MAY 2, 2022 Monday Edition
Emerald Media
'AT UO, YOU ARE THE OTHER' Opinion: White audiences believe money is the solution to systemic racism, especially in sports. It is not.
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KARIN YOUNG'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IMPRESSIVE SEASON PG 4 TO DUCK TV? PG 5
OPINION BILLIONAIRE PHILANTHROPY WILL NOT SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS PG 10
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR GOING BACK IN TIME FOR A RELIGIOUS REVIVAL VOL. 123, ISSUE NO. 41
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RE: EMERALD OPINION COLUMN “BYRD: I'M RELIGIOUS AND IN COLLEGE. IT'S WEIRD” BY BEATRICE BYRD BY VINCENT DEMIDIO
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Have you seen “The Secrets of Dumbledore” Yes: 9% No: 91%
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Overall, I agree with your column, but I see another "chasm" — not between the religious and the atheists — but between the Evangelicals and those who believe in different views of Christianity, or those who believe in other religions, period. Quite frankly, I believe that it is a regional difference, or even a "Colloquial" difference, if I understand the use of that word. It was never like this when I was a kid. Either you were Catholic, Protestant, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim Hindu or Buddhist, and it really made no difference what you believed. Nobody cared back then, especially after the late 1960s. In those halcyon days, almost everybody was "liberated"! It was all about "love your brother" which was a great improvement over the very "conservative" era which preceded it. That era was also about
"Don't Bogart that Joint my friend" and "Do your own thing.” I suppose that members of the WWII Generation didn't like our ways, so they voted "En Masse" for Reagan and his Republican buddies. That's when we started seeing knuckleheads like Jerry Fallwell, Pat Robertson, Donald Wildmon and other assorted, bigoted, so-called "christians" (spelled with a lower-case "c") enter politics and start issuing orders! We should've nipped that nonsense in the bud. If we really wanna have a religious revival, we need to go back to the attitudes of the 70s. That's right, I said the 1970s. Peace. Love. Sharing. The 1960s and 70s beats the Trump era any day of the week, and that's a fact. Today, everybody is at each others' throats!
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“‘Secrets of Dumbledore’ absorbs audiences into the magical world” by Krista Kroiss
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MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: The Divine Feminine by Mac Miller
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Summary: This alternative hip hop album by Mac Miller was released in 2016 and is about love, connection, sensuality and feminine energy. It incorporates genres like funk, jazz and R&B, and features more of Miller’s singing, rather than rapping. Guest appearances on the album include Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande, and Anderson ..Paak.
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Recommended by: Malya Fass, freshman studying journalism
The Daily Emerald is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit media company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.
ON THE COVER
Gloria Mutiri is a senior opposite hitter on the Oregon Volleyball team. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)
(Celeste Griffiths/Emerald)
"I connect with all the songs on there really well," Fass said. "No matter the mood I'm in, I can play that album from start to finish and be elated."
(Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)
Voices of UO
Scan here or visit the Emerald’s social media to participate in our next Voices of UO. What do you think of Oregon and UO lifting the mask mandate?
We want to hear from you: 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.
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SPORTS
AN IMPRESSIVE, THOUGH UNSURPRISING, SEASON Tennis, a family tradition, has brought Oregon freshman Karin Young toward the top of Division I women’s tennis. BY BRADY RUTH Tenacious isn’t often a word used when describing a teenager. But common isn’t a word that should be used to describe Karin Young, either. See, Young should be finishing her senior year of high school this spring. Instead, she’s wrapping up her first collegiate tennis season nearly 1,900 miles away from her home of Apple Valley, Minnesota, and has quickly become a staple of Oregon’s women's tennis team during a season that’s seen the Ducks win 15 games for the first time since 2018. “I grew up watching a lot of college tennis,” Young said. “I was so excited to finally be a part of a college team.” Playing primarily from the No. 4 spot this season, Young has been incredibly consistent and dazzled with a mid-season winning streak of 12 games. In the midst of her winning streak, Karin showed her grit first-hand in a matchup with Utah on April 1. After dropping her first set 6-4 and trailing 4-0 in her second, Young flipped a switch and rallied to take the final two sets 6-4 and clinch the win for the Ducks. “I’ve seen that happen with her so many times,” her mom Dana Young said. “She was always very tenacious on the court. She often started a match down, and she just would never give up.” The comeback win over Utah gave Oregon fans a glimpse of what’s to come over the next three years. Young is ahead of schedule, but there was hardly any doubt that her path would lead to D1 athletics when looking deeper into the Young family. Young’s father, Geoff, played collegiate tennis at Northwestern while Dana played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Even her brother Gavin is currently playing for Michigan. “She’s just been around tennis her whole life,” Dana said. “Our initial goal was just to have our kids enjoy the sport.” It’s gone well past enjoyment. It’s a lifestyle –– one that’s proven to fit. Karin’s tennis-heavy upbringing was boosted by a strong support system. Coached by both parents growing up, her success in high school seemed to come naturally. “She had a way about her that kids would just gravitate toward her, wanting to watch every move she made,” Young’s high school coach Jeff Olsen said. “She’s one of the most dedicated players I’ve ever had in my women’s program over my last 20 years.” Dedicated and talented. Young was ranked No. 1 in the state as a freshman in 2018 and won the state 2A singles title as a sophomore in 2019. When injuries held her out of her junior season
in the fall, an opportunity arose for her to play with the men’s spring season. In typical Young fashion, she pounced on the chance. Playing alongside her brother in doubles play and in the No. 3 singles spot, she helped take Eastville High to another state appearance. Leaving high school, Young was the No. 1 player in Minnesota and No. 57 overall nationally in the class of 2022 by Tennis Recruit Network. And she chose Oregon. The coaching staff was the deciding factor. “I knew that they could help me grow both as a person and a tennis player,” Young said. “I know that the coaches create the culture for the team, and it just really seemed to fit what I was looking for.” What a fit it’s been so far. Young already boasts a 14-2 collegiate singles play record and is 4-3 when playing as a duo. “She has a great mindset and it’s a total growth mindset,” Oregon women’s tennis coach Courtney Nagle said. “She sets out every day to find a way to get better, and I think that’s why she’s had such great results.” But even with successes, there have been struggles. Young’s high school coach told her that even the best athletes struggle with the mental side of sports. She knows it better than anyone, and to help with nerves and the mental side of the game, she turned to her dad. “I always say there are two matches that you play,” Geoff said. “There’s the match you play during the point and the match that you play in between the points.” Geoff currently coaches the University of Central Florida men’s tennis team, and Karin credits him for her growth over recent years. “My dad definitely helped me the most with the mental side of tennis. I think that’s the biggest thing that’s improved over the last year,” Young said. “I would say my dad is the biggest person that I look up to.” For such a young Young to find so much success in her first year is truly impressive, especially in the incredibly talented Pac-12 conference. “It’s been everything I expected and more,” Young said. “Being a part of a team makes matches so much fun. Knowing that there are five other matches out there that are in the same situation as you makes it a lot more fun.” It’s been an incredible opportunity to showcase her skills and an incredible opportunity to hone them in. “I really think that I’ve improved a lot this season,” Young said. “I was always super nervous in junior tournaments, and I always pictured myself to be more nervous in college tennis, but I found that having my teammates around me and my Karin Young talks with Allison Mulville before the coaches supporting me really helps with my nerves.” next set begins. The University of Oregon Ducks A strong support system at school and back home has undoubtedly been key to faced off against the Eastern Washington University Young becoming a freshman star. Eagles on Feb. 11, 2022. (Will Geschke/Emerald) “I’m glad she’s at a good place now where she can continue her journey,” Geoff said. She’s succeeding acedemically, too. “School has always been really important to her as well,” Dana Young said. It must be since she graduated early to come make her impact on the Ducks’ team sooner than expected. “I was very happy to see her take those steps,” Geoff said. “For her to be able to stay connected both in the classroom and on the court, it’s really rewarding as a parent.” So far in her tennis career, she’s received nothing but praises from her coaches. “She’s going to consistently improve,” Nagle said. “I think she’s going to get stronger physically on the court and in the weightroom. She sees obstacles as opportunities to get better.” Olsen said he can’t wait to visit Eugene and see Young play. Karin Young stretches her body to reach “I don’t say that about a lot of my athletes, but I would come out a ball hit by an Eastern Washintgon University player. The University of Oregon there in a heartbeat just to see Karin play,” Olsen said. Ducks faced off against the Eastern Oregon fans also can’t wait for Karin to be the heartbeat of this Washington University Eagles on Feb. 11, program for the next three seasons. 2022. (Will Geschke/Emerald)
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WHAT'S HAPPENING TO DUCK TV? After COVID-19 related challenges and a program audit, the SOJC’s Duck TV class has been paused, but students and faculty are planning a new version of the program. BY JAKE MOORE • TWITTER @JAQUES_MOORE Duck TV stopped being offered as a class during winter term for University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication students. During spring term, students and alumni took to social media with a petition and public statement about the state of Duck TV amid concerns of the program's cancellation. According to Duck TV Sports Producer and UO senior Sabrina Ortega, the producers tried to continue the program during winter term without SOJC facilities, but it meant more work for the students and a lower quality final product. Students, alumni and faculty are now looking for a way to preserve a broadcast journalism program that has been with the SOJC for almost 20 years. Wait, what even is Duck TV? Duck TV is a student-led news broadcast. The program covers news, sports, esports and produces creative projects. Each week the students record a studio session at Allen Hall and put the content together in a traditional broadcast format, according to Duck TV founder and retired faculty member Rebecca Force. Force founded the program in 2002 while she was teaching a class that introduced students to broadcast news. She said Duck TV was an attempt to give students who were interested in broadcasting a place to get reps and practice their craft — much like the opportunity the Daily Emerald provides for writers. Force didn’t do it alone. “If you guys want to do a show, I'll find a place for it to be published,” she remembers telling her students for years. Two students took Force up on her offer. They spent a summer recruiting people for the program, and it started off with about 15 members, Force said. The program has been student-run since the beginning. Force said the students’ original set of rules was still in the program syllabus when she retired in 2018. Since its foundation, Duck TV has grown from a program of 15 students covering news and sports to one that organizes between 150 to 200 students to cover sports, report news, produce short films, run PR and explore other creative opportunities. “It’s the most freedom I think anyone will ever have in broadcasting,” Force said of Duck TV. “I’ve never seen such creative people.” The program survived because of the passion students had for it, Force said. She said alumni often stay involved. Student producers who left the program would mentor their replacements, allowing for skills and information to pass from one generation to the next. Duck TV offers a wide variety of experiences to students that participate. The famous song and YouTube video “I Love my Ducks” was a Duck TV production. Before the pandemic, the sports crew was able to cover the Pac-12 basketball tournaments. Last spring, two students, Ortega and Executive Producer Israel LaRue, covered March Madness. “It was interesting covering the tournament because we were making the calls,” Ortega said. “I was
"Newseum Interactive Newsroom Camera" by Mr.TinDC is marked with CC BY-ND 2.0.
the type of experiences that it once did.” The SOJC stopped offering studio space to Duck TV students and stopped offering the class starting winter term. The students knew from the beginning of the 2021-22 academic year that Duck TV would undergo changes, but they had no idea what kind, Ortega said. This led some students and alumni to believe the winter term changes might signify the end of the program. The SOJC never planned on canceling Duck TV, Morrison said. “We know we want to make Duck TV a crucial part of the curriculum,” she said. Morrison said the SOJC didn’t want to charge students for a class that wasn’t complete. In the winter, despite not having access to the SOJC studio, the student producers tried to put on an independent studio session. “It was a mess,” Ortega said. “It just didn't look good. People that had been in Duck TV prior could recognize right away that it wasn't gonna look like it did before.” COVID-19 has brought attention to issues of communication between SOJC faculty and Duck TV. “From my understanding, it has been the associate dean talking to the faculty advisor talking to us, us talking to the faculty advisor talking to the associate dean,” LaRue said. “We were talking in pods instead of talking together,” Morrison said. “That wasn't good communication.” What’s going to happen next?
getting paid in experience and joy and excitement and all that jazz.” What has happened since COVID-19? Duck TV changed significantly when COVID-19 started. Normally reporters would spend a week making pitches and then interviewing, filming and editing their segment. Instead, reporters wrote articles during spring term 2020, LaRue said. News reporters wrote about frontline workers and sports reporters interviewed athletes and coaches about the impact of COVID-19 on the athletic programs. The program operated over Zoom in fall term 2020 and covered the sports games that still happened. “Since journalism is so hands-on, it's hard to do it over Zoom,” staff reporter and UO junior Jennifer Singh said. “It definitely made it a lot harder, but we were still able to make do.” LaRue said Duck TV was mostly back to its normal programming by winter 2021.“We were still meeting on Zoom,” he said, “but we could actually do studio.” Duck TV continued like this through the spring term of 2021. What happened this year? Since the return to in-person classes, the SOJC began an “audit” of its programs, Associate Dean of the SOJC Deb Morrison said. “Any good organization does an audit,” Morisson said. “One hundred and fifty students, one credit, is not sustainable. It doesn’t give
“Our main thing is, if the unfortunate event of not being able to work something out with the university and still being a class, we may have to go independent,” LaRue said. Making Duck TV independent would ensure the program continues to run year-round and that students continue to get the same opportunities as before. LaRue is not the only Duck TV student who hopes the program can find a way to stay a part of the SOJC and continue year-round reporting. “Having a little more faculty involvement would only add to the experience,” sports reporter and UO senior Alexa Tagliaferri said. As a result of their experiences trying to run Duck TV without SOJC facilities and knowing the history of the program, student producers see the prospect of going independent as a last resort. “Going independent is not something we have been afraid of, but it is a lot more we have to do,” Ortega said. However, she said that going independent seems unlikely considering the deep connection Duck TV has had with the SOJC since its foundation. “In the long run, if you're coming out of a storm, which COVID has been, then it is probably wise to re-establish and start over, and like any good organization, nothing is ever static,” Force said. “There is such a possibility to go any direction.” Morisson and LaRue said the SOJC is planning for a prototype of the Duck TV program in the fall. Morrison said the SOJC is currently looking at a 20week class that runs through fall and winter terms, followed by a capstone project in the spring. M O N D AY, M AY 2 , 2 0 2 2
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NEW ORDINANCE MEANS INCREASED FINES FOR THOSE CAMPING ON STREETS Housing advocates fought against the ordinance, but councilors believe unauthorized storage on the streets is unsafe. BY ALEXIS WEISEND • TWITTER @WEISEND_ALEXIS The Eugene City Council voted six to one in an April 27 work session to adopt an ordinance increasing fines and adding jail time for unauthorized non-vehicular storage between the curb lines of city streets. The decision comes after police said people were not paying their fines or immediately removing their items. The fine will increase from $250 to a maximum fine of $500 and up to 10 days in jail or both. Violators will receive the penalty if they committed a willful violation, meaning they have refused to fix the safety hazard after receiving notice from a police officer. Housing advocates spoke out against the ordinance in a city council public hearing on April 18. Roger Jensen, who runs a street outreach program called Bent Spoke, asked councilors to vote against the ordinance at the public hearing, saying the penalty would unfairly target unhoused people staying on the street. “These people do not have options,” he said. “You cannot penalize them financially to motivate them because they don’t have the money.” He said if people are forced to go to jail, their items may be stolen or picked up by the city. When they get out, “they’re starting from scratch again,” he said. At the April 27 work session, Public Works Director Matt Rodrigues and councilors said the $250 fine has not been an effective tool in carrying out the city’s Vision Zero goals — an initiative to reduce transportationrelated injuries and deaths. Councilor Claire Syrett said residents and businesses in her ward asked her to support the ordinance. “They have a lot of tolerance, but there have been times and circumstances where these kinds of activities that this is trying to address have really just been untenable,” she said. She said she recognizes the dynamics of people who think the city is criminalizing homelessness, but construction projects storing items on the streets are also an issue.
Councilor Mike Clark said he thinks the ordinance is a good idea, especially with regard to Vision Zero. “I almost hit someone recently,” he said. “There was an encampment right to the curb’s edge with several tents, and I didn't see until I had already passed it that there was someone sitting on the street in the bike lane and there were a bunch of parts of that camp that had come out onto the street.” Clark also said he found a letter the Eugene Rights Commission wrote to the council troubling. The letter urged the city council to reject the ordinance, which it believes will violate human rights, unfairly target people of color and perpetuate inequity. “Many Eugenians shelter on the street due to extreme poverty, lack of shelter and affordable housing and the fact that sheltering is prohibited in every other public space,” the letter said. Clark said the commission’s opinions are wanted at all times because it is the commission’s job to advise the city council. “But I don’t see it as their job to fight us because they disagree with us,” he said. Jensen, who used to be a resident and a volunteer at Eugene Mission — a non-profit shelter and service provider for unhoused people, said many safe sleep sites have long waiting lists, even if they have vacancy rates. They are also selective on who they take in and retain, he said. Eugene Mission has a zerotolerance policy for drugs, alcohol and marijuana consumption in or near the building, according to its website. Its transformational programs require clear drug and alcohol tests to enter and administer tests periodically. Matt Keating, the only councilor who voted against the ordinance and a member of the Human Rights Commission, said the only way he would support its approval was to add an amendment increasing the amount of community service as well. However, staff agreed that community service should be left up to a judge. M O N D AY, M AY 2 , 2 0 2 2
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COVER - OPINION Oregon infielder Darya Kaboli-Nejad (1) warms up before the start of the game. The Oregon Ducks play the Stanford Cardinals at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene, Ore. on Friday April 20, 2018. (Kiara Green/Emerald)
AGHEL: MONEY CANNOT ERADICATE RACISM. NOT EVEN IN SPORTS BY PARSA AGHEL • TWITTER @PARSALONA1
Opinion: I spoke to POC student athletes about racism at UO. One thing was clear: no amount of money can solve the issue. Editor’s note: The Emerald interviewed current UO student athletes who wished to remain anonymous for this story. In cases where someone’s employment or student status could be impacted by telling their story, the Emerald allows the use of anonymous sources to avoid retaliation. Additionally, Emerald style follows the National Association of Black Journalists’ recommendation to capitalize words describing race, including Black, Brown and White when appropriatelyreferring to race. “It feels like you are a slave to the industry.” An anonymous athlete told me this as we sat across from each other in the EMU. Modern comparisons to slavery are not often made; its weight is meant to expose the worst facets of contemporary society. But they said this casually, like it has become a benign part of their day-to-day life. Though we culturally distance ourselves from slavery, thinking that our history’s most heinous forms of oppression have passed, this interview suggested otherwise. When we discuss slavery in a modern context, most people are averse to any comparisons. Nationally, Black athletes are vilified for doing so because they PA G E 8
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are paid tens of millions per year, despite putting their body on the line every day to make billions annually for White owners. This is the crux of the problem, and it’s why I talked to multiple UO student athletes — both current and former — about their experiences. We conflate race and wealth far too often. See, White sports audiences erroneously believe that when people of color, especially Black people, reach a stable economic standpoint, the issue of race should disappear. In 2021, college athletes won the right to make money, specifically through the earned right to their name, image and likeness. The public believed that paying student athletes would eradicate the racial dimension of sports for them. It doesn’t. The athletes I’ve interviewed have dealt with race and oppression their entire lives. Evidence enough is the fact some athletes wished to be anonymous. They were aware that sharing their experiences with the university and the athletic department could have consequences. One athlete asked to go off the record at certain points so they could “be honest.” Speaking has consequences because athletes are only valued as bodies. At its most obvious, one
anonymous UO football player talked about the daily microaggressions he faces. Too many times to count, he’s been asked by strangers, unprompted, what sport he played, sending the message: you cannot simply be Black and in Eugene unless the reason is athletics. But the problem is so much worse. The emphasis on the body underscores the entire athletic department. The football player said he and other athletes have noticed a trend where the team looks to fill certain positions with certain player demographics. His position, he said, has always been considered a space for Black players with physicality. At UO, his position is 90% POC. On the other hand, positions for “brainy” individuals, like quarterback, are historically White. And UO fought to keep it that way. The athlete told me how he and the team felt the fight for the quarterback job in 2020 was biased. Whether it be through a lack of snaps or other stunted opportunities, the Black quarterback options “were not given a fair shot,” he said. And we all know the mediocre experience that the Walmart-Herbert quarterback Tyler Shough provided us that season. This is a microcosm of the racism that exists in
OPINION - COVER Gloria Mutiri is a senior opposite hitter on the Oregon Volleyball team who has pointed out racial inequities in college sports. (Molly McPherson/Emerald)
college sports. But the problem is that athletes have not been able to talk about it. I spoke to two athletes, including Darya Kaboli-Nejad, a former softball player who graduated in 2019, about balancing racial activism with a sports career. Their stories were disheartening. Put simply, UO did not want athletes to be activists. When professional athletes were kneeling to support the Black Lives Matter Movement, Kaboli-Nejad and her softball team were told not to. A current athlete, who played during the height of protests in 2020, said coaches “implicitly” said not to out of fear of retaliation against the players. This is the athlete experience that was compared to slavery. Athletes have always lacked a voice because, to the team, only their bodies matter. UO’s Dr. Courtney Cox, a professor in the Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies department who focuses on identity and labor issues with respect to sport, talked to me about this in depth. She revealed how universities do not protect the athlete’s body or their mental health. Two college athletes, she said, died by suicide just last week. And on the flip side, universities have a practice of cutting athletes’ scholarships if they get injured outside of their sport. But colleges have their clutches buried in athletes outside of the facility. During COVID-19, one UO athlete anonymously said their coaches prevented them from seeing anyone, including their family and loved ones. At the same time, the university cut funding for athletes to take summer classes, despite students’ need to stay on track for graduation because of sports schedules during the school year. The university does not protect them; it controls them. “Your insurance is about you only as an athlete,” Cox said.
The John E. Jaqua Academic Center for Student Athletes, located on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Ore. hosts services for student athletes . (Serei Hendrie/Emerald)
In this labor-through-body industry money – through NIL – does not eradicate racism; it creates a new avenue of expression. Rather than just the university restricting athletes’ voices, brands now do it too. I spoke to Gloria Mutiri, a current player on the volleyball team who has signed multiple brand deals since NIL passed. It has come with a price: her voice. She said she has felt her “loss of identity” these past few years as she has had to adhere to the demands of new stakeholders. Mutiri shared a disgusting interaction she had with a brand rep. The rep applauded her decision to put her deal money into savings because “Black people usually just take the money and spend it.” This blatant racism is a symptom of the separation between wealth and race. Historically, POC cannot escape the expression of racism even by earning money. This bias is now institutionalized, Cox said. NIL has led to new administrative positions, often labeled as “director of player personnel” and more. These directors act as the middleman between brands and players. Cox told me how some directors abuse this position, telling athletes that “if they don’t conform,” like through avoiding activism, they “won’t get deals.” As athletes hoped to brand themselves through NIL, the schools are now branding them. Financially as well, it is foolish to believe that the rising tide raises all ships. NIL is not an equitable opportunity, but instead a marketing scheme. Mutiri described how money goes to men first, beginning with the pictureperfect, White, football man. Next is the idealized White woman who fits Eurocentric body standards. The list of the biggest NIL deals reflects this. Nine of the 10 biggest deals are football players, including Texas’ offensive linemen. The one woman who cracked the top 10 is Olivia Dunne, a White gymnast who is sponsored by an activewear brand to model for them.
NIL has not changed anything, but society acts like it’s changed everything. One current UO athlete said, during COVID-19, coaches told athletes they were “so privileged” to be playing, despite athletes having minimal health protections due to what the athlete described as “an awful response” to the pandemic. NIL has exacerbated this, as coaches have taken a “hands-off approach” with players who have brand deals, the athlete said. The entire athletic department, from the directors down to the coaches, seem to think that having money erases the emotional and physical toll that athletes undergo alone. For Black athletes, this rhetoric is damaging. NIL has increased the systemic racism and microaggressions they face, but the university has abandoned the real solutions. Mutiri told me how she has advocated to administrators to hire more Black staff, to create a healthier environment for Black student athletes, but has been met with the sentiment that the university wants to, but Black professionals don’t want to come here. “It is a common excuse,” Cox said. She explained the number of professionals of color nationwide is at the highest it’s ever been; there is just no administrative impetus to bring them here. This is where the fight needs to continue. Hiring more diverse staff, creating athlete unions and fighting against the “cartel” that is the NCAA is a start. It would be a mistake to think money can end racism. A millionaire, Black NBA player was shot by the police. LeBron was told to “shut up and dribble” because he criticized the President's racism. As long as one athlete thinks their experience is comparable to slavery, the fight is not over. If anything, Mutiri said NIL has proven the point: Nothing has changed about racism in sports. M O N D AY, M AY 2 , 2 0 2 2
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OPINION
BOWMAN: BILLIONAIRE PHILANTHROPY WILL NOT SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS
(University of Oregon/Bruce Damonte)
Opinion: Our current charitable deducation system is designed to allow the rich to avoid taxes and increase their influence. BY SHELTON BOWMAN For most Americans, donating to charity is a selfless act. The bottom 99% of earners receive nothing more for their generosity than the warm glow that comes with giving to an important cause and, if they’re lucky, the opportunity to write a small amount off of their taxes. However, now more than ever, donations to charity and nonprofits come from the uber rich. As the wealthy 1% fork over billions of dollars to nonprofit organizations every year, the gap between rich and poor grows steadily wider. Charitable tax deductions might seem like a great way to encourage giving, but they are doing us more harm than good. Not only do charitable deductions allow the rich to participate in their favorite pastime, tax avoidance, but they give them the power to decide which problems to solve and which to neglect, robbing the American people of the ability to vote on where that money should go. In July 2021, the Knight family donated $500 million to the University of Oregon. While many have applauded the Knights for their generosity, the decision seems more questionable when you consider that, assuming the Knights are taxed at 37%, this allowed for a $185 million tax write off. This is money that should have belonged to the American people. What makes Phil Knight qualified to decide where that money should go? Why should taxpayers foot the bill so the Knights can have their name plastered to yet another university building? The richer an individual, the better able they are to take advantage of the United State’s system for charitable deductions. Tax deductions work by reducing the amount of money the government considers taxable income. Since the wealthy pay the
EDITORIAL CARTOON:
highest marginal tax rate, they are the ones with the most to gain from these policies. Let’s say Fred makes $9,000 in a year, and Janice makes $600,000 dollars in a year. Fred pays a marginal income tax rate of 10%, whereas Janice pays a marginal income tax rate of 37%. Despite Fred being the lower earner, he saves less on his taxes. Every $10 that Fred donates to charity costs him $9, but Janice is able to make an equivalent contribution for only $6.30. Proponents of our current system would argue that it's good Janice can write off more money than Fred for an equivalent donation. The wealthy have more money, they argue, so it is beneficial to encourage them to donate more to charitable causes. While this may be true in some cases, we must ask ourselves if these charitable causes are really worth contributing to. For instance, the rich frequently exploit the art industry, manipulating the purchasing and donating of art into a saving mechanism come tax season. It’s not an uncommon practice for a wealthy donor to buy a painting, have it appraised for far more than they paid for it and donate the painting to a museum or gallery. Then, come tax season, they write the appraised amount off of their taxes, profiting at the cost of our tax dollars. When the ultra wealthy write off their charitable deductions, that is money that can no longer go to infrastructure, public education or social security. While philanthropy is commonly understood as a way to transfer the wealth from the rich to the poor, that is not how it operates in practice. Billionaires are statistically more likely to donate to the arts and higher education and are far less likely than the average person to contribute to causes that help to
Dead Games
feed and house those in need. The wealthy will always have more money to funnel into various causes –– meaning they will always have a disproportionate amount of power and influence. Unfortunately, the rich will never have a meaningful incentive to solve the world’s problems or fix broken systems, considering they are the ones who benefit the most from them. If not for poverty, who would be willing to work in factories for just pennies on the dollar? Why would a billionaire, who has made his money off of oil and gas, want to see the country move toward renewable energy? Why would a class, made up of mostly white men, want to abolish the system of patriarchy and white supremacy that allowed them to gain power in the first place? Ending tax deductions for charitable donations is a baby step, but it’s one in the right direction. We should no longer allow the wealthiest Americans to siphon away tax dollars in order to increase their own influence. Those who profit off of the world’s inequities will never have a true incentive to end them. Instead, it should be up to the American people to democratically decide where our tax dollars should go.
Shelton Bowman is an opinion columnist for the Daily Emerald. She is a third-year psychology student who enjoys reading and crocheting in her free time.
BY GREEN JOHNSON
Green Johnson is a first-year editorial cartoonist for the Daily Emerald. With a major in Art and Technology, they love to analyze trends through the lens of drawing. He will take any opportunity to talk about his favorite cartoons, so be warned!
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CINEMA STUDIES PRESENTS THE HARLAN J. STRAUSS VISITING FILMMAKER SERIES
EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity
A RT O F E O VID M U S I C DISCUSSION THE
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houseofrecords.wixsite.com/store
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ALL EVENTS FREE AND O P E N TO T H E CO M M U N I T Y
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VISITING FILMMAKER SERIES WITH DIRECTOR
DIANE MARTEL
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A&C
A CELEBRATION
OF CULTURE
BY CELESTE GRIFFITHS
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Utsav, organized by University of Oregon’s South Asian Cultural Alliance, filled the EMU with vibrant energy through performances and food. (Madi Mather/Emerald)
For the first time in the two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, University of Oregon’s South Asian Cultural Alliance held Utsav on April 24. In Hindi, Utsav means “celebration” and is a day for the community to enjoy South Asian culture. The event, held in the EMU Ballroom, was packed full of students and members of the Eugene community enjoying food from local restaurant Taste of India and watching performances on stage. The showcase featured 12 performances, from vocal solos to traditional dances from different regions of South Asia. The event featured many groups within the Eugene community, including various dance groups that are centered on South Asian dance styles, like The Bhangra Monkeys. The local kids dance group kicked off the event with energetic performances of Bhangra dance, a dynamic style that originates from Punjab, India. A highlight of Utsav was the fashion show, which featured students and community members strutting and striking poses in traditional South Asian wear. Shreya Shettigar, third year major in art and technology and vice president of SACA, explained how she loved the energy of the crowd throughout the performances and the fashion show. “I just love like, every time someone does something really cool on stage, everyone's like ‘Wooo’ clapping and supporting them,” Shettigar said. “I felt that was so fun, just everyone as a community coming together and being excited.” The crowd was especially hyped as the UO Bollywood Medley, featuring students in SACA, took the stage as the finale. The medley was student-led and highlighted three different songs from new Bollywood movies from the past year. Senior and co-director of the group Jaya Das explained how Bollywood films feature item songs that the characters dance to and are original to each movie, making it “iconic to do those dances.” Sarvesh Upadhyay, senior and double major in public relations and humanities, is the co-director of the organization and has been dancing at Utsav since his freshman year. “Most of the choreography was either from traditional Indian dances — like the first [song], we PA G E 1 2
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used a lot of elements of Garba, which is a folk dance that's done in a specific region in India,” Upadhyay said. “For the other two, we used choreography from the movies that they were from because a lot of the choreography is very iconic to those songs.” Senior Ria Bhatt, who is an ethnic studies major and secretary of SACA, explained how this year’s Utsav caused her to step out of her comfort zone through her involvement in the medley.
We want to make a safe space for students of South Asian heritage to come together and bond over shared experiences, shared culture.” SARVESH UPADHYAY UO Student
“This year for me was more special because it was my last Utsav, of course, but then I performed for it for the first time dancing,” Bhatt said. Utsav brought fun and liveliness to celebrate South Asian culture. It also brought awareness to SACA’s presence and impact on the UO campus, as well as the broader Eugene community. SACA has been organizing events that are open to the community since its founding. Shettigar said one of the board members has been attending events organized by SACA since she was a kid. When it was formed in 1999, the group was originally Students of the Indian Subcontinent. This year, SACA’s board decided to change their name to the South Asian Cultural Alliance to create a more inclusive environment for students.
Aleena Khurana, senior and publicity chair of SACA, explained more about what drove the group to make this change. “We're not celebrating just Indian culture, but South Asian culture as a whole, whether it be Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal, all of that. So it's a safe space for anyone who identifies with those cultures to join, but also [for] anyone who doesn’t to just come and learn more and immerse themselves in the culture,” Khurana said. “We want people to know that we exist on campus.” Members of SACA emphasized how important it is that all South Asian students are represented at the University of Oregon, a PWI, or a predominantly white institution. Both Das and Shettigar came to UO from the Bay Area, which has a large South Asian community, and like many other BIPOC students, they experienced what is known as “culture shock.” This challenge students of color face as they arrive on the UO campus emphasizes why SACA’s presence on campus is so valued. “We want to make a safe space for students of South Asian heritage to come together and bond over shared experiences, shared culture,” Upadhyay said. “We are not the most visible on campus, so this kind of space exists for us, and for people who want to learn about our culture.” As the organization continues to grow and diversify, Bhatt explained the group has organized more activities for members this year alone than they have in the past six years. Past events this year for members have included bonding activities like boba nights, a Bollywood x Hip Hop dance workshop and discussions addressing issues of discrimination in the South Asian community through a colorism workshop. In the upcoming weeks, SACA has a collaboration with the Muslim Student Association for Iftar, the evening meal Muslims eat to end their daily Ramadan fast through April and May. “We're just like a big loving family,” Bhatt said. “The best part of University of Oregon was literally just this club for me.” For more information about SACA’s upcoming events or just to get involved, check out their instagram at @uoregonsaca.
A&C
A CONCERT WORTH THE $10 WHITE CLAWS
Automatic and Parquet Courts make a stop at Portland’s Crystal Ballroom. BY MALENA SAADEH Ever since the start of April I’ve been anxiously waiting for the month to end, and no, not just because the weather has been downright ungodly here in Eugene. I’ve been ansty all month, standing by for a show that I’d expected to be the major thing of the spring — New York based rock band Parquet Courts touring with LA post punk trio Automatic. I usually am running too late to catch the opener, but I wasn’t going to pass them by this time. Automatic’s sound feels like a more lowkey take on Le Tigre’s self titled 1999 album. It bites. It’s got the same chick punk flavor, but this time more coy and less Rocky Horror. The sterility of the synth and drone of Izzy Glaudini’s vocals feel like polished chrome, and it dips into pleasantries of the robotic and mechanical, but a reliable bassline appears to keep a head bob about the whole thing. In short — I wanna get messy to this music in a German discotheque. Tonight however, Portland’s Crystal Ballroom will have to do. The LA based trio formed in 2017 and put out their first full length “Signal” in 2019 on Stones Throw. Automatic has released two singles, “New Beginnings” and “Venus Hour,” off the band’s upcoming album “Excess,” set to release in June. Drummer Lola Dompe described the album as coming from a similar place as “Signal,” but this time more evolved. The June release was recorded on tape by Joo-Joo Ashworth at the Los Angeles analog studio, Studio 22. Completed in late 2021, “Excess” is still a fairly new record for everyone involved. Dompe, Glaudini and bassist Halle Saxton crack a smile at the fact that they're not sick of it yet as most bands get after playing the same 10 tracks as they hit a tour. As Automatic played, the venue started packing in. When Automatic neared the end of its set, squeezing myself from the side of stage to the bar was a 5-minute ordeal full of “so sorry’s” and dirty looks from territorial 20-somethings who thought I was trying to steal their spot.
Parquet Courts stopped in Portland on their North American headline tour supporting their seventh studio album, “Sympathy For Life.” New York rock band Parquet Courts headlines the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Ore., on April 25, 2022. (Ian Enger/Emerald)
Enter Parquet Courts. Parquet Courts started their set with “Application/Apparatus,” and the tight bodies packed even tighter as the guitar heavy intro synced up with an orange strobing light. Like the first track, the bulk of the songs they played came off of their 2021 album “Sympathy For Life,” but it was no debate that the crowd shook the floor the hardest when they threw their classics into the mix. The band played their set super tight, but they bantered so casually you’d think it was just another Monday night to them. Between songs, the boys would pull all the classic out-of-towner bits like, “Why are your liquor laws so medieval here when mushrooms are legal?” It's corny and endearing which is exactly what I’d expect from Courts. There's this wholesome anecdote I’ve heard passed around that frontman Andrew Savage first met Austin Brown, guitar and keys player, back in college at a meeting for a record listening group called “Knights of the Round Turntable.” Totally cheese and totally sweet. Speaking of the frontman, one of the things that struck me was Savage had this killer, powerful voice that sounds much more combed through and tamed on record than it does in person. I love the rawness of his live performance. It was dripping with vibrance. I’ve been trapped by too many bands that I like on record that were a total waste of time live. Parquet Courts is not one of those bands. Like I said before, the whole thing was tight. I suppose that's what you get when your band has been together for the better part of 10 years. Their first album “American Specialties” — what the reddit lore calls their “lost” album — came out in 2011. For perspective, I was a chunky 10- year-old who talked to my Joe Jonas poster in 2011. These guys have been around for a damn long time. What other band is still relevant 11 years later with the same lineup, the same exciting live performance and, most importantly, decent albums still coming out? Not many. All in all, I’ve got no complaints about the Automatic and Parquet Courts show this past Monday, and I’m looking forward to another total powerhouse bill like this to come.
Parquet Courts is made up of Andrew Savage (vocals, guitar), Austin Brown (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Sean Yeaton (bass, vocals) and Max Savage (drums). (Ian Enger/Emerald)
Parquet Courts formed after Andrew Savage and Austin Brown met while studying at the University of North Texas. After college, the duo relocated to Brooklyn, New York along with Andrew's brother and dummer of Parquet Courts, Max Savage. (Ian Enger/Emerald)
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A&C
MAMA MAYRA’S KITCHEN A Mexican restaurant serves traditional dishes with a flare of love and a touch of genuine food.
Among the large variety of options on the menu, vegan and vegetarian options such as these vegetarian tacos are available at Mama Mayra's Kitchen. (Jonathan Suni/Emerald)
BY MELVIN BRAVO Most of our favorite dishes have a story to tell us — a background that blends culture and tradition. It can take dedication and hard work to keep these recipes going, but with time, these foods can become staples anywhere you take them. Here in Eugene, a restaurant called Mama Mayra’s Kitchen serves authentic Mexican food that is about much more than what you eat. “El propósito que yo tenía en mi corazón, era de que cuando la gente probaran mi comida dijeran, 'mmm, eso me recuerda a mi abuelita y mi mama cuando cocinaban [translation: The purpose that I had in my heart was that when people tasted my food, they would say, 'mmm, that reminds me of my grandmother and my mother’s cooking,’]” Mayra Medina, the owner and head cook at the restaurant said. Ever since Medina was a child she wanted to open a restaurant, hoping to bring her family's ingredients to people who really enjoy food and cooking. Mama Mayra’s has been operating since 2015, starting as a food truck. They had a small menu with basic ingredients and dishes, serving tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Medina said she would buy her produce in small portions, according to what she thought she would sell that day. She would get most of her ingredients from El Torito market, which specializes in Latin products. Medina and her husband Carlos Garcia moved to Eugene in 2005, looking for work and an opportunity to start a new life in the U.S., she said. Medina would work in various food trucks and restaurants, never drifting too far from the kitchen. Garcia would work various jobs providing for his wife’s business. He believed in Medina and her passion for cooking, helping her any way he could with opening the restaurant. “Trabajaba para una señorita en ese tiempo y me encantaba porque me decía, ‘haz lo que quieras en la PA G E 1 4
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cocina’ [translation: I worked for an older lady during that time, and she would tell me, ‘do what you want in the kitchen,’]’”Medina said. This gave her the freedom to explore her craft in the kitchen. She used this experience to expand Mama Mayra’s menu into various items, including Menudo, a soup made from beef tripe and vegetables; sopes, a fried maize dough with an assorted mix like refried beans, avocado, lettuce, queso fresco and meats; and empanadas, which is a fried pastry made with maize and stuffed with meat, cheeses and sauces. The restaurant also offers an extensive breakfast menu with fresh ingredients at a reasonable price. “Es comida de casa y yo creo que nos ha mantenido todos estos años [translation: It 's homemade food, and I think it 's maintained us all these years,]” Garcia said. Mama Mayra’s is located in the Jefferson Westside area of Eugene on Blair Boulevard and West 7th Avenue. The place has a friendly atmosphere, welcoming everyone from Eugene to eat something unique, and brings years of culture into their delectable dishes. “I like the environment; it’s a lot of the food that I grew up eating,” Yesenia Pimentel said. Pimentel has been working with Mayra’s kitchen for a year and is happy to contribute something that’s a part of her culture. She said she does a little bit of everything in the restaurant including waiting, prepping and cooking. She brings her kitchen skills back home to cook for her family. Although Mama Mayra’s gone through the weeds, it continues to serve food to the community with compassion and devotion for those looking to try something authentic; putting in the hours and faceing whatever challenges come its way. If you’re looking for something good to eat, come check out Mayra’s Kitchen and see what traditional dishes you’ll find.
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