The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Life & Arts

  • Van life on campus is not for the weak

    Van life on campus is not for the weak

    by Brad Butterfield

    It was Spring semester’s first Monday, 11 p.m., 40 degrees fahrenheit. I was strumming through a sloppy chord progression in an empty campus parking lot with a fellow student I’d just met named Ryan Kelly. We tag-teamed a pasta dinner topped heavily with Egyptian hot sauce that sent me into a sweat. 

    Kelly’s right-hand-drive Toyota Hius van was parked next to my home on wheels – an all white Chevy 3500 christened ‘The Dump Truck.’ We are both student vanlifers. This unplanned, laughter filled jam session only tells a small aspect of what it means to live in a van. 

    In fact, my first week on campus was mostly colored by a lack of showering and being cold. This is to be expected. I have owned The Dump Truck for nearly three years now and have weathered a number of uncomfortable days in some strange places. 

    By week two on campus, I had found the best shower locations and was pleased to meet a handful of other fine folks choosing the same lifestyle as me. Vanlife is a lifestyle that attracts vastly varied characters with differing goals. 

    Wildlife major Steven Childs put it bluntly to me one evening in Bigfoot Burgers. 

    “It shows sheer willpower, and some intelligence,” Childs said “You don’t do this by fluke. Its not like one day you happen upon an RV or a van and are like -oh fuck it im going to college. You plan it out. You’ve thought about the things you need to do, and some people are willing to go a little further than other people to make it happen. Or their situation puts them in that position.” 

    Childs said there are also financial motivations behind his lifestyle choice. 

    “A room, which is about 500-600 dollars a month and utilities…that’s going to really put me in a financial bind,” Childs said. “On top of tuition and books -and then trying to juggle that- I’d put a bigger burden on my wife. And so, the idea was born.” 

    Obviously, it isn’t just frugality that leads to sleeping in the back of a van. 

    Ryan Kelly explained his sleeping setup to me, which consists of an inflatable camping mattress laid diagonally under his table and thermal undergarments to stay warm. 

    “I’m more mobile, it’s convenient,” Kelly said. “I want to see places and be able to travel and save money. Living in a van is the way to do that.”

    When I pressed him on the lack of creature comforts afforded in our chosen way of life, Ryan doubled down without hesitation. 

    “If you want to live in a house and be comfortable, that’s fine,” Kelly said. “I don’t need much. Just got to have the bare essentials. A place to stay dry. Something to sleep on is good.”

    Students are in a unique bubble here in Humboldt county. There is a lack of housing and lack of jobs. What jobs there are, are often low paying, particularly when compared to the jobs that students have left behind. 

    “I had come from bartending in San Diego in a very rich area and was making really good money and then came here,” said Bobby Howser, another vanlifer.“I passed out resumes for two weeks, didn’t hear back from anybody for two months and then got a bussing position at a spot. I was more experienced than the people that worked above me.”

    Howser is content with his situation.

    “Camping is my favorite thing,” Howser said. “I don’t need a lot to be happy. A comfy bed and I can figure the rest out. It’s about perspective.” 

    Of course, there are the unavoidable inconveniences that come along with sleeping in a vehicle. Vanlife is about perspective, as Howser said, but it is also about reality. And reality can be a gross beast. 

    “When you have an all metal interior, it’s the condensation that gets you,” Howser said. “Things don’t ever dry out here because it’s so moist. When it’s really wet outside, and my breathing is causing condensation on the walls, mold can grow. I had that happen last semester which sucked. And water will drip off the ceiling and hit me in the face while I’m sleeping, you know… Like super fucking cold.” 

    Walking up a cold, steep hill in the morning just to take a piss is less than ideal. I don’t want to have a conversation through the shower curtain either. These are the sacrifices that come when one doesn’t pay rent though; acceptance of these trade-offs was the common theme of all of the conversations I had with van dwellers this week.

    In the past, I’ve used a propane heater to take the edge off of freezing nights. They don’t burn very efficiently and the safety of using one in an enclosed space is highly questionable. Arcata nights are cold, but thankfully not freezing. I have a few fluffy Costco blankets (thanks mom) that keep me comfortable through the night. 

    All of the vanlifers I spoke to were dealing with the chilly nights in a similar fashion. Layers, layers, layers. Of course at some point in the morning one has to depart their blanket cocoon and face the Humboldt dawn hour.

    Childs has served in the military and is no stranger to sub-par sleeping situations. Still, sometimes the reality of the current situation drowns out perspective.

    “When you wake up in your vehicle in the morning, that’s the snap to reality,” Childs said. “That’s when shit gets really real. When you wake up there’s no escaping that you’ve slept in a vehicle. The most challenging thing is to put on chilly pants in the morning.”

  • SZA’s second album gives a blunt evaluation of all those toxic relationships

    SZA’s second album gives a blunt evaluation of all those toxic relationships

    by Alana Hackman

    Following the release of her 2017 debut album, “CTRL,” SZA has graced us again. Known off-stage as Solána Imani Rowe, the singer recently delivered the juicy 23-track album “SOS.” It includes powerful vocal features from Travis Scott, Phoebe Bridgers, Don Toliver, and even a posthumous sample from Wu Tang Clan’s Ol Dirty Bastard.lmwd

    “SOS” is on the search for blood following SZA’s 2017 triple-platinum album “CTRL.”  Now “CTRL Deluxe” with the arrival of seven unreleased tracks this past June 2022, where she delivered a brutally honest 14-track journal entry assessing where she falls short in her relationships due to insecurities. 

     From apologetic melodies about her unshaven legs and lack of attractiveness to her ex in “Drew Barrymore” to longing for her father to be proud of her in “Normal Girl,” SZA has come back for vengeance with “SOS.” 

    Throughout the one-hour and eight-minute album, SZA enters an internal feud where she weighs the pros, cons, and desires she longs for within her past and present intimate relationships. Brutally honest once again, SZA doesn’t hold back in her sophomore album. 

    The 23 tracks are so personal and well-paced it feels like we’re listening to SZA’s stream of consciousness on a facetime call as her best friend.

    SZA approaches all of her tracks from a critical lens of herself and her past partners. She begs plenty of questions listeners have probably asked themselves at some point, which makes the album that much more relatable and enjoyable. 

    Does she want a committed relationship? Is she searching for validation and meaning from her romantic partners? Why can’t she seem to end things with her ex? Is she the toxic partner in these relationships? 

    SZA explores all of these questions in a straightforward conversational manner throughout the album. SOS spans multiple genres, presenting loyal listeners with a twist on the R&B genre we’ve associated with the St. Louis artist in previous years.

    We get a taste of SZA’s rapping abilities in “Smoking on my Ex Pack,” where the singer addresses the rumors and hate her exes have spewed towards her in previous years. The singer also spoils us with the indie-inspired hit “Kill Bill,” detailing her dramatic urge to kill her ex even though she still loves him. 

    She openly displays toxic traits in the alt-rock inspired track “F2F,” her vocals in which bear a striking similarity to Hayley Williams’, staged over a Paramore-esque beat. The lyrics dive into her pattern of having sex with other men just cause she misses her ex whom she continues to ignore for her own enjoyment.

    The honesty that defines the entirety of “SOS” is what has made it so addicting to returning fans and new listeners. 

    SZA doesn’t hide the lack of shame she feels after getting her ‘body done’ in “Conceited.” She candidly sings about her sexual past and how her “pussy precedes” her in “Blind.”

     Anyone who has been stuck in a whirlwind of lackluster situationships, or any intimate relationship that’s short of love and respect outside of the bedroom, can feel connected to SZA’s truthful verses. 

    It’s refreshing to see a female artist be so upfront about her sex life and toxic relationship traits. Which may be why she has gained newly devoted followers after “SOS” and kept the loyal fanbase she’s had since the release of “CTRL.”

    SZA’s fresh melodies and beats on “SOS” paired with her open honesty have allowed the album to break the Billboard record for the biggest streaming week for an R&B record. The album also is in its fifth week on No. 1 for Billboard’s top 200. 

    SZA has brought a relatable and open edge to the R&B table once again and has obviously earned her seat with the big dogs within the genre.

  • Noise, rage, and skateboards — RampArt releases compilation LP

    Noise, rage, and skateboards — RampArt releases compilation LP

    By Nathan Sano

    Through the endless cloud of hairspray, denim and the occasional crop dusting lies a paradise for local skaters, punks and music lovers alike. For the rest of us, it’s something adjacent to a welcome fever dream. 

    This fabled haven is none other than Rampart Skate Park. A place where the restless can indulge in both kickflips and mosh pits. Though I wouldn’t say it’s a relaxing experience having to dodge flying skateboards while you’re trying to bop around to some music, I will say it’s quite fitting for the genres common at the venue.

    The show in all its hardcore glory was organized in support of a new LP release, Skate Sessions VOL 1, a compilation including tracks by local bands WarMoth, The Bored Again, Imperial Destructo, RACKET, FOIL, Biomass and Dead Drift. In conjunction with these local legends are songs from Scythe, of Mendocino, and War of Knives, from Oakland. 

    From what I could tell based on the numerous conversations I was able to eavesdrop on, most people were there to see FOIL and War Moth; for good reason, too. If you haven’t had the opportunity to listen to these guys or make it out to one of their shows, I highly encourage you to dip your toe into their Bandcamp discography.

    At the show, there were songs about drug addiction, songs about the pigs, songs about hating your job, etc. These are aspects of mainstream culture that fuels the punk scene and bring so many to it, but it isn’t often you get to see a spectacle such as this LP release.

    Photo by Camille Delany

      I guess I couldn’t say if it was the beer or just the nature of the music itself, but after a while, these great ballads of an anti-capitalist alternative started to blend together and became an incredibly distorted roar of noise that lit the revolutionary fire lying dormant within my gut. Most of what these bands were dishing out is exactly what one would expect and hope to hear at a punk show.

    As the show went on and the crowd grew bigger, I began to notice a diverse mix of people both young and old. The show was of course all ages but I was quite taken aback when kids no older than twelve were thrashing around in the mosh pit. 

    I was just noticing the young average age of the crowd when a thought dawned on me. Punk rock as a genre, and the punk scene in general, haven’t really undergone any massive changes in twenty or so years. I suppose whether or not that’s true is relative, but my sentiments were confirmed by Travis Bille, guitarist and singer of the band Dead Drift, whom I was lucky enough to have a very lengthy conversation with. 

    “It’s for blowing off steam and having fun,” Bille said. “It’s stripped down, and there’s no fucking bullshit. That’s what I love. There’s so much bullshit everywhere and for me it’s raw.” 

    Photo by Camille Delany

    Change in one form or another is usually a component of survival for any existing medium, yet punk somehow seems to transcend that need to change due to the nature of what it is and what it’s always stood for. There is something about its raw flavor and aggressive behavior that takes you away from the bullshit. When those heavy riffs blow out your ears and those throaty vocals vibrate your insides, you kind of melt away into the crowd and become part of a larger community of people who all want the same thing – to express their humanity in the rawest way possible.

  • Destroy Boys and Margaritas Podridas rock the Gutswurrack

    Destroy Boys and Margaritas Podridas rock the Gutswurrack

    By Ollie Hancock and Kiana Znika

    In masks and makeup, showgoers shook the barrier, moshed, and crowd surfed to queer punk anthems to kick off the Halloweekend in an alternative safe space. Destroy Boys, and Margaritas Podridas filled the Gutswurrak with noise on Oct. 28 with songs about radical self-love and systemic defiance. The show was free to attend and hosted by Cal Poly Humboldt as part of the second annual SAC Halloween Bash. 

    Destroy Boys were excited about the accessibility of their set, as it was their first college show. 

    “Shows are so expensive to put on, and there’s so many people to pay,” the band’s guitarist Violet Mayugba explained. “We try to make our ticket prices as low as possible, but we rarely get an opportunity to do something like this where the funds are there like the promoter is a college.”

    As the opener, the Mexican punk band Margaritas Podridas exhilarated the crowd. Lead singer Carolina Enriquez filled the venue with her scream grunge vocals, sporting fairy wings, and a princess crown. They struck passion in the crowd with their recently released single, “No Quiero ser Madre,” a pro-abortion anthem. The crowd was surging and barely contained by the barrier by the end of their show.

    Destroy Boys walked out to a frenzied crowd. For this Halloween show, they acted out a religious skit in which Mayugba, dressed as the devil, fought over the soul of lead vocalist and guitarist Alexia Roditis, dressed as a nun. 

    The show was preaching to the choir, the choir being a mostly queer cop-hating crowd who sang along to anti-cop lyrics throughout the show.

    The band explains they’ve received a lot of LGBT support within the punk scene, their bassist David Orozco stating, “If you’re in a punk scene where they care about if you’re queer or not, that’s not punk.”

    Roditis enthralled fans with crowd interaction, jumping down from the stage to run along the barrier more than once during the show.  In their asides between songs, they preached radical self-love and acceptance, a message embedded in their music. Their shows reflect the same values; Roditis orchestrated a fems-only pit and encouraged the crowd to confront any abusive behavior. 

    The band hopes to inspire their young fans to find their own unique voice and be themselves.

    “Do what you want to do, as much as you can, without hurting people,” they explained. “That can go into being queer, being trans, dressing a certain way. Do whatever it is you want to do. You can’t fuck up your own heart.”

    The band is growing out of their diss track punk roots and towards more narrative songwriting that tackles bigger, philosophical topics. 

    “I used to write more about my personal experiences, but I’ve kind of wanted to stray away from that,” Roditis said. “I’m becoming a different songwriter.”

    Recently signed to Hopeless Records in 2021, the band is excited to be working on a new album with two songs already done. Roditis said they don’t expect to be fully done with writing diss songs but are looking forward to potentially writing a nice love song for Destroy Boys one day.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Consent Project starts conversations

    Cal Poly Humboldt Consent Project starts conversations

    by Ione Dellos

    The tenth annual Consent Project was hosted by CHECK IT and Peer Health Education on Thursday, November 10th, to educate people about consent culture through interactive booths, art projects, and a survivor speak out. Turnout for the event was impressive considering that Peer Health had not gotten a chance to run the event since 2019 due to the pandemic. 

    As an option for those who wanted to attend the event but weren’t able to be there in person, there was an online art submissions option available. Those who were unable to attend were still given the opportunity to have their work displayed at the event if submitted before the deadline. 

    The Project had lots of fun and informative booths; attendees could learn more about consent, get connected with student resources like the Campus Advocacy Team, and even paint their own rock!

    Decorating a rock of your choosing wasn’t the only creative activity at the event. There was also a Jeans4Justice booth, where attendees could paint or draw on a pair of jeans that they had brought. 

    In the center of the Goodwin Forum, where the event was held, there was a collaborative mural. It was beautifully and carefully decorated, with flowers and foliage lining the walls. The attention to detail shone through in every corner of the room. 

    The main event was the survivor speak out, which started at 7pm. In a safe space, survivors were encouraged to speak out about situations on campus where their consent was violated, and how that can be potentially life-altering. 

    Out of respect to those who spoke, I will not include specifics of details shared, but it takes an immense amount of strength to tell one person your story, let alone a whole room full of people. 

    As a survivor, you can often feel guilty about what happened to you. You may feel that there was something that you could have done to prevent that from happening. Having a space like the Consent Project to explore those feelings with other survivors and be able to get in touch with resources like the Campus Advocacy Team is very important as it can be crucial to healing.

  • Cumming together on the quad

    Cumming together on the quad

    by Carlos Pedraza

    Dildos, cock rings, and ropes, oh my! With the cooperation of the Peer Health Center, Check it, and Queer Humboldt, The Womens Resources Center hosted “Kink on the Quad” on Monday. Sex positivity was the theme of the event; it promoted open discussion of sexuality, sex education, and just plain sex, with an emphasis on violence prevention and LGTBQ+ identity. 

    There were mutiple sex-themed games for attendees, featuring pin the dildo, porn hole, and condom kerplunk. Students seemed distinctly unhesitant while holding a dildo to pin onto the image of a vagina, or when throwing bean bags into cardboard vaginas labeled with the names of popular porn categories.  

    Isabela Acosta, the Head Coordinator of Sex Health Body Politics at the WRC, did notice a difference between how students interact with the activities.  

    “Women are way more open to this,” Acosta said. “Men are so guarded and stuff.” 

    Tables covered with red table cloths had condoms, rows of sex toys and dildos pointed high in sky waiting to be grabbed. Acosta described how some students were very supportive, while others were weirded out by the dildos. Acosta wants students and people in general to be more open about sex. 

    “Just be comfortable,” Acosta said. “I know you’re having sex, we all do.” 

    Check-it and Students for Violence Sex Prevention were there to educate, not just about safe consensual sex, but also about preventing sexual violence. 

    Check-it focused on informing students on the 3D’s. The 3D’s are methods for helping someone get out of a harmful situation. They stand for “direct, delagate, and distract.” The groups saw the event as a way to open discussion on sexual violence.  

    “It opens the door for more in-depth conversation, for survivors to understand what consent is,” said the Students for Violence Sex Prevention team.

    Queer Humboldt hosted their own game to educate students on sexual identity. The game involved identifying celebrities, historical figures, and activists, along with their connection to the LGBTQ+ community. 

    “A lot of the time most people have no idea these figures are in the LGBT community,” said Avery Sidonia, a volunteer with Queer Humboldt. 

    Sidonia called the event awesome; she was excited for it since it combined fun and education in a way that got people interested. 

    “Kink on the Quad” ended with a raffle of sex toys. A huge, boisterous crowd gathered in anticipation of hearing their name and winning a free sex toy

  • Humboldt International Film Festival hosts at Van Duzer Theatre

    by Lidia Grande-Ruiz

    The Humboldt International Film Festival (HIFF) team hosted a night of film sharing at the Van Duzer Theatre on November 3. The films were pulled from the HIFF archives and all have a common theme: discomfort and exploring it more through that feeling. 

    The films shown were “Simon” (2015, directed by Camille de Galbert), “Dancing with Scissors” (2019, directed by Steven Vander Meer), “Gone Sale” (2018, directed by Matt Meindel), “Aviary” (2021, directed by Lauryn Blottin), “Prey” (2018, directed by Jing Sun), and “The Quiet” (2019, directed by Radheya Jegatheva).

    “Change occurs at the point where it outweighs risks,” said Sarah Lasley, assistant film professor at CPH. “So when you are so uncomfortable that the fear of risks in change is no longer scary, we are kind of forced to make change.”

    Lasley continued to speak about the night. 

    “A lot of new wave films are intended to make the audience feel some kind of discomfort and these films occurred in a huge shift and change in sociopolitical climate,” Lasley said. “When you think about how that mixes in with discomfort, you know this idea on how discomfort outweighs risk, this change is occurring.”

    Students in the audience thought that the festival was cool and visually appealing. There were some who mentioned how certain films made them uncomfortable and freaked out, especially the film “Gone Sale,” which brings back memories of going to the mall but touches on consumerism. 

    “These nights are very successful nights because it is nice to see a variety of films coming to the school and the school has become a hub for all these international films,” said Ralph Valle, a film student and one of the co-directors of the film festival. “It is very honorable to be part of something like this. We get to distribute these films to a variety of people and it brings me joy because I get to see how people view life and movies that try to have some kind of message that they are trying to convey is pretty awesome to see.”

    All kinds of people, not just film majors, came together to see films that can resonate with everyone in some kind of way. The films emphasized that, while we may come from different backgrounds but we have one thing in common. We are impacted by what we see around us. From historical perspective to animation, at the end of the day, film brings us around and we discover at times not just people we never planned on meeting, but also a new side of ourselves.

  • Native film showcase brings culture to Eureka Theater

    Native film showcase brings culture to Eureka Theater

    by August Linton

    A great, warm sense of community filled the Eureka Theater during the Da’Luk Native Film Showcase on Saturday. Native American youth, their families and community members gathered to watch short films on Indigenous life in Humboldt, produced by participants in the Voices From the Center and Weaving Culture into Wellness short film projects. These set out to document Native American people’s experiences and ways they found meaning and health by giving them the tools and assistance to set them to video.

    The critically-acclaimed 2022 short documentary “Long Line of Ladies” was also shown. It follows one Humboldt County family’s revitalization of the Karuk Ihuk ceremony, a traditional rite of passage for young women that had not been practiced in generations. 

    Da’Luk Youth Program Coordinator Vincent Feliz opened the event with information about how the program serves Indigenous youth. This division of the Northern California Indian Development Council (NCIDC) focuses on engaging youth with culturally rooted lessons and activities in Humboldt and Del Norte counties. 

    Da’Luk means ‘words and talking’ in Wiyot, a meaning that Feliz feels speaks to the ultimate purpose of the program: to connect youth to each other and ready them to participate in their community.

    The NCIDC offers mental health, anti-discrimination, and educational support to Indigenous youth, and has recently completed several mural projects in Eureka and Arcata.

    At the film showcase, community member Julian Lang also spoke about how language can build community.

    “Look for your language, that’s really important to understanding who you are as a human being; who you are as a tribe, a group, a village,” Lang said. “Not to heal but to reconnect your brain…your soul to where it’s supposed to be connected.”

    Lang then performed an opening song/prayer for the event, which he encouraged others to sing along to if they knew the words. The final descending note rang off the high ceilings with many voices.

    The Voices from the Center film project focused on native youth and elders as the subjects, consisting of many short films ranging from one minute to around five.

    One film documented the experience of building a Yurok plank house, including the healing experience of residing in a traditional Indigenous space. A brief film taught viewers to count to ten in Karuck, using acorns as visuals, while another film explored one woman’s passion for making and wearing regalia, such as bark skirts and deer-skin dresses.

    COVID-19 isolation gave one of the filmmakers, Celinda Gonzales, more time to engage in traditional practices such as beadwork. Her film compares the strength and resilience of her community with how new plants grow out of the burn scar of wildfires. 

    “You see these flowers, the trees coming back, the grasses coming back, you see beauty in the midst of that,” said Gonzales. “With COVID, even though we were all separated out, there was still beauty in that…I had more time at home, I was weaving more, talking to family more.”

    Robbie Lara’s film was about her connection with the plants in the garden she cultivates, and her realization that plants have souls like any other creature. She spoke of her gratitude to the plants for nourishing her and encouraged the audience to keep gardens.

    “It came to me that while I’m passing by all these trees and all this greenery, why can’t I give that my attention,” Lara said. “What I hope that the video does is help you have a relationship with the plant world.” 

    A second collection of short films was shown, produced by the United Indian Health Services’ Weaving Culture into Wellness project. Facilitator Jude Marshall said he started the project after traditional cultural practices improved his health. It was made possible with funding from UIHS and from the Rural Indian Health Board’s program to reduce chronic diseases in Native communities.

    Ernie Albers Jr. starred in a film about the gym that he runs, Lifted Arcata. He described his ‘human-specific’ approach to working out. This means incorporating postures and motions which he said mirror those used in traditional lifestyles.

    Another film in this collection focused on food sovereignty. Liz Lewis  shows the process of making salmon head soup, and speaks on the role of food in reclaiming one’s culture. She uses salmon fished locally by Native people and peppers from the UIHS’ Potawot Community Garden.

    “Not everyone may be able to do all the practices that we used to do, but cooking is a great way to be connected [to your culture,]” Lewis said. 

    In Willard Carlson’s film, he recounts his experiences fighting for river access and fishing rights in the 70s. 

    “We never ever want to give up our cultural identity and where we came from,” Carlson said. “I feel good, optimistic about our future…coming into this inheritance is very special.” 

    These documentaries eloquently showed how deeply supportive and connected the community around their production was through food, song, and stories.

    Daniel Aipa, the Native Hawaiian producer of the Weaving Culture into Wellness films, believes in the power of spreading Indigenous stories.

    “When you tell one story …it becomes 50 or 100 different stories, depending on what you take from it,” Aipa said. “And that’s Native culture. Our oral history is everything to us.”

    “Long Line of Ladies” was shown next, following the Allen family, their spiritual family, and their preparations for Ahtyirahm “Ahty” Allen’s Ihuk coming of age ceremony. The Ihuk is performed for Karuk young women once they have their first period, and was revived in 1995 after a long dormancy. 

    “There’s points [in life] where we all come together, and that’s something that Native people have lost,” said Pimm Tripp-Allen. “This is the kind of thing that we’re supposed to be doing for our young people.”

    The family lives in McKinleyville, and many scenes are set in familiar Humboldt locations, such as the walking path across the Mad River trestle bridge. The documentary has been shown at Sundance, SXSW, and other film festivals. It is available to stream through the end of November on New York Times Op Docs, a platform for independent short films. 

    The family felt at ease among the home crowd attendees, and opened up about funny and personal experiences they’d had during production. 

    “We’re talking to you guys a little different than we talk to other communities,” said Alme Allen. “Because we’re back home, and you’re our people.”

  • Rooted and Rising puts Black voices onstage

    Rooted and Rising puts Black voices onstage

    by Sophia Escudero

    In five years at Cal Poly Humboldt, lecturer Dionna Ndlovu had not seen a single production written by a Black playwright. On Monday, Oct. 24, she will direct one. 

    Rooted and Rising is a series of staged readings produced by CDOR and the Umoja Center for Pan African Student Excellence in collaboration with the Theatre Arts Department, beginning this semester with a reading of “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” by Anna Deavere Smith. Each work, including this one, will be one written by a Black writer.

    “The staged reading series will happen twice a year, once in the fall, once in the spring,” Ndlovu said. “It’s a collaboration between multiple departments, faculty, staff, students, and community members.” 

    A staged reading differs from a play in that there is not a set or full costumes. Traditionally, the cast reads off scripts, and there is minimal stage movement, allowing for a lower investment of time and energy while still creating theater. Ndlovu was personally drawn to theater by listening to and participating in staged readings.

    “When I looked at our season, I noticed we didn’t have one staged reading, and we didn’t have use of our second stage space, which is our studio theater,” Ndlovu said. “It creates an opportunity for students who are maybe looking for more performance opportunities, for faculty and staff who want to participate, at low stakes.”

    To Ndlovu, another important aspect of the staged reading format is that it is often followed by a talkback between the audience and the cast and crew. This work, she believes, is part of an important dialogue to be had in the Humboldt community. 

    “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” is a series of monologues about the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising, a six-day series of riots. The conflict was born from the acquittal of four police officers in the beating of Rodney King, the killing of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins by a Korean convenience store owner, and years of racial tensions, particularly between the Black and Korean communities. When the riots ended, 63 people were dead, 2,383 more were injured, and over 12,000 had been arrested. All of the monologues are derived from real interviews with people who were involved or directly affected, their words translated directly to the page. 

    Performer Jennifer Be, born in LA county, is very aware of the history behind the show. 

    “I did some research on what the production was going to be, and saw that it was something I could contribute to,” Be said. “It showcases so many perspectives and experiences after the riots, that felt like something I wanted to contribute to and be a part of.” 

    The cast is composed of eight actors, including Ndlovu, of various races, ethnicities, genders, and ages. Casting was entirely open— some actors are students, others members of the greater Humboldt community. Every performer delivers several monologues, each one from a different person’s perspective. 

    “I’m reading four folks, and they all have very contrasting backgrounds,” Be said. “They’re all from different socioeconomic experiences, and what sort of their purpose was during that time was very contrasting as well. There’s such a juxtaposition, that’s really fun, but the most important thing is that there’s something relatable about everyone’s experience.” 

    Several performers had not had any previous experience with theater. Performer Elijah Moore had not acted before, but found himself intrigued by a casting call flyer and joined the production. He says he’s proud of the opportunity to present such powerful monologues on a crucial topic. 

    “It’s groundbreaking work, of course,” Moore said. “The written word is very important, and I think highlighting the massacres and the terrible things that happened during the riots is really important to understand that police brutality is really a thing. Being able to highlight those topics in a performance is really cool.” 

    Patricia Iwok, also new to performance, found the experience to be educational as well. She had never heard about the Los Angeles Uprising before, and feels that she has learned a lot from her involvement. She particularly appreciated the staged reading format. 

    “I feel like it’s the most stress-free experience, like it’s really nice,” Iwok said. “Just reading lines, experiencing what we’re reading, I feel like that’s cool. It’s something new, something exciting.” 

    Fellow performer Binta Wright finds Rooted and Rising to be incredibly significant for Humboldt’s Black community, and an important step forward for representation locally. 

    “To be part of something like this where we are is unprecedented,” Wright said. “Humboldt has never had a focus on Black works, and stage readings have been just as scarce. It’s refreshing and I’m excited that there will be more presence of Black playwrights and stories told in theater here at Cal Poly in the near future.”

    “Twilight: Los Angeles 1992” will be performed at 7 pm Oct. 24 in the JVD Studio Theater, and is free to attend and open to everyone. The reading will be followed by a talkback with the audience.

  • She Kills Monsters: not a Nat 20

    She Kills Monsters: not a Nat 20

    by August Linton

    In the hours before I attended the opening night of She Kills Monsters, I was excited. Live theater has been absent from my life, and the chance to see people perform a play was one I relished. But I didn’t enjoy this production for many reasons, mostly stemming from an amateurish air, and a lack of sensitivity in its queer representation.

    Certain elements of the show’s queerness were successful. The relationship between Tillius the Paladin (Geneva Bell) and Lilith the Demon Queen (Kyrstie Obiso) and their real-world counterparts was surprising and wonderful in its intimacy. As someone who was a nerdy gay teenager, I saw myself in their fear, their yearning. It affected me to see a gay kiss on stage— I hadn’t before. Queerness often intersects with desire to escape into fantasy, and I saw that genuinely represented in She Kills Monsters.

    The decision to cast one of the succubus villains, Evil Tommy (played by Oliver David) as a gay man felt strange considering the role this character occupies. The character is regularly called Evil Tina and played by a female actress. I found myself uncomfortable and struggling with cognitive dissonance as an obviously queer-coded character bullied, screamed slurs at, and borderline sexually harassed another character. 

    The stage combat, too, left me wanting something more. It’s evident that the cast spent blood, sweat, and tears on choreographing and practicing the show’s many fights, but many stretched my suspension of disbelief. Swords swung three feet from their targets, while victims lowered themselves to the ground rather than falling. A show with such a focus on its fights deserved better.

    The production design, however, impressed me and greatly increased my enjoyment of the show. The boss monster props especially charmed and impressed me. The undulating fabric-covered frame of the gelatinous cube, intensely staring papier mache orb of the beholder, and numerous large dragon heads of the final boss fight wow and amaze in cinematic fashion. 

    Other elements of the production seemed unfinished or fell flat, including sometimes jarring sound design and inconsistent costuming. This gave She Kills Monsters a distinctly high school play feel, despite the myriad uses of the word fuck. 

    The age of She Kills Monsters as a script showed in its dialogue and in its ideology. Released in 2011 and set in 1995, it has many elements and jokes which fell flat. Why does the main character Agnes (Miah Carter) treat her sister’s gayness with disbelief and fear? The politics of dating and marriage in Agnes and Miles’ (Stephan Chittenden) relationship also felt dated, and weirdly emphasized. And what was with that joke about Miles touching his girlfriend’s younger sister?

    Despite this, Bell and Obiso as Tilly and Lilith were two standouts, bringing a wide variety of attitudes to their characters in both the real world and the dream world. The character of the Great Mage Steve (Maverick Cheney) deserves a special shout out for being a consistent source of laughs every time he flopped onto the stage to be killed in yet another gruesome way. Vera (Elena German) also very much embodied the role of high school guidance counselor, and drew laughs with her creative use of a rolling chair. However, much of the ensemble’s acting didn’t impress me, lacking physicality and emotion. She Kills Monsters has an emotional core of loss and drama that felt smothered by the production’s issues.

    At the end of the show, about a quarter of the audience stood up, attempting to trigger a standing ovation. It didn’t happen.

  • Ferndale locals open community darkroom

    Ferndale locals open community darkroom

    by Jack Hallinan

    Artists Ryan Farmer and Samm Melton plan to fill the void of community-accessible darkrooms in Humboldt County with a photography studio based out of Ferndale. Their goal is to provide a space which will serve as both an educational and communal studio for photographers working with film, as well as a rentable darkroom for independent artists.

    “We know that it’s not going to be perfect for everything, but it is going to be a spot that people can learn,” said Farmer as he navigated the space. “We can do classes, we can talk about the concepts of everything, and then if somebody has their own personal projects or product photography, any sort of thing that they need a studio space, they can rent it out.” 

     The studio will be based out of the garage in the Main Street building that Farmer and Melton currently work out of. While the space is limited, the artists aim to meet the demands of the local photography community. The facility will contain a small studio, a gallery and a darkroom.

    For artists working within the medium of analog photography in Humboldt County, resources such as studio spaces and film supply stores have been scarce. Working with film photography necessitates the use of a darkroom, a space which requires complete darkness, ventilation, and the use of film processing chemicals, factors which make it extremely difficult for photographers to practice their art at home independently. 

    While there is an on-campus photography lab and darkroom at Cal Poly Humboldt, these resources are accessible only to students enrolled in photography classes. This has historically served as one of the only functioning analog photography studios in the county.

    Another major focus for Farmer and Melton is sustainability. The chemicals that are used for film development, such as developer, are not environmentally friendly, and they hope to reduce their environmental footprint by exploring more sustainable methods of film processing. 

    “There’s a lot of potential in creating developers that are plant-based, as well as using things like coffee grounds to break down developers,” Farmer said. “Where we’re located thankfully has a lot of water at the end of the Eel River Valley, and a community of ecologically minded people that are supporting us, whether that be providing the wood to make box cameras, or the gardens to grow plants for chemistry. With analog photography comes a large bit of waste, and we know that it’s important to think of the future and lower that footprint.” 

    Farmer and Melton are taking both locals and traveling artists into account when establishing prices for use of the darkroom.

     “We’ve talked about offering the ability to be a part of a membership that will provide a significant discount on the hourly rentals of the darkroom space, or for people that are passing through the area to be able to just rent it out as a one-time deal,” Farmer said. “So it not only supports local people that wanna use it regularly, but people that are passing through and have a use for either a professional studio or the darkroom.” 

    Farmer and Melton hope to have their darkroom available to the public in the coming months. In the meantime, they are providing film processing and scanning services, including color film, through their personal studio located in the Mind’s Eye Coffee Lounge on Main Street.

  • Ren Faire: Be There or Be Squire

    Ren Faire: Be There or Be Squire

    by Ione Dellos

    The Medieval Festival of Courage graced the Blue Lake Horse Arena this weekend with shining knights, horseback archery, axe throwing, and of course, a reason to don your frilliest skirt. A good ren faire is a wonderful occasion to dress up, dance around to medieval music, and beef up your collection of linen shirts. The event was put on by the Coastal Grove Charter School Parent Organization.

    The knights looked very impressive in their shimmering suits of armor, adorned with chainmail and plumes sprouting from their helmets. I was originally under the impression that they would be attempting to knock each other off of their horses, but “full-contact jousting” is apparently the knights attempting to break each other’s lances. Watching the jousting was still very entertaining, and I briefly felt like I was in the 1500’s and could catch the bubonic plague at any moment. 

    Now I understand why peasants would watch medieval sporting events with such fervor! Observing two men ride towards each other with long, dangerous sticks on horseback is an invigorating affair to witness. The horses had beautiful, luscious coats that were adorned with colorful capes sporting the knights’ coats of arms, and had braided manes in fantastical patterns. 

    Theodore Duquette, one of the knights that participated in Sunday’s events, has been jousting for over twenty-two years. He goes by the stage name Sir Theodore, and his eternal opponent in all matches was the nefarious Sir Tyler. Sir Theodore first dislocated his shoulder falling off a horse, and says he’s since repeated the injury over 26 times during the course of one year. His right arm is shorter than his left arm due to the process it took to rebuild his shoulder, where the surgeons over-tightened his muscles to keep his arm together so he could continue jousting. 

    To get the perspective of what it’s like to work the Faire and not be able to enjoy it as an attendee, I asked some stall merchants how their weekend had been. 

    Sarah Borok, who worked at an apple cider stand, still had cider from the presses dripping off of her hands when we talked. This is her eighth year working for events like the Medieval Festival of Courage. 

    “We are [overwhelmed],” Borok said. “Yesterday was pretty bad, we came home and we were all hoarse. It was crazy!” 

    Medieval vittles available at the Faire included caramel apples, elotes, and various whimsical meats roasted on a large dragon-shaped grill. Including snacks such as “Dragon on a Stick,” and “Beast on a Stick,” these were sold to benefit the Coastal Grove Charter School Parent Organization.

    The Society for Creative Anachronism had also set up a tent at the Faire, showcasing recreation and craftsmanship of pre-seventeenth century skills and culture. 

    According to their website, SCA is “an inclusive community pursuing research and re-creation of pre-seventeenth century skills, arts, combat and culture.” 

    Evin Skidmore, a local SCA member, showed me around their tent, which was adorned with various works of craftsmanship and art. He showed a gauntlet that was gifted to him back when he first became involved with SCA, and told me that the most important part about the group is to keep showing up even when you feel intimidated.

    “It can be a little overwhelming and intimidating when you first get started, but you just have to show up!” Skidmore said.

    Despite how dusty it was, I would say that I had a pretty good time at the Ren Faire. My main qualm is that it did not seem very accessible for disabled people, and the lines for water were very long to stand in. The ground around the Blue Lake Horse Arena was also very uneven, which would make it very difficult to navigate in a wheelchair.

  • Close-knit friends

    Close-knit friends

    by Victoria Olsen

    Tucked away on the second floor of the library, students gather with plastic needles and metalhooks to partake in the weekly Cal Poly Humboldt knitting group, Close-Knit Friends. This is the group’s first year back since the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020. The group was founded by Katrina Maynez, who started knitting in middle school and has enjoyed it ever since. 

    “I love doing different crafts and such, and so I really wanted to have a space where people could be creative and have that time to really be themselves and just relax and destress,” Maynez said. 

    Knitting needles and crochet hooks as well as yarn are all provided. They also provide “how-to” books and a bunch of other books with pattern ideas and ways to knit or crochet different items. 

    You are also welcome to bring your own supplies and projects if you have them.  

    Haleigh Singleton was one of many people at this event, but one of the few crocheters.

    “I taught myself during COVID, and then I’m kind of relearning as we speak,” Singleton said, intently focused on her project. 

    Close-Knit Friends welcomes all skill-levels of knitters and crocheters. If you are a pro, you are more than welcome to come by and relax with everyone. Or if you are interested in learning, they are more than happy to get you started. 

    Julien Jones’s first time ever knitting was a week prior, and they’d already made tremendous progress on their project. 

    Emma Lowe was one of the other few crocheters among the group and was working on a fairly elaborate cardigan.

    “I love crocheting, and I came last week and they taught me how to knit, so that was really cool,” Lowe said. 

    There were a variety of skill levels. Some had been at this for years, others a few months, some a week or so, and others were in the process of learning.  

    If you are interested in knitting or crocheting projects and also interested in volunteering, Y.E.S. provides a knitting group every Wednesday from 12-12:50 pm. in the library basement, Suite 1. There they work on projects such as scarves, gloves, socks, hats, etc to donate. 

    If you are feeling crafty and happen to have a free afternoon on Mondays check out “Close-Knit Friends” in the Makerspace on the second floor of the Library in room 205. They meet every Monday from 3-5 pm. 

  • Community honors migrations on walk through Goudi’ni

    Community honors migrations on walk through Goudi’ni

    by Steffi Puerto

    Bright colors, dance, laughter, singing, and conversation filled up the entire day in Goudi’ni (known as Arcata, California). Community organizations and members walked together from Arcata Playhouse to Carson Park to participate in the second annual Migration Day event on Oct. 1. By following the rhythm of the foot, the community was able to create solidarity and connections with one another by walking together. 

    The Migration Day event is a procession that celebrates the communities and cultures that reside in Goudi’ni. There were conversations and performances including theater movement, poetry, puppets and visual arts. 

    Laura Muñoz, Round Story Coordinator and Enlace Communitaria for Arcata Playhouse was the main organizer of “Migrations.”  She welcomed everyone to the event, speaking in English and Spanish. Muñoz explained the significance of celebrating migration.

    “Migrations have happened since the beginning of the earth, and they will continue to happen,” Muñoz said. “It’s a dynamic that happens in the natural world, now we as humans know it holds this social, political and economical component, all of this celebrates migrations.” 

    There were seven procession locations and stops along the journey. At each location, walkers and community members engaged in different activities and performances that encompassed acts of migration in a localized fashion.

    The first location was at 8th Street Mural, where the Playhouse Movement Choir performed in theatrics. They made various animal noises as they moved with cutouts of fish, some dressed as crows, and others wearing wings of butterflies. These are all migratory species of animals that travel long distances in their natural life cycle. 

    The next location was at El Jardin Santuario. Here, Centro del Pueblo organizers gave walkers cempasúchil, an Aztec marigold significant in an Indigenous culture that is traditionally used to honor the dead. In this case, it was used to honor migrants who have lost their lives while crossing borders. 

    At G Street under the Cal Poly Humboldt Bridge, mobile musicians Ponies of Harmony carried their instruments on their bikes, singing songs as walkers listened and rested in the shade. 

    At Cahill Park, members of Humboldt Asian, Pacific Islanders in Solidarity (HAPI) guided walkers through the history of the Eureka Chinese Exclusion Act of 1885. These stories also embraced the resistance, resilience, and return of Chinese migrants despite the racism they faced during their migration.

    Jones Creek Affirmation Bridge is where Caroline Griffith from the Northcoast Environmental Center welcomed everyone to walk in a “V” formation, to migrate together and enjoy the ambiance and ecological system of our environment. Like many of the animals that inhabit that environment, they also migrate near and far. 

    Abelos Gaumot, a Tribal Forestry major at Cal Poly Humboldt and the president of the Indian Tribal & Educational Personnel Program, joined and participated in the march. He felt motivated to stay after he wandered into the event, and was welcomed by participants. 

    “Realizing that we’re all in this crazy life together, and that’s not a human perspective it’s also including the plants, animals, and the environment,” said Gaumot. 

    At Chevret-Vaissade Park, Julio Cesar-Tores Garcia sang to the audience as they gathered together in the grass. Marchers rested there before the long walk to the Potawot Health Village.

    This is where Yurok community outreach specialist Laura Woods shared a personal story of loss, growth, and acceptance. She invited the community of participants to write down their stories and tear them up after they were done. 

    “I hope people take away something useful that they can use to release things that don’t serve them or their higher good, so they can travel lighter,” Woods said. 

    The parade concluded with someone in a 12 foot tall, flower-crowned Mother Earth costume leading walkers across Carlson Park at Mad River Parkway, where they cheered and waved flags celebrating the beauty of their own small migration.

  • Restaurant Review: Curry Leaf’s expansive options transport customers across the world plate by plate

    Restaurant Review: Curry Leaf’s expansive options transport customers across the world plate by plate

    by Oden Taylor

    Get out your wallets, folks, this is not your average Asian eatery.  

    Curry Leaf: Asian Fusion and Sake Bar opened earlier this month in Eureka, making its place as the only restaurant in Humboldt county to serve Malaysian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai food, and more, all under one roof. 

    Opened by Chef Joe Tan, who designed the sushi bar at Bayfront Restaurant in Eureka, as well as partnering to open Nori in Arcata, Curry Leaf is Tan’s third Humboldt restaurant and it’s gearing up to be a major success.

    Walking into Curry Leaf, you are greeted by a pair of Chinese guardian lions. The restaurant space feels refreshed and has undergone renovations since its days as the restaurant Gonsea. 

    My partner and I were greeted warmly and seated quickly at a purple leather booth near the back of the bustling restaurant. I was beyond thrilled when I looked at the menu and saw the range of options available to me. 

    Photo by Oden Taylor | Beef Chow Fun

    Curry Leaf is a cultural explosion for the city of Eureka, bringing many new foods to the diners of Humboldt county. The menu includes ingredients like screwpine leaves, dried chili coated anchovies and fried taro nests, to name a few.  

    To start off the meal, I ordered the fried street wontons with special szechuan red chili sauce. The wontons come either steamed or fried and contain ground pork, shrimp, yellow onion, and black mushrooms. 

    They were so crunchy and flavorful. The red chili sauce is made with a savory spicy bright red chili oil that really compliments the wontons. 

    Even the side salad we ordered was beautifully plated and had crisp, fresh ingredients with a delicious tangy sweet miso dressing. 

    Make sure to order appetizers because though the waitstaff is friendly and professional, it can be a bit of wait due to the popularity of the restaurant. 

    For our entrees my partner and I shared the beef chow fun and the honey glazed prawns. 

    The beef chow fun is a large portion of velvety beef, rice noodles, bean sprouts, soy sauce and green onions. This dish is hearty and perfect for sharing. 

    The honey glazed prawns were the star of the evening. The prawns are lightly fried and coated in a succulent honey lemon glaze. The portion is huge and is served with perfectly cooked broccoli and aromatic steamed rice. 

    For lovers of classic honey walnut shrimp, the honey glazed prawns at Curry Leaf elevate this dish to the next level.  

    As our meal came to a close we shared the almond pudding—a Chinese soft-style jelly made of apricot kernel milk, topped with whipped cream, honey and bright goji berries. 

    This dish is served cold and has a similar texture to flan, but tastes like an almond vanilla ice cream. It’s sweet and rich, making it the perfect ending to a very well crafted meal.

    All of the food was cooked perfectly and plated professionally. Even the drink menu is fantastic with desert alcohols like chocolate nigiri and pineapple sake, as well as more traditional beer, wine and sake. The restaurant also offers free refills on non-alcoholic specialty drinks like Roy Rogers and Shirley Temples.  

    If you are looking for a delicious meal and a good night out, Curry Leaf is the place for you. Curry Leaf is located at 2335 US-101 in Eureka and can be reached for take-out at (707) 798-2049. It is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Monday.

  • El Centro celebrates Latinx community in Heritage Month kickoff

    El Centro celebrates Latinx community in Heritage Month kickoff

    by Sophia Escudero

    National Latinx Heritage Month began on Thursday, Sept. 15, and was commenced on campus in a kickoff event by El Centro Academico Cultural. The event featured performances by Mariachi de Humboldt, Danza Azteca, and Ballet Folklorico, catering by Los Giles Taqueria and Pupuseria San Miguel, and keynote speaker Johanna Toruño. 

    Photo by Sophia Escudero | Dancer Jenny Leon lights the copalero, a traditional vessel in Danza Azteca. In the background, instructor Elizabeth Rivera announces as dancers Covin Sigala and Namixtulu Estevan and drummer Naeem Alston prepare for the dance.

    The event brought in over 100 students and community members of all ages as Humboldt’s Latinx community gathered to celebrate their heritage. 

    According to Fernando Paz, Coordinator for El Centro, community is what the month is all about. 

    “It’s a moment to really recognize and uplift the unique achievements, and celebrate and honor what the Latinx community has accomplished within the United States,” Paz said. 

    This national observation began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week, and it was expanded to a month, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, in 1988. The starting date of Sept. 15 is significant as it is the anniversary of independence from Spain for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexican Independence Day and Chilean Independence Day are Sept. 16 and 18, respectively. 

    After a land acknowledgement from El Centro, the event began with several songs by Mariachi de Humboldt. Mariachi de Humboldt features performers from the student body as well as the larger Humboldt community, and they soon amassed an enraptured audience, some singing along with the refrains while others simply listened. 

    Photo by Sophia Escudero | Mariachi de Humboldt violinist Raul Torres focuses on the music.

    Next up was speaker Johanna Toruño, a well-known street artist and activist. Much of her work involves messages of queer pride, Latinx identity, community support, and anticapitalism, and she works to make her art accessible through social media. Toruño was born in El Salvador and immigrated to the United States as a child. Many elements of her life are reflected in her artwork: floral frames in reference to the flowers her mother would buy, and a collage on supporting your own inner child featuring her own childhood photos. 

    Her art contrasts strong political messages with pink and pastel imagery in a deliberate subversion of cisheteronormative gender roles. The messages are soft and feminine, and with that, powerful.

    Toruño answered questions from the audience after her presentation, including one on what influences her art. 

    “People,” Toruño said. “And I know that sounds like a very generic answer, but I mean it. People in the community and the folks that look at this work. The people, the migrants, the people around here living our lives, I think of them when I put up posters and I’m telling you right now, the Dominican salon ladies, the mail folks, the kids who are playing in the street– gente. That’s what inspires my work. 100%.” 

    Photo by Sophia Escudero | Street artist Johanna Toruño explains how her lived experience as a queer migrant inspires her art as she presents traditional El Salvadoran art styles.

    Soon after Toruño wrapped up the questioning, the food was served. Students queued the length of the JGC for tacos, pupusas, beans and rice, and horchatas. Meanwhile, the Danza Azteca club, led by instructor Elizabeth Rivera, performed several dances for the assembled guests, even teaching the steps to audience volunteers and encouraging them to dance along. 

    As Paz and Toruño previously expressed, however, the most important part of the event was the people. Attendees eagerly dug into locally made food, applauded the performers, and danced in small groups as music played over the speakers. There was a sense of community, even as people were meeting for the first time. 

    Student Jess Angulo was one of many who felt at home at the event. 

    “I really enjoy it because I’m Hispanic, Latino, whatever,” Angulo said. “It feels familiar, like even the food feels nostalgic. It’s nice to see people like me.” El Centro will continue to hold events throughout the month, and their event calendar can be found on their website and their social media.

  • Reese Bullen Gallery features faculty artwork

    Reese Bullen Gallery features faculty artwork

    by Nina Hufman

    The Staff and Faculty Exhibition is now open at the Cal Poly Humboldt Reese Bullen Gallery, featuring artwork created by members of the art department.

    The exhibition will run until Oct. 15. It features a variety of mediums from all of the divisions of the art and film departments. Isabela Acosta, a gallery attendant and art history major, was excited about the variety of work presented. 

    “It’s literally every faculty member from every art sector, and they’re presenting their work here which is super cool,” Acosta said. “You have jewelry, ceramics, sculptures, paintings, some videos, there’s some digital art that’s really cool. It’s just like a whole nebula of stuff.” 

    Photo by Angel Barker | Sarah Whorf’s “Palm to Pine”, 2005 at the Reese Bullen Gallery on Friday. The piece is a photo screen print construction.

    Students were excited to see their teachers’ work in a gallery setting. Jack Miklik, an English major, talked about the importance of featuring faculty work.

    “They’re practicing artists and teachers,” Miklik said. “It’s good to like, look and see if you enjoy the work that your instructor is making. I think it’s like one of the more important shows as students for us to see in the art department.” 

    Many of the artists featured in the exhibition were heavily impacted by COVID-19. Their works feature themes of isolation and a desire for connectedness. 

    “A lot of this work I think was done during like COVID so when you read their little manuscripts they just talk about like what they were doing during COVID and what came out of it,” Acosta said. 

    Dave Woody, a photography and film lecturer, has two pieces in the gallery. “Gabe” and “Madeline” are both silver gelatin prints created in 2022. In the card next to his work, Woody discusses how the pandemic has impacted his art.

    Photo by Angel Barker | Sarah Whorf’s “Palm to Pine”, 2005 at the Reese Bullen Gallery on Friday. The piece is a photo screen print construction.

    “The lessons learned during that period of isolation really helped me to value the time that I do have with friends and strangers,” Woody wrote. “These photographs included in this show feel reflective of my current state of thinking about images of people- a desire to connect and to embrace the beauty and mystery of life.”

    Dan Molyneux, a lecturer specializing in ceramics, also wrote about his experience of the pandemic. His featured work “Chroma Teapot” is part of a series of ceramic teapots that were created during the pandemic. 

    “As a ceramic sculptor, it became important to focus on this series of teapots/ewers over the course of the pandemic,” Molyneux wrote. “These are abstract vessels that project an idea of function rather than functionality itself but served me as a touchstone of sharing and community during a very isolated time.”

    COVID-19 was not the only subject of the faculty artworks. Sondra Schwetman, an associate professor who specializes in sculpture. Her piece “Witness” was created in 2019 from fabric, pigment, and steel. In her description of the piece, Schwetman writes about how her work embodies the themes of the female experience. 

    “My current body of work addresses the ambiguous space between reality and fiction where the female form and therefore females often dwell,” Schwetman wrote. “The works in this series concentrate on psychological, religious, cultural, and social issues that impact women everyday such as: reproduction and reproductive rights, illness and COVID-19, class systems, colonization, compliance, silence, and war.” 

    Marilyn Koch, a visiting faculty member who specializes in jewelry and small metals, discussed the concept of “self” in her two featured works, “We are a colony,” and “Year 30: Age Badges.” The pieces utilize unique mediums like hair and synthetic teeth.

    Photo by Angel Barker | Sarah Whorf’s “Palm to Pine”, 2005 at the Reese Bullen Gallery on Friday. The piece is a photo screen print construction.

    “It is egocentric in nature and at first glance, coyly uses replicas of the human body to simultaneously repel and entice us,” Koch wrote. “Beyond the skin, teeth, or hair, are themes of ephemeral youth, community, social norms, and a prominent objective: A desperate attempt to define the Self.”

    A wide variety of mediums and subject matter means that there is something that everyone can connect with. 

    “My favorite piece is this painting over here and it’s called ‘From palms to pines.’ It’s just about moving from SoCal to up here,” Acosta said. “There’s like the map of Los Angeles and Orange County that goes into the map of Humboldt County.”“Gina [Tuzzi]’s paintings are really nice,” said Martin Lopez, an economics and studio art major. “And the cars, the ceramic cars, are pretty sweet. Yeah, that shit’s tight.”

  • Prepare for bears

    Prepare for bears

    by Sophia Escudero

    Nestled in the redwood forest, the Sequoia Park Zoo is a Humboldt County staple. The zoo opened in 1907 and evolved with the times to become one of the smallest Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoos in the nation. The zoo’s next exhibit is set to open in November of this year, with the addition of American black bears and coyotes. The bears will be placed in the enclosure first, with coyote cohabitation expected to occur in early 2023 once the bears have gotten settled. 

    Zoo Activities Coordinator Kate Baldwin is excited about the opening, which will be the first major addition to the zoo since the construction of the Redwood Skywalk was completed in 2021. 

    “This is actually going to be a truly state of the art habitat,” Baldwin said. “We increased our footprint by a whole acre to accommodate the Redwood Skywalk and then the addition of bear and coyote, so the Sequoia Park Zoo went from five acres to six.”

    The exhibit will be thematically connected with the nearby river otter exhibit and raptor aviary as a display of local wildlife.

    “It was always the intent to expand our native animals and specifically our native predators,” Baldwin said.

    The exhibit is going to feature two major areas that can be divided or open, night houses for the bears and coyotes, a naturally filtered waterfall feature, and an observation platform around the perimeter. According to Zoo Director Jim Campbell-Spickler, a Humboldt graduate and former university researcher, the exhibit is designed to provide a naturalistic habitat for the animals as well as offering regular enrichment. 

    “I’ve never seen a bear exhibit habitat like this,” Campbell-Spickler said. “This is just one of a kind.”

    Campbell-Spickler, as a wildlife biologist, has done extensive work with animals and plant life in the local area. Despite the common public perception of zoos as 1980s-style barred cages and animals ripped from the wilderness, an AZA-accredited facility such as the Sequoia Park Zoo has much more in common with an animal sanctuary than that outdated image. 

    Photo by Sophia Escudero | Zoo director Jim Campbell-Spickler stands in the future bear and coyote exhibit, showing off the walkway in progress.

    “We don’t go to the wild and just take bears, we adopt bears that need a home, bears that are unreleasable, and we are working with the California Fish and Wildlife [Department],” Campbell-Spickler said.

    The bears and coyotes will be supplied by the state, and will most likely be orphaned animals, animals that have grown too accustomed to humans, or animals with injuries that would impede their ability to survive in the wild. Many other animals at Sequoia Park Zoo, including Winky the spotted owl, Sequoia and Huckleberry the raccoons, and Cheyenne and Juno the bald eagles, are also rescues that could not be safely released. 

    One unique local touch to the exhibit will be due to the zoo’s partnership with the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, a local tribe. The Band has been working closely with the zoo on the project since its inception.

    “It’s been an amazing collaboration. We’re currently working with them to construct a plank house, which is a traditional build for native folks of our area, and they are also the major funder,” Campbell-Spickler said. “It was their money, they have a very close tie to bear and coyote. They’re going to help us interpret that Native American relationship with these two animals that have been very important in their culture and it’s been a great partnership.” 

    Ironically, the plank house will be modified from the traditional design, which served the express purpose of keeping out bears. It will serve as a training and viewing area. 

    “Sequoia Park Zoo is a modern zoo,” Campbell-Spickler said. “We exhibit our animals on a mission of conservation and education. That’s a very important thing for us: an opportunity for us to share these wonderful creatures with the world.”

  • Scene Kids Make A Scene At Emo Night

    Scene Kids Make A Scene At Emo Night

    by Ione Dellos

    During the pandemic, the Van Duzer Theater Hall sat empty, no encores, no cheers, just silence. Tonight, that all changed. Dozens of black-clad students flooded the doors of the theater, brimming with anticipation for the chance to see one of their favorite songs from middle school played live before their eyes. There was no shortage of smudged eyeliner among the patrons who filled the theater for the sold-out show. 

    With this level of attendance for a show, there are a lot of moving parts involved. Amanda Kachevas, Programming and Event Coordinator for Center Arts, told me about the planning behind this event. They booked the band six months in advance, and had been setting up the concert since 10 am. The event ends at 1 am, so the Center Arts crew will still be there until 2 am breaking the whole thing down. When I asked Kachevas if she gets to go to sleep, she laughed at the prospect.

    “Never!” Kachevas said.

    At around 8:40 pm the band took the stage, and instantly started the show off with an electrifying on-stage presence. Their lead singer, Marcus Leonardo, belted out beloved emo numbers such as “I’m Not Okay” by My Chemical Romance and “Sugar, We’re Going Down” by Fall Out Boy. The lead guitarist, Stephen Henry, leapt around the stage as he shredded run after run, and would even place his guitar behind his head for complicated solos. 

    Concertgoer Liam Boyd, asked if he was having a good time at the show, responded enthusiastically.

    “YEAHHH!” Boyd said. 

    He beamed with joy that the band had played his favorite song, “Welcome to the Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance, just moments before. 

    Photo by Ione Dellos | Marcus Leonardo sings to the crowd at the Van Duzer Theatre on Thursday, September 9.
    Photo by Ione Dellos | Stephen Henry plays guitar for the Emo Nigh Tour on Thursday, September 8
    Photo by Ione Dellos | Guitarist Stephen Henry plays guitar for the Emo Night Tour on Thursday, September 8

    The crowd coursed with energy, further fueled by the band playing nostalgic hit after hit. Songs from the concert included “Sugar, We’re Going Down” by Fall Out Boy, “I’m Not Okay” and “Teenagers” by My Chemical Romance, “King For a Day” by Pierce the Veil, “Dear Maria, Count Me In” by All Time Low, “American Idiot” by Green Day, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At The Disco, and more. 

    Large crowds need an even larger security detail, so I asked the Center Arts staff what it’s like to work these events. Lavender Deng, a second-year student at Humboldt who works security for Center Arts, told me a little about what it’s like to work security for the school. 

    “It’s fun,” Deng said. “You just get to watch all of the shows and make sure nobody brings in something that they’re not supposed to.”

    Watching the electrifying setlist, I knew that I needed to get closer to truly capture the band’s presence. Thanks to the help of two concertgoers, Vance Fewell and Taylor Danel, I was able to work with the Center Arts staff to get in front of the barricade. Words cannot describe how incredible it was to get to see the musicians perform less than two feet from my face, and feel the barricade shake behind me as the crowd rocked with the music. 

    Overall, this was a wonderful concert, and it was a hell of a way to relive my middle school years (minus the middle school part).

  • New arts faculty hit the scene

    New arts faculty hit the scene

    by Jasmin Shirazian and Jack Hallinan

    With the recent upgrade to a California Polytechnic, many changes have been occurring on campus. Among these changes is the addition of new arts faculty members Justin Maxon and Sarah Lasley.

    Justin Maxon is a photographer and educator who grew up on the Hoopa Reservation and in Eureka. He moved to Santa Cruz to attend Cabrillo College, where he had his first experience with photography in an academic setting. 

    “I wanted to do environmental science, and then I took a darkroom class and I was just like, ‘this is it,’” Maxon said. “I already loved photography, but I didn’t actually think that I could do it, then as soon as I took that class, I was like, ‘this is what I have to do.’”

    As an artist, Maxon’s focus lies in community based work that has an impact. Although he has a background as a journalist, he considers himself a documentary photographer who prefers to work on long term projects. Maxon’s recent work “A Field Guide to a Crisis” is an ongoing project in collaboration with people residing in sober living homes in Eureka. The work focuses on flipping the narrative of those dealing with substance abuse disorders by “repositioning them as experts in how to survive crisis.” Maxon brings this philosophy of community-based work to the classroom when he teaches his Professional Practices class. 


    “A lot of the folks in the program are like, ‘I wanna work in a specific communal context…’ Well, that can be your art form,” Maxon said. “How you collaborate with people, and the aesthetics of that collaboration and how that is visualized [can be art].”

    This semester Maxon is teaching Darkroom Photography I, Digital Photography I, and Professional Practices in Art. 

      Sarah Lasley, an award winning filmmaker, has joined Cal Poly Humboldt’s film department. Lasley previously taught at the Yale School of Art for over a decade, and later at the University of Texas San Antonio. Lasley is now a part of the Lumberjack family, teaching FILM 378, a digital production workshop showing students the ropes of video and film editing.

    Lasley has had her work featured in several film festivals, including the world-renowned AVIFF Cannes FIlm Festival in France. 

    Lasley has been creating art of all mediums from a very young age, though she began her filmmaking journey in 2006 during her time at Yale School of Art, where she was attending school for painting. 

    “A month into the painting program, I stopped painting and I picked up a video camera,” Lasley said. “Growing up, I had a VHS camcorder, and I would make stop motion animations with my Barbie dolls, so motion had always been in my groove.” 

    Lasley’s most well known film, “How I Choose to Spend the Remainder of my Birthing Years,” is a solo film she created during the COVID-19 quarantine lockdown, in which she replaces Baby in “Dirty Dancing.”

    “I had just moved alone, at the age of 38, to a city where I knew no one, away from everyone, as a single woman,” Lasley said. “I was like, I guess this is it. This is it for me, I’m going to just focus on being alone, and I was feeling down on myself, so I put on Dirty Dancing. I thought, ‘You know what would be so funny?’ To remove the 16 year old who’s romancing the 30 year old, and put like a 40 year old in there.”

    Lasley, who has been in the arts for over a decade, knows the struggles of being a student trying to get their foot in the door of the industry. 

    “Just never quit… going into an industry like film, you’re going to have so much burnout because there are big pockets of long hours,” Lasley said. “You can burn out fast, but what you can’t do is let go of making your own work and your own side projects.”

    Lasley currently has two upcoming screenings for her new film, “Welcome to the Enclave,” a contemporary think-piece on the different reactions received by the Black Lives Matter movement. The showings will be held at the Burb Contemporary in Sacramento, California and The MAC in Dallas, Texas.

  • Take a Hike, why dontcha: A guide to the best hiking spots near Cal Poly Humboldt

    Take a Hike, why dontcha: A guide to the best hiking spots near Cal Poly Humboldt

    by Alina Ferguson

    Cal Poly Humboldt is famous for its forest and hiking. Arcata is centrally located between hills, forests and beaches, so there are a lot of options for anyone looking to backpack, camp or simply take a hike. 

    Maired Sardina, program coordinator for the Center Activities Recreation and Wellness Center on the CPH campus, has some tips and trips for aspiring hikers.

    The Arcata Community Forest is right here on campus. It is easily accessible for those without cars or any other mode of transportation. This hike is relatively low intensity, so it is not required to be a seasoned or skilled hiker. 

    This hike is also safest for beginners or anyone new to the area, as it is connected not only to campus, but to the town as well, so it is difficult to get lost. “There are so many options to get back into town” said Sardina.

    According to returning senior, seasoned hiker and R.A. Alexis Quiroz, the Community Forest is best for beginners because there are resources available close by.

    “If you get lost or injured and you dial 911, it connects you to the UPD instead of the Arcata Police because the forest is within the school boundary,” said Quiroz. 

    Last semester, Olivia Greenwood, an education major here at Cal Poly, said she spent practically every day in the Arcata Community Forest. 

    “I was hiking like everyday last semester, I would hit the trail at like 4pm and I went pretty deep into the forest,” claimed Greenwood, “Hiking during covid was pretty isolating but kind of nice, to be alone with nature.” 

    A hidden gem that is really only ever traveled by locals, a part two to this hike, is called Beith Creek Loop. While not on the campus itself, it is a short distance away, within the Arcata main town. 

    A 10 minute drive away from the CPH campus, the Ma-Le’l Dunes are a historically significant hiking spot. These dunes lead to the waterfront. This route is the site of many historical events, which mostly occurred during the late 1990s and early 2000s, as protesters lived in trees. To find more information, the Humboldt Nature center has hikes available. 

    The Coastal Nature Center has a visitor center with plaques listing facts about the dunes and the nature around the dunes. 

    “That’s one of my favorite areas” said Sardina, “It’s gorgeous there” 

    Headwaters Forest Reserve is a progressive hike. The first mile is all paved, so it is most popular for casual strolls, skateboarding or dog walking. However, the next four miles are all trail, so the intensity picks up. 

    “You get to choose your own adventure,” said Sardina. “You can choose, I want to go a mile on the pavement, I want to go a mile on the trail, or you can choose to do all ten miles, 5 miles in and 5 miles out” 

    Fern Canyon is one of the busiest and most famous hiking spots in Humboldt. So much so that a permit is now required to get in until October 1st. The canyon itself is a flat hike, with fallen trees and trails partially submerged underwater. Hikers can park directly next to the canyon or hike in from the Prairie Creek Visitor Center, about a 11 mile round trip according to the National Park Service.  

    This hike is much further from campus, about a 40 minute drive. However, the hike leads to a beach called Gold Bluff, where camping out for the night is an option. 

    Prairie Creek Redwood National Park is home to the tallest trees in the world. To see these giants, it takes 45 minutes from campus, if not by car, then by bus as all Cal Poly Students can use their student IDs for free transport.  This is the spot for anyone looking to camp, or go backpacking for a day. Backcountry campsites are very common to find, a couple of the biggest being 44th Camp and Elon Camp. 

    “I couldn’t recommend it more,” Sardina said.

  • Van Duzer Theatre hosts again!

    Van Duzer Theatre hosts again!

    by Nina Hufman

    This semester, the John Van Duzer Theatre will host a variety of shows, musicians, and speakers. 

    Performances already began earlier this week. On Sunday, the theater hosted Durand Jones and the Indicators, an Indiana based funk and soul band. The show also featured guest performer Keifer.

    Another upcoming performance is the Emo Night Tour on Sept. 8 at 8 pm. According to the Cal Poly Humboldt Center Arts website, the tour will feature DJs playing punk and rock music from bands like Fall Out Boy, Taking Back Sunday, Panic! At The Disco, and My Chemical Romance. Tickets for this event are also free to Cal Poly Humboldt students. 

    “The Emo Night Tour DJs will be spinning all the angst your teenage dirtbag heart desires all night long,” the Center Arts website says. “A special guest band will make you feel like you’re at Warped Tour ‘08 minus all the dust and melting in the sun!” 

    Upcoming comedy performers include Paul Reiser and Aida Rodriguez. Reiser is a comedian, actor, and writer. He is known most recently for his roles on Stranger Things and The Kominsky Method. Reiser’s show is on Sept. 9. Tickets are five dollars for Cal Poly Humboldt Students. Rodriguez is also a comedian, actor, and writer and currently has a standup special streaming on HBO Max. Rodriguez will be at the Van Duzer on Sept. 22. Tickets for her show will be free for students.

    Music and comedy are not the only performances that will come to Cal Poly Humboldt. Cirque Mechanics will be performing their newest show, Zephyr, on Oct. 4. 

    “Cirque Mechanics, although inspired by modern circus, finds its roots in the mechanical and its heart in the stories of American ingenuity. ” the Center Arts website says. “The stories are wrapped in circus acrobatics, mechanical wonders and a bit of clowning around.”

    For performance dates, ticket prices, and additional information, visit the Cal Poly Humboldt Center Arts Website or the Cal Poly Humboldt Featured Events page.

  • Local bands rock the Gutswurrak

    Local bands rock the Gutswurrak

    by Ione Dellos

    Band members wait in front of the bathrooms, eyes anxiously fluttering from the stage to the growing audience in the Gutswurrak Student Activities Center. After the deepest sigh one could possibly take, they make their way to the stage and prepare their set. It’s Local Band Night at the SAC. Humboldt’s local bands overcame their nerves and brought the good times to the stage.

    Starting the night off, local duo Cowboy Daddy took to the stage. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Skye Freitas and drummer/keyboard maestro Conner West, the two have performed as Cowboy Daddy for a little over a year. They work well together, always looking to each other while on stage. They lock eyes to land the ending chords of a song, or to check on each other mid-set.

    This was Freitas’s first live performance in over a year, but aside from temporarily losing her guitar pick, the performance went off without a hitch. She soon discovered it in the right hand pocket of her jacket.

    “The right is always right,” Freitas said.

    Photo by Abraham Navarro | Shaggy Joon’s guitarist and vocalist Lily Worthington sings at the Gutswurrak Student Activity Center on April 28.

    The second band to perform was Shaggy Joon, composed of local duo Lily Worthington and Grant Apicella. Worthington plays guitar and sings, and Apicella backs them up from behind the drumset.

    They came up with the name for the band in Worthington’s dorm room, and they’ve been playing together for about a year. Complicated strumming patterns and rapid chord changes are handled without a sweat when Worthington is on stage, and the assured confidence with which they handle a guitar are nothing to point a finger at. Worthington dedicated one of the songs to their girlfriend.

    “If you got somebody you love, pull them tight,” they said.

    They encouraged the crowd to dance a little slower to the song. Concert attendees locked hands and exchanged loving stares as they swayed gently, the gentle guitar riffs and bubble lights setting a dreamy mood.

    Shaggy Joon closed out the set with “2 a.m.,” one of Worthington’s favorite songs to perform live. They thanked the remaining audience for sticking around until the end of the show, and began to pack up their things. Despite the small crowd size, most attendees stuck around until the end of the night.