2.1.23

The Lumberjack

Wildberries shoplifting incident triggers protest and backlash

by Dezmond Remington

Allegations of assault, worker mistreatment, and profiling have been leveled at Wildberries Marketplace in Arcata in response to a video showing an altercation between a customer and store manager Aaron Gottschalk.

The video, posted on the r/Humboldt subreddit by an anonymous user, was originally shot on Sept. 30. It shows Gottschalk grabbing a young girl’s wrists and pulling her into shopping carts and eventually onto the ground by her backpack straps.

A protest on Jan. 21 at Wildberries was attended by several dozen people, and former and current Wildberries employees spoke out against perceived mistreatment and profiling by Gottshalk (who declined a request for an interview.)

Tatum Keller, a former Wildberries employee, said managers including Gottschalk profiled customers they considered to be a high theft risk, asking employees to pay special attention to certain customers.

“It was always usually motherfuckers who were in hoodies or looked homeless… or just not white,” Keller said. “It was never a fucking white man. Anyone under the visible age of 30… any person of color they’d be like, ‘hey, watch out for this person.’”

In a statement from Phil Ricord, the owner and president of Wildberries, Ricord said shoplifting was a serious problem at Wildberries and other stores in the area. Ricord said that Wildberries decided not to press charges, but was still placing the blame on the girl.

“Unfortunately, shoplifting and its prevention at times leads to unintended consequences,” Ricord said. “Had the individual involved responded to numerous verbal demands to stop no further action would have been necessary. Instead, they decided to ignore those demands and continue their exit from the store and were forcibly restrained until law enforcement arrived.”

Ricord also said that due to the incident, store shoplifting policies have been revised to eliminate physical confrontations between the accused and the staff.

However, Keller was not optimistic.

“It was probably every single day, if not every other day, someone was chased out whether they had something or not,” said Keller. “Definitely not surprising. It happened before I worked there, it happened during the time I worked there and it’s going to continue to happen still.”

Despite the purported changes in store policy, Ricord was also not too optimistic about how shoplifting would be handled in the future at Wildberries.

Van life on campus is not for the weak

by Brad Butterfield

It was Spring semester’s first Monday, 11 p.m., 40 degrees fahrenheit. I was strumming through a sloppy chord progression in an empty campus parking lot with a fellow student I’d just met named Ryan Kelly. We tag-teamed a pasta dinner topped heavily with Egyptian hot sauce that sent me into a sweat.

Kelly’s right-hand-drive Toyota Hius van was parked next to my home on wheels - an all white Chevy 3500 christened ‘The Dump Truck.’ We are both student vanlifers. This unplanned, laughter filled jam session only tells a small aspect of what it means to live in a van.

In fact, my first week on campus was mostly colored by a lack of showering and being cold. This is to be expected. I have owned The Dump Truck for nearly three years now and have weathered a number of uncomfortable days in some strange places.

By week two on campus, I had found the best shower locations and was pleased to meet a handful of other fine folks choosing the same lifestyle as me. Vanlife is a lifestyle that attracts vastly

varied characters with differing goals.

Wildlife major Steven Childs put it bluntly to me one evening in Bigfoot Burgers.

“It shows sheer willpower, and some intelligence,” Childs said “You don’t do this by fluke. Its not like one day you happen upon an RV or a van and are like -oh fuck it im going to college. You plan it out. You’ve thought about the things you need to do, and some people are willing to go a little further than other people to make it happen. Or their situation puts them in that position.”

Childs said there are also financial motivations behind his lifestyle choice. SEE VAN LIFE

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Canceled Ferndale drag show spurs protest

by Andrés Félix Romero

Queer activists known as the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence hosted an action they called a ‘Day of Non-Judgement’ outside the city hall in Ferndale, CA on Jan. 22 in response to the recent cancellation of a drag show fundraiser. The show was canceled by the venue ownerswho were concerned about extremist violence following anti-LGBT signage outside of a local church. The church has a history of using its signs to spread anti-LGBT hate.

The Day of Non-Judgement consisted of sermons, testimonies, and speeches in support of the Humboldt queer community from event goers such as local clergy, parents of queer youth, and Cal Poly Humboldt students and staff. Cal Poly Humboldt professor of psychology Benjamin Graham spoke in remembrance of Camile Nauta, a Humboldt student who recently passed away and was involved in the queer community. Graham also spoke on the significance of having the Day of

Non-Judgement in Ferndale.

“It’s a great opportunity for the community to come together and wash over the hate and fear that too many people live their lives in,” Graham said.

Other attendees supported the action by holding signs or flags. Phoenix Gomez held a pride-themed California state flag, and said they felt that there was work to be done due to the threats.

“We should be allowed to have our events. We should be able to have them without being interrupted,” said Gomez. “If there’s hate by any form, there’s always going to be work to be done.” SEE

Photo by Alex Anderson | Above: Protesters standing in front of wildberries on Jan. 21.

Photo by Alex Anderson | Below: Dev Campbell, a CPH freshman, holding a sign that reads ‘buy one get assaulted for free” on Jan 21.

The Lumberjack

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:

AUGUST LINTON

MANAGING EDITORS:

ANGEL BARKER

CAMILLE DELANY

NEWS EDITOR:

DEZMOND REMINGTON

LIFE & ARTS EDITOR:

NINA HUFMAN

SCIENCE EDITOR:

HARRISON SMITH

SPORTS EDITOR:

JAKE KNOELLER

OPINION EDITOR:

CAMILLE DELANY

PHOTO EDITOR:

ALEX ANDERSON

COPY EDITOR:

JASMIN SHIRAZIAN

EQUITY EDITOR:

DILLON HARP

LAYOUT EDITORS:

AUGUST LINTON

ANGEL BARKER

CAMILLE DELANY

NINA HUFMAN

DEZMOND REMINGTON

WEB EDITOR:

ALANA HACKMAN

DELIVERY DRIVER:

JASMYN LEMUS

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER:

AUGUST LINTON

FACULTY ADVISER:

DEIDRE PIKE

CONTRIBUTORS:

AUGUST LINTON

BRAD BUTTERFIELD

ANDRÉS FÉLIX ROMERO

VALEN LAMBERT

NATHAN SANO

HARRISON SMITH

JAKE KNOELLER

LIDIA GRANDE-RUIZ

DEZMOND REMINGTON

JASMIN SHIRAZIAN

ELI FEATHERSTONE

Mission Statement

The Mission of this newspaper is to fairly inform and share the stories of the Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community. We strive to report with accuracy and honesty. We hold ourselves accountable for errors in our reporting. We invite all readers to participate. Views and contents of The Lumberjack are those of the author and not those of Cal Poly Humboldt. Unsigned editorials appearing in the Opinion section reflect a majority opinion of the editorial staff. Advertising material is for informational purposes and is not an expressed or implied endorsement of such commercial ventures of The Lumberjack, Associated Students or Cal Poly Humboldt.

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The Humboldt spoken word community is alive and stomping, snapping, and whistling

Local nonprofit Word Humboldt hosts regular, lively open mics

by Valen Lambert

Every Tuesday, Word Humboldt takes over Northtown Coffee to host their free open mic nights, where anyone is welcome to join and perform. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., you can expect everything spoken word, from poetry, song, and rap to short stories and improv. The nonprofit builds a thriving poetry scene through safe, supportive, and accessible events for new and seasoned writers of all ages.

The beginning half of the night is saved for the community to share, and the second half of the night is for seasoned staff writers. To wrap up, everyone writes a line of poetry to add to a collective group poem.

Word Humboldt was started six years ago by co-founders Dylan Collins, Wil Gibson, and Susanna Gibson. Eureka poet laureate Wil Gibson prides the organization on curating a radically inclusive environment, where people feel safe in expressing themselves and being vulnerable.

“The basis of Word Humboldt is to reach out to the community to make poetry accessible for everybody; to amplify and uplift underrepresented voices,” Gibson says. “You can’t be a poet in a vacuum.”

Gibson lived many years as a traveling poet and has performed at enough open mics to know what works and what doesn’t. This informed his belief that open mics should be free so that they are accessible to all, to encourage people of all ages and walks of life to attend and share so that everyone has

DRAG

FROM PAGE 1

The Sisters’ Eureka order is also known as the Abbey of the Big Red Wood, and includes members such as Mistress of Scriptures (Secretary) Sister Gaia T of the Revolting Earth.

Sister Gaia T felt action was needed to support the Humboldt queer community.

“The sisters respond to the need of our community. We were told that our community didn’t feel safe in Ferndale,” said Gaia T. “We were told that people wanted something that made them feel welcomed and loved. Part of what the sisters do is the ministry of presence, where just by entering spaces we create safe spaces for everyone around us just by being present.”

a chance to feel seen. The love that permeates this community is what makes it special.

“We built this community wanting love to be the main focus,” Gibson says. “You can feel the love between the crowd and the poet.”

Bamidele Menchu Hotep has been

science and management major at Cal Poly Humboldt, Word Humboldt open mics were her first time performing a poem.

“Everybody was so supportive even though I was so nervous,” Avina says. “They cheer extra loud for you once they know it’s your first time.”

of Word Humboldt, starts the night off by hosting the first half with energetic charm and attentiveness, making each poet feel heard and seen by uplifting their performance.

Beyond the open mics, Wil Gibson hosts three poetry workshops throughout the week: Sundays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Epitome Gallery in Eureka, Mondays 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at Fit Coast in Sunnybrae, and Thursdays 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at The Thing in Arcata. Each workshop is a $3-$5 donation, but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

“We believe every poet has value in the future,” Gibson says. “Every poet deserves to learn.”

On the second Saturday of each month starting at 6:30 p.m., Word Humboldt hosts the Redwood Poetry Slam at The Thing. Poetry slams are competitions with a cash prize, using elimination rounds in front of a panel of judges and a lively, engaged crowd.

attending the open mics since 2019 and is now on the Word Humboldt board of directors. He sees this community as family.

“The importance of a writing community is that we’re able to inspire each other through our work,” Menchu Hotep says. “Through our writing we heal, so this is a community of growth and healing.”

For Julie Avina, an environmental

The Day of Non-Judgement is an opportunity for the community to come together in a public space and support one another by speaking out against hate, and in support of diversity and acceptance. Sister Mary Magnalaid Me hopes that the action in response to the recent bigotry is an opportunity for change in Humboldt, especially as attitudes vary across the county.

“Humboldt County is a very rural place and each little pocket really has its own flavor and its own local culture,” Magnalaid Me said. “My concerns are that the roots of the watermark of judgment, racism, patriarchy, homophobic, and negative sorts of perspectives, has roots in Ferndale that are in other plac-

The crowd is eager to engage with the poems. They snap and stomp for powerful lines, echoing around the small cafe space. They shout ‘rewind!’ when it’s so good they want to hear it again and ‘new shit!’ when the poet shares something new.

The room is animated and electric, far from the solemnity that some people may associate with a poetry reading.

Susanna Gibson, the executive director

Word Humboldt is also co-organizing the second annual Redwood Poetry Festival taking place April 23-29 which boasts performances from local and national award winning talent, as well as workshops and community building.

Whether you’re looking to dip your toes into poetry or are a seasoned writer, Word Humboldt hosts an array of events to make you feel at home in a community.

“Poetry saved my life,” Gibson says. “I just want to give back.”

Perhaps they’re

here. And when things become visible, what we have are opportunities, opportunities to bring the margins together, and opportunities to galvanize people to organize for change.”

This is not the first Day of Non-Judgement the sisters have hosted. Since the Abbey of the Big Red Wood’s debut at Humboldt State University’s 2006 Queer film festival, the sisters have been a part of the local community. They’ve hosted bingos and fundraised for local charities such as Humboldt Domestic Violence Services and Humboldt Breast Health Project, to name a few.

The canceled event was organized by Lost Coast Pride, and was going to be Roaring 20s themed. Already, plans are in the works for more drag events in the area. Shortly after the Day of Non-Judgement on Jan. 22, Rivera mentioned that a few venues had already offered to be a space for the show.

The Day of Non-Judgement ended with the protestors performing their rendition of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” with some, including Graham, providing instrumentals on their own guitar.

Photo by Andrés Félix Romero | Sister Gaia T of the Revolting Earth (right) Sister Nova Aggra (center), and Sister Fawn D’Amen (right) pray during the Day of Non-Judgement.

Photo by Andrés Félix Romero | Sister Gaia T of the Revolting Earth (center) gives a sermon to the crowd as protestors including Professor Graham (right) prepare to play their rendition of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire. es in Humboldt and other places in our nation and our world as well.

visible

Graphic by Nina Hufman

Noise, rage, and skateboards

by Nathan Sano

Through the endless cloud of hairspray, denim and the occasional crop dusting lies a paradise for local skaters, punks and music lovers alike. For the rest of us, it’s something adjacent to a welcome fever dream.

This fabled haven is none other than Rampart Skate Park. A place where the restless can indulge in both kickflips and mosh pits. Though I wouldn’t say it’s a relaxing experience having to dodge flying skateboards while you’re trying to bop around to some music, I will say it’s quite fitting for the genres common at the venue.

The show in all its hardcore glory was organized in support of a new LP release, Skate Sessions VOL 1, a compilation including tracks by local bands WarMoth, The Bored Again, Imperial Destructo, RACKET, FOIL, Biomass and Dead Drift. In conjunction with these local legends are songs from Scythe, of Mendocino, and War of Knives, from Oakland.

From what I could tell based on the numerous conversations I was able to eavesdrop on, most people were there to see FOIL and War Moth; for good reason, too. If you haven’t had the opportunity to listen

VANLIFE

FROM PAGE 1

“A room, which is about 500-600 dollars a month and utilities…that’s going to really put me in a financial bind,” Childs said. “On top of tuition and books -and then trying to juggle that- I’d put a bigger burden on my wife. And so, the idea was born.”

Obviously, it isn’t just frugality that leads to sleeping in the back of a van.

Ryan Kelly explained his sleeping setup to me, which consists of an inflatable camping mattress laid diagonally under his table and thermal undergarments to stay warm.

“I’m more mobile, it’s convenient,” Kelly said. “I want to see places and be able to travel and save money. Living in a van is the way to do that.”

When I pressed him on the lack of creature comforts afforded in our chosen way of life, Ryan doubled down without hesitation.

“If you want to live in a house and be comfortable, that’s fine,” Kelly said. “I don’t need much. Just got to have the bare essentials. A place to stay dry. Something to sleep on is good.”

Students are in a unique bubble here in Humboldt county. There is a lack of housing and lack of jobs. What jobs there are, are often low paying, particularly when compared

to these guys or make it out to one of their shows, I highly encourage you to dip your toe into their Bandcamp discography.

At the show, there were songs about drug addiction, songs about the pigs, songs about hating your job, etc. These are aspects of mainstream culture that fuels the punk scene and bring so many to it, but it isn’t often you get to see a spectacle such as this LP release.

I guess I couldn’t say if it was the beer or just the nature of the music itself, but after a while, these great ballads of an anti-capitalist alternative started to blend together and became an incredibly distorted roar of noise that lit the revolutionary fire lying dormant within my gut. Most

of what these bands were dishing out is exactly what one would expect and hope to hear at a punk show.

As the show went on and the crowd grew bigger, I began to notice a diverse mix of people both young and old. The show was of course all ages but I was quite taken aback when kids no older than twelve were thrashing around in the mosh pit.

I was just noticing the young average age of the crowd when a thought dawned on me. Punk rock as a genre, and the punk scene in general, hav -

to the jobs that students have left behind.

“I had come from bartending in San Diego in a very rich area and was making really good money and then came here,” said Bobby Howser, another vanlifer.“I passed out resumes for two weeks, didn’t hear back from anybody for two months and then got a bussing position at a spot. I was more experienced than the people that worked above me.”

Howser is content with his situation.

“Camping is my favorite thing,” Howser said. “I don’t need a lot to be happy. A comfy bed and I can figure the rest out. It’s about perspective.”

Of course, there are the unavoidable inconveniences that come along with sleeping in a vehicle. Vanlife is about perspective, as Howser said, but it is also about reality. And reality can be a gross beast.

“When you have an all metal interior, it’s the condensation that gets you,” Howser said. “Things don’t ever dry out here because it’s so moist. When it’s really wet outside, and my breathing is causing condensation on the walls, mold can grow. I had that happen last semester which sucked. And water will drip off the ceiling and hit me in the face while I’m sleeping, you know… Like super fucking cold.”

Walking up a cold, steep hill in the morning just to take a piss is less than ideal. I don’t want to have a conversation through the shower curtain either. These are the sacri -

en’t really undergone any massive changes in twenty or so years. I suppose whether or not that’s true is relative, but my sentiments were confirmed by Travis Bille, guitarist and singer of the band Dead Drift, whom I was lucky enough to have a very lengthy conversation with.

“It’s for blowing off steam and having fun,” Bille said. “It’s stripped down, and there’s no fucking bullshit. That’s what I love. There’s so much bullshit everywhere and for me it’s raw.”

Change in one form or another is usually a component of survival for any existing medium, yet punk somehow seems to transcend that need to change due to the nature of what it is and what it’s always stood for. There is something about its raw flavor and aggressive behavior that takes you away from the bullshit. When those heavy riffs blow out your ears and those throaty vocals vibrate your insides, you kind of melt away into the crowd and become part of a larger community of people who all want the same thing – to express their humanity in the rawest way possible.

fices that come when one doesn’t pay rent though; acceptance of these trade-offs was the common theme of all of the conversations I had with van dwellers this week.

In the past, I’ve used a propane heater to take the edge off of freezing nights. They don’t burn very efficiently and the safety of using one in an enclosed space is highly questionable. Arcata nights are cold, but thankfully not freezing. I have a few fluffy Costco blankets (thanks mom) that keep me comfortable through the night.

All of the vanlifers I spoke to were dealing with the chilly nights

in a similar fashion. Layers, layers, layers. Of course at some point in the morning one has to depart their blanket cocoon and face the Humboldt dawn hour.

Childs has served in the military and is no stranger to sub-par sleeping situations. Still, sometimes the reality of the current situation drowns out perspective.

“When you wake up in your vehicle in the morning, that’s the snap to reality,” Childs said. “That’s when shit gets really real. When you wake up there’s no escaping that you’ve slept in a vehicle. The most challenging thing is to put on chilly pants in the morning.”

Photo by Brad Butterfield | Outside a vanlife setup.

Photos by Camille Delany | Scenes from the LP drop on Jan. 28.

Rampart LP drop brings together punks and skaters from all walks of life

Aftershock: The nuance of Humboldt geology

by Harrison Smith

Hey - did you feel it? That little jolt? The coffee on your desk is even rippling! I think we just felt an aftershock!

For some, aftershocks are a fun little jolt that give you something to talk about in line at Los Bagels. For others, they are terrifying reminders of Humboldt’s earthquake vulnerability.

For almost a month following the Dec. 20 earthquake that devastated parts of the county, over 80 aftershocks of magnitude 2.5 or greater have gently shaken Humboldt- most too small to be felt. Large earthquakes in fault-prone areas like Humboldt may change the stresses on adjacent faults.

“The kind of earthquake that fault produced, with that kind of slip, can produce a pattern of stresses which, in some instances can promote a nearby fault to be closer to failing,” said Dr Mark Hemphill-Haley, a geology professor at Cal Poly Humboldt.

Some shifts release stress to delay an earthquake, while some increase stress. This can trigger new movement as the fault system searches for a new equilibrium. The pattern of aftershocks can provide important clues into the state of the fault system.

“From just the 2.5s, you can kind of get an idea of how they ruptured along the subduction zone,” said John Bellini, geophysicist at the USGS National Earthquake Information Center.

However, accurate triangulation of the Ferndale quake’s epicenter and those of its aftershocks is complicated by the fact that the fault system lies largely offshore.

“Because all of the stations are onshore and the main shock was just offshore, you don’t get as meaningful distribution,” said Bellini.

Judging from the distribution of the aftershocks, one might think that they

Image courtesy of USGS | Fault distribution in the North American Plate. followed East-Northeast running faults. However, data is often deceptive.

“If you look at the trends of the faults, they are Southeast to Northwest,” said Bellini. “This misleading artifact of the map is due to imprecision in triangulation- in order to locate the epicenter of an earthquake, it must be recorded from three different seismic stations.”

The more surrounded the earthquake is by seismic stations, the greater one’s ability to measure it precisely. Because the closest ‘western’ seismic stations are in Hawaii, precise observation of seismic activity off the Humboldt coast is difficult.

“Most of the stations for most of those quakes are going to be to the east, with nothing to the west for most of them… when that happens, the error ellipsoid for them is going to be stretched in an eastwest direction,” said Bellini.

Humboldt County sits at the very south tip of the Cascadia subduction zone, where the Gorda/Juan de Fuca, Pacific and North American tectonic plates come together in a geologically complex region called a triple junction.

The difficulty of studying the complex tectonic interactions at this triple junction is compounded by the fact that it lies half offshore, however new developments in geology have lifted the veil on offshore tectonics.

Last summer, researchers from Cal Poly Humboldt’s geology department along with researchers from the US Geological Survey, UC Berkeley, and University of Washington installed over 40 seismometers along an optical fiber cable that runs from Aracata to Eureka. Instruments connected to the optical fiber along with the seismometers provided high resolution about the local seismicity. The instruments were removed after their testing period was complete, but they were reinstalled immediately in the aftermath of the Dec 20, 2022 Ferndale earthquake.

The use of fiber optic cables for monitoring earthquakes is very recent, but a huge development for geology in areas like Humboldt.

“We’ve already recorded more than a hundred aftershocks associated with that recent quake,” said Dr. Hemphill-Haley.

Image courtesy of USGS | Distribution of 2.5+ aftershock events between Dec.20 and Jan.20.

Humboldt men’s volleyball steals win with quick turnaround

by Jake Knoeller and Lidia Grande-Ruiz

Despite various moments during the game that made it look like the Lumberjacks were going to lose, Humboldt scored a win against University of San Francisco at Lumberjack Arena on Saturday. The final score was 3 sets to 1.

Pre-game warmups between the USF Dons and the Jacks were on opposite sides of the net. Tensions were high and felt between each team before the game began.

The Jacks were feeling it in the warmups but slowly started to feel frustrated when they lost in the first set.

“In the first set, they were just very cold,” said head coach Gabriel Munoz. “The first set is one that doesn’t go too well sometimes, but after that they really pick their energy up.”

At the start of the second set the Jacks started to pick it up. They were comfortably able to even the set score at 1-1.

During the break after two sets, crowds were invited to come out and play on the court. Whoever hit a player with the ball got a free t-shirt. Students and adults alike gave it a try. Shirt or no shirt winning, the hype was definitely felt from the crowd by the time the third set began. Warm energy from the crowd gave Humboldt a confidence boost that helped them win the third set.

“I loved having people shout my number and cheer us on as we worked for our win,” said Jacks player Sean Ahern. “I’m grateful for everyone that came out.”

Jacks players joked around and twerked on the court whenever they scored a win which earned a laugh from the audience. USF Dons on the opposing side looked and laughed with weird stares.

By the time the fourth game was starting, Humboldt showed that even if the beginning does not start out how one wishes, with perseverance and support, they can eventually end up winning in the end.

That’s exactly what they did, winning a close set and getting that third victory they needed to finish off the game.

“We kinda just learned what we liked and built energy off every hit,” said Jacks teammate Ian Macdonald. “I think it’s gonna bring momentum into our games next weekend.”

The Jacks play in the Northern California Collegiate Volleyball League in the North Tier Division 2. Other teams in their division include University of San Francisco, Saint Mary’s College, UC Davis B, and University of Nevada-Reno B.

“The upcoming season is going to be fun. I enjoyed myself personally. It was a fun game so I am very excited,” said Jacks player Cody Kangas.

Humboldt has a tournament coming up next week where they get to face every team in their league. Their next home game will be Saturday, Feb. 25 at 5 p.m. against University of Nevada-Reno B.

“It’ll be a fun tournament,” said Munoz.

A good bond between teammates and dedicated coaches keeps this team motivated.

“Gabe is a great coach who is dedicating his time to us for nothing more than his own enjoyment,” said Ahern. “It’s a joy and pleasure to be around him and the others when we’re playing.”

Women’s rugby returns to practice after long hiatus

by Jake Knoeller

Cal Poly Humboldt has a women’s rugby team for the first time since 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic and some conflicts with the school kept them off the field for multiple years, but they are finally practicing again.

The team has practiced a total of six times in 2023, and despite their low amount of time playing together, the connections are good within the team.

“There’s a lot of relationship growth going on since our first practice,” said head coach Catalina León. “They’re finding their love for the sport.”

The team currently has just over 10 players, but León is hoping to extend their roster to at least 20 players.

“We have a small group now, but they’ve been coming consistently,” said León. “They’re really grasping

the concept of the game and the skills needed.”

The enthusiasm was clearly present as Humboldt practiced on Monday night under the lights at Redwood Bowl, joking around and getting started on warmup drills upon arrival.

“We’re happy to be back,” said centre Courtney Campuzano. “I’m excited to see how the new season is gonna be.”

Their first game is not scheduled yet, however there is speculation of some friendly games coming soon.

“We have a lot of new players so we’re gonna have some friendly games going on,” said Campuzano. “We might do a tournament in Oregon.”

The Cal Poly Humboldt women’s rugby team practices at Redwood Bowl, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Mon -

days and Thursdays, and from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays.

“I encourage anyone who is interested to stop by even if you just want to learn more about the sport or team, you do not have to commit to us,” said fly-half Zelaya Ceja. “So far we have had lots of new faces that are sticking with the sport and are hungry to learn more.”

This team has a welcoming nature that is evident just from being around any of their practices.

“Community is a big part of rugby,” said Ceja. “It brings me joy knowing Humboldt women’s rugby is finally welcome back on campus.”

The first season back is viewed as a rebuild for Humboldt and the beginning of a potential-filled future.

“We’re looking forward to rebuilding the team and just hoping to have more players who enjoy working out

and being part of a team sport,” said León.

Photo by Lidia Grande-Ruiz | Raul Roman returns a ball over the net.

Graphic by Jake Knoeller

Beloved student Camile Nauta dies at 21

by August Linton

Camile Nauta, a beloved CPH student and community member, was hit by a truck and killed while out walking their dog Wilson with friend Rune Kubbany on Jan. 17. Wilson was also killed in the accident, and Kubbany was hospitalized. Nauta was 21 years old.

They are already sorely missed by everyone who knew them. They were enigmatic and whimsical, described by many that knew them as a ‘fairy,’ a ‘cowboy,’ or a ‘forest creature.’

They’re remembered by everyone who knew them as a kind, quiet person, who sometimes came off as standoffish just because they were shy. They had a unique ability to make people comfortable and to bring out that joy in others, which they also reveled in.

Multiple people remember them for the silly accents that they loved to perform. They were an animal lover and a vegan. Taro smoothies, lying in the sun and spending time in nature were other things that Nauta loved.

Student Holly Ford described how familiar a part of the CPH world Nauta was.

“They’d walk through the forest and everyone knew them,” said Ford.

Dorm-mate Tommy Broedner remembers the quiet companionship that they shared with Nauta when they met in the kitchen, and many people mention how much they loved coffee. Girlfriend Elizabeth Edens describes them as constantly jittering.

“There’s not coffee grounds on the counter anymore,” Broedner said.

Grayson Ford remembers how Nauta waited for them when they fell behind on walks in the forest. Others said how Nauta’s energy and compassion made them feel comfortable dancing at shows, something that Nauta was known to do with abandon.

Being a part of punk and local music subculture was important to Nauta. They were a regular at the Arcata music venue Blondies, went to various house shows, and loved dancing and moshing.

Edens went with Nauta to many local shows.

“They enjoyed being in the mosh pit a lot, they talked about it being like therapy for them,” Edens said. “They were always beautiful, it was great to see them in the pit because they’d always be having fun even on their own.”

People loved and were sometimes, at-first, almost intimidated by their intricate facial piercings, bright green mullet-hawk and patched clothes. The combination of a punk exterior and compassionate, loving interior is

what defined their image.

“They styled themself as if they were a punk little forest goblin who occasionally engaged in witchcraft,” said their sibling, Lily Nauta. Nauta had a very close relationship with their sibling, who many described as their best friend.

They broke their arm in the mosh pit at a “Days N’ Daze” show, and sported a scar on their shoulder for the rest of their life.

Being queer and non-binary identity were very important to Nauta. They wore queerness on their sleeve, and found kinship, community, and love in the Humboldt queer community. The small size of this group in Humboldt is one reason why Nauta’s absence stings so keenly. They were known by most in the community.

“They were the best cheerleader for people finding their true gender identity and celebrated all of the things dominant culture shames queer people for,” Lily Nauta said. “They reclaimed it all and helped others do the same. They were the best lil nonbinary twink a guy could have the pleasure of knowing.”

A psychology major, Nauta was involved in many different programs at CPH. They were the first student intern from the school at local organization Queer Humboldt, where they helped to start a Discord chat server so queer people around the area could connect with each other.

Queer outreach was very important to Nauta, and they also worked

on the Historic InQUEERies project teaching the queer history of historic people to classes in those related fields.

Nauta was always with their dog Wilson, who also was killed in the accident. Whenever possible, they were always together, whether in the forest, at school, or around town. After they got him in Summer 2022, his presence helped Nauta open up, according to roommate Shayne Jarvie.

“They started to kinda come out of their shell and be super goofy with everyone,” Jarvie said. “Everyone loved Wilson and Wilson loved everyone.”

“[Wilson and Nauta] were both each-other’s emotional support animals,” Edens said.

Nauta was very close with their family, whom they always nurtured. Their mother Lisa Nauta described how they nursed her back to health while she had COVID-19.

“Me, Lily, and Camile, we used to call each-other the three peas,” Lisa Nauta said. “They’ve always been a hugger, always giving love.”

“They’d offer to make the whole family tea nearly every night,” Lily Nauta said. “Words can’t describe how heartbroken we are and how much we’ll miss them.”

The natural world was one of Nauta’s loves. They spent much of their time in the forests surrounding campus or on the local beaches with friends. They found themself in nature. Jarvie said that Nauta was at peace while digging in the dirt, and

feeling the sun.

At a Jan. 24 memorial held for them on campus, mourners braved the winter cold to gather outside.

Friend Charlie Deible spoke about Wilson at the memorial, stating that it’s what Camile would have wanted. Many who knew them spoke while the sun set, and several stated that they will always see Nauta in the trees and in the stars.

“I can not imagine a more practical place for them to be than up hiding in the cracks and ridges of the trees,” Lily Nauta said. “Please continue to visit them and Wilson in the trees.”

Top: Camile Nauta laying in the grass on the CPH campus.

Bottom: Camile Nauta poses with camera at the beach.

Camile Nauta at the beach

Camile Nauta with a leaf on their head.

All photos courtesy of Shayne Jarvie | Camile Nauta and their dog Wilson at the beach