The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Life & Arts

  • Destigmatizing Sexual Health at Sexland 

    Destigmatizing Sexual Health at Sexland 

    By Alba Galvan 

    As they walked into the Kate Buchanan Room, students were greeted by two volunteers handing out raffle tickets for the annual Sexland event hosted by Peer Health Education on April 16, with prizes ranging from dildos, to vibrators, to nipple pasties and more. 

    Sexland featured booths where students could ask health educators questions and learn how to use barrier methods like condoms to prevent sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy. Students were also provided with free resources like plan B and condoms, and were educated about topics like STIs, sex and vaginas. 

    “It’s a space for students to come in and get resources and support they need, also just destigmatize it, it’s also just fun,” said sophomore kinesiology major and Peer Health Educator  Delano Savage. “People like to come by, and we have lots of people bid on our raffles. I think we had like 500 students last year — it’s definitely Peer Health Education’s big event of the year.” 

    The event aimed to destigmatize topics that might be considered sensitive or taboo to some students, and created a safe space for those who had any questions or concerns.  

    “I think learning about sex is really important, especially in college. A lot of things happen, and I think that sex is something that is so shameful amongst teenagers, especially in this generation, when we’re trying to find ourselves and find who we are as people,” said sophomore psychology major Violet Kiki. “I think that the fact that we can all come together and learn this together and not be ashamed and not be embarrassed, that’s really great.” 

    Peer Health educator Malloy Fitzsimmons, a junior wildlife major, wants students to learn about sexual health in a judgment-free space. 

    “I don’t believe in things that are taboo,” Fitzsimmons said. “I truly believe that knowledge is power, and the more that we give people information, the more sound decisions they can make for themselves. Sexuality and how you choose to engage in that is such a diverse field. I just want to be able to equip everyone to engage in it the way that’s safest for them.”

    Sophomore English major Ileana Novoa notes how important it is to have an open discussion about sexual education. 

    “I’m someone who really believes in sexual education and sexual liberation as well, and I don’t think these are topics that should be kept hush and hidden. I think these are topics we should be talking about so that people can have safe and educated sex,” Novoa said.

    Alba is a journalism major and reporter for The LumberJack and El Lenador. She’s very passionate about sharing and listening to different opinions and loves self-expression. Contact her at: agg83@humboldt.edu 

  • Photographing for Impact 

    Photographing for Impact 

    By Sadie Shields 

    In the world of wildlife photography, Krisztina Scheef approaches the art with the mindset of patience, ethics and education over the pursuit of aiming for the perfect shot.

    Appearing as the Keynote Speaker for Godwit Days on Saturday April 18, Scheef discussed how she built her career in wildlife photography across the globe while also mentoring and encouraging young photographers to advocate for conservation. 

    Her interest in photography began with a broader love of nature. Over time, her passion evolved into a career centered around sharing these photography experiences with others.

    “I want to share with people who might or might not be able to see it themselves,” Scheef said.

    Scheef believes that wildlife photography has the power to shape the way people view the environment and encourage them to protect it. 

    “The more you see and fall in love with nature, the more protective you’re gonna get,” Scheef said.

    In addition to having her photos featured in many magazines, Scheef mentors young women through Girls Who Click, a nonprofit focused on increasing representation in nature photography. 

    Through workshops and the mentorship program, Scheef works with students to develop both the technical skills and understanding of ethical practices required to be a wildlife photographer.

    Ethics play a critical role in the work Scheef creates. She serves on the ethics committee for the North American Nature Photography Association, where she promotes responsible wildlife photography.

    “We are playing in their home, in their world, “Scheef said. “We need to be ethical and nice to them.”

    One of the most common mistakes beginners make is expecting immediate results. New photographers often assume they will capture multiple high quality images without understanding animal behavior or the time required to hone their skills. Scheef points out how important it is to learn how animals behave, and how to approach without disturbing the wildlife they are photographing. Scheef discourages chasing animals, disturbing nests or using repeated playback calls to attract birds.

    “These are things that can stress the animal,” Scheef said, noting that such behavior can disrupt feeding patterns and leave young birds vulnerable.

    While capturing a strong image can take days or hours, the process itself is part of the reward.

    For Scheef, some of the most meaningful moments come not from her work, but from teaching others. Watching young photographers become successful and develop an appreciation for wildlife is one of the most rewarding parts of her career.

    “Seeing in their eyes… ‘I got a good photo,’” Scheef said. “Those are rewarding moments.”

    Sadie is a junior communications major, journalism minor at Cal Poly Humboldt who has an interest in covering and taking photos for sports and wildlife journalism, and a slight interest in breaking news. She can be reached at sls331@humboldt.edu.

  • Printing a new Perspective: A Nicole Kita Feature Story

    Printing a new Perspective: A Nicole Kita Feature Story

    By Bodhi Haugen

    Engulfed by layers of ink and the symbolic storytelling of audiobooks, Nicole Kita creates her prints one press at a time. Kita is a lecturer at both Cal Poly Humboldt and College of the Redwoods.

    She expresses herself across a wide range of media, including ceramics, drawing, painting, installation and, her favorite: Printmaking. For her, art is both a process of learning and a way of connecting with others and herself.

    Kita was born in Ontario, Canada, but later moved to Florida around the age of eight where she spent the remainder of her youth. As a child, she wanted to be an artist, but faced resistance at home.

    “My parents really don’t appreciate the arts and didn’t want me to go into any kind of art field. They’re just very worried, of course, about financial stability for their children, and I wasn’t allowed to take any art classes until I was a senior in high school,” Kita said. “I feel like I got a late start in a lot of ways, but I think it helped change their mind a little bit after doing a portfolio review with a local college that essentially offered me a full scholarship.”

    Kita completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Florida in 2004. She worked as an elementary school art teacher before moving to Boston, landing a job as a printmaking technician at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.

    “I’ve been really fortunate with a lot of opportunities,” Kita said. “But, things got pretty rocky after grad school.”

    Making a career-defining decision, Kita chose to leave her teaching job and move to Chicago during the Great Recession in 2009, a time when it was more difficult than ever to find work.

    “I was in a really good job at the time, but I had left because I wanted to move to Chicago,” Kita said. “It was just in the transition where I was not aware of what was fully happening in just the financial world.” 

    She eventually found work in a commercial screen-printing studio called Crosshair Chicago, where she developed skills that would later shape her artistic practice. But, after a snowy April in Chicago, Kita was ready for a change and moved to Humboldt County in 2013.

    In Humboldt, Kita spent nine years working at The Studio, a nonprofit organization in Eureka that supports artists with disabilities. Her experience at The Studio played a crucial role in how she approaches art.

    “I think artwork is very hard work, but working with all the artists at The Studio helped re-establish and reinvigorate that people are finding joy and therapy in making art, and it doesn’t have to be so mentally taxing at every juncture,” Kita said. 

    Kita later transitioned toward a community-based arts and cultural organization, the Ink People in Eureka.

    Kita’s style has been ever-changing. She previously worked more figuratively and with geometric shapes, but has recently focused on animal portraits. While working on a pig portrait, she listened to audiobooks such as Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm, drawing literary connections to her work. Audiobooks play a vital role in her process, allowing her to focus and learn while she creates.

    A recurring design in Kita’s portfolio is a bear paw shape, inspired by an artist residency she attended in Ohio. She enjoys creating work with a visual language that holds meaning.

    Kylie Anderson, an environmental studies major and art minor at Cal Poly Humboldt, has taken Kita’s classes before.

    “Kita has been an incredible instructor and guide for me throughout my years in the printmaking studio,” Anderson said. “She is such a wealth of knowledge, and I’m very grateful to have had her as a teacher for as long as I have.”

    Sadi Finch, a studio art major at Humboldt, has had the opportunity to work as a teacher’s assistant for Kita.

    “I’ve gotten to work with and get to know Kita over the past few semesters. Her passion and keen attention to this fine art practice is contagious,” Finch said. “It’s inspiring to have an instructor who encourages compositional thought, is energetic about learning new processes, and is unabashed to share and show what they are excited about.”

    Kita encourages students to take advantage of art classes at Humboldt, regardless of their major.

    “I think it’s such an important part of your educational development to start thinking with these creative practices,” Kita said.

    For Kita, art is not just a career; it’s been a journey shaped by risks, valuable lessons and community. Through her work and teaching, she invites others to discover that same sense of possibility.

    Bodhi Haugen is a journalism major and writer for the Lumberjack at CalPoly Humboldt. Bodhis on KRFH and enjoys reading, writing, photography, and art. You can reach him at bgh27@humboldt.edu.

  • Instagram Submissions

    Instagram Submissions

    Compiled by Jasmin Shirazian

    Jacob Christopher 

    Political Science Junior

    I’ve been going a bit crazy during the second half of this semester, so I found a particular kind of relief in making these images. RETROSPECT ON INTELLECT is a mixed-media series using digital photography that engages with seemingly obsolete technologies and methods to resurrect an early 2000s nostalgia into a post-postmodern expression of emotional accumulation online. I shot with a camera from 2002, worked with a small crew of friends, went to a party, layered in recycled colored plastics and moved files through different software and two phones. The workflow was deliberately impractical, an act of resistance against frictionless and disposable image-making. I think of the project as a kind of proclamation on the state of elysium, about memory, and how it entangles with whoever is in front of the subject. Drawing on the texture and layering inspired by the aesthetics of frutiger aero, I hope to have turned what could have been a photo of a stranger into a figure of imagination and projection. In that sense, the collection is as much about how we remember images as it is about the subject in them.

    Sage Fowler

    Psychology 

    Junior

    @imgonnadigahole on instagram 

    I often find myself enjoying the process: entering a dissociative state that allows me to entirely devote my attention to each element of the piece. I’ve been focusing on developing my technical skills and becoming more familiar with various mediums before I try and explore a more consistent theme in my work.

    That being said, I’ve noticed that I’m particularly drawn to portraying everyday moments and using color to take the tone in a different direction. I love painting those who aren’t what first come to mind as the conventional subject. I’ve been delighted to find out that I can create something that people emotionally resonate with!

    Roland Asch

    21

    Psychology with a minor in fine arts and Indigenous Studies

    I make art that, in a way, reflects my life. I think I can’t really make art without being sorta autobiographical. It’s really kind of like a visual diary in a way and therapy; if I don’t do it, I get kind-of ornery. It just feels like something I need to do. I love making art, and if you wanna see more, follow me on Instagram @Found_a_job.

    Hayden Hilscher

    Theatre Arts

    Senior

    I’ve been drawing and doodling since I was a kid, and it’s just stuck with me after all these years. I create because I just have to sometimes, even if it just leaves me with a bunch of unfinished projects. It has to get out somehow, and I’m glad when I’m able to use that to create something for my loved ones.

    Mia Kelm

    She/hers

    Art History 

    Senior

    The Blue Heron was for a class assignment for my Drawing 2 class with a focus on drawing animals and the natural world. 

    The Blue Herons sometimes represent the concept of being “resilient,” thus the bird represents me and the internal turmoil I’ve faced with personal issues concerning my mental health. I am becoming not just better despite my issues, but also finding resilience within them. The ribbon is still there, it just doesn’t define me…

    Crowe Connolly

    Wildlife major

    Freshman

    I don’t really have much to say about this piece other than I really hate losing my lighters, and I thought this would be a cool way to stop that from happening.

    Jasmin Shirazian is the award-winning, curly-headed copy editor of The Lumberjack. Her beats range from breaking news to covering local performances. In her free time, she enjoys leaving the country and spending time with her cat. Inquiries can be sent to js760@humboldt.edu.

  • Alumna soars cultivating career in journalism and aviation

    Alumna soars cultivating career in journalism and aviation

    By Ariana Wilson

    Sitting in the cockpit of the flight simulator, staring down the tarmac of Arcata Airport, the engine roars to life. We lift off, soaring thousands of feet above the Humboldt skyline, all from the confines of the library’s second floor. Meg Godlewski, Humboldt class of 1987 and journalism major, carved out a career and found the elusive balance between passion and profession as a writer and editor for Flying magazine.

    Writing and aviation may not intersect on paper, but when “Death by Timebuilder” was published in Oct. 2023, her words circulated across the country and inspired change that is evident in today’s flying safety standards. “Death by Timebuilder” was a controversial article published in Flying magazine by Godlewski following the unprofessional conduct of an instructor, shaming a student and knowingly flying into severe weather cataloged on Snapchat resulting in two preventable fatalities.

    “That story is now up in frames around the country, in different flight schools. It’s required reading because I said things that other people were afraid to say,” Godlewski said. “I threw it out there and said, ‘We have a broken system. We have these time builders who don’t want to be there, they pass the test, but they don’t have teaching skills that just come with time.”

    Beneath the canopy of the Redwood Bowl, Godlewski recalls her days with the Marching Lumberjacks and the sense of found family that shaped her years at Humboldt. 

    “Close your eyes for a minute,” she said. “Think of your best birthday, the thrill of your team’s big win, the pride of your graduation — that’s what solo flight feels like. It’s incredible. You feel 15-feet-tall, walking on a cloud.”

    Godlewski remembers a time before information was just a click away. 

    “[Artificial Intelligence]  slows me down. It just gets in the way,” Godlewski said. “It’s a tool, but like anything else, it can be misused. I compare it to a Swiss army knife. My father, before giving me one, made me learn what each tool was for — because you shouldn’t use a fish scaler to cut wood. AI is the same way: you have to know how to use it properly.”

    Godlewski has always believed that humans are creators.

    Surrendering the process and mental frameworks of creation to machines threatens humanity’s imagination and wonder.

    Continuous learning has always defined her approach, even before her aviation career took off. 

    “I study pretty much every night,” Godlewski said. “Once a year, I read the manuals for each airplane I fly to refresh my knowledge.”

    Mentors from her early career shaped the leadership style she now brings to teaching. She walks her students through every inch of a flight pattern as they prepare for their first solo flights. 

    “I give all my students call signs, even though not everyone finishes. I want them to remember the experience,” Godlewski said. “I am helping someone do something they’ve wanted to do their whole life, because someone will come to me, and [say] I’ve always wanted to be a pilot and I ask, ‘Why not?’ [And they say] ‘well, I’m 40.’ It’s doable. If you can find your butt in the dark, with both hands, a map and a flashlight, I can probably teach you how to fly. And if I’m not the right instructor for you, I’ll find you one.”

    Reciprocity has defined her career, serving as a catalyst for a life of meaning. “Honestly, I don’t see myself at the end of my career, because I turned two hobbies into careers,” Godlewski said. “If I can help someone, I want to. Sometimes I’m not the right instructor or mentor, and that’s okay — there are others who are a joy to work with, and I hear from them later.”

    Godlewski believes there’s a beautiful emptiness as we walk through life as wayfinders, charting our own course of self-discovery. “Recognize that you are leaving a bubble,” Godlewski said. “[Humboldt] is insular, but when you move on, nobody’s going to care where you came from. It’s about what you can do.” 

    Ari is a senior journalism major and the science editor this semester with an adoration for the environment and conservation. She is currently pursing her scientific diving certification and plans to meld her journalistic passions with scientific research in the future. For any inquiries please contact ajw167@humboldt.edu.

  • Work in progress

    Work in progress

    By Kaylon Coleman

    Within the confines of Cal Poly Humboldt, many a-student choose to express themselves in a multitude of ways. For senior ceramics major, philosophy minor and clay club president Socks Lucas, ceramics is their expressive outlet of choice. 

    Lucas got into ceramics around the time of the pandemic at age 16.

    “I was taking classes at a community college instead of going to a traditional high school. I just wanted to do something at home that used my hands, and that wasn’t staring at a screen,” Lucas said. “So, I signed up for a hand building ceramics class.”

    At first, Lucas hated the class — but after another attempt in-person the following semester, they grew to love the medium and have stuck with ceramics ever since.

    “I’ve done [ceramics] every semester since I was 16,” Lucas said. “I think I had one semester off, but I snuck into the ceramics studio here-and-there to touch clay.”

    Lucas is heading to the California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Arts (CCACA) this weekend, April 24 and 25 in Davis, Calif.. Lucas plans on bringing three pieces to showcase as a triptych — a term that refers to a three piece work of art showcasing a specific theme or concept.

    “One of them is a cat with two apples on its head. It’s kind of reminiscent of my childhood cat who passed away last semester,” Lucas said. “And then a giant pile of apples with a little mouse in it. And then a pile of mice with an apple core.”

    Lucas delved into the significance of the pieces. Naming the cat piece, “keeper,” the apples, “hold them close, pile them high” and the mice, “surrender.” 

    “My work explores themes of childhood memories, comfort, grief and nostalgia. Personal experience, the emotions of my past, and my ongoing consideration of who I am drive the ideas I materialize into clay,” Lucas said. “These sculptures are a monument to all memories I have held onto: the good, the bad and the rotting.”

    Lucas explained their creative process and how they get inspiration for their pieces. 

    “Probably laying in bed, having an idea pop in my head and not being able to sleep for a few hours,” Lucas said. “And then, scribbling down a few circles on a page, coming in the next day and just having this extreme urge to just make something… the 3D nature of clay for me really allows me to just fully manifest it physically into reality.”

    This process isn’t without its caveats though. Lucas explained the tribulations of ceramics and what inspires them to keep with it.

    “It’s a tough-ass medium to stay in. There’s constant failings and disappointment,” Lucas said. “I crashed out about my pile of apples last week because they were too dark of a color than I wanted them to be… what keeps me going every day in the studio, though, is my friends in it. It’s a community.”

    Lucas has no concrete plans for after graduation and remains a bit weary of having no studio space next semester, but wishes to go to grad school in either Alfred, New York or Boulder, Colorado with long term goals of teaching.

    “I want to go to grad school, do some residencies and eventually teach at a four-year, just so I can sustain my art practice,” Lucas said.

    Lucas also shared where their drive of teaching originates from. 

    “I love sharing what I know about ceramics with other people,” Lucas said. “I think that process of sharing information is so beautiful, and I would love to share that with the broader world and also get paid for it. I think that’d be really sweet.” 

    Lucas’ main passion around ceramics, however, is how it allows them to express emotion.

    “I make my work to share the joys of my life with others and provide a space to hold their sorrows,” Lucas said. “Much of what I create is not intended to affect others directly, but to help me understand myself and how I move through life’s peaks and valleys. Through my work, I show you my old bruises that refuse to disappear, alongside the sweet reality I have built.”

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.

  • Cultural Connections Without Community

    Cultural Connections Without Community

    By Jasmin Shirazian

    A dish served to distinguished lecturer Maral Attallah of the department of critical race, gender and sexuality studies at a Palestinian restaurant in the Bay Area, and a conversation with the owner in Arabic, brought her to tears. When community is limited, sudden access to cultural connections, like a meal and communication, can be incredibly emotional. The constant feeling of isolation that is so abundant in Humboldt County is amplified for minority communities. 

    “My father passed away in June of 2024, so I don’t speak Arabic to people — I don’t hear Arabic, people don’t speak Arabic up here. It’s not a part of my daily life anymore, and that makes me really sad,” Attallah said. “[The owner] basically told me in Arabic, to enjoy your meal — and I lost it, because the last time I heard someone say that to me was my dad. My dad used to say it every time he’d bring me my meal.” 

    Students of color who choose Cal Poly Humboldt often leave behind communities more diverse and supportive than what can be found in Humboldt County. According to 2025 U.S. Census Data, out of 131,647 residents in Humboldt County, 82% were white, with the second largest demographic being Hispanic or Latino at 14.6%. As of now, there is no categorization available for those of North African or Middle Eastern descent to differentiate from or collect data on, which can make it even more difficult to connect and form communities. Though some minority groups are able to find a semblance of similarity to what may feel like home through established groups and organizations, for students with Middle Eastern, North African and West Asian ancestry, cultural connections can be much harder to find. 

    Attallah is of Armenian and Assyrian descent on her father’s side. She has made it her life’s work to tell the facts and stories of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, which includes her grandfather. Through her work, she connects with her heritage; she keeps her father and grandfather’s experiences alive, refusing to let their stories be told for them.

    Food in many cultures serves as a pillar of community; it can provide an opportunity to sit, relax and take time to connect with loved ones. For Attallah, language and food are key components of her connection to her roots. However, enjoying a West Asian, Middle Eastern or North African dish, like the Kafta bil Saniyeh that brought Attallah to tears, often means venturing outside of Humboldt County. Though there are a handful of establishments that serve Mediterranean foods and inspired dishes, the selection is limited. Attallah, when able, will leave Humboldt County specifically to get back in touch with diversity. 

    “Any opportunity I get to leave Humboldt, I do,” Attallah said. “I have to leave — I need the food, I need the language, I need to see people who look like me. Not even like me, but just different.” 

    The simple act of shared words over a dish can have unexpected impacts on minority communities that have limited access to their culture. When going out is not an option, learning to cook at home is something many diaspora, like fisheries biology major Neshwa Rabie, must  do to reconnect with their roots. Rabie, of Jordanian descent on her father’s side, lived in Jordan until she was six years old. Like Attallah, she finds that speaking Arabic, especially with her family, is what helps her feel most at home. 

    “I have my old pictures from Jordan that I have in my room,” Rabie said. “But, mostly, it’s just speaking to my family, because that gives me a chance to speak Arabic and that makes me feel really connected to my roots.”


    Rabie also stays connected with her roots through her pride of being Arab. The comfort and joy she has in her identity are undeniable aspects of her person. 

    “I like to think that every room I go into, I want people to know I’m Arab, I’m Jordanian,” Rabie said. “This is who I am. This is a very big part of my identity. This affects how I do everything, and everybody should know that that is who I am.”

    While food and language can serve as the connection for many, other students like Leyla Craven use art and art history to reconnect with their heritage. 

    Craven, a double major in art history and art education, is Iranian on her father’s side and has based her thesis on Iranian artist Shirin Neshat. Craven also incorporates traditional Iranian motifs into her art as a way to reclaim and reconnect with her heritage. One of her main reasons behind her art is her insistence that Iranian voices must be heard. She believes that through art, Iranian voices can be amplified to show the nuances that are often pushed aside due to distance, misinformation or propaganda. 

    “Obviously, especially here in Humboldt, but just in the whole Western world in general, there’s not a lot of Iranian representation,” Craven said. “So, we should make as much stuff and get our voices out there as much as possible, especially to avoid [being] turned into a monolith.” 

    For Craven, creating Iranian-inspired art also further connects her to other Iranian diaspora. The act of creation can feel like the connection that has been fractured from both civil wars and foreign intervention. For diaspora, it can be one of the few ways to form community. The disconnect felt being removed from a home that housed generations of a person’s family can be slightly remedied through the connection found within the diaspora. Through these connections, Middle Eastern, West Asian and North African diaspora are able to rebuild their community.

    “I think a lot of Iranian artists are about being a part of the diaspora, about being disconnected from their cultures and from their families,” Craven said. “We’re all connected internationally through the act of making art and communicating with each other as a way for us to sort of reclaim a sense of heritage or belonging. Because for so many of us, our families are so fractured and traumatized, it’s a way to find connection.”

    Jasmin Shirazian is the award-winning, curly-headed copy editor of The Lumberjack. Her beats range from breaking news to complaining about minor inconveniences. In her free time, she enjoys leaving the country and spending time with her cat. Inquiries can be sent to js760@humboldt.edu.

  • Bat Boy: The Musical

    Bat Boy: The Musical

    By Kaylon Coleman

    Over the weekend, I attended the last show for Bat Boy: The Musical hosted by the Cal Poly Humboldt Department of Dance, Music and Theatre. To fully immerse myself in the experience, I decided to channel my inner bat and walk in blind. I know it’s in the name, but it wasn’t until I was smack-dab in front of the Van Duzer that I realized I was attending a musical. 

    Now, it’s been a minute since I’ve basked in the theater arts, ironically six or seven years probably — but I believe this is the first time I’ve ever witnessed a musical live. The play itself lasted about two-and-a-half hours, with an intermission included. For those unaware, Bat Boy is about… well, a bat-boy. Bat Boy, later dubbed Edgar, is stumbled upon by some cave explorers while spelunking. After getting captured and brought to the surface, Edgar is caged as the townspeople decide whether to string him up as entertainment or to put him down via the town doctor, Dr. Parker.

    The first act of the musical consisted of Edgar getting accustomed to human life, learning how to walk the walk, talk the talk, so on and so forth. This presented itself through 13 different songs sprinkled throughout the first act. I know musicals get a bad wrap a lot of the time, but I think the fact that I was watching this live immersed me more than a traditional movie-musical. I need to give props to Rylan McClain, a.k.a Dr. Parker. Everybody who sang did a great job, but McClain’s vocals stuck with me. He was belting up there like his rent was due. 

    The play, while more serious leaning, did indulge in some bouts of comedy. One moment that made me laugh was when Edgar was showing off his progression as a civilized individual, and replied to someone with the term, “indubitably.”

      It took me some getting used to, but by the end of act one, I was fairly brought on board the Bat Boy train. All this changed during act two however. After a brief intermission, the play resumed with Edgar attending the revival service they chose to hard launch his progression at. After some snafu’s, Edgar flees into the wilderness, with the townsfolk hot on his tail. This is where the play started to lose me, to no fault of the performers. It just seemed as though the story completely flipped from where I thought it was going. There was a plot twist that I assumed would be the case, but did not end how I thought it would. 

    Bat Boy: The Musical is one of few productions I’ve seen that have left me speechless for the most part, which might just be a symptom of live theater, who knows. I applaud the performances of each cast member, and extend my applause to the band as well, which did an amazing job of immersing the audience. Keep live theater alive!

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and  and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.

  • Dorm dwellers stake in the SAC for Casino Night

    Dorm dwellers stake in the SAC for Casino Night

    by Nick Escalada

    Cal Poly Humboldt’s highest rollers, many of whom were under 21, arrived at the Student Activities Center (SAC) lounge dressed to the nines for an evening of non-monetary gambling. Student employees at the center appeared as the house’s dealers, hosting games of poker, roulette and blackjack across a U-shaped arrangement of tables in the familiar hall bathed in red light.

    The event drew swaths of students living in the on-campus dorms to what many saw as a flicker of night life at a university with a usual nine-o-clock bedtime. Amanda Kachevas, programming coordinator of the SAC, was excited to provide residents with the opportunity for after-hours recreation for the fourth year in a row.

    “There’s so many people who live on campus and don’t necessarily have things to do in town. Not everyone’s 21 or has a party to go to on the weekend,” Kachevas said. “This event kind of fulfills that party atmosphere. And we used to always get requests to stay open late for events, and we found that this event specifically has like the big draw all the way into the night, almost more so than concerts sometimes.”

    As fun as it would be, the SAC does not have a gambling license under the State of California, so its tables were open to all ages and dealt in imaginary cash. Guests were each given a Santi book, named after Operations Coordinator Santiago Menjivar, which granted them a starting total of $10,000 to play with throughout the night.

    “It’s really low stakes, and we just teach people how to play so that they can have poker nights at their house and stuff like that,” Kachevas said. “At the end of the night, whoever has the most chips at the end can win a poker set.”

    The idea for Casino Night came about when staff looked at events held in the student centers of other universities, and some version of a dapper gambling function seemed to always pop up.

    Professional dealers were hired for its first outing, but after slashes to funding and requests from SAC student workers, attendees now receive their hands from decks shuffled by their peers.

    “There’s a lot of tiny, nitty gritty things, like getting our student staff together and asking them, ‘Okay, do we want student dealers this time? Do we want to bring in a professional dealing company?’” said Events and Media Lead Riley Hemenober. “But, the students always want to just deal themselves, because it makes it more fun. You can go sit at a table and your friend is the dealer, and I think it makes it fun.”

    Guests were encouraged to dress their best to match the lounge’s glitzy atmosphere, and a ‘best couple’ fashion contest was held at the end of the night and decided by the cheers of the surrounding crowd. Clad in black and red blazers and dresses, the congregation of high rollers seemed worlds apart from their casual daytime appearances.

    “Students love the opportunity to dress up and dress fancy, because there’s not really events [like this] that happen on campus,” Hemenober said. “Students also love some free giveaways, and so we always try to do that too. We hand out little gifts and [hold] different competitions. So, that way, students have that opportunity to get something on their way out.”

    Student workers are eager to bring more opportunities for late night fun to the SAC in the future. The Kate Buchanan Room in the lounge was formerly a venue for frequent musical performances, which included student bands. The room has since become a reservable space for on-campus organizations, but the push for the return of live concerts continues.

    Nick is the news editor at The Lumberjack, and studies wildlife and journalism with the goal of spreading his love of nature through media. Chat with him at ne53@humboldt.edu!

  • AI vs student creativity

    AI vs student creativity

    By Jacqueline Zuniga

    As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more present across different majors, students in art, journalism and English share similar thoughts about how it will affect creativity. While some may see AI as a helpful tool for brainstorming or drafting, some think it could weaken the originality of people’s creativity. On April 10, Journalism Professor Yumi Wilson at San Francisco State University led a discussion at Humboldt’s 2026 Media Day where local high school students could learn from fellow journalists about the field. Wilson explained how she sees AI used in her daily life and work, and that it should be utilized rather than ignored. “AI is being used, whether we talk about it or not,” Wilson said. “We need to talk about it… and maybe even set guardrails in place.” 

    Rather than replacing core reporting skills journalists have, AI is being used as a tool in the newsroom. Wilson explained that journalists can use AI to help generate story ideas, proofread drafts and analyze information they have gathered. But, she does emphasize that it shouldn’t be replacing core skills journalists have. She emphasizes that journalists still have to use AI responsibly and not allow it to do all the work. 

    “I think we need to be open about the usage, and maybe even set guardrails in place,” Wilson said.

    Wilson thinks that the process of using AI tools is like being in a newsroom. You’re not working alone, you’re getting help from editors, photographers and others to help improve your story. They provide feedback and fix errors they might see. She made the argument that AI could help support some of those processes. 

    “If we could think about AI tools doing some of that work, but not replacing what we do, might it be a good application?” Wilson said.

     

    The conversation and concern surrounding AI impacts many fields. Another area where AI usage is heavily debated is within the arts. Adrian Conner, a studio arts major, feels that because AI isn’t part of their coursework at Humboldt, it hasn’t had an impact on their education or artistic practice. He feels that art students’ work is more physical and requires hands-on activities, whereas AI is all digital. Within that, Conner worries about people using AI for creative work.

    “Art, for me, is the human mind and the human experience, and if you’re using a chatbot to come up with ideas for you, maybe your ideas aren’t good enough to be shared,” Conner said.

    Some art students see AI as a tool that must be used carefully.

    Studio arts major Jennifer Flores said that AI can be helpful in certain situations, but it can’t replace human work. Flores added that while AI may continue to grow and have its useful moments, it cannot replace the value of human expression. The AI conversation continues to impact a wide range of students and fields, with varying stances. Junior English major Riley Torres feels that AI can actually hurt people’s writing creativity and voice. 

    “It may reduce a person’s creativity and make them rely on technology instead of developing their own ideas and voice over time,” Torres said. 

    Fellow English major Nathan Casey shared his  perspective on AI. He acknowledges that there are risks when it comes to using AI for writing, but he also sees the potential in using tools to help generate ideas. He still thinks students should be responsible for what they write and not let AI do all the work. 

    “AI can help students explore ideas more easily, but it’s often used inappropriately,” Casey said. “If you give all your writing to AI, you’re not improving — and you won’t get better.”

    . 

    Jacqueline is a journalism major, a news manager for KRFH and she aspires to be a sports journalist one day.

  • Taxidermy is a dying art kept alive inside the walls of Cal Poly Humboldt

    Taxidermy is a dying art kept alive inside the walls of Cal Poly Humboldt

    By Julia Kelm

    While the sight of an animal carcass might make some people queasy, for Wildlife Museum Curator Anna E. Goldman, it is an area of fascination. 

    “I’ve always been interested in dead things,” Goldman said as she ripped the skin from the body of a recently thawed squirrel for a taxidermy demonstration. “In 3rd grade, for show and tell, I brought in a severed deer leg that still had fur on it. I was really excited, and then the principal called my mom… they thought I was a serial killer.” 

    This love of death led Goldman to an unconventional career as a taxidermist and museum curator for the Cal Poly Humboldt wildlife department.

    Goldman explained that since she’s the only one who maintains it, the museum is hers to manage as well as take care of.

    “All of the collections, duties, the databasing, the cataloging, setting up and taking down for classes… everything that happens here is on me,” Goldman said.

    Goldman’s day-to-day work weeks can vary greatly. From simply cataloging specimens for the museum to racing off to the shoreline when a whale washes up, things are constantly in flux for Goldman.

    When it comes to directly working as a taxidermist, Goldman described a process called museum prep. A procedure in which the skin of an animal is dried out and preserved emphasizing its anatomical structure. It then is placed inside drawers and cabinets at the museum, accessible for students and researchers to take measurements.

    “I’m most classically trained in how to prepare specimens for the museum collection, which takes up the least amount of space possible, but also allows you to see all of the notable features of this animal,” Goldman said.

    The museum is in the fisheries and wildlife building, only accessible with supervision. Those with access will find drawers and cabinets filled with furs, skins and stuffed critters like chipmunks, mice and beavers lying peacefully as if tucked into bed.

    Goldman admitted that taxidermy and museology work is a difficult career field to break into. If it weren’t for her stubborn determination to make taxidermy a career, she would not be where she is today. 

    Goldman’s journey began in 2006 after finishing her undergraduate degree in biology, with a focus in entomology, at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. She moved back to her birthplace of Chicago, Ill., to work at the Field Museum of Natural History. 

    There, she spent her early career working primarily with insects. However, when museum positions temporarily dried up due to the lack of immediate long-term work position, Goldman had to take up various retail jobs to make ends meet.

    “[I was] still volunteering for the insect division, and then the mammals preparator job at the Field Museum opened up,” Goldman said. “I got so lucky to get [that] job, and it kind of just snowballed.” 

    Although working with mammals began as a pivot of Goldman’s original love of insects, she has enjoyed this new direction. 

    In 2015, Goldman desired to go after her PhD in biological science. Unfortunately, she was first met with a massive roadblock. To apply for grad school, she would need to take a standardized test. Goldman said she was never a good tester.

    “I was told by the dean of one of these universities that I applied to that, ‘there are museum people, and there’s academics. You’re just a museum person,’” Goldman said. “Give up, basically.” 

    Every U.S. school that Goldman applied to denied her based solely on her test scores, despite the experience she gained during her time at the Field Museum. 

    Fortunately, there was a loophole that allowed Goldman to pursue her dreams. 

    “I figured out that international programs don’t do standardized tests to get in, and a lot of your experience actually is very beneficial,” Goldman said. “So, I was able to get into the University of Hong Kong.” 

    After Goldman graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 2021, she looked for work back in the States and ended up in Humboldt County.

    Now retired, the previous museum curator, Tamar Danufsky, said Humboldt’s collection, though small, boasts many regional specimens. 

    “Nobody from [University of California], Berkeley is driving up here to pick [roadkill] up and take them back to their collection,” Danufsky said. “It’s an impressive collection for this little university… it’s not what you would expect.”

    Goldman explained that the 16,000 specimens housed in the wildlife building provide an excellent resource for study to students and researchers alike for years and years to come. 

    Junior wildlife major Josh Gellens said the museum is an incredible resource for wildlife majors.

    “The specimens curated from the wildlife museum — as well as the zoology department’s vertebrate museum — play such a huge role throughout your courses and interests when it comes to studying anatomy, adaptations and diversity of all the different taxa,” Gellens said. “It’s truly an integral part of being able to get that unique hands-on learning.”

    In addition to the museum being a resource for students, it acts as an archive to record history. 

    “We kind of view natural history museum collections as these libraries of empty books that have yet to be written. There are numerous questions that can be asked and can be discovered just by looking at specimens.” Goldman said.

    Goldman said that her position here at Humboldt was a rare blessing; both taxidermy and museum jobs like hers are hard to come by and hardly ever make a lot of money. Despite these factors, Goldman never gave up on her love of dead things and turned her passion into a career.

    “I always find it really beautiful that we’re able to give life and preserve this dead animal for so long,” Goldman said. “And that there’s actually scientific value to this otherwise decomposing mess.”

    Julia is a journalism major and the co-Editor in Chief of the paper. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. She also enjoys going on walks in the forest and taking pictures to relax. If you have a movie you’d like her to review, please email her at jk328@humboldt.edu.

  • Campus Q center emerges after decades in the making

    Campus Q center emerges after decades in the making

    By Sadie Shields

    An idea formed by clubs and organizations 25 years ago has finally come into fruition as the LGBTQ+ center opens its doors. The Q Center aims to provide coordinated support, resources and advocacy which was originally unable to be provided.

    It all began with one man, Eric Rofes, an openly gay professor at Humboldt who tragically passed in 2006 of a heart attack. Before he passed, Rofes served as director of the Los Angeles LGBT center and as executive director of the Shanti Project, a non profit AIDS service organization.

    For many queer representing students, faculty and staff at this institution, his loss was heavy.

    “He passed away unexpectedly… and he was a pretty strong presence here,” said Loren Cannon, a professor and author at Cal Poly Humboldt.

    In remembrance of Rofes’ work and contribution to the university in 2006, one of the first queer spaces created on campus was named the Eric Rofes Center (ERC) in his honor. After its creation, the ERC became a foundation for queer community-building on campus — but while meaningful, the space was confined.

    Efforts to establish a fully funded Queer Center have been ongoing, but repeatedly stalled over the years.

    “There have been more than a few attempts to have an actual queer center,” Cannon said. “Most schools have had queer centers for 20 to 30 years.”

    Constant administrative turnover was believed to be the main obstacle preventing the center from opening. 

    “Typically, they stay around for three to six years…and then you’re kind of back to the starting place,” Cannon said.

    Another roadblock was the lack of clear data on LGBTQIA students, due to long standing stigma around identity disclosure.

    “When I was here in ‘06, I was the only out trans faculty member,” Cannon said. “Now, we have many more students identifying.”

    Elias Pence, coordinator at the Q center, also noticed the shift and how more students are openly identifying as LGBTQIA members today.

    “People are identifying openly, which helps us get an idea of our population,” Pence said.

    Since then, Cal Poly Humboldt has taken steps towards inclusion, including gender-inclusive housing, restrooms and tracking of LGBTQIA student data.

    “I think we certainly have a more accepting place,” Cannon said. “But, it’s kind of mixed. Sometimes it feels like the tide’s coming in, sometimes it feels like the tide’s going out.”

    Despite this progress, it is very evident that the rising political tensions, especially around transgender rights, have created a major concern within the community. One of these ways is scapegoating, which is a process of blaming a person or group for problems they did not cause.

    “What we’ve seen now looks like classic scapegoating,” Cannon said. “You have a relatively small group, and then, you conjure the monster of trans people.”

    This type of scapegoating has not decreased the queer population that is now coming out, but has created signs of anxiety. 

    “I have not seen any decrease; what I have seen is a lot of fear and a lot of distress,” Pence said.

    Still, no matter the environment, students will continue to be who they desire to be.

    “We’re still gonna transition, we’re still gonna change our names,” Pence said. “We’re gonna do all of it.” 

    The Queer Center marks the first step on a long journey, and the work is still ongoing.

    “We have to realize this is a marathon, it’s not a sprint,” Cannon said. “We might have to be involved in this work for a long time.” 

    After 25 years of advocacy, setbacks and most importantly persistence, the Queer Center does not just stand as one of the newest resources available for Queer students on this campus, but also as a symbol of a community that, now more than ever, refuses to be invisible. 

    “Let’s fight back, let’s resist dehumanization, let’s protect each other,” Pence said. “Let’s build beautiful things.”

    Sadie is a junior communications major, journalism minor at Cal Poly Humboldt who has an interest in covering and taking photos for sports and wildlife journalism, and a slight interest in breaking news. She can be reached at sls331@humboldt.edu.

  • West Gym Showcases the rich tapestry of Indigenous traditions

    West Gym Showcases the rich tapestry of Indigenous traditions

    By  Sadie Shields

    As the sun rose high in the sky and the wind carried a gentle breeze, students, staff, family and Humboldt locals gathered in the West Gym to celebrate Indigenous culture. 

    California Big Time, organized by the Indian Tribal and Educational Personnel Program (ITEPP), gave students, alumni and family members a space to perform traditional dances and songs to form community connections.

    Lead singer Tim Snow of the Xa Batin Feather Dancers from Lake County, Calif., and member of the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake California, shared the cultural importance of the dances.

    “We call them feather dances – shakehead dances – and they date back 100 years,” Snow said. “They all have different meanings, for the plants, for the wind, rain, earth; it’s an important thing for us to be able to carry this on.” 

    The event itself was designed to support Indigenous students and act as an Indigenous campus preview, as well as an opportunity for students to relax and recuperate for the rest of the semester.

    This sense of renewal reflects a change that occurred with the creation of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act in 1978 that allows indigenous tribes the right to believe, express and exercise their traditional religions. The act aimed to end government suppression of ceremonies, protect access to sacred sites and allow the use of sacred objects.  

    Coordinator of ITEPP, Sasheen Raymond, explains how indigenous communities were unable to practice their beliefs before this act was instated. 

    “For a long time, there was a loss in culture due to laws and policies from the U.S. Government… The American Indian Religious Freedom Act changed a lot of the policies where previously people weren’t able to participate in their ceremonies… it’s really phenomenal that we are able to revive this next group and continue for many generations to come,” Raymond said. 

    The gathering has also changed and evolved over time; what was once a more powwow style gathering changed to become Big Time through student ideas.

    Former ITEPP Coordinator and current special assistant to the President for Tribal Relations and Community Engagement Adrienne Colgrove-Raymond recalls how the idea came about.

    “It doesn’t have to be a powwow, it could be something different… a Big Time, which focuses on California Indian culture and dances.” Colgrove-Raymond said.

    California Big Time stands as a source not only for community, but also to provide a sense of balance for Indigenous students in their life and culture. 

    “Your cultural balance is the most important thing in your life; understanding where you come from and the places that you’re from,” Colgrove-Raymond said. “And so, I think that’s what those dances are about.” 

    Sadie is a junior communications major, journalism minor at Cal Poly Humboldt who has an interest in covering and taking photos for sports and wildlife journalism, and a slight interest in breaking news. She can be reached at sls331@humboldt.edu.

  • Resident Evil Reviewquiem

    Resident Evil Reviewquiem

    By Will Bishop

    It’s been 30 years since the T-virus outbreak in Raccoon City. During the events of Resident Evil Requiem (RER), survivor, Leon S. Kennedy, must return to the crucible in which he was made in hopes of finding answers about The Umbrella Corporation’s curse. Forged in a trial by fire which rapidly mutated him from a remarkably brave rookie cop — who’s really, really hot — into a ludicrously badass superhero who can roundhouse kick someone’s jaw off of their face — who’s still really, really hot. But, Leon’s is not the only story being told here.

    Enter Grace Ashcroft, a new addition to the Resident Evil (RE) roster. The series has long made its name by functioning as an inversion of the usual horror formula. In most horror media, ordinary individuals are placed in extraordinary circumstances and forced to then become extraordinary or face the penalty of death. In RE, you are playing as elite counterterror operatives, the president’s bodyguard — individuals uniquely and highly suited to deal with the extraordinary circumstances they find themselves in, yet still become entrenched in fear. In keeping with the last couple installments, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village — both helmed by stubborn and perpetually bewildered everyman Ethan Winters — our new hero in RER is a regular person. Albeit an FBI agent, but a sedentary one surrounded by towers of files threatening to fall off her desk. Unlike Ethan, Grace is smart enough to be afraid.

    The game is split between these two vastly different perspectives, both embodying unique design philosophies which permeate all aspects of their gameplay and the scenarios they face. Leon can stylishly obliterate an entire room full of zombies, and is highly incentivized to do so. Grace, on the other hand, must be careful, methodical, patient, seizing every advantage she can and avoiding conflict whenever possible. 

    In the game’s first half, the back and forth provided by a dual protagonist setup is absolutely ingenious. It essentially condenses the progression of an RE title to level sized loops of fear and catharsis. The series has always operated according to this paradigm, in the early game resources are scarce, your combat capabilities are limited, and even a small number of assailants can be an enormous threat. By the third act, you become a wrecking ball, armed to the teeth and massacring every grotesque abomination that comes your way. You are rewarded for your suffering and your fear. This often leads to the downfall of many RE games; as by the final act, all tension is out the window and you are simply cruising to the finish line, waiting to count the amount of eyeballs possessed by whatever G-virus flesh ball you’re squaring up with in the big showdown.

    RER subverts this by shifting its power dynamic on a constant basis. Spend an hour making panicked runs back to the item box with Grace, chipping away at a level one hastily obtained item at a time in the vein of Resident Evil 2, then spend ten minutes with Leon, running through the same environment decapitating everything in sight with a hatchet in Resident Evil 4 fashion.

    Rather than working against itself, this implementation of the fear and catharsis paradigm works brilliantly. Highlighting the strengths of its level design, resource economy and enemy placements while it’s in survival horror mode, then allowing itself to flex its best in class combat and myriad execution animations in action mode. 

    If there is one area where the game falters, it is in its failure to fully commit to this tag team approach for the entirety of the game. It never fully abandons it, but it never does it quite as well or with as much consistency in its second half. It continues to be a great game, but it stops feeling so clever. In a surprising turn, the main strength of the game over its back half is actually the narrative itself, which successfully weaves Grace and Leon’s stories together while telling a poignant story of regret, hope and motorcycle duels.

    Will Bishop is a Cal Poly Humboldt journalism major. He is prone to writing essays about things that bother him, and fictional works about things that also bother him but in different ways. A highly bothered individual, and a lover of cinema, music, and large trees/rocks. He can often be found in the woods, dancing to bring down the sky.

  • After four years, BTS creates a new album 

    After four years, BTS creates a new album 

    By Alba Galvan 

    The internationally renowned K-pop band Bangtan Sonyeondon (BTS), known for top song’s Dynamite and Butter, released Arirang, their first album in four years.

    The seven members of BTS have been on a hiatus while they finished their mandatory South Korean military service, which they completed in June 2025. During their time serving, the band members were also working on their own solo projects.  

    Arirang released on March 20 — BTS’ comeback was widely celebrated by millions of fans, resulting in the song Swim becoming their seventh number one song on the Billboard Hot 100.

    The album has a total of 14 tracks — and let me just say, each song hits. 

    Body to Body starts with lyrics telling ‘Army’ — the fandom name — to live in the present and enjoy life.‘Put your phone down, let’s get all the fun.’  

    At the end of the song, you feel the blend of hip-hop and Korean folk music in a way that draws the listener in, wanting to hear more of the song. 

    Hooligan is the song you go with if you miss their earlier work. This was peak trap-pop, and I think the clashing of knives was interesting and added character to the song. 

    Aliens is really interesting, ‘The nerve on you, shameless. Show some respect, we aliens.’ I interpret that as their way of saying they paved the way for other Korean artists in western media. 

    2.0 was also neat, you can just feel their well-deserved egos in this song with lyrics like, ‘came back for what’s mine.’ Fun fact: Mike WiLL Made-it produced both songs. 

    FYA is a song I hope to listen to in a club. This is a new style for them, it’s definitely unlike anything I have listened to by BTS and it’s very catchy. 

    No.29 is not a song, but the sound of the sacred bell of the great King Seongdeok, which is an important part of Korean history.

    SWIM — UGHHHHHH, this shit was so good. As someone who was previously a big supporter of the group, this reminds me so much of their older albums when I first fell into the whole fangirl era of my life. 

    Merry Go Round was very emotional, with English translated lyrics that brought tears to my eyes, “Feel like I’m grown up now, but my worries are just the same. Every day the same routine, merry-go-round.” 

    Normal is beautifully written — it highlights the struggles of how normal looks different for others and how fame has become a challenge when it comes to wanting a normal life. 

    Like Animals feels more R&B and is fully in English. This song, once again, is beautifully written, and I have had it on repeat. I won’t be surprised if it’s on my top five Wrapped Spotify songs. 

    They Don’t Know ‘Bout Us feels like a message towards critics — they do this in a cool, dark trap and hip-hop style. 

    One More Night has an interesting house style music mix with synths, and Into the Sun has a more robotic-rock feel to it. Both songs are experimental for the group and I think they were a good addition to the album. 

    Please has an R&B style with intimate lyrics and an easy-going beat, and I know younger me would be squealing like such a fangirl because it’s a love song. 

    I truly believe this is a very well-written and beautiful album. It almost makes me wish I had succeeded in getting their concert tickets, as I would call this the comeback of the year. 

    Alba, she/her, Lumberjack reporter. Journalism major who loves to read and write. She’s very passionate about sharing and listening to different opinions and loves self-expression. Contact email: agg83@humboldt.edu 

  • Hawthorn Gathering

    Hawthorn Gathering

    By Ursula Newman


    On a warm, sunny afternoon on Foster Avenue in Arcata, eager helpers gathered at the newly-purchased university farm plot for a volunteer work day. The March 27 event brought together some of the Humboldt community to support the Critical Agriculture Studies & Agroecology program (CASA). The day consisted of an unofficial launch of the student farm’s Healing Justice Garden with the planting of a black hawthorn tree alongside other medicinal herbs and flowers.

    The program — housed in the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences within the Department of Environmental Studies — aims to educate students about agricultural practices through a social justice lens. 

    Throughout the day, conversations focused on the importance of planting for protection and healing in the context of interpersonal and state violence. The intimate group of volunteers primarily consisted of social work students and faculty — many connected to Project Rebound and justice system–impacted research — a handful of university staff and faculty in sustainability, environmental studies and critical race and gender studies, as well as a few graduate students in anthropology and environmental studies. 

    Although the event was public — in the sense that it was posted to the new CASA instagram account — many of the attendees were already acquainted with program leader and Environmental Studies Professor Renée Byrd.

    “I don’t know that we’ve advertised a work party for the whole farm yet, but, we’re kind of trying to build up in a sustainable way, and manage the flow of all the different people that want to be involved,” Byrd said. “It’s slower, maybe than all of us would want, but I feel like we’re kind of [still] building up capacity and infrastructure.”

    When asked about how attendees heard about the Healing Justice Garden workday, Byrd referenced the need to develop a network of working groups to manage interest. 

    “[Its] people who I know have particular expertise, or were excited about various aspects that are out here working,” Byrd said. “We’re developing a network of working groups underneath the land collective that will focus on various areas, [or ways] people can plug in. Like a pond and hydrology working group, a compost working group ect.”

    As volunteers arrived, Byrd expressed her interest in leading abolition and re-entry focused, land-based healing work, and using this space as part of that vision.

    “There are a lot of answers that we as humans don’t have right now. But, if we look to the more-than-human world, there’s so many ways that we can be guided,” Byrd said. “I’m interested in thinking about plants as [a bridge] to help us in that transition between the world we have now and the world we’re building.” 

    The gathering focused on the design and development of the Healing Justice Garden, one of many projects starting up on the 2-acre section of land that’s currently in use. Modeled after a medicine wheel, the garden will have a central space with a stone altar and four paths leading to garden rooms, each featuring different plants and benches for visitors. On the southern edge, volunteers planted the native black hawthorn tree, known for its heart health benefits and significance in various cultures throughout history.

    Other projects on the property include a planned student gathering space with medicinal herbs, a space for the Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab to farm and a Black Ecology space at the end of the plot with a greenhouse designated for student-led projects. In the coming months, they will be allowed to expand farther into the approximately 20-acre plot and begin to work the soil on 8 acres total. 

    Another project in the space is hosted by the Milpa club on campus, where students and community members part of the Aquilli Metzli group work to bring people together to discuss cultural identity and agriculture practices. They plan to host monthly events on the land and grow traditional crops like corn, beans and squash.

    Adrianna Salgado, a cooperative member with Aquilli Metzli, described the importance of making space for cultural reconnection. 

    “We’re thinking a lot about Indigenous peoples of the Americas as our ancestors, and how do we make space for that within this new agriculture department?” Salgado said. “How do we make space for traditional agriculture and reclaim that? So much of the food we consume comes from exploited Latinos, our culture, our traditions. So, how do we create a space to bring students to reconnect with that on a different level, especially with so many Latino students coming to Cal Poly [Humboldt]?”

    This sentiment reflects a key goal of the student farm space: to bring together diverse knowledge systems into a shared space for learning and rehabilitation.

    That interdisciplinary collaboration is also taking form in building infrastructure. Engineering students are currently designing a handwashing station to support future workdays on the farm.

    First-year engineering student Addison Gartenlong is part of a team working on the project through her Engineering 205 class. She explained that currently, all water use is coming from a tank that must be filled with water for them to then use.

    “The [new handwashing] system is going to work with the rain catchment system that’s out here, that a previous [Engineering 205] class had built last semester.” Gartenlong said.

    The goal is to complete construction of the handwashing station by the end of this semester. In the case that the rainwater catchment were to run dry, the station will have the ability to use the tank as backup. However, Gartenlong explained so far the rainwater catchment seems to be sufficient.

    Plans for a nearby greenhouse will allow water from both the handwashing station and rainwater catchment to be used for irrigation, supporting sustainable water use.

    Byrd emphasized that the student farm’s strength lies in its ability to bring together different forms of knowledge and apply lived experience to the agricultural approach.

    “Part of our Polytech vision, right, is that it’s about being place-based. It’s about being hands-on,” Byrd said. “Right now we have a long, long legacy of environmental justice and ecological justice-centered programming. This [project] very much makes sense for who we are. Part of the argument that I’ve made is that the North Coast has a very distinctive food system with a lot to teach the rest of California.”

    While projects on the new land begin to start up, Byrd expressed that this event is an important step towards more community engagement.

    As the semester comes to a close, organizers are working to develop systems that will allow more students and faculty to participate in the space. With more volunteer days and possibly an opening ceremony hosted on the farm in the fall, those interested in getting involved have much to look forward to.

    “We’re developing the forms for faculty to fill out to decide to bring a class here; a research proposal process, so the graduate students, undergrads and faculty can propose the research they want to do out here,” Byrd said. “There’ll be lots of different ways to plug in and contribute. We’re just still developing the infrastructure processes to manage the number of people who are excited about it.” 

    Ursula Newman is a journalism major, Lumberjack science editor and Humboldt local. You can find her all over the county doing all kinds of things. Contact her at uon1@humboldt.edu.

  • KyleGPT: What it means to be human

    KyleGPT: What it means to be human

    By Jasmin Shirazian 

    At the crossroads of human connection and technological development sits an app on the app store that comments on the ever-evolving reliance on artificial intelligence (AI): KyleGPT. Over a span of three nights, Kyle Roshan Namgostar developed KyleGPT out of frustration with how humans have interacted with AI — and partially because he thought it would be funny. Namgostar graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt in 2025 with a degree in computer science, and has been developing software since he was 10 years old. 

    “KyleGPT is a human-to-Kyle communication channel,” Namgostar said. “That answers the artificial intelligence problem of people transitioning from relying on one another to relying on a machine, which inherently removes us from what it means to be human.”

    Namgostar is a first generation college student of Iranian and white descent. As a child, he used Youtube to learn how to create different worlds online as he played games like Five Nights at Freddy’s and Minecraft. Namgostar’s background in tech gives him ample opportunities to blend digital realms with artistic commentary on his field. While his qualms with AI usage fuel his art, his main frustration lies with the lack of ethics poised by tech companies that push the software out. Namgostar understands and sympathizes with the masses who are being told that if they don’t learn to incorporate AI into their work, they will become redundant. 

    “I think that human beings are special because of their ability to adapt and cooperate with one another and socialize,” Namgostar said. “It is very scary to be told over and over again in your classes, by potential employers, the Internet and influencers online, CEOs and the executives that run this world, that if you don’t learn how to use artificial intelligence to your benefit, eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, that you are going to fall behind and you are going to fail.”

    In turn, he created KyleGPT: an app with a similar interface to that of ChatGPT, where anyone can ask questions that Namgostar can answer directly himself — and there’s a chance one of his responses will be to Google it yourself. But, nevertheless, he created an app to get people to text him instead of using AI; an app that holds a mirror to the human connection lost in AI conversations. Namgostar also worries about the risks that come with unstructured AI use, such as underage access to character AI apps. 

    “Kids are forming parasocial relationships with fictional characters and people,” Namgostar said. “Kids who cannot fully grasp the fact that what they’re talking to is not a real person.”

    Traditional machine learning and generative AI are two separate beasts, according to Namgostar. Generative AI is generally built on massive foundation models, such as large language models, that then runs through massive datacenters that deplete communities of local resources, such as water. Smaller scale models, on the other hand, can be run with much less energy. 

    “Generative AI is a whole monster, and it uses a lot of energy,” Namgostar said. “It’s the kind of thing that’s running constantly on those data centers that are using a shit ton of water, and then there’s smaller models, because I think it’s more of a spectrum. [For smaller models], there’s data in and there’s data out, and it doesn’t try to expand on that, interpolate or extrapolate that. It’s usually really quick and can usually run locally on [a personal] machine, rather than on some data somewhere.”

    Through concern, frustration, anger and angst, Namgostar retaliates against big tech by using ethically sourced, locally hosted AI to create software that can be mutually beneficial for both the user and the creator without using excessive amounts of energy.

    “I still believe that, because a group of people are so set on using AI to collect our data, train it and commit all these atrocities, make us economically and socially and culturally and educationally rely on them,” Namgostar said. “It is important for us to fight back, and for me, that means prioritizing human connections and prioritizing human intelligence, while recognizing that they are going to move a lot faster with their tools.”

    While KyleGPT is Namgostar’s first development, it is far from his last — he is currently working on a social media platform where users can interact with one another, rather than just him. For now, KyleGPT is available on the App Store for human-to-Kyle connection. 

    Jasmin Shirazian is the award-winning, curly-headed copy editor of The Lumberjack. Her beats range from breaking news to covering local performances. In her free time, she enjoys leaving the country and spending time with her cat. Inquiries can be sent to js760@humboldt.edu.

  • What to make of All That’s Left of You

    What to make of All That’s Left of You

    By Kaylon Coleman

    What are we left with when all else is left within the control of others? When it all feels hopeless, when it feels like there’s nothing you can do? Over spring break, I was granted the opportunity to view the first showing in a series of films hosted by Shine a Light on Palestine and Watermelon Pictures, titled All That’s Left of You. Believe it or not, this was also my first time attending a film at the Minor Theater, which will present the series of films from now until May. If you’re interested in what the movie has to offer, the second and last showing of the film will happen tonight, March 25, at the Minor, with the next film in the series happening April 22 and the last film happening May 27.

    All That’s Left of You is a fictional narrative that showcases the lived experience of a single Palestinian family over the course of seven decades. The film takes us from the Nakba in 1948 up until “present day” in 2022. 

    This movie is powerful, it’s complex and it cuts deep. The non-linear structure reminds me a bit of City of God, where they must recount the backstory before the full story can be understood. The movie deals with loss, resilience, heart and hope. But, above all else, I think its central theme is about humanity — the human condition and experience.

    In a world where the voices of the Palestinian people are constantly subjected to the will of their suppressors, especially in the modern media landscape, All That’s Left of You is a standout film that amplifies the voices of Palestinian experiences, voices and art — by a Palestinian, for Palestinians. 

    The director, Cherien Dabis, who also plays the main female lead, did incredibly well within her role. While I want to give flowers to everyone for their performance, especially Sanad Alkabareti for his role as young Noor, I must single out Dabis for her artistry both on and off-camera. Her vision encapsulated Yafa and the West Bank through the progression of time and conflict incredibly. Dabis did a great job of placing the audience right there with the main characters, translating their emotions by showing, not telling.

    I also love the way the moral dilemmas show up throughout the film. Without trying to give anything away, the film encounters several scenarios where the main cast is stuck trying to make the best of impossible situations, with no true right answer. The film gives you a glimpse into the humanity of those who are often monstrified, and leaves you with a sense of contemplation and fervor.

    So, again, I ask: what are we left with when all else is left within the control of others? When it all feels hopeless, when it feels like there’s nothing you can do? We’re left with what we can control, what no one can take from you: our thoughts, our emotions, our values, our actions, our beliefs. We’re left with our humanity and all that encompasses. When everything is stripped away, that’s All That’s Left of You.

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.

  • Strays in Arcata

    Strays in Arcata

    By Nick Escalada

    The tranquil uptown neighborhoods of Arcata are frequented by many a wild animal, but among their most notorious visitors are feral cats. Cats are incidentally a tidy, low-maintenance pet popular among Cal Poly Humboldt students, who sometimes find themselves unable to care for their felines after they transfer or graduate. The Humboldt County Animal Shelter takes in cats who are too young or vulnerable for the streets.

    “So, you’re just starting college, you’re independent for the first time and you want to get your own pet under your name,” Rachel Norton, legal office assistant at the shelter, said. “You know, that’s great. I did the same thing when I was 22 — I had two dogs, and it was really hard.”

    In Norton’s experience, younger people often underestimate the weight of taking on a responsibility like pet adoption. Even relatively self-reliant animals like cats can bear complications that demand the care and resources one might associate with parenthood.

    “You could get taken advantage of financially, or you can end up with a pet that is not as medically or physically sound as it was advertised,” Norton said. “If you look deep inside and you’re like, ‘Yes, I can have this pet, I can financially provide,’ that includes if anything medical comes up. And sometimes, medical things will come up. A cat will get unexpectedly sick or unexpectedly injured. So, you need to be prepared to maybe spend between $200 and $2,000 at the vet if it comes up.”

    Animal control avoids picking up mature cats who don’t need medical attention, as they’re more likely to be eventually euthanized than adopted. Leaving them without spaying or neutering is when problems arise. Gestation in mother cats only takes six months, and their litters can reproduce themselves a mere eight weeks after.

    “One female cat can generate hundreds of kittens in one year because they can become fertile at four months old, or sometimes even earlier depending on that cat,” Norton said. “So, she has babies, those babies have babies four months later, and so on and so forth.”

    Norton believes that all cats are better off spending their entire lives indoors. After all, nearly every hazard, disease and violent encounter that afflicts a pet occurs outside the house.

    “They are getting into cat fights, they are transmitting illnesses, they are getting injuries,” Norton said. “I talked to someone last week whose cat came home with injuries, and suddenly it didn’t have an eye and its leg was in half.”

    The center is able to provide deworming and every essential feline vaccine except for rabies, but they do not accept surrendered animals from owners. Take a feral cat to a local rescue if it needs fixing or has medical or behavioral issues — but first, double-check that it doesn’t belong to a neighbor.

    There are, however, circumstances where owners are left with no choice other than to part ways with their companions. If you don’t know another family to entrust them with, refrain from the inhumane and illegal practice of pet abandonment and instead leave them in the care of one of the animal rescues recommended by the shelter. These include the Sequoia Humane Society, Miranda’s Rescue, Companion Animal Foundation, Humboldt Animal Rescue Team (HART), Sierra Pacific Furbabies, NorCal Pet Supply and Bless the Beasts of Humboldt County.

    “Sometimes, life happens,” Norton said. “If you absolutely have to rehome your cat, [these organizations] can all help with finding placement or, sometimes, owner surrenders.”

    Nick is the news editor at The Lumberjack, and studies wildlife and journalism with the goal of spreading his love of nature through media. Chat with him at ne53@humboldt.edu!

  • A Memorable Moment: Love, Music, Unity at the 32nd Annual Social Justice Summit 

    A Memorable Moment: Love, Music, Unity at the 32nd Annual Social Justice Summit 

    By Serah Blackstone-Fredericks

    The 32nd Social Justice Summit is a week-long event that hosts a forum for humility to reside on campus via workshops, knowledge sharing and dancing. This year’s theme, “Moving Together: Expression in Action,” was felt, heard, and seen deeply. When I walked into Dandha Da Hora’s workshop, I did not know what to expect. As I sat recovering from the flu, I could not shake that I wanted to be well enough to attend Da Hora’s talk midweek. Something about the messaging whispered I needed to be in her presence.

    Marjie Wolfe, a graduate student in the Environment and Community program, was heavily involved in Da Hora coming to Humboldt. “When I heard the theme, I thought Da Hora’s body of work would be perfect for this event,” Wolfe said.

    Upon arriving, I was grateful to be seated near the speaker herself. A warm presence enveloped the room as Da Hora dove right into the connection between community and liberation within the Afro-Brazilian community in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, where she is from. She invited attendees to move in closer to spend time together collectively and to embrace connection. Da Hora shared about Ilê Aiyê (Ee-leh Ah-ee-yah), a community that created a space and movement to empower youth to dream bigger and explore outside of their hometown. Her talk wove a beautiful tapestry of oral history, from the oppression and exclusion of Black and Brown bodies in Brazil at Carnival, to the work her community has invited with Ilê Aiyê, and closed with a beautiful crescendo of rhythms with a vibrant music presentation. She paid respects to everyone who taught her and supported her to be where she is today, and by the end of her talk, I felt so captivated I wasn’t ready for it to be over.

    “Samba keeps us alive and maintains our tradition,” Da Hora said.

    At the end of the presentation, organizers of the summit provided lunch for the attendees. The food did not disappoint — tenderly prepared by Pupuseria San Miguel, we enjoyed delicious pupusas with bean and cheese, accompanied by two salsa choices: mild and spicy, along with curtido, a delicious tangy side of veggies to top the pupusas. After having one, I realized I needed to save the other or I’d be too full to dance.

    I then migrated outside, a bit tardy for a dancing component. The participatory movement brought me to life; I felt the rhythm starting to move and lift me. The drums beckoned my hips to sway, my feet to spin and my arms to open. As a generous group of us all moved together, the rain oscillated from pouring to misting, yet no one seemed to feel cold. Bystanders were invited to join as the group continued to grow. The audience enjoyed watching the brave humans that decided to take up dancing in the rain. The beat of the rum, rumpi, lê (room-room-pee-lei) in our hearts and within us. As the dancing portion finished, Danda invited us to sing a song together. At the end, we closed out with appreciation and aché (ah-shay) to the heavens. We shared how we felt, and we connected eyes with strangers in a way that brings a stillness of nostalgia to the page as I think about the moment.

    I returned later that evening for Da Hora’s dance class, which was filled with students, dancers, her accompanist, Annie and community members alike. After one of the best dance warmups of my life, we jumped right into a flowing routine of movement that connected each dance phrase to the next with intense passion and care.

    Danda made the eight hour trek from Santa Cruz, California with some of her musicians, to grace us with her lively presence, dynamic speaking, and community connective song and dance.

    There is something about embodying authenticity that draws community to you; in turn, the community will replenish your cup. In arriving with an open heart, I learned more about myself and about how I can support my individuality within blossoming. With the beat of the rum, rumpi, lê reverberating in my heart, the wisdom of Da Hora’s words linger many days later. I can’t wait until she returns to Humboldt.

    Serah Blackstone-Fredericks is a cross-disciplinary anthropology major, minoring in arts in health and narrative medicine. A multidisciplinary artist, mother, and multilingual global citizen, you can find her prancing in her garden or in her kitchen baking, fermenting, and exploring natural dye via experiments. Her work explores storytelling from a perspective of cultural humility, ever curious on  shaped connections and how we live and heal. Feel free to connect with her at sb625@humboldt.edu.

  • Can the resident LJ film enjoyers predict the Oscar’s winners?

    Can the resident LJ film enjoyers predict the Oscar’s winners?

    Kaylon Coleman and Julia Kelm

    The 98th annual Academy Awards are just around the corner. Whether you care about the awards or not, you definitely know some film nerd who does. You know, that guy who backed you into the corner at a party and told you against your will why Timothée Chalamet’s balls are orange. This article is for him to complain about, and for you to use as rage bait when you see him again.

    To avoid boring you to death, we’ll focus on the more “major” categories. Such as best actor and actress, best original song, best animated film, directing and best picture.

    I think it’s a safe bet to expect One Battle after Another and Sinners to be the MVPs of the night. Both films have consistently won awards leading up to the Oscars and will likely sweep most of the categories.

     

    Best Actor:

    Julia: The likelihood of Michael B. Jordan winning best actor has greatly increased. Chalamet, the previous academy favorite, ruined his chances after basically calling opera and ballet pointless in an interview. Theater kids try not to piss me off challenge: impossible.

    Kaylon: Honestly, I think Michael B. Jordan has it in the bag. Chalamet claims Marty Supreme is his magnum opus, which may be true for the time, but he needs some more experience under his belt. I could see it potentially going his way, but Jordan is my favorite to win.

    Best Actress:

    Julia: Best actress is 100% going to be Jessie Buckley. She has swept every previous award cer

    emony. I love Emma Stone, but she doesn’t need another Oscar. 

    Kaylon: I can’t lie, I haven’t seen Hamnet yet, but from what I have seen, it looks like Jessie Buckley is the favorite to take it home.

    Best Animated film:

    Julia: KPop Demon Hunters, I think, has a good chance at winning the best animated film category. Although it’s kinda mid, I’d be happy to see Disney lose again for the fourth time in a row since Encanto. 

    Kaylon: I’m stuck between KPop Demon Hunters and Zootopia 2. Zootopia 2 is the only piece of media Disney has dropped in recent years that could contend with best animated film, but the cultural significance of KPop Demon Hunters can’t be beat I think. Zootopia 2 just didn’t have enough time to ruminate while KPop Demon Hunters had all of Gen Alpha in a chokehold. I say 60-40 KPop Demon Hunters.

    Best original song:

    Julia: If KPop Demon Hunters wins, that means Golden is probably going to win best original song. I Lied to You in the Sinners soundtrack is the winner in my heart, no matter what — but if money’s on the line, I’m betting on Golden.

    Kaylon: I agree entirely. Once again KPop Demon Hunters is so culturally significant, but Sinners is just as notable. When we look back on 2025, we’re gonna remember the spirits scene from Sinners while KPop Demon Hunters fades into the blur that is animation. Yes, I’m biased. But, I feel like I Lied to You has it.

    Best Directing:

    Julia: Paul Thomas Anderson is likely to take the cake on this one. He has been nominated 14 times, but never won. I don’t know what it is, but I have a gut feeling it’s about time the academy finally throws him a well-deserved bone.

    Kaylon: I have the same gut feeling as Julia, except mine is for Ryan Coogler. Yes, Anderson has yet to win an Oscar, and is seasoned in his field — and the Oscars love to give out honorary Oscars — but I think Coogler deserves it. The Oscars also love to play in the face of Black people, but I think the significance of Sinners just can’t be denied.

    Best Picture:

    Julia: Best picture wins are often linked with directing wins. However, I think things could be different this year and Sinners will take the best picture spot. In all honesty, I’m feeling pretty 50-50 between Sinners and One Battle after Another. So, if this is the one you’re betting on, perhaps reconsider in favor of one of the more predictable categories.

    Kaylon: Now for the Crème de la Crème the real magnum opus — Best Picture. There’s a good plethora of films to choose from, ranging from the future cult classic F1 to the unforgettable Marty Supreme. Yet, I think we all know it’s down to the two titans for Best Picture – Sinners and One Battle After Another. And I think it comes as no surprise that my choice is 100% Sinners. Yes, it’s my personal favorite to win, but I just can’t not see it as the actual winner. Sinners sweep is in bound. Mark my words, folks.

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.

    Julia is a journalism major and the co-EIC of the paper. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. She also enjoys going on walks in the forest and taking pictures to relax. If you have a movie you’d like her to review, please email her at jk328@humboldt.edu.

  • Woman Down is romanticized toxicity 

    Woman Down is romanticized toxicity 

    By Alba Galvan

    Book Review: Woman Down

    W.T.F. — that’s what I think about the book Woman Down. I have read 22 out of 23 of Colleen Hoover books, and although she’s considered problematic for her novels often romanticizing toxic and abusive relationships. Hoover is an instant buy for me every time. She has a way with words that tends to draw readers into her books.

    Hoover is a top-selling author, having sold over 50 million books worldwide and being titled a bestselling author by the New York Times. I even have a tattoo inspired by one of her books, so when I say I know her writing and that I know when one of her books is bad or good — you best believe I’m telling the truth. 

    Woman Down brought so many emotions out of me that I haven’t felt in a while, discomfort, enjoyment, sadness and the passion to want to read again. It was so unrealistic that it took me a whole day to fully process my emotions once I finished reading the book.

    This book is one of my least favorite books by Hoover after Maybe Someday and not because the writing was bad; it was good and simple. This book definitely got me out of a reading slump, but I dislike this book because of how selfish and stupid the female main character was from start to finish.  

    Woman Down is about an author named Petra Rose who’s been struggling with writer’s block after a movie adaptation of her latest book receives backlash. So, as a getaway, she decides to go on her yearly retreat to a secluded cabin on a lake.

    While on this trip, she expresses on a video call with her best friend that she feels her books are too unrealistic and that’s why she’s been in a slump. When asked if she would welcome the idea of the unrealistic becoming realistic, she agrees, and is then dragged into her fantasies when she meets and begins to lust over a married cop who is willing to help her find inspiration for her book. 

    Petra is now in a cycle of being unable to separate reality from fiction, and falls for this married cop, Saint, who is willingly cheating on his wife to help her find inspiration for her book. 

    Hoover starts the book by clarifying that its storyline isn’t based on her own life, and asks readers not to compare the two just because both her and her main character are writers. Although the first half of the book was filled with so much whining and complaining about her last movie adaptation that it sounded like Hoover was venting through Petra. It’s hard not to compare both real life author Hoover and book author Petra, given the backlash and the drama that happened. 

    The rest of the book is filled with plot twists after plot twists – this is where the spoilers come, Saint  helps Petra experience things she hadn’t gone through to bring her inspiration. One night, he decides to break into her cabin to give her the experience of fear so she can authentically write what her characters will go through in her book. Petra believes this is a life-or-death situation, and when she finally realizes it’s Saint, instead of going home AND CALLING THE COPS, SHE FORGIVES HIM! She forgives the same man who made her believe she almost died and reduces what happened to her as a misunderstanding. 

    What I didn’t like about this book is how much the phrases, “you wanted this,” and “you asked for this,” appear. The amount of guilt-tripping that Saint puts on Petra throughout the story is disgusting and disturbing. Only then is it revealed that she is married with children, and this story takes a bigger turn with darker tones as stalking, possessiveness and cheating become common throughout the book.

    This book ended in the most bothersome way, and all I can say is this was a two-and-a-half-star rating out of five for me. I went into this book blind, and it brought out so many conflicting emotions. It’s sitting heavily on me as I STILL try to process what I read, because I truly disliked this book and the characters. 

    Do I recommend this book? No, but if you can separate reality from fiction and realize how everything in this book is not a reflection of how love should be perceived, and you don’t romanticize the stalking and victim-blaming that goes throughout the book, then yes. Read it and form your own opinion. 

    Alba she/her, LumberJack reporter. Journalism major who loves to read and write. She’s very passionate about sharing and listening to different opinions and loves self-expression. Contact email: agg83@humboldt.edu 

  • The Romantic Album Review

    The Romantic Album Review

    By Kaylon Coleman     

    Ladies, gentlemen and non-conformers, the time we’ve long awaited has ultimately dawned upon us. After essentially A DECADE since his last independent album, Peter Gene Hernandez, more popularly known as the one and only Bruno Mars, has finally made his way out of Vegas and into the booth with his new album The Romantic.

    If you happen to be unfamiliar with Bruno Mars, let me start by asking you how much the rent is for that rock you’re living under. But nevertheless, I can’t blame you if you need a refresher. Like I said, the man’s been gone for nearly a decade — well kind of. While this is his first solo album in a minute, we can’t blow by the spectacle that was An Evening With Silk Sonic, a collaborative piece of work between Bruno and artist Anderson. Paak that dropped back in 2021. Besides a couple singles such as APT with ROSÉ or Die With a Smile with Lady Gaga — and even that one with Sexxy Red that everyone forgot about — Mars has, for the most part, been absent from the musicscape… until now.

    Now, there’s two types of Bruno’s: The Bruno that’s smitten, and the Bruno that’s heartbroken. Bruno Mars is so goated in his craft that they had to nerf him by soul linking his music to his romantic escapades. As a fan, you’re caught between rooting for the human condition that is finding a partner and feeling all the feelings and being happy for Bruno. But, dammit if that boy’s heartbreak doesn’t fuel something primordial within his soul and music.

    Lastly, there’s three facets I’ve come to recognize from every Bruno Mars album. You have the karaoke, killer and K-Mart song. The karaoke is the one on the album you’d sing your heart to, perhaps at Richards Goat on a Sunday Night with friends. You have the Killer — at least one song fits within this threshold, but the door is definitely open for more. To put it bluntly, this is the song that kills, 10/10 everytime. Finally, you have the K-mart song:  the catchy, poppy song you’d see in like an Old Navy or Target commercial, K-mart just flows with the other K’s.

    The album kicks off with Risk It All. A classic Bruno formula: claiming to commit bodily harm for the love, affection and attention of a honey. “I would run through a fire, just to be by your side.” Very reminiscent of Grenade in that respect. This is a very solid intro to the album. 

    Next is Cha Cha Cha, and the title ain’t lying — it’ll have you cha-cha-cha-ing your heart out alright. This is one of those feel good Bruno Mars songs that’ll have you smiling on your first playthrough. Definitely adding this one to the skating playlist.

    I Just Might. The song that kicked the whole romantic era off. A singular, seemingly random drop at the start of 2026 after Bruno informed the public his album was done. This song is one of them ones. I don’t consider it the killer on the album, but it’s obviously the golden child so far. This is the Bruno Mars that the people have been longing for. A fun, feel good song with Bruno just doing him. Peep the music video if you haven’t yet.

    God Was Showing Off. Oh, yeah. Now we’re really getting to the meat and potatoes. Again, not the killer for me personally but this is definitely top three on the album. The beautiful production and slower pace allows Bruno to do what he does best; sing his motherf-ing heart out. “You know, whoever said God don’t have favorites. Never seen you before.” Definitely stealing that one.

    Why You Wanna Fight. If the previous songs were smitten Bruno, this is just a glimpse of what heartbroken Bruno has to offer. It gives me Silk Sonic vibes for sure but I think it’s one of the only songs that also channels that Doo-Wops & Hooligans vibe as well. I tried to warn y’all earlier, this is yet again not the killer of the album, but once again, it cracks my top three. This man don’t miss. This one also pairs as my karaoke song, y’all will catch me belting this have no doubt.

    On My Soul and Something Serious. I don’t have too many notes about these songs. On My Soul definitely gives me Skate vibes but it mostly just features Bruno flexing his vocal capabilities.

    Something Serious is probably the weakest song on the album. This one would be the song you’d see in that Old Navy commercial. 

    Nothing Left. This one’s a complete 180 from the last couple songs. Heartbroken Bruno has made his appearance. This one gives me the slightest Gorilla vibes — the guitar is also nuts.

    Dance With Me. Now this one — this is the one. This is the killer. It’s by far the most wholesome song on the album. I feel like this song is where Mars truly explores the raw side of love. We’re getting a glimpse into his most vulnerable state; Mars laments his relationship, hoping he can just embrace and dance with his partner one last time. Big When I Was Your Man parallels here. The production; beautiful. Vocals; beautiful. Absolutely no notes. Not only my favorite off the album, but definitely the most slept on.

    If you’ve made it to the end of this review, whether you have or haven’t streamed The Romantic yet, go venture out to the marsh or the forest and just play it through. And if Bruno Mars sees this, I’ll be at the Inglewood show Oct. 3, ready for that interview.

    Kaylon Coleman is a senior journalism major with a concentration in news and a minor in communications. He is the Life & Arts editor for LJ, Marketing and Communications lead for the Umoja Center and and a part-time radio DJ and merch manager for KRFH. If you have a topic you want him to discuss, email him at kc403@humboldt.edu.