The Wake - Issue 10 - Spring 2022

fortnightly student magazine

volume 21 — issue 10

“Oh no, I’m not gay!”

p. 8

The Festival of Colors

p. 17

Como Zoo in Retrospect

p. 9

We’re Watching

p. 18

Huhroon Q&A

p. 22

Accessing Autonomy

p. 13

ART

Art by Jean Balestri

©2022 The Wake Student Magazine. All

Disclaimer: The purpose of The Wake is to provide a forum in

Rights Reserved.

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@

Fortnightly Student Magazine

Established in 2002, The Wake is a

Volume 21 Issue 10

Editorial Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Cities Editor Voices Editor Online Editor Copy Editors Music Reviews Editor Multimedia Producer Multimedia Editors

registered student organization produced

The Wake Student Magazine

by and for students at the University of

126 Coffman Memorial Union

Minnesota. The Wake was founded by

300 Washington Avenue SE

Chrin Ruen and James DeLong.

Minneapolis, MN 55455

This Issue

Production Marley Richmond Jemma Keleher Ian Knoll Mitchell Levesque Erica Bouska Autumn Sanders Peter Nomeland Tosin Faseemo Noah Berghammer Natalie Aue Cecilia Harold

wakemag.org.

fortnightly independent magazine and

Executive Director Creative Director Finance Manager PR/Ad Manager Social Media Manager Art Director Web Manager Distribution Manager Designers

Shannon Brault Laura Kuchar Erin Krotz Hannah Lundquist Renée Mottet Megan Bormann Sahra Hussein Kami Kendall Gavin Schuster Makenna Larson Zoë Foster

Writers Vishalli Alagappan, Marie Ronnander, Srihita Raju, Anthony Vystoropski, Quinn McClurg, Ian Knoll, Jemma Keleher, Emma Wolters, Sanjali Roy, Nina Afremov, Stella Melhoff, Nikil Kumaran, Avery Wageman, Griffin Jacobs, Kami Kendall, Gracie Kibort, Abby Vela, Tosin Faseemo Creative Submissions Jean Balestri, Laura Kuchar Art

Cities Interns: Vishalli Alagappan, Marie Ronnander

PR/Ad Interns: Pat Gagnon, Gracie Kibort

1 Madison Kuehn, 2 Brooke Lambrecht, 3 Megan

Voices Interns: Srihita Raju, Carter Starkey

Social Media Intern: Natalie DeBaker

Bormann, 4 Sarah Jiang, 5 Laura Kuchar

Features Interns: Nina Afremov, Sophia Goetz

Art Interns: Sarah Jiang, Madison Kuehn,

Online Interns: Zoe Hoornbeek

Natalie Williams

Copy Interns: Veronica Nowakowski, Anika Wilsnack

Cover and Feature Art: Megan Bormann Feature Spread Design: Gavin Schuster

Music Reviews Interns: Avery Wageman, Griffin Jacobs

The Adam Project, Tana Talk 4, Our Flag Means Death, Who Cares?, Mitski’s Laurel Hell Tour and Elden Ring images from original sources.

THE WAKE

wink! one page magazine

The Wake Pinterest Board

Srihita Raju

Natalie DeBaker

Noah Berghammer

Shannon Brault Natalie Williams Erin Krotz

Renee Mottet

Marley Richmond

Carter Starkey Veronica Nowakowski

Gracie Kibort

Erica Bouska

Autumn Sanders

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Kami Kendall

Shannon Brault

APRIL 4 – APRIL 18

INSIDE 8

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“Oh no, I’m not gay!

Why would you ask me that?!”

Como Zoo in Retrospect What’s Lurking Between the Walls of the MIA?

10 11

A Mid-Sized Melting Pot of the Midwest Getting Involved in the Twin Cities’ Indie Music Scene MapleFest

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16 17

Accessing Autonomy: What is the State of Abortion Access in Our Area, and What Needs to be Improved?

Eating the Rich Doesn’t Taste the Way You Think The Festival of Colors Making a New Habit

18

We’re Watching

19

Minneapolis Has Failed the Community

20

Six Reviews

22

Huhroon Q&A

THE WAKE

UPCOMING EVENTS 4/4 - 5/27 Totally Radical: Designing the 1980s

University of Minnesota’s Goldstein Museum of Design presents an exhibit that explores the iconic designs an elements of the 80s (think Rubik’s Cubes and MTV) while also questioning whether the true culture of the decade is anything but undefinable.

1985 Buford Ave

4/4 - 4/23 The Land Within Us Hosted by Fresh Eye Gallery and curated by Alondra Garza, this exhibit highlights the work of 31 Indigenous and Latine creators, combating the lack of representation in the arts. If the exhibit leaves you with questions, consider attending the artist discussion on Saturday, April 16th!

4/8 @ 12PM Spring Showers Join the Minneapolis Institute of Floristry in creating the perfect spring bouquet (alongside a variety of other spring crafts) at the University of Minnesota’s own Memorial Union.

300 Washington Ave

4/10 @ 1 - 5PM Donut Fest Minneapolis Looking for the best donut in the city? So are we! Come down to Utepils Brewing Co to sample donuts from local shops, and vote on your favorite. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Twin Cities Hospitality and Event Workers’ Relief Fund.

225 Thomas Avenue North

4/14 @ 6:30 - 9:30PM

4238 Nicollet Ave S

4/8 @ 8PM The Flaming Lips Genre bending and boundary pushing, psychedelic rock group The Flaming Lips comes to Palace Theatre. They’re a Q Magazine “Top 50 Band to See Before You Die”, so I guess that means you should go?

Peach Pit at Varsity Theater

Vancouver based indie pop sensation Peach Pit stops by the Varsity Theater on their first headline tour, traveling in support of their third album “From 2 to 3.”

1308 SE 4th St

17 West 7th Place

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Letter from the Finance Manager Dear reader, The last time I wrote for a publication was in elementary school. Unhindered by life’s dose of disappointment, I decided that my story about a turkey who could drive a Ford F-150 was good enough to be submitted to the Star Tribune. Growing up, it was my dream to be an author. It was also my dream to be a veterinarian, a professional basketball player, the next Hannah Montana, and many others in a long line of unlikely professions. Instead, I went to school to become an accountant.

When I tell people that I am going into accounting, I receive awkward smiles and empty compliments, as if every stereotype about a balding old man with shallow, dark eyes and a plain gray suit were true. Mostly, they are. I’ve had professors stand in front of the lecture hall and brazenly declare that accounting is boring, hard, and soulless. And yet, I account.

When I stepped into my first Wake staff meeting and declared that I was the new finance manager, I was met with cheers. It didn’t matter that they were most likely because of my ability to fill a glaringly vacant role. The truth is, I went into the business world because I didn’t know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, and I still don’t. But being at The Wake this past year has made me realize how much I love being surrounded by a group of talented, creative minds. Maybe this is the antithesis of what I’m going to school for—or maybe it’s not. All I know is that I’ll leave The Wake at the end of this semester with no clear sense of where I want to go, but it seems much less cloudy than before.

Make your life messy just because you can.

Also, tax day is April 18.

Erin Krotz Finance Manager

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APRIL 4 – APRIL 18

ASK THE WAKE

We asked you for your most pressing questions.

Whether it be roommate, relationship, or life problems, The Wake is here to help!

Q:

My roommate likes to make 5:30 a.m. protein smoothies (in the loudest blender in the world) every morning and does not understand how this is a problem?

→ Get a louder blender and make your smoothie at 5:00 a.m.

The first step in resolving roommate conflict should always be asserting dominance in the most petty way possible. In your situation, I suggest oneupping them with a ridiculously loud industrialstrength blender and a 4:45 a.m. alarm. This may be an expensive path to revenge, but the chance to serve up a fruit-flavored taste of their own medicine is priceless.

→ Fake a letter from the landlord Choose this method if you don’t want to create any animosity between yourself and your roommate.

The Wake staff has put together a template for you to make this process easier:

My dear tenant <roommate’s name>, This is your landlord, <landlord’s name>.

I have been implored by your neighbors to write this letter to you about the cacophony emanating from your quarters before firstlight. I believe this wild caterwauling is the product of a loud piece of machinery called the blender being put to use to make protein-rich slush.

You see my dear tenant, your neighbors are enjoying a peaceful night of rest during this hour and an eruption of noise from your scullery very annoyingly disrupts their sleep.

I urge you to halt this ritual at once. If I receive more complaints, your possessions, including the blender, will be moved out of my property awaiting their next home.

Best Wishes, <landlord’s name> → In the case of an emergency, ask them to make it the night before This method is the absolute last resort and should be approached cautiously. If executed incorrectly, you will face a dreaded “awkward silence” reply, or—even worse—they will apologize or feel bad for ruining your sleeping schedule. Whatever chaos ensues, be warned that this method is almost foolproof in solving your issue.

THE WAKE

Q:

I’m very single and very irritated about it, help!!!!!

Well my friend, so are we.

We could tell you to get on the dating apps and look for hot singles in your area (or if you’re like us, look for hot singles NOT in your area and then just be sad that they’re perfect for you and 1000s of miles away) but here are some other things you can try.

→ Come to Wake pitch meetings!

You can meet people with common interests by going to events, clubs, and gatherings for things that you like and are passionate about—including The Wake. We’re all single and artsy, what’s more to want?

→ Put yourself out there; ask them out!

You’re not going to want to hear it, but the best thing could be to simply take matters into your own hands. Ask the cute guy in class if he wants to grab coffee and study. You can also start the conversation subtly and feel it out. Drop compliments when you like their fits, ask how their day or semester is going, talk about things you’re passionate about—whatever is on your heart and mind.

→ Self Love It is better to be single and “on your own” than forcing a relationship that isn’t right for you. Keep putting yourself out there and being yourself and things will come with time (or so I am told).

Remember how much you have to offer and that there are so many people out there who would be so lucky to have an ounce of your time.

You got this friend.

Love, The Wake

Q:

How Do I Make Time for Friends When I’m so Busy With Work and School?

I adore my friends. Some live near, some far, but I’m not one to shy away from a long-distance friendship (LDF, if you will). That being said, I also adore being busy, so I waver, like a chicken with its head cut off, without my trusty Google Calendar— that’s where you begin.

Every Sunday, amid bites of hangover pizza, reach the person you’re missing by text with a rough draft of your schedule for the week and ask for theirs in return. In those meager, probably microscopic moments between classes and shifts— send a call or shoot a text. There’s downtime spent on transportation that is wasted on social media.

Reposition your spare minutes. For those nearer to your vicinity, try to pencil in an hour or so to grab a coffee or a ‘study break.’ College is hectic, and you’re probably drained. Spending even 30 minutes with that special someone will fill your cup, helping you transcend at work, school, and in-between.

In the grand scheme of Zoom meetings and group projects, take a moment to reflect on who makes you feel like the baddest version of yourself.

Juggling life is demanding, and you’ll feel better once you prioritize who you’d prefer sticks around.

“Distance makes the heart grow fonder” can be true, but it’s oversimplified. Listen to your inner therapist and set those boundaries, for there is no point in juggling if you cannot also clown around.

Leave the poor connection for FaceTime.

CITIES

“Oh no, I’m not gay! Why would you ask me that?!”

A queer person’s perspective on the increased straight presence in queer spaces 1

BY VISHALLI ALAGAPPAN As a queer adolescent living in the Midwest, I always fantasized about frequenting gay bars in New York or LA. I would envision my older self who’s parents have finally accepted her sexual orientation and who’s banished her internalized biphobia to her past strutting into a gay bar and waving over a queer friend or smiling at the cute redhead across the counter without the paralyzing anxiety of experiencing homophobia. The mere existence of gay bars gave me the hope of prosperity despite being queer.

Although I daydreamed about frequenting gay bars just a couple years ago, I was tongue-tied when one of my straight friends suggested we visit a gay club. When I asked the other two queer people in the friend group what they thought of the potential endeavor, I received two different answers: “It’s not that big a deal” and “I don’t like the idea, but I don’t want to be in the way of their fun.” As time passed, I convinced myself that my initial uneasiness was an overreaction and adopted a more positive outlook. My friends are accepting of me and they were just showing support. I knew they wouldn’t do anything disrespectful, and would be mindful of the fact that they are entering a queer space, but that discomfort never deserted me. People got busy and plans fell through; I didn’t have to ruminate anymore, but I continued to do so.

When my straight friends first mentioned the idea, they had expressed that they would feel a lot safer dancing in a gay club, without worrying about

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how they’re percieved or about people of the opposite gender hitting on them. I sympathize with my straight friends, but the exact reasons that they list for preffering a gay club are the reasons gay clubs were created for gay people. I don’t want to ask someone at a gay bar for their number and have them say, “Oh no, I’m not gay! Why would you ask me that?!”

Straight people partying at gay bars/clubs is reminiscent of wealthy white families vacationing in beach resorts on the outskirts of Cancun when in the city, Mexican women are killed every day for being women and Black and Indeginous Mexicans endure unimaginable systemic discrimination in jobs, education, and access to social benefits.

Straight people cannot throw their bachelorette parties at gay bars when there is an epidemic of murdered Black trans women and queer people are routinely denied access to life-saving healthcare. Queer people are queer all the time, while straight people cosplay as queer for a night.

Of course, I understand why queer spaces are welcoming for everyone in this era of higher acceptance of queer identities and increased sexual fluidity. When interviewed for a New York Times article, 23-year-old tech marketer William Burke said on the topic: “It’s important to have the locations for gay-straight alliance … I know lots of straight people who met transgendered people for the first time at a gay bar, and it changed their perspectives.” When you hear about heartwarming “Queer Eye” moments like this, it’s hard to argue

against straight people in queer spaces. The LGBTQIA+ community has always stood for kindness and acceptance of all, so the reverse discriminitaion seems hypocritical.

As exasperating as it is to reflect on this emotional, nuanced issue, there may be a flip side. Chris McKenzie, a 35-year-old computer programmer, says, “Identity crises like these are a good thing, because it creates a dialogue. In the long run, it may make for a new understanding.”

Until we create this new understanding, if you are a straight individual who wants to visit a gay bar/club, first think about why you want to enter a queer space. Are you going with a big group of straight people and one token queer friend? Are you acknowledging your privilege in being able to go to a gay bar without having to deal with the violence, discrimination, and internalized homophobia? Are you treating it as a vacation spot or respecting it as a symbol of queer prosperity?

Or take action to reform regular bars and leave the gays alone.

APRIL 4 – APRIL 18

Como Zoo in Retrospect

CITIES

Revisiting a beloved family spot through old photos and new research

BY MARIE RONNANDER There’s a photo of my brother in Coke-bottle glasses, a wide grin cracked across his rosy face, clinging to a statue of a giant bronze tortoise stuck to our refrigerator. The picture was taken at Como Park Zoo when we were children, back when zoos seemed like magical places full of majestic wild beasts. Even now, the park brings back fond memories of the sweet, heavy air of the conservatory, hopping across the stones of the Japanese garden, or the sloth lazily hanging from his tree.

As I grew older, however, I started noticing the depressing concrete confines of the sea lions or the small amount of space dedicated to the giraffes. Animals accustomed to vast amounts of space and warmer climates are forced to become Minnesotadwellers, hunkering down for the winter in their cages. After time, I wondered how ethical it was to keep these animals in areas where they could barely run.

With that being said, I’m impressed by how far the zoo has come in updating its habitats. For example, the sea lions recently received a $21 million makeover that provides more swimming space for the animals. Similarly, the Polar Bear Odyssey habitat has come a long way from its crude 1926 chain-linked cage.

And the gorilla’s, as of 2018, have the largest all-mesh gorilla habitat in North America. Yet even with all these (expensive) improvements, the Twin Cities have managed to keep the zoo free all throughout.

My brother recently returned to Como Zoo while on break from his stint at Americorp and made a pilgrimage to his favorite statue. He re-took the famed photo, and when he showed it to me, I asked him what he thought about the zoo now that he’s a fullfledged adult. He chuckled and told me that, while his dreams of being a zoologist were never realized, he still loved the animals in Como. Sure, improvements are still needed, and they will likely always need updating, but it’s reassuring to know that the animals in the enclosures won’t go extinct if we take care of them.

I strongly urge anyone who hasn’t visited the park to at least walk the conservatory—and maybe chip in a dollar to support the future of the animals.

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What’s Lurking Between the Walls of the MIA? Reflect on the ghosts of your past while wandering through this haunting visiting exhibit at the MIA

BY SRIHITA RAJU The Minneapolis Institute of Art is currently hosting “Supernatural America: The Paranormal in American Art,” which has been touring for the past year, starting at the Toledo Museum of Art mid-last year and then the Speed Art Museum before taking its final stop here in Minneapolis. “Supernatural America” will be at the MIA until May 15th in their Target Gallery, and I definitely recommend making some time this spring to check it out.

This exhibit focuses on the various ways American artists interpret the supernatural, death, and spirituality. There are six themes the exhibit is split into, with one section dedicated to art that was made with the help of spirits, and another has a variety of items used in spiritual practices, like stick figures representing goddesses and a vial of holy water. Throughout the exhibit, one common theme that comes up is how historical events can leave spirits behind in their wake. Art representing ghosts emerging from a gory battle, or ghosts whose human life was spent as a slave encapsulate the exhibit’s heart; America, and our lives, if you choose to believe it, are full of hauntings from our past.

As a lover of both the supernatural and art museums, this exhibit was definitely up my alley. The exhibit was far more emotional than I expected it to be. Having so many physical manifestations of loss and grieving together in one room added to the inherent romanticism that is attached to the supernatural. I also recommend bringing a pair of earphones to listen to the audio guide, which can be accessed via the barcodes on the walls of the exhibit. The audio guide gives you an opportunity to dive deeper into the curation of the exhibit and the individual pieces. This exhibit, similar to supernatural lore, requires just two things of the viewer to be fully enjoyed; one, suspended skepticism, and two, a wish to discover what lies just beyond the horizon.

THE WAKE

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CITIES

A Mid-Sized Melting Pot of the Midwest Our city and the diamonds that came to be

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BY ANTHONY VYSTOROPSKI Americans think Minnesota is simply a flyover state, and might not know all that Minnesota has to offer.

The Twin Cities are far from being so concrete and dense as New York City, and compared to giant cities like New York or Los Angeles, we’re clearly smaller, but we are not as small as the cities like Grand Forks, North Dakota. Instead, we fall in the middle and are termed a mid-sized city.

What does being a mid-sized city mean? Well after living my whole life in Minnesota, I would say it means we get the best of two types of cities. Divided by the Mississippi River, St. Paul and Minneapolis form two unique halves of the whole known as the “Twin Cities.” One saying I have heard is “you date Minneapolis and marry St. Paul.’’ Minneapolis is where work, an active nightlife scene, and activities are held such as football in the U.S. Bank stadium, and the famous concert venues of First Avenue, 7th Street Entry, and the Armory. The marrying aspect of St. Paul is to bring up the point of moving to a more relaxed and not as bustling atmosphere compared to Minneapolis. In the literal sense, marry, settle down in the suburbs, and have kids while appreciating the calmer, more beautiful scenery.

The key difference between a mid-sized city such as the Twin Cities and New York or Los

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Angeles is the fact that we do not have the direct globalization that comes with the coasts. New York has been an established business and fashion capital for a long time, and Los Angeles is a leader in technology with Silicon Valley. Both larger cities have the easiest points of access into the United States being on both coasts, which brings with it a slew of foreign interests, cultures, and perspectives.

This does not mean that the Twin Cities is not diverse; take into account the large populations of Hmong and Somali people.

Although we might not have direct port access to the coasts and the same scale of globalization, the Twin Cities certainly makes up for it through having incredible reputations and connections in the Midwest with many ideas and brands that have originated in Minnesota. Take 3M for example: it is headquartered in St. Paul and has a vast array of products from duct tape to supplying various mask types during the pandemic. U.S. Bank is also headquartered in Minneapolis, alongside Best Buy, Target, and Allina Health, all proving Minnesota is a great starting place for companies. The Twin Cities and Minnesota in general are where many musicians got their start such as Prince, Bob Dylan, Hippo Campus, The Replacements and Lizzo.

Although Lizzo was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Houston, Texas, she considers and shouts herself out as a Minnesotan after living roughly five yearS here in Minnesota.

Our own college and university campuses are also a sight to behold such as the University of Minnesota Law School, which is ranked 22nd in the nation (according to usnews.com) and the Carlson School of Management, which is ranked 28th in the nation for best business schools (also according to usnews.com), and according to U.S. News & World Report is 10th for part-time MBAs and 19th for best undergraduate business programs. The same can be said about our high schools: Minnesota is ranked 7th nationally in 2022 for best public schools, and Minnesota students have the second highest math scores in the United States (based on the world population review).

What makes us different is that we are neatly tucked away between farms, cows and corn, giving us the ability to escape from the city life if need be. An escape into nature might include the land of 10,000 lakes or the prestigious boundary waters. Mid-sized is the best size because we are connected, close to either type of city, and get to experience the melting pot of experiences, life, and culture that is the Twin Cities.

APRIL 4 – APRIL 18

Getting Involved in the Twin Cities’ Indie Music Scene

CITIES

How to find new venues, enjoy new bands, and make new friends

BY QUINN MCCLURG

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The Twin Cities: home to independent coffee shops, graffiticovered alleyways, and more Doc Martens per square mile than any other location in the US. What you might not know is that the Twin Cities is the (unofficial) indie music capital of the world.

Surprised? Don’t be! This article will serve as a convenient guide to engaging in the Twin Cities’ music scene.

Before diving into your first concert, it’s important to know that although the cities offer a dizzying amount of musical venues and bands, there are plenty of resources available to make discovering new music easier. For example, asking your friends or classmates can provide you with easy introductions to live music and maybe future plans. Listening to local radio stations may prove worthwhile as well, especially those which place a lot of emphasis on advertising local concerts (like the Current or Radio K). The more you search, the more music you’ll find and soon you may even be investigating the contents of fliers.

Additionally, familiarizing yourself with nearby venues never hurts.

On campus and within walking distance are The Whole (Coffman), Gray’s or Varsity Theater (both in Dinkytown), and Acadia (West Bank). Within commuting distance are Underground Music Cafe (North Loop), Amsterdam Bar (St. Paul), and 7th St Entry (Downtown). I’d recommend following these venues on social media to help you stay in the loop with gig dates and concert lineups. Although basement shows are always a safe bet, finding them may prove even more difficult.

Once you are ready to attend a concert, all you need to worry about is having a good time. Familiarize yourself with proper concert etiquette if necessary (mosh pits, recording policies, etc.) and consider hearing protection if you plan on seeing more live music; after all, you just started your indie music listening career, so make sure you’re able to keep it going.

The more concerts you attend, the more comfortable you will become and before you know it, you’ll be exposed to new music, new people, and new memories. I think that’s what the music scene is all about. So get out there, find something new, and make me proud. Happy listening!

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THE WAKE

Maplefest Familiarize yourself with the Arb over a stack of hotcakes

BY IAN KNOLL Confession time: I’m not a big fan of pancakes (devastating, I know). Call it my mother’s insistence that they’re dinner food, but whatever the case, an event like MapleFest— the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s yearly pancake breakfast and fundraising drive— seems like it’d be decidedly not my thing.

Nevertheless, heading out to the Arboretum has been the highlight of my week.

Part of that enjoyment is probably because the event doesn’t focus exclusively on pancakes. Instead, MapleFest provides a variety of ways to appreciate syrup, be it a demo of how to tap maple trees, a self-guided sugar maple identification test (which I aced), or a presentation on how the Arboretum makes their fantastic syrup (boiling. Lots and lots of boiling). For me though, nothing was quite as satisfying as walking the trails behind the Maple Syrup House.

After such a long winter, there’s just a simple pleasure in being able to take my coat off, walk through the trees, and listen to birds chirp for the first time in months. It also helps that I got to see the weaving network of tubing connecting the tapped maple trees, collecting sap in the strangest feat of modern engineering.

Besides MapleFest, most of the Arboretum was still open, which left the remainder of the afternoon as a great chance to peek at the rest of the space. While most of the gardens (be it the Rose, Iris, or Perennial varieties) aren’t exactly in their prime during the winter thaw, the sheer breadth of the Arboretum means there’s always something to see. The precise landscaping of the Japanese Garden is still impressive when the shrubs are shriveled and brown, and the numerous sculptures are eye-catching regardless of season. A personal highlight for later is the “YouBetcha” sculpture, a Seussesque house made entirely out of willow branches that serves as a reminder of the life cycle of nature through its impermeant design. One afternoon was far from enough to see everything the Arboretum offers, but MapleFest served as a great excuse to start exploring. Oh, and the pancakes weren’t half bad either.

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ART

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Art by Laura Kuchar

APRIL 4 – APRIL218

FEATURE

ACCESSING AUTONOMY WHAT IS THE STATE OF ABORTION ACCESS IN OUR AREA, AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED?

THE WAKE

BY JEMMA KELEHER

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FEATURE

What is the state of abortion access in our community and across the state? While the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade solidifies abortion access nationwide, the ongoing push for that ruling to be reversed creates the constant possibility that the right to legal abortion could fall.

According to Maggie Meyer, Executive Director of Pro-Choice Minnesota, an organization on the front lines of the fight for legal abortion access in the upper Midwest, this year may bring drastic changes. “With Dobbs v. Jackson headed to the Supreme Court this year… I think Roe is going to be gutted or overturned,” she said. “I don’t think that we can depend on the protections of Roe.” If Roe is overturned, Minnesota residents will still have access to abortion. “We have a state Supreme Court case called Doe v. Gomez from the nineties that solidified the right to an abortion as a constitutional right,” said Meyer. “It basically said that the government can’t… force any person who gets pregnant to choose one outcome for the pregnancy, whether that be termination of the pregnancy or carrying it to full term.”

While Minnesota residents would be safe from the downfall of Roe v. Wade, that isn’t the case in other states. In fact, Minnesota is the only state in the upper Midwest where legal abortion would still stand if Roe were overturned. States surrounding

Minnesota anticipate the ruling’s reversal with plans to diminish abortion access entirely.

“They have bans on abortion—some trigger bans and some bans that even predate Roe,” said Meyer. “That means… that when Roe is no longer considered a precedent of constitutional rights, abortion is not legal.” This would be a detriment to people seeking abortions in those states and would force them to travel to obtain pregnancy termination. “We’ll go from more than 60 clinics in the upper Midwest to the 8 that we have [in Minnesota].”

Even in Minnesota, there are threats to legal abortion access. Recently, a bill was brought to the state Senate floor that mirrors the Texas Heartbeat Act. “It uses the word female… and mentions the father as someone the abortion is being done to,” said Meyer. “It was introduced by a woman named Michele Benson, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee of the Senate, and is very likely to get a hearing.”

Despite this, Meyer has been assured that bills like that will not be heard outside of the Senate.

“We have strong assurances from leadership in the House Health Finance and Policy Committee, Representative Tina Liebling, that they will not hear bills like that.” Despite this, the attack on abortion access in Minnesota still holds some weight. “It’s quite scary to see that level of aggression towards our right to choose an abortion.”

Even with the legality of abortion in Minnesota, numerous hurdles are in place that ensures abortions aren’t simple to obtain. “I think a lot of people perceive abortion as being easy to access in Minnesota, which is not necessarily true,” said Madelyn Cook, a junior at the University of Minnesota and a co-president of the University Pro-Choice Coalition.

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APRIL 4 – APRIL 18

FEATURE

For students, there are logistical hindrances. “One main barrier, especially for University students, is transportation,” said Cook. “All of the abortion providers in Minneapolis are at least a few miles from campus. A lot of students don’t have cars or might not have bus passes.” In order to terminate a pregnancy, students may have to take extraneous measures just to get to the clinic.

On a larger scale, any person obtaining an abortion has hoops to jump through that are put in place by anti-choice legislation. “You have to have two appointments to receive an abortion,” said Meyer. “It’s called the 24-hour waiting period. You have to have one appointment where you are counseled prior to your abortion, and then you’re able to schedule your actual abortion at that appointment.”

This rule was created with the intention of derailing people from obtaining pregnancy termination and enforces the idea that abortion is always an emotionally laborious event. “It was created under the guise that people obtaining abortions should be counseled and really think about what they are doing,” said Meyer. In other words, it is a measure to show the person the apparent gravity of their choice—an expression of sexism codified into law by infantilizing people who can get pregnant and inserting legislators’ opinions into their most intimate healthcare decisions Cook added to this, stating that in addition to emotional labor, the rule can create great inconvenience. “Some people carve out a very specific part of their day to go to one of these clinics, and then they have to wait 24 hours.” With this rule, a person must take time out of two separate days simply to receive counseling to go through with a decision they have likely already made.

THE WAKE

Another mandated barrier to receiving an abortion is the requirement to listen to a doctor read a statutorily designed script before their procedure. “Every doctor must read [the script] to patients, which mentions things that are patently false, like a connection between abortion and breast cancer or ovarian cancer and the need for the father of the child to pay child support,” said Meyer. “It is completely medically inaccurate… and is based in hostile sexism.” Patients are subjected to lies and deceit in an effort to scare them out of going through with the procedure.

For people under the age of 18, another rule has the potential to derail their access to abortion. “[Minnesota is] the only state in the entire country that requires two-parent consent for a minor to receive an abortion,” said Meyer. “Regardless of your relationship, you have to either receive written consent from both of your parents or you have to go through a judicial bypass process.”

If a minor wanted to obtain an abortion without their parent’s consent, they would have to fill out forms explaining their situation in detail in order to get permission for the procedure. “It’s a pretty heavy lift for someone who is a minor, especially because all pregnancy care is time-sensitive,” said Meyer.

In addition to the legal hoops put in place to derail abortions, numerous fake abortion clinics exist to spread anti-choice messages to people obtaining abortions. “These are state-funded ‘medical clinics’ that are not HIPAA bound and do not require a medical license,” said Meyer.

These clinics often operate near-real abortion clinics and draw patients in by offering free ultrasounds and care. In reality, they offer medical care that isn’t medical at all. “They don’t require

licensed medical professional personnel,” said Meyer. “So they bill themselves as clinics, but they often don’t employ doctors. [There are] a couple where the main doctor is a dentist.”

These restrictions and ploys all serve one purpose: to stop people from getting abortions. But why is that a concern of the state? “I don’t believe this should be a political issue,” said Cook. “It’s a medical issue. It’s based upon making sure people get access to the healthcare they need regardless of circumstances.”

Cook went on to discuss the roots of people’s opinions on abortion access. “I think people who believe you should have autonomy over your body are people who should support abortion. A lot of people don’t support it for religious reasons, which I get, but the biggest thing is that it’s not about you. It’s about people being able to make decisions for themselves.”

So what can people do to ensure the right to abortion in Minnesota? “The number one thing people can do is fund people who are on the frontlines,” said Meyer. “Give to Pro-Choice Minnesota, who is at the Capitol. Give to Our Justice, who is funding abortions. Give to clinics like Planned Parenthood, Robbinsdale Clinic, P.A., Whole Woman’s Health, and WE Health in Duluth.”

Furthermore, people can use their voting and constituency power to protect abortion rights. “Talk to your legislators… show up and tell them that this is important,” said Meyer. Pro-Choice Minnesota also releases a voter guide on which candidates support abortion access, which is a tool to use before upcoming elections in November. “Make sure you are informed and get to the ballots.”

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VOICES

Eating The Rich Doesn’t Taste The Way You Think What it means to live in an era of hyperromanticized anticapitalism 3

BY EMMA WOLTERS Picture this: you and your closest friend stow away on a train headed west. You tumble off in the middle of a densely forested nowhere with nothing but a pack each. After wandering through brush and hilly terrain for a few hours, you stumble into a miraculously clear, sun-soaked meadow. You turn toward your friend, and a silent agreement passes between you like electricity. This is what you were looking for: a rural haven in which to start your self-sufficient, anti-capitalist lifestyle, freed from the yoke of an oppressive socioeconomic system you only narrowly escaped. But before you can collapse onto the ground in relief, a curtain of dark clouds emerges from the tip of my pen and rolls over the sun in great sheets of torrential truth: you are still capitalists.

I know this may come as a shock to those who hold parallel fantasies about fleeing capitalism’s tyranny. But think about it like this: if capitalism relies on private ownership over the means of production, how is your individually-run utopian farm any different from the businesses you shunned? Sure, you’re neither making money nor spending it, but that doesn’t mean you’d turn down your friend’s offer to trade a crocheted hat for the wild squirrel you caught, which is still an exchange of privately held goods. And in that modest home you and your friend build, are there items you’ve designated as exclusively yours, thereby upholding the concept of property rights?

You see, running away from capitalist society doesn’t make you an anti-capitalist by default.

Capitalism flows through your veins, and you’re just interested in acquiring a free country estate.

So how did this generation adopt such a skewed view of capitalism? The answer to this question lies in the basic tenets of Western philosophy. This doctrine directs us to center the individual and

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its interests above all else, thereby when we get older and the veil concealing capitalism’s flaws is pulled back, the reflexive action for many white Americans is to remove themselves from the narrative altogether (as with many issues). Since it’s near impossible to evade capitalism in the Western hemisphere (thanks, imperialism), fantasies such as the one described earlier abound. Equally unhelpful behaviors tend to follow, such as virtue signaling on social media or spending money on accessories that indicate how much you hate capitalism (ironically, requiring your participation in it). Another trend is the normalization of petty theft at big box stores. Don’t get me wrong, I love “free” snacks from the Dinkytown Target as much as the next guy, but we have to acknowledge that refusing to pay for a product simply because you don’t want to isn’t a meaningful advance towards bringing down capitalism. Instead, this once-subversive act has been diluted into acceptance by dominant white culture, effectively stripping it of power since white supremacy and capitalism depend on each other to maintain their vice grip on society. Consequently, all the gleeful white college kids pocketing Yerba Mates in the name of anticapitalism do so because this awards them social currency without requiring them to reject any of the privileges they receive through the capitalist system.

that goal). With that said, any white readers hoping to become true anticapitalists need to first focus on redistributing their wealth to BIPOC community members in order to weaken capitalism’s arms of economic oppression. Furthermore, we all need to rethink what it means for immense abundance to exist in a society with such suffering. Enough fantasizing about escaping society in order to be “free” from capitalism. A real anticapitalist doesn’t flee from the house of injustice, they dump out every drawer until they find matches.

So yeah, while the beating heart of capitalism lies in property rights and privatization, the brains behind the operation is the division of the lower classes. Race is one of the oldest tools the wealthy have employed to distract the working class from economic inequality and prevent their unification against these conditions. Since race is inherently an instrument of class oppression, there’s simply no way to become an actual anti-capitalist without first committing to becoming an anti-racist (along with all of the obvious ethical reasons to strive for

APRIL 4 – APRIL 18

VOICES

The Festival of Colors All you wanted to know about the Indian holiday of Holi

BY SANJALI ROY Everyone is covered in vibrant colors: pink, green, yellow, and blue are smeared across everyone’s smiling faces. People are laughing and playfully chasing each other. This event is none other than Holi, the Indian festival of colors. Millions of people around the world celebrate this fun holiday during February or March each year, in accordance with the Phalguna month of the Hindu calendar.

Holi marks the start of spring and celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It is celebrated over two days. On the eve of Holi, large bonfires are lit to symbolize the burning of evil spirits, and people sing and dance around them. On the day of Holi itself, people smear their family and friends in colored powder and paint from head to toe. According to custom, a troupe usually plays a traditional drum called a dhol and people dance while playing with colored powder. Each color represents different things: red represents love, blue represents the Hindu god Krishna, and green represents new beginnings. Afterwards, the festivities continue with a feast of traditional foods like gujiya (a sweet, fried dumpling), dahi bhalla (a savory yogurt dish with chutney), and lassi (a yogurt drink).

Although it has been celebrated for centuries, Holi is still relevant because it reminds us that we have to consciously fight for good over evil. Every one of us has to fight for love over hate, unity over bigotry, and peace over war. It is a time to be grateful for what we have while remembering what remains to be done.

If you also want to join in the festivities, Bharat, an Indian group at the University of Minnesota, is hosting a Holi event on April 16. Be there to welcome spring with a bout of colors!

THE WAKE

Making a New Habit

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Nuggets of wisdom from self-improvement literature

BY NINA AFREMOV There are tons of good habits that are worth instilling into our lives: working out in the morning, doing the dishes right after we cook, reading for 30 minutes each day, cutting back on screen time, etc.

At least these are a few habits that I’ve been trying to incorporate into my own lifestyle.

As someone who is passionate about reading and self improvement, it only made sense for me to buy a book about making good habits. I chose “Badass Habits: Cultivate the Awareness, Boundaries, and Daily Upgrades You Need to Make Them Stick” by motivational speaker Jen Sincero for guidance.

To start, I applied Sincero’s advice to one habit I’m working towards—regular exercise. A practical suggestion to help reach this goal was tallying each day I worked out. I placed a small whiteboard on my wall where I could see it from my sofa and began tallying off the days. The trick is to mark the days in a doable time frame—21 days at a time. As soon as you reach those 21 days, start again! For each of these days, Sincero also wrote a motivational chapter and a prompt for self-reflection, which made the process feel much more intentional.

There was one sentiment from the book, though, that really stuck with me as I continued to work through my goals: creating a habit takes a certain degree of sacrifice. If it didn’t, then we’d all be rocking every single one of our new badass habits each and every single day. In my case, I want to work out three to five mornings a week. This means that during those days, I need to leave the comfort of my bed to move my body in a physically exhausting way. To me, the sacrifice is worth better sleep and mental health, even if it is difficult. So, the best way to build a habit is to assess whether you’re dedicated to making it happen in the first place.

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VOICES

We’re Watching The widesperad importance of the Minneapolis Teachers Strike

BY STELLA MELHOFF When quarantine started in March of 2020, my mom started making videos with talking plastic dinosaurs. Yes, things in my house got out of hand very quickly. It started with an idea for a story series in Spanish for her high school class and spiraled into hours of footage and a permanent “studio” in my living room—consisting of the beloved green dinosaurio, as well as a miniature rocking chair, lamp, stove, guitar… you name it, that dinosaur had it. Clearly, it was a creative outlet for my very artistic mom, but it was also a way to bring whimsy, laughter, and a little bit of vocab to students she knew were having trouble getting out of their beds. I have always admired this quality in my mom, her ability to spin joy into dull days. In most ways, I want to be just like her, and yet, I have never wanted to be a teacher.

Since the pandemic, things have reached a breaking point. Teachers have become impossible to find. In a survey by the National Education Association, 28% of educators say their experiences teaching during COVID-19 have made them more likely to leave teaching. According to Education Minnesota, only 12% of educators in the state report being happy in their jobs. Desperate for substitute teachers, schools have gone to extreme measures—in some places calling on the National Guard, eliminating all application requirements but a background check and a high school diploma, and begging parents to fill in empty positions. This is a damning reflection of the state of the profession but is also an opportunity for change. While districts may not be able to afford to meet their demands, they also can’t afford not to.

I’m not sure when this conviction started, but as I grew older, with a dual perspective in the education system, I received little reason to doubt it. I’ve had ample examples of good teachers who have supported their students, but I’ve almost never seen anyone supporting them. In my hometown school, most of the classrooms have no windows, the bathrooms rarely have stocked paper towel dispensers or working sinks, and once, a mouse fell from a leaking ceiling tile.

Combined with unspectacular salaries and little to no administrative support, these conditions have made a rewarding job into an exhausting one. During the recession of 2009, my mom was laid off before a whole day of class, in which an administrator observed her teaching for the first time that year. I, for one, am sick of watching my mentors being treated with such blatant disrespect.

On March 8, the Minneapolis teachers strike began, along with negotiations to resolve several issues. Among their asks are smaller class sizes, more equitable hiring, mental health resources for students, and livable wages. More than a week into the strike, parents are beginning to worry about how long their kids will be out of school and how they’ll provide them with childcare in the meantime. Strikes do inevitably have uncomfortable side effects, but the sought after improvements are necessary for the long-term wellbeing of students. It’s important to remember that workers don’t strike for fun but that it’s a lastditch effort to combat significant transgressions.

In fact, Minneapolis teachers haven’t gone on strike since 1970. Now, they are among the first to attempt post-quarantine education reform, and America is watching.

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Even though I’m not an educator, watching the strike unfold feels personal. I am proud and protective of the teachers who are holding their ground in daily picket lines and rallies. In them, I see my choir teacher, who cried the first time we sang for her in person after months online. I see my math teacher, who always had the best playlists during calculus. I see my English teacher, who gave me a journal at my graduation party that inspired me to fill many more with stories. I see my mom, who to this day will interrupt our conversations to ask me what I think of her new idea for a YouTube video. And I hope the strikers know that what happens next means everything to me.

APRIL 4 – APRIL 18

VOICES

Minneapolis has Failed the Community in Regards to Emergency Preparedness

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How the city failed its community in a time of emergency

BY NIKHIL KUMARAN Throughout the spring and summer of 2020, Minneapolis was a hotspot for local, state, and national news. Following the murder of George Floyd, the city broke into protests and riots that lasted 10 days. A report, conducted by an outside risk management firm, established that Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, failed to appropriately implement the proper emergency protocols when responding to these protests and riots.

According to the report, the city’s emergency operations plan is “well written, comprehensive, and consistent with nationally recognized practices,” but following the murder of Floyd, Minneapolis fell short in a number of ways.

The most prominent failure was the lack of communication. Police made inconsistent choices about using “less-lethal” weapons as crowd dispersants, and protesters were often met with a “no questions asked” approach. To prepare the report, consultants sifted through hours of body camera footage that showed officers using weapons from rubber bullets to tear gas. This, of course, did not help the already shattered relationship between the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and the public.

In a city council meeting, Chad McGinty, a former law enforcement officer, said that the lack of communication left “first responders with limited guidance.” Without any direction from leaders, Hennepin County fell into days of curfew, clashes between protestors and police, and property damage. This caused $500 million of damage in 10 days, according to the Star Tribune.

THE WAKE

The report references interviewees, consisting of community members and small business owners, who say that it is “clear that there was no plan [and] no guidance.” They also say that it “felt like nobody was in charge—it was a state of emergency—the mayor and police chief would have been in charge, but they were in opposition to the City Council. It was lawless.”

This all resulted in a severe loss of trust in MPD. Following the release of the report, many community members have said that their trust in both the government and the police is at an all-time low. Hearing the horror stories from protesters (including many students at the University of Minnesota) about dousing their eyes with milk to lessen the effects of tear gas was crazy to me. But everyone’s reactions were different then because we assumed those police officers were under orders given by the city.

However, this report tells us that this simply wasn’t the case, which is so much more frustrating.

In a statement to the Star Tribune, Frey said that he has asked city staff to create a plan for implementing the report’s recommendations. But at this point, we have to ask: how much can we trust Frey’s promises?

announcement, the MPD used no-knock warrants dozens of times and asked for at least 90 of them, according to Minnpost.

This report felt very lenient towards the police and directed the blame towards Frey. Because the report was conducted by former officers, I can understand why the language seemed sympathetic towards the MPD. For example, in the report, MPD personnel described emergency operations training facility operations as “chaotic and an embarrassment to the MPD,” while taking minimal accountability for their actions.

I remember watching the infamous bodycam footage of police officers talking about “hunting” protesters. I was disgusted as I heard them further discuss slashing people’s tires and laughing. I don’t think that this attitude came solely from the lack of direction from Frey. This is an attitude within MPD. Protesters felt abandoned by the city.

Business owners felt abandoned by the city.

The community felt abandoned by the city.

Minneapolis has some serious work to do.

My skepticism comes from Frey’s handling of the highly controversial “no-knock warrants,” one of which resulted in Amir Locke’s death. Many critics say that Frey lied about “banning” these no-knock warrants, according to MPR News. Following his

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SIX REVIEWS

Tana Talk 4 The Adam Project

When is a time-travel movie not filled with plot holes?

BY AVERY WAGEMAN Netflix’s new sci-fi comedy, “The Adam Project,” follows Adam, played by Ryan Reynolds, who accidentally time travels to 2022, running into his younger self while on a mission to prevent the invention of time travel. Young Adam, played by Walker Scobell, is still reeling from the recent death of his father, the man whose work makes time travel possible.

Because of the death of Adam’s father, the movie touches on topics of grief and the lasting impact of losing a loved one on who a person turns out to be. The conversations between the young and middle-aged Adams about their father as well as their visit with him when they travel further back in time are some of the best scenes of “The Adam Project.”

Though touching at times and with great comedic relief from Reynolds and Scobell—who perfectly captures Reynolds’ quick wit and snarky sense of humor—the main plot and the motivations for Adam’s mission to erase time travel are muddled. The movie definitely has too much going on, which is disappointing considering that it had a lot of potential and a different take on time travel. There is, however, a wonderful “13 Going On 30” reunion of Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo, who play Adam’s parents.

“The Adam Project” is just another CGI action flick, but if you’re looking for a light-hearted and funny movie about time travel, I would recommend it.

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Benny the Butcher takes his coke rap niche to new heights

BY GRIFFIN JACOBS “Tana Talk 4” introduces itself with the best song of the year in “Johnny P’s Caddy.” Benny The Butcher leads the album off strong with absolutely disgusting flows over a beautifully simple, head-bobbing beat. However, J. Cole steals the show with one of the best verses of his career, including the line which I think best encapsulates the album “Einstein on the brink of the theory of relativity, really no MC equal.”

“Johnny P’s Caddy” marked Benny’s first foray onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and on “Tana Talk 4,” he proves he belongs there. Besides the drug dealing bars that Benny is known for, being an underground artist forcing himself into the mainstream on talent alone is the defining theme of the album.

The sound of this record isn’t anything new if you’ve been following Benny’s career thus far, but it takes it to new heights. The Alchemist produced the majority of the record, bringing his iconic, glamorous boom-bap sound. The record also features many frequent collaborators of Benny in Boldy James, Stove God Cooks, Conway the Machine, and Westside Gunn, who all bring their best.

While I loved this record, I could see why many others wouldn’t. If you haven’t heard any of the names in the previous paragraph, this record might not be for you. Benny the Butcher has perfected his niche on “Tana Talk 4,” but it is a niche that has largely stayed underground for a reason. Nevertheless, I couldn’t recommend it more.

Our Flag Means Death A delightfully campy pirate traumedy

BY KAMI KENDALL HBO Max’s new series, “Our Flag Means Death,” featuring the comedic genius of kiwis Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby, is the delightfully fun pirate show you didn’t know you needed.

Following the historical figure of Darby’s Stede Bonnet, who reads like a pirate Michael Scott with his silly incompetence as a leader and petty insecurities about his social standing among his crew, viewers will be pleasantly surprised by this imaginative twist on the pirate lifestyle.

Bonnet’s cushy upbringing wears on him until a mid-life crisis causes him to upend his family life in exchange for the gritty but adventure-filled pirate life at sea. The socalled “Gentleman Pirate” decides to captain his ship with the manners and comforts of his previous lifestyle, which includes bringing his entire personal library on board to read his crew to sleep, teaching the crew to talk about their feelings and sew their own flag, and pretty much upend the culture of toxic masculinity usually rampant in pirate films (and history).

Instead, the show highlights the place of refuge that piracy was for various outcasts of society.

Later episodes are where the show is the strongest when Waititi’s super tough Blackbeard riffs off of Darby’s ridiculously polite Bonnet to create an adorable misfit friendship (and possibly more) that lifts both out of their lackluster lives. Of course, members of the campy queer crew shine as well, and Waititi’s trademark style of comedy as a form of coping with trauma makes each character endearing and memorable in their own way.

APRIL 4 – APRIL 18

SIX REVIEWS

Who Cares?

by Rex Orange County The cheeriest sad-boi is back for his quarter album of selfdepricating lyrics.

BY GRACIE KIBORT The rebound of Alexander James O’Connor, better known as his stage name ‘Rex Orange County,’ has been a long time coming. O’Connor, the indie heartthrob, has had a chokehold of angsty Gen-Z listeners since his first album, “Bcos U Will Never B Free,” in 2016. He captured the hearts and ears of millions in 2017 with the hit “Loving is Easy,” otherwise known as the transcendent summer bop. If you’re unsure, just ask bedroom pop music lovers on campus who’ve been vibing to his latest album, “Who Cares?” since it dropped while rocking cuffed corduroys and tote bags.

O’Connor is your typical, indie, sad boy-nextdoor, suffocating from the self-actualization resulting from a breakup he never projected.

However, the differentiation between O’Connor and his fellow indie sad boys is his spin on his own melancholy. His beats appear happy, filled with plenty of dramatics and his notorious strings. Nonetheless, O’Connor’s lyrics represent a period of turmoil, heartache, and existential dread, which long-time listeners are familiar with. (Dare I say…Rexheads?) He depicts his agony in self-deprecating lyrics disguised in just under 35 minutes of head-bopping, dorm-dancing, screaming-in-the-car-withthe-windows-down tunes. O’Connor clings to a catchy melody to cloak his misery. It is the quintessential post-breakup, breakup album that everyone craves as cuffing season wraps up. In my humble opinion, “Who Cares?” is no Apricot Princess, but regardless, I will continue to simultaneously bop and wipe my tears with my sleeve.

THE WAKE

Mitski’s Laurel Hell Tour Elden Ring Mesmerizing music and impassioned choreography make Mitski’s comeback tour a night to remember

BY ABBY VELA

After a two-year hiatus, alternative-pop artist Mitski returns to the stage with the release of her sixth album, “Laurel Hell.” The show felt less like a concert and more like performance art.

The combination of emotionally complex songs and choreographed lyrical dancing was more captivating than anything I’ve experienced.

The first thing I noticed about Mitski is that her voice is nearly the same life as her recordings, meaning just as mesmerizing and transcendental. The setlist pulled songs from her four latest albums, save for “Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart” off her sophomore album. Mitski floated with ease between genres with her 80s-inspired latest albums, “Laurel Hell” and “Be the Cowboy,” and her two DIY-inspired albums, “Puberty 2” and “Bury Me at Makeout Creek.” Impressively, the crowd didn’t miss a single beat either, singing every song in unison with a communal passion.

What made this concert so memorable were the visuals, specifically Mitski’s choreography.

Many of her songs tell emotional journeys, and her movement reflected those stories with the slightest gestures. During “Working for the Knife,” a song about the pressures of the music industry, she used her microphone to mimic slitting her throat. In “Happy,” she moves as if a marionette, being pulled to smile and, well, be happy.

Music and dance worked in tandem to create an unbelievably emotionally charged experience for the audience that left me wanting more. If you haven’t already, I couldn’t recommend Mitski’s “Laurel Hell” and the rest of her discography more.

How FromSoftware makes a masterpiece

BY QUINN MCCLURG As the latest release from video game developer FromSoftware, Elden Ring is a new demonstration of how effortlessly and masterfully creative director Hidetaka Miyazaki’s team can create dark fantasy role-playing games.

Upon first stepping into the world of Elden Ring, players will be met with a breathtaking and immersive landscape: massive fortresses sprawl across the land, golden trees reach impossibly high into the sky, and countless dungeons and caves spread expansively and hungrily below.

Though this world may seem to be beautiful at first glance, players are quick to learn how unforgiving it may be: at any point, one must expect to cross paths with wizards, cross swords with knights, and cross their hearts before encountering any dragons, giants, or mythical beasts in the Lands Between. Although gameplay may prove to be brutally difficult at certain points, Elden Ring’s difficulty proves to be fair and rewarding: players must be patient, clever, and persistent to progress through the narrative.

Elden Ring’s immersive world and difficulty aren’t the only aspects fans have praised.

Inspired by Norse mythology and co-written by George R.R. Martin, the world of Elden Ring is full of surprisingly rich storytelling, which is subtly interwoven into every facet of every character, building, enemy, and armor piece.

All of these aspects and more have proven to make Elden Ring as exciting, engaging, and immersive as FromSoftware’s previous games.

As for myself, I have already sunk around 60 hours into Elden Ring, and I can confidently say that it will be easy for me to sink even more obscene amounts of time into it. So good luck, fellow Tarnished. Don’t you dare go hollow and happy exploring!

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Q&A

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Huhroon

BY TOSIN FASEEMO

Huhroon is a Minneapolis-based band. The group started with Haroon Rasheed, a musician, model, and twotime Brave New Voices slam poet. Other members of the group include bassist Megan Mahoney, producer/guitarist Zakariya Khan, producer/synth player Ben Farmer, and drummer Joseph Carl Hays. Keep reading to learn about Haroon’s origins as a poet, creative process, and more.

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: Are you originally from Minneapolis?

Haroon: Yeah, I went to school at Southwest High School and graduated 2017. I moved to Minneapolis right before I started in middle school.

: How did you get into making music?

H: I met Qwey, Ben, and Zach all at Ferguson Hall.

I was doing poetry all throughout high school.

And then, a year after I graduated, I did this show called the Lightbox Studio. I did some acapella stuff, some poetry, and some songs I wrote over Youtube beats. Qwey was like, “You’re really dope.

Have you ever been in a studio before?” And I was like “No.” So then he’s like, “I have a friend, Ben, who has a space at the U of M studio. You should come by some time.” Then we ended up meeting.

I think it was early March, and then we made my first song I ever dropped, “HAPPYBDAYHAROON.” I dropped on my 19th birthday that year. So ever since then, it’s been dope.

: What genre is your music?

H: I think I try not to put labels on it, but I know it’s rooted in hip hop, and then it like tangents off from there. But I think we’re capable of stretching and dabbling in anything from hip hop to rock music.

But yeah, I still think that at its core it’s based in hip hop.

: Would you say that your background as a poet helps you create music?

H: Yeah, it definitely helped with writing. I think that writing has always been important. I just think that if I didn’t have my start in poetry, I wouldn’t be able to write full and complete songs where the lyrics take you somewhere or can discuss heavy topics. Sometimes it can be something fun.

I think a lot of my writing has always been about personal experience, and I think I talk quite a bit in my music indirectly about how I deal with living with depression, anxiety, and just navigating the

APRIL 4 – APRIL 18

16 or 17. I think there’s always been really great producers in Minneapolis, and also vocalists and rappers and singers. And there’s all types of people out here doing dope stuff. Over the last year I’ve been introduced to a lot of the people out here and that’s all been really cool. I still think I’m very new to that scene. I think crossing over as a hip hop artist into the local indie scene is interesting. I think it’s cool. It provides a new perspective. I’m doing things now that I didn’t even think was possible years ago, like being on stage with live instruments and stuff, and people really love the music more when you have a band.

Q&A

: Who would be your dream collaboration? world, especially over the last couple years since COVID decided to make an appearance.

: What’s your creative process like?

H: Zak and Ben start making a beat and then they pass me the mic and I can come up with a slight flow, or a melody, or whatever. And then they go at it, make the beat a little more, flesh it out. Then I go upstairs to the bathroom, or just, walk around humming stuff. And then I come back down like 20-30 minutes later with a verse or an idea. That collaboration is very important. Coming up with different melodies, or helping each other write and fill the space in the song has been really dope.

: What are your thoughts on the Minneapolis music scene?

H: I think it’s vibrant and bubbly. I’ve been a superfan of a lot of the artists out here since I was

THE WAKE

H: I would love to work with Isaiah Rashad. He’s been my favorite rapper for as long as I could remember.

: What would you say is the number one thing we need in the music scene?

A: I think we just need to have more free-flowing collaborations. The different genres and the different types of music are so walled-off. It’s kind of hard to mingle and connect. Nobody’s gonna come to you just because you make really cool music. Nobody’s gonna go out of their way to come to you and have you on their song. You have to be the one to reach out, and you have to be the one to make things happen for yourself.

Huhroon will be performing at the Underground Music Cafe on April 22 and the Turf Club on April 23.

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