October 26, 2022

The Emory Wheel

Emory receives criticism for new credit cap

By spencer FriedLand Contributing Writer

The maximum number of credit hours students can take in one semes ter has dropped from 22 to 19 for stu dents in Emory College, Oxford College and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, and 20 for students in Goizueta Business School. Emory University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Ravi Bellamkonda announced the decision in an email to students on Oct. 13.

Emory implemented this new pol icy, which already went into place for spring 2023 course registration, to support the University’s commitment to holistic learning and “reduce aca demic burnout,” Bellamkonda wrote in an email to the Wheel.

“The recent changes to course load policies encourage students to fully engage inside and outside the class room, supporting both professional development and personal well-being,” Bellamkonda wrote. “While this is only one of many avenues we are taking to improve the student experience, we believe prioritizing holistic learning, student engagement and overall well being will make Emory a more robust and healthier institution.”

Bellamkonda stated in the Oct. 13 email that the new policy’s benefits are twofold. First, reducing the credit cap will allow incoming students to par ticipate in a general education require ment outside the classroom. The new policy will also enable current students to become involved in more out-ofclass experiences.

Credits for classes such as music practice, physical education and internships will not count toward the new credit limits, Bellamkonda noted.

New coalition advocates for student voting rights

By eva roytBurg News Editor

Emory University’s first non-parti san, student-run voting coalition, Emory Students Vote (ESV), is collaborating to foster “better voting” for students ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

The coalition was founded in late September but was announced to the public on Oct. 20 with an Instagram post. It is made up of nine organiza tions: Fair Fight U, Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Activists (APIDAA), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Emory Climate Coalition, Young Democrats of Emory, the Filipino Student Association, Planned Parenthood: Generation Action, the Omicron Xi chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Mu Alpha chap ter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Delta Sigma Theta and Alpha Phi Alpha are both historically Black.

The idea for the coalition first came about when students working for Emory Fair Fight U — a branch of Georgia Gubernatorial Candidate Stacey Abrams’ voting rights advocacy orga nization Fair Fight Action — contacted the other organizations about forming a coalition, APIDAA co-President Vivian Liu (24C) said. Fair Fight President Carly Colen (23C) and Acting Vice President Gabriella Lewis (23C) were concerned about not reaching the entirety of the Emory voting population.

“That’s why collective impact, or having multiple organizations come together, is really essential to addressing issues,” Liu said.

Colen added that she also wanted to give organizations that don’t have a strict focus on political or civic engagement a chance to get involved.

“Even if you’re an a capella group, you can still care about engagement, and this is sort of a way to bring multiple organiza tions across Emory’s campus to gather

and unite around this issue of voting and voting rights,” Colen said.

All Emory student-run organizations are eligible for membership in ESV, as long as they respect all members of the community, send a representative to ESV meetings and participate in a civic engage ment project at least once during the school year, according to ESV’s FAQ.

Advocacy for an Election Day ‘on’

The coalition’s central focus is reduc ing the barriers students may face while voting, APIDAA co-President Anhhuy Do (24C) said. He noted that Election Day — always the second Tuesday of November, and a school day — is the primary obstacle to achieving high levels of student turnout.

“Hopefully, through the creation of the Emory Students Vote coalition, we can be able to push for an Election Day of Action, in which we encourage faculty to be more flexible regarding attendance policies, as well as assigning work on those days to ensure that students will turn out to vote,” Do said.

Colen added that Election Day would ideally be a day “on” instead of a day off.

“It’s the idea that there aren’t classes

Emory’s international applicant pool remains strong despite national decrease

on Election Day, but the expectation is you’re doing something to serve the community,” Colen said. “That could be voting, that can be engaging in commu nity service, et cetera.”

Election Day doesn’t have to be a full day off for students, Liu noted, as even a half-day off would signal that University administration values voting.

Rollins School of Public Health has given students Election Day “on” since 2020 as part of the Rollins Election Day Initiative. In the inaugural year of “Rollins Day On,” more than 100 volunteers from the Rollins community participated in activities to promote civic engagement, such as handing out personal protective equipment, snacks and water to people waiting in line to vote.

Emory Votes Initiative (EVI) sent out a form to faculty members this year, inviting them to commit to having a lenient attendance policy on Election Day, according to Colen.

“This year, we’re hoping to collect data so we can bring it to the University and say, ‘Hey, look, all these profes sors without University instruction were willing to do this, so why not partner with them?” Colen said.

Emory NAACP Vice President Phoebe

Taiwo (24C) added that because elections only happen about once every two years, allotting students the day off would still lighten the load for students who wish to vote without significantly impacting classwork.

“Some people have classes that don’t end until 7:00 or a lab that doesn’t end until 9:00,” Taiwo said. “It’s unfair to those students who might not be able to even get to Emory Point or their respective polling area.”

Future plans

The coalition has just begun, Colen said, and is currently focused on inviting other organizations to take part. ESV is aiming to have its first meeting the week of the 24th or the 31st, she added.

However, several members of the coalition have planned voting-related events. Fair Fight, EVI, APIDAA and NAACP will host a “Party to the Polls” event on Oct. 28. Students will gather to walk to the 1599 Clifton Road poll ing location and cast their early votes to celebrate National Early Voting Day, according to Colen.

“There’ll be music, there’ll be food, we’ll have information about the candidates that will be on the ballot on posters,” Liu said. “So you won’t feel uninformed and lonely.”

Colen also emphasized the community aspect of the event.

“Voting is an individual act, but we’re uniting everyone together by going to the polls together and making it a unifying, celebratory, empowering experience,” Colen said.

ESV aspires to also reach groups outside of the Emory community, Liu emphasized, saying that APIDAA has tried to reach voters in disenfranchised communities.

APIDAA has partnered with the Center for Pan Asian Community Services and Asian Americans

Confusion over OSI’s funding causes student concern

By LiLy Freeman Contributing Writer

In October 2021, Sydney Warner (23C), Clare McCarthy (23C) and Jack Miklaucic (23C) thought Emory University’s environmental action seemed “promising.”

Initiatives (OSI). As Emory’s most prominent environmental action orga nization, OSI directs sustainability oper ations for Emory’s campuses, in addition to Emory Healthcare facilities.

By Kevin tanos and sandy ge Contributing Writers

Although national trends show that the number of international students in the United States has decreased since the COVID-19 pandemic, Emory University is not being hit hard, according to Vice Dean of Admission Scott Allen.

Late last year, the Pew Research Center reported a 15% decline in inter

national student enrollment among U.S. universities for the 2020-21 academic year.

Chinese students are most affected by this national trend. They comprised the largest proportion of international students in the United States during the 2020-21 academic year at 35%. At Emory, Chinese students comprise 52% of the international undergraduate stu dent body. Nationally, the Chinese inter national student population decreased

by 55,233 students, or 14.8%, during the pandemic.

On Aug. 11, the Wall Street Journal reported that the number of F1 study visa applications — which is a necessary prerequisite for international students to enter the United States — has dropped to 31,055 in the first six months of 2022, which is when most newly admitted fall semester students are preparing to come to the United States. This is a little over

The three students, along with four other leaders of the Emory Climate Coalition (ECC), a student-led environ mental group, had just come off of a suc cessful meeting with Emory University President Gregory Fenves. During their discussion, they convinced Fenves to join Race to Zero, a pact aiming to eliminate on-campus carbon emissions, and to sign an agreement that committed Emory to combating greenhouse gas emissions.

Almost a year later, however, Warner, McCarthy and Miklaucic were back in an administrative meeting for a differ ent reason. In early August, they heard that the Ways and Means Committee, housed under the Office of Planning and Administration, slashed funding for the student intern program of the University’s Office of Sustainability

At the Sept. 21 meeting, Vice President for Campus Services Robin Morey con firmed to the ECC leaders that the recent OSI budget didn’t include funding for the intern program, according to McCarthy. Morey told the students that the Ways and Means Committee members incorrectly thought that OSI had enough funds to cover the intern program, so they didn’t allocate funding for the program in the budget, McCarthy added.

Morey told the students that “noth ing nefarious is going on,” according to McCarthy.

Nevertheless, the ECC leaders — who mobilized roughly 130 students for a protest Sept. 23 calling for an increase in OSI’s finances — said they want to see change. Warner, McCarthy and Miklaucic learned near the beginning of this semester that OSI is using external funds this fall to pay its interns due to

H ayley Powers/Contributing illustrator

Jessie satovsky/Contributing illustrator

OSI funding dilemma is ‘childish,’ student intern says

the lack of University funding, and the students said they find this unaccept able. On top of that, the ECC leaders said they felt administrators were not transparent as they tried to learn what was happening with OSI’s budget.

“It just really proves the original dis connect … of Emory promoting itself as a sustainability leader, but not really back ing that up with action,” McCarthy said. “Sustainability is just not truly a priority.”

OSI intern program ‘zeroed out’ in budget

This past spring, Jordan Hasty (20Ox, 22C) heard a “whisper” that OSI was at risk of losing its intern program, which meant he might lose his position in the sustainability organization.

There are six OSI interns this fall, including Hasty. They work from five to 20 hours per week, preparing memos for OSI staff, helping manage Emory’s weekly farmers market and generally supporting OSI’s activities. OSI also has two sustainability & social justice postgraduate fellows and one climate solu tions post-graduate fellow, all of whom began working in June.

The “whisper,” to Hasty’s and others’ distress, was not unfounded.

According to the ECC leaders, OSI Interim Director Taylor Spicer and Campus Services staff took action that spring after learning that the Ways and Means Committee had not funded the student intern program in the recent budget. OSI requested support letters from students and alumni, and then appealed to the Committee. However, the Ways and Means Committee denied the appeal, according to the ECC leaders.

Hasty said that in early August, Spicer confirmed to the interns at a meeting that it “looked like” the funding for the intern program and other pro grams would be gone.

“They reported that those things had been zeroed out in the budget,” Hasty said. “They were under the impression that those programs would not be fund ed for this upcoming fiscal year.”

OSI operates under a zero-based budget, which means that the Ways and Means Committee doesn’t take the Office’s previous funding into account when determining its budget.

“She said, ‘Potentially OSI has extra fundraise dollars that we can devote to this,’” Hasty said. “But basically, she was just warning us that we might not have jobs at the beginning of the school year.”

The Ways and Means Committee did not provide any further information to

the Wheel.

At the beginning of this semester, OSI leaders, aware of the lack of University funding, decided to draw from the orga nization’s external funds — which come through donations — to ensure the intern program could continue through the fall. OSI is also paying two of its three postgraduate fellows with external funds.

However, while the intern program is still functioning, word spread among students that the University may have removed funding for OSI. At the start of the semester, the ECC began organiz ing the Sept. 23 protest — advertising it as an event to “fund OSI” — and dis tributed a petition with the same mis sion. In the document, the ECC leaders described the intern and faculty direc tors programs as “defunded.”

On Sept. 12, Morey emailed Miklaucic, writing that the University had ensured that the OSI intern program could con tinue. The ECC representatives met with OSI staff four days later for clarification, but the OSI leaders redirected the stu dents back to Morey.

The ECC leaders received a Sept. 19 email on behalf of Campus Services that clarified that OSI was paying its six interns with external funds. The email also noted that while the Ways and Means Committee had not funded the intern pro gram, the University allocated additional non-personnel funds to the sustainability group to help make up for the mistake.

On Sept. 21, Warner, McCarthy, Miklaucic and other student environ mental leaders met with Morey, who confirmed that the Ways and Means Committee was not defunding OSI and that OSI was paying two of the three post-graduate fellows with external dollars.

Attempting to grasp OSI’s monetary situation took a toll on McCarthy’s wellbeing, she said.

“My understanding of what actually happened has shifted so many times, and that has been really emotionally draining,” McCarthy said. “I ended up crying in the environmental sci ence department … because I was very stressed. It has been pretty emotionally taxing.”

After meeting with Morey, the ECC leaders removed their messages to “fund OSI” from Instagram and the Emory Student Center TV. They also updated their petition — which 163 students had signed as of Oct. 21 — to explain that OSI’s intern program was continuing. They wrote that they were refocusing their messaging to call for an increase in OSI’s personnel funding, as well as greater University transparency and action from the University on sustainability as a whole.

“It feels very childish for an entity like Emory to be kind of relying on us for this type of communication,” Warner said. “It seems almost like … since we’re convenient, they’re using us for now.”

At the protest, students and staff mainly called on University leaders to take wide-ranging environmental action. Some speakers, like Assistant Environmental Science Professor Emily Burchfield, also mentioned a need for increased OSI funding.

Burchfield told the Wheel she didn’t know how much the OSI’s funding changed in the recent budget, but she was emphatic in discussing the organi zation’s significance.

“I don’t think there was a decrease this year from last year, but I still think it’s an underfunded part of our University’s mission,” Burchfield said. “To me, it’s just fundamentally important.”

There’s more work to do, students say

OSI’s overall budget has increased in recent years, even without University funding for the intern program. Assistant Vice President of University Communications and Marketing Laura Diamond wrote in an email to the Wheel that “OSI’s current Fiscal Year 2023 operating expense budget, funded by the university, has increased by a compound annual growth rate of 5.8% since the Fiscal 2016 expenditure baseline.”

Diamond added that she was aware that there was “confusion” surrounding OSI’s finances.

“Emory implemented a new budget

development process in recent years and there was a misunderstanding about a request specific to the OSI budget,” Diamond wrote. “All teams continue to work closely together to ensure align ment going forward.”

Despite the uptick in OSI’s budget, and the continuation of the intern pro gram, some student leaders said that the Emory community shouldn’t over look the “miscommunication” about the group’s funding.

ECC leader and Student Government Association (SGA) Vice President of Sustainability Catherine Wang (24C) said they were surprised and distressed that the University might remove part of its support for OSI, particularly since Fenves joined Race to Zero and the Climate Leadership Network last year. Wang noted that they were not speaking on behalf of SGA.

“I was like, ‘Wait, I thought we met with the President, I thought we had two strikes last year,’” Wang said. “I thought Emory was doing better.”

OSI has a critical role as an Emorysponsored organization that focuses solely on environmental action, Hasty said.

“You need someone in the University to question the status quo consistently,” Hasty said. “OSI is crucial, being one voice within the University that says, ‘Hey, I see you’re doing this. … Here’s how we can do this better.’”

The intern program is of special sig nificance, Hasty emphasized, particu larly since OSI staff are “trying to do 100 things at any time.” Hasty said that interns are often of particular help to the organization when they brief OSI leaders

on environmental matters.

“Without them, OSI would have to narrow its focus of what it does extreme ly,” Hasty said.

While there are six OSI interns this fall, there were nine interns in September 2021, according to OSI’s Instagram account.

Bella Roeske (24C) began serving as an OSI communications and market ing intern this past January, but left the organization in July due to other commitments. She said it is key that OSI receives sufficient support.

“Our campus needs the Office to exist and to thrive,” Roeske said. “To do that, they need proper funding — which, while they do have funding currently, they could always use more to be consid ered an institutional priority.”

Warner, McCarthy and Miklaucic said they believe that the recent confu sion over OSI’s funding represents a greater need for the University to dedi cate more time and resources toward sustainability.

In October 2021, Emory launched a 2O36 fundraising campaign, which aims to advance student and faculty suc cess and boost research at the University. Although donors can contribute to the Sustainability Initiatives Fund, improv ing Emory’s environmental efforts is not a primary part of the campaign, which Miklaucic said is worrisome.

“They’re not even thinking about that in this very big vision for the future,” Miklaucic said. “If they don’t give OSI more funding, we are going to be deeply culpable in the way that the world looks in 2036.”

Emory’s endowment was $11 billion as of June 2021, making it the No. 15 richest school — and No. 12 wealthiest private institution — in the United States.

“We’re fighting … for an intern pro gram for things like that, which is just an absolute travesty,” Miklaucic said. “I mean, if Emory can’t uphold its own kind of commitments and really be a leader in this, then how can we possibly expect other entities that don’t have $11 billion to do that?”

OSI Interim Director Taylor Spicer, OSI interns Claire Todaro (21Ox, 24C), Morgan Finch (23C), Faith Lopez (24C), Caroline McCormack (23C), and Caitlin McConaghy (23PH) and OSI post-grad uate fellows Sofie diTommaso, Lydia Stubbs and Zoe Price (22C) did not respond for comment by press time.

OSI interns Kamea Alleyne (25C) and Kendra Ding (23C) declined to comment.

— Contact Lily Freeman at lily.freeman@emory.edu

University prestige attracts international students

half of the 64,261 applications the State Department received in 2019.

Though the exact reason for this decline is unclear, some Emory Chinese students have labeled the United States as a less desirable place to get a college diploma due to the stringent travel restrictions imposed by the Chinese government, rising Asian American hate crimes and polit ical tensions between China and the United States.

Conny Zhou (25C), an international student from Shanghai, China, is study ing computer science and mathematics at Emory. He said that COVID-19 added extra pressure to choose the United States as a study destination because of the potential negative outcomes, like discrimination.

“There’s still this rumor … that maybe

COVID originates from China,” Zhou said. “For Chinese students considering to apply for U.S., during their application process, they might be thinking about if ‘I would be discriminated there, once I came to America,’ because the tension between America and China is really huge right now.”

Edward Shen (22Ox), who is from Zhejiang, China, resonated with Zhou’s thoughts, stating that COVID-19 cre ated “extra difficulties” while applying to colleges in the United States. The pandemic hit during his junior year of high school, which impacted his ability to complete exams required for U.S. universities, such as the SAT and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam.

“Because of COVID, most of the SAT tests got canceled, and a lot of TOEFL test stations were closed down, and the

AP test was turned online,” Shen said. “It might be OK for students who were in the US, but it was a different story for students in other time zones. For example, as a student from China, I had to take the test at 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., respectively.”

However, the University seems rela tively unaffected by the national trend of decreasing international student popu lations. In fact, Emory’s international applicant pool increased by about 7.82% during the 2021-22 admissions cycle, jumping from 6,920 students to 7,461, according to an email Allen sent to the Wheel.

The international applicant pool also did not experience a steep decline in applicants during the 2020 admissions cycle. Allen said the number of appli cants “stayed the same” as previous years, although the Office of Admission

did not respond to the Wheel’s request for specific data.

However, deferral requests increased threefold during the 2020 admissions cycle due to the reluctance of interna tional travel and strict quarantine pro cedures, Allen noted.

He added that the international application pool was strong throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and this year, stating that relatively well-known pri vate institutions like Emory and flag ship public universities with respected names — such as the University of California, Los Angeles — consistently have large application pools due to their reputable brand name when com pared to other smaller universities. The national trend of decreasing inter national students is more reflective of “lesser-known” small universities, Allen said.

There are outside factors like politics and a pandemic that are out of Emory’s control, Allen explained. However, he believes that having seasoned interna tional admissions officers who know their territories well and maintain ing a good relationship with schools outside of the United States are key to keeping Emory’s global reputation and presence.

“Sticking to what we do best and representing Emory for what we are known and good for is vital to be unaf fected by international affairs and rising competition from other universities to recruit talented students from around the world,” Allen said.

— Contact Kevin Tanos at kevin.tanos@emory.edu and Sandy Ge at sandy.ge@emory.edu

a nusH a kura Pati/Contributing illustrator

Emory Hillandale funding prepares for Atlanta Medical Center closure

By LiLy Freeman Contributing Writer

With the Atlanta Medical Center (AMC) — one of Georgia’s largest hos pitals — set to close on Nov. 1, DeKalb County commissioners passed a propos al on Oct. 11 to allocate an additional $12 million in funding to Emory Hillandale Hospital.

The hospital will use the funds toward increasing the accessibility of Hillandale’s emergency department waiting room and intensive care unit, bolstering the hospital’s emergency imaging services and creating a new trauma intervention center. Grady Memorial Hospital, another local medi cal center, in which Emory University School of Medicine faculty make up 80% of practicing physicians, also received $8 million in the plan. The funding will help address Grady’s operating deficit.

The AMC is a Level I trauma center, meaning that it provides the highest level of trauma care to critical patients and treats them from their initial injury to the end of their recovery. After the AMC’s clo sure, Grady will be the only hospital in the Atlanta metro area with that designation.

Wellstar Health System confirmed that the AMC is closing due to declines in the hospital’s revenue, and the AMC shut down its emergency room on Oct. 14. In the past weeks, other local health facilities have been preparing for the medical hub’s impending absence. Emory University Hospital Midtown, for example, is work ing to expand its capacity to accommodate an anticipated influx of patients.

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, who proposed the additional

funding for Hillandale and Grady, said he was thankful that county officials took quick action after learning that the AMC would shut its doors.

“One of the things I’ve said on multiple occasions, particularly around this crisis — ‘Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness,’” Thurmond said. “Hillandale was and has been an underappreciated, sometimes overlooked, critical component in the healthcare safety net, particularly in the East Metro Atlanta section.”

In a statement to the Wheel, Emory Healthcare officials wrote that even with the additional funds, they plan to con tinue collaborating with local and state leaders to mitigate the effects of the AMC’s shutdown.

“Emory Healthcare is grateful to DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners for their consideration of support of our health care system and Emory Hillandale Hospital in the wake of [AMC’s] impending closure,” the state ment reads. “This closure is already creat ing ripple effects across the metro-Atlanta health care ecosystem and requires proac tive management to ensure the needs of our community are met.”

Thurmond said he was particularly thankful that some of the funds would support the development of a trauma intervention center at Hillandale.

“That is just one-of-a-kind,” Thurmond said. “That’s part of our plan to help to break the cycle of violence that’s fueling, to some extent, some of the need for trauma beds.”

Even with DeKalb County’s financial support for Hillandale, health experts such as Georgia Trauma Commission

Coalition seeks an election day ‘on’ for students

from Page 1

Advancing Justice to canvas in areas along the Buford Highway and in Duluth, Ga., where 25% of the popu lation is Asian. Additionally, APIDAA volunteers have tabled outside of super markets in the Buford Highway area.

“Asian communities don’t really get that type of outreach, especially in their own language,” Liu said. “A lot of them are like, ‘No, we didn’t even know about the upcoming election. Who are the candi dates? What am I voting for?’”

Do, who is Vietnamese, also spoke on the language barriers people in the Asian American community often face when it comes to voting. He said that if politi cal parties tap into the political voice of marginalized communities, there could be more change.

“There’s a lot of unrealized political power among racialized minorities within the United States,” Do said.

Additionally, NAACP and Fair Fight recently wrote a Ballot Breakdown, which

provides voters living on the Atlanta cam pus with information about the candidates they will be choosing between.

Taiwo believes that ESV is building the foundations for a coalition that will last for several generations.

“Already, the people we’re speaking to are just so excited to see change hap pening and are so instrumental in mak ing change,” Taiwo said. “I’m just really excited to see what we’re going to come up with.”

Managing Editor Gabriella Lewis (23C) is the acting vice president of Fair Fight and had no role in writing or edit ing this article.

Carly Colen (23C), who was former ly a contributing writer for the Wheel and previously served as a producer for Wheel Talk, had no role in writing or edit ing this article.

— Contact Eva Roytburg at eva.roytburg@emory.edu

Executive Director Elizabeth Atkins expressed concern over the AMC’s impending closure, especially for resi dents in rural areas who do not have access to advanced medical care.

“It’s not an Atlanta problem, it’s a Georgia problem,” Atkins said. “Decreasing that capacity is going to hurt citizens all over our state.”

Atkins said she believes the funds for Hillandale and Grady will address short-term deficiencies in local medical resources but will not ultimately make up for the loss of the AMC’s care.

“While I think it’s certainly a great sign and a great gesture that they’re receiving funding, I think expectations have to be managed,” Atkins said. “It’s not likely that either hospital will be able to build an additional wing that could take over for the space loss.”

During a University Senate Executive Council Meeting meeting on Sept. 13, University President Gregory Fenves

described the AMC’s closure as a “crisis” multiple times.

“Pick up the newspaper, and what is the health crisis we’re dealing with now? The closure of the Atlanta Medical Center,” Fenves said. “We’re working with Grady Memorial Hospital — which is so tightly intertwined with Emory — and health leaders at the city, county and state level to address, really, a public health crisis in Atlanta.”

In a letter to Wellstar Health System President and CEO Candice Saunders on Sept. 2, Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Rep. Nikema Williams (D-5), Rep. Lucy McBath (D-6) and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-4) wrote that they were distressed that the AMC’s closure may create gaps in local healthcare.

“The consequences of closing AMC, an important hub for health care in down town Atlanta, are colossal,” the legislators wrote. “Grady Memorial Hospital, which

is few blocks from AMC and the only other Level 1 [trauma center] in the city, is already strained by the number of patient visits to its emergency department.”

In the letter, the lawmakers men tioned that another nearby Wellstar facility, AMC South, shut down its emer gency department in May. AMC South now functions as an urgent care and rehabilitation facility.

Thurmond said that as the communi ty braces for the AMC’s closure, DeKalb County officials plan to continue work ing with Emory Healthcare leaders to sustain the local medical care system.

“This is a major step forward, the investment and the partnership with Hillandale, but it’s not the last step,” Thurmond said. “We have to remain vigilant and take advantage of opportu nities where they exist.”

— Contact Lily Freeman at lily.freeman@emory.edu

19 credit cap: A ‘despicable’ decision

Continued from Page 1

Student Government Association (SGA) President Noah Marchuck (24C), Vice President Aditi Vellore (21Ox, 23C) and Ranking Member Khegan Meyers (24B) expressed dissatisfaction with not being consulted on the decision.

Not only was SGA not consulted on this issue, Marchuck stated, but to his knowledge, no student feedback was involved in the decision.

Vellore explained that the University administration is planning on garner ing more student feedback through focus groups, surveys and conversations before making campus-wide decisions impacting students in the future.

“We are engaging student groups on this policy change, and while many have conveyed support for this effort, we have also heard students’ concerns and their desire to participate in shaping the aca demic experience,” Bellamkonda wrote. “As we continue to holistically review our policies and processes, we look for ward to working with students to iden tify opportunities to enhance their expe rience, learning and overall success.”

the American News Report that ranks Emory No. 4 out of the most depressed universities in the United States.

Psychology Lecturer Andrew Kazama agreed that mental health may have been a factor in the decision to implement the new credit cap.

“Student mental health is a huge concern, so my guess is that the administration is doing what it can from the top-down to relieve some of the academic pressures that students are placing on themselves,” Kazama wrote in an email to the Wheel.

mia usman/staff illustrator

dent mental health response because it cannot establish trust with the student body,” Meyers said, referring to con versations he had with his peers about deaths on campus last year. He explained that some students were “upset” that the University administration did not seem to acknowledge the deaths.

Kazama believes that while this decision will benefit students, there may be unintended consequences.

Alumni Memorial University Center, Room 401

Editor-in-Chief

Founded in 1919, The Emory Wheel is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University in Atlanta. The Wheel is a member publication of Media Council, Emory’s organization of student publications. The Wheel reserves the rights to all content as it appears in these pages, and permission to reproduce material must be granted by the editor-in-chief.

The statements and opinions expressed in the Wheel are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Wheel Editorial Board or of Emory University, its faculty, staff or administration.

The Wheel is also available online at www.emorywheel.com.

While Marchuck, Vellore and Meyers have differing opinions on certain aspects of the decision — including if it is worth while to fight the decision or whether to push the University to communicate with SGA in the future — they all agree that the University did not roll out the new policy effectively. Meyers stated that the mes saging was confusing because it seemed like this was only for incoming first-year students, but the new credit cap goes into effect next semester.

Although they weren’t consulted about the decision, the SGA members have speculated that the new credit cap was established to alleviate mental health concerns. Meyers referenced

When asked for better ways to improve student mental health, both Vellore and Meyers suggested lowering student stress by decreasing the rigor of classes. Meyers said that someone could take “an easy” 22-credit sched ule, and another student could take a 17-credit schedule that is much more challenging.

Mental health can be improved by increasing instruction quality and pro fessor organization, Meyers said. Vellore recommended extending the pass-fail deadline, which she believes is “imposed too strictly.”

Meyers added that Emory’s mental health resources — which have been critiqued by students — are likely why the University’s decision has been met with such dismay.

“Emory has flubbed a lot of its stu

“This may relieve some of the pressures that students are placing,” Kazama wrote. “I do worry about unintended consequences where stu dents feel more pressure because they are worried about finishing all their courses on time.”

Other students, including Ben Goldman (26C), echoed the SGA mem bers’ concerns.

“I’m personally not planning on tak ing over 19 credits, but I think that it’s unjust that the University is preventing those who want to take on a larger work load from doing so,” Goldman said.

Jason Huang (26C) called the new policy “quite possibly one of the most despicable decisions ever made.”

“This really hurts students trying to graduate early or those double major ing,” Huang said.

— Contact Spencer Friedland at spencer.friedland@emory.edu

Courtesy of wikimedia Commons

The Atlanta Medical Center is set to close on Nov. 1, leaving Grady as the only Level I trauma center in the Atlanta metro area. He added that although students can appeal to take more credits, exceptions will be “rare.”

Aclear,melancholicvoicecut throughthesilenceinCentennial OlympicPark.

“Whileyouwerehere,youwereall myhopesforlife.NowIamleftingrief, fullofpain.Whyhaveyouleft?”

SharifaHussain,aHazaraAtlanta resident,stoodwithamegaphonein onehandandtheheart-wrenching testimonyofamotherwhosedaughter hadbeenmurderedbytheTalibanin theother.AccordingtoSefatHamkar, anorganizerfortheAtlantaprotest,in aninterviewwiththeWheel,almost 1,000protestersstoodinsilence, loweringtheirsignsasHussainsangin Hazaragi,adialectofFarsispokenby theHazaraethnicgroup.

“Youwerethelightofmyhome,and nowyou’veleftmehereingrief.Nowa motherisburninginthedark,after you.”

Hussainandhundredsofothers gatheredinAtlantaonSunday,Oct.16 toprotesttheongoinggenocideagainst theHazarapeople.Thoughtheyhave livedinAfghanistanforcenturies,the

Hazarahavelongsufferedsystematic violence,displacementandethnic cleansing.JustlastmonthinKabul,a suicidebombingataneducational centerinapredominantlyHazara neighborhoodinjured110studentsand killed53others,mostlygirlsandyoung women.Thisattackaswellasarecent increaseinviolencehaspushedglobal Hazaracommunitiestoprotestthe silencefrominternationalbodieslike theU.N.andtodemandrecognitionfor thegenocideoccurringwithinAfghnistan’sborders.Globalgovernments mustputmorepressureonbodieslike theU.N.torecognizetheHazara genocide,toprotectasyleesandto increaseinternationalsupportofgrassrootsmovementsledbyHazarapeople spreadingawarenessoftheirfightfor humanrights.

Anti-Hazarasentimentpre-dates thecurrentcampaignsheadedbythe Taliban.Attheendofthe19thcentury, KingAbdurRahmanKhanleda genocidethatdecimatedalmost62%of theHazarapopulationinAfghanistan

atthetime.Acenturylater,the Afghanistangovernmentledby BurhanuddinRabbaniorchestrateda masskillingofHazarafamiliesknown astheAfsharoperationin1993. Despitethesystematicnatureofthese attacksandthepurposefulviolence perpetuatedbytheTalibantoday,the U.N.hasnotofficiallyrecognizedthe genocideforwhatitisnow.

Hazarasareareligiousandethnic minority;HazaraAfghanspredominatelypracticetheShi’asectofIslam, whilemostofAfghanistan’sother ethnicgroupsfollowtheSunnisect.As such,Hazarasfindthemselves excludedfromgeneralcivilsocietyand areparticularlyvulnerabletodiscriminationalongethnicandreligiouslines. AccordingtoHamkar,manyHazara areexcludedfromworkplaces,particularlyinthegovernment.

“RightnowinAfghanistan,you don’tseeanyHazarainthegovernmentandwehavelike34provinces,” Hamkarsaid.

InaninterviewwiththeWheel, EmoryUniversityalumShakilaAli (22PH)explainedthattheglobal community’stendencytohomogenize Afghanistan’sdiversityaswellasa generallackofawarenesslendthemselvestotheongoinginternational silenceontheHazaragenocide.

“[TheWest]don’trealizethatthere isthisminorityethnicandreligious groupbecausefromaU.S.perspective everyonethinksthatAfghanistanisall AfghansandallMuslims,”Alisaid. “Andinternationallyitdoesn’tgain attentionbecause[theattackson Hazaracommunities]arealways classifiedasaterroristattack.It’snever directlyspecifiedthatit’sdirectly targetingtheHazaracommunity.”

FollowingU.S.troops’messywithdrawalfromAfghanistanlastyear,the U.S.governmentofferedasylumand specialvisastothousandsofAfghans, prioritizingthosewhoaidedU.S. operationsinthecountry.However, HazaraAfghanswerenotamongthose prioritizedforthisasylum.Ali explainedthatbecauseHazarasare largelyexcludedfromcareeropportunities,likepositionsingovernment, theydidnotandcouldnoteverqualify.

“WithinAfghanistan,ifyouthink

aboutit,ifHazaraswerenevergivena seatatthetable—howcouldtheybein thiscategory[ofAfghansreceivingU.S. aidorasylum]?”Alisaid.

TheHazarapopulation,alongwith otherAfghans,sufferfromtheinternationaltrendoftheprioritizationof certainrefugees.Thistrendhas becomeespeciallynoticeableinthelast year.SinceRussia’sinvasionof Ukraine,Westerncountrieshavetaken abundantmeasurestoprovideasylum forUkrainianrefugees,whilethey continuetoneglectrefugeesfrom developingcountries,especiallyinthe MiddleEast.

Somemayworrythatrefugeeswill beunabletointegrateandcontributeto society.

Thisnotion,however,issimply untrue.InAtlanta,forinstance, roughly31%of“MainStreet”businessesarefoundedandrunbyimmigrants,and85%ofrefugeehouseholds whosettleinGeorgiabecomeeconomicallyself-supportingwithinsix monthsoflivinginthestate.

Ontopofpressuringgovernmentsto protectmoreHazararefugees,activists urgeindividualstoseekoutvolunteeringopportunities,evenvirtualones, andtodonatetoassistaideffortsfor theHazaracommunity.Alitoldthe Wheelshehasplannedandhosteda grassrootslevelfundraiserforat-risk childrenandfamiliesinAfghanistan. Herfundraisersweresuccessfulin

largeduetotheinitiativeandsupport ofthe40volunteersthatjoinedto fundraiseacrosssocialmediaplatforms.Thethirdannualfundraiserwill happeninthenextfewmonthswiththe goaltoprovidefinancialassistance directlytofamiliesimpactedbythe ongoingsituationandAlihopesthat Emorystudentscantakepartbyfilling outthisform.

Additionally,thereareamultitude ofrefugeeaidorganizationsinthe Atlantaarea.Organizationssuchasthe InternationalRescueCommitteein Atlanta,NewAmericanPathwaysand theRefugeeWomen’sNetworkall operateintheAtlantametroareaand takevolunteerswhoprovideservices thathelprefugeessettleintothecity andreachself-sustainability.

TheHazaracommunityisurgingthe internationalcommunitytotakenotice oftheirstruggleforfreedomand dignity,andtheyaredoingsowith urgency.Itisonlyrightthatwesupport theirmovementbycontinuingtoraise awareness,pushingforincreased refugeeasylumandurgingtheU.N.to formallyrecognizetheHazara genocide.

Hamkarurgespeopletokeep fightingfortheirrightsnomatterthe circumstances.

“Ifwecannotdoitinsideour country,wecandoitoutsideour country,”saidHamkar.“Whereverwe are.”

COURTESY OF SEFAT HAMKAR

DemonstratorsmarchthroughdowntownAtlantatoprotest ongoingHazaragenocideinAfghanistan.

RobertSchmad

Ifyou’rereadingthis,chancesare youeitherplantocastaballotforthe Democratsinthecomingweeksorare attheveryleast,sympathetictotheir platform.HowdoIknow?

You’reyoung,youattendarelatively prestigiousuniversityandyouare muchlikeliertohavegonetoprivate highschoolthantheaverageAmerican. It’salsoroughly10timesmorelikely thatyourparentsareinthetop20%of earnersratherthanthebottom20%. Manyofyourepresentthearchetypal affluentcollegeliberalbeinglargely insulatedbygenerationalwealthfrom thepocketbookwoesofeveryday Americans.Unfetteredaccesstoyour parent’sbankaccountmeansyoulack theexperiencenecessarytocomprehendthedesiresofworking-class America,leadingyoutoinsteaddirect yourpoliticalactivismtowardenabling personalhedonism.

Peoplelikeyouareuniqueinthe sensethatyourpolicypreferencestend moretowardadvancingacultural visionthanpursuingeconomicprosperity.Youare,forthemostpart,postmaterialistinyourthinking.Youvalue thingslikesocialequity,democracy andtheimpositionofyourmoral preferencesabovemoretangiblematters,suchasinflationorAmericanjobs beingoutsourced.It’sfairtosay,for instance,thatthetypicalEmoryUni-

versityliberalisfarmorelikelyto mobilizeoverabortionaccessthanhigh gasprices.

Allthisistosaythattheaverage studentenrolledhereisagoodfitfor themodernDemocraticparty,which seemstovaluetheinstitutionalization ofgendertheorymorethanclass solidarity.NationalDemocrats,like theircounterpartsonourcampus,have castasidebreadandbuttereconomic issuesinfavoroftheculturalconcerns championedbytheprivilegedcollege kidswhofilltheranksoftheirstaffers, alienatingnormalworkingpeoplein theprocess.Sowhynotvoteforthem?

Considerabortion.Whetherornota womanshouldbelegallypermittedto terminateanunwantedpregnancyis theissueourpeersseemtocaremost aboutthiselectioncycle.Arelatively milquetoaststatementfromtheCollege RepublicanscelebratingtheDobbs ruling,forinstance,garnerednearlya thousandcomments—mostlyangry— fromstudents.RelativelyfewAmericansoutsidetheacademy,however, sharetheenthusiasmEmorystudents haveforabortionaccess.

Votingblue,asdissapointingasyou mayfindit,probablywon’tdoanything torestoreaccesstoabortion.Forone, Georgia’sabortionlawsaren’tgoing anywhere,evenifgubernatorialcandidateStaceyAbramsdefiesrelatively dauntingoddsandekesoutawin. Theresimplyaren’tenoughcompetitiveseatsintheGeorgiaHouseof

RepresentativesforDemocratstoflip thechamber,asentimentreputable electionanalystsecho.Democrats wouldneedtheconsentoftheHouseto repealtheheartbeatbill,something thatwouldbevirtuallyimpossiblewith thechamberinRepublicanhands.

Onthefederallevel,thepathfor Democratstocodifyabortionaccessis similarlynarrow.Democratswould needtowintheHouse,whichis unlikelygivencurrentpollingandget enoughvotesintheSenatetonegate theoppositionofSenatorsKrysten Sinema(D-Ariz.)andJoeManchin (D-W.Va.)toaxthefilibuster,whichis alsounlikely.Allthiswouldberequired foruseventobeginthinkingabout federalabortionlegislation.Inthe unlikelyeventsucharesultmaterializedfollowingelectionnight,it wouldn’tevenbestrategicallysound forDemocratstocodifyRoev.Wadeby repealingthefilibuster.

It’swell-acceptedthattheSenateis biasedtowardRepublicansasitprovidesdisproportionaterepresentation topeoplefromlesspopulatedstates, whichtendtobemoreconservative. Further,in2024,membersofthe SenateDemocraticCaucusinMontana, WestVirginia,Ohio,Michigan,Wisconsin,Arizona,Nevada,Pennsylvania andMaineareallupforreelection, heraldingabrutalcycleforDemocrats. Theonlysomewhatcompetitiveseats heldbyRepublicansupforgrabsin 2024areinFloridaandTexas,leaving

littlegroundforDemocraticpickups.It isprofoundlyunlikelythatDemocrats willholdthechamberlong-termevenif theytakeitduringthemidterms. Democratsremovingrestraintson senatorialpowerbyrepealingthe filibusterwouldbeamassiveboonfor theGOP.MajorityLeaderChuck Schumer(D-N.Y.)understandsthathe likelywon'twinSenateracesinOhio, WestVirginiaandMontana,statesthat formerPresidentDonaldTrumpcarriedbydoubledigits,sohecertainly realizesthatkillingthefilibusterisnot inhisparty’sinterest.

ThesecriticismsapplytoallthehotbuttonculturalissuesEmory’sliberals caresomuchabout.Federal Democratsaren’tgoingtobewilling (or,morelikely,able)tooverturnthe filibustertoexpandabortionaccessor achieveotheraspectsofyoursocial agenda,andGeorgiaDemocratsdon’t haveapathtoachievingenoughhard powertoenactthatsameagendaatthe statelevel.

Evenstudentloandebtforgiveness, perhapsthemostsalienteconomic issueamongcollegestudents,isafarce. Notonlyisitalmostcomicallyregressive,essentiallyforcingplumbersto saddletheburdenofloanstakenby NewYorkUniversityfilmschool graduates,butit’salsoobviously unconstitutional.

Democratsknowthatusingabill withlegalbasisdesignedtoaddressthe needsofveteransstemmingfromthe

9/11terroristattackstoforgivestudent loandebtisn’tgoingtoflywitha conservativeSupremeCourt;theyonly needyoutothinkitwill.They’retrying tobuyyourvotewithnointentionof actuallypayingout.

Ifallyourprimaryconcernis advancingaprogressivesocialagenda, stayhomeonNovember8.Conversely, ifyougenuinelycareaboutthematerial well-beingofpeoplewholivein Georgia,youshouldthrowyourlot behindthepartythathasatrackrecord ofgrowingthestate’seconomywhile othersatrophy.Gov.BrianKemphas attractedasteadyflowofbothblueand white-collarjobstoGeorgia;keptthe stateopenduringthepandemicwhile otherstatesimposedeconomically damaginglockdowns,whichmayhave hadonlyaminimaleffectonpublic health;andensuredtheintegrityofour electionsin2020.Hemaynotbethe obviouschoicefora20-year-oldEnglishliteraturemajorfromGreenwich Village,butheisfortheaverage Georgian.

OnElectionDay,you’llprobablybe betteroffstayinginandbinging “Succession”(orwhateverpeopleare watchingthesedays)ratherthan makingthetrektoapollinglocationto castaballotthatisultimatelymeaninglessifyouwanttoturnGeorgiainto Maryland.

RobertSchmad(23C)isfromKennewick,Washington

YoungDemocratsof Emory

Withimposingbillboardsandyard signsplasteredaroundAtlanta,allofus canfeelthepressuresurroundingthe midtermelection—andforgood reason.Whetherit’shealthinsurance orreproductiverights,countlesscriticalaspectsofourlivesandbodieswill beontheballotthismidtermelection season.

Thissummerwasatimeofsignificantfearandanguish.Theoverturning ofRoev.Wadeledtodevastation, panicandterrifyinglegislationbeing proposedinstatesenatesalloverthe country.Unfortunately,oneofthose statesisGeorgia,aplacewehaveall chosentocallhomeforatleastfour years.Thesepolicies,amongotherslike SB202,whichlimitsvotingrights access,aredirethreatstoourfreedoms putforwardbyGeorgia’sRepublican legislature.Undertheselaws,actions assimpleasprotectingmotherswho aredoomedtodiewithouttreatmentor politicalorganizationspassingout watertopeoplewaitinginlinetovote arecriminalized.

Wecannotkeeptakingthesecritical stepsbackandpayingthepriceof others’disregardforourrights.We haveamajorchancetoaffectchange— notjustintermsofaccesstoreproductiverights,butintermsofallofour freedoms.Democracyisontheline, andouronlysolutionistovoteblueup anddowntheballotintheupcoming election.In2020,Georgiawasthekey tonumerousDemocraticvictories. Emorystudentsplayedacriticalrolein

ensuringthatPresidentJoeBidenand SenatorsJonOssoff(D-Ga.)and RaphaelWarnock(D-Ga.)wontheir races.Allofthetremendouspolicy progressthathasoccurredsince,in additiontothesenseofdecencythat hasbeenrestoredintheWhiteHouse, isbecauseofunprecedentedcivic engagementfromindividualsthatare partofacommunitymuchlikeour own.Youngvotersespeciallyturned outinunprecedentednumbersin 2020.It’snowourresponsibilityto ensurethatweturnoutagain.

TheBidenadministrationoversaw thecomprehensiverolloutofthe COVID-19vaccinationintandemwith aidfromtheAmericanRescuePlanto leadusoutofthepandemic.Furthermore,thisadministrationhasmadeit clearthatitrepresentsallAmericans. Whetherthroughthenominationof JusticeKetanjiBrownJacksontothe U.S.SupremeCourtorthrough appointingthemostdiversecabinetin Americanhistory,Democratsare bringingdiverseperspectivestothe tablesothateveryoneispartofthe change-makinginD.C.Atthesame time,DemocratsinCongressushered intransformativepoliciesrangingfrom bipartisangunreformtoamassive investmentinthenation’sinfrastructure.Ossoffpassedcriticalsolarenergy andjobslegislationtostrengthen energyindependence,createAmerican jobsandacceleratethetransitionto renewablepower.TheInflationReductionAct(IRA)isunequivocallythe biggestclimatevictoryindecades,only madepossiblebyOssoffandWarnock’s presenceintheSenate.Evenherein Georgia,weknowDemocratslike gubernatorialcandidateStaceyAbrams

havefoughtforeverydayGeorgiansin boththestatelegislatureandorganizationslikeFairFight,whichregistered over800,000Georgianstovote between2018and2020.

Thoughthecountrycontinuesto faceglobalmacroeconomicpressures fromCOVID-19andthewarinUkraine intheformofrisinggasprices,supply chaindisruptionandinflation, Democratshavetakenactionsto protectpeopleandbusinessesthrough usingtheStrategicPetroleumReserve toreducegasprices,reducingthe deficitthroughtheIRAandboosting domesticmanufacturing.Weask,what istheRepublicansolutiontoanyof theseissues?

Fear-mongeringtakestheplaceof concretesolutionsandanactionplan formanyRepublicans,showingwhere conservativeprioritiestrulylie. Democrats,injustashortspanoftwo years,haveshapedfederalpolicyto greateffect.Emorystudentswereatthe forefrontofmakingthischangehappen,becauseweturnedoutin2020. Thatiswhyitisabsolutelyessential thatwevoteagain,sowecanseethat progressrighthereinGeorgia,and preventRepublicansfrommovingus backwardandcontinuingtosuppress ourfreedoms.

Republicans'currentinfatuation withalt-right,anti-democraticrhetoric dangersAmericaninstitutionalhealth. Americanshaveseenhow,especially overthepasttwoyears,Republicans havefoughtculturewarstonoavail. WhileBidenfoughttodelivercollege debtrelieftoAmericans,Republicans accusedhimofcateringtoelitesdespite thefactthat74%ofthosewhoqualify toreceiveforgivenessfundshavean

annualhouseholdincomeof$82,000a yearorbelow—thesefamiliesrepresentthelower60%ofwageearnersin America.Republicans’futileculture warcreatesroadblocksforCongressto codifytherighttoabortionintolaw;we cannothaveapartyinpowersthat cheersashumanrightsarestripped away.

Conservativesateverylevelhave ralliedagainst“wokeness”insteadof fightingtodeliverthecriticalinfrastructure,healthcareandclimate changegainsthatDemocratshave foughthardtochampionoverthepast twoyears.Republicansknowhowto stokedivisionandprioritizepartisanshipoverprogress,buttheirpriorities donotliewiththeAmericanpeople. TheGOPinsteadprioritizeselection denialism,curbingofcivillibertiesand misinformationandcontinuously seeksoutopportunitiestostandinthe wayofprogress.Thisisnotwhat Americadeserves.

Democratsarepoisedtocontinue deliveringvictoriesfortheAmerican people.Ifweexpandourcontrolof Congress,Bidenpledgedthatthefirst billhewillsendtoCongressnextyear willbeonetocodifyreproductive rights.Cruciallegislationtoprotectour democracy,includingtheJohnR. LewisVotingRightsAdvancementAct andtheFreedomtoVoteAct,in additiontocodifyinggaymarriage rightswillalsobeslatedtopassif DemocratssucceedinNovember.With justafewmorevotesintheSenate, Democratswouldalsohavetheopportunitytoreintroducecrucialmeasures fromtheBuildBackBetterAct.These provisions,relatingtoclimate,health care,educationandmore,would

increasefinancialsecurityforAmericanhouseholdsandlessenthesignificanthealthandeconomicimpactsof environmentaldegradation.Democraticnomineesupanddowntheballot arepreparedtoeffecttheimportant changevoterswanttosee.These candidatesrangefromstalwartvoting rightsadvocateslikeAbramsand GeorgiaSecretaryofStatecandidate BeeNguyentochangemakerson publichealthandgunreformlikeU.S. HouseRepresentativeLucyMcBath. WithourvotesbuildingstablemajoritiesinCongress,theywillbeabletodo sounimpededbyRepublicandeception orlonewolfdetractors.

Despitethesystemicproblemswe face,eachoneofushasthepowerto createthebetterfuturewedeserve. Majorstateandnationwideracesin Georgiainrecentyearshavebeen decidedbysmallmargins,withtensof thousandsofvotersoftenmakingthe difference.We,asEmorystudents,are membersoftheGeorgiaelectorate,and bymakingourvoicesheard,wecan makecrucialvictoriespossible.Thisis whywevoteblue.

TheYoungDemocratsofEmoryare theDemocratic-affiliatedpolitical organizationdedicatedtocivic engagement,socialjusticeandprogressiveactivismonEmory’scampus.

Thisop-edwaswrittenbythefollowingmembersoftheYoungDemocrats executiveboard,butrepresentsthe beliefsoftheentireexecutiveboard: AshShankar(23B),DivyaKishore (23C),CarlyColen(23C),DaniParra delRiegoValencia(25B)andJack Miklaucic(23C).

WhenIheardaboutrappers GunnaandYoungThugbeing arrestedforallegedracketeering charges,Icouldn’thelpbutthinkof theclassicKey&Peelesketch,“Rap AlbumConfessions.”Intheskit,Key, asapolicedetective,interrogates Peele,playingthefictionalrapper “GunRack”forthemurderof“DarnellSimmons.”Thedetectivegrows increasinglymorefrustratedashe playslyricstoRack’salbum,titled“I KilledDarnellSimmons.”Witheach lyricaladmittanceofmurder weapon,motiveandlocation,Rack excuseshimselfbyciting“artistic expression.”

Someprosecutorsseemtohave takenthebitseriously,citinglines writteninfictionalnarrativesas evidenceforcriminalactivity.The blatantexaggerationofsuchcases involvinghip-hopartistsiswhat makesthesketchhilarious.Still,as courtsuseraplyricsasevidencein criminalcasesacrossthecountry,my smilehasfaded.Hip-hophasbeen centeredinadiscussionaboutartisticfreedomandlegalproceedings, andunsurprisingly,thecommunity hasbeenmisrepresented.While somehavepaintedthegenreasa spacetoadvertisecriminalenterprises,inreality,theartistsusemusic toreflectontheirjourneystosuccess.

Earlierthismonth,Governor GavinNewsom(D-Calif.)signeda billrestrictingtheuseofcreative expressionasadmissibleevidencein criminaltrials.Iwouldbeconfused abouttheutilityofsuchspecific legislationifsimilarcaseshadnot

resultedintheprosecutionofartists fromSnoopDoggtoMeekMillfor allegedviolentcrime.However,as moreprosecutorsmovetoinclude lyricsincriminalevidence,comparablebillslikeNewsom’scouldbea necessarystepinpreventingsuch legalmisuseofartisticexpression. Sincethenationwasfounded,free speechhasbeenapriority.The preceptneedstoapplytohip-hopas itdoesanyothermediatoavoid systemicallyadvocatingunequal legaltreatment.

AlthoughJamesMadisonand GeorgeWashingtonwerenotbumpingMeekMillor JayZ’sraplyrics whentheyratified freedomofexpressiontobeprotected bytheConstitution, evenmanyoriginalistjudgeshave arguedforsafeguardingviolentart undertheFirst Amendment.Not onlyistheuseof lyricsinproceedingsaperversionof constitutional rights,butitisalso ablatantdouble standardagainst Blackartists.

Thehip-hopcommunityhasbeen disproportionatelyaffectedincases whereartisusedasevidence. Notably,otherformsofartand entertainmentarerarelyappliedto criminalcases.Onthisdisparity,Run TheJewelsrapperKillerMike tweeted“Whitewoman,NancyBrophywrote"Howtokillyourhus-

band"shedidkillherhusband.The courtsdidnotallowthattobeusedas evidencebecuzofher1stamendment right.”Mikeisexactlyright.Brophy wasrecentlyconvictedofseconddegreemurderwithoutusingher essayasevidence.Additionally,Ifind itparticularlyconfusingthathip-hop issooftenderidedasacrime-ridden genrewhenguitarlegendEricClaptoncanwriteasongcalled“Cocaine” abouthisenthusiasmforthedrugor theBeatlescanpen“LucyintheSky withDiamonds”(LSD)withminimal backlash.Thisdistinctioninpublic andlegalresponseagainstBlackart

withthechorus“Wegonbealright.” Rivera’signoranceisjustoneexampleofresiliencebeingcalledharmful. Toooften,Blackpositivityand resiliencearemisrepresentedin mediaasviolenceandcensoredasa result.

isnotanewphenomenon.Sucha differenceinreactiontoBlackversus whiteartisthereasonthatFoxNews commentatorGeraldoRiveracould notoriouslyclaimthat“hip-hophas donemoredamagetoBlackpeople thanracisminrecentyears.”The disparityisdeafening,andsome forgetthattheRiveraquotewasin referencetoaKendrickLamarsong

Evenoutsideofthecourtroom, lawenforcementhaslambastedhiphopartists.In1989,N.W.A.’s“F— thaPolice,”afictionalbutviolent songwritteninresponsetoLos AngelesPoliceDepartmentpolice brutality,ledtothegroup’smusic labelreceivingaceaseanddesist letterfromtheFBI.Theagencynoted thattheybelieved thattheirviews “reflecttheopinion oftheentirelaw enforcementcommunity”andthat “musicplaysasignificantroleinsociety.”Theyalsosaid “advocatingviolenceandassaultis wrong”thesame yearAerosmith releasedasong withthelines “Whatdidher daddydo?//It's Janie'slastI.O.U/ /Shehadtotake himdowneasyand putabulletinhisbrain.”Yet, AerosmithreceivednoFBIletter. OnecouldarguethatAerosmithwas violentbutnotanti-police.However, iftheissuewasnotviolence,butantipolicerhetoric,thenweshouldsee similarresponsestowhite,anti-policemusicians.MetalbandSystemof aDownaccusedlawenforcementof

“pushinglittlechildrenwiththeir fully-automatics”ontheirsong“Deer Dance”andstill,noletter.InFrancis FordCoppola’s1972“TheGodfather” movie,heevendisplayedthemurder ofapoliceofficerbytheItalianmob. Ifnotforgenre,Istruggletofind differencesbetweentheserepresentationsofviolenceandtheimages displayedinrap.Whileonecould accusehip-hop’sdetractorsas unadulteratedbigots,Ichooseto presumebestintent;thathip-hop narrativesaresignificantlymisunderstoodinthescopeofAmerican culture.

AscontemporaryBlackart,society seemstoconsumehip-hopstories differentlythanother,moretraditionalartforms.Thegenreisa treasuretroveofholisticandillustrativestoriesreflectingondecadesof AfricanAmericanhistory.Historical fictionservesasadocumentationof culturethroughtheyears,andhiphopisnoexception.Minimizingits impactbothpreventsalargeraudiencefromrecognizingitssignificanceandundervaluesthetalentof itscreators.TheFBIisright;music playsahugelyconsequentialrolein society.Yet,theyareincorrectinthe supposedintersectionbetweenartisticexpressionandsubsequentlegal action.Alineexistsbetweencreative worksandadmissibleevidence,and theAmericanlegalsystemshould protectitscreators.Societyisina dangerousstatewhenthegovernmentcancensorartists.Freedomof expressiondoesn’tdiscriminate,but asystemthatlimitsitdoes.

BenBrodsky(25C)isfromScottsdale,Arizona.

BenBrodsky

BY SONYA DOUBLEDEE & SAM SHAFIRO ContributingWriters

Remarkably,oneofthemost famousscreamshasnosoundatall. Instead,itistrappedtimelesslyina paintingbyNorwegianproto-expressionistEdvardMunch.Thehypotonicwork,appropriatelynamed “TheScream,”evokestheoverwhelmingterrorassociatedwitha petrifiedscream.But,whyisthisthe case?And,morebroadly,what makesscreamssoenticing?

AssociateProfessorofArtHistory ToddCronansaidinanemailthat Munch’spaintinggoesbeyondan individualemotion.Rather,hesaidit is“embeddedinawiderandlayered context.”

“Munchpersuadesmanyofusto analogizeourselveswiththefigurein thesettingandwefeeldrawninto thisfigure’sworldforamoment,” Cronanwrote.

“TheScream”exemplifiesoneway inwhichscreamsareemotionally powerful—theyexceedtheindividualscreamer.Cronanoutlinedthatit istheinteractionbetweenthescream andtheworldarounditthatmakes thepiecesograbbing.

“Munchis…goingsofarasto claimitistheworldthatiscrying, andthefigure,andperhapsthe artist,arelisteningtotheworld’s ‘voice.’”Cronanwrote.

Screamsfrombeyondtheindividualarearecurringthemeinart. Popularmovieslike“TheBlairWitch Project”(1999)capitalizeonthe horrorofenvironmentandunseen terror.Inhorrormovies,theenvironmentcanfundamentallychange withtheadditionofscreams,evenif they’reunconnectedtoanindividual. Depictingdistantscreamscreatesa uniqueformoftension,inwhichthe

screambecomestiedtoanoverarchingemotion,ratherthananindividual.VisitingAssistantProfessorof ComparativeLiteratureAndrew Kingstonsuggestedthatunderstandingtheunconsciouspowerof screamsmightexplainwhythey exceedtheindividual.

“[Thescream]seemstocome fromsomethinginsideusthatisnot us—fromtheunconsciousdepthsof ourbodyratherthantheconscious judgmentsmadebyourmind,” Kingstonwroteinanemailtothe Wheel.“It’sprobablythisincomprehensibleanddispossessiveaspectof thescreamthat,atleastinpart, makesitsoappealingasafigurative deviceinliterature andart.”

Thatincomprehensibilityisalso whatmakes screamsspecial. Becauseascream differssoradically fromotherhuman sounds,itcanseem alientothosehearingitandeventhe screamer.

“Perhapsonethingthatmakes screamsuniqueishowtheydispossessusofourvoice,turningitintoa kindofforeignobjectthatneverthelessemergesfromthecoreofour being,”Kingstonwrote.

Biologically,screamsarealso distinctlychaotic.HaroldGouzoules, aprofessorofpsychology,explained that“screamsareproducedwithalot ofenergyandairvolumepassing overthevocalcordscreatinga chaoticvibrationpattern,”adding “thatisnottrueoflanguage.”

Becausescreamsaresounwieldy, Gouzoulessaidthat“there'srelativelylessconsistencyoneutterance

tothenext.”Thiscauseshumansto havedifficultyrecognizingtheorigin ofthescreams.However,Gouzoules notedthat“youcandevelopa pattern…ifyou'reexposedtodifferentexemplarsofanindividual.”

Gouzoulestheorizedthatthisis whyhumansscreaminpleasurable contexts,aswellasfearfulones.

“Whenyougettheopportunityto hear[screams]inaninnocent,fun kindofcontext,itallowsyouto potentiallyrecognizethemmore readilyandmoreaccurately,” Gouzoulessaid.

Consistentwiththattheory,his studiesfindthathumansgenerally havedifficultydistinguishingbetween screamsoffearand thoseofpleasure.

Thewidevarietyof screamshumanscan produce,rangingfrom happytofearfulto aggressive,offers artistsadeeparsenalof expectationstomanipulateintheirwork. Gouzoulessaidthat suchambiguityiswhat makesMunch’sworkstriking.

“Itwouldn’tbesointriguingifwe couldhearthatscream,”Gouzoules said.“Youknow,youlookatMunch’s depictionandyou'refullofwonder astowhat'sitallabout.”

Theevolutionofscreamsalso providesinsightintotheperennial debateoverwhetherthemeaningof artisuniversalorculture-specific. Differenttheoriesaboutscreamscan positthemasabiologicaltoolora communicativedevicewithinart.

Cronanarguedscreamswere culturallybased,withtheinterpretationofartdependinglargelyonthe artistandwhattheywishtoconvey. Thoughthemeaningbehindapiece

KoolKeithisoneofthecraziest hip-hopartistsofalltime.He releasedoneofhip-hop’sfirsthorrorcorealbums,“Dr.Octagonecologyst,”in1996,underthepseudonym “Dr.Octagon.”Thealbumisastory aboutanalien-likedoctorwhoisalso asuperbrapperfromtheplanet Jupiter.Thealienhasflowntoearth tocurehispatients’otherworldly ailments,sometimesbrutallymurderingthembutalwaysspitting extraterrestrialbars.Keith camefromamore subtletraditionof discussingreal-life issuesinrapped,narrativeform.However, hisexamplehasinfluencedmanymodern artiststoconstructalbums drawingfromcommon themespresentinhorror filmsandothercommon frighteningmedia.The inventedsubgenrehas evolvedtobeafictionaloutletforthe realisticandoftenscarieractualities oflife,oftentouchingonthemesof raceandclassinequalities.

Thetendencytogravitatetoward thehorrorgenreisonethatmakes senseinthescopeofhip-hop’s themes.Hip-hoporiginatedincommunitiesoflower-income,Black youth,andoftenfocusesonstoriesof struggle.Prolifichorrorauthor

StephenKingmentionsthat“people dokindofgravitatetowardshorror storieswhentimesaretough,”asa storyaboutamurderousaliendoctor forinstancecanmakeindividual problemsseemlesssignificantin comparison.GetoBoys’“MindPlayingTricksonMe”isoftencitedasthe chiefexampleofthisphenomenonin hip-hop.PriortoGetoBoys,gangster rapwasfairlyone-dimensional. Althoughbrilliantandalwaysentertaininginitsownright,IceCube, Eazy-Eandothershadbegunformulatingthegangsterarchetype,awild Westvillainwithnoreservations. GetoBoysflippedthis storyonitshead,discussing theexperience ofthegangster afterthey’ve returnedhome fromadayof violence.Itturns out,thislifecanbe hauntedbyparanoiaand PTSD.Intheirspookiest image,thegrouprapsabout aHalloweenaltercation.In detail,theydescribeteamingupand attackingamonstrouslylargeman untilthey“feltjustlikeafiend.It wasn’tevenclosetoHalloween.” Thisretrospectiveanalysiswasboth aHalloweenstoryandacautionary tale,pavingthewayforfutureartists toraptheirscarystories.Artistslike Eminemhavecontinuedthis inventedtradition,rappingabout theirlifedifficultiesthroughhorror

BY ARTS &ENTERTAINMENT STAFF

Weallhaveembarrassingpictures ofyoungversionsofourselvesin humiliatingHalloweencostumes storedsomewhereonourphonesor inourfamilyphotoalbums.Allisfair inloveandHalloweenwhenwe’rein elementaryschool,butnowthat we’regrown,therearenoexcusesfor stalecostumechoices.Still,too-old trick-or-treatersandpeskypartygoersalloverthecountrysomehow continuetodressupinthemost tired,uglyandembarrassingoutfits theycanfindonthesacreddayof Halloween.Whetheryoudesperately needsomeespecially-spookyfashion adviceorsimplywishtofeelbetter aboutyourowncostumeideas,we hopeyouenjoyourtakesonthe worstcostumechoices.

Ghostface

TheamountofGhostfacecostumesfromthe“Scream”franchise thatIseeeveryyearisonething,but whatthrowsmeoffmoreisthe peopleIusuallyseewearingthem: children.PerhapsIassumetoo

much,butIwouldthinkmostkids havenotseenthisR-ratedhorror series,sothefacttheychoosetodress upasacharactertheyareprobably unfamiliarwithisbaffling.

Mostlikely,parentspickthis costumefortheirkidsbecauseitcan befoundatmoststoresandis scary-looking.However,thesame canbesaidforcharactersmore childrenmightbefamiliarwith. Parents,thisyearencourageyour childrentodressupasaclassic charactertheylove,likeBlackPanther,BatmanorElsainsteadofa fictionalserialkiller.

—SamBartlett,Contributing Writer

Zombies

Iunderstandtheappealand obsessionthatpeoplehavewith zombies.Iwasalsoonceayoungboy whowouldstayuplate,devisinga planfortheapocalypseandwatching videosaboutthemostnecessary equipmentforazombiesurvivalkit. However,I’manadultnow,andthe onlythingthatkeepsmeupismy ownexistentialdread.Iblamemedia

BY BEN BRODSKY ContributingWriter

“Perhapsonething thatmakesscreams uniqueishowthey dispossessusof ourvoice,turning itintoakindof foreignobjectthat neverthelessemerges fromthecoreof ourbeing.”

—AndrewKingston

narratives.

BasedonhowEminemhasbeen widelyacceptedinmainstream culture,somelistenersmayforgetthe insidiousnessofhisearlywork.On his2000song“Kim,”Eminemraps fromhisalterego,SlimShady, violentlykidnappingandmurdering hisex-wife,themotherofhisdaughter.Eventhemostcold-blooded listenershouldgrimaceathishorrific narrativeretelling:“Youcan'trun fromme,Kim!It'sjustus,nobody else//You'reonlymakingthisharder onyourself!//Ha-ha,gotcha!Go ahead,yell!//Here,I'llscreamwith you,‘Ah!Somebodyhelp!’"His conceptualtendencieshaveimpacted thecreativebreadthofthepast generation,showingyoungartists howtoapplywildandsocially unacceptablethoughtsinawaythat isentertainingandinteresting.Tyler, theCreatorisoneofthebestexamplesofthisinfluencemakingitsway intomusicwrittendecadesafter Eminem’speak.Forthe musicvideoofhis breakoutsong “Yonkers,”Tylermenacinglystaresintothe camerabeforedevouringalargecockroach andvomiting.Very Eminemstuff.The artistsbothbrokeinto themusicindustrywith theirshockvalueantics,hopingtobe sodisturbingthatlistenerswouldn’t beabletolookaway.However,their musicisfarfromthescariest:the scariesthip-hopsongis“Dancing withtheDevil”byImmortal Technique.

fromayoungage.Heisoffereda choicetoaccepthisrealityasachild bornintoahomefilledwithdrugs andabuseortochooseanillegalpath tothetop.Asisimpliedbythesong’s title,thelatterchoicecomeswith stringsattached.Irefusetospoilthe shockingrevealof“Dance’s”narrative,asIhopeIcanoffersomeonethe samepale-skinned,goosebumped momentthatIexperienced.However,ifIhadtorecommendonesong toillustratetheopportunitytoterrify throughhip-hop,“Dancewiththe Devil”wouldbeit.Sincethen, youngerartistshavebegunthe constructionofhorrorcoreconcept albumsthatarestructuredasthrilling narratives.

ofartremainsthesame,interpretationsmorphovertimedependingon whoisviewingthepiece.

“Aworkcanbesoeffective,so powerful,thatitfeelsasifthe emotiontheyprojectisnatural, universal[...]Butweareresponding tosomethingdeeplywithinasetof conventions”Cronanwroteinan emailtotheWheel.“Munch’swork issodeeplytiedtoourshared conceptofscreaming,ofpain,thatit isasthoughsecondnaturetoassociatehisworkwiththeemotional state.Butasthehistoryofartshows overandoveragain,nothingis forever.”

Gouzoulesdescribedthemeaning behindscreamsasmoreuniversal.

“Rootedinthehumancommu-

nicativerepertoireistheabilityto screaminthesedifferentcontexts,” Gouzoulessaid.

Thus,themeaningsbehind screamsaresimilaracrosshumans.

Hisinterpretationstillallowsfor differencesbetweencultures,though hesaystheseare“rootedintermsof normsofbehavior.”

Itislikelythatcultures“restrict opportunities”forcertaintypesof screamsthathumanscanmake, Gouzoulesexplained.

Whethertrulyuniversalorparticular,therolescreamsplayinsociety hasevolvedandwillcontinuetodo so.Halloweenstapleslikehaunted housesandhorrormovieshave undoubtedlyincreasedthepresence ofscreamsinpopularculture.

ForCronan,thechangingroleof screamsisareasontocontinueto studyanddiscusstheirpowerinart. Asthepopularrelevanceofscreams developsthiscanleadtonewpreferencesinart,suchasrenewedinterest inMunch’spainting.

Cronanexplainedthat,“it’snot thatthemeaningofworkchanges,it doesn’t,butwechange,andwhatwe respondtochanges.”

“Partofmyjobis[to]tryandkeep Munch’spaintingaliveforusbecause Ithinkitisavaluablerepresentation, butnotbecauseit’s‘universal,’” Cronanwrote.

—ContactSonyaDoubledeeat sonya.doubledee@emory.edu andSamSharifoat sam.shafiro@emory.edu.

havebegunthe constructionof

albumsthatare structuredas

like“TheWalkingDead”formaking peoplethinkthatalltheyneedtodo isthrowtheirclothesinsomedirt andputsomebloodontheirfacesto bereadyforthenight.

Ilistenedto“DancewiththeDevil” forthefirsttimewhenIwasaround 14yearsold.Ihadgottentherecommendationfromafellowhip-hop Twitterpage,citing“Dance”asoneof thebeststorytellingsongseverwritten.Ifocusedonnarrativeand creativityratherthanhorror,which madethejumpscareevenmore devastating.Thetrackisamodern versionofthestoryofOedipusRex, backedbyahauntinglyminimal instrumentalandrecountedinterribledetail.ThestoryfollowsWilliam, ayoungmanina“GoodFellas”(1990) situation,surroundedbycriminals

DannyBrown,anexperimental hip-hopartistknownforhishorrorcorenarrativeelements,hasalso madehismarkonthegenreinrecent years.His2016“AtrocityExhibition” albumleansintohorrorcorethrough traditionalhip-hopmotifs.Utilizing vocalalteregosand findingthedarksidein storiessomewhattypicalinhip-hop,Brown doeswhatGetoBoys didthreedecadesago, exposingthedarkrealitysometimesignored inhip-hopstories.On thealbum,Brownfalls intoa“DownwardSpiral,”losinghimselfindrugabuseand depression.Theultimateanti-drug publicserviceannouncement,we hearBrownsometimesslurringhis wordsasthesubstancestakehold.As drugscanimpacttheworkofusers negatively,Brownactivelyallows themtomaketheirwayintothestory. Often,herapsinanasalvoiceand tone,providingafeelingofuneaseto thealbumthathasneverbeendone before.Brown’suseofsoundeffects tohighlightthechaoticexternalities controllinghislifeforceslistenersto compartmentalizetheprotagonist’s goals.Onecannotrootforthemain character’smotivesiftheyareclearly tohisdetriment.Brownmapshis horrorstoryalongarealistichip-hop narrative,bendingthegenretohis will.

Hip-hophorrorstoriesareenjoyablebecauseoftheconvergenceof moviethemesandthehip-hopart form.Rappershaveevolvedintheir creativitytosuchdegreesastocreate anewmediumforthrillingconsumption—onewithoutscreensorpages. ThisHalloween,eatsomecandyand playyourfavoritehip-hopalbum. Thankstosuchinventiveartists,you mighthavetroublefallingasleep.

Zombiecostumesaretacky,overdoneandbringalmostnoflairtoa costumeparty.Unlessyou’redressingupasoneofthefungalinfected from“TheLastofUs”(2013)ora blockyzombiefrom“Minecraft” (2011),thenkeepyourripped-up flannelsanddirtyjeansinthecloset. So,ifyou’reconsideringdressingup astheundead,maybesendthatidea backtothegrave.

—EythenAnthony,Artsand EntertainmentEditor

Lifeguards

ThisHalloween,Ibetternotsee anyonewalkingthestreetsofDruid Hillsdressedasalifeguard.Myeyes cannothandleseeingtheredshorts thatspellout“LIFEGUARD”onthe back—youknowtheonesI’mtalking about.It’s2022,andyouhave (hopefully)evolvedpastyour2012 Tumblrphase.Iwouldunderstand beingalifeguardifwewerein CaliforniaorFlorida,butthere’sno pointwhenAtlanta’snearestbeachis fourhoursaway.Whoareyou(figuratively)saving?Finally,theobnoxiouswhistlesarejusticingonthe cake.Ifyouwanttostickwiththe beachythemebutdon’twanttobe basic,dressupastheCoastGuard.

—GracieEvans,Contributing Writer

Prisoner/Cop

Pleasesparemefromthecountlessannoyingcoupleswearingthe basicorangejumpsuitsandthe phony-lookingcopcostumesthis Halloween.Youmightthinkit’scute, butnoonewantstoseeyouputeach otherinhandcuffsortheoversexualizedInstagramphotoscaptioned “mostwanted”or“guiltyascharged!” Thejailbirdandcopcombois overdoneandignorantofrealsocial

issuessurroundingthepolice.Inthe 21stcenturyandespeciallyatEmory, I’dthinkstudentswouldbemore politicallyaware.Nottomention, wearingapoliceofficercostume withinthevicinityofcollegestudents orparty-goers…won’tmakeyouvery popular.Ditchtheplastichandcuffs andfaketattoosandgetmore creativethisyear.

—FionaFerguson,Contributing Writer

Morphsuits

Men,fortheloveofgod,please stopallowingyourselvestobeseenin publicwearingamorphsuit.Yes, evenonHalloweennight.Especially onHalloweennight.Thiscostume hasbeenaroundaslongasSpirit Halloweenhasbeensettingup pop-upsinabandonedToys“R”Us stores.

Despiteitsstubbornattemptsto stayrelevant,it'stimeforthisgenre ofcostumetoseeitsbitter,satisfying end.EverytimeIseeamorphsuit,I seegross,smearedstainsinundesirableplacesandafaded,sadversion ofwhatwasonceavibrantcolor. Morphsuitwearers,it’stimetotake thisfive-year-oldfadstraightfrom yourclosetstothetrashcanand

embracesomemoreinspiredcreativitywithyourcostumedesign.You mightthinkyou’reservinglaid-back andlivelywiththistragictrend,but whatyou’rereallygivingisTeletubby chicatbestandglorifiedpigslopat worst.

—NathanRubin,Contributing Writer

‘HarryPotter’characters

IfeellikeIseeiteveryyear:the robes,wandandmaybeaHogwarts housetie.WhileIunderstandthe appeal(childhoodnostalgia,bookish aestheticandeasyassembly),thisis atiredchoice.Thebook-reading communityneedsmorevariedrepresentationatHalloween.Ifyouare trulysetonbeingacharacterfrom thewizardingworldthisfall,prove yourdevotionbyatleastpickinga costumethatscreamsproudnerd. RiseupWhompingWillows,Sorting HatsandDobbys.Inmyhumble opinion,thattellsmealotmore aboutyourpersonalitythanwhat HogwartshouseyougotonPottermoreatage12.It’sOK,weallknow youretookthatquizuntilyougotthe answeryouwantedanyway.

—ShayleeArtus,Contributing Writer

ben.brodsky@emory.edu.

Emory Wheel

Emory Life

Families, alumni run annual Homecoming 5K

By Jordyn LiBow Contributing Writer

On the bright, crisp fall morning of Oct. 22, Emory University students, parents and alumni gathered at the start line on the Clairmont Campus at 8:30 a.m.

This race was so much more than a competition, it was a chance for new students and parents to mingle, for alumni to rekindle friendships, to relish in the nostalgia of being back on campus and for everyone to come together and share their Emory pride.

The annual event is hosted by Emory Recreation & Wellness and the Emory Alumni Association and fosters connections among current and past members of the Emory community. Senior Director of Recreation and Wellness at Emory April Flint has been involved in planning the 5K for the past 10 years.

“It brings a lot of people out,” Flint

said. “We have students, we have their parents, we have alumni and we see a lot of new faces every year.”

Runners were greeted and checked in by the warm, energetic Emory women’s soccer team and offered complimentary bagels, coffee and juice while they waited for the race to start.

The women’s soccer team members also cheered on the runners throughout the race, from when the runners took their first strides from the start line at the Student Activities and Academic Center, where they remained to encourage runners in their final stretch of the 5K, as they circled back to the same spot to finish their race.

“We are here with our soccer team, so we’ve got 10 or 12 girls out here today … and we’re here to volunteer… We have not been part of this event before, but we just showed up this morning,” said Kara Trotman (22C) with a laugh. “We were told what to do

and we did it.”

This race was incredibly exciting to watch, as it was remarkably close. Mike Hasson, a proud parent of a current Emory student, led the majority of the race until the very end when Adrian Glover (20G) passed him at the finish line to finish 0.1 seconds ahead of Hasson with a time of 22 minutes and 26.0 seconds. Hasson finished in 22 minutes and 26.1 seconds.

This was Glover’s first time running the Homecoming 5K, and his finish time was especially impressive given that he hadn’t ran in a race since 2016.

Hasson was on campus for parents weekend and said he had no idea how close the race was until Glover passed him.

“It wasn’t close until the very end when he flew by me,” Hasson said. “I wish somebody had warned me that he was on my heels. I had no idea there was somebody behind me.”

When Glover and Hasson crossed the finish line, they leaned on one another, catching their breaths and congratulating each other.

Clara Beth LaFollette (24C) was the first woman and first current Emory student to cross the finish line, with a time of 23:03.5. LaFollette is a member of the University’s running club, and this is her second year running Emory’s Homecoming 5K.

In addition to these winners, there were many Emory community members in attendance at the event. Dr. Regina Robinson Bone (95C) came out to run on her old stomping grounds. Bone was part of Emory’s track and field team and was recognized in the Emory Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.

Matt McSpadden (06C) also returned to campus for the race and has attended many alumni events in his hometown of Nashville. In his first

time back on campus in “a while,” he reflected fondly on his time at Emory.

“The whole undergrad experience was amazing—great friends, and a lot of great opportunities and activities, as well as an amazing education,” McSpadden said.

Another proud Emory alum in attendance was Christina Comrie (07Ox, 09C), an avid attendee at alumni events in her hometown, Washington DC. Comrie said she “adores” Emory and expressed gratitude for the closeknit community it fostered.

“What I love about Emory is how inclusive it is, you’re around so many intelligent people,” Comrie said. “I started at Oxford and those are my day one friends for life.”

Many of the runners and attendees at the Homecoming 5K consisted of new students and parents at Emory. Among these were parents Mary and Jay Fisher, who waited eagerly near the start line to support their daughter, Gabrielle Fisher (26C), who was running.

“She’s here, she enjoys running, so we came out to support her,” Jay said.

The Homecoming 5K also fostered new friendships. Around the refreshments table, new students and parents chatted away while sipping on coffee.

Parents Jorge Garcia and Gosia Telichowska were among the crowd engaging in a lively conversation with their new friend Anne Foster, whose daughter just started at Emory this year.

“It’s been great,” Foster said. “We just met through our daughters, so we’re making new friends, which is amazing.”

With a balanced combination of friendly competition with love, support, friendship and a whole lot of Emory pride, this year’s Homecoming 5K provided a time for alumni to reflect on their time at Emory and facilitated new friendships.

— Contact Jordyn Libow at jordyn.libow@emory.edu.

Deltas

By Brammhi BaLaraJan Editor-in-Chief

Forty years ago, Emory University’s Delta Sigma Theta chapter, Omicron Xi, started with just seven women. Now, the chapter boasts 289 members and has a thriving presence on campus. During Homecoming weekend on Oct. 21 and 22, alumni and current members gathered to celebrate the legacy of this historicallyBlack sorority.

The weekend festivities kicked off with a meet and greet, complete with a slate of merch for Deltas to trade and an array of snacks. Purple tinsel decorated the top of the Emory Black Student Union, but tones of red in the decorations captured the vibrant spirit of Deltas. As the Emory’s of Delta Sigma Theta chapter entered the space, the energy was vivacious. The Deltas greeted each other with hugs—

whether it was an old friend or a new face, the love and warmth radiated the room.

For Marcia Pettis (23C), the current president, Deltas have always been an inspiration.

“In my life, the women that I’ve met that I’ve looked up to, they have been Deltas,” Pettis said.

Pettis said she joined the organization because she felt connected to the mission and community of the Deltas, which prides itself on its sisterhood.

There’s four components to the service mission—political, economic, education, physical and mental health. Pettis said that she has particularly enjoyed the voting activism that the Deltas have tackled, especially their ability to teach people and raise awareness about the importance of upcoming elections in Georgia.

For Pettis, the far-reaching

community is what makes the Deltas so unique.

“It’s astonishing to see there’s lines and generations of people who support me and people I can depend upon,” she said.

What’s even more enriching, she said, is seeing how many Deltas still show up at reunion events years later.

While they all keep in touch online, Pettis said “there’s so much love around” when they attend in person. Even prominent Delta women—like Cassandra Gordon Tancil (83C), who helped spearhead the emergence of the Delta chapter at Emory forty years ago—came back to campus for the reunion.

“It’s crazy because you see the name on the website and think she wouldn’t come, but she does,” Pettis said.

Tancil is a recurring face at Delta events. To this day, she recalls starting the Deltas chapter at Emory as a source of pride.

“That’s my greatest accomplishment in life, besides my kids,” Tancil said.

At the second event of the night, which brought Delta family members into the mix, Tancil reflected on the road to establishing the chapter at Emory.

When she first came onto campus, she knew she wanted to be a Delta—her mother had been a Delta before her, and she knew she belonged in that space.

Amid the logistical meetings and events they had to attend to start the

Deltas, she remembered someone asking them why they wanted to start a Black sorority when there was already one on campus.

She recalled telling him that there were 13 white sororities on campus, and Black women deserved the ability to choose just the same.

“They opened the eyes of Emory students and administrators to see that Blackness is not a monolith,” Tancil said.

Throughout the night, the Deltas featured poetry recitations and held a moment of silence to remember Delta sisters and an advisor who had passed away.

The Deltas went through the

decades, highlighting what the chapter was doing on campus during various prominent times, including when Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” came out and highlighting the first Black student graduating from Emory in 1963.

The night ended with the Deltas singing the traditional “Sweetheart Song,” as Deltas joined hands and swayed from side to side. “She’s a Delta,” echoed the room, as two young girls ran around the circle, the next generation jumping for a glimpse of the Deltas.

— Contact Brammhi Balarajan at brammhi.balarajan@emory.

Tong

Xavier Stevens

anna schwartz/contributing photographer Emory University’s annual Homecoming 5K was held at the Clairmont Campus on Oct. 22. Participants included current students and their family members and alumni.

jordyn libow/contributing writer Emory parent Mike Hasson (right) was the first to cross the finish line at the annual Homecoming 5K, followed closely by Adrian Glover (20G).

natalie sandlow/contributing photographer

The festivities kicked off with a meet and greet, complete with merch for Deltas to trade and an array of snacks.

natalie sandlow/contributing photographer

Delta Sigma Theta celebrated its 40th anniversary during Homecoming weekend on Oct. 21 and 22

Maggie’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill: the evolution of an Emory cultural touchstone

By Xavier StevenS Emory Life Editor

It usually takes Ivan Faulkenberry a minute to find the right key for the door. Once inside, he flips on the lights; the neon of Miller Lite, Yuengling and Modelo cast a red-andblue haze across the room.

In the glow, the 81-year-old walks past six booths made from the steel doors of old shipping containers, one slightly bent by a student last Friday, and a long concrete bar worn smooth by waves of elbows.

Since 2008, the Faulkenberry family has owned Maggie’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill and transformed it into the bar the Atlanta community and Emory University students affectionately refer to as “Mags.”

Ivan and his son, Rand Faulkenberry, set prices low, decorated the dark interior with license plates and neon lights, and removed permanent chairs and tables to open up the room when needed. Later tonight, Maggie’s staff will remove the tables between the booths and the bar to make it an open space for students to dance.

“We have always hoped to send a message with the way we do things that Maggie’s is a place where you can come and have a good time,” Ivan Faulkenberry said. “Not too much of a good time but enjoy your night, and we won’t screw you on the price.”

Maggie’s has become ingrained in Emory tradition, a place where students flock for a good time during the first week of classes or after graduation. Alumni have gone on to work for the bar, including Byron Hoffman (03Ox, 04C), who is the general manager.

The University has never officially recognized or worked with Maggie’s, but the unspoken tradition drew President Gregory L. Fenves into the bar last year to celebrate with the class of 2022 after graduation.

“I wrote a letter to the President and said thank you for coming and taking a look to see what Maggies really is because we want to be tolerable, not this thorn in his side,” Faulkenberry said. “I also sent him a T-shirt, but I don’t know if he wears it.”

Where the bar stands

The bar is an Emory tradition that started well before the Faulkenberry ownership or its namesake. The Toco Hills shopping center was built in 1957 with a bar called Toco Taverns, where Hoffman’s dad went with friends when he attended Emory Medical School. When Maggie Martin bought the bar in 1990, she changed the name to Maggie’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill.

“I went to Maggie’s as a student back then, and Maggie was quite the drinker,” Hoffman said. “She was definitely the life of the party.”

When Maggie Martin passed away in 2002, her husband decided to tailor the bar toward an older crowd with gambling machines and private poker games in the back. But, the bar struggled and went up for sale in 2008.

Ivan had been retired after a long career in finance since 2000, but he started investing in the restaurant business and wanted to involve his son. The Faulkenberry family moved quickly to buy the bar with Rand as the owner and operator.

The life of the party

Rand was a recent art graduate from Skidmore College, and after working as an artist in New York for a few years, he moved back to Atlanta and started to operate Maggie’s.

Rand worked to cater the bar towards a younger crowd with the renovations, expansions of an outdoor patio and specials, like free Maggie’s t-shirt night.

“Rand held the bar together and was the life of the party,” Hoffman said. “He replaced the role of Maggie when I went there, and he was very forward and hung out with everyone like they were a good friend.”

The bar saw even more student traffic under Rand, who implemented new safety measures to make sure people back home safe. Before Uber or Lyft, taxis lined up in front of the bar, and Rand often bought a taxi home for a student who had too much to drink. He started a safe word if anyone wanted to escape an uncomfortable situation. Come to the bar and order a shirley temple, and Rand would order you a taxi home. The safety system is still in operation today.

Rand built a small but loyal staff with Hoffman returning to Maggie’s as a bartender joined by Krasi and Megan at nights. A security detail of Peter, Big D and Little D took care of student events and checked IDs at the door. Maggie’s operated like a family with Rand as its face, Hoffman said.

In 2015, Rand suffered a series of aneurysms to the left-side of his brain. He survived but lost use of the left-side of his body and has short term memory loss. After the near-fatal tragedy, Ivan took over operation of the bar at 74-years-old. He believes the bar has changed significantly since Rand could no longer work at the bar.

“People see me, and their first reaction is ‘What is an old man doing here,’ but that’s the reality,” Ivan said. “After a while, people kind of know what the story is, but I’ve never built the relationships that he had.”

Ivan and Hoffman still consult Rand about ideas and new additions to Maggie’s. He recently gave them the idea to open the backroom, once a workshop for Rand’s artwork, to use as a venue space. Ivan left his artwork up and started events in the backroom

with great success.

On his good days, Rand sees his wife and kids but may even come to Maggie’s to chat with regulars during the day. He is learning to paint with his right hand on canvases in the backroom, and he hopes to come every Halloween in costume and work on free Maggie’s T-shirt night to talk to students.

“It’s a heck of a thing for a father to say, but he’s generous to a fault,” Ivan said. “Rand has not changed his personality at all. He’s still a generous person.”

A place to relax

Following Rand’s aneurysms, Ivan took a few years to get a handle on things. He started by introducing poker nights and dart leagues, and he formed relationships with students who came to Maggie’s.

The COVID-19 pandemic halted business for the bar, forcing it to close two times in the summer of 2020 and in the winter of 2021, but Maggie’s survived. Most of the staff stayed, and business has returned strong but the atmosphere has changed.

Students still come, but all at once, usually on one night on the weekend, so Maggie’s has looked to other areas to expand. Ivan and Hoffman have built out the food menu to welcome more people during the day.

“I cook some good hamburgers with fries, and we make great wet lemon pepper wings,” Ivan said. “Unfortunately, students don’t come here to eat, and if they do, it’s an accident.”

The evening and dinner crowd range from doctors at Emory to construction workers who tend to come back each week and earn the title of regulars. On the back wall at Maggie’s, two big picture frames fill with photos of regulars from over the years with Rand, Ivan or another member of Maggie’s family.

Hoffman joined the family after graduating from Emory with a degree in biology and chemistry. He put a future in medicine on hold to take care of his grandmother, and during that time, Hoffman got a job at Maggie’s. After 10 years with the bar, he’s here more than anyone, at night cleaning up messes but also bartending during the day.

Even during his off-days, Hoffman finds himself at Maggie’s to talk to Rand or play pool with his friends.

“Maggie’s is a very fun environment that can be stressful, but it is more fun,” Hoffman said. “And it’s peaceful during the day because I know the older regulars who have their stories. I think it’s a happy place.”

— Contact Xavier Stevens at xavier.stevens@emory.edu.

Overalls are here to stay

By Catherine Goodman Contributing Writer

Everything old is new again, and this fall semester students are sporting the ultimate comeback trend: overalls. Using the quad as their runway, students have embraced the piece’s simplicity while adding unique layers and accessories for an individual touch.

In contrast to the current fashion statement of overalls in 2022, their beginnings were humble and utilitarian. They emerged in agrarian society, as farmers and fishermen utilized denim jumpsuits as their everyday outfits. The thick and durable material protected them from debris, dirt and other contaminants. In recent years, overalls transitioned from strictly dress for laborers to a widely-worn and fashionable outfit.

Among the many resurging trends including workout one-pieces, mom jeans and converse, overalls are a refreshing addition to modern fashion. The outfit embodies the sentiment of 2022 streetwear because they are easy to style, fun to wear and comfortable.

Khushi Niyyar (26C) said she felt “ecstatic” about the return of overalls. Her take on the item was simple and refined. She wore light-wash, cut-off overalls on top of a black short-sleeve top paired with white sneakers and gold accessories.

Niyyar said she regularly wears overalls, but that Tuesday she wore

an edge to the youthful khaki overalls. She also carried a box of vanilla wafers: a true style choice.

Askins said that overalls permit freedom of expression, but she also adores them for their simplicity.

“They are thrifted and remind me of Eerie, Pennsylvania—where I’m from,” Askins said. “It’s a dress, but you still get to wear a shirt.”

Overalls are easy to style, as they require minimal thought processes, eliminating the threat of mismatching patterns or fits.

They are game changers in their simplicity, especially for Emory students who have greater stresses to consider than getting dressed. Overalls save time in the morning, while still providing a unique campus outfit.

Because consumers are never satisfied and fashion is made to be bold, overalls are becoming as unique as their wearers.

New trends such as overall dresses, vegan overalls and vibrant patterns and colors are becoming increasingly

them for a special occasion.

“It’s farmer’s market Tuesday,” Niyyar said. “I had to bring out the overalls.”

Other students expressed their desire to separate overalls from their agrarian roots. Areej Nazir (25C) said she wears her overalls in a “cute, quirky fall way, not farm girl way.” Her outfit included full-pant overalls, a light pink short sleeve top and white converse.

The accessories, shoes, and layers are one of the defining and most attractive qualities of overalls; freedom for individuality. Sandy Askins (26C) sported cropped, khaki overalls, over a long-sleeve black shirt. While the piece’s fit remained the same, the entire aesthetic was widely different. Walking down Clifton Road, she sported the piece with a little more grunge than our other models. The darker tones, partnered with silver jewelry and flawless eyeliner, added

popular among designers—for example, FRAME, who prices their classy, leather overalls at a mere $1,095. Who knows what we will be seeing on campus by next spring?

— Contact Catherine Goodman at catherine.goodman@emory.edu

xavier stevens/emory life editor

Ivan Faulkenberry walks past the bar he built with his son Rand and the booths made from the cargo doors of old shipping containers at his restaurant affectionately known as “Mags.”

catheine goodman/contributing writer Khushi Niyyar (26C) wears light-wash, cut-off overalls on top of a black short-sleeve top.

catherine goodman/contributing writer

Sandy Askins (26C) wears cropped, khaki overalls. over a long-sleeve black shirt.

catherine goodman/contributing writer Areej Nazir (25C) wears fullpant overalls, a light pink short sleeve top, and white converse.

Hall brings leadership and optimism to team

huge force for our program.”

Patberg said Hall has also become a “fantastic leader,” taking on the added responsibility of being one of the team’s captains.

Freshman defender Samantha Lim said as a captain, Hall is very approachable when anyone needs advice or help and leads by example on the field.

“She’s a great person to look up to,” Lim said. “She’s really kind and friend ly. And as a freshman, she’s pretty inclusive.”

Highlighting her strength as a lead er, Lim recalled how Hall missed a penalty kick when the team lost 1-0 to the University of Puget Sound (Wash.) on Sept. 5. Instead of dwelling on her mistake, Hall put the past behind her and focused on improving her penalty kick.

In three consecutive games between Oct. 8 and Oct. 16, Hall scored decisive penalties. Her penalty kicks against New York University and Brandeis University (Mass.) were the winning goals.

“I think that [focus] is just part of her nature,” Lim said. “She never quits.”

Hall’s composure on the field has propelled her game to new heights this season. While this success is due

in large part to her hard work and personal growth, Hall is extremely humble and appreciative of the entire team effort.

“I’m really proud of myself, but I wouldn’t be doing that without my teammates,” Hall said. “I give all credit to them and to my coaches as well.”

Beyond sports and academics, Hall is involved with several Jewish orga nizations on campus. She is a vice president of Meor at Emory and a member of Emory Miracle. Hall loves to find ways to “help the community as a whole.”

When asked about Hall’s next con tributions to the team following her record-breaking run, Patberg was overwhelmingly optimistic.

“The sky’s the limit for any player on our team, and for Kylie it’s the same thing,” Patberg said. “There’s no limit to what can be attained.”

With one more year of eligibil ity remaining, Hall plans to return for the 2023 season and hopes to “add some more wins to the [team’s] column.”

With one more year of eligibil ity remaining, Hall plans to return for the 2023 season and hopes to “add some more wins to the [team’s] column.”

Rodman normalized subverting masculinity

In 1996, Rodman showed up to a New York City Barnes & Noble in a full wedding gown while promoting his book Bad As I Wanna Be, claiming to “marry himself.” It goes without saying that donning a wedding dress itself is iconic, but the stakes are raised when the person doing so is 6’8,” employed in a quintessentially masculine pro fession nearly 30 years ago in a less progressive, queer-friendly era. While the wedding dress was one end of the spectrum, Rodman often wore more casual outfits with pieces that were more traditionally feminine.

Rodman also frequently expressed himself through his hair. From trib utes to teammates to smiley faces to social causes to insane colors, Rodman brought a new look to the court every night during a time when loud hair expressions were not common.

My personal favorite image of Rodman is a casual shot of him in the locker room. He has classic pink hair, ear gauges, a phone hilariously of-thetime and a white t-shirt that reads, “I don’t mind straight people as long as they act gay in public.”

To me, this photo best encapsulates Rodman’s impact. Rodman’s own sex uality is complex – he called himself bisexual in his book and straight in press junkets for it, but he also admit ted to experimenting with men and visiting gay and drag clubs.

However, Rodman’s own sexuality isn’t what matters. What matters is that Rodman wore this shirt openly

Martin embraces being ultimate team player

Continued from Back Page

of it and she wants to become better for it.”

When Martin arrived on campus for her freshman season in 2021, she quickly made a name for herself. The first regular season game was at home against Oglethorpe University (Ga.). Emory played three sets, and Martin watched from the sidelines as her teammates beat Oglethorpe in the first two. She was so focused on supporting them that McDowell had to call Martin’s name multiple times before she realized she was being put in the game near the end of the third set.

She was hit with a mix of nerves and excitement. Martin had imagined this moment in her head before, and it always played out the same — she thought she would be anxiety-ridden, with worries about performing well clouding her mind. But when she ran onto the court, none of that mattered.

“When you’re going out there, you feel the support of your teammates and you trust in your hard work,” Martin said. “You get this sense of calm and focus.”

She stood at the end of the court and bounced the ball, spinning it in her hands before serving it. An oppos ing player shanked it out of bounds –Martin had scored an ace on her first collegiate serve.

“Everyone [was] very excited for me because it was my first time going in the game,” Martin said. “It was a good feeling, and it [was] the start of a really great period of my life.”

Martin became an integral player in the 2021 season, playing in all but two games on a squad that made it to the Regional Final of the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship. She finished third on the team in kills (232) and kills per set (2.34).

“It’s definitely rare to have people who you can count on again in those conference championship moments, those regional final moments, who are taking care of business and they literally finished high school the year before,” Saunders said.

Last year, Martin primarily focused on improving her hitting skills, but she said that this season she has been working on becoming a more wellrounded player. She has recently ded icated more time to improving her passing, blocking and receiving serves.

“I [can] do more, which is exciting,” Martin said. “It’s definitely a transi tion because I’m used to getting so many kills per game, and maybe that decreases because of the other stuff that I’m doing, but it’s about learning to be OK with that. Ultimately that’s bettering the team.”

This year, Martin has recorded 176 kills, 2.51 kills per set, 33 total blocks and 62 digs.

Martin has helped the team earn its current 15-6 record, which includes a 3-1 win against Trinity University (Texas) at the East-West Classic on Sept. 9, which she called a fun and gritty win. Trinity was undefeated and ranked No. 2 in Division III at the time.

“That was probably my favorite game that I’ve ever played in my whole life,” Martin said.

During the same tournament, Emory beat Johns Hopkins University (Md.) 3-0, which Martin described as “sweet revenge” for Johns Hopkins beating the Eagles 3-0 in the 2019 National Championship game. Three weeks later, Emory beat the previous ly-undefeated Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) 3-1.

“It was the best feeling in the world,” Martin said. “I remember being so happy for the team. That’s what it’s all about, because at the end of the day, whether you played bad, whether you played good, whether you played or not, we won the game, and that’s what matters.”

McDowell attributes Martin’s suc cess to her being an “absolute work horse,” noting that she leads the fresh men players by example.

“She continues to want to get better every single day, and that’s what makes Lily great, and that’s what’s going to lead us to, I think, many champion ships with her here,” McDowell said.

On top of a two and a half hour prac

tice six days a week and lift three days a week, Martin goes in an hour and a half early twice a week for extra reps and sometimes stays late for rehab. On those days, she could be at the Woodruff Physical Education Center (WoodPec) from 1:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

“I don’t mind spending seven hours in the WoodPec during the day, going in there and throwing my body on the floor, getting bruised up, because I enjoy it,” Martin said.

Martin’s determination to help her team doesn’t end on the court, which was evident when the team was hit by several injuries last year. In October, sophomore setter Sarah Luong tore her ACL and sophomore starting mid dle blocker Madison Cail developed a stress fracture in her foot, while senior libero Lauren Bandera missed about half the season due to lingering COVID-19 symptoms.

“You have to lean on your team mates and say ‘We have to work extra hard for them,’” Martin said. “‘They want to be out here playing with us so bad, so we have to work extra hard and make them proud.’”

Luong, who is also Martin’s room mate, said Martin helped her through her injury by always getting her what she needed and encouraging her after a difficult day at rehab.

“She’d do everything for me,” Luong said. “It was amazing. She really stepped up when there was a lot of adversity last year, which was really awesome.”

Martin’s end goal is to win a national championship by maintaining a “mind in the boat state.” However, she said that her time at Emory is mostly about having fun with her team, whether it’s on the court or during pre-game dance parties in the locker room.

“I appreciate [volleyball] for the fun aspect, I appreciate it because it teach es me life lessons about how to over come things and work hard,” Martin said. “It’s something I’ve had in my life for almost ten years now, so it’s a part of me. I’ll always be thankful for it.”

— Contact Madi Olivier at madi.olivier@emory.edu

in the locker room and in front of the media. Men’s sports have long been understood as an unwelcoming space for queer men, illustrated by the fact that the NBA has never had an openly out player on a roster. Despite the homophobia, Rodman never shied away from expressing himself.

The Worm’s boldness went beyond just what he wore. He also talked about taboo subjects surrounding sexual ity and gender expression, a non-tra ditional topic of discussion for ath letes. In a 1996 interview with Oprah Winfrey, he fervently showed his sup port for the LGBTQ community and remained unfazed despite Winfrey inappropriately hounding him about his own sexuality. He brought a cer tain ambivalence to gender perfor mance that was largely unaccepted and left everyone bewildered.

What especially strikes me about Rodman is that he not only expressed himself in ways that would be looked at weirdly even in progressive circles nowadays, but he did so as a 6’8” Black male athlete in the 1990s. More impressively, Rodman was fearless about it.

His courage earned him respect from mainstream viewers, media, and most importantly his own team mates. Yes, he was – and still is –constantly labeled the “weirdest NBA player of all time,” but at the end of the day, Rodman is respected. It may be because he’s one of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen, and he was a crucial part of multiple championship teams.

Like most pioneers, Rodman has paved the way for later generations of athletes to confidently push the boundaries of gender norms. The NBA is now a fashion powerhouse, with players using every game as an oppor tunity to show off their style, and gen derbent clothing is not uncommon. Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook is a good example: he fre quently wears traditionally feminine clothing and speaks about fashion’s importance on his life.

Fashion has historically been highly gendered, but athletes like Rodman made sporting events into a runway. Curating one’s clothing is not just a hobby for girls, but also for ath letes who have global cultural influ ence. And whether modern day play ers acknowledge it or not, the NBA wouldn’t be as accepting as it is today without the foundation Rodman laid. Admittedly, Rodman is far from perfect. His questionable connec tions with North Korea and tumultu ous relationships with his family and women often come under scrutiny, and for good reason. At the same time, his contributions can’t be ignored. He is a complex character whose impact extends beyond the funny hair and crazy outfits. He subverted masculin ity in his own way when so few others would, actions which brought meaning to people worldwide.

With all of this in mind, we can’t forget: boy, the man could rebound.

— Contact Gabriella Lewis at gvlewis@emory.edu

Tennis building ‘competitive identity’

Continued from Back Page

great environment and team culture the last two months we’ve been here this semester.”

The team returns to the courts after a successful 2021-22 spring season in which they were the runner-ups at the University Athletic Association Women’s Tennis Championship and lost in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championship.

However, things will look a bit dif ferent this year from the coaching side. Former head coach Amy Bryant (96C) retired after a decorated 23-season coaching career, passing the torch to Bridget Harding (18C, 20PH).

Shulman said she hasn’t noticed a great difference in Bryant and Harding’s coaching styles or in the overall team atmosphere.

“I wouldn’t say that it’s affect ed our team in any drastic ways,” Shulman said. “Coach Harding has been with the program ever since I got here freshman year. I’ve known her all my four years and she’s always been very involved.”

Shulman also attributed her oncourt success to the advice both Bryant and Harding have given dur ing her collegiate athletic career.

“[Bryant] and [Harding] have always talked to us about, you just have to trust the process and that whatever it is that you’re working towards, whether it’s tennis, school, life-related, there’s always gonna be little hiccups in the way but you shouldn’t let that derail your goals,” Shulman said.

Shulman’s multifaceted, aggres sive style has additionally garnered admiration from her peers, other players and the coaching staff.

“It’s a point of pride for her team mates,” Harding said. “It’s motivat

ing for them to see that [winning] is possible and to see that we have players that are consistently finding themselves in that position.”

Harding said that she believes Shulman’s approach to the game defines her success.

“She’s very competitive,” Harding said. “She really gets in the zone out there. And you know, she’s been continuing to develop that competi tive identity. From freshman year to now, she’s really come into her own as a competitor, and I think that confidence is just growing and she’s continuing to find herself in these bigger tournaments.”

Shulman’s All-American perfor mance at the South Regionals qual ified her for the ITA Cup, where Shulman defeated Grinnell College’s (Iowa) Sabrina Tang (6-3, 7-5) in the first round before losing to the topseeded University of Chicago’s (Ill.) Sylwia Mikos (3-6, 6-2, 3-6) in the quarterfinals.

Nevertheless, Harding and Shulman are looking forward to the year ahead. Though Harding noted that the sizable number of “new players” on the team – five of their 11 players are freshmen – may face a learning curve, she is poised to help build team culture around competitiveness and by reiterat ing the message of “trusting the process.”

“Our main focus right now is building our culture and building our competitive identity, and I think that’s starting to come through on the court,” Harding said. “The wins and losses are coming, but again, I think, as a whole, the competition and the performance of our team has been very strong.”

— Contact Clement Lee at

— Contact Maddy Shapiro at maddy.shapiro@emory.edu

‘Mind in the boat’: Lily Martin making waves for Emory volleyball

By Madi olivier News Editor

When sophomore outside hitter Lily Martin steps on the volleyball court, she thinks like a rower.

Over the summer, Martin and the rest of the Emory volleyball team read “The Boys in the Boat,” which tells the story of how the nine-man University of Washington rowing crew won gold at the 1936 Olympic Games. The row ers’ slogan was “mind in the boat,” reminding them that they were rowing toward their goal not as individuals but as one unit.

The two sports couldn’t be more different — instead of propelling a boat through water, Martin and her teammates play volleyball on hard wood floors. But the rowing mindset resonated with her team, and they adopted “mind in the boat” as their slogan for the year.

“Instead of playing as six individual positions out there … we come together and play as one unit,” Martin said.

Since her freshman year, Martin’s focus has been doing whatever she can to help her team, which head coach Jenny McDowell said Martin has achieved as one of the best athletes

to play volleyball at Emory during her tenure.

“You do not want to play against Lily Martin,” McDowell said. “I’d always pick Lily to go to battle with me, for sure. She’s going to give it everything she has every single day and she loves to compete.”

However, ten years ago, Martin couldn’t imagine herself playing vol leyball, much less at the collegiate level. She didn’t play sports growing up and preferred to spend her time drawing and doing crafts in elemen tary school.

She didn’t play a sport until sixth grade, when she joined her middle school volleyball team to make friends. Everyone made the team, and Martin admitted that she wasn’t good when she first started playing. She was short and scared of getting hit by the ball.

But that fear quickly subsided and Martin fell in love with the sport. She improved rapidly and made her first club-level team about five months later.

“I remember being so nervous that I was going to get cut because I felt like I didn’t have as much experience or the cool gear that the other girls did,” Martin said. “When my mom told

Shulman captures ITA South Regional singles crown

By CleMent lee Contributing Writer

The Emory University women’s tennis team competed in the ITA Division III Women’s South Regional Championship, with senior Stephanie Shulman coming out on top and win ning the singles title.

The ITA Regionals followed a typi cal tournament structure: both dou ble and singles brackets, each with 64 players. Shulman competed in the singles bracket and started off with a bye. She went on to defeat Sewanee: The University of the South’s (Tenn.)

Nicole Nowak (6-1, 6-1), Rhodes College’s (Tenn.) Agda Laasko (6-3, 6-1) and Emory’s Eliza McPherron (6-2, 6-2) and Ana Cristina Perez (walkover) to reach the finals.

Shulman then defeated Sewanee’s Alice Hall (6-1, 6-1) to win the singles crown.

“[Winning] was really cool,” Shulman said. “It’s definitely one of our tougher tournaments. I think having this be my last year here, it was really special to win it this year.”

Though the team’s official sea son begins in the spring, they are participating in fall tournaments in preparation. Shulman, who captains the women’s tennis team, said that she’s excited to see how much the team will improve before the spring.

“I think everyone on this team this year really cares about being here and it’s a supportive group of girls.” Shulman said. “It’s just been a really

me that I made the team, I remem ber being so excited and so proud of myself.”

The volleyball court has been Martin’s happy place ever since. When she started the college recruitment process in high school, Martin was drawn to Emory’s powerhouse vol leyball team and coaches. The feel ing was mutual, and McDowell began recruiting Martin her junior year of high school.

“She was one of the best athletes I have seen in her class, and we knew that she was the competitor and the leader and the volleyball player that we wanted in this program.”

However, COVID-19 abruptly ended her senior club season, so Martin decided to take a gap year. Although losing her senior season was diffi cult, Martin said it helped her appreci ate getting to play again later, which assistant coach Leah Saunders (21C) noticed.

“What stands out the most about her is she doesn’t take the reps for granted,” Saunders said. “She doesn’t take the sweat, the tears, the frustra tion, the joy for granted. She wants all

Composure is key: the story behind Kylie Hall’s recordbreaking run

By Maddy Shapiro Contributing Writer

Ten jumps forward, ten jumps back. Senior forward Kylie Hall acknowl edges that she has “a ton” of pre-game rituals. She listens to the same playl ist in the locker room before every game. She warms up with the same yellow ball when working with a part ner and recites a short prayer to her self during the national anthem. This routine locks in Hall’s focus so that when she steps onto the soccer field moments before kick-off, “everything feels right.”

Hall’s stellar performance this season for the Emory University women’s soccer team has been record-breaking. Between play ing East Texas Baptist University (Tenn.) on Sept. 9 and the University of Chicago (Ill.) on Oct. 8, Hall recorded an assist in seven con secutive games. On two separate occasions, Hall had three assists in one game, adding to her sea son total of 13. As a result of this incredible streak, Hall now holds the team record for the most assists in a single season and the most con secutive games with an assist.

Every athlete is prone to develop ing pre-game habits, but the reasons behind Hall’s success are not grounded in superstition.

When Hall was four years old, her parents signed her up for soccer in addition to other sports like dance and softball. By middle school, Hall real ized soccer was the sport she enjoyed most. From then on, she dedicated herself to becoming the best soccer player she possibly could.

Hall gained attention from col lege coaches while playing in the Elite Clubs National League during her first three years of high school. Hall stood out to head coach Sue Patberg as a high-school player because of her high level of technical play and mature game awareness.

“I always knew I wanted to go Division III because I wanted to go to more of an academic based school,” Hall said. “I visited Emory and it liter ally felt 100 percent right.”

Despite the welcoming environ

ment on the team, Hall had difficulty adjusting to college soccer during her freshman season.

“When I was a freshman, I was not the biggest on the field,” Hall said. “I remember coming in and being kind of timid, not wanting to take players on because I was afraid of losing the ball.”

Hall was not a regular starter during her freshman season. She was grateful for the minutes she received, but she knew that as one of the smaller play ers, she had to play to her strengths to remain on the field.

The following season was disrupted by COVID-19. The unfortunate break from games provided Hall with a unique opportunity. Still determined to become a better player, Hall trained alone in the fall and with her team mates in the spring to improve her skills and physicality.

“I was starting to really gain con fidence again,” Hall said. “I just felt like I was more comfortable on the field and that I was becoming a bet ter player.”

By her junior season, Hall’s hard work was evident on the field. She led the team in assists, scored five goals and was included in the United Soccer Coaches All-Region Second Team.

According to Patberg, Hall’s physi cal ability since joining the team has “grown tremendously” along with her game management and composure on the ball.

“A lot of players are accomplished players in high school and with their club teams,” Patberg said. “Not a lot of players grow as much as Kylie has grown in her game. To me, that’s a special thing. It’s a testament to her and her mentality.”

As a wide forward player, Hall is extremely fast and technical on the ball. She’s a great finisher and espe cially strong at delivering accurate crosses and free kicks.

“She can beat people on the drib ble,” Patberg said. “She can deliver a ball on the dime 30 yards in the air or cut the ball back on the ground. She can score herself… This comes as a

How Dennis Rodman taught us to buck norms

By GaBriella lewiS Managing Editor

Last semester, I studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. One morn ing, I was chatting with my house mates and were discussing gender and sexuality, when I offhandedly brought up Dennis Rodman. I assumed Rodman was a niche 1990s talking point that only American sports fanat ics would understand, so I expected starting a conversation about him with two non-sports fans halfway across the world would be a lost cause. To my surprise, my housemates knew who Rodman was immediately, and we quickly launched into a lengthy discus sion about what he did for gender roles for athletes and men, and particularly Black men.

People have given Rodman many different titles: the best on-ball defend

er in National Basketball Association (NBA) history, an eccentric, a wan nabe foreign ambassador and Trinity Rodman’s father, to name a few. To me, however, Rodman’s status as an icon of subversive masculinity and a pioneer of genderbent fashion is the most important part of his legacy.

Rodman was born into extreme poverty in the Dallas area. After an unremarkable high school athletic career, his mother kicked him out of the house after graduation. Over the next two years he experienced home lessness, but also rapidly grew from 5’6” to 6’8”. He practiced his game and was recruited by Southeastern Oklahoma State University when he was 22 years old.

Rodman rose above the medioc rity of Southeastern Oklahoma’s pro gram and the racism he experienced there, and the Detroit Pistons drafted

Rodman 27th in the 1986 NBA draft. In Detroit, his rebounding prow ess earned him the nickname “The Worm,” and he became an integral part of the “Bad Boy Pistons,” a gritty, controversial team full of superstars that won back-to-back NBA titles in 1989 and 1990.

Rodman later joined Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls and played a major role in their iconic cham pionship three-peat from 1996-1998, which was highlighted in ESPN’s doc umentary series chronicling Jordan’s career called “The Last Dance.” Viewers quickly became enamored with Rodman, and were struck by the mathematical and intricate approach he took to rebounding.

But the Worm’s athletic achieve ments just scratch the surface.

Natalie Sa N dlow/Staff

Sophomore outside hitter Lily Martin jumps to hit the ball during a match against Sewanee: The University of the South (Tenn.) on Oct. 8.