Nubian Message Sept. 28, 2023, "Come Through"

NUBIANMESSAGE

THIS ISSUE Letter from the editor

Howdy y’all,

Fall is officially here! I’m ready for sweaters, Halloween, candles, tea and overall coziness. I’m going to be spending my fall watching my favorite shows, hitting the library and of course, reading Nubian!

We’ll get back to this issue later. But, what is going on right now? I feel like we’re stuck in this weird limbo of one step forward two steps back. How can I enjoy my academic girl autumn in these conditions? Is it better to be informed and stressed or ignorant and happy? Is it really that black & white?

Anyways, back to the issue. We’re bringing you the news about the Internet Archive and the Earthquake in Morocco. You know we have to put a spotlight on strong women as we have features on Coco Gauff and Sanskriti Deva. And in our conversation starting section, we have things ranging from the fashion industry (and all the cruelty within it) to the Kutcher Kunis scandal. That’s not all we have though! But if you want to know more, you have to read this whole issue.

Enjoy this almost sweater weather, Milan

5 LATINX HERITAGE MONTH

NC State begins its celebration of Latinx Heritage Month

6 GALLERY

Life at NC State

8 WOMEN IN STEM

Youngest Member of the United Nations

9 FAST FASHION

A conversation about fast fashion plaguing haute couture

314 Witherspoon Student Center, NCSU Campus Box 7318, Raleigh, NC 27695 office 919-515-1468

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Editor-in-Chief

Milan Hall nubian-editor@ncsu.edu

Kaela Belingon

Austin Modlin

Nadia Hargett

Micah Oliphant

Eleanor Saunders

Alianna Kendall-Brooks

Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of Nubian Message:

Harris Jeanine Ikekhua nubian-managingeditor@ncsu.edu

Shaere Delgiudice

Abigail

Editor

Rebecca Hernández

Dr. Yosef ben-Yochannan, Dr. John Henrik Clark, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, The Black Panther Party, Mumia A. Jamal, Geronimo Pratt, Tony Williamson, Dr. Lawrence Clark, Dr. Augustus McIver Witherspoon, Dr. Wandra P. Hill, Mr. Kyran Anderson, Dr. Lathan Turner, Dr. M. Iyailu Moses, Dokta Toni Thorpe and all those who accompany us as we are still on the journey to true consciousness.

The Sentinel of the African-American Community at N.C. State Since 1992.

cover photo BY Jeremy Byrne/Staff Photographer

Redshirt junior running back Delbert Mimms celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the game against VMI in Carter-Finley Stadium on Sept. 16, 2023. Mimms scored two touchdowns and had 35 rushing yards during the game. NC State beat VMI 45-7.

Carmella Holloway Correspondent

Coco Gauff: A Rising Tennis Star Internet Archive Appeals Lawsuit

Internet Archive has recently taken significant legal action for an appeal in their loss against major publishing houses Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Wiley and Penguin Random House. The case is centered on digital lending, a controversial issue in the world of copyright and digital media access.

Internet Archive is a nonprofit organization founded with the mission of providing “Universal Access To All Knowledge.” They aim to provide free access to media resources for researchers, people with disabilities, historians and the general public. For over 26 years, this organization has been building an expansive public digital library, preserving websites and archiving cultural artifacts. One of its main focuses is the digitization of books and working to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to access these resources. As of now, their library contains over 41 million books and texts to view online.

In 2020, the library established the National Emergency Library, a temporary collection of thousands of digitized books created to aid individuals who lost access to libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Emergency Library allowed multiple copies of an e-book to be lent out simultaneously. This differed from their typical digital lending practices, which only permits ebooks to be available to one borrower at a time.

The publishing houses accused the National Emergency Library of “willful mass copyright infringement” due to its mass lending and distribution of copyrighted works. They said Internet Archive’s Emergency Library “grossly exceed[ed] legitimate library services” and “constitute willful digital piracy on an industrial scale.” The houses complained that the library disrupts the publishing ecosystem by providing copyrighted works for free, causing a loss of revenue for authors, publishers and bookstores.

In its defense, the Internet Archive says the National Emergency Library is legally permitted to distribute copyrighted works as it follows the model of Controlled Digital Lending (CDL). Through CDL, libraries are able to lend copyrighted material to borrowers under the condition that they maintain an “owned-to-loaned” ratio. This means that libraries must ensure

that the number of copies of a title being lent out is equivalent to the number of copies they own.

Under the National Emergency Library, Internet Archive was circulating more copies of a book than it owned. The organization says the amount of books they lent was increased to “address the suddenly and temporarily uncirculating books locked up in closed libraries.”

In March 2023, U.S. District Court Judge John G. Koeltl ruled in favor of the houses, concluding that Internet Archive lacks any valid legal defense to justify the mass distribution of copyrighted content. In favor of Internet Archive, Koeltl stated that the order only affects books that the publishers distribute in electronic format and not the publishers’ full in-print catalog.

The ruling primarily affects the organization’s book lending program and does not significantly affect its other services. This means the Internet Archive retains the legal right to digitize books for preservation purposes. They may also continue the services they provide through the digitized collections, including interlibrary loans, citation linking, purchasing ebooks, access for disabled individuals, text and data mining and donation of books. While the ruling may restrict certain aspects of Internet Archive, its overall mission and services remain unaffected.

The archive submitted an appeal to the ruling in Sept. 2023. The organization expressed that it believed the court had made errors in its decision and that the National Emergency Library’s practices were lawful. They argued that the decision made by the court “holds back access to information in the digital age” and impacts libraries, authors and readers worldwide. Internet Archive say that fighting this decision will be integral to the survival of library collections in the digital age.

Brewster Kahle, the founder of Internet Archive, emphasized the significance of this ruling and the vitality of libraries in the modern age, stating, “Libraries are more than the customer service departments for corporate database products. For democracy to thrive at global scale, libraries must be able to sustain their historic role in society—owning, preserving, and lending books. This ruling is a blow for libraries, readers, and authors and we plan to appeal it.”

Richmond Correspondent

In the world of professional tennis, where fierce competition and unrelenting pressure are the norm, there shines a young star. At just 19 years old, Coco Gauff has been making waves in the tennis world with her outstanding achievements and her ability to stay grounded despite her rapid rise to fame. Her story bears striking similarities to some of the sport's greatest predecessors who paved the way for her success.

Gauff's journey to tennis stardom is nothing short of extraordinary. Born on March 13, 2004, in Delray Beach, Florida, Gauff showed immense promise from an early age. She began playing tennis at the age of 7 and quickly gained attention for her natural talent and dedication to the sport. Her breakthrough moment came in 2019 when, at just 15 years old, she became the youngest player to qualify for the main draw at Wimbledon in the Open Era.

Gauff's performance at Wimbledon 2019 was inspiring. She defeated her idol and five-time Wimbledon champion, Venus Williams, in the first round, making headlines around the world. This victory catapulted her into the limelight, and she went on to reach the fourth round of the tournament, showcasing her extraordinary potential.

Since that remarkable Wimbledon debut, Gauff has continued to rise. She has won multiple WTA titles, including the prestigious Linz Open in 2019 and the Emilia-Romagna Open in 2021. Her ranking is continuously improving, and she has consistently been in the top 30 players in the world. Gauff's powerful and versatile game, marked by her aggressive baseline play and exceptional court coverage, has earned her a reputation as one of the most promising young talents in the sport.

Tennis World USA reported that "Gauff replaced her good friend Jessica Pegula as the highest-ranked American female tennis player," and Forbes noted that "Gauff's triumphant journey saw a record high for a women's Grand Slam final on ESPN, exceeding the viewership for the men's final by over a million viewers."

Gauff, herself, has spoken about the pressures and expectations placed on her at such a young age saying, "I felt that at 15 I had to win a slam at 15. I remember

I lost when I was 17 and there was a stat, they were like, ‘Oh, she's not going to win a slam before Serena's age.’ It was stuff like that that I felt like I had a time limit on when I should win one, and if I won one after a certain age, it wouldn't be an achievement."

One of the most remarkable aspects of Gauff's journey is her humility in the face of immense success and attention. In a sport where confidence and self-belief are crucial, Gauff manages to strike a perfect balance between self-assuredness on the court and modesty off it. Her interviews and interactions with fans and fellow players are marked by a genuine and down-to-earth demeanor, earning her admiration and respect from all quarters.

Coco Gauff's remarkable journey in the spotlight draws parallels with some of the tennis legends who have come before her. Tennis history is filled with stories of players who achieved greatness on the court and carried themselves with grace and humility.

One of the most iconic figures in tennis history, Serena Williams, whom Gauff has cited as one of her inspirations, has not only shattered records but also used her platform to champion important social causes.

Arthur Ashe, the first African American male player to win a Grand Slam title, is remembered not only for his tennis prowess but also for his activism and humanitarian work. Ashe's legacy extends far beyond the tennis court, serving as an inspiration to generations of athletes who strive to make a positive impact on the world.

In many ways, Gauff's journey embodies the spirit of these tennis legends. Like Serena Williams and Arthur Ash, she aspires to drive positive change in society. Similarly, Gauff is breaking barriers and inspiring a new generation of athletes.

Coco Gauff's remarkable achievements in tennis at such a young age stand as a testament to her extraordinary talent and unwavering commitment to the sport. In her own words, "One of my biggest dreams is to win a gold medal," propelling her toward future Olympic aspirations. As we eagerly await Gauff's upcoming endeavors, anticipation mounts for what lies ahead in her promising career.

Senait

The Marrakech-Safi Earthquake

On Sept. 8, 2023, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Morocco. So far, over 2,800 people have lost their lives, more than 2,500 have been injured and at least 380,000 people have been affected by the earthquake. Out of the estimated 380,000 people affected, 100,000 are estimated to be children. The destruction caused by the Marrakech-Safi Earthquake has made it one of Morocco's most catastrophic earthquakes.

Eleanor saunders Staff Writer

The earthquake affected multiple areas within Morocco, with the tremors being felt all the way in Spain and Portugal. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Atlas Mountains. The Atlas Mountains are home to many tiny villages, where most of the earthquake’s damage occurred.

Other areas affected by the earthquake include Morocco’s fourth biggest city and major tourist destination, Marrakech, Agadir and Essaouira. Agadir and Essaouira only experienced “minor damage to buildings.” Casablanca and Rabat were also affected.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), “an earthquake is what happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another.”

These two blocks are called tectonic plates and the edges of these plates are the plate boundaries. Along the plate boundaries are the fault lines. This is where the earthquake takes place. The edges of the plates are rough, causing the plates to stick together. When an earthquake takes place, these edges slip violently, changing the surface of the Earth.

According to the Center of Disaster

Philanthropy (CDP), the Marrakech-Safi Earthquake occurred on the African Plate, which the New York Times says is “about 340 miles south of the African-Eurasian plate boundary, which is seismically active.”

An earthquake is measured by an instrument called a seismograph. The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) says “A seismograph produces a digital graphic recording of the ground motion caused by the seismic waves… A network of worldwide seismographs detect and measure the strength and duration of the earthquake’s waves.” The seismograph helps researchers and scientists categorize earthquakes into six magnitude classes.

These classes are described as minor, light, moderate, strong, major and great earthquakes. The Morocco Earthquake has been classified as a strong earthquake.

The Marrakech-Safi Earthquake has devastated thousands of people. Professor Mervyn Kowalsky, an earthquake expert and Engineering Professor at NC State said, “earthquakes of this size are not common in Morocco, and when combined with the construction used in the area (unreinforced masonry and adobe systems), the result can be what we have sadly seen in the last weeks.” Adobe is “made of mud earth bricks and stone…has excellent thermal properties…but when crushes, it becomes like soil and powder, filling in all the spaces, so there are no air pockets for people to survive.”

This magnitude 6.8 earthquake is one of the strongest earthquakes to hit Morocco in 120 years. The last earthquake to hit Morocco occurred in 1960 with a magnitude of 5.8. This 1960 earthquake resulted in more deaths than the most recent earthquake, which has 12,000 recorded deaths, according to The New York Times.

According to Independent, the “powerful tremor occurred at hard to reach mountainous areas of the country.” The

mountainous areas included tiny villages and small tourist attractions. One of the tiny villages that were hit the hardest by the Marrakesh-Safi earthquake was Imi N’Tala. This village was “renowned among tourists and trekkers who ventured to the remote region for its natural beauty and a dose of Berber culture.”

The cliff that was hanging over the village fell onto the village, burying houses and small businesses. Civil protection and rescue workers are still struggling to find people from under all the debris.

The once “safe and generous village” is now described as having no life. In reference to the village, Dutch rescue worker, Saad Attia, said “you can smell the death here… Bodies were deep below the rocks, debris and soil.” Rescue workers are working tirelessly to retrieve the bodies under intense heat.

Like the Imi N’Tala village, other villages were also hard to reach because of how nestled they are in the Atlas Mountains. A mountain pass, called the Tizi N’Test, is one of the only ways to reach some of the villages, according to the New York Times. This pass “bends impossibly around cliff edges, expands and pinches uncomfortably to a single fragile track and creeps under jagged rocky outcrops.” It took a while for

rescue workers and construction crews to clear this path, causing some villagers to feel forgotten.

Six days after the initial quake, villagers in Azermoun, Morocco, a very isolated area, “were still living in makeshift tents and relying on donkeys to bring vital supplies…as they waited for state aid to reach them,” according to Reuters. This village was surviving off of “donations left on roadsides by citizens.”

Not only were villages destroyed, so were many “cultural heritage and historical sites.” A 12th-century mosque in the village of Tinmel was flattened by the earthquake. This is just one example of how this earthquake has destroyed important cultural sites. The mosque was built in 1148 to commemorate Ibn Tumart. Tumart was a “muslim reformist who advocated for greater accessibility and clarity in Islamic law and scripture.” The mosque now lies in ruins, 900 years of Moroccan Islamic tradition gone.

Many citizens are worried about aftershocks, which can make it more difficult to rescue and reach people. “Hundreds of aftershocks have been recorded, with the highest being a 5.9 quake,” according to the CDP. “One in 20 earthquakes are followed by a similar-sized or larger aftershocks within the first week,” according to USGS.

With aftershocks being a constant threat, rescuers and citizens understand the urgency of rescuing people under the rubble. Many organizations have reached out to Moroccan cities and villages in need including Rescuers Without Borders.

However, many of these organizations have to wait on the Moroccan government to reach out for help, according to CBS News. Because of this, villager Salah Ancheu said, “It’s a catastrophe. We don’t know what the future is. The aid remains insufficient.”

Image from creative commons

Photo of Marrakech-Safi

Not only were villages destroyed, so were many 'cultural heritage and historical sites.' ”

Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff

ross emelle Correspondent

The first official event for North Carolina State University's Latinx Heritage Month celebration was headlined by a tabling event for Latinx organizations on Sept. 15 at Talley Student Union. At around 11:50 a.m., “25/8” by Bad Bunny started playing over the speakers. Students began the event by dancing to music and waving around hand flags as they continued setting up their tables. Even though the event hadn’t started, its purpose immediately became clear. This was more than a tabling event. This was a celebration of Latinx culture.

Organizations at the event included Sube Ritmo, the Mexican American Student Association (MASA), Mi Familia, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), the NC State Spanish Department, the Lambda Theta Phi Fraternity, Inc. and the Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc.

Organizations filled their tables with flags, poster boards and occasionally freebies. The organizations offered information about themselves to students who requested it, as well as pamphlets.

Lizbeth Sarabia, the President of MASA, spoke about their experience at the event. “So people would just come up to us and ask about what our organization stands for. We basically just let them know. We also invited them to our upcoming events and stuff,” they said.

Some organizations held fundraising events. For example, MASA sold food in the form of fruit and chicharrónes to students for $4 and $2, respectively. Mi Familia did something similar, selling Jarritos and Tamarindo sticks. SHPE also fundraised and sold raffle tickets, which will be drawn on Oct. 11.

The event drew many students including Ian Fox, a third-year Business student, Raiden Castro, a first-year Computer Engineering student and Antonio Jaquez, a first-year Agriculture Business Management student. All three of them attended the event together and spoke about their experience.

“I’m Hispanic, my parents are from Mexico, so I think hearing the music kind of caught my attention,” Fox said. The upbeat music, which played throughout Talley, highlighted several Latinx artists, including Kali Uchis, Bad Bunny and Jowell & Randy.

They were, also, drawn in by the food sold at the event, “We found a booth with some food, and some fruit, and then some spicy sauce,” Fox said. “We stopped to eat, we were talking and hanging out there.” They certainly weren’t the only students who bought food at the event. It felt like most students at the event were holding Jarritos or eating something from one of the tables.

The food sales aren’t just anecdotal, however. Dayana Gutierrez, a third-year student studying anthropology, helped run the table for Mi Familia, an organization that runs a forum focusing on the Latinx community. Dayana spoke about their experience selling food at the event. “The event went really well. Just with what we were fundraising, we were able to sell almost all of it.” she said.

Despite the purpose of the event being sharing information, the event was full of moments with students having fun and celebrating Latinx culture. As students danced, waved flags or just laughed together, it appeared everyone had a smile on their face.

Castro, also, spoke about the atmosphere of the event, saying, “Yeah I think it's fun like not only the music, people are actually like dancing to it and you’re watching them have fun, it’s a good vibe.”

Outside of just having fun, the event brought awareness to Latinx Heritage Month. Gutierrez said, “This event is important because it was during the first day of Latin Heritage Month. So it really helped with bringing awareness, bringing, I guess, a community together, for especially the Latinx students at State.”

Gutierrez continued speaking about bringing awareness to Latinx organizations, saying, “We're really trying to get out there just so people know more about us and we can help them get in touch with the other orgs too, especially the other Latinx orgs so that they know and can get more involved on campus and kind of help other people find their communities as well, even if they're not in our club specifically.”

Sarabia echoed these sentiments, saying, “We would like for there to be, you know, more events regarding our cultures and

everything. We want people to basically be open-minded and know that there is a Hispanic community on campus and that we just want the support from others.”

Fox also spoke about the importance of visibility at the event, saying, “I loved it, you know I’m Hispanic, I love to see that our Hispanic culture is being portrayed and shown to everybody.”

While the event celebrated members of the Latinx community, Sarabia emphasized the event was for everyone. “Yes, this is Hispanic Heritage Month, but it's not Hispanic Heritage month without other people celebrating with us, for us,” Sarabia said.

Gutierrez echoed this idea, saying, “The club, I think it's just really big on trying to spread awareness. And just like informing others of, like, Hispanic and Latinx culture and you know like we're inclusive to everybody it's not just Hispanic or Latinx students.”

Throughout the event, students could learn about Latinx culture, regardless of their race or ethnicity. The food, pamphlets, flags, information and just the event's location, which was right at the front entrance of Talley, drew a diverse crowd of students to the tables.

“Having it in Talley was really nice and I think just having people walk by and ask questions,” Gutierrez said. “I know I talked a lot when I was talking to people. I was like they didn't know much about the club so it was good to just kind of let them know.”

The tabling event officially wrapped up around 2 p.m., with some tables starting to pack up a bit earlier. In addition to the tabling, students were also attended a flag-making event in the Women’s Center, where they were able to paint canvas flags to represent their home country, themselves or anything else they wanted.

On that same day, a cookout was held at Tucker-Owen beach from 6-8 pm for Latinx Heritage Month. More events are planned for the month, and a schedule of those events can be found on the NC State website. Latinx Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. You can visit the NC State Get Involved website to learn more about the organizations mentioned in this article.

Aleksandra Senyukova/ Staff Photographer Eduardo Sanchez (left), a second-year studying Mechanical engineering, Liz Sarabia (center), a third-year studying Criminology and Political science and Joey Guevara (right), a second year studying Computer engineering, pose for a photo at the Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff in Talley Student Union on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.

Life at state

Versace Prew/ Staff Photographer (Right) Zion Pittman, a third-year studying Fashion and textile management, stretches at the KOre and More event on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023 in the African American Cultural Center. The Kappa Omicron Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. perfomed and spoke about the benefits of yoga.

Kaela Belingon/ Photo Editor Amira Virgil, gamer and social media influencer, answers questions from the audience at the Making Space event in the D.H. Hill Jr. Library on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Virgil spoke about diversity in the online game The Sims and hosted a workshop on creating custom content for the game.

Aleksandra Senyukova/ Staff Photographer Daniela Deleon (left), a third-year studying Computer science, spins Natalia Melendez (right), a second-year studying Animal science, at the Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff in Talley Student Union on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. Deleon was one of the representatives of Sube Ritmo, the only Latin dance club at NC State.

Aleksandra Senyukova/ Staff Photographer Karla Velasquez, a second-year studying Business administration, holds up a bottle of Jarritos at the Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff in Talley Student Union on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. Latinx Heritage Month Kickoff was an event that allowed students to connect with the different Latinx organizations on campus.

Coming of age

playlist by Nubian Message Staff

Here are a few songs for coming of age and having fun

Pasadena Tinashe ft. buddy

I'm ready tevin campbell

3 nights Dominic Fike the latest DC, emil

lowkey kari faux

wetin

Yarden

Glosson and Foust Furniture Store, Burlington, circa 1910.

Courtesy Michael A. Ausbon

designers: uncanceled Women in STEM & the UN

TW: mentions of sexual assault

alianna Kendall-brooks Staff Writer

Perhaps you've crossed paths with her while walking along Hillsborough Street, sat beside her on the bus or quickly slid past her desk in class. Meet Sanskriti Deva, the youngest council member of the United Nations National Council, who, just like you and me, is a student at NC State.

Deva, a fourth-year computer engineering student, started her journey in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. Her family values helped shape her into the change-maker she is today.

“My family never really put pressure on me to achieve anything externally, instead they always taught me to prioritize myself and focus on internal values. They told me you come into this world alone and you also leave alone, so make sure the legacy you leave behind is wonderful and helps others. I want to leave the world better than I found it, even if it's just for one person, that's why I do everything.”

Deva’s passion for making the world a better place began at her underserved high school. She recognized how achievementbased funding was perpetuating the systemic underfunding of Charlotte Mecklenburg High School and opposed these policies. Upon transferring to the North Carolina School of Science and Math, she felt unfulfilled and searched for new ways to make an impact. This yearning for change motivated Deva to establish a chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA at her new school, with the mission of supporting the UN through its Sustainable Development Goals.

So, how does one go from leading a high school club to becoming an elected member of the UN National Council? Deva credits this remarkable achievement to a chance encounter and unwavering passion.

“I got really involved and one day a staff member from the UN came to give a speech on UN Day. She suggested that I run for the National Council because there was an opening in our district.”

In a state of confusion and self-doubt, Deva questioned if she was qualified to serve as a council member of the United Nations.

“I thought, absolutely not, I’m a seventeen-year-old kid. She told me ‘if you run, you will be the youngest person ever to run and that's powerful because even if

you don't win, you’ll motivate other people to do the same.’ I thought about it and I was like you know what, I believe in failing forward. So, I decided to take the chance and I ended up winning.”

Failing forward. This principle has led Sankrititi Deva to become the youngest elected member of the United Nations Association’s National Council. Re-elected in 2023, Deva represents seven states in the Southeast region and focuses her policy efforts on promoting diversity, women's rights and human rights. Deva's remarkable achievements have left many of us college students wondering how she still finds time for her academic pursuits at NC State.

“I always go back to my why I’m doing something. I’m President of the Quantum Computing club, President of Women in Electrical Computer Engineering, and Vice President of Corporate Communication for the Society of Women Engineers. I think student organizations are the most underrated way to make an impact, but my most fulfilling work has been through them. It can be overwhelming, but I always go back to my why.”

What is Deva’s why? As a woman of color in STEM, Deva finds passion in creating inclusive spaces on campus.

“There was a moment that really changed my point of view when I was in an introductory engineering class. This girl raised her hand, she was asking questions and I felt so reassured. That experience motivated me to take up space unapologetically. I want to be that girl for someone else.”

To all those students with niche interests, Deva can relate. Her passions for quantum computing, social justice and activism may seem unconventional, but they allowed her to create unique spaces for change at NC State and the United Nations.

“If you can't find the community for your interests, it's time for you to start that community. People will come to you if you put yourself out there.”

NC State is full of brilliant minds and world-changing ideas. The person beside you in class could be a member of the United Nations or a future Nobel Prize winner. In the words of our fellow student Sanskriti Deva, let us embrace community and the spirit of failing forward.

As viewers around the world watch the latest designs parade down the runway and see their favorite celebrities attending the shows, they might notice something interesting.

Although there have been debates in recent years over what actions are truly “cancellable,” I believe most people would agree that those with sexual assault allegations and those who have shown themselves time and time again to be racist and hurtful, should be “canceled.” Runway watchers may notice that despite the previously stated controversies, Alexander Wang and Dolce & Gabbana, respectively, are still thriving, with many celebrities both watching and walking for their shows.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, the designers behind Dolce & Gabbana, have almost more controversies than can fit into one article. One controversy is their use of Blackamoor imagery, an artistic “style” which portrays caricatures of Black people, on their designs including earrings and dresses, whilst having no Black models in the same show. Another is they opposed gay adoptions and said, “The only family is the traditional one.” Gabbana also unpromptedly called Selena Gomez “so ugly.” The brand also named one of their luxury shoes the “slave sandal.” They once again had a race controversy following their release of a Chinese advertisement showing a woman struggling to eat Italian food with chopsticks, which many Chinese people found insulting. Following that 2018 controversy, the duo did receive some blowback, including having their Shanghai show canceled. and their brand pulled from many Chinese retailers.

Despite their multiple “cancelable” actions, it would appear D&G can’t be kept down. In the time since these various events, their designs have been “featured in Harper’s Bazaar,” “showcased, repeatedly, in Elle” and on covers for both Vogue and InStyle.

Kim Kardashian had a collaborative collection with the brand. Kourtney Kardashian’s highly-covered Italian wedding to Travis Barker was even held at the Dolce & Gabbana estate, with the entire family all wearing multiple looks from the brand throughout.

With the latest Fashion Week, Dolce & Gabbana had top models on their runway, including Naomi Campbell, Irina Shayk, Imaan Hammam and Ashley Graham. They had stars Halle Bailey and Kylie Jenner on their front row as well.

Dolce & Gabbana are not the only designers seemingly unaffected by their own cancellation. In 2020, models came forward with allegations of sexual assault against designer Alexander Wang, which Wang denied. However, outside of the fashion industry, in recent years, an allegation alone is enough to suspend a career. Wang held a Los Angeles comeback show a year and a half after the allegations and continued on after that. With Vogue’s Editor In Chief, Anna Wintour, sitting front row for his latest shows, and Gabriette and Julia Fox walking in his show. Culture and fashion writer Daniel W. Rodgers said, “Those who would like to blacklist Wang... simply don’t have the power to do so.”

Ignoring controversial actions and remarks is not new for the fashion industry. As Fashion Magazine writer Natalie Mitchie pointed out, despite a history of “racist remarks and fatphobic rhetoric,” the late Chanel Designer Karl Lagerfeld was still “honored at the 2023 Met Gala.” Designer John Galliano, now of Maison Margiela, even got hit with a fine for hurling “racist and antisemitic rants” at patrons in a bar and continued to get promotions as a creative director in the industry.

Some actions and comments can be worked through and eventually forgiven as people are bound to make mistakes. However, while other industries seem to be swift with their consequences, the fashion industry seems to hold strong to its familiar faces.

With a general societal movement towards taking allegations and harmful comments more seriously, one would think that an industry with a reputation for being non-diverse in both race and body type, and treating its workers without any care, would draw the line at some point. However, the fashion industry seems to be carving its own path. Allowing those with continued patterns of being deeply hurtful and offensive, whilst also remaining unapologetic, to continue to bask in the glories of success. It is hard to accept that an industry wants to move to be kinder when it lifts up the least kind individuals simply because of profit or connections.

shaere delgiudice Staff Writer

Stay in Your Fashion House

Naomi Campbell, iconic supermodel and fashion mogul, announced her collaboration with PrettyLittleThing in July of this year via an Instagram post. The post showed a director’s chair that read “PrettyLittleThing

Designed by Naomi Campbell” on the slat with the post description “PrettyLittleThing

Designed by Naomi Campbell. Coming soon.” The news left many fans of Campbell gagged, to say the least.

Naomi Campbell is a fashion model most notable for being the first black woman on the cover of Time Magazine and Vogue France. According to Empire, Campbell was "one of six models of her generation declared supermodels by the fashion world.” Campbell’s presence and influence on fashion continues to be a spectacle as she shares her status to “advocate for diversity and encourage identity, representation and community within the industry and fashion” according to CULTURS. Campbell’s legacy will go down in the books as one of the most famous and influential models of her time. It came as no surprise that Naomi decided to continue working within the industry. The shocker came when she collaborated with the notable fast-fashion brand, PrettyLittleThing.

PrettyLittleThing is a UK-based fashion brand that is famous for its accurate adaptations and fast production of the latest trends and styles. Like every other fast-fashion brand, PrettyLittleThing has its fair share of controversies. Despite the brand being a hub for affordable clothes for women and fems of all shapes and sizes, its methods of production and reputation within the industry are not as pretty as they may seem to be. PrettyLittleThing does not use lower-impact materials and there has been no evidence of them using safer chemicals within manufacturing or practicing waste reduction activities within their brand.

PrettyLittleThing is another example of a disposable fashion brand that creates clothes that are often worn only a few times and then thrown away, as their quality products are not long-lasting like other competitors. All this and more can be read on Good On You, a website that rates

brand's sustainability efforts.

There is also evidence of PrettyLittleThing mistreating their workers to the point where they were accused of “modern-day slavery” back in July 2020, according to Wear-Next. XR Fashion Action states that “PrettyLittleThing and their parent company, the Boohoo family, have been under fire for the exploitation of workers in their supply chains, most they were linked to a dark factory in Leicester where garment workers were being paid £3 and forced to work during COVID-19 lockdowns.” PrettyLittleThing’s unethical methods and embarrassingly bad quality of clothes have given the brand and tarnished reputation. What did Campbell even see in them?

According to The Guardian, “in an interview with W Magazine, her [Naomi's] main motivation to team up with PrettyLittleThing was the opportunity to champion emerging talent: ‘If I can get them on the platform, and get the light shone on them, and give them a helping hand in their career … that makes me happy.’ In a subsequent interview with the Daily Mail, she said that another factor that led to the collaboration was a desire to design her clothes.” Campbell truly is always giving back, with herself stating that the collaboration with PrettyLittleThing is nothing short of a charity case.

Campbell’s collaboration with PrettyLittleThing is bewildering to me. Campbell is truly a force to be reckoned with within the fashion industry. She has opened doors for women of color, more notably dark-skinned women of color, within the fashion industry. Naomi Campbell’s name rings bells within the industry and she truly could have any house at the palms of her hands with just one phone call. So, to go from being the woman who closed Gianni Versace’s last haute couture show in 1997 to the director of a collaboration with a notably corrupt brand and designing clothes, like a body suit for £12, is unfathomable and a complete disservice to her reputation, name and brand within fashion.

The Naomi Cambell x PrettyLittleThing collaboration brings up another crucial topic within the industry involving high-fashion names/houses collaborating with brands, not of the same status.

H&M is another fast-fashion brand that prides itself on providing the best clothes at an affordable price with sustainable practices. Often found within malls, H&M

is seen as an easy go-to for closet basics and other simple fashion needs. You can imagine how perplexed many were when H&M released their collab with Mugler this past February.

Mugler is one of the most quintessential high-fashion brands within the industry. Making his mark with his eclectic, avant-garde designs, retro-futuristic garments and riveting takes on women’s fashion, the late Thierry Mugler is easily one of the most impactful designers of his time. Mugler's collaboration with H&M unfortunately could not hold up to the brand’s stature. Varsity states, “Much of the backlash against this collaboration has been rooted in concern for its impact on Mugler’s image, but it has been painfully obvious for a while now that the Mugler of today is a mere shell of what it used to be.”

Mugler’s fascinating perception of womanhood was a sight for sore eyes. Mugler’s inclusivity on the runway revolutionized diversity in fashion and was pivotal when fashion was starting to turn into a minimalistic hellscape. It’s disappointing to see its name be associated with a brand that marketed a product with a black child in a sweatshirt that had “COOLEST MONKEY IN THE JUNGLE” posted on the front.

The issue isn’t collaboration, It’s actually wonderful to see high-fashion houses merging visions and releasing thematically unorthodox garments and collections. The issue comes when you are collaborating with brands that find it okay to charge their workers £3.5 in immoral working conditions. The problem comes when you collaborate with businesses, not artists.

Companies can’t begin to uphold the reputation and name that these houses have diligently built. In turn, when you collaborate with these companies, the fantasy and vision that you were once selling and gaining an audience from, is no longer art, but just a simple cash grab. It tarnishes your name and leaves such a distasteful and heart-breaking taste in the mouths of your audience. Naomi Campbell’s collaboration with PrettyLittleThing was disappointing to me and I believe it negatively impacted her name.

While Naomi's intentions may have been pure, the reasoning behind it is unjustifiable. PrettyLittleThing’s unethical methods of production and treatment of workers are simply unforgivable. Even though Naomi wanted to share her

stature with “emerging talent,” why not share it with brands that are ethically producing their garments and intentionally spreading their creativity, vision and talent within the industry? Mowalola, No Faith Studios and NOID are some real emerging talents that Campbell chose to neglect and instead spread the “talent” of a disappointing fast-fashion brand. H&M's numerous failed attempts to make it into high fashion continues to underwhelm everyone and is a testament to brands knowing their place.

The downfall of brands is bound to happen. Everything will run its course. Fashion is so heavily dependent on trends, making sure that you are meeting the needs and expectations of the consumer. Even haute couture is heavily influenced by the audience and wants to create spectacles that simultaneously resonate with the audience while uplifting the vision of the artist. These factors are what make fashion so cutthroat. Houses can collapse in the blink of an eye, making it so easy to fall out of relevancy within the industry. So, why has your downfall been catalyzed by brands like PrettyLittleThing and H&M? It’s so bittersweet to see brands self-sabotage their reputation by making unfortunate executive decisions like these.

An aspect of fashion is to sell a fantasy. Harling Ross of Repeller stated, “Fantasy is to fashion as a cat’s claw is to a spool of yarn: a mechanism for unraveling its commercially friendly, tasteful exterior trappings and laying bare its harmlessly hedonistic heart.” Don’t take away from that aspect to make a quick buck. It’s self-deprecative of these brands to rub their name, reputation and iconic stature through the mud by associating with fast-fashion brands. While it’s extremely challenging to prioritize art in such a corrupt economy, for the sake of art, why not try?

Micah Oliphant Staff Writer

“ While it’s extremely challenging to prioritize art in such a corrupt economy, for the sake of art, why not try? ”

Kunis and Kutcher Controversy

TW: Rape and Sexual Assault

Unfortunately, celebrities frequently have a proclivity for defending or being complicit in sexually abusive and immoral behaviors. This is especially prominent within the film industry. It’s known within Hollywood that some directors, producers and actors have committed sexual crimes such as harassment, grooming and rape. Many don’t face consequences and continue to have thriving careers. Take American filmmaker Bryan Singer, for example. Singer most notably created the popular “X-Men” movie series. He has faced multiple lawsuits and allegations regarding sexual assault from the 1990s to 2019. Despite this, he’s a free man who continues to work in the industry. Even those who face consequences and actual criminal charges still somehow garner support. The most recent example of this is regarding the case of Danny Masterson.

Masterson, an actor who most notably starred in “That 70s Show,” was found guilty on May 31 on two of three counts of rape, and he faces 30 years to life in prison. When a guilty verdict is reached and sentencing is scheduled, people are given the opportunity to write letters to the judge in order to request leniency in the sentencing process. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, former co-stars of Masterson’s on “That 70s Show,” were among the more than 50 people who did this. Reporter

Meghann Cuniff and journalist Tony Ortega published full copies of both of their letters.

In Kutcher’s letter, he describes Masterson as a “role model” who has had nothing but a “positive influence” on him. Kutcher also mentions that Masterson has never lied to him in their decades-long relationship. He goes on to recall an incident at a pizza store where Masterson defended a woman who was being berated by her “belligerent” boyfriend as a testament to Masterson treating people with “decency, equality, and generosity.” Kutcher concludes the letter by asking the judge to take his testament

to Masterson’s character into consideration when sentencing him.

Kunis writes in her letter that her “dear friend” Masterson has had a “remarkable influence” on her life, saying, “Throughout our time together, Danny has proven to be an amazing friend, confidant, and, above all, an outstanding older brother figure to me.” She also mentions how Masterson's interactions with his daughter are “heartwarming and enlightening” and how he puts his family at the forefront of his life. She concludes her letter with a testament to how Masterson has been a “driving force” in shaping her character and vouches for his “exceptional character.”

The publishing of these letters led to a wave of online backlash, especially because Kunis and Kutcher were board members of a foundation called Thorn, an anti-child sex abuse charity. The backlash led to Kunis and Kutcher releasing an apology video on Instagram. Kutcher opens the video by saying, “We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson.” Kunis follows by saying, “We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.” Kutcher explains that

the letters were written “a couple months ago” due to Masterson’s family reaching out and requesting them so the judge could take their friendship with Masterson into consideration. He also makes sure to note that their letters weren’t meant to undermine the victims’ testimony and that they support them, saying, “Our heart goes out to every single person who's ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse.”

This video generated even more backlash than the letters themselves, with social media exploding with criticisms and calling out the disingenuous nature of their apology video. Public Relations crisis professional Molly McPherson pointed out that the video lacked an actual verbal apology. McPherson said in a TikTok video, “That apology video was not an apology. What we all witnessed was an explanation video.” Actress Christina Ricci seemingly criticized their support of Masterson on her Instagram story, writing, “So sometimes people we loved and admired do horrible things. They might not do these things to us and we only know who they were to us but that doesn’t mean they didn’t do the horrible things and to discredit the abused is a crime” and goes on to mention that she’s known “seemingly

awesome guys” that were abusers behind the scenes. Kunis and Kutcher both stepped down as board members of Thorn during the ongoing controversy.

The unsavory support of abusers within big industries like film or music is nothing new. Kunis and Kutcher are some of the many celebrities that have stood by and continued to work with those who have been accused, sued and even imprisoned for sexual assault and rape. In Kunis and Kutcher’s case specifically, they push forward a popular notion within rape culture that “good” men don’t rape. In highlighting the supposed innate “goodness” that Masterson possesses and continuously discussing his “good” deeds, Kunis and Kutcher are clearly trying to clarify that Masterson is a morally good person in an attempt to undermine the victims’ testimonies that he is a rapist because a rapist is a morally evil and despicable person. Kunis and Kutcher contradict their claims of supporting the victims with this notion.

Kurnis and Kutchers open support of Masterson has done nothing but promote rape apologism and rape culture as a whole. With such prominent figures coming out and defending him, it’s understandable why so many victims don’t come forward. Even after the #MeToo Movement, sexual harassment is still prevalent in Hollywood, with thousands of people in the entertainment industry anonymously saying they’ve been harassed in a recent survey by Annita Hill. Many victims don't come forward out of fear they won’t be believed or they’ll be overshadowed by the accused’s powerful fellow celebrities who will support them and disregard the victims’ accusations. Although we’ve made progress in supporting victims of sexual assault and abuse when they come forward, there’s still so much work to be done in creating a space where those crimes are not excused and not tolerated.

Considering Masterson a “good” person who “doesn’t pose a threat to society” despite the pain and suffering he put his victims through is a gross belief system that perpetuates that abusers deserve sympathy just because they’ve been nice to certain people, when they in fact do not.

image from creative commons Image of Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, California

nadia

hargett Staff Writer

Elon Musk’s Alt-Right Pipeline

TW: Transphobia, Homophobia, Anti-Semitism

Elon Musk’s trek down the alt-right pipeline throughout his purchase of X, formerly known as Twitter, unsurprisingly is the result of an out lash against his transgender daughter. I know that’s a lot to take in but just stick with me.

from the company alongside a massive wave of layoffs over the site. Musk’s anti-transgender rhetoric was even the cause of X’s head of trust and safety to quit the company.

vika dzhobadze Correspondent

Last year Musk’s daughter applied to legally change her name, stating she doesn’t want “to be related to [her] biological father in any way, shape or form.” And to no one’s surprise, in a childish outcry, Musk increased his posting of hate speech, particularly transphobia.

Elon Musk’s biographer recently revealed that Musk’s purchase of X was in response to his fear that his transgender daughter had become infected with the “woke mind virus” running rampant on the social media platform. In this same discussion, Musk went on to state that “[his daughter] went beyond socialism to being a full communist and thinking that anyone rich is evil.”

Musk said that his daughter’s decision to cut ties with him had completely “pained him.” However, this can’t be totally true considering Musk’s alt-right rhetoric skyrocketed intensely after she cut him off.

We’ve all seen the rampage that Musk has been on since purchasing X, and truthfully, it’s kind of sickening to watch his daughter get dragged into all of his controversy. Her personal life and identity has become a catalyst for Musk's political rants and anti-trans hate.

Musk had apparently been ‘sanguine’ towards his daughter’s transition prior to her separation from him. In 2022 Musk's shift became very apparent when he said that “wokeness is pushing civilization towards suicide.” Before this, Elon Musk’s politics had been unclear as he spent years claiming to be politically indifferent with a history of voting Democratic. This changed ‘coincidentally’ last year when Musk announced he had swapped to voting Republican while also promoting that he would vote for Gov. Ron DeSantis.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, DeSantis is Florida's Governor. DeSantis has also a Republican candidate who has been passing transphobic and queerphobic bills in Florida. He is best known for his “Dont Say Gay” bill that bans classroom instruction on gender and sexuality at all grade levels in all schools. Supporting him politically says a lot about Musk’s views regarding queer people and his support of DeSantis goes directly against his daughter’s identity as a transgender woman.

Regardless, since Musk’s daughter legally changed her name, Musk has been seen posting “pronouns suck,” rolling back X’s safety guidelines meant to protect trans-users and aggressively opposing access to gender affirmation services. My favorite is when Musk announced that Cis and Cisgender would be considered slurs on the platform to ensure everyone can scroll safely without being harassed. It says a lot about who he thinks needs protecting. Prior to the life context given by Musk’s biography, it felt like Musk was simply just toying around on the app.

Musk has been making X an unsafe platform form. Alt-right accounts with QAnon and anti-Semitic rhetoric have

had their accounts restored after being permanently banned, including Donald Trump and Kanye West. A study conducted by the institue for strategic dialogue found that anti-Semitic posts have increased by 76% since Musk’s take over. This is so bad that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an anti-hate organization, has come forward and accused Musk of “enabling purveyors of lies and conspiracies” by restoring these white supremacists back into the platform.

Musk has been denying the accusations of hate speech, instead, promoting the idea that he believes in ‘freedom of speech.’ Musk has stated that “our policy worldwide is to fight for maximum freedom of speech under the law” when discussing hate speech on the app. It’s like he took this role of being the all-time advocate of free speech on social media, but the app has become almost unusable.

Worst of all, Musk is now attempting to get rid of the block button from the platform, stating that it “makes no sense.” This means people are about to be exposed to abhorrent harassment with no way to protect their accounts or combat harassment online. These changes have caused over 1,000 advertisers to pull away

Musk’s delusions run so deep that he has now entered a $22 billion lawsuit against ADL, stating the organization was “trying to kill” the platform with false accusations. He claimed the organization was responsible for a 60% drop in advertising revenue. This court case is also cruel when considering the ADL is an organization reliant on donations. In contrast, Musk is a billionaire with considerable financial resources and capabilities to entertain a lawsuit of this size.

Recognizing the fact that his purchase was done in part to combat the ‘woke mind virus’ that ‘infected’ his daughter, it just seems like a father lashing out at the fact that he can’t control his daughter. When someone so unimaginably wealthy has gone through life with everything in his favor (his accomplishments like PayPal and all of his wealth being given to him) you could only imagine the meltdown he'd have when they can’t manage to exert control over their own children.

Worst of all, the impacts of his little pity party are detrimental to millions of minorities on the app. I don’t know about you guys, but my timeline has been unbearable. Every news article is followed by hundreds of thousands of replies debating whether minority groups deserve rights or not, and I feel like it has taken a mental toll on everyone. Especially while watching the Don’t Say Gay bill passing across the states, there’s been a mindnumbingly large increase in homophobic and transphobic think pieces on the app.

Something in me aches knowing that Elon Musk’s daughter has to watch her excommunicated father amplify hate speech that directly impacts her community. It must pain her to watch her father support efforts to erase trans people from the next generation. Even with the distance she’s put between herself and Musk, it’s clear he won’t let go of this political feud, instead bringing it onto X where he can promote his hateful ideology.

Image from Creative Commons Image of Elon Musk