Mount Hood

Finding fitness through bodybuilding

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

A fitness competition beginning in the early 20th century, bodybuilding has been around for over a century. As it’s becoming a more approachable and reasonable sport for anyone to take part in, I spoke with junior ASL/English Interpreting major Kailee Goodrich on her work in it so she can share her experience with anyone considering taking it on. Overall, the sport has multiple categories: bikini, figure, physique, fitness and bodybuilding. Goodrich was a bikini competitor, which is characterized as a competition of judging women’s bodies based on the physique, scored on proportion, symmetry, balance and shape.
Why many choose to start varies, but Goodrich began hers “because of a bad break up … it was so terrible, I decided I wanted to do something for myself. My great idea was to get into the best shape of my life.”
Once she made this decision, she immediately found a coach and paid without questions first.
“This was a terrible idea… I hired a coach that wasn’t qualified. She gave me a cookie cutter diet (which) consisted of five egg whites in the morning with ¼ cup of oatmeal, four meals of 4 oz of tilapia and asparagus and my last meal of one protein shake with 15 almonds,” Goodrich said.
After prepping for 13 consecutive weeks that consisted of working out every day, multiple times a day, Goodrich noted that towards the end of her prep she was “unable to train because (she) was so fatigued.”
After registering for the show, buying the bikini, and learning to pose with her coach, she spent around $2500.
As for how competing made her feel, at first, she thought it was a great idea, noting that “I felt really proud of my willpower to stick to the diet and train for so long.” However, this only lasted so long.
“I was unaware of how much weight I was losing at such a fast rate… I didn’t know that I was developing an eating disorder known as overeating. I was able to overcome this struggle, but I rebounded with my weight once this competition was over.”
Her advice to anyone considering taking up bodybuilding as their potential fitness journey is “do your research about coaching…don’t be afraid to ask questions; as a consumer, you must be picky and do what is best for you.” She also notes that she would only recommend it “if the person was serious about wanting to push their physique.” However, “if they were just getting started in their fitness journey I wouldn’t recommend it…the decision to compete should be well thought out and planned.”
While bodybuilding can offer an incredible option for those wanting to push themselves harder than they ever have, it can definitely have both pros and cons; as mentioned by Goodrich, it’s not for everyone. As for her, it helped her feel more comfortable at the gym, but simultaneously it gave her a negative relationship with food that she struggled with afterwards.
Goodrich mentioned that she may compete again, but it would be in figure rather than bikini as it is more about your “physique than your good looks,” as noted by her. But for now, she’s happy with where she is at in her fitness journey. “I found flexible dieting and I haven’t looked back since.”
If you’re considering the sport, make sure you’re well researched and weigh the pros and cons of what it may entail. While everyone’s experience differs, it’s important to make sure that however you choose to go about it, you do so in a healthy way that works well for you and your lifestyle.

“It impacted my student life”, Goodrich mentioned. “I learned to overcome obstacles and persevere.” Through bodybuilding, she gained skills that she could later take and apply to her everyday life and use to help persist through hardships. “I proved to myself that I could do anything I set my mind to.”


Contact the author at chealy16@mail.wou.edu

Photo by: Kailee Goodrich

Review: “Behold the Dreamers”

Kevin Reed | Entertainment Editor

“Behold the Dreamers” — a book written by Imbolo Mbue in 2016 — revolves around two Cameroonian immigrants travelling from Limbe, Cameroon to New York City. They deal with both the hardships of immigration and discrimination in their new home.

The book is written about a young couple, Jende and Neni. Jende is happy to have recently gotten a new job as the chauffeur of a wealthy stock investor named Clark Edwards. Neni is a student in community college studying to be a pharmacist. They live together in a one-room apartment with their son, Liomi.

Over the course of the book, Jende sees that coming to America was not the simple answer to all his troubles that he had hoped it would be. His family back home is still struggling to pay for even the basic necessities, his battle to be a legal citizen is tiresome and he works long hours for very little pay.

Jende and Neni also get a deep look into the Edwards family life. They see that despite the vast gap in the two family’s wealth they share one thing: adversity. Overtime it becomes more and more clear that the Edwards wealth doesn’t protect them from struggles in their lives. Everyone has troubles no matter how rich they are.

This book really shows the gritty truth about the “American Dream” that so many immigrants fantasize about. It’s a fact that nobody will ever appreciate how amazing America is as much as an immigrant coming into this country to start a new life. At the start the two Cameroonians look at New York City as a haven for them to escape their lives in Limbe. Over time they realize that this country may bring opportunity and wonder to their lives but it also brings new hardship.

They work so hard; endlessly fighting to reach a dream that, for them, may or may not be attainable at all. They are struggling to reach a wealthy life in America; free from the struggles they felt back in Cameroon. However, as they see from the Edwards, wealth may mean stability and a lavish lifestyle but it doesn’t mean happiness.

After reading this book it gave me a huge appreciation for how amazing this country is and how many opportunities I have in my life. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day struggles and it’s important to be thankful of the life we live here in America. There are people across the world who could never dream of going to college, being or being able to read. “Behold The Dreamers” inspired me to take advantage of every opportunity I have. I recommend this book to anyone wanting — or needing — to feel a new gratitude for the country we live in.  

Mbue builds relatable characters and makes you feel every bit of emotion and suspense that they do. In the opening scene where Jende is interviewing for his new job, I felt really stressed out afterwards — as if I was interviewing for the job myself.  And, in a way I relate with Neni and how she dreams of a better life in America even through some of the darkest parts of the book, she perseveres through it all to make a better life for her family.

Mbue is a really great writer. She builds fantastic relatable characters who are in depth and very three dimensional. Mbue came from Cameroon herself, and experienced many of the things that the characters in her novel go through first hand. This makes her writing and the situations in the book feel so real and personal to the reader. Throughout the book she uses traditional language and sayings from a cameroon. Her use of the language makes you really feel how different the culture is there and get a taste of Cameroon.  

This book is very thought provoking and it made me analyze how unappreciated our country is but also how inadequate our system of immigration is. The novel widened my understanding of what it is like to be someone coming to America with little to nothing. I recommend this book to anyone wanting a thought provoking novel that will open your eyes to the world of an Immigrant.

Contact the author at kreed17@mail.wou.edu

Photo by: Audiobookstore.com

 

Let’s talk about sex

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

As a graduating senior, I’ve spent my 180 credits exploring all the subjects that Western has to offer. From dance to psychology, my elective credits were put to good use in investigating fascinating subjects that help explain the world around me. My favorite of these classes was Human Sexuality, and I implore every Western student to take this class at some point in their college career.

I signed up for this class because I had mutual friends taking it and figured the subject would be interesting. In today’s society, sex isn’t something that’s discussed in a healthy and honest way. This class looked like a good opportunity to have an open discussion about a topic that most individuals are discouraged from talking about.

The class that I was in, taught by Amy Hammermeister Jordan, addressed many aspects of human sexuality. One topic discussed in the class was gender stereotypes and the harm that can come from placing harsh expectations on kids from the time they’re toddlers. Expecting boys to be emotionless, strong and dominant, and girls to be submissive, dainty and polite can restrict how they view themselves and express themselves to the world.

The three biggest influences on young kids are parents, peers and the media. Kids start to learn how they should be behaving, what restrictions they have on their life choices based on their gender and how to conform to society’s expectations by rejecting their true self.

I’ve personally felt the weight of gender stereotypes my entire life. Being expected to dress a certain way, sit like a lady, smile, don’t talk out of turn: these messages can be extremely harmful. From this class, I learned how not to perpetuate these stereotypes and how to encourage the next generation to be their true selves.

Human Sexuality introduced a topic that hadn’t considered before taking this class: talking to kids about sex. Sexual education in schools is extremely limited and often nonexistent. Some schools and communities believe that, by not exposing kids to the topic of sex, they are less likely to engage in it. Unfortunately, this view of sexual education is common, but the reality is that education is powerful, and when young adults have accurate information and honest communication about sex, they have the tools to make positive decisions. When sex is a taboo topic, kids seek out less reliable sources of information and are more likely to make harmful choices.

With the topic of human sexuality, it was important to address all different types of sexuality. An open discussion about the LGBTQ+ community provided a safe space to ask questions, clarify definitions and educate students about the community. If you’re like me and have no idea what queer, pansexual or intersex means, this class helps explain these terms to create a more educated community at Western.

The most important thing that you can learn from this class is the definition of consent. While talking with friends and people that are close to me, it’s obvious that they have a very unclear definition of consent, and this is because education about consent is often not taught in schools, leading most people to only have a slight idea of what the word means. While many individuals rely on vague and often misleading body language and physical cues for consent, they don’t realize that consent is verbal, affirmative and ongoing.

Unfortunately, we can’t talk about sex without talking about sexual assault. Sexual assault occurs far too often and can have a tremendous impact on an individual’s physical and mental health. Something anyone and everyone can take away from this class is how to help a survivor of sexual assault who has confided in you.

First, let them know that they have options, but never choose their path of healing for them — they can choose to report the crime, see a mental care specialist or they may do nothing at all. Listen to them, believe them and don’t question them. The first person that an individual confides in after sexual assault can change their path of healing for the rest of their life.

It would take much more than a page-long article to explain all the tremendous things that this class taught me. But all in all, talking about sex is important. Open, honest communication can lead to a healthy view of human sexuality, accurate knowledge of consent, better communication with a romantic partner and sexual education in schools that emphasizes knowledge instead of ignorance.

If you have a few extra elective credits to use, I’d highly recommend taking this class. You won’t be disappointed.

Contact the author at sedunaway13@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

 

Commemorating 100 years of women’s suffrage

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

On Aug. 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution was ratified to prohibit the government from denying voting rights based on sex and allowed white women the right to vote. Nearly 100 years later, the Oregon 2020 Kickoff event at the Oregon state capitol began the commemoration of women’s voting rights.

“The vote is an opportunity to become a part of our own destiny,” expressed republican leader of the Oregon state Senate Jackie Winters. Winters was just one of the important public figures in Oregon that discussed the importance of the vote; others include Eliza Canty-Jones of the Oregon Historical Society, former Oregon governor Barbara Roberts, Judy Margles from the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education and Willamette University Professor Emerita Linda Tamura.

Western history professor Kimberly Jensen explained the historical context behind the ratification. Voting rights for women were placed on the ballot a total of six times in Oregon, more than any other state, and was finally passed in 1912, eight years prior to the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

“It was because of grassroots activism, diverse communities, and the men who voted to share the vote with women in 1912,” Jensen explained. Clubs and organizations helped to educate women on policies and legislation prior to voting. Several women became candidates for office as soon as suffrage was achieved.

Jensen expressed that, “Just as we commemorate the determined work of other Oregon women to achieve and use their voting rights, we acknowledge their part in achieving civic progress as we also understand that we must fight to protect and maintain those civic rights that they worked so hard to gain.”

Roberts, the first female governor of Oregon, reflected back to the time when women in leadership and political positions were few and far between. But now, Roberts explained, Oregon has come a long way. With five women elected to Congress, four female Secretaries of State, three women mayors of Portland and two female governors.

“We weren’t satisfied, though, with being the token woman on the school board or city council or Ways and Means Committee, or the lone woman on a court bench. We’ve worked and we have won majority status on those school boards, those city councils, and those court benches,” Roberts added, “Our votes are a value asset. We should use our votes wisely and be informed voters. And we must always remember that democracy is not a spectator sport.”

In addition to the speakers, the event included fourteen Western students that had the opportunity to capture a piece of history and create a lasting online exhibit centered on women’s voting rights. As part of Jensen’s Nineteenth Amendment Centennial in Historical Context: Oregon and Beyond class at Western, the honors students created research projects that shed light on the women’s suffrage movement and various aspects of the time period.

While the research topics ranged from international suffrage in the Philippines to Oregon legislator Sylvia Thompson, others discussed women’s suffrage closer to home. In her project titled “Normal School Extracurriculars,” sophomore Rachel Bayly explores how being involved in extracurricular activities at Oregon Normal School, now Western Oregon University, provided college women with the skills to be successful teachers and activists after leaving school. This, Bayly explained in her documents project, “gave young women from rural and working-class backgrounds an opportunity to contribute to the positive changes being made in society during the early 1900s.”

When asked what she hopes others take away from this work by students, Jensen replied: “I hope students and community members will gain knowledge about the diverse Oregon women who were part of the struggle to gain the vote, the continuing barriers to voting, and the other activist projects in which Oregonians engaged and continue to work to achieve social justice. Grassroots activism and inclusion have been keys to success in Oregon and the nation.”

For more information, view the class’s online research documents at oregonwomenshistory.org and learn more about the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment and women’s suffrage.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: oregonencyclopedia.org, Sam Dunaway

 

ASWOU Representative Assembly strives for inclusivity

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

Once per month, the ASWOU Representative Assembly meets to discuss and collaborate on ways to improve inclusivity on campus. The most recent meeting took place on March 1.

The board, which consists of a representatives from a myriad of different areas on campus — Abby’s House, MECHa and MSU, amongst others — was founded in 2015, with current ASWOU president Jessica Freeman as founder of the legislation.

“When I was writing legislation to create ARA, our goal was to create a board where ASWOU could work with clubs and organizations on a more personal level,” said Freeman. “We wanted every club and organization to be heard equally, regardless of their size.”

The primary concern of the most recent meeting was Diversity Week, which is scheduled to take place the week of May 14.

According to Ailyn Angel, Student Multicultural Board Chair for ARA and Director of Multicultural Advocacy for ASWOU, events for the week will consist of “a movie screening, a talent show, and different panels.” She added that, “As of right now, things aren’t set in stone, but we are working on finalizing an outline of the week soon.”

Also on the ARA agenda was further discussion of building more multicultural spaces on campus for clubs: “This space would be similar to how MSU has their own space, but for clubs like MEChA, Unidos, and BSU,” said Angel. “In attempts to achieve these goals, clubs are drafting letters to the administration describing what they want this space to entail. We are also outreaching for participants for diversity week to have panels, safe zones, and performances.”

Though the assembly is comprised of different organizations on campus, the meetings are open to all students. However, Angel noted that, “they must have permission for speaking privileges … and do not have voting rights. Despite this, I encourage students to come and give their input on these conversations, especially if you are interested in putting on an event for diversity week or being a part of ASWOU next year or being a club representative.”

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu

Wolves’s season comes to an end

Morgan Swaim | Staff writer

With the West Regional being hosted in Monmouth, the Wolves earned the chance to play the first three tournament games at home on their attempt to capture a national championship.
In the opening round of the national tournament, the team played a familiar opponent. In November 2017 they were able to squeak out a 70-69 win against the Point Loma Sea Lions. Though the March 9 game does show a close score, it was completely different from the narrow win earlier in the season. The Wolves started the game not being able to miss, jumping out to an early 22-point lead in the first 10 minutes of the game. Senior forward Vince Boumann scored 12 of his 15 points in the first half, as the Sea Lions gave very little resistance in the paint early on. The hot start settled down after Point Loma was able to regain their composure and stop forcing turnovers, as they cut the Wolves lead to 11 heading into the first half.
Point Loma was able to slowly chip away, but the Wolves’s lead that was established in the first half was too large of a deficit in the 73-66 victory.
On March 10, GNAC foe St. Martin’s earned the chance to play the Wolves for the fourth time this season.
At the start, this game was unlike most that either team had played this season. Both teams were unable to get easy opportunities on offense. The Wolves shot 1-15 from the three-point line in the first half, with the Saints just making one of their eight attempts. With the lead at just 21-19, both teams wanted to speed the pace up. The Wolves were able to shift the momentum in the second half, as they quickly set the tone extending a lead to as high as 23 as time was winding down. After struggling in the first half, everything came together in the final 20 minutes as they defeated St. Martin’s for the fourth time this season to advance.

The last game that would be hosted in Monmouth was played the night of March 12 against the Cal Baptist Lancers. This marked the final home game the senior classmen would play, and gave the Wolves a chance to move on to the Elite Eight in South Dakota.
The Wolves found themselves facing a 10-point difference with just 3:36 remaining in the second half. With their season on the line, the team made an inspiring run to cut the Lancer lead to just two with 22 seconds remaining.
Senior guard Demetrius Trammell was able to provide a much needed spark in the final minutes. With three shots from behind the arc in the final two minutes, Trammell was able to shift the tide of the game completely.
The scoreboard read 78-76, with just 22 seconds left as the Wolves crawled their way back with a chance to win the game. After catching his man off guard with a spin move towards the basket, Senior Tanner Omlid’s shot in traffic was just a little bit too strong, bouncing off the back rim.
Time ran out on the Wolves’s effort and the Lancers were able to secure a 80-76 win as they moved on to the Elite Eight. “We dug out and gave ourselves a chance but we missed some easy opportunities,” said Head Coach Jim Shaw in the post-game press conference. “Give them credit, they played better than us. We turned them over and did a fantastic job in a game of this magnitude in taking care of the ball, but we just didn’t do enough good things to be successful tonight.”
This loss brought the team’s record breaking season to an end, finishing with a 31-2 overall record.

Contact the author at mswaim16@wou.edu

Photo by: Amber Holland

Writing to fight domestic violence

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Western student Jamare Davis picked up a pen and notepad in the summer of 2017 and began writing, expressing his thoughts and feelings on an issue that he’d witnessed firsthand and one that he believed all people should be aware of: domestic violence.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women and one in four men will experience physical abuse by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Davis, a senior criminal justice major, recognized this issue and sought out ways to make it more visible.

“If it was more publicized, I feel like people would be more aware of it,” Davis explained. He commented that, all too often, people are afraid to talk about it.

Davis has been an advocate at Sable House, a domestic and sexual violence resource center, since August 2017. There, he helps answer phones and organize donations. Additionally, he worked as an intern at Abby’s House, the Center for Equity and Gender Justice at Western.

When training for his advocate position, Davis struggled with the issue of domestic violence.

“How can people do this?” he remarked. To process his thoughts, Davis started writing poetry that addressed interpersonal violence.

It was Davis’s poem, “A Piece of Her,” that sparked the conversation to hold an event that brings the topic of domestic violence to light and allows individuals to creatively express their feelings, as Davis had done with his writing. With the help of Aislinn Addington, director of Abby’s House, a working group was formed that consisted of several individuals that felt passionate about this topic and wanted to contribute.

The “Hear Me Now” event was held on March 5 in the Willamette Room. Contributions included poetry, painting, mixed media and a dance performance. The gallery was open for students to view all day, and performances in the evening were open to whoever wanted to share their work.

When first writing his poem, Davis didn’t think he would be reading it for an audience months later. But he was just one of the many performers that evening.

“I didn’t think that I was going to be involved in it,” Davis said. “I’m still in awe.”

“Hear Me Now” gave students and community members the opportunity to express themselves and address the issue of domestic violence in an artistic manner. Davis’s poem and the numerous other works of art displayed at the event helped to spread awareness and visibility of this topic and inspire positive change against domestic violence.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

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