JAN. 23, 2019 VOLUME 126 ISSUE 2
ACTIVISTS MARCH ON DENVER
PAGES 2-4: WOMXN’S MARCH, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ MARCH & MLK MARADE
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DU CLARION
| NEWS
JAN. 23, 2019
Inclusion increases at 2019 Womxn’s March
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n Jan. 19, people from across Colorado gathered at Civic Center Park in Downtown Denver to champion women’s rights. The Womxn’s March started at 9 a.m. with rousing speeches and songs from speakers. At 10:20 a.m. the crowd began to walk, circling the streets of the Colorado State Capitol Building. Chants cascaded over the marchers. Some chants maligned President Donald Trump with their lyrics, while others celebrated the movement. Estimates from organizers said that 80,000 people were in attendance, down from last year’s roughly 100,000 marchers. Signs bobbed up and down as the march continued. Some signs celebrated the record breaking 102 women serving in the House of Representatives starting this year, other signs demanded the end of government persecution
and some questioned the unequal social treatment that women face, with one sign reading “you want to keep the blood and the milk hidden as if the womb and breast never fed you.” The Womxn’s March made more steps towards inclusion this year. They changed the “E” to an ‘X” in an effort to include those who identify outside the gender binary. In addition, they wanted the name of their movement to acknowledge the transcendent nature of sexism. When asked about the name change, a member of the leadership team, Angela Aste, said, “There are a lot of people on the gender spectrum that are experiencing sexism, and we wanted to signal to them that their voices are incredibly welcome with us.” She recognized that the name change was not without controversy, saying that it made some feel discluded. That was not the only con-
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troversial aspect of the Womxn’s March this year. Womxn’s March leaders were accused of celebrating anti-semitic worldviews and espousing those worldviews themselves. The movement has been grappling with their identity ever since, because one of their fundamental tenets from the beginning was working with all races and religions.
The temperature was in the mid-30s and ice covered the ground due to the snow fall from the day before. In spite of the cold and controversy, marchers in Denver joined marchers across the country, demanding equality and celebrating strength. Isaiah Jakab | Contributing Writer
Brianna Makumbi l Clarion
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TARYN ALLEN, Editor-in-Chief GRACE CARSON, Executive Editor DANIELA SANTOS, News Editor HANNAH BRANIT, Sports 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. 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.
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ELIZABETH LOCHHEAD, Opinions Editor JUSTIN CYGAN, Arts & Life Editor NINA PETROVIC, Arts & Life Editor CAITLAN GANNAM, Photo/Video Editor VICTORIA VALENZUELA, Photo/Video Editor SARA LOUGHRAN, Copy Editor MAYA PINON, Copy Editor CHELSIE FINCHER, Illustrator LAWSON MONTGOMERY, Paper Delivery Person HALEY BIRT, Paper Delivery Person SYDNEY KAPP, Business Manager ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser Cover image courtesy of Victoria Valenzuela
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JAN. 23, 2019
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NEWS | 3
Marching toward equality at the Indigenous Peoples’ March
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arching up to the steps of the Colorado State Capitol on Jan. 18, members of the indigenous community in the U.S. took a stand to make their voices heard and bring awareness to the oppression of indigenous people all across the country. The organizer of the Denver march, Terri Arnel, was passionate about the event because she had the goal to “bring representation to [her] people and to...unite youth, elders and allies to create some kind of sustainability and understanding for the community.” Jazmine and Christie Wildcat are two young women from Riverton, Wyo., a border town of the Wind River Reservation where they have lived for the past 10 years, who were
participating in the day’s march. These two individuals wanted to “stand up for [their] people because they just get pushed aside.” Having attended other marches in the past, Christie shared that this one was similar but also said, “There is a lot more emotion here for me because it is about indigenous people; I have a tie; that’s my people; it’s personal to me.” The power of this march was escalated by the fact that members of indigenous communities from all over were gathering on the land of one of the most incredibly devastating historical events, the Sand Creek Massacre. Christie said, “I was marching for the people who couldn’t march and...standing up for people who need to be stood up for.”
There are a lot of trials the indigenous community in this country has faced, from having land taken away to Native women being subject to violence, and this march is working to show the progress towards an end to this brutality. Not only was the march a symbol of the unity of indigenous people, but it was also symbolic through the perseverance of those who did come out to participate in the march. As are many events in January, this Indigenous Peoples’ March was flooded with snowfall and freezing temperatures. Rather than letting this stop hope, however, Christie made the comparison that her “ancestors marched thousands and thousands of miles in this type of weather” which gave her “that realization that ‘Wow,
I am going through what my ancestors went through,’” and inspired her to represent them here today. “We never left, we’re still here and you can’t walk over us,” said Jazmine Wildcat. Cameron Elder | Contributing Writer Chelsie Fincher l Clarion
The Clarion chats with Chancellor Chopp Taryn Allen l Clarion
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n Wednesday, Jan. 16, DU’s Chancellor Rebecca Chopp (RC) sat down with DU Clarion Editor-in-Chief Taryn Allen (TA) and News Editor Daniela Santos (DS) to answer some questions submitted by students and the paper’s editorial team. Chancellor Chopp touched on various subjects including upcoming construction plans, addressing hatred on campus, assisting transfer students, Impact 2025, the potential growth in media related fields and the university’s goals for 2019. (DS) What are the plans for organizations like the Center for Multicultural Excellence and DU Clarion who were originally housed at the Driscoll Student Center? (RC) Once we open the Commu-
nity Commons you’ll have spaces in those new buildings, so the question is really what happens in the kind of interim because that building won’t open until the fall of 2020. The Clarion has temporary space in the Hub, formally the SAE house, until you move into the commons. If there is an issue with that space then you need to talk with Lili Rodriguez, the vice chancellor. The Center for Multicultural Excellence (CME), after both the Vice Chancellor Rodriguez and I met with a lot students at the end of the semester, they too had space in the Hub, but it really wasn’t working to meet a variety of their needs, so we had to think of a two prong strategy because, you know, space is tight on this campus. Right now, they have a additional space in the Newman bungalow which is housed between the Newman Center and the school of engi-
neering, and we have obtained a property on York avenue which we will be turning into a space for CME. It’s going to take us little time because it needs some remodeling; I don’t have specific dates, but it is kind of a two prong strategy. (DS) What measures has DU taken in the past year to combat racism, homophobia and other forms of hatred on campus? (RC) This is an ongoing journey for us. We’ve been working on this and are well aware of the impact of the greater society on us and as times change, we have to employ new strategies. In the last year we’ve done a variety of things; we’ve done the freedom of expression committee, and the undergraduate student body has representatives, as does graduate and the faculty senate
and their other faculty as well, that is responsible both to advise me in a time of particular crisis when a big event is happening, but in other times to try to help cultivate in the culture a way to have rigorous conversations where people both listen and can express themselves. Darrin Hicks is chairing that, and he’s the chair of the faculty senate. And this goes with the revision of our freedom of expression policy, but it’s a pretty, in a way, standard policy in the university. What’s unique about our policy is actually the faculty and the students themselves establishing this committee to do ongoing teaching, intervention, advice and counsel. There are lots and lots of training sessions that come out of Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence (CLIE), education, support sessions; we are putting in place this first year program called Camp Compass—so both in orientation and across the first year a lot of different kinds of workshops and training events to help students learn. It’s not, after all, just students who represent underrepresented cultures in our campus, it’s all students that do this. (…) We’ve done a soft launch to a bias incident response team to help with students around expressions of hate and microaggressions. I say it’s a soft launch because we found, you know, you can get 20 students to plan something with 20 staff and you roll it out and all of a sudden you find something new. Soft launches are our way to get input, try it and then adapt it before we fully announce what it’s going to be. (…) One of the things I’ve always appreciated about DU is, in some institutions I’ve been, it’s like there’s a problem, administration has to fix it. And here it’s been: we all have to do our part. (…)
(DS) What systems have been put in place to help transfer students at DU, and how are you improving on it for
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Chat with Chopp (continued) future students? (RC) We have now on the website clarified the credit evaluation policies. I was a transfer student, so I know this well—what’s going to count and what’s not going to count. We’re also developing an articulation agreement process for transfer students at the third- and fourthyear level. Second year (students) have more freedom but third and fourth year cannot waste time; they need to hit the ground running. We are consciously doing a lot to recruit local students and work hard with community colleges. I think we’re going to see in America more and more students go to community colleges and then transfer into places like DU. We shouldn’t have to necessarily wait until they are on campus to welcome them to DU to get them part of the culture. So it’s both recruiting but also making them feel at home here because again they’ve got to get going fast. That’s everything from working with specific community colleges— we work with a lot but really try every year add a couple more community colleges—and then lots of communication. Admissions has built a quite specific campus visit designed for our transfer students that really focuses on all the questions that transfer students might have. We just recently expanded aid to transfer students. In general, one of the things we are now doing more and more of is trying to drive more of a partnership between student affairs, admissions and academics so that it’s more seamless for students. (TA) In your how would you Impact 2025?
words, describe
(RC) I think that Impact 2025 is really about preparing students with knowledge for the 21st century. We know that everything is going to be really different, you are going to change jobs a lot more. You don’t need the profound knowledge base, but equally so, you need to learn how to learn. Most of Impact 2025 in one way or another is an answer to the question, “What do you our students need to know and be prepared for in the 21st century?” Emotional intelligence, career achievement, experiential education, more collaboration, innovation—all of those things are going to be built more and more into the curriculum and into the student experience. That’s true if you look at what is going to go on in the residence halls and the career achievement center that’s building, but it’s also true in the academic side. We’re expanding what we call a “grand challenges approach” where faculty and students partner with local communities and local nonprofits to tackle a problem. It’s like you get to already be engaged in what you will do at work and blend that together with
your academic experience. (…) It’s a much more experiential based, much more focused approach on how you are going to learn and much more focused approach on collaboration and being in teams. (TA) There’s some frustration with students who are here in the interterm when there’s a lot of construction and stuff before this is all going to launch. What would you say to students who are feeling that way? (RC) Well I think some of the programs are already launching. The career achievement program has launched quite strongly; I think we had something like 47 percent of the first-year students in our career achievement services in the first quarter, which is unheard of around the country. Around the country only about 33 percent of students ever show in career services, and they do so in their senior year. We’re trying to do the programing, we’re doing the programming now and, like your question about spaces, we’re trying to find the spaces that are getting disrupted by the construction. I think the construction will be easier here on out; normally—as you begin a project—it’s just more difficult to work out the kinks. I think as we keep moving forward it should be easier; we will know more, students will have provided more feedback. You think you should be able to anticipate all these things. but you’re not. (TA) Local news is becoming increasingly scarce and the risk of fake news and misinformation is becoming problematic. For current and incoming students hoping to work in journalism and other media-related fields, how will DU cater to the growth and development of MFJS students? (RC) The theme of news, journalism and communication is extremely important to us. If you think about education and journalism really being the two sectors that have served democracy, exceedingly well so of course we’re interested in that service to democracy. We have just added to our board of trustees Greg Moore who is a former publisher of the Denver Post and the Boston Globe. He’s a well-recognized person to help us think through some of these ongoing realities. In terms of the specific department, programs and courses offered, that is really up to the provost and the faculty in that department. (DS) What are your goals for DU in 2019? What do you believe DU is best at, and what do you think needs improvement on?
this construction well underway. And we’re working hard on that because we can’t have delays. We can’t have delays on the resident’s hall because those students are going to show up and they’re going to need their beds. And we don’t want delays on the community commons. I think we continue to work in the area of career achievement, that also covers things like internships, your connection to alumni. We done so much research and continued to do it on what you all need. We’re getting ready for a capital campaign to raise additional funds for the University and we’re in the midst of planning that. One of our biggest areas will be around financial because we simply need more financial aid. More and more financial aid for undergrads and graduate students. We are starting a conversation on what is community at DU and what are our key values. It’s pretty clear that many of the students, faculty and staff want more community. It’s also clear that feeling like you belong and are supported is important for learning and thriving and dealing with stress. The community models that we’ve had out of the 20st century aren’t particularly workable so we are proposing to launch an 18-month process about both talking about community and creating community. But this has got to be really driven by everyone who wants to participate. I can do all the research, sit down with a group of people and do a strategic plan but this is really about people engaging and then at some point stepping back and saying, “what are our values? What do we want to be known for?” When students select DU, we want them to say, “I am going to that school because it really does x, y and z.” I don’t have a grand design, we are spending this quarter designing this process. Last night we went to the undergraduate student government, graduate students, we’ve been to the staff advisory council, we’ve pulled a lot of faculty together (…) to talk about this. So how do we design a process that will create the kind of community that we want to belong too. It’s not all feel good, because as you know many people feel like they don’t belong here, they feel already excluded. So how do we create a community that can talk truthfully about that and about a variety of perspectives but also identify those values that can help us actualize that change and be the community we want to be? This is a really big project and hopefully by the spring quarter we’ll be able to launch it in some specified way. Usually we can sit here and consult with people and develop a plan but this feels like it’s going to be a much bigger conversation.
(RC) One goal is certainly to get Daniela Santos | News Editor
JAN. 23, 2019
The 2019 Marade: Demonstrating and celebrating
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t 10:45 a.m. on Jan 21., members of the Denver community began marching down Colfax Avenue for Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day. It was Denver’s 34th annual Marade, one of the largest MLK Day celebrations in the country. Organizers say that the Marade is unique to Denver, the only one of its kind. The title combines the words “march” and “parade” communicating that it is both a celebration of MLK’s contributions to defeating racial injustice and a demonstration against the racial injustice that still exists. A drumline scored the march as Denverites lined the streets waving and cheering for the parade that passed. An estimated 50,000 to 75,000 Denverites attended this year’s Marade, boasting icons from across the state. Politicians, church leaders and students marched together. The Marade began at the “I Have a Dream” memorial at City Park near East High School and went west down East Colfax Avenue. After a roughly three-mile trek, it ended at Civic Center Park just west of the Colorado State Capitol Building. At the terminus of the march, the crowd gathered in front of the Greek Theatre to hear from the organizers of the Marade and performers such as gospel choir Voices of Praise and Bridge the Gap. The theme of the 2019 Marade was “We Cry Freedom,” a call to action considering the recent injustice and inaction in both society and the government. In celebration of MLK’s dedication to service, there was a food and resource drive for anyone who needed it. The organizers offered up donations to those affected by the government shutdown. Churches, high-schools and local clubs had representation at the Marade. So too did DU, with many students marching alongside other Denverites. Members of clubs and affinity groups such as Social Justice LLC, Black Student Alliance (BSA) and LatinX Student Alliance (LSA) were represented. In addition, numerous students that weren’t representing any on-campus groups attended, as well. DU students sought to stand in solidarity with others and show their appreciation for Martin Luther King Jr.
Isaiah Jakab | Contributing Writer
JAN. 23, 2019
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SPORTS | 7
Pioneers earn NCHC point in tie with Colorado College
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ith standing room only in Magness Arena, The No. 3 Pioneers drew 4-4 with the Colorado College Tigers, earning an extra NCHC point, in the Battle for the Gold Pan. This game will be recorded as a tie in the NCAA records but the Pioneers won the extra NCHC point from freshman Brett Stapley (Campbell River, B.C.). The Pioneers dashed into the first minutes of the game as they placed immense pressure onto the Tigers’ goal. Stapley tallied the first goal of the night for the Pioneers off a rebounded shot from fellow freshman Tyler Ward
(Kamloops, B.C.). Junior Liam Finlay (Kelowna, B.C.) would also record an assist. The Tigers found the net and shifted momentum on a power play at 8:43 in the first. Moments later, senior Les Lancaster (Ypsilanti, Mich.) received a major penalty and game misconduct for contact to the head. The Tigers would capitalize on the man advantage and take over the lead. In the second period, the Pioneers tied the game at two apiece in just 33 seconds off of a cross-crease pass from Finlay to Ward. Stapley would go down with an assist. The Tigers scored on goal at 13:41, while also drawing a foul. On the ensuing power
play, the Tigers struck again making the score 2-4 going into the second intermission. Senior Jarid Lukosevicius (Squamish, B.C.) began the comeback for the Pioneers as he redirected a shot from freshman Emilio Pettersen (Mangerud, Norway) at 9:43. Junior Erich Fear (Winnetka, Ill.) was also credited with the assist. After winning the faceoff, Stapley crashed into the net and tapped in the puck after it slipped under Tigers keeper’s legs, tying the game at 4-4. Finley and sophomore Kohen Olischefski (Abbotsford, B.C.) recorded the assists. The Pioneers and Tigers ended tied at four in the
overtime periods sending the game into a NCHC shootout. Stapley went left to right and lifted the puck over the goalkeepers left arm into the top shelf of the net. Freshman Filip Larsson (Stockholm, Sweden) denied the Tigers shot winning the point for the Pioneers. Larsson ended the night with a total of 24 saves. The Pioneers travel to Western Michigan next weekend and face the Mustangs in a weekend double-header on Jan. 25 and Jan. 26. The Pioneers took both games earlier in the season Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer
Lauryn Butler | Clarion
Denver men’s swim sweeps in Las Vegas
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enver men’s swim team completed a perfect weekend of duals, recording wins against University of Las Vegas (UNLV) and UC Santa Barbara, scoring 190 against UNLV’s 85, and 141 against UC Santa Barbara’s 130. The women’s squad lost their two duals but kept the scores tight. In the first day of duals, the men and women claimed wins in the 400 medley relay. On the women’s side, redshirt-senior Heidi Bradley (Victoria, B.C.), freshman Brandi Vu (Longmont, Colo.), junior Josie Valette (Boulder, Colo.) and senior Lauren Moden (Parker, Colo.) combined for 3:45.93 to claim their third win of the season. Junior Neil Wachtler (Waco, Texas), sophomore Cy Jager (Moscow, Idaho), sophomore Adriel Sanes (Rosharon, Texas) and Cameron Auchinachie (Binghamton, N.Y.) finished in 3:19.28, claiming first place for the second time this year. In the 300 free, senior Annelyse Tullier (Dallas, Texas) took second place with a time of 2:55.13. She was followed by Moden, who finished second in the 100 IM in 58.31. Junior Kylie Cronin (Marblehead, Mass.) finished third in the 50 fly with a time of 25.81. Vu took a second place finish in the 50 breaststroke, touching in 29.66.
The men took three of the top five spots in the men’s 200 IM thanks to freshman David Mihalic (Ljubljana, Slovenia), freshman Patrick Groters (Santa Cruz, Aruba) and freshman Blayze Jessen (Denver, Colo.) swept third, fourth and fifth, clocking in at 1:54.12, 1:54.19, and 1:54.98, respectively. The men’s team continued their dominance with a win in the 50 back from Wachter, touching at 22.98. He was followed by junior Peter Webster (Odense, Denmark), and Sanes, who finished in the top two spots in the 50 fly with times of 22.48 and 22.60. In the last relay that night, junior Hugo Sykes (Weston, Conn.), Auchinachie, junior Colin Gilbert (Kamloops, B.C.) and senior Kyle Ewoldt (Gilbert, Ariz.) finished first in the men’s 800 relay, touching in 6:42.82. Jager finished the night strong for the men’s side as he took first place in the 50 breast with a time of 25.83. On the second day of duals, the men’s team started strong with another relay win behind Wachtler, Jager, Webster and Auchinachie. The foursome finished first in the 200 medley with a time of 1.29.97, marking their third win in this event this season. The 400 free relay team comprised of Auchinachie, Sykes, Wachtler and Groters took first with a time of 2:59.17.
The men’s relay teams’ successes were followed by a string of wins by the Pioneers in individual events. Gilbert and junior Jesse Haraden (Ballston, Spa, N.Y.) started the Pioneers off in the 1000 free, touching in 9:27.76 and 9:35.24. Sykes finished second in the 200 free in 1:40.42, and Wachtler touched first in the 100 back in 49.23. Sanes touched in 57.22 in the 100 breast to take third for the Pioneers while Ewoldt took first place in the 200 fly with a time of 1:51.56. They were followed by Auchinachie and Sykes in the 100 free, touching in 44.27 and 45.49 respectively. Wachtler recorded his third win of the dual in the 200 back with a time of 1:49.34. He was joined by Groters, who touched third in 1:51.03. Sanes raced in both the 200 breast and the 100 fly, taking third in the 200 breast with a time of 2:04.81 and finishing first in 49.58 in the 100 fly. In his freshman season, Mihalic won his third IM in the 400 individual medley with a time of 3:58.11. On the women’s side, the 200 medley team, led by senior Annelyse Tullier (Dallas, Texas), Vu, Valette and Moden, took first in the 200 medley with a time of 1:43.49. They were followed with several individual wins. Bradley touched third in the 100 back with a time of
56.71. Her third was followed by a second place finish by Vu in the 100 breast with a time of 1:04.04. In the 200 fly, Cronin took second with a time of 2:03.87, followed by freshman McKayla Sanchez (Temecula, Calif.) who took fourth with a time of 2:06.57. Moden finished third in the 100 free, touching in 52.01. She was followed by Bradley, who took second in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:02.88. Sophomore Charlotte Simon (Saint Remy, France) turned in the women’s first individual event win after touching first in the 200 breast in 2:18.94. Tullier took third in the 500 free with a time of 5:02.93, followed by second and third places by Cronin and Valette in the 100 fly in 56.10 and 56.65 respectively. In the final event for the women, sophomore Uma Knaven (Chapel Hill, N.C.) took second in the 400 IM with a time of 2:29.42. Denver swim heads to Atlanta to take Georgia Tech in a two-day dual starting Jan. 25. They will return to El Pomar Natatorium on Feb. 2 to take on the Air Force in a sprint, while the dive team will head to the Air Force Academy to compete in the Air Force Diving Invite the same weekend. Hannah Branit | Sports Editor
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JAN. 23, 2019
Double-double by Nelson pushes Pioneers over NDSU
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he Pioneers improve their record to 11-8 (4-2 Summit) with a 81-54 win over the North Dakota State Bison. The win came behind the impressive performance of junior Madison Nelson (Dover, Minn.) as she went for 27 points and 11 rebounds, one point shy of her careerhigh. Senior Samantha Romanowski (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) had an allaround performance for the Pioneers as she had 17 points, five steals, three assists and Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion
two rebounds. each other the past four years. The game began slow as both the Pioneers and Bison made 6 of 24 shots in the opening minutes of the first quarter. The Pioneer held a 11-4 lead but the Bison were able to push back with a three-pointer and free throw to end the first quarter. The second quarter saw the Pioneers begin strong as they reached a lead of 15 at one point in the second. The Bison fought back but only reaching a scoring difference
of nine. At the end of the first half, the Pioneers would hold an 11-point advantage. The Pioneers continued to extend their lead at the beginning of the third quarter to 19 points as they went on a 11-3 run. The Pioneers would expand their lead after a Bison timeout with the lead turning into a 26 point difference. The offense would slow as the third quarter came to a close with the Pioneers up 63-36. As the fourth quarter began, the Bison continued to fight and push the Pio-
neers, despite being down by 27 points. The difference would get to 21 points in the fourth but the Pioneers continued to control the game until the end. The Pioneers are now 5-2 in their past seven games as they look to continue their offensive prowess as they face strong Summit League competition in the coming weeks.
Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer
JAN. 23, 2019
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No. 8 Denver gymnastics wins home opener
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he Denver gymnastics team showed why they are ranked no. 8 in the nation after scoring 196.175 to win their home opener, beating no. 22 Central Michigan (193.250), Texas Woman’s (190.200) and Sacramento State (190.150). The Pioneers scored a new program record on bars with a 49.525 and swept all five individual event titles. “Overall, there were extreme highs and lows. Bars was outstanding. Obviously, it was not a good night for us on beam,” Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. “I don’t think we could have ever counted a full point worth of falls on beam and still gone above a 196 overall without the beam line up we have. But I was incredibly proud of the refocusing ability on floor.” Denver started the meet on the vault, where junior Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) won the vault title with a 9.850. Sophomore Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.) and sopho-
more Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.) were close behind, tying for second overall with a 9.800. Senior Diana Chesnok (Charlotte, N.C.) scored a 9.750, freshman Alexandria Ruiz (Lake Mary, Fla,) and senior Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Fla) both added 9.725’s. On the bar, the student-athletes broke the program record with a 49.525. Karr took the event title again, scoring a career-high 9.975. She was followed by Sundstrom, who also set a new personal high with a 9.925. Brown earned a 9.900, sophomore Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.) scored 9.875, and senior Claire Kern (Charlotte, N.C.) earned a 9.850 to finish out the rotation. Despite having to count two falls on beam, Denver was still able to sweep the podium after Schou tied her career-high score of 9.950. Freshman Alexis Vasquez (Arcadia, Calif.) was right behind her with a 9.875, followed by Brown with a 9.850. The Pioneers came back strong on the floor, earning a
Photo courtesy of Grace Houser
team score of 49.425. Brown won the event with a 9.925. Schou tied another career-record in this event, her 9.900 tying her with Karr for second in the event. Sundstrom scored a 9.875, Kern scored a 9.800, and Ruiz scored a 9.825 in her collegiate debut on the floor. There were several standout performances tonight. Kaitlyn Schou had a phenomenal night with two personal bests on beam and floor.” Kutcher-Rinehart said after the meet. “This is a tremendous opportunity for us to
grow and improve.” Brown won her second allaround title with a cumulative score of 39.475, Karr took second with a 39.050, and Sundstrom took third with a 38.900 at the opening meet of the season with more than 2,300 fans in attendance. The Denver gymnastics team travels next to Fort Worth, Texas, for the Metroplex Challenge on Saturday, Jan. 26. They will return to Magness Arena to face Big 12 rivals, Oklahoma, on Sunday, Feb. 10. Hannah Branit | Sports Editor
The Clarion Crossword: Week 3 Need some help? Visit duclarion.com for the answer key.
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| OPINIONS
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JAN. 23, 2019
Cuts to liberal arts programs betray mission of universities
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oo many professors, not enough students and not enough money. All these factors combined don’t exactly make for a successful place of learning, a fact the administrative staff of University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point were well aware of when they cut multiple liberal arts majors from their curriculum and let go of numerous professors in order to keep the institution afloat this past March. Due to lack of state financial support and spiking increase in enrollment in urban universities, the school has decided to relocate its resources, thus cutting less popular majors, such as history, philosophy and political science and strengthening or creating ones with higher demand, including environmental engineering and a new captive wildlife major. The motive behind these monumental choices stems from the school’s desire to attract more students to the institution and prepare them for careers that are essential and popular in the Stevens Point area, where a large percentage of the students reside and work upon graduating. While this idea makes sense, it begins to mold the university into the shape of a career or technical school as opposed
to what it broadcasts itself as: a public university. As students and faculty alike largely reacted with no great love for this decision, the ethical responsibilities of the administrative board must be discussed.
programs. As liberal arts exist to educate pupils to almost limitless cultures and practices outside their own, limiting students to only study what is within their vicinity is hypocritical of a university. While many stu-
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Chancellor Bernie Patterson’s ultimate priority—to keep the university up and running— while perfectly coherent and admirable, undermines the comprehensive philosophy of a university if executed at the expense of broader liberal arts
dents have voiced their support for this notion, the viability of the institution itself, of course, cannot be ignored. The fact of the matter remains, though, that by removing liberal arts education, the university harms its students’ ability to find a
career in all walks of life, not just locally. Other universities have been pushed to terminate some of their liberal arts majors as well, and employees and pupils have, once again, not received the news well. While these educational institutions are right to believe that cost cuts like those will alleviate financial pressure, experts hypothesize that trimming costs in such a brazen manner may be more detrimental than beneficial. They maintain that, since colleges are designed to provide a well-rounded education, depriving students of the option to partake in liberal arts studies is to hinder their instruction overall, making it difficult for students to expand beyond their degree. For now, though, ways to lower costs include laying off staff and reducing extraneous spending such as solar energy, but this only goes so far. The issue at hand is undoubtedly not a simple one to tackle, so administrators have to ask themselves if it’s worth it to keep the institution going if what’s at its very core is being risked. Sometimes, the captain goes down with the ship, and other times, the crew transfers to a lifeboat, original ship left behind. Rachel Kunzi | Contributing Writer
Controversy stirs as “Hamilton” goes to Puerto Rico
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hances are that you’ve heard of, listened to or seen “Hamilton,” the iconic historical musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and based on the life of Alexander Hamilton. Since its debut in 2015, “Hamilton: An American Musical” has continued to take the world by storm, and it’s now playing in Puerto Rico for three weeks which has caused controversy. Composer, lyricist, playwright, singer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda is the son of two Puerto Rican parents, and he grew up in Manhattan. His dedication to the performing arts developed before he attended Wesleyan University, and his inspiration for “Hamilton” came from the biography of Alexander Hamilton which was written by Ron Chernow. Miranda tells the story of Alexander Hamilton through the genres of rap, hip-hop and R&B, all genres he adored growing up. The musical relies on a Black and Latinx cast to connect the America of our founding fathers to the America we live in now. “Hamilton” is a story of the American dream, created through the lyrical expression of rappers who have shared similar experiences. “It’s Biggie and Jay-Z writing about growing up in the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn,” Miranda commented in an interview with 60 Minutes. “It’s Eminem writing about growing up white in Detroit. It’s writing about that struggle and paradoxically your writing being so good it gets you out.” In 2010, Miranda took his
musical “In the Heights” to Puerto Rico, where he spent his childhood summers. The buzz around the success of the show’s performances in San Juan and the Broadway opening of “Hamilton” urged Miranda to take his newest musical to the island. However, the destruction following Hurricane Maria in 2017 changed Miranda’s mission: they would turn “Hamilton” into a way to help Puerto Rico’s recovery, specifically in terms of benefiting art organizations. While this seems beneficial to the Puerto Rican people, many don’t support “Hamilton” or its creator after the Miranda family supported the implementation of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) which was imposed on Puerto Rico by the U.S. government. Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S., and its citizens are considered American citizens; however, unlike the island of Hawaii, it does not have voting power in Congress and its citizens cannot vote for the U.S. president. Therefore, because Puerto Ricans have no influence on who serves in the U.S. government, they see PROMESA as a modern form of colonialism and a way for the U.S. to overpower the self-governed island. Additionally, the education system in Puerto Rico has faced drastic changes, including the closing of 266 public schools and budget cuts and decreased enrollment for the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), which is where “Hamilton” would be shown. In 2017, Miranda visited UPR
Photo courtesy of Broadway.com
to announce the production of “Hamilton” and to answer students’ questions about performing and the arts. However, his Q&A was interrupted when pairs of students took the stage holding signs, one of which saying “¡Lin-Manuel—nuestras vidas no son tu teatro!” (Lin-Manuel— our lives are not your theatre!). Miranda was questioned about his open support of PROMESA. He responded by saying that at the time Obama was in office, he thought it was important for debt restructuring, but now he understands the destructiveness of the bill on UPR and the Puerto Rican people. Hurricane restoration work continued to impact the UPR theatre, and the cast of “Hamilton” began to rehearse in December 2018. However, there continued to be worries regarding the safety and security of the show, so Ricardo Rosselló, the governor or Puerto Rico, offered the Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré, a government theatre where “In the Heights” played in 2010. Problem solved, right? Unfortunately, this move caused more controversy, and many questioned the government’s
support for the production of the American show, especially when Puerto Rico and the U.S. have great political tension. Was it right for Miranda to take his story of an American man to Puerto Rico? Should he have listened to his protestors and backed out of his commitment to the production in San Juan? As a theatre major, I appreciate that Miranda decided to produce “Hamilton” in Puerto Rico. Exposure to the arts is important, and performance can be used as a tool to encourage people to fight for change. Miranda had good intentions and wanted to help the redevelopment of his family’s island, and he handled backlash well. His choices and his performance inspired viewers to not give up their shot and to never be satisfied with political and social mediocrity. The story of Alexander Hamilton focuses on a self-made man who continued to reimagine himself while advocating for what he thought was right, and that theme can be translated to Puerto Rico as it rebuilds after devastation. Madalyne Heiken | Contributing Writer
JAN. 23, 2019
DU CLARION
OPINIONS | 1 1
Re-evaluating the sales tax on feminine hygiene products
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et’s delve into an ongoing conflict plaguing half of the population: should feminine hygiene products, such as tampons and pads, be exempt from sales tax? Sales taxes are an additional percentage of the price of a good or service that the consumer must pay. Once the sales tax is collected, it is then filed and transferred to state or local authorities. After reaching the government, the sales tax funds are then used to support roads, parks, schools, government run facilities and more. It’s important to acknowledge what qualifies for sales tax. The items that are subject to sales taxes are coined as tangible personal property (TPP). This broad wording enables states to have exemptions. A plethora of activists have reasoned that there shouldn’t be a sales tax on feminine hygiene products, particularly when these items are a neces-
sity rather than a luxury. It also hasn’t helped that certain non-necessity men’s products are void of a sales tax, such as Viagra (in various states). Now, many women are wondering why they’re getting taxed for having a period. One of the reasons a resolution hasn’t occurred is due to the fact that sales taxes are unique to each state; the federal government has limited jurisdiction. As a result, states have the ability to decide if they want sales taxes, what the sales tax percentage is and what items are exempt from it. This leads into the controversial “pink tax,” where women are charged more for certain products and/or services. Perhaps another unsavory fact is that 40 states have the “pink tax,” and any legislative changes face a predominantly male government. On average, products for women or girls cost 7 percent more than comparable products
for men and boys. The largest disparity is between hygiene products, in which women’s products are 13 percent more than men’s. According to Ted Potrikus, CEO of the Retail Council of New York State, “Companies are willing to spend more money advertising to women than they are toward men, contributing to the price discrepancies. Advertising that doesn’t talk up the product but tells you you’ll be prettier and more successful is emotional advertising, it creates insecurities and jacks up the price.” This decadelong debate continues to ensue as marketing companies use it to gauge the wallets of women and coerce people into thinking that because a razor is pink and has the label “women’s razor” that it’s vastly different than the men’s and therefore should only be used for women. It’s time to stop using 1950s
logic for present-day standards. Include feminine hygiene products in the “exempt” list to stick by the phrasing of “necessity items,” move past price discrimination and leave the bigoted mindset in the past where it belongs.
Megan Cooney | Contributing Writer
Chelsie Fincher | Clarion
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JAN. 23, 2019
The Womxn’s March: Centuries’ struggle
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he Womxn’s March is a work of art in its entirety, with boundless creativity in the colorful signs and a sense of community reflected in smiles, laughs and purpose. Like any piece of art, it has an outer, visual appearance and a subjective interpretation meant to inspire critical thought. The simple presence of each person shows dedication and hope because each person has the power to make a change. If we, the American people, can care for each other and stand for equality just as we did at the march, there is nothing that can stand in our way.
The sheer diversity of people and issues present at the march reveals the level of importance of and investment in the cause and allows each piece to flourish. Equal rights for minorities and sustainability are parts of a bigger goal to make the world a better place; they cannot succeed without the other. Each person needs one another. Men, women and non-binary people must fight together; Black, white, Hispanic and indigenous people must fight for each other; Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Atheist people must fight from their common values. Happiness is a universal goal; as Abraham
Lincoln concluded, “Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves.” The smiles, hugs and shouts show the highly intoxicating and addictive effects of peaceful protest. There is music, dance and chanting, all because people are thankful for the person next to them and their combined potential. It is a therapeutic effect, knowing that we are all here to support one another. All in all, the Womxn’s March is a symbol of hope. It inspires people to start or continue fighting for equality and sustainability because the work is hard. The many battles for apathy, health-
care, the economy, conservation and simple human rights are exhausting. When it seems like there isn’t an end to the tunnel, acts like marches glow a welcoming light. It heals, rejuvenates and refocuses to give strength to leaders so that they can get us through the tunnel towards social justice. If you ever feel alone, this march shows you how many individual people support your beliefs and how many are willing to commit themselves to protecting your rights.
Alessandra Brunton | Contributing Writer
Brianna Makumbi | Clarion
Brianna Makumbi | Clarion
Brianna Makumbi | Clarion
JAN. 23, 2019
DU CLARION
OPINIONS | 1 3
Fixes are needed at the MFJS building
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n 2025, DU plans to re-launch the Media, Film & Journalism Studies (MFJS), part of the Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (AHSS) school, in order to “launch a center to reimagine liberal and creative arts education in a way that not only demonstrates its applicability and adaptability across sectors, but also fundamentally changes current educational practices.” Currently, many undergraduate students avoid the MFJS building. Its location is quite literally on the edge of campus between various homes and apartments. This long walk from Sturm Hall, an
estimated 14-15 minutes, has been another reason preventing students from taking classes in the department, in fear of late policies that can affect their grades and later their precious GPAs. But the students who are active inhabitants of MFJS know all too well that MFJS is limited with its capabilities. Imagine being a student with your first class in MFJS in the middle of winter. You walk past the lobby, dodging the huge leak from the ceiling. You enter a classroom where the A/C unit is constantly turning on and off every five minutes for the duration of two hours. For those wary of cold, be warned.
Or better yet, imagine being in class observing issues with the projection screens in nearly all the classrooms or limited classroom space leading to scheduling between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays. This environment challenges the concept of having a comfortable, functioning space to learn. But, even with their adversity, MFJS provides an extensive amount of resources for students in heavy editing courses: 24-hour access to computer labs, equipment training, access of cameras, lights, microphones and even Macbooks. With the importance of these resources and a planned relocating of the
MFJS building near the central hub of campus, is there any way to “fix” some of the building’s issues before the official transition in 2025? It seems difficult enough to spend the next four years with students adapting to learning in cold conditions, malfunctioning classroom technology and a lack of space to “provide limitless, imagination, innovation and experimentation.” Myself as well as other MFJS students and staff would gladly prefer some minor updates to the building prior to the launch of the new center. The one thing I ask for is to fix the A/C. Tahlia Lucero | Contributing Writer
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
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JAN. 23, 2019
“Grace and Frankie” season five: Where’s the accountability?
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Nobody should be punished for getting older”: a statement used in the newest season of “Grace and Frankie” to excuse a “senior moment” that got a character into legal trouble. To a certain extent, it’s true. Ageism is wrong, and the show tackles the issue in a number of ways: fighting for extended walk time at a traffic light, making “seniorfriendly” sex toys and more. But what happens when the argument is used as an excuse for outdated social attitudes and political ideologies attached to older generations? While making certain desperate attempts to seem relatable and hip to the times, “Grace and Frankie” makes some pretty cringe-worthy missteps that show it’s nothing more than “fake woke.” The season starts with Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) squatting in the beach house they sold after reluctantly moving into a retirement community last season. Almost immediately after they re-enter the house for the first time, they’re confronted by Benjamin Le Day, played by RuPaul Charles, assistant to the new owner of the house. After Grace and Frankie try to diffuse the tension and convince Le Day to get the new owner to sell the house back, things take an off-color turn. As Frankie attempts uses her peaceful, empathic nature to her advantage, she says, proposing friendship to Le Day, “We’re gonna dish about my gay ex and my black son. How much in common do we have?” That sounds eerily like, “I have a(n) *insert race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. here* friend, so how could I possibly be *racist, homophobic, etc.*?” (I’ll call this “the ‘friend’ argument” from here on out). A microaggression this direct shocked me, but as I continued to watch, I came to realize it was part of an alarming pattern. Later in the episode, Frankie brings back her
Photo Courtesy of Flare
“signature” throat-singing: a low, guttural sound (which she later refers to as “channel[ing] your inner cow”) that she attempts to do while meditating, or in this case, to interrupt a conversation. Throat-singing is a sacred practice to people in and around Central Asia, indigenous tribes in Canada, South Africa, and more; this is just one example of Frankie’s vast, continued cultural appropriation, which seems to be the a product of the worst parts of the counterculture of the ‘60s and ‘70s. This is quite transparent when a few episodes later, Frankie takes Grace to an ashram, run by one of her white friends she met in the early 70’s; an ashram is “a hermitage, monastic community, or other place of religious retreat” tied to various Indian religions, including Hinduism and in the show’s case, Buddhism (though it’s never directly referenced, outside of a few Buddha statues in the background). Ironically, Frankie distances herself from the “yoga Beckys who comes [t]here, make a bracelet and calls herself enlightened” but fails to see the overall issue. The problem doesn’t start and end with Frankie, however. Grace also has her fair share of culturally insensitive moments, usually as a facet of her revulsion towards anything and everything Frankie enjoys; at one point, she refers to Afghan food as “barf.” Don’t get why this is more than just a simple, permissible dislike of certain foods? Food-related racism comes in all different forms, such as the need for “authenticity” in different ethnic cuisines that actually favors the “white, Eurocentric experience.” You can read more about it here. The show continues to use the “friend” argument, but with the characters and the actors themselves, as is shown in one of Grace’s biggest blunders this season: When Grace has her first-
ever “sleepover” (you know, because of her cold, loveless childhood that seems to excuse her present-day toxicity), Frankie jokingly suggests the “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” game, noting that she gets a rise out of how uncomfortable it makes Grace. Grace’s reply seems to work on both a character and personal level of the “friend” argument, “It doesn’t make me uncomfortable. I’ve kissed a girl.” Firstly, she’s transparently making a convenient version of the “friend” argument for her homophobia. Secondly, characters aside, she’s Jane Fonda talking to Lily Tomlin, a lesbian. Lily doesn’t seem to have an issue with any of this, and it appears as though the show is using her as their permission slip to get away with things like this. You may say “it’s just the script, it’s not necessarily how the actors feel,” but that’s not quite the case with Jane Fonda. On their appearance on “Ellen” last week, Lily Tomlin discussed the fact that she was approached by Time magazine in 1975 to do a “coming-out” cover, not unlike Ellen’s own 1997 cover. Tomlin gave her honest reasons as to why she decided against it; then, perhaps as a poor attempt to dodge Ellen’s next question about her dating life, Fonda declared, “I’m gonna come out… If they put me on the cover of ‘Time,’ I’ll come out.” That wasn’t Grace talking to Frankie; that was Jane Fonda diminishing Lily’s, Ellen’s, mine and all other LGBTQ+ people’s struggles. I’ve only touched upon about two or three episodes worth of insensitivity, but I’ll skip ahead to the show’s final and arguably most egregious offense: Episode 12 ends with a hefty degree of uncertainty regarding the future of Grace and Frankie’s relationship. If I knew ahead of time what I’d see in the next episode, I wouldn’t have watched this season at all.
“The Alternative” proposes an alternate timeline where Grace and Frankie never unite and deal with the fallout of their marriages together, which turns every character into a caricature of their current, actual selves. What exactly does a caricature of a free spirited, hippie-type look like, you ask? They have dreadlocks, and they’re definitely white. We see “alternative” Frankie with purple dreadlocks, living a life which seems to be, in more ways than one, closer to her ideal than the one she’s actually living. Is the show arguing that the dreadlocks are a decision Frankie made in an alternate timeline where her self-growth is stunted? Or is it that she would have them in her ideal world? Maybe it’s neither; the show has clearly demonstrated it doesn’t have time to worry about cultural appropriation. It’s a shame that the show’s otherwise brilliant writing is nullified by glaring insensitivities such as these. It’s an even bigger shame that the majority of viewers will ensure that the creators, producers, writers, and actors of the show will avoid accountability for their complicity and complacency for a very long time. When will cultural appropriation be recognized and no longer tolerated? Will white privilege always plague the entertainment industry and keep the platform for all minorities hardly big enough to stand on? When will all industry workers be held accountable for their actions, past and present? Ask Marta Kauffman, co-creator of “Grace and Frankie” and the beloved “Friends,” a show that was problematic for numerous reasons (homophobia, transphobia and sexism, to name a few). But “Friends” is 25 years old now; that’s just how things were, right? Emma Cohen | Contributing Writer
JAN. 23, 2019
DU CLARION
ARTS & LIFE | 1 5
The Pioneer ID is your key to Denver
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et me tell you something—the “Pioneer ID,” DU’s student ID, does some magical things. We’re talking discounts, special offers and key access to cool buildings on campus you didn’t even know existed. So what can your Pioneer ID get you in particular? Besides being a key to most buildings on DU’s campus, your ID can also be used as a debit card. You can log on to U.S. Bank’s website to access this feature and activate your ID. Additionally, Flex money can be added to your ID’s account in order to purchase things on campus and from certain businesses in the area. Stores from the Smiling Moose to 7-Eleven will gladly take your flex money. Most stores that take this form of payment have a little sign in the window or by the register that shows they are
a Flex location. Flex money can be added to your card through your meal plan type or through DU. Most importantly, your Pioneer ID can get you an entry discount at almost every museum in Denver, in addition to the Denver Zoo and many movie theaters. So long as you have your ID on hand, you can access discounted tickets at these places. Also, let me tell you a secret— your student ID doesn’t have an expiration date listed on it, so you can use it until your hair turns grey and you can’t hide that graduation was thirty years ago. The possibilities of your Pioneer ID are numerous. So go explore and find out what more it can do for you.
Carmen Leibrock | Contributing Writer
Connor W. Davis | Clarion
Sweets and the sweeter taste of philanthropy
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f you spend any time in your school routine trudging past Sturm Hall, you probably noticed the sale of sweet Mexican treats on Jan. 16 and 17 out front. The “Unstoppable” Upsilon Gamma Chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Inc. hosted their 4th Annual Pan Dulce Fundraiser to help finance their 11th Annual R.O.Y.A.L. Leaders Conference and the “Never Let My Brothers Down” Mentorship Program. The sale consisted of the delicious Mexican snack pan dulce, also known as sweet bread, as well as the Mexican-style hot cocoa drink Chocolate Abuelita. The “Unstoppable” Upsilon Gamma Chapter was created at the University of Denver in the Winter Quarter of 2007. Their mission, as they chose to accept it: to provide resources and cater to the needs of Latino male students at a predominantly white institution. Today, the fraternity chapter is composed of seven dedicated men who commit themselves to the pillars of Brotherhood, Scholarship, Community Service and Cultural Awareness. So what makes them “unstoppable,” you ask? According to their Facebook page, “The true nature of what it means to be an ‘Unstoppable’ Beta man is seen in the character of those men who…live their creed day in and day out, never stopping, never resting until their mission is complete.” The funds of the brothers’ pan dulce sale go towards the R.O.Y.A.L. Leaders Conference, which stands for Retention of Youth and Latino Leaders, as well as their “Never Let My Brothers Down” Mentorship Program at Rangeview High School in Aurora. The conference, which will be hosted on Feb. 15, welcomes more than 150 students from Denver and
Aurora public schools onto DU’s campus for a day of workshops. These workshops are mostly planned and created by the brothers themselves, and they focus on important topics like identity, scholarship, the definition of cultural awareness and the breaking down of masculinity stereotypes. The fraternity chapter also runs mentorship programs to give back to the community on a more day-to-day basis. As senior Jose Bañales described it, “We go to the actual schools themselves for about an hour or two and talk to the students. Some days they just want to talk about their days, and [sometimes we] talk to them about these workshops: scholarship, study abroad, consent and all these other things as well…we cater to them, we have a good time.” Speaking of catering, the pan dulce was freshly made at La Noria Carniceria Taqueria, an authentic Mexican restaurant on Mississippi Ave. and S. Tejon St. The restaurant has provided their food for other on-campus events as well, such as Taste of Latin America and Dia de los Muertos celebrations in November. The brothers purchased the materials for the cinnamon-y hot chocolate and procured it themselves. Look out for more events hosted by the “Unstoppable” Upsilon Gamma Chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta throughout the rest of the school year, and you may just get to enjoy even more sweets.
Grace Gonzalez | Contributing Writer
Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion
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JAN. 23, 2019
The effects of “Bird Box” on popular culture
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ne of the newest Netflix original films, “Bird Box,” has been viewed by more subscribers in its first week of availability than any other film. It’s all people have been talking about, online and in-person. The “Bird Box” challenge emerged from this popularity. It requires the risk taker to go about their daily routine blindfolded similar to the characters in the movie who must wear a blindfold when not indoors. Unfortunately, like most viral internet challenges, there has been some casualties. A teenager in Utah was participating in the 24-hour long challenge when she crashed her car. On the highway “blindfolded,” she hit another car, a light pole and a sound pole. Nine days before, Netflix had issued the following statement to the public: “Can’t believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE. We don’t know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes.” Despite the warning and
cautionary tale, people continue to accept the challenge and put themselves in harm’s way. “Bird box” has also been criticized for some of their artistic choices specifically the choice to use actual footage of the LacMégantic rail disaster which was one of the worst rail incidents in Canadian history. Months before this accusation, Netflix was condemned by The National Railway Company of Belgium for using another piece of footage from a real train crash in “Death Note.” On a lighter note, it has been
theorized that Netflix is using fake Twitter accounts to spread “Bird Box” memes. This conspiracy began with a tweet from @ samiswine who claimed that Netflix is using fake accounts with a “suspiciously” low amount of tweets and/or followers to “seed” Twitter with viral memes. He continues by saying that the pictures being used have been stolen from the social media accounts of minors. This was quickly debunked when several supposed bots replied verifying that they were indeed viewers like you.
All of this controversy has drawn attention away from what makes this a quality film. This movie is clearly a cumulation of all of Netflix’s hard work. The film had everything that we are used to seeing on the big screen from cast to conclusion. The cast features stars such as Sandra Bullock (“Gravity”), Trevante Rhodes (“Moonlight”), Sarah Paulson (“American Horror Story”) and Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out”). It also ends in a way that is satisfying to most viewers. Victoria Valenzuela | Photo/Video Editor
Photo courtesy of Netflix
International Church of Cannabis makes waves in Denver community
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ust northwest of Washington Park sits a quaint looking church that stands out from the surrounding houses. By just driving by, most people might not give it a second glance. This church, however, is anything but ordinary. Stepping inside, one is greeted by a friendly greeter at a front desk and a giant green sign welcoming you to The International Church of Cannabis. The church is fairly new, as it was founded in 2017. Its members are called Elevationists. Elevationists believe that by using cannabis, also known as the sacred flower, they can reveal the best versions of themselves and enrich their communities. Lee Molloy is a co-founding member of the church, and says, “The idea of the church came about when a few friends were Elevating in the chapel of the church, and we decided that instead of cutting the building up and turning it into unnecessary condos, we could keep it and build a peaceful community with the cannabis plant as a sacrament.” According to Molloy, church events are very similar to what most people’s ideas of church
services look like. Meetings include a speaker, fellowship and music. They also organize volunteer opportunities in the surrounding community. “There is just a lot less dogma and a little more cannabis,” Molloy added. The inside of the church is absolutely captivating. The first floor contains a gift shop featuring shirts, stickers and of course, pipes and bowls. Along with the gift shop, the first floor features several pieces of artwork, some of which are also for sale. Surrounding rooms feature lounges and meeting rooms for members to get together.
Molloy also took some time to reflect on the cannabis industry in Colorado. “I believe the business will Photo Courtesy of Paul Drinkwater, NBCcontinue to industrialize as federal banking becomes legal and we move toward big money entering the space,” Molloy predicted. “There will still be micro-farms as there are micro-breweries, but giant corporations are likely to take over the space within a few years.” Anyone can visit the church during visiting hours, which are usually during the weekends and are posted on their website Barbara Urzua | Clarion at elevationists.org. After visitThe second floor boasts the ing, those of legal age are welmost eye catching portion of come to sign up to be invited to the building. Entering the a church event. As for the future of the comchapel, it is impossible to not munity, Molloy is eager and be amazed by the beauty of the art. Multicolored, bright hopeful for what lies ahead. He murals have been painted shared how the church has exacross every inch of the wall citing volunteer opportunities and ceiling. The inside of the in store for the coming year, chapel and the outside of the along with events planned leadchurch facade were painted by ing up to 4/20. “I wish more people knew artists Okuda San Miguel and Kenny Scharf, respectively. that we were here and are doing Molloy shared how it took San good work in our community,” Miguel only six days to com- Molloy said. plete the murals. A timelapse video of the artists painting the murals is available online through the church’s website. Barbara Urzua | Contributing Writer