2017-05-25

Weekly Summer Edition Ann Arbor, MI

inside NEWS

Martha Jones History professor discusses time at the University, before joining faculty at Johns Hopkins.

michigandaily.com

ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY SIX YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

County allocates $145,000 to immigrant assistance

>> SEE PAGE 2

NEWS

Thursday, May 25, 2017

GOVERNMENT

Proposed budget to cut funding for student loans, EPA Cuts would result in termination of over two dozen programs

Chemistry University chemists create semiconductor films. >> SEE PAGE 3

By JENNIFER MEER Summer Managing News Editor

OPINION

Jeff Sessions “Sessions is undoing Obama’s progress on drug policy...” >> SEE PAGE 4 DESIGN BY MICHELLE PHILLIPS

ARTS

Artist Profile: StudioWOS

Austin-based artist discusses work. >> SEE PAGE7

Resolutions passed

by County Board of Commissioners by five vote margin

By ALON SAMUEL Daily Staff Reporter

SPORTS

Betsa’s legacy The ace right-hander leads Michigan into the postseason. >> SEE PAGE 12

INDEX Vol. CXXVII, No. 74 | © 2017 The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com

NEWS .................................... 2 OPINION ...............................4 ARTS ......................................6 CLASSIFIEDS.........................8 MiC.........................................9 SPORTS................................ 10

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners pledged support for the county’s immigrant and refugee populations last week, approving three resolutions which provide protections and allocates $145,000 to services for immigrants and undocumented residents.

The resolutions, which have faced resistance on their road to approval, passed the board by a vote of 6 to 1.

Two of the three resolutions serve to declare the county as a welcoming environment for immigrants, bar county officials from asking for an individual’s immigration status unless absolutely necessary — similar to an ordinancepassed by Ann Arbor City Council in April — and call on Congress to make immigration

policy that “creates clear and reasonable immigration sanctions short of deportation for noncitizens convicted of crimes.”

The final and most controversial resolution appropriates $145,000 in taxpayer funds, with $70,000 going to the Barrier Busters program and $75,000 to the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.

MIRC is a resource center for immigrants and immigrant advocates in Michigan, providing legal resources as well as community services.

Sara Cusack, an LSA alum who now works for MIRC said the new allocation is “incredibly useful,” speaking for herself and not as a representative of MIRC. “The grant that Washtenaw just agreed to give to MIRC… will hopefully in the future allow us to have an attorney who focuses on immigration matters specifically in Washtenaw County, whereas right now we serve all of Michigan broadly and have really limited resources,” Cusack said. “We have to be very stringent about what types of cases we can take, and so what Washtenaw county is kind of

saying by giving this donation to MIRC is that they’re investing in the wellbeing of immigrants and their community.”

Barrier Busters is a coalition of agencies providing shortterm human services support in Washtenaw county for citizens and immigrants alike, though $25,000 of the total allocation has been specifically earmarked for immigrant support.

In early May, when the board had initially approved the resolutions, commissioner Kent MartinezKratz was especially enthusiastic about funding the Barrier Busters program, citing its support for families.

“Originally the resolutions were written up to support families who might be going through difficult times due to increased immigration enforcement, and we envisioned that the money would go to supporting them,” Martinez-Kratz said.

The possible deportation of undocumented Ann Arbor resident Jose Luis Sanchez-Ronquillo has become a rallying point around See IMMIGRATION, Page 3

President Donald J. Trump’s revised — and first complete — budget proposal, released Tuesday, sparked controversy among state officials and students, particularly with regard to spending cuts in higher education and environmental protections.

In terms of education, the proposal calls for a $9.2 billion spending cut, down 13.5 percent from 2017 — the same as in the March proposal.

According to The Atlantic, the cuts would terminate more than two dozen programs.

In a statement, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said the budget “reflects a series of tough choices we have had to make when assessing the best use of taxpayer money,” and “ensures funding for programs with proven results for students while taking a hard look at programs that sound nice but simply haven’t yielded the desired outcomes.”

The budget would eliminate the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program, which provides need-based aid to 1.6 million undergraduates each year, though is sometimes considered subordinate to the Pell Grant program — the largest federal grant opportunity for lowincome students — which is being extended through a year-round Pell program.

LSA senior Enrique Zalamea, president of the University of Michigan’s chapter of the College Republicans, does not view the cut See TRUMP, Page 3

2 NEWS

Thursday, May 25, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Longtime law professor Martha Jones reflects on her 15 years at University Jones to relocate to Johns Hopkins after influential tenure at U-M

By RIYAH BASHA Daily News Editor

In her 15 years at the University of Michigan, History Prof. Martha Jones has invested much of herself into the campus community — and the return has not disappointed. As a co-director of the Law School’s program in Race, Law and History, former associate chair of the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies and, most recently this winter, her work as a Presidential Bicentennial professor with the landmark Stumbling Blocks exhibit — Jones has become somewhat of a stalwart in convening campus around issues of race and social justice.

Jones arrived in Ann Arbor the day before 9/11, and — from the battle over affirmative

action and Proposal 2 to Obama to Trump to the University’s contentious celebration of its 200th year — took part in molding the University in the years thereafter. This summer, though, Jones will relocate to Baltimore to join the history department at Johns Hopkins University. She joined the Daily for an exit interview of sorts, to ref lect on her career at the University and the lessons she’s taken from this year, and decade, of powerful turbulence.

TMD: You’re leaving us! Is the move to Baltimore for research on your new book, a change of scene, or both?

MJ: 16 years is a long time to be someplace. The opportunities to be closer to my archives was really exciting, to have those things at my fingertips…. you can imagine Baltimore presents the kinds of opportunities and challenges similar to a city like Detroit. In a lot of ways at Michigan, I had — at least personally — accomplished a lot of the things I had hoped to accomplish, and more. It seemed like the right moment to think

about a change.

TMD: Your Stumbling Blocks exhibit really took ahold of campus this semester, and it was so interesting to watch those conversations unfold.

What reactions did you find most compelling?

MJ: Wow, after 18 months of planning and thinking, it was all very compelling. We were really

UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR MARTHA JONES COURTESY OF MARTHA JONES/Daily

lucky that the Sunday we set up Stumbling Blocks was warm and beautiful, and so while I thought we’d just be setting up, I had a chance to talk with people very informally.

The first people I talked to were a mother from Chicago and her daughter, a Michigan student, and her younger daughter, who was thinking about college. They were African American, and we stood together in front of the chairs to talk about the history, the meaning of the chairs, what it’s like to be a student of color at Michigan. I watched one of my former students, who does tours for visitors and prospectives, give his spiel on the steps of the Union, and incorporate the sign on the front of the Union into students’ first introduction to the University.

What we hoped for was just that, that people just slow down in places like the Diag, Ingalls Mall, the Union and stop, read, talk, look and look again.

Some people won’t know how much goes on behind the scenes in order to create an installation like this.

Memorable moments are the first night when it rained cats

and dogs and the power went out on the exterior of the Union, and there was a team that worked with me in the mud getting the power back up. I knew I’d be out there, but the staff was out there, too.

The last category, of course, is criticism. I learned a lot myself as a thinker, community member, a creative person about hanging in there for the hard conversations.

The ones I was a party to were emblematic of our capacity to have hard conversations when we commit to them. And we walk away understanding each other better and building relationships that, I hope, bear fruit. Some people didn’t want them to ever come down, and I think the popup is important to show the real work isn’t in installations on the Diag. I think it was right to do it for a week and let it generate thought, be provocative and then send us back to do the work we do every day.

TMD: The pop-up provided space for conversations and pause in a year where it seemed like we didn’t really have time to stop, where it felt like campus was always moving — especially after a year of multiple racist incidents. How is it that those singular, incendiary moments can take hold of an entire campus? What are your overall ref lections on this year?

MJ: This work on climate requires making a lot of noise, all the time. I think the reason that we survived this year was because people stepped up from all kinds of corners of campus and made a lot of noise, in a year where a lot of other institutions haven’t fared as well. That noise functioned in a way that was bigger than any one poster campaign or rally or pop-up. It was all of those things happening at once. An Expect Respect campaign was just a piece, but it was one piece of everything else, the counter-postering, the rallies around urgency and emergency. That’s not to say that we’ve reached the goal or solved all our concerns, but if it were my project for the future, I would be about continuing that noise.

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

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Thursday, May 25, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

TRUMP From Page 1

IMMIGRATION From Page 1

as a loss, seeing as the program has been deemed inefficient.

“A large portion of this budget cut comes from the reduction of the Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, an outdated program that gives money directly to colleges as opposed to low-income students,” he said in a March interview.

Cuts have also been made to the TRIO and GEAR UP programs, which serve to support low-income students and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Seeing as the University has come under fire for low rates of socioeconomic diversity, LSA senior Rowan Conybeare, chair of the University’s chapter of College Democrats, said in a March interview the University’s diversity will be damaged without these programs.

ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily

Trump speaks at a rally during his 2016 Presidential campaign.

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

this very topic in recent months.

Sanchez-Ronquillo, who is a father of two, was acquitted from deportation in 2014 but detained again in April after requesting a stay, sparking protests from the Ann Arbor community. On Tuesday, community action resulted in a federal judge’s decision to delay the deportation.

Commissioner Conan Smith, who introduced the resolutions, said community mobilization has been crucial in work on the topic.

However, support for these resolutions and others like them have not been uniform.

During public hearing before the initial vote, Northfield Township Trustee Tawn Beliger said placing the interests of the undocumented was grounds for recalling an elected official, adding that taxpayer money would be better spent on fixing roads, as reported by MLive.

Additionally, the resolutions have been framed in response

NEWS 3

to actions of President Donald Trump’s administration — the resolution which calls on Congress to restrict deportations mentions the President explicitly — which may be disagreeable to those who voted for him in the 2016 elections and support his policies. In Washtenaw County, this amounts to 26.5 percent of those who voted.

Still, advocates maintain that making Washtenaw County a welcoming environment in such trying times is a worthy cause.

Margaret Rapai, an LSA senior and incoming president of the Michigan Refugee Assistance Program — which volunteers, advocates and educates on refugee issues — said such policies are important to ensuring the United States stays a place of hope for immigrants. MRAP is not specifically involved with support for undocumented residents, but according to Rapai, the goals of the resolutions are in line with theirs by creating communal support for newcomers.

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

University chemists discover environmentally friendly method for creating semiconductor films Team finds cheaper method of making component of nearly all electronic devices

By COLIN BERESFORD Daily Staff Reporter

A team of chemists at the University of Michigan have developed a new method to create single-crystalline semiconductor films, a component of nearly all electronic devices. The team, led

by Stephen Maldonado, associate professor of chemistry, invented a more environmentally-friendly and cheaper method to create semiconductor films.

Semiconductors are used to create lasers and LEDs due to the light they emit when they contain impurities, according to the website of the University of Maryland’s School of Engineering.

They are also used to fabricate solar cells because of their ability to absorb light and generate a cur-

rent.

The process discovered by the University of Michigan chemists doesn’t use excess heat and doesn’t require the use of hazardous gas. Instead, the team uses water at room temperature and easy-to-make equipment to create the crystalline semiconductor films.

In an email, Maldonado detailed what inspired him and his group to develop this new method for creating semiconductors — emphasizing their interest in discovering “greener ways to do useful chemistry.”

“But another pertinent motivation for this particular work is a desire to build upon a simple finding we came across several years ago,” Maldonado wrote.

“We discovered serendipitously liquid metals are useful solvents for semiconductor crystal growth even at room temperature.

Accordingly, we have been really motivated to push this concept as far as possible, both for large materials (this work) and nanomaterials (other works of ours).”

The method is more environmentally friendly due to the lack of heat and hazardous gases.

“If you don’t have to input energy to generate high temperatures, low vacuums, or reactive precursor molecules (gases), the energy cost and potential environmental impact of the process are necessarily lowered,” Maldonado wrote.

Rackham student Daniel Bier, a student in the Erb institute, wrote in an email to the Daily he would want to reserve judgement on how much greener the newly developed method is, considering the number of factors that can affect the environmental impact of this technology.

“It’s easy to say that something is green, but to evaluate how much ‘greener’ this technology is, you should consider how this new approach will impact energy and material consumption across the supply chain,” he wrote.

“This includes the environmental impact of purchasing new capital equipment to build the chips and the amount of energy and raw

materials involved in manufacturing.”

Bier also said the change in impact could be very small and by making electronics cheaper, more could be thrown away.

“The biggest question for me is how ‘material’ is this new technology from an environmental perspective: is the change in energy or material use significant, or just a few percentage points?” he wrote.

“Would this make producing electronics so much cheaper that overall manufacturing volumes skyrocket, leading to devices becoming more disposable and ending up in landfills?”

How this discovery will change how semiconductors are created in the future and on a large scale is largely unknown, but has the potential to create waves in the electronics industry, Maldonado said.

“What we developed in our lab is properly best thought of as a prototype,” Maldonado wrote. “We are (predominantly) not engineers in my group, so we have not been focused on the challenges of scale

or designing a fabrication assembly line.”

The finding is incredibly important in respect to how different it is from the traditional way to produce semiconductor films, Maldonado said. While the method needs more work, it has shown what is possible.

“I think they (the findings) are important because they demonstrate a radically different way to make useful materials,” Maldonado said. “Basically, we use electrical energ y to drive crystallization rather than thermal energ y. This work shows that with this concept you can take a raw oxidized source and directly convert it into a highly crystalline semiconductor. By playing with aspects of the system, we have shown that we can control exactly where and how crystallization occurs.”

Maldonado is optimistic about the progress his team has made so far.

“We’re not there yet, but we’re a lot closer than I thought we would ever be before we started this work.”

4 OPINION

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STEPHANIE MULLINGS | COLUMN

A

Sincerely, black people

few weeks ago, while scrolling through Twitter, I saw yet another analysis of the new controversial hit Netflix show “Dear White People.” Since its release, it seems as though I have seen dozens of reactions, some expressing praise for the show’s authentic and brutally honest perspective, others critiquing its perpetuation of “generalizations” and refutation of the show’s themes regarding the Black-American experience. However, there is a striking difference between the analysis I stumbled upon on Twitter and the dozens of other critiques I have read throughout the past few weeks. The tweet read, “I think “Dear White People” the Netflix series is based on a University of Michigan-like campus.” I instantly re-tweeted and liked it. Here’s why.

“Dear White People” focuses on the lives of various college students attending Winchester University, a fictional Ivy League school, and follows several racially charged incidents, including a blackfacethemed party, racial profiling, micro-aggressions and problematic relations with campus police. The show offers insight to the unfolding of these events through multiple perspectives; Sam, a radio host and leader of the Black Student Union deemed “radical,” Troy, president of the student body, and Lionel, writer for one of Winchester’s newspapers, and various others.

Now you may be wondering, “What in the world would a show like that have to do with the University of

Michigan?” Quite frankly, if you have to ask, then you are one of the people Sam is addressing each time she begins her radio show with the statement “Dear white people,” highlighting an instance in which an individual exhibits totally uncultured behavior, excessive lack of intercultural competence or unenlightened thought. Let me break it down.

1. The term “micro-aggressions” is defined as “the casual degradation of any socially marginalized group.” In recent years, micro-aggressions have festered and bubbled like infectious sores on college campuses. They are depicted frequently throughout “Dear White People,” and I couldn’t help but notice that some of the same ones displayed on screen eat, sleep and breathe on the University’s campus. For example, I cannot even begin to tell you the amount of times I’ve gotten the “So … what are you?” and “You’re mixed with what…?” questions since my freshman year from members of Black and white communities alike. Or, the immediate assumption that I only listen to rap music. By the way, I am Black, and unbeknownst to many, I still bump the Jonas Brothers.

2. Michigan is much more segregated than you would imagine.

Though there isn’t a historically Black residence hall which serves as a haven for the Black community as reflected in “Dear White People,” you will find that most parties and various other social events/aspects of social life on campus are distinctly segregated — as I once found myself

at a party in which a congregation of only Black people packed themselves in the basement of a house, and everyone else (majority the white community) remained upstairs or outside. It becomes easy to fall victim to the unspoken understanding that as a member of a specific community you should only participate in social groups/events that reflect its likeness.

3. Winchester, the fictional university depicted in “Dear White People,” is an Ivy receiving significantly large endowments from various donors who actively participate in campus policy, politics and decision making. In 2016, the University of Michigan found itself ranked 7th on U.S. News “10 Universities with the Biggest Endowments,” just falling shy of $11 billion dollars. As the plot unfolds in the show, it is clear that the dollars donated to Winchester speak much louder than the calls of action voiced by the student body. It is safe to say our campus has encountered similar experiences like this in which the politics of administration and the money associated with it often overshadow real campus ongoings.

4. The epicenter of “Dear White People” is the response of students to a blackface party and racial profiling at the hands of campus police. As I am sure everyone is aware, in recent years there have been countless racially-charged incidents at the University — some of which seemingly go unnoticed. For example, the ever-constant cultural appropriation when it comes to

Halloween costumes, or even Central Student Government elections in which a candidate proclaimed in a promotional video to be “the white George Washington Carver.”

5. Depicted in the show, resistance in the forms of organizing and protest serve as ways for all members of the student body to express their concern regarding incidents on campus. As for the University, the same can be said. For example, this was seen through the Being Black at the University of Michigan (#BBUM) movement, which gained national traction in 2013, or even now — Students4Justice.

The University of Michigan does not prove to be the only institution that parallels “Dear White People.”

In fact, dozens of universities across America experience the

same occurrences. So that poses the question, are the writers/producers and creators of the show wrong for creating such a controversial title from which many take offense? Or right for using a proactive title to capture the attention of audiences in order to highlight the experience of Black students at predominantly white institutions? I believe the answer to this lies within the end of each episode. In every closing scene, the actor/actors stare directly into the lens, locking eyes with the viewer, as if they are speaking directly to us, asking the question, “So what do you think?”

So, what do you think?

—Stephanie Mullings can be reached at srmulli@umich.edu.

REGAN DETWILER| COLUMN

The first settlers, part one

W

hen I was 11 years old, my parents and I took an eight-day trip to England. It was my first time outside the country and my first time becoming well acquainted with any object or building that significantly predated 1620, the year of Plymouth Rock. In England I loved to imagine myself as a person living in whatever time period a church was built, or whatever time period an object came from. Doing this allowed me to connect with a place and its people, through past and present.

I specifically remember being inside St. Paul’s Cathedral, when our tour guide pointed toward the place Queen Victoria sat, right at the front, toward the left facing the altar. People in the tour group wowed audibly, but by the time the guide finished telling us about the place, the rest of the group had other things on their minds and dispersed elsewhere under the high arches. I rushed over to the guide and asked if I could sit in one of the chairs by Queen Victoria’s spot. With her affirmative answer I walked to the front row, seated myself, took a deep inhale, and tuned out the footsteps and murmurs echoing off the stone sanctuary walls. I fixed my eyes on the altar in front of me and imagined I was Victoria, a long time ago, watching Prince Charles in a traditional suit and Princess Diana in puffy white dress on the day of their marriage.

At the time it did not occur to me that Victoria would have been 162 years old on the date of Charles and Diana’s wedding, but it also didn’t matter. As I imagined myself,

Victoria, I had greased dark hair with a part directly through the center of my head, and layers of fabric from my ginormous skirt cushioned my seat. Sitting in St. Paul’s Cathedral, I saw at the gilded altar in front of me Charles gazing down at Diana. She was staring up at him with shining blue eyes, chin extended upward in a way that accentuated the dramatic jaw line I’d seen in pictures. I sat upright and stern, serious as Victoria looked in carbon prints. A chill ran through my blood and goosebumps raised on my forearms. I felt I communed with Victoria then. I lived some aspect of her experience by sitting where I knew she sat, watching something I believed she saw. I had never felt that before, not with someone who was alive so long before me.

This happened over and over on that trip. We visited the Tower of London, walked under the tall, gray arch that was the prisoners’ entrance, and I imagined myself walking into the stone structure as if it was the last place I’d be before my final punishment. We saw the chopping block that was apparently used to decapitate Anne Boleyn and I imagined myself, chin resting in the part of the block carved out for the head. Each time the same cool sensation tore through me; each time the goosebumps came and I felt I understood something true of life that came before me.

Read more at MichiganDaily.com —Regan Detwiler can be reached at regandet@umich.edu.

Thursday, May 25, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

BRENNAN POPE| COLUMN

Assessing Jeff Sessions’ drug policy

A

nn Arbor is a city defined by its university, football, food and great culture. Locals and students will quickly praise and boast these features; however, a huge part of Ann Arbor less likely to headline brochures has been its progressive stance and cultural acceptance of marijuana. In fact, just this past April, Ann Arbor hosted its 46th annual Hash Bash, a clear celebration of marijuana.

Additionally, the city was at the forefront of medical marijuana legalization, making an initiative in 2004, four years prior to the state of Michigan as a whole in 2008. The city has been progressive in its drug policy, and now more than ever it is critical that the city continues to be.

On May 12, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memo that instructs federal prosecutors to pursue the harshest sentences on drug-related crimes. This effectively works to reverse Obama-era policies looking to mitigate punishments for lowlevel, nonviolent drug crimes.

Instead of prosecutors avoiding charging defendants for offenses that trigger mandatory minimum sentences, prosecutors will now have to seek the strongest charges possible for the crime. This will inevitably increase mandatory minimum sentencing and add nonviolent offenders to our already overcrowded prisons.

Mandatory minimums require that specific offenses have inflexible prison terms. This is infamously problematic because it not only requires drug offenders to serve needlessly long sentences, but also more severely punishes drugs that traditionally target the lower-class.

This is exemplified through the disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine: it requires eighteen times as much powder cocaine as crack cocaine to receive the same mandatory minimum term. This is only the beginning of stronger stances against crime from this administration. Sessions is undoing Obama’s progress on drug policy by reverting to laws set in place by Congress years ago.

This is a memo aimed to rejuvenate the War on Drugs — a war slowed significantly by Obama’s policies.

This being said, now is not the time to rejuvenate the War on Drugs. Crime rates are near an alltime low, and even recent increases in violent crimes in cities like Chicago are not solved through tougher drug policies. However, the

U.S. prison population remains the largest in the world, and 52 percent of federally-sentenced offenders were drug-related in 2012. This doesn’t even touch on the many who are not incarcerated but harassed and even arrested by police over drug possession, such as the man raided and arrested over a gram and a half of marijuana in Richland County, S.C., as documented in the film “Do Not Resist.”

The War on Drugs was and will continue to be an ineffective way to combat the drug problem in our country. It needlessly increased the incarcerated population while not taking any aims to rehabilitate users or remedy the poverty that births drug trafficking.

Additionally, there is plenty of research published that shows that it has disproportionately affected minorities in America. One in three Black men ages 20 to 29 are incarcerated, and mandatory minimums on drug possession and trafficking will not help improve those numbers.

If you don’t believe the statistics that prove it, the fact that Ann Arbor residents and students at the prestigious University of Michigan can participate in a Hash Bash — glorifying the consumption of marijuana — without consequence, while Black South Carolinians are raided by police teams over marijuana proves there is a level of privilege in the matter.

Now that our Attorney General is reinforcing antiquated federal laws on drug punishment, it is important that cities and states pass initiatives to make more sensible drug policies. Supporting organizations such as the Drug Policy Alliance is critical to those initiatives. And when the state of Michigan proposes marijuana legalization in 2018, I urge those who can to vote in favor. It is only a step to more comprehensive drug policy reform but a huge one nonetheless.

Residents of Ann Arbor have benefited from lenient marijuana laws and have had the privilege of celebrating a Hash Bash festival free from penalty while much of the nation cannot. It is the duty of those of us with the freedom from draconian drug policy to support progress for those without that privilege.

— Brennan Pope can be reached at popeb@umich.edu.

DAVID KAMPER| COLUMN

T

he night of November 9, 2016, Van Jones turned to the CNN cameras in the studio and remarked, “This [election] was a whitelash against a changing country.” After staring at the screen, I too was taken aback by the result. My perspective on the state of our country had been shattered, and I knew I wasn’t the only one. After the next few days, I remember hearing and reading about the abuse against Muslims, African-Americans, Asians, women, and so many people.

Among all of this (continued) chaos, I would still come back to my apartment and look in the mirror, and see a white male staring back.

It reminded me that I have never been approached on the sidewalk and had a racial slur thrown at me, nor have I been sexually assaulted.

The lack of these acts, without one doubt, is due mostly because I am a white male. I am at a significant advantage. Nevertheless, when reading, listening and discussing the racial and ethnic issues stemming from the election, I have been asking myself, “Is a white man allowed to have a valid opinion on racial or gender relations?”

There is no doubt in my mind that I am privileged. How do I know? I rarely think about my race or my gender, and it is only in certain contexts where I am forced to reckon with my position. In my introspection, I realize there are two types of white men on the “privilege spectrum:” those who have no regard for their privilege, and those who often apologize for or demean themselves because of their privilege. I realize that the personal white shaming, especially on our own college campuses, is rather prevalent and overblown. Although there is no doubt that the white man is the most privileged gender and race in western history, I have struggled to recognize what is appropriate to say as a white man on our campus. To

My asterisk

gain approval from my peers who are minorities, do I not speak about the things sexist and racial oppression I observe? Do I downplay my “whiteness” and “masculinity?” If I say something not in line with the identity politics today, am I a sexist or racist?

As stated previously, I understand I am privileged, and I am reminded when I work with refugees and hear news about the oppression of women and minorities. Nonetheless, I feel that because of my lack of personal

I have struggled to recognize what is appropriate to say as a white man on campus

experience with racism and sexism as a victim, my opinions from observation are viewed as unjustified. Whenever I voice an opinion about race relations in class, there seems to be a massive asterisk saying, “Here is a white male.” For example, I recently participated in a class for my race and ethnicity requirement.

I appreciated that my discussion section was diverse and included many unique perspectives; however, whenever I spoke about race relations, there was this “asterisk.” My peers and my GSI told me that I “really didn’t understand,” and in turn, I was seemingly ignored by my GSI when I raised my hand. For me, this was somewhat concerning. I had “checked” my privilege, and I wasn’t about to downplay for my “whiteness” or “maleness” to gain support from my class. While I am a white male, I have tried to listen to minorities, but can I voice my

OPINION 5

perspective on what I’ve learned from their experiences?

When I read about the frustrations of many people with “political correctness culture” on college campuses, I think we are encroaching on a dangerous balance. Our college generation is more inclusive than any generation previously, and many people from white backgrounds understand their privilege and work to help race relations. Nevertheless, as John McWhorter, an African-American contributor to CNN, wrote, white people in PC culture are expected to “endlessly apologize,” and “they feel damned if they do, damned if they don’t.” As a white man, I am unsure if having immense “white guilt” and being quiet about race relations is constituted as being moral. For myself, I believe it is important to have education and historical awareness of the oppression of many minorities faced and continue to endure in this country. However, I am not sure if removing all people, regardless of skin tone or gender, helps continue the discussion.

People from all different backgrounds, regardless of gender or race should never stop fighting the racism that still exists.

Nevertheless, if we want to be a wholly inclusive society, that means we need to listen to people from all different races, genders, and religions. The “asterisk” will always exist for me, but I hope that the intentions to improve race and gender relations of a white male are perceived with more value than the color of his skin or the gender to which he belongs.

How can we as white men listen more to minorities but not shame ourselves for our identity? How do we voice our opinions?

—David Kamper can be reached at dgkamper@umich.edu.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and op-eds. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while op-eds should be 550 to 850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@ michigandaily.com.

6 ARTS

Thursday, May 25, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

LETTER FROM REYKJAVÍK

TV REVIEW

Iceland’s beauty and mysticism

By ERIKA SHEVCHEK Daily Community Culture Editor

NETFLIX

Ellie Kemper and Tituss Burgess “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

‘Unbreakable Kimmy’ excels in third season

By MEGAN MITCHELL

guest-star therapist Tina Fey (“30 Rock”); however, this season finds her becoming more comfortable “The Unbreakable Kimmy discussing her past in the bunker, Schmidt,” a Netflix Original going as far as to mention rape in Series, returned to online stream- the third episode of the season. ing on May 20th to debut its third As far as comedy goes, the season after a year of anticipa- humor is as sharp as ever. Where tion. Back online, “Unbreak- jokes were once interjected, someable” continues to times awkwardly dazzle fans with a and at expense of spectacular contithe plot, this season nuity of its social shows jokes inter‘The commentary and woven delicately innocent jokes. with the dialogue, Unbreakable This season in parand in a way that the Kimmy ticular, it’s not just cast feels more comSchmidt’ about the titular fortable with.

Kimmy (Ellie KemMeanwhile, Season 3 per, “The Office”), Titus Andromedon as we see character (Tituss Burgess, Review growth in support“Catfight”) is gaining cast members ing more screentime Netflix as well as humor this season, promotthat is more develing him from comeoped than the preceding seasons. dic sidekick to star of the show.

After three years of program- While the previous two seasons ming, one would think that of “Unbreakable” focused primar“Unbreakable” would begin to ily on the advancement of Titus’s lose that spark that gives the series career — who can forget Peeno its special something. However, Noir? — Season three takes his the social commentary that cre- personal life head-on, especially ators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock in regards to his relationship have woven into “Unbreakable” in with Michael (Mike Carlsen, the past comes to the forefront in “30 Rock”). In arguably the best Season 3, giving “Unbreakable” its scene of the season thus far, best season yet. Fey and Carlock Titus dons a yellow dress and take on the issues of race, poli- accompanying baseball bat to tics and sexual assault head-on “Lemonade” his way through this season, not shying away from the city. It’s difficult to keep a openly taking on cases of sexual straight face as Titus struts the assault with the same finesse and streets with signature twirl and humor as before. Last season saw smile — it’s a scene that’s authenKimmy take on her PTSD with tically pulled off, encompassing Daily Arts Writer

the best of “Unbreakable” in under five minutes.

Since Titus’s Beyoncé breakout, it’s becoming clear that the series is becoming less about Kimmy and focusing more on the supporting cast. However, this is more of a good thing for Netflixbased series than a pitfall. In fact, this goes to show how the series in ways others of the same nature don’t. Just as “The Office” focused equally on each member of its cast, “Unbreakable” is following a similar path.

However, it’s still refreshing to see Kimmy in the spotlight as she continues to grow. Unlike past seasons, Kimmy feels more mature, falling out of her hopeless optimism. She’s understanding that, as much as she wants or as hard as she ultimately tries, she simply cannot fix everything.

And though she remains oblivious about some aspects of the world, she’s becoming wiser and more focused on what she wants to and what it will take to get there.

Kimmy has gone from mindlessly advising Xanthipee (Dylan Gelula, “Chasing Life”) to taking on a parent-like figure that supports her and gives straight-shooting advice. In a way, Kimmy has finally grown up. She’s finally in control of her own life and taking on the world with a renewed vigor that gives purpose and humor to the newest season.

Season 3 of the “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is currently streaming exclusively on Netf lix.

Iceland is a place that allows people to travel through a special feeling of space and time. While thriving in its history, soaking in the present and embracing each and every new concept that comes its way, the large island fully meditates on what it means to be Icelandic.

It’s a country rumbling with beauty and surprise. One moment, I’m looking at the Harpa, a geometric-eye-puzzle filled with sprinkling colors against its deep, black setting; I’m amazed at this architecture that serves as the main concert hall. And the next moment, to the right, is the too-largeto-be-real-but-is-so-real Esja mountain, standing stalwartly along the coastline — an iconic image Reykjavik stares at every day. Not to mention, this time of year it’s 24 hours of daylight, which makes this place far more intriguing (and for its people, well, far more tiring).

Although the capital — home to 2/3rds of the country’s population — stands proudly next to the Atlantic ocean and the rough mountain coast, it’s tiny — really tiny. Nevertheless, it prides itself on being an urban, zesty and bouncy city with colorful rooftops and stone streets.

But that’s what Iceland is about: the dichotomy and the osmosis of urban and natural, real and mystical, inhabited and deserted.

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of seeing two Icelandic music groups, MilkyWhale and Gangly, at a local bar venue, Húrra, in downtown Reykjavik.

Not knowing what to expect, I had learned that these two artists are living symbols of Iceland.

MilkyWhale, a high-energy pop duo consisting of two friends, Mel and Arni, brought a new style of performance: the concept of performance art. The creator of the group, Mel, was a choreographer when she met Arni in his band. Soon enough, the two were creating their

spunky tunes with Mel’s high soprano voice and Arni’s beats and occasionally deep bass interludes.

Needless to say, they got me on my feet.

My five other friends and I jumped and bumped to the colorful melodies that MilkyWhale produced. And it wasn’t even her voice that got us going. Mel’s dancing and poppy energy made the crowd light up and was genuinely too grand for the tight venue. I told her that she should make her way to a larger stage (maybe Hill Auditorium?).

“It’s nice to have people to dance with!” she told the audience in her sweet accent.

Aesthetically, she’s an Icelandic princess and Arni is her djing partner in prime. Together, they are taking on the fresh and upbeat style that is musical performance art. Their vibe screams something like “we want you to love your life, get off your ass and let loose.” And no matter where in the world I go, I know I could always use that motto.

The mood of the night changed swiftly when the next group, Gangly, took the stage. The trio’s deep bass but soft vibes gave the crowd a sense of sensuality, zen and mysticism. In a way, they sounded like a more hypnotic, relaxing version of The xx.

On another planet far away from MilkyWhale, Gangly’s vibe screams something like “let’s take this to the bedroom.”

With the falsettos of the two male and one female group, the harmonies created were sensitive and somewhat sexy. They project this sense of calmness and serenity, a mood that Iceland closely resembles.

Iceland and its regal mountains, majestic glaciers and stunning waterfalls all come together to create its own unique magic.

Gangly helps echo that same tone by mastering their ethereal sound. Icelandic music, including the world-renowned music groups Of Monsters and Men and Kaleo, might just be the freshest breath of air the music industry, nationally and internationally, truly needs.

ARTIST PROFILE

Thursday, May 25, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ARTS 7

StudioWOS: A boundary-less artist aims to #RemixTheWorld

By SAL DIGIOIA Daily Arts Writer

Being a visual artist has never been tougher than it is today, with the internet and social media offering audiences constant distractions. Yet, for Nicholas Osella, a recent graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, the field’s new challenges represent opportunities for reinvention.

Working under the alias StudioWOS, Osella creates unique collages that remix the world according to his own imagining, sometimes even using elements of popular culture.

“Nowadays, it’s incredibly hard to even get one person’s attention,” said WOS. “I constantly take that as a challenge to be the loudest voice in the room.”

Through email exchanges and a phone conversation, the Michigan Daily spoke with StudioWOS about his creative process, artistic evolution and most recent magazine, MAGNOLiA. Excerpts of the conversations can be seen below. *** When did you first start thinking of yourself as an artist?

“I’ve always filled sketchbooks and pursued a lifestyle of an artist. It kind of just came naturally. In high school I often thought about what I would do in college — would I pursue a degree in art or study some other field that could provide me with comfort? Long story short, I went with the latter and fell into graphic design.

The experience I gained has absolutely influenced my style. Especially in my recent work, I’ve taken a more ‘designerly’ way of thinking.”

You seem willing to express yourself through infinite types of mediums. Did

you always view art as such a borderless process?

“It was last year, around the summer, that I realized I can’t make everything perfect. I started painting on chairs with some of my friends — that eventually led to me finding TVs, clothes, mannequins and buying stuff specifically to paint on. I’d spend five minutes painting on something with the goal of not spending multiple hours on making a line perfect. I just wanted to have fun again. It’s still probably the most fun I’ve ever had as an artist.

I think allowing myself to actually express myself honestly and be organic in my process has tapped into some weird subconscious process that is really interesting to see come through after such a long time of forcing myself onto these 3x4’ canvases.”

Your older work is more cartoonish than the more recent stuff. Is animation a style of storytelling that you were particularly focused on? I noticed the The Assassination of Animation Zine (published in 2013) while scrolling through your Instagram.

“In my freshman year of high school, one of my best friends had just died, and I was really struggling to find myself. The characters I drew around that time helped me cope with the changing of scenery. They let me talk about things I wouldn’t have been able to without them — death, happiness, love — all things I was really passionate about, but too timid to show.

I don’t really rely on them anymore, since I’ve been getting more in front of my work and trying to put my face first. (But) even though I don’t use them, I haven’t lost my ability to tell stories or create narratives — that’s still really present in my work.”

COURTESY OF NICHOLAS OSELLA

A collage of Kendrick Lamar.

Your recent work feels more modern than illustrations alone could. How is it different approaching a photograph of a celebrity as opposed to working with a truly blank page?

“I usually warm up by drawing on blank pieces of paper. I’ll cut them out of my sketchbook and just numb my brain to some music and see where that takes me. After, I’ll start working up to remixing photographs and sewing, but it just takes a different muscle to do all of that work. I love working on each of them and I take great pride in my sketches. Most of the time, though, it’s much easier to show a picture of Kendrick Lamar and have people immediately associate with that. That’s just common human behavior.”

What was it like to work on a project as grand as MAGNOLiA? It seems like you both created a magazine and reapproached it afterward.

“What’s weird is that MAGNOLiA was never really supposed to happen; De (the photographer/stylist) and I met to just take pictures of me working in my room. I thought the pictures would be cool, but then it turned into this huge thing. I asked if he’d be interested in doing a zine and he agreed. I spent another month working and re-working, and came out with a zine that has 40 pages. It was a really organic process — I worked on the pictures at night, failed a few tests. I really took my time on each spread. If something was forced, or wasn’t working, I moved on to the next.

After I finished the book, I didn’t really know what to do with it. I showed it to De and a few other people, but part of me thinks that I made it for myself. I’d love to do something similar for someone else — a musician or photographer. If I had all the time in the world, and a full arsenal of supplies, I could probably take over the world. Remix the world!”

You told Study Breaks: “Now (artists) have to make something that elicits a specific response, something that engages a little more directly. Something that makes someone say, ‘I would destroy a TV to cover it in that thing.

I’d wear it to a concert. I’d wear it to a fashion show.’”

A lot of artists probably view that as a negative, but you seem like an outlier to that mentality, a creative who is inspired by the challenge of people’s shorter attention spans.

“As an artist, it’s my job to challenge the viewer’s sense of reality.

If you think about what was going around in the 1950’s and ‘60s, artists constantly re-invented how art could be perceived. Pop Art, Abstract

COURTESY OF NICHOLAS OSELLA

Mac DeMarco outlined by sunshine.

Expressionism — I mean all of that shit was their way of taking the world around them and putting it in a way you could kind of understand. I love that.

I think we need to realize that technology is going to be changing not just interpersonal connections, but like, the landscape of human behavior. And with that, art will one hundred percent change. We’re already not going to galleries. If we are, it’s so people can see us going to galleries.

It’s disheartening, but if we’re not taking these as challenges to work other angles, then would you really consider yourself with the likes of Warhol or Jackson Pollack? Meet the problem with an answer— or die. “Create, or Die” is something my friends and I say a lot.”

Some of your most recent pieces have involved remixing photographs of famous hip-hop personalities, while some of your favorite artists have strong connections to streetwear. Do you think that artists are empowered through these less conventional collaborations, since the final products can sometimes gain attention from a larger, more diverse audience?

“I’d agree with you, but that was never how I looked at beginning this series. Earlier this year, around February, I started remixing big books and magazines to just see what that was like. I used an Hermes catalog as a sketchbook for about half a year. I’d paint inside of it, chain stitch inside, tape pieces of paper to existing pieces.

I tore that book apart and by the end it didn’t even look like an Hermes catalog. That’s where I started.

Around the time GunnerStahl started getting more recognized, I started printing out his photos and using them. The first one I did was a picture of A$AP Rocky, and I’ve done a lot of Gunner’s pictures since. His style is incredible. When I first started to post them on Twitter, people

actually started fucking with them.

Turns out, when you put music and art together, people actually like it a lot. Just another problem I met with an answer.

What artists like the GONZ do for brands like Supreme is to have them associate with the culture around art.

Take the skateboard brand Illegal Civilization — all of the graphics are made by one guy, Ryder McLaughlin. He has a crazy style that people recognize. I don’t know if that’s what makes them successful, but it works for their brand.”

You also told Study Breaks that you’re “focused on turning StudioWOS into a brand.” Do you mean that you literally want to push StudioWOS clothing in the future, or are you just speaking on the brand-i-fication of art that has occurred in the digital age, and the new ways that artists are being forced to market themselves?

“Let me start by saying, Lil Yachty is one of the most interesting people on the planet. I’ve heard him interview a few times on the process of turning himself into a brand — the stories about him dyeing his hair red, or (deciding) to only wear Nautica clothing. Now we immediately associate these things with him. Whatever game we’re all playing, he won.

I saw this going on and I thought, fuck, that’s amazing, I can do that too.

I started thinking about how I could make myself and StudioWOS into a brand that people could identify with. I started painting on my clothes and creating more and more new art.

What I’ve been pushing a lot is kind of just the name. Call it brand recognition, call it whatever you want, that’s the most important thing right now.

But you’re right, artists are now having to market themselves to get noticed. I wish that wasn’t the case — we lose such creativity when we have to force people into boxes. I guess whatever is easier for people, y’know?”

8 NEWS

Thursday, May 25, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Smoke’s Poutinerie to bring poutine to Ann Arbor arrived in Ann Arbor just in time for summer, bringing with it a wide selection of customizable poutine entrees. Poutine is a popular Canadian dish made up

By AMARA SHAIKH Daily Staff Reporter

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Poutinerie

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late-night customers.

Smoke’s will be located at 1300 S. University Ave., and will have both patio seating and a walkup window. The menu includes a wide range of poutine options and even has combinations that vegetarian and vegan customers can enjoy. The franchise also incorporates an eco-friendly policy that includes compostable cutlery and recyclable napkins.

Both U of M poutine fanatics and first-timers are looking forward to the arrival of Smoke’s Poutinerie. Some students feel

Our concept is a perfect partnership and marrige for large college towns and the entertainment district that it will be a nice addition to the city, especially after the sudden closure of Burger Fi –– kitty-corner to the new restaurant.

LSA sophomore Matisen Douglas has never had poutine before, but is ready to embrace the franchise.

“My friends and I have been really sad about the lack of late-night foods since Burger Fi closed, so we’re pretty excited to try it out,” she wrote in a message to the Daily.

LSA freshman Armind Chahal has enjoyed poutine many times, though, and explained her enthusiasm for the restaurant’s opening.

“I have family in Canada so I have been to Smoke’s,” she said. “I’m so happy that they’re opening in Ann Arbor. I’m sure I’ll be spending lots of time there.”

Chahal also talked about why she prefers poutine to regular French fries when it comes to picking a snack.

“Poutine is just so much more exciting than fries alone,” she said. “I mean who wouldn’t want to have cheese and gravy on top of their fries? To me it’s always an easy decision –– poutine always.”

As fans of the dish, the co-owners, Toine Murphy and Joel Northam, decided to set up shop in Ann Arbor because they are both from nearby areas.

Murphy said the choice to open a franchise on a college campus was intentional.

“Our concept is a perfect partnership and marriage for large college towns and the entertainment district,” he said.

“We knew we wanted to have a location in Michigan, and Ann Arbor was the perfect fit with the University and the community –– it was almost a no-brainer.”

In a Facebook post, the owners played heavily on the fact that Smoke’s would be the first poutine restaurant in Ann Arbor.

“OOOH YEAH! The moment #poutinelovers have been waiting for!,” the post read. “The #gravytrain will have arrived. Be sure to round up your friends and come taste #poutinegreatness!”

Chahal also attested to the experience that she had at a Smoke’s Poutinerie in Canada.

“I remember really enjoying myself when I went there, and the poutine was good so that made everything much better,” she said. “I think my friends and I are definitely going to spend time at Smoke’s now that it’ll be in Ann Arbor.”

Murphy promised to do more than just the bare minimum, saying for him it was more than just a money-making venture.

“We know we want to really embrace the college town, basically we aren’t the establishment that builds four walls makes a product and says bring us your money,” he said.

“We are that business that is going to be a fabric of the Ann Arbor community, and we are going to be constantly out in the community.”

Smoke’s Poutinerie will open its doors to the public on June 4th with hours from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m, and promises exciting events from June 9th-June 11th to further celebrate its arrival in Ann Arbor.

Thursday, May 25, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

On APAHM Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

By CHISTIAN PANEDA Summer Michigan in Color Editor

I had a fanboy moment a couple of weeks ago. “Steven Universe” is one of my favorite TV shows.

Yeah, it is a children’s cartoon, but it also has a good storyline and complex character development in addition to its wholesome themes of friendship. What got me excited, however, wasn’t a crazy twist or suspenseful cliff-

resentation. The Asian Pacific American community has faced many conf licts with proper media representation from visibility to cultural appropriation.

I was thrilled to think of how many children this scene would reach, especially Filipinx-American ones. It helps fight against stigmas of cultural practices as “weird” and shows FilipinxAmerican children that there are people of the same heritage out there — even in the creative arts.

For me, media representation for the APA community is important because it reinforces how we feel about ourselves but also how others perceive us. While visibility remains an important issue, it is also crucial that representations are not toxic stereo-

It is a reminder to celebrate different Asian Pacific heritages and to keep pushing outside the month of May. hanger. It was a simple side plot with a cultural reference.

The side plot was of one of the supporting characters, Lars, showing the other characters — protagonist Steven and other supporting character Sadie — how to make a dish for a potluck when asked what food represents him. He picked a cake. But it wasn’t an ordinary cake. It was an ube cake. Ube is a Filipino word for purple yam and an ingredient of many popular Filipino desserts. Steven and Sadie help Lars make the ube cake, rejoice with happiness because of cake’s delicious f lavor and continue on with the main plot of intergalactic conf lict.

The reference may have been small, but it was so powerful to me because of one thing: rep-

typical caricatures, and I thank “Steven Universe” for celebrating my heritage (not to mention having a diverse cast including voice actors Deedee Magno Hall, Shelby Rabara and Jennifer Paz who have Filipino roots).

As May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, it is a reminder to celebrate different Asian Pacific heritages and to keep pushing outside the month of May. In addition to being a time to be self critical, it is also a time to learn and to listen to others’ lived experiences. Here at Michigan in Color, we offer the stories of some APA individuals.

We recognize the many unique stories that are not yet shared, so we encourage students of color to speak their truth anytime, anywhere.

Cao

By STEFFI CAO Michigan in Color Contributor

Before you read on, it’s pronounced like a T-S. Tsao.

My second grade teacher would always let me check out the advanced reading books, so she was pretty cool by my standards. But she could never say my name right, and that bothered me. No, not ‘chow,’ I would say.

Not ‘cow,’ I would correct. She was an amazing teacher, but I just wished she would pronounce my name correctly. My name is three letters, was it really that hard?

One day, she came up to me while I was doing my multiplication.

“So I talked to Julia Yi’s father, and he says your last name is pronounced ‘chow’,” she said in a kind of final way, before checking on someone else’s times tables.

I remember feeling … odd. I was seven, but I knew I was still right, because my mom said it a certain way, my dad said it the same way, my aunties and teachers in Chinese school said it the same way. I guess Mr. Yi probably just told her it was pronounced ‘chow’ so I wouldn’t have to keep arguing with her, but at the time, I knew I didn’t want it to be pronounced that way. And I didn’t know why my teacher seemed kind of satisfied to be right, just because another Asian parent told her she was doing fine.

It wasn’t the first time this kind of thing had happened. I remember in kindergarten, my teacher wrote ‘CHAO’ all over my reading folders, which confused me to no end.

I might have been a toddler, but I at least knew my last name was spelled C-A-O. I would feel uncomfortable about the way they spelled my name, even if I couldn’t figure out why. I

MICHIGAN IN COLOR 9

didn’t like seeing that h in Cao. It just didn’t belong there. But it wasn’t the end of the world, so I just let it slide.

I was a busy person, okay? I had letters to trace. My pottery butterfly was only halfway finished. One ‘h’ on my folder wasn’t going to ruin me.

The game changed when in the fourth grade, I joined the elementary school drama club. It was exactly four people: me, and my three friends.

When the teacher asked for introductions, she asked me how I pronounced my surname. I said it for her. Cao. “Oh, like a T-S! Okay, got it.”

And with that, my whole world changed. Like a T-S. It became the automatic response to answering many more years of pronunciation questions. But more than that, it proved one very important thing to me: non-Chinese people can say my name right. And it doesn’t take a lot of effort to learn it quickly.

It might not seem like a big thing, but when everyone treats your name like it’s some strange, unapproachable concept, it can feel alienating. I always felt like an other, an abnormality among the “regular” names of the world. A burden on the teachers who had to pronounce my weird, foreign name. Now, I know that’s not true. My name is not a burden — it is a name no lesser than any other. But for a long time, I avoided telling people my last name. I thought I didn’t need it. If Rihanna and Beyoncé didn’t use their last names, I don’t need to use it either, right? I know it’s different now.

But still, when someone pronounces my name right, it feels a little victorious. Maybe that’s why many Chinese parents give their children English names. Maybe it’s partially so that their children don’t have to constantly explain their name to everyone.

I don’t blame non-Chinese people for not knowing how to say my name right away. If you grow up in

an environment where you never have to learn it, how can I expect you to know? But if you refuse to try and learn it, if you laugh it off and shrug helplessly, or tell me how to say my own name, that’s where the issue arises. Because with globalization, the rise of development in countries around the world, and innovations in technology, our world is getting smaller. And with that, our cultures are interacting more and more. It’s just so illogical to avoid learning names that sound foreign to you.

My first year of college, our lecture was looking at a Chinese woman, Bei Bei Shuai, convicted of murder due to an attempted suicide while pregnant that killed her fetus (a whole other issue, but that’s for another time).

Our professor skimmed over Shuai’s name, calling her “this woman” the whole time. In a lecture hall of 200 people, our professor showed that you can ignore a person’s name if it sounds foreign, because it doesn’t matter. I don’t believe it was ill-intentioned. But it reminded me of second grade, of kindergarten, of every incident where people would sigh helplessly and say “I’m just not going to get it.” Hesitation condones ignorance, which in turn condones hate. #SayMyName was just an example of that. I don’t need anyone to ‘get it.’ But I need you to try. Because if I can try with all the Polish, you can make sure my last name sounds like a T-S in the beginning. If I can respect your name, you can respect mine.

I know I don’t have the hardest name in the world. I know some people who have had to explain their first name and last name, who go through life with teachers pausing during attendance and recognizing confused silence as their name. And I know the hesitation isn’t meant to be malicious. But the world is shrinking.

And there is always time to learn.

10 SPORTS

Thursday, May 25, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ERIN KIRKLAND/Daily

Forward Moe Wagner withdrew from the NBA Draft and will return next season.

Wagner returns, Wilson leaves

By BETELHEM ASHAME Managing Sports Editor

Competing for the first time since winning the Big Ten In the 2016-17 season, the Michigan men’s basketball team reaped the benefits of breakout campaigns from sophomore forward Moritz Wagner and redshirt sophomore forward D.J. Wilson.

The pair of big men teamed up to punish opponents on both ends of the floor in a year that saw the Wolverines capture their first Big Ten Tournament title since 1998, claim a 2K Classic championship and advance to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.

With two years of eligibility remaining at Michigan, both Wilson and Wagner entered the NBA draft in April, having garnered significant interest at the next level.

But they elected not to hire agents in order to preserve their college eligibility if they decided not to leave the Wolverines.

Ahead of Wednesday’s 11:59 p.m. deadline for withdrawing their names from the draft or foregoing their remaining two years, the duo has chosen to go their separate ways, as Wagner announced his return to Michigan for the 2017-18 season and Wilson announced his intention to remain in the draft.

Thirteen hours before the deadline, Wagner announced he would be coming back next season.

“I gained a great deal of confidence from this process and I have a clearer picture of what I need to do in order to fulfill my dreams of

playing professionally in the NBA,” Wagner said. “Michigan is where I need to be right now, and I am really excited about coming back. I learned a lot about myself and my game at the (NBA) combine. I feel like I still have a lot to prove on this level and cannot wait to compete with my brothers for another ring.”

Three hours later, Wilson released a statement to confirm he would stay in the draft and end his college career.

“This was not an easy decision, however, I have thought long about the next step in my career over the last few months,” Wilson said. “After many prayers and discussions with my mom, Coach Beilein and the staff, it is the right time for me to pursue my dream of playing in the NBA. “I am confident I have the drive, work ethic and maturity for this next step. It’s never going to be easy, but if I have learned anything at Michigan, perseverance pays off. It has truly been a blessing to have had the opportunity to attend Michigan, and I will forever be grateful to Coach Beilein and his staff for taking the chance on me. There are so many memories over the past three years that I will always cherish. I will be a Wolverine at heart forever. Go Blue!”

The two big men formed a formidable tandem last season, as Wagner emerged as a potent offensive threat and Wilson as a powerful defensive force.

Wagner averaged 12.1 points per game with a 39.5 shooting percentage from beyond the arc,

posting five games of 20-plus points en route to an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection. Wilson led the team with 203 total rebounds, becoming the first Wolverine to record 200-plus boards since Mitch McGary in 2012-13, and 57 blocks, the most in nine seasons for Michigan.

Throughout the draft process, including participating in the NBA combine in Chicago from May 9-14, Wilson and Wagner received a wide variety of projections. According to Michigan coach John Beilein, Wagner learned that he needed more time to develop at the college level.

“Moe had an extraordinary experience with this process, one that opened his eyes to what he needs to do next for his development,” Beilein said.

“Moe loves Michigan, and he is excited about becoming a leader on next year’s team. His incredible personality and enthusiastic demeanor is a great plus for this team and his brilliant future. We are so pleased to be part of that and his journey moving forward.”

Meanwhile, Beilein said Wilson learned that he had enough reason to turn professional.

“D.J. and our coaching staff worked very hard over the last month to get as much information as possible on his draft status,” Beilein said, “Given the data and insight we received, D.J. is confident he is ready to take the next step in his basketball career. We love D.J. and he will always be a Michigan Wolverine.

His development over the past three seasons, and particularly this past season, was phenomenal.

“With continued work, he shows great potential to improve in a similar manner in the NBA. We wish him and his family the very best and we will always be rooting for him during this draft process and for all the years to come.”

The news comes a day after Michigan announced that guard Jaaron Simmons, an All-MidAmerican Conference first team selection at Ohio University, will join the Wolverines next season as a graduate transfer. Michigan will benefit from his veteran presence after losing forward Mark Donnal and guard Andrew Dakich as graduate transfers to Clemson and Quinnipiac University, respectively.

Though the Wolverines will face the heavy burden of replacing Wilson next year, the return of Wagner, as well as the addition of Simmons, will undoubtedly soften the blow.

MEN’S GOLF

Michigan’s season ends at Washington Regional

By ROHAN KUMAR For the Daily

The Michigan men’s golf team’s season came to a premature end during the NCAA Washington Regional last week, as the Wolverines shot 886 (292-298296) to finish in 10th place, missing the top-five finish needed to advance to Nationals. Southern California clinched first, 37 strokes ahead of Michigan.

Junior Kyle Mueller shot a 212 (71-71-70) to finish tied for eighth place, but came up one stroke shy of forcing a playoff to go to Nationals as an individual.

The Wolverines had stellar play in the first round spearheaded by Mueller, sophomore Nick Carlson and senior Bryce Evon. All three were in the top 15 after day one of the tournament. Carlson’s first round score of 68 put him in a tie for third while Evon carded a 69 and was tied for sixth.

The duo gave up crucial strokes during days two and three, causing them to move down the leaderboard. They finished tied for 17th and tied for 34th, respectively.

Mueller had the third-best score for Michigan in the opening round and was initially tied for 14th. His game showed to be more consistent than his teammates, though, as he moved up the leaderboard for the remaining rounds.

Despite the steady play from Mueller, Carlson and Evon, the Wolverines lack of depth led to their demis. Senior Tom Swanson and junior Ian Kim also started for Michigan, and finished 69th and 75th out of the 75-player field.

“We had good golf going on in every round, it was just a question of whether we had enough guys doing it,” said Michigan coach Chris Whitten. “We knew to advance it was gonna take all five guys playing good golf and (we) just weren’t consistent enough.”

The Wolverines had a successful season with six topthree finishes, including two tournament wins. They won the Dayton Flyer Invitational back in October and the Desert Mountain Intercollegiate in March.

“The season overall was

another step in the right direction for us. We had two tournament wins out of 12 events, which is the first time we’ve done that since I’ve been the head coach,” Whitten said. “I think when we add up all the numbers at the end, our season scoring average for the year is either gonna be the lowest in the history of the program or very close to it.”

This tournament marked the last event under Michigan for Evon and Swanson, who will not be with the team next year.

Senior Reed Hrynewich is also leaving, but did not compete in Washington. Carlson and Mueller will both return and Whitten expects them to lead the team.

“We got Nick Carlson and Kyle Mueller returning who have both played really high-level events and should have a lot of confidence,” Whitten said. “They go to every tournament trying to win and they’re just trying to refine really small parts of their game like shots around the green or ball striking consistency.”

Kim, along with freshmen Brent Ito and Taisei Negishi, will also be coming back. Neither Ito nor Negishi saw much tournament action this season.

The Wolverines will be gaining three players by next season, including two international players — Connor Prassas of Illinois, Charlie Pilon of Australia and Henry Spring of New Zealand will all join the upcoming roster.

“We are gonna have three new players on the team next year,” Whitten said. “When you replace three out of eight guys the chemistry of the team is gonna be a little different, and they will have a different feel next year.”

Michigan will be searching for consistency as it starts its 2017-18 season in September, but Whitten was still proud of his team’s results from the past year. “(I am) disappointed that we didn’t get to go to Nationals because I would have loved to see the guys compete there, but overall I think it was a good season,” Whitten said. “We are still kind of thinking about today, but I am excited to get the new guys here and start building again.”

Thursday, May 25, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

‘M’ stunned by Northwestern, 6-4

BASEBALL

Ninth-inning woes cost Michigan

By PAIGE VOEFFRAY Daily Sports Writer

KATELYN MULCAHY/Daily

Junior right-hander Ryan Nutof started against Northwestern Wednesday.

By JACOB SHAMES Summer Managing Sports Editor

Ninth inning, bases loaded, no outs.

The Michigan baseball team faced a similar situation in its regularseason finale last Saturday against Michigan State. With the game tied at one in the bottom of the ninth, redshirt junior right-hander Jackson Lamb recorded three straight outs to escape the jam, and the Wolverines eventually defeated the Spartans, 2-1, in 10 innings.

In its Big Ten Tournament opener against Northwestern Wednesday, Michigan wasn’t as fortunate. Down 4-3, the seventh-seeded Wildcats (2428 overall, 13-11 Big Ten) plated three runs in the top of the ninth against Lamb and sophomore left-hander William Tribucher to earn a comefrom-behind, 6-4 upset win against the second-seeded Wolverines.

The loss was a shocking turn for Michigan (42-14, 16-8), beyond the the unexpected nature of a No. 7 seed defeating a No. 2 seed. Wednesday’s contest marked just the third time this season the Wolverines had lost a game in which they held a ninthinning lead. Also, the three earned runs Lamb gave up were the first three he had surrendered all season in 28 innings.

Junior right-hander Ryan Nutof came out firing for the Wolverines, hammering the strike zone with his mid-90s fastball in the first and second inning. At first, Northwestern had no answer — the Wildcats struck out three times in their first five at-bats. But they were soon able to pick up on Nutof’s approach: First baseman Connor Lind sat on a Nutof fastball and homered to right to give Northwestern a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

However, Michigan was unfazed.

Two-out rallies have been a staple for the Wolverines this season, and this continued in the second inning.

Junior first baseman Jake Bivens drove a double down the left-field line, and sophomore designated hitter Nick Poirier slapped an RBI single into centerfield to tie the game.

After adjusting to Nutof’s velocity, the Wildcats continued to make strong contact — their next four at-bats consisted of a double, a hard line-drive out to end the second, a single and a two-run bomb by second baseman Alex Erro in the third inning. But Nutof responded with his secondary arsenal, recording four strikeouts via off-speed pitch in the third and fourth innings.

“Northwestern’s a good fastball hitting team. They ambush the fastball,” said Michigan coach Erik Bakich. “Nutof has a good fastball, but they were ready for it after the first inning. ” Michigan responded again in the bottom half of the third inning. Senior centerfielder Johnny Slater took the first pitch he saw from left-hander Cooper Wetherbee and parked a shot to deep right field to cut the deficit in half.

The Wolverines took their first, and only, lead in the fifth inning.

Sophomore right fielder Jonathan Engelmann ripped a double to the gap in left field to lead off. He later advanced to third on a textbook bunt from senior catcher Harrison Wenson, and sophomore second baseman Ako Thomas knotted the score with a double down the left-field line. A passed ball allowed Thomas to move to third, and he scored when Northwestern catcher Jack Claeys’s throw flew past the base and into the outfield.

With his entire array of pitches established, Nutof was dominant. He hurled a career-best 10 strikeouts, and retired nine straight batters during one span from the fourth to seventh innings before he was relieved by senior right-hander Mac Lozer after a one-out double ended that streak.

That lead may have been only one run, but it was a lead that Michigan felt fully confident in, especially with two relievers that sported perfect earned-run averages coming into the game. Lozer stranded the runner at second with two strikeouts in the seventh, and left another runner at second to keep the Wildcats off the board.

Lamb then took the mound in the ninth, but from the first batter, it was clear that he wasn’t nearly as sharp as usual — according to Bakich, his shoulder soreness leading up to Wednesday played a role. He surrendered two consecutive singles and a four-pitch walk to load the bases, and also threw a wild pitch.

Tribucher attempted to salvage the situation, but to no avail — Northwestern hit two more singles to drive home three runs.

The Wolverines won’t have much time to move on from their surprising defeat, as they’ll face No. 6-seed Indiana at 10 a.m. Thursday in an elimination game. Michigan has been a “bounce-back team” all season long — the Wolverines have lost consecutive games just once this season — but the confidence that comes with this will be tested once again.

“We’re excited for tomorrow,” Brdar said. “We gotta stick with what we’re doing, stick with our approach — pitching, good defense and timely hitting, and tomorrow should be a different outcome.”

SPORTS 11

It appeared the secondseeded Michigan baseball team would squeak out a win against seventh-seeded Northwestern in its opening game of the Big Ten Tournament. The Wolverines led, 4-3, heading into the ninth inning, and go-to closer senior right-hander Jackson Lamb was on the bump.

Coming into the contest, Lamb had a 0.00 earned-run average and had allowed just 18 hits through 28.0 innings pitched. Michigan expected the same Lamb that had closed out nearly every game this season — but the Lamb that showed up Wednesday was much different.

Wildcat first baseman Jack Claeys walked up to the plate in the lead-off slot and knocked the 3-2 pitch through the first and second base gap. With the tying run on first base, Northwestern opted to replace Claeys with a pinch runner. Lamb had been in tough situations before, but with the steady stream of rain and a man on first, he threw just his second wild pitch of the season and the Wildcats advanced to second.

With a man in scoring position, third baseman Connor Lind crushed a line drive over a leaping sophomore second baseman Ako Thomas. Michigan managed to hold both runners on the corners, but if Lamb wasn’t shaky before, his confidence had to have been dwindling.

It was clear Lamb wasn’t himself when he walked the next batter in four straight pitches.

The walk forced Michigan coach Erik Bakich to bring in sophomore right-hander William Tribucher to try and clean up Lamb’s mess — a tall task. The bases were loaded with no outs.

Right-fielder Ben Dickey hadn’t managed a hit all day, but picked up his first in the ninth inning when he singled through the Wolverine third baseman and shortstop. It wasn’t necessarily hard hit, but it was perfectly placed and just out of reach for senior shortstop Michael Brdar.

The hit was enough to score one run and tie the game, 4-4.

The first out of the inning came at the hands of Brdar after he slightly bobbled the ball but managed to f lick the ball with

the tip of his glove to junior third baseman Drew Lugbauer. While the go-ahead run crossed the plate, it was an impressive move from Brdar that minimized the damage.

With one away and men on first and second, the inning was far from over and Northwestern had the momentum in their favor. Second baseman Alex Erro crushed a single up the middle passed a diving Thomas to score another run.

Fortunately for Michigan, Tribucher caught shortstop Jack Dunn looking for the crucial second out. An easy groundout would end the frame, but instead of celebrating, the Wolverines had some work to do.

The bottom of the ninth inning found junior first baseman Jake Bivens in the leadoff spot. He was hit by the second pitch he saw, bringing the tying run to the plate. Already having picked up a run batted-in in the second inning, designated hitter Nick Poirier smacked a line drive to second base. It was similar to the one Michigan had seen in the top of the inning, except Northwestern was able to catch it.

With one out, sophomore right-fielder Jonathan Engelmann skied the 1-2 pitch and after the Wildcat shortstop backed up to the grass, he easily made the catch for the second out.

The final out came at the hands of senior catcher Harrison Wenson. Currently batting .191 — the lowest of the starters — he’s not the ideal choice to be in this position. But he is one of the few Wolverine players who has the ability to hit the long ball, something Michigan desperately needed.

But it wasn’t in the cards for the Wolverines as Wenson struck out swinging in three pitches.

It was a rare — and crucial — mishap from Michigan’s bullpen.

Now, the Wolverines will need to win five straight games to capture the Big Ten Tournament title.

“50-some games where we’ve been pretty consistent (in the ninth inning) so I just look at this as a f luke, just a speed bump,” Bakich said. “Our guys have responded every time they’ve been knocked down all season and they’ll respond tomorrow.”

12 SPORTS

Thursday, May 25, 2017 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ARNOLD ZHOU/Daily

Senior Megan Betsa was a constant for the Wolverines this season, boasting a career season and supporting an offense that regressed after Sierra Romero’s departure.

Season in Review: Softball looks to future

By MAX MARCOVITCH Daily Sports Writer

With a 4-2 loss to Washington in the Regional round, the Michigan softball team bowed out of the NCAA Tournament, and thus waved goodbye to the 2017 season. It was, at times, a season and team unable to escape the shadow of the 2016 juggernaut; a year in which “tight” might well have been Michigan coach Carol Hutchins’ most used word. The loss to Washington marked the earliest exit for the program since 2011. But in a year that will likely be seen as a “down” year for the program that has been to 12 Women’s College World Series, the Wolverines were still ranked the entire season, were comfortably the second best team in the conference and finished 43-13-1.

The Daily looks back on a season seemingly brimming with potential, but ultimately plagued by inconsistency.

Most valuable player: Megan Betsa This award undoubtedly belongs to the pitcher who led the country in strikeouts, and was a model of stability all year, even when the offense wasn’t. Coming off lingering injuries that forced her to sit out of fall training, senior right-hander Megan Betsa came through with the best season of her

decorated career. Betsa had career bests across the board, including innings pitched (235.1), batting average against (.148) and strikeoutto-walk ratio (4.12). With newfound confidence, Betsa especially found her groove in the Big Ten portion of the schedule, including a streak of 48 consecutive scoreless innings in the heart of conference play en route to unanimously being voted first-team all-Big Ten. In midMarch, she threw two no-hitters in the span of one week, prompting Hutchins to say that Betsa was “really been the best I’ve seen her in her career over this period.”

Betsa pitched in 23 games this season that her team failed to score more than four runs. She still won or saved 13 of them. The senior was a stabilizing force all year — the glue that kept her team from unraveling when it appeared imminent, making her the unquestionable MVP. Breakout Player: Faith Canfield It was hardly surprising to see sophomore second baseman Faith Canfield come through with a home run in the first inning of the elimination game against Washington; she’s been hitting the ball hard all season. Canfield was appointed the starting second baseman early in the season, with massive shoes to fill on the heels of Sierra Romero’s graduation.

Romero might well be the best Michigan softball player in history, and while Canfield may never reach that level, she proved herself a worthy heir to Romero’s throne, consistenly producing all season long.

Canfield’s breakout year truly became evident when she began to flash newfound power. Coming off a year in which she had seven extrabase knocks all year, Canfield tied junior first baseman Aidan Falk for the team lead in that category in 2017 with 27. With a steady glove and rock-solid bat, Canfield was one of just two Wolverines to start all 57 games for Michigan this season — a testament to Hutchins’ confidence in her. Canfield will continue to be a reliable middle-ofthe-order bat in the years to come, and is an early candidate for 2018 Big Ten Player of the Year.

Most important game: Michigan State 5, Michigan 4 in Big Ten Tournament It wasn’t nearly the “most important game” that the Wolverines were hoping for, but it certainly was the moment where Michigan’s season began to spiral out of control — a moment the players simply couldn’t bounce back from. After crawling back on their own home field to grab a 4-2 lead in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, Betsa allowed the Spartans to score

three unanswered runs. Michigan State centerfielder Lea Foerster reached base four times on the day, including a crucial RBI single in the top of the seventh inning.

It’s hard to overstate how much this loss stung for the Wolverines; in a tournament circled on their calendar all year in front of their home fans, they lost to an in-state rival before even reaching the semifinal. The loss eliminated any hope of returning home for a Regional at Alumni Field. Instead, Michigan fell outside the top-16 and was forced to travel to Seattle, with the faint — and ultimately misguided — hope of upending the host Washington.

Up next: Michigan will lose one of the most accomplished senior classes in school history, perhaps no loss with more implications than that of Betsa. The Wolverines will count on senior right-hander Tera Blanco in both the circle and the lineup as the new face of the program, with senior Aidan Falk also figuring to be a vital middle-of-the-order bat.

But the core of this team will likely be the rising junior class — led by Canfield, Peters and Alexander.

The trio alone accounted for 157 hits in 2017. Rising sophomore shortstop Madison Uden flashed potential in her 24 appearances this season, carving out a role that made her a regular starter by

season’s end.

For the first time in years, the team will come into the season with questions throughout the pitching rotation. Blanco appears capable of taking the step toward becoming an ace, but rising sophomore righthander Leah Crockett pitched just 6.1 innings in 2017. The coaching staff is optimistic about incoming freshman left-hander Megan Beaubien, who comes in as the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2017 recruiting class, according to FloSoftball. But it’s fair to question whether Hutchins and her coaching staff will immediately rely upon the incoming freshman for 120+ innings out of the gate.

Michigan looks poised to juggle a three-person rotation, at least in the early portion of the season.

Overall, it will be a talented, if comparatively unproven, team coming into the year. It won’t have the same burden of the shadow of expectation that this team seemed to fall victim to all too often.

Quite a bit hinges on Blanco and Beaubien being able to fill the void left by Betsa, and whether Canfield, Peters and Uden can take steps to become the superstars they have shown signs of becoming. The Wolverines will likely remain as a preseason top-15 team, granted the benefit of the doubt that Hutchins’ teams have earned throughout her illustrious career.