Culture

News

New class explores feminist identity

Aubrie Powell | March 18

A course that began this semester at the University of New Mexico Honors College aims to present different feminist perspectives and encourage exploration and critique of these theories. “A Dialogue on Creating a Feminist Identity,” taught by Dr. Dawn Stracener, strives to enable learning through multidisciplinary experiences. Above all, the course provides its students with tools to explore their own identities, feminist or not, Stracener said.

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Culture

Book Review: "The Road" offers harrowing dystopian story

Colton Newman | March 18

The legendary novel, “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, lives up to its reputation. Taking notes from Ernest Hemingway, McCarthy keeps things simplistic and vague. “The Road” follows the skeletal unnamed characters of a Man and a Boy who endlessly wander the roads of an ash-covered gray Earth. McCarthy makes “The Road” amazingly timeless. There are no mentions of technology or years, and the vagueness of information gives “The Road” only a time period in the minds of the readers.

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News

Traciana Graves talks inclusion, empowerment and being free

Ajinkya Patil | March 11

Traciana Graves discussed inclusion, empowerment and being free Wednesday at the University of New Mexico Student Union Building Atrium. Voted as one of “America’s Most Fearless Women” by Huffington Post, Graves gave examples of heroes and sheroes, including Harriet Tubman, Mahalia Jackson, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dave Chappelle and Rosa Parks. During the event, which was organized by the Associated Students of UNM Student Special Events, Graves gave students advice on the best practices to comfort and navigate through life.

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News

Event highlights student writing

Tom Hanlon | March 11

Students were given a chance to showcase their writing abilities at the ninth annual Celebration of Student Writing event at the University of New Mexico Thursday. The event showcased displays that included interactive writing games, digital projects and displays of students’ favorite pieces of literature. Undergraduate students enrolled in English 110, 120 and 220 classes, along with students from various other writing classes at UNM, presented versions of their coursework from the first half of the semester in the Student Union Building.

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Culture

Column: Some ideas for Spring Break, 2018

Danielle Prokop | March 7

So, you’re stuck in Albuquerque for spring break, whiling away the hours, while your friends are on some beach somewhere. What is there to do in Albuquerque? This list should have you covered on low-budget spring break options in the 505. Outside: Albuquerque is full of outdoor excursions on the cheap. If your idea of going out means lacing up your hiking boots, grabbing your bike helmet or snagging your crash pads, then you’re in the right place.

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Culture

Centennial hosts free coding education program

Ariel Lutnesky | March 7

This Friday marks the second Friday of the month — and that means it’s time for Coffee and Code at Centennial Library. Jonathan Wheeler, a data curation librarian, and Karl Benedict, director of research data services, put the program together. “It's a combination of business and introduction and information about what the technology is, why you may or may not want to use it and how it gets used, but then also a hands-on chance for folks to experiment with it and get their feet wet,” Benedict said.

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News

Sonia Rankin loves watching students learn

Shayla Cunico | March 4

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of five profiles on women associated with the University of New Mexico, who have been recognized by Albuquerque Business First as women of influence in New Mexico. Sonia M. Gipson Rankin is an Africana Studies senior lecturer, the Associate Dean of University College and the director of first-year success projects at the University of New Mexico. She teaches a course at UNM’s School of Law and is also a wife and mother of three. She never fails to find inspiration from her students, she said.

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News

Annual LoboTHON supports young cancer patients

Megan Holmen | March 4

The University of New Mexico hosted the fifth annual Lobothon Saturday. Organized and run by UNM students, this fundraiser aimed to support UNM Children’s Hospital, the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in New Mexico. LoboTHON is a 13.1 hour dance marathon created to support children who have or have had cancer, said Jessica Marrello, LoboTHON committee member. According to Marrello, LoboTHON is UNM's chapter of Dance Marathon, an organization with chapters across the country in over 300 colleges and universities.

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Culture

Movie Review: "Red Sparrow" comes short of impressing

Hector Valverde | March 4

“Red Sparrow” had me totally breathless in its opening scenes. The seamless interflow between a prima ballerina’s beautifully tragic final performance and the thrilling intrigue of a CIA spy exchange had me going well into the first chunk of the film as the situations diffused into what would become the central plot. Unfortunately this initial momentum progressively fizzles out throughout the film’s girthy 120-minute runtime. Sabotaged and permanently crippled by her fellow ballerinas, Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) is coerced by her uncle, a high-ranking member of Russian intelligence, to serve as bait for a politician. Following problematic outcomes, Dominika is sent to a secret Russian facility training spies — known as “sparrows” — for the state.

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News

Lecturer takes audience on a road trip through history

Megan Holmen | March 4

Jon Hunner, Ph.D. presented “Driven by History: A Road Trip through our Nation's Past” Thursday as part of a spring lecture series, “People and Places” through the University of New Mexico Southwest Research and Special Collections hosted. In his lecture, Hunner, a UNM alum and professor of U.S. history and public history at New Mexico State University, discussed a 2016 road trip across the United States, in which he visited over 100 national parks and drove 20,000 miles. According to Hunner, the national parks are an excellent place to learn about the nation’s history.

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Culture

"A Chorus Line" comes to Popejoy

Sherri Barth | March 4

Tony Award-winning director, actress, choreographer and author Baayork Lee brings Michael Bennett’s original production of “A Chorus Line” back to life with a 33-city national tour stopping at Popejoy Hall for three nights, beginning Thursday, according to broadwayworld.com. Lee portrayed Connie Wong in the original 1975 Broadway play, and now she is taking the musical across the Pacific to Tokyo, Japan after the national tour. Since her outbreak performance on “A Chorus Line,” Lee has gone on to direct and choreograph 35 international productions of the musical, according to broadwayworld.com.

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Culture

Top 10 movies of 2017

Hector Valverde | March 4

2017 had plenty of ups accompanying its many downs. Marked mostly by a lacking summer blockbuster season, there were a few surprise hits that kicked off early in the year, along with some later prestige films reliably packing in its conclusion. Perhaps most notable of 2017 was the diminishing returns yielded from franchise film tickets at the box office, indicating at least a moderate degree of audience fatigue toward sequels. In preparation for the Oscars, here are some of my top picks for 2017 in film.

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Music

Album Review: Basic, tedious tracks prevent Jaden Smith from making name for himself on “SYRE”

Colton Newman | March 2

A lot can be said about Jaden Smith — but, in a much more real sense, not much can be said about him either. He’s the son of one of the most famous celebrities to ever grace this planet, he wore a white Batman costume to Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s wedding, his sister had that one song a while back called “I Whip My Hair” and he somehow caused a stir when he cut off his dread-locks and carried them around. Seemingly following in the steps of his father and sister, Jaden decided to dip his toes into the world of music. On Nov. 16, 2017 Jaden Smith released his first attempt at an album, “SYRE.”

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Culture

Book Review: “Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda” shines light on self-discovery and teen romance

Colton Newman | March 2

“Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda” by Becky Albertalli is a new-age gay romance novel that follows the ever-deepening relationship between Simon and an unknown closeted gay student identified by the alias, “Blue.” Simon and Blue’s relationship starts off simply. They talk about their favorite foods, the music they like and their similar situation of both being closeted in high school.

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News

Workshop discusses ethnic invisibility, identity

Annie Edwards | March 1

The University of New Mexico Student Health and Counseling hosted “The Self-hood Struggle” student workshop with African American Student Services in Mesa Vista Hall Monday. Desa Karye Daniel, a doctoral student at UNM and a mental health counselor for African American Student Services, gave a presentation titled “A Phenomenological Study of the Invisibility Syndrome Among African American College Students.” This presentation covered the background of Daniel’s own study. Christopher Collins, senior student program advisor at African American Student Services, helped organize the event. “I just think that this was a great event, and we definitely want to raise cultural awareness here, on campus, and just have everyone’s experiences be that much better here at UNM,” he said. Daniel opened her presentation by asking attendees to think about their emotions when they were accepted into college, during their college career and after graduation or right before graduation.

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Music

“Turn of the Screw" opera to be performed at Keller Hall

Aubrie Powell | March 1

Opening Thursday night, the University of New Mexico Opera Theatre presents Benjamin Britten’s “Turn of the Screw” based on the gothic novella by Henry James. Professor Leslie Umphrey directs and Kristin Ditlow, Ph.D. conducts the music for the dark ghost story. “It’s really ‘Downton Abbey’ gone terribly wrong in a way,” Ditlow said.

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Culture

Movie Review: Despite amateur acting, “The 15:17 to Paris” tells moving story

Timber Mabes | March 1

Released on Feb. 9, “The 15:17 to Paris” tells an extremely moving story made even more memorable by its actors. Recreating the true story of three American soldiers who fight to stop an attacker from unleashing 300 rounds of ammunition on a train to Paris in 2015, the train’s true heroes acted their own roles in this film. Directed by the renowned Clint Eastwood and based on the book, “The 15:17 to Paris: The True Story of a Terrorist, a Train and Three American Soldiers,” the film had extreme potential to be a cinematic masterpiece but felt somewhat short of what it could have been.

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Culture

Book Review: "The Cruel Prince" proves to be thrilling fantasy

Nichole Harwood | March 1

Warning: Spoilers Ahead Author of bestselling contemporary fantasy books Holly Black returns once again to the realm of fairies this year with a new series. The first book of the series, “The Folk of the Air” is titled “The Cruel Prince” and plunges readers once again into a world of magic that holds both beauty and cruelty in the same regard. We view the story through the eyes of Jude, a young human woman who is initially introduced in the book as a child. Alongside her, we witness the brutal death of her parents followed immediately by the abduction of her and her sisters, Vivienne and Taryn. The abductor/murderer Madoc is Jude’s mother’s ex-husband, who she fled with their child Vivienne before remarrying and giving birth to twins Jude and Taryn.

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Music

Concert Review: Brockhampton lights up Denver

Colton Newman | March 1

With the 2017 release of three albums Saturation 1, 2 and 3, America’s favorite boy band Brockhampton took a sledgehammer to the door of the hip-hop game. With their 2018 Love Your Parents tour, Brockhampton is shoving their faces through that shattered door to let the world know they are not going anywhere. The 15-member band first met on a Kanye West fan forum. From there, group curator Kevin Abstract built off each member’s strengths to form the now-famous group, Brockhampton.

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Culture

Artist promotes environmentalism through dance

Nichole Harwood | March 1

A famed environmentalist’s work will be incorporated in a flamenco performance as part of the Aliento Latino Dance Season 2018 Saturday and Sunday at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Alice Blumenfeld and Abrepaso Flamenco Dance Company will be presenting “Vacío/Void” — a show that Blumenfeld said got its start from environmentalist Rachel Carson’s book, “Silent Spring.” Blumenfeld said Carson was a childhood hero of hers because of her environmental work and writing — the imagery Carson uses inspired her choreography.