By Bianca Velasquez

Experiencing Kilby Court for the first time is like finding a priceless treasure at a Yard Sale. You don’t expect to find a place like this all age’s music venue. But when you are there wrapped up by the ancient red wooden fence held up by the neighboring trees, you are no longer in SLC. You are in a priceless treasure.

The owners are a couple of former Kilby Court teen volunteers who made their after school activity their career. William Sartain and Lance Saunders are the reason I believe that you can build something out of very little. This is not a biased statement just because I have worked with them, and they taught me the art of being an entrepreneur. This is a common belief held by musicians, artists, students, angsty teens, overwhelmed adults, and every single person that ever stepped into the red gate of Kilby Court. These two men are behind it all.

My first interactions with William Sartain and Lance Saunders were comically different.

I met Lance as a 17 year old freshman in college, weighed down by the pressure of living on your own and the hair extensions pulling at the roots of my hair. Starfucker was the first show I ever went to at Kilby Court. I was on a date with someone that I didn’t really like, but I had a great time regardless. I was so awakened by the DIY style of this all ages venue embedded in what seemed to be an automobile graveyard. I saw Lance running back and forth in between the ticket booth and sound engineer (which wasn’t very far). My first thought, “This guy must be the boss around here”.

A couple years later, I met Will at a coffee shop by Carlucci’s in downtown Salt Lake. I don’t remember the name of the place. Though I do remember the windows were large, I almost couldn’t see the desserts in the display case on account of all the light from outside reflecting on it. We had arranged to meet there for lunch to talk about this event I wanted to host at Kilby Court. Sartain was impressed that as a 19 year old I had already started my own little event business that celebrates artwork in SLC. By the end of that meeting, I was hired as his intern. That day I learned something about Will that remains true and has gotten him where he is today; if he sees something he wants, he takes it. And not in the malicious evil sorcerer in a Disney movie kind of way. In the “I have a vision and I’m brave and passionate enough to not let it die” kind of way.

Will Sartain started working full time at Kilby Court while attending college in 2003. Sartain started at Kilby doing sound and running the box office. Soon after, he worked his way up to booking shows and mastered the art of which band to pair with which touring band for the right demographic. “After 6 months I was booking all of the shows completely.” Sartain says, highlighting the momentum of his influence on Kilby Court. Two and a half years of booking shows went by, and Will used his experience to start his own business with business partner Lance Saunders. Consequently, S&S promotions was born.

S&S (Sartain and Saunders) immediately became a mini empire in the music world takin homage in Salt Lake City. “It grew from 40 shows a year in 2006 to 600 in 2016” explains Sartain. This combination of energy and success that was radiating from these two early-twenty year olds was the perfect elixir for a new step to be taken. This step was to purchase Kilby Court and make it their own. Sartain knew the job, and he knew how to do it well. With Saunders on his side, who brought in the local bands, Kilby couldn’t have fallen into better hands.

In 2008 Sartain and Saunders purchased Kilby Court from Sartain’s former boss, Phil Sherburne. “It’s very difficult to keep an all-ages venue running solely on ticketing income. Kilby is a labor of love…and a staple in the Salt Lake City music scene.” explains Saunders. It now has been 8 years since Sartain and Saunders have owned Kilby Court.

A year after purchasing Kilby Court, S&S took ownership of Urban Lounge. With a sigh in his chest Saunders says “Urban Lounge is more time intensive in regards to planning, scheduling, delegating due to the size of bands come through and the fact that we sell booze there.” Saunders had been working at Urban Lounge since he was 21, so like Sartain regarding Kilby; he knew the ropes. Then just this last year, Sartain and Saunders opened a diner on the side of Urban Lounge called Rye.

We closed the interview, and reflected on Kilby Court, where it all started. The love that is held between those men and that garage surrounded by a red fence is something we all can understand. Saunders finishes with “Kilby is simple…it’s more about getting people through the door to experience something new…something that could change your perspective on life. Might sound cheesy, but it happens there.”

Story by: Monique Morrison

The Refugee Crisis and Resettlement Agencies

According to the UN Refugee Agency there were over 50 million refugees throughout the world, and at this time the United States of America accepts 80,000 refugees into our country annually. From these 80,000 about 550 come to Salt Lake City, Utah in search of safety, prosperity, and the chance to live out a fulfilling life.

In Utah, there are two main refugee resettlement agencies: the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Catholic Community Services (CCS). These services assist refugee families throughout the entire resettlement process and continue to work with them once they arrive in America.

According to Amy Meyer, AmeriCorps VISTA and volunteer coordinator for IRC, resettlement agencies contact the refugees before resettlement, give them the necessary tools to migrate into America and provide them with assistance for up to two years in establishing a life in the United States. Specifically, she says that the IRC provides refugees with furnished homes, assists them in finding jobs, teaches English courses, enrolls adults and children into school, and assists them in gaining American Citizenship.

In Salt Lake City there are approximately 550 refugees resettled annually, just through the IRC. These families are under IRC case management for up to two years or until they gain self-sustainability. After two years, though, most families are self-sufficient and may still come to IRC for any additional help, but are not under direct case management. In total, there are about 1100 refugees being served through the IRC annually; however, the IRC only employs 50-60 full-time staff members. In order to competently and effectively serve refugee families, IRC relies heavily on volunteers and donations.

Volunteer and Donations

Annually, the IRC has about 750 volunteers that come through, whether it is one-time volunteers, monthly volunteers, or 6-month volunteers provided through their internship programs. Interns are provided with a more extensive and longer lasting career opportunity than one-time volunteers, and are able to work directly with refugees. Conversely, one-time volunteer opportunities are available to those with limited time and they usually help out with the IRC’s annual donation drives.

Upon arrival, refuges are provided with a fully furnished home, seasonally appropriate clothing, food and 6 months worth of toiletry items and cleaning supplies. Because of limited funding, most of the items refugees receive come from donations brought to the IRC. The IRC has three annual donation events: the Winter Clothing Drive, Light One Candle, and Spring-Cleaning. The Winter Clothing Drive collects and distributes winter clothes for refugees of all ages. Light One Candle provides local families with opportunities to fulfill refugee families Christmas wishes. The Spring-Cleaning Event collects and distributes toiletries for refugee families.

Outside of these events the IRC does collect certain items year round: toiletries, furniture, cleaning supplies, bicycles and electronic items. One thing the IRC does not collect, however, is clothing.

Jesse Sheets, donations coordinator for the IRC, says that there are certain health code restrictions that make it difficult to distribute used clothing to refugee families, and aside from that, the IRC has a very high standard to uphold of what they give the families. So, the IRC will give families clothing vouchers that can be used at various clothing stores for necessary items.

Technology and Transportation

For refugees, two of the most crucial elements for adjusting into American society are having a mode of transportation and access to the Internet. Sheets says that the IRC needs more bicycles and computers. Bicycles are an important mode of transportation that allows refugees to travel farther for work and school without costing them money. Fortunately, the IRC has created a strong relationship with the Salt Lake City Bike Collective, who provides many bikes to refugees annually. Aside from bikes, computers’ are also a necessary tool for refugees to integrate into our society and live a successful life in the United States.

“Its not like we’re trying to bring [refugee’s] into the western style of life and capitalism and say that stuff is necessary to be successful, but if you try to say this person should be successful, but we’re not going to allow them to have a computer or access to the internet in a system that requires a computer and access to the internet, these things are actually tools that help people build their life and regain control of their future” says Sheets.

Today, the Internet is used in almost every aspect of life — and for a refugee, having access to the Internet is crucial. It can be used to search for a job, communicate with family members across the world, and help teach English. It is also especially helpful for students as computers are being used in almost every grade from elementary through college. Having the ability to access the Internet at home allows refugee student’s to stay caught up on their work.

How You Can Help

Because of IRCs smaller permanent staff and limited number of funds, the organization relies heavily on the help of volunteers and donations. The IRC has created a landing page describing various volunteer and donation opportunities: rescue.org/getinvolvedslc. There you can find all of the necessary resources to getting involved, be it with the donation of your time or of donation of tangible goods.

Story By Lauren Gutierrez

School’s almost out for the summer, making it the perfect time for teens across Salt Lake Valley to keep busy while having fun, making friends and learning something new. Rather than staying home and vegging out, local youth can start building their resumes by getting involved in one of several summer programs in the community.

Teens are in that transitional phase between childhood and adulthood where they begin thinking about part time jobs and preparing to apply to college. Luckily there are programs in our community that act as the foundations from which teens can go on to do bigger and better things.

Real Food Rising

One such organization is Real Food Rising, a community garden in Salt Lake City that hires youth ages 14-17 and teaches them about sustainable agriculture and leadership. Teens go through a competitive application process. Once hired on, they help with the farm work and earn a paycheck every two weeks. Aside from on the job duties, Adam Ellowitz the program coordinator says, “We teach our students about public speaking, to explore confidence and assertiveness within themselves.”

The Real Food Rising initiative is part of the Salt Lake Community Action Program which offers housing assistance, education and nutrition. Through this program, youth can learn how to be more engaged in the community. Ellowitz says, “We teach workshops on homelessness and poverty, we teach them about nutrition in workshops, figure out good skills for interviewing and writing resumes on top of teaching them about sustainable agriculture.”

Last year Real Food Rising cultivated 12,000 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables over a plot of 1.25 acres of land. The majority of the food that is harvested is donated and the rest is sold to local restaurants, stores and community members via the produce basket or farm stand.

The community garden is in its fifth growing season and they usually hire students consecutively each season. They are working on putting together an internship for the students once they turn 18 years old. However if farming isn’t their thing then there are plenty of other programs to participate in this summer.

Sorenson Multicultural Center

If sports are more up their alley then the recreation centers like the Sorenson Multicultural Center are affordable and offer lots of variety. The Sorenson Multicultural Center offers swimming lessons, dance, basketball and boxing among a variety of different sports activities. Need-based discounts and scholarships are also available if students or their parents cannot afford the full fee.

Coincidentally, the Sorenson recreation center is located in Glendale which is one of the “food desert” neighborhoods in the Salt Lake Valley that Real Food Rising aims to serve. The center offers meals at their Kids Cafe every weekday at 5:00 pm where they serve dinner that’s delivered by the Utah Food Bank. The center also participates in the Backpack Program which gives kids a sack of food each Friday that will last them over the weekend. This is important in a community in which at least half of the kids in after school programs receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch at school.

The teenagers that come to the recreation center could be considered at-risk youth but because they have a place to go they stay out of trouble. Some of the kids who were once regulars at the center are now volunteering or working part time at the front desk, coaching, or life guarding at the pool.

Spy Hop Productions

On the other side of the spectrum there are summer sessions offered at Spy Hop Productions a digital media arts studio that mentors youth ages 10-19 and teaches them to express themselves through the production of design, music and film. Because of their team of grant writers, most of the summer sessions are free and the girls-only coding classes are sponsored by Wild Works, which is an interactive gaming company for kids.

Jana Davis, the program coordinator says, “We try and go directly to the students to do our outreach. We go to junior high and high schools, ask them what they’re interested in.”

For example, every Friday Spy Hop offers a free music session, open mic where teens can go create and record music. They can use the studio’s audio equipment, instruments, and at the end produce their own .mp3 file. If students are looking for a more intensive program, they have the 801 Session, which is a paid apprenticeship that gives students the opportunity to learn how to book bands, design fliers, produce videos and record music. They work behind the scenes with industry professionals in the Brown Bag Concert Series and Twilight Concert Series.

Davis says, “In all of [the classes] they work on collaborating with peers and expressing creativity through film, audio, and graphic design. A ton of different skills.”

Aside from the practical skills learned in these programs, participants also develop work ethic, confidence and independence. Teens can use their experiences in these programs to build their resume for future jobs or request letters of recommendation for college admissions.

By: Mike Haglund

With all the bad publicity and negative media, it’s hard to believe that anyone would want to put up with all of that. I talked with  two individuals to discuss just that. Sergeant Bryan Peterson of the West Valley City Police, and Mario Widdowson, an intern for Unified Police currently under going the interview process to become an officer. For both of them, the desire to become a policemen started out as a child’s dream, and confirmed later in life when they had a positive interaction with a policeman.

For Sergeant Peterson, that experience came when he was in 5^th grade he was a victim to an attempted mugging and had a knife held to his throat. “The detective assigned to my case” he said, “was very caring and worked very hard on my case. I was never able to ID the suspect, but the professionalism by the detective impacted me and my desire to be a police officer.”

“I want to be a policeman first and foremost” Widdowson explained, “because it was a police officer who had the most positive impact on my life when I was 18 years old and getting into trouble.” He also hopes to be accepted into the program so that he can have a positive influence on the community that he was raised in and have the opportunity to change a life like the officer who changed mine.

Two individuals with very different backgrounds, both with the desire to help their community. So why do the police have such big targets on their backs, and are put in such a negative light? As Widdowson and I discussed this question, we both agreed that where you grow up, and the experiences you have with the police have the most impact on your personal perception of them. We discussed that perhaps socioeconomic status played a big factor in crime. The majority of people don’t commit crimes because they’re bored, they do so out of necessity. If someone grows up in the projects of Baltimore and has negative interaction with the police from the time they’re very young, there’s a pretty good chance that they won’t grow up to respect the police.

We’re all human and humans make mistakes. When we make a mistake in school, we get a few points docked off our grade. At work when we make a mistake, your boss will bring you into their office and take corrective measures. Just like anywhere, there are good apples, and there are bad apples. But, when you are a public servant working out in public, everybody has their eyes on you, watching everything you do. When you do something wrong, people will pull out their cameras and start recording you, and in the blink of an eye that video will be posted on countless social media outlets. Soon enough it will be circling the news on a 24-hour cycle.

While talking with Sergeant Peterson, and Widdowson I asked them if their departments do anything from a public relations perspective to help counter all the negative media. Sergeant Peterson said that for a long time his department didn’t do anything PR wise, and thought that might have hurt them. They now have someone in charge of their social media, they have even posted pictures to Facebook of people they are trying to identify to get the public involved as well. Every summer, Unified Police holds an annual event called “Night Out Against Crime.” The goal of the event is to increase public awareness of crime prevention, build bridges between law enforcement and the community, and send the message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back against crime. Widdowson also told me that they host a citizen’s academy where you take a class once a week for a few months and learn a variety of things that relate to police work. He says “people really do learn a lot from this experience and I would welcome anyone to go to it. You start to think more like a police officer and can better put yourself in their shoes.”

I asked Sergeant Peterson I asked him if there was anything the public can do to help change the effects of the negative media. He replied by saying, “I wish the public would ask the media for more heartwarming stories, or even call in to the media when they see good things happening. There are a lot of cops in the Salt Lake Valley doing a lot of good work that goes unnoticed.”

Utah loses a billion dollars annually in education funding
By Misty Packer

In the previous decade, Utah was rated in the top five among states for education spending, according to Education First’s website, http://www.educationfirstutah.org. However, as a result of 2006-2007 income and sales tax reductions, Utah is now rated 33 among states and loses a billion dollars in education funding every year.

According to a report done by Cory Turner of NPR, Utah spends about $7,084 per student per year, which ranks Utah as dead last in the nation for per pupil spending. Because of this, Utah has unreasonably high class sizes, a difficult teacher retention rate and about one in five Utah high school students don’t graduate.

“This is unacceptable and needs to change,” remarks Rich Kendall, a current Regents Professor in the Utah Education Policy Center at the University of Utah. Kendall is also a member of Education First and Prosperity 2020, two organizations that are working hard to improve education in Utah.

Kendall and several other business and community leaders came together a few years back to talk about education in Utah. They noticed that Utah education was deteriorating and needed help.

What Utah Needs
“We decided to write a paper outlining what we thought would be a plan for improving education in Utah,” remarked Kendall.

This paper turned into an action plan called Prosperity 2020 where Kendall and other business leaders outlined a ten-year agenda on what had to be done in Utah. Then they started working with the legislators on developing a plan.

“I think we need to develop a long-term, sustainable funding plan,” remarks Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh the current president of the Utah Education Association. “We’re still really below pre-recession level.”

Gallagher-Fishbaugh has been president of the UEA for six years and has seen her fair share of dismay across the state. After traveling from district to district, she’s seen teacher shortages, some of the highest class sizes in the nation and feels that teachers don’t have the respect they deserve. She is very concerned about the lack of qualified teachers. She mentioned that there is a considerate amount of teachers in Utah who are not licensed because the salary is not attracting or retaining and teachers don’t feel like their helping kids.

“We have a hard time staying on top of growth. Utah is posed to be a growth state.” Kendall continued. In fact, according to a report done by Kendall and his team, Utah will expect an additional 50,000 students enrolling into public colleges and universities in the next ten years.

However, as said by Gallagher-Fishbaugh, “In the last seven years, we didn’t fund the growth of students.” Gallagher-Fishbaugh said that in the last legislative session, the UEA submitted a message to legislators asking for a 5% increase for the next four years, but it wasn’t likely.

How Utah Education Fell Apart
Back in 2006-2007 there were tax reductions on income, sales and property taxes. Income tax was decreased from 7% to 5%, which resulted in huge losses that Utah has yet to bounce back from. Some of the money for higher education funding was also redistributed and used for other purposes like building and expanding the I-15 freeway.

“Who makes up the difference?” Kendall asks when it comes to higher education funding. “The students.” He answers. “Tuition goes up every year because they have not put state money into higher education; they’ve used it for other purposes like building highways.”

“I think the legislature tries to do the best they can,” Gallagher-Fishbaugh said and when asked what an average citizen can do about this dilemma is “Vote. Change who is up there if they’re not aware of public education. The best thing you can do is become an engaged citizen. Vote for people who are going to reflect your views.”

Education First’s Plan
Kendall and Education First created the idea of a small income tax increase of 7/8ths of one percent, less than one percent. This tax increase, dubbed the 7/8ths Initiative, would generate approximately $518 million per year and would directly go to local schools.

Before sending it to legislators, a letter was passed around to generate support and exactly 360 people signed their name. Of those names were Tom Welch, president and CEO of Maverik Inc., Scott Anderson, president and CEO of Zions Bank, Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce and Cindy Crane, president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Power. A number of important names show their support for a tax increase in a letter to the legislators.

Unfortunately, Utah legislators didn’t immediately like the 7/8ths Initiative and now Education First is planning on generating more names for their letter.

“We’re going to continue working on that.” Kendall said, in reference to the 7/8^th Initiative. “Our kids deserve it. We deserve it.”

Individuals who want to sign their name to show their support for the 7/8ths Initiative please go to www.educationfirstutah.org/add-name.

Individuals who want to learn more about Education First and their plan please go to www.educationfirstutah.org.

By Jake Glissmeyer 

I recently sat down with Madeline Clark from the Utah Refugee Center (URC) and asked her about this crisis and what can be done to help among other things. But before we can get into Clark’s commentary about the refugee crisis, let’s paint a picture.

Putting yourself in their shoes

Imagine for a moment that you do not know the luxury of peace and safety; that you run from place to place, that you don’t have anywhere to call home because the road is your home. Imagine always living in fear: fear of being persecuted because of your religion, fear of being persecuted because of your race and ethnicity, or just because you are the minority.

Maybe you and your family live in a tent, along with hundreds or thousands of neighbors who also live in tents a “tent city” if you will; waiting, longing and hoping for the day in hopes that some person in a far away land will be a savior, rescuing you from the awful lifestyle that now occupies your life.

You are a refugee: someone forced from their home that has endured dire circumstances that most people only see on the bad side of a news story. Now more than ever, we face a global refugee crisis.

Ever since attacks on Syria have become more prevalent and ISIS has made its presence known, millions of Middle Easterners have had to flee for their lives. On top of that, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in their recent semi-annual general conference, encouraged all and especially women of the church to reach out and serve refugees in their communities.

According to RenewProject.org less than one half of a percent of all refugees receive that chance to start their lives anew. To put that into perspective if the population of Utah (roughly 3 million) became refugees, less than 15,000 would be given this life saving opportunity to start anew. But there is hope. There is hope in Utah and work is being done to help these poor unfortunate souls.

Madeline Clark, The Utah Refugee Center and an app to help

Clark got started in her anthropology classes at the U. She was initially shocked to hear that Utah alone has 60,000 refugees. Wanting to help out the refugees she reached out to Deb Coffey the Executive Director of URC who lead Clark to work with local Congolese leaders. It was then she realized that she wanted to help refugees out for the long term and do this for a living.

One of the challenges refugees face is adjusting to new foods. Clark discussed Congolese diets are much healthier than American diets; mainly consisting of vegetables and fish and a focus around more “pure” ingredients. She went on about how imported and packaged foods are very expensive in Africa and hold a higher economic status. “How do we integrate these wonderful people into our community and make them feel like this is their new home without getting rid of certain parts of their culture? We really want to preserve that…”

While they face difficulties and hardships, the refugees are valuable assets to Utah communities. “They want to give back and not just take, take, take” Clark noted on the refugees willingness to work.

A main focus of our interview was the new app developed called ‘Serve Refugees.’ Often throughout our conversation I would ask Madeline about a particular aspect of the refugees and she would refer to the app. The app gives a basic rundown on the status of refugees and what they deal and what it’s like to adjust to life here in Utah/America. ‘Learn. Serve. Give’ is the motto of the app.

The Learn component of the app includes many facets: articles on lifting one another’s burdens, updates on a Christmas Donation Drive, even a TED talk on how to help refugees thrive, not just survive. Next is the Serve component. Some of these options include but are not limited to making kits (bedding, hygiene, or undergarment to name a few) becoming a mentor to refugees and even teaching English as a second language. Finally, the “Give” aspect refers to when refugees come over with so little and are ill prepared for the new life that lies ahead. They are in dire need of things we consider basic amenities or items we just take for granted. For example, a list of items refugees need include diapers, coats/jackets or even car seats.

The app has had a large impact on the community. Employers are hiring refugees; dentists offer a day to refugees for free checkups; I personally witnessed a roomful of donations that were collected the same day, and that wasn’t even all of the donations. By posting, sharing photos and messages, awareness is raised and people can witness the gravity of this refugee situation. People want to help, people have a desire to help and with the Serve Refugees app, just a few swipes and click of your phone or computer can make all the difference.

By Rachel Roach

On April 6 Alpha Chi Omega, a sorority at the University of Utah, held an event that was about domestic violence, which is Alpha Chi Omega’s philanthropy. They showed the documentary “The Hunting Ground”, directed by Kirby Dick and produced by Amy Ziering. This documentary follows two survivors, Andrea Pino and Annie Clark, who are changing domestic violence on college campuses all by themselves. Throughout the movie they are “ingeniously employing Title IX legal strategy to fight back,” according to The Hunting Ground’s website. They help survivors realize that they don’t have to just deal with the traumatic event that happened to them. This documentary really pushes the limits because it challenges a lot of popular universities and reveals that they are hiding the fact that they are victim blaming and not taking these reports of sexual assault seriously.

After the screening of “The Hunting Ground” there were multiple speakers. Ranging from domestic violence survivors to advocates for survivors.

I interviewed Jodi Peterson, a Victim’s Advocate from the University of Utah, that spoke about what she does at the university. Jodi believes that, “the University has done a lot by hiring [two] full time advocates,” but there is always room for improvement. “At this point it’s just a matter of educating the University about rape culture, rape myths, and victim blaming.”

I wondered what Jodi thinks about documentaries like “The Hunting Ground”. Do movies like this make a difference in our society? “I think it is good because it shines a light on the reality of sexual assault against college students. I think it makes administration take a closer look at how they handle sexual assault and rape cases within their institution.” says Jodi. “I don’t know that it makes a difference in our society if people see the movie, get angry about it, but then never do anything to help solve the problem.”

So what can people do after they watch “The Hunting Ground” to change our society for the better? “What we can do as individuals is to not [let] that mentality exist in our space. Let people know if they say something that’s sexist, degrading to women, or that perpetuates a rape myth.”

I also interviewed one of the survivors that spoke about her experience, she is apart of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Lexi Northrup wanted to talk about her experience, but she “struggled immensely with how [she] would portray the experience and how much detail [she] wanted to share with the audience.” Northrup felt that “sharing [her] story could help at least one person,” and that is what motivated her to talk about her experience with domestic violence.

Although it was hard for her to talk publicly about what had happened to her she knew that it was an important thing to do. It has been a struggle for her to deal with the fact that this traumatic experience actually happened to her, but she has had an incredible support system that has helped her heal. “At times I struggled with having so many people surrounding me with support,” she says “but ultimately in the end their support was the only way I was able to surpass the trauma and pain my assault causes me.” When asked what advice would she give to someone who has experienced sexual assault in their life she simply stated, “Don’t push people away.”

Even though it can be hard to let people in, it is better than pushing everyone away and being alone in the end. Talking to people about the experiences that the survivor has gone through has been proven to help them heal. “For many survivors, support is a crucial part of the healing process, and receiving compassionate and validating responses from friends and family can make a real difference.” according to Pandora’s Project, a nonprofit organization that provides support to sexual assault survivors and their friends and family.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website, “Numbers reveal that one in three women in Utah will experience domestic violence, compared to one in four nationwide,” and that “every nine seconds in the US, a woman is assaulted or beaten.” Our social norm should be that domestic violence is a thing of the past. This is an important topic because most everyone knows someone who has experienced domestic violence. A lot of people don’t like to make it a public announcement to everyone that they have been sexually assaulted, so you might know someone, but not know that they have gone through this experience of sexual assault.

It is important to be informed about what to do if the situation were to ever happen. A lot of people think that it won’t happen to them, or to someone they know, but in reality it is very likely to happen.

Alpha Chi Omega is a group of women that want to change those statistics. They want it so everyone feels safe walking to class at night alone or walking from a party back to their car. These are the type of people who will change things for the better because they realize a problem and they want to fix it.

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH STUDENT AND FACULTY SPEAK UP ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH ABLEISM AND ACCESSIBILITY AROUND CAMPUS

By Jamie Gribbin

The University of Utah (the U) is an institution that prides itself with its diverse population of students and their various abilities and/or disabilities. Located on the outskirts of Salt Lake City, The U aspires to create equal and equitable spaces for all students. This university offers 17 colleges with approximately 100 departments, offering a broad spectrum of pursuits for students to choose.

But, what about the students who are physically disabled: how do they get to class with ease? Moreover, what about the students who are mentally disabled? How do they get from class to class? This is where The U encounters an issue of ableism, referring to the discrimination against disabled bodies.

The U is located on a fairly steep portion of a mountain, so transportation can be a struggle for those students who are not able-bodied. Able-bodied persons refer to human beings who lack a physical disability. For those of us who are able-bodied, transportation around campus seems quite easy and accessible; the arguably most important thing on our minds would be walking down to the shuttle stop.

The U acquired the free shuttle system due its large campus and slope. While able-bodied persons are able to access these shuttles without caution during the harsh winter months, these shuttles do not receive as much accessibility to those who are bound to physical disabilities. Thus, accessibility becomes a problem when those who lack functional movement of the body are unable to utilize the services provided (such as free shuttles, easy access to buildings, and proper management of weather conditions).

Claudia Geist is an assistant professor of Gender Studies and Sociology; and her primary focus was to examine social stratification factors within the family. Dr. Geist teaches two gender courses and ten sociology courses (ranging from undergraduate to postgraduate classes). According to her, many students have discussed during and after her lectures about their concerns surrounding “pathways on campus are not cleared, and especially bus stops require the ability to climb over big mounds of snow.”

Dr. Geist mentions that winter months can be extremely troubling for those with physical disabilities, but also emphasizes to remember the mentally disabled. She says, “Issues of those with mental disabilities are even less resolved – the only guidance I have as a faculty member is letters about accommodations for exams and assignments, but that does not really help students who have difficulties with interpersonal interactions, or systemic mental health issues like PTSD.”

However, the U provides The Center for Disability Services (CDS), which is located on the bottom floor of the Student Union Building. The CDS is “committed to providing reasonable accommodations as outlined by Federal and State Law,” according to their main page within the university’s website. The CDS determines eligibility of accommodations through evaluating documentation, and if eligible by the standards of “Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and University Policy” – the CDS will grant accommodations that are best fit for the individual.

Even though there are resources for physical disabilities, mental ableism is a much greater problem. Dr. Geist mentions that the best option she is aware of would be giving the student more time to finish an exam, or a quieter space for examinations. But as she states, “I am not aware about info regarding support for students with mental disabilities . . . I would love more education on how to provide sufficient support for students.”

Megan is a first year Educational Psychology PhD student and is a representative for the women’s track and field team. She brings to attention that “most buildings cater to people with physical disabilities,” and that the location of the university on a mountain can definitely become a challenge to those who suffer from physical ailments. But according to her, “mental disabilities on campus are not as openly discussed.” She says that it seems like often times it is the invisibility factor of mental disabilities that often lead to the silence, whereas “you can see someone with a physical disability, whether it is because they are in a wheelchair or have a walking still due to blindness.”

In her opinions, physical and/or mental labels could become of beneficiary use because it would allow people to see the disability rather than assume its presence and/or absence. Megan says that labels could lead to “greater possibility of good than detriment” for both physical and mental disabilities. While she understands the harm that labels can cause, she also emphasizes that it would create for more awareness of the different disabilities out there – which could potentially lead to better communication about the accommodations set in place for students.

Ableism and accessibility are issues that have only been slightly addressed on campus. While the U has provided evident efforts into creating a campus full of opportunity and equal access, the availability for all students is severely limited in terms of physical and mental disabilities. Universities cannot stay silent about physical and mental ableism when it causes unequal opportunities for the students. There are disabilities all around us, and it is the university’s job to create awareness and to provide the proper resources for anyone and everyone.

By: Lexie Humphrey

It’s college athletics without the scholarships, the perquisites, and the demand. It’s college club sports and its success and student involvement is on the rise.

The University of Utah is home to 20 thriving club sports, many of which hold national and regional titles. However, this success didn’t happen overnight. These athletes shine with dedication by putting in dozens of mandatory volunteer hours in order to preserve a functioning season and team. They have shown that having to be student led does not hold them back from reaching success.

“It’s extremely hard work,” said Regina Farley, captain of the U’s women’s lacrosse and vice president of the women’s lacrosse club, “It’s all about building a strong team that is willing to work together as well as put in the time and effort it all takes. The amount of love I have for this sport makes it all worth it.”

Hard work does indeed pay off. Finishing 9-2 in their 2016 season, the women’s lacrosse team is ranked fourth nationally, titled 2016 regional champs, and headed to compete in nationals located in Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Facing the normal duties as captain, Farley and all other club sport captains, also take on irregular duties most collegiate athletes wouldn’t think twice about. All captains and teams are required to devise all practices and occasional games, raise money for uniforms and equipment, schedule hotel and travel arrangements and even do the hiring and firing of coaches.

The U offers a small amount of resources for these club teams. University student trainers volunteer for teams by providing onsite care for athletes, along with use of the trainer rooms located in the George S Eccles Student Life Center. Some teams are fortunate enough to gain use of university fields or courts free of charge but only at select hours. As for financing, the U’s student government, ASUU, allows teams to receive up to $5,000. “The money is there but it isn’t an easy process to get,” said Farley on the financing matter, “…in order to obtain the money a team must submit a proposed bill and wait for approval. Another option would be we spend what we need on travel and other necessities, and then we turn in the receipts in hopes of getting reimbursed. No one is guaranteed that money”

In fact, with institutional financing being sparse all teams are required to raise most of the money they need. “We do so much fundraising it’s unreal,” said Farley, “…we are working with close to [an] $85,000 budget and a lot of that is done through team fundraising. [We’ve] done fundraisers with the Western Nut Company, selling club lacrosse t-shirts, and we go out and just ask for donations.” Farley noted that anything donated can be written off as tax deductible. Any remaining funds that are not raised for the team are required to come out of the pockets of the student athletes.

Club athletes also encounter multiple restrictions from the school in order to remain considered a “University of Utah club sport team” and this has caused them to get in touch with their creative side. “All teams are prohibited use of the classic drum and feather logo,” explained co- captain of the U’s water polo team, a current PhD student at the U who goes by the name “

“We’ve had to get creative with our designs for jerseys and other athletic apparel,” Kiffer expressed, “We all mainly stick with the ‘block U’ but even with that you’re walking on thin ice. Trust me, it makes the entire approval process through the U department more complicated than it really needs to be.”

As mentioned earlier, some club teams are allowed use of the U’s fields and courts, but for those that aren’t, this restriction has affected them financially.

“We practice at the Salt Lake Sports Complex and the Kearns Recreation Center. None of which are free of charge,” said Kiffer. “…and to add to that, pool rentals are only available early in the morning or late at night, which can be [a] turnoff for some players, but we accept it and make do.”

With all restrictions aside, men’s water polo finished second in their conference for the 2015 Fall season and plans to come back even stronger in the up and coming 2016 Summer league. On top of that the polo team has even made practices more entertaining by indulging in the Pie Pizzeria after every practice.

“All these different challenges show how you can problem solve and work together as a group, because at the end of the day we are all in this together,” said Kiffer. Both women’s lacrosse and men’s water polo are prime examples of how successful all club teams have become. Farley and Kiffer assures that having all these obstacles has just united their team and has motivated them to work even harder.

All University club sport team’s websites, schedules, and contact info can be found at the school’s website, http://campusrec.utah.edu/programs/sports-clubs/

By Cedar Gonzalez

This story began with an investigation of the theory that gender issues and homelessness are intertwined; if society were to confront the issues of traditional gender roles head on, then homelessness would be a much simpler issue to solve. While my interviews with Jessica Jones and Aliza Menashe – along with much research – did prove this to be true, the main finding was that the problem of homelessness faces a simpler but much larger roadblock to be overcome before the issues of gender can even be addressed – funding.

Jessica Jones is the therapist for the two Road Home locations in Utah, as in the only therapist, and while she tries her best to attend to the mental health needs of the over 400 clients, her main goal remains to be navigating the complicated network of social services in order to obtain basic care, like medications. In our interview, Jessica states that “there needs to be at least … five more” of her, but that when it comes to mental health therapists, “there is not enough funding, the therapists can’t even support themselves.”

Utah is consistently praised for being one of the best states when it comes to public services for homeless people, and while it is true that we have many resources, the majority of those resources are so underfunded that it is difficult to progress clients onto the next stage of regaining subsistence. Menashe is a case worker for Valley Behavioral Health at an independent living facility for people who struggle with mental illness and the stories from her are extremely uplifting because she works with clients who have been successful in navigating public services. Many people she works with were in the homeless shelters ten years ago, and now they are stable and able to live alone. Jones, on the other hand, has to see nearly 450 people each year, by herself, in order to get people off the streets, out of shelters and into permanent housing. Complicated resource systems thus become a leading contributing factor of the growing disparity between domiciled and undomiciled individuals with mental illnesses.

Even the gender separation that was originally being investigated is subject to discrimination of funding. While the numerous groups for abused women and children are a very necessary and well-used resource, this takes away resources from men, who make up an estimated one half to two thirds of the homeless population. The Road Home has to close part of the men’s dormitory during the summer months to make room  for more women and children. As stated before,women and children are completely deserving of that space, but it takes away from another, equally important group of unstabilized people and forces them onto the streets.

Jones explains one of the resources that is most lacking which is support for sexually and physically abused men. While usually seen as a women’s issue, 75% of the men that she deals with have been sexually abused, an incident that may occasionally even happen inside of a shelter. This extremely prevalent issue in men, however, is being completely ignored when it comes to social programs. Jones tells a story of a man who had been physically abused by his children’s mother for years, and when he finally decided to find a safer place for him and his children, he ended up at the homeless shelter because “when he was looking for resources, there was nothing for men in domestic violence situations.” Upon working with Jones at the homeless shelter, he shared his experience with her, saying things like “I feel really stupid telling you this,” and, “a lot of people don’t believe me.”

Believing a person’s story seems to be the biggest issue when it comes to getting help. In order to obtain social services, one has to go on an incredible journey, a path of endless paperwork, signatures, and mail-in proof, often despite numerous hospitalizations for things like delusions or voices. In the worst/best example of a vicious cycle, even someone who has worked hard to gain benefits, is able to ask for help and be hospitalized in the case of a serious mental emergency. But should they be hospitalized for longer than about three months, they will lose their benefits, completely resetting the frustrating process back to the beginning.

Everyone hates paperwork and bureaucratic systems, even without an anxiety or depression disorder; imagine if you could, instead of calling Comcast like we’ve all done and hated you’ve got to negotiate insurance coverage and rent payments with a government agency. Instead of the normal irritation, you’re having a panic attack, unable to breathe. Not fun.

When asking for help turns into a battle of proof of deserving it, there is little wonder that so many people are going without. Rejection is a powerful force, and some feel more pride in being able to take care of themselves out on the streets rather than asking for help. It seems the world would be a better place if reaching out for help ended not in paperwork trails but instead a gracious hand that is unjudging of why the offered help is needed. Unfortunately the world we live in is not that, but is instead one with a society which created homelessness, agrees on the fact that it’s a problem, and refuses to solve it.

By Matt Leavitt

The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence. For many of us living in the United States, the day to day grind of mundane life seems like a limitation for our dreams of crossing that fence. The idea of traveling to a new world seems exotic and tempting. Yet, when we do get the opportunity to travel, we usually end up coming back to the same side of the fence. Why do we do this? While the thrill of crossing the fence lasts for a while, we come to realize that our side was pretty good to begin with. We’ve grown comfortable here.

However, there are a few who take the step to come to the U.S. without looking back. For many people, this isn’t only driven by a dream, but a need to grow and progress. This need to progress is an innate characteristic of humankind, and for some, progression can only continue through the sacrifice of leaving home behind in order to work in what to them is a whole new world. For José Gutiérrez home is almost 4,000 miles away in Trujillo Peru.

Making the transition from school to working full time and starting a family isn’t easy. This is the situation of José, age 23, and his new wife Norma. The two have been married for eight months and have recently emigrated to the U.S.

Speaking for both him and his wife, José said, “this has been a challenge, there have been difficult and joyful times. The whole process from the very beginning took a lot of time, money, planning, conversations, and more planning.” He continued “We had to investigate…do tons of paperwork, ask for help from family and friends, wait for answers, keep motivating ourselves to fight for our dream, and trust in God.”

José and his wife have been through a lot to be where they are now. It all started even before they were engaged with the two of them making plans to someday be married and live in the U.S. “We wanted more opportunities for ourselves and our future family.” explained José, “In our country, it’s almost impossible to find a balance between having a family, studying for a career, and working to provide…but here it’s actually possible.”

This is why so many people take the step and commit themselves to it: possibility. José and Norma made the decision to enter a foreign country sacrificing everything familiar to them in order to provide the possibility of growth and progression for themselves and their future children. What are some of the implications of a decision like this?

José had to take a break from his education, and for a while he and his new wife had to be separated in order to make this dream a reality. After being married for just six months, José had to come from Peru in order to establish residence in the U.S. before it was even possible for his wife to come. He said that because of this, that at times he felt like a failure, but that it has been the hard decisions since the very beginning of the process that have prepared him for life here in the states.

He recounted, “I remember that we cried and hugged while trying to tell each other that everything was going to be okay.” What they thought was going to be a six month process miraculously was over in just one month. José is now working for a young startup company and his wife arrived from Peru a week ago. The two are saving so that they can continue their education and progression towards something better than what they ever could have had.

While it hasn’t been easy, and they still have a long ways to go, José and Norma express gratitude for the opportunity that they have to be here. They believe that this decision will in the end be a blessing for themselves, but more than anything, it will allow for their children to create a different future than they otherwise would have had.

How many people do we interact with on a daily basis with similar backgrounds? How many sacrifices are made behind one success story?

“I was on the waiting list for my VISA for ten years.” stated Ysabel Escalante, another immigrant and coworker of José. “I wanted my children to study in the U.S. and get the benefits of an education here.” Ysabel continued by explaining that she has always had the goal of working in the U.S. She isn’t the only one. Many others dream of coming to enjoy life in the land of opportunity, but sadly, relatively few are able to fulfil that dream.

With the seemingly endless stream of negative comments about immigration in the political arena, it desensitizes us towards these incredible people. Encouraging words for immigrants often go unheard amidst all the negativity. We forget our own desire to cross the fence and feel threatened when others do so entering in on our lush greenery. We ask ourselves if there is enough room for all of us when we should be asking ourselves: Who put up the fences and why are they there?

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I enjoy long walks on the beach and the occasional virgin daiquiri. You might know me from such things as Katherine Heigl’s Twitter feed or this Intermountain Healthcare commercial on the importance of eating your vegetables. I am a Strategic Communications major at the University of Utah.

Here is an article on an amazing local business in Salt lake City. Give it a read or better yet stop by and see for yourself.

I am a Junior at the University of Utah studying Communication

Story by me:

Changing the world, one bangle at a time

Story by Kylie English

Are you more likely to purchase a product if you know a percentage of the price goes back to a charity? Does it make you feel like you’re not only spoiling yourself but also helping others in need? Charity by Design is a branch off of the popular jewelry brand Alex and Ani. It was designed to allow customers a chance to give back to a specific charity while also purchasing something for themselves.

Affectionately referred to as CBD by its employees, Charity by Design retails the classic bangle bracelet with a charm that represents the charity it gives back to. 20% of the sale directly benefits the organization that it coincides with. With every bangle, the consumer receives a small card that explains the meaning behind the bangle’s charm and a bit of information regarding the charity it is associated with.

Currently, CBD has 45 non-profit organizations partnered with its program. Along with the 20% of sales that goes back to the charity, Alex and Ani will donate a fixed amount of money to the cause at the beginning of the partnership. Kate Shaffer, Charity by Design representative in Salt Lake city Utah says, “CBD used to work with organizations that aligned with their three main focus areas: education, conservation and health. They have now expanded this to better meet the needs of our community and the wishes of our clients. We now work with organizations whose mission aligns with empowerment, sustainability, wellness, creativity and action.”

Along with sales donations from the bangles, Alex and Ani storefronts are encouraged to participate in community outreach. They participate in Charity by Design events along with volunteering their time.

Charity by Design events are held in store and specifically highlight a certain charity. “Our in-store events provide a unique way for customers and consumers to give back. Alex and Ani hopes to inspire a new generation of philanthropists that support conscious consumerism. During these events Alex and Ani donates 15% of the total sales to the organization of choice,” says Shaffer. These events can last from a two-hour time span to a full day. 15% of sales throughout that time period go back to the charity.

Events not only highlight charities that are currently partnered with Charity by Design, but non-profits in the community. Some examples of charities in the community that Alex and Ani Salt Lake City hold events for include Light the Night, Labs for Liberty and Big Brothers Big Sisters. These events bring in heavy foot traffic because not only regular customers shop during the time, but supporters of the charity come as well. Since 2011 more than 3,500 events have taken place, providing over 8,400,000 dollars donated through sales and over 1,200,000 dollars donated.

One of the more popular events held each year is for Alex’s Lemonade Stand. The employees all wear yellow and pink and decorate the store according to those colors. Lemonade is offered to customers while they shop and there is a table of sweet treats in the front to lure in potential consumers. Alex’s Lemonade Stand is a popular charity because it supports childhood cancer research. Customers feel better about themselves when they realize they are not only purchasing something for themselves, but also donating to a charity.

Employees are encouraged to donate their time as well. Shaffer explains, “As part of our commitment to the community and our associates, Alex and Ani allows associates to volunteer their time to charitable non-profit organizations during their workday with pay. ” This program not only teaches employees the importance of volunteering, it directly impacts local charities by providing volunteers to help.

Total donations through Charity by Design since 2011 are over 30.5 million, 23.7 million of that coming directly through sales. To put it in perspective, 11% of Alex and Ani’s revenue is donated to charities. Charity by Design also donates on average 100 products monthly to organizations for charity purposes. CBD donates time, money and volunteers to charities all over the world. Charity by Design is quickly fulfilling their aim to make the world a better place and help provide consumers with a simple way to give back. You can purchase these unique bangles on the Alex and Ani website alexandani.com/charity-by-design.

I’m currently a journalism student at the University of Utah in the communications department. I’d like to become a visual media journalist and documentarian.

I studied art photography for many years before moving into the world of documentary photography and videography for a total of seven years of formal photographic training.

My goal is to help advance both social and environmental justice through objective gathering and sharing of information throughout the world.

Stories by me:

Why Would You Do What You Love?

Homelessness: A social problem in need of a social solution

About Me: 

I’m a Strategic Communication major and minor in business, hoping to one day go into the industry of video advertising. I’m currently interning at a film studio in Salt Lake, while also working at a taco restaurant for some extra money. After I finish up my degree this summer I plan on moving out of state and pursuing my career in the industry. Although I don’t see myself ever becoming a writer, I have always enjoyed the writing process and look forward to everything this class will bring.

• Stories by me
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Story by Lauren Gutierrez

Bronte James and his wife Elisa Sofia are the lead singers in a local Salt Lake City reggae band called Afro Omega which won a spot on City Weekly’s Best of Utah Music 2016.

“I loved music in general,” says James. In college he didn’t care about much else other than football and he credits his Hawaiian roommates with exposing him to a lot of reggae. “When I started listening to reggae that’s when I started collecting tons of music and finding music I liked around 19 or 20 years old.”

The UCLA Jazz Reggae Festival was the first concert James attended that didn’t have the materialism, fighting and shallowness that he’d seen before at rap and pop concerts where everyone kept to themselves. At reggae concerts he met cool and conscious people who were chilling, smoking and wanting to make new friends. He’d never been a part of anything like that.

“At first I didn’t think I could get a band, I didn’t think that would happen,” says James, “I always wanted a reggae band but I couldn’t find the people that wanted to play it in Salt Lake at the time.” So he just played a lot of acoustic guitar. He wanted to play acoustic music like Ben Harper when he formed his first band but he wasn’t happy with the way it was headed. However the more he listened to reggae the more like-minded musicians he met. “When we started there were three reggae bands that I knew of in Salt Lake and now there’s tons.”

Afro Omega was influenced by artists like Linton Kwesi Johnson, Bob Marley and Peter Tosh which made the social activism aspect of their music the main focus from the start. “It was crucial because I’d find myself at places where I felt that people weren’t very conscious,” said James, “I was at a point in my life where I felt that people needed to be more aware, including myself.”

At first their causes were anti-war, anti-corporation and race matters, but, playing gigs at bars made it difficult to do that because of the party vibes. Not everybody understood and he didn’t want to be a downer so after a while he decided that it wasn’t the right place to deliver those messages. He wanted to be subtle about it and just write music that anybody could dance to.

The band has gone on tour to several cities but James says the best music scene by far is Mexico City because they play instrumentals and the whole dance floor got packed. In his experience they have a much broader spectrum and appreciation for not just reggae but all music. “They appreciate it more because Mexico is a lot like Jamaica,” he said, “It has that third world label in certain areas and I feel like that’s where they can relate a lot more than in the United States. People here just want to have fun at the end of the day.”

“I see a lot of kids and people nowadays unless they’re going to get paid for it or be a pro they don’t always do it. They don’t want to collect the music,” explained James. He wishes people would play and study more musical genres instead of waiting for the next artist to produce it. He points out that in Mexico City if you’re a fan of rock, for example, then you know everything about rock which is something he doesn’t see a lot of in the United States. He said to keep focused through all the distractions.

“Be humble and don’t worry about what other people are doing around you,” says James of new bands in Salt Lake City. He added that if you want to be a serious musician it helps to study how your favorite band records audio. “That’s something that Salt Lake lacks is CD’s and music. There’s so many bands but there’s so few CD’s.”

He suggests not dedicating so much time jamming, rehearsing and playing gigs. Instead he says, “I want to see more production. There are a lot of really talented people here and time flies, it takes a long time to record an album, it’s daunting and it’s intimidating but if that’s something someone could’ve told me … I could’ve gotten things rolling quicker.”

Afro Omega: Utah’s Best Reggae

Summertime alternatives for Salt Lake Valley teenagers

About me:

I guess you could say I have roots in different places having been born in Texas, raised in Utah with family from Costa Rica and El Salvador. I want to do a good deal of traveling after graduation to explore different cultures and parts of the world. I’m studying strategic communication and I’m interested in marketing. I like to do yoga, play pool, drink coffee and listen to podcasts.

I am currently a student at the University of Utah, home of the Utes, studying strategic communication with a minor in business. I am dedicated about using the fields of communications and media as platforms for change, as well as sharpening my interpersonal communication skills.  My current passion is teaching indoor cycling at numerous gyms across the Utah valley. Cycling has been an essential part of my life since 2011 when I inherited my first road bike. Sure it was a little rusty and the chain was bone dry, but let’s be honest, it builds character. I was instantly hooked and fell in love with the sport and have been riding ever since. Being a teacher and student I have been able to develop team building skills and strive to exercise empathetic leadership in all endeavors.

Local Radio DJ Strays from the Norm

University’s club sport teams show that success stems from independence

Zach is a Sophomore at the University of Utah studying Communications and Marketing. He loves music, and listens mostly to hip-hop, reggae, and classic rock. He also enjoys rock climbing, snowboarding, and playing water polo.

Stories:

All Killer, No Filler

Utah’s Natural Disneyland: Does the increased traffic and tourism of wild Utah hurt the environment?

About me: 

Salt Lake City, UT –> Redlands, CA –> Las Vegas, NV –> Spanish Fork, UT –> Ferndale, WA –> Springville, UT –> Kingman, AZ –> Nashville, TN –> Richmond, VI –> Salt Lake City, UT

I went to Canada once for five minutes.

I mistakenly told a Deaf man in sign language that coconut was my “birthday” instead of my “favorite.” They’re very similar signs.

When I was in kindergarten I told everyone my name was Angelica (from Rugrats) and that I wanted to be an Ice Cream Man when I grew up.

I tried to go blonde once and turned red instead.

I once entered into a scary story contest and won second place. I was in the first grade.

I read a 600 page book in a day. I didn’t sleep.

I almost drowned in a lake and am now afraid of water.

I’m dating a Navy Sailor.

Every time I get chocolate-chip waffles I eat the entire box in one sitting and usually don’t regret it.

Have you ever heard of Challah bread? Google it. It looks delicious right? I know how to make that. And I know how to make it good.

One time I got food poisoning right after playing Mario and now I get a little nauseous every time I see him.

I have a cat, Curie, and she only has one eye and wakes me up at five in the morning every day.