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Issue 11 | April 18, 2013 | Whitman
news since 1896
blue moon creates community by MALLORY MARTIN Staff Reporter
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lmost 400 submissions were received, and after headaches, some heartache and a lot of tough decisions, the 26th edition of Whitman’s premier literary magazine is finally ready for release. Only days before the April 19 release of their magazine, blue moon co-editors-in-chief Chelsea Kern and Bo Erickson, both senior English majors, are shining with a sleepy but proud glow as they sit down to chat. The sense of pride is much deserved.
“This is one of the few opportunities that many student writers and artists have to see their work in print. For an amateur artist, to see their stuff in a professional format ... it’s something exciting and important.” Chelsea Kern ‘13
The editors and their team have spent the last few months whittling down their bountiful submissions to around a fifth of Whitman’s best prose, poetry, photography, art and digital media for publication. Of course, both ladies have their favorites. Bo Erickson: I’m always excited about the prose; maybe that’s my English major talking (laughs). I really like “Karl Marx: the Band: the Movie” by [senior] Matt Raymond... That’s a fun one: It’s absurd and awesome. Chelsea Kern: I’m really excited about our cover. It’s a film photograph called “Lycidas” by [sophomore] Josh Tacke. It’s really interesting, probably the edgiest cover we’ve done in a while. Erickson: The staff probably debated that one for an hour. People had some really strong opinions, which is wonderful. It was really a question of, how do we want to represent our-
selves? But it was a great choice, and the title is actually from a Milton poem, so it fits well. In addition to debating and designing, they’ve been hard at work planning an exciting release party, featuring visiting band Beat Connection, and organizing the first ever blue moon exhibit for the Stevens Gallery. Kern: We’ll have some of the original pieces up ... before the performance, and they’ll stay up for a month or so afterwards. We’re even trying to get some of the poetry written out by the authors for display. Along with poems and paintings, attendees should keep an eye out for the blue moon publication footage also being streamed for the gallery. Sped up, the footage will give wouldbe participants an idea of the work that goes into the magazine. Erickson: We’re doing a little bit more than the streamers and balloons we had last year. We’re trying to make it more of an event. Along with fun, the magazine has also recently been under fire from some students, currently upset with Associated Students of Whitman College (ASWC) budget cuts to clubs. While the literary publication has escaped primarily unscathed, others have not been so lucky. The cochiefs, however, are unshaken. Erickson: Community is an overused word, but that’s what we are creating here. There have been some negative posts on Whitman Encounters, but I really think those people are a minority. We’re very conscious of where our money goes, and we really use all of it. An issue of blue moon goes out to every potential student, and the issues always disappear off the stands. I do think we’re important to and for the school. Kern: This is one of the few opportunities that many student writers and artists have to see their work in print. For an amateur artist, to see their stuff in a professional format, that’s huge. It’s something exciting and important. blue moon Vol. 26 will be released on Friday, April 19 with the Gallery opening at 7:30 p.m., followed by the Beat Connection Coffeehouse performance at 8 p.m. Cake and issues of the publication will be available to all attendees.
ILLUSTRATION BY SCHUH
Reclaiming Space FACE, YWCA join forces against sexual violence by karah kemmerly News Editor
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n 1917, Mary Shipman Penrose, the wife of Whitman College president Stephen B. Penrose, was the first president of the Walla Walla YWCA. Almost one hundred years later, Whitman and the YWCA are joining forces again to serve women in the community. YWCA advocate Laura Mills, Americorps Intern with the YWCA Jenna Skinness and several members of Feminists Advocating Change and Empowerment, Whitman’s feminist club, met earlier this year to collaborate on planning their annual Take Back the Night event, which takes place this year on Thursday, April 18. Take Back the Night is an international event dedicated to protesting and raising awareness of sexual abuse and relationship violence through marches, vigils and other public events. At 8 p.m. marchers will gather in front of Reid Campus Center and march along Isaacs Avenue. Following the march, participants will meet in the amphitheater outside of the Office of Admission, where they will have the opportunity to share the ways in which sexual violence has affected them in an open-microphone session. After listening to these stories, participants have the opportunity to record their reactions directly on campus sidewalks using chalk. YWCA collaborators suggested adding this new activity, known as “chalk-
upying,” to the event agenda in order to provide a chance for participants to really reclaim something. Senior FACE member Kate Kight feels that “chalkupying” adds an important dimension to this year’s event. “It gives everyone there an ability to talk about and express their own reactions in whatever way is most appropriate for them, and it’s also a way for Take Back the Night to physically take back the space and remain a part of campus for a while,” she said. The fact that “chalkupying” allows for a more direct means of participation for all marchers is especially helpful in light of increased support for this event from FACE members and non-members alike. According to FACE Co-President senior Gabriella Friedman, many students have approached her asking to help with Take Back the Night. “There is a lot of excitement from lots of different people, which really shows that this is an important issue for a lot of people on campus,” she said. In addition to helping formulate an agenda, the YWCA has publicized the march on their website and in their newsletter in hopes of attracting many more community members to the event. Advocates will also attend the event to provide information for Take Back the Night participants. Executive Director of the YWCA and Whitman alumna Anne-Marie Schwerin ‘85 hopes to strengthen
ties between Whitman and the YWCA in the future. “Women from Whitman were involved with the YWCA from the beginning. The Whitman connection is already strong ... I hope we can continue to build that connection and be a resource for the community,” she said. Schwerin feels that Take Back the Night is an excellent way for Whitman students and community members to come together over an issue that affects all of them. “Take Back the Night can help people understand that women have to think about this every day, like in a parking lot or walking to our cars. We have to think all the time. The event can get people thinking and talking about everyday fear,” she said. Kight agrees. “I’m really excited about building those ties because issues like this extend far beyond Whitman. I like the idea of breaking down our community boundaries and realizing that who we are and the issues we deal with don’t have physical endpoints bound by campus,” she said. Next year’s FACE leadership and the YWCA hope to work together again to plan events and to fight sexual and gendered violence. Schwerin believes that this collaboration truly fits in with the YWCA mission. “I love the notion and vision of life without fear. If we can help people to step into an idea of life without fear, that’s something important.”
Yearbook, divestment win ASWC endorsement by sarah Cornett Staff Reporter
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he fate of Waiilatpu and a resolution advocating for limiting the college’s fossil fuel investments were decided at an ASWC Senate meeting held last Sunday night. Though its status as an ASWCfunded organization was momentarily in question, production and publication of the yearbook will be continued next year, albeit with less funding than requested. Meanwhile, the Divestment Campaign received cautious support from ASWC, with senators passing a resolution by a 16-1-2 vote advocating for limiting new investments in fossil fuels. First-year Senator Jack Percival wrote the resolution with the help of Senior Senator Marcial Díaz Mejía after gathering information from talks with Divestment Campaign and the divestment student hearing two weeks ago. “In the initial stages, we kind of determined that it wasn’t best
to write a resolution that flat-out advocated for complete immediate and unconditional divestment in fossil fuels,” said Percival. “It was something that would be unpalatable to a lot of students and the trustees, I think, just because of economic viability.” The resolution first advocates for limiting new investment in unsustainable energy, with a focus on coal. “The resolution was pertinent to coal, because I don’t think it’s economically viable and it is one of the worst for emissions,” said Percival. A second measure in the resolution encourages the creation of a committee of students, faculty and trustees to investigate divestment issues and look into green managers. “It would be like a college committee specifically devoted to exploring divestment,” said Percival. Another measure included in the original resolution called for the creation of a specifically green fund for investments only in sustainable energy, but Percival amended this
measure out of the resolution Sunday night after concern from Campus Climate Challenge members, who were present in Senate during discussion of the resolution. “By creating a green fund it’s kind of condoning unsustainable practices elsewhere,” said Percival. Members of Whitman’s divestment campaign saw the resolution as a small but important step in raising climate consciousness, one that allows for more compromise with the college’s administration. “We see it as a step in the process. It seems like it’s mild; it doesn’t call for divestment in five years [so] it’s not a strict resolution at all. And the reasoning behind that was just that in dealing with the finance people, the higher-ups that deal with portfolios, it’s a hugely complex process,” said first-year Campaign member Erika Longino. “It’s the first step in letting the higher-ups know that climate change is on our mind.” A contentious debate on the issue of Waiilatpu, the Whitman yearbook, followed the question of di-
vestment. The yearbook was ultimately retained in the bylaws after a vote of 7-11-2, failing to receive the necessary two-thirds majority to decommission the yearbook. A question-and-answer session with sophomore Grant Rommel, the current editor-in-chief, and first-year Meg Logue, who will hold that position next year, brought up many points that have been frequently discussed in recent talks concerning retention of the yearbook. Senators raised questions of the possibility of creating a digital yearbook instead of, or in addition to, a hard copy edition, though Logue said it wouldn’t be in Waiilatpu’s best interest as a campus media organization. “Digital undermines what a yearbook fundamentally is,” Logue said before Senate. Other senators questioned if The Pioneer could merge with Waiilatpu, a possibility Logue said “wouldn’t solve the funding issue.” However, the organizations may be working more closely together next year.
“We’re looking to collaborate with The Pioneer to share some of the resources that would help the yearbook get off of its feet without losing the yearbook’s individuality,” she said. The yearbook will receive $3,500 from ASWC, which is significantly less than its request of $7,583. Logue and Waiilatpu leadership are trying to explore other mediums of funding. “We’ve discussed working with Alumni Office to seek donation for the yearbook, make buying pages possible,” she said. Logue has discussed possibilities of making Waiilatpu resemble the format of the popular blog “Humans of New York,” which posts street photography portraits of a wide variety of individuals throughout the city alongside a brief description of their lives. She said the yearbook is planning on focusing on revising its content next year to reflect what students want to see.