Niner Times: October 6, 2015 by Niner Times

NINERTIMES.COM

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

VOL. 28, ISSUE 6

Jordan Snyder editor@ninertimes.com

Nick Cropper news@ninertimes.com

Matt Chapman sports@ninertimes.com

Leanna Pough ae@ninertimes.com

Alyssa Fronk

community@ninertimes.com

Jared Allen

sports@ninertimes.com

John Lineberger lifestyle@ninertimes.com

Casey Aldridge

Ben Robson

opinion@ninertimes.com

photo@ninertimes.com

Diane Gromelski

Andrew Hocutt

copy@ninertimes.com

Nick Clemens video@ninertimes.com

layout@ninertimes.com

Salina Dickie, Hunter Heilman, Sydney Stephens

ADDITIONAL STAFF Indira Eskieva, Maria Saenz, Scott Gordon, Chris Crews, Brandon Nixon, Edward Averette, Candice Kelly, Sydney Swafford

Matt Lorenz

Andrew Hocutt MARKETING STAFF

Tia Warren, Ashley Lyons, David Mendez, Darrell Hayden Jr.

NINER TIMES • RADIO FREE CHARLOTTE SANSKRIT LITERARY-ARTS MAGAZINE MEDIA MARKETING • TECHNICAL

MEGAN VAN EMMERIK

www.ninertimes.com/app 2

Cover and contents photos by Chris Crews

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

NINERTIMES

UNION TAKEOVER

Parents and students take over the Student Union to enjoy a night of various games and activities hosted by student organizations INDIRA ESKIEVA STAFF WRITER

The Campus Activities Board (CAB) hosted an event to encourage students and parents to learn more about the different organizations and events taking place this academic year at UNC Charlotte. The Union Takeover: Parent and Family Weekend was held Sept. 25 from 7-11 p.m. in the Student Union. Organizations set up tables all over the first, second and third floors of the Student Union. Many organizations decorated their tables with poster boards and balloons to attract more visitors. Students and their parents had the opportunity to speak to a representative from each organization and learn more about it. Some of the organizations who participated in the Union Takeover were the Chinese Club, the Palestinian/American Cultural Club, the Film Club and Young Americans for Liberty. Tables were also set up to publicize various upcoming events. One table was set up to promote the Charlotte Dance Marathon. The event leaders handed out flyers explaining what the event is and why it is hosted. The Charlotte Dance Marathon is a 12-hour dance party which will be held in honor of a yearlong campus-wide fundraiser for Levine Children’s Hospital. Each organization made up their own small activities that parents and students could participate in. UNC Charlotte’s Film Club held mini-quizzes with questions like, “Which actor played the main role in ‘Interstellar’?” Prizes to questions answered correctly included small, plastic bags filled with candy. Another organization that did something similar was UNC Charlotte’s Young Americans for Liberty. They gave students questionnaires to fill out in order to decide if they are right for the club. One of the most popular attractions of the night was a helmet painting station. Participants were

NINERTIMES.COM

Parents and students decorate helmets as one of the activities during the Union Takeover. Photo by Maria Saenz

given paint, brushes and a plastic helmet. They could decorate to fit their style and preferences. It seemed that parents and students truly enjoyed getting their inner-artists to come out, as this table had a particularly long line compared to others. Besides the helmet painting station and the various activities that different organizations put together, there was also a game of bingo held in a separate room of the Student Union. If patrons got hungry, they could grab a bite to eat at establishments which are familiar to the Student Union – such as the fast food restaurant Wendy’s. There was a table offering complimentary Cheerwine, as well as water, to students and their family members. OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

The Union Takeover gave students and their parents a chance to familiarize themselves with the different activities and events taking place at UNC Charlotte. CAB created a festive atmosphere by playing music throughout the event and strewing balloons all around the Student Union. Jennifer Wyatt, a parent of a freshman student attending UNC Charlotte said that she is happy to know more about the different societies, organizations and activities her son’s college has to offer. “I feel like I can encourage my son to participate in these organizations when I know more about them myself. We had a good time strolling around all of the different tables tonight,” said Wyatt.

POLICE BLOTTER

Speaking out about racial comments

JAN. 28-30

Staff members involved in comments speak to students

ACCIDENT JAN. 29

• Cameron Boulevard, driver of vehicle one struck the rear of vehicle causing vehicle two to strike the rear of vehicle three. Multiple injuries were reported and two people were transported to Carolinas Medical CenterUniversity.

OCT. 1

• Lot 19, officer took a report regarding an accident. The driver of vehicle one got out of their car, gave the driver of vehicle two a phone number, returned to their car and left the scene of the incident.

ARREST SEPT. 29

• Tailgate area of the football game, subject was arrested for being intoxicated and disruptive in public.

OCT. 2

• Football game, individual was arrested on several charges after the football game. • Parking Service, individual was arrested for seconddegree trespassing.

FORGERY SEPT. 28

• Lynch Hall, an individual paid for a Domino’s Pizzaorder with a fake $100 bill.

TRESPASSING SEPT. 27

• Lynch Hall, multiple subjects were issued second-degree trespass orders for unauthorized entrance to resident halls. For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us

NICK CROPPER NEWS EDITOR

In light of the recent racial comments that were made the conversation was positive and that he and the other by three UNC Charlotte staff members several weeks staff members were embracing the student leadership in ago, UNC Charlotte administration has been taking some UNC Charlotte organizations, not devaluing it. steps towards repairing the breach in trust that this After hearing from Burden and the members of the incident has caused with the students. panel, audience members were able to approach one In a first step towards repairing that trust, UNC of two microphones in the room to ask panel members Charlotte administration held a panel Monday night in questions or make their own comments.. McKnight Hall. Audience members had many questions that they This panel was led by Vice Chancellor wanted answered, but one question for Student Affairs Arthur Jackson and appeared several times during the night. had several student leaders on They wanted to know why they were the panel as well. Karen Shaffer, not being given the same information assistant vice chancellor and as the panel was to help them make director of activities was present on their own informed decisions about the the panel also. comments. The two students who heard the This question was brought to the staff members make the comments panel’s attention several times before were on the board to share their the other two staff members involved thoughts. in the conversation went on stage The panel opened with brief to help clarify some of the students’ statements from Jackson, as well concerns. as the students who overheard the These staff members were Assistant conversation and the other student Director of Student Activities for leaders that were present. Student Involvement Cassidy Sansone One of the students who had and Associate Director of Student heard the conversation was Activities for Student Involvement Madison Pinkney, who is a Resident Kelli Farris. Advisor on campus. While she Despite being afraid of the outcome, would not repeat what was said, Sansone and Farris wanted to give the she did want to clarify that much of the students more context into what was said ASSISTANT DIRECTOR information that has been spreading that day. OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES around campus was incorrect and that “So we asked ourselves this question, CASSIDY SANSONE Jackson’s summary of events was more ‘Where are the other students. Are there accurate. still barriers for them getting involved or Afterwards, she and other panel do they just not want to get involved?’ I members gave brief statements on their thoughts of the feel like it’s our responsibility as professionals at this event. University to ask those questions,” said Sansone. “So After speaking with the staff members involved on the conversation was not ‘Where are all the white men?’ a previous occasion, many of the board members came Truly asking the philosophical question, ‘Where are to the conclusion that, although the comment was not there problems with access to student leadership?’” made to be a racial slur to African-American students in Sansone continued her statement, providing more leadership positions, it was still an insensitive comment information regarding the comments that were made to make. by a colleague who was attending a conference when Panel members also touched on what the students they were approached by somebody who asked if UNC and the University as a whole should do to prevent such Charlotte was a Historically Black College/University comments in the future and what can be gained from (HBCU). this incident. “A colleague, who had taken a group of students to Adam Burden, senior associate director of student a conference came up to this colleague and said, ‘Oh activities for student involvement, also made a I didn’t realize that Charlotte was an HCBU.’ Lets be statement that night. Being one of the staff members real, that’s a microagression against our students. So who was involved in the conversation, Burden offered the colleague responded ‘It’s not, we just have a lot of his deepest apology for what was said. student leaders of color’ and that’s an amazing, amazing However, Burden wanted to clarify that what was thing. So hopefully that provides you with more context heard by students that day was taken out of context. behind this conversation, hopefully us coming up here He would not mention exactly what the comments shows that we want to have these conversations with made were, but he did emphasize that the context of you,” said Sansone.

“THE CONVERSATION WAS NOT, ‘WHERE ARE ALL THE WHITE MEN?’”

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

NINERTIMES

INDIRA ESKIEVA STAFF WRITER

The UNC Charlotte Student Government Association (SGA) had a guest speaker for their Oct. 1 meeting, UNC Charlotte alumnus and notable attorney, Karen Popp. Prior to Popp’s arrival, Secretary for Academic Affairs Caroline Nowell gave a brief report to senators. The Learning Management Evaluating System Committee is looking for alternatives to the well-established Moodle system. It has been seven years since Moodle was first introduced to UNC Charlotte’s students and faculty members. Among some of the concerns of a new program is whether it will be user friendly and easy for professors to work with. Plans are also being made to create a general midterm evaluation form that can be embedded into Moodle so that students can voice their opinions in the middle of the semester rather than at the end. The Student Advisory Group is going to hold a meeting to discuss ways that students can voice their concerns and communicate thoughts regarding the library. Nowell also addressed the construction scheduled to take place in the library during fall break.

A chief concern was what would happen if the construction falls behind schedule and runs past the fall break. In this scenario, Nowell explained that the construction would either continue on a nocturnal schedule or be resumed during the winter break. After this brief update, Popp took the stage to share her academic and career experiences with SGA. As a UNC Charlotte alumnus, Popp was the first female student body president in the UNC system. This feat gathered so much publicity that she was invited by President Jimmy Carter to visit the White House. Despite later getting graduate degrees at Oxford University and UNC School of Law, Popp says that she got her sea legs at UNC Charlotte. She came to UNC Charlotte as a freshman, played basketball that same freshman year, was a resident assistant for two years and later became president of the student body. When she first came to UNC Charlotte, Popp imagined becoming a doctor. After becoming involved with SGA, she changed her mind and decided to pursue a career in law instead. One of the highlights of her

incredibly successful career was being President Bill Clinton’s lawyer while he served in the White House. She advised the president on domestic policy issues and the various scandals that plagued the White House, such as the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Prior to that, Popp was a federal prosecutor in New York City. She was part of the organized crime unit that prosecuted notorious mobster John Gotti. Today, Karen Popp heads her own practice with close to 1900 lawyers and 700 partners. She is also on UNC Charlotte’s board of trustees. Popp’s big message to SGA was to work hard and do well academically. She advised members of the audience that you cannot be successful in any career without having student leadership skills. Popp also stressed the importance of giving back to your college after graduation. She has previously, and will always, give back to UNC Charlotte. Despite having attended two more universities after receiving her undergraduate degree from UNC Charlotte, Popp says that her blood is green and she will always consider herself to be a 49er.

Correction: The SGA update: Sept. 24 article that was posted on the third page of the news section for the Sept. 29 issue contained an error. The wrong author was credited with writing the story. The page currently says that the article was written by Alex Sands; however, it was written by Evan Moore.

NINERTIMES.COM

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

SPIKE:

THE ABREIA EPPS STORY

SCOTT GORDON STAFF WRITER

Charlotte 49er volleyball player Abreia Epps is emerging as a leader on the team with some impressive performances as of late. Despite the 5-11 record, the 49ers have managed to be competitive and are improving. The redshirt sophomore Epps won ConferenceUSA Player of the Week last week after leading the 49ers with twenty-one kills in a 3-1 win over the University of Texas at El Paso in the first conference game of the year. The 21 kills were a new career high for Epps who has now led Charlotte in kills in sixth of the last eight contests and has had seven straight games with double-digits in that category. The Columbia, S.C. native began playing the

sport in eighth grade when she was recruited in P.E. by the assistant volleyball coach at her middle school. “I just started playing and ever since then it just clicked,” said Epps. Epps played for Blythewood High School and helped lead her team to a 14-1 record and a spot in the 4A playoffs. Epps said she was drawn to Charlotte by the coaches who recruited her and the facilities. “The campus is beautiful,” she said. “It was just a great atmosphere to be around and I loved it,” she said of her official visit with then head coach Chris Redding. Epps is now under the leadership of Karen Weatherington who is in her first year as the

Abreia Epps is congratulated by her teammates. Photo by Benjamin Robson

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

49ers head coach. When asked about playing for coach Weatherington, Epps said she is much different than her previous coaches at Charlotte. “She is a hardcore, let’s go to work, let’s go to war kind of coach. We are definitely getting to learn her better and she is getting to learn us better.” Epps credits her recent play to a change in her mindset before the games. Epps likes to enjoy some of her favorite artists Future and Drake before the games to get in the zone. She also takes time to go over the scouting report to get a better understanding of her opponent and lately it’s been paying dividends. “It feels great,” Epps said of her recent C-USA POTW honor. “Just knowing that your hard work and all the work you put in in the preseason to day to day practice has paid off.” Epps is second on the team in kills behind senior Sarah McDonald who has also played well all year for Charlotte. “I definitely just want our team to just battle,” said Epps on moving forward this season. “A lot of teams underestimate us. We just have to get this mentality as a team.” Charlotte has battled lately. They dropped their last two games but they were hard fought five set matches against Southern Miss and Rice who have each only lost once in conference play so far. C-USA is a very competitive conference and if Charlotte can fine tune a few more details they have a great chance to make a run down the stretch. Charlotte has 11 games remaining on the schedule, the first two being on the road at Florida International and Florida Atlantic. Look for Epps and the 49ers to continue improving. The 49ers have only two seniors, which makes Epps one of thirteen players who will be returning next year. The future promises to be bright in Charlotte as Epps and the rest of the 49ers continue learning Weatherington’s system which has been successful at her former schools.

NINERTIMES

4 JARED ALLEN

REASONS THE 49ERS CAN STILL WIN C-USA TITLE DESPITE ROCKY START

SPORTS EDITOR

It’s not often that one of the nation’s best teams returns nine starters for the following year. The Charlotte 49ers did just that, entering the 2015 campaign ranked in the top-25 with understandably lofty expectations. The early schedule was not favorable for Charlotte, falling to the reigning national champions on the road in their season opener followed by a loss on the road to 11th-ranked Coastal Carolina. It’s fair to say that the team didn’t start the season the why they would’ve liked but that’s no reason to count out the pre-season Conference-USA favorites. Without further ado, here’s the five reasons why the Charlotte 49ers can still win C-USA:

COACHING

Head coach Kevin Langan has been with the squad for quite a long time. He was an assisociate head coach during the 49ers run to the College Cup final in 2011. Since, he’s stepped in to spearhead the coaching staff, replacing former Charlotte head coach Jeremy Gunn. Entering the 2015 season, Langan had registered 41 wins with the 49ers and boasts the highest winning percentage by a head coach in his first three years in the Charlotte men’s soccer program history. He’s no stranger to success. Last season he led the 49ers to the regular season C-USA championship while posting 14 wins. Prior to last season, he led the 49ers to a C-USA tournament championship. In his total of six years with the team,

NINERTIMES.COM

Charlotte has appeared in the NCAA tournament five times. Langan has the experience needed and there’s no reason he cannot lead the team to another C-USA title come November.

EXPERIENCE

It’s not every year that the majority of a roster that made the NCAA tournament returns for a second season together. The 49ers only graduated two starters in the spring 2015. Two of those returning starters are 2014 MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist Kyle Parker and 2015 MAC Hermann Trophy prospect Brandt Bronico. Both Parker and Bronico are regarded as two of the top 30 players in the nation. Bronico and Parker can shift the momentum of a game in heartbeat, whether that’s scoring a free kick from 30-yards out or feeding a teammate the perfect pass. Parker and Bronico are leaders on both sides of the ball. In addition, the better part of this year’s team played with the members of the 2011 College Cup team in years past. The camaraderie in Charlotte is evident, leaving signs that the success from 2011 runs through the veins of the 2015 squad, whether they experienced it first hand or not.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE

The C-USA is extremely competitive this season as usual. Currently, four teams are nationally ranked while Kentucky rests on the bubble of the top-25. Come November, Charlotte will be forced

Austin Pack prepares to kick the ball downfield. Photo by Chris Crews

to beat at least two C-USA teams consecutively. One advantage the 49ers have over the competition is that the 2015 tournament will be played in their backyard. Charlotte will host the upcoming C-USA tournament in early November, meaning that the Queen City Army will be out in full force supporting the 49ers. Transamerica Field has been a fortress for the 49ers, losing only six games at home since 2011. The odds are in Charlotte’s favor entering this season’s C-USA tournament.

DEFENSE

The Charlotte 49ers have a way with their defending. They expect to keep a clean sheet in every outing which makes it very difficult to lose when the opposing team doesn’t score. Since 2011, the 49ers have given up less than a goal per game

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

on average. Austin Pack has been the mainstay in goal for the 49ers, taking over for previous 49ers’ goalkeeper Klay Davis in 2014. It’s fair to say that Pack has picked up where Davis left off as he’s kept that goals against average under one since stepping between the posts full time. On top of the defense not allowing many shots on goal, Pack has proved he’s fully capable for the job, saving 79 shots over the past two seasons. The 49ers will host the 2015 C-USA tournament beginning Nov. 11. Writing off the 49ers this early in the season isn’t the smartest idea as the team has proven five times over that they’re fully capable playing on the big stage in late November and early December.

Charlotte 49ers fade late under Friday night lights Charlotte lost for the third time in three weeks, falling 37-3 at home against undefeated Temple Owls

MATT CHAPMAN SPORTS EDITOR

The Charlotte 49ers welcomed an undefeated Temple Owls football team to Jerry Richardson Stadium on Friday evening and kept things close throughout a hard-hitting first half before the Owls flexed their muscle and cruised to a 34-point victory in the driving rain. The 49ers (2-3) struggled to throw the ball down the field for the third consecutive game, all losses, completing two of ten second half pass attempts for a mere 14 yards. “Give Temple (4-0) a lot of credit. I think that’s a really good football team … They’ve got some really good players and I thought their intensity level was good,” said Charlotte head coach Brad Lambert after the loss. “I challenged our guys to go out and get in a fight tonight and battle this team toe-to-toe. I thought we did that in the first half, no question about it.” The 49ers found themselves within a touchdown at the break and managed to exploit a stout Owls defense for a few big plays late in the second quarter. Kalif Phillips proved effective on the ground and in the screen game, rattling off three gains of 25-plus yards while eclipsing the century mark before halftime. Quarterback Lee McNeill was given the reigns for the second straight week and he seemed more comfortable as the Niners mixed in some play-action passes down the field early on. McNeill took better care of the football after throwing four interceptions against Florida Atlantic, airing it out for 117 yards in the first half despite the sloppy weather conditions. Unfortunately for the diehard fans that stuck it out through the pouring rain, the narrative changed in the second half. The 49ers opened with possession, facing a 10-3 deficit, with a chance to build on the momentum that they carried into the locker room. However, a divergence from the rushing attack

Running back Kalif Phillips carried the offense with 166 combined yards rushing and receiving. Photo by Chris Crews

and poor execution from the punt team allowed Temple to break things open in the third quarter. The Niner offense began the second half with back-to-back three-and-outs, followed by a pair of shanked punts by Arthur Hart that traveled 30 and 20 yards respectively. The Owls started each of their first two drives in Charlotte territory and translated the excellent field position into a couple of touchdowns and a 21-point advantage midway through the third quarter. Another special teams miscue on the ensuing 49ers’ possession led to the first blocked punt in program history which was scooped up by Temple and returned 16 yards for a touchdown that put the Owls ahead 30-3 and effectively iced the game. “Against good teams your margin for error is not very big,” said Lambert. “We didn’t make any first downs coming out of the locker room in the third quarter. We had two bad punts and the field position was not in our favor and really put us behind the eight ball … We’ve got to run the ball. Kalif once again had over 100 yards rushing. We’ve got to find a way to get him more carries and

continue to build on him.” The Niners showed flashes of a more efficient offense throughout the game, but the absence of the deep ball continued to take its toll as Charlotte has now gone three games without a passing touchdown. Stud wideout Austin Duke was limited to two catches for 16 yards and his home run ability has been absent since he exploded for 166 yards on nine grabs against Presbyterian. The 49ers haven’t displayed their signature quick-strike, high-octane offensive attack without quarterback Matt Johnson running the huddle. “We’ve got to get Austin completely

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

healthy. The teams we’re playing against aren’t going to let Austin get behind them,” said Lambert. “They watch the film and know what he can do. They’re not going to let him go deep so we’ve got to continue to look at how we can get him the ball. Of course the weather the last two games has a little bit to do with it, but we’re always searching for ways to get 10 the ball no question.” Charlotte managed to out-gain Temple by 32 yards in the losing effort thanks in large part to a running game that racked up 223 yards on the night. The defense impressed for the second time in as many weeks, led by safety Brandon Dozier who finished with 13 total tackles. In the end, the 49ers’ inability to convert on third down (4 of 17, 23.5 percent) stymied the offense while Temple took advantage, winning the field position and time of possession battles by a pretty substantial margin. The 49ers have reached their only bye week of the season and will need to take full advantage of the extra practice reps to figure out the passing attack before they hit the road on Saturday, Oct. 17 for a Conference-USA matchup against the Old Dominion Monarchs (2-2).

NINERTIMES

NINERTIMES.COM

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

NEOCREATIVITY Looking at creativity in a new and exciting way

BRANDON NIXON GUEST WRITER

A mother and daughter walk by graffitied walls in Joshua Tree National Park. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service

Upon hearing the word “creativity,” what thoughts come to mind? If you immediately associate elaborate artistic endeavors by established artists as the only kind of creativity in this world, I’ve got a story to tell. Imagine a young man hardly able to legally drink alcohol or step foot inside an uptown Charlotte nightclub. He travels the world whenever his school schedule and more importantly, his wallet allows him to go. He is a huge fan of anything young, hip and social that includes visual art, fashion and music. He spends hours reading articles, writing blog posts and researching the latest social trends while being entranced by the sonics of his favorite musical artists. No, he does not portray the traditionally celebrated creativity of a Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol or even a Jean-Michel Basquiat. It is instead something I have termed ‘neocreativity’ that emanates from the depths of his mind, body and soul.

A new culture of creativity is emerging amongst the kids. There is something about the concept of creativity at its essence that is inspiring the youth in masses. Up-and-coming Fayetteville bred photographer, Frank Jackson, defines creativity simply as “being able to take something basic or traditional and transcend it into something new or progressive.” He is yet another example of a young man who knows that he still has ways to go, but remains true to himself and his craft no matter what may be going on around him. The value of this sort of creativity is immeasurable. Companies are attempting to monetize it, while schools across the globe are trying to teach it. For example, IDEO, renowned design and innovation consultancy, uses the design thinking methodology to design products, services, environments and digital experiences. Stanford University also offers courses through their d.school: Institute of Design at Stanford, designed

to explore several factors that stimulate and inhibit creativity in individuals, teams and organizations. Today, to be considered a creative no longer requires a steady hand and paintbrush or a lifetime of classical training. An idea and desire to will this idea into existence is all that is needed. During his lecture at Oxford University, Kanye West was quoted admitting, “We’re all creatives here, we’re all born artists.” Unfortunately, a falsely constructed fear of failure often soils the creative spirit. Tom and David Kelley authors of the book “Creative Confidence” and key figures in the formation of IDEO write, “(B)elief in your creative capacity, lies at the heart of innovation.” If you believe, then you can create. With the help of thousands of followers, retweets and likes, a new era of artists is emerging out of this belief in creative capacity. This wave of young photographers, writers, models, musicians and designers

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

are utilizing social media as their primary platform for exposure and connecting cross-country (from New York City to Los Angeles) with individuals of a similar sort that share similar sentiments. Together, these individuals are collaborating to express themselves and working to actualize their dreams. They devote late nights and early mornings to developing their respective crafts, whether it is snapping photographs standing on the edge of a New York City rooftop at 4 a.m. or sitting in an Atlanta recording studio for 12 hours at time. We as human beings, are not always in the position we want to be. We are constantly growing. We are constantly making mistakes. We are constantly trying to express ourselves and actualize our dreams. I challenge you to embrace your neocreativity and take something you enjoy to another echelon. It’ll be lit; I swear.

NINERTIMES

Stop talking intraracial crime, start talking #BlackLivesMatter EDWARD AVERETTE STAFF WRITER

The usual scenario when someone says “Black Lives Matter,” is a deafening retort of “All Lives Matter,” or one of its many popular Law & Order spinoffs such as Blue Lives Matter. Naturally, one can guess this latter statement’s popularity is in part because of miscommunication and lack of understanding. One group simply misinterprets the other’s words and thinks the other is advocating on the basis of superiority, like feminists supposedly do. However, as presidential hopeful Martin O’Malley discovered at a political conference this July, that’s not the case. Everyone acknowledges that All Lives Matter because it’s socially embedded into America’s DNA. It’s a non-threatening value that keeps everyone unaware and secure in their rightful place in the world, much like the myth of a postracial or a classless society. The belief in equality and value of every life is something our nation is built on but hasn’t always been committed to, as is evident throughout most of American history, which is where All Lives Matter gets murky. A common argument used by Fox News commentators and mainstream Americans against the phrase Black Lives Matter and the broader social movement is “What about blackon black crime?” Even recently, prominent black figures such as Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, Fox News mainstay and Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke and American economist and social theorist Thomas Sowell have reiterated these fateful words in their own ways. In Sherman’s case, he offered a personal spin on this common sentiment. “Dealt with a best friend getting killed … it was two 35-year old black men,” said Sherman. “Wasn’t no police officer involved, wasn’t anybody else involved, and I didn’t hear anybody shouting ‘black lives matter’ then ... and I think that’s the point we need to get is that we need to deal with our internal issues before we move forward and start pointing fingers and start attacking other people.” In Sherman’s case, his experiences and feelings that no one cared about his best friend being killed are undoubtedly poignant, but in reality there probably were and are people advocating against the problem of crime in lower income black communities. What isn’t discussed is how these issues are likely a result of factors such lack of economic opportunity, segregation and other socioeconomic issues. However, Sherman’s last point is far more telling to how a fair amount of

NINERTIMES.COM

Protestors assemble outside the Mecklenburg County Courthouse after the mistrial of Randall Kerrick’s case in the shooting of Jonathan Ferrell. Photo via Tribune News Service

black Americans and Americans in general feel about the supposed pervasiveness of black-onblack crime, which is so often linked to calls for better accountability and acknowledgement of problems in the black community, rather than how societal institutions cause these problems. What’s missing from this discussion is that intraracial crime or crime within racial groups is a very common social phenomenon, yet you hardly hear any challenges against the black-onblack crime narrative in the mainstream media. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homicide Trends in the United States, from 19802008, 84 percent of white victims were killed by whites and 93 percent of black victims were killed by blacks. Concerned about the higher rate of blacks killing black victims? Don’t be. This can be explained with the index of dissimilarity or the relative separation or integration of racial and ethnic groups across cities or towns. According to The Persistence of Segregation in the Metropolis: New Findings from the 2010 Census, blacks on average tend to live in areas with higher dissimilarity indices (on a scale of 0 to 100), which means the neighborhoods they live in either contain a high percentage of minorities or are majority black, and segregated from whites. The same scenario applies for whites, although on average they live in less diverse, white-majority neighborhoods. If you consider the level of blackwhite segregation and isolation in the 50 metro OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

areas with the largest Black populations in 2010 you will witness how many blacks in these large urban areas live in locations where they are the absolute majority or near majority. All of these factors lend to blacks socializing with other blacks and other minorities, much like how whites socialize with other whites. While there are some pitfalls with the Bureau of Justice Statistics data, such as the lack of data for every murder and the exclusion of multiple victims and offenders, this information falls in line with what we know about social groups and relationships. When you consider all the characteristics that make us human; class, age, religion, lifestyle and race, people tend to coalesce around people they know and share similarities with, which permeates into crime as well. Which is important, because as a nation we need to understand where Black Lives Matter is coming from, instead of writing them off as “race-baiters” and “troublemakers.” Part of that responsibility deals with letting go of unfounded myths such as black-on-black crime, black hypermasculinity and the alleged inherent violent nature of the black community. Ultimately, instead of silencing Black Lives Matter activists and their allies and ignoring reality by shouting “All Lives Matter,” we should all strive to do our research and acknowledge the ways our criminal justice system and our government dishes out disproportionate punishments because of the color of one’s skin.

“Dominion.” Photo courtesy of Jennifer and Kevin McCoy

Mulitmedia artists Jennifer and Kevin McCoy exhibit work in Rowe Gallery LEANNA POUGH A&E EDITOR

The UNC Charlotte Department of Art & Art History and Rowe Arts Gallery presents “Priest of the Temple,” an exhibition by multi-media artists Jennifer and Kevin McCoy. The installation art explores corporate culture in the West and its role in shaping society. By incorporating landscapes, a traditional art subject, with the contemporary forms of collage and processed videos, the McCoys reimagine the world fifty to one hundred years from now. “We are known for our kind of live camera and miniature diorama set up. This sort of interesting practice between video and sculpture,” Jennifer explains. Kevin agrees adding, “We think landscapes are about the physical place, but also the electronic.” The reworks come from two previous compositions based on a year the couple spent in the Emirates and a residency in San Francisco, Calif. “We were in Abu Dhabi thinking, ‘Oh, this (money, resources and towns) is very new’ … You think they’re going to make a city be like a city in the United States and then you get back to the U.S. and realize our country is becoming more like theirs in terms of ideas on how people are managed and what they consume,” Jennifer said.

“Priest of the Temple” depicts the changing landscapes of San Francisco’s Bay Area, Silicon Valley and liberal corporate leaders of Western culture through the use of accessible materials. “We find things from different places and put them together … have the materials sort of still be what they are, but then put them into service as other things,” Jennifer explains. Renowned companies like Adobe, Intel and Google made their mark through the use of innovation, an intriguing concept for the McCoys. “We’re interested in that (spirit of newness). As artists, our job is to see how that plays out in

“WE DON’T REALLY SEE OUR WORK AS AN ESCAPE FROM, BUT MORE OF AN INVESTIGATION OF THE WORLD AROUND US.” JENNIFER MCCOY OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

culture. When you think of something like Facebook, you think of the interface on your screen and all the friends you have connected. You don’t so much think about the physical corporate headquarters,” Jennifer says. These companies are often associated with the abstract process of algorithms; the McCoys link the brands to locations, not just software. This approach addresses the issues surrounding companies building office space in San Francisco suburban areas. “The analogous thing would be looking at Charlotte’s banking industry and how those places fit into the landscape,” Kevin explains. It’s the responsibility of an artist to reflect the times. Renaissance is to religion as early American history is to George Washington and politics. “I think we’ve all seen that government plays its role, but it’s really corporations and corporate brands that seem to be defining how we spend our time,” Jennifer said. Corporations highlighted in “Priest of the Temple” are known advocators of a free market society in an effort to expand its reach and diminish the role of government. The McCoys elaborate on this notion in “The New Headquarters,” a sculpture featured in the exhibit. The piece envisions the skyline of

NINERTIMES

MCCOY, cont.

“Priest of the Temple.” Photo courtesy of Jennifer and Kevin McCoy

53 Suffix for long or strong

“Shore Leave” is a fantasy landscape of the San Francisco Bay area, the Forbidden Island board game and the Ebay headquarters. Photo courtesy of Jennifer and Kevin McCoy

a free market, offshore property development on Belle Isle, an island located in the Detroit River between the United States and Canada. “The actual landscape which looks like a quilted patchwork is made of a bathmat and the water around the island is made from air conditioner insulation,” Jennifer says. Failed examples like Facebook Co-Founder Mark Zuckerberg donating to the Newark’s public school system, prove successful businessmen aren’t always the best educators. Jennifer and Kevin McCoy have long offered artistic statements exploring corporate culture. Their work from the late ‘90s and early 2000s using web based banner adds of corporate jargon and aesthetics provided insight to global capitalism. “We don’t really see our work as an escape from, but more of an investigation of the world around us,” Jennifer says. Their combined use of filmmaking,

NINERTIMES.COM

memory and language has earned the McCoys exhibitions in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, P.S.1, The Museum of Modern Art and the New Museum. The duo’s work has been reviewed in major news and art publications, including the New York Times, Newsweek, the Washington Post, Artforum, and New York and Wired magazines. Jennifer and Kevin McCoy have exhibited in Charlotte only once before, at The Light Factory in 1997. Kevin McCoy also taught at UNC Charlotte as a digital arts professor. The McCoys both received MFA degrees in electronic arts from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Jennifer McCoy is a professor at Brooklyn College; Kevin McCoy is a professor at New York University. For artist information, visit www. McCoySpace.com “Priest of the Temple” will be on display in Rowe Arts Gallery through Oct. 30.

ACROSS 1 “Good Morning America” network 4 “Dancing with the __” 9 Curry or Cusack 12 Famous chairman 13 “War and __”; Henry Fonda movie 14 Prefix meaning “modern” 15 Suffix for host or count 16 “I Left My Heart __ Francisco” 17 Banned pesticide, for short 18 Cowell or Helberg 20 Ms. Winfrey 22 Former host of “The Tonight Show” 26 Actress Verdugo 27 Word with fly or about

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

28 Dick __ Dyke 29 “__ and a Half Men” 32 “__ Watch”; film for Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña 35 “America’s Got Talent” judge 39 Actor Sean and his family 40 Woodwind instruments 42 Serling or Stewart 43 Forbidden thing 47 Horror film for Cary Elwes and Danny Glover 48 “__ to Billie Joe” 49 Perfect 50 Paul’s cousin on “Mad About You” 51 ...__, HST, DDE, JFK, LBJ... 52 Actor Nick

DOWN 1 __ Brothers; 1950s quartet 2 “__ Instinct”; Michael Douglas/Sharon Stone movie 3 Topper or Kramer 4 “This Is __ Tap”; Rob Reiner film 5 “The __ Commandments” 6 Community college degrees, for short 7 TV maker, once 8 Mexican mister 9 NBC news commentator Mitchell 10 “__ Stacey” 11 Actor Chris __ 19 “__ Life to Live” 21 Sty resident 23 “Tomorrow __ Dies”; James Bond movie 24 Goes __ on; lasts 25 Orchestras 29 “__ Couple” 30 “The __ Years” 31 “On Our __”; short-lived sitcom for Ralph Louis Harris 33 Actor Peter __ 34 Shortest month: abbr. 36 Portrayer of Gomez Addams 37 “The __ O’Donnell Show” 38 Approaches 39 College teacher’s title, for short 41 Kill flies 44 “Much __ About Nothing” 45 “The Fresh Prince of __-Air” 46 Cereal grain

Workout your week Try these three awesome workouts if you feel the freshman 15 coming on SYDNEY STEPHENS ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Sometimes it is hard to get motivated to work out if you are bored with what you are doing in the gym. The same thing day after day becomes monotonous, and lack of change does not promote muscle growth. Implement these workouts into your gym routine this week if you don’t mind being a little sore afterwards. Each exercise plan is fast-paced, so if you like to make your workouts short and to the point instead of spending hours at the gym, these will suit you. MILITARY MONDAY This full-body workout is derived from the Marine Corps “short card.” Although it is “short” compared to other workouts used in the Marine Corps, it is anything but easy. This circuit will work each muscle in your body, and even force you to work on flexibility. You will only use your body weight, so it can be done anywhere. Once you finish one exercise, go straight to the next without rest. If you need to, modify the push-ups and burpees to fit your fitness level. Start with 30 push-ups and immediately move into 30 air squats. Next, do 30 crunches, followed by 10 burpees and 10 windmills. To perform a windmill, stand with your feet spread apart and arms extended out to your sides. Then, bring your right arm down to touch your left foot without bending your knees and repeat with both arms. This is a flexibility exercise. After the windmills, crank out 30 more push-ups and 30 mountain climbers. Next, complete 30 flutter kicks for some more abdominal work, followed by 10 burpees and 30 more push-ups. The next thing on the list is a set of 30 jumping jacks. This will give your chest a much needed break. Then, work your back with 30 back extensions. Perform these by lying on your stomach and lifting your chest and knees off of the ground at the same time. Next, you guessed it, 30 push-ups. Finally, finish the workout with 30 lunges, 10 trunk twists and 10 more burpees. If you didn’t get extremely fatigued, repeat the circuit again.

Photo courtesy of Sydney Stephens

TREADMILL TUESDAY Enjoy a fast-paced workout on the treadmill. This high intensity interval training workout will take you only 16 minutes, not counting the warm-up, but will be very beneficial to your cardiovascular fitness. First, warm-up by jogging for five to 10 minutes. Then move into interval training. Sprint for 30 seconds and then jog for one minute and 30 seconds. Repeat this eight times. High intensity interval training is a great way to burn fat and boost your metabolism. FAST FRIDAY This workout is perfect if you want to spend a short amount of time in the gym, but still want to feel the burn. Use this plank circuit to tone your stomach and arms. If you are a beginner, aim to complete this circuit once. If you are more advanced, try to do it three times. First on the list is a round of plank mountain climbers. To do this, hold a plank while moving your feet as if you were running for one minute. OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

Next, work your oblique muscles with side plank donkey kicks. Begin in a side plank. Bend your right knee and pulse your heel up toward the ceiling for 30 seconds, and then switch legs. Rest for 30 seconds and then get back into a regular plank position for the next exercise, plank jumping jacks. While in the plank, jump your feet apart and then back together for one minute. In the next exercise, your shoulders and biceps will feel the burn with plank-up-and-downs. Start in a push-up position and then lower yourself onto your elbows, one at a time, then back up. Do this for one minute. The last exercise is a star plank. Start on one side in a side plank and extend your top leg as high as you can. Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side. Your abs and arms will be on fire after all of these planks. Be sure to stretch before and after these workouts. Remember, the first time trying a new exercise is always the hardest. The next time will be easier because you will be stronger.

NINERTIMES

LOOKING FOR: NETFLIX AND CHILL BUDDY CANDICE KELLY INTERN

What are your relationship goals? Come on, everybody has some. Maybe you’re looking for that perfect person to sweep you off your feet and fall in love with. Maybe you’re tired of the same old thing and want someone different to shake things up. Or perhaps you don’t want a relationship at all—you just want to meet new people. Whatever the case, everyone is looking for something. What better time to begin your search than when everyone else is doing the same? It’s cuffing season folks. Time to trade in those sweaters for sweeties as students are in search for a fall romance. Cuffing season is a period during the fall/winter months where many people prefer romantic companionship. The expectation is not a committed relationship, but rather a cuddle buddy to provide warmth and help pass the time. There are many reasons why people prefer to link up near the end of the year. The most obvious being: it’s cold. It’s a basic human instinct to want warmth, and sometimes a sweatshirt and heated blanket just won’t cut it. There’s nothing like the warm fuzzy feeling that accompanies human touch. Need some tips on how to accomplish your relationship goals this cuffing season? The most important thing is to be up front about what you want. It’s important to know what each of you expect to get out of the relationship. When meeting people, let them know what you are looking for, whether that is a relationship or just a new friend. This will help eliminate miscommunication in the long run. Establish your boundaries, what you are and are

NINERTIMES.COM

Photo by Candice Kelly

not comfortable with. Move at your own pace. Don’t feel like you have to rush. There are thousands of people on campus and if someone’s goals don’t align with yours, move on. There’s no need to waste your time when there are plenty of people looking for the same things you are. Find people that you have things in common with. Clubs are a great place to meet new people with similar interests, and it gives you an easy conversation starter. After some club meetings, you will start to distinguish individual personalities. Invite some members to a group hangout. Many people feel less intimidated in groups, and it helps ease the fear of trying to be perfect for a date. You may discover that it’s easier to find activities to do together since you have similar preferences. It’s a lot more fun doing things you like to do, with people who enjoy it too. When planning hangouts, try to

do something that is inexpensive, enjoyable and allows ample time for conversation. The movies might not be an ideal group activity because there is limited room for conversing, and you end up spending a pretty penny on a ticket and snacks. A bowling night might be better since it can include everyone and is a bit cheaper. When in doubt, a home movie night with snacks is the king of weekend hangouts. No matter who you meet, remember to have fun. This should be an exciting, drama free experience. There should never be a time where you feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Find people you have a genuine connection with, go out and enjoy yourself. If there is one person that you connect with more than others, give it a shot—you never know what could happen. Approach cuffing season with an open mind, and you are sure to meet someone great.

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

APP REVIEW: OFFLINE SYDNEY SWAFFORD INTERN

You know you’ve done it too. When you’re bored out of your mind, don’t even have homework to take up some time and still find yourself on Google searching, “Things to do near me.” Google often confuses ‘me’ with the abbreviation for Maine and after suggesting hundreds of places almost 1,000 miles away, the frustration takes over and I end up on Netflix. I couldn’t believe that in the biggest city in North Carolina it was so hard to find anywhere new to go. But look no further than a newto-Charlotte app called Offline. The app is easy to use and with the moto “Avoid Average Weekends,” Offline won’t disappoint. Offline is a free app that offers cheap date night ideas, local familyfriendly events and even outdoor adrenaline rushes for nature

junkies. Offline has hundreds of things to do in categories revolved around your personal interests. With categories like Fall Finds, The Weekend, Dog Lovers, Date Ideas and Adrenaline, Offline will hit all the sweet spots again and again. Featuring crazy opportunities like helicopter rides, hot air balloon festivals, apple picking and eating dinner on the 21st floor overlooking Charlotte’s skyline, you’ll never get bored again. If breaking the bank is not your idea

of fun, there are plenty of free events available each and every week. Whether you’re the plan ahead type or spontaneous, you can easily find events happening in an hour or in a month. If you see an event but don’t know if it’s for you, head over to the tab labeled “Pulse” where people from around Charlotte post pictures and reviews from the places they’ve been. If you don’t have time to hit up the new coffee shop you’ve just found, easily bookmark it for a later reminder. Unfortunately,

OCT. 6 - OCT. 19, 2015

Offline is currently not available on Android devices, but don’t fret, Offline also offers an easy to use website that can be found at https:// www.get-offline.com. As a busy college student, I never have time to read the posters plastered around campus so I love Offline because it does all this for me. Making websites, times, dates and locations available all in one spot is essential and Google just doesn’t offer that. One of my upcoming bookmarked events for fall is “Bootanical.” This free all-day event takes place at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden on Oct. 24. Featuring live music, horsedrawn carriages, campfires and obviously s’mores, this upcoming event reaches a wide audience just in time for the holidays. I highly recommend this app for everyone.

NINERTIMES