Breadcrumb
CAHSS Newsletter - February 2025
Congratulations Alison Holmes!
Politics Professor Alison Holmes was sworn in to the Yurok Bar by Chief Judge Abby Abinanti in January.
Having completed a Graduate Certificate in Native American Studies from Montana State in May, 2024, Holmes took the Yurok Bar Exam on the recommendation of Humboldt Politics alumna/former Yurok employee, Rosie Deck and gratefully wore the graduation beads given to her by colleagues in the Karuk Education Department for the ceremony in January. Holmes is now Bar #97.
Welcome New CAHSS Faculty & Staff
Kristen Rasmussen Vasquez – ANTH
Michael Masinter – ENST
Tim Mccune – PHIL
Rex Atienza - DANC
Brinn Coleman - DANC
Haylee Wolff - DANC
Richard Rios - MUS
Matthew Drange - JMC
Thaddeus Green – JMC
Geoffrey Ostrove - COMM
Anna Sandoval - CRGS
Carlie Domingues - NAS
Adolfo Soberanis - NAS
Melanie Schauwecker - ASC for Sociology
Upcoming CAHSS Events
Featured Events
Lunar New Year Events
Presented by CRGS
Wednesday, February 5
Power of Pleasure: Return of the Anaconda
6-8pm (CRGS 430 tutorial) 830-11pm (public experience)
Richard's Goat Tavern (401 I St. Arcata)
Ages 21 and over only
Thursday, February 6
A Lion Dance & Traditional Chinese Dance Workshop
12-1pm, NHE 102/Goodwin Forum
Thursday, February 6
A Lion Dance & Conversation with artists
3-420pm, NHE 102/Goodwin Forum
Tuesday, February 18
Many Moons Screening with Director Chisato Hughes
3-420pm, FH 1186
Decolonizing Sustainability Speaker Series
Native American Studies' Decolonizing Sustainability Speaker Series is intended to highlight and unpack intersections of settler colonialism, white supremacy, and systems of power/privilege/oppression within the discourse and rhetoric of contemporary sustainability, environmental, and climate change movements.
Events take place in the Native American Forum (BSS 162) and are open to all!
Faculty Book Circle
Led by Dr. Kaitlin Reed, TEK Faculty Fellow, with support from Native American Studies and the Provost's Office.
Weekly meetings on Wednesdays over zoom, 11am - 12:30pm. Feb 19 - March 26
Alumni Event: Film Department Gathering in L.A.
Sat Feb. 22
4 - 6pm
The Den
8226 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA
Film professor and programmer for Slamdance, Sarah Lasley, and Film faculty Nicola Waugh and Michelle Cartier will provide updates about Film at Cal Poly Humboldt. Jeff Crane, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, will share news about the college and university. Current students in the Film department will also be in attendance.
Please forward on to any L.A. based alumni in your department!
Music Alumna Takes Home a Grammy!
Melody Walker (Music, 2008) won their first Grammy for Best American Roots Song for"American Dreaming," with country artist Sierra Ferrell.
This was their first Grammy nomination. In an interview with The Recording Academy, Walker explained how they originally brought “American Dreaming” to Ferrell as a working class anthem, but during the co-writing process, Ferrell brought a more personal perspective that brought a good balance to the song.
She’s written two other songs on Ferrel’s album “Trail of Flowers” and has even written with Molly Tuttle on her Grammy-winning albums “Crooked Tree” and “City of Gold.
Have you listened to our podcast?
Hosted by Dean Jeff Crane, and produced by Abigail Smithson, this podcast explores the liberal arts as an educational system emphasizing inquiry, personal development and innovation that is foundational to a healthy, inclusive and progressive society. Crane hosts a wide range of guests whose experiences as students of the liberal arts have shaped their lives.
Breaking Down the Gear Wall
The Dean's Office is still accepting winter clothing donations to Gist Hall 122, and is open to any students who want to pick up some warm clothes and shoes for the winter season.
Please spread the word to your students!
Nicolette Amann and Jessica Citti
English
Nicolette Amann (English Department Faculty & Redwood Writing Project Director) and Jessica Citti (Writing Specialist & Writing Studio Coordinator in the Learning Center) co-led a session called “When Outsourcing Writing is Outsourcing Learning: The Impact of GenAI on Writing Development" at the Humboldt County Office of Education Day of Learning on October 27, 2025. This AI-themed professional development conference was attended by over 150 Humboldt County K–12 teachers, instructional staff, and administrators.
Stephen Nachtigall
Art + Film
This October, Art + Film professor Stephen Nachtigall presented at the SECAC conference. His presentation, "Wayward Pedagogies: Embodied Teaching & Radicially as New Academic Transgression," asks what means to teach and learn beyond economic reproduction and behavioral wayfinding, and invites artists to submit materials around this theme.
Christina Hsu Accomando
Critical Race, Gender & Sexuality Studies
Macmillan Learning invited Professor Christina Hsu Accomando, editor of Macmillan's textbook Race, Class, and Gender in the United States: An Intersectional Study, to present a webinar for their international Holtzbrinck Global Speaker Series this year. "From Current Events to Critical Thinking: Analyzing Systemic Racism Beyond Memes," January 30, 2025.
