DU Clarion [www.duclarion.com]
June 5, 2019 Volume 126 Issue 9
Weather Wed: rainy, 75° Thurs: cloudy, 78° Fri: rainy, 78° Sat: sunny, 83° Sun: rainy, 67° Mon: cloudy, 73° Tues: cloudy, 72°
LFTE: Editor-in-Chief Taryn Allen reflects on her four years
Photo courtesy of Aliza Lee Taryn Allen | Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
I
t feels surreal to sit and write this letter after four years of dedication to the Clarion. However, with graduation around the corner, I am officially stepping down as Editor-in-Chief; I will walk away with incredible memories, countless new skills and many titles on my resume (I’m told “Editor-in-Chief” is sure to land me a job, so we’ll see if that comes to fruition). However, when I think back on my time with the student newspaper, I will think about the people, so many to whom I owe incredible thanks. To Connor, Meg, Madeline
and Monica: As my first editors, thank you for easing me into the world of journalism. I vividly remember my first day of college, also my first day of the Clarion, packed into the now-demolished Driscoll Underground with the wonderful community you had built. Connor, you didn’t know it at the time, but that first meeting, I looked up at you as Editor-in-Chief with awe and intimidation and thought, “Wow, maybe that could be me someday.” To Sydney: I’m endlessly thankful I dragged you to a meeting with me so we could
both enjoy and endure years of the Clarion together. I’m sorry that serving as Business Manager probably took years off your life. And to Madison, my fellow Copy Editor: Thank you for enduring printer failures and AP Style changes and office gossip across the table from me. You were incredibly missed this year. To Jillian and Kellsie: I hope you know how much I looked up to you during your time in Clarion leadership. Your ability to create a professional yet extremely fun and tight-knit community was impressive and inspiring; thank you for being such wonderful human beings. To John and Ryan: I could write pages to you both. Thank you, first and foremost, for years of friendship that I’m excited to continue in the future. Thank you, secondly, for your incredible Clarion leadership. You did great things for the paper, and I’m still in awe of how much faith you had in me, from day one, to fill your shoes. It was an honor to take the reins from
you, and I hope I’ve made you proud. To Monica, my love: You were there from the beginning, from my first day; if only I had realized it at the time. Nevertheless, I’m infinitely thankful the Clarion (and Ryan, of course) brought us together. You were there to edit my first story and there to vote for me years later as Editor-in-Chief, and you’ve provided constant support throughout everything. Thank you, as always, for such easy love. I’m truly the luckiest. To Grace, my partner during this hectic year: Thank you; I cannot imagine a better Executive Editor to have worked alongside me. Despite your dedication to so many other jobs and organizations and causes and people, you always made time for the Clarion. I am constantly inspired by your commitment not just to journalism but to reporting that does good in the world. I can’t wait to see what your future holds. CONTINUED ON PG 5
LFTE: Executive Editor Grace Carson signs off Grace Carson | Executive Editor Emeritus
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hen I first stepped into a Clarion meeting four years ago, I was terrified. In fact, I was so terrified that I only wrote one story (probably one of the only lifestyle pieces I’ve ever written…) and didn’t return to the Clarion for an entire year. In my mind, everyone was so much more competent than I was as a writer, and I would not measure up. I remember watching the editors at the time, Connor W. Davis and Meg McIntyre, with such intense admiration. I thought they were the coolest people on campus. I couldn’t even imagine that I would one day be standing in their place. But that’s who the Clarion helped make me. A year after my first meeting, I gained the courage to apply for the Opinions Editor position for my sophomore year. I was shocked when I found out I got the position and graciously accepted the chance to learn under editors Jillian Queri and Kelsie Brannen. It was that year as Opinions Editor that my voice began to form and my confidence began to grow. That
year was tough on campus, for many reasons. Our “free speech wall” was defaced with messages of racial hate, and affinity groups’ student demands were altered with racist messages. That year was also monumental in that it was the first year at DU that I witnessed students rise up and fight for their safety and equality on campus. As a reporter, I got to follow students of color along as they led the way to advocate for themselves and their classmates. In doing so, I’ve made meaningful connections and friendships on campus and had a major part in documenting the history and change that was made. I made it my mission during the rest of my time at the Clarion as Opinions Editor, Staff Writer and Executive Editor to uplift the voices on campus that are least heard. I got to write about the struggles students of color face at this predominantly white institution, to expose hate incidents that have occured on campus, to highlight the struggle of Native students in academia and at DU and to uplift the voices of the most marginalized on campus. In doing this, I have created my
own voice and power. I owe the Clarion as being a major part of that and the bravery of the students who were willing to share their own stories and inspire people like me to do the same. I am incredibly honored to have served the Clarion Grace Carson | Clarion
during my time at DU, especially as this last year as Executive Editor, and I have a lot of people to thank. CONTINUED ON PG 5
DU CLARION
JUNE 5, 2019
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LFTE: Daniela Santos on closing the Clarion chapter
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nfortunately, I do not have the bragging rights to say that I’ve been with the Clarion since day one, but I can proudly proclaim that joining the Clarion and being a part of this witty, fun and dedicated team makes me so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to return to student journalism despite hardly knowing anyone there at the start. I have been a part of a school publication all throughout high school, and although I loved the experience, I wanted to challenge myself by stepping back my freshman year to see if I’d miss being a part of a newspaper. Unsurprisingly to most readers, my freshman year of college was my most miserable year out of the four. In hindsight, I wish I had joined sooner. Fast forward to today and serving as the Clarion’s News Editor for the past two years has been a fulfilling experience that has challenged me to constantly look for engaging stories and familiarize myself with the DU community—something that is
challenging as a commuter student when you’re not living and breathing on this campus twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Despite the tedious light rail trips, late night drives and funky sleep schedule, I would never trade this if it means missing out on the laughs, quotable moments and the support system I had at this amazing paper.
I want to give a big thank you to my fellow editors and writers who helped me feel at home: Grace, John, Ryan, Taryn, Justin, Sydney, Ellie, Maya, Caitlan, Monica, AnnMarie, Daniel, Hannah, Nina and so many more! Since I graduated in March, I am once again newspaper-less and my heart aches knowing that this chapter of my life has come to an end. As this awkward softy struggles to find herself again, I’m honored and grateful for the time I got spend to playing a tiny part in this paper filled with a legacy of such cool, smart writers. Keep reading DU, the Clarion is not going anywhere.
Daniela Santos | Clarion
Daniela Santos | News Editor Emeritus
ABOUT US
DU Clarion EDITORIAL STAFF
HANNAH BRANIT, Editor-in-Chief VICTORIA VALENZUELA, Executive Editor TARYN ALLEN, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus GRACE CARSON, Executive Editor Emeritus 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.
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 Hub. 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.
ISAIAH G. JAKAB, News Editor LAWSON MONTGOMERY, Sports Editor ELIZABETH LOCHHEAD, Opinions Editor Emeritus NINA PETROVIC, Arts & Life Editor Emeritus CAITLAN GANNAM, Photo/Video Editor Emeritus SARA LOUGHRAN, Copy Editor MAYA PINON, Copy Editor Emeritus CHELSIE FINCHER, Illustrator Emeritus HALEY BIRT, Paper Delivery Person SYDNEY KAPP, Business Manager Emeritus ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser Masthead graphic design: David Fain
DU CLARION
JUNE 5, 2019
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LFTE: A goodbye from Opinions Editor Ellie Lochhead
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was drawn to DU when I was applying for college for a lot of reasons, but a big one was the city of Denver itself. I knew that I was interested in urban policy as a field of study, and I wanted to find ways to engage with Denver as it grew, changed and continued to pull in smart and weird and interesting people. I would like to think that this interest in our city is part of what informed my decision to apply for a job at the Clarion, even though I really put in an application on a whim based on a suggestion from my fellow editor Maya Piñón. However it happened, holding the position of Opinions Editor for the past two years has indeed allowed me to grow my knowledge of Denver and DU’s place in it, and it has turned out to be a surprisingly important and rewarding part of my life.
I have learned a great deal from the world of student journalism in my time at DU, and being a part of the Clarion has been a major contributor to how I think about local and national issues as well as topics I encounter in my formal studies in economics and public policy. In my last two years as Opinions Editor, Denver and DU have adjusted to a new presidential administration, confronted the impacts of climate change, reckoned with school
shootings and gun control, amplified the voices of women bringing their stories to light, watched the city change as we turn the heads of companies like Amazon, grappled with the university’s history and tried to figure out what to do next. Having the Clarion as a place to write about, read about and discuss more different perspectives with my fellow editors and writers has been very valuable, and it has certainly encouraged me to think more deeply and actively seek out different ideas. Each day at the Clarion has also reminded me that this organization is serving a crucial purpose. It has been a tricky few years for journalism in Denver as The Denver Post suffers from layoffs and cuts at the hands of its hedge fund owners, and the Clarion’s place as a publication both for members of the DU community and for Denverites in general is especially important now. In the coming years, I encourage the incoming team of editors and writers to continue to take that responsibility seriously. With this final sign-off, I would like to express my gratitude to the editorial staff and our team of writers for creating a place where I have encountered ideas that have both affirmed and challenged
CONGRATS, CLASS OF 2019
Elizabeth Lochhead | Clarion
my own. It is surprisingly often that I pitch a story with an idea of what the opinion might be and get something back that wildly differs from what I had in mind, and that is where I have learned the most. Thank you to my fellow editors—I am proud of our work this year in bringing in more writers and more stories. Taryn and Grace, you have set the Clarion on a strong upward trajectory and I am excited to see what happens next. I would also like to extend a special thank you to
this year’s team of Opinions writers, especially Kiana, Jake, Megan, Conor and Rachel, for your impressive diligence and commitment—I lucked out having such a good team. As final parting words, I will use the one allotted exclamation point of my career to give special recognition to another neglected punctuation mark that has haunted my Clarion days: I’m coming back to you now, Oxford comma! Elizabeth Lochead | Opinions Editor Emeritus
TO YOU, FROM THE CLARION STAFF
DU CLARION
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JUNE 5, 2019
LFTE: Sydney Kapp’s thank you to the Clarion
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our years ago, I nervously entered my first meeting of the DU Clarion, and four years later I could not be more grateful that I made that decision. I had no idea how huge of an impact this club would have on my college career or the rest of my life, and I had no idea that I would be walking away with so many valuable skills, friendships and memories.
Working at the Clarion has truly been the most phenomenal experience. Though it hasn’t always been easy (shout out to InDesign), it has certainly been rewarding. Being the Business and Social Media Manager for the last year has been extremely valuable and unforgettable, and it wouldn’t have been possible without all of you. To Taryn Allen, my incredible Editor-in-Chief and close friend: Thank you for dragging me to that first meeting. Quite literally, none of this would have been possible without you. I have been so lucky to work beside you all these years and I am
extremely thankful for all of your and don’t be afraid to reach out Keep reading, keep commenting hard work and amazing friend- with questions! and keep sharing. ship. Thank you for listening to To our readers: all my complaints, bad jokes and Thank you for all the supediting every article I have writ- port you have given the Clarion. Sydney Kapp | Business Manager Emeritus ten over these last four years. Sydney Kapp | Clarion You are one of the most amazing people I have ever met and I can’t wait to see all the great things you do in your life. To Grace Carson, Executive Editor extraordinaire: Thank you for everything you have taught me. You have done an incredible job this last year and I am so grateful for all the hard work you have put into this publication. You are an amazing woman and I look forward to seeing all the kickass things you do in the future. To Hannah Branit and Victoria Valenzuela: After working with you both over the last year, I could not imagine anyone else taking over as Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor. Though I can guarantee it will be frustrating at times, I know you both will do an incredible job in running this publication. Good luck
COLORADO MIGRAHACK
JUNE 5, 2019
DU CLARION
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LFTE: Introducing Victoria Valenzuela
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ello, my name is Victoria Valenzuela. I am an incoming junior with a major in media studies and minors in intercultural global studies, urban studies and critical race and ethnic studies. I am also the incoming Executive Editor of the Clarion.
Unfortunately, I was never a part of my high school’s newspaper or yearbook because I was afraid. I didn’t like my writing. But when I got to DU, I had an awakening. I was no longer going to hide behind my camera, and the Clarion gave me the opportunity to branch out. Since then I have definitely grown, and I went from a contributing
photographer to an Executive Editor. I’m proud to say that I’ve written 15 pieces and made countless edits for the Clarion. I know that I’m not perfect and in the words of the great Hannah Montana, “nobody’s perfect,” but that’s a good thing. It’s why we tell stories. Assent and dissent are interesting. But stories cannot be told without the story or the storyteller. We, the writers and the readers, are dependent on each other. So as the readers, you need to tell us what you think, recommend changes, suggest topics for discussion or become storytellers as well. As your Executive Editor, I
plan on reviving the Clarion’s social media (shameless plug: follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest and like us on Facebook @duclarion), strengthening the connection between journalists and readers as well as the connection between contributing writers and section editors and improving the overall quality of the content we publish. My plan, alongside Editor-in-Chief Hannah Branit, is different and ongoing. Put simply, we want to improve any and every aspect of the Clarion we see fit—or that the community demands—in order to leave behind a strong foundation for
the future. I’m going to leave you with this little piece of advice: don’t be afraid to share your story, voice your opinion and exceed your potential, whether that be in the classroom or at a Clarion meeting.
Thank you for your presence and guidance this year; we are all immensely grateful for you (even Grace). To Hannah and Victoria: I wish you the best of luck taking over, and I wholeheartedly believe that you will do amazing things for the newspaper. You are both incredibly talented, and I look forward to
seeing what you accomplish as Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor. I couldn’t be prouder to see a pair of confident and amazing women fill our shoes! Finally, to the DU community: Thank you for welcoming me as a leader on campus. I’m so grateful for the faculty and students who loyally engage with the Clarion, and I sincerely
hope that it continues to grow as a household name at DU. Journalism is important right now, and this is how you support it firsthand.
forever be thankful for that. To the Clarion staff, past and present: you all are so incredibly talented—probably more talented than I—and I am so lucky to have known each of you. You all have truly become another family that I can come home to, and for that, I am lucky. To Editor-in-Chief, partnerin-crime and valued friend, Taryn Allen: words cannot describe how talented you are. I know that wherever you go, you’ll do amazing things. I am lucky to have had you as a partner in raising and caring for this paper-baby this year. I could not have asked for a better person, or friend, to have done this with. Thank you for your dedication and hard work in leading this paper. Without a doubt, we would not have done as amazing this year without your guidance. To our successors, Hannah Branit and Victoria Valenzuela: I could not imagine anyone
better to have taken over this paper than you kickass ladies. You are both extremely talented and capable, and I am certain you both will show us up in what you do this year. To our readers: without you all, we would not be here. I want you all to continue to invest in campus news, and to truly value it, not simply because we work hard as writers and editors, but because it’s important. I encourage you all to value student voice and their experiences—even if their experiences are different than your own. And to our alumni, I hope that you embrace the change you see happening on campus through this paper. Change is good, and we are better for it. It is my hope that DU’s administration will also continue to value student news and the Clarion, who has served as one of DU’s oldest
organizations and as a publication to document the history of DU. I hope that they will honor this by providing us a proper office for the paper in the future, rather than keeping us in the corner of the library in which we now work. This is my parting wish as I leave the paper, and I plan on checking in from time to time to ensure that this is accomplished.
Sincerely yours, Victoria Valenzuela Executive Editor
Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion
Continued from front page To the staff, old and new: Thank you for your dedication to the Clarion—it would not exist without you. I feel so privileged to have been your leader, and also to have experienced unwavering acceptance as a queer woman in that role. And to Andrew: Continued from front page To my preceding editors— Connor, Meg, Jillian, Kelsie, John and Ryan: I could not have done any of this without the path you paved for the Clarion and the knowledge you passed down to me. Thank you. To the Clarion’s faculty advisor, Andrew Matranga: you have guided my writing career the last four years and have never stopped fighting for me, the Clarion and student voice on campus. Thank you for all that you do for us. To the Media, Film and Journalism Studies department head, and my own personal advisor, Lynn Schofield Clark: I want to thank you for not only guiding the Clarion, but for always believing in and advocating for me. You’ve been such an important part of my career at DU, and I’ll
With that, I sign off. Sincerely, Taryn Allen
And with that, I am all out of words. Be kind. Let love lead. And goodbye! With lots of love, Grace Carson
DU CLARION
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JUNE 5, 2019
LFTE: DU needs to start providing for the Clarion
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ith graduation only weeks away, my term as Editor-in-Chief of the Clarion has officially ended. Before I leave, however, it feels important that I make one final request of DU:
Please, give the Clarion a dedicated work space. We lost our office this year due to the demolition of Driscoll North, and with that, we lost our home. I’m thankful for the university staff who stepped up to accommodate us in the Hub and in the library, but this is a reminder that those were temporary solutions. As a meeting space, the basement of the Hub is hot, dark and not equipped for our needs as an organization. As a production space, the library is too public, and we often face technology issues. Running the Clarion is a full-time job, and
the staff needs access to their computers and software at all hours. Overall, it’s inefficient to have us moving back and forth between shared spaces. It may not seem like a big issue from an outsider’s perspective, but the Clarion needs a home base. This year, due to our loss of privacy, there was a vastly decreased sense of family and community within the organization. The group of coworkers and friends who used to listen to music, have personal conversations and create inside jokes was split across library computers, constantly shushed by other students working nearby. I’m saddened that as Editor-in-Chief, I could not maintain the social aspects of the Clarion that were so strong in years past. We lost one of the key factors of retaining members in our organization.
Furthermore, without a dedicated Clarion office, how is the newspaper supposed to grow in the future? We need a place for our banner to hang, a place to welcome new student contributors seeking to make a difference through media. With an ideal space, the Clarion could offer writing, photography and design workshops and more, to the rest of the DU community, expanding our outreach and the impact of student journalism. I’ve been told by current DU staff that the new student center will have endless possibilities for student organizations, and I’m calling for the Clarion to be specifically and purposefully accomodated. Build this into the grand plans. I appreciate the school’s commitment to shared spaces and organization equity, but the Clarion is no ordinary
club. It is the oldest student organization on campus, and any university “dedicated to the public good” should highly value honest journalism, especially in today’s media climate; the school should demonstrate this through the Clarion. I am asking DU to try harder in the future. Sincerely, Taryn Allen Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
Gusto Kubiak | Clarion
LFTE: Photo/Video Editor Caitlin Gannam signs off
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t the Clarion, we have a rule that you only get one exclamation mark, one moment of pure emotion and excitement that we can let come through in our work. But, I have seen my fellow editors, our writers and photographers break that rule a million times. Every week we walked into the office and produced a newspaper full of passion and love. We created something that, despite its apparent lack of exclamation marks, embodied hours of late nights and early mornings, countless interviews and photo ops, weekly meetings and constant editing. It was our passion and it breaks my heart that I must say goodbye, but I am so excited to see how it grows once we leave. When I started with the Clarion, I was ready to take on the world. I was confident that I knew what was coming my way, and I was excited to meet it when it did. I was ready for the late nights of research and the scathing articles I would write. I was ready to cover protests and scandals. I wasn’t prepared to meet the amazing people who became my peers and friends. I wasn’t prepared to find a family in the Clarion, and as I look back, it is the late nights editing
photos and articles, the random food runs to Starbucks, Illegal Petes or Subway, the Clarion parties and the strenuous debates about pop culture and politics that I will miss most. I have learned so much over the last three years. I learned about DU. I learned about Denver. I learned about my peers and the students of DU and I learned about what I wanted from myself. We learned to push ourselves beyond our comfort zones. We learned to write and rewrite and rewrite again and again until our work was good enough for the title we held. I learned. I want to thank the people I have worked with over the last three years. I want to thank Grace Carson and Dustin Amick, my first editors, for bringing me into the Clarion and pushing me to be better at all times. I want to thank Taryn Allen for running an amazing newspaper and helping us to grow with each and every issue. I want to thank Daniela Santos for writing news stories that were so phenomenal that no one could look at the Clarion as a joke. I want to thank Grace Houser for being such an amazing co-editor and helping me to become the editor I am today. I want to thank Maya Piñón for reading and rereading articles
Caitlin Gannam | Clarion
just to make sure that we could publish and for convincing me to keep at it even when the photography section was falling apart. I want to thank John Poe and Ryan Ninesling for giving me the chance to prove myself and for helping to create this amazing team that I now call family. Beyond all of that, I want to thank you all for being some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Though I have to say goodbye to the Clarion and to my friends,
I believe the paper I have grown to love is in capable hands. I wish our incoming editors all of the best moving forward. I cannot wait to see how this paper grows over the coming years. Thank you DU students, alumni and professors for being so supportive of the Clarion and our work. Now for the exclamation point I have waited three years to write, farewell! Caitlin Gannam | Photo Editor Emeritus
DU CLARION
JUNE 5, 2019
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PIONEER VOICES Question of the week:
What is your favorite part about working for the Clarion?
“The people, 100%.”
“I love working with the Clarion because I was a student journalist, and I love working with student journalists to mentor them.”
Taryn Allen, Fourth Year, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
Andrew Matranga, DU Clarion Faculty Advisor
“All the friendships I have made and definitely the push to become a better writer and journalist.”
“My favorite part about the Clarion is hearing different and surprising perspectives on stories.”
Nina Petrovic, Third Year, Arts & Life Editor Emeritus
Ellie Lochhead, Third Year, Opinions Editor Emeritus
DU CLARION
JUNE 5, 2019
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LFTE: Hello from Hannah Branit: Editor-in-Chief signs in
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ello, my name is Hannah, and I am an incoming junior at the DU. I am so incredibly honored and excited to be serving as the Editor-in-Chief of the Clarion for the 2019-2020 school year. I am a psychology major with minors in history, Spanish and critical race and ethnic studies. Ever since the first day when I stepped in the Clarion office, I have felt more welcome and at home than anywhere else. The support that the staff had from the first day was what hooked me in. The quick and strong friendships that I formed with other writers and editors has kept me here. I am so excited. It is so, so important to represent the voices of everyone here at DU. Storytelling is an essential part of life, and we tell stories to tell a little bit about how we have formed the identities that we carry with us. The Clarion’s job is to tell these stories and to encourage conversation around important topics. While you may or may not agree with
the writers, or tellers, of these stories, the important thing is to continue a conversation with each other to learn more about the origins of the stories. This upcoming year, Victoria and I are excited to continue the great tradition of the Clarion. We want to showcase more stories from students and from members of our incredibly diverse and strong community. These stories are what make DU incredible, and these stories are what help tie us together. We want to highlight your stories. Never shy away from sharing them with us. We are here to listen and to tell your stories. Here’s to year ahead.
an
Hannah Branit | Clarion
exciting
Hannah Branit Editor-in-Chief
CONGRATS TARYN & GRACE!
Congratulations to Executive Emeritus Editor-in-Chief Taryn Allen (left) and to Executive Emeritus Editor Grace Carson (right) for your outstanding dedication to excellence in reporting. We thank you for your service to The Clarion and to the University of Denver community, and wish you well in your future endeavors. We’re so proud of you!