Student employees: they’re tired, over-worked, underpaid and constantly searching for the perfect balance between school, life and work. Finding a student who can maintain their enthusiasm while simultaneously dealing with the pressures that come from being a student-employee can be a difficult task. But Nolan Kane does it all with a natural aplomb and a smile that beams from ear-to-ear.

Nolan is a senior at the University of Oregon, studying political science and Spanish. He works on campus as an IT Manager at the UO Jaqua Academic Center, but his work doesn’t stop there. He goes above and beyond every day, whether it’s giving tours or saving ducklings on Franklin Blvd — there is apparently nothing he cannot do. All of which goes a long way toward explaining why Nolan has been awarded the title “Student Employee of the Year” not once, not twice, but three years in a row.

Each year faculty and staff from departments on campus are asked to submit nominations to the UO Career Center for “Student Employee of the Year.” Understandably, seniors are generally awarded the prestige of the campus-wide title. However, any student employee on campus who excels at their position has the opportunity to be recognized.

So what is it about Nolan that has enabled him to win this award three years in a row? “His big personality,” says Nolan’s boss Sara Wells — the office specialist at the Jaqua center. “He has such a welcoming presence about him, he can’t help but be well-liked by everyone.”

“Nolan says yes, enthusiastically, to any task he’s given, even if it is undesirable — he’ll find a way to make it entertaining,” Wells continues. “He is a leader. I know that he does a ton of sports, works really hard at work and school, and is able to do so while being like a magnet to others. He’s able to pull people in with the right intentions, while being genuine, honest, pro-active and a go-getter.”

Perhaps what sets Nolan even more apart is his appreciation for getting work done as a member of a team, rather than individually.

“I think that working with people requires a mix. It has to be your prerogative to get things done, but it is always helpful to have a team of equally motivated people around you,” said Nolan.

Not surprisingly, Nolan inevitably finds a way to transfer his commitment and enthusiasm to the people he works with. When asked what sets him apart from the other nominees he said, “It helps to have an amazing staff. The people I work with are out of this world, so that always helps.”

Because of his outgoing personality Nolan is frequently asked to give tours of the Jaqua Center. Recently he led an entire tour in Spanish to a group of teenage women athletes from Columbia. According to Wells the young women could not stop gawking over Nolan. However, he reportedly maintained his composure while remaining humble and professional — with a bright red face.

Still, Nolan’s enthusiasm for going above and beyond doesn’t stop there. He (along with a few other employees) once ran out to Franklin Blvd to save a group of ducklings after a car hit their mother. He leapt into a water filled ditch and negotiated traffic in the middle of Franklin Blvd, all to ensure the ducklings were safe. Just another feather in his cap.

While Nolan will clearly go above and beyond his assigned duties, he brings a steady focus to the day-to-day demands of his job as well. He shows up on time, gets his work done and ensures that the Jaqua Academic Center is running smoothly, and that his customers leave with a smile on their face.

As far as anyone knows, receiving “Student Employee of the Year” three years in a row is unprecedented — a recognition of Nolan’s extraordinary combination of punctuality, persistence and personality.

Nolan will graduate at the end of this quarter, and enter into a Conflict and Dispute Resolution Master’s Program through the UO School of Law, with the hopes of one day enrolling in law school. It seems readily apparent that whatever course he pursues, he will prove to be the right person for the job.

We’ve all had that moment. You’re in the car, and there is a homeless person standing on the side of the road with a cardboard sign reading something along the lines of “anything helps.” You could roll up your window, lock your door and refuse to make eye contact — while probably feeling badly about it later. Or you could find a few crumpled up dollar bills in your wallet, roll down your window and hand it over with a smile.

These are the typical go-to responses from the general public when we encounter a homeless person. But how effective is giving money to homeless people? Although it may give you an immediate sense of accomplishment and you think that you are helping, you are simply handing out a momentary fix to a larger problem. If you want to help those less fortunate than you, there are many different, more effective ways to do so.

Here are four quick things you can do — instead of just handing out money — that will have a more lasting effect on the homeless person you are trying to help:

1. Hand out a hot meal. This can be as simple as a cup of hot Campbell’s chicken noodle soup.

2. Volunteer at a local shelter. The Eugene Mission sees on average anywhere from 400 to 600 people a day, and it is always looking for volunteers.

3. If they have a pet, bring them a bag of food.

4. Give recyclables. The next time you’re throwing those soda cans in the recycling bin, think about putting them in a bag and allowing a homeless person to turn them in for money.

Tom Bivins, a professor in the School of Journalism and Communications, offered an alternative to helping the poor, rather than just handing out money. During a lecture in media ethics, Bivins told his students that his wife developed a system that not only allowed her to feel like she was giving back but potentially had some long-term effects.

Instead of finding coins at the bottom of her purse and placing them in a cup in front of a person who is begging on the side of the road, she hands out granola bars with a list of all of the local shelters, food kitchens and other resource numbers on the back. She is able to rest easy knowing that this person may be a little less hungry tomorrow, and at least she let them know that there is local help out there.

It is easy to stereotype homeless people and assume that they all struggle with drug addictions — but drug addiction is only a problem for some. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, “38 percent of homeless people were dependent on alcohol and 26 percent abused other drugs. Alcohol abuse is more common in older generations, while drug abuse is more common in homeless youth and young adults.”

So be wary of where that money may be going before you hand it out.

When reaching out to the homeless population we need to focus on long-term solutions, instead of always going for those quick and easy fixes.

This week I decided to go out and test this theory, and offer some helpful alternatives to a few homeless people who frequent around campus. Unfortunately the nicest response I received when I asked a man if he wanted a hot meal was, “No. Leave me be.” But that’s okay, I still hold out hope.

I understand that when handing out money, you are just trying to help. And when you’re in a car, on your way to work, sometimes that is the most you can do. But next time think about leaving that person with some help that will last. Whether you follow Bivins’ advice and stock up on granola bars with phone numbers, or hand out hot meals — know that filling their stomachs is more effective than trying to fill their wallets.

Has the University of Oregon done enough to protect students on campus? The simple answer to this loaded question is no, the University of Oregon has not done its part to protect students. As unfortunate as it is to believe, our beloved institution has a history of ignoring issues of sexual violence on our campus. Student safety has been compromised.

The University Senate hosted a forum on Wednesday, May 21, during which they encouraged the campus community to come and speak up about what was most troubling to them — and how we can come together to fix it. In the email sent out to faculty and students, the stated objective was to, “Provide a safe environment for respectful dialogue among all members of our campus community.”

With every seat filled, and people lining the walls in a medium-sized lecture hall in Lawrence, tensions were high. Members of our community are pissed off, and rightfully so. Sexual assaults on college campuses aren’t a new epidemic coming out only to shock and irritate administrators. But our university has not been doing everything that they can to prevent sexual assaults on our campus.

The 2013 Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report had some deeply troubling statistics. On page 55 of a 58-page document, the number of “forcible sexual offenses” on campus has gone up by 10 percent in the past two years. It went from seven in 2010, to 17 in 2013. And those are just the assaults that have been reported.

This forum was necessary, and a step in the right direction for ending sexual violence at the University of Oregon. Robert Kyr, the Senate President moderated the event. He encouraged everyone to send their thoughts and ideas to the University Senate because they need and want the input. “It’s our University” Kyr reiterated multiple times during the forum.

It is ours, as students and community members it is our responsibility to maintain the kind of atmosphere that is safe and inviting. But how effective can our efforts be if we have an administration that sits on their hands when something difficult comes their way?

Carol Stabile was the first member of the audience to stand behind the microphone and speak. She is a professor in the School of Journalism and Communication and Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, as well as the Director of the Center for the Study of Women in Society. Stabile recently led the rally on Johnson Hall’s steps. She spoke of her ongoing frustration with administration’s lack of properly managing sexual assault cases at the UO.

“We are not all ‘part of the problem’,” Stable said. “We are not going to move forward by addressing whistle blowers as the problem. How can we move forward if the administration is ignoring the problem?” Stabile’s frustration comes from years of letters sent to the administration without proper responses. Safety for students on campus is something Stabile has been working on since she began her work here.

Men and women from all over campus stood to speak. Professors, undergraduate students, graduate students and campus employees stood in solidarity and advocated to make sure that sexual violence at the UO stops being an issue.

University of Oregon professor of psychology Jennifer Freyd, who like Stabile, participated in last week’s rally at Johnson Hall, also spoke during the forum. She mentioned that she has been researching sexual violence for over 20 years, and has felt let down by the University.

Freyd mentioned that she has had several conversations over the years with the administration about sexual assault on our campus, and although she was told all of the right things — there was never any follow-through.

“Admin has not come through with actual actions. It is now our duty, to not forget the history that brought us here, it is our duty to carry that history in our hearts and in our mind as we move forward,” Said Freyd.

This is bigger than one case. This is bigger than one administrative mistake. This is bigger than one University. It is time for the administration to actually step up for victims of sexual assault. We need to look at every assault, not ignore any detail of any case, and come to a proper solution that no longer condones sexual violence on our campus.

The University of Oregon may not have an ornithology department, but that doesn’t mean nobody’s paying attention to birds on campus. At a university whose campus is filled with lush beautiful wildlife, it comes as no surprise why various bird species would want to reside here.

But for some species of birds the care comes at a higher cost – just maintaining trees on campus won’t cut it. With the relocation of an Osprey nest from Hayward Field to the Law School, to the upkeep of a chimney on Agate Hall, the UO is doing a great job of making sure birds can have a safe home here.

To keep an Osprey couple and the public around Hayward Field safe, the UO relocated their nest to above the Law School. Those passing by and people attending events at Hayward Field could be at risk of falling debris from the Osprey nest — so the new location provides a safer, more private place to call home.

“The Osprey dropped a trout in lane four at Hayward Field, so that’s when they knew the nest needed to be moved,” said Jim Horstrup, the building manager for the UO Law School. While four of us stood on the roof of the law school admiring the Osprey circling above us, it became clear that this was a great decision.

Animal behavior professor, Debbie Schlenoff, was very pleased with the relocation of the Osprey couple: “The Osprey practice ‘site fidelity,’ meaning they tend to come back to the same area to nest each year. A few of us contacted the university about the problem and advised them that if a platform was placed high enough in the vicinity, the pair might use it on their return. We are gratified that is the case.”

According to Horstrup, it only took the Osprey couple three days to realize that this was their new home, and they have been building on to their nest every day. The athletic department funded the relocation process and the law school maintains its upkeep.

Another interesting bird species that reside here on campus is the Vaux’s Swift. These small Swifts only visit in the fall and spring, but they sure make an impression while they’re here. They are insect eaters and gather around sundown to enter the chimney on Agate Hall where they communally roost for the evening.

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They have a tendency to flock with other Swift species, which makes for an incredible image of thousands of birds flying overhead, swirling into chimneys. Professor Schlenoff estimates that the Swifts have been using the chimney at Agate Hall for about 30 years. And the Lane Audubon Society has sponsored a community watch event there during both fall and spring migration, for about 14 years.

“The Agate chimney is quite important on the Swifts’ West Coast migration. Vaux’s Swifts migrate each spring and fall,” Professor Schlenoff said. “It’s pretty amazing to watch the birds gather in the sky and then spiral down into the chimney for the night. The Lane County Audubon Society has Swift watch events each migration to inform the public about this cool spectacle.”

According to the Portland Audubon Society’s website, “Vaux’s Swifts typically nest in old-growth forests in hollow tree snags. Because of dwindling old-growth forest stands, Vaux’s Swifts have begun substituting chimneys for snags. Swift nests disintegrate soon after they are abandoned and do not pose a fire hazard.”

The UO is doing great things to maintain a proper habitat for birds on campus. So here’s to you — a small, 4-5 inch long Swift, to a large, intelligent raptor — the UO will always be a place for you to nest. And please stay! fall and spring just wouldn’t be the same without your beauty and presence.

Note: If you ever come across an injured bird or swifts in your chimney, please contact the Lane County Audubon Society at (541) 485-2473, or the Cascades Raptor Center at (541) 485-1320. Do not attempt to remove swifts from your chimney without contacting the proper centers first.

Imagine you’ve been working at your job for a while and made a lot of friends. But one day one of them gets a promotion — and now they’re your boss.

Working under your peers can be awkward and extremely difficult at best. Nonetheless, students can effectively manage and supervise other students when there’s a balanced level of respect between the two parties. It seems like an incredibly daunting task — having to boss your friends around, hold them accountable and punish them when they fail. But students all over the University of Oregon campus are working hard to push themselves and their peers in a productive direction.

Stephanie Palomino, the club soccer president and Student Program Assistant for Club Sports has run into conflict while supervising her peers. “One issue that I face quite often is that if a student I oversee is older than myself then they tend to look down on me or take me less seriously than students who are younger.”

Palomino adds, “The tricky part is managing my close relationships I had with someone before I began overseeing them. People who already know me on an intimate basis tend to expect special treatment or preference.”

University of Oregon Catering employs about 75 students, who are frequently promoted to management roles. Bryon Booker, the Director of Catering, said that all students come into catering at entry level jobs, but once they have worked a certain amount of events, they are given the opportunity to move up the ladder. This seems as if it would create tension between co-workers, especially for people who have been working at catering for a long time, but Booker disagrees.

“Because those students have worked at catering for so long, they already have respect from their peers,” Booker said. “Of course issues come up, and we deal with them as they come, but for the most part — they have the respect of their fellow employees.”

Respect — that’s the key to any functioning relationship, especially one with your boss. It is important to understand that they have their position for a reason, and power struggles aren’t worth losing a friendship over. It could also depend on the group you are working with. Some people just naturally fall in to leadership roles.

Helena Schlegel is a perfect example of this. Having recently watched the campaign she managed win the ASUO elections — she knows a thing or two about working with her peers.

For me, it wasn’t difficult at all to make meaningful relationships with the students who worked on the campaign,” Schlegel said. “We are all still close and spend time together often. It is great to be surrounded by great and passionate people both on and off the clock.”

So it is possible for students to be successful in leadership roles, while overseeing their peers. If both sides have mutual respect for one another, then there should be no problem.

When asked how she combats students who give her push back, Stephanie Palomino said, “The best thing I can do is to maintain a positive, professional attitude and treat everyone in my work environment with the same level of professionalism.”

Matthew Thill has always had lofty ambitions — and he’s not shying away from them.

“My entire life I have always wanted to influence and impact others in any way that I could,” Thill said. “I realized that through storytelling I finally found the route that allowed me to do just that.”

Thill’s passions for comedy, storytelling and influencing lives was given the stamp of approval two years in to his college career. When he was a senior in high school he was lucky enough to give a speech at his graduation. Unfortunately it wasn’t a speech he was entirely proud of — but this changed when his speech was referenced at another graduation two years later.

“That was the first moment in my life where something I personally said and did produced a drastic, positive tangible impact on someone else’s life,” Thill said. “I knew right then and there that this was what I was supposed to do because that feeling is the best feeling I have felt in my life.”

A senior from Albany, Oregon, Thill has always had big dreams. From wanting to be a professional baseball player, to hosting his own late night talk show — he’s never picked something too simple. He writes and directs two Duck TV shows, is a videographer for the cinema studies department and works in equipment check out.

Thill found himself struck with wanderlust in high school. He applied to colleges all over the U.S, but somehow ended up only a short drive away from home.

“I applied to Oregon last, but ended up getting a letter from UO in which they blessed me with a scholarship that I just could not pass up,” Matt said. “It was like in a weird way, UO found me.”

Matt beamed with deep appreciation and love for his family.

“As a single parent, my dad used to tell me that if I was ever feeling down or upset, every lesson in life can be learned in a song,” Thill said. “This is when I realized songs/films/art in general are just little snapshots of the human element. You can learn anything through the arts. It all has been laid out for us.”

His family believes in him just as much now, as they did when he aspired to be a professional baseball player.

But Thill has had his own set of hurdles to over come. He has seen people in his hometown — and within his own family — crippled by poverty, drug addictions and other unfortunate circumstances.

These difficult experiences have only helped to shape Thill in to who he is today. He represents a percentage of students who never had things handed to them, and have overcome every adversary that came their way.

“He never let where he came from or what he was handed in life prevent him from doing what he feels he was meant to do,” Thill’s friend Sierra Swan said. “I truly believe that there is nothing that can stop him from doing great things in this world, especially through television.”

Life has dealt Thill some difficult hands, but he refuses to let that stop him. He continues to chase after his ambitious goals, and won’t stop until they are reached.

“The main idea I want to get across is that I consider myself an example of someone who was faced with rough circumstances as a child, but through determination I have never taken my eyes off the prize,” Thill said. “I am an example of that if you really want to do something there is nothing stopping you.”

Age: 22
Year: Senior
Majors: Political science and anthropology

Hannah is the OSPIRG chair and works to recruit and train students.

Why are you at the UO?

I really love the Pacific Northwest, and wanted to stay in Oregon. So I initially decided to come here to throw discus on the track team, and did for a few years. Also, many of my family members attended UO and I wanted to continue that.

What has been the best part of your college experience?

There are many different things, some small, some big, that have made my college experience great. The most influential part was joining OSPIRG. I had been looking for a way to take action to fix the problems in the world that I care about and found OSPIRG as a way to do that. It has been great because I learned what activism really means, learned how to organize students to take action and have made great friends in OSPIRG, and in other student groups.

What are some of your goals after you earn your degree?

I want to do many things when I graduate: I want to travel, I want to get a job where I am organizing people to take action on issues they care about, and I want to continue to learn how I can make a difference. Overall though, I would love to work in a legislative position, or any position where I continue to organize around the issues I care about.

Age: 20
Year: Sophomore
Major: General social science
Dream job: To work in the United Nations

Haley is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and helps run Camp Kesem, which benefits children whose parents have cancer.

Why are you at the UO?

I have been an Oregonian for my entire life, and coming to U of O meant that I would be able to pursue higher education in the state I love so much. I am here because I love this campus and all of the opportunities it has granted me in the two short years I have been here.

How do you want to change the world?

Changing the world seems like such a daunting task, but I would have to say making education more accessible in parts of the world that lack the resources is something I would definitely like to see happen. I want education to be an unalienable right to everyone.

What has been the best part of your college experience?

Becoming a part of Camp Kesem — a student-run nonprofit organization providing a week of free summer camp to kids affected by a parent’s cancer – at the University of Oregon has by far been one of the most profound experiences in my life. Being a part of a group of motivated students determined to help children is an amazing feeling.

You can’t avoid them. You keep your headphones on, and your eyes down — but it won’t stop them. I just need to avoid 13th and keep my head down, you think. But before you know it, a clipboard has been thrust under your nose and you’re a victim of the petitioner’s pounce.

“Do you have a minute to save children in Uganda? One signature could protect an entire wildlife civilization in Thailand! Denounce the Koch brothers! Sign here for equality! Save our rainforests! Get big money out of politics!”

Sheesh! Get out of my way! Enough, already! Okay I want all of those things, I mean they sound great…but is my signature really going to change anything? And what are the complexities behind this petition and these issues? Most of us never ask. We just run the gauntlet of clipboards and sloganeering and try avoid speaking to them at all costs.

Don’t get me wrong. Petitions can be really useful, even necessary, and sometimes they help bring important issues to light. But when you sign a petition, you are only receiving one side of the issue at hand. These issues are more complicated than simply putting your name on a piece of paper and voilà, problem solved!

Most petitioners are simply trying to do a difficult job. Dan Gottlieb, a petitioner on campus attempting to legalize marijuana, said that it wasn’t necessarily an enjoyable task.

“Well I’m just kind of sitting here … not really doing anything except collecting signatures,” Gottlieb said. However, “it is important because it lets people know what’s going on, and lets them show their support.”

While he didn’t know the specifics of how many signatures he needed to reach the campaign’s goal, he said he receives $10 an hour, even if his clipboard is empty at the end of the day. Some petitioners are paid by the signature, which presumably amps up their outreach since they stand to profit from everyone they can hook.

U of O senior, Amanda Williams, walked past him without signing.

“I’m usually in a hurry and don’t have time to listen to their spiels,” Williams said. “I don’t completely ignore them though.”

“I won’t sign if it is something I don’t agree with or if I don’t want the organization having my contact information,” she added. “I’m nice about it though. I’ll smile and sign if they need a lot of signatures, but often won’t include my phone number.”

Haylee Metzner a junior at the U of O, did stop to sign the petition.

“I don’t always sign, but this is something I really believe in,” Metzner said. “I don’t ignore petitioners. I understand that they are out here fighting for a cause that is important to them and other people. But sometimes I’m just not comfortable signing something I don’t know a lot about.”

Still, you have to keep petitions in perspective. A petition that recently came across my Facebook newsfeed was, “We Denounce the Koch Brothers!” Granted, the Koch brothers are bullies in the political world, but how is telling them that I don’t like them really going to foster change? It’s not going to take away their vast amount of wealth, or make them less powerful. But if you got in touch with the Starbucks barista that they frequent, that person could do some serious damage.

Change.org is an extremely popular website that is home to thousands of different petitions. Tomio Geron, a Forbes contributor, conducted an interview in 2012 with the founder of Change.org, and came to an interesting conclusion about how influential this website has been in seeing real change, but also how deceiving petitions can really be.

“Some of the petitioners FORBES spoke with didn’t know Change was a for-profit. Rattray says the .org connotes the company’s social mission, and it is a certified B Corporation, which means a social mission is written into its bylaws,” Geron said.

At the University of Oregon it is not necessary to obtain a permit to petition on campus. People can be, and are, out at any time, petitioning for literally anything. And sometimes the petitioner is paid to petition, so that person shoving the clip board in your face may have ulterior motives.

Here at the University of Oregon there are, on average, three petitioners for every squirrel. You can’t avoid them. Some days it’s like running a gauntlet. You duck. You dodge. Avoid eye contact. Pretend to be on the phone.  Suddenly feel the urge to cross the street. Nothing helps. Just be careful what you sign. Petitions are pain free and that’s the problem.

Effective advocacy takes time, it takes effort and reflection and analysis. Petitioning is to politics what cupcakes are to nutrition. There’s a momentary rush but you know, deep down, it’s not good for you.

It’s a pretty good bet that if you grew up watching westerns you were led culturally astray. Many elements of western movies were mythologized. Some depicted blatant misrepresentations particularly of Native American culture. Now they have become somewhat of a staple in American popular fashion. It is impossible to go to events like Coachella without seeing hundreds of buzzing young people wearing these traditional and culturally significant accessories.

The donning of traditional headdresses is offensive and makes the person wearing it look extremely ignorant, insensitive and clueless. Wearing Native American garb as part of a costume or to be cool does nothing to honor the culture. Ignoring the history of Indigenous people to look cute at a college party really isn’t worth the hangover.

Yet few understand the significance and the role of the headdress for certain Native American tribes. It is far more than a fashion accessory. They were generally reserved for tribal leaders. The combination of feathers and leather took years to make. They were used for weddings and other tribal ceremonies, not war. Sadly, few if any of the contemporary wearers of headdresses seem aware of this legacy.

“Cultural appropriation is problematic because it reduces the culture at hand to a one-dimensional, disposable aspect, usually for economical purposes and further disenfranchise underrepresented populations,” said Tran Dinh, multicultural center member and ASUO’s newly elected vice president.

Wearing a headdress is akin to unintentionally pouring salt in the wound that is decades on top of decades of oppression, colonization and genocide. So before you decide to wear a headdress you picked up at Target made of chicken feathers and plastic, think about the cultural implications of your acts.

Emmilee Risling, a University of Oregon student, an enrolled member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe and a descendent of the Karuk and Yurok tribes underscored the significance of headdresses in her tribes.

“The regalia was a sign of wealth for the owner and tribe. Its display at ceremonial dances was with great pride and prestige for all,” Risling said. “These items had great value and would only be brought out for the respective ceremony; they were too valuable to be worn for everyday use.”

When someone in a tribe wears a headdress, it signifies how important that person is or was in the tribal hierarchy. Wearing one has profound meaning. When a non-native wears one, they diminish and cheapen the meaning and accomplishments that accompany it. These aren’t simple accessories that are meant to be worn for entertainment. Unfortunately music concerts, Halloween and parties don’t harbor enough meaning to justify wearing one.

Unfortunately for many Coachella attendees and college students wearing tribal print crop tops, moccasins and starving yourself to fit in to those high-wasted acid-wash jean shorts doesn’t qualify you to wear a Native American Headdress.

Ada Ball, the Native American Student Union co-director, sees it as a power trip for non-natives to wear traditional headdresses. The tribes Ball descends from (Shasta/Dakubetede/Modoc/Klamath) are not known for wearing plain style headdresses — but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still get offended when people wear them.

“This desire to play Native that many people ignorantly succumb to is indicative of the continuous oppressions Indigenous peoples are subjected to in the United States,” Ball said. “This seemingly innocent act only further invisibilizes modern Native peoples and propagates harmful stereotypes.”

Wearing these headdresses is comparable to wearing blackface. It is highly insensitive and diminishes the horrific trials the community has been through. I get it, headdresses are cool looking, but think about how much cooler they were before colonizers snatched them off of Native American heads and replaced them with smallpox-ridden blankets.

How would any of us who are part of the dominant culture feel if military uniforms were paraded about as a form of subtle mockery?

This isn’t a new discussion, or something that has been completely ignored by the general population. Many scholars have worked tirelessly to bring awareness to the ongoing struggles that indigenous civilizations still face. In fact, the University of Oregon recently made it possible for all students to obtain a minor in Native American studies.

Cultural appropriation doesn’t only happen to Native Americans. There is apparently no end to themed college parties that attempt to ostensibly celebrate a culture, but end up disparaging it. Whether it’s sombreros, bindis or kimonos, another culture is being trashed. Maybe we should all start using our heads for a change instead of merely decorating them.