THE Big C sweeps Dean of Students Office Leadership and Involvement Awards
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The official student media group at Florida Gulf Coast University since 1997
AGLE NEWS Volume 15, Issue 29
www.eaglenews.org
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Muslim refugee shares experience on campus
In the know Entertainment
SG elects Senate president, protempore and secretary By Taylor Crehan News Editor @taylorcrehan A few days after FGCU senior Jalisa White was formally inducted as the Student Body President, Student Government Senate held elections for three positions: senate president, pro-tempore and senate secretary on Tuesday, April 4. Three senators were nominated for senate president — Garrette Parsons, Jessica Held and Morgan Cooney. Parsons and Held accepted their nominations, while Cooney declined his. Parsons, who currently serves as the reference chairman of Tri Delta and an Emerging Eagles Mentor along with her involvement in SG, shared a five step plan with senators while presenting her candidate packet to the crowd. Parsons also wants to create a service retreat for senators. “I think she would make a great senate president,” senator Tony Guarino said. Held, who serves as the university relations chair for senate and works for the Office of Alumni Relations, wants
Food & Thought gives FGCU students a closeby shop for their organic produce needs. Read on A6
Sports
Mikala McGhee pursues her dream of becoming a coach after college.
Opinion
Read on B1
EN Photo / Alexandra Figares Una Bilic addresses a crowd in Edwards Hall room 112 on Friday, March 31 to dicuss her experience as a Bosnian refugee. Bilic shared her experience through the International Services Office by holding a talk that was open for everyone to attend.
By Alexandra Figares Assistant News Editor @fgcueaglenews
College students The clock read 2 p.m. are now taking on more responsibilities, which when 8-year-old Una Bilic left the basement to meet leads to more stress. her mother as she routinely Read on B6 did after school. She walked until people began dropping to the floor screaming, “Snipers! The snipers are here! Run!” Bilic knew her mother was waiting for her on the main street. It was 2 p.m. Student Farm Worker She always waited. Bilic’s Alliance hosts speaker friends pleaded in tears for event to educate campus her to return to the school basement, but she took off on farmworker’s rights. in search of her waiting Read on B8 mother.
Outreach
Bodies crashed to the floor as she ran and the sound of sniper bullets thrashed through flesh and airwaves alike. Bilic was a running target until a man tackled her aggressively to the ground. Bilic began to hysterically cry, to which the man whispered, “stay quiet or they’ll hear you.” When the bullets ceased, the man got up and Bilic followed. It was in that moment that Bilic could identify which bodies dropped for protection and which dropped at the hands of the bullets. Bilic shared her experience as a Bosnian
refugee on Friday, March 31 in Edwards Hall room 112. The talk was presented by the International Services Office. “When people ask me how the war was, I never know what to say,” Bilic said. “The sound of sniper bullets is the worst sound I’ve ever experienced. How can I describe that to people?” The year was 1992 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. A lethal civil war was brewing between Bosnia and what was formerly Yugoslavia. Conflict erupted in Bosnia when the Serbiandominant Yugoslav army opposed Bosnia’s quest for
independence and waged war against the Bosnian people. In 1992, the siege of Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo, established what would be Yugoslavia’s bloodiest battle, plagued with ethnic cleansing, grenades and snipers. One night in 1993, there was knocking on the Bilic’s door. There stood Bilic’s father’s childhood friends armed with rifles and a haunting message: The family had one hour to packtheir belongings and leave. “His friends were like,
>> Continued on A2
>> Continued on A3
Board of Trustees holds emergency meeting Violation of state law and Mike Martin’s contract discussed
EN Photo / Kim Smith Board of Trustee member Ken Smith was elected vice chair of the BOT during their emergency meeting on Tuesday, April 4 in Edwards Hall room 402 at 1 p.m.
By Taylor Crehan News Editor @taylorcrehan Members of the FGCU
Board of Trustees held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, April 4 at 1 p.m. There were three items on the agenda: Mike
Martin’s employment agreement, an election to fill a vacancy in the BOT position of vice chair and revising board
bylaws regarding Chair of Audit and Compliance Committee. The board also touched on its recent breaking of two state laws. On March 28, the Florida Board of Governors’ inspector general office released a report that revealed that FGCU had violated state law twice, first by electing Faculty Senate president Shawn Felton as BOT vice president and second by violating the Florida Sunshine Law — two trustees met with President Wilson Bradshaw and Provost Ronald Toll in a non-public manner. The BOG’s investigation was prompted by eight allegations in total. The report contained several recommendations for the
BOT moving forward. “I think it’s important for this board to meet and to discuss those recommendations,” BOT chairman Dudley Goodlette said. During the meeting Goodlette said that he didn’t feel like talking about the report was an emergency. Attorney Nikhil Joshi, who was hired by Goodlette to draft Martin’s contract, spoke next. Joshi said that trustees should be proud of the work they did choosing Martin as Bradshaw’s replacement, particularly because of the contract that was drafted and approved. “You hit a home run with the president,” Joshi said. “And we did so pursuant to an innovative contract
that is really concert [sic] with and consistent with the thoughts, the philosophy, the issues we’ve been hearing about in Tallahassee and elsewhere.” Joshi went onto to discuss one part of the contract that was focused on “a little disproportionally” was Martin’s focus bonus. During the meeting, Joshi showed trustees changes to the language surrounding Martin’s bonus in the contract. Trustee Darleen Cors, who was listening to the meeting through a conference call, asked where Martin was and why he wasn’t present at the meeting. Since Martin isn’t
>> Continued on A5
INSIDE:
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Entertainment and Lifestyle.....A6 Sports............................................B1 Opinion..........................................B6 Outreach.......................................B8
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A2 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5 The official student-produced newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University since 1997.
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>> Comcast Cares Day of Service will be held on Saturday, April 22. FGCU has received a grant to engage students in activities around the community at seven service sites. The event kickoff begins at Alico Arena at 8 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. Transport, T-shirts and meals will be provided. Contact Jessica Rhea at jrhea@fgcu.edu or 239-590-7016 if you or your organization would like to be a part of this inaugural event. >> Here comes the Fast and Furriest 5K and One Mile Walk in support of the Gulf Coast Humane Society on Saturday, April 8, at Hammond Stadium for tail-waggin’ fun. Want to volunteer to make the day a doggone success? Contact Jenna Walther at volunteers@ gulfcoasthumanesociety.org for more information. >> BBQ, bands and brew. Make this event to support Lee Builders Care a success by helping direct traffic in the parking lots. Forty people are needed. Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt and free admission to the festival. The event will take place on Sunday, April 9 at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers. Contact SherylJV@ leeschools.net for more information.
>> FlourishNow needs you to help with their job fair on Thursday, April 6 in Naples. Work with neighbors learning the jobmarket-ropes. Help put together job resumes and coach interview techniques. Assistance needed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact JD Ribali at jd@flourish-now.org for more information. >> The SWFL Human Trafficking Coalition is in immediate need of servers for their Taste of Freedom event on Saturday, April 8 at Scanlon Lexus of Fort Myers. No experience required. Wear black attire and comfortable shoes. Shifts will be from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Please contact Kim at kim@captivatingyouth.com. >> Volunteers are needed for a 5K run to help head and neck cancer patients of Lee Health. Thirty to 40 volunteers are needed on Saturday, April 29 at Hammond Stadium. Volunteers will be directing runners, serving food, working the raffle, setting up and breaking down. Volunteers will arrive at 6 a.m. The event will be done by 11 a.m. Please contact Stacey Brill at 239-343-1645 or stacey.brill@leehealth. org.
The world in brief Classic red telephone boxes get an upgrade The classic red British telephone booths have a new look. A couple of locals, Edward Ottewell and Steve Beeken, came up with the idea to take these old phone booths and revamp them into something that can be used today. The duo formed the Red Kiosk Company with a plan to adopt 500 phone boxes across the country. Some booths have turned into different restaurants, like a coffee shop or a salad place.
Assistant Sports Editor
Individual arrested for St. Petersburg attack Suicide bomber Akbarjon Djalilov, who is from the central Asia Republic of Kyrgyzstan, carried out the St. Petersburg metro attack that was on Monday, April 3. It was announced that it was Djalilov after investigators matched his DNA to a bomb left at a second metro station, which was defused by authorities. The death toll has risen to 14; dozens of people are injured and four are in critical condition.
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China is banning beards and veils in Xinjiang
Mudslides in Colombia killed at least 254 Torrential rains on Friday, March 31 caused three rivers surrounding Mocoa to overflow, causing mudslides to surge through the city. President Juan Manuel Santos said that at least 254 people were killed. From that number, 170 victims have been identified, with 43 children among the dead. Many homes, bridges and highways are flattened from the mudslides.
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>> SG continued from A1 to implement educational programs for senators, ad hoc committees for issues that the senate wants to take action on, and increase senate participation. “I feel very confident in my knowledge of Student Government,” Held said during her presentation. After senators spoke on behalf of the candidates and a question and answer session was held, Parsons was elected. Her work as senate president started right after her election, as she was responsible for
electing the pro-tempore. Three senators were nominated for the position — Esteban Tavel, Anne Slominski and Cooney. Tavel, who also serves as a resident assistant in Everglades Hall in South Village, said that he felt that his passion for FGCU and its students made him ready for the position. Cooney, who served as the vice chair of the senate travel committee as well as the vice president of programming for his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, felt that his experience in senate made him qualified. Slominski, a member
China is cracking down on what is deemed “religious extremism” in the far-west province of Xinjiang, which is home to 10 million Muslims. It was outlined in a new anti-extremism legislation, which went into effect Saturday, April 1. It specifically prohibits anything that seems to promote extremism, such as hyping up religious fanaticism through growing beards or wearing or forcing others to wear full-face coverings.
of Kappa Delta, wants to increase senate retention rates as well as inclusiveness within senate. After senators spoke on behalf of the candidates and a question and answer session was held, Slominski was elected. Only one senator was nominated for senate secretary, Gabriella Giordano. Giordano wants to be “very objective” in senate executive meetings, implement a reminder text service for senators and create a monthly newsletter. After senators spoke on behalf of the
EN Photo / Taylor Crehan Senators look up at Student Government senate president nominees Jessica Held and Garrette Parsons on Tuesday, April 4.
candidates and a question and answer session was held, Giordano was
elected.
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WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG >> Refugee continued from A1 ‘You know what’s going on. You know that as a Muslim family you are no longer welcome here,” Bilic said. “Because we know you, because our kids play with each other, because we played with each other, you have an hour to get your stuff and you have to leave.” According to Bilic, her father’s friends said the Serbian army was coming into town the next day and if they did not leave immediately, they would fall in the hands of a Muslim concentration camp. Bosnia boasts a blend of distinctive religions like Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Islam, which is the reigning religion of the country. During the war, Muslims fell victim to the Yugoslav army’s ethnic cleansing agenda. Flustered yet optimistic, a prevailing sentiment among Bosnians during the war, the Bilic family packed their things and left everything behind. “Nobody thought the war was going to last for as long as it did,” Bilic said. “My father was like, ‘OK, just grab your stuff we’ll be back next week.’ That was his mentality. That it would be over. We left our car, we left our dog, we left our cat. We left everything.” Bilic and her family made their way to her grandparent’s house where they endured the wrath of the war. According to Bilic, sometimes herself and other families in her
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A3 apartment building had to hide in a basement for weeks without running water as the city was under siege. On New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 1994, Bilic was outside with her grandmother and friends when four grenades exploded abruptly. “I got caught,” Bilic said. “All I could see was blood, all I could hear was ringing.” Bilic woke-up from the explosion and could only see the blood dripping from her eyes. The shrapnel from the grenades tore at her face and legs, and unbeknownst to her, tore into her head, completely cutting off her vision. After the grenades ceased, she was taken to a nearby hospital where she was treated for her injuries. Though doctors were able to save her legs, they did not have the resources to surgically remove the shrapnel implanted in her brain. “The doctors were unable to treat my head injury in Bosnia so the UN stepped in and evacuated us,” Bilic said. When the UN assigned Bilic and her family to seek refuge in Czechoslovakia, her parents were elated. “They were so happy because it was so close. They thought we would come right back to Bosnia,” Bilic said. “We would stay in Czechoslovakia for some time until it was all over and then we would come right back. That was their plan.” As fate would have it, Czechoslovakia placed the Bilic family on a waiting list for reasons unknown,
preventing the family from entering. Due to the severity of Bilic’s condition, the Bilic family was immediately relocated to Orlando, Florida overnight. “Refugees don’t get to pick where they are resettled,” Bilic said. “They’re put on a list and whatever country takes them is the country they go to.” The Bilic family embarked a plane for the first-time to Orlando with a broken spirit and a little
future for their two daughters. As an adult, Bilic graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s in biomedical science, fulfilling her parent’s dream. Knowing her heart was not in the medical field, Bilic eventually pursued a master’s in public administration at the University of Central Florida. Today, Bilic is the
EN Photo / Alexandra Figares Una Bilic stands in front of an audience on Friday, March 31 in Edwards Hall in room 112 during her lecture, “A Refugee’s Story.” Bilic spoke about how when she first moved to the U.S. with her parents, thier first jobs were at McDonald’s. They eventually moved up to becoming housekeepers at Walt Disney World, determined to establish a successful future for their two daughters.
more than a few suitcases, breaking headlines as the first Bosnian refugees to enter the U.S. With the help of a local mosque, the Bilic family found a clean home and Bilic’s parents wasted no time in assimilating to the American way of life. Broken bits of English landed Bilic’s parents their first job at McDonald’s. With time, they worked their way up to become housekeepers at Walt Disney Resorts, determined to establish a successful
site manager for the International Rescue Committee, a nonprofit global organization providing services to displaced refugees like she once received. The IRC strives to assist refugees in attaining economic self-sufficiency and cultural integration through a 90-day program. The program is funded by the federal government along with the state department. While refugees receive clothes, food and immediate
housing upon arrival, federal money the IRC receives is never directly handed to refugees. “We manage their money because we have to make sure their rent is paid for the first 90 days,” Bilic said. “After that, it’s our job to make sure that somebody in the family is employed so they can start paying their own rent. But they never see the money.” The state requires the IRC to meet certain goals to maintain and receive funding, like assisting families in obtaining a social security card within the first week of arrival. Other goals such as employing adults and teaching asylees how to use a washing machine are part of the 90-day program. According to Bilic, the largest population of refugees entering the U.S. are Congolese. An estimated 43,000 refugees admitted into the U.S last year were Congolese, compared to 15,000 Syrian refugees admitted. “We’re all going to have our personal ideas on refugees,” Bilic said. “But I want people to understand the process. Don’t let the media fool you. They’re [the refugees] vetted, they’re vetted for years and they come fully ready and accepting that they’re coming to the U.S.” According to Bilic, there is a vigorous 12-step vetting process for admitting refugees into the U.S., taking up 30 months to complete. Syrian refugees must undergo an additional step
for a more thorough vetting process. “When people are like, ‘Who are these terrorist men coming into our country?,’ I’d like to ask them if you’re talking about little Mohammed who is in the 5th grade? Because that’s who’s really coming into this country,” Bilic said. “Seventy percent of refugees entering the U.S. are children. That’s a fact. Most of the time it’s the mother with all those children and the father stays behind.” With shrapnel still lodged in her skull, and the memories of war actively breathing through the scars on her legs, Bilic embarks on a journey to reveal her story and help others understand the plight of refugees and what lies behind the re-settlement process. “The great thing about immigrants and refugees is, they come to the U.S. not to seek a better life for themselves, but to seek a better life for their children,” Bilic said. “Even though my parents were full of tears when we got on that plane to come to the U.S., they already knew in their head that ‘this isn’t for us. This is for Una and Ena.’” Pictures of the war perceptibly fill Bilic’s large blue eyes as she tells a story of hardship and resilience. The Yugoslav army showered Bilic with blood and irreversible scars, unsuspectingly building a bridge between Americans and refugees.
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Police Beat
Eagle News writes this beat every week from the official UPD weekly summary Uninvited guests On Thursday, March 30 at 6:06 p.m., UPD received a report that the subject was staying in a room he was not assigned to. Officers went to Osprey Hall and found that no one was there, but there was evidence of an air mattress and pillow on the floor. Coffee talk On Thursday, March 30 at 6:20 p.m., an RA reported a fight had broken out between two roommates
in North Lake Village. The subject threw a coffee cup at the RA, but later stated it was an accident. Buyer’s remorse On Thursday, March 30 at 7:58 p.m., a complainant asked UPD for advice on an iPhone he had purchased off Craigslist. The complainant discovered the phone was not in the condition it was supposed to be in. Officers explained to him the concept of “buyer’s remorse” and then suggested he contact the
seller. Suspicious person On Friday, March 31 at 11:12 a.m., a complainant called UPD stating that an older female wearing a red sweater and a backpack was walking around Cohen Center stating “he’s here.” Officers suspected the individual was intoxicated and walked the subject back to her dorm. Kidnapped alligator On
Saturday,
April
1 at 9:06 p.m., an AOC advised UPD that someone had sent her a picture through Snapchat of what looked to be an alligator in someone’s dorm. UPD officers canvassed the scene and were unable to find the alligator in the room, however they believed one individual was en route back to campus with the alligator in the trunk. The three individuals were untruthful about why they had the alligator but eventually confessed. They were issued warnings for possession of an alligator.
Alone in the woods On Saturday, April 1 at 11:10 p.m., a complainant was on the nature trail with some friends and got lost on the way back. UPD officers went into the woods on foot and located the three subjects. Locked out On Sunday, April 2 at 5 a.m., UPD officers came across a vehicle in North Lake Village. Several subjects were sleeping
in the car until their roommate woke up in the morning because they had been locked out. Sign slip-up On Monday, April 3 at 10:13 a.m., FGCU Physical Plant contacted UPD to inform officers that a vehicle had hit their sign. UPD officers filed a report and made plans to replace the sign.
THE Big C sweeps the 2017 Leadership and Involvement Awards
EN Photos / Kim Smith (Left) Helen Mamarchev (left) poses with Courtney Satkoksi (center) and Dean of Students Michele Yovanovich (right) during the Dean of Students’ Office’s 2017 Leadership and Involvement Awards ceremony on Monday, April 3. (Right) Members of THE Big C pose with Yovanovich after winning one of their five awards.
By Rachel Iacovone Managing Editor @racheliacovone Many deserving students were acknowledged at the FGCU Dean of Students’ Office’s 2017 Leadership and Involvement Awards ceremony Monday, April 3, but through the 26 awards, one name, in particular, kept coming up — THE Big C. The service-based RSO formed in September 2016 and, within a single semester, managed to tally 1,500 service-learning hours. Because of its dedication to serving the campus and the community,
the club took home the awards for the Outstanding Service and Program of the Year. “When we succeed, we succeed in unison, and when we fail, we work together to get back up and begin pedaling again,” said Courtney Satkoski, THE Big C’s advisor. “When you serve together, you learn together.” Satkoski, an FGCU alumna turned instructor, has presented at state, national and international conferences on the impact of service done well, has been featured on the radio and TV for her work in Africa and Southwest Florida, has received grants, awards and press
for her partnerships and projects and has had her work published in a sourcebook for higher education. “Service has shown me that by engaging your community rawly and passionately, you unearth your richest you,” Satkoski said. “I am far wealthier because I have dedicated my last 10 years to giving myself away.” Unbeknownst to her at the time of the ceremony, members of THE Big C, led by club vice president Brandon Peterson, had nominated her for the Dr. Helen Mamarchev Distinguished Advisor of the Year award. “I knew instantly that
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Brandon had nominated me because she said that the nominator wanted to ‘return home to Illinois to pursue PA school but instead, because of one person and one organization, he stayed,’” Satkoski said. “My eyes, prickly with tears, turned to Brandon, and he sweetly smiled. And, I said, ‘You nominated me?’ He just smiled, nodded his head yes and said, ‘Keep listening, we all did.’” Peterson went on to win a Pillar of the Community award alongside the club’s director of community outreach, Austin Floyd. “I think the most important part about last night and winning those
awards wasn’t actually about winning but about the exposure that we received,” Peterson said. “We need caring, intelligent and dedicated students that will motivate and lead others to follow, just as Courtney did to each member of THE Big C this year, and that’s why it was so important for us to nominate her for such a prestigious award.” Floyd said he was humbled to be nominated at all. “THE Big C has lifted me to reach for goals that I never would have imagined attempting, and when I was at my all time low in school, feeling like I wanted to just stop, it really turned my last
two semesters into the most enjoyable and valuable ones yet,” Floyd said. Dean Michele Yovanovich, whose office hosts the annual Leadership and Involvement Awards, said she suspects the selection committee had a difficult time choosing the top winners from such a competitive field of applicants. “It is a privilege to work with such engaged and bright student leaders at FGCU,” Yovanovich said. “The awards ceremony this week showcased how our Eagles excel in service and leadership.”
>> BOT continued from A1 officially the president yet, he cannot attend BOT meetings, as he’s not a trustee. After a back and forth discussion about Martin’s bonus, the trustees voted on the changes. The motion carried, with the single “no” made by trustee Russell Priddy. Next, trustee Priddy proposed the motion of electing trustee Ken Smith as the vice chairman of the BOT. It carried unanimously. With these changes made to the contract, Martin officially became FGCU’s fifth president. He will start on July 1. Goodlette then proposed that trustee Joseph Fogg replace him as chairman of BOT. The BOT will meet
Photo courtesy of Susan Evans Mike Martin was officially elected FGCU’s fifth president on Wednesday, April 5.
again on Tuesday, April 11 to discuss the motion to elect Fogg and to discuss the BOG’s report. Trustees will also discuss three action items: FGCU’s audited financial
statements for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2016, the sixth amendment to the campus development agreement, as well as the Flint Pen Strand property.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE Apollo Fresh brings a unique twist to mainstream rap
Photo courtesy of Apollo Fresh Twitter Rapper Apollo Fresh displays a tremondous amount of energy in his tracks, making his music a fun, fast-paced listen.
By Jesse Martin E&L Assistant Editor @JesseMartin247 Apollo Fresh brings a trap sound to South Florida, giving his own unique
twist and perspective on the ultra-popular sound in mainstream rap. The young rapper from Broward County serves bass-heavy beats reminiscent of radio hits
from the A$AP Mob or Migos. The songs that Fresh delivers have high energy. His most popular song, “Ghoulish,” is a great example of that with its
enormous bass drops and Fresh’s high-tempo flow. Even though Fresh’s voice and command over the microphone is always aggressive and forthcoming, he is still able to change the tempo quite effortlessly. His flow changes are in abundance in every song, which helps to always keeps the listener engaged. Also, his tone changes and level changes in his voice are apparent from song to song, and even within the same song in the same verse. This leaves the listener never knowing what to expect next when listening to Fresh’s music. Fresh allows the production to take over in almost all his songs. The fast-paced beats always keep the listener’s energy up. There is plenty of percussion and boom. It seems like his music is almost made for being listened to in the car. A stock stereo will not give the production justice. The louder the bass when listening to Fresh’s music,
the better. When the music is loud, like it is on Fresh’s music, the passion in the delivery needs be there, and it most certainly is with Fresh. The listener can tell Fresh is having fun while making his music, and that makes it easier for the listener to have fun as well. Fresh’s popularity should continue to grow
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as he ages and gets more experience as an artist. The biggest improvement Fresh needs to make is in his lyricism. His subject matter doesn’t serve the listener any diversity. Once he improves in that aspect, Fresh can make serious gains in the rap genre.
Photo Courtesy of Apollo Fresh Twitter Apollo Fresh is bringing a trap sound to South Florida. With loud bass driven production, Fresh wants his music to played at the loudest volume possible.
Food & Thought Naples restaurant provides a unique experience with organic food and clothes
Photos Courtesy of Food & Thought blog (Left) With one of its main component’s being sustainibility, Food & Thought strives to provide organic services for vegetarians, vegans and meat-lovers alike. The restaurant gets its produce from its own local organic farm in eastern Collier County. (Right) The gardens almost serve as a shield for Food & Thought, giving the restaurant and store a sense of environmental solitude.
By Laurel De Luca Staff Writer @fgcueaglenews Folk music plays in a courtyard where families have gathered to enjoy a meal in a hidden community of like-minded people. These people are the patrons of Food & Thought, a combination cafe, juice bar, grocery and clothing store in Naples. Each of Food & Thought’s components incorporates the ideas of simplicity, sustainability and self reliance while providing an inviting environment with live music. Food & Thought strives to provide organic services with a plethora of vegan options. The cafe’s order system is similar to Panera’s in which customers order
up front and are given a number to sit wherever they want. The handwritten menu that hangs above the cafe registers, ranges from breakfast, lunch and dinner. The cafe incorporates many raw ingredients in their dishes. Everyday there is raw meal special, which can range from a raw vegan lasagna or raw taco salad. It’s hard to decide on what to eat with choices like the Holy Yamoli, Bunny Wrappit or the Caprese sandwich. However, the employees are very helpful in suggesting what items to try. “One of the employees decided I should try the Holy Yamoli, and it was amazing,” FGCU student Hannah Kenzie said. “A wrap with yams, avocado,
lettuce, tomato, onion and vegan mayo.” After ordering, you can grab yourself a seat outside or the few tables inside, and somehow the waiters manage to find you wherever you are, placing your food on the table within 10 minutes. After you’re done eating, you can head back inside to check out the organic coffee and juice bar where they whip up any drink in minutes. It seems efficiency is keen at Food & Thought when hiring skilled employees. Past the juice bar is the marketplace with lots of takeaway foods like overnight oats, chocolate chia seed pudding and prepared salads. The grocery sells fresh produce picked locally from their farm.
Through the aisles are common groceries like cereal, rice and soup. Food & Thought carries brands that common markets don’t supply. Not to mention, their household products section carries natural remedies and essential oils. Their philosophy, “Militantly organic, so you can shop in peace,” resonates throughout their clothing store, Thoughtful Threads. The clothes represent what they stand for in support of organic fabric, fair-trade and locally-made items. If you decide to check out this hidden gem, don’t be turned away when you can’t see it. The courtyard remains tucked behind their garden away from the parking lot, 2132 Tamiami Trail North, Naples.
It’s open Monday through Saturday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You’ll be impressed with
the community feel and the philosophy Food & Thought has instilled throughout their products.
Photo courtesy of Food & Thought blog Food & Thought is located across the street from the Coastland Center mall.
EDITOR: JULIA BROWNING ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5 EAGLE NEWS E & L A7
Deanna’s D.I.Y.’s
Revamp your old school supplies Curated this week by Assistant E&L Editor, Jesse Martin
Kendrick Lamar Takeover 1. “Humble” 2. “The Heart Part 4” 3. “Alright ” 4. “m.A.A.d city” 5. “A.D.H.D” 6. “King Kunta” 7. “Untitled 02” 8. “Swimming Pools” 9. “Ronald Reagan Era” 10. “Money Trees”
EN Illustration / Audrey Mobley
By Deanna Simmons Staff Writer @WonderCatDee Sometimes, trying to find something that really fits your style can be tough. This is especially true when it comes to school supplies. The generic primary colors sometimes don’t match a theme you’re going for, and most designed products are made for children. If you’ve wanted to come up with something that fits your style to make your studying a little more fun, here are some tips and tricks to make things brighter. For this first one, you’ll need a binder and a printer. Minimalist designs work best for this, but you can pick whatever you’d like. Type out your name on another piece of paper and cut out the design of your choosing. Attach the papers together, and then slip the paper into your binder. It’s such a cute and easy D.I.Y. to do, and just adds a little more to your binder.
It also makes sure that your binder doesn’t get lost and people don’t have to go searching through your papers inside. The same kind of idea goes for notebooks. All you need is a printer, a notebook and some glue. You can glue the design to the notebook front and personalize it to your liking. You can also print off the subjects you’d like and attach those to the notebook along with something like a black and white skyline, depending on the color of your notebook. White is usually the easiest to work with when it comes to minimalistic designs. Another really cool design idea is to do a to-do board. You can put this on your desk or out on the counter in your dorm. All you need is a twosided photo frame, which you can find at Target, some pictures and a whiteboard marker. Cut out the pictures to fit the inside of the frame and close the pictures inside with the frame backs.
Once that’s done, all you have to do is write what you need to do on the glass portion. It’s a cute and easy way to keep up with everything that you need to do that day or even that week. When it comes to studying, sometimes you need something comfortable to wear. After a long day, it’s nice to be able to relax. To make a D.I.Y. comfortable shirt, you need a crewneck sweatshirt and iron-on applications. You can usually find the applications at Target or Walmart in the craft section. Place the applications on, using the iron to make sure they stick (follow the directions on the packaging), and then you’ll have a comfortable shirt to wear around while you study or even on campus on a day you feel like being comfortable. With minimal supplies and little effort, you can revamp your supplies into something cute and fun.
FGCU student channels pain through art By Nick Michel Staff Writer @fgcueaglenews Peter Lang has never met his biological parents, but he channeled that pain into a passion of bringing the world together through art. Although he is of Haitian descent, he was adopted by two white parents in Fort Lauderdale. He describes his multiracial household as a challenge for others around him to accept. “The thing about being a black kid adopted by white parents is that people are going to look at you differently. People are going to say that you’re bought or that you’re a slave,” Lang said. “It started really quick. Diversity is something that I noticed.
Especially with my family, we are the most accepting and diverse people you can meet. We knew why people didn’t accept us, so we had to accept others.” While outsiders were struggling to accept Lang’s adoption into his new family, he struggled to cope with the idea that his biological parents did not want him. “I was adopted when I was six months old. My family is all I know,” Lang said. “I dealt with not knowing my biological parents and not understanding why I was put up for adoption, going through that and establishing my own identity.” Lang recalled being laughed at in middle school for being adopted by a white family.
“I could tell you who my biological parents are but that wouldn’t tell you anything about me. That’s not who I am, but the world will tell you differently.” The loneliness that he endured during this time inspired Lang to want to bring people together, so that no one would feel the pain he felt. Once he entered high school, he decided to use the arts to achieve his goal. He began by playing the trumpet and drums early in high school. He later gained a reputation in his neighborhood for performing poetry and spoken word pieces. It wasn’t until he was introduced to the Japanese art form, anime, that he realized that the arts could unite the masses. “Anime can bring the
Photo courtesy of MarsMarsMars Peter Lang, a Haitian-born FGCU student, has been performing spoken word poetry since he was in high school.
world together. Look at the type of people that watch anime,” Lang said. “Every character believes in themselves. The whole theme of anime is that if you believe in yourself, you’ll go further. You don’t need talent. If you work on yourself, you can do anything. There is nothing
but positivity leaking and exploding from anime. People call anime cartoons, but it’s a higher art form. When you meet another person that watches anime and you resonate with them.” Lang is now a member of the FGCU student government as the
coordinator of student relations. He uses this position to put on events around the campus, with the hopes that people will slow down, enjoy art and enjoy each other’s company.
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5 EAGLE NEWS E & L A8
‘Ghost in the Shell’ tanks at the box office By Julia Browning E&L Editor @juliabrowningxo Cultural appropriation is not paying off for directors choosing to whitewash their casts. It showed earlier this year in low ratings and reviews for the movie “The Great Wall,” starring Matt Damon, and now most recently on March 31, “Ghost in the Shell” starring Scarlett Johansson. The original “Ghost in the Shell” movie came out in 1995 and was based on a Japanese manga and anime franchise. It was directed by Mamoru Oshii and gained a cult following in both Japan and the U.S. and is accredited for changing the sci-fi genre and giving inspiration to many classics, most notably “The Matrix,” which shares a similar plot line. With the incredibly popular original, money-
making powerhouse Johansson as the lead, and an incredible production value at $110 million, the movie was sure to be a hit — except it wasn’t. Paramount’s “Ghost in the Shell” reboot has earned under $19 million domestically, falling to the bottom of the box-office rankings. Perhaps the reason behind its low ratings is the simple fact that audiences are no longer comfortable with Hollywood’s tendency to cast white actors in nonwhite roles. The original protagonist, Motoko Kusanagi, is a Japanese woman who’s one of the most iconic women in an anime series, and in anime in general. For the Hollywood reboot, they renamed the character Mira Killian and cast Johansson to play her and included an even further disturbing plot twist, explaining the reason behind her “traditional”
white features. It begged the question, why not cast a Japanese actress for the Japanese role? Casting white actors in Asian roles has come under fire recently in the box office with “The Great Wall,” starring Damon, receiving criticism. Despite Damon’s defense of the movie, telling the Associated Press, “I didn’t take the role away from a Chinese actor... it wasn’t altered for me in any way,” critics quickly pointed out that the movie was inherently white-washed. “Fresh Off the Boat” star, Constance Wu tweeted, “We have to stop perpetuating the racist myth that a only white man can save the world.” Though it is not clear whether or not the movie suffered from its cultural appropriation, the movie didn’t do so hot in the box office in the U.S., earning $45 million domestically,
far from it’s $150 million production cost. Earlier this month, on March 17, the Netflix-Marvel collaboration, “Iron Fist,” released to much whitewashing controversy as well. Though the comics did originally feature a white boy who becomes orphaned and is taken in by Kung Fu master-monks, many people pointed out that it was a good opportunity for Netflix and Marvel to cast an Asian actor and diminish this troublesome, white-washing plotline. The series received a slew of negative reviews including a 17 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, Vanity Fair calling it “staggeringly incompetent” and Hollywood Reporter referring to it as “a major disappointment.” So directors everywhere need to learn a lesson from their viewers: Stop whitewashing your movies.
Photo courtesy of “Ghost in the Shell”
With Scarlet Johansson as the lead and a $110 million budget, “Ghost in the Shell” was expected to be a huge hit. Earning just $19 million since premiering, the film is looking like a box office flop.
Live music in the Fort Myers area
EN Photo / Katie Hopkins Downtown Fort Myers is a hot spot for local live music, with multiple venues that feature live performers including City Tavern, The Firestone Grill & Sky Bar and Cigar Bar.
By Veronica Breitfeller Staff Writer @fgcueaglenews Before finals creep up and steal all free time, many students find themselves wanting to go out and have fun while they still can. For most of the student body, that means going to local clubs and dancing the night away. And while that is fun nine out of the 10 times, sometimes we need a breath of something fresh and different.
This guide will inform you about a few of the restaurants and bars that also have live music: City Tavern Downtown Fort Myers Voted the “friendliest staff” and “best girls night out,” this neighborhood bar serves delicious pub fare and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights has local live music venues that keep the entertaining atmosphere all night long. The Cottage Beach Bar Fort Myers Beach Come sink your toes
in the sand while enjoying some fresh seafood, ocean views and the local musicians that come to play. They have something for everyone, from mellow solo artists to rock bands. If you want to try something new, this is a great place to do so according to USA Today. Dixie Roadhouse Cape Coral For country lovers, the Dixie Roadhouse is a country-themed party bar with a large dance floor for free line dancing lessons. As it gets later in the night, they switch it up and play other genres of dance music as well. Come show your country swank here. The Firestone Grill & Sky Bar Downtown Fort Myers Last but certainly not least, this four-level historic building plays everything from blues and rock ‘n’ roll, to also having the area’s hottest DJs turn live in the Sky Bar. If you are looking for a great place to watch the sunset come here.
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Being a part of basketball without being a player Women’s basketball player, Mikala McGhee attends ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ program to fulfill dreams
Cheering on her teammates on and off the court throughout the entire 2016-17 campaign, redshirt senior Mikala McGhee (right) hopes to become a coach following her collegiate basketball career.
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois
Coaches can impact their players, for good or bad, but for FGCU women’s basketball player, Mikala McGhee, past and present coaches have impacted her life so much that she hopes to do the same. To turn this dream into a reality, McGhee applied for the “So You Want To Be A Coach” program and received the opportunity of a lifetime. The redshirt senior was
accepted into this WBCA program as one of just 50 student-athletes from across the nation. “I am very honored and thankful to have this pick because it wasn’t just DI athletes they were looking at, it was all divisions from around the nation with a lot of women who applied and didn’t get it,” McGhee said. “When they brought us in for the first day, they said we were the ‘cream of the crop,’ so it was definitely an honor.” The program assists female collegiate basketball
players who are interested in pursuing a career in coaching women’s basketball. It provides the players with professional development and career advancement through education, skills-enhancement, networking and exposure opportunities. “We sat in on classes and learned the different aspects of coaching, what it takes to get into it, the difficulties behind it and the communication and networking of it,” McGhee
said. McGhee also mentioned that the program brought officials as well as coaches. “They brought in officials, a variety of coaches from around the country and a lot of people working in the WBCA, so we got the administrative side too.” The program also increased awareness about the availability of talented female basketball players who want to coach. “I think one of the best things I got out of it was the networking with
EN Photos / Brad Young
“When they brought us in for the first day, they said we were the ‘cream of the crop,’” - Mikala McGhee powerhouse coaches and other aspiring women who want to get into this field and make an impact on someone’s life,” McGhee said. Yet, none of this would have even been possible without the consideration of assistant coach Jenna
Cobb, who gave McGhee the idea to apply for the program. Cobb was a former member herself and felt McGhee had the potential to be accepted into such an
>> McGhee continued on B2
Men’s soccer adds two new assistants to the coaching staff By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois The newly announced FGCU men’s soccer head coach Jesse Cormier has added two new assistant coaches, Sheldon Cipriani and Ryan Johnson. Cipriani rejoins the Eagles after serving as a volunteer assistant coach in 2014 when the team won the ASUN regular season, advancing to the NCAA Tournament. “It’s exciting for our program to welcome such a great person and coach. His (Cipriani’s) approach is always in the spirit of the development of the player both as a tactician and technician,” Cormier said in a recent FGCU press release. “He always considers the bigger picture of helping mentor young men to become better, stronger people to achieve both collective team success and personal full potential in life.” In addition to his time at FGCU, he served as USF’s Director of Satellite Camps from 2010-12, managing the daily operations of the camp and planning all sessions. Cipriani also held head and assistant coach positions in the Premier Development League — the top men’s amateur soccer organization in the United
States. Cipriani helped guide the Ocala Stampede team to a conference championship in their inaugural season in 2012 and a national semifinal appearance in 2014. Most recently, Cipriani was a United States Soccer Federation Development Academy Director, coaching Boys U13 through U18 with the Florida Rush Soccer Club in Orlando. “I’m very grateful to coach Jesse for giving me the opportunity to work at FGCU,” Cipriani said in a recent FGCU athletics press release. “I’m looking forward to carrying on a great tradition with this program which has already been built and also continuing to add to it.” Johnson and Cormier will also be reuniting, as Cormier was an associate head coach at Oregon State during Johnson’s freshman and sophomore seasons in 2002 and 2003. “This hire is an excellent one for our program not just because of who Ryan Johnson is and what he has achieved as a player professionally and internationally, but also because of RJ’s drive to be a great young coach. He has an eagerness to give back to the game and impart his life’s work and professional experience into our student-athletes
at FGCU,” Cormier said in a recent FGCU athletics press release. After his season with the Beavers in 2005, Johnson was selected 26th overall by Real Salt Lake in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft. Johnson played professionally from 200616, spending seven of those years in Major League Soccer with Real Salt Lake, Chicago Fire, San Jose Earthquakes, Toronto FC and the Portland Timbers. At Toronto FC, Johnson led the team to fourstraight Voyager’s Cup and was also awarded the George Gross Memorial Trophy as the championship’s best player. His last MLS stop in Portland was his most successful, leading the club with a team-best 10 goals en route to a first place Western Conference finish in 2013. Internationally, Johnson has 40 caps with the Jamaica National Team and has participated in nine 2015 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with eight tallied goals. “I’d like to thank Jesse for allowing me this great opportunity,” Johnson said in a recent FGCU athletics press release. “I’m excited for this next step in my soccer career, and I’m looking forward to getting started working with all of our student-athletes.”
EN Illustration / Audrey Mobley
B2 SPORTS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5
EDITOR: MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ | SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG
FGCU softball loses first series in ASUN play
EN Photo / Brad Young
Despite dropping the series to UNF, the FGCU softball team rode two RBIs from Kelsey Huff (above) and Bri Inammorato respectively to a 5-2 victory in the series finale.
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Following a 2-1 series win over Jacksonville, the FGCU softball team dropped it first three-game series in ASUN play with two losses and a win against UNF. Opening the three-game series in Jacksonville with a double header on Saturday, April 1, the Eagles fell to the Ospreys 2-0 and 6-4, before taking the series finale on Sunday, April 2, 5-2. “Our kids rose to the challenge and played really well in all aspects,” FGCU head coach David Deiros said in an FGCU athletics press release. “We were able to salvage the final game of the series, which was the goal. We’ll use this as a springboard for next week.” With a combined 10 hits
and two unearned runs between the teams, errors proved costly for the Eagles as they fell 2-0 in game one. Following back-to-back base hits in the bottom of the first, Macayla Kelley lined one to Bri Innamorato, but Innamorato threw the ball away, allowing Taylor Aguayo to score and give UNF a 1-0 lead. Trailing 1-0, singles from Ashley Swiderski, Brittany McGuire and Morgan Sutherland loaded the bases for the Eagles, but a double play ended the inning leaving the score at 1-0. After allowing backto-back base hits, Riley Randolph retired nine of the next ten batters she faced. In the bottom of the fourth, Randolph escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam, getting a batter to pop out and striking out the final batter to keep the Eagles deficit at one.
Errors proved costly again for the Eagles in the fifth, after a dropped foul ball lead to a walk. With a runner on first, Randolph walked another batter before the runners were moved to second and third, following a groundout to Randolph. With runners in scoring position, Kelley laid down a safety squeeze, scoring Alex Arciola from third to give the Ospreys a 2-0 lead. After failing to capitalize with the bases loaded and one out early on in the game, the Eagles only hit the ball one more time throughout the entire contest, handing Randolph her fourth loss of the season. Following their gameone loss were the Eagles only recorded four hits 0, the Eagles lost game two of the series 6-4 with their four-run seventh inning comeback falling short.
While neither team was able to grab a lead in the first two innings, the Ospreys exploded for a fourrun third to take a 4-0 lead. After UNF added another run in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead, the Eagles came close to bringing one run back, but a throw to the plate by UNF kept the Eagles off the board. Trailing 6-0 in the seventh inning, the Eagles were able to capitalize on having the bases loaded as Swiderski hit a basesclearing double to rightcenter. McGuire brought Swiderski home with a single to center but the Ospreys closed out the game to take the series win. In the series finale on Sunday, April 2, the Eagles avoided the series with a 5-2 victory over UNF propelled by two RBIs from Innamorato and Kelsey Huff
>> McGhee continued from B1 influential program. “I felt through her experience and what she told me about the program, it would be a really good opportunity for me as well,” McGhee said. All the coaches at FGCU have had an impact on McGhee, especially head coach Karl Smesko, who has impacted her as both a player and a person throughout her career as an Eagle.
Mario Leon Position: Pitcher Redshirt Junior 6 feet Hometown: Naples, Florida Mario Leon was named the ASUN Baseball Pitcher of the Week after throwing 7.0 shutout innings and leading then No. 9 FGCU to its first home win against Miami in program history. The redshirt junior also had an impressive game against then No. 21 USF. Leon pitched for one earned run and a career-high eight strikeouts with three scoreless innings. Returning last season as a redshirt junior after an injury during the 2015 season, Leon ranked 3rd on the team with a 4-4 record and posted a 5.12 ERA. The right hander also ranked 2nd on the team and 8th in the ASUN after throwing a career-high 77.1 IP.
EN Illustration / Audrey Mobley
respectively. With Randolph in the circle for the second time during the series, the lefthander struck out two batters and allowed just one run for her 12th win of the season. The Eagles jumped out to an early lead in the first, as Swiderski grounded out to second to score Natalie Lopez from third to give FGCU a 1-0 lead. With one out in the top of the second, Sutherland got a single and was quickly joined on base by Bree Tourtillott after drawing a walk. With runners on first and second, Huff hit one into the gap in right-center to score both runners and land a spot on third base to give FGCU a 3-0 lead. After UNF brought one back in the second, the Ospreys once again capitalized on errors by the
Eagles’ defense to score their second run of the game. Following a bit of a scoring drought after having their lead cut to one, Innamorato squeezed one through third and short to score Raquel Fournet and Lopez to give the Eagles a 5-2 lead in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, Randolph stranded two UNF runners on base with a strikeout and two ground outs to secure the victory for FGCU. The Eagles will now head back to Fort Myers to host the defending ASUN champions USC Upstate for a three-series. The series at the FGCU Softball Complex will kick off on Saturday, April 8 with a doubleheader before the series final on Sunday, April 9.
“Coach Smesko is, I think, one of the best coaches in the country when it comes to teaching the game, but also taking what we’ve learned on the court and leading it back to our lives and how to be successful.” Smesko has impacted McGhee so much that she hopes one day she can do the same. “Coach Smesko has made me more interested in wanting to become a coach, just because I see how good of a coach he is,”
said McGhee. “He is a good person, an amazing coach and someone I will look to for the rest of my life.” A coach can truly change someone’s life and for McGhee, every coach she has played for or even talked to has made her want to become as influential as a person. “This is a profession you can really get in and change people’s lives and that’s what I want to do,” McGhee said.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B3
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Beach volleyball goes 4-0 on the road against JU and UNF
Photo by of Linwood Ferguson
The former duo of Ashley Glickert (21) and Amanda Caroll (14) both contributed to the Eagles 4-0 weekend record with victories over the Dolphins with their new partners.
By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois After a 4-1 loss against FAU, the FGCU beach volleyball team went on the road to Jacksonville to take on Jacksonville and UNF in an ASUN pair of doubleheaders. The Eagles came out on top both days, taking all four matches against the Dolphins and Ospreys. FGCU earned their first victory over the Osprey by a score of 3-2 with wins from pairs 2, 3 and 5. The No. 5 pair Caroline Jordan and Halie Werkmeister took down UNF’s duo in two sets with scores of 21-19 and 21-11.
Unfortunately, the No. 4 first-time duo of Madi Wilcox and Kaitlan Krivdo fell in three sets to the Ospreys. No. 1 pair Mackenzie Allen and Amanda Carroll suffered a two set loss with scores of 13-21 and 19-21, while Giovanna Borgiotti and Ashley Glickert recovered with a three set win at No. 2. The No. 3 duo of Katie Puisis and Karissa Rhoades sealed the win for the Eagles, earning a three-set win over UNF. To close off day one, the Eagles took down JU 4-1 with victories from pairs 1, 3, 4 and 5. Jordan and Werkmeister earned a three
set win by scores of 21-14, 19-21 and 15-5, followed by Wilcox and Krivdo with their first win as a pair. The No. 1 pair of Allen and Carroll fought back from the tough loss on the morning, defeating the Dolphins 21-12 and 21-13 to clinch the Eagles’ victory. Puisis and Rhoades came out with a win over Jacksonville’s No. 3 pair after two tight sets, 21-18 and 21-19. The No. 2 duo of Borgiotti and Glickert was the only loss against JU, fighting hard in the third set, but ultimately falling to the Dolphins 16-14 in the third. The Eagles continued their success into Saturday,
April 1, with two more wins over Jacksonville and North Florida. In their first match, FGCU took down the Dolphins 4-1 with victories from pairs 1, 2, 3 and 5. No. 5 pair Jordan and Werkmeister started off with a quick two-set victory over JU. However, the only loss against the Dolphins came from No. 4 Wilcox and Krivdo, who fell in three sets, 11-21, 21-13 and 11-15. The No. 1 pair of Allen and Carroll also had an easy victory with set wins of 21-14 and 21-8. At No. 3, Puisis and Rhoades sealed the victory for FGCU with back-to-back set wins over JU.
No. 2 team of Borgiotti and Glickert redeemed themselves with a win in three sets to wrap up the morning. The Eagles then closed off the weekend with a 4-1 victory over UNF with three-set wins from pairs 1, 3, 4 and 5. Wilcox and Krivdo earned their second victory as a team with set scores of 21-18, 18-21 and 15-13. Then, Jordan and Werkmeister followed with a three-set win at the No. 5 spot. The No. 2 duo of Borgiotti and Glickert dropped back-to-back 21-15 sets for the only loss against the Ospreys. Allen and Carroll sealed
the win for the Eagles after winning in sets of 21-23, 2115 and 15-11. The weekend closed off with a three-set victory from the No. 3 duo of Puisis and Rhoades, who remained undefeated all weekend. Next, the Eagles will travel to Deland for another pair of doubleheaders against Mercer and Coastal Carolina beginning Friday, April 7 at 12 p.m. against the Chanticleers.
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B4 SPORTS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5
Tempers flare as No. 9 FGCU baseball drops its first ASUN series
EN Photo / Brad Young
Going up against a projected fifth round pick in the MLB draft, Kutter Crawford took a no-hitter into the sixth inning propelling the Eagles to a 4-0 victory against Jacksonville on Saturday, April 1.
By Matt Rothman Staff Writer @MattRothman3 Opening up its first ASUN conference series of the season, the No. 9 FGCU baseball team took game one against Jacksonville before dropping the final two games of the series. “What we have to learn with our success is that we have a big target on our back,” said head coach Dave Tollett. “Teams are going to play above what they are, and they’re going to play their best games when they play FGCU. We’re ninth in the country.” In the first game, two of the top pitchers in the conference faced off in
Kutter Crawford and Michael Baumann. Crawford got the upper hand Friday, March 31 as the junior took a no-hitter into the sixth inning in the Eagles’ 4-0 win. Matt Reardon’s two-run single in the fourth gave the Eagles a little insurance as it was enough for Kenton Herring to come in and get the final 10 outs out of the bullpen. On Saturday, April 1, the Eagles weren’t able to hold on to a 5-3 lead in the eighth and fell 10-5 to snap their 10game winning streak. On two separate occasions, the Eagles were able to retake the lead, including scoring three runs in the bottom of the
sixth on back to back RBI triples. Earlier in the game, the two teams received a warning by the umpire after Jacksonville’s pitcher Chris Gau threw at Julio Gonzalez after he stepped out of the batter’s box. The two had words along with both dugouts and eventually Gau got out of the inning on a strike out and had a few more words to say to the Eagles. Both teams were able to keep their emotions in check, but on Sunday, April 2, the series finale, things escalated after a collision at the plate. Jacksonville’s third basemen Sam Armstrong tried to barrel over Spencer
Levine on a play at the plate which led to both benches emptying. Punches were thrown and it resulted in FGCU losing Nick Rivera, Reardon and Alex Brait for the rest of the game. Armstrong along with three other Dolphins were ejected as well. “Well, I think it started yesterday when we called time and they threw at us,” Tollett said. “Then they tried to run over our catcher. That’s just not how we play.” The Eagles tacked on another run after Casey Kulina exited in the seventh, with an RBI single by Gage Morey to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
After a leadoff single in the eighth, Tollett went to Herring in relief. After Reardon’s second error of the game, the Dolphins were able to tie the game up later in the inning on a two-run single by Armstrong. The game would remain tied after nine and the two teams headed into extra innings after Corey Fehribach was called out on strikes with the bases loaded. In the tenth, Jacksonville got three two-out singles to load the bases, but after lightning was detected in the area, the game was delayed for 45 minutes. Following the 45-minute
lightning delay, the Dolphins were able to score three in the 11th on a threerun home run by Angel Camacho to take the rubber game 5-2. “Obviously (it’s upsetting) anytime you get kicked in the teeth or anything like that,” said pitcher Garrett Anderson. “You don’t want to drop a series, but it is definitely going to motivate us.” The Eagles will now head to Tallahassee to take on No. 22 FSU in a twogame series beginning on Wednesday, April 5 at 6 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B5
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This week in athletics Women’s tennis vs. Kennesaw State
By Jessy Sammarco Staff Writer @Jessy_Sammarco With a four-match win streak this past week against George Washington University, Stetson, USC Upstate and NJIT, the FGCU women’s tennis team will welcome Kennesaw State Thursday, April 6. Play is set to begin at 6 p.m. at the FGCU Tennis
Complex. Last season, this match up took place in Kennesaw where the Eagles left with a 7-0 victory against the Owls. Next, the Eagles will continue their home stand, hosting Lipscomb Saturday, April 8 with play beginning at 5 p.m.
Men’s tennis vs. Kennesaw State By Emily Kois Assistant Sports Editor @emilykois Returning home, the FGCU men’s tennis team is set to host Kennesaw State Thursday, April 6 with play beginning at 6 p.m. at the FGCU Tennis Complex. The Owls are coming into this match up with an overall record of 10-6 and a conference play record
Beach volleyball vs. Coastal Carolina and Mercer
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 Fresh off of two victories against Jacksonville and UNF respectively, the FGCU beach volleyball team will head to Deland to face Coastal Carolina and Mercer. With doubleheaders on Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8, the Eagles will take on Coastal Carolina at 12 p.m. and Mercer at 2 p.m. on Friday. Then the Eagles will take on Costal Carolina at 10 a.m. and Mercer at 2 p.m.
on Saturday. Mercer comes into its two contest against the Eagles on a two-game losing streak, falling to UNCW and South Carolina over the weekend. Coastal Carolina comes into its two contest against the Eagles with a record of 1-7 following weekend defeats to South Carolina and College of Charleston. Following their matches against Coastal Carolina and Mercer, the Eagles will return to Fort Myers to face Stetson on Wednesday, April 12.
Baseball at Stetson series
By Matt Rothman Staff Writer @MattRothman3 The FGCU baseball team will head to Deland, Florida, for their second road weekend series for the season against the Stetson Hatters beginning Friday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m. The Eagles hold an alltime record of 19-11 verse Stetson and took two of three at home a season ago. The Hatters come into this matchup with an overall record of 12-17, but a perfect conference play-
record of 2-0 with wins over NJIT. Julio Gonzalez is the leading hitter for FGCU and the pitching staff of the Eagles is pitching an ERA in the low three.
of 2-1. Kennesaw has suffered on away games, coming to FGCU with an away record of 1-5. These two conference teams met last season with the Eagles coming out on top with a close 4-3 win over the Owls. Next, FGCU will host Lipscomb Saturday, April 8 with play beginning at 6 p.m.
Women’s tennis vs. Lipscomb
By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 With ASUN play winding down, the FGCU women’s tennis team takes on Lipscomb on Saturday, April 8 at 5 p.m. at the FGCU Tennis Complex. Riding a four-game win streak defeating George Washington, Stetson, USC Upstate and NJIT along the way, the Eagles will take on Kennesaw State on Thursday, April 6 at the FGCU Tennis Complex. The last time these two teams meet was in
Nashville, Tennessee, last season, where the Eagles defeated Lipscomb 5-2 behind strong play in singles action. The Bisons come into their matchup against the Eagles with a 5-15 record on the year and a 1-3 record in ASUN play. Its last time out, Lipscomb fell to UNF 6-1 on Saturday, April 1. Next, FGCU will take on UNF on Saturday, April 15 in its final contest and ASUN game of the regularseason.
Softball vs. USC Upstate series By Matt Rothman Staff Writer @MattRothman3 The FGCU softball team will travel back home to host USC Upstate in a three-game series beginning Saturday, April 8 at 4 p.m. Play will wrap up on Sunday, April 9 at 2 p.m. at the FGCU Softball Complex. FGCU has beaten the Spartans 10 times in the 25 games its played. FGCU has fallen to the Spartans twice in the ASUN Softball Championships.
FGCU has four different hitters batting over .300 on the season including Chelsea Huff, who is nearing .400 on the season. Next, the Eagles will host FAU in a two-game series beginning Wednesday, April 12 at 5 p.m.
Men’s tennis vs. Lipscomb By Miguel Rodriguez Sports Editor @Miguel_Rod0914 With ASUN play almost in its rearview mirror, the FGCU men’s tennis team takes on Lipscomb on Saturday, April 8 at 6 p.m. at the FGCU Tennis Complex. Before taking on the Bisons in their final ASUN match of the regular-season, the Eagles will face Kennesaw State on Thursday, April 6 at 6 p.m. The last time these two teams meet was in
Nashville last season, where the Eagles defeated Lipscomb 4-3 behind a strong performance in doubles action. The Bisons come into their matchup against the Eagles with a 5-10 record on the year and a 1-3 record in ASUN play. Before facing FAU on Friday, April 7, Lipscomb fell to UNF 5-2 on Saturday, April 1. Following their contest against the Bisons, the Eagles will close out the regular-season on Saturday, April 15 when they take on Memphis at the FGCU Tennis Complex.
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Yes, really, we’re just this stressed Students at FGCU have one thing in common: they are all stressed out By Sydney Van Dreason Assistant Opinion Editor @sydney_0815 It’s that time of year again, the time when we spend all of our free time in the library surrounded by three empty cups of Starbucks, multiple open books and roughly 20 tabs open on our laptops. Finals week is quickly approaching. Some people may think that the above statement is an exaggeration, that college students can’t possibly be that stressed out. Nope, we’re just this stressed. College, however, is a time for stress and hard work as students prepare themselves for the adult world of career life, bills and taxes. Every college student is stressed in his or her own way whether they want it to be or not. And a lot of what students hear in college is that they have to learn to juggle all of their responsibilities while also taking on new tasks and exploring different opportunities to become invaluable, wellrounded members of society.
But there’s just not enough time in the day to eat three meals, get a solid eight hours of sleep, exercise, complete all assigned homework and still be able to actively participate in clubs, sports and social lives. Take a recent week in my college life, for example. I’ve had a total of four meetings, three essays due and three big projects and research papers that have a couple weeks left until their final due dates. I also attended a conference and found time to hang out with friends, all while running on a solid four or five hours of sleep a night. I’ve resorted to making three to-do lists with multicolored pens while bingeeating Publix chocolate chip cookies. According to a study done by Chaplan State University’s Behavior Intervention Team, more than 40 percent of college students in campuses across the country have felt more stress than the average amount for college students in the past 12 months. More than 80 percent of college students reported they felt overwhelmed by all of the
EN Photo / Bruno Halpern
With finals quickly approaching, students are feeling more stress than normal. During this time, you can find more students studying around campus like freshman business management major, Sonia Messaoudi.
things they had to do. Stress, by definition, is “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very
demanding circumstances.” Too much negative stress can lead to various health problems or increased anxiety.
Students are responsible for part of their stress thanks to this little thing called procrastination. We do sometimes push our
work to the last minute, and our social lives do sometimes win over homework. We also sometimes bite off more than we can chew and start joining clubs and sports without realizing how much effort we need to put into each one. Stress levels can be saved though with a few small tips and tricks. Keeping a planner is often handy with managing busy lives and multiple responsibilities, and prioritizing homework and social lives works wonders. Not everything has to be joined or done at once either; space things out a bit and some of the pressure should dissolve. The most important advice for college students is to take deep breaths and to remember that coffee doesn’t solve all problems. Some students exaggerate the extremities of their to-do-lists, but the fact remains that college students are more stressed than they should be. But I guess not all of us pull all-nighters in the library with three Starbucks cups. Sometimes we have four.
Why we need identity politics Identity politics are — whether we like it or not — a part of today’s politics By Ryan Denson Staff Writer @RD3001 After a bruising defeat to a woman in the Democratic Primary, Sen. Bernie Sanders launched into a diatribe against identity politics — that is, “a tendency for people of a particular religion, race, social background, etc., to form exclusive political alliances, moving away from traditional broad-based party politics.” Sanders, in his usual blunt and misguided terms, said, “It’s not enough for someone to say, ‘I’m a woman! Vote for me!’ No that’s not good enough.” He was obviously still bitter that he lost to Sec. Hillary Clinton. But it should be noted that at no time during the campaign did Clinton ever say, “I’m a woman, vote for me!” She noted the historic aspect of her potentially becoming the first female president, as she should, but never did she exclusively align her gender has a sole reason to vote for her. Throughout American politics, you would be hard pressed to ever find a situation in which a minority or a historically oppressed individual say, “I’m [a woman, gay, black, Muslim, trans,] vote for me!” It doesn’t happen. Minority candidates
are all too aware that their differences are already a hurdle to overcome in a political discourse dominated by whites, males and straight people. But that doesn’t mean they can’t take pride in their differences. On the contrary, they should exult their pride in overcoming historical boundaries of the status quo and excite their potential constituents that new horizons are taking shape. There’s no shame in pride, especially when the historically oppressed beat the odds and climb their way to the top. Representation matters, and it’s important. It can mean the world of a difference to a young child looking for a role model, a hero or an assurance that they too can make it in this world. It’s no secret that the people who wish to extinguish identity politics from our national discourse are usually white, straight and male, or a combination of the three. Sanders fits all three. Take a step back to 2008. Barack Obama became the first black President of the United States. That’s important, and it mattered to a lot of people, black and white. It was a source of pride for black America and rightfully so. He won
reelection with a historic coalition that includes African Americans, Muslims, LGBT, Hispanics and Latinos, young people, Jews, Atheists, etc. A rainbow coalition of all stripes. It was an identity — because Obama overcame the odds and represented something everyone in that coalition now believed: you can be a proud [African American, queer person, Muslim, etc], embrace it and win it all. White liberals have essentially given black Americans their “victory lap” after Obama’s historic win in 2008 but are now asking them to sit down and shut up. Conform to economic populism, or go away. They were prepared to do that to women with regards to Clinton. Identity politics, in Sanders’ view, is not good enough. They are an inch away from becoming the same people who ignorantly claim black people only voted for Obama because he’s black. Liberals, do not sink to that level. You’re getting dangerously close. Again, one cannot deny that the people pushing against black, queer and religious pride are white, male and straight. After having 44 representatives in the White House, you’d think they could accept the
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Even in small doses, President Barack Obama and Sec. Hillary Clinton both made use of identity politics.
fact that black people and women would take pride in electing their perspective first presidents. We expect this kind of pushback from conservatives like Steve King and Joe Walsh, but to have white liberals effectively diminish and silence the pride and identity of one of the largest coalitions in the bigtent Democratic Party is shameful and backwards. The leading voices of the resistance against President Donald Trump and his band of crony ideologues are women of
color like Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and Senators Kamala Harris and Catherine CortezMasto. Waters is a self described “strong, black woman.” Should we tell her to be quiet? If white liberals like Sanders are so scared that identity politics will eclipse their message of economic utopia, perhaps they should change their dialogue instead of trying to suppress minority dialogue. How can white liberals claim they support Black Lives Matter but then turn
around and say we should ditch identity politics? The hypocrisy and platitudes are astounding. While President Trump rolls back protections for African Americans, women, Muslims, immigrants and LGBT citizens, we cannot afford to relegate them to the back and silence their identity. We already have a hostile Republican majority doing that, there is no reason why liberals should follow suit. White liberals: get it together.
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5 EAGLE NEWS OPINION B7
The ‘Fearless Girl’ statue is misleading
By Andrew Hsiao Staff Writer @fgcueaglenews While the “Fearless Girl” statue can be a good symbol for women, it is being used to promote an extremely illogical argument. On March 7, the statue was installed to celebrate International Women’s Day. It quickly became a popular tourist spot. Last week, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the monument will stay on land belonging to the Department of Transportation. According to the New York Times, the artist of the statue, Kristen Visbal, said, “She was created to bring attention to the courage and unrealized power of women in so many fields, and she has clearly struck a nerve.” Additionally, ISS Analytics has noted that women only account for 16
percent of U.S. corporate boards. The statue clearly is a symbol for women to feel emboldened in taking more positions in corporate America, which is a good message for women. However, the message for the statue becomes pointless when considering the main people using the statue and its purpose. Since the statue has been placed, many prominent Democrats have come out to support it and have used it as a rallying cry for modern day feminists, which is a strong base for political support. Many modern day feminists believe that a gender gap exists in many industries like corporate businesses. They think that women occupying only 16 percent of corporate positions is abhorrent. They demand that society must change in order to make workforce more equal
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The “Fearless Girl” statue was placed in front of the iconic “Charging Bull” statue as a symbol for women and their struggle for equal pay all across the U.S.
between genders. Unfortunately, they never elaborate the exact distribution between the two genders. They simply demand that companies hire more women, but they don’t ever declare what they consider to be the acceptable percentage. They also ignore professions that have already have a majority female workforce. However, under their are own logic, isn’t sexist for them to be silent on the sexism against men in certain professions? Instead, they always rail
against the unequal amount of women compared to men in many sectors like corporate positions, political offices and various media positions. Interesting to note, they rarely call for more women to be coal miners, plumbers or oil rig workers, which are good-paying, maledominated jobs that are also very dirty and/or dangerous occupations. They only care about women getting jobs that can get more attention, which technically most women can’t achieve simply because there is a
very small amount of those actual jobs. It is even more illogical considering that they never consider the actual skill and abilities of the people they either want to get hired or replaced. They only demand that more women be hired in a particular profession. While there are many talented women in the corporate field alone, there are also many talented men, and the same can be said about many other jobs. It is foolish for a business to hire more women simply for the sake of achieving an ideological goal. If a business wants good employees, they hire qualified applicants. If there are equally skilled applicants, gender should not be a deciding factor, but in that scenario, a wrong and right choice does not necessarily exist because those seeking the job are more or less equal on their abilities.
Many modern day feminists place little value on skill. They demand that businesses hire women over men who are more skilled just because of gender. Ironically, those demands hurt businesses that hire the most skilled individuals, which allows for them to grow and hire even more employees, including women. Even the position of the statue, in front of the iconic “Charging Bull,” is misleading. It appears that the girl is standing up to a corporate symbol of sexism. In reality, the bull is a symbol of a strong economic market. Honestly, it will be great if more women are hired onto corporate boards as long as they’re qualified, but we should never advocate that women be hired simply for the sake of politics or illogical ideological positions.
Ivanka Trump is not a feminist
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Ivanka Trump accepted the position of Senator Advisor to the President on Thursday, March 30.
By Ryan Denson Staff Writer @RD3001
Compared to her father, Ivanka Trump is a semidecent human being. She’s young, beautiful, well-spoken, stylish and carries herself with grace. She’s successful. She’s a wife and mother. And yes, as much as some may hate to admit it, she’s influential. She has the ear of her father, the President of the United States, more so, perhaps, than anyone else. She has helped shape her father’s political image, his demeanor and even his policies. She’s
his go-to advisor on just about everything. She is essentially a de-facto First Lady, yielding an unprecedented amount of power with her dad. And with that, she’s also a two-faced, complicit hypocrite who only cares about herself, her brand and her image. She is not, in any sense of the word, a feminist. She does not empower women; she allows them to be demeaned. She is completely blind to the plight of women in the United States and around the world. Blinded by her superfluous privilege, Trump represents the worst kind of woman: a faux ally. Let’s get one thing straight: Trump is not a “working mother.” Working mothers often work paycheck to paycheck, and they sacrifice like none other — do they pay for healthcare, or do they pay for field trips? Trump has never had to sacrifice much, except maybe her privacy. Most working mothers
are middle to lower class, who didn’t attend college. Trump was born with a golden spoon in her mouth, and yes, was handed quite a bit from her father: a paid college education, access to the family business and a working title, a name brand as famous as the Kennedys’, a portfolio of resources and an enormous inheritance she will eventually receive. He’s now given her a plush West Wing office with a cop-out title of “Senior Advisor to the President” despite having no experience in national security. Like Chelsea Clinton, she is a product of immense privilege and name brand that makes it virtually impossible for her to ever truly sympathize with women who have had to claw their way just to the middle - not even the top. Now let’s back it up and take a broader look into the life of Trump, de-facto First Lady of the United States. One of her “duties” is being a presence in the lives of working women in America and abroad. That’s why Trump is
slated to represent the United States by attending a women’s economic summit in Europe later this summer. While there, perhaps she can talk about the abuses and impoverished conditions of the hundreds of women who work for slave wages in sweatshops making her tacky shoes and handbags, as reported by Us Magazine. Oftentimes women are beaten, assaulted, threatened and intimidated by greedy profiteers. And because they are across the sea, Americans – including Trump – tend to overlook that. While the Trump administration sought to completely defund Planned Parenthood, a lifeline for many lower income women and women of color, according to deathandtaxesmag.com, Trump went skiing at her plush Aspen getaway. And while the Trump administration immigration officers sought to pit mothers and their children against each other in the deportation process, Trump
was nowhere to be found. While trans women of color were being murdered and young black girls went missing in the D.C. suburbs, Trump was silent. While her father’s health care bill was set to cut maternity and newborn care from insurance plans, Trump — not once — stood up to defend mothers and their newborn babies. When Trump ad m i n i s t rat i o n’s preliminary budget sought to gut the grants and programs offered in the Violence Against Women Act, Ivanka was — surprise — mum. Perhaps Trump can convince her father, and her husband, Jared Kushner, to end their business dealings in Saudi Arabia and China, where women are routinely beaten, raped, tortured and killed, all while being subjugated as second class citizens when not physically under attack. If Hillary Clinton was held to this standard with her foundation, Trump needs to be held to the same one with her personal fortune.
Simply put: Trump is complicit with the sexism and lethal misogyny that oozes out of her father’s administration. All these diplomatic exchanges, ceremonies and cabinet meetings she attends are for one reason and one reason only: she’s being groomed. For what exactly we do not know. To be CEO of the Trump Organization? A Congressional run? A presidential run? Who knows. But what we do know is that she is the worst example of feminism and female empowerment we’ve got. We cannot allow her faux sense of female unity fool us — she’s just like her father deep down: selfish, succumbing to the politically orthodoxy of the GOP and a rank hypocrite. What makes her even more dangerous is the sweet, motherly persona she puts on to mask the fact that she doesn’t care about poor women, struggling mothers and abused women across the sea.
Trump’s low approval rating is a misleading statistic By Andrew Hsiao Staff Writer @fgcueaglenews Donald Trump’s approval rating hit a low of 35 percent following the House Republicans’ failure to pass the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. This number though is absolutely pointless in the context many are using. Those who don’t support Trump use the number as evidence at how bad he is for the country and that the nation has failed to unify under him. While they are right that he has not completely unified the country, they are being completely disingenuous by using that statistic. Trump has only been in office for about two and a half months. It is improper to gauge the success or failure of an administration
within that period of time. There is nothing wrong to say that he is not popular by the majority of people, which is an accurate statement based off of the low numbers. In an overall analysis of a presidents success, early approval numbers does not necessarily reflect a president’s effectiveness. Barack Obama had at one point a 38 percent approval but is considered by many as a good if not great president. The same could also be said of Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter had over 50 percent support at the beginning of 1980 despite losing in a landslide that year. Additionally, presidents typically have one dominant political policy/agenda during their first term in office. Obama had the
Affordable Care Act. Bush had the War on Terror. Clinton focused on economic policy with the North American Free Trade Act and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. George H. W. Bush dealt with the Persian Gulf War. Reagan used “Reaganomics” to grow the economy. Unlike those presidents, Trump has not enacted a policy that would dominate most of his political capital. It’s obvious he wants to focus on domestic issues first. However, no bill has been introduced on significant tax cuts, a wall on the Mexican border or anything that will significantly rebuild infrastructure. The one significant bill proposed was the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, but it failed.
He has signed numerous executive orders cutting or reducing numerous regulations implemented by the federal government and two halting immigration from countries in the Middle East and Africa that pose a security issue. However, none of those represent a massive agenda position of the administration. Lastly, his presidency has dealt with more hostility than any previous presidents. He has dealt with constant obstruction by Senate Democrats to confirm his nominees for his cabinet. While they can be opposed to them, they intentionally delayed the process to damage the Trump administration. In 2000, a few House Democrats objected to the election of George W. Bush, but their efforts had no
effects. When Obama was elected in 2008, there were people calling for Republicans to unify to “come together” and support him for unity. A video produced by Ashton Kutcher that also featured many other prominent celebrities called for people to pledge their support to Obama. Kutcher and his then-wife Demi Moore even said they were servants to the president. Obama had over 60 percent approval on inauguration day, and people were still demanding more support for him Yes, the video has a few moments where people had overly enthusiastic support for Obama, but the individuals also called for people to help unify under the president to change the country. Flash-forward to 2017,
celebrities are demanding opposition. The people pledging their devotion to the presidency now oppose the current officeholder. Trump entered with an approval rating below 46 percent. Trump has dealt with more disunity from the public despite all his pleas that the country unifies. Simply put, people refuse to even consider the notion to give Trump a chance or hope that he succeeds. Many simply view him as a failure already. At this point of his presidency, the number is meaningless. The only true tests of his success will be congressional elections in 2017 and 2018 as well as his reelection attempt. Those trying to use it as a political tool (CNN, MSNBC, The Young Turks, Samantha Bee) are simply trying to deceive their audiences.
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‘Taylor’s Story’
Is your food fair?
New RSO hosts lecture on Video by Christy’s Cause to prevent human-trafficking farmworkers’ rights By Rachel Iacovone Managing Editor @racheliacovone
Photo Courtesy of Tara Koenke
“Taylor” is on set for the making of the video for Christy’s Cause.
By Jordan Scoggins Contributing Writer @fgcueaglenews Local organization, Christy’s Cause, released a 15-minute video titled “Taylor’s Story” on Tuesday, March 14. “Taylor’s Story” tells the true story of a survivor of human trafficking. Taylor, whose name was changed to ensure her safety, tells the camera candidly how she was approached by her trafficker, was trapped in human trafficking and was eventually rescued out of that trafficking in this
testimonial video. The video aims to show that human trafficking is real, and it’s happening in the local community. Taylor was trapped in human trafficking in Florida and, like many, had assumed she was immune to the issue. The U.S. Department of the State estimates that less than one percent of sex trafficking victims are never identified. “If we take the known cases from 2016 in our community based on the DOS stat, that would suggest that there are a few thousand victims out there
that need our help,” said Christy Ivie, the founder and president of Christy’s Cause. “That’s the thought that, daily, haunts and motivates me.” Ivie said Taylor wants to give agencies and organizations that fight human trafficking a free resource to complement their training efforts. “Taylor hopes by sharing her story she will give victims the courage to come forward and get the help they need and that the community will better understand this horrific crime,” Ivie said. Ivie described Taylor as
“not (being) a stereotypical sex trafficking victim.” “Sex trafficking doesn’t just happen overseas or in poverty stricken neighborhoods,” Ivie said. “It’s happening to vulnerable young adults — guys and girls — everywhere.” By watching “Taylor’s Story,” Ivie said the community will be more knowledgeable about warning signs to look for and encourages anyone who notices something to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888373-7888.
The recently established FGCU Student Farmworker Alliance is hosting a speaker event highlighting the efforts of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which asks students to question: is their food fair? The term “fair food” was first popularized by the CIW, a worker-based human rights organization. The group, which has been active for more than 20 years, began the nationwide Fair Food Program in 2011 to encourage large produce buyers to pay a premium that tomato growers pass onto their workers. In its first four years, the FFP received nearly $20 million in fair food premiums, distributed “Know Your Rights” materials to 135,000 workers and educated 33,000 workers face-toface. Some participating members of the FFP include Yum Brands, the
parent company of Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut; McDonald’s; Burger King; Whole Foods Market; Subway; Trader Joe’s; Chipotle Mexican Grill; Walmart and Fresh Market. Last week, CIW completed its two-weeklong Return to Human Rights Tour, which consisted of marches spanning from Ohio down to its last stop in Tampa. FGCU senior Marile Franco decided to do this speaker event for her interdisciplinary studies senior seminar, taught by Courtney Satkoski, and recruited the incoming SFA chapter. “It’s a local issue there needs to be no ignorance about,” Franco said. “These people are harvesting our food and deserve to work with respect and dignity. We need to stand in solidarity to alleviate their poverty and plight.” The lecture will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 6 in Cohen Center 247. Free fair food will be provided.
EN Photo / Rachel Iacovone Tampa police monitor Return to Human Rights Tour marchers.
EN Illustration / Audrey Mobley
Agency of the Week At Avow Hospice, the opportunities for service-learning are far ranging. Help out with clinical needs, work in the office with administration, plan and execute special events, or assist with retail and merchandising. If you would like to help, please contact Brittni Brown-Cooper at 239-430-3186 or brittni.brown-cooper@avowcares.org.