February 7, 2017

FEBRUARY 7 - FEBRUARY 14, 2017

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

SPORTS

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College Cookbook: Genevieve shares a family favorite Lebanese snack

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UAA women’s basketball conquers both home games at Alaska Airlines Center

USUAA students advocate for university in Juneau Advocacy Team travels to the state capital to meet with Alaska representatives

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Geser Bat-Erdene, Joey Sweet, Kellen Fisch, Lyndea Kelleher, Johanna Richter and three other students will travel to Juneau to represent UAA as the USUAA Advocacy Team. The team will voice the concerns of the student body.

By Alexis Abbott

news2@thenorthernlight.org

The USUAA Advocacy Team is traveling to Juneau on the weekend of Feb. 10 to meet with Alaska legislators and voice concerns of the UAA student body on various issues.

“We are sending down a group of student representatives picked from applicants who applied during the first few weeks of the school year, they are meeting with other representatives from different parts of the UA system by the Coalition of Student Leaders - and are basically going through a fast-track meeting schedule with pretty much every representative we could get an answer from,

from our belligerent phone calls,” Sam Erickson, UAA Union of Students president, said.

Although Erickson will not be joining the Advocacy Team in Juneau, eight students will have the opportunity to be a face for UAA — three members of USUAA and

SEE JUNEAU

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Alaska named second-most dangerous state to online date According to research done by SafeWise and Highspeedinternet, Alaska ranks among most dangerous states to online date

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

facebook.com/northernlightuaa

@tnl_updates

SafeWise and Highspeedinternet have teamed up to analyze and review the most recent FBI violent crime and cyber crime data along with state by state STD rates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

This data was used to correlate to online dating and the safety of which by a state by state basis.

The report was released in January of 2017. In addition to finding the most dangerous states, the study also discovered the safest states for online dating.

Alaska was named the second most dangerous state for online daters behind the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia’s rates per capita in both the violent crime and STD categories are nearly double the rates of Alaska.

@tnl_updates

Alaska is noted to have no required sex education, specifically about contraception, and the second highest rating of violent crime per capita, just behind District of Columbia.

“SafeWise thinks that compiling this data is important because we want to promote community safety in America.

Often times people become victims of crime because they are unaware of the dangers in their areas and we want to make sure they have all of the knowledge to combat crime,” Sarah Brown, community outreach for SafeWise said. “We hope that this report will encourage people to take more precautions when meeting people from online.”

UAA journalism student Paris Leigh notes that people should take caution when online dating in any state. Leigh has a set of guidelines she follows in an effort to have a safe dating expe-

thenorthernlight.org

rience.

“I was always really cautious and paranoid. I never let them pick me up at my house for at least the first couple dates.

You just never know, if something went wrong I didn’t want them knowing where I lived,” Leigh said. “When we matched I looked for what I called ‘creeper characteristics.’ I would want to talk to them for a few days before we met in person, just to get a feel. Some of them did not like that. They would get really pushy and try and guilt me into moving up our first meet.”

Noticing these characteristics helped Leigh decide if she would continue seeing someone.

“If we did get to the meetup stage I always made it somewhere very public, restaurants really. And again as paranoid

SEE DATING

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NEWS

The Edge Update: Alaska job loss, Puerto Rico to stay or go and French presidential drama

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

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Lack of events from UAA Concert Board has students worried about semester fees

Students question where their semester fees actually go

By Max Jungreis KRUA

The Edge Update can be heard every weekday on KRUA 88.1 FM The Edge, UAA’s college radio station.

Local Alaska lost 9,000 jobs last summer, according to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The period of loss was between July and September, some loss is normal during this time, due to seasonal industries, but low oil prices have vastly increased it. Worst off is the oil and gas sector, which now employs 26 percent less than it did in the third quarter of 2015.

Job loss statewide has increased every month since late 2015. Alaska has the nation’s worst unemployment rate.

National Puerto Rico’s governor has initiated a referendum to determine whether the U.S. island territory will join the union or leave it for good. The non-binding referendum gives voters the choice to choose between statehood and independence/free association. If the voters choose the latter, a second resolution will be held to choose between the two. Free association means that Puerto Rico would become a sovereign country while maintaining its economic ties to the United States, with the option to dissolve those ties at any time. “Colonialism is not an option for Puerto Rico,” Gov. Ricardo Rossello said. “It’s a civil rights issue ... The time will come in which the United States has to respond to the demands of 3.5 million citizens seeking an absolute democracy.”

Those who back statehood say that the nearly $10 billion in additional annual federal funding would help solve the island’s $70 billion public debt. While its inhabitants are U.S. citizens, they are not allowed to vote in presidential elections, and their representative in congress are not allowed to vote in most matters. Puerto Ricans have voted on this question as recently as 2012, but no previous referendum has returned a clear majority capable of motivating the U.S. Congress, which has final say on any changes in the island’s political status, into voting on the matter.

Global As recently as last week, Francois Fillon was the frontrunner in France’s presidential election. Now, a scandal means anyone could win. Late last month, judicial investigators decide to investigate the former prime minister on the potential misuse of public funds after a newspaper revealed he had employed his own family for decades at a cost of hundreds of thousands of euros. This is not illegal; in fact, the practice of employing family members is common among French officials, but it does not appear that his family members did any work. The scandal has taken the name of his wife, a central figure in the allegations: “Penelopegate.” Fillon’s party, the center-right Republicans, are now left without a solid candidate.

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Alexis Abbott

news2@thenorthernlight.org

Being in college means high tuition prices, unexpected fees and a long list of semester expenses.

Students are obligated to pay for their classes, textbooks and a series of miscellaneous services, but many wonder why that is.

One of the fees students are required to pay for include a concert fee; students are required to pay $10 per semester, but many are unclear of where this fee actually goes.

Concert Board is a student fee funded program designed to offer discounted shows, concerts and entertainment.

The board normally hosts a minimum of one concert and one comedy show per semester. Last semester, the only show included A Cappella Festivella 23 in October.

In the spring of 2016, Concert Board hosted events including a showing of “20 Feet From Stardom” and comedian Demetri Martin.

Vice Chair of Concert Board, Arina Filippenko, said that students should not worry, because the board is working hard to get shows for this semester, having sent out a couple of offers just last week.

“We have sent out various offers to artists and something has always come up; either we receive no response or the dates don’t work, so we are unable to find the spe-

cific equipment the artist wants since we are in Anchorage...so we are unable to host the artist,” Filippenko said.

The board’s website shows that in 1991, students proposed a five dollar fee that was later raised in spring 2009, to bring “big name entertainment to UAA.” Without a show in the near future, students are wondering where the “big name entertainment” is.

“I think it’s unfair that students have to pay for things around campus that most of us don’t even use, we should at least be better informed of what it is we are paying for,” Bria Anderson, a health science major, said.

Most students are not shy to share their frustration dealing with the copious fees that they are expected to pay at the beginning of each semester.

“I wish you had the choice to pay which fees you would actually use because for commuters like me, we don’t use the gym or most of the unnecessary fees we are required to pay,” Maria Cucullu, an engineering major, said.

Students at UAA are questioning where this concert fee goes, while no advertising of shows has appeared in what seems like a long time, but fees are continually being paid.

“I pay $10 a semester to the Concert Board, but I have never been to a concert, or even heard of a concert happening,” Anderson said.

Members of the Concert Board remain optimistic that offers follow through, and that they can give students the big name entertainment that they promised.

JUNEAU: Student representatives lobby for UAA’s future

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five as students-at-large, picked through the application process.

The students going to Juneau include Johanna Richter, Joey Sweet, Demry Mebane, Alex Jorgensen, Nathan Burns, Geser Bat-Erdene, Lyndea Kelleher and Kellen Fisch.

The Advocacy Team will fly to the state capital in an effort to make a change for the University of Alaska on behalf of all students, faculty and staff.

The student lead of this year’s advocacy trip is USUAA’s Government Relations officer, Joey Sweet. Sweet is the project manager and planned the timeline

for the trip, the criteria for participants, advertising and budget.

Sweet helped construct the trip into two parts. The first portion will consist of a conference with other delegates from other UA schools. This event will consist of networking, practicing for later meetings and hearing from guest speakers.

The trip will later involve a meeting with legislators to advocate for issues impacting the university. Student delegates will be assigned their own state senators, representative and legislators to most effectively spread their message.

“The purpose of the trip is to advocate for the university. This means raising

awareness of exactly how bad the budget cuts have been for our school. We’re losing faculty, student confidence in the institution has plummeted and a myriad of other problems all owed to the decline in state support for our school,” Sweet said.

Budget cuts will be an important topic of conversation in Juneau, as it remains one of the most substantial issues that affect and concern students.

Demry Mebane, UAA’s student ombudsman, is well known at the Anchorage campus for keeping fellow students informed on the processes happening in the student government.

Mebane will be an asset to the group in Juneau, while he has aided the advocacy team in gathering information that will complement the team’s ability to speak for the student body.

“The trip to Juneau will be an opportunity for the Advocacy Team to connect with different UA students, and to advocate on behalf of the thousands of students we represent to our Alaskan legislators,” Mebane said.

USUAA members will discuss the results of the advocacy trip at the following weekly General Assembly meeting which is open to all students and the general public.

NEWS

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Coffee prices range across campus, showing divide around accepted meal currencies

The cheapest coffee on campus can be found at The Drowsy Wolf, a coffee shop that does not have to reimburse Seawolf Dining for meal block or dining dollar purchases

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

While the Drowsy Wolf doesn’t accept meal blocks or dining dollars, it does, on average, provide the cheapest cup of coffee on campus.

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

On average, the cheapest coffee on campus can be found at the UAA Bookstore at The Drowsy Wolf. The cheapest coffee after that, for most items, can be found in the Student Union at the Union Station, and coming in next are operations run by Seawolf Dining. But depending on how you pay for your coffee, it may be more affordable to purchase coffee at locations that accept meal blocks or dining dollars.

NANA Management Services runs Seawolf Dining, and NMS Area Manager, Scott Evers said Seawolf Dining accepts three different revenue streams.

The first, is what Evers called meal equivalencies, or meal blocks, which can pay for food items in $5 swipes. The second revenue stream is called dining dollars, which come with a meal plan and the third are Wolfbucks that are added to a Wolfcard and function like a UAA specific debit card. The Drowsy Wolf does not accept meal equivalencies or dining dollars, the Union Station can only accept dining dollars, and Seawolf Dining locations accept both meal equivalencies and dining dollars.

Liam Lindsay, student manager of the Union Station, and Annie Route, Student Life and Leadership director, said that up until the middle of fall semester, the Union Station was still able to accept meal equivalencies while retaining some of the cheaper prices around campus.

“We used to be able to do [meal blocks], up until about halfway through the semester last year, until they disappeared without warning,” Lindsay said.

When asked to explain more, Route in a joint interview with Lindsay, said their ability to accept meal blocks was ‘taken away.’

“We would love to accept meal blocks, but those were taken away by Sea-

wolf Dining. You can ask Scott [Evers], because we weren’t explained anything either. I think it was the beginning of fall [that meal blocks were taken away],” Route said.

The Seawolf Dining website states that only Seawolf Dining operations and subcontractors are able to accept both meal blocks and dining dollars. Evers said the Union Station is in a unique position because the coffee location used to be a Seawolf Dining run operation until it was changed to be a university run, student-run coffee shop.

“There was a pilot program,” Evers said as an answer to why Seawolf Dining no longer runs Union Station. “We were running it for quite a while itself, up until 2011-2012, and the University had a pilot program through one of their organizations and they had some money and they wanted to do some investments training and on the job training for students at that time. At that time we went into this mutual agreement with them, and specifically said what they could and couldn’t use.”

Evers said that there was an agreement in 2012 dictating what meal currencies would be accepted at the Union Station; Route said the meal blocks were taken away just last semester.

“It was something that just happened and we were not really informed long before that, that those were going to stop,” Route said about the meal blocks being removed. “[The Union Station] in 2013, was negotiated to student affairs so that we could provide a program where students have the opportunity, kind of like a business lab, to run the shop, schedule, order, get that whole experience of running it and we thought we could be a very student oriented, campus-oriented coffee shop right here in the middle of the campus. We said we would take it on, we’d pay for it, we’d pay for our students, so they released the coffee shop from the contract with NANA to us, with the idea

that we would revisit it every few years, kind of see how it’s going.”

Joey Sweet, political science major, remembers when the Union Station stopped being able to accept meal blocks.

Sweet, who uses a Seawolf Dining plan, relies on his meal blocks to buy coffee.

In the middle of fall semester, he stopped being able to afford coffee at the Union Station, because his meal blocks could no longer be accepted.

“Well as the term went on, I basically had to stop using Union Station, because if they didn’t take meal blocks, and as I slowly but steadily burned through those $400 on the regular meal plan account, I had to switch to using the meal swipes, which are $5...it was not a decision at all,” Sweet said. “I had to stop. I continued to go to Kaladi’s because they continued to accept them.”

Kaladi Brothers Coffee on campus is a part of Seawolf Dining, but their coffee costs anywhere from 25 cents to $1 more than The Drowsy Wolf coffee, and in some cases even a 25 cent to 50 cent markup from the Union Station.

Last semester, Sweet was looking for a Senator project as a part of USUAA, and he started looking into the way all of the coffee shops priced their products differently after a friend who worked at the Union Station told him about their meal blocks being shut off.

“What my [friend] told me was that [NANA Management Services], with no warning, no emails ahead of time one day just stopped having Union Station accept meal blocks as a form of payment,” Sweet said. “He says it happened, I [personally] don’t know, this is hearsay, he said that it happened in the middle of the shift in between customers. Like the customer in front happened to pay with a meal block and the next one came up, and he went to press the same button and it was just gone...”

Route can not definitively explain why the Union Station was no longer able to accept the Seawolf Dining dollars because she said she never received any communication on the subject, but she thinks it has to do with shrinking university budgets. “[Students] can use meal blocks at [the] Kaladi Brothers shop in the library, that’s run by NANA. And they can also use it at Subway, because Subway is cocontractor or subcontractor with NANA to be here on campus. The Union Station

coffee shop is not. So I get it, I understand, when you’re looking at the bottom line it’s starting to shrink, you have to see where your funds are going and how you can maintain that level of earnings,” Route said. “And for them it was money out the door, to us. Which was unfortunate that students lost that opportunity.

We’re pleased that a lot of them have stuck with us, and there are still guests and customers here.”

In the past, Evers said he didn’t know that the Union Station wanted to have dining dollars, so he ‘turned it off,’ but later returned the service. He said he was not aware that the Union Station was ever able to accept meal blocks.

“It’s very confusing. Once I found out that we were offering something and then [I] turned it off and it was probably not the best customer service, so I turned them back on. We are going to need to figure something out for the fall semester of 2018,” Evers said of the dining dollars.

“It’s always better to do it at the beginning of the semester.”

Route remembers when the dining dollars were taken away, but the Union Station is able to accept those again, just not the meal blocks. When asked how meal blocks and dining dollars were different and why Union Station was allowed to have one but not the other, Evers responded by saying it was “correct” that the percentages of reimbursement were different. He did not elaborate more. Instead, he deferred to Director of University Housing, Dining and Conference Services director David Weaver.

“The Student Union cafe “Union Station” was operated by my department up to spring 2013,” Weaver said. “Student Union staff requested it become independent to create a “Learning Laboratory” for students to run and manage, for them to learn about business planning and student engagement on campus. We agreed and gave the operation to the Student Union starting summer 2013. They use a different financial system and it is very difficult to have our systems mesh. It is possible to link them again in the future, but I believe it will not be a quick process.”

In this academic year, the Union Station is no longer accepting meal blocks, but there is talk from The Drowsy Wolf’s manager, Penny Kimball, that the shop is considering asking Seawolf Dining for the ability to accept dining dollars.

NEWS

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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

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Little Black Dress Doesn’t Mean Yes starts conversation on consent

Little Black Dress Doesn’t Mean Yes is bringing up YouTube sexual education star Laci Green to talk about sexual consent

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

The second Little Black Dress Doesn’t Mean Yes event will be held Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union.

The event will feature guest speaker and YouTube star Laci Green from the Sex Plus series. The mission of Little Black Dress Doesn’t Mean Yes, according to organizer and USUAA Vice President Johanna Richter, is to promote sexual consent.

“It is an event that celebrates consent, and so this year what we are doing is a lecture and a mixer,” Richter said.

“We’ll have a speaker come talk about consent and the importance of promoting a culture that protects the ability of all people to give consent. Then we also will have a

mixer afterward were we will have some representatives from the community.”

Little Black Dress was first held last year, and the feedback Richter and other organizers got most about the event is that they wanted an informational component, and so Richter advocated to get Green to speak at the event. “[Green] has a sex ed show on YouTube that is the most popular sex ed show on YouTube,” Richter said.

“She’s a pretty famous speaker, she speaks at campuses across the nation including Ivy Leagues and big name private schools. We are pretty excited to have somebody of her caliber up here.”

Richter thinks it will be beneficial to have someone well known in the realm of sexual education lead the lecture.

“I think having an event about sexual assault, is you want to have something that will attract people to the event without making them feel unsafe or uncomfortable, and Laci Green, as I said before has one of the most watched programs on YouTube about sexual health,” Richter said. “She’s really well known among the younger, around people my age and the younger, who have watched her videos in high school. We really wanted to bring somebody here who we thought was really good at talking about these issues in a way that young people could relate to and in a way that’s not offputting to them.”

Lyndea Kelleher, vice president of membership education at Alpha Sigma Alpha, attended the event last year with her sorority sisters, and she said the event had a positive impact at Alpha Sigma Alpha.

“It is something that we talk a lot about, how going to this event helped our members be able to bring up issues, it helped with being able to just talk about things,” Kelleher said. “In the mixer you kind of talk about healthy sexuality. So it opened the conversation for us a lot and

made it less of a taboo to speak about…. And it opened doors I think. It made it more concrete, and a little less hush, hush. It wasn’t weird, it wasn’t awkward it was just like, ‘hey, this is a thing that happens, and we don’t want that to happen. So, let’s learn about ways that prevent that and talk about ownership of your body and kind of the steps that you should take to feel comfortable when you go out.’”

This year, Alpha Sigma Alpha is attending the event as well as co-sponsoring it. Kelleher thinks healthy conversations about consent are good for everyone at UAA, her sorority sisters included.

“I think it is really important that sorority women especially speak out about how a woman’s body is her own and that no one can make decisions for her and that it doesn’t matter what she’s wearing, if she’s going to a Frat party, it does not give anyone else the right to put their hands on her body or make her decisions for her in any way that may make her uncomfortable despite how she’s dressed,” Kelleher said.

Last year both sororities and some of the fraternities attended Little Black Dress, and the event being held again this year allows people who missed it last year to come. Alex Jorgensen, political science major, is attending this year.

“I think it’s going to be a really fun event, but more importantly the purpose or the goal behind the event is a really noble cause — to spread awareness about consent,” Jorgensen said. “I think sexual assault impacts everyone. I know someone who was sexually assaulted and this shouldn’t exist. It’s a problem we shouldn’t be working to solve because it is a problem that we can easily solve by teaching people that this is not acceptable behavior.”

The lecture with Green starts at 7 p.m. and there will be free food at the mixer. The recommended dress attire is black dress, black tie.

Singles Night: Date or no date

Student Activities hosts Singles Night in the Student Union Den

By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

College students are known for procrastinating. There is a lot on a student’s plate when starting the same daily routine with the new semester. Being occupied with school has left students unprepared for yet again, another Valentine’s day. Fear not, there is a solution to this problem. UAA’s Student Activities and Commuter Programming team is throwing Singles Night on Feb. 13, just in time to find a quick date before the big day.

Singles Night is an event provided for UAA students with a valid ID to come and meet other students while enjoying free snacks, games, and dancing. For this upcoming Singles Night, there will be a traditional valentines theme with many exciting features.

“This Singles Night, we’ll have a photo booth, a hot new playlist, plenty of candy, valentines themed treats, a conversation-starting bingo with prizes and lots of singles ready to mingle,” Jennifer Kelsey, nursing major and Student Activities team member, said. “I’m really looking forward to the balloon heart arch we are making for the photo booth, it’s going to turn out awesome.”

Dancing and meeting new people can be a bit overwhelming, so to take the edge off there will be a chocolate fountain.

“We are renting a four-foot chocolate fountain, I couldn’t be more excited about this,” Savana Hartley, marketing major

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

and programming team manager at Student Activities, said.

Not only will there be a chocolate fountain, but a chance to win tickets to an upcoming event that sells out very quickly.

“There will be lots of dancing and a round of mingle bingo, where the winner can win a pair of tickets to our upcoming event BANFF Mountain Film Festival,” Hartley said.

Although the event is called Singles Night, couples are more than welcome to attend. However, if you’re single, there will be speed dating to break the ice.

“If you’re not into dancing, you can still go and do the speed dating thing and get to know people and listen to great music,” Madison Gregory, Student Activities team member, said.

UAA students are encouraged to come and enjoy and fun time with their peers.

“If you are a UAA single and you want to mingle, then you most definitely should come. Bring a friend or two and have a blast dancing and eating delicious Valentines treats that you can personally dip in an endlessly flowing fountain of chocolate,” Hartley said. “Who knows… maybe you will meet someone special, you’ll never know unless you come.”

Singles Night is a great way to interact with your peers in a social gathering. Some students will be attending for their first time and are excited to see what UAA brings.

“I think the Singles Nights are a great way for people to meet and interact on a social level regardless of whether or not of romantic or sexual outcomes. Overall I’m expecting it to be a lot of fun and hopefully dancing,” Karim Chettfour, majoring in electrical engineering, said.

“I’ve never attended one of these put on

by UAA, but I’m excited to see what they have in store. And yes, can’t wait for that chocolate fountain.”

Single or not, Student Activities is hosting the ultimate valentines get together for UAA students. This could be your chance to find the Ashanti to your Ja Rule, and while you’re at it, enjoy the four-foot chocolate fountain and assorted treats. Singles Night is taking place on Feb. 13 from 7 - 9 p.m. The event is free for all UAA students with a valid ID in the Student Union Den, just in time to make some last minute moves.

08 | FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

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DATING: Safety serves as mass concern for online dating in Alaska

Continued from cover

as this sounds, I always tried to park right next to the building or under a light so if they decided to walk me to my car I was visible,” Leigh said.

Leigh isn’t the only one to notice poor lighting around Anchorage and the effect it has when meeting up with strangers.

“In Alaska, we have a very unique situation, especially with not having a lot of lit places. The city is not very well lit, even where you park. That’s where I remember thinking like, ‘oh my god, I’m going to die here,’” Zhenia Peterson, UAA social work graduate and social worker in Alaska, said.

Peterson has used online dating apps, such as Tinder, in and outside of Alaska.

“The men I’ve dated outside of Alaska... it’s completely different. Men are more willing to go out and meet in public places,” Peterson said.

When using Tinder here in Alaska, Leigh eventually found her strict “creeper checklist” couldn’t filter out everything.

“There was this one guy who had dodged all my ‘creeper radar’ until I met him. He was asking me questions about my health, families health. But he was very smooth, so I think someone who wasn’t looking for these signs might have missed them. Then when we walked out of the date he suggested that we go back to his place and I take a bath with some wine and he’d just leave me alone,” Leigh said. “I was so creeped out. I texted my friend my safety word and she called with an emergency so I could get out of there.”

Shiloh Teddy, a UAA culinary student, had to create a similar regimen when meeting people online.

“I felt very wary. I waited a while to meet up and if I didn’t feel right about it I didn’t go. It’s much safer and smarter. I also had to be allowed to see their Facebook first. And let at least one other person know your meeting with someone

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

While dating services like OKCupid and Tinder have gained in popularity recently, users should remain cautious as Alaska was recently named the second most dangerous state in the country, after the District of Columbia.

you’ve met online,” Teddy said.

Teddy carries a taser on her person for extra safety.

“I think Alaska is safer in some ways, like that women here seem to be better armed and defended, I carry a taser for instance,” Teddy said.

Lee Piltz, a former staff reporter at The Northern Light and UAA communications student, has felt safe online dating in Alaska.

“For the most part, I have felt safe.

There have been one or two dates I’ve gone on where I wasn’t totally comfort-

able, but I attribute that to nerves,” Piltz said. “However, it almost feels as though the people I go out with using these apps see me as a threat.”

Piltz has noticed women on the dates are more cautious and concerned when meeting for the first time.

“As a guy, I can understand that crime has increased in Anchorage lately and a lot of people are very concerned. Add that to the fact that I’m a bigger guy and I can see how people would have hesitations to trust me. Especially if we’ve just met. But it does concern me,” Piltz said.

“I’m just on these apps to date and maybe meet some friends or possibly a significant other. I know some guys, the scumbags as I call them, are just looking for hookups or to try and take advantage of someone, and it makes dating harder for the good guys as it can make a potential date nervous or even frightened.”

Safety precautions should be taken when online dating in any state. Knowing your state’s statistics and understanding the risks in your local area can be an advantage for judging potentially dangerous situations.

10 | FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Black History Month movie showings educate on and celebrate culture

By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

During the month of February, Concert Board and Black Student Union have planned a series of events for Black History Month. For the first three Wednesdays of February, there will be movie showings to educate students, faculty and the general public on black history.

“I think it’s important to celebrate Black History Month and diversity at UAA because our university and our community is diverse. By celebrating other’s cultures we welcome them and invite them to be a part of the community at UAA,” Kelly Ireland, double majoring in biological sciences and journalism and chair of Concert Board, as well as the former executive editor of The Northern Light, said. “Now more than ever we need to be inclusionary and show others that they are accepted. One of the best things about UAA is the diversity of students we have here. Anchorage is also an incredibly diverse city, and we should be celebrating that.”

One of the themes for movies that are being presented has to do with conflict and confusion within the black community.

“As for the films that we decided to advertise, we felt as though it touched on some of the issues that African Americans often have within our own community and to hopefully educate and utilize the information given off from these films to learn from them,” Nyariak Kuany, accounting major and treasurer of the Black Student Union said.

Movies can have a huge impact on the way individuals interpret information.

Although there are several books and information online about black history, watching actual footage can give a better understanding of certain situations.

“The movies are an insight of what’s going on in our culture and its good to have because it’s on film, even though we have written documents and pictures, it’s always good to be able to visualize,”

Jennifer Spencer, majoring in social work said.

These movies are being shown in hopes to expose important facts in our history to improve the future by having a mutual understanding of cultures.

“Personally I feel students on campus as well as those within the anchorage community would be able to experience and get a taste of black culture distributed around the country and hopefully help improve overall student engagement on campus by watching and attending the events we have planned in celebration of this month,” Kuany said.

Showing these films is not only celebrating Black History Month, but also furthering the community’s education on our own history. Education is key for obtaining a better understanding of one another.

“One quote I always look back to is

by Malcolm X and he says, ‘Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs for those who prepare for it today,’ and I just see that as an inspirational quote because you educate yourself about what happened and watch these movies and get educated about studies that people have done,” Spencer said.

“It’s very important for you to go to all or most of the films, do your research after the films and always give an ear to what other people have to say.”

The movie events are free for students and the general public. Along with the movie showings throughout the month, there will also be guest speaker Shaun King, a panel discussion on ‘The Crisis in Black Education,’ a soul food potluck and a spoken word event. Look out for these events and celebrate Black History Month and come together as a community.

Feb. 1 — Bound: Africans vs. African Americans (Wendy Williamson Auditorium) Feb. 8 — Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap (Wendy Williamson Auditorium) Feb. 15 — The Black Friday (UAA Planetarium)

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

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College Cookbook: Fatayer with Genevieve One might wonder how Genevieve Fayette, with her seemingly French last name and fair features, grew up eating kibbeh and dolmas.

Fayette’s grandfather Jim, the son of Lebanese immigrants, was born and raised in Vermont. Jim’s parents changed their Arabic name Fayad to the more Americanized and accepted Fayette when they came to America from what is now Lebanon in 1908.

He kept his Mediterranean culture

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

Ingredients For dough:

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast • 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water • 5 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tablespoon sugar • 1 tablespoon salt • 3/4 cup olive oil For filling:

• 2 pounds spinach • 4 medium onions • 1 tablespoon salt • 1 teaspoon paprika • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper • A pinch cayenne pepper For dressing:

• 1/4 cup lemon juice • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

alive by learning to read and speak in Arabic and more importantly by cooking the food of his parents home.

In the 1960s, Jim and his wife decided to adopt the son of a French Canadian and Irish Jew who they named James. Father of Genevieve, James stuck out at family gatherings with his fair skin and features.

Although he looked different from the rest of his Lebanese cousins, James was as much a part of the culture as

they were. Lebanese food was served weekly in Jim’s house.

“If your house smells like cumin and allspice that’s the smell of my childhood,” James Fayette said.

James has since shared his adoptive culture with his children through food.

Fatayer, which is pronounced fatoy-ah, makes a nice snack or appetizer. Genevieve notes that meat can be used to fill the dough for a more substantial dish.

Directions 1. In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over lukewarm water and let the yeast bloom. This takes roughly ten minutes and should be frothy.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Add in oil, yeast with water and stir until the dough comes together.

Once the dough is combined, knead until smooth and elastic.

Cover the dough in a bowl and let it rest for 1 to 2 hours.

3. Take the spinach and heat over a large pan on medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the spinach until it’s PHOTO BY VICTORIA PETERSEN wilted. Take off heat and let cool. Squeeze out any excess moisture from the spinach.

4. Finely chop the onions and place in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the spinach, salt, paprika, black pepper and cayenne.

Let sit.

5. To make the dressing, take a small bowl and combine lemon juice and olive oil. Add to rest of stuffing.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or spray with cooking oil.

7. Once the dough has rested, divide in half. Roll out one-half of the dough until nearly 1/16 inch thin. Use a 4-inch wide circle cutter to cut the dough into circles.

8. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle. Pinch together three ends of the circle over the center of the filling. Seal down one side, then across the other side to form a pyramid shape. Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining circles. Bake in the oven until golden for 15 to 20 minutes.

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

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There’s a terrifying secret hiding ‘Under the Shadow’

By Jacob Holley-Kline Contributor

There’s something to be said for the horror genre repeating itself. Like other genre fiction, horror has some very specific tropes and archetypes it returns to.

Recently, it’s been thorny parent-child relationships in movies like “The Babadook,” “Goodnight Mommy,” and, now, the haunting “Under the Shadow.”

It’s hard to blame Shideh (Narges Rashidi, “Tigermilch”), the troubled mother at the movie’s center. Having marched for leftist groups in the Iranian Revolution, she can’t return to medical school to complete her degree.

Soon after, her husband, a doctor named Iraj (Bobby Naderi, “Boys on Film 14: Worlds Collide”) is drafted to the ongoing war, leaving her and her daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi) alone in war-torn Tehran. While others evacuate the city, a strange boy moves in with Shideh’s neighbors, bringing something dark with him.

“Under the Shadow” is an eerie haunted house movie where the house is a dilapidated apartment complex and the haunting is a country’s brutal, unending war.

Strangely for a horror movie, Shideh and Dorsa’s biggest concern isn’t the thing stalking them, it’s the destruction of their homeland. That subtext is obvious, but it’s so potent and integrated into the narrative that it only adds to the horror. Add to that Shideh’s strained relationship

with her daughter, and the movie deepens even more.

With so many factors tearing at the characters, it’s hard to know what’s the most dangerous. Shideh and Dorsa are at war for their home, bodies and souls, and it’s not always clear if they’ll win. Narges Rashidi as the put-upon matriarch and Avin Manshadi as her willful daughter are electric together. In many ways, the friction between them is the heart of the movie. Anvari withholds easy answers to their problems but never pushes their understandable antagonism too far.

What’s remarkable is that the movie relies on a few repeated scares. Director Babak Anvari is a horror technician, though, and each jump is earned, and each repeat is justified. Every time, the stakes aren’t raised so much as reinforced. Even before things get supernatural, viewers know what can be lost. Everything just comes together so well. Even the relatively poor CGI is used well even though it’s hard to take seriously in large doses.

Even so, the movie brings 2016, a great year for horror, to a strong close. To get this and “The Witch” in the same year feels like cheating; the world has suffered greatly since 2010, but the best horror of the decade turned its eye towards that suffering and revealed the power within it. Like “The Witch,” “Under the Shadow” makes an art of revealing that power. It’s a subtle masterwork, politically relevant and terrifying all at once.

“Under the Shadow”

TITLE

DIRECTOR Babak Anvari

RELEASE DATE Sep. 30, 2016

COUNTRY Jordan

GENRE Horror

Localize It: Oscar Avellaneda-Cruz opens Ave Studio

By Madison McEnaney arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Anchorage is a town surrounded by a backdrop of snow covered mountains, clear skies and oceans. Anybody can walk outside of their back door, and take an eye catching photograph of our massive playground to marvel at. While this is unique and a great way to capture one element of photography, Anchorage has been missing a place where more simple pictures can be taken. A place that focuses on the subject rather than the backdrop was a place that Oscar Avellaneda-Cruz recognized our town needed for its photographers, and decided to do something about.

A photographer himself, AvellanedaCruz is a 33-year-old lifelong Alaskan, growing up and living in East Anchorage. He has been taking photos since he discovered the art in high school, and now runs his own photography business as his primary career. People are general-

ly Avellaneda-Cruz’s favorite subject to photograph, but he explores many other areas as well.

“I am into the idea of visually documenting and communicating identity as it relates to people and place. So, that looks like a lot of travel related photography and documentary photography for me,” Avellaneda-Cruz said.

With the combination of Avellaneda-Cruz’s photography expertise and community oriented style, he had always wanted to create a space where others could come and share his passion with him.

“Back when ACW first opened in 2012 I was approached by Craig, who runs the print shop side of the place. He asked me about the idea of an ‘art gym,’ meaning an area for people in the community to come and utilize the space for their music, art, photography, etc. I couldn’t help at the time because I had just gotten married and started a family, but the idea stuck with me. I held onto it and now that it’s happening, it’s really neat to see how far the idea has developed,” Avellaneda-Cruz said.

On Feb. 1, Ave Studio opened on the upstairs floor of Anchorage Community Works. The space is small but features many different tools that photographers all over Anchorage can now use to better their portraiture skills. Backdrops, V-flats, a hair and makeup area and storage space are a few of the elements that Avellaneda-Cruz has worked into this space. The walls are all painted black, with a single window on the south side of the room that allows natural daylight to fill the space, and be manipulated by photographers.

It only took Avellaneda-Cruz and his brother less than a month to put the studio together. Avellaneda-Cruz is extremely passionate about photography and the community that surrounds it and wanted to get Ave Studio up and running as soon as possible. The space can be rented out by anyone who requests it and books an

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Building his new studio around the power of simple window light, photographer Oscar AvellanedaCruz hopes the space will encourage creatives within the community to collaborate together.

appointment on the studio’s website.

“My hope for the future of this space is that I can find a few other people to help me manage the studio, and we can run it based on memberships with ACW,” Avellaneda-Cruz said.

As for the future of this photography studio, Avellaneda-Cruz extends an invitation to the space beyond just photographers. He wants others to be able to utilize what Ave Studio has to offer and feel just as welcome.

“I set this up so other photographers and visual creatives can make use of a space to go create. There’s nothing quite like this in town right now, with the nat-

ural window light and the black walls.

While I initially built it for photographers specifically, I am beginning to realize that truly anyone who needs a space to let creativity flow can use this room. All of these alternative ways a studio can help start artists collaborate is where I see the direction of Ave Studio going,” Avellaneda-Cruz said.

Ave Studio started out as a vision in the back of Avellaneda-Cruz’s mind, and after years of waiting for the right time and placed to approach him, he has made it happen. Now, photographers of all levels can find their way to Ave Studio and experience the space for themselves.

A&E KRUA celebrates 25 years of being on the air

UAA’s student-run radio station to host a free concert in lieu of their 25th birthday

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

| 13

concerts start 10pm | 21 & over | schedule & tix online: thesitzmark.com

feb. 17 & 18

young dubliners celtic rock | $20

vip concert package includes a 1-night stay, t-shirts, tickets to the show & more! starts at $169

book online using promo code: music

best place to après | open daily at 11am, food til late

feb. 10 & 11: nervis rex putting the ska in alaska | free!

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Madison McEnaney arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Residents of Anchorage have been tuning into UAA’s studentrun radio station, KRUA 88.1 FM since they first went on the air in 1992. Talk shows, local and popular music and news updates have been broadcasted through KRUA for 25 years now, proving to be one of UAA’s most successful media outlets.

To celebrate the time that KRUA has dedicated to radio, they are hosting a free concert at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium on Feb. 17, starting at 7:30 p.m. There will be three different acts performing, all of them local.

“We wanted to celebrate the history of KRUA by not only bringing out local music, but by having those acts really highlight what we like to play on the station. We are hoping to do a presentation of KRUA through the years,” Wright Franklin, KRUA’s station manager, said.

I Like Robots is an ‘80s cover band based in Anchorage. They have been featured on KRUA before, and fit perfectly as an opener for the show. DJ Spencer Lee was on staff at KRUA before he had his own DJ business. These two opening acts will document music from the past, and highlight KRUA’s past 25 years as a radio station.

To celebrate the present day KRUA, Lavoy will be the third and final performance at the show. A five person band, consisting of Tyrell Tompkins, Sean Riley, Ryan Monson, Kipp Riley and Ivan Brik, Lavoy all moved to Spokane, Washington three years ago to further their career as a band and play in larger cities. They play alternative, indie pop music, and are easily comparable to the nostalgic sounds of the ‘80s.

“We really dig college pop music, a lot of what KRUA plays. When they asked us to perform at their 25th-anniversary show, it really made sense for us to fly up,” Tompkins said.

These three performances will surely deliver what KRUA enjoys most: local music. I Like Robots, DJ Spencer Lee and Lavoy will all bring a different sound and quality to the show that will help it come together as a cohesive concert.

“Overall, we just really want to celebrate our history, celebrate that we are still around and that we’ve been representing UAA for 25 years now,” Franklin said.

By hosting this free concert, KRUA hopes to give back to its listeners. Students of UAA, residents of Anchorage and anyone else who is interested are welcome to join in the free celebration and will get to experience and discover some of Anchorage’s best local music.

14 | A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

UAA students Jade Ariah and Danielle Morgan host opening of the HER gallery

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIELLE MORGAN

“Curiosity” by Danielle Morgan.

By Madison McEnaney arts2@thenorthernlight.org

The gallery in UAA’s Student Union has held dozens of art shows since its opening, each unique and crafted by students on campus. Starting on Feb. 17 and lasting through the first half of March, bachelors of fine arts students Jade Ariah and Danielle Morgan will be taking their turn showcasing their art in the gallery. They titled their project HER, and have been working on their pieces since the idea got approved last year.

Ariah is a 23-year-old art student at UAA, and will be entering the BFA program next fall. Her primary focuses are ceramics and watercolor painting, and she has incorporated both of those talents into her pieces for

the HER gallery. Morgan and Ariah met through these art classes and have been working together for several semesters.

“Danielle and I had talked about doing a show together in the past, we’ve known each other for a while. I think our work is really similar in the sense that we are both into color theory, and our work has this feminine narrative to it,” Ariah said.

Morgan, 28, will also be starting in the BFA program next fall. Her art centers around women, just as Ariah’s does, but from a different approach. Morgan’s pieces are images that convey self-love and awareness through watercolor painting.

“Lately, it seems that our culture has become more accepting that people are more diverse in many ways.

In painting nude figures, it’s my way of practicing selfacceptance and also appreciate the diversity of humans in general. I hope that people can look at my art and feel that too,” Morgan said.

On the opening day of the gallery, Ariah and Morgan will be hosting a reception where viewers can see the gallery for the first time. At this reception, Ariah will also have her handmade feminist icon themed jewelry for sale, where a portion of the profits made will be donated to Planned Parenthood.

Recent events both politically and socially make the HER gallery extremely timely and relevant to most people’s lives. By showcasing how these two student artists feel about feminists and their ideals through art, viewers of the gallery can actively see an entirely different way of voicing an opinion regarding feminism.

“It’s really important to me that everyone who takes the time to walk through the exhibit to understand what point I’m trying to convey, so I plan to write up text that will be paired with my work, kind of giving a background or history to each piece. I want people to see what my response has been to the modern-day treatment of women,” Ariah said.

By having Ariah’s eye-catching feminist sculptures paired with Morgan’s dreamy paintings to promote positive body image, HER will ultimately be a cohesive showcase of the art that these two women have spent the last year working on.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JADE ARIAH

“Untitled” by Jade Ariah.

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

| 15

POLAR NIGHTS: FRIDAY AFTER HOURS Launch your weekend at the Anchorage Museum with a pub-style trivia contest, artist studio with Jimmy Riordan, literary events, live music in Muse and more 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 Enjoy discounted admission on Friday nights

Come to know the true North anchoragemuseum.org

Museum members save on special events. Join today!

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

| 16

UAA women boast No. 2 rank in division II basketball

Mirroring the previous 2015-16 season, the Seawolves are coming to a close in the current season with a national No. 2 rank

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SKIP HICKEY

UAA women’s basketball team huddles up for a pre-game ritual during Thursday’s home game against Concordia. The Seawolves defeated the Cavaliers 91 to 60.

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

With only six regular season games left, the UAA women’s basketball team continues to prevail continuously over their competitors — with a 17 game win streak. In addition to their impressive national ranking, the Seawolves lead the conference being the only undefeated team and also claim the title of being the current division II west regional leader.

The most recent of their wins proved to be a dominance over Great Northwest Athletic Conference No. 2 Concordia and No. 10 Western Oregon.

Thursday, February 2 vs. Concordia The Seawolves kicked off the weekend games with a tremendous win over Concordia. After a previous challenge in quarter four in the last game against Concordia, the Seawolves were able to redeem themselves.

Head coach Ryan McCarthy and the team were aware and well adjusted due to the previous game.

“Concordia is very well coached and has very good athletes on their teams.

They are young and right there on that turning point... we had to change up some rules on out defense [after watching Concordia],” McCarthy said.

UAA women took control in quarter one with an immediate 6-0 lead in the first couple minutes of the game with points from forwards senior Autummn Williams and junior Sierra Afoa.

By the end of period one, the Seawolves were already up 20-7, with 7 of the points coming from Williams. Quarter two allowed UAA an even higher jump in their lead, finishing up with a 27 point lead just before halftime.

The second half allowed the Seawolves some flexibility and relaxation with a consistent lead of 22 points or more. While the third quarter gave light to senior point guard Kiki Robertson,

scoring 4 of the 12 shots, the fourth quarter allowed Williams to up her total averages for the game.

Additionally, junior guard Zhara Laster and senior forward Alysha Devine got their appearances in the end of the game with several points and assists of their own.

An end came with an impressive 28 points coming from Williams and a career-high 7 assists. Another significant game for a Seawolf was played by Laster who got three career-high records: 14 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals.

With the end of the game, the Seawolves overthrew Concordia significantly with a final score of 91-60.

Saturday, February 4 vs. Western Oregon

Alysha Devine goes for the shot against Concorida’s Erin Higbie during the Thursday, Feb. 2 game at the Alaska Airlines Center.

As the Seawolves close in on the second weekend game and end of the season, energy levels are being worn out, as noticed by sophomore forward Hannah Wandersee.

“Physical state, everybody is a little tired but we are focused, just need to look at one game at a time and keep looking forward and staying motivated,” Wandersee said.

In a coincidentally similar game to Thursday’s game, the Seawolves ended again with 91 points, but this time prevailing with a 41 point lead rather than a 31 point lead. Western Oregon came in ranked only No. 10 in the conference, so UAA had a much larger advantage and quickly pulled in the points after Western Oregon tested them early on.

Period one stared Robertson and Devine early on, combined for the first five shots of the night. But, to put the Seawolves to the test, Western Oregon pushed on them and managed to pull into the lead, more than once.

At first, the Seawolves were up 3 points, 10-7, but Western Oregon’s Kaylie Boschman got two 3-pointers and a layup to challenge UAA and steal the

lead. Just when the Seawolves redeemed themselves again with Devine’s offense, Western Oregon’s Kennedy Corrigan again jumped in to steal the lead.

For the final redemption of the night, Laster came in with two points to secure the Seawolves’ lead for the remainder of the night and end off the first period.

UAA prospered doubling their score and more in the second period. From 21 to 47, the Seawolves were able to give credit to Williams and Afoa for their performances, with 7 points from each of them.

While the Seawolves were able to accumulate 26 more points before halftime, Western Oregon only managed 11.

With a confidently secured lead, the Seawolves jumped into the second half with a strong offense. In addition to Williams taking over, scoring time and time again, sophomore guard Tara Thompson and Wandersee jumped in and made shots of their own.

The Seawolves and McCarthy had to look at a lot of options, but it seemed to work out to their advantage.

“Right now we are just damage control with some legs that are banged up.

we [were] looking at different lineups and substitutions,” McCarthy said.

Nearing the end of the game, the Seawolves were up by more than 30 points with no slowing down. The fourth period proved to be tied for the most unsuccessful for Western Oregon, only accumulating 11 points.

With a final score of 91-60, the Seawolves successfully won their 17th straight game.

In addition, Williams and Devine had yet another standout game, collectively bringing in nearly half of the points. It proved to be a game high for Williams with 27 points, while Devine had 16 — the most in a GNAC game this year.

With their 17 game win streak, the Seawolves are well on their way to ending the season on top, still holding at No. 2 in the nation. However, McCarthy is only focused on the near future, “I think it’s nice to be recognized by your peers and the quality of product we have, but for us, we just focus on one game at a time,” McCarthy said.

The Seawolves take off again on Thursday, Feb. 9 to Nampa, Idaho to play Northwest Nazarene.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

| 17

An Alaskan tradition: The Yukon Quest 21 mushers and their sled dog teams will take off on Feb. 4 for the 34th Annual Yukon Quest

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

The Yukon Quest is the ultimate test of endurance and perseverance; the racers will travel the course of 1,000 miles between Whitehorse, Yukon and Fairbanks, Alaska. The Quest is roughly 100 miles less than the well-known Iditarod.

The racers have to battle open water, frozen rivers and four mountain summits throughout the course, with only 9 checkpoints for the entire duration — on average only one every 110 miles.

Sled dog teams can expect to be in competition and out in the wilderness anywhere from nine to 14 days; a lot of the time spent completely alone in the unpredictable and potentially hazardous Alaskan terrain.

The idea might sound absurd, but to Roger Williams, Leroy Shank, Ron Rosser and William “Willy” Lipps — who scavenged the idea in a saloon in 1983 — it seemed to be the ultimate test of dog mushing. After the first race was set up, they decided to name it the Yukon Quest to honor the Yukon River.

The idea and the name stuck and 34 years later, racers such as Brian Wilmshurst are carrying on the tradition. Wilmshurt has a special connection to the Quest.

He got into dog mushing purely from the Yukon Quest, by watching the start in 2007 and will be now racing in it for the fifth time. In addition, Jason Campeau, who has previous experience in races such as the Iditarod, is now participating in his second Yukon Quest.

Campeau knew that regardless of experience, a difficult race takes lots of preparation.

“We started training in September with short runs using our side-by-side and worked out way up to be able to do longer runs on the Quest,” he said.

Because of the unexpected terrain and conditions, it’s important for racers to be prepared for anything with that comes practicing and training in all kinds of circumstances. Fortunately, this year’s race looks favorable.

“So far, the conditions look good. We like running when it is cold and are used to it where we live in Canada in the Rocky Mountains,” Campeau said.

Even though conditions might be good, it doesn’t make the race anything close to easy. Wilmshurst has experience in unexpected situations.

“I have had a couple scary times in blizzards trying to find the trail. But really, my dogs are pros and I can trust them to get me through any conditions,” Wilmshurst said.

Regardless, spending upwards of 14 days nearly constantly alone with the dogs in the dark Alaska wilderness wouldn’t be an easy task alone. Fortunately, similar to the positive impact that dogs have on peoples’ everyday lives, these mushers depend on the company and companionship they build with their dogs.

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

“My favorite thing about dog mushing is being able to be out in the wilderness with my dogs as a team. We truly rely on each other to get where we are going safely. The bond you create with your dogs is truly remarkable,” Campeau said.

Another musher in this year’s quest, rookie Katherine Keith, can relate to relying on her dogs, saying that she has had many learning opportunities in extreme storm conditions that tested the team.

Keith knows to expect the unexpected, but often times that is not a very plausible solution.

“There are scary [situations], but it is more that there are just situations where things could spiral out of control if you don’t think clearly... I’m just doing what I can to be prepared and learn from The veteran Quest mushers about what they have seen on the trail,” Keith said.

It is safe to assume that the Yukon Quest and other long-distance dog mushing races aren’t for the easily frightened; these athletes and their dogs have proved

their strength and perseverance. Like any good athlete, they will not step down from a challenge, their current one being the 2017 Yukon Quest.

Campeau, Wilmshurt, Keith and the additional 18 mushers took off on their journey on Feb. 4 with the start being located at Whitehorse and the finish in Fairbanks.

Live tracking of the event can be found at yukonquest.com.

Additional updates can be found on Facebook at Yukon Quest - Official Site.

18 | SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

CONTACT

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

| 19

ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS The Northern Light is a proud member of the ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 2,500. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood.

The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or the Northern Light.­­­

LETTERS AND CORRECTIONS POLICY

Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length is 250 words.

Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum word length is 450 words.

Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity.

Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www.thenorthernlight.org.

The Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union, directly next to Subway.

THE NORTHERN LIGHT CONTACTS

3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508

ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jian Bautista jbautista@thenorthernlight.org

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Sam Davenport 786-1313 editor@thenorthernlight.org

A&E EDITOR Madison McEnaney arts@thenorthernlight.org

CONTRIBUTORS Jacob Holley-Kline

MANAGING EDITOR Kathryn DuFresne content@thenorthernlight.org COPY EDITOR Michael Thomas copy@thenorthernlight.org NEWS EDITOR Victoria Petersen vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Alexis Abbott news2@thenorthernlight.org FEATURES EDITOR Brenda Craig features@thenorthernlight.org

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Lauren Cuddihy sports2@thenorthernlight.org MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Young Kim ykim@thenorthernlight.org MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE Billy Stapleton ads@thenorthernlight.org STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Jay Guzman jguzman@thenorthernlight.org LAYOUT EDITOR Levi Brown layout@thenorthernlight.org

MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Zac Clark ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Stacey Parker HIRING FOR Ad Manager Sports Editor Staff Reporters

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