1:06 p.m. Welfare Check – First Floor Library Computer Lab
White male in his 40s with scruffy hair and tan baseball cap, red in the face and rocking back and forth, non-responsive to staff approaching him. He left on arrival of the officers.
8:04 p.m. – Investigation at JGC
Subject believes someone placed an Apple Airtag on her vehicle and is requesting contact.
11:42 p.m. – Patrol Check Kinesiology Building
4 skateboarders at the student recreation center advised of school policy on grinding and tricks. Subjects moved along.
Tuesday, Feb 20, 2024
08:36 a.m. – Vandalism – Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center
Rowing coach advised via email someone has been untying and tampering with the boats at night.
3:52 p.m. – Drug Activity- Alder Hall
Officers requested to pick up a bong. No marijuana present or resident on scene.
11:01 p.m. – Investigation at Mendocino Residence Halls
Subject called to report a possible missing person.
Wednesday, Feb 21, 2024
1:03 p.m. – Suspicious Circumstances – Kinesiology and Athletics Building
Subject’s car was tagged with #13 on the side mirror with a sharpie. She was able to remove it, but is concerned it may be a marking for someone targeting vehicles or people. She was parked off-campus on 16th and Spring St., but requested documentation in case there are other victims.
5:42 p.m. – Alder Hall – Grand Theft
Subject reported their bike was taken from the bike rack between Alder and Chinquapin.
7:41 p.m. – Vandalism – 2nd Floor Library
Custodial staff reported vandalism in the women’s handicap stall.
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024
10:16 p.m. – Drug Activity – Chinquapin Residence Halls
RA requested the officer for drug paraphernalia.
Friday, February 23, 2024
11:09 a.m. – Vandalism – Kinesiology and Athletics Building
Eternal Heart graffiti found on the stairwell in the Kinesiology building.
2:53 p.m. – Suspicious Circumstances – 14th Street and Union
Subject reported male is on top of a moving vehicle. APD was contacted as vehicle was located off-campus.
5:15 p.m. – Misc. Parking Problem – Sunset Residence Hall
The Residence Life Coordinator requested the officer to respond to the garden area for a motorcycle and small jug of gasoline locked to the bike rack. Handled by housing.
Monday, Feb 26, 2024
2:45 p.m. – Fire Alarm – Mendocino Residence Hall
Fire Alarm [went off] as a result of burnt food. False Alarm.
5:03 p.m. – Welfare Check – Trinity Residence Hall
Mother of a student received a call at [3 p.m.] stating her daughter had been kidnapped and they were threatening to kill her if the mother didn’t send money. The daughter was contacted and the call appears to be fraudulent. Subject contacted her mother.
8:19 p.m. – Welfare Check – Plaza Circle
Subject called to report a 30-year-old white male in a bright blue sweatshirt acting erratically.
The 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) soft-launched in late December of 2023. The application has gone through some changes compared to previous years’ applications. The type and amount of questions will vary based on each student’s circumstances. The FAFSA website has not set a deadline for when the form will close, but mentions that the first round of applications will likely be sent out to universities through the middle of March 2024.
Cal Poly Humboldt’s financial aid office says the anticipated due date for FAFSA applications is April 2 but they recommend students fill out the application before March 2 to be eligible for Cal Grants and the Middle Class Scholarship Award. From their understanding, student’s won’t be able to go back into their FAFSA form and make corrections until mid March. The financial aid office urges students to complete the form before March 2 to give them the most time to work with students on the form if complications arise.
The scholarship application for Cal Poly Humboldt is also currently available until March 4, although some scholarships may have extended deadlines.
The financial aid office is located in the Student Business Services and open on weekdays for in person assistance from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and their phone line is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They have also implemented after-hour assistance twice a month through Zoom. The next dates are March 4 and March 20 from 3-6 p.m.
I am a person with mental illness. I have bipolar disorder and take my five medications every night. As a person with mental illness, I have mixed feelings about Prop. 1. I think it’s great that our state is finally doing something about homelessness. According to research done by UC San Francisco, over eight in ten homeless people in California struggle with serious mental illness and nearly two-thirds struggle with addiction. This proposition would increase treatment beds and increase care for people with addictions. I am unhappy that they are expanding involuntary treatment. Involuntary treatment is necessary under certain circumstances. I have been so delusional that I thought I was the Messiah, despite taking my medication. I didn’t think I needed as much care as I ended up getting. I credit involuntary treatment with saving me in certain situations. However, I am concerned that involuntary treatment will be overused.
It comes down to a very tricky dilemma. To what degree can a person, whose mind is impaired, make good choices for themselves? It’s a tricky line to walk. Often, we can’t make good choices for ourselves if we are severely ill, so we need to rely on others to do what is best for us. However, this inherently violates the rights of the mentally ill to a degree. Sometimes the current laws assume we can make choices for ourselves when the part of us that makes choices is impaired. Our current system doesn’t really know how to deal with this. Either they give us the freedom to make bad choices, or we have no choices at all.
It could be argued, though, that the situation really has become dire. I actually walked through Skid Row once, with company, and was shocked by the poverty. This makes me consider that maybe the situation with mental health has become so dire in our state that involuntary measures have become necessary.
At face value, Proposition 1 amends the Mental Health Services Act to offer more behavioral health services. This requires authorizing $6.38 billion in bonds. Meaning that the state sells this amount in bonds, which is how the government borrows money and repays it, plus interest over time. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, it would increase state costs to repay bonds, amounting to $310 million annually for 30 years. This also means that an annual $140 million of existing tax revenue for mental health, alcohol, and drug rehabilitation shifts from counties to the state government.
So what will Prop. 1 do? If voted in, it will make counties’ mental health care and substance use treatment services more focused on housing and personalized support. The money could go to building more facilities and housing for people with mental health, drug, or alcohol issues. If it’s not voted in, nothing will change.
Arguments for Prop. 1 emphasize the importance of finding solutions to the homelessness, mental health, and addiction crises, and Prop. 1 may be a step in the right direction. Arguments against Prop. 1 point out that the proposition is expensive and this is not the time for more government debt. It may also take away funding from current community-based mental health services funded by the Mental Health Services Act, taking almost a third of the annual funding dedicated by the act.
According to the California Voter guide, those in favor of Proposition 1 include California Professional Firefighters, CA Assoc. of Veteran Service Agencies, and National Alliance on Mental Illness–Ca. Those opposing Prop. 1 include Mental Health America of California, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and CalVoices.
Voting day is March 5. To register to vote, visit registertovote.ca.gov/
Shit’s mad fun – really gets you filled with those OG childhood emotions. Skipping makes you feel like you’re on your way to recess in third grade, about to go undefeated in four-square or tear up the monkey bars.
I know that you’re in college, you’re an adult, and if we were all skipping around campus, it would look ridiculous.
You see, when we grew up, we gave up the playful activity of skipping for a more serious exercise: running. The thing about running is the impact. It’s impossible to avoid because the knee acts as a hinge for the leg, creating a negative impact on the knee and patella. The impact is part of the reason a lot of the running shoes we see coming out these days have insanely thick outsoles and almost look like Balenciagas. What if I told you skipping is better than running?
Researchers at two universities in North Carolina conducted an experiment and found that the peak force of impact is 30% greater in those who run compared to those who skip. Additionally, up to 79% of runners reported that they suffer some kind of injury every year.
I’m someone who has dislocated my knee on multiple occasions, but skipping takes an immense amount of stress off of your knees. If you have knee problems, skipping is the way to go. However, if you have any issues going on with your calves or ankles, you may find some pressure in those areas while skipping.
I just can’t wait until it starts to warm up again, I’ll be skipping everywhere. Just imagine – the warm sun gently toasting your skin while you and your pals skip cheerfully across the beach, skip to the river to skip rocks, or maybe even skip to the lou… skipping could be the move. Not to mention, it is not much harder to skip than walk, yet you get to travel at close to running speeds.
I’m not saying that you should skip to class with your backpack on like a grade schooler, although that would be a riot. I’m saying skip around once in a while. Have some fun with your friends, take some airy leaps and bounds on your way to the farmers market or on your little hikes in the forest. You will thank me and come skipping back, because skipping is just so much fun.
I have a girl I really like and might’ve asked to hangout in a strange manner, and it came off a little weird. She didn’t reject me, she said something about being busy, but it seemed genuine. I’m in the midst of contemplating whether I shoot my shot, ask to hang, or what to do from here. My morals keep getting in the way of things and am trying to make a so-called comeback from here. What should I do?
Everyone gets nervous talking to their crush – especially if they’re trying to ask them out. So what, you acted like a little freak? Happens to the best of us.
What to do from here can be tricky territory. You don’t want to be pushy, but you also deserve clarity on the situation. If you genuinely think she was being serious about being busy, try and reschedule. If you guys have history, and she knows you like her, I don’t see why she would agree if she wasn’t somewhat interested. That is, unless you backed her into a corner, either physically or metaphorically.
When you say your morals are getting in the way of things, what do you mean in terms of morals? Are you sure it’s your moral compass and not your ego and pride? Sending a double text is scary, but in my opinion, being a victim of your pride is worse. You waste precious, unretrievable time when you let your pride get in the way of your relationships – whether it’s a double text to try and hang out, or reaching out to give an apology, our egos often interfere with solvable situations.
This seems like a common issue of miscommunication. If you’re not sure where her heads at, ask her. If she gives you a wishy-washy response, you have your answer. At the end of the day, you have to go back to the source.
The flicker of the TV from down the hall lit up my room just enough that I could still see the outline of my bookshelf in the corner. The flashes of light just barely illuminated the spines of books, dried flowers, a nesting doll my mom gifted me for a birthday so many years ago. It’s quiet, aside from the distant murmur of late night TV. Nights like these, I typically stay up pretty late. There isn’t much to do here other than hang out with my dogs or pester my mom while she’s working. And I can’t do either of those things because they’re all asleep. So instead, I conducted an interview with myself.
Mia: Hi, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you here.
Mia: Yeah, I usually don’t come around here too often. It seems I only end up here in moments of crisis.
Mia: Do you consider this a moment of crisis? Don’t you think that’s a bit of a reach? I mean, yeah it’s been a rough couple of weeks, but you’re still doing okay.
Mia: I guess you’re right. It feels wrong to call this a moment of crisis. I just can’t seem to get out of my own head. That is why I’m talking to you; I’m exhausted. It’s been hard to get out of bed. I’ve been forcing myself to shower, brush my teeth, and eat. I’ve been skipping classes because I can’t leave my house, only to obsessively watch the clock in fits of guilt. I made the drive up to Mom’s in part so that I could get away from Humboldt. But I don’t know if coming up here is helping or hurting.
Mia: I get that. It just feels a little self-indulgent to be so complicit in your pain. I know you are in pain, but lingering on it is only going to make it worse.
Mia: I don’t want to say that I’m complicit in my own pain or sadness, but I think a part of me is. This reminds me of when I first went on antidepressants. I didn’t necessarily feel sad or depressed or suicidal anymore; I didn’t really feel anything. The numbness was a completely new feeling and I wasn’t used to it. I was so used to being in pain that I almost kind of missed it; like, I had felt this for so long that it was a part of me, and without it I wasn’t the same. I hate when people say that their mental illness is what gives them their “sparkle.” I think that it can be really invalidating. There is nothing glamorous about not being able to get out of bed in the morning. When I’ve been wearing the same pajamas going on day six and I haven’t brushed my teeth, washed my hair or eaten a proper meal in days, I am the furthest thing from glamorous.
Mia: What will happen when you’re no longer in pain?
Mia: I’m not really sure. What will happen if the pain never goes away?
Mia: You’ll continue living. Just as you are doing now. I know it’s not always easy to do that and I don’t know if it’ll ever get easier. But regardless of ease, you’ll go on. It might seem impossible to go on at one point or another, but then you’ll hang out with your friends, or call your mom, or see a cute dog in a car across the street, and for a moment, the pain will subside.
Every weekend on campus students make birdies fly. Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., badminton lovers can be found at an open gym hosted by the Humboldt Badminton Club. Located at Forbes Gym, badminton is one of the many recreational sports on campus that host drop-ins. Drop-ins are $2 a session for community members, but for students, it’s completely free.
Aaron Muscarello is the president of the badminton club and has been slinging shuttlecocks since middle school. As a senior and a physical education major, Muscarello is passionate about bringing badminton back from the dead.
“This is the first full semester,” Muscarello said. “To see a whole gym full of people, like this, was initially my goal to start. The next goal is to get more competition. I like to see tournaments. It’d be cool to have an intramural league but we just have to get people that are willing to… progress and want to be more competitive.”
With big plans for this club’s rebirth, Muscarello’s big time goal is to travel and compete against other schools. In order to achieve his goals, he must start by recruiting more consistent club members.
“It was kind of a selfish goal,” Muscarello said. “You can’t play badminton by yourself right? So you need other people… I want to play so I’m going to be the one to get all these people together. And that’s why I started honestly. It’s a great opportunity to come down like if you want some exercise on a Saturday, especially when it’s raining.”
Either with friends or on your own, the badminton club is beginner friendly and a good place to socialize. Depending on experience, games range from fast paced one-on-one matches, to slow and steady doubles. Most of the time they don’t keep track of points.
“If you’re somebody that wants to run around and actually meet people that are really cool, that is what the club is for,” Muscarello said. “That’s why drop ins are a sweet opportunity.”
Morgan Lopez, a child development major, was a first-timer on the badminton court. She had hardly played the sport before, and walked away feeling positive about the experience.
“It’s actually really fun,” Lopez said. “It’s way harder than I thought it would be, but I think I’ve got a dub coming up here soon. It’s a cute little game, a cute little racket, cute little birdie. Cute little net.”
More serious about the sport is Clarissa Peyton, a zoology major. Peyton has played badminton since highschool where she competed in the Citrus Belt League and played varsity singles.
“I love badminton because it’s a really satisfying sport, like when you smash it [the birdie] or trip up your competitor with different moves,” Peyton said. “I also just love competing with people and seeing people really give it their all.”
Muscarello attributes the success of the club to the people he works with. This includes club officers, his advisor, recreation sports and the office of student life, his family, and most importantly his team and the people who show up to drop ins.
“I might be the President – or King, Emperor, Firelord – of the Humboldt Badminton Club, but this is a team game and I couldn’t have gotten this club to where it is without the support of [my team],” Muscarello said. “I couldn’t have done it without y’all.”
The Willits bypass is a stretch of the U.S. Highway 101. After being proposed 60 years ago, it was finally finished less than a decade ago. It serves an important role in decongesting Willits, diverting drivers around the small town. The bypass is also home to the largest public wetlands mitigation project in the state of California, the Willits Bypass Offsite Mitigation Project.
This mitigation project has been joined by Justin C. Luong, a rangeland resource science professor at Cal Poly Humboldt. Recently he was awarded a $520,000 grant from the California Bountiful Foundation. He is conducting a case study on the impact of cattle grazing on grasslands. This research is important because wetlands help with carbon cycling, host thousands of endemic species, and play a key role in cattle production.
“Federal government policies don’t allow for any grazing on any top of habitat classified as any kind of wetland at all,” Luong said. “Even though California state laws and science show sometimes grazing can be beneficial for managing natural systems if utilized properly.”
Luong is doing this study to better understand if cows actually play a vital role in grassland ecosystems. He is using historical data from the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District to look at the impact of removing grazing in the grasslands. Luong is also using aerial images from Google and drone images to better understand the environmental differences between grazed and ungrazed grasslands. While looking at all of these images, Luong is also taking samples at the site, inspecting the biology of the plants, trying to better understand the best traits needed for a changing environment.
“My job is to essentially go in and evaluate how the removal of cattle grazing from these areas affected these habitats and their ecosystem properties and services, especially thinking about some of the threatened species we have out there,” Luong said. “The North Coast semaphore grass, the baker’s meadow phone. Both of these species typically require more open habitat and bare ground in order to establish well.”
Luong is trying to find the perfect combination of native plant species for grasslands to thrive. Plants like Reed Canary grass are taking over most of the space in the habitat, leaving little room for the important species mentioned above.
“The managers on the ground have noted that oftentimes, cattle grazing is really important to remove some of that cover, open up some of that space to facilitate some of the recovery or establishment of those kinds of threatened plant species, while still supporting cattle production,” Luong said.
The reason Luong is focusing on grasslands is to highlight the importance they have. They not only support the entire cattle economy, but they hold a key role in controlling carbon emissions. In a process called carbon sequestration. They hold pockets of carbon in their roots, reducing global carbon emissions. In a study by The Conservation Fund, they discovered that wetlands store 18 to 216 metric tons of carbon per acre. Making grassland restoration an important fixture in climate conservation.
“Grasslands are really important for carbon storage and sequestration, especially with future climate risks. Because oftentimes when you have mass plant mortality, which happens in grasslands or forests you lose that carbon back to the atmosphere.” Luong said. “In grasslands, a lot of that is fibrous roots underground. We know that some native grasses that we have dug up can go up to 18 feet deep, so that carbon stays stable in the ground and helps with more stable carbon sequestration with climate change.”
Luong is going to work on this project for the next five years with Mendocino Resource Conservation District. He is hoping to reinvigorate grassland restoration by updating the data and information people have for grassland restoration. He believes that once people have the right tools, grassland restoration will be more informed and focused.
“My work often is really geared at being applied, and so I’m always trying to find real world issues that need solving now and try to work towards those solutions, those applied solutions,” Luong said.
Arcata is filled with small businesses and food trucks with a wide variety of styles, cuisines, and loyal customers. From Mexican food to hibachi, cravings can be satisfied simply by making a quick stop. One thing that has been missing from the local food scene is a good old fashion breakfast burrito. Something that will motivate you to get out of bed or cure your hangover on a Sunday morning. A burrito that is both classic and unique, giving you something to look forward to all week. This craving has been satiated with Backwoods Burritos, a local food cart serving up those reliable, tasty, and satisfying breakfast burritos people have been looking for.
Britton Latham, founder of Backwoods Burritos, serves up his Southwest inspired breakfast burritos every Thursday through Monday in front of Arcata Theater Lounge and at the North Coast Farmers Market in Arcata. With four different options, three meat and one vegetarian, everyone can get their fix of breakfast burritos. Prices range from $10-$12, featuring Latham’s original redwood chili in each one.
“It’s super unique because of the redwood chili,” Latham said. “It’s basically like a green chili, except with the seasonings and peppers I put in it, it turns red… It’s a very signature flavor.”
Britton Latham serving up Backwoods Burritos at the North Coast Farmers Market in Arcata. photo by: Zack Mink 2/10/24
Along with this original recipe, Backwoods Burritos is special because consistency is prioritized for customers to have the best experience possible.
“The first bite tastes like the last bite, and that’s super important,” Latham said. “That makes it really unique, and it’s sold out of a little cart with a UFO on it.”
After taking some breakfast burritos on a camping trip in the backwoods with friends, Latham realized they could be his new culinary venture and become a successful business. During this time of recipe development, UFO testimonies played in the background as he cooked, inspiring him to pursue an alien theme, strongly branding himself. Latham began selling his Humboldt backwoods/alien themed breakfast burritos in October of 2021, but has outgrown his home kitchen and now utilizes The Kitchen Arcata for commissary.
Recently, Backwoods Burritos became an approved vendor for Cal Poly Humboldt events, bringing the burritos from downtown Arcata to campus for students to indulge in.
“Yes, and that’s the dream,” Latham said. “I didn’t even go to college, so to be slinging burritos at a college… this is the closest I ever came.”
Aside from sharing his creation with students, Latham has goals of selling burritos every day of the week, creating a brick and mortar store, vending at local music festivals, and spreading his impact across Humboldt County.
“I definitely have the goal of more carts, getting more carts through Humboldt,” Latham said.
With Backwoods Burritos beginning with friends and locals, Latham gives back and encourages community members to not only support himself, but other local businesses with his golden burrito program. The golden burrito, based off of Willy Wonka’s golden ticket, is a random burrito secretly wrapped in gold foil. The winner receives gift certificates to local businesses that he loves and wants to support.
Latham is also starting what he calls the Backwood Running Club, which brings people together to not only run, but to spend time outside in the backwoods of Humboldt County.
Backwoods Burritos isn’t just about making money for Latham. It’s about building a strong community and making memories with new and old friends.
“We’re all friends,” Latham said. “Started with friends and now it’s just like expanding with more and more friends… that’s what I love about it.”
Since opening November of 2021, The Campus Store, Eureka’s revenue stands at $188,596, with expenses totalling $289,936, equating to $101,367 in losses during its first 25 months in operation. The storefront boasts prime location in Eureka’s Old Town and was opened with the aim of increasing the university’s presence in Eureka. Despite consistent financial losses, the university remains steadfast about the importance of the Eureka store for community engagement and accessibility.
Although sharing a name with The Campus Store, Arcata, the Eureka location is different in many foundational ways. Whereas the Arcata building space is owned by the Cal Poly Humboldt Foundation, the Eureka location is leased by Cal Poly Humboldt for $2,000 a month. This $2,000 per month excludes utilities, trash services, maintenance, taxes, permit, inspections and license fees, according to the building lease agreement obtained through public record request. While the Arcata location is operated by Follet, a nationwide store operator for colleges, the Eureka location is operated by Humboldt Outfitters, a locally owned company.
“They are able to bring in their own approved designs, which may be different than the Arcata Campus Store. They also bring in some of their successful products they feature in their Arcata store,” said Grant Scott-Goforth, communications specialist for Cal Poly Humboldt.
The deal with Humboldt outfitters arose from a request for proposal (RFP) put out by the University due to the fact that the Eureka location was too small to be operated by Follet, according to Scott-Goforth. Humboldt Outfitters was selected because of their success with their Arcata store, and their local screen printing and engraving capabilities.
David Neyra, owner of Humboldt Outfitters, deferred to university marketing and communications when asked for an interview. In his email response, Neyra copy and pasted questions and answers which had been asked directly to marketing and communications regarding the university’s perspective on operations at the store.
The Eureka location layout also differs substantially from the Arcata storefront. In Eureka, sections of the store are reserved for local school merchandise in addition to offering Arcata, CA and Humboldt County branded clothing items. Additionally, an entire corner of the store is reserved for non-university affiliated trinkets like cutting boards, cutlery, and toiletry items. The store also features Humboldt State branded gear, which is important to the vast majority of current Alumni who studied at the then named Humboldt State University.
At the Old Town store, Cal Poly Humboldt branded gear costs $89.99 for a zip-up fleece sweater, $69.99 for a plaid blanket with a white ‘H.,’ a pullover hoodie for $49.99, and $49.00 for a polo. However, the gear is name-brand. Nike, Holloway, and Port Authority all make items sold by the store.
Unprofitable since opening, The Campus Store, Eureka has run an average deficit of $4,055 a month for the 25 month period between Nov. 2021 to Dec. 2023. In spite of this, the university sees the store as a success in its main objectives of providing visibility and accessibility, expanding the relationship with the city of Eureka, and expanding logo wear offerings, according to Scott-Goforth. Naturally, running a consistent deficit is not ideal for any business, no matter how large the financial backing. This has led to the university’s constant changes to the store’s merchandise and marketing in an effort to attract more customers.
“The Campus Store, Eureka continues to optimize its inventory selection and online ordering, along with social media marketing to increase sales,” Scott-Goforth said.
The university’s Senior Director for Enterprise Services Todd Larsen, who oversees the Campus Stores, deferred an interview request to university marketing and communications. President Tom Jackson Jr., who was credited by Frank Whitlatch in his letter to the editor on Nov. 29, 2023 with the achievement of opening the Campus Stores, did not respond to an interview request.
From the city of Eureka’s perspective, the store is nothing but a major positive. City Manager Miles Slattery emphasized that any and all presence of the university in Eureka is hugely beneficial – and not only from an economic standpoint.
“It’s even more beneficial from a social standpoint of bringing in a younger and especially more diverse community to our area,” Slattery said. “Our emphasis in economic development has been working on BIPOC owned businesses, trying to expand on that and provide opportunities for folks to open up businesses. Having that population of folks in our Eureka commercial district is nothing but beneficial and expands the diversity of our businesses.”
Lead singer Warren Haynes vibing out under the green light in Van Duzer.Lights shine down on Warren Haynes to kick off the show in Van Duzer on Feb. 13.Lead singer for Gov’t Mule under the lights for the Feb. 13 show in Van Duzer.Lead singer for Gov’t Mule Warren Haynes laying it down in Van Duzer.Gov’t Mule guitarist Danny Louis also putting in time on the keyboard during the performance in Van Duzer on Feb.13.
For many students with dozens of responsibilities, doing their own taxes is byzantine, boring, and back-breaking. Though doing taxes is famously painful, there are resources to help.
The student tax clinic is open to almost all students and community members who make less than $70,000 a year. It’s free and staffed by accounting students. Book an appointment through their website, found through Humboldt’s School of Business website, which operates on Wednesday evenings in Siemens Hall.
International students filing international tax forms are not eligible for the clinic’s help, though Instructor of Record for the clinic Joshua Zender, said the clinic will help international students if they are filing domestic returns.
The clinic’s scope is limited to processing tax documents students provide, using the IRS-supplied TaxSlayer software, and then sending those returns to the IRS. Anyone seeking tax advice or anything more complicated should use a qualified accountant. But just because what the clinic can do is limited doesn’t mean people can’t benefit immensely.
“Oftentimes, we find that people we’re serving are simply not aware that they’re eligible for, maybe, a renter’s tax credit, or they’re eligible for a special tax credit because they happen to be going to college right now,” Zender said. “That’s always a really rewarding experience, to see somebody’s face light up and think, ‘Oh, well, I’m actually gonna get money back from the government that I didn’t know I was eligible for.’”
Another tax credit that’s worth looking into is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which Zender said some students qualify for. It’s open to low and moderate-income workers.
If someone earned less than $13,850 for the 2023 tax year, they can file and get all of their federal income taxes returned.
The students working at the clinic also benefit from helping people with their taxes. They get a $1,500 stipend provided by the Smullin foundation, an Oregon-based grant-giving organization, as well as a lot of experience.
“The main [benefits] are becoming proficient and more confident in using tax software to prepare a tax return,” Zeller said. “For accounting students, they’re looking for real world experience doing their field. But a second [reason] is establishing an ethos, or a commitment to serve a community, and in particular an underserved community, and so developing the skills to communicate and help and empower people who need assistance with their tax return is a really important skill to be developed from this experience as well.”
Student David Mata is an accounting student who has worked for the clinic for two years. He started doing tax returns six years ago at H&R Block and enjoys the people he gets to meet.
“You get to see people you don’t get to see,” Mata said. “I haven’t done much community stuff. This gives me a perspective on being a part of this community.”
Daniel Taylor, another accounting student in his second year on staff, agreed with Mata. He said the experience he got from working there was invaluable–and the stipend is good too.
“It’s nice to help people,” Taylor said. “Everyone loves free taxes.”
Immediately when you walk into the art exhibit, you are taken into the life and work of Lora Webb Nichols. Located in the Reese Bullen Gallery at Cal Poly Humboldt, Nichols’ black and white photography is displayed for all to see. Her work covers candid portrait shots of those around her. The massive archive of prints has been preserved through the volunteer efforts of Nancy Anderson, Victor Anderson, and Nicole Jean Hill.
Hill is a Professor of Art at Cal Poly Humboldt and the chair of the department of art and film. Her area of expertise is in photography and she teaches photography classes and professional practices in art. Hill is also the co-curator of the Lora Webb Nichols collections.
“When I first dove into the archive, I didn’t know what was [there] because it wasn’t actually viewable yet,” Hill said. “Only a very small portion of it was accessible to the public. It was kind of a leap of faith, but I was intrigued by the fact that it was an archive made by a female photographer who got a camera at the age of 16 in 1899 and saved 24,000 negatives.”
Over the course of some time, Hill has worked on digitizing the photographs, organizing the corresponding text, recovering the photographer’s diaries and letters, and collaborating with the Grand Encampment Museum and the American Heritage Center to secure a permanent home for the negatives.
Lora Webb Nichols was a photographer, businesswoman and homemaker living on the Wyoming frontier in the 20th century. She got her first camera at the young age of 16 and over the course of her lifetime, she produced a grand number of 24,000 negatives. The images she captured are about the domestic, social, and economic aspects of the frontier of south-central Wyoming.
“When you’re 16 years old and you get a camera, you’re unfiltered, and I was excited to see what that would be like,” Hill said. “Then, once I was actually physically able to see what was in the archive, it was even more exciting than I could have imagined in terms of the variety of subject matter and Lora’s skill as the photographer.”
The most eye-catching work of the exhibit were the two cork boards with many printed images pinned across them both. On a pedestal below sat a book filled with many more photographs.
More of Nichols’ photographs and writing can be found online through the American Heritage Center or in person at the Grand Encampment Museum.
“I love that this art exhibit has brought people to campus that otherwise would not come to see an art exhibit,” Hill said. “It has a multigenerational attraction to it.”
The heavy rain that poured on the Redwood Bowl exposed the gritty nature of Cal Poly Humboldt’s track & field athletes at the Green and Gold Invitational, a celebration of competition, recognition, and tradition.
“We get used to doing things the hard way and having a good attitude about it,” said Sarah Ingram, head track coach. “I think that that’s something that’s been really sort of contagious throughout our program and forever, you know, our alumni are sturdy. It’s the same with our freshmen … they learn it pretty quickly. It’s a gritty bunch.”
The event on Feb. 17 represented the start of the track & field outdoor season and allowed the athletes to come together, share some fun and break into the competition mindset. Track & field alumni were recognized for their achievements and contributions to the program as part of the day’s festivities.
Cal Poly Humboldt’s CCAA champion Joy Hano mid hurdle at Green & Gold Invitational.Cal Poly Humboldt’s Walker Dorris hurdling down the track at the Green & Gold Invitational on Feb. 17.
Coach Ingram saw the Invitational as a “rust-buster” for her athletes, a re-entry into the race season. Ingram’s main goal for the event was for the athletes to enjoy themselves and stay healthy.
“Biggest goal of today, especially with the weather that we have, is having some fun getting exposure to the sport again,” Ingram said. “Being outside, getting exposed to that and dealing with it and staying healthy.”
In typical Humboldt fashion, poor weather conditions set the tone for the event, as HSU track & field alumnus and current assistant coach Kate Eilers explained what makes Humboldt’s program special. Serving as the event’s main alumni honoree after her recent induction into Cal Poly Humboldt’s Hall of Fame, Eilers believes that the program is set apart from the rest.
“There’s a lot of schools that will just recruit runners, and they’re either good or they’re not good, and they’re just seen as points on the board,” Eilers said. “Our Jack’s family builds athletes. We’re ‘Hum-built’ across the board in every sport, and I don’t think that’s typical in the college environment. We bring in athletes, we give people chances, we bring them into the family and we encourage their growth as a human being not, just as an athlete. You have to be the person capable of achieving your goals before you can achieve those goals. That takes a lot of character development beyond just the physical aspect of competing… Humboldt cares.”
Humboldt is indeed a special place for athletes, including pole vaulter Justin Vigna, who attributes Humboldt’s beauty and tight knit community to the program’s uniqueness.
“It’s a little bit smaller of a team, so everybody can talk to each other,” Vigna said. “I see these people all the time, every day. We get to know each other and it’s really like a family.”
The meet ended with a fun tradition, the infamous redwood log relay, where teams of about 5 athletes grab logs from the surrounding forest and race with them in hand. This year, one team brought up the rear, slowly making their way around the track with one of the biggest stumps out of all the teams. Dead last, the entire track & field team went back and ran alongside the last straggler, cheering him on all the way to the finish line, shirtless in the pouring rain. That’s Humboldt track & field.
Cal Poly Humboldt’s Daniel Gober digging deep to carry the log across the finish line during track & fields famous redwood log relay.
Cal Poly Humboldt may be faced with an $8 million budget deficit in the 2024-2025 school year.
At an Associated Students meeting on Feb. 9, Provost Jenn Capps and University Budget Office Director Amber Blakeslee gave a presentation on the university’s estimated budget and how they plan to address it.
Beyond Cal Poly Humboldt, the entire CSU system is faced with budget constraints. Each year, the state governor puts out a proposed budget for the CSU system. After months of discussion and advocacy, the governor publishes a revised budget in May, which is then finalized in June. Currently, the 2024-2025 proposed budget for California projects a $38 billion deficit. CSU campuses get most of their funds from the state budget and funds are distributed based on enrollment.
However, the governor and the CSU system have an agreement where their portion of state funding will increase by 5% every year, provided that the campuses continue meeting their student success outcomes. Because of the current deficit California is facing, the planned $240 million base increase will be delayed by a year and paid back retroactively. There is a chance that funding won’t be available for the 2025-2026 school year, so the CSU system is trying to redivide its funding among over-enrolled and under-enrolled schools.
“The system is sort of reshuffling, so for campuses that were under-enrolled, [that means] reducing the targets, which means reducing funding and shifting that to campuses that are above target,” Blakeslee said. “And so for our campus, we’re going to have our target reduced by 3% next year, which means 3% of the funding will pull back as well, so it’s about a $2 million impact to our campus that we need to navigate as part of budget planning.”
While the university’s revenue is increasing, expenses are increasing at a faster rate. For the 2024-2025 school year, the university is expecting funding from the state, the 6% tuition increase, enrollment, and California Polytechnic funding, totaling at $170 million. The deficit from compensation and benefits, financial aid, and other costs are estimated to reach $178 million.
Blakeslee described how budget planning for the campus looks at three different scenarios for enrollment, including a baseline scenario, the best case scenario, and worst case scenario. The baseline enrollment increase projected for next year is 2.6%.
“As a campus, we’re actively working toward ambitious growth,” Blakeslee said. “From a budget standpoint, we are conservatively planning but watching closely because we want to make sure that we are proactively supporting and growing capacity where needed as we realize the growth, but we also don’t want to spend it before it happens.”
Carla Ho’ā, the interim Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance and Administration, emphasized the university’s priority being the student population and minimizing negative effects when making budget cuts.
“Financial resiliency is another aspect of this,” Ho’ā said. “It can be tempting at times to make short-term decisions that have long-term, and sometimes negative, consequences. [We’re] really needing to be thoughtful and looking out into the future and about the financial resiliency of the university for the long-term, like having sustainable decisions built into the process.”
When deciding where to allocate funds for Academic Affairs, Capps collaborates with the department heads of the colleges, the library dean, and other areas to share strategies and distribute funding. She said that the university hopes to provide more opportunities for student collaboration in the future.
“What has been asked in a lot of different spaces is, ‘Hey folks, could you share with the campus community what ideas you generate, what potential opportunities you might be going after, before you actually do it?’” Capps said. “So that you all know what we’re considering, what we’re thinking about, and potentially have a shot to weigh in.”
Capps also said that the University Resources and Planning Committee – a part of the University Senate with representatives from faculty, staff administration and students – is hoping to hold a public forum at least once a semester. The URPC has two seats reserved for student representation and is responsible for drafting a budget proposal for the university president.
The URPC budget recommendation will be finalized next April. The presentation encouraged students to provide input and engage with AS, administration, and other representative student communities. Several positions in AS are currently open, such as Environmental Sustainability Officer, Public Relations Officer, and college representatives. Elections for AS will be made public on March 6. For more information on the university budget and upcoming elections, you can visit the URPC and AS websites.
If money is the root of all evil, when do people feel joyful about it? Kirby Moss, a professor and head of the journalism department at Cal Poly Humboldt, asked nearly 20 students and community members last Tuesday, Feb. 13. It left people stumped.
Topics discussed were Black representation in the media, feelings around finances and money, how to navigate being a first generation student while saving money for college, and hypotheticals about splurging on a life experience or saving and investing said money.
Rather than lecturing, Moss guided a conversation by asking plenty of thought-provoking questions.
“We’re in college, this is an academic setting, this is a setting of intellectual exploration. Do you think we should be learning more about money or not?” Moss said. “This conversation today is about money, but it’s not about material stuff. It’s about autonomy, it’s about options.”
Aundrea All’love is a community member and business owner who was invited to share their experiences. One experience they have as a Black business owner is balancing mental health and community value, while still recognizing their worth and being paid a sustainable amount.
“From going from homeless, to some stability, to slowly growing my business now, the biggest shift I did was to focus on what brings me joy. Having faith in my ability and understanding my value,” All’love said. “I have been choosing more opportunities to make money and less scrumping down on my savings.”
Jeremiah Keys is a sophomore at Cal Poly Humboldt who shared experiences about college being the foundation for the rest of his life.
“It’s not just going to be college then careers. It’s like college, then another college, then career and then struggles in between those things, but I’m still going to get through it,” Keys said. “Providing for my family and friends suits me, because I love doing it. That’s the expression that we love. Do something that suits you, but don’t push yourself to where you end up judging yourself more and more and more, and not looking at all the good that you’ve already done and all the good you can possibly do in the future.”
This event was a part of a month-long series of events for Black Liberation Month, held by The Umoja Center for Pan African Student Excellence. For more information on upcoming events the Umoja Center can be found on Instagram at @umojahumboldt.
“Money is not power. It’s all about us,” Moss said.
Imagine this: you’re in your dorm room getting ready for a night out with friends with the cheap vodka your one friend with a fake ID supplied, and nothing but pure 18-year-old confidence. Adrenaline is pumping as you sashay around your roommates makeup bag strewn about your shared bedroom floor, careful to avoid speaking to them as they apply their liquid eyeliner. All of a sudden, your phone that was blasting some 2014 alternative indie throwback is buzzing. The music stops and everyone turns to you, wondering if your DJ rights should be revoked. You scramble to your smartphone, and as you flip it, over there lies an incoming Facetime call from your long-distance boyfriend. Pink heart emojis act as bookends to his contact name as you look at yourself on the screen and contemplate answering this call.
“Oh, it’s (some boring hometown man’s name),” you say to your friends.
They know the weight that generic name holds in that dorm household. It’s 9 p.m. and they already called a cab, which should be there in about two minutes. You look at your phone as it vibrates in your hand, you look at the flock of young girls on your bed giving you the look – you know the one. The bordering Kubrick stare and eyes of disappointment, non-verbally asking, “Are you really gonna answer it right now?” You gaze back at your phone and quickly say “I have to take this,” as you disconnect from the bluetooth speaker and rush out into the dank hallway of your shared living space, hoping to god your name isn’t part of the conversation that’s happening behind the door you just slammed.
I, too, was a victim of the unplanned long-distance boyfriend call. From my freshman year of college to my junior year, I was enraptured in my long-distance relationship. I wouldn’t say it was all bad but I will say it just took way too much energy in the long run. I was fresh out of highschool and still carrying the weight of my highschool boyfriend around. I spent nights having sleepovers over Facetime, or watching some movie that we had to perfectly time to sync over the phone. Long-distance relationships can truly show you love someone, but when does it reach the point of total time consumption?
It was fun in the beginning, when you were excited for each other and the different paths you took, but long-distance success is based on clear communication, and sometimes that isn’t even enough to hold the relationship together. When college and life in your new town away from your partner picks up, lots of factors come into play; jealousy, accessibility, and just the plain old feelings of missing each other.
When your time gets so constrained to the point of only being able to call your partner in your LDR (long-distance relationship) once a week, it can really throw an axe into your dynamic. Even if it’s clearly communicated and you’re transparent with your busy schedules, it can feel hard for your LDR partner to not feel neglected or forgotten about. They aren’t with you – they aren’t seeing your day to day schedule, and when you have to pencil in time to call them and try to keep their attention as you talk to them about your mind numbing statistics lecture, the spark can easily fizzle out.
You can try and keep it alive by doing movie nights for each other or sending care packages, but at the end of the day, it’s hard to feel truly loved and cherished when you’re six hours away from each other and not sure when you’ll see eachother again.
Honestly, I don’t think any 18-20-year-old has the emotional or physical capacity to do that either. These are such developmental ages, and trying to entertain an LDR partner in between it all can feel like a maze of confusion and a tow truck of effort. I’m not saying dump your LDR because it’s gonna ruin your social life. I don’t think I missed out much when I was in my LDR as a baby-faced college freshman, but I will say it caused some baggage in the long run.
Long-distance relationships seem to only be a blanket to hold on to the inevitable factor that you will break up; holding on to the very end until you have to throw in the towel. It usually isn’t pretty, and is the reason why most LDRs end over the phone or text with little-to-no closure at all. That’s gonna cause more pain in the end than just parting ways after highschool for the purpose of doing it for each other’s own benefit. Breakups are never easy, but it can give you a lot more peace of mind. You did it for your partner’s and your own self-preservation.
I can’t speak much on the mid-20s LDRs, but I’d have to say it’s the same. Open communication just isn’t possible without at least some weekly face-to-face conversations. Interaction in the digital world can feel awkward, less genuine and allows more time for feelings of neglect and loneliness to build up. Long distance has its expiration date; I can only see it as a temporary thing of a year max. Anything past that is just a waste of time.
I think I need therapy, but I’m afraid. I’m not the type of person who likes to share my sad feelings with anybody, so I shove them down and pretend like they aren’t there. Recently, I’ve been noticing that my sad emotions are starting to catch up to me and are taking over my thoughts. I can’t really sleep because of them and it’s making all of my days seem mushed together. So back to the therapy thing, I’m afraid to tell someone about how I feel because I don’t want to get judged. In my mind, I feel like it’s silly for someone like me to be sad because I don’t really have anything happen to me recently to have sad emotions.
If you think you need therapy, you need therapy. If you don’t think you need therapy, you’re wrong and you need it more than anyone else. To me, therapy is just as important as a regular doctor or dentist appointment. Your mental health is just as relevant as the physical stuff.
Shame, pride and embarrassment are what stop many people from seeking help, but you can’t let your fear prevent your growth. Therapists are awesome because they get paid to care, so you don’t have to feel like you’re burdening anyone in your life with your problems. Their job isn’t to judge you, but to help you, though it may take a few tries to find a therapist that you feel comfortable with. Life is about trial and error.
Journaling your feelings throughout the day can be a good starting point in expressing your feelings. Getting them down on paper can help organize your thoughts and maybe recognize some patterns, like certain triggers. At the end of the day though, a proper diagnosis can seriously help you navigate your emotions and make sense of your brain.
You have to take chances and put yourself in uncomfortable positions to create change in your life. Being vulnerable is one of the strongest things you can be, which is why it can be so hard to get to a point of comfortability within it.
There’s no reason to feel silly for having emotions just because you’re not actively going through a tragedy or a trauma. If you can’t find the means to validate yourself, let me put it clearly: you are allowed to have feelings. More than anything, you are allowed to feel your feelings.
Shoving your feelings down into an endless pit will only fill it with emotional-vipers that’ll come back to bite you in the ass later in life. Make your life easier and deal with them now.
“I love you,” I said to my boyfriend this afternoon. “I’ll see you in a month.”
With a heavy heart, I walked away from him. Our eyes met with one last glance and we went our separate ways.
We’ve been a long-distance couple for a year. It was hard at first because we went from working and living together to seeing each other every few weeks. This school year, we’re going longer without seeing each other. I’m working weekends and can’t come home on a whim. Also, I have a bunkmate this semester. We have to plan his visits and get a hotel when he does come. But, I’m only two and a half hours from him, so it’s not a problem for him to come up just for a night at a time.
So, here’s my hot take: I like long distance. Don’t get me wrong, I love my boyfriend and I miss him every day that I’m not with him, but I’m a very independent person. To be honest, I’m very needy when I am with him, because he does all kinds of things for me – acts of service are my love language. But because I’m an independent girly, I do okay as long as I’m staying busy.
I think that everyone should do long distance at least once in their relationship. I think having some space from each other is healthy. You can find out who you are without them while being with them at the same time. Even if it’s a two-week family vacation without your partner or a temporary school or work relocation, it can fortify your relationship.
The most important thing to remember when you’re in a long-distance relationship is that communication is key. In this modern age, we have technology that keeps us connected better than ever. My boyfriend and I video call each other on Snapchat at least once a day; several times if possible.
Another thing that’s important is to remind them that you love them just as much when you’re apart as when you’re together. A great way to do that is sending letters. I know there are more efficient ways to communicate, but letters make great keepsakes that will foster fond memories you can look back on in the years to come.
If I could choose, I’d still do long distance. Maybe not for a year – it’ll be two when I’m done with school – but at least for a few months. Because of this trial of our love, we are stronger than ever.
Shannon Rhodes already had a passion for fashion and makeup before delving into Humboldt’s drag scene. After attending several drag shows dressed to impress, Rhodes ran into drag artists Val de Flores and Sharon Taterz who offered them the opportunity to start booking their own performances. In May of 2023, Rhodes debuted as Killpop at the Septentrio Winery.
“I kind of blackout when I’m performing, because it’s very short,” Rhodes said. “It’s just like, three to four minutes. The energy—it’s addicting. The crowds are amazing. It’s awesome getting to perform in front of a fully queer space, where everybody’s there just to see you and support you and be positive. All the other girls, they’re super fun to hang out with.”
Killpop’s friend Seraphim Nagel joins their performance at the Septentrio Winery. Photo courtesy of Makayla Kuhnke.
Despite being a small county, Humboldt has a thriving drag community. Every member’s introduction to drag and their personal relationship to the art form is unique. Additionally, every drag artist’s reason for performing is different and reflective of their life experiences.
Paul Michael Leonardo Atienza, an assistant professor of Critical Race and Gender Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, has been doing drag performances for 20 years. They began to explore their gender expression after attending an LGBT campus retreat during their senior year at UC Riverside.
“We were processing trauma in our lives, and what came out for me was how I was shamed as a child of my gender expression, and particularly feminine gender expression,” Atienza said. “Many of us were figuring out, ‘Well, how do we work to strengthen and remove less of the stigma that we learn?’”
Atienza took on the identity of Maria Arte Susya Purisima Tolentino during their drag performances. Ma Arte drifts between being an extension of Atienza and a separate persona, but Atienza considers her to be a creative collaborator. Together, Atienza and Ma Arte have collaborated with drag artists and members of the queer community across the world.
Lawrence Fobes King, a queer middle schooler from Ventura, California, was murdered in 2008 by a classmate. This tragedy moved Atienza to use drag as a form of protest by bringing awareness of injustices against the queer community.
“At that time, [drag] was still quite small, but people were really into watching drag, and a lot of the drag at that time also was lip synching to popular music,” Atienza said. “And I was like, ‘Well, if you have this audience, what can you do to also add more social issues to it?’ And with the murder of Larry King, I tried to pair a song and created a performance in honor of his struggle and his memory.”
Drag also offers a secure support system to queer people and an opportunity to share queer joy. Joel Costello, who performs as Feral Fawcett, found his inspiration in popular drag queens like Trixie Mattell and Bob the Drag Queen. Performing since March of 2023, Costello found that Feral Fawcett had a positive impact on a wide range of community members.
“This mom asked if she could take a picture of us because her daughter was in grade school and was getting bullied for being gay,” Costello said. “There was a lot of drama against drag queens happening at the time, so that felt really good… it reminds me that there’s more to it than just being silly and collecting the bills.”
Feral Fawcett also provided Costello a space to explore feminine gender expression.
“I feel like she is a representation over the feminine side of myself, which is something that before I used to try to squash down,” Costello said. “I came from a hometown that was not very pro-LGBT, so I always tried to be like the manly gay guy. It was nice to have a release… I like blending my masculine and feminine side into one thing.”
Through drag, Rhodes has been able to gain confidence in their artistic skills and their body.
Thrash and Recycling (left), Gliterous Cliterous (middle), and Killpop (right) pose together at the Septentrio Winery. Photo courtesy of Makayla Kuhnke.
“I feel like my confidence was taking a hit for a while – you know, my body was changing,” Rhodes said. “That also means my favorite clothes that I like to wear don’t fit, I got to figure out new styles, new clothes. Having people just be like, ‘Damn, bro,’ and seeing photos of myself looking good performing in the body that I have is just like, ‘Alright, I guess your ass is kind of fat.’ The crowd really just shows you like, ‘I am cool. I’m doing this because I got so many awesome qualities to me.’”
Drag expects a lot out of its performers, both mentally and physically.
“What people don’t realize — until they maybe watch [RuPaul’s] Drag Race or something — drag queens have to be a comedian, a dancer, a seamstress, a hairdresser, a makeup artist, like your own manager,” Rhodes said. “You do everything for that performance. Even some are singers. You have to be so many things as a drag queen, and I think it’s a really pure form of art because you’re doing it all.”
Drag artists have a lot to carry on their shoulders, including the stigma and lack of education around drag.
In 2023, Tennessee legislators passed the Adult Entertainment Act, meant to prohibit adult cabaret entertainment on public property, including, “male or female impersonators.” The act’s broad language allowed law enforcement to potentially prosecute drag artists and trans people. After Tennessee, anti-drag bills have been introduced in at least 14 other states. Many conservative legislators have used concern for the safety of minors to pass anti-drag laws and censor openly queer expressions.
“A lot of people think it’s a super sexual thing and that it’s like a fetish,” Costillo said. “Most drag performers I know have a very distinct separation between the two.”
People of many different gender identities do drag, but their gender identities are separate from their identity when in drag.
“In general, people conflate gender expression, gender performance, [and] gender identity with sexual orientation, sexual behavior and practice. And all of those are separate,” Atienza said. “People who are drag performers are of all gender expressions and sexual orientations. I think that’s one thing that we need to challenge not just in drag, but in understanding gendered and sexual lives. We’re bodies that have different ways of feeling [and] expressing themselves and society has put us in specific boxes.”
Despite the adversities the drag community faces in the U.S. and the rest of the world, drag artists have been thriving in Humboldt County. The definition of drag is constantly changing and growing. Members of Humboldt’s queer community from all backgrounds have been able to find a safe haven in drag, allowing them to heal from trauma and play with gender performance.
“I do believe RuPaul in saying that we’re born naked, and the rest is drag, right?” Atienza said. “Drag is really a way to demonstrate the constructiveness of gender and how there’s so many possibilities out there. Drag to me is not just on stage, with queens and kings and in-betweens. Drag is every day.”
For the better half of my teenage and young adult life, I’ve dealt with intense bouts of sadness in the days leading up to my menstrual cycle. These episodes usually only lasted around a week and were characterized by heightened irritability, anxiety, fatigue, decreased interest in activities and in the most extreme cases, suicidal ideation. Due to these symptoms, I chalked it up to being some form of major depressive disorder that was exacerbated by the hormonal shift during that week. However, thanks to a couple Google searches and several trips to my doctor, I was diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and was able to start taking the steps to learning to live with PMDD.
According to Dr. Alison Palacios, a physician at the Cal Poly Humboldt Student Health Clinic, PMDD is considered the most severe form of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) as maintained by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
“Patients’ symptoms must include behavioral symptoms and often include physical symptoms. The most common behavioral symptoms are mood swings and frequently include irritability, anxiety/tension, sad or depressed mood, increased appetite/food cravings, sensitivity to rejection and diminished interest in activities,” Palacios said. “The most common physical manifestations of PMS are abdominal bloating and an extreme sense of fatigue.”
While PMS symptoms and PMDD symptoms can look extremely similar, PMDD differs in that feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety are almost consistently present. Both may include symptoms such as bloating and intense mood swings, but PMS is not considered a mental disorder and is typically pretty manageable. PMDD on the other hand, is considered a mental disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and can be debilitating in some extreme cases.
In order to be diagnosed with PMDD, at least five of the symptoms presented in the DSM must be present in the week leading to menstruation, start to improve with the start of menses, and be minimal to gone by the end of the menstrual cycle. These symptoms include marked depression, anxiety, affective mood, irritability, decreased interest in activity, difficulty concentrating, lethargy, change in appetite, hypersomnia or insomnia, and physical symptoms such as joint or muscle pain. This criteria presented in the DSM must have also been met for most menstrual cycles that occurred within the last year. Yet despite PMDD being a recognised mental disorder, it is an underrepresented condition.
“It is not well reported, but worldwide prevalence is 2%, and in the U.S., it was 2.9% among Black females versus 4.4% White females,” Palacios said. “It is probably quite underdiagnosed and especially so in Black females and other people of color. Some with the diagnosis assume their symptoms are ‘normal’ for menstruating people or seek healthcare for years to decades before receiving the correct diagnosis.”
As per Palacios’ advice, moderate to severe symptoms can be treated with antidepressants, hormonal birth control and cognitive behavioral therapy. Milder symptoms may be treated with exercise, herbal remedies and supplements. Bilateral oophorectomy, the surgical removal of the ovaries, is reserved for the most extreme cases of PMDD.
There are resources on campus for those who may think they are experiencing PMDD. The Student Health Clinic can help address symptoms and provide diagnostics and treatment for the condition. They can also refer to specialists if needed. TalkNow sessions with TimelyCare and the Counseling and Psychological Services line are also helpful resources for managing PMDD symptoms. If you are experiencing any thoughts of harming yourself, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (phone number 988) is available 24 hours.
PMDD can be extremely hard to live with, but like most conditions, finding coping mechanisms and support can help dramatically. For LJ Ferris, coping looks like realizing that PMDD shouldn’t affect their self-worth.
“In the midst of it, it seems like it’s never going to end. Then, your period comes and you realize you indeed are still a human deserving of love,” Ferris said. “It is not supposed to be normal to want to die leading up to your period. It is not supposed to be normal to have such severe physical and emotional pain around periods.”
“Wrap it before you tap it.” We’ve all heard that before.
Condoms and other forms of contraceptives help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections and diseases. However, condoms don’t protect you from all STIs, such as herpes, genital warts, syphilis and mpox, which can be spread from skin-to-skin contact.
According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in the United States in 2022.
Humboldt’s Student Health Center offers information and counseling in a safe, confidential setting. They offer PAP smears, breast exams, and other sexual health screenings, pregnancy tests and even medication abortions. At the health center, they screen, test, and treat sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well. As far as keeping safe, they also provide many contraceptive options such as long acting contraception, birth control pills, patches, rings, condoms, and much more.
If you’re concerned about privacy with sexual health and need resources, you can sign up for the family pact card to access these services in person at the health center.
Cal Poly Humboldt also has the Peer Health Education Center in the Recreation and Wellness center (RWC). They offer free harm reduction supplies, condoms of all kinds, emergency contraception, narcan and test strips, menstrual products and more.
There are many ways you can maintain sexual health. Practice consent; remember an enthusiastic and informed yes means yes. Communicate with your partner and explore your body, discover what you like and share that with your partner(s). Be safe and protect yourself and your partner(s) against sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy.
Most importantly, get yourself tested and educate yourself about the risks of having unprotected sex. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and communicate with your partner(s).
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