Laura Durham: The work of an artistic woman

Posted on March 31, 2016 by comm5775
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Laura Durham enjoys her job with the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. Photo courtesy of Durham.

Story by JORDAN SENTENO

Utah native Laura Durham has a bachelor’s degree in art history from Brigham Young University. She currently works for the Utah Division of Arts and Museums in Salt Lake City and manages marketing and special projects that encourage public value of the arts in the state.

Growing up as a young girl, she really enjoyed music and art. Both her parents were musicians so she was surrounded by music all the time. The turning point for her was when she was in high school. She went to London with her father when she was 17 to study art and music.

“Since my parents were both musical artists I knew I wanted to do something with art and music and kind of rebelled against them by going into the field of art history,” she said in an email interview.

She has 15 years of working experience with the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. Before being promoted to marketing and public value manager, she worked as the visual arts coordinator. She also does graphic design on the side as a hobby, but has used those skills to create a brand and unique look for the Utah Division of Arts and Museums.

Durham also enjoys cooking, traveling, writing and sharing stories in her spare time. With her enjoyment of music, she sings with the Utah Chamber Artists.

Durham works out of the division’s main office in the historic Glendinning Mansion at 617 E. South Temple in Salt Lake City. Also located there is the Alice Gallery, named after founder Alice Merrill Horne. Durham chose to work at the Utah Division of Arts and Museums because she wanted to work with the arts and build programs, while also giving back to the community.

She serves on many boards, including the Salt Lake Gallery and Utah Emerging Museums Professionals. And she sits on the Downtown Marketing and Events committee, assisting with the Downtown Farmers Market, Dine O’Round and other community events.

She has worked for several other arts programs within the Utah Division of Arts and Museums, and was the visual arts coordinator managing the Rio Gallery and Traveling Exhibits. She also served as the vice president of the Salt Lake Gallery Association from 2003 to 2006.

Durham was program director of the Salt Lake Gallery Stroll from 2005 to 2010. “It was significant because it’s a great anchor in Salt Lake City when it comes to the visual arts,” said Durham in an email interview. “It’s a community event that people can count on each month and it has fostered a fertile environment for new galleries to pop up and join. A lot of business have joined the fun too, as we see more small business rotating local artwork on their walls and opening up their doors for the Stroll.”

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A piece that Durham designed for “15 Bytes” about Utah artists. Image courtesy of Durham.

She regularly contributes to “15 Bytes,” which is an online visual arts magazine in Salt Lake City. She serves, too, as assistant editor and managing music editor. Durham has developed a longstanding partnership with Artists of Utah, publisher of 15 Bytes. The magazine publishes two free adds every month for the Utah Division of Arts and Museums so it can advertise what is going on in its galleries, literary arts programs and more.

Durham has developed many other partnerships, such as with the Salt Lake Film Society, Utah Film Center and Utah.com. She is in the process of helping the latter showcase its website and direct tourists to the wide variety of arts that are available here in Utah.

In 2014, Durham completed the Change Leader Program, which is a professional development course. According to the Utah Division of Arts and Museums website, “Participants attend a three-day institute with instruction on assessing environment and the communication and facilitation skills necessary to implement change.” As part of the program, Durham initiated a project called “Utah’s 15 most influential artists.” In a press release about it, Durham said, “Hopefully this program will inspire more people to recognize how art has enhanced their quality of life as well. And hopefully we will nurture a society that more widely and visibly values artists and their contributions.” She  said in the release she believes artists influence our landscape and culture. “I sought to identify Utah artists who influence and impact our community,” she said.

 

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Media, Nonprofits, Organizations, Profiles | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Webster agrees, the definition of beautiful is YOU

Posted on April 23, 2015 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by SHANNON O’CONNOR

Learn more about how people are impacting lives through positive body image.


Lexie Kite, 29, created the nonprofit organization, Beauty Redefined, with her twin sister Lindsay Kite. The idea to start the motivational program was sparked in their media literacy class at Utah State University.

The class opened their eyes to how women are negatively represented in the media. The Kite sisters were angry at how the media transform the public’s idea of what makes a woman beautiful.

“One day my heart started pounding faster and I wanted to spread the word,” Lexie said. Lindsay felt the same way.

They decided to continue their research on body image and the media at the University of Utah and earned PhDs in 2013.

Their doctoral dissertations formed the basis of an empowering visual presentation they have given to “tens of thousands of people across the U.S. since 2009,” according to the website.

“We started through a dinky website, and based on the reviews we realized people were starving for this information,” Lexie said.

Their presentations are a compilation of their research, studies and experiences. “Beauty Redefined teaches audiences to recognize and reject harmful messages about bodies and continuously resist those limiting ideals through the power of body image resilience” according to the website.

Body image resilience is their main promoted message. It is “the ability to combat harmful ideas and bring to light the lies women are told,” Lexie said. The lies that women are just objects and have to look a certain way to be beautiful.

Lexie and Lindsay are passionate and driven to empower women and remind them they are “more than just bodies, more than just something to decorate the world,” Lexie said.

The portrayal of women in the media makes them feel pressured to look a certain way. If women don’t look that way, they may feel negatively about their appearance or get negative critiques from others.

“You’re just fat and ugly and jealous of all the beautiful women,” wrote a woman in an email to the Kite sisters.

“We can use painful experiences as stepping stones and not stumbling blocks,” Lexie said. “We can help provide the skills, resources, and tools to do that.”

Lexie and Lindsay Kite will not stand for women being objectified. They are influencing people around the world to have a positive outlook on body image through their blog, website and presentations.

Another program that promotes positive body image is a University of Utah club called SPEAK (Students Promoting Eating Disorder Awareness and Knowledge). SPEAK chapters are spreading to other universities, including George Washington University and the University of Minnesota. Each chapter has about 100 members.

Some of the 110 members at the U are people who have experienced an eating disorder or a body image issue. Other members, like Jon Junejo, financial director for SPEAK, have not experienced such issues. But they have a passion to educate and help people through their body image struggles.

Members of the U’s SPEAK chapter regularly engage in outreach to elementary schools, high schools, teams and clubs throughout Utah. “The more outreaches we do, the more it becomes evident that our program, and other positive body image programs are worth it,” Junejo said.

Junejo, 21, has been a part of SPEAK since 2013. At first, he joined the club so he could gain public speaking experience. Junejo wasn’t expecting to gain a passion for the importance of positive body image.

“Honestly, after the first outreach I did at Dilworth  Elementary, SPEAK became something much more,” Junejo said. “As I began hearing stories about people’s experiences with the eating disorder epidemic, it became clear to me that I could have a real positive effect on these people.”

SPEAK’s mission is to educate people about the effects from negative body image, body dysmorphia and provide ways to help people struggling with body image.

Body dysmorphia is a “conflict between what you see as an ideal body, compared to what you actually look like,” Junejo said. The disorder can affect people of all ages and may be caused be peer pressure, genes, or culture – including images in the media.

Junejo learned about one result from negative body image, eating disorders. He has not experienced it himself but he has friends who have suffered from anorexia and bulimia.

“Our [SPEAK] goal is to prevent eating disorders in the first place,” Junejo said. “We refer people to treatment centers on an individual case basis.” He added that eating disorders are predominantly emotional issues, but each person has a unique situation. It’s a multidimensional problem that the members of SPEAK are trying to help.

“Who you surround yourself with can dictate how you feel about yourself,” Junejo said. It’s important to have positive people around to overcome negative thoughts. Junejo has been a part of helping people through a struggle that people are scared to talk about.

When people compare themselves to the media, Junejo and the team want them to re-evaluate the source and “think differently about what source is making you feel like you should look a certain way.”

A main source to promote positive body image is through social media.

“They’re [social media sites] great places to get a conversation started with girls and women. We struggle wanting to be a certain way and look like this person, or that person,” said Nicea DeGering, host for “Good Things Utah.” “So when someone says, out loud, ‘just be you, you is good enough’ and it’s said on social media, which is the primary language spoken by young women today, it’s even more of a positive impact.”

DeGering has been a host for “Good Things Utah” for 12 years and graduated in 1995 with her communication, broadcasting degree from Brigham Young University. DeGering is a successful woman, wife and mother to two daughters.

She sees her daughters influenced by the pressure the media have put on women to look a specific way. “It’s something that we talk about in my house on a daily basis,” she said. “When is it OK to just be yourself? The answer should be, every day.”

DeGering didn’t have the same social media issues as her daughters, but she did struggle with her body image growing up. Her peers called her “big” because she was 5 feet 10 inches tall by the time she was in seventh grade.

“Now I’m mad I wasted one minute worrying that I was different,” she said. “Thank heavens there is only one of me, and I want to do me the best I can. Unique needs to be celebrated.”

Beauty Redefined promotes this notion, too: “Reflect on what impact narrow beauty ideals have had on your life and take inventory of the time, money and energy you dedicate to appearance concerns.”

DeGering added, “Looks are the first thing we all see. That’s a fact. And that’s actually OK, as long as you keep looking, as long as you continue to dig deeper beyond that, there is more to everyone. Everyone has their hard times, everyone struggles.”

The media disseminate many unrealistic messages about beauty to women.

“Conversation and awareness are key in making change,” DeGering said. That conversation begins with help from programs like Beauty Redefined and SPEAK, and by influential people like Nicea DeGering.

“Just be you, you is good enough,” DeGering said.

Filed under: Education, Health & Fitness, Media, Nonprofits, Organizations, Small Business | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

‘Django Unchained’ — the ‘d’ is silent, but not the critics

Posted on April 2, 2013 by comm5775

Story and photo by RENEE ESTRADA

The 2013 Academy Awards were held on Feb. 24, 2013. Films, actors and others in the industry were honored for their talents. While all the films got their moment in the spotlight, one film seemed to stand out from the rest, and that film was “Django Unchained.”

“Django Unchained” stood out from the rest because of the controversy it garnered in the weeks prior to the awards ceremony. Many spoke out against the film because they believed it to be racist, crude or desentizingly violent.

“Django Unchained” received two Academy Awards: one for best original screenplay, awarded to Quentin Tarantino, and one for best actor in a supporting role, awarded to Christoph Waltz.

The movie is about a freed slave, Django, who joins bounty hunter King Schultz in his search to find criminals. He does so in order to earn the money to buy his wife, Broomhilda, her freedom, and the two can be together again. All along the way he mercilessly kills white slaveowners.

Some critics, namely Aisha Harris of Slate, say the entire film is a blatant slave revenge fantasy. In her piece, “When Blaxplotation Went West,” she argues, “He’s [Django] not standing up on behalf of his fellow subjugated man. You can choose to identify with Django, but if you do, you’re rooting for his overcoming of oppression, not a collective victory for the black race.”

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Meanwhile, blogger and critic Jamelle Bouie argued that while the story of Django may be unrealistic, at least the movie depicts some true aspects of slavery, which is very unlike Hollywood. There is no gentle and kind slaveowner. Calvin Candie, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, accurately portrays the cruel slaveowner who was depicted in history books and imaginations. He is ruthless and probably doesn’t have an ounce of compassion.

Ingrid Gonzalez, a student at the University of Utah, agreed with these sentiments.“’Django’ showed how blacks were treated at that time. The director didn’t cover anything up,” Gonzalez said. “When it came to the treatment of slaves I feel that it was spot on, and to me that’s rare in movies because most movies show kind slaveowners, and there really weren’t many of those.”

Some critics, namely James Rocchi of Box Office, defended Tarantino’s work, suggesting the violence and language used is his style. In his review he wrote that the film combines “his maniacal style of mashed-up fragments from the cultural canon with a seriousness of intent that turns Django into a discussion of both pop and politics.”

A few years ago Tarantino made “Inglorious Basterds,” a fictitious movie in which Jews went in search of Nazis to kill and scalp them. The film enraged Germans for the depiction of Nazis. In an article for the U.K Telegraph, Richard Alleyne wrote, “Germans fear it will turn the Second World War into a comic book adventure in which their countrymen have no redeeming value.”

Others say the language in “Django Unchained” is over the top, considering the n-word is used more than 100 times. “Pulp Fiction,” another film written and directed by Tarantino, is not a movie involving slavery and Tarantino was criticized for his usage of the n-word in that. Given that “Django Unchained” is set in the antebellum South, some might argue the word is more historically relevant than a film set in California during the 1990s.

Some critics say that the violence is what is excessive. Jermaine Spradely, the multicultural editor at the Huffington Post, argues, “The problem is that, by showing non-stop killing, maiming, whipping and beating throughout the entirety of the film, by the end, the viewer is so desensitized….”

Some viewers agreed with that. Sara Scott, a student at the U, said, “I liked the movie but the gore definitely took away from it. The violence was over the top in my opinion, but I knew before I watched it that’s Tarantino’s style.”

While critics may not agree on what the film represents, movies like “Django Unchained” prove that viewers need to watch with a close eye. As controversial as movies can be, that doesn’t always negate their value. Some aspects can be surprisingly accurate, while others can be outright appalling.

Filed under: African American, Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Media | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

2013: LGBTQ equality in Utah? It has a fighting chance

Posted on December 4, 2012 by comm5775

Story and photo by SASCHA BLUME

With the 2013 Utah legislative sessions set to begin on Jan. 28, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community is in a political quandary.

Max Green, advocacy coordinator for Equality Utah in Salt Lake City, said, “We’re not asking for special treatment, just the same protection that everyone is provided.”

Green said the national and state elections of 2012 have made an impact on the coming year’s legislative process.

“With so much turnover from the elections not every person is up to date and not every legislator is familiar with the legislative readings,” Green said.

This makes it particularly difficult to have a season-long dialogue about specific legislation, Green said.

In an attempt to bring equal rights and protection to the LGBTQ community, Equality Utah created the Common Ground Initiative in 2012. The nonprofit organization’s mission is: “To secure equal rights and protections for LGBTQ Utahns and their families.”

This proposed initiative was designed to positively impact four problem areas in Utah’s LGBTQ community:

(1) Fair housing and employment (SB 51). Currently, Utahns can be evicted from their house because of their sexual orientation.

(2) Expanding health care (HB 64). Currently, lesbian and gay individuals cannot visit a loved one in a hospital.

(3) Relationship Recognition (SB 126).

(4) Inheritance. LGBTQ individuals are unable to claim inheritance when their partner dies.

During the 2012 legislative sessions, Utah’s Sate Capitol Rotunda was the site of a rally organized by Human Dignity Utah. The purpose of the rally was to encourage Utah legislators to ratify the Common Ground Initiative.

The rally drew more than 100 people — some carried signs, others sang, but all were there to show solidarity in their quest for equality.

Five speakers addressed the audience and the dozens of lawmakers who watched from the third-floor balcony surrounded by armed Utah Highway Patrol officers.

Sister Dottie Dixon, a local art performer, told the audience, “By showing up here today we’re showing that we are fed up; we’re tired of being ignored, politely dismissed, relegated to second-class citizens.”

Kathy Godwin, president of the Salt Lake Chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), told the crowd that the majority of Utah citizens and businesses want equal protection for the LGBTQ community. She also said that approximately 70 percent of Utahns encourage state legislators to give civil rights to the LGBTQ community.

Isaac Higham, a keynote speaker with Human Dignity Utah, said after the rally, “I’m sick of the nonchalance of how easily they just dismiss our community and don’t even give us a true fair hearing.”

Higham said that Utah legislators are misinformed regarding what the people of Utah want. He said it’s the job of all Utahns to remind lawmakers that they are in office to work for the people, not just their agenda.

The Common Ground Initiative failed. All four bills went unheard and were effectively tabled.

Filed under: Law and Justice, LGBTQ, Media, Nonprofits, Organizations, Politics | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Annual Gay-La and Silent Auction raise funds for the U’s LGBT Resource Center

Posted on December 4, 2012 by comm5775

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Story and photos by SASCHA BLUME

The culmination of Pride Week at the University of Utah was the Gay-La and Silent Auction at the Jewish Community Center.

Approximately 240 people attended the dinner and silent auction with all proceeds being donated to the LGBT Resource Center at the U.

The money earned at the event went to student scholarships and student emergency funds.

People who attended the event were able to silently bid on numerous items, including: a limited edition collection painting by Trevor Southey, Ballet West tickets and a two-night stay at Hotel Monaco located in downtown Salt Lake City.

The silent auction raised $2,800, with the highest auction item being Southey’s painting. It sold for $500.

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The Gay-La Silent Auction featured a wide variety of items.

Attendees enjoyed the meal and the silent auction, but every person who paid to participate in the Gay-La was there because Matthew Breen was the keynote speaker.

Breen, a U alumnus, is the chief editor of the nationwide LGBTQ news magazine, “The Advocate.”

He began his speech by thanking everyone in attendance for their time and kindness toward the U’s effort in championing LGBT equality in Utah.

Breen disscussed the hardships of growing up gay in Salt Lake City during the 1980s and 1990s, and said how thankful he was to be back at the U.

It was while he was at the U, that Breen grew to understand that on planet Earth, it is not easy to conduct one’s life with loving kindness, especially  when the community he grew up in was intolerant toward the LGBT community.

“A younger me would have benefited from Pride Week,” he said.

During the keynote speech, Breen said how important it is for gay and lesbian people to come out as soon as possible. He also encouraged parents and the community to support all people in this process.

It has been 15 years since Breen publicly stated that he is gay. However, this trip to Salt Lake City was the first time he has been openly gay in Utah.

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Approximately 240 people attended the Gay-La and Silent Auction at the JCC.

In his speech, he encouraged the audience to never forget the hard work and dedication of previous generations and their efforts to end discrimination against the LGBTQ community.

Breen’s speech, however, was not exclusively focused on how far the LGBTQ community has come. Rather, he focused on the idea that people should “take abject lessons to heart,” and that they should “unlearn that there are two sides to the story.” Breen said there is only one truth in a story and that is what people should focus on.

He then discussed the idea that the media and general public still are misinformed regarding what being gay or lesbian is.

Breen explained that in America most people still link pedophilia with gay men. He also said the media and general public still believe that children cannot thrive in a same-sex household. He stated categorically that there is zero evidence to support these myths. The audience responded with loud applause.

The Gay-La also recognized nine students who attend Brigham Young University for their courage and resilience for upholding its Honor Code despite the fact that they are gay. BYU forbids sexual contact between gay people and will expel students for having same-sex relationships.

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BYU students having dinner.

One of the students, Adam White, said, “It is scary to speak up for what you believe to be right, but I found that when I raise my voice to spread awareness and understanding, that it does make a positive difference on this campus.”

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, LGBTQ, Media, Nonprofits, Organizations | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Misrepresentation in media portrayal of the LGBT community

Posted on December 4, 2012 by comm5775

Story and slideshow by Adrienne Purdy

See a slideshow of media misrepresentation of gays and lesbians.

Our lives include so much media and television that we often take in what we see without question. But should we? Are groups being represented accurately? Or do the media depict stereotypical images of Asians, African Americans, women and lesbians and gays?

For instance, “Modern Family” is a multi-award-winning TV show that features a media stereotypical gay couple: two middle age white, upper class, extremely flamboyant men who are trying to adopt. But is that how all or even most gay couples are? Or are a wide variety of lifestyles represented?

From Ellen DeGeneres, one of the first high-profile celebrities to come out in 1997, to the many entertainers who have done so in 2012, Hollywood is showing that coming out does not have to include the fanfare of magazine covers and daytime talk shows. For instance, Jim Parsons became one of the first gay men to allow a reporter out them in a story.

In a New York Times profile, the key sentence does not come until more than three quarters of the way through the two-page article: “The Normal Heart resonated with him on a few levels: Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year-relationship and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said.”

Other actors are working to defy stereotypes of gay men. For example, Matt Bomer plays Neal Caffrey in “White Collar”, a white-collar criminal who helps the FBI catch other criminals. He also plays a stripper in the hit “Magic Mike.” Bomer shows that the stereotypical image of a gay man is not only incorrect most of the time, but not important.

Dave Kirtley, who identifies as straight, says, “Celebrities have definitely paved the way for coming out of the closet. Ellen DeGeneres paved the way. Rosie O’Donnell paved the way. ‘Will and Grace’ is huge for the gay community. The LOGO station for gays and lesbians, I mean, they even have their own TV channel.”

But what about celebrities who are the subject of rumors about coming out but will neither confirm nor deny them?

Entertainment Weekly reported, “The media are becoming less tolerant of celebrities they believe to be unforthcoming about their sexual orientation.”

Actors who are openly gay are also showing that coming out in no way hurts their career. Take Chris Colfer, for example, one of the youngest openly gay actors in Hollywood. Stemming from his success on “Glee“ as one of the only gay kids at the fictional McKinley High School, he is now releasing a new movie that he has written, executive produced and starred in.

Some may say that coming out can hurt an actor’s career. But, as Entertainment Weekly’s Matt Harris wrote, “If your greatest ambition is to be the star of a series of Nicholas Sparks-style sincerity-in-the-rain romantic melodramas, being an out gay man is still probably going to be a handicap. Could an openly gay actor, for example, have gotten cast in Channing Tatum’s role in ‘The Vow’? It’s doubtful. On the other hand, could an openly gay actor have gotten Channing Tatum’s role in ’21 Jump Street’? Absolutely.”

Does this speak to the stereotypes the media portray? If an out gay man can convincingly portray a heterosexual romantic lead better than a straight man, shouldn’t he get the role?

These boundaries and barriers may take some time to break down.

Kristina Spainhower is a UPS driver. Her handle was “Wild Child” until she turned 40, and then she shortened it to “Wild.”

Her partner, Wendy Judson, is a critical care nurse who also happens to be a movie aficionado.

“We vote, we pay taxes, we have jobs, we come home to pets, we donate to charities,” Judson says. “We are just like anyone else. We’re no different.”

Spainhower says that most media portray gays and lesbians in a stereotypical and often-times biased light.

One TV series that Spainhower believes shows situations accurately is “The L Word.”

“The L Word” was a TV series that ran from 2004-2009 about the lives of a group of close-knit lesbians and their interactions with friends and family members with differing opinions about their orientation.

“It’s pretty close to life,” Spainhower says. “The family situations and interactions are very good as well. It’s not something that’s talked about a lot on channels 2, 4 or 5 or in the news or mainstream media.”

Others, like Kirtley, feel that the family situations in “Modern Family” aren’t true to life. “I think that Cam and Mitch [the gay couple] are the quintessential stereotype, and since ‘Modern Family’ is such a successful show and has such a large viewership some people who may not know many gay couples may get the idea that all gay couples are like them which isn’t true,” Kirtley says. “I think Hollywood and the media in general need to portray gay couples, and lesbian couples for that matter, more accurately and with more diversity.”

Jacob Stokes feels that although “Modern Family” does a good job portraying one kind of relationship, it is not the standard of every gay relationship. Stokes, who identifies as gay, says, “As with any culture, you have people on either end of the spectrum and everywhere in between. There certainly are gay couples consisting of flamboyant men who want to adopt children. There are conservative couples whom many would not believe to be gay except for the fact that they like other men. Some men want children, others do not. I think Modern Family has done a good job at portraying one type of couple, but it certainly does not extend to every gay man or relationship,” he said in an email interview.

Spainhower says that neither lesbian nor gay couples are portrayed enough in the media, let alone accurately. She also feels that two women together are more accepted in media and culture than two men are.

Stokes says, “I think that widespread stereotypes take a lot of work and time to change. Just as stereotypes about African Americans or any other historical minorities still linger it will certainly take time for people to regard homosexuality without discrimination or prejudice.”

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, LGBTQ, Media | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

LGBT organizations continually work toward equality in Utah

Posted on October 18, 2012 by comm5775

The Utah Pride Center, located at 361 N. 300 West, is an advocate for the LGBT community.

Story and photo by CHAD MOBLEY

Salt Lake City is seen through the eyes of the nation as a conservative and religiously centered metropolitan area whose dominant Mormon culture controls everything from lawmaking to media consumption. However, the population is ever changing and growing more diverse all the time. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community is one segment of the population with organizations in place to help balance the scales and promote equality among all citizens in Utah. Equality Utah and the Utah Pride Center went to bat for the LGBT community during a recent controversy and the leaders involved felt the outcome was positive.

In late August 2012, KSL refused to air the new NBC comedy, “The New Normal.” That decision caused a media firestorm and many in the LGBT community in Salt Lake City to take action. The issue was covered by news outlets across the country, including the Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post and CBS. When the story first broke, the Utah TV station was portrayed as regressive and bigoted.

Not only did this decision catch the attention of the national media, but enraged advocates for gay rights in America.

GLAAD President Hernon Graddick was quoted in a blog from the organization’s website: “Same-sex families are a beloved part of American television thanks to shows like ‘Modern Family,’ ‘Glee’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ While audiences, critics and advertisers have all supported LGBT stories, KSL is demonstrating how deeply out of touch it is with the rest of the country.”

Graddick continued, “We invite Jeff Simpson (CEO for Bonneville Media, KSL’s parent company) to sit down with GLAAD and local LGBT families. We know that if he would, he would see that not only are our families normal, but by citing ‘crude and rude’ content and refusing to affirm LGBT families, KSL and Mr. Simpson are sending a dangerous message to Utah. They should make that right.”

Five days after KSL’s decision not to air the program, the director of the Utah Pride Center, Valerie Larabee, along with Equality Utah director, Brandie Balken, her family and another same-sex family sat down for a roundtable discussion with KSL and Bonneville Media.

The organizations then released a joint statement on Aug. 29 regarding the decision to pull the show from the primetime lineup.

According to KSL, “It was helpful to talk together, to better understand issues, and to be able to discuss the reasons behind our decision to not air ‘The New Normal.’ This was not a decision we made lightly and it was not made because of any single issue including gay characters or LGBT families. … We care about and value all members of our community, including LGBT people and their families, and are grateful when there can be the type of cordial and respectful dialogue we have had today.”

Equality Utah and the Utah Pride Center added in the statement, “We had a great opportunity to talk about our families and our kids. We appreciated the opportunity to express our concerns, and to hear firsthand the reasons behind this decision. We accept their explanation that the decision to pull ‘The New Normal’ was not made lightly and it was not made because of any single issue including gay characters or LGBT families.”

After having seen the show, Balken and Larabee agreed with KSL’s decision.

“Having the LGBT presence in the show was important,” Balken said in a telephone interview. “However, more than or equally important to just being present is how we are portrayed. We want to be represented as who we really are.”

Larabee added, “Once we saw the first episode, we got it completely. I agreed with them. We think it is very poorly written.”

One member of the local LGBT community felt relief knowing that advocates are ready to fight for their rights.

“That really does show what they are doing and how effective they are,” said Shalise Mehew of Salt Lake City. “I totally agree, I wouldn’t want it on primetime either.”

After a heated controversy over what seemed to be an anti-gay decision, a simple dialogue  immediately alleviated concerns. A planned protest was cancelled, a joint statement was released and an understanding between two sides of the community was reached.

“It was the first step in helping to create trust between at least a segment of our community and the local media,” Larabee said.

The Utah Pride Center and Equality Utah continually monitor the media to correct any unfair reporting or disparaging portrayals of the LGBT community and its families. The two organizations maintain relationships with the media on a daily basis and they work with GLAAD when they have any major issues surrounding coverage or statements made by those in the media industry.

“Utah Pride Center and Equality Utah work tirelessly to promote tolerance and grow acceptance of LGBT people and families in Utah,” said Graddick of GLAAD on the website. “We are proud to be working with them.”

For the organizations, fighting for equality doesn’t stop with the media. One of their goals is to reach this same type of understanding between the LGBT community and the dominant religion.

“We are really invested in continuing conversations with LDS people,” Balken said. “We live in the same places, work in the same places and have kids in the same schools. Anytime people can and will sit down and really just be real with each other, it’s a great release and it’s positive.”

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Law and Justice, LGBTQ, Media, Nonprofits, Organizations | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Jason Nowa

Posted on April 24, 2012 by comm5775

Utes Baseball Overmatched Midway Through Season
Story and Photos by Jason Nowa

The inaugural year in the Pacific-12 Conference (Voices of Utah) for the University of Utah athletics has been one of transition and struggle.

When the university switched athletic leagues last year, the big story was all about difficulty– how challenging the change would be, and how tough it would be for the Utes to switch to new surroundings, higher pressures and a notch up in the quality of competition.

Critics and fans alike suggested the sport to take the biggest hit would be baseball. The baseball program was thrown into one of the best conferences in the country.

Warm climate states, including California and Arizona, have six Pac-12 member teams, and that warm weather certainly helps, giving teams a chance to play year-round.

The Baseball America preseason Top 25 rankings had five Pac-12 teams ranked to being the year. All five of those preseason ranked teams are currently still ranked in the Top 25 midway through the season.

One new addition from the Pac-12 to those rankings is the University of Oregon, currently ranked at 22 in the nation.

The others are University of Arizona at number four, UCLA number five, Stanford number six, Oregon State number 20, and Arizona State number 24.

A historic win for the Utes came when they swept a doubleheader on March 16 against USC for its first Pac-12 victories.

Their worst loss of the season so far came on March 30 at home against UCLA 16-0. The Utes have had two separate six-game losing streaks through the season and have won more than one game only once.

“This first half of our season hasn’t gone as we wanted, but we can only move forward and plan for the next game. The past is the past,” junior catcher Parker Morin said.

The team had only one home game through the first 22 games to start the season. They went 1-8 through their last home stand.

The team heads back on the road playing at California-Berkley before returning to Salt Lake City for a quick home stand starting on April 24.

The Utes are currently the only Pac-12 team with an overall losing record halfway through the season.

Pitching has been a problem this year. The team has only two starting pitchers who have thrown over 17 innings. Juniors Joe Pond and Brock Duke are the most consistent starters.

Pond is 2-5 in eight starts with an ERA of 5.62 in 40 innings. Duke is 2-1 in six starts while posting a 3.35 era in 40.1 innings. Duke has 25 strikeouts to 14 walks while Pond leads the team with 32 strikeouts and has 20 walks.

The team’s most reliable relief pitcher has been Mitch Watrous, who has pitched 24 innings posting a 2.25 ERA, lowest on the team with the most appearances.

Closer Tyler Wagner has been very shaky through the first half of the year. He has pitched 20 innings with a 4.87 ERA. Wagner on April 3 gave up five earned runs in the 9th inning of a devastating 9-6 loss to rival BYU.

“Our team needs better quality starts from myself along with our other pitchers so that our offense doesn’t have such big deficits to try and overcome,” said Junior starting pitcher Joe Pond.

The most valuable player through the first half of the season has been catcher Morin. Morin leads the team with a .347 batting average, 41 hits, and 22 RBIs. Morin as a catcher also has the duty of controlling the pitchers and knowing their strengths.

Short stop James Brooks, who is a returning starting senior from Melbourne, Australia, has been equally as consistent as Morin to help lead the offense. Brooks is batting .301 with six home runs and 18 RBIs in 37 hits. These two have held the team afloat offensively.

The two biggest disappointments offensively have been sophomore third baseman Trey Nielsen, and senior outfielder Shaun Cooper. Nielsen dominated Mountain West Conference pitching last year as he was honored as a Louisville Freshman All-American. Nielsen was one of the big threats in the lineup as he had nine home runs with 41 RBIs on the year. Nielsen’s production has tailed off considerably this year with a .233 batting average, no home runs, and only eight RBIs through 30 games that he has started.

When asked how the transition has been for the team to the Pac-12 conference Nielsen said, “It’s been a struggle. We are facing multiple future major league players on each team now as opposed to maybe one or none from any team we faced in the Mountain West last year. This Pac-12 league is the best in America.”

Cooper was picked as a preseason Louisville All-American slugger after the fabulous season he had last year with a .332 batting average, eight home runs, 43 RBIs in 67 hits. This year Cooper is only batting .205 with four home runs and 15 RBIs in 24 hits.

All the lost production from a potent offense a year ago could stem from the loss of two-time All-American first baseman C.J. Cron (Voices of Utah) to the major leagues. Cron became Utah’s first-ever, first-round draftee when he was selected 17th overall in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Opposing pitchers feared Cron, and often walked him.

The Utes finished in second place in the Mountain West conference last year with an overall record of 28-19.

The competition from switching leagues is a dramatic increase but it makes a team much different after losing two players to the major leagues in the same year.

Pitcher Rick Anton also was drafted a year ago. Anton was selected in the eighth round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“Being on the team last year was awesome; we were so good with C.J. and Rick. And they made everyone else better on the team. It’s tough without them. We’ve had to find new leaders to look to and find that one guy to rally around,” said shortstop Brooks.

The Ute baseball (Voices of Utah) team is currently sitting in 10th place out of 11 participating schools, with only University of Colorado not having a baseball team.

Overall the Utes are 10-25, while 4-8 in conference play as of April 10. They are 1-9 at home, 7-13 on the road, and 2-3 at neural field sites. There are 21 games left in the season to try and improve their record.

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Of three movies, one moves a guy to tears

Posted on April 24, 2012 by comm5775

by: Zachary Arthur

As summer approaches blockbuster movies are hitting the big screen. Over the past month many filmgoers have seen the highest grossing movies of the year—not to mention one of the most famous disaster movies of all time return to the big screen.

“21 Jump Street”, “The Hunger Games”, and “Titanic (in 3D)” are three movies that either opened in the number one spot this year or opened in the number one spot in their original release date.

“21 Jump Street” started the movie extravaganza. Although the movie was clearly pegged as a comedy, there was still anticipation for everything else it might offer and any surprises it had in store.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play bad police officers who are sent back to high school as undercover students because of their immaturity. A new drug is making the rounds at school. The cops are assigned to stop the drug from spreading out the school walls, and to find out who is making and distributing it.

Above and beyond everything else this movie is a comedy. The goal of the film was to make whoever was watching it laugh however I was surprised to find that there was a wide range of action and a small love story that developed on screen.

One particular scene that had the entire theater laughing had the gym teacher confronting Hill and Tatum in the school hall. The gym teacher asks for their hall passes but does not know that Hill and Tatum had just been forced to do a new drug to prove they were legit students.

The key to this movie’s success lies in the acting. Hill was cast as the slightly overweight nerd and Tatum was cast as the athletic and attractive jock. While the movie plays certain angles to mix their roles up, the true comedy of the movie is a result of what actors played what parts.

Kyle Copier, a freshman at the University of Utah, attended the movie. “Every time Jonah Hill is in a movie I can bank on it being funny,” he said. “This movie did not disappoint and although it was not the funniest movie I have ever seen him do, it had other aspects to it that brought the movie to the same level.”

Although “21 Jump Street” was probably the best comedy of the year so far, “The Hunger Games” had to be the most anticipated film of 2012.

Among popular adaptations of young adult novels to film, such as the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” series, “The Hunger Games” is the newest in the genre and targeted mainly to females, ages 13 to 18. Still, the film has found a way to make a place in the adult market.

In the first three weeks of its run, the movie has made $302 million worldwide and has maintained its top box office ranking the entire time.

The movie has newcomer Jennifer Lawrence take over the lead role of Katniss Everdeen, a poor girl struggling to take care of her mother and younger sister. Lawrence is the highlight of an already bright film.

“The Hunger Games” world takes place in the near future as the country has been divided into 12 districts.

Once a year the country hosts “The Hunger Games,” a competition where a boy and a girl from each district are chosen to compete in a competition in a simulated world with only one way to get out: Fight to the death.

The last person standing gets out and the rewards are plentiful. Apart from Lawrence’s performance as Everdeen, the movie benefits from its unique pacing.

A film with a violent and action-packed theme, “The Hunger Games” waits until about half way to even start the competition. This may sound like a poor plan, but it is perfectly executed.

Heather Reynolds, a junior at Westminster College, thoroughly enjoyed the film.

“If anybody has read the book then they know the movie is a must-see. They nailed most of what the book said, and although they left a few details out, the whole story was still told very well,” Reynolds said.

This was a strong surprise in the box office and one that leaves people wondering about future adaptations.

The most recent release of the three movies is “Titanic (in 3D).” It is a big screen rerelease of the highly touted 1997 movie “Titanic.”

The movie won 11 academy awards and until “Avatar’s” release in 2010, was the highest-grossing movie of all time. The special effects were well beyond the movies years and many were anticipating the chance to see the movie again at the movie theater.

If you hesitant at seeing the film again, or shudder at the length of this movie (195 minutes) then please stop now. If you need a good meal or a nice walk around the park to clear your ones head then please take the necessary steps towards doing that.

This is the same classic that people fell in love with in 1997. Jordana Kahn, a freshman at the University of Utah said, “The movie packs every possible emotion into one package and leaves you wanting to cry and never let go of your loved one at the end of the movie.”

The ship was called by many at the time as “The unsinkable ship” and its design showed why. The boat was large and as luxurious as anybody could imagine.

The one big fault of the ship was that there were only enough life rafts for about half of the ship. The ship ended up hitting an iceberg two days into its voyage and sinking.

The end result was that 2,223 passengers were on the ship and 1,517 died.

Directed by James Cameron, the movie goes builds toward the tragic end for the ship while weaving a love story throughout. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet star as the two people on the ship who always find a way towards each other.

DiCaprio plays -Jack Dawson-, a poor American that won his way onto the ship in a game of poker. Winslet plays -Rose DeWitt Bukater-, an English woman unhappily engaged to a wealthy man.

The two could not be more opposite in appearance and demeanor, but the most important aspect to this movie’s success is how DiCaprio and Winslet connect on the screen.

The on-screen chemistry is unmatched and the reason people do not get bored or annoyed with the movie’s extreme length.

As a critic, I have a unique power to potentially influence people’s opinion on seeing a movie. And if anybody questions my validity on these reviews let me leave you with this:

While watching “Titanic (In 3D)” I got a little emotional during one scene. One tear fell from my eye. And since this movie is so great. I’m not ashamed at all.

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Different strokes by different folks: music, marketing and the making of SLC band Girrafic Jam

Posted on April 19, 2012 by comm5775

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By FRANCES MOODY

Salt Lake City, the city of churchgoers, upstanding families and bar hoppers. Yes, bar hoppers. Salt Lake City’s nightlife hustles and bustles with enthusiastic bar goers ready to be swept away by friendly bartenders, intoxicating drinks and, most of all, electric music.

Lined up and down the streets of the city’s distinctive grid system, which spreads out from the LDS Temple, are bars that showcase jaw-dropping tunes created by talented artists. Among these artists is the band, Girrafic Jam. Formerly known as Hekyll n’ Jive, Girrafic Jam strives to create a new music and business strategy that will keep the bar flies content, yet attract a more diverse crowd.  After sitting down to eat at a crowded Asian restaurant located off State Street in Salt Lake City, Marshall Jones (lead guitarist) Kyle McCann (bass guitarist) explained how their stratagem would work.

Viewing their music as both art and product, Girrafic Jam works to form an effective business strategy that will ensure its success. “We [Girrafic Jam] think of our music as a business, and are planning it from there,” Jones said.

In business terms, the band members aim to prove their product—the music– valuable. How will the band accomplish such a feat and reach the top of the metaphorical skyscraper of success? Hopefully, they will accomplish this task by rethinking and reinventing the local music scene’s expectations. Though the process has commenced, Girrafic Jam waits in the fledging stages of its long climb to the top.

Girrafic Jam’s first stop on the elevator of reinvention came with the addition of two new members: already mentioned bass guitarist, Kyle McCann, and drummer, Courtney Thomas. As a result, Girrafic Jam moved to the first floor of success. “ We are in the works of making our plan of attack,” McCann said as he stared at a mountain of fried rice and chicken on his plate.

McCann and Thomas carried a refreshing tone to the band’s music. This invigorating sound sparked Girrafic Jam’s idea to create a new product. In most cases, changed products call for changed names. Following in the footsteps of companies like Google (once called BackRub), Hekyll n’ Jive transformed into Girrafic Jam.

Girrafic Jam realizes it is not the first product or band to recreate itself. For instance, the band pulls inspiration from other bands’ approaches and sounds, rather than mimicking them. The band describes its style as “[an] infusion of Red Hot Chili Pepper-like grooves, saucy Incubus-style melodies, combined with the sting and sway of Stevie Ray Vaughn type fretwork, and the flow of ambient tirades ala Minus the Bear,” as advertised on former Hekyll n’Jive’s Facebook page.

Perhaps Girrafic Jam’s eclectic sound is the best example of the band’s muses and inspiration. Front man Neil Olsen plays the saxophone, which helped music break away from the staccato sound of humdinger tunes and into the boisterous blasts of jazz. Girrafic Jam utilizes music’s history to mesh genres of music and create unheard, yet mesmerizing melodies, such as the band’s song “Got The Spirit” When heard, the song’s sentimental lyrics and heart-racing solos magnetize the crowd’s hands together in uproarious applause.

Innovative forms of music are important to Girrafic Jam, but so is creating a product that people love. A prized product must be advertised in the right way. With that in mind, the band investigates new forms and arenas for their marketing campaigns.

In Salt Lake City, most bands feel that the best way to sell their music is to play as many gigs at as many bars as possible. Girrafic Jam holds a different opinion altogether. They hope to break away from this local music stipulation through a process of selection.

While performing late at night in dimly lit bars goes against Utah’s societal expectations, to Girrafic Jam, it also creates restrictions. Every Friday night the Metal Gods woo girls with teased hair by performing chart-topping ‘80s hits at a suburban Salt Lake County bar, Liquid Joe’s. To some, cover songs are fun and alluring. To others, they only offer one side of a band’s talent.

Being family men, Jones and Olsen maintain a hectic schedule to uphold their family oriented lifestyles, while Courtney and McCann strive to improve their musical talents in other ways. Having busy schedules and diverse lifestyles, the band opted to highlight original numbers at fewer shows, as an alternative to selling cover song after cover song like Metal Gods.

The band trusts that this method will attract a more eclectic audience and fashion a more valuable sound.  “A yearning for listening within the audience is more important than doing a weekly gig,” McCann said.

What’s more, Girrafic Jam’s campaign is in the process of social networking and forming a vast Internet presence.  They have connected themselves to several websites, such as Facebook and YouTube. With a well-rounded marketing crusade, Girrafic Jam is sure to attract the wandering eyes of many Internet users and music lovers alike.

One day, Girrafic Jam’s business scheme and innovative force into the music scene may prove successful. Today many of their fans see the end in sight. Perhaps, in the near future, people will line up to hear the exploding sound of Girrafic Jam echoing from the roof of skyscraper success.

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We find inspiration and implement it into what we are creating [whether it is music or marketing]… That’s what will hopefully help us succeed,” Jones said, after picking up a pot sticker with his fork and placing it on McCann’s plate.

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