North Texas Daily - 3/02/17 by North Texas Daily

VOL. 109 No.7

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017

NTDAILY.COM

UNT members involved with the resident hall and tour center vision breaks sand with shovels. The Groundbreaking Ceremony marks the official construction of Resident Hall “2018” and the Tour Center at UNT. Travis McCallum

Alpha Chi launches transfer student outreach project By Sonia Gomez

Breaking ground, expanding housing options By Travis McCallum A groundbreaking ceremony outside Kerr Hall Monday signaled the start of phase 1 of construction on a new residence hall and tour center at UNT. The almost $5 million project will supply 500 beds in a unique pod style of contemporary design to promote community amongst residents. “We have 14 resident halls,” UNT President Neal Smatresk said. “This

New residence hall, tour center promotes UNT’s future growth will be lucky 15.” The five-f loor residence hall under the alias “2018” boasts doubleoccupancy units that share a 4-1 ratio of bathrooms, according to Director

of Housing Gina Vanacore. Within each unit is also a shared living space for studying and socializing. UNT Housing is an auxiliary unit of the university, which means it does

not receive direct funding from the state, similar to other units on campus like dining and transportation. The Board of Regents authorized a bond loan for UNT Housing to borrow money from the state and is expected to pay it off over the next 30 years.

The student organization Alpha Chi National College Honor Society at UNT has launched a program to help transfer students graduate. Under the supervision of Dr. Jeanne Tunks, faculty sponsor of the Eta chapter, a group of Alpha Chi members at UNT have been working for the past year to find a way to reach out to transfer students. Their mission is to help transfer students feel connected to UNT and work toward completion by serving as academic partners, friends and mentors. Sarah Blaido, an undergraduate Alpha Chi member and a UNT Transfer Ambassador, said the transfer student outreach project fills an important need for transfer students. “I see all of the incoming transfer students because I work at the orientations, I answer the phone calls, and I answer the emails so I know the struggles that transfer students go through as they are first coming to UNT,” Blaido said. “The Transfer Center is less personal, but with this program it is one-on-one.” By implementing the transfer student outreach project, Alpha Chi members hope to decrease transfer student drop-out rates. Of the incoming new transfer students in fall 2015 who were enrolled full-time, 75.09 percent re-enrolled in fall 2016. The transfer student outreach project is a peer mentor program for both traditional and non-traditional transfer students. Transfer students are matched with mentors that will assist in connecting mentees with on campus resources in addition to supporting transfer students by being a source of guidance. Mentors are

SEE GREEK ON PAGE 3

SEE CONSTRUCTION ON PAGE 3

UNT dropouts ready to take over the textbook industry City council’s closed meetings By Austin Jackson continue to cause disagreement By James Norman With city council elections looming and three new council members coming in midyear, the issue of closed meetings has come up again. Mayor Chris Watts said in the Feb. 7 work session that he believed this was an issue that should be revisited. “I think it would be good to hear what those discussions are,” Watts said. “I’d like to give the people who are going to be here an opportunity to weigh in on that.” There have been questions as to who is allowed to be in the closed meetings, as well as view the records kept for them. Council member Kathleen Wazny also brought up the concern of what kind of voting and deliberation can occur behind closed doors. She accused the body of illegally taking “straw-votes” in sessions closed to the public.

With rock music blaring and tailpipe howling, he stands on the bed of the pick-up truck, riding it like a surf board. The driver, Sam Ulrich, 18, taps the brakes as the street surfer, Alec Campasso, 19, whips a fistful of maroon wristbands at an unsuspecting student. The student, startled by the little pieces of rubber glancing off his chest, picks up a band. The band reads “TextbookTakeover.com” on one side and “Stop getting f--ked by the bookstore” before stuffing it in his pocket. What some might call an odd driveby, Campasso and Ulrich, the founders of TextbookTakeover.com, call marketing. The pair views themselves as mavericks, visionaries and most importantly, college students who want

to help save other students money. “Textbook Takeover is run by college students for college students,” Campasso said. “We’re the generation of f--k you, we’re really in your face and we give the kids what they want.” The pair dropped out of UNT this semester to focus solely on creating their website, TextbookTakeover.com, which aims to create a sharing economy for the textbook industry. As students at UNT, Ulrich and Campasso saw a problem with the cost of textbooks and decided to fix it. According to CollegeBoard.org, books and supplies for the average college student at a four-year university cost over $1,200. “I think differently, I like to fix

SEE TEXTBOOKS ON PAGE 5

Headbands, breakfast and Migos: North Texas sports superstitions part II By Matt Brune

Transparency concerns State law claims city council has the final say in who is allowed in on closed sessions. But Wazny suspects the council heeds its city employees too often. She said in prior closed meetings, that discretion has been out of the hands of the council. “The governing body shall decide [who can be in the meeting],” Wazny said. “It does not say ‘city manager decides,’ or ‘city attorney decides.’” The city is also required to keep either agenda minutes or a tape recording of closed meetings. Some citizens are weary of that method, however, saying without a recording there is no proof of potential wrong-doing by council members, as an

SEE COUNCIL ON PAGE 2

Sam Ulrich and Alec Capasso look over their textbook website Saturday morning. Sophomore Capasso and freshmen Ulrich dropped out of UNT to focus on creating Textbook Takeover which aims to emphasize a reliable and affordable way for students to purchase textbooks. Kelsey Shoemaker

Freshman sophomore A.J. Lawson holds out his headband in the Super Pit. Colin Mitchell

During the fourth game of the season for the North Texas men’s basketball team, freshman guard A.J. Lawson was not himself. Going against Rutgers, he scored two points on a woeful 1-of-3 shooting while grabbing just one rebound in 10 minutes. Coming into the game, he averaged 10 points per contest. There was only one logical explanation for this peculiar performance. “I didn’t have [my headband],” Lawson said. “It was a freshman mistake. I have to have a headband. When I have it on, it clears my mind.”

Aside from the one game he forgot it, Lawson has worn a headband in 27 games this season and averages a teamhigh 11.5 points per game while shooting 44 percent. Coincidence? He doesn’t think so. Similar superstitions saturate the minds of athletes in nearly every sport. In the spring semester, athletes take things a step further as their seasons come closer to the end of the school year. The women’s basketball team is currently 8-8 in conference play and is having their best season at home since 2012. The Mean Green has several individual ways to prepare for

games, but at home especially, there is a routine that sets the tone. “We turn up the music and play our favorites [in the locker room],” senior guard Candice Adams said with a small laugh. “A lot of Migos. A little bit of Future.” A key cog for North Texas, Adams has a fairly consistent pre-game routine that includes finding the rhythm for her shot and getting some rest before taking the court by taking a nap around two hours before tip-off. On the more abnormal side of

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IN THIS ISSUE NEWS

Emily White pg 2 North Central Texas College professor and 19-year Denton resident Emily White is running for the soon-to-be vacant District 1 seat against two opponents.

ARTS & LIFE

Free Beer Friday pg 6 The Discover Denton Welcome Center hosts a number of free events in Denton, including Free Beer Fridays where a different brewery is featured every week.

SPORTS

Shane Temara pg 8 Basketball player Shane Temara brings personality and energy to the basketball team during a tough season.

OPINION

Being a Trump supporter pg 10 Columnist Heather Reed writes about her experience being a Trump supporter and conservative at UNT.

NEWS Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD Reuters monitor: Syrian government forces enter Palmyra

Russian-backed Syrian government forces fought their way into Palmyra on Wednesday along with their allies, driving back Daesh from the historic city, Reuters reported. A Hezbollah-run media outlet reported the liberating forces seized the Palmyra citadel on the city’s western outskirts. They also captured a modern palatial complex to the southwest. The ancient Palmyra ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, twice damaged by conflict.

Philippines moves one step closer to reinstating death penalty

The Philippine congress approved on Wednesday a measure that would allow the country to reinstate its death penalty, after about a decade since it was abolished, the New York Times reported. The measure reflects President Duterte’s campaign against drugs in the country, as the penalty will primarily allow drug-related offenses to be punishable by death. Since Duterte came into office in June, he has rounded up thousands of suspected drug addicts or pushers.

Ex-CIA agent evades extradition to Italy, released in Portugal Ex-CIA agent Sabrina de Sousa was freed in Portugal Wednesday after Italy’s extradition request for her was cancelled, the Associated Press reported. An Italian court convicted her of taking part in the kidnapping of a Muslim cleric. The court ruled that de Sousa must be released immediately since Italy had cancelled its detention and extradition request for her.

Fossils of earliest life on Earth found by scientists Scientists writing for scientific journal, Nature discovered what they say are fossils from the earliest living organisms on Earth; BBC reports. The Canadian rocks, thought to be around 4 billion years old, are only slightly younger than the planet’s formation.

28,000 Iraqis flee amid West Mosul fighting

Over 28,000 people have fled since the start of the campaign to retake west Mosul, as Iraqi forces closed in on a road linking the city with a Jihadist-held town to the west on Wednesday, Agence France-Presse reported. Daesh still controls west Mosul, the largest population center under Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s “caliphate.” Iraqi forces have yet to advance deep into West Mosul, but preparations for the liberation of Mosul is in the plans.

Business Adam Reese | Director 940-565-4265 adam.reese@unt.edu Adela Francis | Advertising Director 940-565-3989 adela.francis@unt.edu

Faculty Advisor Gary Ghioto | 940-891-6722 gary.ghioto@unt.edu

To pitch a story, or contact the Editor-in-Chief, please email northtexasdaily@gmail.com

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College professor Emily White eyes open city council seat By Julia Falcon After 19 years of living in Denton, North Central Texas College English and writing professor Emily White will run to lead the city she has such close ties to. Since she first got here, the town has transformed from a sleepy small town to one of the fastest-growing communities in the state. She said this growth is a good problem to have. “We have issues maintaining the small town feel of Denton with the courthouse and size of the community, as well as monitoring the development,” White said. “The only problem with growth right now is construction. We can’t have any local businesses in distress or closing because of construction. That’s our only problem.” With the polls opening May 6 and applications now closed, White will run against Gerard Hudspeth and Fran Hawes for the District 1 seat. The seat opened after Kevin Roden reached his term limit and is disallowed from running again. As a professor, White said she

loves to learn and considers herself a lifelong learner. The Fort Worth native first moved to Denton when she attended Texas Woman’s University to earn her bachelor’s degree in theater arts in 1998. After finishing her bachelor’s, White received a full scholarship at Virginia Tech University and completed her master of fine arts in 2002, then returned to Denton and began the doctoral program in rhetoric and English at TWU in 2004. “After I graduated [from Virginia Tech], I wanted to come back to Denton,” White said. “I missed the community and small town feel. It had come full circle.” The development has left a bad taste in her mouth, though. With growth comes more problems, like Denton’s homeless population. She said she wants to address the homelessness and hunger issues that parts of Denton face. “There have been several ideas coming my way, currently with the idea of tiny houses,” White said. “I know there are churches here doing

enormous work, feeding people and continuing collaboration with other organizations, combining forces and taking it a step further. I am so pleased Denton is my adopted community.” Some things White said she is looking forward to include navigating start-up businesses, the tech businesses and the growing Denton Community Market. While she was a student in Dent0n, White worked at Cool Beans, Good Eats (now the Horny Toad), Tia’s, Ellington’s (now the Loophole) and Greenhouse where she was a server and bartender. Now, her former manager at Greenhouse, Ken Currin, is her treasurer. White has volunteered at the Koan private school as a leader of their book club and a literature teacher and is currently a board member. She has also been the music coordinator at the Denton Community Market for four years and currently volunteers with GOAL, Guys/Girls Operating As Leaders. White said that being on the city council is another opportunity for

her to continue giving back to the community. “This is the deal. I love Denton. There is music, culture, education. Everywhere you turn, there is someone with a contribution. Every minute counts in Denton,” White said. “This is why I try to stay busy, there is someone to spend time with, a good relationship to cultivate. I think city council will give me the opportunity to help with the community. I look to try to organize these relationships, looking forward to make more connections in that way.” If she is elected on to city council, White said that she will continue to keep her full days full. “I would keep my professor job, I have a whole lot of energy,” White said. “I think it would be a good practice for me.” White will be hosting a campaign fundraiser Saturday, March 4 from 1-4 p.m. at Dan’s Silverleaf.

@falconjulia22

With little time left, SGA focuses on outreach to continue involvement By Omar Mir With elections for the new student government around the corner, current senators are attempting to go about cementing their legacy with the little time they have left. “We have tried to open up SGA more to the student body, so part of our campaign last spring was the sense of togetherness,” SGA President Grant Hale said, noting SGA members have monopolized the conversation. Hale believes students should be brought in that want to get involved, but don’t necessarily want to in order to join SGA. “Their voice and their opinion is very valid,” he said, plugging town hall meetings scheduled through the rest of the semester. “It’s this idea of special interest groups, that are almost like, but not meant to be, town halls.” The meetings focus on a number of issues pertinent to the student body now: academics, environmentalism and sustainability, as well as equity and diversity.

“We would have those meetings and try and get students together to see what we know about issues on campus and we want to improve them,” he said. “But rather to figure out what concrete ways we as a student government can better represent [the student body] and help make changes in the university in those areas.” Hale said original marketing efforts had mixed success. It was hard, he said, to focus so much energy on something that wasn’t showing the success they wanted. Now, SGA is focusing most of its “energy and ideas and marketing” on these think-tank town hall meetings. “[The meetings] are one of the biggest things we did to get people involved and integrated,” Hale said. “It’s simply because the prospect of the student government holding regular town halls was not something that had been done in the past.” The other thing the president was extremely proud of was the fact that all the positions for the election board were now full, knowing the elections were coming up after spring break.

But positions remain vacant in SGA still, and with no way to fill them other than through elections, Hale said it’s up to the students to get in those open seats. “They have to go on their own initiative to fill those open seats,” he said. The reason why some of the seats around the senate have not been filled, he said, is because students face the conundrum of a time crunch coupled with a lack of drive to go about getting the 25 signatures necessary to apply. Students have to get those signatures from their constituencies, something TAMS senator Sven Lohse took a few weeks to get about a month ago. Vice president and speaker of the senate Barret Cole encouraged students to apply for next semester’s senate run. “SGA’s top priority is to reach out to students,” he said. “We are always looking for ways to best represent their interests and to do that, we need to know their concerns. The election process allows for two-way engagement between SGA members and constituents, which is always the

top priority of the organization.” Between now and May, SGA is looking to promote smaller student organizations and to reach out to students who are interested in being involved with SGA. A few upcoming events include three town hall meetings on March 2, April 11 and April 26. SGA will also hold a Transfer Appreciation Week event, an election town hall (March 21st), a President and Vice President Debate (March 23rd) and a “Cast your vote Cookout” with GSC (March 29th). The Student Government Association’s office is located in Union 344 and they are a multi-purpose organization that not only helps get students funding for conferences or lectures, but also hosts events around the university and promote student organization programs. Applications for SGA involvement, both senators, and president/vice president are open until March 3 at 5 p.m.

@omarmir27

Closed city council meetings lead to questioned intentions COUNCIL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 agenda doesn’t provide a transcript. Wazny brought up the fact that closed sessions are not recorded, and added the city may be better off if it started recording them. Other concerns are that the city has been in the habit of having too many closed meetings, namely regarding Anita Burgess, the city attorney who announced in November that she would retire in February 2017. Burgess could not be reached for comment. The Texas Open Meetings Act TOMA lays out the requirements for a city’s governing body in regards to a meeting. The board must post their plans to meet (open or closed) 72 hours prior to meeting in a place that is

easily accessible to the public. Any person is free to come to an open meeting. In order for a closed meeting to be called, the board must hold an open session, where the presiding officer (typically the mayor) announces there will be a closed session, as well as justify the meeting with which sections of the law the meeting will be called under. These sessions can include a consultation with an attorney regarding issues the board could be legally exposed on, deliberation of property and economic development negotiations. While permitted, closed meetings are limited. Disagreements about closed sessions The issue council members and officials have brought up, though, is the concern that making things

Mayor Chris Watts speaks at a Denton City Council meeting. Tomas Gonzalez too public could be detrimental to the city, specifically in the form of economic development. If Denton is competing against other cities for business, the information regarding Denton City Council’s bid, their opinions of the business or trade secrets being made public could cause risk. “If we had those discussions in an open session, the companies considering coming to town will just not do it if they know there’s going to be a possible debate,” council member Dalton Gregory said in the work session. Council members Gregory, Kevin Roden, and Joey Hawkins all expressed sentiments defending

the current process. “I’m struggling to understand the problem that exists,” Roden said in the work session. “Can we point to certain closed sessions items that across the board we’ve been violating the law?” Watts said he attributes most of the closed sessions to Denton having a publicly-owned electric company, Denton Municipal Electric. General Manager Phil Williams said DME is one of the six biggest municipal utilities in the state, with 51,000 customers.

@jamestnorman_wl

TRENDING @ntdaily @thedose_ntdaily @ntd_sports

#DonaldTrump

President Donald Trump addressed congress for the first time on Tuesday.

#Antarctica

The United Nations Weather Agency reported the northern Antarctic hit a record high of 63.5 degrees Wednesday.

#GotGVol2

A new trailer for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was released this week.

#AdrianPeterson

The Minnesota Vikings Running Back officially hit free agent status when the team did not pick up the option on his $18 million contract.

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 3

The audience waits patiently for the ceremony to begin. The groundbreaking ceremony marks the official construction of Resident Hall “2018” and the Tour Center at UNT. Travis McCallum

UNT’s groundbreaking ceremony celebrates construction of new residence hall CONSTRUCTION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A portion of that payment will come out of student tuition applied to the building of “2018.” “[We want to] compress rates so there isn’t much variance,” Vanacore said. “It won’t be prohibitive. The goal is to make it accessible.” The timeline for construction

puts the safety of students as the number one priority and no traffic will be impeded during the process. The entire project is contractually obligated to be complete by August 2018 in anticipation for the incoming wave of freshmen, the targeted group “2018” hopes to house. But, for housing ambassador Travis Green, the tour center is a welcome change from his

current job. “One of the most common phrases we have is, ‘Geez, you guys are harder to find than a parking spot,’” housing ambassador Travis Green said. The new tour center is being built between Kerr and “2018.” This welcome center, as Vice President for Enrollment Shannon Goodman puts it, will be the “living room of the

university.” With 50,000 people touring the university annually, there is a strong need for an easily accessible centralized area for new people to meet. “Having a place that is a showcase is what we are all excited about,” Goodman said. The tour center will be home to the current housing and dining team currently living in Crumley Hall. The move will

open up additional space for students to live in Crumley. The ambassador program began in 1998 and the opening of the new tour center will mark its 20th anniversary in 2018. Journalism freshman Julian Esparza attended the ceremony after hearing about it on Twitter. Living in Kerr Hall was overall a good thing, he said, but it saddened him to see parking

being taken away to make room for the new residence hall and tour center. “I like that convenience is a factor,” Esparza said. “Everything is close by.”

@Travis_McCallum

UNT Alpha Chi chapter creates oureach project to connect with transfer students GREEK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The upcoming Track and Field complex is scheduled to be completed by 2018. Jackie Torres

New $12 million athletics project is set to start construction in April By Jackie Guererro A new UNT track and field complex, costing almost $12 million, will break ground and start construction in April on Bonnie Brae and Willowwood streets and will be fully completed by spring 2018. “This project has been in the works for several years,” said Jared Mosley, associate vice president and chief operating officer. “There was always a thought at some point we were going to need a new facility because of the age conditions that the track is in.” UNT will soon say goodbye to its 65-year-old football stadium Fouts Field. Mosley said it is “outdated” and that the equipment for the new facility will be “enhanced.” Athletes and coaches are limited to what they can do over at Fouts. The track’s surface is starting to erode. Cracks are beginning to show up on the track and it has become a safety issue, Mosley said. Instead of renovating Fouts Field, which would be “extremely expensive,” it is “economical” to build a new facility. As of now, UNT is unable to hold its own track and field meets. Fouts is “strictly a practice facility,” Mosley said. With the new facility, this will change, bringing in revenue by selling tickets and getting the attention of student recruits by exposing them to North Texas sports. The new complex will be built on “very valuable” real estate located on Bonnie Brae and Willowwood streets, south of the tennis complex, Mosley said. “I am really excited for [the new

facility] and to be able to run on a new track next year,” freshman track and field athlete Jaida Johnson said. “I think it is always good for change.” By November 2017, the track, bleachers and press box will be completed. The operations building where the offices, locker rooms and restrooms are located will be completed by March 2018, Mosley said. The facility will be home to a new soccer field, which will be located in the middle the track, said Helen Bailey, director of facilities planning and design construction. This will add more capacity seating to the complex for fans. Vice president of finance and admission Bob Brown said The $12 million project will be debt-funded, and the debt repayment will be made over time using local UNT funds. The complex will seat approximately 1,500 people, whereas Fouts Field only seats 500. Other improvements include an unobstructed view of the finish line for fans and expansion of the tennis parking lot for coaches and studentathletes. “Having this new facility, so it is easy for the fans who are there to watch their sons or daughters to compete makes it fan-friendly and a great fan experience,” Mosley said.

students who have completed at least one semester at UNT and have gone through a background check. “Transfer students are kind of in a strange niche since they are coming in with a background in community colleges or previous undergraduate experience so it is very different from being an incoming freshman,” educational psychology professor Judith Bradetich said. “By mentoring transfer students, it can help them develop and find a sense of community.”

UNT has often been criticized by transfer students as being a tough place to connect and get involved. The opportunities are there, but transfer students may feel disoriented in their new environment due to lack of connections or involvement in organizations. Barbara Ward, a graduate research assistant at the office of university accreditation, said the transfer program will benefit the 1,900 military veterans (i.e. prior military, retired, spouses, and children of veteran students) that are nontraditional transfer students

currently enrolled at UNT. “Military veterans come from a background of a very structured, very regimented and very detail-oriented lifestyle,” Ward said. “It is hard for veterans to integrate into a system where they don’t feel like they have anything to offer when it comes to other students… [including] knowledge about leadership, self-awareness and other qualities that are part of being a military person.” Having a mentor donate time to help a colleague can introduce a person to resources that they may not have known

about otherwise, especially if students are afraid of asking for assistance. Missy McCormick, a staff member with Career Connect and a doctoral student in higher education, said some students are unaware of whom to contact when they need reassurance. “I’ve seen when students get very frustrated and overwhelmed,” McCormick said. “They just need someone to say ‘it is going to okay and here is where you can go.’” Anyone interested in being a mentor or a mentee can contact AXmentors@gmail.com.

@gagaart1 Greek Life Center. File Photo

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 4

Disaster proof The team poses in front of the demo house. Left to right: Dawson Guerrettaz, Xing Lan, Jeremy Ar tman, Adam Johnson, Nick O’Connor, Zhishan Yan, Nathan Derrick Courtesy | Xing Lang

UNT research team develops safer shear walls By Kayla Davis At the College of Engineering, a group of professors and students are working hard to save lives and save homes by developing structures that can withstand the strong winds of hurricanes and shockwaves of earthquakes. Researchers in the engineering department are creating a type of wall that can withstand natural disasters. The shear walls are built with cold-formed steel instead of the traditional wood structure, making them stronger, more durable and sustainable.

A professor in the department of engineering and technology, Cheng Yu, has been working on this project for two years. Its goal is to potentially build buildings with the corrugated coldformed steel, which would better protect against severe weather. The material can resist force coming from all directions and can be used in areas close to shorelines or in areas where earthquakes are frequent. Because the material is so strong, taller buildings can be built with it, making it good for big cities. “For existing buildings, a cold-formed steel shelter

can be added to the existing structures for emergency safety protection,” Yu said. “For new buildings, use coldformed steel to replace wood studs and truss can increase the life-cycle safety level. ” Instead of waiting for a natural disaster to occur, two different tests are performed on the walls at UNT’s Discovery Park using machines. One test simulates a hurricane and the other simulates an earthquake. During the tests they increase the levels of severity to see how the new wall will react, bending under the force but not breaking. UNT graduate student

Xing Lan applied to the engineering program because of the research being done here. He was introduced to cold-formed steel back home in China, but since it is not common there, he came to UNT. He has served as the project leader in the last year and designed and built a demo house to test the structure of the steel. A big benefit of using cold-formed steel is that it is easily replaced if damaged; it is also fireproof and termite proof. “One thing that’s very important is the fire rating of the shear wall,” Lan said. “It’s not combustive.”

Though the material is more expensive than traditional wood panels, less of it is required for each building so less of it ends up being used, making it cheaper in the long run. In the demo house Lan designed, there are a few shear steel walls on each side, which would protect the building from collapse. Though if a builder wanted to, they could build a house or building with the shear steel walls only. “There’s a balance between a structure strength and how much you want to spend,” Lan said. The grant funding the project is for $2.6 million,

which includes funding for three universities, more than 10 professors and a group of students. The project is expected to be completed by September 2018. Once the walls are approved by the American Iron and Steel Institute, electrical and mechanical engineering will begin to design electricity and plumbing systems for the shelter.

@kaylajeann19

Immigrants face ‘what if’ scenarios By Julian Gill Denton Record-Chronicle

T Above, Xiangli Gu, seen here talking with UNT Provost Finley Graves, was also honored at the college’s Faculty Salute in 2015. Courtesy | UNT College of Education website

UNT promotes healthy habits to raise awareness about eating disorders By Robert Warren Anxiety, stress and depression are just three potential reasons for the body negativity that forces one out of every 200 American women into anorexia, but UNT has attacked the issue head-on with eating disorder awareness events. “Eating disorders often deal with behavioral problems from men or women facing high stress levels,” assistant kinesiology professor Xiangli Gu said. “Issues such as depression, low social performance, anxiety and things like that can make it difficult for students activity.” The recreation, health, counseling, testing services centers and the division of student affairs held body-positive events to raise awareness about eating disorders. From Feb. 20 to Feb. 25 students were invited to zumba classes, pilates, yoga, a body positive walk, therapy dogs and art promoting body positivity at UNT. Research Gu has focused her research on physical activities. She was recently named one of six new researchers for the Society of Health and Physical Educators. Her research focuses on the motivation of physical activity, health promotion and behavioral

mechanisms. Gu said her research has a big challenge: finding funding. She explained that you can have good ideas but to get people to participate in those ideas, you need funding so people have an incentive to participate in the studies. The hardest part about getting involved in any activity, Gu said, is time. “[However], time is not the issue,” Gu said, “It is a variable. They can arrange the time but it usually requires a decision because students make time for the things they want to do.” Promoting healthy habits Mason Walters, who works at informal services for the recreation center, said it is important to find out how the facility can be more welcoming for other students. “I think people might be intimidated to come to the gym,” Walters said. “Generally people with eating disorders have selfconsciousness problems.” Walters said it is important for people to be comfortable with the workouts they do, and eat healthy foods to create a balance. “When you stay more active you want to eat more,” Walters said. “That’s a sign of being healthy because you want more fuel that you can burn.”

He also recommended going to the gym two to three times a week. “The reason I work out is so I can always strive for a healthy body,” biochemistry freshman Robert Alcala said. “I think that when you work out you don’t have to watch your eating as much because you can burn those calories.” Alcala said that keeping healthy is good and it is important to keep up physical activity. Dallas Gallagher, a 21-year-old independent tattoo artist, said his brother is a personal trainer. “College kids should go to the gym at least once a week,” Gallagher said “I work out in the mornings because it wakes me up and gets my body going.” Gallagher said waking up and working out right away allows him to fully wake up his body and gets him ready for the day. He said the person who works out is likely to be in a better mood and that it is important to try to get to the gym when you can. “It is important to be active in some way whether it be a jog, a workout or some other way,” Gallagher said.

@Robofthunder

Local immigrant advocates say Denton’s Hispanic community is fearful of talk surrounding tightened deportation policies in Washington. But so far, that fear has only translated to “what if” questions among many unauthorized immigrants in the city. Several weeks ago, President Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening to cut federal funding from local jurisdictions that try to “shield” unauthorized immigrants from deportation. State lawmakers have filed bills that would give local police departments more authority when it comes to deporting immigrants. And last week, the Department of Homeland Security released documents that outline Trump’s desire for expanded deportation enforcement around the country. In Denton, about 1,200 people still pack Immaculate Conception Catholic Church for Spanish-language Mass at noon on Sundays, a number that church officials say is typical for that service. And officials at Opening Doors International Services, a local nonprofit that has provided legal counseling for predominantly Hispanic immigrants since 2003, said the agency has been handling the same amount of clients as any other election year. Sandra Guima, a caseworker at Opening Doors, said she’s not aware of any clients who have recently been deported or voluntarily left the country. Her clients are simply preparing for a “what if” situation. “There are DACA recipients who are calling me every day, asking about what’s going on — ‘Are they going to stop the law?’” she said. Deferred Action for

Childhood Arrivals is a program implemented by Homeland Security in 2012 that has allowed immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as minors to receive a two-year period of deferred action from deportation. During that time, they also could become eligible for a work permit. Whether Trump officially decides to overturn the program remains to be seen. But Guima said she’s been more careful with clients who want to apply for DACA for the first time. “We don’t know if [the government] is going to be using their information against them or not,” she said. Officials at Opening Doors said the agency handles about 200 clients per month, and about 80 percent of those are from Denton, assistant case manager Daniela Acosta said. Roughly 90 percent of the clients are Hispanic, Acosta said. Guima said unauthorized immigrants also have been requesting a specific letter that allows someone other than a parent to care for their children. She’s been referring people requesting the letter to their country’s consulate, she said. “It’s like an official permit for another person to take [their children] to school or to the doctor or live with them for a short period,” Guima said. “But I have been having those calls like three or four times every day asking for that letter … just in case, just to be prepared.” During a forum on Feb. 16 at Denton City Hall, Police Chief Lee Howell assured residents that the department’s enforcement policies have not changed since Trump took office. He said local officers will not actively seek to arrest immigrants who are in the

country illegally. That is a job for federal deportation authorities, he said. Close to 150 people packed the council chambers for the Feb. 16 meeting. Howell faced dozens of “what if” questions — asked in Spanish and English — about the department’s role when it comes to identifying and arresting unauthorized immigrants. Howell maintained the department seeks to investigate crimes, not a person’s citizenship status. Many conservative political leaders, such as Denton County Republican Party Chairwoman Lisa Hendrickson, emphasize that unauthorized immigrants are in the country illegally, and they are essentially ignoring the law by staying here. “I think the most maddening part of this for me: People keep saying ‘immigrant,’” she said. “You’re not an immigrant. You’re here illegally. An immigrant is someone who came here and followed the rules.” Many Hispanics in the community don’t inquire about other people’s citizenship status, longtime business owner Lupe Gonzalez said. Gonzalez, who owned Popo & Lupe Hair Styling Center for 47 years before closing the shop last year, also serves as the Hispanic ministries coordinator at Immaculate Conception. While she said many parishioners are worried about the future of immigration law, she said immigrants are mostly appreciated “for what they are and who they are” at the church. “You know, their work ethic and their tenacity to really work and take care of their family — not knowing what comes tomorrow — it’s admirable,” she said. “And they live their lives as happily as they can.”

ARTS & LIFE Page 5

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017

NTDAILY.COM

American Legion Post 71 fights through low turnout and empty chairs By Tori Almond As members rolled into Post 71 for the monthly meeting on Tuesday, the empty chairs stood out more than those that had once been filled by veteran’s past. The monthly meeting began with an executive meeting consisting of the officers of Post 71 and afterwards moved on to discuss the minutes of last meeting as well as issues that needed to be addressed. Families, veterans and members of the Denton community thrive off of connections and networks. The American Legion, the world’s largest wartime veterans service organization, tries to continue to help the Denton community through many different aspects, but is asking for more members. “We need young veterans to help us,” said Forrest Beadle, the 1st vice commander of American Legion post 71. “Our membership has deteriorated some because many of our members have passed away because many were and are veterans from previous war times.” The American Legion is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that depends on active membership, participation and volunteerism.

Without this, Post 71 could lose its building for not maintaining its membership, like many posts are now falling behind in number of members across the districts of Denton. Charted by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic organization, the American Legion’s mission is to mentor the youth of America, sponsor wholesome programs within the community and advocate patriotism and honor while continuing the devotion to fellow service members and veterans. The American Legion in Texas alone consists of over 65,000 legionnaires in 480 posts all across the state. “The American Legion has helped many veterans, [including] lots of younger veterans when they first get out need help with jobs or adjusting back to civilian life in general,” Beadle said. One of those issues brought up by many at the meeting was the lack of membership and the struggle to reach out to younger veterans to help them get involved in their community. With disappearing chairs happening among many posts across Denton county, some posts are resorting to shutting down or integrating with other

The American Legion post 71 is located off Spencer and Brinker roads in Denton. Veterans hold meetings every third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. Kelsey Shoemaker posts. Jim Forbes, vice commander of the 13th district of the American Legion, attended the latest meeting. His goal was to assess post 71 to ensure their membership count was good and that he wouldn’t have to close the post down due to low membership. “There are 23 districts in Texas, and many posts I’ve had to shut down already due to membership loss and lack of upkeep,” Forbes said. A veteran walking in to Post 71 would immediately find pamphlets and smiling faces, all eager to help whoever may be in need of finding the right resources that best suit them. But recently, that’s not the case. If Post 71 had to close its doors for good, many of the members would have to relocate to other posts, with one in Fort Worth being the closest.

“We would love for veterans to help us help them,” Beadle said. “As well as love for them to help us help the Denton community.” Beyond veterans and military members, however, the American Legion also strives to strengthen and bring the community together. The organization offers many programs for children and family members, not just veterans. Some of these programs include walks for veterans, oratorical competitions, Legion riders and Operation Comfort Warriors, which contributes donations to wounded warriors. “For example, we have the annual boys and girls state scholarship competitions [this] February,” Beadle said. “Last year we sent 53 boys to the state competition for a chance to win a scholarship for higher education.” Beadle grew up around the

American Legion organizations and without becoming a part of it, he wouldn’t have broken out of his shell, he said. The programs and opportunities for kids and adults help push community involvement and civil services. “Growing up what stuck out to me the most were the caps I saw Legion members wear,” Beadle said. “That provided me with sentimental value and also encourages me to continue to stay in even today.” The call for help from the younger generations of veterans would help tremendously within the Denton community for families as well as children. “We are trying to push more information out there to help pull membership back up and involvement in the community,” Forbes said. With younger veterans joining in the community, Post 71 would be able to do more fundraisers

and programs within Denton county to help those in need. Many of the members today are not able to do hikes or work at booths during the day for fundraisers because of their age. Because the American Legion is a nonprofit organization, any and all funds they receive go towards helping the veteran community in Denton county, as well as their families and those in need. Without the help from the younger veteran community, Post 71 might find themselves a little stuck. “I’m aware that there is a strong force of veterans at UNT as well as TWU, and we would love to encourage them to come help the community as well as themselves to any services we can provide,” Beadle said.

@MissNovembertj

Former UNT students revolutionizing textbook industry

Sam Ulrich and Alec Capasso look over their textbook website Saturday morning. The two dropped out of UNT to focus on creating Textbook Takeover, which aims to emphasize a reliable and affordable way for students to purchase textbooks. Kelsey Shoemaker TEXTBOOKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 things,” Ulrich said. “I want to help, whether it be healthcare or textbooks, I just want to make things better.” The idea, Ulrich said, is to give the power back to the students, and create a peer to peer trading website solely for textbooks. They plan to take 10 percent of

the commission for the sales and beyond that, the students make back whatever they paid for the book. For as long as students are in school, Ulrich said, they can make back the money they spend on textbooks without the abysmal trade-in value found in bookstores. “Once you connect people the world gets better,” Ulrich said. “Trading in books at the

bookstore is not even worth your time.” But Voertman’s manager Brent Erskin, who’s worked at the bookstore for 14 years, is skeptical of the start-up’s prospects. “Buying and selling textbooks is a thing of the past,” Erskin said. “Everyone rents, I love the idea of trying to save students money, but only around 30 percent of our customers buy books anymore.” Erskin said the high costs of publishing companies are the true culprit to the admittedly down trending cost of textbooks. He said renting is what has driven those costs down since students are no longer incentivized to purchase books. “Their idea is basically Amazon, there’s so many used selling sites now, it’s not like this idea is somehow new,” Erskin said. “There’s just not much of the market anymore. I think it would be tough, they just need to find a little niche to fill, but they’re definitely starting at a deficit.” But Campasso said what

makes them different from Jeff Bazos and the Amazon empire is that they’re college students, who will take 0.5 percent less commission than their corporate competition. Their roots are in school, he said, and he feels they can speak and help students in a more direct manner. Ulrich and Campasso came up with the idea for Textbook Takeover after a long night at their former home in the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity house. Campasso was Ulrich’s big, and after a semester of becoming disenchanted with the college life, whether it be the costs, the seemingly useless classes, the partying or the pledge-ship, the pair decided to drop out and do something proactive about the status-quo. “I felt like I was spending countless dollars and not reaping the rewards for the amount of money I was putting into it,” Campasso said. “With the company, I felt like it was something that was actually making a difference. School made me feel very horizontal

like it wanted me to go along with the system. This made me feel vertical like I was making an impact.” Though Textbook Takeover’s address is still listed at the Delta Sig house on campus, the home office for the company is now located at Ulrich’s mom’s home in Celina, Texas. Now instead of the life of a student, the pair spends all their time and energy on building their company from the small office in Celina, where Campasso often sleeps. Campasso said with Textbook Takeover, he’s found a rewarding drug. “Before this, I was part of a fraternity and I loved to party,” Campasso said. “When I came to college just being away from home and partying with school being so easy it became too much, but this became an outlet. The company is definitely like a drug, with all the highs and lows, I’ve definitely changed as a person and have a different outlook on life.” Campasso said they work 20 hours a day on the site,

workshopping ideas and compiling the database for what they hope will be a successful launch this summer. And though he’s put seemingly everything on the line, Ulrich said he embraces the pressure of a successful launch. Ulrich, an admitted adrenaline junkie, said he can be found “bombing down the hills at 40 mph” on his long board. He said if he falls, he could really hurt himself. That’s why he doesn’t. He said Textbook Takeover is like the ultimate hill for him that he can’t wait to shred. “I live for the pressure,” he said. “It’s what it’s all about.”

@a_jack17

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 6

Free Beer Friday spills onto the Square By Alec Spicer With every Friday new opportunities to explore the city of Denton are made available, few local events are more unique than “Free Beer Friday” on the Denton Square. Tucked in between LSA Burger and Norman Roscoe sits the Discover Denton Welcome Center, host to a number of free events in Denton. With a different brewery or vendor featured every Friday, no two Free Beer Fridays are the same. Craft and Conception As event attendees mingled throughout the room while

sipping on craft beer, UNT alumnus Ben Esely, and owner of The Bearded Monk, bounces around the room. Esely, the man responsible for the formation of Free Beer Friday, is enthusiastic about Denton’s response to the relatively new weekly event. “I did a radio show with [Dentonradio.co] and it ended up being one of their highest rated shows,” Esely said. That interview is the same one that Esely credits as the catalyst for “Free Beer Friday’s” creation and ultimate success. “After the radio show did so well, [Discover Denton] asked if I would just do a tasting for the Bearded Monk in late summer

or early fall of last year,” Esley said. What started as a one-time tasting would soon become a mainstay at Discover Denton. “I love this event, it’s so much fun to be a part of every week,” international business senior Robyn Ferguson said. “I’m the official Free Beer Friday girl.” Although the weekly gathering is a seemingly fun experience for anyone who finds themselves strolling through the Square on any given Friday night, it also serves as an efficient tool for local sustenance and culture. “Plenty of people around here want to both learn about

Discover Denton Welcome Center hosts Laron Cheek and Matt Morriss from Rabbit Hole Brewing for Free Beer Friday. Jackie Torres

craft beer and support local businesses,” Esely said. “That’s the whole point of this event.” Wonderland Most recently, the Rabbit Hole, Denton County’s oldest craft brewery founded in 2012, sampled their most popular beers to patrons of the Discover Denton Welcome Center. Having just celebrated their five-year anniversary the day before, the Rabbit Hole’s team of beer connoisseurs were eager to introduce the madness that is their ale. Though it was their first time presenting at Free Beer Friday, The Rabbit Hole co-founders Laron Cheek and Matt Morriss were in their natural habitat as they handed out samples. “Each beer has a story, it’s an ongoing theme,” Cheek said of the Rabbit Hole’s five beers being showcased on Friday. With names like “10/6 English Pale Ale” and their newest release, the cleverly titled “Off With Your Red,” a hoppy red India Pale Ale, the Rabbit Hole doesn’t miss an opportunity to reference their inspiration, based largely on Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass.” “If you look closely at them, there is a chess move on every single can,” Cheek tells beer lovers in attendance. In a nod to their continued inf luence, each f lavor of beer that the Rabbit Hole releases is strategically adorned with a

Discover Denton Welcome Center hosts Rabbit Hole Brewing for Free Beer Friday. Jackie Torres chess move on the can that leads to another f lavor. Maintaining a concept isn’t the extent of the Rabbit Hole’s priorities. The brewery brought in their neighbors at the Cultivate Agency to design all of their cans, promotional material and merchandise. “They have helped us create really awesome products,” Morriss said. “And they’re local. We definitely try to involve anything local with our company that we can.” The same focus on encouraging local support is the very crux of why Free Beer

Friday has proven to be a hit among Dentonites. As the Discover Denton Welcome Center wraps up another Friday, there’s a sense of community clear to Esely. “That’s what this event is all about,” Esely said. “Where else can people come share a beer and hang out with their fellow Dentonites who are also brewing their beer?”

@spicer_alec

The Art Den(ton); small gallery brings bold art to locals By Amy Roh In the city of Usak, Turkish painter Evrim Özeskici and sculptor Sirin Koçak stood around a table in their garden, surrounded by art supplies. Özeskici with oil paint, Koçak with clay. The two waited patiently for their minute to begin. Over two thousand miles away on a jetty in the River Soar of Central England, UK artist Chris Wright was waiting, too. As the murky

brown waters sloshed underneath the surface, he poised his camera anticipating the perfect shot. Room for creativity “The Art Den,” otherwise known as the tAd gallery, is a one-room wonder. Secluded in the corner of The Bowllery restaurant off Avenue C, the tAd art gallery displays unique works by both local and global artists. It is an artist-driven, non-profit space,

with those qualities as the core of its foundation since it was launched. “It started in the spring of 2013 when I was offered the space at The Bowllery,” tAd gallery curator Araya Vivorakij said. “I then collaborated with several artist friends to bounce off ideas on what direction and objective we would like the gallery to undertake.” Özeskici, Koçak and Wright were some of the 23 artists featured in its

first exhibition, “Parallel Moments: Local + Global.” Artists across time zones were given a single minute to produce a work of art simultaneously. A piece of their soul in a microscopic blip in time. In an effort to connect diversity with time and space, the tAd gallery’s exhibit set the tone for many collections to come. Not only would it be a space for local artistry but international ones, as well. “We welcome submissions from any artist who would like to exhibit their work,” Vivorakij said. “From time to time, we also initiate projects and invite artists to participate.” Since its launch, the tAd gallery has touched on issues of gender identity, societal norms, cultural representation and other complex subject matter. These issues, interpreted through photographs, paintings or even short films, are an unlikely feature to customers who frequent The Bowllery.

the tAd gallery has harnessed into a strength. “Galleries like tAd are important platforms for exhibiting work that’s conceptual and experimental,” Canadian artist Nancy Cole said. “The small size is an advantage to presenting work that is more intimate and approachable.” Even without massive walls to display the artwork in, tAd gallery’s secluded style is what makes it hold true to its principles. It allows for artists to express their art without fear of complete censorship. “Small, independent galleries, telling from my Czech experience, are more flexible, which makes them unique,” Czech Republic artist Marie Meixnerová said. “It enables them to present programs bigger galleries might find problematic or too challenging. When getting bigger, the gallery might lose some important freedom that it has or space for improvisation.”

In a sense, that is the point. “It’s unusual because it’s tucked away in a restaurant but because it’s on the way to the bathrooms, it gets people to look at art who maybe wouldn’t step over there to see it,” Denton artist Tesa Morin said. “It invites a lot of age groups and just a wider variety [of people]. I like to start the conversation, talk to people about the work and get people to think about [the art] in a more profound way.” Because of its small size, tAd gallery has a limited amount of artwork displayed compared to other establishments, however, it has the ability to pick and choose its artwork with more freedom. What bigger art galleries find too risqué or explicit,

Artist to artist For the past four years, the tAd gallery has displayed works of a range of artists. Some include the “Other Visions” exhibit, which includes 10 short films from the Czech Republic’s Festival of Film Animation. Others include “Edible Matters,” in which the artists tackled issues like the food industry, division of labor and capitalism. “It’s a great opportunity for the artist to explore new domains in the craft, not only to show our own work but to create a bigger project, collaborative ones, focused on the local and global matters,” Brazilian artist Juan Diego Peréz La Cruz said. “Not just another empty space with

Stormdrain Stormdrain Artscape Artscape Contest Contest

some artwork on the walls.” Although Vivorakij is the main curator, the process can be a collaborative effort. This is especially seen in their art projects, which focus heavily on themes of diversity. In 2015, tAd launched their Outskirts project, an exhibition spotlighting “women artists from all walks of life, diverse cultural backgrounds, and different identities of race, sexuality or age.” “They’re constantly putting more artwork from women not only in the U.S. but also women internationally in a small space and especially in Texas,” Austin artist Ana Trevino said. “They really have a knack for bringing interesting and compelling work into the space.” Because Vivorakij is also an artist, she has found a way to relate with fellow creatives by welcoming them into such projects that strike a chord. “The purposes of our exhibitions is to showcase contemporary art,” Vivorakij said. “We also hope that through the work of art we can generate some meaningful dialogue.” As tAd continues to stretch and change, the mission of delivering art through creativity and collaboration to Denton remains. “There’s a good support system in [the gallery],” Morin said. “It’s artists helping artists. Artists appreciate the time it takes to make the art and that just increases the value of the exhibition and the appreciation it takes to getting everything to put it all together.”

@rohmyboat

Beautify our campus while educating about the effects of litter on our waterways

Stormdrain Artscape Contest

Beautify our campus while educating about • Art the effects ofentries litter onmust: our waterways

• Have a UNT or Scrappy theme Help students • Art• entries must: understand that litter enters • Have a UNTthrough or Scrappy theme waterways storm drains and affects water • Help students understand that litter enters quality and ecology. waterways through storm drains and affects water • Get PAID $250 have your art displayed prominently quality andand ecology. on campus • Get PAID $250 and have your art displayed prominently • Due March 10, 2017 on campus • Full details and application at sustainability.unt.edu • Due March 10, 2017 • Full details and application at sustainability.unt.edu • Art entries must: • Have a UNT or Scrappy theme • Help students understand that litter enters waterways through storm drains and affects water quality and ecology.

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 7

Band conductor takes on new meaning with train collection By Amy Roh Some peoples’ backyards could hold anything from an outdoor grill and patio furniture to stubborn weeds. Dennis Fisher has taken a different track. Fisher, the UNT Symphonic Band Conductor, has built an entire railroad collection in his backyard. Complete with an estimated 20 buildings, four simultaneously running trains, a waterfall and an elevated trestle, Fisher’s steel army spans the length of the outdoor space. “We started off with a small Christmas train that we put in the front yard and eventually we outgrew putting it up and down every year,” Fisher said. “So, we relandscaped and reinstalled it in our backyard permanently.” Fisher began this collection 15 years ago, after his three children were in college. His interest first sparked, however, when he received a train set at around 8 years old. Fisher saw it as a way of revisiting an enjoyable childhood hobby. “As I got older in my life and I had a more disposable income and time, it was an opportunity to regenerate that hobby and one thing led to another,” Fisher said.

“Now everything we’re doing we’re overdoing, I guess.” The trains in Fisher’s collection aren’t the toy trains that most people may be familiar with. All of them, along with the tracks, are purposefully built to withstand the outdoor conditions. “[The train] was the G-scale, which is the largest train scales in electric train size and is designed to be outside,” Fisher said. “The tracks are all made of brass and have UV-ray resistance ties. The trains themselves are steeled so that they can run in any kind of weather.” The biggest challenge for Fisher wasn’t collecting the trains, but rather conquering his backyard landscape. Fisher has put together almost every aspect of his collection, no matter how much time or energy it took. “I dug a big pit and created a two layer waterfall with a pond and put in the piping and plumbing for that,” Fisher said. “Putting in the tunnel and leveling the track was also a challenging part of it. That was all labor intensive.” Besides some figures and trains, most of the railroad collection is left in the backyard year round. Because of this, Fisher has to make sure he has a steady upkeep

regarding both his collection and his yard. “The track weathers and loses some of its electric conductivity, so it has to be cleaned periodically,” Fisher said. “Weeds grow up through the tracks and have to be weeded out, too. Any number of [fake grass] that imitate grass [and] any kind of landscaping have to be trimmed.” Over the course of 15 years, Fisher has been continuously adding different types of elements to his collection. Many of which he has scaled, measured and made by hand. Fisher said that his collection is in a constant state of revision. His track, as a whole, changes from year to year. “When I sit and watch it, I think, ‘OK what if I added a spurr here?’ or ‘what if I changed the direction of this track and what if I added buildings here?’” Fisher said. “When I go back and look back at photos from when I started 15 years ago, it doesn’t even come close to resembling that.” And sometimes, that means starting over completely. Two summers ago, Fisher completely tore out the collection and began to build a new version. Although his collection is a cherished pride of his, Fisher isn’t afraid to start anew.

“I got many ideas for what I wanted to do and the only thing that I could do was to destroy everything and start from scratch again,” Fisher said. “Everybody who has trains does that periodically.” Fisher said the process of creating details of the buildings, landscaping, the individual cities and farms make up the whole experience. “I’ve built a couple of the buildings from scratch,” Fisher said. “I was able to purchase scaled plans of actual buildings and build it in real life. So it’s the detail that really interests me.” Fisher is used to having positive responses from outsiders. Many people, even those who have been Fisher’s students, are surprised at its sheer size and uniqueness. “I thought it was crazy and I loved it,” said Carlos Strudwick, a former UNT trumpet player. “Being a musician is already a great creative outlet, but sometimes, especially while in school, it can feel more like a chore and a grade and you lose sight of that love you had for it. Those separate hobbies are needed.” Those close to Fisher also enjoy seeing that sentiment work itself into a reality. His wife, Janet Fisher, has been by his side as he’s conducted this unique hobby. Although he loves

Dennis Fischer, the associate director of UNT’s wind studies program, conducts a practice with UNT’s Symphonic Band. In between songs, Fischer filled his critiques with jest that left the students laughing often. Samantha Hardisty music, she said she likes seeing him pursue other passions. “It’s fun for him to have a hobby other than just work, so it’s been rewarding to see him to do that,” Janet said. Most importantly, Fisher has felt the benefits of having the railroad collection. Fisher said that it’s been a helpful outlet to him throughout the years. Whether it’s band concerts and tuning instruments or rearranging train cars and building new tracks, Fisher is always able to go from one

passion to the other. “It’s good for everyone to have an interest in something that’s different from their profession,” Fisher said. “It makes them a more well-rounded person, and it gives them a different context and perspective on what you do on a daily basis that’s part of a profession that creates a level of enthusiasm and interest that’s supplemental.”

@rohmyboat

UNT parking booth operator spreads cheer to students and faculty As she stands at her booth, Troer laughs. “Yesterday he told me about a glass bottle broken over by the entrance of the music building,” she said. “I wasn’t going to call or wait on someone. I just picked up the glass with my gloves and broom and picked it right up.” Soon after, she yells “good morning” to new passersby and goes about explaining the person’s life story as she does for almost everyone she knows. Instead of going through work day-by-day, Troer tries to make the most out of every interaction. “I don’t own a cell phone,” Troer said. “I’d rather give people my full attention and talk to them in person than always looking at my cell phone.

At the parking booth in front of Bruce Hall, booth supervisor Nicole Troer directs lost visitors towards their destination on campus. Troer helps UNT students, facutly and guests daily, guiding them through UNT’s large parking system. Katie Jenkins

By Omar Mir It’s a frigid, foggy Thursday morning at the corner of Avenue C and Chestnut Drive. Students have started their fruitful trudges toward their morning classes. A few cars make their way through the four-way stop sign among the mix of mumbles from students walking close to each other to negate the almost freezing temperatures. “Good morning!” a cheerful voice yells among the frustrated students. Nicole Troer talks to the students that walk by, her voice resonating across the four glass walls of the tiny booth she proudly calls her workspace. Troer has been the booth supervisor and parking coordinator for the Avenue C parking lot at UNT for 16 years but tries to do so much more for the campus. “I saw [this job] in the RecordChronicle,” Troer said. “I was nervous at first, but then the second interview I was told I was going to get the job. I specifically applied for the booth job

because I wanted to help people.” Her “office” consists of a file cabinet where Troer keeps her calendars and maps, a laptop and a couple of umbrellas, one of which she lets a music student borrow every time it’s raining. A small container filled with fresh green beans, a granola bar, a banana and few other treats sits in the booth to get her through the morning hours. “Its my home away from home,” Troer said about UNT and what it means to her. As the morning hours start to whisk by, the constant flow of cars and foot traffic increases. The only cars that stop by Troer’s booth are either people she knows or first timers at UNT asking for directions. Either way, the constant motion of cars passing by the booth never stops, almost like a baggage carousel at a busy airport. At the same time, Troer never stops. When she’s not helping students, she goes up to the some of the ladies she has known personally for more

It’s not for me.” The phone in her booth rings constantly, but Nicole does not have the chance to answer it. “If the phone rings, and I’m helping someone, the phone will just have to wait,” Troer said. “I’m very passionate about helping people [and] it always comes back to that. It makes me happy.” One of Troer’s co-workers, chemistry and Spanish junior Shelby Webster, said that she can expect a warm welcome from Troer every time she sees her. And while some people may brush the greeting off, Webster lets every interaction sink in. “She knows everyone’s names, there’s probably a hundred spaces and she greets everyone no matter if they are rude or not,” Webster said.

Troer said that a mentality of welcoming and joy is what she lives by and tries to emulate in every particular aspect of her profession and life. While some people just let day after day pass, Troer tries to make every day count. Although UNT is a large campus, Troer wants to make everyone feel like someone. “[Someone once said] that I welcome everybody to UNT like they are coming over to my house,” Troer said. “I just like helping people, that’s the bottom line. Every single interaction matters.”

@omarmir27

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than a few years and compliments them on their nails, scarves or other elements. But her knack for remembering the names of every single dean, vice president or UNT board member who has passed through shows her history with UNT. She not only remembers their names, but their children’s and pet’s names. “That’s Scott, he’s amazing,” Troer said. The “Scott” she talks about is Scott Bullock, who is the monitor of quality control in kitchens across campus and was just making his way over to the Bruce Hall kitchen behind her booth. After embracing Troer, he stops. “It’s about time someone told her story,” Bullock said. Soon after Scott passes, the carousel of cars continues and John Richman, the dean of the College of Music, pulls up and has a quick word with Nicole. “Isn’t she something,” he whispers on his way out with a smile on his face.

Book by BILL & CHERI STEINKELLNER | Music by ALAN MENKIN Lyrics by GLENN SLATER Based on the Touchstone Pictures film written by Joseph Howard Directed by ERIC B RYAN | Music Direction by JOHN NORINE JR Choreography by EMILY LEEKHA

FEBRUARY 24 & 25, and MARCH 2 & 3, 2017 at 7:30 pm FEBRUARY 26 & MARCH 5, 2017 at 2:00 pm Campus Theatre 214 W. Hickory Street in Historic Downtown Denton

For tickets and information

940-382-1915 | musictheatreofdenton.com Sister Act is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI 421 W. 54th Street, 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10019 Phone 212-541-4684 Fax 212-397-4684 www.MTIShows.com

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SPORTS Page 8

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017

NTDAILY.COM

Shane Temara brings life and energy to menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball during tough season By Clay Massey

North Texas junior forward Shane Tamara (50) posts up on the baseline against Old Dominion University. Temara scored 12 points and added 8 rebounds in a 73-67 loss. Colin Mitchell

When junior forward Shane Temara enters a room, everyone seems to take notice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; mainly because he wants them to. A photo shoot is going down in the press room in the bowels of the Super Pit. Temara becomes the center of attention as he pulls out his iPhone and begins to document everything via Snapchat. He sends the entire room into laughter with his wise-cracks and personality. He shows everything off for his Snapchat as a few of his teammates watch on. He puts everything on his story for all of his friends to see. Time for the professional photos now. After a few shots against the backdrop, Temaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shirt is off. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got to flex for Instagram. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think he wants to be a movie star,â&#x20AC;? head coach Tony Benford said jokingly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know how he is. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very outgoing guy. Shane keeps everybody loose and our guys will tell you heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the funniest guy on the team and fun to be around.â&#x20AC;? On the court, however, Temara becomes a different beast. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to go to work when he steps on the hardwood. Playing basketball at this level is nothing short of a dream. After high school, Temara was not sure if he would ever be playing Division I basketball, so he is not going to squander his opportunity. He has to keep himself loose. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I try to have fun with it because if I start thinking too much, then the mistakes come,â&#x20AC;? Temara said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my office. I try to not worry about what other people are thinking.â&#x20AC;?

Basketball was always a part of Temaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life as a child. He grew up in the basketball obsessed community of Syracuse, New York, where he watched the historic teams of Syracuse University past. Basketball was in his blood. His mother, Christine, held over 100 offers to play basketball out of high school. She was a top-20 recruit in the nation. She stood 6-foot-5 when she decided to take her talents to Syracuse. She became a Syracuse Hall of Famer in 1987 after showing off her soft shooting touch and shot blocking ability for four years. She was first team All-Big East in her senior season. Temaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother spent time overseas as a professional in Scotland, England, Spain and New Zealand. It was in New Zealand where she met a rugby player named Mike, and a few years later, they started having children. Shane is the middle of three kids. The rest is history. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I really got into [basketball] because of [my mom],â&#x20AC;? Temara said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My dad was an athlete, so he pushed me to do it as well. I wanted to also, obviously.â&#x20AC;? The Temara boys both now play basketball at the DI level, but took different paths to get there. Shaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother, Troy, signed with George Mason University straight out of high school. Shane had to take a different route. He attended Angelina College in Lufkin before transferring to North Texas for his final two seasons. He thinks not playing AAU basketball in high school, as his brother did, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get him the exposure he needed to pick

up more offers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I really didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what a junior college was,â&#x20AC;? Temara said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But it was pretty much the only option. I think I would have gotten at least one offer, because thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what my brother did. It kind of hurt a lot.â&#x20AC;? When he moved to North Texas, it was expected that Temara would backup junior forward and pre-season All-Conference USA selection Jeremy Combs. But when Combs was shut down for the season in late January, it was up to Temara to fill the hole. He has done just that. In 11 starts and 28 appearances with the Mean Green this season, Temara is shooting 42 percent from the field, blocked 26 shots, is leading the team in rebounds with 129 and averaging 6.8 points per game. Combs thinks heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done a nice job. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He can shoot a lot better than I can,â&#x20AC;? Combs said with a laugh. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He can stretch the floor. I feel like heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done a tremendous job scoring and rebounding. He brings a lot of energy.â&#x20AC;? Temara is slated to be one of the key returners for the Mean Green next season. As one of the worst seasons in North Texas history comes to a close, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the program. The Mean Green will not make the C-USA tournament, and will likely finish dead last in the conference.

@Clay_FC

Behind the plate with freshman catcher Nicole Ochotnicki By Morgan Price Crouched behind home plate, the catcher puts her glove up to receive a pitch from a former foe standing in the circle just 35 feet away. Before freshman catcher Nicole Ochotnicki was framing pitches for sophomore Lauren Craine, she was hitting them. In 2015, Ochotnicki played for Vista Ridge High school and went to the class 5A state title game where she took on Aledo High School. Now, two years later, Ochotnicki is teammates with Craine and first baseman Rhylie Makawe, both of whom were members of the Aledo team that won the 2015 state title. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really cool being teammates now,â&#x20AC;? Ochotnicki said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting to see how Lauren has grown as a pitcher.â&#x20AC;? Even though Aledo beat Vista Ridge in the championship game, and the two are now battery mates, there is one thing

Ochotnicki wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let Craine forget. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As soon as she came to North Texas she was like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I hit a double off of you in the state game,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Craine said. But Ochotnicki was hitting doubles long before that state championship game, and got her start playing softball at an early age. When she was 9, Ochotnicki was playing third base for her recreation league softball team when she was thrust behind the plate after the catcher had gotten injured. It was a whirlwind, but Ochotnicki embraced the challenge. Once she sat behind the plate with all the pads and mask on, she was hooked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love being catcher,â&#x20AC;? Ochotnicki said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I always get the ball. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a part of every play and it has a lot of tricky details that could change the game. If Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m behind the plate and I frame a ball and make it look like a strike, that could be the difference

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Freshman catcher Nicole Ochotnicki stands for a por trait at Lovelace Field. Clay Massey

UPCOMING GAMES

Thursday â&#x20AC;˘Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball @ Western Kentucky at 7 p.m. â&#x20AC;˘Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball vs. Western Kentucky at 7 p.m. Friday â&#x20AC;˘Softball vs. Wichita State at 1:30 p.m. in Lubbock. â&#x20AC;˘Tennis vs. Old Dominion at 3 p.m.

between someone getting a walk or someone getting a strikeout.â&#x20AC;? Catchers play a big role on the diamond and have to take in a lot

of information quickly. They are usually the captain of the infield and relay signals from the dugout. When sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behind the plate, Ochotnicki has to be aware of the pitcher, hitter, runners on base, count, score and inning. And she canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay focused on one thing too long. At any given moment, a runner could attempt to steal or make a move on the base path, even while she is framing a pitch or performing another task. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She never looks rattled,â&#x20AC;? head coach Tracey Kee said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss pitches in regards to whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being sent in. Just rookie mistakes you typically see as a catcher, she hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been making those in games. Her focus, her demeanor and quiet confidence have been something that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pleased with.â&#x20AC;? In 14 games this season, Ochotnicki has started 13 at catcher. While she hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hit the ball well, with a batting average of .206, Ochotnicki has been a force on defense. In her first game behind the plate for North Texas, Ochotnicki threw out a University of Arkansas player attempting to swipe second. Catching runners stealing was Ochotnickiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main focus in the offseason and getting her first one out of the way quick was a confidence booster. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It made me feel like I can maybe make it in college softball,â&#x20AC;? Ochotnicki said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I used to throw from my knees in high school, but now with the more advanced pitching, you need to throw from your feet. Just getting that footwork down was a challenge for me.â&#x20AC;? College softball plays at a more

Saturday â&#x20AC;˘Softball vs. Wichita State at 1 p.m. in Lubbock

advanced level in every aspect of the game, and making the jump â&#x20AC;˘Tennis vs. Arizona at 1:30 p.m. from high school to Division I Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball vs. Marshall was no easy task. at 3 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever an easy transition,â&#x20AC;? Kee said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She â&#x20AC;˘Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball @ Marshall at logged five games this week 6 p.m. behind the plate, which a lot of catchers canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do, and a lot of â&#x20AC;˘Softball @ Texas Tech at 6 p.m. that goes back to her athleticism in Lubbock. and her training. I have all the confidence in her in regards to Sunday her framing and her ability to â&#x20AC;˘Softball @ Texas Tech at 1 p.m. lock and keep the ball in front. in Lubbock Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a quality catcher.â&#x20AC;? Along with polishing her own mechanics, Ochotnicki has studied up on all the pitchers she MEAN GREEN QUICK HITS catches. This includes learning the intricacies of how each one throws so she can frame pitches to play to their strengths. Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball By putting in countless hours With their loss against Southern with her battery mates, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Miss last Saturday, the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basearned the trust of the entire ketball team is not eligible for the pitching staff despite being only Conference USA tournament. With a freshman. two games remaining in the seaâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really bought into son, the Mean Green are 8-20, what Coach Kee has taught her,â&#x20AC;? 2-14. Craine said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really helpful for us pitchers. If weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball something wrong, she knows The womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball team will exactly what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing and finish its regular season with a two helps us make adjustments.â&#x20AC;? game-homestand this week. A win Even though she has only against either Western Kentucky played a handful of games for or Marshall will ensure Nor th the Mean Green, Ochotnickiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Texas finishes at least .500 in Cteammates are already rubbing USA play. off on her. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all great players Softball and they work really hard,â&#x20AC;? Softball narrowly missed claiming Ochotnicki said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seeing them a tournament victory last weekon the field makes me want to end. The Mean Green was unable work harder.â&#x20AC;? to solve UNC-Wilmington in the championship game, falling 7-2 to finish in second place.

@morganprice

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 9

Supersitious athletes keep up routines Home away from home: North ATHLETES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

routines for basketball players, sophomore guard for the women’s team Orianna Shillow shares a superstition with Lawson involving socks. In practices and games, Lawson wears two of the same side Nike socks, so two lefts or two rights instead of the usual left-right combo. Shillow is sure to put on her left sock, left ankle brace, and left shoe before her right sock, ankle brace and shoe. It’s always in that order. But basketball players aren’t the only ones with judicious routines. Across campus, the North Texas tennis team has superstitions of its own. They even have their own prematch breakfast spot. “We usually have a really good breakfast [at Seven Mile Café] the day before our match, so we feel encouragement from each other and support,” sophomore Maria Kononova said. “I think we start the next day with the same mood and it really affects our game.” While Kononova herself does not need a routine to get ready, her teammates are unique in their preparation for matches. Sophomore Tamuna Kutubidze usually plays as the two seed for the team in singles and pairs with Kononova in the No. 1 doubles slot. Despite being over six thousand miles from her home country of Georgia,

Kutubidze is sure to make herself at home before matches. “First of all, I call my mom because before I came here she was always with me,” Kutubidze said. “[Then] I always wear this [bracelet] and touch this cross [on my necklace]. Then I imagine that my mom is standing there all the time [during the match] and it calms me down.” Two seasons ago, senior Alexis Thoma won the team strength and conditioning award. She has always been a fitness enthusiast, which helps her on the tennis court as the No. 3 singles player. “The night before [a match] I always have straight protein, [which is] just chicken, chicken and more chicken,” Thoma said. “In the morning, I have to have all my specific drinks [and vitamins] ready. I do Herbalife24, then I always have to wear the necklace my mom gave me.” A hundred or so yards away at Lovelace Stadium, the North Texas softball team’s season is now under way, and they have wasted no time getting their superstitions in order. Whenever the team is walking or entering somewhere together with something dividing two entry ways, they all have to go in on the same side, or else their game could be compromised. Seriously. “If you split the pole it’s bad luck,” sophomore Harley Perella said. “We make everyone go on the same side

of the pole. Any pole that you walk by, so if there’s a pole or a chair or something we all have to walk on the same side of it.” The team clearly will be tough to beat if they do not split a pole, or chair, the entire season. They also eat breakfast at Old West Café before home games, and several players on the team are determined to drink coffee in the mornings, as well as a few hours before the first pitch is thrown. Sophomore outfielder Bailey Thompson is peculiar in her superstitions, especially since some of them can span 24 hours. “If I have a good day then I’ll do everything the exact same [the next day],” Thompson said. “My hair has to be the exact same [in games], and if I have a good day, I eat the same thing and park in the same spot [the next day].” With both basketball seasons wrapping up and the tennis and softball teams in full swing, these athletes are willing to try any and every superstition if they think it will help them win. No matter how ridiculous it may sound. “I never really understood why I did it, I just make sure I do it,” Shillow said.

@mattbrune25

Texas tennis team adjusting to life in Denton By Cesar Valdes A collection of people from different cultures and backgrounds fill the courts at the Waranch Tennis Complex. Of the eight players on the roster, only one is from the United States. Some of them arrived from countries thousands of miles away, where the name Denton holds no significance and the images of American lifestyle are vastly over-exaggerated. It’s not an uncommon sight throughout the collegiate ranks. Last season, the NCA A had over 3,000 foreign-born student-athletes playing tennis, almost 20 percent of total tennis players. That percentage grows substantially larger when observing Division I schools. For many on the North Texas tennis team, moving upwards of 8,000 miles away from the place they once called home was a monumental struggle. “At the beginning it was really difficult,” Colombian native and sophomore Laura Arciniegas said. “I came with my parents, so the first week I was a little bit comfortable. When they left to Colombia, I was crying. It was difficult.” Lack of family was one of the biggest obstacles many members of the Mean Green had to overcome in their first few days in Denton. When combined with some players’ minimal understanding of English, the task of adjusting to life across the globe became that much harder. “I think the key component is the emotional aspect of not being around family,” head coach Sujay Lama said. “The cultural change — everything is so different. There’s a shock.” That was the same feeling that Japanese freshman Haruka Sasaki experienced when she

first arrived at North Texas. “[My] first semester I was [struggling] because everything was new and then I don’t have family here and I didn’t have [a lot] of friends here,” Sasaki said. “Now I have my team, coach, friends, and I’m doing well [academically].” Fortunately for North Texas, they are armed with a head coach who has, in many ways, become a father figure for the team. When any of his players need advice, guidance or just someone to talk to, Lama is there. This is especially reassuring for worried parents who have apprehensions about their child going to school in a foreign country. “I [have] two children,” Lama said. “I can relate to their feelings about their own children. Their angst, their fears, their hopes, their inspirations. I’m able to understand them and I’m able to provide [their parents] those answers for them.” Although their environment altered drastically, from the buildings around them to the people they met, those weren’t the biggest changes many players came across. In fact, one of the more critical challenges for the international players to overcome was the food put on their plates. “The food is totally different,” Croatian freshman Ivana Babic said. “I think it’s unhealthy. Even if I try to eat healthy, I still feel like I’m eating unhealthy compared to Croatia. I have a feeling that everything is so fake.” Despite some players yearning for a taste of home, not everybody on the team has the same desire to go back. When offered the opportunity to join the Mean Green, sophomore Minying Liang did

not think twice. Liang wanted a chance to expand her horizons. She even said she fits in with American culture better than Chinese culture. “When I was in China the thing I wanted to do most was go to another country,” Liang said. “[It didn’t] matter where, just [that I left] China.” For Liang, the United States represented a fresh start. After the age of 12, Liang was forced to learn how to handle some things on her own, which pushed her ahead of the curve in terms of being independent. Before she was even in high school, Liang was booking f lights, hotels and even cooking for herself. “My parents weren’t always around,” Liang said. “They were busy with work and my school [wasn’t] in the same city, so I [didn’t] see them very often.” But for those who had trouble adjusting to life in Denton, they have found an oasis on the court — the single continuity they had throughout their transition. Regardless of how they feel about their home countries, the players understand the opportunity afforded to them cannot be replicated anywhere else. “[In Croatia] if you want to play tennis, there’s no way that you can study and play tennis at the same time,” Babic said. “This is the best chance I had.”

@The_CesarValdes

TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY GRADUATE PROGRAM Senior Kale Ward throws the ball to his teammates during practice. Sara Carpenter

UNT club baseball team fighting pressure to be perfect By Samantha Morrow They may only be eight games into their season, but the UNT club baseball team is already feeling the pressure. That’s because if they want to make the postseason, UNT will have to play nearly flawless baseball down the stretch. Members of the Gulf Coast North conference in the National Club Baseball Association, UNT must compete with the likes of Baylor University, Southern Methodist University and undefeated Texas Tech University. Already in an 0-3 hole in conference play after losses to Baylor in Waco this past weekend, UNT understands every win matters moving forward. “We need to be perfect this season because our conference is one of the best in the entire region,” senior third basemen and pitcher Benjamin Salter said. “We have to win out for the most part to put ourselves in the best position to go to the postseason.” Simply winning, however, may not be enough. UNT also will likely need other conference foes to stumble at some point to allow the Mean Green to make up ground. With their backs against the wall, the team is already embracing a door-die mentality. “Losing the series this weekend put us in a tough spot to begin conference play,” senior club president Marshall McKee said. “We will probably need to win all of the series from here on out with a couple of sweeps thrown in there as well.”

Although the pressure has already started to mount, the team faced adversity long before the season began. UNT had tryouts as well as their first set of games within a week of each other. With little time to prepare, the Mean Green split their first series against Stephen F. Austin before sweeping Oklahoma State University the following weekend. “This season for us so far has been interesting,” Salter said. “We had spring tryouts late and had to get our new members integrated very quickly with them learning our signs and all aspects of becoming a team.” Before they even realized it, several of UNT’s new players were feeling the strain of a quick turnaround. Even though they got off to a 4-1 start, the Mean Green knew the true test would be playing Baylor on the road. And after leaving Waco with three straight losses, UNT knows it got caught in the bear trap. “Our guys did not fully understand the pressure that being in this conference, playing these teams has yet,” Salter said. “Baylor is one of the hardest teams we face.” Despite getting swept by the Bears, several newcomers have already made an impact on the team. One of them is junior pitcher and shortstop Brennen Fischer. Against Baylor, Fischer hit two doubles in game one and a triple in game two, along with pitching and tossing five strikeouts. “I believe that once we meld together as a team we will be

unstoppable,” Fischer said. “Until that moment I am trying to prove to myself and the team that I can handle college baseball.” Until they begin to mesh, the team will have to look to one another for answers. That’s because the team is one of the clubs on campus that lack a head coach. This means many of the leaders on the team will have to shoulder the burden after losses and come up with new strategies. For McKee in particular as the club’s president, he will now try to go into practices with a new tactic — using the pressure of being perfect as motivation. “Practices may be a little more tense because it is crucial to work on every little thing and try to remedy all mistakes,” McKee said. “With such little practice time, we will need to stay focused and take advantage of every minute we get.” Their postseason hopes may appear bleak, but UNT is not letting it get the better of them. Some players are even viewing the pressure as a way to help the team in the long run, and turning something negative into something positive. “The pressure is almost a good thing,” senior pitcher and utilities player Andrew Scott Alig said. “It keeps us on our toes always ready for what comes next.”

@sam_morrow14

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OPINION Page 10

THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017

NTDAILY.COM

The struggle of maintaining racial identity

By Victoria Falcon

Illustration by Antonio Mercado

As a requirement for my major, I have to take two semesters of Spanish. I didn’t have the confidence to test out of Spanish, but also didn’t feel it was necessary for me to take two semesters of it to begin with. Fortunately, I was able to find a happy medium, and I am currently taking a Review of Elementary Spanish course. This course isn’t for Spanish experts, but for those of us who have some experience in Spanish – whether it be in high school or through personal experiences. It’s reasonable for my knowledge on the language, but this middle ground is also metaphorical for how I feel about my Hispanic identity. I am stuck in between. No offense to my professor – she’s an angel – but some days, I feel so humiliated learning Spanish from a white woman. I should know more. I

feel like I know more. At the least, I know she will never understand what it is like to be Hispanic and have grown up in that culture, but then I also wonder if I even know. According to a study conducted last year by the Pew Research Center, 58 percent of immigrant Hispanics as well as 87 percent of U.S.born Hispanics say speaking Spanish isn’t a necessary component of Latino identity. Despite the statistics, I don’t know if I’ll ever feel enough. I grew up in San Antonio where about 63 percent of the population is Hispanic. Moreover, about 57.2 percent of San Antonio is specifically Mexican. Even though my family is from a Mexican background, I don’t feel allowed to call myself Mexican. First off, I wasn’t born in Mexico, and I also don’t look typically Mexican. Growing up I was always called “güera,” which is a Spanish slang term for white girls. That’s different from being called a “gringa,” which isn’t

nice either. In many HispanicAmerican homes, it goes one of two ways. Either your family teaches you Spanish because they don’t want you to lose your culture, or they enforce English because it is more advantageous in America. My mother was forced the latter, but is still f luent in Spanish. I never get a straight answer as to why my mom didn’t teach us, but I think it’s because she didn’t believe we needed it to identify with our culture. Everyone around us was Mexican. We lived in it, so we didn’t need to prove anything. I don’t think language is the most important aspect of living, but I do feel left out of the cultural connection that comes with it. I hate being able to only catch bits and pieces of my friend’s conversations in Spanish. I hate being confused in Spanish class. I hate not feeling a connection to white people as much as I do with Hispanics, but somehow still

feeling not enough. I hate not knowing whether my input is valuable on topics about Hispanic or minority issues. I had culture shock when I moved to Denton, but I got over it. People either assume I’m white, or they know I’m Hispanic. It just depends on what mannerisms of mine that come from each culture they pick up on first. My brother is significantly darker than me and still notes how uncomfortable he is when he visits me. Most of it is joking, but I do wonder what it feels like to be that visible in a room, because I have never known. I know I’ll always be safe, but I hurt for all the people I’ve met in my life who are illegally here. I’m not mad that I can’t feel their pain, and I know the privilege I have, but I wonder if I even have the right to ever speak for them. I eat tamales and menudo for the holidays, but I don’t celebrate Día de los Muertos or Cinco de Mayo. I believe in a God, but I’m not a faithful Catholic. I get made fun of for

the way I talk by Hispanics, but praised for my accent whenever I do speak any Spanish. I want my children to be bilingual, but I am not. I’ve always vouched for the right to define your Hispanic identity because it is such a large group of people, but still struggle to find my own personal definition. I know it is the variety and differences that make America’s fabric unique, so I truly hope one day I can feel conviction and comfort in my identity.

@falconista_

What should women wear, according to society?

By Gabriela Macias On Feb. 21, Marine Le Pen, the presidential candidate of the National Front – France’s far-right political party – was on a three-day trip to Lebanon. On the day she was scheduled to meet with the country’s top Sunni Muslim cleric, the meeting was canceled over a brief quarrel. The commotion began at the entrance when Le Pen was handed a white scarf by an aide to wear before addressing the clerk. After a quick discussion with his aides, she refused and walked back to her car. This incident got me questioning the role a woman’s appearance plays in the world stage. Although Le Pen has many

controversial stances, we will not be discussing her candidacy. Rather we will discuss the frequency in which men, and at times, society as a whole, subjugate women to only having interests in our physical appearances, and having the urge to tell women what to wear and how to wear it. This is not an isolated case or even representative of only one religion. As a matter of fact, we can go back in history to see the real source of controlling women’s clothing as way to maintain societal order. For example in ancient Sparta, as a society, they made the necessity of regulating female dress clear. In 4th century B.C.E., they appointed a group of magistrates to observe women’s actions. This group was entitled to control how much women spent on clothes and assure “proper attire” at religious festivals. They were designed to enforce a dress code to preserve the chastity of women. In Rome, a similar law was passed. It was the Lex Oppia,

which was established in 215 B.C.E. during the Second Punic War. Among its provisions, it stipulated how much gold a women could own, the dresses they could wear and even the way they should ride a horse. There is no lack of historical evidence that supports the idea that, throughout human history, women have been suppressed or that control over our clothing is a way to ensure power over us. Marine Le Pen, or any woman for that matter, deserves the same respect that would be given to a male counterpart. When we are asked to change the way we dress, you are asking us to compromise ourselves, and to accommodate society with our physical appearance. Situations with what we are wearing should be the least of society’s worries. Women are CEOs, doctors, engineers, prime ministers, presidents, judges, professors and mothers, each here to serve a purpose. We have been working for this and should not be belittled to the point of feeling like, every day, we are

encountering “the fashion police,” a cultural phenomenon which has made us women feel like our worth is only dependent on our looks. I’m not here to advocate in favor for or against any religion, but what I want to make clear is that what women wear should not be up for men to decide. Asking a women to wear a headscarf can be just as

Illustration by Antonio Mercado demeaning as demanding her to “take it off.” We are powerful, we are valuable, we have a voice and what we wear or not wear is our decision. Not men or

society. It is only ours to make because as Ayn Rand once said, “The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”

@Gaby_Mac22

What it’s like being a Trump supporter By Heather Reed Two weeks ago, a contributing writer to the North Texas Daily published a column about her experiences dating a Trump supporter. While it was an interesting look at how political views can impact our relationships, UNT students deserve a step further. Conservatives exist on this campus. There are students who identify as Republicans and those students, including myself, deserve to be understood as more than oddities that liberal girlfriends carry around in their pockets. The United States has always been great.

Democracy, equality and hard work are parts of the American experience that will never cease to exist. That’s easy for me to say though. I’m a white, middle class female who was privileged enough to grow up in a middle class home. I went to public schools and was

provided for by a loving family. I say this because it’s important to me, as a writer, to be honest about who I am and the background I have. I am a junior at UNT and consider myself a

Illustration by Samuel Wiggins

conservative Republican. I believe that hard work leads to success. I don’t believe that abortion is something to take casually. I respect the f lag and the lost lives that gave us the right to f ly it. I believe in the United States of America, but I know it is f lawed. We are f lawed. After the last presidential election, lots of opinions became amplified, from both the far left and far right. Politics is something that, for my generation, took a backseat for a majority of our lives until the election. No matter which side of the aisle you sat on, this was an important election. For a lot of us, it was the first presidential election we were allowed to vote in. Bernie Sanders appealed to millennials with his laid back demeanor, but his popularity went beyond that. The way Sanders spoke about people, and how he wanted to help them, was beautiful

and reminiscent of President Obama’s campaign speeches in 2008. In reality, however, the economics behind Sanders’ plans and hopes for free college tuition were faulty. Trump appealed to rural Americans and became the rallying point which conservatives stood by – whether or not we agreed with all of his political aspirations. Hillary Clinton ended up scoring the Democratic nomination and carried with her female voters of all ages. Being told that you’re less of a woman because you didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton is ridiculous. It’s hypocritical and rude, honestly. Yes, I am a female. Yes, I love my body and want to protect my rights, but those rights weren’t the only rights at risk of loss during the election. There were so many issues, so many parts of American life that were up for debate that every citizen prioritized differently, but being a woman who supports the Republican Party does not

make you less of a woman. Being a conservative doesn’t make you less of a person or less of a student on this campus. Your voice is just as loud as anyone else’s and you have every right to use it. America has been great over centuries, because of the young people who stood up for what they believed in. Presidents change, policies change and time goes on, but the spirit of America is one of diversity. It’s OK if you don’t agree with me – I don’t expect you to – but I want this campus to be open to all viewpoints. I want students to be able to have political discussions that involve both perspectives, and I hope my writing will start those conversations.

@heatherreed1111

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 11

Bannon, Trump and the ‘Nationalist Economic Agenda’

By Matthew Li On the conservative spectrum, there are moderate conservatives, such as Paul Ryan, and more right-leaning individuals, such as President Donald Trump. Most Republicans can be classified into these two groups, but there are some that don’t even fit on the spectrum and make diehard conservatives like Ronald Reagan seem like socialist Bernie Sanders. Steve Bannon deserves his own category and his own

special award for breaking the norms of George Washington and being a living embodiment of conservative extremism. He is the physical manifestation of all of the reasons why the conservative party is not taken as seriously as it once was, and his views only accentuate this problem. He is the one that whispers in Trump’s ear and commands his every move, and some would say that he does even more to influence public policy than all the other advisors combined. When reading the policies published by Trump, it is hard to distinguish when Bannon’s voice stops and Trump’s begins. All the policies that Trump have pushed are in line with Bannon’s stances, and his new “Nationalist Economic Agenda” also seems quite in line with Bannon’s viewpoints. In this agenda, Trump pushes for an “America First” prospect

that would protect America’s home-grown industries and defend against cheap Chinese and Mexican imports. By imposing tariffs and levies on imports, Trump and Bannon

hope to strengthen fledgling American industries and create jobs for the American people. On paper, this seems like a halfway decent plan, and in line with what Trump promised

Samuel Wiggins

during his campaign. However, the idea of an isolated America, cut off from the rest of the world, seems like the ideals that America espoused before World War II. The antiquated idea that a country can prosper without participating in international trade is one that the baby boomer generation embraced. Right now, in our day and age, globalism is the new hot topic, and every country in the world is actively taking a role to promote international trade. Trump’s plan, which includes putting the U.S. at odds with China and Mexico, would not contribute to the ongoing globalization that has been the characteristic of the 21st century. The continuing isolationism occurring in the White House also supports Trump’s immigration policies. With the recent immigration ban, the idea of halting the dissemination

Millennials will decide all future elections

By Harrison Long It would seem silly now to say that the 2016 election was historic in scope and outcome. Apart from the obvious, and the division that has come since, the United States is now faced with a future that would have seemed entirely alien only a year prior. But apart from the fervor, the hateful discourse and the uncertainty which now plagues our country, another shift has begun to take place: millennial voters

sound, as the latter dies off, and more who can engage in politics for the first time are able to turn their energy towards political schemes, a massive shift will inevitably take place. It will behoove anyone running for office to engage the vote of “the youth,” for it all but assures victory. Failure to do so will result in either one of two things: what we had in 2016, where a stomach-churning, abysmally large number of eligible voters stayed home, or an overwhelming landslide victory for those who heed the will of the new majority. This isn’t a threat, or even a promise it is an inevitability. The only problem, and potential criticism of this assertion, is that the latter has yet to happen.

are now nearly tied with, and will soon pass, baby boomers as the largest voting bloc in the United States. The former is currently at 69.2 million, the latter at 69.7 million in eligible voters. For a frame of reference, just over 65 million people voted for Hillary Clinton this past November. Trump? Just shy of 63 million. Why does this matter? It changes everything: the rhetoric politicians use to excite potential voters, the landscape of battleground states and most importantly, who it is that’s running for office. The implications here are enormous. For the sake of clarity, we will say that millennials are age 18-35, and baby boomers are age 52-70. As morose as it might

Who do millennials like? Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) was the only candidate who had a viable and measurable impact on the enthusiasm of millennial voters. This isn’t a begrudging fist-shake at “the establishment” or a longing for the days where a Bernie ticket seemed on the horizon – it’s reality. Hillary Clinton, though overwhelmingly preferred by millennial voters over her Republican counterpart, ultimately fell short in prodding young people to the polls in the same way Barack Obama did four and eight years before. Despite having won the popular vote, she ultimately lost her race to the White House because she was not who they felt was needed. Democrats need

a game plan that focuses on young people primarily, not as an afterthought. This is not a time of jubilee for Republicans, either. Polls show that 55 percent of young people who voted went Democrat, and eight percent voted for a third party candidate: this leaves the GOP with only 37 percent of what is very quickly becoming the largest voting bloc in the United States. It is time to take to the streets, not pop champagne. Believe me when I say that Democrats are furious, and sharpening their swords for a bloodbath in the midterms and 2020 election. Don’t be shortsighted in this victory, as millennials are lukewarm to Trump at best and would likely turn against him in droves if

of information and the stop of multiculturalism is evident in his nationalist agenda. Not only does he want to make sure that America stops trading with other countries, he is inadvertently stopping the flow of brain power into the United States. Keeping the U.S. out of the loop of the newest technological innovation that goes on in the world is surely not what Trump intended to do when he ran for president. His campaign policy to “make America great again” strived to increase American jobs, but by taxing imports from other countries, he is decreasing interest in American jobs. Day by day, Donald Trump strays further away from his goal of helping the American people and strays toward the illogical views of Steve Bannon.

@matthewli2000

Democrats fielded a Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren style of candidate. So what does all this add up to? Change. It doesn’t take an astrophysicist to see that the political landscape and the country at large are both changing. While these next few years are likely to be rife with tumultuous gridlock and party in-fighting, our country will ultimately emerge stronger. Millennials, it is time to think about what you want in political candidates. Unplug from Netf lix and get involved. Only you know your potential, and only you can gauge it into something tangible. The time has never been more fertile for grassroots political activism, and this is where the revolution begins.

@HarrisonGLong

Ashton Kutcher’s human trafficking awareness

By Bethany Wallace Approximately 100 fans, alumni and staff gather at a conference in Apogee Stadium. | File

Strengthening your alumni network

By Nate Jackson When you were deciding what college you should attend, what factors did you take into consideration? Academic programs? Location? Social atmosphere? Those are typically the characteristics of a university that high school seniors and junior college transfers are contemplating. While those things are worthy of being deliberated between, they are futile if the university’s alumni network isn’t up to par. An alumnus is defined as “a graduate or former student” of any school or academic institution. They play a vital role in the advancement of universities as a whole, and they are often the target of university fundraising efforts. According to the Council for Advancement and Support

of Education, “all alumni are fundraising prospects.” If the university properly keeps its alumni network current, alumni will be “the most likely group” to provide benefits to the school for years to come. This sense of gratitude derives from career success, as alumni are a big part of how a university accommodates students finding careers. A mutually beneficial relationship has to exist in order to keep advancing in all aspects. Institutions should continue implementing measures to improve alumni relations at all costs. “Good alumni relations,” as CASE puts it, “are essential to the fiscal growth of the university and are imperative to the dynamic college experience for students. When students make an effort to be involved with programs meant to promote their advancement, they consequently become ‘loyal lifelong supporters.’” In my experience, students have a cynical view about the years directly after they graduate from college. So it’s difficult for students to see themselves giving to a university that has imposed such a hardship on them. People are so distraught by the thought of having a significant amount of student loan debt, it’s difficult to

see what’s forthcoming. That burden and anxiety comes from students being unaware of the programs that their universities offer them. “The mission of the University of North Texas Alumni Association is to engage the institution’s 216,000 alumni,” according to their official website. This is a major upside to attending school here in Denton, because the bigger the number of alumni, the better the benefits are. The organization “offers educational, networking and affinity programming to alumni as well as discounts” to anyone who joins. It also provides members with scholarship opportunities. You can also get involved with the UNT Student Alumni Association, which aims to facilitate relationships with the alumni. The reason I find this such an important concept to master is because it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. The career outlook statistics and predictions don’t apply to you, as long as you construct meaningful relationships with people who can advocate for your success.

@_NateJackson11

“I am here to defend the right to pursue happiness” was one of Ashton Kutcher’s opening statements on Feb. 15, when he gave a compelling speech to the U.S. Senate against human trafficking. Kutcher, best known as Michael from “That ‘70s Show,” left an entire courtroom speechless after explaining the issues of human trafficking and how his foundation, Thorn, has made efforts to put a stop to it. With the help of Elisa Massimino, the president/chief executive officer of Human Rights First, Kutcher hopes to get funding from the Senate so Thorn can build better equipment to locate trafficking victims. Since the early 19th century, human trafficking has been an ongoing problem around the world. Victims are being stripped of their freedoms and become their own living nightmares as they are forced into slavery. Thorn was founded by Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore in 2009. It is an international antihuman trafficking organization dedicated to stopping child abuse and enslavement. It is also known for building some of the best technologies that can help find victims of trafficking and their perpetrators. With the help of their tech team, Thorn was able to build a system called Spotlight, which is designed to locate

human trafficking and has reduced investigation time by 60 percent, according to Thorn’s official website. Kutcher spoke about the different experiences he had since the beginning of Thorn. He has met victims in Russia, India, Mexico, New York and New Jersey. He has been on FBI raids, witnessing acts and seeing footage no person should ever have to be subjected to. Being the father of two children, he has witnessed terrible acts involving children no parent should ever have to see. Kutcher told two different stories of children who were victims of trafficking. The first was about a little girl in Cambodia who was sexually assaulted by a tourist and was so conditioned to her situation that she believed she was engaging in play. The second story was about a 15-year-old girl who was tricked by a man she met through human trafficking, but with the help of Thorn, she returned to her family three days later. Hearing the type of experience Kutcher has been through and witnessed

makes me worry for our humanity. But learning that there are people like Kutcher who fight for such matters still fills me with hope. I’m a person who likes to see results, and compared to other organizations, Thorn doesn’t just talk about lessening trafficking, they show you. Thorn is not your average anti-trafficking support group, as they work with special law enforcement and supply them with extremely skilled equipment to help diminish human trafficking. We may not be able to completely stop trafficking, but compared to how it used to be, we’re coming closer to a solution. It’s because of organizations like Thorn, the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Hope for Justice and the Polaris Project–which are all filled with people making a difference in society. We need to stop ignoring the problem our world faces because it might only get worse if nothing is done to stop it. We may not have the same beliefs or cultures, but we are all humans who seek the right to pursue happiness. I believe it can take one simple act to make a big difference. We should fight for our right, as well as the rights of other people, simply by standing up for someone who is being bullied, helping people who are or were victims of domestic abuse and speaking up for what’s right and against what is wrong. As Ashton Kutcher said at the end of his speech, “If you give people the right to pursue happiness, you may find happiness for yourself.” So let’s start fighting for happiness.

@wallace_bethany

Samuel Wiggins

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 12

Justice Democrats only support unjustified idealism

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a correct solution lies for everyone. The Justice Democrats should be less focused on splitting away and more about using Article V to create their own party. In doing so, it wouldn’t taint the Democratic Party any further, and they could use their brand of liberalism to discuss issues to the Democratic Party and inf luence beneficial reform. That way, everyone in either of these parties could help one another and foster a positive change in Washington, D.C as a whole. Making the Justice Democrats was certainly a poor choice, but it isn’t too late for them to rearrange their selfish objectives.

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could destroy the very thing they are trying to protect. For starters, Uygur and his team have inadvertently created their own Super PAC – the exact kind of organization they plan on banning. By ironically using “The Young Turks” as the coalition’s mouthpiece and main source of revenue, Uygur’s YouTube channel will have to rely on other likeminded organizations to fund their plot to seize control of the Democratic Party. Because logically, any organization needs proper funding to achieve success, and even the Justice Democrats support “strong unions,” which can directly appeal to any candidate’s wallet. Furthermore, the singular nature of splitting away from a party, just to supercede where it came from, isn’t the recipe for reform in the American system. It only creates more division, and a sure win for Republicans if the Democratic Party were to split. A f ledgling group trying to secede from another only increases the negative image of the party as a whole. Uygur’s group isn’t just separatist, but they also f launt the type of liberal idealism that Republicans often criticize Democrats for. It doesn’t help that Hillary Clinton continues to act like a sore loser, tweeting to President Trump this week about what he should be doing to fix problems and offering no solutions. Although Bernie Sanders was quick to rail on Trump for his first Address to the Nation – encouraging his own supporters to “continue the fight” against excessive military spending and the lack of climate change solutions – he’s still one man in a party that’s nowhere near as vocal as its rivals. The Justice Democrats aspire to have a convention for Article V of the Constitution, which calls for the alteration of the Constitution through the ratification of amendments. While their reasons for a convention are implausible, holding a convention is where

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responsible” for the party’s current division. This reasoning comes from the betrayal of Bernie Sanders at the Democratic National Convention this past summer, who was not chosen for the candidacy in favor of Hillary Clinton. They believe this decision was fueled by Super PAC donors to the party, who they think “should be banned” with a “constitutional amendment.” According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Super PACs are “relatively new” kinds of political action committees, able to “raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, associations and individuals” and spend those sums to “advocate for or against” candidates. Last year alone, Super PACs made total independent expenditures of $1,104,481,008 – according to data reported on Feb. 26. In addition to their plans to ban this trend, Justice Democrats also want to “reregulate Wall Street,” rectif y the economic system for the middle class benefits, make universal healthcare a mainstay and deplete poverty by “making minimum wage a living one.” While we support the idea of the opposition party experiencing reform – as the past few months since the election have been one media circus after another – the idea of liberals having their own Tea Party is far from a good thing. It

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On Jan. 23, Cenk Uygur of “The Young Turks,” Kyle Kulinski of “Secular Talk” and former Bernie Sanders staffers Zack Exley and Saikat Chakrabarti founded the Justice Democrats. The movement is their attempt at a progressive, left-wing “take over [of ] Congress” in 2018, which mirrors the right-wing Tea Party movement. According to “The Young Turks,” the YouTube podcast which announced the coalition, their purpose is “to support and advance policy platforms that have stalled within the Democratic Party.” They have stated that their candidates “will not be funded by corporate donors,” but “by the people.” On the day of the announcement, Uygur expressed his belief that all Democratic victories were “made possible by strong progressives.” He said that, as of late, “Democrats haven’t lined up with the party’s ideals” and that their loss in the recent presidential election was caused by a “hostile takeover” from multinational corporations. In Uygur and Kulinski’s version of the Justice Democrats’ platform, the coalition says that “the corporate, establishment wing of the [Democratic Party] is

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