The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 VOLUME 140, NO. 13 MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018 WWW.STUDLIFE.COM 7th Midterm elections are coming up, WHERE TO VOTE CLEAN SWEEP November 6 is election day! For those of you who are young, and have been **** pretending to know what that entails; 27th It’s the time when we elect senators, governors, and house representatives. Smaller municipal elections will happen 17th Midterm elec- Volleyball sweeps at this time, but what most of the nation is rightfully concerned about are 7th those federal offices that are up for 30th grabs. A decision Wash. U. students have to **** tions are Nov. 6. home matches, make each time elections happen is 13th whether to vote in-state (Missouri) or * **** absentee (your permanent address). **** 29th Maybe your state has an extremely close race and you’d rather vote there. Maybe your state is pretty solid in one Decide where to including against No. direction and you’d rather vote in the close senatorial race here. It’s plenty Key easy to register to vote through No close senate or governor races Turbovote.com if you plan on voting as Republican leaning senate/governor race a Missouri resident through your school *** register now 2 Colorado College address, but if you plan on absentee Texas Democrat leaning senate/governor race EDITORIAL CARTOON voting, it can be a bit more complicated A close senator or governor race depending on your state. Some states don’t allow you to register online and * A competitive house race occurring many states have early voter registra- tion deadlines that are fast approach- Last date to register is found next to the state. If (Scene, pg 10) (Sports, pg 5) (Forum, pg 8) ing. Missouri’s deadline in particular is a state doesn’t have a date, there is no deadline. October 10th. With all that in mind, I have compiled an infographic and table denoting the states with tight races, along with the cut-off dates for voter registration, and applicable districts in close house seat elections. CUT TO THE FEELING Planned Parenthood Generation Action and Title Mine protest Kavanaugh confirmation DANIELLE DRAKE-FLAM SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Washington University’s Planned Parenthood Generation Action and Title Mine organized a “Stop Kavanaugh” protest as part of the National Youth Day of Action Thursday, Oct. 4. The demonstration—held in RYAN YA G | STUDENT LIFE n front of Olin Library—was a Carly Rae Jepsen, the headliner for Social Programming Board’s fall WILD, performs an energetic set in Brookings Quadrangle Oct. 5. Jepsen movement of solidarity by stu- played many of her top hits such as “I Really Like You,” “Cut To The Feeling” and “Call Me Maybe” for the Washington University community. dents in support of Dr. Christine SEE MORE FROM WILD ON PAGE 3 Blasey Ford’s testimony against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court Campus community responds to GroupMe controversy of the United States Saturday. AIDEN BLINN The CDI staff’s email reiter- actions and not just statements, are often seen as submissive,” Washington University alumna NEWS EDITOR ated this sentiment and described conversations, and dialogue.” Yu said. “We also want a space and grassroots organizer for the content of the messages as Student reactions to the where we can start to get API Planned Parenthood Mina Aria The staff of the Center for negative stereotyping of Asian GroupMe messages have been folks’ voices heard on campus.” was an organizer of the protest. Diversity and Inclusion and Vice and Asian-American students. predominantly negative, and as Yu says that she believes the She, along with student education Chancellor for Student Affairs “We recognize the messages mentioned in the CDI’s email, University as a whole does not initiative Planned Parenthood Lori S. White responded to the can easily be interpreted as some view the messages as part recognize the diversity within Generation Action (PPGA), Umrath Hall floor GroupMe portraying Asian and Asian- of a recurring theme on campus. the Asian-American student organized the demonstration controversy in separate state- Americans as invaders and are a “This response was not neces- population. in coordination with Planned ments emailed to the student characterization of Asian people sarily to a specific incident, but “I just think that the University Parenthood’s nationwide effort body Oct. 3 and 4, respectively. as forever foreign and generally this incident was more like a tip- doesn’t always acknowledge that to “#SaveSCOTUS” [Supreme The GroupMe messages, sent not welcome in our community,” ping point for more Asian folks there are Asian-Americans on Court of the United States]. in the Umrath Hall first floor the CDI staff wrote. “These mes- on campus, because it’s sort of campus that may not necessar- “There’s so much energy on group Sept. 30, were viewed sages are inconsistent with the a reflection of all the marginal- ily fit that image of being from campus and at Wash. U., and so by many as insensitive toward University’s goal of creating an ization we’ve felt,” sophomore very wealthy backgrounds, being many people who identify as sur- Asian and Asian-American inclusive and diverse environ- and Asians and Pacific Islanders from very successful families— vivors [or] who rely on healthcare. students. Junior Han Ju Seo ment and are just one example of Demanding Justice (APIDJ) there are a lot of immigrant Having the choice to do what they distributed screenshots of the the broader bias and oppression member Jessica Yu said. families on campus, there are a need to do with their bodies… conversation on social media, that Asian and Asian-American APIDJ, a newly formed orga- lot of low-income students who Kavanaugh will just wipe every- prompting student backlash to students experience.” nization centered around Asian are Asian who are not recog- thing out if he is confirmed,” Aria their content and apologies from The CDI staff also called and Pacific Islander-specific nized on campus.” Yu said. said. “[It’s] very important that the senders. upon the Washington University issues, plans to address the Yu has noticed positive Wash. U. showed up today and In their statements, White community to learn from and GroupMe controversy in an responses to Occupy Umrath held space for survivors both on and the Center for Diversity prevent similar situations to the event in Umrath Hall Oct. 11 from a range of student groups and off campus and around the and Inclusion (CDI) staff GroupMe incident. at 8 p.m. According to Yu, the and feels that the incident country.” emphasized that the messages “The work of creating a dif- event, called Occupy Umrath, is extends beyond the Asian and According to sophomore Jessica ran counter to Washington ferent reality for our campus is an opportunity for students to Pacific Islander community. Zodicoff and senior and co- University’s values. incumbent upon all of us to ful- unite and discuss the status of “It’s not just API folks, and I president of Planned Parenthood “The language was offensive fill. We want our community to Asian and Pacific Islander stu- think that’s important because it Generation Action Sophie Elliot, and counter to our community learn from incidents like this, dents on campus. shows that we’re not left alone the goal of Thursday’s event was values of diversity and inclu- and to be better in the future— “Occupy Umrath is more so to in this case, and also it shows to create a safe place for individu- sion, and conveyed the hurtful that should always be our provide a space for API students that other groups on campus als to share their own stories. message that not all students collective goal,” the email read. on campus to physically take have had similar experiences “To make space [where] people are welcome at Washington “Diversity, inclusion, and equity up space because we don’t take and feel this discontent with the University,” White wrote. should be present in our daily space often—Asian-Americans University,” Yu said. SEE PROTEST, PAGE 9 WUGWU and SWA move forward with ‘Fight for 15’ protest OLIVIA SZYMANSKI campus. further attention to the campaign. SENIOR NEWS EDITOR “There’s a lot of different organiza- WUGWU previously collaborated tions that are involved with the Fight with the Student Worker Alliance Washington University Graduate for $15, and I think that Wash. U. is (SWA) for a Fight for $15 rally in Workers Union held a second “Fight in a good position to join those orga- September. for $15” rally, chanting and march- nizations and what we’re fighting for: “We’re here to make noise and get ing through the Danforth University $15 not just for grad workers but for attention,” Groebe said. Center Thursday, Oct. 4. all campus workers,” anthropology After the march, three speak- With chants such as “Get up! Get Ph.D. candidate Kelsey Nordine said. ers—including a graduate student, down! St. Louis is a union town!” and “We feel that’s a living wage, and it a campus worker and an under- “What’s outrageous? Poverty wages!” would help sort of deal with some of graduate—gave speeches about their the protesters marched through the the economic disparities in the com- experiences with the University as DUC at noon, circling through eat- munity of St. Louis. That’s why we paid employees. ing areas and food stations. feel so strongly about it.” History Ph.D. candidate Brandon Fight for $15 is an advocacy group According to Nordine, WUGWU Wilson emphasized the impact that for campaigns seeking to establish has yet to coordinate with the other a higher minimum wage could have a living hourly wage for employ- campus workers who will be affected not only on the lives of campus ees.