The Lumberjack -- January 27, 2022

RISING TO THE TOP PAGE 10 THE LUMBER JACK JAN. 27, 2022 – FEB. 2, 2022

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

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DAISY JOHNSTON ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

efore I was introduced to David Harpster, the man who made me who I am today, I was just a nobody. My parents raised me in a small town in southern California which locals call Los Angeles. I loved L.A., but I wanted to be where there was opportunity — the kind of place where dreams are made. One night I saw an ad on the television for The City of the Seven Wonders, aka Flagstaff, Arizona. Immediately, I knew that was where I needed to be. I told all my friends and family that one day I was going to get out of Los Angeles and be a real star! They all laughed in my face. “No one ever leaves Los Angeles,” they said. “You won’t last a day in Flagstaff.” No one believed in me, but I was determined. I spent all four years of high school locked inside my room studying until I received an email telling me I’d been accepted into the institution of NAU. My first days at NAU I was starstruck. Living in Sechrist Hall and eating at the Hotspot was like a dream come true. One day I was walking through the Union when I saw a ‘writers wanted’ flyer for The Lumberjack. That was it. The moment I had been waiting for my whole life. Armed with only my student ID and a knack for journalism, I took my first steps into the School of Communication. I was in awe. Across the lobby I saw Media Innovation Center (MIC) Director Brian Rackham walking to a meeting. I wanted to ask for an autograph, but I was speechless. Fortunately, a junior saw me and took pity. I told him it

was my first day.

“Well, if you’re looking for the writers’ room it’s right through those doors,” he said and then thought for a second. “Just don’t let it change you.”

And then he left, leaving me alone outside the MIC. I was terrified, but I took a couple of deep breaths and finally pushed open the door. Once in the room, I made the mistake of getting in the way of Mark Fabery, The Lumberjack’s news editor and expert on fried chicken and mayo.

“Hey kid, watch where you’re going,” Mark said.

“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I’ll get out of your way.”

“Now wait a minute…” Mark raised his eyebrow. “What’s a kid like you doing in a place like this anyways?”

“I want to write news.”

“News!” Mark laughed. “Look inside that door. Everyone in this school wants to write for news. Tell me what you’ve got that they don’t.”

I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t prepared to be grilled like that on the spot. Panic began to set in, but I had to calm myself down. Trying to be quick on my feet, I grabbed a pen and paper from a nearby desk and began to write a story. My heart and soul was poured into every word. When it was finished, I handed it to Mark. After a couple minutes of reading, he looked up.

“By golly kid,” Mark was tearing up. “I think you’ve got it.”

And I’ve been working at The Lumberjack ever since. Each week I put tears, blood and sweat into my work.

It’s not always easy writing news, but hey, someone’s gotta do it.

President Cruz Rivera announces NAU Foundation CEO stepping down Read more at jackcentral.org

Online at Issuu.com Latest Edition & Archive Social media

Thank you for reading (this almost entirely untrue story).

THE LUMBERJACK

VOL. 113 ISSUE 2

Editor-in-Chief MacKenzie Brower

Managing Editor Camille Sipple

Faculty Adviser David Harpster

Print Chief Lauren Gomez

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

Copy Chief Kylie Soto Director of Digital Content and Social Media Emily Gerdes

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Mark Fabery Asst. Op-Ed Editor Jessie McCann

Asst. Culture Editor Haylee Sorensen

Director of Illustration Brittani Poeppel Senior Reporter William Combs III

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Asst. News Editor Daisy Johnston

Online News Editor Josh Ostby

Op-Ed Editor Marley Green

Features Editor Hannah Elsmore

Asst. Features Editor John Chaffeur

Culture Editor Katelyn Rodriguez

Sports Editor Brenden Martin

Director of Multimedia Shawn Patti Senior Photographer Madison Easton

Sports Adviser Rory Faust

Asst. Sports Editor Will Hopkins Director of Photography Brian Burke

Asst. Dir. of Photography Megan Ford-Fyffe

Senior Photographer Jonah Graham

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Asst. Print Chief Lian Muneno

On the cover Birds Aren’t Real NAU Club President, Brendan Trachsel, and Vice President, Lydia Nelson, hand out stickers during the Lumberjack Club Fair on the Union Pedway, Jan. 19.

Megan Ford-Fyffe | The Lumberjack

Corrections & Clarifications The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email MacKenzie Brower at msb389@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat Jan. 17 At 1:02 a.m., Tinsley Hall staff reported an intoxicated student. NAUPD, Flagstaff Fire Department (FFD) and Guardian Medical Transport (GMT) responded, but the subject refused medical transport. The student was deferred for a minor in consumption of alcohol.

Jan. 19 At 11:55 a.m., a student reported their bicycle was stolen from McConnell Hall.

NAUPD responded and took a report.

At 4:49 p.m., NAUPD received a burglary alarm from the Biological Sciences Annex.

An officer searched the area At 2:29 p.m., a student and found an employee set off called to report multiple the alarm. suspects tampering with a vehicle in Pine Ridge Village.

At 9:30 p.m., NAUPD NAUPD responded and found received a supervisory alarm the individual was the owner from Gillenwater Hall. An of the vehicle. officer searched the area and found the alarm was set off due At 6:27 p.m., a student to steam from a shower. called to report their bicycle was stolen at Wilson Hall.

Jan. 20 NAUPD responded and took At 5:09 p.m., a nona report. student reported a noninjury traffic collision at the At 7:13 p.m., a Gammage Building. NAUPD McConnell Hall front desk responded and cited a student assistant reported that syringes for speeding. were found in the building.

NAUPD responded and seized At 6:13 p.m., NAUPD the property for destruction. received a call from an elevator in the Science Annex. NAUPD Jan. 18 and FFD responded and safely At 1:23 p.m., a student removed a student from the called to report possible animal elevator. cruelty at Hilltop Townhomes.

NAUPD responded and took a At 6:35 p.m., a staff report. member at Morton Hall called to report a student who At 2:06 p.m., an received a note on their door. employee of High Country NAUPD responded and took Conference Center reported an a report. intoxicated individual in the building. NAUPD, FFD and Jan. 21 GMT responded. The nonAt 12:57 p.m., NAUPD student was cited for trespass assisted a student with jump and transported to Flagstaff starting their car in Skyview Medical Center (FMC) for Parking Garage. intoxication.

At 8:19 p.m., NAUPD At 4:45 p.m., an NAU responded to a fire alarm at staff member reported a hit- Campbell Hall and found it and-run on their vehicle in lot was caused by burnt food.

64. NAUPD responded and took a report.

Compiled by William combs III At 11:02 p.m., a student at Beaver Street and University Drive reported people yelling.

NAUPD responded and no criminal activity was witnessed.

Jan. 22 At 1:12 a.m., a student called to report a loud party at The Suites. NAUPD responded and asked the residents to quiet down and they complied.

At 7:30 p.m., a RA in Wilson Hall called to report a student was assaulted and threatened. NAUPD responded and took a report.

At 11:05 p.m., a resident reported a disturbance at The Suites. NAUPD responded and checked the area, but no criminal activity was witnessed.

At 11:57 p.m., Tinsley Hall staff reported an intoxicated nonstudent in the building. NAUPD, FFD and GMT responded. The case is pending investigation.

City Council meetings to continue to be held virtually Mark Fabery

fter a month of virtual council meetings, Flagstaff City Council has decided city council meetings will remain virtual for the time being due to high numbers of COVID-19 cases in the community, according to a press release.

Council will continue to reevaluate the format of meetings during regularly scheduled COVID-19 updates at future meetings.

Members of the public can stream council meetings on the Flagstaff City Government website, and can also give verbal public comments during the meetings using the link posted on that week’s agenda.

Written public comments can be submitted to publiccomments@ flagstaff.az.gov and will be documented in the official record as such.

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Jan. 23 At 2:38 a.m., a resident of Wilson Hall reported feeling ill. NAUPD, FFD and GMT responded and transported the student to FMC. At 9:57 a.m., a nonstudent called to report two non-students fighting outside of Drury Inn & Suites.

NAUPD responded and one non-student was booked into Coconino County Sheriffs Office jail for domestic violence assault.

At 7:21 p.m., NAUPD received a supervisory alarm from Mountain View Hall.

NAUPD searched the area and found the alarm was caused by burnt food.

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JAN. 27, 2022 - FEB. 2, 2022| THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Gov. Ducey’s proposed budget highlights increase in education funding Mark Fabery

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uring his final State of the State Address on Jan. 10, Gov. Doug Ducey promised a busy 2022 legislative session with a focus on education.

“For those who think it’s going to be a quiet year on the Ninth Floor, you haven’t been paying attention,” Ducey said during his speech. “And as I stand here today, the job isn’t done. The goodbyes will come later, much later. I intend to make the most of every moment and work hard all along the way for my employers, the citizens of this state.”

The state of K-12 education Throughout his address, Ducey spoke heavily on the condition of education in the state, specifically the effects of COVID-19, and reiterated schools would remain open for inperson classes.

In addition, Ducey vowed to open free summer camps in June, aimed at catching students up in math, reading and American civics. The governor also pledged that Critical Race Theory would not be taught in schools — just six months after banning state and local governments from requiring training on the topic.

The governor plans to invest $100 million of federal resources to launch the summer camps and another $5 million to build upon civics excellence, according to a press release.

During his speech, Ducey requested the legislature to expand school choice, either through more open enrollment, new transportation models or more charter schools.

“This session, let’s expand school choice any way we can — greater open enrollment, new transportation models, more charter schools and more educational freedom for families, especially those in failing schools or who can’t afford to pick up and move to a new neighborhood,” Ducey said. “Let’s think big and find more ways to get kids into the school of their parents’ choice. Send me the bills, and I’ll sign them.”

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In order to follow through on his promise, Ducey has proposed allocating $58 million to bring renewed focus and to close the achievement gap at chronically underperforming schools. Additionally, $20 million will be used for a second year of the School Transportation Modernization Grants to elevate best practices for students to attend their school of choice. Moreover, an additional $60.8 million will modernize results-based funding, providing successful Arizona schools with $129.4 million annually, according to the governor’s budget proposal.

However, Ducey has faced backlash for his budget proposal from a variety of teachers’ unions.

Save Our Schools Arizona released a statement soon after Ducey proposed his budget, attacking it for failing to address a large number of teachers leaving Arizona classrooms.

“Despite bragging that Arizona is ‘awash with cash’ and ‘sitting atop billions’ in excess revenue, Ducey has filled his 2023 Executive Budget with one-time solutions, myopic ideas and astonishingly few increased investments in public education — minimal even for this governor,” Save Our Schools Arizona said in a statement. “Ducey’s budget fails to address the mass exodus of teachers leaving Arizona classrooms due to low pay and poor working conditions.

It offers zero solutions for student support programs, such as tutoring, counseling, special education services and classroom aides.”

An in-depth look at higher education funding According to the Governor’s Office press release, $127 million will be allocated to higher education funding for the 2023 fiscal year.

This includes $46 million going toward Arizona Board of Regents’ (ABOR) New Economy Initiative, which is focused on training the future workforce for some of Arizona’s fastest-growing sectors, including engineering, health care and more, according to ABOR. In addition to the increase

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in funding for the New Economy Initiative, Ducey’s budget proposal includes $12.5 million to expand the Arizona Promise Program. The program provides financial assistance for Arizona residents who attend one of three Arizona public universities whose federal Pell Grants or other financial aid does not cover the full cost of college tuition and fees.

In a press release, ABOR Chair Lyndel Manson expressed her support of the Arizona Promise Program funding, explaining ABOR remains committed to ensuring low-cost higher education for the residents of Arizona through the proposed expansion of the program.

“The board is committed to ensuring cost is never a barrier to Arizona students and families interested in furthering their education,” Manson said. “The Arizona Promise scholarship covers all tuition and fees for low-income, Arizona resident students to attend

ASU, NAU or UArizona. With an additional investment proposed by Gov. Ducey, this program will open the door to opportunity for more qualified students.”

The state budget also includes $10 million to waive higher education tuition costs for veterans’ spouses.

Manson said the board, and each of Arizona’s three public universities, applaud the governor’s continued investment in a scholarship to cover the costs to attend the public university or community college of their choice.

NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera said in a statement to The Lumberjack that the university appreciates the proposed investments, as it looks forward to expanding nursing in the state through a variety of programs.

“NAU appreciates governor Doug Ducey’s proposed investments in public higher education and specifically the New Economy

Initiative,” Cruz Rivera said. “For NAU, this aligns with our plans to redesign and expand delivery of healthcare programming statewide to serve Arizona’s workforce needs, and meet student demand to enter these crucial and high wage fields. We look forward to further discussions with the state related specifically to expanding nursing in Arizona.”

However, as Manson noted in an ABOR press release, the current executive budget is just the beginning of the state budget process as the governor and the legislature continue work on legislation.

“This is merely the beginning of the state budget process,” Manson said. “But the board looks forward to working with the Governor’s Office and legislators to ensure our public universities remain strong institutions on behalf of the Arizona students and families they serve.”

Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey speaks during his State of the State address as Senate president Karen Fann, R-Prescott, right, and House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, left, listen in on the opening day of the legislative session at the Capitol on Jan. 13, 2020, in Phoenix. Courtesy of The Associated Press

NEWS

ASNAU senate member, Dane Nardi asks a question to the Vice President of Enrollment, Jane Kuhn, about the course fees, March 14, 2019. Jay Soliz | The Lumberjack

ASNAU discusses raising the university minimum wage Mark FaberY

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uring the Jan. 20 ASNAU Senate meeting, students, faculty and staff were allowed to ask questions about the student minimum wage on campus with Vice President of Student Affairs, Margot Saltonstall, and Vice President of University Finance and Business Services, Bjorn Flugstad.

ASNAU Senate Chair, Jacob Carter, opened the meeting by explaining the on-campus minimum wage is an equity issue for students, and the 30 minute discussion would serve as an update to the campus community.

“Last year, myself and a few other senators passed a resolution calling on the university administration to meet Flagstaff’s minimum wage, which is currently $15.50,” Carter said. “Myself and the senators felt the minimum wage, currently, with NAU abiding by the state minimum wage [$12.80], is an equity issue. Since then we have had multiple productive conversations with university administration, with Saltonstall and the Career Development Office, to push a proposal through, and it looks like we may have an update from both vice presidents.”

Before taking questions herself, Saltonstall opened with a brief summary of the conversations ASNAU and her office have had the past year. These conversations covered the importance of raising NAU wages to match Flagstaff minimum wage in order to support student workers.

Saltonstall said following her conversation with Carter, she went right to work with the Career Development Office,

revising a past proposal that reflected the current amount of student employees on campus. Furthermore, Saltonstall noted after numerous meetings with the university human resources department, President José Luis Cruz Rivera later signed off on the proposal.

“I forwarded [the proposal] up to the president and he was very supportive,” Saltonstall said. “He asked that Flugstad and the budget office take a look at how it could be possible. The president also requested that we talk with HR and have an understanding of what raising the minimum wage would also mean for staff and faculty who are below that level or near that level in terms of compression.”

Saltonstall emphasized it is a matter of timing before the university figures out how to proceed with the Flagstaff minimum wage, and then phase in the different levels of student employment categories.

Additionally, Saltonstall said the university has considered multiple ways to increase the student minimum wage to the same level as Flagstaff’s $15.50.

“There were several different ways to look at the proposal, as we thought about getting all the way to $15.50, depending on the position itself,” Saltonstall said. “There were some looking at doing a phased approach where we got to $14.50 and then $15 and then $15.50, so there are several different ways of looking at it all, including a substantial change from the $12.50.”

Senator Sarina Fox expressed concern over NAU having the highest housing and food insecurity across all Arizona public

universities, as a majority of students work on campus.

Saltonstall noted that Cruz Rivera has set up a team to work on financial aid and provide more support to the student body.

This support varies from monetary assistance to food assistance through the university’s Louie’s Cupboard, a service which provides students with free food items.

“We are going to continue to gather data and better understand why it is that many of our students look differently than some of our sister institutions, but in the meantime we are trying to scale up support,” Saltonstall said. “Louie’s Cupboard has done a fabulous job in the Dean of Students with trying to increase donors and donations, and they’ve been trying to increase the number of distributions to an increased number of students.”

Saltonstall ended the discussion by explaining the university continues to have conversations about the cost of housing with Housing and Residence Life and the NAU Foundation to provide better support to students.

After the 30 minutes concluded, Saltonstall confirmed with Carter that there is no set date for a decision on the possibility of NAU increasing the campus minimum wage. The Budget Advisory Council is working through the terms of the budgeting process by having more discussions with ASNAU in the latter half of the spring semester.

JAN. 27, 2022 - FEB. 2, 2022| THE LUMBERJACK

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

White privilege’s popular trend: Thrifting Maria Rodriguez

TikTok tells us what not to like about ourselves

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ikTok had an unprecedented rise in mainstream media. The app showed massive growth from 2019 to 2020 and quickly became a social media giant among the likes of Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram. Just like the others have in the past, TikTok is damaging users’ self esteem.

TikTok’s algorithm, which curates users’ content related to what they have EMILY REHLING previously interacted with on the app, OP-ED WRITER has been criticized for showing users potentially triggering content at random.

For those struggling with eating disorders or body image, the app overflows with videos depicting this.

While the app restricts and bans content that encourages negative ideas about eating disorders and the like, one can tell by scrolling through the app there is too much unfiltered content. With a quarter of its age demographic made up of 10to 19-year-olds, TikTok is irresponsible for allowing random videos to appear on a user’s device. Content should be filtered more effectively to prevent any promotion of negative selfimages.

TikTok trends cycle through quickly, and the app’s wide variety of filters and sounds are utilized in a multitude of ways every day. These trends can be detrimental to a user’s self image, with filters altering facial structures and overly-critical comment sections left unchecked.

Another concern with TikTok’s standards of beauty is how Eurocentric they are. Three of the top stars to have emerged from TikTok — Charli D’Amelio, her sister Dixie, and Addison Rae — are white women with slim body types and straight, thin noses. TikTok’s appearance filters seem to alter facial structure for slim noses and brighter eye colors. These standards marginalize People of Color and serve to uphold Eurocentricity.

One recent video trend stands out: users turn so their side profile faces the camera, then place their finger over the bridge of their nose so it appears straight, and remove their finger to show the difference between that and their actual profile. Trends like these promote the wrong ideas about self image; they teach users how to dislike themselves.

TikTok could have been critical in changing the trajectory of social media’s impact on self image. Having risen in popularity a few years after Snapchat and Instagram implemented facealtering filters and long after photo sharing apps gained traction in general, TikTok had the chance to work without impacting beauty standards. Unfortunately, it did nothing to stop itself from potentially becoming the most harmful of them all.

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hrifting is a trend that is rising in popularity.

Thredup, a second-hand online clothing market, is projected to reach $77 billion in market size and growth estimates in the next five years, expecting around 118 million sellers of used clothing on its site. The company estimates shoppers, millennials and Generation Z in particular, plan to purchase more used items than items from department stores, Amazon, luxury and fast fashion outlets.

This newfound appreciation for thrifting has been gaining momentum, especially on social media platforms like Depop and TikTok, with some TikToks gaining millions of views for tips, hauls, outfit inspirations and reviews.

At first glance, this might seem excellent for everyone involved since the used market helps sustainability efforts.

However, there are double standards in place today for People of Color who thrift compared to those with white privilege — which, sadly, isn’t new.

The phrase, “Did you get your clothes from Goodwill?” used to be an insult implying that your clothes were outdated and you couldn’t afford brand name, new clothes. Now, some white people are acting as if thrifting was discovered for the first time.

Thrifting is not a new concept, nor is its criticism. Dating back to the 19th century, people would go to thrift stores or markets to buy discounted, often donated and used clothing, as waves of immigrants arrived in the United States and industrialism soared.

When Goodwill and The Salvation Army were first created, the stores were initially intended for immigrants to obtain affordable clothing in a time of excess with mass production.

Since the colonial era, higher classes saw used goods as highly unfavorable and potentially dangerous, since some believed diseases could be caught from the clothes.

Years of the public treating thrifting with disgust while it served People of Color and low-income consumers still leaves some problematic roots within thrifting culture.

According to a publication by the International Socioeconomics Laboratory at Harvard

Illustration By Daisy Castaneda

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University on the effects of the gentrified thrifting experience in 2020, author JK Ronobir stated that from white privilege there is white environmentalism which “does not recognize that populations of color and low-income populations are drastically more impacted by pollution and climate change.”

Furthermore, Ronobir asserted social media is pressuring influencers and those of privilege to thrift simply because it’s trendy.

“It’s incriminating knowing there are less fortunate people for whom it is necessary to buy from a historically stigmatized thrift store, while there are others exploiting a thrift store for social media,” Ronobir wrote.

One TikTok account challenged individuals in the video to purchase used clothing from a thrift store for $20. They had to “buy the most embarrassing outfit from the thrift store for somebody else,” which they then had to wear in a “super embarrassing public setting.” The people in the video then performed a “fashion show” of their outfits, laughing at the different thrifted clothing combinations. This TikTok was posted with the tags: #thriftstore, #embarrassing, #pranks, #cringe, #thriftchallenge, #thriftinghaul, #funny.

It’s a privilege to choose to shop at a thrift store rather than buy new clothes. Understandably, people want to buy cheap, sustainable alternatives to fast fashion, but there are consumers who cannot choose and now have to compete with the changing market.

White people often scour used clothing stores and markets to resell items on websites like Depop for higher prices the lower class can’t afford.

On TikTok, Twitter and Reddit, some users point out the overpriced cost of used clothing like $60 “vintage” cargo pants, a $106 sweater marked “streetwear” worth $16 and a $250 baseball hat worth around $20.

These insane prices for used clothing are often thrifted from stores like Goodwill only to be resold at a much higher cost — yet another problematic outcome from high-class, white privileged people involved in the “trend.”

Of course, not all white consumers who thrift resell at Depop for high prices, or view People of Color who thrift unfavorably, but there is enough of the high-class white population contributing to these issues.

“The influx of demand by more economically-advantaged people has resulted in many thrift stores raising their prices, exacerbating income inequality and effectively marginalizing the population that depend on thrifting clothing the most,” Ronobir wrote in the Harvard publication.

He explained that as thrifting increases in popularity under sustainability efforts for some, privileged people are harming lowincome consumers with limited options.

The white upper-class people who shop at thrift stores should recognize that there is a privilege within being able to afford other clothing options while participating in the current thrifting “trend.”

Otherwise, those without the luxury of choice to purchase clothing outside of thrifting will have to bear the consequences of white privilege’s new trend.

OPINION-EDITORIAL

The line between fetishization and attraction Nazreen Ali

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alking through Hillcrest, a neighborhood in San Diego, was the scariest time of my girlfriend and I’s life as a lesbian couple. Hillcrest is known as one of the most open cities to LGBTQIA+ people and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) from all over the world, yet it was flooded with pedophiles constantly yelling degrading, fetishizing slurs at us as we walked downtown holding hands.

She and I are always scared to walk through any town holding hands or showing affection because of catcalls and random men yelling that they are “getting off” to us just minding our own business.

Lesbian and bisexual women are two of the most fetishized labels in the United States. The rising prevalence of pornographic material marketed toward straight men has raised the question of whether men are just attracted to men, or if women loving women are all part of their fetishized imaginations.

Scrolling on Tumblr and seeing #queers seems like a wholesome way for young members of the LGBTQIA+ community to find other people like them, until older men who fetishize young lesbians attempt to get in contact with them over social media.

They twist this as a “preference” or “attraction” to lesbian women and see children as the easiest target, rooting pedophelia in their fetishizations.

Portrayals in written media such as fan fiction where two people of the same sex are forced to have nonconsensual sexual relations show misogynistic roots as well.

The so-called literature is constantly portraying relationships between two women or men as inferior to the standard straight, white relationship.

Since these fandoms are often composed primarily of teenage girls, this trend affects other forms of media commonly sold to the same demographic, such as fan fiction and webcomics. The stories throughout the internet about “gay men written by women” are obsessed with this media outlet. Straight white women are paid more than gay men by publishers to write gay romance novels. The overwhelming majority of these romances are characterized by relationships involving white people without fat or body hair, and men with disabilities.

Just as objectification can affect different dimensions of identity in same-sex relationships, it c a n also affect social categories like transgender individuals.

When these dimensions correspond to the body, such as transgendered and nonbinary individuals (TGNB), the value

of a person is largely determined by their appearance under the categorization of sexual objectification or sexualization.

Despite the lack of literature on fetishizing what is deemed as sexually attractive in TGNB individuals, existing literature throughout the internet describes TGNB individuals as lacking sexual self-confidence and morbid appeal to TGNB individuals.

Cisgendered, white women begin to have this power and control over these individuals as they write them into stereotypes and give no control to TGNBs. This is where the fetishization comes into play. It’s not attraction, it’s plain harassment and objectification of a minority group.

The sexual minority stress model deeply affects discrimination within interpersonal relationships for TGNB people. That term is used by sexual health professionals to refer to the conflicts that arise between the values of minority groups and the dominant culture. For these individuals, internalizing negative beliefs about gender identity has adverse effects on self esteem and feeds into the control that the non-minority group can hold over them.

There are various manifestations of racial fetishization as well. For example, some people label the harmful racial fetishism experienced by Asians, especially Asian women, as “yellow fever.”

The image of Asian stereotypes prevailing in the media further perpetuates these racial prejudices. For some, it is difficult to understand why racial fetishization is a problem. Fetish acts often look flattering in nature: On dating sites, the racial fetishization of Asian women has manifested itself in more people interested in dating them.

Racial fetishization has also been used to justify harm.

Research studies investigated the colonial roots of the fetishization of Black women throughout history and found the Black body was eroticized by European colonists as it entered the New World. The perceived attractiveness and fetishization of African women became widespread as Europeans invaded various African countries. Those who address these phrases to us may think they are flattering but, in reality, they are not.

Choosing a person based on a particular body part, skin color or other characteristic is one of the most crude forms of objectification. Common fashion trends that are derived from classical African beauty standards push the fetishized characteristics onto everyone they can, even people who are not of African descent.

The media loves to label and define body types for Women of Color. Black women are often heavily sexualized and associated with a curvy figure.

Asian females are considered fascinating, dangerous or obedient. Latina women are portrayed as bold, impatient, sexual and cliché. Indigenous women are called “wild,” with the implication that they can be tamed or become submissive. This all dates back to a time of extreme racism, as Europeans had the same views on the native women they brutally raped and murdered.

Fetishization of the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ community is a stab at minorities from people outside of these communities who racially and sexually profile individuals based on traits they cannot control.

Attraction is painted as something entirely different to allow people to legitimize objectification and harassment. Compliments like “how exotic,” or comments on the color of skin, such as “chocolate” don’t help to end stereotypes at all. It only provides racist, homophobic or transphobic individuals content to feed on.

Illustration By Diana Ortega

JAN. 27, 2022 - FEB. 2, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

FLOCKING FORWARD: THE ‘BIRD John Chaffeur

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mong the rubble of the pandemic in 2020, there was one conspiracy theory, like a phoenix from the ashes, that rose in popularity among the student body at NAU and the

nation.

The theory pulls from some classic conspiracy templates, claiming a massive cover-up staged by the United States government.

According to the nationwide movement and club at NAU, Birds Aren’t Real (BAR), from 1959 to 2001, the U.S. government systematically exterminated over 12 million birds and replaced those birds with surveillance drones that monitor the population.

This initial claim that BAR has made and posted on its website, is one that has been met with resistance and counter evidence disproving its theory.

Although U.S. intelligence agencies have used birds in the past for surveillance, there is no evidence to support the genocide and replacement of birds in America. However, the group is aware of this.

BAR is a satirical, self-aware, conspiracy theory movement that was started in 2017, by then-college student Peter McIndoe.

The group holds rallies, protests and other events to raise awareness of the alleged cover-up by the U.S. government.

McIndoe recently cleared the record in a tell-all documentary with Vice, finally “breaking character” and starting a new chapter for the group.

McIndoe explained to people who are not real “truthers” that, yes, it is a satirical group.

“I’ve been playing a character for the past 5 years that believes every bird is a surveillance drone … never leaving character,” McIndoe said in an interview with Vice.

This was the first time BAR members had the opportunity to share the real nuance behind the movement.

NAU BAR chapter president and founder, Brendan Trachsel,

“I think it just is a demonstation of our insane world that we live in, crazy stuff like this can be seen as legitimate.”

– Brendan Trachsel

shared time in the documentary with McIndoe after the Vice team visited NAU’s campus in fall 2021. The chapter’s first concert was held at Prochnow Auditorium then, where over 300 people attended, exceeding expectations.

“It was the first time where I would say our club is going great because we had people coming who already knew what it [the movement] was all about,” Trachsel said.

What once started as a joke among friends in 2020, has grown into a campus-wide movement.

Vice president and co-founder of BAR NAU, Lydia Nelson, reflected on the moment: “Brendan and I met freshman year. We lived in the same hall in Tinsley and eventually, he just started making jokes about Birds Aren’t Real … I think it is just kind of like something funny [that the movement has become popular], and I remember saying to each other, ‘Do you know what would be funny? If we started a club about Birds Aren’t Real.’ Then we did.”

The group has gained thousands of Instagram followers and has quickly become one of the most recognized clubs at NAU. It was not as easy as Trachsel and Nelson initially thought, as there were hurdles blocking the way for the club to grow.

“The beginning was definitely the toughest time all around,” Trachsel said. “When we were trying to make the club, no faculty

Left: Lydia Nelson holding a “Pigeons are Liars” sticker. Middle: Brendan Trachsel and Lydia Nelson holding the Birds Aren’t Real NAU Banner. Right: Trachsel can be seen leading chants at the NAU Club Fair

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D BRIGADE’ TURNS A NEW PAGE would be our adviser … I asked six people, six faculty, they all said no because it is a political club, a slippery slope, ‘I just don’t feel comfortable,’ et cetera.”

Eventually, there was a bright spot for the club.

“Finally, we found this perfect adviser, Jermaine Martinez,” Trachsel said. “He helps us ride the line between what’s appropriate and not … if you’re not riding that line as a satire group, what’s the point? You got to push some buttons.”

This creative group of poultry protesters has drawn attention from students and people nationwide, sparking similarities that might seem uncanny.

“It is a way to cope with the insanity that is politics, society and social media,” Trachsel said. “I think it just is a demonstration of our insane world that we live in, crazy stuff like this can be seen as legitimate.”

Trachsel explained he thinks it has something to do with the current state of our real-life cinematic universe.

The BAR movement gives thousands of people who witness the fragility in the political world the ability to deal with that reality by playing a character which reflects the world we live in.

“It gives you comfort and it is like, I’m part of this crazy thing and everyone thinks we are insane, but I’m in on it,” Trachsel said.

Although it may seem like the group is giving the game away because of its absurdist beliefs, that is essentially why it draws so much praise and attention from the university’s base.

In the words of Trachsel and Nelson, BAR is a movement that all members know is not based on factual evidence, it is based on the current political and social conversation, and that is what makes it so great.

The movement is a social commentary that reflects the ideas and talking points of other figures in the social and political world who tout false conspiracies and misinformation like Alex Jones, Joe Rogan and the QAnon movement.

“The Alex Jones-type persona can surprise you, just the

“It is a way to cope with the insanity that is politics, society and social media.”

– Brendan Trachsel

things you come up with in your head as an explanation for the birds not being real is crazy,” Trachsel said.

Nelson also likes to pull from similar characters to captivate the audience.

“I always like taking the character approach [when talking to people who do not understand the group,]” Nelson said. “I always just like spit out as fast as I can: ‘The CIA killed all the birds between 1959 and 2001 and replaced them with government drones. Do you have any questions about that?’ Usually, their brains are just going too fast and they’re just like, ‘uh?’”

BAR has to often provide its talking points to potential members so they understand the movement, but that is initially what draws people to it.

“I feel like if we were as an organization to get to real per se, then that would just defeat the purpose. I think at that point we would be dead because we are here to cope,” Trachsel said.

BAR NAU is currently looking to do more with the student body. Trachsel said the club aims to host more events in the near future like the recent BAR concert.

For more information regarding the BAR club at NAU visit its Instagram page or connect with members on campus labs.

r on Jan. 19th. Megan Ford-Fyffe | The Lumberjack

JAN. 27, 2022 - FEB. 2, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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Homeless shelters struggle to stay afloat am

As temperatures drop in Flagstaff, residents are forced to wear warmer clothes. Jonah Graham | The Lumberjack

Hannah Elsmore

E

very winter in Flagstaff, homeless shelters deal with an overwhelming increase in individuals who require emergency housing. This winter, shelters are withstanding the effects of the cold weather in combination with a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The pandemic is introducing unprecedented issues for shelters, like complete shutdowns due to a large number of cases within the facility.

Ginger Valadez is a coordinator for Hope Cottage, which is an emergency shelter and transitional housing facility for women. This facility provides basic necessities, such as meals and clothing, for women and children who need help getting back on their feet. In addition, the facility provides recovery support in many ways, such as education on case management, parenting, job training, and faith-based classes.

This facility works alongside Sunshine Rescue Mission, an emergency transitional shelter for men.

“If you have [COVID-19] cases in shelters, you cannot take people in,” Valadez said. “It has caused a lot of issues for us, especially because we deal with single mothers with children.”

Valadez said the shelter is usually at capacity, housing up to 65 women and children at a time.

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The winter months almost guarantee the shelter is full. She also mentioned that, due to cold weather, the forest campsites get closed down.

Many homeless individuals use the campsites as temporary shelters, so the closure brings more people to their facility.

“Because of the cold, the shelter becomes very full,” Valadez said. “We turn people away because we are full, and we simply can’t house everybody.”

In the past year, Hope Cottage and Sunshine Rescue Mission provided emergency shelter for over 41,000 individuals. These numbers do not include the housing that was provided by other shelters in the city, such as Flagstaff Shelter Services, which also faced issues due to COVID-19.

Flagstaff Shelter Services transitioned some of their clients to Hotel Aspen for housing after dealing with a surplus of COVID-19 cases in 2020. This temporary solution was effective at minimizing the further spread of cases, but it was expensive. The shelter had to pause use of the hotel for most clients, unless an individual was medically challenged.

In the past, the shelter has also worked in collaboration with churches for overflow housing. These emergency housing facilities often reach out to other organizations for help,

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such as food banks.

Despite the difficulties Hope Cottage is facing, Valadez said the community has supported the facility well. The shelter also works in collaboration with local churches which do outreach for supplies such as clothing, blankets and food. In addition, Hope Cottage receives food donations from the Flagstaff Family Food Center.

Nevertheless, the amount of clients who need housing is only increasing. The risk of potential shutdowns due to COVID-19 cases is still present.

“We are always in need of hygiene products, single-use cutlery, underwear and socks,” Valadez said.

According to Flagstaff Shelter Services, the poverty rate in Flagstaff surpasses the national average. This is mainly due to the city’s high cost of living in combination with a high rate of unemployment within the region. Other issues faced by homeless individuals include credit issues, criminal records, lack of transportation, mental health and substance abuse.

Hope Cottage is one of the only shelters in town that can accept children. It is likely that some children attending school in Flagstaff experience housing insecurity.

Senior Krystle Nanoo moved to Flagstaff

from Sacramento and said the transition shifted her understanding of homelessness as a whole.

Proximity to many shelters forced her to realize the severe lack of housing.

“I think Flagstaff could do a lot better at recognizing that there are individuals who do not have shelter and necessities, especially during the winter time when it is cold,” Nanoo said. “I think that we should have more places for people to turn to where they can have a place to sleep or bathe or eat or whatever they need.”

Nanoo said she often forgets that so many people in town need housing because she tends to stick to her normal routine which does not involve driving through areas like Downtown Flagstaff. When she does have time to go places other than school and work, she is reminded of the ongoing prevalence of this issue.

During her time as a student teacher in Flagstaff, Nanoo has seen the disparity between those who experience homelessness from a young age and those who don’t. She said exposure to poverty made students more understanding of nonconventional living conditions. When she had the opportunity to student-teach at a school in a higher income area, she found students were less understanding of these situations.

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midst COVID-19 surges “Because of the cold, the shelter becomes full. We turn people away because we are full, and we simply can’t house everybody.”

– ginger valadez, coordinator for hope cottage “Educating students about homelessness would open their eyes,” Nanoo said. “These individuals aren’t so far away, but just a few miles away outside the grocery store or at the park or outside the restaurant. They could even be classmates that don’t have a stable home.”

Valadez said mothers who come into the shelter often have children of all ages.

Homelessness is not an issue faced purely by adults. That is why individuals like Nanoo believe a solution to this problem could be as simple as making people more aware.

“I think a large part of students not understanding and conceptualizing the issue of homelessness in Flagstaff centers around

wanting to keep children safe,” Nanoo said.

“Ultimately this can keep them inside of a bubble, unaware of their surroundings and the community that they live in.”

Community involvement is vital for the success of shelters in Flagstaff. Though many individuals provide assistance for shelters like Hope Cottage and Flagstaff Shelter Services these organizations are always in need of more help. Fundraising, volunteering and hosting supply drives are ways the shelters suggest community members be of service to them.

Debbie Skiles is the Administrative Director at Sunshine Rescue Mission.

She said, “We have space at the mission here. It is not even close to being at full capacity.”

The shelter is ready to provide housing for men in town who need it. Their partner shelter, Hope Cottage, is almost always full because they also provide housing for children.

Temperatures this month are expected to drop as low as 18 degrees. With this in mind, Sunshine Rescue Mission currently has space to house more individuals, and it expects these spots to fill up quickly.

For more information on volunteering and donating to Hope Cottage or Sunshine Rescue Mission, visit the website.

Girls Bathroom

I

’m in the girls bathroom and I think I’m going to stay here for a while. There’s really no reason for me to go back out there.

So, maybe I’ll just stay here for like, a minute or two and wait until I get a text from my friend that we’re leaving. There’s three girls in the big stall. One of them got so drunk she totally forgot she already had a tampon in. Now she has two tampons and she’s sitting legs up on the toilet seat and her friend has been in there for like forever just trying to pull them out. I hope she gets them out and I hope she’ll be okay. Not that it even seems that painful, she’s just really sweet.

DAISY JOHNSTON

Maybe my phone buzzed, but I’m wearing these ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR really tight pants with small pockets so it’s sort of a hassle to take it out. If someone calls me it’s probably my friend and I’ll answer it, but I know it’s not a call yet. Anyway, I’m talking to this girl who has been sitting next to me on the sink for a little bit. She’s really cool and she has a lot to say about music. Especially the music that they are playing outside the bathroom. She goes to see bands with her friends a lot because one of them just started dating this drummer who’s playing right now. But this music is all super overrated in her opinion and I just enjoy listening to her talk about it. She said if she had brought her earbuds we could have listened together, but she didn’t think she would have needed them tonight anyways. I’m not sure why either of us are still in the bathroom. If she suggested going back out there and talking I might say yes.

It doesn’t matter anyways because I’m sure I’m going to get a text soon telling me that my friends are all ready to go. My phone actually has been buzzing for a bit, but someone just came in and threw up in the trash. All of the stalls are being used and I feel so bad because she just looks so sick. I told her I can hold her hair back for a while until my friends get here which is probably going to be really soon. She told me it’s OK. She feels fine anyways. The door opens again and it’s my friends. Apparently, I missed a lot. This one guy is really cute and his friends are all right. Anyway, they can give us a ride if we leave now. So, now I have to go, which is OK. I knew I was going to leave soon anyways.

Centers like Salvation Army struggle due to surges in COVID-19 cases. Jonah Graham | The Lumberjack

JAN. 27, 2022 - FEB. 2, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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Review of the top 10 mov Kody malouf

“Scream” a return to form for iconic slasher series

W

hat’s your favorite scary movie? Now, in its fifth installment over 26 years, the franchise originally conceived and piloted by legendary horror director Wes Craven, is back on the big screen for the first time since 2011. This new entry — simply titled “Scream” once again — is the first film in the franchise without Craven calling the shots since KODY his death in 2015. Attempting to fill MALOUF his gigantic, blood-stained shoes is WRITER directing tandem Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who made a name for themselves in 2019 with their quasi-horror hit “Ready or Not.” In Craven’s wake, Olpin and Gillett have crafted a film that would have made their predecessor proud. “Scream” is a fun, all-knowing and sufficiently scary horror flick that pushes all the right buttons for fans of the franchise.

The film opens with the obligatory phone call scene which quickly turns into a bloodbath for whoever is unlucky enough to pick up the phone. This time around, it is Jenna Ortega from “You” Season 2, but instead of being the traditional opening kill, Ortega’s character pulls a franchise first by surviving her encounter with Ghostface. Her near-death experience brings her estranged sister Sam (Melissa Berrera) out of the woodwork and back to Woodsboro: a place with a dark link to her past that could explain the reemergence of the knife-wielding killer.

As Sam, her sister and boyfriend (Jack Quaid), along with their group of friends, try to unravel the mystery of the latest iteration of Ghostface, news of the killings eventually brings franchise-staples Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette back into the fold for one last sequel.

Following its self-defined “requel” rules, the film places most of the focus on its newcomers while relegating its legacy characters to supporting roles. The choice does wonders, not only for repetition sake, but for its overall quality as well. Where another film starring Campbell, Cox and Arquette could have been disparaged for rehashing the same story with the same cast, “Scream” subverts expectations by thrusting fresh — soon to be blood-spattered — faces into the spotlight.

This is a film that thrives on subversion, which makes a lot of sense for a franchise that has relied heavily on time-honored tropes to get scares from its audience. It understands that fans of the previous films know what to expect, and takes pleasure in slicing those expectations to ribbons.

Continue reading on jackcentral.com

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T

he year 2021 benefited from the tidal wave of constant delays in movie releases in 2020. As a result, it was particularly full of quality releases — which made whittling down the year’s catalog to 10 top films an even more difficult task than usual. For this reason, this list includes an extended “honorable mentions” section to recognize the pictures of 2021 that were enjoyable, but ultimately found themselves outside of the top 10.

The movies recognized in this list are based purely on my own personal taste and opinions, and I am sure a much more sophisticated 5,000-word article exists to explain why “Drive My Car” was far and away the year’s greatest film. I have heard it is great, but I have not seen it. Of all the movies I was lucky enough to see in 2021, here are the ones I enjoyed the most.

Honorable Mentions “The Power of the Dog” “Army of the Dead” “Free Guy” “Judas and the Black Messiah” “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” “The French Dispatch” “Pig” “House of Gucci” “King Richard” “Don’t Look Up” “Old” “The Harder They Fall” 10. “No Time to Die” Daniel Craig’s swan song as 007 is full of backbreaking action, ambitious stunts, plenty of references to Craig’s time as the super spy and the best 10 minutes of Ana de Armas’ career.

“No Time to Die” is a heartfelt ode to Craig and the character that has defined his career. Despite a somewhat lacking villain in Rami Malek’s Lyutsifer Safin, director Cary Joji Fukunaga made sure to send the modern version of Bond out on a high note by putting a bow on the past 15 years of Bond films. The future of the franchise remains uncertain, but its latest installment is a worthy conclusion to its best and most recent era.

9. “Licorice Pizza” Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” is a loving and sentimental portrait of romance and life in California’s San Fernando Valley in the 1970s. It stars two unknowns in the world of feature films, Alana Haim — of Haim band fame — and Cooper Hoffman, son of the legendary character actor and frequent Anderson collaborator Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Haim and Hoffman play two young people finding themselves and their place in the world through their experiences in the

Valley. The two are surrounded by a star-studded cast including Bradley Cooper, Sean Penn and Tom Waits. Loosely based on his and his friends’ own childhood experiences, Anderson’s ninth feature is full of heart, great performances and an indefinable sense of coolness.

8. “The Suicide Squad”

In the time between being fired and rehired by Marvel, “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn was hired by Warner Bros. to bring his unique sensibilities to their new version of the Suicide Squad. After David Ayer’s “Suicide Squad” in 2016 left all those involved with a sour taste in their mouths, Gunn’s soft reboot/sequel brought a much more fitting tone and rating to the super-team composed of career villains. His irreverently vulgar and violent take on the squad and embrace of DC Comics’ most ridiculous characters was a breath of fresh air for a franchise that seemed dead in the water.

7. “Last Night in Soho” “Last Night in Soho” is acclaimed director Edgar Wright’s most personally restrained film, yet also his most far-out conceptually.

This film centers on 60s-obsessed fashion student Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) and her ghostly, dreamstate counterpart Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), as Eloise jumps between modern London to 60s Soho in her sleep each night. Wright’s latest creation is teeming with the kind of life and underlying, perpetual energy that make his films such a treat. It is a frightening, neon-drenched cautionary tale about the pitfalls of nostalgia, backed with expert filmmaking and a pitch-perfect soundtrack.

6. “Nightmare Alley” Scare-master Guillermo del Toro’s new film is a stonecold examination of the black underbelly of human nature told through the eyes of a 1940s carny-turned “psychic.” It is a chilling and expertly crafted portrait of cinematic expression. Del Toro reminded us of the absolute mastery he wields over his craft and — with the help of one of the year’s best ensemble casts (Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara, Willem Dafoe, Toni Collette, ect.) — has once again produced one of the very best films in a given year.

“Nightmare Alley” is not a straight-up, jump-out-of-your-seat horror picture, but its incessant spookiness is enough to make anyone geek.

5. “A Quiet Place Part II” The most “horror” of any film on this list, the sequel to 2018’s “A Quiet Place” is just as thoughtful and panic-inducing as its predecessor. Starring the same cast — with John Krasinski swapped for Cillian Murphy — “Part II” opens with day one of the dead-silent, post-apocalyptic world that audiences were thrown into back in 2018. The film then jumps forward to pick up right where the first film left off. It is a rare sequel that adds context and bolsters the original, instead of using it as a crutch. Deaf actress

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vies of 2021 and honorable mentions Millicent Simmonds is the true star this time around, as her character discovers that her disability might actually be the key to defeating the sound-hunting alien monsters that have taken over Earth and destroyed her family’s lives in the process. With Krasinski returning to write and direct, “A Quiet Place Part II” is a tense, terrifying sequel with an underlying sense of purpose.

4. “Dune” If you saw just one movie in a theater in 2021, I truly hope it was “Dune.” In a time where fewer people are choosing to patron cinemas across the world, Denis Villeneuve’s scifi spectacle was meticulously crafted with the theatrical experience in mind. Ironically, “Dune” was one of the many Warner Bros. properties to see a same-day release on HBO Max in conjunction with its theatre opening. The film spectacularly adapts the first half of Frank Herbert’s iconically influential 1965 novel into an ethereal, cinematic pleasure-center with a truly epic scope. Villeneuve’s talents as a filmmaker have spoken for themselves throughout his career, and they continue to do so in his latest work. The French Canadian director has an unrivaled sense of scale which — paired with a haunting score from Hans Zimmer and another great ensemble cast — is a perfect marriage with the source material that Villeneuve himself reveres so much.

3. “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” After leaving the production of 2017’s “Justice League” due to a family tragedy, many — including Zack Snyder himself — were convinced that Snyder’s version of the DC superhero team-up had been lost to time and creative differences. Yet, following fill-in director Joss Wheadon’s abysmal final product and massive fan outcry to #ReleasetheSnyderCut, the director was given the green light and funds to finish work on his version of the film as an HBO Max exclusive. The result was a four-hour epic which gave some of history’s most iconic heroes the shine they were denied four years prior. Snyder not only made one of the best films of the year, he also validated his original vision for the DC Universe and its future. His film is methodical, thoughtful and unworried about what it should be. Is it too long?

Many will say so. But the “Lord of the Rings” movies also boasted significantly extended runtimes, and you couldn’t pause them at your leisure when they hit theaters. That is not saying “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is comparable to Peter Jackson’s historical cinematic achievement, but it is treading on strikingly similar territory.

2. “The Green Knight” A subversive take on an Arthurian legend, “The Green Knight” is one the best medieval folk tales in recent memory.

Dripping with breathtaking cinematography and backed by a layered lead performance from Dev Patel, David Lowery’s

atmospheric take on the tale of Sir Gawain elevates its legendary source material, creating a sword-and-shield epic that redefines its subgenre and will likely leave a trail of imitators in its wake.

Its dazzling visuals, a resounding score and cryptic narrative are enough to warrant multiple repeat viewings and will keep those mental wheels spinning long after the credits roll.

1. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” The biggest movie of 2021, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was an unprecedented cinematic event that — for a brief moment — united the worldwide consciousness around a high school senior in red spandex. Previously half-full theaters were jampacked for weeks with fans clad in full Spider-Man costumes, screaming their heads off at the screen. In a time where the cinematic experience is waning in general popularity, all it took were the three cinematic versions of Spidey to pull movie-goers right back into the theater. For anyone paying attention, the cat was out of the bag on Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s return for almost a year, but it made their cinematic reappearance no less impactful. Both Maguire and Garfield got plenty of shining moments, and it was clear that Garfield in particular was working out some unfinished business with the character in real time on screen.

It seems like Marvel Studios puts out an “unprecedented cinematic event” film every few years at this point, but this was not an Avengers film starring a dozen of Hollywood’s most popular characters. Instead, “No Way Home” starred three versions of the same hero, along with a host of previous franchise villains from across the multiverse. Not all villains were created equal, but another great turn from Doctor Octopus

by Alfred Molina and an all-time great Marvel villain Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin were more than enough to make up for the neglect their contemporary rouges faced.

Spidey’s latest story is full of heart and reverence for a character that has defined the Marvel brand since his creation. Director Jon Watts has put a massive stamp on the most well-received of the three Spider-Man film franchises, and done so with a surprising amount of heartfelt emotion at the film’s core. I could go on and on about the rush of serotonin that washed over me during this movie, but the point has been made. “No Way Home” was a true cinematic event that many other studios will likely try to replicate in the coming years, and it is the best movie of 2021.

Illustration By Brittani Poeppel

JAN. 27, 2022 - FEB. 2, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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The Orpheum Theater managing the pandemic

The Orpheum Theater stands amidst a light snowfall in downtown Flagstaff, Jan. 21. Madison Easton | The Lumberjack

Lauren Gomez

I

t is no secret the entertainment industry has been affected by COVID-19. Since the spring of 2020, businesses that catered toward entertaining the public have found themselves struggling to produce solutions that not only please the community, but also keep everyone safe. For the Orpheum Theater in Downtown Flagstaff, finding this balance has been an ongoing battle.

According to its website, the Orpheum has served the community with performing and cinematic arts for over a century. Susan Walter, the Orpheum’s general manager, explained when the pandemic hit in March 2020, regular performances were canceled, and the theater decided to take a different approach to serving the public in a safe manner.

“From the beginning, we have had the option to choose what we want happening at the theater,” Walter said. “Yet, we have chosen to take a slow and cautious approach.”

According to Walter, the Orpheum spent the first year of the pandemic streaming webcasts, reducing attendance at shows to fifty people and hosting outdoor events. Later that year, the Orpheum went dormant for five months and reopened in May 2021.

During the theater’s dormancy, all employees were furloughed except for Walter

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and marketing director, Molly Baker. A high percentage of gross revenue loss contributed to the Orpheum’s decision to close down, Walter said.

“Being dormant, we still had about $25,000 a month in bills,” Walter said. “We had to cut all costs where we could, especially during the height of the pandemic.”

Although the theater was not hosting any events during that time, Walter and Baker remained busy ­­— spending their time migrating to a new ticketing company, redesigning their website, and defining the Orpheum’s message as they prepared to reemerge to the community.

After reopening, attendance at shows grew as COVID-19 cases decreased. However, the theater’s management team remained cautious — requiring masks inside and offering hand sanitizer throughout the theater.

This process worked well for the remainder of the summer, but in fall 2021, the Orpheum made changes to its attendance requirements.

The theater aligned with most of the major venues in Arizona and began requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test obtained within a 72-hour time frame, Walter said. Once those requirements were set into place, Walter collaborated with Commerce Medical Group, based out of Tempe, Arizona, to provide the Orpheum with rapid COVID-19 tests attendees could use for free on-site before

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a show.

While these new precautions may lengthen the process to enter the theater, attendees have continued to show up and offer their support.

Freshman Emmie Vander Pluym, an attendee of the Battle of The Bands concert Nov. 4, 2021, said she enjoyed the night despite the strict safety protocols set forth by the theater.

“Along with the theater allowing only vaccinated guests and individuals with negative COVID-19 tests, they also made sure everyone wore masks which was great,” Vander Pluym said. “It was really enjoyable to dance with other members of the community.”

Although these decisions were no big deal for most individuals, including Vander Pluym, Walter describes the process of implementing these changes as “slightly divisive.”

When the Orpheum decided which individuals were allowed in the theater, certain members of the community expressed their feelings by writing hate mail and sending Walter stern emails.

“We definitely did not make everybody in the community happy,” Walter said. “We felt like we did what we needed to do to remain open, have larger crowds, and keep everybody safe. We took a stand in controlling who was allowed in the building and people were not used to that.”

Despite the challenges brought on by

implementing safety precautions, the Orpheum has successfully booked a number of shows set to perform over the next few months that will continue to invite live crowds. Though legal capacity allows for 1,200 people in the theater, Walter said she expects to limit crowds anywhere from 200-800 attendees as the omicron variant continues to spread.

While finding artists to perform in Flagstaff has not been difficult, the theater has taken a more strategic approach to ensure they will not have to cancel any of their shows.

Instead of focusing on larger artists with a nationwide tour, the Orpheum has engaged in following the trends of artists who play smaller tours located in the Southwest. This way, the theater has a better chance of their show not getting canceled — as larger artists have been known to cancel their tour dates due to COVID-19 concerns, according to an article from The New York Times.

The upcoming events calendar for the Orpheum delivers an array of artists and genres set to perform this spring. Country Music Award-winning artist Scotty McCreery will be performing at the Orpheum Friday, April 1.

If one wants to find more information regarding upcoming events and COVID-19 safety protocols, they can visit the Orpheum’s website.

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JAN. 27, 2022 - FEB. 2, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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SPORTS

Recent Game Scores Upcoming Events men’s Basketball Delta State should rename Walter Sillers Coliseum

L

usia Harris — the queen of basketball — died unexpectedly Jan. 18 at the age of 66 in her home state of Mississippi.

Born Feb. 10, 1955 in Minter City, Mississippi, Harris played basketball at Amanda Elzy High School. Harris began to show her talents as a true star in her high school career. Her potential as a BRENDEN player began to reach national prominence MARTIN upon her move to college.

Graduating high school in 1973, SPORTS EDITOR Harris originally had plans to attend Alcorn State, an all-black school. However, despite the passage of Title IX the year prior, Alcorn had yet to establish a women’s basketball program.

Harris decided to attend Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi to play for the Lady Statesmen.

In her first year at Delta State, Harris led the team to the semifinals of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) tournament after a 16-2 season. The NCAA was still only an organization for men’s sports at that time. In her next three years, she built a basketball dynasty.

In the 1974-75 season, the Lady Statesmen went 25-0 and defeated the three-time defending champions, Immaculata College, 90-81. Delta State would do so again the following year, beating Immaculata 69-64. Harris scored at least 30 points in both games.

To complete the three-peat, Harris led the Lady Statesmen to a 68-55 win over Louisiana State.

Only after her passing, did the sad truths of her story come to light.

Delta State was founded in 1925, largely due to the efforts of Walter Sillers Jr., a Mississippi House Representative. Sillers was a main supporter of the school, but his actions while in office would have stood in the way of Harris’ success.

Sillers was an unabashed segregationist and even went as far as to create a separate school, Mississippi Vocational College, that would funnel black students to learn solely blue-collar skills as a way to keep Delta State a white-only school amid Brown v.

Board of Education.

The list of Sillers’s racial actions grew until his death in 1966, less than a decade before Harris arrived on campus. As the history of Sillers is known, it comes as a shock that the arena Harris played in is named after him, Walter Sillers Coliseum.

In honor of Harris’ accomplishments — a college champion, the first women’s basketball player to score in the Olympics, the only woman to be drafted to the NBA — it is time for Delta State to rename the arena to the person who actually built it: Lusia Harris.

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NAU vs Montana Saturday, Jan. 22, 2 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome Final: NAU 48 - Montana 58 NAU vs Sacrameno State Monday, Jan. 24, 6 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome Final: NAu 70 - Sac State 65

women’s Basketball NAU @ Montana Saturday, Jan. 22, 2 p.m.

Missoula, Montana Dahlberg Arena Final: NAU 60 - Montana 66 NAU @ Eastern Washington Monday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m.

Cheney, Washiington Reese Court Final: NAU 69 - Montana 54

men’s Tennis NAU vs Arizona Christian Saturday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Aquatic and Tennis Complex NAU vs Western New Mexico Sunday, Jan. 30, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Aquatic and Tennis Complex

men’s Basketball NAU vs Portland State Saturday, Jan. 29, 2 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome NAU @ Southern Utah Monday, Jan. 31, 5 p.m.

Cedar City, Utah American First Event Center

women’s Basketball NAU @ Portland State Saturday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m.

Portland, Oregon Viking Pavilion NAU vs Northern Colorado Monday, Jan. 31, 6 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome

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NAU basketball aspiring for glory Gabriel Dickson

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or NAU men’s basketball coach Shane Burcar the goal of every season is the same.

“The goal is to take NAU to the NCAA Tournament, nothing less,” Burcar said. “From my first season here, that has been the objective.”

Yet for two decades, that goal has remained elusive. NAU has a record of 146-249 from 2008-2021, and has failed to reach a conference championship game in that time.

However, NAU has seen prosperity before. From 2003-2007, the Lumberjacks went to four Big Sky Championship games in five years under then-head coach Mike Adras. They lost each one of those championship games, but NAU routinely enjoyed winning seasons under Adras, who compiled an overall record of 193-170 in 11-plus seasons as head coach before abruptly resigning in December 2011.

Adras was part of the only two NCAA Tournament teams in NAU history. He was an assistant under head coach Ben Howland in 1998 and guided the Lumberjacks back to the Big Dance in 2000 after Howland departed for the University of Pittsburgh.

Constructing a championship roster is difficult, and Adras knows a lot of factors must fall into place during a run to the NCAA Tournament.

“I don’t think in the Big Sky level you can be good at all phases of the game,” Adras said. “If you’ve got a team like that, you are playing in the Pac-12. So, you have to focus on what you really want to be good at. Then go out and make sure that is what you hang your hat on each and every night.”

There are challenges to building a championship roster.

According to Adras, NAU must address two big items in order to build a championship program: Basketball facilities and home attendance.

“Without a doubt, the fact that you have to play some of your games in the Rolle Activity Center [deters potential recruits] … Flagstaff High School has a better gymnasium than that,” Adras said. “We also don’t get a lot of attendance and that is a big factor when you only have 400 people at home games, but then travel to Weber State where there might be 5,000 people in the stands. It makes it difficult.”

Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Marlow said NAU is taking the necessary steps to rectify those problems.

The first is already in progress, with the new High Performance Center (HPC) scheduled to open by the end of 2022. Marlow said the HPC is designed to adequately cater to NAU student-athlete needs and he anticipates the new facility will attract recruits.

“NAU is in desperate need of addressing our facility infrastructure and we certainly have made strides there, but for now the focus is on our new facility, which was a $10 million fundraising goal over the course of 20 years,” Marlow said. “I think [the HPC] is attractive both academically and athletically; the opportunity it gives our young people to improve in both of those areas is significant. That is certainly something the loved ones of recruits are looking at as well.”

Burcar said the new facility has already changed NAU’s

The crowd jumps for free NAU T-shirts at the men’s basketball game against University of Idaho at the Walkup Skydome, Jan. 17.

Madison Easton | The Lumberjack

position on recruiting.

“I think it’s a total game-changer,” Burcar said. “The biggest thing you see from it is our administration’s commitment to winning. I think you can see the commitment and the newness to everything. I think the time right now is to be at NAU while it’s hot.”

The HPC may be an improvement of university facilities, but NAU still does not plan to build a new basketball arena.

Money could be another factor that translates to success.

NAU spends less on its men’s basketball program compared to other top schools in the conference. For example, in 2020 the University of Montana spent nearly $2.5 million on its men’s basketball program, while NAU spent just over $1.5 million, according to NCAA Financial Reports.

The challenges, however, go beyond facilities and money.

The transfer portal has added a new element to college basketball.

Teams might be able to recruit a good player and build them up for two years only for them to transfer to another school, which could have devastating consequences for the foundation of teams.

“That’s how you build a program — your bloodline is your recruiting,” Burcar said. “The transfer portal is so prevalent, right?

Do you really go and build a team out of the transfer portal? I would say no. I don’t think that helps you. What helps you more

than anything is the guys that you have.”

Burcar said the plan is always to recruit in-state first, then look in neighboring states. This recruiting strategy is based on trying to attract and retain players who are close to home.

“We start in Arizona because it is easier to retain players when they’re only a two-hour drive from home,” Burcar said.

“Then we go to our connections in Southern California, then we look in Nevada. We try to look for players that are four hours or less away. We have also been looking at Dallas a lot because there is a direct flight from Dallas now.”

Burcar’s tenure at NAU started with high hopes as the Lumberjacks went 16-14 in the 2019-20 season and were the No. 6 seed in the Big Sky Tournament. The next season, NAU went 6-16 in a year marred by the pandemic.

Despite the challenges, Burcar continues to build toward the future — a future he hopes includes a trip back to the NCAA Tournament someday.

“I think we have our culture set, but it is always a work in progress,” Burcar said. “But we have to own Flagstaff. What I mean by that is if we have 10 games at home in the Big Sky, our record at home needs to be 8-2. You have to be great at home and if you can go split on the road, that will suffice.”

JAN. 27, 2022 - FEB. 2, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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SPORTS

NAU men’s tennis ready to com Brenden Martin

T

he NAU men’s tennis season is set to get underway Saturday, Jan. 29 against the Arizona Christian University Firestorm. The weekend will consist of a pair of doubleheaders, with two matches against ACU on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The following day, NAU will have to do it all over again with a doubleheader at the same time against the Western New Mexico University Mustangs.

NAU men’s tennis head coach Maciej Bogusz is entering his fourth season in his role and looks forward to another successful season for the blue and gold.

“I think every season is different,” Bogusz said. “You have players that come and go, so that changes the team dynamic.

We’re going to get to play a full spring season. Last year we were limited with the conference split into two divisions. We haven’t even seen all the conference teams for the last couple seasons.”

COVID-19 still had its effect on last season even though it was able to be completed. Just like NAU soccer during the spring 2021 season, Big Sky men’s tennis was divided into the north and the south division.

NAU, placed in the south division, was a top seed in the Big Sky Tournament after it clinched a Big Sky South Division title with a 6-1 victory over Weber State.

The Lumberjacks then opened the Big Sky Tournament on May 1, 2021, with a semifinal sweep against Portland State, which finished second in the north division. NAU followed that with a sweep in the championship match against Idaho State, which it had beaten earlier in the season.

In 2022, the conference alignment returns to normal — gone is the concept of divisions. Every team in the conference will be in direct competition and play each other exactly one time throughout the regular season.

Teams only played against division opponents last year, so the Lumberjacks only played three conference matches and were the only team to go undefeated against Big Sky opponents.

NAU is coming off a second consecutive Big Sky Tournament victory. The Lumberjacks won the title in both 2019 and 2021, but the 2020 season was abruptly canceled in March due to the pandemic. When the cancellation happened, NAU was about to have a stretch of five-straight home matches.

Last season, NAU did not have its home-court advantage as it was only scheduled to play six matches in Flagstaff. At the beginning of the season, the team’s two matches against Western New Mexico were canceled.

This season, NAU’s conference title defense will run through the Aquatic and Tennis Complex at the Flagstaff Mountain campus. The Lumberjacks will host 12 matches.

“This is the most [matches] we’ve ever had at home,” Bogusz said. “That’s going to make it a little bit easier on the guys. The good news is last year we couldn’t have the fans in our building, but this year we’re hoping to attract our Flagstaff tennis community which has been growing and has been really supporting us.”

Last season, NAU started on a completely different note.

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Then-senior Eban Straker-Meads holds his racket at the end of a set at the NAU Tennis Center, March 24, 2021.

Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

The Lumberjacks’ first four matches were scheduled against nationally-ranked teams in the top 26 — all of which were away from Flagstaff. That included opening the season against No. 19 ASU, two matches with No. 21 UArizona and a match with No. 26 Texas Tech that was canceled.

Starting the season at home is something that Bogusz and the team do not take for granted, but another real factor is the level of competition in those opening matches.

Arizona Christian went 3-9 last season and has completely reloaded its roster. Nine of the 13 players listed on the team roster are either freshmen or sophomores and only two of the players are seniors.

The Lumberjacks and the Firestorm have only played once before with NAU taking that match 7-0 in 2016.

However, the history between NAU and Western New Mexico goes deep. The Lumberjacks have won seven matches in a row against the Mustangs. The last time Western New Mexico defeated NAU was back in 2011.

The Mustangs finished 2-17 last season, including a 0-7 conference record.

“That was definitely by design,” Bogusz said. “Last year we had something similar designed. However, it just didn’t work out with the COVID-19 situation among other teams. We faced more challenges than we wanted last year but hopefully this year

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will go smoothly.”

The Lumberjacks started last year by losing the first six matches, but ended the year winning eight of its next 10 matches before eventually losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to No. 4 Texas, which made the Final Four and lost to the eventual champions, No. 1 Florida.

Senior Facundo Tumosa said he thinks the way the schedule is set up this season is beneficial — despite not playing nationallyranked competition.

“We were kind of beat down to be honest,” Tumosa said.

“We were able to turn it around after Sacramento State, which was a really tough match. That was the turning point. Hopefully this year we can get a little bit of confidence at the beginning and hopefully that will make us not have a rough start.”

The Lumberjacks started last season 0-6 and earned their first win of the season with a 4-3 victory against Sacramento State that went down to the last match where graduate Chris Steele came back from behind one set to clinch the match.

COVID-19 may still play a role during this season as it has for other NAU sports this year. Graduate Eban Straker-Meads expects some changes made here and there, and the team is still taking the pandemic very seriously.

“Honestly, in the last two weeks everyone on the team has tested positive apart from me,” Straker-Meads said. “We’ve done

SPORTS

me out strong to start season

Then-junior Facundo Tumosa serves the ball in a doubles match at the NAU Tennis Center, March 24, 2021. Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

the contact tracing, followed all the procedures. We’re getting tested for COVID-19 multiple times a week.”

Straker-Meads said he believes that while COVID-19 will still play a role, vaccines and booster shots will allow players to get back on the court more quickly compared to last season. He and Steele are coming back for a graduate year as the NCAA allowed collegiate athletes an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19.

“Beause of COVID-19 I missed out on one year of playing, basically,” Straker-Meads said. “I mean we played a few matches in the spring [2020] but then it got canceled. That was my first year at NAU, so I felt like if I didn’t take the extra year I would have only had one proper year.”

Straker-Meads said that when this season concludes, he will likely hang up his racket and stop playing at the same competitive level he has been. He wants to focus on working with his creative film and media degree.

With the success that NAU has had on the court in recent years, it comes as no surprise that the Lumberjacks are the favorite to win the conference championship for the third season in a row.

According to the Big Sky Men’s Tennis Preseason Coaches’ Poll that was released on Jan. 7, NAU is the projected favorite in the conference for the fourth season in a row.

NAU received 62 points in the poll, including six of nine first-place votes. However, the team that appears to be on

everyone’s watch list as a challenger to the Lumberjacks’ bid at a three-peat are the Sacramento State Hornets.

Sacramento State, which finished last year 3-12 with a Big Sky South record of 0-3, was only fourth in the preseason voting a year prior. This season, the Hornets earned 54 points and three first-place votes. Given that coaches are not allowed to vote for their teams, Bogusz gave his vote to Sacramento State.

“I think historically it’s been a very strong program, especially being based in California where tennis is quite big,” Bogusz said.

“I couldn’t vote for our team, you have to vote for somebody else, so that’s why I gave them the vote.”

The Hornets are the last team to have ever won three Big Sky Championships in a row. In a span from 2007-2013, Sacramento State won five titles in a row, including six in those seven years.

NAU is in the midst of building a new Big Sky tennis dynasty, but the rulers of the last dynasty are looking to put a stop to it.

“The last couple seasons when we actually got to play them, the few I have faced that team, we had very competitive, fun and challenging matches, so I think for us at least it’s been a great opponent,” Bogusz said.

The Hornets have eight players on its roster with five of them being brand new additions. One of the additions, sophomore Mate Voros, is a Hungarian National Champion and was ranked 149 in the ITF Junior World Tennis rankings at one point.

The Lumberjacks have a roster that has only improved as well. All but one of the players on this year’s roster are returners.

Sacramento State will host NAU on Thursday, March 17 at 1 p.m.

NAU got a chance to play a complete fall season where the team figured out some doubles pairings for the spring. StrakerMeads and Tumosa were a highlight of the fall. The duo made it to the semifinals of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Mountain Regionals and became the third NAU pairing to compete in ITA. The two competed against Texas sophomores Eliot Spizzirri and Siem Woldeab, the same duo they lost to in the NCAA Tournament.

The second time around the two Lumberjacks fell to the No. 2-ranked pair, but put up a good fight by going deep in the first set before ultimately losing, 7-6, 6-3.

The extra matches outside of conference play allow NAU to learn more that it could apply come the time to defend its title. Bogusz made it clear that the ultimate goal is to win another conference title.

JAN. 27, 2022 - FEB. 2, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

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