Eugene pushes forward with downtown revitalization
CAMPUS NEWS
New narcan dispenser installed in EMU
By Angelina Handris Campus News Reporter
On Feb. 12, University of Oregon Substance Abuse Prevention and Education produced a dispenser containing free individual doses of Narcan nasal spray which was installed by the Erb Memorial Union building manager team on the EMU ground floor.
SAPE is a campus organization that focuses on substance misuse prevention and harm reduction as well as providing support for students who chose to abstain from substance use.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Narcan, also known as naloxone, is a drug that when administered can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
Gabriela Gutierrez, the student director of SAPE, said that the implementation of a Narcan dispenser on campus has been in discussion for “at least a few years.”
CITY NEWS
MC Yoda uses music to help others
By Jess Coronado City News Reporter
Joshua Frank walked into Espresso Roma cafe feeling nervous, knowing he was about to relive parts of his life for an interview. Not long ago, he lived on the street in the same neighborhood struggling with addiction and homelessness.
Frank lived homeless since he was 17 years old and recently became housed in September 2023 after a series of drug relapses and runins with the court system. Frank now goes by the stage name Yoda MC. He uses his story to inspire people who struggle with addiction and homelessness.
“I’ve always been into music and I’ve been writing since I was like 15, but it was just something to pass the time when you don’t know what you’re doing with your life,” Frank said. Frank wore a beanie, a shirt with a logo for his business, Lion in the Lamb Entertainment, and a backpack. His mustache was in a state of regrow-
UO BASIC NEEDS PROGRAM
Governor Kotek projects budget cuts for Basic Needs Navigators Program
In Governor Kotek’s recommended budget, there is no mention of funding for Basic Needs navigators that thousands of students depend on
OPINION
Hate speech has no place here; stop ignoring it
By Claire Nowicki Opinion Columnist
It pains me to have to write about this in the 21st century, but I have heard slurs and hate speech used in Eugene, by ran-
By Bella Bishop Campus News Reporter
Governor Tina Kotek released her recommended budget for the 2025 to 2027 fiscal year on Dec. 18, 2024, which considers eliminating state funding for the Benefits Navigator Program across the state of Oregon.
In Kotek’s recommended budget, there
dom people, in random scenarios, none of whom were friends of mine. Hearing those words spoken in public was shocking and disturbing. It’s often used as a joke or as a playful insult with friends, but that does not excuse its use.
I know this is not a rare experience.
I’ve heard slurs a few times in public. One time I heard it across the bar. A second was at a party. Another time, very specifically, was after an intramural basketball game; I heard someone call the other team a slur to his teammates. I am
was no explicit amount allocated for the Benefits Navigator program compared to the previous fiscal year.
In 2021, the Oregon legislature passed the Benefits Navigator Program which provides $4.99 million in state funding for the salaries of benefits navigators at all of Oregon’s public community colleges and universities.
sure I have had more moments like this, but part of me doesn’t want to believe it when it happens. I’ve reacted differently in these scenarios. In one scenario, I have spoken up, in another, my friend has, but in one, I stood in awe and silence, dumbfounded at this being accepted as “normal” and waiting for anyone to say something. That image of me staring blankly, too shocked and not strong enough to push through those emotions to say some
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Reviving the magic: The Garcia Project hits Eugene
Mik Bondy, founder, guitarist and vocalist for The Garcia Project, shares how the band keeps the legacy of Jerry Garcia alive through authentic recreations of classic setlists
By Fern Peva Arts & Culture Writer
Get excited Jerry Garcia lovers, because The Garcia Project is coming to Eugene for two nights of music at the WOW Hall on March 20 and 21. Known for their authentic recreations of classic Jerry Garcia Band shows, the group is more than just a tribute act — they are on a mission to keep Garcia’s spirit alive, one setlist at a time.
For Mik Bondy, founder, guitarist and vocalist for The Garcia Project, playing in Eugene always feels like a homecoming. Eugene holds deep significance in the history of the
countercultural movement, serving as a home base for American novelist Ken Kesey and his followers the Merry Pranksters. The Merry Pranksters were a countercultural group known for LSD-fueled adventures in their psychedelic bus, “Furthur.” They were linked to the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia, who played live music at their Acid Tests, gatherings that influenced the psychedelic movement. The Pranksters operated near Eugene, where Kesey lived on a farm in Pleasant Hill.
“Every time we come back, Oregon just feels like home,” Bondy said. “And then, of course, you have WOW Hall and the Pranksters. It’s always a crazy time.”
The band’s upcoming tour will celebrate Garcia’s timeless music while embracing the playful, freewheeling energy of the Pranksters. According to Bondy, last year, original Pranksters, Carolyn “Mountain Girl” Garcia and Ken Babbs kicked off the Eugene run of their tour with a psychedelic poetry performance, accompanied by the band’s improvisational soundscapes.
“You never trust a Prankster, so you never know what’s going to happen,” Bondy said. “But we’re working on making each night special.”
The Garcia Project has built a reputation for its dedication to historical accuracy, studying recordings to match the nuances of different eras of the Jerry Garcia Band. According to Bondy, the group switches between various setlists from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, ensuring no two shows are the same.
“If we come through a place more than once, we’ll look back at what we played before and pick a different era,” Bondy said. “One night might be a ’76 or ’77 show, and the next could be an ’83 show. Even if the songs overlap, the arrangements, feel and energy are totally different.”
Bondy, who first saw the Grateful Dead in 1987, credits Garcia’s music with shaping his life. He recalls a friend urging him to check out Garcia’s solo band after a Grateful Dead show, and from that moment on, he was hooked.
“Jerry’s music moves and touches a lot of people,” Bondy said. “Even after all these years, we still listen to shows we’re about to recreate and get blown away by his brilliance. His guitar playing, the soulfulness of his voice — it’s what keeps bringing us back.”
More than just musicians, Bondy and his partner, bassist Kat Walkerson, view The Garcia Project as their life’s work. According to Bondy, they’ve performed alongside former Jerry Garcia Band members like Melvin Seals, Jackie LaBranch and Maria Muldaur, who have praised their dedication to keeping the music alive.
“We’re fans, too,” Bondy said. “We miss Jerry Band as much as anyone, and we just want to get together with people who feel the same way and celebrate this music.”
Bondy said that the Eugene shows will feature the return of The Psychedelic Express, a full-hall light show designed by Ken “The Godfather of Light” Roberts, ensuring a fully immersive experience. With the Prankster legacy woven into the fabric of the event, the two-night Eugene run promises to be more than just a concert — it’s a gathering of kindred spirits.
“This is all we want to do,” Bondy said. “We just want to keep it going for folks to enjoy.”
Tickets for The Garcia Project’s March 20 and 21 shows at WOW Hall are available now
(Noa Schwartz/Emerald) ARTS &
By Stephanie Jersey Campus News Reporter
The 2025 to 2026 University of Oregon Resident Assistant application cycle opened on Dec. 20, 2024. During this time, UO Student Workers have been in the process of bargaining with the UO administration over a new contract proposal that would divide the role into “Community Builder” and “On-Call RA” positions.
The proposed payment structure would cover 50% of housing costs for Community Builders and 75% for On-Call RAs.
Maverick Gagnon, a freshman RA applicant, said the housing and meal plan were a major motivator when applying for the position.
“That would release a lot of the financial stress of living and eating while going to school,” Gagnon said.
According to Gagnon, rumors regarding the proposed changes circled around applicants.
“I heard about it through word of mouth
and word gossip, which ended up being true,” Gagnon said. “I didn’t think they were going to be accurate.”
Sanaz Naterwalla, a fellow RA applicant and current member of the Resident Hall Association, “briefly heard” about the contracts in the RHA council meetings.
During a one-on-one conversation with the President of RHA, Naterwalla was informed that the hiring timeline was to be shifted.
“She kind of mentioned that dates are going to get pushed for those who want to be an RA,” Naterwalla said. “I remember the application didn’t come out until, like, around a month later, to when it was being planned on coming out.”
That delay was later confirmed by University Housing. Angela Seydel, a spokesperson for the university, relayed that the application process began on Dec. 20, 2024 whereas last year, it opened on Nov. 11, 2023.
“The position hiring cycle started later because University Housing was reviewing the resident assistant position and determining if any changes would be made for
How freshmen and RA applicants feel about the proposed RA contract
Current freshmen applying to be Resident Assistants share their experiences and opinions on the role and the new proposed contract by the UO administration
the 2025-26 academic year,” Seydel said. Despite continued uncertainty regarding the changes, Naterwalla is still excited about the role.
-Maverick Gagnon Freshman RA applicant “ “
I think that part of why RAs are important is because they are in your corner for emergencies but also because they are community builders.
“It would be disappointing if you get stuck with a role you didn’t really want,” Naterwalla said. “But overall, I’m pretty optimistic still ... you’ll still get to connect with people no matter which side of the role you’re on.”
For Gagnon, current RAs have played a role in shaping his view of the position.
“Two (RAs) in particular have helped me with a lot of interpersonal and other issues,” Gagnon said. “I really respect their opinions and advice, so it’s been really awesome to get to know them and have them in my corner.”
However, Gagnon expressed “confusion” and concern with the changes.
“I think that part of why RAs are important is because they are in your corner for emergencies but also because they are community builders,” Gagnon said. “The more connection you build with them from a community base … is important.”
For Naterwalla, the opportunity for connection and personal reward is a big aspect of keeping the role united.
“I think it’s nice to have the same people being on call as who are helping the community and planning events,” Naterwalla said. “It makes it feel more like it’s like a real community, like I know as an RA, if I do get the role, I would love to do both.”
New narcan dispenser installed in EMU
University of Oregon Substance Abuse Prevention and Education installs Narcan dispenser in Erb Memorial Union
Gutierrez said the EMU was chosen as the location for the dispenser due to its accessibility.
“We went over quite a few locations, and ultimately we felt that the EMU would be best for our dispenser because it’s more of a public building, and it has more extensive hours compared to maybe some other buildings…it’s in a more central location as well,” Gutierrez said.
According to Kit Wooler, another student director of SAPE, the organization funded its Duck Overdose Prevention Education through a foundation and is working toward getting grant funding.
In addition to the dispenser, SAPE has also hosted several training sessions to teach students how to administer Narcan throughout the year.
Wooler said the dispenser is an easier way for students to obtain doses of Narcan.
“It’s a bit more of an effortful process to attend a 30 minute training and get that one dose, so having that dispenser makes it easier for students to get one any time they need it,” Wooler said.
Wooler also said that the discrete nature of the dispensers was an important feature.
“Students don’t have to document themselves in any way, and they can just go by any
time to pick it up,” Wooler said.
The dispenser is stocked on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and is available during EMU working hours.
According to Wooler, there were 48 doses of Narcan stocked in the dispenser in the past two weeks, and all 48 were dispensed.
Gabriel Bedrosian-Tinelle, co-director of Narcare UO, another organization that works to bring awareness to opioid misuse and harm reduction, cited “stigma” as an issue for harm reduction.
“Stigma of use is a big barrier to college kids getting or seeking treatment and harm reduction supplies or practices. They might be shamed by friends or family, embarrassed and then not reach out, but they’re still going to use the substance,” Bedrosian-Tinelle said.
Brooke Kirstein, another co-director of Narcare UO, said access to harm reduction resources like Narcan are important on college campuses.
“A college campus is somewhere where there’s higher concentrations of people drinking and partying and using drugs, even if it’s not specifically opioids, there’s always a possibility of getting a drug that’s laced with fentanyl, and people who are using just don’t really know,” Kirstein said.
(Alyssa Garcia/Emerald)
(Alyssa Garcia/Emerald)
Students walk through the Unthank Dining Hall on the first level of the residence hall in Eugene.
CAMPUS NEWS
Governor Kotek projects budget cuts for Basic Needs Navigators Program
These navigators lessen the burden of locating and utilizing the resources available for students who are already marginalized by issues such as food and housing insecurity or the cost of childcare and textbooks, according to Jimmy Howard, University of Oregon Dean of Students.
According to Howard and UO student and Campaign Strategist for Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Alex Aghdaei, these navigators make basic needs programs more accessible and “work with students to help access federal and state benefits,” Howard said.
UO currently has three benefits navigators. One of them, Julia Morrill, the director of basic needs in the Office of the Dean of Students, is funded by the state. The other two, Madeline Hagar and Nick Dikas, “are paid for by ASUO funds,” according to Fiona Sherwood, ASUO’s director of basic needs.
ASUO has allocated $1.2 million in student fee funding to support the Basic Needs Program, according to Sherwood.
Even
with all of these resources, at UO there are still “thousands of students that are denied their applications (for these programs) every year.
- Alex Aghdaei,
According to Howard, this money is used for programs that support childcare and textbook subsidies, emergency housing resources, the off-campus food pantry, and tabling events for state programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Even with all of these resources, at UO there are still “thousands of students that are denied their applications
(for these programs) every year,” Aghdaei said.
Howard emphasized the “overwhelming” need for basic needs resources at an event hosted by the Basic Needs program in January.
“We had an overflow, like so many students that they (the SNAP representatives) couldn’t get to everyone … it’s just an overwhelming need there,” Howard said.
According to the Basic Needs Data Dashboard, “6,470 students were served by basic needs programs from 20222024.”
Following Kotek’s proposal, organizations such as PHFO responded to the governor’s proposed funding for basic needs programs by introducing the Student Basic Needs and Workforce Stabilization Act.
This act will have four major components split into two separate bills. The first bill, House Bill 3182, will focus directly on providing programmatic budgets for benefits navigators, including a $6.2 million grant for rent assistance programs for students.
The second bill, House Bill 3183, is dedicated to textbook subsidies and more specifically updating the Open Educational Resources Program’s budget that “has not had a significant increase in its budget since 2021,” according to previous years’ recommended governor budget. HB 3183 would allocate $4.5 million from the Oregon General Fund to the Open Educational Resources Program.
HB 3182 and HB 3183 address funding for benefits navigators, affordable housing, and textbook affordability and underwent a hearing on Feb. 27 that had people testify to the legislature and show support for these bills.
42 people testified in support of HB 3183 during its public hearing. One of the people who testified was UO freshman Spencer Pool, who said he lives at home in Eugene and “would have considered other options (schools) but due to housing costs, my choices were limited.”
The bills underwent a work session in the House Committee on Higher Education on March 13. Should the committee approve of the bills, they will then be referred to the Joint Committee On Ways and Means, only after that may they be voted on by the legislature before possible implementation.
ACCORDING
TO THE BASIC NEEDS PROGRAM WEBSITE, FROM JUNE 2022 - JUNE 2024:
27,770 connections were made through one or more program’s services.
6,470 unique students were served through the program’s services.
8,536 connections were made through the Trillium Produce Drops, a service from the Student Sustainability Center.
13,458 connections were made through the Student Food Pantry, a service ran by the Episcopal Campus Ministries.
Eugene pushes forward with downtown revitalization
Efforts to reshape Downtown Eugene are gaining momentum with riverfront development and new housing goals
By Lucas Hellberg City News Reporter
Downtown Eugene is undergoing a transformation as city leaders and other organizations work to revitalize the Downtown core.
The efforts to revitalize Downtown Eugene include several initiatives. These initiatives include revitalizing historic spaces and creating new housing and public spaces.
Reconnecting Downtown with the River
One of Eugene’s most ambitious redevelopment efforts is in the Riverfront District. The effort, which helps bring to life previously inaccessible riverfront property, aims to reconnect Downtown Eugene with the Willamette River.
As part of this effort, the city opened the Downtown Riverfront Park in 2022. The three-acre park includes overlooks, multiple paths and decorative art pieces.
The next phase of this effort is Riverfront Plaza. The one-acre plaza, which is scheduled to be completed this summer, will include a variety of features. These features include a tree grove, event space, interactive public art, a water feature and a splash pond.
Just steps away from the plaza and park is the Heartwood, a luxury apartment building that opened last year. Equally as close to the plaza and park is Eugene City Hall, which opened last summer, restoring a dedicated municipal building to the city after over a decade without one.
Ethan Clevenger, who owns Porterhouse Clothing and Supply, expressed doubts about connecting the Riverfront District and Downtown Eugene.
“People in Eugene are pretty walking-averse,” Clevenger said. “People want to park right outside wherever it is that they’re going. Folks aren’t typically walking from the Riverfront to Downtown.”
Jeff Reynolds, who owns Bicycle Way of Life, expressed a more optimistic view.
“I’ve seen the mockups, and it does look like it is a different neighborhood Downtown … I know that they have plans to kind of merge it into Downtown,” Reynolds said.
Eugene Downtown Manager Eric Brown said, “Slowly but surely, I think the Riverfront and 5th Street Market are gonna feel like they’re more cohesive.” Historic Steam Plant Transformation
Another part of Eugene’s effort to revitalize the Riverfront District is preserving historic architecture. In April 2024, the Eugene City Council
approved $6 million in additional urban renewal funding to support the restoration of the Downtown Riverfront Steam Plant, increasing the total budget for the project to $60 million.
Brown said revitalizing the steam plant and connecting Downtown to the Riverfront District is a work in progress.
“The riverfront park and the plaza, and eventually the steam plant, are going to feel like real assets to downtown,” Brown said.
Karen Mortensen, who owns the Cozy, a yarn store in Downtown Eugene, expressed optimism for the project.
“I think it would be lovely if something would happen,” Mortensen said. “Things are very slow with any of that waterfront development.”
Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson’s Downtown Housing Goal
In her State of the City address, Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson set a goal to build 1,000 housing units in Downtown Eugene in the next five years.
“This is double our current housing production and a huge challenge,” Knudson said in her address. “Zero units of housing have been built in the Downtown core in the past five years.”
Claim 52 Brewing General Manager Jeremy Zollman said Knudson’s goal could have a positive impact.
“Mayor Knudson’s initiative to attempt to improve Downtown housing could have a positive impact. But the efforts so far to make Downtown one of those areas where there’s enough affordable housing … isn’t really yielding any significant results that I can see,” Zollman said. “There’s some new housing, and that’s cool. But is it affordable housing? I don’t know about that.”
Authentica Wines Owner Steve Baker said more housing units in Downtown Eugene could bring “positive developments” to local businesses as more full-time residents move to the area.
Brown, Eugene’s downtown manager, said more housing units Downtown could help improve safety and sanitation.
“It brings people to the streets,” Brown said. “It brings people who will start to have a sense of ownership over the sidewalks and a real stake in how Downtown looks and feels.”
MC Yoda uses music to help others
Joshua Frank for years struggled with addiction and homelessness. Now, he uses his music to help others.
Continued from page 1
ing into its signature walrus-handlebar style.
Frank spends most of his time working, writing lyrics and sometimes going to the University of Oregon to rap for students. Frank owns LITLE as a business and has a number of videos on his Instagram account.
When Frank was homeless in Salem, Oregon, he panhandled and saved money to hire a professional videographer to film a music video for his song, “Red Water.”
Frank grew up in Fontana, California. His mother was religious and did “anything” to get him “out of her hair.” When Frank was 16 years old, his father died and his mother sent him to a rehab facility in Utah.
“I drank a lot with my dad before he died, and I just kept drinking,” Frank said.
The first shot of whiskey Frank took was with his father and uncle at the age of 11. His uncle committed suicide after suffering heroin withdrawals and his father died shortly after.
“That was an important detail of what led me always running to f--g drugs and alcohol,” Frank said.
At the age of 23, Frank hitchhiked back and forth from California to Washington and Idaho. Frank said he had no hope or motivation during this time.
“I knew I was good at music, but I had no direction for it,” Frank said. “I would meditate on how I could contribute to bettering things, and I would go crazy because you can’t. Everywhere you go there’s a giant reminder of
how f---ed everything is.”
Frank experienced multiple relapses and times when he would use drugs with the intention of taking his own life.
“I was to the point where I was hallucinating,” Frank said. “I would hear voices say ‘you have a gift that was given to you and you are murdering it.’”
Frank said the voices told him to pop his eardrums with his fingers.
“I was thinking, ‘oh my God, I’m going to be in hell forever because I am never going to be able to hear music,’” Frank said.
In 2023, Frank was accepted into the Oxford House program, a sober-living home.
Frank became overcome with emotion as he recalled the day he learned that he would finally have a home.
“One of the goals with my music and my business career is to create a program in which you can inspire homeless people with your story,” Frank said.
Some of the songs he wrote focused on the topic of inspiring others. One of his most recent releases, “Mr. Good Mourning,” is a message to one of his friends who told him his story of getting sober and housed inspired him to do the same.
These days, Frank often gets lunch at Qdoba on East 13th Avenue where the employees recognize him from the days he used to camp near UO. He says he’s on a low-carb diet, and when he walks up to order a bowl of meat and cheese the workers greet him as if they are long-time friends.
“I hope what we get out of this is more people wanting to go to an Oxford house, wanting to get sober and wanting to get off the streets,” Frank said.
On campus, the University Health Services provides free counseling for anyone and an After-Hours Support and Crisis Line at 541-346-3227.
MC Yoda helps pass out food to houseless individuals. (Photo courtesy of MC Yoda)
Claire is an opinion columnist for the Daily Emerald. She is in her final year at UO, majoring in political science and comparative literature. Her work focuses on government, philosophy, and literature.
Hate speech has no place here; stop ignoring it
We need to readdress preventing hate speech and slurs from being used, and it starts with confronting it regardless of the discomfort, awkwardness, or fear that bystanders feel
thing, anything, haunts me.
That’s not the person I want to be.
I know most people on campus deem this language unacceptable, and if it was written, recorded or found in a tweet, it would surely be used against them, but that’s not the issue I’m observing.
The problem is everyone else’s reaction — or lack thereof.
I’m not sure why we still permit strangers to use words that have been widely criticized for historically being used to degrade people of a certain race, sexual orientation or disability.
At every occurrence, there is a deafening silence often followed by laughs —usually very awkward and uncomfortable ones — or just an uncomfortable nodding of heads. Hardly anyone, especially their friends or who they are with, make a statement, suggestion or correction recommending they no longer use that word.
I found through talking with friends and research of my own that a pattern arises. Our society accepts two things to avoid confronting someone.
Sometimes, it is just not “worth it.” Many feel it’s just not worth it to speak to someone who is using that language because it’s so stupid they’re using the word in the first place. Why even entertain a conversation with someone like that? Some think it’s not worth arguing in public when everyone is just trying to enjoy themselves.
People assume someone else will say something. Maybe people assume that it’s not their place to say something, which is often why it keeps happening.
Are we forgetting the pivotal anti-bullying campaigns we were all taught in middle and elementary school? Do those values just stop when it becomes socially uncomfortable to confront someone across a room because they just playfully called someone a slur?
I don’t care if they are friends and throwing around those words; it’s outdated, immature and ignorant.
But we all know that, so why do we shy away when it happens in real life?
“I had not heard someone use that type of language in a long long while and was shocked to hear it thrown around so casually. In the moment I just felt complete and utter disbelief.”
Lauren Williams, a psychology student in the UO class of 2025 told me about a recent experience she had when someone used hate speech in public. “My friends and I, who had been having a good conversation prior to hearing the slur, became speechless. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d heard for a couple days,” said Williams.
I understand fears for safety, public scrutiny, awkwardness and it being scary to walk up to a random person, let alone tell them to stop using a slur. But it’s that refusal to speak up that permits such words to continue to be used.
There are easy ways to address the problem. Check yourself, do a quick Google search and educate yourself. Using hate speech as a means of humor is unappealing, inappropriate and just not funny.
Don’t shy away from telling others to remove certain words from their vocabulary, even if it’s a futile attempt. You won’t know unless you try.
Brianna Carrasquillo is a Journalism Master’s student and lacrosse player at the University of Oregon. As an opinion writer for the Daily Emerald, she covers self-care, sports, wellness, politics and mental health and enjoys thrifting, running or hiking in her spare time.
The Cult Behind the Coconut
Coconut Cult isn’t my calling
By Brianna Carrasquillo Opinion Columnist
There I was, mindlessly scrolling on TikTok, as I do every night, ensuring I optimize every minute of my screen time. My index finger hovered in apprehension over a new product, something about a wellness sect.
In a little glass jar, “Join the Coconut Cult” was embroidered in a fun font. My short attention span searched for new meaning in each fleeting 30-second clip. My mind tried to grasp the concept of this probiotic yogurt, meant to be savored by the solitary spoonful. I couldn’t help but wonder at its oddity —and success rate.
“Ten dollars?! That’s absurd,” I whispered to myself, nestled in the cozy refuge of my bed.
Do the benefits exceed the steep price? I can’t say for certain. I’ve only tried it for a week and have yet to spot any noteworthy differences in my skin or stomach. I was hopeful, especially after hearing other University of Oregon students echo the same enthusiasm about the product.
“Social media really influenced me to buy Coconut Cult along with my friends who had tried it and loved it,” UO education major Peyton Humberstone said. “I love weird little health hacks on TikTok, so when I heard it was great for your gut and digestion, I was like, ‘Yeah, okay, I’ll try.’”
What culminated from a silly little trend, the gut health movement has accrued a lump sum of supporters on social media, with Coconut Cult’s Instagram amassing 175,000 followers. But the probiotic-packed elixir comes with a laundry list of do’s and don’ts for consumption.
“You have to take it on an empty stomach with a clean spoon and just one scoop. You can’t mix it or double dip. All these ‘restrictions’ had me a
little thrown off. Like, why?” Humberstone said.
“I was thinking how awesome it was gonna be to wake up and take it every morning because it was so yummy,” she added.
But as time went on, the potent potion proved to exacerbate her stomach pains, inciting nausea and vomiting. “I could barely eat anything all day because I felt like I was gonna throw up,” Humberstone said.
Though the brand’s blog acknowledges the possibility of similar symptoms, it highlights the importance of an adjustment period, suggesting an antihistamine to acclimate the microbiome to the influx of new, beneficial bacteria strains.
GI-related issues rank third on the list comparing health issues among U.S. college students dating fall 2024, according to Statista. I’m in active pursuit of an end-all remedy, and I’m knocking CC, aloe vera juice and sauerkraut off my list.
This isn’t to deter you from gut-healing discoveries; rather, it’s to raise awareness about the difference between trends and reality. Most people, myself included, get swept up in the microbiome health wave without fully understanding why we’re chugging a glass of kefir each morning.
I’ve come to the conclusion that #guttok is overhyped. It’s infiltrated the self-obsessed 18 to 24-year-old demographic, enabling a wealth of misinformation as we rigorously search for answers to our tummy troubles.
My best advice: do the research yourself, and more importantly, listen to your body. Investing in wellness shouldn’t break the bank, especially when it comes sealed in an Instagram-friendly jar.
(Kaitlin McDaid/Emerald)
Crossword Sudoku
for cash
Rachel Maddow’s network 18 In fine fettle
Quadriceps locale
Synthetic fabric pioneered by DuPont
“Garfield” dog
Trivial lies
Object of adoration
Too wriggly to get hold of
Rodent in a subway tunnel
College Park sch.
“Who’s there?” reply
French pronoun
Olympics sled
Lunch or brunch
Chimney part
ARTS & CULTURE
New Agency transgresses genres
Rainer Collins and Evan MacFarland of Eugene-based band “New Agency” reject conventional labels. The duo seeks a new mode of individuality through multiple creative mediums.
By Cass Morrison Arts & Cutlure Writer
When they met in their first year of college, Rainer Collins and Evan MacFarland initially bonded over a shared interest in subversive fashion designers. The two never planned on starting a band, but their mutual lifelong experience with classical instruments led them to start playing together. In the summer of 2024, they began experimenting with electronic music and formed the band New Agency.
Similar to how the duo’s unique sound draws from their extensive backgrounds in classical music, their distinct personal styles are informed by meticulous observation of avant-garde fashion design. Both dressed in vintage Dior and Yves Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, a mutual favorite, the two also named Rick Owens and Ann Demeulemeester as inspirations.
The duo’s proficiency in various creative mediums allows them to express themselves fluidly across genres. “I consider myself a multimedia artist,” Collins said. He compared the process of forming an outfit to creating a song. “You are really refining something and trying to figure out what makes it appealing to the senses,” he said.
Finding alternative creative outlets has pushed the duo’s work in new directions. “All of these facets of expression really tie into each other and amplify each other,” Collins said. Collins and MacFarland are committed to portraying themselves authentically through different mediums. “The band’s aesthetic has been built around what we really like currently,” MacFarland said. “I feel like we’ve done a good job of making the band into something that really rep-
resents who we are as people.”
When the two first started paying attention to fashion in early high school, it quickly became a means of confidence and self-discovery. “I was always pretty insecure about a lot of ways that people perceived who I was, and I felt like clothes were the easiest way for me to express myself,” MacFarland said.
Discovering new designers and their unique creative languages was monumental for Collins. He resonated with the aesthetic tendencies of Slimane, who is notorious for sleek, tall silhouettes.
“I’ve been really skinny my whole life. I was super insecure about it, and I was putting on baggy stuff to cover it up,” he said. “But then I saw some of Slimane’s runway
MacFarland acknowledged the cultural impact of the internet, specifically on fashion, and how social media puts significant pressure on the way people dress. “There are all of these cores and aesthetics that people feel like they need to be fitting into right now,” MacFarland said. “I think eventually that’s gonna dissipate, and it’s gonna lean more into individualism and dressing how you want.”
The two disapprove of how social media favors certain “aesthetics” in fashion, particularly because it overshadows significant ethical issues.
“We gag at the term ‘indie sleaze,’” Collins said, suggesting that it appropriates substance abuse issues. MacFarland expressed his disapproval of how the fashion world has visually exploited homelessness in recent years. “Making sure that you’re really conscious of your positionality when you’re buying clothes is huge,” he said.
I was always pretty insecure about a lot of ways that people perceived who I was, and I felt like clothes were the easiest way for me to express myself.
- Evan Macfarland, New Agency Band Member
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looks. I saw people wearing his clothes, and I was like, ‘Oh wow, you can really accentuate your body.’”
As residents of a smaller city with distinctive style conventions largely inspired by outdoor and athletic wear, the two have become accustomed to the attention drawn by their style. “I’m used to the stares. I don’t mind it,” Collins said.
Musicians are often centers of attention when it comes to fashion, but the two have not felt any pressure to change the way that they dress because of their long-standing interest in clothes. “We were already dressing like this. It’s not like, ‘Oh, we’re in a band; we have to look good,’” Collins said.
The duo emphasized the importance of finding a personal style that feels genuine. “I think that whatever you feel most comfortable walking out into the world in is what you should wear,” MacFarland said.
After Slimane, Collins said his second favorite designer is Demeulemeester, in part because she rejects stereotypical gender roles. “I just love the androgynous presentation. I don’t really think about gender that much,” he said.
The band’s subversion of restrictive norms is central to their creative ethos. Despite drawing from niche genres of fashion and music, New Agency is a rejection of genre, proposing fluid personal expression as liberation.
“New Agency” is a double entendre that implies newfound expressive freedom. “It’s agency as in modeling agency, FBI agency, but also agency, like your own free will and your sovereignty,” Collins said.
When asked if New Agency was a punk band, the two hesitated.
“There are all these labels being thrown around like hyperpop, electroclash. I don’t really know what to call it,” Collins said. He noted that the songs they are working on for their upcoming album should be thought of more as “sound collages.”
Collins and MacFarland emphasized the importance of using their platform in ethical ways. “Our first show was a charity show, and the second one we’re doing is a charity show,” Collins said. “We do want to make a positive impact overall.” All of the ticket revenue from their first show was donated to the Occupied Palestinian Territory Fund, and the profit from the second show was donated to incoming Gazan students on scholarships.
New Agency is currently producing an album and plans to play more charity shows in the meantime. “Come to the shows. They support a really good cause,” MacFarland said.
