Beto O’Rourke during an April campaign visit to Grinnell. 450 people attended. Photo by Sarina Lincoln.

By Andy Pavey

paveyand@grinnell.edu

Turns out, he was not “just born to be in it.” On Nov. 1 2019, former Texas congressman and Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke announced that he was suspending his campaign for president of the United States. He was 47 years old.

The O’Rourke campaign was born on March 14, 2019, fresh off the heels of an impressive race for Senate that challenged, yet somehow lost to a man (Ted Cruz) who once said that “if standing for liberty and standing for the Constitution make you a wacko bird, then you can count me a very proud wacko bird.” Nevertheless, the momentum from that Senate race, including a historic $80 million fundraising haul and months of nationwide news coverage, must have convinced Beto that he could claim the highest office in the land.

Beto for America started strong, with a very chic Vanity Fair cover story that features a photo of the candidate himself on a dirt road, flanked by a pickup truck and a black dog. Very rustic. This will definitely play well with voters … wait, never mind—in its first couple of lines is a quote from his son, who said he’d “cry all day” if Beto were to run for President. His family—and how terribly Beto treats his wife—was on display throughout the presidential campaign. During his first couple of Iowa campaign events, Beto joked repeatedly that his wife is raising their children “sometimes with my help.” He later apologized.

Beto for America will be remembered. Its candidate was best known for standing on countertops during rallies, wearing themed baseball caps, believing that the answer to poor nutrition is an ethical farm-to-table restaurant in every single community in America, livestreaming from his car and during visits to the dentist, skateboarding, writing meandering blog posts about his feelings and saying the word “fuck.”

After an initial burst of energy, Beto for America fell in polls and fundraising counts. So, like every moderate Democrat who pretends to care about the wellbeing of Black voters and voters of Color to get votes and abandons them after the election, Beto played the race card, arguing for  reparations for slavery and justice for victims of police brutality. Then, when people got bored of that, he gave it up and played the gun card, arguing for confiscations of assault rifles without a concrete plan for how to confiscate assault rifles from people who don’t want their assault rifles confiscated from them (did I mention they have assault rifles?) Needless to say, with this policy change Beto flushed any ounce of bipartisan support he once had down the toilet, and Beto for America succumbed, at long last, to irrelevance.

The O’Rourke campaign is survived by its grandfathers, Biden for President and Bernie for President; its grandmother, Warren 2020; its mean aunt, Amy for America; its cool aunt, Marianne 2020; its landlord, Julián Castro for President; its billionaire friends Tom 2020 and Yang 2020; its attorney, Kamala Harris for the People; its pharmacist, Cory 2020; its washed-up friends from college, Bullock 2020, Wayne for America, Tulsi 2020, Joe Sestak for President, Bennet for America, and Delaney for President 2020; and its younger brother, Pete 2020. The O’Rourke campaign was one of many children of Obama for America and Hillary for America.

A memorial service will be held at Whataburger #330 in El Paso, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that punk music CDs be sent to their home in El Paso, where Beto is no doubt jamming in his basement, neglecting his children, and dreaming of the days when he was still a star.

The post “Man, I’m just born to be in it:” An obituary for the 2020 Beto O’Rourke presidential campaign appeared first on The Scarlet and Black.

Local artists have pre-made ceramic bowl to be sold at the Stew’s Empty Bowls fundraiser on Friday, Nov. 22. All proceeds will benefit MICA. Photo by Hannah Agpoon.

By Hannah Agpoon
agpoonha@grinnell.edu

As the holiday season swiftly approaches, the glistening streets of downtown Grinnell have set up lights and trees at every corner. On Friday Nov. 22, the Jingle Bell Holiday festivities mark the commencement of this joyous time of year.

The Empty Bowls fundraiser being held at the Stew next Friday is just one of the many events going on that night, but it is bound to be one of the coziest. Visitors will pay for a homemade bowl of their choice and a cup of soup to eat along with it. The ceramic bowls are all different shapes and sizes and will have been made prior to the event by local artists. 

With similar events happening all over the United States, the Empty Bowls raises money for Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA) food pantries. In Grinnell, the event has been held for the past three years, and hopefully will continue on into the unforeseeable future. Cecilia Knight and Jane Mertens, the two primary organizers for the event, are excited by the event’s continued success. 

Mertens was inspired to start hosting an Empty Bowls event in Grinnell after seeing her college put on a similar one with their own ceramics studio. “When I came back here, I was like, ‘This would be really cool, I feel like Grinnell needs this,’ and then it grew over time as we got more members in the studio, and it has just been fantastic.”

“[The event] started out when our ceramics program was pretty small, and it was really just Cecilia and I,” said Mertens. “We made about $2000-$3000 each year. We made 150 bowls that year, and now we will be making about 300-350 [bowls] this year,” said Knight.  

“We have 25 people in the studio, and everyone has been participating in some way,” said Knight. “They either make bowls or glaze them, or they make soup or bread.”

“We don’t require it from open studio members, but all of them have been interested in being involved in this event. It’s really fun, and everybody wants to make something, right?” said Mertens.

The warm sense of community within the studio is perfectly exemplified as artists prepare for this fundraiser. While they have a wide range of experience with ceramics, everyone seems excited to choose rich colors to glaze their bowls with or to add little intricate details to their bowls in order to make them shine. The artists take care in each piece, wanting to provide quality items to the customers who visit. 

“There’s a lot of different styles [of bowls],” said Knight. “Some are thrown, some are handmade. They can be regifted or kept for yourself. There is really something for everybody.”

The same can be said for the delicious meal that is paired with the purchase of a bowl. The twelve different varieties of homemade soup, along with the homemade bread that comes along with it, offer vegan and gluten-free options so that all attendees of the event can enjoy a delicious meal. Compostable bowls and cutlery are provided in case visitors do not want to dirty their beautiful new bowl upon purchase.

The Empty Bowls fundraising event will be held on Friday, Nov. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Stew. Bowls are $20 each (soup included), and all funds go directly to MICA. 

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By Katherine Moody
moodykat@grinnell.edu

I’ve been writing this column for a while, and I’ve used it to express my opinion on a variety of issues from free speech and vaccine exemptions to true crime entertainment and new Instagram policies. This week, I’d like to take some time to address a problem I feel very strongly about—winter. Winter is terrible. I hate it.

Honestly, I wish that could be the column. While I normally feel like I need to defend my opinions, I’m fine letting this one stand on its own. However, I’m told this column must be at least 700 words. So I guess I’ll have to go about making my case that winter is, in fact, the worst season and that anyone who disagrees with me is insane.

Temperatures dropped dramatically in Iowa at beginning of the week, marking the beginning of a nation-wide “arctic blast.” Saturday was a beautiful autumn day, but by Monday morning there were several inches of snow on the ground and a wind chill that prompted winter weather advisories around Iowa. Though some people might celebrate the first real snow of the year with snowballs and hot chocolate, everyone should know that cold weather is dangerous and can adversely affect your health in numerous ways.

To start with, millions of American struggle with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during the winter. And while I find its acronym delightfully on the nose, SAD can be a very serious illness; symptoms can include typical depressive symptoms like irritability, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and loss of interest in things once pleasurable. It’s estimated that four to six percent of the population experiences SAD and that another 10-20 percent may experience a milder form of SAD. Treatment for SAD includes vitamin D supplementation, light therapy, psychotropic medication and counseling.

Cold weather can also cause and exacerbate an assortment of physical health issues. Cold viruses replicate more efficiently in colder weather, and the cold dries out the inside of your nose making you more susceptible to cold, flu and noroviruses. If you’re unfamiliar with a norovirus, it’s typically a stomach bug. While cases are not usually fatal, they are extremely unpleasant. In a much appreciated bit of melodrama, Iowa Chiropractic Clinic’s website declares that “[the virus is] not fatal, but if you catch it you may wish you were dead.”

Cold weather also increases the risk of heart attack and stroke in those at risk. In the cold, your heart pumps faster and your blood vessels constrict, which can minimize blood flow to the heart and cause chest pain.

If depression, the flu and heart attacks don’t concern you, maybe knowing that the cold can cause a variety of skin conditions will give you pause. Frostbite is always a concern, but conditions like chilblains, cold urticaria and eczema can also affect those exposed to cold weather. Chilblains is a painful, blistering rash caused by exposure to cold weather, and cold urticaria can cause life threatening anaphylaxis. Eczema, a common skin condition affecting over 30 million people, is often worsened by cold weather conditions. Breaks in skin caused by any of these conditions, or even just dry or chapped skin, can result in a life-threatening infection.

Clearly, winter is terrible for everyone’s health, and I have conclusively proven that winter is the absolute worst – that is, unless you are pro-depression, pro-flu or pro-heart attack.
Seriously, though – cold weather conditions can be dangerous, and it’s a good idea to take some precautions. If you think you are experiencing SAD symptoms, schedule an appointment with the Student Health and Wellness Center. It also might be worth it to invest in a light therapy lamp and some vitamin D supplements.

Older people and people with heart conditions should talk to their doctors about what they need to do to stay safe in cold weather. This may include avoiding strenuous activity like shoveling snow.
Minimize your chances of getting sick this season by getting the flu shot and washing your hands often. If you do get sick, please have mercy on those around you and cough and sneeze into the crook of your arm.

Even if you’re perfectly healthy, try to take care of yourself and minimize the time your skin is exposed to freezing temperatures. And finally, remember that while drinking alcohol might make you feel warmer, it does not actually make you warmer or protect you from the cold. If tem

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By the Celestial Maiden & the Celestial Minion

SCORPIO The sun may set early on your birthday but that only means the night is longer. Don’t waste your time in the light – this is the time for working under shadow.

SAGITTARIUS The first frost means your time is coming, but not quite here. Reflect on why you reflect such an absence of warmth. Remember fires within are not always externalized.

CAPRICORN Stop building that snowman. If he comes to life, he may not have such a jolly happy soul.
Aquarius Don’t stick your tongue where it doesn’t belong– like frozen poles. You’ll may have to cut it off.
Pisces When the water around them freezes, fish hibernate. Stay in your slumber. If you see any hooks, remember what being caught entails.

ARIES Marshmallows melt into hot cocoa as you melt into the person you’ve always wanted to be. The present tastes sweet.

TAURUS As you walk, place your boots in the footprints already laid ahead of you. Sometimes it’s better to follow others’ lead.

GEMINI Steal the D-Hall trays and slide down the big hill. Spinning out of control never felt so fun.

CANCER Resist the urge to hide in your bed. The warmest spot is in the giant pit under the HSSC. Find your own way.

LEO You will see lights above the white fields and think you should follow them. Do not. They will not lead you home.

VIRGO Before you whip out the ice skates, check the depth of the ice. This freeze may not go as deep as you would like.

LIBRA Make a snow angel. Remember that you are not one.

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Abraham Teuber: “OK Boomer:” Biden’s attempts to connect with Grinnell students miss the mark

Joe Biden’s visit to campus earlier this week propelled the Scarlet & Black staff into the thick of our 2020 election coverage. Candidates have been visiting town relatively consistently since last spring, but Grinnell’s role in the election seems to be increasing as that much-anticipated February caucus date grows nearer. Biden came to campus accompanied by CNN, making the event a little more exciting.

While CNN restricted other media and press from covering the event, I managed to be lucky enough to secure a ticket and covered Joe’s town hall using a platform near and dear to my heart: Twitter. While it doesn’t make much sense to summarize the ol’ VP’s answers in-depth due to the fact that the event was televised, here are some of my observations of our former Vice President when the cameras stopped rolling.

Fiji Water is either CNN or Joe Biden’s water of choice (not sure who’s responsible for those decisions). Before Joe even came on stage, a hard-working member of CNN’s crew carefully poured a bottle of everyone’s favorite overpriced bottled water into a signature Grinnell laurel-leaf branded glass. Apparently cutting down on single-use plastics isn’t a part of Joe’s climate plan!

Once Biden took the stage, it didn’t take long to realize he’s not the most eloquent. Critics have taken note of this in the past, but his relatively frequent verbal slip-ups and accidental word salads were much more noticeable while I listened to the ex-VP speak in person. One of my favorite moments of the event was when he seemed to accidentally utter everyone’s favorite four-letter expletive, but quickly corrected himself by saying “butchered” instead. (I’m not talking about “love” or “h-e-double hockey sticks” here).

From my place in the audience, mostly seated around other students, reactions to Biden’s answers seemed underwhelmed at best. At one point, I heard someone around me mutter “Okay, Boomer” in response to one of his answers. At a commercial break, a few students behind me expressed their disappointment at Biden’s answer to a woman who described her experiences navigating the healthcare system after her girlfriend experienced a severe head injury. Biden misunderstood or ignored the “girl-” prefix, referring to the woman’s significant other simply as “friend.”

Once CNN stopped broadcasting, Biden stuck around to talk to audience members who still had questions. While it was nice of him to follow up, he came across to me as rather condescending. Hints of a superiority complex jumped out when addressing students’ concerns on his climate plan, free college for all and mass incarceration. Biden also seems to be in the habit of making physical contact with those who ask him questions, such as placing both hands on their shoulders while making intense eye contact.

While Biden was clearly not wholly well-received by the audience at the CNN Town Hall, he clearly cared about addressing the students, staff and community members who showed up as individuals rather than just an audience. Towards the end of his chaotic talkback, he was surrounded by several visibly annoyed members of his staff pleading for him to stop obliging requests for handshakes and photos and leave the stage. He seemed more and more unfazed with each “Sir” they uttered.

Regardless, I suspect it will take more than a slew of haphazard selfies for this once-beloved boomer to secure the nomination.

Andy Pavey: “Donald Trump is a fraud and a failure!” Tom Steyer, a billionaire repentant

No skilled camerawork or tricks of the light could obscure the fact that Roberts Theatre, the site of Monday’s CNN Town Hall, was low on energy and interest from Iowans.

Many seats were left empty despite repeated attempts from both the College and CNN to generate interest on campus. And between commercial breaks, I heard Steyer’s answers being dissected – and not in a flattering way – by skeptical audience members around me.

The narrative that has defined Steyer’s campaign also loomed over the CNN Town Hall.

Why is Tom Steyer in the running at all? And can a billionaire feasibly represent or understand the plights of everyday Americans?

This was Tom Steyer’s night to challenge those critiques – and he certainly tried. When the cameras weren’t rolling, he schmoozed with Iowa Democratic Party Chair Toby Price, approached audience members who’d asked him questions earlier in the night, and attempted to rile up the audience after each commercial break with a smile on his face. Outfitted in a bright red tie and a folksy rainbow belt, he was trying his best to bring himself down to earth.

Despite these efforts, Steyer’s personal wealth was always in the periphery, if not tackled head-on during the event. Often, he brought it up himself, citing numerous personal projects and grassroots movements he’d created and mobilized using his wealth, like NextGen and the Need to Impeach initiative. He talked about how he and his wife had pledged to donate half of their fortune to charity during their lifetimes.

Tom Steyer tried to convince us that he has repented since his days as a hedge fund manager. Indeed, he’s used his wealth more responsibly than most other billionaires on the planet today. But he hasn’t done much to convince voters that his run for President is anything more than an ego trip by a man who believes he can buy his way into power. He hasn’t convinced us that he’s different from the rest.
Perhaps the most telling moment of the night came after the Town Hall’s conclusion.

As Steyer waved the audience goodbye, a man stood up in his chair and shouted, “Donald Trump is a fraud and a failure!” He wasn’t heckling, like many of my fellow audience members thought he was at first.

He was instead, of course, quoting the Steyer advertisement that every television and YouTube viewer knows. (Steyer has spent millions to dominate the airwaves in Iowa, first during his Need to Impeach initiative and now, during his Presidential campaign.) Everyone laughed in recognition, and Steyer threw his fist in the air, a wry smile on his face as he stepped down from the stage and waded into a crowd of audience members to answer questions.

Maybe it’s the small things – not the Presidency, nor a Democratic primary, nor even a noteworthy CNN Town Hall – that $50 million can buy. Maybe a little fame is all Steyer will get, and maybe that’s all he really deserves.

FOR MORE: Read News Editor Seth Taylor’s recap of the event here, or learn what happened after the cameras stopped rolling. And check out Abraham’s live coverage of the event on Twitter here.

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After the town hall Biden stayed to answer students questions. Their interactions were not always friendly. Photo by Andrew Tucker.

By Andy Pavey
paveyand@grinnell.edu

Climate activists at Grinnell College disrupted the former Vice President during a segment on climate change policy during Monday’s CNN Town Hall. But the interruption was not entirely a surprise; CNN received an anonymous tip about the protest minutes before President Raynard Kington addressed the audience on behalf of the College.

In a phone call with The S&B, Kington said, “I had been informed as I was waiting behind the curtain. I was told they had been called and that there would be a disruption of some sort.” Kington maintained that “nothing was done differently” as a result of the call, saying that “It wasn’t our responsibility in any case—it was CNN’s responsibility.”

Midway through the town hall, chants of “2050 is too late, climate chaos is our fate” rang out from the audience after a question on climate from Amelia Zoernig `21.

The interruption lasted only a few seconds. CNN anchor Erin Burnett told the protesters, “We appreciate your passion, but please respect the Vice President and our town hall.” Biden watched as the activists were escorted away.

The chants were spread on several Facebook groups, including Grinnell Thumbs Down and Grinnell Current Students, just hours before the event.

Climate change dominated the event even after the cameras stopped rolling, overshadowing CNN’s focus on foreign policy and veterans’ issues. While shaking hands, taking selfies, and answering informal questions from the audience after the event, Biden was challenged directly by Keir Hichens `22, who billed the former Vice President’s plan as a “compromise.”

“It’s not compromise! It’s science,” Biden said, pointing at Hichens. “It’s science. Find me the scientist who tells you [that] you can get to zero net carbon by 2030 without taking the entire structure of the economy down completely. Find me that. Tell me one single person you know who can tell you [that] you can have aircraft flying that in fact, is carbon neutral. Tell me how to do that!”

Hichens replied, “Mr. Vice President, if we go along with your plan, and we don’t address it by 2030, it doesn’t matter how much it affects the economy because there will be no economy.” He was met with cheers from onlookers.

Mr. Biden is known for a climate policy that sets a 2050 target for net-zero carbon emissions, a more flexible target than the Green New Deal supported by his rivals in the Democratic Presidential Primary, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

Proponents of the plan say incremental change may be more achievable than the measures championed by candidates to Biden’s left, but many, like the Grinnell activists, view climate change as an issue that can’t afford to wait.

Grinnell students’ actions at the Town Hall reflect a greater uptick in climate activism on campus. The Sunrise Movement has a chapter at the College, and earlier this week the activist collective Extinction Rebellion began organizing on campus as well.

Other signs of criticism dotted the campus: An outdoor chalkboard near the Humanities and Social Sciences Center was decorated to read “Bye-den can’t save us” just before the broadcast went live on CNN to viewers around the country and the world.

Instead of within the “free speech zone,” the debates happened inside the Town Hall, face-to-face with the former Vice President himself.

Hichens said that unlike the disruption caused by the protesters, his dialogue with Biden was not premeditated. “Around halfway through the Town Hall I realized that CNN had picked questions for him that were incredibly easy—that played to his three strengths, which are veteran’s affairs, foreign affairs and his family.”

“I had sardonically said to my friend, ‘If they don’t let somebody ask about climate I’m going to yell,’ because I was just getting more and more upset. … When he made it clear that he would be staying around to answer some people’s questions, I made a beeline for the stage.”

What is it like to stare down Joe Biden? According to Hichens, “It was pretty intimidating. … I started [by saying] ‘With all due respect.’ When you start off a sentence that way it usually goes downhill,” he said.

“I think I was a little bit surprised with the way he addressed it. I know he’s pretty evasive on the topic, and he’s such a great speaker under pressure. Those are things that I knew, but I didn’t expect him to deny the science, which is what he did. … He knows that there is science there. And there are much smarter people than me and him telling him about that science,” Hichens said.

Declan O’Reilly `21, who is leaning towards supporting Biden, said he supports the protesters’ decision to interrupt the event. “It’s their right. I think they probably wanted to get a little bit better of an audience than in the free speech zone outside of the [Town] Hall,” O’Reilly said, laughing. “So I can’t blame them for that, right? And they were very respectful. I believe they just walked out when they were told to leave, so I don’t hold anything against them.”

Hichens, however, disagrees with the approach of the protesters. “Obviously I stand by what they were saying. … That was what I ended up having a confrontation with Joe Biden about. I don’t exactly agree with the method, because it’s a really easy thing to pass off as ‘angry people.’ … I don’t know exactly who that’s for,” he said. “What is that doing besides raising the issue? And there are lots of other ways to raise the issue.”

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SGA Vice President for Academic Affairs Saketan Anand is one of Harm Reduction Committee’s new co-leaders this semester. Photo by Emma Mills.

By David Gales
galesdav@grinnell.edu

Less than a month out from the departure of former leader Jen Jacobsen ’95, Grinnell’s Harm Reduction Committee is adjusting to a change in its leadership and format.

Grinnell College’s Harm Reduction Committee is a group of students, staff and faculty that are dedicated to making recommendations for policies that ensure Grinnell is an environment that takes an actively harm reductive stance on issues of student safety.

Jacobsen, who had led the committee in her role as assistant dean of students and director of wellness and prevention, moved to a new position at Macalester College in mid-October. 

Now, Student Government Association (SGA) Vice President for Student Affairs Saketan Anand ’21 and Post-Bac for Sexual Respect and Harm Reduction Leah Johnson ’19 head up the committee as co-chairs. 

Jacobsen worked out a detailed plan for the semester with Johnson and Anand, but Anand is already looking to make changes. Anand is looking at his new role through the lens of previous experience as a College committee member. 

“What I struggle with is transparency in some of the committees,” he said, “the chair of the committee just goes away with that information and oftentimes you’re not really sure what happened with that discussion … it was always Jen taking the notes … I really couldn’t do much with the recommendations of the committee.”

With Johnson as his co-chair, though, the dynamic has shifted. 

“With Leah and I, it’s been fairly transparent. We’ve both been working as partners,” Anand said. Johnson has also found the dynamic to work well: “I can get really stuck in the cerebral ‘what do people think’ and he’s like ‘and what’s the action step of this?’” she said.

The duo’s action-focused ideology has already seen results. The committee piloted a 10-minute passing time at the end of Halloween Harris earlier this semester. 

“We are affording people the chance to stop, take a breath, find their friends, check in with people who are dancing with someone or considering going home with someone,” Johnson said. “I think given the opportunity to make those choices, most people will. Most people don’t want to panic and leave and figure it out on the very cold walk home.”

SGA All Campus Events Chair and Harm Reduction Committee member Amelia Zoernig ’21 was pleased with the rapid implementation of the committee’s recommendation. 

“I’m really a fan of when committee conversations translate to action, so I’m really happy about this passing period that was recommended and then instituted very quickly,” she said. “I would like to see more of that, more of these discussions that we have in the committee being translated into actual recommendations to the people who can get something done about them.”

One of the advantages that the committee has is the access they have to so many of the groups on campus that are involved in harm reduction. 

“One of the really valuable things about Harm Reduction Committee is that there are so, so many students on it,” Johnson said. “We have people from Residence Life, we have peer educators, we have ACESS [All Campus Events Student Safety], we have people from SGA, we have random students who show up … it’s a large group of students with a lot of different things they do on campus and really different investments in what harm reduction looks like.” 

Students aren’t the only people that sit on the committee, though. A similarly diverse blend of faculty and staff attend meetings as representatives or concerned community members, each with their own ideas and perspectives.

“I think it’s important and a little bit unusual for Grinnell to have student input into so many things, that there are students on so many committees,” said Professor Andrea Tracy ’99, psychology, who has sat on the committee for nearly a decade. 

“It’s really important on these committees that we have students that have a variety of perspectives, a variety of experiences.”

Johnson and Anand’s work is just beginning: Johnson has plans to tackle the complex issue of vaping on campus in a non-judgemental, action-oriented manner, and Anand wants to re-examine Grinnellian culture around substance-free residences and events.

Harm Reduction Committee meets every other Thursday, 12 to 1 p.m. in HSSC N1112. The committee is open to the public, and the next meeting will be on Nov. 28.

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Dance Ensemble’s production this semester explores the story of Lilith, the historical figure missing from most narratives of Adam and Eve. Photo by Shabana Gupta.

By Hyeyun Jung
junghyey@grinnell.edu

Dance Ensemble will debut their fall performance “Hey Lilith” next weekend, a choreographed interpretation of the story of Lilith. The dancers and director Celeste Miller have worked together to work on this production’s choreographed storytelling, stemming from the ancient story about Lilith, Adam and Eve. This piece reveals the unknown story before Adam and Eve and brings in modern questions of women’s rights.

“It is based on a very ancient historical figure, Lilith, who through some recounts was Adam’s first wife,” said Miller.

“There are some stories saying that before Eve, there was another female whose name was Lilith, and they question whether Lilith was actually formed or made first and then came Adam, or Adam and then Lilith … They did not get along because Adam insisted on being the boss, and she said ‘You are not the boss, we are equal.’”

The dancers actively engage in how they would describe the story of Lilith and their own inner Lilith through their movements. They decided to incorporate the home appliances and objects from their daily lives.

“At the beginning of the process, we create our movement inspired by the prompt. Celeste has directed the movements. In the first week, she would give us the prompt, and from there, she took pieces that she was inspired by and created this,” said Lizzy Hinman ’20.

The dancers show different dance movements to describe the themes of the history of patriarchy and gender roles and interact with the audience to deliver them inside the story of Lilith.

“I am very intrigued about that story that places a defiant female who says no to that kind of dominance, and why her story is forgotten, hidden not told,” Miller said.

The dancers are passionate about the piece. In the performance, dancers incorporate both freedom and unity in their moves. They would play the same movements, but each dancer has own characteristics and uniqueness.

“I adore it, I have never done a Dance Ensemble [production]. I think with “Hey Lilith,” there are so many important themes that I love exploring. Being alone and being a powerful woman … I really like it because it makes me think about strong powerful women in my life, and how they’ve inspired me,” Hinman said.

This year, recent Grinnell College graduate Naomi Worob ’19 has been working as an assistant director of the production.

“Always with dance ensemble, the pieces would feel like huge research projects, investigation, and exploration to me. And so, this semester with “Hey Lilith,” we’ve really been diving deep into [the] story of Lilith, but also pulling that into ourselves and questioning where does … Lilith exist within our own lives, and how do we see those challenge those and move forward?” said Worob.

“When I was a student, I was in Dance Ensemble and then I was choreographing and making theater pieces and performance on my own, but the projects I was doing were never the scale of Dance Ensemble and did not have as many people or as many moving parts. It was always me doing setting, designing and choreographing. And so, here, it’s been an experience for me to zoom out on what I was doing as a student and see how the same work would be done professionally,” Worob said.

Worob says her experience as a Grinnell College student has added more complexity and beauty to this piece. Through this production of “Hey Lilith”, Miller hopes to not only question the patriarchy and women’s rights, but also emphasize the importance of movements over the words.

“The movement is as important as the words. And sometimes I think the culture we live in, for me specifically in the United States academic culture, the word dominates kind of over the movement. The work I create is that the movement is as important as the word, and sometimes the movement challenges the word,” Miller said.

The performance will take place in Flanagan Theatre, on Thursday Nov. 21, Friday Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets will be available for free at the Bucksbaum box office beginning Monday, Nov. 18.

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By the Celestial Maiden and the Celestial Minion

SCORPIO Allow the road to carry you home, even if there is no football on the TV. You are thankful your time has almost ended.

SAGITTARIUS Go to an acquaintance’s dinner and get gifted wool socks. You are thankful for your charm.

CAPRICORN Meals can only last so long and there’s always dishes to be done. You are thankful for feeling useful.

AQUARIUS The mashed potatoes hold long lost secrets. Look for the shapes the butter makes. You are thankful for mystery.

PISCES Go back to your roots and examine the patterns in the carpet – they hold the secret to the universe. You are thankful for the return.

ARIES Guests may be coming over soon, but do not stress about vacuuming the carpets – your mess will be on full display no matter what you do. You are thankful for love.

TAURUS Get in a fight with a family member, maybe an uncle. Feel righteous. You are thankful for your truths.

GEMINI Take a long walk with someone Thursday night. Walk until you can feel pumpkin pie in your toes. You are thankful for movement.

CANCER You may know what is coming but you do not know what is now. Or you do not understand. You are thankful for loneliness.

LEO Remember where you were a year ago. Can you still hear the drums, or have they faded into the pounding in your head? You are thankful for the cycles.

VIRGO Do not wear the ugly sweater; be the ugly sweater. You are thankful for your warmth.

LIBRA The turkey caught on fire and your mom spilled wine on her blouse. It’s a shitshow. You carry on eating bread. You are thankful for your level head.

The post The Scarlet & Black Horoscope: Thanksgiving advice for the signs appeared first on The Scarlet and Black.

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By David Gales
galesdav@grinnell.edu

Columnist David Gales. Contributed.

Over the past two weeks, a national debate on student journalism’s role in college communities has been snowballing over a Northwestern photographer’s decision to take down a photo of a student protestor getting arrested at a Jeff Sessions speech. For those who haven’t been following the story, I’ll give a quick recap below and then talk a bit about why I think the debate at large is problematic.

Here’s a rough timeline of events: student protests occurred outside of Jeff Sessions’ event at Northwestern University. Some of these students were detained, and a photographer working for The Daily Northwestern (the university’s student-run paper) took photos of the protests and posted them online. One of the protestors called him out for it on Twitter, saying that the photo was “trauma porn” and that it was unnecessary to shove a camera into the fray.

The student photographer apologized, took down the photo, and that weekend the editor-in-chief of The Daily Northwestern published an official apology for the coverage (signed by several other editors) and stated that it was invasive and that the paper failed in its duty to ensure that students felt safe.

The letter, in turn, sparked a national debate in which professional journalists heavily criticized the response’s choice to favor the requests of the protestors over the neutral, unbiased stance that should be associated with the Fourth Estate. Even the Dean of Northwestern’s school of journalism, media and marketing issued an official statement defending the paper for covering the event.

There’s a lot of nuance I’m not doing justice to here, including aspects of the debate that revolve around race, power dynamics within the college hierarchy, and comparisons to other publications. I encourage you to do more research if the story interests you: it’s a long and fascinating road down the past few weeks.

So here’s the thing: I don’t think the photograph should have been taken down. The protest was public. It made a public statement in a public space. It’s part of a journalist’s job to take photos in public spaces and to reach out for interviews. If the event that’s happening is violent or traumatic or otherwise severe, I would argue it’s all the more important to document in an unbiased manner.

I want to point out that it is the responsibility of the press to expose people to emotionally brutal content as neutrally and with as little bias as possible. In order to do that, they have to be careful of censorship. Because that’s essentially what we’re talking about: someone had a photo taken of them for a publication and they thought that the coverage was unethical and therefore should be deleted. But that’s not how reporting works. If newspapers avoided sensitive material, the public would have a terrifyingly distorted view of some of the most significant atrocities that are happening right now. If papers couldn’t accurately and neutrally cover police brutality, for example, it would be far harder to keep cops in check (which is already proving to be difficult).

I’m not sold, though, on the idea that newspapers should operate without empathy. You can hold a neutral stance and still be empathetic, so why do so many journalists see them as mutually exclusive?

Should the photograph of the protestor have been taken down? Absolutely not. It’s the duty of the press to publish it. But were the editors of The Daily Northwestern wrong in that they considered the safety of the students of the university? I don’t think so. Journalism can be a cold, cold practice, but it doesn’t have to be. There are safer ways to deal with sensitive subject matter than to just throw it up on Twitter without warning.

I’m not saying that every article published should be vetted by the people it discusses; that’s a gross violation of journalistic ethics. But maybe articles that deal with disturbing subject matter should at the very least have content warnings. Maybe the editors or the journalist should reach out to the subject and forewarn them. As long as they don’t alter the content itself, I don’t think that would be too much of an overstep on the part of the publication, and it might do a lot of good.

The Scarlet & Black hasn’t had a whole lot of opportunities to cover material like what I’ve been talking about yet this year, but it’s not really out of the question. Controversy happens at Grinnell, and students are pretty vocal about it. I just hope that if and when the time comes for our school’s paper to cover something that has the potential to hurt someone, they work to approach it with empathy as best they can. But at the end of the day, the most important thing is maintaining an ethical, unbiased journalistic stance. The minute content is altered, the conversation changes.

I don’t want to have to write another version of this piece that’s about our own paper. I think we can be better than that.

The McCormick Journalism Center at Northwestern University. Contributed.

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By Andy Pavey
paveyand@grinnell.edu

This week, after an extremely-ominous postering campaign around campus, student entrepreneurs launched “Bump Grinnell” (stylized BUMP) – an app with lofty ambitions, to say the least. Even the all-caps name makes it sound like the developers are shouting at you every time you see it: “HEY, YOU! BUMP!”

Just take a look at Bump Grinnell’s description on the App Store: “A new age is upon us, Grinnell … BUMP is simply a platform … through which a new age of communication and engagement at Grinnell College can be made possible … BUMP is a movement, not an app.” Well, which is it?! Is it a platform, or an app, or a movement? You can tell the developers have watched many a Barack Obama speech or a Steve Jobs keynote in their time. Unfortunately, I bet they don’t even own a single black turtleneck. A shame.

Aspirations of grandeur can be great if they’re warranted. But it’s hard to get it right. I wanted to see whether or not the Bump team is heading in the right direction. Naturally, any social media – oops, sorry, “social medium,” according to the developers – is dependent on the userbase. That’s why, in terms of how effective Bump is at generating community and friendship and rainbows, it’s too soon to tell.

Sign-up is simple: Simply enter your .edu email address, a photo, a username (a la Twitter) and a tasteful description letting others know a little about yourself. Then, you’re in.

But I didn’t want to be myself. I’ve never wanted to be myself. I wanted to think different.

A big “plus” for Bump out of the gate: You can be anyone. Despite the fact that you’re required to enter your Grinnell username at sign-up, there are somehow no measures in place to ensure you are actually that person – no sign-up confirmation sent to your email, no carrier pigeon sent to your doorstep – nothing. I could enter the e-mail address of a random Grinnell student – or administrator, for that matter – and impersonate them without repercussions.

In other words, I’m happy to announce that Grinnell President Raynard S. Kington has joined the chat.

I was pleasantly surprised by Bump’s visual design: It’s very, uh, clean.

That’s pretty much it. Devoid of all character and personality, the app is a blank canvas comprised of a rambling grid of squares that list out each group, a blue-and-white color scheme and no support for Apple’s Dark Mode setting.

But it’s early: this is what I must keep reminding myself about Bump. Things change. People change (like how I changed into President Kington).

What’s more important than it looks, perhaps, is how it feels. And the app does run relatively well. One upside of the bland design is that it feels a lot like a standard Apple app. Animation is smooth, and there’s little to no lag.

Obviously, the social experience is at the core of Bump. On the home page (that wonderful procession of identical white squares I mentioned earlier) you’ll find a list of curated groups. You can’t start your own, much to my dismay (I planned to start a group called “Rager at Nollen House.” It’s probably good they didn’t allow that).

Bump is comprised mainly of disappearing live chatrooms. When a message is sent in Bump Grinnell, it stays around for two minutes, and then vanishes forever. It would seem that this would make it difficult to plan events or get-togethers, like Bump is intended to do … and that’s probably correct. Even in groups like “Chat Union,” which aren’t specifically designed to get people together in real life, it’s hard to fathom how one could have a well-constructed, respectful conversation when other users’ messages disappear in a heartbeat.

When you can’t see anything beyond the last two minutes, it’s hard to feel like you’re in the loop, and at present, conversations quickly devolve into exchanges of emoji and nothing more. Then people get bored, and you’re left all alone wondering what the hell just happened, fervently tapping the “call me” emoji positioned at the bottom left of the screen and thinking about how you need to get off Bump and make some real friends.

Scenes from Bump Grinnell’s launch day.

I think the app doesn’t know what it wants to be. I knew this was a problem the second I saw the developers calling Bump “a movement” instead of an app. (That’s Silicon Valley lingo for “please download our app, it’s different from Facebook, I swear”) But Bump borrows a lot – from Facebook, chiefly, but also from very different platforms like YikYak. It wants to be spontaneous and orderly, “a movement” and a social media platform, interpersonal and anonymous. I’m not so convinced that’s possible, or feasible, or even smart.

Bump has solid foundations, and it’s a testament to the ingenuity of Grinnell students. But I think that in order to make it an integral part of the Grinnell experience, the developers need to take a stand on what it is, and what it is not. Will Bump destroy Facebook? Will it finally make email lists defunct? This I am confident about: No.

During dinner at Food House last night, we talked about email lists. They’re a necessary evil: a problem Bump, in part, was designed to solve. Someone thinking of starting a poetry group said they wanted to go old-school: set up a phone number and make people call it to get meeting information instead of getting emails every week.

We all laughed, but I think they were on the right track. I think the answer to our communication woes is not a disjointed, disconnected platform with a short attention span, like Bump, or the myriad of email lists you sign up for during Organization Fairs and regret for four years, or Facebook groups that do nothing but make you angry. The answer is a system where we are intentional, not impulsive, in pursuing our interests – a system that rewards commitment and promotes genuine connection and hard work.

Just three hours after I installed Bump, I was logged out.  I couldn’t get back in. I’d been banned. They probably figured out I wasn’t President Kington. I wondered how. I was being so sneaky. I’d done nothing more than talk about my love of dance. Maybe I called one person an idiot. I stared at the screen. I deleted Bump Grinnell.

Shit, I thought. Now I really hope this app doesn’t become popular.

FOR MORE: Check out the S&B’s more respectful coverage of the Bump Grinnell team, written by Wini Austin.

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Tess Kerkhof ’21, holds one of the gourds that will be served at the local foods dinner on Sunday, Nov. 22. Contributed by Tess Kerkhof.

By Hannah Agpoon
agpoonha@grinnell.edu

In a small rural community like Grinnell, eating locally and organically is not only possible, but easily within reach. Over the past several years, students at the College have been making this a possibility for students by hosting an annual Local Foods Thanksgiving.

This year, planning committee members Virginia Haverstic ’21, Tess Kerkhof ’21 and Matt Lieberman ’21 are eagerly preparing for the event, with help from many willing volunteers who provide, prepare and cook various parts of the meal. Since 2014, Local Foods Thanksgiving has traditionally been run by the Grinnell cross country team, but others are always welcome to get involved.

“I volunteered [my] first year and thought it was a really cool event, so why not become a more active participant in it?” said Lieberman.

This beloved tradition is upheld with the guidance of past event coordinators and “the binder,” which gets passed down from year to year, packed full of information about farms that have been previously sourced from, meal recipes and more.

Kerkhof learned about the event from a friend and, after attending for two years in a row, wanted to help with coordination and outreach for the dinner.

“I am from Iowa and a farmer, and I just really care about the local agricultural food system because my parents are organic farmers as well,” she said.

Haverstic shares a similar viewpoint about the importance of supporting local agriculture.

“I grew up on a farm in rural Missouri, [where] my parents raised beef and grew turnips and watermelons, so the idea of sourcing food from local farmers and letting people in the Grinnell community know that it’s affordable and a great way to support the community is super important to me,” said Haverstic.

The group was able to connect with local farms and providers in various ways. Kerkhof worked at the Grinnell College Garden this past summer and developed personal relationships with many of the farmers who provided food for the event.

“There’s also this really cool service called Grinnell Farm to Table, [which is] an online marketplace where you can view what local farmers and crafters have for sale, and then once a month you place an order and pick it up. The prices really aren’t inflated at all for the digital marketplace, it’s just a way for people to understand what the options are and a way for the farmers to have some steady income,” said Kerkhof.

This year, turkeys cooked by Kamal Hammouda, the executive chef of Relish, will be served at the event, along with a smattering of side dishes, a vegan meat option, and gluten-free bread.

Aside from the delectable food, the comradery amongst farmers, volunteers, the planning committee and people who attend the meal is one of the most important aspects of the evening.

“My first year, it was a very positive group of people working together, so it’s just a lot of fun, and it’s very satisfying to have the meal,” said Lieberman.

Haverstic notes that the event has “a very warm environment,” with soft acoustic sets performed by Grinnell College musicians and warm light radiating throughout the grandiose Main Quad.

Kerkhof said, “I want as many people as possible to know where their food comes from and care where their food comes from, just because I think that’s one of the easiest ways to minimize your carbon impact is knowing how much energy it takes to grow and get the food to you.”

With the strong efforts of many local farmers, coordinators and volunteers, the Local Foods Thanksgiving is bound to fill the bellies of many with delicious, locally sourced food. The food is not only healthy and tasty, but it also supports farmers from the surrounding Grinnell community and is an environmentally friendly way to consume fresh produce.

The Local Foods Thanksgiving will take place in Main Quad on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. Spots are full and must have been reserved ahead of time, but walk-ins are permitted with vacancy, starting at 6:15 p.m. United Church of Christ and Brown’s Shoe Fit has a band performing from 5:45 to 7 p.m.

The post Local foods event unites Grinnell area this Thanksgiving appeared first on The Scarlet and Black.

Photo by Garrett Wang.

By Nick Parker
parkerni@grinnell.edu

Student Government Association is searching for a new concerts chair to fill the vacancy created by Victoria Park’s ’21 decision to play bass with Squirrel Flower on tour next semester. Park was slated to take over from current Concerts Chair Phinn Lloyd ’21, who under the new split-positions policy is handling the concert chair’s duties for first semester while Park is abroad in France. Lloyd will also be going abroad next semester to Rome.

When SGA executives meet in the coming weeks to review applicants and select a new concerts chair, they will pick a person they think is most able to handle the diverse workload.
Due to the complex nature of the work, Lloyd believes that the next chair will most likely come from the Concerts Committee, as they would already be familiar with the nature and requirements of the work.
Despite the tough decision of choosing between an SGA cabinet position and going on tour with Grinnell alum Ella Williams ‘18, Park says she felt supported by her peers.

“I understand that it was a really big responsibility to be on the SGA cabinet and book concerts. I was nervous to voice that [going on tour] was something that I really wanted to do. But I started talking with everyone … and everyone was really, really supportive,” said Park in a phone interview with The S&B.
Park’s decision to take a semester away from Grinnell comes only a few months after SGA voted to amend their constitution to allow split-position appointments to the cabinet. In an effort to better represent the voices of third-year students who often miss at least one semester of the school year in Grinnell while studying abroad, certain positions were opened for two people to hold them. The concerts chair is one such position.

At the time this proved to be a relatively contentious policy change, with some students fearing that such a high turnover could affect the ability of SGA to efficiently do its job. Although she hasn’t attended a senate meeting this semester, Park believes the controversy has died down.

“I haven’t heard anything being too controversial. I guess we’ll see with the transition between this semester’s cabinet and next semester’s cabinet, but I think it’s working out really well.”
The actual work of the concerts chair can be expansive and often unpredictable.
“I have about seven meetings a week I go to … and it can go up from there,” said Lloyd. This is in addition to eight to 10 hour shifts on show days.

Whoever holds the position must organize all aspects of concerts, from deciding which bands perform at Grinnell to coordinating their stay. The chair is responsible for the technical side of performances as well, which includes sound and lighting.

“I handled all the booking, which includes doing artists fee negotiations … you’re in conversation with different levels of management,” said Lloyd. “I create a lot of the publicity and art we put out … I handle [the artist’s] hotel reservations and food, as well as how they’re going to get here. [I also] plan how the day of the show is going to look.”

“Victoria and I have been creating a long-term game plan for how we’re going to train whoever comes in,” said Lloyd. Additionally, most of the shows for next semester are already booked, eliminating one of the biggest responsibilities for whoever takes the position.

Grinnell has a long tradition of finding new and emerging artist before they become famous. In past years Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Lizzo have all visited campus before becoming internationally renowned acts.

The post SGA seeks new concerts chair to fill spring vacancy appeared first on The Scarlet and Black.

The Young, Gifted and Black Gospel Choir rehearses under the direction of Barry Jones. Photo by Shabana Gupta.

By Eyerusalem Desta
destaeye@grinnell.edu

Young, Gifted and Black Gospel Choir (YGB) is a one-credit course directed by Barry Jones that meets every Wednesday from seven to eight p.m. The group was formally started in 1973 by founding members Milton Rolland and Gwendolyn Moore. Since then, it has grown and fluctuated in size, with over 30 members currently enrolled.

Over the years, YGB has evolved to welcome anybody who would like to join, regardless of race or level of identification with Christianity.

“Everyone can participate even though it’s called Young, Gifted and Black. Of course, we have to celebrate the people who started YGB and the reason they started YGB for, but now we welcome everyone to share this black space with us,” said Diana Kay Chege ’22.

“Young, Gifted and Black was created in a time when students were questioning their belonging on campus’ that were predominantly white because it had been only a few years since colleges were desegregated and so it was made to affirm the students and it still does that today.” said Kedamawit Habte ’21.

Now, it has become a space for people “to enjoy singing uplifting positive songs,” said Habte.
“In the middle of a busy week it’s nice to sit back and reflect because even in rehearsal, I feel like that’s still worship. I just really enjoy having the opportunity to be a part of a group. I look forward to it every week,” said biology professor Dr. Charvann Bailey, the only faculty member to sing with the group.

“Wednesdays would be right in the middle of the week so there would be a lot of times where I would be like ‘Oh, another week’ and I would just be so stressed and I would be mentally done. I would go at seven regardless and think, ‘You know, there is life after this.’ You get so into the Grinnell bubble that taking that break and reminding myself that … I am still loved by God and I am still a part of this larger Christian or YGB community, has been really helpful for me,” said Habte.

They expressed that YGB reminds them of experiences with the churches that they grew up in and the gospel that they listened to. “I feel more at home whenever I go on Wednesdays and also its filled with people who share things I share, culture even, maybe from afar, but still share that, so I feel like they really understand what I feel. When we sing together it’s like a piece of home.” said Chege.

“I’ve been singing in gospel choirs most of my life although I have not sung in a choir in quite a while … my first semester here they had a concert during the multicultural alumni weekend and that was amazing. It was a very emotional experience for me because it brought back all these memories of singing in a choir and I really enjoyed having that camaraderie with the people in the choir with that type of community,” said Bailey.

YGB performs at Black Church service in Herrick Chapel the second Sunday of every month.
“Come to black church, too, it’s very open. Even if you are not Christian, you could always come and listen to music.” said Chege.

Every semester, YGB has a concert in Sebring-Lewis Hall that they develop a repertoire for throughout the semester.

“It’s going to be fun,” said Chege, “We have very good soloists. I like the music because it’s very lively. Everyone is singing at the same time together that you can feel the energy of the room go up. Even if you’ve never heard it or connect with the values you’re just like, wow, the unity there is amazing.”

Habte encourages people to come out and show support regardless of religion or lack thereof.
“I feel like we really sound good so I feel like people should come and listen … I think more people should attend [because] it’s a good time and to support your fellow students on campus who are sharing their talents.” said Habte.

Young, Gifted and Black Gospel Choir’s fall concert will be held in Sebring-Lewis Hall this Saturday, Nov. 23, at 4 p.m. No tickets required.

The post Young, Gifted and Black Gospel Choir continues gospel tradition at Grinnell appeared first on The Scarlet and Black.

French House Coordinator Noa Goldman ’22 prepares for a cheese-tasting event. Photo by Ingrid Meulemans.

By Ingrid Meulemans
meuleman@grinnell.edu

Just north of campus on the intersection of 8th Avenue and Park Street sits a charming old home. A traditional 19th century Victorian, the house stands tall and stately next to the ski chalet serving as an admissions information center that the College built next door. 

French House, or La Maison Française, is the home of nine French-speaking Grinnellians: Ruijie (Jerry) Xia ’21, Kosuke Yo ’20, Elizabeth Wong ’22, Leo Barr ’22, Seif Emam ’22, Claire Davis ’22, Nancy Mu ’22 and house coordinator Noa Goldman ’22.

Although living in a language house is always an adventure, French House served up some extra excitement this past Wednesday night. In a proper French fashion, house coordinator Noa Goldman worked together with language assistant Claire Alexandre to plan a “Soirée de Dégustation de Fromages,” or a cheese tasting party, for all to enjoy.

“It’s hard to speak French after a long day of school,” said Goldman. “So I think a really great way that we’ve tried to keep up our French is by having events and inviting people from campus. The turnout was so good [tonight] … Everyone can come, not just the people who live in the house. And we have money! So why not buy some cheese?”

After getting special permission from Goldman to speak in English, I was able to interrupt some of the residents between bites of cheese and ask them a couple of questions about the house.

Although they were eager to keep snacking and vote on their favorite fromage, the housemates all took the time to voice their appreciation for the architectural beauty of the house.

Wong took me on a mini tour and showed me the French windows in their room that span the length of almost two walls. 

“This is so much bigger than my Norris dorm,” said Wong, “And it has actual sunlight!” Davis added that she also loves to wake up to the natural light. However, Wong said that the windows do get a bit cold in the wintertime, as evidenced the stack of blankets and sleeping bags on her bed. 

“This is a drafty old house, but it’s so charming,” said Wong. “I think it’s so beautiful. I really just appreciate how much the school did for us.”

Surprisingly, the enormous, detailed windows were not the most popular feature of the house, though. Instead, all the residents gushed about the kitchen. This was especially true for Emam, who Wong described as the “Gordon Ramsay of the group.”

“I came here primarily to get off the meal plan,” he said. “I don’t like D-hall or the food on campus that much. I like tracking my food, so I did that. The kitchen here is really nice too, and I do a lot of meal prep.”

And while Emam didn’t reveal any of his recipes to The S&B, he did walk me through a typical week of meal prepping.

“I usually cook on the weekends, and I cook like two kinds of meat or rice. … Then I freeze them, so I have enough for the week. It makes it faster. That’s the main thing … people think it will take longer to cook all your food at once, but if you know what you are doing, it will be faster.”

Being able to save time is a real game changer for Emam, who said he sometimes spent upwards of three hours in Dhall last year. 

As he told The S&B, “I just sit at a table and it’s hard to stand up again.” We’ve all been there, Seif. Oh, and his favorite cheese? “Le Roquefort.”

As the night went on, guests continued to arrive, leave their backpacks and shoes in the foyer, and vote on their favorite cheese. It was a close call, but according to Goldman, Gruyere pulled through with the win. In her opinion, the night was a success. Also, as a fan of the Gruyere, its win was the Eiffel on top of the Tower for Goldman.

“Me and the language assistant, Claire Alexandre, were chopping up cheese before this event, and I was like, ‘This feels real, Claire!’ and of course we were talking in French, but I was like, ‘It feels like we’re hosting a party together! We’re just adults hosting a dinner party with soft lighting and French music.”

The hostess’s recommendation? “A slice of gruyere, a warm baguette, and a grape on top. It’s the perfect combination.” Also, to stop by and see La Maison Française for yourself.

The post Cribz: Food, friends, and fancy architecture at French House appeared first on The Scarlet and Black.

Editor’s Note: This memo, written by Board Chair David Maxwell `66, was sent to current students, faculty and staff on December 2, 2019, shortly before a UGSDW demonstration calling for immediate expansion. We’re publishing it in the S&B so that community members and alumni have a chance to read.

Dear Grinnellians,

In October, the Board of Trustees invited students, faculty, staff, and alumni to share thoughts they wanted the President and Trustees to consider as they continue their deliberations on possible expansion of the Union of Grinnell Student Dining Workers. The Trustees also met with the Faculty Executive Council and the Staff Council and held a listening session with UGSDW representatives, as well as an open listening session for all students. In addition, the Trustees also sought input from the alumni community through the submission of online comments

We engaged in this process to gather input from the relevant stakeholders to ensure that we are considering all possible options and their impact on the student experience. We also saw this as an opportunity to hear directly from students about their concerns and to use that information as a basis for the President and Trustees to more fully consider the Trustees’ role in helping to address and solve problems that may be hindering students from achieving the Grinnell education they want and deserve.

We are grateful to all who took the time to share their thoughts with us and for engaging with thoughtfulness and respect for each other. In the interest of maintaining our commitment to transparency, when the President and Trustees are finished processing the information gathered we will provide an overview of what we heard. We understand and appreciate your eagerness to learn of a decision by the President and Trustees on partial expansion of the union. Ultimately, we want to ensure that we arrive at a decision and take actions that are in the best interests of Grinnell’s current and future students.

The Trustees also are mindful of other College problem-solving initiatives focused on access and equity that are taking place concurrent to the Trustees’ work, and that are examining some of the same issues that we are considering. For instance, the Task Force on Student Financial Support and Success is working to assess whether the College’s financial aid packages are providing enrolled students with equitable access to all aspects of a Grinnell education. Although separate, that work has important implications for helping to address some of the concerns we heard raised and want to solve.

A number of Trustees have been meeting regularly since our last formal meeting in October to move forward with our process of reviewing the information gathered. We have scheduled a special meeting of the full Board of Trustees in December to consider this and other important agenda items carried over from our fall meeting. Special meetings of the Board of Trustees may be called at any time, and this meeting will be held off campus at a convenient location to ease managing winter travel logistics.

Although the Trustees will move forward with our deliberations, a final decision related to potential union expansion is not expected before the end of the calendar year. Given the complexity of the issues, we do not believe it would be prudent to rush our decision. Consideration of possible union expansion at Grinnell deserves thoughtful and informed deliberation. We expect to provide another update on our deliberations after the winter break.

David Maxwell ’66
Chair, Grinnell College Board of Trustees

The post Read: “Board of Trustees Union Expansion Deliberations” appeared first on The Scarlet and Black.

File photo by Kosuke Yo

By David Gales
galesdav@grinnell.edu

This is the third draft of this Opinion piece that I’ve typed out, and I think I’ve finally reached a decent conclusion here, folks.

Columnist David Gales. Photo contributed

When I sat down to write this, I wanted to write about how irritated the Christmas season makes me. I wanted to write about how I can’t escape Christmas music no matter where I go on campus, that it taunts me in the JRC and whispers to me over my shoulder in my residence hall and even shows up in my Spotify recommendations when I put in earbuds to drown it all out. I wanted to write about how the town of Grinnell has a holiday calendar packed with Christmas events, and that I feel like there’s not a lot of good representation for Jewish folks like me at Grinnell.

It makes sense to feel this way, I think. There are no Hanukkah events being promoted around campus as far as I can tell, and the town of Grinnell itself certainly doesn’t do much in the way of Jewish activities and observance. And even if it did, December has always been invaded by unwanted Christmas music and decorations everywhere for me. I was a proper Grinch as a kid. I grew up learning to dread December because everyone seemed to be celebrating a holiday I had never observed, enjoyed or really understood.

If I’m being honest, I still don’t understand it. I don’t really know why people love Christmas so much. Maybe for some it’s religiously powerful. Maybe folks have a familial or historical connection to the holiday. Or maybe they just love the spirit of the holidays. I’m not sure I’ll ever really get it myself, on a personal level. But I don’t have to.

Because here’s the thing, my friends. Even if you don’t celebrate any of the holidays that people equate with December, you’re still living the holiday season whether you like it or not. The decorations are everywhere, and I have to say that I couldn’t help but smile when I saw the string lights in D-Hall today. They look good! They just look good.

And as far as Grinnell’s December all-campus events go, most of them are pretty non-denominational as far as I can tell. Arctic Lights and Winter Waltz are more winter-themed than anything else. And sure, some residence halls have Christmas door-decorating contests, but they’re voluntary, and even though I’m not the biggest fan of Christmas ornaments, I’ve been pretty impressed by some of the doors I’ve seen around campus.

I’m not going to get into the materialistic aspects of the holidays or how businesses capitalize on it, because I think that’s a separate discussion that’s more involved with economics and politics than it is with the social and personal parts of the season. All I’m saying is that you don’t have to celebrate Christmas to enjoy the holiday season. You don’t even have to like Christmas, really.

Because even if you don’t (and to be clear, I don’t), you’re going to be around people that do. And that atmosphere counts for something. I’ve met more people at Grinnell that love Christmas songs and movies than I’ve met any other one place. And I still don’t enjoy Christmas music, but I do like seeing how much it makes some folks smile. I don’t think I could ever begrudge someone of something that makes them happy that easily. It’s just music to me, but to some people it’s so much more.

I asked a close friend from back home what he thought of the holiday season, and he told me he liked it because it’s a good excuse to be happy for no real reason. In essence, that’s all I’m trying to convey here: the holiday season makes some people really, really happy, and you don’t need any ulterior motive to feel that emotion. While I don’t celebrate Christmas and still don’t understand it fully, I think I’m starting to. The holiday season lets people be in a good mood and be good to other people for the sake of doing so.

When framed that way, it’s hard for me to see a reason not to like December.

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