Spring 2014 (Vol. 7 Issue 3)

OHIO AVIATION

FLIES TO NEW HEIGHTS

FINE DINING IN A COLLEGE

TOWN

BOBCATS HIT THE ICE

Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here

STOPPING THE SEX TRADE CATCHING FIRE

WITH OU’S

ARCHERY TEAM48

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR I’m often asked why we call ourselves Backdrop. My response has always been that we cover the “backdrop” of Ohio University and the Athens community. We cover the behind the scenes and the important topics, but as this issue highlights, we bring to light the passion that lies within this community.

Ohio University has over 400 registered student organizations. Each organization has a unique purpose ranging from extracurricular activities to volunteer opportunities. It’s pretty impressive when you take the time to think about how many students we have compared to the amount of organizations. For such a small town, our students— our community—exemplify the importance of believing in something enough to make it a reality.

Does this sound cheesy? Maybe, but it is my hope that you come to this same conclusion after reading our third issue.

I hope you find inspiration in Megan Gallagher’s passion to stop human trafficking (“Dark Market” pg. 22). I hope you recognize the risk of starting a European dining experience in Athens, Ohio (“9 ’n Dine,” pg. 16). I hope you experience how a passion can overtake a community (“Don’t Puck With Tradition,” pg. 12).

Lastly, I wish for you a different lens of perspective; a lens that defines passion in a broader sense and believes in the power of a small community to have a lasting impact.

SEE THE PHOTO STORY

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Melissa Thompson

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATURES » 22 Human

Trafficking One OU student’s mission to take down modern slavery in Athens.

CO-MANAGING EDITORS

Chris Longo & Sara Portwood

ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

26 Aviation

Nick Harley

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Zak Kolesar & Kaitlyn Richert

We go up in the air with OU’s Aviation Program.

CONTRIBUTORS Andrew Downing, Andrew Cohen, Becca Zook, Chris Longo, Kaitlyn Richert, Alyssa Pasicznyk, Nick Harley, Sara Portwood, Zak Kolesar, Jacob Betzner, Zach Berry, Colette Whitney, Dillon Stewart, Cheyenne Buckingham, Jake Zuckerman, Kyle Ellis, Jordan Simmons

COPY EDITOR Until Next Time,

Julianne Mobilian

ON THE COVER

COPY TEAM Colette Whitney, Alyssa Pasicznyk

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Emilee Kraus Melissa Thompson Editor-in-Chief backdropmag@gmail.com

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ART DIRECTOR

Olivia Reaney ADVERTISING DESIGNER Morgan Decker MARKETING DESIGNER Karlee Proctor DESIGN TEAM Cassandra Fait, Katelyn Boyden, Tory Prichard, Alexa Hayes, Jessica Shokler, Billy Anneken, Natasha Ringnalda

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32

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PHOTO EDITOR

Amanda Puckett Cover photo by Brice Nihiser Cover design by Emilee Kraus

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Brice Nihiser

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Follow us on Twitter @Backdropmag

SPRING 2014 » VOLUME 9 ISSUE 1

The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924.

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Athens is a hockey town, and these Bobcat players will prove it.

From speed skater to the fast track of the business world, one international student’s incredible journey.

Ever wish you could dine out like a European? 9 Tables adds warm conversation and exclusivity to the mix of American fine dining.

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Don’t Puck with Tradition

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CAMPUS RECREATION

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SEX & HEALTH » 36

Hollaback

Learn about this Athens organization’s fight against street harassment.

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H4B » Hot for Bartender Have a drink on these beautiful bartenders, but don’t forget to tip!

Sounds Like » The Burning River Ramblers

Ramble on with the members of The Burning River Ramblers and see how two different cities shaped their style.

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Cribs: The Spacement

Photo Story » Jewel of Athens

Beauty is in the eye of the bead holder at Beads & Things!

The return of Cribs showcases a house-venue that brings together the Athens community with good music, good vibes and good friends.

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Becoming Blackheart

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Exhibit A

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Rant & Rage

Get inside the mind of one of Athens’ rising rap artists.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Mi Casa es Su Casa

Take a taste of Athens’ favorite cantina!

On The Web » Craft Beer

Discover the newest growing fad in our little college town.

Feel like you are standing on the starting line with this Exhibit A submission.

A Backdropper’s call to end grade shaming!

SPORTS » 32

Close Aim

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Title IX

OU’s rising Archery Club aims to find a new home.

See how this Educational Amendment impacted Bobcat athletics.

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HOT 4 BARTENDER

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HOT

BARTENDER

BY ROSE TROYER | PHOTOS BY KATE JACKSON

Meet two mixologists who share a sweet tooth for certain drinks and never have a dull night.

Email us at backdropmag@gmail.com with your hot bartender suggestions.

RT: Have you made your own drink?

EJ: I do have one drink; I kind of bounce it off my friend’s idea too. It doesn’t have a name yet, actually, everyone always asks me to name it and I still haven’t. It’s Dragon Berry, Wolf Berry—both Bacardi—and a little bit of Apple Pucker, Sour Apple Pucker and then top it off with lemonade.

RT: Has anyone ever ordered something from you that was really bizarre?

DS: It was probably my friend Sarah, and it was probably an electric lemonade liquor pitcher. The blue liquor pitchers, or the pretty blue sledgehammer, whatever you want to call it.

EJ: I think it’s the Baltimore Zoo drink. There’s two ways of making it: There’s the really nasty way if you’re trying to get your friend just like pretty drunk and make them suffer a little bit, and there’s a way of making it kind of more tasty. And I’ve made it twice, but every time I still have to ask sometimes what’s in it because there are like at least seven or eight different ingredients in it and the gross one is disgusting, real nasty.

RT: What all goes in the blue one?

RT: What is the craziest thing you’ve seen someone do at the bar?

Rose Troyer: Who was the first person to buy a drink from you and what was it?

DS: The blue one is just Long Island Iced Tea mix, Blue Curacao, sour mix, Sprite and a lemon. And that’s it.

RT: What is your favorite drink?

DS: What I’ve been drinking lately is Fireball on the rocks. So, yeah, whiskey on the rocks is generally what I drink, I guess, and Coors Light if I’m drinking beer.

RT: Do you have your own drink?

DS: No, I mean when people ask me to make a drink just off the top of my head I usually go with blueberry limeade, a blueberry limeade drink that I like to drink and that I think is pretty good. I don’t think that’s my drink. I feel like there are probably a lot of blueberry limeades out there.

RT: Do you have a shot?

EJ: There was one time that a fight broke out and I was working with my general manager John and it was pretty busy so the door guys couldn’t see the fight happening or they couldn’t get to them, I’m not sure. So John hops over the bar and is trying to break it up but there are two huge guys, so he’s got ahold of the one guy struggling to get him apart. And you know little me, I’m still new, so I’m still struggling at what to do so I just kind of reached over the bar and did the first thing that I thought of and just grabbed one by the hoodie, by the back of the hood, and try and just like pull him back and startle him for a second to just like get him off. But, he lifted me up. I was hanging being dragged across the bar, only like a couple feet, but it was actually really funny because people came up to me later and were like, ‘Oh yeah nice try, props for at least trying to do something, but it did nothing.’

RT: Other than Pawpurrs, what’s your favorite bar?

DS: No, not like my own shot, I would say. What I like to make the most now is the Nutella shot.

EJ: C.I., definitely. My friend works there, my roommate does and I’ve always just kind of bounced back between Pawpurr’s and C.I. They’re both fun, Pawpurr’s is obviously number one.

RT: What’s in that?

RT: What’s the best tip you’ve ever received?

DS: Hazlenut, double chocolate vodka, caramel vodka, vanilla vodka, crème de cacow and Tres Leches.

DAN STEPHENS | LUCKY’S

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*

Know an attractive bartender?

backdrop | Spring 2014

RT: Other than Lucky’s what is your favorite bar?

DS: I’d have to say Jackie O’s or The Union or Cat’s Eye. Any bar with a good pool table, which is generally Cat’s Eye and Lucky’s, but The Union has a good one too.

Four athletes have won medals in the winter and summer games, for different sports.

EJ: We’ve received some big bills but it was kind of recently. It was Dad’s Weekend, this guy, every single time he would order any drinks, he would tip five dollars, and he kept ordering drinks so that definitely added up. But we always split our tips—we put our tips in a bucket and split them between everyone. That was very generous of that one guy. We definitely made some good money that night.

EMMA JETT | PAWPURR’S

The U.S. has held more games than any other country.

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my biased opinion though. Growing up there really is quite interesting­ —you got Bluegrass, punk bands...there are some really great metalbands from there, so that’s already stretching across the aisle. I love all the townies that I get to meet, especially during the holidays. So Athens will always be personally my favorite.

Conor: Coming from a non-biased standpoint it is a really neat and cool place to play. You got a mix of all of the college students, the younger crowd, mixed with the townies. The townies have a real awesome appreciation of music because they have been around it for a while.

The Burning River Ramblers

BY ZACHARY BERRY | PHOTOS BY CAITLIN BRENNAN

Unique in both style and origin, The Burning River Ramblers utilize their own diverse musical talents and techniques as they rock across the Buckeye State.

On the surface, the cities of Athens and Cleveland may seem to be as different as places in Ohio can get. Seated deep in the Appalachian region of Ohio, Athens is a small college town, while the cultured metropolis of Cleveland rests right alongside the Great Lakes. However, both of these locations served as inspiration for The Burning River Ramblers. A band that is not bound by a single genre, The Burning River Ramblers originated from Cleveland. However, it was in Athens where the band states they really blossomed into the performers they are today. The Burning River Ramblers took time to talk to Backdrop about their technique, their origins and their love of a variety of music.

Sounds Like: Dave Matthews Band, Dispatch Earlier this year you finished 37th out of 12,000 bands in the Hard Rock Rising Competition. What was it like to represent the city of Cleveland during the event?

Conor Standish: Awesome. We just kind of realized how many people we have behind us, behind the band. We’re all proud Clevelanders except Zach, who’s from Athens. It was a great gig and we’re all proud of it.

Your songs seem to be a musical kaleidoscope of genres, from blues to even reggae, crafted together in order to create a very enjoyable and soothing sound. Could you go into more detail about how you fashion your songs?

Zach Cantania: Because of the backgrounds that we come from we get together and we collaborate well. There’s always

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backdrop | Spring 2014

the first person who comes up with the idea, but we’re always implementing each other’s style.

Chris Rush: It’s all over the board. I mean sometimes we come up with a little piece of music or a little bit of lyrics.

We’re just free to share or do our own thing. A few practices later we have a whole song out of it.

Owen Park: I’m relatively new to the whole experience.

It’s been great working with these guys. The variety of backgrounds is actually really nice because it really takes on these new forms. It’s what results in the “kaleidoscope.”

Compared to other cities and venues you perform at, what makes Athens such a unique and special place to put on a show?

Zach: Athens is so far my favorite place to play. It’s just

Walt Disney was in charge of the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1960 games.

WHO PLAYS WHAT? CONOR STANDISH

CHRIS RUSH

OWEN PARK

VOCALS

BASS

DRUMS

*

Dave Young: We developed a really good relationship with The Union and played there almost every month. All those shows we played in the town gave us a foundation and experience we carried down to every city we play now.

We played a lot in Cleveland, but I really think it was a lot of the Athens shows, the student fans and the townie fans, that were true “Fan-blers.”

On a more serious note, as a band, you seem to be very invested in the subject of teen suicide prevention. You donated a portion of your album sales to suicide prevention organizations like the Suicide Prevention Education Alliance. Your song “Redwood” is even based around the topic. How did you become so involved in suicide prevention?

Conor: The song “Redwood” on the old album was a song written about a friend of mine during high school who, during his sophomore year in college, committed suicide. It was partly my mom who pushed me to join up with SPEA. We want to give back in some way and we try to tie it in with our songs. Like on our new album we’re going to try to do a little more cancer-related organizations. Donate to them. We try to find a way to help other people out, and that’s the way we do it.

On a lighter note, there is a story about how pizza delivery helped lead to the formation of the band.

Could you go into more detail about this story?

DAVID YOUNG

ZACH CANTANIA

KEYBOARD

GUITAR

* Member has since left the band Conor: I don’t think there’s a theme in there necessarily.

There are a lot of themes. The theme in there is confusion.

The good thing is if we were to say there was a certain theme that would kind of ruin the imagination of the listeners.

Chris: The track order may make sense from an emotional standpoint but that’s on a very broad level. As far as song to song, I feel every song is its own story.

What big projects are up next for the Burning River Ramblers?

Dave: We can’t share all the details yet because stuff is still getting finalized. But we are going to be headlining a show at one of the biggest venues possible in the city of Athens.

Somewhere a lot of local bands don’t usually play. And that’s going to be in January.

Conor: The pizza delivery guy was actually our old drummer, who we recently departed from. He is partly the reason that all of us are together now. Chris Rush and I had played in Cleveland before we went to OU. Jesse, our old drummer, delivered pizza. It was cold outside and we didn’t have the money ready, so we brought him in. We had a drum kit in our living room. We were looking for a drummer. He said, “You want to jam?” We said, “Yeah.” And that’s how the Ramblers started the kickoff. His brother is Zach. We met Dave through that connection too. And we met Owen through Dave. So it’s all been one big spider web.

Recently, you released your album “To Color a Fool.” When crafting your albums, do you plan them as a collection of separate stories or center them on a single unifying theme?

The Winter Games, in 1998 were disrupted by too much snow.

www.backdropmag.com

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DON’T WITH TRADITION

BY ANDREW COHEN

12 years apart, two hockey greats both wore green and white before sporting a more patriotic palette when defending Team USA in the World University Games. The hockey community grows with young local talent under the guidance of returning veterans.

I

n two of Ohio University’s most storied buildings­­—Peden Stadium and the Convocation Center­­ —there contains over a century of success and winning tradition. These two venues have become legendary in the heavily celebrated history of Athens. A tradition in this town that often goes unnoticed is its passion for hockey. Whether you’re a 5-year-old first learning how to skate or a senior Bobcat making OU history, all Athens hockey players have one place to call home: Bird Arena.

“The Bird” has been home to the Athens Youth Hockey Association (AYHA) ever since the league was established in 1963. For a number of AYHA players, their time spent in Bird Arena continues beyond their youth. Some of the most renowned hockey players in OU history were AYHA standouts before becoming distinguished Bobcats.

Athens native and current Bobcat hockey player Duncan Green always believed the hard-working mentality his hometown instilled in him would someday take him far in life. Like so many other Athens youth, Green’s passion for hockey was born from the thrill of attending Bird Arena to watch the Bobcats.

“Ohio Hockey has an incredible reputation, and the feeling of pulling on that green and white jersey for the first time was incredible,” Green says. “I remember looking down at that logo on my chest and getting chills. It still happens to me before games sometimes.”

I remember looking down at that logo on my chest and getting chills.”

Duncan Green Ohio Hockey Player

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backdrop | Spring 2014

Ever since Green first took an interest in hockey, his favorite team has always been the Bobcats. Seeing these action-packed games from the stands made Green feel determined to one day don the green and white on the ice.

While Green has undoubtedly spent the vast majority of his time on the ice in Bird Arena, his hockey expedition has guided him to rinks all over the globe.

This past winter, the senior defenseman found himself sporting the red, white and blue while representing his country in the 2013 World University Games. The World University Games were played across the Atlantic— some 4,500 miles away from Athens— in Trentino, Italy.

For Green, his time in Italy was a life-altering event that not many will have the chance to experience. And for the rest of Team USA, the trip to Italy proved to be bittersweet, as the Americans fell to the Russians in the bronze medal game by a score of 6-2.

“That was hands down the best competition I’ve ever faced in hockey,” Green says. “It was pretty incredible to know that we were capable of playing at that level. The whole experience definitely gave me a big boost of confidence on and off the ice.”

Now at the tail end of his collegiate career, Green is aiming to give back to his community and continue the strong tradition of friendship between current Bobcat hockey players and the Athens hockey-enamored youth.

“Whenever I see a kid around town who I know plays youth hockey, I try to say ‘Hi’ or give them a high five or something,” Green says. “Not being from Athens, my other teammates might not realize just how influential we are as Ohio Hockey players.”

In many ways, Green is the epitome of Athens’ hockey tradition. For his relentless work ethic that has led to his current success, Green gives infinite credit to his coaches from his days in the AYHA. One of the coaches that had a lasting impact on 1,300 Medals will be awarded at the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Green is former Bobcat Jack Pepper. He pushed Green harder on the ice than any coach had ever pushed him before. Pepper strongly promoted the importance of conditioning, discipline and mental toughness to all of his players.

Pepper coached Green up until his junior year at Athens High School, leading the team to a state championship during Green’s junior year.

“Duncan fits the mold of what any coach wants; his hockey IQ is extremely high, he is easily coached and is willing to put the work in to get better,” Pepper says.

Thirty years have gone by since Jack Pepper first started playing hockey in the friendly confines of Bird Arena, and it all began in the AYHA at the tender age of five.

“I started as a youngster in Athens. So, at that time, the rink was still chain link, dark, smelly; not nearly as polished as it is today, but as youth players, we all idolized the Bobcat players,” Pepper says. “The Bird really is my home away from home.

You’d be hard pressed to find many folks who have spent more hours in that ice rink than me.”

It turns out that Pepper and Green have plenty in common.

Like Green, Pepper is Athens-born-and-raised and played defenseman for the Bobcats from 1997 to 2001. Green is just the second Athens-born Ohio University hockey player to be selected to Team USA for the Winter World University Games.

The Bobcat selected first is none other than Jack Pepper.

Pepper participated in the 2001 Winter World University Games as a part of the first United States team to ever enter the competition, which was held in Zakopane, Poland.

“There are certain experiences in life that impact you in a way that you never forget. They leave an indelible mark that stays with you forever,” Pepper says. “The opportunity to put on a Team USA jersey in a meaningful way was certainly one of those defining moments. I remember it as though it was yesterday.”

For the World University Games, Team USA is comprised of the top players from the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). There are a total of 57 Division I teams that make up the ACHA, including Ohio University. The Bobcats have won four ACHA championships since the league’s incep-

tion in 1991, largely because of the continuous homegrown talent produced in Athens.

For three of those ACHA championships, Ohio University Hockey Hall of Famer Craig McCarthy was the head coach.

McCarthy, also an OU alumnus, coached the Bobcats from 1993-2001. Before taking his current position of assistant professor of psychology at OU, McCarthy compiled an overall record of 214-46-14 as head coach. He played an enormous role in Pepper’s development as a hockey player.

“We have been fortunate in Athens to have some very good coaches who have been able to mold and shape players into some outstanding players,” Pepper says.

On the Athens Youth Hockey Association website, under “Our History,” Craig McCarthy is credited for bettering “team development and providing more professionalism to the AHYA.” To McCarthy’s former players, it’s clear that he has had as considerable an impact on the AYHA as anyone. McCarthy estimates that the AYHA currently consists of 80-90 total members, with over 50 of them 10 years old and under.

He also notes that the number of female AYHA players has skyrocketed. While some may say the AYHA is at a disadvantage because of its relatively small population compared to programs in Cincinnati, Columbus, and other areas they compete against, the group’s superior work ethic is what separates the AYHA from other, larger youth hockey organizations.

“Hockey’s been here for 50 years. It was well established before I got here and has continued to provide opportunities for the 20 years that I’ve been here,” McCarthy says. “Nothing thrills me more than walking into Bird Arena and seeing a whole pile of kids playing hockey.”

McCarthy and Pepper still live in Athens, both coaching their sons in the AYHA. Green can be considered the successor to Pepper: Two kids growing up in Athens who simply wanted to someday play hockey for the Ohio Bobcats, but each ended up achieving that dream and more by defending Team USA halfway across the world. Through all of their travels, Bird Arena has remained their sole home on the ice. The roots of their hockey careers and experiences were built in “The Bird.”

Photo provided by Speakeasy magazine: From left to right, sophomore defender Tyler Pecka, senior defender Duncan Green, and senior forward Brett Agnew are illuminated under the Bird Arena lights on Jan. 24, 2014 in Athens, Ohio. The Bobcats took down the University of Illinois Fighting Illini 2-1 with a game-winning goal in overtime from Agnew.

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THE DROP

PASSING THE TORCH

BY CHRIS LONGO | PHOTOS BY DANIEL RADER

A former Olympic hopeful is using Ohio University as a springboard to the next promising phase of his life.

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oday Jinjin Liu is 24, and he spends his days disappearing in and out the rooms of Ohio University’s Academic Research Center and collaborating with his various business partners in Alden Library by night. He’s one of the Russ College of Engineering and Technology’s brightest and most driven students, tallying a 3.98 GPA, nearly perfect except for the two A minuses that stick to his conscience like hard candy clings to the enamel on the back of your teeth.

In between coordinating business plans and trading texts with his classmates, Jinjin opens up his laptop and takes a second to glance over his background, a sharp action shot from his days as a former long-track speed skater in China.

From there, Jinjin is only a few clicks away from pulling up his Facebook page and scrolling down his wall to a post titled “My last match—full memory and want to play like that again”—a video of his last victorious race in 2011.

He exits out of the video before the final mad sprint to the finish and the laptop is quickly shut in pursuit of more pressing matters. His time is far too valuable to trade for nostalgia.

This is the story of an athlete you didn’t see at this month’s Winter Olympics. It’s a story about a former Olympic hopeful who swallowed his pride and kept his head up, turning to a new chapter in his life and redefining what it means to fully embrace life after sport.

It took a year for Jinjin to go from strapping on ice skates for the first time to become the best long-track speed skater in China’s Heilongjiang province, a feat he says “shocked” not only his coaches but also the people around his hometown of Daqing. By the age of eight, he was winning matches and building his profile as a winter athlete to watch. A handful of coaches took notice and at the age of 13 he was

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backdrop | Spring 2014

invited to join the Chinese national team, a golden ticket that would have made Jinjin an early favorite to represent China in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics and beyond.

Without so much as a discussion, his parents rejected the invitation, hedging their bets on Jinjin’s future in academia rather than his ability to dash and glide across ice. At the time he didn’t feel much emotion about the decision because there was no recourse. He was taught to do as his parents said.

“Two years later I realized I wanted to continue my skating life,” Jinjin says. “If I could go back in time I’d consider changing my path but I’m enjoying what I’m doing now.”

Jinjin transferred to OU in 2012 from the Harbin Institute of Technology, one of the top engineering schools in China.

His resume, by and large, is as distinguished as that of any undergraduate at OU, but you’d never know it from his understated, if not timid, reserve.

Now as the Sochi games are set to commence, Jinjin is distant, a world away from his former life as an Olympic hopeful. The focus is on his new life and his new potentially lucrative endeavors. His latest business opportunity is a private company that helps Chinese students transition to life at American colleges—a program that is currently in its pilot stage at OU. Ruijia Chen is a second-year OU student from China and she acts as a consultant for the initial program.

She touts Jinjin’s ability to be a meticulous multitasking manager and recruiter.

“He’s really good at reading people,” Ruijia says. On his work ethic, she says he’s “like a machine,” he can’t stop coming up with new ideas.

Jinjin’s career goals extend far beyond the campus. He’s in the process of cementing a business proposal for sustainable The top eight athletes in each event receive a diploma from the IOC.

solar energy with an American classmate, Brian Larsen, a senior engineering major at OU. “We’re seeing a big swing in [green energy] over here,” Larsen says. “If [China] were to adopt similar green ideas it would be huge.”

Jinjin and Larsen started off as project partners for a class and from there the two forged and unlikely partnership, considering Jinjin had limited experience working on business with Americans and Larsen wasn’t at all familiar with Chinese culture.

“In a way it was definitely out of my element,” Larsen says.

“I think his hope is that now that he’s got me, it can open him up to other Americans.”

Since becoming project partners they’ve connected on a personal and professional level, and they have high hopes for their proposal that would place solar panels on top of the buildings and generate electricity and heat without using as much power. They are currently in the process of researching and readying the proposal for potential investors in China.

“Green power is the future,” Jinjin says. “I believe that there will be a potential market...I want to be the first person to get to that area.”

Daqing is known as the “Oil Capital of China”— a vibrant, affluent city that boasts the largest oilfield in China. It’s a relatively new city that took shape after an oil boom in the 1960s and was only christened with the name Daqing, literally meaning “Great Celebration,” in 1979. Jinjin loved growing up in a city that is referred by locals as “big big happy” —an ode to the workingman spirit the city holds dear.

After Jinjin’s Olympic shot quietly faded, he continued training independently while consistently winning matches in China’s collegiate speed skating circuit. It was during the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics that Jinjin would get a taste of Olympic glory. China, like most host nations, sent a torch relay throughout its provinces and major cities. The torch was to come through the streets of Daqing and Jinjin, still celebrated for his pedigree on the ice, was offered the chance to carry the flame.

When the day arrived for Jinjin to take the torch and show his Chinese spirit to the world, he arrived street side and noticed a familiar face. It was a man he couldn’t name but a figure in the community that stood out nonetheless.

The man, whose leg was badly disfigured from a work accident, had a key part in the building of Daqing. The decision was an easy one for Jinjin. He was going to let the man carry the torch.

“He’s the kind of person I need to respect,” he says. “If we didn’t have that generation that city wouldn’t have been there.”

Knowing the man wouldn’t accept the torch if he knew a young man offered it up, Jinjin made sure the man didn’t know who gave up the spot. He says he didn’t need recognition. Seeing the man’s smiling face as he walked down the streets he helped build was more than enough.

Despite all he’s accomplished and as bright as the future looks, there’s still a part of Jinjin that yearns for the ice. You see it when he lights up while talking about skating but you’ll have to look fast because his focus switches to his next task in an instant. With just a handful of weeks before the opening of the Sochi games, Jinjin notes that one connection to this

year’s games still remains.

Jinjin’s childhood friend, Jingnan Shi, is expected to compete for China in short-track speed skating in Sochi. While Jinjin says he’ll be overwhelmed with excitement to watch someone he affectionately calls his “brother,” he feels a sense of “pity,” insisting that if he stuck with skating he too would be competing on the world’s stage alongside a former teammate.

Ultimately, Jinjin would love to get back on the ice if he’s given the chance. In a way this life was chosen for him but now he’s bringing the same mentality he brought to the ice to the multitude of opportunities he’s created for himself. “I’m a college student but I can do something,” he says of his conflicting work and business schedules. “If you’re waiting until after you graduate to get an opportunity, I think you’re too late.”

If all goes according to plan, Jinjin anticipates he’ll have a stake in shaping the future of China. During a crucial, fastchanging period for the country, new ideas are starting to become welcome and those brave enough to speak up aren’t being suppressed as they once were.

“You only can see things clearly for five to 10 minutes because of the fog, and the smell of the air is not good,” says Jinjin of his country’s troubled environment. “I want to bring a new idea to my country to protect the environment.”

But for now that goal is best served by his diligent work in the United States.

“I’ve gotten an experience that I wouldn’t have gotten as an athlete,” he says. “I’m not an athlete anymore but that athlete’s spirit is still there.”

The Olympic motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius” translates to “Faster, Higher, Stronger” in English.

www.backdropmag.com

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THE DROP

9

’ N DINE

BY KAITLYN RICHERT | PHOTOS BY AMANDA PUCKETT

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backdrop | Spring 2014

The owners of 9 Tables take Backdrop into their gourmet kitchen to talk about fresh cuisine, foodies and family ties.

B

ill and Suzanne Justice don’t turn tables. Even though they only serve, cook and entertain nine tables of diners a night, they equally stress quality food and relaxed conversations—not speed or customer quantity.

The couple owns and operates 9 Tables, an upscale restaurant experience established on North Shafter Street in December 2011. The cozy space that’s conveniently tucked away from campus was formerly Mistretta’s Italian Market.

But unlike the local eateries that pour down Court and State streets, 9 Tables practices prix fixe (pronounced ‘prefix’) dining—a plan that implements high-quality foods at a set price as part of a multicourse meal. This business model focuses on culinary immersion and experience instead of convenience, offering customers a small-portioned, five-course or seven-course meal at $50 and $75 per person, respectively.

“Everybody thought we were insane,” Suzanne recalls.

“They said, ‘This place won’t make it in Athens. That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.’ We had a guy come in one day and laugh at us.”

Enter, 2014—despite skepticism, the tables have turned for Bill and Suzanne as 9 Tables’ loyal customer base has continued to grow in its third year of business. Even after snagging a spot on UrbanSpoon’s 2012 list of America’s 250 Most Popular High-End Restaurants, the thriving culinary establishment is still buzzing with familiar faces and local roots.

“There isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison,” Bill says. “I don’t know of another very small, prix fixe, no-turning-tables—I don’t know of another one in America.”

Bill and Suzanne met in Athens at ACENet (the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks), where they discovered they had kids from previous marriages who were the same age. The couple has been together for seven and a half years. After they had their daughter, Mayzie, in June 2011, they considered ways to spend more time together as a family. Mayzie was only six months old when 9 Tables first opened its doors.

“Because we’re very small, we can’t possibly hurt a local business,” Bill says. “[Other restaurants] and the people at Casa Nueva…I helped them when I was at ACENet. So it was a very seamless transition…We communicate and help each other.”

Bill is the only chef at 9 Tables. He’s always worked in the food industry, specifically learning from his job as a food scientist in charge of government compliance and food safety in Jackson, Ohio. He drew inspiration for his restaurant’s atmosphere from small village diners in Italy and France, where locals will make a reservation with the intention of dining for hours; their night starts and ends in the same place.

“It’s a very novel concept in America, especially in a small town, so a lot of people weren’t expecting it here,” Bill says.

“But they still come in, they get excited and they want to tell their stories [through reviews].”

Suzanne notes that this isn’t a weekly establishment for most locals. Many customers come in twice a year for special occaApolo Ohno has won the most medals for the U.S. at the Winter Games.

Photos provided by Sara Patton

Above are a few of the delicious courses that have appeared on the menu throughout each month. sions because the high price is a factor.

However, Bill says that 100 percent of their food dollars are spent in Athens County and emphasizes the incredibly local menu, which changes monthly. He shops all the farms for the restaurant, building the selection off of what he can get fresh.

The restaurant’s most popular dishes—which stay consistent on the menu—include mussels in white wine with a garlic crouton and the filet mignon with mustard cream.

“We’re close with Seaman’s [Cardinal Super Market] and places with local, sustainable food,” Bill says. “What [customers] eat tonight would have been on a farm the day before.”

However, the food isn’t all that’s local at 9 Tables; Bill and Suzanne consistently freshen up the venue with seasonal flowers from the Hyacinth Bean Florist on West Union Street. Polly Creech, the owner of the flower shop, has worked with the couple since 9 Tables started serving.

“Even if the restaurant is full, it’s still really intimate,” Polly says. “I find myself speaking to people at other tables that I don’t know, but I feel comfortable enough to say hello to them.

There’s a sense of privacy, but also a shared experience.”

The proximity of the kitchen to the customers also contributes to the exclusive, personal atmosphere.

“It’s like those shows where the chefs cook around a small table and talk to people,” Bill says. “That’s every table we have.

We say, ‘You want to see how we make that? Come back and I’ll show you.’”

The kitchen is surrounded by pops of color on modern artwork. ‘30s and ‘40s-inspired attire are splashed against the walls of the quaint space and the chairs that graze the floor are recycled from the Blue Gator, a former restaurant that is now The Over Hang. The upscale, yet friendly vibe in 9 Tables contributes to how the customers flock to Bill and Suzanne, who are all about meeting and endlessly chatting with everyone who walks in.

Both owners call Athens their home, although Suzanne is actually an Athens native and Ohio University 1999 alumna. The couple’s connection to the town and community also helped put Athens on the map for die-hard epicures.

“We’re becoming more and more of a destination for foodies,” Bill says. “We’ve had people come from Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus…”

One of those returning customers is Sam Smith, a freshman from Boulder, CO studying sports management at OU. While The walls of the Halfpipe Snowboarding event are 22 feet tall.

searching for Athens restaurants during move-in weekend, Sam and his mom gave 9 Tables a shot. Now, he attends about once a month.

“It’s kind of a hidden gem,” Sam says. “You don’t necessarily hear about it. I definitely warn my friends about the money first, though.”

Suzanne says that although 9 Tables appeals to a demographic of professors, professionals and international students, about 25 percent of her customers are OU students. The restaurant previously offered a student discount option of three courses for $35, but it wasn’t popular enough to stick around.

Whether or not the cash is a factor for customers, the individuality of the restaurant lies in the hype of its number. But why nine?

“That’s how many tables would fit,” Bill says.

Nine Tables takes customers through reservations in person or by phone and on a first-come, first-serve basis. However, the owners seldom fill more than 30 seats because they prefer to see everyone from the kitchen.

“You can tell [Bill and Suzanne] really care about what they’re doing,” Sam says. “It’s not like the food, the ingredients or the customers get overlooked.”

The couple strives for customers to be able to walk away having experienced exceptional Appalachian gourmet cuisine and maybe even meeting a few new friends.

“I really admire that they are only open at the end of the week, and they do that so they can have quality family time.

People wish they could spend more time with their kids… and Bill and Suzanne found a great balance between work and family,” Polly says.

Family and food is all they need. For Bill and Suzanne, less is more.

CHECK OUT 9 TABLES

9 N. SCHAFER ST.

HOURS: Thursday–Saturday, 5 p.m. to midnight

$

$50–$75 per person BYOB ONLY

Vegetarian/Vegan options available (Only by request upon reservation)

HOW TO SAVE A TABLE: RESERVATIONS ONLY BY PHONE 740-707-4966 OR IN PERSON www.backdropmag.com

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ENTERTAINMENT: CRIBS

the SPACEMENT

BY JORDAN SIMMONS | PHOTOS BY BRICE NIHISER

The Spacement provides an outer-worldly venue for alternative local bands.

V

eiled on the hill of 86 N. Lancaster St., The Spacement has emerged as a progressive house-venue where local bands can earn their stripes. With walls painted to resemble the atmosphere of outer space, enhanced by an enormous space-cat mural and spotlighted with an abundance of light, The Spacement provides a place for Ohio University students, locals, and many others to join forces in the creation of good music, good vibes and good friends.

“We get [big] turn outs at The Spacement,” Nick Sanders says, bassist and singer for Tall Trees. “People have fun and we get to play to good-sized crowds of our friends. …It has the house-show vibe that I love to play in and everyone I talk to always has a good time.”

The Spacement provides an alternative space, no pun intended, where emerging musicians can find their groove.

Run by Athens-music lovers, The Spacement provides plenty of opportunities for the local music community to enjoy.

“House venues like The Spacement are great for bands just starting out,” says Erick Peterson, drummer for Shamantis.

“There’s not the same level of pressure as legitimate venues, and

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that means you can really get loose and step outside the box.”

Peterson later spoke for his band Shamantis, saying their Spacement debut was one of the group’s favorite performances. “It’s not a venue with fancy sound equipment or acoustics, but it might just be the most fun venue I’ve ever played at – and I’ve played at a good number.”

Music is indeed a common ground for the happiness of all who follow. Adam Senecal described how they host musical artists who want to spontaneously practice and experiment with any genre. The four tenants try to avoid The Spacement’s previous stigma of being exclusively a jam-band place.

Whether it’s Blue Moon Soup, an up-and-coming fourman string-band from Yellow Springs, Ohio, or Manitoa, a psychedelic rock band with members who plan the Rootwire music festival, the bands that frequent The Spacement are the bands seeing real success.

The Spacement is more than a platform in the corner of a basement for people to jam out on. It is an all-around dreamlike place for the Athens musical community to use as they turn their passions into reality.

The Sochi Games are the first games to allow women to compete in the Ski Jump.

“

What the Spacement has is, for lack of a better word, the ‘vibe’.”

Jacob Levy Guitarist for Benchwood Wyse

Sochi is the warmest city to host the Winter Games.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Becoming

BLACKHEART

Two years ago, Jacob Midkiff was equipped with only a car and a portable music studio. Now, he’s gaining fans more rapidly than before.

STORY & PHOTOS BY ANDREW DOWNING

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he iconic poster of Muhammad Ali standing at the bottom of a pool with both fists ready for an opponent is hung up on a wall in room 514 of Bromley Hall. This is the same room where Jacob Midkiff stands in front of a mic, looking out of a window that oversees the entire town of Athens, Ohio while he records his music. Famous music producers such as Barry Gordy, George Martin and even Dr. Dre would scoff at the acoustic characteristics of a college dorm room. But for Midkiff, this is a major improvement over previous environments in which he was recording his music in abandoned homes—the same abandoned homes that he slept in on a nightly basis.

“It was just me and a cat,” Midkiff says. “When you’re looking for an abandoned place to live, they are pretty easy to find because no one looks for them.”

While Midkiff was in his sophomore year of high school, his dad decided to move to Texas because of the economy and barren job market. Midkiff stayed home in Columbus, with his mother who suffered from schizophrenia.

Everything was fine for him and his mother until her disease became too much to handle midway through his junior year. Not wanting to endanger her son, Midkiff ’s mother kicked him out of the house to live with his aunt.

However, Midkiff ’s aunt was also getting ready to move to Texas so Midkiff decided to take to the streets, knowing

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that it was safer than living in an unstable environment.

Although he didn’t have a house, Midkiff did have a job.

He worked a few hours at Resch’s Bakery throughout the week and all day on Saturdays. On nights when he didn’t have enough gas to drive “home” or to a friend’s house, Midkiff would search for abandoned parking lots. Then his red 1997 Oldsmobile would become a place to sleep for the night.

Two years removed from life as a homeless high school student, Midkiff uses his past experiences in life to fuel his passion for music. Known by the stage name, 61ack4eart, the sophomore at Ohio University has consistently kept hip hop in his life. Midkiff pays tribute to Columbus in his stage name by using the three numbers that represent the area code for the city. However, Athens is also a special place to him. Since being a student, he has settled into an underground hip hop scene. Once every month at The Union Bar, a celebration of hip-hop culture takes place, called the Hip Hop Shop. The open-mic environment has helped Midkiff grow as an artist and has influenced him as a person.

“I didn’t know my style of hip hop. I didn’t know how to present myself or my music yet,” Midkiff explains. “After experiencing Athens’ hip hop, I found myself and my style in it, which is being theatrical and deep in my music.”

This year’s Olympic torch has been to the North Pole and outer space during the Torch Relay.

Because his father left him during high school and he grew up with his mother that was schizophrenic, Midkiff ’s songs usually paint pictures of pain and struggles that he has lived through.

“From age six I was already taking care of myself because my parents weren’t the ones that were strong enough to raise me. Basically, I was a lonely person raising himself when in fact I was only a kid,” he says.

His music is driven by many emotions every day. If listened to closely, one can find lyrics sprinkled throughout his music that speak to his stories and life as a homeless.

Reciting verses over dark piano melodies coupled with bass drops and snare claps, Midkiff is not afraid to let listeners know what is on his mind.

“I never feel like he’s tugging the heartstrings or laying it on too thick,” says Peter Vilardi, a frequent collaborator with Midkiff, who goes by the stage name MC Freeman. “He only wants you to understand, maybe to learn something.”

It’s no secret that college students can find it difficult to balance getting good grades and having a social life.

Midkiff says that he finds his social life in the music itself because he is always working with other artists who are also his friends. To put out quality music at a consistent rate—while also maintaining a 3.3 GPA­— takes dedication to the craft.

“He’s always eager to be in the studio working for his projects or other people’s projects. Every time I see him, he says he is working on another song or project,” DC Moore, a fellow emcee that lived in Athens, says.

Midkiff gives credit to his past unstable living conditions for his work ethic and motivation when working on his music. “It just inspires me more to make something of myself, and because of that, I know I have to work for it,” he says.

Midkiff started to receive recognition on a bigger stage in the spring of 2012. During a concert at Alrosa Villa, a small establishment in the heart of Columbus, Midkiff jumped on stage when the main act of the night, Hopsin, asked the audience if anyone would like to freestyle.

Hopsin is a hip-hop artist from Los Angeles who started his own record label in 2009 titled Funk Volume. In a

Norway has won the most medals at the winter Olympics, totaling 263.

crowd-pleasing performance, Midkiff rapped until the music stopped and kept on going. A custom made “61ack4eart” hat was thrown onto the stage, which prompted Hopsin to wear it the rest of the night while he finished his performance.

Almost a year after his impromptu performance, Midkiff crossed tracks with the Funk Volume family again. Funk Volume hosts an annual contest called “Don’t Funk Up Our Beats.” Then the contestant has to produce a video to go along their song and put it on a webpage for others to vote on. The top 25 are picked out of the remaining finalists that garnish enough votes. Midkiff was chosen as a finalist in the contest, but did not make it to the top 25. However, the contest gave Midkiff the opportunity to receive exposure to new listeners all across the country.

Since then, Midkiff has seen an increase in his music’s popularity. His YouTube page has gotten around 27,000 views and he has accumulated well over 4,000 listens on his SoundCloud profile. Fans from around the nation have contacted Midkiff countless times to tell him that certain songs have helped them get through turmoil in their own lives. Midkiff understands the responsibility that comes with his music reaching listeners further than Columbus and Athens.

“I’ve realized that when someone relates to a song I write, they feel more comfortable with me as an artist because it humanizes me,” says Midkiff. “Then, the words I say in the song seem much more authentic and real, and through that they find encouragement to handle those problems themselves.”

The longer he stands in front of his mic, spilling the emotions and thoughts from his mind, one can see the resemblance he shares with the Muhammed Ali poster in room 514. Of course, Midkiff is not surrounded by water, but instead he is surrounded by the constant reminders of the days that he slept in cars and abandoned homes. In the last two years, Midkiff has come far from being the kid that toted around a mobile music studio in the trunk of his car and slept at an abandoned house with a cat. Still, he has much farther to go. On breaks from school, Midkiff stays at the houses of friends, still not able to have a house to call his own. Just like Ali, however, Midkiff stands poised, unaffected by the water around him. But instead of standing with the clinched fists that Ali is sporting in the photo, Midkiff is armed with his music and a mic stand, ready to take on the world.

FOLLOW JACOB ON...

SOUNDCLOUD

@61ack4eart

61ack4eart

You Tube 61ack4eart

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b FEATURE

market

BY SARA PORTWOOD | INFOGRAPHICS BY OLIVIA REANEY

As demand in the sex trade rises, forced prostitution comes at a steep price for victims, the community and human rights. Athens has been exposed to human trafficking and some refuse to stand by.

M

odern slavery has built a rich and powerful industry on the backs of men, women and children. Generating over $32 billion a year, the exploitation of over 27 million people has made human trafficking the third largest industry of international crime—right behind illegal drugs and illegal weapons trafficking. The forced sex and labor trades are often perceived as a developing nation or “Third World” issue.

But these crimes are happening everywhere: in the U.S., in Ohio and in Athens.

Students of Ohio University and members of the Athens community have banded together to put an end to human trafficking. Through awareness, education and action, activists are fulfilling their plans for change.

LOCAL SLAVERY Last September, two Athens County residents were ar-

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rested for the alleged human trafficking of a 16-year-old girl. Aileen Mays was charged with one count of trafficking in persons and three counts of compelling prostitution of the girl to registered sex offender Fred Kittle, Sr. in exchange for drugs and money. The girl was taken into child services for treatment and protection. Mays and Kittle were both dismissed of charges after their trials in October. The Athens NEWS reported that both Mays’ and Kittle’s cases are still under investigation and have potential to be brought back up in front of a grand jury. Mays faces more serious punishment if found guilty with the possibility of 10- to 15- years in prison. Kittle faces the possibility of four years in prison.

“I think that was really eye-opening for a lot of people on this subject. It is really hard to get people to understand what is going on and the fact that it is going on in our backyards,” says Megan Gallagher, president and founder of the Ohio University End Slavery Movement (ESM).

The first person to win gold at the Olympics was an American, Charles Jewtraw.

Anywhere there are men and there are girls, there is going to be trafficking. Especially in areas where there has not been a lot of awareness. It happens everywhere.”

Gregg Montella Founder & Director of One Heart International Mission and ESM Volunteer

THE BASICS

Human trafficking is the third largest industry of international crime worldwide.

27M

30% MALES

40% ADULTS (>18)

people trafficked in the world

80% involves sexual exploitation 19% involves labor exploitation

MEGAN’S MOVEMENT Gallagher, an OU senior in communications studies, has stepped up to combat the growing issue of human trafficking in the United States. She created ESM in February of 2013 to raise awareness of modern slavery on a global and local scale. The organization coordinates events to educate and inform students and residents on the current state of human trafficking. Its goal is to ultimately create a slavefree Ohio.

“My inspiration to start this was to not just have the student body, but to bring everything surrounding Athens together,” Gallagher says.

Last fall, ESM was able to broadcast its message to the community for an entire week of events. The organization’s work for the End Slavery Week included panel discussions, documentary screenings, interactive and immersive learning activities and speaker Jillian Mourning, who

Sixteen nations competed in the first winter Olympics, totaling 285 athletes.

70% FEMALES

60% YOUTH (<18)

shared her traumatic experience as a survivor of trafficking. The week ended with over 1,000 signatures of students and residents pledging to join the anti-slavery movement.

The organization, with the hard work of more than 50 members, received recognition by the Ohio Governor’s office to be certified as one of the state’s 14 human trafficking coalitions.

RECOGNITION Megan Gallagher is a finalist for the Ohio Liberator Award in the student category.

The award celebrates individuals that have dedicated their time and efforts to the liberation of modern slaves.

www.backdropmag.com

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FEATURE turbingly close experience with local human trafficking.

“When my sister was here about 10 years ago, she was nearly trafficked out of a local high school,” Montella recalls. He eventually became an activist for human trafficking prevention through spirituality and activism. He explains that slaves need to be physically set free to be spiritually free.

Montella has traveled to more than 63 countries and focuses on modern slavery in Eastern Europe. He is the founder and director of One Heart International Commission, which provides physical and spiritual support to victims of trafficking in Moldova, a small country between Romania and Ukraine. After years of prevention work, Montella has recognized a formula for modern sexual slavery.

“Anywhere there are men and there are girls, there is going to be trafficking. Especially in areas where there has not been a lot of awareness. It happens everywhere,” Montella explains.

INNOVATIVE COMPASSION: LITTLE PINEY COVE

OHIO: IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM Detecting human trafficking is a challenge. Brothels are hidden in massage parlors, salons, clubs, bars, schools and even suburban homes. Victims often enter the slave trade through the coercion of violence or the promise of a better life. These outlets for trafficking are all too familiar in the state of Ohio.

Densely populated urban hubs such as Toledo, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus present challenges to law enforcement when tracking down perpetrators and victims.

Toledo has received a great deal of negative publicity after being named the fourth worst city for human trafficking in the U.S. in the 2009 Report on the Prevalence of Human Trafficking in Ohio by the Ohio Trafficking in Persons Study Commission. But Gallagher sees this discovery with optimism. She explains that Toledo, while under fire, may have the most practice of trafficking prevention since they were able to identify such an enormous network.

“Training is so vital. How can police spot [trafficking] if they don’t know what to look for?” Gallagher says.

Since 2011, Attorney General Mike DeWine has assembled a Human Trafficking Commission of appointed and elected officials ranging from politicians and members of law enforcement to religious leaders and community members. The committee meets on a regular basis to investigate the roots of trafficking in Ohio and to create effective legislation to prosecute traffickers. In March and April, the Attorney General’s office will offer Human Relation courses to

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train law enforcement on how to identity patterns and victims and to be familiar with the new anti-trafficking laws.

Updated training techniques are necessary to counter a perpetrator’s evolving tactics when addressing the slave trade in different environments.

Gallagher says that with the creation of ESM, Athens can expect to see more human trafficking come to light.

“It’s been there. It’s been going on and this is now something we can identify as a team, as a community, as a body, to speak out and really come together on this issue,” she says.

TOO CLOSE TO HOME Activists enter the anti-slavery movement for several reasons. Either inspired by the tales of survivors, or from personal experience, the members of this movement have decided to act.

Gallagher joined the cause after attending an informational Christian conference in Georgia called Passion. She was challenged by the conference to do something to stop an injustice ongoing and she chose to focus on modern slavery.

Jillian Mourning, a human trafficking survivor, ESM speaker and Chillicothe native, was able to share her story at End Slavery Week. She was tricked into trafficking through the promise of a modeling career and then blackmailed to stay in the sex trade after being raped by two men on videotape.

Gregg Montella—an Athens native and recent volunteer for ESM and leader of his own movement for change—had a disThere are 15 events to compete in at the Winter Games.

ESM continues to attract more supporters who want to make a difference. OU Lancaster regional campus senior and business management major, Antoinette Bowman, attended End Slavery Week to make connections with other activists and to help support survivors after they escape the sex trade.

A common problem for survivors is reentering society.

Victims fall off the grid of mainstream life while being trafficked. They often have an unfinished education and little to no work experience.

“I want to be able to give them that first step, to be able to put something on a resume, to be able to say, ‘I have done something,’” Bowman says.

She is in the process of creating Little Piney Cove, a Fair Trade boutique that will hire survivors of human trafficking.

Bowman wants to present the opportunity for survivors to have a foundation of work experience to put on paper.

“A lady I work with right now, she used to dance and she

GET THE FACTS

$90 1,078 average price of slave but can vary

youth in Ohio entered into sex trade this past year 2013

has nothing on her resume and she still can’t find work,” Bowman explains.

By creating a business that involves survivors and Fair Trade, it can serve a dual purpose and attract consumers as another way to help.

“I want to be able to get the community involved,” she says. “You’re buying Fair Trade and you get to employ these wonderful survivors.

They have so much potential and we just don’t know it.”

OR S NO T F

ALE

SUSTAINING CHANGE Gallagher feels confident passing on her organization to capable hands next year. The group has received continuous financial backing to further their mission.

“We have been getting unbelievable support throughout the university. I thought funding was going to be our biggest issue,” Gallagher explains. “But we have received funding from several different organizations. It’s been really supportive.”

Other nonprofits struggle to give full attention to their movement or message when they need to spend a great deal of time applying for grants to fund their activities.

Gallagher’s nonprofit is an exceptional case.

“We have this voice that all of these different nonprofits don’t necessarily have,” she says. “Here we are a free university giving students a philanthropic opportunity.”

ESM plans to continue giving students the opportunity to help survivors of human trafficking and broaden their message across Ohio through more informational events.

From the trafficking of young sex slaves in bars throughout Moldova to the alleged sale of a girl’s body for drugs in Athens, awareness is key to stopping human trafficking from getting any closer to home.

Top U.S. Cities for Human Trafficking In U.S

1. Miami 2. Portland 3. Las Vegas 4. Toledo

The five rings on the Olympic flag symbolize Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Americas.

In Ohio CLEVELAND

TOLEDO

COLUMBUS CINCINNATI

www.backdropmag.com

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FEATURE

OHIO TAKES flight

BY JACOB BETZNER | PHOTOS BY BRICE NIHISER

The Ohio University Department of Aviation trains students for promising careers after graduation. High expectations guide these flying Bobcats above and beyond.

T

he aviation industry, like virtually every industry during the global economic recession between 2008 and 2010, experienced some heavy turbulence. Ticket prices rose and the number of jobs declined. However, with the recent economic turnaround and a return to steady growth combined with an unprecedented demand for international air travel, the need for airline pilots is expected to take off for the next two decades.

“The aviation industry was kind of struggling there for a while, you know, and now it’s picking back up,” Dylan Ewing says, a senior in the aviation department. “A lot of the pilots who are up in the upper jobs in the airlines are reaching mandatory retirement age. Once those guys retire somebody has to fill their shoes.”

Something clicked for Ewing in high school. The London, Ohio native longed to soar through the clouds, floating above the earth. He still vividly recalls his first time flying over Athens.

“It’s kind of cool to go over places you’ve been on the ground,” Ewing says.

Now the captain of the Flying Bobcats, the university flight team, Ewing only needed to visit one university to find the right aviation program. Instead of looking into pure aeronautic or flight schools, Ewing opted for a more diverse education focusing on the business side of aviation and a liberal arts education, not simply guiding a plane through the clouds.

“When I visited the aviation department, it seemed pretty tight-knit and seemed like a place where I could see myself,” Ewing says.

There is a projected need for 500,000 new pilots between 2013 and 2032, according to statistics from The Boeing Company, one of the largest airplane manufacturing companies in the world. The Asia and Pacific region will need the largest number of new pilots at nearly 192,000, while North America will need about 86,000, approximately 4,300 new pilots per year over the next two decades.

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With the heavy demand for pilots, the number of students wanting to study aviation steadily grew at OU. Aviation Department Chair Bryan Branham focuses his time and effort on developing a quality program and letting graduates be ambassadors in the industry for the program.

In the tightly knit aviation community, word of the program spreads rapidly. Dennis Irwin, dean of the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, says the aviation department provides students with the ability not only to fly airplanes, but to think critically, manage resources and employees and, ultimately, rise to the top of a major aviation or related company. He stressed the importance of a liberal arts education combined with stringent training through the aviation department.

“It’s the difference between training and education, and the fact that this is integrated into a four-year, traditional liberal arts curriculum that you can’t get by going down to your local flight training school, that means that our folks will be, instead of just being a pilot for NetJets, the idea is that they will be the leaders of companies like NetJets,” Irwin says.

Ohio University founded the Department of Aviation in 1939 to help train pilots to fly in the military. The OU Airport originally sat near the current location of Kroger and the Athens Mall on State Street and moved to Albany, about 15 minutes southwest of the main campus, shortly after engineers completed the re-routing of the Hocking River in 1971.

Despite the drive, Irwin says the department is still a part of the Athens campus.

“It’s part of our identity; it’s part of the identity of Ohio University and Russ College,” Irwin says. “A lot of our alumni are pilots, even people who have not graduated from the department of aviation, our namesake for us was a very accomplished pilot.”

The aviation department prepares students to meet the demands of the national aviation system by preparing future pilots through real world experiences. By graduation,

At least one of the rings’ colors on the Olympic flag appears on every national flag of the world.

students possess the ability to plan and safely conduct a flight in single and multi-engine aircraft in compliance with all applicable federal standards and regulations. Keeping the program running requires extensive effort and resources behind the scenes.

“Honestly, if you look at how it has to be managed because of purchasing airplanes, maintaining airplanes, buying fuel, passing some of those costs onto the students, collecting fees and things like that, from a managerial point of view, it’s probably our most challenging department,” Irwin says.

Students in the aviation department go through intense classroom training before ever taking off. They pair with a flight instructor for the first time during the Private Pilot Flight class. Gradually the flight instructors give the students increased control before attempting a solo flight. Branham says instructors typically see two very distinct reactions from students their first few times in the air.

“The [students] that it’s just pure excitement, you don’t really have to worry about those guys. They’ve got what I call the flying bug, they’re ready to get back in and go flying again,” Branham says. “The one’s that it’s kind of a surprise for them, we talk with them, and we have different kinds of way for approaching this all a case-by-case basis.”

Professors and flight instructors work with hesitant students to help determine whether or not they actually want to fly. Kelly McCoy, a senior in the aviation department and the president of the OU chapter of Women in Aviation, says the professors know the difficulty of obtaining a private pilot license and often go out of the way to help students prepare to pass the examination. “[The instructors] decide when you’re ready to move on and do different maneuvers and you do different techniques and new procedures that prepare you to get your private pilot license,” McCoy says.

Students have to be sure they want to fly because of several extra costs that come with earning an aviation degree.

Students pay to use the aircraft, which includes actually renting the airplane and playing instructor fees and the cost of gas using a “wet rate,” meaning the fees include the cost of gas.

“The only thing they’ll pay in addition to [the wet fees] is,

No country in the Southern Hemisphere has hosted a Winter Games.

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as the fuel costs fluctuates up or down, they have to pay a surcharge or they’ll get a rebate,” Branham says.

Another very real problem the aviation department faces everyday is the risk of crashes or accidents. The faculty and maintenance crews with the aviation department minimize the chance of accidents by constantly checking the aircraft and making repairs to the smallest of issues.

“It really comes down to proper training, and not allowing students to progress until they have demonstrated the skills and sort of flight awareness and skills comfort before letting them progress,” Irwin says. “It’s really a culture of emphasizing safety.”

The aviation department offers two different types of bachelor degrees and one associate degree. Students choose to pursue bachelor’s degrees in flight education or aviation management or an associate’s degree in aviation technology. A degree from the aviation department opens career possibilities as airline, corporate and military pilots,

“

It’s part of our identity; it’s part of the identity of Ohio University and Russ College.”

Dennis Irwin, Dean of the Russ College of Engineering and Technology

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airport and airline managers, aviation entrepreneurs and administrators in government regulatory agencies such as the FAA. The training fleet of the Department of Aviation consists of aircraft produced by “the big three” manufacturers of Cessna, Piper and Beechcraft. The fleet includes two Cessna 152s, two Beechcraft Barons, two Piper Arrows and seven new Piper Warrior IIIs with glass cockpit technology. The OU air fleet brings in students from all over the country, including McCoy, who says number and diversity of aircraft contributed to her decision to come to OU. “They have an excellent fleet of aircrafts that we train in, and that was a big factor,” McCoy says.

The FAA grades aviation programs under two similar statuses. Part 141 regulation requires schools to undergo much stricter regulation and provide a more structured learning environment. The faster pace more quickly prepares students but allows students to complete certificates in shorter hours.

Ewing hopes to work as a flight instructor after graduating to finish the required number of hours and ultimately take the Airline Transport Pilot License (ATP) test. Fortunately for Ewing the FAA requires OU Department of Aviation students only 1,000 hours to take the ATP practical exam after turning 23 years old. Passing the exam earns the pilot the highest level of aircraft pilot license, authorizing the pilot to act as pilot in command on scheduled aircraft carriers. OU students typically graduate with between 500 and 600 hours offlight experience.

Students who choose the two-year degree in aviation technology complete courses for the FAA Part 141 flight program and learn to become professional pilots. The

A new Olympic torch is designed for each of the games.

program prepares students to earn private pilot certificates and both instrument and multi-engine ratings. Required flight courses include the private pilot certificate through the certified flight instructor certificate. Other required courses include business management, computer science, and meteorology.

Advanced flight training courses include advanced aircraft and flight crew operations, as well as corporate flight operations, with flight training in university-owned turboprop aircraft. The department also offers the airline course for graduates who meet the requirements.

“There’s some hour minimums you have to meet before you can do certain jobs, so a lot of people go and flight instruct,” Ewing says.

For students not wanting to fly, the department offers a degree in aviation management. Management students take the most current courses in aviation, business, computer science and management as they prepare themselves for professional positions within the aviation industry.

Boeing predicts a need for 556,000 new airline technicians over the same time period. Again, the Asia and Pacific region needs the most at more than 215,000, while North America needs almost 98,000, or 4,900 new technicians over the next 20 years.

Aviation management students pursue the non-flight option offered in cooperation with the College of Business.

The course of study provides students with a thorough background in aviation and business. Aviation courses include aeronautics, aviation law, aviation and airline operations and management, the National Airspace System, aviation safety and weather.

Coupled with the aviation classes, aviation management

BMW designed the bobsled for team USA.

essentially major in management. Ethan Sayers, President of the Aviation Management Society says the organization helps students realize the vast amount of job opportunities in the aviation industry not behind the controls.

“That’s really what the Management of Aviation Society is about,” Sayers says. “What kind of jobs are out there? What kind career opportunities are available? Networking is a big part of it. It helps put you in touch with the right people.”

Of all the job opportunities available to graduates of the aviation program, McCoy hopes to land in corporate flight.

After completing a summer internship with a Fortune 500 company, the opportunity to work with a specific group of passengers regularly appealed to McCoy. “I kind of want a little more interaction with my passengers,” she says.

As the president of the OU chapter of Women in Aviation, McCoy discussed the need for more women pilots. Currently, women represent about six percent of all pilots, according to statistics from the FAA. McCoy says Women in Aviation helps connect female pilots. Like any industry, knowing the right people leads to more opportunities to find jobs and advance.

“I’ve been able to meet a lot of women who have helped me out already,” she says.

The organization also helps educate young women in fields like math, engineering and flight in hopes of bringing forth a larger generation of new female pilots.

Few feelings compare to guiding an airplane through the skies McCoy says nothing feels out of reach behind the controls.

“It’s just a completely different perspective on life,” she says.

“It’s a way to get away from problems on the ground and to kind of escape.”

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What’s in the Huevos Rancheros TexMex Style Dish?

• Corn Tortillas • Salsa Verde • Butternut Chipotle Salsa (new this month) • Local Wax Peppers • Cheese • Eggs

Mi Casa S u Casa

BY CHEYENNE BUCKINGHAM | PHOTOS BY BRICE NIHISER Casa Nueva has been creating and leading a food revolution ever since 1985. Sarah Slater, Casa Nueva’s Food Coordinator, gives Backdrop the scoop on exactly how they have been changing people’s perspectives about food for the past 29 years. The restaurant offers dishes solely made of natural and organic food items all at a reasonable price for college students to enjoy.

What do you do at Casa Nueva?

Sarah Slater: The main purpose of my job includes recipe development, coordinating crop planting through a team of farmers in the area and switching out new seasonal menu items every three weeks. It’s a big job, but very rewarding!

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When did you start working at Casa Nueva? What inspired you to stay?

SS: I began working here 10 years ago. I grew up in Athens with a passion for cooking, so upon graduation from high school, I chose to continue my education at Hocking College in their culinary arts program. I then decided to expand my

Shaun White is the richest winter Olympic athlete.

themselves down in the bar and order a decent size meal from the appetizer section of the menu.

Why does Casa choose not to accept tips?

SS: We want everything to be included in the price: the service and the food. Nothing more. If you do leave a tip, however, it will go to a specific charity. We donate [anywhere from] $1,000 to $2,000 just in tips every month to a different charity in the area. One of our favorite places we donate to is the South Eastern Ohio Food Bank and it’s all thanks to the customers’ contributions.

What are some interesting facts that not many people would know about Casa?

degree at Ohio University with a major in Spanish and International Studies, and this is when I picked up a job here at Casa. It’s important to me to own my work—there is no head corporate, out-of-touch person sitting somewhere far, far away reaping the benefits that my labor produces. Also, Casa does not reflect the traditional business because there are no managers, just “coordinators.” We don’t believe in a hierarchy here, we want input from all of our associates.

SS: We do not use microwaves here in the restaurant. When you heat something up in the microwave, you are essentially “nuking it.” It is just odd to me that someone would want to nuke their food! Also, there are plans [for the future] to sell some of our products at grocery stores and farmers’ markets.

We started making our own jams, such as peach butter, and blackberry jam. My favorite is the rhubarb jam and it’s delicious. We also make hot sauces. We have three different kinds: Rock Hot, Blazing Brutality and Face Melter.

Casa Nueva’s mission is to maintain a small carbon footprint and to buy only local produce. How does your business accomplish this?

What separates Casa Nueva from every other restaurant on campus? In other words, what qualities make it so unique?

SS: We buy all of our produce, meat, cheese, etc. Fresh, local, and even organic if we can. Just to name a few: Shade River Organic Farm and Green Edge Gardens Organic Farms are our top two vegetable suppliers [and] both are organiccertified. Also, we now get our corn tortillas and black bean chips supplied from Shagbark Seed & Mill.

SS: In addition to being a worker-owned cooperative, Casa has also opened the doors for local farmers in the past 25 years. The tremendous support that these farmers have received from us has enabled them to expand their sales in produce significantly over the years. Casa is known for its laid back atmosphere. We are not frilly at all! We have local artists come in and preform live shows here. We welcome anything from fast-paced rock music to the mellow rhythm of the blues. But most importantly, we are not a fast food chain restaurant. Casa is definitely a place where you can sit down, enjoy music and relax.

What is the most popular dish here at Casa?

SS: Our most popular breakfast dish is hands down the Huevos Rancheros Tex-Mex-style dish. It consists of corn tortillas, salsa verde, local wax peppers, cheese, eggs and, this month, we added a butternut chipotle salsa. This dish has been a customer favorite for years, so we decided to make it a seasonal dish.

This means the vegetables and additional salsas alternate every three to four weeks. At dinnertime, however, the favorite is the Enchilada Verde with pulled pork. It has been on the menu for so long that our customers have become accustomed to it!

How does Casa Nueva strive to make its meals affordable for college students? Do you attract others from the Athens community as well?

SS: Athens is derived from several types of incomes. Therefore, Casa makes it a point to buy and prepare the best quality of food for your dollar. There is something for everyone in this restaurant, for ages all across the spectrum to enjoy. If you are short on cash and time, Casa allows their customers to sit

During the opening ceremonies, one athlete recites the “Olympic Oath” on behalf of all of the athletes.

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ARCHERY 101: PARTS OF A BOW

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BY REBECCA ZOOK | PHOTOS BY DANIEL RADER | ILLUSTRATION BY CASSIE FAIT

The OU Archery Club draws in new members thanks to Hollywood’s recent focus on hawk-eyed heroes.

Grip

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nyone who has been to the movies in the past couple of years has heard of “The Hunger Games,” “The Avengers” or Disney’s “Brave.” All these movies have two things in common: bows and arrows. Pop culture has thrown archery into the spotlight and audiences are picking up on the enthusiasm.

This new fad has not just taken over the theaters, but even our fellow Bobcats have picked up the archery craze. Senior Nicole Bosch got hooked on the “Hunger Games” enthusiasm and decided to take the Archery PED class. After falling in love with the sport, she decided to create Ohio University’s very own archery club.

“I got addicted to archery the first class I was there and just thought, ‘This is what I’m going to do,’” Nicole says.

Bosch isn’t the only person to fall in love with the sport due to the new publicity. Joe Wakeley III, an aquatic director and the archery club’s advisor, has noticed the increase in popularity.

“Students like being where other students are having fun,” he says. “If you’re really enjoying yourself, then that has a tendency to attract people.”

This could not be truer for the OU Archery Club. Since it was established in February 2013, the team has grown to 25 members.

The new club, nearly 50 percent of whom are freshmen, not only practices regularly, but also competes in local area competitions.

“When we’ve gone to our smaller competitions, they’ve done pretty well, but we’re always looking to improve,” Bosch says about the team’s progress. So far the team has competed in a few competitions, including one 3D competition.

In 3D competitions, instead of shooting at a regular target,

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there are about 30 foam animals set up throughout the course that resemble animals such as deer, alligators and even frogs.

“That’s why a lot of our hunters love it. It’s outdoors and it’s the closest you can really get to hunting,” Bosch says.

Other local indoor competitions consist of shooting at a stationary target 20 yards away. The scoring is based on the ring that the archer shoots in the target.

As the club grows and gains more experience, one of the main goals is to compete at a national level. They are now registered with the United States Collegiate Archery Association, which holds collegiate level competitions all over the country.

The potential for competing relies heavily on funding.

Currently each team member pays $35 in dues per semester, which covers the upkeep of equipment and replacement of arrows.

Practices are currently held in Grover Center, however the team is searching for a new location.

“The problem that they have is the distance, because right now they’re shooting at 30 meters and finding that distance indoors, while following safety measures, is difficult,” Wakeley says.

The club is hoping to get practice time in the new Walter Field House. The sports complex would allow them to shoot from farther distances and work with more range. However, the new compound is going to have a high demand and nothing is solidified yet.

For outdoor practices the team uses an old soccer field behind Athens County Library.

Community outreach is another focus for the upcoming seasons. Recently, the team collaborated with an OU

The “Olympic Hymn” was composed by Spyros Samaras.

English professor and held a workshop for an English as a Second Language (ESL) class. The class had just finished reading “The Hunger Games” and spent an hour and a half with the team learning the basics of how to shoot.

The team is looking into holding more workshops for classes and organizations on campus and is also involved with the Athens local school districts.

“The local area has some youth programs that are growing rapidly,” Wakeley says. The team’s involvement with the Athens Archery Group would not only get the younger kids involved with Ohio University, but it also gives the students to look up to.

The National Archery in the Schools Program, or NASP, started their season in the beginning of January. The club is making an effort to get together and practice with the local teams.

“Just being able to meet up with their kids and learning from them and them learning from us [would be great for the team as a whole],” Bosch says.

With the entire cabinet made up of seniors, one of the biggest struggles is coming up with a succession plan.

Wakeley voices his fears for the upcoming years: “How do we get what we know written down so we don’t have to relearn and reinvent everything next year with the new people coming in?”

This upcoming March, the team will vote on an entirely new executive board.

Seniors, such as Bosch, have built the team from the ground up and although the underclassmen show potential, it’s nerveracking to pass the club on to completely new management. “It is kind of like my baby and my hope is that after I graduate this year everyone keeps going with it,” Bosch says. b

The last Olympic gold medals that were made entirely out of gold were awarded in 1912.

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BENCHED.

In 2007, four athletic teams at Ohio University were cut without warning, leaving behind a trail of bitterness, loss and betrayal.

BY JAKE ZUCKERMAN ILLUSTRATIONS BY JESSICA SHOKLER

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he Ohio University Men’s Swimming & Diving Team was poised for a colossal 2007-08 season. They were coming off a third-place finish in the Mid-American Conference meet and had a full returning roster of 28 swimmers and divers, alongside a promising incoming freshmen class. With their hearts and minds set on winning their conference, the men’s swimming program was abruptly cut to balance Title IX requirements and the athletes were left to fend for themselves.

Title IX is a piece of legislation drafted in 1972 to ensure equal opportunities for women in education and to address the gender gap. The writing itself reads: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Before Title IX, the playing field was far from even. Women had a meek fraction of the athletic opportunities as men and significantly fewer scholarship opportunities.

Despite the brevity of the law, its reach extends beyond

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admission into schools and sexual harassment policies and athletics to ensure equal opportunities for both genders. In 2007, Title IX requirements and financial decisions prompted a university decision to cut the OU Men’s Swimming & Diving program, along with both indoor and outdoor Men’s Track & Field.

The cuts were the result of a domino effect beginning with the elimination of the OU Women’s Lacrosse team. The decision was made for fiscal reasons, but in order to satisfy Title IX requirements, the university either had to add women’s programs or drop men’s programs.

“I felt like I failed the program,” Greg Werner says, former men and women’s head swimming and diving coach. “I let down my team, and I let down my staff.”

For the members of the team, the cut forced upon them an ultimatum. The university was willing to honor scholarships, but athletes had to decide if leaving friends and memories was worth transferring to finish out their athletic eligibility.

Of the 28 returning athletes, 15 swimmers transferred, two of whom later retransferred back to OU. Drew Stetson was a junior on the team in its final season.

After an untimely bout with mono during the year, he was looking to give the season all he could. However, the team was cut before he ever got the chance.

“It’s tough watching your teammates go on recruiting trips to other colleges,” Stetson says. “With the time and energy we put into it, we were swimming two times a day, five days a week and practicing Saturday. You spend all that time and energy and effort in trying to be the best you can at something, and then, all of the sudden, it’s taken away and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Robert Ihasz, Stetson’s teammate and fellow junior at the time of the cut, shares a similar sentiment with his teammate.

“I think Title IX does the opposite of what it’s supposed to do,” he says.

But, beyond bitterness toward the ruling is a harrowing

Each medal must be at least three millimeters thick and 60 millimeters in diameter.

lack of resolve.

“When I walked in, I thought somebody had died,” Leon says.

“The big thing for me was not being able to walk out at Leon has his own take on the merits of Title IX. He says, senior night and look back at my career and say that I left it “It’s unfair to put Title IX on a lot of the sports cuts. The all in the pool,” Ihsaz says. administrators use it as a cover to redirect money.”

At the program’s last MAC Conference meet, the team Leon elaborated that he believes that if the University so walked out to a standing ovation from not just the crowd, desired, it could have marginally cut the men’s rosters and but the other teams in their conference as well, all singing added women’s positions to preserve the teams. Instead, the Bobcat’s cheer. funds were redirected under the guise of Title IX. In regard to the Title IX requirements, Tom Symonds, as“I’m not bitter about the law,” Leon says. “I’m bitter that sistant athletic director for media relations sees it as more of the administrators use it to their advantage.” a mixed bag.

Since the cuts, Leon has donated money to the remaining “Like anything, there are advantages and disadvantages. track and cross country teams, but will not donate to the Over time, it has provided tremendous opportunity that university until it reinstates the men’s track team. once wasn’t there for female student athletes.” Symonds says.

Frannie Sullivan was a junior when the women’s lacrosse Historically speaking, a strong case can be made that team was cut. She and her teammates learned of the cut women have been marginalized within collegiate and high two weeks before her first regular season game. The team school athletics. Before Title IX, only one in 27 women was split on its decision to stay at OU, but Sullivan stayed. played sports in high school, and in college they received an Roughly half of her teammates ended up transferring. average of two percent of athletic scholarships. Today, female “I think that it’s fair that there’s a men’s and a women’s high school sport participateam and that nobody should be tion is up 900 percent and discriminated against if they want up 560 percent in college, I’m not bitter about the law, I’m to play a sport.” while those collegiate parHowever, the fairness of the law bitter that the administrators ticipants receive 46 percent does not take away the sadness or of scholarship funding. bitterness that comes from losing use it to their advantage.”

Despite the forward sosports programs.

Craig Leon cietal progress provided “It’s just really sad, especially Former Ohio University Track Runner by the law, it doesn’t come since both of those sports were without a price. men’s and women’s teams. I mean “The cuts created a perception that we don’t support aquat- there was men’s swimming and women’s swimming…just ics, which hurt our women’s team,” Werner says. cause they were two separate teams they really were one Derek Schmitt was an up-and-comer on the men’s swim team,” Sullivan says. team, showing promise in both the freestyle as well as the In the wake of the cut, Greg Werner was contacted by an backstroke. Both of his parents went to OU and, before he alumnus and given an old black-and-white framed poster of transferred, his sister Allison debated swimming there. She a team from the 1960s. They had stopped looking when she heard of the men’s team being cut. just won their conference Allison went on to swim at the University of Georgia and meet and were celebratcompeted in the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games ing as they donned winning five medals, three of which were gold. their medals. With “We all felt the blow,” Werner adds. “It hurt the girls too. Their the bleak nostalgia relationships with the men’s swimmers were all fractured.” of a defeated man, It wasn’t just the swim team that was hit by the sweeping Werner mentions cuts. The men’s indoor and outdoor track programs were that four of the also eliminated. young men celeBefore qualifying for the U.S. Olympic trials in Eu- brating are now milgene, Oregon and finishing 10th in the 2013 Boston lionaires. They had Marathon, Craig Leon ran track at OU. He was a se- one scholarship on the nior on the men’s track team with one more year of Na- team that year but they all tional Collegiate Athletic Association eligibility, allow- swam competitively because they ing him to compete while in grad school. On the day the loved the sport. Now those sucteam learned of the cut, he was in and out of meetings cessful post-collegiate athletes will and arrived late to the Convocation Center to a group of not donate to their alma mater because crying teammates. they cut the team that they loved so dearly. b

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During the opening ceremony, the procession of athletes is always led by the Greek team.

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SEX & HEALTH

Green Dot Program

Hollaback!

Download the app and check for safe locations in Athens!

ST.

“I don’t entirely blame males because [catcalling] is part of this culture that they’ve been raised in,” Dufff says. “It’s like this homosocial behavior that men want to prove to their friends that they’re manly.”

The presence of alcohol drastically increases instances of street harassment, which is why it is frequently a big problem on college campuses.

In order to minimize some of the effects of alcohol on harassment, Hollaback! is hoping to launch a Safer Spaces campaign with some of the bartenders uptown. So far, they have trained Donkey Coffee as their first official safer space. “We would train bartenders in bystander intervention, get the bar owner to sign a pledge saying that they would take customer complaints about harassment seriously and expel people who were behaving inappropriately,” Fick says. Additionally, they have an intervention curriculum that they use to train students in elementary, middle and high schools.

Aside from these educational programs, Hollaback! offers people other ways to get instantly involved. Victims and bystanders wishing to share their experiences can post them on the Hollaback! blog or through the phone app.

Hollaback! uses the Green Dot Program in conjunction with the phone app and websites. The program is about bystander intervention and was designed for college campuses.

It allows victims or bystanders to pinpoint exactly where the harassment happened.

These days, it seems nearly everyone is smartphoneequipped, so a phone app makes it much easier to record experiences of harassment. “This is very important because street harassment is often not considered a problem,” says Kazi Priyanka Silmi, an international Master’s degree candidate studying communication and development studies and a Hollaback! site leader. “We want to let the world know and have records of it, because unless you have things recorded, you can’t really say this is happening.”

Silmi heard about Hollaback! and downloaded the phone app before she got involved with the organization. Her studies focus on gender-based violence, which has components of sexual assault, abuse and street harassment.

James B. Connolly was the first Olympic champion of the modern Olympic Games.

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views for her documentary with people on popular streets, such as Mill Street and Court Street. “Verbal harassment happens to men a lot, too. Other men yell it to other men, along with racial harassment. I’ve talked to a lot of people who’ve had racial slurs said to them, especially black men and black women.”

Recognizing the common nature of aggressive harassment is crucial to combatting the problem. Our society normalizes this behavior, so questioning it might not occur to some people. Hollaback! seeks to make people rethink these actions and to challenge them with education and bystander intervention training.

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BY COLETTE WHITNEY | PHOTOS BY JASMINE BEAUBIEN

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Street harassment occurs everywhere, especially on college campuses. Check out Hollaback, Appalachia’s fight against this socially-acceptable verbal assault.

“A group of college guys sitting on a porch told me to ‘Shake that ass’ while I walked…home the other night. I said, ‘What the heck?’ because I’m not particularly articulate when drunk. They started yelling all kinds of lewd comments about my body in response,” writes one college student on Hollaback! Appalachian Ohio, Ohio’s street harassment storytelling blog. “I’ve noticed that they’re always rude even when I walk by in the daytime. Which I try not to do if I can help it.”

This is just one story among many that was submitted anonymously on the website. Hollaback! Appalachian Ohio is fighting back against harassment via social media and public outreach to minimize social fear and maximize awareness.

Since January 2011, the organization has trained people in 25 countries to step up against this widespread degradation. Hollaback! Appalachian Ohio is the local group, which started in April 2013. “[Hollaback!] is a local incarnation of an international movement to end street harassment, utilizing thoughtprovoking art, collective online storytelling and bystander intervention,” Sarah Fick says, program coordinator for the Sexual Assault Prevention Program at the Appalachian Peace and Justice Network and co-sight leader for Hollaback! Appalachian Ohio.

Fick, who has lived in Athens since 1999, has seen a gradual progression in public aggressiveness. “It seems to have gotten a lot worse over the years. So I definitely feel that it’s a really big problem here,” Fick says.

Many people agree, including Dr. Susanne Dietzel, director of the Women’s Center at Ohio University, and Dandelion Dufff, an Ohio University student who just finished filming a documentary about street harassment in Athens.

“There is quite a bit of harassment going on on Court Street, in which men are harassing women,” Dr. Dietzel says. “The thing is, street harassment really affects all women. It’s not only about younger women. It’s a problem everywhere and really for women of all generations.”

Though it seems largely one-sided, harassment can affect everyone anywhere, not just women on college campuses.

Street Harassment is an international issue that feeds into worldwide sexual violence, though it is rarely considered in the same manner and with the same amount of seriousness.

“We’ve normalized this behavior in our society and it’s, a lot of the time, aggressive. It’s not only to women and it’s not only catcalling,” says Dufff, who has been conducting inter-

Bystander Intervention stories

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User-submitted street harrassment stories

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“There’s a lot of self-blaming [involved] but it’s not you, it’s the culture,” Silmi says. “That’s the problem, and with the app, it’s a lot easier because everyone has a smartphone, so they can use it to record the event.”

On the Hollaback! Appalachian Ohio blog, there is a map dotted with pink pins that mark user-submitted stories of street harassment and green pins that mark stories of bystander intervention.

Once a regional Hollaback! group is launched, most of the submitted stories are about people getting harassed, indicating a pink pin. The goal for the program is to see the green dots outnumber the pink dots. It is a clear visual way to see actual change happening.

“These are real life examples of how [people] can stand up for other people in their community and then ... [intervening] doesn’t seem like such a big deal,” Fick says. “Other people are doing it and I could do it too.”

In Athens, the dots are still primarily pink and clustered almost exclusively on or around Court Street. Fortunately, Hollaback! Appalachia is expecting greater change in the near future and has plans to train Jackie O’s as a safer place over spring break, continuing the process of turning the Court Street bar scene into a more comfortable place to go out at night.

“

These are real life examples of how [people] can stand up for other people in their community.”

Sarah Fick Sexual Assault Prevention Program Coordinator

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PHOTO ESSAY

Jewel of

Athens

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRICE NIHISER

At 8 N. Shafer St., a hidden jewel in the Athens landscape waits for the determined craftsman to enter. A worldly experience all its own, Beads & Things has been serving customers since 1990.

Beads, gemstones, statues and minerals from all over the world find a collective home in the quaint shop run by Phil Berry and Joey Merkle.

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Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here

Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here

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PHOTO ESSAY

BELOW: A statue of Buddha from Bali serenely watches over the stairs of the shop. Pearlescent elytra of beetles from Thailand make excellent accents to jewelry. World-famous Czech glass seed beads hang in long strands all around the interior of Beads & Things.

ABOVE: Every object in the shop has its own unique character, which means you’re not bound to find the same bead or stone twice. Smoky quartz gets its color from free silicon particles, a result of natural irradiation.

RIGHT: Carefully crafted entirely by hand, beads from the Philippines possess delicate figures such as flowers. The beads are completely made of wood.

BELOW: Small baskets of gemstones line the walls of the shop.

Light blue amazonite from Madagascar is accompanied by turquoise, kyanite, sunstones and chrysoprase. Sourced from all over the world, each stone has its own story and journey before reaching Beads & Things.

ABOVE: Phil Berry shows the center of a Venetian-made chevron bead that was once traded ounce-for-ounce for gold into West Africa. Their distinctive look comes from the layering of multiple colors of glass in a mold, forming a “gather.” The gather is stretched into a cane and cut into individual beads.

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Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here Fun fact goes here

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ON THE WEB

Hand Crafted Taste

BY ALYSSA PASICZNYK | PHOTOS BY AMANDA PUCKETT

As Ohio’s craft beer industry continues to grow, locals are upgrading casual drinking to a more luxurious level.

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he first night out freshmen year, adventurous college-aged infants will leave the safety of their dorm rooms in search of one thing: alcohol. For an under21-year-old, choosiness is not a realistic luxury, and after an exhausting night of freshmen catcalls and spotty iPhone directions, tired first-years are more than happy when an upperclassman finally offers them a lukewarm Natty.

For some Ohio University students, beer range from those first few weekends of drinking has not changed much.

When inebriation is the ultimate goal, cheap beer makes the most sense. With this mindset, alcohol selection has become a thing of routine.

Monotonous drinking is not the case for the entire OU campus. Despite steeper prices, many OU students have opened their eyes and their wallets to a much different drinking experience. With the help of Jackie O’s Brewery and the new beer store, And Beer, on Court Street, the craft beer phenomena has made its way to Athens.

“There’s a really big craft beer following in this town,” And Beer store worker and OU senior Lexi Deet says. “I have customers come in and ask my questions that I just gawk at

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because I have no idea.”

Deet began working at the beer store when it opened, and says the exposure to a wide array of brew options has changed the way she looks at beer.

“When I couldn’t buy beer I would take whatever I could get my hands on and I preferred liquor because it went quicker,” she says. “I tried to drink a Bud Light the other day and I couldn’t even get through it.”

The owner of Big Mamma’s Burrito’s And Beer, Quinn Schaller, says that he has been encouraged by the student response to the beer store. The store started with just 150 different types of beer, and is now at over 300. Between seasonal brews and customer requests, And Beer adds at least 10 new beers each week. Some of the most popular brewers include Dogfish Head, Great Lakes, Stone and Jackie O’s.

Along with beer store’s staff, Schaller tries to review as many of the beers that come into the store as he can.

“I make an effort to try new beers every week, but I don’t have the liver to try every one,” Schaller says with a laugh, “I’ve got a three-year-old at home, [so] I don’t have the time to get drunk.”

The exact length of the marathon was standardized in 1924.

With more than 70 breweries, Ohio is one of the most avid craft-brewing states in the country. Schaller says that he has seen a recent spark in interest in craft beer. He credits Jackie O’s along with Ohio brew festivals for the local curiosity.

Jackie O’s head brewer Brad Clark is happy with the growing student and local interest in both brewing and craft beer.

“Everybody’s getting into it whether it’s just drinking more craft beer or getting into the business of making beer.

It’s becoming a cultural thing. It’s been on an increase for the last about four years, but it’s on kind of like this fever pitch right now.”

Clark graduated from OU in 2006, and has since been in charge of running Jackie O’s Brewery on Campbell Street behind Sonic. The Brewery is responsible for brewing and packaging the eight different Jackie O’s beers sold in stores.

So far, Jackie O’s original craft brews are sold across Ohio, but Clark soon hopes they start supplying neighboring states as well.

While many students may shy away from higher quality alcohol because of the price, junior Alex Geiser enjoys the experience of craft beer without the expense by brewing his own beer. Geiser finds that he can make a higher quality and alcohol content for much less than an expensive craft brew.

“I’m able to make craft beer at 50 cents a bottle, which is what Natty goes for.” He says, “And you’re going to get a much higher quality beer.”

After first brewing wine, Geiser became interested in brewing craft beer. He began brewing his own beer the beginning of this year, and has since fallen in love with the experience.

“They say that you enjoy things more that you work for, so I would agree with that. I like drinking a homemade beer that I made and I like sharing that with my friends,” Geiser says.

Despite any preconceived notions of snobbery attached to craft beer, Schaller acknowledges that an appreciation for good beer is for anyone.

“Some families sit down and drink craft beer together even when the children are underage because they want to teach their children to appreciate it and not binge,” Schaller says. “The more you drink it, the more you want to go further into the complexities.”

Even though Clark is passionate about craft beer and

Because of World War I and II there were no Olympic Games in 1916, 40, or 44.

brewing, he does not push his taste on anyone.

“If you like it, drink it, if you don’t like it, don’t drink it,” he says. “It’s the same thing as music, everybody likes different types of music or different artists and I don’t expect you to like what I like.”

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EXHIBIT A

exhibit A REGIONALS

FICTION

BY KARISSA CONRAD Karissa Conrad is a senior Visual Communications major from Lancaster, Ohio. Apart from her studies, she spends her time running, reading, writing and learning, always.

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he girls lined up in their assigned lane. This was it; her last relay, her last race with these girls. The 100-meter dash was never Emma’s strongest event, but somehow the 4x100 meter relay filled a void in her that was lost in the transition from team to individual sport. She loved this race for its technical aspects; for their ability to be, if not faster, more efficient than other teams.

These four girls had something that many teams struggled to create: chemistry. And this time, it had gotten them by.

It all came down to this minute in time: four runners, 100 meters a piece. This race could be their chance, or it could be the end; really, the end. Here they were, lining up against the best in central Ohio but not a word was said. They had been through this hundreds of times. It was just another race.

But this race—this race had to be perfect.

After a successful completion to her junior season, Em and her coaches had high hopes for her final year, her last run.

With the hopes of finally earning her ticket to the Big Dance, she had trained unfailingly through the offseason, her eyes on the prize. But, even in workouts, she felt sluggish, tired, off. It was like her body was saying, “enough is enough.”

There was no denying it: she had peaked. She was past her prime, a veteran, an honorable mention. It was her time.

Em accepted this bittersweet revelation with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. She loved the sport with all she had, but it was time to move on to bigger and better things.

It was time to move away, to focus on the future. She couldn’t

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be a runner forever, after all.

So, with that, she pulled off her hand-me-down Asics, threw down her blue bag, marked with a scrap piece of orange duct tape and began to strip down. Markers in hand, she walked to the edge of the fly zone and counted in, rather than out as most of her opponents were doing. She and Cara two didn’t need the extra space. They could run this exchange backward and blindfolded.

Now set, Emma paced the length of her exchange zone and glanced at the other anchor runners. She knew these girls.

Season after season, they lined up beside one another; never looking each other in the eye, but knowing one another all the same. Emma knew how they would run, where they would place, and who would move on. They all did, and because of that, there was a quiet calm among them. They were not friends. They did not speak. They were competitors above all else, but they were heroes in each other’s eyes. Her opponents knew her name. And while they didn’t always see her as a threat, they respected her as a runner. Emma could always expect a slap on the back or sometimes even a hug or two at the end of her race. They knew how hard she worked— how much she loved. It’s all she could ask for.

Beside her, as in any other race, stood Faith. An uncommon bond ran between these two strangers. Always side-by-side, Em would hang until she could no longer maintain contact.

Then she would keep her eyes trained and try her best to keep up. Running beside Faith was just as much a part of this race

Ralph Lauren designed the USA Olympic team uniforms.

as the clearance of ten hurdles.

She spoke of Faith with disgust in her voice, but the truth was she looked up to the runner who was one year her minor.

She possessed a confidence that lacked arrogance, competed with poise and spoke with eloquence. Emma used to joke that the only way she could be more perfect was if she could sing (which of course, as Em discovered one day, she could.)

Emma had run her final 100-meter hurdle race some 30 minutes earlier, a perfect, slow race among (arguably) the best field of hurdlers in the state. After the race, she’d stood in comfortable silence with Faith as they enjoyed their water and caught their breath. Neither girl spoke, only quietly enjoyed the moment that seemed to say “I understand.” In fact, nothing needed to be said. After three years of competition, it was becoming fairly obvious to both girls that this might be their last day as opponents. And it was terrible and horrible and sad. But it was okay. After a few moments, Faith had placed a hand on Emma’s shoulder.

“See you next race,” she’d said, as she always did.

-“On your mark.”

Back in the present, Emma returned to her markers. She saw the starter’s arm rise.

Arms, arms, arms, shake it out, kick, kick, crack crack, shake it out, squat, bounce bounce, stretch stretch, shake it out.

Emma looked across the infield at her first leg, Laura, as the younger runner did the same. Kick, kick-- a procedure she’d picked up from her captain and friend. Routine. That is what track and field is all about: routine, and a little bit of luck.

Emma could hear the crowd begin to whisper in preparation for the gun. Come on, she thought. This is it; this is our chance.

“Set.” As she gazed across the track she realized just how small Laura looked beside these runners, these athletes. Many of which would be running division one at the collegiate level.

She looked like a child among adults, but then again, they all did. She looked over her shoulder and, for the first time, noticed the tall, lean, tanned bodies of her opponents, but didn’t feel afraid. They’d earned this spot. They deserved it.

With any luck, and a whole lot of guts, she thought, we can go top four. But at the sound of the gun, she looked up to see her teammate stumble painfully out of the blocks and stagger around the first curve.

She nodded her head and quickly developed a new game plan. Just get the baton around the track. Get the stick in my hand. Sarah, having practiced with Laura at full speed, left her in the dust, finally coming to a dead stop before reaching the end of the exchange zone, turning completely around to face the first runner to receive the baton. Just get me the baton, Emma prayed under her breath.

Cara, with her usual tendency to anxiously jump early, left Sarah and nearly bolted straight through the exchange before realizing what she had done. She turned her head, a move that could cost us not merely tenths but whole seconds. Once the baton was in her hand, she turned and drove hard into the curve, struggling to maintain contact.

“Just get me the baton” Emma mumbled under her breath.

She set her feet on the outside edge of her lane, her back foot in line with the fly zone marker. Despite the tremors running up her calves and down her fingers, she felt strong. Confident. It’s just another race. One last race.

Put put put. The girls rounded the third and final exchange zone; one, two, three, four, they passed the petite runner in gold and blue, but Emma hardly noticed. She centered in on the cadence of her teammate: put put put. Bouncing on her toes in time to Cara’s hasty footsteps, she raised her arms into position. Close, closer, not yet, not yet…

POW she exploded off her front leg, driving her arms, chin down, eyes up, never looking back. She couldn’t hear her teammate yet, but in just three steps, two, one… she was right on top of her, breathing down her neck. Em heard the call, the indecipherable syllable that was her signal to throw back her left arm and, in one swift motion, receive the baton.

With both feet off the ground, straddling the blue triangle of the exchange, she punched back as Cara punched in, grabbed the stick and ran, down the stretch, muscles straining, knees pumping, harsh breaths escaping from her throat. Her limbs began to conform to the systematic motions of the 100-meter dash, but she fought the pattern, fought the muscle memory, her body accelerating…faster, faster, faster.

With her eyes screwed shut she closed the distance between herself and the tape. She didn’t know it, couldn’t know it, but she was slowly picking off runners, slowly shortening the gap between herself and the lead runner. But it wouldn’t be enough; it was never going to be enough. She looked up, ten meters to go, and saw with easy recognition one, two, three, four girls finish. And with one final lean, she threw herself across the line; across the threshold to another life, right into the arms of Tomorrow.

WANT TO BE FEATURED IN EXHIBIT A?

Please email a short author bio, written piece and ideas for artwork to backdroponline@gmail.com Stories should be around 1,000 words or less.

Submissions are open to anyone at the university and the top submission will featured in our upcoming issue, as well as our website, backdropmag.com. Second and third place submissions will also run on our website.

All of the USA Olympic team uniforms were made in the USA.

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SenIor WeEk

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#HumbleBrag Haters gonna hate, but one Backdropper is fed up with constant grade shaming on social media.

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work to earn my grades and so were many others.

It may be a stretch, but these “geeky” Bobcats were pumped up about their cumulative GPA. Even though I didn’t, I saw many fellow Bobcats post pictures of their grades on Facebook and Twitter. That’s when the haters came out of the woodwork.

Students should feel free to post evidence of their dedicated work in the classroom without fearing scorn, but people started posting sarcastic memes and angry tirades on Facebook about those who post their grades to social media.

Twitter was flooded with tweets, even to popular account OU Confessions, about loathsome grade sharers.

It’s not even just people who share grades on social media; throughout my whole academic career I’ve seen people who achieved in the classroom get mocked and ridiculed for their perceived intelligence. Why does it have to be that way?

Are people so jealous that they have to slight the success of others and try to bring them down? Are people so insecure with themselves that a notice of someone else’s accomplishments makes them writhe with anger? So what if the person is only looking for virtual validation? You’re telling me that you’ve never appreciated a nice pat on the back every once in a while for something you’ve worked hard for?

I just don’t understand how grade posts are more looked down upon than pictures from the bar or drunk tweets.

It makes no sense that you should feel shamed into hiding your progress as a student.

“Geek chic” may be a thing, and geeks may own their own corners of the Internet and cinema. But trust me, geeks are not safe. Get that 4.0, but don’t tell a soul, unless you want to be mocked and sneered at. It’s not hip to say hip and it’s never hip to be a square.

Jamaica qualified for the two-man bobsled team for the second time in 2014.

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If you’ve ever heard the ‘80s pop song “Hip To Be Square” by Huey Lewis and the News and have taken solace in its “geeks are cool” message, then let me tell you something: don’t.

Geeks are not cool and geeks will never be cool, and as a self-proclaimed geek, I can say this comfortably.

As much as Hollywood may be trying to convince people into thinking otherwise, making comic book and science fiction material—major geek territory— into blockbuster films and mainstream mainstays, geekdom will never be fully embraced. If you don’t know what a geek truly is, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary has it as, “a person who is socially awkward and unpopular: a usually intelligent person who does not fit in with other people,” or, “a person who is very interested in and knows a lot about a particular field or activity.”

I am a geek who more identifies with the second definition, but definitely can be lumped in with the first, I suppose. I love music, film, television and pop culture. I “geek” out over things like isolated vocal tracks from famous songs, French New Wave movies and the color of Walter’s shirt in episodes of “Breaking Bad.” Some people find that dumb and nerdy, but I also usually perform well academically, the flip side to the geek coin, and that’s where geeks, nerds, squares—whatever you want to call them—generate the most hatred.

I say this clearly with an example in mind. After the first semester, I, along with many other Bobcats, was excited about my performance academically. By excited, I mean I was freaking stoked that I mustered some As when I was seemingly riding the Struggle Bus right down Procrastination Road and the corner of Netflix Boulevard all semester.

I was proud that I pulled it together and did some hard

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Applications are due every Monday at 5pm in the Student Senate Office (Baker 305) they will be reviewed every Tuesday by 4:30pm Contact ufund@ohio.edu for more information