Culture

Culture

REVIEW: ‘It’s a Sin’ approaches HIV/AIDS crisis with compassion, humanity and love

Sarah Bodkin | March 25

Captivating, charming and tragic are the best words to describe the U.K. mini-series “It’s a Sin,” created by Russell T. Davies, which spotlights the lives of several gay men as they live through stigmas, homophobia and the spread of HIV in the 1980s. I heard about the show through social media various times, and though there are many shows that I mean to watch but never get around to doing so, something compelled me to start watching it during a particularly busy and trying time in my life. I was not disappointed.  As I started watching the first episode, I knew I was on a journey that I wanted the entire UNM community to take with me, because I want to see an increased conversation among my student peers surrounding stigmas that the LGBTQ+ community and people with HIV face. 

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Culture

Mural by Albuquerque artists depicts iconic musicians across decades

Sarah Bodkin | March 7

The famous faces of Lady Gaga, Prince, Mac Miller and David Bowie grace a new mural behind the El Rey Theater on Seventh Street. The project was the result of a collaborative effort by forty-four local artists to honor famous musicians both past and present. Nazario Sandoval, the coordinator of artists for the new public artwork, said he initially planned for 10 artists to create the mural but the painting process turned into a community-building event, full of local artists and music lovers. The budget for the project was originally $1,000 but quickly tripled as the community of artists working on it increased. Sandoval funded the entire project himself.

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Culture

REVIEW: ‘Minari’: A gentle tale of the immigrant experience

John Scott | March 3

If there were one thing that could connect almost every family living in the United States, it would be the immigrant figure. Perhaps one who came over from the east, greeted by the Statue of Liberty and landing on Ellis Island, or one who crossed the southern border without looking back, only looking forward to opportunities in a new home. These universal experiences are where “Minari,” released virtually on Feb. 12 by indie film company A24, finds its heart. “Minari” is a semi-autobiographical tale, written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung, that follows a Korean family of four moving from California to Arkansas in search of a new life. Steven Yuen brilliantly portrays the father, Jacob Yi, who plans on starting a farm so that he and his wife, Monica Yi (played by Han Ye-ri) can abandon their makeshift careers as chicken sexers.

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Culture

OPINION: Golden Globes fail to avoid controversy — again

Shelby Kleinhans | March 2

In a year unlike any other for film and television, filmmakers, actors and crew members nevertheless persisted to get their work out in time to contend for the 2021 Golden Globes. No one was sure what the award ceremonies would look like, but now they know: sketchy comedy, Zoom acceptance speeches and predictable controversy. The Globes aired the evening of Feb. 28, and hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler — tuning in from opposite ends of the country — made short work of addressing the most pressing controversy. Both women called out the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which constitutes the voting body for the Golden Globes, for having zero representation of Black journalists within its 87 members.

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Culture

Period: A podcast about the science of menstruation and 'all the bloody bits'

Lissa Knudsen | March 2

When the Period podcast went live in 2016, it took a social-scientific approach to menstruation, a.k.a. "periods." Kathryn Clancy, a biological anthropologist and former writer for Scientific American, served as the podcast host and brought both feminist and scientific lenses to the show, which halted production as the pandemic worsened in May of last year. I found this podcast while looking for a list of the best science podcasts and consistently found myself learning new things about a topic that, for more than half the population, is a normal part of existence for much of our adult lives.

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Culture

New Feminist Research Institute director continues work on gender, sexuality

Megan Gleason | March 2

Francisco J. Galarte, the new director of the Feminist Research Institute (FRI) at the University of New Mexico, plans to continue focusing on topics that relate to gender and sexuality as the center celebrates 25 years in action. The FRI has a specific focus on the support of students — graduate students in particular — and faculty. Galarte, an assistant professor of American studies and women, gender and sexuality studies at UNM, has been the director for about two months and plans to continue this work while strengthening ties to the community. "We focus on supporting feminist research," Galarte said. "Feminist research for us means research that not only is focused on issues related to women but rather issues related to gender, sexuality and institutions that govern and oversee gender, sexuality and those types of roles."

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Culture

UNM resource centers collaborate to celebrate Women’s History Month

Megan Gleason | February 28

March marks the celebration of Women's History Month, and this year the University of New Mexico's Women's Resource Center (WRC) is teaming up with the LGBTQ Resource Center and other groups on campus to host a variety of virtual events lined up throughout the month. The pandemic disrupted Women's History Month plans on campus last year, and the school will now feature virtual events in place of the usual fare, according to WRC professional intern Reina Davis. Lectures and in-person panels were included in previous years, but this year will focus on social media and online events.

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Culture

Popejoy not throwing away their shot at 'Hamilton'

Megan Gleason | February 25

Popejoy Hall at the University of New Mexico announced its 2021-22 season on Friday, Feb. 26, with many canceled shows, including “Hamilton,” being rescheduled to the following season. “Hamilton” is now set for 24 performances from Jan. 27 through Feb. 13 of next year.

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Culture

Hare-raising: Over 100 rabbits available for adoption

Alex McCausland | February 21

The Bernalillo County Animal Care and Resource Center is overflowing with over 100 rabbits who are in need of loving homes. Candace Sanchez, the center’s outreach manager, said it all started with a complaint they received about rabbits spotted in the road in the South Valley area.  “Upon arrival, we found that a homeowner ... was housing multiple rabbits in a small contained outdoor area,” Sanchez said. “Once we started going into the facility, we realized that what ended up happening was the owner initially purchased the rabbits as pets, and they were not spayed and neutered. So as time progressed on, multiplication started taking place.”

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Culture

Meditation, music at virtual UMI show

Daniel Ward and Hannah John | February 21

Though ASUNM Student Special Events has been forced to adapt to virtual concerts to “protect the pack” amid the pandemic, the featured artist didn’t disappoint on Feb. 12 as UMI showcased live acoustic music and guided meditation over Zoom. Tierra Umi Wilson, also known as UMI, is a 22-year-old singer/songwriter based out of Los Angeles who made a name for herself when she toured with fellow artist Cuco back in 2019. Her virtual concert on Feb. 12 was only available to University of New Mexico students, and about 100 students attended. According to Joe Polack, the executive director of SSE, the idea for the event stemmed from UMI’s previous shows that included meditation alongside a live performance.

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Culture

COLUMN: Zen and the art of tea brewing

Liam Debonis | February 19

Imagine this, if you will: You’re over at a friend’s house, and they ask “green or black tea?” You pick green, but to your horror, you hear the kettle boiling and a few minutes later, you spend the next half hour sipping profanely bitter liquid and feigning enjoyment. If you’re the friend in this scenario, don’t feel bad. I sat down with Shawn Whitehurst — who’s been with the New Mexico Tea Company for over eight years — and learned that there’s a lot that goes into making the perfect cup of tea. Whitehurst said the tannin content in the final product makes a significant difference in the flavor of tea. Tannins are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in tea and other foods and beverages. Different types of teas release their tannins in different ways, which is why water temperature is critical for a smooth, enjoyable brew.

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Culture

40th anniversary of Rush’s ‘Moving Pictures’ hits closer to the heart

Gino Gutierrez | February 19

Gene Simmons once said, “What kind of band is Rush? It’s Rush.” That might be the most accurate description of this seminal band out of Toronto. Feb. 12 marked the 40th anniversary of Rush’s eighth studio album “Moving Pictures,” a record that sold over four million copies in the United States and was also certified quadruple-platinum in Canada. The album remains the band’s most popular and recognizable of their extensive discography.

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Culture

Preserving the Indigenous sign languages of Nigeria

Liam Debonis | February 16

In Nigeria, the Indigenous sign language of Deaf communities is disappearing. Despite making up nearly a fourth of the country’s population, the Nigerian Deaf community suffers from numerous roadblocks when considering their less than egalitarian status in society. But Emmanuel Asonye, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of New Mexico, is working on a project to help Nigerians who lack access to their native language. Asonye, who earned his doctorate in linguistics and communications from the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, has been studying and cataloging Indigenous Nigerian sign language for years. As the founder of Save the Deaf and Endangered Languages Initiative, Asonye has spent his career advocating for the Nigerian Deaf community.

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Culture

Local Black-owned business wants microgreens on every plate

Megan Gleason | February 11

Papa’s Little Helpers MicroFarm is a local business with a mission to grow and promote healthy, locally grown food. Owner Rico Robinson has set a goal to better educate everyone — especially the Black community — on the importance of eating healthy. While the business doesn’t currently provide a large variety of meal options, Robinson hopes that he can incorporate a delivery service with healthy meals in the future. “It’s going to taste like soul food, but it’s going to be purely healthy food,” Robinson said.

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Culture

Drag bingo takes center stage for SAC

Daniel Ward | February 11

The University of New Mexico’s Student Union Building kicked off the spring semester with a back to school bingo night on Friday, Jan. 29. Only four students attended, which is the lowest group Uni Nights have had since switching to virtual events. Coincidentally, the Student Activities Center (SAC) hosted a drag bingo night the week before with over 130 students participating. While drag bingo isn’t quite the same as the more traditional event, the two are similar enough to question the scheduling process of events for both departments. Andrea Marquez, the SAC advisor in charge of coordinating events like drag bingo, said the SAC specifically planned its bingo night earlier in the term because students would have to quarantine after coming to the dorms from out of town.

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Culture

Looking back at ‘Killer of Sheep,’ a small budget masterpiece

Dylan Haworth | February 10

In 1977, Charles Burnett began production of his debut feature “Killer of Sheep,” a film following the everyday working class struggles of a Black slaughterhouse worker. 13 years later, it was one of the first 50 films deemed a national treasure by the Library of Congress. With this film and his subsequent realist works, Burnett is regarded as one of the most important filmmakers of the 20th century, going on to inspire artists like Spike Lee, Barry Jenkins and Ryan Coogler. “Killer of Sheep” puts the impoverished Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts under the microscope. The film was made 12 years after the Watts Rebellion, a six-day series of protests against police brutality in which 34 protesters were murdered. The aftermath of the state-sponsored violence echoes throughout the many scenes of children scampering through the ruins of old buildings destroyed in the decade prior.

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Culture

Divine Nine orgs continue tradition of Black excellence

Ana Gutierrez | February 10

Brianna Edey is the current president of the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) and the University of New Mexico chapter of Zeta Phi Beta sorority. When asked about what makes the “Divine Nine” —a collective of historically Black Greek letter organizations, with eight of the nine active at UNM — unique compared to other organizations, she narrowed it all down to its rich history. “In fact, our (individual) organizations were created because we weren’t allowed in existing councils,” Edey said. All of the Divine Nine organizations were founded throughout the 1900s, when Black students in the United States were often ostracized and banned from joining primarily white Greek organizations on college campuses, according to Edey.

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Culture

The Fro celebrates ‘Black joy and happiness’ for Black History Month

Shelby Kleinhans | February 7

This year, the University of New Mexico’s African American Student Services (AASS or ‘the Fro’) launched Black History Month on Jan. 1 with the raising of the Pan-African flag at Scholes Hall, a symbol of “Black liberation” according to AASS. The event as well as the raising of the ‘Black History Month’ banner by UNM Health Sciences Center were streamed virtually on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.  Other virtual events that were either streamed virtually or crafted on social media since then included: “Popular Hair Moments in Black Music History with Natelege Whaley” on Feb. 2, “CROWN Act Town Hall” on Feb. 4 and “National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day” on Feb. 7.  The pandemic created the necessity for wholly virtual events, but the team at the Fro readily accepted the challenge.

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Culture

UNM tuba professor builds legacy through kindness

Daniel Ward | February 7

Richard White is a man of many accomplishments with a life story full of determination and dedication. Even after becoming the first Black person in the world to achieve a doctorate of music in tuba performance, White said his greatest accomplishment was coming to the University of New Mexico, where he has the ability to make a difference in others’ lives. The journey he took to get where he is today was no smooth path. As a boy, White found himself unhoused on the streets of Baltimore, fending for himself. White had to imagine luxuries like a warm blanket and full stomach just to get through the night until he was eventually taken in by a local family. This may have saved his life, but the tuba is what shaped his legacy.

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Culture

Tonic for the Times raises money for struggling New Mexicans

Sarah Bodkin | February 5

Tonic for the Times, a star-studded documentary and music festival to raise money for New Mexico’s health care workers, streamed virtually on Saturday, Jan. 20. Some of the guest speakers and performers for the event were Steven Michael Quezada, Penn Jillette, Chevel Shepherd, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Sophie B. Hawkins, Prism Bitch and Bob Odenkirk. Cyndi Conn, one of the event’s organizers, said “(health care workers) never actually leave the hospital mentally,” so the inspiration for the event was to show gratitude for their hard work. Performances were recorded from all over the country, including from Meow Wolf, recording studios and performer’s homes.