed at $1 million, where it was believed he wrote many unpublished works.

Without question, the willingness to spend extensive amounts on such non-eventful pieces creates a continuum of idolization and obsession.The cause for this intense fascination? It is believed by those fetishized with this market that there is some wizardry or supernatural semblance pouring out from these items,

hopefully transmitting the artistic majesty from celebrity to the new owner. Acting as a “contagion” effect, the physicality of the object is what causes the transfer of talent, never the scratch work of a mere autograph or simple photograph.

The gap between stardom and common folk has become increasingly wider throughout the times; riches and wealth continually construct the idea of a “godly” status in stars. Whether it be to bridge this gap or to grace oneself with the talents of stars via their ordinary objects, the economic attraction of this market is growing.

Despite the secular nature of online shopping or auctions, there seems to lie a sacred and ritualistic aspect behind every used tissue purchase. Perhaps the people laying the money down hope that one day the Hollywood gods will be on their side and seep these objects in artistic brilliance capable of transferring from one person to the next.

LI ZZ IE G ONCH AROVA

If you ever find yourself aching to own the gum of an acclaimed pop star, hold the jar of a renowned actor’s breath, or dine off a table where your favorite musician once ate, eBay can help with your endeavor. In recent news, the kitchen table of Joy Division’s front man – the late Ian Curtis–was put on eBay for the second time where it has received countless bids from loyal fans. With an opening bid at 100 pounds, clearly there is a high demand for the table and its undeniable ambiance. With backlash from the band members and family members of Curtis, this one table opens the debate for why objects cause such idolization and why this an entrancing investment for many.

WAKEMAG.ORG // 19

THE WAKE // SOUND & VISION

A Comedian and Political Correctness Walked into a Bar…

Is comedy at risk of falling into unfunny oblivion? (Probably not)

BY OLIVIA HEUSINKVELD

JU L IE T L ASK E

Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and other comedians see college students as an enemy. In fact, many standups have stopped touring to college campuses all together because they believe that college students’ push for political correctness cramps their comedic style.

Do college students have any sense of humor left, or are we simply the most polite and boring people on earth?

I am a huge fan of being politically correct (or as I like to call it, being kind and understanding). I believe that we are all humans, life can be difficult, and the least we can do is lend a bit of understanding and respect. However, I also live, sleep, and breathe comedy. I feel conflicted when I hear political correctness is breaking the world’s funny bone—mostly because I don’t think it’s true.

//Individuals other than straight white

In order for something to be funny, there often needs to be an agreement on premise and truth that occurs between the joke and the audience. Jokes deemed politically incorrect adopt a premise, often based on stereotypes and mockery, and target the premise to transform a group of people into the punch line of a joke. A great example of this humor in action can be found in the now famously racist cat from the movie “The Aristocats.” When the movie was made, the cat speaking with a vaguely Chinese accent, playing the piano with Chopsticks, and singing “Shanghai, Hong Kong, Egg Fu Yung,” was thought to be a funny premise. Despite being offensive and alienating to an entire demographic, the joke was successful because there was an audience agreeing on a premise where these groups of people were inferior and laughable.

men are able to view comedy and create comedy without feeling alienated, because their existence is no longer the punch line to a joke.

//

Moving away from moments in our past, our society is finally deconstructing traditional systems of oppression to create safe spaces for all people. Due to this change, many premises are simply not going to be funny to audiences anymore. It’s why blackface is more quickly met with a grimace than a chuckle— and this is a good change. Because of it, many individuals

20 // NOV 2–NOV 15

are able to feel safe and accepted in both life and comedy.

Individuals other than straight white men are able to view comedy and create comedy without feeling alienated, because their existence is no longer the punch line to a joke.

On the flipside, I don’t believe that being politically correct means that issues involving prejudices and bigotry should be ignored in comedy. I would be lying if I said there has not been a time where “that’s not politically correct” was directed at a comedian or a joke and I thought this claim was going a little too far. Racism, sexism, and many other prejudices and stories of oppressed groups need to be discussed, and comedy is very unique in its ability to lower an audience’s defenses and prompt viewers to think critically about the world around them. “Truth is easier to swallow when you are laughing,” a theatre professor once told me. Subversive comedy leads discussion in offering alternatives to the status quo.

A wonderful example of subversive comedy is Donna Maria from the Netflix show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” Initially, this character is a racist stereotype of a Hispanic woman who is a maid and can’t speak English. However, there is a deliciously redeeming moment when Matt Lauer asks Donna why she never learned to speak English during the time she was trapped in the cult, to which she replies with a rant about how the other girls never learned Spanish. This joke is both funny and insightful into the double standards inherent in racism.

However, there is a difference between jokes that are productive in processing offensive topics and jokes that are simply offensive. The difference relies heavily on who is the target of the laughter. For example, the jokes John Stewart made about media coverage of Caitlyn Jenner’s transition into being a female are always going to be more productive (and funny) than jokes calling Jenner a “she-male.” Making fun of someone who is different than us is a cheap laugh—critiquing the way these differences are exploited is far more rewarding.

A balance must be made between what is funny and what is inoffensive.As we continue to move toward a world that is more accepting and understanding of our differences, it is up to us to find that balance, and we are not always going to get it right. The best we can do is be kind, sensitive, and always ready to laugh.

MAX S MI T H

THE WAKE // SOUND & VISION

TURN UP FOR WHAT? Why I Don’t (Usually) Follow Rap Instructions

BY COLIN MILLER If I just didn’t care, why would I do anything with my hands at all? Questions like this pervade my mind about midway through the set of whichever local (and likely to remain that way) MC receives the honor of warming up the stage for the one people bought tickets to see. This intermediate between total amateur and established name plays an important role in hip-hop’s version of the American dream. They inspire countless young and impressionable show-goers and give them hope that, if they can learn to apply the formula, they too can flail around on stage and solicit, nay, demand approving feedback.

Anyone who has entered a rap venue has undoubtedly been issued frequent demands to put hands, drinks, lighters, and contraband in the air. Alternatively, the audience may be implored to make as much noise as it instinctively feels like followed by more than that. As an attendee of these shows, I’m routinely charged with filling in portions of hooks and verses when I just spent at least three hours’ worth of minimum wage labor (after tax) to be entertained.

Now I’m all for audience participation, but damn it if I don’t prefer the organic variety to the forced. I can’t blame the artists though; they have to use every gambit that works when spitting their personal brand of fire, especially when it’s for a room full of jaded adolescents inseparably fused to their phones. It might be easy to write off the rappers themselves on the grounds that, were they genuinely talented, crowds would react in emphatic

support. However, audiences by and large are difficult to pump up based on performance alone. I consistently observe a higher priority among teens and 20-somethings to record events than to let themselves become part of them without invitation.

The average attendee at a rap concert is self-conscious and chronically exhausted with fatigue at epidemic levels among today’s youth. In fact, it seems “tired” has surpassed “good” as the number-one default answer to “how are you?” We want to make sure any expenditure of energy is worthwhile and concerted; I say “we” because I’m hardly an exception to this trend. Even though there’s no place I’d rather be than the front row of a hip-hop show, I still find myself checking my phone for texts, notifications, or simply the time, unable to be 100 percent present in the room.

So who bears responsibility for the vibe of a show, the performer or the fans? The short answer is “yes.” Ideally, rap fans are down with a high-impact experience, ready to jump around and go ape for the reciprocally hype MC. But with the rise of rap hipsterdom, shows are packed with stoic, stationary individuals who will scowl and tweet about you if you bump their elbow (God help you if you spill their PBR).

Plus, in the social media age, the norms of support have been reduced to the click of a “like” button, hindering our ability to get genuinely, wholly, physically excited about anything. Mid-

level rappers are aware of this, which is why they cater to crowds like social media does, providing them with increasingly similar content to which they know how to respond. Asking an audience how they feel, how ready they are for the following act, or just to make noise in general is more or less the performance equivalent of a picture of your baby on Facebook.

We’ll all chip in obligatorily, but we really would rather get back to the music.

Of course, some artists command a crowd the old fashioned way: with talent and charisma in lieu of literal commands. Look at Kanye West. Hell, you’re probably already looking at Kanye West. Everything that man does is entertainment. Incorporating dazzling effects, polished showmanship, and visionary intrigue, Yeezy makes certain that everyone who hears his name is ready to have a reaction. Then there are the mavericks like Aesop Rock. He might not have a massive set budget or ropes of blinding jewelry, but the apparent effort in his material and career longevity have garnered hordes of devoted fans.

It’s these performers whose shows we ought to look to for the paragon of the live hip-hop organism, a symbiosis of flawless execution and heartfelt hype. While the game’s newcomers study their playbooks, I’ll be nodding in recognition, waiting for the day when they’ll motivate me to throw my hands up of my own accord.

WAKEMAG.ORG // 21

LI Z Z I E GO NC H AROVA

THE WAKE // SOUND & VISION

Odd Jobs

Musicians Working Before the Fame

BY ERIN STEVENSON It’s a well-known fact that it takes a lot of hard work in order to make it big in the music industry. Even today with so many different ways to share content through social media and services like Youtube and Spotify, many fledgling artists have to work an everyday job in order to pay the bills. You can get a pretty good definition of “odd job” by looking through the previously held posts of a lot of legendary musicians today.

Artists have also been known to keep working these jobs after gaining notoriety.

Popular vocalist Adele kept it simple, working at a record shop even after her Grammy wins for her first album. Nils Edenloff, lead singer of Canadian indie rock band Rural Alberta Advantage worked as a computer engineer.

While he was studying at the London School of Economics, Mick Jagger worked as a porter at a mental hospital before making it big with The Rolling Stones. Kurt Cobain was a janitor; Cyndi Lauper walked dogs and pierced ears, and Eddie Vedder was a night security guard at La Valencia hotel (rumor has it he was fired for playing the guitar instead of attending to his duties).

Heading down a more sinister career track, ‘80s goth-punk singer Dave Vanian found work as a gravedigger before forming his iconic group The Damned.The gig inspired him to change his surname from Lett to Vanian, playing on the word Transylvanian.

One of the most interesting jobs, however, was that of Jack White. Before his label Third Man Records, he had a business called Third Man Upholstery. As a teenager in Detroit he began to write messages on the wood of the furniture before covering it up, messages like who hired him or how he got the couch. Eventually he started to write poems and slipped them inside the layers of foam. He even had a band called the Upholsterers that made a record and slipped 100 pieces of vinyl into furniture they worked on. To this day one hasn’t been found…yet!

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AND R E W TO MTEN

MAC MI LLE R S W EBS I TE. C O M

Hiatus Kaiyote Mac Miller’s GO:OD AM

BY KARL WITKOWIAK American rapper Mac Miller releases his most complex album yet with “GO:OD AM.” Miller is a perplexing rapper; he seems to have a style all of his own, with his quick-witted, untiring rap flow and admittedly flat delivery. That style translates into “GO:OD AM.” Despite the content of most of the songs carrying similar themes (either dealing with his struggle with fame or general luxury rap), there are plenty of lyrical moments on the record that pop out and strike the listener as uniquely structured.

Such is the case in the lead single “100 Grandkids,” where Miller raps how he was going to “bless his momma with some grandkids,” but, later in the song, states how he feels he made it to the top after making 100 grand.

The hit-or-miss production helps give Mac Miller some more texture in his delivery, from the smooth backing vocals on “Brand Name,” the hard hitting percussion on “Break The Law,” and the subdued, jazzy piano and backing vocals on the excellent “Perfect Circle/God Speed.” Guest stars such as Chief Keef and Ab-Soul also add some personality to their respective songs, although others, such as Miguel, aren’t on the top of their game.

Some songs, such as “Rush Hour” or “Clubhouse” do not have very interesting background elements and come off as filler.

Despite these misgivings, Mac Miller’s “GO:OD AM” still stands competently among the great rap albums released this year.

FOXMOVI ES . C O M

THE WAKE // SOUND & VISION

at the Fine Line

The Martian

BY ANDREW TOMTEN

BY LAUREN CUTSHALL

The Fine Line Music Cafe in downtown Minneapolis was packed Wednesday night as Australian neo-soul quartet Hiatus Kaiyote played an eclectic set as part of their “Choose Your Weapon” tour. Last visiting the Twin Cities in May, the band since released their second album, gaining a momentous following amongst R&B, jazz, and hip-hop fans.

Well-balanced, funny, and smart, “The Martian” is one of the year’s best blends of actors and plot lines. Taking meticulous scientific notes from space classic “Apollo 13,” and the humor of a Marvel action film, “The Martian” immediately sucks you into its gravitational pull and doesn’t let go until the credits roll.

Opening was local singer Mina Moore and her band of soulful instrumentalists. As she danced around the stage flailing her 4-foot-long braids and cueing hits and entrances, the energy radiated through those around me. The dance moves, on-stage and off, became increasingly spastic as I felt the crowd growing ever more excited for the headlining act yet to come.

After exhausting all my conversation regarding how funky Moore was, the house went dark and as the golden jewelryclad band walked on stage, kitten-ear headpieces and all. The keyboard droned as the bass line to “Moebius Streak” snuck in. Soon the sea of people was bobbing to the beat, which was frequently interrupted by a metric modulation or a time signature change.

It was exhilarating and eventually exhausting trying to keep up with the sheer rhythmic complexity, let alone trying to comprehend how the rhythm section was so tight through all of it. On top of it all, vocalist Nai Palm consistently provided the icing on the groovy cake.

As the night dwindled, the band played a few instrumental jams before performing their encore set. At this point I noticed I hadn’t seen any players make a mistake. Through all the polyrhythms and meandering sections of tunes, the beat was reliably there underneath everything, inducing unto listeners a trance-like jig to accompany the fiery, funky music.

The film opens with Mark Watney (Matt Damon) and crew on a Mars research mission, right before a foreboding storm hits.

Within minutes, a flurry of panic and debris separates Watney from the crew and he’s left behind. Alone. On Mars. Bouncing back and forth between a “sol” in the life on Mars, and crisismode at NASA, the film is refreshing in its villain-free conflict.

Though Watney may be the only man on Mars, he’s left with his self-assured and witty sense of humor, a creative way to communicate with NASA, and the HAB center—just enough space equipment for him to work with, but not enough to make survival easy. Though the film barely touches on the emotional tolls that would come from complete isolation, the deep psychological analysis isn’t missed. Rather than only scratching the surface of several topics, “The Martian” delves further into the few it chooses: renewed motivation, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

“The Martian” gives a perspective different from Ridley Scott’s past space flick, “Alien,” but its characters are a similar brand of smart, reminding us of the superhero qualities so many astronauts seem to have. In poignant moments that subtly juxtapose the power of an individual with the power of a team, “The Martian” focuses less on one man, and more on one humanity.

WAKEMAG.ORG // 23