By: Megan Clark Campus Life Editor
Thomas Licata, senior interdisciplinary major
What kind of music do you like?
“Weird stuff… Everything. My favorite band is actually this band [called Consider the Source]. It’s Middle Eastern sci-fi metal, but it does a lot of funk and jazz. I don’t know, they have a lot songs that are literally just like Middle Eastern folk songs on like classic instruments and then they have stuff that’s just shredding and noise solos.”
By: Rachael Jackson Staff Writer
Heart health isn’t exactly something many college students have on their minds. However, after a proclamation made by President Obama last year declaring February to be named American Heart Month, it became clear that is an issue that affects all American students.
The American Heart Association (AHA) warns that 98.9 million Americans aged 20 and older have total blood cholesterol levels over 200. A cholesterol level over 200 can be indicatied of cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and congestive heart failure.
Presently, heart disease is the number one killer in America.
It’s important to start young with heart disease tests – the AHA recommends starting at age 20 and continuing every five years. Because of genetic factors, even with a healthy diet and exercise regimen, a person can still be at risk.
ASL interpreting major and junior, Crystal King, said that taking fitness classes at the school has shown her the importance of eating right and consistent physical activity.
“I think being educated in cardiovascular disease as a college student makes me think more about it,” said King. “I don’t worry about getting a heart attack now, but I know it could happen in the future.”
The first Friday of February is known as National Wear Red Day, so if you see someone on campus wearing red they might just be supporting this cause.
If you are looking for more information, stop by the Student Health & Counseling Center to meet a physician or give them a call at 503-838-8313 to set up an appointment for ch
By: Joleen Braasch Staff Writer
If you’re looking for a fun weekend full of drama in all the right ways, head over to Rice Auditorium tonight, Feb. 5, or Saturday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. to see Kenneth Lonergan’s play, “Lobby Hero.” Follow young security guard, Jeff, as he gets himself wrapped up in murder, strained loyalty, elusive truths and costly justice.
Graduate student Natalie Piper, who is currently in the MAT program working toward a license in high school theatre, chose to direct “Lobby Hero” because she feels that it addresses race and gender issues present in today’s society.
Piper also chose “Lobby Hero” because she wanted to provide opportunities for student-actors who are working in the genre of contemporary realism, a straightforward and realistic approach to art.
The art of theatre calls for many important artistic roles: actors, directors, and stagehands, to name a few.
Piper’s favorite role is directing; she loves seeing everyone and everything work together in order to create her vision and bring it to life. And, unlike the actors, she gets to sit in the audience and watch people react.
Are you interested in murder, justice, and Piper’s vision? Visit Rice Auditorium at least a half-hour before the show begins to pick up your ticket. WOU students pay $7 for admis
By: Rachael Jackson Staff Writer
The Triangle Alliance and Multicultural Student Union hosted a panel discussion on the experiences of being queer persons of color. The five-person panel consisted of those of Japanese, Latino, and African American backgrounds.
Natasha/Nathan Mireles, a junior biology major, seemed excited for the panel to begin.
“I am eager to know about the intersectionality of lives of people who are persons of color and who are also queer,” Mireles said. “For me, I don’t identify as a person of color and I want to know how their experience differs from mine.”
Intersectionality is an identity that lies within another identity. For example, a woman might identify as bisexual but also as Chinese-American.
The panelists were asked questions varying from issues coming out to parents, dealing with ideals set by the media, and finding a balance between the many intersections of identities.
Ty Lewis, an ASL interpreting major and senior, described how he feels about his own intersectionality.
“If I waltz into a classroom, and I’m white presenting, my queer identity takes over,” said Lewis. “I do feel like I present one part of myself depending on the place.”
If you’re interested in exploring this topic or others within the LGBTQ+ community, stop by Ackerman 141 for a Triangle Alliance meeting on Tuesdays from 4 to 5 p.
By: Justin Oehler Freelancer
From living in California to being a new kid in Portland, Poison Waters is fabulous and funny. She has been doing drag for almost thirty years and is as popular and vivacious as ever.
Poison Waters, according to her website, has had experience working with the Women’s Inter-community AIDS Resource and currently acts as camp director at a summer camp for kids who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.
Full of jokes and wisdom, she told it like it is. At the Out and Proud dinner on Jan. 3, Waters told the gathered crowd all about her early life as a quarter Mexican, a quarter Native American, and half black, gay boy.
As the keynote speaker for the dinner, she shared her experiences with the audience. When she moved to Portland, she said it was the blackest city she had ever lived in. She mentioned how much she enjoyed being surrounded by people of color at the dinner, saying she was excited not to be “the raisin in the rice patch.”
She came from a very supportive, diverse family and spoke on how lucky and happy she was to be in that situation. Yet, she knew she was “odd” for a long time and her mother and sister did too by telling her, “You know you gay, right?”
She shared worries that many people face, saying she felt like an alien waiting for the mother ship to come pick her back up. Feeling different and out of place, even when supported by family, is difficult, especially as a young person part of the LGBT*Q+ community.
However, Waters noted that, as she has gotten older, much the world has changed for the better with regards to the LGBT*Q+ community as well as People of Color (POC).
She was so pleased to see that young folks don’t need to go through what she saw back in her day. Her “intersectionality” was a popular topic of discussion for Waters.
She first wanted to become a drag queen and embrace the diversity of the gay community when her drag mother, Rosie Waters, inspired her to become her true, fabulous self.
She seems to have a joke for every occasion and never missed an opportunity to tell one. Even still she had moments of seriousness and during the show and gave valuable advice for young POC, Queer people, and drag queens.
By: Megan Clark Campus Life Editor
In honor of January being National Stalking Awareness Month, the assistant director of Abby’s House, Andrea Hugmeyer, presented an informational PowerPoint about how stalking is portrayed in the media.
While only a dozen or so guests attended the event during the day on Jan. 27 in the WUC, those that were present were highly interested and vocal during the interactive presentation.
Stalking is a form of sexual violence and involves a pattern of repeated, unwanted contact that makes a person feel fear. Examples of stalking include repeatedly calling and following a person, sending unwanted gifts, texts, or emails, and threatening that person’s family or friends.
Ultimately, stalking is based on control. 7.5 million people in the U.S. are stalked each year; 90 percent of all college students participate in “unwanted pursuit behavior” after a breakup.
Using examples such as the popular novels-turned-movies “Twilight” and “50 Shades of Gray,” the music video for “Animals” by Maroon 5, as well as the movie “The Perfect Man,” Hugmeyer showed how stalking is portrayed as romantic, a glorified fantasy, and fear-inducing.
Kayla Robertson, a senior psychology major, said that Maroon 5’s music video “makes stalking sexy,” when stalking should be anything but.
One event attendee said that these examples present the idea that “when a woman says no, no means convince me.”
Media is one of the most influential forms of socialization. A dominant message that bombards consumers of various forms of media is in relation to male dominance, protection and pursuit. Women are portrayed as submissive and in need of protection.
These ideals subversively influence how women and men think they should look, act, and interact with others and society.
These messages ultimately make stalking, either in person or cyber, normalized.
Already, forms of cyber stalking are acceptable in society. At the mention of stalking someone over Facebook, no one bats an eye.
Through media deconstruction, such as understanding the methods through which a certain message is being sent and by whom, viewers can try to avoid supporting media that promotes harmful messages.
Another way to combat negative messages in media is to actively seek out television shows, movies, or music that subverts the dominant message. Hugmeyer gave examples of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” as television shows with positive messages that are also entertaining.
By: Joleen Braasch Staff Writer
Are you ready for the tenth and final WOU Sprint and Triathlon on Saturday, Apr. 23? Registration has begun, and Melissa Bergeland, Assistant Director of Programs for Campus Recreation, and Zachary Holloway, Triathlon Intern, are working hard to make this the biggest and best triathlon in Western’s history!
Start training now to conquer the 500-yard swim in Wolverton Memorial swimming pool, 17.1-mile bike ride on country roads southwest of town, and 3.2-mile run that ends on Western’s track!
Don’t want to compete on your own? Don’t worry, you can compete in a group! Marshall Guthrie, director of the Student Enrichment Program at WOU, competed in a group last year, completing the bike portion of the triathlon.
Guthrie’s team won, and he is proud to show off his accomplishment. Sometimes he wears his medal while he rides, “the way folks wear a superbowl ring,” Guthrie said.
Aside from the competition, Guthrie loves bonding with colleagues, students, and community members; it’s “all the fun of trying to win something without super “agro” competition.”
This may be the final WOU Sprint and Triathlon, but don’t get too bummed; campus recreation may be coordinating an indoor triathlon in the future.
Questions? Search “triathlon” on WOU’s website, or contact Melissa Bergeland at 503-838-8860 or by email at bergelandm@wou.edu.
All registration forms and payments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Apr. 17.
WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
345 Monmouth Ave. N.
Monmouth OR 97361
503-838-8000 | 1-877-877-1593