The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: life and arts

  • The Life of Galileo delivers a spunky opening night

    The Life of Galileo delivers a spunky opening night

    by Alana Hackman

    It was a full house for the nearly two hour long production and helped feed into the performers liveliness. Cal Poly Humboldt’s Theatre Arts Department presented their fall semester play, “The Life of Galileo,” Nov. 3 in the Gist Hall black box theater.

    I had yet to attend a play at the black box in my time at Humboldt State, and I believe it has to be my favorite location so far. The stage was smaller and a lot more intimate. It was also a lot easier to hear the actors more clearly. 

    Immediately, the prop and set design caught my eyes. Working with such a small space, they were able to create multi-purpose prop designs to be used throughout the entire production, and create separate rooms and energies on such a limited stage. Bookshelves of Galileo’s scriptures and studies that doubled as Roman columns — and even circus tents when flipped around — were genius to me.

    The use of projections and other media really brought the whole production together. Like a silent film, they projected title cards on the castle walls to set the scene, which was a really creative way to occupy the crowd while stagehands moved props for the following scene.

    Even the stagehands added to the artfulness of the play. They were adorned in plague masks and cloaks to blend into the scenes, which kept things interesting during an otherwise liminal transition.

    Everything involved with props and set design was very thorough. Hanging planetary orbs and stars above the theater to back the play’s theme was gorgeous, as well as the creative use of such a small stage. A large brick castle with a spiraling staircase was tucked away in the background, and the use of hidden tables and raised platforms allowed for Galileo to easily bop around the stage. The production had no mics and was fully reliant on the actors belting capabilities, which proved successful. 

    Graphic by Griffin Mancuso.

    The cast seemed much larger than what I have seen in other productions put on by the theater department. The play itself was more comedic than I expected it to be, through youthful banter and sassy characters like Galileo’s pupil, Andrea, played by Jenny Campos. 

    Although I will say the humor does seem a bit dry and for a specific audience, which I myself was not a part of. The one-liners seemed reliant on historical knowledge and for more of an older audience.  One audience member continuously giggled throughout scenes in the first act while the rest of us remained silent, it felt I was missing something, or maybe we all were. 

    It wasn’t until the second act that I fully grasped the commentary of the play itself, a humorous meditation on the historical battle between religion and science, following Galileo returning from his near death experience after his scientific discovery that Earth was not the center of the universe. 

    The lead Galileo (Troy Lescher) had many asides within the show that seemed necessary for witty comments, but I feel they did fall a bit flat. 

    Although it took a bit for me to get into the play, the second act’s circus scene was fantastic. Actress Penny Dellapelle carried three roles in the production and was phenomenal. Her line delivery was hilarious and she really proved to be a firecracker on stage. Especially in her roles as the ballad crier in the circus performance and the snarky philosopher turning down Galileo’s scientific discoveries. The audience’s giggles also seem to reflect my opinion.

    Lake Terre’s playing of the Bursar of the University of Padua was also quite animated and entertaining to watch on stage, especially during his scenes where he was trying to avoid interaction with Galileo. Although, I will say some of his scenes with Galileo kind of skewed the curtain of acting and reality for me. 

    The acting of all cast members was quality work in nearly all of the scenes. Some of the more busy scenes really shifted the veil of reality and performance for me. Watching a group of callow, college-age actors surrounding the obviously decade-older lead threw me off a little bit, and made the production feel more juvenile and high school-esque than I was prepared for. 

    All of the characters within the play were seemingly near the same age, so watching a baby-faced Bursar or philosopher scold Galileo, an obviously older actor, made me snap out of the entertaining theater-goer energy quickly. 

    The production brought a modern commentary on the history versus religion theme. Projections of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates to describe “elite Italian families of the 1500s” was extremely comical. Also projecting images of COVID-19 deniers when discussing the relationship of science with the priest was super timely and the cherry on top of the production. 

    Overall, the Theatre Arts Department put on a spectacular production and really killed it with The Life of Galileo. Opening night brought lots of energy from the performers and a packed audience. The technical aspects really tightened the show up completely. The production’s ability to play off the recent historical events of science-deniers really lightened the mood in such historically dense productions. 

  • KRFH: The true DIY of college radio 

    KRFH: The true DIY of college radio 

    by Carlina Grillo and Kianna Znika

    This past weekend, KRFH DJ’s made the journey down to Los Angeles to attend the University of California Radio Network Conference held on Nov. 4 by KXLU at Loyola Marymount University. The day consisted of three sessions, where students could choose between workshops and panels like creating DIY promotional materials, developing an on-air persona, staff training protocol, life after college radio, and more. Students especially interested in play-by-play sports broadcasting and news casting were given the opportunity to attend a journalism seminar also held at LMU featuring professional broadcast journalists.

    Outside of the panels, workshops, and seminars we attended, this conference proved to us how hard-working and committed KRFH DJs are; the kind of people who would drive 12 hours on a Friday to attend a 10-hour event on Saturday, just to drive the 12 hours back the very next day. 

    Although the conference seemed to be targeted towards UC’s and private schools, we’re grateful that we committed to the voyage because it genuinely left us feeling inspired and validated as DJ’s, and station managers, for a student-run radio station. Being compared to almost 10 other bigger stations, where there is paid staff, we learned that there is something so special about Humboldt and our student-run station. KRFH is full of real, passionate, small town DIY DJ’s. No amount of money could buy what we have, which makes sense because as a class and a club, open to only students, we are responsible for raising the majority of our funds. 

    We’ve hosted three 24-hour live radio events, featuring live radio dramas such as “War of the Worlds” and “Coraline”, something other college radio stations absolutely aren’t doing. We brought back our Local LIXX, featuring local bands live from our station, and brought back KRFH News, offering the community weekly news in an audible format.

    And, for the first time in our KRFH career, we not only got 15 DJ’s to make the trip down to LA, we also got them fed, sheltered and inspired.

    One of the most eye-opening realizations during the conference was the fact that most, if not all, leadership positions at other college radio stations are paid, but at KRFH, we do everything solely out of passion for college radio.

    KRFH is so much more important than Cal Poly Humboldt gives us credit for. Upon a Google search, you can see KRFH is one of the most popular stations in the county, and as we grow, every day we become more and more of a community resource. In places such as Berkeley, eccentric radio is seen as a necessity for local commuters. A question we asked ourselves was: Why is KRFH seen as anything different?

    The truth is, KRFH will never be like KALX or KXLU, other big college radio stations with lots of funding. However, that’s kind of the beauty of our station. KRFH is entirely student-run, and although it’s difficult sometimes, this weekend has shined a light on how beautiful, important and rewarding the work we do actually is. Despite coming from higher-funded, and arguably more organized stations, students from other stations at the conference vocalized the way our small town aesthetic and methods have inspired them. 

    KRFH deserves to be celebrated and recognized for all that we do. We aren’t simply a group of journalism and communication majors who like to spin vinyls late at night. In reality, KRFH is made up of students from many different majors coming together for the love of music, community, and most of all, college radio. 

    As registration for Spring 2024 opens, we highly encourage any student who’s interested in being a part of our community to enroll in JMC 154 and JMC 155, the classes that will teach you about audio editing and get you in our station. For most of us, college radio isn’t forever, college radio is right now, a time in our lives where we, like many other college radio alums, will look back on very fondly. Our hope, as the 2023 KRFH station managers, is for anyone who feels compelled to radio gets to experience the beauty of KRFH.

  • A dollar for your screams: the CCAT Haunted Garden experience

    A dollar for your screams: the CCAT Haunted Garden experience

    by Griffin Mancuso

    On the edge of campus, the sound of Michael Myers’ theme floated up from the entrance to the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology’s Buch House. The garden, normally home to a variety of edible crops and other plants, was transformed into a maze with shadowy figures lurking in every corner. Guests in a variety of costumes from Little Red Riding Hood to Sonic the Hedgehog paid the one dollar entry fee and vanished into the maw of a green monster with curled horns.

    CCAT’s Haunted Garden event on Oct. 28 garnered lots of attention from students and community members this year, and I had to see for myself if the scares were worth the one dollar entry fee. 

    After I passed the toothy threshold of the maze, four small pumpkins with “CCAT” carved into them were the last remaining comfort before I was enveloped in darkness. A string of colorful fairy lights outlined the pathway and added to the whimsical atmosphere, but did little to illuminate the surrounding decor. Going in, I was aware that there were volunteer scare actors, but I greatly underestimated their dedication to their roles.

    Photo by Griffin Mancuso. The entrance to the CCAT Haunted Garden.

    I started my journey through the haunted garden behind a group of guests, so I got a ten-second notice before any upcoming scares. Unfortunately, it was so dark that I couldn’t tell where they were coming from or what they looked like.

    A mysterious figure wearing a ragged newspaper mask, who I initially assumed was a part of the group in front of me, suddenly turned around and gave me the most uncomfortable eye contact for a solid 20 seconds. The eye holes in the mask were small, black pits that I couldn’t bear to look away from.  I expected them to eventually scream or lunge towards me, but they eventually stepped to the side, watching me closely as I rushed forward.

    I became highly aware of my surroundings after that. I passed another actor who had finished scaring a group ahead of me and decided to watch me silently, crawling around in a way that I don’t think humans are supposed to move. I turned around to make sure no one was following me, only to notice a decapitated torso near the trail’s fairy lights (a fake one, thankfully).

    Following the steady incline to the upper level of the garden, a disembodied voice whispered, “Boo!” I whipped my head around to see an actor dressed in all black smiling at me, crouched behind a bush. I decided to try being funny, raised my hands in the air, and loudly went “Ah!” The sound of their ominous giggling followed me as I continued.

    As I walked along the upper ledge, a rare source of light from a workbench area appeared ahead of me. As I got closer, the roar of a weed wacker met my ears as an actor revved it in the direction of a group ahead of me. I was not initially startled, but my face twisted into an uncomfortable frown as I saw who was holding the weed wacker. The actor wore a dull, flesh-colored mask with no features besides a large mouth with sharp, bloodstained teeth.

    I was caught off-guard twice after that. As I walked along the upper ledge, I was startled by an actor in a clown mask whose blood-curdling scream made me jump out of my skin. I rushed forward through a section of the garden that was lined with tarps. As I turned around a corner, I screamed again as a witch with a shrill cackle lunged towards me. I cursed my tendency to easily startle and pressed forward.

    Hiding in a corner just before a short descent was a person in a full body black suit with large googly eyes pointing in opposite directions and a toothy grin. While this actor’s costume was almost comedic, it was a little less funny once they started shuffling towards me while making intense googly eye contact. They reminded me of a spider, but one of those terrifying, giant Australian kinds.

    Just past the last source of light in the maze where a three-foot tall skeleton lounged in an Ace Hardware wheelbarrow, I heard a stream of chilling laughter behind a corner. I approached nervously and found that the laughter was coming from a ghostly nun with black lipstick. I was more impressed than anything and felt compelled to tell them. They seemed flattered.

    I stepped out of the maze back onto the blacktop leading up to the Buch House, slightly frazzled but satisfied with my experience. For a haunted maze set up in a small garden with a limited budget, it was definitely worth more than a dollar.

  • Spooky masterpieces come to life in hauntingly creative ceramics department block party

    Spooky masterpieces come to life in hauntingly creative ceramics department block party

    by Christina Mehr

    The Cal Poly Humboldt ceramics department put on their 2nd annual spooky block party at the ceramics lab on the day of Halloween. The festivities were held in The Laundry from 4p.m – 7p.m.

    It was open to all Humboldt students and their friends and family too. Hosted not only by the jewelry and small metals club as well as ceramics, but with the help of the art education department as well. 

    Photos by Christina Mehr. Students walk around and observe artwork in the ceramics building.

    There were free hotdogs and snacks provided for attendees, pumpkin carving, button making, the art show, raffle prizes, costume prizes and all sorts of spooky good times. Oh, and smoke machines!!!

    The event offered a chance for art students to showcase their work this semester so far. Students were able to submit their work to be shown at the event. They accepted all art mediums in this show and the ceramic masterpieces were spooktacular. 

    “We’ve been working together to try and create a fun little art show and sale to support the art department. We divided ourselves into committees like decorating, food, art and we all just worked together to make this happen,” said Jade Hisamoto.

    The ceramic spooky block party was a hauntingly good time for everyone who dared to attend. Ghostly creations and eerie vibes filled the air of the studio as attendees unleashed their creativity alongside the art community.  

    Bachelor of fine arts (BFA) student Max Parrish helped run the clay club sale table.

    “I am one of the treasures for the clay club and we’re just trying to host a fun event. We did this last year as well as this year. We want to make it an annual event where we can have a little block party and do cute Halloween stuff and bring more and more clubs in,” said Parrish.

    “It’s also a great opportunity for students to showcase their work and put things in their resume or for grad school.”

    You can follow along on the Clay Club’s instagram for updates @HumboldtClayClub if you want to join the Clay Club and get involved in their future events. 

  • Homemade cupcakes too good to eat

    Homemade cupcakes too good to eat

    by Maranda Vargas

    Cal Poly Humboldt Biology Major Amelia Francis uses frosting and food coloring as an artist uses pigments, paints and glazes to create works of art. Her love of science and art has transformed into a home-based business selling delicious, mouth-watering cupcakes. Every cupcake is skillfully frosted to create a near-accurate representation of a flower. The artistic details offer far more than just a beautiful cupcake adorned with a frosting flower. The cupcakes and cakes at Barn Owl Bakery are delicious and that is not by chance, every recipe has been diligently planned and taste-tested to create a delectable treat. 

    Barn Owl Bakery is an approved California Cottage Food Operation, which means it sells home-made food prepared outside of an industrial kitchen. The California Homemade Food Act (AB 1616) allows for home-based culinary businesses to sell certain non-perishable homemade food products, so long as they register with the county, follow the approved Cottage Food Operations application process and are in line with procedures. 

    “I looked at all of the different rules that followed a cottage food operation and went: could I make that work? Yes. Could I make this work? Yes. Could I pay that much for permitting? Yes,” said Francis. “The more I mentally said ‘yes’ to the different aspects, the more I committed to doing it.”

    The idea of creating a home-based business appealed to Francis for many reasons, a couple being that it offered the freedom to work for herself and have quality control over the product, while still allowing less financial risk than having a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Francis was finishing up her associate degree when she began the application process and testing recipes last fall. Barn Owl Bakery has been open for business, busting out delectable cupcakes and cakes since it was licensed as a Cottage Food Operation in May 2023. 

    “It’s very risky to be a business owner,” said Francis. “I did it as a Cottage Food Operation intentionally because you don’t have to pay for rent and utilities, all that stuff. It’s a lower risk, but it’s still risky.”

    The Cottage Food Operation application process requires each recipe to be carefully written out with all the ingredients listed along with their precise weight. Next, the labels and information are mailed to the Department of Health to check and approve for licensing. Francis says the paperwork was fast; it was the process of creating the recipes and labels that required the most time. Once all the labels were submitted, they were approved quickly, and Barn Owl Bakery was open for business. She’s created recipes for products beyond cakes and frosting that she submitted for approval, but customer demands have kept her focused-on baking floral cupcakes and cakes.

    “I thought that at most, I would sell like a dozen cupcakes every month or so,” said Francis. “I didn’t anticipate finding a niche in our community. I would rather bake myself than buy something that wasn’t as good as homemade! I had the thought, maybe there are other people in the community who like their baked goods to taste how I like them too.”

    Francis has got the baking down to a science. Francis says the Food Network show “America’s Test Kitchen” was influential to her success as a baker. The educational cooking show explains the chemistry processes behind baking. She accredits having an understanding of the sciences to successfully adapting her recipes without wasting ingredients.

    “I’d say understanding the science behind the ‘why’ in baking is vital if you are going to sell baked goods, because problems arise that you need to troubleshoot all the time,” said Francis. 

    Francis practiced diligently on frosting cupcakes as well as thoughtfully creating flavors for her recipes before opening for business. Of all the recipes she perfected, Francis says perfecting a frosting recipe that will please a wide range of tastes was the most challenging. A mixture of chemistry and personal creativity, Francis homed in on what makes a perfect cupcake with perfect icing on top. 

    “My favorite part is mixing in wet ingredients and seeing them all come together in one homogenous mixture, which sounds weird, but it’s very satisfying,” said Francis. “Yeah, it all becomes smooth with the correct temperature, and I know that it’s all on the right track and going to be perfect.”

    Balancing the demands of running Barn Owl Bakery and being a full-time student takes structure and determination.  Education has always been a top priority and focus for Amelia. That is one of the reasons why she embraced the idea of a Cottage Food Operation over a full-time business that would require her to take time away from school. 

    Before starting Barn Owl Bakery, baking was an outlet for creativity and a way to relieve stress. Francis had always felt a calling towards science and art. The flowers that adorn the cakes are little works of art themselves. Before baking as a creative outlet, Francis had taken several ceramics classes as well as a color and design class. Customers are spreading the word about her cakes and orders are filling up.

       “I like to do all kinds of art,” said Francis. “If I feel stressed, I usually turn to baking. Baking has been my creative outlet to release stress, but now it’s also my work.”   

     Barn Owl Bakery has now taken on wedding cake orders and is booked out until the New Year. Perhaps the last chance this year to try some of Barn Owl Bakery’s delectable desserts will be on Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Harvest Artisan Faire held at the Eureka Veterans Hall. Barn Owl Bakery will have a table set up selling cupcakes, as well as several other treats that she hopes to offer in the future. There will be cake pops and cake slices, cocoa bombs and free samples at the event. New cake flavors such as vanilla latte and angostura orange will also be available. Appetizing flavors and nuances, as well as every visual detail has been artfully thought of in creating each treat that Barn Owl Bakery offers.

    “It’s been amazing, and I’m so thankful for everyone that has supported me so far,” said Francis. “I love this community so much.” 

  • Molly Tuttle inspires a packed Van Duzer

    Molly Tuttle inspires a packed Van Duzer

    by Carlina Grillo and Brad Butterfield

    “She makes it look easy, but I assure you – it is not,” banjo player Kyle Tuttle said to an audience of over 800 packed into the Van Duzer theater on Saturday, Oct. 7. Tuttle was referring to the guitar-phenom standing center stage who had sold out the venue, Molly Tuttle. The Tuttles were joined onstage by stand up bassist, Shelby Mea, and mandolin player, Dominick Leslie, calling themselves Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway. For over an hour, Molly and her band put on an absolute clinic of bluegrass musicianship to a unanimously captivated audience.

    The night began with opener Cristina Vane who detailed the hellish 37 hour drive that the performers recently made from Nashville. She clarified that it was the most beautiful hell you can be in.

    Vane’s set consisted of skillful guitar playing, stellar vocals and ultimate confidence on stage. Her style of music both tipped the hat to traditional country, folk and bluegrass, while remaining distinctly unique with a contemporary sound. It would have been a tough act to follow, had the next performer been anyone other than two-time International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) guitarist of the year, also the first woman to win the award, Molly Tuttle.

    Photo by Brad Butterfield. Molly Tuttle sings to a packed Van Duzer theater on Oct. 7th.

    Molly’s booking at the Van Duzer theater is in large part thanks to Michael Moore Jr., the Associate Director of the Gutswurrak Student Activity Center and the lead of the Centre Arts program. 

    “Molly is early in her career and she’s really on the rise right now,” Moore said. “This is mostly a community show, there are some students here and it’s over 10% students, so it’s not like it’s a small number, but it’s mostly community.”

    Tickets to the show were free to all students currently enrolled at Cal Poly Humboldt. Allison Hair had a fun time despite the low student turnout.

     “I love Molly Tuttle,” Hair said. “I think she’s really beautiful and talented. I was kind of sad there were no students here, but I had fun.”

    Tuttle learned to play guitar by ear, only receiving a formal education in music when she enrolled in Berklee College of Music. Once the crowd had been warmed up, the bassist and mandolin player exited the stage for the Tuttle duo’s rendition of “San Francisco Blues,” which Tuttle described as a universal feeling. 

    “I got the San Francisco blues / Now there’s nothin’ left to lose / I can’t afford the dues and so I’m leavin.”

    In another ode to the Golden State, Molly Tuttle and the Golden Highway played a cover of “White Rabbit,” originally written by the San Francisco band Jefferson Airplane. While the song may not seem suited for a bluegrass cover, the band captured the essence of the song with brilliant musicianship and uninhibited vocals from Molly, who has also won IMBA’s female vocalist of the year for the past two years. 

    Photo by Carlina Grillo. Molly Tuttle closing up her performance without her wig on.

    An undeniable aspect of Molly’s performance and music is her acceptance of, and strength to share her experience with alopecia, an ailment which causes hair loss. 

    “I was inspired and moved to tears when she took off her wig before performing ‘Crooked Tree,’” said Jennifer Trowbridge, an accomplished guitarist and professor teaching music classes at Cal Poly Humboldt. 

    Not only did Molly hit each note perfectly throughout the performance, her band also played exceptionally well, continually weaving in and out of lead parts with ease. It was a special night to be in the Van Duzer theater and Molly’s confidence and conviction were infectious.

    Among the many empowering songs in Molly’s setlist was a song called “Side Saddle.” 

    I said I don’t wanna ride side-saddle / Side-saddle, side-saddle / I just wanna ride bow-legged / Bow-legged like the boys.

    “This song resonates with me as a female guitarist and teacher,” said Trowbridge. “In the CSU system, there are over 40 guitar instructors and only two are women.”

    Before her final songs, Molly told the packed theater that she was going to let her hair down and subsequently tossed her wig onto a chair lit by a spotlight. The band circled around a singular microphone and closed the show to an entranced audience.

    “She sang powerfully and looked like my imagination of a chic Amazon[ian] warrior,” Trowbridge added. “She absolutely glowed. As a woman, I felt proud of her strength and courage to share it on stage,” said Trowbridge.

  • Students find financial freedom in vanlife

    Students find financial freedom in vanlife

    by Jillian Wells

    Amidst housing shortages and the increasing cost of everyday living in recent years, students are looking to an alternative way of living: vanlife. The term “vanlife” means exactly like what it sounds like, living in a van, but the term encompasses various mobile living options such as trailers, campers, motorhomes and RVs. 

    For students seeking a more affordable lifestyle, vanlife is a compelling solution. According to Maddy Montiel, a senior environmental science major with five years of vanlife experience, this choice has allowed them to avoid the cost of traditional housing. Ultimately, Montiel hopes to never pay rent through college. On-campus housing, depending on the type and meal plan, can range from $5,000 to $15,000 per year. In contrast, by parking their motorhome on campus (with a general parking pass) Montiel saves about $500 on gas per month and their monthly living expenses can be as low as $300 for essentials, making it a financially sensible choice. 

    “I’m choosing to do this instead of putting myself into an insane amount of debt in order to pay rent somewhere,” said Montiel. “I’ve always wanted to do it and can’t see myself living another way.”

    Similarly, student van-lifer Steven Childs, a senior wildlife major, explained that while it may not be his preferred lifestyle, it aligns with his financial priorities.

    “If you think about it, the whole point of me being here is to study and go to school and learn. At the end of the day, your room generally is a place for you to put your head and sleep,” said Childs.

    Students are also being drawn to vanlife because of the freedom and independence it offers. When living on wheels, the world becomes your front porch.

    “It’s definitely a pro to be able to wake up on the beach, and pretty much wherever you want to wake up”, said Bohdi Haugen, a freshman doing vanlife. 

    Haugen also added some of the advantages that come with owning a van, including that it really feels like your own; a feeling you may not necessarily have when you’re renting someone else’s space. Jaikyn Russel, a freshman studying forestry, who shares a van with Sierra Cole and their dog Indy, believes vanlife is a lot more doable than people think it is. Cole added that one of the draws of vanlife is being able to travel and always have your home with you. 

    Even with all of the benefits of vanlife, it doesn’t come without its challenges, notably not having a bathroom.

    “I’ve grown pretty familiar with public restrooms nowadays,” said Haugen.

    Montiel added that vanlife often gets glorified, and that there are some harsh realities that come along with it, including dealing with every aspect of your consumption because resources are limited. For instance, Montiel mentioned that they have to always have propane or else they won’t have a way to cook food, boil water or keep their appliances running. Montiel also noted the less-than-glamorous aspects of vanlife.

    “You have to deal with your own shit – literally in every regard, you have to deal with your own shit,” said Montiel.

    But despite this challenge, they believe it forces you to have a shift in mindset and become more sustainable. 

    Students embracing this lifestyle feel that there is a sense of community among vanlifers. Haugen has met many other like-minded people who are in the same situation as him. Montiel further elaborated that they and other vanlifers have formed close-knit bonds, organizing events such as cookouts and beach bonfires together. These connections provide a support system for those navigating the challenges of this lifestyle.

    While this lifestyle isn’t for everyone, it can be cost effective, rewarding, and freeing for those who do it. If you’re interested in embracing this lifestyle, Montiel noted that an alternative living club is underway. The club’s first meeting will be Friday, Oct. 27 at 3:30 p.m. in Library room 114. 

    “We’re hoping to use that to create a space for students who live like this and students who are interested in living like this, to come and talk about it and learn about it and advocate for more resources,” said Montiel.

  • Indigenous Peoples Week embraces rich cultures and honors resilience

    Indigenous Peoples Week embraces rich cultures and honors resilience

    by Christina Mehr

    Indigenous Peoples Week kicked off on the Cal Poly Humboldt Quad Oct. 9 with a drum circle and mesmerizing rhythms echoing through the crowd. Participants of the drum circle beat their non-traditional drums and sang together, creating harmonies connected with the spirit. The beating of the drums mimicked the heartbeat of Mother Earth as it began to rain. According to the people in celebration, the sounds of the drums and vocals are used to heal, restore balance and improve people’s mood. The goal of the week is to embrace the rich cultures of Indigenous people and to honor the resilience, tradition and history. 

    Throughout the week, a variety of events and discussions for both staff and students to participate in were hosted by the The Indian Tribal & Education Personnel Program (ITEPP). ITEPP has been supporting students for more than 50 years. 

    The celebration included traditional card game demos, an Inuit film “Slash/Back” showing and more. These activities offer not only a way for native people to connect with each other, but with the earth, and with their ancestors. The celebration included speakers such as Dr. Kaitlin Reed, who discussed decolonization and her new book, “Settler Cannabis, From Gold Rush to Green Rush in Indigenous Northern California.”

    Photos by Andrés Felix Romero. ITEPP leadership addresses the crowd towards the end of the Oct. 9 drum circle in the Quad.

    Indigenous Peoples Day is held in high esteem for those on campus and in the Humboldt community. The ITEPP program at Cal Poly Humboldt provides Native American students a sense of belonging that’s centered around cultural values, beliefs and traditions. The program also assists students in navigating higher education with confidence and a sense of independence.

    “I want you all to erase a couple words from your vocabulary,” said Vincent Feliz, a lecturer in the department of social work. “Stop using them. Words like discovered, founded and settled. Indigenous people never needed to be discovered, we never needed to be founded, we never needed to be settled. A lot of us already had government systems set up, languages, structures and ceremonial rites of passage that were established.” 

    The week brought community members a chance to raise awareness and encourage understanding about Indigenous history.

    Ted Hernandez, the Cultural Director and Chairman for the Wiyot Tribe, spoke at the drum circle in the Quad at the beginning of the week. 

    “There was a lot of damage done to our tribes that are in this area, not just this area, but all over the United States,”  Hernandez said. “And it’s time that we start telling each other the true history. Its time for us to start talking about the genocide that happened to our people. It’s time for us to let the world know what happened.” 

  • Bottoms Review: A raucously punchy queer teen comedy

    Bottoms Review: A raucously punchy queer teen comedy

    by Jake Hyslop

    If I had a nickel for every new movie in 2023 that was an eccentric, campy satire about feminism and gender roles, mocking the blatantly evil patriarchy and boasting a giant choreographed fight scene, I would have two nickels – which, to quote Dr. Doofenshmirtz, isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. 

    Bottoms is the sophomore feature from writer-director Emma Seligman, reuniting with star (and writer) Rachel Sennott (“Bodies Bodies Bodies”) from their previous collaboration, the stressful and hilarious Shiva Baby. Opposite Sennott is Ayo Edibiri, perhaps best known for her voicework in Big Mouth and her performance as Sydney in the hit Hulu show The Bear (watch it if you haven’t). 

    Sennott and Edibiri star as PJ and Josie respectively, two teens at the bottom of their high school’s social ladder. Not only are they losers and gay, but they attend a high school that literally worships its straight himbo star-athlete (there is a giant mural depicting him as the biblical Adam in the cafeteria). Even the principal calls them the “ugly, untalented gays” over the intercom. Through a series of plot contrivances, the two unpopular teens start an all-female fight club in order to have sex before they graduate. 

    If the above doesn’t alert you to the surrealness of the world of Bottoms, allow me to inform you that Jeff (the aforementioned himbo) and his teammates are depicted sitting in the cafeteria like Jesus and his apostles in Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. It’s a comical sight to say the least. Oh, and murder is just shrugged off as a normal occurrence. 

    The teen sex comedy isn’t exactly a new genre, but to have a brief resurgence put a queer spin on the genre keeps it fresh and subversive. It brings the tone of movies like Wet Hot American Summer and Superbad to the Gen Z crowd, borrowing the campy tone of “But I’m a Cheerleader,” a queer cult classic in its own right (it even paid homage in a scene at a diner named “But I’m A Diner”). Bottoms is unapologetically and explicitly gay at nearly all times. We’ve come a long way from the woeful and tokenistic “gay best friend” trope in comedies.  

    I was particularly delighted at the film’s parallels and references to Fight Club, a film famous for its satirical portrayal of toxic masculinity. It’s unfortunate that many men read the film’s message completely wrong, idolizing the dangerous men at the center of the narrative. How refreshing that this movie completely upends and pokes fun at those notions. The football players here are utterly moronic, and actors Nicholas Galitzine and Miles Fowler channel their Ken-ergy into their diva performances. 

    Despite a plot that can be convoluted and predictable at times, the cast and writing carry this movie to victory. Sennott and Edebiri’s palpable chemistry provides the groundwork for some truly impressive improv sequences, interwoven so well with the hilarious script that it’s hard to tell what is improv and what is written. Marshawn Lynch nearly steals the film as the divorced teacher who sponsors their club, misguided in his attempts to embrace feminism (fair weather allies are the worst). In fact, the entire ensemble here puts in the work, and I found my chest hurting from all the funny bits, as there’s hardly a minute that goes by without one. To address the Margot Robbie-sized elephant  in the room: yes, there are a lot of similarities to Barbie, the hit blockbuster of the year. I liked Barbie a lot, but my biggest issue was just how commercial it was, and how I wished every minute of its runtime was as campy as Barbieland; Bottoms scratched that itch for me. It’s acerbic and surreal the entire time, but it’s also surprisingly dark and bloody. Bottoms never compromises its weirdness for even a second to please anyone. It’s brash and unapologetic, and also the funniest movie I’ve seen all year.

  • Student spreads joy through public singing

    by Savana Robinson and Alina Ferguson

    Walking through the Cal Poly Humboldt Student Activity Center quad, one might hear a voice singing spiritual hymns. Echoing up the stair of Founder’s Hall, the voice carries a sense of warmth. The singer Fred Bossman can be heard a couple times a week, usually in the mornings.

     47-year-old Bossman studies physics at Cal Poly Humboldt with a focus in astronomy. He sings in public because he believes God told him if he sacrifices himself for the good of man, He will grant him unlimited power. Bossman wants to use this power to heal the world through singing. 

    He started singing at College of the Redwoods, but his favorite place to sing is the Arcata Plaza. He thinks it has a nice echo. Though he has no formal training, Bossman has traveled in states all over the west singing in public trying to spread warmth and joy. 

    “I have been singing for many years,” said Bossman. “It’s been a long time.”

    Bossman has received mixed reactions from people about his singing.

    “People have said that I sound beautiful,” said Bossman. “Other people have told me to be quiet.”

     One day, he was singing in the quad at Cal Poly Humboldt and thought that a lady who was studying was irritated with his singing. 

    “I went up to her and told her I was sorry and she said, ‘No it was beautiful. Thank you,’” said Bossman.

    Bossman said that he’s not trying to create problems.

    “I’m just trying to do what I believe I’m supposed to do,” stated Bossman.

    Bossman can get nervous when singing in public. 

    “It’s sometimes nerve-wracking because I don’t know what to expect,” said Bossman

    Bossman used to wear sunglasses to help ease his anxiety, then, when the pandemic hit, he would wear a mask.

    “Sometimes people would look around and not know who was singing until they got close to me,” said Bossman. “This was when I didn’t sound that good.”

    “I used to scream,” said Bossman. “Over many years it turned into a harmony. At first, I didn’t know how to sing but I was just getting it out there.”

    Now, Bossman takes the mask off so that his voice doesn’t sound muffled.

    After struggling with a meth addiction, he found God at a low point in his life. He had woken up from being in a coma for seven days and was given a copy of the New Testament. It was just the sign he needed.

    “The Lord has delivered me from methamphetamine, marijuana, tobacco, alcohol and gambling for over four and a half years,” said Bossman.

    Growing up in an agnostic household, he does not belong to any specific denomination. He simply follows Jesus. He receives messages from God through prayer, visions and dreams.

    Bossman said God showed him a vision of him winning a Nobel prize and becoming an astrophysicist, and he knows this is something he will do. 

    His favorite passage is the 91st psalm of the Book of Psalms: “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

    Bossman has 38 songs in his repertoire. All of the songs that he sings, he hears on K-Love, a Christian radio station based in Sacramento, California.

    “I would hear a song and go home, look it up on the internet, learn the words and put it in my repertoire,” said Bossman.

    Bossman’s favorite song to sing is “Glorious Unfolding” by Steven Curtis Chapman.

  • Old soul, young at heart

    Old soul, young at heart

    by Dezmond Remington

    It’s midnight on a Saturday, and the rafters are clapping. Spines vibrate and teeth wiggle. Faces pose in macabre grimaces, writhing like they have a car battery clamped to their tongues. Above it all is the light, heavenly light, that dips and dodges and fills up the warehouse. It spells names, makes rainbows and does anything the god that controls it wants to do. The deity is named Nathan Ray King and this is his office.

    His office that night was an EDM show at Ramparts Skate Park. King has been doing laser work for gigs as diverse as raves in the forest to a dance at Eureka High School for about two years now. After winning four jackpots in a row playing keno at the Blue Lake Casino, he bought his first laser. Although the pay in Humboldt is often bad and the grind painful, he hasn’t looked back since. Seeing hundreds of people feeding off of the energy of his lasers and the music he plays makes it worth it. 

    Photos by Dezmond Remington. A performer dances amidst King’s kaleidoscope laser arrangements.

    “The amount of love you get for creating that vibe [is great],” King said. “The laser is so powerful. It has such an impact on what people are going to remember. It’s those memories that are some of my favorite type of things. It’s hard to explain the gratification you get from all those smiles from people who are mind blown.”

    King didn’t come by his profession out of the blue. In the early 2000s, he attended a festival in Phoenix and was inspired to start his career with lasers when he walked behind a stage and saw all the wiring. He and the group he was working with performed at shows in the area for about six years, using illegal equipment owned by someone else until they were shut down by the local laser commissioner. He spent most of the next 10 years working as a household appliance repairman before his roommates stole his tools. When he had his stroke of fate at the Blue Lake Casino, he decided it was time to invest in himself. 

    He bought one laser and messed around with it in his apartment for six months, eventually buying more lasers when he outgrew his setup. He reached out to promoters for a while to get some work and got a gig performing at the Jam in Arcata. He offered to do it for free just for the exposure, but the promoters liked it so much they ended up paying him. He’s been booked full almost every weekend since. 

    “I’ve been doing a lot of shows for next to nothing, just to get seated in the industry and get more experience,” King said. “It’s worked fairly well. I’m still struggling financially, but it’s coming along.”

    King is a staple at just about any event in Humboldt that a laser might make a little better. He has somewhat of a monopoly on laser shows here, being pretty much the only local to offer his services. His marketing techniques can be aggressive. Occasionally, he sets up lasers at Moonstone beach, projecting shapes on the cliff sides, as well as his Instagram handle. He has a bus with his name on it and rigged it so his lasers could attach. It’s the dream machine for King, a portable slice of his talents. It makes it much easier to travel south for the big festivals, where the real money can be made – a couple thousand for a weekend of work. 

    King would like to branch out into other areas he could use his lasers, such as large, billboard-style effects. One of the things that fascinates him about the lasers is simply how many things can be done with them; the ceiling for innovation is practically limitless. The program King uses to make his lasers function has hundreds of preset designs. Any image file can be projected. Dancers made out of nothing but pure light and shadow. The only boundary is what King can think of, as well as his budget.

    “The possibilities are limitless,” King said. “I can play with it for days and never do the same thing twice.”

    Despite what his club reputation may bring to mind, King is far from the glowstick and neon aesthetic of many festival goers. He’s 44, with salt and pepper stubble, clad in athleisure khakis and Adidas running shoes. However, one of the things he loves most about the events he works is that they don’t put him all that outside the norm. 

    “I see people way older than me,” King said. “I’ve always been an old soul but young at heart at the same time. I feel right at home…I feel like a kid again, almost. I’m just a free-spirited kind of kid. I like to have a good time.”

    The people in the crowd are what compensate for the oftentimes bad pay and wacky working hours. King said he often has trouble talking with people, but lasers are the great equalizer.

    “I don’t really care about the size of the event,” King said. “Just being able to connect with people [is why I do it]. Doing lasers allows me to speak with people without having to interact with people.”

    One of the finest moments of his career was at the Stilldream Festival in eastern California. A technician took King’s chair, which he was mad about until he learned it was for a DJ by the name of Dreamweaver. He had been in a car wreck several years prior and needed it a lot more than Nathan did. 

    “He was just crushing it,” King said. “Everything was going great… I got this epiphany in my head like halfway through his set, ‘You know what? I’m standing for this man right now!’ We’re on opposite sides of the crowd, kind of having our dance amongst ourselves. ‘I’m his legs right now!’”

    However, King said that after the highs of working the crowd can often come the lows. However, the solution there is often also people. 

    “You get probably a ‘Musician’s Gloom’ where, when you’re performing, you get this rush of endorphins — and, of course, the extracurricular activities that get you there — and then when it’s over, it goes [airplane crashing noise],” King said. “So the next night, it’s quiet, you’re by yourself, you get this super low… I like to just talk to friends… have a chill one-on-one.”

    King has met hundreds of different people during his years as a laser performer, one of them being HSU alumni Joseph Ostini. Ostini is the founder of artist’s collective Arcane Artists, started two years ago to give local performers an outlet during the pandemic. Ostini met King at a show at the Jam about a year ago, and was impressed by the laser effects, something he said had never been seen before in Arcata. Ostini likes the lasers as a way to enhance the experience of attending a music show.

    “[King’s] artwork does a good job of translating music to visual space,” Ostini said. “…His growth has been apparent to me as a promoter.”

    King’s connections are what he hopes will allow him to finally become a successful, happy performer.

    “Lasers are fucking cool,” King said. “That’s all I want to do — be sustainable and comfortable and just be able to shine my lasers for people.”

  • Music meets anime at Thundercat show

    Music meets anime at Thundercat show

    by Carlina Grillo

    On a typical cold and rainy night in Arcata, students gathered into the John Van Duzer Theatre where Grammy award-winning bassist, Stephen Lee Bruner, known as Thundercat, brought the heat to campus. With a mix of funk, jazz, R&B and psychedelic bass noodling – eccentric doesn’t begin to describe the night. 

    Tickets for the show sold out within two hours of going on sale to the public, and to people’s surprise, last minute tickets were sold the evening of the performance. For Thundercat’s third time back to the Van Duzer, Cal Poly Humboldt’s Center Arts expected a full house with a seated capacity of 862.

    Eager for the show, the crowd began gathering in the lobby half an hour before the doors opened at 8:30 p.m. Upon entry, people were greeted by a vivid blue light and fog in the air. Behind the haze stood a giant blown up medieval style tower with a cat head. Known as “Cats Lair,” this stage set up was a reference to the 1985 anime, “ThunderCats.”

    The concert was promoted as a seated show, but as soon as the band took the stage, some people stood in front of their seats while others raced to the front. Most people on the balcony remained seated until the very end of the night when the entire house gave Thundercat a standing ovation. The energy was high, but not enough to solicit a mosh pit. Folks mostly swayed throughout the night.

    Thundercat took the stage around 9 p.m. with his iconic six string Ibanez bass guitar, and was backed up by Dennis Hamm on the keys, with Justin Brown on drums. Between songs, Thundercat entertained the crowd with relatable banter and even attempted to kickflip a Tech Deck from the crowd. While he talked to the crowd, fans could be heard meowing around the room.

    Photo by Carlina Grillo. Thundercat playing in front of the “Cats Lair”, a giant blowup tower referencing the 1985 anime “ThunderCats”.

    It was quickly made apparent that anime has a grip on Thundercat and has influenced many aspects of his life. During the first half of the show, he asked the audience how they felt about anime. As the question was followed by loud cheers, he decided to play the song “Tokyo.”

    “I’m gonna slow this one down too,” said Thundercat. “I’m gonna sing this one real slow, so you can understand what it was to be me at 18 years old in Japan.”

    The song described Thundercat’s time in Tokyo with an ode to his lifelong love for anime.

    “I went to the dentist and he gave me a toy / it was Dragon Ball-Z, a wrist-slap bracelet / Goku fucking ruined me,” sang Thundercat. 

    Afterwards, he followed it with his song “Dragonball Durag.” He mentioned that it was his first time playing those songs back to back, and even exclaimed to Hamm, “Write that down!”

    “You don’t have to like my video games or my comic books / But baby girl, how do I look in my durag?” sang Thundercat.

    During the second half of the performance, Thundercat took a moment to honor musicians he’s proud to have worked with who have passed away. He specifically mentioned rapper Mac Miller, Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and concert promoter Meghan Stabile.

    “To know Meghan was to love her,” Thundercat said.

    Whether an anime lover or not, concert-goers left the Van Duzer feeling electric. Tobin Thornton, a freshman studying chemistry at Cal Poly Humboldt, had never been to the Van Duzer before and had zero expectations for the night. 

    “I don’t really know what I was expecting, but I had a very good time. I do feel like I got put in a microwave, but in a good way,” Thornton said before rating the show a solid nine out of ten. 

    Sam Schulman, a music lover and community member, expressed his gratitude for Thundercat coming to Arcata to share his music.

    “I was mind blown by his artistry and how good he is at playing the bass. It was so cool,” Schulman said. “I didn’t really know what to expect going into it and I know he has regular-amount-of-time songs, but he was extending a lot of them and jamming a lot. Which was really cool to see.”

    Lexi Takaki, a graduate student in the social work program, described her night as awesome, and felt very lucky to get one of the last minute tickets. 

    “Thundercat is a world renowned musician that is like none other, so it was kind of surreal to see him on stage,” Takaki said. “I feel like at a lot of shows at the Van Duzer, it can be really mellow or people are kind of awkward, and I feel like tonight everyone was really feeling it.”

  • One pole, seven strippers

    One pole, seven strippers

    by Zack Mink

    “I love stripper bitches!” the crowd yelled. This one-of-a-kind call and response was very much appropriate.

    On Sunday, Sept. 24, Clubussy broke down barriers by being the first-ever pop-up strip club event in all of Humboldt County. The event was hosted at the queer-owned thrift store Krave in Arcata, continuing the theme of providing a safe space for all.

    With help from volunteers, the store was transformed into an intimate and safe setting, with one pole centered in the room highlighting the seven talented performers throughout the night. 

    Setting the mood with what one performer described as bisexual lighting, casting blue, pink, and purple shadows across the room. 

    The excitement was building as the performers changed in the back room. Everyone reflected joy and felt proud to be in a space where they could be their authentic selves. 

    “As someone who felt bullied out of sex work, this space is super important to me,” said Baby Fontaine.

    Fontaine, aka the “Dollar Daddy,” was a volunteer responsible for exchanging dollar bills with the crowd making sure everyone had cash to tip the performers. 

    Orange haired-diva Big Billy, a co-founder of the Humboldt based pole dancing group, LXIX Crew, began with an emotional and entrancing number, paired with a mix of opera and club beats. Next up was Felix Void, who was serving punk, with loud clacks from the stomping of their tall black heels. Dahlia was after, delivering androgyny in their performance to “But It’s Better If You Do” by Panic! at the Disco. Their splits and unbelievable spins continued to get hoots and tips from the audience. Big Billy took the stage again with their “Shreksual” performance of “All Star” by Smash Mouth, garnering laughs and cheers from the audience. Felix Void and Dahlia did one last number each before the group birthday dance in celebration of Kai Flores, the owner of Krave. 

    Krave’s owner, Kai Flores, even got a birthday treat. Six strippers danced on Flores’ lap, did handstands while shaking ass, and enveloped their face with their breasts, leaving Flores laughing with tears falling down their cheeks. It was their first strip club experience and they got the whole shabang.

    The second half of the show started with Boofy the Clown. Boofy, a co-founder of the Foolish Kinks,performed their comedic version of “Oops I Did It Again” by Britney Spears. Channeling her inner bimbo, Boofy trotted on stage, fluffy nose first and ended by revealing a miniature pink rubber chicken from her bikini bottom. Following Boofy, Karma dropped it low at the audience’s feet before climbing back onto the pole to impress with their acrobatic spins. After Karma’s performance came Bunny with a flamenco inspired set. Once everyone performed twice, GUTTERPUKE, the organizer and MC of the event, surprised the audience with a last minute pole performance coming back from their extended hiatus. 

    The grand finale involved a sheet cake and balloon-boobs. Everyone cheered as Boofy and Dahlia dropped from the pole into the splits on top of the sheet cake, proceeding to lick the frosting off of each other and feed each other chunks of cake, eventually popping the balloon-boobs with Dahlia’s long black acrylics in honor of Flores’ birthday. 

    The performance left an impact on the crowd, leaving them curious what the event might mean for the future of Humboldt County. 

    “It’s going to inspire others… change the future of pole dancing in Humboldt,” said Patrick Shannon, an audience member supporting one of their performer friends.

    “There’s so many people here who know people who dance at clubs and have wanted to support them, but are too afraid to go into the club because of violent homophobia and because of the transphobia we are seeing in our nation,” said GUTTERPUKE. “Not only is this radical and reseizing the means of our production, it’s also radical in a way of creating space for queer people to feel comfortable accessing sex workers.”

    GUTTERPUKE has six years of experience performing, as well as experience fighting the constrictive systems that make being a stripper and/or sex worker difficult. This passion for creating a safe and equitable environment for sex workers and strippers stems from GUTTERPUKE’s own traumatic past. At one of the previous clubs he worked at, he was illegally fired. From that experience, he discovered Strippers United, an organization striving to dismantle whorephobia and decriminalize sex work. This organization provides financial and legal support for strippers and helped GUTTERPUKE win his case against the club. They were forced to hire him back and pay him for the days he wasn’t allowed to work because of the illegal termination.

    Clubussy was created as the solution to this problem and the other issues strippers regularly face. 

    “Let’s do some problem-solving. Let’s make an event where sex workers are platformed and invited. Let’s make a space that celebrates us in a really joyous manner and it’s not degrading, it’s not fetishization or tokenization,” said GUTTERPUKE.

    Along with the mistreatment of performers, the financial aspect of running a strip club is something GUTTERPUKE is passionate about improving.

    “When you are a stripper, you have to pay the club to work. Part of Clubussy is that strippers keep 100% of their fucking money. Often performers are told ‘you will get a percentage of ticket sales,’ but they’re never transparent with their finances so you have no idea how much the event organizers are paying themselves, you have no idea how much the event actually made. So, as part of my ideals to be transparent and community-based with all of the performers and volunteers, the financial records will be made available,” GUTTERPUKE said to the audience.

    The event followed the intentions of being transparent, encouraging and safe for everyone. It also was a chance for these local strippers and sex workers to represent themselves, share their art, and give credit where credit is due. 

    “Oftentimes, pole hobbyists get more opportunities to be performers, get more opportunities to go on tour, get more opportunities to do so much when pole is a craft that was shared by strippers with non-strippers because it’s something that brings us joy,” said GUTTERPUKE. “Being on the stage, doing your thing, it is positive for your body, it is positive for your mental health and we shared that gift.

  • The fantastical world of D&D

    The fantastical world of D&D

    by Alina Ferguson

    Roll the dice. Feel the pressure. You are rolling to see if you will make it out alive, or to sneak away from danger. 

    Cal Poly Humboldt has many things to offer. One thing that people may not be aware of is the very active Dungeons and Dragons scene. 

    Dungeons and Dragons, also known as D&D, is a tabletop fantasy role playing game that often takes place over a series of campaigns. You become a part of a story, creating a character and playing through scenarios that the Dungeon Master, or ‘DM’, envisions. 

    It is common in the D&D world to refer to the DM as a sort of God, who creates the imaginary world that the campaign takes place in. It does not always have to be Earth. It can be anywhere and anytime. 

    The community is very friendly and always welcoming of new players. Cal Poly Humboldt student William Bellairs is a geospatial and technology major who has been playing D&D on and off since high school. He enjoys the communal and imaginative experience of the game.

    Photo by Alina Ferguson. The Solar Nuawlen campaign enjoying a game night.

    “I really love the collaborative storytelling aspect, how you can get a group of people all invested in something that each person is in part responsible for,” said Bellairs. “I haven’t played with anyone on campus, but I have some friends who do or who are looking to.” 

    Another facet that brings people together for D&D is the character art. Artists bring their characters to life and even do commissions to illustrate other player’s characters.

    Chris Talso, a student at Cal Poly Humboldt, runs a campaign called “Solar Nuawlen” with players studying at both Cal Poly Humboldt and College of the Redwoods. Nuawlen is the name of the planet that the campaign takes place on; a post-apocalyptic earth. 

    “Basically, Earth right now went through some type of apocalypse,” described Talso. “It sent Earth to dinosaur times and it had to evolve back. Then quite a few million years later, instead of having a focus on science, the new races and humanoid people of the planet now are focusing on magic. There’s quite a few people on this planet. They have brought a whole new life to the world. All the continents of the world have Pangaea-d again.”

    Throughout D&D campaigns, there are multiple different side quests that the party goes on. Solar Nuawlen was on a random little side mission to bring back the perfect Griffowl to the home dimension. A Griffowl is an owl and cat mixed together. 

    Judah Benson, an environmental science management and restoration major has played D&D on and off for over five years, and currently plays at school. Her current character has different moods that are based on the seasons. She plays a male character, because she can.  

    “It’s like video games but less expensive and less rules,” said Benson. “A good game if you’ve got a lot of creative friends!”

  • Pets keep students healthy and happy

    Pets keep students healthy and happy

    by Savana Robinson

    Finals week: a stressful, anxious time for all. During this time, Raymond Haeckel, a forestry major at Cal Poly Humboldt, had a public panic attack.

    “It was really embarrassing and not the best on my mental health,” Haeckel said. “I’m thinking about how all those people saw me freak out. It sucks.”

    After the panic attack, Haeckel decided to adopt a companion that would ease his troubles and calm his mind; he is now the owner of a beautiful cattle dog mix, Carolina. He is certain that having an animal companion has helped support healthier habits.

    “It’s a really good, big motivator to keep on a healthy schedule in my life,” Haeckel said. “When I’m feeling depressed, I have trouble keeping up with my daily habits. Having a dog to calm me down when I’m feeling anxious is really important for my mental health. It’s thanks to her that I was able to overcome my inability to sleep through the night.”

    Vanessa Hidden, a leadership studies major at Cal Poly Humboldt through the College of Extended Education and Global Engagement, believes having a pet or emotional support animal can be one of human’s deepest connections.

    “Our pets can stimulate the healing process within ourselves,” Hidden said. “They can help us look forward to tomorrow and get out of bed.”

    Hidden is the administrator for the Co-Sheltering Collaborative, a peer-to-peer support network by My Dog is My Home. The organization is a national nonprofit focused on supporting people experiencing homelessness and their pets.

    Having had pets most of her life, Hidden feels a certain sense of comfort and safety from having animals around. She has struggled with depression and anxiety disorder, and her pets were a core part of her healing process.

    “To this day, [they] provide the connection and consistency I need to get through new challenges,” Hidden said. “Being fully remote for school and work… is a challenge that I don’t know I would be able to sustain without the company and emotional stability that my pets provide for me.”

    Maia Ryan, a Counseling and Psychological Services therapist and campus outreach coordinator at Cal Poly Humboldt, provided some insight on how emotional support animals can improve their owner’s mental health. Social connection is crucial to overall wellbeing and there is ongoing research to prove that the positive interactions with animals offer psychophysiological and psychosocial benefits like lowering anxiety, alleviating loneliness and normalizing heart rate and blood pressure.

    “People who may have difficulties with medical or emotional conditions exacerbated by stress could potentially benefit from having an emotional support animal,” Ryan said.

    Mental health is heavily influenced by social connection and animals can provide that necessary companionship. The unique bond between humans and animals is a powerful source of comfort and healing, underscoring the vital role animals play in bolstering our emotional resilience and overall mental health.

  • Krave: an inclusive thrift

    Krave: an inclusive thrift

    by Zack Mink

    The neon green storefront and addictive beats of classic 90s hits pull you in first. Taking a step inside, you can choose a colorful basket to fill with local art, food and toiletries from the mutual aid pantry, and affordably priced clothes. After spending ten dollars, you spin the prize wheel and win an extra 10% off your entire purchase. This is the experience you can expect at Arcata’s new curated thrift store, Krave. 

    Krave is located at 1073 H Street in downtown Arcata, open Wednesday-Sunday, providing clothing and nicknacks at accessible prices along with mutual aid support for those in need. 

    “The agreement we have made… is I’m going to charge fair prices for these things so that they can go to other members of our community,” said Kai Flores, the owner of Krave. 

    Flores designed Krave to specifically cater to queer people, plus-size people, students, and “underprivileged folk.” It’s a place Flores says they would have wanted when they were younger. Now, they get to live out their dream, providing the safe space they would have wanted as a kid, for others.

    “My goals for Krave are to make it a safe space and for people to feel like they’ve found their community,” said Flores. 

    Along with providing a safe space for young queer people, Krave is a safe space for people in need. This is why Flores always has a stocked mutual aid pantry filled with food, blankets, hygiene products, drug test kits, and other essential goods. Flores prioritizes this because they want everyone to have a shopping experience even with no money to spend. Especially with the prominent unhoused population, this thoughtful addition is something that is not common but is very helpful for those in the area. 

    Photo by Zack Mink | Krave mutual aid pantry

    Another aspect of shopping that Flores has changed is the organization. In order to truly create a safe space where anyone can be comfortable, all of the clothing is organized by size or color. This avoids using gender labels and allows anyone to comfortably try on any piece of clothing, bringing a new level of inclusivity to shopping. 

    In addition to a gender-inclusive shopping experience, Krave is size-inclusive. The plus size section is as expansive as the straight size section giving everyone the same variety of second-hand clothing.

    “Same size, same amount of cool stuff,” Flores said proudly.

    As Krave continues to grow, Flores plans on expanding the community support that they provide. Flores hopes to become a vending space for occasional pop-ups highlighting local small businesses, and plans on hosting more events establishing a safe space for queer people. 

    As Flores reflects on their journey as a queer person and business owner in Humboldt County, they appreciate how far they have come and how much they can now help others grow.

    “I love the fact that every day I see a bunch of queer kids come into my store, coming to life because they can just be themselves,” said Flores. “They’re respected, they’re loved… they’re celebrated.”

  • Ropes to Riches: Ghost Net Landscape comes to Reese Bullen Gallery

    Ropes to Riches: Ghost Net Landscape comes to Reese Bullen Gallery

    by Valen Lambert

    Until Oct. 14, walking into the Reese Bullen Gallery is to walk into an aquatic dreamscape. Artist Emily Jung Miller utilizes discarded fishing nets, also called “ghost nets,” to craft baskets, coral sculptures and build immersive installations that inspire meditations on waste and reusability. 

    In 2015, Miller had been learning how to stitch coil baskets with cotton cords when she came across some ghost net washed up on the shores of Maine where her grandparents lived. She was inspired by the material and its connection to place, and began stitching her baskets with ghost net. 

    Ghost Net Landscape is much more than a showcasing of Miller’s talent. It is a collaboration, inviting the public to create their own art with the giant mass of materials collected and cleaned by Miller. Her installation is a form of environmental activism that takes out the doom and gloom of climate collapse, opening up a space for play and collaboration. 

    “We are aware that there is a big problem, and the part where we figure out how we deal with climate anxiety and what our position is in making a change hasn’t been discussed so much,” said Miller. “…I think this work is not about the problem. And it’s also not exactly about a solution. It’s about being in a state of mind where I feel like I’m open to creative transformation, and feeling like I’m in a place with myself where I can feel good about making a difference, and I’m not doing it in reaction to a terrible thing that has happened or my need to fix it right away”.

    Every Ghost Net installation starts unfinished, evolving based on the space and the community who’s making it in this show. Miller’s installation creates ripples in every community that she shows in, often using local material and focusing on regional issues. For the remainder of her show in Reese Bullen, the public will be creating a watershed map from Humboldt Bay all the way up to the Klamath River on the Oregon border using debris found in these areas. 

    Miller provides a heap of ghost net for the public to decorate the gallery wit.
    Reliquaries For Your Journey, 2021
    Barnacles, 2020 by Emily Jung Miller

    “So, I was here for the first week of the show to sort of lay the foundation for that and kickstart people, and basically tell them it’s okay to take ownership of the process,” said Miller. “Because I feel like people need to be told a couple of times that this is your space. This is your thing… and then that piece is going to live somewhere else on campus after.”

    There is something special about Miller’s installation and it is the level in which she connects with whatever community she shows in, often gifting her baskets and planting seeds for collaborative projects. As an artist-in-residence, she treats the gallery like a living room, inviting participants to feel at home in their creative potential and add to the community gallery. 

    “Seeing what other people make with [ghost net] is super inspiring, because everything in the community gallery was made by other people and I didn’t have any of those visions to make those things,” said Miller. “It’s so delightful.”

  • Film students dive head-first ‘Into The Deep’

    Film students dive head-first ‘Into The Deep’

    by Carlina Grillo

    Into The Deep, a student film-makers showcase, was put on by the Cal Poly Humboldt Art + Film department on Sept. 15 at the John Van Duzer theater. The showcase included a diverse collection of 19 creative short films. 

    Since the fall of 2022, film students have been preparing to make the dive head-first ‘Into The Deep’ with their films for this showcase. Each student film-maker took an exclusive journey of self-discovery to create these one of a kind films, and that was made apparent by the depth in each and every film.

    “‘Into the Deep’ is more than just a theme,” read the program handed out at the showcase. “It’s a guiding principle. It encourages us to venture beyond the surface and embrace the uncharted territories of storytelling,” 

    With a total screen time of around 80 minutes, viewers were taken on a voyage down a deep, and at times dark, college-core rabbit hole. Bouncing between experimental films like ‘Momento Mori,” directed by Wren Kosinski, narratives like “Shrimp Film,” directed by Solomon Winter, and documentaries like “Camino,” directed by Nat Cruz, each piece was completely different from the one before. 

    Film production professors Dr. Michelle Cartier and Dave Jannetta attended the event and expressed the joy they felt during the showcase. 

    “This was the most solid showcase I’ve seen in a minute,” Cartier said. 

    He recalled how big the event used to be pre-pandemic, and how good it felt to see a room full of people celebrating student film-makers. 

    “We’re incredibly proud of the work they’re doing as artists,” Jannetta said. “I want students to make work they’re proud of.” 

    Whether viewers were giggling at Humboldt public bathroom reviews, learning about fisheries and sustainable fishing practices, deep in thought from spoken word and interpretive movement, or questioning their sanity as the films became increasingly unhinged, this showcase proved that Cal Poly Humboldt students are filled to the brim with imagination and creativity.

    John Farley, a film major in his fourth year, directed the three and a half minute film “Circus Peanuts.” This was a memorable satire mafia film that played at the beginning of the show. The film involved local mobster clowns pushing circus peanuts, and a mafia boss dealing with a snitch in their peanut ring. 

    “It was quite a rush to see something I worked on displayed on the big screen,” Farley said. “Sitting next to my crew who helped with the making of this, we were probably laughing the hardest.”

    Farley ran into a bit of trouble behind the scenes. After a whole day of filming, the original footage for the film was deleted. What viewers saw at the showcase, was actually the second attempt.

    “I felt so defeated, but luckily we were able to rally the troops to get another crack at it,” Farley said. “We got together the following week and shot the entire film in one day. It was fast paced, but an absolute blast getting what we needed to get between scenes and locations. When the actors can’t keep a straight face during a scene and end up breaking character, it is a reassuring feeling that what I’m making will turn out funny.”

    At one point in the latter half of the night, it seemed like films began bleeding into one another and causing a sense of chaos that made viewers question their sense of time. This chaos was apparent as viewers would begin to give an applause just to realize the film wasn’t over. 

    Eventually, realization struck the audience that these pieces were all a part of the larger puzzle: “Teen High School Movie: The Show: The Broadcast,” directed by Mara Lifquist. This film could be described as “Black Mirror” esque, and that is a compliment not to take lightly. This narrative film was around 14 minutes and contained satire commercials, frequent call backs and impressive horror effects. Between laughter and fear was a dissociation from reality that prompted a yearning to watch the film again.

    At the end of the night, viewers left the John Van Duzer theater feeling inspired, touched and possibly disoriented.

  • North Country Fair celebrates creativity and strives for social change

    North Country Fair celebrates creativity and strives for social change

    by Alex Anderson

    Students and the surrounding community came together to celebrate creativity and strive for social change at the 49th annual North Country Fair in Arcata Plaza on Sept. 16 and 17. 

    The North Country Fair strives to recognize the eccentric beauty of Arcata and the vibrant people who call it home; celebrating healthy community, environment and cooperation. According to northcountryfair.org, nearly 200 vendors were in attendance to sell their art or deliver their messages to the public. This year’s fair revolved around the theme of ‘Creating The Flow,’ referring to the process for which artists develop their work and embodying the sentiment: you must be the change you wish to see in the world. 

    According to North Country Fair Director Alex Ozaki-Mcneill, there were roughly 4,000 people in attendance throughout the weekend. Ozaki-Mcneill explained how the event focuses on the creativity of local artists, as well as a desire to spark environmental change in the community with the event’s responsible waste initiative. Every year, event staff and volunteer groups weigh all of the trash, recycling and compost, keeping tally of totals and focusing on keeping as much as possible out of the landfill. Ozaki-Mcneill also touched on the friendships formed as one of the stand out aspects of this event.

    “All of the friendships that are formed between [the] community who have favorite vendors that they look for every year,” Ozaki-Mcneill said. “One of our vendors describes it as a giant community hug and I’ve really adopted that, I really like that.”

    Each year the North Country Fair features two parades, the All Species and Samba parades, which bring hundreds of community members together to witness the creativity of their neighbors. With this year’s theme focused on positive change, the main component of this year’s All Species Parade was a depiction of the demolishing of the dams along the Klamath river. Parade participants wore fish heads and carried decorated cutouts of salmon and sturgeon, which were created with the help of Arcata Playhouse Arts and the Yurok Tribal council. 

    Photo by Alex Anderson | Tom Szanto dons a 10 ft. tall owl for North Country Fair’s All Species parade on Sept. 16. The owl is a piece that is over 20 yrs old, having been apart of the parade in years past.
    Photo by Alex Anderson | Zeta Fusion Dance Groups Tani Serene (dance name), performing on the plaza as part of the many North Country Fair activities.
    Photo by Alex Anderson | Samba da Alegra Dance Leader, Rocio Talavera (center) heads the Samba parade down H St. on Sept. 17.
    Photo by Alex Anderson | HSU golden alumni Robert Thoman, rocking a chicken head for this years All Species parade.
    Photo by Alex Anderson | Jen Hildreth (right) dressed as a bear for this years All Species parade.

    Cal Poly Humboldt students were in attendance taking in the vibes of the North Country Fair. Rize Oliveira, a Cal Poly Humboldt student studying forest hydrology, characterized the fair as a fun place to see the community gather. Not knowing that the event was taking place, Oliveira stumbled across the fair with a friend to see what all the commotion was about. She explained her favorite part of the event. 

    “For me: everyone’s energy,” Oliveira said. “It’s a good way to see everyone come together, gather around with similar interests and appreciate local artists and their work that they’re doing.” 

    Other Cal Poly Humboldt students saw the fair as a special way to signify the changing of the seasons, gearing the community towards the coming shift in weather. Nicole Pastori, a critical race and gender studies major who grew up in Humboldt, described the event as a nice way to wrap up the summer and celebrate the coming of fall. The parades featured in the event are very characteristic of Arcata, according to Pastori. 

    “I think it’s so quintessentially Arcata,” Pastori said. “It’s in your face about it. I think anyone who wasn’t from here would have a hard time understanding, if they weren’t themselves on the plaza. It’s a hard-to-describe event, but it was good this year.”

  • Financial aid is not enough

    by Valen Lambert

    Despite a college degree being the cornerstone of upward mobility, the cost of tuition makes it hard for economically disadvantaged students to climb the ladder. However, financial aid makes an education possible for over half of the California State University system’s student population. 

    According to CSU’s 2021-2022 Financial Aid Report, 82 percent of students in the Cal State system receive some sort of aid, and nearly 60 percent of all undergraduates have the entire cost of tuition paid for by grants, scholarships, and waivers. At Cal Poly Humboldt State, 72 percent of the student body receives aid. Compare that to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; despite being more expensive, 34 percent of the student body receives aid. 

    Cal Poly Humboldt’s relatively lower tuition gives students access to a more affordable education, but inflation and proposed tuition increases are impacting students already on the “economic line.” Many have turned to Calfresh and the OhSnap pantry to mitigate food costs, but other expenses pile up. 

    “Humboldt’s tuition rate based on the financial aid I was offered was a huge reason why I was able to attend college,” said Kayla Penny, senior psychology major. “However, now that tuition is planned to rise and housing prices have gone up, I am left with more stress about being able to continue living in Humboldt as a student”. 

    Harry Singh, a junior business major, spoke about how he had to work at a hospital throughout the summer to afford the books and supplies he needed for the semester. 

    “I would put in 70 hours in my last week to make sure my check was able to cover enough throughout the semester,” said Singh. “It is necessary to work, otherwise I wouldn’t have gas money to get here, money for groceries, and other items.” 

    Many students hold down jobs while taking full-time credits to keep up with the cost of living. Balancing a social life, school, work, sports, and personal time is an overwhelming reality for a majority of the student body. 

    “Even with financial aid, I have had to take out loans,” said Jasmyn Lemus, a senior sociology major. “I work three jobs to support me while studying. Even with all my side hustles I live paycheck to paycheck. As much as I would like cushion room and extra change to enjoy little activities here and there, it is extremely difficult in this economy.” 

    Since attending university is a privilege and an expensive venture, students on financial aid can have a hard time relating to peers whose families can pay for the cost of tuition and even rent. 

    “The way I compare myself to the rest of the student body that may be more financially advantaged than me is not with malice, but with a sense of suspicion that most of those students do not realize how many other students are actually struggling with money,” said Penny. 

    For many first generation college students, they struggle through the economic differences to come out the other end.

    “It makes you feel like an imposter, because you needed so much help and assistance to get here when they were able to go to college simply because their parents were able to afford it,” said Singh. 

    Lemus believes that everyone should have equal access to an education without having to worry about basic needs.“Education is an investment, however it should never put people in a position where they are needing to sleep in their car or wondering where the next meal will come from,” said Lemus.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt students brave bralessness

    Cal Poly Humboldt students brave bralessness

    by Nina Hufman

    Boobs, tits and knockers, oh my! Half the world’s population has boobs, myself included, and for many of us that means being subjected to the torture of wearing a bra. Straps dig into your shoulders, underwire slides out and stabs you, tight bands squeeze your ribs, and all for what? So my boobs will look good? They’re boobs babe, they always look good. 

    I was so annoyed by bras that I chose to stop wearing them entirely. Many Cal Poly Humboldt students have done the same. Bras are becoming obsolete and bralessness is trending, particularly on our campus.

    Many students with boobs are choosing to go braless in the name of comfort and empowerment. Somerset Dwyer, an art major, hasn’t worn a bra in four years. She said that going braless has helped her feel more comfortable in her own skin. 

    “My boobs definitely don’t sit super high up,” Dwyer said. “I feel like wearing a bra is always a thing, like ‘oh they look like this when I’m wearing a bra,’ and then I feel super insecure when I’m not. It was just kind of freeing to not [wear a bra].” 

    Dwyer is not alone in her thinking. Kaya Knutzon, a business major with a studio art minor, feels like not wearing a bra has helped her embrace her natural features.

    “When I was younger, I was very obsessed with looking like the people that I would see on social media,” Knutzon said. “I would wear Lulu Lemon leggings and try to make my 13-year-old self look like I had boobs. I thought that the ideal was to have big boobs that sat up to my chin.”

    Knutzon came to the realization that she no longer wanted to strive to look like other people.

    “If bras didn’t exist, what would I look like completely naturally?” Knutzon asked. “I just like feeling completely like myself, I’m not trying to change anything, it feels very empowering.”

    “For the longest time I didn’t want to wear a bra, but I felt like I had to,” said Kimberly Madrigal, a journalism major. “I don’t feel so sexualized, I don’t have to care about trying to look good.”

    In contrast to these feelings of empowerment, students have also experienced judgment for choosing to not wear bras. No shocker there, what aren’t women judged for? Students most commonly receive scathing looks, uncomfortable comments, and stares from older people, even their own families. Brianna Reynolds, a zoology major, has had her bralessness commented on by her grandmother. 

    “The older generation, when I’m out and about, tend to stare,” Reynolds said. 

    Dwyer has had similar experiences. Boys in her peer groups in high school would point out when she was not wearing a bra.

    “It’s like, okay, yeah, you’re looking at my tits, that’s fine,” Dwyer said. 

    Of course, bralessness isn’t perceived the same for everyone. People with bigger boobs often receive more judgment from others than those with smaller boobs. 

    “I do have a bigger chest and I still choose not to wear bras,” Knutzon said. “I can tell that I have a very different experience overall than my friends who have smaller boobs. When I do it, it is just overall more evident.” 

    Dwyer compared bralessness to other fashion trends, pointing out the fatphobia and body exclusivity that often comes with trending styles. 

    “With the 90’s you had the ‘heroin chic’ with those super super skinny models with the Calvin Klein boxers and the white tank top,” Dwyer said. “That was super awesome, but probably at the same time if someone with a larger body had been doing that it wouldn’t have been viewed in the same light, which is indicative of a lot of our perspectives on bodies.” 

    Some students with bigger boobs don’t feel comfortable going braless. I made a post on Yik Yak asking if anyone would be willing to talk to me about this topic. 

    “Well I wish I didn’t have to wear a bra but I have to because I have big boobs,” one commenter said. “If I don’t, they will sag and cause back problems when I am old.”

    Of course it all comes back to age. We as women are taught to fear aging because we are no longer seen as shiny, new, and desirable. We are told that age strips us of our value. 

    “I’m a little bit afraid of aging,” Dwyer said. “There’s that fear of losing your youth, this young beauty that you have. My mom always talks about that. She looks at photos of herself and is like, ‘oh I used to be so beautiful.’”

    But Dwyer sees the beauty in age and in embracing her body. 

    “You’re still beautiful, it’s just, you’re older, you’ve grown into yourself,” Dwyer said. “I think that it’s kind of a decision for yourself, if you want to succumb to what you consider being old or you can, you don’t have to give anything up in terms of age.” 

    The women that I talked to felt a sense of community here. They see other people choose to go braless and it has inspired them, and they feel comfortable going braless on campus. 

    “Seeing other people doing it, other women, it just made me more comfortable,” Madrigal said. 

    I only talked to four women for this story, but they represent people with boobs around the world who are constantly having to fight to have agency over their own bodies. Small things like dressing how we want or not wearing a bra helps us reclaim some of that agency. It is empowering to have a community of people all performing these small acts of liberation. 

    “Most of my friends don’t wear bras at all,” Knutzon said. “It’s something that’s been very reaffirming, I can talk to them about having weird circumstances and I can have people who relate to it.”

  • Pop meets Y2K grunge in “GUTS”

    Pop meets Y2K grunge in “GUTS”

    by Kianna Znika

    As someone who’s been listening to a lot of early 2000’s alternative/female pop rock lately, I really like the new Olivia Rodrigo album. The girl just gets it, truly.

    “GUTS” makes me feel like I’m the main character in an early 2000’s film, reminding me of some of my childhood favorite movies like “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.” She reminds me of Avril Lavigne and P!nk, delivering stories in her lyrics that even I as a twenty-five-year old can relate to. I love alternative music and I think, as far as pop stars in mainstream music go, Rodrigo does just get it. Everyone who disagrees, I think you’re just being a hater – genuinely. 

    I think a lot of people don’t validate Rodrigo’s angst because she is a young popular artist, but honestly just a few minutes into the album you’ll hear the grunge influences in her track “all-american bitch.” Close your eyes and listen to the chorus and tell me that isn’t Hole. Tell me that isn’t modern-day feminist punk music. I’m in a feminist punk band, I listen to niche artists, and I’m telling you right now: I love Rodrigo’s sound.

    People on the internet were trying to make fun of her screaming in the record, but I think they just didn’t get what she was going for. I don’t think Rodrigo is trying to be the next Bring Me The Horizon; let’s be so for real. I think her choice to scream like that was intentional, an artistic choice that reminds me of Regina George screaming in Mean Girls. If you keep that image in mind, you’ll see that Rodrigo perfectly channels the thoughts and feelings of an angry teenage girl. It’s intentional. It’s poetic, really.

    That’s why listening to her music is so much fun for me. It’s healing. I can still relate to the antisocial, insecure themes that are present in songs such as “ballad of a homeschool girl.” I can definitely relate to having conflicted feelings about an ex, which is a present theme in songs like “bad idea right?” 

    “Yes I know that he’s my ex, but can’t two people reconnect? I only see him as a friend – Biggest lie I ever said.”

    I know a majority of you can relate to that, too. It’s like an era that we all have to go through at some point in our life, and Rodrigo knows that.

    The only song I really couldn’t vibe with was “vampire,” which doesn’t surprise me because I didn’t care too much for “driver’s license” from her first record either. I don’t listen to Olivia Rodgrigo for her slower material. I think she truly excels as an angsty artist and I’m glad that she’s continuing to explore that realm. 

    Whether or not you end up liking the album yourself, I at least hope more people give Olivia Rodrigo a chance and stop seeing her as just another “mainstream pop star.” Even then, it’s okay to like popular music. Especially when it’s objectively good.

  • Latinx Heritage Month celebrations are underway in Humboldt

    by Andres Felix Romero

    Those in Humboldt who grew up with Latin culture and influences have reasons to rejoice for this year’s Latinx Heritage Month. The month is officially recognized as National Hispanic Heritage Month and occurs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. This year, Latin music takes center stage with Cal Poly Humboldt’s Center Arts with a concert by Mariachi Henrecia de México and a Bad Bunny-inspired dance party, and a joint event between Cal Poly Humboldt and College of the Redwoods called Festejando Nuestra Comunidad will take place at the CR campus.

    Festejando Nuestra Comunidad

    Originally set to take place on the Cal Poly Humboldt campus, Festejando Nuestra Comunidad (in English; Celebrating Our Community) will take place at the College of the Redwoods campus to accommodate a larger-sized festival. 

    The festejando will take place this upcoming Saturday, Sept. 19. The opening ceremony will begin at 11 A.M., with festivities expected to last until 5 p.m. Event-goers can expect a multitude of events that will draw them closer together as a community, such as board games, face painting, balloon animals and yard games such as cornhole and disc golf.

    Performances will be plentiful throughout the day, with the setlist composed of many Cal Poly Humboldt groups including Danza Azteca, Ballet Folklórico and a performance by Cal Poly Humboldt’s own Mariachi band.

    Mariachi Herencia de México

    Mariachi Herencia de Mexico will take the Van Duzer stage along with the lead singer Marisol “La Marisoul” Hernandez from Grammy-award-winning band La Santa Cecilia on Thursday, Sept. 21. Attendees can expect beautiful music with dramatic violins, trumpets, guitars, and soothing vocals. This mariachi band in particular has a blend of classical and hints of modern within their style. The concert doors open at 6:30 p.m. 

    The last time a Mariachi came to Humboldt was just before the pandemic in March 2019. Associate Director of Center Arts Michael Moore shared that this event, as well as an upcoming workshop with the band, came to be in large part due to faculty on campus.

    “The seed for bringing a Mariachi band back to campus came from Fernando Paz, who at the time ran El Centro Académico Cultural de Humboldt, and Professor Jennifer Trowbridge,” said Moore. “They both help coordinate Mariachi de Humboldt, and they hoped to give the students an opportunity to experience a world-class performance as well as a workshop with the musicians.”

    Bad Bunny

    Instead of a concert, on Thursday, Oct. 5 in the Kate Buchanan room at the Student Activities Center, students can expect a dance party called Un Año Contigo (in English; A Year With You) with artist Benito “Bad Bunny” Martínez’s music mixed by DJ Zuhn “Zuhnddry” Espinoza. The dance party begins at 9 P.M.. Zuhnddry will also do a set in the SAC quad the same day at noon. This event in particular came to be thanks to Cal Poly Humboldt students.

    “[Center Art’s] Bad Bunny Night came from the requests from students to have a dance or a space to dress up and have a good time,” said Moore.

    Students are encouraged to dress in what makes them feel comfortable to party and let loose.

     “This is a chance for those who may not have had a prom to come dance and have fun!” said Moore.