On a day’s notice from administration, the SJSU football team spends a week and a half in Humboldt practicing because their county did not allow it. Students react to their presence on campus in the midst of a pandemic.
Directed and produced by Dakota Cox.
Contributors: Skylar Gaven & Thomas Lal
This is the first trailer of a homeless documentary created by HSU students. We have spent months filming and will continue to film throughout the next year. Follow the heartbreaking stories of the homeless community around Humboldt county and the organizations who are out trying to help in any way they can during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taking a tour of the local thrift shops in Arcata during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Directed and produced by Skylar Gaven.
Three different people with the same love for plants!
House plants have become quite popular these days especially since we’re all basically stuck inside during the pandemic. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but these beautiful green oxygen-makers provide more than just a decorative living room. House plants have been known to show positive benefits toward mental health, and with the right amount of care, a healthy connection with all of your house plants will definitely brighten your days. I spoke with three individuals who each shared their experiences with owning plants and helpful tips for new plant parents.
Follow @tobagoplants on Instagram
Directed and produced by Skylar Gaven.
Dreaming is the psychological phenomenon of our minds that creates vivid images as we descend into a deep sleep.
Humans are hyperactive and social creatures. When we’re not participating in daily activities, our minds enter states of depression, stress, boredom and now more than ever, paranoia.
The pandemic’s effect on our lives has certainly altered our psyche, undeniably impacting the way we think and the contents of our dreams.
HSU senior majoring in journalism Alexis Valtenbergs has had multiple bizarre and lasting dreams since the shelter in place began. Her most notable dream involved catching COVID-19 and experiencing symptoms in the dream.
“I almost had an anxiety attack the first time I woke up like that,” Valtenbergs said. “I was convinced, thanks to the paranoia, that I had COVID, that it would kill me.”
Valtenbergs found entering a good headspace before bed made a significant impact on her dreams throughout this time in quarantine. Meditation and muscle relaxation exercises before bed does the trick for her.
Valtenbergs has had her share of great dreams since quarantine began and believes that dreaming is a wonderful thing that can open our minds to things we haven’t noticed before.
“There is symbolism in dreams, something that symbolizes what you are going through.” Valtenbergs said. “I’ve had amazing dreams that I didn’t want to escape from.”
Kashan Fields, an Arcata local, hasn’t had too many wild dreaming experiences, but has had trouble sleeping since quarantine began.
“Ever since COVID, I have been getting less sleep honestly,” Fields said. “I don’t even think I’ve been getting any deep sleep where I would have a good dream state.”
Fields said the amount of stress that many are facing today is because of COVID-19. With learning online as well as navigating a global pandemic, people are facing a lot. Fields said stress has caused negative effects when it comes to his sleep schedule but, taking time to work on certain things that need to be done can help reduce that stress.
“It’s usually some type of stress that you’re usually not resolving for the most part,” Fields said. “If you just look at your life and see what you need to tend to, trying to find a way to manifest that can help build a positive headspace. Usually one way to manifest is in a dream.”
To help understand the act of dreaming, philosophy professor Mary Bockover explains the beauty and overall mystery of these illusions. She believes dreams are a part of who we are and that in a way they’re full embodied experiences. Dreams can cause us to imagine the impossible and create alternate realities that we may never find answers to.
“When it comes to interpreting the significance of our dreams, we can speculate, develop theories and use our own experience and intuitions as a guide,” Bockover said. “But to know for sure what they mean seems out of our grasp. That’s part of the beauty about dreaming.”
Bockover recognizes the global pandemic has affected us all in more ways than one. Being stuck in lockdown has thrown off our schedules significantly. Not having daily routines can force our minds to speculate or conjure up scenarios without even realizing until we have fallen asleep.
Although times may be tough at the moment and our minds dealing with a lot, they are still able to produce a phenomenon that cannot be explained and help us develop interesting ways of looking into our own lives.
“Dreams allow us to confront a part of ourselves that is a mystery to us and that informs us that we are part of something larger,” Bockover said. “Something beyond the self that is also a part of the self.”
When it comes to a birthday, you’d expect a party, a night out, a small get together with friends and family, or maybe a chill day at home. Unfortunately, with social distancing still in order, celebrating alone is the closest option to a party.
Because social distancing is still in order, many have had to accept the fact that their big birthday plans aren’t going to happen anytime soon. Without the streamers and drinking games, people have found ways to remain somewhat festive on their special day. While some have taken to Zoom for video chat parties, others have spent their day with their fellow quarantine pals.
Tracy French’s, a Humboldt State University alumna from the geology department, birthday was on April 30. French celebrated it with her two good friends, who are also alumni, and have birthdays that same week.
“My birthday was on April 30,” French said. “It’s one day after a friend’s birthday, and the day before another friend’s birthday.”
The three had originally planned for a big get together, and reserved the Arcata Common Hall for a huge party. With entertainment and plenty of drinks to go around, it would’ve been one heck of a birthday bash.
“We were planning on getting a live band called ‘Old Dog’ at the Arcata Common Hall,” French said. “I went to Facebook and invited over 150 people, but that got cancelled.”
Instead, French spent her day enjoying the warm sun in her backyard along with her friends.
HSU psychology major, Shelley Magallanes, was hoping to have a night full of fun back home in Los Angeles for their 21st birthday. With social distancing likely to be in order, Magallanes had to cancel their original plans.
“Because I’m turning 21 I was planning to have a big thing with friends,” Magallanes said. “We’d go into LA and go clubbing.”
“I had plans to go to the bar with some pals on my 21st to see what it was all about. I had planned to have 30+ people invited to my birthday.”
Bryan Gambrel
Magallanes plans to return home around June, but with their big plans ruined by COVID-19 they’re preparing for the second best thing, spending it with the people they love most.
“I’ll probably end up spending it with my family,” Magallanes said. “Maybe go swimming and eat some cake.”
Bryan Gambrel, a junior at HSU, originally planned his celebration to be like any other 21st birthday, going out for a drink — legally.
“I had plans to go to the bar with some pals on my 21st to see what it was all about,” Gambrel said. “I had planned to have 30+ people invited to my birthday.”
Because of social distancing, going out was a no-go. Regardless, he was happy to celebrate his birthday with a small gathering of close friends and some quality-time with his mother.
“The most memorable thing was having my mom and I build a garden bed out of spare wood palettes I’ve collected. It was a fun, crafty project,” Gambrel said. “While it was much smaller than I was hoping for, it was very memorable.”
For those celebrating birthdays during this time, something as simple as a phone call or a video-chat can make all the difference. Drinking with roommates and creating fun games, or even sitting out on a nice sunny day can make this year’s birthday a bit more pleasant. No matter how you decide to celebrate, stay safe and it will definitely be a birthday to remember.
FAFSA just released its first wave of emergency CARES grants earlier this month to over 5,200 students enrolled at HSU.
With classes being switched completely online, unemployment at an all-time high, and major debt underway, college students have been hit hard during these times.
Colleges across the country are losing money as time continues and with no definite sign of an end to this crisis, the stimulus package that was issued in late March, sent out emergency grants to all colleges/universities.
The stimulus package conjured up about $14 billion for higher education. Around $12.5 billion will be distributed to every college, while the remaining funds will be given to minority and smaller institutions. Many students will receive extra money to help with whatever they need.
Each college has been sent a set allocation, some higher than others. Humboldt State has been granted an allocation of $10 million, with $5 million to be divided and distributed to enrolled students.
The financial aid services confirmed that each student should expect to see $500-$1000 directly deposited into their banking accounts. Those who do not have direct deposit should expect a check to come in the mail during the months of May and June.
For students who haven’t filed for a 2019-2020 FAFSA and are worried about not receiving the grant, you are still eligible for it. Students can still apply for the CARES emergency grant, the deadline for the application is June 15.
Pasta is the go-to meal when nothing else sounds good. I’m sure many of you have eaten pasta during quarantine—it’s just so convenient. However, it’s nice to finally switch it up a bit after having the same ol’ spaghetti for days on end. A sauce I discovered a while back is an avocado-based sauce. At first I was a bit skeptical, but then I thought “I love avocados and I love pasta, it shouldn’t be that bad.” After looking through and trying out a few recipes online, I got the hang of it and decided to just do it on my own. With a few modifications, I have a great recipe for you to try. It’s simple, fast and delicious.
Awesome Avocado Pasta recipe:
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1 whole yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 a box of penne rigate or regular spaghetti (more or less depending on how hungry you are)
Seasonings:
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Basil leaves
Cayenne pepper (for a little spice)
Directions:
1. Dice the onion along with three cloves of garlic.
2. Grab a medium sized pan, coat it with a tiny amount of olive oil and turn on the burner. Once the pan is hot, add in the diced onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is caramelized. Once caramelized, turn the heat off.
3. Grab a blender. Slice and open the 2 avocados. Scoop the avocados in the blender, then transfer the cooked onions and garlic from the pan to the blender. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and blend until the sauce looks smooth and creamy.
4. Once the sauce is ready, start the pasta. Grab a pot and bring the water to a boil. Add in your pasta and follow the directions on the box.
5. After the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain and put back in the pot. Take the avocado sauce from the blender and spoon in to the pot of pasta.
6. Add in spices to taste and stir (remember to taste as you go).
7. Once it’s seasoned to your liking, get a bowl and enjoy!
With at least 151,278 homeless individuals in California, measures to keep them safe and healthy during the current shelter-in-place order are crucial.
Governor Gavin Newsom and his administration have sought ways to provide shelter and temporary homes for the homeless. On March 18, Newsom published a statement addressing what actions are to take place to ensure that everyone in the state maintains their health.
“People experiencing homelessness are among the most vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19,” Governor Newsom said. “California is deploying massive resources to get these vulnerable residents safely into shelter, removing regulatory barriers and securing trailers and hotels to provide immediate housing options for those most at risk. Helping these residents is critical to protecting public health, flattening the curve and slowing the spread of COVID-19.”
To help with the crisis, Newsom released $150 million to local governments to pursue leases with hotels and motels for temporary shelter. An additional $650 million is said to be released on April 1 from last year’s budget, to ensure that enough supplies are given to shelters and other medical resources. Shelters all over the state are struggling to gain more medical supplies and are losing volunteers.
Around 130 homeless individuals are staying in shelters around Arcata and Eureka.
“This is one of the biggest challenges our homeless system has ever seen,” Deputy Secretary for Homelessness for the Newsom administration Ali Sutton said. “And our population is one of the most at risk.”
Newsom also said he and his administration are working on creating leases lasting a few months with hotels and motels in order to house more homeless. According to an article from The Latest, Newsom announced 2,400 more hotel and motel rooms have been secured to house those on the streets, with 1,900 of those rooms coming from San Diego alone. There are now 4,000 rooms secured statewide. San Diego plans to continue sheltering the homeless by moving them to the city’s Golden Hall, the downtown Convention Center (home to Comic-Con), and other vacant rooms in hotels.
Humboldt County is also working to gain more shelters, rooms and supplies for those on the streets. Around 130 homeless individuals are staying in shelters around Arcata and Eureka. Some shelters have already taken place like Eureka Rescue Mission and Arcata House Partnership.
Each shelter in Humboldt County is expected to receive $300,000 in order to keep up with medical resources and other supplies, but shelters might still need more help to make sure they have everything they need. Eureka Rescue Mission, for example, had to close their thrift store, which was a main source of income, making sheltering the homeless more difficult as the pandemic continues.
The city of Arcata, along with AHP, have been working together to find other ways to help. After calling and surveying businesses and other organizations, Arcata was able to secure two parking lots in town. The lot on G Street can maintain at least 19 people, while the Transit Center lot can hold up to 15 people. Tents inside the lot are recommended to be six feet apart. AHP is working with Affordable Housing Homeless to ensure portable showers, sinks and bathrooms are provided for the lots. The lots can also expect to soon see mobile health services to make sure individuals are healthy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set out guidelines for how to manage tent camps, recommending that local law enforcement should not force individuals out of the camps unless there is immediate housing available for them to go to.
Hotel and motel rooms, meanwhile, are still in the process of being secured for more individuals. Arcata is also giving out food at the Arcata Food Pantry on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m at the Trinity Baptist Church.
Students, faculty, friends and family packed the Native American Forum March 5 to listen to author Kari Norgaard and Karuk environmentalist Ron Reed discuss Norgaard’s most recent book, “Salmon and Acorns Feed our People: Colonialism, Nature, and Social Action.”
Before the speakers began, Cutcha Risling Baldy, assistant professor of Native American studies, announced the NAS department’s 25th anniversary at Humboldt State University.
An introduction followed, led by Reed’s son, Charlie. Charlie Reed, a recent alumni from HSU’s NAS program, has continued as an environmentalist to help battle climate change. Before the talk began, Reed said it was important to give proper acknowledgement to the lands of Indigenous peoples. HSU sits on ancestral Wiyot land, and recognizing the land’s history is of utmost importance.
“There is a symbiotic relationship between our environment and our people.”
Charlie Reed
“Whether you are a faculty member or student or just a community member, it starts with a conversation,” Charlie Reed said. “You never know who is in the room who has something to offer or give back the things that have been taken from Indigenous people.”
Growing up with his father, Reed learned about his culture and the traditional ceremonies that tied in not just physically, but spiritually with the environment.
“There is a symbiotic relationship between our environment and our people,” Charlie Reed said.
With a warm thank you to the Reed family and the community, the floor was given to author Norgaard and Ron Reed. Reed introduced himself and what he learned as a child. Reed said learning the traditional ways of his people at a young age taught him how to sustain the environment.
“That’s where it all begins, ladies and gentlemen, when you have the ability to be taught things that you don’t even know you’re being taught,” Ron Reed said. “That will stay with you the rest of your life.”
In one of Norgaard’s chapters, she mentions an Indigenous tradition of using fire to cleanse or manage the land. Western science has given us the narrative that fire is dangerous and destructive. Thanks to “Smokey the Bear” and other forms of wildfire prevention advertisements, fire is seen as something to fear.
Even though fire can be seen as scary, Norgaard argued it’s also a way to help manage landscapes by getting rid of invasive species and even enhancing plant growth. Indigenous peoples used fire to help the environments they lived on, not to destroy or cause damage. Reed stressed the importance of bringing that narrative to our attention.
“We’re trying to get back to an intact world. Climate change can be a vehicle for that because of the awareness it brings to so many.”
Kari Norgaard
“We Native Americans—we the family—cannot let that narrative go,” Ron Reed said. “I don’t need some lone ranger to tell me the way. I know the way.”
With Indigenous knowledge and science being pushed to the side when it comes to environmental issues, Norgaard said settler colonialism is still causing misinformation about the knowledge base of Indigenous peoples. Norgaard said this is changing.
“Indigenous concepts and ideas have been making their way into academic spaces,” Norgaard said.
Climate change is perhaps the most pressing modern issue, but Norgaard and Ron Reed agreed it would help bring more awareness in our communities.
“We’re trying to get back to an intact world,” Norgaard said. “Climate change can be a vehicle for that because of the awareness it brings to so many.”
The consensus of the talk was that combining Indigenous knowledge with western science can change the way we view the world as well as how we take care of it. Coming together and working with each other on both sides of science can also help combat climate change. From the ways of the rivers to the fires of the forests, Indigenous knowledge can teach us more about our world.
“We need all the community on the river, but don’t forget us,” Ron Reed said. “Don’t forget the first people on this nation, on this ground that has created the environment that we’re trying to reestablish in this world today.”
It’s about that time of year when empty seats and sniffles become a daily thing in class. Hopefully everybody is taking care of themselves during the winter, because the common cold or even the flu can creep up on you. I asked students and staff what home remedies and tips they use when they feel a cold coming.
The opera workshop class brought the brilliant works of Mozart to life this weekend as they performed a variety of acts at the Fulkerson Hall last weekend.
As many know, opera is a difficult type of vocal performance. Not only do you have to keep up with intense vocal ranges, but you have to show the right emotions with facial expressions and body language.
With one semester and only two days out of the week to practice, the opera workshop students delivered an impressive performance that captured the phenomenal work of Mozart.
The opera workshop conveyed the musical art of Mozart from classics like “Don Giovanni,” “The Magic Flute,” and “Le nozze di Figaro.” Because these pieces are all at least two hours long, the students gave the audience short snippets of the beautiful acts that are featured in the actual plays.
Vocal Professor Elisabeth Harrington has directed many musicals and performances here at HSU, and was thrilled to see what her students produced this year. They were able to take the audience through a magical journey that highlighted the wonderful works of Mozart. Though we cannot thank Mozart for creating such vivid and real characters, we can thank him for bringing their ideals to life with wonderful music.
“This is the work of Bill Marchet, a French playwright,” Harrington said. “So we can’t give him credit for writing the characters who questioned the culture of the time, who questioned the caste system, the social limitations but one of the first composers to do that with music was Mozart.”
The students were busy all semester practicing complex characters and unfamiliar vocal ranges, all in Italian as well. Nevertheless, the students overcame the challenges.
“It’s pretty amazing how it comes together quickly, and they all had to learn it in Italian,” Harrington said. “Unlike typical full-length shows, we don’t meet every night, we only meet two nights a week from 5 to 6:50 as a class.”
Harrington was delighted to work with a new set of students this semester and to see what they produced in such a short time period was even more rewarding.
“They’re wonderful, they’re so open and for most of them it offers a very new thing and so I appreciate the willingness with which they embark on this journey,” Harrington said. “It’s hard to prepare for something that they’ve never done before, most of them are music majors who have taken Opera for a few years now but for some this is their first time.”
For HSU student Helen Kimber this entire workshop has been exciting, and she is always learning. Kimber has been working with Opera for over three years and it really showed during the performance. She had a powerful yet delicate voice that expressed betrayal, love and a bit of cleverness with each character she played. Kimber is always learning with every performance she does.
“It’s a never ending learning experience,” Kimber said.
Others who took part in the performance made it hard to take your eyes off of the stage. With comedic roles delivered by students Dylan Kinser and Stella Yuan, whimsical harmonies created by Haley Rhouault, Madeline Bauman and Maude Jaeb and entertaining characters presented by Samuel Brown, Victor Guerrero, Christian Flores and Brandon Barbosa.
The costumes were definitely a sight to behold. High-class gowns and suits made of colorful sequins really gave dimensions to each character.
John Chernoff played the piano flawlessly and set the mood for each scene. The Opera workshop was able to pull off a great performance that showed a variety of captivating musical works that are not easy to perform.
The students were able to accomplish such a difficult task in such a short amount of time is a testament to their dedication to the craft.
The Opera Workshop is always an exciting course for Harrington to teach as it exposes students to something that has so much depth within it.
“Opera is that beautiful blend between singing everything that you’re doing but also being responsible for telling the story with your face, with your hands, with your body, and interacting with other characters,” Harrington said. “Opera is the full thing.”
Love was in the air at HSU as humorous stickers, sex education booths and kinky raffle prizes were brought together in one room to satisfy everybody’s personal needs.
Sexland is a sex-positive and sex educational event held every spring that provides resources for all students who are looking for a comfortable place to speak about intimate relations, better understand different sexualities or just look around at all the pleasurable toys and crafts presented in the Kate Buchanan Room.
HSU student Talia Rivera has happily been a part of this frisky occasion for two years now. She was full of positive energy throughout the day and thrilled to see the turnout.
“This is just an amazing event that we put on to try to give resources and talk about sex in a positive light and there’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Rivera said. “It’s a lot of giving back to students and being able to create a space where we can talk about these things.”
Among the many tables that offered plenty of helpful resources and tips a local sex shop in Eureka called Good Relations showed off some of their tantalizing toys.
Good Relations employee Malandra Windworth was amazed at all the students who stopped at her table to learn more about loving themselves in all the right places.
For Windworth this was a wholesome event that gave her the opportunity to share valuable advice on sex and to carryout lighthearted conversions with students.
“Sex education is my jam. You learn new things all the time, with new sex toys coming out it’s exciting to see the industry progress,” Windworth said. “I really enjoy the fact that everybody is super open, it’s not a super comfortable subject for a lot of people so it’s been nice having really good questions, and having people who seem a little shy or uncomfortable at first warming up.”
For HSU student Deema Hindawi who proudly serves as an active member at HSU’s Women’s Resource Center, Sexland gave her opportunity to explain what this program has to offer.
The Women’s Resource Center has held events like “Kink on Campus” held every fall semester and “Take Back the Night” which took place last week in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The program has been extremely helpful when it comes to women’s needs, like providing free menstrual supplies in the campus bathrooms and giving support to those who have no one to turn to.
“We are mandated reporters so if anyone wants to ever talk to us we don’t report, we’re here if you’re ever uncomfortable,” Hindawi said. “If there is anything that you want to talk about come through, it’s a safe space. You can come study with us, hang out with us, it’s just a cool space.”
The Sex on Earth event was more than just the exhilarating prizes. It was about giving HSU students a better understanding of the importance of sex education and creating a strong sense of community that provides an enormous amount of resources for anyone who needs a space in which they can comfortably be themselves, or feels like they want to spice up their love life.