Portland State Vanguard Volume 76 Issue 37 by Portland State Vanguard

VOLUME 76 • ISSUE 37 • FEBRUARY 23, 2022

INTERNATIONAL

SPORTS

OPINION

Freedom Convoy clogs up Canadian transit P. 4

Viks scrape by with close 68-67 win P. 6-7

Police violence must end P. 11

CONTENTS

COVER DESIGN BY SHANNON STEED COVER PHOTO BY CAMDEN BENESH

INTERNATIONAL CANADIAN TRUCKERS BLOCK ROADS TO PROTEST VACCINE MANDATES

P. 4

A LOVE LETTER TO PORTLAND STATE’S ON-CAMPUS SKATEPARK

P. 9

THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD

P. 5

SPORTS BASKETBALL VIKS SWEEP NAU IN REGULAR SEASON 68-67

OPINION TED WHEELER’S RECENT EMERGENCY ORDER IS INHUMANE

P. 10

P. 6-7

WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF POLICE VIOLENCE

P. 11

ARTS & CULTURE FRIDA KAHLO EXHIBIT COMES TO PORTLAND ART MUSEUM

P. 8

SCIENCE & TECH THIRD PERSON CURED OF HIV WHILE TREATED FOR CANCER

P. 12

STAFF EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Béla Kurzenhauser

OPINION EDITOR Justin Cory

MANAGING EDITOR Karisa Yuasa

ONLINE EDITOR Lily Hennings

PHOTO EDITOR Sofie Brandt

COPY CHIEF Mackenzie Streissguth

SPORTS EDITOR Eric Shelby

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Tanner Todd

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Ryan McConnell

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Olivia Lee

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Tanner Todd

CONTRIBUTORS Karina Agbisit Alex Aldridge Sean Bascom Camden Benesh Whitney Griffith Aiden Tuan

INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani

PRODUCTION & DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Shannon Steed

ADVISING & ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood

DESIGNERS Leo Clark Whitney Griffith Mia Levy Anastasia Pargett

STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Maria Dominguez

TECHNOLOGY & WEBSITE TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Kahela Fickle George Olson Kwanmanus Thardomrong

STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Vacant To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com

MISSION STATEMENT Vanguard ’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills highly valued in today’s job market.

ABOUT Vanguard, established in 1946, is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. Find us in print Wednesdays and online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @psuvanguard for multimedia content and breaking news.

WE’RE HIRING Contributors & News Editors EMAIL RESUME AND COVER LETTER TO EDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 • psuvanguard.com

CANADIAN TRUCK DRIVERS BLOCK ROADS TO PROTEST VACCINE MANDATES CONVOYS ACROSS CANADA RESULT IN DECLARATION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY

MIA LEVY ALEX ALDRIDGE A convoy of truckers in Canada, self-proclaimed as the Freedom Convoy, have been on a mission to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates in both Canada and the United States since Jan. 2022. Mandates in Canada required drivers from the United States to show proof of vaccinations upon entering Canada starting Jan. 15, 2022—and the U.S. required Canadian drivers entering the country to show proof of vaccination starting a week later, on Jan. 22. 85–90% of Canadian truckers are fully vaccinated, according to the Canadian Trucking Alliance, while the remaining 12,000– 16,000 unvaccinated truck drivers would have been removed from cross-border routes. Though the details and dates of these restrictions were announced back in Nov. 2021, the mandates finally going into effect had reinvigorated dissension. Starting from Vancouver, Canada on Jan. 23, the convoy headed to the capital city of Ottawa to oppose the vaccine mandates. The protesters disrupted several roads in Ottawa, but also obstructed border crossings in Alberta, Manitoba and the busiest border crossing between the U.S. and Canada, the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. Since then, both U.S. and Canadian media outlets have reported on the amount of money that was raised for the movement, along with the effect the disruptions caused for those living in Ottawa and other regions. The far-right presence in the demonstrations

INTERNATIONAL

have also spurred similar movements around the globe, including France, New Zealand and Australia. In the U.S., similar demonstrations are being planned online and in chat groups for anticipated convoys across the country in March. The GoFundMe donation page entitled Freedom Convoy 2022 was suspended by the website after it had already raised almost $8 million. After $1 million was already released by the site, GoFundMe suspended donations, as the page violated the company’s terms of service. GoFundMe has since refunded all donations that were made to the page. Once GoFundMe halted all donations, GiveSendGo, a Christian fundraising platform, stated it would accept donations for the movement. GiveSendGo’s site was hacked, with leaked data revealing that, of the over 90,000 donations made to the convoy group, 56% came from the U.S. while only 29% came from Canada—equaling $3.62 million from the U.S. and $4.31 million from the Canadian donations. The hack of GiveSendGo revealed that some of the donations made from the U.S. were made using .gov email addresses, including accounts associated with the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and NASA. Some conservatives in U.S. media voiced their support for the Canadian truckers, including Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson. Carlson has since sold t-shirts on his online store, in support of

the Canadian truckers. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky voiced their support of the truckers’ right to protest against the vaccine mandates. While supporters have claimed that the protests and blockades being largely peaceful, antisemitic writing, along with Nazi and Confederate flags, have been seen at the protests. The Canadian Anti-Hate Network has claimed that many in Canada’s far-right population have not only been proponents of the movement, but at least two of the people behind the crowdfunding groups appear to be those known to voice Islamophobic and antisemitic views. In Alberta, police arrested 11 people, and seized a cache of weapons and ammo from a group that were claimed to have been ready to use violence to defend the convoy. Reports from Ottawa revealed intimidation and threats towards hospital workers, as well as staff and volunteers at a housing shelter. On Feb. 11, Ontario declared a state of emergency due to the blockade on the Ambassador Bridge and the situation in Ottawa. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave the federal government more powers to crack down on the protests by invoking the Emergencies Act. Peter Sloly, the police chief of Ottawa, resigned on Feb. 14, a week after requesting nearly 2,000 more police officers to help with the situation in Ottawa.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 • psuvanguard.com

THIS WEEK

WORLD

around the

Feb. 13-19

2 1

Feb. 14

BEIJING, CHINA

The Winter Olympics is a rush of events spanning a couple of weeks, but for the Chinese workforce in the so-called closed loop of COVID-19 prevention measures, their work lasts far longer, per an AP News report. Each day, hundreds of staff clean and disinfect surfaces, while doctors take mandatory oral swabs for all participants. Police and security count people that come in and out of venues, ensuring that none go unaccounted for. Stringent COVID-19 protocols keep workers within the same bubble as the athletes, though some have been able to promote their own companies, mingling with foreign athletes and dignitaries and learning English. Combined with the observance of Chinese New Year, which overlapped with the Winter Olympics, many workers were separated from their families as Chinese authorities created an antiviral barrier of physical walls and surveillance, in an attempt to isolate the Winter Games from the rest of China.

Feb. 16

KYIV, UKRAINE

Days after Moscow put out statements assuring the world of a decrease in Russian troops along the Ukrainian border, sources have raised questions regarding the truthfulness of the Krem-

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 • psuvanguard.com

lin’s remarks. Reuters reported that Estonian officials said that Russian battle groups were continuing to push forward and assemble into combat-ready positions. The British defense intelligence chief has also stated that armored vehicles, helicopters and a field hospital have been noted as part of the increased build up of forces. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken further casted doubt on official Russian remarks. “We continue to see critical units moving toward the border, not away from the border,” Blinken said. Estonian intelligence warned that if Russia was to achieve its goals of a Ukrainian invasion, there would be an increased amount of tension in the Baltic region. “The threat of war has become the main policy tool for Putin,” said Mikk Marran of the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service. In response, NATO military commanders are reported to be creating plans for new units that could face deployment in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia, to create a larger window of opportunity for soldiers to reach the front line. Britain has agreed to send armored fighting vehicles and tanks as well as double the size of its current forces in Estonia. Ukraine has also been following suit, and increased its troop deployment to the border with Belarus, a close ally of Russia. In response to reports of a Russian invasion planned for Feb. 16, Ukraine moved to declare the day a national holiday called the Day of Unity, designated to increase morale. Ukrainians raised flags and played their national anthem, despite uncertainty.

Feb. 16

NUKU’ALOFA, TONGA

A massive eruption—currently the largest in the 21st century—shook Tonga and a large swathe of the planet on Jan. 15. A month later, the island nation is still reeling from the extent of the damage, according to AP News. Nearly 20% of Tonga’s gross domestic product (GDP) had been decimated in the volcano eruption and its ensuing aftermath, by a World Bank estimate. U.N. officials who surveyed and assisted the country after the volcano eruption and subsequent tsunami said that 84,000 people were affected by the natural disasters. Tonga’s farming and fishing sectors—key parts of the island nation’s food and economy—were nearly obliterated and required $90 million to kickstart them and repair the damages done. In addition to the losses to agriculture, forestry and fishery services, considerable damage had been dealt to many of the country’s buildings. Homes, schools, churches and community halls were not spared by the disaster. Important infrastructure—roads, bridges and the sole fiber optic cable that connected Tonga to the rest of the world—had been severed. Sanaka Samarasinha, the U.N. resident coordinator for Tonga, claimed during an interview that the $90 million in the estimated losses doesn’t account for future shortfalls in the island’s economy. With crippled tourism and commerce industries, he suggested that humanitarian aid needs to support the government in creating a quick and effective plan of recovery, focusing on both damages dealt to the economy and also the most affected people.

INTERNATIONAL

BASKETBALL VIKS SWEEP NAU IN REGULAR SEASON 68-67 MEN’S TENNIS HAS A CLOSE WIN OVER PACIFIC, 4-3 ERIC SHELBY

SOFTBALL The Viks on the diamond finished out the Lynn Russell Miller Classic with an 8-2 win over Utah Valley University. The Viks finished out the classic 4-1, and now travel to Arizona for the Littlewood Classic. An early lead by the Viks gave them a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Olivia Grey pitched herself another win, pitching four innings and giving up no runs. Emily Johansen had two runs for the Viks. Olivia Dean, Shea Garcia, Nevaeh Smith, Paetynn Lopez, Natalia Martinez and Mariah Rodriguez all scored a run to give the Viks eight runs. In the fifth inning, Alexa Capeda hit a single and got two RBIs, letting Martinez and Lopez home. During the Classic in Riverside, two of our very own, Grey and Maddie Thompson, were awarded Big Sky Player of the Week. Thompson started out this classic with a .619 batting average, and Grey went 3-0 and struck out 16 batters. #21 ranked in the nation, Arizona State, was next on the schedule. This game went to five innings, as the Sun Devils put four runs on the board in the first inning and three in the second. Arizona State shut out the Vikings for three innings until Dean, already on base, came home on a wild pitch. Dean was the only Vik to get a hit, while Johansen got an RBI. Dean and Thompson both stole a base. University of Texas, El Paso struck first against the Viks—but not for long—as Thompson ran home after a single by Dean. No one made noise again until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Dean stole second and Kiara McCrea stole home to give the Viks their first lead of the game. Johansen got herself another RBI as she took Dean home, now up 3-1. The inning wasn’t over yet, Logan Riggenbach homered to center field, 4-1. The Viks went on to win that game 4-1. The Viks get their hardest loss after a battle with the Cal Bears, 112. Eight runs in the third secured the win for the Bears. Lopez homered in the second to give the Viks their first points of the game. Grace Johnson got one hit and one run. Dean got two hits off of the Bears, but couldn’t get a run in. Marisol Gaona and Annie Lemos both pitched two innings before the game ended in the fifth inning.

MICHAEL CARTER III AGAINST NAU. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD

MEN’S BASKETBALL The Viks invited Northern Arizona to the Pavillion—and Portland State won in a close comeback, 68-67. Damion Squire led the Viks with 19 points, three turnovers and a three-pointer. Khalid Thomas was the second-leading scorer with 15 points, getting two three-pointers. Michael Carter went 5-7 and 4-5 on the free throw line, getting 14 points. Ezekiel Alley went a perfect 3-3 on the line, with four rebounds and 13 points.

SPORTS

CAPU SANONER SERVING AGAINST COLORADO. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 • psuvanguard.com

Northern Arizona came back after a nine-point deficit at the half, making it a little challenging for the Vikings. Two good free throws by Squire ensured a four-point lead in the game with ten seconds left. A three-pointer by NAU made the game deficit down to one point—but there was only a second left. The Vikings have won five of their last seven games.

WOMEN’S RESULTS: 800M:

4. HUNTER STORM, 2:24.58 6. JALEN MARCIL, 2:26.20 7. SOPHIE JONES, 2:26.38

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MILE:

The Viks sailed to the Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, Arizona to play the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks. It was another hard game for the Viks, falling 94-66. Esmeralda Morales put up an astounding 24 points, shooting 8-14 and five three-pointers. Alaya Fitzgerald shot 4-9 with a three-pointer and four rebounds, giving the Viks 12 points. Rhema Ogele had two rebounds and seven points. Jenna Kilty, in her 14 minutes, shot 2-3 and a three-pointer for five points. Coming back home at the Pavillion, the Viks played Montana, just breaking 55 points. Mia ‘Uhila put up 15 points, shooting 4-5 and two three-pointers. She also went 5-5 on the free throw line. Jada Lewis had seven rebounds, with a pair of threes and four turnovers. Fitzgerald scored 10 points, with four turnovers and two three-pointers. Also with four turnovers, Morales landed a three-pointer and nine points. The Viks scored 20 in the first quarter with a one-point lead over the Grizz, but Montana stayed consistent, scoring 17 points or more every quarter.

3. ABI SWAIN, 5:07.16 5. MAYA IRVING, 5:09.37 7. TATUM MILLER, 5:11.39 8. OLIVIA BROOKS, 5:14.95 11. EMMA OWEN, 5:28.28 14. CAMPBELL FAUST, 5:31.37 18. SOPHIA HACKETT, 5:38.25 20. LOTTIE BROMHAM, 5:40.11 25. MADISON TAFOYA, 6:04.64 27. DYLLAN NEWVILLE, 6:16.34

3,000M:

4. PHOEBE BROWN, 10:42.66.

MEN’S RESULTS: 200M:

2. HARLEY MONTGOMERY, 23.76 13. JORDAN GLODEN, 26.02.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

800M:

Despite four unfinished games, the Viks beat the UC Irvine Anteaters 4-0 in their second of a three-game homestretch. Nika Beukers and Capu Sanoner won 6-2 in doubles. Makoto Ohara and Maddie Egan also won 6-3. The match with Emily Rees and Majo Hernandez went unfinished. Sanoner, co-Big Sky Women’s Tennis Player of the Week, won in singles, 6-2 and 7-5. Hernandez almost swept in singles, winning 6-1 and 6-0. The last finished game was with senior, Jacinta Milenkoski, who won 6-1, 6-0. The Colorado Buffs of the Pac-12 came into town last week at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center. Capu Sanoner and Nika Beukers won 6-1 in doubles. Emily Rees and Makoto Ohara fell in a close one—7-6 and 7-5 in the tiebreaker. The duo of Hernandez and Egan were the last ones to finish their match, winning 7-6, 8-6 in the tiebreaker. In singles, Rees fell to Colorado, 6-0, 6-4. Ohara also fell, losing 6-1, 6-0. Hernandez fell in three, 5-7, 6-0, 6-1. Egan won 6-3, 6-4. Sanoner also won 7-5, 6-3. The last match was Beukers, falling 6-1, 6-2.

3. LUKE RAMIREZ, 1:57.95 5. RASHID MUSE, 1:59.57 6. DREW SEIDEL, 2:00.67 8. ZACH SALCIDO, 2:00.81 10. MATT MOLLER, 2:01.66

MILE:

5. ZACH GRAMS, 4:22.64 6. KELLY SHEDD, 4:23.60 8. JOSH SNYDER, 4:27.25 11. CAM MCCHESNEY, 4:28.87 16. ANDY SOLANO, 4:38.05 23. ERIK SOLANO, 4:42.07 29. JAKE SCHULTE, 4:48.34

JADA LEWIS SHOOTING AGAINST MONTANA. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD

MEN’S TENNIS The Viks won a close match against Pacific at home last week in a 4-3 win that came down to the last match. Otto Holtari and Andrew Vu were swept in doubles, 6-0. Sam De Vries and Tommy Hsu also fell 6-3. Nils Plutat and Oliver Richards were the last ones to finish doubles, winning 6-2. Holtari fell 6-1, 6-2 in singles—and Pacific had the lead. De Vries gave the Vikings hope, winning his 6-2, 6-0. Plutat won 6-4, 6-1. Richards also won 6-2, 6-2. Pacific won against Vu 3-6, 6-3, 6-0. The win was determined by the last game with Hsu, who won 6-4, 1-6, 6-2— and gave the Vikings a 4-3 win over the Boxers. Coming off of that Pacific win, the Viks invited Lewis & Clark to Tualatin Hills for an easy sweep over the Pioneers. Plutat and De Vries won 6-3. Holtari and Hsu almost swept 6-1. Richard and Vu almost did the same, winning 6-1. Plutat won 6-2, 6-2 in singles. Hsu won 6-2, 6-1. Richards got the sweep in doubles, 6-0, 6-0. De Vries won 6-1, 6-1. It was a little close on the first one with Holtari, winning 7-5, 6-2. Vu won 6-0, 6-1.

TRACK AND FIELD MADDIE EGAN CELEBRATING AFTER DOUBLES WIN. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 • psuvanguard.com

The Viks finished their last visit to the University of Portland in the UP Indoor Four on Sunday, Feb. 13. Now, they prepare for conference hosted by Montana State in Bozeman, Montana.

SPORTS

FRIDA KAHLO EXHIBIT COMES TO PORTLAND ART MUSEUM A COLLECTION OF ORIGINAL WORKS SHOWS THE WOMAN BEHIND HER FAMOUS PORTRAITS

KARINA AGBISIT Even if you don’t know her name, you have likely seen Frida Kahlo’s face in many places. With her signature thick eyebrows, red lips and hair pinned up with flowers, her image has appeared on everything ranging from calendars, to socks and coffee mugs. She was even featured briefly in Disney’s animated movie Coco. In 2018, Barbie even released a doll! While Kahlo’s image may be well known, the latest exhibition at the Portland Art Museum (PAM), Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism, aims to offer viewers a deeper insight into her life and artistic work, including its place alongside the work of her contemporaries. Outside Mexico City and Kahlo’s residence La Casa Azul, her original artwork is hard to find, especially in one place. The pieces in this exhibition were collected by Jacques and Natasha Gelman, who had a close relationship with artists of the Mexican Modernism movement. The exhibition is divided into themed sections, highlighting the different roles artists played and the various subject matter they worked with, such as the natural landscape of Mexico and the role of home and family in the lives of Mexicans. PAM Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art and presenting curator Sara Krajewski offered insight into the different ways this exhibition presents Kahlo as a person. One section, titled “Creating Frida,” explores how Kahlo created the persona viewers would see in her self-portraits, while the “Being Frida” portion of the exhibit explores the more personal, intimate details of everyday life, including the effects of living with physical disabilities caused by a childhood accident and polio. According to Krajewski, Kahlo’s challenges in life helped shape the woman behind the paintings. “There’s this public persona, but then again [there is] this notion of who she really was as a person,” Krajewski said. “[They] made her a resilient individual and such an expressive painter, who wanted to capture these aspects of her life.” Krajewksi said she hopes that the exhibition will help audiences better understand Kahlo as a person. “I hope that visitors will come away with seeing her as a woman, as an artist,” Krajewski said. “And also someone who was very savvy about presenting herself.” Kahlo’s exploration and crafting of her identity speaks to the movement’s overall exploration of mexicanidad, the shared identity centered around Indigenous traditions combined with anticolonialism which resulted from the Mexican Revolution. Rivera, Kahlo’s husband, dove into the idea of mexicanidad primarily through his mural painting. Over 150 works on display are also paired with photographs and period clothing. Krajewski shared that many of these photographs show Kahlo and Rivera’s day-to-day lives. “[The photos] capture both Frida and Diego going about their

ARTS & CULTURE

lives at their home [and] on their travels,” Krajewski said. “I think, for me, that really provides an opportunity to look into their lives and see them as real people.” The relationship between Kahlo and Rivera was a complicated one. Filled with affairs on both sides—and a period in which they were divorced before remarrying—the relationship was deeply influential on Kahlo’s work, and was portrayed in paintings such as “Diego on My Mind (Self-Portrait as Tehuana).” Besides the focus on Kahlo and Rivera’s personal lives, the Portland Art Museum aims to engage with members of the Portland Latinx community, by welcoming them during their visit through the use of texts and labels written in both Spanish and English. Additionally, the Museum’s Learning and Community Partnerships staff are collaborating with teachers from the César Chávez school in North Portland and the artist Patricia Vázquez Gómez to hold bilingual field trips to the exhibition, along with art-making workshops at the school for students. Museum staff will also be working with Studio Latino, the Latino Network’s arts and culture after-school program, to offer workshops at the exhibition. There are also supplementary events offered by the Museum, two of which include members of the Portland State community. On March 31 from 5:30–7 p.m., Hector H. Hernandez, an instructor in mural painting at PSU, will give an online talk titled “Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism in the USA and Their Worldwide Contributions.” This lecture will explore how Mexican Modernism influenced art in the U.S., particularly as the movement forged its own creative path apart from Eurocentric expectations. Alongside Angennette Escobar, Victor Hugo Garza and Christian Barrios, Hernandez will also be painting in the Schnitzer Courtyard starting Feb. 28. On April 10 from 2–3:30 p.m., the muralists will speak about this piece online for the event “Murals and Collective Process: A Panel Discussion.” In discussing why he was interested in participating in this mural creation, Hernandez referenced the public painting of the six-panel fresco “Dive Bomber and Tank” completed by José Clemente Orozco in 1940 at the Museum of Modern Art during their exhibition of Twenty Centuries of Mexican Art. Hernandez emphasized the importance of first-hand experience in learning about art and artistic creation. “In the same way that this exhibition displayed a living artist in the act of creation, I would like to share the experience with the public,” Hernandez said. “So the exhibition…would go beyond just displaying static objects of art from the last century, and the public would have the opportunity to interact with a living artist and learn first hand [about] this kind of artistic creative experience.”

"DIEGO ON MY MIND (SELF-PORTRAIT AS TEHUANA)" (1943), BY FRIDA KAHLO. COURTESY OF THE JACQUES AND NATASHA GELMAN COLLECTION Hernandez also sees Kahlo as a multi-faceted person and artist. His approach to his mural focuses on three aspects: Kahlo’s gender and mestiza identities and “her condition as a person with disabilities due to her polio and the consequences of a bus accident.” “I think that this exhibition will be a good opportunity to showcase the contributions of Mexican culture, and modernism in the cultural life of the USA and in particular the contributions of the Hispanic Latino/Chicano community in the Pacific Northwest,” Hernandez said. “It is my hope that the PSU community will benefit from another perspective in history, culture and art beyond the Eurocentric and cultural dominant perspective.” The exhibit will also feature academic perspectives on Kahlo’s work. On Feb. 27 from 2–3 p.m., Assistant Professor of Art History Dr. Alberto McKelligan-Hernández will lead the webinar “Women Artists and the Construction of Mexicanidad.” The lecture will explore the role of women socially and artistically in creating the identity of mexicanidad—and the complexities in doing so. McKelligan-Hernández believes much of the power of the exhibition comes from the way it shows the complex and diverse ways in which women artists questioned the role of women in Mexican society after the national revolution. “[The exhibit] reveals the ways in which the images and representations produced by these artists were part of the broader political transformations of post-revolutionary Mexico,” he said. “Even the works that visualized personal and subjective experiences existed within an artistic and social context that was rapidly changing.” McKelligan-Hernández believes the ideas and aspirations portrayed in Mexican Modernism can still resonate with today’s audience and beyond Mexico. “Several of the artists included in this exhibition believed the visual arts could aid in the construction of a more egalitarian society, ending a larger history of colonialism and exploitation through innovative and revolutionary working methods,” he said. “As contemporary artists continue to explore the relationships between social-political movements and the visual arts, the strategies and representations produced by these Mexican artists of the early 20th century could not be more relevant to today’s audiences.” Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism is a traveling exhibition, and will be on display through June 5, 2022. At this time, all entries for the exhibition are timed. Tickets can be reserved on the Portland Art Museum website.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 • psuvanguard.com

A LOVE LETTER TO PORTLAND STATE’S ON-CAMPUS SKATEPARK THE COURTS, A DIY SKATER’S HEAVEN, CONTINUES TO GROW AND PUSH BOUNDARIES TOP: TYLER SHRAKE WORKS ON A MURAL AS SKATEBOARDERS USE A RAMP. COURTESY OF CARLOS ANDRES CORTES BOTTOM: THE COURTS AFTER MURALS WERE PAINTED. CAMDEN BENESH/PSU VANGUARD CAMDEN BENESH On the edge of Portland State University’s Northeast Campus, a local DIY skatepark is paving a way for community creative spaces. At the park dubbed The Courts, passersby can hear all manner of skating lingo: “That was radical bro! Really styling there! That grind was dipped!” Tennis players used to know the park as the place to get equally radical with their maneuvers—but now, as a popular DIY skatepark, the area continues to break down boundaries within the community. The Courts came from humble beginnings, but organically expanded into what it is today. Changes seemed to happen overnight, with a new launch ramp installed here or a new flat bar set-up there. The unpredictability and un-

certainty of The Courts’ growth isn’t a downside—it’s a feature and part of what makes DIY skate parks so appealing. Unlike concrete skateparks, everything in a DIY skate park is always moving around, and people can experiment with the flow of the park by easily moving features. Another distinct feature of The Courts is its location. Located on school grounds, skaters and visitors have access to food vendors and convenience stores. Typically schools, let alone colleges, don’t come with skateparks accessible on campus but in PSU’s case, it does. This location has allowed The Courts to become something truly unique, and with time, it has flourished into something innovative, daring and very creative.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 • psuvanguard.com

On Oct. 1, 2021, artists from all over set out to paint the walls of The Courts. A mural day in memory of Kip Olkowski, a PSU student and passionate skateboarder who passed away, was a chance for artists to express themselves and their ideas. A day spent painting, grinding and raffling, the mural day was a day to remember and inspire. The similarities between skateboarding and art go beyond just collaboration. “Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself,” as Bruce Lee once famously said. The Courts are an accepting space, full of artwork and shredding. What more could skaters from all walks of life ask for? Organizations like the Portland chapter of Skate Like a Girl—a nonprofit organization with

an emphasis on inclusivity within skateboarding—have congregated at The Courts to host fun events like a Halloween meetup, where skaters try their luck in the costume contest. Because skateboarding is still predominantly a male sport, Skate Like a Girl’s mission to empower skaters, especially young women and trans people, creates a community and a sense of belonging. Skate Like a Girl also offers lessonbased clinics for young skaters of all levels at skate spots throughout Portland. In the future, the existence of The Courts might provide inspiration for places of learning to include skateboarding activities—and other means of artistic expression—on school grounds.

ARTS & CULTURE

TED WHEELER’S RECENT EMERGENCY ORDER IS

INHUM A NE

HOUSELESS RESIDENTS ARE LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION AGAIN CAMDEN BENESH A recent emergency order by Mayor Ted Wheeler was put in motion this week. The objective was to remove houseless camps along high-crash corridors and freeways, but some Portlanders and advocacy organizations met the order with disapproval. Wheeler received a letter in immediate response with signatories such as Oregon Walks, Central City Concern and Street Trust, offering suggestions that focused on making these busy streets safer rather than sweeping the camps. Has Wheeler’s best interest for the houseless population been too poorly planned? The city is working to move houseless camps out of harm’s way, preventing future accidents to come. This is a good thing, right? Well, not really. Fast cars, reckless driving and poor visibility do result in the death of pedestrians. However, the city may merely be using the order as a means to move these camps while not addressing the reasons behind traffic deaths. Wheeler has good intentions—just not the best execution. While he may be thinking about the campers’ best interests, the issue isn’t as straightforward as he claims it is. Camping along freeways and high-crash corridors is not safe to be sure, but asking people to leave and removing their camps can’t be the solution. The housing crisis can’t simply be swept away. The answer can, at times, feel unsolvable. Additionally, without a place to go, people may just come right back after the sweeps. In Willamette Week’s article on the emergency order, Wheeler claimed that the order allows the city to swiftly remove campers who move back, hence his statement, “There will be no path to return.” We can look at what Wheeler issued as countering the Ninth Circuit Court’s Martin v. Boise ruling, which basically states that the city can’t move urban campers without first providing some sort of shelter to house them. It does not state in Wheeler’s emergency order whether bedding and housing supplies will be provided after the sweeps, begging the question as to whether the action is ethical—or even legal. It seems like a pretty clear violation of Martin v. Boise. It is called a sweep for a reason—it is not a repositioning based on humanitarian concerns. This constant shuffling of the houseless community seems to be moving our societal problems in a circular fashion rather than creating a path out of them. With this emergency order, we must think about the next steps. We can only hope Wheeler has plans for something bigger and better. People are often scared of flying but frankly, we need to be more scared of driving. Can you imagine how many people would stop

OPINION

A VACATED CAMP ON SUNDAY, FEB. 20. SEAN BASCOM/PSU VANGUARD flying if they saw that 10,000 people die in plane crashes every year? Seeing that number can be anxiety inducing, but that’s the number of people that die every year due to drunk driving alone. According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, “more than 38,000 people die every year in crashes on U.S roadways.” Driving is inherently dangerous, and more often than not, drivers are not spending 30 minutes to an hour doing pre-driving measures like pilots do. If you’re like me, you get into your car, load up your aux to something tasteful and head to your destination. It doesn’t take much for an error to occur. In another of Sophie Peel’s Willamette Week articles, she stated that the Portland Bureau of Transportation reported that “63 people died in traffic last year and one-third of them were homeless.” Anyone could be hit by a car. When we cross the street on foot, we all run the risk of being hit—even when we have the right-ofway. The issue lies within a culture where driving is such a part of our everyday life, and goes unquestioned. The houseless epidemic and soaring traffic fatalities are real problems. We should be addressing these problems by focusing

on the driving aspect, so we can avoid these deaths to keep the houseless population and other pedestrians safe. Advocates have responded to Wheeler’s order with a letter suggesting methods to lower traffic deaths. They recommended that, instead of the measure, Wheeler should be “closing high-crash corridors to drivers with an emergency order, reducing the speed limit to 25 miles per hour on all city-owned roads, and increasing visibility at 350 of the city’s busiest intersections.” 38,000 deaths a year on U.S. roadways sounds like more of an emergency situation than the mere presence of people camping by these freeways. The emergency order is misdirected—we should focus our attention on the obvious issue at hand. Portland is a very accessible city. Maybe the next emergency order should be to encourage biking to work Monday through Friday, both to cut down on emissions and make the roads a safer place to ride. The city could take some inspiration from the more bikeable cities in the world and see how that goes—because driving might be the actual emergency we really need to address with this kind of order.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 • psuvanguard.com

WE WE AREARE SICKSICK ANDAND TIRED OF TIRED POLICE VIOLENCE POLICEOFVIOLENCE THEPOLICE CYCLEKILLINGS OF POLICECONTINUES KILLINGS CONTINUES TO TERRORIZE THE COUNTRY THE CYCLE OF TO TERRORIZE THE COUNTRY

LEO CLARK LEO CLARK ALEX ALDRIDGE ALEX ALDRIDGE Minneapolis police shot and killed Amir Locke, a 22-yearMinneapolis police shot and killed Amir Locke, a old Black man, on Feb. 2 at about 6:48 a.m. while serving a no22-year-old Blackforman, on Feb. 2where at about 6:48 a.m. Police while knock warrant the apartment he was staying. serving a no-knock warrant for the apartment where he claimed that he pointed a firearm at them before they shot was him staying. Police claimed thatwrapped he pointed aton them bethree times—while he was up inaa firearm comforter a couch. fore The theypolice shot him three times—while he was wrapped up in a weren’t even looking for Locke. comforter on his a couch. Though weapon was legally owned, details like that The policematter. weren’tThe even looking for Locke. shouldn’t ability for police to enter a home without Though his weapon was legally details that knocking first is ludicrous, especiallyowned, since they citedlike safety for shouldn’t matter. The ability for police to enter a home without the reason of the no-knock warrant. knocking ludicrous, sinceman theywho citedwas safety Safetyfirst for is whom? Theyespecially killed a young not for the theperson reasonthat of the no-knock warrant. they were looking for, but also using means that Safety They killed a young whomurdered was not should for havewhom? been outlawed nationally after man the police in March 2020 while a no-knock theBreonna person Taylor that they were looking for,also but serving also using means warrant. Metro Council voted to outlaw thepolice use of that shouldLouisville have been outlawed nationally after the no-knockBreonna warrantsTaylor in June restalso of the state murdered in 2020, Marchthough 2020 the while serving still allows them. Louisville Metro Council voted to outlaw a no-knock warrant. Sadly, 47 states still allow no-knock warrants in some or the use of no-knock warrants in June 2020, though theform rest of Oregon, theanother. state still allowsFlorida them. and Virginia are the only states where they are prohibited. Sadly, 47currently states still allow no-knock warrants in some form How many timesFlorida do the actions of the are police come or another. Oregon, and Virginia thehave onlytostates under scrutiny before anything fundamentally changes? Has where they are currently prohibited. anything protests over the How manyfundamentally times do the changed actions ofsince the the police have to come murder of George Floyd in May 2020? under scrutiny before anything fundamentally changes? Has While some states have enacted certain restrictions on the anything fundamentally changed since the protests over the use of choke holds or have required the use of body cameras, murder of George Floyd in May 2020? other states have granted the police more money and authority While some states have enacted certain restrictions on the use of choke holds or have required the use of body cameras, other states have granted the police more money and authority

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 • psuvanguard.com

PSU Vanguard • SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

that they can use over people, particularly when cracking down that they can use over people, particularly when cracking down on protestors. onThe protestors. push to defund the police has been used by conservatives The push to defund the police hasstatistics, been usedwhile by conservatives when pointing their fingers at crime a majority when pointing their fingers at crime statistics, whilethe a majority of Democrats have blamed the movement to defund police of Democrats have blamed the movement to defund the police for the loss of election seats in Nov. 2020. forThe theGeorge loss of Floyd election seatsininPolicing Nov. 2020. Justice Act failed to even make Justice in Policingafter Act passing failed to even it The to theGeorge floor of Floyd the Senate last September in the make it to the floor of the Senate last September after passing House along party-line votes—as Republicans opposed the in the House party-line votes—as Republicans opposed elimination ofalong qualified immunity and the creation of a national the elimination qualified immunity and the creation of a database to trackof police misconduct. national database to track police misconduct. Politicians have continued to blame cuts to police spending for Politicians have continued to blame to police spending rising homicide rates, despite the rise incuts homicides happening for rising homicide rates,that despite thetheir risepolice in homicides nationwide, including cities increased budgets. In the handful of cities where police funding was modestly happening nationwide, including cities that increasedcut— their such asbudgets. here in Portland, where the cut by less police In the handful ofpolice citiesbudget wherewas police funding thanmodestly 4%—somecut—such are restoring thatin funding. was as here Portland, where the police The logic to go thatthan if crime goes down, police must budget wasseems cut by less 4%—some aretherestoring that be doing something right and deserve more funding. Conversely, funding. if crime goes seems up, thentothe request to lower The logic gopolice that if crimemore goes funding down, the police crime be rates. No matter whatright the statistics aboutmore crimefunding. show, must doing something and deserve they always request more Conversely, if crime goesfunding. up, then the police request more So if the of homicides rose the cities thatthe cutstatistics police funding to rate lower crime rates. Noinmatter what funding, as well as in the cities that increased police funding, about crime show, they always request more funding. why do we continue to give so much money to them? These same So if the rate of homicides rose in the cities that cut police institutions continue to create an us-versus-them mentality— funding, as well as in the cities that increased police funding, and, according to a 2005 Supreme Court ruling, the police don’t why do we continue to give so much money to them? These same institutions continue to create an us-versus-them mentality—and, according to a 2005 Supreme Court ruling, the

even have a constitutional duty to protect anyone. police don’t even have a constitutional duty to protect anyone. So what do we do now? Body cameras didn’t prevent Locke So what do we do now? Body cameras didn’t prevent Locke from being killed. Even if some kind of justice is brought to from being Evenabout if some ofthat justice is brought those who shotkilled. him, what thekind judge signed off on to those who shot him, what about the judge that signed off on the warrant? the warrant? And what about his family? Justice is needed, but a family And lost what family? Justice is needed, member to about police his violence can’t be brought back. but a family member lost to police violence can’t be While more people are paying attention tobrought the policeback. and their While morefor people attention to the police and blatant disregard humanare life,paying this feels insufficient. Awareness their blatant disregard for human life, this feels insufficient. of the actions the police make, while important, falls short of Awareness of the legislative actions the policebymake, while important, sparking meaningful change the politicians who falls short of sparking meaningful continue to prove how useless they are. legislative change by the politicians who continue prove how useless theystations are. As police killings continue,tolocal and national news As police killings continue, local and national news stations continue to show us videos of a cop rescuing a dog from a car— orcontinue cops playing basketball—all forget the harm they to show us videos to of make a cop us rescuing a dog from a car— cause to the community. The narrative will pushthey or cops playing basketball—all to make uscontinue forget thetoharm feel-good that make people passive will to police violence cause tostories the community. The narrative continue to push and unchecked power. feel-good stories that make people passive to police violence Will this debate over police budget cuts and abuses of power and unchecked power. everWill make any significant progress? Why the hell does of this this debate over police budget cuts and abuses power continue to happen? Or, like the debate Why for a $15 ever make any significant progress? the minimum hell does this wage, will thetoconversation go like on sothe longdebate that $26 would more continue happen? Or, for a $15beminimum accurate for today’s cost-of-living—and, current wage, will the conversation go on sosimilarly, long thatour $26 would be solutions to curbing violence will be made obsolete? more accurate forpolice today’s cost-of-living—and, similarly, our We need solutions real and significant change, well as direct and current to curbing policeasviolence will be made tangible action to prevent this cycle of police killings and abuses obsolete? of power. This has already persisted for far too long. We need real and significant change, as well as direct and tangible action to prevent this cycle of police killings and abuses of power. This has already persisted for far too long.

OPINION

SECTION

THIRD PERSON CURED OF HIV WHILE TREATED FOR CANCER

RYAN MCCONNELL The third person in the world was cured of HIV on Feb. 15, 2022. This was a landmark case in the fight against HIV—she was the first woman and the first person of a diverse racial background to be cured of HIV, opening the door for treatment to a much wider range of patients. Previously, there have been two recorded cases of cured HIV so far. The first, known as the Berlin Patient, stayed virus-free until his passing in 2020 due to cancer. In 2019, another patient was reported to be cured of HIV, confirming the validity of the previous case. Both of the prior patients received bone marrow transplants from donors who carried a special mutation, known as the CCR5 Delta 32 mutation. This special mutation disables the CCR5 receptors on the surface of white blood cells, which HIV latches onto like a key. This mutation is estimated to be most predominant in Northern Europe—and about 10% of people in Europe and the United States have inherited this gene. However, in order for it to be protective against HIV, it must be inherited by both parents. Even still, this protective agent has only been identified in about 20,000 bone marrow donors. What makes this most recent case special, however, is that it was the first known cure not from a bone marrow transplant, but from umbilical cord blood. This technique means that transplants do not need to be matched as closely to the recipient as in the bone marrow technique, opening the door for a much more diverse pool of patients to be cured. This kind of treatment isn’t available to just anyone with HIV, yet. These three patients were diagnosed with both HIV and cancer, and the treatments provided were designed to treat their leukemia, not strictly HIV. These instances are great case studies that could help advance

tectable amounts of the virus do not transmit it when sexually active. Thanks to Moderna’s successful COVID-19 vaccine, which is an mRNA vaccine, human clinical trials have begun for an experimental HIV vaccine using the same type of immunization technology. Unlike traditional vaccines, which take the nucleus of a bacteria or virus, mRNA vaccines WHITNEY GRIFFITH use a special type of molecule, known as a messenger RNA, which tells the immune system what kind of proteins it should make. Rather than placing a docile cell inside an immune system to identify and attack, this technique simply gives the immune system blueprints to be able to produce the right kind of weapons against a certain virus on its own. HIV is extremely stealthy, dodging attempts to create an effective vaccine—as it is quite adept at maneuvering around immune systems. However, because of the way mRNA vaccines work, they may be the key to giving immune systems the proper means to defend against a virus that has been highly elusive for decades. It is unclear when the results will be published, but since the trial was officially announced Jan. 28, 2022, we can expect it won’t happen overnight. In the meantime, those who are sexually active can take PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, to reduce the risk of HIV potential cures for HIV using gene-editing CRISPR technologies, infection by 99%—so long as it is taken as prescribed. but these treatments as they have been conducted are far too danWhile these advancements in HIV medicine are definitely somegerous for individuals who do not have leukemia. thing to look forward to for the health and safety of all individuals, For otherwise healthy individuals who suffer from HIV, anti- we must be understanding of the stigma surrounding those diagretroviral therapy is still the safest and most effective measure- nosed with HIV, and work just as hard to end the stigma surroundment against the virus. While not curing it entirely, when the ing it as we are against fighting the virus. proper medication is taken consistently, it brings virus replicaHIV is no longer the death sentence it once was, and those with tion under control so that it remains undetectable by lab tests. undetectable results are just as safe to partner with as those who Peer-reviewed research has shown that patients who have unde- are negative—leading a long, healthy life like any other individual.

RECENT ADVANCEMENTS IN COVID-19 VACCINES SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV

SCIENCE & TECH

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 23, 2022 • psuvanguard.com