The Wake - Issue 4 - Spring 2021 by The Wake Magazine

student magazine

The Pandemic’s “Final Stretch”

p. 9

Audience-Creator Relationship Supporting Unhoused Neighbors

volume 20 — issue 4

What We Owe Eachother

p. 19

p. 10

The Death of The Girl Boss

p. 21

p. 12

Sound of Metal

p. 24

VOLUME 20, ISSUE 4 EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief

Tala Alfoqaha

Managing Editor

Marley Richmond

Cities Editor

Ian Knoll

Voices Editor

Sylvia Rani

Online editor

Na’Jai Wilson

Copy editors

Autumn Sanders Peter Nomeland

Multimedia Editor

Sebastian Alfonzo

Multimedia Producer

Cynthia Maya

Music and Review Interns: Avery Wageman, Macy Harder Editorial Interns: Mitchell Levesque, Holly Gilvary, Sydni Rose, Jemma Keleher, Ellie Roth, Avery Wageman, Macy Harder Multimedia Interns: Brianna White, Amy Halbmaier, Linnea Baerenwald, Parker Smith

PRODUCTION Executive Director

Esther Chan

Creative Director

Chae Hong

Finance Manager

Hannah Dove

PR/Ad Manager

Udita Goel

Social Media Manager

Grace Augustin

Art Director

Sydnney Islam

Web Manager

Natalie Bluhm

Distribution Manager

Shannon Brault

Designers: Anna Aquino, Gavin Schuster, Makenna Larson Production Interns: Skylar Neubar, Tymia Phathachack, Amy Haslerud Art Interns: Audrey Rauth, Isabel Atkinson, Megan Bormann, Madison Kuehn

THIS ISSUE Writers ©2020 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.

Ellie Roth, Matthew Voight, Ian Knoll, Renee Mottet, Shannon Brault, Marley Richmond, Jemma Keleher, Sydni Rose, Peter Nomeland, Udita Goel, Carter Starkey, Lisa Alexander, Srihata Raju, Avery Wageman, Macy Harder, Funmi Banjoko, Evan Ferstl, Sydney Hainy

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 eic@wakemag.org. The Wake Student Magazine 126 Coffman Memorial Union 300 Washington Avenue SE Minneapolis, MN 55455

Art 1 Megan Bormann, 2 Baquir Noor, 3 Isabel Atkinson, 4 Madison Kuehn, 5 Megan Connor, 6 Zoe Keck, 7 Sydnney Islam Sound of Metal, Bridgerton, Wandavision, 99.9F, Black Lesbian Cinema art from original sources. Cover and Feature art by Megan Bormann world.mix_004_wake-edition curated & designed by Parker Smith @pbs_smith @pbs_designs on IG

wink! one page magazine

Shannon — Distribution Manager

Grace — Social Media Manager

Avery — Music & Reviews Intern

I told myself that I was going to live out my fashion designer fantasies by actually making my own clothes - I made one pair of sweatpants, and then I gave up temporarily... itʼs been 10 months

I said I would start making art in my free time (does cutting out art from issues of The Wake and hanging them on my wall count??)

I told myself I would teach myself to play the guitar I've had for over a decade, but only picked it up once.

Sylvia — Voices Editor

I love being able to attend class with my cat in my lap, and I canʼt imagine a future where I have to be away from her all day.

Udita — Ad/PR Manager

Did not successfully learn how to toss pizza dough

Macy — Music & Reviews Intern

I bought a guitar and convinced myself I was going to learn how to play over quarantine. Let's just say it's been a year and I still have no idea how to play the guitar. Some thing I took for granted before quarantine was the overall chaos and excitement of seeing a movie on its opening night. I would literally do anything to be able to sit in a packed theater at midnight and eat overpriced candy again.

Esther — Executive Director

one-yearafter-quarantine what was something you said you’d do during quarantine but never did? what has been something you’ve taken for granted?

I've really taken for granted being able to meet new people and make friends in class simply by seeing them or sitting near them each week throughout the semester. Now I'm lucky if the people in my breakout rooms even turn on their cameras or mic :( Tosin — Music & Reviews Editor

Learn to do the splits Marley — Managing Editor

Ian — Cities Editor

I really wanted to bake sour dough, but getting a starter is hard.

I wanted to learn how to do a kickflip and never did. I definitely took libraries for granted, as well as all the coffee shops and restaurants on campus.

Sylvia — Voices Editor

Cynthia— Multimedia Producer

I kept wanting to make those birria tacos from Tik Tok but just never got around to it. Too many steps.

I thought I was going to be baking bread all of quarantine. I definitely took for granted all the time I had, I spent every day outside.

MARCH 1 — MARCH 29

INSIDE

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Death of Dinky

3/8

3/26—3/28

The Pandemic’s “Final Stretch”

Acrylic Paint Night

Powderhorn Art & Soul

https://youtu.be/RUL5KzCkta0

https://www.ppna.org/artsoul

3/11 @ 7pm—8:30 pm

3/11 @ 11am—12pm

Designs for Different Futures

Virtual Talk: Nell Irvin Painter

Streamers and the Audience-Creator Relationship Finding Companionship in a Time of Isolation

Learn step by step on how to create beautiful galaxy skies and crisp trees.

Join us for a three-day virtual celebration of all things art and Powderhorn.

Virtual Black Abolitionist Tour of London

What might the future hold? Walker tour guides will discuss a selection of speculative designs from the show.

Nell Irvin Painter will explore issues of racial and gender identity and how they have figured into the history of America and her own art.

Supporting Unhoused Neighbors

Walker Art Center

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Athletes Will Return to the White House. Here’s What’s Changed.

The Perils of Ethnic Ambiguity

What We Owe Eachother

EmRata, OnlyFans, & The Price of Control

The Death of the Girl Boss

Jada Brown Q&A

Sound of Metal Bridgerton

Wandavision Suzanne Vegas — 99.F °

Black Lesbian Cinema: Making History

THE WAKE

Letter from the Social Media Manager Welcome to issue 4, our first issue of 2021! I’m glad you found time to page through our magazine in between class, work, studying for midterms, daydreaming about the impending Spring weather, or whatever else is keeping you busy these days. Keeping busy has been everyone’s goal this past year, it seems. This month marks one year since we entered quarantine and our world was flipped upside-down. Since then, we have adjusted to this “new normal”. We have adapted--making learning, working, and “visiting” family and friends possible in the midst of a pandemic. We have grown, we have reflected on things we’d taken for granted, and we have been strong in the face of everything this past year has thrown at us. And in this time, The Wake has returned to its roots. The Wake Student Magazine was created in the wake of 9/11 by two University of Minnesota students who wanted to give a voice and a space to their peers in a time of uncertainty and fear. I’d like to think that this magazine has served that purpose again this past year as we have all faced the uncharted waters of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve published countless stories written by our freelancers about topics ranging from caring for window plants and binging Tiger King, to reflecting on activism in quarantine and (not) voting in the 2020 election. When everything around us was changing at breakneck speed, you all took advantage of the unique space that this magazine provides and, as a result, made this year more bearable. Thank you to everyone who contributed stories, art, and time to The Wake this year. This publication was born in a tumultuous time as a place for students to make sense of the world, and nearly 20 years later, The Wake is still carrying out this mission. Thank you all for the role you’ve played in that. With gratitude, Grace Augustin Social Media Manager

MARCH 1 — MARCH 29

ART

THE WAKE

Art by Vrishali Kashmakash

CITIES

The Death of Dinky The closure of many renowned Dinkytown businesses has prompted questions about the future of the historic community, and the difficulties of finding affordable housing near campus

BY ELLIE ROTH After 57 years of business, Dinkytown McDonalds has shut its doors, sparking outcry from students who consider it a crucial part of Dinkytown’s vibrant and lively community. To many, the closure of the infamously coined “Drunkdons” signals an end of an era. Long-standing businesses are being replaced with luxury apartment buildings to accommodate the off-campus housing demand around the university. Many may think that McDonald’s’ closure is the beginning of the end, an end that signals Dinkytown’s erasure into a world of expensive apartments and chain restaurants. But maybe the end began a long time ago. The closure of yet another Dinkytown staple brings us memories of years past - years when corporate ventures sucked up large blocks of Dinkytown. Even the Dinkytown of 10 years ago looks radically different from the Dinky we see today. In 2013, Opus Development Company drew up a plan to buy half a block of Dinkytown and build a brand new apartment building. This plan would purchase the buildings where local businesses had stood for decades, including House of Hanson, a local convenience store that had served students for 81 years, the Book House, and the Podium Music Shop, located in Dinkytown for 37 and 54 years, respectively. These businesses were erased by The Venue’s construction, a six-story apartment complex that now houses hundreds of students. This situation eerily echoes McDonald’s’ closure, which a luxury apartment building will also replace. CA Ventures has bought most of the block between 15th and 14th Ave and is planning to tear down the buildings that house McDonald’s and Dinkytown Wine & Spirits and the strip mall that houses a Pizza Hut, Subway, and TCF Bank.

The apartment building will comprise 300 units and 29,800 square feet of commercial space on the building’s first floor. The company has stated plans to implement a grocery store into the site and a brand new McDonald’s, but will it ever be the same? The arrival of another luxury apartment building in Dinkytown allows us to revisit the question of affordable housing near campus. Although conveniently located, these apartment buildings come at a high price, making it almost impossible to find any living accommodations remotely close to campus under $600 a month. CA Ventures also owns the Link, a student-oriented apartment building in Prospect Park. A 2x4 apartment (2 bedrooms shared by four people) costs approximately $600 per person, and a 4x4 unit (4 bedrooms occupied by four people) costs $899 per bedroom. One can expect similar prices for the new apartment building. It seems that one has to take a long hike into Como to find a room priced below $5oo a month. Students are now forced to choose between ridiculously overpriced apartment buildings or living miles from campus detached and isolated. McDonald’s and other well-known Dinkytown businesses’ closures have caused increased anxiety for business owners in Dinkytown. The commercial space underneath apartment buildings can be expensive. Small business owners often find it difficult to compete with chains like Starbucks and Qdoba that can assume the financial burdens of higher rent. Purple Onion, located underneath the 1301 apartment complex, has permanently closed its doors, a large blue “For Lease” sign replacing the once colorfully

decorated windows. However, some businesses are adapting to the changing environment of Dinkytown and a COVID world. For decades, the Loring Restaurant, a Dinkytown staple, has rebranded itself as Gray’s - a coffee shop/ diner hybrid that caters towards students. The shift from a fancier restaurant atmosphere to a more laid-back hangout spot has caused an increase in customers. There aren’t many spots in Dinkytown for students to study at, especially with the COVID restrictions. But the size of Gray’s (the restaurant is three stories tall) allows students to take a break from sitting in their apartments and gather in a space that can accommodate social distancing guidelines. The tables offer QR codes that guests can order off, thus decreasing the number of people walking around the restaurant. By adapting to the changing times, Gray’s can be considered one of Dinkytown’s success stories and hopefully will be around for years to come. The destiny of Dinkytown is uncertain. Whether it is fated to become a residential area dominated by chain restaurants/businesses or to retain a sense of charm that has made the area so popular among students and alumni rests in the hands of a global pandemic and a generation of students in desperate need of housing. Whatever the outcome, it is certain that Dinkytown will most likely be unable to return to the way it once was. Students can have a role in writing the future blueprint of Dinkytown by continuing to shop and support local businesses, so that the balance may be maintained and the scales may not tip into the chasms of corporate ventures.

MARCH 1 — MARCH 29

CITIES

The Pandemic’s “Final Stretch” Now’s not the time to skirt the challenge the time presents BY MATTHEW VOIGT After nearing 30 million cases and over a half million American deaths from COVID-19 at the time of writing this article,vaccines now bring an end in sight for the pandemic. We just have to get there, right?

grief, trauma, and anger fuel the dousing of the fire of chaos so the past year won’t be repeated. Instead of returning to the old normal that got us here, we should instead work towards constructing the new normal.

The reality is that the vaccines, praised by many as a savior to our woes, won’t and can’t solve the sores of racism, sexism, ableism, and homophobia so blatantly exposed this last year. The pandemic, if nothing else, has made it abundantly clear how woefully underprepared and undereducated they were to deal with the onslaught of nonstop crises this past year brought. Hospitals ICUs overwhelmed with patients and running out of PPE, educators trying to figure out the litany of online class structures and systems, even morgues beginning to store bodies in freezer trucks because too many people were dying too quickly. All of this with only minimal help and guidance from the federal government.

That old normal led to hospitals and morgues overflowing with people, students and educators annoyed and stressed about requirements, and discriminatory practices in justice, just to name a few issues. The old ways have left almost a half million dead; that’s as if the entire city of Minneapolis died and then you killed nearly a fourth of Saint Paul. The people who advocate for returning to the old normal forget how it wasn’t working for many Americans. If the old normal led a half million to the grave, and millions more infected with a novel disease, it seems pretty clear that the old normal wasn’t working and could not have been great.

Regardless of what political bigwigs say, there isn’t just one crisis. These are countless crises, intersecting and feeding off each other viciously. One simple solution is impossible for multiple crises.

A new normal will take time, but by constructing a new normal that works for all people, there’s a better chance a future situation could lessen the hardship inflicted. By embracing the lessons of hardship, educating ourselves on racism, sexism, ableism, and homophobia, only then can we truly

begin to live up the American promises of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. While vaccines may allow us to start to hope about what the future may bring, vaccines alone won’t solve the problems. We must take up the challenge that these unprecedented times bring. We learned that we can’t take the democractic experiment for granted, and many people learned how prejudiced the system actually is. The fight to make America live up to its promise isn’t just beginning, it’s been fought for over 250 years. The American people’s spirit, and our belief that tyranny and bigotry won’t be tolerated, has only been reinvigorated. Wherever we are heading and however the future may take shape is still being decided. However, we can decide how we want the future to be. While the current trajectory is bound to change again and the journey may seem endless, keep an eye on the future. Better times are ahead, even if we have to fight for lives.

However this is 2021, and there’s vaccines and a new administration that believes in the experts and probably won’t try to usurp the Congress of the United States. The awfulness of last year is behind us, right? Technically yes, the past is in the past. However, we now have to deal with the effects and ramifications of a severely strained healthcare system, an education system struggling, and an attempt to thwart an election and usurp Congress.The question should not be if the crises and times are unprecedented, because they clearly are. Rather, the question should be how we fix the crises and stop the inferno of problems that affect the country right now. What are the solutions to the problems and crises? Will there be another crisis? How do we prevent another crisis? Now is the time to take the lessons learned in the chaos and apply them to the future. The best time to change society was before it blew up in our face, but the second best time is now. Let our collective

THE WAKE

CITIES

Streamers and the Audience-Creator Relationship Why has streaming caught on these last few years? It’s all about the connections

Finding Companionship in a Time of Isolation 5

How a quarantine pet helped me regain a sense of normalcy in a time when there was none BY RENEE MOTTET After months of quarantine, I found myself stuck in a cycle of not only doing nothing all day, but also a strong feeling of loneliness. For many, this is a common feeling that the global pandemic has brought this year. Lacking routine, I began searching for weird ways to keep myself busy and, of course, failed at quite a few new hobbies. My roommates and I even started running out of movies to watch after the first month in our apartment. Bored out of our minds, we made an impulsive decision, and decided to adopt a puppy. Within two weeks, my roommate had dropped $800, and we had a 7-pound Pomeranian named Eddy, sharing our apartment with us. Our mornings now started at 8AM, being woken up by a small puppy whining to be fed. Despite the new lack of sleep, my days slowly began to feel like they had more of a purpose. My endless amount of freetime was now filled with walks outside, playtime, and attempts at teaching the puppy, Eddy how to sit or shake. In my 1000 square foot apartment, he rarely had a moment of alone time from my three roommates and I and quickly became the center of attention in our lives. I began to realize how much better I was feeling about my situation, even though taking care of a new puppy was probably one of the hardest things I had ever done.

BY IAN KNOLL Earlier this year, a friend of mine began streaming with his roommate. I can’t say it’s better than seeing him in person, but watching and sending messages while he does something he enjoys is a decent replacement in a time where most of my life occurs inside one room. That said, his streams are not the first time I’ve been one of many onlookers collectively referred to by most streamers as “chat.” Whether you like games, making art, chess (yes, chess), or just hearing people talk, there’s a streamer for everyone, and the medium is only growing. But what is it about watching someone else have fun that’s so entertaining? In part, it’s the sense of relationship built. Now, I’m not claiming streamers with tens of thousands of viewers grow familiar with every one of them. Moreso, it’s the other way around. Watching stream after stream, you get a sense of a streamer’s passions, what makes them laugh, and the things they want to share with the world. As you get to know them, logging in after a difficult day and hearing your favorite streamer joke with “chat” starts to feel warm and familiar, like being with a friend should. Soon enough, even familiar usernames watching alongside you begin to feel like friends along for the ride. Of course, I should acknowledge that streamers get paid for their interaction, unlike real friends (usually). We all need money, so that’s hardly inconsiderate, and even so, the experience feels far more direct and genuine than something like a movie ever could be. Because everything is live, there’s a sense that most streamers are who they present themselves as, not a persona that managers crafted for mass-market appeal. I’ve heard similar sentiments towards YouTubers or Instagrammers, but for a few hours, the world doesn’t feel quite as isolated as it is right now. Is it a corny, unrealistic feeling to have towards someone who’ll never know your name? Perhaps, but right now I’ll take what I can get. Besides, no harm can come from feeling more connected to the world around you.

Eddy brought us all closer together, even when he drove us crazy with his weird quirks such as hiding all our socks under the bed or walking on his back legs to try and steal food from us at dinner. Although he might be the messiest roommate I’ve ever had, I wouldn’t change a thing.

CITIES

Virtual Black Abolitionist Tour of London If history is destined to repeat itself, then we need to start learning now 3

BY SHANNON BRAULT The wind howled at a blistering wind chill of -26 degrees Fahrenheit, the hinges on the back door to my home screamed with every movement, but the sunshine shining through my window was deceptively inviting to go on a walking tour through history. With the ticking clock of the winter sun, I rushed to put on some warm clothes and prepared for my journey. I sat down at my desk, opened my computer, and joined the Zoom call for Virtual Black Abolitionist Tour of London, a walking tour through some of London’s richest history. Hannah-Rose Murray guides individuals worldwide through a 90-minute history tour of African American activism in London. Murray is an Early Career Leverhulme Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. She has dedicated her research to focus on the transatlantic journeys of enslaved African Americans to Britain between the 1830s and the 1890s and has mapped the experience of these formerly enslaved African Americans and their lectures across Britain to raise awareness of the cruelty of American slavery, both of which she has documented on her website fredrickdouglassinbritan.com. Murray has adapted some of her research into a walking tour of London, which is typically done in person, but like most everything else, it has been adapted into an online format. On the flip side, this gives people from all over the world the opportunity to experience some of this incredibly important, often undiscussed, history by pulling up tabs of Google Maps showcasing the buildings slideshow of information people we were discussing. Most people kept their cameras off while on the Zoom call but still participated in the

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chatbox at each “stop” we took to ask questions about the building, the people discussed at the stop, and Murray’s research. This tour, while virtual, was informative and thought-provoking. Last year opened many people’s eyes to the reality of racism and inequality, both in the United States and around the world. Many connections have been made from history to the current state of race relations in the United States. If history repeats itself, how deep are we willing to dive into understanding where we have been in the past? Murray explained that many African American people in the United States escaped slavery and traveled to Britain both temporarily and permanently between the 1830-50s, given that slavery had legally been abolished in Britain. This is a unique side of African American history that is often forgotten by both the United States and the United Kingdom. African American Abolitionists like Fredrick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, Moses Roper, and Josian Henson traveled around Britain sharing poetry, songs, and lectures about American slavery, their escape, the brutality they endured, and the hypocrisy of American freedom. According to Murray, they exhibited their scares and published slave narratives, sharing testimony to transatlantic audiences. The tour stops were just a few of the buildings that these events took place in around London. These abolitionists traveled thousands of miles, sold hundreds of thousands of copies of their slave narratives, and engaged with every race,

class, and gender in Britain to share their stories and the importance of a free and equal world. They challenged white fragility, and American exceptionalism. They were mostly received positively by the British press. However, Murray shared that there were limitations to Britain’s antislavery narrative, resulting in restraints on how negatively they could speak at their lectures and still receive favorable coverage. History is not limited to one area of the world. While slavery was a strong institution during the 19th century, abolitionist were also working halfway around the world to educate people on the cruelty of what was happening in the United States. Most people will go most of, if not all, of their lives never knowing the importance of the things they did not learn in school. Learning this history and taking it with me in today’s struggles, I am reminded how important it is to use your voice when you believe in something and when you see injustice. I hope this serves as a reminder to you as well.

FEATURE

MARLEY RICHMOND JEMMA KELEHER SYDNI ROSE

FEATURE The Local Emergency Grows Homelessness isn’t a new crisis in the Twin Cities or beyond. The conversation around aiding and housing those without a stable roof over their heads has been an urgent one. But with the onset of frigid Minnesota temperatures and a pandemic that has yet to be controlled, the urgency has only risen. In response, mutual aid organizations have taken to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to increase awareness and combat the growing issue of homelessness. Within the last five years, the number of people living in the Twin Cities without shelter has increased fivefold. According to a study by Wilder Research, more than 19,000 people across the state of Minnesota experienced homelessness on any given night in 2018, and over the course of the year, more than 50,000 people experienced homelessness. A foundational reason behind the homelessness crisis is a severe lack of affordable housing. To add to that problem, many homeless shelters are now requiring overnight or monthly fees due to cuts in funding and a rise in demand. And when winter arrives, so do deathly low temperatures. The global crisis of Covid-19 has also resulted in shuttered public areas and a decreased number of open beds to those in need.

Many homeless shelters are now requiring overnight or monthly fees.

There are even hoops to jump through when applying for Section 8 housing, through which the applicant receives assistance in paying their rent. In order to qualify, the applicant must meet the definition of a family, report their income level, be an American citizen or have eligible immigrant status, and must report their eviction history which can cause ineligibility. “When we think about the housing crisis, we need to realize that it’s driven by socio-economic injustices and disparities that have been systemic since the founding of this country,” said Sean Lim of St. Paul Camps Support. Racial inequalities compound the socio-economic gap that plays into homelessness. In the Twin Cities, BIPOC make up less than 15% of the population, but account for 65% of those experiencing homelessness. “We’re no longer asking for your help. We’re demanding you do something,” said Alexis Kramer of Freedom from the Streets in response to the crisis.

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Collective Aid Organizations Racial discrimination was a factor in Kramer’s own experience with homelessness and her decision to fight for others in similar situations. Kramer’s children were removed from her care “mostly because of the color of my skin,” she said, and her fight to regain custody of her children left her unheard and unhoused. “I was in different hotels, I was jumping [from] shelter to shelter when I was homeless,” Kramer said. She was on a waiting list for permanent shelter for months. This slow timeline is common and unacceptable, leaving folks without homes for too long, especially if they do not meet shelter requirements.

Kramer’s children were removed from her care [...] and her fight to regain custody left her unheard and unhoused. Because of this experience, Kramer joined Freedom from the Streets, a mutual aid organization that helped her find her voice. “I’m going back to school to be a child protection attorney for parents that are low income,” she said. Uplifting the voices of people experiencing homelessness is a key role of mutual aid organizations. Like Kramer, Lim is involved with mutual aid to support folks experiencing homelessness. “I think that ever since the uprisings [last summer], you’ve seen all of these people suddenly get interested in practicing mutual aid and just helping ensure that their neighbors have what they need to survive,” Lim said. St. Paul Camps Support carries on this work by forming relationships with unhoused folks, crowdsourcing necessary supplies, and protecting encampments. Such communities become centralized places for aid organizations to reach and support folks. “There’s a sense of community [in encampments], right?” Lim said. “When you evict a camp, you are really dispersing people in a way that takes them away from their friends who have become their family.”

A home’s guarantee is the cure

Mutual aid relies on an even larger network of practitioners, though. “We help facilitate, but on

MARCH 1 — MARCH 29

FEATURE

the other side of it, it’s just ordinary people like you and me who are buying some Gatorade or other constant needs at Target and bringing it to our hub,” Lim said. Anyone can get involved at whatever level is accessible to them. Housing is a Human Right Everyone is deserving of a safe and secure shelter, regardless of their past or present. Basic studies in psychology prove that humans have essential needs for survival: food, water, warmth and rest. Having a home is integral to fulfilling those needs.

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It’s clear in the numbers—with almost 600,000 people homeless across the nation—that housing has not been prioritized as a basic human right, and that reflects as a failure of society. While mutual aid work is a vital response to the housing crisis, it cannot address all community needs, “A home’s guarantee is the cure: the notion that housing is a basic human right,” said Lim. “A warm safe, secure, clean and stable place to call home is a fundamental human right.”

ART ART

Art by Megan Bormann

MARCH 1 — MARCH 29

Chae Hong

VOICES

Athletes Will Return to the White House. Here’s What’s Changed. The activist athletes made their voices heard in the Trump years, but are not done yet. 2

BY PETER NOMELAND For the first time in a long time, an NBA champion will visit the White House. LeBron James has said that the Los Angeles Lakers hope to commemorate their recent NBA championship with a visit overseen by Joe Biden, the recently elected President of the United States. James was notably not a massive fan of the guy who used to have that job. The Golden State Warriors, who won two NBA championships during Donald Trump’s presidency, were also very vocal about their distaste for the President’s conduct and policies, particularly star Steph Curry and head coach Steve Kerr, whose public criticisms of the administration led to the President “redacting his invitation.” The team said they hadn’t been planning on going in the first place. The White House visit is just one of the many ways that sports and politics have intersected in the past few years, and there are many signs that this will continue in the years to come. The professional athlete’s role in political discourse has been around since the 1960s but has never been as widespread and prevalent as during the Trump presidency. Case in point: the White House visit. Usually, when a major sports team wins a championship, the team visits the White House, where the President congratulates the team. Former President Obama, a noted sports fan, would often crack jokes with players. However, since 2017, when Trump took office, only one NFL team has visited the White House—no NBA or WNBA teams have visited. When teams have made the trek to 1600 Penn Ave, there are often notable absences, particularly those players who are minorities. Even Trump’s old friend Tom Brady skipped his team’s visit for “family reasons.” This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who pays attention to sports or the Trump

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administration. The former President continually got into spats with prominent members of the sports world, particularly with Colin Kaepernick when he kneeled during the National Anthem before football games, protesting the systemic police brutality that we see in this country every day. In the same vein that athletes such as Muhammad Ali and Bill Russell were provocative in their political beliefs, the recent rise of Black Lives Matter has given way to a new kind of activist athlete. Trump would often find himself speaking against these movements and athletes, creating a politicization of sports at the same time as those on the right were saying that athletes should stay out of politics. Or “shut up and dribble.”

causes that they believe in? Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson recently requested a trade from the Houston Texans. Reports have stated that Watson, one of the more outspoken figures in football, requested this trade partly because he has strong philosophical and political disagreements with Cal McNair, the team’s owner. Take a wild guess whose presidential campaign McNair donated to. When LeBron James and Tom Brady return to the White House, their continued dominance will be one of the only things that have stayed the same in the world. Hopefully, this change will continue to be for the better and not for the worse.

This summer, in the WNBA bubble, the Atlanta Dream wore t-shirts in support of Reverend Raphael Warnock, the Democratic candidate for one of the two open U.S. Senate seats in Georgia. An entire sports team supporting a political candidate would be an important story in normal circumstances, but especially in this case, as Warnock’s opponent was a businesswoman and hardcore Donald Trump supporter Kelly Loeffler, who just so happened to be the co-owner of the Atlanta Dream at the time. The players made a bold decision to defy and lobby against their employer, but the WNBA has long been seen as the most progressive of the major sports leagues. Loeffler would go on to lose her Senate seat. The Atlanta Dream situation may be a look into the future of sports activism after Donald Trump. Many of the owners of these sports franchises are politically aligned with Loeffler. We may see more statements like this from teams towards the people who employ them. Because athletes have become more empowered to use their voices, could we see more displays of support for political and social

VOICES

The Perils of Ethnic Ambiguity 7

When “What are you?” is a hot catchphrase instead of a deep, introspective question. BY UDITA GOEL A man old enough to know better swims up to me at the beach and asks: “What kind of brown are you?” I circle through a range of responses that might altogether answer the question and not warrant any further ones while trying not to just settle on “vague.” A question such as this, simultaneously off-putting and intriguing, should be paid some attention to: What am I?

Sticking with the former can be an annoyance, but the resolution is to tell yourself that you’re an ambassador of the diverse reality of the South Asian subcontinent. There are a few odd interactions, however, that leave you feeling like you’ve just presented them with a more palatable version of India: an accentless, caramel-haired antithesis to Apu.

“Caramel macchiato, apparently,” I tell him, echoing the weird words of a message that’s been slid into my DMs by another man who should’ve known better.

It’s hard, however, to solely attribute the confusion that comes with an unconventional appearance to Western ignorance when a similar denial prevails in your home country. Outfitting myself in traditional wear usually garners the same amused praise that a tourist trying to assimilate might receive—an inside joke in my family is that I’m the token white person at every Indian wedding we’ve been to—and conversations with strangers will often start in broken English that eventually transitions out once it’s established that I am, in fact, a local. Uber drivers, too, will change the station to English music when I get in.

When “Wait, really?” (and the occasional “Are you sure?”) is the general response to where you’re from, it’s interesting to wrestle with whether to run through your family’s genetic history, starting with the gray-green eyes of your grandfather, to prove that you are, indeed, from India, or to simply go, “Yeah, I get that a lot,” and call it a day.

The politics of identity has created unique vacuums in society that are filled by those with mixed ancestries and generally off-kilter looking people like myself: anyone who has resonated with Rashida Jones saying “Well, I’m ethnic” in response to “You look so tan!” or been examined akin to a zoological specimen. Personally, it’s

Light-skinned enough to fool anyone asking if I’m white, but lacking the pink undertones to really sell it? On the spectrum of celebrity lookalikes that range from Jennifer Aniston to Zendaya to Princess Jasmine, somehow? Any beige shade of foundation?

induced quite the internal crisis throughout my life: Can I really call myself brown when people in my own country don’t think I am? But it doesn’t have to be a constant source of struggle. A coping mechanism I’ve discovered is imagining these interactions as a running gag in the sitcom that is my life. Having people guess the answers to their own questions gives me glimpses of the lives I might be leading in parallel universes as a Turkish, Brazilian, Persian, Egyptian, Greek, or Native American person. Besides, racial indeterminism is the new generation’s fleeting aesthetic, so it’ll do nothing but help in landing the next big role in a Netflix original series. Like anything in life, being ethnically ambiguous has its pros and cons. Regardless, it can be a fun social experiment for those of us lucky enough to be first author, and it’s worth considering the novelty of the experiences that come with it: sometimes it’s the guy at the beach, and other times it’s a Trinidadian stranger at the Apple store telling you she “felt like you were a sister” because you’re “tan, but not California tan” and then adding you on Facebook.

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VOICES

What We Owe Eachother What can we expect from our fellow humans? 6

BY CARTER STARKEY We live in a world that depends on people looking out for one another, but simultaneously encourages each individual to choose whether or not to do so. As a working member of society, I often feel betrayed by my inability to make choices for the good of the collective. The best I can do is lobby, act, and critique. In centuries past, philosophers like Locke, Rousseau, and Kant have used these methods to ask an important question: what do humans owe each other? At the very base level, what do you owe to the people around you? The school of philosophy that this line of thinking would fall under is called Contractualism. Contemporary contractualism was created by Harvard philosopher T. M. Scanlon. All you need to know are the basics. Scanlon would argue that any action, under the circumstances, can be considered just, assuming it’s a behaviour that no one could reasonably reject on the basis of one’s independent agreement with the action. That is a really convoluted way to say what he means. It’s something so simple and so ubiquitous: “The Golden Rule.” “Treat others how you would like to be treated.” The golden rule is great. It introduces the idea of empathy to young kids and helps them with perspective. The problem is that the golden rule exists outside of our world—the real world. Hypothetical thinkers don’t have to face the answers and consequences that we do. In reality, it doesn’t matter if I object to someone’s unjust behavior—they’re going to do it anyway.

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In our current world, we’re asking more of one another than ever before. Facing crises like social polarization, climate change, and, of course, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it seems like all of our solutions rely on everyone making sacrifices for the greater good. Wear your mask in public; reduce your carbon footprint; diversify your news sources. We all can do these things, but seeing countless peers choose their personal comfort over collective action only makes these sacrifices seem harder. The people who choose to bypass the consequences, the more than 400,000 Americans killed by the virus, turn their backs to the anger climbing the shoulders of grief. I see it clearly—I face it straight on—and it scares me. It scares me when I see the proponents of selfishness, but lose sight of the effects of it. The real question then becomes: Why can others do whatever they want and I cannot? I cannot force myself to forget the millions of coronavirus cases across the globe. I cannot force myself to stop envisioning a world ravaged by uncontrolled climate change. In a practical sense, how do I force myself to turn down social plans or set up yet another Zoom meeting when I’d much rather go get coffee with someone or have a game night with all of my friends?

me are facing that I may never know about. In essence, I try to imagine the world around me with complexity and, when I can muster it, with compassion. Compassion allows you to adopt a softer perspective. You start to see the people around you as humans more often than villains. Ultimately, I think that is what we humans owe each other: compassion. Although superspreaders and oil executives may not deserve my compassion, it’s not my duty to serve as a moral judge and jury in their lives. Only in my own. Nobody is asking you to excuse terrible behavior, but simply to treat it like the mistake that it is, and hope that these people do better. Maybe they can learn from the rest of us, showing compassion, and standing strong. Probably not... but maybe. And so, it’s inside that “Probably not... but maybe,” that we must live. I believe that if enough of us choose compassion, the rest may just follow.

I do these things because I believe that someone, perhaps long before me, made a sacrifice to give me my own choices. On those days when the line of unmasked bar-goers rounds the block, I imagine the hardships that my parents endured to provide me with the privileges that I now enjoy. I think about the challenges that those around

VOICES

EmRata, OnlyFans, & the Price of Control

What can Emily Ratajkowski’s Experience Teach Us About OnlyFans? BY LISA ALEXANDER On September 15, 2020, supermodel and feminist icon Emily Ratajkowski broke the internet with her essay “Buying Myself Back: When does a model own her own image?” As I scrolled through the imagistic and nuanced writing, I realized the story was far from the joyous fairytale of empowerment that I expected. In her first-person narrative, Ratajkowski recounts the many times she toyed with the idea that she does not own her image, which as a model, is so much of herself. First, a photo Ratajkowski posted on Instagram was turned into a piece of art by Richard Prince. “It felt strange that a big-time, fancy artist worth a lot more money than I am should be able to snatch one of my Instagram posts and sell it as his own,” writes Ratajkowski. Next, and perhaps most chilling, is the story of her photoshoot with Jonathan Leder. Leder sexually assaulted Ratajkowski during her “Darius” photoshoot and illegally published the nudes in a book titled “Emily Ratajkowski Collector Edition.” Though Ratajkowski fought with tooth and nail—and thousands of dollars—against a forged photo release, she eventually gave up. As Ratajkowski’s vulnerability bled onto the page, so did her resolve in deciding to let go of the situation by “carving out control” where she can find it. But I couldn’t let go of her gripping story. I lay awake that night thinking about what I had read in the article. “This is the girl that was naked in ‘Treats!’ magazine and bounced around naked in the Robin Thicke video at that time. You want someone to believe she was a victim?” said Leder when asked about the controversy. “Emily

Ratajkowski Collector Edition.” “Emily Ratajkowski... Collector Edition.” Does owning our sexuality, like she does, mean that we lose control of ourselves and forgo our boundaries? That we could be “collected?” Why was there more backlash around Ratajkowski posing for consensual nude photos in “Treats!” magazine than around Leder publishing photographs of a vulnerable 20-year-old without her consent? And soon, I began to wonder what this meant for non-celebrity, everyday sexual women. If rich and powerful women are held hostage by patriarchal legal structures, what chance did normal women have? OnlyFans, a subscription-based platform where members sell/purchase content, seems to have taken the world by storm. Women have decided to control and monetize their bodies in a world that will do so regardless and leave them with none of the benefits. But do these newly empowered entrepreneurs lose their right to privacy, dignity, and respect as soon as they bare it all on screen? In the hope of finding out, I began to do research. I found OnlyFans has a less-than-decent security system for their creators. Though you can’t download from OnlyFans, it allows screen recording, and there are no barriers to saving content onto a subscriber’s device. In February 2020, OnlyFans made headlines because 1.6 terabytes of saved user content were illegally circulating. After this privacy breach, the only protection creators had was to pursue expensive lawsuits covered by revenge porn/

copyright legislation. Again I learned that no amount of fame or money could secure you the rights to your image—in fact, it may do just the opposite. All this begged the question: Why look for leaks rather than consensual exchanges? With so much free porn on the internet, why is there such a massive market for content without consent? The unfortunate truth is we live in a society that allocates more respect to men who violate women’s privacy than to women in control of their bodies and sexuality. This is evident through the sold-out copies of Jonathan Leder’s book and the active market for leaked OnlyFans content. The unfortunate truth is people take women’s sexuality as an excuse to take away women’s control of themselves – the way so many used Ratajkowski’s past to justify her being unwillingly “collected.” The unfortunate truth is that on the internet, undermining sexually liberated women’s privacy and violating their consent is a price many can and will pay for a way around paywalls. So to my fellow women, continue living sexually, freely, and authentically. Demand deference when and where you can. Prepare for and face the harsh criticism of the media head-on. In doing so, we forge the way to a world where women are respected enough to control their bodies without forfeiting all rights to privacy in doing so.

MARCH 1 — MARCH 29

VOICES

The Death of the Girl Boss Why did young people let girl boss idealism die? BY SRIHATA RAJU Growing up, all I wanted was to be perceived as a girl boss. Although I didn’t yet know that the term “girl boss” existed, I had the images drilled into my mind: an office with a view of a bustling downtown street; pantsuits; an intimidating title; an even more intimidating paycheck; an assistant running behind me, reminding me about my next meeting as I walk out of an interview, in which I had been asked, “Just how do you do it all?” The term often refers to prominent, wealthy women in high-ranking positions. Now, this definition doesn’t sound so negative. Many girls grow up being taught that they should be quiet and meek, not intimidating or powerful. So of course, seeing girl bosses as a young girl is beyond exciting—it’s inspiring. If so many girls, at one point, dreamed of this lifestyle, what happened? Where did the love for girl bosses go? At first, the death of the girl boss might sound antifeminist, but in reality, it is the opposite. The first reason for shifting away from girl bosses comes from the fact that the girl boss culture is mostly perpetuated by women who have been shown to not support other women themselves. In many

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girl boss movies, the woman is rude to everyone around her. It is known as “Queen Bee Syndrome”: women are rewarded for adopting masculine traits and praised for being the only women in the room, which results in treating other women poorly. For example, Sophia Amoruso, the founder of the apparel brand Nasty Gal, was viewed as so much of a girl boss that it was the title of her autobiography. However, Nasty Gal had to file for bankruptcy after employees complained that the company had a toxic work environment and that women had been fired when they became pregnant, a shocking discovery for women who had looked up to Sophia Amoruso as a feminist role model. Another example of a girl bossinspired company that didn’t live up to its brand was The Wing, a women’s-only co-working space. The Wing kept luxury items in stock for their members, had beautiful work spaces, and held members-only events. Not only did The Wing have a pricey membership fee, meaning that only some women could afford to use the space, but employees also reported being treated poorly by members. Apart from the real-life examples, the desire to be a girl boss feels a little outdated. For example, not all women deal with the same struggles. Many

of the messages around #girlboss have been about sexism, which only addresses one aspect of the discrimination that some women face. The girl boss idea tends to disregard the very real discrimination that women of color or women in the LGBT+ community face in the workplace, which white cis-het women don’t face. It also perpetuates the idea that for women, the only way to be seen as serious or successful is by having a high-paying job in corporate America. For some people, success might mean money or recognition or raising a family, for some it is all three, and for some it is just to be happy. There are so many different ways for people to find and define their own success, so there is no reason to stick to outdated markers of success. The girl boss ideal died because women realized that they do not need to be wealthy or have high-ranking positions to deserve respect. Also, getting to the top, past all of the abusive men who kept you down, means nothing if you are going to behave the same way when you’re in power. How can someone claim to be a girl boss when they slam the door in other women’s faces?

Q&A

Jada Brown BY MACY HARDER AND AVERY WAGEMAN University of Minnesota alum Jada Brown is a soul vocalist and spoken word poet based in Minneapolis. Her music combines alternative, R&B, and hip hop genres to create a unique and captivating sound. Keep reading to learn about her songwriting process, experience with the local music scene, and more.

: How long have you been making music? Jada: I’ve been performing since I was 13. When I started performing I did lots of covers. I have been playing piano since I was 10. I try to transcribe songs by ear, and then I started making my own songs. When I was like 16 I started writing and composing.

: How would you describe your music? A: It’s my shy girl observations. I grew up very shy. It’s kind of about all these inner feelings I observed, that I was very aware of, I’m putting into music. I hope others find relatability or healing with my music, so people feel seen. I think a type of art that I’m really drawn to is truth seeking. I feel like truth seeking is kind of what makes artists who we are, because we speak on it in different mediums and speak on silences, or speak on things that people don’t bring attention to, but matter a lot.

: Are you originally from Minneapolis? A: I grew up in St. Michael, which is right by Buffalo. I grew up there, that’s where I graduated high school, but I moved to Minneapolis to go to the U. I’ve been living here the past three-four years.

: How has your experience been being a part of the local music scene here in the Twin Cities? A: Minneapolis has made me into the artist I am, especially south Minneapolis, so specifically south Minneapolis has made me into the artist I am, depending on who I perform with and who was mentoring me, and just overall. There’s a big scene, and we’ve helped each other grow creatively.

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Q&A

: Which song is your favorite to perform? A: I have a few favorites. One of them is titled “Last,” and that’s probably one of my favorites off the album. It’s not online yet. Another one that is online is called “Like I Do,” and I have a music video to that on YouTube. It’s the first music video I did. It’s a summer bop about being empowered on a bike. I have some of my friends with me and we’re just doing our thing and living our lives.

: Do you have a favorite experience from your career thus far? A: My freshman year at the U of M, I lived on the music and art floor of Middlebrook. That was super neat because I was around a bunch of cool people. People were studying theater or music or some form of art. I met some really awesome people that I’m still close to today. That’s how I met my friend and bandmate, Collin Peters, because we were in a band called Willows together at the U. Our freshman year we performed at Northrop, and Dessa was performing later that day. She walked by and complimented us, so I thought that was really cool.

: How has being in quarantine impacted your music or your career as a whole? A: First of all, just trying to stay safe. It’s hard because I love performing. I’m more of a performer than a recorder. It really gives me that sense of who I am. Not being able to perform is hard, because that’s where I get my energy and everything from. I’ve been able to do collaborations, so I’m being safe and not being around a bunch of people, just working on the music behind the scenes. Speaking personally, I think it gives the artists and creatives a time to really work, and think about why we do the art we do. You know, building our brands, kind of diving into the artist development stuff. That’s what I’m trying to focus on with the quarantine.

: Are you currently working on any projects?

that genre right now—Nirvana and Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine, punk rock stuff that really [encourages] how you express yourself being like, “Oh, this is who I am,” being raw with those emotions.

: Where is your favorite place to write?

A: I’m just finishing my album that I’ve been finishing this year, it’s my debut album. I’ve just been working on some singles besides that, and my next goal is to do a live band-feel, more R&B, like a backing group. That’s what I’m leaning towards with my next project. This past one is just me solo over some beats, but I still love the project and I put a lot of work into it.

A: Really, it’s wherever that comes to mind, I’m like “go off.” Music is just an expressive outlet for me. When I’m feeling overwhelmed with emotions, whether that’s out of joy, sadness, fear, longing, desire; whenever I have that extra feeling, and some music. I don’t necessarily say there’s a time I sit. Sometimes I sit down and say I should write just to get some words out. But usually, I’ll just listen to beats or live music and freestyle too. It depends.

: What or who do you draw inspiration from in your songwriting?

: If you could collab with any artist, who would it be?

A: I have so many inspirations. I have my women powerhouses that I draw inspiration from, Amy Winehouse, Erykah Badu, in their lyricism and style of singing. Also, [my dad] put me onto some alternative rock—even though I’m not really doing

A: Probably Princess Nokia and Nitty Scott, one of those two.

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: What’s your biggest career goal? A: I think it’s important to look into the future and of course, know your goals and where you want to go. A goal of mine is to keep challenging myself musically, by genre and expression, just trying to push myself in music as much as I can. I want to not just be doing the same type of project, always in the same style with the same stuff. I want to push myself creatively. I do spoken word too, really just seeing how much I can do. Also finding mentors, just solidifying those relationships with my craft.

Keep an eye out for Jada’s debut album, “Admiration,” which will be released in early 2021. Until then, you can keep up with her on Instagram, @DowntownJadaBrown.

REVIEWS

Sound of Metal One of the best movies to come out of 2020 BY AVERY WAGEMAN “Sound of Metal” completely surprised me and exceeded my expectations. This film follows Ruben, played by Riz Ahmed, a heavy-metal drummer whose hearing is rapidly deteriorating. It centers around finding community and self-acceptance when your world is flipped upside down. Ruben struggles to accept he is now deaf, and out of fear of relapse joins a deaf community of recovered addicts. This community embraces him, teaching him ASL and basically how to be deaf. I cannot speak on the film’s representation of the deaf community, as I am a hearing person, but I found this movie to be a compelling look into letting go, moving on, and growing as a person. Ruben’s anger and frustration in response to his new reality are deeply felt, and it was heartbreaking to watch him lose his music and grow apart from his bandmate and girlfriend, Lou. While Ruben is pushed to accept this massive change in his life, he aches to hold onto the things he loves. However, this film is not just sad and by no means a pitying take of a deaf man who has lost his life. It is also a joyous portrait of community and adjustment to a new way of being. It is a search for peace and acceptance of self. This film makes you ask how you choose what to let go of and what you can keep when faced with change. As well as asking how does one accept when others move on and change too? “Sound of Metal” is a beautiful film, and I sincerely recommend this intimate portrait of a person trying to find himself again.

Bridgerton Not just your average period drama BY MACY HARDER I put off watching Netflix’s “Bridgerton” for a few weeks after its Christmas Day release, despite the flurry of recommendations I received from my friends. My general dislike for period dramas initially turned me away from the show. But, I found myself unable to escape the series as my social media feeds became dominated by “Bridgerton” discourse, so I decided to give it a chance. After more than eight hours of watching, I’ll willingly admit my lapse in judgment, as “Bridgerton” proved to be one of the most captivating series I’ve seen in quite some time. The show opens at the dawn of a new social season in 19th century London, buzzing with soirées and balls for society’s elite. For Daphne Bridgerton, eldest daughter of the Bridgerton household, the social season brings pressure from her family to accept a marriage proposal. Meanwhile Simon, the mysteriously enticing Duke of Hastings, returns to England for the season with no intention of finding a wife; in fact, the Duke has vowed that he will never marry. After a scandalous turn of events, Daphne and Simon find themselves subject to watching eyes and hushed whispers from the rest of “the ton.” In a desperate attempt to salvage their reputations, the only option is for them to marry each other, though not at their own discretion. We watch at the edge of our seats as a new chapter begins for this unlikely pair, riddled with unfamiliar desire, sacrifice, and scandals made public by an all-knowing anonymous tabloid author. Drama, romance, gossip, and seduction intertwine perfectly in “Bridgerton,” making for a genuinely enthralling eight episodes. These elements, combined with great acting, a wonderfully compelling storyline, and a beautiful score, make the series a must-watch, and I have a feeling that I’ll be revisiting these characters at least once more before the arrival of the show’s second season.

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REVIEWS

WandaVision Disney’s first MCU show breaks the superhero format in the best way BY FUNMI BANJOKO Boreria volorib earcia explit eveni aut ut quas dolorest hil id The classic sitcom theme song, an obnoxious laugh track with transatlantic accents all in black and white might have you thinking you’re watching something straight from the 1950s. However, the appearance of Wanda and Vision from the latest Marvel movies brings you right back to the present. The creators of “WandaVision”, the first of many Marvel shows coming to Disney+ this year, said the series is a love letter to the sitcom genre as each episode pays homage to a different era of sitcom history, from The Brady Bunch to Full House. This series is a refreshing change of pace from the action packed Marvel Cinematic Universe. It truly is a sitcom about Wanda and Vision trying to figure out their relationship and protect their identities as super-powered individuals. But, lurking in the background, there is a greater storyline that the suburban town of Westview that they live in more than what meets the eye. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the release of “WandaVision” was delayed but it was well worth the wait. The show balances easter eggs and references to pop culture with strong storytelling, great performances, and sharp writing. The story moves through the decades while seamlessly transitioning aesthetics from episode to episode in a way that I’ve never seen before. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany in the lead roles play off each other well and transition their characters from the big screen onto the TV screen perfectly. As a longtime fan of Marvel and sitcoms, “WandaVision” has given me everything that I wanted and more. The series is enjoyable for die-hard Marvel fans and accessible to people with little knowledge of the over 20 Marvel films that have come out in the past 10 years. “WandaVision’’ fits well within the Marvel Cinematic Universe pantheon and stands firmly on its own. The bar has been set high for the rest of Marvel shows coming to Disney+ this year.

Suzanne Vega — 99.9F° A review of the 1992 album 99.9F° by folk artist Suzanne Vega BY EVAN FERSTL Folk rocker Suzanne Vega first caught the general public’s attention with “Luka,” easily one of the most refreshing hit songs of the late 80s. Her early career got driven by acoustic arrangements with some New Wave sprinkled in. In 1992, her fourth album, 99.9F°, featured the most overt production on a Vega album to date, adding a fascinating industrial edge to her folk overtures. Vega always had a melancholy streak, but 99.9F° is its breed of dark and uncomfortable. This aurora isn’t immediately apparent upon first listen, but the more time you spend around these songs, the more starkly disturbing the picture becomes. After a couple listens, the refrain from the opening track, “Rock in This Pocket (Song of David),” which goes “If it’s the last thing I do/I’ll make you see,” becomes the mantra of the album: a haunting threat to Goliath from a narrator who has gotten fundamentally wronged. Themes of anger, nervousness, and resentment crop up throughout, with Vega assuming the role of a disillusioned and abused narrator reflecting on the past, trying to reconcile her current state of distress. “In Liverpool” is one of Vega’s most pleasing pop anthems, but since the song describes someone “throwing himself down from the top of the tower,” it doesn’t exactly lighten the mood. The title track, a mellow, eerie song that gives off vibes of both seduction and warning, is the album’s highlight. 99.9F° is a front-loaded album, as the first six songs are each singularly better than any of the last six, but don’t stop listening halfway because there’s plenty of enjoyment and intrigue to be found in the back half as well. In Vega’s accomplished career, 99.9F° is undoubtedly a high point.

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REVIEWS

Black Lesbian Cinema: Making History An exploration of The Watermelon Woman dir. Cheryl Dunne and Pariah dir. Dee Rees BY SYDNEY HAINY “I know it has to be about Black Women, because our stories have never been told.” The film industry has not been subtle in its constant attempts to shove white, heterosexual, and male-dominated media down our throats. In the rare case that these standards are deviated from, attempts to mimic personal experiences fall incredibly flat. Why are we submitting ourselves to stories from people who have never lived them and calling it “diversity”? Black creators, particularly Black Lesbian creators, are voicing their stories; all we have to do is listen. So let’s hear, and watch, as Pariah and The Watermelon Woman speak for themselves. Alike is a Black teenager living in New York and struggling to navigate her sexuality, relationships, and of course, strict family. Now, Pariah is a classic coming out storyline, one we’ve had to endure a thousand times before. However, Pariah is not afraid to delve into topics that other films wouldn’t dare to approach. Historically, LGBTQ women have only been explored through the lens of white femme identities. Alike is coming to terms with her lesbianism and Blackness and starting to realize that these characteristics don’t have to look a certain way. Throughout the film, Alike is told to act a certain way; to behave and dress how her parents want, told to be more “butch” by her lesbian peers, and to keep her sexuality to herself.

As much as she tries hard to be what everyone wants, she still ends up letting down those closest to her. “How am I supposed to dress?” she asks after getting invited to a party, to be met with, “Come as you are.” This is a heavy film, filled with anger and discomfort, but also a sense of freedom. The story is orchestrated with gorgeous dramatic visuals that match the emotions we watch play out on the screen. “It’s not a phase!” she screams to her mother, “There’s nothing wrong with me!” In her voice, the desperation we hear could only be voiced by someone who’s felt this exact pain, who has had to face homophobia in the Black community. Director Dee Rees is ruthless and unwavering; she lets us see everything even when it feels unbearable. An extreme change of pace finds its home in The Watermelon Woman, the first film directed by a Black Lesbian, Cheryl Dunne, who subsequently wrote and starred in it. It’s funny, it’s raw, it’s heartfelt, and you can feel Dunne’s care in every frame. Cheryl takes us along to research The Watermelon Woman, or Faye Richards, a Black actress in Old Hollywood. The mockumentary cuts between footage of Dunne filming her project and the main storyline of the film, frequently bleeding together. It’s hard to distinguish where her story ends, and Faye Richards’ begins. By drawing comparisons between these points, many themes are explored, from interracial relationships to the

community of family. While we do need serious plotlines to show audiences the hardships of sexuality, queer people shouldn’t have to base their entire identity on the heterosexual construct of “coming out.” It is refreshing to see Dunne using the camera to create whatever she wants. Considering the film came out in 1996, it is so enjoyable to sit back and watch these women have fun making such a strong piece of media. The most crucial role of these movies is the message that young Black lesbian women can be unapologetically their own being. Dee Rees and Cheryl Dunne are producing art that reflects what it is like to be a young person dealing with friendships, relationships, society, and family, all while being Black and a Lesbian. At the end of The Watermelon Woman, the audience finds out that Faye Richards, aka The Watermelon Woman, never existed. Dunne ends with a quote that feels appropriate here as well: “Sometimes, you have to create your own history.”

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ART

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Art by Andy Tran