11-23-20 Emerald Media - Monday Edition

NOV. 23, 2020

Monday Edition

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Emerald Media

IN EUGENE ISN’T EASY LOCAL HIP-HOP ARTISTS SHARE THEIR STORIES

NEWS: STUDENTS PREPARE TO TRAVEL FOR THE HOLIDAYS P. 4

A&C: REMODEL FOR THE VERY LITTLE THEATRE P. 9

OPINION: PROFESSORS NEED TO NORMALIZE MENTAL HEALTH P. 11 M O N D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 3 , 2 0 2 0

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NEWS

ASUO, POLICE CHIEF AND SCHILL ON PARTIAL DISARMING OF UOPD

BY LEO BAUDHUIN AND BRUNO CROLLA VOL. 122, ISSUE NO. 22

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ON THE COVER

Michael Klindt, also known as Michael Kay, is part of a musical group known as SageCrow. Their new record is scheduled to release next February. Eugene’s grassroots hip-hop scene is often overlooked, but it hasn’t stopped artists from continuing to share their own unique voice with their music.

(Will Geschke/Emerald)

University of Oregon President Michael Schill released his plan for police reform on Nov. 9 in response to students’ calls to defund and disarm the University of Oregon Police Department. The ASUO executive branch was among those voices, sharing a memorandum with the student body Oct. 5 on Instagram.

The memorandum asks that the university disarm UOPD officers unless “the use of a firearm is absolutely and unequivocally necessary for the protection of a civilian or themselves.”

“We wanted it to be a conversation starter,” ASUO Press Secretary Sam Simonett said of the memorandum, “and to state what our end goal is, which is to disarm the UOPD and see abolition as a possible end goal.”

“Ideally this is something that admin will engage us with,” ASUO President Isaiah Boyd said. “I’m really hopeful that it’s not all talk and they’re not being performative and this is something they’re actually willing to engage students with.”

Following the release of his UOPD reforms, Schill told the Daily Emerald newsroom that he’s always happy to talk about fully disarming campus police. “But I’ve had [it] a million different ways, and no one’s ever convinced me that we should get rid of the armed police force,” said Schill.

As a result, his plan calls for a 26% decrease in UOPD’s armed force and a “[substantial] increase to the number of unarmed community service officers.”

UO spokesperson Saul Hubbard said the nine new CSOs will not affect UOPD’s budget, as these officers present the same annual cost as the seven armed positions Schill cut. Additionally, those seven positions are currently empty, meaning “no current UOPD employee has to be laid off or reclassified as a result of this shift,” Hubbard said. Between full- and part-time positions, UOPD currently has 19.5 armed officer positions filled.

“We totally believe this is a step in the right direction,” Simonett said of the increased presence of CSOs. “We think it opens the door to further reform and further conversation with administration.”

Simonett said CSOs performing routine campus patrols was something ASUO views as potentially helping their case for disarmament.

“We want to see community service officers all around the community to make people feel safe,” he said. “If we can do that in buildings and study spaces, we should be able to apply that in a greater sense.”

Additionally, Simonett praised Schill’s plan to delegate CSOs the responsibility of responding to non-emergency calls and the fact that CSOs will not be in police uniform. Simonett said student activists have pushed for similar reform for years.

Schill’s reforms also outline plans to hire “a consultant with expertise in policing and diverse communities” who will provide input and potentially suggest future changes to UOPD. Hubbard said the consultant will be “a one-time expense,” meaning the contract won’t lead to an annual budget increase. UO has not yet determined which department funding for the

consultant will come out of.

Schill said he understands “that to some members of our community — particularly People of Color — an armed police force generates feelings of oppression and lack of safety.”

“I don’t tolerate any acts of racism, any forms of racism, hate or bias from any member of my organization,” UOPD Chief Matthew Carmichael said. “I will never tolerate that kind of behavior.”

Carmichael said UOPD emphasizes community in its officer training. “This is training from the heart,” he said. “We sang songs. We talked about loving, kindness.”

To further increase trust between UOPD and the UO community, Carmichael pointed to the importance of transparency. Data about who UOPD cites, arrests and uses force against is publicly accessible on its website. The UOPD complaint process also includes a Complaint Review Committee with UO student, faculty and staff representatives serving on the board.

This transparency and community-centered policing approach creates a degree of trust between the UOPD and the UO community, Carmichael said. Schill cited this as one of his primary reasons behind his reforms — if UO completely disarmed UOPD, the university would have to turn to the Eugene Police Department if an armed officer was needed.

Boyd said students similarly gravitated toward UOPD over EPD in an anonymous feedback survey to the ASUO memorandum — especially when it came to sexual violence on campus. He explained that some students of color shared a similar concern.

“At least with the UOPD, I’m a student,” he said, paraphrasing one of the survey responses, “so I can try to use that as an edge. I can try to use that as a way of de-escalating or managing the discomfort I might have interacting with that organization. When it comes to EPD, it’s a little different. These are individuals that I don’t have a direct connection with.”

While both Simonett and Boyd acknowledged that crime takes place on the UO campus, they said they want to shift away from armed officers being the first responders and invest in other options. Simonett said the vast majority of crimes UOPD responds to are misdemeanors, usually retroactively responding to vandalism and theft.

“We’re trying to take a more structural approach,” Boyd said. “Create a system where we can get the campus police unarmed. They can still manage their patrols as we progressively wind them out of the institution as a whole and create a comprehensive plan through which we can establish new programs.” He pointed to student mental health services as a specific area he wants to see funded, especially for People of Color in the UO community.

Carmichael said whether or not he agrees with the disarm movement isn’t the most important matter at hand — nor is it his choice to make.

“What’s most important is that as a police chief, I should be listening to our community,” he said.

“I’ve met with a broad range of people,” Schill said. “I consulted all their views. And ultimately, the decision is mine.”

Around OR REGIONAL AND STATE NEWS TESLA CRASH CAUSES DAMAGE: Corvallis, Ore. — On Nov. 17, Dylan Milota was arrested after driving under the influence at 100+ mph and crashing his Tesla, taking down a power pole. The electric vehicle’s batteries shot out of the car and through several residents’ windows, even landing in a person’s lap. A tire hit a nearby apartment building, rupturing water lines and damaging the building.

– JAMES CROXTON OREGON GOES 3-0: Oregon football is now 3-0 and was barely scraped by UCLA on Saturday, with a 38-35 win in Autzen Stadium.

Former Oregon basketball standout Payton Pritchard was picked 26th overall in the first round of the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics.

Women’s basketball is set to open their 2020 season against Seattle University on November 28, the first of three non-conference games. They will open conference play Dec.4 against Colorado.

– CARLY EBISUYA

(DL Young/Emerald)

‘I LIKE PIE’ HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER: Holiday-themed fundraiser events have made significant pivots to adapt to COVID-19. The “I Like Pie” run is no exception. Typically based in Bend, the event has gone nationwide by expanding to take place for participants wherever they are between Nov. 23 and 29.

Proceeds will go to Central Oregon charities NeighborImpact and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend.

Registration is still open.

– EM CHAN

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NEWS (Eleanor Klock/Emerald)

STUDENTS PLAN TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS BEFORE TRAVELING HOME

BY JANE GLAZER • TWITTER @JANEGLAZER

The University of Oregon has made several adaptations to fall term in response to COVID-19.

UO has also sent out emails and social media posts explaining how students can get COVID-19 tests before they leave campus.

UO offers expanded COVID-19 testing for students through the Monitoring and Assessment Program up until Thanksgiving break, which starts on Nov. 26. The university required students living in the residence halls to be tested the week of Nov. 16 before traveling home. Voluntary testing for off-campus students has been, and will be, available as capacity permits, on Nov. 20, 23 and 24.

Emily Enriquez, a UO student, lives off campus and plans to travel home to the Portland area after receiving a negative test result. Enriquez made the decision to get tested because she doesn’t want to put her family at risk, but she said that if she wanted to, she would be able to travel home without getting tested.

“The university is not controlling any of that for off-campus students, like we can go home without getting a test,” Enriquez said. “Most of the time it’s spreading, it’s not like people are sick and they go out, it’s because they don’t know they have it.”

Enriquez said that she is frustrated with how UO is handling testing for off-campus students and that she feels like they are forgotten by the university.

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she’s done a good job of limiting her exposure to COVID-19. However, she also wishes UO was doing more for students not living in the dorms.

“The university just seems to forget about people living off campus because they’re not bringing in as much money as freshmen living in the dorms,” Cadiz said. “I hear the university is getting a lot better with testing, but I wish they did more specifically for people living off campus.”

The university has been providing free testing opportunities for people living in congregate housing.

UO spokesperson Saul Hubbard said that the university has communicated with students about how to travel safely and take extra precautions to minimize their risk of both contracting and spreading COVID-19 during this time.

He said the university has also strongly emphasized that students should not travel if they have been diagnosed with COVID-19, are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to a confirmed case.

“It is essential that students follow public health guidance and university directives for returning home safety,” Hubbard said. “Throughout fall term, the majority of our students have adhered to our COVID-19 safety measures and policies, day-in and day-out. We’re confident that will be the case for students traveling home safely as well, given that none of us want to be responsible for putting our family members and loved ones at risk.”

UO student McKenna Kennett is from San Diego

and has decided not to travel home for Thanksgiving.

“I really need to keep working, because I was unemployed for so long because of COVID. I went through a lot of my savings during the spring and summer,” Kennett said. “Since everything is online I definitely would’ve just gone home and stayed home, but I need to work those two weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Kennett also said that she usually doesn’t go home for Thanksgiving break since students only have two days off school, so it is not worth it for her to travel home. This year, however, COVID-19 was an added concern to travelling; Kennett said she didn’t want to fly and take the risk of getting infected.

Cadiz and Enriquez agree that traveling safely is important right now, and they both plan to take the necessary precautions to avoid spreading COVID-19 to their family.

Once students return to campus, UO will test everyone living in the residence halls, and students will need to stay isolated in their rooms until they receive their test results. For students living off campus, testing capacity will stay available.

“They should require [off-campus students] to get tested when we come back,” Enriquez said. “I know a lot of smaller schools, especially private ones, have more resources to allocate towards testing. I feel like the big state schools, as messed up as it sounds, have other priorities.”

NEWS

OFF-CAMPUS PARTY ATTENDED

BY OVER 200 STUDENTS RAISES CONCERN IN UO COMMUNITY

BY JOANNA MANN Photos show around 200 people attending a party Nov. 7 at two houses on 14th Avenue in Eugene, dubbed “The Orchard” and “The Hills.”

Social media accounts have shared allegations of the party taking place at adjacent houses during the first Ducks football game of the season. Both houses are unaffiliated with any sorority or fraternity chapter houses on campus but are well-known for holding parties attended by members of various Greek life chapters, according to an email to the Emerald from the anonymous Instagram account @ covid.campus.

The account posted about the party Nov. 10, stating, “Your 200+ person frat party killed someone,” though zero deaths have been directly traced back to the party as of press time. Administrators of the account told the Emerald they included the statement to stress the likelihood that someone at the party could have been infected with COVID-19.

As of Nov. 3, the University of Oregon Greek system represents 35% of all current outbreak-related cases in Lane County, according to Lane County Public Health.

The Instagram post originally stated that the Sigma Chi and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternities hosted the party. However, it is unclear what group or individuals started the event. Members of the fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha live at “The Hills,” including the president of the chapter, who declined to comment, saying his organization did not have any official involvement.

The party was attended by members of multiple Greek life chapters at the university, not just the ones mentioned in the post, according to the administrators of the Instagram account.

Adam Saleh, the president of UO’s Sigma Chi, said the post initially had a negative impact on his chapter.

“I totally respect the initiative to have transparency amongst the community,” Saleh said. “I just think there’s a fine line between doing that and just throwing someone under the bus for the sake of throwing someone under the bus.”

Saleh said he placed a mandatory lockdown on his chapter at the beginning of the term so members were not allowed to leave the facility unless their parents were in town or they needed something from the store. Saleh said Sigma Chi has had zero cases of COVID-19, and this party was the first “mistake” by members during the term.

“We’re constantly cracking down on guys, we’re constantly checking up on liveouts making sure no parties are taking place,” Saleh said. “Obviously that day was a bit of a different story. Mistakes were made, but we’ve been able to hold those guys accountable.”

As for repercussions for the members who attended the party, Saleh said he does not want to “jump the gun” and drop anyone from the chapter. Instead, he said he sat the members down and warned them that there will be consequences if this becomes a regular habit.

“I do understand that this is a really difficult time for everyone and a lot of guys are just pent up in their houses right now,” Saleh said. “I want people to know that my chapter specifically is doing everything we can to stop the spread and we will continue to do so until this thing is over.”

In a statement to the Emerald, UO Dean of Students Kris Winter cautioned against assigning responsibility to fraternities, sororities or any other campus groups for the Nov. 7 party.

“The majority of our students continue to do the right things, day-in and day-out, so incidents like this are discouraging for all of us and endanger our community,” she wrote.

Winter said the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards is actively investigating this event and will not hesitate to hold students accountable through the student discipline process. She said the best way to report violations of COVID-19 safety protocols is through the UO COVID-19 Behavioral Concern online form or by reporting parties to the Eugene Police Department and University of Oregon Police Department for their party patrols.

UOPD Chief Matthew Carmichael said his unit has no jurisdiction over offcampus parties but does respond to EPD to assist. However, on Nov. 7, EPD contacted UOPD about providing potential backup for that call, but UOPD did not have available officers on duty to respond, according to a statement by the

agency. The statement also mentioned that a UOPD sergeant visited both addresses last week to warn residents about their behavior and caution them about hosting additional gatherings.

“I guess from a perspective of enforcement, we’re not COVID enforcement,” Carmichael said. “We do refer to students’ code of conduct for especially when there’s a social ordinance violation, you know, minor in possession, those kinds of ordinance violations would get sent to conduct as an example. But again, if the question goes back to, ‘Am I issuing tickets or arresting people for something related to COVID?’ The answer’s no.”

UO spokesperson Saul Hubbard said the university is more limited in its ability to monitor activity and respond in real time to reports of student gatherings which occur off campus compared to on campus. But under the student conduct code, UO does have jurisdiction to pursue formal student conduct action for off-campus misconduct.

“If members of the community witness students not complying with face coverings, physical distancing, and symptom self-check guidelines, as required by university policy, this behavior may constitute a violation of the student conduct code,” Hubbard said. “Consequences of violating the code may include educational sanctions, disciplinary probation or suspension, depending on the egregiousness of the behavior.”

Hubbard said the university has received reports of student gatherings throughout the fall before the Pac-12 and the Oregon Health Authority approved the resumption of college football, and football games have not had a major impact on those reports.

Contact tracing information specific to the Nov. 7 party has not been made available as of press time. However, according to a tweet from Philip H. Knight Chair Ellen Peters on the day of the party, “your chances of bumping into at least one person with COVID today are 44% in a group of 100 people, 25% with 50 people, and still 6% with only 10 people. Wear a mask, distance, wash your hands, and enjoy OR’s outdoors!”

Bruno Crolla contributed reporting to this story.

(Makena Hervey/Emerald) M O N D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 3 , 2 0 2 0

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COVER

‘Closed my eyes and did my verse’

Hip-hop artists of Eugene

BY LUCAS WARNER It’s easy to say that rap music isn’t the standard genre in Eugene. Many of the house shows and local venues prefer to showcase jam bands, bluegrass or punk music. Although the norms have been set, there are artists in the area who want to break through the mold. Artists in Eugene face a few barriers when trying to get started, such as the close-minded attitude some performers have experienced at local venues. Negative stereotypes and a lack of diversity also affect the ability for the style to grow in the city, yet artists still work hard to establish a scene.

JULIAN OUTLAW

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Julian Outlaw Sometimes it can be hard to come up with a rap name. For Julian Outlaw, it was simple.

“Oh, that’s my name,” he said before holding up his Texas driver’s license. “First days of school used to suck because kids thought I gave a fake name.”

Outlaw started performing using his given name in 2017. While watching an open mic at the Hi-Fi Music Hall in Eugene, he asked a showrunner if they ever had rappers perform there and was invited on stage immediately. His 16 bars of rap impressed the band so much that the saxophone player invited him back on stage to jam with the band for another 45 minutes.

This appearance became bi-weekly, then weekly.

Outlaw eventually had the opportunity to host a midnight sypher, a chance for artists to freestyle rap, at the club. He took this show model to The Poker Lounge in Eugene but had difficulty seeing his big picture plans because of the costs.

“I was working for peanuts, which was hard,” Outlaw said. “It just felt like I was spinning my wheels.”

Outlaw left for Portland in fall 2017 to seek more opportunities to make money with music.

“I stopped listening to the people telling me Portland was scary,” Outlaw said. “I’m from Houston!”

In Portland, he gained some traction in the hiphop scene. He helped organize the first Juneteenth celebration in Gresham. There he met Treylon Day, an event and talent promoter who convinced him to come back and try out the scene in Eugene once again. While he was booking shows, the pandemic has hampered his opportunities once again.

While Outlaw has found a community of like-minded artists, he still can’t get over the culture shock that comes with moving from Houston

to Oregon. The lack of diversity can be challenging, especially as a start-up artist.

But Outlaw isn’t discouraged by this fault in diversity. He stays positive by living by his mantra of L.A.M.E. — or “living above my expectations.”

“Instead of wasting energy focusing on the problem, I’m focused on finding solutions,” he said.

Outlaw’s music has influences from rappers such as Tyler the Creator, Chance the Rapper and Freddie Gibbs. He is comfortable rapping in a lower register while also being able to intermix falsetto accents to Julian Outlaw poses with his manager, Treylon Day. They have been working together for the past 8 months on various projects. Eugene’s grass-roots hip-hop scene is often overlooked, but it hasn’t stopped artists from continuing to share their own unique voice with their music. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

COVER contrast. On his newest album, “Couch Mode,” Outlaw creates a serene space for listeners to get lost in. The mixture of instrumental tracks and tracks with Outlaw’s voice guides listeners through this dreamlike environment.

Michael Klindt a.k.a Michael Kay or Scoob Michael Klindt was lucky enough to see the full journey that Eugene’s hip-hop has taken over the years. When he first discovered he could rap, he was transitioning through a lot. At the age of 12, his mother died, which forced him out of Tacoma, Washington, to Eugene.

The lack of diversity “was a huge culture shock,” Klindt said. “Going to middle school with two other Black kids, being called the ‘n’ word for the first time; it’s a lot for a 12-year-old to process.”

Luckily, Klindt was invited to perform at a high school show at the Sheldon Community Center.

“I never heard myself on a mic before that,” he said.

“I just closed my eyes and did my verse.”

The room full of high schoolers praised Klindt for his recently discovered voice.

“It plucked me out of the darkness I was in, and it pulled me back,” Klindt said.

“It plucked me out of the darkness I was in, and it pulled me back.”

MICHAEL KLINDT

In the ‘90s Eugene had every aspect of hip-hop culture, Klindt said. There were graffiti artists, b-boy dancers and MCs, and cassettes were the hottest commodity. Although hip-hop wasn’t big in the whole city when Klindt started making music, it became an infectious part of popular culture as time went on. The best part about the scene Klindt describes is the way artists crafted their sound. In the ‘90s, it was about creating a unique sound instead of copying the most popular stylings.

Klindt developed his sound by rapping with melodies and choruses, a style that is now known as Neo-Soul. While his verses were in a typical 16 bar structure, he would incorporate choruses with melodies to add a different hip-hop music element.

What’s disappointing about Eugene’s hopping hiphop scene is that it no longer exists. Klindt attributes this to a lot of the digitalization that happened in the music industry. With every artist available online, it became less about trading tapes and more about following the most famous artists, Klindt said.

He also described how venues fluctuated their availability to hip-hop shows. “We’d have poppin’ hip-hop shows at the W.O.W. Hall,” Klindt said.

“For whatever reason, it was harder and harder to facilitate those shows.”

He attributes the lack of availability to the negative stereotypes associated with hip-hop and the people who perform it. He also acknowledged that performers weren’t always the most respectable guests; sometimes fights broke out during performances.

As a producer, Klindt collaborates heavily with artists from across the state. As shows were being canceled due to the pandemic, he began to focus on his album with SageCrow entitled SageCrow III. The group has modernized the ‘90s style of hip-hop.

With instruments from around the world and minor production, the group can capture the Wu-Tang Clan sound mixed with Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Elena Leona

reminder to not let oneself sink.

The track has also allowed her to film her first music video. While it was challenging to film during the pandemic, she did her best to make it work. A small crew gathered to film the video at an Airbnb in Portland. While at first she worried about her hair, makeup and even if she appeared sweaty, she realized it was pointless to fret about the flaws. She just had to perform to the best of her abilities under unprecedented circumstances.

“I was so nervous, but when it all came back, I was like, ‘Holy shit, this looks so good,’” Leona said. “It was just a battle of the insecurities.”

Leona didn’t discover the idea of digital music until 2005, and she didn’t realize she could learn to perfect her skills at Lane Community College until 2011. She found beat production through her now fiance. Her music combines her ability to play guitar, create loops with her beat pad and add other instruments with the help of her mixer.

Leona has gained most of her skills from listening to other musicians and emulating Etta James’ singing.

While Leona is passionate about making hip-hop, she has learned how to mask some aspects of the genre to gain more traction for her own musical career.

Hip-hop is overlooked in Eugene, but there are still artists like Leona who are willing to fight to ingratiate it into venues across town.

Elena Leona, a local musician, is disappointed about Eugene’s closed-minded perception of rap music. Eugene’s grass-roots hip-hop scene is often overlooked, but it hasn’t stopped artists from continuing to share their own unique voice with their music. (Will Geschke/Emerald)

ELENA LEONA

Elena Leona considers herself a chameleon for whichever genre she falls under: When she wants to perform hip-hop music in Eugene, she sometimes has to mask it not to get an immediate rejection.

“At some venues, I have to call it urban groove,” Leona said.

She feels lucky that her sound can fit in any venue.

Eugene can be closed-minded when it comes to the variations within hip-hop music, Leona said. One venue, which she preferred not to name, told Leona the only hip-hop act they host is Marv Ellis, a White “folklore” hip-hop artist, according to the bio on his website. Leona attributes this closed-minded perception to the stereotypes that rap connotes.

“People think it’s all bitches, blunts, 40s and gang banging,” Leona said. “There is that type of hip-hop, but not all hip-hop is like that.”

Like many artists, Leona had her performing schedule wiped clean by COVID-19. Instead of using this time to be sedentary, she has brought back a track she was supposed to release in 2018. The track, “Ain’t Drowning,” comes out at the perfect time: late November, Leona said.

While many people are struggling because of the pandemic, she sees her song as a Michael Klindt, also known as Michael Kay, has been a part of the Eugene hip-hop scene since the early 1990s. Eugene’s grassroots hip-hop scene is often overlooked, but it hasn’t stopped artists from continuing to share their own unique voice with their music. (Will Geschke/Emerald) M O N D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 3 , 2 0 2 0

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A&C

‘ANOTHER 100 YEARS’

VERY LITTLE THEATRE GETS A REMODEL

BY GRACE MURRAY • TWITTER @GRACIEE_MURRAYY

Our goal is to provide a comfortable, safe, pleasant environment for our patrons and a safe and flexible environment for our artists.”

RICH SCHEELAND Chair of the Capital Project Steering Company for VLT

Very Little Theatre members and staff have volunteered to prep the theater for construction by removing props, equipment and old chairs to be organized and stored throughout the renovation. Chris Hansen, member of the VLT board, weaves through stacks of props and past the Little Women set before heading to stage right to check the progress of deconstruction by the scene shop. (Grace Murray/Emerald)

On March 13, the Very Little Theatre’s “Little Women the Musical” was set to debut. The stage was set, the dressing rooms were stuffed with 1800s-style dresses and bonnets and the cast was ready to fill the roles they had practiced for so long. Before the night could even begin, the theater had to close their doors and cancel all performances indefinitely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a staple in the performing arts community in Eugene for 91 years, surviving its initial opening in the middle of the Great Depression, VLT was left reeling after the shutdown.

It needed to find a way to make use of the downtime. Fortunately, plans for remodeling had been in the works for almost five years, and the team wasted no time getting to work to execute the first two phases of their plan: remodeling the stage and the auditorium.

“This current building was built in 1950, and they did not want to go

into debt and so they ended where the back of the stage is now,” said Karen Scheeland, president of VLT. “They never built where the stage was supposed to be because we have an empty lot right here. So for years, we’ve really wanted to get it back to what it was supposed to be.”

The remodel is set to break ground in late March or early April, and VLT hopes to have the first two phases of the project completed by this time next year. The auditorium remodel will include larger more comfortable chairs, additional leg and arm room and improved wheelchair-accessible seating. The stage will also be six feet deeper than the current stage.

“While we’re shut down because of the coronavirus, it is the sort of logical time to get some of this done,” said Rich Scheeland, chair of the Capital Project Steering Committee for VLT. “Our goal is to provide a comfortable, safe, pleasant environment for our patrons and a safe and flexible

environment for our artists.”

The plans for phases three and four, which will happen after the current remodel, include a storage room area behind the stage and a larger scene shop. This remodel will give VLT the space to create sets offstage, which will allow for third parties, including children’s theatres, musical performances and other community events, to use the facilities between performances.

“I just want this to be an ongoing viable theater for the community going forward,” said Tim Tendick, VLT’s treasurer. “I think changing the building is kind of an important part of being able to do that long term. I hope we have another hundred years.”

VLT debuted virtual programming in their “Virtual Little Theatre” in an effort to keep their performers and members united and to continue entertaining the community during the remodel and closures. Some of their programs include a soap opera-

style improv series called “Shelter Place,” performances of short plays and a comedy podcast. VLT uploads videos frequently and continues to develop a growing online audience.

“A lot of actors can be very introverted and they save the extrovert energy for the stage, and so in an isolated time like this it’s easy to kind of hide in your shell and get kind of depressed,” said Russell Dyball, project coordinator of the Virtual Little Theatre. “It’s been a real joy to see a lot of people find a little hope in a dark time to do something that they love and hopefully entertain some people as well.”

VLT is continuing to fundraise for their ongoing remodel in the hopes of executing the last two phases of the project soon after they finish the current remodeling. The Virtual Little Theatre will continue to operate on the VLT YouTube channel throughout the closures.

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A&C

HOW LOCAL FOOD INITIATIVES ARE WORKING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

BY JENNAH PENDLETON • TWITTER @JENNAHPEN

A “little free pantry” near Monroe Park in Eugene, Ore., contains non-perishable food items that are donated by community members. Among their other initiatives, Burrito Brigade has built food pantries in several neighborhoods throughout Eugene and Springfield, Ore. (Summer Surgent-Gough/Emerald)

As a result of Gov. Brown’s two-week freeze limiting the capacity of social gatherings, you might be rethinking your Thanksgiving travel plans. If you’re in town, you might be looking for an opportunity to be charitable. The holiday season is traditionally a time of community and graciousness, though the pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we can participate in acts of giving.

The Whiteaker Community Thanksgiving Dinner, run by a nonprofit with a similar name, was discontinued indefinitely after 31 years running due to the pandemic and “changes in the primary support and coordination necessary to put this event on each year,” according to the organization’s website.

This is undoubtedly a loss for the community.

Fortunately there are other local initiatives focused on distributing food to those in need.

Food For Lane County is working around new restrictions to ensure that people in need can still access food.

“I know that hunger is at the forefront of everyone’s mind because of Thanksgiving,” said Sarah Reiter, Community and Donor Engagement Coordinator for FFLC. “It is impacting our community this year harder than it has in the past.”

Reiter also notes the impact the summer fires had on people who lost their homes and who are still living in hotels without kitchen access.

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Jennifer Denson of Burrito Brigade, a nonprofit “Take a Bite Out of Hunger” on Dec. 8 at the Bi-Mart that delivers vegan meals for free, also spoke to the on 18th Street and Chambers. The most wanted items increased need for accessible food in the community. include non-perishable food items, cooking oil and She said that it “naturally” led to a new initiative spices. FFLC also always accepts food donations called “Waste to Taste,” in which the Burrito at its office at 770 Bailey Hill Road. Cash Brigade collaborates with local stores, donations are also appreciated. Reiter said restaurants and farms to gather food that for every dollar donated, FFLC can that would have otherwise gone to distribute three meals. waste and distribute it to those in If you are interested in setting need. up an in-person food drive in If you’re interested in the future, call Sarah Reiter at I know that hunger is at the volunteering this holiday season, 541-343-2822 or email sreiter@ forefront of everyone’s mind there are several ways to get foodforlanecounty.org. beause of Thanksgiving. It is involved.

Burrito Brigade has “little impacting our community this You can join the Turkey Trot, a free pantries” around town year harder than it has in the 5K race held during the week of where people can pick up nonpast.”

Thanksgiving. Though previously perishable food and hygiene planned to be held in-person with items. Denson suggests locating SARAH REITER Community and Donor Engagement Coordinator for enforced social distancing, event one near you and keeping your Food For Lane County organizers recently announced that eye on it to ensure it is consistently the race will be held fully virtually. stocked. Burrito Brigade also always The race is hosted by Level 32 Racing accepts food and cash donations. and every dollar raised will be matched by If you are looking for other opportunities Univera to benefit Food For Lane County and to give or volunteer, the Whiteaker Community St. Vincent de Paul. The registration fee is $20 and Dinner site has a list of more local organizations that runners can register for the race until midnight Nov. accept donations or volunteers.

29.

“This year has been tough for our entire FFLC is planning a food drive with KVAL called community, and every little bit helps,” Reiter said.

OPINION

PROFESSORS NEED TO NORMALIZE MENTAL HEALTH DAYS

BY JAEL CALLOWAY • TWITTER @JAEL_CALLOWAY

Students have normalized taking a day off of school to tend to a physical illness, yet some still have a hard time taking a day off of school to tend to their emotional state. Professors need to understand that the mental health of their students is just as important as their physical health.

At 7:30 a.m., my swollen eyes open as my alarm rings. I turn it off before I realize I feel like I’m sinking into my bed. The panic attack I had last night lasted until three in the morning. My body aches, my nose is stuffed and I’m just overall exhausted.

But I have class at 8 a.m. – I don’t have time to feel better. Instead I have 30 minutes to repress my emotions and find the energy to roll out of bed. It’s mornings like these that I wish taking a day off of school to tend to my mental health was normalized among professors.

The effects of mental health may seem like they lie on the surface level. But the truth is, the way individuals handle their mental health is much more complex.

Mental health alone affects“our emotional, psychological, and social well-being,” according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The way we deal with stressors, retain information and gather up the energy to make it through the day — all of this is at stake when we ignore our mental health. We don’t hesitate to let our professors know we won’t be in class due to a broken leg or the flu. So why are we hesitating to ask for a day off to tend to our emotional well-being?

Being a college student requires more than just waking up, getting out of bed, logging into Zoom and listening to a lecture. Most students have jobs or internships – or both. During the pandemic, some students have taken on

r tate to let ou We don’t hesi e b in ow we won’t n k rs o ss . fe pro leg or the flu n e k ro b a to sk class due esitating to a h e w re a y h So w ental tend to our m to ff o y a d a for health?

more responsibilities at home – some taking on the role of primary caretaker, while others have to use their own income in order to help their family stay financially stable. Some students play sports or invest in other extracurricular activities.

Multiple responsibilities, on top of the overwhelming feeling of isolation that has come with quarantining, can make getting out of bed seem near impossible.

Often, when individuals neglect their emotional state it allows for additional symptoms to come to light. Anxiety, depression, cynicism, exhaustion and flu-like symptoms all begin to grow stronger as our emotional health becomes weaker.

Individuals need a break every now and then to perform at their best. When we take time for a break, we can “reset our perspective, rest and get a handle on our emotions,” according to Verywell Mind. When we allow time to take care of our emotions, we reap the benefits physically and mentally.

But UO’s professors have to be more open-minded for students to feel comfortable asking for a day or two off. This would allow students to clear their heads and focus on class-related tasks. Students would no longer have to worry about falling behind and could focus on themselves in order to succeed.

Professors can’t expect students to keep up their stamina without a break. The truth is that students feel trapped between two options: take a mental health day and risk their grades or income dropping, or push through, until a physical breakdown causes the first option anyway.

(Benjamin Irish/Emerald)

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