Mace and Crown Fall 2020

M ACE & CROWN FALL 2020

EST. 1930

2020 old dominion universit y student magazine

CONTENTS FALL 2020, ISSUE 9

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Natalie Hockaday COPY EDITOR Ashley Mazza NEWS EDITOR Carly Herbert A & E EDITOR Fatima Rivera TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Tyler Eddins SPORTS EDITOR James Onuska DIGITAL EDITOR Kieran Rundle GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amber Wilson SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Annastasia Bimler DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Sean Fitzpatrick

FRONT COVER

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Collage

ASSISTANT EDITORS AviYonce Scott Paula Phounsavath

2020 OVERVIEW 04 Year Review

NEWS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ciera Seymour Leah Chavez AviYonce Scott CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jorge Zamudio @SellerMedia @Joztakethosee @shootsbyb_ @shot.by.suave

SPECIAL THANKS TO Dr. Joyce Hoffmann Jen Cohen

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Nicholas Clark

Mace & Crown is a student-run magazine written and published for the students of Old Dominion University. Originally founded in 1930 as The High Hat, the paper became The Mace and Crown in 1961. Mace & Crown is primarily a selfsupporting magazine, maintaining journalistic independence from the university. All views expressed in this collegiate magazine are those of the author, not of the university, Mace & Crown or the editors.

Colophon: This magazine was produced in Adobe Indesign in accordance with Mace & Crown Style guide. Most of the copy is Arno Pro 9 pt Typeface with complimentarty type families designed by Amber Wilson.

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03 Editor’s note

06 COVID Changes Life as we Know It 10 Nailed The Artform

TECHNOLOGY

12 The Games We Play 14 New School of Cybersecurity Seeks to Build National Alliance 18 Esports

SPORTS

20 ODU Women’s Basketball Eyes On C-USA Title and More 22 Advocating for Equality in sports

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

24 Artist Spotlight: Jorge Zamudio 26 Top Albums and Films During COVID Quarantine

CREATIVE ENCLAVE

27 28 30 32 33

Kyla Bennett Christina Lindsey Skin What Made Me Go Into Painting 143

Fall 2020 | 02

NOTE

EDITOR’S

EDITOR’S NOTE

JAN I think I speak for everyone when I say that this year has not gone as expected. With the high hopes of counting down to the new year we were all hit with a series of events that changed the dynamic of how we live that will affect us for the rest of our lives. The uptick in the coronavirus has forced us to most things completely virtual with limited human connection. Yet despite all the negativity, we all have been able to find a way to keep our heads up and seek entertainment through other outlets. Whether we tuned in on the Versuz battles, zoom called old friends and family or started a new hobby, we all found a way to keep going and that’s what you’ll see in this issue.

Taking a look back on this year is sort of weird for me because time has simultaneously moved slow and fast at the same time. March feels like it was last week yet forever ago at the same time. It’s as if everything has been put on pause and the world will resume as normal as soon as this is all over. But it won’t, with the presidential election and the continuation of the Black Lives Matter movement over the past few months, as a country we are shifting and reconstructing once again.

This magazine issue gives insight on the beauty and pain this year has given us.

Natalie Hockaday Editor and Chief

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2020 started out as a whirlwind with the COVID-19 first travel bans for the US being imposed on the 6th. It wasn’t until the 20th that the first COVID-19 cases reached the US. Donald Trump’s impeachment trial for obstruction of Congress and abuse of power began on the 16th. To end off the month, Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi were killed in a helicopter crash on the 26th.

In February, President Trump was acquitted in his impeachment trial while Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sex crimes after dozens of women came forward during the #MeToo movement accusing him of sexual abuse. The first Americans to die of COVID-19 pass away.

MAR

JUN

In July, Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested for her involvement with Jeffery Epstein and his sex crimes. The NFL’s Washington Redskins make a statement saying that they will be changing their name after years of questioning the cultural accuracy and effect of their current name. During this time, COVID-19 restrictions and regulations begin to loosen up as the country attempts to reopen. At the end of July, a national coin shortage begins, which comes as a result of fewer people using cash during the Coronavirus.

As summer comes to an end, the West Coast begins to catch fire, with recordbreaking wildfires spreading from Oregon to California. These fires are so big that smoke from them was able to be seen on the East Coast. Meanwhile, on the East Coast, Hurricane Isaias makes landfall in North Carolina as a Category 1.

Democratic Presidential Candidate, Joe Biden, nominates California Senator, Kamala Harris, as his running mate.

SEP

APR

In May, the deaths of two African American men, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd sparked massive protests, with hundreds of thousands of people flooding the streets of cities across the country to protest racial injustice and police brutality. These protests would go on to last months. During this time, “murder hornets” also make their first appearance in Olympia, Washington.

Halfway through 2020, in June, the Black Lives Matter protests continued to gain more traction and spread past America’s borders, reaching countries across the world. President Trump gets back on the campaign trail to host rallies in preparation for the 2020 election as the primaries begin. The Supreme Court blocks the Trump administration’s attempt to block DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), allowing young immigrants to be protected against deportation.

JUL

FEB

The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a global pandemic.

Colleges across the country send home their students and close their campuses.

The 2020 Summer Olympics are postponed. The US Stock Market reaches its lowest day since 1987.

In April the U.S. Department of Defense releases 3 declassified videos of UFOs, sparking an alien buzz on social media with everyone talking about how they are real. During this time, rumors were also circulating the North Korean leader, Kim Jon Un, had died or faked this own death, after a few weeks it was released that he was still alive. Protests against Coronavirus restrictions and precautions begin.

MAY

By Carly Herbert, News Editor

AUG

By September, schools and businesses were re-opening with strict regulations. On Sep. 18, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies of cancer, she was a trailblazer in women’s equality and was the 2nd woman, after Sandra Day O’Connor to serve on the Supreme Court. On Sep. 23, the grand jury decision of Breonna Taylor, indicting one of the three Lousiville Metro Police Officers involved in the fatal shooting. Trump and Biden have the first fiery debate of the 2020 election season.

On Oct. 1, only two days after the debate, President Donald Trump tests positive for COVID-19. Oct. 7 California Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence faced off during the Vice Presidential Debate. Amy Coney Barrett nominated to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court Bench.

NOVEMBER

OCT

Joe Biden & Kamala Harris.

Fall 2020 | 04

NEWS

COVID-19 ChangesLife AsWeKnowIt On Jan. 9 the World Health Association reported on a mystery illness that was affecting the population of Wuhan, China.

The illness, SARS-Cov-2, better known now as Coronavirus or COVID-19, was causing flulike symptoms such as fever, headache, and sore throat for those infected.

“ The U.S. reported its first cases, and on Feb. 3 the U.S declared a Public Health Emergency,...”

In under a month, the symptom list had lengthened to include loss of taste or smell, nausea, and intense fatigue. Only a week and a half later, the U.S. reported its first cases, and on Feb. 3 the U.S declared a Public Health Emergency, knowing the virus was soon to turn into a global pandemic.

With flights being canceled and statewide lockdowns being put in place, colleges were put in the position where they needed to decide if they were sending their students home to quarantine.

For ODU, the lockdowns began to go into effect while their students were on Spring Break, so instead of sending them home right away and immediately converting the rest of the semester to virtual learning, they added an extra two weeks to their break.

This was so administrators and executives could monitor the spread of cases and the state of the country before moving everyone out.

On March 20, the University sent out the email, alerting students that the rest of the semester would be continued online. For many, this was a time of crisis. Grocery stores were experiencing shortages on just about everything and travel bans prevented people from leaving their states.

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Freshman, Jonathan Dowd, was supposed to have his high school graduation last spring, but the virus started his summer break prematurely. “We were definitely sent home to do online school work which was in the senior year,” said Dowd. “That screwed up prom, that screwed up graduation, it screwed up everything that was important that last stretch and senior.”

When Dowd went home, he realized how severe some of the shortages in grocery stores were. “Towards the beginning was wipes, it was toilet paper and it was non-perishables but even then that’s always a shortage especially nowadays,” explained Dowd. “ It’s a bit easier [now], but it’s still hard to find a good like 20 pack of Clorox wipes when I go to Office Depot 10 months ago and get them for two bucks. It’s a five-pack for like 20 bucks so it’s like I’m not willing to pay those prices.”

In some states and counties, curfews were even enforced for their residents to try and keep the distance and slow the spread.

“Ithinkatthatpoint,it willbetheonethatwill bewidespreadenough thatwe’llhaveit.”

While schools and restaurants are open again, grocery stores are maintaining the necessities, and masks are more readily available. The end is not quite here yet and the long-term effects of the past six months are still up in the air.

Masks are still mandatory in restaurants, gyms, and especially classrooms. Colleges have had to crack down on their rules and regulations regarding any form of gathering,

Looking back on the past months and the pandemic that paralyzed the world

By Carly Herbert, News Editor

whether it be, involvement meetings, extracurricular events, sports, and even lecture classrooms.

This semester ODU has begun hybrid learning, where classes are either held on online platforms such as Zoom or WebEx, or they are held in much smaller numbers in classrooms big enough to properly social distance. For many students, even if their classes are listed as “in-person” they still have the option to stay home and join the class virtually if they are sick or aren’t comfortable going into class.

Freshman Logan Smith had almost all of his classes switched to a virtual platform which has caused him to realize how different it is learning at home compared to learning in a classroom. “I prefer my in-person classes,” said Smith. “My online classes I just find it too hard to focus and not get distracted.”

Throughout campus, there are signs to help remind students to be safe, wear their masks, and keep a six-foot distance. Despite it being such a major adjustment to college students’ way of life, ODU has had a relatively low number of cases. In order to keep the community and students up to date on the status of the virus on campus, the University created an online dashboard that tracks the number of cases, tests, available quarantine/ isolation spaces on campus, and a weekly breakdown of how many new cases there are.

While college students have been able to adjust well, Dowd makes the case that younger children may be the most drastically affected by this pandemic coming through during their formative years. “It’s gonna be a problem because especially for younger kids,” said Dowd. “I would say ages five to 10 because those are crucial growing years and, you know, meeting friends and gaining that social interaction to build up into social interaction in adulthood. But to take that

away, you’ve got to go find a good five chunk of growth so then when they go out into college and they don’t know what to do.”

While there’s still so much uncertainty as to when the country will return to a sense of normalcy, there is also hope. “I’ve heard a lot of people say that they don’t think things will ever get back to like a normal,” said Smith.

“Personally, I think they will, I just think it takes time and everyone like cooperating and working together, and following like the CDC guidelines, I think, I think I can get back to normal just.”

“Maybe like a year after a vaccine hopefully comes out,” continued Smith. “I think at that point, it will be the one that will be widespread enough that we’ll have it.”

Over the course of this pandemic, the ODU community has come together to provide students, staff, and so many more access to important technological resources, places to stay, and meals to put on the table.

While the country waits for a vaccine, we will continue to work together as a community to ensure the safety and security of all those that ODU serves.

Fall 2020 | 06

NEWS

Nailed Artform The

This summer, during the reemergence of the Black Lives Matter protests, Black businesses across the country found themselves in the spotlight. During this time where support was pouring in for the Black community, one of the ways people choose to show their appreciation and respect was through supporting Black owned companies.

By: Carly Herbert

Frost. “When you’re first going into college you’re more self-conscious of your looks, you’re trying to find yourself.”

Nailsbydime was accessible and good quality for a good price for college students which helped fuel the fire of her

ple shared their favorite Black-owned

rapidly growing business. Frost pointed

businesses including boutiques, restau-

out that students not having their cars

rants and cafes, and hair and nail salons.

on campus and not being able to afford

One of Old Dominion University’s own,

some of the other places around cam-

Diamond Frost, started her nail busi-

pus contributed to her success.

ness on Instagram while she was still in

For Frost, she believes that the reason

school. Her Instagram @nailbydime__

women take the time and spend the

has over 23,000 followers and her busi-

money to get their nails done is for self-

ness is fully booked until November!

care.

Based out of Chesapeake, VA she be-

“As a woman, I just know if I’m ever

gan her nail empire in 2018. She began

going through something, just having

doing nails as a hobby and a way to

my nails done, or my hair or my lashes,

pass time. When she realized how much

it just makes me feel ten times better,”

she enjoyed the process, she ordered

said Frost. “It’s just pretty and nice, and

her own supplies and started practicing

it’s definitely a pick-me-up.”

Photo by: @SellerMedia

But Dime is not one to do the bare

“When I came back for my sophomore

minimum, she wants her customers to

year at ODU I moved into the Village,

feel as taken care of as possible, which

into those apartments and I started

is why she likes to give hand massages

doing [nails] out of there,” said Frost. “It

with lotion or hand scrubs to her clients

just kind of blew up from there.”

to make them feel pampered.

When Dime first started out, she nev-

“A lot of people come not just for the

er anticipated her business to grow the

nails, but for the conversation which is

way that it did.

why all my appointments are confiden-

“It still shocks me to this day,” Frost

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they want to get their nails done,” said

Across social media specifically, peo-

on her self.

Diamond Frost sits down for a discussion on business and nails.

on campus with thousands of girls,

tial,” explained Frost.

admits. “Sometimes when people get

When it comes to the culture sur-

asked who did their nails and they say

rounding black beauty, Frost thinks that

my name, they already know who I am

nails are something that have come in

which is crazy.”

and out of history going through all dif-

Frost thinks that living on-campus at ODU contributed to how she grew her clientele so fast.

ferent cultures.

“Right now we are at a point where there are more black nail techs in the

“Even though I wasn’t charging that

field,” said Frost. “I’ve had people tell me

much at first, but I was pretty good

that having a black nail tech inspired

for being a beginner and when you’re

them to be a nail tech which definitely

Fall 2020 | 08

NEWS

makes me feel good.”

“This is something that gives people the opportunity to be their own boss and work for themselves,” says Frost.

beauty. “I think that Black pride is defi-

@nailbydime__

“ A lot of people come not just for the nails, but for the conversation which is why all my appointments are confidential”

nitely now showing through, so just like

really soaking in that culture,” said Frost.

She has also noticed the rise in support for Black businesses.

“This is a time where more people are trying to tap into different stuff whether it be hair, nails, lashes, all that stuff.”

Frost also included that she tries to be conscious of what businesses she supports as well.

“When I think about where I can go

get lunch and stuff I’m always like ‘Well I

Lately, Frost says she has noticed that

can go there but there’s this other place

black women have been leaders in nail

that’s a Black-owned business’ and even

trends. She also points out the influence

if I hadn’t tried it before I would much

of things like music that inspire certain

rather give my money to them,” ex-

trends in the nail industry.

plained Frost.

When it comes to cultural appropria-

Frost has big plans for her future in the

tion of black beauty, Frost believes that

beauty industry, starting with growing

doing nails is an art form.

her business’s social media platform.

“Everyone has hands and the nail

She also hopes to keep selling her

beds, but it’s a little different when it

products and teaching others to appre-

comes to hair and clothing, especial-

ciate the art of doing nails.

ly when you get into actual cultural

“It’s not just about the money for me,

clothing,” explains Frost. “I, personally,

it’s my passion. I just want to become

wouldn’t say that it doesn’t apply to nails

the best nail artist that I can become. I

but it’s not really something you see in

want to be able to keep supporting my

the nail industry.”

family.”

“At the end of the day, what I do is a

Frost also wants to continue teaching

luxury, it’s not a need-based industry,

others how to be successful in the nail

which I always have to remind myself,”

industry and just in owning a business.

N

ails a re an

said Frost. “But I charge what I charge because there will always be people who are willing to pay to get their nails, even pay their bills.”

“I grew up going to a private school for a little while and I feel like looking the part, or at least what I call looking the part, definitely made me feel a lot better because I wasn’t from the same place as everyone else.”

Now, Frost thinks that its important to take pride in their ancestors and their

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Artfor m

Photo by: @Joztakethosee

hair, lashes, and stuff done before they

Fall 2020 | 10

TECHNOLOGY

HE T GAMES WE PLAY Leah Chavez

We found a handpick of games released to help you through quarantine. From hard parties to thoughful words.

3

Party Hard was released back in 2015 but it’s never too late to partake in this pixelated gem published by tinyBuild. In this indie game of action and stealth, you are a man that just wants peace and quiet. It’s 3:00am and the neighbors are partying way too loud.

That’s when you decide to do something about it by any means necessary. Cleverly take out rooms full of partygoers ranging from girls in bikinis and boas to cowboys and bikers. The trick, or main mechanic, here is to make sure you aren’t seen or risk being chased down by the cops. As you progress, you’re able to find out more about this mysterious masked man you’re playing as while taking on new levels. These levels are full of noisy house parties, beach parties, rooftop parties, cruise parties and more.

Take the life out of the party, literally, on Microsoft Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Linux and Mac for only $9.99.

KIND WORDS

60 PARSECS!

PARTY HARD MONSTER PROM Dating and monsters? You heard right, coming from a mature quirky game by the name of Monster Prom, originally released April 27, 2018. Monster Prom is best described as a competitive dating sim; play alone or up to four friends. Either way, you will only have three weeks to get a date for the prom! In these three weeks, you are expected to have an interest in mind as you build your stats.

Invest in smarts, boldness, creativity, charm, fun or money in the hopes of impressing one of six main love interests. Will you choose Vera Oberlin, the business-savvy and money-hungry Gorgon? Or, maybe Liam de Lioncourt, a purple vampire hipster that only orders food to take pictures of it? Getting a date is not easy, rejection is a normal and regular occurrence in this game. Regardless of possibly getting your heart broken, the dialogue is funny and unapologetic. Coming from the developer and publisher, Beautiful Glitch and Those Awesome Guys, they truly want you to be your worst self. Catch this cool indie game on

Halloween is all about being spooky and space can be just as spooky, if not more, as haunted houses and vampires. Space can be even spookier when your space station is about to be attacked by an incoming missile and you only have 60 seconds to escape to your shuttle.

Before taking off, you have to grab as many supplies and crewmates as possible. The shuttle can hold three other crewmates, not including your choice of captain. One of the biggest necessities is soup. After escaping, it is now up to you to determine how your crew will survive through this text adventure with occasional pictures. Spend your time in space exploring, crafting, leading, surviving and making important decisions. Anything could mean the end in this game with mechanics such as permadeath and procedural generation.

Starve, get a soulmate, get attacked by aliens, get sick or make peace. There are tons of possibilities in 60 Parsecs! But, the difficulty lies in surviving long enough to get that victory.

Discover the importance of soup for $9.99 on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and Android.

COFFEE TALK Coffee Talk is a visual novel talking-simulator developed by Toge Productions. In this chill and jazzy game, complete with 90s inspired pixel art, you are a barista in an urban fantasy Seattle. There are a variety of fantastical patrons that will come into your shop to vent about their problems. Fix up a cup of joe with your own choice of latte art and watch life happen in front of you. The most unique feature about this game is that the story will change and branch not by the dialogue options that you choose but by how you serve your customers. It’s hard not to relax in this cozy cafe environment complemented by warm drinks and lo-fi music.

Have you ever had a need to be listened to?

Or, maybe needed some advice? In these trying times, it’s good to know that games like Kind Words exist. In Kind Words, you receive your very own tiny pink room where you write and receive letters. In these letters, you can write about anything bothering you or that you need help with. Or, if you’re feeling kind and helpful, you can write replies to the letters of others. The best thing about this system is that it is all anonymous.

No one knows who you are, so let out some steam and breathe. The game is wellmonitored so trolling should be the least of your worries. Enjoy your safe space, vibe to the lo-fi beats, trade desirably cute stickers and have a good time with your newfound pen pals.

Kind Words was released on Sept. 12, 2019 and is readily available on Steam for just $4.99.

Coffee Talk was released earlier this year for $12.99 and is available on Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox

Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Linux and Mac for $11.99.

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Fall 2020 | 12

TECHNOLOGY

New School of

Cybersecurity Seeks to Build National Alliance

“The program was a great opportunity to build an inclusive community for future cybersecurity workforce, so we developed a proposal which was selected by the NSF for funding.”

Since the beginning of this year, many of our mid-pandemic social experiences have become solely digital. As our lives become more public and present online, increasing amounts of data about us is more available on social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Zoom, and others. We like to think the information we put on the web is protected by privacy policies and two-step authentication, but what if there is a breach? Breaches can compromise your identity, private, and financial information, and even the most secure institutions could expose you.

The more information we trust online makes us more vulnerable, which increases our need for protection or cybersecurity.

“ Sanzo says they use what is called a network improvement community (NIC) where each team’s findings are reported back to a larger network for discussion and deeper understanding.”

Image by: NICHOLAS CLARK

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Old Dominion University has found a way to begin to address our vulnerabilities with tech and education while also bridging a gap within the cybersecurity workforce. The Cybersecurity Inclusive Pathways toward Higher Education and Research (CIPHER) is a project created by a team of faculty researchers who are redefining cybersecurity education for students at ODU and beyond. The initiative was headed by the project’s principal investigator, Dr. Hongyi “Michael” Wu and project manager, Dr. Karen L. Sanzo. CIPHER has made significant strides to work alongside the Center for Cybersecurity Education and Research (CCSER) to establish the first ever School for Cybersecurity in the fall of 2020.

As a growing research institution, ODU’s

Cooper, M. (2017, July 24). 36,000 unfilled Va. jobs have $88,000 starting pay, governor says. Retrieved October 06, 2020, from https://www.wtvr.com/2017/07/24/virginia-computer-jobs/ Garvey, J. (2020, August 06). ODU Team Working on Initiative to Grow and Diversify Cybersecurity Education. Retrieved October 06, 2020, from https://www.odu.edu/news/2020/8/cipher_project Morgan, S. (2020, August 04). Cybersecurity Talent Crunch to Create 3.5 Million Unfilled Jobs Globally By 2021. Retrieved October 06, 2020, from https://cybersecurityventures.com/jobs/

By AviYonce Scott

decision to open a School for Cybersecurity is a direct response to growing student interest in the cybersecurity program. Student enrollment grew from 11 to over 800 students in only the span of a few years. Principal investigator, Dr. Wu states that CIPHER’s goal is to address various issues within and around the campus’ community.

“The program offers cutting-edge educational experiences to students and professionals in the field of cybersecurity,” said Dr. Wu “It also develops high-impact, cross-disciplinary research initiatives that center cybersecurity so we can be a source of cybersecurity expertise to the community, Hampton Roads, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the nation.”

According to predictions from Cybersecurity Ventures and other experts, an estimated 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs will be available in the U.S. by 2021. In 2017, former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe reported that there were 36,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in the commonwealth, and the Governor went as far as signing a bill establishing Computer Science as part of the core curriculum for K-12 in every school in Virginia making it the first state to ever make this change. In Virginia today, there are over 50,000 cybersecurity jobs openings. Although cybersecurity offers attractive salaries that range from $80,000 a year or more, this is compelling evidence that education is what can fill those empty positions. One of the first steps to introducing educational programs is by securing funding and thorough research.

Dr. Wu says his involvement with CIPHER started when he and his multidisciplinary team of researchers secured funding through the National Science Foundation (NSF). “The program was a great opportunity to build an inclusive community for future cybersecurity workforce, so we developed a proposal which was selected by the NSF for funding.”

With a $100,000 grant from the NSF, the collaborative team of faculty researchers were able to determine key issues to address as they plan to implement cybersecurity into K-16 curricula. However, securing the funding is only the beginning, while the real challenge

is addressing implementation, inclusivity, and building a solid cybersecurity curriculum.

CIPHER’S project manager, Dr. Karen Sanzo brings a fresh perspective, with a background in K-12 education leadership. Dr. Sanzo says her involvement in the project began through a two-year fellow position.

“I came on board to this project through work I did as a fellow for design thinking and strategic planning that I concluded last year,” Sanzo said, “And through that work I had the opportunity to be engaged in the tech talent pipeline work with computer science and computer engineering, and through there I became connected with cybersecurity.

As a former school administrator, Dr. Sanzo has a unique background in education that allows her to serve as the project’s K-12 liaison. CIPHER has reportedly collaborated with over 175,000 students from ten different local school districts and faculty from dozens of universities through a series of working group activities which include organizing work meetings and forming task forces to address different facets of the project.

“When we launched the project in the summer, we had over thirty partners. I reached out and I asked our partners if they would like to be on one of these task forces. There were originally five, but we’ve condensed them to four. When we had our first organizational meeting for each team, I organized those meetings while also leading colleagues in those teams who have volunteered to co-lead those taskforces.”

Dr. Sanzo helps coordinate these meetings, but she says the goal is to encourage the partners to drive the conversations as stakeholders.

To do this, Sanzo says they use what is called a network improvement community (NIC) where each team’s findings are reported back to a larger network for discussion and deeper understanding.

“We’re using what’s called network improvement community to collaborate in different components of the project, said Dr. Sanzo. “We have leads that lead back to the hub. When we learn about what’s happening in each of the teams, we take those collective learnings to

meet the goal outlines of the project and set high level objectives. And every three weeks, the plan is to come back and talk about the outcomes of what we’ve done to meet objectives. We also talk about how we can advance the work further.”

When it comes to the future of CIPHER and the potential impact it could make on the community locally and nationally, Dr. Sanzo says one of the program’s goals would be to establish a regional consortium where the team can collaborate with and help K-12 partners connect around cybersecurity to create resources for school divisions to engage in research around common problems and address the lack of clarity around what cybersecurity is.

“We see a lot of different messages around cybersecurity from external sources. We’re working to align a common understanding of cybersecurity, because that is too a barrier, so I think it’s a matter of education,” said Dr. Sanzo.

Dr. Wu also believes that among many challenges, there are three key issues that the program faces now. “There are challenges in implementation,” said Dr. Wu, “Where do we fit cybersecurity into the K-12 curricula? How do we ensure time allocation? How do we ensure resources and infrastructure in different schools? There also challenges in student access. How do we ensure students with different socioeconomic status (SES) to have equal access to curricula, teachers, resources, and infrastructure needed for cybersecurity education? And lastly, there are challenges in teacher preparation. How do we ensure teachers have access to solid cybersecurity curriculum and learning sources? How do we prepare competent teachers to have sufficient knowledge to teach learning modules and increase students’ interest in cybersecurity?”

Dr. Wu states the main goal for CIPHER is to pave the way for a national alliance between universities, students, faculty, and researchers through a “research-practitioner partnership that engages all stakeholders.”

With this amount of progress made, many local parents could see cybersecurity curriculum in their child’s [virtual] classroom very soon. A career in cybersecurity is not just rewarding for the salary; it is about forging a path in a demanding new field that desperately needs a workforce to protect the network we all share online.

Fall 2020 | 14

TECHNOLOGY

New Plans for ESports Grant Deppen is the Assistant Director of Intramural Sports and Esports within Recreation and Wellness here at ODU. Mace & Crown Technology Editor Tyler Eddins sat down with Mr. Deppen to discuss the details of the new Monarch esports teams. Below is a portion of their conversation What has been the process to bring the

sports team to what it is now? Any particular

“ We’re up over one hundred people that are a part of the program currently” Follow ODU Varsity Esports on Twitter at:

By Tyler Eddins

“ WE’RE FOCUSED ON THE BETTERMENT OF STUDENTS, AND IF IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THEM TO PAY TO FINISH SCHOOL BY MAKING SOME MONEY STREAMING THEN I’M ALL FOR IT.”

@ODU_Esports

tivities while provide leadership opportunities

them. Those types of things are different than

But I know going forward, when we do tryouts

for them…

what the club has been doing in the past.

we’re going to be able to have the facility to

That’s what takes it up a notch.

ourselves and have all the people in the same

A varsity esports program is not necessarily something that falls based on skill level. It’s really more, does the university support the program in a way beyond providing them with

You held tryouts in September. How did

those work and was it different from what you had planned previous to the pandemic?

place.

About how many people came out for the

tryouts versus how many have been placed on the teams?

money? As we provide them with the space

Mr. Deppen: We had planned to have a

and all these other things that we’re doing,

couple of events in the springtime building

Mr. Deppen: The official number of peo-

they naturally become that varsity esports pro-

up hype. Being able to give out t-shirts, have

ple that registered to try out was upwards of

hurdles that you can talk about?

gram.

a game display and have a lot of stuff set up

one hundred and twenty-five. We did have

Mr. Deppen: The program as it exists now

The biggest hurdle has been identifying a

for people to see to build the energy around

some people, based on academic commit-

was brought to us by Dr. Don Stansberry who

place that we could utilize as an esports facil-

the program as we went into the summer-

ments and other things, that have stepped

is now the Vice President of Student En-

ity, and part of that is the natural necessity to

time.

away. We expected that to happen just with it

gagement and Enrollment Services. He had

have something that is accessible to students.

Going into the fall, there was an un-

being a new thing. We made a commitment at

been to some conferences and talked to a

Something that is large enough to house the

derstanding that we weren’t going to be

this point since we are a new program, we’re

bunch of people around the country about

size of the program that we have, but also has

able to put people into the space. As we

still building something and there’s a lot of

the growth and proliferation of esports on

the technological infrastructure to operate the

programmed out and set up all the tour-

people that want to be involved, to not cut

other campuses.

things that we need to in order to have a qual-

naments and tryouts, it was actually pretty

anyone.

ity program.

logistically easy for us. People already have

We kept as many people that were willing

at least a copy of the game and their own

to stay on. We’re up over one hundred people

He wanted us in Recreation and Wellness to investigate what students are doing here and what’s happening on other campuses.

That started in fall of 2018… We have several groups that are related to esports and gaming that actually began earlier than that.

The esports Club, which is a recognized organization, started back in 2016…

You mentioned the esports club and it

seems like this program gives them more uni-

equipment that they can utilize, and we

that are a part of the program currently… Go-

versity support and brings them into a more

could do it all digitally.

ing forward we may have to dial that back, but

The biggest hurdle for a lot of students

it hasn’t become unwieldy at this point. We’re

club?

was capturing their own gameplay. We had

going to naturally have some attrition over

legitimate field. How is this different from the

Mr. Deppen: Right, that’s the big difference.

so many teams playing at once that it was

time as people have things come up or maybe

With our club, when they’re buying uniforms,

impossible for me to sit in on everything at all

lose interest, but I think we’re in a good place numbers wise right now.

They had been operating for a little while

they’re paying out of pocket for that. They’re

times. We had the players capture their own

and as we started moving through the process

playing in their residence hall on their own con-

gameplay and then send it to me through the

of creating an esports program and inves-

soles. Once our facility is up and running and

ODU Box large file sharing system so I could

tigating what we had, we had this entity that

we’re doing competitions in person, they’ll be

review that…

already existed and was already competing…

using computers, games and equipment that’s

Most of my job then was watching video

Mr. Deppen: If you’ve ever been where the

Our recognition was pretty straightforward that

provided. Jerseys and apparel will be provid-

games, taking notes and trying to divvy up

TVs are, where a lot of guys and girls are play-

we could support this at a higher level and en-

ed. We are looking into how we can provide

the talent. There weren’t too many changes

ing video games right now, it’s directly above

gage these students in a bunch of different ac-

coaching that’s high quality and beneficial for

just because it was our first time through…

that. It formerly was the Office of Intercultural

15 | maceandcrown.com

You mentioned a space in the Webb, both

in our email and briefly here. What are the plans for that?

Fall 2020 | 16

TECHNOLOGY

streamer and they promoted that they are a

Relations… It’s been vacant for about a year

Mr. Deppen: The NCAA has no contact

now and we took basically that entire center

really with esports in any kind of way… At

component; around three thousand square

the division one level like at ODU, players

Mr. Deppen: NACE is a relatively open

feet. It’ll have three sections. The main section

within esports can win prize money, gifts,

organization and they’re not making rules

It’s about being able to complete all of our

is a lab with a stage, a big wall graphic and

scholarship funds and things like that. That’s

about what specific esport athletes can do

university goals and initiatives with esports

backdrop for our varsity teams so they can play

where there’s a big amateurism issue for the

or not do. That would be up to us as an

outside of just having high-quality teams and

in a LAN match with another team. It’s set up

NCAA at large schools. Because of that, the

institution. If students can and want to try

good facilities. We want to be able to bring

to handle six vs. six playing there and, as you’re

NCAA has basically said we’re not going

to make money doing streaming or sign-

students in that are already interested in

shooting it and streaming it, it’s got a cool view

to get involved with that at this point. So,

ing sponsorship deals, they’re more than

games so we can meet them halfway and say

with the graphic.

there is no NCAA contact with esports, but

welcome to continue to participate with our

‘You’re interested in games, and we have game

part of Monarch Esports?

progression that follows both the career interests of students and also their leisure and recreational activities as well…

There are thirty-four computers through-

there are several national governing bod-

program. That’s good for them and it’s good

design majors that can prepare you to a career

out the rest of the lab that can be used for

ies that oversee esports. The biggest one

for us… We’re focused on the betterment of

in the gaming industry, or we have cybersecurity

other gaming. Initially that space was intend-

right now is the one that we’re a part of. It’s

students, and if it makes it easier for them to

inside the IT area’. We have computer science,

ed to open up all at once and be open to the

called NACE, the National Association of

pay to finish school by making some mon-

computer engineering and all these other

general student population during set hours

Collegiate Esports…

ey streaming then I’m all for it. There aren’t

academic majors that can be the end point for

as an open gaming space. People could come

NACE runs internal tournaments, but

really any restrictions. There could be if we

students. The middle ground where we meet

in, they could see where the varsity sports

then also works with game developers in

wanted to, but realistically there isn’t any point

them is going to be gaming.

players participate, but then they could also

running tournaments that those developers

for us to do anything like that.

play games themselves and jump in to do their

have created. One of the big things about

own thing. We didn’t want it to be hyper ex-

esports that is not known, is that the game

clusive to where it’s just a varsity esports space.

developers that create the game… they

Mr. Deppen: One of the things that I think is

act or engage academically. It acts as this

Additionally, there’s two smaller wing

have complete authority over who can play

misunderstood when people talk about schol-

direct pathway to all these other careers

spaces. One of those is going to be our

their games and in what settings, especial-

arships with esports is the size of those schol-

and opportunities that students can have.

broadcast area. We’re going to be able to

ly when it comes to tournaments. Some of

arships. Right now, I think maybe five schools

Maybe that’s something more creative, like

do the live streams and broadcasts from the

those companies are stricter than others…

in the United States offer a true full ride schol-

the game design component, or maybe

space, which is going to be not only high-

Blizzard and their subsidiary, Activision have

arship for esports. Most other institutions are

that’s a little more tangential like broadcast-

ly entertaining, but it’s going to be a great

a group called Tespa who runs everything for

offering smaller amounts. The scholarships

ing and media.

creative opportunity for a lot of students. There

Overwatch, Hearthstone and Call of Duty,

that people are getting are more likely to be

are students that are interested in the casting

but there are other game titles that are a little

supplements rather than something that’s a

side of esports, and that space will also be

more flexible…

complete coverage of cost of attendance…

open to a select number of content creators that want to do their own streams…

Does that bring in a problem with potential

scholarships down the line?

There’s a relationship between a national

Based on the size of the program and where we

governing body and the game developers

are right now… it’s difficult for us to offer scholar-

The other wing of the space is strictly for

to help bridge the gap. NACE has a pretty

ships at this point in time. But, if we were able to,

console play. There’s going to be some couch-

good relationship with Tespa, so we’re able

I would imagine that we would have to start out

es and some big TVs. Just a place for people to

to run a large-scale Overwatch tournament

with smaller sums of money rather than going

chill, relax and hang out together and be more

and Blizzard isn’t going to be upset about

directly into full scholarships.

communal…

us doing that. If it was another organization

time that students are leaving [for Thanksgiv-

be something completely different… The

ing]… So, within the next six or seven weeks, I

power dynamic there is something that’s

Mr. Deppen: When we talk about es-

think we’ll be able to get in and be operational.

different compared to what you would see in

ports, a lot of it has to do with capitalizing

traditional sports.

on the interest that students already have…

or is there something completely different?

17 | maceandcrown.com

So under NACE there wouldn’t be a prob-

lem, for instance, if one of your players was a

this standalone thing that doesn’t inter-

COMPLETE ALL OF OUR UNIVERSITY GOALS AND

INITIATIVES WITH

ESPORTS OUTSIDE OF JUST HAVING HIGH-QUALITY

TEAMS AND GOOD FACILITIES ”

Follow ODU Varsity Esports on Twitter at:

@ODU_Esports

What do you think about the growth of

that didn’t have that connection, it might

level? Is that underneath the NCAA banner,

the university mission. It’s not going to be

BEING ABLE TO

gaming that has happened recently here at

I think we’ll be able to open right around the

How does esports work on the collegiate

That’s how we see esports fitting into

“ IT’S ABOUT

the university?

Young people are interested in games and moving into that type of realm is a natural

Images by: NICHOLAS CLARK

Fall 2020 | 18

Coach D – Last Year’s Body

SPORTS

2

2001 - 2002

She then led Pepperdine team to a 22-12 record in the 2018-19 season before taking a position as an assistant at Syracuse which eventually was a quick stop to her taking the Head Coaching job in April at ODU. According to Coach D, “last year they fell short losing to Rice in the conference tournament, this year we plan on winning.” Confident words from an individual with a championship pedigree.

Coach D has won two gold medals and two WNBA championships when she won back to back titles in 20012002 with the LA Sparks. “Everything we do here will have a pro type mentality, and will be done professionally and classy,” said Coach D. This is just the swagger that the university needs to follow up a 24-6 overall record, which included 14-4 conference play.

odu women’s basketball eyes on c-usa title and more

“ Last year they fell short losing to Rice in the conference tournament, this year we plan on winning.”

The Old Dominion University Women’s basketball team is preparing to build on what was a phenomenal season in the eyes of most people. In the off season Coach Nikki McCray departed for Mississippi State after turning around the program and finishing 53-40 in three seasons with the Lady Monarchs. It didn’t take long for the team to find a replacement when they hired Coach DeLisha Milton-Jones. Coach D took over a Pepperdine squad in March 2017.

By James Onuska

Highlights and Sports Updates 20202020 Photos by: @shootsbyb_

19 | maceandcrown.com

The team has taken protective measures to assure the well being of the players and staff. They practice and meet in their bubble environment which allows them to practice and prepare for this upcoming season. When asked how the team has handled the Covid-19 citation, Coach D responded with “the team has done an exceptional job keeping the Monarch bubble safe due to the players being educated with the lurking danger of the coronavirus.”

This is the leadership and advice to keep these athletes safe and assure Monarch Nation an exciting season of women’s basketball. Senior guard Victoria Morris responded with “we’re making sure that we’re only going out

Gold Metals

2 24-6

2001 - 2002

WNBA Championships

CURRENT

Overall Followup Record

14-1 30 6.5 LAST YEAR

KEY PLAYER

PPG

Chartway Arena

C-USA Co-Sixth Player of the

Aziah Hudson ppg

Year Aziah Hudson, played in all 30 games

for essentials and staying safe because at the end of the day we want a season and we want to win.”

So many elements are factored in when determining the decision making on an upcoming season. The team looks focused and prepared to do what’s necessary to avoid any setbacks and start their season with no interruptions throughout the season.

The team returns several key parts of last year’s body that went 14-1 at Chartway Arena. Last year’s reigning C-USA Co-Sixth Player of the Year, Aziah Hudson, played in all 30 games while knocking down 48 three pointers and averaging 6.5 ppg which included scoring in double digits for five of those thirty games. Another star performer from last season who returns to lead ODU Lady Monarchs is Ajah Wayne.

Wayne’s performance against Auburn last year was lights out as she deposited six three pointers on her way to a 35 point game showing. The team will be led by senior guard, Victoria Morris.

Morris, led the team with 83 downtowners while averaging 11.8 ppg while playing in all 30 games. “We want to be a championship team, we want to be

great and go to the tournament,” said Morris on expectations for the team.

The team faces a schedule that includes a home game November 15th versus Auburn, a big five opponent and an away game that could determine number one seeding in conference playoff play against Rice February 20th.

Regardless, the team is mentally prepared and with experience at the helm the team is in good shape to not only win C-USA but also a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

We’re still unsure what the future holds for the team and fans with the current pandemic taking a toll on sports nationally. Players have responded courageously and responsibly complying with safety regulations. One question that exists is how will ODU handle the fanbase and the amount of attendees at campus home games.

Home court served as a big advantage in last season’s play and with Coach D looking to push the envelope in conference play to improve on last year’s accomplishments it’s imperative that fans and the student body meet that entitled amount of participants.

Fall 2020 | 20

SPORTS

Advocating for equality in sports

By James Onuska Fans look to see their favorite players drop 30 in a victory on the hardwood. They look for their quarterback to distribute the football among their teammates and lead their team to victory, and they look for their leading r.b.i. left fielder to go 3-4 while driving in three runs in a team win. What fans see now are players using their platform to advocate for ending racial injustice and police brutality. In 2016, a rising star used his platform to call for the end of

CREATIVE ENCLAVE

brought a tremendous amount of criticism and even

fellow Americans. Coach DeLisha Milton-Jones,

cost immense amounts of controversy through

the women’s basketball coach described how the

social media outlets. What these athletes are

coaching staff has approached the team and says

doing is exercising their First Amendment right of

“we have clearance to do certain things from higher

freedom of speech that is supposed to be protected

ups and the administration and that’s something

by the US Constitution.

I’m going to take to the team and where they want

“As this country

to go with it,” said Coach Milton-Jones goes on to say how the team is a unified front and definitely

continues to fight for

for equality and stand firm on that notion. ODU’s

equality, it is everyone’s

explained how the team has considered several

responsibility to stand

but know that they 100% stand for equality. We

up for what’s right. “

women’s basketball forward Victoria Morris options but haven’t decided on what they will do asked ODU’s football cornerback Kaleb FordDement the same thing and his response mirrored

those heinous practices and requesting equality.

Victoria Morris’s and also stands for equality.

Colin Kaepernick has found himself blackballed

As this country continues to fight for equality,

it is everyone’s responsibility to stand up for what’s

from the game he cherished playing as a youth and building a career in the NFL which included taking

Numerous organizations and people have

right. Athletes are not exempt, they have as much

the San Francisco 49ers to the Superbowl in 2013.

called for some sort of course of action. Suggestions

of a right as the people who are protesting.These

Since Kaepernick’s stance on social injustice and

of defunding the police which is when you

courageous individuals are conducting themselves

police brutality, other players have followed suit.

redirect funding to a police department to other

peacefully and doing so to achieve equality. If

Is this behavior unacceptable in any level of sports

government agencies. By doing this, training

taking a knee or wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt

or are they supposed to “shut up and dribble”,

and other resources could be made accessible for

during pregame warmups is offensive, the lives lost

words famously uttered by Fox News host Laura

departments to use to help with training and create

because of social injustice should be what is really

Ingraham to NBA star LeBron James.

a more obliging atmosphere. There’s also the Black

addressed. When voices start to be heard, maybe

Regardless of the status of these athletes, their

Lives Matter movement which is a social movement

people will start to change for the better.

advocating for equality is worthy and necessary.

that advocates against incidents of police brutality

Since the revolutionary campaign on behalf of

and all racially motivated violence against Black

coequality and fairness by athletes Kaepernick,

people. These have been discussed with enormous

LeBron and others, the spread of peaceful

variance and should just boil down to having

demonstrations have been seen throughout all

respect for your fellow brothers and sisters. This

levels of sports. High school football teams have

country is a very diverse nation in the world and it

taken a knee during the playing of the National

would behove everyone to unite as one and have

Anthem with hopes of bringing light to impartiality

mutual respect for one another while embracing

seen in America. Players from the WNBA down to

equality.

the high school have elected to wear apparel that

With the nation in monumental agitation,

requests justice and equal

people look for ways they are able to show their

opportunity in women’s sports. These actions have

objection for the social injustices carried out by

21 | maceandcrown.com

Fall 2020 | 22

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: JORGE ZAMUDIO

By Fatima Rivera The photography world continues to rise and students on campus are taking advantage of the scenery every chance they get. Jorge Zamudio is one of those students who create magic with the camera and editing skills.

Born in Mexico, Zamudio immigrated to the U.S at a young age. He lived in Atlanta, Georgia for seven years until moving to Virginia Beach in 2011. He is currently a senior with plans to graduate in 2021 as a mechanical and aerospace engineering student with a minor in engineering management.

When did you first begin photography?

Zamudio: “March 13, 2019, was the day I started taking it seriously because it was the first time I ever had an actual shoot and saw that it was possible I could take it seriously. I just kind of woke up and I saw it on social media and decided to try it out. I had a few people ask me to do some shoots for them and they really liked it so I decided to pursue that.”

What’s the story behind these pictures?

Zamudio: I was really trying to learn photoshop, I didn’t have it at that time so I was trying to experiment, I was out in the woods on the day and It sparked an idea. What if I had someone step out of their frame and then I photoshop the rest of their body into it. I pitched the idea to her [the model] but she didn’t get it because it was hard to explain, she was agreeing to it and then we did it at First Landing State Park at Virginia Beach. It’s between Chic’s beach and Oceanfront.

23 | maceandcrown.com

What program do you use?

Zamudio: I use photoshop, its a powerful program and you can’t go wrong with it.

It’s been over a year and I still have so much to learn because its a powerful machine and there’s so much you can do with it. Every time you use it, you learn a new lesson, you learn how to do something better or efficiently in a new way. And I can see that between my older pictures and newer pictures in my editing styles, colors make more sense I learned more about the color wheel and complementary colors. I go more towards warm tones than cold tones,

What direction do you hope your photography goes in?

Zamudio: I always see it as being a part of me and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. I definitely would like to get published in a bigger magazine or more people to see my work. I think that’s what every creative want.

What advice can you give to those aspiring in photography?

Zamudio: Just keep shooting, its the simplest and most used advice you can give to anybody. I was given it back then and its first-hand experience that you need to learn to become a better photographer. Shoot your friends and others to create magic.You learn to ride a bike by going out there and riding it and it’s the same concept.

Fall 2020 | 24

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Top Albums and Films During COVID Quarantine When the stay-at-home orders came into effect, millions of people found themselves having more time on their hands for hobbies and relaxation than they did before. Baking pastries

Lady Gaga (Chromatica)

1.0 million streams

Dua Lipa (Future Nostalgia)

Released May 29, Gaga’s sixth studio album was originally

2.0 million streams

scheduled for April 10th but delayed for seven weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guest features include Ariana Grande, Elton John, and K-Pop group Blackpink. The first single “Stupid Love” peaked top ten over fifteen countries and its second single “Rain on Me” featuring Grande followed shortly after. The album has elements of dance-pop and house-pop with house and disco have influences in the songs. The album peaked at number one for two consecutive weeks and became her sixth number one album as well as the fastest-selling album in the United Kingdom.

from scratch and interactions with one another on social media rocketed to create a feeling of getting through this.

Music and online streaming sites weren’t impacted but many artists and directors took advantage to release their work to help pass the time and fight for the top ratings on the board.

Here are the top five albums and films of the year so far.

Released on March 27, this is her second studio album that has a nostalgic pop and disco theme, influenced by the music in her childhood. “Don’t Start Now” became the lead single for the album and that was soon joined by “Physical” and “Break my Heart” as the second and third singles. Her Future Nostalgia Tour begins in January 2021.

The album charted as number one for five consecutive weeks, topping charts in thirteen countries and the top ten in thirty-one.

Movies

Bad Bunny (YHLQMDLG)

3.1 million streams

Pop Smoke (Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon) 1.5 million streams

The Weekend (After Hours) 3.0 million streams

Released March 20, the heavily anticipated album comes four years after his Starboy album, which is a completely different tone than many fans were hoping for. The album stayed on the charts for four consecutive weeks and broke the record for most preorders in Apple music history. This became his fourth number one album and reached number one in 20 other countries. His After-Hours tour was to begin in late 2020 but was delayed to 2021 due to the pandemic.

The top leading singles off the album are “Heartless” and “Blinding Lights” which have music videos for it as well.

25 | maceandcrown.com

Pop Smoke, known as Bashar Jackson, was an American rapper who began his career in 2018 and quickly rose to fame after this breakout single “Welcome to The Party” in 2019. “Shoot For the Stars, Aim For the Moon.” released on July 3rd was his debut album and first posthumous project following his murder on February 19th. A few artists featured are Quavo, DaBaby, Swae Lee, Future, and 50 cent who executive produced as he was Pop Smoke’s biggest inspiration. The album debuted number one upon its release and its deluxe version was released on July 20th, what would’ve been his 21st birthday. Controversy over the cover art was met by fans who felt the cover by Virgil Abloh was lazy and rushed. 50 Cent posted over 35 fan-made designs and the final cover was revealed hours before the release, which was personally chosen by Smoke’s mother.

[image: source Pitchfork], [Image: source theweeknd.com/Republic Records], [Image: source dualipa.com], [Image: source Genius.com], [image source: Time Magazine], [Image: source Variety], [image source: The Verge], [image source: IndieWire]

Released on February 29, Reggaeton artist Bad Bunny (Benito Martinez) dropped his second solo album which features artists like Daddy Yankee and Jowell Y Randy. The album title, “Yo Hago Lo Que Me De La Gana”, translates to “I do what I want.” This album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, becoming the highest Spanish album ever on the charts. The album continued to hit charts during the intense quarantine period. He released a follow-up album “Las Que No Iban A Salir” translating to “The Ones Who Weren’t Going Out” in the theme of the ongoing pandemic on May 10. He hosted his first-ever virtual concert on September 20 based on the album and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

Trolls: World Tour

Hamilton: An American Musical

The critically acclaimed Broadway show was released in July on Disney +. Created by Lin Manuel Miranda, it won eight Drama Desk Awards and broke a record of 16 nominations and 11 awards including “Best Musical.” The film is a live stage recording from three performances, including a one-minute intermission, and has the original broadway cast, including Miranda himself as Hamilton.

Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado

Sitting at 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, Trolls: World Tour is the sequel to its 2016 movie, Trolls. Its original release was delayed to COVID-19 and settled for April 10th, where it was released in limited theaters and available on digital rental the same day. It became one of the most successful digital releases, topping the charts to where Universal is looking into releasing future movies the same way; leading to AMC theatres and other chains pulling the movie and shortening windows to watch. It made $26 million in the box office and is available to stream on Hulu.

Parasite

Released on Netflix in July, the documentary goes into the childhood and life of one of the most influential and acclaimed astrologers in Latin America and the world. Walter Mercado rose to fame after an impromptu tv segment for astrology brought in ratings. Mercado faced homophobia during his career for his flamboyant and androgynous image but also was a fashion icon in later years. The documentary catches up with him after his final television appearance in 2006, learning what he has been doing away from the spotlight. He makes one final appearance in Miami of 2019, three months before his death on November 2nd.

The film sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with praising reviews from countless fans and critics.

The Academy Award-winning 2019 film became available for streaming on Hulu in April 2020 and continued to make a change in the industry as well as be one of the highest streaming movies during the quarantine period. It became Bong Joon-Ho’s first movie to gross over $100 million worldwide and stay on box office charts as more countries released it. It sits at a rating of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and sits first on a survey conducted by IndieWire.

By: Fatima Rivera

Fall 2020 | 26

CREATIVE ENCLAVE

Kyla Bennett

27 | maceandcrown.com

CREATIVE ENCLAVE

Christina Lindsey

Fall 2020 | 28

EATIVE CREATIVE ENCLAVE ENCLAVE

Skin Author: Ashley Mazza

While they tighten the claws around their neck suffocation consumes them Black blood dribbles towards their chest Feet hang lifeless Twitching in the wind Crumpled bones quake with each shaking breath Years of consumption appear on their legs Reminding us of our previous indulgence Thickened blood tastes sour too Vapor rises towards the windows of their soul Tickled hair rises under the sensation Harboring memories of past trauma Creature leave this fickle being Their muscles ache for their release Scraping away skin from skin Only to be torn once again

29 | maceandcrown.com

**Given everything that has happened with the Black Lives Matter movement, this piece was included to reflect on the horrendous treatment of the Black Community throughout history.

Fall 2020 | 30

e a e deion e t “ o d a t h gt mt t a in ? m n h t i g n ewhiagn e in m i a e w t e m am aind p t g g t p a e in e t p a o h mnt w e g t m in n i i a e ma d p ” p a o mnt i i

CREATIVE ENCLAVE

a our r e Cieym S

I initially hated painting at first because I was more into photography and just drawing as a whole. Then during my sophomore year of high school my art teacher told me that if I didn’t paint then I would fail that unit, so I was forced to do it. After that unit I took a break from painting because I still didn’t like it. Time went on and through college I rediscovered painting. Throughout quarantine I picked up painting again and I’ve been keeping up with it ever since. I started painting over the past couple months because I was tired of being on my phone and being on social media. I’m the type of person who likes to try new things, expand and pick up multiple skills and I wanted to make painting one of them. I tried other things and activities throughout quarantine but painting is just the one that stuck out the most to me.

It’s very peaceful.

Follow Ciera on Instagram:

@canvasxciera

31 | maceandcrown.com

Fall 2020 | 32

CREATIVE ENCLAVE 143

She took a breath and tried to focus all of herself into a clear, concise thought that could be pressed down like peonies, while the anxiety warbled and fought against the leather-bound depressive episodes sugarcoated in blanketed nightmares, and the rabid suicidal tendencies and ideations bit and snarled at one another like children fighting over the last bit of cotton candy at the fair, and with each tooth prick these monsters strained, moaning and wailing like lovers they tousled every angry impulse, their claws leaving blowod trails down the girl’s frail arm which crumbled under the slightest hint of a hug, that first knife of human contact, like wet paper pulling against dry air she would peel like grapefruit with no intention of comfort or pain and as the panic attack of his hand left her she tried, again, to breathe once more.

Author: Ashley Mazza

31 | maceandcrown.com

Fall 2020 | 32

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