FEB. 14, 2018
VOLUME 125, ISSUE 06
TYLER, THE CREATOR BRINGS THE HEAT IN BROOMFIELD
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BLACK STUDENT ALLIANCE HOSTS DIALOGUE
GYMNASTICS TRIUMPHS IN SOLD-OUT EVENT
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WHY WE STILL NEED BLACK 3 HISTORY MONTH pa g e
SPRING BOOKS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS
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DU CLARION
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FEB. 14, 2018
| NEWS
BSA enlightens with rap battles and a talk on black pride
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n Feb. 8 the DU Black Student Alliance (BSA) hosted a dialogue focused on black pride and the accomplishments made by African-American icons in honor of Black History Month. The first half of the meeting focused on highlighting the success of individuals in various categories. “Public figures,” was the first topic. Various affluent people were mentioned from Oprah Winfrey to Harriet Tubman. Attendees were also encouraged to comment on the figures in the PowerPoint slide and bring up new names as well. “Orange is the New Black’s” Laverne Cox was one of the names mentioned as the students praised her ability to not divorce her identity from her work. Another student commemorated every individual mentioned, commenting on how everyone can grow and learn from the obstacles everyone had to overcome to get to their current position. The conversation continued
with other categories such as inventors, music, arts and sports. In the inventors category, the attendees discussed instances when black inventors were not given credit for their creation. One student had mentioned
students praised black athletes participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics, highlighting how difficult it can be to prevail in sports that disregard African-American participation due to how expensive those sports can be.
Caitlan Gannam l Clarion
how the recipe for Jack Daniels was originally from a slave who worked for Dan Call, the preacher, grocer and distiller who was originally thought to be the man who taught Jack Daniel about distilling. In the sports category,
ABOUT US
The final section of the dialogue highlighted the Twitter community called “Black Twitter” and its ability to create a cultural identity on the popular social media site that can promote topics that are important to the
community and consequently garner attention from the general public, too. After the dialogue, the night concluded on an energetic note when the hosts and the attendees participated in a variety of improv games in a style based on “Wild’N Out,” the MTV show starring Nick Cannon where he and guests play hip-hop styled improv games. The games played at the meeting included: Family Reunion, R&Beef, Talkin’ Spit and Wildstyle. Wildstyle was the most popular game of the night as it allowed members to rap about their peers at the meeting and try to poke fun at them a la rap battle. This meeting was part of a wide range of events to help support black culture on the DU campus and celebrate Black History Month. The DU community can visit the Center for Multicultural Excellence’s website for a schedule of other upcoming events occurring this month. Daniela Santos | News Editor
DU Clarion EDITORIAL STAFF
JOHN POE, Editor-in-Chief RYAN NINESLING, Executive Editor DANIELA SANTOS, News Editor NIKKY JOHNSON, Sports Editor ELIZABETH LOCHHEAD, Opinions Editor The Clarion is the official student newspaper of the University of Denver, serving as the “Voice of the Pioneers.” Founded in 1899, it covers campus and local stories with the highest level of journalistic integrity possible. 1000 copies are distributed each Wednesday afternoon (throughout the academic year) across the DU campus, and every article is also published at duclarion.com. The Clarion does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff and/or administration of DU, and the opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion. Reproduction of The Clarion in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of The Clarion is prohibited. The opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of The Clarion. Weather forecasts are of courtesy of the National Weather Service. The Clarion reserves the right to reject advertising, stories, columns or letters to the editor that it deems graphic, obscene or that discriminate on the basis of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation. The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. Those who submit letters must limit them to 500 words. Some letters may not be published because of space limitations, overly-libelous content or similarity to past submissions. Please submit letters to duclarioneditor@gmail.com.
HOW TO JOIN
The Clarion is open to contributors of all years and majors at DU, including both undergraduate and graduate students. There’s no application necessary; all you have to do is show up to one of our weekly meetings, which are held every Monday at 6 p.m. (during the academic year) in the Driscoll Underground. Can’t make it to a meeting? Send an email to duclarioneditor@gmail.com and we’ll do everything we can to get you published.
TARYN ALLEN, Arts & Life Editor KENDALL MORRIS, Arts & Life Editor CAITLAN GANNAM, Photo/Video Editor GRACE HOUSER, Photo/Video Editor MONICA MCFADDEN, Podcast Editor JUSTIN CYGAN, Copy Editor MAYA PINON, Copy Editor ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser
CONTRIBUTING STAFF CLAIRE BOGGS HANNAH BRANIT EMMA COHEN AMBER GANTT
FEB. 14, 2018
DU CLARION
SPORTS | 3
DU tops George Washington and West Virginia
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o. 12-ranked DU scored a 196.725 to beat No. 21 George Washington (195.950) and West Virginia (194.925) in front of a record breaking sold-out crowd in Hamilton Gymnasium. This was the third consecutive sold-out meet for Denver, and broke the attendance record that was set last week. “I want to thank our fans for our third-straight sell out, especially with the weather conditions,” Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. “The fan support has made all of the difference this season, and we really appreciate it.” “I would rank tonight among the [all-time ] toughest, grittiest Denver Gymnastics performances. We were making constant adjustments for illness and injury, and they showed an unreal amount of
mental toughness, determination and resiliency.” Kutcher-Rinehart said “It takes character to do what we’re doing. We didn’t compete with [freshman] Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.), one of our strongest all-arounders, and [junior] Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Fla.) has been sick with the flu. Our student-athletes had to step up in unexpected circumstances and with very limited training on specific events. What we’re doing is only possible with exceptional character.” Denver began the meet on vault, with only five gymnasts competing. Junior Diana Chesnok (Charlotte, N.C.) led the Pioneers off, scoring a 9.800, followed by freshman Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.) who earned a 9.775. Senior Nikole Addison (Fort Myers, Fla.) and Schou tied career highs, with respective scores of
9.900 and 9.850. Sophomore Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) had a season high-tying score of 9.925, winning the event title. On the bars, the Pioneers had its best team performance thus far in the season, with a season high 49.175. Freshman Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.) tied her personal best of 9.900 to earn the title,while Karr was second with a 9.875. Junior Claire Kern (Charlotte, N.C.), senior Leah Lomonte (Katy, Texas), Sundstrom and Chesnok finished out the event with matching 9.800s. In the third rotation, Denver scored a 49.047 on beam, competing again with six gymnasts. Karr and Schou shared the event title with matching 9.875s. Sundstrom was a close second with a 9.850 and Addison was third with a 9.800. Glynn made her debut on the event, scoring a 9.675 to help
DU from counting a fall. DU competed only five student-athletes on the floor, scoring a 49.225, with matching 9.925s from Addison and Karr, who share the event title. Sundstrom earned a 9.850, and Schou earned a 9.775. Glynn competed for the first time on the floor since the season opener and earned a 9.750. Karr won her fourth all-around title of the season with a 36.900, while Sundstrom finished fourth with a 39.275. Denver will travel to play No. 21 BYU with Southern Utah on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. MT, the first of a two-meet road trip. The Pioneers will return on March 5 for their final home meet of the season against Southern Utah.
Hannah Branit | Contributing Writer
Grace Houser | Clarion
Denver skiing takes second at DU Invitational A lthough Denver started in sixth during the opening day of the Denver Invitational, the Pioneers rallied and finished second with 590.5 points in the invite which was the last Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (RMISA) regular season meet in 2018. The DU Nordic team contributed with 154 points on Feb. 11, with the women’s 5 km classical and the men’s 10 km classical. The women were second, scoring 88 points, while the men took fourth in the Nordic events with 66 points. “It was a perfect Colorado day for racing,” said Nordic Coach Dave Stewart. “Bluebird skies, fresh snow and cold temperatures warming up through the day. We had a
strong team performance with five top-10 results, highlighted by Linn in second fighting for the win.” “[It was a] Beautiful day and a fun race. I had my first podium of the year in a 5 km race, which I am very happy about!” senior Linn Eriksen (Oslo, Norway) said following the race. She finished second with a time of 19.02.6. Her teammate, junior Jasmi Joensuu (Kuortane, Finland) finished fifth, clocking in at 19:06.1. Junior Taeler McCrerey (Frisco, Colo.) finished tenth with a time of 19:48.0, and sophomore Kristine Karrsrud (Oppland, Norway) finished 16th in 20:43.7. The final skier for Denver, senior Aja Starkey (Bozeman, Montana), finished 24th in 21:19.5. Senior Dag Frode Trolleboe
(Oslo, Norway) finished fourth for Leever (Vail, Colo.) finished second the men in the 10 km, with a time in the men’s slalom in 1:27.48, while of 34:05.4. After the race he said, junior Tuva Norbye (Oslo, Norway) “I’m happy with the result today. finished second in the women’s I’ve been struggling on this course slalom with a time of 1:28.71. in the past, so it was fun to fight in Freshman Amelia Smart (Vanthe top today.” couver, B.C.) finished fifth in the Fellow Pioneers, sophomore slalom with a time of 1:29.19, while Eivind Kvaale (Høydalsmo, freshman Jett Seymour (Steamboat Norway) and freshman Borgar Springs, Colo.) tied for sixth for the Norrud finished eighth and 22nd, men, with a time of 1:28.23. Other with respective times of 34:26.5 finishers for DU include sophomore and 26:28.5 Tanner Farrow (Hailey, Idaho) in On Feb. 10, the Alpine team 1:29.10 and sophomore Nick Santscored 169 points, and Nordic aniello in 1:52.46. scored 165 points. The Alpine team The ski team will compete at finished the invite in fourth place. the RMISA Regionals on Feb. 22, in Freshman Tobias Kogler (Hal- Steamboat Springs, Colo. lein, Austria) placed first in the men’s slalom with a time of 1:27.04. The Pioneers had two second place finishes. Graduate student Alex Hannah Branit | Contributing Writer
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FEB. 14, 2018
| SPORTS
Men’s Lacrosse takes down Air Force in season opener
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o. 4-ranked Pioneers took Air Force down 11-5, in their season opener at Air Force. Junior attackman Austin French (Danville, Calif.) recorded the second hat trick of his career, while junior close defenseman Dylan Gaines (Baltimore, Md.) scored his first career goal and the first goal of the game to lead the Pioneers against No. 17-ranked Air Force. Gaines began the scoring 28 seconds into the game after faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste, (Denville, N.J.) won a faceoff backwards. After spending most of last season at defensive midfield, sophomore Danny Logan (Upper Arlington,
Ohio) scored in his first game back in the offensive midfield. Senior attackman Colton McCaffrey (Parker, Colo.) finished the scoring in the first quarter off an assist from French. In the second quarter, McCaffrey scored his second goal from an assist off of junior Drew Supinski (Collegeville, Pa.) in Supinski’s first game after transferring from Johns Hopkins. Denver closed out scoring in the first half with goals from senior captain Sean Mayle (San Carlos, Calif.), junior midfielder Colton Jackson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and freshman Riley Curtis (Brampton, Ontario). Junior goaltender Alex Ready (Lancaster, Pa.) had a first half shut out, making six
saves to leave the score at 7-0. In the second half, Air Force scored twice, but were answered by French, who scored his first two goals of the game with assists from McCaffrey and co-captain Connor Donahue (Groton, Mass.). Senior Jeremy Bosher (Kamloops, B.C.) completed the 3-0 run for the Pioneers off a feed from sophomore Ethan Walker (Peterborough, Ontario), ending the third quarter at 10-2. In the fourth quarter, French finished his hat trick, after a scoring run from Air Force, with an assist from Jackson to end a 17-minute scoring drought for the Pioneers, leaving the final score at 11-5. “I’m really proud of the way we started the game,” Head Coach Bill
Tierney said, following the match. “It’s the first win of the season on a very rough day to play. I thought in the second half we got a little complacent, but that’s a credit to Air Force for the runs they were able to go on. Overall, it was just a crazy day. It’s a matter of just taking this win, and now we move on to Duke on Friday night.” Denver will make the first of its six cross-country trips next week when the Pioneers travel to No.2ranked Duke on Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU and ESPN Denver 1600.
Hannah Branit | Contributing Writer
Women’s Lacrosse defeats Stanford in snowed-out opener
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omen’s Lacrosse defeated the Stanford University Cardinal 12-9 in the delayed season opener, after a snow storm Saturday moved the match to Sunday afternoon in the Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. “I think we were all excited for our first game and excited to play against Stanford,” said Head Coach Liza Kelly. “They are an old rival of ours from before I got here, so it’s a fun game to play. I think everybody appreciated playing in sunshine rather than snow.” The Denver squad got on the board early and were able to withstand an early lead by the Cardinal to pull even at halftime. The Crimson and Gold then used lockdown defense in the second half to hold the ranked opponent to just two second-half goals in the victory. Junior attacker Julia Feiss (Baltimore, Md.) recorded the first goal of the season for Denver and the first goal of the game on the first offensive possession at the 28:50 mark of the first half. Stanford took an early lead, however, and took advantage of man-up opportunities with goals at the 26:53 and 26:12 mark. Stanford extended their lead to 3-1 before senior Riley Eggeman (Mission Viejo, Calif.) got the Pioneers back on the board with an unassisted goal at 19:16. Another Stanford goal gave the Cardinal another lead of two, but goals from Denver freshman Eliza Radochonski (Englewood, Colo.) and sophomore Molly Little (Tiverton, R.I.) tied the game at four with 10:13 to play in the half. Stanford responded with two goals within a 31-second span to gain their lead of two, but Denver didn’t stop fighting. Feiss and junior Elizabeth Behrins scored three straight goals to regain a Denver lead of 7-6. At the half, Stanford tied Denver at seven. Freshman Quintin Hoch-Bullen (Severn, Ontario) struck first for the Pioneers in the second half with back-to-back goals at
25:44 on a free-position shot, and at 24:44 on an unassisted goal to give the Pioneers a twogoal advantage. Stanford added one final goal at the 18:50 mark of the second half, but the second half was controlled by Denver. The Pioneers outshot Stanford 16-13 in the second half, went 2-5 on free-position shots and had a 10-4 advantage on ground balls. Feiss ended the game with three goals to go along with two assists, for a team-high five points for the Pioneers. Behrins added an assist on the final goal of the game for two points in the game. Sophomore goalie Carson Gregg (Severna Park, Md.) made the biggest difference in the opening match. In her first career start, she recorded 16 saves off of 33 shot attempts by Stanford, and held the Cardinal to 0-11 on free-position shots, including several key saves late in the game to keep the Pioneers in front. Gregg added a teamhigh three ground balls to her stats and played all 60 minutes in the net. “I thought Carson was great,” said Kelly. “I thought the defense in front of her was really giving her the shots that we wanted her to face and I thought she stepped up and delivered.” “I think there is a lot for us to work on,” Kelly said. “I’m glad we walked away with the win. I think there were a lot of very good things, but I think that we know that there is a long season ahead of us and lot of room for improvement.” The Pioneers play their first away game of the season next weekend as they travel to play Louisville on Saturday, Feb. 17. Denver’s next home game is Feb. 23 at noon against San Diego State.
Julie Gunderson | Clarion
Houses for Rent Next Year
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Nikky Johnson | Sports Editor
DU CLARION
FEB. 14, 2018
OPINIONS | 5
Many faces, countless stories.
We are all Founders.
Friday, March 2
Founders Feature Event
11:30 am - 1 pm | AAC Special Events Room A storytelling journey of the University of Denver through the eyes, experiences, and perspectives of diverse members of our community.
du.edu/founders
DU CLARION
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FEB. 14, 2018
| OPINIONS
Black History Month is needed now more than ever
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ebruary is Black History Month, which celebrates the history and contributions of black Americans in this country. It stems from Negro History Week, which was created by the “father of black history,” Dr. Carter G. Woodson, in February of 1926. Woodson picked the month of February since it was the birth month of President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas. It became Black History Month under President Gerald Ford in 1976. Every February the question comes up, is Black History Month still needed? Some argue that it isn’t, calling it divisive and pointing out the strides blacks have made in this country since slavery and the civil rights movement. Even some African-Americans agree. In a 2005 interview on ‘60 Minutes’ Mike Wallace, Morgan Freeman called it “ridiculous,” continuing, “You’re going to relegate my history to a month? I don’t want a Black History Month. Black history is American history.” Yes, black history is American history. However, as the old saying goes, history repeats itself and from our current political climate, it is clear that we have not learned from it yet. Some say we are now living in a post-racial society— after all, we did elect our first black president in 2008, black women are the most educated group in the United States,
with 64 % holding bachelor’s degrees and a lot has changed since our ancestors got here. But how much progress have we actually made? We
“very fine people.” And let’s not forget that he is the one who first questioned the legitimacy of former President Obama with the birther movement.There are Photo courtesy of Pixabay
have a president who attacks black NFL players for protesting racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem but has called white nationalists
still mass disparities in wealth between blacks and whites in this country. The incarceration rate of black men is five times that of white men, with
black men serving longer sentences than white men for the same crime. There have been numerous killings of unarmed black men by police officers with few police convictions.We are clearly not past race in this country. You can’t talk about black history without having an honest conversation about our country’s racist history. Woodson believed that acknowledging the accomplishments of African-Americans was the key to combating racism. In his book “The Mis-Education of the Negro” he says, “Race prejudice is merely the logical result of tradition, the inevitable outcome of thorough instruction to the effect that the Negro has never contributed anything to the progress of mankind. Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.” Woodson is right. Dedicating a month out of the year to acknowledge the accomplishments of black Americans counteracts the negative stereotypes of blacks and racial tension. I would love to see a time where this country is so inclusive that Black History Month is no longer needed, but our country isn’t ready yet. Right now we need Black History Month more than ever. Amber Gantt | Contributing Writer
Broadband in rural Colorado is overdue
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haky or non-existent internet service for residents living in rural parts of Colorado has been an issue for some time, but as the Front Range and metro area continue to experience growth, internet service has become an even larger question of fairness. It is this question at which a new bill in the Colorado legislature takes aim—a bipartisan group of state Senators are supporting a bill to allow more rapid extension of high-speed broadband into rural areas. The planned bill will take an existing fund that currently subsidizes rural telephone and use it to subsidize the extension of internet broadband service instead—Governor Hickenlooper hopes to raise rural internet availability to 100 percent by 2020. Providing better internet access to rural Colorado communities is something that should have happened a long time ago and which the state legislature should now carry out fully. It is easy to let the metro area dominate our perceptions of Colorado—economic growth, low unemployment and a strong tech industry are the glamorous features to which news outlets gravitate. But Colorado is far larger than just the metro area, and forgetting about rural residents is not permissible. A report by the Denver Post in December of 2017 revealed much frustra-
tion from rural Coloradans who do not feel that their needs are being prioritized on the same level as Front Range dwellers. This is deeply concerning, not just because it is leading to a rift in the state but because it is the same trend of alienation that has happened on the national level. The urban-rural divide played a significant role in the 2016 election, after which there were many pleas for more understanding between the two sides. States with successful metro areas that fail to give equal voice to rural residents will only make the divide worse. This is a large part of why the rural broadband bill is so important—if people living in rural areas do not have access to reliable internet (or sometimes any internet at all) at the same time that Denver launches headfirst into the tech-focused future, it is no wonder that resentments are brewing. However, the bill is not without issues. CenturyLink is currently Colorado’s largest rural phone service provider and receives most of the state’s telephone subsidies. The company has warned that with these subsidies being diverted instead to internet service, phone bills could increase in the future. This is a problem that certainly needs to be taken into account.
Photo courtesy of Connor W. Davis
With the drafting of the broadband bill, lawmakers should be aware of the preferences of residents when it comes to phone versus broadband service. As more people use the internet to communicate and turn away from landlines, it is possible that people will be less concerned about telephone service. This is a guess, however—the opinions of the affected residents themselves will need to be heard. Better internet service, even perhaps at the expense of the telephone subsidy, is very likely to be welcomed. Senator Don Coram, one of the sponsors of the bill, described to lawmakers how his wife had heard from a number neighbors from their
home in Montrose who support the plan for more internet access. The impact on phone bills in the future is certainly a problem that should be planned for, especially when lawmakers decide how quickly to transition the usage of the fund, but expanding broadband is a crucial step to take now. Even in the midst of excitement over the successes and needs of the city of Denver, rural Coloradans remain just as important. Figuring out how to serve urban and rural citizens alike will continue to be a challenging but necessary venture, not only in Colorado, but everywhere. Elizabeth Lochhead | Opinions Editor
FEB. 14, 2018
DU CLARION
OPINIONS | 7
Setting goals for community college transfer students
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ncouraging news for those who want to see DU become a more attainable and inclusive school came this week when the university announced a new program and scholarship that will support students transferring from community college to DU, starting in Fall 2018. The Pathways Scholarship program will award additional need-based scholarship dollars for transfer students from some local, twoyear community colleges, and
Photo courtesy of Connor W. Davis
the Guided Pathways program will make it easier to assess credit transfers when changing schools. These new projects are an important part of making DU a more inclusive campus, and as the university keeps growing and planning, there must also be plans for how to best support community college transfer students once they are here and until they graduate. The American Council on Education discusses how access to college is crucial, but so is
completion—for community college students, completion can mean earning a degree, earning a certificate, transferring to a four-year institution etc. Plans to support students through graduation apply to community colleges but also to the four-year schools like DU who accept transfer students from these colleges. Currently, only 15 percent of community college students end up graduating from a four-year program in fewer than six years, and this can be even lower for minority students. Helping high school students in getting to college is key, but so is supporting those same students once there—this can be through financial aid as well as advising programs and input from students themselves. DU this year opened a Transfer Living Community on campus, which is a good step in staying committed to students who have already made the switch. The university has also affirmed that it is working with the input of current transfers on how to better provide for this group. It is a good sign that the new scholarship program is included since financial aid can
PIONEER FUNNIES
be one of the large barriers to enrollment in four-year college, and DU must ensure that these scholarships stay in place in the coming years. The financial aid package will help community college students be able to transfer to DU, and they must be able to rely on this scholarship for the duration of their enrollment. Transferring to a four-year program does not need to be the end goal for all community college students—it is important that community colleges themselves continue to support students in graduating with a degree or certificate from those colleges—but it is a good option for many. DU is doing the right thing in making our university more accessible for those who wish to come here, but the same encouragement applies: just like community colleges, four-year colleges should ensure that students are completing programs, not just enrolling. There are enough barriers to college that exist already, and the more communities can do to lower these barriers, the healthier our higher education system will be. Elizabeth Lochhead | Opinions Editor
DU CLARION
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FEB. 14, 2018
| OPINIONS
PIONEER VOICES Question of the week:
What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?
“I am going to dinner and a movie, very cliché, but I’m excited.”
“My plans are to go to class then go to church in the evening because it is Ash Wednesday.”
Daniela Santos, Third Year
Greg Sonnier, Fourth Year
“I think I’ll order a pizza and probably just watch a movie and relax.”
“Facetiming with my boo thang. My boo thang is over there in the UK, met abroad.”
Travis Holian, Fourth Year
Aron Rodriguez, Third Year
FEB. 14, 2018
DU CLARION
ARTS & LIFE | 9
Celebrate Black History Month at DU H
istorically, social and political activism has been largely born on university campuses. Kent State University, located in Ohio, began observing Negro History Week first in 1926. The celebration was initiated by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, also the founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life (now nonprofit Association for the Study of African American Life and History, or the ASALH). In February 1970, Kent State began observing Black History Month. But it wasn’t until 1976, in recognition of the U.S. Bicen-
Taryn Allen | Clarion
tennial, that President Gerald Ford seized “the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” In 2018, it’s important that we reflect on how we as a community can work actively toward a better DU campus. The Center for Multicultural Excellence hosts a variety of events throughout this month which give all students and faculty of DU the opportunity to reflect on the contributions that people of color have made and continue to make every day. Here’s
an in-depth list of this week’s events to check out. Feb. 13: Symposium with Dr. Cheryl Kirk-Duggan 1 p.m., Iliff School of Theology Dr. Duggan is a professor of theology and ethics at Shaw University Divinity School. Dr. Duggan is the author of over 20 books including “Violence and Theology” and “The Sky is Crying: Racism, Classism, and Natural Disaster.” Feb. 13: The Spirituals Project Choir with Guy Davis 7:30 p.m., Newman Center for Performing Arts-Gates Concert Hall With a setlist adapted from songs sung by enslaved African Americans, the Spirituals Project’s mission is “the preservation and revitalization of the music and social justice teachings of sacred songs.” Feb. 15: Exploring Black/ African Identity In America 12 p.m., Sturm 453, Sponsored by BGSA Hear the Black Graduate Student Association speak out
on modern identity and inclusivity issues in America. Feb. 15: Black Actors Guild Performance: Forever and Always 6:30 p.m., Lindsey Auditorium, Sponsored by BSA “Forever and Always,” performed by the Black Actors Guild and hosted by the BSA, is a staged and interactive storytelling performance. Its missions are community engagement and uniting our collective past, present and future. Feb. 17, 2018, “Black Panther” Screening 7:30 p.m., IMAX Colorado Blvd., Sponsored by Diversity Committee DU’s Diversity Committee offers students an opportunity to see “Black Panther.” The film is Marvel’s first film featuring a black superhero and predominantly black cast. Its complex themes dive deep into our history and mythology, and touch on today’s most pressing social justice issues.
Kendall Morris | Arts & Life Editor
5 must-read books to celebrate Black History Month
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lack History Month is a month dedicated not only to remembering the long history of Black-American culture, but to honoring Black excellence in all forms. Every day we should strive to educate ourselves on Black history and culture and celebrate Black talent. What better way to do so than by reading books by brilliant, proud and revolutionary Black writers. Here are the five must-read books to celebrate Black History Month: 1. “The Cross of Redemption: Uncollected Writings” by James Baldwin Baldwin is one of my favorite authors of all time, so maybe I am biased in suggesting this collection. However, I believe this is a must-read for every person I know. I chose this book in particular because it’s one of his lesser known collections, but possibly one of his most powerful. It is a gathering of essays, articles, reviews and interviews that covers issues such as the possibility of an African-American president and what it might mean (which is a bit foreshadowing), the Black church in America, anti-Semitism, the trials of Black nationalism, the blues and the role of the writer in our society. It is still very relevant to the times we live in and insightful to issues of importance to not only the Black community, but to all communities. 2. “Who Fears Death” by Nnedi Okorafor If you’re a lover of fantasy and science fiction, this book is perfect for you. In this novel, award-winning literary author, Nnedi Okorafor, delivers an
engaging supernatural fantasy with a novel of post-apocalyptic Africa. It follows a girl named Onyesonwu, which means “Who Fears Death?” in an ancient African tongue. Through teaching of a shaman, Onyesonwu discovers her destiny — to end the genocide of her people, the Okeke, by another tribe called the Nuru. Through this journey she experiences tradition, history, nature, true love and the mysteries of her culture. This novel was also picked up by HBO, and will become a show in 2018. 3. “salt.” by Nayyirah Waheed The list of talented Black poets is endless. However, Nayyirah Waheed is one of my favorites. Her collection of poems in “salt.” is absolutely beautiful. In her poetry, she explores identity, blackness, womanhood, pain, love, community, healing and much more. If you want to be moved in a powerful way, this collection of poetry will do the trick. 4. “Killing Rage: Ending Racism” by bell hooks Another one of my favorite authors, bell hooks, has always stated that eradicating racism and eradicating sexism must go hand in hand. In this book, she speaks to that issue throughout her collection of essays. They address topics having to do with race and racism in the U.S., such as anti-Semitism and racism, trauma from racism, friendship between black women and white women, racism in movies and the media and more. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the book is how she writes about
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
the the anger of Black people hurt by instances of everyday racism. She calls this “killing rage.” She explains that it is possible to find a healing source of love and strength and a source of encouragement for that positive change in that rage. 5. “Zami: A New Spelling of My Name” by Audre Lorde In this book, Audre Lorde, another skilled and strong poet and author, tells the story of her life from her childhood into her early adulthood. Through her beautiful language, she explains her life living in New York in the 1950s as a queer woman of color. She explores the intersections of race, class, sexuality and gender,
as well as the ways one can find beauty through the pains and joy of life. After all, as stated in the book, “A choice of pains. That’s what living was all about.” All of these books are excellent reads, but there are a ton more books written by talented Black authors. I encourage you all to seek out these books, and to continue to celebrate Black talent and Black lives every single month of the year.
Grace Carson | Staff Writer
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Tyler, The Creator rejects a brownie and tells audience to enjoy right now
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Daniela Santos | Clarion
n Feb. 6 rapper and Odd Future frontman Tyler, The Creator performed at the First Bank Center in Broomfield with help from friends Taco and Vince Staples. DJ Taco initiated the night with an energetic set that made the arena feel like an intimate house party. Staples followed up with an intricate light set up which broke off each song with a distorted, apocalyptic clip of a news broadcast. He performed tracks primarily off his recent LP “Big Fish Theory” as well as early favorites like “Norf Norf.” The main event commenced when a giant purple curtain fell to reveal an escapist set graced with a scenic backdrop including hills and three-dimensional trees. The magical ambiance mirrored the dreaminess of Tyler’s newest project “Flower
Boy.” To bring the audience into this world, Tyler gave the illusion of letting go and falling in through the downward arpeggiating synth in the song “Where This Flower Blooms.” The scene was set for an emotional show, but the audience did not forget who they came to see. After performing a few songs off “Flower Boy,” Tyler was quick to engage with the audience and point out the cold Colorado weather. He sported a bright neon safety vest with matching neon shorts and showcased his leopard print hairdo, which debuted at the 2018 Grammy Awards, where his album was nominated for “Best Rap Album. In true Colorado fashion, someone from the main floor threw a brownie at Tyler which he was quick to reject and proceeded to throw it back to the audience
where many expressed willingness to take the questionable pastry. After that encounter, he then asked everyone if he could perform some of his older tracks which, unsurprisingly, everyone was on board with. Some of those older tracks included “IFHY,” “Tron,” “Tamale,” “She” and “48,” songs that Tyler knew would get the audience to rap along with him. He used this familiarity to his advantage when he performed “Fucking Young,” a song about rejecting someone because of their age. In the middle of the performance, Tyler had cued a pause in the music so only the audience would sing the iconic line, “but you’re too fucking young,” to which Tyler playfully reacted appalled by the audience’s remark. Living in the moment was
the overall theme of the show. Tyler had asked the audience to put down their phones—albeit only lasting perhaps one song. Some performances derailed from the recorded versions of the tracks which added a new life to the songs. “911/Lonely” and “I Ain’t Got Time” were highlights of this practice for which he asked the audience to “chirp, chirp,” or rhythmically clap for an extended amount of time—never feeling stale. Tyler ended the show the same way it began, in a dream. “See You Again,” arguably his softest, most romantic song, was the closer and had the audience swaying along as the scenic backdrop transformed into a starlit sky, which gradually faded Tyler off the stage.
humorous and heartbreaking monologues from real women. DU students have performed the show each February for many years, each year choosing a local organization to which they donate proceeds. This year, $10 will reserve you a seat, and every penny of that will be donated to the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA) and their work in sexual assault resistance.
Though the show is performed by an all-female cast and geared toward female empowerment, past performances have proven that “The Vagina Monologues” is a show that welcomes, entertains and educates people of any gender. Especially in the era of the #MeToo campaign and increased awareness of sexual assault and gender violence issues, it’s important to keep
the momentum going and support causes such as this. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. in Driscoll Ballroom, but be sure to arrive early. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., leaving plenty of time to purchase tickets and grab a seat, as well as attend a pre-performance cookie social with information from CCASA representatives.
Daniela Santos | News Editor
DU welcomes “The Vagina Monologues”
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nce again, it’s time to plan your Valentine’s date to “The Vagina Monologues.” Presented by the Health and Counseling Center as part of Love, Sex and Health Week, volunteer DU student actresses will perform Eve Ensler’s show on Feb. 15 and 16. “The Vagina Monologues” is a collection of bold, empowering,
Taryn Allen | Arts & Life Editor
How to enjoy your Valentine’s Day in Denver
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or this Valentine’s Day, Denver has plenty to offer, whether you prefer to keep things simple or you love a grand romantic gesture. Here are some low-budget date ideas that will be sure to make the day special for you and your date: Ice skating is probably one of the most classic and fun date options for all kinds of couples, and this year you can prove how to measure up to the figure skaters at this year’s Olympics (or the speed skaters, if you like to live on the edge.) The Skyline Park
downtown rink is ending their 2017-2018 season this Valentine’s day, and you can skate for free if you bring your own pair of skates. If you’d rather leave skating to the pros, you can go to the Colorado Avalanche game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Pepsi Center. For a more quiet, peaceful time, you could head to the Botanic Gardens and view the Orchid Showcase, “stroll through the Rainforest” at the Butterfly Pavilion, or “heart” your favorite pieces at the Denver Art Museum as part of the “Hearts for Art”
project, which encourages patrons to post a picture of their favorite piece on social media and use the hashtag “#HeartsforArt” in order to spread art to a wider audience. You could head to any of your favorite restaurants for dinner, but why not take advantage of the holiday and have as much chocolate as you can? Saucy Bombay is selling boxes of their chocolate samosas (2 for $3), and the Chocolate Lab, an entire restaurant dedicated to “combining art and science in chocolate,” has chocolate-infused dishes
and various confections to take home with you. If you’d rather leave chocolate for dessert, Sweet Cooie’s Ice Cream and Confectionery has a unique menu of ice cream flavors (including vegan options), and they’re hiding “golden tickets” in some of their boxes of truffles, which are each good for a free ice cream social for you and three friends. Whatever you may choose to do, enjoy your Valentine’s Day with the one(s) you love. Emma Cohen | Contributing Writer
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Spring book releases to warm up your mind Zadie Smith | Photo courtesy of Metro
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ith the dark and cold of winter soon to pass, spring’s warmer, brighter and longer days will greet us, and provide the perfect setting and opportunity to start a new book, one of the exciting multitude being published this spring. In the literary world, a lot of books, especially about similar subject matter/themes, get published at the same time. So to help provide some direction, here’s a curated list of some of the most exciting upcoming books.
1. Zadie Smith: “Feel Free” One of the most promising and popular artists of the new millennium, Zadie Smith is best known for her novels, “White Teeth,” and 2016’s “Swing Time.” “Feel Free” is a collection of essays written by Smith between 2008 and 2017. It covers a wide selection of topics, ranging from high culture critique to praise of Jay Z, lamentation of social media and idyl thoughts of Brexit. While technically published already (Feb. 6), “Feel Free” promises to be one of the best books of
the spring. 2. Luis Alberto Urrea: “The House of Broken Angels” Sometimes books act as escapes from the constant presence of negative news and tragedy we are surrounded by, and sometimes, they act as poignant bearers of the tragedy in the world we must face. Urrea’s novel, “The House of Broken Angels” is one of these important books. It tells the complex, intertwined tale of an immigrant, Mexican-American family that explores not only the idiosyncrasies of family life, but of that of the experience of being a Latinx immigrant in America. The poignancy of Urrea’s timing is best seen in the publication date of March 6, a day after DACA expires under the orders of the Trump administration. 3. Leslie Johnson “The Recovering: Intoxication and its Aftermath” Part confessional memoir, part historical critique, Johnson’s “The Recovering” is a delicate, fascinating portrayal of her own battle with addiction and
a historical investigation into alcoholism and addiction within significant figures of the art and literary scene, and the way alcoholism and addiction plays into the culture of the United States. It promises to be an intimate, no-holds-barred look at addiction and a takedown of the boozy, tortured artist myth. Out on April 3. 4. Lawrence Wright: “God Save Texas” Pulitzer-Prize winner Wright takes readers on a thorough, nuanced journey into the soul of America’s most polarizing, arguably idiosyncratic state, Texas. Wright, a Lone-Star State native, dives head first into the culture, politics, history and current condition of the contentious state. As well, he scrutinizes the rough stereotypes that have plagued, or maybe propped up, the complex state. It’s a look at a part of America, but as well an intensive look at what America has been and what it might become. Out April 17. Justin Cygan | Copy Editor
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY
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SPRING
INTERTERM COURSES
Nicaragua Development Dilemmas GEOG 3930 . 4 credits Location: Nicaragua Instructor: Matthew Taylor March 18-24
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FEB. 14, 2018