Partnership to include League of Legends and Rocket League tournaments, summer camp, and  a speaker series in conjunction with the university’s back-to-school events YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN (July 14, 2021) – Global esports organization Gen.G and Eastern Michigan University (EMU) announced a new slate of esports programming to gather students, alumni and local community members. Events will […]

On July 9, the City of Fort Collins, in partnership with Colorado State University, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new partnership with electric bike and scooter company Spin. The partnership begins on July 26 with the rollout of 200 e-bikes and 500 e-scooters all over Fort Collins in 50 specified deployment points. Once […]

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Despite not hearing his name called during the 2021 MLB Draft, Georgia Southern outfielder Mason McWhorter was contacted by the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs during the three-day event.

McWhorter totaled 18 home runs and 16 doubles while batting .372 in 2021. In addition, the fifth-year senior accumulated 52 RBIs and drew 27 walks at the plate.

McWhorter racked up a slew of honors for his performance in 2021, including numerous All-American nods and the Sun Belt Player of the Year award. McWhorter becomes just the fifth player to win the SBC Player of the Year and subsequently not get drafted, joining Bill Weyers, TJ Freeman, Matt Gunning and Garrett Wittels.

Seeing the unseen: Nonvisible disability

Keira Lee/Staff

At the time I’m beginning to write this, I am slightly elevated in a hospital bed of an intensive care unit. Setbacks from a neurological procedure are why I once again find myself with a diet involving intravenous fluids and a wardrobe consisting of a hospital gown and nonslip socks.

As someone who experiences chronic pain, my appearance doesn’t always explicitly notify others I’m feeling unwell. Sometimes, this can look like me smiling through what hurts while telling those who ask, “I’m doing fine.” It can also result in a trip to the emergency room in an effort to try and overcome an incessant bout of pain. In both cases, trying to explain to those without this type of condition can be a task and a headache in itself. 

While I may not always be able to detect an invisible disability in others, I empathize with what it feels like to have medical conditions go unseen by society. Sharing this story allows me to bring some guidance regarding what everyone can do to more inclusively interact with those who experience nonvisible disabilities, enabling them to feel more genuinely seen, heard and supported. 

In many ways, the mere fact that I have the platform to write this piece reaffirms college journalism as pivotal. At The Daily Californian, plans brew to continually bring key writers to the paper that encompass diverse voices and backgrounds. I even have the honor as a liaison between the night department and diversity committee to actively contribute in discussions focused on understanding both staff and readers. 

However, a disconnect occurs when someone puts down the newspaper after reading words similar to the ones I write now. This same severance between knowledge and action is one I witness time and time again.

The few instances when I have spoken about my own health, responses often notify me that someone not only possesses an able-bodied life but also the privilege that allows them to avoid acknowledgment of those who live with a nonvisible disability. I, therefore, find myself trying to manage my chronic pain from both a medical perspective and a socially acceptable one, carrying an unspoken obligation to conform with a world that so often concludes we all process, feel and function the same. 

If this holds true, what can we do as individuals and a society to mend the gap? 

First, avoid assuming that someone operates exactly as you do. This goes beyond mere differences of opinion and upbringing, and the rule extends especially to those who have nonvisible disabilities. Inability to see someone’s internal processing does not permit you to be judge, jury and executioner of their life.

Second, focus on comfort, but limit the need to control. Instead of trying to take over the situation so it makes sense to you, let someone know that you acknowledge their circumstances. While many nonvisible disabilities do not have a simple solution, the mere consideration of them can enable inclusivity for those who may often feel unrecognized and minimized.

Third, respect someone’s boundaries. This should be a given, but I have had many instances where others probe too far into my health matters. Even if curiosity comes from an intention of caring, recognize that no one should be cornered and interrogated. Instead, offer to be a supportive listener, honoring the autonomy of someone with a nonvisible disability as they manage what they share and what they keep private.

Finally, if you cannot be the platform, uplift the platform. Engraved in my mind is the uncertainty and panic from when I was first diagnosed with two brain tumors. There exists no amount of preparation to make such a pill easy to swallow. However, years later, my ambition focuses on using my experiences to understand others with their own circumstances. This understanding for me looks like writing an article on awareness toward chronic and nonvisible disability. For you, this may be taking the time to read said article, pondering over what you know and what you choose to do with that knowledge. Whatever position you are in, explore opportunities and educate yourself on ways to reach out respectfully and effectively.

I am now back at home as I conclude this piece, resuming what I consider a mostly normal routine. Even the bruising on my arms from one too many blood draws in the hospital is slowly fading. However, while this article reaches an ending, the reality of its message most certainly does not. 

My invested wish is that anyone reading this recognizes that not being able to see a chronic or nonvisible disability does not make such an experience any less valid. While no one should be defined by a chronic or nonvisible condition, recognition can be a crucial step in support and inclusivity for those who have felt misunderstood. In fact, writing this piece for the Daily Cal allowed me to understand where I am and where I go from here. If even one person can say the same, I know that visibility is around the corner.

Contact Adriana Temprano at atemprano@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

On Friday June 11, while feeding her infant son a bottle, Brown University alum and Georgetown University professor Marcia Chatelain PhD ’08 found out via Twitter that she had become a Pulitzer Prize winner in History for her second book, “Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America.” Chatelain has become the second-ever African American woman to claim the award in the History category. 

“I was so shocked. Who thinks that (they’re) going to win a Pulitzer prize? It was just so weird,” Chatelain recounted with a smile. With the country just beginning to emerge from the pandemic, the process of receiving the award has remained entirely virtual, making the experience all the more surreal, she added. 

While her initial reaction may have been of disbelief for such incredible success, it was also an exhilarating, deeply meaningful moment of recognition that Chatelain felt immensely proud of and grateful for. “It was a beautiful, pleasant surprise,” Chatelain said, “and an opportunity to reflect on how grateful you are for the people who have supported you and can celebrate with you.”

Following the 2015 publication of her debut book, “South Side Girls: Growing Up in the Great Migration,” Chatelain’s “Franchise” offers an illuminating exploration of the complex relationship between McDonald’s and African-American communities. “Franchise” incisively depicts how corporate greed has historically been interwoven into the fast-food franchise’s role in civil rights activism, exploring the corporate greed and fundamental government neglect that drove inner cities toward the private sector for basic resources. 

Beginning with the post-war boom of white patrons in suburban Southern California, the roadside fast-food restaurants quickly became the scene of sit-ins against racial segregation for customers in the Jim Crow South. Under the pressure of petitioning activists, McDonald’s reluctantly began the installment of Black franchise owners in predominantly Black neighborhoods. 

But, with the exodus of middle-class white patrons from racially diverse communities during the social unrest following the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., McDonald’s storefronts were left standing empty in largely Black, inner-city communities. The franchise soon saw that hiring Black franchise owners served as an opportunity to consolidate local trust and broaden its customer base at a low cost. 

At this historical turning point, the fast-food chain began serving a prominent role in Black communities. Where public services fell short in the most impoverished inner-city neighborhoods, the franchise took up the slack, providing cheap, accessible food choices, jobs and even sponsorships for youth sports, college scholarships and grants for the NAACP. 

In “Franchise,” Chatelain takes on a critical viewpoint of the McDonald’s franchise’s presence in predominantly Black communities; she diverts from prevailing public health perspectives that allege that higher rates of obesity and heart disease in predominantly Black communities are due to a natural preference for fast foods among Black Americans. Instead, she argues that capitalist exploits are often interlinked with a rare avenue towards financial independence.

Though there may be many books aiming to take down a whole corporation, Chatelain said, she wants readers to “think through the logics that allow corporations to be so powerful and to be thoughtful about the strategies that we imagine for people to take their power back and make sure their communities have the things they need.” 

Chatelain, who graduated from Brown with a master’s and PhD in American Civilization (now known as American Studies), recalled that her experience at the University set her on a path not only to have an academic career, but to establish a stronger focus on the study of race and gender in the United States. 

As a graduate student, Chatelain was associated with the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America and received a Black Studies Dissertation Fellowship from the University of California, Santa Barbara, for her dissertation, “The Most Interesting Girl of this Country is the Colored Girl: Girls and Radical Uplift in Great Migration Chicago, 1899-1950.”

It was at Brown that she cultivated a deep interest in issues related to food justice and budding activist strategies that sought to improve food options for communities with little access to grocery stores or food items essential to a nutritious diet. What began as an academic interest at Brown eventually evolved into the Pulitzer Prize-winning project of “Franchise.”

On her writing experience, Chatelain admitted that it has been a journey of continuous growth. “I struggled through parts of graduate school in my early career to become a writer who is really clear and really researches topics deeply,” she said.

She further acknowledged that while stories are often told of people at their most successful moments, every stride a person takes toward growing their career counts. “For every accomplishment I have in my resume, I have a story of something that didn’t work out, didn’t go as planned,” she said. “The Pulitzer Prize is a recognition of tenacity that I really value.”

Now, every time she sits down to write a book, Chatelain thinks about an entry point and exit point. In many ways, it is similar to writing an academic essay, she said, in that she tries to find the most illustrative, symbolic aspect that a person can think about — the anecdote that would bring people into a common space so that they could think with her on different issues in a larger story. 

Still, according to Chatelain, writing a book demands great levels of self-discipline and intuition, of trusting your gut. “You have to get out of your own way,” Chatelain explained, and not be afraid that someone else might have voiced the same ideas in a better way. 

Regardless of the topic you are writing on, no matter if it is something people have never broached or something that has been written about a million times, Chatelain said, no one will have the same kind of perspective or reference points and imagination that you have.

Chatelain felt that the Pulitzer Prize was all the more invaluable as recognition for a project uniquely her own, especially coming from the renowned historians who were part of the deliberation process. “They know how hard it is to get into archives, the night-to-dawn days of looking through documents,” she said. 

Start of something new: Spring break is no vacation in episode 9 of ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ 

Walt Disney Pictures/Courtesy

After weeks of rehearsals for the spring musical, the students at East High deserve a vacation. Episode nine of the second season of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” seems to reward the Wildcats for their hard work with spring break. But, with only three weeks to perfect their production of “Beauty and the Beast” before opening night, restful time away from the chaos of high school theater simply does not occur.

Miss Jenn (Kate Reinders) immediately gathers the Wildcats on a video call to remind them of the stakes of their upcoming production. As Miss Jenn waits for all of the Wildcats to log in online, the students on the call reveal their spring break plans, including luxurious vacations, house sitting and tapping into their songwriting skills. Though Ricky (Joshua Bassett) is noticeably missing from the call, the group moves past his absence and vows to stay safe and cautious during their time away from school. 

Gina’s (Sofia Wylie) spring break, however, is not off to a smooth start. Though she plans to visit her mother in Louisiana, her flight is delayed and she is stuck in the airport. FaceTime calls with E.J. (Matt Cornett) do not fully keep her occupied and — desperate to board a flight —  she attempts to scheme her way onto a plane. From afar, a boy named Jack (Asher Angel) watches Gina’s failed attempts to get to Louisiana, leading to a spontaneous friendship full of dancing, two truths and a lie and sneaking into a VIP lounge. The two bond throughout the episode, leading Gina to question her feelings for E.J. until her flight is canceled and he arrives at the airport to take her home. 

Ricky considers his own feelings for Nini (Olivia Rodrigo) following their emotional breakup in last week’s episode. A getaway to Chicago to visit his mother (Beth Lacke) becomes a weeklong spell of grief. Instead of visiting Millenium Park or eating deep-dish pizza, Ricky mourns his relationship. Yet, even days spent on vacation in Chicago are not a relaxing endeavor; Ricky’s frustration with his parents’ divorce resurfaces in conversations with his mother regarding her new boyfriend. 

While Ricky agonizes over their failed relationship, Nini focuses on her music career. After hitting 15,000 followers on Instagram, she feels indebted to her fans and promises to release music despite her intense writer’s block. But, a call from Kourtney (Dara Reneé) alerts Nini that there are more serious matters at hand: East High’s rival school, North High, is about to release a video on Instagram that insults the East High drama club. 

Miss Jenn quickly gets the Wildcats (except for Ricky) back online to watch the video in which North High demeans East High’s work ethic while praising their own commitment to theater during spring break. The Wildcats are appalled by the video but maintain composure while they come up with a revenge plan. In order to combat her writer’s block, Nini collaborates with Ashlyn (Julia Lester) to write a song in order to get back at North High. With the help of Gina’s choreography, the Wildcats create a music video to their high-energy song, “You Ain’t Seen Nothin,’ ” which addresses both their break from rehearsal and their confidence in their own talent. 

Yet the video does not account for one missing Wildcat, Ricky, who misses the creation of the video because he did not answer his phone. He does, however, engage in some songwriting of his own. His song, “Let You Go,” captures his own heartbreak regarding his relationship with Nini, both expressing gratitude for the memories they shared while highlighting the pain of losing their relationship.

Spring break for the East High Wildcats may not have been restful, but with opening night of the spring musical on the way, viewers can only hope that it was rejuvenating enough for the Wildcats to deliver the performance of a lifetime. 

Sarah Runyan covers television. Contact her at srunyan@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

The clock struck 12 noon Monday and in the Sharpe Refectory, for the first time in over a year, a familiar scene appeared.

Students rushed in with raincoats and backpacks wet after the journey from their dorm or previous class. The square eight-person tables became almost fully populated with groups of students chatting over plates of mac ’n’ cheese and canned AHA sparkling water. Elsewhere in the dining space, some students huddled together over paper cups of coffee, concentrated on the Zoom rooms on their computers.

Monday marked the first time the Ratty opened its doors for students to dine in since March 14, 2020, when it transitioned to take-out only as the pandemic escalated. With near-universal vaccination rates among both University students and employees, students can now dine in person or continue to take their meals to go.

The Herald spoke with University students dining in the Ratty on its opening day, many of whom were first-years who expressed excitement at being able to eat inside the cafeteria for the first time. Though some found the current food offerings limited and hoped for the return of the egg station or a waffle machine, Dining Services expects to expand the menu in the near future, according to George Barboza, director of dining services.

Jessica Jacyno ’24 and Makayla McPherson ’24 woke up early to experience the Ratty right when it opened at 7:30 a.m. Both Jacyno and McPherson brought their laptops and notebooks, planning to work and attend their engineering classes together from a round table across from the salad bar.

Finally being able to eat inside the dining hall felt “weird” and exciting for Jacyno, who hadn’t eaten with peers at a cafeteria-like setting since her sophomore year of high school.

Emily Wagg ’24 echoed Jaycno, adding that dining in-person was exciting not only because she was able to share a meal with her friends, but because she was able to “get a better sense of the class of 2024 as (a) whole.” 

Lola Simon ’24, who was having lunch with Wagg, said she felt that having in-person dining also brings new social dynamics. 

“I didn’t even know these guys would be here,” Simon said, referring to Wagg and two other friends. “I just came in, saw them (and) had a whole conversation about their day.”

Still, Simon added that these new dynamics can come with stress and the pressure of needing to be in a group in order to dine.

For Willis Bilderback ’24, Fiametta Boffey ’24 and Arianna Baffa ’24, the Ratty’s in-person dining didn’t drastically impact the dynamics of their friend group, which would always eat their take-out meals together outside. But all of them agreed that having the option of indoor dining is “very nice,” especially for rainy days. 

Despite the newfound excitement and possibility of social interactions, all of the students interviewed by The Herald described being unsatisfied with the limited food options.

Jacyno and McPherson said they were both disappointed with the breakfast options, which they found to be “exactly the same” as the previous take-out only breakfasts. 

“I was really expecting a waffle machine,” McPherson said. “I dreamed about it.”

Lucy Carpenter ’24 said that although she didn’t expect much from the dining hall food, she felt like there were only “like three things to eat.” She added that she would like to see more fruit options, as well as appliances like toasters and waffle machines.

Simon, who only had lunch at the Ratty on Monday, said that she expected in-person dining to come with more food options. As a vegetarian, Simon found the non-meat options very limited, with the same or fewer number of options as take-out.

Barboza wrote in an email to The Herald that although the menu currently includes only “the customizable salad bar, comfort entrees and sides including vegan and vegetarian favorites, desserts, snack options and a la carte add ons such as rice, beans, pasta, grilled chicken and tofu,” in the “near future” Dining Services will add “additional favorites like the grill station, additional breakfast items, French fries and themed specials.”

Wagg said that she feels like campus is currently in a transition period, adding that she is hopeful that the University can slowly bring back other components of in-person dining. 

“My expectations for the rest of the semester aren’t that high,” she said. “I am just happy they sort of just opened.”

Even with limited options, Jacyno said that she appreciates having a place to eat that isn’t her dorm. 

“It’s really bad mentally to always eat take-out and not have a specific place to eat,” Jacyno said.  “Your dorm becomes where you eat, where you sleep. It becomes everything.”

For McPherson, even though being able to eat inside may seem like a small thing, it felt really special.

“As a class, I think we are going to be more appreciative of the little things that other classes just took for granted coming in,” she said, “like getting to sit down at a table and eat food.”

Utah is home to the “Mighty 5:” Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion National Park draw millions of visitors annually.

The national park closures because of COVID-19 revealed just how much we’ve influenced these ecosystems and the cost of our presence in these areas.

Free from human impact, wildlife in our national parks thrived. However, as vaccine rates increase among Americans, so does the eagerness to travel.

With international options limited, many regional airports, like the one closest to Yellowstone National Park, now operate at levels greater than normal.

The National Parks Service (NPS) must choose between environmental degradation and continued open access. Once considered “America’s Best Idea,” the idea of what that set out to achieve grows murky.

Our national parks must find a balance between the values of environmental protection and equitable access — but any restructuring of national parks would be incomplete without prioritizing Indigenous voices.

The NPS’s Erasure of Indigenous Peoples

Founded over a century ago, national parks aimed to create untouched wilderness. But because of their conceptualization as places free from human influence, the U.S. government saw Indigenous removal as necessary to establish national parks.

Indigenous peoples’ erasure happens both physically and figuratively. For instance, the presence and history of Southern Paiutes are less prevalent than LDS settlers in Zion today. The name of the park itself most obviously exemplifies this historical erasure. Southern Paiutes referred to the land as Mukuntuweap, but most people call it Zion, a place of spiritual sanctuary for LDS people.

In their mission to protect wild spaces for future generations, NPS has ignored and forgotten the first inhabitants of those lands. They have stripped Indigenous peoples of their sovereignty, as they have no say in decisions surrounding the places most important to them. Since its establishment, NPS has decided how to balance environmental protection and equitable access without Indigenous influence.

Indigenous Control Over the Parks

Indigenous peoples deserve a prominent role in the management of national parks. In David Treuer’s “Return the National Parks to the Tribes” piece, he argues for tribal ownership of and governance over the national parks.

What that idea looks like is up to interpretation. But at its core, yielding total control to Indigenous peoples comes with the acceptance that they can limit access or engage in environmentally destructive practices should they choose to.

While we can’t speak to what Indigenous peoples might decide to do, we couldn’t fault a socioeconomically disadvantaged group for improving their economic situation — even if it comes with environmental degradation.

Indigenous peoples also likely recognize the strain of increased access places has on the environment. Again, they would be justified in limiting access to protect places significant to them. These complications, while possible to overcome, must be addressed during a restructuring of the national parks.

Balancing Equity, Sovereignty and Environmental Protection

America’s wild places provide transformative experiences, but they are only available to those who can access the outdoors. As the most approachable version of wilderness, national parks can benefit and inspire new generations to protect the environment.

Those benefits, when evenly distributed, create more opportunities for everyone. Yet, NPS serves predominantly white visitors — 77% of visitors are white while they make up only 58% of the US population.

Clearly, NPS should strive for a more representative makeup of their visitors. However, the cost to increase visitor numbers abandons national parks’ original purpose of environmental protection.

Additionally, open access doesn’t allow Indigenous peoples, assuming they’re given ownership over the parks, to determine how many people can enter. Prioritizing equitable access should be a goal of a restructured national parks system, but a solution that works well with tribal sovereignty and environmental protection will be difficult to find.

Likewise, environmental protections in national parks limit access and tribal sovereignty. However, compromising on those protections puts our planet at risk.

National parks serve as places to preserve biodiversity and increase climate resilience. Because of the unique nature of ecosystems contained within national parks, environmental degradation would lead to native species loss. Without them, we have no hope of achieving the parameters set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Looking Forward

Currently, NPS fails to provide adequate environmental protection, equitable access or prioritize Indigenous voices. While improving the conditions of one of those three values potentially harms the other two, failing to act harms all three.

Without action, we can expect continued overcrowding of national parks by an unrepresentative population while Indigenous peoples cannot affect change.

The hesitation to advocate for a solution, particularly among environmentalists, is understandable. Compromising any of these principles contradicts the core values of environmental justice. Still, the absence of a solution should not be tolerated.

The answer to this complicated problem starts with a conversation. The federal government must organize all relevant stakeholders to initiate policy proposals to restructure the national parks.

With so many possible solutions, committees should be established regionally to determine the best course of action. In Utah, those stakeholders include environmentalists, social justice advocates, our federal, state, and local government representatives, members of the five Indigenous tribes of Utah (Shoshone, Paiute, Ute, Goshute and Navajo) and the general public.

This problem will not be easy to solve. But if we act now, there’s still a chance for “America’s Best Idea” to keep that title.

Special thanks to Professor Gregory Smoak, director of the American West Center, for lending his expertise on this complicated topic. 

z.saifee@dailyutahchronicle.com

@ZahraSaifee

w.shadley@dailyutahchronicle.com

@shadleywill

The post Saifee & Shadley: Utah’s National Parks Aren’t Working appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

UH forward Brison Gresham played 99 games during his three years as a Cougar, playing an integral role in the program’s success. | Andy Yanez/The Cougar

Houston forward Bryson Gresham entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer Tuesday afternoon, as first reported by Verbal Commits. 

The 6-foot-8-inch New Orleans Native played in 99 games, starting 31, and averaged 3.1 points and 3.3 rebounds during his three seasons as a Cougar. 

sports@thedailycougar.com

—
“Brison Gresham enters transfer portal” was originally posted on The Cougar