THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SINCE 1896 • VOLUME CXXVII, NO. 73 • dailycampus.com Wednesday, February 17, 2021 CONFIRMED 2021 COVID-19 Current Residential Cases Cumulative Cumulative Cumulative CASES AT UCONN STORRS 52 (positive/symptomatic) 93 Residential Cases* 16 Commuter Cases* 136 Staff Cases* as of 4:31 p.m. on Feb. 16 *positive test results UConn alumna hikes , miles for a sustainable future by Naiela Suleiman STAFF WRITER [email protected] University of Connecticut alum- na Hannah Bacon ‘15 is hiking across the U.S. to raise awareness on climate change. The 3,000-mile hike, which Ba- con began on Nov. 21, 2020, started barefoot on the San Clemente State Beach in California at 4:15 a.m., Ba- con said in her blog. Bacon made the choice to walk in an e ort to raise awareness about climate change and reduce her car- bon footprint, after a trip from New York to California. “One week after landing in Cali- fornia I committed to walking back East, a decision I am attributing to my love for Santa Cruz, reading Da- vid Wallace-Wells’ (The Uninhabit- By Jan. 27, Hannah Bacon walked over 1,000 miles in a effort to raise awareness about climate change. According to NASA, 2020 was the hottest able Earth,) being unemployed and year on record. PHOTO COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM having two nieces I love deeply,” Bacon said. “The idea came while con said. “For those reasons I have the political unrest that is evident urgent priority across America, I am unemployed due to COVID exploring one of my favorite spots, chosen Sunrise Movement as the across the country,” Bacon said. end the corrupting infl uence of and lucky to have a small amount the Forest of Nisene Marks State recipient of funds in support of a “To this, I respond that life happens fossil fuel executive on our poli- saved for the journey, and I walk Park.” youth-led organization holding our and that if I don’t walk now, I’ll nev- tics and elect leaders who stand up this earth in white skin that allows Refl ecting on the wildfi res that leaders accountable and making se- er do it... there are always a million for the health and wellbeing of all me to feel safe in most places,” Ba- invaded the West and the peo- rious strides for climate action.” reasons not to do something, and people,” according to the Sunrise con said. “I understand that plan- ple who were forced to leave their Sunrise Movement has over 400 if you let those reasons creep into Movement website. ning for and completing such an homes, Bacon planned her hike local hubs across the country, in- your mind they will change your Bacon said she feels lucky to adventure is a privilege, and I will with a cause in mind. cluding one at UConn Storrs. heart.” have circumstances that allow her do my best to carry it respectfully.” “We need immediate, systemic “Many people have questioned The youth movement aims to to take the time and make this hike As of Bacon’s most recent blog changes to move towards renew- this decision, equipped with lists stop climate change and create jobs across the country. post on Feb. 3, she is trekking able energy, provide green jobs and of why now is not a good time — in- in the process. “I continue to think about my through New Mexico, and recently prepare our communities for an cluding the fact that it is winter, we “We’re building an army of young circumstances that have allowed passed by the world’s largest pista- increase in climate disasters,” Ba- are experiencing a pandemic and people to make climate change an for this walk — I have no children, chio. ‘Artivism’ fuses Catch up on Men’s Basketball on Page art and activism to cultivate creativity within communities by Emma Gehr STAFF WRITER [email protected] The term “artivism” combines art and activism and is used to describe the work of various types of artists who challenge the traditional idea of what art is and what impact it can have on society. This term is inherently linked to community and the ways that artists can use their artistic endeavors to connect with the people and places around them. In an event titled “Imagine What is Possible: Artivism,” co-hosted by the Women’s Center, the department of women’s, gender, sexuality studies and the Ballard Institute and Muse- um of Puppetry, four artists gathered to discuss how their work extends be- yond the typical defi nition of art and is working toward improving society. “My work is really rooted in com- munity practice… I want to connect to where it’s being performed and the people who live there and what they care about,” Felicia Cooper, a pup- peteer and graduate assistant at the Ballard Institute and Museum of Pup- petry, said. The event began with a reading of “Won’t You Celebrate With Me,” a poem written by Lucille Clifton and read by Mick Powell, a poet and assis- tant professor in residence in women’s, gender and sexuality studies at UCo- nn. The poem confronts the presence of racism and gender inequality in so- ciety and celebrates how, despite these challenges, Clifton overcame the odds and had a successful career. James Bouknight returns the ball against Providence forward Ed Croswell (21) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday night. This was the first time Bouknight has played after returning from an injury. PHOTO BY DAVID BUTLER II/ AP See ARTIVISM, pg. 5 For more... dailycampus.com The_DailyCampus The_DailyCampus The Daily Campus Tweet of the Day Kat SPEAK NOW | PAGE 4 ARTIVISIM | PAGE 5 MENS BASKETBALL | PAGE 12 @ KatMeanJean Read about the rise of violence Find out more about a recent event Huskies face off against The bank says I can’t a ord a against Asian Americans– What is Possible Artivisim Providence $950 mortgage so I pay $1400 a month in rent instead. 02 Wednesday, February 17, 2021 • DailyCampus.com News ‘A complete bungle’: Texas’ energy pride goes out with cold AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Anger too,” said Amber Nichols, whose over Texas’ power grid failing in north Austin home has had no the face of a record winter freeze power since early Monday. “We’re mounted Tuesday as millions of all angry because there is no rea- residents in the energy capital of son to leave entire neighborhoods the U.S. remained shivering with freezing to death.” no assurances that their electricity She crunched through ice wear- and heat — out for 24 hours or lon- ing a parka and galoshes, while ger in many homes — would return her neighbors dug out their drive- soon or stay on once it fi nally does. ways from six inches of snow to “I know people are angry and move their cars. frustrated,” said Houston Mayor “This is a complete bungle,” she Sylvester Turner, who woke up said. to more than 1 million people still During the outages, Harris without power in his city. “So am County emergency officials re- I.” ported “several carbon monoxide In all, more than 4 million cus- deaths” in or around Houston and tomers in Texas still had no power a reminded people not to operate full day after historic snowfall and cars or gasoline powered gener- single-digit temperatures created ators indoors. Authorities say a surge in demand for electricity three young children and their to warm up homes unaccustomed grandmother, who were believed to such extreme lows, buckling to be trying to keep warm, also the state’s power grid and causing died in a suburban Houston house widespread blackouts. fire early Tuesday. Making matters worse, expec- Republican Gov. Greg Abbott tations that the outages would be on Tuesday called for an investi- shared evenly by the state’s 30 mil- gation of the Electric Reliability lion residents quickly gave way to Council of Texas, which operates a cold reality, as pockets in some of the state’s power grid. His indig- America’s largest cities, including nation struck a much different San Antonio, Dallas and Austin, tone than just a day earlier, when were left to shoulder the lasting he told Texans that ERCOT was brunt of a catastrophic power fail- prioritizing residential customers ure, and in subfreezing conditions and that power was getting re- that Texas’ grid operators had stored to hundreds of thousands People seeking shelter from sup-freezing temperatures gather at a make-shift warming shelter at Travis known was coming. of homes. Park Methodist Church, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in San Antonio. PHOTO BY ERIC GAY /AP The breakdown sparked grow- But hours after those assuranc- ing outrage and demands for an- es, the number of outages in Texas ERCOT tweeted Tuesday that close two on Monday because of a years we have really bad winters. swers over how Texas — whose only climbed higher. power plants “continue to strug- loss in power. This is not a surprise.” Republican leaders as recently as “This is unacceptable,” Abbott gle with frigid temperatures,” but Ed Hirs, an energy fellow at the Stephanie Murdoch, 51, began last year taunted California over said. it off ered no timetable for when University of Houston, said the bundling up inside her Dallas con- the Democratic-led state’s rolling ERCOT officials have de- power would be fully restored. The problem was a lack of weatherized dominium wearing blankets, two blackouts — failed such a massive fended their preparations for Federal Emergency Management power plants and a statewide ener- pairs of pants, three pairs of socks, test of a major point of state pride: a once-in-a-generation winter Agency said Texas had requested gy market that doesn’t incentivize a hat and gloves since the power energy independence.