1-6-22 Emerald Media - Week of Welcome by Emerald Media Group

JAN. 6, 2022

Week of Welcome

Emerald Media

NEW ENVIRONMENTS, SAME MISSION Oregon center Phillipina Kyei is the latest Canadian basketball player with a chance to make a name for herself at the collegiate level.

NEWS 'GREAT RESIGNATION' LEAVES JOB OPENINGS PG 5

OPINION

WHITEWASHED FOOD ON CAMPUS PG 6

SPORTS COLE HOCKER'S SUCCESS PG 9

A&C MUSIC ARTISTS AND THEIR BRANDS PG 16 T H U R S D AY, J A N U A R Y 6 , 2 0 2 2

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Question: WHAT’S YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION?

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“I do have a New Year's

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Scan here or visit the Emerald’s social media to participate in our next Voices of UO. What do you think about UO’s COVID-19 vaccine booster shot requirement?

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more frequently.”

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ON THE COVER

Ducks center Phillipina Kyei (15) grabs the ball from the sidelines after going out at a game against the Westmont College Warriors on Nov. 6. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

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(Julia Stalnaker/Daily Emerald)

MOVIE RECOMMENDATION: “The Peanut Butter Falcon"

We want to hear from you:

Summary: The movie is about Zak, a young man with Down Syndrome, who escapes from the nursing home he lives in, embarking on an adventure to pursue his dream of becoming a pro wrestler. Zak, played by Zack Gottsagen, befriends Tyler, played by Shia LaBeouf, and helps him along the journey by serving as his ally and coach.

Email editor@dailyemerald.com to submit a tip or a letter to the editor. The ideal length for a letter is 200-500 words, but we publish letters of various lengths online.

Genre: Adventure, Drama Recommended by: Megan Thomas, UO sophomore studying advertising “I was watching it on the plane ride back from where I live, and it stood out to me,” Thomas said. “I’d recommend it because it’s kind of a heartfelt movie.”

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NEWS

"Help Wanted" signs are on display throughout Eugene as more Oregonians leave their jobs behind. (Ali Watson/Emerald)

‘GREAT RESIGNATION’ LEAVES A RECORD NUMBER OF JOB OPENINGS BY HANNAROSE MCGUINNESS • TWITTER @SCOHANNAROSE

“The quit rate for low-wage workers is not just above its pre-pandemic levels, but it is way, way, way above its pre-pandemic levels,” UO Associate Professor of Economics Michael Kuhn said. “The lower you go down on the pay scale, the bigger it is relative to what the quit rate was before the pandemic.” The so-called “Great Resignation” has seen 129,000 Oregonian workers leaving their jobs from August to September of 2021. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of individuals quitting or voluntarily separating from their jobs reached a national high of 4.4 million workers last September. The industries experiencing the greatest losses of workers are the arts, entertainment and recreation, state and local government, and education. Reasons for quitting range from service industry workers wanting better treatment from customers to a restructuring of the American identity away from work being the centerpiece around which lives are built. According to University of Oregon Associate Professor of Economics Michael Kuhn, the main worker groups participating in the Great Resignation are mid-career, high-earning employees and low-wage workers, particularly in the tech and healthcare sectors. “The quit rate for low-wage workers is not just above its pre-pandemic levels, but it is way, way, way above its pre-pandemic levels. The lower you go down on the pay scale, the bigger it is relative to what the quit rate was before the pandemic,“ Kuhn said. “The biggest single Great Resignation phenomenon group that you can point to is what’s going on with low-wage workers.” Workers are joining the Great Resignation because of three factors, according to Kuhn: wages, quality of on-the-job experience and workplace flexibility. “The number of job openings is extremely high, and that gives workers a bargaining power that they haven’t had in a very long time,” Kuhn said. “Especially low-wage workers have a bargaining power that they haven’t had in a really long time.” Kuhn said the Great Resignation has stirred a level of confidence that lets workers

feel as though they can leave their jobs and land on their feet with a better employer. “What’s been true for a very long time is that job transitions are really profitable for workers. This is the best way to capitalize on your value in the labor market. So we’ve always been wondering, ‘why don’t people do this more?’” Kuhn said. “Whatever thought process has brought people here is actually giving them access to a source of wage gains that may actually have been on the table in the past but weren’t being exploited for whatever reason.” For UO senior McKenna Alger, reasons for changing jobs throughout the pandemic have been related to wage increases and the ability to work remotely. Alger went from working in retail at both Harbor Freight and Old Navy to working as an online tutor for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. She said the repetitiveness of her work in retail made her desire a job that fulfilled a greater purpose in her life. “There’s just something about retail. It gets old,” Alger said. “It’s really cool to be able to help people rather than to feel like you need to be servicing people. It has a lot more purpose than folding clothes.” Alger said retail work can feel like an endless cycle, and she understands the desire for workers to focus more on their personal lives over the needs of their jobs. She feels hopeful that changing perspectives about work throughout the pandemic will lead to bigger changes across companies, allowing workers more freedom in their lives. “I definitely don’t want my life to just be my job,” Alger said. “I definitely agree with a lot of people right now who are looking to get away from that because there’s really nothing appealing about sitting in an office for 40 hours a week.” T H U R S D AY, J A N U A R Y 6 , 2 0 2 2

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OPINION

WHITEWASHED FOOD AT GLOBAL SCHOLARS HALL

Molina: Despite good intentions, a whitewashed marketing strategy makes GSH global bowls a letdown. BY PETRA MOLINA

Unthank Dining Hall is popular amongst University of Oregon students as they offer various new dining options on campus. (Mary Grosswendt/Emerald)

In the attempt to provide students with international engagement opportunities, the Global Scholars Hall’s dining venue has created an unintentionally whitewashed experience of global foods. The Fresh Marketcafé at GSH seeks to offer variety in its products. It includes international cuisines such as Peruvian and Korean food. However, it has drastically misrepresented these countries’ cuisines and the cultures tied to them. This is commonly known as whitewashing: altering something to benefit or cater to White people. When I first arrived at the University of Oregon, I was very excited to read “Peruvian Vegan Antojas” in the Global Bowls section of the dining hall menu. As a Peruvian living in the U.S., Peruvian food is very important to me. It is the closest connection I have to my home country, and it intertwines deeply with my culture and identity. It affects me personally and emotionally. At first, I was taken aback by the name of the bowl; Peruvian Antojas is not a dish we have in Peruvian cuisine. “Antojas” is a misconjugated version of the word “antojar,” meaning “cravings” in Spanish. However, I was more than willing to give it a try. Sadly, I was very disappointed when I realized this dish had no Peruvian relevance.

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According to the Fresh Marketcafé menu, Peruvian Vegan Antojas contains roasted Beyond meat, sweet potato, onions, garlic and scallions. It is no surprise the preparation method of these ingredients and the mixture of flavors are not found in standard Peruvian cuisine. For any marginalized group, there is immense pressure for an individual to represent the entire community. A similar thing happens with ethnic cuisine. The Peruvian Vegan Antojas is the only representation many will have of Peruvian food, so they are unable to notice they are being sold a whitewashed version of it. This creates an inaccurate representation of our culture, influencing people's perspectives of our nation. My personal experience led me to question the other Global Bowls served at GSH. As my South Korean friend explained, there is also a controversy with the Kalbi Chicken. “Kalbi,” literally meaning “rib,” refers to a variety of grilled rib dishes in South Korea. However, the Fresh Marketcafé replaced the ribs with chicken and used Kalbi to refer not to the type of dish but instead the marinade, distorting the original Korean essence. Engaging with diverse cultures, languages and countries is an integral part of developing an open

mindset and understanding ways of life across the world. However, it is important to recognize when the intention of including a global experience becomes whitewashing. If someone is going to prepare food from a culture or country that is not their own, it is also their responsibility to prepare it in a way that respects the people who belong to that culture. American fusion is always a valid option, but it must be advertised as such. Although the Korean and Peruvian students at UO face drastically different issues as minority groups, one experience we all share is our cultures being modified to appeal to Whiteness. The fact remains: It‘a inconsiderate to serve dishes that misrepresent culture and cuisine. Using foreign countries’ names as a marketing strategy to seem “diverse” is insensitive and negatively impacts underrepresented communities who lack a collective voice. Petra Molina is an opinion columnist for the Daily Emerald. She is a second-year student from Cusco, Peru, majoring in journalism and business administration. Petra most passionately discusses issues influencing the Latin community and minorities.

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A DREAM

SPORTS

REALIZED LONG AGO

Now a professional runner with Nike, Cole Hocker’s success on the track was a surprise to many in the track & field world but not to those who’ve known him longest. BY GABRIEL MARVIN

Oregon’s Cole Hocker places first during the men’s 1,500 meter race. Hayward Field hosts the third day of the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene on June 11, 2021 (Ian Enger/Emerald).

He was a third grader the first time he told his father that he was going to run for Oregon and be an Olympian. Maybe a tad far-fetched at the time, but former Oregon track star and Olympian Cole Hocker had a sense early that he wasn't going to have an ordinary job. “It's funny because he’s never really mentioned another career path,” Hocker’s father Kyle said. “He has pictured himself as a Duck since he was a little kid.” Now, the 20-year-old has achieved both of those feats to go along with a lifelong goal of becoming a professional runner by signing with Nike in September. His high school coaches even admitted his success came quicker than they anticipated. “I knew that was coming,” Hocker’s assistant coach Jason Moyars said. “It did come a little sooner than I thought. I was looking more at the 2024 Olympics.” After capturing the NCAA outdoor 1500 meter championship as a freshman with the Ducks, Hocker had his sights set on Tokyo. Though many experts around the sport doubted his chances, he came to the Olympic trials to silence them. Hocker, who is known for his incredible kick, let the race come down to the last 10 meters side-by-side the reigning Olympic champion and former Duck Matthew Centrowitz. With his arms flailing and teeth clenched, Hocker crossed the finish line a step before Centrowitz — not before sending a message to the track and field world by holding his index finger to his mouth, indicating a “shush.” “He wanted to tell [the media] to shut up,” Kyle said. A very unexpected display of emotion from the shy kid from Indianapolis. Described by his peers as more of an introvert in high school, Hocker found concentrating on his craft was the only way to keep himself at ease. Though everyone at Cathedral High School knew how talented he was, he mainly stuck to himself and a few of his closest friends, never acting like he was above anyone else. “He was top dog,” Moyars said. “But he never took that to his head. He was always there to help his teammates.” That humility and determination Hocker showcased throughout high school would pay dividends when it came to some of the most important races of his career. At the NCAA Indoor Championships, he did the unfathomable. After locking up the

title in the mile as well as the meet record (3:53.71), Hocker still had one final race left: the 3000m. Way ahead of the rest of the heat, he trailed teammate Cooper Teare with 200 meters to go. With a kick on par with the fastest distance runners in the world, Hocker surged past Teare with less than 10 meters left to secure the elusive double championship. Hocker also did this all within the same hour. Though his unprecedented success has shocked many around the track and field world, those who have paid close attention to him understand his achievements are a result of an intense training regimen Oregon head distance coach Ben Thomas instilled in Cole and his teammates. David Woods, a writer at The Indianapolis Star who has covered Hocker more than any reporter, stressed the impact that Coach Thomas had on Cole. “He really seems to know what buttons to push with Cole,” Woods said. Woods also emphasized Thomas had precisely calculated the times Hocker was going to achieve. Those predictions even surprised Cole at times. “I think he even shocked Cooper [Teare] and Cole that he was forecasting such low times, but they began to believe him,” Cole’s father said. Although many weren’t confident of his chances to even qualify for the Olympics, Hocker knew none of that mattered in his quest for Olympic glory. That was his moment, and he seized it. In the two 1500m finals qualifying heats, Hocker cruised through, leading up to what has been the most crucial race of his career. The 1500m Final featured some of the biggest legends in the sport, like world champion Timothy Cheruiyot and 20-yearold phenom Jakob Ingebrigtsen. But the lone American in the heat wasn’t intimidated. In what was the fastest 1500m race ever run, Hocker placed sixth while simultaneously running below the previous Olympic record. His performance in the Olympic finals encouraged a flock of shoe companies to offer him a professional contract, but Hocker decided to stay loyal to his collegiate roots and represent the brand that outfitted him in college: Nike. Though it wasn’t a medal, Hocker set himself up for what looks to be a historic career and a name to be remembered. T H U R S D AY, J A N U A R Y 6 , 2 0 2 2

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COVER Ducks center Phillipina Kyei (15) jumps for a shot against Warrior defensive efforts. Oregon Ducks Women’s Basketball face Westmont College Warriors for an exhibition game on Nov. 6, 2021 at Matthew Knight Arena. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)

BRINGING HER CANADIAN ROOTS TO OREGON BY AARON HEISEN • TWITTER @AARON_HEISEN

Oregon center Phillipina Kyei has quickly adjusted to life in Eugene, and her time in Canada has prepared her to compete in the college game. She never would have thought she'd be the tallest player in Oregon women’s basketball history. Five years ago, she hadn’t even heard of the sport itself. Oregon freshman center Phillipina Kyei’s family immigrated from Ghana to Calgary, Canada, when she was 13 years old. In a country that was learning to love basketball the way it’s adored in America, Kyei was the next student. She began to pick up the game as a form of making new friends, but those goals changed quickly. After a few years of playing in Calgary, she realized basketball could be more than a hobby. She left Calgary for Toronto’s Crestwood Prep — one of the nation’s top preparatory schools that prides itself on preparing its players for the college level. Once she arrived in Toronto, Crestwood Prep coaches Marlo Davis and Ro Russell felt that Kyei belonged. “She transitioned well,” Davis said. “When she got to Toronto, there were more like-minded people: obsessed with basketball and talking about going Division I.” At Crestwood Prep, Kyei landed on the Ducks’ radar. Now, she brings facets from her adopted country to Eugene, where she has quickly adjusted to a new lifestyle and teammates. She began to gain recognition during the recent Canadian basketball surge — one that promoted domestic development, international recruitment and gender equality. In a country dominated by hockey, a new sport has taken root. The Canadian basketball surge began in 1995 once the Toronto Raptors joined the Vancouver Grizzlies as the second NBA team in Canada. Davis referred to this movement as the Vince Carter Effect. The flashy Raptors guard who could jump out of the gym wowed the world when he won the NBA Dunk Contest in 2000. He was the pride of Toronto. Drafted by the Raptors in 1998, Carter led them to three playoff berths and made six All-Star appearances. “When the Raptors came to Canada, it started to draw a crowd of basketball lovers,” Davis said. “Those people had kids, and because they loved basketball, now their kids are the ones pursuing the game.” Russell, who also coaches at Crestwood Prep, works with many of those kids who brought their Canadian upbringing to the United States, such as Jamal Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kia Nurse. PA G E 1 0

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COVER The rise in Canadian stars can be attributed in part to the recent abundance of prep schools — an idea that was popularized in the United States –– which allowed players who recently graduated high school to play and get recruited by Division I programs. “The last generation of players would go to prep school in America for a year before going Division I,” Davis said. “A lot of coaches got to the point of saying ‘Why do we need to go to America to go to prep school when we can create it here?’” Canada recently began to create domestic prep schools, incentivizing American recruiters to cross the border to get a look at Canadian talent. Along with numerous other prep schools, Crestwood Prep plays tournaments in America to maximize the exposure of its players. Prep schools prepare their players for the expectations that come with playing at the college level. Kyei quickly adjusted to Oregon’s rigorous three-hour practices and five days a week of weightlifting, while juggling a packed school schedule. “The prep school workouts helped me when it comes to our conditioning practices because my coach was very tough on us,” Kyei said. The prep school surge has led to many opportunities for young Canadian basketball players to showcase their talent. The surge hasn’t neglected equality, as basketball programs throughout the country prioritize equal funding to both their men’s and women’s teams. Kyei played for the U15 and U17 Team Alberta, and in her experience, she felt men and women were treated equally. “In Canada, they don’t care about male or female; it’s just basketball,” Kyei said. Equal opportunity has helped provide more chances for women’s basketball players. Nurse, alongside former Crestwood Prep stars Aaliyah Edwards and

Shayeann Day-Wilson, has paved the way for younger players to see that they can also make it to the next level. “Putting the money, the time and the resources into the women are paying off,” Russell said. “A lot of them are getting trained and developed in Canada and then playing Division I in America.” “[Kyei] is next up,” Russell said. She’s begun to make a name for herself as an intimidating paint presence, capable of affecting the shot of any defender who drives the lane. In the Ducks’ game against Dixie State on Nov. 14, 2021, Kyei showcased her rim-protecting prowess. She sent an opposing player’s shot three rows deep into the student section. Her offensive game has blossomed as well. She uses a plethora of hooks and pivot dribbles to put the ball in the cup, and she’s always active on the offensive glass. Kyei has the makings of an imposing post player. The next step is to do it with consistency. “She needs to want to block everybody and let her presence be felt so that even when she doesn’t block a shot her presence forces a miss,” Davis said. Luckily for the Ducks, Kyei’s a fast learner. She heeds the advice of her more experienced teammates and sets lofty, yet attainable goals. Kyei wants to help lead the Oregon women’s basketball team to the Final Four and play at the next level. “She’s a woman on a mission, trying to get to the WNBA and the final four with the Ducks’ women team,” Russell said. “Being goal-oriented allows her to be adaptable.” In the short span of five years, she moved from Ghana to Calgary and learned a new sport that changed her life, before going to prep school in Toronto and committing to Oregon. While constantly adapting to her new surroundings, Kyei stayed focused on her goal.

Ducks forward Sedona Prince (32) and Ducks center Phillipina Kyei (15) celebrate their win. Ducks women's basketball takes on Dixie State Trailblazers at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene on Nov. 14, 2021 (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald).

Ducks center Phillipina Kyei (15) celebrates a successful free throw shot. Ducks women's basketball takes on Dixie State Trailblazers at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene on Nov. 14, 2021 (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald).

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OPINION

THE EVOLUTION OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE THROUGH 2021

BY CAITLIN TAPIA • TWITTER @CAITLINTAPIA21 An All Lives Matter protester argues with an anti-racist protester. An All Lives Matter group protested against anti-racists outside the Federal Courthouse on Saturday, July 25, 2020, at 8 p.m in Eugene, Ore. The confrontation turned violent after physical altercations. The standoff ended two hours later when anti-racists marched the All Lives Matter group away. (Kevin Wang/Daily Emerald)

Tapia: The Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol should have served as a lesson of how dangerous political ideologies can become. Instead, the rest of the year only saw acts of political violence become the norm. George Santayana is credited as being the first to state, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The truth of his words has been illustrated numerous times throughout history. Today, the use of proxy wars in Syria is a continuation of a similar conflict in Vietnam – or even it’s application for individuals in a relationship who don’t learn from their fights and inevitably break up. Therefore, it’s no surprise that, when we do nothing to address the root causes of political violence, it rears its ugly head over and over again. Within the United States, the Ku Klux Klan has had several periods of violent activity beginning in the 1870s reoccurring in the early 1910s and 1960s, with groups still active today. However, while these events seem to have occurred at very different times in human history with varying events influencing them, 2021 is an outlier to these circumstances. This is because in 2021 the U.S. failed to learn from history and repeated itself in nearly immeasurable amounts. Overwhelmingly from the right, from Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 3, 2021, The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project reported there were 13,423 reports of protests, with 12,797 of them involving rioting and/or acts of violence against civilians. These acts are “triggered by a variety of social events that touch on a number of interrelated identities or purposefully ignited for partisan political purposes,” according to the Journal for Democracy. Of the many noteworthy events of 2021, the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots was by far the worst. On the morning of Jan. 6, 2021 then-President Donald Trump gave a speech to thousands of his supporters in Washington D.C., spewing claims about “saving America” and “stop the steal.” From there, his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building in such a violent manner that injured over 100 and killed five from reports of Trump’s impeachment trial. In August, Portland faced a night of violence between far-right groups of two separate religious events and counter protesters. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported, “While the two groups exchanged volleys of mace, paintballs and fireworks throughout downtown Sunday night, Portland police took no steps to intervene.” Later that month, the Guardian published that gunfire was exchanged between protesters and counter protesters at a Proud Boys rally. Last November, Republican House member, Representative Paul Gosar was censured after he posted an animated video online which depicted him wielding a sword and killing fellow House member Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as attacking President Joe Biden. This removed him from his seats on the

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Natural Resources Committee and the Oversight panel. While the original Tweet has since been deleted, some people have called for Gosar’s Instagram and Twitter accounts to be removed. While Gosar was called out for his actions, the consequences he faced after posting a video of him killing one of his congressional colleagues were relatively minimal. Yes, he was removed from his committee positions within the House, but his social media accounts remain active, and no barriers were put in place which would prevent him or someone else from doing something similar in the future. Simply condemning an action is not the same as actively working to solve the larger problem of how actions like Gosar’s are permitted to occur in the first place. Even though 2021 saw one of the largest increases in political violence, it is difficult to say that, similar to a New Year’s resolution, the bad habit will be left in 2021. But the problem is less that the acts occur at all, seeing as they’ve occurred for decades. The problem is that so many of these acts have occurred in recent years that they have become routine. Political violence is an expected norm in the U.S. political climate. Between 2017 and 2020, professors Nathan P. Kalmoe and Lilliana Mason found from 2017 to 2019 nearly 16% of Democrats and Republicans believed that violence was justified. This number then grew during the 2020 election period when Republicans supported violence at nearly 18%. Acts of political violence will most likely not go away. However, Americans’ attitudes about them can be changed. Additionally, those with legislative power can put laws and regulations into place which reduce the amount of violent acts and increase the repercussions for those who take part in them. Let us learn from our mistakes in 2021 and not let them repeat in 2022.

Caitlin Tapia is an opinion columnist for the Daily Emerald. She is a second-year student from Colorado majoring in journalism and political science. She is most passionate about social justice and politics but loves to debate about anything.

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EUGENE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS RENTER PROTECTION MEASURES Among other protections, the council will consider restricting no-cause evictions and banning application and screening fees. BY ALEXIS WEISEND The Eugene City Council may soon take measures to implement renter protections amid a tightening housing market in Eugene. The council voted unanimously to direct staff to bring back more information about the feasibility and resources needed to implement renter protections consistent with the Housing Policy Board’s recommendations — which include prohibiting application and screening fees as well as restricting no-cause evictions — at a Nov. 22, 2021 work session. The HPB acts as a forum for public input into community issues related to affordable housing, according to the city of Eugene’s website. The board is made up of two elected officials — county commissioner Joe Berney and city councilor Emily Semple — and six Lane County community members with low income representation. Genevieve Middleton, the city’s grants manager for community development, presented the HPB’s recommendations for renter protections. For the application stage, the HPB’s recommendations include prohibiting landlords from charging applicants rental application and screening fees, requiring landlords to process applications in the order received and prohibiting landlords from including medical or educational debt when evaluating an applicant’s income versus expenses. For the move in/move out stage, the HPB also recommends requiring landlords distribute an education document describing SB 608, a state law from 2019 that caps the amount rent may increase each year, while also restricting no-cause evictions for tenants who have lived in their homes for one year or longer. The board also recommends limiting landlords to charging deposits with a maximum of two times the subject unit’s monthly rent. For renters’ support services, the HPB recommends creating a rental housing navigation role, as well as increasing funding for a tenant hotline and creating additional tenant support services like accessible rental unit lists and supporting improved rental data. To fund these services, the HPB recommends increasing the Rental Housing Code fee program, an annual fee that property owners and managers pay. “I think these all sound very doable and make a lot of sense,” Councilor Jennifer Yeh said. Middleton also presented statistics from the 2018 Eugene Renter’s Experience Survey with more than 850 survey responses and 120 listening session participants. Students made up 15% of participants. 71% of participants had considerable trouble during the rental application period, 35% had issues with landlords regarding fees, 38% experienced issues with landlords regarding deposits, 63% experienced issues with landlords regarding rent increases, 27% experienced a no-cause eviction and 34% had

their rent increase resulting in them moving. Middleton said the western vacancy rate — the number of rental properties not occupied by tenants — is 4.4%, while Eugene’s vacancy rate before the pandemic was 2.8%. However, according to data from Costar Real Estate, Eugene’s vacancy rate in 2021 is 1.6%. “This means that Eugene’s renters have few choices, and rent is increasing due to market pressure,” Middleton said. Some councilors expressed concerns about the recommendations. Syrett and Keating said the council may not have the authority to ban application and screening fees, and they would support a central application platform as a possible alternative. “Some of those fees are needed for folks to actually do background checks, but I think there is an abuse of that allowance,” Syrett said. Councilor Randy Groves said he has heard about rental agreements being brought forth to tenants that are only for 11-month increments so landlords can avoid no-cause eviction limitations. Groves also said he is concerned these policies could affect “mom and pop” operations with one or two homes and push landlords to put their rentals on the market and sell them. In response, Yeh said it is important to regulate small businesses that can fly under the radar. “When you only have one or two tenants, it takes a long time for people in the community to realize that you’re doing things improperly,” she said. “When you have 100 people that you’re renting to, word gets out a lot faster.” Councilors also said they would like to hear more about creating displacement protection assistance, which requires financial support by landlords who issue a valid notice for nocause eviction or an extreme rent increase resulting in eviction. Ryan Moore, a volunteer with the Springfield Eugene Tenant Association, asked the council to consider displacement protection assistance during the public forum portion of a Nov. 8, 2021 city council meeting. “This has been a long time coming,” Moore said. “There, of course, is more that needs to be done, but we're really grateful to see this move forward after all this time.” A no-cause eviction notice must be at least 30 days before the actual date of termination, according to the Oregon State Bar. Moore said it is unrealistic to expect a renter to be able to get rehoused in 30 days. “It's through no fault of their own,” he said. “They didn't know this was coming, and so the logical conclusion when a lot of these people cannot get rehoused within 30 days is that they are being pushed into homelessness.” No-cause evictions are widespread, and his organization sees them happening in almost every local neighborhood, Moore said. The city council has not yet scheduled a work session to discuss the renter protections further.

The Atrium in downtown Eugene houses Eugene city government offices. (Sam Henry/Emerald)

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NEW SONG, NEW ALBUM AND A NEW HOODIE? Musicians have a history of utilizing their influence to kickstart their own successful fashion brands. BY: EVAN HUNTINGTON For a number of years, celebrities have found many ways to capitalize on their cultural influence by branching outside of their respective industries. Particularly the case with popular musicians, many musical artists have sought creative expression and new monetary opportunities through the creation of their own fashion brands. This gives fans a new way to support their favorite artists. Successfully accomplished by several music icons, here are a couple of artists who have been able to spread their creative brilliance to a new fashion frontier. Tyler, the Creator Over the course of his decade-long run as one of the most unconventional acts in hip-hop, Tyler Okonma has cemented himself as a serious force to be reckoned with in the creative world, beyond music as well. The rapper-designer has made a unique presence in the fashion world for quite some time, beginning in 2011 with the release of his own curated streetwear brand: Golf Wang. Displaying graphic-heavy designs that reflect his skating, LA streetwear roots, Tyler has practically given fans direct access to his own wardrobe, an eccentric fashion sense he has been known for since his teenage years. While Golf Wang has been going strong all these years, Tyler decided to level up his game with the recent debut of a new luxury brand, Golf le Fleur, taking his fashion style to new heights. The collection includes high-end apparel items, including: mohair cardigans, button-ups, sweater vests and polos under a consistent pastel palette of light blues, oranges and washed-out greens. While no apparel items have been officially released, the announcement of the brand was quickly followed by the release of his first-ever fragrance, French Waltz, a unisex floral musk, as well as a line of nail polish, coming in a baby blue, orange and glitter. On Dec. 4, 2021, Tyler celebrated his new Golf le Fleur collection with a Flintstones-inspired pop-up shop on a mountaintop in Malibu, California, turning into an invite-only event in which his friends could experience his new products first-hand. From LA skate punk to luxury style icon, Tyler, the Creator demands your attention and is proving himself to be a force in fashion as much as music. His unpredictable nature within all artistic endeavors will leave the world in awe of what he will do next.

Kanye West Arguably one of the most influential figures in pop culture in the 21st century, Kanye West has become a true icon of American culture through his acclaimed, highly successful music career and, in recent years, his booming success in the fashion industry. His direct involvement in fashion collaboration began in 2007 when he signed a deal with Nike to design his own sneaker, and in 2009, the Nike Air Yeezy was released to the public, coming in three colorways. Facing issues with Nike regarding a fair royalty payout, West officially left Nike in 2013 after the release of the Air Yeezy 2, and he soon joined forces with Adidas to continue to fulfill his vision. In February of 2015, West’s first footwear collaboration with Adidas officially debuted with his original Yeezy Boost 750 shoe, garnering unprecedented hype and skyrocketing resell value. By October of 2015, the highly-anticipated “Yeezy Season 1” clothing collection with Adidas officially released, the first full apparel collection from this collaboration. The line was known for its stripped-down, baggy look and its military aesthetic with its flesh-toned color palette. The Yeezy partnership with Adidas received massive success upon its initial debut and continues to acquire much hype among sneakerheads and fashion enthusiasts. Today, with more of a focus on footwear, Yeezy and Adidas have created dozens of sneaker models that continue to amass a lot of attention. Most recently, West struck a 10-year deal with Gap, announced in the summer of 2020, to create the new “Yeezy Gap” line of apparel, hoping to bring the retailer out of a sales decline. Nearly a year later, Yeezy Gap launched its first piece, the “Round Jacket,” as a surprise drop with little warning. A thick, puffy jacket in a solid blue colorway, Yeezy Gap was officially underway and has now released several more jacket colorways, as well as a line of solid-colored hoodies that were released later that fall. The star power and societal influence musicians have in our culture is something many artists have taken advantage of, most notably by becoming a part of the lucrative fashion industry. In an age of self-branding, these stars have channeled their creative passions and forms of expression in new outlets and have carried their artistic identities into fresh forms.

Pharrell Williams It’s hard to find someone in the music industry with as impressive of a career as the music icon himself: Pharrell Williams. Being one of the most in-demand producers since the early 2000s, collaborating with hundreds of other artists and being the man behind countless hit records, Williams has surely established a legacy for himself in music, but he has never wanted to stop there. Known for his deeprooted involvement in fashion, whether creating his own or serving as a primary cosigner of other up-and-coming labels, Williams has been revered as a trendsetting style icon as much as a music mogul. His personal fashion journey dates back to 2005 when he and his manager Rob Walker teamed up with Japanese fashion designer Nigo to create the streetwear brand Billionaire Boys Club. With its skate-centric focus, bright colors and classic astronaut logos, the label quickly became one of the most hyped streetwear brands at the time. In the following years, Williams and Nigo created ICECREAM, a footwear subsidiary of the Billionaire Boys Club label, known for its graphic motifs of diamonds and dollar signs as well as its vibrant color palette. ICECREAM eventually grew beyond footwear and fleshed out into its own fullfledged clothing line. Over the years, Williams has collaborated with a myriad of other brands and designers, including A Bathing Ape and Human Made — both created by close collaborator Nigo — as well as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Moncler, Uniqlo and Adidas. Williams has always been known as an artist who has worked with nearly every musician under the sun, and the same can be said for the fashion industry as well. (Grace Turchetto/Daily Emerald) PA G E 1 6

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Where dreamy indie meets pop punk

With roots in Portland, Growing Pains brings a unique sound to the local music scene. BY KRISTA KROISS • TWITTER @KRISTAKROISS

Portland band Growing Pains plays at the Alder House in Eugene on Oct. 31, 2021 with Eugene bands Novacane and Candy Picnic. (Ian Enger)

You wouldn’t think The Smiths would mesh well with My Chemical Romance, but local band Growing Pains is here to prove you wrong. The four-piece band from Portland, Oregon, has been a part of the Portland music scene since their high school days, meeting at a franchise and performanced based music school called School of Rock (yes, it’s a bit like the movie). But fans shouldn’t just thank the School of Rock in Portland for the band’s formation — in a way, fans should thank emo-

rock band Joyce Manor too. “When we first met we all bonded over our love of this band Joyce Manor,” guitarist Carl Taylor said. In fact, it was Taylor’s Joyce Manor t-shirt that first led guitarist and vocalist Jack Havrilla to strike up a conversation with Taylor while at School of Rock Portland. The pair started making music together, later picking up fellow School of Rock student Kyle Kraft as their drummer, and then the final piece of the puzzle: bassist and vocalist Kalia Storer.

“The moment that I think of when we first formed, I was in a practice room at School of Rock,” Storer, also a student at School of Rock, said. “I turned around, and they were in the doorway.” Turns out the trio was so impressed with Storer’s talent they asked her to be in their band on the spot. The four got their first gig from their music instructor Sonia Weber, member of Portland band Alien Boy, who got Growing Pains on the bill with her own T H U R S D AY, J A N U A R Y 6 , 2 0 2 2

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A&C Everyone else will have their vision, and it will end up being a mix of four different visions." CARL TAYLOR Growing Pains guitarist

band along with some touring bands. After that gig, the group dropped out from School of Rock to focus on Growing Pains. “We realized that it’s a lot more fun to play your own songs live,” Taylor said, noting the School of Rock program consists of three month cycles that didn’t give them enough creative freedom. The four gravitated to the musical potential having “complete creative freedom” could give them. Fast forward to today, Growing Pains currently performs at both house shows and professional venues in Eugene and Portland. Its debut album “Heaven Spots” was recorded by Edwin Paroissien at Echo Hill Studios and released in 2020 but not without pandemic-related challenges. “It was pretty weird recording in lockdown,” Taylor said. “It’s like all of these people that you’re super close with, but then you’re wearing masks and distanced.” Taylor also added that, while the album was being recorded, it was the time when raging fires covered the West Coast. “The skies were literally red when we were recording,” Taylor said. “It was like we were recording during the apocalypse.” Storer also described facing challenges with mental health during the recording session, even being brought to tears while recording the song “Houseboat.” Fortunately, Storer is able to look back and consider it simply a funny story about the song. Since this adventurous week in the studio, the group has worked on some new material with no definitive release dates. When asked about Growing Pains’ songwriting process, Taylor was unsure about calling their songwriting “a process,” as it would imply that they follow certain steps to write a song — which is not the case. “For songs I write, I will write an entire song out, and I will have a specific vision,” Taylor said. “Everyone else will have their vision, and it will end up being a mix of four different visions.” Taylor elaborated on this when discussing the band’s musical style, describing the blend of genres and musical tastes that makes the band original. “For the song “Houseboat”, I wrote it to be jangle pop, like the Smiths,” Taylor said. “And [the band] really wanted it to be like a pop punk song, and that’s why it ended up sounding the way it sounds.” The song has the dreamy guitar lines you would expect in the Smiths, but the powerful drums and tempo of a My Chemical Romance song. “None of our visions lined up,” Taylor said. “I think that’s why it sounds unique.” Although indie rock is likely the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Growing Pains, the band doesn’t consider itself an indie band. Taylor notes that it’s “obvious” Growing Pains is an indie rock band, “but it feels weird to describe yourself as an indie band.” Going on to discuss what the definition of “indie” is, Taylor said the word isn’t just about the music. “I feel like [indie] refers more to the culture around a scene rather than the genre itself,” Taylor said. Storer agreed, adding the band isn’t a part of an indie culture. The idea of indie culture generally refers to the mindset of actively opposing the mainstream with expression through art, clothes and more. This is why indie rock bands tend to be more experimental with sounds and music than mainstream pop. “We don’t wear tiny little beanies,” Storer said, referring to the mainstream style of indie culture. Overall, Growing Pains is a must-hear for any fan of indie music and the Eugene scene – especially those that also love pop punk. While the band doesn’t have any upcoming shows or new releases, you can stay up to date by following its Instagram account: @growingpainspdx. Debut album “Heaven Spots” can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp and SoundCloud.

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Portland band Growing Pains plays at the Alder House in Eugene on Oct. 31, 2021 with Eugene bands Novacane and Candy Picnic. (Ian Enger)

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