In partnership with STEM activist and influencer Alexis Williams, DoSomething is equipping students to advocate for more equitable STEM education in their schools NEW YORK, March 7, 2023 – DoSomething.org, the national hub for youth-centered activism, invites students across the United States to join Make STEM 100%, a program designed to support exploration in the […]

On Sept. 16, 2022, Mahsa Amini — a 22-year-old Iranian woman — died in the custody of the Islamic Regime’s “morality police” after being arrested for “allegedly violating laws requiring women to wear a headscarf,” according to the Wall Street Journal. The tragedy sparked protests within Iran as crowds burned headscarves, vandalized symbols of the regime and clashed with authorities. But the inhumanity didn’t end. Instead, the regime brutally escalated its violence against protestors and citizens alike. And in the months since, Iranians have witnessed a myriad of horrors, from mysterious disappearances to public executions and death sentences.

No matter their efforts, however, the country’s leadership cannot silence the will of their people.

Alborz Ghandehari, an assistant professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of Utah, noted that this is the “latest uprising” in a “century-long struggle among Iranians for freedom from authoritarianism and oppression.” A multitude of Iranians living across the world feel the weight of this struggle, and a large community of them have landed in Salt Lake City and at the U.

The U has a responsibility to amplify the voices of its Iranian students and faculty by supporting the efforts of its Persian Student Association. Joined with the efforts of FreeIranSLC and The Iranian American Society of Utah, Utahns must do more to raise awareness and build solidarity with the Iranian freedom movement.

Strengthen One Movement, Strengthen Them All

People from all walks of life have risen to support Iran. Standing up against the policing of women’s bodies by the state requires huge effort, especially when the state aggressively represses those rights. The movement encompasses more than women’s rights, too.

Iran is an ethnically diverse country, and the movement is also “about fighting ethnic discrimination alongside gender discrimination,” according to Ghandehari. Economic justice also factors in, with some unions and workers in the country striking in solidarity.

We’ve seen similar causes of justice echoed globally — like how people in the U.S. became “galvanized to step up the fight for gender equality” after the fall of Roe v. Wade, as Ghandehari put it. We’re in the midst of a global movement for gender equality, and as we stand for it here, we should stand powerfully for it in Iran.

This by no means entails pushing for foreign intervention by the U.S., though. “The movement in Iran is not asking for that,” Ghandehari said.

Instead, they’re asking for “international solidarity from people at the grassroots.” We must remember, he added, that “none of us are free until all of us are free.” Connecting our movements can create a better future for all our interconnected communities, but that starts with lifting up the voices of the affected.

Grief at the U

Iranians at the U deserve our support now more than ever. Ghandehari, whose family comes from Iran, said that “not a day goes by where I’m not thinking about my loved ones in Iran and their safety.”

Likewise, Yasamin Shaker, a third-year Ph.D. student in the sociology department, expressed feeling a sense of “survivor’s guilt” being away from her loved ones in Iran. While she recognizes that it’s harder for people to care about issues that don’t impact them personally, she described feeling as though her efforts to support movements here weren’t always reciprocated. Iranians make up the majority of attendees at local “free Iran” rallies, but they could always use more of our support.

Mahan Fakouri, a second-year Ph.D. student in electrical engineering, spoke to the immense responsibility that falls upon Iranians outside of the country. Because people within Iran face danger and are prohibited in their access to the outside world, he said it’s his and others’ responsibility to be the “voice of the people inside the country.”

No one should carry such grief and burden alone. Feelings of hopelessness and loneliness pervade, appeased only by the creation of community and solidarity.

Prioritizing Community and Solidarity

Two years ago, Fakouri and his friends formed the Persian Student Association as a space for Iranian students to gather and create social connections on campus. Now, the association tries to share information on the revolution and organize rallies. But importantly, it allows the community a way to share their grief and express their emotions. Cultural expression is instrumental in this endeavor, as Shaker and Ghandehari can attest.

Ghandehari pointed to Iranian culture as a rich source from which to draw “strength, resilience and hope,” and Shaker has turned to artistic expression for “healing, grieving and imagining a better future.”

The U needs to do all it can to assist in building up community — cultural and otherwise. PERSA, Fakouri described, is limited in what it can do politically because of the U’s bylaws, but that doesn’t mean the university shouldn’t condemn the Islamic Regime’s actions. After all, if our institution is the kind of champion of education that it claims to be, it should stand with the hundreds of Iranian students who have been jailed or exempted from continuing their studies.

Revolution, Fakouri said, “happens in the universities and in educated spaces.” The U, and all of us, should embrace that call to action and help embolden Iranian activists everywhere.

s.buening@dailyutahchronicle.com

@sarah_buening

Rams, Cowgirls. Border War, part three.

For the second year in a row, the Colorado State University women’s basketball team has made it to the semifinal round of the Mountain West Conference Tournament. Last night, they beat the Boise State University Broncos 59-52 in a defense-first game to advance.

The University of Wyoming Cowgirls are standing in the way of the Rams for a spot in the final, and it will be the third time the teams have played each other this year. The first matchup was in Fort Collins, and it ended in a 66-63 victory for the Rams. 

But when they matched up in Laramie just a few weeks ago, the Cowgirls went on a 23-7 run with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter and ran away with the 16-point victory.

Wyoming cruised past San Jose State University 72-57 Monday in the quarterfinal prior to CSU’s win over Boise State but will face a much better team in the Rams. The bright spot for CSU was their defense, forcing 18 Broncos turnovers while only giving up five of their own. The 18 turnovers led to 16 points for the Rams in transition, which doubled Boise State’s points off turnovers.

But Wyoming can be overwhelming on the boards, which is what CSU didn’t do well Monday, as they were outrebounded 51-32 by Boise State. Colorado State doesn’t necessarily lack size, but Wyoming has an abundance of it. The board battle will be one to watch and a key to the game for Wyoming to win.

Sure, it’s a third Border War matchup for the Rams, but the team isn’t thinking of it that way in Las Vegas. After all, the stakes of this game in particular are much higher than a regular season game. Head coach Ryun Williams echoed the sentiment, saying they’re “here to win the tournament, not to win a Border War.”

Senior guard McKenna Hofschild was named the Mountain West Player of the Year Sunday, and she played like it Monday. She scored 19 points to go along with 10 assists against the Broncos to get her fourth double-double of the season.

On the other side of the bracket, the still-undefeated University of Nevada, Las Vegas will take on San Diego State University for a spot in the conference championship. The Aztecs stole their quarterfinal game from the hands of the University of New Mexico 69-68 while UNLV steamrolled the University of Nevada, Reno 84-47.

UNLV takes on SDSU at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Thomas & Mack Center, and the Rams will tip off against the Cowgirls right after at 8:30 p.m.

Reach Braidon Nourse at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @BraidonNourse.

In partnership with STEM activist and influencer Alexis Williams, DoSomething is equipping students to advocate for more equitable STEM education in their schools

NEW YORK, March 7, 2023 – DoSomething.org, the national hub for youth-centered activism, invites students across the United States to join Make STEM 100%, a program designed to support exploration in the field and activate young people as advocates in closing STEM readiness and diversity gaps. The program, launched in partnership with 3M and the General Motors Foundation, helps demystify STEM opportunities available to students, highlights the importance of skills gained as a critical tool in a young change makers’ toolkit, and positions young leaders to advocate for more equitable STEM education and curriculum.

In a survey conducted in late 2022, DoSomething members ages 13-25, expressed interest in learning about career opportunities in STEM. Students indicated that their school and extracurricular activities did not prepare them for STEM careers and cited obstacles, such as lack of mentors and teachers with subject matter expertise, as well as a lack of confidence about pursuing STEM subjects.

“In the U.S., only 20 percent of high school graduates are prepared for college-level coursework in STEM. This woefully low statistic represents an equity gap and a direct concern for our membership and all young people,” said DoSomething CEO DeNora Getachew. “Yet STEM careers are projected to grow over 8 percent per year, faster than any other sector. Getting STEM readiness to one hundred percent is a critical pathway in creating equitable economic opportunity and mobility for all students and ensuring that they are equipped to forge a future in this growing and essential field.

DoSomething partnered with STEM activist, influencer, and NYU student Alexis Williams, for a ‘Two Truths and a Lie’ PSA that reveals these startling gaps through playing a STEM-themed version of the popular quiz game with students on the UCLA campus.

“As a black and latina queer programmer, I’m passionate about further exploring the intersection of social activism and tech,” said Williams. “Speaking with students and illuminating the current diversity gaps that still exist in STEM was a clear reminder that now is the time to act. Robust and equitable STEM education is key to building a future that serves us all!”

The PSA calls on students to take civic action and advocate for more equitable STEM offerings in their school to increase the number of students with access to STEM courses and skills. To learn more about the facts and how to be an advocate for change, you can view the PSA here.

DoSomething also convened a group of experts and young leaders in STEM for a virtual event to discuss STEM equity and representation; how young people can create their own STEM roadmap in the field; and provide concrete ways for young people to gain confidence to pursue STEM opportunities. The entire conversation can be viewed here.

Make STEM 100% also features a curated resource guide for young people to share offerings (courses, internships, partner organizations, etc.) with their peers to advance their interests and gain real life experience in the field.

“The outlook for science is promising — especially among young people. Our State of Science study found that Millennials and Gen Z both have a higher appreciation for science and expect it to drive social impact, with a focus on solutions for sustainability, healthcare and STEM equity,” said Dr Jayshree Seth, 3M Corporate Scientists and Chief Science Advocate. “But more work is needed, and we need more diverse voices. The world requires innovation. Innovation needs science. Science demands diversity. Diversity warrants equity.”

“A strong education and foundation in STEM can serve as a catalyst for change in our society,” said Terry Rhadigan, vice president of Corporate Giving at General Motors. “We believe that the Make STEM 100% program will help to close gaps and equip students from all backgrounds with the STEM skills and knowledge needed to tackle a wide range of issues that impact young people, including racial discrimination, climate change and more.”

Students that participate in either portion of the program by March 27th–advocating to their school administrators for more robust STEM education or sharing a STEM resource guide–are automatically entered to earn a $1,000 scholarship.

To learn more, please visit dosomething.org

###

About DoSomething.org

DoSomething fuels young people to change the world. As the national hub for youth-centered activism, DoSomething has activated more than 5 million young people representing every U.S. area code and over 130 countries. DoSomething has registered over 360,000 new voters since 2018 and awarded more than $1.8 million in scholarships to young people since 2010. When you join DoSomething.org, you are joining a reflective and inclusive collective of young people who are collaborating to develop and implement the solutions to the most pressing issues facing society today.

Media Contact

jkaminski@dosomething.org

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A magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6, hitting close to home for University of Minnesota students and faculty from the affected areas.

The earthquake left 1.5 million people displaced from their homes, with the death toll exceeding 50,000. The epicenter was in the Kahramanmaras region in southeastern Turkey, located near the Syrian border.

“I can’t stop thinking about the people there”

Sabina Isayeva, a second-year international student from Istanbul, Turkey, said she was studying when she got a call from her mom, who was visiting relatives in Greece at the time and broke the news of the earthquake.

“I didn’t expect it, and she goes, ‘There’s been an earthquake,’” Isayeva said. “I didn’t even know how bad it was until I saw the videos, news and photos.”

Isayeva has friends living in Hatay, Turkey, which was one of the affected cities. However, her friends were on spring break at the time of the earthquake and were not in the city.

Despite not having lost anyone in the earthquake, the grief and pain still lingers.

Puren Oncel, a Ph.D. student from Turkey, found out about the earthquake from her cousin, who lives in the Kahramanmaras region.

Oncel said she has been feeling anxious since the earthquake happened, which has prevented her from attending classes. For a week, she looked on YouTube first thing in the morning for updates following the earthquake.

“I cannot stop thinking about the people there and their future,” Oncel said in an email to the Minnesota Daily. “I kept wondering about what I could do if something like this happened to my family.”

Isayeva said she often thought about the earthquake while studying at the library and cried after watching videos online. She said she has been relying on other Turkish students for support.

One of Isayeva’s teaching assistants, who is from Turkey, reached out to her about her family’s well-being. Isayeva said her friend also attended a meeting held by the University’s Turkish American Student Association on Feb. 12, where she and other Turkish students gathered to talk about the earthquake.

“I think talking about it made it less painful to me because I think it’s not being talked about as much in America,” Isayeva said.

UMN’s Turkish community organizes support

Pinar Karaca Mandic, a finance professor from Ankara, Turkey, said she appreciates the support she has received from students in the classes she teaches.

“Lots of students wrote personal messages saying, ‘We’re thinking of you, don’t worry about grading our assignments, just take care,’” Mandic said.

Mandic is working with organizations such as the Turkish American Student Association in fundraising efforts to donate essentials, such as clothing and diapers, to earthquake victims. She also invited Turkish students to her home for a dinner to help support one another.

“Every Turkish student I’ve talked to had a feeling of ‘We feel ashamed because we are in our warm homes; we feel ashamed to eat because tens of thousands of people are in this situation,’” Mandic said.

Despite her hometown not being affected by the earthquake, Isayeva said she is worried it will be hit with an earthquake similar to the Kahramanmaras earthquake after hearing about recent reports from seismologists who correctly predicted the Kahramanmaras earthquake.

Assistant professor Max Bezada, who specializes in seismology, said another earthquake could hit Turkey due to its proximity to two fault lines, which are fractures in the earth’s surface where movement takes place.

“You can’t really predict when an earthquake will happen,” Bezada said. “What makes earthquakes particularly deadly is not the earthquake itself, but what kind of structures are built, and the structures in Turkey were not built to withstand this kind of earthquake.”

Mandic said support of any kind, from a kind word to a donation, can be helpful to those affected.

“It is the most difficult when you are a scholar who doesn’t have immediate family with you,” Mandic said. “Regardless of the extent that your family is affected, any word of support goes a long way.”

“Let’s Start Here.” by multiplatinum-selling rapper and singer-songwriter Lil Yachty is an expectation-shattering display of the greatness that can arise when artists embrace the intersectionality that exists between genres.

The mind-bending record delves into a psychedelic rock-oriented direction for the artist. It not only combines elements characteristic of neo-psychedelia with his signature contagious vocal style, but it births something new from their intermingling.

The album embodies an impressively detailed understanding of the scene in which it exists, which is made clear by Lil Yachty’s collaboration with producers that are well-versed in that genre. Producing credits include but aren’t limited to MGMT’s Ben Goldwasser, Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jacob Portrait and artist Mac DeMarco, according to an article from UPROXX.

These artists embellish Lil Yachty’s work with complex technical instrumentation, fusing their styles seamlessly with that of Lil Yachty’s.

“‘Let’s Start Here.’ frequently undergoes fascinating transformations of sound and is a journey far from mundane; at points, it lies outside the realm of sanity.”

Vocal features on the LP are also a highlight, with Teezo Touchdown delivering a bouncy and heartfelt description of his changing attitude toward his friends and interests in his rap verse on the album’s second track, “the ride-.”

Diana Gordon makes several memorable appearances in the track list, with the most memorable of them being her feature on “the BLACK seminole.,” consisting of soaring wails reminiscent of “The Great Gig in the Sky” by Pink Floyd.

Daniel Caesar also appears on the multi-phased final song of the album, “REACH THE SUNSHINE.,” expressing introspective and dreamy feelings about his sense of self. While such features are not listed on the track list, credit is given to these artists on Genius.com.

The thematic structure of “Let’s Start Here.” consists of a vast array of emotions from Lil Yachty and feels like an authentic representation of both his personal journey and of what many of us go through as humans. Love, angst, depression, longing, mania and being overwhelmed by society’s current state are all expressed by Lil Yachty in unique styles of singing and rapping that reflect passion and honesty.

Lil Yachty manages to incorporate his characteristic approach to rap melodies and cadences among the tracks of “Let’s Start Here.” in a manner that doesn’t undermine the overarching styles and themes of the genre he finds himself delving into. Rather, the unique approach to hip-hop that initially set Lil Yachty apart in the rap scene coexists comfortably with moments of ascending falsettos, dreamy melodies and even screaming that take place across the LP.

Rugged and distorted guitar riffs, brain-tickling mirages of synths and enveloping basslines throughout the project bring the listener into a trance-like state, with instrumentation in the album being as varied as it is tasteful.

“Let’s Start Here.” frequently undergoes fascinating transformations of sound and is a journey far from mundane; at points, it lies outside the realm of sanity.

Many artists have attempted a genre switch, such as Kid Cudi with “Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven” and G-Eazy with “Everything’s Strange Here” and have done so to no avail. Albums created based on what an artist perceives to define a genre can end up feeling like a sore mockery of what the listener finds so great about a genre due to the utilization of cliches and stereotypes.

This is not the case for Lil Yachty. Through collaboration with the right people, attention to detail, genuine emotion-driven writing and a wealth of creativity, Lil Yachty presents more to the listener than just another artist’s forgettable attempt at getting outside of their typical range of musical endeavors. 

Reach Luke Wilson at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.

Of the many train derailments that happen each year, one has snagged national headlines for both safety and political reasons. The residents of East Palestine, Ohio, are caught in the middle on the line of scrimmage in a political football game that largely misses the point.

On Feb. 3, a train with several cars full of hazardous materials derailed, resulting in a spill and subsequent containment measures by Norfolk Southern, the company that owns the train. These containment measures involved evacuating the area in a one, then two-mile radius and burning off the chemicals in the cars.

The justification behind the controlled burn was to prevent an explosion, but the cloud of smoke inspired a different kind of explosion: a political battle.

Politicians in Ohio and beyond began commenting on various angles of the derailment: infrastructure concerns, chemical containment measures and water safety. This eventually devolved into commenting on who did and did not visit East Palestine in a timely manner.

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance (R) was vocal about his trip to East Palestine, but he was certainly not the only politician to schedule a visit. Former president Donald Trump also visited the town, and, subsequently, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

One could quibble for hours, days or weeks about the motivation and timing of each visit, and many politicians and journalists have. But that part really does not matter.

What does matter is the safety of the residents of East Palestine and the surrounding land and water following the chemical spill.

As early as seven days after the derailment, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that carcinogenic chemicals were detected in local creeks and streams. These chemicals are not something that should be ingested, as they are all considered toxic.

State and federal officials have reassured residents the city water supplies are safe, so at least the city treatment infrastructure seems to be doing its job to keep residents safe from their tap water. However, tap water is far from the only consideration here.

Contaminated and carcinogenic groundwater can lead to a host of other problems in farms, local wildlife and beyond.

Residents of the area voiced safety concerns a week after the derailment, and they should keep voicing their concerns. State and federal officials said air, soil and water supplies were safe and the contaminated waterways were contained. But, the remnants of the giant smoke cloud were still hovering over them at the time, so it is hard to believe with certainty that the issue was completely resolved.

Continued monitoring of the safety of the air, soil and water supplies is absolutely critical in the coming months. But, there are other steps that need to be taken as well.

The health of the local residents is important and should be monitored. If residents contract health conditions related to the fallout from the chemical spill and burn, then they should be able to connect it to the incident and receive proper care and compensation.

However, we do not want it to get to that point. While the initial month following the incident is already in the history books, long-term exposure can still be prevented.

The chemical cleanup process must be swift and complete. Norfolk Southern ultimately should be responsible for cleaning up their mess, with the government enforcing regulations regarding when the area is considered cleaned up.

Unfortunately, there really is not a great incentive for rail companies to invest huge amounts of money in safety, especially if the government jumps in to help them out with spills and derailments.

There is a need to make safety more profitable, so this becomes a choice companies make on the front end, rather than choosing the bare minimum requirements and tolerating a certain amount of loss due to derailments and spills.

The residents of East Palestine deserve better, and so do the many other towns that have hazardous chemicals riding the rails through them every day.

Would you like Allison to follow up on this topic or explore something specific? Contact her at aogren@mndaily.com with questions, comments or story ideas.