Talon+ - Page 5 - Community College of Denver

December 23, 2022December 21, 2022

On Sacred Ground Auraria’s Big Dig Starts with a Healing Ceremony

Some people believe excavating a piece of land is the same as grave robbing. Others see it as sacrilegious to disturb sacred ground. When properly done with the blessing of the community excavating can be a good thing, educating people of a forgotten history.

On Friday, September 2, 2022, students, and professors from the Anthropology and Archaeology departments of CCD, MSU of Denver and CU-Denver began a two-month archaeological dig of two carefully selected spots in the 9^th Street Historic Park on the Auraria campus with a healing ceremony.

Every Friday for the next two months students would dig, sift through soil, measure, and document every artifact they would find. Their mission is to learn about Auraria’s history and possibly uncover artifacts they could place in a museum.

After years of discussion between the Auraria Historical Advisory Council, History Colorado and the University of Colorado, the conversations began to move towards how to educate others of the complicated history of this land.

A member of the Indigenous community that carried out the healing ceremony opening the archaeological dig project, was Michael Redman from the Northern Arapahoe Tribe. He shared that it was an honor to travel from Wyoming to pray and bless the land before they started digging. Redman reminded the large crowd gathered for the well-attended ceremony that this land was revered and used ages ago by his ancestors.

He reflected on the tantalizing possibility of finding any artifacts and how to properly handle them, “These objects are considered an inanimate object. They're alive, so they must be treated and cared for as a living, like a living person. You can't be disrespecting. That must be respected and must be honored. It must be taken cared, in handling them when they're found. Proper protocols must be taken care of and when they're discovered, and proper care must be put to them in place for them.”

Redman supported the idea of a Auraria campus museum where artifacts could be displayed, versus given back to the tribe, he explained, “Because a lot of our artifacts don't get put in a proper place while they do but they go to the museum in Chicago, or in DC and then who sees them? Nobody. Nobody sees them. If they if they could have them in a place and then agree with the tribes of this origin of this ground here. Arapaho and Cheyenne. Come together and whatever tribes that lived here, come together. And honor that.”

Students on this commuter campus may not be aware that before Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC) was built, stood Auraria. This one-time mining settlement in the 1860s evolved into Denver’s oldest neighborhood eventually replaced by the Auraria campus during the 1960s and 1970s urban renewal movement.

During the effort to replace a thriving neighborhood with a campus, over 300 families were displaced, each given a promise that their descendants would receive a free education on the future campus. Although the construction was completed in 1976, the scholarship was not honored until 1988.

Sheila Perez Kendall, a displaced resident of Auraria, grew up in the Ninth District. She shared her memories of growing up and pointed out the different areas where businesses once stood.

This ground is still very sacred to Sheila and she feels strongly about the dig and establishing a museum. When asked about how she felt about the effort, she blinked away tears, put her hands over her heart, and replied, “Very touching to me. Acknowledged…it touches my heart.” Sheila is part of the Auraria Historical Advisory Council and strives to educate as many as she can about this story of gentrification.

One of the professors leading the excavation is Dr. Gene Wheaton from CCD’s Anthropology Department. He shared how the articles would explain to others how the people lived and tell their story. Students are just unaware they are walking through what was once Denver’s oldest neighborhood. He hopes they find artifacts to fill a museum to educate people on an important part of Denver history.

When asked why he was so adamant about getting the site excavated, he looked around the site and at students walking by. With a look of determination, he replied, “Because most of them don’t know.”

Respected community leader and educator, Virginia Castro, was also present during the healing ceremony. She supports the dig, placing artifacts in a museum and believes the excavation is just like digging up data. When asked what she hopes will happen from the excavation project she was optimistic. “I think good things are already happening. The students are enjoying themselves and they're learning a lot. I think this is just one more thing that brings the displaced peoples back to life, so to speak. You know, the fact that that they're coming to the campus and getting involved with us and talking about how we can memorialize the people that were forced out of there.”

Castro believes the museum should be an important portion of that education. When asked where the museum might be, she excitedly shared, “We're at the point right now, just waiting, to see which space we're going to get.”

She hopes the museum will be large enough to have a welcome center to assist descendants of displaced Aurarians to get connected with the scholarships. Virginia also believes the research and artifacts found come become a type of curriculum that would be available to incoming students. “New students that come on the campus, they will be able to access history of what happened on campus or in that space and everybody will eventually know the history of the campus and the people that lived there.”

December 23, 2022December 21, 2022

“Conspiracy Circus” on Colfax
A Delightful Mix of Burlesque and Sideshow Circus Acts

Nestled between the Conspiracy Theory Tattoos and Rocky Mountain Punk stores, the Learned Lemur on Colfax is an eccentric oddities shop featuring macabre art pieces and even a taxidermized giraffe named Geoffrey.

Once a month, the Learned Lemur and Geoffery host the “Conspiracy Circus” show. October 2022 marked their one-year anniversary.

One of my favorite parts of these shows is the variety of acts performed, not only from the constantly shifting cast, but also the acts themselves. No two shows are alike. There is just a delightful mixture of burlesque and sideshow acts.

Burlesque is a form of seductive performance art involving dancing, skits, and comedy. While the sideshow acts are often associated with a wide range of circus-like performances from jugglers, contortionists, fire eaters, clowns, hoopers, and strong men and women.

At the “Conspiracy Circus”, this mixture of seduction and circus is balanced on a core cast of must-see performers and acts. They include: “Three Feral Cats in a G-string", “Woman of One Thousand Acts”, “Alabaster”, Circus Strongman – “Babyface Reid”, resident stage kitten and burlesque performer - “Cassy Cyanide”, and the one and only ringmaster of the show, “Gio the Ordinary”.

The show itself takes place in an intimate setting across from Bruz Off Fax, a brewery featuring a variety of Belgian-style beers. Since the show building is not connected to the brewery, the “Conspiracy Circus” is an 18+ age limit event, as compared to the usual 21+ age limit required by most clubs and bars that host these types of events. As a result of the lower age limit, you get to experience the fun of the circus as an adult!

Audience involvement is also a significant feature of the intimate setting of the “Conspiracy Circus”. Performers frequently venture out into the crowd to playfully tease or invite volunteers on stage for certain acts.

Consent is mandatory for all parties involved, and if you’re shy like me and would rather remain in your seat, it is a relief to know that you will not be pressured into anything.

The cast of the “Conspiracy Circus” is made up of a diverse group of creatives. Many of the performers are also members of the LGBTQ+, queer, and disabled communities. They are committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for all.

If you are interested in attending a show, tickets are available on the Learned Lemur’s website. After ten sold out shows, tickets tend to go fast. Fortunately, the show occurs monthly, and tickets are usually available within the first week of the month.

To make sure you don’t miss when tickets are available, the Learned Lemur shop and the “Conspiracy Circus” show both have active Instagram pages. The cast of each months’ show, along with their social media handles, are also posted.

Check them out! Geoffery would be so grateful to you for supporting local artists and performers.

December 23, 2022December 21, 2022

MUNA Electrifies Their Number One Fan and the Boulder Theater

Saturday night, October 15^th, I headed to Boulder to see MUNA, an indie pop band based in Los Angeles, California. The Boulder Theater was full of excited fans ready to hear the band’s third studio album self-titled MUNA, released over this past summer. The trio delivered an electrifying performance with their most popular songs and fan favorites, including Number One Fan. Pictures to show: Katie Gavin lead vocals, Josette Maskin guitar, Naomi McPherson keyboard/guitar.

December 23, 2022December 20, 2022

Slick City Slides into Colorado

If you want to have some fun while avoiding cold weather this winter, then the world’s first indoor slide park, Slick City, is now open here in Colorado!

Slick City at the Colorado Mills Mall in Lakewood, CO, is a 40,000-square-foot action park with eleven special slides open to various ages. I had the pleasure of visiting this new attraction and started looking into the Instagram account before visiting so that I knew what to expect. However, nothing prepared me for what I experienced.

Walking through the doors I was taken away by all the fun, colorful slides and kids running around. I was greeted by an employee who took me to large iPads where I signed the waiver and got a wristband.

Sliders can choose between 90 minutes or 120 minutes of action-packed entertainment. As a new slider, I wisely picked the 90-minute package. The staff gave me special socks with grips on the bottom to prevent any slipping or injury during my hopefully fun-filled time sliding. They also showed me how to use black sliding pads that have handles. These pads are designed to help sliders gain speed on the slides which have a slippery bottom.

After I climbed around the giant playground of slides looking for a good slide, I went down my first one. I mistakenly chose the bright yellow “Launch” slide which drops straight down and flings you off onto a big soft blow-up cushion breaking your landing.

My stomach dropped and I gripped the handle, holding on for dear life, while gravity pulled me down and shot me off the ramp at the end. Before I knew it, I was airborne and smacked reassuringly against a huge pillow-like object.

Resting after my slide, I watched amused as sliders were even trying to do tricks off the end of the slide in the air, spinning 360s, doing flips, or making funny poses in mid-air. I wasn’t as brave as some of the people going down but watching was so much fun. It was still worth the thrill and made me eager to explore all eleven slides.

The array of slides for all ages included racing slides where up to four people can go at the same time and you can see who makes it to the bottom the fastest. Slides like the launch and big drop that shoot you off and up into the air. The scoop slide, which is like a half pipe takes you on an exciting path of travel.

Then, there’s the berm slide that will remind you of a luge track where you slide up onto the walls of the slide. It takes you on a journey filled with speed and curves with this winding slide.

I talked to several of the other sliders who were waiting in line and my little brother who joined me on my adventure. They all said their favorites were the launch slide, scoop slide, and “air courts” - basketball courts with bouncy flooring and padded rims.

Slick City has a rope swing, multiple air courts, and a soft play multi-level play area for children ages 0 to 7 which offers different soft obstacles and elements so children can play while also staying safe from dangerous surfaces.

The air courts are perfect for practicing your jump shot and dunking skills or even enjoy the designated area for tumbling/flipping, parkour tricks, and more! While this is the first location, they are preparing to open three more locations soon.

Plus, there are arcade games for families with kids who might not want to participate in the slides. There are even pizza, snacks, and drinks at the concessions area that are available for purchase.

It seemed like a great place for birthday parties or other events you may want to have there too. I saw three different birthday parties within the little time I was there and everyone appeared to be having a blast. All of this, along with the slides and activities make up this new action park!

During my time at Slick City climbing around the giant playground of slides, I was taken back to the nostalgic days of running around the playground at school…but the extreme version is way more exciting.

For me, 90 minutes was plenty of time because I was worn out after nearly just 30 minutes of sliding and bouncing around the air courts. With winter coming up I would highly suggest either taking your kids here or going yourself with some friends for a good time. With so much to do you’re bound to be entertained!

November 1, 2022November 1, 2022

3D Scan

November 1, 2022November 1, 2022

3D Scans

First

May 2, 2022May 2, 2022

Cash Not Cans: Feeling Secure About a Solution to Food Insecurity

There has been abundant research conducted about the paradoxical link between inadequate access to food (food insecurity) and the increased risk of obesity. Despite the ample time and resources spent researching the food insecurity obesity paradox, there is no clear and definite solution on how to create easier access to healthy foods in our low-income communities.

As the Program Manager of a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Food Pantry, I am proposing that we may better combat obesity amongst our disadvantaged populations by providing healthier food choices at local food pantries, whose clientele is predominately low-income households, the demographic most prone to obesity (Levine, par. 3).

This solution could be addressed by an increased call to action about the importance of making monetary donations rather than food donations to your local food pantry. An increase in monetary donations would allow food pantries to have access to purchasing fresh produce, meat, dairy, and whole grains rather than relying heavily on food donations, which are largely processed and nutrient-void; other benefits of cash donations include the ability to increase the capacity for purchasing fresh food in bulk, tailoring the offering to culturally responsive choices for clients, and the ability to hire and educate paid employees.

How does Emergency Food work?

In order to further discuss the importance of addressing obesity amongst food insecure populations by providing local food pantries with cash donations, one must first understand how the emergency food system works (Campbell, Ross & Webb, par. 4).

Most regional food banks participate in a national network, Feeding America, which “functions as a hub for procuring food through partnerships with national manufacturers and distributors, government commodity programs, retail partners, farmers and through purchases funded by grant money or individual donors” (Cooksey, par. 11).

Food is then sent on to food bank partners where it is later distributed to local food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers, shelters, and other emergency food programs. This system allows food banks to sell these “commodity goods” to food pantries and other non-profit organizations for a very small per pound maintenance fee (Chapnick, par. 11).

Despite common misconception, discounted government commodity goods often consist of foods that rate higher on the Healthy Eating Index than the average American diet and there are growing efforts to make these commodity items culturally responsive, meaning they are more likely to be utilized by clients from varying demographics (Chapnick, par. 5).

For example, commodity goods include fresh and canned produce, meat/poultry/fish, whole grains and dairy, all of which are available at a heavily discounted rate. Though this model was originally created to meet emergency situations, a growing number of Americans are relying on food pantries as a regular source of food (Cooksey, par. 13).

Idea of Cash Donations

In this proposal, we will be focusing on how cash donations to local food pantries make purchasing healthy food options from both government commodity programs and private retailers more accessible, thus increasing the likelihood that clients will make healthier food choices. In addition to discussing the benefits of purchasing goods, we will also weigh the benefits of how monetary donations increase the opportunities for food pantries to purchase healthy foods in bulk, how increased cash flow allows food pantries to tailor to their demographic’s cultural needs, and how hiring paid staff positively affects the food pantry’s ability to create a clear plan towards creating a more healthful culture.

Monetary Donations

Monetary donations to local food pantries not only allow the organization to purchase fresh energy-dense foods but because of programs in place to make healthy foods affordable for emergency food assistance agencies (food pantries, shelters, seniors centers, etc.), cash donations allow food pantries to purchase much morefood than the general public could purchase for the same price.

In some areas of the country, it is estimated that for every $10 worth of food purchased and donated to food pantries, the organization could have purchased $200 worth of goods (Cohen, par. 5). This means that for the cost of a few canned goods at your local grocery store, a food pantry could purchase more than 600lbs of dried pintos beans, which are not only a healthy energy-dense food but also a staple amongst Latinx communities, a marginalized demographic most likely to be affect by food insecurity in the U.S. (Feeding America, par. 5).

In a National Post article titled “Help the Poor: Stop Donating Cans” the author matter-of-factly states, “Even the most skilled shopper must appreciate that however many cans of tuna they can buy, a food bank would probably have been able to buy five times as many.”

Since this is a proposal of both frugality and health, we must recognize that canned tuna is an excellent lean source of protein and an ever-sought-after item at your local food pantry. Food pantries aren’t limited to stocking up on healthy pantry staples, like pinto beans and tuna, for much more discounted rate than the average shopper, they can also purchase fresh produce for pennies on the dollar.

It is common practice for produce warehouses and grocery stores to sell their produce to food pantries for around 20 cents per pound (Wiles, par.9). Katrina Rosqueta, the Executive Director at The Center for High Impact Philanthropy, confirms “[It’s] nutritious food that for whatever reason can’t be used at the store, at the restaurant or at the supplier, but can be nutritious food for a family in your community who doesn’t know where the next meal is going to come from.” (Wiles, par. 10). This ability to purchase healthy non-perishables and fresh produce in bulk, is only possible through the cash donations that food pantries receive from philanthropic community members.

Another benefit to an increase in monetary donations is the ability to meet each local food pantries’ cultural needs. As mentioned earlier, Latinx immigrants are suffering from the highest rate of food insecurity in the U.S., and this is coupled with the fact that immigrant families are also facing growing cases of chronic health conditions.

A 2017 study affirms, “Although immigrants often arrive in better health and with more healthful diets than native-born U.S. residents, their body mass index increases over time and, along with it, their risk for chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and hypertension” (Cordeiro, par. 7). Though many factors exist between the correlation of food insecurity and obesity in immigrants, there is research concluding that limited access to “healthful, culturally acceptable foods” is a contributing factor (Cordeira, par. 11). When food pantries have more cash in the bank, they can purchase goods that meet the dietary and cultural preferences of their clients. In yet another 2017 study on the factors affecting food pantry clients’ access to healthy foods, researchers concluded that “Client Preferences” were a large factor in why clients make choices against certain unfamiliar produce options (Chapnick, par. 15).

One participant in this study confirmed, “There’s a lot of resistance any time we get new produce, and the clients may not know what it is, [or how to prepare it]”. Of course, this is an opportunity to educate clients on how to prepare new foods, but education should occur while simultaneously offering produce items that are familiar to the food pantry’s predominant demographic. Cash donations allow food pantries the flexibility to offer their client’s culturally responsive food items while supplementing with produce donations from grocery stores and the community, rather than relying solely on these often American-diet focused food donations.

Lastly, we will discuss how monetary donations create the opportunity for food pantries to hire and educate paid staff. The author of an article titled “How Do Non-Profit Employees Get Paid?” states their point frankly, “The bottom line is that non-profit founders and employees are paid from the gross revenues of the organization” and non-profit organizations get their revenue from donations and grants (Morris, par. 11, 15).

Without monetary donations, non-profits organizations such as your local food pantry, cannot hire paid employees and thus rely on volunteers to operate the organization. The benefits of a non-profit organization having paid employees rather than being entirely volunteer-operated are abundant, but for the sake of this proposal we will focus on how the presence of paid staff can positively impact client nutrition.

In order to operate a food pantry that is focused on providing healthy options for their clients, there must be clear policies and procedures in place regarding the organization’s mission to improve the nutritional quality of their offerings. Policy and procedural changes are largely created and implemented by employees of an agency, rather than volunteer “staff”.

By having the ability to hire paid staff, an organization can define clear goals and implement plans for improving the quality of the food that is offered to clients. In addition to creating dedicated paid-staff opportunities, monetary donations could also be used to educate staff members about general nutrition.

A recent study concluded a factor affecting food pantries provision of healthy food is “pantry staff nutrition knowledge is often incorrect of incomplete.” (Chapnnick, par. 58). When food pantries can hire employees who are dedicated to a mission of health and are provided with the educational resources to implement policies and procedures to create actionable change, the agency is far more likely to see consistent improvements in their mission to improve the quality of the food that is offered.

It's Complicated

The prevalence of obesity amongst low-income households is a complicated issue to untangle. My proposal to encourage society to support their food pantries by making cash donations rather than food donations is undoubtedly not the ultimate solution to a very complex systemic issue, but I believe that advocacy for increased cash flow could help agencies empower their clients to make healthy choices.

Though monetary donations may not be the only way to solve the food insecurity obesity paradox, they are one way to aid food pantries in offering the most healthful environment as possible by making healthy options available and culturally relevant, while also giving food pantries the ability to hire and educate staff.

Bibliography

Chapnick, Melissa, et al. “Healthy Options in Food Pantries—a Qualitative Analysis of Factors Affecting the Provision of Healthy Food Items in St. Louis, Missouri.” Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, vol. 14, no. 1-2, 2017, pp. 262–280., https://doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2017.1284027.

Cohen, Neal and Katherina Rosqueta. “A Case for Cash, Instead of Cans.” CPR News, 22 Nov. 2011

“Compensation for Nonprofit Employees.” National Council of Nonprofits, 2 Sept. 2020, https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/compensation-nonprofit-employees.

Cooksey Stowers, Kristen, et al. “The Hunger-Obesity Paradox: Exploring Food Banking System Characteristics and Obesity Inequities among Food-Insecure Pantry Clients.” PLOS ONE, vol. 15, no. 10, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239778.

Cordeiro, L. S., et al. “Healthful, Cultural Foods and Safety Net Use among Cambodian and Brazilian Immigrant Communities in Massachusetts.” Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, vol. 20, no. 4, 2017, pp. 991–999., https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-017-0607-3.

Elizabeth Catherine Campbell, Michelle Ross & Karen L. Webb (2013) Improving the Nutritional Quality of Emergency Food: A Study of Food Bank Organizational Culture, Capacity and Practices, Journal or Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 8:3, 261-280

“Latino Communities Experience Hunger at a Much Higher Rate.” Feeding America, https:/www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/latino-hunger-facts

Levine, James A. “Poverty and Obesity in the U.S.” Diabetes, American Diabetes Association,1. Nov. 2011, https://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/60/11/2667.

Hopper, Tristin. “Help the Poor, Stop Donating Cans.” The National Post, 12 Dec. 2018.

Morris, Tracy, “How Do Non-Profit Business Owners Get Paid?” The Blue Heart Foundation, 31 Mar. 2020, https://theblueheartfoundation.org/how-non-profit-business-owners-get-paid/.

Wiles, Katherine. “The Most Effective Way to Give This Holiday Season.” Marketplace, 25 Nov. 2020, https://www.marketplace.org/2020/11/25/most-effective-way-to-donate-this-holiday-season/.

May 21, 2021June 17, 2021

Bring a Good Camera and Wear the Right Shoes: Lessons from a Protest

A tear-gas canister skidded across the worn concrete and stopped at my feet. “I did not wear the right shoes for this,” I thought. There was no time for me to react as the yellowish fumes cloaked the air around me. My eyes felt as though they were on fire, my mask trapping the fumes in my nose and mouth. I pulled my mask off, but the effects had already begun to take over.

I fell to my knees as tears fell from my eyes. A reaction to the tear gas? Or an emotional response to experiencing police brutality for the very first time? For days, violent clashes between Black Lives Matter protestors and the Denver police plagued downtown Denver in late May 2020, leaving the streets littered with battered traffic cones, abandoned masks, rubber bullets, and tear-gas canisters.

Growing up in the south, I was no stranger to the realities of the institutionalized racism and discrimination our minority communities face on a regular basis. My small town of McKinney Texas was good to me in a lot of ways – the summer rains that I still yearn for to this day, the abundance of sweet honeysuckle come spring, and the love and support I felt from the only community I had ever known. But as that small town country girl grew, so did my awareness of the lingering effects of slavery and centuries of oppression that were haunting the lives of people I grew up alongside. I moved to Colorado in 2018 in hopes of leaving behind racist ideologies that I naively believed were only found in pockets of the deep south.

On May 25^th, 2020, that belief was shattered when three officers took the life of George Floyd in broad daylight in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The killing of George Floyd sparked a historical moment in the fight for equality that gained widespread international support. It was evident that the struggles of racism and police brutality were not specific to the small Texas town I was raised in.

Worldwide protests against police brutality forced citizens and governments to confront histories of systematic racism. Cries for help to end the justifications of white supremacy were heard around the world and Denver residents responded. Just two days after the death of George Floyd, thousands of protestors flooded the streets of downtown Denver.

As the crowd wove in and out of my sleepy Capitol Hill neighborhood, hoisting signs made from old moving boxes reading “No Justice. No Peace” and “Black Lives Matter,” I grabbed my backpack, scurried down my steps and found myself right in the middle of what would soon be one of the largest protests in Colorado history.

After hours of marching through the streets of Denver, protesters began to settle near and around the city’s Capitol building. Mothers and fathers sat quietly with their children as demonstrators pleaded for change. Volunteers with water and hand sanitizer shifted through the crowd. Men fell to their knees in tears, begging for a safer life. The evening was coming to an emotional but peaceful end for all of us.

To our surprise, Denver police officers in riot gear, holding guns loaded with rubber bullets and tear-gas, began to approach the gathered protestors from behind. Without warning, officers began throwing metal canisters into the crowd. Echoes of rubber bullets and screams permeated the gas-filled air as demonstrators choked on the toxic fumes while scrambling to find their loved ones.

I felt like what I was witnessing deserved to be captured. Over the course of the final days of the protests, pockets that previously filled with eyewash, Band-Aids, and extra masks were stuffed to the brim with rolls of 35mm film. I have always been a lover of photography. Although I have no formal training and the viewfinder on my Nikon has never worked, the only thing I could do was cry as I shuffled through the developed photos I had taken. It took me back to the days of protesting when the images were shot, reminding me of how profoundly transformative it was for me, for everyone, to have bonded with this community in times of conflict and mourning.

I attended every protest for the next two weeks, observing the ebb and flow of emotions felt by fellow protestors. A movement fueled by unbelievable sadness and solidarity turned into an explosive expression of anger and hurt until finally settling into a celebration of culture and community. African dance circles began popping up all around Civic Center Park, volunteers were seen passing out essential items to the homeless population who were caught in the crossfire, and the air that was once consumed with toxic gas was soon replaced with rhythmic melodies and burning sage. I decided to divert from my new protest morning routine and shoved my 1973 Nikon film camera into my backpack before setting out for the Capitol yet again in the hope of making sense of what I was witnessing.

This little girl from Texas had finally begun to understand the importance of blending the love and support she felt in that sleepy southern town and the frustrations that grew from opening her eyes to the racial injustices of the world.

The marriage between compassion and action is essential to true change, especially for those of us who are navigating this movement as an ally. I hope these photos encourage activists to keep pushing forward on this long journey towards racial equality. I also hope that these images resonate with those who have misconceptions surrounding these protests and those who have chosen to participate. Defenders of equality look like our children, they look like our mothers, our fathers, our educators, our neighbors, our friends. They look like me. And they look like you.

December 30, 2020December 30, 2020

Twitch Side Hustles

Mischa livestreams to a social media site called “Twitch” and it is full of live streamers doing a wide range of activities. The site has different categories; like gaming, artwork, chatting, jewelry, music, vlogging, etc. Mischa streams Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 12 pm to 5 pm est.

Mischa primarily does game while talking to her viewers. She also discusses LGBTQ+ issues and interests frequently, as both she and most of her viewers are a part of that community. Mischa’s online screen name, Mischacrossing, is based on the classic Nintendo franchise. She fondly remembers her humble beginnings enjoying the game before beginning her streaming career.

“[M]y username on Twitch is [a] play on words of my favorite Nintendo franchise of all time and what has gotten me into streaming in the first place. [T]hanks to the good old days while I was on Tumblr and I was, and still am, obsessed with a game called Animal Crossing.”

Back between 2013 and 2015, Mischa would spend hours on Tumblr looking at things on Animal Crossing forums to get inspiration for the respective games with her friend Sarah. Sarah was also a streamer of the game before Mischa, which led to the latter's initial interest. Mischa then began live streaming herself on YouTube in 2016 when the feature launched on the site. From there, her community seemed to grow overnight. Many people were able to meet and bond over their mutual love of Animal Crossing thanks to Mischa’s work. However, as the years have gone by, she has delved into different games, expanding her horizons as a streamer, and expanding her community. Much has changed since 2016, but Mischa is much the same. Streaming does not feel like a chore to her still.

“[S]ince I have had this job, it is easy to get burned out and tired of playing games you’ve played over and over again online, but the thing that will never get boring is the amazing friendships and conversations I get to have with my friends on a weekly basis.”

Dyllon, who is also a live streamer on Twitch, speaks about his lifelong struggles with mental health. Dyllon live streams from Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 1 pm to 8 pm cst. He helps his followers feel less alone with their struggles and encourages people to get professional help with their issues because he is not a licensed professional. He highlights the more taxing aspects of such a personal profession:

“Streaming is very fun when you don’t think about the number of people who follow you but it’s always in the back of your mind nagging you to do your absolute best. It is kind of a double-edged sword. If you focus on your numbers and they are normally low, you will start to doubt yourself. If you notice your numbers are high, you will feel the need to overwork yourself and not focus on what you want to do. It’s a complicated cycle.”

In comparison to Mischa, his desired area of discussion can be more challenging, though he still does stream his favorite game. Dyllon is a part of an online community that has a group of people talking about mental health just like him. They are called “HeartSupport.”

“The reason my main focus is mental health is not only because I love helping people, I just want to share my experiences to people and let them know they’re not alone and it’s an integral part of my life that I am struggling with. It’s the only personal part of my life I like sharing because the rest of it is just downright depressing.”

He began to tell me how he got into streaming as well, he mentioned that he knows the same Sarah Mischa knows, Sarah was also the one who got him into streaming. He used to be in her evening streaming almost every night she streamed, but sadly he does not see her as much because of differing schedules. Back in the day, his username on twitch was different from what it is now; it was Gooperatives (pronounced *Go- Operatives) Everyone; me included called him Goop. But around the same time, I discovered his streams, he changed his username to fit his real name, DyllonKG.

“the reason I changed my name from Gooperatives to DyllonKG was because the name just didn’t suit me anymore and back then when I had that username, I was more abrasive, brash and very rude. But over the years I have learned to be patient with other people and myself. More importantly, I have learned to trust people more and let people in.”

Throughout all the years I have known Mischa and Dyllon, they have been extraordinary individuals. They have remained true to themselves and continued to cultivate their own communities and have done wonderful things online and offline. I have learned more about myself when I am with them. I am one of the people that Dyllon has helped when it comes to talking about mental health struggles, he has given me so much coping mechanisms and good one-on-one talks about how I am not alone and much more. Mischa and her community have helped me feel less alone as well! All the people in are just like me they are part of the LGBTQ+ community and I can relate to what they are going through. I love my chosen family.

December 30, 2020December 30, 2020

TikTok: It is more than just dancing videos

Wearing a sloth floating suit, she opened the camera application on her iPhone 8plus. Once she had all the proper settings on, she placed it on the dining table and pushed the record button. And without putting much effort into it, she started lip-syncing to an audio that had already been recorded by another TikToker.

Boglarka “Bogi” Virag, a thirty-year-old Hungarian woman and CCD student, discovered TikTok as a new social media platform to express her personality and creativity. While it only started as a way for her to connect with her little sister, TikTok became the “go-to” app for entertainment.

“I wanted to connect with my little sister at first, then I stopped doing it, and heard about it again from my roommate…. I got obsessed and literally, laughing my ass off watching the videos, and then I started making my own,” Bogi explained.

TikTok is a widely popular video-sharing app that used to be called Musical.ly. According to teen vogue, this app has surpassed Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat just a year after it was launched, with more than one billion downloads worldwide.

According to Oberlo.com, TikTok aims to “capture and present the world’s creativity, knowledge, and precious life moments, directly from the mobile phone.” Data on wallaroomedia.com shows that TikTok has over 1 billion users and that the app is opened by users 8 times per day on average. It is also mentioned that about 83% of TikTok users have posted at least one video, as of February 2020.

Today, Bogi has 3,912 followers and 13.4K likes on her videos. Despite the high number of followers and likes she has gathered; she does not plan on taking her TikTok experience to the professional level. She feels that becoming a professional “TikToker” would add too much pressure and take away some of the fun she has while making the videos.

Since she does not personally know many of her followers, she feels that she can be whoever she wants and enjoy acting and role-playing videos on TikTok. A big advantage of TikTok according to Bogi is an opportunity to network depending on your field of work. She made connections with different people from different places.

Another way of connecting with other people is by going live on TikTok. “As soon as you hit a thousand followers, you can start a live stream and communicate with them. I sometimes even asked for their Snapchat or Instagram tag,” Bogi explained. “There are ways to make money on TikTok,” Bogi mentioned.

Although she is still unclear on how that system works, she mentioned that many do it by adding their Venmo account in their account bio. Some companies that sell products or people who sell services have also started to promote their products through the app. They usually do so by putting up their advertisement videos or by having well-known actresses or actors help promote through their personal TikTok accounts.

When she first discovered TikTok, Bogi thought it was an app for young people only. However, she soon realized that there are users from various age ranges. In her opinion, TikTok is heading to be the biggest social media platform. Based on a survey done by Pew Research Center in July 2019, about 40% of TikTok users are between the ages of 10 and 19, 26.1% are between 20 and 29 years old, 10.2% are between 30 and 39, and 16.8% are between 40 and 49 years old.

A survey regarding TikTok use was also conducted at the Community College of Denver. A total of 15 were asked whether they have the app downloaded on their phones. Seven of them said that they have downloaded TikTok and four out of the seven students also said that they make videos on it. Eight students out of the 15, said that they do not have TikTok downloaded but they watch it through Instagram or the TikTok videos compilation on YouTube.

Generation Z was born with new media evolving and improving. They know a lot about new upgrades and what’s ‘popping.’ “People want to see live videos, Instagram stories, Snapchat, and TikTok. They don’t want to sit and read captions,” Bogi said. Walking towards the modern era, people are more into video forms.

Bogi believes that for anyone looking to make it big in the media industry, platforms like TikTok is a place to start establishing an online presence and build an army of followers, that will also follow you when it’s time for bigger platform such as YouTube or even national TV.

“I gained followers on my photography Instagram account because of TikTok. I linked my Instagram account on TikTok, and people started to see my artworks,” Bogi shared. For her, it is not about making money on TikTok, but it is about how you make connection, promote your profile, express yourself, and build an audience.