Ball State Daily News Vol. 103 Issue: 21

N D DAILY NEWS

DNNews

Gun violence awareness Politician flashing gun at statehouse sparks debate on gun laws.04

DNSports

Softball season preview

Ball State softball prepares for the 2024 season.07

Dress to

Express

Fashion influencer and disability advocate spreads positivity online.13

MYA CATALINE, DN

DNLife

‘Awakening moment’

West African native invites Muncie to savor the rich flavors of her homeland.14

First-year acting major Kat Hawthorne poses for a photo Feb. 1 at Schmidt/Wilson Hall. Hawthorne is a LGBTQ+ community and disability advocate and fashion influencer. MYA CATALINE, DN

Treat your loved one to something SWEET! Bring your BSU ID for a FREE candy bar!

02.08.2024

ballstatedailynews.com

@bsudailynews

DNNews

02.08.24

02

Did you miss it? Catch up on the news from February 5-7 and take a look at upcoming events...

BallStateDailyNews.com King Charles Shooting suspect diagnosed with cancer apprehended Feb. 5 : King Charles III was

CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES/TNS, PHOTO COURTESY

diagnosed with cancer Monday, according to a statement released

by Buckingham Palace. His Majesty was treated for a benign enlarged prostate in late January, but the condition is unrelated. The king has already begun treatment and will postpone public-facing duties but will maintain official paperwork.

Cardinals to face Texas Ball State competes at State Miami Classic

Feb 10: The Cardinals head

ISAIAH WALLACE, DN

to San Marcos, Texas to face Texas State in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) - Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Challenge Feb. 10.

The tip-off is set for 5 p.m. This will be Ball State’s first non-conference game since falling to Minnesota Dec. 21. The Bobcats are 9-12 on the season and sit at No. 11 in the SBC. The Cardinals are 12-11 and are No. 9 in the MAC.

VOL. 103 ISSUE: 21 CONTACT THE DN Newsroom: 765-285-8245 Editor: 765-285-8249, editor@bsudailynews.com

The Ball State Daily News (USPS-144-360), the Ball State student newspaper, is published Thursdays during the academic year except for during semester and summer breaks. The Daily News is supported in part by an allocation from the General Fund of the university and is available free to students at various campus locations.

Feb. 5: Muncie resident Joel Russell shot a Village Pantry store clerk Monday night, according to a Muncie Police Deparment report. He is under arrest on preliminary charges of attempted murder, criminal recklessness and pointing a firearm.

Russell was taken to Delaware County jail. No one sustained lifethreatening injuries.

EDITORIAL BOARD Daniel Kehn, Editor-in-chief Kyle Smedley, Print Managing Editor, Co-Sports Editor Olivia Ground, Digital Managing Editor Grayson Joslin, Director of Recruitment Trinity Rea, Associate News Editor Katherine Hill, Associate News Editor Elijah Poe, Co-Sports Editor Zach Carter, Associate Sports Editor Hannah Amos, Lifestyles Editor Ella Howell, Associate Lifestyles Editor and Copy Editor Kate Farr, Opinion Editor Elaine Ulsh, Associate Opinion Editor Jacob Boissy, Video Editor

Feb 9-10: Ball State men’s and

women’s diving travel east for the Miami Classic. The event will see 15 teams compete at the Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center. The classic will start Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. It will continue Feb. 10 at 9 a.m. and the final competitions will start at 3 p.m. This is Ball State’s first invitational since the Minnesota Invite, which ran from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.

Oakley Myers, Social Media Editor Mya Cataline, Photo Editor Andrew Berger, Associate Photo Editor Meghan Holt, Visual Editor Jessica Bergfors, Visual Editor Brenden Rowan, Visual Editor Maria Nevins, Podcast Editor Terry Heifetz, Interim Adviser TO ADVERTISE • (765) 285-8256 or dailynewsads@bsu.edu • Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri. • ballstatedaily.com/advertise TO SUBSCRIBE Call 765-285-8134 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mon. -Fri. Subscription rates: $45 for one year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Daily News, AJ278, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306 JOIN THE DAILY NEWS Stop by room 278 in the Art and Journalism Building.

All undergraduate majors accepted and no prior experience is necessary.

CORRECTION The Ball State Daily News is committed to providing accurate news to the community. In the event we need to correct inaccurate information, you will find that printed here.

To submit a correction, email editor@bsudailynews.com.

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4-DAY WEATHER

FORECAST Noah Gordon, Weather forecaster, Benny Weather Group

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

PARTLY CLOUDY

MOSTLY CLOUDY

PARTLY CLOUDY

PARTLY CLOUDY

Hi: 54º Lo: 29º

Hi: 57º Lo: 35º

Hi: 52º Lo: 32º

Hi: 45º Lo: 22º

THIS WEEK: Temperatures will be on the rise through the weekend, but to start next week temperatures will return to normal with highs remaining in the lower 40s and upper 30s and lows as low as the upper teens.

START CHECKING, FROM DAY ONE.

Waking Up with Cardinal Weather is Ball State University’s first and only morning mobile show focused on getting your ready for the day through local news, weather and lifestyle trends. Waking Up with Cardinal Weather airs every Friday morning at 8 a.m. at @cardinalwx live on Facebook.

DNNews

02.08.24

Planting Seeds Ball State’s Entrepreneurship Center is helping fund student ideas. 06

03

Campus

Ball State Partners with Ball Foundation Ball State University’s School of Journalism and Strategic Communication announced on Wednesday a new partnership with the George and Frances Ball Foundation, as part of the “Cradle to Career Muncie” initiative. The partnership will increase educational attainment to lasting careers, according to a press release.

Local

Silver alert issued for Muncie Teen A statewide Silver Alert has been issued as 15-year-old Ella Saylor was officially declared missing on Sunday by the Muncie Police Department.

She was last seen Feb. 3 around 11 p.m. and is believed to be in “extreme danger,” according to the alert. Those with information should call the Muncie Police Department.

State

Delphi murders judge remains on the case

BRENDEN ROWAN, DN ILLUSTRATION

Judge Frances Gull rejected a request from the defense Wednesday to step down as the judge on the Delphi murders case.

A hearing Feb. 12 will cover the prosecution’s request to add more charges, according to the agenda.

The defense also filed a motion to dismiss the murder and kidnapping charges due to claims of destroyed or hidden evidence.

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: SGA TICKETS DEBATE OVER PLATFORM POINTS

DNNews

02.08.24

04

“THIS IS VERY MUCH

A TEENAGER CONVERSATION.”

Olivia Ground Digital Managing Editor

B

urris Laboratory School senior Alana Trissel and junior Makynna Fivecoats attended the advocacy day rally with their “Students Demand Action (SDA)” club at the Indiana Statehouse the morning of Jan. 30.

The students were visiting with hundreds of other parents and students from across the state with their SDA clubs — hoping to have a conversation with legislators about gun legislation in the state.

Trissle and Fivecoats engaged in a conversation with District 69 Rep. Jim Lucas (R) about gun rights — specifically the right to carry a gun anywhere in the state.

Amid the conversation, Lucas opened his jacket to reveal his own gun.

“If he would have just said, ‘I carried that with me at all times,’ it definitely would have been a different conversation than him saying, ‘Oh, I’m carrying right now,’ and lifted it up showing us it again,” Fivecoats said. “It really took a turn, and it kind of shifted.”

Trissel said the conversation wasn’t a civil discussion after that, and it felt like a threat or intimidation from an adult to teenagers.

As of Feb. 5, Lucas’ office has not responded to a request for comment from the Daily News, but the representative posted a statement on Facebook Jan. 30 following the incident.

“The conversation was respectful, but it was clearly facts, reason and logic vs. plain emotion,” Lucas said in the post. “I also learned afterward [sic] that you must ALWAYS assume that you’re being recorded because you probably are!”

The group of Burris SDA students were in attendance at the recurring advocacy day at the statehouse, put on by Mothers Demand Action, the organization overseeing the SDA clubs.

These advocacy days allow students to talk with legislators about gun-related legislation.

Fivecoats and Trissel had an interest in discussing House Bill (HB) 1318 and 1325.

HB 1318, would provide Hoosiers a tax credit for proper storage of a firearm. The storage accepted is a safe, lockbox, cabinet or other container designed to store firearms securely by restricting access to the firearms by a locking device.

Additionally, a locking device that, when installed on a firearm, is designed to prevent the firearm from being operated without first deactivating the device, would also count.

HB 1325 brings into conversation gun manufacturers when a gun is used criminally. If a gun is used in a criminal manner, investigators are able to bring the manufacturer of the gun into questioning about the origins of the gun, how the accused got the gun, etc.

“If a manufacturer sold someone the gun and then they went and shot up the school with it, then

[the state] could then look into that sale and see, ‘Did the gun company not do something right? Was it under the table? Was there something that they’re kind of dismissing?’” Fivecoats said. “That then holds gun manufacturers accountable against them not doing things that are the correct way.”

According to a survey from Gallup in October 2023, 56 percent of Americans want stricter laws, and overall, Americans believe guns make homes safer rather than more dangerous.

Indiana received a D- grade on its gun safety report card, ranking 17th with a gun death rate of 17.6 per 100,000 Hoosiers, according to the Giffords Law Center.

According to data from the Pew Research Center, 62 percent of adults ages 18-24 believe there should be stricter gun regulations in the United States.

But, Trissel and Fivecoats argue this issue matters to those under 18 — legal voting age — just as much.

“This is very much a teenager conversation.

This is a kid conversation. Kids are dying every day by guns,” Fivecoats said.

In the days following the students’ visit to the Statehouse, District 34 Rep. Sue Errington (D) called for Lucas to apologize.

“As legislators, we should encourage our youth to be involved in the legislative process, not scare them away. It is unfathomable that these young activists were met with such behavior.

I encourage Rep. Lucas to offer an apology to these students and reflect on how he engages with Hoosier students in the future,” Errington said in a press release.

Trissel and Fivecoats said this incident has not discouraged their plans, nor Burris’ chapter of SDA. The group has released a public statement in the coming days about the incident where they can share their thoughts.

“I think what’s most troubling is that what’s being spread is the fact that we were scared. That, in a sense, is true, but we didn’t back down. And that’s why it’s kind of hard to have this mass information being spread because only part of it is true,” Trissel said.

The group still plans to continue with their normal activities as well, including events that bring awareness to political topics such as antiLGBTQ+ legislation and urging peers to register to vote. Trissel said the moment at the Statehouse did not scare them, but “ignited their fire.”

“I think what we want to get out of this situation is to urge people to, please, go out and vote,” Fivecoats said. “Vote for people that hold the same beliefs and ideals as you [and] hold the same beliefs and ideals as your children and the people around you.”

Editor-in-chief Daniel Kehn and Associate News Editor Trinity Rea contributed to this story.

Contact Olivia Ground with comments at olivia. ground@bsu.edu or on X @liv_ground_25.

Burris students gain national attention in the conversation around guns after a house representative flashes a gun at them.

Indiana’s Youth Gun Deaths Guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens in Indiana. In Indiana, an average of 110 children and teens die by guns every year, of which 31 percent of these deaths are suicides and 63 percent are homicides.

In the US, 35 percent of all gun deaths among children and teens are suicides and 60 percent are homicides.

Suicides Homicides Other

Source: cdc.gov MEGHAN HOLT, DN DESIGN

05

“THIS IS VERY MUCH

A TEENAGER CONVERSATION.

THIS IS A KID CONVERSATION. KIDS ARE DYING EVERY DAY BY GUNS.“

- MAKYNNA FIVECOATS, JUNIOR AT BURRIS

Gun deaths 2011-2020

Up 78% Up 33%

Gun licenses in Indiana

‘Gunsburg’

In 2021, according to CBS News, 157,546 Hoosiers had licenses. If gun license holders were to form their own city (‘Gunsburg’) it would be the third biggest city in the state, beating out Evansville.

Source: CBS News

Evansville

In Indiana, the rate of gun deaths increased 78 percent from 2011 to 2020, compared to a 33 percent increase nationwide.

Source: cdc.gov

8x 18% 57% Indiana’s Youth Gun Deaths Continued

Black youth were eight times more likely to be shot in Indianapolis than youth of other race/ethnicity.

of youth shot in Indianapolis were fatally wounded.

of youth shootings occurred at a residence.

Source: indynfsresources.com

Gun safety in Indiana Indiana received a D- grade on its gun safety report card, ranking 17th with a gun death rate of 17.6 percent per 100,000 Hoosiers.

Source: Giffords Law Center

DNNews

Recent Gun Legislation in Indiana The Indiana House of

passed HB 1084: Representatives House Bill 1084, The Second

Amendment Privacy Act. This legislation will prohibit the use of firearm-related Merchant Category Codes, which could be used to track gun owners and create a registry of lawful purchases.

This legislation will make

Indianapolis

Fort Wayne

02.08.24

Gun deaths in Indiana per year

1,021deaths 1,654 injuries In an average year, 1,021 people die and 1,654 are wounded by guns in Indiana.

Source: cdc.gov

law consistent with HB 1235: Indiana other states by prohibiting local

governments from lodging frivolous lawsuits against firearm manufacturers. It was designed to halt a legal case to hold gun manufactuers accountable.

This bill would provide Hoosiers

credit for proper storage HB 1318: aoftaxa firearm.

The accepted

storage locations are a safe, lockbox, cabinet or other container designed to store firearms securely. Along with this, the bill will also award the credit when gun owners restrict access to their firearms via a locking device.

This bill surrounds gun

If a gun is HB 1325: manufacturers. used in a criminal manner,

investigators are able to bring the manufacturer of the gun in for questioning about the origins of the gun. Investigators can ask about how the accused got the gun, etc.

If a manufacturer sold someone the gun, and they went and shot up the school with it, then [the state] could then look into that sale and see, ‘Did the gun company not do something right? Was it under the table? Was there something that they’re kind of dismissing?’ That then holds gun manufacturers accountable against them not doing things the correct way.”

- MAKYNNA FIVECOATS, Junior at Burris Source: Indiana General Assembly MEGHAN HOLT, DN DESIGN

DNNews

02.08.24

06

Students with entrepreneurial ventures can receive funding for their projects through Ball State’s Entrepreneurship Center.

Trinity Rea Associate News Editor

I

n 2023, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported 33.2 million small businesses across the United States, and 94,057 new business applications filled out in just the state of Indiana.

On Ball State’s campus, this number is not nearly as high, but full-time students are still creating, running and managing their own businesses.

This was acknowledged by the Ball State Entrepreneurship Center which launched the Pre-Seed Fund in 2019; a grant given to student entrepreneurs each semester.

“Through the funding provided by generous donors to the Pre-Seed Fund, we are able to help students get a taste for real-world entrepreneurship,” program coordinator Marie Thompson said via email. “Some students really run with the ideas and see their businesses flourish; others learn about how to pivot into a better idea.

It’s all a learning experience, which is what we’re really excited about.”

Through Pre-Seed, every student on campus can apply for the opportunity to be awarded a grant as much as $2,500. In the application, students will have to provide information on how much money they need and why.

Once applications are submitted, a committee reviews every applicant and decides whether or not the student’s business or idea should be awarded the grant.

From there, the top three applicants get selected and their plans are re-assessed to determine if the total amount of money they requested should be awarded.

Third-year entrepreneurship major Liliana Osborne poses for a photo at her booth, Bee’s Bracelets, Oct. 5, 2023, at Cornerstone Center of the Arts in Muncie, Indiana. Osborne sells bracelets and necklaces that hold crystals. KIRA HOTTMAN, PHOTO PROVIDED

“The Pre-Seed Fund has allowed us to show students that their ideas are marketable and achievable while allowing them to overcome some of those financial obstacles that might otherwise be there,” Thompson said via email. “We encourage all enrolled students at Ball State, regardless of major, to apply for Pre-Seed Funding.”

For full-time students who are part-time small business owners, this grant can be revolutionary.

The Pre-Seed Fund has allowed us to show students that their ideas are marketable and achievable while allowing them to overcome some of those financial obstacles that might otherwise be there.”

- MARIE THOMPSON, Pre-Seed Fund program coordinator

“It felt like puzzle pieces matching together,” third-year entrepreneurship major Liliana Osborne said. “I felt like it was sent to me; it matched up perfectly.”

Osborne runs “Bee’s Bracelets,” a shop that sells bracelets and necklaces made of crystals, rocks and evil eyes. This was initially just a hobby and creative outlet until one of her friends said she should sell them.

From there, the idea took off.

“I just want to make people feel good about themselves. I want them to have something that looks nice, that they like [and] that helps them accessorize,” she said.

Osborne was awarded $2,500, the full amount she requested when applying for the grant. She has since used this money to buy more products, advertise and begin taking custom requests from customers.

With the grant, she said she grew her customer base rapidly, alongside her business. Osborne is thankful for the grant, but also for the ability to run the business, as it helps improve her entrepreneur skillset.

“It’s kind of a proof that not only is it a creative outlet, but it’s also builds my skills as an entrepreneur,” Osborne said. “It’s teaching about finances, customer service, bookkeeping, etc.”

Fellow grant recipient third-year entrepreneurship and economics major Cheyenne McMullen has gained many of the same skills and experiences as Osborne after receiving the grant.

McMullen’s business, “Cheyenne Marie Consulting,” allows her to channel her love of economics and math; something she said helps her hone in on the creative and logical sides of her brain.

“Last March, one of my mentors was like, ‘Hey, I need help with one of my other clients, would you want to help,’” McMullen said. “Then I was just starting to get more and more clients… and I started making money.”

Due to the grant, she has been able to expand her business and has been working on acquiring more clientele. Along with this, she has been able to purchase more tools to help her manage her business.

She said that without the Pre-Seed Fund, and her time in Ball State’s entrepreneurship program, she would not have been able to better herself as an entrepreneur or as a business owner.

Ball State’s Entrepreneurship Center believed in me… I mean, the fact that they chose me as one of the people to be awarded funding was really meaningful because [financial backing] showed they believed in what I was trying to do.”

- WILL PANCAKE, Fourth-year entrepreneurship major “Just in the three short years, I’ve been here… it’s been a wild ride,” McMullen said. “We’re getting to a place where the professors understand what we need to complete our plans, and we’re getting the better financial help.”

For fourth-year entrepreneurship Will Pancake, the Pre-Seed Fund allowed him to fulfill his purpose as an entrepreneurship major.

“Essentially what we do is try to find problems to solve and then build a business around it. If it’s not a real problem, it’s not going to be a business,” Pancake said.

BRENDEN ROWAN DN ILLUSTRATION

Will Pancake (Left) poses for a photo with Ted Baker (Right), the owner of Innovation Connector, Nov. 16, 2023, at Innovation Connector. Pancake is developing the app ‘Card Genie’. INNOVATION CONNECTOR, PHOTO PROVIDED Throughout his time as a Cardinal, Pancake has come up with numerous ideas in the entrepreneurship program. The majority of these have been tech-based, as Pancake said he is drawn to software and technology.

When the time came to apply for the Pre-Seed Fund last semester, he had been working on an idea given to him by his fiance, Emily, last spring called “CardGenie.”

“Emily mentioned that she has too many gift cards to try to store in her wallet and wished that she had a mobile app that would allow her to easily keep track,” Pancake said. “I discovered that it’s actually a pretty big problem. There’s currently $23 billion in unused gift cards in the U.S., and it’s a huge waste.”

After recognizing the potential of this idea, Pancake got to work, creating a mobile app. The money he was awarded from the grant has helped him further the process of developing the app’s software.

He said he will be forever grateful for his time in the entrepreneurship program, along with the fact that he was picked to be an award recipient last fall.

“Ball State’s Entrepreneurship Center believed in me… I mean, the fact that they chose me as one of the people to be awarded funding was really meaningful because [financial backing] showed they believed in what I was trying to do,” he said.

The Pre-Seed Fund spring application cycle is currently open and will close Feb. 29. Those interested in applying can gain more information on the grant by heading to the Ball State Entrepreneurship Center website.

Thompson also encourages those interested to meet with an Entrepreneur in Residence, which is promoted through the entrepreneurship Canvas community. If you are not an entrepreneurship major or minor, you can email Thompson at mathompson3@bsu.edu for more information.

Contact Trinity Rea via email at trinity.rea@bsu.edu or on X @thetrinityrea.

DNSports

A Sense of

Urgency

02.08.24

07

Softball

Cardinals start season in Jacksonville Ball State will start its season playing in the River City Leadoff against James Madison, Jacksonville and North Florida. Feb. 9, the Cardinals will play James Madison at 11 a.m. and then play Jacksonville at 4 p.m.

Feb. 10, Ball State will play James Madison again at 1:30 p.m. and turn around and play North Florida at 4 p.m.

Gymnastics

Ball State heads to Central Michigan Coming off their win against Kent State and improving their record to 9-1, the Cardinals will head to Central Michigan Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. In the win over the Golden Flashes, the Cardinals narrowly escaped with a victory with a final score of 196.075 to 195.525. Central Michigan is the top-ranked team in the MidAmerican Conference (MAC) at 3-0.

Men’s Volleyball

Ball State on the road in back-to-back games With a new coaching staff and multiple seniors on its roster, Ball State softball looks to capitalize in its 2024 season. 09 Redshirt junior utility McKayla Timmons hits the ball during a practice scrimmage Jan. 26 at Scheumann Family Indoor Practice Facility. Timmons has a batting average of .342 after two seasons with Ball State. MYA CATALINE, DN

After defeating Loyola Chicago and falling to Penn State last week, No. 9 ranked Ball State men’s volleyball will head to McKendree and Lindenwood. The match against No. 34 ranked McKendree will start at 7 p.m. Feb. 9. The match against No. 22 ranked Lindenwood will take place Feb. 10 and will start at 5 p.m.

Ball State is 1-0 in the MIVA so far.

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: BALL STATE MEN’S GOLF WINS MAC-A10 CHAMPIONSHIP

09

1 season after falling in back-to-back games in the Mid-American Conference Championship, the Cardinals look to return to the event.

Zach Carter Associate Sports Editor

02.08.24

DNSports

Redshirt junior utility McKayla Timmons runs the bases during a practice scrimmage Jan. 26 at Scheumann Family Indoor Practice Facility. Timmons has a batting average of .345 for last season.

MYA CATALINE, DN

However, other starters like redshirt junior pitcher Emma Eubank and sophomore pitcher Bridie Murphy are returning.

“Coach Peña has been really supportive of all of us, especially my mindset on the mound,” Eubank said. “I’ve kind of lacked confidence throughout the years, so she’s really supported me in that way.

“I think we’ve kind of taken different positions as a pitching staff. Losing [Russo] was a big loss, but I think we all have stepped up in our own way.”

Last year, Eubank had an ERA of 4.16 and a 2-3 record. Being one of the many seniors, she wants to be someone the Cardinals can call when they need someone to rise to the occasion. However, Peña’s main goal is to try and find the best spot for everyone. “[We’re] definitely trying to develop them, which I think that’s the key,” Peña said. “I think that’s the foundation that we need to start at. I’ve

be that much more prepared in-game time. But we’ve never had this type of pressure put on us before. It’s either you rise or you fall, and you can see that on the field.”

At the plate, Ball State is bringing back multiple weapons. Graduate student infielder Haley Wynn had the team’s second-best batting average (.377) and recorded 61 hits.

“I think this is the most we’ve prepared physically and mentally in probably all of my five years here,” Wynn said. “I feel like we’re in a really, really good spot.”

Other returners that had a strong season include redshirt junior utility player McKayla Timmons (.345) – who led the Cardinals with 12 home runs – and Mulholland (.336).

Yet the way the Cardinals play this season might not be about talent. It won’t be entirely about who

pitches and who can get on base. It will be due to their ability to put everything together and keep the success going.

“We didn’t play our best ball at times last year, but we still got to where we wanted to be,” Wynn said. “Now it’s like, ‘What are those little details and pieces that we need to do to get us playing our best ball?’ It’s a completely different story at the end of the season.”

She said it comes down to who can pitch and hit cleanly with little to no errors. Last year, the Cardinals went through a midseason slump where they went 2-8 in MAC play.

However, Ball State found ways to close out the season and post a regular season record above .500. Yet the number of seniors is still heavily on the Cardinals’ minds as they know this is it for many of their starters.

“I could tell you stories about every single one of them, and that’s the best part about this team,” Mulholland said. “We are so close-knit, and we all know each other inside and out. These seniors are so easy to get along with, so friendly, so kind, so smart and they just love the game.

“I think they’ve all had some type of impact on me throughout my career here.”

The Cardinals will start the 2024 campaign when they travel to Jacksonville, Florida, for the River City Leadoff tournament. Ball State will face James Madison Feb. 9 at 11 a.m. The Cardinals’ home debut is set for March 15 against Ohio.

“I’m really excited because there is definitely a sense of urgency,” Dukeman said. “I know we have so much potential, and I know we have what we need to win it.”

Contact Zach Carter with comments at zachary. carter@bsu.edu or on X @ZachCarter85.

Ball State softball player hits the ball during a practice scrimmage Jan. 26 at Scheumann Family Indoor Practice Facility. Ball State starts its season Feb. 9 against James Madison. MYA CATALINE, DN

Graduate Student infielder Haley Wynn catches the ball during a practice Jan. 26 at Scheumann Family Indoor Practice Facility. Wynn has a batting average of .335 from the past four seasons. MYA CATALINE, DN

Redshirt junior pitcher Emma Eubank gets ready to pitch the ball during a practice Jan. 26 at Scheumann Family Indoor Practice Facility. Eubank had a 5.35 earned run average while pitching for the 2023 season. MYA CATALINE, DN

In 2023, Ball State’s lone senior Amaia Daniel was celebrated throughout the season and received an emotional tribute on the Cardinals’ senior day.

She was given flowers after walking down the third baseline with her parents and her dog.

When she walked off the field for the last time at Miami (OH) University – the host of the MidAmerican Conference (MAC) Championship – she was met by her teammates and parents with hugs and tears.

While the Cardinals only had to say goodbye to one teammate then, the 2024 season will be a bit different since Ball State will graduate multiple seniors.

“Our coaches have really emphasized not taking anything for granted, because there’s five of us at my house,” redshirt junior outfielder Hannah Dukeman said. “Lately, we’ve been talking a lot about how next year and a couple of months from now we’re not going to be able to walk down the hallway and say ‘Hey, good morning.’”

The Cardinals finished the 2023 season with a regular season record of 27-24 and came in fourth place in the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

However, Ball State ended its campaign with backto-back losses at the MAC Championship.

While they have a lot of the same pieces, the Cardinals come into 2024 with multiple changes.

After former head coach Lacy Schurr was named the associate head coach at the University of Pittsburgh, Helen Peña was hired to lead the red and black in the upcoming season. Before coming to Muncie, Peña was the associate head coach at Middle Tennessee and was a pitcher at Cal Poly.

“The people are amazing, and I love it,” she said. “I’ve gotten a lot of support and encouragement. Someone asked me recently, ‘What’s been your favorite thing about Muncie and Ball State?’ It has awesome people.”

As a former pitcher, Peña has been hands-on with the staff. After the past season, junior starting pitcher Angelina Russo transferred to Albenine Christian, leaving a hole in the rotation. During 2023, Russo went 11-8 with a 2.87 ERA and 91 strikeouts.

got three pitchers that are seniors, and so it’s not me trying to carve them into something they’re not.”

The progress Peña is trying to find goes beyond the mound. During Ball State’s practices, the coaching staff has put the Cardinals in different situations that could happen in actual competition. This is something the red and black have not seen in the past.

“Every single practice, we’re doing some type of pressure situation,” redshirt sophomore utility player McKenna Mulholland said. “We’re gonna

I’m really excited because there is definitely a sense of urgency. I know we have so much potential, and I know we have what we need to win it.”

- HANNAH DUKEMAN, Redshirt junior, outfielder

Behind the Beads Learn about the history and different elements of Mardi Gras.

1 In

Mob by t

“SYMBOLISM OF COLORS”

In 1872, the first King of Carnival or “Rex,” Lewis J. Soloman, helped choose the colors to represent Mardi Gras.

The colors pay tribute the house colors of Russian Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovich Romanoff. Later in 1892, the meaning of the colors were affirmed in the Rex Parade.

AMBER PIETZ, DN DESIGN Source: History.com; RexOrganization.com; KingCake.com; Louisiana.gov; Mardi Gras New Orleans; NewOrleans.com; Sensational Color

Wh

King gold fille

Wh

It or the

Wh

Wh coin it ha luck

1702

bile, Alabama, was founded y French settlers and claims to be the first city to take part in Mardi Gras.

DID YOU KNOW Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday” in French. It’s celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday to mark the start of the Lenten season and the 40-day fast between Ash Wednesday and Easter.

FLEUR DE LIS French translation: lily flower

Typically associated with the French monarchy, specifically the Royal House of Bourbon

In

the first recorded Mardi Gras parade took place in New Orleans.

Floats and marching bands were introduced in 1857. During a parade, people wear costumes, play music, eat food and watch the crowd go by.

hat is a king cake?

g Cake is a blend of coffee cake and cinnamon rolls with purple, d and green icing to symbolize the Mardi Gras colors. It also is ed with fruit and cream cheese.

here did king cakes originate?

riginates from 12th century France and honors the three kings from Biblical story of the three kings that bring gifts to baby Jesus.

hy do people put a plastic baby in a king cake?

hen people started making king cakes, they would put a bean or n inside, and whoever found it was was “king” for the day. Today, as been replaced with a small plastic baby, which can mean good k and is in charge of bringing the cake the following year.

During the late 19th century, wearing masks during Mardi Gras allowed people to escape from societal constraints. Masks became a diversion for lower class people, but when women wore them, their reputation was questioned.

DNSports

02.08.24

12

People don’t realize how it takes you away from your life, and the mental part of that is really tough to go through.”

- JACKSON WORS, Senior

The Road to

RECOVERY

Senior forward Jackson Wors makes a last-second pass against Greenfield-Central Feb. 1 at Delta High School. Wors made two 3-point shots in the game. ANDREW BERGER, DN

The mental exhaustion from injuries is the part not many people want to talk about, but that reality is acknowledged by Jackson Wors of Delta High School.

David Moore Reporter In August of 2021, Jackson Wors was closing out his AAU (American Athletic Union) basketball season when he went down with a shoulder subluxation – which occurs when the bone that connects the shoulder to the arm pops in and out of place quickly – in the season finale.

Even playing with a suspect shoulder, Wors was productive, averaging 13.9 points and six rebounds on the season. However, this was not the last of the injury, as he reaggravated his shoulder the very next summer on the same play as before, but this time there was a tear in his labrum.

“The mental battle you go through is two times as hard [compared to] the physical part,” Wors said. “You don’t get to be a part of the team, and it’s a constant battle.”

Even after the surgery in June 2023, Wors has recovered quickly to have an impact on the court for Delta High School boys basketball this season. The senior is averaging nearly 13 points per game and has also surpassed 1,000 points in his career this season.

Wors also now has bragging rights over his father, David Wors, as he also passed up his scoring record for his high school career of 1,122 points.

Jackson’s lengthy recovery process began in the summer of 2021 with six weeks of physical

therapy. However, after the reaggravation in the summer of 2022, it was time to take some more serious action.

It began with extreme-intensity physical therapy to attempt to restabilize the muscles. It required waking up at 5 a.m. five days a week to drive to Fishers, Indiana, then back home to Muncie for school at 8:30 a.m.

the same, and Jackson decided to play his junior season with Delta and get surgery following the campaign. Feeling confident, the family decided for no limitations to start the season.

“We didn’t want anyone to know,” David said.

“We were hoping he’d be able to get through it.

[We hoped] people may not look at Jack and think he’s got an injury.”

He put in a lot of work throughout his high school career to get through that injury. It’s scary stuff, and it’s definitely not fun.”

- BLAKE JONES, Former teammate of Jackson Wors With the Eagles’ 2022-23 basketball season rapidly approaching, doctors gave the Wors family two options, either intense physical therapy throughout the season and surgery after the season; or surgery now and be ready for AAU season in the summer of 2023.

Jackson’s mother and father, David and Carrie Wors, wanted a second opinion and went on a hunt for the best shoulder surgeons in the country.

The search landed them in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Gobezie Shoulder Institute.

Even after a second opinion, the options remained

The first two games of the season went smoothly for Jackson, but in the third game of the year against Wabash, the same shoulder fully dislocated.

“The tears that he shed after every game, it was complete pain,” David said. “His mom and I wanted him to stop, but he wouldn’t quit. He just kept pushing through that pain and suffering, and that’s what no one knows.”

After the dislocation, the Eagles had a week between games, giving time for Jackson to nurse the injury. After that week, he was back on the hardwood, but his shoulder popped out of place

multiple times per game.

Throughout the season, with most of Jackson’s time spent around the team and on the court, he got a tremendous amount of support from his teammates, one in particular was then-senior Blake Jones. “[Blake] was the most supportive teammate I had last year,” Jackson said. “He was always there for me, there to pick me up off the court every time.

He was just one of those guys that no matter what, he was there.”

Their relationship grew tremendously over the span of Jackson’s injury, allowing them to grow closer through the support Jones offered.

“Jackson was like a brother to me,” Jones said.

“On and off the court we had good chemistry, and he was an awesome teammate and a great leader for the guys as well.”

With Jackson playing a majority of the season with practically one arm, he still managed to perform at a very high level, scoring 27, 20 and 21 points in three-straight postseason games en route to a semi-state appearance for the Eagles.

Following the 2022-23 season, Jackson was finally scheduled for surgery to repair his shoulder.

However, he didn’t get that luxury so soon, as the surgery was delayed until June.

The timetable for the surgery was rather alarming with the delay because the recovery time expected was 9-12 months.

When the surgery finally was accomplished, the rehab process began. Immediately following the procedure, most patients are expected to be in an arm sling for six weeks, but Jackson was out in a week.

“You’re going to wake up and have to do the stuff asked of you to get back healthy,” Jackson said. “It’s a lot harder than people think, and at times it almost takes you away from your life.”

By November 2023, he was cleared to lift weights but was still deemed as ‘no contact’ on the basketball court.

Nearly three months later, Jackson has played all season for the Eagles with no reaggravations of his shoulder. He has helped lead the Eagles to a 14-6 record and earned the No. 8 overall ranking in Class 3A. The Eagles hope to continue and replicate their semi-state appearance from the 2022-23 season.

Contact David Moore with comments at david. moore@bsu.edu or on X @gingninj63

BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM Read the full story online.

DNLife

02.08.24

13

Campus

Upcoming shows

Expressing themselves through fashion, Kat Hawthorne inspires those who relate to their experience.

“The Unexpected Guest” by Agatha Christie will be performed at the University Theatre Feb. 9-10 and 13-16 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 10-11 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are at the College of Fine Arts box office, tix.com or by calling 765-285-8749. General public tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door. Students, seniors, faculty and staff are $15 in advance, $17 at the door.

Campus

Rainbow Night

First year acting major Kat Hawthorne poses for a photo Feb. 1 at Schmidt/Wilson Hall. Hawthorne uses their social media platform to advocate for disability awareness and the LGBTQ+ community. MYA CATALINE, DN Ella Howell Associate Lifestyles Editor and Copy Editor The wide spectrum of bright colors and patterns found behind Kat Hawthorne’s closet doors match their friends’ sentiments about their personality: playful, cute and fun. The occasional pop of color outlining their eyes embodies Hawthorne’s artistic traits and positivity.

This unique and eclectic style Hawthorne sports has drawn admiration from others on Ball State University’s campus, but their reach goes much farther than Muncie.

Hawthorne, a first-year acting major, began posting on social media as a way to cope when they were diagnosed with a disability at 15.

Hawthorne’s diagnosis consisted of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), dysautonomia and gastroparesis.

They missed out on high school experiences, as they had to stop attending due to an increase in hospital visits.

Early on in their diagnosis, seeing content creators talk about their experience with disability allowed Hawthorne to feel less alone. When they began posting “Outfit of the Day” videos and content about their personal experience, engagement took off.

“I guess more and more people started seeing it and were like, ‘Oh my gosh, seeing you really helped me feel less alone,’ and so I had suddenly become like the people who had helped me earlier,” Hawthorne said.

With Hawthorne’s follower count, many of those watching their videos are located all over the United States and some even out of the country.

Lilly Padgett is a 24-year-old woman in Charlotte, North Carolina. She first discovered Hawthorne on Instagram in 2022.

“Being disabled, queer personalities online, we quickly became mutuals on both platforms,” Padgett said via email. “I was immediately infatuated with [their] style and contagious joy that

comes through [their] content.”

As a self-described “silly, disabled lesbian,” Hawthorne has had an impact on the awareness around both the LGBTQ+ and disabled community.

In the summer of 2023, Hawthorne received a message they initially thought was fake. They were hesitant, but this message developed into the “coolest moment” of Hawthorne’s life.

For Pride Month, Macy’s partnered with The Trevor Project, a non-profit focused on suicide prevention of LGBTQ+ youth. Hawthorne was contacted to be featured in a video alongside other influencers who are members of the community.

“It was just so cool to be in such a supportive environment and surrounded by other queer youth as well,” they said. “ I felt like I was doing something important.”

Hawthorne has found that in the process of making a positive difference in their viewers’ lives, they are also personally benefiting from the interaction.

4See EXPRESS, 18

Celebrate LGBTQ+ artists at Ball State University Feb. 10 at Korsgaard Dance Studio in Ball Gymnasium.

“Rainbow Night” begins at 8 p.m. and is being put on in collaboration with Alpha Phi Omega and Artists for Inclusivity. The event will fundraise for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.Those organizing the event suggest a $2 donation to support the cause.

Community

A Night of Jazz

The Muncie Public Library is hosting the free event at the Maring-Hunt Library for Black History Month. The event includes a brief presentation on the history of jazz music and African-American influences on jazz.

There will be a live performance of Tom Foolery & the Laughing Stocks as well. The event is Feb. 15 from 5-7 p.m. with free refreshments.

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: MOTHER-DAUGHTER RUN BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN MUNCIE

DNLife

Building a Legacy

02.08.24

14

West Africa native invites Muncie to savor the rich flavors of her homeland.

Lila Fierek Reporter Sasha Donati was going to leave Muncie a year ago. She was not feeling herself. She was in a dark place, and she did not feel like Muncie understood her.

She wanted to leave, but the spirit, who she calls God, wanted her to stay. Right as she was about to go, Donati found the location she needed to open her restaurant, Legacy Village West African Cuisine.

Donati called this moment the beginning of what God was doing in her life.

“It was my awakening moment,” she said.

Donati brought her dreams and goals to life when she opened Legacy Village Sept. 23, 2023.

The restaurant serves West African cuisine, including jollof, fufu, puff puffs and much more.

Donati was born in Liberia, which is on the coast of West Africa. She lived there until she was 8, when her family fled a civil war and moved to Kansas City, Missouri. She referred to Kansas City as her second home, with a large portion of her family still living there.

Donati eventually moved to Indianapolis with her sister, where she met her husband. Although he did not live in Muncie at the time, he was from the area, and his mother needed them, so they moved to Muncie in 2010 after their first child was born.

When Donati moved to Muncie, she said she thought it would be temporary, but the city started to grow on her.

“As far as the community is, it’s great,” she said.

“There’s just a lot of good people here.”

The people in Muncie are one of the main reasons she decided to open Legacy Village. As a former nursing assistant, Donati has always had a passion for cooking and taking care of people, especially older people and babies. She enjoyed cooking for her family and inviting people from the community over to her house.

Visitors often complimented her food, telling her she should open a restaurant. Donati didn’t think much of it at first since it was the food she ate every day, but eventually, people talked her into the idea of bringing West African cuisine to Muncie.

The reality of the restaurant took years to form, and Donati put in the work and gave back to the community through food in other ways. She helped raise money for students who could not buy textbooks and sold meals to raise funds for A Better Way, a shelter and service for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault, by selling her meals.

“We raised almost $4,000, which was beautiful,” she said. “I was so happy.”

Donati continued to host fundraisers and cater events in the community, taking note of what flavors and dishes people enjoyed. She said her family and the spirit’s guidance influenced her recipes.

Legacy Village does a catering event at Inspire Academy in 2022. The restaurant does catering events and school presentations. SASHA DONATI, PHOTO PROVIDED Her faith also spurred her decision to open the restaurant “to teach culture, to bring life to certain people, the body, mind and soul, and to connect with those who aren’t connected to themselves.”

Her goal was to bring something different to the table that guests would remember, not just the flavors and the amount of food but also the energy that Donati puts into it.

and don’t know, but being there, they are your people.’

It’s been amazing to see that in real life.”

Marie, a radio host for “Connected with Linzi Marie,” has even helped work at Legacy Village a few times. She also assisted Donati when she served takeout downtown. Marie learned a lot from her experience tasting foods and serving patrons.

When you’re growing, you shed. It’s hard, but once you’re done, you’re good.”

- SASHA DONATI, Owner of Legacy Village West African Cuisine Donati described the food at Legacy Village as rich but healthy, so although people are eating vegetables, because of the flavors, it doesn’t feel like it. She also prioritizes serving up hearty portion sizes and having a good presentation.

Donati did not open the restaurant to make money. She wanted to educate people and make new connections, and despite only being open for about two months, her friend Linzi Marie has already watched it happen.

“Every time I walk in, it’s the vision that she spoke of,” Marie said. “I remember her saying, ‘I want people to come in from near and far, and I want everyone to feel like family. I want people to see people they know

After working alongside Donati when she brought African culture to local schools by teaching them how to make puff puffs, Marie was not surprised when Donati announced she was going to open a restaurant.

Marie admires Donati’s strength and ability to bring Africa to Muncie, especially since there is not much representation for the culture in Muncie.

“It’s such a beautiful thing because we have representation with people who have moved here and international students, so I believe she is not only bringing culture here but also expanding and being representation for those that are from Africa,” Marie said.

According to the Census, as of July 2023, white people made up 79.4 percent of the population in Muncie. Ball State University is similar with about three-fourths of the population in 2021 being white, although the number has slowly declined each year.

Despite this, there are a handful of ethnic restaurants in Muncie, and Paris McCurdy, the director for community diversity initiatives at Ball State, recognizes the importance of this.

He called food a unifier and said that having a diverse set of restaurants is what Muncie is all about.

“I think a huge piece is the fact that people get to know what is out there,” McCurdy said. “It can be extended outside of eating. When we find out about something, it may make you spark an interest and delve into more of that culture.”

When it comes to culture, Marie said Legacy Village is a whole experience. The music and the service provided make her feel like she’s not in Muncie. She said people won’t be able to get the flavor and portion sizes Donati brings at other restaurants.

One part of this experience is the option to eat with your hands, something common in Donati’s culture.

Marie enjoys eating the sweet potato greens, one of her favorites, with her hands. Donati encourages her to do this, especially because she said she wants to teach Black Americans about what they’re missing and what was stolen from them during slavery.

Donati said she was thrilled to find someone from her home country to work at Legacy Village, something she prayed about for only two days before it happened.

Since spirituality is so important to her, she was excited when people told her they’d been praying for something like Legacy Village.

“God wanted me to answer people’s prayers,” she said. “It’s bigger than me.”

It wasn’t always easy for her either. Along the way, she faced many challenges, lost friends and had people question her, but she never gave up.

“When you’re growing, you shed,” Donati said.

“It’s hard, but once you’re done, you’re good.”

She is excited about the future of Legacy Village.

She wants to get a wine and beer license, as well as bring in jazz nights and more activities for kids.

She still caters and hopes to open an international grocery store one day.

Marie has seen Donati blossom since beginning the process of starting Legacy Village, and she is eager to watch Donati continue to bring her vision to life.

“I just want to encourage Muncie to really come out because it’s amazing,” Marie said. “The environment is wonderful, and it’s right here in Muncie.”

Legacy Village West African Cuisine, 3124 N. Granville Ave., is open from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Thursday through Sunday.

Contact Lila Fierek with comments at lkfierek@ bsu.edu or on X @LilaFierek.

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DNOpinion 16

02.08.24

Once a Pet,

Always a Pet

JESSICA BERGFORS, DN ILLUSTRATION

ON BALLSTATEDAILYNEWS.COM: WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO STRIKE

17

02.08.24

DNOpinion

Animals play an important role in our lives, especially in childhood.

Katherine Hill

Associate News Editor, “Cerebral Thinking” Katherine Hill is a first-year journalism major and writes “Cerebral Thinking” for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.

Pets have a lasting impact on our lives.

The ones that come into our lives during adolescence serve an extra special purpose as they shape the person we become. Childhood pets have just as much, if not more, of an influence on our life and upbringing than a parent or any friend.

Pets imprint the clay of childhood with memories of running around the front yard, chewing up a beloved tennis shoe or slobbering all over the blanket they’d lay on after jumping up onto your bed.

My parents are both animal lovers. My dad, in particular, has a long history of taking in animals who find themselves in his alleyway or backyard. Throughout my toddlerhood, our house was full of creatures and critters.

My mom’s Yorkshire Terrier, Maggie, hung around the longest out of the five animals that lived in our home at one point. The rest I vaguely remember but fully love from pictures and shared memories.

There was always an animal in the house. There was always the four-legged clicking of Maggie making her way over the tiled floor of the kitchen. There was always howling at the window as the mail person approached the house with a package or as cars drove by.

I feel as if the coexistence I’ve always had with animals made me the person I am today.

A study published in March 2019 for the National Library of Medicine analyzed pet ownership and children’s emotions with their pets.

brother, Douglas, in their backyard Katherine Hill sitting with her younger . STEPHEN HILL, PHOTO PROVIDED 2015 st Augu in dogs three holding their

The data indicated that children who own pets during toddler years had “better emotional expression” and development in later childhood. The integration of animals and pets in the early years of life pointed to strengthening social skills, as well as a greater ability to develop patience and emotional control.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the advantages of pet ownership lead to healthier interpersonal relationships and human interaction. Children raised in pet households are more likely to learn how to properly care for and treat living beings beyond the animals they take part in raising.

Even though it’s proven to be hard at times, I don’t think I’d have the same patience and compassion I do today without those formative experiences of caring for my beloved pets.

The first pet to grow up alongside me came into my life while I was in first grade. A black Pomeranian named Bootsie — whose full name was Bootsie Collins Vandalay Blackbear Hill — was the bundle of black fluff who taught my younger brother and me how to love someone wholeheartedly.

Bootsie and Maggie only had a brief overlap in time. Maggie was the last surviving of the five critters from my toddlerhood — the pets my parents each had before getting married.

When she died, a whole generation of animals had passed.

Our pets find their way into the fabric of our lives — just like humans — and the loss of them bears a heavy load that reminds us of the brevity in our lives.”

After the loss of Maggie, Teddy Pendergrass came along —a merle gray and white Pomeranian with loyalty written into his two-tone fur. He came into our family in November of my second grade year.

The night before I started fifth grade, my family went shoe shopping. But instead of just shoes, we came home with our third Pomeranian, Gracy. For my family, the addition of Teddy and Gracy filled the hole Maggie left behind in our lives.

For eight years, our three Pomeranians were an inseparable trio.

Bootsie — the unofficial matriarch of the group — led the other two.

The three of them ruled my house. They welcomed me home from school every day, were always in competition with one another for my attention and insistently begged for treats every chance they got.

Coming home for Thanksgiving this past year, my dad — true to his character — had taken in a stray kitten who was born in our backyard about a month earlier. I had never been a cat person. With three Pomeranians who were my whole world, how could I be?

But Kitty was different. I never thought a cat could capture my heart the way my dogs had, but I was proven wrong.

Kitty became another lesson to me: the animals who found their way into my life were irreplaceable and would irrevocably change my life.

But there was a harder reality I knew I’d have the face. It just came sooner than expected.

As Bootsie got older, she developed breathing problems and had frequent seizures. She’d bounce back after the episodes, but I was terrified whenever I saw her struggling like this. I knew it wasn’t normal, and I felt reality weigh heavy on me — she wasn’t going to be able to live like this much longer.

The Hill family dog, Bootsie, posing at home in July 2019. KATHERINE HILL, DN

During the end of winter break in early January of this year, I had to say goodbye to Bootsie. I was home with my family and could be with them in her final days. She passed away peacefully in her sleep.

And in the month after, that has given me some solace.

Our pets find their way into the fabric of our lives — just like humans — and the loss of them bears a heavy load that reminds us of the brevity in our lives.

I’m waiting for the loss of Bootsie to get easier. I’m waiting for my resilience to keep building.

That’s the price of love. Bootsie and my countless pets — in the past, present and future — transformed me. The many lessons she taught me made me a kinder, gentler person.

Certain things have happened in my life that give me no other choice but to believe everything happens for a reason. Bootsie’s death and the coinciding time of Kitty’s arrival in my family are two of those things.

Animals find us; we don’t find them. When they do find us, they show us how much we need them.

I know from grief, there will be growth and new joy. I’m just waiting to take that next step.

Contact Katherine Hill with comments at katherine.hill@ bsu.edu.

JESSICA BERGFORS, DN ILLUSTRATION

DNLife

02.08.24

18

EXPRESS Continued from Page 13

“I think it has helped me be a lot more open about things I’m dealing with and has given me a lot of confidence,” Hawthorne said.

First-year acting major Chali Moss became friends with Hawthorne at the beginning of the school year. Through their bond, Moss sees a side of Hawthorne their followers don’t.

“They have a really funny sense of humor that is goofy and very appealing to me, and I think that’s harder to see through social media, but they are a little silly and awkward, and it’s wonderful,” Moss said. “There is a depth to Kat that you obviously can’t see through people on social media.”

In addition to their wardrobe depicting a bold and colorful personality, Hawthorne decorates their forearm crutch to match the current season or holiday.

“I felt like it wasn’t showing enough personality, and if I have to use it anyway, might as well make it an extension of me,” Hawthorne said. “It really helped me reframe my mindset around it, because at first, most people you see using mobility aids are older people, so to be able to decorate it and have some fun thing[s] and make it less medical and sterile has really helped me.”

Hawthorne’s presence on social media as a disability advocate allows those with similar experiences to feel seen.

“I think it’s so beautiful and wonderful that they’re able to connect with people in such a large way. Even if it’s through a screen, it’s still really impactful, and they’re able to take those connections outside of the online world,” Moss said.

While Hawthorne aims to spread positivity through their experience, vulnerability can be hard to embrace, especially on the internet in front of thousands of strangers. With thousands of people seeing their content, there is bound to be some negative reactions, Hawthorne said.

“At first, when some of my content on Instagram got more views, it came with a lot of hate, which was kind of surprising,” they said. “When it first happened, I was 17 years old, and at first I took it really personally, and I stopped answering [direct messages] for a while. So that threw me off, but over time I guess I’ve found ways to laugh at it.”

As Hawthorne’s friend, Moss sees the occasional hateful comments in a sea of positivity. They want people to remember that there are real human beings behind social media accounts.

“Though social media can be seen as fun and escapism-y, there are people who are being vulnerable and sharing a part of themselves online,” Moss said. “Be respectful of that, and just remember to be kind to other people behind the screen and in real life because you never fully know a person just by their social media.”

Starting as a way to cope with a big life change, Hawthorne’s social media presence has turned into something much larger.

“I would say my overall goal is to show young, disabled people that they’re not alone,” Hawthorne said. “You can still wear fun outfits even with a disability. I feel like it’s somewhat self-indulgent. I have fun, and I like making my silly, little videos.”

Hawthorne can be found on Instagram and YouTube at kawthorne and on TikTok at kawthornee.

Contact Ella Howell with comments at ella.howell@bsu.edu.

First-year acting major Kat Hawthorne poses for a photo Feb. 1 at Schmidt/ Wilson Hall. Hawthorne decorates their forearm crutch for seasons and holidays.

A corner of Kat Hawthorne’s dorm Feb. 1 at Schmidt/ Wilson Hall. Hawthorne tends to film their videos for their media pages in front of this corner. MYA CATALINE, DN

Hand drawn art work hangs on the wall of Kat Hawthorne’s dorm Feb. 1 at Schmidt/Wilson Hall.

Hawthorne said the artwork was created by her friends and herself while playing a game. MYA CATALINE, DN

MYA CATALINE, DN

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19

Crossword & Sudoku

ACROSS 1 Moussaka ingredient 5 Harmonious church groups 11 Parachute necessity 15 Cookie with a Java Chip flavor 16 Solitary sort 17 Mind 18 Wolverine, for one 19 Esoteric information 20 A few 21 EMIT? 24 Not quite aligned 26 Inventor who said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work” 29 Slugger Judge who was AP Athlete of the Year in 2022 30 Ankle-length attire 34 Mouthwash brand 35 Feudal estate 36 Selena or Selena Gomez 38 Katniss Everdeen portrayer, to fans 39 LOOP? 42 Overhang 43 Midwestern Native 44 Five-time Olympic goldmedal swimmer Ian 47 Comes down hard?

51 “Just a Geek” memoirist Wheaton

52 SPOT? 57 Tate Modern filler 58 Verdi aria that translates to “It was you” 60 Lisa Halaby’s royal name 61 Sunlit lobbies 63 RAW? 66 Intense 67 Some green sauces 68 Senate position 69 Divisions in an outdated atlas: Abbr.

70 Plumes 71 Exxon constituents?

DOWN 1 Bagel topping 2 Branch 3 Vegetarian 4 Pot sweetener 5 Root words?

6 Cilantro, e.g.

7 Wolf of the sea 8 Apple since 1998 9 Curling spot 10 Washington, but not Washington, D.C. 11 Life itself, to a crepehanger 12 Recital piece for a doublereed woodwind 13 “Collapse Into Now” band 14 Go green, perhaps

22 Kylo __: “The Last Jedi” villain 23 Picks out, for short 24 Lummox 25 Just 27 Iridescent gem 28 Not old 30 Spice cookie spice 31 QB stat 32 Roman dozen 33 Accommodating places 36 Flatten 37 Shocked 40 Squiggly baby, to a sitter 41 Radio wave-emitting star 44 Dances provocatively 45 New faces in the staff lounge 46 “Last Week Tonight” host John 48 Swab target 49 Emergency priority system 50 Unblinking looks 53 __ Miami CF 54 Self-composure 55 Friendly horn sounds 56 “ ... but I could be wrong” 59 Heavy weights 62 Variety 64 Lines at the register?

65 Donkey

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02.08.24

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