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REVIEW: Poetry collection ‘The Loneliest Girl’ confronts sexist mythology

  Kate Gale’s “The Loneliest Girl,” published earlier this year by the University of New Mexico Press, is a book of poems that address sexual violence and the interactions that enforce and encourage it. Gale adds softness and depth to the well-known myth of Medusa — the Gorgon who was transformed into a monster through a rape by Poseidon — rendering her as a vulnerable woman seeking healing. The best works in this collection are the short and sensory pieces, like “Medusa’s Cookbook,” which includes lines such as “cloves — an unopened flower bud/cinnamon — a spiraled brown quill.” These poems flesh out Medusa’s physical world, removing the mythic and aligning us with her as an individual.

LETTER: UNM must fulfill its promise to New Mexicans: Bargain with the graduate union now

  I am a graduate student teacher. My name is Penelope, but the University of New Mexico seems to prefer my deadname. I transitioned early in 2021. I began teaching in the fall and it was important to me that I teach with my true name because teaching is deeply important to my self-understanding. It was so important, in fact, that I accelerated my transition to that end: I came out to my department and the school before my parents or many of my close friends. I think it can be hard for others to imagine how alienating it is for strangers to know your name before your loved ones. 

New Mexico enacts community solar, commits to energy equity

  More New Mexicans can now opt in to using renewable energy to power their homes after a year of rulemaking done by the Public Regulation Commission. The new Community Solar Rule will mandate that 30% of the electricity produced by shared solar facilities be distributed to low-income communities and the organizations that support them. Individuals who may benefit from this rule include those who qualify for Medicaid or food assistance programs. It also doesn’t limit solar energy options for those who rent the property they live on or for those who live in government-funded housing. Eligible service organizations may include places like homeless shelters or food pantries.

UNM feminist literary club is totally radical

  The University of New Mexico’s newly minted Radical Feminist Literary Society is in full swing. Meeting every Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Union Building, the group flourishes as a space on campus to read and discuss radical feminist theoretical works in a safe and inclusive environment. “I think engaging with the actual theoretical tradition that actually exists is so important to push back against the idea that it’s just intuitive and that we already know what it is,” Mohammed Rawwas, UNM student and club member said.  UNM senior Vivian Norman started this organization as well as UNM’s Students for Socialism. They were inspired to create the group when they noticed a pervasive lack in the consideration of feminist frameworks across leftist spaces. 

UNM baseball loses close game to SDSU 11-8

  The University of New Mexico played the San Diego State Aztecs on Saturday, April 16 to finish their three-game series against San Diego State in Albuquerque. The Aztecs swept the Lobos winning all three games in the series. UNM now has a 14-21 record this season and is on a four-game losing streak. In the first inning, the Lobos sent out Matt Haley as their starting pitcher. Haley gave up a single on the first at-bat against San Diego State’s Irvin Weems. Weems then stole second, and Shaun Montoya singled to send him home. Cole Carrigg singled to score two runners, pushing the San Diego State lead to 3-0. 

Lobos softball team pulls off historic 2-1 series win against Fresno State

  The University of New Mexico softball team had a troubled start to their conference season coming into their home series against Fresno State 2-7, but they battled for three games and pulled out a series win against the Bulldogs. The series lasted from Thursday, April 14 to Saturday, April 16 and was played at  the Lobo Softball Field. The series win bumps the Lobos’ overall record to 24-17, but their 4-8 conference record leaves the Lobos near the bottom of the pack in conference standings. The Lobos played an incredible game Thursday night against the Bulldogs. Despite being out-hit 10-6, they still forced the game into extra innings, even though they did eventually lose. 

Fiber Arts Fiesta returns to ABQ with fuzzy flair

  The Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta brought crafters together at the Expo New Mexico Manuel Lujan Jr. Exhibit Complex from April 14-16. Eighteen different guilds were in attendance representing a variety of fiber art disciplines such as quilting, beadery, weaving, embroidering, lacemaking and more. Vendors sold their work, judges awarded prizes to spectacular pieces and guilds held demonstrations for those interested in picking up some new skills. Typically a biennial event, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the fiesta from being held in 2020. Event Director Elizabeth Whitehead expressed her excitement about having New Mexico’s fiber arts community gathered under one roof again.

Isotopes win series against the Tacoma Rainiers 4-2

  The Albuquerque Isotopes won their first home series against the Tacoma Rainiers 4-2in Albuquerque that stretched from Tuesday, April 12 to Sunday, April 17. Having now played both the Rainiers and Oklahoma City, Albuquerque is now 5-7 in their young season. The Isotopes lost the first game of the series on Tuesday. The loss was especially heartbreaking given the Isotopes’ 8-1 lead over the Rainiers for nearly half the game. The Rainiers were the first team to put a run on the scoreboard during the top of the second inning. The Isotopes were able to respond in the third inning, though, with two runs of the

REVIEW: Amanda Seyfried skillfully humanizes a monster in ‘The Dropout’

  This review contains spoilers Hulu’s critically acclaimed miniseries “The Dropout,” which chronicles the rise and fall of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, is a scathing adaptation of the eponymous podcast. An incredibly gripping take on a true story and top tier performances from Amanda Seyfried and Naveen Andrews make “The Dropout” one of the best shows of the year thus far. Theranos was founded by Holmes in 2003 after she dropped out of Stanford University. By 2013, the company — which claimed to run hundreds of blood tests on only a few drops of blood — was valued at $9 billion. 

Loboscopes: April general predictions

  April showers bring May flowers, or so they say. This month’s zodiac forecast, however, predicts sunny, breezy days ahead as Jupiter and Neptune, the planets of expansion and dreams respectively, will be traveling close together for the rest of the month, meeting their closest conjunction on April 12 for the first time since 1856. On a larger collective scale, this is a very powerful conjunction that may denote a more extreme shift in the general cultural atmosphere. This expansive dreamy energy will be further intensified when Venus, planet of love, beauty and creation (exalted in Pisces), conjuncts Neptune on April 27. 

Comics April 11, 2022

Through the lens of ABQ Backyard Refuge Program participants

  With wildlife thriving among different experiences in the Albuquerque Backyard Refuge program, participants and program managers are working to change Albuquerque from a concrete and gravel desert into a city teeming with plant and animal life. Debby Knotts, a retiree from the University of New Mexico, has seen all sorts of wildlife in her yard, from bumblebees to hummingbirds to raccoons. Her property is a sprawling landscape of native plants, herbs and fruit trees. She also is a docent for the park across the street, growing perennial native plants that will continue to grow year after year, as opposed to annuals which must be re-planted each season.

UNM grad student advocates for youth literacy

  Inusah Mohammed, a University of New Mexico graduate student in the communication and journalism department, pursues an activist lifestyle that emphasizes the need for youth literacy. “I am involved with students and I'm involved with young ones. I always want young ones to go up, to come up, to rise up to the full potentialities of themselves,” Mohammed said. Mohammed studied marketing in his undergraduate degree, to which he said communication was central. He said this was especially helpful in his hometown Nima in Ghana to highlight various issues or topics.

UNM teach-in, benefit concert to be held in solidarity with Ukraine

  A teach-in and benefit concert to stand in solidarity with Ukraine will be held at the University of New Mexico’s Rodey Theater on Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m. This event, which is a personal choice of entry for free or by donation, will feature musicians as well as activists, and all proceeds raised will go toward Ukrainian refugee relief efforts. Vitaliy Osmolovsky, an activist and grassroots organizer, will be joining from Poland via Zoom for the event. All funds raised will go to his organizing efforts, for which he has a supply list that addresses many different needs, some of which are for physical and mental health aid.

Incoming GPSA president to focus on inclusivity, sustainability

  With nearly half the votes secured to his name, University of New Mexico student Shaikh Ahmad won the 2022-23 Graduate and Professional Student Association presidential election for which voting ended on April 1. The results are still awaiting certification from the Elections Committee. Ahmad, a dual-degree student pursuing a Master of Science in information systems and assurance and a Master of Public Administration, is in his third year with GPSA. He plans to prioritize inclusivity of minority groups, holistic sustainability and communication in his term. A whopping seven candidates were vying for the role, although Paul Tice was found to be ineligible when voting started. 

REVIEW: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ is a hit in every universe

  While Marvel might be the predominant figure in the Hollywood sphere in terms of multiversal moviemaking, the concept doesn’t belong solely to them. Enter A24 and “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the latest effort from directing duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, credited and more commonly referred to as Daniels, that’s just as large-scale and multidimensional as it is small-scale and heartfelt. I must admit that the trailers for the film made me skeptical. The googly eye jokes, people having hot dogs for fingers and a whole slew of other millennial-askew jokes made me more than doubtful of Daniels’ ability to follow up their charming and unique feature film debut “Swiss Army Man.”

REVIEW: ‘Our Flag Means Death’ charts new course for positive representation

  This review contains spoilers After scrounging up crumbs for positive representation, David Jenkins’ new series “Our Flag Means Death” on HBO Max shows what a queer rom-com set on the high seas during the golden age of piracy would look like. The 10-episode series dropped the first three 30-minute episodes on March 3, but it wasn’t until after the finale aired on March 24 that I even heard about the show due to HBO’s obscene lack of marketing. After being bombarded with people on my social media singing the sea shanty praises of the show, I queued it up and couldn’t help but consume it all within a day. 

Individuals with disabilities struggle at UNM amid ineffective ADA accessibility measures

  Over 30 years have passed since the Americans with Disabilities Act was first signed into law in the U.S. by former President George Bush. While the Act was a step forward for addressing accessibility issues, students and staff with disabilities at the University of New Mexico still face mobility issues due to ADA standards for historically significant buildings as well as construction and maintenance. Any building that was built before March 14, 2012 is not required to comply with the 2010 ADA revised codes, titled the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, and are only required to bring the building up to code if they are planning a major renovation, according to Disability Rights New Mexico coordinator Bernadine Chavez. 

UNM men’s tennis dominates Boise State 4-0

  The University of New Mexico men’s tennis team beat the Boise State University Broncos 4-0 Sunday, April 10 in Albuquerque. The Lobos have a losing record of 8-10 on the season but are 2-1 so far in conference play.  Boise State is having a strong season with a 13-8 overall record and 2-2 record in conference play. Bronco Simon Arca Costas started the day on a five-game win streak with a 17-8 singles record, but Lobo Rafael Abdulsalam was able to break the streak in their singles match.  In the doubles matches, Lobos Alex Maggs and Jan Pucalka went against Broncos James Van Herzeele and Jan Lucca Marquardt. 

Lobos track and field teams go off to the races at spring invite

  The University of New Mexico track and field teams competed in the New Mexico Spring Invitational meet on Thursday, April 7 at the UNM Ssoccer Ccomplex. This was the first outdoor track and field meet that UNM has hosted this season. The spring invite is used by Lobo track and field athletes as a way to find where they need to improve to try to get on the team that travels for the season. A good number of the women’s team was away at the Jo Meaker Classic in Canyon, Texas.