Arts & Events

According to a study conducted by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, one is more likely to go to prison in the United States than anywhere else, given that our incarceration rate is  four times higher than the international average. On Wednesday, Sept. 26, the Grand Cinema decided to contribute to the national conversation on mass incarceration by hosting a screening of the documentary “A Survivor’s Guide to Prison,” in addition to holding a post-film discussion with a panel of local activists, experts and politicians. Directed by Matthew Cooke,...

By Evan Welsh In America’s current political climate, films elevating voices of the marginalized have become more and more necessary with every passing day. For the past eight years, a group at Tacoma Community College (TCC) has given a platform for films of this nature with the Diversity Film Festival. This year it has focused on curating films that ask the question of what it means to be an American. The theme for this year’s festival is “Defining America,” a perfect example of what the festival strives to be. “TCC’s...

By Matthew Gulick Currently on display at the Washington State History Museum is a giant dollhouse with smaller dollhouses inside. The playset recursion is part of the “Toytopia” exhibit on view through June 10. Showcasing toys from the past hundred years, “Toytopia” takes visitors on a tour through the evolution of play, dealing in nostalgia and wonder along the way. This interactive display is a sure trip down memory lane as it covers a broad range of capitalization on children’s play. From an old wooden rocking horse that seems to...

By Parker Barry “Are you scared of death? Great, let’s talk about that. Are you intrigued by death? Great, let’s talk about that! There is no agenda at a Death Cafe. All voices are welcome. There will likely be laughter and there might be tears. But there will definitely be cake!” the T-Town Death Cafe website says. Death is a subject we tend to draw a curtain over, often using humor or silence to avoid it. This can sometimes feel a bit ironic given the fact that the one thing...

By Brynn Svenningsen “I didn’t come out of the womb thinking I was going to be a professional feminist,” Loretta Ross said as she addressed the crowded Kilworth Chapel last Friday. Ross, a gender studies professor visiting from Hampshire College, presented a speech on reproductive justice and intersectional feminism. She spoke of reproductive justice from the heart and shared her related personal experiences in a thought-provoking hour-long speech. An event on reproductive justice and intersectional feminism holds a lot of weight. Walking into an event like this can be quite...