The Peak | Issue 01 by Mustang News

EDITOR’S NOTE H

i there, welcome to The Peak! Thank you so much for picking up the first-ever issue of our magazine. We are a group of Cal Poly students who have spent the last several months curating this collection of stories, photographs and artwork as Mustang Media Group (MMG). Our first issue is dedicated to stories of our community — to the changemakers, poets, adventurers and more. This magazine is our love letter to San Luis Obispo and the art, culture and people within it. We are a proud group of female editors looking to spotlight the people we identify and stand with by sharing their voices and stories. We hope you connect to one of these narratives, find joy in a photo or discover an artist. For a moment, grab hold of this paper and immerse yourself in places you might already know and love, or find something new to explore. In these pages you might read familiar bylines from KCPR.org and Mustangnews.net, however, we welcome submitted work and will have many opportunities to contribute in the coming issues. If you have a story idea or hope to be featured in our next edition, send your inquiries to editorial@mustangmediagroup.com.

With love, Your founders of The Peak

STAFF EDITORS Catherine Allen Claire Lorimor Chloe Lovejoy Cindy Nguyen Emily Tobiason

CONTRIBUTORS Abbie Phillips Aidan Dillon Alejandro Rearte Amelia Nored Angel Gaytan Angie Stevens Ariel Sherman

Carly Heltzel Cole Pressler Haley Ellis Jeremy Garza Lauren Emo Liz Ridley

Noel Lopez Rain Mazumder Sarina Grossi Sydney Osterbauer Tayler Kang Visruth Kandali Zoie Denton

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GET TO KNOW SLOMA’S CHIEF CURATOR E

by Carly Heltzel quipped with three gallery spaces and a background in curatorial practice, Emma Saperstein — the Chief Curator of the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA) — strives to cultivate a dynamic, artist-centered space that reflects the diverse stories and mediums of the Central Coast. Since she began at the museum in May 2021, over 30 exhibits have adorned the walls, from light projections and abstract floating sculptures to photorealistic paintings and digital short films. Starting at 17 years old, Saperstein worked as a studio assistant for Titus Kapher, a now worldrenowned artist who recently won the prestigious Guggenheim award, although back then he was just freshly out of grad school. Initially, she was washing brushes and cleaning the studio, the kind of glamorous work a summer intern would expect. As she stayed with him for longer, she was eventually promoted to managing his studio, exhibition schedule and sales. Kapher’s work focuses on themes of race, with many pieces reconfiguring historical artwork with African Americans at the center of his paintings. His website says his aim is to “investigate the power of a rewritten history.” Those years had immeasurable influence on how Saperstein operates in curating for SLOMA. Through this experience she also found herself favoring more strategic, supporting roles within the arts that

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broadened her view of what her career path could even look like. “Some days, I’m like vacuuming up glitter,” Saperstein said. “And some days I’m having an intense conversation with an artist about the meaning behind their work and thinking about how to communicate that to the general public.” While the model of curators at prestigious institutes is to inform and dictate an artist’s work, Saperstein rejects this practice. She breaks the mold of what a typical curator looks like, stretching the boundaries of the profession and blurring lines between art and curatorial practice. “We try to be really intentional in the ways that we’re engaging and cultivating those relationships and also connecting [locals] with artists from outside the area because it all uplifts the whole thing,” Saperstein said. Google Maps deems SLOMA a “Cozy museum with works from local artists.” The Downtown SLO website describes it as “the heart of the California Central Coast art community and a vital link to the cultural life of the region.” As for Saperstein, she says it has been a staple gathering place of the SLO community since its founding in the 1950s. SLOMA’s vibrant, multicolored building is covered in hand-painted murals

CLAIRE LORIMOR | THE PEAK Current SLOMA exhibit: Alisa Sikelianos-Carter’s “In Space and Splendor: A Topography of Wilderness”

“

I love taking risks with artists, and again, that’s one of our missions as a museum, to take risks and push limits.

”

Emma Saperstein | Chief Curator

and surrounded with sculptural pieces on its humble grounds. Stepping inside on one particular day in November, glitter and paper scraps lined the floor as two women measured and moved throughout the space of the “gray room” that would soon be transformed into Alisa Sikelianos-Carter’s four-month exhibition. Just days before, the walls were blanketed with pieces from a different artist, but now the blank white stared back as its canvas took on a new life. Saperstein has remained in contact with Sikelianos-Carter for nearly five years to bring “In Space and Splendor: A Topography of Wildness,” which uses patterns in Black women’s hair to create form and shape in large artworks. Her conversation with the artist yielded the idea that the art would be “creating an environment where people of color feel a sense of belonging by what is literally on the walls.” Rather than figurative paintings on paper, Sikelianos-Carter told Saperstein that she wanted to play with abstraction and installation. “I love taking risks with artists, and again, that’s one of our missions as a museum, to take risks and push limits,” Saperstein said. “So I was grateful to be able to do that alongside her.” There is no doubt in Saperstein’s mind that museum curation is her dream job. As she made her way to the door, Saperstein stepped over the sheets on the floor and walked upstairs to a windowless room with two folding tables pressed together. Behind her was a door to a small conference area and hundreds of boxes of mini-games used when schools came to visit. She spoke with the expertise of an administrator and the humility of an artist; something she once aspired to be. At Cal Poly, she received her first master’s degree in education before pursuing a second in curatorial practice at Aarhus University in Denmark. There, Saperstein engaged with the deep academia typically surrounding curatorial practice. Her studies interested her, but at SLOMA she pursues a less clouded narrative where the ‘meaning’ of the art manifests itself within audience interpretation. Saperstein grew up primarily in Uzbekistan, while her father worked in providing humanitarian aid development in central Asia. At age 16, her family moved to Connecticut. Her first time living in California was after she got a job at Cuesta College’s Harold J Miossi Art Gallery in San Luis Obispo. Working at the Miossi Gallery for five years helped her get acquainted with the region and local art community, which helped her transition into her role at SLOMA. Her current role was the next step up from managing the Miossi gallery, and the “stars aligned” when the position opened up, she said. Staying in San Luis Obispo was ideal because she had developed relationships with many local artists that she could bring into SLOMA. “It’s also a really big honor to work in the arts and in a community as small as ours, because it makes all elements of the work sort of deeply personal to people,” Saperstein said. Another role of hers is educational director of the museum, meaning she coordinates school visits and events, including walk-throughs, to launch new exhibits. Saperstein hopes to have every fifth grader in the county visit the museum once a year, but for now the building and staff capacity is very limited. For the past 15 years, the SLOMA board has discussed long term plans to tear down the current building and create a larger museum in its place. This will allow for more people to access the museum, more exhibitions to be displayed, and more events to be held on the premises. If an artist talk has more that 50 RSVPs now, the talk gets moved to the nearby Palm Theater. While the project itself is far off, Saperstein said the current staff is “excited to pick up the gauntlet again” and begin preliminary fundraising for the rebuilding. In the meantime, she said the next steps are to get the museum officially accredited as such. Since it began as a gathering place to sell art, SLOMA is prevented from becoming accredited. Saperstein is working to achieve this recognition to cement its place in the art world. Through the deep consideration of her commitment to stretching the boundaries of SLOMA, Emma Saperstein fills her space with intention. She stresses that non-conforming artists are really exposing our community to “different methodologies of practice, different mediums, different ways of thinking, different perspectives.” So she brings them in often. “I mean, that’s what the point of art is — to transform our thinking,” Saperstein said. “I really believe that.” Saperstein’s work can be seen at sloma.org and in person at 1010 Broad St. A list of current, past and future SLOMA exhibitions can be found at sloma.org/exhibits.

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Untitled by Ellie Feistel

if you see beauty why would you need to change it? the greatest proof of admiration is to leave it untouched. to truly admire is to desire it remains the same - but no. we must stake our claim, carve scars in the shape of our names. rip the earth apart dig our nails into her skin until we drain all her blood, leaving our mark where none was needed. because what is beauty unless we own it what is magnificence unless we call it ours? selfish in our admiration, selfish in our love. throwing wisdom to the wind, along with our waste. it is not enough to scar, we must take. we rob her, then sell our stolen goods, taking credit where none is due. we have forgotten how to admire maybe we never knew.

Artist bio: Ellie Feistel is a landscape architecture junior. She wrote this poem when observing nature in Big Sur. It helped her dig into why, as humans, we feel the need to leave our mark on the Earth, when nature is already perfect in its natural state.

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babies by the sea by Eliška Martinez

i was born approximately 118 feet from the ocean, babies by the sea. when i die i hope i am absorbed by rolling waves on the beach. i am 3ish years old and this isn’t the first time i’ve been, the only thing that has ever touched me without permission is the ocean.

Artist bio: Eliška Martinez is a Czech-Puerto Rican artist currently studying Mechanical Engineering in San Luis Obispo with her cat, Void. She enjoys LEGO®, sewing, baking, writing postcards and playing the piano. Most of her poetry stems from surreal and vivid dreams she has had in the past.

Stale water by Romina Montemurro

Middle of the night, darkened in bed Throat tightens, needing relief. Reaching to the bedside table, Grasping a glass of water. Chapped lips feel dank ease As the liquid grips my throat. Musty and foggy, No longer crisp like hours ago Room temperature and bland. But still I chug like it was cold; Water that’s gone stale.

Artist bio: Romina Montemurro is a journalism junior at Cal Poly. She is moved to write about past experiences, her Italian heritage and straight satire that makes her laugh. As a local of SLO, she loves to include the area in her writing.

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Defining Respectful Artistry: Cultural appropriation vs. appreciation in music

“H by Amelia Nored

ound Dog” by Elvis Presley, “We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus, “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea. Each of these songs gained mass popularity — and each did so with the use of cultural appropriation. Coined in the 1980s but gaining more traction throughout recent years, the term “cultural appropriation” has become an essential point of discussion in American society. Cal Poly ethnomusicology professor Kenneth Habib offers a clear definition for this concept. “Appropriation is the taking of culture by a dominant culture, if not a hegemonic culture, from an unempowered or disempowered culture,” Habib said. “[This is] generally speaking without permission and for profit for some benefit to that more powerful culture.” Cal Poly ethnic studies professor Alpen Razi shared an anecdote of cultural appropriation on Cal Poly’s campus to demonstrate its impact locally. Razi explained how the first time he brought up the context of cultural appropriation in one of his ethnic studies classes, his class discussed the ‘Colonial Bros and NavaHos’ frat party that the Cal Poly chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa threw in 2013. One of Razi’s students asked why cultural appropriation applies when non-Indigenous students dress up in costumes imitating Native American culture, but not when non-Irish people dress up for “St. Fratty’s Day” during the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day. “The answer to their question gets at the heart of the definition of cultural appropriation: the context of power relations,” Razi wrote in an email to The Peak. “The answer is simply because Irish Americans were successfully able to ‘melt into the pot’ of American whiteness in the early decades of the 20th century, thus gaining entrée into the dominant group, while Native Americans have traditionally and continue to be shut out of meaningful share of social power due to forms of structural racism.” Understanding the definition and significance of cultural appropriation goes beyond Cal Poly. This can make us more ethical consumers when it comes to the music industry, as well. Elvis Presley’s best-selling song “Hound Dog,” released in 1956, was record-breaking, selling 10 million copies globally and ranking first on the U.S. pop, country and R&B charts for weeks on end. But this song that is so intrinsically tied to Elvis’

ALEJANDRO REARTE | THE PEAK

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success and image isn’t his song at all; Big Mama Thornton, a female African American artist, wrote and released the original version of this song three years prior. While Big Mama Thornton’s recording and release of the song was deemed as a hit record, it sold around 500,000 copies and topped only the R&B charts. “There’s a whole political and economic system in place that would keep Big Mama Thornton from making the money that really, with any kind of objective or reasonable or ethical way, she would have deserved,” Habib said. Elvis grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi, and was surrounded with music made by Black musicians. What makes Elvis’ experience unique is his transformation into a millionaire and worldwide star, which he did on the coattails of Black artists without providing them with proper credit or financial compensation. “African Americans were, and remain, culturally appropriated,” Habib said. “And Elvis is a great example of it, which is not to take anything away from Elvis’ ability as a musician.” Other popular musical artists such as Miley Cyrus, Iggy Azalea, and Taylor Swift helped maintain this same pattern, especially with stereotyped representations of Black people throughout their ventures into hip-hop. Hip-hop, as Razi said, has long been “the music of American racial outsiders expressing frustration with their status as outsiders,” which then became widely influential and made its way into mainstream American culture, receiving heavy criticism and backlash upon doing so. Cyrus built an entire persona and brand off of Black stereotypes in the era of her album “Bangerz.” For her lead single “We Can’t Stop,” songwriters said Cyrus told them she wanted it to sound “urban” and “feel Black.” In the second verse, Cyrus sings, “To my home girls here with the big butts/Shaking it like we at a strip club.” As Razi mentioned, she then pairs this with a video in which she features Black women twerking throughout, as Taylor Swift did with her “Shake It Off” music video. “That forms textbook cases of cultural appropriation,” Razi said. The lyricism used in the “Bangerz” album does not resemble the way Cyrus typically speaks and was rather written in a way that was meant to imitate “Black music” to help Cyrus profit off of a culture that is not hers. “We Can’t Stop” also became the target of a $300 million lawsuit, as Jamaican songwriter Michael May, also known by his moniker Flourgon, sued Cyrus for copyright infringement and misappropriation of his 1998 hit single “We Run Things.” Cyrus sings, “We run things. Things don’t run we,” stealing May’s original lyrics, “We run things. Things no run we.” Cyrus ultimately settled the lawsuit. Iggy Azalea took a similar approach with her musical style, using ebonics and what is commonly called a “Blaccent,” or Black accent, in her rapping.

“I think most folks are now aware of some of the ‘cringyness’ that haunts white rappers, since most people now realize that rap and hip-hop were borne out of the politics of the Black freedom struggles against American anti-Blackness, white supremacy and systemic racism,” Razi said. But ultimately, hip-hop is not a genre exclusive to Black artists. Razi said it would be a blatant oversimplification to say that non-Black people cannot participate in creating hip-hop music or appreciating hip-hop culture. Abiding by this ideal would ultimately work to further segregation within the music industry, defining and enforcing musical boundaries and genre limitations based on cultural lines. With the broadening and mainstreaming of the genre, hip-hop has “elevated the standing of African American culture within both the United States and the world,” as Razi stated. The side effect is that hip-hop then becomes detachable from the very struggles it takes root in, separating African American culture from African American history. Evidently, cultural appropriation is extremely nuanced. It directly harms and degrades artists, with privileged artists stepping on disenfranchised artists to win in the game of musical fame, money and power.

Musical appreciation vs. appropriation Artists, fans, producers and all others involved in the creation and consumption of music must first learn the difference between the two topics to form a basis for progress, turning toward cultural appreciation in musical inspiration. “Cultural appreciation extends beyond mere ‘love’ of an artist, song or performance and extends into a more thoughtful and meaningful engagement with the highly complex field of cultural politics surrounding a producer or object of culture,” Razi said. Habib also offered three basic criteria for artists to pay attention to when sampling, covering or taking influence from another artist: permission, payment and respectfulness. These three standards set the boundary between cultural appropriation and appreciation in music. One musical group that can be observed as a proponent of these principles is Paramore. Hayley Williams, lead singer of Paramore, continuously expresses her love for the artists she has taken influence from, including Outkast, Aaliyah, TLC, Janet Jackson and more. Williams was born and raised in Meridian, Mississippi, a predominantly Black neighborhood where she was familiarized with Black gospel choirs. She incorporated this into her musical influences substantially, as Elvis did. But unlike Elvis, Williams — and Paramore as a whole — actually aimed to shine a spotlight on the Black musicians they were inspired by instead of disregard them. “Ain’t It Fun,” one of Paramore’s most streamed songs, features an all-Black gospel choir consisting of singers Brandon Hampton, Joslyn James, Katherine and Sean Dancy, Talitha Manor and Yolanda Harris-Dancy. This choir joined Paramore for a live performance at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, in November 2013. The group welcomed high school choirs from predominantly Black communities to sing the original choir’s parts at other live performances, as well. Williams tends to give credit and compensation where they are due, supporting Black artists instead of using Black artists to support the band and considering permission, payment and respect in their musical endeavors. Musical appreciation can also be observed in Dick Dale’s creation of and further ventures into the genre of surf rock, a staple of California’s Central Coast culture. Dick Dale was a Lebanese American who took heavy inspiration from Arabic music in his own musical style, as he grew up listening to these sounds. Dale incorporated Middle Eastern music scales, Arab instruments such as the darbukkah and oud, non-Western singing techniques and a staccato-heavy guitar style into his songs. Dale’s signature single “Miserlou,” released in 1962, was originally a Greek taverna tune that Dale adapted into an instrumental surfrock piece. The original tune is said to have reached the U.S. from the Eastern Mediterranean region in the 1920s, with the first recording of this song taking place in New York in 1927. Various versions of the song were released from the 1920s-60s, made unique with jazz instrumentals, piano arrangements, French vocals and ultimately Dale’s solo instrumental surf-rock guitar.

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“This is real borrowing,” Habib said. “There really isn’t a difference in power. There’s not really a difference in money there.” Along with the considerations and steps artists must take to respectfully incorporate the influences of another culture into their own works, there is significance in non-minority artists using their platforms to uplift minority voices when they are in musical spaces made and traditionally filled by minority voices. “When white hip-hop artists like Eminem, Macklemore or Mickey Avalon use their fame and popularity to further platform the Black Lives Matter movement or issues such as police brutality and racial profiling, such artists evidence a practice that is closer to the definition of cultural appreciation,” Razi said. He added that artists also have a responsibility to acknowledge their privileges and the cultural contexts that aided their success. For example, Eminem can acknowledge the ways his whiteness, alongside his talent, has contributed to his extreme popularity and success within the rap genre. “I think the question must be asked of him by any self-respecting person who claims to be either a fan of his music or of the genre as a whole,” Razi said. Cultural appreciation is vital in American society because of the remaining systemic barriers that allow dominant cultures to gain and maintain power, while stripping it away from disempowered or minority cultures. Prejudiced policies and practices have bled into the music industry throughout history and still stake their claim today. Moving forward with this knowledge, consider your own musical landscape. Abandon artists who have long profited off the cultures of oppressed communities. Seek out rising stars from marginalized communities and support their musical journeys. Change is a collective effort, and with that comes introspective examinations and outward shifts of the music we listen to.

In his column “Weed all about it,” Mustang News reporter Jeremy Garza will regularly discuss local and national cannabis issues, education, cultivation, and more. Find the first article on Mustangnews.net

moking a little pot is more than just a phase for some college students. As an increasing number of states legalize recreational marijuana use for adults — Ohio voters just made their state the 24th in the nation to pass a legalization referendum in November — the cannabis industry is becoming more lucrative and less taboo. Cal Poly 2019 alum Conor Stephen was first introduced to marijuana by his friend’s older siblings when he was growing up. His initial fascination with cannabis progressed into a curiosity in how the plant grows and he soon discovered that there is a major lack of reliable information. “I really wanted to conduct research and fill in the gaps on things that are misunderstood because what you’ll hear is a lot of ‘bro science’ instead of actual science,” Stephen said. “It’s not all accurate or based on a lot of logic.” Other agricultural industries — wine, dairy, commercial crops — have had a long time to advance their methods since the industrial revolution and modern technology evolved. Agricultural industries have been fine tuning production processes to create the best tasting product for the lowest cost for decades. Universities had the privilege of researching these processes and producing industry leaders and innovators. Just last year, Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences opened the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. The facility houses three unique wineries to teach students every aspect of wine production: a commercial winery, a teaching winery and a research winery. This excellent embodiment of “Learn By Doing” is going to make Cal Poly wine and viticulture alumni wine industry game-changers for decades to come. With its state-of-the-art Dairy Innovation Institute, Strawberry Center and many other multidisciplinary centers, CAFES is creating generations of leaders for the future of agriculture in California and beyond. One glaring department is missing: a research and production center for cannabis. Centers that are designed specifically for cannabis education are slowly popping up around the country. Cal Poly students are missing out on extensive education in a market estimated by Forbes to hit $50.7 billion dollars by 2050. “If [Cal Poly] allowed the plant on campus, they are uniquely positioned as a recognized agriculture school on the central coast to supply the next generation of these hybrid professionals for an emerging industry which is already more valuable than grapes and strawberries,” Stephen said. Attempting to create real scientific research to replace the faulty “bro science” on cannabis led Stephen to pursue a plant science degree at Cal Poly. After graduation, he got an M.S. at Cornell University, where he researched horticulture.

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ARIEL SHERMAN | THE PEAK

Stephen is now starting his own company, Polymorph, to further study the tissue culture of plants, specifically cannabis. He hopes to be able to offer Cal Poly students internships to learn more about tissue culture in general and specifically with cannabis. “There’s still so much more that we need to research and to study,” Stephen said. “It’s important that we’re not fearful of the plant because it’s been so misinterpreted and misidentified. I think research is ultimately the cure to all that.” Stephen is starting his company in Santa Cruz but plans to set up a location in San Luis Obispo in the future. Per Cal State University System policy, which ensures a controlled-substance free workplace on all campuses, cannabis of any kind is not allowed on any Cal State campus, including Cal Poly. This Cal State policy is due to the federal illegality of most forms of cannabis due to its classification as a Schedule 1 controlled substance — meaning the US does not formally see any medical benefit and has a high potential for abuse. Other Schedule 1 drugs include heroin, ecstasy and LSD. “We can’t grow cannabis on campus yet,” plant science department head Scott Steinmaus said. “That day will come, but it’s just not here right now.” The Drug-Free Workplace Cal State policy is the reason why Cal Poly does not have a cannabis program of any sort. Any cannabis officially on campus would revoke funding to the university from federal programs, such as

Pell grants that are specifically supportive of underrepresented and lower income students. Yet, according to Stephen, this situation is shifting and more schools are integrating cannabis education into their curriculum. “It’s a tough situation because of the federal funding,” Stephen said. “The way that a lot of the schools are operating is with hemp programs right now. There are some universities that have been conducting research on cultivation with cannabis, like the University of Mississippi.” Industrial hemp, defined as having less than 0.3% of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical that causes the psychoactive feeling that cannabis is known for) content, is not a controlled substance as of the 2018 Agricultural Improvements Act. Cal Poly does not allow hemp-related research or curriculum. In a statement to Mustang News in 2020, university spokesperson Matt Lazier wrote that there are no restrictions for hemp research and there are ongoing discussions in the Provost’s Office and the Office of Research and Economic Development. Lazier wrote to Mustang News in October that university policy has not changed since the publication of the 2020 article. Even without “Learn by Doing” cannabis or hemp research allowed at Cal Poly, Steinmaus is positive that plant science alumni, like Stephen, will be successful in a cannabis industry career with a Cal Poly education as it stands. “We basically teach students how to grow plants,” Plant Science Department Head Scott Steinmaus said. “It doesn’t matter what those plants are.” Plant science students learn how to grow sustainably with California’s limited water resources and with environmental effects of pesticides in mind. Students learn the different Plant Science Department Head, growing nuances between types of Scott Steinmaus crops — corn versus tomatoes versus strawberries, for example. Most importantly, they learn what to look for when they begin working with a new plant and how to bridge knowledge gaps. “Cannabis is most often dioecious, which means there are separate female and male plants. This results in a lot of genetic recombination and diversity in the progeny, or seeds,” Stephen said. “Cannabis, whether hemp or weed, has a plethora of uses which has resulted in many different approaches to growing.” For instance, to grow cannabis for medicinal purposes, farmers will usually use clonal propagation of only the female form of the plant to yield a product with more consistency and predictability, according to Stephen. Unfertilized female cannabis will have the highest concentration of phytochemicals, which will create the effects desired for treatments that cannabis is used for. “Additionally, some varieties are better suited for premium flower production, and others for extraction which will influence genetic selection and growing practices,” Stephen said. “If you want the fiber from hemp, growers often start from seed in the field and it’s generally the male plants that produce higher quality fiber and there’s no concern of pollination.” Having this many different ways to grow a crop is uncommon — most crops only have a couple slight differences in ways that most farmers follow. “Plants, for the most part, all have similar requirements.

“ We can’t grow cannabis on campus yet. That day will come, but it’s just not here right now. ”

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CONOR STEPHEN | COURTESY Cal Poly plant science alum Conor Stephen, Polymorph founder and scientist.

They require light, water, nutrients, the right temperature, humidity, pest management strategies,” Stephen said. “Nothing will replace hands-on learning with a particular species and their nuances, but Cal Poly certainly equipped me with the tools and mindset to figure it out.” Even without cannabis specific education, Stephen was able to use the knowledge obtained from a general plant science education to enter the cannabis industry. Steinmaus says that the plant science department teaches so students will be able to be applied to any crop. “We teach them all the basics and what plants are looking for in general,” Steinmaus said. “They know that when they go to a different crop to look into nuances. They know what questions to ask.” Cal Poly’s northern cousin, Cal Poly Humboldt, began offering a B.A. in Cannabis Studies this year. The program, which is housed in their Sociology Department and focuses on the environmental impact and historical context of cannabis in the U.S., is creating a lot of excitement at the university. “We’re pretty excited about being one of the early developers of such programs,” Cal Poly Humbodlt sociology professor Josh Meisel said. “Students are excited about a program that’s so different and squarely in the field that they want to enter. It’s probably the same level of excitement as students entering the viniculture program.” As noted on Cal Poly Humbolt’s Cannabis Studies fact sheet: the program does not involve any education on cultivation, production or sale of cannabis per the Cal State policy. This policy creates a stark difference between a wine program and a cannabis program. “You have to be 21 if you’re going to do wine tasting,” Meisel said. “There’s restrictions on wine production. There are rules and regulations, but there’s not this tension between state and federal law to navigate.” In a future world where Cal Poly could have a cannabis program, Stephen sees a clear vision for what it could look like — a well rounded curriculum that would cover everything from cannabis cultivation to harvest to processing. Additionally, he would also like to see a focus on related businesses like cannabis marketing. “That’s what Cal Poly really is [known for]. ‘Learn by Doing’ it’s supposed to be really hands-on and produce the future leaders who are running the operation,” Stephen said. “I think that would be cool to have a program like that, but I know it’s quite a ways away.”

‘My Happy Place’: BEHIND THE CLUB CELEBRATING DRAG AT CAL POLY

BY ANGIE STEVENS

t’s minutes before the show. Backstage, the drag queens are stationed in front

“I think that’s why drag is so amazing to me, because it’s literally everything,” Moxi May said. “You have the makeup, the hair, outfit and choreography sometimes.”

of lit mirrors putting final touches on their makeup

Psychology senior Carmen Dechaine, who goes by the

and zipping up their costumes. Through the curtains comes

drag name The Great Mancar, joined Drag Club for the

voices exclaiming, “Oh my god, you look so good,” and “Here,

sense of community it fosters.

I have an extra eyeliner for you.” The buildup of stress from weeks of preparation is melding into unabated excitement, while high energy floats through the audience as they wait patiently for the first queen to take center stage. And when they do, it seems that the world stops. All attention is on the queen as they make the stage their canvas. “I live for the high of performing, when you can really be on

“That’s really what I needed at Cal Poly, because I felt like I didn’t have a form of community and was very alone my freshman year,” The Great Mancar said. The Great Mancar’s debut performance was at the club’s Sunday Slay-tacular show at the Chumash Auditorium, and ever since, their passion for drag and dedication to the club has grown considerably. For The Great Mancar, moments like borrowing someone else’s mascara or getting their wig

stage and let go, when nothing else matters,” Cal Poly Drag

teased by a fellow drag queen are what

Club vice president and biochemistry senior Jaenine Santos,

makes them love the drag club.

also known by their drag name, Mercy Killing, said. “I live for that focus and adrenaline and all the people loving you.”

Before every one of The Great Mancar’s shows, a new

It’s with the Cal Poly Drag Club that students can explore

Pinterest board is created to

themselves and their diverse artistic interests within a safe

develop new thematic ideas,

and inclusive space. More than 70 members make up the

while their Spotify playlists

club, with around 25 performers per show.

are thumbed through in

For Mercy Killing, joining Drag Club took time. Being too

search of songs they know

shy to initially join after seeing their first drag performance

they can generate a lot of

on campus as a junior, it wasn’t until Mercy Killing went to

energy from and base an outfit

Queer Prom, hosted by the nonprofit Art and Soul, that they

around.

decided to join the club. “Ever since, it’s really been my happy place,” Mercy Killing said. They didn’t have a very positive internal monologue when they first started drag.

They

coin

themselves

they

hype

themselves

and the crowd during every performance.

“But I believe the audience now,” they said. “Even if I didn’t

“I’ve learned I’m not a

think I was so special, since a million people think you’re the

very artistic person, like I’m

shit, I realized I must be wrong.”

not very good at drawing,”

For business freshman Tien Nguyen, also known by her

they

said.

“But

drawing

stage name Moxi May, Drag Club was one of the leading

on my face, I found I can

reasons why she wanted to go to Cal Poly.

actually do.”

“I didn’t expect the club to be so big,” Moxi May said. “But

Having sewn most of

I felt like it was a real community as I was entering into this

their life, English senior

space, it was really cool.”

Sydney

Tapping into her artistic and creative abilities, Moxi May has embraced the many outlets of expression within drag. “I personally use drag to lean more into my culture,” she said. To kickstart her drag career, she incorporated fans from a

“cheerleader at heart,” as

Lehr

their

—

known

stage

name

Clint Dickson — creates their own costumes. For the “Night of the Living Queers” show, Clint Dickson

dance she did in her choreographed debut performance at the post-Halloween show “Night of the Living Queers.”

By Brooke De La Torre and Twin Sun Studio, Courtesy of Vinny Torres

THE PEAK

repurposed a sequin dress they found in a free pile, stitching it to the front of a tank top and

Mocha – come spring they will graduate and leave behind

adorning it with accessories.

their long legacy as dedicated Drag Club members.

D.I.Y. opportunities for self-expression are important for other members, as well. Mercy

“I want to leave Drag Club in a place that is so far beyond

Killing once transformed plastic tablecloths from the Dollar Store into a black cape, finalizing

recognizable to when I first joined it, and I think we are really

their outfit hours before they were to be on stage.

getting there,” Skinny Mocha said.

Clint Dickson always liked watching drag and it had remained one of those things in the back of their head as something they’d “maybe someday” try, they said. Finally deciding to perform, they debuted at the Winter Wonderland show. With more than 500 people in attendance, Clint Dickson was caught off guard yet pleasantly

Drag Club experienced a great shift in recent years, now hosting socials for club members and booking paid gigs off campus. Club members are looking forward to hosting Drag Bingo Night, in partnership with Mustang Station. Skinny Mocha’s “passion project” for 2024 is to put on a

surprised with how much they enjoyed it. It took months of persuasion and encouragement from friends before higher education counseling and student affairs graduate student Vinny Torres finally gave in and performed for the first time. Now, Torres is co-president of the club. “And I’m so glad they hounded me for two quarters, because I literally can’t imagine anything else now,” Torres, also known by his stage name, Skinny Mocha, said. “Skinny Mocha” — a nickname which he often called himself before making it his drag persona — has held a lot of meaning for him, with “skinny” being a call to body positivity

production of Rocky Horror Picture Show at Spanos Theatre in the spring. “That’s going to be my love letter to the club this year,” he said. “My final goodbye.” To ensure their production-lead position is sustainable for future members, Aguilar wrote a step-by-step manual with diagrams of show layouts to be used as a reference. “I hope it’s done by spring, so once

and “mocha” a homage to being a person of color. “Marrying those two together is very much what my drag is about, and honestly I don’t

we leave, whoever takes over production next isn’t starting

think I’ll ever change it,” Skinny Mocha said. Being granted with the space to personally explore elements of preparation and performance, each performer grew more into themselves with each show. But none of it would be possible without the collaboration of the whole club. Drag Club production lead and engineering management graduate student

from nothing like I did,” Aguilar said. While

Drag

experience

Club

will

shifts

and

Yumi Aguilar, coined by many of their fellow club members as “the backbone” of

changes in the new year, club

the Drag Club performances, works diligently alongside the rest of their setup and

members know that the same

stage crew to ensure performances run smoothly.

sense of energy and tight-knit

Beginning weeks before showtime, Aguilar works with Cal Poly’s ASI to get

community will only continue

approval for venues and rents equipment through third-party sellers.

to grow.

On performance day, Aguilar and the club’s lights and sound technicians set up during the hours before showtime. Running around making sure all the drag queens are present and ready to go becomes a top priority. “What never fails to be amazing is when the first number happens, when all the setup and preparation is in place, the music plays and the spotlight turns on,” Aguilar said. Looking into the new year is bittersweet for Aguilar and Skinny

ISSUE 01

“SEA” by Angie Stevens One another we together live, along the horizon’s line the Sea gives power to those that seek, acknowledgment to those that speak, and to those that choose silence: a full body alliance.

Tonight’s songs were waves crashing, mind ceasing to be my enemy as the sun parted ways with the horizon, the evening slipping into a dream-like state – The moon’s silver dripping into the Sea as honey does my tea.

Tonight’s songs harmonized with time:

I plunge into solitude at any chance, meaning: I sit at the Sea, the lone soul who finally feels whole.

Seek truth and truth comes, for that’s just how it works. Listen to the sea and emulate the bees. Breathe with the flow of the plants that grow on the bluffs off Highway 1.

I listen, for gleaming the Ocean calls, on its sparkles I will fall. The ebb and flow of Nature’s glow makes waves and moons talk – Converse, control, stalk.

Let the tendrils of your frayed heart unwind, expand, shoot like a dart. Join the Sun in being a giver of light and a receiver in the night of your mind’s innocent dreams, flowing ceaselessly like the streams

that trickle down the curves of the hills – the valley’s body and nerves. I come to the Sea to hear its songs call out to me. To listen for the truths hidden in the subtitles and secrecies: I am alive pulsating as the waves ebb and flow, as the heart thumps and thumps again, as the moon pulls the ocean tears out of me as it does the tides.

Untitled by Rebekah Shane First love like sunshine so bright, its absence shrouded the entire world in a silent haze of dew kissed gray. Still, I see you, in sidewalks who stretch stoic toward the sea, worn wagged by tears, forever soothed by the breeze. We belong to the fog, at least the concept of we – dance atop suspended raindrops,

for eternity.

Artist bio: Rebekah Shane is a Biology senior with a passion for plant science and conservation. Some of her hobbies include crochet, writing, photography and doodling. 16

DEAR DAD by Adriana Dutra

I missed you when I walked on the Pismo Pier and danced in the street to Billy Joel in front of Splash. Your shine reflected on the sea as in your smile. It was high tide and the blur stayed in my eyes awhile. I felt that I could reach out and grab it and make it my radiance too because I think that’s what you wanted. Last year I lost a lot of money line dancing on linoleum floors and buying textbooks from odd entities with latent, faded pages that wilted as you did. I stretched them towards the sun in hopes of reviving them. I felt as if they could lift from my palms and suspend in air. I only felt more distant from their fading vitality. I couldn’t let go, I won’t. Then I knew why your hand couldn’t squeeze mine back, That pain is deathly. But we have to be strong enough to be gentle with the certainty of a concluding paragraph. The moon was brighter that night with you on the other side. I smiled and cried from the light, from the dark, at the same time. This newfound multiplicity of consciousness makes me question who I am without you, You who knew me before sunset. Now I am stuck in the apprehension of being alive in a world without you in it. In Sally Loo’s I listened for the reverberating, audible you in voicemails and in strangers. I tried to pry you from my phone, from the crowd. But we already buried you like roots so that you could become a flower in sublime suburban gardens. I’m still burying you. Maybe heaven is a travesty and life a levitation leading to a floating mall. There the hot man with the beard will give us a free gift with purchase to make up for what we missed together in this life. But Dad, I am learning to dance in the ebb and flow and pandemonium of existence like I said I would. I will teach you then.

Artist bio: Adriana Dutra is an English senior and technical and professional communications student. She grew up visiting the coast and feels so blessed to live here. Her poetry and writing reflect her growing pains and joys as she navigates this space she calls home. Leading up to her last year at Cal Poly, her life has changed like the tide’s ebb and flow. Her writing is a testament to how she’s learned to embrace life along the way.

ISSUE 01

SLO has Texture Meet the two women making Black hair care accessible in SLO

by Sydney Osterbauer

ourtney Haile is a founding member of R.A.C.E. Matters in San Luis Obispo who has dedicated herself to making the community a welcoming and safe home for Black community members. As of June, a recent extension of that project is her storefront and brainchild named Texture. Texture serves as both a community center and a salon specializing in Black hair — the first of its kind in San Luis Obispo. Haile also envisions Texture as a community center supporting social, intellectual and artistic events and conversations. Haile enlisted the help of Caprisha Daniels, a traveling hair stylist who is currently working out of Texture to provide essential hair care that has been unavailable in this community for a long time. Money raised by Texture goes directly into sustaining the business, but Haile hopes it can begin financially supporting R.A.C.E Matters staffing in the long term, as well. The Peak sat down with both Haile and Daniels to learn more about Texture. Responses have been edited for clarity.

THE PEAK: What is Texture’s origin story? HAILE: I just started envisioning and I guess manifesting, and with a lot of hard work, brought texture to life. R.A.C.E. Matters, in the past, had events to support Black-owned businesses, and the hair space became a natural fit for me, just having my own hair needs. And then also, with Black hair being such an important part of Black culture and its social and historical significance, it made sense for a salon and community space to be housed in this multi-use space that is Texture. DANIELS: When me and Courtney met, I was traveling to Los Angeles and to Northern California. She just sent me a message on Instagram saying, hey, I see that you’re a traveling stylist, would you consider coming to SLO? We have nobody that’s really consistent in braiding. She mentioned that she wanted to open up a whole cultural center and have a salon with it. And I thought that was just awesome. THE PEAK: Before Texture was created, what was it like trying to access salon services for the Black community in San Luis Obispo? HAILE: It was almost impossible. You either had to leave town, or it was like someone who knows someone. If you are local and have been here forever, you might know somebody’s auntie or somebody’s cousin who does braids and whatnot. I want to be clear that Black hair and braids have been being done. But to find those services, especially transplants, and for college students

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NOEL LOPEZ | THE PEAK to find those services has historically been difficult. And also in finding physical places — traditionally a lot of Black hair is done in the home, especially braids. There was definitely a lot of intention and making the space designed with Black folks in mind. Of course we love a diverse community and are welcome to all, but there’s a difference between “You are welcome here” and “We designed this with you in mind.” THE PEAK: Tell us about the salon’s rotation of stylists. HAILE: So Caprisha [has] been our first rotating stylist. We hope to have more. I’ve been in talks with a barber with some ties to the area who I hope we can get in here. I hope to have some local braiders in here, as well.

I will say just the design, and all the work that’s gone into it, and the retail and managing R.A.C.E. Matters has made me a little short on time. But definitely a priority will be to recruit more stylists and get some more people in the space. THE PEAK: How has the brick-and-mortar space impacted community members, so far? HAILE: It’s been gratifying and satisfying to see people being able to be here and reacting to some of the decor and the art and the vintage Black magazines that we have. It’s been wonderful having folks in the space, and we look forward to having a lot more. We’re gearing up to be a bit more public with our retail. DANIELS: I have clients that come that are actually in SLO, and then I have some that come from Coral Bay, also Santa Maria. My husband and I have always vacationed in that area, because we’ll do the deep sea fishing charters. So we’ve always been in that area, at least 10 years now. So just to see the other part of it — it’s like, wow, this is actually a really cool, welcoming community. It’s been getting a really, really good response. THE PEAK: Why is it important that every community has a place like Texture? DANIELS: It really represents Black beauty and barber shops, which is Black culture. It’s an important part of our culture, and just to be able to have a space that represents who we are as a culture — it speaks volumes. I mean, even when you walk into Texture, there’s a lot of reading material. Just to even educate yourself on our culture and to be able to have a community that will be able to go to an actual cultural center where they see representation, I think that’s a really, really big, important part for Texture. The location is perfect, and the space is just very welcoming. Every time that I leave, my clients are like, “We’re so glad that you’re here.” So not only are they happy to have somewhere to be serviced, they actually have that cultural center there, too. THE PEAK: What do you hope for for the future of Texture and what it will become for the local community? HAILE: I’m hoping [it becomes] a cultural hub. I

“

IT’S MORE THAN REPRESENTATION — IT’S THESE CULTURALLY AFFIRMING SPACES, THESE PHYSICAL SPACES.

”

ISSUE 01

hope Black people, in particular, in the area — those who move here, kids — just know that it’s here. We want to be a hang out. There’s a retail space but also a lounge-y area. And we’ll have soft drinks, caffeinated, sparkling for sale, encouraging people to hang out. We have tons of books here. So we’re definitely trying to create a vibe and experience. We’re definitely going to continue to pursue donations from community members who think diversity is important, who value diversity and to have that diversity. It’s more than representation — it’s these culturally-affirming spaces, these physical spaces. We definitely need support so that we can be free to continue to dream and imagine the possibilities of the space and just take it further. DANIELS: We’re talking about doing more educational classes, so people can come and maybe have some hands-on training to learn more about Black hair care and curly hair care. That’s really what it’s all about: just meet more people and network with more people and just get to see the community more. The need is definitely there. I just really love what I do. Hair has been my passion since I was 13-years-old, and to be able to come to a community that really needed that, it’s very rewarding. I do specialize in hair loss, braids, twists, natural hair care, and specializing in curly textures. But I pretty much do everybody. My clients are a little bit of everybody. I definitely am just looking forward to still being able to provide a service for that community and for it to just keep on going. R.A.C.E. Matters can be found at racemattersslo. org and contacted at 805-242-6256. Texture is located at 474 Marsh St., Suites A and B. Visit www. racemattersslo.org/texture to book an appointment.

When

wheels through town By Aidan Dillon

t 9 p.m., just a few streets over from Higuera, it’s a quiet night in the residential neighborhoods of San Luis Obispo. Riding my bike through the dark, guided by the light glow of a headlamp attached to my forehead — a makeshift bike lamp of sorts — I’m wondering where I’ll find the Bike Night crowd. Feelings of excitement mix with the anxiety of riding around the dark streets at night. Hopefully this tiny light is enough to give any cars a heads up before running over me. Is this the right way? I run into some friends on a quest of their own. No, I have to pedal back two blocks in the opposite direction and make a right, they tell me. I continue on my way. And there it is: the infamous mob of bike-nighters taking over Higuera Street. Only a couple of hours earlier were there hundreds of shoppers and food-goers enjoying the Downtown Farmers’ Market — a complete 180 degrees from the slow foot traffic to the faster-paced cycling. Bike Night serves as the complementary chaotic after-party to the greater-attended Farmers’ Market. “It’s just a fun thing to do to get out of the house without necessarily going to the bars or spending money … it’s way better,” Bike Night attendee and Cal Poly student Gabe said. “It’s just a SLO staple,” another student and Bike Nighter Shawn added. “Everyone’s just trying to have a good time around here. Everyone’s just encouraging, riding a bike, getting together as a family, having a good time. That’s all it’s about.” @bikehappening, the unofficial Instagram account of Bike Night, calls the monthly ride an “eclectic blend of student enthusiasm and local charm, intertwined in a pedal-powered dance that transcends the ages” — and a “fuggin party on wheels.” It began in June 2000 as a group of SLOcals biking around the empty downtown streets after Farmers’. It became a recurring ride among friends that attracted other cyclists who wanted to join, and the Bike Night crowd continued to grow to become the excursion that it is today — a meeting on the first Thursday of every month. The @bikehappening account continues this legacy with a minimal online presence, reappearing once a month to share the theme of the upcoming Bike Night. Themes are decided by “‘the high council’ of merry pranksters,” according to the account’s anonymous admin. Past themes from the “pro-freak” group included Sesame Street, Tour de SLO, Furry February and Formal Zoo Animals with Kazoos. Themes aside, the concept of Bike Night is simple: just ride. Ride a bike, skateboard, tandem bike or unicycle — essentially anything with wheels. All that is asked is for participants to come with a helmet and bike light

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and to stop at red lights, as police are often in the area. “The fuzz are fickle,” Bike Happening said in an Instagram message to The Peak. “After years of trying to convince them to use this as a teaching opportunity they just want to write tickets.” The Bike Night pack follows the same route every month. The event starts in Mission Plaza before the crowd relocates to an empty parking lot behind the SLO Classical Academy High School, between Santa Rosa Street and Toro Street. From there, crowds take off, turning left onto Higuera, riding past cheering bar-goers, confused passer-byers and the occasional car braving the downtown streets. You get a sense of joy just by standing on the street watching the horde roll by, but that’s nothing compared to the experience of being in the mass of bikes, letting it swallow you so that you’re no longer an individual but just another one of the crazy gleeful individuals who gives Bike Night its notoriety. The crowd of bikers is tightly packed together. I feel like I’m about to collide with someone, or someone will run into me. But so far so good, no catastrophes yet. After riding down five blocks of Higuera, bikers turn left on Nipomo and then again on the quieter Marsh Street, heading back towards the start of the route. By this point, the crowd that left the parking lot en masse has thinned out, with some pedaling at a leisurely pace or stopping to let separated friends catch up. Returning to the parking lot is another scene of chaos. Bikes are moving in all directions, some of which have been left to lay on the ground. A live DJ is playing house music with a dancing crowd in front. There’s hacky sack and occasional clouds of smoke. Some are wearing the unofficial shirt of Bike Night, made by a local screen printer known as Jumbo, that reads “I got my d*ck sucked at bike night”; Jumbo has since stopped printing the iconic red-lettered shirts. A constant stream of riders circles the standing crowd counterclockwise in a tangled lazy river, constantly expanding and shrinking in size. Without warning, the next loop suddenly begins, signaled by various hollers and whoops, and a rush to grab the bikes splayed across the ground. It’s unclear who starts it or why — everyone just seems to know that it’s time. It’s usually when the conversation with the guy from your dorm who you haven’t seen since freshman year starts fizzling out. Hundreds take to the streets again. You may lose your group of friends several times in the madness to get back out there, but it’s alright — you’ll find them again later, no doubt. Plus, it’s better to just be one with the crowd. Let go of who you think your friends are. At Bike Night, everyone is your friend. You become a face in the crowd, one of hundreds of adultsturned-children, as you sail under the string lights lining the downtown blocks. The process repeats for hours, until everyone’s lost steam or the police show up. November’s Bike Night ended in the latter, after a truck with a speaker turned the parking lot into a dance floor complete with weed and booze. Either way, you hope to end the night exhausted, with just enough energy to bike back home. As I biked home from December’s Bike Night, I met Ben Clark, a Cal Poly graduate who went to his first bike night as a freshman in 2018. He didn’t attend this month — he went to the bars instead. “It kind of wears out after a bit, as you get older,” Clark said. “It’s like, yeah, I’ve done this. I’ll stay for a lap and then I’ll go home.” Perhaps we can’t be delinquents on bicycles forever. But as it continues to draw a considerable crowd every month, the monthly occurrence of Bike Night doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon.

ISSUE 01

C o l l e g e

A 3-Course Meal from

by Sarina Grossi

s college students, finding options for affordable, delicious and filling meals is slim pickings. But your budget shouldn’t prevent you from being able to make high-quality meals. In this series, College Cooking, we have three-course meal recipe cards that you can make for anything — whether that be a fancy dinner party or practice in the kitchen. This quarter, we’re highlighting ingredients from a favorite store for many Cal Poly students: Trader Joe’s. Ingredients for each dish highlighted can be found in Trader Joe’s aisles. Appetizer - Mini Fig and Brie Toast Brie paired with any kind of fruit is delicious, but fig in particular is next-level. These hand-sized portions are a great appetizer to bring to any party and will surely win you some compliments. Price of dish: $15.46 Ingredients:

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

Double Cream Brie ($6.49 /lb) Multi-Floral and Clover Honey ($3.99) Fig Butter ($2.99) Organic French Baguette ($1.99)

“

Your budget shouldn’t prevent you from being able to make high-quality meals

” Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Slice the baguette into 1-inch pieces, starting from one end and making your way to the other. Slice the entire loaf. 3. Spread a generous amount of fig butter on one side of each baguette slice with a knife. 4. Slice brie cheese into small squares. Once you have a desired amount, begin to place the squares onto the baguette slices, one to two squares per slice. Drizzle a little bit of honey on top of each. 5. Place the slices on top of a lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Place the pan inside the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted. 6. Take the bread out of the oven and let it cool. Serve.

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Entrée - Spicy Creamy Pasta Looking to add a little bit of spice into your life? This pasta is the perfect choice. With a strong, tangy flavor that packs a punch, this dish is a great entrée option for any occasion. Price of dish: $37.89 Ingredients: ◊ 1 package of Italian Rigatoni (or another pasta noodle of your choosing) ($0.99) ◊ ½ cup of Organic Heavy Whipping Cream ($4.99) ◊ 2 tablespoons of Organic Spanish Extra Virgin Garlic Flavored Olive Oil ($4.99) ◊ 1 tablespoon of Unsalted Butter ($3.99) ◊ 2 cloves of Garlic, minced ($0.49) ◊ ¼ of a Jumbo Yellow Onion, diced ($0.99) ◊ 2 Fire Roasted Red Peppers, diced ($2.99) ◊ ½ tablespoon of Organic Crushed Red Pepper Flakes ($1.99) ◊ 1 can of Organic Tomato Paste ($0.99) ◊ Salt and Pepper to taste ◊ ½ cup of pasta water ◊ 1 teaspoon of Organic Basil ($1.99) ◊ ¾ cup of Quattro Formaggi ($5.49) ◊ ½ a package of Just Chicken strips ($8.99) (Optional. Vegetarians can instead opt for Meatless Ground [$3.99] or any vegetables of their choosing)

Dessert - Double Whammy Cookies If you like deep rich chocolate and fluffy cookies, this recipe is for you. It combines the wonderful flavors of Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (or an allergen-free option) with their classic Joe-Joe’s cookies and soft sugar cookies. Price of dish: $12.97 Ingredients: ◊ 1 package All Butter Sugar Cookie Dough ($3.99) (Another option is Super Chocolatey Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough [$4.99]) ◊ 3 to 4 Joe-Joe’s cookies ($4.49) ◊ Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups ($4.49) (Optional. For those with peanut allergies, opt for Oat Chocolate Bars [$2.49])

Directions: 1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add pasta. Cook pasta about 2-3 minutes short of the instructional time on the packaging, just soft on the outside but not fully cooked internally. Drain, but save a ½ cup of pasta water for later. Set aside, occasionally run water through the colander to prevent noodles from sticking. 2. Place olive oil and butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Place diced onions and minced garlic into the pan until the onions turn translucent and the garlic is fragrant. (Feel free to add in the garlic a few minutes after the onions to avoid burning it). 3. Add diced red peppers and pepper flakes to the pan, and cook them for 1 to 3 minutes. Then, stir in the entire can of tomato paste and the ½ cup of pasta water. Add salt and pepper and dried basil. 4. Pour in the ½ cup of heavy whipping cream and stir until combined. Cook until the sauce thickens up, about 2 to 3 minutes. 5. Add the ¾ cups of quattro formaggi. If using the optional pre-cooked chicken strips or Meatless Ground, prepare according to the packaging and add to the pan. Stir until the cheese is melted. 6. Add back the pasta and stir until pasta is fully cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Directions: 1. 2. 3. 4.

6. 7.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove packaging from cookie dough and cut ½-inch to 1-inch slices of the dough. Take a peanut butter cup and slice it in half. Take one half and wrap a slice of cookie dough around the cup. Place 3 to 4 Joe-Joe’s cookies in a sealed bag. Use a rolling pin, water bottle, wooden spoon or other item to crush the cookies finely. Place cookies on a lined baking sheet 1 inch apart. Liberally apply Joe-Joe’s crumbs on top of the cookies. Repeat steps 2 through 5 until you get the desired amount of cookies. Place the cookies in the oven for 12-14 minutes until they’re fully cooked. Take cookies out of the oven and let them cool. Serve.

And there you have it, a three-course meal fashioned with all things Trader Joe’s! If you decide to make each dish, your total at the checkout lands roughly at $66.32. If you try out these recipes, post them to Instagram and tag @cpmustangnews or @kcpr913 to be entered to win free stickers. Happy cooking! Aidan Dillon | The Peak

ISSUE 01

SanLuis Obispo WINTER EVENT CALENDAR

BY ABBIE PHILIPS

mong San Luis Obispo’s picturesque beaches, vibrant downtown and luscious mountain peaks stands a rich hub of arts, culture, music and more that blends our small town lifestyles with a booming creative scene. Check out these local musical events and art exhibitions offering breaks from stress and

JANUARY Jan. 2-31 | Eat Local Bonus The City of San Luis Obispo is hosting this monthlong program in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce to support local restaurants. Diners can redeem $25 gift cards from the City when they spend $100 on a local food or drink business throughout the month. Visit slocity.org to learn how to participate.

Jan. 19: Turtle Island Quartet Cal Poly Arts is hosting the classical music trio Turtle Island Quartet from 7:30 to 9 p.m. TIQ specializes in string jazz with a modern American style. Find tickets at calpolyarts.org.

monotony during the next few winter months. Alisa Sikelianos-Carter’s “In Space and Splendor: A Topography of Wildness” The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art is showcasing work from Alisa Sikelianos-Carter. SikelianosCarter’s latest work displays abstract prints and rock forms inspired by Black hair, geography and geology. The exhibition is open until March 1. Free tours of the exhibit are offered Saturdays at 11 a.m. More information can be found at sloma.org.

Jan. 23 | Y La Bamba Y La Bamba is stopping at SLO Brew Rock on her tour for her seventh studio album, “Lucha,” at 7 p.m. This event is 18+, and tickets can be purchased at slobrew.com.

Jan. 19-20, Jan. 25-27 | Orchesis Dance Company’s annual dance concert The Cal Poly dance group’s concert “Retrograde” highlights a variety of dance genres. The concert will show in Spanos Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on all days, as well as 2 p.m. on Jan. 20. Tickets can be purchased at pacslo.org.

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Jan. 27 | Jazz Night Starting in 2024, The San Luis Obispo Public Market will host monthly Jazz Nights every last Saturday of the month. Tonight’s event will be from 5 to 7 p.m. in the main market hall. Free parking available.

Jan. 31: Herb Alpert and Lani Hall Cal Poly Arts is hosting the husband-andwife music duo Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, who will be playing jazz, world and American pop music. This event will run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Cal Poly’s Performing Arts Center (PAC). Tickets can be purchased on calpolyarts.org.

FEBRUARY Feb. 25 | Lightwire Theater’s “DINO-LIGHT” Semi-finalist on NBC’s America’s Got Talent Lightwire Theater is performing a glow-in-the-dark light show at Cal Poly’s PAC. More information can be found at pacslo.org.

Feb. 29-March 3, March 7-9 | Cal Poly Theatre’s Percy Jackson Musical The musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief is coming to the Spanos Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at pacslo.org.

March 9 | SLOMA’s “Second Saturdays” Every second Saturday of every month, the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art is providing free art activity kits for the public to immerse themselves in the visual arts and creativity. The kits can be crafted at SLOMA’s booth from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or at home.

Feb. 23-24 | Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival The Banff Centre: Mountain Film Festival World Tour is coming to San Luis Obispo to celebrate the world’s mountains. Starting at 7 p.m., a selection of mountain and adventure films from around the world will be screened at the Fremont Theater. Find tickets at fremontslo.com.

March 17 | Cal Poly Choirs’ Winter Concert Cal Poly Choirs’ winter concert, “Traditions,” will feature alumni from the past 40 years. Taking place at 3 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center, tickets can be purchased at pacslo.org.

Feb. 17: HIGHWAY STARR SLO Brew Rock is hosting the SoCal country band HIGHWAY STARR at 8 p.m. The modern country rock band formed in 2014 and plays modern and classic country hits from artists like Morgan Wallen, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban and more. Doors open at 7 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at slobrew.com.

March 19 | Ladysmith Black Mambazo Cal Poly Arts is presenting the South African vocal ensemble Ladysmith Black Mambazo from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The nine-member group was featured on Paul Simon’s “Graceland” album and will bring African polyrhythmic sounds to the Performing Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased at calpolyarts.org.

Feb. 15 | Shaolin Jazz: CAN I KICK IT? Cal Poly Arts is hosting Shaolin Jazz, where live DJs play a blend of hip hop, soul and funk music to score martial arts and action films as they’re screened to the audience. This event is from 7:30 to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at calpolyarts.org.

Feb. 9- March 10 | Beehive - The ‘60s Musical Starting on Feb. 9, San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre will be hosting “Beehive,” which features a live band that will explore the ‘60s music industry through the perspectives of Diana Ross, Janis Joplin, Carole King, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner. This show will be recurring weekly Wednesdays-Sundays until March 10. Tickets can be purchased at slorep.org.

MARCH

ISSUE 01

What’s your

Sound Vibe? vibe? Take this quiz to find out which KCPR daypart fits YOUR personality! by Haley Ellis and Emily Tobiason

We organize our DJ shows on KCPR 91.3 into four dayparts: The Breakfast Club for mornings, Afternoon Delight for afternoons, The Comedown for evenings, and The Lounge for nights. Each daypart offers a unique vibe to match the mood of that time of day. Find your perfect match below!

1. The Lounge 26

Whose

2. The Comedown

Afternoon Delight

THE PEAK

4. The Breakfast Club

ANSWERS: 1.

You’re The Lounge! Immerse yourself in cutting-edge electronica and hip-hop provided

after dusk with The Lounge. Okay, you’re cool. Mysterious and creative, you manage to fit in while standing out. You’re soulful and deep, and you can always make people laugh. You’ve got a big heart that’s only opened when your intuition approves. Your unique style and fearlessness attract the eyes of others, inspiring introspection and boldness. Find your soul’s sound with KCPR’s The Lounge playlist on Spotify.

2. You’re The Comedown! Perfect for your drive home from work or walk home from class

and to ease you into the night. Eclectic. Artistic. Fiery. Like The Comedown’s sound, you’re grungy yet poetic, intense but thoughtful. You’re hard on the outside and soft on the inside. You speak your mind in sometimes harsh ways, but that’s only because you’re driven by passion and honesty. You find healing in art and connection, human or other. Listen to your inner being with KCPR’s The Comedown playlist on Spotify.

3. You’re the Afternoon Delight! A delightful accompaniment to your midday routine, the Afternoon Delight serves as a pick-me-up with upbeat tunes. We see you. Innately adventurous and warm, you’re the kind of friend who’s down to do anything. You run on Yerba Mates and the rush that comes from wearing flip flops in the winter. You’re bubbly in nature and curious about all things. You can adapt to many different situations and social settings, so you’ll always have a story to tell. Meet your match with KCPR’s Afternoon Delight playlist on Spotify.

4. You’re the Breakfast Club! The most important meal of the day. The Breakfast Club sets

your morning mood with mellow folk, R&B and indie rock. Mellow by nature, you enjoy the simple pleasures in life. You radiate calming energy, like the sound of birds chirping and the smell of a warm cup of coffee in the morning. You may be on the quieter side, but it’s because you speak only with conviction. People admire your strong sense of self, observation skills and loyalty. Hear how your personality sounds with KCPR’s Breakfast Club playlist on Spotify.

ISSUE 01

WHAT’S THE WORD? Raising the Bar: SLO Edition

Raising the Bar: SLO edition ZOIE DENTON AND LAUREN EMO 1

30 34

59 66

40 45

ACROSS 1 your textbook may refer to these, abbr. 4 have you any wool? or a Bar and Grill found near 1d 14 ditch 15 specific study for sociolinguists 16 Coke competitor 17 hello in Portugese 18 match 19 not written 20 Brooks has friends in low places 22 these are a type of popular camera 24 a bag useful after a night of drinking 26 say okay 27 cheer 28 feather ___ 29 popular streaming service app icon 30 beginning of a boat name, perhaps 31 ___ on the side of caution 32 ___golf

52 55

33 students may have a lot 36 Cal Poly student leadership group 37 buddy 38 add 39 not the ego 40 collection of maps 43 a long, long time 44 pessimistic horse 48 peace movement in the 60s 51 don't make her drink alone! 52 sohcah___ 53 stock symbol for The Carlyle Group 54 mid 55 a popular predeterminer in English 58 goofball 60 traditional, not trendy with 1d 66 your friends ask you to spill it 68 GPS finds the fastest one 69 to affect a curve, say

70 corn unit 71 Costa Mesa based surf brand 72 __ up? 73 proof to bouncers 74 ready to smash, in text talk 75 1999, eg. 76 Cal Poly's color changing letter 77 a female deer DOWN 1 two words relating to princess, or a British pub connected to 4a 2 Russian prison 3 Beatles' drummer 4 washes 5 set of established rules 6 bookworm 7 redacts 8 passive aggressive text response to a long paragraph 9 pickleball, for instance 10 his and ___

THE PEAK

11 organization created by Nixon to combat pollution 12 language that has never been heard 13 3.14159... 21 teachers give them 23 Shark Tank business woman Greiner 24 A new update is now available 25 carpet sucker, abbr. 28 American outlaw with a ballad 32 info 34 made lengthier 35 short hit 37 helpers in the industry, in short 39 moving quick, say 41 popular clothing brand, abbr. 42 senora, abbr. 45 me, myself and__ 46 opposite of gn 47 hurry 49 affirmative contraction 50 a spider's trap 56 airline with headquarters in Chicago, abbr. 57 popular drug store 59 savory food that can make a loaf 61 all is fair in ___ and war 62 tear-jerking animated 2019 Disney film 63 Actress Goth's iconic line "Please, I'm a ____" 64 try again 65 never waffles soggy eat 67 bark 72 tear-jerking animated 2009 Disney film

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