4.21.21

HAMLINE UNIVERSITY | ST. PAUL, MN | 4.21.21 | VOL. 132 | NO. 18 | HAMLINEORACLE.COM

HyVaccination at Hamline Health Services is in the process of arranging a possible HyVee vaccination clinic on campus later this month while Minnesota State Fairgrounds still offers vaccination appointments.

Anika Besst Senior Reporter abesst01@hamline.edu Hamline’s health services has been in the process of setting up a vaccination clinic on campus through HyVee Pharmacy to help get the Hamline community vaccinated.

If approved, this event will take place on April 29 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m in Walker Fieldhouse.

There will be 400 appointments available for students, staff, faculty and their family members. A registration link is tentatively scheduled to be sent by Monday, April 19.

This comes after the first week of the State Fairgrounds vaccination site opening, which includes offering to the ZIP code Hamline University is in.

“I’ve heard there are lots of appointments [at the State Fair] going unfilled,” Jodi Metz, director of Health Services, wrote in an email. “There is now a direct phone number to make appointments and they are offering free metro transit vouchers/ day passes to get there.”

The number to call is (833) 431-2053 which offers multiple languages and ADA accommodations are available. They are open for calls 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The COVID-19 Vaccine Connector website is still available for signing up too.

The free metro transit pass is included in the confirmation text and email.

The only information that must be provided to make an appointment is a first and last name, birth date and home address. They encourage individuals to provide a phone number and email address if applicable. The fairgrounds site does not require an ID or medical insurance.

The fairgrounds site is especially encouraged to students who may be leaving campus in May after the spring semester

ILLUSTRATION | ABDIRAHMAN ALI, ORACLE and graduation in order for them to receive both doses of the Pfizer vaccine before they depart.

The HyVee event will also be administering the Pfizer vaccine. The second campus event would be May 20 or 21 since the second dose should be given 21 days (plus or minus four) of the first dose.

The fairgrounds address is: 1680 Como Avenue Falcon Heights, MN, 55108 Updates can be expected from the Emergency Preparedness email.

For information about the Fairgrounds site visit: https:// mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine/statefairvaccine/index. jsp

Chaplain Nancy VictorinVangerud is retiring and the Wesley Center starts the search for a new director. see page 3

PHOTO | COURTESY OF DAVID HUDSON David Hudson sits proud at a Hamline commencement ceremony on Old Main Lawn.

The Oracle says farewell to our longtime adviser, David Hudson, as he embarks on his next greatest story — retirement! see pages 8 and 9

PHOTO | COURTESY OF NANCY VICTORIN-VANGERUD Chaplain Nancy Victorin-Vangerud receives the Wesley Award at a commencement ceremony.

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2 News

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

The incredible shrinking Modern Languages Department

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 Illustrators Leo Coughenour, Abdirahman Ali Senior Reporters Kelly Holm, Anika Besst, Robin Doyscher, Jilly Wortman, Sarah Sawyer, Ethan Hermann, Leslie Perez, Jack Fischer, Z Martinez, Lyla Lee, Kathryn Robinson, Hayden Hayes, AJ Washington

With the sunsetting of German, Spanish is set to become the department’s only major.

Kelly Holm Senior Reporter kholm02@hamline.edu Barely a decade ago, Hamline’s Modern Languages and Literatures Department offered three majors: French, German and Spanish. French was cut in the early 2010s, and recently the department announced that the German major and minor was being phased out.

“Learning another language requires the commitment of time and energy, and I think a lot of students are deciding that they may not have that time, or they may not be able to make that commitment,” department chair Shannon Cannella said of this decision. “The budgetary pressures already existed, and then you have COVID overlaying everything.”

With this development, Spanish will become the only modern language a Piper can major in without taking courses through the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities.

Chinese is also offered as a minor.

“It… becomes more of a Spanish department than a languages department, if Spanish is the only [major] offered,” junior Katy Boese, a Spanish major, said.

Reporters Coby Aloi, Nicole Espinoza Senior Columnists Emily Brown, Will Nelson, Hafsa Ahmed, Andrew P Weston, SJ Welch Senior Photographers Melanie Hopkins, Antonio Risso, Aidan Stromdahl, Emily Lall, Cait Quinn, Dasiyah Franklin-Carter Photographers Taleah Alldritt Distributor Robin Doyscher Advisers David Hudson, Trevor Maine

POLICIES

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Our mission To cover news, trends, events and entertainment relevant to Hamline undergraduate students. We strive to make our coverage accurately reflect the diverse communities that comprise the student population.

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PHOTO | EMILY LALL, ORACLE Spanish is the last remaining language major at Hamline. With two full-time faculty to teach the subject, the language is well supported.

The department currently employs three full-time professors, a drop from seven in 2006, and an unprecedented low in terms of both faculty and offering numbers.

“Languages have been taught [at Hamline and liberal arts colleges] from the beginning,” said F. Garvin Davenport, a retired Hamline professor, dean and vice president. “In the early days Hebrew [and] Greek, possibly because of the training of ministers.”

Russian and Italian were also offered at Hamline for brief periods, in the late 1980s and from 2003 to 2008, respectively. During a recent program review, the department was advised that adding an Arabic major or minor might be beneficial, but there are no concrete plans at the moment to manifest this.

optimistic about its future and is taking the shrinkage as an opportunity to rebrand.

PHOTO | EMILY LALL, ORACLE German is no longer being offered as a major or minor at Hamline, but courses are still going to be offered this next academic year.

Bell pointed out that 84% of employers want to hire Spanish speakers and 34% seek Chinese speakers, according to a 2019 survey from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. She expressed interest in integrating Hamline’s language offerings with other professional paths.

“As sad as it is to phase out the German major and minor, it’s exciting for Modern Languages to find better ways to connect with future students,” Bell said. “We’re exploring new programs, like Spanish and public health or Spanish and criminal justice.”

Bell added that the Chinese minor may be marketed to offer two tracks, language proficiency and cultural fluency. She also expressed interest in setting up a proficiency certification program for commonly-spoken languages in the Twin Cities area, like Hmong and Somali.

Spanish professor Maria Jesus Leal said that a name change for the department may also be underway.

“We are having conversations about a different name for the Modern Languages department,” Leal said. “We will continue supporting programs and encouraging students to study abroad in countries where the target language is [spoken].”

PHOTO | EMILY LALL, ORACLE The only Chinese degree offered at Hamline is the minor. If students wish to major, they can do so by creating a flexible curriculum major and taking coures at other ACTC institutions.

“We would need to carefully assess student demand and logistics before rolling out any new language program,” Spanish professor Andrea Bell said. “It would have to be sustainable and probably start small, at the certificate level… due to the uncertainty of the present time, with the university’s COVID-19 response at the forefront of decision-making, this move is on hold for the time being.”

With that, Bell expects that Spanish and Chinese will continue to be Hamline’s only modern language offerings as a major or minor. However, the department is

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News 3

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

Being clear on transparency During the College of Liberal Arts program review, the Dean’s Office noticed a breach in security, resulting in a broader discussion about transparency.

Anika Besst Senior Reporter abesst01@hamline.edu Jack Fischer Senior Reporter jfischer12@hamline.edu It has come to the attention of the Faculty Institutional Relations Committee (FIRC), who oversees College of Liberal Arts (CLA) matters, that student reporters have been attending CLA meetings online throughout the academic year.

With the CLA in the middle of a program review, faculty have been communicating more than ever in online spaces that, due to COVID-19 and new technology, are more accessible for the masses, on or off-campus.

Oracle and HUSC representatives have been asked to sit in on CLA meetings in an effort to provide transparency and to communicate with the student body efficiently.

There has been a long standing invitation to Oracle staff that dates back prior to virtual meetings. According to

CLA Dean Marcela Kostihova, an assistant in the office has invited the Oracle for as long as 29 years. Despite this long-standing invitation, FIRC members and faculty alike were not fully aware of student attendance.

The Student Press Law Center (SPLC) argues that meetings of governing bodies, like CLA faculty meetings, should be open to the public and to reporters.

The SPLC writes that “state laws generally say that, if a majority of any government body — decision-making or even advisory — meets to discuss public business, the meeting is open to the public with limited exceptions, such as discussion of legal strategy in a pending lawsuit.”

Due to Hamline being a private institution, the FIRC wrote guidelines that the Oracle has agreed to stating CLA faculty meetings are not “public meetings” and faculty have the right to oversee and regulate attendance.

What was thought of first as a data leak turned out to be a misunderstanding, impacted by the factors of FIRC and faculty’s oblivion to student attendance and reporter confusion about what was and was not confidential.

According to the student reporter who attended the meeting that opened this conversation, a link for program review data was posted without context in the Google Meets chat. This link was copied, resulting in a breach of some confidential material. None of this data was published. While the Google site that faculty uses has limited access, the document the reporter accessed did not have restricted viewing access. According to

Dean Marcela Kostihova, it was made clear that this information was confidential.

What resulted was ultimately miscommunication and confusion between the CLA Dean’s office, the FIRC, faculty and the Oracle, which opened up a greater conversation about transparency and access.

“There was never any decision to ban the Oracle however we did want to, to kind of clarify the policy and particularly, we want to make the faculty aware, if there are reporters in the meeting, that what they say can and might be used in a story,” chair of FIRC, and political science professor Joseph Peschek said.

Oracle reporters will still be allowed in these spaces and the committee and other offices have created steps so everyone understands and feels most comfortable moving forward.

In response to the situation, leaders of the Oracle agreed to some new reporting standards for the reporters that attend meetings.

To maintain transparency, Oracle reporters will be asked to identify themselves near the start of meetings.

Meetings will not be recorded, a practice they already follow, and reporters will refrain from copying, pasting or saving what is posted in the chat.

According to the FIRC, it wants to help support and prepare students for professional reporting outside of Hamline.

Chaplain change is in the air Chaplain and Director of the Wesley Center Nancy Victorin-Vangerud retires Aug. 20.

Kelly Holm Senior Reporter kholm02@hamline.edu Recent years have brought change to University Chaplain and Director of the Wesley Center Nancy Victorin-Vangerud in her professional life, like hosting the annual Mahle Lecture on a virtual platform for the first time.

“I’ve been getting emails from around the country of people who Zoomed in,” Victorin-Vangerud said of the lecture, which was titled “Who are We? Christian Nationalism, White Supremacy and Pathways to Liberation.”

But this year, Victorin-Vangerud is due for an even bigger professional change — namely, that after marking 14 years as chaplain and Wesley Center director, she will retire from the position on Aug. 20.

That does not mean that Victorin-Vangerud’s passions for spirituality and social justice will draw to a close, however.

“I really want to retire, formally, so that I can devote myself to finding places to teach, particularly at this time of need for new narratives about religion, about Christianity, about the changes that are underway in our society,” Victorin-Vangerud said. “I want religion

to draw on its more prophetic roots… teaching, writing, creating, being a part of organizations that are working on food sustainability. I want to be feeding people and teaching people how to garden and grow their own food.”

Now, the search for a new chaplain and Wesley Center director is underway, with the job opening officially listed online. Most of the position’s duties are the same ones Victorin-Vangerud has carried out over the past 14 years — like coordinating the Mahle Lecture, representing Hamline at the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and providing interfaith leadership throughout the community — but greater academic commitments are a new function.

“Certainly the Wesley Center will be really different without Nancy, though... there will be some big shoes to fill.”

Emily Hilderbrand sophomore

“The chaplain will also have some teaching responsibility… whether that’s a FYSem or in the Religion Department,” Victorin-Vangerud said. The job posting reads “Teach up to 3 courses in the area of expertise under the direction of the dean of the college of liberal arts.”

In her time as chaplain and Wesley Center director, Victorin-Vangerud has overseen departmental restructuring and has seen colleagues come and go.

Positions like Coordinator of Religious and Spiritual Life Programs and Coordinator of Civic Engagement and the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration have been cut when their officeholder resigned or have been absorbed into a different jurisdiction.

Although the Wesley Center staff is smaller than when Victorin-Vangerud first arrived, many of her colleagues have been with her since the beginning.

“I first met Nancy when the staff from various programs who would come together to form the new Wesley Center had a chance to meet with the finalists for her position,” Jane Krentz, director of the McVay Youth Partnership, said. “We all agreed that Nancy would be a great choice, though we weren’t part of the official interview committee.”

The committee that will select Victorin-Vangerud’s successor has not yet been assembled, according to Dean of Students Patti Klein-Kersten. “[Victorin-Vangerud] has been one of the best mentors and advocates I’ve had, so I hope that we will continue to talk and be friends,” said sophomore Emily Hilderbrand, student leader of the Love Boldly campaign. “Certainly the Wesley Center will be really different without Nancy, though… there will be some big shoes to fill.”

4 News

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

The State of Minnesota The state has finished presenting its evidence in the trial of Derek Chauvin. The former Minneapolis police officer who was fired after George Floyd, a Black man, died in his custody faces charges for two counts of muder and one count of manslaughter. His fate now lies in the hands of a 12-person jury in Minneapolis. Here is a timeline with highlights from the trial, as of April 18.

Jack Fischer Senior Reporter jfischer12@hamline.edu

April 1, 2021 Courtney Ross, Floyd’s girlfriend for three years leading up to his death.

When Ross first met Floyd at a Salvation Army Shelter, she was visibly upset, and he approached her and asked, “can I pray with you?” Ross remembered. “We went out to eat a lot because I loved to eat a lot, he’s a big man and, you know, it took a lot of energy to keep him going and he loved food, and so did I,” Ross fondly recalled. “It was an adventure always.”

“Both Floyd and I, our story, it’s a classic story of how many people get addicted to opioids.

We both suffered from chronic pain, mine was in my neck and his was in his back, we both had prescriptions. But after prescriptions were filled and we got addicted, and tried really hard to break that addiction many times,” Ross recounted.

March 31, 2021 Christopher Martin, 19-year-old employee at Cup Foods.

Martin testified he suspected the $20 bill Floyd used was counterfeit, and after unsuccessfully trying to get Floyd back in the store twice, his manager called the police. “If I would have just not taken the bill, this could have been avoided,” Martin said on the stand.

Charles McMillian, 61-year-old witness after police escorted Floyd from across the street.

He testified to encouraging Floyd to comply with police. “You can’t win,” he recounted. After watching traumatic body camera footage of the events leading up to Floyd’s death he broke down on the stand. The judge ordered the court into recess to allow McMillian to recuperate.

Genevieve Hansen, a Minneapolis firefighter who was off duty and encountered the situation.

She testified that she attempted to provide emergency care to Floyd, but the officers would not let her. “There is a man being killed and I would have been able to provide medical attention to the best of my abilities, and this human was not provided that right,” she said.

Hansen was later reprimanded by Judge Peter Cahill when being cross examined, telling her not to argue with the defense counsel. “I don’t know if you’ve seen anyone be killed, but it is upsetting,” Hansen said during an exchange with defense attorney Eric Nelson.

SCREENSHOT | CARMEN DANZ, ORACLE Derek Chauvin invokes his Fifth Amendment right to not testify at his trial.

April 6, 2021 Lt. Johnny Mercil Minneapolis Police Department use of force trainer. “You want to use the least amount of force necessary to meet your objective to control.”

April 5, 2021 Medaria Arradondo, the Police Chief of the Minneapolis Police Department, and first Black man in that role.

“Once Mr. Floyd had stopped resisting — and certainly once he was in distress and trying to verbalize that — that should have stopped,” Arradondo said.

Inspector Katie Blackwell, who has known Chauvin for about 20 years during her time on the force with him. Blackwell was shown the viral photo of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, prosecutors asked her if that was a tactic police are taught. “I don’t know what kind of improvised position this is,” Blackwell said.

SCREENSHOT | CARMEN DANZ, ORACLE Christopher Martin, the employee who was working at Cup Foods the day George Floyd came in, is sworn in.

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

V. Derek Chauvin April 12, 2021 Defense Eric Nelson motioned for Judge Peter Cahill to sequester the jurors in response to the death of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man fatally shot by a white police officer in Brooklyn Center on April 11. Nelson also moved to order the jurors to avoid all news media going forth. Judge Cahill denied the requests.

Philonise Floyd, the younger brother of George Floyd, testified as a “spark-oflife” witness. Unlike most states, Minnesota allows prosecutors to call spark-of-life witnesses solely for the purpose of humanizing the victims to the jury. “[On] May 24 I got married and my brother was killed May 25 and my mom died on May 30,” Floyd said. “He loved the workout, he loved playing basketball, he loved teaching people the game of basketball. That’s to me where I really learned how to play, from him, because he guided a lot of guys on the court and showed them what they need to do to be better.”

The prosecution rests.

News 5

April 14, 2021 Dr. David Fowler, a retired chief medical examiner, testified Floyd’s death was due to the combined with his heart condition, illicit drugs found in his system and CO2 exhaust from a nearby squad car.

To be continued...

April 8, 2021 Dr. Martin Tobin, a pulmonologist and professor at Loyola University Medical Center.

“Mr. Floyd died from a low level of oxygen and this caused damage to his brain that we see and it also caused a PES (pulseless electrical activity) arrhythmia that caused his heart to stop,” Tobin testified.

“The cause of the low level of oxygen was shallow breathing… Shallow breaths that weren’t able to carry the air through his lungs down to the essential areas of the lungs to get that oxygen into the blood and get rid of the carbon dioxide,” Tobin said.

April 15, 2021 “I will invoke my Fifth Amendment privilege today,” said defendant Derek Chauvin.

April 13, 2021 Eric Nelson the defense began presenting his case in the trial of his defendant Derek Chauvin.

Barry Brodd, a retired police officer and use of force expert. Brodd worked for 22 years in the Santa Rosa Police Department.

“Chauvin was justified and acting with objective reasonableness following Minneapolis Police Department policy,” Brodd said.

“The evidence is now complete for this case,” Judge Peter Cahill said.

Closing arguments begin Monday, April 19.

SCREENSHOT | CARMEN DANZ, ORACLE Philonise Floyd testies on behalf of his younger brother’s character and life.

SCREENSHOT | CARMEN DANZ, ORACLE Dr. Martin Tobin testifies at Chauvin’s trial on April 8, 2021. He said Floyd died from low levels of oxygen.

SCREENSHOT | ANIKA BESST, ORACLE Judge Cahill announces that closing arguments will begin Monday, April 19.

6 A&E

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

Oscar award predictions As the Academy Awards draw near, we are in for an interesting night.

Here are some speculations on which nominees are deserving of the Oscar and which are most likely to take the award home.

Jacob ‘Coby’ Aloi A&E Reporter jaloi01@hamline.edu As the granddaddy of all award shows airs this weekend on April 25, what sort of self respecting publication would we be if we did not give our own unsolicited opinion on who will take home Oscar gold? Follow along as I give my opinions on who should go home the winners, and who will actually end up stealing the show.

Best Picture Nominees “Mank” “Nomadland” “The Trial of the Chicago 7” “Promising Young Woman” “Judas and the Black Messiah” “Minari” “The Father” “Sound of Metal” My pick for Best Picture: “Nomadland,” directed and written by Chloé Zhao.

Based on the award winning book of the same name, “Nomadland” takes a look at the nomadic lifestyle that has been on the rise in the last decade.

Its themes of living in constant transition and loss underscore a powerful story that blurs the line between film and documentary — a large portion of the cast are real life nomads who play fictional versions of themselves. Frances McDormand gives a brilliant and heart warming performance, and the story overall leaves you feeling both struck to the core and with an odd sense of longing for adventure.

What I think will win: “Nomadland,” directed and written by Chloé Zhao.

I gave it all the praise it deserves and cannot say much more other than it is certainly a must watch.

At the time of publishing, it is currently available on Hulu. While other nominees such as “Judas and the Black Messiah” are equally as moving and captivating, according to industry professionals — such as entertainment and lifestyle magazine Variety — a good deal of politics has gone into who is at the front of the pack, and currently “Nomadland” towers above the rest.

Best Animated Feature Nominees “Onward” “Soul” “Over the Moon” “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon” “Wolfwalkers” My pick for Best Animated Feature: “Onward,” directed by Dan Scanlon. Written by Dan Scanlon, Jason Headley and Keith Bunin.

I know, a controversial pick on my part. However, I have a soft spot for this film. The world building, character arcs and touching story about loss, acceptance and the importance of family is incredibly

poignant. It might also have something to do with the fact “Onward” was the last film I saw in theaters before COVID-19 rendered most theater going experiences nonexistent.

What I think will win: “Soul,” directed by Pete Docter and Kemp Powers. Written by Pete Docter, Mike Jones and Kemp Powers.

While I personally enjoyed “Onward” just a bit more than “Soul,” I will concede that “Soul” is fundamentally a better film with a wider appeal.

Pixar has a knack for creating emotional and powerful stories and maturely handles issues such as death and understanding one’s purpose in life with this film in particular. As much as I would love to see “Onward” win, “Soul” rightly deserves it.

Best Director Nominees Lee Isaac Chung - “Minari” Emerald Fennell - “Promising Young Woman” David Fincher - “Mank” Thomas Vinterberg - “Another Round” Chloé Zhao - “Nomadland” My pick for Best Director: Chloé Zhao “Nomadland.”

As I previously mentioned, “Nomadland” was a fantastic ride that I believe most people will enjoy.

Zhao was the perfect choice for the piece, and has created a film that, in my opinion, will be enjoyed for years to come. Not only does she deserve it, but with the recent years of #oscarssowhite, it would be nice to see a woman of color take home the prize.

Who I think will win: Chloé Zhao - “Nomadland.”

Zhao has got this in the bag in my opinion.

With the film likely to win Best Picture, and with much of that due to the world and characters Zhao helped create, it would be criminal to not give her the award.

Best Adapted Screenplay Nominees “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Swimer, Peter Baynham, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Mazer, Jena Friedman and Lee Kern.

“The Father,” screenplay by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller.

“Nomadland,” screenplay by Chloé Zhao.

“One Night in Miami,” screenplay by Kemp Powers.

“The White Tiger,” screenplay by Ramin Bahrani.

My pick for Best Adapted Screenplay: “Nomadland,”

by Chloé Zhao.

I honestly believe that Oscar night 2021 will be the night of Zhao. Her talent is unmatched and her ability to adapt journalistic writing into a wonderful piece of cinema and a soon to be classic should not go unrecognized.

What I think will win: “Nomadland,” by Chloé Zhao.

The academy has been looking for an important piece to award, and this is the perfect film to earn that honor.

Best Original Screenplay Nominees “Judas and the Black Messiah,” screenplay by Will Berson and Shaka King.

“Minari,” screenplay by Lee Isaac Chung.

“Promising Young Woman,” screenplay by Emerald Fennell.

“Sound of Metal,” screenplay by Darius Marder and Abraham Marder.

“The Trial of the Chicago 7,” screenplay by Aaron Sorkin.

My pick for Best Screenplay: “Judas and the Black Messiah.”

Generally speaking, I have heard that a lot of people really enjoyed this film. It’s timely, poignant and delivers on all levels a magnificent story. There has not been a lot of buzz around what I think is a strong film and it would be nice to see this movie win something. Currently this is its best chance to cause an upset and win as an underdog.

What I think will win: “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”

I did a review on this film, and while it is not my personal favorite of the year, Aaron Sorkin is a juggernaut of a personality and writer. There has been a lot of good will toward his incredible script.

While I have my own issues with this particular film, Sorkin has only won one Oscar despite being nominated for the award numerous times. This year, I feel the Academy will reward his excellent work across his career with a stellar script that may not be his best work.

Acting Categories I will only be naming the artist and the category, and why I believe they will walk home with Oscar gold.

Actor in a Leading Role: Chadwick Boseman in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

Nothing much I can say other than this posthumous award is well earned for the late Boseman. Not only is his performance truly incredible, but I think “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” deserves more recognition. Hopefully a win by Boseman will bring light to his amazing talents and also a beautiful film.

Actress in a Leading Role: Frances McDormand in “Nomadland.”

I simply love this film and apart from the incredible work Zhao did, the rest of the beauty is due to McDormand’s stellar turn as “Fern” — the newly widowed nomad who takes us all on a journey of loss, love and acceptance.

Actor in a Supporting Role: Sacha Baron Cohen in “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and Daniel Kaluuuya in “Judas and the Black Messiah.”

I can not just pick one for this award, so I am excited to see which — if either — of these superb individuals will win. Both of these gentlemen were standouts in their respective films and both deserve praise for their performances.

Actress in a Supporting Role: Glenn Close in “Hillbilly Elegy.”

I will be honest, I have not seen this film.

However, I think that Glenn Close is long overdue for her Oscar win. I normally am against the idea of awarding someone based on their career rather than their individual performance in a film, but Close is a tour de force and should be celebrated as such.

Overall, considering the hit the industry has taken because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it was a great year for cinema and I eagerly await to see if my prediction skills cut the mustard. Until then, I encourage you all to watch as many of these incredible films and performances as you can.

A&E 7

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

Professors and art up close Professor Kaori Kenmotsu has dedicated her artistic career to connecting with other communities and building new ones. From working with young individuals to professing in higher education, her practice is motivated by helping others to connect with their bodies, minds and movement in addition to connecting with the people that surround them.

Lyla Lee Senior Reporter llee23@hamline.edu Working in the artistic field for roughly 25 years, Hamline University’s Senior Lecturer of Dance and Theatre and Artistic Director for the Hamline Dance Ensemble, Professor Kaori Kenmotsu, has accomplished so much in her career. While there are many lessons to learn from her in and out of the arts, she continues to find herself teaching and learning more about dance, art and the ways that they intersect with other aspects of life.

Kenmotsu emphasized how the arts are fundamental to different communities. She talks about the ways that it is helpful to other areas of practice as well as how it builds relationships between those different fields.

“Before I was at MRAC [Metropolitan Regional Arts Council], I was a community organizer in South Minneapolis. I did a lot of Lake Street revitalization and I was an economic development organizer,” Kenmotsu said. “So to me, I think there’s always been a bridge about how arts begin to develop communities, but also creative processes are utilized in strategic planning. I’ve always been interested in those intersectionalities.”

Among art forms able to bridge the gap between different fields and communities, Kenmotsu found that dance was key to connecting different social groups. During her mid-20s, she worked with a dance company that taught after school programs.

While working at these after school programs, Kenmotsu noticed that dance brought together the separated student groups.

“What I realized was that the use of movement in my field was actually breaking down all of these silos. I think they were in their own silos of their own social groups and what we ended up figuring out was that we could use dancing as a way to bridge that,” Kenmotsu said. “It was really a powerful experience and

I feel like those experiences formed my teaching pedagogy.”

Although these experiences may have been challenging for Kenmotsu, they were crucial to developing her approaches to teaching.

“The biggest experience for me, in terms of understanding how to teach and the bridge that art can do, were my community [education] classes for kids,” Kenmotsu said. “One of the things that I learned in that process was that I could never say that I’m going to teach ‘modern dance.’ The students would ask ‘What is that? Can you teach hip hop?’ What I realized was that I was actually teaching the kids and the students how to be in their own bodies.”

These experiences have also shaped the ways in which Kenmotsu teaches her students at Hamline University.

“I feel like it’s a fundamental way of how I teach. It is integrated into my DNA as a teacher. At Hamline, I’ve been really trying to foster student creativity like producing work and helping going through creative processes. In the last five years or so I’ve been really intrigued and interested in how movement, somatic education and the training of the physical body can be used outside of the arts,” Kenmotsu said. “I’ve been really interested in ideas of what I call embodied practices of conflict negotiation, how somatic education can be used in different areas besides artistic realms.”

When asked about what kind of goals she sees for herself in the future, she talks about her fascination with the intersectionalities of art and other subjects, and how those intersectionalities connect with one another.

“I’m at that point in my career where I’m really interested in the intersectionality between arts, community and law with the bridge of how do we teach?” Kenmotsu said. “How can somatic education, embodied practices begin to heal and help bridge communities? How do I take the work in the arts and move it beyond stage and studio? That is something I’ve been exploring and inquiring about in my own research and in my own activities outside of Hamline.”

Currently, Kenmotsu is finishing her third year of law school on top of teaching at Hamline. She decided to get her J.D. (Juris Doctor) with a focus on alternative dispute resolution. She has been exploring the different ways that the arts can be used to bring the body into these fields that go beyond performing and entertainment.

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS The Fulcrum

Instagram: @fulcrumjournal

Untold Magazine Instagram: @hamlineuntold

Her Campus

Instagram: @hercampushamline

HU Radio

Instagram: @hu_radio

STAFF PICK OF THE WEEK TOPIC: Weather Molly Landaeta Managing Editor

68 degrees and sunny “My perfect day is between 65-75 degrees with partial or full sun. These days are perfect for sitting outside to get work done, going on a bike ride or just having the window cracked without ever finding myself feeling too hot or too cold. ”

8 Paid Tribute

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

Letter to the adviser: David is a fierce advocate for independent student journalism. He always made us feel like we could be the “adults in the room” and let us make a lot of tough decisions and own the consequences.

-Anne Kuenzie, English, 2012

without David Hudson’s imprint going forward, staff of The Oracle, both past and present, owe him maximum effort as we work to better our communities with quality journalism.

- Paul Patane, Creative Writing, 2016

David was an amazing mentor and advocate for journalism. He inspired me to think big and boldly.

He propelled my passion for serving the greater good with editorial content that is from the heart.

-Michael Abata, Marketing

David, please enjoy your retirement knowing that the Oracle-induced heartburn you endured for years ignited a fire for truth-telling in many Hamline students.

- Serri Graslie, Anthropology, 2010

In spite of his unassuming nature, for the past two decades, Professor Hudson has been the most dangerous man on campus. Why? Because he empowered student journalists to chase all newsworthy stories, ask the toughest of questions, and communicate the facts in a clear, fair, and captivating way.

-Ashley Bennett Ewald, International Studies and Spanish, Certificate in International Journalism

David, I was in what might have been your first class at Hamline in the fall of 1989, and I will never forget your kindness and dedication.

- Kenneth (“Kip”) Rainey, Music, 1992

I am the journalist I am today because of your mentorship, your passion for the profession you showed me two decades ago.

- Eric Kraushar, Communication Studies, 2003 Bust out the banjo! Congratulations on your legacy of journalism and mentorship that has shaped so many young minds, including mine.

- Chloe McElmury, Professional Writing and Digital Media Arts, 2019 Oxford commas, hyphens, using figures for numbers below 10! You can break all the AP rules now.

- Jody Peters, English and Creative Writing, 2016 You were a wonderful teacher; congrats on the long career and enjoy retirement!

- Josh Dungan, History, 2017

David - May this next chapter of life bring you endless time to do the things you love!

- Dave Christianson, Political Science, 1979 - Kate Winsor, Biology and Psychology, 1984

How incredibly bittersweet to say goodbye to an absolute staple of Hamline’s English Department — what a legend.

- Emma Hamilton, English, 2019 Your good nature and even-keeled temperament never ceased to amaze - thank you and congratulations!

- Hannah Kuether, Communication Studies, Certificate in International Journalism, 2009 Thank you for seeing me fully and always supporting me.

- Rose-Marie Athiley, Professional Writing and Communication Studies, 2021 Meet me on Lewis for the chess match of your life.

- Karl Alastair Grant Bjornerud, Environmental Studies, 2019 David, You were always mercifully there for us when we needed you and coincidentally scarce when we needed to find our own way!

- Graham Lampa, German and Global Studies, 2005 David Hudson’s countless contributions to promoting ethical journalism, encouraging students, and supporting Oracle staff over the years are matched only by his unwavering kindness — his will be hard shoes to fill at Hamline.

- Linda Sjostrom, Communication Studies, Certificate in International Journalism, 2009 Thank you for the red pen and all the lessons, congratulations on a well deserved retirement.

-Richele (Hansey) Messick, Communications and Religion, 2003

Mr. Hudson, thank you for your wisdom and support when I wrote for the Oracle, and congratulations on completing a long and fulfilling career!

- Sean Hanson, English, 2018

David, thank you for providing me with a solid foundation. Enjoy retirement, it is well deserved.

- Scott Chutka, History and Political Science, 2002

Thank you for all of your guidance and support throughout the years.

- Madelaine Formica, Creative Writing, 2020

Professor Hudson is primarily responsible for two of my favorite life-long obsessions: Journalism and World War 1. Both stem from his courses, and both have given me endless context and durability for interpreting this crazy world.

- Andy Finken, English and Economics, 2008

“This is the story of the century!!”

- Andy Stec, History and Philosophy, 2019 While it’s hard to imagine campus journalism at Hamline University

PHOTO | COURTESY OF KATE WINSOR

PAID ADVERTISMENT BY ALUMNI AND STAFF OF THE ORACLE.

The Oracle is one of the best things that ever happened to me, and David kept the Oracle

Paid Tribute 9

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021 together at an incredibly tough time - I graduated almost half a lifetime ago but I’ll never be able to thank him enough for the experiences he helped give me.

- Tessa Reilly, English, 2007

David was my FYSEM professor this year. Thank you for giving your all in regards to teaching during such a difficult period of time and cheering on my writing!

- Leslie Perez, Legal Studies, 2024

David is immeasurably kind, bright, and understanding, and his presence at The Oracle and in my college experience at-large is irreplaceable.

David, my sincerest gratitude for all you did as a teacher, mentor, and friend.

- Erik Burgess, Communication Studies, 2012

The mark of a good professor is one who guides you to a conclusion, instead of just telling you the answer. Recently, David gave our journalism class a tough assignment, but once we all stumbled our way to the conclusion, his proud smile was all the reward we needed -- along with the newly learned information, of course. David was my FYSEM professor, and he really poured his whole heart out onto our little COVID class. I distinctly remember him pushing me to be an English major, and, while I didn’t oblige, I joined the Oracle on his suggestion. Through the Oracle, I met other students and joined other orgs, so, in a way, David really opened the entire campus to me. He has been the best advisor, mentor, and friend that a student could ask for.

- Lydia Meier, 2024

Thanks for being awesome :).

- Leo Coughenour, Business Analytics and Computational Data Science, 2023 David is an kind, funny and passionate individual.

I am very grateful to have had him as an advisor for the Oracle.

- Julien Halabi, Business Management and Political Science, 2023 David, you were my FIRST English professor in my FIRST English writing class in my FIRST year in the US. You made English less scary to me, which became the motivation for me to join The Oracle and trust myself more. With that, I just want to say “Thank You” for everything you’ve done as a professor to me and as an advisor to The Oracle.

- Mien Le, Global Communications and Media Studies, 2023 David has always been so welcoming during the Oracle meetings. I don’t think I would’ve succeeded nearly as much in my role without our consistent email exchanges and his encouragement.

- Elizabeth Lowe, Business, 2023 You inspired me and encouraged me in all of your work. Thank you.

- Nicole Ronchetti, Global Studies, 2021 Thank you so much for your commitment to our little newspaper! I’m so sad to see you go, but so grateful for all that you’ve done for the Oracle.

- Olivia Koski, Psychology, 2022 Wishing you all the best in this new chapter of your life! Glad I had the chance to meet and learn from you, It was truly a joy. Thank you.

- Cait Quinn, Computer Science, 2023 David is one of the few professors constantly creating an environment of empowerment to his students. We all feel seen, heard, and valued by him as a teacher!

- Robin Doyscher, Psychology and Creative Writing, 2023 David has been outstanding in the time I’ve gotten to know him. Thanks for all the hard work!

- Nicole Espinoza, English with a Professional Writing and Rhetoric Emphasis, 2022 David has made it easier for me to adjust and allowed me to feel welcomed as a new comer at the Oracle.

- Hafsa Ahmed, 2024

David you are amazing and I appreciate all that you have do for me in the two years that you have been my advisor. Thank you for being so amazing!!!

- Eliza Hagstrom, English, 2023 David, Thank you for introducing me to journalism! I don’t think I would be where I am today with out you, Thank you! take care.

- Aidan Stromdahl, Digital Media Arts, 2023 As a new Oracle staff member, David has been nothing but accepting and continues to teach all of us something new every meeting. His ability to remain kind while critiquing us is such a gift that makes The Oracle the amazing paper that it is.

- Kathryn Robinson, English and Education, 2024

achievement! He will be missed, but not forgotten!

- Jacob ‘Coby’ Aloi, History, 2021 David, I would not be where I am today as a journalist without your constant support and words of wisdom, so thank you. Wishing you a peaceful and fulfilling retirement, you deserve it after many years of unwavering dedication to Hamline and the Oracle!

- Audra Grigus, Journalism & German, 2021 David, I am thankful for all the guidance you have offered me in academic, professional and personal matters over the past four years. I wish you and your family good tidings in the years to come, and find it fitting that you and I are leaving Hamline at the same time.

- Kelly Holm, English, 2021 Thank you so much for all you have taught me! You have shown great leadership and integrity, and I will value all I learned from you for the rest of my life.

- Molly Landaeta, English and Professional Writing, 2021 Thank you for cultivating an environment of creativity, acceptance, confidence and persistence.

You will be missed.

- Anika Besst, Theatre Arts and Journalism, 2023 Thank you for believing in my abilities to be an Editor-in-Chief especially when I doubted myself.

You are a comfort and a blessing to have in our lives. I hope you spend your days picking the banjo and relaxing because you deserve it.

- Carmen Danz, Religion and Music, 2021

David doesn’t just answer questions for his students, he teaches them skills to answer questions for themselves. With David’s guidance, students report and write themselves into better journalists.

- Trevor Maine, Religion and Communication Studies, 2008 It’s pretty uncommon to find a professor like David Hudson these days. He combines the classy panache of an old school professor with the chic worldliness and self-aware accountability of a true 21st century professor.

He has the tendency to always say the exact right thing at the exact right moments. He’s passionate and driven to be helpful to all.

- Will Nelson, Environmental Journalism, 2022 In the short time I’ve know Prof.

Hudson, he as been an incredible mentor and positive force in both my academic and professional

PHOTO | COURTESY OF HAMLNE.EDU

Thank you, David!

Opinion 10

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

The importance of journalism

Will Nelson Senior Columnist wnelson08@hamline.edu

How the media is a cornerstone of our society.

‘PRESS’ READ THE back of the vest that was slowly getting saturated with milk as the crouching man poured it over his face. The white liquid dribbled from the corners of his eyes, leaching away chemical irritant from his swollen, red features.

I had just watched a crowd of protesters outside the Brooklyn Center Police Precinct get broadsided with a cloud of tear gas from a canister thrown by some jumped up JROTC kid with a riot shield, a gas mask and a tongue blackened from boot polish (this is a column, I can say things like that). The reporter, it seemed, had been taking pictures in the front line and had gotten a faceful of the stuff.

He was there for a motive unique from ours — to seek the truth and report it.

The ‘mainstream media’ has really been on blast these past few years.

With the proliferation of the idea of fake news, seeds of distrust have blossomed into all out repugnance in many cases, regardless of political orientation. It’s easier to say that a problem is being misrepresented by the media than to try to fix it, so it’s clear why journalism is such an appealing scapegoat.

But with even just a superficial examination, it’s obvious why blaming the media is a pretty absurd thing to do.

Saying “the media is so biased these days” is like saying “food service is so slow these days.” It’s a statement that criticizes a vast swath of organizations and individuals, many of whom are pretty foundational to the basic functioning of our society.

And even if some of the media is biased, is that really such a problem?

Sometimes slow food service gets you better food, sometimes biased journalism gets you better news.

B i a s d o e s n’t i m p l y t h e misrepresentation of facts, it implies the insertion of the writer’s opinions.

If the reader is aware of this, there’s no reason for it to cause any problems.

That isn’t to say that fake news isn’t a problem. What we really need to be worried about is factual fallacies in the news.

A good example of this was when,

a few weeks ago, one of my columns called Derek Chauvin “George Floyd’s killer.” While I personally believe this to be true, the trial isn’t over yet and I cannot factually claim that to be the truth. Doing so was slander and the column was pulled. Lesson learned.

Yes, it’s a problem that media outlets sometimes misrepresent facts, and maybe this trend has increased in the 21st century, but that’s no reason to openly denounce journalism as a practice.

We can’t simply drop journalism because it’s literally a cornerstone of democracy. Freedom of press is listed even before freedom to peaceably assemble in the first amendment of the Constitution, and freedom, in the words of one of the greatest journalists of all time, Hunter S. Thompson, is something that dies unless it is used.

Fo r m e r p re s i d e n t o f t h e Washington Post, Philip Graham once called journalism a “first rough draft” of history, and that’s a beautifully true sentiment—one of the main features of news is that it’s current and relevant to the times. Rough drafts need editing and revising, but without them, you can’t write anything at all. How rough drafts are written, however, can have colossal impacts on the final product.

The proliferation of social media in recent decades has had some chaotic effects on the field of journalism — throwing into question what it is and isn’t. These days, information is

spread in erratic and unpredictable patterns. It’s all too easy to lean on your social media feed for news, and professional journalism companies, despite making seriously impressive steps to adapt to this change, have suffered from it.

But the beautiful thing about professional journalism companies that can be easy to overlook is that they’re exactly that — professional.

Their reporters and writers are trained to report ethically and against their assumptions, identify sources, act independently of personal gain and acknowledge insufficiencies.

Pe r h a p s m o s t i m p o r t a n t l y, respectable news companies hold themselves accountable. The Oracle, ever a paragon of ethical reporting, demonstrated this a few weeks ago when they ran a correction to the factual error in my column.

Pr o f e s s i o n a l a n d re l i a b l e journalists deserve our reverence and thanks. The press man who had been tear gassed at the protest isn’t the only journalist making sacrifices for the field. Thousands have dedicated their livelihoods to the pursuit and communication of truth.

Journalism isn’t the enemy of truth, it’s one of our most powerful tools against tyranny. It informs the people and holds governing powers accountable. Without it as a stabilizing force, it would be all too easy for democracy to fall.

ILLUSTRATION | MOLLY LANDAETA, THE ORACLE

11 Opinion

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

Much more than a green shirt

Emily Brown Senior Columnist ebrown15@hamline.edu

The dark side of awareness days.

FEBRUARY IS BLACK History Month.

March is International Women’s History Month and Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. April is Autism Acceptance Month. June is Queer Pride Month. July is Disability Awareness Month. October is Coming Out Month and Sexual Violence Prevention Month. If this

seems like a lot, it’s because it is.

The funny part is that this isn’t even an exhaustive list. If it seems exhausting to keep up with, that’s because it’s exhausting to keep up with. When I was younger, I thought that awareness months were exciting. And by younger, I’m talking about my first and second years of college.

I still remember the excitement of Coming Out week the fall of my first year. The coming-out vigil was calm, beautiful and emotional.

The following June, Pride felt like a month-long party for me. My Facebook thread was blowing up with rainbow stuff and I even tried going to my local pride parade.

While I was in euphoria about it, a sense of relief washed over me on July first. I realized I was on a treadmill.

While I still love Pride Month and want to go with my friends once it’s safe, I do get the feeling of burnout every July first. If I’m being honest, compared to disability awareness and disability pride months, queer pride feels like a vacation to me. I’m really into disability activism and

Speakout

educating people on ableism. So, you would think I would love the whole month of March and July.

But, to be honest, I hate it. This march pissed me off so much. But, the real storm came on March 25th, National Cerebral Palsy Day. Now, if I’m being honest, I usually forget National Cerebral Palsy Day until it’s like April 7th, and then, I shrug, say “Oh, crap!”, and I promise myself to remember next year. And it repeats itself. But this year, I looked up the date and I remembered. My plan for the day was to eat leftovers with my mom and enjoy her company. But, when I checked Instagram, my page was riddled with smiling kids and family in green shirts (green representing Cerebral Palsy) and them talking about how they were grateful for Cerebral Palsy and how much Cerebral Palsy has taught them.

Seems innocent enough, right?

Well, it could be. But, when you take a closer look, it has a jaded meaning behind it. First of all, I should mention that I don’t like the fact that parents put their children, disabled or not, on the internet.

But, that’s a whole different topic.

The reason why I hate Cerebral Palsy awareness is the same reason that Cerebral Palsy awareness is the way that it is; for our oppressor’s comfort and acceptance. It’s the same reason why a ton of disabled characters in media are either inspirational or superheroes. We’re much more likely to be accepted if we smile, don’t complain, and don’t challenge the system. Because if we challenge the system, people get uncomfortable.

Good! Great! Perfect!

I want people to get uncomfortable. I want them to face the reality of ableism. I don’t want them to just wear a green shirt once a year, snap a picture for Instagram and call it a day. That will do nothing for me.

Ableism is a daily fight for me. It doesn’t just go away with a stroke of midnight or a new calendar page.

And it shouldn’t for everyone else.

I’ll leave you with a question: Is this day for me? Or is it for the people who want a pat on the back?

How has journalism impacted society?

Jenoah Edwardh Junior

Robert Greenough Senior

Mya Severson Junior

“Journalism has had both positive and negative impacts on society. If done incorrectly, it can be misleading, invasive of people’s personal privacy and used for fear mongering or spreading misinformation.

When done correctly, journalism can be a force for good. It keeps people informed, connects them to their community and holds higher authorities responsible for their actions.”

“I think that many people in the United States are growing increasingly disillusioned with the big media corporations that have dominated discourse on TV for a few decades now. There seems to be an online media outlet for any activity or ideology you can imagine, but everyone still complains of partisanship in journalism. I think the problem lies in the lack of transparency on the motivation behind stories that is not necessarily expected of journalists these days, but also with the average media consumer who may be stuck in an echo chamber or lack the time required to research their sources of information.”

“I think right now especially journalism connects all of us so deeply. I remember the collective heartache after more articles and news came out about Daunte Wright’s untimely and unjust death. It lets society know what’s happening around the world and calls us to action to make changes. Journalists have to be just as fast as the times with digital media and I think as a society we are bombarded by news and opinions on what’s happening in the world.”

Opinion 12

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

Don’t overextend your activism

Robin Doyscher Guest Columnist sdoyscher01@hamline.edu

Academic discussions around activism often fail to include the consequences of being burnt out.

ANECDOTALLY, I’VE KNOWN a lot of eager young people who have followed the same cycle within their journey through activism.

They start all wide-eyed ready to begin taking on the world’s problems with their newfound independence and knowledge, but struggle to know where to start, or even how much

of themselves to give to any particular cause. They keep reminding themselves to keep racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, class conflict, religious discrimination, ethnic discrimination and all the various forms of bigotry in their mind when they consume media or have conversations.

These young people are admirable, kind and thoughtful.

They are also on the path to completely losing their energy in these fights. I know––I was one of them once.

I used to stress myself out over every problem in our society. The way I interacted with others, indulged in hobbies or approached work, was from this place of fear over doing or saying the wrong thing. And no, this is not a “Robin’s leaving the left and decrying cancel culture” type of event. I mention this as being an example of how not devoting your energy to thoughtfully impacting a few things can be dangerous.

This is not to say that we can’t focus on more than one thing. We should engage with

social issues when we can, but we should keep in mind how we’re personally feeling. I was especially really burnt out emotionally around the George

“This is not to say that we can’t focus on more than one thing.

We should engage with social issues when we can, but we should keep in mind how we’re personally feeling.”

Floyd incident, as a Black person I felt I was constantly educating and advocating to a thankless world. It was exhausting. I didn’t truly feel in a position to affect positive change until I took a step back, took care of myself

and returned ready to actually help people.

If you’re a young person, my best advice would be to keep fighting for as long as you feel you can stand to. I know that the world may feel insurmountable at times, but we need every good person we can get to enact real shifts in our society to liberate those that have been stomped under the many boots of various systems. Feeling obligated to help out without understanding your own capabilities and capacity is just asking to feel disappointed in yourself and powerless.

Be ready to support communities that desperately need it, but don’t do it at the expense of your own wellbeing.

You can truly engage more frequently with tough issues if you just give your brain space to decompress and process your own life.

Letters to the editor PROFESSOR HUDSON, YOUR sheer enthusiasm for journalism was and continues to be inspiring.

Your leadership encouraged me and many other former students to pursue journalism after college, and the principles you taught — integrity, dogged determination and the joy of storytelling, to name a few — have been invaluable.

I take pride in being a former Oracle reporter/editor and feel lucky to have had the opportunity to learn from fellow staff, the people I interviewed and of course, our adviser.

Thanks for keeping our newspaper from becoming just another rag. Enjoy your retirement – you’ve earned it!

Jody Peters Class of 2016

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO, I took a chance at my first professional writing experience. In all places, the Corn Capital of the World, Olivia, Minnesota. Since then I’ve worked for the Hutchinson Leader and currently at the Chaska Herald and Chanhassen Villager.

My journey began 20 years ago, as the sports editor at the Oracle, and English professor David Hudson was not only an advisor, but a mentor. His real-life experience piqued my interest. His mentorship eventually led me down my career path as a community journalist.

Everyone had that teacher or professor that impacted their life the most, and David was that for me. Thank you David for everything you did for me and for other journalists at Hamline University!

Eric Kraushar Class of 2003 William Peterson Prize in Journalism recipient

Sports 13

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

Wanting Connection, Only Getting Competition Hamline fall sports are all experiencing different levels of competition this spring, but what they really miss is the teamwork.

Jilly Wortman Senior Repprter jwortman01@hamine.edu April is the new September, or at least that is how it feels for fall athletes. After months of anticipation, the whistle has been blown and competitions are up and running. The average Joe needs to squint in order to see fall sports in the way that they are usually conducted, but it is a step in the right direction.

Currently, Hamline, along with the rest of Division III athletics, is in the midst of a juggling act. There is a lot going on at Hamline’s fields. Spring sports are in full swing, and fall teams are trying to reserve their space over a year later. There is no cookie cutter for how seasons are approaching this time. Almost every fall team has a different setup for how they are spending this spring.

As of October of 2020, all Division III athletes were granted an extra year of eligibility due to the president’s council approving a blanket waiver. No matter how many games athletes play this year, they still have the opportunity to come back for a normal season next year.

Two of the fall teams are not participating in any type of competition this year. Cross country is one of those teams, however they do have an alternative since the outdoor track season is happening, and both the men’s and women’s teams have five meets scheduled.

“Football is a hard sport to find games for, due to the physical toll that one game does to the athlete’s bodies. I wish we could have played one or two games, but because spring sports get priority, I understand why we aren’t playing,” Will Conzet, a senior on the football team, said.

Football has nothing scheduled and is not planning on scheduling anything either. Conzet weighed in on how the team is using the extra time.

“We are using spring to learn our playbook and to build on our foundation for next year,” he said.

Every other Hamline team has some kind of game scheduled, whether they are exhibition or regular season. The Piper athletes have had much success on the field, the time off has helped them out.

After over a year of waiting and postponements,

the overall energy around this athletic season has been positive. “I was truly just really happy to get the opportunity to play some games with our seniors before they left,” Carin Currier, a sophomore on the women’s soccer team, said.

There is one sentiment that has been consistent in the Hamline community throughout this whole experience, and that is the longing for a time that people could have gathered together to make a community and form deeper connections.

“I wish my team could have done more team bonding but social distancing really restricted that,” Currier said.

The school year is winding down, but the world is only ramping up. There is hope with Hamline being open in the fall that these athletes will get to return to team-versus-team competition, rather than the current people-versus-virus competition.

LEFT PHOTOS | AIDAN STROMDAHL, THE ORACLE RIGHT PHOTO | CATHRYN SALIS, THE ORACLE Sports teams are expereincing less team bonding and sense of community in the shortest season athletes have played yet, and hope that next year will be different.

Irregular Regulations A discontinuity of masking protocols within the MIAC changes the name of the game to general confusion… no matter what sport is playing.

Cathryn Salis Sports Editor csalis01@hamine.edu As the men’s tennis team rolled up to their match at Bethel’s tennis courts, the Bethel team groaned.

They snatched their masks from their discarded spot on the ground and slipped them on their face with little care if they were on correctly or not. The Pipers, already masked as they got out of their cars, were the cause for this sudden change in attitudes towards mask usage.

The Hamline Athletics Department has chosen to enforce a mask policy for all athletes during sporting competitions, which differs from many other MIAC teams. For many schools, sports without closecontact, such as tennis, have decided to relax their mask mandates on players.

“I’ve heard other teams being like ‘why do we have to wear a mask right now?’” first-year tennis athlete Elijah Krause said.

While the COVID-19 vaccine is being distributed widely across the state of Minnesota and all people over the age of 16 are eligible to receive it, the pandemic is still affecting every aspect of our lives and Hamline has chosen to recognize that.

Mask mandates, while odd or unusual for many athletes participating in competition this semester, did not come as a surprise to many Hamline athletes.

There has been a state-wide mask mandate since July of 2020 and Hamline has complied with this requirement.

“It’s through the local regulations. Like in the cities, it’s the mask regulation, but like Saint John’s that are outside of the cities, they have different regulations.” Josh Lynch, first-year track athlete, said.

“That’s caused a few teams to pull out.”

While this requirement for athletes has not been the easiest adjustment, many athletes find that the longer they compete with them, the easier they are to get used to. Being this far in the season, most athletes don’t even notice them anymore.

“I don’t really mind it too much anymore. I hope for it to be over, but I’m fine for as long as it needs to be there,” Lynch said.

While next season is still up in the air and no one really knows what it is going to look like, athletes must be prepared for the possibility of masks still being mandated. One thing that is clear are Hamline’s current regulations for athletes, in which they wear masks at all games and practices as well as complete wellness checks before every game. The same can’t always be said for our opponents.

“There’s just different rules depending on who we play,” first-year softball player Ali Kimball said.

One thing is certain, whenever a team plays against Hamline, the mask mandate is spread to everyone on the field.

The point of the use of masks is to prevent the constant need to test players for COVID-19 and to protect the rest of the student body and faculty from the virus. It does not matter if an athlete or coach is vaccinated already, they must still mask up.

“It’s a scary world out there right now,” Kimball said. “It’s nice to have at least something protecting me from the dangers out there.”

14 Sports

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

Weekly MIAC round-up Jilly Wortman Senior Reporter jwortman01@hamline.edu

PHOTOS | CATHRYN SALIS, THE ORACLE TOP LEFT: The number two doubles team, Isaac Hultberg and Dom Warzecha, battle it out on Bethel’s outdoor tennis courts.

MIDDLE: The number one singles player, Nazeer Robinson, sets up a serve against Bethel in an intense match against their number one player.

Women’s Lacrosse vs. Augsburg Wednesday, April 14 W 18-6 The women’s lacrosse team dominated in a game against Augsburg. After this strong display of the team’s offensive skills, the team is now ranked in the number one spot for the conference.

This game was different from others this s e a s o n due to the theme. This was Hamline’s a n d Augsburg’s third annual pride game. The game is meant to represent both teams’ support for the LGBTQ+ community within the athletic department and beyond.

The stars of the game were seniors Maria Lewis a n d Ma y a Hernandez, who both scored four goals. Senior Ashley Hessler also had two goals and two assists, sophomore T a r y n L e o n a rd helped the Pipers out with three goals, and first year Emma M o e scored two as well.

Softball vs.

T h u r s d a y, L 1-9 L

Concordia April 15 1-9

Hamline’s softball team had their home opener games against Concordia Co l l e g e. T h e t e a m played a double header against Concordia and lost both games.

Senior Alex Molloy pitched the whole first game and gave up nine runs. It was not until the second inning that the first runs were scored, with Concordia scoring three.

The bottom of the seventh inning is when the Pipers made big moves. Molloy and senior April Jacobs both successfully got on base at the top of the inning. It was not until sophomore Nayeli PallaisYllescas loaded the bases and first year Kiana Is l a n d h i t a grounder that Molloy scored Hamline’s only run for that game.

In the second game, the Pipers had six hits from six different players.

In this game, senior Theresa Klinnert took to the mound.

Again the Concordia Cobbers scored their first runs in the second i n n i n g . It was not until the sixth inning when the Pipers scored their only run after senior Megan Rubbelke got to home b a s e with assistance from Molloy a n d Klinnert.

M e n ’ s Te n n i s a t Bethel Thursday, April 15 L 0-9 The men’s tennis team took on the Bethel Royals.

The competition consisted of three doubles matches and six single matches.

First year Isaac Hultberg was the only athlete who took his match to three sets but eventually lost in the fourth set to a very close game.

The number one singles match was played by senior Nazeer Robinson, which ended after the fourth game.

The Pipers will play again on April 17 against the Concordia Cobbers at home.

Volleyball at St. Mary’s Wednesday, April 14 L 1-3 The volleyball team took on the St. Mary’s Cardinals.

There was a lot of individual success, but the team fell short. Junior Sydney Larson had a personal best during the game where she had a total of 20 kills out of her 42 swings. This was a team-high.

Sophomore Maggie Gavic and Senior Megan Rubbelke both ended the game in the double digits for number of digs. Each of the sets were close in points, but the Cardinals won the last three.

In the first set, the Pipers hit a .531 percentage, which helped secure their one victory. The Piper’s next game is Tuesday, April 20 at Gustavus Adolphus.

PHOTOS | AIDAN STROMDAHL, THE ORACLE TOP RIGHT: The women’s lacrosse team is currently 4–0 for conference games and recently celebrated a victory during their pride game to honor the LGBTQ+ community both within and outside the athletic department.

BOTTOM LEFT: Softball has been busy with back-toback double header games, taking on conference game after conference game.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Women’s lacrosse faced off against Cornell and earned their first shutout in program history.

Variety 15

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

Lack of break equals lack of willpower Three students voice how the lack of a break this semester has affected them.

Leslie Perez Senior Reporter lfarreraperez01@hamline.edu This semester has been difficult for many students because of the lack of a break. Many other universities gave their students a week off for spring break, while Hamline gave their students one Friday. Most Hamline students are disappointed that Hamline has not given the muchneeded time off for their students this semester.

Junior Victoria Osanyintola has been concerned about her mental health due to the lack of a spring break this semester.

“I’ve been really overwhelmed recently since maybe March. I’ve been feeling anxious, stressed and just overwhelmed. I’m taking four classes and a lab and then also working two part-time jobs,” Osanyintola said.

“With the semester being so condensed because of COVID, my mental health was just not in a good place.”

Several students like Osanyintola claim they spent their one day of spring break doing schoolwork.

“That one day didn’t do nothing to do,” Sullivan said. “I would have for me. I had a group project and had liked to have a break where I could to go on campus to meet up with my rest and unwind. It would have helped group. Then I came back home and still immensely. As someone who works had homework to do,” Osanyintola while also going to school, I feel like I said. “I get my homework done during haven’t gotten a break at all. It would the week so that I have the weekend to have been nice to have some time off.” just focus on myself. And the fact that Sullivan feels in addition to having I didn’t get that break just completely time to rest, a longer break would screwed me up. I just was struggling.” have provided more time for her to do Osanyintola believes Hamline needs her assignments, which would have to do more than the bare minimum in lessened the stress. terms of caring about their students.

“I usually use breaks to work on “I feel like Hamline talks about projects that I have to do. It gives me wanting to be there for their students, enough time to work on more longbut like, they send term assignments emails, and they do “With the semester like final papers and this, but like, you being so condensed presentations. Without actively have to reach a break, I had to do out to students. I just because of COVID, those without any feel like it’s important break from my daymy mental health to-day homework. It not just the counseling people but also faculty added to stress for me,” was just not in a and staff, reaching out Sullivan said. good place.” to students, making First-year Cole sure that they’re okay,” Brennan also claims Osanyintola said. “Especially with the that this semester has been highly semester being condensed, like it was stressful for him. a lot. I just feel like Hamline needs to “School has given me more stress do better for their students.” than anything else this past semester, First-year Maggie Sullivan has also but I think a lot of other factors have felt the weight of the heavily condensed contributed,” Brennan said. “There semester. are just a lot of unknowns right now “I feel extremely stressed, and I in the world, and that makes me really think that I’ve been lacking some rest nervous. I’m sure I’m not the only one due to the amount of work that I have that feels this way.”

Brennan believes that it was unreasonable for Hamline to refuse to give students a longer break. It was frustrating for him to be the only one from his friend group without a break.

“I spent the last few weeks going on social media and hearing from friends that they were going on vacations and going home for break. My friends at the University of Minnesota asked me when my spring break was and it was really frustrating to say, ‘Oh I already had it. It was one day,’” Brennan said.

“Even people that go to University of St. Thomas got to go home for spring break. That is a school that isn’t much bigger than ours, so I had a hard time figuring out why Hamline didn’t do the same. Especially since a large amount of our student population doesn’t even live on campus.”

Brennan thinks Hamline could have made arrangements if there would have been a longer break to keep everyone safe.

“Obviously, COVID is something we must consider, but I think if you were to ask the students to receive a negative COVID test before returning to campus in exchange for a week off school, I would guess a majority of the student body would gladly get tested,” Brennan said.

Students are seeking vaccinations The majority of students on campus have either been vaccinated or are actively seeking appointments, but many feel Hamline could be doing more to help aid the process of finding vaccines.

Kathryn Robinson Senior Reporter krobinson12@hamline.edu The last year has made us all weary and drained, however hope is near. As of April 16, 2.2 million (mn. gov) eligible Minnesotans have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Some of those doses have gone to Hamline students. However, appointments have been difficult to find, and some students wish for more support from the university to help find appointments.

Carly Arneson and Tjessa Arradondo, both firstyear students, have not been vaccinated yet.

“I’d ideally get vaccinated as soon as possible, but I’m waiting until I can get an appointment closer to my hometown in Wisconsin,” Arneson said.

Arradondo expressed that finding a place to get vaccinated has been challenging.

“It’s been difficult to find appointments,” Arradondo said. “I’ve tried to contact a few clinics and appointments are fully booked.”

First-year student Liam Schwartz has received his

first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and will receive his second dose in a couple of weeks.

“I scheduled the appointment through my home provider’s patient portal and it was pretty slick,” Schwartz said.

Some emails have been sent from the university regarding an opportunity at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds to get vaccinated. Many students are unclear of the details.

“I’ve heard about the event, but I know it’s random selection,” Schwartz said.

There are also students who did not even know the event was happening.

“I haven’t heard about the event actually,” Arradondo said. “I think Hamline could inform students better about how to find these opportunities.”

Some students feel as though Hamline is supporting them enough through this process.

“I think Hamline has done a pretty good job getting information out to students,” Arneson said.

And some students feel they could be doing more to make information more clear.

“I know there are some locations such as the state fair one opening around the cities for people looking to get vaccinated and I think Hamline could inform students better about how to find these opportunities,” Arradondo said. “They should make the information more noticeable since students who can’t access vaccinations right now, like myself, are struggling to set up appointments and aren’t aware of how or where to start.”

Feeling lost about the process of getting vaccinated is a common feeling among students.

“I don’t think Hamline is doing enough at all to help students find vaccines,” Schwartz said. “They should communicate with students about opportunities and resources to schedule appointments.

The mass vaccination site at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds is up and running. This event is by appointment only and the first step to getting an appointment is by signing up for Minnesota’s Vaccine Connector. Appointments are hard to find as everyone 16 years old and older is now eligible in Minnesota, but there are many online tools available to help aid the process. The website Vaccine Finder is a great tool, as well as calling and looking online at pharmacies and stores offering the vaccine.

Trying to find a vaccine near you?

Sign up for Minnesota’s Vaccine Connector at:

vaccineconnector.mn.gov

Places where you can get vaccinated: - Costco pharmacy - Cub pharmacy - CVS pharmacy - HyVee pharmacy - Target pharmacy - Walgreens pharmacy - Wal-Mart pharmacy - Local pharmacies and health clinics - Community vaccine sites

16 Variety

The Oracle | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021

Hamline alum eliminated after fatphobic “jokes” Hamline students felt prepared to support Hamline alum Ethan Mundt (‘17) on RuPaul’s Drag Race, only to be left with feelings of disappointment and cringe.

Z Martinez Senior Reporter aremmersmartinez01@hamline.edu RuPaul’s Drag Race is a tournament that follows various drag queens who compete for the grand title of top drag queen. Many trials such as lip syncing competitions and roasts take place, and each week one drag queen is eliminated until the two finalists must face off.

episode where she was eliminated, I was like no, no, she should just be gone.”

This change in opinion came during Queen’s first round of roasts where she used fatphobic comments against the judges that left them speechless.

Throughout her session, she made comments such as comparing one of the judges to Pumba from The Lion King to speaking to another judge in “whale language” then explaining she thought they understood whale.

The majority of her jokes consisted of making fun of people’s weight which the judges tried to explain would not be taken well and Queen should just try to avoid making such “jokes.” Queen admitted she’d think about it and perhaps tweak them before the actual roast, but when the actual roast arrived she did not do anything differently.

“She didn’t change a single one, so she didn’t take any of the advice from the judges either.” Birttnen said.

PHOTO | CAIT QUINN, ORACLE Utica Queen had eliminated both Elliott and Tina Burner in previous weeks by winning lipsync battles. Utica Queen expressed much confidence in taking on Symone in the lip sync battle, however, Symone gained the judges vote eliminating Utica Queen off of the show. personality may have just “clashed” with what the show was requiring of her at that time.

Benson admitted to following Queen on instagram and finding joy in all her stunning looks that she posts. It was also on her instagram that Benson saw Queen’s own apology posted on one of her captions after the episode aired. Benson felt that on the show it made Queen look as if there was no conscious thought of what she was

that the elimination was justified. Even with other fans supporting Queen and the comments she chose to make, both Birttnen and Benson explained that the comments made had not been funny to begin with nor had the delivery been right, instead it was like watching someone insult a group of people.

Benson also mentioned that even though the comments made were unacceptable, the fact that Queen apologized immediately after was the

SCREENSHOT | CAIT QUINN, ORACLE A Hamline University Alum from Utica Minnesota, Utica Queen made it to the top 6 of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 13 before being eliminated. She left a message for the remaining contestants using lipstick to write on a mirror. The remaining contestants say goodbye as Symone erases Utica’s message.

The show has held a long standing reputation after many seasons, gaining many fans. Even students from our very own campus found themselves sharing in the enjoyment. So when Utica Queen — a Hamline graduate — joined the ranks in season thirteen, it was obviously very exciting news.

Students were filled with high hopes and anticipation.

Junior Donald Birttnen began the season rooting for Utica Queen as he expressed that it had almost felt like an expectation to do so. However, as the season went on and the roast that involved competitors first attempting to roast the judges before everyone else began, it became much harder for Birttnen to find himself in Queen’s corner.

“At first it was like, yeah, it’s the hometown person, you should probably root for them and I did for a while,” Birttnen said. “But after that

Junior Bridget Benson had also shared in the excitement of hearing that Utica Queen would be a contender in the drag race, especially when finding so many similarities between herself and the drag queen. Benson and her friends had been eager for the season to begin.

“We were really excited to hear that Utica was on drag race this season, especially because she’s a theatre alumni and I’m a theatre major,” Benson said. “So it’s really exciting to hear that she got her education where I’m currently getting my education in the same program with the same people, taking the same classes.”

Benson expressed her own admiration of Queen and all the work she has done such as making a gown out of sleeping bags and other creative looks she has made. Benson explained that she had seen her perform before and that she believes Queen’s

PHOTO | ANTONIO RISSIO, ORACLE Ethan Mundt has previously returned to campus to perform as Utica Queen.

Queen returned in 2019 to perform at Spectrum’s professional drag show in Bush Ballroom. saying and that left her feeling upset.

“After the fact, she did acknowledge and apologize for the things she was saying, but in the episode it seemed like there was a lack of self-awareness for the other people in the room and that was really off putting for me and made me feel a little offended.” Benson said.

Soon after, Queen was eliminated and both Birttnen and Benson agreed

right thing to do and that all artists should be able to learn from their mistakes and take notice of how they affect people and do right by those people.

“So, in your art, make sure that any sort of misstep that you do, just acknowledge it, and keep actively trying to implement stronger methods of advocacy,” Benson said.