Volume 133, Issue 22

Features

Arts

"We’re hoping to make better connections with trans groups on campus."

See photos from Saturday's Drag Show.

Community

Read about True Grinnellian Stacey Cannon. page 7

page 5

page 3

the

Scarlet & Black Volume 133, Issue 22

April 21, 2017 • Grinnell, Iowa

Emergency fund to aid students in times of need

Community Advisors claim poor hiring practices for student staff

By Saiham Sharif sharifsa@grinnell.edu

thesandb.com

Yesenia Ayala '18 awarded Truman Scholarship for graduate study

By Kate Irwin irwinkat@grinnell.edu

The Emergency Fund, headed

by Student Affairs with the guidance of the Office of Financial Aid, will provide students with last resort financial assistance. One of the main goals of the fund is to help in preventing students from unexpectedly leaving the College for financial reasons. The fund has been built to ensure that it is not abused, requiring students to submit an application.

The fund can be used to assist students with food payment, transportation, overdue utility bills approaching service interruption, safety needs, essential academic expenses and more. The fund will not, however, provide money towards tuition, health insurance, study abroad fees or non-essential personal bills.

The fund will provide $1,000 at the most per year, though the Grinnell website states that an average amount is between $300 and $500. If possible, the funds will be paid directly to the third party vendor, rather than to the student in need.

"I had decided that the Grinnell bubble divorced us from the realities of poverty, and that the administration needed to hear about the impacts of off-handed comments and the insurance situation."

Tim Burnette '19 According to SGA Vice President of Student Affairs Bailey Dann ’17, the fund will be especially useful for students who need but cannot afford medication. SHACS has a small fund designed to help students pay for medication, but these funds are limited and funded by donors, rather than the College.

Tim Burnette ’19 brought the necessity of this fund to the attention of the administration with a letter he wrote last year “during a time of extreme weakness and vulnerability.”

His concerns first arose during a Policy Changes Town Hall, when he heard President Raynard Kington respond to rumors that the recent development of an emphasis on student health was a measure to attract more rich students. Kington said that >> See Collaboration page 2

HELENA GRUENSTEIDL

Community Advisors shared concerns with Residence Life about brand new RLCs leading the hiring process.

By Zane Silk silkzane@grinnell.edu For a number of Residence Life’s student staff, the office’s process of selection for next year’s student positions in late February was a reason to voice growing concerns with the department’s actions and policies. While there has been dissatisfaction on a number of issues, it was frustration with the hiring process that served as a breaking point, and a group of students wrote a petition expressing their grievances.

Only roughly one-third of student staff signed it, and the decision was made not to submit it. Nonetheless, the petition’s major points were expressed to Residence Life, and only one change in policy has been made.

Many students who work for Residence Life were disgruntled about the fact that all of last year’s Residence Life Coordinators (RLCs), who oversee student staff, had left and were replaced by new RLCs last August. This raised concerns that the new hires lacked institutional memory and would impose policies that did not abide by the Grinnell community’s core values. According to some student staff, this fear has been warranted by actions over the course of the year, exemplified by how the hiring process was run for next year’s student positions.

“These are people who come in and then within, like six months, they're already interviewing [students] for positions in an office that they won’t even be in the next year,” said Ric Tennenbaum ‘18, who works for Residence Life as a Community Advisor Mentor (CAM) and helped write the petition. “I found out that the group process portion of the interviews for new hires was created

without even a basis of knowledge of what had happened in previous years ... I feel like if there had any level of student staff input it would have been so much better.”

Joe Rolón, Director of Residence Life, disagreed with Tennenbaum’s assertion that the RLCs have not been at Grinnell long enough to run staff selection, and also disputed the notion that the process was a major departure from previous years.

“The RLCs who planned the selection process had all the notes and the reviews from how it’s been done in the past, so there weren't any major changes,” Rolón said. “The student staff have never been involved in the creation of the questions. … This was the first year, I think, where students were questioning that. … I think what will help change things for next year will be actively having a committee of students working with professional staff to create that whole thing.”

Tennenbaum pointed to one question asked of all students in the interviewing process as particularly problematic: “What would you do if you disagreed with a Residence Life or Grinnell policy, or state policy, in your position?”

According to Tennenbaum, RLCs had admitted that they wanted students to commit to following policies strictly.

“We felt that was a really unfair and baiting question … If you tried to find any grey area, it was marked against you,” Tennenbaum said, speaking from personal experience — they were told that their response to that question was one of the main reasons they were not offered a position for next year.

“I shared that … if someone comes to me and I feel like they're distressed and they might want

to disclose something that would trigger some of my reporting duties … then I would let them know what I'm required to report and to whom, and then offer all the different resources that have different reporting structures," Tennenbaum said while talking about what was important to them as a CA. "[It came to be] that I work around policies, and that led to me not being hired back.”

"These are people who came in and then within, like six months, they're already interviewing students for positions in an office that they won't even be in the next year."

Ric Tennenbaum '18 With concerns rising following the selection process, there were conversations about what action should be taken, led by some of the CAMs, who occupy the most senior student position in Residence Life.

In mid-March these students decided to write a petition expressing their dissatisfaction and demanding change.

The petition addressed a number of issues, including complaints that students who were open about mental illness were discriminated against in the hiring process and taking issue with the overrepresentation of white and domestic people on student staff.

Additionally, the petition raised issue with what is perceived as disregard for transparency and student input, and claimed that the requirement for walkthroughs is ableist because of inaccessibility.

After it was distributed among the roughly 60 students who work >> See Res Life page 2

Yesenia Ayala ’18 has been awarded The Harry S. Truman Scholarship, which is among the most prestigious and rigorous scholarships in the nation. This year, 62 students were chosen to receive $30,000 for their graduate education.

According to Ayala, receiving this scholarship is an honor, partially due to the rigor involved with the application process. The application has multiple stages.

First, administration has to nominate a student. "Just being a nominee was an honor," Ayala wrote in an email to The S&B. After being nominated as one of four students from Grinnell, Ayala worked to complete a 14-question application and a policy proposal.

Additionally, Ayala needed three letters of recommendation attesting to her academics, public service and leadership.

Throughout the application process, Ayala worked closely with Dr. Steven Gump, Assistant Dean and Director of Global Fellowships and Awards in the CLS. "Dr. Gump provided individual and group advising to our Truman nominees, helping them to sharpen their essays, draft and develop their policy proposals," Mark Peltz, Dean of the CLS, said.

The CLS played a large role in helping Ayala work to achieve this prestigious scholarship. Gump and other mentors guided and advised Ayala. They also worked on logistical components of the application process, such as "[organizing] the selection and nomination processes >> See Truman Scholarship page 2

CONTRIBUTED

Ayala will receive $30,000 for a Masters degree in public service.

Center for Prairie Studies to show French film "Demain" about the environment and climate change

By Graham Dodd doddhenr@grinnell.edu

SAKAE

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Grinnell's Center for Prairie Studies is showing the French film “Demain” or “Tomorrow” this Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at The Strand. The event will be free to attend and is open to the public.

Professor Gwenola Caradec, French, a member of the Prairie Studies board, and Professor Jon Andelson ’70, Director of the Center for Prairie Studies, helped organize the event, along with a variety of other events promoting environmental awareness this month.

Caradec first heard of the film and loved it because of its uniquely Saturday Art Fest Art House, 1 p.m.

“When you talk about questions of the environment, it can put you down,” she said. “We are faced with the Anthropocene, and a lot of times

the narrative is very cataclysmic. The film tries to reverse that narrative and inspire hope rather than fear.”

The two-hour long documentary was also chosen, Andelson said, because it connects with the Center’s mission and complements an Iowa-based ecologist and author, Cornelia Mutel, whom the Center will be hosting to lead a talk called “Communicating Climate Change, Composing Hope,” in JRC 101 on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

“Even though it is a film about global climate change and the efforts to solve it, it complements our speaker because climate change is a global issue,” Andelson said, “and we want people to be aware that it takes place everywhere, even in Iowa.”

The film is multilingual, taking place in Denmark, Iceland, and eight other countries. It includes environmental activists and success stories such as the Detroit urban farming movement, Copenhagen citizens and representatives, members of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies located in Oakland, CA, and the people of the Kitchenware Revolution in Iceland.

“Quite a big chunk of it is in

Monday Soaring Past 7 Billion: Population Challenges for a Crowded World ARH 102, 4:15 p.m.

Tuesday Inside Grinnell: Understanding 'Belonging' at Grinnell JRC 101, 12 p.m.

Tuesday Communicating Climate Change, Composing Hope JRC 101, 7:30 p.m.

positive message on the future of the global climate. The film focuses on concrete success stories and solutions to environmental problems around the world.

"When you talk about questions of the environment, it can put you down. We are faced with the anthropocene, and a lot of times the narrative is very cataclysmic."

Gwenola Caradec, GCPS board member

Follow us on twitter @thesandb

People like it so much they try to bring it into different communities."

Gwenola Caradec, GCPS board member

English,” Caradec assured, “and the parts that aren’t are subtitled.” She stated “Demain” was received very positively in France, and at the time of writing was The New York Times Critic’s Pick.

“It won the 2016 César for Best Imagery, the French equivalent of the Oscars,” she continued, “and they showed it at the UN. People like it so much they try to bring it to different communities.”

In addition to the Center for Prairie Studies, the Cultural Films Committee, Environmental Studies concentration, French and Arabic department, Institute for Global Engagement and the Office of Community Enhancement and Engagement also helped to sponsor this event.

Wednesday Kit Yan Presents: Queer Heartache Harris Center, 7 p.m.

Arts 3 | Features 5 | Sports 6 | Community 7 | Opinions 9

News

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Edited by bohlkeli@grinnell.edu & braneckm@grinnell.edu

Truman Scholarship Res Life student staff concerned with selects Yesenia Ayala '18 ableist policy, lack of diversity Continued from Front Page for Residence Life, the petition only garnered about 20 signatures.

Tennenbaum pointed to the absence of one big grievance easy to rally around for the lack of signatures, as well as a fear of putting things on a bad note among students returning to staff. Ultimately, the decision was made not to submit the petition, but those who had led the effort did make the department aware of their major concerns more informally.

In regards to the issue of mental health, Rolón stated that Residence Life has actively worked to support students with mental health issues and has never penalized them, but he did admit that there was a problem when it came to diversity.

"We do need to be more diverse,” he said. “We did make efforts to sort

of increase our presence of students of color … and actually our new group for next year are much more diverse.”

While the petition lists a variety of concerns, Tennenbaum believes that underlying them all is a feeling that student input has not been valued.

They took issue with “this process of empty gestures where they say that they're listening, and yes, they will listen to us. That doesn’t mean that our words will carry any weight whatsoever.”

Rolón said that he does solicit and value student input, and he thinks that any feelings to the contrary would be assuaged if the department simply did a better job of following up with students to explain how input does often affect decision-making.

However, Rolón also believes that some students do not understand that just because their input is valued does

not mean they will get exactly what they want.

“Some students have told me, ‘listening means I tell you what I need and you automatically make that change,’ and that is not what listening is. Listening is taking in people's input, processing it and then seeing if the change needs to happen,” Rolon said.

Tennenbaum appreciates that Rolón has been willing to listen to student concerns, and is supportive of the decision to involve students in shaping the student staff selection going forward. However, there remain disagreements about the facts of the matter on different issues raised by the petition, and it seems as if many of the changes the students seek are not coming anytime soon. Tennenbaum summed up the situation succinctly: “it feels like we’re stuck.”

Collaboration by students and administration to create Emergency Fund Continued from Front Page all families care about health, not primarily rich families. In an article he wrote for The Gum in September 2016, Burnette argued that Kington’s words carried the insinuation that all families hold equal ability to care about health and appeared to come from a privileged position, despite Kington representing Grinnell, an institution of social justice.

However, Burnette’s motivation to write the letter arose when he heard that a close friend of his could not attain medication. While the student had purchased the school’s insurance plan, the insurance plan did not cover their necessary medication.

“I resolved myself to convey my anger through a letter,” Burnette said. “I had decided that the Grinnell bubble divorced us from the realities of poverty, and that the administration needed to hear about the impacts of off-handed comments and the insurance situation.”

Dann offered support and

accompanied Burnette to his meetings with Kington and Angela Voos, Chief of Staff. Together, Bailey and Burnette discussed and provided solutions to some problems on campus, and Voos suggested creating an emergency fund.

Emergency funds are becoming more available among institutions of higher education. Bailey mentioned that they were required to submit a report and gather statistics on the need for an emergency fund, to see if Grinnell would be a good fit to follow this trend.

“While I may have started the momentum for the creation of the Emergency Fund, was key in this process — she deserves much thanks as her work within the institution kept the momentum going,” Burnette said.

“Without her work, this fund would not have been possible.”

The process for the creation of the fund started in the fall of last year, and was completed in April. A memo about the fund was sent to all Grinnell students on April 11.

The Emergency Fund can cover: Food and transportation costs Travel expenses due to family health emergencies Overdue utility bills and shut-offs Homelessness or loss of housing Loss of childcare Ensuring completion for students in Finish Line program Safety needs, including for victims of domestic violence Books and other essential academic expenses Replacement of essential belongings following fire, theft or natural disaster Students are encouraged to meet with Student Affairs staff, but can also submit applications independently

for her work in education inequity

Continued from Front Page and committees, work[ing] closely with our faculty, and ultimately [submitting] nominations," Peltz wrote in an email to The S&B. Ayala is not the only Grinnell student to receive the Truman Scholarship. As of 2005, Grinnell has had five students named as recipients of this award and 17 others recognized as Truman Finalists.

"I am passionate and determined to see change in our society, and I know that we will progress as a nation.

I also believe that change begins at a local level. ...

[The] Truman Scholarship opened a door to something I did not even consider two years ago."

After her time at Grinnell, Ayala plans to continue her education and work to obtain a Masters degree in public policy and public affairs. She is still unsure of where she wants to attend, but she knows this is the path she will follow.

Ayala wants to be involved in the education sector. She wants to be employed by an organization that "values progress and seeks positive impact in our nation."

"I am passionate and determined to see change in our society, and I know that we will progress as a nation. I also believe that change begins at a local level," Ayala wrote.

Ayala is confident that the Truman scholarship will help her to achieve her goals. "[The Truman Scholarship] opened a door to something I did not even consider two years ago: post graduate education as well as a network of incredible Truman scholars and alumni across our nation," Ayala wrote.

After receiving this scholarship, Ayala has a few more requirements she must complete.

She will be attending the Truman Scholars Leadership, a leadership development program May 23-28 in Missouri. During this time, Ayala will have the opportunity to connect with alumni, create community service projects, attend a graduate school fair and work to create policy projects.

Ayala is not a stranger to community service. Throughout her time at Grinnell as a Posse Scholar, she was involved in the service learning work-study and was the SGA Services coordinator.

She has also worked with Al Éxito, ASPIRA New York, Breakthrough New York, and is currently abroad in Chile continuing her public service work with Belen Educa. All of these experiences address education inequity.

And Ayala doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon.

"When I began the process, Truman was a dream. Now, it's a reality and symbolizes that a first generation student of color can break the barriers and reach their full potential even in predominantly white institutions," Ayala wrote.

"Yesenia earned every bit of this honor. Her passion, commitment, work ethic and drive is inspiriring. ... The entire Grinnell community should celebrate with her."

Mark Peltz, Dean of Carers, Live, and Service "Yesenia earned every bit of this honor. Her passion, commitment, work ethic, and drive is inspiring,” Peltz said. “The entire Grinnell community should celebrate with her."

Student Research Symposium

This week, the Student Research Symposium featured a variety of events related to student research interests, including opening remarks by professors, poster sessions and moderated panels. The S&B's staff writer Andrea Baumgartel and photographer Helena Gruenstiedl went to explore different student exhibits.

Abraham Mhaidli ‘17 “Energy Profiling with Alpaca” Global warming is the biggest threat to humanity. We wanted to stop global warming with comp science, so we thought, let’s build energy efficient technology. Right now, that’s based on hardware—better lighting, better wires, etc. We were like OK that’s boring, let’s look at software, how to make energy-efficient software. ... Our program will tell someone else’s program what parts of the program is energy efficient. Roughly, we’re given a time sample, we see what was running and how much energy was being used, then use a bunch of equations and statistical analyses to figure out the energy usage.

Chae Kyung Jeon ’17 “Conformational analysis of MTHFR and binding site mutants utilizing hydrogen-deuterium exchange and mass spectrometry” We were particularly interested in a protein MTHFR, which is in the human body. Problems with this protein can cause cardiovascular disease, and also it is heritable ... We did conformational analysis of this protein that can be then used for further research on potential drug design that could manipulate [MTHFR] or its mechanism.

Jane Jordan ’18 and Amanda Bressoud ’17 “Effectiveness of two herbivory deterrent treatments on survival of Asclepias species in restored tallgrass prairie" Bressoud: We looked at monarch butterfly position preference—so which species of milkweed monarch butterflies prefer to lay their eggs on, since monarch butterflies and milkweed numbers have been in decline. This project is a conservation effort for both species.

Sasha Kuzura ’17 “Phantom Games, or Steps Toward Non-Proton MRI” If we could image carbon in the body, we could get very very specific images that would be much more useful than the current MRI which gives us pictures of water in the body. Unfortunately carbon’s magnetic signal is hundreds, thousands, perhaps millions of times smaller than waters signal. We are improving a concept that we can modify an MRI machine to scan things with a fraction of a signal. We were able to successfully image lithium, which has about one percent of water’s signal. Carbon’s down the line.

Ruoxu Xia ’18 “Synthesis of Ketimine” We researched possible molecules that can cure malaria. So we did a total synthesis from scratch and also biological evaluation on the product that we synthesized, which is an antibacterial. We then sent our product to the University of Iowa so that they could do further anti-malarial tests.

Anthony Fitzpatrick ’18 “Obituaries of Grinnell Civil War Veterans: Value, Race, and Identity in Small-Town Iowa” We studied civil war obituaries, which are very much reflective of what is assigned value in a society and ideal citizenship. We analyze historical records of obituaries and saw how they emphasized the value of white, male veterans that was very much tied to their identities as citizens. The Civil War and their experiences in the Civil War were used almost as platforms for their upstanding citizenship.

Our research is adding to a small body of research on obituaries— there hasn’t been that much work done on them.

Edited by coghlann17@grinnell.edu

Arts

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Spring Drag Show 2017

- Photos by Sarah Ruiz

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Arts

Edited by coghlann17@grinnell.edu

Tit Head film festival sparks debate about objectification

CONTRIBUTED

Hanky Song '17 (center) stares down the camera in a still for her collaborative subversive Tit Head video.

Candace Mettle mettleca@grinnell.edu Each Spring, students gather in the Harris Center for Grinnell’s own student film festival, Titular Head.

And while the event has been a time-honored tradition, this year, several students are starting to question the festival’s ethics. As the April 29 date of the event draws near, Halley Freger ’17 and Hanky Song ’17 want students who enjoy Tit Head to consider what they find entertaining about its content: sex positivity and daring filmography or derogatory displays of their peers’ bodies?

Tit Head has been known for its risqué content, often featuring pseudo pornographic content that both Freger and Song find particularly off-putting

and objectifying. Additionally, Tit Head audiences are infamously rowdy and reckless, and it’s widely acknowledged that audiences are likely to boo at films they dislike. While the pornographic imagery and audience dynamic at Tit Head is Freger’s and Song’s pointed area of critique, they believe it to be emblematic of the patriarchal society at large.

“Tit Head is supposed to be funny, but comedy is also such an important tool and such an important thing and an art form in and of itself. I think Tit Head is disrespectful to both film and comedy because I think that to create an effective comedic film is like a chore, and to even make comedy that has a purpose that says something at all is really difficult. [Tit Head videos are] just like objectified images and

that’s considered comedy… what’s happening there when women’s bodies are considered funny?”

Despite this critique, Tit Head selection committee member Luc Moisan ’17 insists that Tit Head is an important part of film culture at Grinnell.

“I think some of the art may be off-putting to some people [and] they may be considered offensive, and for some of the pieces I would say those claims are sometimes justified. But for the most part I think Grinnell benefits from this type of a film scene on campus,” he said.

To push the dialogue on Tit Head, Freger and Song have submitted a film highlighting the sexual objectification of women in the media. Although they created the video for the event, Freger and Song admit that it has been a per-

sonal project as well considering their careers as filmmakers.

“We’ve been thinking a lot about how women are portrayed in the media and how we see images of women being objectified everywhere,” Song said, “How do we turn that [objectification of women in the media] around, how do we subvert that image … so that women are women who do stuff … not just there to be looked at,” Song said.

And while the two filmmakers want to start a dialogue about the festival’s pitfalls, they believe that events such as these, albeit insufficient, are an important addition to campus, especially given the lack of a film studies major.

“It’s not our goal to stop Tit Head,” said Song. “[Making a film] is our way of coping with the fact that Tit Head exists and thinking about how women are objectified in media and to subvert that on our own. Objectifying women for the sake of a laugh is really insulting. Festivals like Tit Head reinforce these dynamics.”

Freger and Song believe that students and some faculty members have perpetuated the culture surrounding Tit Head and the lack of criticisms against the event. Some College community members do not know the real nature of the event, while others, as everyone else in the world, find it hard to separate themselves from the patriarchy.

“I think some people are just totally unaware [of the nature of the event] because when I was telling [a] professor about it he had no idea. I also think that there is something seemingly innocent about college students

partying… something about college students who are critically engaged and are actually creating some kind of counter culture that’s threatening. I actually do think that I think there is something more frightening to people on this campus about people critiquing porn than people watching it,” Freger said.

To further counter the lack of film appreciation on campus, Freger and Song have dedicated part of their last year as students to creating another space for non-Tit Head type films. As part of her art collective Anacha, Song plans to host a film festival of her own at the end of the year. Song and Freger hope that it will become institutionalized after they graduate.

“We can create communities in which there is a film culture and which film is a powerful political tool and I think those communities do exist they’re just on a smaller scale,” Freger said.

Moisan maintains that the selection committee will take special care this year to select films that do not contain offensive content.

“We have some kind of editorial control of what goes [in Tit Head],” Moisan said. “We may do this differently than how people have done in the past. We encourage people to show films that are generally of a better ethical stance than some that have been shown in the past, but ultimately it’s a film festival that is taken from what the id of the student body has to push forward onto the rest of the student body. [But] the films that we selected will have gone through a more strict vetting process than any Soviet filmmaker ever had to deal with.”

Kendrick Lamar releases fourth studio album, DAMN.

By Halley Freger fregerha17@grinnell.edu Last Friday, Kendrick Lamar released his fourth studio album “DAMN.” to overwhelmingly positive critical acclaim.

Lamar began making music as a teenager under the name K-Dot, exemplifying the beauty of the internet rap era where people independently release music and build communities around it online. Since then, he’s grown into a Grammy award-winning musician. In 2015, he released his third album “To Pimp a Butterfly,” an explicitly political project that refuses to shy away from difficult material, diving deeply into themes of racial inequality. In 2016, Lamar released “untitled unmastered.” The collection of demos was a surprising follow-up to the ambitious production of “TPAB,” but still ultimately shows off Lamar’s incredible lyrical abilities.

Lamar has now established himself as one of the biggest contemporary rappers, securing fame and wealth, and “DAMN.” explores this position within a larger societal and personal context. He confronts what it means to grow up in Compton, but then receive commercial success.

“DAMN.” is an album that relies on juxtaposition and conflict. It’s an album where a song called “LUST.” can only be followed by a song called

“LOVE.” The album begins with haunting harmonies singing, “Is it wickedness?

Is it weakness?” immediately addressing a common theme of the album. On “BLOOD.” Lamar harkens back to “To Pimp a Butterfly” with a spoken word style, his voice slightly muted while recounting a story over strings and flutes. He sounds like the narrator of a moody noir film as he tells a story of approaching a blind woman to help her, only to be shot.

The gunshot is startling, creating a shift. A seemingly innocent interaction between Lamar, the narrator, and the woman turns violent, posing the question—why? Is it wickedness? Or is it weakness? What causes people to perpetuate or be complicit in acts of violence? The song ends with a Fox News clip in which the anchors discuss Lamar’s lyrics on police brutality. The sampled news clip points out the ridiculousness of people discussing his views, dismissing the real fear of racial violence. The clip serves as the perfect segue to “DNA.” where Lamar addresses the concept of blackness, not only analyzing his own personal experience, but the experience of being part of a larger community. He raps, “I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my DNA. I got hustle though, ambition, flow, inside my DNA.” The song bounces as Lamar showcases an impressive flow, barely pausing, each line pack-

ing a punch. Lamar finds pleasure in being part of a community, one that shapes experiences, but ultimately gives him a sense of pride, of “royalty,” and of the beauty of succeeding in the face of adversary. Throughout the album, he addresses his position within pop culture. He reveals insecurities, especially on the appropriately titled “FEEL.” He raps about feeling like “you wanna scrutinize how I made it,” exploring the irony of how he’s continuously denied access to his own success. The jazzy track is deeply personal, returning to themes of mental health in relation to fame introduced on “TPAB.” When Lamar released the single “HUMBLE.” the response was mixed, not in terms of the undeniable musical and lyrical genius of the track, but because of one particular lyric, in which he critiques the popular media portrayal of women. With lyrics such as “show me somethin’ natural like ass with some stretch marks,” it’s understandable why many people, especially black feminists, were offended by the way Lamar continues to police women’s bodies for his own pleasure.

While the critique is justified, perhaps this is a perfect example of the conflict Lamar presents throughout the album. He battles with temptation, to indulge in his success and desires, especially within the context of the modern, consumerist world. Perhaps the lyric in question reveals less of

an attempt at equality and more of a somewhat shameful personal dilemma.

The album closes with “DUCKWORTH.” a continuation of the opening track, combining an old-school hip hop beat with a crooning Ted Taylor sample. He tells a story of his father Ducky and Anthony “Top Dog” Tiffith, the founder of Kendrick’s label TDE. Ducky showed kindness to Anthony while working at KFC, so when Anthony robbed the store, he choose to not shoot Ducky. Ken-

drick acknowledges that if it weren’t for this, he wouldn’t have achieved the success he has--his dad would be dead, Anthony would be in jail, and he would be stuck in a life of crime. This acknowledgement that he’s lucky to be where he is, is the motivation for “DAMN.” In the final moments of the album, it’s played quickly in reverse, returning to the opening line of the story on “BLOOD.” as if to say he must be humble, because, damn, what he has can be taken away at any second, with a single gunshot.

CONTRIBUTED

"HUMBLE." the premiere single of Kendrick Lamar's new album DAMN. came it at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Elephant's Graveyard promises poignant performance made me think that considering the time and the story, this play needs to be done here.”

Although the events portrayed onstage may appear surreal, the reality of lynching as a common practice in rural Tennessee lies beneath the play’s action. Even today, Nayar explained, people in Erwin resent their association with the elephant’s hanging, although the town has also been remembered for its lynchings of black men.

SARAH RUIZ

Elephant's Graveyard will be performed this weekend on Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

By Teresa Fleming flemingt17@grinnell.edu In 1916, the citizens of the small town of Erwin, Tennessee hung a circus elephant from an industrial crane until it was dead. This weekend’s production of “Elephant’s Graveyard” adapts this true story, situating it at the nexus of social, political and technological shifts that came together in an act of brutality. For director Sophiyaa Nayar ’17, the play felt like a particularly timely response to an era of surreal political turmoil.

“I read the play around the time of the election last year and so reading through it was really goofy and funny initially and I was having a good time. But as I was reading it ...

I started getting angrier and angrier and I couldn’t explain exactly why.

I finished reading the play filled with rage,” Nayar said. “I couldn’t get words out, I just started crying and I couldn’t explain why something that happened a hundred years ago affected me so much compared to what was happening now. That’s what

ments onstage, relying instead on the reactive context provided by the cast to portray the horror of the play’s central event.

“I was asked, are you going to build a giant elephant?’ And I was like, I could, but if the actors commit to seeing this hanging happen right in front of them, and their eyes go up at the same time and they look at it crash down at the same time, there is nothing more powerful than an audience’s imagination. Hanging

an elephant would mean that a fake elephant dies. But leaving the gruesome bits of it to the audience I think is much more powerful,” Nayar said.

“It’s fun not to control that.”

Community member interested in viewing the production may face some competition- productions through the weekend have sold out, but Nayar encourages interested parties to get on waitlists for the productions on Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

"It seems like people of Erwin really cared about the spectacle of hanging an elephant. What about the people they've been lynching for years?"

Sophia Nayar '17 “It seems like people of Erwin really cared about the spectacle of hanging an elephant,” Nayar said.

“What about the people they’ve been lynching for years? Why is this suddenly a spectacle?”

While “Elephant’s Graveyard” explores the nature of performance and spectacle, Nayar chose not to render some of the play’s key mo-

SARAH RUIZ

The show is directed by Sophia Nayar '17.

Edited by kielyphi@grinnell.edu

Nadia Graese '17 awarded student worker of the year

By Tanvi Jindal jindalta@grinnell.edu Waiting for Nadia Graese ‘17 in anticipation, I was both a little intimidated by and skeptical of a person who was hardworking and dedicated enough to become the campus student employee of the year. On meeting Graese, I realized that my concerns were misplaced. Having worked with her before, I know her as someone who definitely deserves to be appreciated for her work.

On becoming the student employee of the year, she remarked, “first off, I was really surprised- I didn’t know that it was something that you could receive. I got an e-mail a couple weeks ago telling me to go to the student employment event because this award existed. I feel like it was a form of validation because I love my job and I have really enjoyed working there for so long. To have other people tell me that I was actually doing well is kind of a cool thing.”

She has been working in the dining hall since the first semester of her first year at college.

“I was promoted to the dish room student leader in the beginning of my second year. My maximum was last semester when I was working 1820 hours a week. This semester is the least that I have worked- about 2 shifts a week, but I still come in to help once every 2-3 weeks. It’s a weird feeling for me because I used to be there all the time. That was the comment for me, “you never leave, you live here.” And now I don’t,” Graese said.

Graese feels that the working at the dining hall has been a learning curve for her, personally and professionally.

“I have been given the opportunity to grow a lot. The dining hall has always been a place where I feel comfortable and it’s given me more responsibility as I’ve gotten older.

There’s so much growth involved with being a student leader. Being one of the original student leaders, Annika Peterson and I are more in charge of the interviewing and standardizing the program. Sure, I don’t get paid more but I have become more confident as a result of my time there,” Graese said.

Commenting on the perception of working there, she said, “it’s important work that people tend to discredit" Graese explained that working for a professor or in an otherwise academic position tends to carry more weight when applying for other jobs and in student culture in general.

"Working there has taught me in a very, very safe space that I am capable of voicing my own opinions and helping to implement things," she said. "Those basic skills can help me wherever I go.”

But dining hall work has its own issues.

“I hate when there’s no music.

It gets stressful to train people in the same jobs constantly, especially when they aren’t catching on. Every year, I have noticed myself getting a little more stressed because it has been 3 years since I have been training stu-

SOFIA MENDEZ

Nadia Graese '17 was recognized as student employee of the year.

dents. Lack of communication is frustrating. I hate that it is too hot in the dish room,” Graese said.

However, the work environment has improved over the past couple of years, mostly due to more professional student leaders.

“I respect all of them a lot. Student leaders, when I was a freshman, would do things like throw forks at the ceiling and fill glasses with water, stack them as pyramids and knock them over. It wasn’t a very professional situation. What we have tried to do over the last 2 years is make it a more professional job, with real requirements, especially now that we have a student union. I think that the new student leaders will not only going keep the program strong but also make it better after I graduate,” Graese said.

Graese has both short and longterm reasons for working.

“Obviously, I work because I need money to pay for my college tuition. But secondarily, I feel that keeping the dining hall running is necessary work. My goal on a shift is to make it as easy and efficient as possible for everyone involved. I try to be where I am needed. If the dish line is busy, I’ll be there. If the silverware is busy, I’ll be there so that I can get us done on time. My short-term goal is to provide the best service we can in the proper timeline,” she said.

It is difficult to strike a balance between work and academics, but Graese feels they go hand-in-hand.

“It obviously reduces the amount of time that I can spend on academics but I like to have the break from the intellectual thinking and be able to move around, talk to people and learn things in a different way. It is more of a social education: how do you talk to people, how do you tell them what they’re doing wrong and right,” she said.

When asked about her work ethic, she said, “I have always taken my work seriously. When I was 9 years old and I was sick, I made my dad go to school and take my homework for me. I have always been very dedicated to my work. At this point, I ask myself, ‘what can I do to instigate a strong work ethic in other people.’”

Graese’s celebration of her award proves why she received it: she went right back to work.

“Well, that day I was working in the dining hall and then I received this award and I went to my other job.

That day, I actually worked about 8.9 hours. That’s how I celebrated my award, by working,” Graese said

FREAKY FAST! FREAKY GOOD! ®

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Features

5

SHIC offers discounted binders to students

By Louise Carhart carhartl17@grinnell.edu The Sexual Health Information Center (SHIC) has recently begun offering binders at a discounted rate, in an effort to make transgender inclusivity a priority at Grinnell. SHIC is currently offering ten sizes of binders in two different lengths.

“Oftentimes you’re ordering these things online and you have no idea how it’s going to fit,” said Toby Baratta ’17, the Diversity and Outreach Coordinator (DOC). “If a binder is too tight, that can have some real health problems, especially if you’re binding for eight hours a day. There are already health problems there without adding on the wrong size.”

This new service is being offered at a highly discounted price. Because since SHIC became a part of the Student Government Association (SGA) last spring, its budget has increased and it can now order items wholesale and sell them at a steeply discounted price.

“The way it works is people can come here and try on the binders, we have a measuring tape and measuring charts, so they can size themselves if they want. They can go into the bathroom there, there is a gender inclusive one right next door, and try it on,” said Vivian Cheslack ‘19, a co-administrator at SHIC. “People are free to come, try it on. All our educators did a training with the Trans Advocacy Group about binder safety, as well as inclusive language and how to talk to people who might be uncomfortable with people who are cis.”

The addition of binders, which cost $10, represents an effort to move the center beyond just pleasure toys and condoms. As an information center, SHIC has traditionally stuck to information and resources regarding safe sex. In the past couple of months, this focus has shifted to include health services that are difficult or impossible to find on campus or in town. SHIC now offers products like menstrual cups, the current bestseller, and hopes to begin including more products that go beyond sex.

“In the past we’ve been focused more on pleasure toys, but I think this semester especially we’re moving towards more general sexual-related health,” Cheslack said. “We’re working more on the education and information side, and trans inclusivi-

ty is included with that. We’re hoping to make better connections with trans groups on campus as well, and asexual groups to try and expand SHIC beyond just sex and pleasure.”

this semester we're moving towards more general sexualrelated health.

Vivan Cheslack '19 co-administrator at SHIC The drive towards greater inclusivity and ensuring that every student feels safe and supported at Grinnell is important to the office of Diversity and Outreach as well. Schools around the nation have attempted to update and modernize their conceptions of gender and diversity, although this remains a large and ongoing task.

One fight that has become national news is the redefinition of gendered bathrooms as students have argued against the antiquated division that adheres to an outdated binary.

“It’s actually an archaic law that happened a long time ago. [Schools] were only having men’s bathrooms in spaces where people were working to discourage women from working, thus the law says you specifically need to have x number of male bathrooms and x number of women’s bathrooms in a space of a certain size,” Baratta said. “The way that’s been interpreted legally is if you make a bathroom gender neutral, it no longer counts as male or female.

It doesn’t count. One of the things that’s been continually worked on is to get an exception for the College.”

This law only applies to bathrooms in academic buildings, which

is why dorms can choose to label their bathrooms based on the occupants’ wants and needs. In addition, turnover in residence life jobs can complicate the process of making dorms more accessible and inclusive.

“There hasn’t been too much continuity on the subject,” Baratta said.

For now, SHIC and the DOC’s office are optimistic about their partnering and hope to see more improvements happen faster at Grinnell. “[SHIC] is great because they’re good about coming and saying ‘this thing you’ve done is inaccessible, let’s figure out a way to make it more accessible, let’s find a way to have office hours in the Stonewall Resource Center to include North Campus,’” Baratta said.

One of the most resonant changes at SHIC began when educators were paid for the time they spend working at the center. Previously, this time was considered volunteer work and made it difficult for a large variety of students to apply and work for SHIC in a capacity to make major changes.

“My first semester at SHIC we were independent and then we started working with SGA. We can now get better products in more bulk. Most importantly, this is the first semester we’ve started paying educators,” Cheslack said. “When people are in the center it’s paid and our meetings are paid, which has made definitely a much bigger impact. It’s made the workers more passionate and it’s easier to allocate paid time, as opposed to volunteer time ... Definitely, since we’ve started working with SGA, our presence on campus has increased, people are talking about us.”

HELENA GRUENSTEIDL

Binders, which are often prohibitiåvely expensive, will be availible in a variety of sizes for only ten dollars each at SHIC.

Background Noyce: Professor Charlotte Christensen

By Andrea BaUmgartel baumgart1@grinnell.edu

Professor Charlotte Christensen, physics, researches the universe. Literally.

“Broadly, I am interested in how galaxies evolve,” she said.

Professor Christensen just recently received a grant from the College which will allow her to spend all of next year doing full-time research on the evolution of galaxies—investigating how they end up having the shape, color and star formations that we observe today.

“I approach this computationally to model the galaxies in the universe, from soon after the Big Bang to the present day. I study how the galaxies transform over time and what processes drive that transformation,” she said.

This is a really big field—in both the scientific community and the community of the universe.

“What I’m interested in, at the moment, is how gas is accreted onto galaxies and how it is lost,” Professor Christensen specified.

The gas comes in via the “intergalactic medium,” or the physical space between galaxies comprised of a lot of hot gas. “But we don’t yet know how much gas [is coming in] or in what state,” Professor Christensen said. “We also know that gas is expelled from galaxies. So when stars form, you will have occasionally a massive star that forms, which have shorter lifespans ...

And when they die, they release a lot of energy in the form of a supernova.

What that energy can do is create a shockwave that pushes gas out of the galaxy, heats it up," she said.

As the gas comes in, a star forms and creates a feedback loop expelling more gas. "So I’ve been looking at some simulations of galaxies to try to track as gas enters and as it exits and determine the state it’s in as it enters

and exits.”

Additionally, Christensen tracks the chemical composition of gasses in the universe. Because the universe was formed with just hydrogen and helium, and only the heavier elements have been created through stars, she can examine the chemical composition of a particular gas. If the gas has an element like carbon, that means the gas used to be in a galaxy.

The key to Professor Christensen’s computational simulations code involves gravity, which “drives the vast majority of stuff happening—it brings gas together and collects dark matter,” she said.

Additionally, gas radiates away energy and then cools down, becoming more dense — or, conversely, it can heat up, become less dense and less likely to remain at the center of a galaxy. So gas cooling and heating is another big player.

The third main component in the code are the stars.

“For stars, we’re interested in how likely it is that a star will form and then after it’s formed, how long will it live? And if it dies, for instance in a supernova, how much energy and how many heavy elements is it ejecting?”

Christensen said.

Therefore, Professor Christensen’s computations also include information on the stars’ formation as well as their life cycle.

Some of what Professor Christensen and others are trying to answer is why different types of galaxies differ in their gas and star compositions. For example, the massive elliptical galaxies don’t have much, if any, recent star formation. On the other hand, dwarf galaxies and spiral galaxies are more balanced in terms of stuff going in and out.

“Our galaxy, the Milky Way, forms about one solar mass per year,” Christensen said. “We aren’t quite sure

how much gas is being accreted or lost, because it’s actually harder to make these measurements from inside a galaxy as opposed to outside of it. But we think that we are ejecting a little bit more gas than is being accreted.”

When asked what she would like more people to know about galaxies, Professor Christensen said there are two main misconceptions.

One is that, when we think of galaxies, we just tend to think about their stars because that’s what we can see.

But stars are only a tiny fraction of an actual galaxy.

“Most of the mass of a galaxy is in the form of dark matter, which is very mysterious and seems to only interact through gravity—we can’t detect light coming from it or being blocked by it. And then, after the dark matter, in many galaxies, there’s more gas than there are stars—stars are just these little tracers,” Christensen said.

Although stars are just a tiny fraction of the actual galaxy, when the massive ones become supernovae, they cause the galaxy to undergo huge conformational change.

“Supernova can alter the entire history of a galaxy,” Christensen said.

MAYU SAKAE

Professor Charlotte Christensen studies how gas is accreted onto galaxies.

Sports

6

By Steve Yang yangstev@grinnell.edu

Edited by carhartl17@grinnell.edu

Women's athletics before Title IX: Pre-equality athletes return this weekend

Before Title IX was formally signed into law in 1972, there were no varsity women’s teams at Grinnell.

Women interested in participating in athletics programs were limited to intramurals and club teams, where some notable successes were achieved: for example, the women’s field hockey team defeated the team from the University of Iowa and other big-school teams to claim the Iowa state title. In honor of these female athletes, both before and after the signing of Title IX, the Office for Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) is hosting numerous events for the first Pioneer Women’s Weekend from April 21 to 22.

Without any of the formal resources that came with being varsity athletes, Grinnell’s female athletes have lacked their due recognition and a fair playing field. However, Saturday’s public events are intended to remedy a small part of that inequality:

there will be alumni and staff panels exploring attitudes on physical activity, sports before Title IX was passed and the evolution of women’s athletics at the College.

“We hope that this will be an opportunity for Grinnellians to learn about how the College’s Pioneer women, who were working to compete and to engage with each other ... but who weren’t given the recognition and institutional support” Jayn Chaney '05 “We sent out a letter and a survey to ... earlier female Grinnell graduates, asking them to ... tell us a little bit about their memories about the time before Title IX passed,” said DAR director Jayn Chaney ’05. “We’ve ... been working over the last two years

to put together this program.”

Chaney credited Anne Anderson ’64 for mentioning the progress that has been made in the six decades since she graduated from Grinnell.

Anderson also suggest a celebration and acknowledgement of the significant number of Grinnell women who participated in athletics. Because of her, many have received their “Honor G” letter jackets. Anderson will be part of a panel moderated by Karen Blumenthal, an award-winning author who penned “Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX.” “Karen Blumenthal will discuss the ramifications above and beyond equity in athletics ... You’re going to hear a lot of these really cool stories,” Chaney said, referring to the women’s hockey victory.

Other events will include a talk

by Judy Lutter ’61 about debunking myths pertaining to women’s athletics, and also feature commentary from influential women who have led various athletics programs at Grinnell,

like long-time former athletic director Dee Fairchild and current women’s cross-country and track head coach Evelyn Freeman.

The weekend will kick off with an exhibition in the Bear fitness center featuring historical photos, posters and various memorabilia. Zaw Bo ’18, an intern in the DAR Office, said that the organizers hope more than just student athletes will show up, and that this will be an inclusive and exciting event for athletes and non-athletes alike.

“Student perspectives have a lot of value, and it’s a way for alums to reconnect to the institution and see how we’ve progressed. Women had to fight for their right to exercise “We’ve ... been working over the last two years to put as a team.”

Zaw Bo '18 together this program” Jayn Chaney '05 “We hope that this will be an opportunity for Grinnellians to learn about how the College’s Pioneer women, who were working to compete and to engage with each other ... but who weren’t given the recognition and institutional support” Chaney said. “I hope that this weekend will ... celebrate these women in a way that they haven’t been celebrated in the past ... today’s women athletes stand on the shoulders of these women.”

“Student perspectives have a lot of value, and it’s a way for alums to reconnect to the institution and see how we’ve progressed,” Bo said.

“Women had to fight for their right to exercise as a team.”

A link to the weekend’s events can be found here: https://alumni.grinnell.edu/events/event-registrations/ pioneer-womens-weekend-2017

Stariha '17 breaks Grinnell record for most runs scored The S&B's Nora Coghlan sat down with Lydia Stariha '17, short stop for the women's softball team.

This past weekend, Stariha gained a solo spot atop the all-time runs list for Grinnell, with 80 runs scored.

The S&B: First of all congrats!

Can you talk a little bit about your second game against Illinois College and how it felt?

Lydia Stariha: We had a rougher first game, we didn’t come out with hits as much so it felt really good to have the whole team … getting runs in and making plays on the field. Its always tough with softball because you play two games in a day unlike other sports where its just one so we lost the first game and you’ve got to quickly turn around and have a good mentality, and our team did that really well.

The S&B: Did you feel like you were going to have as good of a game as you did?

LS: I think we had a good week of practice, we had some rest time so it felt really good to get out there and play.

The S&B: How has the rest of the season been going?

LS: Definitely some ups and downs. I think that we’re playing well as a team and that doesn’t al-

ways show up in wins or losses, but overall I’m really happy with the improvement that I’ve seen from last year in all the players on the team.

got older I really enjoyed catching but then transitioning into college I really enjoyed short stop. I get a lot of ground balls there so it really tests my athleticism across the field.

I like short stop a lot.

The S&B: How long have you been playing softball?

LS: I started when I was about six so I’ve been playing for about 16 years now. I have two older sisters, so I just played on their teams growing up. I’ve been around the sport as long as I can remember. Growing up, I didn’t have school teams in grade school, so I did travel ball in the summer and then I played on my high school team for four years.

"I think all the women involved have been super excellent in making this program hardworking and a lot of dedication and a high caliber program" Lydia Stariha '17

The S&B: Do you play any other sports?

LS: I’m on the basketball team.

I’ve been playing basketball since I was in like fourth grade.

The S&B: What positions do you play and which do you like best?

LS: I play short stop. I started out as a catcher here. I pitched for a little bit, caught and the last few years I’ve been playing short stop and I really like it there. Its probably my favorite position. When you’re younger you kind of get to try everything because they’re like ‘oh you’re kids, have fun’ but as I

The S&B: How are practices looking this season? You said you’ve put in a lot of hard work. Is the team really connecting?

LS: It’s really fun, we get to do some offense and defense and we’ve really done some more quick paced defensive drills which I think gets everyone engaged and gets us to do a lot of movement and coverage. Offensively we’ve had a lot of different things we’re putting in. I think this year we are doing a better job of trying to adjust. If something isn’t going well, putting in drills that will help you out and help the team out.

The S&B: You’ve been on the team all four years you’ve been at Grinnell. Do you feel like you have

a favorite season or that you’ve progressed throughout the years?

LS: It’s definitely been a progression. I think starting off as a first year you’re kind of just new and learning it and I have been fortunate enough to have a leadership role and just helping kind of change the program and being part of a changing program has been really fun. I think all the women involved have been like super excellent in making this program hardworking and a lot of dedication and a high caliber program.

The S&B: You’re a two-sport athlete which takes up a lot of time.

How have you been able to manage your school work and life with athletics?

LS: I think it’s a lot of prioritizing, so I may not go out on a Saturday. I may choose not to watch Netflix at all that week, just little things like that. An important thing to me has been balance. Sometimes if I’m really tired after a game, I’m not going to push myself to go do four hours of homework, but at the same time if I have a Friday off, I’m not going to watch TV. I’m going to do homework. So just knowing what I need at the time and coming up with a balance where I can see my friends and make sure that I have time to relax but at the same time I’m get-

ting my homework done and getting practice in. A big thing I’ve learned is listen to yourself so if you know you’re not going to get homework done because you’re super tired then don’t try to push it and do a ton of homework in one night.

"I’ve seen all these women play multiple games and I think we can get hits and score so now its just putting that on the field" Lydia Stariha '17 The S&B: Are most of your friends on the softball and basketball teams?

LS: My closest friends are on my team, but its been kind of nice because I am a biochemistry major, so I get to meet a lot of people through there as well. So it’s a weird dichotomy where my sports friends understand my sports stuff and my science friends understand my science stuff, so I get a little bit of both.

The S&B: What are your goals for the rest of the season?

LS: Definitely to put what I know we can do into execution. I’ve seen all these women play multiple games and I think we can get hits and score so now its just putting that on the field.

Tattoos are the glue of Sand traps and bucket hats: friendship A conversation with Evan Bunis '18

By Zane Silk silkzane@grinnell.edu

HELENA GRUENSTEIDL

Macdonald, Schurig, Caro and Broeker (all '17) show off their tatts.

By Nora Coghlan coghlann17@grinnell.edu Four years ago, Julia Broeker, Olivia Caro, Carly Macdonald and Linnea Schurig (all ’17) joined Grinnell’s newest Ultimate Frisbee team, the Grinneleanor Roosevelts. Now, they are the only founding members left on campus and they have decided to commemorate their time on the team with matching tattoos.

“We’re the last people that remember the beginning,” Caro said.

After naming the team after the activist and diplomat, the team felt they needed a cheer to represent the spirit of the team and the spirit of the woman they named themselves after.

“Eleanor Roosevelt has this quote that we made up a cheer from,” Caro said.

“It goes ‘women are like tea bags.

You never know how strong they are until you put them in hot water,” Schurig explained.

Even with their signature cheer in mind when the senior members sought to commemorate their time on the team,

they had trouble coming up with a tattoo-able symbol.

“We’ve been talking about this for two years,” Broeker said.

“But we couldn’t come up with anything to get until spring break,” Schurig added.

“When we were brainstorming tattoos to get, the first thing we thought of was a portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt, but that is unreasonable to tattoo on our bodies,” Schurig said. “So we tried to think of alternate symbolism, like the tea bag thing.”

After they landed on tea bags, each of the athletes drew their own tea bag design for their own tattoos. “[Broeker, Schurig and Caro] are all artists and I’m not really … and so they all drew their own tea bags and they were going to get theirs and I was going to pick one, but then I ended up just drawing my own so we all have our own drawing,” Macdonald said.

Schurig, Broeker, Caro and Macdonald can all look to their new tattoos to remember their time at Grinnell and the Grinneleanor Roosevelts.

Evan Bunis ’18 has been standing out on the golf course since high school for his choice to wear a bucket hat when he plays. This year, he has also been standing out for his outstanding performance. When he played most recently at the Augustana College Invitational tournament in Illnois, Bunis had a two-day score of 152, or 12-over-par. That score landed him tied for nineteenth place amongst a field of 111 golfers.

Inspired by his father, Bunis has been playing since he was a young child.

“My dad played a lot, and you know, when he would play he just started taking me out there with him, but I guess I started playing a lot when I was nine,” Bunis said. “I just always liked practicing, seeing how much I could improve. It's a sport where you can [go] out and spend a lot of hours out in the sun and relax and have fun.”

By high school, Bunis was playing competitively and it was in his senior year that he decided to break away from the crowd of baseball cap-wearing golfers by donning a bucket hat.

“I was just tired of wearing baseball hats like everyone else, and I wanted to stand apart, and it feels kind of cool to have a unique look when you go out on the golf course, especially if you can do well in that tournament,” Bunis said. “People have worn bucket hats for golf, but no one really does it in college tournaments, and no one really does it in Iowa because its super windy and it blows off your head but I just don't care.”

When he’s playing during the sum-

HELENA GRUENSTEIDL

Bunis '18 , sans bucket hat. mer, Bunis trades in his bucket hat for an even more unique type of headwear: a straw hat. He says that the straw hat is mostly to help keep him from getting burnt or overheated, but that as a bonus he does occasionally get compliments for his fashionable choice.

"I wanted to stand apart, and it feels kind of cool to have a unique look when you go out on the golf course, especially if you can do well in that tournament” Evan Bunis '18

Grinnell College’s Men’s Golf Team competes together, and in five out of six tournaments they have attended this year Bunis had the lowest score on the team. Most notably, he placed 2 out of 10 players at the Prima CC Dual Meet and tied for 13 out of 100 players Wartburg College Men’s Spring Invite.

“More so than other years, I've been practicing a lot harder, and sort of

know how to practice a lot more. I've been putting in the time,” Bunis said.

“One thing I worked on a lot over the summer was my putting, and through that I've seen my scores drop a fair amount.”

According to Bunis, golf is the type of sport where practice matters much more than innate talent, a quality he enjoys. “I like seeing how much work I can put in and how much I can improve. Sometimes results from tournaments can be disappointing, but if you know you're improving, it’s worth it” With the school year wrapping up, Bunis is looking forward to the conference tournament in May, but he does not plan to stop once school lets out.

“I would say the goal for this year is to win the conference championship,” Bunis said. “After Grinnell, I have a pretty good schedule of tournaments lined-up this summer, some qualifiers for national tournaments.

When I leave Grinnell, it doesn't really stop.”

Edited by vitaioli@grinnell.edu

Community

7

True Grinnellian:

By Keli Vitaioli vitaioli@grinnell.edu When asked to name the three most important things in her life, Stacey Cannon of the CRSSJ fired off “God, family and health. That sounds about right.”

An Iowa native, Cannon grew up in Keokuk — the southernmost town in the state, and about a two-and-ahalf-hour drive from Grinnell on a good day. Shortly after moving north four years ago, Cannon began her work as the Assistant to the Chaplain in the CRSSJ. Her job keeps her on her toes, constantly moving to the next assignment. “[I do] everything from making accommodations for student travel, to travel for the Chaplain, to church bulletins — pretty much A to Z. Our lives here are very one thing to the other, so no two days are alike.”

A resident of Victor, Iowa, Cannon connects to the warmth of Grinnell, through her job and beyond. “I feel like since I don’t have a lot of family here that Grinnell is family for me.”

For Cannon, the best part of Grinnell is the students. The College’s global reach allows Cannon to experience all parts of the world from her office on Park Street.

“I love the students and the diversity. I’ve been to more countries and not left Iowa just by students coming in and bringing me things, like from Turkey or India. It’s just wonderful,” Cannon said.

These relationships extend beyond travel trinkets, though. The warmth Cannon feels towards students, and them towards her, is clear in the way her office is constantly full of people flitting in an out, for a moment of conversation or a cup of cocoa. No matter what they came into the CRSSJ needing, they are sure to leave with a bit of Cannon’s heartfelt laugh echoing after them.

Her favorite event the CRSSJ hosts

is the end of year gathering at the CRSSJ where students, and even Cannon, can enjoy each other’s company without the day-to-day campus stress.

“I have the opportunity to be able to share and have others share with me their experiences, so I really like that. I haven’t wanted to move on or do anything different since I’ve been here. I had like three other jobs before I got to Grinnell College, but this is like, ‘Hmm I like this, I like it a lot,’ Cannon added with another burst of laughter.

Cannon’s work in the CRSSJ connects with her personal religious philosophy. She was raised Baptist, but currently just identifies as Christian. Stemming from her grandmother making sure she went to church and prayed before every meal, religion has always been important to Cannon. Her home congregation is in her hometown in Keokuk, but Cannon attends Black Church in Grinnell regularly.

When she’s not working with the CRSSJ, Cannon continues to give to the community with her assistance in the weekly community meal.

“I get to see several community members weekly, and it’s very rewarding to do that,” Cannon said.

“I see Doris weekly, and I take her a meal when she’s unable to come to the community meal. She kind of keeps me up to date on how or who or what is going on around town — I don’t know how she knows, but she does.”

She has also recently started attending Postels Community Health Park in town, through which she has met and gotten to know other community members over dinner in between trips on the exercise bike.

Though Cannon claims with a smile her favorite workout is “none.”

Cannon is just as busy at home with four dogs, two cats and “a lot of goldfish.” All her animals, except the goldfish, are rescues, the oldest

Iowa House to vote on medical marijuana

By Michael Cummings cummings@grinnell.edu

MAYU SAKAE

Cannon on a well earned break, enjoying Grinnell from the CRSSJ porch of which being her dog she took in almost 12 years ago when he was just a puppy.

“They keep me company, so they rescued me actually,” Cannon said.

Though she definitely does not look it, Cannon is the proud mother of a 34-year-old daughter. Pictures of her child and grandchildren are strung lovingly in her office, providing a touch of home.

“I always wanted to be a mother, and I am.”

Through the windows of her office that face Park Street, Cannon has watched the campus transition.

One of the biggest changes in her four years was the loss of the trees that once smattered the ARH quad area to the construction. When the trees disappeared, so did some of Cannon’s favorite squirrels. She and a former student named two frequent visitors, one of which they fed sunflower seeds and called Freddy.

“The squirrels here are chunky sized and bold,” Cannon said. “I think they’ve been displaced. I used to be able to feed them … and Freddy would come across [the street] and eat, but was street savvy and able to wait for the cars and go across the street to his home tree. … So, that is a story — where have all the squirrels gone since their trees are gone.”

Cannon particularly enjoys late spring, early summer in Grinnell.

With the crabapple trees blossoming, and flowers being tended to pre-graduation, she enjoys this much more than the never-ending Iowa winters. This time of year also brings the bittersweet feeling of watching students she has watched transform at Grinnell finally walk the stage.

“Students they have the ability to do and be whatever they wanna be,” Cannon remarked. “ I see the growth. Some students here are just so timid, and after three or four years are so full of life and so bright.”

Iowans with chronic health issues may soon have a new form of relief made available to them. On Monday, April 17 the Iowa Senate passed Senate File 506, which would legalize medical marijuana for several medical conditions.

The law, which was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support 455, allowed for the production and consumption of marijuana for people with HIV, epilepsy, cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and many other chronic illnesses.

This bill marks a stark departure from Iowa's current cannabis legislation which allows for the consumption of cannabis oil without THC to treat chronic illnesses. However, current law forbids the production or purchase of the oil in Iowa, so there is no legal way for Iowans to obtain it.

Senators from both sides of the aisle heaped praise on this bill as a long overdue solution to the ailments faced by many Iowans on a daily basis. Yet, the bill will face significant resistance in the House of Representatives. Legislators in the House have expressed concern over the economic viability of the bill, and may choose to instead pass a bill designed to extend the expiration date of the current cannabis oil law, scheduled to become void in July.

While passage of this bill may not be a sure thing, its approval by the Republican-controlled Senate marks a sign of progress, as Republican legislators had previously been totally unwilling to consider such legislation. If SF 506 does not pass this year, it seems more likely than ever that a similar bill may be signed into law in the next few years.

20 Years Celebration!

20 Years ofof Celebration!

Black Church Church Black Grinnell atatGrinnell Worship Worship Service Service

Herrick Chapel 10 a.m.

Herrick Chapel April 30, 207 10:00 A.M. 30, 2017 comeApril enjoy a spirit-filled Christian worship service Come enjoy a spirit-filled Christian worship service in an African-American tradition.

All Allare are welcome welcome

Community

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Edited by vitaioli@grinnell.edu

Local Foods Connection makes New Democratic Party Chair Derek Eadon local foods accessible

By Steve Yang yangstev17@grinnell.edu

By Philip Kiely kielyphi@grinnell.edu

There are many reasons Grinnellians eat local: to support the community, to try new things or simply to enjoy fresher and better tasting foods. It is no wonder then that Local Foods Connection (LFC) has enjoyed a warm welcome from the Grinnell community after relocating from Iowa City (in Johnson County) at the end of March. To kick off their time in Grinnell, LFC recently hosted a “Local Foods Fair” at McNally’s Foods on Saturday, April 15, which enjoyed high attendance from students and community members.

Beginning in 1999, the LFC has dedicated its work to “[enhancing] eastern Iowa’s sustainable food system” and increasing the availability of local foods in rural areas. In fact, the organization has already made local foods purchases for upcoming events in Poweshiek County and is continuously working to expand the market for area farmers.

“There is a need in rural communities to help get access to local foods,” said LFC executive director Melissa Dunham, who co-runs Grinnell Heritage Farms with her husband and has been a part of LFC for over a decade. “We raised awareness through the farmers’ fair at McNally’s, and to generate interest and open up dialogue in the community. … Those in need can also have a connection with their farmer and food source.”

In Grinnell and its surrounding areas, the organization has pinpointed different areas of local foods focus, with the intent to smooth over various overlaps and opportunities for collaboration. In the past, LFC has

In Jan. of this year, the Iowa Democratic Party elected their new chair, Derek Eadon. The recent elect stresses accessibility and inclusiveness as his focus for 2018.

“We have thousands of Iowans who feel like they need to act, and they don’t feel like the Democratic Party is an outlet for them to act. People are not skipping our events because they are apathetic. They are skipping our events and not participating because they see no reason to go,” Eadon wrote in a post on Bleeding Heartland, an Iowa politically progressive community blog in Dec. 2016.

Eadon proposes to fix this by revitalizing grassroots activism within the democratic party with a focus on community. Specifically, he wants more small, local events where people begin to take direct action rather than sitting in meetings.

“We need to have smaller, social events where people can learn about politics, candidates and most of all learn about the other great Democrats that live in their area,” Eadon wrote.

Eadon emphasizes respect as a quality that could differentiate the democratic party in Iowa. He says that a party culture that values everyone’s contributions is essential to creating that respect.

“We can embrace our differences, we can tailor our tactics to the community we are in, and we can develop the next generation of volunteer organizers and Democratic leaders … If we can’t treat each other with respect as Democrats, how does that make us different than folks we are working against?,” Eadon wrote.

Eadon’s emphasis on inclusion

CONTRIBUTED

Local farms promote their goods at LFC's first annual local foods fair. donated to impoverished families who want to eat healthy and avoid the costs of food desertification, which the organization continues to do. In Grinnell, where slightly more than 1 out of every 10 people lives below the poverty line, this service helps bring local foods to tables which otherwise couldn’t afford them.

“I’m upbeat and optimistic about the community: hopeful from their support, and hopeful about support from local farmers,” Dunham explained.

In addition to grant-writing and fundraising, LFC provides new clients with a welcome packet that encourages further learning about the production of food, opportunities to see food produced close to home and an understanding how purchasing local can help farmers in the area.

Namely, Dunham referred to the community-supported agriculture, or CSA model.

In the CSA model, clients can buy a share of a farm’s anticipated harvest and receive different baskets of harvest throughout the season. She explained that this gives the farm-

March for Science this Saturday in Des Moines

By Megan Tcheng tchengme@grinnell.edu Activists from across the state of Iowa will congregate in Des Moines this Saturday, April 22, to participate in the Iowa March for Science. The independently organized march, as one of over 500 protests of its kind, will be held to rally support for science and its vital role in America’s rapidly changing social, global and political climate.

While participants in the March for Science are encouraged to use the event as a platform for their personal beliefs and concerns, the march has been careful not to take a left or right political stance. Rather, the march’s mission statement emphasizes the importance of publicly funded research programs and community engagement. Through their efforts, the voices behind the March for Science hope to inspire legislation reforms that will protect the process of scientific investigation, increase evidence-based policy-making and make science more accessible to the public.

Jordan Shaw, a co-founder and lead organizer of the Iowa March for Science, explained the driving motivation behind the Des Moines march.

“We want people to understand that science is not unattainable. It is not something that has to be up on a pedestal that you don’t understand,” Shaw said. “We think science plays a role in our society … [it] just needs to do a better job of being inclusive to all walks of life.”

Planning for the Iowa March for Science began in early February of this year, in the wake of world-wide success of Women’s March. The March for Science arose to gain public support for the sciences, amid US’s shifting presidential administration. Like its precursor, the March for Science began as a smaller-scale protest based in Washington D.C. However, as the event gained momentum, organizers across the country took on the respon-

sibility of establishing march locations in their local neighborhoods and cities.

Scientists, activists and concerned community members from across the state of Iowa joined forces to make the Iowa March for Science possible.

Considering Iowa’s diverse social and political background, the march’s organizers worked to echo the objective and non-partisan nature of scientific investigation in their planning process.

“We have been very careful to not come off as partisan,” Shaw said. “Science should take us wherever it takes us. We should follow the facts and we should seek truth. … Science doesn’t care if the result is conservative or liberal and we need to stop trying to shoehorn it into one.”

Participants of all ages, backgrounds and beliefs are encouraged to participate in the four-hour long event, which will consist of an assortment of speakers and interactive teach-in activities, in addition to the march itself.

Event speakers will include local scientists, with specialties ranging from water quality analysis to chimpanzee tool implementation. Michelle Miller, a writer and social media activist who supports communication between consumers and farmers, will serve as the march’s keynote speaker.

Grinnell students, professors and community members will join forces with the over 1,200 expected march participants come 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Professor Joshua Sandquist, biology, summarized the important role the March for Science will play in shaping the future of scientific investigation and understanding.

“This is a march not just for science, but for using data-driven decision making and for using thoughtful approaches to problem solving,” Sandquist said. “As a scientist and as someone who understands the benefits that society gets from science, I feel that science is under attack. We need to stand up in defense of science. … We [are] our own best advocates.”

Movies at the Strand

er insurance that their goods will be purchased, and clients can both enjoy fresh food and relationships with farmers while reducing the financial barrier that buying local can occasionally impose.

“By signing up, you’ll assure them that when they put those seeds in the ground, they’ll have a customer to consume the food when it’s ready,” Dunham said. “It can also better educate people about how and why our food is grown the way it is.”

Dunham is excited by the nearby presence of the College, and encourages students to get involved in future activities and advocacy for food justice work.

“I’m hopeful that the quality of the mission will be equally as strong as Grinnell [College], where ... students are very creative, and I’m looking forward to hearing what they have to say,” Dunham said. “Also, you vote with your food dollar at least 3 times a day. If you know where that food is coming from and how it’s grown, you’re doing pretty good. …

Try and get to know your local farmer and push that envelope.”

and change allowed him to beat out more experienced candidates such as Mike Gronstal, the former Iowa Senate Majority leader, who lost his seat in the Iowa Senate in the 2016 election.

“We can do better,” Eadon promised in the headline of his blog post.

Eadon has worked in Iowa Politics for over a decade. After graduating from the University of Iowa with a degree in political science, he became a field organizer in the Cedar Rapids area. He took a position early in Obama’s first campaign, and worked his way up to state director of Obama for America for Obama’s reelection. Before Eadon’s election as chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, he ran BluPrint Strategies, a political consulting firm, which he promised to close down in order to avoid conflicts of interest.

The voting members of the State Central Committee elect the state’s democratic party chair. The chair is responsible for coordinating campaign efforts in local, state and national campaigns across Iowa. Eadon, who has never held public office himself, will move away from organizing individual campaigns and towards unifying the democratic party platform and ensuring a cohesive message.

Eadon’s first priority will be reorganizing for the 2018 election. Currently, both legislative chambers and the governor’s office are all Republican. In 2018, the governor’s office, 25 state senate seats, all 100 state representative seats, all four US representative seats and thousands of local positions will be on ballots across the state.

Eadon will support and coordinate fundraising, advertising, and volunteer efforts for many of these campaigns, working closely with campaign managers and candidates.

Panel discusses future of healthcare in Iowa

By Carter Howe howethom@grinnell.edu

Practicing physicians and healthcare policy experts held a panel on the shortcomings and future of Iowa’s health care system Wed. night at Saints Rest. Among other things, the discussion centered around the improvements to health care gained from the ACA, the challenges of rising costs that persist, how to expand mental health care in Iowa, the importance of preventative care and the effect of Medicaid Privatization on Iowa and the impacts of the new presidential administration.

The panelists were asked about the failed American Health Care Act, the Republican plan to replace the ACA. Though they were quick to criticize the bill, saying it would fail to bring down costs or entice the young and healthy ,as well as increase premiums for elderly, they said there are still structural problems in the health care system the ACA did not fix. Rising premiums, copays and the fact that the economic incentives of the healthcare system are often not in line with what is least expensive for patients all must still be addressed.

Panelist Jennifer Vermeer, assistant vice president for Health Policy and Population Health at University of Iowa Health Care, expanded on this

notion, saying that because the US health care system pays doctors per procedure they provide, there is not always an incentive to provide low-cost, high quality care.

Increasing access to mental health care and how to do so in a largely rural state like Iowa was another big topic of conversation. According to Vermeer’s colleague and panelist, John Stovie, Iowa ranks 47th in the nation per capita for psychiatrists and mental health treatment.

Stovie believes the declining stigma around mental health related treatment has been both a blessing and a curse. It has led to more people getting diagnosed and seeking treatment, but has also put a strain on a system that cannot handle the additional caseload.

There is a need for creative solutions in bringing more psychiatrists to Iowa.

Panelists discussed the need for more preventative care and education to lower costs and address health problems before it is too late. Stovie mentioned the high cost of sending ambulances to rural areas, and how education about how to prevent injuries, especially from farm equipment can do a good amount of the preventative work. This education has brought injury reductions in rural communitites.

Stovie also said increasing preventative care in older, rural areas like Iowa is difficult because there is an

attitude that one should only go to the doctor if they absolutely have to. “ The problem … is that the most effective way to manage your health and keep costs down is to use it preventatively and take care of yourself,” Stovie said.

Panelists also talked about the effect of the privatization of Medicaid in Iowa in 2015, which increased bureaucracy and decreased the reimbursements hospitals and physicians receive.

Doctor Laura Ferguson ’90 of Grinnell Family Medicine attributed the closing down of Central Iowa Family Planning in Grinnell to Medicaid privatization, and the clinic not receiving their previous Medicaid funding.

Ultimately, co-organizer of the event Abby Griffith ’08, who works as a nurse at Grinnell Regional Medical Center, said she hopes the event helped people to be more informed about the specifics of healthcare policy and that people will continue to stay informed and voice their concerns to their legislators, especially by calling their local elected officials.

“I’ve recently started to get more active with just understanding and the legislation that’s being brought forward, and part of that is just by talking to the legislators,” Griffith said. “If you do know about something or if you learn more about something, … you can actually provide them with education that they don’t have.”

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Panelists discuss Medicaid privatization, the ACA and struggles Iowans will face in receiving healthcare under Trump.

FATE OF THE FURIOUS

Showtimes: 3:40 p.m. 6:30 p.m., 9:20 p.m.

Vin "Beefy Eggy" Diesel drives a car really, really fast (and also races a submarine.)

GOING IN STYLE Showtimes: 4 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:10 p.m.

Watch old people commit crime while the movie title constantly reminds you that they're all close to death.

SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE Showtimes: 6:45 who is she

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Life During Wartime: Trump’s Trouble in Alt-Right Paradise?

Max Fenton

On the campaign trail, President Trump made the controversial and racist slogan of “America First” the center of his foreign policy, and it worked. Trump tapped into a feeling of war-weariness and mistrust of dreaded “globalism,” a vision that appealed to alt-right feelings of racist nationalism for decades. The “America First” message was tied to a racist, paranoid vision of isolationism favored by racists who opposed American entry into World War II. In the ‘20s, the Ku Klux Klan used the slogan verbatim; since then, it has been a resounding component of racist nationalism. Nevertheless, it was a message that was popular: a Politico poll from January reports 65 percent of Americans agreed with the “America First” message of Trump’s inaugural address.

Like most of his promises made on the campaign trail, President Trump has lied yet again. In the past month, American involvement overseas has ramped up as has political discourse surrounding American foreign policy choices.

Recent American strikes on Syria have produced a polarized reaction in global political discourse. While much of the mainstream American media hailed President Trump’s decision as “decisive,” “presidential” and “the right thing to do,” others have condemned the strikes as cavalier, running the risk of causing an international incident. Russia (correctly) argued the strikes were in violation of international laws of war. The strikes came at a particularly fraught moment globally.

Multiple superpowers have stakes in the Syrian conflict; he question of ramping up American intervention quickly becomes an existential one considering the region’s potential for implosion.

"It seems increasingly likely that far-right media will become increasingly critical of Trump in favor of international right-wingers."

Trump has abandoned one of his key promises, and it looks increasingly likely that he will continue

to break from his isolationism and move towards more “normal” (albeit reactionary) conservatism.

With Steve Bannon on the skids and the technocratic, managerial Jared Kushner taking his place, international politics are probably headed for a repeat of the hawkishness of the Bush years rather than a bold retreat from the global stage.

The strikes projected American power in the face of global rivals.

Coupled with increased international involvement in East Asia and Afghanistan, the Trump presidency seems to be abandoning its “America First” bonafides in favor of a more neoconservative international approach. How this decision is playing out in domestic politics is particularly interesting, especially as related to Trump’s base. The alt-right are among President Trump’s most ardent defenders, emerging from particularly fetid Internet swamps to harangue anyone who dares disagree with their leader’s policies.

But within the context of Syria, the Trump faithful have emerged in a peculiar, but internally consistent opposition, to recent American strikes.

The alt-right has claimed that all the media concern about Trump’s competence is a series of falsehoods. Rather than the more likely scenario that Trump has no clue what he’s doing, he is playing

4-dimensional chess and his brinkmanship will work out in the end.

But even the feverishly loyal Trump cult has lost its respect for their leader because of his foreign policy choices. Noteworthy racist and anti-Semite Richard Spencer tweeted that Trump must be a “deep state plant,” and toyed with the idea of supporting the Assad-apologist Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for president in 2020. Paul Joseph Watson, editor at the conspiratorial website ‘Infowars’, is “officially off the Trump train” as of April 6.

The myriad of blank “egg profiles” on Twitter and throwaway accounts on /r/The_Donald are scrambling to internally justify the Trump foreign policy moves by arguing he’s the victim of an international conspiracy.

"Within the context of Syria, the Trump faithful have emerged win a peculiar, internally consistent opposition, to recent strikes."

9

"Like most of his promises made on the campaign trail, President Trump has lied yet again."

But what does this ultimately mean for Trump’s base? With the increasing skepticism of alt-right ideologues as to Trump’s nationalist bonafides, it is likely they will turn to other, more international concerns. Watson replied to several tweets saying he would focus his efforts on the Le Pen campaign in France, saying that she is the real politician. Many have taken to defending Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad as “strong leaders” that Trump would be wise to emulate.

With Steve Bannon’s rapid descent in political influence, it seems increasingly likely that far-right media will become increasingly critical of Trump in favor of international right-wingers. It seems that a series of cracks are emerging in the oncestrong relationship between Donald Trump and the alt-right. It remains to be seen if their embrace of international fascists will cripple the movement or only further embolden its reactionary politics.

Letter to the Editor: I'm trans and I'm scared of Paul Pate's Voter ID Law

I’m trans and I am scared of the new Voter-ID Laws.

A lot of people know me as that obnoxious person asking them to register to vote in Iowa. That’s a label I wear as a badge of honor. No matter if it annoys them, I will fight for everyone to know how important it is to vote.

Now, imagine me not voting.

It’s hard to picture me not voting out of my own volition, but with recent legislation, I could be disenfranchised. I’m trans, and I’m scared of the new Voter-ID Law.

"I came to Iowa knowing that my right to marry who I want was decided years before I came out."

The Iowa House and Senate passed our Secretary of State’s, Iowa’s top election official, proposed “Election Integrity” Bill. He likes to say that the bill is primarily made of regulations that would bring all of our 99 county auditors up to speed on the technology needed to run an election. In reality, this bill does so much more. It requires that Iowans provide some form of government issued ID to be able to vote at the polls. The obvious concern is that while many of us Grinnell College students vote in the state of Iowa, we do not have an Iowa driver’s license or state issued ID. We also tend not to have a military ID and many of us don’t have passports. To alleviate this, Paul Pate has proposed that each person who registers to vote who does not have an Iowa Department of Transportation issued ID will receive a voter registration card.

While this is a nice thought that may save Paul Pate some legal trouble, this voter ID card is entire-

The Scarlet & Black Staff Editors-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editors Features Editor Sports Editor Arts Editor Community Editor Opinions Editor Copy Editors Photo Editor Business Manager Staff Writer Honorary Editor

Teresa Fleming Eva Lilienfeld Steve Yang Lily Bohlke Mira Braneck Philip Kiely Louise Carhart Nora Coghlan Keli Vitaioli Candace Mettle Michael Cummings Jon Sundby Sarah Ruiz Jenny Dong Andrea Baumgartel Zane Silk Miranda Cosgrove

ly dependent on the funding being appropriated by our state legislature. Keep in mind that they have already slashed tens of millions of dollars from the public education, the judicial system and see increasing costs from the failed privatization of Medicaid that has caused the closure of Central Iowa Family Planning.

"I won’t correct that person mis-gendering me because I need to keep my job and I know they’re in a bad mood."

While I worry about the general implementation of this legislation, it goes a little bit deeper. Many people understand the anxiety of trying to be who you are in a place that does

not accept you. It’s often a decision of which pains you more. There’s the choice of trying to hide who you are. I won’t wear nail polish even though that color looks beautiful with my coat. I won’t wear this beautiful dress even though I know I look hot in it. I won’t correct that person mis-gendering me because I need to keep my job and I know they’re in a bad mood. On the reverse, when I look in the mirror sometimes I hate the way I look.

I don’t look like what I want to on a fundamental level. This dichotomy haunts me daily. Now I’ll have to face that when I cast my ballot.

I have to worry about whether or not the sweet woman working the polling station is going to think “Is this person really Austin Wadle” when my driver’s license says I’m a man and the picture was taken years ago. I came to Iowa knowing that my right to marry who I want was decided years before I came out. I came knowing that I would have legal recourse if I was denied housing,

employment or public accommodations. These were all reasons I knew I could come to Iowa for school and for a future, but if I can’t even cast a constitutionally guaranteed ballot as a result of the unnecessary laws that a cisgender, heterosexual man wants, I don’t know if this is a state that I can have a future in.

"Many people understand the anxiety of trying to be who you are in a place that does not accept you. It’s often a decision of which pains you more."

-Austin Wadle '18 wadleaus@grinnell.edu

SPARC Policy The Scarlet & Black is published on Fridays by students of Grinnell College and is printed by Times Republican of Marshalltown.

The newspaper is funded in part by the Student Publications and Radio Committee (SPARC) and also relies on advertising revenue to cover operating costs. All publications funded by SPARC are copyright of SPARC and cannot be reproduced elsewhere without specific written consent from SPARC. Contributions The Scarlet & Black welcomes story ideas from students, faculty and other members of the town and college community. If there is any story that should be covered, please email newspapr@grinnell.edu or visit thesandb.com Send letters to the editor via email at newspapr@grinnell.edu or mail them to Box 5886. The author’s name must be included, but letters can be published anonymously in certain occasions. Letters will be printed at the discretion of the editor. The opinions expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial staff. The S&B reserves the right to edit any and all submissions.

Advertising Advertising inquiries should be directed to the business manager, Jenny Dong, who can be reached at sandbads@ grinnell.edu or by mail at 1115 8th Avenue Grinnell College Box 5886, Grinnell, IA 50112.

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Back Page Volume 133, Issue 22

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Sights outside of Grinnell are always exciting.

Arbitrary Analysis Social Calendar

Serena's Baby

This week, Mira Berkson '20 and Teresa Fleming'17 polled students asking: Peace Rock or Peace Tree

2:00 p.m. Miss Quince @ Main Hall Dining Quad 4:15 p.m. Teresa Praauer Presentation @ Burling First Floor 7:015 p.m. Lion @ Harris Cinema Center

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12:00 p.m. Met Opera Live in HD: Eugene Onegin @ Harris Cinema Center 12:00 p.m. Women's Water Polo Tournament @ Natatorium, BRAC Pool 4:00 p.m. Yioung, Gifted and Black Choir Concert @ Sebring-Lewis Concert Hall Platinum 7:30 p.m. ISO CulturalVajine Center @ Harris Cinema Center

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The Cranes

4/20

Pineapple upside down cake is so good and Are there more prospie tours than usual? Ei- Maybe it's because I avoid the ARH more Friendly reminder that black and brown I wished the DHall had it more often. I need ther way, I hope they continue to come so it's now, but the crane has been moving a lot people are still being arrested for marisome good sweet eats as finals approach. easier for me to get free cookies at the grill. and it makes me uncomfortable. juana, even in states where it's legal, so celebrate with that in mind. <3 -Fanatic

-sometimes I pay

-stop that.

-Blaze it responsibly