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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

By Sadie Shields

Lion Dancers swayed

while the taiko drums beat and people chattered as the Lunar New Year event kicked off in the Kate Buchanan Room (KBR), hosted by the Asian, Desi, Pacific Islander and Middle Eastern and North African Center (ADPI-MENA).

Students, faculty and community members gathered to celebrate Lunar New Year’s Year of the Horse on campus Friday, Feb. 27, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Student Staff Lead of ADPI-MENA, Shaun Masuda, discussed the event’s overall growth.

“Last year, we were averaging around 100 people for our bigger events,” Masuda said. “This year, we were just at about 200 people who signed in, including students and community members… which was a significant increase from our turnout last year.”

The growth was visible as every table and chair was filled to the brim with community members, staff and students. Masuda believes the increase in participants has something to do with the space this year, including the accessibility benefits of the KBR space.

“We like to host in the KBR not only in the addition of having a big space inside, but also because it’s easily accessible to students and the community, being in the student activity center,” Masuda said.

 The Lunar New Year is celebrated not only in China but also in nine other Asian countries and globally. There are twelve animal Zodiac signs in total in the Lunar New Year, with this year being the year of the Fire Horse. Those born in the Year of the Horse are said to be energetic, creative, confident, cheerful and responsible. You are considered to be born in the Year of the Horse if you were born in 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002 and 2014. Next year is the year of the Goat.

Gary Ronnie, the leader of Taiko drummers in Humboldt, explains how much the culture means to him and what it means to share it. According to the United States Census Bureau, only 3.2% of Humboldt County’s population accounts for Asian residents. 

“There is such a small percentage of Asians in this county that I love, that we are out there and we’re playing music to share the culture,” Ronnie said. “It’s really important. Involve other people. Connect with music.”

Emily Hsu smiled as she shared her own journey. 

“I’ve been doing Taiko since I was a kid, maybe in seventh grade,” Hsu said. “I played in Anaheim for a long time, and they went to a group in L.A. After that, I moved to Chicago and played in Chicago for a while, and now I’m here.”

For three hours in the KBR, culture was not just discussed — it was heard, tasted, worn and shared. As students trickled out into the cool Friday night, the sense of community lingered long after the taiko drums fell silent, music still playing as the ADPI-MENA Center began cleaning up.

Bio: 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.

By: Will Bishop

Humboldt County is not often a place where stars land. Our biggest city, Eureka, feels as though, past a certain hour in the depths of night, you could imagine an apocalypse had occurred — wiping the scourge of humankind from the streets. Yet there is a certain pull, an uncategorizable allure that sometimes draws a very bright thing into our orbit. And so, it has happened once more. The inexplicable, almost baffling gravity of The Miniplex has pulled in yet another star. Like our own miniaturized pet black hole. Landing an intimate set with Animal Collective’s own Brian Weitz, currently on a tour under his moniker, Geologist.

Opener Complex Crown, the stagename of local electronic artist Max Brotman, established a heady atonal atmosphere. Primarily driven through rhythmic gymnastics rather than conventional melodic structures, it’s very much the sort of music you need to buy into entirely, or it will sound like nothing at all. As someone who buys into this sort of thing all the time, who owns stock in Richard Devine and loves killing the vibe with extremely confusing music that makes everyone go, “Why are you doing this?” — I thought it was very cool. A sort of full-body aural wash. Music to rewrite the polarity of your atoms. A projector displayed live video synth-driven visuals courtesy of Wil Bruce. Brotman also wielded a harmonium, establishing a precedent of artists throughout the evening using instruments I had never seen before in my entire life. 

Thus bringing us cleanly to the hurdy-gurdy man himself: Geologist. I wasn’t entirely sure what his live act would consist of. Weitz, known for using a headlamp onstage because of the sheer amount of knob fiddling necessary to fulfill his role within Animal Collective, has until this year been the solo projectless member of the group. That changed with this year’s release of his debut album, Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights?, a psychedelic post-rock journey with the aforementioned hurdy-gurdy taking center stage.

The hurdy-gurdy is a very unusual instrument; something between a guitar, a piano and a gramophone. It conjures a sort of funereal aura, recalling that time you went to war for the independence of Scotland, when you and all of your friends were brutally slaughtered under the yoke of British expansionism. When hearing a hurdy-gurdy as played by Brian Weitz, it is more akin to experiencing a tranquil and voluntary heat death in the high deserts of the mind. Beholding cacti morph into shamanic entities of mysterious power and ambiguous intentions while you pound Arnold Palmers — periodically looking down at the visage embossed upon the can and watching him rapidly age 7,000 years over and over again while asking yourself, “Why 7,000 years?”

Standing in the tightly enclosed and low-capacity environment of The Miniplex, mere feet from the man while he conjured forth ancient beings from a great beyond, clicking pedals on and off — sans headlamp—  and absolutely hurding the flippin’ gurd. It was easy to feel as though he was playing this show specifically and entirely for you. With only one small, rhythmically confused individual standing in front of me, my eyes were as if magnetically locked to his fingers — clacking with tap dancer’s grace and the speed of genetically modified super gazelles. To witness such esoteric mastery, like the revival of some arcane Byzantine art, was an experience that can truly only be summarized with an enigmatic riddle: what spins round and round, walks five hundred steps and always ends up exactly where it started? The hurdy-gurdy, baby.

Bio: 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, large trees and rocks. He can often be found in the woods, dancing to bring down the sky.

By Sadie Shields 

Colorful skirts swept across the stage, live mariachi filled the auditorium and traditional dances from all across Latin America reflected both history, celebration and identity.

The festival began to the sound of the Hueso Coyoleras, also known as Aztec dancer foot rattles, filling the quiet room. The Aztec dancers walked from the entrance to the stage to begin the show, as the festivities of Fiesta Folklorica began.

From showing revolutionary imagery, to celebration, to love, the Fiesta Folklorica show was created to represent the culture behind Latin America and give the Latin community a voice at Cal Poly Humboldt, a Hispanic-serving institution.

Hosted at the Van Duzer Theater on campus, the event brought together student performers, musicians and community members for three nights that honored heritage through movement, music and storytelling. Dance groups representing different regions performed throughout the evening, each piece telling a story through costume, rhythm and expression. 

For many performers, the event represented months — and sometimes years — of preparation. Luna Salinas, a junior music education major, described their journey into Danza.

“I’ve been dancing for two years in Danza Azteca,” Salinas said. “I was doing it in the class first and then I got introduced to this whole production.”

Carlos Jaimes Gaytan, a senior in wildlife conservation and management has also been in Danza Azteca for a year.

“I was introduced to the club by Keneti Pinones and Naeem Alston to their Danza Azteca club with yolotl,” Gaytan said. “It’s been an amazing journey and I love every bit of it.”

Beyond performance, Cesar Nuñez, a senior music major and musician, emphasized the deeper meaning behind the event — especially in a small Northern California community.

“It’s important to hold this type of event in Arcata because it gives us Latinos a voice, and it shows a community,“Nuñez said. “Our culture and how we have fun, how we like to party,  it kind of shows the world that we’re not scared. We’re here, and we’re loud and proud about it all.” 

The evening included moments of celebration and cultural pride, with audience members cheering and performers sharing their passion for dance and its importance to their culture. 

“I think [Fiesta Folklorica is] important because they want us to feel shame, but I am not [ashamed] about my culture. Through this experience of dancing and singing our heritage, I have adopted so much pride in the process,” Salinas said. “We’re not going anywhere. And if you just leaned into it, you would find the life and love within it.” 

Sharing the same sentiment, senior biology major Gala Villavicencio has cultural and personal connections to Danza as well.

“Danza Azteca specifically has so many layers to it. It has deep roots that we’re blessed to spread,” Villavicencio said. “I just know that it connects back to my family, and even though I carry them with me, they haven’t had that opportunity to learn about Danza Azteca. And here I am out in Humboldt, learning, educating and doing my best to make them proud.”

Before leaving, Jaime Gatan shared how he wants to let his culture be more known.

“I want to show, I want to educate, I want my culture to be known, in that it shows other people that [you] too can do things like this wherever you go, however small or little, however big or small,.” Gatan said.“ You are a representative in the area. And we’re doing a really good job here representing our culture and trying our best to educate other people about it.”

Director Jacqueline Silva, professor and the director of Fiesta Folklorica, explained how the performances represent the stories of the Latin culture.

“Our dances tell stories which can represent historical events, courtship, animals native to the land and much more. La Revolución is an homage to Las Adelitas [female soldiers] of the Mexican Revolution,” Silva said. “They were such an integral part of war and unfortunately, were not giving the recognition they deserved. Now many groups honor their heroic actions on stage and we felt it was important to share this with our community.”

Through music, dance and community, Fiesta Folklorica served as both a celebration and a reminder that culture continues to live and grow. Wherever people choose to carry, they will not be silenced. 

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.

By Will Bishop

With the wind howling and the sun sinking, five challengers entered the Arcata Veterans Hall. While generally a place for people whose battles have already been fought, this night was an exception. It was time for a long awaited return; a resurrection of something once thought to be dead and buried — the reemergence of 105.1 KRFH Radio’s Battle of the Bands (BotB) on Saturday, Feb. 21.

“I’ve seen posters, like, vintage posters in the station of old BotBs, but I don’t think we’ve done one in a minute,” said KRFH Station Manager Miranda Ricks, a senior year journalism major. “This was kind of a little passion project of mine because I think it’s so — I don’t want to use the word cliche, but it’s such a movie trope to have a BotB, and I’m just really happy we were able to pull it off.” 

Attendees were encouraged to scan QR codes located around the premises to vote for their favorite act, while merch tables could be found all over offering both band specific loot, as well as good ol’ fashioned KRFH memorabilia. Around 6 p.m., the first band took the stage.

Datura Blues: Starting things off with a moody and atmospheric bang were KRFH BotB vets Datura Blues. Consisting of multiple Humboldt State University (HSU) alums including Oryan Peterson-Jones, who wrote his own ethnomusicology major called “Music as a cultural metaphor.” From 2000-2004, they played every KRFH BotB, and were valiantly defeated every time. 

“We’re not a winning band,” Peterson-Jones said. 

Given their sound, a purely instrumental cosmically minded psychedelic maelstrom, this is no surprise. Many of history’s greatest heroes are unsung in their time. 

Speaking of history, Peterson-Jones’ legacy with KRFH goes all the way back to 1994, with his high school band entering the fray as young upstart contenders. He would go on to become program director and music manager, and even become close friends with KRFH founder Gary Melton. A true KRFH hall of famer if ever there was one. 

Heaven’s Taint: A lineup choice clearly intended to give the audience whiplash. Regarding the contrast between the first two bands, frontwoman Sunny Breed, a Cal Poly Humboldt (CPH) alum with a psychology major, said, “We’re gonna break that trance, we’re gonna break it up.” Breed, in the purest sense of the word, is a rockstar. A performer equal parts electric and elastic, pogoing around the stage in a pair of white framed shades and spitting out every word.

Lady in Waiting: It was time for the youths to take the stage to make everybody sad and introspective. This was the band’s first ever live performance, but listening to them you would never be able to tell. Like a newborn baby that’s inexplicably and disturbingly an adult man with a job and a drinking problem, they have arrived fully developed and ready to talk about what ails the world with whoever will listen. 

The main songwriting duo at the heart of the group, Jack Sparks and Sophia Rudoni, are both art majors at CPH. Additionally, Rudoni is one of KRFH’s own, operating under the alias DJ Beeprincess. 

The band’s influences are diverse and eclectic, emphasizing 90s New York bands like trip hop innovators Bowery Electric, and Japanese shoegaze act Pasteboard. Their third song, Martial Law, had more modern, political influences. 

 “Next song is about the president of the United States, fuck that guy. Fuck [Immigration and Customs Enforcement],” Sparks said.

Shortly followed by a student making a quick announcement onstage regarding last week’s Siemens Hall occupation and the upcoming open forum scheduled for Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 a.m.

Eradescents: By this point in the evening the audience had reached its peak size, and it was time for crowd-pleasing act Eradescents to take the stage. With only three members, they were the smallest band in competition, but they had heart to spare and powered through a rambunctious set rife with memorable moments. From a charged performance of Don’t Want to Know If You Are Lonely by Hüsker Dü to the band being honored with the first and only thrown novelty thong of the night — which swiftly wound up on the drummer’s head for the duration of their set. This was precisely the kind of performance you affiliate with a classic BotB experience.

Pennies for Pluto: Announcing themselves with an improvised ditty about the event, the band quickly launched into an absurdly impressive set demonstrating virtuosic chops from every member. Frontman and bleeding heart of the band Orion Jesse Paul delivered a soaring vocal performance and shredding licks in equal measure.

This marked the end of our lengthy and tumultuous journey. Each combatant had said their piece and now it was time for the audience to decide. Out of a grand tally of 112 votes in all, the winner of this most hallowed of tournaments was none other than Lady in Waiting. For their efforts each band member received a KRFH shirt, pin, patch and poster, as well as a slot in an upcoming Local LIXX session, a radio promo, and the opportunity to have their recorded music uploaded to KRFH’s automated system for that sweet sweet airtime.

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.