Vol. 96, Issue 4 | October 10 - October 16, 2017
GA GAMES LATER
Canes break the bad spell on Noles’ home turf, Rosier closes game SPORTS // Page 8-9
SWEET VICTORY: (1) Redshirt junior quarterback Malik Rosier threw the game-winning touchdown, with six seconds left to defeat the Seminoles. (2) Canes fans rejoice after waiting eight years for a Hurricanes victory over their archrival at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Josh White // Staff Photographer
2
NEWS
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
October 10 - October 16, 2017
CAMPUS LIFE
SURVIVOR TALK: Professor Felicia Knaul delivers a speech about her battle with breast cancer at the annual Zeta Tau Alpha fountain lighting at the Lakeside Patio. Knaul was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago.
Hunter Crenian Crenian// // Visuals Editor
Felicia Knaul joins sorority sisters to observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month By Nathalie Mairena Assistant News Editor asstnews@themiamihurricane.com
Despite the rain, members of Zeta Tau Alpha joined President Julio Frenk and his wife Dr. Felicia Knaul to kick off a Breast Cancer Awareness Month by lighting the Cobb Fountain pink on the 10th anniversary of Knaul’s breast cancer diagnosis. Together, they spoke of the importance of not just education and awareness but of forming bonds in the face of diagnosis. Knaul, director of the Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas, was diagnosed October 2007 during her first mammogram, at age 41. She said it was the last mammogram she did alone – Frenk was by her side every time after. “It’s about early detection, it’s about awareness, which is what you fight to achieve and combining that with the science of treatment and access,” Knaul said. One in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Every 30 minutes, she said, 30 women die of breast cancer. Three of them will be in the United States.
“The big message is resilience and believing in yourself, and those characteristics are what make you successful advocates for women’s cancers,” Knaul said. “But it’s also going to guarantee what you do in this work makes you incredible advocates for the rights of women, to reduce discrimination, to guarantee equity and to make sure we have a much healthier world for all in which we can live.” Since her diagnosis, she’s written a book on her experience, “Beauty without the Breast,” in which she details her fight with cancer and the challenges faced by women around the world during early diagnosis and treatment. The epilogue of the book contains love letters Frenk wrote to her during her treatment. Frenk spoke about the impact her diagnosis had on their perspective of health. “I had spent my entire life looking at the health system, studying the health system,” Frenk said. “But I learned that it’s one thing to lead a health system and it’s another to live a health system.” He said during the journey with Knaul, he learned more than he had in all his years of leading in health care. Some of the sisters in ZTA have felt the effects of breast cancer as well.
Emmi Vélez, a junior studying journalism, shared her experience of discovering her mother had aggressive breast cancer her senior year of high school. Two weeks later, her aunt was diagnosed as well. “You’ve all heard that one in eight women are diagnosed, but it affects way more than one in eight women,” Vélez said. “Three years ago, I didn’t think that would be me. Hopefully, we can bring that number down to zero in eight one day.” When Vélez asked how many had been affected by breast cancer either directly or indirectly, almost everyone attending raised their hands. Allison Villane, a senior studying health science and one of the directors of philanthropy for ZTA, said she found solace in being among her sisters. Her mother was diagnosed a week before her first Think Pink Week, another annual event held by ZTA in October. “I had just found out that my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and then I had to be reminded every single day that week that I was in Miami and she was in New Jersey,” Villane said. Villane’s mother went through surgery and 36 treatments of radiation for six weeks.
“I felt really lucky to be around such an amazing group of sisters,” Villane said. “I had friends who understood exactly what I felt. I didn’t have to say anything, somebody was always there to tell me that everything was going to be okay.” This year, ZTA also created a “Why I Think Pink” campaign, in which members of the university share why Breast Cancer Awareness Month is important to them. ZTA sisters will also be sharing personal reasons why breast cancer awareness is important to them each week on social media. Knaul said that because of the work being done by organizations like ZTA, 322,000 women have been saved through fundraising, education and access to scientific treatment. The fountain was lit after a ten second countdown, illuminated bright pink over Lake Osceola. Jessica Schwartz, a junior in Frost, led the ceremony to a close with her rendition of “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten, which she sang “for all the fighters.” ZTA’s Think Pink Week will be held Oct. 23-27, during which they will hand out pink ribbons in solidarity with those diagnosed with breast cancer. The sorority will donate all the proceeds from food trucks present throughout the week to breast cancer education awareness.
October 10 - October 16, 2017 INTERNATIONAL
Students look forward to study abroad despite increase in fatal terror attacks in Western Europe By Zach Grissom Contributing News Writer
For junior Francesca Ciuffo, going to Rome for the spring 2018 semester is an experience she has been looking forward to for years. However, with domestic and international terrorism on the rise, she said her upcoming semester abroad does come with some fear. The number of fatal terror attacks across Western Europe has been on the rise in recent years, according to data released by the Global Terrorism Database. In 2014, there were two attacks. That number jumped to 23 in 2015 and up again to 30 attacks in 2016. The attacks have resulted in fatalities ranging from dozens to hundreds killed or injured. Ciuffo said the rise in terrorism across Europe temporarily put a damper on her plans last year when she began to fear potential attacks. The New York native said last year, even in the United States, she was scared to participate in events that drew large numbers of people, such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Director of the Study Abroad Office Devika Milner said students shouldn’t worry too much about terrorism abroad. Though the number of terrorist attacks in Europe has risen, UM has not dropped any of its programs in Western European countries. In fact, UM will launch a new UParis program in spring 2018, even though Paris suffered the deadliest attack recorded in Western Europe in November 2015. Milner said the program has already garnered 20 applications. “I stand behind the places where we have programs,” Milner said. “I have visited many of our university partners, and not only do we go to cities and countries that are deemed safe, but even the neighborhoods where we look for student housing are good neighborhoods.” The University of Miami monitors its students and faculty members who go abroad through a software system called red24, which provides up-to-the-minute notifications about any potential disruptions in areas where UM students or faculty reside. If a serious incident occurs near one of UM’s partner institutions, the study abroad office immediately reaches out to
both the partner institution and any students who could potentially be affected. Students are then told to follow the instructions of the university where they are studying. In some cases, the study abroad office has organized for students to return home early. In 2015, some UM students studying in Paris on independently organized programs expressed a desire to leave after the attacks. All students who wished to return early were able to complete their studies electronically from home, Milner said. Though UM offers study abroad opportunities in other countries and cities that have been hit by terror attacks and other forms of unrest in the past, UM does not offer study abroad programs in any countries that have travel warnings issued by the U.S. State Department. In recent years, the university has been forced to suspend two of its semester-long programs. The UCape Town program was canceled by the office of Study Abroad in October 2016 after months of student protests and violence in South Africa. The response erupted as a result of a call to raise tuition by 8 percent. The increase would significantly impact marginalized families. UCape Town will resume in spring 2018. UM also suspended all of its programs in Turkey following several terrorist attacks by both ISIS and Kurdish militants that led to more than 400 deaths. The study abroad office still does not allow its students to travel to Turkey through the university. Despite political and civil tensions in various parts of the world, the number of students applying to go to Europe has not declined, Milner said. Ciuffo said she was initially nervous to apply for the URome program but has come to accept that dangers exist everywhere. “You have to do what you want to do,” she said. “Don’t live your life in fear and, even in Rome, you just have to be careful of your surroundings.” Ciuffo said the university has done a good job of keeping her informed about the dangers abroad and how to prepare for her upcoming semester. Samantha Hessinger, a senior planning to study in London next semester, said the terror attacks abroad have had little to no effect on her choice of where to study. “You shouldn’t limit yourself because there are bad people in the world,” she said.
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
NEWS
3
4
NEWS
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
October 10 - October 16, 2017
CAMPUS LIFE
COMMUNITY
Professor travels from Miami to Puerto Rico with a bag of supplies and 16 hours to deliver aid
UM to accomodate faculty, students displaced by hurricanes in Caribbean islands
By Amanda Herrera News Editor news@themiamihurricane.com
In 16 hours, associate professor William Pestle traveled to and from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to help the millions on the island ravaged by recent hurricanes. For Pestle, Puerto Rico is an island that he has grown to love. Pestle conducted research on the island for 15 years. When Hurricane Maria barreled through Puerto Rico Sept. 20, Pestle said he felt a duty to help “our Puerto Rican students, colleagues and fellow American citizens.” It wasn’t long after the storm hit before Pestle started searching for flights to the island to help in recovery efforts. However, because of the extensive damage and power loss to the island, the international airport was shut down. No incoming or outgoing flights were allowed. After weeks searching for opportunities to travel to the island to donate supplies and money, Pestle managed to find a flight “at a relatively reasonable price.” In the weeks leading up to his trip, Pestle, who is married to a Puerto Rican, was able to gather between $8,000 to $10,000 worth of supplies to take to the island. Supplies included baby formula, vitamins, water purification systems and ready-to-eat meals. Pestle boarded an American Airlines flight Oct. 5 to San Juan with 300 pounds of supplies. However, he said he had to pay nearly $600 in baggage fees before he could board. He said he didn’t mind paying the fees, but it’s unwarranted for a company to be charging while there is an ongoing humanitarian crisis. “You’ve got a company that made $2.7 billion last year profiting off of human suffering,” said Pestle, a professor in the anthropology department. “It’s gross.” With five 50-pound boxes and 2 suitcases on hand, Pestle arrived in Puerto Rico at an airport he said he found surprisingly operational. He was greeted by friends, family members and colleagues.
Pestle had been working with an unofficial charity group of three sisters identifying specific hurricane victims in need on the island. “Instead of just going to the Red Cross or United Way, there are some people finding others who desperately need supplies and match them up with donors who can help them,” he said. As soon as Pestle got off the plane and retrieved his bags, he started unpacking some of the donations. Within hours, he was back on a plane to Miami. He said he was interested in seeing first-hand damage the island suffered but was told going in and out of the island with the sole purpose of delivering supplies was the best option. “The biggest message communicated to me by people was that it wasn’t going to be helpful,” Pestle said. “The most helpful thing I could do was to just bring the supplies. The longer I stayed – I drink water, I eat – the more resources I would take away.” Before leaving for the island, Pestle created a letter and petition that was presented to President Julio Frenk and his team and Provost Jeffrey Duerk. Pestle said he drafted the letter after realizing that teaching displaced students while their home institutions were undergoing restoration was what he and his colleagues at UM could do best. Over 200 members of UM’s
faculty and staff signed the petition asking for the university to accommodate displaced students and faculty from the region for the duration of the academic calendar year at no cost. One of the professors who signed the petition was Professor Merike Blofield, who said the petition was a part of the UM community doing “our own little bit to help.” “We as an academic community want to reach out to the academic communities that are dealing with the devastation,” said Blofield, an associate professor in political science. “Personally, if I was in that kind of situation, it would mean something to me to have other universities help me.” The university announced on Oct. 5, the same day Pestle traveled to Puerto Rico, that it would allow graduate students and faculty, as well as some undergraduate students, to continue their research and education at UM. Though Pestle said the university’s decision and his trip to Puerto Rico are good places to start, there is still much to be done. “The overwhelming feeling leaving was that it clearly wasn’t enough,” Pestle said. “The scope of the problem was just so huge. You’re talking about 3 million people. It was just a drop in the ocean. We need to, as a community, given our proximity, really think about what other steps we can take as a group.”
HERE TO SERVE: Associate Professor William Pestle poses for a portrait on the third floor of Cox Science Building. Pestle made a 16-hour trip to Puerto Rico on Oct. 5 to deliver supplies . Hunter Crenian // Visuals Editor
By Amanda Herrera News Editor news@themiamihurricane.com @_amandaherrera
The University of Miami will allow graduate students and faculty from the storm-ravaged Caribbean to continue their research in Miami until their respective institutions are reopened. The university has agreed to provide the opportunity for free, allowing the displaced faculty and students’ home institutions to keep tuition revenues. The university will also be providing academic opportunities for “a few hundred undergraduate students and other graduate students from the affected areas,” according to the announcement, made on Oct. 5. Students will be enrolled in different departments and take classes to receive credits to go toward their graduation requirements in their home countries. Faculty will be able to use UM facilities to continue research. More details will be released. Executive Vice President and Provost Jeffrey Duerk said eligible students must be able to enter the United States and will be accepted if the UM school or department is able to provide accommodations. The decisions will be made on a school or departmental basis, and the university is hesitant to put a cap on the number to avoid underestimating its true capacity, the provost said. “We’re trying to be as fluid as we can,” Duerk said. In an email to UM faculty and staff from Oct. 6, Duerk estimated the university’s undergraduate capacity at 300. In 2005, the university followed a similar approach with students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. UM received hundreds of inquiries and accommodated students from universities on the Gulf Coast. The students enrolled as non-degree seeking students and paid tuition for the credits received. However, the tuition was put into an escrow account to be received by the students’ home universities. Duerk said the university started considering how to respond to natural disasters this year after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in late August. “We started looking at how we could model a response similar to
what happened here with Katrina,” Duerk said. “In doing that, a lot of the situations or questions that arose in putting together a response for Harvey were ones we could draw quickly with the people who were affected by Maria. We were ready quite early and had an idea with how we would respond.” The decision also comes after nine faculty members met with UM President Julio Frenk, members of Frenk’s leadership team and Duerk Oct. 4 to discuss a faculty-led letter and petition asking the university to accommodate displaced Caribbean students and faculty. The letter, addressed to Frenk and members of the UM Board of Trustees, asked the administration to accommodate students from the region in university classrooms and housing for the duration of the semester or academic calendar year at no cost to the students. The petition also asked for displaced faculty to be “provided with office and laboratory space, and library access.” Duerk said more than 99 percent of the school’s on-campus housing is at capacity, and finding external agents to provide faculty and students accommodations outside the university is something they’re “working on right now.” William Pestle, associate professor in the department of anthropology and creator of the faculty petition, said the decision is a “very good first step.” However, even though Pestle said he has full confidence that the university will honor its word, it will “come down to execution.” “We made it clear to the president and the administration that we intend to follow up and make sure the commitments he made to us, and he and the institution are going to make to the people of the affected region, are honored,” Pestle said. Two weeks ago, Florida Gov. Rick Scott asked colleges and universities to offer in-state tuition for Puerto Ricans affected by Hurricane Maria. Some Florida schools, such as Broward College and MiamiDade College, will waive out-of-state fees for Puerto Rican students. “This is the realization that the University of Miami was, in some ways, behind other peer institutions as far as announcing accommodations for students and faculty,” Pestle said. “Despite that, I think that we’re making up for the speed of things with the quality and depth of the response.”
October 10 - October 16, 2017
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
NEWS
5
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Student uses social innovation grant to bring poetry organization to life By Elina Katrin Staff Writer
For Breana Ross, poetry began as a form of therapy. Now, it’s become part of her mission to bring the same remedy to adolescents in Miami-Dade County’s underprivileged neighborhoods. Ross created the student organization Written in my Soul in spring 2017 with the goal of teaching youths, typically from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, how to use poetry as a form of healthy self-expression. She first started developing the idea in her sophomore year of high school. “I write poetry, and I use it as a therapy to get through things,” Ross said. “So I thought, ‘If I can use it in that way, then people who are probably going through way more than I am, can definitely use it in the same way.’” Written in my Soul started as a grant project. Ross was the first recipient of the social innovation grant
from the Butler Center for Service and Leadership at the University of Miami. The grant is awarded to students who have innovative ideas of how to foster social change and benefit the South Florida community but who lack funds to finance the project. Winning the grant gave Ross, now a junior majoring in broadcast journalism and political science, the opportunity to bring her idea to life. However, when the club started working with kids from an elementary school last semester, Ross said it was a “train wreck.” “They were way too young,” she said. “And another thing you need to keep in mind is that some of the kids from these backgrounds will be very behind.” For fall 2017, the club will include weekly sessions with middle schoolers from Charles R. Drew K-8 Center every Friday for four weeks. The workshops cover the basics of poetry, such as similes, metaphors and storytelling. Members of the organization help students not only to strengthen their
writing techniques but also develop performance skills and confidence to share their art. At the end of the sessions, there will be a poetry slam on the university’s Coral Gables campus for the kids will share their work with each other and with the community. Junior club member Frank Hedgepeth said he strongly identified with and supported the idea of presenting poetry to students in a way that could reveal its “breadth” and “diversity,” fostering in them an emotional connection and interest in telling their own stories. “I’ve worked with the students at Charles Drew before, but never in such a purposeful space,” said Hedgepeth, a double major in Africana studies and political science. “Being met with such positive energy and seeing them be so receptive to what we’re offering them is really encouraging.” For Ross, seeing her club operating and actually helping kids is surreal. Though she said she stresses about
making it all work, seeing the kids smiling and enjoying writing in their journals is a sweet payoff for her new organization. “The most exciting thing about being a member is watching it grow and improve each semester,” vice president Danielle Burrell said. “The fact that I get to be a part of something that will hopefully have an impact on UM’s campus and the students of MiamiDade County is such a blessing.” The organization welcomes all students, with or without experience writing poetry. “What I like about this club is that its fundamental purpose is to provide opportunities for sustained community involvement and relationship building between university students and Miami residents, as opposed to improving the campus environment,” Hedgepeth said. Students interested in getting involved with Written in my Soul can join the club portal on OrgSync or contact Ross at bnr17@miami.edu.
6
NEWS
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
October 10 - October 16, 2017
CAMPUS
UM alumnus overcomes adversities, becomes Toppel’s new assistant director of career services By Nathalie Mairena Assistant News Editor asstnews@themiamihurricane.com
Brian Malcolm, the new assistant director of career services at the Toppel Career Center, knows the difficulty of finding one’s path. In his time at UM, he injured himself before football tryouts and changed majors five times. However, those obstacles didn’t stop Malcolm from finding his calling. Malcolm was never a stranger to leadership roles. In high school, he joined his school’s hospitality program and entered poetry contests, following his ambition of becoming a rapper. However, his real passion was sports: he was the captain of the football team and a member of the track and field and baseball teams. Born and raised in Liberty City, 30 minutes from UM, it was a lifelong dream of his to play on UM’s football team. In 2011, Malcolm was admitted with an academic scholarship. He trained and prepared for tryouts, sure he would get onto the team and eventually achieve his dream of joining the NFL. But life threw Malcolm a curveball. It was the day before tryouts, and Malcolm was on his last set of sprints when he pulled a hamstring. The career-ending injury forced him to
re-evaluate his goals. “I pretty much took it as time to let this dream go,” Malcolm said. “So you got here on an academic scholarship, capitalize on that opportunity. The student athlete idea is ideal, but it’s not the reality right now.” Malcolm took full advantage of his scholarship. He was a residential assistant for three years in Stanford and Eaton residential colleges, became a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and tutored for mentorship program Branches of South Miami. Throughout his time at UM, he also spent time at the Toppel Career Center, now his workspace. Edward Cruz, director of career education, met Malcolm during the Professional Development Academy, an eight-week program at the Toppel Career Center designed to help students gain knowledge and skills for future careers. “I thought he was very sharp,” Cruz said. “He was very mature for his age, and I just recall always seeing him prepared. Very professional. He carried himself very well.” Before graduating, he was inducted into Iron Arrow, UM’s most prestigious honor society. Malcolm graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Education, Educational Psychology and Human Development. He then went on to receive his master’s in Educational Leadership
from the University of Central Florida. Malcolm kept in touch with Cruz and other faculty members after graduation, reaching out to the Toppel Career Center for information on working in higher education. His networking abilities made him a prime candidate for the position. After a month and several rounds of interviews, Malcolm joined the Toppel Carrer Center’s staff in June 2017, returning to the place that helped him realize his career path. “I wanted to directly be involved in a careerservices type roll because a part of my involvement while I was here was the professional development academy, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that – helping students understand what their strengths are, what their story is that makes them a marketable candidate,” Malcolm said. As the assistant director of career services, Malcolm helps advise students in communications, music and athletics, as well as acting as a liaison for the office of Multicultural Student Affairs. He aims to reach out to as many UM students as possible, helping them realize their potential. At UCF, Malcolm worked as a career advisor at the university’s Office of Career Services and Experiential Learning. Malcolm started in the position in June 2016 where he advised students on academic and career goals by aligning academic interests as well as career personality tests. He
remained in this position up until he joined Toppel in June 2017. He also counseled dozens of alumni, graduate and undergraduate students daily during walk-in appointments. Symone Phillips, a student assistant at Toppel, said she hopes that Malcolm’s presence will make students more comfortable coming to Toppel and taking full advantage of the center’s services. “He has experience within the field already and he’s also an alumni of the university, so to have that Cane spirit plus the experience, he’s really relatable to the students here,” Phillips said, a senior majoring in marketing and management. Now that he’s an assistant director, Malcolm is able to see behind the scenes of Toppel Career Center. When he arrived in June, he caught the tail end of the planning for Toppel Fest. He said he remembered going his freshman year and hoped students would find what he did. “People took that time, that energy, that effort for me, and it worked out perfectly because I’m doing exactly what it is that I saw myself doing – the environment, the setting, the income,” Malcolm said. “I want to create that reality for someone else. Whether you think you have it figured or you don’t quite have it figured out there’s always a way.”
ENVIRONMENT
Arboretum among most affected areas on campus weeks after Hurricane Irma By Annie Cappetta Managing Editor managing@themiamihurricane.com @acmcappetta
Hurricane Irma left campus greenery with broken limbs, leaning trunks and uprooted trees. However, not all the damage in the John C. Gifford Arboretum was natural. Many healthy plants were needlessly chopped in the storm’s aftermath to expedite the cleanup of fallen trees. Arboretum Director Steve Pearson said the university made an effort to clear campus as quickly as possible after Irma for accessibility and safety reasons, at the expense of trees that didn’t need to be cut down. Pearson said one of the main problems was a lack of communication with facilities workers, but he was also barred from returning to campus after the storm. “I had to fight to get back into the arboretum,” he said. Although wind speeds were lower than they could have been during the powerful hurricane and buildings received minimal damage, the sheer number of hours that trees had to endure Irma’s winds devastated many
plant species. The trees in the arboretum are generally much more sensitive to stress than the hardier landscaping on the rest of campus, so the area was particularly devastated. Pearson said Hurricane Irma did “terrible damage” to the arboretum, killing about 15 species and damaging countless others. The arboretum features hundreds of tree and shrub species from every continent except Antarctica. First planted in 1947, the living laboratory has survived some of the worst hurricanes to pass through South Florida, including hurricanes Andrew, Wilma and Katrina. “Storms are going to happen,” Pearson said. “The frustration to me is that we lost many things just to expediency and carelessness that could have been saved.” The first day Pearson was allowed back on campus, he said he saw crews killing six or seven species that could have been saved. Days later, after Pearson had been working with his own crews to clear badly damaged plants and salvage others, another crew came and wreaked more havoc, he said. There was an effort to clear the roads to give access to emergency personnel, so fallen trees and limbs were dumped on
healthy arboretum trees, further damaging them, Pearson said. Larry Marbert, vice president of Real Estate and Facilities for UM, said he walked three miles from his home to campus to do the initial damage assessment of campus after Irma because the road he lives on was blocked. Marbert said the San Amaro area near the arboretum was identified as a top priority in that assessment because it was completely impassable and blocked access to a large section of campus. Safety and accessibility were the primary goals of the entire storm recovery process, Marbert said. Pearson said he would have preferred if the limbs were moved to the empty parking lots, since most of the university community had not returned to campus, or to the nearby dump behind the arboretum, instead of pushing the trees into areas that border roads. Pearson said he was excluded from some of the decision-making process and surprised when crews hired by facilities came to clear trees. Marbert said they made a point to include Pearson’s expertise. “We also worked directly with the
academic departments that curate and are the stewards of the arboretum, and they literally stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the vendors that were working in the arboretum,” Marbert said. Moving forward, Pearson said he hopes they can directly replace many of the lost trees. Although that may not be possible for some of the rarest species from Africa and Asia, Pearson said he had some of the more tender arboretum species growing in his personal garden as backups. He said he also hopes FEMA will provide funds to remedy some of the damage. Facilities continues to work on assessments and will begin developing a restoration plan for the lost landscaping. Despite the damage, Marbert said he sees opportunities for improvement in the area through the planned arboretum expansion. Students interested in helping restore the arboretum can show up to pick up leftover debris and care for the living museum from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in October. “Hurricanes are going to happen here, but the positive side to it is I look at it as an opportunity to improve your collection,” Pearson said.
October 10 - October 16, 2017
Sports
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
24-20
SPORTS
For the fourth straight year, the UM–FSU matchup is decided by fewer than six points.
CANES BREAK CURSE, STUDENTS WITNESS HISTORY “It probably definitely gave them a confidence boost that will get them through the rest of the season. Only up - we can only go up from here.”
“Even though we kind of didn’t do well until the fourth quarter, our offense picked it up in the last few minutes and honestly, I think we can make a roll for the rest of the season and hopefully make the ACC Dev Niak, Junior Health Sector Management Major
championship and we’ll see from there.”
Alexandra Garcia Junior Marketing Major
“I feel like the team’s only gonna get better. We looked at the stats while we were watching it and they’re 13th now and after this, like, they can only go up.” Keara Moon Freshman Theatre Management Major
Felipe Schulman Junior Economics
“I think when push came to shove the offense was able to get something done. Obviously that last pass was incredible. I didn’t believe we were gonna win.”
ON TOP OF THE WORLD: Redshirt junior receiver Darrell Langham celebrates with teammates after scoring the gamewinning touchdown against FSU. Langham only played two snaps the entire game.
Josh White // Staff Photographer
Miami defeated Florida State for the first time since 2009. The Hurricanes won 24-20.
UM quarterback Malik Rosier threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to receiver Darrell Langham with six seconds left in the final quarter to seal the victory for the Canes.
Senior receiver Braxton Berrios was the Hurricanes’ best player on Saturday, racking up 90 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches.
Berrios became the first UM player to catch a touchdown in each of the first four games of the season since Reggie Wayne in 2000.
7
All-ACC running back Mark Walton, safety Sheldrick Redwine and offensive lineman Navaughn Donaldson all left the game with injuries and did not return. Walton has been ruled out for the season because of a right ankle injury that will require surgery.
8
SPORTS
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
October 10 - October 16, 2017
COMMENTARY
It wasn’t always pretty, but the Canes pulled it off. Could they have made it any more dramatic? It took the No. 13 Miami Hurricanes all but six seconds on the clock to score the touchdown that broke a seven-game losing streak to the Florida State Seminoles. They’ll take it. And so will UM fans. “This was for the guys that didn’t win,” Miami redshirt junior quarterback Malik Rosier said after the game. In years past, the Seminoles not only haunted the Hurricanes, but also consistently put a wrench into Miami’s overall success each season. Fans often call it “the post-FSU hangover” – whenever Miami would lose to Florida State, its momentum as a team would take a downward spiral soon afterwards. Canes football refused to let that be the case in 2017. “This year we have a lot of trust and faith in each other, even when things aren’t going well,” head Coach Mark Richt said. “We do really care about each other and are a very strong team when it comes to unity. We all kept saying, ‘we are going to win this game someway, somehow,’ and it came true.” It didn’t take long after the game for college football fans to raise the question, “Is the U back?” The simple, although unpopular, answer to that is we still don’t know for sure. There is still so much of the season left to play, and the U “won’t be back” until the Hurricanes make noise as a national championship contender again like they once did so consistently. Still, UM fans across the country can now be confident that the future of Miami football looks brighter than ever. The team is on the right path back to national glory, proved by defeating FSU. It was the first big hurdle the Canes needed to overcome.
Rosier proved on the evening of Oct. 7 that not only did Richt make the right choice starting him at quarterback, but that he may continue to lead the Hurricanes down the path of success for the next couple years. Sure, he completed less than 50 percent of his passes against the Seminoles. Yes, he missed targets left, right, high and low throughout the first three quarters of game. But when it counted most, with 1:24 left in the final quarter, Rosier marched his team down the field and made a perfect pass to Darrell Langham to win the game. “On the last drive, I told the guys that we have plenty of time to score,” Rosier said. “I told the offensive line, ‘if you guys give me enough time, I promise you we will score.’” That’s what a top-tier team needs from its starting quarterback in the best conference in football – a guy with a short memory. The team needs a resilient quarterback who can forget prior mistakes and bounce back to perform at the most important times. “Malik’s numbers weren’t pretty at all, but the stats don’t matter – what matters is making the plays in big games like these,” Richt said. “You’ve gotta play physical.” Rosier has “it” – the big play potential to be the leader of the Hurricanes. You can’t teach that, it’s innate. Senior receiver Braxton Berrios also showed that the program is making its way back to the top. Berrios exhibited what it means to possess Miami football toughness. Every time it looked like the Canes had nothing left to give on offense, Berrios was there, making catch after catch. “We have complete confidence,” Berrios said. “It was the moment for us, and in years past, we folded in those moments. I knew it would come down to this in the fourth quarter, and we executed.” Not only did he score two touchdowns, secure two first downs on the final drive and return a punt 44 yards, but he made all that happen when his team needed him most. Rosier and Berrios are two players demonstrating that the Hurricanes are
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
SPORTS
9
Canes star running back Mark Walton out for year
Victory over Florida State brings Miami one step closer to national prominence By Isaiah Kim-Martinez Sports Editor sports@themiamihurricane.com @isaiah_km
October 10 - October 16, 2017
FOOTBALL
By Isaiah Kim-Martinez Sports Editor sports@themiamihurricane.com @isaiah_km
REPPING THE BLING: Redshirt senior cornerback Dee Delaney (3) celebrates with teammates after Miami’s second forced turnover of the game. Photos by Josh White White// // Staff Photographer
SCANNING THE FIELD: Redshirt junior quarterback Malik Rosier (12) looks for his target in a 24-20 win over the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium.
RAISING THE ROOF: UM fans unite to show support for their team in enemy territory.
One day after snapping the seven-game losing streak to the Florida State Seminoles, the No. 11 Miami Hurricanes suffered some heartbreaking news. Head coach Mark Richt announced on his weekly teleconference Oct. 8 that All-ACC running back Mark Walton will undergo surgery on his right ankle and will be out the remainder of the season. Walton suffered the injury on
EXECUTING THE GAME PLAN: Junior defensive back Michael Jackson (20) flaunts the Turnover Chain following an interception in the second quarter..
a run in the fourth quarter of the FSU game and immediately started limping. He needed assistance from two trainers to get to the sideline and was then carted off the field. Walton already grappled with a left ankle injury sustained against Toledo, causing him to come in and out of games for the past two weeks. It was obvious from his dip in production that he was not himself. This was a major blow for the Canes, who lost their top running back. He had rushed for 428 yards and three touchdowns in just four games this season, averaging 107 rushing yards per game and ranking third in the ACC. The surgery will be performed
at the UHealth Sports Medicine Institute at The Lennar Foundation Medical Center. Richt said the surgery will happen “in the next couple of days.” “I know it’s a type of surgery that guys have recovered 100 percent and haven’t had an issue with that type of thing again,” Richt said. “That’s the good news on that type of deal.” Walton, a junior, will be draft eligible after this season. With many NFL general managers considering him a top-three round talent, the injury brings into question whether Walton has played his final game in a Miami Hurricanes uniform. Walton was just five yards short of the 2000-yard career rushing mark at UM. Miami now turns to sophomore Travis Homer to lead the ground game. He has been impressive in his short stints with the football this season, especially with Walton out of
the game. Homer has rushed for 207 yards on 25 carries – an 8.3 yards per carry average. “He’s done very well,” Richt said. “He’s done well as a runner and on special teams.” Redshirt junior Trayone Gray, and freshmen Robert Burns and DeeJay Dallas are also expected to get reps behind Homer. “People have got to step up and be the next man up,” Richt said. “There’s a big void there with Mark not being able to finish.” Senior receiver Braxton Berrios took to Twitter to show support for his teammate. “My heart really breaks for my brother MW1 – one of the strongest warriors I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with,” he said. “This one is for you.” Walton responded to Berrios saying, “I will be back better than ever out there with y’all boys.”
IT’S ABOUT TIME: Head coach Mark Richt and receiver Braxton Berrios embrace following the win against Florida State.
on a different level this year – they won’t say die. This will only continue in the years to come. After overcoming the road block that was Florida State, time will only tell what’s next for the team this season. “We got them out of the way, but that wasn’t the ultimate goal,” redshirt junior defensive end Demetrius Jackson said. “The ultimate goal is to win an ACC Championship.” “We definitely would love to end up in Charlotte to play for the [ACC] Championship, especially because Miami has never represented in that game,” Richt said. SEIZING THE MOMENT: Senior receiver Braxton Berrios (8) jukes the defender on his way to a touchdown. AT A LOSS FOR WORDS: Seminoles fans are shocked as Miami wins against Florida State for the first time in eight years.
PUMPING UP THE CROWD: Sebastian the Ibis energizes Canes fans at Doak Campbell Stadium.
10
EDGE
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
October 10 - October 16, 2017
Happy Death Day elicits screams from audience By Elina Katrin Contributing Edge Writer
The lights dim in the sold-out cinema and the audience focuses its attention on the screen, anxious for what awaits it as the new horror film “Happy Death Day” begins. “It’s the first week of October, so that means that it’s practically Halloween,” said Tamsen Lake, the chair of the Cinematic Arts Commission. The Bill Cosford Cinema was packed with 160 UM students on Oct. 5 for a free advance screening of the new thriller, written by Christopher
B. Landon, who also wrote all four “Paranormal Activity” movies. “Happy Death Day” tells the story of Tree Gelbman, a college student, who continuously relives her own murder on her birthday. In this new adaptation of the “Groundhog Day” approach, Gelbman attempts to identify her killer, who hides behind a creepy college mascot mask. Seth Crail, a junior majoring in studio music and jazz, said that the representations of student life, sororities and fraternities were accurate and hilarious. Apart from the murder (thankfully) Lake said he thought the film was relatable for college students. “While everyone might not be
able to personally identify with Tree Gelbman, most will find aspects that resonate with them, as she continuously relives the slightly more dramatic college experience,” Lake said. The cinematic commission had much success with advanced screenings, especially horrors and thrillers, such as “Get Out” and “The Visit.” “Happy Death Day” was created by the same production company as those two movies, so the Cosford expected a big turn out. UM students said they appreciated the jumps, scares and eerie music in
the movie. The audience screamed in unison throughout the film and broke out into applause at the end. After the screening, guests got free giveaways, such as T-shirts, posters and fidget spinners. “It’s a good movie, and people should go see it even if they don’t like horror,” Crail said. “Happy Death Day” will be released in theaters Oct. 13 for anyone who missed the Cosford advanced screening.
WVUM teams up with Wynwood’s III Points Festival By Shellie Frai Edge Editor edge@themiamihurricane.com @frai.shellie
Students snacked on pizza and played corn hole, while local DJ Nick Leon played eclectic beats from his turntable at the UC Patio for WVUM’s annual Pre-Points party, which promotes Wynwood’s popular III Points Music, Art & Technology Festival. III Points will take place Oct. 13-15 with five stages and art installations at Mana Wynwood. More than 85 musical performers, including both Miami-based artists and world-renowned musicians, will take the stage in front of a crowd of students, community members and tourists. Since the creation of the festival in 2013, UM’s alternative radio station WVUM has teamed up with the festival to promote and livestream the three-day event. “Every year when it comes around, we plan out what we are going to do for the festival,” WVUM News Director
Portia Baudisch said. “We hype it up on the UM campus, we spread the word, we livestream it on the station. In exchange, we get a one-day pass to go.” Though headliners include the innovative virtual hip-hop group, The Gorillaz, and the indie pop duo, the xx, the festival usually sticks to its roots and brings many Miami-based artists. Alternative rock duo, Deaf Poets, which has performed at the festival before, met in a Miami Beach elementary school and formed the band in high school. Since then, the duo has performed in venues all over the neighborhood, such as the punk rock space, Churchill’s Pub, the hip lounge Bardot and Wynwood’s hipster hang out spot, Gramps. Other local artists include Nick Leon, the DJ from the Pre-Points party, as well as DJs Made in Miami and Link Miami Rebels. III Points Festival’s mission to highlight local artists has made it a favorite among students at UM and members of the Miami community since it was created four years ago.
“This is the best weekend of the year,” WVUM on-air DJ Emmanuel Gorrin said. “The energy is so welcoming, and they don’t forget their roots. They push a lot of really good local music and that is something unique to them. It is a Miami, grass roots festival.” WVUM and III Points are the perfect team, as both target a young, college-aged audience with a niche mix of alternative and electronic music. “It was a match made in heaven,” WVUM station manager Emmi Velez said. III Points combines elements of an art festival, music festival and workshops. Event tickets include admission to the musical performances, which feature innovative, visual art installations. Venues across Wynwood have teamed up with III Points to host the festival’s “activations,” which are different workshops, talks and panels that are free and open to the public all weekend. WVUM was invited to speak at one of III Points activations at the trendy glasses store, Warby Parker, located next to the Wynwood Walls.
The event, “Airwaves: The Future of Radio,” will have a discussion panel, at which WVUM’s programming director, Fransisco Narvaez, will speak on behalf of the station. “There will be a big panel of people that believe college radio is really important, because it has that voice for the students,” Velez said. “Not just here in South Florida, but around the country.” In addition to III Points, WVUM can resonate with the eccentric artists and musicians in Wynwood because of its specific programing and music. “I went to the Salty Donut, you know the cool donut shop in Wynwood, wearing my WVUM shirt, and someone there came up to me and said, ‘You work for WVUM? We listen to that all the time.’” Velez said. For more information on III Points Music Art & Technology Festival go to iiipoints.com/artists
October 10 - October 16, 2017
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
EDGE
11
Biographical musical ‘On Your Feet!’ delights UM students By Alexandra Rothman and Anael Gavizon Staff Edge Writer, Contributing Edge Writer
The story of power couple Gloria and Emilio Estefan, “On Your Feet!” premiered Oct. 6 at the Arsht center to a sold-out audience, including 25 residents of UM’s Mahoney-Pearson Residential College. Now captivating locals after its premier at the Adrienne Arsht Center, the show chronicles the Cuban-born Miami artists’ rise to fame. Mahoney-Pearson residents were treated to dinner and a show, receiving free tickets to see “On Your Feet!” and a Cuban-inspired dinner of arroz con pollo, or chicken and rice, Cuban coffee and sweet plantains. Oscar Vazquez, the area director for the Mahoney-Pearson Residential College, organized the outing and attended the play with the students. The entire night was funded by alumni Robert and Judi Prokop Newman, a couple who heavily support the arts. The Newmans donated funds to the school to pay for transportation, catered dinners and tickets for events such as this. Students who attended the musical found it entertaining and relatable.
“‘On Your Feet!’ was very fun and vibrant compared to other dramas I’ve seen,” student Sara Gomes said. Cuban-American Broadway actress Christie Prades played the seven-time Grammy-award winner Gloria Estefan, and television actor Mauricio Martinez played her husband, 19-time Grammy award-winner Emilio Estefan. The show featured a mix of original songs and popular Latin classics, such as “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “Conga,” “1-2-3” and “Mi Tierra.” The show also included an original song written by Gloria Estefan and her daughter, Emily Estefan. While full of music and dancing, the story did not shy away from the obstacles the Estefans faced in their journey to fame. The plot tackled their choice to leave Cuba to look for a better future in an unknown country. The audience was in for a surprise when, at the end of the show, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, along with their entire family, came on stage to surprise the cast with flowers and give a speech. “Our music is the way it is because we grew up here,” Gloria Estefan said. “And we are who we are because we grew up here. We want to share that with the world, and we thank you so much.” The heavy representation of Cuban
Easy, stovetop pasta dinner to satisfy Italian craving By Alexandra Rothman Staff Edge Writer
Instead of limiting your Italian cuisine to Americanized pepperoni pizza, transport your tastebuds to the Italian countryside with a delicious pasta dish inspired by the wide range of meats, spices and vegetables found in the villages outside of Tuscany. With Italian classics such as mushrooms, white meat and a whole lot of garlic, you can create a restaurant-quality dish in only a few minutes.
culture onstage excited UM students in the crowd. Madison George, a MahoneyPearson resident, said she was happy to see the Estefans make an appearance. “I enjoyed seeing a piece of Cuban culture on stage,” George said. “Having Gloria Estefan come out on the end made me feel like I got the true Miami experience. I really appreciate the efforts of my residential college in trying to get students off campus to do something in
the local community.” Keep an eye out for fliers posted around Mahoney-Pearson Residential College if you’re interested in attending a school-funded event like the “On Your Feet!” outing. Tickets to “On Your Feet!” are available through the Arsht Center Box located at 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, by calling 305-949-6722, or online at arshtcenter.org.
“On Your Feet” takes the stage at the Adrienne Arsht Center through Oct. 15.
Image courtesy Broadway Across America/Broadway.com
Tuscan Inspired Chicken Pasta You will need: 1 roasted chicken, deboned 1 package of mushrooms 1 red onion 4 cups chicken stock 1 stick of butter 3 garlic cloves Dried basil seasoning Dried oregano seasoning Salt and pepper Dried chili flakes (if you like it spicy) 1 package of pasta, any kind 1 cup half and half Scoop of sour cream
Directions: In a medium saucepan, sauté chopped red onion and garlic with butter over medium heat. Add chicken stock when pan starts to become dry. Wash and slice mushrooms. In a separate large pan, cook mushrooms over medium heat While the mushrooms cook, add basil, oregano, salt, pepper, pinch of chili flakes and a small amount of butter to the red onion mixture. Add deboned chicken and sir. Boil water in a separate pan for the pasta. At about this time, the mushrooms should be cooked. Drain mushrooms in a strainer – they will be watery. Return drained mushrooms to large pan, and add contents from the chicken and onion pan to the mushroom pan. Add pasta to boiling water. In a separate saucepan heat half and half and sour cream over medium to high heat. Stir until thickened. After pasta is cooked, strain. Add the half and half and sour cream mixture to the large pan. Mix the cream, chicken, and mushrooms together. In a large serving bowl or platter, mix pasta with the mushroom chicken. Enjoy!
12
OPINION
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
October 10 - October 16, 2017
The Miami
HURRICANE Founded 1929 An Associated Collegiate Press Hall of Fame Newspaper NEWSROOM: 305-284-4401 editor@themiamihurricane.com BUSINESS OFFICE: 305-284-4401 FAX: 305-284-4404
Opinion
For advertising rates call 305-284-4401 or fax 305-284-4404. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Isabella Cueto
DIGITAL PRODUCER Tommy Fletcher
MANAGING EDITOR Annie Cappetta
ONLINE EDITOR Jackie Yang
SENIOR EDITOR Elizabeth Gelbaugh
COPY CHIEF Nathaniel Derrenbacher
NEWS EDITOR Amanda Herrera ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Nathalie Mairena OPINION EDITOR Israel Aragon Bravo EDGE EDITOR Shellie Frai
BUSINESS MANAGER Ryan Yde SALES REPRESENTATIVES Carleigh Romano Joseph Landing Diego Torres
SPORTS EDITOR Isaiah Kim-Martinez
AD DESIGNER Daniela Calderon
VISUALS EDITOR Hunter Crenian
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Isabel Vichot
PHOTO EDITOR Amanda Prats ART DIRECTOR Emily Dulohery
FACULTY ADVISER Tsitsi Wakhisi FINANCIAL ADVISER Steve Priepke
DESIGNERS Beverly Chesser Caitlin Costa Lauren Flaumenhaft Claire Geho To reach a member of the staff visit themiamihurricane.com’s contact page. The Miami Hurricane is published weekly during the regular academic year and is edited and produced by undergraduate students at the University of Miami. The publication does not necessarily represent the views and opinions of advertisers or the university’s trustees, faculty or administration. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of The Miami Hurricane’s Editorial Board. Commentaries, letters and cartoons represent only the views of their respective authors. The newsroom and business office of The Miami Hurricane are located in the Student Activities Center, Student Media Suite 200. LETTER POLICY The Miami Hurricane encourages all readers to voice their opinions on issues related to the university or in response to any report published in The Miami Hurricane. Letters to the editor may be submitted typed or handwritten to the Student Activities Center, Student Media Suite 200, or mailed to P.O. Box 248132, Coral Gables, Fla., 33124-6922. Letters must be signed with a copy of your Cane Card. ADVERTISING POLICY The Miami Hurricane’s business office is located at 1330 Miller Drive, Student Activities Center Student Media Suite 200. The Miami Hurricane is published on Thursdays during the university’s fall and spring academic terms. Newspapers are distributed for free on the Coral Gables campus, the School of Medicine and off-campus locations. DEADLINES All ads must be received, cash with copy, in The Miami Hurricane business office, Student Activities Center Student Media Suite 200, by end of the business day Friday for Tuesday print. SUBSCRIPTIONS The Miami Hurricane is available for subscription at the rate of $50 per year. AFFILIATIONS The Miami Hurricane is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and Florida College Press Association.
EDITORIAL
FSU victory represents best of Hurricanes sports The streak is broken. It’s written on our cover, it’s shared all over Canes fans’ social media and it’s etched in our minds. The 2017 rivalry game felt like something more than just another victory for Canes football. That last minute and a half of gameplay will be replayed for years when the rivalry match-up comes around. And we were here. We were undergraduate students at the University of Miami, celebrating at Doak Stadium, at the Rathskellar or in the dorms when we broke the streak with style. This game felt special because it was the epitome of what sports are supposed to do: cultivate a sense of community and provide a release and a relief from everyday chaos. We have a history of success in the most popular sports including football, basketball and baseball. To be here and be a part of a Canes win makes us feel a part of what our community felt in the championship years of 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 2001. No matter how much – or how little – you care about sports, you inevitably know when a big game is going down. You can sense it. Other students are talking about it – discussing who is going to win, planning what they are going to wear, scheduling what they are going to do before and after. It’s a community event. This community is strengthened by an unyielding sense of place that not many school teams have. We’re not just the Hurricanes, we’re the Miami
Hurricanes. Our teams couldn’t exist in all their glory anywhere else. The teams, and the players on them, are unafraid to show who they are, the city they play for and what they represent. UM basketball players often wear sleeveless hoodies in warmups before the game. Few, if any, other college teams do that but here, it’s such a perfect f it. Athletes love hoodies, but in South Florida, it’s just too hot to wear them. So what did the Hurricanes do? They simply took the sleeves off. Whenever a UM baseball pitcher strikes out an opposing batter, the media and the local fans often call it a “croqueta.” If that’s not the essence Miami, I don’t know what is. The Turnover Chain represents two things Miami is known for – swagger and tongue-in-cheek wit. We remind the country each and every game that we don’t mess around here in the 305. We play to win. We’re elite. Students feel connected to the teams here because they represent so much of what the city is: bright, dynamic, ever-changing. There has been, on occasion, a darker side to Miami sports. The 2011 scandal in which Nev Shapiro, a booster, spent millions of dollars on Miami athletes against NCA A regulations and the current FBI investigation into possible bribery and corruption can cast a shadow over us when we win.
The gravity of these scandals should not be downplayed or ignored, yet they shouldn’t prevent us from appreciating our team altogether. UM cooperated in these investigations, even self-imposing additional sanctions in the Shapiro case. As long as we’re acting with integrity – institutionally and as fans or boosters – a win like this deserves to be celebrated, even with a little bit of obnoxious U swagger. Hurricane sports provide an escape from our everyday lives, and this game perfectly represented that; it was a great remedy for a chaotic semester laden with hurricane-related disruptions, grim national news and university scandals. Sports are about morale and resilience, and the Oct. 7 win gave that to a community and a region in need of both after recent catastrophes. During those four quarters, the only thing that mattered was moving that ball toward our end zone, and blocking the Seminoles from doing the same. For some period of time, while nursing a beer and crunching nachos, we forgot everything that was stressing us out in the f irst place. The stadium (and the mini stadiums in homes and bars and restaurants) became an ocean of cheers, with all energy focused on rooting for the Canes. Editorials represent the majority view of The Miami Hurricane editorial board.
October 10 - October 16, 2017
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
OPINION
13
POLITICS
Dehumanizing the mentally ill is irresponsible S i m i l a r headlines for opinion pieces tend to pop up after every mass shooting: “Gun ownership not to blame, but mental illness,” or “Man By Jason Donnelly who purchased 12 Contributing Columnist assault rifles also once had anxiety, kinda.” If you’re not someone who has ever suffered from a mental illness, pretend for a moment. Sit and imagine that you have schizophrenia, depression or clinical anxiety, assuming you know the medical definitions of these disorders – which affect 18.5 percent of American adults or approximately 60 million people, according to a 2017 study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Now imagine there’s a gaggle of self-proclaimed pundits in the paper, on television and on Twitter, and all of them are demonizing you. You are a danger to society. You need to be watched. We need to stop you from doing any more harm. It’s up to us, the “normal” people, to stand up and make sure that you, the sick person, doesn’t hurt anyone. In a culture chock-full of misinformation about mental health, we choose to ignore that only 3 to 5 percent of crimes in America are committed by those with serious mental illnesses, according to a 2013 study by the Department of Health and Human Services. If this is the case, should mental illness really dominate such a significant portion of the gun violence debate? The fatal flaw is the division that accompanies discussions about mental health. The concept of us versus them – that there is some innate conflict between
those with mental disorders and those without them. This adds to the long list of reasons why people suffering from mental disorders often never receive the help they need and deserve – the help that many gun violence apologists seem to advocate. Take a look around you – your family, your friends, your coworkers and your classmates. Some of them struggle with mental illnesses. If society threatens to dehumanize these people, strip them of their “normal” status, why would they ever tell anyone about the struggles they face? What reason would they have to speak up about how they are portrayed with regards to gun violence? They deserve your respect, maybe even admiration. They live life either classified as “broken,” lost causes or ticking time bombs – all while enduring profound and often hidden mental suffering. The battle to eradicate the mental health stigma is an uphill one. Speak about
mental illnesses the same way one would a physical illness – openly and without apology. Listen to those with these conditions, and hand them the microphone on this issue. Take measures to separate the disorder and the person afflicted. Most importantly, show genuine empathy. Make no mistake – America does need to comprehensively reform treatment for the mentally ill. But using this issue as a go-to deflection for the pervasive problems that plague America’s violent nature is not just disrespectful but downright irresponsible. Whenever the next tragedy occurs, don’t ask yourself “which mental disorder do they have?” Instead, ask “how can we stop this from happening?” Jason Donnelly is a freshman majoring in instrumental performance.
14
OPINION
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
October 10 - October 16, 2017
COMMUNITY
Florida police take step in the right direction with autism training It was only a little more than a year ago when a North Miami police officer shot mental health therapist Charles Kinsey in an incident By Jordan Lewis his Contributing Columnist involving autistic patient, who was playing with a toy the officer perceived to be a weapon. The officer is now facing two felony counts of attempted manslaughter and two misdemeanor counts of culpable negligence. Unfortunately, situations like these are anything but isolated. Kinsey may have survived, but his story is only but a small link in the epidemic of mishandled police situations which, unlike his case, actually result in the deaths of people who simply did not have to die to resolve the issue. Some shootings are necessary, but far too
many are not. A total of 748 people have been killed by law enforcement in 2017, according to the Washington Post, which also reports that, in 2015, about one-quarter of police shootings involved the mentally ill. Obviously, something is wrong here, and I truly cannot see why anyone would oppose the instillation of further training for the people whose job it is to protect us. Criticism over the handling of the Kinsey situation led to a new state law which requires Florida police officers to participate in autism training to help them better identify characteristics and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and better respond to citizens displaying such symptoms. According to the CDC, approximately one out of every 68 children in the United States has autism, so it is inevitable that law enforcement officers will encounter people with autism or other mental illnesses who may not respond the way an otherwise
normal person would. Autistic people already have difficulty communicating with other people, so it should come as no shock that they may have even more difficulty in high pressure situations such as dealing with law enforcement. That situation should not cost them their lives. In these situations, it is important that officers can recognize the mental disconnect and know how to proceed with caution. For that reason, this new law is a great first step toward bettering the protocol of our law enforcement. Though protecting those with autism is a step in the right direction, extending this training to include other common intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses would be a positive second step to ensure that all citizens are protected by the government and law enforcement to the fullest extent. Jordan Lewis is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism.
CULTURE
Classroom exclusion of beat generation works must end William Burroughs, author of the nightmarishly potent “Naked Lunch” puzzled critics and academics for By Israel Aragon Bravo decades. At Opinion Editor first glance, “Naked Lunch” is a collection of pure dribble — words in places where they normally wouldn’t be, disjointed narratives and gratuitous, if not pornographic, chapters that often end in violence. Keep in mind where William Burroughs came from, and by extension, how the “beatniks” of the post-WWII era came about. The beatnik culture celebrated nonconformity, the rejection of typical narrative values and spiritual exploration. Burroughs’ debut novel, “Junky,” illustrated his life as a drug
addict and was controversial, and to some extent, unpublishable. There’s a reason why William Burroughs often isn’t studied in high school AP English Literature courses, and it’s mostly because of the obscene material that may come about when reading something like “Naked Lunch.” His seminal works, along with the works of other beatniks like Allen Ginsberg, represent the type of anti-literature that most schools generally ignore, and in some cases, discourage teachers from reading in class. This censorship is what events like Banned Books Week, which was celebrated at the end of September, hope to challenge. In May 2015, Connecticut teacher David Olio, an award-winning AP English Literature teacher, was fired from the South Windsor School district – after 19 years – for reading a graphic Allen Ginsberg poem depicting a homosexual encounter. The firing is evident of an ever-changing educational
system that fights to keep students “safe” at the expense of engaging young minds with the challenging works of one of the most socially influential writers of the ‘60s. By censoring them, academics have only made the works of Burroughs and Ginsberg more incomprehensible than they need to be, limiting students from learning about different facets of the human condition. There’s a blatant stigma on beatnik writing in school education, that, for the sake of inspiring creativity and enlightening teenagers who are only beginning to understand this crazy world of ours, should be retired. The beatniks had significant impacts on music, art and literature, which school boards must begin to embrace. Acknowledging them is the first step. Israel Aragon Bravo is a junior majoring in psychology.
Crazy about K-Pop? Check out Annie Louk’s coverage of BTS and the group’s new mini-album. Look out for practice coverage later this week as the Hurricanes prepare to take on Georgia Tech, and running back Mark Walton out for the season. An interview with UMPD Chief David Rivero about the decrease in campus crime in 2016.
FB.COM/THEMIAMIHURRICANE @MIAMIHURRICANE @THEMIAMIHURRICANE @TMHURRICANE
October 10 - October 16, 2017
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
V’S TAKE
15
Sliding into the DMs 101
Have a question for V? Email dearv@themiamihurricane.com.
Welcome to class. You’re about to get schooled. I’m Professor V, and I’m here to teach you how to take things from public to private. It’s time to get funky: Slide to the left. Slide to the right. Slide into those DMs. Lesson 1: The Basics Sliding (verb, into the DMs): the act of direct messaging someone on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. in hopes of acquiring the booty. Often takes place after prolonged periods of drooling over someone’s photos and liking every post they upload mere minutes after it’s up. Synonyms include “getting it in on Insta,” “private messaging penis pics” and “trying to f**k on Facebook Messenger.” Antonyms include being a lil’ [redacted]. Lesson 2: History It’s one of the most revolutionary phrases in human history, and it has shaped the way humans communicate in the modern era – ”Got Kik?” The messaging app Kik used to be the highest, most elite form of digital communication, but now is
only featured in episodes of “MTV’s Catfish.” Bummer. The DM sliding skills of an entire generation have been shaped by Kik. Rest In Peace. Lesson 3: Analysis Today, we’ll be completing a critical analysis of the song “Down in the DM” by Yo Gotti. While analyzing this text, it is crucial to remember that everything does, in fact, go down in the DMs. One can take away key tips for DM sliding from this piece. “My DM just caught a body / If you screenshottin’, you the police” If you decide to get dirty in the DMs, keep it private. Better yet, take things to Snapchat so you know if your soul mate screenshots. “If it go down in your DM then baby boy, you lucky / ‘Cause 99.9% of these f**kboys can’t f**k me” Like the author, keep your standards high. Don’t give the goods up to just anyone who slides into your inbox. They could be like Jeffrey Dahmer, or an equally scary female equivalent of Jeffrey Dahmer (#feminism). You should reserve your best text-to-sext material for that 0.01% of DM sliders who have worked for it. “I just sit back and observe, all these ****** that I done curved” In this case, you should try to
not be like the author of the text. Don’t ditch your DMer. The only exception to this is if you just got dumped, in which case you should play the field as hard as possible. Lesson 4: Conclusions While that millennial anthem does an excellent job of explaining the basics of DMing, Professor V thinks the author missed some very important points. Don’t be a creep. Read receipts exist for a reason. If your lover is leaving you on read time after time, it’s time to give up. White men: Listen up, this one’s for you. Take rejection with a grain of salt, tone back your anger like 15 notches, and then let that digital love go. Do not threaten someone in the DMs (this should go without saying, but you would be surprised). And just know that there’s a high probability the person on the other end of those saucy messages will show their friends what you’re sending, and it is a very small world. Remember where you are. You’re in someone’s DMs, not at the Ritz. Don’t expect quality if the only work you’re putting in is typing sexy words. This probably is just going to lead to a fast fling, not a long-term lover. Keep it realz. Don’t catch feelz.
16
ADVERTISEMENT
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
October 10 - October 16, 2017