Pine Press March 2021 MSU Student Housing Co-op TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover design by Michael McGibbon of Phoenix 01 Note from the Editor 02 East Lansing Food Co-op Rises Again 04 The Divine Nine: Historically Black Frats 06 Horoscopes 07 Finding the Right Dumpster for You, and More Dumpster Diving Tips From an Expert 10 Native Wildflowers 11 House Love 12 Sounds of the SHC 12 PSA: A Change to How You Pay 13 Skillshare 2021 Schedule 14 Some Special Bonus Content
Note from the Editor Emily Tyler, from Vesta Ahoy SHC! Welcome to the March 2021 edition of the Pine Press! In this issue you’ll find plenty of easy reading/fun content, along with an update about the co-op community in our area (hello ELFCO!) and a piece about how vacancies in our houses affect the members. Hopefully this latter article will dispel some misunderstandings or misconceptions about how empty spaces in our houses impact the members who live there.
I can’t write a note to our membership without talking about SHC voting, so here I go talking about it! By the time you read this, voting for Vice Presidents of Membership and Education will probably be over, along with a referendum about changing the name of the SHC to Spartan Housing Cooperative. Shortly after the publication of this Pine Press, we will know the results of the voting period ending March 28th. I don’t know about you, but I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for those results (and not only because I’m running for reelection). It is always my hope that you get something out of reading this if you happen to pick it up and flip through. If you don’t, let me know what you’d like to see! Any submissions or suggestions for the Pine Press can be submitted to me at education@msu.coop. Alternatively, you could pass your message along through your house’s education officer! This is YOUR co-op, and YOUR Pine Press! Cooperatively, Emily Tyler Vice President of Education, Executive Vice President
East Lansing Food Co-op Rises Again By Emily Tyler, VPE/EVP, from Vesta Some of you may have heard myths and legends about ELFCO, that’s East Lansing Food Co-op, and how it used to be a thing. ELFCO has been trying hard since the closure of their storefront in 2017 to get back up and running, and lately there’s been new momentum. I’m volunteering with ELFCO on their communications committee, and I’ve found out that ELFCO will, sometime this summer, be opening a storefront within Allen Neighborhood Center in the eastside of Lansing. The history of ELFCO is entangled with the SHC. ELFCO first incorporated in Ingham County as “Food of Our Desire Cooperative, Inc” on March 3rd 1976 (however, as early as their grand opening they had switched their name to ELFCO). Three of the original incorporators and first Board of Directors of ELFCO were members of SHC houses (specifically, from 127 Whitehills and 501 MAC), along with Orion Ulrey, who was an MSU professor and huge friend and support to SHC in its early and pre-history (O-haus is named after him). I’ve
also found out that ELFCO’s first office location was 311B Student Services Building on campus, which was the SHC office until 2007ish. How’s that for cooperation amongst cooperatives! What’s more, the puzzle-piece history I’m learning (with major thanks to our prez Erik and his endless supply of scanned old co-op documents) shares that the first location of ELFCO was the basement of 211 Evergreen, which was stated in a 1996 ELFCO document to be a student housing co-op; however, an older primary document (newspaper clipping to left) indicates that 211 Evergreen was in fact the bike co-op--that’s as of 1975. ELFCO started using the 211 Evergreen space when they opened in 1976. In January of 1979, ELFCO opened a storefront at 308 Grand River Avenue, and they operated there until 1987. However, in 1980, they had opened a second storefront at 4960 Northwind Drive, which continued as their only storefront until it closed on the 28th of January 2017.
From the April 29th 1976 issue of Lansing Star, an independent newspaper of old
The ELFCO Board spent the first several months after the closure of the Northwind location trying to figure out how they could re-open, but by the 8 August 2017 meeting of the Board, they decided to cease attempts at reopening and put the question of dissolution to their member owners. ELFCO member
owners were called together for a “special owner’s meeting” on the 2nd of December 2017, to discuss and vote on the question of dissolution, and to hear proposals about reopening. At that meeting the member owners decided not to dissolve the co-op. Since then, it’s been effort after effort to find a place where ELFCO could become a physical reality again, including getting super close with a location at 3026 E Michigan Ave in the spring of 2019. Despite much effort put in, including hard work by our own Marshall Clabeaux of Rivendell and the SHC Board of Directors, it sadly fell through. BUT! Thanks to the endless passion of those involved, the ELFCO dream never died and the food co-op is on track to reopen this summer at ANC, known for its veggie programs and farmer’s market, at 1611 E Kalamazoo Street in Lansing’s eastside. They will definitely need volunteers for completing move in and spreading the word in the community (and don’t forget “Patronizing the Co-op”), so keep an eye out for information about that in the future. What a beautiful tale of cooperative resilience!
Bonus content: this snippet is from the September 1982 issue of The People’s Voice, an old timey Lansing area independent newspaper.
The Divine Nine: Historically Black Frats By Alayan Offredi from Howland Relatively, the idea of partaking in greek life is captivating. It’s been romanticized by sororities impressive instagram accounts, frat parties, and even the houses that line M.A.C Avenue. While there’s significant arguments against greek life, its presence is undeniable and probably not leaving anytime soon. Frats and sororities are very much a part of the quintessential college experience. It’s almost guaranteed that if someone joins, and is accepted, they would have unlimited access to bitches, booze and benefits. There is a lot to unpack with greek life, especially at MSU, but one thing
that is entirely noticeable is how white the council of greek life is. In a predominately white school, it can be very easy to feel alone or be mistreated. Fortunately for African American students attending Michigan State, there is an option that can give a historic, prestigious, and more welcoming experience. The National Pan-hellenic Council, collectively referred to as the “Divine Nine,” exists to serve a diverse membership and provide a safe haven for African American students. The Divine Nine was created in May of 1930 at Howard University. Starting with just five sororities and fraternities which included, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta, and Zeta Phi Beta. The council grew two larger the following year with the addition of Alpha Phi Alpha and Phi Beta Sigma. Sigma Gamma Rho joined in 1937. In 1997 the council was completed to its nickname after the Iotas joined. The NPHC promotes the well-being of its members and “foster cooperation among its members for mutual interests.” For Tayela Taylor, president of MSU’s NPHC, the Divine Nine on MSU’s campus achieves this objective through civic engagement. Over the summer the NPHC on our very own campus was extremely busy. The summer of 2020 was a huge moment for the notorious Black Lives Matter movement. During this time, the NPHC worked in conjunction with MSU to host a candlelight vigil for George Floyd and those lives lost to police brutality. They also worked outside of MSU’s campus, orchestrating city wide marches with the impressive ACLU. Enacting change is something that the NPHC prides itself on. While other councils rely on philanthropy to push for a better community, the Divine Nine physically creates change with their own members. The members of the NPHC are very few and far between on MSU’s campus. It is the smallest council of chapters on campus. There are only about 100 members which creates some struggles for the council. The lack of members means lack of funds and attention from the campus life. It does not help either that the reputation of the Divine Nine is incredibly secretive. According to Ms. Taylor, there are some things in the community that people do not need to be concerned with if they do not belong. The ideology can hurt new prospective members because they aren’t entirely aware of what is going on. However an argument that could be made is that this secretive mindset is shared throughout the four other councils of chapters on MSU’s campus. The Divine Nine is not an exception. However there are certain cultural things that separate these frats and sororities from the others. Stepping is a performative tradition that the Divine Nine takes pride in and a way to show appreciate for the founders. It dates back to African first nations, but adopted by the NPHC in the 40’s. Stepping conveys the uniqueness of each chapter, and each chapter has its own specific movements. Normally, the NPHC holds competitions between organizations at the annual yard show in the winter but due to COVID they are no longer running. Stepping is a form of
choreographed dance that relies on stomping, hand movements and shouting. The movements are sharp and very purposeful, to give the dance the “cleanest look” possible. While multicultural greek life also does this, it is widely accepted that the Divine Nine is the best at it. The National Pan-Hellenic Council is an important organization that works for its members. It offers guidance, friendship, and a chance to better the community around us, almost working as a role model. Tayela Taylor, President of the NPHC at MSU summarizes it as “The Divine Nine is an agent for change.” Whether it be inter-council, inter-chapter or even working with the ACLU, the NPHC deserves recognition for who they are.
HOROSCOPES! Submitted by anonymous Aries (Mar. 21-Apr. 20): I’ve been feeling fighty lately, and I know that that’s how you feel all of the time, dear Aires. This Aires season, make EVERYTHING your business. Call your senator. Yell at your neighbors for playing music too loud. Throw rocks at that person who always lets their dog shit on your lawn. Try not to get arrested. Taurus (Apr. 21-May 20): The best time to invest was yesterday, the second-best time is now. You may have heard this advice as it relates to investing in stocks. But what about investing in yourself? Stocks are just astrology for people who don’t have sex, so forget about that shit and spend some time pampering yourself today. Get some ice cream. Gemini (May 21-June 20): Go listen to some 2000s pop punk. You know you want to. Cancer (June 21-July 22): You know, there are some people out there who will try to tell you that astrology is fake. But so is time. And money. And so are you. So who gives a fuck, really? Go have fun. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): I know you have an affinity for nice things, dear Leo. And you do deserve them. But I am telling you right now, NEVER buy a German car. Unless you have a crush on a mechanic. Because you’ll be spending most of your time in the shop. You’re probably more likely to impress a car person with a Toyota anyway. Affordable and sensible. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Sometimes when I don’t want to go to the store for something, I ask my parents if they have it at home so that they can mail it to me. It’s not laziness, it’s innovation. Then I can spend my time much more productively: sitting by the front door waiting for a package to arrive. Sometimes it’s a good thing to have a middleman. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Have you ever made poor man’s pad thai? It’s one of my favorite struggle meals. I know we’re almost out of the woods with the seasonal depression, but she might just swing back around with a sucker punch.
So add this one to your arsenal: 1 packet of chicken or oriental ramen, frozen broccoli, cook, drain, add a scoop of peanut butter. If you want to get fancy add green onions or crushed peanuts. And if you’re allergic to nuts, I guess you get a freebie this month. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22): 80s music is on the menu for today, my friend. Maybe some cool sunglasses. And a nice cold Pabst. I don’t know what you’ve been doing, but you’ve earned it. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21): Two years into being the proud parent of a fiddle leaf fig, I am just now learning that they like to be shaken to simulate the wind. So now I spend a decent amount of time shakin’ it like Metro Station. And doing nothing else. I know that this advice is going to sound very similar to last month’s, but just be aware of what you’re getting yourself into before you commit. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Thanks again for agreeing to drive me to my vaccination appointment on Friday March 26th at 9am. More than anyone on earth at this moment, you deserve a sausage, egg, and cheese McMuffin ™. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19): Recently I made the switch to mom jeans. And before you ask, no it’s not because I don’t want the Zoomers to know that I’m old. It’s because my dump truck is getting so thick, I kept ripping my old pants. Anyway, now my gut and my butt both have room to grow and I cannot recommend these pants enough. If you’re quick enough, American Eagle might still be having their denim sale. Pisces (Feb. 20-Mar. 20): Last month, when I said you should do whatever you want because it’s Pisces season, I didn’t mean like that. Spend the day apologizing to everyone you know.
Finding the Right Dumpster for You, and More Dumpster Diving Tips From an Expert! By Casey Paskus, Americorps VISTA, from Bower Last week I spoke with Will Reid in preparation for the screening of his film, Trash Empire. The film follows Will as he uncovers perfectly good food in dumpsters around New York City and DC - food waste that is the byproduct of subsidized overproduction driven by the government and the agricultural industry. A screening of Trash Empire and Q&A with Will will take place on April 13th at 7pm, hosted by the SHC Green Team. Register here (https://fb.me/e/686lr1osP) !!!
Your film mentions that for two years you only spent $5.50 on food, and got most of your food from dumpsters. When did you get into dumpster diving, and what got you interested in it in the first place? It was either 2014 or 2015 when I started dumpster diving. I was really involved with Food Not Bombs, and I was doing some surplus food pick-ups [from local grocery stores], and we would get this food that was like food waste, right? And it looked perfectly fine, and it kind of led to the question of, “well if the food that they were gonna throw away looks fine, then what does the stuff in the dumpster look like?” There was another volunteer who did a lot of regular dumpster diving and he took me dumpster diving, and it was awesome! After that, I started quietly dumpster diving all of my food. Do you have any tips for beginners who are interested in dumpster diving? I think a lot of people imagine dumpster diving to be more difficult than it is, and I completely get it. Because there's fear of “what if the police see me”, and I definitely acknowledge, interactions with the police aren't fun. And the experience of that interaction could be very different on the basis of who you are or how the police perceive you, or all of this. In terms of dumpster diving itself, it's way easier than you’d think. The hardest part is finding dumpsters that work for you! But the way I see it, you need to have a solid spirit of adventure. And you need to just go out exploring and finding dumpsters that produce food regularly, and to do that, all you gotta do is go to the dumpsters, open em up, look inside! People imagine dumpster diving to be this really gross activity. Yeah, you could find a dumpster that's gross and unpleasant, but if a dumpster is consistently unpleasant and full of like gross things, it's probably not worth your time. So I would just say: explore and be adventurous, and don't take it too seriously. What’s the coolest thing you’ve found in a dumpster, or the most surprising thing? This is hard, because by now I've found almost anything you could imagine. I think to me, when I started out the most surprising thing was the quantity. It's really difficult to overstate the quantity of waste that's available. But I think a lot of people would be surprised to learn that we're not just talking about food here! There are plenty of products that aren't food that are still packaged, that are thrown out by companies.
I've found packaged - I want to be very clear - packaged, still shrink-wrapped vibrators, for example. One solution to the overproduction of food seems to be actually using the surplus food, and finding it in dumpsters. Beyond dumpster diving, are there other ways individuals could act to minimize food waste? Because of the scale of the waste, dumpster diving on its own can't solve everything. On the individual level, making grocery lists and planning your meals in advance can go a long way to making sure that when you go to the store you're only buying what you're actually gonna need. I think another big thing, which is maybe one of the larger problems on the individual level, is we need to stop taking Best By and Use By dates seriously. What a lot of people don't realize is that those dates are not regulated by the federal government, because the federal government has recognized that there are too many factors to create a scientifically-based Best By date. So when you see a Best By date or a Use By date, in general, that's created by the companies. And of course it's to their benefit that you think that means the food magically goes bad at that date, when it really doesn't. So I would recommend again that we plug into our spirit of adventure, and test a little piece of the food, smell the food, look at the food, and use all of the senses that we have. I would trust that. Make sure to register for the screening of Will’s film, Trash Empire! Register here (https://fb.me/e/686lr1osP) !!!
Native Wildflowers of Michigan By Duncan Begley from Vesta The first days of spring have come and gone in a flash. It feels like it’s only been March for a week at most and daylight savings did not help. Even though the unceasing machinations of time are a blur to my senses, I managed to stop for a minute the other day and think about flowers. I really like flowers. Even though they make me sneeze and the bugs they attract gross me out, I like flowers. So I was thinking about flowers, especially native wildflowers, and one thing leads to another; I’m writing an article about native Michigan wildflowers just in time for the beginning of spring. I’ll be sharing some information, fun facts, and my own opinions on each flower. Dwarf Lake Iris Iris lacustris Grows in semi-open habitats with partial sun Blooms mid-May to early-June It is the Michigan state wildflower (the state flower is the apple blossom) and was adopted in 1998 It grows almost exclusively in the great lakes region It is designated as a threatened species Purble and small, very nice Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea Grows in prairies, meadows, and open woods Blooms June to October Birds love the seeds Purple flowers form a downward cone with a spiky bundle of seeds on top You see them everywhere but they’re still great!
Prairie Dock Silphium terebinthinaceum Grows in moist to dry prairies Blooms in late summer Sometimes called Rosinweed because sweet smelling resin flows out when injured Tall, has big leaves, and a sturdy taproot Very handsome
Black Eyed Susans Rudbeckia hirta Grows in fields, prairies, open woodlands, and along railroads, roadsides, and abandoned areas Blooms in June to October Tend to cover entire fields and squash out other flowers in nature and in flower gardens Yellow, daisy-like flower, with dark center “eye”
Common Milkweed Ascelpias syriaca Grows in sand, clay, and rocky soil with high calcium carbonate levels Blooms in June through August Can be used for fiber, medicinal purposes, and even some culinary purposes. It’s poisonous though Monarch butterflies eat milkweed and store poison in their body to defend themselves from predators Forms large balls of pink and white flowers Sort of looks like little alien heads! Very cool
HAUS LOVE Compiled by Kiran Lantrip from Raft Hill ➔ I want to give some love to Lydia for being such a wonderful human being and bringing so much sunshine into Hedrick!!! You’re a lovely human and we all wish you the best. (Hedrick) ➔ cate - your quirky personality is beautiful and your charitable nature is inspiring. You Are Wonderful. (howland) ➔ Soeur lottie, tu es une vraie fille de bouclier (Apollo) keepin it bumping 🤍 ➔ Don't dig yourself into an early Grave ser. (Apollo) ➔ we love ruby!!!! (phx)
🙄
🧡🖤
➔ beal— thank you for making my first couple of months in the haus the best time of my life, I love each and every one of you to el az and back <3 (beal) ➔ Conner and Sherry are the best cats ever!!! (Beal) ➔ Carrie, thanks so much for being my rock the past couple weeks. i’m manifesting your well-being as well <3 (Bower) ➔ omg, thnx for ~shm0kng~ earl :) (bower)
➔ Sophie, you never fail to make me smile even when I'm stressed about midterms <3 (Beal)
Sounds of the SHC Compiled by Kiran Lantrip from Raft Hill Hi all, hope you’ve been enjoying this warm weather lately. Here are some tunes to rock to while you’re enjoying that sweet spring sun! The Spotify playlist for this month can be found linked here or on the Facebook page. (All songs) 2 Fleetwood Mac songs: Why, That’s Alright; Stevie Nicks: Rock a Little (Go Ahead Lily); Arpeggi by Kelly Lee Owens; Within by Daft Punk; Leave it in My Dreams by The Voidz; Happy by Mitski; Cowpoke by Colter Wall; Cherry by Amy Winehouse - Vesta :} The Kid LAROI, Weekend, (Playlist, spotify: War Songs), (Songs) Galaway girl, Ta Fête, Sia/Maître Gims crossover whatever its called etc - House du Apollo Mordechai- Khruangbin - Bower just along for the ride- djo - bower swing lynn - harmless - bower eighth wonder - lemon demon - bower Death Decline-Useless Sacrifice - Harambee obviously 5 belivers by bob dylan, I whipped batman's ass by wesley willis, go on home british soldiers by the davitts, hey, geno! by geno delafose - Phoenix Tramp - Otis Redding - Beal The album "I Let It In And It Took Everything" by Loathe - Phoenix
PSA: A Change to How You Pay As you may or may not know, the SHC is making a transition from RentManager to AppFolio, a new software for property management. Previously, you were able to pay through a member web access portal. Starting March 26, online payments will be processed through AppFolio. The following are payment options offered: eCheck (100% free to you!) Just enter your routing number and account number via your own secure Online Portal to pay assessment or any other charge directly from your checking or savings account.
Credit or Debit Card Use your debit or credit card to pay assessment or any other charge through the secure Online Portal. (An online convenience fee applies and is based on your monthly charges.) Electronic Cash Payments If you choose this method, we will provide you with a reusable PaySlip that you can use at 7-Eleven or Ace Cash Express to pay your monthly charges in cash (a $3.99 transaction fee applies; $1,500 maximum per transaction).
How to get started: You will receive an email with a link to your personal, secure Online Portal. Create a password and start paying right away!
Skillshare 2021 Schedule FRIDAY 9 APRIL 11am: Sewing 101 2pm: Archery 101 4pm: An Introduction to Marxist Theory and Practice SATURDAY 10 APRIL 11am: Co-op Coffee Hour 1pm: Tattoos 2:30pm: Composting 101 3:30pm: Co-op House Constitutions 5pm: Emma’s Rice Method SUNDAY 11 APRIL 11am: Tree Identification* 1pm: Plastics and Our Society: What are Plastics and How Are We Affected 2:30pm: Take a chill pill - yoga & relaxation for all levels 4pm: Intro to 3D Art using Blender
All Skillshare sessions will be happening virtually, with the exception of Tree Identification. This session will take place outdoors, meeting at Orion house at 501 MAC Ave. Masks and social distancing are required.
TO SIGN UP: To sign up for any of these workshops, scan the code to the right and register for the corresponding zoom session!
If you sign up for your desired sessions by Sunday the 4th of April, you will receive a GOODIE BAG/registration packet with a corresponding item for each session you signed up for, hand delivered to your house prior to the Skillshare weekend!
Some Special Bonus Content from the April 7 1995 Pine Press:
It’s interesting to note that nothing came of this name change referendum. The SHC remained “Student Housing Corporation” for several more years.
MSU Student Housing Cooperative... Or is it? We’ll find out soon!
541 E Grand River Ave Ste 6 517.355.8313