Focus | Fall 2015 by Focus Magazine

a baylor university student publication | fall 2015

A WORD FROM THE EDITORS People often hear the phrase “I’m color blind” in reference to ethnic differences. We believe that color blindness is counterproductive. Our work is to nudge our culturally rich community into seeing in color. We are all different and that’s awesome. People often dance around topics like diversity, stereotypes and ethnicity. For this issue of Focus, we decided to put an end to side-stepping and jump right in. The Baylor and Waco communities are rich with diversity when you look closely. We chose to celebrate that by highlighting the different cultures around us and the way people keep them alive. Each time a Ballet Folklorico of Waco dancer spins, they add a brush stroke to the colorful ethnic canvas of these communities. Some people choose to add to the canvas by dressing differently, others by eating unique foods. That is what we hope you take away from this magazine. Each person, including you, plays a role in painting culture. It is up to you how to participate and honor others as they keep their culture vibrant even in the wake of oppression and prejudice. When looking at clothes, dance, food and other cultural representations, we loved hearing why people choose to go out of their way to participate in cultural traditions. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did. A special thanks to Julie Freeman, our adviser; Paul Carr, director of Student Publications; Sharon Bracken, Magazine and Feature Writing professor; and Rod Aydelotte, Photo II professor.

Magen Davis Editor

Maleesa Johnson Editor

ALI BROWN

AGE-OLD PROBLEM

KELSEY DEHNEL

A look into the origin and solutions of stereotyping.

REBECCA FLANNERY AMANDA HAYES

MATHIEU HODNETT AMANDA KARNEY

CULTURE IN STEP

Men and women dance to keep tradition alive.

CODY SOTO

ALL DRESSED UP

Some stick to a cultural style while others branch out.

TWO-WAY STREET

Foreign-born students share first impressions of the U.S.

OLIVIA WILLAIMS

REBECCA FLANNERY SARAH FORSMAN ALYSSA GONZALEZ MATHIEU HODNETT TREY HONEYCUTT ANNA JANE RIEHL HECTOR RODRIGUEZ

PHOTOGRAPHERS

setup

WRITERS

A DRIVING FORCE

CULTURAL CRAVINGS

The love of food knows no cultural barrier.

BEAUTY WITHOUT BORDERS

Discover new facts about women's crowning glory.

Sports brought them to Waco, and they have no regrets.

FAMILY FUSION

Multi-cultural families get a plethora of experiences.

WACO DRIVE

A look down Waco Drive surveys lifestyle differences.

Cover photos and design by Magen Davis and Maleesa Johnson

AN AGE-OLD PROBLEM Why we stereotype and how to fix it Q&A by Amanda Hayes “Some of my best friends are black.” “I know all about Asian culture from going to Asian Fest every year.” “Mexicans only hang out with each other. It’s like a clan.” In an age obsessed with political correctness and diversity, these far-fetched comments are just a few examples of people's attempts to justify their tendency to stereotype. Baylor sociology professor Dr. Jerry Park addresses these misguided attempts to bridge the gap of racial groups, and suggests more practical steps that can be taken to combat stereotypes. He breaks it down into three efforts: education, relationship and self-reflection. Park is an affiliate fellow for the Institute for Studies on Religion, co-adviser to the Asian Student Association, and conducts research on AsianAmerican stereotypes. In a TED Talk, “Why do we create stereotypes," psychologist Dr. Bloom argues that stereotypes are a natural human tendency. How do you respond to Dr. Bloom’s ideas? I don’t disagree with Dr. Bloom. I would agree that it’s probably a very deeply ingrained subconscious kind of reaction to stereotype. It’s probably a product of thousands and thousands of years of hunter-gatherers who were basically always looking out for possible enemies and threats to their community. This impulse to say, “That out-group over there is threatening to me,” winds up attaching itself to all kinds of images which form the stereotypes that we have today. As Bloom pointed out, the big challenge we have is we’re not hunter-gatherers anymore. We’re not living in 5000 BC. So, in 2015 CE, what exactly does that mean? What should we do with the stereotypes that continually haunt us and inhabit our thinking? Part of it is simply education. We want to learn about the reality that we have these very impulsive tendencies to stereotype and group people and push them away.

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How can education specifically be used as a tool to bring about equality? What we need to do, and I think this is the job of educators, is we want to encourage more folks to be aware of social inequalities that are tied to race. Sometimes that has nothing to do with culture. There are deeply set-in biases that are informing very important people at the local level that wind up having systemic effects on people based on their skin color... To what extent are police officers more likely, not always but more likely, to use lethal force simply because of their impulsive stereotypes of black people? So there’s been so much talk of unarmed African American men who pose no threat to law enforcement, and nevertheless they still took lethal force and killed a number of these people. Doesn’t mean white people are never shot at, they’re also targeted sometimes, but what they’re talking about is the

disproportion. This is all driven together as systemic forms of racism, all built off of stereotypes. Simply knowing about one of the dominant subcultures of African American life doesn’t necessarily make you more sensitive to all of these ways that systemic racism is affecting the lives of many African Americans.

immigrants or children of immigrants, I think the catch phrase there would be “foreigners.” So, basically, you’re not really an American, even though so many of them can easily trace three generations in the United States, minimum. But because their skin is darker from the dominant group, they are somehow seen as foreign. For Asian students, they also get the foreigner stereotype attached to them, or the “model minority” stereotype. This perception that they’re really good at math and science, so they create problems for others because they’re busting the curve. NonAsians, especially white students, often perceive that Asians cluster in groups. But the reality is, there’s a little bit of clustering, but everybody clusters. It’s just that when you’re a part of the dominant group, you don’t realize you take your group's clustering for granted. So all of a sudden when a minority group is doing it, it seems cliqueish or like a clan… In Waco community and its history of segregation for African Americans, I think African Americans in Waco are perceived as less competent and more prone to violence. Basically not very upwardly mobile, and therefore, there’s always a migration away from where the black community happens to be.

"As human beings in the 21st century, we can do better."

What’s the difference between prejudice and stereotyping? I tell students that stereotyping is the mental image, and prejudice is the collection of attitudes you might have. In the image-centered, media-saturated culture we’re in today, stereotypes are like pictures. Prejudicial attitudes are reflections of what you think of that person based on that image. Do they work hard? Do they make the right choices? Do they convey likeability? Those are your prejudices, and that’s attached to whatever images you may have based on that person’s skin color. What are some specific ways in which an education at Baylor helps students to be more culturally aware? Right now the faculty is having a discussion of recruiting a chief diversity officer. That officer could implement shifts in the curriculum. As far as I know, the class I teach in Race and Ethnicity is one of the only classes like it in the entire curriculum. So, 35-40 students each semester out of several thousand have any awareness of racial inequality and how it works in contemporary American society. So a chief diversity officer could initiate curricular change where in your first two years you take a diversity required course, and give a few options. That would be one way to do something more systematic.

In Waco and Baylor communities in particular, are there any major stereotypes? Time and time again I find that African American students are still facing the same stereotypes that they are students recruited as a result of affirmative action, that they are likely here on student athlete scholarship, even though the vast majority are not. They came in on their own merits. It had nothing to do with affirmative action. Latino students are often perceived as either

Dr. Jerry Park

Photo by Sarah Forsman

What role do relationships play in the way we form stereotypes? Sociologists have been saying this since the 1950s, contact with members of perceived out-groups becomes really key to reducing our prejudices. I don’t know if it necessarily changes stereotypes, but it at least addresses our attitudes about these groups. What sociologists since the '50s have qualified this with is, it isn’t enough to have contact with the outgroup, the contact has to be of equal status... Newer research argues that it’s not enough to say that contact helps, or contact with higher-status helps, it’s got to be more than token or symbolic. You’ve probably heard this phrase, “Some of my best friends are black.” What they are pointing out, oftentimes, is I know one person in my network of friends who is of a different race. What ends up happening in our stereotypes, is that person becomes the exception to the stereotype you already have to a particular out-group. You’re not really engaged in the world that many African Americans, for example, might inhabit, and the kinds of inequalities they face on a day-to-day basis. Contact with the network of people of a different out-group would probably be a step forward.

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Photos by Magen Davis and Maleesa Johnson

For a reader who’s thinking, ‘Maybe I stereotype more than I think,’ are there any more steps you suggest someone take to monitor their tendency to stereotype? Practice self-reflection. Rather than immediately running with your first thought on a particular minority group, pause and acknowledge, “Oh, I’m running on a stereotype.” Then, think again, what would it look like if I didn’t work with this stereotype in mind about this person? Maybe you can avoid those slip-ups in conversations where you make an assumption about somebody from a

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particular background. The task of overcoming your prejudices is really, really hard, but I think this is the grand work of being part of civilization in the 21st century. We’re supposed to be better than what our hunter-gatherer sensibilities programmed us to be. I want to believe we are capable of overcoming that. We are resilient. As human beings in the 21st century, we can do better. Let’s help each other to be that way and have compassion for those who are trying and still mess up. Express some charity without giving in… I think we forgive others, without forgetting that we’re aiming for an equal and tolerant society.

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All Dressed Up a look at cultural clothes

Story by Amanda Karney

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Photos by Hector Rodriguez and Alyssa Gonzalez

ultural identity plays a key role in the Latino community with certain traditions that are slowly evolving over time. Established in 1999, Vanessa’s boutique sells countless quinceañera and prom dresses. Much like any regular dress store, the company receives orders from numerous designers to give customers a custom look to their specific dress. However, Vanessa’s Boutique not only sells custom-made dresses, they also take the role of planning the entire event, and being a part of the special day, especially for a young lady’s quinceañera. A quinceañera is a 15th birthday celebration of a girl entering womanhood, a common tradition among many Latin American countries. Sandy Gonzalez, a part-time sales associate at Vanessa’s, started her job there after her quinceañera in high school and said she has noticed a change in traditions and the way people plan each individual party. Much like a wedding, these celebrations have a color scheme and are strategically planned out around the budget and mainly the dress. But the style of dresses and the way people celebrate this holiday varies from family to family. “Now the dresses are multi-colored. It’s not just a white or pink dress,” Gonzalez said. The quinceañera celebration has changed even in the last few years. Girls are beginning to wear cowboy boots or Vans for a more casual feel to the party itself. Others will buy two dresses, one for the religious ceremony and another for the party afterwards, Gonzalez said. Working at Vanessa’s for roughly seven years, Gonzalez has become fascinated with the differences in traditions and what is accepted today for a typical quinceañera celebration. She enjoys helping people and giving advice to young girls who were just like her, eager to plan a fancy celebration.

Photos by Maleesa Johnson

For Shegufta Upama, a Baylor freshman from Bangladesh, wearing a hijab is a daily and necessary task that is a huge part of how she practices her faith. “I do it because I am Muslim,” Upama said. “I’ve submitted my will to God and God commands Muslim women to cover themselves up, and that’s why I do it.” A hijab is a head covering commonly worn by Muslim women. Many Muslim American women wear the hijab with common American-style clothing and shoes. Upama does not follow what is popular and is in no way forced to wear a hijab, despite the many stereotypes that Muslim women are always under forceful rule, especially by men. “I don’t do it because someone is forcing me, or because it is a cultural symbol,” she said. “I just do it because I’m Muslim.” Deciding to attend a Christian university while also practicing the Islam faith is a struggle for Upama, who said she feels alienated and out of place sometimes because there are very few practicing Muslims. She came to the U.S. to get a good education and to be closer to some relatives in Texas, including her older sister who will be arriving in months to come. Her parents suggested she attend a school near someone she knows in order to have a little bit of home in America. Although still a devout Muslim, she said she has compromised in terms of what she chooses to wear because of the environment here in America. “If I was in my hometown, I would wear the abaya, the black cloak,” she said. “I just thought it would be too much for people to accept it here.” The abaya is a long dress that fits loosely and completely covers the body from head to toe, leaving a window for the eyes. She continues to accompany her hijab with American clothes that fully cover her arms and legs as well as American style shoes to fit in more on campus. Although she hasn’t had anyone point it out, Upama said students will turn their heads when they see that she wears a hijab to class. She says she notices a general “islamophobic” attitude in the news media. Despite the obvious contrast between what she practices and what Baylor students are used to, she said she enjoys her time at Baylor. “For the most part, you know, the classes are great. I love my professors. People are so nice.”

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Photos by Magen Davis

In contrast, Felicia Patel doesn’t feel the need to wear her cultural garb every day. The Baylor junior from northern California wears traditional Indian clothing during special occasions with her family to keep her culture alive. Many of her peers and people around her do not question her cultural clothing because it is not seen on a daily basis. Only people who know her background will take interest in the subject. Patel said she has been wearing traditional Indian clothing ever since she can remember and is comfortable in this clothing, especially around those who dress like her. “They help remind me of where I come from and my cultural background,” she said. Identifying herself as a Hindu, Felicia would wear a sari for cultural reasons, rather than religious. A sari is a long garment, usually hand-woven and made of silk or cotton that is draped around the body, usually made in vibrant colors and typically worn by women. Most of her extended family in the U.S. and the UK also continue these traditions but do not wear them daily, except some of her grandparents who are native-born Indians. A sari can also be used for traditional three-day Indian weddings where the bride will wear red, instead of the American traditional white dresses. Additionally, women will wear lots of jewelry, sparkly bracelets and temporary henna tattoos to complement the vibrant-colored fabric that makes up a sari and to bring good luck to the bride. For special occasions like these, Patel and her family will stay in cultural clothing. “We don’t wear them to the mall and stuff,” she said. Patel said she hopes to continue celebrating her culture and potentially raise her children in the same way she was raised. She said she feels that many traditions and culture become lost when people assimilate with American culture or try to fit in with the norm. Patel said she would still like to fit in without losing her cultural identity. “Everyone wants to fit in,” she said.

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CULTURE IN STEP Dance as an outlet for ethnic expression Story and Photos by Mathieu Hodnett

ith the swirl of each skirt and the tap of each foot the audience becomes more and more entranced by the dancers. The vibrant colors of the skirts come together into a rainbow that is as diverse as the various cultures the Ballet Folklorico in Waco represents. The organization's variety of distinct costumes takes the audience on an adventure to the historic past of Mexico. In that exact moment the audience could be watching the intricate folklorico dance style from the state of Veracruz and become immersed in the culture. There are many cultures throughout the globe that are distinctly different from one another. Not only are the cultures different, but also the way that the cultures are expressed through dance is contrasting. There are so many cultures, varying from Mexican, Vietnamese and Indian that all have distinct dancing styles. These diverse styles of dancing allow for each culture to share and express the heritage of that culture to others in a community. For traditional Indian dance, the style is focused on hand gestures and being solid as opposed to the more fluid and modern style of Bollywood dance. Pearland junior Aliza Rahman, who is part of the Baylor Taal has learned a lot about traditional Indian dance in being a part of the Bollywood fusion organization. “For me I never had professional training. I learned a lot of things about the Bollywood side and classical side of Indian dance. So I learned classical dances, I learned classical hand movements and I learned different styles of Indian dance,” she says. For the Vietnamese style of dance, the emphasis is not on a specific motion or hand movement. What sets this culture apart from others is that the Vietnamese style of dance is largely influenced by the use of props. “It’s more about the props. We used umbrellas and rice hats in our last performance,” says Katy junior Brian Nguyen,

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the cultural chair for the Baylor Vietnamese Student Association. Cultures can also have varying dances depending on which state or region they may be from. For example, different Mexican states have different costumes and dance styles depending on the region. One state may have more elaborate costumes and intricate steps opposed to another state. “The different dances, and even down to the costumes, where in certain regions are a little more influential than others. Everything varies from state to state," says Alicia Pesina of the Ballet Folklorico in Waco on the variety of dances among Mexican states. Even though these cultures are distinctly different from one another stylistically, the passion to perform is one unifying trait. Nguyen hopes that when the audience sees the Vietnamese Student Association perform, the group can share Vietnamese culture with the people who may have never seen it before. “I want them to see how entertained we are doing the dance and how fun Vietnamese music is. Vietnam has a cool culture and it is also fun,” he says. For the Ballet Folklorico group, sharing the vibrant Mexican culture with the audience is important to the organization. “It’s something that’s unique, not only to our culture, but people come from all walks of life and see this and are like woah," Pesina said, "It blows their mind because they aren’t used to seeing stuff like that now because it’s such a traditional style of dance.” Being a part of a cultural dance group can also bring someone closer to their culture. Rahman feels that by joining Baylor Taal she feels closer to her culture even though she is separate from her Indian community back in Houston while she’s in school. “Being away from home and not being able to see my family does kind of separate that culture. Because I’m independent I have to worry about still being apart of something here similar to culture definitely makes me feel at home,” Rahman says. Even though organizing and choreographing for these cultural dance groups are a serious amount of work, the results are worth it. “It’s definitely a lot of work to keep traditions alive, but we want the audience to take away the fact that our culture is very colorful and still has a lot to offer. And there is still a lot people can learn about it," Pesina says.

"Keep traditions alive."

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Culture Shock It's a two-way street

Story by Kelsey Dehnel

magine leaving your entire life behind, everything you know, to attend school in a different country. You go from being with your family and friends every day to being surrounded by strangers and strange things. When people immigrate to America, they sometimes struggle to assimilate into American culture. Many face stereotypes and prejudices when they first come. The cultural differences between America and other nations can seem significant upon arrival to a new place. Jessica Abraham was born in Kodaikanal, India, and is a junior at Baylor. Not only were her family values tremendously different from those which are common in America,but the way she dresses reflects the environment she was raised in. Abraham grew up in a culture where dressing modestly is seen as a simple sign of respect. Moving to America, she thought girls would dress differently, but

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says she wasn’t prepared for some of it. “I knew girls did wear shorter stuff, but nights where there were parties, it was kind of shocking to see what some girls were wearing,” she said. Bill Nguyen followed the same mindset that Abraham had coming to America. Nguyen was originally born in Hanoi, Vietnam, and moved to America in 2009. Tony Lupieri, born in Zagreb, Croatia, was also shocked about the way Americans dress. Along with the shock of the amount of clothing American girls wear, came an expected stereotype that Abraham said she believes is true. “A lot of people think Americans are ignorant and that’s something that’s been confirmed,” she said. There have been multiple occasions in her experience at Baylor that have upheld that stereotype. “One time a girl asked me if India had schools, and I was like,

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‘It’s taking every bone in my body to not punch you in the face,’” Abraham said. Abraham is able to find a great deal of humor in the lack of knowledge of a few Americans. “Another girl asked if I rode an elephant to school, and I was so done that I was just like ‘No, I don’t, but do you know someone that does and can I have his number? I’d love an elephant!’” Abraham said one of the things she expected was more freedom when it comes to everyday life. There is a lot less discipline in American families compared to how it is in India, she said. On the other end of the spectrum, Lupieri said parents in America have a lot more say in their kids’ lives than in Croatia. “I feel like people here, their parents are making decisions for them all the time, even small decisions,” Lupieri said. While there may be less discipline when comparing India to America and more parent involvement when comparing Croatia to America, overall there is an equal amount of culture shock for Lupieri and Abraham. Lupieri moved to America in January of 2013 and is now a senior at Baylor. He grew up in a comparatively liberal environment, so the move to Waco was a huge shock for him, he said. “[I] didn’t know that American people were so religious,” Lupieri said. “Some people are not going

out, some people don’t drink. In Europe that’s just funny.” Even though Lupieri had a bit of a difficult time adjusting to a more conservative environment, he said people around him have made it easier. “You guys are very polite,” Lupieri said. “You really care about making people around you feel good.” Nguyen, on the other hand, said that Americans are less family-oriented and more individualistic. In Vietnam, it is common for grandparents to live with the family, but he doesn’t see that in America. Nguyen said Americans have a different mindset than Vietnamese people. “Americans are a lot about money, really wealthminded,” he said. “People are rich and being rich is a good thing. People praise rich people.” “In Vietnam, college is viewed as a really academic time, but for me, college has been that as well as community time and finding out what I want to do and what I don’t want to do in the future.” Despite the occasional culture shock and ignorant comments from Americans, Abraham, Lupieri and Nguyen said they are happy with their decision to come to America. While there are times the transition could have been made much easier by Americans, they all said this is where they’re supposed to be for now.

"One time a girl asked me if India had schools . . . Another girl asked if I rode an elephant to school."

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Cultural

ravings

Missing home, but mainly the meals

Story by Ali Brown

he U.S. does things differently. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why it is not surprising that students from different countries miss traditions from home. Traditions that include the intake of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For people like Morten Aagesen, who is a foreign exchange student at Baylor University this fall, the lack of foreign foods means no meal is like his mother makes him at home in Aarhus, Denmark. The lack of variety also serves as a reminder of everything from when a meal is eaten to what foods are served at breakfast. Americans know no boundaries when it comes to breakfast. They have made breakfast a sport and we are good at it. They will have anything from coffee to extravagant buffets with eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, gravy, sausage, fruit, yogurt, cereal, and pastries of every shape and size. However, other countries do not participate in this sport as the U.S. does. According to Lucie Dott, a native of Strasbourg, France, located in the Alsace region, the French keep it simple with a cup of coffee and something light.

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Photos by Maleesa Johnson

“I just eat cereal or I drink juice,” she said. “We don’t really eat salty things like bacon or eggs.” “It’s really different,” Aagesen said. “We have something sort of like cereal but it’s really healthy. Some people eat cereal. Older people will have a bun maybe, but we don’t have a lot of scrambled eggs and bacon. Some people even skip breakfast.” He chooses to forgo coffee and just eat something small. “Everybody drinks coffee except for me,” Aegesen said. Despite his aversion to coffee, he doesn’t think much of the coffee here and said Danish coffee is stronger. Although eating small breakfasts is common in Europe, this trend does not extend to the Middle East. Shirin Soleimani spent much of her childhood in Iran but now lives in Houston and attends Baylor University. “We have huge breakfasts: eggs, cheese, tea and everything,” Soleimani said. Lunch is lunch. It may be a little bit later during the day in

some places or a little bit heavier in others, but the meal generally falls in the middle of the day and is comprised of nutritious meals that have meat as the main ingredient whether it’s by itself, on a sandwich or mixed into something. “You have to actually get lunch. Lunch is really weird here. You just have sandwiches,” Aagesen said. “My favorite food for lunch is leverpostej that you put on bread.” Leverpostej is a Danish liver pate often placed on top of Danish rye bread, another favorite of Aagesens. “I don’t like that much greasy food coming from Europe. My parents make really traditional foods so I tend to like those.” “Usually you have four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and then afternoon tea, which you usually get a cake or something from the bakery especially if you’re off of school or work, and then of course you have dinner,” he said. Afternoon tea is not limited to hot beverages. Aagesen’s favorite part of afternoon tea is the food. “We don’t have brunch but we do have something similar, but it is between lunch and dinner,” Soleimani said. “We serve tea and crackers and cheese.” Afternoon tea is an everyday occurrence in Persian culture as well. Historically, this isn’t much of a surprise considering that tea is one of the main staples in the Middle East. “We drink a lot of tea. We have special teapots and glasses and trays. My mom will drink tea when she wakes up, with her lunch, after lunch, all the time. Instead of water she drinks tea.” Although lunch is a larger part of the day in some cultures, typically dinner is the main meal of the day in Iran. “It takes a lot of preparation,” Soleimani said. “My mom starts the day before to marinate the meat and let the rice soak in water. I never have time. All of our dishes are very time consuming and I don’t have all the stuff for it.” Soleimani attributes the importance of dinner to the importance of family in Persian culture. Aagesen also said dinner was the most important meal with his family. He said dinner was fairly similar every night in that it was typical Danish food

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made by his mother, yet “the young people in Denmark make a lot of international food.” Just as meals share common similarities and differences between countries and cultures, staple foods change from region to region. In Denmark, potatoes are eaten with almost every meal and are typically eaten with pork, Aegesen said. “There are 30 million pigs and a population of five million people,” Aegesen said. “That’s six pigs for every person. Denmark is famous for bacon, really all kinds of meat.” In addition to the large amount of tea that is consumed in Iran, Soleimani said rice is a large component to meals. Dott said she attributes Strasbourg’s large amount of sauerkraut and sausage among other meats to the German influence. Her favorite food is a specialty of Alsace called tarte flambée. “It is like a pizza but it is not the same because the crust is thinner and we put sour cream, onions, and bacon on it,” she said. “ A lot of restaurants only do that. They put it on the table and we share it with everyone.” On the fancier side, Dott likes a dish that many Americans think of as a common French food. “Foie gras is eaten for Christmas and only around Christmas because it’s really expensive,” Dott said. Holiday meals are found across cultures and are specific to the region and typically the season. “We don’t use religion that much so we don’t have holidays all the time,” Aagesen said.

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“My favorite dish is a rice stew, we call it risgørd. It’s made during Christmas time to keep the elves from teasing you.” Although this special meal is made during the holidays, Aagesen has his mother make it for him year round. “We have roasted pork with the skin still on it and you roast it so the skin gets really crispy,” he said. “At Christmas we also have caramelized potatoes. Danish food is not that healthy, especially on holidays.” Danish birthdays are celebrated with special cakes called lagekage that is a layered cake with cream and berries in between each layer. Iranians also celebrate holidays with special foods. “We have this type of rice that’s called dill rice,” Soleimani said. “It looks green but has vegetables in it and it’s served with salmon. That’s for our New Year’s because we have our own New Year’s.” On the longest night of the year, Yalda, Iranians celebrate by staying up late, drinking tea and eating watermelon. “We usually eat watermelon in the winter,” Soleimani said. “It’s tradition to eat watermelon.” Every culture has different traditions and many of them happen to involve foods. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are just a few ways each person identifies with his or her culture.

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A DRIVING FORCE

Photo by Cody Soto

How sports impacted two people's choice to live in the US

Story by Cody Soto Mate Zsiga is from Szeged, Hungary. Van Davis is from Thailand. Zsiga is physically overpowering at 6-foot-2. Davis is a pint-sized 5-foot even. Zsiga grips a tennis racket. Davis wears knee pads for the volleyball court. Although each individual is different in stature and purpose, their love and involvement with sports has brought them to Waco, Texas. After years of adjusting to life in the U.S., their advice is the same: do not be afraid. “I thought I had a lot of burdens on my shoulders,

and (moving to the U.S.) was not the best thing that I could have done,” Zsiga said. “But if you have a chance to take a risk and go for it, just do it. Don’t hesitate because if you do, then you’ll be too careful. Then, you already lost.” Like Zsiga, Davis had to take her own advice when she moved to the United States for the first time. Davis became a U.S. citizen when she was 15 years old, leaving behind her native home of Thailand and everything she knew, including soccer. “When I first came to the states, some neighbors asked me if I wanted to play football,” Davis said.

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point, and think of the opposite. I didn’t know anything,” Davis said. “When I first moved, my goal in life was to finish high school, get a job at a fast food place, save up for a year and fly home.” It wasn’t until a few years passed that she discovered her niche in her high school: sports. For the first time since moving from Thailand, she finally left her fear of living in the U.S. behind. She finally realized she felt like an American. “Once I found sports, I felt like I was excelling. Everyone knew who (Van) was, so that gave me an “in” to friendships, teachers and just being accepted into a new place,” Davis said. “I realized I had an opportunity to go to college. I didn’t see that my freshman year. Sports connected me to everyone at that school and gave me a future.” Forty years later, Davis has established herself as one of Central Texas’ most prominent volleyball figures. After a coaching stint at her alma mater, Western New Mexico University, Davis came to Waco in 1999 and helped establish the Waco Juniors Volleyball Club for every girl to have a chance to play club ball. “This community did not have (club) volleyball, and we were the only club in Central Texas,” Davis said. “That was cool to see we created this volleyball community. Now, three other clubs spawned from it. I love challenges, and that was fun to coach, direct and be a part of.” Zsiga came to the United States 41 years after Davis, but unlike her, he knew from the beginning the U.S. was where he needed to be. In 2011, he was recruited to play for Baylor’s men’s tennis team, a 21-time Big 12 championship program. Zsiga’s decision to play collegiate tennis in the U.S. was influenced by Baylor head coach Matt Knoll’s visit to Hungary.

Photos by Trey Honeycutt

“They start throwing this ball, and I was waiting for the round soccer ball, but they didn’t know what soccer was. I grew up playing that and not much of anything else.” She was shocked to learn that soccer was not as popular in America. But going to high school in Tombstone, N.M., forced Davis to learn other sports, and she quickly became a multi-sport athlete playing volleyball, basketball and running track. To Davis, this learning process was different but exciting. “I was forced to play other sports, and that’s when I got into volleyball, basketball and track,” Davis said. “Sports came pretty easy, especially volleyball.” Davis was stuck between two decisions when she was 15: staying in Thailand and passing up an opportunity for higher education, or take the risk and live in the United States. At first, Davis couldn’t wait to go back to Thailand after high school graduation. However, three years of living in America changed her mentality. “Imagine everything in your life up until that

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Left: Van Davis, a lifetime fitness professor, winds up to hit the ball during one of her classes. Above: Davis coaches her class.

Photo by Cody Soto

Mate Zsiga, also pictured on page 17, hails from Hungary and came to the US for tennis. He still resides Waco even though he no longer plays competitively.

“Two coaches came to Hungary just to talk to me: one from Michigan and Coach Knoll,” Zsiga said. “Coach Knoll is about fitness, and I knew it was going to be hard, but I wanted something like this, and it really worked out for me. After four years of being here, I definitely think I made the right decision.” Born in Germany but of Hungarian heritage, Zsiga enjoys cross-culture environments, and the United States is a good example of it, he said. He speaks three different languages: English, German and Hungarian, and he likes to bring his multi-cultural persona to the tennis court. “I always feel like there’s something German in me,” Zsiga said. “I was born there, I went to school there, and my whole mind and attitude is kind of like a German on the tennis court. The German tennis system is really good, and it helped me a lot.” His multicultural influences didn’t end with him coming to America. Playing on a team with multiple tennis players from Europe, South America and the U.S., he was constantly learning with his teammates about their own backgrounds. “We all put something different on the table, and it makes Baylor tennis special,” Zsiga said. “Diversity from that many countries is special. It doesn’t always make it the same thing.” The United States allows Zsiga and Davis to interact with multiple cultures. Davis enjoys the fusion of the American lifestyle with her heritage. In fact, she enjoyed it so much that she didn’t return home as often as she originally planned to. “Going back (the first time), it was almost a shock to me,” Davis said. “You get used to the culture here.

You get used to driving everywhere. Over there, you walk everywhere or take the metro now. There’s no comparison to Thailand.” American culture may have been hard for both Zsiga and Davis to adjust to at first, but they found themselves a part of something new, a part of a new culture. “Sports is much more than wins and losses,” she said. “When I coach, it’s never about that, it’s about everything else, all the small things. Volleyball will stop, but life goes on, and the lessons will continue. It’s so important.” Zsiga will graduate from Baylor in May with a corporate communications degree, and Davis is spending her 16th year as assistant director for fitness and nutrition at the McLane Student Life Center. Both credit their moves to the United States for the opportunities given to them. “I wouldn’t be where I’m at without my (American) education,” Davis said. “We hear that America is the land of opportunity all the time, but it really is. You can do just about anything if you put your mind to it. Back home, you don’t have this kind of opportunity. It gets you to appreciate it.” In the end, Zsiga and Davis’s experiences in the United States left an impact on their heart, something they didn’t except when packing up their bags to move to a foreign country in 1972 and 2011. The American sports culture made the difference. “I won’t put (my racket) down ever; it’s always going to be with me, so I’m never going to hang that on the wall,” Zsiga said. “This is what I do, and this is why I’m halfway across the world. This brought me here, and this sport defined my life.”

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beauty without borders

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We asked six ethnically different women to talk about their hair. As one of the visual markers of race, hair plays a big part in personal and cultural expression. In America, people have faced years of discrimination for their hair. Stereotypes include the 'dumb blonde,' 'redheads have no souls,' and the 'nappy-headed afro-American.' Some people change their hair to express themselves while others change it to escape from prejudice. However it is worn, hair can and should be an outlet of personal, cultural and social expression. Photos by Rebecca Flannery

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rae jefferson anna jane riehl Some of my family originates from the British Isles . . . where some people are fair and blonde.

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Natural hair is a huge part of black culture. I like to think my hair pays homage to the innate beauty and strength that isn't always ascribed to black women in society.

taylor griffin It's what makes me unique and is a visual extension of my personality.

sarah pyo Hair has just always been the easiest way to express myself.

jasmine wise

sarah scales

I love my hair. It causes society to think about what is beautiful and acceptable in hairstyles.

I like that my hair kind of fits both Mexican and white texture and color.

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Courtesy Photo

the nowlin family

family fusion Story by Olivia Williams In Waco and on Baylor’s campus, there are many people with multiethnic and multicultural backgrounds. Family Fusion focuses on the benefits and struggles of living in multiracial households.

• Focus Fall 2015

Kiara Nowlin, a gymnast on the Baylor University Acrobatics and Tumbling team, is the proud daughter of a multiracial household. Her mother is black, Puerto Rican and Cuban, and her father is of Irish descent. Nowlin also has Native American roots among her melting pot of cultures as well. Growing up, Nowlin lived a typical American lifestyle, but was taught to appreciate and love every aspect of who she is and where she comes from. “The funny thing is, I’m so many different races that not one was truly focused on,” Nowlin said. “But part of my mom’s side speaks Spanish, so I took some Spanish classes to be able to converse with them growing up. And then being African American I grew up learning the history.” Nowlin is from Oxnard, California, and she has watched her extended family’s cultures mix with many American ways of life because of where they live, just as she has in California and in Waco. “Even where both sides of the families live is very different as far as accents go and lifestyle and the culture,” Nowlin said. “East Coast is very different from the Midwest so it’s funny.” In addition to growing up with parents of different races, she has experienced diversity in her own relationships. For example, her boyfriend is of Western European descent, and they see interracial relationships as a positive thing. “I definitely view it as a positive thing,” Nowlin said. “Growing up, I didn’t have friends whose parents were of different races, so I thought it was awesome. I think it makes our family so interesting. I love our dynamic.” Nowlin takes pride in who she is and looks forward to seeing extended family and the traditions they have, like speaking Spanish or eating “soul food.” She is planning on taking a trip to Ireland with her grandfather, and she hopes to learn more about that side of her family’s journey.

Courtesy Photo

Gabby Daniels’ parents met when her mother’s brother befriended Gabby’s father as they trained and competed together for Ironman Triathlon events. Her mother was born and lived in Chile until she was 30, while her father is from Kentucky. Daniels visits her family in Chile every year, and her grandmother, who speaks only Spanish, visits for six months every year as well, bringing culture to her home in Houston. “Cooking was always one of my favorite things,” Daniels said. “My grandmother will cook empañadas, mote, ceviche, all that type of stuff, so I love when she visits.” Daniels has spoken Spanish her whole life, and although she finds pride in it now, she didn’t have the same attitudes at a younger age. “When I was younger, I felt so embarrassed because we’d be in a public place and she’d speak Spanish on the phone,” Daniels said. At first, she thought it was important that her mother speak only English in America, “but now it’s weird because I speak Spanish too, and it’s different now.” Because of her background, Daniels sees relationships like the ones her parents have as a positive thing, and she has learned to enjoy her Chilean background and culture and embrace her Hispanic roots. “I feel like it’s a good thing for people to come from a multiracial background because it’s going to lessen prejudice if it’s harder to guess what ethnicity somebody truly is.”

the van gorder family Christian van Gorder, a professor in the religion department at Baylor, has been married to his wife Vivian for nine years. The two met while van Gorder was a guest lecturer in Nigeria, where Vivian was his tour guide. For each side’s family, race was never an issue because they all share the same set of religious beliefs and moral values. “When I approached my future father-in-law about the subject and said, ‘do you think it’s going to be a problem that we’re from different cultures and countries and ethnicities’ and he looked at me like, ‘well you’re both Christian, so that’s what matters.’” They both enjoy sharing their heritage with each other and their three children, Tatijana, Gretchen and Andrew. Van Gorder grew up in Pittsburgh, and his mother was from Alsace-Lorraine, a territory on the French and German border. To the van Gorders, teaching their children about their background takes crucial part in being who they are. They use traditions to teach their kids about their cultural backgrounds and how to appreciate them. “It’s essential because heritage is a resource, it’s a way that they can be proud about themselves, and it’s a way they can understand themselves and that their connections are far bigger than they are,” Christian said. For Vivian, the idea of activities was usually centered on school and church, so the American athletic programs and lessons was culturally different. “I think it’s mostly important to understand where they’re coming from,” she said. “We will certainly let them have American cultures too, but just don’t forget where they’re from so that they value those things and have an appreciation of their family.” “Life is never boring because we’re always learning about each other’s cultures and it’s always interesting, and we’re always learning new things,” van Gorder said. “That’s what makes our marriage wonderful. There are far more benefits than difficulties.” Courtesy Photo

the daniels family

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Weaving throug

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Waco Drive Story by Rebecca Flannery

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Photo by Magen Davis

ugh

journey from one end of Waco Drive to the other provides a survey of the city’s historical imagery. From the wide-open spaces of Hewitt and Woodway, to the mid-century, faded residences from 40th to 4th Street, to the splintered government housing on the opposite side of the Brazos in East Waco – with every turn of the wheel, cultural, ethnic, and economic partitions arise. While all the residents have a unique story from each segment of the Drive, the separations in socioeconomic situations seem to group certain families together. When thinking of Woodway, affluent communities come to mind. In contrast, the community in East Waco is historically of a lower socioeconomic background. While these stereotypes seem to segregate Waco Drive, families all along the road have several more commonalities than expected. Situations like these lend themselves to the age-old mantra; “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Josh and Jess McCormick live at the end of Waco Drive in Woodway with their two sons, Jake and Drew. The couple met and dated while at Baylor, where they both graduated in 2002. Because they were offered jobs in Waco after graduation, they said they had no reason to leave the city. “We’ve always seen Waco as a great place to live and were always wanting a reason to stay,” Josh said. “Things went so well with those jobs early on, we never really had any need to move.” So, buying their first home in 2003 next to Richland Mall was a no-brainer for the McCormicks. Five years later, Toph and Melissa Whisnant moved to Waco, in the middle of Waco Drive. “I was finishing seminary at Truett and Melissa had a good job,” Toph said. “We didn’t think we’d actually be here too long.” The Whisnants were attending University Baptist Church during the time they were planted in Waco. They

• Focus Fall 2015

A look at one of the longest streets in Waco

Photo by Rebecca Flannery

Right: Anita Rice shows off her hair salon, Motions, located off of Waco Drive. Below: The Whisnants clean their kitchen in their home located in the middle of Waco Drive. Photo by Rebecca Flannery

both said the church was one of the main reasons for staying in the area. “Our friends refer to it as ‘The Waco Suck,’” Toph said. He explained that eventually, people find something that sucks them in and keeps them in Waco – whether it’s a job, church or a relationship. While they said they never thought they’d end up staying, they’ve now lived here for seven years with no plans to uproot anytime soon. Over in East Waco during this time, Anita Rice had been maintaining a business since graduating from McLennan Community College in 1994. “My sister’s friend was doing this at the time [when I graduated from MCC],” Rice said. “She encouraged me to try it, and I thought, ‘The only time I’ve done someone’s hair was in high school.’” After earning a cosmetology certification, Rice worked at Kathy’s Salon, right down the road from Motions. She rented the space for years before buying the building – which she deemed Motions. “We’re always busy here,” Rice said. “We

have the best customers in Waco.” The McCormicks, Whisnants and Rice all consider Waco to be their home as they drive daily down Waco Drive to get where they need to be. They make their livelihood and invest in relationships all over town, but will ultimately return to their respective corridors along the Drive. As time goes by, they experience the joy, the fright and the accomplishments that come with living and working here. For the McCormicks, moving to Woodway was influenced by a desire for exceptional education opportunities for their children. “Our decision to move was really based on our family situation,” Josh said. “Our oldest was three years old and we realized Kindergarten wasn’t too far off. Most of our friends in Waco who have kids were looking for private schools or hoping to be selected for good charter schools. Jess and I both believe in the importance of education and want our children to be in the best situation to excel.” Moving to a neighborhood in Woodway transitioned them into an area for zoning at

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Photos by Anna Jane Riehl and Rebecca Flannery

Midway ISD – one of the top-tier public schools in the state, according to their website. For the Whisnants, who have no kids, zoning is not much of a priority. Something they did seek out, however, was a safe neighborhood. In the spring of 2013, the Whisnant’s house in Dean Highland was broken into and left for them to find ransacked. Melissa said it was one of the most horrific experiences they’ve ever been through. “They had gone through everything,” Melissa said. “I just felt so violated knowing they took their time going through every room of the house, through my drawers and taking my grandmother’s jewelry.” When they moved to their current house off of central Waco Drive, they made safety their first priority. They installed an intelligent security system and have put it to good use. Since living in the new house, they’ve had one attempted break in over the course of a Christmas holiday. “It was a very common occurrence in our old neighborhood,” Melissa said. “Houses along that street got broken into all the time.” About four years ago, a series of new residents filled apartments near Rice’s salon. She said due to the change in management of the complex, the vetting process was most likely overlooked, and slowly a group of kids began hanging around the front of her shop. “That was the only thing I can think of where we felt the slightest bit unsafe,” Rice said. “They never threatened us, but our customers were uncomfortable at times with all of them standing out there.” Rice said because of the leadership in the area, the potential of trouble was eradicated swiftly. The area’s councilman heard of the situation and cleared the air for both parties. “We always lock our doors, even during operating hours,” Rice said. “It’s not because anything has happened. We’ve never been broken into. It’s almost just a reflex at this point. The customers know to knock on the door to be let in, that’s just the way we operate.” The McCormicks speak well of their neighbors. Friends both pre and post Baylor graduation litter the suburb, they said. With that comes the special gatherings centered on the neighborhood kids. “This is the kind of place where you almost always get a wave and a smile,” Jess said. “It's great to have a neighbor that will love you, your kids and even your pets. We have one neighbor that has a Halloween costume party for the neighborhood kids, and we always enjoy Christmas card and cookie deliveries to our block.” The McCormicks explained that Woodway also has a family center, festivals and a number

• Focus Fall 2015

1. Anita Rice goes through an assortment of hair products. 2. Jess and Josh McCormick cook dinner as their kids look on. 3. Rice offers a variety of hair services at her salon, Motions. 4. Jess McCormick looks on as her sons write.

Photo by Rebecca Flannery

Toph and Melissa Whisnant stand in front of their house off Waco Drive. They once won yard of the month without realizing it was an award.

of fundraisers that support their community. While community engagement is widely encouraged through the neighborhood association, for central Waco it’s often left to individuals to collaborate events. “We won yard of the month once,” Toph said, laughing. “We weren’t even trying, nor did we know that was an award to win. But we did.” Melissa said that was the only time they’d heard about the Brookview neighborhood

association – a part of the citymapped boundaries of where they live. According to the City of Waco website, the association is meant to define its own purpose, determine its goals and strategies and develop its own neighborhood plans. This, however, is not always made clear to the tenants in the area. “We value getting to know our neighbors,” Toph said. “One of the first things we did when we moved in was introduce ourselves around the block.”

Melissa mentioned the neighbors and they watch each other’s houses when they’re gone, watch their pets or water their yards. But as for gettogethers or block parties, it hasn’t happened yet. “The closest thing we got was when the blood moon was out,” Melissa said. “It was a weird occurrence, but we were all outside together just looking at the moon.” Of the neighbors surrounding her business, Rice said they’re the kindest you’ll ever meet. With community-wide block parties at local churches and back-to-school drives for the kids nearby, she said the heart of their neighborhood is centered on one another. “I would say the people in East Waco are just as friendly, if not more, than everyone else on Waco Drive,” Rice said. “I don’t understand why there’s a stigma, if there is one anymore. These are some of the most lovely people I’ve known.” Her customers are loyal and will refer friends and family to her business in the blink of an eye, Rice said. They look out for one another and pass on kindness like it’s their job. Walking around her shop while she points out the integral parts of a salon will convey that kindness. Just don’t snap pictures of anyone sitting in a chair until their hair is good and ready. Together, these stories paint a picture of how different locations affect the quality of life in a city. Of course, there are thousands more people in Waco, incredibly diverse in status, race and occupation. However, noting the subtle differences in the lives in Woodway, in Brookview and in East Waco, we’re able to see no matter where someone may be located, the people they surround themselves with will always matter more than what stereotype is associated with their geography.

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