Vol. 15 Issue 2

Maya Meade | Editor-in-Chief backdropmag@gmail.com

Letter from the editor

Hello,

We made it through another issue! Thank you to everyone that worked to complete another issue of Backdrop. As a staff, we have overcome many challenges and learned so much about producing a magazine. There will never be enough words to describe how thankful I am for the people that poured their hearts into this issue and I am so excited to share it with the Ohio University and Athens community.

This issue explores a variety of topics ranging from the experience of commuter students to the story of a muralist who uses paint to find his passion. Freshman writer and associate editor McKenna Christy wrote two stories about women’s reproductive rights (pg. 28) and three drag queens that once made their way through Athens (pg. 20). McKenna’s continued dedication to Backdrop is greatly appreciated and her features always make for a great read.

Junior writer Rory Ball wrote a feature for Issue 2 discussing the education and usage of recreational cannabis. Rory’s first feature with Backdrop doesn’t disappoint and I am glad that she decided to join our organization this year. Freshman Addie Hedges also wrote her first story by checking out local boutique Kismet and creating a winter fashion lookbook. Her energetic involvement has been refreshing and she brings so much to our staff.

This year, Backdrop’s mission is to promote diversity and educate the community on diverse topics and I hope that this issue continues to carry out that mission. I want to thank everyone for their continued support and readership. I value each of my staff members and we want to continuously provide an educational and unique reading experience for our community.

Best,

Interested in working with us?

Backdrop magazine is an award-winning, student-run magazine aimed at covering current events and culture with OU and Athens as our "Backdrop." We are currently recruiting more people to join our amazing staff. We have positions available for:

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MAYA MEADE

MANAGING EDITOR HELEN WIDMAN

WEB EDITOR JOSIE DONOHUE

COPY EDITORS TORI CANNON, SOPHIA ENGLEHART, KATE MARIJOLOVIC, HAILEY YOUNG

ASSOCIATE EDITORS DYLAN BENEDICT, TORI CANNON, MCKENNA CHRISTY, SOPHIA ENGLEHART, CAROLINE GILLEN

MARKETING DIRECTORS CAROLINE BISSONNETTE, MICKEY RUIZ

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR SARAH TODACK

PHOTO EDITOR ELLIE HABEL

CREATIVE DIRECTOR LAINEY DOUGLAS

ART DIRECTORS BROOKE GARRETT, CJ HERR

DESIGNERS JESSICA ADAMS, EMME BOWE, LAINEY DOUGLAS, BROOKE GARRETT, CJ HERR, RACHEL RECTOR, JOSIE RILEY, JULIA GREENWOOD, AYANNAH MABRY, JOE TIMMERMAN, MIA WALSH

PHOTOGRAPHERS DYLAN BENEDICT, JESSICA BREWER, JACOB DURBIN, ELLIE HABEL, ZOE HUMMER, AMANDA PUCKETT, JOE TIMMERMAN, JOSH ZIELINSKI WRITERS MAXWELL ABBATIELLO, RORY BALL, AYA CATHEY, MCKENNA CHRISTY, JOSIE DONOHUE, SOPHIA ENGLEHART, CAROLINE GILLEN, ADDIE HEDGES, JOE TIMMERMAN, MIA WALSH, HELEN WIDMAN

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Mitch Spring, junior, of Judge Russo, plays a bass guitar during a group practice session. Harper Reese, one of the group’s guitarists, is seen on the right.

FEATURES

ATHENS: A COMMUNITY FOR QUEENS

Hear from three drag queens, all from different backgrounds, who share about their lives and what makes Athens special to them. ........... 20

LET’S BE BLUNT: NORMALIZE CANNABIS

This new cannabis museum has goals to spread information about the history of cannabis and to destigmatize its usage along the way 24

CALENDAR

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED: COMMUTER STUDENTS

Commuter students are not on campus 24/7, but are still important members of the Ohio University community.

BY JOSIE DONOHUE | DESIGN BY JESSICA ADAMS

In fall 2020, nearly 2,000 undergraduate students were enrolled as non-residents in Ohio University’s Athens campus. Brady Hobbs, a commuter from Jackson, Ohio, is a third-year student with senior status studying strategic leadership and marketing. Hobbs gives advice to current and future commuter students saying that even though commuters may be a minority on campus, that does not mean that they are alone and commuting will benefit them in the long run.

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU TYPICALLY SPEND ON CAMPUS IN A DAY?

The days I’m here, I usually come here about three hours before class starts. Sometimes it’s a little more, but it’s about three hours. I don’t usually stay that long after, so I’m here about four to five hours typically. I usually won’t stay here long after, because at that point it’s four thirty p.m. At that point, I usually head home so I can be home at dinner time around five [p.m.]. In that time though, I’ll be studying or sometimes I’ll go eat lunch with a friend. I’m usually working on homework, so it’s nice to get out of the house and work somewhere else.

HAVE YOU EVER MADE USE OF THE COMMUTER LOUNGE IN BROMLEY HALL?

It was nice having somewhere to go to, but usually if I go somewhere to work or eat, I end up in the library because it’s right in the middle of everything. I honestly don’t pass it [Bromley Hall] that much, but I think I went once my freshman year. I enjoyed it, though.

DO YOU FEEL THAT COMMUTER STUDENTS HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS ON CAMPUS?

It depends on how close they live to campus. If someone is from Athens County and they only live two minutes away, then yes, I think so. The farther away you live from campus, then, no. For sure, no. It’s harder to be a part of clubs because I can’t be at meetings at eight p.m. and get home at nine p.m. because I have to stay on campus in the meantime. I can’t get things done that I need to get done at home like laundry or chores around the house. It just depends on the distance more than anything.

“Sometimes it feels kind of distant. It can feel like a second life.”

BRADY HOBBS

AN OU COMMUTER FROM JACKSON, OHIO

DO YOU EVER FEEL MORE OR LESS AT AN ADVANTAGE WHEN YOU ARE COMMUTING?

An advantage of commuting is being close to home and having friends and family there. That, and commuting saves a lot of money. The drawback is that sometimes you feel disconnected from campus. Especially for me — I only have one class on campus [this semester] so I’m only here about two days a week. I will sometimes come on the weekend to hang out or see friends, but still, that’s only three days out of a seven-day week. Sometimes it kind of feels distant. It can feel like a second life.

“Because we were remote last year, it took away any option of social events.”

PAT BUNGARD ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ASSOCIATE AT OMSAR

DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR CURRENT OR FUTURE COMMUTER STUDENTS?

Sometimes you can feel like you’re on your own or that you’re out by yourself, but that’s not true at all — it just kind of feels that way because you’re a minority when it comes to staying on campus. There’s not as many people who do what you do, but in the long run [commuting] will benefit you most financially, and you get to see family and friends and have your own place. Definitely don’t think that since you’re off campus that you shouldn’t be involved or should stay away. Definitely spend time on campus, do the things you want to do. Try new things. Don’t think that just because you’re not on campus, you’re not a part of it, because you still are.

One source that is provided to this type of student on campus is a lounge area dedicated exclusively to commuters. Bromley Hall houses a Commuter and Veteran Student Lounge complete with a fridge, microwave, lockers, couches and desktop computers. This area allows commuters to have their own space on campus since they do not have a dorm to walk to in between classes and meetings throughout the day.

According to the Ohio University Commuter and Veteran Student Lounge on the Housing and Residence Life website, students must first register online to gain swipe access to the room. Guests of commuters or veterans may visit the lounge on occasions, and a sign-in sheet will be provided for them at the door. While this resource is used by participating students, some commuters like Hobbs may not visit the lounge often since it is in a location on campus that is not as easily accessible. The Commuter and Appalachia Network located in the Office of Multicultural Success and Retention, (OMSAR)serves as a resource for commuter students on campus. They have hosted events in the past such as social events and professional development workshops that are tailored for this student community on campus.

“The Ohio University Commuter and Appalachian Network (CAN) is a group that celebrates and connects OHIO’s commuter students and students from the Appalachian region to each other, opportunities for academic and professional success, community service engagement activities, and potential mentors among OHIO faculty, staff, and alumni,” the website says.

Pat Bungard, the administrative services associate at OMSAR, says events this semester in CAN have been halted due to staffing issues and restraints of the pandemic. “Because we were remote last year, it took away any option of social events,” Bungard says.

Bungard says that they are eager to start working toward normalcy again for students within the commuter and Appalachian communities on campus. For those interested in coming to events held by CAN or would like to learn more, students can email omsarcan@ohio.edu. b

If These Walls Could Talk

STORY & PHOTOS BY DYLAN BENEDICT | DESIGN BY BROOKE GARRETT

Athens properties that were once hotels or brothels have a rich history and now serve as rentals.

Did you know that you might be living inside of an old Athens brothel? Or possibly right beside a Native American burial ground? With Athens’ roots stretching all the way back to 1797 when settlers first arrived in Southeastern Ohio, the city is rich with history and so are many of its buildings. Housing rentals all over Athens once served a completely different purpose than they do now and hold secrets unknown to many people who have called them home.

Located at the bottom of the Union Street hill, 103 W Union St. is now the site of student apartments. However, it used to serve as a hotel and brothel right across the street from the old Baltimore and Ohio railroad station. The train station once brought in travelers from all over the place.

“Back in the 1800s when the train station was active, it wasn’t unusual for hotels to also be brothels,”

Sandy James, a local property manager for HousingHotlink, says.

James is passionate about history in her free time.

“I’m kind of an Athens history freak,” she says. By looking through a book called Medical History of Athens County, James has uncovered stories about buildings that could have been lost and is able to keep those unique histories alive.

Across the city from the old hotel and brothel sits 128 Franklin Ave., 130 Franklin Ave. and 226 East State St. Along with being located on top of the city’s old shale mine, these properties once belonged to Charles McBee, who invented the bookbinding machine simply known as the binder today.

was built in 1806 by Neal (also spelled as Neil) Courtney, an Englishman who came to America after being conscripted in the British Navy to fight in the Revolutionary War. Courtney jumped ship off a port in New York, swam ashore and switched allegiance to the American government.

After the war, Courtney settled in Athens and built his house out of bricks and sandstone he made on the property, which still serve as the foundation of the house today. The Historic Homes of Athens County website says that the house once had a trolly connecting the property directly to Athens and used to sit on the old path of State Route 33.

“[McBee] worked for the railroad as their bookkeeper and needed a way to bind papers together so pages could be flipped through, so he invented the equipment that bound piles of paper,” James says.

The McBee Binder Co. production plant is no longer open in Athens, but for nearly 100 years it served as a provider of jobs and support for the local economy.

Tucked away behind Devil’s Kettle Brewing off Columbus Road is 10 Terrance Dr., which is one of the oldest houses in Athens. According to Ohio Genealogy Express, this property

After Courtney’s death, the property fell into disrepair. It wasn’t until Athens natives Raymond Abraham and his brother Paul bought the property in 1970 that the house received a much-needed renovation. Alongside the renovation, Raymond began doing his own research of the Courtney Hill property and put together a history of the property, which is where much of the organized information on Courtney Hill can be found today.

“His house was, he kind of made it into a museum,” Tom O’Grady, the director of development and outreach at the Southeast Ohio History Center and director emeritus, says. Raymond hung signed portraits of many famous people in the house and kept many historic items inside. O’Grady says that it was like Raymond’s personal museum. Raymond and Paul Abraham have both died since, and the property now belongs to Capstone Property Management.

According to a 2014 submission from Raymond to the Athens County Historical Society, the Courtney Hill property has served as a house, realtor office, a schoolhouse, a supposed hiding place for escaped slaves in the underground railroad and even sits nearby a Native American burial site on the property.

Many historic figures have visited this property, including 15th U.S. President James Buchanan, whose cousin Marinda Buchanan married Neal Courtney’s son or supposed grandson Alanzo (also sometimes referred to as Rufus or Alanson) on the property. Courtney Hill now serves as a possible new home for a local family, but who knows what the future holds for this historically rich rental property. b

A Step In The DirectionRight

Ohio University welcomes the class of 2025 as one of the most diverse groups in years.

BY MAXWELL ABBATIELLO | DESIGN BY BROOKE GARRETT

Every year comes a new fall, and every fall brings a new freshman class to Ohio University’s Athens’ campus. OU has never been known for having a diverse student population; in fact, College Factual ranked OU’s Athens campus racial and ethnic diversity 3,062 out of 3,790 schools nationwide. Freshman enrollment has been declining since 2015, and the coronavirus has not aided with freshmen enrollment numbers last fall. This year, however, has proved to be different.

According to the Staff Reports section of the OHIO News webpage, this fall, freshmen enrollment on Athens campus was up by 17 percent. Freshman international student enrollment also increased by 28 percent. What really separates this year’s new class of students from the past is the record number of African American students, with 6.5 percent of the total class identifying as the race. There has also been an increase in Latinx freshman students.

Kraig Ransom, a freshman at OU, graduated from Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High school in Columbus. He says that at his high school, students received much more information about universities in Ohio such as Ohio State University (OSU) and University of Cincinnati (UC), but that no one really paid attention to OU.

“Where I’m from, not a lot of people knew about OU. Everybody knows about OSU and UC,” Ransom says. Compared to other universities in Ohio, OU still doesn’t exceed diversity rankings. In fall 2020, Ohio State’s main campus had 23.9 percent minority student population, according to the Ohio State University Statistical Summary. According to the UC Facts webpage, in 2020, minorities made up 24 percent of the University of Cincinnati main campus in the student population.

In contrast, the Athens campus had a 15.9 percent diverse student population, according to The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics at Ohio University, which is less than both UC and OSU’s minority student populations.

Ransom thinks that if high schools like his had more information about OU, then more students would apply.

According to Vice President for Enrollment Management Candace Boeninger, due to the pandemic, the university faced restrictions when it came to “traditional methods of recruitment” such as traveling to high schools for college fairs and on campus visits. OU had to look for other ways to reach out to prospective students.

The increase in underrepresented populations of students this fall can, in part, be attributed to the virtual programs and events conducted through the university. Boeninger says that programs such as “For The Culture” and “Cultural Connections” helped students to connect with OHIO student leaders, organizations and current student programming.

The “For The Culture” web series helps OU students learn more about the multicultural community at OU and helped to give an idea of the OU experience for students of color. Guest speakers have included former OU President, Dr. M. Duane Nellis, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Gigi Secuban as well as the student senate president and current students at OU.

Korina Ragouzis is studying communication at OU and graduated high school in Cincinnati. She is Hispanic and white.

“My mom is one hundred percent

Colombian, she was born and raised there, and then she moved here [the U.S.] when she was 25,” Ragouzis says.

Ragouzis says that she has experienced more diversity during her time in high school than now, but also recognizes the improvement within OU’s diverse student population.

“I like it a lot, you get to come into contact with different cultures and you’re able to learn about other people and what their normalcy is … I appreciate that,” she says.

There are many cultural organizations and programs on campus that students can get involved in. The Asian American/Pacific Islander Student Union brings together Asian American/Pacific Islander students at OU, the Black Student Union focuses on connecting African American students and the Latino Student Union promotes the unity of Hispanic and Latino students. The Multicultural Center, located in Baker Center, can provide more information about all the cultural clubs and activities at OU as well as the Bobcat Connect website.

Ragouzis says that being Hispanic hasn’t really impacted her time at OU yet and looks forward to seeing diversity play out at OU with the slight — but still increase — in diverse student populations.

“It’s definitely going to be a growing experience to see the whole [diversity] thing flourish. I think it’s definitely gonna be great,” she says. b

RECIPE

STORY & PHOTOS BY HELEN WIDMAN

DESIGN & ILLUSTRATIONS BY JULIA GREENWOOD

Dorm Room DINING

Take a look at these easy, delicious recipes that only require a microwave and a fridge.

PROTEIN MUG CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup protein pancake mix (regular pancake mix works too with a scoop of protein powder)

1/2 cup water

Toppings of choice

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour a half cup of pancake mix into a microwave-safe container.

2. Add a half cup (or equal parts) water to the mix and stir until batter is mostly smooth.

3. Microwave for one minute or until the pancake is cooked through.

4. Add toppings to your liking, such as fresh berries, syrup, chocolate chips or more!

OVERNIGHT OATS

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of oats

1 cup of almond milk (or milk of choice)

1 banana (or fruit of choice)

Honey and cinnamon to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour 1 cup of oats into a container or mason jar.

2. Add 1 cup of almond milk or a milk of choice.

3. Add in honey and cinnamon to taste. For extra protein, feel free to mix in a serving of your protein powder of choice (vanilla would work well).

4. Mix up the ingredients well, and place container in the fridge overnight.

5. In the morning, add half of the banana on top, or another fruit like blueberries, strawberries or raspberries and enjoy for a quick breakfast!

INGREDIENTS

MAC IN A CUP

1 cup dry pasta (pre-cooked pasta in a bag works too)

1 cup water

1 spoonful of butter

1/4 cup milk of choice

Shredded cheese to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Add 1 cup of dry pasta and 1 cup of water to a microwavesafe container. If using pre-cooked pasta, follow the directions on the bag to heat and skip to step three.

2. Microwave pasta for one minute at a time until cooked (microwave times vary).

3. Once cooked, stir in the butter, milk and shredded cheese until all ingredients are combined. Feel free to double the ingredients if needed or use your own pasta sauce on top instead!

THAT’S A WRAP

INGREDIENTS

1 tortilla

Hummus (or sauce of choice)

Shredded cheese

Veggies of choice

Protein optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Lay your tortilla flat on a plate. Spread a spoonful of hummus, or your sauce of choice, onto the tortilla.

2. Cut up some veggies, such as a bell pepper, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado or other, and lay them on the wrap.

3. Add shredded cheese on top, your choice of protein, and that’s a wrap! For protein, you can add microwavable chicken tenders,or cook your own if you have access to a stove in your dorm or apartment. Another great option is utilizing the to-go boxes at the dining halls!

APPLE DIP

INGREDIENTS

1 apple

¼ cup of Greek yogurt (vanilla or plain)

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons of peanut butter

Cinnamon to taste

Optional: Chocolate chips, granola

DIRECTIONS

1. Empty your Greek yogurt into a bowl. Stir in the peanut butter, honey and cinnamon. Top with any additional toppings.

2. Using an apple cutter or a knife, cut up your apple and serve with the yogurt dip. Now you have a low-maintenance snack that’s great for those with a sweet tooth!

OREO TRUFFLES

INGREDIENTS

1 package of Oreo cookies (or other packaged chocolate cookie)

1 stick of cream cheese

Chocolate chips or a chocolate bar

DIRECTIONS

1. Empty the package of Oreos into a sealed plastic bag and crush the cookies until they are fine. Transfer the cookie crumbles into a container.

2. Mix in the cream cheese with the cookie crumbles until you have a dough-like consistency.

3. Roll the dough into bite-sized balls, place them in the freezer and set a timer for 30 minutes.

4. When the dough is almost thoroughly chilled, add your chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted. Time varies depending on the strength of the microwave and the amount of chocolate desired.

5. Once the balls have completely solidified, remove them from the freezer and dip them into the melted chocolate.

6. Freeze the chocolate coated dough balls one more time until the chocolate hardens and enjoy! b

the

Food for Soul

These local businesses cater to a variety of dietary needs.

BY JOSIE DONHHUE | DESIGN BY AYANNAH MABRY

PHOTO BY AMANDA PUCKETT

Before eating a meal, not many people consider what every ingredient is or where they all came from. However, for people with food allergies and dietary restrictions, asking a waiter what options their restaurant has that caters to their needs and finding only a handful of options can feel restricting. Many Athens businesses and restaurants have recognized this issue, and are taking steps toward cultivating healthier, gutconscientious, food-inclusive environments.

For the food lovers who prefer to prepare their own meals, the Athens community has multiple health and wellness stores that are hidden gems. Kindred Market is co-owned and operated by Riley Kinnard and her family. Located at 284 E. State St., Kindred Market started as an idea that she had while working at a health food co-op in southern California. After traveling for most of her twenties, the Athens native realized that the Southeast Ohio community could benefit from a store similar to the one in California.

“I grew up in Athens, and I knew Athens always had a strong sense of community. In all the other cities and states that I lived, I just didn’t have that same sense of community,” Kinnard says.

After moving back home and finalizing the necessary additions with her mother for her own health store, construction for Kindred Market began in the spring of 2018 and the store opened its doors Memorial Day weekend in 2019.

Kindred Market prides itself in sourcing only natural products that contain no artificial flavorings, growth hormones or antibiotics. The shelves are stocked with more than 700 products from local vendors as well.

“The mission [of Kindred Market] is to support the local food system while also providing a vibrant community center where people in Athens can come have a connective grocery shopping experience,” Kinnard says.

In addition to all the fresh, local products that Kindred Market sells, they also have an inhouse deli where they often serve options for everyone. The menu has gluten-free, dairy free and vegetarian food made fresh daily such as breakfast sandwiches, buddha bowls, smoothies and soups for those who need an on-the-go meal.

The Farmacy, located at 28 W. Stimson Ave., is another health foods market in Athens that also

Fluff bakery located on Court Street.

takes pride in their holistic approach to shopping for healthy and natural foods.

The Farmacy, now under ownership of Kevin and Carrie Tidd, has been in operation for more than 50 years and is the first health foods store in the region.

On The Farmacy’s website, it says, “Here at The Farmacy, we focus on providing the natural products necessary to maintain your health, and pride ourselves on being a source of information as well as fuel of the well-being of people all across Appalachia.”

The Farmacy is home to a wide variety of food and food supplements that have been locally sourced. Kevin believes that food is medicine and is crucial to one’s own general well-being.

“Some people just come here because they feel good being here. It’s about the energy,” Kevin says.

On top of all the organic items stocked on the shelves, The Farmacy also serves fresh meals in their deli daily, with more than half of the menu being vegetarian or vegan. If a customer has another dietary need, the Tidd’s say that all the menu items can be substituted to a guests’ liking.

“Especially here, compared to other retail establishments, every person that walks through the door, we have to recognize as individuals. They are coming here for a purpose. We’re a healing and wellness store, so they’re coming here to feel something,” Carrie says.

For those that need something quick to eat, there are also some inclusive restaurants located in uptown Athens along Court Street that serve dietary-specific foods. Bagel Street Deli serves more than 15 different vegetarian “bagelwiches” and offers substitutions for those who are lactose or gluten intolerant.

Fluff Bakery also serves a wide variety of baked goods, brunch foods and bowls that have vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free substitutions. Some of these options include breakfast burritos, wraps and curry rice bowls. Additionally, there is an array of sweet treats such as vegan chocolate chip cookies, gluten-free cream cheese swirl brownies, gluten-free muffins and more.

Lastly, at Firdous Express, Greek food lovers have the chance to build their own bowl or gyro with vegan and vegetarian options like falafel, baba ghanoush and grape leaves.

Food doesn’t have to be a barrier for people with food allergies and health needs in Athens. With so many businesses that serve fresh, local and natural foods, there’s something for just about everyone to love and safely enjoy.

b

“I grew up in Athens and I knew Athens always had a strong sense of community.”

RILEY KINNARD CO-OWNER OF KINDRED MARKET

THE BEAT

Local artists combine their love of music and performance at parties welcome to all.

Iremember being taken to my first house concert midway through my first semester of freshman year in spring 2019. An indie rock band was playing unfamiliar music and the house was packed with sweaty, swaying students with wild clothes and grinning faces.

At first, I was confused by why everyone was enjoying themselves — it was hot and smoky and there were crushed water bottles clustered haphazardly in the corner — but I closed my eyes and I listened. The music poured over me like a tidal wave and even though I didn’t know the lyrics, I found myself moving to the beat.

It was then when I met Jane Kardotzke, a junior at the time who was studying the music recording industry and a lover of house concerts. Kardotzke first got into the Athens music scene as a freshman and built up an understanding of different local bands through her work with All Campus Radio Network (ACRN). She became interested in the management side of music and wanted to expand into band management for the local groups she had gotten to know.

“I was a part of ACRN [as] their program director, so I was teaching disc jockeys how to have their own radio show … and I was also the booking assistant,” Kardotzke says. “[But] I wasn’t really booking anything. I wasn’t really learning anything either. And I was also following this band around called The Wastemen and I kept telling them I was their manager, and I would like to talk to them about how we could get them to make it big. [The] end of that school year, the beginning of 2019 in the spring, I was like, ‘I’m just gonna book them a show.’”

And she did just that booking an outdoor music event on Facebook that she dubbed “Jane’s Big Music Festival.” It was a success and sparked a desire for more concerts and music while creating a better environment for concertgoers, which is something that Kardotzke emphasizes.

“I just remember not feeling [like they were] super welcoming in the scene to be honest,” she says. “I didn’t really like the culture that surrounded it. Like I felt like … if you weren’t like this specific kind of really different hipster then you would get weird energy from people and weird interactions, it just was not exactly the type of environment [for me].”

With that initial first impression, Kardotzke wanted others to feel and comfortable and protected in a house concert environment, like she would have wanted. For her, it was as much of a personal experience as it was meeting new bands and people.

“When I go to music … it's always kind of been sacred,” she says. “It is a place where I find peace and total acceptance. I’m totally in love with the experience. And I want to be able to feel safe and loved by the people around me and not feel like I’m not welcomed.”

Kardotzke’s interest in facilitating different concerts and venues took off from there, leading to her and another student, Jennifer Kash, to form JacKed Up, a music organization that helped bands organize and play at different venues and houses across Athens.

Jack Tecca of WARP, a local rock band, met Kardotzke as he was putting together the band, and she helped him and his bandmates take the first step into the Athens music scene. An OU graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration and a

BY SOPHIA ENGLEHART | PHOTOS BY JOSH ZIELINSKI | DESIGN BY CJ HERR

The four members of Judge Russo practice for an upcoming Halloween show. The members pictured, from left to right, are: Dewy D’Amore, senior; Mitch Spring, junior; Julian Runyon, OU graduate; and Harper Reese, junior.

Bachelor of Science in music production, Tecca says that the welcoming nature of the Athens music community and consistent networking with other bands, as well as JacKed Up, is what has helped WARP grow.

“We had a couple of gigs at Red Brick first off and we started playing some of those bars down there. [The] JacKed Up show was like our second or third gig,” he says. “We’ve been really fortunate to have resources everywhere to help us do what we love to do.”

WARP features Tecca and Ryan Hartland on guitar, drummer Reed Dobo, vocalist Michael “Darwin” Boston and bassist Andy Brunson. Tecca and Hartland first came together when they were sophomores living in the Convocation Center at OU. The two bonded over their love and interest in creating music.

Similarly, Dewy D’Amore of Judge Russo, an alternative punk band, was able to catch onto the local music scene after his first show in Columbus in 2018, which helped fulfill his dream of becoming a practicing musician.

“I [got] involved with music at a really early age. It was like the one thing that nobody could tell me I was doing wrong,” D’Amore says.

When asked about if he had planned on chasing music into college, he says, “The one thing I always knew for certain [was that] I wanted to play music and get my art out there. [So] after we got our [Judge Russo’s] name out, people started just contacting us all the time, asking us to play at their house or their venue.”

D’Amore is a senior and the lead vocalist, lyricist and rhythm guitarist of the group. Judge Russo’s band members also include junior Harper Reese who is the lead guitarist and keyboardist, junior Mitch Spring who plays bass and bongo player and OU graduate Julian Runyon who plays drums.

Even though JacKed Up is no longer active — the organization disintegrated after Kardotzke graduated — local bands still find ways to communicate and put on concerts across campus, which have been returning with gusto after going silent with the pandemic.

“It’s usually just someone from a band knows someone who has a house that is willing to put on a show, and then that person from the band Instagram message[s] us and ask[s] if we want to play with them,” D’Amore says.

Tecca also points out that meeting people and other bands at shows is the main way to facilitate potential venues and house concerts, as well as during performances. This way, in a sense, bands and interested musicians are literally able to combine work and play.

“It’s about strengthening that network of people, getting together and just having a good time,” Tecca says. “It was basically just meeting people at shows and getting to know them and saying, ‘Hey, you know if you guys would need us, that would be great. Or if we can help you out in any way, let us know’. And it started this network in the local scene that you can always go back to.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Athens music scenne, follow Judge Russo (@judge_russo) and WARP (@at_ warp) on Instagram for future house shows and concerts. b

Junior Mitch Spring of Judge Russo plays a bass guitar during a group practice session for an upcoming show.

LIBERATION THROUGH CREATIVITY

Passion Works Studio strives every day to share and celebrate its art and creativity with the community.

BY CAROLINE GILLEN | PHOTOS BY ELLIE HABEL | DESIGN BY EMME BOWE

In 1996, a small workshop in Athens began with programs for people with developmental differences. Originally called Atco in the 1970s, Passion Works blossomed into what it is today after the title and building switch they made in the ‘90s.

The first programs were in a factory-style environment in which people participated in repetitive activities like capping pens or stuffing envelopes. Patty Mitchell, one of the founders and the executive director of Passion Works Studio, had a different plan for the program.

“We thought, ‘What if we introduced an art space in this building and in this program?’” Mitchell says.

She ran with the idea and in 1998, after receiving a nine-month grant, Passion Works Studio was created. The studio moved out of the sheltered workshop and became a Collaborative Community Arts Center in uptown Athens.

“As we did art projects, we noticed people were really highly motivated and having fun while working. So, we thought not only could we make art but also create products that fit the individuals in the studio,” she says.

The Passion Works Studio mission is, “to inspire and liberate the human spirit through the arts.” The studio embodies their mission by upcycling materials for their collaborative art projects created by artists with and without developmental differences.

“It’s a really simple desire, but the trajectory is

expansive,” Mitchell says.

One of the first major designs the studio came up with was for a passion flower.

“The passion flower responds to the workers and what they love to do, opposed to asking people to work themselves a certain way to assemble a product,” Michell says.

Every single passion flower is collaboratively assembled and hand-painted by the Passion Works artists. The passion flowers are constructed using upcycled aluminum printing plates from a local newspaper.

Alongside the passion flowers, Passion Works Studio also sells apparel, jewelry, quilts, ornaments and books. One artist, Tina McKee, recently finished her children’s book, Adventures of Loxy Foxy and Friends.

“My book is about animals, which is my favorite type of artwork

Artist Tina Mckee works on a current project at Passion Works Studio. McKee has an art book out titled The Adventures of Loxy Foxy and Friends.

Passion Works Studio is most well-known for their first major design, the passion flower. Alongside the passion flowers, Passion Works Studio also sells apparel, jewelry, quilts, ornaments and books.

to make,” McKee says.

McKee’s book and the other Passion Works products are available at www.passion-works-studio.myshopify.com

Passion Works Studio is deeply involved with the surrounding community. Every year around Halloween, Passion Works’ “Honey for the Heart” event takes place. “Honey for the Heart” is a giant puppet parade where large crowds of people gather to experience the joy of the artwork.

Each puppet is made from upcycled and repurposed materials including sticks, cardboard, plastic and fabric. Passion Works Studio also participates in September’s “Turn it Gold” event for childhood cancer awareness. They build and sell “Turn it Gold” passion flowers and donate 20 percent of the sales to the research and awareness for childhood cancer.

“Part of our partnership is because people with Down syndrome have a higher rate for childhood cancers,” Mitchell says. “That’s something people don’t really know about. We want to bring awareness to it.”

Passion Works Studio has also commissioned artwork pieces at various places in Athens. There’s a mural and some artwork installed at the Athens County Public Library. There’s a giant passion flower in the mayor’s office and some more flowers decorating the walls in Front Room Coffeehouse.

and we are dedicated to sharing our approach and processes,” Mitchell says. “We really want to shift the perception of potential for people, especially those with developmental differences. We’ve taken this model of passion and hope to spread it both nationally and internationally.” b

Walking down Court Street, people can see various Passion Works artworks such as the decorated cigarette receptacles and newspaper racks. The biggest artwork on Court Street is the Passion Works Studio’s mural that welcomes people into the studio at the entrance.

Passion Works Studio adapted during the pandemic by turning their weekly Wednesday studio art nights into a virtual art night on Zoom. They also have their art van which delivers art materials and production materials to any artist who needs to stay home during the pandemic so that they can continue their work. The pandemic did not slow down the Passion Works’ artwork and drive.

“Passion Works Studio is an unusual kind of art organization,

“We’ve taken this model of passion and hope to spread it both nationally and internationally.”

PATTY MITCHELL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PASSION WORKS STUDIO

A painting done by an artist at Passion Works Studio. Passion Works' mission is to create art by artists with and without developmental differences.

ATHENS:

Three drag queens share how they arrived in Athens and about their time here.

BY MCKENNA CHRISTY | DESIGN BY JOSIE RILEY

akeup, fashion, singing, acting and dancing are all individual arts, yet when combined, they create an important form of entertainment valuable to many communities: drag. Art and entertainment are often viewed separately, but drag and drag performers prove the two go hand in hand.

Drag cannot be confined to one definition because every performer appreciates different aspects the art has to offer. Drag can also not be limited to the gender binary.

“To suggest there’s only two binary ways of doing drag is to suggest that western beauty standards, and cultural ways of acting like a man or woman, are the only forms of gender expression,” Dani Weber, a nonbinary drag performer who wrote a piece on gender and drag for Archer Magazine, says.

Typically, drag is a type of performance where people lip sync to songs, dress in extravagant outfits and put on lavish makeup or accessories. But the origin stories of three drag queens who had an impact on the Athens community prove that drag can be inspired by anything and come from anywhere.

ShaVaughn “Pop” Peterson’s mom was in the military, so they never stayed in the same state very long growing up. Although Peterson was constantly moving until they graduated high school, it was never this drag queen’s plan to end up in Athens.

“Back in 2014, I was a regular with the Gay Geeks of New York and I went to a New Year’s hangover party and [at] two o'clock in the morning these two gorgeous men walk in. I wind up making out with one, I wind up making out with the other. It doesn’t start a fight, and I wind up in a polyamorous relationship,” Peterson says.

After nine months of a long-distance relationship, Peterson visited Athens for the first time.

“I’m supposed to be there for two weeks, and I wind up there for almost four years,” Peterson says.

Not only was Peterson involved with the Athens community, but they were also mistaken for an Ohio University student. Due to their theater background, Peterson found themself apart of OU’s Lost Flamingo Theatre Company.

“I was Lurch in The Addams Family, I was in Honk, I was a member of the Singing Men of Ohio. I was very involved in the Athens art community. I cherished my days in Athens, and I speak of Athens very fondly,” Peterson says.

Their first drag performance in Athens was to “S&M” by Rihanna. Peterson recalls their outfit for that performance as a bikini. The package the bikini was in had been at Peterson’s house in Athens before they even moved in, and their boyfriends had decided to keep it. Without a doubt, Peterson knew they would wear the bikini for their performance.

“And so, I swept all my hair up into this spike for Rihanna’s

“S&M” and like, when you give the people what they want, it brings the frickin’ house down,” they say.

The bikini might seem like a coincidence, but its mysterious presence at Peterson’s door may have been fate. An aspect of Peterson’s drag career that was done purposefully, however, was their name choice.

“If I have the luck to become famous, I want to be like RuPaul in that the name that is made famous is my own. When I picked my drag name I said ‘Bitch, we’re using my name, my name is fantastic,” Peterson says.

Their past of constant travel and temporary stays in new places also contributed to Peterson’s choice in making their real name their drag name.

“I got moved around a lot; I was often the new kid in class. The number of times a teacher would be like, ‘Oh we have a new girl in class, ShaVaughn raise your hand.’ I’d be like ‘Hi.’ This was like me reclaiming that,” Peterson says.

Just about every entertainer and

artist has a favorite performance that they long to experience again. For Peterson, this performance was at a house show in Athens. Their friend asked them to headline the party as a drag performance, which Peterson decided to call, “Evolution of a Diva.”

“One of my favorite bands is Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox [and] they do a cover of ‘Creep’ by Radiohead that I just fucking adore. I took that number, and I was in ripped fishnets and full body fishnet,” Peterson says.

The show was emotional for Peterson, who explains how much of themself they put into making it a showstopping performance.

“I poured my soul into that number, like I cried during that number. You know, the wig comes off and I was in a room full of people who get it, and we had like a full fucking moment together,” they say.

Since the show was not on a stage in front of a large crowd, that was what made the performance even more momentous.

“There’s no recordings of it, like it disappeared into the ether, you either were there or you weren’t. And it’s kind of sad like you know it doesn’t exist forever, but that’s also what kind of makes it special. That show will always have a special place in my heart,” Peterson says.

Drag has a way of intriguing people of all different life experiences. To Martin Cooper, whose stage name is Coco Montrese, drag was one of two things that saved his life.

Cooper was a contestant on season five of RuPaul’s Drag Race and was crowned Miss Gay America in 2010 as Coco Montrese. Cooper headlined a drag show at OU for the 2021 Welcome Week, but drag was not his initial career

choice, and how Cooper came to be such an influential performer inspires many.

“I started drag back in 1992 [when] I was in college, and I was trying to find something that I could do that I wouldn’t have to call home for money,” Cooper says. “So, me starting out in drag was not a part of my career, it was just supposed to be a stepping stone.”

Cooper was in college studying prelaw, yet his side job turned into a real passion. Cooper talked to his parents and switched to studying theater.

“Theater was good for me but there was still more I wanted to do,” Cooper says.

After college, Cooper went back home to his parents, who both died due to cancer less than a year apart. Drag and performing helped Cooper grieve and cope.

“I just threw myself into drag completely and that’s what kinda got me through those traumatic life experiences. So, it was one of those things where it was just a complete outlet for me,” Cooper says. “Any emotions that I had, if I was angry, if I was sad, if I was happy, I could literally go through a catalog

Martin Cooper in drag to perform as Coco Montrese. Photo provided by Cooper.

ShaVaughn “Pop” Peterson performing at a show.

Photo provided by Peterson.

of songs and find something that could relate to what I was feeling, and I could perform it.”

Cooper grew up in Miami, and after the death of his parents, moved to Orlando, Florida, to audition for Walt Disney Entertainment as a performer. Out of about 700 auditioners, Disney hired Cooper. “They said, ‘You didn’t know any of this choreography, you didn’t know anything, but you kept smiling and your facial expression is captivating, we cannot stop looking at you. So, we’re gonna go ahead and give you the job, and we want you to work hard.’ And I did, and I stayed at Disney for 11 years,” Cooper says.

Performing down Main Street was a childhood dream of Cooper’s. His parents were the ones who originally brought him to Disney.

“My dad was like, ‘I’m gonna leave you here because you belong here. This is perfect for you.’ And how ironic that when they passed away, that’s where I ended up,” Cooper says.

Although Cooper was busy performing at Disney, he still had time to do drag performances outside of the theme park. After leaving Disney, Cooper became a performer in Las Vegas and currently does shows there. Cooper is also invited to do shows everywhere, which is how he ended up in Athens during Welcome Week.

“With COVID and everything like that it was just a great experience to actually be amongst people again and [with] people [who] enjoy you and enjoy what you do. And when they say drag brings people together, it really does,” Cooper says.

There are usually some people in an audience of a drag performance who are not sure how to act during a show. Cooper was performing as Montrese on south campus at OU when Montrese noticed there were people in the audience who were less familiar with drag.

Cooper wants people to know drag is for everyone and engaging in performances is fun and acceptable.

“I’ve been around a long time so I can tell when people are comfortable and trying to break the ice and include themselves with other people. And I watched as the audience came around; they were really intrigued and wanted to see what was going on. They kind of had to play it off like ‘Oh yeah we’re having a good time,’ but they were really into it,” Cooper says.

Cooper believes the best way to help people be more comfortable involving themselves in drag shows is to showcase drag more. Athens has its

own community of drag, which is organized and maintained by Chris Nevil, whose drag name is Kazma Knights.

“My performance style is mostly comedy,” Nevil says. “No deaths drops from this gal, but some dirty humor for sure.”

To Nevil, drag has given him an outlet outside of his career in finance, as well as opportunities to raise money for different organizations through performances and other events.

“It has added a philanthropic piece as well by giving me the opportunity to raise money for various organizations including the Southeastern Ohio Rainbow Alliance (SEORA), of which I’m the executive director for, Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities and more,” Nevil says.

Nevil has been doing drag for more than three years and was inspired to start due to a desire to experience something new and “invigorating.” Ever since, he has been a driving reason behind why drag’s presence in Athens exists today.

“I run all of the drag shows in Athens at the various locations, with the exception of ones directly ran by the university, but I’m usually still invited to perform in those as well. Shows include fundraisers at Eclipse Company Store, The Union, Athens Uncorked and more,” Nevil says.

No matter which community drag takes place in, it is a valued form of art and entertainment. These three drag queens have left a mark on Athens and exemplify what it means to persevere through life’s challenges using performance art.

“Much like art in general, drag is a reflection of our greater society; drag is a mirror. The problem is the mirror shows a different reflection to everyone who’s holding it,” Peterson says. “And for so long, people like us weren’t allowed, couldn’t afford mirrors. Drag is important because it finally provides a voice to the voiceless.” b

Chris Nevil in drag to perform as Kazma Knights. Photo provided by Nevil.

Liz Jones, one of the museum staff, shows off one of the many cannabis bottles collected from various pharmacies around the U.S. when cannabis was made illegal.

LET’S BE BLUNT:

The Cannabis Museum aims to shed light on its significance by telling the history of hemp in all forms.

BY RORY BALL | PHOTOS BY JACOB DURBIN | DESIGN BY RACHEL RECTOR

housands of years ago, in cities and villages throughout modernday Asia, Europe and the Middle East, people utilized hemp and cannabis plants for everyday uses in medicine, clothing and recreation. Today, hemp, characterized by its low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content, and cannabis, characterized by its higher THC content, are a misunderstood plant species that can provide vital uses to people’s lives.

In Canaanville, Ohio, a small town just 10 minutes east of Athens, construction of The Cannabis Museum’s first location is underway. Currently, the museum relies on exhibitions on the road, traveling to Nelsonville, Athens, dispensaries in the Western U.S., Columbia and beyond to showcase historical cannabis and hemp artifacts.

For 30 years, Don Wirtschafter has collected more than 11,000 artifacts during his travels around the world which tell the history of cannabis and hemp uses in medicine, fuel, fiber and food. Ten years ago, Wirtschafter shifted focus from his work as an attorney to compiling his collection of artifacts into The Cannabis Museum.

Wirtschafter first began to understand the positive effects of cannabis in his life when he was in high school. His severe attention deficit disorder (ADD) made it difficult for Wirtschafter to focus, but cannabis helped him overcome symptoms. Immediately, he became an activist for cannabis.

“I realized that most everything that we were being taught about cannabis was a total lie, and that the plant was extremely useful and not nearly as dangerous as it was claimed [to be],” Wirtschafter says.

This early interest and acceptance of cannabis as a safe, useful source of medicine sparked interest in Wirtschafter, who now wants to inform people of the long history of cannabis throughout the world through his museum.

In 1937, cannabis became illegal in the U.S. and seemingly disappeared from the general public. The plant was not only banned in the marketplace, but its history was erased in libraries and museums too. The illegalization of hemp and cannabis made it a taboo subject that was either left out of conversation or heavily criticized, which left people scared of the plant and modern medical industries ignorant to its uses.

“As an attorney, I got to travel the world meeting pharmaceutical executives who often heard that cannabis had never been accepted as a pharmaceutical in the past, and I knew that was wrong,” Wirtschafter says.

Having seen a photo of a Parke & Davis cannabis container dating before 1937, Wirtschafter knew that people had to have known about the medicinal benefits of cannabis and set out to find as many medicinal cannabis containers as he could. The museums features more than 1,100 containers dated during or before 1937 that have origins in old apothecaries and major pharmaceutical companies today.

“These jars were preserved for the future, for us, and so I am trying to put all of them in one place, because all of these jars together line up and tell an amazing story of the mainstream acceptance of cannabis,” Wirtschafter says. “It provides a good basis for people to understand this is not any new fact of medicine, this is something that was quite well accepted historically.”

With such a large collection of artifacts, Wirtschafter began seeking help to create the database of artifacts to bring the museum together. Liz Crow joined The Cannabis Museum staff in 2015 after meeting Wirtschafter at a protest against the cannabis monopoly. Crow, with a history in nursing and cannabis activism, understands the positive uses of cannabis as medicine historically and today.

“It is a natural plant that has all of these capable healing powers … cannabis can prolong the effects of opiates and make them more effective or replace the opiates altogether and there are many other things like [cannabis’s] use for

seizures and epilepsy,” Crow says.

Joe Brumfield, artist, cartoonist and illustrator for the museum has muscular dystrophy, a genetic disease that causes muscles to weaken and damage over time. Brumfield, like Wirtschafter, found cannabis in high school and, before he was diagnosed, used it to combat the unknown source of pain in his muscles.

Brumfield, who joined the museum in 2013, was introduced to the container collection and cannabis activism by his neighbor, Wirtschafter. He began by researching, taking photos of artifacts and uploading new items to the museum’s database. Recently, Brumfield has been able to focus more on his specialty, bringing cannabis history to life with art.

In his first exhibit for the museum, Brumfield created a 10-piece illustration outlining the early hemp harvesting process. Through color, he was able to tell the history of hemp harvesting procedures and tools to show visitors how normal and accepted hemp had once been in society.

A close-up of some of the cannabis bottles, all collected from pharmacies around the U.S.

It can be hard to imagine the influence that the museum will have in a rural community in Southeast Ohio. The Canaanville exhibit space is a temporary location and will feature only small parts of the entire museum at once, giving the public a taste of what the museum will become.

Although the permanent location of the museum may be a challenge, there is something special the museum will bring to the area.

“There is a real deep history of cannabis in Southeast Ohio that is a story that is definitely worth telling,” Brumfield says. “[The museum] fits in better in a place like this because so much of the pre-Prohibition stuff that we have were used and made in towns and places like this.”

The museum welcomes college students from Ohio University to visit and learn more about the history of cannabis in Athens and other cities around the world that they might travel to upon graduation. The Cannabis Museum has a partnership with OU and recently received two capacity building grants, which has allowed them to grow their knowledge through workshops and technology courses for their database.

As hemp and cannabis make their way back into mainstream culture, their uses vary and will become essential to growing industries throughout the world. Cannabis and hemp, once used for basic clothing, food and medicine are now entering electronic and communication industries.

In the article “Where Hemp Meets the Road: Automotive Bioplastics” for New Frontier Data, Calin Coman-Enescu discusses hemp’s influence on the automobile industry.

During the 1940’s, Henry Ford built a car made almost entirely out of hemp that ran on hemp-ethanol and now companies like BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes and Audi use hemp for door panels and dashboards. Hemp is nearly four times stronger and five times lighter than the usual petroleumbased plastics used to produce cars on the road today.

“Hemp has a lot of unique qualities in industries just learning now that they can use it,” Wirtschafter says. “Building materials out of hemp are probably the fastest growing sector that will become very huge in coming years because it is such a good addition to the present line of building materials.”

Though not focused on exhibits highlighting the future of cannabis and hemp quite yet, education, at its heart, is what the museum is all about. The museum is about infiltrating uneducated minds and create a welcoming, thoughtful environment that encapsulates the untold truth of cannabis and hemp.

“The goal, ultimately, is to change minds. It’s to put people’s minds at ease and show them that [cannabis] is not anything creepy or strange,” Brumfield says. “It is possible with the artwork that bringing some color and some life might pique someone’s interest.” b

Jones shows a package of cannabis made by Johnson & Johnson used for medicinal purposes at one time.

Reproductive Health Resources

FOR WHO?

Ohio’s statewide abortion fund provides free emergency contraceptives to businesses in Athens.

STORY & ILLUSTRATIONS BY MCKENNA CHRISTY | DESIGN BY CJ HERR

Health care resources vary by several factors in the United States. The health disparities between rural versus urban areas demonstrate the need for closer and easier access to health-related services.

In general, accessing health care is more difficult in rural areas than in urban ones. The National Rural Health Association reports there are an average of 13.1 physicians per 10,000 people in rural places compared to 31.2 in urban places. When it comes to reproductive health care access, the numbers are even more staggering.

In 2008, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 31 percent of people in rural communities who sought abortions traveled over 100 miles and 43 percent traveled between 50 and 100 miles.

Planned Parenthood is a commonly known resource for reproductive care. The Athens County Planned Parenthood does not provide abortions, and instead refers people to the center in Columbus. The Lancet Global Health shared in 2020 that globally, 61 percent of unintended pregnancies ended in abortion. This number does not represent the challenges people living in rural areas face in seeking abortion access, and therefore, warrants more pregnancy preventing resources.

One pregnancy preventing resource is becoming more accessible in Athens: Women Have Options (WHO).

WHO, which is Ohio’s statewide abortion fund, provides free emergency contraceptives to two businesses on Court Street — Import House, a local business, and Casa Nueva, a Mexican restaurant — to ensure that people in Athens have another place for resources without worrying about the cost. Emergency contraceptives are taken to prevent pregnancy if someone has unprotected sex, contraceptive failure or if they are sexually assaulted.

“Our mission is essentially to make sure that people who are in and from Ohio have access to abortion care and birth control. And not only make sure that they get that care, like physically get that care, but receive it with dignity and without stigma,” Stephanie Sherwood, the executive director of WHO and an Ohio University alum, says.

WHO plays a crucial role in providing reproductive health care accessibility despite only having three main staff members. Sherwood, their program manager and patient navigator, runs a hotline to help people find appropriate reproductive care. The organization gives reproductive health clinics block grants, which they distribute to patients as needed.

“This happens with folks who just need that last 25 bucks or, they call in and say, ‘I can’t make my appointment today, I can’t afford it.’ And this is the kind of like quickest way they can access that care,” Sherwood says.

One of WHO’s overarching goals is to take away the barriers to reproductive health care access. Alongside the staff members, WHO volunteers are working to make this

goal a reality in communities across Ohio. Volunteers in Athens include Claressa Page, who facilitated the emergency contraceptive program and is an employee at Import House. Page was also a volunteer at Planned Parenthood as a clinic escort organizer.

“I first started thinking, ‘Oh, I’ll volunteer like once a month for a couple hours at a clinic,’ and just the experience from being in the clinic parking lot really kind of radicalized me when it came to abortion access,” Page says.

Page explains that there are a variety of brands of emergency contraceptives available at Import House and Casa Nueva. There are two main types of emergency contraceptive pills, which in general need to be taken within five days after unprotected sex. However, the sooner it’s taken, the more effective the pill will be.

The first type of pill has ulipristal acetate, and the only brand with this pill is called Ella. Ella is more effective than Plan B and is only available through a prescription from a doctor. The second type of pill has levonorgestrel, which according to Planned Parenthood, is in brands such as, “Plan B One Step, Take Action, My Way, Option 2, Preventeza, AfterPill, My Choice, Aftera, EContra and others.”

The clinic warns that Ella may not work as effectively if someone weighs 195 pounds or more and levonorgestrel contraceptives may not work if someone weighs 155 pounds or more. But the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirms that people can continue taking emergency contraceptives regardless of how much they weigh and that there are no safety concerns.

WHO finds it best to have emergency contraceptives in businesses that are open late, such as bars or adult stores. Currently, no bars in Athens are a part of the program, but Import House is open until 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday while Casa Nueva closes at 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday for those interested in access to their resources.

Many believe that people in rural areas should not have to travel far to receive emergency contraceptives, pay expensive prices or be prohibited by geographical barriers.

“Rural regions are never adequately resourced as far as with anything, let alone reproductive health care. And the barriers to access are greater in rural areas because if you don’t have a car and you live on Athens County or Meigs County how do you get to the clinic? How do you get emergency contraceptives?” Sherwood says. “And part of our hope was not only to increase access, but to increase knowledge about how to access [resources].” b

HOW FISH TURN TO DRAGONS

From landscapes to cityscapes, Keith Wilde brings his passion to life.

STORY, PHOTOS & DESIGN BY JOE TIMMERMAN

Apatient hand moves the paintbrush across a retaining wall with rich lost atlantis pigments blending overtop a shade of a turquoise rivulet. Along the sidewalk of West Carpenter Street in Athens, an elaborately colorful story of a fish swimming upstream on its way to transform into a dragon with the perfectly chanced help of a single fallen coin, is coming to life.

“This is probably my most ambitious work so far,” Keith Wilde, an Athens-based muralist, says. Drops of paint from many murals ago stain the khaki jumpsuit he’s had since he was seventeen as his strong, focused gaze seamlessly turns into an infectious smile. A former landscaper with a degree in art from Kenyon College, where Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson graduated, Wilde now splashes his coarse brush into ever-murky water as fresh paint strokes merge on his latest public creation. Detailed strokes of ocean abyss are next for a mural that, although other-worldly, represents a simple idea close to its creator’s story.

Illustrated in the mural, and in the artist’s personal journey, is the idea that our actions and choices can end up meaning a great deal to others, whether we know it or not.

Before Wilde transitioned into the fully freelance artist he is today, he taught art classes and focused on landscaping homes and business properties around Athens. His LLC’s name, Wilde Manifestations, was designed with careful consideration to encompass each of his large-scale creative passions: landscaping and painting, without labeling himself to one profession or the other.

One of Wilde’s manifestations happened a few years ago when a woman who lives in town was desperate for someone to cut her grass. The local job led to more in-depth yard maintenance, and eventually turned into a backbreaking digging project for a drainage system. While Wilde worked excruciatingly hard under the hot summer sun, the woman

smoked cigarettes on her front porch and made conversation, so the two got to know each other.

Eventually, the woman found out Wilde is an artist and she commissioned him to make two paintings for her and her daughter, who worked for Ohio University. The woman’s daughter was planning a student learning trip to the Dominican Republic, and in the corner of a website was an advertisement for muralists to visit the country and create public art. The daughter told Wilde about it and soon after, he ended up in the Caribbean following his passion of making murals in the spring of 2019.

“It was on some level because somebody was desperate for somebody to cut their grass and I said yes,” Wilde says. “I don’t attach a lot of metaphysical specifics to that … but it is pretty clear that when people are pursuing their own goals, there’s others that can help you along.”

Keith Wilde paints details on his newest mural on West Carpenter Street in Athens, Ohio, on Thursday, November 4, 2021.

Keith Wilde looks at his mural from across the street after setting up for the day in Athens, Ohio, on Thursday, November 4, 2021.

Wilde’s crystal blue eyes narrow to refocus on the wall before him as he leans forward just inches away from the nearly 50-foot, three-month long work in progress — his 24th public art project within half of a decade. All around Athens on cinderblock storefronts, across wooded residences and above brick streetways, Keith Wilde has left his own unique mark that draws people to stop and stare in places once passed by without notice.

On the outside wall of Kindred Market on East State Street is Wilde’s largest, and possibly his most recognizable, mural in the city.

“Before the mural was up there it was this big, white cinderblock wall facing the road and facing the parking lot, it was just glaringly ugly,” Riley Kinnard, Kindred Market general manager, says. “I knew that I wanted the space to be welcoming and eye catching, and I thought the mural was the best way to do that — to draw customers in and to beautify the neighborhood.”

Although Athens may seem like an anomaly in its encouragement of public art due to the creative nature of the city, murals are sprawling up in urban spaces across the country. These strategically placed art pieces, as Forbes reports, promote insight into a city’s social, cultural and political dynamics, as well as artistic aesthetics all while contributing to the success of businesses and making neighborhoods more visually appealing. In his own way, Wilde’s passive action of painting color onto walls impacts people in the community, whether in passing or in lasting ways.

As Wilde brushes another color onto today’s work, he says with a bright grin that despite many of the compliments people make on the street being filled with expletives like “Fuckin sick dude!”, he has many conversations with all kinds of people that make him feel closer to the community as a whole.

“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt you but my daughter loves your painting and wanted to say hello,” a mother says to Wilde while stopping on the sidewalk with her young daughter’s hand snugly fit into her own.

The mother goes on to explain that her daughter is also a painter, and that on their way to soccer

practice each week they’ve enjoyed being able to watch Wilde’s progress on the mural. “I bet you’ve made mistakes before,” the mother says to Wilde while looking down at her daughter lovingly and

asking the question her daughter was too nervous to ask, “What do you do?” After Wilde points toward the mistakes that he plans on fixing along the wide span of the mural, he explains that the big secret is to step back and look at what you have, notice what’s good, then paint over what’s not in order to move forward.

The mother and daughter have driven away, the afternoon traffic has calmed and the last drops of the day’s paint have dried into the retaining wall’s bumps and dimples. Keith Wilde silently pauses, takes five steps backward, tilts his head to the left, then tilts his head to the right.

“I can’t believe I’m using this,” Wilde says as he lifts up his thin, multi-stained brush, “to paint this,” he finishes while stretching his arms toward each side of his expansive mural — from the fish, all the way to the dragon. b

Keith Wilde blends rich lost atlantis pigments overtop a shade of a turquoise rivulet on Thursday, November 4, 2021.

Just because the temperature drops doesn’t mean your style has to.

BY ADDIE HEDGES | PHOTOS BY JESSICA BREWER | DESIGN BY RACHEL RECTOR

ismet is a Cincinnati-based boutique located at 19 W State St. that offers trendy clothing, shoes, jewelry and other hidden gems to their customers. New arrivals come in every two to three weeks, so there is almost always a reason to stop by and peruse for a new favorite clothing item. As the temperature drops, the layers will start piling on. Whether it’s a sweater, scarf, hat or jacket, Kismet is the place to find the cutest clothing styles of the winter season in Athens.

OUTFIT #1: FLOWER POWER MINI SKIRT

Just because there aren’t any flowers on the ground doesn’t mean they can’t be a part of a fall or winter outfit. This outfit combines seasonal colors and floral patterns to create the perfect combination of fashionable and sensible style. All pieces of the outfit can be found at Kismet for these prices:

Flower power satin mini skirt: $33.50

Knit corset bodysuit: $29.50

Button cable cami sweater: $44.50

OUTFIT #2: PURPLE PLAID FIT

When it’s cold out, skirts may not be the best option. Luckily, Kismet offers plenty of pant options, including these purple plaid pants. When paired with a soft, complimentary sweater, this outfit goes from cute to both cute and comfortable. The pants and sweater are available at Kismet, but this outfit can be redone with various tops and bottoms.

Multi-purple plaid pants: $38.00

Deep V-neck cropped sweater: $38.50

OUTFIT #3: GREEN TULLE SKIRT

Even though it’s cold outside, some new outfits for warmer weather could come in handy during getaways over holiday break and, eventually, spring break. This corset top is a perfect statement piece and not only matches the green tulle skirt, but also many other pants and skirts available at Kismet. This outfit is also the manager and OU student Lily DeGraw’s favorite look!

Tapestry corset top: $32.50

Tulle layered Skirt: $36.50

Lily DeGraw struts across West State Street in a tapestry corset top and a tulle layered skirt.

OUTFIT #4: TENNIS SKIRT

Last but not least is an outfit that converts a summer fashion staple, tennis skirts, into a convenient but fun winter fit. The sweater layered over the bralette quickly dresses up the casual skirt. Pair it with some statement jewelry and it goes from a comfortable stay-at-home outfit to head-turning street fashion.

Crochet chenille pullover: $42.00

Corset bralette with lace: $26.00

Mia Pleated tennis skirt: $34.50

Kismet receives their clothing from brands like Love Tree, Cotton Candy LA and Miracle. They also sell Soulku jewelry and Natural Life bohemian accessories and jewelry. Stop by Kismet this holiday season to buy gifts for family and friends or as a reward for getting through those fall semester finals. Follow Kismet on Instagram @kismet.athens. b

Riley James pairs a cropped sweater with purple plaid pants for a casual look.

Lily DeGraw poses in the crochet chenille pullover and pleated tennis skirt.

Amy Szmik shows off her winter look in a satin mini skirt, corset bodysuit and layers it with a cami sweater. #1 #2 #4

Coffee Shops for Enjoyable Stops

Coffee shops in and around Athens for when you need a pick-me-up.

BY AYA CATHEY | DESIGN BY RACHEL RECTOR

DONKEY COFFEE

AND ESPRESSO

“Caffeine with a Conscience” donkeycoffee.com

ABOUT DONKEY COFFEE

Open Monday through Sunday Hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

*Offers vegan, dairy free and gluten free products. Largest coffee shop in Athens (downstairs, upstairs and patio seating)

WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR COFFEE BEANS?

Dean’s Beans: Organic and Fair Trade Certified

WEEKLY EVENTS

SUSTAINABILITY

For dine in orders, the cafe uses glassware and mugs.

SPECIAL DEAL

For carry out orders, those who bring in their own reusable cups will receive a 10% discount and the paper to-go cups are compostable.

“Designated Space” Tuesday nights, 9 p.m. “Musicians Open Stage” Thursday nights, 8 p.m.

THIRST QUENCHERS

Fall Seasonal Drinks: Apple Cider and Chaider Dairy

MYSTERY MENU DRINKS

Isaiah’s drink and French Kiss

SPICES OF LIFE

GOURMET COFFEE

www.facebook.com/spices.of.life/

SPECIAL DEAL

Fill the loyalty punch card and after 10 purchases, receive an 11th item free!

SUSTAINABILITY

For dine-in orders, Spice of Life uses glassware. For to-go orders, Spice of Life uses Styrofoam cups.

ABOUT SPICES OF LIFE COFFEE

Open Monday through Friday Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Local community hub, student friendly *Smaller seating area; six to seven tables

WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR COFFEE BEANS? Caruso’s Coffee Roasters

THIRST QUENCHERS

Fall Seasonal Drinks: Pumpkin D’Orleans

Baked Goods Popular food items: Assorted muffins (triple berry, cranberry orange, blueberry, chocolate, cinnamon, banana nut) and pies (peanut butter, Oreo, coconut)

COURT STREET COFFEE

“Family Owned and Operated” courtstreetcoffee.com

ABOUT COURT STREET COFFEE

Open Monday through Friday

Uptown Location Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday through Sunday Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

*Offers gluten free products and delivery services

WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR COFFEE BEANS? Crimson Cup Coffee; 11-year partnership Chica Bean

WEEKLY EVENTS

SUSTAINABILITY

For dine in orders, the cafe uses glassware and mugs per request.

SPECIAL DEAL

For carry out orders, those who bring in their own reusable cups will receive a 10-cent discount and the paper to-go cups are recyclable.

Happy Hours from 4 to 6 p.m. on weekdays: Buy one regular priced specialty drink and get a second specialty drink of equal or lesser value for 50% off.

THIRST QUENCHERS

Fall Seasonal Drinks: Butterbeer Latte and Hocus Pocus Latte

Signature Drink: Court Street Mocha Dairy

BRENEN’S COFFEE CAFE

“Local Alumni Owned & Operated since 2000” brenens.com

SPECIAL DEAL

Fill the loyalty punch card and receive a free item of your choice from the menu!

SUSTAINABILITY

ABOUT BRENEN’S COFFEE CAFÉ

Open Monday through Saturday

Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

*Seating available in dining room area, outside and parklet patio

WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR COFFEE BEANS? Caruso’s Coffee Roasters

WEEKLY EVENTS

Two for One Tuesday: Every Tuesday buy one large or medium espresso drink, get one free (or any drink with an * by it).

THIRST QUENCHERS

Customers may bring in their own mugs and reusable cups. For dine-in orders, Brenen’s uses reusable baskets with paper linings for food. For carryout orders, Brenen’s uses recyclable paper cups and sleeves.

Fall Seasonal Drinks: Pumpkin Spice, Brown Sugar and S’mores Mocha

Signature Drinks: The Milkyway and Caramel Latte

DEAR Drake: STOP FETISHIZING LESBIANS

Examining the culture that allows the objectification of women who love women.

STORY, DESIGN & ILLUSTRATIONS BY MIA WALSH

or my college admission essay, I was told to write about something personal. So, I wrote about being gay, growing up gay and what the closet meant to me. That was two years ago in the fall of 2019, but it feels like a lifetime ago for me now as I settle in for my second year of college. I feel I have grown so much — largely because I came out as lesbian. With my newfound pride in my identity, I feel safe to say that Drake’s recent song “Girls Want Girls,” has caused a stir, since on the track he calls himself a lesbian. While many people called out Drake for fetishizing lesbians, I think that the harm he is doing with that song is so much wider.

I am angry. I am a lesbian, and I am angry. Drake’s new song Certified Lover Boy album puts lesbians at risk and in

From my experience, saying I am gay when a man approaches me does not make him turn away; it turns him on. I become a sort of prize that he could sway or “change” to better his chances of me going home with him. When a non-straight woman turns down a straight man and he says, “Oh, I’m a lesbian too,” that creates a dangerous space. When he relentlessly pursues the clearly unwanted interaction and she continues to say no, this is how she and other lesbians get hurt, become hate crime victims

In 2019, a photo of a lesbian couple from the United Kingdom went viral, according to Time magazine, because they had been victims of hate-crimes by a group of four teenage boys while on a bus. One of the lesbians who was attacked, Melania Geymonat, blamed herself for kissing her girlfriend and sparking the attack. The criminals were 15, 16 and 17 years old. When I was in the ninth grade, I tried to come out to my mom as lesbian and she looked at me and told me the world would be cruel to me because of it. Unlike Ellen DeGeneres, who was able to build a life and a name for herself while accommodating to the rest of society, my family was scared I would never have that, even as a 13-year-old child.

There has been a long history of fetishizing lesbians and making them into something to consume. Even now, as I write this, my grammar-checking AI is asking me to add an “a” before the word “lesbian.” Because you can come out as gay, bi, trans or ace, but you cannot come out as “lesbian” only as “a lesbian.” By making lesbianism a token instead of an identity, very dangerous things can happen.

The further fetishization of lesbians happens every single day on adult-content websites like PornHub. In 2019, the last time the website released a year-in-review report, “lesbian” was the third most searched term on the website and the number one most searched term in the United States. A Men’s Health article explaining the review reads, “Note: There is lesbian porn that caters to actual lesbians, as well as lesbian porn that’s more performative and less realistic, catering to the male gaze.”

The male gaze, coined by filmmaker Laura Mulvey, is the perspective of a notionally typical heterosexual man considered the intended audience for media, which leads to objectification or sexualization of women. This media theory crosses into our culture. The male gaze makes lesbians a commodity to be consumed at their leisure. It is sickening, as a lesbian, to know that some people only associate the word I use to define how I love as a porn category. I am not alone in this sentiment. If I could convince you of anything, I would ask that you become an ally. If you are already an ally, I ask you to reflect on what it means to stand with a marginalized group so vast and beautiful as the LGBT community.

After Drake dropped “Girls Want Girls” I begged all of my friends to not stream the song or entire album, not as a matter of cancel culture, but because I was so hurt. One of my closest queer friends, who was a longtime listener of Drake, said that every rapper fetishizes lesbians so they would continue streaming it. Later, after seeing my post about the song, that same friend messaged me saying, “I am a supporter of the community, but I sometimes forget that means all of it, not just areas that I identify in.”

If you are a part of the LGBT community, please remember the history. Each letter was added with care and precision to prove we could have a place to belong and yet, we choose to fight amongst ourselves over the same discourse from years ago (he/him lesbians are valid). To be an ally is more than waving a

flag in June and shopping at Target and getting rainbow Vans. To be an ally is to celebrate with us, get angry and share in our sorrow when we are hurt.

In September, a pastor preaching hellfire and brimstone came to Ohio University and stood outside of Baker Center for hours while dozens of students gathered as counter-protesters against his rhetoric. I spoke to the preacher face to face, him holding a Bible and me clutching my sunset lesbian pride flag. I challenged him on his knowledge of scripture and beat him. I and all of the other brave people standing against him were radically accepting ourselves in a way that was new to most of us. To hold your ground as someone spits and shouts in your face that you are a sinner is a strength seemingly inherited by the LGBT community. It is another thing that bands us together.

There is something so tender about being a lesbian. There is also something so inherently resilient and powerful in lesbianism as well. We are more than one song or website can fetishize but that does not reduce the harm from these as well. When you only see a lesbian as a sexual object, you are putting her in danger. I only wish that you consider that the next time a girl you approach says, “Thanks, but I’m a lesbian.” b

“There is something so tender about being a lesbian. There is also something so inherently resilient and powerful in lesbianism as well. We are more than one song or website can fetishize but that does not reduce the harm from these as well.”

MIA WALSH BACKDROP STAFF MEMBER

Backdrop designer Emme Bowe has always held a passion for painting, and since joining the magazine, she has been learning how to transform art from the canvas to the computer. Her first digital illustration shows interesting characters passing by local coffee shop Donkey Coffee!

ON TH E N O

Check out these entertaining and educational events this winter.

BY CAROLINE GILLEN

BAND-O-RAMA

DEC. 2, 8-10 P.M.

The Ohio University School of Music will have their Honor Band Festival kick-off event called BandO-Rama. The event will feature the University Band, Symphonic Band I, Symphonic Band II, Wind Symphony and Marching 110. It will take place at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.

VIBRANCY THEATER PRESENTS: ABSENTIA

DEC. 2-4, 8 P.M. AND DEC. 4, 2 P.M.

Written by Olivia Matthews and directed by Tanisha Lynn Pyron, Absentia is a story about a 20-year-old girl, Esther Harris. Abused by her father, Esther escapes and tracks down her long-lost mother only to be met with struggles of adjusting to her new life. Absentia will premiere at the Forum Theater.

AMOUR 2021 THE OHIO WOMEN’S ART COLLECTIVE

DEC. 17, 8-5 P.M.

An art show, showcasing the work of Mary Jeanne Goss, Sue King, Peggy McDevitt, Suzanne Rogers, Trisha Clifford-Spouse and Pam Whiteley, that will take place at the Pickerington Center.

LACUNA

DEC. 10, 10-5 P.M.

Lacuna, a collaboration between Mateo Galvano and C. David Russel, is an intermedia exhibition that merges visual art and theatrical modes. The exhibition has free admission and is at the Kennedy Museum of Art (Lin Hall).

The Van Gogh Affect

JAN. 5, 10-5 P.M.

The Van Gogh Affect is an exhibition showcasing award-winning photographers Lynn Johnson and Patricia Lanza, whose work is influenced by Van Gogh. The exhibition admission is free.