The Pacific Sentinel - April 2023

APRIL 2023

COVER ART BY COURTNEY JEFFS

WHO WE ARE The Pacific Sentinel is a studentrun magazine that seeks to uplift the diverse cast of voices here at Portland State.

We offer a space for writers and artists of all skill levels to hone their craft, gain professional experience, and express themselves. We are inspired by publications such as The New Yorker and The Atlantic. We advocate for the underrepresented and the marginalized.

We are always looking for new students to join our contributor team as we can’t do it without your help.

If you’re interested in working with us, visit our website at pacsentinel. com or contact our Executive Editor at editor@pacsentinel.com.

THE PACIFIC SENTINEL

FEATURED OPINION EXTRAS

16 18 28 32 34 35

CONTENTS

YO LA TENGO

by Becky Phillips ARIES

by Courtney Jeffs CRYSTAL SPRINGS

by Becky Phillips

SUN SONGS

by Emily Zito

HOW TO WRITE ABOUT AFRICAN WOMEN

by Dr. Bright Alozie

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OF

PHOTO COURTESY OF CONSTANTIN POPP

A STUDENT-RUN OPEN MIC NIGHT

by Eva Sheehan

STOP TRYING TO PLANT IN DEAD SOIL

by Alex Aldridge

WHAT WE’RE ENJOYING

TABLE

ARTS & CULTURE

6 8 10 12 14

THE LAST OF US

by Courtney Jeffs

COMICS & GAMES

EVENTS CALENDER

MARCH 2023

FEATURED THIS ISSUE alex aldridge is from the desert of Tucson, Arizona. He is an activist and writer with the hopes of using writing as a tool for radical change.

He also loves his dog and reading books.

courtney jeffs is from Coos Bay Oregon and moved to Portland to finish her bachelor’s degree in business advertising at Portland State University. She enjoys illustrating, story writing, and design.

camden benesh is a creative from

dylan o’harra is a writer, musician and actor originally from Anchorage, Alaska. He is pursuing Creative Writing and Classic Studies at Portland State University.

sarah samms, our Arts & Culture Editor, has returned to school in pursuit of proliferating her creative writing career after many years of traveling, playing music, and hiking mountains all over the world. When Sarah’s not writing or at school, she’s foraging medicinal herbs, painting, playing music, or hanging out with her pet kids. Check out her other works at sarahsamms.com and her online magazine at travelinwithbones.com.

edwin paquette grew up bouncing

eva sheehan is a writer that

Scottsdale Arizona. He is pursuing creative writing at Portland State University. When he’s not in school, he’s thinking of new places to travel to and biking around town.

dan chilton was born and raised

in Portland, Oregon where he now studies English and Creative Writing at Portland State University. He’s a poet, essayist, and fiction writer.

jeremiah hayden is an activist-

writer and drummer living in Portland, Oregon. He typically writes about art, politics, social justice and climate change.

matthew hull grew up in the

Chesapeake Bay area where he joined the U.S. Coast guard as an aviation mechanic. He received a BBA from Northern Arizona University and is currently working on a MS in Finance. He has a passion for reading, watching movies, and all things finance.

between the states with their military dad, and rural Denmark with their mother. A senior in the PSUGD program, he spends most of his time working on his thesis, cooking for friends, and replaying old NDS games.

becky phillips is originally from

Rochester, NY but has lived in Portland, OR for seven years. She studies nonfiction creative writing and is currently pursuing a career in music journalism.

jaden quayle was born and raised in Klamath Falls, Oregon, she now lives in Portland Oregon where she now studies sustainability at Portland state university. She is an environmental photographer.

specializes in arts & culture, opinion, and news. She grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and moved to Portland to study book publishing. She loves poetry and exploring new coffee shops around the city.

john watson is a writer, musician, and Christ follower from Salem, Oregon.

He studies Political Science and music at PSU, and dedicates his time to loving and serving others. He is also an avid Avett Brothers listener. peyten woodruff grew up in Meridian, Idaho. She is currently a freshman majoring in Graphic Design.

When she is not drawing, she enjoys running for the PSU track/cross country team, reading and watching horror movies. emily zito was born and raised in

executive editor dan chilton | associate editor jeremiah hayden arts & culture editor sarah samms | multimedia editor matthew hull opinions editor dylan o’harra

| production editor edwin paquette

WANT TO

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San Diego, California. She moved to Portland to attend PSU to pursue English, Film Studies, and Writing. Her interests include music journalism, film criticism, and art/culture.

WORK IN LEADERSHIP?

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers, Welcome to another edition of the Pacific Sentinel.

As we enter into the final stretch of this academic year, we are each facing our own challenges. Be it burnout, senioritis, financial trouble, or any other matter of setbacks, we’re each here trying to push forward through Portland’s winter blues that yet linger with each rainy day. And yet, we are resilient. Even though we face these hardships, and despite the doom and gloom of social media and the American political landscape, we continue to aim for a brighter future. I feel this hope and uncertainty with each passing day. As graduation nears, and Spring life blooms in our city, I continually ask myself what the future holds. Not just for me, but for all of us.

And when the sun comes shining through the shattered eaves of the park block trees, warming the student body that lingers outside just a moment longer before shuttling into our classrooms, I’m reminded of the hard work that we each put to get to where we are now. And it gives me hope.

In this issue of the Pacific Sentinel, we’ve allowed ourselves the freedom of no particular theme. Despite holding no hard guidelines, I’m continually amazed by the interesting and passionate content submitted by our student contributors. From Courtney Jeffs’s review of the popular television adaptation of The Last of Us, to Becky Phillips’s visit to Portland’s Crystal Spring Gardens, and to the very special satirized essay titled How to Write About African Women by Portland State’s Assistant Professor of Black Studies, Dr. Bright Alozie, and his Winter class, you’ll find plenty here while you’re rejuvenating in Spring sun, waiting for your next class to start.

With this issue, we also enter into the final stretch of the Pacific Sentinel as you know it. With most of our staff, myself included, graduating at the end of this school year, we hope that we can make these last few issues better than anything we’ve done before.

But come June, we will need new students to take up this project and bring it into the new year. If you’re interested in what we do, or have your own ideas on how it can be improved, please reach out and let us know.

As always, thank you for your support and we’re more excited than ever about what’s to come.

With respect, Dan Chilton

With graduation just around the corner, we’re looking for creative and driven induviduals to join our team! If you’re interested in writing or video/audio positions, please contact Dan at editor@pacsentinel.com. If you’re interested in an art & design position, please contact Edwin at production@pacsentinel.com.

MARCH 2023 | 5

The Last of Us

arts & culture

A Failed Television Adaption or a Memorable Success?

BY COURTNEY JEFFS

From the world’s most popular video game franchise that won not only one, but two game of the year awards for its action, storytelling, and a thrilling sequel, The Last of Us series has had us on the edge of our seats since 2013. Now, we get to experience the story all over again through HBO’s popular rendition of the story. The show stars Pedro Pascal—of Game of Thrones and The Mandalorian—as Joel, as well as his former co-star Bella Ramsey, who also had a role in Game of Thrones and is now playing Ellie.

[TLOU] won not only one, but two game of the year awards for its action, storytelling, and a thrilling sequel.

With the show running nine episodes in its first season, the retelling of the popular video game series has brought in millions of new and old fans alike, demonstrating promising results of the television adaptation and the possible continuation of a new season.

The video game series centers around the concept of fungal mutations deriving from cordyceps, a fungus that can infect and parasite the brain and body of insects such as ants and spiders. Although this fungal infection as we know it today is only prevalent in small bugs, the series further adapts to the concept as if the cordyceps themselves have evolved to withstand higher temperatures, allowing the fungus to mutate within a human body and control their actions.

The television show adapts the idea of cordyceps mutation in the same way as the game series. However, there were some minor changes to how the virus can spread. In the games, the infected humans can bite and spread fungal spores into the air, making it vital for the characters to wear gas masks while outside to prevent accidental spore ingestion. Similarly, the show includes

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infection through bites, but the director and screenwriters had deemed that the idea of spores would have been difficult to implement in a television production.

According to the creator, writer and executive producer, Craig Mazin. “While [the usage of spores] works in the video game environment, in real life, spores move around everywhere. And it’s just harder to buy into the notion that spores localize and don’t spread,” said Mazin in an interview with HBO. While sticking with the original story is usually the goal of any adaptation, the show writers wanted to add additional background to the characters.

Initially, the plot follows Joel, a middle-aged man with his daughter Sarah and his brother Tommy. Before the outbreak, viewers get to learn more about the characters’ backgrounds, but as the episode goes on, it quickly becomes dangerous and tense as Joel and his family are escaping from the rapidly infected individuals in their neighborhood. Several events occur during this time as fear and panic sets in, steering the characters to fight for their lives. Neil Druckman, an executive producer and writer of the show, explains “it begins with tragedy.”

There are some changes the producers made in order to keep audiences engaged.

Although the show doesn’t branch off far from the original story and is ultimately accurate to the game series through the usage of similar lines and cinematography, there are some changes that the producers had made in order to keep audiences engaged with the characters and to learn more about their backstories. We can see an example of this in episode three, titled Long, Long Time which stars Nick Offerman as Bill, the hardcore survivalist who has made it through the apocalypse on his

own intellect and resources. In the game, the audience doesn’t have the chance to get to know Bill as much as in the show. We know him as a man with a single-minded outlook on the world with a habit of ruining his relationships with others. In the adaptation, his character is the complete opposite as he finds his purpose in life by finding the meaning of love in an otherwise bleak world.

Producers Neil Druckman and Craig Mazin wanted to use practical effects for the majority of the infected. Specifically the humans with fungal spores erupting from their faces, also known as Clickers. By working with Barrie Gower, a prosthetic designer for the show Chernobyl, they were able to achieve just that. “When we joined the show, we spoke to both Neil and Craig about the design for the Clickers. And we started off with a lot of preliminary concept art,” said Gower during an interview with HBO.

“We kept going back to the original designs that Neil and his team had created for the games.”

Although the prosthetic team wanted to create new designs for the Clickers, they were intrigued by the original designs from the games, “even though we were creating new, refreshed versions on the same brief, we kept going back to the original designs that Neil and his team had created for the games,” said Gower. Not only does this reintroduce us to a familiar concept from the games, but producers Neil Druckman and Craig Mazin also wanted to shine the light on lesser-known actors, giving the opportunity to fans of the game to star as these clickers and infected humans.

Throughout the last few years, there have been a lot of cinematic adaptations involving video game concepts, some may have perhaps been better than others while the rest were skippable, but whether you’re a fan of the Last of Us video game, or not, this show is worth the time.

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ILLUSTRATION COURTSEY OF THE AUTHOR

MARCH 2023 | 7

a student-run open mic night

arts & culture LOGO COURTESY OF ROSE CITY BOOK PUB

Portland Lit Mic

I had the pleasure of interviewing the two hosts who happen to be students here at Portland State University, Jordan and Grace!

BY EVA SHEEHAN

I LLU S TR AT

EVA: WHAT IS PORTLAND LIT MIC?

Y PE Y ION B OOD TE N W R U FF

Portland may be the land of books, but books always begin with a writer. The Portland Lit Mic is a student-run open mic that celebrates Portland writers with enthusiasm, unconditional support, and community.

Back in February of 2023, I was able to attend one of their open mic nights. It had been almost a year since I had read my poetry in front of anyone and when I did, it was at my tiny liberal arts college in rural Georgia. This was Portland, the “city of books.” The city of authenticity and eccentricity. I thought, would my poems even be cool or weird enough to engage an audience?

My worries were put to rest after sitting in the cozy Rose City Book Pub. The ambiance was something close to what I would think the inside of Molly Weasley’s mind would look like. Year-round Christmas lights adorned the walls and books were stacked in every corner. Hot chocolate spiked with peanut butter whiskey, and vintage couches with cushions that swallowed you whole.

Besides the ambience, once the two hosts, Jordan and Grace, got up to introduce themselves and the readers, my

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mind was soothed. At each passing reader, the audience grew louder with claps and cheers. There were “oohs” and “ahhs” and smiles as each reader took their turn.

The ambiance was something close to what I would think the inside of Molly Weasley’s mind would look like.

Jordan and Grace made sure each reader knew just how much guts it took to come up and share your writing. It was an experience that I never had before when reading my work. And before the event was over, I was already searching when their next open mic was.

JORDAN & GRACE: Portland Lit Mic is Portland’s first open mic to not only celebrate the literary arts, but to have no requirements for genre. We let people sign up to read for about an hour and a half and then spend the rest of the evening socializing and building connections between writers.

EVA: WHAT MADE YOU TWO WANT TO START AN OPEN MIC? WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER OPEN MICS? J & G: After visiting a few open mics here in Portland, we were a little frustrated by the lack of spaces to read the stuff we were writing. Most open mics either have a ton of live music and stand up (which is cool, but just not our thing) or it’s focused around one genre (like poetry). So, we decided to create our own open mic where people could read anything they’d written, regardless of its genre, but was still aimed at the literary arts community of Portland.

“We put a huge emphasis on building community.”

We’d say this is what sets us apart from other open mics.

In one night you might hear some rapping, a few poems, an autobiographical essay, an excerpt from a horror novel, and a piece of autofiction. We also put a huge emphasis on building community, so you’re likely to walk away having met a few cool writers, and hopefully new friends.

We’ve never seen a more entranced audience. A close second would be any time we have someone get up who has never read at an open mic before. There’s so much support in those moments for these new readers, and it makes us proud to be part of this community.

“You’re likely to walk away having met a few cool writers, and hopefully new friends.”

EVA: ANY UPCOMING EVENTS? WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND YOU IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND OR READ? J & G: Our one year anniversary party is happening at Rose City Book Pub on Friday, April 14th. In addition to having a reading, we’ll be providing some food and games to thank the literary arts community of Portland for a year of support. It’s a free event and all are encouraged to come, even those that have never visited a past show. The best way to get more information about future events is through our Instagram page @portlandlitmic.

Even if you’re not a writer and just enjoy listening to stories or literature, The Portland Lit Mic is a great place to find others that share the same passions. So, sit back, eat, drink, and enjoy some local Portland writing.

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WHAT’S BEEN YOUR FAVORITE EXPERIENCE WHILE HOSTING THE MIC? J & G: There’s so many fun stories to pull from, but we once had someone’s kid come up and tell us a story-song about wishing that the world was a happier place.

MARCH 2023 | 9

A RETURN OF ONE OF THE 90S MOST INFLUENTIAL BANDS IN THE ALTERNATIVE ROCK SCENE ALBUM REVIEW:

YO LA TENGO --- THIS STUPID WORLD

BY BECKY PHILLIPS

Since 1986, Yo La Tengo has consistently released a new album every few years. Their seventeenth album, This Stupid World was released on February 10th 2023, following their last, in 2020, We Have Amnesia Sometimes. Since the group’s debut album Ride The Tiger was released in 1986, the sound has evolved from raw mellow rock and roll to a more indie alternative sound.

Yo La Tengo’s music has never reached mainstream media, but they have played an important role in music.

The group consists of three members: Ira Kaplan (lead vocals and backing vocals, guitar, keyboard), Georgia Hubley (drums, lead and backing vocals, percussion, keyboard), and James McNew (bass, guitar, percussion, keyboard, lead and backing vocals). The members have claimed to draw their influences from each other while writing, and always seem to add in elements from other genres creating an eclectic sound in the process. According to Best Ever Albums, the popular 1997 album I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One is ranked at 453 on the overall greatest album chart, and also ranked at 218 on the overall artist chart.

In an interview with guitar.com, the band’s frontman, Ira Kaplan states, “There’s this pressure to come up with a narrative…and it certainly doesn’t exist in our case.” Although this rings true where

experimentation can be heard clearly throughout their catalog, the band has admitted to their love for The Velvet Underground, a 1960’s experimental rock band that influenced the early punk scene.

So much so that Yo La Tengo portrayed the band in the 1996 film, I Shot Andy Warhol. The influence can be heard in their early work, as well as in the second vocalist, Georgia’s voice which sounds somewhat reminiscent of Nico, one of The Velvet Underground’s vocalists. Nico is known for her deep voice and unique tone, which displays similarities with Georgia.

arts & culture The album consists mostly of shorter upbeat tracks, but ends on a hypnotic, shoegaze note with the track at the same seven minute length as the first, with a sort of slow resolution feel with Georgia’s vocals in the foreground. The trio took the reins with This Stupid World, writing and recording in their practice space without any producers involved.

Although some effects can be heard, they tend to stray from the endless possibilities of electronic sounds, and instead use layers of their instruments to create the full sound the group always delivers.

Kaplan states that the key to a great song is all about a good melody and the development of it, not about the fancy gear or recording program plugins.

fanbase. Yo La Tengo’s music has never reached mainstream media during the thirty seven years of their career, but they have played an important role in music and are considered one of the most influential bands of the 90s.

The band is set to do a short U.S. and European tour from February–April for the release of their new album. The majority of their show dates have sold out, most likely due to their longtime devoted

This influence of Yo La Tengo has an obvious presence in numerous indie alternative bands throughout the years and will surely continue to do so in the years to come.

Each song evokes a different feel as they carry you on a journey.

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The first track on the new album “Sinatra Drive Breakdown,” which runs at seven minutes and twenty five seconds, kicks it off with driving bass and drums, a distorted grunge guitar tone, and smooth melodic vocals from both Ira and Georgia. Characteristics that are comparative to Radiohead tones and the dissonance similar to Sonic Youth can be recognized in their tracks.

Similar to their previous albums, each song evokes a different feel as they carry you on a journey, exploring the different possibilities of their musical experimentation.

They tend to stray from the endless possibilities of electronic sounds, and instead use layers of their instruments.

ILLUSTRATION BY PEYTEN WOODRUFF

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MARCH 2023 | 11

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arts & culture

ARIES

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MARCH 21 - APRIL 19

BY COURTNEY JEFFS

Courageous, audacious, and a warrior at heart; an Aries is always striving to be the best. As the first sign of the zodiac, people who are born between March 21 and April 19 represent the golden ram and are known to be anything but subtle. They enjoy living their life to the fullest, excelling in their field, and partying is a popular hobby. Don’t test an Aries’ competitiveness, they’ll face most challenges head-on to gain supremacy. Whether it be through a simple game of chess to an all-out arm wrestle. For an Aries, it’s their story and we’re simply living in it.

Represented by the god of Ancient Greek Mythology, Ares, people who are born under the sign of Aries are naturalborn warriors. Most zodiac signs don’t have the same pleasure of receiving their name from their respected Greek god, but Aries was almost exactly named after Ares himself. As the god of war, Ares was known for his spirit of battle and courage to fight. Although he wasn’t as popular as his roman counterpart, Mars, people knew Ares as a strong-willed fighter that could take on any battle.

With a sharp sense of responsibility and leadership, Aries like to adhere to a philosophy of strong individuality and self-determination. Although these traits can mostly be considered inspirational, Aries tend to leap before they look with impulsive decisions as they barrel through life with some lessons learned the hard way. Not to fret, however, Aries move on quickly. Tending to want to refresh and start over, they leave behind the little things that diminish their spirit as they flourish in their recovery.

When not tempered, Aries are truly adventureloving and fun friends that will always have your back in life. However, be warned, they will surely beat you at any game given the chance.

✴ ILLUSTRATION BY THE AUTHOR

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arts & culture

Crystal Springs Portland’s Secret Garden in Bloom

BY BECKY PHILLIPS

“Nature does not hurry, yet every thing is accomplished.” - LAO TZU

When it comes to local places to enjoy nature, Portland certainly is not lacking. Some

of the most popular being Forest Park and the Japanese Garden, though these places can get crowded when the rainy season comes to an end. As one of Portland’s best kept secrets, the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden provides a tranquil nature getaway without the crowds.

The garden was established in 1950 and is home to close to 100 species of birds; ducks being the most popular. River otters, beavers, and other additional wildlife also inhabit the grounds. The garden is mostly known for its rare plant species, specifically rhododendrons and azaleas. Although the garden is open year round, April–June is when the plant life is in full bloom displaying an array of color.

As one of Portland’s best kept secrets, the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden provides a tranquil nature getaway without the crowds.

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Illustration by Camden Benesh

With spring approaching, I decided to take a visit to the garden. In the Eastmoreland neighborhood in Southeast Portland, past the Eastmoreland Golf Club, a mass of green brush lines the road, hiding the views of the garden. A small parking lot indicates the entrance. As I entered through the gates, a winding cement path led down to a clear water creek filled with moss-covered rocks that trickled through the underpass of a wooden bridge into the mouth of Crystal Springs Lake. The path was surrounded by diverse plant life, all ready to bloom from their newly developed buds. Each tree and flower plant had a small black plaque in the ground with identification, most of which I had never heard of.

The garden consists of many paths that all intertwine and will lead you anywhere on the grounds. I was guided along one of the paths leading to the lake, which seemed to be the most popular place among the few people enjoying the view. The small wooden path that crossed the small lake was the perfect place to stop and catch the various ducks dabbling; tipping their bodies upside down into the water to feed. One person held binoculars to their eyes to get a better glimpse of the birds chirping in the tree above. Across the lake, the Eastmoreland Golf Club attendees can be seen teeing off on the lush green grass. Throughout the garden, there are man made waterfalls varying in size, which all seem to flow into the Crystal Springs Lake.

My visit to the garden inspired the idea to return with a blanket, a book, and some snacks to relax in one of the designated areas for resting.

On April 1st and 2nd, there will be an early blooming event held at the garden. Admission for the show is $5, which is the general admission rate. The show will be a display of rhododendrons as well as hybrid plants that will be the first to bloom. Upon your visit to the Crystal Springs Rhododendron, plan on spending some extra time to enjoy the flourishing plants and wildlife, and make sure to bring a camera.

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MARCH 2023 | 15

Sun Songs

BY EMILY

A Spring Soundtrack

arts & culture

familiar with this original version, I chose the Verve Records remix because of the production by 9th Wonder. Hopefully this track will shift your habitual, typical way of hearing the original, and offer a new perspective to accompany the Ayers sound we already know and adore.

ZITO

My intention with this soundtrack is to provide songs that honour our special star, Sun. She is something we miss dearly during our cold winter months, and is something we soak in during our spring and summer months.

With sunny spring days on their way, I wanted to curate a playlist that you could listen to while enjoying your rays. I hope that with the range of different artists and energies, the soundtrack embodies the everchanging essence of time and season.

3. “Sunlight” Your Grandparents

SCENE 1 : PRETTIES

4. “Texas Sun” Khruangbin & Leon Bridges

1. “WE SAW THE SUN!” Lil Yachty Lil Yachty released his must-listen project, Let’s Start Here in January of this year.

Sonically, this album has created waves; not only with the existence of Yachty’s new sound, but waves within the music community itself. Questlove, posted a praise of Yachty’s project stating that the album “might be the most surprising transition of any music career I’ve witnessed in a min, especially under the umbrella of hip hop.” “WE SAW THE SUN!” sounds like a long road trip with the sun shining. Also, the Bob Ross monologue for the outro perfectly reiterates the importance of opening ourselves up to possibilities/taking chances. Love that.

2. “Sunshine” Steve Lacy (feat. Fousheé) Speaking of making waves, I’m pretty sure when Steve dropped Gemini Rights on July 15, 2022, fans—and those not yet knowing they were a fan—went crazy. Steve is kind of an underdog, but this project really put him on the map, or should I say the charts, as he lands the No. 7 spot on the Billboard top ten (Folk). To extend the notion of “being put on the map,” Fousheé is going UP!! I love that Steve collaborated with her for this single. “Sunshine” feels so soft.

The drum pattern intro—iconic!

This might be one of my favourite intros off this playlist. First, I love the distorted vocal— “woah”—that begins the track.

Then suddenly the listener emerges into a spring-sounding setting of birds chirping. This world building evokes such an ethereal moment of engagement; the imagery acts as a lovely reminder of what nature has to offer, both sonically (bird chirps) and visually (sunlight).

A Khruangbin x Leon Bridges collaboration never misses! I specifically chose to place “Texas Sun” before the transition to the ‘Oldies but Goodies’ section of the soundtrack because Leon’s voice lends itself to soul singers of the 50s/60s. Leon’s monologue moment at 3:09 reveals his character and extends notions of storytelling—an element that he does very well throughout his work.

SCENE 2 : OLDIES BUT GOODIES 5. “Feels Like the Sun” Donnie & Joe Emerson I recently discovered this duo by finding the song “Baby”—the third track off their 1979 album Dreamin’ Wild. I fell in love with their vocals on “Baby” because of how soft, and emotive they feel. This instrumental track does indeed feel bright and lively.

6. “Sun Is Shining” Bob Marley & The Wailers Growing up in California, my family raised me on Marley’s music. There is something unique about the specific pairing of reggae and hot, sunny weather.

Threading the themes of changing times and taking chances, I think Bob Marley’s persona undoubtedly presents ideas of rebellion and revolution that are rooted in the desire for change. Springtime conjures a sense of awakening, as does Marley’s music. His sound and identity forever connects to his ethos.

7. “Sunny” Bobby Hebb Bobby Hebb released his soulful jazz track,“Sunny,” in 1966. Icons such as Marvin Gaye, Wes Montgomergy, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Cher all created their own renditions. I chose Hebb’s for this soundtrack because of the pioneering role he played in the existence and popularization of the song’s transcendence across genres and subgenres. An easy and simple listen that reflects gratitude and love.

SCENE 3 : BUMP THESE

My favourite part of this song is the first part of the chorus: “The sun came out (The sun came out) / I went and bought a drop-top (Yeah) / Party on the block (Party on the block) / Lookin’ like a car lot (Yeah-yeah, ooh).” Anytime anyone mentions a drop top, I’m all for it; it’s a dream to ride in a classic car drop top.

11. “Catch The Sun” Lil Baby

15. “Sunshine”Tom Misch

This has been one of my favourite songs ever since the 2019 release of “Queen & Slim.” My ideal way to listen to this song is in the car—and that setting fits this track’s essence because of the distinct presence of the blue Pontiac Catalina that the main characters ride in the film.

Watching the sunset is one of my go-to activities—no matter the season—but when that spring equinox hits, it hits different. This song is your reminder to take a drive, solo or with a loved one, and go catch the Sun—preferably with windows down and speakers loud.

Tom Misch is so groovy! UK jazz/hip hop/ rap strongly makes me want to travel abroad to explore London’s music scene.

Misch’s more recent projects tend to reach audiences more than his earlier work, however, “Sunshine” stands as one of his most fun songs. It’s a bop for sure.

12. “SUNDOWN TOWN” Vince Staples

8. “Here Comes The Sun” The Beatles

Play this one after Lil Baby, and keep your speakers bumpin’. Short but sweet, Vince delivers a nice flow over a steady beat. I adore Vince’s love for California; his past two projects really showcase the admiration for his city. My go-to Portland “sundown” spot is council crest park—preferably sitting on the grass and benches during the warmer days.

Sunset and sounds—one of the prettiest pairings.

This one is a given. A timeless track. I’ll let the energy of the song speak for itself.

Side bar: relating back to Hebb, the 1966 Beatles’ tour included Hebb as an opening act!

9. “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” Stevie Wonder Stevie’s sincere disposition creates a sentimental song, worth belting to someone you love. The sunshine metaphor exists as a consistent figurative element to the genre of love songs, and Stevie exemplifies this motif in an explicit, affectionate way.

14. “SUN CAME OUT” Gunna

13. “Sunshine” Latto feat. Lil Wayne, Childish Gambino

16 “Island In The Sun” Weezer This song is so early 2000s.. “Island In The Sun” draws listeners in with its catchiness, or at least I feel that’s what it did after its release. When I listen to this song, it makes me super grateful that I lived in San Diego for as long as I did, and that experiencing beach days was so easily accessible. I realize much of my listening tendencies rely on the specificity of space—whether it be in the car, at the park watching sunset, or at the beach—I always connect the two entities of sound and space.

To listen to a live debut of this soundtrack tune into PSU’s college radio, KPSU. WHEN : Every Thursday @ 8-9PM WHERE : https://kpsu.org/ WHO : EZspinz (me!)

Letting the “sunshine” shine on you is so important when attracting metaphysical light and then reflecting that sunshine back into the world. I love this track because of Latto’s expressive attitude toward not letting the bullshit phase her.

I listen to this song whenever I need that reminder. A feel good song, for a feel good time(s).

10 “Everybody Loves The Sunshine - 9th Wonder Remix” Roy Ayers Ubiquity & 9th Wonder Ayers’ 1976 song holds a significant place in pop culture. While most people are PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CHANDRA OH

16 | THE PACIFIC SENTINEL

MARCH 2023 | 17

WRITE

AFRICAN A SATIRE DEBUNKING STEREOTYPES

18 | THE PACIFIC SENTINEL

WOMEN

✴ featured

BY DR. BRIGHT ALOZIE AND NAMED STUDENTS

TO

ABOUT

HOW

This essay is a work of satire, modeled after Bright Alozie’s “How to Write About Nigeria.” Much like Alozie’s 2021 essay, this post captures an important, historical, truth about how so many journalists, pundits, and even scholars continue to write about African women.

MARCH 2023 | 19

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MUHAMMAD-TAHA IBRAHIM

Start by acknowledging that African women identify as invisible; their pronouns are ‘hidden/unseen.’

Include the words or phrases ‘oppressed and depressed,’ ‘uncivilized and vain,’ ‘voiceless and defenseless,’ ‘weak and defeated,’ ‘traumatized and tortured,’ or ‘uneducated and unpolished’ in your title. In your subtitle, place her into a convenient category with such appropriate qualifiers as pitiable rural woman, beast of burden, exotic creature, objects of desire, passive human. In your book cover, show a close-up sad-faced picture of the African woman with flabby breasts and surrounded by her obviously malnourished boney children with outstretched beggarly arms. Attribute these features to poverty, hunger, oppression, sexual violence, and suffering which have only defined African women’s everyday experiences. Afterall, the ‘dark continent’ of Africa is the only continent with a monopoly of these problems.

Downplay their immense contributions to humanity and civilizations since ancient times.

AND JENNIFER MARQUEZ

20 | THE PACIFIC SENTINEL

In your preface, include that the African woman is best written and spoken for; she is simply an object of another’s story. She must not be acknowledged unless she is shown to be desperately poor and helpless. To write about African women is to not write about them or to write about civilizing them. There is no need to include them because what importance do they have? Besides, how else would

you sell the narrative that you are, in fact, her savior writing to lift her from the dredges of poverty or that Africa needs help from the gracious West? Herstory (her story) does not matter, emphasize history only (his story) because men are truly who matter!

Keep a narrative that upholds the legacy of patriarchy and while at it, erase the numerous incidences and enduring impact of colonial sexual abuses.

In your main story, make African women visibly invisible and do not include their voices. They hold no say regarding their body or name; keep them in the shadows. Downplay their immense contributions to humanity and civilizations since ancient times.

Although within African women’s fabric has been the profound ability to be seeds of nations balanced with reinventing cultures, one generation at a time, never speak about this. Their role in society should only be stereotypically simple and quaint—obedient servant, enslaved woman, demure housewife, good mother— just to keep the peace. The African woman is a baby

MARCH 2023 | 21

ILLUSTRATION BY PEYTEN WOODRUFF

making machine. She has many children and cannot feed them all, rendering her a perfect victim. Although you should malign her for not being able to care for them all, of course! Call her helpless and naïve and speak of her subservience. How else would the ‘almighty West’ empathize and offer their most generous donations?

African women are ping pongs meant to be played around here and there. They must be viewed through imperial eyes: ‘black bodies, buttocks, and breasts.’

Their history should focus on slave breeding farms; that way, they can be viewed solely as reproductive objects.

Feel free to sexualize African women in your description because they are only portrayed as sensual and lascivious by nature; first and foremost, only ever best understood as a lewd, innately promiscuous, predatory things. Seldom acquainted with the self-respect and modesty of modern women, African women are more precocious and objects for sex and the male gaze.

Allow [African women] to be a metaphor for your own critical selfanalysis, never allow them to reveal their complexity.

Keep a narrative that upholds the legacy of patriarchy and while at it, erase the numerous incidences and enduring impact of colonial sexual abuses, fifty shades of rape, violence, and other unspeakable atrocities perpetrated by the colonizers against African women.

Do not even mention that this is an ongoing habit or that in the Central African Republic in 2015, fourteen French soldiers were indicted of sexually abusing children, as young as nine years old, whom they were supposed to protect and that the United Nations failed to decisively stop the abuse.

Dare you speak of her beyond the fetish of her flesh; the colonial playbook is your guide. Like the English colonizers, do not acknowledge African women’s substantial role in precolonial times or that African women were more active in public life than their European counterparts. Never speak of gender fluidities in Africa or how African women could perform traditional male roles or that they had a far greater public presence compared to European women. Avoid

22 | THE PACIFIC SENTINEL

concepts such as female husbands, male wives, female chiefs, or female pharaohs. Remember, African women should never be protagonists or antagonists in your story. Like Africa, they are a blank slate, for you to express yourself on. Allow them to be a metaphor for your own critical self-analysis, never allow them to reveal their complexity. It is pointless to describe African women as a complex, multifaceted beings; complexity does not sell, complexity is history and Africa has no history.

their societies’ pride. Never write of African women succeeding in achieving financial power and autonomy.

It is only through colonization that African women began to engage in socioeconomic networks. Merchant queens do not and have never existed; it would be foolish to write otherwise. Do not mention that the Akwete-Igbo weaving community has been run by an all-women-led cooperative for many centuries. Write that Akwete women weavers are irrelevant but exclude the fact that Europeans have been fascinated by Akwete fabric weaving technology and that the Akwete fabric is still on display in many museums in Europe today.

Do not write about the legacy and importance of female leadership in Africa because the African woman cannot assert herself in society in any way: not as a warrior, not as a spirit medium, and definitely not as a queen.

Her bones do not rattle with truth in her vengeance as matriarch of her home and nation, her heart does not beat steady with the love and might of a queen mother no less. An African woman cannot possibly be responsible for running a nation, that’s not her place.

Forget names of powerful queens and queen mothers like Hatshepsut, Nefertari, Nefertiti, Amina, Makeda, Kandake, Yaa Asantewa, Sarraounia Mangou, Nandi, and Labotsibeni Mdluli among others. Do not talk about the ‘dual-sex’ systems of political leadership in

Africa. Of course, ‘sitting on a man’ or ‘making war on a man’ was a long-held tradition of public shaming and protest employed by African women against men when faced with injustices in their society but this fact must be silenced because it recognizes the power of these women.

When writing about wars and revolutions, make sure to diminish African women’s worth and achievements; that accolade belongs to men.

Make sure your readers know that African women have not led kingdoms, empires, and wars in the past. They must never be written as queen mothers with their

Never speak of gender fluidities in Africa or how African women could perform traditional male roles or that they had a far greater public presence compared to European women.

African women are not clever and have no power or affluence. It would be misleading to write that African women were economic and financial backbones of their societies or that they were the chief source of

MARCH 2023 | 23

own councils, aiding and consulting the king with their wisdom. When writing about wars and revolutions, make sure to diminish African women’s worth and achievements; that accolade belongs to men. And do not mention the powerful traditional militaries in Africa led by women.

Like your predecessors, erase the intellectual and political activism of African women.

Do not include the elite and non-elite African women who led resistance against European colonialism.

Talk about how Ethiopia was one of the two African nations that were never officially colonized but refrain from talking about how Empress Taytu Betul defeated European imperialism. Never mention the 1929 Aba Women’s War which was the first successful all-womenled colonial revolt in West Africa or the 1949 Grand Bassam women’s march where five hundred Ivorian women protested the incarceration of their husbands and brothers. African women cannot read or write. So it is irrelevant to let your readers learn about several petitions written by Igbo, Yoruba, and Cameroonian women in resistance to colonial rule.

The history of Africa’s independence should be written devoid of the bravery of heroines.

The history of Africa’s independence should be written devoid of the bravery of heroines who led revolutions, stood up for their communities, or supported their men to fight the colonialists. Never mention that “Queen Njinga Mbanda, ruler of Mbundu people in presentday Angola . . . strongly resisted Portuguese dominion, assumed multiple sexual and gender roles and/or identities . . . [and] answered to the title of ‘king’ during battles.” Or that Kimpa Vita of the Kongo Kingdom rebelled and conducted a spiritual-liberation struggle against the Portuguese. Erase the fact that she was burned alive by Catholic missionaries for defending her tradition and indigenous religious practices.

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Never mention the well-organized, powerful, and all-female elite Agojie warriors of Dahomey Kingdom whose formidable battles and lethal combats are well-known or the historic protests led by Nigerian and other African women who literally ‘undress for redress.’

Sure, Algerian women like Zohra Drif did not endanger their lives during the Algerian fight for independence.

And Zimbabwean guerilla women did lead the fight for Zimbabwe to win independence. Dispel any notion that an African woman’s silence can be powerful, like Danièle Djamila Amrane-Minne—an Algerian—who endured seventeen days of torture without cracking under severe punitive actions of her colonizer-enemy.

There will be no female spirit mediums, those who spoke directly to the spirit realm and had great influence in their societies. Magically powerful and highly revered modjadii (rain queens) in southern Africa are fictitious.

You can save a veiled Muslim woman, telling your audience she is forced to believe in Islam, trapped behind the veil, and cannot make her own decisions about her faith.

You can save a traditional female priestess or prophetess because their powers are ‘unchristian and fetish.’ You can save a veiled Muslim woman, telling your audience she is forced to believe in Islam, trapped behind the veil, and cannot make her own decisions about her faith. Surely avoid talking about Muslim women activism in Africa, or the role of Muslim women in the spread of educational institutions or well-educated and powerful Muslim African women in ancient and modern times like Fatima Al-Fihri, the founder of the world’s oldest existing and continually operating university, the University of Al-Qarawiyyin (in present-day Fes, Morocco). Instead, you will bring them the true Christian faith and save them from their dark ways. Or perhaps you will enlighten them with secular, liberal values. It doesn’t matter as long as they are wrong, and you are right!

Like your predecessors, erase the intellectual and political activism of African women like Regina Twala. In

MARCH 2023 | 25

order to keep the African woman subdued, do not write about what she could accomplish, but rather write about she should accomplish. Admonish her for raising her voice to demand a change. And be careful to not instill a lick of African feminism in African women’s character.

Do not mention trailblazing feminists and activists who were well ahead of their times: Margaret Ekpo, Funmilayo Anikulapo-Kuti, Gisèle Rabesahala, Zenzi Miriam Makeba, Bibi Titi Mohammed, Mariama Ba, and Mabel Dove-Danquah. Never acknowledge any modernday achievement of the African woman. It is illegal to portray her as successful and even if she becomes successful, always make your readers aware that harsh conditions still affect her life.

If you must talk about powerful African women, borrow a leaf from the media and write about them in powerless language.

In her success stories, erase her femaleness and attribute her talents and abilities to a male influence— be it her husband, lover, father, brother, patriarchal colonial ruler, or any other male figure—because they know better. If you must talk about powerful African women, borrow a leaf from the media and write about them in powerless language. Or follow the steps of Cherie Blair by letting your audience know that ‘most African ladies’ first sexual experience is rape’ since African women are only weak and unable to give consent. Erase any evidence that Africa can prosper, be peaceful, and integrated if it leverages on the potential of its women and girls.

Far be it from you to depict African women and girls as problem solvers in the continent. Of course, their contributions to shaping their societies, at home or in diaspora, are too numerous to mention but never mention them. There are no successful female African entrepreneurs, millionaires, inventors, tech-gurus, scientists, scholars, entertainers, sports persons, etc. because African women are inherently lazy. Do not mention Nobel Peace Prize winner and Africa’s first woman president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf or Joyce Banda, a human rights activist and Malawi’s first female elected president. Never write that Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala is the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization as Director-General or that Wangari

26 | THE PACIFIC SENTINEL

Maathai is renowned as a global environmental and political activist. Skip the works of women like Adelaide Casely Hayford and Albertina Sisulu who shaped PanAfricanism far more than our history books record.

Prominently outspoken and visible opponents of South Africa’s apartheid regime, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Miriam Makeba, should never be spoken about lest you anger your western audience. And do not let your readers know that Africa has taken a historic lead in female parliamentary speakers representation or that Rwanda, with 63.8% female representation in the legislature, is the world frontrunner in gender equality in politics.

African women have not led social movements neither are they leading the fight for gender equality and women inclusion. Forget all the young female activists in Africa like Gogontlejang Phaladi, Irene Zalira, Angeline Makore, Emtithal Mahmoud, and Glanis Changachirere who are fighting on social media and on the streets for peace, equality, social justice, reproductive rights, and climate change. Yes, ignore African women’s key interventions in health crises like Ebola and write about the western media’s obsession with trying to solve Africa’s COVID-19 mystery of record-lowest death rates but ignore African women who relentlessly led the fight against the virus.

Although these women are changing Africa’s future, their presence does not matter.

Erase any evidence that Africa can prosper, be peaceful, and integrated if it leverages on the potential of its women and girls.

End by reiterating that African women are always and only ever to be invisible—in voice and ink, mind and soul. Remember, your story is only ever a harmless single story, only ever hearsay about African women.

Thoroughly proofread your work by editing out any sign of power in African women; whatever you do, do not ruin the white prism. Emphasize your belief that one African woman’s reality is the reality of all African women and that she is meant to be saved. Always end by convincing your readers that for only $19 a month, 63 cents a day, they can help the African woman because only they can save her from her circumstances.

✴ HOW TO WRITE

A Nigerian-born historian and scholar-teacher, Dr. Bright Alozie is an assistant professor of Black Studies and affiliate faculty in the Departments of History and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Portland State University. His core research interests are at the intersection of (post)colonial African(a) studies, social and political history, women, gender, and sexuality studies, digital and oral history, protests and resistance movements.

ABOUT

AFRICAN

This collaborative piece, modeled after Bright Alozie’s “How to Write About Nigeria,” captures an important truth about how so many people, including journalists and pundits continue to speak and write about African women.

WOMEN

by Dr. Bright Alozie Jai.Aja Winchester Hannah Johnson Ray Barram Jesse Fontenot Sarah Saunders Wren Weddell Kay Johnson Alysha Rainer Delle Stafford Delana Wilkins John Equihua Zack Polizos-White & Abdulkarim Alfaraj

MARCH 2023 | 27

stop trying to plant in dead soil

opinion

Growing the Seeds of Change Into Something Beautiful

BY ALEX ALDRIDGE

Spring is here. The clocks have changed and days are getting longer. The thicker coats have been shoved into the closet for hibernation until the Fall. It’s the season of love, the season of new beginnings, at least that’s what it’s supposed to be, isn’t it?

I always hated Spring, and in many ways I still hate Spring. I know what you’re thinking, this person sounds miserable. I grew up in the desert, and Spring only meant that the oppressive heat was lurking around the corner, minutes away from pummeling you in the face. Spring also brought terrible allergies, the kind that forbid my eyes from opening when I stepped outside into the full brightness of the sun. Maybe I am miserable.

The new beginnings that are associated with springtime often bring with them problematic aspects, As I attempt to rid myself of the sentiments that portray me as a miserable person, I immediately hit a roadblock in trying to forge my own new beginning, and that is the term new beginnings itself. Like New Year’s resolutions, the new beginnings that are associated with springtime often bring with them problematic aspects, such as the notion that we can just start fresh by leaving behind the problems of yesterday while hoping that will be enough to create a better tomorrow.

We attempt to drop the weight of yesterday’s baggage, believing that we can move fast enough to create distance between us and the problems of the past, only to realize we keep tripping over the same potholes that have somehow gotten bigger since the last time we traveled this road. Repeating the same mistakes over and over again doesn’t need to be tradition.

28 | THE PACIFIC SENTINEL

To learn from the past means to bring with us the lessons from past struggles, as opposed to pretending like they either don’t exist or are no longer connected to the struggles we will face tomorrow.

We really need to assess how bad the soil is before we figure out how to plant the new seeds today in order to flourish in the garden of tomorrow. To help reframe the idea of new beginnings, it might be helpful to discuss the reasons why this is important for us to envision the world that we need to build today, the first of which is avoiding the complacency that comes with forgetting. So, take a deep breath and rest assured that once we sift through the weeds, we can get a better understanding of how to really foster a new beginning.

“MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” It was springtime 20 years ago when former President Bush landed a jet on the USS Abraham Lincoln and delivered a speech with the stars and stripes banner with the words “Mission Accomplished” showing in the background. The irony was not lost on anyone as the war in Iraq went on officially for another eight years. This example of a premature celebration often goes hand in hand with complacency, that thing that happens where we say, Hey, it’s a new day, a new year, a new administration.

Things are looking up! We did it!

This example is nowhere more obvious than that of the complacency that has occurred since Joe Biden became President, magically wiping out the memories in so many people’s minds about a lot of policies they hated from the Trump era that are continuing under the new administration.

When Trump-era Title 42 ends this May, though it has already been extended twice, Biden plans to instill his own policy that will limit asylum seekers that looks more like an attempt to swap out some of the ingredients to make it more palatable. It’s still the same cruel flavor, but the chef with the blue hat made it so it must be better.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY EVA SHEEHAN

It was springtime back in April 29, 1992 when four officers were acquitted of all charges after they violently beat Rodney King a year earlier, sparking justified unrest that lasted for five days in LA. Jump forward 31 years to where we are now and police are not only receiving more training and money than they ever have before, but they killed more people in 2022 than they ever have since the data has been tracked on a national level. Our current President wants $13 billion on hiring 100,000 additional cops over the next 5 years.

something happens here like in Flint, MI—which still doesn’t have clean water— or East Palestine, OH. Maybe the city can convert the 144 new PPB vehicles that they spent $10 million on and turn them into snow plows. They could even reallocate funds to fix the 243 lamp posts in Portland Parks that they are going to remove, a baffling decision for a city that claims to care about safety, but it makes sense when we realize that park lights don’t appease the downtown businesses they care so much about.

It’s not just the privileged and harmful pursuit of wanting to increase anything related to policing and prisons, the Biden Administration’s proposed Pentagon budget for the next fiscal year is $335 Billion, $19 Billion more than the current budget. He also made the baffling promise of being the most pro-worker president we’ve ever seen, before siding against the rail worker unions who just wanted more than the zero days of sick leave they had.

The reason I point all of this out is that it is so easy for people to call out the harms of one party, while completely falling into complacency and ignoring the harms that are intrinsic to our entire political system.

Once we can acknowledge that even if one party is worse, they are both ineffective in helping while also both being effective in causing harm, we can start to build new beginnings ourselves.

We just saw how our own city handles less than a foot of snow, so when it comes to environmental disasters, we need to think about how Portland will handle it if

If we don’t do anything to get off of this train, and do it fast, it’s literally going to kill us all in its quest for money and power.

MARCH 2023 | 29

life. Pushing for more criminalization and dehumanizing policies is never a compassionate decision and only causes more harm.

REBUILDING SOMETHING NEW We need to seek and build alternatives within ourselves and with our communities.

Not by reforming and legitimizing the current systems and institutions that are already causing so much harm. Destruction of the current systems is necessary, but it needs to be paired with building something new, something better for all of us.

What does that look like? Getting to know your neighbors, including your houseless neighbors, would be a great start. While our city’s solution to those experiencing homelessness is to force them into camps, or Rene Gonzalez’s predictably heartless decision to ban distribution of tents and tarps, maybe we could force the city to address rising rent prices by severely reducing rent and freezing it for several years. Voting yes on ballot measure 26-238 this May to help Eviction Representation for All will help prevent evictions.

Getting to know your neighbors, including your houseless neighbors, would be a great start.

Talking to your neighbors and getting organized would be a great start as well. Workplaces aren’t the only places you can unionize in. We need to dream big if we are actually going to change things. Saying that “at least it isn’t as expensive as Seattle or Northern California” does nothing but deflect the problems that are only growing.

If you are concerned about the sight of needles, you can always help out with harm reduction organizations or needle exchange programs. Training on how to use narcan is also quite simple and could save someone’s

30 | THE PACIFIC SENTINEL

Do you possess a skill or desire to learn a skill from someone else? Talk to people and do a skillshare. If you know how to work on a car and have some free time, let your people know the next time you change the oil or the brakes so that they can learn to do that themselves.

Maybe they can teach you how to do something that you don’t know how to do.

The next time we have a brutal heatwave, maybe you can help drive people to cooling shelters if you have a car.

Talk to neighbors and friends and discuss what you will do if a fire or earthquake happens. You don’t need to wait for someone to tell you to help out others, and building community by lifting everyone up is a whole lot better than the symbolic gestures that so many people gravitate to.

Opportunities for mutual aid exist everywhere.

Maybe you can learn some de-escalation skills. Provided you have consent, it’s a whole lot better to listen to the person having a mental health crisis and see what they need, rather than laughing with your friends and calling the police, possibly turning things into a deadly situation.

Of course that comes down to your personal comfort level, but speaking from personal experience, just listening to people and asking for consent before assisting them with their needs can cool down a tense situation. If a local drag show is facing online harassment, show up with some friends to support the event and help them feel safe.

Opportunities for mutual aid exist everywhere. If you don’t feel like seeking out established mutual aid groups, set up your own. Get some like-minded friends together and do weekly food or supply distribution. More people are struggling than you may think, and many more people are on the brink of not having a roof over their heads than they would like to believe.

It’s imperative that we build power from below through collective struggle and solidarity. We need to look to the struggles happening elsewhere, both nationally and internationally, to learn and grow from.

I am also aware that not everyone has the ability or resources to do some of these things and that’s fine.

There are plenty of options for everyone of different

abilities to have a role. We can’t keep hoping that someone else is going to provide the new beginnings for us, especially as conditions worsen in every area of our lives.

Due to the burnout that will inevitably happen when you actually want to make tangible change happen, the connections we make and the communities we build will become increasingly important. We need to crumble the walls, fences and all other barriers that are only causing more harm and division. The rugged individualism that is intrinsic to this country needs to die so that it can stop causing harm.

Although I’ve always been drawn to the aesthetics of cyberpunk, let’s heed its warnings about the path we have yet to deviate from. One where we oppose the extractive methods of our current systems and institutions that are continuing to gaslight and greenwash everything in their path, leading us toward a future of desertification and increased suffering. A future of increased suffering, even with cool neon lights and body mods, is still a future we need to make irrelevant.

A new beginning can be as simple as an idea and a new way of thinking and analyzing the world around you. An idea that leads you to believing that things don’t have to be this way, that they can actually be better, can be empowering. While an idea may start off as something small and intangible, it can grow into something beautiful.

The rugged individualism that is intrinsic to this country needs to die so that it can stop causing harm.

The chance to grow something new, to build something outside of the systems we currently have, won’t be easy.

It will require getting your hands dirty and working with the soil, but it’s the only way forward if we want to create a new beginning for everyone. A springtime that sees the flowers grow out of the ashes of the old.

✴

MARCH 2023 | 31

WHAT WE’RE ENJOYING WHAT WE’RE ENJOYING WHAT WE’RE ENJOYING WHAT WE’RE The White Boy Shuffle Dan’s Score:

by Paul Beatty (1996)

*****

きくおミク7 Edwin’s Score:

by きくお (2023)

*****

Sincerely sardonic and viciously funny, Paul Beatty’s first novel The White Boy Shuffle is the fictitious memoir of Gunnar Kaufman, a black prodigy poet and basketball player unpacking the significance of identity, blackness, and the American Dream. An interrogation of the pressures and pigeonholing of black literature and art, Beatty’s dense prose, rife with figurative language and cultural references, is both highly amusing to read and an impressive feat.

The rumored final installment of his notorious Miku series, the ideas presented in Miku 7 are more abstract and existential than some of Kikuo’s previous work (iykyk). Accompanied by the ethereal Miku VOCALOID software, he meticulously weaves and layers swaths of sound into a hyperpop paradise. If you were a 2000s kid traumatized by Kikuo (like me), I recommend giving a cautious relisten to one of the world’s most diligent and provocative producers.

I Am The Dog

Metroid Prime Remastered

Edwin’s Score:

by Sir Chloe (2023)

*****

Though the full album won’t be released until May, Sir Chloe has been dropping singles over the past few months to give their fans a taste of what’s to come in I Am The Dog. Consistent with their established angry-girl indie rock sound, my favorite track so far is “Hooves.” Directed at a soon-to-be ex-partner, simultaneously high-energy and full of disdain, it’s hard not to shout-sing your feelings along.

Boys of Alabama Dylan’s Score:

by Genevieve Hudson (2020)

*****

Authored by Genevieve Hudson, a graduate of Portland State’s MFA Creative Writing program, Boys of Alabama follows Max, a foreign-exchange student from Germany, as he adjusts to high school in modern-day Alabama. Part queer-coming-of-age, part magical realism, part SouthernGothic and 100% addictive, Boys of Alabama casts a spell on the reader, drawing you deeper and deeper into an intimate portrait of longing and transformation.

32 | THE PACIFIC SENTINEL

Dan’s Score:

by Retro Studios (2023)

*****

As a diehard fan of the original Gamecube release way back in 2002, Metroid Prime Remastered does everything right. Not just a reskin, but a full asset redesign, this is a remaster that other studios should take notes of. From the upgrade to 60 fps, to the added control schemes, and the faithfulness to the original, Metroid Prime Remastered couldn’t get much better.

Although the game design has some aged elements (such as copious backtracking), it’s still a masterpiece and well worth a revisit.

Overwatch 2 Edwin’s Score:

by Blizzard (2022)

*****

Overwatch’s “sequel” is fun for the same reasons it was back in 2016, but feels more like a mega-patch than a new game. Pros: it’s free to play, has some great hero reworks, and runs much smoother than the original.

Cons: It’s full of micro-transactions that are necessary to experience the full game, and content that used to have a lot of attention-to-detail now looks noticeably rushed.

But I guess we should’ve expected as much from the company that [REDACTED].

MARCH 2023 | 33

extras!

NIM: HOW TO PLAY 1

Grab a friend and 2 different colored things to write with.

2

First player crosses out as many sqaures as they want.

Squares must be from the same row, and at least one must be crossed out.

3

Second player does the same. The person who gets to cross out the last square is the winner.

Covet w/ Yvette $25 Young

@ Wonder Ballroom

Open Mic Night

FREE

@ Eastburn Public House

FRI. 04/07 (DOORS @ 7PM)

EVERY WED.

Founded by virtuoso finger-tapping guitarist Yvette Young, this instrumental math rock band is known best for their songs “Shibuya” and “Falkor.” 21+ event.

Hosted by Eastburn, a taproom and bar, this open mic night is a good opportunity to showcase your latest song, poem, or other work of art. Sign-ups start @ 6:30 PM, and the show starts @ 7:00 PM.

Earth Day Cleanup

Carcass and...

FREE @ PDX Metro Area WED. 04/22

$32

@ Hawthorne Theater WED. 04/26 (SHOW @ 7PM)

“SHAPES 3” BY EVA SHEEHAN A day to help cleanup our beautiful city, you can find more information, details on event organization, and how to participate @ solveoregon.org.

Comedy Night

...Municipal Waste, Sacred Reich, and Creeping Death. A killer lineup with a couple of metal’s biggest names plays at the Hawthorne theater this month. 21+ event.

$5

Oregon Symphony

$64+

@ McMenamins Al’s Den

@ Arlene Schnitzer

EVERY FRI. & SAT. (DOORS @ 6:30PM)

SUN. 04/30 @ 2PM

With a cheap entry fee & happy hour pricing all night long, this is a great spot to hunker down and laugh at some of our best local comedians. 21+ event.

See the Oregon Symphony live! The 6th oldest orchestra in the United States (est. 1896), they’ll be playing at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in downtown Portland.

events calendar 34 | THE PACIFIC SENTINEL

MARCH 2023 | 35

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