Jerk April 2016

APRIL 2016 VOL XIX ISSUE XI • SYRACUSE NEW YORK YOUR STUDENT FEE

GET LIT. jerkmagazine.net

ISH GUITARS

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21+/Bhang

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TOTALLY UNSCIENTIFIC POLL Dating

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SEX Mrs. Robinson

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CONTENTS APRIL 2016 High Society 24 Medical marijuana dispensaries are opening all over New York state. But getting your hands on that medicinal green isn't as easy as you'd think.

Government regulations are clashing with the proponents of this plant-based relief.

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EDITOR'S LETTER FEEDBACK PEEPS CLICKBATE

At Jerk, we're always pushing the envelope. In this issue, art meets fashion as we spin the tale of a classica mystery. No black and tons of color, we pay homage to all things prep, cause we all know that one frat boy who dresses like that on the daily.

Tucked away on E. Fayette St. lies every VPA students dream. Spark Contemporary Art Space, a volunteer-run performance space, brings life and authenticity back to Syracuse.

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This takes #OscarsSoWhite to a whole new level.

Call of Duty Women should be required to register for the draft.

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Checking Up It’s been a year since the Counseling Center replaced the Advocacy Center.

We’re following up on what has changed, and what still needs to.

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APRIL 2016 VOL XIX ISSUE XI • SYRACUSE NEW YORK YOUR STUDENT FEE

Cover Design by Simon Abranowicz Illustration by Simon Abranowicz

SMUT FEATURES

Whitewashed

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30 Times We Thought Your SoCalled Shareable Stories Sucked Uber to Syracuse Coming home from Chuck’s is about to get so much easier.

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ALTRUIST Kanye West

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AMPLIFIED Grayak

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SYNAPSE New Americana

BACK OF BOOK

FRAMED Breasts1

BITCH OPINIONS

The Case of the Collegiate Cat Burglar 38

Spark Contemporary Art Space 48

JERK THIS What you should hit up and bitch about this month.

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Come Together Volunteers for Believe in Syracuse are ushering in a new era of revitalization and appreciation for the city.

Finely Tuned Ish Guitars is bringing rock and roll to Armory Square.

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DISCOVERSYR Harriet Tubman House

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SPEAKEASY Poster Child

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OBITCHUARY Man Bun

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CLOSET CASE It's not stealing if you don't remember.

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FORM AND FUNCTION How to Dress Like You Work for The Daily Orange

GAWK FASHION 46

Faux Pas(s) Unstylish nays to fashion-forward yays.

NOISE ARTS & MUSIC 52

Reality Check It’s time to appreciate our most valuable asset: our mind.

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REWIND Elvis Presley

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

50 First Dates Gigi Antonelle EDITOR

Eric King

Susanna Heller

Ensley Rivers

Lianna Hursh

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

MANAGING EDITOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

DIGITAL DIRECTOR

EDITORIAL

Michaela Quigley ASST. FEATURES EDITOR Chelsea Portner ARTS AND MUSIC EDITOR Caley Wildermuth ASST. ARTS AND MUSIC EDITOR Caroline Schagrin OPINIONS EDITOR Julia Smith ASST. OPINIONS EDITOR Ben Farr STYLE EDITOR Lydia Chan ASST. STYLE EDITOR Trusha Bhatt ASST. STYLE EDITOR Hairol Ma RESEARCH EDITOR Bronte Schmit COPY EDITOR Hana Maeda COPY EDITOR Danny Yarnall FOB EDITOR Sarah Martinez FACT CHECKER Connor Layden FACT CHECKER Mary Caftalano FRESHMAN INTERN Divya Murthy FEATURES EDITOR

WEB

Kelly O'Sullivan Cori Rosen ASST. WEB EDITOR Leah Strassburg ASST. WEB EDITOR Aidan Meyer WEB DESIGNER Brittany Isdith PHOTO EDITOR Erica Mack SOCIAL EDITOR Jordan Cramer DIGITAL INTERN Gabriela Robles

DESIGN

Diana Steinmetz Janela Mendl, Jordana Rubin, Carly Beck, TJ Wells DESIGN DIRECTOR

DESIGNERS

ART

Madelyn Minicozzi Bridget Williams STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Lilly Stuecklen, Alexandra Moreo, Shelley Kendall, Fiona Lenz, Kasey Lanese, Laura Hegstetter ILLUSTRATORS Ryan Polgar, Autumn Wilson, Claudia Lewis ILLUSTRATION DIRECTOR

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR

PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Eric Chuang, Alaina

Galiano PR REPRESENTATIVES Zainab Pixler, Serena Sarch, Spencer Bristricer

WEB EDITOR

ASST. WEB EDITOR

MULTIMEDIA

Chris Sechler ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Adriana Ascencio MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

BUSINESS

Esmeralda Murray Christina Tornetta AD REPRESENTATIVE Michelle Levitch PUBLISHER

AD DIRECTOR

CONTRIBUTORS Daisy Gan, Vera Feng, Taylor Hicks, Ryan Polgar, Laura Norton, Vanessa Castillo, Kara Sheplock, Simon Arbanonwicz, Allen Chiu,

Dating in college is weird. While many believe it is non-existent, I am proud to say that it is, in fact, real. Well, sort of. My freshman year was filled with with a series of dates at Chipotle—or Bleu Monkey if I was lucky—mostly with lovely young men that unsuccessfully tried to suck my face had night before. I would leave these dates wondering if he bought my burrito because he actually liked me, or if him not paying made him more of a modern gentleman.

One date, though, stands out more than others: the day a junior peer adviser took me to lunch. Did I feel cool or what? He drove me to Tully’s—I hadn’t been in a car since August. However, during this so-called “first date,” I told him that I sweat profusely so he probably shouldn’t touch my hands, I spillled marinara all over my jeans, and when I got out of his car, I slipped on a patch of ice and fell flat on my back on the side of the road. Graceful.

However, flash forward two years, this same ~older man~ still happens to be the light of my life and my best friend.

On page 13, we poll SU students about what they would do in certain first-date scenarios. For those in the dating game, if you haven’t thought about these scenarios, then you probably should. Or maybe you are happily in a relationship and are looking for some things to do in the Syracuse area with your significant other. In that case, on page 62 learn about the Harriet Tubman House, a big piece of history right in our backyard. And if you guys are into music, check out a locally-owned guitar shop, Ish Guitars, which you can read about on page 34.

So for all of you hopeless romantics out there, I promise, there is hope. But in the meantime, Jerk off to our April issue.

Renee Zhou, Kate Browse, Erika Haas, Karli Gastieger, Sarah Kinzler, Hannah Fiore, Adam Goodskey, Khianna Calica, Alexi McCammond, Caroline Colvin, Sophia Caraballo, Nicole Engelman, Hairol Ma, Erin

Keep on Jerking,

Kelly, Rachel Blackman

Melissa Chessher ADVISER

Through its content, Jerk is dedicated to enhancing insight through communication by providing an informal platform for the freedom of expression. The writing contained within this publication expresses the opinions of the individual writers. The ideas presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Jerk Editorial Board. Furthermore, Jerk will not be held responsible for the individual opinions expressed within. Submissions, suggestions, and opinions are welcomed and may be printed without contacting the writer. Jerk reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions at the discretion of its editors. Jerk Magazine is published monthly during the Syracuse University academic year. All contents of the publication are copyright 2016 by their respective creators. No content may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the Jerk Editorial Board.

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FEEDBACK We may not always act on your feedback, but trust us: whether you're a fan or a hater, a long-timer or a firsttimer, we always at least read it. Keep the compliments and jibes coming.

RJ, @rashikjpr [March 7] Sometimes I'm tempted to bring back my uggs.....Thanks @ jerkmagazine for saving me from relapse.

MARCH 2016 VOL XVIII ISSUE X • SYRACUSE NEW YORK YOUR STUDENT FEE

Albino Architect, @albinoarchitect [March 4] Wow @jerkmagazine, way to not only be biased against but sexist towards @HillaryClinton in your latest issue.

Jerk contributors Photography by Bridget Williams and Allen Chiu

SARAH KINZLER / Sophomore / SpeakEasy Sarah Kinzler is addicted to avocados. She wanted to be a cotton candy vendor, but she settled for being a magazine major instead. Her favorite movie is Almost Famous, but Kinzler didn’t quite have the same experience when she interviewed Nate Duval for this month’s SpeakEasy on page 64.

MAY 2015 VOL XIV ISSUE VI SYRACUSE NEW YORK Your student fee

SHOW US SOME LOVE Jerk Magazine 126 Schine Student Center Syracuse, NY 13244

ADAM GOODSKEY / Senior / Kanye West Adam Goodskey, a political science and geography major, is often mistaken for Josh Hutcherson. He debates the merits of diet soda and the nature of white chocolate, which of course isn’t really chocolate. But this issue, he defends Yeezy, the god of our times, on page 59.

@jerkmagazine jerk@jerkmagazine.net jerkmagazine.net

HANNAH FIORE / Junior / 30 Times We Thought Your So-Called Shareable Stories Sucked Hannah Fiore used her Barbie Jeep for an inappropriate amount of time as a kid, but she’s not apologizing. Flip to page 21 to read her open letter to girls who share Elite Daily posts like their lives depend on it.

FOLLOW, DON’T LEAD

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youtube.com/jerkmagazine

Jerk Magazine

facebook.com/jerkmagazine

@jerkmagazine

instagram.com/jerkmagazine

vimeo.com/jerkmagazine

SIMON "SLIME" ABRANOWICZ / Senior / The Case of the Collegiate Cat Burglar When Simon Abranowicz first started working with Jerk, he was dazzled by the bright lights and attractive models.

Eventually he succumbed to the darker side of the editorial world—eating too much and becoming numb to the women modeling in his stories. Abranowicz lives alone in a small apartment with his pet cactus, Michael Bolton.

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JERK THIS

HIT

Shit we like

SHOTS FIRED

Luke Bryan concert April 9 Pickup truck. Summer. Blue jeans.

Backroads. Small town. Bare feet. Beer.

There, we just saved you two hours.

Madeleine Albright Scream, Season 2 April 5 April 2 Nothing gets us revved up like feminism This show wants to be Scream Queens. and staying politically informed. And Scream Queens isn’t even good.

Views from the 6 album Datsik at Westcott Theater release April 5 & 6 April Let’s put it this way: Any rave held Honestly, Drake could make us miss on a Wednesday is not a rave worth someone we locked eyes with once in attending.

Ernie freshman year.

TAP into the MOST Fear the Walking Dead, April 2 Season 2 Leave the keg at home and spend the evening tasting beer to raise money for STEM programs.

Traditionally used in India for Hindu festivals such as Holi, bhang is a milk drink infused with cannabis. It’s believed to help one achieve spiritual ecstasy. We can’t promise that, but this is way better than your average dorm kitchen brownie. Photography by Renee Zhou

Ingredients Makes 3 full shots 1 cup of milk ½ tsp. of butter 1-2 grams of weed (ground) 1 pinch garam masala 1 tsp. honey Rose petals & chopped almonds to garnish

Disclaimer: Trust us, one shot is enough— this isn’t Fireball.

April 10 The spin-off series we never asked for and still don’t want.

Serial co-creator and host Romeo and Juliet—In Concert!

Sarah Koenig April 28-30 April 12 Skip your capstone for a real masterclass in journalism.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Season 2 April 15 Kimmy and the gang are up to their usual antics. Season 2 is best enjoyed with a very large glass of Pinot Noir.

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It’s a love story, baby, just say no.

Shit we like to avoid

BITCH

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add weed and simmer on low heat, stirring continuously. Add milk, garam masala, and honey. Simmer for ten minutes, continuing to stir. Take pan off heat and cool. Store in fridge overnight and then strain. Best served chilled and garnished with rose petals and almonds.

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CLICKBATE

TOTALLY UNSCIENTIFIC POLL

WWYD?

What We're Getting Off To On The Web This Month

JERKMAGAZINE.NET We know you have it bookmarked, but just in case.

The Backburner: How Ex-Celebrities Have Taken Over Food Network Hosts

First dates are nerve-wracking, and can make us act weird. We stopped by Bird Library to ask 100 students how they would react if their date did some taboo shit.

Why April 1st Is The Most Fucked Up "Holiday" Of All Time

What would you do if someone ______ on the first date?

ASKED YOU TO SUCK THEIR TOE? Cry. I have a foot phobia.

(70%)

TALKED ABOUT MARRIAGE/KIDS? While A-list celebrities are creating their own apps and getting million dollar checks for singing at birthday parties, life on the D-list isn’t as glamorous. Sometimes you just have to yell at contestants how much time they have left or tell them how disgusting their food is. Oh, Joey Fatone, how you’ve fallen.

Screaming matches with your mother while baking pies on Thanksgiving don’t hold a candle to how fucked up it is to let your dear grandmother think you’re engaged or have your squad post fake memorial posts in your honor. There is truly nothing OK about a holiday centered entirely around lying.

WHILE YOU'RE CLICKING AROUND...

a) Find the nearest exit. 31% b) Tell them what they want to hear. 12% c) Admit that I don't want a family anytime soon. 53% d) Offer to help them make a kid that night. 4%

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SHARED THEIR SEXUAL ADVENTURES? Be turned off.

(43%)

HAD BAD BODY ODOR? @breadfaceblog

Fetch! App

Breadfacing is the new planking thanks to one woman’s face and any type of bread she can find. This is just your run-of-themill loaf of white bread, she’s smashed her face into muffins, cornbread, naan, and a crouton—just to name a few. And no, she doesn’t let it go to waste.

Not only has Microsoft created the app to let people know what breed their dog is, but also our generation has found a second purpose for it. Upload a picture or 10, and find out which dog breed you look like and what traits that breed is known for. You are a dog after all.

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a) Try not to breathe the entire night. 18% b) Discreetly spray some cologne/perfume. 18% c) Tell them to shower next time. 12% d) Keep my distance without being obvious. 52%

WANTED TO SWAP CLOTHES WITH YOU? I'm Good. (65%)

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SEX

FRAMED

Mrs. Robinson Sister, Sister One of my professors last semester was being flirty with me, but I ignored it. After class one day he asked if he could walk me home. I made an excuse that I was going somewhere else. I told my sister about it, and she thought it sounded familiar. She asked me what his name was and realized it was the same professor she hooked up with freshman year. We’re twins and the professor was under the impression that I had sucked his dick a few years ago. He was flirting with me thinking I was my twin.

The Love Doctor Last year I started seeing a student at Upstate Medical University who was 10 years older than me. Things were going so well I practically forgot about the age difference and I invited him to my sorority formal. When we were walking from the pregame to the chapter house he said, "I haven't been to one of these in eight or nine years." Eight years ago I hadn't even had my first kiss.

Life in the Fast Lane When I was 18 and still in high school, I went on a dating website to find a sugar daddy and began talking to a man almost 15 years older than me. After some time, we agreed to meet in person. I told my parents I was

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staying at a friend’s house, when in reality he picked me up and took me to a hotel. While we drove there, I blew him and ended up choking then throwing up on him—all within 10 minutes of meeting him in person. He still hooked up with me later that night—after we cleaned up.

ART IMAGE

Dirty Danny I discovered how attracted I was to older men during freshman year. At a low point in my life, I met this man who was absolutely raunchy. I found it incredibly sexy every time he would whisper in my ear how badly he wanted to rip off my clothes and fuck me all the time. He was 32 years older than me but hardly looked his age, so I didn't mind– until I realized he looked like Bob Saget.

No Substitutions I started dating a substitute teacher from my high school after I graduated. It wasn’t that sketchy since I was 18, but I started talking to him when he chaperoned our trip to Disneyland and got me high. We dated during the summer, but he dumped me when I went to college because I took a selfie with another guy. Joke’s on him though—he asked me to marry him when I went back home.

Breasts 1

Kate Browse Junior, Biology and Sculpture As a sculpture and biology student who seeks to persue a career with Medical Art Prosthetics, much of my work focuses on themes involving the human body. More specifically, on concepts of what is considered societally "perfect", "acceptable", and "beautiful" as well as the processes we partake in as a result of these socially constructed standards. From a young age, I always had an interest in prosthetics used for costuming in film and theatre.

However, as I grew older and developed a considerable physical deformity, it became clear that the most powerful disguises are the ones we wear in real life, when trying to "fit in" or "pass" in the extremely cosmetically conscious public realm. Using mostly processes of mold making and photography, I seek to critique the oppressively superficial culture by celebrating these supposed "abnormalities" To showcase your work on "Framed," email art@jerkmagazine.net.

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Call of Duty

Once a boy's club, the selective service is opening its doors to women.

By Caroline Colvin : Illustration by Laura Norton

A refreshing shift from the bickering that dominates televised political debates, former presidential frontrunners Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, and Chris Christie were in unusual agreement that women should be able to sign up for the draft and serve in combat roles so long as they are physically qualified. A rare and positive sight, this moment of poignant candidate consensus during the New Hampshire Republican debate on Feb. 6 came in response to U.S. Armed Forces’ suggestion that women should to register for the Selective Service.

Suspended in 1975, the Selective Service is our system of conscription or “draft.”

That is to say, when the U.S. government sees a need for supplementary manpower during war time, it can call upon ordinary people, civilians, to join the military. In the U.S., the draft has been employed during the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. If the U.S. has to call for a conscription in the first place, it means that we have bigger things to worry about than protecting men’ s fragile masculinity by keeping perfectly capable women from the draft.

However, not all Republicans agree with Rubio, Bush, and Christie. Ted Cruz repudiated their support for women in combat roles the next day at a New Hampshire town hall meeting. Using the 16 4.16• JERK

loaded imagery of the U.S. government forcing “young girls” to fight Jihadis, as if grown women with the agency to enlist in the military are helpless and naïve. Cruz declared that as president, he would not allow women to participate on the front lines of war.

Cruz’s boring, tired, and sexist statements appealed to the apprehension Americans feels when it comes to breaking down traditional gender roles. However, this discomfort should be welcomed, as allowing women to register for the Selective Service and to reach their fullest potential in combat roles are the next logical steps in dismantling gender hierarchy in the military.

It’s telling that it has taken America 155 years to have a real conversation about women in the draft. Women have been recognized as military nurses since 1901, but it wasn’t until the 1940s that women were considered valid members of the armed forces as Women Airforce Service Pilots. Fast forward to August 2015, when Capt. Kristen Griest and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver made history as the first women to graduate from the Army’s Ranger school, but still cannot accompany their classmates in the special operations unit. Four months later, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that all gender-related bans on military jobs are lifted.

Margaret Susan Thompson, an associate professor of history and politics in Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, attributes the slow progress to good ol’ fashioned misogyny: Men are seen as natural protectors and women are seen as natural nurturers.

This same gendered stereotype plays out in how most people assume that by the mere virtue of being born a woman, you’re just not cut out for the job. Francine D’Amico, an associate professor of international relations in the Maxwell School, refutes that point because the military’s physical requirements are based on an individual’s strength, not the some outdated idea of what a woman is capable of accomplishing.

“There will be some people who can’t do X, Y, or Z. And yes, in general, there’s differences in upper body strength. There’s also differences in lower body strength,” D’Amico says. “So why just say, ‘OK, because you come from a group that tends to do this, you personally can’t, you individually can’t.’”

However, even more compelling than a solely feminist argument for the draft, Thompson makes the point that contributing to the war effort—especially under conscription, especially because you didn’t volunteer—doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be on the actual front lines of war. Thompson’s father, who was drafted for World War II, is a prime example. Although he met the physical requirements, Thompson explained, he had terrible eyesight. He had a college degree, which was rare at the time, but his superiors decided he was better cut out to be a military counselor for those with posttraumatic stress disorder.

While the Department of Defense’s decisions cannot cure sexist attitudes, permitting women to register for the

Selective Service will be as crucial a measure as lifting the combat ban was for improving the military’s relationship with women and society's view of women.

In fact, contrary to misogynists’ contrived beliefs, incorporating women in all aspects of military operations can only make the armed forces stronger. The very idea of women being equal to men can help military units run more smoothly.

D’Amico explained that gender-based restrictions in the military can taint relationships for the women enlisted. This same idea can be applied to the greater public, as not allowing women to sign up for the draft only reinforces the idea that women are somehow inferior to men. To have the U.S. government and the armed forces include women in potential draftees will dissolve some of the resentment and condescension that men feel toward women for getting off scot-free when it comes to conscription.

In order to function effectively, especially in a time of crisis, military officials and politicians should set aside their prejudices to do what’ s best for the country as well as women’s rights by opening the draft to all genders.

Holding such values as respect and honor in such high esteem, the armed forces need to be thorough in ensuring that all positions are available based on physical and mental excellence, and merit—nothing as arbitrary as sex or gender. Affording women the right to take part in the Selective Service is one of the final, bigger, legal, and cultural barriers to gender equality in the U.S. To break it down would benefit the feminist agenda by eliminating a tier of systemic oppression for women as well as benefit the military by improving its efficiency as an institution. JM

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Checking Up

Over a year after SU closed the Advocacy Center, the Counseling Center is trying to pick up the pieces.

By Sophia Caraballo : Illustration by Vanessa Castillo

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said changes.

However, the Counseling Center was able to provide something that the Advocacy Center could not: the option to report the assault.

"Many survivors choose not to do so because they either believe nothing will be done or the process would take too long with no real consequences," Blanchard says. National statistics show that one in four college women will experience sexual assault, but in the past year, DPS has recorded only 14 reported cases. Based on estimations, reported cases on campus should be significantly higher, however the burden of reporting is put on the victim.

“I have nothing but praises for the Counseling Center, but its unfortunate location along Frat Row makes it difficult for some survivors to approach it because they’ll have to relive that moment just by walking there,” says Samantha Skaller, a student advisory committee member for

the “It’s On Us” campaign, one day she was catcalled while on her way to the center.

This was one of the points THE General Body made last year:

" The location of the Counseling Center gets in the way of sexual assault survivors seeking help, and it has still not been addressed or acknowledged.

"

It has been almost two years since the Advocacy Center was shut down with a one-day notice to its employees and the student community. The center gave sexual assault and relationship violence survivors a safe space where they could talk about their trauma.

“It was an open place and people felt more comfortable going there than to the Counseling Center, which unfortunately had a weird stigma at the time,” says Marissa Blanchard, an executive board member of The Girl Code Movement, an assault prevention organization at SU. Because of its location in the Student Health Center on Waverly Avenue, survivors had privacy walking into the building and felt more inclined to talk about their stories. Although the university made these changes in order to comply with Title IX, it completely disregarded the opinions and needs of student survivors by not communicating with anyone before making

Despite these challenges, the Counseling Center claims to be doing everything possible to help, but advocate for survivors.

The survivor is matched with the counselor who can best help them and sometimes that may require telling their story twice.

The Counseling Center may be understaffed and located in an unfortunate place but it should speak even more to our society and our campus administration that they allow inadequate support services in a center that works with sexual assault survivors—that those same survivors don’t feel it’s worth it to report their assaults. If the administration continues to ignore these core issues the counseling center will continue to be unable to fill the void left by the Advocacy Center. JM

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WHITEWASHED Erasing an entire culture or race for entertainment is more than insensitive; it's wrong.

By Khianna Calica : Illustration by Taylor Hicks

Looking at the cast lists of upcoming TV shows and movies, its clear that the media have a real problem casting actors who are the race of the characters they are playing.

Lets not beat around the bush here, this has a name: blackface. What began as a painful history of vaudeville sideshows has since evolved to include modern industries profiting on the misrepresentations of ethnic groups. There are plenty of talented actors of color. Blackface should not be an issue in 2016.

First, let get our definitions straight.

Blackface has historically been created by white performers who paint their faces with theatrical makeup to look black. The narratives in these shows perpetuated stereotypes of blacks, and were rooted in the false ideology that black people couldn't portray themselves onstage. The practice began in the mid-1800s with popular characters like Jim Crow played by actor Thomas Rice.

Today, Hollywood continues the tradition in innovative ways, and there is no shortage of modern Tom Rice's to fill those roles. Joseph Fiennes, a white man, was cast to play the late Michael Jackson in an upcoming British comedy called Michael and Marlon. Zoe Saldana was cast to play songstress Nina Simone in a new biopic called Nina causing mass confusion—Nina's skin was much darker than Saldana's light skin. Yesha Callahan of The Root protested 20 4.16• JERK

against the decision to cast someone with overwhelmingly different physical features saying “It's insulting that they would rather extend the makeup budget to oblivion than cast a woman who actually looks like Simone. It's not as if there's a lack of talented women who could have done the role without being painted [in blackface].”

And the problem doesn't end with black roles.

A range of other oppressed groups have their respective equivalent to blackface: Asian to yellowface, Latin/Hispanic to brownface, Native-American to redface, Jewish to jewface, etc. All are problematic and, of course, all continue to happen in film and television. From Ridley Scott's decision to repopulate Egypt with white men in 2014's Exodus: Gods and Kings to Keanu Reeves playing a samurai in 2013's 47 Ronin. The refusal to cast actors of the same race as the roles they are auditioning for sends the same message blackface from the 19th century sent: Studios don't think actors of color are good enough—or marketable enough—to play their own race.

Modern blackface will continue, but as consumers we can decide what kind of media to support. If you find it unacceptable that this racist tradition continues today, say so with your dollars. Nobody is going to force you to go see the next shitty Keanu Reeves movie. JM

30 Times We Thought Your SoCalled Shareable Stories Sucked If this is the voice of our generation, we give up.

By Hannah Fiore To the young people who write Elite Daily, Thought Catalog, and The Odyssey articles and share them on Facebook: These selfhelp articles make me regret learning how to read. Young men and women are using these sites to write like they are established journalists here to drop knowledge on us lesser individuals. I highly doubt that someone at 22 knows the "5 Things You Need to do to Make Your Relationship Last."

These articles are irritating but they can also be insulting. In August 2014, a writer for Thought Catalog posted an article titled "Transphobia is Perfectly Natural". There was a huge lack of editorial oversight here, and has since been removed after readers reported it as abusive content. People are entitled to their own opinions, but writing offensive content is never okay.

Sorry Thought Catalog, not all thinking should be catalogued! Their chief revenue officer credits the website's success to their “awesome writers who make stuff people love and can relate to,” but the airheadedness of this statement explains the subpar content on the site. If they’re trying to relate to a mass audience, they probably shouldn’t post articles such as "Being Privileged Is Not A Choice, So Stop Hating Me For It".

Though being privileged is not a choice according to Thought Catalog’s writer, sharing these ill-thought-out articles is.

Even more disappointing than the writer's backward mentality are the Facebook users sharing these articles, finally getting validation for their racist, homophobic

beliefs. Journalism is founded on the idea of a marketplace of ideas—where the truth will be set free amidst all of the bullshit— but these half-ass stories shouldn't be published by online publications who claim to be newsworthy. Blatant racism and ignorance stuffed in between fluff articles that anyone can write after drinking a bottle of wine is not news.

And Thought Catalog isn’t the only culprit here. Elite Daily is just as insidious. They claim to be “The Voice of Generation Y,” which frankly just makes all of generation Y look vapid. I sure as shit don’t want to be associated with any website that shares articles such as "100 Things You Should Sext Your Man If You Want Him To Cum In His Pants Immediately," no matter how useful that may be for sexters on a Friday night.

Elite Daily’s CEO believes they have become so popular due to the “realness” of their content. But I can't say I feel much more informed after reading "19 Typical Snapchats All Girls Send and What They Actually Mean." I would have never been able to decipher them without Elite Daily's help.

The amount of inane articles that these sites put out every day blows my mind, each one being a near replica of the one before. To the girl that shared "An Open Letter to the Boy That Broke my Heart," he’s scrolling through his Facebook timeline and is breathing a sigh of relief that he broke up with you. JM

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Uber to Upstate Taxis in 'Cuse are about to get a facelift

By Alexi McCammond : Illustration by Ryan Polgar If you’ve lived in or visited a town that is up to speed with capitalism and the 21st century, you’ve likely experienced the convenience of Uber. Need a ride home from the bar? Uber’s got you covered. Have a flight to catch and all the yellow taxis in Syracuse estimate a 45 minute wait? Uber that shit and catch that plane. But wait, you can’t! Because Uber, for a myriad of reasons that just aren’t good enough anymore, is still not allowed to operate in Syracuse, a city with more than 144,000 residents.

In February, Uber released a “Future” view across Upstate New York in the app.

The feature showed users how simple it would be for them to get a ride in their area if their local lawmakers allowed the ridesharing service to operate. The app even went so far as to include a “Make This a Reality” feature that led users directly to a petition they could sign begging their lawmakers to bring Uber to their city. When 60,000 desperate people opened the Uber app outside of NYC in February hoping to find a miracle in the form of Uber rides available in their area, they ended up staring back at a blank map that showed no cars. The future must have seemed pretty fucking bleak in that moment.

Basically, New York State law makes it nearly impossible for Uber to provide insurance coverage to its drivers in the state, which is why it can’t operate in Syracuse. In order to fix this problem, New York would

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need to change its law so that Uber could insure its employees more easily across the state and not just in places like NYC. Well, it’s time that Governor Andrew Cuomo— or someone—makes changes so that the residents and students in Syracuse can rejoin society and Uber wherever they damn well please.

Having Uber in Syracuse would reduce drunk driving and bring more jobs—700 to be exact, as Uber told Syracuse.com— to a city that relies heavily on SU and the hospital for economic income. You can take an Uber in 60 cities that are smaller than Syracuse—including Burlington, Vt., which is three times smaller than Cuse—according to a Syracuse.com article.

It comes down to state-by-state laws, but when SU has more than 21,000 students who need reliable transportation at any given time of day, it is unacceptable that Uber is still not allowed to operate in Syracuse. Drunk driving is a serious health and tax burden, one that Onondaga county knows too well, as it ranks ninth in the state for most deaths by driving while intoxicated annually. It’s no secret that SU students like to drink; yet it remains a mystery how students are expected to get home safely from bars, on campus or downtown, when there is a severe lack of public transportation options. If you live off campus, or you don’t feel safe walking back to your apartment at night or the weather is bitterly cold, Uber

BITCH could be there to help you get home from the bar or party safely.

Uber would provide more than just safe rides to residents; it would create jobs for a community that has a 6.4 percent unemployment rate in comparison to a national 4.9 percent unemployment rate.

“At its current rate, the Uber platform is generating 20,000 new driver jobs every month,” according to the Uber Newsroom.

Everyone from new drivers to college students to your sketchy TA looking to occupy their free time could sign up to be an Uber driver in Syracuse, and we could

watch the unemployment rate go down as we sit comfortably in the back of an Uber.

Unfortunately, there’s not much people can do to bring Uber to Syracuse just yet, as lawmakers will have to change the backward policy. It can’t hurt to sign the Uber petition, though, and it sure as hell couldn’t hurt to create an underground startup that is just like Uber—but doesn’t need the legal approval—because capitalism, right­? Until then, keep calling hours in advance for a taxi and walking home in the frozen tundra, dreaming of a warm Uber. JM

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High Society

became the first medical marijuana dispensary to open in Syracuse back in early February. There are now three throughout the city, including Bloomfield Industries and PharmaCannis. But unlike the other two, Etain is a family-owned business run by three women, Amy Peckham and her two daughters Hillary and Keeley Peckham, all closely connected to the cause. The company was built with Amy’s mother, Frances Keeffe, in mind.

Keeffe was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2009. And while a doctor recommended she try medical marijuana, it was not yet available. Amy was forced to watch her mother deteriorate over the years, unable to offer any alternative help.

The Peckham women have since dedicated their “success and future endeavors to her memory,” as mentioned on their website.

Medical marijuana was legalized in June of 2014 by Governor Andrew Cuomo, after Amy’s mother died. However, the law just took effect on January 6 of this year.

The next day, eight dispensaries opened their doors across the state, including Etain, which also opened both its Kingston and Albany locations. Now that the Syracuse branch is open, Etain is planning to open up its fourth and final dispensary in Yonkers.

The company is one of only five Limited Liability Companies—which is where the owners are not personally responsible for the company’s debts and other financial liabilities—that was approved to sell medical marijuana in New York. Fortythree businesses applied over the nineday application window back in 2015.

Each company was required to pay a nonrefundable $10,000 application fee, and a $200,000 registration fee that, fortunately for the companies, would be refunded if they weren't chosen. The other four selected LLCs include Bloomfield, PharmaCannis, Columbia Care, and Vireo Health. Each registered company is restricted to four dispensaries, limiting the entire state to a mere 20. Compare this with the estimated

As the first medical marijuana dispensaries open around Syracuse, the New York State government is regulating their business, limiting the amount of potential relief they are able to provide to the community.

By Erika Haas : Photography Lilly Steucklen Walking inside the small, brick building, patients aren’t greeted by much; a long check-in desk dominates the center of the room, and a few chairs with a lone end table are huddled in the corner. Deep pink accents offset gray walls, giving the otherwise dreary room a bit of life. Everything is neat, clean, 24 4.16

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and in its place. It’s your typical doctor’s office waiting room. At least it appears to be until patients step through one of the pink doors. There sits a pharmacist, not a doctor, preparing prescriptions for medical marijuana.

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1,250 medical marijuana dispensaries currently operating in California, which was the first state to legalize medical marijuana back in 1996. Granted, California is trying to fix this with a new set of bills tightening regulations on the industry that are aimed to take effect by 2018 if approved.

Regardless, New York is still known for having some of the strictest medical marijuana laws in the country. Many have criticized the state for “totally screwing up”

MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TAKING OPIATES OR OTHER PAINKILLERS THAT PEOPLE OFTEN ABUSE AND EVEN OVERDOSE ON. legalization, calling it a petty effort. But at least it is some kind of effort. More than half of the states still haven’t legalized medical marijuana. There are currently only 23 states that consider it legal, plus the District of Columbia.

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Without strict regulations, Gov. Cuomo most likely wouldn't have approved the bill, and New York wouldn't have joined the list. One of his stipulations: nothing can be smoked. Patients won’t be packing any bowls or rolling joints. All medical marijuana must be sold as an oil-based product. The marijuana is first processed into pure oil so that products with specific Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, and Cannabidiol, CBD, ratios can be formed. This also provides patients with a more consistent dosage. THC produces psychoactive “euphoric” effects while CBD is a non-psychoactive and provides a range of palliative effects. In other words, THC is what gives you that high feeling, and CBD is calming and can act as a sort of painkiller.

Medical marijuana is an alternative to taking opiates or other painkillers that people often abuse and even overdose on. Every year 16,000 people die from an overdose on opiates. No one has ever died from overdosing on marijuana. In fact, studies have shown than you would need to consume anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 times the amount of THC in a standard joint to be at risk.

Etain currently has three product lines, with varying THC and CBD levels: dolce which has a high-CBD ratio, balance which has equal CBD and THC ratios, and forte which has a high-THC ration. LowTHC, high-CBD products supposedly help with nausea and vomiting, severe muscle spasms, and inflammatory bowel disease.

High-CBD products also have limited impact on cognition, meaning you won’t feel completely cloudy and can take it at any time of the day. On the other hand, balanced THC-CBD products can create a “limited” euphoric feeling. Doctors recommended using these either in the morning or at night.

Balanced THC-CBD products help with pain, including neuropathic pain, or pain from nerve damage, and pain associated with cancer and cachexia which is when the body begins wasting away due to a severe chronic illness, which causes muscle and appetite loss.

Depending on the brand, patients at Etain can receive tinctures which are oil drops you place under the tongue, vaporizers, oral sprays in a fresh mint flavor, or capsules. According to Etain’s spokesman, Steve Stallmer, the tinctures and capsules are currently the most commonly prescribed. “I think that’s also because they are the cheapest because they're the easiest. It’s just the straight form of the oil,” Stallmer explains. Turning that oil into an oral spray or something that can be vaporized is an expensive step and one that not all patients can afford. Unfortunately, medical marijuana is not covered by health insurance. Marijuana is still considered illegal by the federal government. Under the Controlled Substances Act, it is labeled a schedule 1 drug, meaning it has “no current medical use,” “a lack of accepted safety,” and “a high potential for abuse.”

Other schedule 1 drugs include LSD and

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meth. For these reasons, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved medical marijuana. No major insurance provider covers non-FDA approved treatments.

Patients are therefore forced to pay out of pocket. Depending on the product that could be $100 to $250 per prescription, and an average of $300 to $1,200 a month. Under the Compassionate Care Act, all prices are approved by the Department of Health.

The high expense is attributed to the process of turning everything into an oil.

“The machinery that’s used in that procedure is incredibly expensive, probably all total half a million dollars worth of equipment,” Stallmer admits. “Obviously any time you have a cost like that added to the process, it’s going to make the final product more expensive. As to how much exactly, I don’t know, [but it’s] significant to say the least.”

While the vaporizers and sprays are more expensive, patients sometimes prefer

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them. Parents who have kids suffering from epilepsy often give their children the spray.

It is easier for a parent to ask their kid to open up their mouth and spritz something mint flavored inside than to force them to choke down a pill.

According to Stallmer, Etain has a rather diverse clientele; kids, adults, men, women, patients with milder conditions, and patients with life-threatening illnesses like cancer. There is definitely not a single face to medical marijuana. But while the group is diverse, it is not large. Etain’s Syracuse branch currently serves around a dozen patients. The number is expected to go up since the branch is still fairly new, but probably not by much. There are only 25 patients registered at the other two locations.

In general, New York does not have a high demand for medical marijuana. As of March 18, 1,934 patients have been

approved by their doctors and registered it is not up to these companies. The list is with the state to receive medical cannabis. entirely controlled by the New York State “That probably has to do with the fact that the Department of Health. number of registered doctors is small and

Multiple studies have proven the the availability of priming doctors is limited,” medical benefits of marijuana, including presumes Stallmer. “I don’t think that’s a a study published by the Journal of the coincidence.” Only 462 physicians have American Medical Association, JAMA. The registered for the NYS Medical Marijuana study found “high-quality evidence” to Program. The course is four hours long and support the use of marijuana for chronic can cost up to $250 dollars to register. While pain, neuropathic pain, and spasticity due to this may seem like a lot, a doctor in New multiple sclerosis. But other studies provide York must pay $600 for a 3-year renewal of evidence that marijuana may help other their medical license. On top of that, they conditions not included in New York State’s must pay $731 if they want to renew their approved list. Research from the University 3-year Drug Enforcement Administration, of Nottingham shows that marijuana DEA, license to prescribe controlled may help protect the brain from damage substances, like narcotics. In comparison, caused by a stroke, and a study published $250 to prescribe medical marijuana seems in Cerebral Cortex displays some evidence like a small price to pay. Nevertheless, there that marijuana may help heal the brain still seems to be a shortage of doctors. after a concussion or other traumatic injury.

A lack of doctors is not the only Another study in the European Journal of thing stopping people from getting the Gastroenterology and Hepatology found marijuana, though. New York, like many that marijuana can help patients suffering other states, only allows 10 conditions from hepatitis C, lessening side effects and diseases to be treated with medical like fatigue, nausea, muscle aches, loss marijuana: Cancer, HIV or AIDS, ALS—the of appetite, and depression. The list of disease Peckhman's mother suffered from— studies could go on and on. Unfortunately, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, the list of conditions treatable by medical spinal cord injury with spasticity, epilepsy, marijuana in New York does not. inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathy, Although the Peckham women were and Huntington's disease. There has been unable to provide their loved one with debate over expanding this list to include the relief of medical marijuana, they don’t other conditions like Alzheimer's, muscular want to rob anyone else of that opportunity. dystrophy, dystonia, rheumatoid arthritis, They are focusing their energy on making and posttraumatic stress disorder. “We’ve this drug more widely available. Despite been contacted quite a bit from veterans the cool responses to New York’s strict and veteran groups and family members regulations on medical marijuana, Etain asking if that’s [PTSD] the type of thing you has been warmly welcomed. “It’s been could be prescribed for, and unfortunately wholeheartedly supported,” Stallmer at this point it’s not,” Stallmer say. Etain— says. “It’s going really well, and we hope to like most of the registered companies, says continue that.” JM Stallmer—is in favor of growing the list. But

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Come Together

It began with a social media campaign revealed that Syracuse has the highest rate to promote positivity and activism in the of severe poverty concentrated amongst Syracuse community. DeSantis created a both Hispanic and Black citizens out of the Facebook page and Twitter account called nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas.

Believe in Syracuse to raise awareness From 2000 to 2013, the number of highabout events in the city, highlight unique poverty areas in Syracuse—where over 40 places, and provide community members percent of citizens live below the federal with the opportunity to volunteer and poverty line—has more than doubled. improve Syracuse. The accounts quickly Despite these statistics, DeSantis has seen garnered a considerable following as major improvements in the city and hopes support from the community flooded in. to continue bettering Syracuse. "In some DeSantis realized he could do more than ways, it’s hard to grow without reaching a get hundreds of likes on a page and could low point," he says. "We’ve definitely turn a social media campaign into a non- reached that point, so now there’s nowhere profit organization. Believe in Syracuse to go but up." officially became a non-profit in January of 2013. The organization is now governed by

a nine-member Board of Directors, has over 5,000 Facebook likes, and more than 8,000 Twitter followers.

While DeSantis is certain the city is ripe with potential, he says he understands where that cynicism comes from. Syracuse was once a booming mecca of industry and invention, known for its rapid growth and manufacturing that rivaled New York City.

Syracuse experienced a significant economic decline between the 1950s and early 2000s—the effects of which are still To provide some ground-level support to being felt today. Last fall, an analysis of families who are impoverished, Believe in census data published by Rutgers Professor Syracuse sent volunteers Mary Nelson’s Paul Jargowsky for The Century Foundation Youth Day Barbecue and Backpack

Syracuse University alum John DeSeantis passions for the city drove him to found Believe in Syrcause, a non-profit organization aimed at promoting the city, revealing the potential held here,and increasing volunteerism to lead to a better community.

By Kelly O'Sullivan and Jerk Staff : Photography by Bridget Williams Underneath the constant clouds of Syracuse, it can be difficult to see the city’s cultural vibrancy and the opportunities the it provides. After graduating from Syracuse University in 2008, John DeSantis moved away from the place where he grew up, along with most of his peers. Upon his return to Syracuse later in life, he 30 4.16

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recognized the unforeseen potential in the cloudy city. "So many of my friends didn’t see any cultural or economic opportunities in the area and as a result a huge portion of them—particularly those I went to SU with—moved away after college," DeSeantis says. This is where his idea for Believe in Syracuse was born.

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eway. Nelson, a Syracuse community member, holds this event each summer to provide students with the school supplies they need to succeed. The Believe in Syracuse volunteers unloaded a trailer full of school supplies and handed them to the students and their families. "It’s incredible to see the line of people that come wrapping around blocks and blocks. You can read the articles and look at pictures, but when you see the line, it becomes real," DeSantis says.

One of the volunteers that gave out backpacks at the event was Michael Goodhines. Giving back to the community where he grew up and still loves is a rewarding feeling for him. He got involved with the organization after seeing a Facebook post regarding a volunteering opportunity. Goodhines, 57, spent the day unpacking boxes full of thousands of donated books that were being given to Syracuse schools. Although he labored for hours, continuously reaching in and out of boxes and separating the books into piles, his positivity and enthusiasm never faded.

"That was incredibly rewarding because it was not just Believe in Syracuse that did it, there were lots of other volunteers there."

Goodhines says. "It was really just an exciting group of people all working to

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support kids, education and reading."

The organization, however, does not only aim to alleviate poverty and promote education, but also promotes local businesses. When Beer Belly Deli and Pub, a restaurant on Westcott St., was in danger of closing due to a lull in business when there was road construction in front of the restaurant. "The profit margin is slim and a restaurant cannot afford to have no patrons days on end," Esther Zorn, a founding member and the Sergeant at Arms of Believe in Syracuse, says.

Believe in Syracuse organized an event at the restaurant to get customers inside the doors. More than one hundred community members came to the restaurant and essentially saved the restaurant from going out of business. "We were surprised, proud, and thankful to all the people that showed. We were celebrating; this was a huge win for the community,dz Zorn says.

Believe in Syracuse has also seen other wins during its existence. Last summer, the members of the organization held an event where local citizens and Onondaga County officials jumped into Onondaga Lake—which was once the most polluted lake in the country— as a symbolic celebration of the lake’s positive comeback. "I’m not great at

swimming," Goodhines laughs. "I didn’t jump because there was no official beach to wade in from." Participants were brought on a boat to the middle of the lake and took the cold plunge into the water.

With these small celebrations, comes a big celebration: the Believe In Syracuse Birthday Party. This past January, they held their third birthday party at the Landmark Theater to celebrate the group’s accomplishments over the year. Over 600 people came together for the event, nearly doubling the expected turnout. Two awards were given to both an individual and an organization that have made significant contributions to Syracuse. This year Chris Fowler, the executive director of Syracuse First, was given the individual award.

Fowler’s organization focuses heavily on promoting small local business, which he hopes will drive Syracuse’s economy forward. The Samaritan Center, which works to provide "sound nutrition" to anyone who needs it, won the organization award for its work feeding the hungry.

These awards benefit both the recipients and the community as a whole.

Believe in Syracuse helps support the organization throughout the year by promoting them on social media and sending volunteers to their events when

needed. "We’re very visible in the community, so a big part of it is giving them [the winners] a platform and raising awareness about their causes," he says.

DeSantis and his organization have volunteered at the Samaritan Center in past years. Members work behind the counter and serve the hungry. "Looking at those people in the eye, it’s a really powerful experience to know you’re giving back," DeSantis says. "These are the people that are the most down and out and the most vulnerable people in our society.dz The volunteers’ work does not go unnoticed.

The people that they are feeding are always grateful and thank the workers, DeSantis says.

As the year continues, Believe in Syracuse will continue its efforts to generate positive energy about the city and channel that energy into making a difference. The Board of Directors is starting to focus on becoming more neighborhood based, organizing programs specifically on the North Side and South Side Syracuse, which has the highest concentration of poverty in Syracuse.

"We just want to empower people to get involved," DeSantis says. "We want to give these people a positive reason to take ownership over where they live." JM

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SMUT the legend lives on.

When Jesse Wilson was 16 years old, he started Ish Guitars, a music retailer with a professional edge. It offers a diverse array

“It’s not like a store for old guys or a store for young people. There’s a really cool mix of all nationalities, colors, ages, and races in everyone who comes in.” of premiere acoustics, electrics, basses and gear for serious, devoted musicians and collectors of all ages. Wilson's

passion for music began when his father encouraged him to pick up the bass after growing bored of the drums. He then turned his passion into a business, selling his first car, a Porsche, to buy three bases and a guitar. “And that was my opening order, and that’s how I started it all,” Wilson, now 22, explains.

He conducted business only online, but last December, he officially opened up his own storefront on 410 S. Franklin. St. in Armory Square giving him the space to expand his company and interact with customers face-to-face. He named this company “Ish Guitars,” which is a play off of his childhood nickname “Ishkabibble.”

“It was the stage name of a TV comedian back in the 50s or 60s. That’s kind of been my grandpa’s nickname for me ever since I was little,” Wilson says.

Despite its playful moniker, Ish is for serious musicians. As for the kind of customers who walk through his door, Wilson says, “It’s not like a store for old guys or a store for young people. There’s

Finely Tuned Jesse Wilson turned his love of music into a business, opening Ish Guitars in Armory Square this past December to provide a musical hideaway for professionals and amateurs alike.

By Karli Gasteiger : Photography by Kasey Lanese

Hanging from the top of a mirror high up in the corner of a vintage, creaky, woodfloored storefront rests one of 18 exact replicas of rock band Kiss’s Ace Frehly’s ’59 Les Pauls. The original, bought

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just around the corner at what was then Onondaga Music, inspired these replicas, which go for between $200,000 to $500,000 each. It was the Syracuse guitar for years, and at Ish Guitars,

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A PHOTO COULD GO HERE.

a really cool mix of all nationalities, colors, ages, and races in everyone who comes in.”

Complimenting the relaxed atmosphere of the store, there are leather sofas and soundproof rooms customers can go in to try out their potential new toys. “A bunch of people will just be jamming with each other, and you’ll have a 16-year-old kid who’s playing with a 60-year-old dude,” Wilson says.

“A bunch of people will just be jamming with each other, and you’ll have a 16-year-old kid who’s playing with a 60-year-old dude.”

As for his own musical tastes, Wilson says, “I like good music. I like good country, I like good rap, I like good rock, but there’s also very bad rap, there’s very bad rock, and there’s very bad country too.”

The store is becoming a landmark in itself, attracting famous musicians such as Mike Gordon, bassist for Phish; Ben Mauro, Lionel Richie’s guitarist; Sleeping with Sirens; and Marcus Miller, a famous bassist, whose daughter is a Syracuse University alum.

As for the famous ’59 Les Paul replica, if you stop into Ish, you might just able to get your hands on one. JM

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GAWK

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GAWK PRESENTS

The Case of the Collegiate Catburglar

Meet the case-cracking pair: Zane & Xin Yuan!

Follow along as our detective duo cracks the classic whodunit.

Suited up in their preppy pastels, they team up with their old pals Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, and Lilly Pulitzer. With a few pops of color perfect for your summer on the cape, we show you that no black and a little frat can look pretty damn badass.

With special thanks to J. Michael for their continuous support.

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Stylists: Lydia Chan and Trusha Bhatt Art Direction, Photography, Design, Illustration: Allen Chiu and Simon Abranowicz (Qual Agency) Models: Xin Yuan, Zane Ludvigsen Assistant: Hairol Ma JERK

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cap: Southern Tide - $23. sweater: Vineyard Vines - $98. shoes: Sperry - $88

shirt: H&M- $12. sweater: AA - $78. shorts: Vineyard Vines - $65 shirt is from Vineyard Vines, it cost me $75 and my bow tie is $19

coat: Kate Spade - $148

the search begins 40 4.16

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GAWK dress: A&F- $58. necklace: J.Crew - $34. shoes: Jack Rogers - $110

shirt: Ralph Lauren - $98. skirt: Vineyard Vines - $98, shoes: UO - $80

shortly there after

cap is Vineyard Vines for $24 and my shirt is from Southern Tide for $79

shirt is from Vineyard Vines, it cost me $125and my pants are H&M for $30

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dress is from Lilly Pulitzer, it cost me $98

sweater: Ben Sherman - $149. pants: H&M - $30. boots: Clarks - $150

shirt: Eddie Bauer - $60. suspenders: J. Michael - $22

sweater is from Vineyard Vines, it cost me $98

meanwhile! cap & shirt are Vineyard Vines, they cost me $25 & $88

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the end!

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STRIPPED

STRIPPED

Fanny Packs

Wrinkled Clothing

Brands that do it best: Chanel, Herschel, ASOS. How to wear it: Edge up a utility fanny pack by teaming it with slouchy boyfriend jeans and a crop top.

Who wears it best: Rachel Zoe, middleaged tourists in Times Square What it says about you: "I keep my jewels next to my jewels."

Brands that do it best: Victoria Beckham, Thakoon, Diesel.

How to wear it: Pair a sleek top—satin or crisp cotton—with crinkled bottoms to polish up your look.

Who wears it best: Kanye West, frat boys at date night What it says about you: "I’m too poor to iron"

Blue and Black Brands that do it best: Proenza Schouler, AllSaints, Banana Republic How to wear it: Mix different textures of black and blue—leather, lace, silk—to make the colors distinctly pop.

Who wears it best: Sarah Harris—British Vogue Editor, Garret the investment banker What is says about you: "Blue and black or white and gold?"

Dresses over Pants Brands that do it best: Simone Rocha, Free People, Topshop How to wear it: Take out your favorite slip dress and throw it over some dark wash jeans with a fur coat.

Who wears it best: Emma Watson, the preacher’s daughter What it says about you: "My mom let me dress myself in elementary school."

Faux Pas(s)

We don't follow the fashion rules, we break them.

Photography by Bridget Williams JERK

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NOISE

Spark Contemporary Art Space Spark Contemporary Art Space provides young artists in Syracuse an opportunity to leave their mark both literally and figuratively.

By Erin Kelly : Photography Shelley Kendall

There is a naked man covered in string standing at the back end of the room. His hands are calmly at his sides and he stares straight ahead, eyes wide open. A large roll of paper hangs on the wall next to him with a sign that says, “Draw me any way you like.” A group of people wrap him in string as a girl begins to sketch his form. A crowd starts to form around

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this, now completely interactive, art piece.

One woman pulls out her own ball of yarn from her bag and throws it over the naked model’s head.

Tonight’s gallery is in full swing.

Nestled in the corner of E. Fayette St., about a 15-minute walk from main campus, lies an unassuming brick building, worn down by age and the harsh Syracuse

weather. The space is so unassuming that a first-time visitor to the space could circle around the building three times before realizing that it was the right address. A rusted sign hangs above a chipped bright red, doorframe with large geometrical letters that spell out “Spark Contemporary Art Space.” During the day the building appears completely abandoned, with nothing inside but dust. Later in the evening, however, that notion is proven completely countered. This building is more alive than any place I’ve been on campus in my nearly four years as a student.

Spark, as the students who frequent the space affectionately call it, acts as a gallery, performance space, and studio for anyone who wishes to rent it out. The space was founded in the mid-90s and has remained an active contemporary venue and resource for the artistic talents of the area. Students and locals alike come together at Spark to create and share their various creative talents in an open, inclusive environment.

On Saturday, March 5, I attended “Tied Up,” a student-run event curated by three VPA seniors, Adrienne Belair, Eliza Wapner, and Andrew “Droo” Fielding.

Their exhibition showcases the way different artists are using string in their various practices across Syracuse. These practices include mediums ranging from prints and textiles to paintings and sculptures, videos, and even string cheese.

The string cheese so strangely resembled fabric string that I accidentally mistook the cheese the maker was selling as one of the interactive art pieces scattered throughout the gallery.

The philosophy behind the choice of string was explained on a long, brown piece of parchment that was nailed to the wall nearest to the entrance. The painted

words written by the curators were as follows:

“As Artists, we are all drawn to our own media as a form of expression. Currently in the community of SU and the surrounding area there are a lot of creative individuals choosing to use fiber as a tool for selfexpression. Our goal in curating this art show is to bring attention to the common themes, the contrasting styles, and the unique perspectives that make up our wonderfully diverse artistic community. We all have our own story, and these are the common threads that ties us together.”

I aimlessly walk around by myself for a while, quietly observing the people and the energy of the room. The feeling of home and togetherness is infectious—even though I did not know a soul in the room. I feel like I could go up to any of these strangers and ask them about themselves, how they got to know this space and why they kept coming back. As I put my notebook away and get the work aspect out of my mind, I begin to understand what Spark really does for the Syracuse community. Boxes of Franzia and cases of PBR quickly growing in number casually rest next to some of the smaller pieces. Friends gather around the makeshift bar and various works of art and talk. In one corner there is a circle of people of all ages cross-stitching on the floor, passing back and forth their work to have the person next to them add their own flair.

As I linger around the bar and observe

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NOISE the crowd, I find myself talking to Kevin McCallum, a senior in Arts and Sciences.

He is shocked that I’ve never been to Spark before. He’s known about the space since freshman year and goes to as many shows as he can. “Spark is a super welcoming place. There can be literally anything here.

No restrictions, just an open concept,” he says. “It’s always fun to come and hang out with everyone and see what they’ve been up to artistically. It’s always a surprise.”

He points to the band playing in another, much smaller room adjacent to the collection of artwork. “This doesn’t even normally happen, having a small concert go on at the same time as a curated show,” McCallum says. “They should do it like this way more often because the crowd becomes even more interesting than usual.”

Shortly after talking to me, he spots a friend heading to the live show in the other room, leaving me to awkwardly make eye

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contact with the naked model in the corner of the room who is being covered in string.

Random people continue to go up to him and expand the piece by taking more string and wrapping it around him. For every person that participates in the naked string wrapping, there are about four others who look like they want to before stifling their shock at the situation and walking away.

There are also groups of people who clearly avoid that area of the room altogether. But that’s the beauty of art: It has the power to provoke and the power to make the viewer uncomfortable.

Eliza Wapner and Andrew “Droo” Fielding, two of the curators of the night, are doing what a majority of the viewers are hesitant to do—covering the naked man in more string. Both have been active in Spark since their freshman year. Being VPA fine arts undergrads, they’ve always come to Spark to support many of their fellow students’ thesis projects being displayed in the space and other shows curated by people in their program. Spark is like a makeshift classroom for many artists that display their work throughout the academic school year. They learn from each other and hone their craft by repeated trial and error.

Eliza Wapner explains that she and her friends, Andrew Fielding and Adrienne Belair, have watched the space get passed down to all kinds of students and wanted to contribute in a bigger way their senior year.

“I’ve had pieces displayed here since junior year,” Eliza Wapner says as friends come up to praise her hard work. She takes the compliments in stride. “It’s always been amazing. We just wanted to do this for ourselves and for whoever else shared our obsession with using string as a unique artistic medium. It’s been really rewarding,” she says.

The three friends point out the various

works they themselves have submitted and one that they collaborated on. All three of them used the medium differently, Adrienne with a canvas gorgeously carved to imitate string, Eliza using the string to create intensely intricate mobile works and Andrew using his love of weaving to piece together gorgeous knits with a humorous spin. All three styles effortlessly embrace the theme of the night and came together to create a collaborative piece for themselves.

They came together as artists, as friends, and now as fellow curators.

Andrew “Droo” Fielding, differs from the other curators in that he majors in metal and jewelry making, but has recently switched his focus to weaving. “There’s absolutely no reason we should be buying our clothes.

Fuck corporations,” he says half jokingly as he shows me his various pieces. As we stand next to one of his pieces, which he calls “his imaginary boyfriend,” a gorgeously woven scarf wrapped around a pole in the space that he drew the crude likeness of a human being on he encourages me to find my own creativity and explore it.

“Anybody can create. I mean come on look at all this, I made a scarf and I drew whatever this guy is.”

The idea for the gallery was so popular that the group even had to turn away some of the submissions after extending the due date to March 1st—just days before the gallery opened—a definite risk considering the time and energy that had to be put in to designing Spark for the event. “We’ve been at Spark for the past, like, eight hours putting all this nonsense together. It’s a labor of love,” Andrew says as he continues to walk around the front room, moving in and out of the still-growing crowd.

“Spark has been great practice for the real world and so much fun to be a part of.

This wasn’t a part of school or anything, this was a completely independent project we wanted to do,” Belair says. “We were really surprised, but happily surprised with how many people wanted to show their work.”

As the night continues and more and more alcohol flows, and it becomes even more of a party. The bass in the next room’s sound connects with the rest of the space and the strings of the pieces vibrate, bringing the entire experience together. All of the art and people connect as one. Spark is a room of activism and passion, but overall, it is just a cool place to hang out with friends. JM

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NOISE

NOISE

REALITY CHECK

Seeking Help Reaching out and seeking help can be nerve-wracking to say the least. While Syracuse University offers some accessible services, Jerk has gone inside and outside campus to gather a list of comprehensive services in the community to make your road to becoming a mental health champion that much easier.

NO

NO

9%

35%

You go to the doctor when you break a bone, so why wouldn’t you seek help when your brain is under the weather? Jerk is sick of the stigma surrounding our most valuable asset our mind and is here to give us all a mental reality check.

Have you ever sought help for your mental illness?

YES

Do you think there is a stigma around seeking help?

65%

SU AT A GLANCE

THE COUNSELING CENTER

SU students keep it real with Jerk in regards to mental health stigmas and stereotypes.

SU STUDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED: Depression Anxiety

Suicidal Thoughts Eating Disorder Addiction or Substance Abuse

Bipolar Disorder 0% 52 4.16

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50%

91%

VERA HOUSE, INC.

Who They Are: A team of trained clinicians on the SU campus here to offer support and counseling for mental health concerns, sexual assault, relationship violence, and substance abuse.

What They Offer: Individual and group counseling, consultation and referrals if students want to seek help elsewhere, and a 24-hour crisis hotline.

Cost: If student has paid SU’s health and wellness fee, FREE

Who They Are: A community shelter and advocacy center that provides support, counseling, and emergency services to women, children, and men who are victims of domestic and sexual violence.

What They Offer: A 24-hour crisis and support hotline to offer victims information, short-term counseling and emotional support groups.

Cost: FREE

COUPLE & FAMILY THERAPY CENTER

BROWNELL CENTER FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Who They Are: Syracuse University graduate students studying the field of marriage and family therapy.

What They Offer: Therapy sessions to anyone seeking help for mental health issues.

Cost: FREE

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

YES

Who They Are: A mental health clinic of licensed therapists, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners.

What They Offer: Individual, family, and group therapy for mental health issues and substance abuse treatment.

Cost: Varies but accepts a variety of insurances.

100% JERK

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NOISE

NOISE

BRAINWAVES

Mental health is much more than just a mindset. Jerk breaks down what actually happens when your brain isn't working the way it should.

DEPRESSION It’s more than just a bad mood and low serotonin levels. When you’re depressed, your brain is actually shrinking. That little guy called the hippocampus that is located in your temporal lobe regulates your mood and emotions and controls your memories. For people who are depressed, the hippocampus continues to shrink unless they are prescribed medicine to increase their serotonin levels.

ANXIETY A little stress here and there is normal. For some, that stress never goes away. Anxiety can take a serious toll on your mental and physical health. Much like depression, anxiety has an effect on the size and development of the amygdala. Each person has two amygdalas located right next to the hippocampus. These little almond shaped glands are the hub of a person’s emotions, emotional behavior, and motivation.

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EATING DISORDER Eating disorders are not a “fad” or a cry for attention. And they’re certainly more than just about what you are—or aren’t—eating.

Parts of the brain that control rational thinking and decisionmaking are altered while a person is enduring an eating disorder. A study published in BioMed Central found that people suffering from anorexia showed a decrease in grey and white matter in the brain. Grey and white matter are essential functions in the central nervous system. Grey matter is in charge of brain processes and cognition while white matter controls how the brain learns and functions—they are main transporters of information and signals within the brain.

ADDICTION Addictions do not stem from character flaws or a lack of willpower.

The disease is sometimes referred to as a physical “hijacking” of the brain. Addiction occurs first in the nucleus accumbens—the brain’s pleasure center. Substances of abuse cause a surge of dopamine to be released within the nucleus— creating a powerful high—which the hippocampus records as a memory of happiness and pleasure and the amygdala, in turn, develops a conditioned response and desire for the substance.

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NOISE

Mental Health:

Voices of SU

Myth vs Fiction

MYTH: People with mental health issues can’t hold a job.

MYTH: Only doctors can help

FACT: There is absolutely no proof that those with mental health issues struggle at succeeding in the workforce. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, employers perceive employees struggling with mental health issues to be just as productive as those who are not.

FACT: Doctors and therapists are trained to help you overcome these circumstances, so you can and should reach out, but they are not the only ones who can help. We are all able to help someone who is struggling and make him or her feel less alone. It comes down to language. Be sensitive in the way you speak to one another.

MYTH: People with mental health issues are violent and unpredictable.

MYTH: Character flaws and personality traits cause mental health problems. If you suck it up long enough, you will get over it.

FACT: It is actually the opposite.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, only 3 to 5 percent of violent acts have been committed by someone living with a mental illness. In fact, those struggling with their mental health are 10 times more likely to be victims of bullying and violent acts.

those living with mental illness.

FACT: Doctors and therapists are trained to help you overcome these circumstances, so you can and should reach out, but they are not the only ones who can help. We are all able to help someone who is struggling and make him or her feel less alone. It comes down to language. Be sensitive in the way you speak to one another.

They Said What?!

We polled SU students on the worst things people have said to them while struggling with their mental health: Don’t be that person.

Everyone worries.You just want attention.

Just eat. It's not that hard.

I don't have time for your emotional bullshit.You're faking it.

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Are you okay?You look like shit.

Your problems aren't real since you've never actually been diagnosed.

NOISE

You're so weak.

You're not the only one with body insecurities. Get over it.

During my teens, I struggled with my weight, my body image, my relationship with food. After dieting “the right way” before college, I ended up losing almost 100 pounds in a short amount of time. In October 2012, during my freshman year at SU, I was diagnosed with anorexia. Months of therapy and doctors appointments followed. It’s been almost four years since my diagnosis, and to be completely honest, I’m not sure I’ve overcome this. Much like addictions to alcohol or drugs, I became addicted to the control that my eating disorder afforded me. I have to take my recovery day-by-day. Too often we prop up the “successful addict”, the one who’s made a miraculous recovery. There aren’t enough stories about people who are still working towards becoming their best self. Recovery is not as simple as telling someone to “eat more.” More than anything, we just need dialogue.

— Nick Godzak, Senior I am a first generation college student who ran to this university for a chance at what I never thought possible. I jumped into the arms of SU with high expectations and I did not realize how the transition from a quaint Vermont town to Syracuse might affect me. As I entered my teacher prep program I began to wonder if I belonged, if I was right in thinking that I deserved the luxury of higher education. I eventually spiraled into self-doubt and crippling anxiety.

The pressure of feeling inadequate and like an outsider tainted my first two years of college, and I still occasionally struggle. The key is breaking the cycle—working on my self-worth one foundational step at a time, and working on setting goals to make myself proud. Understand and love yourself for who you are, not for what you feel you need to be.

— Kiana LaFleche, Junior JERK

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ALTRUIST

REWIND

ELVIS

The King rocks and rolls himself back onto the big screen.

KANYE

By Rachel Blackman : Illustration by Autumn Wilson The importance of Elvis Presley is one we must not forget. The sacrificial hero who threw himself into the eye of the strict storm of the 50s has changed music for the better.

And the film industry agrees. On April 22, the King comes to the big screen with another fascinating character of the last century to portray the story behind the most requested picture in the national archives: the meeting of Elvis and Nixon. With a killer cast featuring Kevin Spacey and Michael Shannon, Elvis & Nixon pays homage to the King himself and reminds us all why America fell in love with him.

His first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 changed everything. Fans went ballistic for his shocking performance.

However, Presley faced a maelstrom of criticism as well. On The Steve Allen Show, his artistic freedom was smothered. He was not filmed below the waist and was forced to wear a suit to perform a mockery of Hound Dog to an actual live dog, so as not to offend any viewers. Clearly uncomfortable and stunted by his suit and surroundings, Presley ensured that every performance past that point was as

WE JUDGE

ALBUMS

BY THEIR SINGLES.

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rebellious as he was—flashy jumpsuit, dance moves and all.

Continuing with his no holds barred attitude, Presley pushed the envelope even further. He covered songs written by black artists, infused his music with blues inspirations, and performed like Little Richard. He extrapolated on the fringe music of black communities that would later give way to rock and roll. So much of music that developed in the 60s, 70s, and even today wouldn’t have been allowed to happen had Presley not experimented in a time when it was unacceptable.

Bottom line, Presley was born to be a sex symbol. With a commanding stage presence and a natural gift for making his songs sound both intimate and titillating, he was immediately a star and a public figure.

His effect continues 60 years later as One Direction gyrates their hips and Adele leads a power ballad backed up by a gospel choir.

It seems that no matter the generation, we can’t help falling in love with the King over and over again. JM

Artist

Album

Weezer M83 A$AP Ferg

The White Album Junk Always Strive and Prosper

Song

Release Date

“California Kids”

April 1

“Solitude”

April 8

"Let it bang” Ft. ScHoolboy Q April 22

Rating

WEST

By Adam Goodskey

The Deal: Rapper-turned fashion mogul Kanye West has long been popular among young people, but has recently become a household name. West burst on to the scene in 2004 when his debut album, The College Dropout, sold over 4 million copies worldwide. Since then, West has released singles like “Gold Digger,” “Stronger,” and“Power,” but he has also seemingly unraveled, gaining fans and foes alike.

The Issue: While Kanye is often lauded for his musical abilities, you could say he’s let it go to his head. Being proud of your achievements is totally acceptable, but Kanye just cannot seem to let anyone else be proud of their own. Though some time has passed, it is hard to forget poor Taylor Swift being denied her moment at the VMA's by an eager—and maybe drunk—Kanye.

Kanye hasn’t forgotten either, considering he’s claiming responsibility for Swift’s fame in a song aptly named “Famous” from his most recent album. His Twitter feud with Wiz Khalifa earlier this year about their music knowledge also lends to West’s penchant for not giving a shit. It’s Ye’s way or the highway and that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon.

The (Larger) Issue: Kanye has certainly worked hard to get where he is, but unfortunately fame has gotten the best of him. Kanye has even gone so far as to compare himself to Jesus, selling himself as a cultural icon on the same level of God. Like any good narcissist, Kanye always finds a reason for his behavior, claiming that he is simply on a higher plane of intellectual existence. Everyone loves an underdog, but once the underdog decides to be a sore winner, most people are turned off.

The Defense: At the end of the day, Kanye’s musical abilities and attractive bad boy behavior cannot be denied. The recognition he receives is well deserved as he consistently finds ways to push the envelope in his work. From first producing tracks for Jay-Z to winning 21 Grammy awards over the past decade, Kanye has worked his way up the music industry ladder. And his questionable behavior works to his advantage. After all, the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about at all. Plus, if he does end up being sent to us from another world and is existing on a higher plane of intelligence, we’d pretend to be on his side. JM

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AMPLIFIED

GRAYAK

SYNAPSE

NEW AMERICANA At Jerk, we are more than a group of beanie-wearing hipsters. While you may catch us in Café Kubal wearing all black and sipping on almond milk matcha lattes, sometimes we just want those nostalgic smooth, blue-grass, folky sounds to return us to our Americana roots. With the sun making its grand re-entrance in our lives, Jerk is here with a list of road trip-worthy new Americana. And no, we’ re not talking about Halsey.

Members: Phil Grajko (vocals/guitar), Hannah Grajko (vocals), Brendan Gosson (fiddle/mandolin/ guitar), Blake Propst (bass), Tyler Dattmore (drums) | Active Since: 2014 | Sounds Like: Lumineers meets Iration

By Caroline Schagrin : Photography by Fiona Lenz Jerk Magazine: I saw that Grayak means player in Polish. Is there a funny story behind that?

Phil Grajko: My last name was changed to Grajko when my great grandparents came from Poland. The name used to be Grayak, which means player or performer in Polish.

So I thought it would cool to play homage to my original name.

JM: Your style of music is pretty unique, who inspires you?

PG: I’ve been into reggae for a really long time. Some of my favorite music in the world is the really early 70s Jamaican bands.

So I definitely derived a lot of influence from reggae music. It was kind of just an experiment to try these reggae rhythms with bluegrass instrumentation.

JM: What’s your spirit animal?

PG: I’m pretty sure it’s a wolf, but I can’t verify that. I did this thing at Burning Man where you’re supposed to find your spirit animal, and it was a wolf.

JM: Syracuse has a lively and unique music scene. How has that boosted your career?

PG: I was born and raised in Syracuse. I really just fell in love with the neighborhood because there’s a lot of cultural diversity here. I think Syracuse has struggled with a musical identity for a while. It used to be this big hardcore Mecca a while ago. And that’s kind of fizzled out. But there are cool things happening, primarily the new Funk n’ Waffles downtown. They’re doing music seven nights a week, and they’re creating a fantastic scene that was never there before.

JM: What is your favorite part about performing live?

PG: I’ve played hundreds of shows in my life, and the ones that are really memorable are the ones where you lose yourself and lose that barrier between the audience and the performers. It just feels like we’re all having a good time together instead of "we’re performing for you and you’re listening." JM

See more Grayaks's interview and listen to their music at jerkmagazine.net.

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ALBUM: Persona Remembered for their catchy single “Home,” Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are back sending friendly folk-pop beats through your speakers this April. This is the band’ s fourth studio album, and front man Alex Ebert says it will shatter the glass ceiling for all of us. So on April 15, don a cardigan, buy a mandolin, and go on a folk venture via the vocal finesse of this hit indie band.

CONCERT: Ra Ra Riot Formed in our very own Syracuse, N.Y., indie-rock band Ra Ra Riot will be performing live 55 minutes away on April 16. The Cracker Factory is a unique, industrial-style building that can hold a handful of granola lumbersexuals. Tickets are $15, so gather your friends, escape 'Cuse for a hot sec, and dance away to live music. It’ll hold you over until Mayfest.

MOVIE: Demolition This film landed a spot on Indiewire's list of the 17 Best Films of 2016. Demolition tells the tale of a white-collar investment banker, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Following the death of his wife, he pulls himself together through an unlikely bond with a customer service representative at a vending machine company. It’ s Southpaw meets 500 Days of Summer, and you can catch it on April 8.

DOCUMENTARY: Eva Hesse Follow the plagued life of Eva Hesse, a 1960 post-war revolutionary artist in this documentary released 45 years after her untimely death. This film explores both her outstanding work, as well as her personal grievances as her family escaped Nazi Germany and resettled in the United States.

If artsy, alternative docs are your thing, have a date with this one. JM JERK

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DISCOVERSYR

DISCOVERSYR

The House that

Freedom Built

A seemingly modest house in Auburn, N.Y., housed one of America’s most iconic civil rights leaders, Harriet Tubman and stands as a reminder of her determination to make a change.

undergoing restoration, the second story used to house those who worked on the property, including the current energetic and kind-spirited tour guide, Rev. Paul Carter. The Reverend reminds guests that while the furnishings are scant, “Harriet Tubman did so much while she had so little, while we now live in a world where people have so much but do so little.”

While the furniture in the white house is replicated, over 60 thousand original artifacts have been uncovered on the property by Syracuse University’s archeological department. Some items including glass medicine bottles and china are displayed along with a small museum exhibit at the visitor center at the end of the property until the renovations on the brick house are completed.

In 2014, President Obama signed a law to establish Tubman’s former home, both here in Central New York and Maryland, as a national park. These parks are the first in the U.S. to honor an African-American

woman. The law included a provision that marks the creation of multiple parks, some of which honor Tubman.

Although a national park by law, the property is owned by the African Methodist Episcopal church. Tubman deeded the land to the Church in 1903 after purchasing the entire 25 acres for $1,450 in 1896. Rev. Carter recounts the story to guests of how Tubman won the land by continuing to outbid competitors by $50 each time.

Although this may not be at the top of your list for off-campus excursions, this important piece of history has more of an impact than the latest season of House of Cards. JM

Tours are available for $3 for students and are held Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m.—4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.—3 p.m.

Rev. Paul Carter (315) 252-2081

By Brontë Schmidt : Photography by Laura Hegstetter

A little brick house with a blue side door and yellow columns out front doesn’t seem like much, but this stretch of land, located in Auburn, N.Y., holds significant historical importance. This quaint home turned out to be Tubman’s home for 55 years until her passing in 1913.

The Harriet Tubman Home property currently includes Tubman’s original home, a wooden barn for her pigs, and a recently renovated white house. The first piece of property was originally purchased in 1857 from William H. Seward. The purchase of a mere two-acres of land, which included the brick house now spans over 25 acres.

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The little white house on the property, formally known as the Tubman Home for the Aged, was originally erected as a boarding home for the elderly in 1908. Coated in a balmy green with full wood accents, the four rooms downstairs hold replicated furniture displays to give tourists a look into Tubman’s life. When first entering the house, tourists will find a sparsely decorated living room and a bedroom equipped with quilts and what is believed to Tubman’s original bible. In the adjacent rooms, a delicately set table and kitchen hosting an iron stove and an operating butter churner for the kids to try. Although the upstairs is currently JERK

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SPEAKEASY

OBITCHUARY

MAN BUN

Poster Child

By Sarah Kinzler Photo provided by Nate Duval

A 2004 VPA alumus, Nate Duval built his career designing over 400 posters for bands such as The Black Keys, Alabama Shakes, and Spoon.

Jerk Magazine: What are your biggest inspirations for your art?

Nate Duval: Sometimes the client who is hiring is most inspiring. Something in their story, history, vibe, look, sound, whatever.

A spark can come from anything, and I find it useful and appropriate to find that initial inspiration within the client I am working with.

myself. Being a one-man operation, I spend a lot of “business hours” doing boring stuff like emailing, updating my site, shooting my products, and being on social media. I find it very hard to mix creativity in with these less creative but equally important tasks, so I do find myself working a “late shift” at night when I can focus solely on making art.

JM: How would you describe your style of art?

ND: Hand-crafted, loose, and alive.

JM: So you are clearly a huge music fan. What are some of your favorite styles and artists?

ND: It shifts all the time. Sometimes the shift is related to clients I am working with, sometimes it shifts due to the weather and seasons, and sometimes it changes to match the mood. I have an ongoing, updated far more than it should be “radio channel” I make on Spotify that sort of encompasses the varying sounds I listen to throughout the year.

JM: What is your design process like?

ND: It varies from project to project and day to day. Sometimes it starts as a sketch, sometimes it starts with scissors and paper, or it starts with the computer. It really depends on the style of the idea I have in my head and the method I think will allow me to make it the best and fastest. I keep a very full schedule, and speed is a big focus on all projects. I find working on several things at a time keeps me the most focused.

JM: What kind of environment do you like to work in?

ND: I work in my house on the third floor by 64 4.16• JERK

JM: If you could design your dream project for any brand or group, what would it be?

ND: I would certainly love to design a poster for The Rolling Stones. Can’t really think of anything that would be cooler than that. JM

CAUSE OF DEATH: Hygiene

By Nicole Engleman : Illustration by Kara Sheplock Our admiration of Man Bun began at an early age. In 1998 when our parents took us to see Mulan, we were captivated by the awe-inspiring beauty that was General Shang’s man bun. Mulan saved China, but Shang saved the future of male grooming.

Man Bun was born long before Disney made him into Shang's wingman in his pursuit of Mulan. His beginnings were humble, stretching back to the sixth century, when Buddha and terracotta soldiers alike sported this half-up half-down look. However, it was not until 2014 when Man Bun truly began to garner the fame he longed for. He was no longer ancient history, no longer Shang’s sidekick. He grew into his own.

Jared Leto was first to rock Man Bun on the red carpet, setting the fashion world abuzz with questions as to how someone could look so stylish, yet so disheveled at the same time. Leonardo DiCaprio and Chris Hemsworth followed in suit.

Soon, our eyelines were dotted with acorn shaped hairdos. Buzzfeed and Instagams dedicated themselves to documenting Man Bun’s popularity.

Handles like @manbunsofdisneyland provided us with the magical juxtaposition of Man Bun and the Cinderella Castle.

Man Bun’s fame was short-lived. Upset with the tides of people disgusted by his

grease, Man Bun decided to cling tight to his owner’s scalps. As Man Bun grew longer, the patience of women grew shorter.

At first, Man Bun seemed to be the perfect solution to every girl’s Johnny Depp fantasy.

But when women began to realize how long it took their significant other to grow his hair, that swipe right on Tinder became an instant regret.

Man Bun became selfish, asking his owner to pay attention to him more, while girlfriends glared and rolled their eyes.

Soon enough, men came to the astonishing realization that they were growing out their hair just to put it up. Not to mention the awkward in-between stage where their hair consisted of nothing but overgrown bangs and shattered dreams.

Torn between keeping their girlfriends, jobs, and friends or keeping their relationship with Man Bun, men picked the former and cut Man Bun out. Man Bun died an abrupt death. With a quick snip, he fell to the barber shop floor only to collect himself into a tumble weave with his friends, Mohawk and Frosted Tips.

Man Bun is survived by the packs of scrunchies men bought from Target in hopes of keeping up their hair while simultaneously repelling their girlfriends.

JM

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FORM & FUNCTION

CLOSET CASE

BLACK OUT BURGLAR

How To Dress Like You Work for The Daily Orange

It's not stealing if you can't remember doing it.

Photos by Trusha Bhatt

Takeout: "Jimmy Johns closes before The Daily Orange house does."

2 a.m. Shadow: "No time to shave, 'Cuse made the tournament!"

Pad and Pen: "So we can document every heart-wrenching Boeheim insult."

“We saw the Sig Ep pong table just sitting outside their house one night.

When we tried to lift it, it was so light and we just went with it. We had to literally shove it through our door because it barely fit and it sat in our living room for about three months. We used it a lot and covered it with black garbage bags every time our friend in Sig Ep came over—one time he sat on it and had no idea.”

—kathyrn &

ashley

"I remember seeing the sawhorse and reading the sign that said 'Keep Out' and being like, 'This needs to be in our house.'

Carrying it home was such a chore because for some reason, I decided to take the back way, which requires going over a small fence and climbing up a rocky, muddy wall. It was fun seeing it on my friends’ Snapchats in the morning being like 'new addition to the house' because I initially hadn’t remembered that it got inside.”

—liz

darby

“Two seniors last year stole two hard shell helmets from Theta Chi and went on their roof wearing the helmets and smoked a joint and just got pretty drunk and ran around. They willed the helmets down to me and my friend. Whenever the helmet is on, it's going to be an adventurous night.

We are currently seeking a pair of new Terrible Twos to will down the helmets and our frat treasures to, but no one will be as wild as we are so we might keep them for eternity.”

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Old The Daily Orange Issue: "The only thing on campus worth reading"

Khakis: "Day to night wear: DO, class, the game."

Running Shoes: "How do you expect us to chase the story without proper arch support?"

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