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UNM swing dancing club celebrates first dance

Spenser Willden | November 22

A crowd of over 50 students gathered in the Student Union Building for the first meeting of the University of New Mexico Swing Dancing Club on Sunday, Nov. 20. Starting with an introductory West coast-style swing lesson from the SouthWesties dance troupe, the night brought dancing to campus for students of all skill levels. By meeting on campus, the Swing Dancing Club gives students the opportunity to engage in dance in a safe and welcoming space for those under 21 and without the transportation to go off campus, according to attendee and dance enthusiast Brianna Knox Hubbard. “I’ve been looking for an under-21 space to social dance since I’m 19, and this provides that,” Hubbard said.

Culture

The 'art and glamour' of Native American fashion

Sierra Martinez | November 21

On Friday, Aug. 19, the Institute of American Indian Arts’ Museum of Contemporary Native Arts in Santa Fe opened its “Art of Indigenous Fashion” exhibition, which features works from Indigenous designers across North America. The exhibition is the first of its kind for the museum, disrupting the idea of Indigenous clothing as artifact rather than fashion. Amber-Dawn Bear Robe — curator, art historian and professor at the Institute of American Indian Arts — curated the exhibition with the specific goals of amplifying the work of Indigenous designers and showcasing the diversity of Native fashion.

Culture

UNM alum given notable mention in ‘The Best American Essays 2022’

Spenser Willden | November 21

On Nov. 1, Harper Collins released the most recent edition of their annual “Best American Essays” series, which honors the years’ best works in the field of creative nonfiction. This year, University of New Mexico alumnus Michelle Gurule received a notable mention in the book’s appendix for her essay “Exit Route,” initially written as part of her dissertation at UNM and published in issue 53 of literary magazine StoryQuarterly.

Culture

OPINION: It’s about time to put an end to the daylight savings dispute

Zara Roy | November 17

The times are a-changin’: when daylight saving time ended on Sunday, Nov. 6, it wreaked havoc and confusion as I stepped into my car that morning and thought I was an hour late for work. U.S. senators seem to agree on the annoyance: In March, they unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make DST permanent. It has been stalled in the House, due to split opinions on whether time should be permanently set to DST of standard time, according to The Washington Post.

Culture

5 and Why: 5 films to get into the Christmas spirit

Zara Roy | November 14

The weather has reached a frigid chill, which can only mean one thing: it’s time to stay in the house, make a cup of hot chocolate and settle in with a Christmas movie of your choice. For those looking to get into the holiday spirit, University of New Mexico student Miranda Gallegos has shared their nostalgic favorites. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993, dir. Henry Selick) For those uninitiated, this 1993 classic is currently available on Disney+. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, and his quest to take over Christmas festivities.

Culture

Lobo Food Pantry breaks stigmas and tackles food insecurity

Elizabeth Secor | November 14

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 30% of all college students struggled with food insecurity during their college careers, according to Health Affairs. The Lobo Food Pantry, located on the first floor of the Student Union Building in room 1093, provides University of New Mexico students with free food to help combat food insecurity at UNM. The pantry is a donation-based system that is free for all students, according to Amanda Martinez, a basic needs specialist at the LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center and Lobo Food Pantry supervisor.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘The Season of La Llarona’ is a faithful rendition of a classic tale

Maddie Pukite | November 14

“The Season of La Llorona” opened on Friday, Nov. 11 at the University of New Mexico’s Experimental Theatre and is a loving adaptation of the tale. The adaptation was written by New Mexican author Rudolfo Anaya and directed by theater student Paul Esquibel. The show opens with a family celebrating Halloween and preparing for Día de Los Muertos, when the abuelo (Manny Lopez Ainza) tells the story of La Llorona. It then flips to La Malinche's (Lasha Kirker) story being told by actors on the opposite side of the stage.

GALLERY: Happy Time Doomsday Time exhibition

Culture

“Happy Time/Doomsday Time” captures time and temporality with plant-based printmaking

Zara Roy | November 14

On Nov. 4, University of New Mexico associate professor of art Meggan Gould’s exhibition “Happy Time/Doomsday Time” had its opening reception at the Sanitary Tortilla Factory. Running until Friday, Nov. 25, the exhibit explores capitalism, temporality and the nature of photography itself. The exhibition consists of a series of prints of clocks printed through anthotype, a form of printmaking that uses photosensitive plant materials to produce an image. Gould used whatever plant materials she had available, from berries to greens to flowers mixed with liquids to create a photosensitive dye emulsion.

Culture

REVIEW: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever:’ Be ready to cry forever

Elizabeth Secor | November 14

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” the closing film in phase four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is a beautiful tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman and a journey through various characters’ grief after Boseman’s T’Challa has passed away. It also features a delightful (if slow in parts) storyline of Wakanda meeting a new society called Talokan that proves a worthy opponent. Boseman’s absence creates a storyline for Shuri (Letitia Wright) that mirrors that of her brother’s, as she has to deal with many of the decisions her brother had to make.

Culture

‘It’s alive!’: UNM production of ‘Frankenstein’ electrifies Rodey Theatre

Zara Roy | November 10

On Friday, Nov. 4, lights went up in the University of New Mexico’s Rodey Theatre for the first performance of “Frankenstein,” an original adaptation of the novel written by UNM associate professor Gregory Moss. The show is performed, directed and designed by University students and faculty and will play through Nov. 12. The show offers a fresh yet faithful adaptation of the beloved Mary Shelley novel. “I think it’s a fun show. You know, it has themes and it has brain, but I think I’m more interested in it as an exciting story, something that can actually be a little scary and have a visceral effect,” Moss said.

Culture

‘What does ASUNM do?’

Spenser Willden | November 7

On Thursday, Nov. 3, The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico’s Election Commission announced the results of the fall 2022 senatorial election, in which ten undergraduates were elected to serve as full-term senators for the spring 2023 semester. Though ASUNM represents the entire undergraduate population, only 425 students voted in the election, a small percentage of the entire student body.

Culture

OPINION: Yeah, maybe you should vote

Elizabeth Secor | November 7

As midterm Election Days quickly approaches, arguments over the importance of voting are once again prevalent. The right to vote is one of the pillars our society stands on as a democracy. Everyone should utilize that right. In the 2020 presidential election, a record high of 66% of college students voted — jumping from 52% in 2016 — and that statistic needs to keep climbing, according to The Hill. As college students and recent graduates, we are the next leaders of our country and have a responsibility to make an impact.

Culture

UNM LEAF member fights for the future with climate justice work

Zara Roy | October 31

Since her freshman year, University of New Mexico sophomore Feleecia Guillen has fought for climate justice as a member of UNM Leaders for Environmental Action and Foresight. Her unbridled passion for climate action has driven her to advocate for community health and survival on both a university and statewide level. “My passion for climate change and climate action really started when I joined UNM LEAF … I had a general knowledge of everything going on with the climate, but it wasn’t until I joined UNM LEAF that I really started to understand exactly the issues that we are facing,” Guillen said.

Culture

5 and Why: 5 fall fashion tips

Annya Loya | October 31

While we’re well into more than half of this year’s fall season, it’s never too late to learn the best fall fashion tips to be your most stylish self. Fashion stylist and communications and art studio major at the University of New Mexico Natassja Santistevan gave us their best tips for fall looks. Textures Fall is the best time to “flex textures” and play with patterns to create a great outfit, according to Santistevan. Fun patterns and strong colors make for a good combo. Santistevan did warn to combine the right pattern combos or else you could create an outfit that is quite the opposite of what you want.

Culture

El Centro de la Raza commemorates Día de los Muertos

Annya Loya | October 31

El Centro de la Raza at the University of New Mexico went all out for their weeklong Day of the Dead celebrations which began on Friday, Oct. 28 at Mesa Vista Hall. The celebration culminated with the set up of El Centros’ traditional Day of the Dead altar, followed by food and music for all attendees. El Centro de la Raza is a resource center at UNM dedicated to student advocacy, meaningful programs and services, and educating the campus community on the diverse issues that affect Latinx and Hispano students attending or wishing to attend UNM.

Culture

'Hellraiser' (2022) has such sights to show you

Marcela Johnson | October 31

If there’s any time to be a horror fan, it's during October when highly anticipated horror movies dominate theaters. This year saw many well-known horror franchises, such as “Halloween” and “Scream,” continue their legacies on the silver screen. Others, such as “Hellraiser” (2022), released Oct. 7 on Hulu, break expectations and carve out their own spaces within their franchises. The film almost completely abandons the characters from the “Hellraiser” franchise and Clive Barker’s two novels “The Hellbound Heart” and film tie-in “The Scarlet Gospels.” The movie centers on recovering addict Riley McKendry (Odessa A’zion) and her struggle to get her brother back from the forces of hell (the Cenobites).

Culture

Loboscopes: November predictions

Zara Roy | October 31

As the sun glides through the intense sign of Scorpio toward a lunar eclipse on Nov. 8 — the same day the fiery planet Mars goes retrograde — the month of November promises intensity all around. Generally speaking, you may encounter many endings that may leave you feeling stuck in a place of no forward momentum near the beginning of the month. Read on to see what these effects mean for your sign:

Culture

Go in blind to Zach Cregger’s 'Barbarian'

Spenser Willden | October 31

On top of the classic spooky films, Halloween is the perfect season to catch up on this year’s horror innovators; Jordan Peele, Ti West and now, with the release of his sleeper horror hit “Barbarian,” Zach Cregger. “Barbarian,” which became available on HBO Max on Oct. 25, is a film that knows what its audience is thinking and plays with these expectations to make a truly unpredictable, if somewhat unstable, ride. The film starts with an aspiring documentary filmmaker Tess (Georgina Campbell) checking into an AirBNB double booked with a mysterious stranger (Bill Skarsgård). The film reinvents itself (even within genre) from scene to scene; it is best seen with as few expectations as possible.

Culture

UNM artist subverts the sacred and explores queerness through photography

Zara Roy | October 24

On Friday, Oct. 21, University of New Mexico senior Lucien Sebastian completed his first solo exhibition, “Arsenal,” at the John Sommers Gallery. He used the exhibition as a means to find catharsis and come to terms with public and interpersonal responses to his identity as a transgender man. In the exhibition, Sebastian combined photography with a collection of quotes from others in regard to his identity since coming out as transgender and his responses to them. The exhibition ends on a print with the words “never again” etched into it: Sebastian’s personal reckoning and decision to take his identity off the table as a topic of open discussion or debate. The idea for the exhibition’s name came to him after a debate over his identity in which he was criticized for coming into every argument with an “arsenal” behind him.

Culture

Local artist flirts with youth, violence and life in the Southwest through cartoon

Spenser Willden | October 24

The violence of local artist Beedallo’s work is often offset by her charming illustrative style. In her art, adolescents and animals bleed from wounds both seen and unseen: knives, whips, fire and worms. Her work, with its clean primary colors and sharp geometric style, adorns the walls of the Lapis Room art gallery in Old Town, establishing it as part of the contemporary Southwestern movement, yet bold and original of its own. Beedallo grew up surrounded by art with numerous Southwestern-style artisans on her mother’s side. She inherited a love for illustration from her mother, an illustrator herself, who taught her about art from a young age. Her primary interest, though, was cartoons.