The Emory Wheel 100 Years of
Emory University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Volume 101, Issue 6
Printed Every Wednesday
Wednesday, february 26, 2020
Bobby Jones Scholars Named
NIKKI GIOVANNI VISITS EMORY, ATTRACTS FULL HOUSE
By Anjali Huynh Contributing Writer The Robert T. Jones, Jr. Scholarship program selected four College seniors as award recipients of the Bobby Jones Scholarship from a pool of 13 finalists. Winners Sarah Hunter, David Kulp, Samah Meghjee and Adesola Thomas will receive a paid year of study at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland as recognition for their achievements. The program began in 1976 in honor of Emory alumnus and amateur golfer Robert T. Jones (29L) and has since recognized more than 300 scholars from Emory and St. Andrews. The scholarship is awarded to those who “exemplify the legacy of Bobby Jones through intellectual excellence, significant leadership, exemplary character, integrity and citizenship.”The primary application involved submitting a resume, two essays, three letters of recommendation and transcripts. According to scholarship eligibility criteria, recipients must have an “outstanding academic record,” “significant leadership in the life of the Emory community,” “excellent speaking and writing abilities,” “strong interpersonal skills” and “academic
See SCHOLARSHIP, Page 2
Jackson Schneider/A sst. Photo Editor
Poet Nikki Giovanni garnered a crowd of 1,500 community members for a free reading on Saturday. Known for her award-winning poetry and social activism, Giovanni also met with students for an Q&A session and was featured during Emory Libraries’ 20th annual Twelfth Night Revel. See LITERARY, Page 8
38 Track and Field Members Leave Team Amid Culture Shift By Madison Bober and Jessica Solomon Managing Editor and Asst. Sports Editor “The coaches threaten and give ultimatums,” said former junior jumper Natalie Natole (21C), one of 38 students who have left Emory’s cross country track and field (XC/TF) team within the last year. “We have no right to a balance. It’s an obligation that’s no longer fun anymore.” Natole detailed an environment of compounding pressure, isolation and insensitivity when asked about why she decided to quit after two and a
half years on the team. Her reasoning paralleled the motivations of eight other former members who spoke to the Wheel, all of whom said that new rules regulating student athlete behavior has created a toxic team culture. However, Head Coach Linh Nguyen and current XC/TF members contest this narrative, arguing that a focus on athletic and competitive excellence is laying the groundwork for future success. Such conflict has called into question the expectations that Division III athletes should have regarding the balance between focus on their sport and academic or social priorities.
The largest differences between Division I and Division III schools exist in the administering of athletic scholarships and the admissions process. Division III schools are barred from offering athletic scholarships, and students interested in applying must be admitted through the standard academic process. A majority of athletes at Division I schools receive some form of athletically related aid, and students’ athletic history is a major consideration for admission. All eight former members, who have quit the team within the last year, attributed an unprecedented level of coach turnover as the primary reason
for the team’s deteriorating morale. Within the last four years, XC/TF members have operated under eight different coaches and have witnessed the exit of five. Among these changes, there have been four head coaches: John Curtin, Derek Nelson, Jordan Schilit and current Head Coach Linh Nguyen. Curtin was the team’s head coach from 1985 until 2018, when Nelson and Schilit assumed their roles of interim head coaches. They only held the position for one season, an eight-month period. In June 2019, Nguyen was hired as head coach.
See FORMER, Page 15
Black Boy Joy Highlights ‘Black Kings’ of Emory By Thomas Kreutz and Gustavo Borjas Senior Staff Writer and Contributing Writer
Grace Shen/Contributing
Jared Diamond, author of “Guns, Germs, and Steel,” emphasizes the need to solve global political and environmental crises during a lecture on Feb. 20.
Jared Diamond Warns of Global Crises By Anjali Huynh Contributing Writer
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and acclaimed geographer Jared Diamond discussed issues ranging from tensions within the United States to inequality abroad during a lecture at the Woodruff Health Sciences Center
NEWS
Coronavirus Treatment on Path to FDA Approval ... PAGE 4 P
Administration Building on Thursday. Diamond, an esteemed geographer, anthropologist and historian, garnered global success after publishing his award-winning book “Guns, Germs, and Steel,” in which he details how geographic differences around the world influenced modernization in various societies.
The Center for Ethics brought the University of California, Los Angeles professor to Emory to discuss his new book, “Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis,” which explains how and why particular crises sculpt nations. In particular, Diamond indi-
See EMORY, Page 2
A 12-year-old Dominic Lal (21C) and his uncle were outside a Cincinnati Reds game when a homeless man approached them and attempted to sell them a bag of popcorn. Lal’s uncle reached into his pocket and offered the man a $20 bill and told him to keep the popcorn. After a couple minutes of deliberation and a successful exchange, the man asked Lal’s uncle why he gave him so much money. “You’re actually helping me,” Lal recalled his uncle saying. “It’s a give and take.” Lal echoed these words nearly seven years later when he received the Community Commitment Award at the second annual Black Boy Joy Award Ceremony on Feb. 22. The award honors a student whose “dedication to service demonstrates a fundamental value of the NAACP,” Zakiya Collier (21C) said at the event. The Black Boy Joy Award Ceremony
is a manifestation of the #BlackBoyJoy 2016 Twitter trend, an ongoing movement within the black community. The awards are presented by the Emory NAACP chapter in partnership with the Emory Black Male Initiative. For Lal, dedication to service involves being the president of Student Obtaining Atlanta Research (SOAR), a Volunteer Emory leader, a founding member of the Emory Science Olympiad and an intern at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, among many other extracurriculars. An only child raised by a single mother, Lal said in an interview with the Wheel that his childhood circumstances spurred him to serve his community. “I feel like I had to grow up very fast — I always had to be at the top of the class … so it was one less thing [my mother] had to worry about,” Lal said. “From there, it snowballed into me challenging myself to do better, for my mom and for others.” Lal’s academic success and contin-
See CEREMONY, Page 4
EDITORIAL An Open A&E Literary Legend EMORY LIFE Lim SPORTS Lone Senior on Nikki Giovanni Electrifies Shares Asian American Letter to Heather Mac Basketball Team Reflects on Donald ... PAGE 8 Path in YouTube ... PAGE 11 Time at Emory ... Back Page PAGE 6 Emory ...
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Wednesday, February 26, 2020
The Emory Wheel
Emory Ethics Director Lauds Geographer Continued from Page 1 cated that some countries’ ignorance and ambivalence regarding global dilemmas such as climate change is concerning. “There is not a worldwide acknowledgment of problems facing the world,” Diamond said. “There are no extraterrestrials we can call to for help. We have to figure it out for ourselves.” Throughout the lecture, Diamond emphasized the importance of comparative history, saying that “most nations go through a political crisis every century or so.” He analyzed why certain countries, such as Japan, handled numerous crises and promote growth better than others. Diamond then contrasted Japan’s strengths with what he believed to be a more “unsuccessful” example: the U.S. He warned against American exceptionalism — the notion that the U.S. is superior to other nations — and cautioned against U.S. refusal to learn from nations that face similar problems. “The only people that can destroy democracy in the U.S. are Americans,” he said, citing gerrymandering, voter suppression and vast inequalities as significant threats to the country’s democracy. While discussing the international sphere, Diamond noted that there are four major issues facing the modern world: the potential for nuclear disaster, climate change, irresponsible management of non-sustainable resources and inequality. Despite its bleak tone, Diamond’s lecture did include a glimmer of optimism, as he noted that milestones like the eradication of smallpox and the reduction of harmful products to the atmosphere with the 1987 Montreal Protocol exemplify the potential for improvement. He also listed young
activists like Greta Thunberg who increase public awareness on consequential subjects as potential saviors. “The way that I view the world today is that we are in a horse race between a horse of destruction and a horse of hope,” Diamond said, then added jokingly, “I believe there’s a 52% chance for the horse of hope.” Diamond briefly took audience questions on polarization, the role of religion in crisis management and resolution and national identity. When asked about the role of globalization in conflict, Diamond noted, “Today, no country is isolated from any other country.” In a Feb. 21 email to the Wheel, Center for Ethics Director Paul Root Wolpe lauded Diamond as a “provocative and wide-ranging scholar who has challenged conventional wisdom on how nations and regions develop.” “His new book … has deep ethical underpinnings,” Wolpe wrote. “The Center for Ethics believes that ethical assumptions guide almost all the decisions we make as human beings, whether we recognize them or not, and Jared Diamond’s work shows how that works in an international and comparative context.” Attendee Katherine Topf (21PH) said that while she had read some of Diamond’s work in the past, being a first-year global health student at the Rollins School of Public Health helped her gain new insight on his subject matter. “I thought it was very interesting to hear his perspectives live,” Topf said. “Going into it with a public health perspective definitely opened my eyes to the importance of the topics he discussed.”
— Contact Anjali Huynh at alhuynh@emory.edu
Eunice Park/Staff
SGA Legislators discuss amendments to the SGA constitution that would add a legislator and modify the allocation of legislators on Feb. 24.
SGA Passes Constitutional Amendments By Tanika Deuskar Senior Staff Writer
The Student Government Association (SGA) unanimously voted to amend the SGA Constitution to add an additional legislator and modify the method of legislator allocation during their meeting on Feb. 24. All eight legislators present voted on an amended version of the original bill, Bill 53sl28, that underwent first reading on Feb. 17. The current constitution allocates six legislators to College Council (CC) and three each to Oxford SGA, BBA Council and Emory Student Nurses Association. The proposed constitution will allocate a minimum of two legislators to each of the divisional councils and allocate the eight remaining seats proportionally to the number of students in each of the four undergraduate divisions. A revision to the initial bill specifies that seats will be distributed using the D’Hondt method, which allocates seats to parties in proportion to their vote share. In the case of SGA, the vote share is
tied to the number of students in each divisional college. At a town hall on Feb. 20, SGA Attorney General and bill sponsor Ryan Murray (19Ox, 21C) said that the D’Hondt method removes the “discretion” required when rounding fractional values for allocation and would make the process more objective.
As an Issue of Significance, the proposed amendments to the constitution will be subject to a studentwide referendum and will require a simple majority of votes.
SGA President Ben Palmer (18Ox, 20C) said that the new method of seat allocation will not alter the distribution of legislators that SGA had
envisioned when they initially introduced the bill. A second revision to the bill since its first reading limits the authority of the SGA president to remove nonelected members of SGA solely to the members of the SGA Executive Board. In an interview with the Wheel, Palmer said that the president can no longer remove non-elected members, such as members of the Elections Board, citing 52nd SGA President Dwight Ma’s (17Ox, 19C) removal of then-Elections Board Chair and current CC Senior Legislator Justin Cohen (20C). Members of the executive board who believe that they have been removed on illegitimate grounds can appeal their dismissal with the Constitutional Council. As an Issue of Significance, the proposed amendments to the constitution will be subject to a student-wide referendum and will require a simple majority of votes to be ratified. Voting on the referendum will begin on Feb. 27 and will last for 48 hours.
— Contact Tanika Deuskar at tdeuska@emory.edu
Scholarship Recipients Demonstrate Campus Involvement Continued from Page 1 and/or scholarly interests that can be pursued through the offerings at St. Andrews.” Finalists were invited to an evening reception with the selection committee on Feb. 21, followed by three subsequent rounds of interviews the next day. Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Director of the Bobby Jones Program Joanne Brzinski noted in a statement that the interview committee — comprised of University faculty members and administrators, former Bobby Jones Scholarship recipients and the award namesake’s granddaughter, — anticipates selection weekend each year. “It presents us the opportunity to meet highly engaged, academically gifted students who have already left their mark on the Emory community,” Brzinski wrote. “We’ve seen the transformative effect this program can have on the lives of those selected. The students we have chosen represent the best of Emory.” Students can choose whether they wish to partake in available degree programs at St. Andrews or to pursue their own non-degree course of study. Hunter, a neuroscience and behavioral biology major, plans to obtain a masters of science in
comparative and evolutionary psychology. She recalled that when she got the call confirming that she won, her heart “jumped in her throat.” “I picked it up, and Dean Brzinski said, ‘Hi Sarah, this is Joanne Brzinski. How are you?’ and my response was, ‘I think I’m about to be a whole lot better,’” Hunter said. “I’m honored to have been selected amongst very interesting and accomplished people, [and] I’m very excited to be in Europe for the first time.” A first-generation college student at Emory, Hunter has co-authored two research papers, volunteered at Wesley Woods Towers, tutored children through Emory’s Project READ program and spearheaded scientific outreach in nearby elementary schools. She also received the Barry Goldwater Scholarship in 2019 for her accomplishments and future potential in STEM research. As an interdisciplinary studies in society and culture major, Kulp hopes to continue his study in similar coursework at St. Andrews, where he will focus on the connections between medicine and humanities with a focus on neurobehavior and decision making. “I’ve arrived at this point in my college experience because of the help and guidance of many mentors,” he said. “Without them, I wouldn’t have
known how to best apply and position myself for this scholarship and this opportunity.” Kulp is a Henry L. Bowden Dean’s Achievement Scholar involved in numerous campus organizations, including the Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry, Hillel International’s board of directors and College Dean Michael Elliott’s Student Advisory Board. Additionally, he coordinates programming for youth with Type 1 diabetes as associate executive director of Camp Possibilities and is an undergraduate mentor in the Emory Pipeline Collaborative with the School of Medicine. Like Kulp, Meghjee will design her own path of study at St. Andrews, as she will pair courses in film studies and English to “improve [her] storytelling” on her goal to become a television writer. Though she did not have intentions to apply prior to this year, Meghjee received encouragement to do so from previous Bobby Jones Scholar Wei Wei Chen (18C). “I just never felt like [the program] was something that was a possibility for me, … so I was unbelievably shocked [to get in],” she said. “It’s so cool that a school that I love has this amazing opportunity for four students.” An English and creative writing
and media studies double major, she received the Virgil Y.C. Eady Sophomore Service Award and produced a winning movie for the annual Campus Movie Fest event. Meghjee has also served as public relations chair for the Muslim Students Association, a resident adviser, community coordinator for Residence Life and design director and staff writer for the Emory Spoke. A political science and English double major, Thomas will enroll in the Master of Literature program in playwriting and screenwriting in Scotland. She also hopes to join the Inklight Creative Writing Society and the Filmmakers’ Society of St. Andrews. Thomas is the arts and entertainment editor for the Wheel, a producer for her original show “The Positive Planet” for WMRE Radio and a program assistant in the Center for Women. She has also received the Johnston Fellowship for Travel and Research from the English department, which she used to further research on her honors thesis in New York City and London. “I spent so much of college trying to convince myself that I needed to be a practical person to be successful and that being ambitious was irresponsible,” Thomas said. “Emory
Courtesy of R ecipients
Clockwise from Top Left: David Kulp (20C), Samah Meghjee (18Ox, 20C), Adesola Thomas (20C) and Sarah Hunter (20C)
and the people I’ve met here have taught me that the dreams that I have and the passions I have are worthwhile. I’m really glad that, looking back, I took a chance on myself.” Kendall Chan (20C) and Mariam Hassoun (18Ox, 20C) were named Emory’s alternates for the program. Editor’s Note: Arts & Entertainment Editor Adesola Thomas (20C) was not involved in writing or editing this article.
— Contact Anjali Huynh at anjali.linh.huynh@emory.edu
NEWS
The Emory Wheel
Crime Report
Compiled By Phyllis Guo
On Feb. 14 at 9:16 p.m., Emory Police Department (EPD) responded to Emory University Hospital (EUH) in reference to a report of theft. The complainant said that her mother was transported from another facility to EUH on Feb. 13 around noon and was wearing two 14-karat white gold rings, but when the complainant saw her mother in EUH at around 5 p.m., her mother was not wearing the rings. The complainant spoke to a nurse who told her the rings were taken off of her mother’s fingers, placed in a plastic bag and taped to a white board. However, the hospital staff and the complainant were unable to locate the rings. The total value of both rings is $9,000. The case is under active investigation. On Feb. 14 at 11:33 p.m., EPD conducted a vehicle pullover on Clifton Road in front of Wesley Woods Towers. At 11 p.m., an EPD officer observed a driver making a right turn onto Clifton Road from Emory Point while the light was red. EPD stopped the driver and explained to him that he was pulled over because he failed to obey the traffic rule that forbids right turns during a red light. The driver said that he was not aware that he was not allowed to make a right turn while at a red light at that location. The officer checked the subject’s Georgia driver’s license and found that his license had been suspended earlier that day. EPD took possession of the subject’s license and issued him a citation. The case was closed by arrest. On Feb. 16 at 9:46 a.m., EPD responded to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) at Egleston Hospital in reference to a report of family violence battery and aggravated assault. The EPD officer was led by a CHOA security officer to meet with a male subject. The subject told the EPD officer that he woke up in the morning in his newborn child’s room at CHOA. The subject said he was looking for the mother of his newborn child, so he called her from the hospital
phone and asked where she was in the hospital. The subject located the mother on the second floor in a sleep room and had a conversation with her that led to an altercation. The EPD officer met with the victim, who advised the officer that the subject had previously been violent toward her during her pregnancy. The victim also said that she was in the process of evicting the subject from her apartment. She said she got into an altercation with the subject earlier that morning that led to her requesting a sleep room so that she could be away from the subject. The victim said that at approximately 8 a.m. on Feb. 16, the subject called her asking where she was in the hospital. She told him where she was, and he came to her location and knocked on the door. The victim said she opened the door, and the subject slapped her face, which made her fall back, and closed the door to prevent her from leaving. The victim said that she threw water on the subject to defend herself, at which point the subject choked her and slammed her to the ground. The officer took photos of the victim’s injuries and established that EPD has enough probable cause to take the subject into custody. The subject was admitted into the Dekalb County Jail. The case was closed by arrest. On Feb. 16 at 8:08 p.m., EPD responded to Harris Hall in reference to a report of simple battery. The complainant, an Emory student, said that on Feb. 13 at approximately 3 a.m., she was awakened by someone she knows “wrapping his arms around” her, which “startled [her] awake.” She stated that this occurred in her dorm room. The complainant stated that she does not know what happened before or after the incident. She stated that she thought the subject may have been drunk, but she was not sure. The case is under active investigation.
News Roundup Compiled By Musa Ya-Sin
Kurupassery Elected RHA President The Residence Hall Association (RHA) announced on Feb. 20 that Akash Kurupassery (22C) was elected RHA president. Kurupassery ran unopposed and collected 83.4% of the vote. Qiao Jiao (22C) was elected executive vice president, obtaining 61.92% of the vote. Emily Wang (23C) did not secure a majority in the election for vice president of programming but obtained a plurality of first- and secondchoice ballots, granting her the victory. This was the first set of contested RHA elections in four years, according to a Feb. 16 email from the RHA Elections Board Chair Danyanara Gonzalez (21B). One-third of U.S. Children Don’t Follow CDC’s Vaccine Schedule, Emory Researchers Find According to a recent Emory University study, around onethird of American children do not receive their immunizations on the schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Failure to adhere to these guidelines causes patients to make more immunization visits and increases their chances of contracting a preventable illness, according to the committee. While most children follow the recommended schedule, researchers say that there is still a need to limit vaccine delays as they put individual and public health at risk.
The Honor Council found a sophomore in a science course not responsible for plagiarism and unauthorized assistance on a homework assignment. The instructor reported that the student submitted an identical photo of a hand-drawn diagram for an assignment. The diagram contained striking similarities to another student’s diagram. The syllabus allowed for collaboration, but students were to submit original work. In a full hearing, the reported student explained that she had shared her own diagram with another student while explaining the assignment. She was unaware that the other student had copied her image into their own assignment. The case evidence corroborated this explanation, and the student was found not responsible.
Former New York City Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg promised on Feb. 18 that, if elected, he would not allow colleges and universities to give preferential treatment to relatives of alumni, a practice known as legacy admissions. According to The Washington Post, Bloomberg believes that ending legacy admissions will level the playing field and bring fairness back to higher education. The Harvard Crimson reports that 14% of the Harvard Class of 2022 was admitted through legacy status. According to The Washington Post, Bloomberg would carry out this plan by requiring colleges to publish statistics about their admission rates for legacy and non-legacy candidates. He would also require institutions to report on enrollment and graduation rates by race, income and legacy status. The proposal is part of Bloomberg’s larger education plan that would address early childhood education and technical education. The plan would also eliminate tuition costs at two-year public colleges. USC Offers Free Tuition to Low-Income Students Starting in Fall 2020, the University of Southern California (USC) will waive tuition for students whose families earn less than $80,000 per year, paralleling the threshold set by the University of California system, according to The New York Times. USC President Carol Folt hopes that the tuition waivers will convince students to attend USC over public California universities. The move also aims to cope with
the rising cost of living in California. Bernie Sanders Wins Nevada Caucuses U.S. Sen. and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) won the Nevada Democratic primary in a landslide, as the diverse state gave him a share of votes more double that of his nearest competitor, former Vice President Joe Biden. According to The New York Times, Sanders has become increasingly popular with various demographics despite opposition from some moderate Democrats. The Nevada caucus is now a race for second place, and both Biden and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg have claimed second place. The next primary election will take place in South Carolina on Feb. 29, and 14 states will hold their primary elections on March 3, known as Super Tuesday. Harvey Weinstein Convicted Of Sex Crimes Harvey Weinstein, the onceacclaimed film producer who has become a symbol of sexual harassment in the Me Too era, was convicted of third-degree rape and a first-degree criminal sexual act on Feb. 24. Though Weinstein, 67, was convicted of these crimes against Jessica Mann and Mimi Haley, respectively, he was acquitted on two counts of predatory sexual assault and one count of first-degree rape against Haley, according to NBC News. Weinstein, who faces up to 25 years in prison, was hospitalized after the verdict due to heart palpitations and high blood pressure. As of Feb. 25 Weinstein was still being treated at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. according to CNN News. — Contact Musa Ya-Sin at musa.ya-sin@emory.edu
Contact us at emorywheelexec@gmail.com
— Contact Phyllis Guo at xguos68@emory.edu
The Honor Council found a senior in a humanities course responsible for unauthorized assistance and use of an unauthorized electronic device during an exam. The professor reported that the student used her phone during the exam. In an administrative hearing, the student explained that she used her phone to access a word bank that she expected to be on the exam. She argued that there was no statement on the exam or in the syllabus prohibiting the use of a phone. The Honor Council determined that the use of a phone and the word bank without explicit permission was still unauthorized. The Honor Council recommended the standard sanction of an F in the course, a one-year Honor Code probation and an educational program. The decision was upheld on appeal. The Honor Council found a junior in a humanities course responsible
Bloomberg Pledges to End Legacy Admissions If Elected President
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Seeking New Reporters
Honor Council Compiled By Emma Simpson
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
for plagiarism. The instructor reported that the student submitted her paper late and included uncited content from outside sources. In an expedited hearing, the student described extreme personal circumstances around the time she completed the assignment which interfered with her judgment and ability to concentrate on the assignment. She accepted responsibility for plagiarism during the hearing. Because the paper did include a number of proper citations and the uncited material was a small portion of the assignment, the Honor Council recommended a mitigated sanction of a zero on the assignment, a one-letter grade deduction, a oneyear Honor Code probation and an educational program. — Contact Emma Simpson at emma.simpson@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel Volume 101, Issue 6 © 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
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Wednesday, February 26, 2020
NEWS
The Emory Wheel
Hamilton Holmes Lecture Explores Racial Legacy By Ayushi Agarwal Asst. Copy Editor
Noyonika Parulekar/Staff
Christopher Lawrence (23C) sings at the Black Boy Joy Award ceremony, hosted by Emory NAACP and the Emory Black Male Initiative, on Feb. 22.
Ceremony Features Black Community Leaders Continued from Page 1 ued community involvement led to his acceptance into Emory, which Lal said came with a celebration: he and his mother jumping up and down, repeatedly yelling, “It happened!” Though Lal cast the memory as the most exciting moment of his life, he would soon learn that Emory’s status as a predominantly white institution would come with its own set of challenges. “It is great that we have a lot of diversity here, but I know that there have been times where [Emory has] had 13 black males in [our] graduating class,” Lal said. “When you are in a small group, campus life gets a little overwhelming.” Emory NAACP President Timothy Richmond (20C) helped to organize the event. When the chapter hosted the inaugural event last year, the Emory NAACP wanted to mirror the Black Boy Joy movement’s underlying message to change the narrative on how “black men are usually not allowed to be joyful in society,” Richmond said. “We wanted to allow black men on campus to be recognized, even if the University doesn’t, and send a message that this community contributes to the University,” Richmond said. For Lal, winning the Community Commitment Award meant that his contributions, both to the University and the greater Atlanta area, were seen. “I feel like being black at Emory is overlooked and the work that we do is overlooked, especially the work we do
in the Atlanta community,” Lal said. “This award is a way to bring people together to start that treadway as one uniform group working toward progessive goals.” In addition to community outreach, the Black Boy Joy Award Ceremony recognized the achievements of black male students who excel in the arts, academics and community engagement. Alain LeRoy Locke Award recipient Daniel Hamm (21C) said that his journey through Emory was a matter of connections. Growing up in the Atlanta Public Schools system, Hamm said that not many public schools are made aware of the pathway to Emory, despite the University’s outreach programs to the greater Atlanta community. “Outside of my scholarship, I think there are six or seven students that come from Atlanta Public Schools,” Hamm said. “We do a lot of programing across not just Emory University but also in the medical school and in the nursing school, … [but] those pipelines are not producing students.” Hamm, a recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship, said that he understands the importance of receiving financial aid. Throughout his time at Emory, Hamm has met with both faculty and administration about leveraging resources to improve the current outreach programs, and he serves as a mentor for Paving Our Futures and a volunteer for the Emory Student Educational Experience Development
program. “Black Boy Joy is not only an award ceremony … but a way to celebrate black male excellence and really provide space campus-wide for people to come together, to celebrate what black men are doing on this campus,” Hamm stated. Recognition from the Black Boy Joy Award Ceremony extended not only to black male students but also to outstanding black male alumni, faculty and staff. Candidates were nominated for the awards by students and faculty. Antonio Brathwaite, senior lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, received the Harry T. Moore Award, which honors a black faculty or staff member who has taken the initiative to foster unity and awareness in the black community. Brathwaite detailed some of his struggles as a black faculty member and his appreciation for the recognition. “It can be overwhelming in terms of just the sheer volume of minority students that seek you out for mentorship just because you’re a familiar face, but you still have all your other responsibilities as a teacher to take care of,” Brathwaite said. “I think all the nominees, especially in my category [of faculty and staff], felt appreciated and honored to even be nominated and recognized by the students.”
— Contact Thomas Kreutz at tommy.kreutz@emory.edu and Gustavo Borjas at gborjas@ emory.edu
C In 1972, Marshalyn YearginAllsopp became the first African American woman to graduate from the Emory School of Medicine. Forty-eight years later, she would hold the title of chief of the developmental disabilities branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and would deliver the 16th annual Hamilton E. Holmes Memorial Lecture at her alma mater. Around 75 members of the Emory community attended Yeargin-Allsopp’s talk, in which she discussed former Associate Dean of the School of Medicine Hamilton E. Holmes (67M, 76MR), “a trailblazer, influencer and true inspiration.” The lecture, titled “The Legacy of Hamilton E. Holmes,” was hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine Vikas P. Sukhatme. Yeargin-Allsopp, who was the first African American student to graduate from Sweet Briar College (Va.) in 1968, described Holmes’ experiences as the first African American student to graduate from the School of Medicine in 1967. Yeargin-Allsopp spoke on her experiences as an African American woman at the School of Medicine, categorizing them as more positive than she expected “given the circumstances” and her prior experiences at Sweet Briar. She recalled her friendship with the three other African American students in her class, and recounted their pledge: “if one of [them] makes it, then all of [them] would make it.” Holmes, along with journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, was the first of two African American students admitted to the University of Georgia (UGA) in 1961. Yeargin-Allsopp recounted Holmes’ collegiate years at UGA as what he allegedly described as “some pretty bad times.” “We can only imagine what some of his experiences at UGA were like,” Yeargin-Allsopp said. “It was no accident that he achieved what he achieved.” Yeargin-Allsopp attributed two factors to what she called the “Hamilton Holmes Model of success” to two factors: strong family ties and different educational opportunities. She believed that both facets improved Holmes’ quality of life. Sukhatme echoed Yeargin-Allsopp’s
sentiments about Holmes’ legacy during his introductions, adding that Holmes “changed the world around him.” Yeargin-Allsopp later went on to note former Alabama Gov. George Wallace’s lines, “Segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever,” a statement he later revoked in 1991. Yeargin-Allsopp questioned whether the days of racial segregation were indeed over and if the current quality of life for African American children are any better than they were during Holmes’ time, citing statistics which show that the “2-to-1 African American to white ratio for infant mortality seen in the 1940s has persisted.” “In 2017, the infant mortality rate in African American infants was 11 per 1,000 live births compared to 4.7 in white infants,” Yeargin-Allsopp said. Racial inequalities in maternal and infant mortality rates remain constant across education levels and socioeconomic status, she maintained. She cited tennis player Serena Williams as an example of an African American woman who, despite being “wealthy and remarkably powerful,” nearly died from pregnancy-related complications in September 2017. Yeargin-Allsopp also cited a paper published by the Federal Reserve System which showed that income and wealth disparity between African American and white households has not reduced over the past 70 years. She also said that education policymakers emphasize racially homogenous communities with African American students more than integration. A study that Yeargin-Allsopp quoted found that African American students in desegregated school systems had higher income, better jobs, less incarceration and better long-term physical health. “Regardless of these dismal and somewhat discouraging statistics, … I am really optimistic and believe that the Hamilton E. Holmes legacy lives on in each one of you,” Yeargin-Allsopp said. “I think he would be proud of you. [Holmes] was the right man at the right time.” Previous speakers at the lecture series have included former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young and advocate for women’s health issues and physician Vivian Pinn.
— Contact Ayushi Agarwal at aagar83@emory.edu
Coronavirus Treatment on Path to FDA Approval By Gabriella Lewis Staff Writer Emory researchers who have discovered a potential treatment for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) plan to meet with officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss the future of their experimental drug to combat COVID-19 on Thursday, according to Emory lead researcher and Professor of Pharmacology George Painter (72C, 77G). Painter said that he and his team have submitted requests for general information regarding the beginning the process of approval to the FDA and will receive written notice of the information from the FDA on Wednesday. On Thursday, the FDA and Painter’s team will discuss the potential path to approve the drug for clinical trials. The research project is a collaboration between members of the Emory Institute for Drug Development and departments from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (Tenn.) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Wheel previously reported. Painter and his team started
researching coronaviruses in 2013. Painter said that following feedback from the FDA, his team will next submit an Investigational New Drug application, which would commence the next stage of research and development of the treatment. Painter added that if the spread of COVID-19 continues to progress rapidly, the FDA approval process could be expedited. “If requirements for therapeutics become more acute, then it’s likely that the government will work to help speed up the process to get experimental drugs to people to help,” Painter said. Painter also acknowledged that there are other experimental drugs currently being evaluated to treat COVID-19. They too are repurposed drugs developed from past outbreaks. During the Ebola outbreak in the Congo region, an experimental drug called remdesiver, created by biomedical company Gilead Sciences Inc., went through a similar FDA process but ultimately proved ineffective at treating Ebola. The drug is now repurposed to potentially treat COVID-19.
However, the drug’s timeline is further ahead than Emory’s because of its success with the FDA’s previous approval in 2014. Remdesiver is only available in intravenous form, which Painter discredited, stating that it is essential to have a self-administered pill version to allow for more accessibility when treating these deadly diseases. When asked about the future of his drug, Painter seemed optimistic about its ability to help people even though it is early in the FDA approval process. Painter also distinguishes Emory’s potential treatment because it actively attacks the virus in the lung tissue, unlike many other drugs. “We’ve been working on the drug for a long time, for flu, [severe acute respiratory syndrome] and [Middle East respiratory syndrome],” Painter said. “So when the new coronavirus came, all the work that had been previously done could be applied. So I feel well-prepared, and hopefully we’ll get the [FDA] go-ahead, and we’ll move as quickly as we can.” Painter also envisioned how the
drug could be useful in treating viruses similar to COVID-19 after its eradication. “[If it gets approved], then the drug would be there if that happened,” Painter said. “So that’s the new idea, find drugs that treat multiple viruses and have the potential to treat the emerging virus. Then you’re ready, and you don’t have all this process to go through.” Although the process with the FDA usually takes many months, he and his team hope the pill will be out this spring. On Feb. 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Summary, warning Americans to prepare for a coronavirus outbreak. “More cases are likely to be identified in the coming days, including more cases in the United States. It’s also likely that person-to-person spread will continue to occur, including in the United States,” the CDC website reads as of Tuesday evening. “Widespread transmission of COVID19 in the United States would translate
into large numbers of people needing medical care at the same time.” The Wheel spoke with Epidemiology Professor at the Rollins School of Public Health Benjamin Lopman and Infectious Diseases Associate Professor at the Emory School of Medicine Aneesh Mehta (99C) about their reactions to the update. “It’s looking increasingly likely that there will be a pandemic,” Lopman said. “There’s going to be local outbreaks across the world. Whether this will happen in our community is unknown.” Both professors stressed that the most effective way to prevent any illness, including COVID-19, is for individuals to use “healthy hand hygiene” — frequent handwashing and continued cautiousness of contamination. Lopman and Mehta both were pessimistic about relying on a vaccine to solve this epidemic, citing the slow process of testing and research necessary to create an effective vaccine.
— Contact Gabriella Lewis at gvlewis@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel
Opinion
Wednesday, February 26, 2020 | Opinion Editor: Zach Ball (zach.ball@emory.edu) | Asst. Opinion Editor Ben Thomas (ben.thomas@emory.edu)
Editorial
Emory, Rethink Free Speech Policy Amid Syracuse Protests Syracuse University’s (N.Y.) suspension of 30 the following weeks. Similarly, last year, Emory Students for students who organized a sit-in earlier this week to protest campus bigotry blatantly obstructed Justice in Palestine’s “die-in” and associated protests rocked our community. students’ right to free expression. After the protests, we criticized the Emory This injustice raises significant questions surrounding the implementation of Emory’s community for failing to engage in “civil discussion”; we believe that the underlying causes of own free speech-related policies. While Syracuse’s administration has since that failure still exist, the most notable being lifted those suspensions, that such harsh pun- a lack of leadership from above. University ishments were levied in the first place should President Claire E. Sterk’s response to the event serve as a wake-up call for all institutions of did little to ease tensions. While her email to the student body at the higher education. Syracuse had an equal obligation to protect time mentioned resources for Jewish students both students’ right to free expression and their experiencing discomfort about the protests, it said nothing about resourcsafety. es for ESJP protesters who No college should abet the received death threats. trauma of violent demonstraThe [ESJP] ESJP’s protest was legitition, as occurred during the mate under the University’s 2017 “Unite the Right” rally at protesters should Open Expression Policy. the University of Virginia or have received the The protesters should have the 2017 riot at at the Georgia same respect and received the same respect and Institute of Technology. support from the administraGiven that, only threats of support from the tion as those with whom they immediate bodily harm should administration as took issue. permit universities to assert those with whom The Office of the President their authority over protesters. can either help or hurt our Since the Syracuse sit-in was they took issue. community, which makes the entirely peaceful, the universearch for a new president pivsity’s administration had no otal to our community. grounds on which to interfere. Emory needs a seasoned leader, in tune with In punishing the protesters while failing to adequately investigate the incidences of rac- the culture and clashes on campus, who can ism, anti-Semitism and homophobia which guide us through the conflicts that seem to sparked their demonstration, the university define the Emory student experience. The events at Syracuse should push Emory acted unevenly and with considerable bias. Unless the university can prevent further administrators to rethink their application and interpretation of the Open Expression Policy on incidents of bigotry, such events will continue. Furthermore, penalizing a peaceful demon- student protesters. The Syracuse administration did not use the stration both constrains political activity and impairs the university’s ability to respond to correct tools to deal with the extreme racial bias incidents and rebuked students who were genuinely violent demonstrations. Faced with comparable incidents, Emory has justly highlighting the administration’s poor response. Emory’s analogous past mimics a failed as well. In 2014, the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity larger trend on college campuses across the house was vandalized with anti-Semitic sym- nation that must be addressed. If our administration truly values students’ bols shortly after the end of the Hebrew holiday right to express themselves freely, it must proof Yom Kippur. While the administration took steps to pun- tect future student protesters by equitably and ish those involved, it did not adequately heal the impartially applying policies that regulate free community as further bias incidents occured in speech.
The above editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is composed of Sean Anderson, Brammhi Balarajan, Zach Ball, Devin Bog, Jake Busch, Meredith McKelvey, Andrew Kliewer, Boris Niyonzima and Nick Pernas.
The Emory Wheel Volume 101 | Number 6
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 Cailen Chinn Multimedia Editor A nnie Uichanco Special Sections Editor Ayushi Agarwal Asst. Copy Editor
Joshua Papson Business Manager Mileen Meyer Design Manager
R ichard Chess Senior Editor Aditya Prakash Associate Editor Jesse Weiner Associate Editor Madeline Lutwyche Associate Editor Ninad Kulkarni Asst. News Editor Ben Thomas Asst. Opinion Editor Joel Lerner Asst. A&E Editor A ngela Tang Asst. Emory Life Editor Jessica Solomon Asst. Sports Editor Jackson Schneider Asst. Photo Editor
Business/Advertising Email josh.papson@emory.edu
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.
OP-ED
Discontent Is Always Trivialized as ‘Outrage’ An Open Letter to Heather Mac Donald
In your op-ed, you claimed that multiple students yelled “you racist b*tch” during the Q&A session. However, this is an abject falsification of what really happened. After Dear Ms. Mac Donald, your inflammatory comment about This letter is a response to your sexual violence, one student left the recent Washington Examiner op-ed, room yelling, “F**king disgusting in which you accused The Emory piece of sh*t!” before breaking down Wheel of inciting outrage after you into sobs. To be clear: this is an equally spoke at our university last month. We do not expect you to ponder offensive statement to yell at a visitour words with an open mind, even ing speaker. You are still human, and though you profess objectivity as the like anyone, is allowed to be shocked moral standard that all academics by profane language. That being said, your framshould uphold. Instead, we recognize the likelihood that you will decon- ing of the issue, including, falsifytextualize fragments of this letter in ing the quote and the Washington your next publication. That said, we Examiner’s failure to fact-check owe it to our student body and the sources is an unprofessional and disbroader communities we represent to ingenuous act. If editors at The Emory challenge the misleading claims that Wheel, a college newspaper, staffed by unpaid students, can diligently appeared in your op-ed. First, we want to acknowledge follow up with their sources, The some of the painful truths that were Washington Examiner, the “secondmade apparent after you spoke at a most trafficked conservative website, Jan. 28 event hosted by the Emory trailing only… Fox News” (accordCollege Republicans and the Emory ing to another conservative website, Law chapter of the Federalist Society. TheRighting) can do the same. You do not speak for all conservaIt is true that many conservative students feel silenced on liberal cam- tives. However, by blurring academic puses. The excesses of cancel culture language with divisive political rhetcan dehumanize conservatives thus oric, you have built a wall between liberal and conservafueling the increastive students. ingly hostile divide Your misleading between the politiThere was no claims dishonor and cal left and right. We “outrage mob” until discredit other concommend Emory’s servatives, including student governyou created one those here at Emory. ment for protecting out of accusations There was no “outrage your right to speak. and demeaning mob” until you creatDuring your speech, you argued that procomments. Students ed one out of accusagrams intended to were eager to engage tions and demeaning comments. Students increase diversity are in dialogue, but you were eager to engage at odds with the very wanted martyrdom. in dialogue, but you nature of higher eduwanted martyrdom. cation. You dedicated One of the most a significant amount poignant statements of rhetoric to one simple point: “gonads and melanin” turn you made in your speech was this: college students have “four years to people into victims. Ironically, your op-ed, entitled, encounter history’s greatest minds “The outrage mob came for me at grappling with mankind’s greatest Emory University,” was a complaint dilemmas.” We ask you this: are institutional about the ways in which you feel victimized as a white conservative racism and sexism not among mankind’s greatest dilemmas? woman. In conclusion, we write this letYou misled readers of the Washington Examiner when you ter because we believe in the human wrote that “students in the lecture capacity to return to reason. As the next generation of politihall shouted in unison in an attempt cal thinkers, we hope to tear down to drown me out.” The speech you gave at Emory barriers of distrust between us and is available on the Emory College our conservative peers so that future Republicans’ Facebook page. If you progress can be achieved. We ask you to evaluate your role watch the entire recording of the event, perhaps you will realize that as an instigator of hysteria and students never chanted over your hatred in an already fragile politivoice. In fact, they listened to all 22 cal environment. Will your legacy be minutes of your speech and applaud- nothing more than that of a divisive hypocrite? ed emphatically when it was over. During the Q&A session followSincerely, ing your speech, students interrupted Meredith McKelvey and each other and expressed frustraBoris Niyonzima tion with the event’s unclear question format. The only time that your Meredith McKelvey (19Ox, 21C) is voice came close to being drowned from Limuru, Kenya. Boris out was when the audience erupted Niyonzima (20C) is from New into exclamations of shock after you Milford, N.J. said that “the vast majority of what They are members of the is called campus rape is voluntary Editorial Board. hookups.”
Meredith McKelvey & Boris Niyonzima
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op-ed
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
The Emory Wheel
Polar Perspectives
Ballot Battle: The 2020 Presidential Election Vote Sanders for Morality Brammhi Balarajan In the height of the civil rights movement, one white man chained himself to several black women protesting segregated schools. Even when the police arrested him, he kicked. Screamed. Resisted. He used his white privilege to champion minority rights. That man was Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). A few years later, on the other hand, President Donald J. Trump would be sued for refusing to rent apartments to black tenants and lying about available housing. Sanders is an anomaly — he fought for minority rights when fellow Democrats like former Vice President Joe Biden voted in favor of segregationist policies in schools. Unlike Trump, Sanders’ fearless progressivism and moral leadership indicate that he will protect minorities if elected, and will fight for the rights of the people. Sanders is an outspoken proponent of universal health care, an increasingly important issue given the health-care disparities that disproportionately affect people of color. Sanders’ health-care plan would positively transform the United States and eradicate private insurers that skyrocket costs. Although Medicare for All would initially require greater federal spending, in the long-run, it would greatly increase federal savings. Twenty-two studies from economists of varying ideologies all found that single-payer health care would reduce our nation’s spending by trillions. Nationalizing health care would prevent corruption in the industry, eliminate premiums, and slash high drug prices, creating a fairer healthcare system. Of 33 developed countries, America is the only one lacking universal health care. It is a fundamental human right, and the U.S, government must make its full efforts to provide citizens with basic health care. In light of Trump’s cruel policies toward immigrants, particularly his attempts to eliminate Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, we need someone like Sanders to take on Trump. The president has enabled detention facilities that separate children from their parents, kept them in horrific conditions, and
denied them access to necessary medical care. Trump’s treatment of immigrants is inhumane, regardless of your stance on immigration. On the other hand, Sanders’ strong morals shine through his immigration stance. He plans to decriminalize crossing the Mexican border, which would save the U.S. billions of dollars and allow 85% of undocumented, law-abiding immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for at least five years to stay without fear of deportation. Unlike Trump, Sanders cares about minorities and proposes policies in all Americans’ best interests. Supporters of Trump might argue that the current low unemployment rate and thriving economy warrant his reelection, ignoring the damage he’s done to minorities for the sake of a stronger domestic economy. But despite Trump’s outlandish claims in this year’s State of the Union address, the economy’s current strength is a result of a long trend of growth over the last decade rather than any of Trump’s policies. In actuality, his administration started a trade war that stifled economic growth, and imposed tax cuts so ineffective that most households did not notice the change. The notion that Trump single-handedly saved the economy is utterly false, and we as voters cannot sacrifice our morality for the sake of a supposedly stronger economy. We must elect a president who will look out for minority interests and be a humane and moral compass for our nation. Some claim that Sanders is too radical, too old and too much for America. But he’s infinitely better than the alternative: a president who is too racist, too inhumane and not enough for America. Sanders is invested in all Americans’ welfare, and he will fight for us every day, just as he fought in the civil rights movement when he had no personal stake in its outcome. The truth is, America was not always great, and to say it was would ignore the plights and struggles of minority communities. But with Sanders as president, America and our people can be better.
Brammhi Balarajan (23C) is from Las Vegas.
Vote Trump for Capitalism Patrick Czabala
The outcome of the 2020 election will answer a poignant question: has America forgotten why we fought and won World War II and the Cold War? These wars told us that individualism, not collectivism, prevails. President Donald J. Trump has done a stellar job protecting Godgiven rights and continuing economic growth. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), on the other hand, represents an often-attempted, terrible ideology known as socialism. We cannot let our great country be overrun by the socialism we have fended off for a hundred years. Trump is a popular and wildly successful leader, hovering around 50% approval this month, the highest of his term. The Wall Street Journal reported that most economists agree Trump’s presidency has been significantly positive for the economy while Obama’s presidency had adverse effects. Trump’s economy has flourished: a 50-year low unemployment rate, a rising labor participation rate and 74% of Americans in a Gallup survey feel they will be better off financially in a year. The net worth of the bottom half of earners has increased by 47% under Trump, three times faster than the top 1%. This continues the long-term trend that real poverty in the United States has been all but eliminated by capitalism. Trump is the most pro-life president in history, something I wrote about last week. He refuses to lie down and be beaten by the mass media. His foreign policy has been somewhat inconsistent but effective overall, leading to the deaths of major terrorists and committing to peace and freedom in the Middle East. He’s proven durable, overcoming an entirely political impeachment. Finally, race relations have significantly improved under Trump, after degrading significantly since 2009. Compare Trump to the Democratic frontrunner, Sanders, a lifelong and self-described democratic socialist. He has never recanted his support for numerous collectivist regimes throughout the world, sympathizing with the likes of Fidel Castro and Nicolás Maduro. He even honeymooned in the Soviet Union. Competitor Mike Bloomberg described Sanders aptly, saying, “The best known socialist in the
country happens to be a millionaire with three houses.” Sanders is blatantly hypocritical in championing socialism as he practices capitalism privately in ways he proclaims to detest. Sanders wants to surrender total control of health care to the government and abolish private insurance. In addition to this being a flagrant violation of free-market enterprise and putting health-care workers out of work, the move will increase wait times, reduce innovation and take away the health-care plans that millions of Americans have and love through their employers. And Sanders has advocated for the government takeover of many industries. He wants to enact a $15 minimum wage, but Seattle has shown us that this lowers earnings, and studies show that it hurts the economy. He wants to model the “socialism” of the Nordic countries, but these nations insist they are market economies. If you aren’t sold on widespread government interventionism, consider the numbers. For most of his campaign, Sanders refused to explain the cost of any of his plans or how to pay for them. He supports a wealth tax, which I condemned last week. His new spending proposals total a minimum of $97.5 trillion over 10 years. This translates to 70% of the projected gross domestic product spent on government programs. His policies are not his only problems. His campaign organizer Kyle Jurek stated that we should put Trump supporters in Gulags for “reeducation.” People praise Sanders for his honesty, but he reneged on his promise to release complete medical records after having a heart attack. His record of over 30 years in Congress extends little beyond creating a post office and sponsoring a bipartisan Veterans Affairs bill. He is admittedly unlikely to get his socialist policies of stealing money to pay for national health care, free college, the Green New Deal and free housing enacted. These policies seek to buy the votes of the uninformed. Trump has made America great again. Sanders is an unapologetic socialist. So when you cast your ballot, remember the words of Trump in his State of the Union address: “Socialism destroys nations. But always remember, freedom unifies the soul.”
Patrick Czabala (23C) is from Roswell, Ga.
France Ought to Overhaul Its #MeToo Movement Sara Khan In 2006, Tarana Burke, a sexual assault survivor and activist, started the #MeToo movement in the United States to culturally reframe and expand the conversation surrounding sexual violence. Her movement worked to address the concerns all victims of sexual violence face, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, race or personal background. The success of Burke’s movement in America has inspired other countries to take action and destigmatize the conversation related to sexual harassment. One such country is France, where the #BalancTonPorc (“out your pig” in English) movement, founded by Sandra Muller, has flourished. Although expanding the movement globally is a step in the right direction, French officials have not taken comprehensive approach to solving the revelant issue of sexual assault. By creating the #BalancTonPorc movement, Muller encouraged women to speak out against sexual harassment and promote a wider discussion of gender norms. However, the movement is only focused on the experiences of women and does not extend past social media, thus preventing a noticeable change in the French population. In order for #BalancTonPorc to
inspire change in the way #MeToo did, all people need to raise awareness for individuals affected by sexual violence and expand programming related to the prevention of sexual harrassment cases. Some French celebrities like Catherine Deneuve have perpetuated the stigma surrounding sexual violence. Deneuve joined over 100 women to condemn the #BalancTonPorc movement in Le Monde newspaper, writing, “Rape is a crime. But insistent or clumsy flirting is not a crime, nor is gallantry a chauvinist aggression.” This idea that sexual misconduct is deemed flirtatious and a necessary behavior in the life of a French man is one that is problematic and very difficult to change. Putting a man’s mannerisms at the center of all actions is exactly what is causing this issue in France. In the U.S., the focus of the #MeToo movement lies in allowing survivors to share their stories openly and form a community that supports all victims of sexual violence. While teaching men that these actions are frowned upon is also a primary focus of the movement, programs or online courses have already been established by a significant number of institutions and organizations, such as high schools, college campuses, health organizations and companies. These programs teach men and women alike that it is not the victim’s fault for acting a certain way nor is it
the right of the perpetrator to engage in sexually inappropriate behaviors anywhere and at any time. In France, reports of rape have increased by nearly 17% from 2017 to 2018, showing that although the movement has inspired survivors to come forward, many crimes go unnoticed as a result of the stigma present in the French population around sex crimes.
The movement is only focused on the experiences of women and does not extend past social media.
In order for France to make significant progress in reducing sexual violence among women and men alike, both groups need to take a stand together to provide support for survivors and determine a distinction between interactions that are appropriate and those that are not. The creation of sexual misconduct training programs across all organizations in France similar to those in the U.S. would allow for this distinction. France has attempted to implement a
fining system that punishes people for engaging in acts of sexual misconduct. The new system is part of a harassment law that allows fines of up to £650 to be administered to anyone that is publicly seen harassing someone. Although the number of sexual misconduct cases has gone down since the implementation of this law, ending all sexual harassment requires a more thorough process. Additionally, the movement in France fails to address that sexual violence can impact anyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. It is extremely important to broaden the views of the French public and show that sexual violence can affect people of many backgrounds globally. The American #MeToo movement actively supports men that are victims of sexual abuse, reporting that 16% of males were sexually abused by the age of 18, among other statistics that include not only cis-men and ciswomen, but also transgender men and women. There is no doubt that French government has made immense strides in creating a positive environment surrounding sexual harassment. In 2019, French government made gender equality its “major national cause of the five year-term,” and created new laws, 24/7 access to an emergency toll free number and additional emergency housing for women in danger.
However, the publication New Statesman correctly notes that France has neglected this issue up until now and has additionally only allocated funds toward development aid and not toward a concrete national policy against sexual violence. There has been no increase in funding, but rather a redistribution of funds toward programs that the French government believes will help reduce the rate at which sexual violence occurs. French activists strongly believe that the lack of an increase in funding will not allow for a fundamental change to occur, leading to an increase in strikes and “rights groups would not be able to cope with the numerous calls for help that may derive from the government’s awareness campaign.” Until the French government can show real concern about sexual violence to the citizens of France by changing course in public policies and listening to the voices of the people, there is no way that we can make significant strides in reducing this pressing issue in France. Through the inclusion of progressive programs, male activism and culturally focused education related to sexual violence, France can ignite a lasting change in the way that we confront this ubiqitious issue. It’s time for real action, not false promises.
Sara Khan (23C) is from Fairfax, Va.
The Emory Wheel
SPONSORED
Mental Health Research at Emory 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. 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.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
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The Emory Wheel
Arts Entertainment Wednesday, February 26, 2020 | A&E Editor: Adesola Thomas (adesola.thomas@emory.edu) | Asst. A&E Editor Joel Lerner (jlerne6@emory.edu)
Danowski Library Reading Series
Literary Legend Nikki Giovanni Electrifies Emory
Jackson Schneider/ A sst. Photo Editor
Poet and educator Nikki Giovanni speaks to a packed house at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts on Feb. 22. By Sophia LiBrandi and Adesola Thomas Arts & Entertainment Editor and Contributing Writer When asked what writing has taught her about people, literary legend, educator and poet Nikki Giovanni comically responded, “People are pieces of sh*t.” But despite the capacity people have to be cruel and unkind, she said,
doing fulfilling work and having sound friends makes life worth living. On Feb. 20, poet and Emory Creative Writing Program Director Jericho Brown moderated a conversation with Giovanni for about 30 creative writing students in Canon Chapel. Brown asked Giovanni illuminative questions about her relationship with boxer and poet Muhammad Ali, among others, and shared video clips
from Giovanni’s life to situate questions about her Grammy-nominated poetry albums and relationship with writing. The 1.5 hour-long event, organized by Brown and Nick Twemlow, the poetry and digital humanities librarian at the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, was enrapturing. It gave a group of burgeoning young writers the opportu-
nity to witness Brown, their academic champion, swoon in synergetic conversation with the black treasure that is Nikki Giovanni. The significance of this literary celebration, the legacy of both speakers and the prevalence of Black History Month resonated with the attendees. Aside from Giovanni’s prowess and impressive literary work — Giovanni has won multiple NAACP Image
Dooley’s Players
Student Director Reimagines Shakespeare By John Cai Contributing Writer
On the night of Feb. 19, the temperature dropped to 40 degrees. While the original play in Messina, Italy, is supposed to take place in the warm summer, Dooley’s Players’ immersive production of “Much Ado About Nothing” was set in the stark, chilly winter. But the dreary weather didn’t stifle the show’s creativity. If anything, it demonstrated the show’s ability to transcend space, time and place. “Much Ado About Nothing” is a comedy about two couples — Claudio (Kazi Rahman (20C)) and Hero (June Kwon (18Ox, 20C)), and Benedick (Mark McGovern (22C)) and Beatrice (Angela Yang (18Ox, 20C)) — who find and fall in love with each other while undergoing trials of trust fabricated by the villain, Don John (Anna Ree (21C)). The play is famous for the witty rivalry between Benedick and Beatrice, and the ruses that other characters pull to make them fall in love. As a piece of “immersive theater,” the production, which runs until Feb. 29, takes place off stage at the Campus Life Pavillion with cast members walking among the audience to perform the story. At first glance, the show looks like a cocktail party; the audience is free to walk around the space during the performance. In addition, the play is continuous without blackouts or scene changes, minimizing the distance between the actors and the audience, and approximating how events occur in real life: continuously, in a stream, around us and up close. The close proximity to the audience allowed the actors to dismantle the fourth wall and face the
Courtesy of Moeller Purcell
The final performances of Dooley’s Players’ rendition of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” will take place at the Campus Life Pavillion Feb. 27-29. audience. Gabrielle Bodet (20C), director of the William Shakespeare adaptation, said she was inspired by the cinematic techniques used in Jean Renoir’s film “The Rules of the Game.” “In the film, everything, including the background matters to the story,” Bodet said. Bodet described watching a production of “The Great Gatsby” in London’s West End directed by Alexander Wright that had a similar style to the film. She said that that experience encouraged her to create a similar interactive effect on theater at Emory. “The Great Gatsby” also attracted her to the setting of the 1920s. With these ideas and inspiration together, Bodet was ready to put together her production. “The theme of the play fits really
well with the 1920s because of the woman suffrage movement,” she said. She was touched by the way the female and male characters in the play support each other in difficult situations and undertook reverse-gender casting for the characters Leonato (Anna Harrison (21C)), Don Pedro (Twisha Dimri (23C)) and Don John. Another surprising aspect of the production is that it contains strong motifs of the Western genre. It is induced first by the wooden structures of the roof of the Campus Life Pavillion and second by Don Pedro and Claudio, who are dressed in boots and scarves, and emanate ruggedness. The play’s language of wars and duels is reminiscent of classic Western pistol standoffs. In this way, the production creatively and effectively fuses 16thcentury Messina, 1920s New York and
19th-century Western cowboys. The fact that this Elizabethan era play can be extrapolated across time and space is a testament to the universality of this work of theater. No matter when, where and how the story takes place, the witty rivalry between Beatrice and Benedick remains. In “Much Ado About Nothing,” the audience will be captivated by the actors’ successes in portraying the broad range of human connections. While the play incorporates drastic differences from the original story, the production is still impressively able to maintain the core of the drama. It is as if Shakespeare has come back to life and decided to rewrite the play himself.
— Contact John Cai at john.cai@emory.edu
Awards, the American Book Award and maintained friendships with the likes of novelist Toni Morrison — the event was marked by her wicked sense of humor, cool and certain confidence, and the wisdom she generously shared with Emory students on writing and life. Giovanni asserted that “writers need to write for themselves” and that they’re their own “first audience.” She suggested that writing what one believes rather than what is popular is crucial. She also playfully discussed her love for cooking oxtails and Harrods’ cashmere socks, and was moved to tears while summarizing her favorite book, Robert O’Brien’s “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.” But perhaps the most moving musing from Giovanni’s talk came when she spoke about the power of friendship. Giovanni discussed the “Bench by the Road Project,” a project launched by the Toni Morrison Society that seeks to place benches at sites which commemorate “significant moments, individuals, and locations within the history of the African Diaspora.” Giovanni discussed her friendship with Morrision and said Morrison was her bench, a metaphor for friendship. She went on to address the importance
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Upcoming Arts Events In ATL and At Emory • Feb. 26, 6 p.m., Having a Ball: Music, Laughter, and Patient Inspiration, Performing Arts Studio • Feb. 26 7:30 p.m., Emory Cinematheque: “An Officer and a Gentleman,” White Hall 208 • Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m., Wooden Nickels, Mary Gray Munroe Theater, AMUC • Feb. 29, 8 p.m., Pablo Sáinz Villegas: Americano Trio, Emerson Concert Hall • March 1, 11 a.m., Artists Skillshare Series: Intro to Photography and Photo Editing • March 1, 8 p.m., Faeries and Tails: A Scripted Variety Show, Red Light Cafe • March 2, 8:30 p.m., Julian Lynch (of Real Estate) w/ Karaoke & Jo Death at the Bakery ATL • Mar. 4, 7:30 p.m., Gallery Talk on surrealist artist Unica Zürn, John Howett Workd on Paper Gallery, Ackerman Hall • March 5, 8 p.m., Emory University Symphony Orchestra • Mar ch 6, 6 p.m., Fast Film Festival 2020, The Kress Auditorium
A&E
The Emory Wheel Alliance Theater
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
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CONCERT
‘Richard III’ Still Relevant Villere Embodies Black Cast Innovates Classic Youth Culture By Sophia LaBrandi Contributing Writer
William Shakespeare tends to be a divisive artist. Readers either revere his work as classic or denounce it as dated and confusing. The Alliance Theatre challenges the latter by bringing forth a modern adaptation of “Richard III,” called “Seize the King.” Written by Will Power and directed by Michael John Garcés, this production exemplifies that Shakespeare’s plays are not old, but remain as relevant and accessible as ever. I was swept up in their story of ambition and greed from start to finish and found myself easily able to enter into the oftentimes intimidating world of Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s “Richard III” is the final installment of what is known as the Henriad, a series of eight history plays following the War of the Roses detailing the tribulations of the English monarchy. “Seize the King” opens with the death of King Edward IV and the question of who will succeed him. His son, Prince Edward (Shakirah Demesier), is still too young to take the throne, and Richard of Gloucester (Travis Turner), King Edward IV’s younger brother, sees that as an opportunity. He lets his ambition run wild as he devises a plan to become King, teaming up with the corrupt Sir Hastings (Allan Edwards) and stopping at nothing to get what he wants. Queen Elizabeth (Tangela Large) works to protect her son and her country from the destruction of Richard. It is a story of what happens when power falls into the wrong hands.
“Seize the King” features a minimal cast with only five actors, each taking up one or two roles each. The production is noteworthy in that four of the five actors are black, a significant feat since Shakespearean castings usually lack people of color, and rarely do these thespians land a leading role.
It was both refreshing and empowering to watch the cast own the story, and reminds us, especially during Black History Month, that representation is as important as ever. It was both refreshing and empowering to watch the cast own the story, and reminds us, especially during Black History Month, that representation is as important as ever, especially in the white-dominated industry of theater. Power’s adaptation of “Richard III” uses anachronistic language, costumes and set design to transpose Elizabethan England into current times. While most of the dialogue remains true to the text, moments of contemporary speech dispersed throughout the play make the story more accessible, while adding a humorous cadence to the production. Costumes of colorful printed leggings, thigh-high boots, and yellow and blue power suits not
only help aid the modern twist, but are visually pleasing as well. The barren set is the perfect haunting canvas upon which to create the story of violence. Grey cement walls with only one sliding door at the back serve as the perfect pressure cooker for the conflict. You can feel the stress of the characters build through the prison-like set.In putting a contemporary twist on a classic show, the theme of corrupt politics runs parallel with the modern political climate. As Richard III is murdered by those he harmed during the final scene of the play, his killers look out to the audience and ask, “When he comes back, wilt thou be ready?” This is a reminder that, while “Seize the King” seems to put forth a situation unique to old England, we still live in a world where our leaders rule unchecked. Aggression, assault, blackmail and lies are still very much a part of our political system. “Seize the King” is the perfect wake-up call, highlighting the relevance of staying informed, alert and ready to act. “Seize the King” brings the brutal story of a power hungry leader to the Alliance Theatre. It is haunting, striking the audience at their core. We are rallied through this play, reminded of our current political state and what we must do if we want to enact change. If you are looking for a show that balances violence and comedy, that showcases a terrific black cast or maybe even motivates you to vote, you definitely won’t want to miss “Seize the King.”
— Contact Sophia LaBrandi at sophia.ruth.librandi@emory.
By Adesola Thomas Arts & Entertainment Editor
I’ve seen my fair share of unabashed Juggalos and debutante ball beauties in Atlanta. But of the bevy of youth subcultures in this city, the most fascinating may be the local D.I.Y. (do it yourself) music scene, rife with young local artists like rapper Chris Chandler and folk-rock songstresses like Faye Webster. On Feb.18, Louisiana native and blossoming D.I.Y prince, Zack Villere, performed songs from his new LP, “Cardboard City,” for an enthusiastic crowd of nearly 150 hip-hop heads, “e-girls” and college radio kids in Little Five Points’ Aisle 5 music venue. The show was a part of Villere’s first headlining tour, “Trevor Rice is Not Going on Tour.” Despite his palpable nervousness, Villere delivered an engaging and memorable performance alongside bassist Alex Szotak and sultry rhythm and blues duo Mulherin. When describing Villere’s sound, Tanya Bedi, a student from Georgia State University, shared that it is “what you listen to when you’re ‘in the feels.’” As a long time listener of Villere’s music, I concur. Songs like “Look Right Thru,” a track from Villere’s debut 2017 album “Little World,” capture quintessential anxieties about everyday relationships in a distinctly vulnerable way. In the song, Villere sings, “It’s kind of awkward when I see you now, I say hi you say bye, I say nothing at all. Can we go back to the way it was?” These lyrics are swaddled in skanking jazz notes, hip-hoppy flourishes and followed by a danceable beat breakdown. It’s a song that, in the
absence of a better phrase, “slaps.” Its musings are relateable and entrenched in Villere’s brash warbling and genrebending sound. He’s a sonic blend of Kevin Krauter’s bedroom rock sensibilities and Loyle Carner and Rebel Kleff’s undergirding fluency in hip-hop boom baps. For the headbanging kids in the cozy venue, the joyful black boys with technicolor dreads and the girls in the front row with glitter stained eyelids, Villere’s show was enjoyable, not simply because his lyrical vulnerability subverts the almost masturbatory sadness of simpleton Soundcloud crooners. But also because his career exemplifies, for art kids everywhere, that people like them — Villere and fellow friends and musicians Parker Mulherin and Marshall Mulherin — can work on their craft and share it with people who’ll listen. He and stellar accompanying bassist Szotak captivated the crowd with their live rendition of “Bloo” and performance of “Super,” a song they thrice performed with a warm reception. When Villere donned the stage in a forest green pullover and magenta uggs, kids in the crowd hollered. When he yelled an expletive after messing up the introduction to a song early on in his set, they hollered. When he found his stride during performances of “Grateful,” “Sand People” and new songs like “Sore Throat,” a single from “Cardboard City” with a remarkably rich emotional interiority, they hollered. Villere’s stuttered gait, mid-song stank face and conversation with concertgoers betweens songs, captivated
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Cultural Exhibit
Derrick Tran/ Staff
Mixed-media artist Derrick Philips Sr. uses images of Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till to evaluate the legacy of violence against African Americans in the U.S.
‘Bullets and Nooses’ Illuminates Blackness in America By Fariha Akthar Contributing Writer
Blackness is beautiful and becoming more celebrated in America today, but the acts of violence against black people smears their blood and horror throughout the pages of American history books. In celebration of Black History Month, the Emory University Center for Ethics opened “Bullets and
Nooses,” an exhibit highlighting blackness in America. “Bullets and Nooses” features works by Atlanta-based, mixed-media artist Derrick Phillips Sr. who tells a narrative of black struggle, resilience and strength. Police brutality and the lynching of black people are often thought of as two disparate forms of violence, but the artist shows that these two acts are essentially linked throughout American history. Phillips’
work defies traditional four-sided canvas paintings. Displayed in the exhibit are 16 of Phillips’ pieces, most of which are creations of mixed media on wood. Every one of his works in this series is uniquely nuanced but contains similar themes and patterns. The majority of them feature a person, whether it be Phillips himself or other well-known African-Americans, such as Nina Simone and James Baldwin. The subjects are often sur-
rounded by ropes and bullets, as if they are trapped. Though their faces reflect pain and struggling, they also show hints of perseverance and courage. As the title of the exhibit suggests, ropes and bullets are undoubtedly the focus of this series. Initially, the bullets are indistinguishable among the different geometric patterns that make up the background of each piece. Upon closer inspection, it is obvious that each of the gold circular inlays
are .22-caliber bullet shells. In contrast, the ropes are weaved through the edges or tied around the necks of each subject. The nooses are striking and this lynching imagery makes Phillips’ artwork more personal and raw. The ropes also recall necklaces, a parallel that plays a critical role in the series. Phillips uses the double imag-
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A&E
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
The Emory Wheel
Beloved Poet Attracts 1.5 Thousand to Schwartz Center Continued from Page 8 of selecting confidants who could uphold us and, in whom, we could seek rest. Following the intimate event on Thursday, Giovanni hosted a free public reading on Feb. 22 in the Emerson Concert Hall at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, hosted by the Creative Writing Program at Emory, the Emory Libraries, the Rose Library and the Hightower Fund. About 1,500 admirers from all over Atlanta set foot on campus to hear her speak, lining up outside of Schwartz as early as 1 p.m. for an event that would start at 4 p.m. (Yes, the line wrapped around the performance hall and even around the neighboring Goizueta Business School.) As expected, Emerson Concert Hall reached full capacity within minutes. There was not an empty seat in the 900-person capacity room. Gabrielle Dudley, an archivist in the Rose Library, introduced Giovanni, proclaiming, “Oh, what a time to be alive!” The room buzzed with anticipation and excitement as attendees awaited the literary legend’s appearance.
As Giovanni finally stepped out on stage, the crowd immediately rose to its feet. She opened with sharing her passion for voting, saying that it is crucial and vital that we do. Her poem “Vote” perfectly captured her sentiment. She read, “As long as there’s any breath in my body, I’m gonna vote. They want to silence us, and I’m not gonna be silenced.”
“Love is about being old, and being old together, and waking up in the morning and fixing grits so that someone you love can have breakfast.” — Nikki Giovanni The reading consisted of only five poems total. She spent the rest of her time on stage sharing memories, stories and knowledge that she accumulated in her life, such as when she met activist Rosa Parks in an airport.
She worked the crowd beautifully, earning laughs, cheers, praises and multiple standing ovations. She told her story of what it means to be a black woman, what it is like to have a black identity in America. This came through primarily in her poem dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr., selected from her yet-to-be-released book “Make Me Rain,” in which she asks, “How much pressure does it take to turn coal into a diamond?” She also discussed her grandparents, who took her in after she left home, and used them as a model for black love. She said that love is about the giving and the taking, and the willingness to do both. “Love is about being old, and being old together, and waking up in the morning and fixing grits so that someone you love can have breakfast,” Giovanni said. The audience was comprised mostly of black attendees, and their passionate reactions made it clear that Giovanni’s words and wisdoms resonated with many of them. She did not speak for them; she spoke with them, creating a community of strangers in that very room. It was a room of love.
Jackon Schneider/ A sst. Photo Editor
Nikki Giovanni talks about love, poetry and black identity in America to admirers in Emerson Hall on Feb. 20. It is clear why Nikki Giovanni means so much to so many people. She is a revolutionary poet, yes, but it is more than that. It is what her poetry does. In the Q&A session on Feb. 20, Giovanni said, “The role of the poet has always been the same: to tell the truth.” And she does exactly that. Her poetry is political, representative, familiar
and full of love. Giovanni said that she cannot change the world, but it is clear that she might as well have — one poem, one word, one ounce of love at a time.
— Contact Sophia LiBrandi at sophia.ruth.librandi@emory. edu and Adesola Thomas at adesola.thomas@emory.edu
Phillips Sr. Interrogates American Violence Continued from Page 9
A desola Thomas/ A&e Editor
Lousiana native, Zack Villere, performs songs froms his LP “Cardboard City” at Aisle 5.
DIY Prince Performs in Litte Five Points Continued from Page 9
the crowd of young people. Throughout the show, he fluttered his fingers and danced in anticipation of certain sonic lilts. Those small gestures demonstrated his keen musical instincts and highlighted his endearing personality. In addition to Villere’s delivery of an engaging show, the most moving aspect of his performance was the way the crowd saw themselves in him. The combined symbolic importance of Villere’s performance and the fun of
watching him ease into his set made for a vibrant show.Tennessee twins Parker and Marshall Mulherin, known as Mulherin, delivered an impressive opening set, full of original lovesick lullabies. They’re one part Alex Burey, two parts Nick Hakim. The duo performed songs from their 2020 EP “Blurry” as well as a stripped-back cover of Usher’s classic paternity scare anthem, “Confessions.” Under hazy azure and indigo lights, Mulherin led the audience in sing-alongs to their sensual honeyed harmonies. Their
easy-going nature and approachability undoubtedly contributed to the electric energy that filled Aisle 5. Villere and Mulherin stayed after the concert for half an hour to talk and take photos with concert attendees. When I asked Villere what he’d say to apprehensive young people who look up to him and, like him, want to make music, he said, “Just do it, by any means necessary.”
— Contact Adesola Thomas at adesola.thomas@emory.edu
resistance.” The exhibit has garnered attenery not only to pay respect to those who’ve been targeted by lynching and tion from members of the Emory police brutality, but also to analogize community. John Banja, a professor in the the Christian practice of wearing the cross to remember the crucifixion of Center for Ethics, told the Wheel that Jesus. Phillips includes crosses in the the shape of the images and the relibackground design to further highlight gious allusions found in Phillips’ artwork reminded him of the “iconostasis this religious parallel. The symbols of the bullet, rope of Greek Catholic and Greek Orthodox and cross work in conjunction with churches.” “On a few [pieces], Mr. Phillips’s other motifs that caught my eye in the exhibit. The circular shapes in painted a halo around the subject’s some of Phillips’ pieces reminded me head, which draws on the religious of two things,a target and a shield. symbolism both he and an iconostasis This further emphasizes the reality want to convey,” Banja wrote in an email to the Wheel. of the continued rac“Remarkably, most ism in America as of the figures on the A frican-A mericans The exhibit rewrites iconostasis depict are continually the targets of acts of vio- the pages in American saints who were themhistory books selves murdered (for lence. The shield motif their faith) and hence stresses the strength through art from a and resilience that different perspective bear a connection with the themes of A frican-A mericans and highlights the forgiveness and tranexude in response to courage and vigor of scendence that Mr. this marginalization. Phillips’ displayed the African-American Phillips wants to convey in his extraordiwork often contains community. narily moving pieces.” birds and dismantled “Bullets and U.S. flags, evoking Nooses” is a wellboth ideas of a broken nation with a horrific past and needed exhibit during Black History a necessary hope for peace. Ethics Month to help us reflect upon the lives and Arts Program Director, Carlton and history of African-Americans in Mackey, pointed out that the exhibits this country. The artwork is thought-provoking at the Center for Ethics often fly under students’ radars. To coordinate the and tells the narrative of black people display of such exhibits, the program struggling and fighting to survive in a curates works from notable artists nation that antagonizes them. This exhibit rewrites the pages across Atlanta. Mackey stated that although the in American history books through setting differs from a traditional art art from a different perspective and exhibit space like the Michael C. Carlos highlights the courage and vigor of Museum, it is definitely worth a visit. the African-American community. “When I walk through the exhibit, I “Bullets and Nooses” will remain open am initially left in awe at the amaz- until March 13 and will continue to tell ing craftsmanship and detail,” Mackey the story of how black people persissaid. “The prominence of the ropes tently rise and fight through the blood mixed with the subtle details of the shed, horror and violence. bullets point to much deeper messages of pain and promise, defiance and — Contact Fariha Akthar at divinity, and oppression and creative fariha.akthar@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel
Emory Life
Wednesday, February 26, 2020 | Emory Life Editor: Caroline Silva (ccsilva@emory.edu) | Asst. Emory Life Editor: Angela Tang (angela.tang@emory.edu)
EVENT COVERAGE
‘Worth It’ Host Fuses Asian Heritage and Entertainment By Varun Gupta Senior Staff Writer
Even before audience members could take their seats, Emory students were already shaking with excitement. One girl said she caught a glimpse of the iconic dyed hair: proof that her favorite BuzzFeed personality had been standing beside her. In an event organized by the Emory Asian Student Organization, former executive producer at Buzzfeed and co-founder of Watcher Steven Lim spoke about his journey as an Asian American in the media entertainment industry. Over 80 undergraduate students attended the panel, which took place on Feb. 24 in a multipurpose room at the Emory Student Center (ESC) – $5 for general admission or $15 for a meet and greet following the event. Lim, who started his career in the media entertainment industry in 2013, is best known for the popular Buzzfeed YouTube series “Worth It,” in which he travels the world comparing dishes at three drastically different price points. After leaving BuzzFeed as a salaried employee in December 2019, Lim launched Watcher Entertainment in January. The production studio focuses on “creating television-caliber, unscripted series in the digital space,” according to the YouTube channel page. At the time of publication, Watcher has reached over 386,000 subscribers. Lim will continue with “Worth It” until his contract expires. “Worth It,” which wrapped up
its sixth season in July 2019, was one of Lim’s own contributions to BuzzFeed. Initially, BuzzFeed had only planned to let Lim write the script with two other white BuzzFeed colleagues hosting the show. “I remember being furious at Buzzfeed for suggesting that in the first place,” Lim said. “I understood that it would be simpler to do it with well-known, popular celebrities … [but] luckily, they agreed that I could [host the show].” Lim did not reveal any details on how and when he plans to end “Worth It,” and he said that Watcher’s newest production, “Homemade,” aims to explore family culinary traditions across different cultures in the United States. Lim noted that he aims to honor his Asian American heritage and represent his upbringing through his filmmaking. Being the only Asian American in middle school left a deep impression on Lim. He recalled how, at first, he enjoyed being called “the Asian kid” because it gave him a sense of identity. But as he worked to launch his career as a YouTube personality, such comments motivated him to bridge the gap between cultures. Grace Shen (21C), a Chinese international student who attended a majority-white high school in Vermont, said she could relate to Lim’s experience of feeling isolated as an Asian. “Seeing an Asian American in the media and then hearing [his] experience growing up meant a lot to me,” Shen said. “It told me that I’m not alone. It gave me confidence that everything is going to be okay… just
Ayushi Agarwal/Copy Editor
The Asian Student Organization brought Buzzfeed ‘Worth It’ host and co-founder of Watcher Steven Lim to speak at the Emory Student Center on Feb. 24. Angela Lee (Left) and Lim (R ight) made a TikTok video during their meet and greet.
to be confident and to be myself.” Crowd member Emily Ng (21C) also expressed appreciation for Lim’s inclusion of his Asian American heritage in his online storytelling. “I liked that he talked about Asian American representation because I did not know that really mattered to him so much,” Ng said. “He seems very down to earth … and talked to us like we were his peers or friends that he knew.” At the beginning of his career, Lim said his video content garnered little attention on YouTube and he considered returning to his previous job as a research and design engineer for Tide Pods at Procter & Gamble. The choice of committing to YouTube filmmaking, he said, has come with a fair amount of struggle
RESTAURANT REVIEW
Japanese ‘Dipping Ramen’ Comes to Atlanta By Urvi Agrawal Contributing Writer
Okiboru
Urvi Agrawal/Contributing
Featured in the 2019 Michelin Guide California Bib Gourmand, Okiboru opened in Sandy Springs, Ga. in January 2020 offering Japanese ramen and tsukemen.
offered two types of noodle dishes. Aside from the traditional Japanese ramen, which consists of noodles served with toppings in a hot meat-, mushroom- or fish-based broth, was tsukemen, noodles rinsed cold and eaten after being dipped into a separately served hot broth. The dipping procedure means the noodles are eaten lukewarm.
I ordered the vegan yasai, or vegetable ramen, which consists of noodles in a spicy yellow-orange mushroom broth, topped with two thick slices of marinated tofu, bamboo shoots, spinach, scallion and nori. While the mushroom delivered a delicious, creamy flavor to
See OKIBURO, Page 13
of young Asian Americans working up the courage to say “I love you” to their parents. A week after publication, the video eclipsed 100,000 views — an achievement milestone that Lim said he expected would be his success story. “For quite some time after, things went back to normal … until I received a phone call from BuzzFeed saying they loved the video and wanted to hire me,” Lim said. Lim said he owes much of his success to the presence of Asian YouTube personalities such asRyan Higa and KevJumba. He later collaborated with Jason Lee of Jubilee Media, a video platform aiming to “make thought-provoking, real and
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PHOTOGRAHY
Atlanta’s Best Nature Photography Destinations By Angela Choksi Contributing Writer
Sandy Springs, Ga.
Recognized in the 2019 Michelin Guide, Los Angeles’ very own Okiboru Tsukemen and Ramen opened its second location in Sandy Springs, Ga. in January 2020. The founders, who trained in Japan to master the craft of tsukemen, strive to spread this style of “dipping ramen” outside of Japan. The restaurant’s minimal menu of four tsukemen dishes, four ramen dishes and three small plates offers options for vegetarians, vegans and meat-eaters alike. As a frequenter of Atlanta ramen hotspots, I was excited to see how Okiboru would compare. Having tasted the vegan ramen options at places like Tanaka Express, Paopao Ramen & Factory Bar, Dragon Bowl and Ton Ton, I wondered if Okiboru had something different to offer. Though I arrived at 8:20 p.m., about an hour before closing, we found ourselves in a lively atmosphere surrounded by many other people. Despite the late hour, we were able to order our food within five minutes of sitting down. The menu
and uncertainty. “I could have given up when someone broke into my car and stole my personal journal, which had ideas about upcoming YouTube sketches,” Lim said. Many students said they were impressed by Lim’s candor in discussing how personal failures and struggles became learning moments. “I think it was inspiring for me because he said you can do what you want if you try hard enough,” Brett Landau (21C) said.“He went all in, quit his job and then did YouTube, which is definitely an interesting thing to hear about. He definitely took a huge risk there.” Lim said his channel went viral after producing “Asian Parents React to I Love You,” a compilation
Nature’s bounty is plentiful and there are plenty of ways to experience its beauty, with one of my favorites being photographing everything au naturel. I may not have a green thumb when it comes to keeping plants alive, but I’ve definitely picked up on a few great locations around Atlanta to satisfy my “point-and-shoot” desires. Whether you’re an avid photographer with a DSLR camera or a simple smartphone selfie shooter, you’ll find these five locations around Atlanta worth exploring and perhaps even possessing a breathtaking experience. Lullwater Preserve (Emory University) A gem right in Emory’s backyard, Lullwater Preserve offers students a place to be mindful and reclusive. It’s the perfect spot to relax among sprawling green grounds. Picture being immersed in the bustling babble of the Candler Lake waterfall while the sun shines on a crisp spring morning. The trees glisten with fresh dew
and the rippling waters look like shards of crystal straight from the movie “Frozen.” These spectacular views are definitely worth photographing. The abandoned octagonal powerhouse at Lullwater presents yet another unique photo opportunity, especially if you face your camera upward toward the sky, revealing through the rigid walls a view of cavernous windows and wisps of treetops against a sea of blue skies. Stone Mountain Park (Stone Mountain, Ga.) The domed Stone Mountain summit is home to miles of winding terrain, including the “Cherokee Trail,” the “Walk-Up Trail” and the “Nature Gardens Trail.” Holding the Guinness World Record for the largest piece of exposed granite and the largest high relief sculpture in the world, Stone Mountain Park represents a paradise where nature lovers can escape for a run, walk, hike or stroll. The ultimate picturesque view at Stone Mountain is of the sunrise from the top of the summit when glancing across the beaming horizon
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Wednesday, February 26, 2020
ALUMNI FEATURE
EMORY LIFE
The Emory Wheel
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Kibler Conquers Juniors Master Aviation and Computation ‘Magic’ Hall of Fame By Caleigh Leyton Contributing Writer
By Angela Tang Asst. Emory Life Editor
Kibler said that when he graduated from Emory, professional gaming as a potential career path seemed neither With nearly 1 million followers fully developed nor sustainable. on Twitch and YouTube combined, At the end of the 2004 season, he an induction into the “‘Magic: The retired as a professional gamer and Gathering’ Pro Tour Hall of Fame,” and began working as a game designer at multiple lead game designer positions, Upper Deck Company, a trading card Brian Kibler (03C) has cemented his company. legacy in many areas of the video game In 2009, Kibler decided to make industry. a comeback as a professional gamer The Hampstead, N.H. native said he because of his desire to be inducted has played video games for as long as into the “‘Magic: The Gathering’ he can remember. Pro Tour Hall of Fame”, which His interest blossomed at a very was established a year after his young age, and he traced his current retirement. gaming approach to “Baseball Stars,” a That same year, he placed in the Top career-style Nintendo game he played 8 during the Pro Tour Honolulu and at age six. won the Pro Tour Austin, Texas. The The game’s objective was to use latter remains Kibler’s most treasured money earned in-game through win. matches to buy players and ultimately In 2010, just a year after his build the best possible teams. comeback, Kibler was successfully Kibler discovered that he could use inducted into the “‘Magic: The the game’s predetermined popularity Gathering’ Pro Tour Hall of Fame.” scores and mercy rule to his advantage. Throughout his decorated career, The most time-efficient way to earn he has won the Pro Tour twice and money and, in turn, build the best the Grand Prix, another professional team, was to intentionally lose at the tournament, thrice, receiving a total of first inning against the most popular $292,247 in prize money. team. Kibler opened his Twitch account “That was ... how I ended up in 2011 and began streaming as a fullapproaching games from then on ... time job in 2015, after retiring as a figuring out how the system worked,” senior game designer. Kibler said. In contrast to most streamers, Kibler began playing a variety of who use Twitch as a means to gain different video games and discovered popularity, Kibler began streaming collectible card game “Magic: the for his already established fan Gathering,” to which he began to base. dedicate much of his “I literally had time in high school one of the head tech with the intent of people at Twitch “The best thing you going professional. remote my desktop His dad, who … and set up my can do ... is not just Kibler described stream for me, tell people that you’re as “a combination because there were passionate ... but show people at Twitch of supportive and skeptical,” drove that were ‘Magic’ people that you are.” him to tournaments fans that wanted to throughout the U.S. — Brian Kibler (03C) watch me stream,” Kibler said that Kibler said. collectible card In 2014, Kibler games have always launched his appealed to him due to the constantly YouTube channel, which has since evolving nature of their challenges. garnered 432,000 subscribers and “You have to … keep rethinking 243 million views. After more than your strategy and adapting to new ... two decades of playing “Magic,” Kibler environments,” Kibler said. began to shift his attention to another With a foot already in the gaming card game, “Hearthstone,” citing a industry, Kibler arrived at Emory larger online following. with the intent of breaking into the In addition to creating his own professional world. content, Kibler is a live broadcaster He majored in philosophy and for major “Hearthstone” tournaments, religious studies, but only took including the BlizzCon, an annual classes Tuesday through Thursday gaming convention held by Blizzard to accommodate his gaming Entertainment. schedule. Chou, who often casts alongside As a student, Kibler traveled Kibler, said many viewers really enjoy extensively to compete, flying out to Kibler’s commentary. cities including Chicago, Houston and “[Kibler’s] very good at weighing in Tampa, Fla. his analysis while also being able to Outside the classroom, Kibler be fair to the competitors and making joined Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, everything light-hearted and fun,” through which he said he gained many Chou said. lasting friendships. Chou believes that the proficiency of The fraternity network has ensured Kibler’s commentary can be attributed that, despite his ever-busy travel to his wide range of experiences in the schedule, Kibler has connections gaming industry, which Kibler believes everywhere he goes. is important for professional gamers In his sophomore year, Kibler to have. finished third in the 2000 “‘Magic: He notes that technological The Gathering’ Pro Tour” in Chicago, a advancement has added an feat that he considered his first major unpredictability to the future of the competitive accomplishment. gaming industry, so professional It was there that he received the gamers must be able to constantly nickname “The Dragonmaster” after adapt to new environments, such winning two rounds with dragon- as with the creation of YouTube and type card Rith, the Awakener and Twitch in 2005 and 2011, respectively. the enchantment Armadillo Cloak, For students looking to enter a an uncommon combination in major similarly competitive and unorthodox competitive events. field, Kibler advised, “The best thing Dan Chou, a Twitch operations you can do … is not just tell people that manager and Hearthstone broadcaster, you’re passionate ... but show people said the dragon combination that you are.” encapsulates Kibler’s playing style, which he described as “pretty flashy, — Contact Angela Tang at very big, very epic.” ytan258@emory.edu
allow them to fly small groups of people for hire. Now full-time students, the boys try to fly as often as they can. Wheaton is currently training to obtain a certification to fly larger planes, a track that requires him to fly twice a week at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. Soonawala flies once a month around the Southeast, often bringing friends along on short trips to northern Georgia and Tampa, Florida.
their years of flight training. Through learning how to fly, the pilots have learned to think more analytically Ever since they were little kids, about all of the factors when given a Blake Wheaton (21C) and Raul computer science problem. Soonawala (21C) have witnessed their Wheaton’s friend since middle fathers’ navigating the skies in private school and current University of planes. Now both pilots of five years, Virginia student Lyudmila Avagyan the two computer science majors can attested to the bond between safely say that they’ve caught, what Wheaton’s flight training and his pilots refer to as, the “aviation bug.” capabilities as a student. “Once you get up in the plane and “In high school, he was very articuyou get to see the world from late and detail oriented,” up there, it’s a very differAvagyan said. “I feel ent outlook on the world,” like that reflects his flySoonawala said. “But it’s ing technique, in maknot something that stays in ing sure that everything your memory because I feel is orderly and the way like I keep having to go up that it should be while more and more.” he is flying. Whether Soonawala began flying we were in math or with family members and English, you could tell instructors in his homethat he paid attention to town, Mumbai, India, in everything.” middle school. Wheaton, Soonawala’s friend who hails from Amherst, Zonadi Nkhoma (17Ox, Virginia, started and con19C) marveled at the cluded the process of getdepth that flying has ting his license in 2016 added to their friends’ while he was in high school. characters. Avagyan Soonawala noted that expressed her belief the rules and regulations for that piloting can make obtaining a piloting license one more thoughtin India are stricter than ful, as part of the job those in the United States, requires one to bear in where nearly every airport mind the safety of their Courtesy of Blake Wheaton offers a flying school. What passengers. Nkhoma Hailing from Amherst, Virginia, Blake Wheaton could be a 16-day process, as agreed, stating that fly(21C) got his license in 2016 while in high school. in Soonawala’s case, in the ing with Soonawala facilU.S. could take up to three years in The boys noted that the flying rates itated a greater sense of trust in their India. to rent planes in Atlanta are high- friendship. Knowing this, Soonawala waited er than those in their hometowns. “It takes a lot for me to trust someuntil 2018, when he came to Atlanta Though Soonawala tries to bring body with my life,” Nkhoma confor college, to get his full private friends along as often as possible to fessed. “When we went flying, I felt plane license. When Wheaton and split the cost, Wheaton usually prefers comfortable with him. Even now that Soonawala received their licenses in the therapeutic calm of flying alone I can fly myself, he’s probably the only 2016 and 2018, respectively, both were and has never taken a friend up more other one that I trust to fly [me].” already seasoned flyers.Once coming than once. Both pilots hope to use their skills to Emory, Wheaton and Soonawala Wheaton said his love for flying and passions in their respective began flying themselves out of the lies in its “procedural” nature. He and careers after college. Wheaton hopes DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. Neither Soonawala both expressed fascination to fly for law enforcement, make corhad formally met the other yet, with the rules, regulations and techno- porate flights and possibly pursue a until one day during freshman year logical aspects of flying. technology-related career. Soonawala noticed Wheaton wear“Every time you go flying, there Soonawala hopes to enter avionics, ing an aviation shirt in their shared is something different that happens,” the automatic side of aviation that computer science class. After class, Wheaton said. “It’s never the same. It focuses on programming planes to fly Soonawala approached Wheaton, and tests you.” safely and smoothly without a human the two quickly became flypilot. Besides their love ing buddies. Although they for flying, both pilots have only flown together also share a love for once thus far, they both their Emory education said that flying together and expressed hopes has changed the way they that they could purapproach their journeys in sue careers that would the clouds. allow them to incor“When there’s two of porate both passions. you, you’re able to enjoy it a Even flying for a major lot more,” said Soonawala. carrier, Soonawala said, “You’re able to look out the would be asking him window and take some picto give up the studies tures, as opposed to having he has built through [friends] just taking picEmory’s computer scitures. Since then, I haven’t ence program. flown without another pilot “I would have conin the other seat.” sidered doing it a couple Both pilots are licensed years ago … if I wasn’t to fly single-engine land so far into Emory getCourtesy of R aul Soonawala planes recreationally. ting the CS degree,” Wheaton and Soonawala Raul Soonawala (21C) began flying with family Soonawala explained. learned to fly a Cessna 172 members in Mumbai, India in middle school. “Getting the commercial Skyhawk, which remains their favorite Although both have mostly had pos- license makes sense for me because aircraft. In order to obtain a pri- itive experiences with flying, they’ve flying is something that I can see vate pilot license and single-engine had very rare scary moments that stick myself doing for the next 30 or 40 land plane certificate, Wheaton and out, too. Wheaton recalled a tough years.” Soonawala attended a Part 61 flight moment that he encountered durThe path to obtaining advanced school, which requires a total of 40 ing his initial training in high school. computer science degrees and pilot’s hours and mastery of core aircraft and When he pursued a solo flight over licenses has also gifted Soonawala flying procedures. Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains, and Wheaton with a strong friendWheaton likened learning to fly an Wheaton found himself caught in ship. More than anyone else at Emory, aircraft to learning how to juggle. unexpected rough air that made him the two pilots understand each oth”There are different circumstances think on his feet. er’s passions, goals and love for flywhere somebody is throwing a ball at “It was turbulence like I’ve never ing. Even though they’ve only flown you, and you have to add that ball to experienced before,” Wheaton said. together once, both Wheaton and the collection that you’re already jug- “Luckily, my training kicked. All I did Soonawala share a desire to return gling,” Wheaton said. was fly further downwind to escape together to the skies. The private pilot license only allows the vortex. Then I climbed to fly over “It was a lot of fun,” Wheaton said. Wheaton and Soonawala to fly them- it. The flight went according to plan.” “I certainly hope we can do it again.” selves, friends and family. However, Soonawala and Wheaton noted they are both now on track to earn that they have become better drivers — Contact Caleigh Leyton at a commercial pilot license that will and computer science students after cleyton@emory.edu
EMORY LIFE
The Emory Wheel
Okiburo Concocts Best Vegan Ramen
men, which featured chashu pork and a boiled egg brought next to a the broth that did not dominate the thick, white-hued broth of pork and dish’s flavors. seafood. The ramen noodles in my dish She noted that the noodles were were thinner than those I have thicker than ramen noodles, and encountered at other ramen restau- offered a pleasant, chewy texture. rants, but that didn’t really hinder She enjoyed her broth and liked that the experience. its separation from the noodles preBy the time I reached the bottom vented them from becoming soggy. of my bowl, I was quite spiced out. Even though the taste of chicken For those who don’t like spice, the and fish were most prominent, the restaurant offers to adjust each bowl chashu shined through. According to to the customer’s desired level. her, it was the perfect balance of lean The tofu brought an unexpected and fatty meat. sweetness from its marinade. and Although the restaurant offered while I initially disliked the contrast elegant dishes packed with flavor, between the spice of the dish and the the ramen and tsukemen were a little sweetness of the tofu, I found as I ate heavy on the pockets. that the flavors harmonized quite My ramen was $15.25 after tax, well. and my friends My friend paid about As a frequenter of Atlanta $16.50 each. ordered the wafu, or JapaneseThe overall ramen hotspots, I was style, tsukemen. experience was excited to see how Okiburo It consisted of quite enjoyable, would compare. ... Okiboru though. plain tsukemen Tsukemen and Ramen noodles with The restauoffered one of the best chashu (marirant itself was nated pork), an vegan ramens I have had in also peaceful, egg and a slice of with plenty of Atlanta thus far. lime on top, all exposed wood served next to a and differbowl of pork and ent decorative seafood broth. textures. He claimed his broth tasted too The dining area featured about 10 fish-forward. tables, as well as bar seating for those He also noted that the broth was enjoying meals alone. thinner than expected, and lacked Located at a 30-minute drive tanginess from the lime. from campus, Okiboru Tsukemen The bamboo shoots in his dish and Ramen offered one of the best were lightly pickled in soy sauce, vegan ramens I have had in Atlanta which he enjoyed. thus far. He found the dipping experience If you’re looking to get a little of the tsukemen interesting, but the further from campus and enjoy an sensation of hot broth against cold authentic bowl of Japanese dipping noodles only lasted a few minutes noodles, I would definitely recomsince the broth eventually became mend trying Okiboru at least once. cold. Another friend ordered the buta — Contact Urvi Agrawal at paitan (pork and white soup) tsukeuagraw3@emory.edu
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
13
THE VOICE: HARRIS HALL EDITION
Continued from Page 11
Grace Shen/Contributing
Hayley Luna (1L) (Left), Flourish Advisors Mustapha Tahiru (Middle) and Leelt Ermias (R ight) performed at the The Voice: Harris Hall Edition on Feb. 25.
Asian Student Organization Brings Lim to Campus Continued from Page 11 empathetic videos to create movement for human good.” “I think it’s so important to see success in people that look like you,” said Office of Undergraduate Education Advisor for International Students Frank Gaertner. “He talked about how important it was to watch YouTube channels back in high school. … For him it was inspiring to say, ‘I can do this for a living.’” During the question & answer portion of the evening, Lim was asked to reflect on his favorite “Worth It”
episode. He chose the time he traveled to Japan in September 2018 to eat expensive sushi. Lim’s primary concern was that plenty of other YouTubers had already produced videos about their experiences eating sushi in Japan. “I remember being scared because I was not sure whether [the video] would be able to add to the content out there already,” Lim said. “The sushi place usually does not allow foreign press inside, but the owner was willing to give me a shot.” Though Lim said his time working with Tide Pods was not the most
enjoyable, he learned an important lesson from a co-worker who celebrated 25 years at the company. “I wanted the passion that he had for soap in my life,” Lim said. “I am a believer that you should do what you love and find most enjoyable. All the times you are struggling through the highs and lows, I really believe things will work [themselves] out.” Disclaimer: Grace Shen (21C) is a staff photographer for the Emory Wheel — Contact Varun Gupta at vgupt33@emory.edu
Top 5 Spots for Nature Photography Across Atlanta bright flowers and plant sculptures will make for a perfect background. Morningside Nature Preserve (Morningside Lenox Park, Atlanta)
Jackson Schneider/A sst. Photo Editor
Stone Mountain Park, located in Stone Mountain, Ga., boasts the largest piece of exposed granite and largest high relief scultpture in the world.
Continued from Page 11 serves as an effervescent and humbling reminder of Georgia’s humbling beauty. Atlanta Botanical Garden (Midtown Atlanta) Themed sculptures carved from colorful plants, an escape into one’s childhood fantasy and a manifesta-
tion of a fascinating dream where one’s beloved animated characters come to life: these are just some of the things one has to look forward to in the Atlanta Botanical Garden. In the garden, you can choose among different itineraries to venture into the park, based on whether you have a “Budding Romance,” are “Flying Solo” or have “Floral Expectations”. Indoor plant collections, sculp-
tural wonders and blooming blossoms present a picture-perfect view wherever you look. The flora and fauna of the garden are best illustrated through the intricate plant sculptures which take the form of a mighty elephant, a charming peacock, an elegant frog and an exquisite dragon among many others. If you are looking to take some aesthetic Instagram pictures, the
Yearning for a stretch of beachy sand around Atlanta? Missing your dog a little too much? Look no further, because you can hike or run the Morningside Nature Preserve to frolic with furry friends at “Atlanta’s popular dog beach.” A matrix of wooded trails winding through a forested canopy, Morningside Nature Preserve is a perfect location for a serene and unfettered interaction with nature. You can confer with the gentle and tranquil South Peachtree Creek, feel grounded on a wooden suspended bridge and connect with wildlife such as foxes, beavers, birds, turtles and raccoons. Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (Lithonia, Ga.) Arabia Mountain represents over 30 miles of adventure and an unlimited captivation linking the historical, ecological and cultural landmarks of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Home to an eternally barren landscape,
Arabia Mountain symbolizes a treasure trove of ecological fascination encompassing large formations such as exposed granite, wetlands, pine and oak forests, multiple streams, and two lakes. Sprinkled throughout the park, the ruins of quarry buildings and the metal spikes that were once used to split the granite for construction purposes are still visible in the rock. In addition to experiencing the opportunity to photograph a unique awe-worthy and distinctive landscape, you can also bike the sprawling trails of Arabia Mountain. Conclusion The neverending midterms season takes a hefty toll on all of us. This weekend, choose to put mindfulness before procrastination and treat yourself to an interactive experience with nature. Recline in the myriad of natural locations around Emory and Atlanta and capture sublime moments and memories that will force you to reevaluate your decisions and prioritize your conscientiousness. You might even get some great content for your Instagram account. — Contact Angela Choksi at achoks4@emory.edu
14
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
The Emory Wheel
ARCHIVES
FROM THE ARCHIVES, SPRING 2003:
SARS hinders student travel to China
By Arielle Kass News Editor
College junior Sandra Kwak had a job set up in Thailand this summer. After she toured Beijing, X’ian and Hong Kong on one of Emory’s study abroad programs, Kwak was going to work in a Motorola factory, doing research on sweatshop labor as part of her honors thesis. But before Kwak had a chance to go to China, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome hit Beijing. In response to the outbreak and a warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention against nonessential travel to mainland China and Hong Kong, Emory cancelled its summer Chinese Studies trip, and brought three students back to the United States before their spring semester trips were scheduled to end. SARS, a relatively new disease that is traveling quickly around the globe, had infected 2,899 people in China as of press time Sunday. Beijing and Hong Kong are among the cities that have the highest concentration of the disease. Philip Wainwright, the director of the Center for International Programs
Abroad, said although the two of the students were far away from the outbreak, the program thought it was in students’ best interest to bring them home early. They left China yesterday. A third student returned from Beijing last week. “We’ve been concerned as the situation emerged,” Wainwright said. “It’s come quickly. Becase the disease has not been on our radar screen for a very long time, it’s not clear what the real risk is.” Kwak said although she understands and agrees with CIPA’s motivation for canceling the trips, she is “really disappointed” that she won’t be able to go to China. Kwak now has to change the focus of her honors thesis, since she can no longer conduct research as she planned. Kwak said she looked into studying in other third world countries, like Latin America, but that Emory does not offer summer programs. Instead, she may travel to London and study healthcare. Even if she could go, though, Kwak said she is worried that she would be received fearfully upon her return to the United States.
“A lot of people are worried right now because of racism against Asians,” Kwak said, “I really didn’t even want to deal with that coming back.” Lelia Crawford, director of the International Students and Scholars Program, said no international students have come to her with concerns about SARS.
“A lot of people are worried right now because of racism against Asians.” — Sandra Kwak (04C)
“The University has put no travel restrictions on student travel that I’m aware of,” Crawford said. “We don’t have information on students who will travel abroad and I’m not sure we could restrict their travel. The University has not taken a stance to try to restrict student travel.” The situation is not the same
Crossword
worldwide. In Ontario, Canada, another area of heavy outbreaks, people have even one symptom of SARS have been asked not to leave their homes for a few days to minimize the spread of the disease. At Emory, Executive Director of Student Health Services Michael Huey said people should not worry about getting SARS. “Public Health workers are on the front line as far as student health is concerned,” Huey said. Huey said because the main outbreaks occured after Emory students returned from their spring break trips, Emory was “fortunate” in that it had time to prepare for the possibility of the disease. All Emory hospitals have bought special masks to protect against SARS, and an action plan has been formed in the event that there is a SARS patient. Residence halls are being targeted with information, since Resident Advisors often act as nurses to sick students. Friday, Frederick Nolte, a professor of pathology, announced that he had developed a test capable of determining if a patient has SARS.
The test can be used at Emory, but must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration before it can be used commercially. Marlene Tessler, an immunization nurse at the student health Travel Clinic, said she has been checking the World Health Organization’s updated Web site daily to keep upto-date with the newest SARS information. She said the clinic is ready to handle “anything that comes up,” and is keeping track of diagnosis and other information. “Usually these things take years to develop,” Tessler said. “They’re rushing this one.” Still, College sophomore Jennifer Brooke said the rapid strides in medical understanding did not convince her that China would be safe in the fall. Brooke was planning to study abroad in China during her fall semester, but chose to withdraw to Japan, instead. The University has not cancelled the program to China in the fall. “It was pretty stressful one week before SARS first broke out,” Brooke said. “I was worried about the war and this completely blindsided me.
Bready to lead! By Aidan Vick, Senior Staff Writer and Aditya Prakash, Associate Editor
Across: 1. First month of the Hebrew calendar, aka Nisan 5. Northernmost U.K. residents 10. ___ kadabra 14. Jafar’s parrot 15. ‘Wavy’ streaming service 16. Excess fat 17. ___ Sandberg, Hall of Fame baseball player 18. Video file format 19. Common metrical foot 20. Billionaire democrat Big Mac 23. Agency concerned with foreign intelligence 24. Spanish cardinal direction 25. Teeth on the front of skating blades 27. ___bart, far-right news outlet 28. First president of the Republic of China 31. Society of space lovers 33. Behind I or E, Myers-Briggs personality type 34. ___ meeny miney moe 35. Baby noise 38. Container top 40. Cry for help 42. Media-targeted Democrat representative 43. Antiquated expression of surprise 45. Government agency after Walter White 47. Unit of corn 49. Smartphone selling point: “Small ___, ___ power” 52. Tribe of the ancient Greeks 56. Visually ugly 57. Law students take these 58. Subreddit for celebrities to answer questions 60. Anti-billionaire candidate on rye 62. Emory cola 64. Tiny birds; amusing activities 65. Flagship airline of Israel 66. At the highest point 67. Garlic and mayo sauce 68. Avoid crossing it 69. First caucus
70. Original Ant-Man civilian name 71. New Tamil tigers Down: 1. Alternative to hotels 2. Formerly No. 1-ranked team that lost to Kansas 3. What someone does when they ghost you 4. Region of Greece that contains Thebes 5. What 14 across does to Roderigo in Act V of “Othello” 6. Small tropical mammals 7. Smelly 8. Straight lines 9. Tired loose meat sandwich 10. Film organization based in L.A. 11. Body of water north of Turkey, south of Ukraine 12. Star of “Mr. Robot,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” 13. “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia!” 21. Heavy music genre 22. Breakfast diner on Memorial Dr. 26. Neurodegenerative disease, affected Aaron Hernandez 29. Revolutionary ambient musician 30. Home of billionaire politicians 32. Healthy fry alternative 35. Marry 36. Ice, New, Middle 37. Throw a tantrum 39. Confident and charming 41. Hoist them 44. Homemade 46. “Just ___ the pics to me” 48. Where you can shoot the ‘Hooch 50. Tech convention in Vegas 51. Nerdy content every seven days 53. Execute perfectly 54. “___ ___ get any worse!” 55. Younger sister of Jessica Simpson 58. Starbucks refresher ingredient 59. Prefix used for vehicles 61. Used to illegally unlock iPhones 63. Academic writing style
SPORTS
The Emory Wheel
Kelleher Bounces Back After Missing UAAs Continued from Back Page that we also see ourselves as this big team and big family,” Kelleher said. “In New Zealand, it’s all individualized and the whole focus here is contributing to the team, whether it be in the pool, good friend or good mentor.” The Auburn University (Ala.) Invitational, which took place Feb. 7-9, was Kelleher’s best moment on the team so far. Though only half of the team swam at the meet, every teammate drove out on the final day to support the competitors. “That really fueled me and made it a special experience, to spend that with all my friends whether they were actually swimming at the meet or not,” Kelleher said. At the Auburn meet, Kelleher qualified in three separate events for the NCAA Men’s Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. He recorded times of 1:51.28 in the 200-yard individual medley, 3:55.95 in the 400 individual medley and 2:02.40 in the 200 breaststroke. He was also named University Athletic Association (UAA) Athlete of the Week for the week of Feb. 10 because of his qualification for nation-
als. Kelleher said he is “happy and honored for recognition” and hopes to keep up his results for the remainder of the year. Swimming and diving Head Coach Jon Howell commented on Kelleher’s positive energy and contributions to the team. “He’s somebody who’s the complete package,” Howell said. “He has a great work ethic, incredible attitude, and is supportive of the people around him. He’s somebody that adds a lot of value and is fun to be around on a daily basis.” Emory’s swimming and diving teams train 20 to 24 hours a week. “The grind,” as Kelleher calls it, presents challenges such as balancing academics, athletics and social life. However, Kelleher has allocated the right amount of time to enjoy swimming while not overdoing it. Kellen Stillman (21B), one of Kelleher’s teammates on the Emory swimming and diving team, says that Kelleher’s intensity and hard work make him not only a great swimmer but also a great person. “As much as Jack contributes in the pool, he is also just a great guy to be around,” Stillman said. “He keeps
everyone laughing and motivated in practice, and I am lucky to have a teammate like him.” On Feb. 13, the Eagles went to the University of Chicago for the UAA Championships, for which Kelleher failed to qualify due to his times. “He took in stride not making the conference team, and he made nationals,” Howell said. “It was a nice breakthrough performance from him.” The Eagles competed exclusively against Division I schools at Auburn, which meant that they faced a much higher level of competition than at the Division III level. Kelleher saw this as an opportunity to prepare for nationals, where he will swim against some of Division III’s best. “We want to be swimming against the best people so when we get to nationals we are ready to swim against the best in Division III,” said Kelleher. Kelleher will compete at the NCAA Men’s Division III Swimming and Diving Championships in Greensboro, N.C., from March 18-21.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
SWOOP’S SCOOP
15
Sport
Opponent
Time
Wednesday Feb. 26
Baseball
Piedmont
2 p.m.
Friday Feb. 28
Swim & Dive W Tennis Baseball
@ NCAA Champs @ ITA Champs @ Covenant
All Day 9 a.m. 2 p.m.
Swim & Dive Track & Field W Tennis W Basketball Baseball Softball M Basketball M Tennis
@ NCAA Champs @ UAA Champs @ ITA Champs @ Rochester Covenant @ Triangle Classic @ Rochester Cumberland
All Day All Day TBA 12 p.m. 12 p.m., 3 p.m. 12 p.m., 2:30 p.m. 2 p.m. 3 p.m.
Sunday March 1
Track & Field W Tennis
@ UAA Champs @ ITA Champs
Tuesday March 3
Baseball Softball
Saturday Feb. 29
— Contact Michael Mariam at mmariam@emory.edu
Berry Covenant
All Day TBA
2 p.m. 2 p.m., 4 p.m.
*Home Games in Bold
Former Members Voice Concern Over Coach’s Expectations Continued from Page 1 Among the eight coaches that have joined Emory XC/TF since 2016, five have either worked at or were athletes of Division I schools. Former sprinter Mason Lewis (20C) stated that the incongruity between coaches’ and Emory Division III athletes’ backgrounds has shaped many former members’ visceral responses to the constantly changing coaching policies. “First, it’s hard to maintain personal relationships with the coaches,” Lewis said. “We have to adjust all the time. These coaches are young. They come from intense programs and want to come in and change our program. If we were being paid to be here, fine. But they want to control every aspect of our lives.” In 2018, Lewis held the title of No. 1 sprinter in the University Athletic Association (UAA). “The best athletes on our teams could’ve gone Division I, but we didn’t want that experience. It’s frustrating because this is not what any one of us signed up for,” Lewis said. Mason maintained that the coaches were “weeding out” athletes to the point that “the team has lost most of their talent.” Former players also felt that the coaches exhibited a narrow understanding of what constitutes an excuse. Illness, injury or even religious holiday observance were met with incredulity, disapproving remarks and implicit pressures to prioritize the sport. A former sophomore member of the XC/TF team, who requested to remain anonymous for fear of backlash from current teammates, recounted a time when Nguyen leveled ultimatums to “guilt” her to continue running despite unhealed injuries. If they didn’t, they risked their qualifying for postseason meets. Coaches used a similar ultimatum when the anonymous member requested to miss practice to observe a religious high holiday, the sophomore said. Other members, like former jumper Valerie Cella (22N), stated that the coaches would instruct injured athletes to practice on their own, which led to isolation from team members. “They have expanded the intensity of the workout incredibly, [to the point where] it damages your body,”
Forrest Martin/Photo Editor
Cella told the Wheel. “Then they tell you to work out by yourself. You become separated from the team, so then you push yourself to catch up to that intensity, and then you injure yourself again. It’s a constant cycle.” Nguyen rejected such claims, stating that the coaches “work closely” with athletic trainers Holli Dawson and Tristan Rodik, and that coaches were not authorized to tell an athlete to continue practicing while injured. “We listen [to] the athletic trainers,” Nguyen said. When asked if he had favorites on the team, Nguyen responded: “I try to do the best I can to give everybody as much attention as I can give them. Former sprinter Gabriela Muller (20C) contracted the flu a week before an intersquad meet and had missed an entire week of class, but she still went to practice to “prove” her sickness to the coaches. “I show up [to practice], and [Nelson] goes ... ‘I hope you brought your spikes,’” Muller recounted. “The coaches didn’t believe in injuries or being sick or anything like that.” The day after the meet, Muller quit. Current members like 400meter runner Liam Fost (21C) maintain that these new expectations have pushed him to succeed. Fost, a two-time UAA indoor and outdoor champion, attributed his success to Nguyen’s workouts and expectations. At the beginning of June 2019, Nguyen implemented 45 new rules governing individual and team behavior during the season. These rules exist in addition to the
regulations set forth in the Emory student-athlete handbook. Violations of the rules include participation in intramural sports or “pick-up games” and wearing non-Emory colors during practices. Penalties include suspension from meets and practices, and even removal from the team. Nguyen stated that at the beginning of his tenure, he sent out a team survey in which members expressed that they desired clearer communication and more regular enforcement of expectations. “It was a pretty clear pattern of people not coming to practice [or] meets and leaving meets and practice early,” Nguyen said. “I think the team overall felt that those values were important [and required] a greater commitment.” Nguyen said he believes that the rules he implemented were not “unreasonable” and stated that he implemented fewer than he had while coaching Division I teams. When asked if any member has been found in violation of the rules, Nguyen said that he did not know and could not recall if he disciplined someone this past semester. However, former members corroborated that Nguyen removed one member in the last two weeks for missing an indoor meet on the weekend of Feb. 15. Senior sprinter Alex Rand (20B) told the Wheel that he believes the rules will foster a more positive environment. “When you think about it from [Nguyen’s] perspective, ... all of those rules are geared toward bringing us as athletes to the next level and bring in a
positive team culture,” Rand said. Natole noted that the burden of the coaches’ expectations falls disproportionately on athletes who have not previously been exposed to such rules. “[Nguyen] came into this program thinking that he was going to have athletes like he’s had in the past, but the issue is that he hasn’t adapted,” Natole said. “He’s training us as if we were at a Division I school.” Former 400-meter runner Alberto Bitar (22B), like other former team members, came to Emory under the impression that while his involvement on the team would constitute a large part of his life on campus, it would not come at the expense of other extracurricular activities. “They were trying to get into my social life and personal life, which I think a lot of people didn’t appreciate,” Bitar said. “You were expected to carry a persona around outside of the track, which is fine for a bigger program but for a program that is not that established I think it’s a little much.” Former short distance runner Emily Kastenberg (21C) had been running track competitively since she was in sixth grade, but she lost passion for the sport when the coaches’ expectations shifted. “Our coach freshman year [Jordan Hill] came at it with the approach that if you’re a Division III athlete, you chose it because you wanted to both have the student athlete experience but also be involved in things on campus,” Kastenberg said. While the new team environment was not for Kastenberg, she hopes that the expectation is clear for future
recruits when they are considering Emory as a place to continue their athletic experience. “I hope that the coaches are able to recruit incoming classes of track athletes that understand what the team is, what the team expectations are and what the team culture is,” Kastenberg said. “I think that’s how the team can build up from here.” As the team is considerably smaller than it was at the start of the year, former members anticipate that such an exodus will impact the success and future of the team. “The team is incredibly small right now,” Kastenberg said. “On one hand, it’s difficult logistically in terms of doing well as a team and scoring points at the track meets.” Fost noted that the team is in “the biggest transition” that the program has experienced in recent years, but he remains confident that the current expectations and leadership will enable the program to reach “elite status.” “[Nguyen] saw the resources at Division I teams, and he wanted that for us,” Fost said, noting that under Nguyen, the team received new team gear and athletic equipment. “These changes had to be made … in order to become a top program.” Nguyen acknowledged that it was important as a coaching staff to carry the same message across policies. “Assistant coaches tend to be more transient than head coaching positions in the NCAA. Many assistants want to be head coaches,” Nguyen said. “Hopefully, we can have some more continuity with our staff.” This year’s UAA Indoor Track and Field Championship meet will be held this upcoming weekend on Feb. 29 to March 1 in New York. The UAA caps each team at 25 entries; however, this year both women’s and men’s teams did not fill the rosters completely, taking 23 athletes from the women’s team and 22 athletes from the men’s team. Regarding the partially filled rosters, Nguyen did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
— Contact Madison Bober at madison.bober@emory.edu and Jessica Solomon at jessie.solomon@emory.edu
The Emory Wheel
Sports
Wednesday, February 26, 2020 | Sports Editor: Ryan Callahan (rjcalla@emory.edu) | Asst. Sports Editor: Jessica Solomon (jessie.solomon@emory.edu)
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
Senior Leaving with Well-Defined Legacy Rowley, Williams Speak To Tupanjanin’s Impact By Lynden Fausey Senior Staff Writer
As spring rapidly approaches, so does the dreaded end of Emory’s basketball season. The men’s team hopes to go out with a bang in the postseason to cap off a year of great basketball. Sitting at a record of 20-4 overall with one game left in the regular season, and ranking No. 8 in the nation, the Eagles have a high probability of progressing well into the postseason. For guard Nicholas “Nick” Tupanjanin (20C), the team’s lone senior, each game carries much more weight. Each could be his last. Tupanjanin officially joined Emory’s basketball team as a freshman, but even during recruitment, he remembers feeling like he was already part of the team. “That’s usually the case,” Tupanjanin said. “You kind of form a relationship with Coach [Zimmerman] beforehand. He wants to build relationships with you and wants you to build them with the rest of the team.” Initially, he was not the only member of his class on the team. Tupanjanin was one of two athletes recruited in his year. Colin, the other member of his class, transferred to Northwestern University (Ill.) partly through their sophomore year. Despite being the only member of his class, Tupanjanin has never felt overwhelmed by his responsibilities as a senior. “It hasn’t been hard, but it’s been interesting,” Tupanjanin said. “It’s an experience I’ve really valued, especially this year because I’m expected to step into more of a leadership role. There are normally four seniors on the team; it’s interesting stepping into that role as just one person.” Over his career, Tupanjanin has made appearances in 78 games. He averages 34.9% from the field and has scored 110 points, 61 of which he made during his first year in the program. He has also snagged 49 rebounds. Despite Tupanjanin’s limited impact on the court, his efforts have hardly been in vain. His real impact shines through in what he does off the court. “Tup is a huge part of our team and what we’ve been able to do this year,” said forward Lawrence Rowley (21B). “He’s been a great leader for us, and is loved and respected by everyone in our program.” This year, the team has proven to be a great defensive and offensive force. Over their 24 games this season, they have averaged 87.9 points per game, and on defense have averaged 42.4 rebounds per game. Their efforts on both ends of the court have led them to win 83.3% of their games. “We always say, ‘If it were easy, everyone would do it,’” Tupanjanin said. “The hardest thing for me has been adjusting to my different roles on the team. I had to find where I brought the most value to the team. My role changes every year, but that’s part of the fun of it. I always ask myself, ‘How
can I use my voice on the team and make an impact on and off the court?’” With Tupanjanin’s time at Emory coming to an end, the obvious question he faces is what he is going to leave behind. “Legacies aren’t for the person to decide,” Tupanjanin said. “Hopefully I don’t have too much say in what my legacy is. If I had to choose one thing, it would be our team’s motto, ‘T.C.C.’ It stands for trust, care and commitment. I hope that my legacy would be to push that to a higher standard. Every day I could trust my teammates, commit to them, and care for them.” Perhaps Tupanjanin is right when he says that it is not up to him to decide his legacy. But listening to his teammates makes it clear that he has succeeded in leaving behind the legacy toward which he strove. Guard Romin Williams (21B) hopes to continue on the traditions Tupanjanin has set. “My relationship with Nick goes beyond basketball practice and playing in games together,” Williams said. “We became friends in early 2017 when I first committed to Emory, and ever since, he’s been one of my best friends. Nick cares so much about his friends and his leadership speaks volumes to the Emory program. We’ll deeply miss him when he graduates, but he’ll always play an important role in my life.” According to guard Matthew Schner (21B), Tupanjanin began setting those team-first traditions the minute he came to Emory. “Nick is the ultimate teammate,” Schner said. “He truly cares about the individuals in our locker. He’s been a tremendous role model for my junior class since the day we stepped on Emory’s campus, shaping our program and making each of its members, including myself, better players, teammates, friends and people. I’m grateful to have Nick as our senior leader this year and I’m grateful for his friendship.” Most important to Tupanjanin’s career at Emory are his teammates. “This year there are 14 of us, and we spend so much time together,” Tupanjanin said. “People probably wonder why we don’t get sick of each other. It’s not something you’re going to get outside of college. All of our alumni are so active, so I won’t disappear. It will just be different being on the outside looking in.” Although things will change after Tupanjanin graduates, it is clear that his teammates will not easily forget his impact. Rowley believes that the friendship he has developed with Tupanjanin is a lifelong one. “Tup and I have been through a lot together,” Rowley said. “I can say, without question, that he’s one of my best friends, one of my favorite people to be around and the kind of teammate that anyone would be lucky to have.”
— Contact Lynden Fausey at lynden.fausey@emory.edu
Megan Yang/Contributing
Members of the Emory swimming and diving team compete in the Emory Invitational on Feb. 21 and 22. The team finished the Invitational in first place after winning every event.
Finding Home 8,000 Miles Away By Michael Mariam Contributing Writer
Jack Kelleher (22C) was only two years old when he started to swim. His mother, nervous about Kelleher drowning in the ocean, started his lessons at a young age. But the precautionary measures soon transformed into a passion for swimming. “I lived in New Zealand, and my parents were scared that if I did not know how to swim, I would drown in the ocean,” Kelleher said. “So I began to learn how to swim when I was really young.” Now a sophomore on Emory’s swimming and diving team, Kelleher competes in individual medley events. Kelleher’s hometown of Auckland, New Zealand lies over 8,000 miles away. He knew from a young age that he wanted to come to the U.S. for college, and that competing at the collegiate level would require him
to narrow down his sport of choice. At the time, he was an avid participant in basketball, rugby and swimming. He was 14 when he decided to pursue swimming, in which he displayed the most skill. It was one of the toughest decisions of his life, because he enjoyed playing all three sports, but he has not regretted it since. In 2015, Kelleher was selected to compete on the New Zealand Junior National team, an experience he enjoyed and took pride in as a national representative. As Kelleher approached graduation from Rosmini College, his high school, he faced another tough decision of selecting an undergraduate institution. College swimming works differently in New Zealand than in the U.S. in that only club teams exist. To compete on a varsity-style team, Kelleher knew he would have to swim in the U.S. For this reason, he never gave much thought to the many offers he received to swim at schools in New
Zealand. In the end, Emory was the best fit. “Emory provided the best balance between great academics and a really good swimming community,” Kelleher said. Transitioning from New Zealand to the U.S. was easier than he expected. The team welcomed Kelleher with open arms and made him feel at home from the moment he stepped on campus. In a team of upwards of 70 people, he was able to find his fit. Kelleher’s experience as a New Zealand swimmer differs little from those of his teammates who grew up in the U.S. One visible difference, he noted, is that swimming is treated as much more of a team sport in the U.S. than in New Zealand. “Even though I’m swimming and do a sport that’s extremely individualized in terms of racing, I love
See KELLEHER, Page 15
CALLAHAN’S CORNER
NFL Betrays Its Mission Again By Ryan Callahan Sports Editor
The NFL can’t stop getting in its own way. The league has already had a rocky season, highlighted by the potential relocation of the Los Angeles Chargers to England and a sham tryout for the disgraced quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Both instances violated the NFL’s mission and values, and now the proposed central bargaining agreement (CBA) betrays the organization’s efforts to lower injuries all for monetary gains. The CBA would expand the playoffs to include seven teams rather than the six it currently accommodates, and would increase the regular season to 17 games. It would also decrease the preseason from four to three games. Fans and players alike have advocated for a shortened preseason for some time now, claiming that the extra injury risk is not worth the low entertainment value. For the NFL, which has aimed to decrease injuries in recent years, this part of the CBA makes sense. They have altered kickoffs numerous times in the past few years to avoid big returns and big hits, outlawed several high-impact drills in May 2019, and are constantly tinker-
ing with helmets to make them safer. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, all parties involved in the CBA have already agreed to the revised playoff format. The players must still approve 17-game regular season, and the final vote has been delayed largely because of the opposition to the lengthened season.
The proposed central bargaining agreement (CBA) betrays the organization’s efforts to lower injuries all for monetary gains.
However, the CBA carries a great incentive for players: the proposed deal would increase the players’ revenue share from 47 percent to 48.5 percent — a $5 billion swing — it seems more than likely that the extended season will happen. A reduced preseason makes sense. The rest of the CBA, however, does not. Increasing the regular season to 17
games neither makes sense for logistics nor for safety. For one, an oddnumbered regular season would grant some teams an extra home game, creating an unfair advantage in tight playoff races. More importantly, an extra game welcomes greater opportunity to injure. For stars who often do not play in the final few games of the preseason, adding an extra game to the regular season after removing one from the preseason would actually raise the risk of injury. Expanding the playoffs also makes little sense for the same reason. The underlying motivation behind the new CBA is clear: profit. More games equal more revenue, and since the players would receive a higher portion of the NFL’s revenue under the proposed CBA, it only makes sense for them to eventually support its passage. I’m sure that most fans will love the extra football, especially for the playoffs. However, when the NFL says that it’s working to reduce injuries, only to propose a CBA that would increase the risk for players, it becomes clear that the league’s focus remains fixed on money, rather than on its players.
— Contact Ryan Callahan at rjcalla@emory.edu