Over a dozen students gathered to attend the Computer Science (CS) Club’s second workshop of the year. The workshop showcased, “Godzilla! The First Person Shooter,” a Godzilla-inspired first-person shooter game developed on the Unity engine.
Hosted in the library, the CS Club provided detailed instructions on the development process of their game. The workshop gave students an opportunity to gain insight into the realm of game development and taught the basics of using the Unity engine.
The game was being developed by the attendees, becoming more fleshed out throughout the course of the workshop. What started as a simple blank terrain transformed into a full city filled with buildings and roads. Godzilla also evolved throughout the event, evolving from two stiff arms unable to move to a fully mobile fire-breathing monster in less than an hour.
Without the assistance of an experienced developer’s coaching, creating a game is a time-consuming task that comes with its fair share of difficulties. One of these challenges that hinders the development process is the lack of a large team and resources. CS club Vice President Anthony Cavuoti discussed the goal of the workshop as well as how they planned to assist students in overcoming these hurdles.
“We’re showing people how to use the Unity engine,” Cavuoti said. “We want to show them how to properly utilize assets to create big games without the need for a big development team.”
The use of both the Unity engine and assets – items used in-game, such as 3D models – help remedy the lack of resources and creates a more accessible introduction into the world of video game creation.
Club president Amy Wguyen shared that apart from the development of their game and the workshops they host, the CS club partakes in many activities and events with both their ICPC event, as well as the annual hackathon coming over the horizon.
“Our ICPC event is coming up soon,” Wguyen said. “Last year, our team placed 12th in the region. We also have the hackathon approaching sometime in April.”
Whether you’re experienced with coding or you’re just at the beginning of your journey, the CS club has room for you. The club provides clear instructions that are suited for all levels. If game development and technology interest you, a discord invite can be found on their website csclubhumboldt.org.
“The CS club has workshops that anyone can do, regardless of their experience with coding,” Wguyen said, “Whether you’re very experienced or not, you can come and learn from the workshops.”
Hollywood has made its way into the Humboldt scene and Cal Poly Humboldt students are getting in on the action.
The filming of a new movie, dubbed “BC Project,” occurred right across the freeway from Cal Poly Humboldt. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and ushering in other big names like Leonardo Dicaprio, Regina Hall and Maya Rudolph, this film has gained tons of traction among local residents.
Among the crowds of bystanders who gathered to watch the filming take place on G street in Arcata, students reflected on their major film debut. Days prior, students were cast as extras for select scenes.
Jasmyn Lemus, a sociology major, signed up for the casting call reluctantly.
“I saw a casting call and it was [requesting] specifically Hispanic people, and I was like ‘oh my gosh, that’s me,’” Lemus said. “I didn’t know what the scene was going to be until [an email] said ‘booked,’ and I actually read it and it said ‘school dance.’ I was like, ‘uh, I’m playing a high schooler?’”
At Eureka High School, teenagers and young adults gathered to reenact a high school prom. Many of these extras were local high school and college students.
Michael Osswald, a computer science major, was one of those students. After seeing filming take place outside of his house, he looked into the project and was casted as an extra.
“I danced all day, jumping up and down,” Osswald said. “I liked getting to see the inside of Hollywood.”
Another student who got to jump up-and-down all day was John Farley, a film major at Cal Poly Humboldt. Farley found out about the casting call through an email from a professor.
“Through some internet sleuthing with a couple of my friends, we put the pieces together that it was probably going to be a Paul Thomas Anderson movie,” Farley said. “About two weeks before I came on set, an article was published announcing that Leo was casted in it. As far as actual production goes, I wasn’t even sure where we would film until the day before we were called to set. The casting people told us to dress warm, so after dancing for a while, I was definitely breaking a sweat. At the end of the day, I was absolutely tired.”
Lemus considered herself lucky for getting to sit down on a table rather than having to dance throughout the day.
“We got there at [6 a.m.], keep in mind we had to stay there until 8 p.m. I was working for 13 hours straight,” Lemus said. “It felt like a really low budget quality prom. I’m sorry, but I would be so disappointed if I had to pay 80 dollars to go to prom and my prom looked like that.”
Lemus mentioned sympathy she had for other extras who had to repeat more intense movements throughout the day, such as dancing in high heels and lifting crowd surfers.
“There was a really big lack of communication the whole time we were there,” Lemus said.
Jack McCann, an environmental studies major, found out about the casting call via Instagram and also recalled long work days.
“The first day, I was on set most of the day. We were there for around 12 hours. The second day, I was there around six hours before being needed on the set,” McCann said. “An interesting group of people for sure.”
Many locals have speculated on what the movie is about after watching filming take place. Multiple rumors have floated around, with some people more skeptical than others.
“I’ve heard from others that it may be based on the Thomas Pynchon novel, ‘Vineland,’” Farley said. “I would see this as a pretty good assumption as this is not the first time the director has adapted a novel from that author.”
“I heard some rumors about it being based on a book, but there was no conclusive evidence to convince me either way,” McCann said.
Despite differing opinions and theories, Cal Poly Humboldt students all agreed it was a unique experience to be a part of and an interesting day to be a Humboldt resident. After all, it’s not every day Leonardo DiCaprio is seen running down Highway 101.
“As a film major, the entire experience was a dream come true,” Farley said.
Tigger doesn’t have any stripes. He isn’t furry, and his jumping skills are horrible. His scales are nice and smooth, and his facial hair rivals a 19th century president’s. Tigger the bearded dragon is just one of many attractions people at the Umoja Center can offer.
The Umoja Center for Pan-African Student Excellence, located in Nelson Hall East, kicked off a month of events for Black Liberation Month on Feb. 1 with an open house.
Student art and photos of Black activists, athletes, musicians, and historical figures line the walls from floor to ceiling. “I love my melanin,” said one sign. A box with loanable art supplies sits at the front desk, free for anyone to use.
The center hosts many events, such as discussions about Black joy and movie screenings or even a Black trivia night. The center also offers academic advising and computers students can use, but the most important thing most students take from the center is community.
Many Black students have found community at the Umoja Center — a difficult thing to do when, according to the Cal Poly Humboldt website, only 3% of students at Humboldt are Black. Delaena Montes, a student assistant at the center, said it’s a place she could feel like herself.
“It’s an open space,” Montes said. “I can reach back to my roots here, my background. I felt like it was somewhere I could be myself. It’s freedom at a very white school. Having a place to escape is a great feeling. I feel comfortable here.”
Kamar Little holds Tigger the bearded dragon at the Umoja Center Feb. 1. Photo by Dezmond Remington
Jerry Turner, Tigger’s owner, agrees. He found the center when he was a freshman last year. He’s a mechanical engineering major with a lot of coursework, so having a place to relax and make friends is important to him.
“It’s a family,” Turner said. “That’s the best way I can put it… all of my friends I’ve met here, at the Umoja Center. It’s just beautiful.”
Ryen Price joined the Umoja Center last year after living in the Sankofa House, the Black culture-focused dorm in Cypress. She started coming to the Umoja Center to meet other Black students. She said she’s made a lot of good friends, the type she has potlucks and in-depth discussions with.
“I love how different we are, but also how similar,” Price said. “We’re like a family here.”
Montes is surprised more students don’t show up to the center, as well as other culturally-focused programs such as the Indian Tribal & Educational Personnel Program or El Centro, located down the hall from the Umoja Center.
“People should know about these places,” Montes said. “There’s a lot of culture up here [in Nelson Hall].”
That doesn’t surprise Kamar Little, a Student Advisory Group for Equity representative at the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Little works to connect students with those centers.
“I’m making them a bigger name,” Little said. “I’m letting people know things exist. There have been instances where people have never heard of [the programs].”
Price said anyone curious or doubting should lay those worries to rest and visit the center.
“People ask themselves, ‘[am I] black enough?’” Price said. “It’s the right place. Don’t think. You’re always welcome here. Don’t be shy, just come.”
This year marks a milestone for some Cal Poly Humboldt students: their first time voting in a presidential election. Besides potential presidential candidates, the ballot will include important propositions, like Proposition 1, a state-wide measure regarding funding within the mental health system.
Polls open for California’s Presidential Primary Election on March 5 and vote-by-mail ballots have already begun mailing out. To participate in any election, voters must be registered in their state. In California, that means registering no later than 15 days beforehand.
In order to vote in the primaries, the last day to register is Feb. 20. As a California resident, voting registration can be filed online at registertovote.ca.gov or by mail.
Paper applications can be found at County Registration Offices, Department of Motor Vehicles, public libraries, government offices and select post offices. Paperwork should be sent to the mailing address: Secretary of State Elections Division 1500 11th Street, 5th Floor Sacramento, CA 95814.
If registered with a political party, that party’s political candidates will show up on the ballot. To update party affiliations, a new registration form will need to be submitted.
16 and 17-year-olds are eligible to pre-register to vote and will automatically be registered upon turning 18.
Alongside the new wave of voters across the nation is a new wave of Humboldt County residents. To vote locally, or in the case of an address change, an updated registration form must be completed. Luckily, the process is quick and easy.
For more information visit the Cal Poly Humboldt legal lounge website for voting (studentlegallounge.humboldt.edu/voting) or call (800) 345-VOTE (8683).
Distorted guitars and the punch of a kick drum reverberated off the muraled walls as Humboldt locals and music lovers alike crammed into the cozy one-room venue. The energy was electric. Bodies contorted in the neon light, pushing and pulling to the brink of exhaustion. There was a euphoric yet somber tone to the room; an acknowledgment amongst the crowd that this feeling was fleeting, as that night was the last Blondies show they would ever attend.
Saturday, Jan. 27 marked the last live show at Blondies, with over ten bands on the lineup. Celebrating their 15th anniversary, the beloved venue advertised the show as a birthday party, adorning the entrance with balloons and handing out festive hats at the door. Music started at 5 p.m. and went on into the night as the room swelled to the boom of the bass. Faster sets were accompanied by moshing and crowd surfing.
Blondies has been a staple in the Arcata music scene for years. However, they didn’t get their start with putting on live shows. Blondies owner, Johanna Nagan, recalled getting their foot in the door with open mic nights. Open mic gave community members a chance to showcase their musical abilities in a safe and judgment free environment.
“I think it was important for us to have a yes attitude towards if people had an idea, or if they wanted to try something,” Nagan said. “We intentionally made this space not too precious, so that people could feel relaxed enough to try something new. We felt like that was really important for people to have.”
Eventually, Blondies would go on to host all sorts of live music events such as live shows and jazz nights.
Nagan and the rest of the Blondies crew committed themselves to providing a secure and inclusive spot for seasoned performers and novices. On days when there was no live music, people could be found enjoying sandwiches, craft beer or what some would consider the best tater tots in town. The news of Blondies closing struck the hearts of many because of the environment they had fostered. The announcement was met with many customers reminiscing in the comments of Blondies’ Instagram.
On Sept. 24, the Blondies Instagram account, @blondiesfoodanddrink, announced that the business would officially be for sale after a 15 year run. The caption detailed how to contact the owner with regards to buying Blondies as well as a thank you to all of their faithful patrons over the years.
While many have questioned why Blondies has closed after all these years, Nagan said that they had faced some challenges in expanding the business. There was also concern expressed by the landlord over the types of events they were holding in the building. It is important to note that Blondies also had their liquor license suspended on Jan. 18 after it was revealed an employee had sold alcohol to an underaged patron who was working with the Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Minor Decoy Program. However, there is talk of potentially opening a similar space when and if the time is right.
Blondies can now be immortalized as the spot where many Arcata bands got their start. Cal Poly Humboldt alumni and members of local Arcata self-proclaimed “loser rock” gfjuband Porcelain Dog, Jack Hallinan and Vivian Dawn, were able to squeeze in a show right before they closed.
“The owners were so cool,” Dawn said. “They were just super interested in helping the scene, and as a new band it was super encouraging.”
The Arcata music scene may have lost an iconic venue this weekend. However, all of those jazz nights, open mics and lasting memories will never be forgotten.
“It’s kind of hard to put a feeling into words,” said Bailey Allott, junior at Cal Poly Humboldt and guitarist for Mambo Green and Queen Karma. “You build up all this energy during the week and that was the one night that you could just let it all out. Just feeling like no matter what you’re going through, you just felt like you were a part of something bigger.”
Concert-goer crowd surfing at Blondies during California Poppies set. Photo by Mia Costales
Adjacent to the Arcata plaza sits The Basement at 780 7th Street. They’re open Thursday – Saturday from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. if you’re looking to have an exciting night.
As far as drinks go, Christina being a Vodka girl, she had the Passion Drop made with jewell citron vodka lined with a sugar rim. The drink was pretty strong in itself and on the pricey side at $14, but good enough to get a nice buzz going.
The Raspberry Lemon Drop was also strong but delicious, a great price at $7. Tequila shots were large. The bartender was sweet and kind despite the rush, and she helped me pick out drinks amongst the chaos. All in all, 7 shots of tequila cost about $43.
The Basement offers some drunk food favorites like soft pretzels or a charcuterie board. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, your options are limited to the flourless chocolate torte.
The downside to the bar is the small space up on that platform waiting to order a drink. If there’s a surplus of people on a particularly busy night, getting up to the bar can be a bit complicated and overwhelming.
We appreciated that there were multiple zones depending on how you spent your time there. If you wanted to sit, there were plenty of tables. If you wanted to chill at the bar, it was crowded but it was there, and, of course, dancing if you wanted to dance. Also every zone didn’t feel isolated from each other, making it easy to enjoy whatever aspect of nightlife you chose, without having to expel yourself from the other aspects.
As for seating, The Basement is probably the largest in terms of space. The layout of the club is reminiscent of the speakeasies of the Prohibition Era. Plenty of tables are on a slightly higher elevation than the main floor. An ornate railing surrounds the main floor. Half of the main floor is designated for tables, while the other half is for patrons to let loose on the dance floor. A stage allows for a band to play tunes for the crowd underneath a neon sign reading, “The Basement.”
Be careful bar hopping though! Arcata is such a small town, you may just run into your drunk boss.
With a $5 cover charge to get into the venue, decent music and good drinks, The Basement gets a 4 out of 5 stars on our rating.
MK Butterfield takes a selfie as Celeste Iliana Sadler Gonzalez Pachano reapplies their lipstick at The Basement.
The fact is. I’m in one, but I’m the other person. Not the person feeling sorry in the relationship. Not that I’m taking advantage of her, but she doesn’t want to fucking leave me. Even though she knows it’ll be the right thing for both of us. I feel bad for being on the other side though.
I’m kinda stuck too. My housing relies on her, so I haven’t ended things.
Oh, dear. Looks like someone accidentally pooped where they eat.
I’ve been where you are; literally, relying on housing from a bad relationship. I wasn’t in a place where I could just up-and-move either.
Realistically, you don’t have a lot of options here. You can either move or make up. The way I got out was by going to college and moving in the dorms, which seriously saved me. My life wasn’t in physical danger, thankfully, but I had definitely lost my sense of self. Moving made me regrasp control of my life.
It sounds like kissing and making up are out of the question in this situation. She’s not over you, but you’re clearly over her. The best thing you can do for the both of you is leave, though that’s easier said than done.
I know rent is crazy expensive around here – and hell, you might be stuck in a lease – but if you have any friends whose place you can crash at, do so immediately. Paying for a storage unit, or pitching in for a friend’s rent, will help you save money in the long run. You can start saving for a therapy fund.
You’ll never truly be ready for anything in life, whether it’s a relationship, moving or anything in between. You have to put yourself in a position where change can find you – ready or not.
Luke Kennedy’s katana is heavy. He busts it out for parties, which he and his roommate Miles Conte throw every weekend. Except when there’s not supposed to be class on a Tuesday. Then, Mondays are prey too.
“We were trying to pick a date that would stand us out from the crowd,” Conte said. “We were just trying to start off the extension of winter break off with a bang.”
With the CFA strike eliminating class on Monday, Jan. 22 for college students all over California, Kennedy and Conte decided to host a bonus party at their place, a dayger that started at 3 p.m. 40 people showed up to party in their house. Though some people left when everyone got the news that the strike was off, most stayed until about midnight or so.
“When we [got the news] it was evening time,” Kennedy said. “It’s the height of the party. I’m walking around with the beer bong and loading it up with [left-over beers] and loading people up. And then [someone] said, ‘Hey, I think we have classes tomorrow!’ Everyone’s pulling up the email. And so there was this whole conversation — ‘Oh, what’s going on?’ And honestly, everyone was like, ‘Fuck it, I’m not going to class’… But I think, party or not, most people would have probably ditched that Tuesday.”
Conte said it was more fun when they realized the strike was off.
“The party vibe became immaculate when we learned we had class tomorrow,” Conte said.
He turned to Kennedy for a moment.
“What do you think?” Conte said. “Is ‘Immaculate’ a good word to use in this situation? Or not?”
Conte did skip class the next day; Kennedy attended.
“[When the strike only lasted one day], I was initially rebellious,” Conte said. “Because I am not going to my classes.”
Both Conte and Kennedy said if the strike had continued as planned, they likely would have thrown at least two more parties throughout the week. Any more than that likely would have been overkill. Conte laughed at the idea while he rolled a cigarette with gas station tobacco.
“We just party, all day, every day,” Conte said. “No sleeping allowed. That would have been hilarious. Like, yeah, ‘We’re going to have a continuous party for five days straight.’”
Freshman Bryn Urdi had a good time at the strike party. She was glad that she was in bed by the time she got the news that the strike was off. Urdi said she would definitely have attended again if given the opportunity, but the best part was seeing all of her friends again.
“It was really nice to come back from break and see all of my friends again,” Urdi said. “It was great just to be with them for a while.”
Kennedy believes that the parties he and Conte throw offer an important service to students they can’t get anywhere else.
“I think that the parties make students more excited to go to class because they get to see their classmates,” Kennedy said. “[Campus] feels like a zoo environment, in that it can become a goal, clocking in and out of class every day. You don’t really know anyone there. I feel like the mark [the parties make] makes the school a thing, versus just something you clock in.”
“We bring a full-charge mentality to partying,” Conte said. “We’re passionate about making people happy and having a good time.”
Despite the attitude, Kennedy isn’t just about drinking and getting rowdy.
“I respect somebody’s performance,” Kennedy said. “I look at somebody; are they a degenerate? Do they get good grades? Are they healthy? I don’t want to encourage students to just drink and party. There’s tuition. I think it’s important that students remember that they’re here to get a degree, hopefully learn something and become a better person.”
Signs of Passage: Nostalgia and New Beginnings debuted in the Reese Bullen Gallery at Cal Poly Humboldt on Nov 8. The exhibition runs through Dec. 9 [2023] in the Art Building.
The Reese Bullen Gallery is named in honor of a founding professor of the Art Department and has been an addition to Humboldt since 1970. The gallery usually contains the university’s permanent collection of art and sponsors exhibitions of works by professional artists related to many different areas of instruction. The Reese Bullen Gallery also presents an annual exhibition of student art in May, the Graduating Student Exhibition.
The mission of the Reese Bullen Gallery is to offer free and publicly accessible exhibitions representing artists from all demographics. Extending beyond Humboldt, the Gallery seeks to strengthen partnerships with local communities as well as stimulate support and participation in the arts.
This new body of work presented by Dave Young Kim at the Reese Bullen Gallery uses latex paint on wood panels.
Dave Young Kim is a Los-Angeles based artist who visited Humboldt County with a newly created body of work for his solo exhibition at the Cal Poly Humboldt Reese Bullen Gallery. Kim is a fine artist, born and raised in Los Angeles. He received his Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Art from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Mills College.
His current display of work engages with the quality of home and explores themes of nostalgia, war, conflict and displacement. Through his work, Kim explores the unifying search for belonging across disparate conditions. In 2020, he co-founded the Korean American Artist Collective (KAAC), which is a group of artists building a community around work rooted in the Korean-American experience. In 2021, he was a selected muralist for the Eureka Street Art Fest and in connection with the Eureka Chinatown Project to paint a mural named Fowl.
“My work plays with that idea of manufacturing nostalgia as integrated with my family history, memory, and identity,” Kim said. “My artistic approach is drawn from a sense of loss or longing, looking for a place to belong.”
Goudi’ni Native American Arts Gallery displays “Tintah: Amongst The Trails”
Robert Benson’s Redwood Sculptures and Watercolor Studies
By Christina Mehr
In collaboration with Cal Poly Humboldt, Robert Benson presents his work in “Tintah: Amongst The Trails” at the bottom floor of the Behavioral & Social Sciences Building.
The art installations of Native art used the mediums of watercolor and wood pieces. Focusing on a new body of work, Tintah, Hupa language for amongst the trails, features newly carved salvaged old-growth redwood sculptures and watercolor studies. Robert Benson, is a leading figure among artists in the NorthWest California art world. He has worked as a teacher for more than 30 years at the College of the Redwoods, as well as being a curator of Native art.
Tall sculptural wooden carvings adorn the exhibit and viewers must make their way through the art, almost like walking amongst the trails. Redwood slabs carved into beautiful sculptures lined the room.
His current paintings and sculptures are filled with imagery of trails, both of the literal kind and suggested. With Benson’s deep connections to the environment and land, those motifs clearly shine throughout his work.
“There is the trail into our family hunting camp that I traveled for more than 50 years, there are trails handed down through stories and mythologies, and there are the trails of imagination,” Benson says. “When we consider that at the most basic level, a trail is just something connecting two points, even the ladder and stairway forms that populate my work can be viewed as kinds of trails. To be amongst the trails is to find your rhythm, your place and to discover the interplay between that rhythm and the melody of the universe.”
This solo exhibition was installed by the Art + Film Department Museum & Gallery Practices class under the direction of Assistant Professor Berit Potter and Gallery Director Brittany Britton. This exhibition was partially funded by Instructionally Related Activity Fees.
Photo courtesy of Goudi’ni Native American Arts Gallery
Can I be in love with someone I’m not dating? This situationship has got me fucked up.
How do I answer this without coming off like a complete bitch? Your situationship is not real. That’s not to say your feelings aren’t real, or that the love doesn’t exist – but a situationship is not a real thing. The creation of the label “situationship” has opened the doors for this generation to participate in an unwinnable battle: The IDGAF wars. I like you, so let’s find out which one of us can care the least to keep the other person interested without fully committing?
What is a situationship? To me, it’s one person caring more than the other. One person giving more than the other. One person receiving more than the other — you get it. A situationship will never fulfill you in the ways you’re looking for. Rather, this infatuation will leave you feeling more hollow. One person will always have more power than the other.
That’s not to say I don’t understand where you’re coming from; you caught feelings for the wrong person. It happens to the best of us. At the core of it, we are all just creatures looking for love, security, comfort, happiness; we want to feel desired and safe. There is no safety in a situationship. In fact, more often than not, they all have a three month shelf life. Seriously, name one situationship where things stayed good after that three month mark — if that existed, it would evolve into a relationship.
“We accept the love we think we deserve.”
Everyone, their mother and their mother’s single best friend knows this phrase. It’s true though! We often don’t love ourselves enough to believe we deserve better, and so we stay in the situation(ships) we know because it’s the space we’ve decided to fill. You deserve to take up space with someone who will appreciate how you light up the room.
I’ve always wanted to be one of those girls with zero online presence; carrying around a flip phone, spending their downtime reading classic literature in a field of flowers. If you’re one of those people, feel free to stop reading now.
I, like many young people today, am the victim of chronic social media usage and the (more than) occasional doom scroll. I’ve always had a hard time embracing my social media crutch, but especially since middle school. It started one day after I lost a year-long “snap streak.” I rage-quit off the app, and never looked back. After getting the ick from Snapchat, I couldn’t fully quit. Some may say it made me cling onto other platforms, like Instagram, even more.
Now at this point you might be thinking to yourself, “What do you mean Carlina? Why can’t you be both a nature girly and an Instagram baddie?” I can, but if I am reading classic literature in a flower field, you already know it’s going on my Instagram story. Maybe even on the main feed with a cute little caption like, “love this life <3.”
But then… am I actually reading my book or did I all of a sudden get distracted and start looking at memes -– dare I say, doom scrolling -– even though I’m supposed to be enjoying the outdoors? It’s a vicious cycle.
Now look, this opinion isn’t to rant about social media, and maybe I just have a toxic relationship with the internet, but I’ve become honest with myself and my daily social media intake. Although there’s a lot of bad, there’s so much good, too. From new career opportunities to media coverage on a whole new level, social media is undeniably an important resource in today’s society.
That being said, the essential role social media plays in everyone’s day-to-day life has made certain platforms evolve from a place where you can see what your cousin in Idaho is doing to a constant stream of media published by people you’ve never met. Depending on how many accounts you subscribe to, the posts you’d like to see, like your Aunt Susan’s new pumpkin pie recipe, might get drowned and lost forever to the mainstream. That’s where the headline comes in.
I feel very strongly about the new(ish) social media platform: BeReal. I suppose I should mention this is not sponsored, although I wish it was.
BeReal is an app where users get a notification at a random time everyday. The notification goes off at the same time for each user, and at a completely different time each day. When you get the notification, you’re prompted to take a selfie, then a photo with the back camera. This quick photo spree creates a completely unfiltered feed of/for your close friends. If you give the app permission, it will even document your general location and what you’re listening to, so your friends on the app can get the whole vibe. For me, this ranges from my bestie sitting on the toilet, to that cousin in Idaho grinding homework, or maybe even a colleague at a concert.
It’s a beautiful thing, seeing what everyone is doing at the same time. Don’t fret though, if you miss the notification, you can post a late BeReal. Everyone sees you posted late, and you’re limited to one photo instead of the newly added feature where if you post your first photo on time, you get to post two more.
One time, after I had missed the BeReal notification, I decided to take my late BeReal during my maid of honor speech at my sister’s wedding. It was an epic ice-breaker, a beautiful moment and a memory captured on camera from my POV that will be forever cherished.
In summary, here’s a few of the reasons you should ditch your current favorite social media and make the switch to BeReal:
The rush of getting a BeReal notification. The joy of exclaiming, “It’s time to BeReal!” and seeing everyone pull out their phones.
Seeing everyone’s unfiltered, and at times ugly, selfies.
Limited posts, so you’re unable to doom scroll.
If you need more of a social media fix, you can see what your friends-of- friends are up to.
Getting an inside look into what your friends actually do day to day.
Having a collection of daily selfies to look back on.
And as a journalist, no news! Just a lighthearted escape from the stress of reality, and the constant stream of media we are always consuming.
If you have ever wandered around the Arcata Plaza, you are certainly familiar with Eco-Groovy Deals and their wide range of second hand clothes and home goods. You might have also been someone that would walk out of the store without purchasing anything because you were looking for a wider range of affordable furniture, home utility tools or just sticking to a personal budget.
Jayce Walker, owner of Eco-Groovy Deals, has heard your calls and opened the Eco-Groovy Clearance Outlet on 513 K Street just five blocks away from the Arcata Plaza. The store opened on Jan. 10 after months of work and stays open everyday of the week from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Students can purchase items tax free until the end of this month.
With this new clearance outlet store, Walker’s goals are to provide the budget furniture, home utility tools and affordable clothing the community has been asking for.
“People say, ‘what’s your secret to success?’ Listening to what people need and want,” Walker said. “Trying to find that and doing it in a way that is as sustainable as possible.”
Unlike Eco-Groovy in the plaza which is 75% clothing and 25% refinished furniture and home products, Walker’s goal for the outlet store is to utilize the larger space and have 75% budget furniture, hardware and home goods.
“There are items that we were stashing to fix that started to build up. And when people said, ‘don’t they have budget furniture?’ It’s like well, I do have some,” said Walker. “That wasn’t something I could do in the plaza.”
Other goals for the clearance outlet store are to continue Eco-Groovy’s textile recycling program which lends support to smaller non-profit thrift stores, and do more furniture repairs extending the life of useable items which contributes to their sustainability focus.
Walker’s goal for the clearance outlet store is to continue their textile recycling program that supports smaller non-profit thrift stores. This program contributes to their focus in sustainability as they hope to do more furniture repairs.
Walker’s set of founding principles are held at both of her stores.
Reduce local landfill
Create local jobs
And serve the community
In the future, Walker would like to expand the impact she has in Arcata, both interpersonally and environmentally, by doing more upcycling of clothing, shoe repairs and turning the empty outdoor space into a community garden to host community members.
“My passion is more about community service than it is about padding my pocket,” Walker said.
Tucked away in the narrow hallway-like room of the BFA studio located in Cal Poly Humboldt’s ceramic lab, or better known as The Laundry, you’ll find a crowded corner of a workspace.
Littered with anatomical clay body parts, a cinder block shrine of fake grapes, a clay pineapple with a bone sticking out of the top and many more tinkering tools like tape measures and lighters. Behind this workspace, you’ll find Ladi Ladines working away on their latest creation.
The Lake Elsinore native graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt with a stack of accolades last year. Starting with their Bachelor’s in Fine Art, minor in Art History and finishing off the list with a certification in museum and gallery practices. They’re prolonging their stay in the redwoods to finish out a ceramics extended education program.
They came up to Humboldt in 2019, but art had always been a foundational building block in their life since they can remember.
“I’ve always been an artist since before I could talk, walk or whatever,” Ladines said. “Everyone told me, ‘You’re an artist!’ so I just kept going with it — I see the world in a very visual way and it’s how I process everything, so it just felt like the right thing to do.”
Their most recent work on display was an interactive sculpture labeled “The Mess Nest” that was shown through October and November at the The Morris Graves Museum of Art in Eureka, California. The piece was a part of the 27th annual “Junque Art” exhibition that included art made from all recycled material, but the origin of the nest came way before the exhibit.
Ladines had been thinking about the concept of a “nest” for over two semesters before the idea finally came to them on a reflective day at the beach.
“I was feeling pretty down in a rut and lost in my art process,” Ladines said. “I saw this tree that was tipped over – it was a huge tree, and the roots were just flourishing and it took my breath away. It was at that moment I just wanted to make something, even just an ounce of that feeling – of having my breath taken away, feeling at peace with myself.”
They came home that following evening and began their creative process for the nest. The piece itself is a place to let those physical items that hold so much emotional baggage and weight in our daily lives go.
Photo courtesy of Ladi Ladines | The Mess Nest
“I had a box of emotional baggage trash under my bed. You know, old love letters and things that are just sort of triggering, and I went home that day, I got that box out and just dumped it out on the floor, and I lived with it on the floor for a good week,” Ladines said.“ I lived with it until the triggers weren’t triggering me anymore, and I felt like these are the pieces that I want to tie to the branches of my nest.”
Soon after, the nest spiraled into what it is today, after Ladines’ neighbor asked to add pictures they were hoping to get rid of to the nest. Ladines soon found themselves posting fliers on craigslist, LEX and even on campus urging the community to share their items of emotional baggage to the piece.
“I found myself asking everyone around me and making posts online and reaching out towards people that I would have never really got to connect with in that way,” Ladines said. “I found out a lot of people have boxes under their beds that they aren’t confronting and that they would like a space to do that, so that’s how the nest was born.
The nest is an ongoing interactive piece that now lives in the Redwood Art Association in Eureka. Ladines encourages the community to continue donating to the nest. Ladines has had quite an impact on the art community and has had many installations displayed across Humboldt County since residing here.
“I never have an end goal in mind, I let the thing flourish by itself. And it really snowballed this time into something that I would do again, like I would love to continue this project and find new spaces for it and reinforce the branches,” Ladines said.
Ladines previous art installations have included contributions to the 2022 Eureka Street Art Festival, The Morris Graves Cal Poly Humboldt Senior exhibit, as well as the Senior Art exhibit at the Reese Bullen Gallery.
Ladines served as a gallery intern under the Reese Bullen Gallery’s director, Brittany Britton, during their undergrad, later serving as a gallery assistant. Britton mentions how the galleries on campus serve as a learning lesson to students involved to really explore how their works will be viewed outside of a personal studio space.
“It seems like Ladi for their part has really taken that to heart, and has been really developing a deeper interest in exhibition art,” Britton said.
Ladines art plays with bright playful colors and lots of child-like wonder. Ceramic bones and fruit, their specialty, inspired their instagram handle, @bonefruity. They work with a wide variety of mediums and really try to hone in on creating community and home behind their artwork.
A few materials used to make the nest included a friend’s childhood blanket, a pair of bedsheets that triggered Ladines’ trypophobia and overall things they find attractive throughout their daily life. Whether that’s trash, an abandoned school desk on the side of a road they used in a previous installation or abandoned cardboard boxes.
“I do play with all kinds of materials, and by this I feel like I’m grounding myself in my reality, just by seeing how all of these different things interact with each other. Whether that’s wood and plaster, or jello,” Ladines said. “I’m working on some big jello projects.”
Ladines’ is constantly pushing their comfort zone when it comes to the process of their art. Their art process explores the relationship with our nervous systems and how things make us feel.
Photo courtesy of Ladi Ladines | Pary City mixed media on panel.Photo courtesy of Ladi ladines | Bone App Teeth
They’ve used three live cockroaches (named Sarah, Jessica and Parker) in a ceramic piece shown at the 2023 California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art. Ladines explains this was a way to really explore their limits as an artist as cockroaches are something that always was a fear for them. Ladines said the cockroaches helped them work through trauma and are now a symbol of resiliency.
“It was me trying to desensitize myself to the heebie-jeebies you get when you see a roach or a bug. I ended up keeping them as pets for like over a year, and they became my studio buddies. I learned to love them and get over that initial sensation of being scared of them – that was a really wild experience. I love those roaches and am now thinking about getting a spider, cause I’m really scared of spiders.”
Through this process of testing their limits within their art work Landines has made beautiful community connections with their art , the nest especially. In their time spent at the The Morris Graves Museum and Redwood Art Association they’ve seen individuals come back to contribute to the nest, and even embraced with strangers that were grateful for the ability to add to the nest.
“The last day that it was on display at Morris Graves, there was a woman who came in hot with this ceramic pot, and just slammed it into the center, and I was like ‘yeah!,’” Landines said. “I had no idea who she was or anything, and she just looked at me, embraced me and was just telling me her lore. I cried a little bit, she cried a little bit. My tension about my piece was made and it just felt so fulfilling.”
Britton especially adores Ladines’ efforts to really incorporate the local community into their artwork and creative visions, even after their graduation.
“They’ve really done the hard work to embed themselves here in the community and become part of it, versus maybe just leaving as a student, like you get your degree and you take off,” Britton said. “But, they seem invested in helping embolden and strengthen the art community here in Humboldt.”
The nest will be on display at the Redwood Art Association through Dec. 15. Ladines still encourages materials and emotional baggage to be added to the piece during its stay. Ladines emphasized whatever is added to the nest is about what the giver wants to let go of, not what they want personally as the artist.
“My ultimate intention is just wanting to embrace people and myself, and that’s hard. Comfort is a big one – and acceptance. I’m not a perfectionist, I like things that are a little funky,” Ladines said. “I like to be playful with my colors. I hope that that comes through as love, and for people to also accept those qualities within their own work.”
In recent years, ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence (AI) models have become mainstream, with many people having begun to wonder if this is something to fear, or something to embrace. Students and faculty at Cal Poly Humboldt have been testing the waters and, despite mixed reviews, it is apparent ChatGPT is here to stay.
“I do think that there is a role for ChatGPT and gen AI models in the classroom. However, I think my recommendation for its use varies according to the level of the student,” said associate professor of computer science and software engineering program lead, Dr. Sherrene Bogle. “As higher educators, we have a responsibility to teach our students how to use the technology effectively.”
“ChatGPT is a tool applied in academia for diverse research like linguistics, psychology and computer science. It aids in hypothesis generation, language analysis and ethical exploration. Used in education and interdisciplinary studies, it’s showcased in conferences, with further advancements documented in recent academic publications,” according to ChatGPT itself.
Bogle first heard about ChatGPT last year and, although reserved at first, has since embraced it. Cal Poly Humboldt students studying computer science were offered an elective course this semester that focuses on AI, CS 480, taught by Bogle. One exercise she instructed in the lab was to use a selection of AI technology such as ChatGPT, Bard or Claude and find examples of where the programs hallucinate.
Noah Zerbe, a professor in the department of politics, defined what the term ‘hallucinate’ means for generative AI programs.
“Sometimes [generative AI] will just make things up for you,” said Zerbe. “Often, one of the problems a lot of people have noted is that it makes up citations. So, it’ll say that a quote comes from this source, or something like that, and that source may not even exist. Or, it can go down a rabbit hole of factually incorrect information.”
One mainstream example of ChatGPT ‘hallucinating’ is apparent in an incident where Colorado lawyer, Zachariah Crabill, was fired from Baker Law Group for using ChatGPT, and got caught when the program created fake scenarios in legal documents.
Another example of a generative AI model ‘hallucinating’ took place in the Cal Poly Humboldt AI class. According to Bogle, two students were able to convince an AI chatbot that they had lunch with Michael Jackson and Tupac.
“They just said a few things, changed the prompt, and the technology apologized for saying that these people were dead and wanted to hear more about their conversation and was basically adding that to its database,” said Bogle.
As an advocate for programs like ChatGPT in academia, Zerbe encourages students to explore the program, but introduces generative AI models into the classroom with a warning.
“My approach to it is really centered on teaching students how to use it effectively,” said Zerbe. “It’s providing you feedback on your paper, trust it as much as you would trust feedback that you got from a friend down the hallway.”
Professors aren’t the only ones exploring this new territory with caution. Maddie Haus, a junior at Cal Poly Humboldt majoring in environmental studies, was suspicious at first.
“I was stoked because it helped me so much, but I also found it scary because it seemed too good to be true,” said Haus. “I think it can be useful for achieving academic success. I do think there’s a thin line between doing the work yourself and just having ChatGPT do the work for you. Overall though, I think it’s a useful tool.”
Mikey Crispin, a Cal Poly Humboldt graduate who now works for the PBLC and the university as a scheduling and support analyst, has used ChatGPT on and off.
“I didn’t really use AI for school because it didn’t explode until last November,” Crispin said. “By that time I was only taking the upper level computer science classes and could get all the info from professors.”
Now that he’s graduated, Crispin uses ChatGPT mainly for troubleshooting while writing software.
“GPT doesn’t always know what you’re trying to do, but from a basic coding perspective, if you’re giving it info just to cover some gaps you might have, then it is a great assistant that can help you gain a better understanding of how something might work,” Crispin said. “I have no experience asking GPT for help for anything outside of a technological viewpoint. It did write a really good email for me once in the style of a Cat in the Hat book, so that was cool.”
All in all, ChatGPT, along with other generative AI programs, seem to be the future of education, but using AI as a crutch is inevitably harmful.
Bogle illustrates her perspective towards generative AI.
“If you think about it, we don’t want our elementary school students and kindergarten students to be using a calculator, because we want them to learn to count, to carry their hundreds, tens, and ones, etc., to be able to do long division,” Bogle said. “But, after they have mastered being able to do their basic arithmetic with pencil and paper, we’re comfortable with them using the calculator. So, it’s similar with gen AI, which is why I said I think students need to master honing the particular skill first, before they become reliant on gen AI. That way, I think we have the best of both worlds.”
Thanksgiving, although controversial, is still widely celebrated in the United States. According to statista.com, 83% of Americans were projected to be celebrating the holiday in 2021 and almost 90 million tons of food waste was generated (ReFED.org). No, you don’t need to eat dry turkey for weeks after or scrape the stuffing off of a tray to limit your waste. Instead, you can repurpose your food scraps to create new and certainly improved meals that you will look forward to.
“The Moist-Maker”
The most famous Thanksgiving leftover that is widely recognized is “The Moist-Maker” from Friends. This is a sandwich filled with turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and other Thanksgiving classics. To make it moist, a gravy soaked piece of bread is layered in the middle of the sandwich. This method of simply putting leftovers between two pieces of bread or wrapping them up in a large tortilla might be delicious but can also get quite boring after eating the same things for days in a row.
Turkey Pot Pie
Rather than making a Thanksgiving sandwich or what is essentially a Thanksgiving crunch wrap supreme, experiment with your cooking skills and make something like a turkey pot pie. With this, all you need to do is combine some of your turkey leftovers, whatever vegetables you have, mix in your gravy and some extra stock of any kind. Finally, top it with some buttery puff pastry because puff pastry really does make everything taste better and bake it at whatever temperature seems appropriate. With only a couple minutes of preparation and 30-45 minutes in the oven, you now have a not so Thanksgiving pot pie.
Turkey Stock
Aside from excessive amounts of leftovers adding to the tons of food waste, scraps from food prep also have a huge impact on the waste produced each year. Rather than filling up garbage bags with vegetable scraps or a giant turkey carcass, save all of these nutrient full foods to create a homemade turkey stock. This is a classic one pot recipe where you put all of your scraps into one pot, top it off with water, and let it simmer for hours. This process extracts the flavor from the vegetables and the collagen from the turkey bones creating a lucious and flavorful stock. With stock, you have endless options of meals to choose from. You can add this stock to your turkey pot pie or even make something like a turkey pho with some aromatics like lemongrass, ginger, and pho seasoning packets.
Utilizing food scraps not only pushes you to experiment and try new foods, but also contributes to minimizing food waste on a day that produces excessive amounts of it. If you are lazy and want to enjoy a classic Thanksgiving sandwich, go ahead! If you want to be a little extra, take the time to make a turkey stock using the entire turkey carcass and save that stock for future recipes. No need to toss out your leftovers, stretch your culinary limits and practice food sustainability even on Thanksgiving.
Big shoes, small cars, red noses and life-sized giraffes filled the Gist Theater in the late nights of Nov. 15-17. The Cal Poly Humboldt Circus presented this semester’s show named, “Circus? You hardly know us!”.
Doors opened at 6:30 p.m. Students and community members alike packed into the cozy theater, and filled every single chair in the house. While the audience waited for the theatrics to begin, multiple acts took the stage in charge of keeping people entertained while waiting. To keep the stage warm, the pre-show consisted of music from their very own house band, balloon animals, juggling, (balloon) sword fights, fire twirling (minus the fire) and general tomfoolery.
Photo by Carlina Grillo. Circus members dressed as animals stand behind a cage while singing to the lion sleeping, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”.
After a colorful and entertaining pre-show, the circus commenced – promptly, as the poster suggested, at 7:27 p.m. It was clear from the introduction, this show would feature the coolest, craziest and most creative clowns this Cal Poly has to offer. With over 25 cast members, the theatrics these clowns put on were incredibly impressive.
The entire night was full of controlled chaos, but there were a few acts that got the audience particularly riled up.
In the first half of the show, the audience got to indulge in a high stakes game of hangman. An audience member was brought to the floor to guess letters, and every incorrect letter guessed was stapled onto a body part, of said audience member’s choosing, onto the “hangman” (yes, literally stapled onto bare skin. The performer came back out later with bandages covering the staple holes).
Other unforgettable acts in the first half included an ensemble of musical butt-slapping titled, “Ass Percussion,” and a live episode of “The Real Clown Wives of Humboldt.”
Photo by Carlina Grillo. Performer embraces their feline side, staring off into the distance stunned by a giant ball of yarn rolling by audience members, down the isles.
After a quick intermission for smoke breaks, vending machine hauls and bathroom trips, people regathered into the black box theater, and no one was ready for what would happen next.
The latter half of the show kept the audience on their toes with an aerial dancing cat named Damla the Feral, a deep-throat balloon dinner at a classy food joint, and – perhaps the act of the night – “Corno,” an X-rated performance that included a student and their “cornology” professor engaging in erotic behavior, like “sucking cob,” and a plotline that included raunchy archetypes straight out of “corn-hub.”
The night wrapped up with a musical performance featuring a group of circus animals, and told the story of a lion getting revenge on his showman – in a rather violent way.
Overall, the Humboldt Circus Club went above and beyond for this performance, and proved that the group is overflowing with talent and creativity.
It is our mission to find the slayest food spots in Arcata. Whether you’re going on a date, meeting up with friends or flying solo, we are determined to create a guide to which places are hot and poppin’ – and which places are not. Our first adventure was to the Aracta staple, Northtown Coffee, for a sunny Monday morning breakfast.
A few patrons were scattered at tables around the coffee shop. It didn’t feel empty, but it was quiet and easy to find a table not super close to other people. The music was good and not too loud. The employees took our order promptly when we walked up to the counter and double checked with the cook to make sure that they had what we wanted to order. There are a lot of seating options, both indoor and outdoor.
We both got the breakfast burrito. Jack also ordered the light roast coffee and I ordered an iced snickerdoodle latte, one of the specialty espresso drinks. We were a little disappointed with the size of the burritos. They were pretty small and we both left still hungry. The salsa on the burritos was amazing, we just wish there was more of it, or at least additional hot sauce options. The light roast coffee was smooth and crisp. The snickerdoodle latte was delicious, especially if you like sweet espresso drinks.
15 in 100,000 people have Type 1 Diabetes. That amount makes up 1.3 million people in the United States alone. Cal Poly Humboldt students have recently come together to create a safe space for those with Type 1 Diabetes and their friends and family to meet and be able to share their journeys with each other. The Diabetes Link is a newer organization that helps campuses set up chapters of their own to help empower and support college students at their schools. November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and is important to empowerment and taking time to celebrate those who have to struggle in their day-to-day life in ways people wouldn’t typically think about.
Diabetes Type 1 is a disease that targets your pancreas. Diabetic people cannot produce their own insulin enzymes. Someone with diabetes must monitor their blood sugar, and inject insulin or glucagon to raise or lower their blood sugar when needed. It is a constant that someone has to monitor at all times for the rest of their life.
Students Nat Allen, Zach Sherman and Niz Kears, who all have Type 1, came together to start the Cal Poly Humboldt chapter, and have hosted two meetings this school year. One was a pizza social for everyone to meet each other and start building connections, and the second was a dessert night where everyone brainstormed ideas they had to help provide more education and knowledge to the campus.
Nat Allen, one of the founders of the chapter and a sophomore in biology, has had Type 1 for 13 years. She acknowledges how important having a community is to having diabetes. Allen strives to be what she needed when she was diagnosed: a role model.
“I wanted to help start the Diabetes Link because having a community of other diabetics is super important to me,” Allen said. “I have had diabetes for almost 13 years and being able to talk to other diabetics has always been something that helps me.”
Allen says that it is important to talk about diabetes and not keep it as an unknown. Talking about it helps destigmatize and makes others more comfortable with their diagnosis. November celebrates those with this diagnosis, and helps spread awareness to the disease.
“Talking to others that truly understand the disease makes me feel seen, and allows me to talk about struggles that no one else would understand,” Allen said. “When I was first diagnosed, my parents made sure that I got to meet a lot of other diabetics to show me that diabetes would not stop me from doing anything.”
Noah King, a sophomore studio art major, has been going to all of the meetings and is glad to have a space on campus for himself and others. He was diagnosed with Type 1 at a young age, and hasn’t had many opportunities to connect with other people with diabetes.
“Growing up with diabetes, I found myself without resources or people that truly understood what was happening with me,” King said. “I found it incredibly rare to meet other Type 1 Diabetics, so I wanted to help start this because of that struggle.”
King wants to do what he can to help those with a similar experience to his, and help others know they aren’t alone. His goal is to keep growing the chapter and have a place with lots of support.
Zach Sherman, a sophomore environmental resources engineering major, got a late diagnosis at the age of 16, and he expresses how hard that was because he felt like he was too old to go to any groups or camps that were offered. He is one of the founders of this chapter and is happy to be a part of something bigger that supports him.
“I think one of the hardest things about having diabetes for me is the feeling that I am going through it alone,” Sherman said. “I knew I could handle my diagnosis and wanted to prove that I was capable of taking care of myself, alone, independently, just me.”
Sherman did not grow up with a large group of people who also had Type 1 around him. He only had one person that he could talk to about it. It was hard for him to talk to anyone else about it because he hasn’t had people around that have been able to understand what he was going through and how he felt.
“I never really knew what I was missing out on, so when Niz reached out to me about getting this club off the ground, I was excited but skeptical,” Sherman said. “However, just a few meetings later, I have already learned so much from everyone there.”
“My hope is that the chapter starts with our group and continues to grow organically over the years,” King said. “I want there to be a place to go to get support, understanding and resilience to handle the rigors of life and school while living with this condition.”
If anyone who has Type 1 wants to get involved with their club, whether or not they themselves have diabetes, check out their page on Instagram at @cph_diabeteslink for information on when meetings are.
Arcata’s beloved thrift store Krave has been a safe place for community members, with affordably priced clothing and a community pantry with free food and personal hygiene products. Unfortunately, due to high rent prices, the current location on H street in downtown Arcata will be closing at the end of December.
Krave originally opened its first location in Sunnybrae. After a consistent lack of foot traffic, Kai Flores, owner of Krave, decided to move locations to the current neon green store front by the Arcata square. Although Flores is pushing through financial challenges, their mission to provide affordable goods continues through the stores closing, with 50% off everything aside from consignment items and three one-dollar clothing sections making the prices more affordable than ever.
Despite the financial difficulties, Flores is keeping the spirit of Krave alive because of the positive impact it has had on the community.
“The goal was never about money… the goal was about community, and trying to be different. And, it worked! It’s hard to keep your faith in humanity sometimes but [Krave] restored it,” Flores said.
Flores will be continuing the essence of Krave by prioritizing their interactive social media presence and keeping their official website, krave.shop, updated with more of Flores’ upcycled pieces and a large curated plus-size section. In addition to their active online presence, Flores is hoping to have Krave pop-ups and other interactive experiences to keep providing affordable clothes and other resources to students and community members.
“It was cool having my own little spot but I don’t feel like that’s necessary for me to still make Krave a thing, ” said Flores. “It’s not an ending, it’s just a revision.”
Another priority for Flores is finding a new host for the successful community pantry.
“That’s gonna happen. Somebody’s keeping [the community pantry] alive and I will keep it pretty,” said Flores.
To make donations for the community pantry, you can reach out to Flores through Instagram direct messages @krave.arcata. With such high demand for Krave’s community pantry, Herb + Market at 427 H Street has volunteered to become its new home on Dec. 4, continuing the positive contributions Krave brought to Arcata. Despite closing the brick-and-mortar store, Flores will keep providing this resource, as well as clothing related contributions to the community by working with Oldtown Community Alliance, Humboldt Center for Harm Reduction and possibly OhSnap’s on campus clothing drive.
“I’m a community guy,” said Flores. “I’m definitely still trying to get stuff to the people.”
Reflecting on their time at 1073 H street, Flores shared some of their most memorable moments at Krave.
“I’ve had from the cutest to the most raunchy things happen in this shop, and all of them were somehow the most pure and beautiful things I’ve ever seen,” said Flores. “From the tiniest little boys running around in high heels… to my favorite strippers doing a cake show in the most safe space they’ve ever been in. It’s been incredible to see.”
Flores also cherishes the feedback they received for their extensive curated plus-size collection.
“I had a plus-size person come in and shop, and then tell me this is the only store they feel really comfortable shopping in,” said Flores.
Flores also appreciates the customers who got to explore their gender identity through their clothes.
“I had one fellow try on a dress for the first time because he had always wanted to twirl… so he got to do that here,” said Flores.
These special moments and the connections people have built motivate Flores to continue the essence of Krave throughout this difficult transition.
“Love. Love, that’s it. It’s brought so much love into the door… that’s really what keeps me going in this world, realizing that there are these little beautiful connections,” Flores said. “People really do want better for each other… that gives me hope.”
On a gloomy Thursday afternoon, a Gulf War Marine Corps Veteran brought a warm energy to the ceramics studio, nicknamed, “The Laundry.” The veteran, Ehren Tool, is the senior laboratory technician for the ceramics studio at UC Berkeley, and has created and given away over 26,000 ceramic cups. Tool’s art documents the pains that military veterans struggle with after their service. Tool smiled behind his bushy beard and told stories about his healing journey, from his time as a Marine to his time as an artist. Tool expressed how his ceramic cups convey aspects of military culture that are difficult to openly discuss.
“The cups are an opportunity to talk about unspeakable things,” Tool said. “War is murder, and military sexual trauma is rape, that happens in the civilian world too. Where can you talk about that? Where in polite society do we talk about these things that happen with too many people and the effects they have on their lives?”
Ceramic students in attendance to Tool’s demonstration, such as Jack McCann, were inspired by how veterans have found ways to express the grief they feel.
“I really felt like in the art there’s a lot of pain, every piece is almost like mourning,” McCann said. “It’s helpful to see people grow even after experiencing something like war.”
The class that Tool was a guest instructor for was part of a weekend-long veteran’s day celebration, organized by Humboldt College Corps, Cal Poly Humboldt’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and College of the Redwoods. The events aimed to focus on how veterans can heal from their traumas in the military. Part of the weekend events was a dinner and panel by veterans at the Arcata Veterans Hall on Nov. 9. Tool was part of the panel alongside Air Force veteran Mark Walker. Walker is the East Bay Deputy Director for the veteran’s support non-profit, Swords to Plowshares. Walker and his wife Lynn were in attendance at Tool’s demonstration in The Laundry. Lynn Walker hopes that the arts can help veterans similar to how ceramics have helped Tool.
“For me, [art] allows you to open up [feelings] that are suppressing you, to things that you don’t want to say,” Lynn Walker said. “[Art] opens up your being to where there’s a healing process as you identify [your emotions] through art.”
Alongside Tool and Walker for the Nov. 9 panel were Air Force Veteran Joe Fox, Marine Corps Veteran Ryan Jensen, Veterans Affairs Health Nurse Ella Price, and U.S. Army veteran and Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Jeff Crane. Crane shared his experiences on how education in his college has supported veterans.
“I’ve thought about this in my own work,” Crane said. “Arts and Humanities have a critical role to play in veteran’s transition, in supporting veterans, and in educating people about the role of the military in American life and in the world.”
Panelist Joe Fox is an interdisciplinary studies major at Cal Poly Humboldt and also facilitates a veteran’s ceramics class at College of the Redwoods
“I found healing in significant ways through playing with clay,” Fox said. “My only plan in all of this [art] is that somehow I’ll be able to connect some resources in our community, and there will be space for other people to find [healing].”
The main event was the 3rd annual Veteran’s Day at McKay Community Forest in Eureka, CA on Nov. 11. There was a five and ten kilometer walk/run, as well as free barbeque, music, and painting. There was an opportunity for attendees to decorate their own ceramic mugs to be completed later. On Nov. 13 and 14, there was another ceramic demonstration at College of the Redwoods by Jessica Putnam-Phillps.
No matter how veterans try to overcome their traumas and suffering, Mark Walker holds onto hope that his fellow vets will find whatever sustainable means available to find their healing, art or otherwise.
“Different veterans find different things of purpose, inspiration, and therapy,” Walker said. “Whether it’s formal or informal therapy. It’s just about what veterans find to be healthy, get healthy, and stay healthy.”
Students and community members flocked to the Van Duzer theater on Sunday, Nov. 12 to see Maryland based funky jam-band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. The event started around 7:15 p.m. with the opening band, Dogs in a Pile, and heated up around 8:45 p.m. when Pigeons took the stage, kicking off their first set with “High as Five” – an ode to being “High in Humboldt.” In total, the quartet played (with instruments, not ping pong paddles) two sets and an encore, saying their goodbyes just before midnight.
Earlier in the day, the bassist of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Ben sat down for an interview on KRFH. Listen to the interview below.
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong frontman, “Scrambled” Greg Ormont jumps in the airbeside lead guitarist Jeremy Schon during a high energy performance at the Van Duzer Theater. Photo by Carlina Grillo.No limits on the mic for “Scrambled” Greg Ormont. Photo by Alex Anderson.Lead Guitarist Jeremy Schon vibes out in the lights. Photo by Alex Anderson.Ben, bassist of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, wears his bass face during a heated jam on Sunday Nov. 12. Photo by Carlina Grillo.Ben, bassist for Pigeons Playing Ping Pong showing love to the crowd before signing off. Photo by Alex Anderson.Pigeons Playing Ping Pong lights up the crowd at the Van Duzer Theater on Nov. 12. Photo by Alex Anderson.
Thrifting for second-hand clothing has become a hobby and part of the culture for many Cal Poly Humboldt students, making the community an eclectic and stylish one. This combats the destructive industry of fast fashion. At Arcata’s new thrift store, Daydream, you can buy high-quality clothing and make money by clearing out your own closet.
Daydream, is a new buy-sell-trade second-hand clothing store on the corner of 9th and H St. across from the Arcata Plaza. The store provides a space for students and locals to make some cash while discovering a new sense of style. The warm-toned inviting store opened two months ago and is one of three local second-hand clothing stores co-owned by Jayna Nix and Ben Blair. Open seven days a week from noon to 6 p.m., you can go in to buy, sell, or trade any time before 5 p.m. and walk away the same day with cash or store credit.
What makes Daydream unique in comparison to the many other second-hand stores in the area is that they buy everything from the public and provide compensation either with store credit or cash on the spot. This process can be quite quick and is guaranteed to be completed within a single day. The store’s warm, clean, and inviting energy is represented in its curated racks of vintage clothing, rows of used trending shoes, and a wall filled with scented candles and accessories. Styles range from cottage-core to street style to retro and everything in between.
Photo by Zack Mink. Daydream boasts a collection of cute and colorful vintage.
Unlike the duo’s other stores, Redwood Retro and Modern Finds, both in Eureka, Daydream brings a focus to the art, styling, and sustainability of fashionable clothes. Rather than organizing the racks by gender, they are organized by size, style, and even season. This not only represents their push for gender and size inclusivity, but it encourages buyers to be more intentional and thoughtful when purchasing seasonal clothes that will last a lifetime.
The buy-sell-trade business model is also unique as the entire store relies on customers and locals bringing in their clothing to exchange.
“It creates a community hub where people come in, hang out while we go through their clothes and shop,” Nix said.
Daydream’s high standards for buying and trading clothing does highlight a downside of this model, which is that the sizing availability takes a hit when locals don’t have petite or plus-size clothes to bring in.
“We can’t control what people bring to us or the sizes we have… although we want to have more size inclusivity,” Nix said. With this being said, they are always looking for more variety in the sizes that are being traded and sold.
Despite facing challenges curating wide size ranges, Nix’s goal to recycle as much high-quality, sustainable clothing as possible is easily attainable with their buying standards and community support.
“Part of our mission is sustainability and recycling clothing. We try not to accept more
of the fast fashion brands and the buy-sell-trade model creates a space where we can recycle… what we already have,” said Nix.
Rather than buying clothes from fast fashion brands or selling old heirlooms to help partially cover monthly bills, Daydream is the place for students and Arcata locals to step up their style game, be financially responsible in a struggling economy, and stay committed to having a low impact on the environment.
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