cpj_20170405.pdf

Media

Part of The Cooper Point Journal (April 05, 2017)

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ERP

the

The Evergree_n State College Student Newspaper

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April 5,. 2017

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SEATTLESUESTRUMP

EARTH MONTH -

DAYOFABSENCE

FILES SUIT OVER WITHOLD/NG OF
FUNDS DUE TO SANCUTifARY STATUS

BEHtND THE SCENES LOOK AT
PROCESSION OF THE SPECIES-

THE ANNUAL EVENT IS CHANGING
FORM THIS YEAR

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STAFF
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EDITOR•IN-CHIEF

Felix Chrome
MANAGING EDITOR

The Cooper PointJournal is produced by students at The Evergreen State College,
with funding from student fees and adverti~ing from local businesses. The Journal
is published for free every other Wednesday during the school year and distributed
throughout the Olympia area. Our content is ~o av_ailable online at www.cooperpointjournal com.

Jasmine Kozak Gilroy
NEWS EDITOR

Chloe Marina Manchester
COMMUNITY EDITOR
ARTS

\

HOW WE WORK

Sylvie Chace
& CULTURE EDI.TOR
Ruby Love

Our mission is/to provide an outlet for student voices, and to inform and entertain
the Evergreen community and the Olympia-area more broadly, as well as to provide
a platform for students to learn about operating a news publication.

COMICS EDITOR

River Gates
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Joe Sullam

Our office is located on the third floo.i; of the Campus' Activities Building (CAB) at
The Evergreen State Collegf in room 332 and.we have ?pen student meetings from
4 to 5 p.m every Wednesday. •

- WRITERS
\

Georgie Hicks
Tari Gunstone

WRITE FOR US
_.,,,

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We accept submissions from 3lllY stud~JJ.t. at The Evergreen State College, and also
from former students, faculty, and staff. We also hire some students onto ·our staff,
wh~ write articles for each issue and receive a learning stiJ end.

•

CONTACT

Have an exciting news topic? Know about some weird community happening? Enjoy
that new hardcore_band? Come talk to us and write about it.

OFFICE

' We will also consider submissions from non-Evergreen people, particularly if they
have special knowledge on the topic. We prioritize current student content first, followed by former students, faculty and staff, and then general community submissions.
· Within that, we prioritize content related to Evergreen first, followed by Olympia, the
.state of Washington, the Pacific Northwest, etc.

The Evergreen State Colleg.e
CAB 332
2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW
Olympia, WA
News"
-(360) 867 - 6213
cooperpointjournal@gmail.com

Toj;ubmit an article, reach us at cooperpointjournal@gmail.com.

BUSINESS

(360) 86 7-6054
business@cooperpointjournal.com
WEEKLY MEETING

Wed 4 to 5 p . m.

Bv
Chris Bryan

CovER ART

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© 2017 the Cooper Point Journal

02 WWW.COOPER POINTJOURNAL.COM

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
We want to hear from you! If you have an opinion on anything we've reported in the·
paper, or goings-on in Olympia or at Evergreen, drop us a line with a paragraph or
two (100 - 300 words) for us to publish in the paper. Make sure to include your full
name, and your relationship to the college--are_you a student, staff, graduate, com. munity member, etc. We reserve the right to edit anything submitted to us· before
publishing, but we'll do our best-to consult with you about any major changes. T hank
you!

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News

The wail feturc's a rcferance to Trump T(rwcr and a sign reading "a vunerablc well dressed building" JASMINE KOZAK GILRO"i': _

Local Spice Shop Erects -Wall
DOWNTOWN BUISN!;SS GETS CREATIVE IN
PRUSUIT OF A CLEANER STOOP
By Jasmine Kozak Gilroy
nne Buck, owner of Buck's Fifth Avenue, was tired of being met each
morning by folks sleeping in her doorway, and tired of cleaning up
after them, so she built a wall around her ,doorway with a lock to keep
people out. Soon after, the city respondecl with a public statement and a Notice of Violation requiring her to either take down the wall or get a permit to
build something that fits the City's guidelines.

A

According to the . statement, Buck's wall has been
deemed in violation because
Buck did not go tbrough tbe
perm1ttmg and inspection
process, the door on tbe wall
does not feature tbe proper
panic hardware needed to
exit swiftly in case of emergency, and because tbe shop
resides in a historic building
and Buck did not submit the
plans to the design review process prior to construction. In
their own \'\ ords, "The issue is
not tbat Ms. Buck took action
t◊ stop the negative activity
happening in her alcove. The
Bottom line for tbe City is tbat
unpermitted,
uninspected,
unreviewed construction happened on a historic downtown
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building tbat raises historic of tbe same historic buildpreservation and life safety ing since she opened her first
concerns for us."
.i,t-ore selling garden decor in
The notice gave Buck two 1993. The business evolved
weeks to comply and was ·sent into a variety store, then a tea
out tbe week of March 10. As shop, which proved lucrative
of tbe publication of tbis ar- enough to allow her to buy
ticle tbe wall still stands.
out tbe whole building.
The wall is made up of criss
In tbe past, Anne Buck
crossed beams and a standard has been outspoken about
door tbat Buck can lock from tbe need for public restrooms
the outside, allowing her to tbat are open 24 hours a day.
secure tbe nook tbat rests be- In September of 2015, Buck
tween her front door and tbe started a Go Fund Me page,
public sidewalks. Perched at Public Bathrooms for Olymtbe top of the wall surround- pia, and began collecting doing tbe front door is a sign nations in her store front. The
declaring it "Buck's Tower", description for the fundraiser
supposedly a riff off of Don- reads, "The City of Olympia
ald Trump's many Trump has decided to turn a blind
Towers.
eye to tbis obvious problem
Buck has been working out because it is costly; inconve-

niencing visitors and placing of despair and, last but not
the unfortunate burden of least, paper, books, and a lot
tbeir batbroom needs on the of our very own bought and
local merchants. And many suspended coffee cups."
merchants are not open 24
The parklet was a pilot
hours. This isn't right, or fair. project funded by the City of
It isn't just pet waste you see Olympia in which local busiin the alleys and sidewalks ... "
ness were made the stewards
Buck also started a short of small seating areas situated
lived project involv,ng a note- in re,,talized parking space
book that hung outside her outside their store fronts. The
store inviting folks to record parklet project was just one in
their stories and complaints a series of City financed iniabout living on tbe streets of tiatives aimed at placemakOlympia. One of the out- ing, most of which.have been
takes, which she was eager to largely unsuccessful and have
share in her numero~s inter- gone <by unnoticed.
views "ith local press, read,
Burial Ground's owner's
"Once you reach street level, complaints are, for the most
you feel like yo,ti're never go- part, in line "~th Anne Buck's,
ing to reach ,back to tbe sur- citing tbe inconvenience of
face again".
cleaning up after folks and
Despite her m,n attempts tbe damage it does to tbeir
to open · a public dialogue image of cleanliness, driving
about
homelessness
and customers away. As one of
its conseqrn;nces, Buck has the posts discnssing tbe pargrown fed UJ? -ivitb the daily klet reccounts, "Far too ofinconvehlence' she faces clean- ten have a had copversations
ing up afi:e,; people taking ref- ,vith families, individuals and
uge in the alcove outside of , groups about their appreher business. In an interview/ hension when coming downwitb Kiro News she stated,· town because it 'isn't safe' or
"We just put it in because I am is full of 'too many addicts
tired of people sleeping here". and homeless people begging
Burial Grounds, a popular for handouts or demanding
Olympia coffee shop housed help'." Botb also cite tbe lack
in Buck's building, tore out a of resources available to busi'parklet' for similar reasons, ness owners to cope witb tbe
two montbs before Buck built consequences of houselessher wall. On January 31, ness, tbe Burial Ground's blog
Burial Grounds rang in tbe stating, "We are also left witb
new year by having tbe park, some very complicated issues.
which had caused tbem grief One being, tbe utter lack of
over tbe pre,,ous montbs, re- consistently available resourcmoved by city officials. The es for tbe homeless and street
saga of tbe parklet was thor- community, anotber being
onghly documented on the tbe same lack of consistently
coffee shop's blog, on which available support and resourcthey .reported that tbey had es for downtown businesses to
to deal ,,ith, "Condoms, help combat issues that may
needles, needle caps, personal arise from tbe former."
lubricant, lost drugs, empty
Buck plans on fighting the
food containers, full food con- City and has hired a lmvyer to
tainers, containers full of gar- manage tbe proceedings, debage, containers full of rocks !ermined to keep the wall up
strewn about, thousands of and her alcove urine free, saycigarette butts, HUMA1'i FE- ing, "It's my right, and it's my
CES Al'\1) URINE, food that building."
has been stuffed into planters
"itb plants in them {as well
as garbage, cigarette butts,
bottles, and clotbing), tons
of clothing in vario~s stages

APRIL 5, 2017 /THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL

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Communi!Y
Seattle Sues Trump
CITY TAKES PRESIDENT BACK
TO COURT OVER SANCTUARY
STATUS
By Chloe Marina Manchester

M

ayor Ed Murray announced, in a press conference on '\,Vednesday, that the city of Seattle
,vill be suing the Trump administration. This

is following a Monday statement from Attorney General Jeff Sessions saying that the Justice Department
plai;is to withhold up to $4 .1 billion in federal grant
money from "sanctuary cities"--·a general term for
different municipalities that refuse to comply w-ith requests· from immigration agents, such as Immigration
and Custom Enforcement (ICE), to detain immigrants
who currently lack legal documentation. ICE classifies
at least 118jurisdictions as sanctuaries.
In his Monday statement,
Sessions said that policies of
sanctuary cities "Make our nation less safe-by putting dangerous criniinals on our streets."
The lawsuit was filed in
United States District Court
in Seattle, citing concerns that
the Executive Order signed by
Trump in January creates uncertainty over the city's budget.
No funds have been yet been
withheld from Seattle. The
suit is directed against Trump,
Homeland Security Secretary
John Kelly, and Attorney GeneralJeff Sessions.
Mayor Murray said Wednesday, "l"fe are not breaking any
laws and we are prioritizing
safety. Bullying and misstating
the facts ,vill not stand in the
way of how the real laws of
this country are enforced."
Through the suit, Seattle is
asking that a federal court declare that Seattle is not breaking any laws by refusing to join
the Trump administration's effort to strictly enforce federal
immigration laws because they
don't hinder federal agents
from doing their job. Seattle is
also asking a judge to rule on
whether the executive branch
has violated the 10th Amendment, which limits the government's power to commandeer
state entities to enforce federal regulations. The suit also

dispute's the administration's
claims that undocumented immigrants lead-to more crime, a
claim which has been unsupported by e,~dence.
Other sanctuary cities and
counties also say that despite
the claims made in the Executive Order instructing the
funding cut they have not seen
a rise in crimes or death due to
their approaches to immigration policy. Judge. Sarah Eckhardt, of Travis County Texas
told l\'PR's Morning Edition,
"We have a very safe community in Travis County. You
know; of course we're a border
state, and we've always been
Mexican and American. And
we have an enviable crime
rate. We have the lo,yest crime
rate of any major metropolitan in Texas. They feel willing to come forward and hold
perpetrators of crime accountable irrespective of where the
victim was born or where the
perpetrator was born."
According to the city's lawsuit, during 201 7, Seattle set to
receive more than $55 million
in federal funds. The city has
plans to use that money to provide housing to homeless people, investigate human trafficking, and keep predators away
from children online, among
other programs.

04 WWW.COOPERPOINTJOURNAL.COM

_.,

Earth Month Kicks Off
A LOOK INSIDE1,THE PROCESSION OF
THE SPECIES STU,D10
By Tari Gunstone

0

n Saturday; April 1, environmental groups and earth-loving individuals gathered
at the Capitol steps to kick-off Washington's first official Earth Month celebration.
The campaign to expand Earth Day, April 22, to the entire month of April was
spearheaded by a father-daughter duo, David and Whitney Sederberg. The campaign's
motto, one day is not enough, speaks to the Sederbergs' feeling that one day to celebrate
the earth, our home and source of sustenance, is insufficient. One of their signs read,
"even groundhogs get a day."

The idea started when the
family was driving during Se·. ahawks season and sparked a
~Conversation in reaction to all
the 12th man flags lining peopie's yards. They asked themselves what they felt loyalty toward and what it might look like
to share that sense of passion.
Last year, they distributed one
hundred earth flags to schools
and businesses and contacted
the city of Olympia to ask about
hanging them up downtown for
Earth Day. With much back and
forth communication and no
concrete answers, they decided
to go out on a friday night and
put them up anyway without
permission.
This year, not only do they
have permission from the City;
they also have a proclamation
from Governor Inslee declaring
April as Earth Month for all of
Washington. The Sederbergs

hope that the establishment of celebration is the much-loved
Earth Month will provide a sue- Procession of the Species that
cessful opportunity for people has been a· staple e,qoerience
of all ages to get excited about since 1995. Now in it's 23rd
celebrating and volunteering as year, the Procession~s founder,
Spring rolls around each year. Eli Sterling, and his crew of
When I asked Whitney Sed- artists, musicians, and imaginaerberg how her classmates re- tive volunteers are busy as ever
spond to Earth Day or Earth constructing their costumes and
Month, she says only about half magi.cal animal creations in their
of them are interested, "It's so art studio on Water Avenue.
Sterling started Earthbound
much easier to not do anything,
but then no change occurs." Productions in 1991, the enEarth Month's website, earth- gine that birthed and commitmonthwashington.org, is a hub ted to power the Procession for
for individuals or communities 20 years, or as Sterling says, "a
looking to participate in earth- whole generation." The lasting
loving volunteer work around intent was to, "elevate the digtheir country over the 30 days of nity of the human spirit by enApril. It also provides momen- hancing the cultural exchange
tum for environmental clubs that we have with each
and nonprofits seeking greater and with the natural world
visibility and volunteer partici- to do so through imagination,
creation, and sharing._" The
pation in their communities.
Olympia's most popular nificance of practicing this
Earth Day (now Earth Month) tent publically in the

Communi~
Sterling a chance to, "replicate
what it means to be in the natural world in an urban corridor."
While the parade is organized
and has rules (only three, and
they are very simple; no written
Words, no motorized vehicles,
and no pets), Sterling tells me
that the experience is not intended to be directive for the
experiencer but instead aims,
"to invite a layering of cultural
expression."
The celebration ·has become one of the largest and
best knowu annual Earth Day
celebrations in the Northwest
with people traveling from different cities and even states to
watch' the festivities. People
are enthused by the Procession, which Sterling admits is
part of the success of it, but he
claims, "there is a difference
between cultural exchange and
entertainrtlent. If it was solely
entertainment it wouldn't have
lasted because it would only be
as good as the next best form
of entertainment that would replace it." What makes the Procession of the Species so wholly
unique and special is its committed dedication to a specific
intention and its invitation for
individuals to make it happen
through episodes of sharing.
While many Olympians only
view the Procession as a parade,
it is every bit as much a community art studio.
Walking inside the studio felt
like ,~siting a natural history
museum filled with flashy, taxi-

dermied papier-mache animals.
One of the .builders behind
these dramatic displays is Jerry
Berebitsky, whose background
Opera production. has provided him with valuable skills in
aesthetic and functional production. Berebitsky initiated himself into the studio nine years
ago by constructing a lifesize
pink elephant out of some leftover fabric he had lying around
the house. The elephant's head
is mounted on a wall along with
an Anglerfish, a praying mantis,
and the beloved smiling sun that
debuted in the very first Procession and keeps on making
a comeback to please its dedicated fans. Last year, Berebitsky
constructed a peacock Vvi.th a
sixteen foot wingspan. He tells
me that ·he knew he wasn't going to be able to finish the peacock by himself when he made
the plans for it, "so I laid out
pieces of it and scraps of fabric
and waited to see if the people
that walked in the door would
make it happen." Indeed, many
helping hands·" gradually tied
together the small scraps of vibrant blue fabric that made the
peacock body come to life. Berebitsky doesn't take the creations
outside to test their ergonomics
until the morning of the Procession. There's often last minute
disassembling and tweaking to
make the creature walkable, l;mt
that is all part of th.e excitement
of the question, "is this going
to work?" that Berebitsky finds
magic in. "I like that failure is an

m

option," he says -with a smile.
This year, the peacock "'~
rise again, but so will many
other smaller versions of it that
will be much more maneuverable. While I visited the studio,
Berebitsky trained a volunteer
on constructing the PVC pipe
skeleton of the peacocks while
another group of volunteers
occupied multiple tables to construct tiger themed costumes
for their percussion and dance
group, Samba OlyWa. The
weekend consisted of multiple
workshops like creating luminaries and papier mache masks,
In addition to these designated
classes, there is"always open studio time wl~ere anyone can walk
in the door and get started on
a project of their own or help
vVi.th one in process. The studio
acts as a hive of activity where·
ideas c3-n be explored, resourc~-are shared, and goals are sup.::-;;,.
ported by a communal context.
The 20 year goal for the Procession has been reached, but
Sterling is still in the studio energetically digging through file
cabinets, checking in on the artists at work, answering phone
calls, and sending emails out in
the dozens to donors who help
keep the Procession going. He
admits to me that he has tried
handing offjus baby on multiple
occasions but the effort has always gone flat. The unique and
organic nature o( this experience is difficult to imagine being steered by anything but the
zeal of Sterling. It's an animal

in itself - high maintenance and
resource intensive. Sterling tells
me the studio requires about
$15-40,000 a year to sustain itself He explains how rare it is
for a community art studio to
exist that is free and open to the
public.
He hopes that the . Procession's two decades of existence
in the community has empow-

The Procession· of the Species
engages individuals to artfully
express their love for the natural
world without judgement. "I've
had the unique position of being able to show men that they
can get out there and throw glitter around," Sterling says. The
Procession's Samba group celebrates the diversity of ages and
body types by giving women a

ered the next, generation to renew the, intem and carry the
tradition'forward. But, until that
takes shape, you will probably
find Ste;ling waltzing through
the parade in his rhinoceros ;
costume he's worn every year
since the Procession's ·inception,
knowing he's helped orchestrate
another year of jubilant celebration of the natural world in
the streets of Olympia.
Many people ask how parading animals around helps
promote environmentalism. To
this Sterling shares a story about
a young boy whose mother
dragged him along to the studio.
back in 1995. He was bored, but
Sterling gave him the opportunity to envision and construct
any animal he desired. They
ended up building a rhinoceros
together, the very foundation
of the costume Sterling wears
in the parade. The boy learned
about the shape of the rhino's
horn, how endangered they
were because of that horn, and
wha:t other distinct characteristics they have. "When you build
something, you have to learn it
first, and then you grmv to iove
it, and when you love something:
you protect iti" says Sterling.
Festivals energize and rem-ind us that we arc .sti.ll ·here.
They feel especia11y precious
in times Eke now \vhen ,ve feel
disappointment or \von-y about
our current human situation.

space to feel uninhibited and
true to their creative enetgy
The many workshops leading
up to the species are designed to
be fun for both kids and adults
from beetle costume-making to
explorations in 3D printing.
When I asked some volunteers gluing felt eyes- on tiger-·
striped baseball caps who they
felt was missing in this community, they said people like me young people in their 20's and
30's. Perhaps it was this sincere
request for my participation
from the smiling glue-gunners
or the fact that Sterling gave me
a big hug after our interview
like we were old pals, or maybe
it was just the utterly irresistible
voluptuoµs glitter lips of the giant sun eyeing me from the corner of the studio, but I feel compelled to go back and participate
in this -invitation. The heart and
soul of this place is celebration
for our communities, both cultural and natural~ and reveling
in the joy that comes vvith that.
·To participate in the Procession of the SpcciesJ check out
the online calendar (procession.
org/ calendar.php) to sign up
for workshops or stop in during
open studio hours. The door is
open to anyone and everyone
and is convcn-iently located right.
on the corner of 5th ave and
\"Viter St.) right after you cross
the bridge.

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APRIL 5, 2017 /THE COOPER POINT jOURNAL

05

Communi~

Staying Safe Downtown
KNOW THE SIGNS, KNOW YOUR RESOURCES

I

n this ,~eek's POC Talk we will be fo~using on then. e~-na.zi presence in the
Olympia bar scene and downtown m general. Specifically how to stay as
safe as possible and identify unsafe people who may be around. After the
stabbing of a Black man in an interracial relationship in August of last summer and the election of a president who has emboldened many racists and
neo-nazis it's important we can identify the symbols that signify unsafe places
and people for POC and other oppressed groups.
Two weeks ago when I was
out I was confronted with a
reality most POC in Olympia
haw\faced at one point or an'
other, the block of fourth Avenue housing McCoy's, Obsidian, Le Voyeur, and the Clipper
was lined with motorcycles
bearing neo-nazi symbols. Its
an unwelcome but important
reminder of the current world
we live in, especially here in
Olympia. Because of this, I
thought it was a good idea to
share some ways to try to stay
safe while out, here in our
home.
It is important recognize and be aware of active
hate groups in our area. The
American . Southern Poverty
Law Center catalogs racist
hate groups active in Washington State, and although
this is not necessarily a complete list, it provides some
helpful information for what
to look out for. They include
· three specifically anti-muslim
groups-Act for America,
Faith Freedom, and Fortress
of Faith. They also recognize
ten active white supremacist,
white nationalist, or. neo-nazi
· organizations-Counter-Currents Publishing, The Daily
Stormer, American Vanguard,
The Northwest Front, Blood
and Armor, American Front,
Firm 22, Wolves of Vinland,
Northwest Hammerskins, and
Crew 38. They also note that
there are multiple Ku Klux
Klan chapters in Washington.
These groups range from propaganda distributors, to those
,1,ith legislative and policy
ambitions, to violent skinhead

gangs.
Being able to recognize hate
symbols is an important way to
identify possible danger. Having seen these symbols or heard
the. names of local groups at
least once makes you more
prepared to keep yourself out
of harm's way and. may be a
good thing to really familiarize
yourself and others with while
living in a region known to
have active hate grou_ps and a
wider society and isn't ever safe
for people of color. However it
is also good to keep in mind
that some symbols used by
white supremacists may have
multiple meanings or be used
by others who ate unaware of
their history.
In case . you experience
something that makes you feel
threatened or unsafe there ~re
some resources th~t can provide ~upport. You may want to
carry some form of protection
such as pepper spray or a tazer. The Capsaicin Collective
distributes "free and legal self
defense materials, informa.tion and resources, prioritizing
POC and queer and trans people" They can be cpntacted
through their Facebook page
or at capsaicin.collective@riseup,net.
When at bars or just out
at night it is best to travel in
groups or at least pairs. This
is something I myself find difficult but unfortunately necessary. When out late at night it
can be tempting to walk alone
to your home or the transit

cent~r or home, because it's
cheaper than a cab or uber,
and damn it we should be able

06 WWW.COOPER POINTJOURNAL.COM

SS bolt<; come from the Nazi symbol
for the Schutzsta:ffcl (SS) and are still
commonly used by white supremacists todaJ~

This version of the Celtic Cross, also
kno,,vn.as Odin's Cross, is one of the
most COf!1IDOl1 symbols used by 'White
·supremacists.

to be safe in o.ur own to,1,ns,
but sadly it has'been proven we
are not safe a:hd as such should Though· a much older symbol, the life
rune or algis appeared o_ii uniforms
Totenkopf (death head) a symbol
take precautions-while also of the Sturmabteilung (SA), the early used by the SS ahd since used by neonot letting dangerous people paramilitary wing of_ :the nazi party, nazi and white supremacists.
stop us from enjoying a night and ·is U:sed by many heo-N:azis today:
out. It should go without saying that while walking .can be
dangerous, if you have be~
drinking, do not drive yourself··
home. Have .a friend pick you
up or take a taxi or rideshare
home if you can afford it.
Iron cross was a common white suIf paying for a cab or findThe·
\,Volff&igel:or Wolf's Hook is an- premacist symbol -after World War
ing a ride from a friend isn't an other runic_, symbol appropriated by Two but has sinc~·been used by nonoption for you, Showing Up the Nazi ·party. ·Many modem neo- racist groups in other contexts as well.
for Racial Justice (SlJRJ) of- Nazi groups, including Aryan Nation, ) It is however, still used by sorne neoNazis.
fers free rides to those who feel have incoporated it into their logos.
they may be threatened or at
risk. SURJ Olympia offers free
rides through their OlympiaArea safe ride system. If you
would need to request a ride
they ·can be reached through
call or text at (805) 613-7875
According the_ the Anti-Defamation
and are available at anytime The Northwest Front advocates for
League, VOlksfront is the most active
of the day or night with no "the northwest imperative" the idea
neo-nazi group on the West Coast,
questions asked. SURJ con- that the Pacific Northwest should be
centered in Oregon and Washington.
an independent white ethnostate.
nects passengers and drivers They us·e-a blue, white;_and green
l;hmugh ride coordinators who flag to 'represent this desired na_tion.
work with them.

"

POC Talk is a space to focus on the unique experiences
people of color face at Evergreen and in Olympia. It is
written by Evergreen Student
of Color in an effort to specifically discuss ·POC. issues:
We want to center and .boost
POC .voices so if you have
something to .add you can .submit your questions, comm_ents,
concerns, or ideas for what you
would like POC Talk to cover
to ·poctalk@cooperpointjour-

Identity·· _Eviopa --.is ah '"alt-right"
group :attempting· to promote w,hite
supremacy ariiong college ·Students
American Front is a racist skinhead ·and rnillinials. .Sonie -of - their fliers
group that began in California, and · were_·foulld-on_EVe"t~een caDlpus at
has active members on the West coast. the beggining of this school year.

The Hamrnerskins .ate a ·skinhead
gang with a:·rustory of violen_c~ 'they
use a variety of symbols featuring

.The 'Blood -drop .cr◊Ss -is the -inain
symbol of the KKK, this symbol is
otherwise·knoWTI as the '-'inystic insig-

.crossed hammers.

nia of the klansman"

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DayofAbsence Changes Form
ogether, Day of Absence and Day cif Presence make up an annual two day event
for all members of the Evergreen community to explore issues of race, equality,
•
allyship, inclusion, and privilege. This year's theme is "Revolution is not a one0 time
event; your silence will not protect you", inspired by Audre Lorde.

T

The Evergreen Day of Absence began as a collective action organize~ by Evergreen fac-

ulty and staff of color in the early
1970s, when retired faculty and
·founder of the Tacoma campus
Maxine Mimms saw a play by

Douglas Turner Ward in which a
town in the South awakens to find
that all of the Black community
members have-disappeared, caus-

ing the remaining white townsfolk
to face life without them. The
play, performed as a .:'reverse

In

on Day of Absence, students,

Giffipus, those wishing to attend
the off-campus activities are asked

faculty and staff who are people

to RSVP by completing the regis-

the past,

of color or mixed-race· have left tration . form.
Day of Presence is a day folthe Evergreen campus to attend
workshops and seminars, while · lowing Day of Absence designed
those who idfntify as white have to continue conversations about
remained Ori. - campus to attend identity as a whole group back
workshops and seminars. This on campus. It is a full day conferwas originally done to highlight ence with presentations and mulhow integral people of color . tiple workshop "Sessions, as well as
(POC) are to the Evergreen com- community activities amJ a free
lunch. Because ·of space restricmunity.
This year, however, it was de- tions, some· activities may require

cided that on Day of Absence,
white students, staff and faculty

an RSVP.

face, satirizing the traditional racist minstrel_ s4ows, and commenting on the necessity -of African
American . community members
· despite white arnerican's refusing

will be irivited to leave the Cam-

ties for Day_ of Absence include
"Radical Self-Care for Students,
Facull)';· · and Staff of Color,"

to accept them as their equals.
·:rv.limrns worked -in conjunction
with other staff and faculty to cre-

they are unwelcome on campus,

minstrel show," was cast entirely

by Black actors wearing white

ate an event in which students of
color would leave campus for the

pus for the day's activities. This
_decision was reached through discussion with POC Greeners who
voiced concern over feeling as· if
following the 2016 election. ,
According to the invitation to
attend from First Peoples Multicultural Advising, "each program

Contemporary Storytelling," and
"Decolonizing Gende"r." '~ome of
the off-campus activities include
"Know Your Fascists,'' "Can

White People Ever Be Woke,"
and "What's At Stake? Collective
Liberation."

us are. multiracial, and may not

ries of workshops. Workshops in-

wholly identify ourselves with one

clude "Intersectionality and Otir
Upbringings," "Cultural Genocide," and a fili:n screening .and
discussion of -the ··film <'Major,"

tmvard dismantling racism, while

of their choice, wherever they feel
most comfortable/' To conclude

community or the other, we invite

each person to attend the program

Day of Absence, there will be an

to bring the Evergreen community back together to honor Unity
and difference as a whole .campus.

on-campus s_creening of "Moon-

Day of Absence is set aside
for community building around

members of the Evergreen com.:.
munity are welcomed.
Due to space restrictions off-

identity and conversations about

"Finding Our Voice: Ancient and

include a concert, lunch, and a se-

has

students of color are absent. In
1992, Day of Presence was added

Some of the on-campus activi-

been designed with a specific
community-building
objective
in mind. And because many of

day, echoing the play, and leaving white students to consider the
importance of their fellow community memb_ers by_ sensing the
real loss of their presence. Day
of Absence encouraged white
students to discussTace,·and work

light" at 6:00 p.m. in Lecture.Hall
1 with a discussion to follow. All

l

:pirty Photos Grace

By Chloe Marina Manchester

issues of difference.

A selection from the show. RYAN RICHARDSON.

Day of Presence activities will

which follows a black transgender
elder and activist who has been
fighting for the rights of transgender women of color for over

40 years.
Day of Absence and Day of
Presence will take place on April
12 and April 14, respectively.

·, Galerie Fotoland

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EXHIBIT FEATURES SNAP SHOTS
OF MUD COVERED BIKERS

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ByRubyLqve
vergreen's Galerie Fotoland is playing h.ostto a go.rgeous series of wild, mud-splattered portraits by
photographer Ryan Richardson. Richardson, who
is also the Photography Lab Manager at Evergreen
(woo!) shot the series of portraits of cyclists after the l 0th
anniversary of SSCXWC, or the Single Speed Cyclo-cross
World Championships.

E

SSCXWC is known for its
mix of "performance art and
conspicuous consumption of
alcohol" in addition to its focus on the actual race. When
the Championships returned
tci Portland for the 10th anniversary, carrying ·the mouthful of a title SSCXWCPDX,
Richardson knew he wanted
to attend and spend some time
photographing the competitors. Instead of the usual inaction shots, Richardson opted
for a pop-up portrait studio to
catch in.dividual riders in t.'i.eir ·
post-race state of exhaustion and euphoria. The crisp,
bright lighting and backdrops
Richardson chose for the series
contrast beautifully with. the
grimy, mud-splattered outfits
(and sometimes faces) of his
subjects.
The exhibit consists of

large prints as well as grids of
srnaller0 size portraits, providing an interesting variation in
the viewer's relationship to the
size of each face. First, massive portraits loom. larger than
life. Then, smaller faces form
neatlycgridded crowds, staring
out at the viewer.
In addition to his full-time
work as Evergreeti.'s Photo Lab
Manager, Richardson has an
_active.photography career. His
current work centers around
"outdoor-life and adventure
based photography and v~deo}' You .can .find more .of
Richardson'swork on his website, singletrackmediaworks.
· com c:,r on his Instagram, @
Singletrack_Media-\'1/orks.
Ryan Richardson's SSCXWCPDX doses April 10, so
catch it soon!

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APRILS, 2017 /THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL07

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Letters & OQ]nion

up

ii,;~:;11,(

COMtl:NG
WED. APRIL 5
Traditions Fair Trade Cafe
300 5th Ave SW 7pm.
Women Workers Resist! with
Sophorn Yang
•obsidian
414 4th Ave E. 7pm. $5

Sculpture Club, Duzz
Last Word Books
111 Cherry St NE. 8pm.

S,emicircle Reading Series

THUR. APRIL 6
.The Studio
7pm: Donation.

Terror Pigeon, Curt Oren, Ben Varian,
NONEFORME

Cascadia Homebrew
211 4th Ave E. 7:30pm. $5-10

Brewgrass Thursday Night

The 4th Ave Tavern
210 4th Ave E. 8pm. $10

'

The Gateway Comedy Show

Obsidian
414 4th Ave E. 9pm. $7 21+

cover/artist statment

C Average, Dark Palms, Sabertooth

FRI. APRIL 7
Obsidian
414 4th Ave E. 5pm.

Olympia Assembly Social Hour

Media Island

CHRIS BRYAN

816Adams SI. SE. 6pm.

Community Info Meetin to Support
Andre & _Bryson

*

New Moon Cafe

1134thAve W. 7pm. $5-10

· The Washboard Abs, Oh Rose,
Pools, Ghost _Bitch

Obsidian
414 4th Ave E. 9pm. $10

lavender Country, Sloe Turner,
Heather Littlefield

SAT. APRILS
Mccoy's Tavern
4184thAveE. 9pm. $521+.

Animyst, Plastic Weather, Star Ghost

le Voyeur
404 4th Ave E. 10pm. $5 21+

The World Forgot, Entresol, Methczar

½ = Staff Recommended

Photography-both creating and viewing it-·-·always seems like a continuous experiment in what to
reveal and what to obscure. I use photography to aHempt to process the world as it happens, to reflect the
way I view people, and to come to terms with the speed with which time passes by. There is a sobering
reality in realizing.·that two photos taken seconds apart are completely different; an understanding that
the moment has passed and is never going to happen again. At the same time, while I love viewing detailed photographs, I try notto seek out large amounts of detail to capture because it is so pleasing to me
to find tiny things in my daily surroundings I never would have noticed unless spending hours agonizing
on how to print every inch of a photo just right.
These photos are from three separate series I recently used as class assignments; Reveal the Concealed,
Body Horror /Body Beauty, and Vulnerability. I attempted to .strongly convey each theme but realize to
an outside perspective that any of the photos could be used for any prompt-try to guess which is which!
I have a hard time naming series and I have a hard time speaking about any artistic meaning behind
them beyond wordless emotion and the literal background of where a photo was taken, of whom, etc.
Photographs give nearly excessive context; in my photos I feel as if any extra information would keep
them from having any space for interpretation. Ultimately my goal is to be a conduit, from a specific
geometric cross-cut of one six-hundredth of a second of light reflected onto chemically treated paper
into the eyes of whomever v'iews them, to live their own lives ,v'ithout me.

08 WWW.COOPERPOINT JOURNAL.COM

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Letters & OQinion

DL on the Faculty·DL
he drama on the staff and faculty DL is burning bright as ever and
until it dies down we will be bringing you one email each and every issue. This week's installment is brought to you by the Cooper
Pointjournal's Man of the Year, one mister Bret Weinstein. Day of
Absence, which has historically involved students, faculty, and staff of color
leaving campus and congressing elsewhere, will instead this year involve
requests that all white faculty and students remain absent from campus,
leaving the space free for community members of color. Weinstein, and
evolutionary biology professor here at Evergreen, is concerned with feeling
unwelcome on campus, and instead offers to put together a public lecture
concerning race from a "scientific/evolutionary lens." He .sent this email
to Rashi"'da Love, Director of First Peoples Multicultural Advising Services.

a,

Dear Rashida,
When you first described the new structure for Day of Absence / Day
of Presence at a past faculty meeting (where no room was left for questions), I thought I must have misunderstood what you said. Later emails
seemed to muddy ~e waters further, while inviting commitments tci participate. I now see from the boldfaced text in t:hls email that I had indeed
understood your words correctly.
- There is a huge difference between a group or coalition deciding to
voluntarily absent themselves from a shared space in order to highlight
their vital and under-appreciated roles (the theme of the Douglas Turner
Ward play Day of Absence, as well as the recent Women's Day walkout),
and a group or coalition encouraging another group to go away. The first
is a forceful call to consciousness which is, of course, crippling to the logic
of oppression. The second is a show of force, and an act of, oppression in
and of itself.
You may take this letter as a formal protest of this year's structure, and
you may assume I will be on campus on the Day of Absence. I would
encourage others to put phenotype aside and reject this new formulation,
whether they have 'registered' for it already or not. O n a college campus,
one's right to speak--or to be--must never be based on skin color.-.. .
If there was interest in a public presentation and discussion ··of race
through a scientific/evolutionary lens, I would be quite willing to organize
such an event (it is material I have taught in my own programs, and guest
lectured on at Evergreen and elsewhere). Everyone w'buld be equally welcome and encouraged to attend such a forum, irrespective of ethnicity, belief structure, native language, political leanings, or positj.on at the college.
My only requirement would be that people attend with an open mind, and
a willingness to act in good faith.
If there is interest in such an event, please let me know at bret.weinstein@gmail.com.
Bret

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Thank you to the 766 new students who

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participated in Evergreen's 2016 New
Student Survey!

You could win a $200
gift card to the Greener
Bookstore ! W in during
Spring Quarter by filling
out the 2017 Student
Experience Survey.

Evergreen's Office of Institutional
Research and Assessment col-

Congrats to Chloe, the winner of a

$200 gift card to the Greener
Bookstore!

lecu and reports data that help
faculty. students, and staff to understand teaching and teaming
at the coltege and respond to
students' opinions and needs.

Visit : www.evergreen.edu/institutionalresearch/

APRIL 5, 2017 /THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL

09

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WashPIRG Students
www.washpirgstudent.com

<R,;;ufiance

(jfft Certificates Online - 1£asy a,uf('on·oeriient
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The Evergreen State College's WashPIRG chapter will be electing their 20172018 chapter chair, vice chair, and board representatives at 5PM on \Vednesday
April 19th in Sem 2 D room 3105.
\VashPIRG is a student-funded and student-directed non-profit organization
that works to make real social change. Persons are eligible to run or be nominated for a position if they have previously attended one or more WashPIRG
Core 1ifeetings in their academic career.
ErikJung- WashPIRG Campus Organizer- cjung@washpirgstudcnts.org-54 l .39 l .2653

10 WWW.COOPERPOINTJOURNAL.COM

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Massage @ Jev;elry @ Books
Natural Body Care + Candles
Bulk Herbs ➔ Essential Oils

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Astrolo~
RUBY 1HOMPSON

By Sylvie Gp.ace
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.,,
On St11'day, April 2, Venus transitioned from the passionate ~d fiery, sign of Aries and into the watery depths of dreamy -Pisces. The Venus
retrograde has affected some more than others these past few weeks and now it's getting ready to station direct in 27 degrees of Pisces. Sharp
transitions is what oversees the coming weeks ahead. From seeking within, to going out and making things happen, to living inside of a shell
to swimming in the vast ocean. What these transitions are will be different for everyone, but the shining spring sun brings a new hope for all
the signs.
...,.
~

ARIES

~121 - 4119

Step back, Aries. You've been focusing in too closely on every tiny unsatisfying detail,
every hiccup in your life is not a natural disaster. The bigger picture actually shows that
the path you're on just might be the right one, you just have to be open to seeing all of the
things you've accomplished while you've been distracted by the little things.

TAURUS 4120- 5120

You've been wrapped up in yourself It may feel like being in a washing machine on spin
cycle, where all your emotions are surrounding you and pulling you back and forth in a
vortex. Self reflection is a positive thing, Taurus. There are times we need to give in to
the cyclical nature of our emotions, just don't forget to come up for air and breathe in the
world around you.

GEMINI 5121 - 6120
You've been in need of a bit of balance. On one hand, you'r~ ·coming out of your winter
shell and beginning to gain back that spring in your step, however it's a vulnerable place
to be in. You've been optimistic, yet guarded. You're on a good path, Gemini. Out of all
the signs, you can balance this duality with ease and charm. Never be afraid to take up
the space you need.

CANCER 6121 - 7122
You may be feeling a bit paranoid, Cancer. Your crab claws are out and you're trying to
defend yourself but there's no real threat in sight. Look around and see a vast and open
world around you. You worlced hard tor this, so bask in the glory of total justice. Sometimes it's harder to believe that good things are happening than 6ad, btit every good thing
you have you've _g otten for yourself

LEO 7123 - 8122
Stop and smell the roses! You finally have the time to sit with your life and feel content.
Good things have been happening and you've been absorbing all the pleasures around
you like a sponge. A word of caution for you, Leo, don't go too fa.r and push the boundaries of all the good in your life right now. Sometimes there can be too much of a good
thing,~d right now you need to enjoy the beauty in the small, but satisfying details of
your surroundings.

VIRGO 8/23-9122
You may be finding yourself at an ethical crossroads. Where there is deep love and a
powerful union in your life, what comes with that is emotional labor and effort to keep it
stable. What does emotional work look like for you? You are capable of feeling intensely,
so consider how you may implement your infamous work ethic into the relationships that
. surround you.

LIBRA 9123:~ 10122
Let your calm nature inspire you. Be it a situation of high-tension, or perhaps having to
be the middle-man in some sort of disagreement, your reasonable and gentle nature can
carry you through anything. There is wi&dom in being able to understand more than one
side to any situation, and you may find yourself in a place to call upon that wisdom and
be in touch with a more"relaxe1i and mature side to you.

SC.ORPIO 10123 - 11121
When others seek answers out in the tangible world, you tend to sit still and seek within,
Scorpio. You are deeply in touch with your darkest innermost feelings and it is that side
of yourself that is being focused on in a season of transition. You are the sign of total
transformation and rebirth and it is because you feel these seasons of change so deeply. It's
okay to withdraw a little in order to adjust the blossomiµg- world around you.

SAGITTARIUS 11122 -12121
The ultimate challenge for you in a time of transition is to sit still. There is no urgency,
there is no rush at this moment, so why are you in such a hurry? Sit still and absorb the
bigger picture of it all. Enjoy the life that you've built for yourself in this present moment.
The future isn't going anywhere and you are allowed to take your time to reach it.

CAPRICORN 12127 - 1119
·Hold no fear, hold no remorse, Capricorn. As the saying goes, strike while the iron is hot!
You are a sign of ambition, of achievement and right now that is where your focus is.
Don't be so single-minded that you become forgetful to the other components of your life,
but this is a tim~ to focus in on your goals and to shape them into a beautiful new reality.

AQUARIUS 1120-2118
You have never been afraid of the unknown, Aquarius. In fact, all that is obscure is exactly
what you're known for. You are being called to dive in deeper to your own life. Why does
something feel unsatisfying? Wh.y does something seem oft? Look deeper into every situation and allow yourself to feel the seeds of change being planted. Everything is n ot what
it seems on the surface.
,

PISCES 2119: 3120
With Venus transitioned into your sign, you're usually blurred outlook has now been
clarified. T rust your intuition to show you wli.at is true. You are about to embark on a
new j ourney, and with that, new challenges will inevitabiy arise. You are someone who
has been made to feel small, or who has been labelled 'spacey' or 'too dreamerly.' Your
strength lies within your deep intuitive powers. You know what's true, and no one should
tell you otherwise.

APRIL Sr 2017 / THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL 11

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