March 10, 2017 by Loyola Maroon

Loyola University • New Orleans • Volume 95 • Issue 19 • March 10, 2017

the Maroon For a greater Loyola

Courtesy of Kaitlynn Clement

Many creatives come to New Orleans, fewer stay By Caleb Beck cmbeck@my.loyno.edu @CalebBeckIRL

For all of the rich culture and provincial charm of New Orleans, it’s a city that carries with it a stigma of being a transient zone for creative professionals. New Orleans is well-renowned for its vibrant performing arts and local music scene, but in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and ensuing economic setbacks, a common question posed is if arts and entertainment outlets can serve to catalyze development within the city and retain creative types, or if the greener pastures of creative powerhouses like Austin, Nashville, Los Angeles and New York are too promising to pass up. The city has made substantial effort to encourage entertainment and media professionals to stay post-Katrina, but is it enough to give traction to a new creative class? The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy said that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the federal

government has spent $51 million dollars in development projects for Louisiana and has offered appealing tax incentives for entertainment industries. “Since 2002, in the film industry there was a 15 percent transferable tax credit for production in Louisiana and then an additional 10 percent credit for hiring Louisiana residents in locally produced films. In the music industry, there is a 25 percent tax credit for recording and production and an additional 25 percent for music infrastructure development,” said the Mayor’s office. However, a bill signed by former governor Bobby Jindal in 2015 capped the film tax credits to only $180 million annually, roiling the newly dubbed “Hollywood of the South” by reallocating $70 million dollars away from the entertainment sector to try to help close Louisiana’s glaring budget deficit. Structural limitations like these have aspiring professionals setting their sights on other locales like Atlanta and Los Angeles, with higher

industry budgets and more substantial tax benefits. Ella Jacobs, film junior, said that while she loves learning to make films in New Orleans, film is ultimately an industry, and the city is not her fixed destination to enter the fray. “For a lot of people, filmmaking is such a sexy-sounding field when we tell people what we're doing for a career, and while it is super exciting, at the end of the day, we're going to go where the money is. I don't really think a lot of people like to say that up front,” Jacobs said. Billy O’ Connell, music industry professor, has lived and worked in a number of these cities through his career as an artist manager and mentioned that the New Orleans creative bubble is challenging to break into. "It's a difficult city to establish a scene, the gravitational force here is strong. It'll take a paradigm shift to undo the complacency fledgling New Orleans artists' are prone to hold for the local industry and vice versa," O'Connell said.

Another key problem that plagues the creative class in modern New Orleans is how they continue to live and work within the city as rent rises steeply while wages stagnate. Metropolitan cities have realized in recent years that it’s imperative to offer affordable housing and benefits to creative types in order to pose as a competitive magnet for the cultural capital they can provide for the area. New Orleans is struggling to keep its low to moderate income sector from getting priced out of housing but is now catching up and setting plans to offer subsidized housing, following suit with other major cities. In 2015, Mayor Mitch Landrieu proposed a plan to build 7,500 affordable housing units specifically addressing “service workers, creatives and culture bearers” as beneficiaries. Non-profit projects like the Ashe Cultural Arts Center in Central City continue to provide cheap housing relative to the tenant’s income, lower than the $1,000 median rent The Data Center reports for

affordable housing. In a journal published by Cathy Lang Liu and Ric Kolenda of Georgia State University, it was decided that even though the city is rife with economic uncertainty, the potential for a flourishing creative class within New Orleans is credible, but has yet to be proven with current policies. The study lists “attracting and retaining young talent, improving quality of life issues for residents and improving business climate as crucial steps towards driving development through creativity. Jacobs said that creatives don’t need contention with the city to leave professionally, in fact it’s part and parcel with their work “It's not that New Orleans isn't ‘all that' - it's a beautiful city, but unfortunately due to the tax cuts, it's definitely not where it was even just two years ago. I kind of like to think of filmmakers and creatives as nomads - we're just gonna keep going until we've found the right place, settle and then keep moving again," Jacobs said.

March 10, 2017

THE MAROON

CRIME MAP

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IN MAGAZ

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March 10, 2017 The Maroon

news

Second annual Feminist Festival promotes positivity By JC Canicosa jccanico@my.loyno.edu @JCcanico

Courtesy of Lauren Saizan Jacqueline Keisling, mass communication junior, helps students pick out candy during the Bateman team’s “Carnival of Self-Care” event on Feb. 22, 2017. The Bateman team is a group of five Loyola students working as part of a national campaign to remove the negative stigma that surrounds mental health.

Bateman team kicks off campaign The competition team is tackling mental health in the community one mask at a time By Lily Cummings lrcummin@my.loyno.edu @lilyrain6

Loyola’s Bateman team is on a mission to “unmask the stigma” surrounding mental health in the New Orleans community. Across the country, schools with a Public Relations Student Society of America chapter and Bateman team are working with the client The Campaign to Change Direction — a national mental health initiative. Their campaign theme is Unmask the Stigma which Ciarra de Leon, mass communication senior and Bateman team member, has been working on since October. “We want people to realize that while 1 in 5 people are diagnosed with a mental illness, we all have our own mental health to take care of and it shouldn’t be something we are afraid to talk about,” de Leon said. With various events on and off campus, such as the Carnival of Self Care during the Student Government Association’s Countdown to Carnival event, the team is helping students to become more familiar

Gabrielle Johnson, mass comwith the five signs of emotional dismunication senior, hopes that their tress. Campaign to Change Direction team wins the competition this year has identified five signs that may and can serve as an example for fuindicate someone is emotionally ture Bateman teams. “It’s one thing to hear professionsuffering — personality change, agitation, withdrawal, poor self-care als talk about how PR is a 24/7 job, but it’s another thing to live and and hopelessness. These signs are not diagnoses, experience it,” Johnson said. “Overbut if you notice them in someone all, I would say it’s a valuable experience and you may want to is preparreach out and of“We all have our own mental ing me for fer support. They the career I may manifest as health to take care of, and it to pursomething more shouldn’t be something we are want sue.” serious if they arAt each en’t talked about, afraid to talk about.” event, the de Leon said. team has an This campaign — Ciarra de Leon option for is a chance for Bateman team member participants the Bateman to pledge to team to work “end the stigma” by talking about outside of the classroom. “I am getting really valuable ex- mental health. Those who sign the pledge reperience as to what running a real public relations campaign would ceive a business card with the five be for a client. We are constantly signs, local hotline numbers to call contacting media, medical profes- for help and information for Camsionals and other prominent local paign to Change Direction and Give figures to help spread our message An Hour. Give an Hour is a service that proand make sure we are doing it in the vides people with therapists who right way,” de Leon said.

donate a free hour of their time to help those in need. “We also hope that through our events and social media we make talking about mental health a more comfortable thing for people to do. We want to show that people in our community are supportive of mental health, not trying to hide it or push it under the rug,” de Leon said. On March 14, Bateman is hosting a “Dinner En Mask” party in the Peace Quad. Alfred Banks, Loyola alumnus and local rapper, will be at the “Dinner En Mask” event to perform. De Leon said that Banks gives valuable insight to the team on the project as his brother took his own life after being diagnosed as schizophrenic. He not only is helping Bateman spread their campaign’s message, but his album release on March 19 is largely inspired by his brother. De Leon said that she is excited to see the changes in the Loyola community after the event. “The campaign will end on March 15, but we hope it will have a lasting effect on the community far after that,” de Leon said.

The Women’s Resource Center is hosting the Feminist Festival to express acceptance and equality for all. Patricia Boyett, director of the Women’s Resource Center, hopes to promote a positive understanding of feminism. “To me, it’s important to celebrate feminism and advance it forward, because I see feminism as inclusive for everybody,” Boyett said. “There’s been a negative connotation of the word ‘feminism’ because of the way it’s been portrayed in the past, but in reality, feminism is all about gender equality.” Promoting equality and erasing the negative connotations of “feminism” are common themes throughout the festival, as events like the Feminist Concert and the “Fourth Wave Feminism: Building an Intersectional, Intergenerational and Inclusive Movement” academic panel, which are both co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, present strong messages of inclusion and acceptance to its attendees. The Feminist Festival can also be an opportunity for students to express themselves through poetry, film, art or music. Events like Open Mic Night and the Feminist Concert give students the chance to show off their talent and ideas about social equality today. According to Serena Hill, psychology freshman, one of the focuses of the Feminist Festival is fourth wave feminism, which emphasizes issues of intersectionality. These “waves” of feminism are how U.S. historians label pushes for feminism in different eras. With the Women’s March on Washington, historians believe we’re now entering a fourth wave of feminism, according to Boyett. “Fourth wave feminism is about empowering women of every background and accepting those who haven’t felt inclusion from previous feminist waves. It’s something that I think those who haven’t felt accepted because of sexual identity, sexual orientation or race can support,” Hill said. The fourth wave feminism focus on inclusion of all backgrounds and orientations are celebrated in the festival through events like “Putin and the Lesbian Community in Post-Soviet Russia” with speaker Natasha Bingham, political science professor, and an exhibition of an Ahadi Quilt produced by survivors of gender violence in Africa. Emmaline Bouchillon, general studies freshman, believes that the Feminist Festival is an opportunity to create unity throughout Loyola. “As a part of the Wolf Pack, we strive for equality and an embracement of diversity, so events like this Feminist Festival really bring us together as a community,” Bouchillon said. The Feminist Festival runs March 7-18, with different events and exhibitions happening almost every day.

A full list of events can be found at loyolamaroon.com.

WORLDVIEW

March 10, 2017 The Maroon

Uptown increases in property crimes By John Casey jecasey@my.loyno.edu @J_E_CASEY

Courtesy of Zach Brien

The Governor Nicholls Street Wharf located in the downtown river cargo terminals area in New Orleans works primarily with contained general cargoes. The Port of New Orleans became established as a foreign trade zone in 1946.

Exiting foreign trade deal leaves US at a standstill By John Casey jecasey@my.loyno.edu @J_E_CASEY

President Donald Trump’s immediate move to pull all United States involvement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership has left Pacific trade in question. Trump passed an executive order on Jan. 23 to remove the U.S. from the deal. The trade agreement came to the forefront of the media through the election process. Both presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump condemned the agreement throughout their campaigns. Since its drafting in the fall of 2015, the Trans-Pacific Partnership has been a focal point of political discussion. Walter Block, Loyola economics professor, said he is not sure if the partnership is a move towards economic freedom or not. “It’s a slight move towards economic freedom because now a few countries can trade with each other,” Block said. “On the other hand, there are regulations which reduce

the freedom of the economy, so it’s difficult to say if it’s a step forward or a step back. I’d say two steps forward, two steps back.” The trade agreement was negotiated under President Barack Obama but was never ratified by Congress, largely due to a hefty bipartisan opposition. Eleven other countries were set to join the agreement: Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico and Peru. Of those 11, only Japan has ratified the agreement so far. The deal’s goal was to heighten economic ties between these nations by cutting tariffs and promoting trade to boost growth. For the agreement to be into effect, six member nations that represent 85 percent of the group’s economic output must ratify the deal by February 2018. The U.S. accounted for 69 percent of the 12-nation group’s gross domestic product. The nations that remain in the deal have the opportunity to reshape the deal so it can work without the involvement of the U.S. However, without the U.S. market of 250 mil-

lion consumers, Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, said he believes the deal is “meaningless” without the U.S. Abe was not the only politician to say this either. Three other officials have also stated their concern with the U.S. departure, including Australia’s Trade Minister, Canada’s spokeswoman for Global Affairs, and Singapore’s spokesperson for the ministry of trade and industry. Experts believe the partnership agreement could have established regulations that would significantly impede economic growth in the U.S. “It’s not really a free trade deal; it’s more like a customs union,” Block said. Block explained that the technical definition of a customs union is an agreement of free trade within a few countries, like the North American Free Trade Agreement. “It’s called free trade but it’s not really free trade it’s regulated trade between those few countries,” Block said. The local multi-purpose Port of New Orleans is not terribly concerned with the departure from the deal, since it never became official, Michelle Gannon of Port of New Or-

leans Public Affairs said. “I think we have been able to grow and to operate no matter what,” Gannon said. “When there was a tariff on steel in 2003 that hit us, we actually used it as an opportunity to really diversify. We realized it had a really big impact on our business, so we started building our cruise business then actually.” The Port of New Orleans saw over 33 million tons of port wide cargo in 2015. Regardless of what happens with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the port will continue to operate as usual. Trump’s decision to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership may just be the first of many moves to put restrictions on foreign trade. Trump has publicly declared his intent to renegotiate the long-standing North American Free Trade Agreement, a free trade deal involving the U.S., Canada and Mexico. He also announced his intentions to scrap the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal, a trade deal between the U.S. and several European nations.

Several key arrests in the university area are likely to lead to a significant drop in property crime throughout Uptown, according to police officials at the weekly New Orleans Police Department crime meeting. A NOPD official said that crime overall is up 10 percent in the district in the year to date. Persons crimes and property crimes individually are up 10 percent. A search for a Chevy Impala matching the description of one seen fleeing a residential burglary yielded the first of several arrests made of university area burglars. Eric Moore was arrested on scene and is currently being held on two residential burglaries. Moore could be held on two more burglaries in the area as well. The birth certificate and social security number of a burglary victim in Kenner were found in Moore’s vehicle which NOPD officials say they believe he planned to use to steal the victim’s identity. A search warrant for Moore’s phone has been issued. Christopher Martin was arrested and is being held on nine burglaries with likely more to come. An NOPD official said Martin “was hitting us for quite a while” but that “he’s under arrest and he isn’t getting out.” Martin served nine years for burglary and has an extensive record, indicating that he may be denied bail. Curtis Greer was arrested on multiple charges on Feb. 22 after fleeing the scene of a burglary on Laurel St. When taken into custody, Greer was found with stolen items from two burglarized residences. His backpack also yielded burglary tools, narcotics and brass knuckles. Greer was connected to an attempted burglary on Tchoupitoulas St. which involved an assault. In total, Greer was arrested on eight charges including assault, battery and burglary. Greer also had a fugitive warrant in Jefferson parish. NOPD arrested Willbert Florence in association with the robberies involving Greer. Florence is being investigated for a burglary and as an accomplice of Greer. Police said they have evidence that Florence and Greer pawned stolen items together. Florence has been released but NOPD officials said they have a notice out for Florence and his whereabouts in an attempt to bring him back in. The slew of burglary arrests has led to a sudden drop in property crime says an NOPD official. Since the arrest of Curtis Greer, there has only been one residential break-in in the university area. The district saw no shootings or murders over the past week but saw an unusual amount of assaults. NOPD said the bulk of the eight assaults were domestic disputes but that two are the work of a repeat group of juvenile offenders. NOPD plans to contact the families of the juveniles as well as begin to prosecute the group for as many as five similar crimes. The NOPD conducts weekly crime meetings at the Second District Station at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and encourages the public to attend. The next meeting will be on March 14 at 4317 Magazine St.

March 10, 2017

C R O S S W O R D

THE MAROON

ACROSS 1. Cabo’s peninsula 5. Stupefy 10. Earthy shade 14. “Don’t have __, man!” 15. Jennifer Saunders’ “Ab Fab” role 16. Room service challenge 17. Simba’s mate 18. Pack animal? 19. Shrewd 20. Port 23. Heavy weight 24. It may need a boost 25. Port 34. “Mean Girls” actress 35. Instrument heard in the Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water” 36. Lived and breathed 37. Uncompromising 38. __ nus: barefoot, in Bordeaux 39. Hilarious one 40. Scotch datum 41. Construct 42. Friend of Jerry and George 43. Port 46. Org. with a square-rigger on its seal 47. Jungle swinger 48. Port 57. Ointment additive 58. De Valera of Ireland 59. “Dies __” 60. Array of options 61. Urban air problem 62. Reposed 63. Rear deck 64. Blush-inducing H.S. class 65. House measurement unit

DOWN

1. Judicial seat 2. Smoothie fruit 3. Cola named for its intended effect 4. Football squad in white jerseys, typically

5. Lagging 6. Time change? 7. Turbaned Punjabi 8. Selective Service classification 9. Blue Devils’ rival 10. Homeowner’s account, perhaps 11. Kind of sandwich or soda 12. Tiller opening? 13. Taxi alternative 21. Unlike new clothes 22. Indian tourist mecca 25. Like some pond growth 26. Blacksmith’s need 27. Copper? 28. Like Wrigley Field’s walls 29. Many a flower girl 30. Acknowledge, in a way 31. “It’d be a dream come true” 32. Judd matriarch 33. Legally prohibit

38. One of Disney’s official eleven 39. Perfume staples 41. Forum infinitive 42. Yokum cartoonist 44. Garage service 45. Agitated 48. Where much tie-dyeing takes place 49. Kitchen bar 50. Prohibition 51. Tone down 52. Camera that uses 70mm film 53. Move like honey 54. Modern-day Mesopotamia 55. Newbie 56. Commonly anchored shelter

SUDOKU

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Life &Times

March 10, 2017 THE MAROON

Film • Arts • Food • Music • Leisure • Nightlife

Life and Times briefs Loyola Jazz Festival will feature guest artist The Loyola Jazz festival, one of the university’s longest running music programs, will take place Sat., March 11. The festival is open to jazz bands and big bands from the elementary to college levels. Top educators will give bands clinics following their performances, and a free master class for all instruments will be held with John Fedchock, noted trombone player, who will perform with the Loyola jazz band in Roussel Hall at 4:30 p.m.

New Orleans Sacred Music Festival returns Returning for its sixth year, the volunteer-produced New Orleans Sacred Music Festival will take place Sat., March 12 at the New Orleans Healing Center. The festival pulls together a variety of faith and cultural communities to perform music, chant and hold prayer, accompanied by food, craft and ceremony.

Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Parade rolls through Uptown

JAMAL MELANCON/ The Maroon

Music industry junior Dominick Bioc (left) performs as “YDS” at The Carver Theater on Feb. 25. Bioc and Robbie Heindel (right) perform together as the duo “Besvibes.”

Loyola rekindles rapper’s passion

On Sat., March 11, after a noon mass at St. Mary’s Church at Constance and Josephine streets, the annual Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club parade will set forth. The parade has a new route; it will begin on Jefferson Avenue and Magazine Street and head toward Jackson Avenue on Magazine Street. The route was extended after the club wanted to see the parade have more expanse in celebration of the parade’s 70th anniversary.

Tank and the Bangas set to headline Feminist Festival R&B and soul band Tank and the Bangas will play in the Peace Quad on Fri., March 10. The New Orleans band will be joined by Lucia Vives, Rachel McGee and No True Scotsman from 3:30-7:30 p.m. The Feminist Festival will continue until March 18.

By Jamal Melancon jmmelanc@my.loyno.edu @Jam_M_Mel

After Loyola sparked his interest in making music, a rapper from the Westbank of New Orleans has reunited with a peer to release a new collaborative project as a duo. Dominick Bioc, music industry junior, originally came to Loyola to become an audio engineer, but his plans changed at least three months into the academic calendar. As he was learning to be an engineer and was surrounded by music artists, he couldn’t resist returning to rhyming and rapping. Growing up listening to 90’s hiphop artists such as Andre 3000 and Method Man, Bioc started rapping at 13 before going on hiatus at 16 after releasing his first mixtape. Restarting his rapping career, Bioc

re-connected with fellow Westbank native Robbie Heindel. His project “Romo,” first began when Bioc chose to manage Heindel for a music industries project. “When we went into the studio, just seeing him record, I was like, ‘this is sick—I want to do all of this and not just engineer,’” Bioc said. “I wanted to be the artist.” Bioc was back to writing lyrics by this point, using Loyola’s studio as his creative outlet. Under the name “YDS (Young Death Stroke),” Bioc and the hiphop quartet “Besvibes” were able to record with the better equipment available on campus. Bioc has since released another mixtape, an EP, and then his first album in 2016 titled “Death of YDS.” “I believe it was the first full body of work that was well thought out and had a concept, that was really

worked on as an album, Bioc said. Bioc described how having access to both Loyola’s studio and his own home studio helped him grow as an artist “There was definitely a benefit to using both studios because the more I used both facilities the more I learned about becoming better at my craft and using the equipment to my full potential. Being at Loyola definitely was the spark to all of it, like the spark to just make me want to use this home studio until I felt comfortable enough to use Loyola’s.” Bioc and Heindel performed as the duo “BesForever” at The Carver Theater on Feb. 25. DJ Alex Kenny said he wanted to give the two and their collective some exposure, after they did the same for him, when a “Besvibes” member threw a show that Kenny ended up DJing the

whole night for. “BesForever” performed more songs from their upcoming self-titled project than their own individual works. Bioc believes that this upcoming project with Heindel will solidify the two as a duo. “As far as Romo and I’s collaborative project, I would say it’s like a kind of turning point in our careers,” Bioc said. “We believe that this project could become so successful and our chemistry on it could become so good to the point that we want to make “BesForever” almost a permanent thing, and we’ll put our solo projects as kind of feature releases from us.” Bioc and Heindel said their collaborative project “BesForever” will be released by the end of March 2017.

Southern Rep Theatre enlists five Loyola actors to join their ranks By Kaitlyn Cleveland kaitlyncleveland@charter.net @kaitlynclevel

Southern Rep Theatre accepted five Loyola University theater arts majors into their acting company. Amanda Alch, Kyler Jett, Saisha Lee, Tess Rowland and Zachary Weber found out Monday, Feb. 13 that they made the cut. “I think this could be great learning opportunities and great networking opportunities for my future as a performance artist,” Zachary Weber said. The Loyola junior said he would form connections through working with Southern Rep. Weber said that he is excited to work with theater professionals outside of the theater department at college.

Southern Rep is a local professional theater that represents New Orleans, Weber said. The company focuses on reaching out to the community by relating to the diversity in New Orleans. Freshman Tess Rowland is one of the youngest members to be accepted. She said she was prepared entering the audition process, and she is ready to grow as an artist. “It is a theater dedicated to perfecting the world, one that uses the stage as their voice to communicate issues within the community,” Rowland said. The five students will become actor apprentices and will attend workshops. Rowland said that people working with Southern Rep are first priority for performances but may not be chosen. Anyone in the community can audition for the

plays. Weber said that Southern Rep reached out to Loyola, wanting to work with Loyola theater students. The candidates had to fulfill certain requirements. Rowland said that theater department head Laura Hope encouraged the students to audition for this opportunity to work with Southern Rep. Rowland said that she has seen several of Southern Rep’s shows. “I really liked what I saw that they did as a company,” Rowland said. Rowland and Weber auditioned on Friday, Feb. 10. Weber said the audition process began by preparing a resume with a headshot, and then candidates performed a one-minute monologue. Rowland said that the audition ended with questions pertaining to the importance of theater and community work.

“There was a lot of talent shown. Our department is very talented,” Rowland said. “What it really came down to was my answers to the questions and how I really packaged myself. They were kind of taken aback that I was just 18 with the answers that I formulated.” Weber imagines this position holds a lot of promise to himself and his peers, as student thespians. “The main reason that I auditioned for the Southern Rep experience was first of all to get auditioning experience, which is important for any actor,” Weber said. “And then just for the possibility that I could work with local theater professionals.” Rowland said that learning from hands-on experience would help her determine what she wants to do in her theater career.

“I know that I really want to communicate through my art my message of activism and different perspectives, but I don’t know how I am going to fit within the industry yet,” Rowland said. “I think that they will kind of ground me as an artist and help me package myself in a way that I know exactly what I want to do within the industry.” Entering as a freshman, Rowland said that she is excited to meet people who have been in the industry for a long time and to have them mentor her. Weber said that his future in theater would either be acting or design. He said that Southern Rep would help him grow as an actor, as well as in the design aspect of theater. “I know this is going to benefit me,” Weber said.

March 10, 2017 THE MAROON

RELIGION BRIEFS Loyola announces Lenten speaker series lineup Every Wednesday during March, Loyola will host a different Jesuit to speak on a Lenten theme. All of the reflections will be at 7 p.m. in Ignatius Chapel. • “Humility” by the Rev. Mark Mossa, S.J., campus minister at Spring Hill College, on March 8 • “Gratitude” by the Rev. Fred Kammer, S.J., director of the Jesuit Social Research Institute, on March 15 • “Hope” by the Rev. Gregory Waldrop, S.J., professor and chairman of the art department, on March 22 • “Love” by the Rev. Billy Huete, S.J., rector of the Loyola Jesuit community, on March 29

RELIGION

Where to find local fish fries this Lent Every Friday until Easter, churches across New Orleans will hold “fish fries,” where meatless meals are served during the fasting season of Lent. See our list below or visit our interactive map at LoyolaMaroon.com to find a fish fry near you 1. BROTHER MARTIN DATE: MARCH 24 TIME: 4-8 P.M.

2. HOLY NAME OF JESUS DATES: MARCH 10, 24, APRIL 7 TIMES: 6-8 P.M., EXCEPT APRIL 7 AT 5 P.M. MENU: Adult Shrimp Plate $11 Child Shrimp Plate $9 Adult Catfish Plate $11 Child Catfish Plate $9 Shrimp/Fish Combo $13 Adult Spaghetti $11 Child Spaghetti $8

Local Hindus celebrate ‘The Great Night of Shiva’ On Friday, March 3, the Hindu Temple New Orleans hosted a second Maha Shivratri event. “The Great Night of Shiva” celebration followed a worship service held the previous Friday. Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival honoring the god Shiva, which is observed during the night. It is considered to be one of the most important and spiritual nights of the year for Hindus. According to Piyush, an attendee at the Temple, the holiday is a time to overcome internal darkness while worshiping Shiva and partaking in self-reflection through prayer and meditation. The Hindu Temple held a solemn prayer service on the actual day of Maha Shivratri, Feb. 24. On March 3, the temple put on a celebration of the holiday, which included music such as rhythmic drumming. The second event drew a much smaller crowd than the initial worship service. Typical Maha Shivratri observances include fasting, meditation and an introspective focus.

3. HOLY NAME OF MARY DATES: MARCH 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; APRIL 7, 14 TIMES: 5-8 P.M. MENU: Catfish Plate $9 Shrimp Plate $11 Shrimp and Catfish Plate $10 Shrimp Creole $7 Crawfish Boulettes (2) $1 Dessert $1

4. MATER DOLOROSA DATES: MARCH 10, 24 TIMES: 5-8 P.M. MENU: Catfish plate $10

5. OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY SCHOOL

Compiled by COLLEEN DULLE

DATES: MARCH 10, 17, 24 TIMES: 5:30-8 P.M. MENU: Fried fish, french fries, green beans and coleslaw $8

6. ST. ANDREW THE APOSTLE DATES: MARCH 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; APRIL 7 TIMES: 5-8 P.M. MENU: Catfish platter, shrimp platter or combination $10

7. ST. GABRIEL THE ARCHANGEL DATES: MARCH 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; APRIL 7 TIMES: 11 A.M.-7 P.M. MENU: Fried or baked fish, macaroni and cheese, salad, a vegetable, dessert, bread and a drink $10

8. ST. MARY OF THE ANGELS DATES: MARCH 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; APRIL 7 TIMES: 11 A.M.-5:30 P.M. MENU: Fried fish, peas, bread, potato salad, macaroni and cheese and dessert $10

9. ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE DATES: MARCH 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; APRIL 7 TIMES: 11 A.M.-6 P.M. MENU: Fried fish, macaroni and cheese, peas or string beans, potato salad, bread and a dessert $8

10. ST. ROCH MARKET DATES: MARCH 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; APRIL 7, 14 TIMES: 6-8 P.M. MENU: Wild caught catfish, french fries, homemade coleslaw and tartar sauce $9

Genesis choir performs with Boston College ensemble at festival By Aliciyia George atgeorge@loyno.edu @AlliciyiaG

Loyola’s Genesis Gospel Choir performed with some special outof-town guests this week at its annual gospel festival. The Loyola Gospel Festival featured Voices of Imani, a student-based choir that is connected to the African and African Diaspora Studies Program at Boston College. “This year choosing a destination, we chose a destination that everyone wanted to go to. Someone suggested New Orleans, and it was unanimous agreement, so we choose New Orleans,” Akeda Riley, co-tour manager for Voices of Imani, said. The Voices of Imani have toured in many states including Georgia, Texas, California and Tennessee. “We choose a destination and perform at local churches, find an institution or another group we can collaborate with and have a good time with,” Riley said. Students in attendance at the festival enjoyed songs ranging from “Wading in the Water” to “Ride On,

King Jesus.” For their first performance on March 6, students were able to enjoy the Genesis Gospel Choir’s renditions of gospel songs during dinner in the Orleans Room. The second performance in the festival was in the St. Charles Room on March 7. It featured a combined choir with Genesis Gospel Choir and the Voices of Imani singing together for the first half. In the second half, the Genesis Gospel Choir performed solos, duets and a quartet. “I especially enjoyed listening to the songs that our gospel chair sang along with the Voices of Imani. It was really cool to see them working together, and I also enjoyed listening to their instrumentalist perform as well,” Arden LaGrone, biology sophomore, said. Although organizers said student turnout was lower than expected, they said Genesis Gospel Choir enjoyed performing and they look forward to their next performance at the Convening of Student Leaders in April. The choir does not yet know if it will have another performance this year after the one in April.

ALLICIYIA GEORGE / The Maroon

Moresa Robinson, music freshman, Rheyanna Lewis, biology senior, and Alicia Melendez, music senior, perform during the Loyola Gospel Festival on Tuesday, March 8, 2017. The festival lasted two days this year and included performances from a visiting choir.

SPORTS

March 10, 2017 The Maroon

Men’s basketball loses in the semifinals of conference tournament By Andres Fuentes aafuente@my.loyno.edu @af_nola

In one of the most sucessful seasons in Loyola history, the men’s basketball team ended their tournament play losing to the top seed and defending Southern States Athletic Conference champion, William Carey College, 71-86. After coming off of a seven game win streak in the regular season, Stacy Hollowell, head coach, and the Wolf Pack looked to keep up the momentum in the tournament in their first match up versus Faulkner. “We went into the tournament with a lot of confidence and we were doing things well,” Hollowell said. Loyola went on to trample Faulkner on Thursday night, 92-79, and looked to advance to the semifinals. However, it was the winning effort and the early starting times that left the Wolf Pack drained. “The Faulkner game on Thursday took a lot out of us. We were down early and spent a tremendous amount of energy coming back to win that game. I could see pretty early on that we didn’t have much gas left in the tank when we played William Carey the next day,” Hollowell said. William Carey’s ability to out-rebound and force their way into the paint eventually brought down Loyola.

DAVIS WALDEN/ The Maroon

Trey LaForge, business freshman, and Johnny Griffin Jr., business management senior, work on a drill as Stacy Hollowell, head coach looks on. The Wolf Pack finished their season with a 22-9 overall record and a 14-6 conference record.

“I know our guys wish that we could have a couple of games back, but they should be proud of the work that they put in,” Hollowell said. Johnny Griffin Jr., business management senior and combo guard

forward, shared his thoughts on the tournament and the team’s play. “Overall we played very hard and played for each other. We defended well and played together as a team,” Griffin Jr. said. Griffin Jr. remained highly opti-

mistic despite his team not reaching the championship game of the tournament. “I felt that we played very well in the tourney even though the outcome wasn’t as planned,” Griffin Jr. said.

Paige Carter leads the Wolf Pack to the forefront By John Casey jecasey@my.loyno.edu @J_E_CASEY

Freshman swimmer Paige Carter is making waves for the team this season. After one semester at college, Carter is already settling into her role on the team and in the classroom. “I knew it was going to be extremely hard. I knew it was going to be a big change for me coming from high school,” Carter said. The change was difficult for Carter at first. The rigorous training schedule in addition to academics and the overall stress of the transition took a toll, but she quickly adapted. “Having two practices a day definitely was one of my biggest struggles. I was constantly tired in class, but now that its towards the end of the season, I’ve adjusted and overcome that struggle,” Carter said. A few weeks ago, Carter was named to the Second-Team All MidSouth Conference after placing second in the 500 freestyle and posting a career-best time of 5:10.45 at the conference championship. In the five meets she competed in this season, Carter posted eight victories and finished in the top three in 12 out of 15 races. She points to head coach Thomas Natal as a driving force in her success this season. “He’s always on me, but it’s in a good way. I always want to be at practice, I’m never not motivated because he motivates me a lot,” Carter said. Carter has stayed motivated in the water with help from her coach, but it is her overall attitude toward

that has surprised Natal. “Paige has impressed me the most just with her attitude, not only in the pool but in life in general. She’s very positive, a very pleasant person, and she’s always got a smile on her face. I don’t know if she’s a morning person, but when we walk in at 5:30 or 5:45 in the morning, she’s always got a smile on her face and ready to go with the day, so I think just her attitude towards life, in the pool, in school and in general, is what has impressed me the most,” Natal said. Carter has also set academic and athletic goals for her time here at Loyola. “Once I declare my major, I really want to focus on it and get into it deeply so later on after school I’ll know what to do in the real world. Right now, before I go to nationals, I’m seeded sixth place in the NAIA, so once I swim at nationals, I really want to make the top three and medal at nationals all four years,” Carter said. For Carter, swimming wasn’t always her strong suit. In fact, in her youth, she was actually scared of water. “When I was little, I was terrified of water, terrified. This is probably up to age six or seven. Anytime there was a pool party I would not go. I always had a fear of drowning and I just hated water. Then one day at tennis practice, I was watching a swimmer, and I said ‘Mom, I want to try swimming now,’” Carter said. In her free time, Carter does a lot of traveling throughout the Caribbean. “We explore a different island each year, so one of my goals for my whole lifetime is to visit as many islands as possible. My whole family is big snorkelers, we love to snorkel

Jalen Gray, guard and business senior, also has similar feelings about the tournament. “Even though we came up short, I think we competed at a high level. The biggest part of our success was trusting in one another, that we all would do everything we could to win,” Gray said. Even with the tournament loss, there were still things the Wolf Pack was grateful for. Five players were recognized at the awards banquet on Thursday, among them being Griffin Jr. and Gray. Griffin Jr. was named the SSAC Defensive Player of the Year and 1stTeam All-Conference. He ranks first in the conference and third in the nation in rebounds and finishes in the top-40 in nine major statistical categories. Gray was named 2nd All-Conference as well as the All-Academic team for his work in the class room. He is also a member of the 1000-career points club and is placed high in other statistical categories. Although the conference tournament is over, Loyola recieved a berth to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Championship on Wednesday night. The eight seed (22-9) Wolf Pack will take on the number one seed William Penn Statesman (30-3) on March 15 at 8:30 p.m. in Billings, Montana.

Sports briefs Wolf Pack baseball team strikes out since Mardi Gras break The Wolf Pack have garnered a record of 2-7 since Mardi Gras break. In the first series over the break, the Wolf Pack faced off against Lousiana State UniversityAlexandria, getting swept in the three game series. They then headed to Dallas to face off against Dallas Christian College, taking the 2-1 series win. During the series, Alex Lorenzo, business senior, recorded 11 RBI, a grand slam and two runs off eight hits. In the Wolf Pack’s most recent series from March 3-4, they were swept by William Carey College bringing their regular season record to 11-12 overall and 0-3 in the conference. The Wolf Pack will face off against the University of Mobile March 1011 in Westwego, Louisiana.

Leah Banks breaks three school records

NICHOLAS BOULET/ The Maroon

Paige Carter, general studies freshman, cools down with laps after practice. Carter finished among the top Loyola swimmers this season, placing in the top three in 12 out of 15 races.

and explore the ocean,” Carter said. In Carter’s most recent event at the National Association Intercollegiate Athletics Swimming National Championship from March 1-4, she finished as one Loyola’s top swimmers, helping the Wolf Pack finish 14th out of the 23-team field.

Carter recorded an individual time of 1:56.31 in the 200 freestyle to secure an 11th place finish in the finals. She also contributed to the 400 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay quartets that finished in 11th and 13th place respectively.

On March 2, Leah Banks, mass communication sophomore, competed in the pentathalon at the NAIA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships. Banks’ 29’8” shot put throw broke the previous record of 27’2.75’’ held since 1999. In the long jump, she broke the school-record with a leap of 17’8.75” to take third. Banks ended the day with 3131 total points, setting the record for points in a track and field event.

March 10, 2017

THE MAROON

Kennedy and the Wolf Pack shift focus to championships By Ryan Micklin rwmickli@my.loyno.edu @RyanMicklin61

MARISABEL RODRIGUEZ / The Maroon

Zoie Miller, mass communication junior, goes up over defenders for a shot during practice. The Wolf Pack gained the sixth seed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Championships and will take on the third seed, Montana State-Northern on March 16 in Billings, Montana.

The 2016-17 season for the women’s basketball team has been a historic one to say the least, and it’s not over yet. The team, fresh off of a 25-5 regular season, entered the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament as the number one seed. With an opportunity to advance to the conference title game, the Wolf Pack squandered a late lead to Mobile University in the semifinals and fell short of their own expectations, according to Kellie Kennedy, head coach. “We were not happy. Nobody was happy in that locker room. We just didn’t play well. Fortunately, we already punched our ticket to the national tournament, and so that outcome didn’t matter as far as that was concerned,” Kennedy said. The season began on a historic note as Kennedy recorded her 174th career win, officially making her Loyola’s winningest head coach. Kennedy chalked up much of her success to her players that she has coached over the years. Meghan Temple, mass communication senior, has been instrumental in helping Kennedy cement her legacy in the Loyola record books. Temple is just one of two players on the team to average double digit points (12.4 points per game) while

functioning as the team’s leading rebounder (9.6 rebounds per game). “Meghan Temple has just been an anchor for us, and she has done that offensively and defensively time and time again. She just does so much for us,” Kennedy said, as she praised her star player. Kennedy wasn’t the only one on the team to make history this season. In the Wolf Pack’s 65-59 semifinal loss to Millsaps, Temple became the first player in Loyola history to surpass 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. “It’s been a milestone that I have set in place since my freshman year, and to finally accomplish it this year in the tournament was big for me. After the game, after all of the emotions had settled, I realized that I actually did it. I got emotional all over again so it was pretty exciting,” Temple said. “For her to get 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds over her career is just amazing. So impressive. She is ranked in the top-10 nationally, in six statistical categories,” Kennedy added. Currently, all history is being set aside as Kennedy and her team prepare for the first round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Tournament in Billings, Montana. The team received an automatic bid to the national tournament after winning the conference regular season title. Kennedy notes that the team’s depth will give them a huge advan-

tage when tournament action rolls around next week. Additionally, the team’s versatility will prove to be a tough matchup for anyone who stands in the way of the Wolf Pack this March. “I mean we have more depth than we have ever had. We have a lot of weapons offensively, we can defend, we can shoot the ball and we have an inside presence. That’s a lot, to have all those weapons,” Kennedy said. Temple won’t be holding back as she prepares to play her last tournament in a Loyola uniform. “We want to go out with a bang. We hope to advance to the Elite Eight like we did our freshman year or further, as well. We’re hoping to go pretty deep,” Temple said. Just as the season began in historical fashion, Loyola’s women’s basketball team will look to end it in the same manner by advancing past the Elite Eight in the association’s tournament — something that’s never been done in program history. “I think this team can do whatever they set their minds too. We have to take it one game at a time and see where that takes us,” Kennedy said. The Wolf Pack won’t have to wait long to get back in the action as they gained the sixth seed in the association’s tournament and will match up against the third seed, Montana State-Northern Skylights on March 16 at 8 p.m. in Billings, Montana.

EDITORIAL

March 10, 2017 THE MAROON

OUR EDITORIAL

The majority opinion of our editorial board

HOWLS & GROWLS

Mardi Gras is over, but our problems remain

HOWL to St. Patrick’s Day parades GROWL to post-Mardi Gras sickness HOWL to spring weather GROWL to extreme weather HOWL to the resistance GROWL to normalizing absurdity HOWL to Wolf Pack basketball Tweet using #Loynohowl or #Loynogrowl to have your voice heard each Friday!

EDITORIAL BOARD Starlight Williams

Editor-in-Chief

Naasha Dotiwala

Managing Editor for Print

Nick Reimann

Managing Editor for Electronic Properties

Taylor Ford

Maroon Minute Executive Producer

Riccardo Muzzetto

Design Chief

Barbara Brown

Photo Editor

Jessica Molina

News Editor

Caleb Beck

Life & Times Editor

Paulina Picciano

Wolf Editor

Jamal Melancon

Worldview Editor

Brian Wollitz

Sports Editor

Colleen Dulle

Religion Editor

Seán Brennan

Opinion and Editorial Editor

Paulina Picciano

Copy Editor

Hayley Hynes

Copy Editor

Liz Johnston

Copy Editor

Asha Thomas Haley Pegg Osama Ayyad

RICCARDO MUZZETTO / The Maroon

PR Director Senior Staff Writer Senior Photographer

EDITORIAL POLICY The editorial on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Loyola University. Letters and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of The Maroon’s editorial board. The Maroon does not represent the opinion of administration, staff and/or faculty members of Loyola. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. Please limit submissions to 400 words. Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. the Sunday before publication. Please send all submissions — The Maroon, 6363 St. Charles Ave., Box 64, New Orleans, LA 70118. Email us your letters — letter@ loyno.edu. Submissions may also be made online at www.loyolamaroon.com.

Mardi Gras is an incredible holiday to experience in college, but it can make getting back into classes difficult. With the continual antics from the Trump administration, Loyola students need to get out of the post-Mardi Gras blues and re-engage in current events After the much needed weeklong break that Loyola students enjoy for Mardi Gras, a lethargic start getting back into classes is almost inevitable. Following the days of non-stop walking, screaming and bead-catching during, arguably, the most joyful time of the year, it’s easy for the “Ash Wednesday Blues” to stick around as papers, assignments and midterms pile up. If left unattended, this pile can send even the most attentive student into a rut, one that returning students, especially seniors, know how difficult it is to get out of. Weeks can go by playing catch up as grades suffer and tunnel vision grows, while the allure of weekend festivities — springtime festivals for every reason imaginable — makes it even more difficult just to get leveled. That’s why it’s incredibly important for Loyola students, especially those experiencing their first Mardi Gras, to be aware of this phenomenon, understand that it is reoccurring and learn how to stay positive, proactive and engaged. Getting out of this post-Mardi Gras funk is necessary for students’ GPAs, but it is also necessary on a much larger scale. For the sake of the nation, students have to stay

engaged both in school and in the democratic process. Countless Loyola students exhibited their patriotism following the election of President Donald Trump, exercising their First Amendment rights and staying watchful of an unprecedented administration that seems only to operate through communication breakdowns. From participating in the international Women’s March and protests against the president’s first Muslim ban, to engaging in the news, staying up-to-date and debating, Loyola students have shown both their passion in an unpredictable time and commitment to the civic process. This is never an easy task. Nine times out of 10, it is easier to turn a blind eye, to say “whatever,” to go to the bar on a Saturday instead of a rally. And as college students in New Orleans — already committed to classes, internships, jobs, clubs, sports and more in one of the most active cities in the world — the decision to stay politically engaged does not become any easier. Add the after-Mardi Gras blues to this equation, continually playing catch up, and there’s a dangerous product. Students can be forced to keep their head down as the current administration and Congress shape

the country that their generation will soon be responsible for. Since the Mardi Gras break, the current administration has reintroduced another dangerous Muslim ban, accused the Obama administration of illegally wiretapping Trump Tower and continued plans for the hazardous Keystone XL oil pipeline without using U.S. steel despite the president’s promise, just to name a few. Peaceful demonstration, political engagement and criticism of the government are all parts of a fundamental civic duty that was designed to be the fuel for the U.S. to function. As this administration continues its business as usual, all of these actions need to be taken. Students in college are in the perfect position to exercise their civic duty, as they pursue the tools and knowledge to become the best and brightest in their fields. But going to class, learning and passing comes first, and New Orleans in the spring can be a difficult place for that to happen. Regardless of major, maintaining political and social awareness helps significantly in class. In-depth research, asking pertinent questions and strong debate are the same skills needed for an active citizen and for most assignments in college. If pos-

sible, aligning paper topics with current events helps two-fold, as well. Loyola also has dozens of resources for class, the result of students’ tuition hard at work. Tutors and success coaches available at the Student Success Center, a fulltime library staff for research and advisors for support are just some of the tools that students pay for when they enroll. Students need to keep researching, keep asking questions and keep letting their voice be heard. They cannot immediately dismiss the findings of WikiLeaks, for example, just because certain sources discredit them, but also cannot immediately take them as fact just because they reaffirm their beliefs. If the brain acts like a muscle, students need to exercise for improvement but also rest to stay sane. Mardi Gras is one of the most unique holidays to experience in college and one of the best mental reliefs there is. But now the holiday is over and students cannot allow themselves to sleep until the next parade. As the generation who will inherit whatever happens now, we have to keep our heads up and strive to be the best students and citizens we can be.

OPINION

March 10, 2017 THE MAROON

How to combat the Venezuelan crisis GEORGIA SMITH

Marketing and Managment junior

BRIANNA CUNNINGHAM

gbsmith @my.loyno.edu

Venezuela is in the midst of a severe economic crisis and is currently enduring one of the largest economic declines in global history. However, most Americans are not aware of what Venezuelan people are going through. This crisis has been the culmination of several factors, but is primarily due to the decisions made by late President Hugo Chávez and the current presidency of Nicolás Maduro. The socialist regime of President Chávez has been likened to that of Fidel Castro, the late president of Cuba. Similarities have even been drawn between the two leaders regarding the fleeing of natives on boats to escape the regime. First things first, why is Venezuela’s economy on the brink of completely collapsing? Oil. Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the entire world, but the country is now facing oil prices that have dropped exponentially – from over $100 a gallon to only $25. The country has become so impoverished that the government can no longer afford to export its oil, their main economic resource. Another factor that has played a huge role in the collapse, partially resulting from the oil crisis, is hyperinflation. Venezuela’s currency, the bolivar, has steeply declined in the past few years — it is now worth less than one American penny (approximately $0.0011). The hyperinflation of the country has led to despair in all aspects of life in Venezuela. Not only has the price of food and medicine increased astronomically, but shelves are left barren in supermarkets. Food is so expensive that even grocery stores cannot afford to purchase food. Venezuelans wait, on average, eight hours a day to have

AmeriCorp VISTA/ Program Assistant at StayLocal

bc028@bucknell.edu

AP Exchange

A woman holds up a sign that reads in Spanish “ Women against hunger, down with the dictatorship” during a protest against violence against women, in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, March 8, 2017. Thousands of women are marching to commemorate International Women’s Day around the world.

access to food. The government has issued that the workweek will be limited to Mondays and Tuesdays. In the midst of this crisis, the homicide rate has also increased – 90 people for every 100,000. So what can be done about this seemingly irreversible dilemma? More specifically, what can we as Americans do to aid Venezuelans? The primary action that Americans can take is to stay informed about the crisis. Staying informed and aware of every action taking place in Venezuela is important when forming an appropriate opinion and speaking out against the shortcomings of the Venezuelan government.

The regime of Nicolás Maduro has the ability to reverse some of the damages of the crisis, but it is not taking the appropriate actions. In response to the food crisis, the government has issued a rationing program for the remaining food to be dispersed throughout the country. This rationing program is inefficient and ineffective. If the rationing program could be altered to resemble something similar to the United States government food stamp program, this would dramatically increase the quality of life for Venezuelans. Creating a safe environment to speak out against the shortcomings of the Venezuelan government is the only way that certain issues can

come to light. Listening to the stories of Venezuelans will help shape opinions and glean information that would not be heard otherwise. The final and most important way to aid in Venezuela’s economic crisis is to donate. Donate money, non-perishable foods, clothes or your time. Sponsor a child through SOS Children, donate to the International Red Cross or shop with the Humanitarian Aid for Venezuela. Surely, Americans have domestic issues to deal with. But the conditions that Venezuelan families are dealing with everyday need to be understood and improved.

Musicians should learn to produce RANDALL SWAIN Business and Music Industry junior Founder, Off Topic Entertainment randallswain@ josepheg.com

Musicians of the past are not the musicians of today, and the music business of today will not be the music business of tomorrow. While new technologies emerge and old business models fade, the state of the music industry is nothing sort of uncertain. While some established artists and industry executives view this as a time of panic, most independent artists and entrepreneurs, like myself, see a plethora of opportunity. Growing up as a teenage home-studio music producer in the suburbs of southern Orange County, California, my biggest goal was to

Switching from coffee to better alternatives

make music that sounded like it was recorded at ‘big name’ studios. Recently, some say I achieved that goal when I started producing my good friend and independent artist James Quick, who has received almost two million plays on Spotify after one of his tracks got featured on a prominent curated playlist. The day I saw James’ music listed in-between two radio hits was the day I realized that commercial or ‘big name’ studios were no longer necessary to make great music. A laptop, some speakers, a microphone and knowledge is really all that is needed to make a great record nowadays, which is why more artists need to take advantage of this opportunity and learn music production. Commercial recording studios definitely still serve a purpose, they just don’t decide what songs get recorded, and for what price, anymore. Recording studios often cost hundreds of dollars to book, and

many novice artists end up wasting their time and money because they are not being properly trained on how to prepare for a session. By bypassing the need to book and pay for studio time, artists and producers can spend more time creating and releasing music. This process allows artists to apply to music what Eric Ries, author of the Lean Startup, coined as the ‘minimum viable product.’ The minimum viable product is a “version of the product that enables a full turn of the Build-MeasureLearn loop with a minimum amount of effort and the least amount of development time.” By understanding the very basics of recording and mixing their music, artists can take advantage of the ‘build’ section of the loop and create their ‘MVP’ tracks faster, cheaper and more frequently. Artists can then measure the success of their recordings by releasing them on iTunes, Spotify and the other major platforms with the use

of digital distribution outlets like DistroKid. Once the music is out there, they can gain feedback and learn from fans as to what they like and don’t like. Artists can use this to craft their sound so that with every record, their brand is maintained. Conversely, artists can pivot and change their sound if they suspect that fans are becoming bored or uninterested. While some producers may scoff at the idea of artists being that involved in the creation of a record, I say embrace it. This industry has always been about collaboration, and by bring artists deeper into the creative process, better music can, and will be, made. Therefore, taking the time to learn to produce your own music— through production classes, online tutorials or private tutors— is an investment that every artist needs to make in this changing industry if they hope to thrive.

I began to drink a lot of coffee my first year of college, especially on late nights working on papers or studying for an exam. Coffee was like the icing on my cake, and with a few drops of espresso, it gave me the right amount of energy that I needed to get through the day. Going to the little shop in the library for a drink became a habit. It was easy to get to, and I could try different flavored drinks like pumpkin latte and white mocha. In one week, I’d spend anywhere from 30 to 40 dollars on coffee. To some people this may not sound like a lot, but in a month it would add up to almost $200. Although I am still in favor of having those pick-me-up drinks, I wanted to budget a little better so that I could spend some of that cash on other things. I also wanted to consume other drinks that I felt could improve my health and give me that boost of energy naturally. There are three drinks that I recommend to achieve this. The first drink is called ‘The Sunshine.’ Together, mix a few slices of oranges and lemons with water, adding slices of blood orange if possible. Add about 2-3 slices per 8 ounces of water for a natural boost without the sugar from fruit juice. The second drink is called ‘Refresh.’ Mix pineapples, strawberries and coconut with water. Pineapples are very rich in potassium and known to have more Vitamin C than oranges. Strawberries are extremely high in Vitamin C as well. This mix is also rich in other essential nutrients like fiber and folic acid, providing necessary energy without any added unhealthy ingredients. Third is a drink that I like to call ‘Green Magic.’ Mix green tea with cucumber and melon, leading to a delicious, unique energy boost. Green tea contains caffeine and is a great alternative to espresso, and should not lead to the jitters like coffee too often does. Some athletes who drink green tea will find that it increases their endurance, among it’s many other benefits. All the ingredients above can be bought at the grocery store or the farmer’s market, and the cost of the fresh produce will be far less than buying Starbucks everyday. While stocking up on fresh fruit, feel free to mix and match any, not just these three combinations, to infuse in water or tea for a great boost any time of the day. My favorite thing about these healthy mixtures is the natural consistency for the body. These drinks contain no additives. It is fruit and water and works like a charm. Simply let the fruit infuse in water for about an hour, refrigerate to preference and enjoy these healthy coffee alternatives. You can thank me later.

The Maroon

March 10, 2017