January 29, 2020

The Emory Wheel 100 Years of

Emory University’s Independent Student Newspaper

Volume 101, Issue 2

Printed Every Wednesday

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Pres. Search Solicits Student Input

By Ninad Kulkarni and Thomas Kreutz Senior Staff Writer and Staff Writer

faculty and staff members crowded into a lecture hall to watch a livestream of Mac Donald’s remarks. This event, hosted by Emory NAACP, the Caucus of Emory Black Alumni (CEBA) and Rollins Earn and Learn, was advertised as “a safe space for students to be able to express their reaction to what Heather Mac Donald has to say.”

Over a 48-hour period, the Emory community witnessed the deliberation of three separate University bodies over an accelerated presidential selection process. The Presidential Selection Committee hosted two public town halls at Emory’s Atlanta and Oxford campuses, while University Senate and the Student Government Association (SGA) held meetings discussing student involvement in the presidential search. During Presidential Selection Committee’s first public town hall on Jan. 28, students expressed further concern about the lack of student involvement in the search process.

Twelve students attended the town hall, which was facilitated by Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) President Cody Long (20L) and College Council (CC) President Jacob Hicks (18Ox, 20C).

CC Vice President of Budget Lyndsey Garbee (21B) emphasized the

See STUDENT, Page 4

See UNIV., Page 2

Helen Bradshaw/Contributing

Conservative political commentator Heather Mac Donald speaks to an auditorium of Emory students about diversity and affirmative action as part of a Jan. 28 Emory College Republicans event. Her visit sparked controversy on Emory’s campus.

Conservative Speaker Inflames Campus

By Calen MacDonald and Anjali Huynh Senior Staff Writer and Contributing Writer

Conservative author and political commentator Heather Mac Donald met resistance and reproach on Tuesday after she stepped foot on campus to discuss the “diversity delusion” in higher education.

Mac Donald spoke to a crowd of 120 students in White Hall about the controversial opinions in her book “The Diversity Delusion: How Race and Gender Pandering Corrupt the University and Undermine Our Culture.” She explained that while students come from a variety of backgrounds, everyone is “equal” once they come to college and that minority students are “taught to think

Univ., CDC Prep For Coronavirus

By Gabriella Lewis Contributing Writer

On Tuesday morning, the People’s Republic of China’s National Health Commission reported that 106 people have died due to a never-seen-before version of coronavirus, a member of the family of viruses that includes influenza.

The virus, which originated around December in Wuhan in the Hubei Province of China, now has cases spanning 17 countries, including the United States, Japan and Germany.

Chinese officials have reported 4,515 confirmed cases within the country, a 60 percent increase from Monday.

A University advisory, published on Jan. 24, states that Emory’s health-care system has transitioned its attention from influenza to coronavirus and reminded students of health-care options on campus.

The message, which was not distributed to students, stated the necessity for anyone who experiences cold symptoms and who has recently visited China or surrounding countries to seek immediate medical attention.

Emory University Enterprise Communications Manager Jill Wu declined an interview with the Wheel surrounding the specifics of Emory’s

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GSGA Pres. Calls for Student Involvement in Pres. Search...

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policy regarding coronavirus.

The Georgia Department of Public Health released a message on Jan. 27, assuring Georgia residents that there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus but asserted that health-care providers should screen sick patients who have recently traveled from Wuhan.

The Wheel conducted in-person and phone interviews with epidemiology and health-care experts at the Rollins School of Public Health and Emory University Hospital (EUH) as part of a “Round Table” series, which intends to share the viewpoints of a variety of Emory faculty and staff regarding current issues within the student body.

Interviewees include the following Rollins faculty members Allison Chamberlain, Benjamin Lopman and Neel Gandhi and EUH employees Aneesh Mehta and Bruce Ribner.

Interview transcripts have been edited for clarity and length.

The Emory Wheel: What is coronavirus?

Allison Chamberlain: The coronavirus is a respiratory virus.

Typically, they are not very fatal, but this particular virus is of concern.

Benjamin Lopman: In the 21st century, there have now been three

See DOCTORS, Page 2

of themselves as victims and to see bigotry where none exists.”

“Any student who thinks of himself as oppressed on a college campus is in the grip of a terrible delusion,” Mac Donald said. “There has never been an environment more tolerant towards history’s traditionally marginalized groups than a college campus.”

Simultaneously, downstairs, a group of more than 80 students,

PRIMARIES 2020

Jackson Schneider/Staff

Democratic Senate candidate and former Congressional candidate Jon Ossoff spoke to Emory students during a Young Democrats of Emory town hall on Jan. 23.

Ossoff Discusses State of Dem. Party

By Anjali Huynh Contributing Writer

U.S. Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff discussed his policy stances and the need to upend “corruption” in the federal government at a Young Democrats of Emory town hall on Jan. 23.

“We’ve allowed ourselves to become convinced that it’s mysterious how we fix what’s wrong,” Ossoff said.

“Congress is not going to solve problems unless we attack the underlying causes of corruption and dysfunction.”

A Georgia native, Ossoff has engaged in politics since working as a high school intern for Rep. John Lewis

(D-Ga.).

He mounted a bid as the Democratic nominee in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District 2017 special election following former Rep. Tom Price’s (R-Ga.) resignation.

This highly contentious election was

See SEN., Page 2

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Wednesday, January 29, 2020

The Emory Wheel

Doctors Advise ATL To Keep Pulse on Virus Continued from Page 1

novel coronaviruses that have entered the human population, the first of which emerged in 2003.

TEW: What are the implications of the coronavirus globally, in the U.S. and at Emory?

Neel Gandhi: It has potential implications for the U.S. and for local communities, in that the virus could make its way here.

BL: The big concern with a new virus entering the population is that no one has seen it before, and no one has immunity.

Aneesh Mehta: I know on multiple college campuses, including Emory, there is a lot of concern right now, particularly with students coming back from winter break. At Emory, there have already been a lot of communications and plans to make sure we are appropriately protecting all of our students and staff members.

AC: For a city like Atlanta, we are constantly hosting big, national and international conferences at our big conference centers, and that’s something that’s important for public health officials to maintain a pulse on.

Bruce Ribner: What we don’t really know is whether some of the people coming back from China can be carrying the virus and not exhibit any symptoms.

If this becomes the case, it would be very difficult to control this infection because we would have to put everyone who has been to China in quarantine.

BL: There’s a lot we don’t know in the early days of a potential epidemic.

The big things we don’t know and are important to learn are first, how transmissible the virus is, and second, how severe it is.

TEW: Are you greatly concerned about the coronavirus and its potential impacts on our communities?

BR: Coronavirus, although we don’t have firm data on it yet, could easily be as virulent, or more so than influenza.

Just looking at the United States, if this infection becomes as widespread as it looks it has every opportunity to do, we are potentially looking at 30,000 to 50,000 fatalities.

NG: I think a lot of attention this has garnered is because it’s new and unknown.

Students at Emory are far more at risk of getting the old, well-known diseases that don’t get as much attention like influenza, tuberculosis, HIV or sexually transmitted diseases.

TEW: How should students and community members protect themselves from the coronavirus?

BR: The thing I would stress to your readers is, if you are sick: self quarantine.

If you are not sick, if you come into the environment of someone who has a respiratory infection, keep a distance, use careful hand hygiene and do not put your hands to your face.

— Contact Gabriella Lewis at gabriella.lewis@emory.edu

Univ. Senate Calls for Engaged President Continued from Page 1 strong level of student engagement needed in the next president. “[As the University president], you should be able to send out a survey to the campus body and ask students, ‘How many of you have personally shook hands with the president?’”

Garbee said. “Obviously any metric you use can be flawed, but if it’s less than 40 or 50 percent, it’s a cause for concern and it means that [the president] might not be engaging in the way that they should be.”

In remarks to the University Senate, which also convened on Tuesday, Long echoed earlier remarks he has made criticizing the lack of student involvement in the presidential selection process, calling the involvement a matter of trust in the student body.

“To us, it’s a question of value,” Long said. “Does the search committee value our opinion? Do you trust [students] to take that step and help choose the next University president?”

Members of the selection committee were not present for Long’s remarks. Long said he felt the selection committee did not allow students to advocate for themselves to be a part of the search process.

“What worries me is that the conversation about whether a student will be a part of the process is occurring without students present,” Long said.

At both the town hall and the University Senate meeting, committee members asked respective attendees identical questions, which were gleaned from a survey on the Presidential Selection Committee’s website.

Several University Senate members and town hall attendees spoke

Noyonika Parulekar/Contributing

GSGA President Cody Long (20L) provides input during a meeting with the Presidential Selection Committee.

on the importance of the next president becoming a visible member of the campus community. At the University Senate meeting, SGA President Ben Palmer (18Ox, 20C) said that the next president’s visibility must fall into two categories: direct interaction with students and advocacy for the community.

“Does the committee value our opinion?”

— Cody Long (20L), Graduate Student Government Association President

Anthony Gacasan (20M), a student member of the University Senate, said that a recurring theme he noticed throughout the discussion centered around a lack of common identity among Emory students.

“Students don’t have something they strive for together outside of their academic work,” Gacasan said. “Emory

doesn’t know what they want the culture here to be, and that is something the next president can do.”

The third and final town hall is scheduled for Jan. 30 at 5:30 p.m. and will be held in the Emory Student Center.

Palmer and Hicks also said at a separate SGA meeting on Jan. 27 that they are planning to create a committee consisting of members from both SGA and CC to hold meetings with student groups that wish to provide additional feedback beyond the town halls. According to Hicks, the selection committee will receive summaries of the meetings and read them verbatim.

Student groups will also have the opportunity to invite members of the selection committee to the meetings, according to Palmer.

Tanika reporting.

Deuskar

contributed

— Contact Ninad Kulkarni at nkulka7@emory.edu and Thomas Kreutz at tommy.kreutz@emory.edu

Sen. Candidate Against Medicare for All GSGA Criticizes Continued from Page 1 the most expensive in congressional history with Ossoff raising over $23 million, according to Ballotpedia.

Though he lost by about 3 percentage points, Ossoff still considers his race a success, as he believes he set the stage for a future Democratic victory, he told audience members.

Democratic candidate Lucy McBath went on to defeat incumbent Karen Handel in the 2018 midterm elections, turning the district blue for the first time since 1978.

Today, Ossoff aims to capitalize on the strategies that led to his nearwin in 2017, asserting that his status as a young politician does not make him any less qualified than other candidates.

“As young people, when we strive to do things that are typically intended for people much older than us, we will face skepticism and criticism and doubt,” Ossoff said. “What I learned was never to be intimidated from telling my own story and touting my own accomplishments.”

After a 10-minute stump speech, Ossoff fielded questions from an audience of about 40 students. He touched on several Georgia-specific health issues, discussing the state’s high maternal mortality rate, lack of OB-GYNs in numerous counties, child poverty levels and a “broad crisis of health.”

While Ossoff said he supports a public option for health care, he does not believe eliminating private insurance altogether is best for the American public.

“If someone wants to stick with their

private insurance, it’s not my place as a legislator prospectively to tell them that they can’t,” Ossoff explained.

Ossoff also spoke about tackling voter suppression across the state, saying, “I cannot promise you that we’ll have a clean election, … but as soon as I get to the Senate, I’ll be ready to work to restore the Voting Rights Act in full.”

Despite speaking on some policy stances, Ossoff spent the majority of his time imploring the audience to unite and rise above “hatred,” saying that voters can’t “lose sight of where we’re supposed to be going.”

“What I learned was never to be intimidated from telling my own story and touting my own accomplishments.”

— Jon Ossoff, Dem. Senate Candidate

“We are doing this because elections have consequences for other human beings and for ourselves,” he said.

“As grim and tedious as what we see happening in Washington is, we need to stay focused on the kind of world we’re building together.”

Ethan Rothstein (23C), a potential Georgia voter, came into the event interested in hearing the questions students would have for Ossoff.

Rothstein expressed mostly positive sentiments but noted that Ossoff

“dodged” a few topics.

“He was a very good speaker, and he did a good job making his case for election,” Rothstein said. “If I vote in Georgia, I think I would vote for Jon Ossoff because I feel like he has the best chance to win, and I really like his policies on health care and the economy.”

While Young Democrats of Emory will not endorse a candidate this election cycle per national rules, President Hayden Davis (21C) has worked with Ossoff on organizing events and believes he is a “great candidate.”

“I’ve always found him incredibly eager to work and engage with students and young people on a direct level,” Davis said.

Ossoff was the fourth and final 2020 U.S. Democratic Senate candidate to visit Emory, following appearances from Ted Terry, Sarah Riggs Amico and Teresa Tomlinson (91L) last semester. Davis expressed satisfaction with the town hall series and believes that any of the candidates have “integrity and decency” that U.S. Senate Republicans “are no longer motivated by.”

“We have some incredibly strong candidates in the race with wellthought-out and progressive views that will make our country stronger,” Davis said. “It’s vital that we remove David Perdue, one of Trump’s biggest sycophants in the Senate, and replace him with someone who’ll do what’s best for the country, not himself.”

— Contact Anjali Huynh at anjali.linh.huynh@emory.edu

Search Process

By Thomas Kreutz Staff Writer

The Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) passed a resolution on Jan. 22 detailing concerns about the absence of a graduate student on the University’s Presidential Selection Committee.

GSGA President Cody Long (20L) publicized the resolution in an email sent to the graduate student body three days later.

The resolution advises the Board of Trustees to include students not only in the finalist selection process but also in the “solicitation of potential candidates, application review, semifinalist review, finalist selection and interviews.”

“The resolution … calls for students to be a part of the complete search process,” Long said to the GSGA legislature on Wednesday. “We have these concessions from the Board of Trustees. The question is, is that enough for you?”

Both Long and Student Government Association (SGA) President Ben Palmer (18Ox, 20C) were formally invited by University Vice Presidents Allison Dykes and Enku Gelaye on Jan. 21 to be part of the finalist selection process, though their roles have not yet been clearly defined.

Long brought this information as well as the proposed resolution to GSGA legislators during their general body meeting on Jan. 22.

The legislature took about five minutes to deliberate before passing the resolution unanimously.

“There is some concern about me, a white male of privilege, being able

to encapsulate the entire student voice,” Long said in an interview with the Wheel. “If this is all we have to work with, then GSGA is willing to engage the student body in any way possible.”

GSGA plans to create a raffle to incentivize participation in the Presidential Selection Committee’s town halls that will take place on Jan. 28 and Jan. 30, as well as a raffle for the committee’s online feedback form.

“Students have no power at this University right now — all we have is influence,” Long said. “I have faith that the Board of Trustees will come to the table … and listen to the graduate and professional student voices.”

In an interview with the Wheel, Palmer said that though the selection committee has not clearly delineated his involvement in the process, he sees the invitation as a great step for students to exercise agency in the search process.

“I am always going to advocate for more … but we have to respect the process, … especially how expedient this process has been,” Palmer said.

Palmer said that this invitation highlights the importance of student attendance at the upcoming town halls, and he feels positive about his ability to garner student opinion and inform the selection processes.

“In processes like these, it can be really difficult to get a foot in the door as students,” Palmer said. “Now we are part of the process in a really impactful capacity.”

— Contact Thomas Kreutz at tommy.kreutz@emory.edu

NEWS

The Emory Wheel

Crime Report Compiled By Phyllis Guo

On Jan. 16 at 3:15 a.m., Emory Police Department (EPD) responded to Clairmont Campus in reference to a report of assault. The victim, a male visitor, sustained multiple visible injuries to his head as well as lacerations to his neck.

He also had dried blood on his hands and a swollen left ear. Due to a language barrier, the EPD officer could not ascertain the details of what happened to him.

The complainant, a female Emory student, said the visitor is her cousin, who came to visit her with one of his acquaintances who is unknown to her.

The two visitors stayed in her room to rest for the night because they were both intoxicated.

The student said she awoke to her cousin and his acquaintance fighting in her apartment.

The complainant could not recall what the unknown subject was wearing, but she described him as a 5-foot7 white male with dark hair and a long face. She said the subject fled before EPD officers arrived. The case is under active investigation.

On Jan. 16 at 12:33 p.m., EPD received a fraud report via telephone.

The complainant, a female Emory student, said that she had signed up for a website to try to obtain some modeling jobs. She said that she received an email from someone who claimed to be a photographer. The email address that the subject emailed her from was iticonsults@gmail.com.

The email stated that the photographer had seen her pictures on the website and that the photographer was interested in setting up a photo shoot.

The student exchanged several emails with this person and provided personal information including her on-campus address and body measurements.

The complainant said that on Jan. 10, she received two checks from the photographer by mail in an envelope with a Florida return address.

Both of the checks were drawn on Arizona Federal Credit Union and were for $985.50 each. The photog-

rapher told the student to keep $400 for herself and to send the remaining money via money orders to a party at a Florida post office box. The photographer said to send three $500 money orders and one $50 money order. The student deposited the checks on Jan. 10 and sent the four money orders via the U.S. Postal Service two days later. On Jan. 16 at approximately 8 a.m., the student noticed that all three checks bounced, leaving her bank account in the negative. Campus Life was notified about the incident.

On Jan. 17 at 2:05 p.m, EPD responded to Emory University Hospital in reference to a report of public indecency. The complainant, a patient, said that on Jan. 15 between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., the subject, a respiratory therapist, entered her room to administer a breathing treatment. The patient said that while the subject was in the room, he untied his pants and began to lower them.

She said that the subject lowered his pants far enough to expose his pubic hair and a portion of his penis.

She said that the subject left the room when she began to call the charge nurse.

The EPD officer was informed that it is the intention of hospital administration to place the subject on administrative leave pending investigation of the incident. The case is under active investigation.

On Jan. 17 at 2:48 p.m, EPD responded to Haygood Hall at Oxford College in reference to a report of marijuana possession. One of the complainants, a resident adviser (RA), said that when she was walking the hallways of Haygood Hall on the second floor at around 2:19 p.m., she smelled marijuana coming from a student’s room.

She then notified the second complainant, an on-call Residence Life coordinator (RLC), who responded to the room to investigate with her. They said that the resident and her friend admitted that they were smoking marijuana. After calling EPD, the RA and RLC also discovered several differ-

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

3

News Roundup

ent types of empty alcoholic beverage bottles in the room. The EPD officer seized one plastic bag containing less than one ounce of a dark leafy green substance, a green canister containing the same substance and one clear glass smoking pipe. Campus Life was notified about the incident.

On Jan. 18 at 7:45 a.m., EPD responded to Emory Point in reference to a report of dispute. The complainant, a store shift manager, told EPD officers that she had just terminated an employee and the employee was refusing to leave the property. Upon arrival, the EPD officer observed the subject sitting in her vehicle outside the property.

The former employee stated she had just bought a pair of pants from the location where she worked and did not receive either the item or her subsequent request for a refund of the item she did not receive.

With further investigation, the manager told the EPD officer that the subject was always irate, which made customers feel uncomfortable.

She stated that she terminated the subject, and she gave the EPD officer the aforementioned item, which the EPD officer then gave to the subject.

The subject then left the property in her vehicle.

At approximately 8:30 a.m., the manager called EPD to report harassing communications. She stated that after the subject left the scene at 8:27 a.m., she texted the manager, “B***h you got a death wish. I hope your f**king organs fail. I’ll buy that b***h hoe.

Better hope I don’t see you lol.”

The manager stated that after that message was sent, she blocked the subject’s number.

The EPD officer advised her that any other harassing communications from the subject should be reported to the police and that she could apply for a restraining order with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. This case has been closed.

— Contact Phyllis Guo at xguo68@emory.edu

Compiled By Isabel Coyle

Gov. K emp Proposes Higher Education Budget Cuts Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp proposed budget cuts to several state higher education programs on Jan. 25, according to the Atlanta JournalConstitution (AJC).

The proposed cuts include $4.1 million from the budget of the federal Cooperative Extension Service, which provides resources for agriculture, family and consumer sciences.

Other proposed cuts include $3.5 million from the Agricultural Experiment Station, which oversees competitiveness of Georgia’s agricultural industry, and $1 million from the Technical College System of Georgia, which runs Georgia’s adult education program.

Administrators for the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System did not publicly condemn the cuts, instead saying they would not affect the education of Georgia’s students. On net, however, the budget for the University System will increase by $85 million and by $2 million for the Technical College System due to increases in enrollment.

R ent Prices in Atlanta Decline for the First Time in a Year The cost of rent in Atlanta declined by 0.4 percent this past month, breaking a trend of rent increases for the past year. The increase was reported by the AJC using data from a national rent report by Apartment List.

Rent in Atlanta, while higher than the national average of $1,192 per month, decreased in January, while comparable cities like Charlotte, North Carolina, Austin, Texas, and Dallas saw increases. The cost of a two-bedroom apartment in Atlanta is currently $1,200 per month.

Harvard Professor Arrested for Lying About Work With China Charles Lieber, chair and profes-

W

sor of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University (Mass.), was arrested for not disclosing his ties to a program known as the Thousand Talents Plan and a deal with Wuhan University of Technology in China, according to NPR. The Thousand Talents Plan is a program run by the Chinese government to recruit foreign researchers.

The Chinese government paid Lieber $50,000 and gave his lab in Wuhan $1.5 million.

During this time, he also worked with the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health, which required him to disclose his contracts with China. Lieber, however, stated that he had never been asked to join the Thousand Talents Plan.

In June 2019, Emory fired two professors in the School of Medicine for failing to disclose grants they received from institutions in China.

EPA Begins Lead R emoval in Atlanta The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun efforts to clear a lead-contaminated lot in west Atlanta near Mercedes-Benz Stadium, according to the AJC. The lead levels in the soil were found to be over 2,000 parts per million by an Emory University group in 2018. The levels were well above the standard for an unsafe level of lead set by the EPA. The EPA currently has a budget of $1.8 million to clean the soil and yards of the surrounding community.

The lead may have moved from the lot and into surrounding communities.

Old houses in the area that were built on top of slag may exacerbate the lead levels, according to the Emory team.

The EPA will test surrounding areas and focusing first on households with young children.

— Contact Isabel Coyle at isabel.anne.coyle@emory.edu

Have a tip for News?

Email Isaiah Poritz at iporitz@emory.edu

The Emory Wheel Volume 101, Issue 2 © 2020 The Emory Wheel Alumni Memorial University Center, Room 401 630 Means Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322 Business (404) 727-6178 Editors-in-Chief Nicole Sadek and Niraj Naik nwsadek@emory.edu and nhnaik@emory.edu 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 Wheel is printed every Wednesday during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions. A single copy of the Wheel is free of charge. To purchase additional copies, please call (404) 727-6178.

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.

Corrections

• Nancy Seideman is not the Vice President of Media Relations. She is in fact Vice President for Academic Communications.

•Saru Garg was incorrectly listed as 21C. She is in fact 22C • In last week’s article “2020 Oscar Nominations Are Unexciting, Exclusionary,” we incorrectly attributed the Academy Award nominations to the Motion Picture Association of America. They are in fact decided by the Academy of Arts and Sciences.

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NEWS

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

The Emory Wheel

Student Groups Host Response Event to Heather Mac Donald Continued from Page 1 CEBA President Natalie Gullatt (11C), who helped organize the response event, emphasized the need for an environment for individuals affected by Mac Donald’s inflammatory remarks. Gullatt said that the two events were held at the same time to reduce attendance at Mac Donald’s lecture.

“We don’t want to give her any type of ammunition or any type of way to use anything that’s done tonight to help propel her message,” Gullatt said.

Mac Donald lamented “racial preferences” in college admissions and criticized minority groups for claiming that their lives can be at risk on campus.

She also cited prominent civil rights leaders Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. as indicators that freedom of expression is necessary, invoking groans from the crowd.

“I’m going to say something radical: this costly anti-bias effort is unnecessary,” she said. “Emory is already a paragon of equity and justice.”

After roughly 20 minutes of introductory remarks, Mac Donald took pre-selected questions on subjects ranging from inequality in public schools to food insecurity. She advocated for color-blind admissions, arguing that students admitted for the sake of diversity are unprepared for the institutions they attend.

In addition to discussions on race, Mac Donald criticized initiatives that aim to increase the number of women in certain environments, saying, “I

have gone through life undoubtedly as the beneficiary of gender politics.”

The only remark Mac Donald made that received widespread applause from the audience was that she’d be “happy” to remove legacy student admissions.

However, positive sentiments in the room dramatically shifted when the subject turned to another of Mac Donald’s highly controversial beliefs: that “rape culture” is a myth that results from women regretting sexual encounters.

“The vast majority of what is called campus rape [are] voluntary hookups,” Mac Donald said to gasps and protests across the room. “Are girls so uninformed that they are deliberately walking into rape culture, or is this exaggerated? I believe that females have agency [and] that females have the power to determine the outcome of most interactions.”

Mac Donald’s lecture was hosted by Emory College Republicans and the Emory Law Chapter of the Federalist Society and funded by Marvin Schwartz, namesake for the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts and a prominent University donor.

“I’m interested in seeing diverse opinions on all campuses,” Schwartz told the Wheel in an interview after the event. “Since Emory is the one I am closest to, I thought I would like to invite a speaker of great renown on the conservative side to address the student body.”

On Monday night, College Council (CC) Chief of Staff Alex Chanen (21B) filed a petition to CC’s Office of Organization Management requesting

an investigation into the College Republicans on the grounds that they violated the Student Government Association Constitution.

According to Chanen, the event violated “right of freedom from discrimination by any student organization.”

The petition was unanimously dismissed because Mac Donald’s appearance was not funded by the Student Activity Fee, according to a statement issued by CC.

“The vast majority of what is called campus rape is voluntary hookups.”

— Heather Mac Donald, Conservative Author

Jocelyn Stanfield (20C), an attendee of the response event, was among the first to speak out against Mac Donald’s visit and contacted the University to cancel the event, who cited their free expression policy in defense. She believes that the administration should have done more to assist minority communities by “reaching out and making sure [they] feel supported.”

“A lot of minorities already don’t feel comfortable in an all-white space or a white-majority environment,” Stanfield said. “We just want them to know that they have a voice here, and the majority of the students on campus disagree with what Heather

Mac Donald is proclaiming.”

Gullatt turned off the livestream at around 7:40 p.m., 20 minutes before Mac Donald completed her speech.

Attorney Gerald Griggs (98Ox, 00C) then addressed the crowd, commending the community for not interrupting Mac Donald’s event and suggesting that everyone organize a future peaceful demonstration.

“Here at Emory, we believe in being open to everyone’s freedom of expression,” Griggs said. “But we also believe in the fundamental belief that we are all equal.”

When the meeting formally disbanded, many students remained in the room to plan a coordinated response.

“It’s a good opportunity to plan a program of how we address this situation going forward,” said Emory NAACP President Timothy Richmond (20C). “There’s more of us, and we’re stronger together united.”

After the event, Mac Donald told the Wheel that her experience at Emory was “better than some schools,” despite a few disruptions during her speech.

She emphasized that she was “speaking from a position of empirical truth” and advised critics to read her book.

“It was obviously a very energized crowd,” she said. “They felt very strongly that I was uninformed and uneducated, but … people are obviously very impassioned about these topics.”

Toure Jones (21C) attended Mac Donald’s speech in person and thought that her beliefs were unjustified, saying that Mac Donald attacked

marginalized communities and her arguments had “no factual basis.”

“Every time someone asked her to back her things up, she started stuttering, started stammering,” Jones said. “The fact that Emory students were still clapping for her after all those terrible and mind-boggling statements is honestly amazing to me.

I’m going to definitely look at this campus differently now.”

College Republicans Treasurer and Events Coordinator Emmet McGeown (22C) called the event “interesting,” saying that it “allowed a conversation to take place on a very important topic that needs to be discussed.”

“It’s impossible to agree with everything any individual said,” McGeown said. “By hosting this event, College Republicans enabled people who were offended by her remarks … to directly question her and directly tell her how they felt.”

While McGeown said College Republicans did not intend to make anyone feel “unsafe or uncomfortable,” he believes inviting Mac Donald was valuable in promoting dialogue on Emory’s campus.

“Sponsoring an event for a speaker isn’t a full-blown endorsement of that speaker. [It’s] simply a full-blown endorsement of free speech,” he said. “Just because I don’t agree with everything she says doesn’t mean I think she shouldn’t be allowed to say it.”

— Contact Calen MacDonald at ccmacdo@emory.edu and Anjali Huynh at anjali.linh.huynh@emory.edu

Mental Health Research at Emory

Individuals who are experiencing a decline in functioning and other symptoms (e g., social isolation, unusual thoughts/ perceptions, suspiciousness) may be eligible for an assessment that includes diagnostic and neuropsychological evaluations, all conducted at Emory.

Participants are compensated for their time and, if requested, test results can be provided to treatment providers.

For further information, contact Elaine Walker, Ph.D. at psyefw@emory.edu or contact the Mental Health and Development Program at (404) 727-7547 or mentalhealth.research@emory.edu.

SPRING JAZZ 2020

The Mental Health and Development Program at Emory is enrolling participants, between the ages of 12 and 30, for an NIMH project on factors that contribute to risk for mental illness.

EMORY JAZZ FEST Bob Mintzer, tenor saxophone, with the Gary Motley Trio Friday, February 7, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. | Student tickets $5

Emory Big Band with Gary Motley, Kenny Davis, and Emrah Kotan Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. | Free; tickets required.

CANDLER CONCERT SERIES Jane Bunnett and Maqueque (pictured)

Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. | Student tickets $10 Flutist, saxophone player, and pianist Jane Bunnett joins the talented Cuban female musicians of Maqueque for an evening of Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz.

SCHWARTZ ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE Alfredo Rodríguez and Pedrito Martinez

Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. | Student tickets $5 Percussionist Pedrito Martinez and classically-trained pianist Alfredo Rodríguez combine their distinct styles of performance to take listeners on a journey from their Havana roots to the future of Cuban jazz.

BOX OFFICE 404.727.5050 | SCHWARTZ.EMORY.EDU Emory students see shows for FREE with the Emory Arts Passport. Ask at the Box Office for details.

The Emory Wheel

Opinion

Wednesday, January 29, 2020 | Opinion Editor: Zach Ball (zach.ball@emory.edu)

Editorial

Next Emory President Must Prioritize Diversity, Community In its 185-year history, Emory University has never had a non-white to student activism, including Sterk’s response to campus protests during president, and Claire E. Sterk has been the first and only female president. Israel Week and Israel Apartheid Week.

These situations could have been mitigated by regular presidential But in light of Sterk’s recent resignation announcement, even that deviation from the norm might come to an end. Emory’s next president should engagement and interaction with students: if the president meaningfully be an advocate for diversity, in addition to a champion of student and com- engages with students beyond campus-wide emails, he or she can remain informed about what problems the students are continuously concerned munity engagement.

Our next leader will be in charge of a $7.3 billion endowment, Emory about.

While Sterk has taken part in the Conversations on the Quad program, University Hospital (EUH) network and an ever-growing University system that’s building new facilities all across Atlanta. However, Emory’s next which allows students to talk openly with University administrators, the president must foster growth beyond solely our endowment. We expect the initiative seemed more ornamental than functional. We want a president Presidential Selection Committee to prioritize diversity, student engage- who makes an extended attempt to interact with students, through hosting office hours, attending several student events and making their admiration ment and administrative stability in choosing their final candidates.

As Emory touts a commitment to diversity in its admissions materials for student engagement well-known.

Students did not expect Sterk to resign after only four years in the and website, it must carefully consider the importance and inclusivity of position. Her resignation has raised several unanswered its presidential search process. The Presidential Selection questions about stability within the upper ranks of the Committee must ensure that its candidates hail from a University. Though the search committee cannot necesvariety of backgrounds and undergo a fair hiring and cansarily guarantee a long tenure for the next president, it didate selection process.

The committee must work to develop stability within the administration.

Given that several studies suggest that it is more difficult Frequent turnover in the higher levels of the University for women and people of color to get jobs for which they are should do everything just as qualified as white men, the committee should do its in its power to ensure administration — namely, the departures of Sterk and former provost Dwight McBride after four and two years, best to mitigate implicit bias in hiring practices. that women and respectively — does not help further the University’s goals, The committee can try to do so by using software to people of color have especially in light of its recent real-estate expansions into filter through a pool of initially qualified candidates or by Atlanta and greater Georgia. standardizing the interview process across individuals as the opportunity to These kinds of ambitious goals require consistent and the Harvard Business Review suggests. The committee be considered for the competent leadership to see them through to compleshould do everything in its power to ensure that women position. tion. A president who will stick around could both build and people of color have the opportunity to be considon existing long-term relationships and forge new ones. ered for the position just as much as their white male Additionally, a firm commitment to the University would counterparts. have the added benefit of improving the president’s perIn addition, the candidates should be committed to diversifying the rest of the Emory faculty and ensuring that those new ceived accessibility.

The president’s role should be to execute on the University’s goals on a hires have a fair shot at receiving tenure. As detailed in Emory’s 2016 Class and Labor Report, both women and racial minorities are significantly macroscale, but student and faculty concerns can sometimes get lost in the underrepresented in Emory’s tenure-track faculty, and professors are complicated network of deans’ and provosts’ offices. The most qualified speaking out on this critical issue; in December 2019, the Wheel published candidate would make it easy for complaints to get to their desk with regua letter from various College faculty criticizing the low representation of lar, intuitive outreach to the Emory community through email and social media. They would also be a visible and consistent presence on campus Native Americans in Emory’s faculty.

Unfortunately, this lack of representation at Emory follows broader while still attending to myriad other responsibilities.

The next president will be the public face of Emory University, hopetrends of underrepresentation in tenure-track positions in higher education. As Emory’s student body grows increasingly diverse, our next presi- fully for many years to come. Whoever is selected to be the University’s dent should implement effective implicit bias training and other measures next president will encounter controversies and challenges that demand to push the University toward greater inclusivity of diverse faculty, staff thoughtfulness, a staunch commitment to fairness, and an ability to manage and lead Atlanta’s largest employer. Sterk’s successor must prioritize and students.

The new president should also foster an environment of open expression a commitment to diversity and inclusivity, just one of many requirements where students feel comfortable expressing their opinions. In the recent that must be met if Emory is to continue to lead in health care and higher past, our presidents have faced backlash for their misguided responses education in the decades to come.

The above editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s Editorial Board The Editorial Board is composed of Zach Ball, Devin Bog, Jake Busch, Meredith McKelvey, Andrew Kliewer, Boris Niyonzima and Nick Pernas.

The Emory Wheel Volume 101 | Number 2

Nicole Sadek & Niraj Naik Editors-in-Chief Seungeun Cho Executive Editor Shreya Pabbaraju Managing Editor Madison Bober Managing Editor Jacqueline Ma Copy Editor Madison Stephens Copy Editor Isaiah Poritz News Editor Z ach Ball Opinion Editor A desola Thomas A&E Editor Caroline Silva Emory Life Editor Ryan Callahan Sports Editor Forrest Martin Photo Editor

Joshua Papson Business Manager Mileen Meyer Design Manager

Cailen Chinn Multimedia Editor A nnie Uichanco Special Sections Editor Ayushi Agarwal Asst. Copy Editor R ichard Chess Senior Editor A ditya Prakash Associate Editor Devin Bog Associate Editor Jesse Weiner Associate Editor Madeline Lutwyche Associate Editor Business/Advertising Email wheelbusinessmanager@gmail.com

The Emory Wheel welcomes letters and op-ed submissions from the Emory community. Letters should be limited to 300 words and op-eds should be at least 500. Those selected may be shortened to fit allotted space or edited for grammar, punctuation and libelous content. Submissions reflect the opinions of individual writers and not of the Wheel’s Editorial Board or Emory University. Send emails to emorywheelexec@gmail.com or postal mail to The Emory Wheel, Drawer W, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322.

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6

op-ed

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Women Are Electable Brammhi Balarajan Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) recently came under scrutiny for reportedly telling Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) that a woman could not win the presidency. Whether or not Sanders said that, the idea that women are less electable than men is a widespread myth that perpetuates sexism. Women aren’t less electable; some voters are buying into this disinformation and exacerbating a cycle that keeps women out of office.

With elected women leading major countries around the world such as Germany and Bangladesh, U.S. voters should not be dissuaded from voting for a woman. Electability is a key factor voters consider when determining which candidate to vote for in the 2020 Democratic primaries, especially as many Democrats are mainly concerned with displacing U.S. President Donald J. Trump from office in the general election. An Ipsos poll from June 2019 found that while 74 percent of Democrats and independents would support a female president, only 33 percent believed other voters would as well. This bias indicates that while most are comfortable with a female president, the fear of lower electability for female candidates is holding them back from giving monetary support or endorsements.

The debate over whether a woman can be president needs to come to an end. A study by the Reflective Democracy Campaign found that, across the country, women and people of color are just as likely to win elections as white men. Additionally, in the 2018 midterm elections, nonincumbent Democratic female candidates won at a higher rate than their male counterparts in Senate, U.S. House and state elections. Women are already as electable as men and deserve to be treated as so by voters and donors. As Warren pointed out, the current female presidential candidates could, in many ways, be considered more electable than the male candidates. She stated that Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and herself were the only candidates on stage at the last Democratic primary debate who had never lost an election in their political careers. Sanders’ alleged remark would have been unfair considering

Warren’s strong electoral track record and reflects a larger problem in the current political climate: women are being forced out of politics by the incorrect assertion that female candidates don’t stand a chance.

Despite the evident electability of women, we still face unequal representation in politics. Women of color, in particular, make up around 20 percent of the population but only hold 4 percent of all elected positions.

In Congress, even after an influx of new female senators in 2018, women still comprise less than 25 percent of Congress though they make up half of the population. This clear disparity demonstrates that women do not have adequate representation in important decisions regarding their autonomy and livelihood. In order to ensure proper representation, the pervasive myth regarding women’s electability must come to an end. Female candidates are less likely to be viewed as likeable than men.

Research shows that voters tend to be more averse to female leaders due to stereotypes that women should be meek and kind while men are allowed to be assertive and dominant. The likeability effect signifies that female candidates have to play a fine line of seeming presidential without becoming unlikeable; they must work harder to prove to voters that they are as presidential and electable as male candidates, and this burden should not be placed upon them. The fear of women’s electability adds an undue burden for female candidates to prove their place in politics. Women end up having to put in double the work to convince donors that they are electable. By perpetuating the claim that women are incapable of winning elections, voters have created an unfair double standard between male and female candidates. Until this gender discrimination ends, women will continue to put in more work for fewer returns than their male counterparts if they wish to play an important role in politics. Voters, it’s our responsibility to do better. False myths of electability should not dissuade voters or donors from supporting a female candidate. Our country is ready for a female president. We just have to accept it.

Brammhi Balarajan (23C) is from Las Vegas

The Emory Wheel

Prisoners’ Education is Essential Emory, Expand Prison Learning Programs Daniel Meek They dress in uniforms, report for counts throughout the day and undergo constant surveillance. But when these incarcerated men and women enter the classroom, they are students in their professors’ eyes.

Universities across the country are realizing the benefits of prison education programs.

As an institution in the state with the highest rate of correctional control, it is Emory’s duty to commit to furthering educational programming in prisons.

In the early 1990s, prison education programs were widespread, with almost 800 programs operating nationwide.

By 1994, the education landscape in prisons looked a lot different.

Armed with bipartisan support in Congress and riding a wave of tough-on-crime policies, former U.S. President Bill Clinton signed the 1994 crime bill into law.

The legislation eliminated incarcerated individuals’ access to federal Pell grants, which are available to inmates who want to pursue a college-level education behind bars.

In its wake, college-level educational programming in prisons has faded into obscurity. This needs to change, and quickly.

Prison education programs are conducive to safety and productivity in prisons.

Wardens and correctional professionals alike note that postsecondary education programs improve the prison environment and reduce outbreaks of violence.

The programs’ time commitment causes a reorientation of the students’ mentality; they focus on their life after prison and think in the long-term.

By immersing themselves in their studies and working toward their degrees, students in prison are distracted from the day-to-day survival most inmates not enrolled in prison education experience.

Taxpayers, too, benefit from prison

education programs.

Half of the people who leave prison annually return within three years, but the U.S. Department of Justice has reported that incarcerated men and women with access to education are 43 percent less likely to commit another crime after they reenter society.

This reduction in recidivism rates saves states $365 million per year on incarceration costs.

Instead of reentering the cycle of incarceration, education-program graduates enter the workforce and contribute to society. One study determined that formerly incarcerated individuals with an education behind bars are 13 percent more likely to find a job after leaving prison.

Georgia is failing its prison population and its society. In Georgia, only one program affords the 54,000 incarcerated individuals in state prisons the opportunity to puruse associate’s and bachelor’s degrees.

Lois Davis, the researcher who spearheaded the largest analysis of prison educational programming in the United States, articulated a defense for a rehabilitative approach to incarceration.

“Regardless of what you think about inmates, what do you want for your community?” Davis said in 2016. “You have to understand that they all come back eventually. If you don’t rehabilitate them, how are they going to successfully rejoin society?”

By Davis’s standards, Georgia is failing its prison population and its society.

In Georgia, only one program affords the 54,000 incarcerated individuals in state prisons the opportunity to pursue associate’s and

bachelor’s degrees.

The program, known as the Georgia State University Prison Education Project (GSUPEP), serves incarcerated men at four prisons in the state.

But incarcerated women aren’t part of the picture at GSUPEP. In fact, prison educational services in all 50 states operate in a higher proportion of men’s prisons than women’s prisons.

The programs that do exist for incarcerated women, particularly in the South, uphold patriarchal gender norms; women enroll in culinary arts and parenting courses.

Consequently, incarcerated women are deprived of the tools a prison education supplies, tools their male counterparts are equipped with upon their release from prison.

For what they’re worth, piecemeal efforts to increase educational attainment in prisons for men and women are taking shape.

The educational organization Common Good Atlanta brings college faculty into prison classrooms to teach algebra, history, literature, neuroscience and writing courses.

At the University of Georgia, the Athens Prison Tutorial provides prisons with tutoring services by pairing college students with incarcerated men seeking their GED. At Emory, a handful of professors have volunteered with Common Good Atlanta.

And pastoral students at the Candler School of Theology have assisted incarcerated women at Arrendale State Prison.

But Emory could make more concrete and incremental steps to build a postsecondary education program in Georgia’s prisons, offering both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees to inmates.

With one of the largest endowments in the country, and more than $2 billion allocated toward University operations, now is the time for Emory to get to work and invest in prison education.

Daniel Meek (21C) is from Highland Park, Ill.

Bernie Sanders’ Congressional Track Record Proves Himself Electable Devin Bog I was in a bar talking to one of my good friends about the election. I gave her my standard opening salvo for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.): our institutions aren’t working, and we need a candidate who is dedicated to replacing them instead of making minor tweaks. “Fair,” she told me, “but the man literally calls himself a socialist.

If he gets to the general election, he’s dead meat. He’s unelectable.”

Yes, Democrats should absolutely be concerned with who’s electable and who isn’t. By virtue of our two-party, first-past-the-post electoral system, we have a winner-take-all situation that has to be addressed. And I believe Sanders is realistically poised to win a general election. But for some reason, that last word annoyed me. “Unelectable.” I got riled up — isn’t that the logic that led us to elect Hillary Clinton in the primary last election cycle? Then we lost. Maybe Democrats need to stop worrying about who’s electable and start voting with their hearts, I told her.

My friend then reminded me of what was at stake in this election.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s administration has separated hun-

dreds of children from their families. American foreign policy has been ridiculously unstable, leading us to the brink of war. We need someone who we’re absolutely sure could win a general election — a moderate like former Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), take your pick.

I think what annoyed me, though, is that I’ve heard this term “unelectable” being thrown around so lackadaisically. But it does represent a valid fear. If we were 100 percent sure that we could beat Trump by nominating a yellow dog, as the saying goes, it would probably be worth it — that’s how much of a threat Trump is to American prosperity. However, we can’t have that certainty, and so we have to pick the candidate we think is best. Yet we’ve been hindered from having a fair conversation about the benefits of progressive candidates because of this false idea of electability. For a lot of moderates, “unelectability” just seems like a way out of arguing actual policy. It’s also been a term that’s been used to cover clear sexism; even in the light of a plethora of data indicating how often women win elections, the “electability” of candidates like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is still immediately ques-

tioned. Indeed, if you unpack the term “electability,” you end up with a lot of surface-level and deeply flawed concerns. Many polls show Sanders outright winning against Trump in a general election. As much as any argument against Sanders’ electability is thrown around, it’s clear that the magnitude of the problem isn’t as large as one might expect. Sanders’ age is constantly brought up as a concern when considering “electability.”

An older president may not be able to govern as efficiently as someone younger due to lack of vigor, some may argue. Sanders, however, is just a year older than Biden, the candidate with the greatest proportion of supporters who believe he’s the best candidate to take on Trump. (Sanders comes as a close second.) If age is not a factor for Biden, it shouldn’t be for Sanders.

Most Americans, to put it lightly, are not comfortable with the term “socialism.” This is absolutely a rhetorical hurdle for Sanders to overcome. I would encourage everyone to listen to his own definition of democratic socialism. Americans tend to associate socialism with communism and the authoritarian regimes that arose with it in the 20th century. But the United Kingdom, ever our ally in democracy (God save the Queen),

is, by Sanders’ definition, perhaps as socialist as they come. In fact, part of the reason why Brexit was so popular was because of appeals like the widely disputed claim that, if Britain left the European Union, they would have hundreds of millions more pounds sterling per week to fund their nationalized, single-payer health-care system. Recently, Warren claimed that Sanders remarked that a woman couldn’t become president in a private conversation. If Sanders ever said that women are unelectable, he was completely wrong on both a moral and statistical level. As of the publication of this article, he has vehemently denied that claim. The progressive movement he started is not only theoretically concerned with gender justice, but has earned the support of women nationwide.

Sanders has to continue fighting for intersectional ideals, just like he has throughout his senatorial career, now more vocally than ever.

Hillary Clinton, sans being mired in untrue or overblown scandals and conspiracies, seemed as electable as they come. In a sense, she was; she won the popular vote by over 2 million votes. But she lost the Electoral College because of a slew of states that flipped against the Democrats, most of which are in the so-called “Rust

Belt,” or the former industrial heart of America, that most Democrats relied on as a firewall.

One of the prevailing explanations for Trump’s win is the prevalence of racist and sexist attitudes, and many have argued against interpreting the results of the 2016 election in any sort of economic context. Yet the data shows that Trump’s victory didn’t come from him gaining too many new voters: it was that Democrats lost them in droves. Most of the mainstream candidates haven’t focused on speaking to those constituencies.

Sanders, on the other hand, has spent his life supporting policies that seek to support disadvantaged Americans, like the ones who still live in places like the Rust Belt years after the beginning of its industrial decline.

He remains the leading proponent of Medicare for All, the only plan aimed at completely ending the health-care crisis in America. In the Senate, he’s received bipartisan praise for overhauling the Veterans Administration and has fought via filibuster to end tax cuts for the hyper-wealthy as to increase funding for public programs.

What has your candidate done to get elected?

Devin Bog (20C) is from Fremont, Calif.

&

The Emory Wheel

Arts Entertainment Wednesday, January 29, 2020 | Arts & Entertainment Editor: Adesola Thomas (adesola.thomas@emory.edu)

Indie Concert

Rock Band Brings Paradise To Hell

Piano Competition

Art That’s Aged Poorly

Revisiting A Classic Coppola Film

By Sophia LiBrandi Contributing Writer

By Stephen Altobelli Contributing Writer

The room was dark and full, concert-goers vibrating with anticipation as the Boston-born band, Tall Heights, entered the “Hell” stage at The Masquerade on Tuesday, Jan. 22.

Despite my unfamiliarity with the band, the performance was nothing short of transformative. The band’s on-stage friendship was immediately palpable. Duo Paul Wright and Tim Harrington met in high school and quickly grew close when they realized their incredible potential to create music.

The possibility of a future transformed their relationship from acquaintances to best friends, which has been visible throughout their career. Their journey and close bond is a prominent motif throughout their oeuvre, giving it an honesty that allows listeners to immerse themselves in the band’s music. Self-declared as “electrofolk,” Tall Heights entertained the Masquerade audience with a sound I had never heard before. Beautifully blending the comforting sounds of folk music with the newness of electronics, Tall Heights had me nostalgic for something I had yet to experience.

Wright’s cello performance lifted the music off the ground and rounded it

Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in G Minor; Beethoven’s Sonata, op. 22 in B-flat Major; Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit and Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody, No. 6.

His expressive performance style and technical gift impressed audience members.

“I thought he was really fun to watch,” said Shirley Gao (20B, 20PH), admiring his passion for performing.

“He was throwing his whole body into it.” Ge, a 17-year-old pianist and composer from San Jose, Calif., wrapped up the night with Bach’s French Suite and Scriabin’s Sonata No. 2. “[The Young Jury] all agreed his playing was very refined,” Lin said.

Upon returning to the stage to receive their awards, the three pianists received a standing ovation and shared their future plans. Wong aims to join a piano conservatory to further improve her artistry and technique. Li hopes

Few movies have wormed their way into the American subconscious the way Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” (1979) has. The movie has been discussed, quoted and parodied to no end, and its seemingly endless number of new cuts (which are matched only by the “Blade Runner” editions in plurality and pointlessness) keep it in the news and on the arthouse cinema circuit. Although adapted from Joseph Conrad’s 1899 serial “Heart of Darkness,” the film has become the classic American Vietnam War movie, and has risen above “The Deer Hunter,” “Platoon” and “Full Metal Jacket” in terms of influence. Everyone knows something about “Apocalypse Now,” from Robert Duvall’s iconic monologue to the pairing of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” with a helicopter attack. The movie is a masterpiece of pop cinema. It is also casually, shockingly racist in its portrayal of Vietnamese “characters” (if they can even be called that), who serve as either victims or enemies of the film’s white characters.

The movie follows Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen), who is on a mission to assassinate Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a

See Ge, Page 8

See apocalypse, Page 8

See Boston, Page 8

Priyam Mazumdar/Staff

Young musicians stand onstage at the Emory Schwartz Center after performing stellar renditions of classical music for the Young Artist Piano Compeition on Jan. 25.

Young Artists Impress in Piano Comp

By Angela Tang Contributing Writer

After multiple stages of preliminaries, three finalists took to the stage for the final round of the Emory University Young Artist Piano Competition on Jan. 25.

Ariel Wong, Charles “Charlie” Li and Solomon Ge competed in front of a live audience at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. Directed by Professor Elena Cholakova, the competition welcomed pianists from ages 13 to 18 residing in the United States to register.

Grace Xia Zhao, Associate Professor of Music at the University of La Verne (Calif.), pre-screened potential competitors to select the dozen finalists that would be invited to Emory to perform for the judges.

The judges, University of Rochester (N.Y.) Professor Marina Lomazov and University of South Carolina Professor

Joseph Rackers, then selected the top three pianists for a live competition.

The competition awarded two types of honors. Lomazov and Rackers collaborated to select their official ranking of the first, second and third-prize winners.

Additionally, a group of Emory piano major students chose their “Young Jury” winner.

Wong, a 17-year-old Hong Kong native currently studying in Utah, was first to take the stage. Donning a purple dress and a confident demeanor, Wong charmed the crowd with her emotional rendition of Bach’s Capriccio from Partita, No. 2; Beethoven’s “Appassionata”; Rachmaninoff’s Morceaux de Fantasia, op. 3 No. 1 and Ravel’s Ondine. “Ariel did have very good color,” Jason Lin (22C), a member of the Young Jury commented.

“She did show many different facets of her … piano artistry.” Li, a 16-yearold Georgia native, followed with

Actor’s Express

‘Fun Home’ Tackles LGBTQ+ Family Struggles

By Charlotte Selton Contributing Writer

Awards Commentary

2020 Grammys Are Irrelevant, Regressive

Content Warning: This piece discusses issues of suicide.

By Aidan Vick Senior Staff Writer

Stories about picture-perfect families hiding their problems have proliferated in musical theater of recent decades, including “Next to Normal” and “Jagged Little Pill.” “Fun Home,” a 2015 Tony Award-winning musical, distinguishes itself within this trope with its autobiographical lesbian coming-of-age story. Based on the 2006 graphic novel-memior by Alison Bechdel (of the Bechdel test), this musical, now playing at the Actor’s Express, contrasts Alison’s maturation with the unraveling of her father, a closeted gay man who kills himself.

Juvenile longing, marital heartbreak, and repressed and twisted desires all hide beneath a polished and serene exterior at the Fun Home, a sugar-coated nickname for the Bechdel Funeral Home. “Fun Home” starts with Alison (Rhyn McLemore Saver), in her mid-40s, drawing her graphic memoir “Fun Home.” As she reflects back on her life, Alison provides narration and structure to the non-linear story about herself and her father, Bruce (Jeff McKerley). We see sweet and foreboding moments from

Awards shows are naturally going to draw scrutiny given how widely varied the tastes and experiences of their viewers are. And yet, it often seems like they’re doing everything in their power to attract as much negative attention as possible. The Oscars have already been a lightning rod for controversy given the lack of diversity in this year’s nominees, and the Golden Globes will likely go without a host after Ricky Gervais’ spectacle a few weeks ago. However, perhaps no awards ceremony has been as scrutinized as the Grammys with extensive allegations of misconduct coming from former Academy executive Deborah Dugan. Essentially, Dugan’s complaint confirms what many of us have long thought about the Recording Academy — that it’s an out-of-touch, exclusionary “boys’ club” more concerned with minimizing scandal than picking representative and exciting music.

I get the sense that very few people with even a remote amount of respect for popular music care much about what the Grammys consider good. The ceremony has been a laughing stock

Courtesy of Casey Gardner

Young Alison (Eden Mew), Bruce (Jeff Mckerley) and adult Alison (Rhyn McLemore Saver) perform in ‘Fun Home.’

Alison’s childhood through young Alison (Eden Mew) while teenage Alison (Marcia Cunning) uncovers her father’s flaws and finds her own confidence during her first year of college.

There is an impenetrable distance and mystery around the characters in this musical. Throughout the highs and lows of “Fun Home,” Alison is unwaveringly sympathetic and endearing, even when her father’s adulteries and

manipulations are forced into the light.

Similarly, while we see the concrete misdoings of Bruce, his inner motivations are fundamentally obscured.

In “Edges of the World,” the bracing song that approaches his suicide, Bruce begs, “Why am I standing here?”

However, this moment is imagined

by Alison, as Bruce was alone in his

See Bechdel Page 8

for years, repeatedly making absurd choices (like awarding Best Rap Album of 2014 to Macklemore’s “The Heist” over releases from Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Drake).

The problem is that there’s no worthwhile alternative to the Grammys, so everyone is forced to talk about it as if it were a show worthy of such attention.

The Academy also makes some weird designations regarding the genre of certain songs and albums, not only highlighting how arbitrary such labels are but also how they can pigeonhole minorities into certain categories. The fact that “Best Urban Contemporary Album” is still a category in 2020 speaks volumes about how far behind the times the ceremony is. Tyler, The Creator, who won Best Rap Album for “Igor,” called out the Academy in a backstage interview for shutting him and other black artists out of categories aside from rap, saying, “It sucks that whenever we — and I mean guys that look like me — do anything that’s genre-bending ... they always put it in a rap or urban category.… When I hear that, I’m just like why can’t we be in

See Awards, Page 8

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A&E

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

The Emory Wheel

Boston Band, Tall Heights, Enthralls Atlanta Audience

Continued from Page 7

out, filling each and every corner of the room with warmth. At the start of the concert, Wright commented on the energy of the room.

“I can feel the warmth from the audience,” he said, smiling. “Good vibes.” And that they were. Audience members danced in leggings and loose sweaters, gently moving where the music took them. There was a casual atmosphere about the venue. Before performing the number “Murmuring State” a few songs into the show, Harrington shared the song’s backstory, rooted in the band’s earlier days

performing on the Boston streets. He fondly remembered Jeff, the lemonade stand vendor who would always give them free lemonade and Advil.

Their days were long, and Jeff showed them the support they needed to push through, which motivated them to write “Murmuring State” as an homage to him. “I always think about him when we sing the third verse,” Harrington said. The venue itself was small, so the pair took advantage of the opportunity to unplug and perform their song “Back to Autumn” without any microphones or speakers.

The audience gathered in close as

Award Categories Are Discriminatory

the duo stood at the edge of the stage and began to sing in perfect harmony, their voices blending together as one.

This concert was a necessary experience to slow down and remember the beautiful intricacies that surround us.

The room was dead silent as the people swayed along. It was a connecting moment built on intimacy and

trust. All was calm and I felt at peace.

During their encore performance of the popular track “Horse to Water,” Tall Heights asked the audience members to call the person next to them on their phones and put the phones face-to-face.

This created a subtle ringing effect that echoed throughout the entire room. The invitation for the audience to help create the music pulled the listeners deeper into the music.

Through these inclusive gestures, the musicians built a community from strangers. Nothing about the performance seemed forced or strained.

Everything was simple — an easy exchange of music and love. In our current world of grind culture and instant gratification, this concert was a necessary experience to slow down and remember the beautiful intricacies that surround us. Tall Heights delivered on all accounts. Their unique blending of genres, incredible voices and ability to connect with the audience created a performance to remember. I left Hell that day with a satisfied soul.

— Contact Sophia LiBrandi at sophia.librandi@emory.edu

Bechdel’s Graphic Novel Takes the Stage

Continued from Page 7

pop?” Tyler’s complaint echoes those of other era-defining black artists like Frank Ocean, who famously refused to submit his 2016 album “Blonde” for nominations, citing the Grammys’ treatment of artists of color.

In fairness to the Academy, this year was an improvement in some ways.

Billie Eilish was the night’s big winner, sweeping four major categories and taking home five trophies overall.

While Eilish is a talented and forwardthinking young artist, the Academy could have given at least one of these awards to someone else, especially considering how dominant pop artists have been in these categories over the last decade.

The other big winner of the night was Lizzo with three wins, although none of them were in a non-genrespecific category. Ultimately, who won this year wasn’t as much of an issue.

Rather, it’s that a lot of the selections feel disingenuous given the scandals surrounding the Academy. Even if this year’s winners were less infuriating, the actual ceremony itself is still an overlong, commercial-riddled slog that seems to give out fewer awards every year despite constantly getting lengthier. (This year’s ceremony was almost a devastating four hours.)

Much more time is dedicated to the performances, which are ironically the biggest reason to tune in to the awards show.

The Grammys’ odd status as an awards ceremony-concert hybrid ends

up providing a few outstanding performances each year, like this year’s performances by Lil Nas X, Rosalía, Tyler, The Creator and a tribute to Kobe Bryant from Alicia Keys and Boys II Men. These were, however, accompanied by a few uncomfortable performances, none more so than the strange, propaganda-esque tribute to the show’s retiring producer Ken Ehrlich. While I’m glad the four-hour show does have the performances to break up the monotony, it begs the question: does the awards half need to exist at all, or would we all be better off with a threehour concert? After all, do we need to hear what a bunch of industry insiders cynically pick as the year’s best when the internet provides us with so many other ways of discovering music?

Looking at the winners of recent Grammys can provide a false gleam of hope. While some major awards have gone to deserving young artists like Kacey Musgraves and Childish Gambino, don’t let one area of improvement fool you. The Grammys still have a laundry list of problems that they’d better address if they want to fix their plummeting ratings.

Let’s face it: the Grammys need to change their antiquated selection process as quickly as possible, and giving a couple of trophies to Lizzo isn’t going to do it.

— Contact Aidan Vick at afvick@emory.edu

Courtesy of Casey Gardner

Joan (Michelle Mokopac) and teenage Alison (Marcia Cunning) perform in the semiautobiographical musical ‘Fun Home’ at Actor’s Express.

Continued from Page 7 final hours. Even the suicide might have been an accident, a question less addressed in the musical than in the graphic novel-memoirl. The gaps in characterization and remaining mysteries of “Fun Home” reflect the autobiographical source material. Unlike a piece of fiction, we can only know what Bechdel knows and chooses to share.“Fun Home” lacks a traditional plot arc. The audience learns at the beginning of the show (or even earlier if you read the program) that Alison and her father are gay, that Alison becomes a cartoonist and that her father eventually kills himself. The rest of the show fleshes out the details but without a revelatory climax. At its heart, “Fun Home” is an emotional portrait of the Bechdel family, and the strong cast members of the Actor’s

Express production bring care and nuance to their roles. The black box theater, arranged as a thrust stage, with seating on three sides, creates an appropriate atmosphere of intimacy.

Following the precedent of earlier productions of “Fun Home,” the set is limited without superfluous flourishes. “Fun Home” has garnered numerous accolades, including the 2015 Tony Award for Best Original Score.

“Changing My Major” and “Ring of Keys,” sweet and adoring ballads teenage and young Alison respectively sing, stand out in a soundtrack of somewhat forgettable tunes.

“Come to the Fun Home” notably showcases the impressive exuberance of the child actors (Mew, Vinny Montague and Alex Newberg) in a comical commercial jingle for their family funeral home.

Unfortunately, the theater had some sound-balancing problems, leading the orchestra to overpower the vocals in some of the more boisterous numbers. The soundtrack makes frequent use of counterpoint, but the microphone system rendered lyrics difficult to discern in some of these instances.

Despite those sound issues, Actor’s Express and the cast of “Fun Home” still manage to deliver a high-quality local production of an award-winning musical. This show rightfully earns attention for its caring portrait of its lesbian protagonist. While the autobiographical source material necessarily constrains the storytelling, it also surprises some of us who are accustomed to the norms of fictional works.

— Contact Charlotte Selton at charlotte.selton@emory.edu

Ge Wins ‘Apocalypse Now’ Dehumanizes Vietnamese People Music Contest Continued from Page 7

Continued from Page 7 to continue competing and creating happiness with his music, and Ge sees music in his long-term future.

The judges and the Young Jury both chose Ge as the first-prize winner.

Ge will receive a total of $1300 in prize money, $1000 for first-prize and $300 for the “Young Jury” award, and be invited to perform with a live orchestra directed by Paul Bhasin, Emory’s Director of Orchestral Studies.

Li and Wong received $500 and $300 for second and third prizes, respectively.

— Contact Angela Tang at angela.tang@emory.edu

Green Beret who has become, in the words of his superiors, “unsound.”

Kurtz has taken refuge deep in the heart of the Cambodian jungle, where a group of natives worship him as a god. The movie offers no clear answers as to what made Kurtz, a model soldier with “about a thousand decorations,” break, but suggests that it has something to do with American hypocrisy and the contrast between what the U.S. military preaches and practices.

Willard notes the Kurtz’s problems aren’t “just insanity and murder. There was enough of that to go around for everybody.”

The movie is unflinching in its portrayal of American brutality and stupidity, and does not shy from criticizing the United States. The problem arises with the film’s portrayal of Vietnamese people, who are practically erased from the narrative. A South Vietnamese soldier has a single line of dialogue in the entire movie, in

which he refuses to give a dying enemy water. The other Vietnamese soldiers and civilians simply scream, die and babble. This kind of storytelling sets a dangerous precedent for how we talk about imperialism and the Vietnam War. Vietnam, and the Vietnam War, are not the subjects of Coppola’s film.

They aren’t even really the backdrop.

The primordial jungle is all that Coppola needs, the space where the “civilizing” forces of white imperialists collide with the “savage” natives and where Willard collides with Kurtz.

This is the true conflict of the movie: a white man’s conflict with the most savage aspects of himself and his people. The Vietnamese are depicted via stereotypes, yes, but even worse is that they’re forgotten in the film, reduced to set pieces. Their most important quality is their nonwhiteness; the only roles that they serve are as either threat or victim to the white characters. The use of the Vietnamese people as set dressing for a larger conflict eerily mirrors the war

itself. For both the U.S. and the Soviet Union, Vietnam was merely the staging ground for the two great imperialist countries’ battle, another domino in a long line. Vietnam is a country however, not a domino, and not the primordial swamp of Coppola’s imagination. It is filled with people, people who undeniably bore the brunt of the war. One would think that, in making a film about the conflict, Coppola would have had the tact to avoid overlooking the Vietnamese in the same way that the U.S. and the Soviet Union did. Instead, he has merely reinforced the idea that people of color are mere pawns in the conflicts of superpowers.

It’s easy, in our (relatively) enlightened time, to wag fingers at a film for its racism.

“Apocalypse Now” certainly isn’t alone in its erasure and stereotyping of non-white characters. The majority of war movies (especially Vietnam movies) are guilty of this. That doesn’t excuse the fact that this movie, supposedly about man’s inhumanity to

man, treats its non-white characters as literally nonhuman, as more props to be incinerated in the furnace of Coppola’s creative vision. “Apocalypse Now” doesn’t show Kurtz until the very end, where he appears as a grotesque, obese wreck of a man, wracked with illness and madness.

The film ends with Kurtz’s “children” bowing to Willard, his killer.

Kurtz’s followers, realizing that their idol has been revealed as a showy, bloated fake, move onto a new one.

I’m sure there’s a lesson in there somewhere about the canonical films that the critical community prostrate themselves before, but I, for the life of me, can’t find it.

For a Vietnamese perspective on “Apocalypse Now,” check out Viet Thanh Nguyen’s excellent novel “The Sympathizer,” which tackles torture and cultural imperalism through the eyes of a Vietnamese assistant on set.

— Contact Stephen Altobelli at stephen.altobelli@emory.edu

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Emory Life

Wednesday, January 29, 2020 | Emory Life Editor: Caroline Silva (ccsilva@emory.edu)

2020 MOONLIGHT GALA

LIFESTYLE

New Year, New Trends: Pattern Overkill

ADVICE

Doolino Knows Best: Millennial Dilemmas

By Maya Deogun Contributing Writer With the start of a new year comes bold fashion collections and statement pieces to reinvent your wardrobe. 2020 is not the year for sticking to the status quo and dressing within your comfort zone. This year has bloomed with houndstooth patterns, neon accessories and polka dot creations to take any outfit to the next level.

Head-to-toe Houndstooth From affordable to luxury, all of the biggest brands like Revolve, Forever 21 and Chanel are marketing their full-body houndstooth styles.

The duotone textile pattern, usually interpreted in a classic black-andwhite palette, has been reinvented to make even your comfortable joggers stylish. The print will spice up just about any article of clothing and even adds a chic touch to the business professional outfits you’ve likely coordinated for club and job interviews.

H&M has been heavily marketing casual yet glam houndstooth items on their website. They offer houndstooth everything, from chiffon dresses and leggings to winter coats. Their super slim-fit pants pair beautifully with a plain black sweater. The stretchy pants utilize the high-waisted trend we have all worn and loved. H&M has managed to elevate the leggings game by taking a simple, comfortable outfit to the next level. If you want to make a statement, try pairing the pants with their houndstooth fine-knit sweater.

This drop-shoulder cuffed sweater’s houndstooth pattern is slightly more magnified than the pattern on the pants, and will surely transform your outfit from tracksuit to chic.

Giorgio Armani offers an expensive take on this trend with its single-breasted jacket in houndstooth jacquard. The silver-and-navy wool jacket is complete with an off-center blue button and a maxi reverse collar. The pattern differs from the typical houndstooth print with elegant colors contrasting beautifully and exuding luxury. Armani pairs the piece with black-and-white pointed houndstooth heels and a leather shoulder-bag — whose pattern is comprised of studs that deviate from the standard woven or printed looks.

Highlighter Neons Five minutes of scrolling through Instagram shopping or fast-fashion websites will undoubtedly populate your feed with various shades of neon clothing. You might remember wishing that this trend would quickly die out when it emerging at the end of 2019. Unfortunately, or perhaps, fortunately, the highlighterlook is here to carry us into 2020 and surely, turn heads.

See 2020, Page 10

Courtesy of Minhee Jeon

The Asian Student Association, Chinese Undergraduate Student Organization, Emory Delta Phil Lambda Sorority and the Vietnamese Student Association hosted the 2020 Moonlight Gala on Jan. 25. The Lunar New Year celebration featured student performances, Asian food and raffle prizes.

CARLOS MUSEUM

Art Exihibit Bridges Temporal & Divine

By Angela Choksi Contributing Writer

Practicing Hindus in India view the divine as an integral and ubiquitous part of their daily lives. As a Hindu, I can attest to the religious images, idols and deities that are as common in Indian households as televisions and refrigerators. Temples, shrines, gods and goddesses inspire artists, worshippers and tourists in India.

The Michael C. Carlos Museum’s exhibit, “Transcendent Deities of India: The Everyday Occurrence of the Divine,” attempts to capture these themes and celebrate the effervescent, everyday presence of Hindu gods and goddesses in the lives of native Indians and the larger Indian diaspora. The exhibit opened on Jan. 18 and will be on display until May 17.

The Carlos Museum asserts that the exhibit wrestles with questions including “What does it mean to see and be seen by the divine?” and “What does it mean to see the divine in new ways?”

As an Indian who moved to the United States at the age of 14, I felt compelled to visit the collection and explore the artists’ reinterpretation of traditional themes and imagery as a way of reconnecting with my Indian ancestry. It features over 70 prints, photographs, graphic art, paintings and illustrations by artists Raja Ravi Varma, Manjari Sharma and Abhishek Singh. The artwork seeks to answer these questions and explore the “visual communion between the human and divine” through a myriad of multimedia lenses.

Much like its name suggests, the vibrant exhibit questions the boundaries of traditional and conventional perceptions of Hindu deities. The monumental size of Sharma and Singh’s artwork in addition to the unorthodox interpretation of Hindu subject matter contributes to its bold and striking display. The exhibit’s ancestral and mythical imagery playfully and seamlessly complements a new artistic medium of these “transcendent” artists.

Krishna, one of the most widely

revered Indian divinities, Rama, the embodiment of chivalry and virtue and Hanuman, the mighty and loyal monkey god — these divinities collectively exemplify the exuberance and ebullience associated with Indian celebrations, festivals and religious paraphernalia. Milestones in the lives of these divinities are greeted with national holidays and fervent joyousness from Indians, which includes temple visits, religious ceremonies, and special delicacies.

Sharma’s photographic series came to fruition as a result of the elaborate work of her team of Mumbai-based artisans, sculptors and painters, who designed the sets and costumes that background her images, a Carlos press release said. Although Sharma was born in Mumbai, she has lived in the U.S. since her early 20s. Her series empowered her to bridge her sojourns to American galleries with her regular Indian temple visits.

In 2013, Sharma photographed a human being standing as “Lord

See CARLOS, Page 10

With the Spring semester now in full swing, papers are stacking up and office hours are getting busy. If your increasingly booked schedule has made for a nonexistentsocial life or a near impossible 10 a.m. wake-up, take a step back and let Doolino guide you toward success.

Dear Doolino, I’m having trouble keeping up with school, sleep and my social life. I’m taking 21 credits this semester, including two lab sessions. If that doesn’t seem like too much, I also work eight hours a week at the Carlos Museum as a security guard. With all this on my plate, I barely get to interact with humans anymore. I’ve started having conversations with my textbooks and pulling too many all-nighters. How do I even attempt to balance everything?

From, Stressed & Psycho Dear Stressed, I see you must be a freshman, inexperienced in the ways of an Emory College student. Grades , sleep and a social life are what we call the impossible triangle. You can only have two.

For example, you could start by making friends at your job. If you talk to the sculptures and paintings, you can basically replace having friends. Looks like you’ve already got this skill down considering you converse with your textbooks. And if anyone tries to rob the museum, you have a great opportunity to find the human contact that you’re missing out on.

Sincerely, Doolino Dear Doolino, With the Lime scooters gone, I don’t know how I’ll get to class on time any-

See EXPENDABLE, Page 10

EVENT COVERAGE

Carlos Artist-in-Residence Discusses Inspiration

By Sadie Schwartz Contributing Writer It was hard to miss contemporary street artist Abhishek Singh’s massive live painting, a form of performance art painted in the public sphere. On Jan. 14 and Jan. 17, Singh constructed a rendition of the elephant-headed Hindu deity Ganesha in the Emory Student Center. His residency at Emory’s Michael C. Carlos Museum was completed on Jan. 22, with a talk where Singh discussed his process and inspiration for his live artwork and the people he met along the way of his residency.

Born in Gwalior, India, Singh grew up surrounded by ancient Indian myths and folktales. At a young age, he often covered the walls of his family home with the white chalk he took from school.

Singh studied animation film design

at the National Institute of Design, and his work is now displayed at several venues including the Carlos Museum. He now splits his time between Brooklyn, N. Y. and Mumbai, India. A graphic novelist and artist, he is known for incorporating Indian mythology into his works while bridging the “temporal and sacred metaphysical.”

To a roomful of students, staff, professors and Atlanta residents, Singh noted how grateful he felt for the unique opportunity to take his work to Atlanta.

“This has been a fantastic … experience,” Singh said. ”Even though I’ve lived back and forth between New York and India, this is my first live painting here and I’m so happy that it’s based on stories of elephants and that interwoven relationship we have with Earth.”

Singh took advantage of painting in Atlanta and, during his talk,

he presented several photos of his work on a large-scale live painting at the Atlanta BeltLine.

The presentation also featured images of his journal, which holds artworks made in watercolors, alongside stories.

Singh explained that during his time in Atlanta, he encountered children to whom he taught Indian myths and folklore, eventually drawing creative inspiration from their conversations.

Singh pointed out that the children’s questions often broached ideas that he would never have thought of himself.

“We’re talking about light and this little girl stands up and says, “You say light travels all the time, so does it get tired?”” Singh said.

“It’ll only come from an untainted, unhindered mind like that. I was as fascinated as you guys by that question.”

Singh said he drew inspiration for his live painting from the many people he met in Atlanta throughout his week of residency. Thanking all the familiar faces in the crowd for the wisdom and love they shared with him, he noted that had tried his best to convey the many interactions he had had through his painting.

“I hope it lives up to that love, from my end, too,” Singh said.

Throughout his talk, Singh tied environmental symbolism ideas applicable to everyday life, using his live painting to portray elephants among billowing trees and other animals living together in harmony,.

He pointed to a golden egg located at the last panel of his painting as a means of inspiring people to be less wasteful and help combat

See SINGH, Page 10

10

EMORY LIFE

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

2020 Fashion Tackles Optical Illusions, Neons, Polka Dots

Continued from Page 9 The houndstooth trend might be intimidating, but not all neon looks have to be as blinding as the full neon-green shirtdress rocked by “The Good Place” actress Jameela Jamil at the 2019 Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards. Neon, like much other statement wear, can be subtly incorporated into your wardrobe.

A simple solution for trying out this trend without breaking the bank lies in accessories that you can throw on to add a pop of color to an everyday, neutral outfit. Urban Outfitters’ neon orange beanie or American Eagle’s neon-pink belt is sure to make a statement without blinding others. Combining the pieces will an all-black outfit will certainly attract attention whilst and preventing you from looking like you’re headed to a funeral. If you’re ready to embrace the trend entirely, check out Lulus’ neon-pink fleece jacket. The fluffy jacket features a raised collar and snap-button front closure that is sure to keep you cozy through the winter.

Although polka dots have been within the fashion world for years, you’ll be seeing plenty of them this spring — in all colors, shapes and sizes. This staple pattern is for those looking to update their closet without looking trippy with all that houndstooth or looking like your textbook after your professor reminds you to highlight only the important parts of the text.

As we are all broke students who must spend our paychecks on coffee, the runway collections are far out of our budget. Less expensive brands are just as trendy and have you covered. A $30 ASOS t-shirt dress can be dressed up for a fancy dinner, or down for a casual look on a sunny, spring day. The jet-black dress is embellished with white mini-polka dots and ribbons upon the sleeves.

Men can certainly hop on this fashion statement with the Forever 21 men’s $25 classic polka dot shirt.

The button-up elevates any outfit without making it overbearing. Pair the shirt with some black jeans and a sports coat, and you’re ready to walk out the door.

Conclusion

Polka Dots While houndstooth and neon outfits are going to make waves for the remainder of the winter, I predict that polka dots will be the print of the spring. This trend will be a diversion from the usual floral prints that attempt to make us blend into our surroundings.

Many designers, including Michael Kors and Tory Burch, debuted polka dot themed Spring 2020 collections at the 2019 New York Fashion Week.

As we embark on a new decade, don’t be afraid to rock these seemingly daunting 2020 fashion trends.

If you’re not ready to leave all your neutral, unpatterned clothes behind (I know I’m not), start small by integrating accessories into your closet.

Soon you’ll realize that the highlighter look might just be a lifestyle.

— Contact Maya Deogun at mdeogun@emory.edu

Exhibit Compares Old, New Hindu Artwork Continued from Page 9 Vishnu” -- a striking chromogenic print that displays a man bathed in blue standing in a sea of clouds and backed by a serpent’s head.

Sharma’s “Maa Laxmi” captures the richness and charm of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. Flanked by two white elephants, a gorgeous female model is robed in a handsome red and green sari. Adorned with a majestic crown, she sits in a blush pink lotus with bright gold coins flowing from her henna-decorated hands.

A Gwalior-native, Singh is a graphic novelist, author and artist of the noteworthy 300-page omnibus “KRISHNA: A Journey Within” and “Namaha: Stories From the Land of Gods and Goddesses.”

During his residency at Emory University from Jan. 13 to Jan. 22, he live-painted the Hindu deity Ganesha.

To create his powerful drawings, Singh pulls from his various skills and juxtaposes classical imagery with modern ideologies and visual techniques.

His art also presents an exclusive and extraordinary use of technology.

Singh’s 2010 “Let Go” (from “KRISHNA: A Journey Within”) digital print depicts a turquoise-blue Lord Krishna tenaciously traversing forward.

The image’s robustness is further emphasized by Lord Krishna’s luscious, curly locks of jet black hair and flowing yellow robes, as well as his animal companions of pearly white geese and a resolute blue-spotted deer.

According to the press release, Varma hails from the historically princely state of Travancore, India. A primarily self-taught artist, he strives to make his images more accessible to the general Indian public and his artwork can now be found in a plethora of middle-class Indian homes and

Singh Reminisces on Atlanta Live Painting Continued from Page 9 global warming. His choice of the golden egg to represent this originates from a myth.

“There’s a mythological story you read that the whole universe was created from a golden egg, and when the universe was created, the shells of that golden egg were lying around outside,” Singh said.

“Then people thought we should make something from these golden shells as well, you know, maybe that’s [saying we should] not waste things.”

Singh’s attempt to connect his art to the real world was met with great admiration from the audience.

Audience member Harriette Grissom appreciated Singh’s poetic explanations for why and how he chooses to connect nature, myth and humankind’s need for these two elements in the modern age.

In addition to painting, drawing, writing and creating content for his graphic novels, Singh makes time to retreat for treks in the Himalayas.

Accompanied with photos of his journey in Atlanta, Singh included photos from his many travels to the Himalayas and journal entries about his travel experiences.

Singh shared photos of the animals he met in the Himalayan mountains with the audience. Many of these natural elements also serve as motifs in his paintings.

He noted that he had often seen elephants in his dreams, but had not seen any before. Singh felt a higher spirit calling him to meet

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Eunice Park/Contributing

The “Transcendent Dieties in India” exhibit features Majari Sharma’s photograph of a man standing as “Lord Vishnu,” among other Hindu divinities. businesses.

Varma’s paintings are globally renowned and among the best examples of the fusion of Indian traditions with the style of European academic art. His ornamented paintings employ materials atypical in Western art traditions and reflect the intersection between the temporal (material world) and the sacred (supernatural world).

Varma’s 1925 “Chandra” lithograph, made with fabric, embroidery and embellishments, highlights the lunar deity, Chandra. Clothed in varying shades of yellow and green, Chandra appears to ride a breathtaking chariot led by a horned deer and backed by a soft-hued celestial backdrop.

“Chandra” thus becomes an aesthetical and magnificent work of art.

Vibrant colors and dynamism epitomize both contemporary and historical depictions of Hindu gods and goddesses.

Hindu divinities have historically been characterized predominantly and primarily through sculpture and

more. I have 10 minutes to get from my biology lab in the 1462 Clifton Road Building to my calculus class in the Mathematics and Science Center.

It takes me at least 15 minutes to get there. I awkwardly jog in late every day and everybody stares at me. I always miss announcements and never know when anything is due.

How do I properly function without scooters?

Please help, Slow & Scooter-less Derrick Tran/Staff

them in the mountains, he said.

Audience member Sonali Saindane was particularly intrigued by a drawing of two elephants in Singh’s sketchbook, based on his observations in the wild.

“The sketches and the watercolors — I loved those,” Saindane said.

“I love the spontaneity.”

The end of Singh’s presentation was met with multiple rounds of applause.

Audience member Bhanu Prakash, who has been following Singh’s live paintings on Instagram, called the talk “brilliant” and noted that it was more philosophical than he expected.

“It was a lot more in-depth, and

we can come back and look at the painting and take a lot more back [from his paintings],” Prakash said.

Singh ended his talk by expressing his desire to inspire the audience to explore new perspectives through nature and interactions with others.

“My intent, as a storyteller, is to build new narratives that may give us a different perspective,” Singh said. “To see our role as humanity on this living and organic planet.

We are all journey people and I hope you get to meet the teachers you will be inspired by.”

— Contact Sadie Schwartz at sischwa@emory.edu

— Contact Angela Choksi at achoks4@emory.edu

Pesky Lab Goggles Create Insecurities Continued from Page 9

Artist Abhishek Singh finished his residency in Atlanta with a talk at the Michael C. Carlos Museum on Jan. 21. Singh discussed his live painting of Ganesha and inspiration for other artworks.

painting. The exhibit’s sculptures and paintings connect the experience of the viewer to the deity through “darshan” — a Sanskrit word meaning vision or view — the hallmark of Indian worship. The exhibition’s unique collection of artwork stage “darshan” through archetypal representations of Hindu deities.

Ultimately, the “Transcendent Deities” exhibit offers a rejuvenating twist on traditional illuminations of Hindu gods and goddesses, especially in an era when India is rapidly digitizing its media sharing and viewing platforms. By reimagining allegorical and storied subjects from the illustrious Indian epics of sacred Hindu texts such as the “Ramayana” and ‘Mahabharata,” the three artists’ works connect the spiritual and symbolic nature of Hindu worship to the whimsical fantasy of Indian legends and narratives.

Dear Slow, Back in the day, we didn’t have any of this fancy, new technology to help us out. We didn’t have computers to cheat on all our homework or elevators to skip on that much-needed leg day.

We did everything the slow, old-fashioned way. We checked the encyclopedia when cheating was necessary and never turned down a quick workout up the stairs. Don’t be a lazy millennial and get to places the way we did back then — with a horse! We used to raise them ourselves. Nowadays, you young folk can probably buy one on those phones you’re always staring at.

Have fun ridin’, Doolino Dear Doolino, I have to take so many labs every year — physics, chemistry, biology and more. I enjoy the experiments

enough to endure them, the overenthusiastic groupmates and the postlab assignments. There is one thing I just cannot handle — the ugly, outfitruining safety goggles. I have worked around the rest of the restrictive dress code. I ensure my sneakers match the blue of my lab coat and gloves. My black, Gucci leather pants go all the way down to my ankles. But what can I do to make the goggles match with the rest of my outfit?

Sincerely, Fearful Fashionista Dear Fearful, There are other ways of protecting yourself from the dangerous chemicals you’ll be handling in class. You could inform your groupmates of your fashion dilemma, and ask them to handle the hydrochloric acid instead.

Alternatively, keep your eyes closed throughout the entire experiment. You could also be really careful with the substances and take your chances.

There’s an eyewash station in every room that you can quickly run to and save at least half of your vision. Lastly, you can simply stop wearing the safety goggles! If you follow these tips, pretty soon, you won’t need them any longer.

Best of luck, Doolino — For your day-to-day qualms, send anonymous question to doolino.emory@gmail.com

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

SPORTS

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11

Excellence of School, Players Always Brings Howell Back

Continued from Back Page support each other and they inspire each other. Without that close community, I don’t think we could do what we do. I think our success is really based on the people in that community more than specific training practices.

TEW: It’s very clear that the swim and dive program is very sound. What do you believe has led to this success?

JH: I think we’ve always valued getting better and exploring not only what is possible within individuals, but also as a Division III program. It’s been fun for us as we’ve consistently gotten better over the years, so we continue to do that. I think we’re at a point right now where, when we move

forward, we’re moving forward in a path that really is unique, and we’re doing some things that I think nobody else has done. It ends up being a fun place to be, and I think it’s exciting for the kids that we have too.

TEW: What have been some of your favorite moments, seasons or highlights from coaching?

JH: I think it’s normally the small breakthroughs along the way.

Things like our first U.S. Olympic Team Trial qualifier, our first swimmer to swim a U.S. National meet, our first Rhodes Scholarship applicant and our first U.S. National team member. Some of those things that we’ve really worked for and sort of breaking

through those traditional barriers and seeing that progress. That, for us, is really how we step forward.

Somebody breaks through a barrier and all of a sudden it opens the possibility for the next group coming forward. It moves the bar a bit.

TEW: What do you, as a coach or team, hope to accomplish by the end of the season?

JH: We’re really just focused right now on the process and moving forward.

We’ve done a lot of great training, and we’re trying to fine-tune that to see where that’s going to take us. This also is an Olympic Trial year, so the hope is that we will have a group of tri-

Diving Proves Difficult Physically, Mentally Continued from Back Page why becoming comfortable with diving takes full mental commitment. The toll on Bumgarner made him wonder if he should quit.

“I quit when I was 11 because I thought I hated diving,” Bumgarner said. “I kept swimming and when I got to high school, my old club diving coach was at my first meet. He talked to me and encouraged me to get back into it. I decided I’d give it another try.”

That wasn’t the only time he contemplated leaving the sport, however.

“I also almost quit my junior year of high school,” he continued. “There was a solid week where every time I went to practice I would smack the water flat on my stomach or back. It was one of the hardest times I had to go through, but I was going through the recruiting process and knew that if I kept with it I would be better for it.”

For Bumgarner — and thankfully, for Emory — his perseverance paid off.

Now at Emory, he has found a school where he can excel both athletically

als. One of our alums has a pretty good shot of making the U.S. Olympic Team.

So those are things that I look forward to moving forward.

TEW: If you could pick one word to describe Emory, what would it be and why?

JH: I would say excellence. That’s the reason I’ve stayed here as long as I have. I think Emory’s a place where it brings people in that are pursuing excellence, but it really has also supported excellence.

There have been a couple [Emory] presidents that have talked about courageous leadership and what can be done with that, and I’ve always thought of that as a great way of approaching

things. I really appreciate that this is a place that has continuously supported excellence and allowed me to think outside the box in terms of what we’re doing.

TEW: If you could give any advice to your younger coaching self, what would it be?

JH: I think that it’s a constant learning process. When I was younger, I thought I had things figured out. The older I get, the more I realize I’m still exploring and trying to understand more. So that would probably be where I fall.

— Contact Jessica Solomon at jessica.solomon@emory.edu

NCAA Spells Trouble For Ultimate Frisbee

and academically.

He consistently scores over 300 in the 1-meter and 3-meter dive events with his closest competition scoring around 250. Bumgarner has also set multiple school records in the 3-meter dive. On Jan. 26, 2019, he scored a career-high 366.68 over six dives, and during the UAA Championships on Feb. 13, 2019, peaked with 576.15 over 11 dives.

To put this in context, in order to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships, a diver must score at least 275 for six dives and 425 for 11 dives at 1-meter. Bumgarner’s scores, some over 100 points above the benchmark, propelled him to the NCAA Division III Championships where he placed No. 6 in the nation.

Lucas Bumgarner has solidified himself as a core part of the Emory diving team. Head Coach Jon Howell sees him as a leader.

“Lucas represents the very best of Emory swimming and diving,” Howell said. “For the past two seasons, Lucas

has been the backbone of our diving team and has become a leader in our program, overall. As we work to build the diving program, Lucas serves as a great example of what is possible.”

He has also found a great connection with his teammates.

“We do pretty much everything together,” he said. “My roommates are all on the swim and dive team, too — so we swim, eat and work hard together. I can always count on them to have my back.”

Sophomore Sean Byman, Bumgarner’s teammate and roommate, has nothing but respect for his friend and his work ethic.

“He doesn’t really need coaches or teammates to motivate himself; his desire to improve is all from within,” Byman said. “He’s often at the pool training when no coaches are there, doing dive after dive trying to perfect his form. It’s really inspiring to see.”

— Contact Lynden Fausey at lynden.fausey@emory.edu

tinues to grow in stature and looks to be one of the best collegiate teams nationwide.

Shrader is optimistic that players like Burnett can help the team surpass the No. 11 national ranking they received two years ago — their highest ever.

“We have a bunch of guys that are young and really skilled,” Shrader said. “The team is definitely trending upwards.

Burnett is hopeful that Juice’s highlevel play will draw more attention to Ultimate on campus if people give it a chance.

“I definitely wish [Ultimate] got more attention,” Burnett said. “No one watches [Ultimate] and thinks it’s lame.”

Currently, however, Ultimate struggles to compete for attention with other collegiate sports that benefit

great player.

Her father told ESPN reporter Elle Duncan that his daughter was a “monster” and “a beast.”

“She’s better than I was [at basketball] at her age. She’s got it,” Bryant said.

Gigi dreamed of attending the University of Connecticut (UConn) to play college basketball before going on

to play in the WNBA. Emory women’s head basketball coach Misha Jackson noted the Bryants’ impact on the game of women’s basketball.

“We’re devastated to hear of his daughter’s passing as well,” she said. “[The Bryants] were doing a lot with women’s basketball, and Kobe Bryant was a big supporter in bringing media

attention to the women’s game, whether it’s the WNBA or UConn women’s basketball. Bringing his celebrity to our game was really important. It’s not just a loss for basketball, but I do think what he was doing for the community made him a great person.”

Bryant is remembered for his commitment to greatness. His hard work — on and off the court — led

Continued from Back Page

from the structure and exposure that the NCAA gives them. Despite these challenges, Burnett has doubts that the institution of collegiate Ultimate as an NCAA sport would be a positive step. Being so strongly rooted in principles of sportsmanship, Ultimate trusts its players to referee their own games. Along with the NCAA comes stricter regulations, intense officiating and controversy that raises the stakes both off and on the field. “[Ultimate] doesn’t need to be an NCAA sport,” Burnett said. “The NCAA might impact the integrity of the game.”

Despite not having the glamour of competing for NCAA titles, Burnett and Emory Juice are proof that the NCAA doesn’t represent the be-all and end-all of elite collegiate athletics.

— Contact Charlie Scruton at charlie.scruton@emory.edu

Mamba Mentality Leaves Lasting Impact on Emory

Continued from Back Page

was the Black Mamba,” Coffey said.

“If we all attack our passions with the Mamba Mentality, we will substantially improve the world around us the same way Kobe improved the world while he was here.”

Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, one of Kobe’s four daughters, who also died in the tragic accident, was also considered a

him to be successful in more than just basketball.

His legacy will carry on for generations to come not only at Emory, but all around the world, and his name will soon be forever etched in the Hall of Fame.

— Contact Michael Mariam at mmariam@emory.edu

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ULTIMATE FRISBEE

Burnett Becomes ‘Ultimate’ Athlete

By Charlie Scruton Staff Writer

The Emory student body consists of many elite athletes. The varsity programs’ combined 27 NCAA titles and 116 NCAA Postgraduate Scholars are testaments to this.

But some of the very best that Emory Athletics has to offer can be found beyond the confines of the 17 varsity programs.

Front and center stands Justin Burnett, a freshman on Emory Juice, the Emory club Ultimate Frisbee team, who will be traveling to Sweden in July to compete for the USA Ultimate National Team in the WFDF 2020 World Junior Ultimate Championships (WJUC). The WJUC are the highest level of youth Ultimate. This summer, 27 nations will send a selection of their best Ultimate players under 20 years old to claim the title of the world’s best. It is no small feat to be named to a national roster.

While most students were using the winter break to relax, Burnett was anxiously waiting.

In Nov. 2019, he had competed at a tryout in North Carolina against hundreds of the nation’s best and was waiting to hear if he was one of the select 24 to be representing USA Ultimate.

On Jan. 2, he got the call.

“I was excited, definitely,” Burnett said. “It’s a big deal, and I was really pumped when I got it.”

Burnett’s journey toward this moment began six years ago when the Atlanta native was introduced to Ultimate, his older brother’s favorite sport. Burnett quit travel baseball in favor of the faster-paced game of Ultimate and joined the Atlanta-based youth club, the ATLiens.

With the ATLiens, Burnett developed quickly. His explosive athleticism and instincts made him a natural at the sport and he quickly became a key member of a team that has reached the Youth Club Championship quarterfinals every year since 2013.

T. J. Martin, head coach of Emory Juice and longtime coach of Burnett’s at ATLiens, is incredibly proud of the development Burnett has shown as both a player and a person.

“It’s been a really awesome journey to see him develop as a teammate,” Martin said. “He’s become a great teammate and supporter of the people around him.”

Juice senior-team Captain Houston Shrader credits Burnett’s work ethic toward practicing as an important part of what makes him a national talent.

“He’s a very competitive and fun guy that likes to challenge himself against the team’s best players in practice,” Shrader said. “He brings his youth and energy to the field.”

With his place on the national team secured, Burnett can now focus his talents towards a Juice team that con-

See BURNETT:, Page 11

Kushal Bafna/Contributing

Then-freshman Lucas Bumgarner prepares to dive at a meet in April 2019. Since, Bumgarner has been selected to an All-America team and named UAA Men’s Diver of the Year.

Bumgarner Makes a Splash

By Lynden Fausey Staff Writer

A 10-year-old Lucas Bumgarner stood next to the diving board during swim practice, watching and learning.

He observed the daring divers as they climbed the ladder to the 1-meter platform and stood — poised on the edge, balancing on their toes with their arms extended. He found something in the bounces, jumps, twists and flips that captivated him more than swimming ever had.

“I just saw other people doing it while I was swimming,” Bumgarner said. “I got bored with swimming and decided I wanted to try it. My mom brought me and my siblings to a diving camp and I liked it, so I just kept with it.”

IN MEMORIAM

Emory Remembers Kobe Bryant

By Michael Mariam Contributing Writer

For 20 years, Kobe Bryant dominated the basketball world as a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. Sadly, Bryant, who retired only three years ago, was tragically killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. on Jan. 26.

41-year-old Bryant, his 13-yearold daughter Gianna and seven others were killed en route to a travel basketball game at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy.

Bryant, who was often described as one of the best players that the NBA has ever seen, was a five-time NBA champion, 18-time All-Star, two-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time Olympic gold medalist and currently sits No. 4 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. But Bryant’s impact goes far beyond the hardwood.

Off the court, he was an Oscarwinner, businessman, author, and, husband and father to his wife Vanessa and his four young daughters.

Bryant’s impact can be felt throughout the campus of Emory University.

Freshman Ryan Spann from Los Angeles grew up as a Lakers fan and watched Bryant play all the time.

Spann said he will always carry Bryant’s dedication to the sport with him. “[Bryant’s] work ethic, attitude and consistency on and off the court ... resonates with a lot of people not only back home, but around the world,”

Spann said.

He noted that even his friends from home, who are fans of the in-town Los Angeles Clippers, still appreciate Bryant just as much as he does.

“Even if you weren’t a Lakers fan, he was someone everyone admired in Los Angeles,” Spann said.

The news of Bryant’s passing resulted in strong emotions from both Emory’s men’s and women’s basketball teams. Men’s basketball Head Coach Jason Zimmerman spoke about how Bryant’s maturity from a young age put him in a place to become the successful leader and player whom he will be remembered as.

“He stood for those same things when he was 18 and 19 and 20, but he didn’t have that experience yet,” Zimmerman said. “When he would say things like he was a veteran — and he wasn’t yet — he was set up for making an impact on the world.”

Although Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016, Zimmerman said he knew that the future Hall of Famer wasn’t done making a difference.

“I think he was getting ready to make an impact on the world even greater, and that’s what’s sad about it,” Zimmerman said. “His knowledge, experience and the way he articulated things late in his career and [in] his post-NBA career [were] special. That’s what makes it sad. You just miss some of that.”

Zimmerman’s players have used Bryant as a role model in their preparation both on and off the court.

Junior guard Matthew Schner was

inspired by Bryant’s tireless work motivation. Schner believes that many young athletes will continue to look up to Bryant’s tireless displays of commitment and passion.

“Bryant was a fierce competitor who refused to settle for anything less than being one of the best players to ever play the game,” Schner said.

“Kobe’s legacy is a reminder to find your passion and pour everything you have into being the very best at your craft. The pain, late nights and feelings of defeat are all part of the process of striving for greatness.”

This commitment to excellence spawned one of the most recognizable nicknames in sports: Black Mamba.

He nicknamed himself Black Mamba after a character from cult classic film “Kill Bill,” in which the namesake assassin executes murders using the eponymous venomous snake.

Kobe earned this nickname with his legendary work ethic and his masterful balance of aggression and artistry.

Bryant said that the Mamba Mentality “means to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself.”

Many basketball players take heart in this mentality and try to incorporate it into their game. Junior guard Pierre Coffey is one of such players. In Coffey’s eyes, Bryant was more like a movie character who always saved the day.

“Before there was Black Panther, the first superhero I fell in love with

See MAMBA, Page 11

So began Bumgarner’s lengthy, impressive and sometimes turbulent career as a diver. As of last year, Bumgarner has constructed quite the resume. Last year, as a freshman on Emory’s swimming and diving team, he was an All-America team selection, the University Athletic Association (UAA) Men’s Diver of the Year, UAA champion in the 3-meter dive, and a member of the All-UAA end of the year team.

On, Jan. 19, Bumgarner was named the UAA Men’s Diver of the Week after he swept the diving events at Emory’s meet against Delta State University (Miss.).

“All of the schools in the UAA conference are fantastic,” Bumgarner said.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by them.”

However, diving did not always come easily to Bumgarner. It has been something he has been working at, both physically and mentally, for years.

“The hardest part is the mental part,” he said. “Getting your mind to be okay with throwing yourself off a high platform and doing flips, while you fall, takes a lot of work. It requires a ton of mental training over physical training.”

While swimming is considered a non-contact sport, a diver’s impact into the pool makes diving a contact sport. Divers can hit the water at speeds of up to 40 mph, causing collisions strong enough to dislocate joints or even break bones.

With this knowledge, it’s no wonder

See DIVING, Page 11

COACH CONVERSATION

Diving in with Coach Jon Howell

By Jessica Solomon Staff Writer

Since 1998, Emory men’s and women’s swimming and diving Head Coach Jon Howell has helped establish Emory as one of the best programs in the NCAA Division III. Over his 21 years at Emory, Howell has led Emory to a combined 41 top-10 finishes at the National Championships and has won several coaching awards. He has also won 11 National Championships during his own swimming career.

For each of the past 10 years, Howell and the women’s team won the NCAA Division III National Championships.

Howell has thrived as head coach and has developed the program into a national swimming powerhouse. He has also led both teams to University Athletic Association (UAA) titles every year that he has coached and in 2015, Howell received the National Collegiate and Scholastic Swimming Trophy for his excellence in coaching.

The Emory Wheel spoke to Howell about his coaching career and how he got to where he is today.

The transcript has been edited for clarity and length.

Jessica Solomon, The Emory Wheel: Looking back, how does your first season [coaching] compare to this past season? What changes or differences have you noticed throughout the years?

Jon Howell: Well, this is my 21st year at Emory, so it’s obviously changed pretty significantly during that time in a lot of different ways.

When I first came to Emory, the men had never won a UAA Championship and the women hadn’t won in several years. We hadn’t been top 20 at Nationals in several years. It was a different place and a different time. Even during that first year, I had a really motivated group and a great group of kids, so the goal was to build on that, and we’ve been fortunate to have some success along the way.

TEW: As a coach, what do you value most in terms of coaching techniques or practices?

JH: I think what I value most are the people within our program. We’re really fortunate at Emory to attract a great, motivated group — people who are really excited to push the envelope both in the pool and in the classroom.

So, our objective is really to provide them support and a platform where they can explore what’s possible. I think in terms of what I value, I really like being apart of that process and helping support them along the way.

I think our culture and the community support everything we do. That’s one thing that has remained constant in all the years I’ve been here. They’re a group that learns from each other; they

See EXCELLENCE, Page 11