CULTURE

I introduced myself to the Springfield drag community in August of 2021 on my first weekend of college. As a long-time admirer of the authentic, beautiful, and creative art form of drag, with a newfound drag community at my fingertips, it wasn’t long before I started performing within the space under the name Just Jessica. One of the most important aspects of life is finding community. Whether that community is based on location, identity, or art, everyone deserves to find a group of people that accepts them for what they do and who they are.

Read More

Polish pottery is more than just beautiful designs; it's a reflection of Polish culture, history, and artistry. Each piece, whether traditional or Unikat, carries a unique story and symbolism, making it a valuable and meaningful addition to any collection. Polish pottery dates back to around 6,000 B.C., originating in the village of Boleslawiec. Initially, farmers made pottery during the cold seasons, which eventually became a commercial activity. Significant advancements in design and glazing techniques occurred, including the production of tea and coffee pots. Johann Gottlieb Altman contributed to the industry by developing cost-effective and safer glazing methods. Today, skilled potters continue to use traditional techniques, creating beautiful and durable pottery admired worldwide. 

Read More

It’s a Wednesday evening; the streets of Springfield buzz with excitement and joy. Bright lights, loud gear changes, muddy tires, and sweat dripping from person to person. A crowd of bicycle riders gather at their mid-ride stop to chat, get some local beverages, and plan a ride for the weekend. Some come with a sleek new set-up, and others with their mom’s old hand-me-down bike with gears from the 1970s. These riders set out on their weekly sunset ride that started out as a group of 12, and grew to over 100 riders in just a few short months.

Read More

There’s no place as perfect as my porch; two outdoor cats often call it home at night. Lately, I’ve seen migratory birds playing on the strange little tree in my front yard. The entire porch shakes when you step on its wood, which I think is quite fun. My roommate is incredible with plants and keeps them inside this time of year so they don’t have to face the cold, while my dead fern still dangles in the wind. On frigid nights, I curl up in a blanket, and let my cheeks grow red under our twinkling string lights while I listen to my music.

Read More

Springfield, Missouri, is home to Missouri State University, with approximately 6% of the city’s population being MSU students (to find this calculation, I took Springfield city’s population of approximately 170,000 and divided it by MSU’s 2024 enrollment of approximately 26,000). Many look at Springfield as a college town, somewhere to come back to after spending the holidays with friends and family. That’s all I’ve ever seen it as, but I feel as though Springfield often gets a bad reputation.

Read More

Controlled chaos. That’s what comes to mind when trying to describe the hardcore scene in Springfield. If you’re unfamiliar with this unique art form that is local to Springfield and Missouri State University, that’s because the community likes it that way.

Read More

The Ozarks is a vast geographical region spanning much of the southern half of Missouri and northern Arkansas, with small parts reaching Kansas, Oklahoma, and Illinois. Like the Appalachian region, the Ozarks is a cove of unique folk traditions and culture, the most prominent being folk music.

Read More

Being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community can come with the fear of not being accepted by family, peers, or your local community members. Luckily for us, Springfield has begun to tackle this problem by providing a safe place for anyone facing discrimination due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. The GLO Center, located on Commercial Street, has warm and welcoming members of your community who can be a shoulder to lean on, a helpful hand, and a resource center for anyone who may need support.

Read More

Picture this: You’re at a loss for words while talking to a friend. You can’t seem to collect a simple thought to form a satisfactory sentence. Your friend then says, “What, cat got your tongue?” To those of us that may not be familiar with this wacky phrase, a head scratch would only be natural. You might think to yourself, “Why would a cat have my tongue? I don’t even know what that means.” This is because the human language is a complex and intertwined form of expression. That might be hard to wrap your head around, but it’s true! 

Read More

Before there was Halloween, there was Samhain. Samhain (pronounced SOW-win) is a holiday with Celtic origins. The length of the celebration has been debated, but it’s generally said to be around three days and three nights, starting at dusk on Oct. 31. In 2024, it’s being celebrated from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. Samhain marks the halfway point between the fall equinox and winter solstice, a time believed to be where the veil between the human and spirit realms is lifted.

Read More

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a traditional Mexican holiday celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2. It honors deceased loved ones and celebrates their lives through a blend of Indigenous and Catholic customs. The holiday is a time to communicate with the dead and to entice their spirits to return to celebrate with the living. 

Read More

A man stands on a lonely French stage, his face concealed beneath a gray hood, the audience silent and thrumming with anticipation. He embraces a weeping woman as she sobs over an end that is soon to come. The man puts a hand to her cheek with the softness of a lover and says, in a voice like honey, “No pain.” The woman’s eyes soften, and she eases into the complete understanding of this embrace, this promise. As the man's canines elongate through his tender smile, it becomes apparent to the audience that he is no man at all; rather, he is Death, come to hold her in her last moments, to see her, love her. Do you know what it means to be loved by death?

Read More

A brand that promotes sustainability, creativity, and ethics within the world of design may seem harder to find nowadays than it once was. With so many brands pushing fast fashion practices or showing a lack of transparency regarding the production of their clothes, most consumers are at a loss with where to purchase clothing that is honest. However, some brands, such as Oddli, are providing its shoppers with a breath of fresh air within the fashion industry. 

Read More

A Brat Summer is all about embracing messiness, passion, and unapologetic authenticity. This concept, inspired by Charli XCX and her album "Brat," encourages living life on your terms with confidence and flair. The tracks on the album exemplify her evolution into hyperpop and exploration of self-discovery. However, “Brat” is an introduction to the massive hyperpop space. This genre dates back to the early 2010s and is characterized by its experimental production and artists. The music is coined by its unconventional beats, auto-tuned vocals, and excessive dissertation.

Read More

 

If one gets close enough to Springfield, Missouri’s campus-strewn center , they will likely encounter a wide array of bumper stickers adorning tinny cars and trucks belonging to some sardonic limb of a student body. Often, these are quick gags: “If you ride my tail, you’re ugly,” said one sticker on a car parked downtown. A sticker on a different car read, “My son plays guitar in Pomfret, and I am so proud of him.”

Read More

Hispanic Heritage Month offers an opportunity to honor the heritage and significant contributions of Latinos and Hispanics. Often, we don’t give ourselves enough credit for the hard work required to achieve success. Even in what may seem like small milestones, such as graduating from college or receiving a promotion, negative stereotypes can sometimes lead us to doubt our accomplishments or feel unworthy of pursuing greater goals.

Read More

For many Latinx immigrants, the journey to the United States is fraught with unimaginable challenges and sacrifices. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, this story is about one of Springfield’s own, a Honduran man who will be referred to as Josue in this story, as he wishes to remain anonymous to protect his privacy.

Read More

"The music genre, drums n’ bass, has been on the rise thanks to PinkPantheress and her recent explosion of popularity. You may know her from her 2021 hit single, “Break It Off,” but the PinkPantheress debut album is long overdue. Having released only a couple of singles each year for the past three years, while also leaking music on Soundcloud, fans have been desperately waiting for this time to come."

Read More

Photos, scrap paper, old receipts, pressed coins, plane tickets — hell, maybe even some old notes your best friend wrote you in eighth grade. These are the components for a great junk scrapbook page.

Read More

On September 13, 1969, a pop culture giant was born. Four teen detectives and their talking dog hopped into their psychedelic hippie-mobile for the first time, set up a couple of traps, and unmasked their first phony villain. Immediately upon release, audiences across the United States were absolutely wild about Scooby-Doo. Since then, we have seen hundreds of iterations of this story.

Read More