3-17-21

HAMLINE UNIVERSITY | ST. PAUL, MN | 3.17.21 | VOL. 132 | NO. 15 | HAMLINEORACLE.COM

Twin Cities brace for impact Protests are brewing in Minneapolis, jury selection for Derek Chauvin’s trial has begun and Minneapolis will pay a $27 million settlement to the family of George Floyd.

Jack Fischer News Reporter jfischer12@hamline.edu On Monday, March 8, hundreds of protestors gathered around a heavily militarized Hennepin County Government Center on the first day of jury selection for the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who is facing counts of second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter and now a charge of thirddegree murder.

The third-degree murder charge has been up in the air for months, as Judge Peter Cahill had dismissed the charge in October, siding with Chauvin’s defense team that Chauvin did not put anyone other than the victim at risk.

The prosecution, led by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, appealed that decision to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, who ruled that Cahill did not follow

PHOTOS | JACK FISCHER, ORACLE TOP: Marching down the street, a protestor holds a sign that reads “white supremacy no more, time for “a love supreme.” BOTTOM: Handmade signs were raised as protesters marched down city streets. precedent and that the charge was unlawfully thrown out. On Monday, March 8, Chauvin’s defense team appealed the Court of Appeals decision to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court rejected Chauvin’s decision to appeal on Wednesday, kicking the case back to the Court of Appeals ruling and reinstating the charge.

As of Sunday, March 14, seven of the 14 jurors have been chosen. Once the court confirms 14 jurors, two will be dismissed as alternates and the trial can commence.

It is expected to start before the end of the month. The trial itself could last up to several weeks.

see IMPACT page 3

RAs left unsure or unemployed An ambiguous Resident Assistant selection process made for unpredictable hiccups.

Anika Besst Senior Reporter abesst01@hamline.edu Selections for the student leadership role of Resident Assistant (RA) were announced on March 3, 2021. The selection experienced changes both planned and unexpected. The largest change is the number of RAs selected was smaller than in years past.

Undisclosed and unknown until recently, a residence hall may be under renovations next year. This means they were selecting fewer than the usual 27 positions.

“There are conversations about the possibility of doing some work in one of the residence halls,” said Javier Gutierrez, Associate Dean of Students. “We have not been told which hall and once we are able to share

out, we will absolutely share the nature of this plan.”

Assistant Director of Residential Life Yolanda Armstrong describes this as leaving the office in “limbo,” as almost everyone is still waiting to hear their housing assignments for next year.

Residential Life had 46 new applicants and 15 returners apply for an RA position. The final numbers of how many new and returning RAs were selected have not been announced as they are still waiting on student confirmation.

“According to the Area Coordinators (AC) it was an extremely, extremely, extremely impressive set of students and it was difficult to make the decisions that they made,” Armstrong said.

Due to the powerful turnout, the AC have decided to create and use a formalized alternate list. This was offered before but has been made more specific to allow for those who were not selected to still be in the possible

line up if something were to happen with another position and they were still interested. Res Life uses this list when an RA cannot continue their job at any point in the summer or academic year for any reason whether it be transferring, an emergency or anything else.

One current sophomore RA who applied for next year and was not rehired is not interested in being on that list for a few reasons. One of which includes that they can no longer live on campus due to the financial loss not being an RA creates. “[The list] only really works if you live on campus.

I will be signing a lease so I can’t do that. I can’t just walk away from a lease two weeks before school or halfway through the semester,” they said. “I just have to completely step away from this basically and just find housing somewhere else.”

see RA SELECTION page 2

2 News

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Raina and Ruben, the new co-presidents of HUSC EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION Editor-in-Chief Carmen Danz Managing Editor Molly Landaeta News Editor Audra Grigus Business Manager Elizabeth Lowe Ad Manager Julien Halabi Design Editor Melanie Hopkins Social Media Director Ella Smith Web Editor Aidan Stromdahl Opinion Editor Mien Le Sports Editor Cathryn Salis A&E Editor Olivia Koski Variety Editor Andrea Lindner Copy Editors Eliza Hagstrom, Lydia Meier Illustrator Leo Coughenour Senior Reporters Kelly Holm, Anika Besst, Robin Doyscher Reporters Nicole Ronchetti, Sarah Sawyer, Ethan Hermann, Jilly Wortman, Leslie Perez, Jack Fischer, Z Martinez, Leslie Perez, Lyla Lee, Kathryn Robinson, Hayden Hayes Senior Columnists Emily Brown, Will Nelson Columnists Hafsa Ahmed, Andrew P Weston, SJ Welch Senior Photographers Melanie Hopkins, Antonio Risso Photographers Emily Lall, Cait Quinn, Aidan Stromdahl, Dasiyah Franklin-Carter Distributor Robin Doyscher Advisers David Hudson, Trevor Maine

POLICIES

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The results of the HUSC election were announced on Monday, March 8 in an email to the student body.

Two constitutional amendments passed, along with electing two new co-presidents for the 2021-22 academic year.

Jack Fischer News Reporter jfischer12@hamline.edu the student body of Hamline University has wrapped up HUSC voting for this year. Many positions only had one candidate, or one pair of candidates running, but that didn’t stop the candidates from campaigning anyway.

Hamline University junior Raina Meyer and sophomore Ruben Dominguez have been elected co-presidents for next academic year.

Meyer and Dominguez acknowledged being the only candidates vying for the offices, but they were not deterred from campaigning and talking to students about issues important to them.

“We created an Instagram account where we hosted live streams every week leading up to the election, which got like a couple hundred views each,” Meyer said. “We worked really hard to make ourselves available, even in a digital space.”

Meyer and Dominguez ran on a platform dedicated to meeting students’ needs by making services more accessible and advertising the valuable resources we already have on campus.

The pair say that campus has a lot of hidden gems and services that could really help students, but not enough people know about them. Meyer works at the Women’s Resource Center, and said “we offer free menstrual care products and not many people who could utilize these products know about us.” The Women’s Resource Center is open to all Hamline students, regardless of gender, and can provide products like free tampons, pads, menstrual cups and occasionally offer free birth control.

“Students have been expressing an issue, or something that’s been an issue for awhile at Hamline, which is the lack of awareness of resources available to them,” Meyer said.

RA selection (continued from front)

Additionally, they were unhappy with how the entire experience was conducted and the lack of communication throughout.

“I got some clarity the past couple days that they had to look at everyone’s performance from the moment your AC met you, not just if you had any coaching sessions or your programming or anything.

But being told that after the fact seems sort of like it is a judgement of character more than work, especially if I didn’t get a formal coaching session or others didn’t,” they said. “Saying that and having to judge everything you have done up until this point seems more like ‘who do I want to work with,’ ‘who am I better friends with.’ Because it’s not really treated like a ‘job’ job, it is treated like a team, but then when it comes down to being rehired they don’t tell you they are going to treat it like a ‘job’ job.”

Coaching sessions were implemented this year as an optional way

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Meyer and Dominguez want to address this and plan to form a concerted marketing campaign to inform students about the resources Hamline has to offer.

Dominguez encourages students to check out the Food Resource Center. “[The Food Resource Center] is growing, but there’s still so many students who haven’t gone through it yet,” Dominguez said. “It’s open to any student, and they don’t need to provide any income information or anything like that.”

They were not the only ones on the ballot this past month. Kylie Clark, Maddie Swanson and Mohamed Shukri were elected to serve as the sophomore class representatives. Lisette Guzman, Emily Hilderbrand and Kenzie Harstad were elected to represent the junior class. Finally, Haylee Ziton, Jessie Luévano and Alice Kellner will serve as the senior class reps. Along with the office elections, two HUSC constitutional amendments also passed.

The first was a resolution to rename the executive positions from president and vice-president to be “external president” and “internal president.” That resolution passed with 75.8% of the vote, meaning Meyer will serve as the external president and Dominguez will be the internal president.

The second resolution was designed to add guidelines and procedures to the HUSC Collaboration Fund. The fund is set up to allow individuals, clubs and organizations to collaborate with HUSC to create events and initiatives to benefit the student body. This amendment has added recommended bylaws and language to make the fund clearer and more accessible for its usage. That amendment passed with 85.8% of the vote.

Meyer and Dominguez will officially start their term at the last HUSC meeting of the year. Students are encouraged to attend weekly General Assembly HUSC meetings during Convo Hour, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Tuesday. The co-president-elects will be creating their executive office team, hiring and making appointments for next year in the coming months. Students interested in applying for positions or wanting to get involved with HUSC should monitor their email as more information becomes available, likely in the fall.

Students can also follow HUSC on Instagram at @YourVoiceHUSC.

PHOTOS | ANTONIO RISSO, ORACLE LEFT: Manor Hall is the oldest residence hall on campus, and also houses a variety of campus resources in the basement. RIGHT: Drew Hall is home to about 200 of Hamline’s on campus residents.

for AC to provide feedback and guidance to RAs about situations and matters. Prior to this year, an RA would have been released from their role without any coaching sessions on file. Armstrong encourages and supports applicants not accepted to reach out for feedback on how they did regardless of the existence of coaching sessions or not.

“I don’t know if I want to work for Res Life anymore with how disjointed it is really,” said the previously mentioned sophomore.

“Why the secrecy? I don’t know why they choose to keep some things completely professionally detached but then act like it is one big family and you can trust each other but it is just very secretive.”

The offices that deal with the leadership positions and selections have made the decision to inform students during this phase of the semester. They believe it allows students ample time to make decisions for their summers and next academic years.

First year Kue Thao was planning to transfer had it not been for being selected to the RA position.

“I was going to go to Minnesota State University Mankato and get an apartment there with my sister and my brother, and attend the same university which would make it easier for us financially,” Thao said. “Getting the RA position helps with the financial factor of tuition a lot.”

With any questions or concerns regarding RA selection, the office is located in West Hall 110 with the phone: (651) 523-2061 and email: reslife@hamline.edu.

News 3

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Impact (continued from front)

Protestors marched around the Hennepin County Government Center on March 8, blocking off nearby roads and eventually coming to a stop on Portland Avenue, spilling out from the road into the nearby park, the Commons. The US Bank Stadium gleamed in the background as speakers from numerous community action groups spoke, such as CAIR-MN, Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar and Justice for Philando Castile, to name a few.

A group called Visual Black Justice erected an art memorial outside the government center and along the bus lane of South Seventh St.. The street was covered in broken mirrors, trampled roses and fake blood. The mirrors had messages like “reflect” and “look what you did,” calling for the reflection of a justice system and community police force that have taken countless Black, Brown and Indigenous lives, and in the eyes of protestors, have failed to keep officers accountable.

On March 12, the City of Minneapolis agreed to pay the family of George Floyd, who died in Chauvin’s

custody, a settlement of $27 million. During a press conference on Friday, lead attorney for the Floyd family Ben Crump, called it the “largest pre-trial settlement in a civil rights wrongful death case in U.S. history.”

Crump recognized Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who stood on the stage next to him, and City Council President Lisa Bender, and applauded them for approving the pre-trial settlement. He continued to applaud the city’s police reforms since Floyd died.

“Mayor Frey, you have our word, our voices and our might to help you muscle through additional change that will transform policing in Minneapolis and hopefully policing in America,” Crump said at the conference.

See page 12 for a photo collage of the protest on March 8

PHOTOS | JACK FISCHER, ORACLE TOP: The Hennepin County Government Center was heavily fortified, large fences and barbed wire were erected in the weeks leading up to the jury selection.

BOTTOM: Signs distributed by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar read “Justice for George Floyd. Convict killer cops.”

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To find out where to get tested, go to mn.gov/covid19/ get-tested/testinglocations

4 A&E

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

The resurrection of Rondo Decades after Interstate 94 ran itself through the Rondo neighborhood, a land bridge could be built to reconnect the neighborhood.

Robin Doyscher Senior Reporter sdoyscher01@hamline.edu The Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul was demolished around 60 years ago with the construction of Interstate 94, which systematically disenfranchised its many residents. The action displaced hundreds of families and businesses. However, a nonprofit organization called Reconnect Rondo has been seeking out $6 million in state funds in order to build a land bridge over I-94. The organization has worked with Urban Land Institute to build their proposal for the state government to allot the funds to set right the policies that have destroyed the neighborhood.

The Urban Land Institute originally wrote a

study in 2018 that stated that Black and Indigenous businesses would find greater success and accessibility with the creation of the land bridge. The Reconnect Rondo initiative testified to these statistics during a 2020 virtual meeting of the Minnesota House transportation committee. This act, which would be broken down into two separate pieces of legislation, could potentially heal a community that lost $270 million from its property owners. Supporters argue that this could restore and revive a greater sense of economic viability in the Rondo neighborhood, as well as further connect it to the greater St. Paul area.

The project is currently in its early stages, and the total cost would be $450 million in funding. The initial ask of $6 million would be for the pre-development stages. The project’s outline, seen both on the website and in several news articles, states that Reconnect Rondo is in phase zero of planning. The final phase, phase three, would be tentatively completed by 2026.

The bulk of the building would happen during phases one and two, also when the majority of funds are needed from the city.

PHOTO | EMILY LALL, ORACLE The Rondo neighborhood was drastically changed with the construction of Interstate 94 from 1956 and 1968. Reconnect Rondo is now seeking the state funds to create a land bridge over I-94 to help rebuild the community.

The land bridge would include more than just a route to the other side of I-94. Affordable housing, green spaces and gardens, a museum, marketplaces and several businesses have all been suggested as components of the new plan.

The will of the theatre department Due to COVID-19, the theatre department has had to overcome many obstacles educationally and creatively. Two students from the department discuss their experiences with the online transition in the classroom and for productions.

Lyla Lee A&E Reporter llee23@hamline.edu Last spring semester, when the country was suddenly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamline University’s theatre department faced many impacts head on. Like many departments, they had to transition to an online platform. Theater is known for live visual and auditory entertainment, but when they transition to a platform that takes away those elements, it can be very difficult.

Despite the odds, the department continues to run and find new ways to create. Although it is easy to believe that online platforms are limiting, some might say that it has actually inspired new ways of creating. From classes to productions, the theatre department is constantly overcoming all of the challenges that the pandemic has brought.

Senior Ian Olson discussed his own experiences over the past couple of months as a student in the theatre program. He mentioned how the restrictions and limits that an online platform has on an artist actually pushes them to work hard and find new ways to create.

“It was a difficult transition at first but we’ve gotten used to it. We are showing our passion for what we’re doing with how much we’re persevering through everything,” Olson said. “The main thing I’ve seen with all this is the determination to keep on working. As this has been going on, the theatre department has been putting on shows, trying out different ideas and having student projects be the center focus last fall.”

Even more, Olson discusses how online platforms have actually helped the department in regards to productions.

“I always look for the silver lining of it all. We may not have live shows but now we have people who are further away and can see our productions,” Olson said.

“I know plenty of people who were from entirely different states watch our last show and they wouldn’t have been able to before. This may not be what we’re used to but we have our benefits for sure.”

In addition, one of the stage managers and assistant to the production manager, sophomore Ajah Williams, talked about the many opportunities that came because of the online platform.

“I think students have been able to be a lot more creative in that regard. There are a lot more student-driven pieces happening and it’s really nice to see them be able to tap into the creative side of the department,” Williams said.

Williams also explained the process of hosting productions online.

“All of our productions have been online this past academic year. Everything is pre-recorded and edited together so it’s been a lot more work for the sound and media shop in the theatre, ” Williams said.

Ultimately, the department continues to persevere and thrive as they try to explore even more ways to create. Both Olson and Williams announced that there will be another play called “365” that will stream this spring semester, as well as a live dance performance. Be on the lookout for more information about the different productions and events the department has planned for the near future.

SCREENSHOTS | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE During the fall semester, the theatre department presented “2020 Discoveries,” a virtual series of student performances that reflected on the isolation created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The department has continued to thrive creatively despite the rapid shift to an online environment.

A&E 5

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Miss Shamrock’s second term St. Paul is known for its Irish roots. The Irish community celebrates its culture every year on St. Patrick’s day, March 17. This year, adjustments had to be made due to COVID-19. The association is having a “mask-querade” as opposed to the typical parade.

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Sarah Sawyer A&E Reporter ssawyer04@hamline.edu Zophia Raleigh is the current Miss Shamrock for the St. Patrick’s Day Association in St. Paul. She has served for two terms instead of the typical one term. This year’s Miss Shamrock competition had to be put aside for the safety of the community.

To take part in the competition as a princess you have to be female-identifying, 18+ but 21+ preferred and have Irish heritage.

Most years, shamrock princesses will go from bar to bar selling buttons and greeting people on Fridays and Saturdays, joined by the Blarney brothers, the masculine version of the princesses.

They also do service work in the community, write an essay and take part in a congeniality contest.

The button proceeds go toward the cost of having a parade and anything leftover is donated back to the community. This year the association is selling masks. There will also be a reverse food truck at this year’s celebration, which accepts donations rather than making a profit.

In order to attend this event, participants had to reserve spots not just to be in the parade, but to watch as well. Masks and social distancing are required. At the time of writing, the event is full.

For those who cannot make a reservation, the event will be held via Facebook Live. 150 cars will drive through the parade.

The cars are encouraged to be decorated, with five decoration categories the drivers can win. The association has worked hard

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to recreate as much of St. Paddy’s atmosphere as possible while taking proactive steps to ensure safety.

The St. Patty’s day celebration starts on March 13 and ends on March 20. There will be an Irish fair in August. To experience St. Paul’s Irish culture outside of these events, Miss Shamrock recommends visiting Emmett’s Public House, The Dubliner Pub, Bennett’s Chop & Railhouse, Shamrocks Cafe and Irish on Grand. Irish on Grand even has a small bodega for groceries and other Irish goods. To learn some Irish dance, she recommends checking out Rince na Chroi Irish Dancers, a local dance studio.

“The association wishes everyone a safe and happy St. Patty’s.

Hope to see you out and about next year,” Raleigh said.

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STAFF PICK OF THE WEEK TOPIC: R&B Singer Mien Le

Opinion Editor

NIKI from 88rising “I’m proud as NIKI is a young Indonesian singer chasing her musical goals throughout the United States, while still portraying youth in her home country and throughout Asia.”

ILLUSTRATIONS | LEO COUGHENOUR, ORACLE

6 Variety

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Everything the Twin Cities has to offer

Now that the snow is melting, the temperatures are warming and the sun is shining, the great outdoors are beckoning.

Kathryn Robinson Variety Reporter krobinson12@hamline.edu 1. Summit Avenue Summit Avenue is known for the large, beautiful houses that line its street. Sprawling mansions, green grass and the smell of wealth might not seem inviting, but Summit Avenue is a gorgeous, welcoming place for all to enjoy this spring. With nearly 10 miles of trails, you can walk, bike or run while experiencing and enjoying the sights and sounds.

Not only is Summit Avenue great for exercise, but shops surround the area. Shops and restaurants such as Jamba Juice, Lululemon, Grand Ole Creamery

and more are easily accessible while enjoying a day out. Now that the weather is warming, outdoor seating and social distancing make for a safe and fun day alone or with friends.

2. Shadow Falls Park At the end of Summit Avenue near the University of St. Thomas lies Shadow Falls Park, a beautiful trail system right along the Mississippi River. Popular with local students from the surrounding universities, Shadow Falls Parks offers much to do.

You can hike, look over the Mississippi River and lounge on the green grass.

PHOTO | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE While exploring Summit Avenue, visitors can hop over to Grand Avenue and get ice cream from Grand Old Creamery.

For history fans, there is also a World War I monument right in the center of the park. Shadow Falls Park is less well known than Minnehaha Falls and other popular sights in Minnesota, but it is spectacular nonetheless. If you go off the paved trail and down to the river, you can follow the hiking trail along the Mississippi River all the way to a small waterfall called Shadow Falls. Whether you are an avid hiker, biker or just out for a stroll, Shadow Falls Park is a treat for all.

3. Central Park A place for kids and adults alike, Central Park in Roseville offers a serene place to visit. With a park that includes a rocketship slide and a large play area, it is fun for all. For those looking for a more relaxed visit, Central Park has many trails to walk, bike or run on.

The trails run right through gorgeous wooded areas that have sights like waterfalls, ponds, animals, and many wildflowers. Not only are there hiking trails, but it also features an amphitheater and picnic areas. When the weather warms up even more, there are often musical performances to watch at the lovely amphitheater.

While this may not be a true hike in the woods, it still feels like you are on a getaway from the cities.

4. Minnehaha Park For those that love waterfalls, Minnehaha Park is the place to be. The biggest and most popular feature is the gorgeous waterfalls that are a sight to see no matter the season. You can hike to the falls and then explore the rocky terrain. There are gorgeous sights.

For those that are not into waterfalls, this park still offers great hiking. It is more off the beaten path, so it offers a true hiking experience for those that love the outdoors. However, there are also many paved trails for the bikers and others that do not enjoy uneven terrain. Minnehaha Park and Falls are a must see in the Twin Cities.

5. Como Zoo Como Zoo is a free, safe and fun

PHOTO | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE Central Park features walking & bike trails, a rocket ship slide, bocce ball, sand volleyball courts & a soccer field. activity for nearly everyone. Como Zoo is open year round from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations are required because of COVID-19 restrictions, but that doesn’t take away from the fun.

The Como Zoo offers animal sights, large gardens and art to see throughout the zoo, and all of these attractions are free to the public. What makes the Como Zoo so unique is the enriching experience it creates for all ages. It has many children’s attractions, but also things that college students would love too. The serenity of the gardens and the gorgeous art is a wonderful way to take a break from draining classes and homework.

Live in cabins, study one course at a time, read a mountain of books, adventure in the Pacific Northwest

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PHOTOS | AIDAN STROMDAHL, ORACLE Central Park is home to some amazing wildlife such as blue and green herons, egrets, wood ducks and much more. The trail also offers a great opportunity to invite your dog to enjoy the fun with you.

Variety 7

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Are we going back to normal next fall?

Four students voice their opinion on what things may look like next semester.

Leslie Perez Variety Reporter lfarreraperez01@hamline.edu There is no telling when college (and much less the world) will be back to normal. As the idea of more people getting vaccinated by the fall circles around, questions arise concerning what the fall semester may look like.

Sophomore Chloe Brunkow is not completely ruling out in-person classes in the fall, but above all, her safety is a priority.

“So much is unknown still with how the vaccine is progressing,” Brunkow said. “But I would really like to think that some classes could be hybrid.

Maybe send a survey to students to see the comfort level of students before progressing any further. My thoughts are I want to feel safe and protected in whatever situation presented. If that means classes online next semester to get a quality, safe education, that is what I will do,” Brunkow said.

Additionally, Brunkow is taking into consideration that going completely back to normal in the fall could affect people around her.

“I know many people who are at a out of the house and bring back some higher risk because of the virus. I would sort of routine and normality that rather take classes online again if it isn’t sitting at a desk all day. My few means that I am able to visit them, with in-person classes have given me a masks and social distancing, and not sense of what being a college student risk their health and safety or mine,” is supposed to feel like,” Alldritt said.

Brunkow said.

Sophomore Dean Young prefers to First year Taleah Alldritt believes if be in person, but if things are not 100% the vaccine is available by the fall, it safe he is okay online. will present an opportunity for a better “It really boils down to just ‘what are quality college experience. the guidelines?’ How safe things are.

“If we have a vaccine available I I would be okay continuing online.” definitely want to be Young said. “There are in person. I am paying “My few in-person two categories of classes so much money really like to classes have given Iseewould for my education in person if it’s safe, and I would 100% me a sense of what which would be music prefer learning in ensembles and science being a college person to make real labs. It would be nice connections with student is supposed to have other classes classmates and in person, but I think to feel like.” professors,” Alldritt professors have worked said. “It is almost to make it so online impossible to do when you go to classes are just as effective.” virtual class every day and the majority Because things are constantly of students have their cameras and changing, Young is not certain of the microphones off.” possibility of being in person next Although driving less is convenient semester. as a commuter, Alldritt would prefer “I was looking at how effective safe in-person classes. immune responses were to the “It can be inconvenient when I’m mutations, because now people are expected to attend an in-person class worried about mutations making the with no option for virtual attendance. vaccines not as effective. It looks like However, I think my opinion has the jury’s still out on that. There’s mixed changed since the beginning of the results. I don’t know if we will be in semester. In-person classes get me person,” Young said.

Junior Crystal Camacho is hoping for safe social interaction next semester, but stresses that people should follow guidelines.

“I know once students are able to get vaccinated and their turns come, it will be on all of us to be responsible, get the vaccine and continue to follow guidelines set by professionals. That way, we can go back to in-person classes and maskless activities,” Camacho said.

Camacho thinks increased vaccine availability alone is insufficient to be fully in person next semester. She thinks it all comes down to Hamline’s policies.

“I want to see Hamline implement a system to keep track of who is vaccinated and who isn’t, and use that to determine who can be in person,” Camacho said. “Some students don’t wear their masks right or cover their noses, which doesn’t give me confidence for next semester. I want to be in person and go back to doing fun things like full choir rehearsals unmasked, or Fireball, but I will gladly wait to do those things until I feel Hamline really has a grasp on things and is doing everything in their power to make that transition safe for us.”

The colorful history of St Patrick’s Day St. Patrick’s Day is a day of joyful celebration, full of exciting events and fullon green everywhere, yet the history of how it came to be may be unknown to many people.

Z Martinez Variety Reporter aremmersmartinez01@hamline.edu In Ireland, this well known day used to be a much more holy day. The day is set on March 17 to commemorate the passing of the missionary responsible for spreading Christianity to Ireland.

Though there is not much background information on St. Patrick himself, it is known that he was not Irish and the color associated with him had been blue, not green. It was not until the 1798 Irish rebellion that green started becoming the associated color with this day.

Because this day is meant to be more holy than a mere holiday, Ireland spent the majority of past celebrations viewing this day as one of solemnity.

The morning portion of the day was

ILLUSTRATION | LEO COUGHENOUR, ORACLE spent at church with modest feasts set for later in the day. In fact, it was not until television arrived in Ireland that the festive portion of the day began to appear when they took notice of how the day was being celebrated in the United States. It is even said that the parades and celebrations in St. Paul were much bigger than those in Ireland, yet in recent years — before the pandemic — celebrations there have grown as tourists head to Ireland for the occasion.

There has been some dispute over where the very first St. Patrick’s Day celebration occurred. Boston is one of the places that claims to have had the first known celebration and it is where on March 17, 1737, many Presbyterians — known to have arrived from the north of Ireland — had come together in honor of St. Patrick and had also formed the Charitable Irish Society whose mission was to provide aid to struggling Irishmen within the city. It is the oldest Irish organization in

North America and to this day is known for conducting an annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner.

During their time of immigration into the United States, Irish Catholics were treated very unfairly, particularly after the failure of their potato crops in 1845 when many Irish Catholics arrived in the United States. They were harassed quite a bit, especially by the political group of the time who were called the ‘Know-Nothings.’ This group was known for being anti-Catholic, anti-Irish and anti-immigration.

They were recognized as spreading a xenophobic movement throughout the country. As a show of defiance in the face of inequality, the Irish used St. Patrick’s Day to present their pride and strength by partaking in parades and festivities. It was not until thousands of Irish soldiers joined the fight in the Civil War that they began to take on a different light.

As time progressed and the Irish began to embrace the American culture, even those with no Celtic blood began taking part in the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

8 Opinion

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

The other side of history textbooks

Hafsa Ahmed Columnist hadmed10@hamline.edu

How schools have taught history with a single narrative.

H istory cl ass was always an interesting yet restricting subject to take in high school. Teachers would go over coordinated notes and give us lessons on what the government approved for them to teach. We would hear the sound of pages flipping open while reciting dates and names needed for upcoming tests. Reflecting on Black History Month, I wanted to give a feel for what I believe is the new dawn of child education.

The senior year of high school for 2020 strolls along and despite the pandemic, many of my fellow underclassmen were excited

once our local high school brought together a class on African-American history course.

After many rough encounters on the nature of the material high schoolers were learning from a qualified person as well.

Schools have been lacking in their earlier times on properly giving students of a minority the chance to hear and learn the history that is often skipped over despite the large impacts it has made for us. With one narrative of history taught to us as a reminder of the accomplishments from the dominating group that settled here.

A lot of what is taught to us is considered the most important fundamentals of history, yet doesn’t really cover the other sides that actually build to what brought the functions we have today. To simply rephrase, what is being brought up, how much of history do we really know?

Sure, you can go and major in history and have a career in it if you’re truly interested in the field.

What irks me is looking back to notice the lack of basic historical information on things other than the general European narrative of what is said to be required for us to first know. I’m glad this generation of young students is being given the opportunity to strip away that mindset and use

other lenses to view history.

The excitement from my younger siblings when they learn about people in history similar to them and making a change is amazing. New role models are emerging from the history books.

I’m glad to see such a change.

Knowing that people similar to you have made a difference that has marked history is enlightening and encouraging.

It lets the world show that anyone can make a lasting difference.

So as we continue on and enter Women’s History Month, let’s give a nice light noted reminder that things are progressing. We aren’t alone in these battles and celebrations as voices from minorities are being heard. Let’s hope to see a future where all of these battles became pages in a book and classes teach the full perspectives of these past chapters. A future where the fundamentals in learning about the past have a more diverse scope and children of the future can feel encouraged to make a change.

A history with more than one narration, because we need more than one to fully understand and learn with true interest.

Speakout What do our students think about having already finished half of the spring semester?

Kue Thao First-year “I think the students who already finished half the spring semester are taking a step closer to their goals and towards graduation!”

Emily Smith Senior “I would echo what the other student said!

It has flown by! I think everyone is doing great for sticking through school during a pandemic! it’s been fun to see ways people have been getting involved in virtual and socially distant ways!”

Mason Huynh First-year

ILLUSTRATION | LEO COUGHENOUR, THE ORACLE

“Not being able to attend my freshman year physically seemed to me like a sad thing! Online school speeds everything up at a staggering rate. There are pros and cons to online school. However, the cons are not as significant as others might think.

It is a weird year for schooling and I still do not believe that I am almost done with my first-year [of] schooling.”

Opinion 9

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Gratitude and broken headlights

Will Nelson Senior Columnist wnelson08@hamline.edu

The underrated importance of conscious thankfulness.

I was expecting the hulking black Escalade to turn left through the intersection, but the driver had other plans. The chrome monolithon-wheels came to a complete stop halfway through the turn, and the hood of my Saturn Astra shrieked under its bumper with a sound like King Kong bending a steel I-beam over his knee.

Safely out of the intersection, the driver, a wrecking ball of a man clad in a dark suit and expensive looking sunglasses, got out of the vehicle,

looking almost cartoonishly like a mob boss.

I knew the accident had been mostly my fault; I had been much too close behind him as he started the turn. If he chose to press charges, he would probably win.

There I stood in my floral Hawaiian shirt, doe-eyed and shaking with the words ‘student debt’ written in sweat across my forehead.

The man crouched to inspect the damage. There was a good sized dent in his bumper. My hood was wrinkled at the corner, and one of the headlight’s casing was chipped.

All things considered, the damage could’ve been significantly worse.

Wordlessly, the man raised a single thick finger and wagged it at me, sunlight glinting off a fat little ruby on a ring that dug into his knuckle.

With that, he got back in his Escalade and drove off.

At that point in time, gratitude was far from my mind. I was furious.

Furious at fate for having ruined my Tuesday, furious at myself for not leaving room between the two vehicles and furious at the mob boss man for being so smug about the whole thing.

Gratitude definitely wasn’t my first response, but it’s the one that’s

stuck with me the longest.

I’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude ever since we read Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweetgrass” in my ecocriticism class. It’s an incredibly beautiful book that outlines a mindset of ecological consciousness through the lenses of both Indigenous wisdom and scientific practice.

I cannot recommend it highly enough.

In it, Kimmerer writes a lot about the idea that cultures rooted in gratitude lead to increased responsibility and awareness.

“Appreciation begets abundance,” Kimmerer writes.

The relationship that Kimmerer focuses on in the book is that between humans and the land. If we come to understand what we call “natural resources” as gifts from the land, our appreciation for said gifts will manifest itself in good land stewardship, leading to a healthy cycle of reciprocity.

This concept is particularly compelling when applied to the natural world, but it can be seen in any relationship.

Our idea of gratitude is often restricted to the act of saying thank you, which can be a powerful act. However, like the phrase “I’m sorry,” it carries less weight

unless it’s accompanied by action.

Showing thanks means respect and reciprocity: the flour and eggs in a well-functioning relationship.

The more I thought about gratitude, the less I saw its presence in most aspects of my life.

For example, as many college students do, I’ve found myself drifting away from the religious practices I was raised on, which means I’ve stopped giving thanks for my food before I eat it.

It’s such an incredibly simple action that could so easily be incorporated into our lives. You don’t need to be thankful to anyone in particular, but having thanks on your mind radically changes the act of eating food.

I’m not preaching optimism.

Gratitude has nothing to do with the future. It’s a mindset of the present, an awareness and acknowledgment of something good in your life.

A lot of bad things happen, but even on the worst of days, a lot of good things happen too. Delicious soups are eaten, old friends are waved at, interesting birds are seen, traffic collision lawsuits are avoided…

If you want to start practicing gratitude, you don’t need to look far.

Let’s not idolize monarchs and Meghan Markle, the former Duke and Duchess of Sussex, left the royal family a few years ago — title and all — for their

Robin Doyscher Guest Columnist sdoyscher01@hamline.edu

Americans have a fascination with the royal family — this is not a good thing.

T he royal family debacle has dominated news cycles, both British and American, for the better part of a couple weeks now.

If you don’t know, Prince Harry

“The Kardashian family may be cultural colonizers, but the royal family of England are actual colonizers.” own peace of mind. Hearing that the royal family has essentially bullied and harassed the two is a truly sad story, and there’s been an outpouring of support for Meghan, who has discussed her mental health struggles. This has opened

up a conversation about family circumstances, and whether or not we truly owe our family anything even in toxic relationships.

And of course, this has been reflected within social media.

A lot of social media users have talked about how awful it is to hear that the royal family has such problems. This doesn’t include the conservative pundits who — in a stunning display of cognitive dissonance — have been defending the monarchy. “The ruling family of England? Racist? Nah, it couldn’t be. Their colonies are very multicultural.” And yes, this is an actual argument being given. On top of that, there have been enough Americans who still see this as a sad display of people they’ve idolized no longer being happy.

Which begs the question: why?

Why do we revere this family?

Americans will swear all day about how terrible the Kardashian family is and how little they contribute to society, but what do the royal

family actually do? The Kardashian family may be cultural colonizers, but the royal family of England are actual colonizers.

The royal family has certainly been around the planet, seeing as they’ve colonized and invaded all but 22 countries on this earth.

Now, call me crazy, but your country’s biggest export being independence days is pretty awful.

The most telling was an article that lauded the queen’s collection of expensive jewels that she invested in. Yeah, “invested.” I’m sure the Indian subcontinent and most of Africa is perfectly fine with the fact that Elizabeth II is wearing their ancestral artifacts as cute accessories.

Look, if you think the royal family is interesting, that’s not something you should be ashamed of. However, we need to realize that the royal family being “bullies” isn’t as bad as being literal colonizers.

10 Sports

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Spring sports arrive as winter wraps up With almost every winter sport done for the season, there is a lot to look back on.

Jilly Wortman Sports Reporter jwortman01@hamline.edu With the warm weather blowing in, the winter season is on its way out. Many people had doubts that this year would be able to have any kind of activity and now we are on the other side with great success.

Track and field left their season with multiple wins in different men’s event categories. The women’s team also finished with seven first-place wins and broke two school records. “Our women’s weight team placed 5th in the nation, so it was a very successful indoor season,” said Ellie Biggins, a sophomore on the track and field team.

Jenneel Rodney, a junior on the track and field team, said the season went “really well. I had a huge PR in the weight throw & got to throw shot put for the first time in a college meet.”

The women’s hockey team has had success as well this season. Their final record was four and two, along with coach Natalie Darwitz being inducted into the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame for her time as a hockey player.

The men’s hockey team is still participating in games after multiple postponements. The team is however standing with a record of one and three with many high scoring games this season.

As for basketball, many things changed throughout the season. For the men’s team, they had some postponed games back in February due to COVID-19 protocols. As of March 1, all of the postponed games were canceled so the team ended with an overall record of two and five.

The women’s team had a similar situation with postponements turned into cancelations. They did get to play a total of six games this season and ended with a two and four record. In one game against Concordia, there were a total of 13 threes made.

In the swim and dive world, there was a lot of success, specifically on the women’s side. The team ended third in the season finale. There were also big accomplishments in the classroom for the women’s team as they were named to the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America’s (CSCAA) Scholar All-America Team because of their grades from the fall semester.

“At our conference meet some of my teammates

PHOTOS | COURTESY OF HAMLINE ATHLETICS

Winter sports teams showed up and out at their competitions this season despite the irregularities in schedualing and regulations. went college best times and some even went lifetime bests. Nearly everyone went season bests so that was great,” said Julie Mesita, a sophomore on the swim team.

The men’s team had a strong season as well. Many of the athletes had new personal bests and in their final meet, there were 14 finishes in the top 16. There was one postponement for the men this season.

“With most classes being online, it was nice to have some normalcy and get to train and be with more people. It was not an ideal season but I’m glad we had it,” Mesita said.

This season was not what it once was but it was still a successful competition season for the Hamline Pipers.

Sports 11

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

Weekly MIAC round up Spring sports have begun! The first week of competition has been busy for the Piper athletes.

Cathryn Salis Sports Editor csalis01@hamline.edu Men’s and Women’s Tennis vs Wartburg College Mar 6, 2021 W 6-3 (M) and L 3-6 (W) Two wins in doubles and four wins in singles matches secured the men’s tennis team their first win of the season on Saturday. The women’s team recorded three wins in the singles matches but fell to the much experienced Wartburg Knights.

On the men’s side, senior Nazeer Robinson and first year Elijah Krause won the No. 1 spot in singles, and junior Tou Ger Xiong teamed up with first year Issac Hultberg to win the No. 2 spot.

First year Sam Thompson won the No. 5 spot in singles with a 6-0, 6-0 win. First year Dom Warzecha took the No. 4 singles spot after a 7-6(in 4), 6-0 win.

“The freshmen really came out and competed,” Robinson said. “I was very surprised at how ready they were [for competition].”

The women’s team also had three first-years win their matches. Lily Vang took the No. 4 singles spot, Jersi McAlpine won the No. 5 spot in three and Peyton Buerman won No. 6.

First year Taylor Vyskocil and Vang played the No. 1 doubles spot and won four games but eventually lost 8–4. Junior Taylor Hopkins and McAlpine played in the No. 2 spot and fell to the Knights players as well.

While the men have a hefty break before their next competition, the women play again in a little over a week.

PHOTOS | COURTESY OF HAMLINE ATHLETICS two runs at this point and were able to keep their lead.

The second game proved much more successful for the Pipers, ending the game in five innings and finishing offensively aggressively and often.

In the top of the first inning alone, four runs were scored. The bases were loaded immediately and four different hitters came home. The Jillys scored one run at the bottom of the inning to make the score 4–1, but this proved to be as good as Northland could do for this second game.

After two innings of play the Pipers had scored twice more, and in the third with two hits and an error, the score was up another two runs for Hamline.

A home run from Klinnert gave the Pipers the eightrun lead that would hold out for the last inning and a half. The run-rule victory for the Pipers left a sweet taste in the mouth for the softball team’s first victory of the season.

did, with the Pipers scoring three goals early. UWL scored and the Pipers answered again.

The Eagles turned on the heat at this point, putting up three more points and making the game 10–8 in the last five minutes. Piper’s defense held strong, however, and the women’s lacrosse team walked away with a win.

For more updated stats, recaps and scheduals, visit hamlineathletics.com. All games are livestreamed and include lives updated stats and commentary.

Softball vs Northland Mar 9, 2021 L 1-2 and W 9-1 Piper softball started their season strong, winning one of their two first games in last Tuesday’s double header against Northland. The first game remained scoreless for the first four innings but the Northland Jills ended up taking the game with one run in the seventh inning.

Though the score does not reflect it, there was lots of tough batting on Hamline’s side and the bases were loaded in both the second and sixth innings.

The first run of the day for the Pipers was achieved in the seventh inning by both junior Theresa Klinnert with a triple and senior April Jacobs who singled to bring Klinnert home. However, the Jills had scored

Women’s Lacrosse vs UW-La Crosse Mar 10, 2021 W 10-8 The Hamline women’s lacrosse team secured their first W in a road game against the UW-La Crosse Eagles. The Pipers got possession fast and early, and held it for the beginning of the first half.

At 11:30 to go in the first half, the Pipers were leading 3–0, with goals recorded from senior Maya Hernandez and sophomore Taryn Leonard, one a piece assisted by senior Ashley Hessler and the last

by Leonard unassisted.

Though the Eagles answered with three of their own goals after, senior Maria Lewis scored again swinging the momentum back to the Piper’s and ending the half at 4–3.

The second half started much like the first half

SCREENSHOT | CATHRYN SALIS, ORACLE

12 News Collage

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021

A portrait of protest

COLLAGE | CARMEN DANZ, ORACLE PHOTOS | JACK FISCHER, ORACLE With jury selection underway for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, protestors have gathered daily outside the Hennepin County Government Center to express a deep want for conviction of the former officer.