3/31/22 Full Edition

NEWS | 4 Wake Forest celebrates Islam Awareness Week

FEATURES | 5

OPINION | 8

SPORTS | 11 Baseball goes 1-2 in series

VOL. 108, NO. 24

WA K E F O R E S T ’ S S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 6

LIFE | 15

Sanders

Old Gold&Black

MARCH 31, 2022

“Covers the campus like the magnolias”

Wake Forest inaugurates Susan Wente During her inaugural address, Wente announces the 'For Humanity' scholarship initiative KRISTEN HEILENMAN Contributing Writer March 25 marked a momentous occasion in Wake Forest history: Dr. Susan Wente’s formal inauguration as the first female president of the university.

Wente’s family, Wake Forest faculty, staff, students and alumni; local leaders, Board of Trustees members and representatives from other institutions of higher learning gathered in Wait Chapel for the ceremony.

During her inaugural address, Wente drew on her cell biology background and structured her speech as a lesson on enzymes. In emphasizing the importance of being catalysts — as enzymes are — for advancing learning and education. In the midst of the speech, Wente announced the beginning of the “For Humanity” initiative. This initiative strives to create these catalysts by implementing 100 new scholarships by 2022.

“When we create opportunities at Wake Forest and share the transformative power of education, we deliver the mission of ‘Pro Humanitate’ to the world,” Wente said. “In addition to creating more opportunities through scholarships, we want everyone who comes to Wake Forest to not simply feel welcomed but [feel] that all can belong and thrive.”

Since the beginning of her tenure at Wake Forest in July 2021, individuals involved in the community have noticed her leadership and commitment through tumultuous times in the university’s history, including a fertilizer plant fire. The inauguration ceremony was scheduled for

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest University

Wente receives the Presidential Chain of Office, a part of the academic regalia worn by the president at commencement and convocations, during her investiture of office. this spring because of pandemic conditions in the fall.

“Dr. Wente, who has been leading the university since July of 2021, has shown herself to be a person who values discovery, seeks excellence and holds a strong

vision for the future of Wake Forest,” Chairman of the Board of Trustees Matthew King said in his greeting to the president during the ceremony. “I have enjoyed the privilege of working closely with Dr. Wente over the past year. She

became fully engaged in learning about Wake Forest long before arriving in July.

Since then she has embraced our community with boundless energy and curiosity."

See Inauguration, Page 3

Explaining 2022-2023 housing selection In response to student concerns, campus leaders discuss why housing availability was limited CHRISTA DUTTON News Editor Housing selection for the 2022-2023 academic year began on March 21 and ended on March 24.

Many students expressed frustration at the apparent lack of options available during selection. Housing options for the next academic year are less than those that were available this year.

“Over the past few days, we’ve heard about the stress and concerns in regards to the housing selection,” junior Drew Skilton, co-chair of the Physical Planning

Committee of Student Government, said.

“Most [of the concerns are] in regards to availability of North Campus housing for the junior class. As a result of more senior students opting into university housing, fewer options were available in dorms like Polo, North Campus Apartments and Student Apartments for the junior class and below.”

All four-person apartments in Deacon Place and Polo Residence Hall were claimed within the first day of housing selection. The next day, all rooms in Student Apartments, North Campus Apartments, Dogwood and Magnolia were claimed.

“Housing capacity next year is slightly less than it was this year,” Zachary Blackmon, associate director of operations for Residence Life and Housing, said.

Next year, housing capacity will accommodate around 4,125 students, as compared to the 4,150 students housed in the 2021-2022 academic year. Blackmon cited several reasons why housing capacity is slightly smaller this year.

“We have seen a larger number of seniors choose to seek off-campus housing than they had in the past,” Blackmon said.

“We also will not have Deacon Station — which had been used for quarantine and isolation — next year; as such, we have

held Student Apartments B offline while the university continues to navigate what quarantine and isolation needs might be for the Fall 2022 semester.”

Additionally, the number of students studying abroad was expected to return to pre-pandemic levels.

“What students experienced during housing selection for the 2022-2023 academic year may feel like a departure from the last two years but in many ways reflects a return to pre-pandemic housing,” Blackmon said.

Contact Christa Dutton at duttcd20@wfu.edu

Old Gold & Black This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board

“

Spring season provides much needed rest and relief The forest is alive again. Dogwoods are blooming, and leaves are beginning to return to branches across Wake Forest’s campus. The weather — the beginning of this week notwithstanding — has been lovely, and more and more students have been gathering outside to do homework, catch up with friends or just soak up the springtime sun.

In this time of renewal, we at the Old Gold & Black want to remind you to enjoy the spring. It is so easy to shut oneself up in a dorm, in the library or in another indoor study space to grind out that 10-page paper or six chapters of exam review. However, sunlight is important.

In a 2021 NIH study of university students, 85% of participants were

found to have either Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Another 2014 NIH study also found that a majority of college students had low Vitamin D levels. Sunlight is not a silver bullet to solving this issue, but it can help students acquire a nutrient that helps with cardiovascular and physical strength.

For students with depression and anxiety, a 2009 NIH study found that sunlight contributed to increased cognitive function in impacted adults.

Enjoying sunlight may not, as some suggest, cure mental health-related issues, but it may contribute to better management.

It has been years since students have been able to enjoy an unencumbered

spring in the forest.

Students looking for ways to enjoy the outdoors more often can find a variety of Wake Forest-sourced opportunities. Campus Recreation, Outdoor Pursuits and Campus Garden are just some of the organizations that can help students get into the sun more.

Beyond on-campus organizations, students can venture out on their own to take advantage of the beautiful season and explore Winston-Salem.

There is no need to venture far, as Reynolda Village and the trails provide a nearby escape from the hustle and bustle of college life. The coming sunny days offer the perfect opportunity to explore the trails — and maybe stop for a doughnut or crepe

In this time of renewal, we at the Old Gold & Black want to remind you to enjoy the spring.

It is so easy to shut oneself up in a dorm, in the library or in another indoor study space ...

However, sunlight is important." at the various dining options of Reynolda Village.

The last day of classes for the Spring 2022 semester is 29 days away. We encourage students to make the most of the beautiful spaces Wake Forest has to offer while they are still on campus, and we encourage everyone to enjoy, exult and relax in the springtime air.

Old Gold&Black

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News | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, March 31, 2022 | Page 3

Inauguration: Wente delivers inaugural address Continued from Page 1 Other individuals also offered their greetings to the president, all praising Wente for the dedication she consistently shows toward the Wake Forest community. In her first eight months of tenure, Wente has already dealt with a plethora of situations: the aforementioned fertilizer plant fire, inclement weather days, rabid raccoons.

Along with those situations, Wente has made sure to connect with students; at large events — football games, Wake ‘N Shake, Hit the Bricks — she was found connecting and conversing with attendees.

“Dr. Wente, in this first year of your presidency, you have shown us that you value and understand the importance of accessibility for providing

a robust and holistic student experience,” Student Government President Ally Swartzberg said in her greetings to the university president. “We appreciate your commitment to building strong relationships with student leaders across campus, and we look forward to continuing to work beside you as we move Wake Forest into the future.”

Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines, President of the Faculty Senate Matthew Phillips, Winston-Salem State University Chancellor Elwood Robinson and Executive Director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Maurice Green were among others who presented greetings.

“Dr. Wente, we are pleased that you have decided to make WinstonSalem your home,” Joines said. “We

hope your life and your work will be enriched because you are now a resident of Winston-Salem. We also hope that the vibrancy of this community will inspire you to lend your talents in advancing [and] elevating the level of this city and region.”

Throughout her inaugural address, Wente emphasized the importance of Wake Forest’s liberal arts education.

She noted the significance of research in all aspects of education and announced an “inclusive project” to develop a “strategic vision” in the fall.

This vision includes how Wake Forest should contribute to society. With Wake Forest’s 200 year anniversary approaching in 12 years, the project will set goals for the university at that historic date.

“Our academic output makes a real-

world difference,” Wente said. “It must continue to do so.”

Wente has high hopes for the future and plans to continue and strengthen the university’s partnership with local institutions: local Forsyth County schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Forsyth Humane Society, the Ronald McDonald House of Winston-Salem.

“As I look around, I am full of excitement and anticipation when I think of our future,” Wente said. “In the spirit of Pro Humanitate — together for humanity — we will heed the call to be catalysts for good in society. Thank you for entrusting me to lead this university. I am humbled and honored to serve as your 14th president.”

Contact Kristen Heilenman at heilkm21@wfu.edu

Wake NOW hosts Wake Women’s Weekend Female alumni return to campus to speak on keynote panel and network with students KATHLEEN KERR Staff Writer Last weekend, Wake Network of Women (NOW) hosted their fourth Wake Women’s Weekend in honor of the inauguration of President Susan Wente, the university’s first female president. The weekend included events for female alumni with a focus on women in leadership.

Wake NOW, a group that hosts programs in order to foster relationships among Wake Forest women, has hosted Women’s Weekend biannually beginning in 2017. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they hosted the event virtually in 2021.

“I think the opportunity for networking is tremendous,” Alumni Council President Alex Schroeder said. “There are many incredibly successful women here in every profession. This is such a wonderful vessel to be able to foster those relationships and to encourage and uplift each other.”

On March 26, alumni attended panels, seminars, conversations and work-

shops in order to engage on the topic of leadership with one another. The morning included an alumnae keynote panel followed by a luncheon. In the afternoon, the alumni had the option of attending workshops and seminars on topics across disciplines.

The alumnae keynote panel focused on the theme of “Inspiring Leadership”.

President Wente gave the panel’s opening remarks, speaking about the importance of individuals as leaders. She highlighted leaders’ roles in acting as catalysts for change and collaborating with others at the table to accomplish and create.

The following panel included alumni such as Wake Forest women’s basketball coach Jen Hoover, Camille Love, Andrea Roe and former chief financial officer of Florida, Alex Sink. Moderated

by Schroeder, the panel discussed how they have been leaders for other women in their lives and the importance of raising and supporting other women in their leadership pursuits.

“One of the most important things is to give women an opportunity to lead,”

Sink said. “At a university like this, women — whether they be students or faculty members — should feel like they are in an environment where they can execute their ideas and make it happen.”

She continued: “Women make incredible leaders. From my observations, it comes easier for women to put together a team, work collaboratively and be good listeners. Women have the ability to pull ideas out, listen to connect the dots and get amazing things accomplished.”

After the panel, there was a Call to Conversation luncheon where scholars and ambassadors from the Program for Leadership and Character moderated a conversation about leadership. They discussed lessons they have learned as a leader and from other leaders that have changed their idea of what it means to lead others.

“I loved just to have the experience of meeting women across generations,” Sink said. “I was at Wake Forest 50 years ago, and we were with a student who is a sophomore. We sat around the table and shared our common experiences about

what Wake Forest is about.”

Senior Katherine Finch also enjoyed hearing about the experiences of women from different generations.

“As a senior who’s about to go into the real world, I was nervous about finding a network of supportive women outside of college, but the other women wanted to listen to me as the youngest person at the table,” Finch said.

The weekend provided both students and alumni with the opportunity to learn and inspire each other and to build relationships based on shared experiences.

“I think speaking to all of the women at my table really showed me how much Wake has grown in terms of female leadership,” junior Rachel Edwards said. “To hear their experiences of what leadership was then to where they’ve come in their careers now, it gives me a lot of hope for our generation of women and how we can be leaders in the world.”

Contact Kathleen Kerr at kerrke21@wfu.edu

POLICE BEAT Underage Consumption/Drugs: • • • • •

• • • • • •

A student consumed alcohol underage in Last Resort. The student was involved in a disturbance and refused to leave when asked. The report was filed at 9:14 p.m. on March 24.

A student consumed alcohol underage and became sick while lying on the bathroom floor. The student was escorted to Student Health Services to be evaluated and was allowed to return to residence. The report was filed at 9:44 p.m. on March 24.

A student consumed alcohol at a party in Luter. The student was treated by EMT personnel for stomach pain. The report was filed at 10:53 p.m. on March 24.

Two students tried to sneak beer into Last Resort and would not leave. The students had left and were not identified. The manager advised a WFUPD officer of a Wake Forest student possibly selling cocaine in the bathroom, but the student had left before the officer arrived. The report was filed at 12:10 a.m. on March 25.

A student consumed alcohol and became sick in Student Apartments. The student was evaluated by FCEMS and refused transport to the hospital. The report was filed at 2:42 a.m on March 26 Miscellaneous: An unknown subject(s) discharged fire extinguishers and wrote graffiti on the cupola in Johnson. The report was filed at 10:31 a.m. on March 21.

A student in Angelou failed to evacuate the room during a fire alarm. The student was hiding in the closet. The report was filed at 11:50 a.m. on March 23.

A large hole in the roof caused severe water damage to the roof and Parlor room in Angelou. The report was filed at 1:03 p.m on March 23.

An unknown subject(s) removed a catalytic converter from the victim’s vehicle on Student Drive. The report was filed at 6:34 p.m. on March 25.

The WSPD responded to a loud party on Palm Drive. The music was stopped, and the subject was not cited. The report was filed at 6:00 p.m. on March 26.

An unknown subject(s) shot the victim with a water-filled splat ball gun in North Campus Apartments. The report was filed at 10:31 p.m. on March 26.

Page 4 | Thursday, March 31, 2022

Old Gold & Black | News

Students criticize new Davis Field roadway The project, which will begin in May, will include a new shuttle stop and extension of Wake Forest Road JACKIE THACHER Staff Writer Wake Forest will begin new construction projects after the 2022 commencement ceremony, according to a Wake Forest press release. One project will be the extension of Wake Forest Road through Davis Field.

“The extension of the road from the Reynolda Road entrance will improve traffic circulation and continue the iconic arrival experience to campus,” the press release notes.

The new road will improve access to campus and will reduce traffic near ZSR Library, Reynolda Hall and Benson University Center.

These changes will cause the removal of 24 faculty and staff parking spaces. To counteract that, there are plans to add more faculty and staff designated spaces to Lot Q. Additionally, several trees on the upper part of Davis field will be removed to make space for the road; however, the legacy oak trees will remain. To ensure the protection and preservation of these trees, Wake Forest’s

Tree Care Advisory Committee is reviewing these plans prior to the start of the construction.

Davis Field is home to several large legacy oak trees and is a popular outdoor event spot on campus. Not only does Wake Forest’s marching band hold practice on this field, but many clubs, Greek organizations and cultural associations use the field for events.

This past weekend, the Hindu Student Association and South Asian Student Association held an event for the Holi Festival on the field. The field is also home to a frisbee golf course that spans its entire length.

Many students have expressed anger at the proposed construction, with one Change.org petition garnering more than 500 signatures at the time of publication. The creator of the petition, freshman Aidan Norris, notes in the petition description how important the field is to students even outside of organizational activities as well, calling it “one of the most used leisure spaces [on campus].”

In addition to the use of tents and benches, students often hang hammocks on the trees at the top of the field to do work or relax in

nice weather. Junior Molly Anderson commented on the petition that “green spaces on campus hold so much value beyond what they can be developed into.”

“There is no need for the construction, despite aesthetic purposes,” sophomore Camille Dutto said. “I believe it sends the wrong message because we’ll be destroying trees and a portion of the field to make a pretty road with new trees being planted.

Yes, it would look pretty for the new arriving students who never knew what was there before, but for all the current students who are future alumni, this would mean a part of our experience and a part of our campus was taken away.”

There are also concerns about the changes in parking.

“There is already a major concern for student parking on campus,” senior Emily Potts said. “Lot Q, among other student lots, is extremely congested during the day. There needs to be something done about increasing parking instead of just [reallocating] spots already there.”

The construction project will also include a

new centralized shuttle stop.

“The new centralized shuttle stop will increase efficiency in shuttle service for the Reynolda Campus,” the press release stated.

“The transportation hub will improve route times by allowing all shuttles to arrive and depart from a central location.”

The construction of this new shuttle stop includes two new bus shelters outside of Poteat and Kitchen residence halls. Additionally, it will include the addition of a right-hand turn lane entering parking lot N from the University Parkway entrance.

Due to President Susan Wente’s Inauguration this past weekend, the Capital Projects Committee, chaired by Executive Vice President Hof Milam, was unavailable for comment. However, they asked students and faculty to read the press release and the Q&A section below it to address any concerns. The university has not publicly responded to student concerns or the petition.

Contact Jackie Thacher at thacjd20@wfu.edu

Wake Forest celebrates Islam Awareness Week Muslim Students Association events allow students to connect and engage with their non-Muslim peers DANIEL PAROLINI Contributing Writer

During this year’s Islam Awareness Week, Muslim students found new ways to connect with their non-Muslim peers, both through education and celebration.

“You know that awkward moment when you want to ask a question but don’t want to be offensive?” said Associate Chaplain for Muslim Life Naijla Faizi. “We are opening up the space for you to ask.”

Last week’s events were organized by students in the Muslim Students Association (MSA). Faizi helped organize the first Islam Awareness Week when she was a member of the MSA in 2013.

Whether through the arts or trivia, each event offered a different perspective of Islam and its intersectionality — from Muslim women to Black Muslims to Black Muslim women.

And even though Islam is the secondlargest religion in the world, it is one of the smallest faith communities at Wake Forest, representing only one percent of the student population according to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s 2020 Report.

Because of this, taking part in Islam Awareness Week was just as important for the Muslim students who organized it as it was for non-Muslim students, according to Faizi.

“Being at college and not having a friend or not feeling like you belong can be very difficult,” said the president of the MSA, senior Mariama Jallow. “But events like these give us the opportunity to not only break down stereotypes but also to foster the sense of community we’ve created for ourselves.”

The first of last week’s events was called “Ask a Muslim”, where students passing through Tribble Courtyard on Monday afternoon could stop by a Q&A table to ask questions about anything related to

Islam — and to receive a free doughnut.

The event was inspired by the Muslim American rapper Mona Haydar who in 2015 started a conversation table with the same name.

“I don’t think there’s one friend I have that I haven’t really talked to about being Muslim,” Jallow said. “And I don’t think there’s one of them that hasn’t been a little shocked by the fact that a lot of things are similar to Christianity.”

On March 22, the MSA worked in collaboration with the Student Union to host a trivia night at Shorty’s.

“It’s an easy way for students who are already taking classes about Islam to practice and see what they know,” Faizi said.

Wednesday’s event featured a showing of the film “Malcolm X” (1992) in the ZSR Auditorium. The film was selected for its focus on the African American Muslim community, which can often be overlooked.

“When most people think of Muslims, they don’t think of Americans or African Americans,” Faizi said.

The same idea echoed through in Ring Theater in Scales Fine Arts Center Thursday evening during Muslim American playwright Rohina Malik’s solo performance of her critically-acclaimed play “Unveiled”. Through a one-woman play, Malik told the stories of four Muslim women, each of them coming from different ethnic backgrounds and facing emotional situations that both exposed and challenged the stereotypes that are common in western media.

“As a Muslim woman watching what she does, you feel very represented,” Faizi said.

“There are parts of every one of her stories that I can relate to.”

To end the week, the MSA held an open Jum’ah, or prayer service, sharing in food and conversation with non-Muslim students.

The service was held in the MSA lounge in Collins Residence Hall — the same place Muslim students meet for Jum’ah every week. This was a change from previous years when the open Jum’ah was held in Reynolda Hall’s Green Room.

“Muslim students wanted to feel empowered to have a public place to pray on campus,” Faizi said. “Being able to pray in the university’s most iconic administrative building helped many students feel supported and included, but times have changed at Wake Forest.”

While the decision to change locations was made partly out of consideration of

the inauguration events, it also reflected a change in thinking for MSA leaders.

“We’re bringing [other students] into our own home,” Faizi said. “It makes it much more intimate because the people who are there really made an effort to be there.”

To learn more about MSA, follow @ wfu_msa on Instagram or visit their website: sites.google.com/wfu.edu/msa/home.

To learn more about Muslim life at Wake Forest, follow @wfumuslimlife on Instagram.

Contact Daniel Parolini at parodj20@wfu.edu

Photo courtesy of Gail Bretan

Members of the Muslim Student Association gather on Tribble Courtyard for the first of last week’s events, “Ask a Muslim”.

FEATURES

Chase Bagnall-Koger, bagncm21@wfu.edu Meredith Prince, prinmc21@wfu.edu Asst: Una Wilson, wilsui20@wfu.edu

OLD GOLD & BLACK

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

PAGE 5 THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2022

DEACON PROFILE

Ashlyn Sanders CHASE BAGNALL-KOGER Features Editor

How would this device be administered to patients?

Ashlyn Sanders, a first-year student at Wake Forest Medical School, is the founder and CEO of NeuroVice, a company that produces first-to-market medical device technology for seizure patients. The device — housed in a portable, tear-away pouch — is single-use and prevents oral injury during seizures.

NeuroVice executives are currently meeting with officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and pharmaceutical companies in hopes of making the technology available to the public in 2023.

Right now, the FDA is requiring that [NeuroVice] act as a prescribed device, so patients will get this from their neurologist or primary care physician. It comes in a little disposable pouch. When a person starts to feel like they’re about to have a seizure, they’ll take this device out of its pouch, place it in their mouth, and unfortunately, have the seizure. But while they’re seizing, they’re protected.

It can also be administered by a caregiver.

One of the unique features of our device is there’s a handle feature on it, so it enables safe placement by either an assistant or the patient themself. After that, they just discard it and restock their bag.

The other applications are used as emergency medical devices. There are 12 million seizure-related calls to 9-1-1 a year in the United States, so EMTs and first responders were a pretty significant portion of our focus groups and studies. What we learned from them was that it’s really hard for them to maintain an open airway for seizure patients and to attempt to prevent some of these injuries can lead to bloody lacerations or significant injuries.

Our device will enable them to manage the airway better because it keeps the mouth open a little bit and allows for the administration of a suction catheter or emergency medication. The last application is in the hospital, where patients may be under medical observation.

How did you initially come up with the idea for your product?

I wasn’t planning to become an entrepreneur — I always like to say that entrepreneurship chose me. I was a few weeks into graduate school at Duke University, pursuing my master’s in bioethics and science policy. Right after I turned 22, I was diagnosed with a rare and incurable neurological condition called a Chiari malformation. I was rushed into emergency brain surgery the same day that I received my diagnosis, and I spent quite a bit of time in the hospital recovering. I had to relearn basic things like walking, eating and talking.

The following year, I went back to Duke, pretty much against the advice of everyone, including my physicians. I was determined to finish my Master’s degree. It was during that year that I started to think about this technology idea, based on my own patient experience of suffering from seizures and the realization that there hadn’t been anything ever created to address this problem.

My ultimate goal had always been to become a physician, but I decided to put that goal aside for a little while to get this device developed and out into the world.

Can you explain this unmet need that people with seizure disorders often experience?

A seizure is a pretty devastating episode in which your autonomic nervous system is completely out of control and your body starts to shake uncontrollably, which forces you to bite down on your tongue and cheeks repeatedly with an excruciating amount of force. The result is lacerations or injuries that can go on to lead to a person choking on blood or saliva. All of those things impede someone’s ability to breathe properly and can lead to serious complications or even death.

The oral health consequences of seizures have never been adequately addressed in the marketplace. It’s so prevalent, in fact,

Photo courtesy of Ashlyn Sanders

that it has its own bullet on every seizure safety guideline that says “do not put anything in a person’s mouth.” That was actually really helpful for us because we knew that we are on the right track. They were telling people not to do something, because obviously, people are doing it while doing it unsuccessfully, or unsafely.

In the past, people have been so desperate for a solution to this problem that they’ve used hazardous objects — spoons, towels, pencils, really anything they can get their hands on — to try to protect a person experiencing a seizure.

What was the process of taking NeuroVice from an idea to a fully-developed company?

I was young when I started the company.

I’m female, and I’m also African American. All of those things combined, based on the statistics, are not conducive to success in a startup. African American women only raise about point two percent of all venture capital funding, which is pretty

egregious. Nonetheless, I persevered and remained committed to the idea that I was really solving a significant unmet need and was going to improve the lives of millions of people. The communication that I received from patients and caregivers saying, “please continue with this, we really need this device,” also made a difference.

Our breakthrough came when I wrote to Charles Barkley, guest shark on “Shark Tank”, explaining my story and what we were developing and how groundbreaking and disruptive this would be. And sure enough, he actually responded and invited me down to Atlanta to pitch to him, his financial advisor, another advisor and two neurologists.

So I went down and discussed the business opportunity with him, and then I received a call a few months later that he would actually invest. He was my first really large angel investor. Since then, it has not been quite as difficult to raise money — we’ve now raised over $700,000 and invested a little bit over a million total with grants and other funding.

How have you been able to balance attending medical school and your responsibilities at NeuroVice?

It’s difficult. You have to put in the time in both areas, so you really don’t have time for yourself. One of the reasons why I decided to start last year was because we were getting to this nice inflection point of getting to the regulatory process, so I didn’t need to be as significantly involved in an executive role as I was when we were actively fundraising. I felt like it was a really opportune time for me to go to school.

It’s definitely been quite a challenge, but I’m able to manage it.

I always say that, if I can get through graduate school while being a sick patient, I can probably get through anything. And so while it’s been tough, I have been able to do it. I’m really excited about finding a nice home for this product and getting it out into the world next year.

Contact Chase Bagnall-Koger at bagncm21@wfu.edu

Page 6 | Thursday, March 31, 2022

Old Gold & Black | Features

Davis Field construction alters campus sustainability The planned re-routing of Wake Forest Road through Davis Field may have mixed environmental effects COOPER SULLIVAN Multimedia Managing Editor

On May 16, Hearn Plaza will not only be the center of campus but the center of attention. The trees that line the upper quad will be surrounded by flying graduation caps, flying toilet paper rolls and feelings of joy and accomplishment.

On May 17, Davis Field will be receiving a different, less celebratory type of attention. The towering oaks will be surrounded by fencing, caution tape and the onset of change as construction crews begin the process of creating a road through the middle of the campus’s largest green space.

Announced on March 16, Wake Forest Road will be rerouted through Davis Field, leading cars directly towards the Taylor and Davis Residence Halls. On the opposite side of Hearn Plaza, Lot N will be converted from visitor parking into a centralized stop for all Wake Line shuttles.

“The planning for this has been in the works for quite a while in various forms,” said project manager for the Davis Field construction Jill Perry.

Crews began the preliminary work of staking out the boundaries for a new humanities building set to be built on the eastern corner of Davis Field by Olin Laboratory in February 2020. In an interview with the Old Gold & Black, former president Nathan Hatch said that “groundbreaking would likely occur in the late fall of 2020, and that the building would likely open no sooner than the fall semester of 2022.”

This timetable was decimated when COVID-19 shut down the university and the building plans a few weeks later. But this was not the first proposal of Davis Field development.

In the 1950s, Jens Frederick Larson, the campus architect, drew a plan in

“When you build new infrastructure, you’ve committed to it for a long period of time. That’s why sustainable design is really important.”

Cooper Sullivan/ Old Gold & Black

which a road connected both East and The new contstruction on Wake Forest Road will West entrances. From 1956 to 1991, require restructuring of the surrounding area as well. cars were able to drive through Davis Field onto Hearn Plaza with ease. But because of the road’s accessibility to both Reynolda Road and University Parkway, many local drivers used Wake Forest Road as a cut-through. To reduce the rise and risk of traffic, Wake Forest Road was reconfigured into the winding shape it is in now — and Davis Field was born.

Perry explains that the reasoning to put the road through Davis Field again was more than just improving the arrival experience.

“Its secondary benefit is future planning,” Perry said. “This precinct with the library, Benson and Reynolda, there is a vision of pedestrianizing this area and not having too much traffic [by Lot C]. By bringing this road [through Davis Field], it would allow us to bring traffic in, for them to go [towards Wait

Cooper Sullivan/ Old Gold & Black

Many are concerned that the new road will disrupt the outdoor beauty and recreation space Davis Field currently offers.

Chapel] and allow us to make it safer for students and people to walk.”

The construction of this road will force the removal of 11 trees and the reconfiguration of electrical cables for the Davis Field tents. None of the Legacy Oaks or Magnolias on Davis Field will be removed. Perry said that any tree that is removed would be replanted alongside the extended road to maintain the “same type of Davis field feel.”

Environmental concerns have been raised about increased runoff from the impervious surface of the road.

According to Steve Fisenne, Director of the Environmental Health and Safety Department, the chances of runoff being a serious issue are low.

“We just have to modify [our storm drains on the lower half of the field] so that it can take a higher flow rate, especially if we have another storm like [the one on March 23],” Fisenne said.

For the construction on Lot N, sustainable rainwater capture will also be one of the focuses of the renovations.

Located in between Poteat and Kitchin Residence Halls, Lot N will look very different for students when they return in the fall. One of the crucial aspects being addressed during this construction process will be the stormwater system for all runoff north of Hearn Plaza, with the parking lot becoming a bio-swale for rainwater collection.

“The idea is that the rainwater will go in and it filters down through fabric and soil down to the storm water system,” said project manager for Lot N construction Kim Jackson. “That’s kind of a cool feature.”

However, this is an underground makeover. The more visible alterations will be when visitor parking spaces are converted into a centralized shuttle stop complete with two bus shelters. The 40-foot long shelters will look similar to the ones in between Collins and South Residence Halls.

The island in the center of Lot N will be narrowed and parking spaces will be paved over with black concrete, allowing enough space for multiple Wake Line shuttles to park and maneuver around the loop simultaneously. In addition to those changes, an extra right lane will be added to Wake Forest Road coming from

University Parkway, as well as a median on that side of the road.

“They’re going to line up the entrance from University Parkway with the entrance to the circle,” said Campus Lab Program Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability Nathan Peifer. “Right now, the shuttles have to go over maybe four speed bumps [as they go from Benson to University Parkway]. Now they would just have to pass through two or three crosswalks.”

The change would reduce the time shuttles are spent idling exhausting carbon dioxide and makes the shuttles more cost-efficient as each route will take less time and gas to complete.

“When you build infrastructure, you’re committed to it for a long period of time,” Peifer said. “That’s why sustainable design is really important in terms of getting ahead.”

Peifer continued: “It gets you into a deeper conversation about our transportation and the carbon impact of our shuttles. That’s a more significant sustainability story; moving the roads rather than putting the road in.”

Jackson said that three of the five Dogwood trees that will be removed from the Lot N island have already been replaced on campus.

Jackson said that Campus Recreation has expressed concerns about the construction encroaching onto Poteat Field. She responded that she is exploring long-term fencing options that would delineate campus green space and development space.

“There’s another tree on the other side that our arborist Jim Mussetter was really concerned about,” Jackson said. “It’s a bald cypress. He was adamant that we save that, so that tree will be saved and it will have a brick wall around it.”

As Perry put it, these types of projects can be quite jarring for those who are used to a certain look and feel of campus, however, they are well-intentioned.

“It might seem very unsettling at first to think of shuttles coming in here or a road coming up through our field,” Perry said. “But the goal is really to improve collectively the campus as a whole.”

Contact Cooper Sullivan at sullcg20@wfu.edu

Page 7 | Thursday, March 31, 2022

Old Gold & Black | Features

Philosophy Society increases intellectual engagement

Photo courtesy of Braswell Philosophy Society

Students in the Braswell Philosophy Society gather to discuss important campus issues through a philosophical lens. The society meets once a week.

BELLA ORTLEY-GUTHRIE Staff Writer

As students walk through the Tribble lobby and climb the stairs to the third floor in the B wing, they can find the Wake Forest Philosophy library, a square room lined with walls of books by philosophers from Plato to Emmanuel Kant.

Windows face two sides of the room, overlooking Z. Smith Reynolds Library and Benson University Center, providing a spacious view of the Tribble courtyard. Every Thursday night at 7:00 P.M., a soft glow fills the room as students gather for the meetings of the Braswell Philosophy Society.

It is here where the spirit of Wake Forest University’s motto, Pro Humanitate, comes alive through philosophical discussions.

Gathering over meals of wings, pizza or May-Way, Braswell collects a diversity of opinions and backgrounds with students ranging from various racial, religious and political backgrounds.

Students gather in a circle to discuss topics not just in the philosophical realm but political and social issues such as capitalism, transgender rights, different religious and moral dilemmas in various areas of life.

Junior Jordan Bramley, Braswell’s President, started coming to Braswell meetings his freshman year.

As president, part of his goal is to ensure that the executive team, a group of elected students who lead discussion and choose the weekly topics, remains on equal footing with the members, encouraging an open spirit of discourse.

Bramley focuses on ensuring Bras-

well is a space where people can engage with philosophy in an open yet focused manner, making sure that terms and philosophical language is explained and understood in all gatherings.

“We spend most of our time trying to ensure that even if you haven’t ever taken a philosophy course or picked up a single philosophy book, you can at least keep up with what’s going on here,” Bramley said.

Grace Benfield, a freshman and engineering major, says that Braswell encouraged her to think outside her major and grow through the weekly conversations and meetings.

“It’s a chill environment to talk about something I’m completely not used to,” Benfield said.

Part of the beauty and challenge of Braswell comes in the hard discussions within the library walls, especially in a recent conversation regarding Greek Life on campus.

Braswell participants, a large portion of whom are Greek-affiliated, debated class, racial and gender discrimination in Greek Life.

“It was a pretty fruitful conversation. I thought it was an opportunity for us to look at issues of complacency on campus,” Bramley said. “About 50% of the members of Braswell are at least somewhat Greek affiliated. And even with that being the case, almost everyone in there agreed that it [Greek Life] was not a good thing for the students on our campus in the way that it’s being carried out right now.”

Bramley continued: “There were obviously varying degrees of agreements but most people agreed that Greek Life is pretty bad. I think it was really interesting to look at the fact that we still don’t do anything,

or many times when we leave the room and go back to actively supporting it.”

Braswell provides an introductory space and practice for both new and experienced in philosophical discussion-making sure philosophy is not only engaged outside the classroom but applies to students in their everyday lives.

“When we look internationally, and on a global scale, one of the most important parts of academia worldwide — and throughout history — has been philosophy,” Bramley said. “It has been a really grounding concept in both the direction of where the rest of our fields go and in the rewiring of a lot of our fields.”

Bramley continued: “I think that a lot of the basic aspects of philosophy are also really beneficial in learning to live… Especially in a place like Wake Forest, where everybody is very focused on how their life is going to turn out economically, it’s really important to remember to focus on living well,” Bramley said.

Seth Reid, a sophomore and frequent Braswell attendee, finds meaning in Braswell’s safe and open discussion space.

“Braswell is meaningful to me because it provides a space for people to share ideas and talk about them,” Reid said. “And they can do this without getting mad at one another when disagreeing. It also provides a space for people to learn viewpoints other than their own, which is something drastically needed in today’s world.”

Braswell is a space for those both new and experienced in philosophy.

In Braswell meetings, executive and experienced philosophy students

help lead the discussion groups — aiming to challenge and question any ideas or topics that come up.

“Not everybody in the club is fully educated in philosophy, but there are enough people to keep the topics in line and give people references to what they should be looking toward,” Bramley said.

Attendees have the freedom to engage with each other by asking questions regarding philosophical terminology or simply asking for an example regarding a certain ideology of ethics or morality.

“I think in a lot of ways, spreading the awareness of philosophy, within a society, especially a community like ours, is really important in spreading the experience of living well and spreading the experience of compassion,” Bramley said. “Because most people need to examine their life in order to be able to really effectively carry those things.”

Braswell plans on engaging with the wider Wake Forest community by hosting the second annual Moral and Political Philosophy Conference in conjunction with the Wake Forest Philosophy department on April 24.

Students across the campus can submit papers pertaining to philosophy across a variety of disciplines drawing from — but not limited to) — topics regarding social and political, ethics or even metaphysics. Selected papers will be shared at the conference and writers are invited to present their papers in front of attendees.

Each participant selected for the conference will receive a monetary prize and the “Best Paper” Award.

The winner will receive a $100 prize.

Submissions will be accepted until April 2 and decisions for the conference selection will be announced on April 12. The point of the conference is to engage student perspectives while encouraging philosophical discourse on campus.

Braswell is a community in which students that may hold different beliefs and hail from very different backgrounds come together to be pushed, challenged and shaped intellectually.

“I think it’s really nice to have a place where you can come and have a discussion about how you feel about things, how you want to participate in the world, what you want to be in the world, while also having the ability to talk about that in an engaged and educated sense,” Bramley said.

Those interested in Braswell Philosophy Society and The Moral and Political Philosophy Conference can email Jordan Bramley at bramjt19@wfu.edu The Braswell Philosophy Society meets at the Third Floor Tribble Philosophy Library on Thursday nights from 7 to 8 p.m.

OPINION

PAGE 8 THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2022

OLD GOLD & BLACK

Sophie Guymon, guymsm20@wfu.edu Maryam Khanum, khanmg20@wfu.edu

The views expressed in all opinion columns represent those of the article’s author, not the opinions of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board

The F-Word

Feminism should not exclude transgender women The exclusion of trans women from feminist spaces is harmful and does not embody true inclusivity BREANNA LAWS

Staff Columnist

A long-winded debate around the inclusion of transgender identities in feminist spaces has recently been sparked again — with trans athlete Lia Thomas at the center of it all. Thomas recently celebrated her victory in the 500-yard freestyle event at the U.S. collegiate swimming championships.

While she and her teammates celebrated her achievement, many individuals have criticized Thomas because of her sex assigned at birth — claiming that Thomas has an unfair biological advantage in comparison to her competitors. This has been a primary argument for those not in favor of trans inclusion in sports. However, this is an argument that is both not based on facts and transphobic in nature.

It may seem shocking that many of the people invalidating Thomas’ win are people that self-identify as feminists.

For many years, there has been an issue in the feminist community regarding whether or not trans women should be included. Several individuals within this group believe that the inclusion of trans women invalidates the experiences of so-called “real women,” meaning cisgender women.

Trans-exclusionary radical feminist, or TERF, is a term that is often used in reference to people with these beliefs. A proponent of this belief system is J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series. Rowling herself has claimed that she identifies as a “gender-critical feminist,” and holds the belief that the “denial of sex” is misogynistic.

For a long time, this belief system was pushed as being a “pro-lesbian” perspective, as many online spaces for lesbians felt as though lesbians were being “forced” into transitioning into men to fulfill a heteronormative ideal. However, a multitude of people who identify as lesbians have come forth to state that this belief is not endorsed by the whole community.

Additionally, the overall idea of what lesbianism is has recently changed drastically — with many gender identities, such as non-binary individuals, feeling a connection with the label. The trans experience and the lesbian experience are often intertwined in complex ways.

Reserving it strictly for cisgender women is problematic in its own right, and it violates many of the principles of inclusion that the LGBTQ+ community centers itself on.

As for how this all relates to the case of Thomas and other trans athletes, these trans-exclusionary feminists have been seen protesting the victories of these athletes on the basis of it not being fair

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Trans athletes like swimmer Lia Thomas have faced backlash for their success, in spite of following strict requirements for competition regarding their testosterone and estrogen levels. for cisgender women. Some have even gone as far as to call it misogynistic and infringing on the rights of cisgender athletes.

The fact of the matter is that it is already a process for transgender individuals to participate in the sports category of their choosing. First, USA Swimming’s policy is that a transgender athlete must undergo three years of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) before being allowed to compete. Thomas was six months short of this requirement but was approved by the NCAA to compete provided she had a low enough testosterone level.

Her testosterone levels were low enough for her to be able to compete, and her stats additionally proved that her win could not be attributed to a biological advantage. In fact, Thomas’ performance has improved in the past three years, despite the dip in her testosterone levels and muscle mass. Therefore, her win can only be accredited to her additional years of training.

Some of Thomas’ competitors have come forth in support of her, as well.

“As a woman in sports, I can tell you that I know what the real threats to women’s sports are: sexual abuse and harassment, unequal pay and resources and a lack of women in leadership,” Erica Sullivan, the third-place holder in the 500-yard freestyle said. “Transgender girls and women are nowhere on this list.”

For a community of people that are meant to be catalysts of inclusivity, feminists as a collective have a lot of

work to do on adopting more inclusive spaces for trans women. Thomas is not the first — nor close to the last — trans woman to experience explicit hate speech and threats solely on the basis of her identity. The high suicide rate among transgender individuals should not be a surprise, considering the treatment of these individuals in many aspects of life.

I am a woman, yes. My womanhood, however, is not remotely threatened by women who have undergone different gender experiences than I have. While many of these radical, exclusive feminists hold the belief that trans women are throwing out the idea of biological sex — something that supposedly endangers the rights of cisgender women — I would like to offer a counterpoint.

Trans women do understand the concept of biological sex. It is not only something that they are aware of but something that many of them have to actively fight against. However, this fight is not quite as easy as many make it out to be.

Bottom surgery on its own can cost upwards of $25,000, while top surgery may cost between $7,000 and $10,000. The recovery is long and painful, and the management of these new body parts is something that those who choose to have the surgery have to deal with for the entirety of their lives.

If the sexual assignment of a person is such an essential factor to these radical feminists, then perhaps we could find a solution in providing more accessible avenues for trans individuals to pursue these surgeries.

Regardless, the argument that biological sex is such a strong determinant of gender is an outdated perspective. Several studies have documented that genitals, chromosomes dictating sex and secondary sex characteristics can vary greatly in humans. A study conducted by Dr. Charles Roselli, a professor at the Oregon Health and Science University, found that the sexual differentiation of genitals occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy, but the sexual differentiation of the brain occurs in the second trimester.

Under this reasoning, there may be certain cases in which the sexual differentiation of the brain and the genitals do not match — resulting in humans with syndromes such as gender dysphoria. Therefore, the argument made by these exclusionary feminists that biological sex is a core part of womanhood is inherently flawed.

It is essential that the scientific community further its efforts in the study of gender psychology and development to provide more treatment options for transgender people. It is also imperative that all feminists work to provide safe and inclusive spaces for trans women. This is not only an inherent reflection of feminist beliefs, but it is suicide prevention. Trans women, including athletes, should never be made to feel discriminated against by the very group made to accept them.

Contact Breanna Laws at lawsbn21@wfu.edu

Opinion | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, March 31, 2022 | Page 9

Anti-Asian Racism

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Solidarity with the AAPI community is necessary Lucy Roberts

Contributing Columnist robels20@wfu.edu

When I first heard about the recent unprovoked attack against a 67-year-old woman of Asian descent, I immediately thought of my own Korean grandmother.

The violent attack occurred on March 11 in Yonkers, N.Y., after the woman passed by and ignored a man as he called out a racist and misogynistic slur.

The man — who the police identified as 42-year-old Tammel Esco — then followed her back to her building where he proceeded to hit her repeatedly over 125 times, stomp on her seven times and spit on her before walking away.

Though anti-Asian violence is not a new issue, the number of these attacks have rapidly increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the enabling of pandemic-driven, antiAsian rhetoric by those in positions of power — such as former president Donald Trump.

According to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, antiAsian hate crimes increased nationally by 260 percent in 2021 versus 2020.

This jump in numbers reflects the significance of speech and shows how hateful rhetoric can have dangerous consequences. When Trump refers to COVID-19 as the “Chinese Virus,” “Wuhan Virus,” or “Kung Flu,” he actively perpetuates a harmful and false narrative that serves to place a target on the backs of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI).

While Esco was charged with attempted murder and assault, both as hate crimes, a prevalent issue is that these attacks are often not classified as such. The inability of prosecutors to charge these attacks as hate crimes makes it difficult to highlight the severity of the issue and results in a failure to acknowledge the root of the problem — racial prejudice is ingrained within our society.

In May 2021, President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law. This legislation aims to raise awareness about and increase ac-

People must be willing to challenge negative racial stereotypes in order to help combat the violence that results from them." cessibility of the reporting of hate crimes.

However, this alone is not a solution.

It is incredibly important for there to be solidarity across racial lines in order to move towards any type of social change, especially since AAPI people are often viewed as foreigners in their own country. People must be willing to challenge negative racial stereotypes in order to help combat the violence that results from them.

It seems as if there is a new incident every week. When I see the victims of these attacks, I cannot help but see the faces of my own family. It should not be burdensome to imagine my grandparents doing the most mundane activities due to the lingering fear of a brutal attack in the back of my mind.

It can be difficult not to feel a sense of hopelessness that stems from wit-

nessing senseless attacks against people simply because of what they look like, especially when they look like my own mother.

I try to avoid the graphic videos that often circulate across social media after one of these attacks because it is too easy to see a loved one in their position.

I imagine that this is a common feeling shared among people of Asian descent and may even have significant impacts on their mental health.

As the discussion surrounding the increasing anti-Asian sentiment and subsequent rise in anti-Asian hate crimes becomes more present within the national conversation, it is important to highlight and listen to voices within the AAPI community, while also remembering that the responsibility of solving these deeply-rooted issues does not fall solely on their shoulders.

The AAPI community should not have to live in fear for no other reason than existing. There is so much joy and pride that is a part of the AAPI experience, and it is important to hold onto these feelings while navigating the challenges of the future.

Social Media

YikYak fosters toxicity“on college campuses The anonymous nature of the app encourages mean-spirited behavior and may do more harm than good Conor Metzger Staff Columnist metzcr19@wfu.edu

At a recent Senate assembly on Tuesday, March 22, Student Body President Ally Swartzberg spent a portion of the meeting decrying cyberbullying on the social media app “YikYak.” Swartzberg’s comments focused on the scrutiny that student government leaders faced during the elections this past week, with Swartzberg feeling the comments made on YikYak to be unwarranted, to say the least. This has led to a larger conversation of the effects that YikYak is having on campuses like Wake Forest.

YikYak was originally founded in 2013 as a message forum for people to communicate within a specific geographical location. It was found to be quite popular among college students as they were able to discuss various issues and concerns happening on their campus. However, the app proved to be unsustainable as there was increased concern of cyberbullying taking place due to the anonymous nature of the app.

After several attempts to fix these problems, YikYak shut down in 2017 after a period of decreasing usership and concerns from parents and school administrators.

As most of us know, YikYak returned in 2021 and immediately found a resurgence of its success. College students jumped on, accepted the terms and conditions and began “yakking” about all the goings of campus life.

Wake Forest has been no stranger to this, with the app being a major part of the protests that happened last Fall. This protest saw hundreds of students express their right to gather and demand action from the university in the wake of perceived failures in addressing sexual assault on campus.

YikYak has continued to be used since, with many students using it to connect with the campus and assess its climate. If you opened YikYak this past week, you would see student’s thoughts on President Wente’s inauguration, the latest fraternity party themes and — of course — the recent election debacle.

A lot of these events have provoked mixed responses from students, with some expressing frustration by saying names, expelling hateful remarks and posing rhetorical questions in the form of jokes about the ineptitude of the administration. The anonymous nature of YikYak certainly makes it a favorite place for “internet trolls” who wish to create division, as well as people who may be uncomfortable with publicly expressing their resentment over the perceived fail-

We need to be mindful of how YikYak is affecting our campus climate and we have to see it as a localized example of the broader impacts of social media." ures of university officials. A lot of research has been conducted on whether YikYak is in fact beneficial to college campuses — with a study

by Kathryn Northcut at the Missouri University of Science & Technology finding praise in its ability to connect students and disseminate information to the public.

The issue with these studies is that they are looking at YikYak as a more localized Twitter, and not as a centralized and anonymous social media app. YikYak suffers from the same problems that Twitter has, only expounded due to it feeling more “real.”

If someone makes a racist remark on Twitter, you may be able to rationalize it as coming from someone who is only “virtually real”. On YikYak, there is a chance that the person who made that remark is your suitemate.

Twitter also utilizes a censorship algorithm that can more easily remove what it perceives as hurtful comments. YikYak — on the other hand — relies on users to downvote Yaks out of existence, which can be hard to do if a Yak finds early popularity.

Take — for example — a Yak about sorority women and the way they

dress. This could be perceived as negative, hurtful and sexist, but if it is seen by a majority of like-minded men when it is first posted, it will get upvoted. The more upvoted something is, then, the less likely it is to receive downvotes, a phenomenon corroborated by observations on Reddit — which utilizes similar upvote-downvote engagement methods.

This fosters an increased toxicity on YikYak that compounds the issues on all social media outlets — negative posts and comments get the most engagement and, in turn, get the most attention. It’s a known principle that someone can see a hundred positive comments and instead focus on the one negative. YikYak’s anonymous features and localized forum then create an environment where people are A) not afraid to say what is controversial and B) feel more connected, and, in turn, more “attacked” when they see something they disagree with.

We need to be mindful of how YikYak is affecting our campus climate and we have to see it as a localized example of the broader impacts of social media. We have learned how to be social, communal animals, but only in the “real” world. The virtual world is a new terrain where human beings sometimes revert to primordial instincts unfit for our civilized, productive and communicative world.

Page 10 | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, March 31, 2022 | Opinion

Education

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Schools banning books sets dangerous precedent The removal of literature from school curriculums indicates the censorship of serious issues Robbie Santos Staff Columnist santrp20@wfu.edu

“It was a pleasure to burn,” Ray Bradbury wrote in the opening line of “Fahrenheit 451”. Bradbury’s novel — a book about banning books — is finding itself on an ever-growing list of commonly banned books in school districts across the country. It was banned in 2006 in Montgomery County, Texas. Book banning has been a growing phenomenon for the past few years targeting books that — in the opinion of some — are unsuitable for students.

“Fahrenheit 451” is not the only book in its gradual decline from prominence in school curricula — many other notable works are facing the same fate. Famous works like “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” are also in danger of being pulled from the shelves. The list goes on and on — from classic works like “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck, “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker and “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding.

Some schools have gone so far as to ban students from reading “The Diary of Anne Frank”. At one point, this list of banned books comprised some of the most notable titles from curriculums around the country, but now these books are being marked with a “scarlet letter,” a not-so-subtle reference to another frequent member of the banned book club.

Few are seeing the real danger of banning any book that conveys a message that school administrators are uncomfortable with.

Books are gateways to different worlds — worlds that sometimes mirror our own and point out the flaws in our realities.

Books can provide great warnings to us, like Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”, which was challenged at the Cumberland Valley High School — a criticism of McCarthyism in the 1950s — or George Orwell’s “1984”, which school administrators in Jefferson County considered banning — which ponders the dangers of totalitarianism. “Fahrenheit 451” explains the danger of banning books. Books provide us with keys to knowledge, and knowledge is power. If we steer into a society where knowledge is feared, we are heading toward calamity the likes of which not even “Harrison Bergeron” — a dystopian short story by Kurt Vonnegut — could have prepared us for.

A society where the practice of banning books is commonplace will be beyond scary ."

We are forced to contend with the question of why these books which were once some of the brightest stars of the literary universe, are now being shunned. While there are many reasons, perhaps this trend is largely explained by the fact that people in positions of power are afraid of these books.

Under our current system, some prosper while others fight for scraps. Needless to say, the people that benefit from this system the most are the very same people that determine which books are read and which are not spoken of.

It is in their interest to try to rid their systems of the books that may inspire others to seek change. Some people ban books because the books contain some message that they do not agree with — instead of allowing people to form their own opinions, they ban books to deprive them of this opportunity.

These people claim to make these decisions out of an abundance of caution, to ensure that no students are led astray by the “outlandish” and “dangerous” ideas presented in

these books. In reality, they are afraid of allowing students to think freely, which provides a grain of truth to their statements of caution.

It seems that the books which challenge the established rules and societal norms that favor the privileged are increasingly finding themselves on lists of banned titles.

The absence of liberty fosters dissent, and the absence of knowledge fosters oppression. “Fahrenheit 451”, “1984”, "Harrison Bergeron” and "The Handmaid's Tale" —

by Margaret Atwood — are just some of the titles that prove this very point — that explain the real danger of banning books.

It’s an unfortunate reality that people are becoming increasingly cut off from ideas because some are afraid of what books can do.

Language can be a great unifier and a powerful tool for diplomacy and peace. At times, it can be a weapon far mightier than the sword, which is precisely what the officials cultivating these lists are afraid of. They would rather we gather together in parks and city squares to burn our books than allow a society where freedom of thought is not only permitted, but encouraged. If banning books does not scare you now, it should — I promise that a society where the practice of banning books is commonplace will be beyond scary.

2022 Academy Awards

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Will Smith defends Jada Pinkett Smith at the Oscars The actor slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage at the awards ceremony Robert Yount

Staff Columnist younrj18@wfu.edu

This past Sunday, the 94th Academy Awards took place. Chris Rock was telling jokes about actor Javier Bardem (“No Country For Old Men”) and his wife, Penelope Cruz, when he then addressed Will Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith, telling her that he was looking forward to “G.I. Jane 2”. This was a reference to the 1997 film “G.I. Jane”, where the main character was a bald woman played by actress Demi Moore.

The audience reaction was mostly positive, with the camera cutting to Will Smith laughing and Jada Smith rolling her eyes.

The camera then returned to Rock, who heard some of the half-groans from the audience confirming that it was a good joke. Suddenly, Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped Rock, leaving the audience divided on whether or not the entire incident was staged. As Rock continued talking in the aftermath, Will Smith was heard saying, “Keep my wife’s name out of your [expletive] mouth.”

Rock was curious as to whether Will Smith was serious or not. The audience fell silent as the camera panned to Will Smith saying "yes" before repeating himself. Noticeably surprised and taken

aback, Rock then moved on with his act, calling it “the greatest night in television history.”

At first, this seems like an overreaction on Will Smith’s part in response to a joke by a comedian. After all, the job of a comedian is to provide comedy for their audience. While first reactions are not wrong, they are often incomplete — there is an intense history that many are failing to consider.

To contextualize the joke itself, Jada Smith sports a shaven head, but it’s not a style choice; she shaved off her hair after being diagnosed with alopecia, a condition that results in hair loss. In a world where Jada Smith did not have this condition and it was merely a fashion statement, then Will Smith would be in the wrong. But in this world, Jada Smith has that condition, and Rock made a joke about it. Billie Eilish was there with her brother Finneas; Eilish has Tourette’s Syndrome, a condition where one has involuntary tics. Imagine a scenario where a comedian makes a joke about that; there would be outrage at the comedian.

When it comes to Will and Jada Smith's marriage, this is the fairest assertion that Rock merely made a joke. It is well known that Jada Smith was involved in an affair with singer August Alsina, as well as that their marriage could possibly be defined as “open.” While many of us may have our own personal views on open marriage, that is beside the point and ultimately not for the general pub-

In an effort to defend his wife, [Will] inadvertently created one of the most memorable moments in television history." lic to discuss, especially if Will and Jada Smith have talked about settling these boundaries in their relationship. Morally, Jada may not be the greatest person, but that doesn’t mean that she deserved the comment from Rock.

As for Will Smith himself, he was defending his wife. He admitted in his book that his dad abused his mom, and he felt guilty for not standing up for her.

Additionally, since Jada Smith's affair with August has been public, both Will and Jada Smith have been the butt of countless jokes. The entire time, we have not truly heard Will Smith's perspective — he has remained mostly composed.

That night, Will Smith was nominated for what would become his first Oscar win for "King Richard", where he plays a father that Will Smith described as being “a fierce defender of his family” in his acceptance speech. With his family history, his decorum during the public’s reaction to Jada Smith's affair and a role that invoked strong emotions from within, Will Smith carried this inner frustration and pain into an exceptionally emotional night. Thus, in an effort to defend his wife, he inadvertently created one of the most memorable moments in television history. Will Smith could have verbalized his disagreement with

the joke. He could have talked to Rock about it later. That would happen in a perfect world, but we live in a flawed world. We cannot expect a person to act like anything above a human being. We understand logic and reason, but our nature pushes us towards emotion. If one was in Will Smith's shoes, with his family history and marriage history, sitting in the audience during an emotional night while a fellow comedian was insulting his wife, it’s difficult to say that in the same circumstances, one would genuinely respond differently.

Throughout his career, Will Smith has kept a cool composure regarding incidents close to him. Some critics of the event argue that he is “encouraging violence,” suddenly forgetting over 30 years of him never doing something like this.

If this was the case, he wouldn’t have the stardom he has today. It costs $50 million just to have him in a movie. Many also don’t remember that Rock divorced his wife partially due to infidelity on his own part; he is no saint.

Will Smith won his Oscar for playing Richard Williams, a father who defended his family. After the incident last night, there likely wasn’t much acting involved.

Will Smith was merely being a father defending his family, and a husband defending his wife. He is a human that was in very human circumstances. Will Smith and Rock will likely reconcile in the coming weeks, and their careers will likely not suffer, but last night’s Oscars is a live example of our imperfect nature.

SPORTS

Christina DeNovio, denoca20@wfu.edu Essex Thayer, thayse20@wfu.edu

Follow us on Twitter @wfuogbsports OLD GOLD & BLACK

PAGE 11 THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2022

Photo Courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics

Baseball goes 1-2 in series with Virginia After facing the now No. 3 Cavaliers, the Demon Deacons await a series with unranked Boston College ESSEX THAYER Sports Editor

Following a highly successful weekend in Atlanta and a strong mid-week showing against Liberty, Wake Forest won one game in a three-game series with Virginia. The Cavaliers, as of Monday, are ranked as high as No. 3 in the country, highlighting the importance of winning even one game for the Demon Deacons.

In the series opener on Friday, an 8-2 loss, Wake Forest struggled both on the mound and at the plate. Sophomore starting pitcher Rhett Lowder lost his first game of the season, giving up seven

runs, three earned, in 5.2 innings. At the plate, the Demon Deacons only got four hits, and no player had a multi-hit performance.

“We knew coming in that [Virginia starting pitcher Nate] Savino was really good,” Wake Forest Head Coach Tom Walter said after the game. “We put 19 pitches on him in the third and then we put 26 pitches on him in the fourth. We come out in the fifth and have a fivepitch inning. That was really the swing of the game. They grabbed the momentum from there.”

On Saturday, an 8-0 shutout, pitching remained an issue for Wake Forest, and the bats were even worse. The Demon Deacons only secured one hit in the

game. Freshman Josh Hartle earned his third straight loss, giving up six runs in six innings.

To close the series on Sunday, Wake Forest finally turned it around, plating eight runs and only allowing one in the victory. Following a one-run performance by sophomore starting pitcher Teddy McGraw, the Demon Deacons’ bullpen closed the door in the final four innings.

For the first two innings on Friday, Lowder performed well for the Demon Deacons, going three-up, three-down in the first inning and then striking out two hitters in the second. But, in the third inning, the Cavaliers finally broke the game open. After allowing two bas-

erunners, a play involving a wild pitch and then a pitching error saw Virginia take a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth inning, a solo home run extended the Cavaliers’ lead to three, but in the bottom of the inning, Wake Forest made their move to get back into the game. With redshirt junior Michael Turconi and sophomore Brock Wilken on base, a sacrifice bunt by redshirt sophomore Adam Cecere moved the baserunners forward to second and third base. A single to center field by redshirt junior Brendan Tinsman brought them home, shrinking Wake Forest’s deficit to one run.

See Baseball, Page 12

Page 12 | Thursday, March 31, 2022

Old Gold & Black | Sports

Baseball: Continued from Page 11 The score remained 3-2 until the top of the sixth inning, when the Cavaliers knocked in four runs while also knocking out Lowder. After two walks to open the inning, a single to center field brought the runners in for two runs.

Later in the inning, an infield hit extended Virginia’s lead to 6-2. After a third walk in the inning, Lowder was replaced by graduate pitcher Gabe Golub. Golub immediately balked on his first batter, and then allowed a single to bring in the baserunner. A strikeout finally got Wake Forest out of the inning despite trailing 7-2.

In the ninth inning, Virginia added a final run and the Demon Deacons could not mount any form of counterattack in their final at-bats, giving the Cavaliers the 8-2 victory to open the series.

“Virginia is a good team,” Walter said following the series opener. “They did some good things today, but we need to play clean baseball if we’re going to beat good teams.”

Hartle started strong in the first inning against Virginia on Saturday, getting three straight outs in the first inning. After that, not much else went right for Wake Forest. With a runner on third base in the second inning, a sacrifice fly scored the first run of the game for the Cavaliers, Hartle was able to exit the inning with only that run allowed.

The 1-0 Virginia lead remained until the fourth inning, where a two-run home run extended the lead to 3-0.

Then, a three-run home run in the fifth inning doubled the Cavaliers’ lead. In the top of the eighth inning, Virginia

CHRISTIAN ODJAKJIAN Staff Writer

Sixteen years ago, Steve Forbes and Buzz Wiliams were both assistant coaches on the Texas A&M staff. Fast forward to 2022, and both bald men are at the helm of their respective programs and faced off head to head for a spot in the National Invitational Tournament Semi-

added their final two runs of the game, extending their lead to 8-0.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Cavaliers were one out away from a team nohitter until freshman Tommy Hawke knocked a single to center field. The next batter, freshman Nick Kurtz, grounded out to end the game.

Despite the nature of the loss, Walter was quick to back his team leading into their final game against Virginia.

“We’ve got to find a way to come out and win tomorrow,” Walter said. “I still like our club. I don’t like our club any less today than I did two days ago. This is a good ball club and I have no doubt we will come out tomorrow ready to play.”

To begin the series-ending game on Sunday, McGraw worked around two walks to get the Demon Deacons out of the first inning unscathed. He was rewarded by a Cecere single in the following half-inning, bringing in redshirt sophomore Pierce Bennett and Kurtz to give Wake Forest an early 2-0 lead.

In the top of the second inning, Virginia responded with a solo home run with their first batter, but that was their only score of the inning. Wilken walked to begin the bottom of the third inning and Cecere was hit by a pitch. Those two baserunners proved to be detrimental for the Cavaliers, as the next batter, Tinsman, hit a three-run home run, extending Wake Forest’s lead to 5-1.

In their next inning at bat, the Demon Deacons added on to the lead.

Cecere hit a solo home run with two outs, and sophomore Jake Reinisch hit a double, bringing home Tinsman two batters later.

The score remained set at 7-1 until the bottom of the seventh inning. Kurtz singled to right field and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. From there, Bennett drove him in with a double to left field. Wake Forest pitcher Camden Minacci then closed the game out in the final two innings, only giving up one hit, securing the 8-1 victory for the Demon Deacons.

After the game, Walter reflected on his post-game comments the previous evening, while still finding need for improvement with his team.

“It was a big win,” Walter said. “We needed it. You are never happy about

finals in Madison Square Garden.

The result was the Wake Forest men’s basketball team’s season ending Wednesday night in College Station with a 67-52 loss.

The Texas A&M Aggies controlled the game from start to finish.

“They got out to a great start,” Forbes said. “It put our team in a hole that we just couldn’t get out of… Buzz and his

staff have done a great job of getting their team to play better and better the entire year. They deserve to play in New York next week.”

Texas A&M set the tone early in front of a packed crowd, jumping out to a double digit lead. The Aggies’ athleticism and connectivity on the defensive end was very disruptive, and the Demon Deacons played their worst offensive half of basketball this season.

The Aggies led 32-15 at halftime. Wake Forest was an abysmal 4-27 from the field with 12 turnovers in the opening period.

“We knew how to attack them,” Forbes said. “When we did, we got great looks.

We didn’t make those looks in the first half, but we made some in the second.”

After falling behind 40-22 a few minutes into the second half, back-to-back long balls from senior Isaiah Mucius and a layup from graduate Khadim Sy cut the lead to just 10 with 14 minutes left to play. However, that was the smallest the deficit would be the rest of the way.

Mucius led the way for Wake Forest with 15 points. Graduate Dallas Walton notched a 10-point, 11-rebound doubledouble. Junior Jake LaRavia and graduate Alondes Williams only scored a combined 15 points.

Photo courtesy Wake Forest Athletics

Senior forward and captain Isaiah Mucius scores a layup for two of his 15 points in the game. On Monday, Mucius declared for the NBA Draft.

being 2-4 at home in the league, but when you start out 1-4 in the league, you’re happy about being 2-4.”

The Demon Deacons now stand at 18-6 on the season with a 4-5 record in the ACC, good for fourth place in the Atlantic division. After facing incredibly stiff competition over the past two weeks, Wake Forest will have a chance to face an unranked opponent, Boston College, in their weekend series. The Eagles are 1-8 in conference play.

Contact Essex Thayer at thayse20@wfu.edu

Photo courtesy Wake Forest Athletics

Redshirt sophomore Pierce Bennett high-fives teammate Nick Kurtz after both crossed home plate in their final game against Virginia.

“You can’t play [Alondes Williams] straight up,” Buzz Williams said. “You can’t play [LaRavia] straight up. And the teams that we studied that tried to do that did not have success.”

Just like Wake Forest, Texas A&M was barely on the wrong side of the bubble, missing the NCAA Tournament. The Aggies waited a little too long to piece everything together. After losing eight straight games in conference play, they have now won 10 of 11, and are playing some of the best team basketball in the country. Arguably, this was one of Wake Forest’s most difficult games of the season versus a red hot opponent in a true road contest.

The expectations before this season started were very low. Even though not competing in the NCAA Tournament with the ACC Coach and Player of the Year was a disappointment, a 25-10 record, and two NIT wins is still a huge step in the right direction.

“To win 25 games this season is incredible,” Forbes said. “I’m proud of them, and I told them that. We have great momentum in the program, and I’m excited for the future.”

Contact Christian Odjakjian at odjact18@wfu.edu

Sports | Old Gold & Black CHRISTINA DENOVIO Sports Editor

Redshirt sophomore Eric Adler already has an impressive resumé and a bright future ahead of him. The Rockledge, Florida native was rated as a top-500 prospect by Perfect Game. In his senior year of high school, Adler struck out 135 batters in 63 innings, posted a 1.44 ERA and hit .400.

The relief pitcher received three accolades in 2021: Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American, All-ACC Academic Team and NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award Midseason Watch List. Most recently, Adler was named as a 2022 Baseball America Preseason Third Team All-American. If Adler continues on this path of success, his aspirations of playing in the MLB will likely come to fruition.

Christina DeNovio: What other sports did you play growing up? What made you choose baseball?

Eric Adler: I played basketball and football. I was actually more of a football player than a baseball player at first because my family was all oriented around football.

Then, I noticed that I had a strong arm in the outfield, and I kind of had a knack for baseball. I enjoyed it more than my brothers did. I actually ended up breaking my arm in high school, and that kind of made me lean towards baseball.

CD: How did you get into pitching? What made you want to stick with that rather than playing in the field?

EA: I came here as a two-way player — I was playing the field and pitching. I’ve always known that in the long run, my future is on the mound, but I still enjoy playing the field. I decided to develop on the mound and see how far I could take my pitching, and I haven’t regretted it since.

CD: Why did you pick Wake Forest over other offers?

EA: I liked Wake Forest because it’s the most well rounded, given the academics, coaching facilities, teammates, all that sort of stuff. Having a head coach like Tom Walter, it’s more of like a 40-year commitment, not a four-year commitment because he’s got your back postbaseball, and he’s gonna look out for you. He tries to develop you as a man instead of just a baseball player, and I thought that was really important.

CD: Can you talk more about your relationships with your coaches?

EA: Walt’s kind of like a father figure, I would say. He puts so much work in behind the scenes that we don’t know about to make our experience the best that it can be. And on the field, too, he really cares for us. He’s really emotional in the games, and we can see how much he puts on the line for us. Especially this year, he’s poured so much into us, and it’s really paying off already. We’ve been playing real well, so we can keep going because of him.

CD: What were the biggest changes from high school to college baseball?

EA: Definitely getting used to the workload of it was an adjustment. Apart from when you’re playing summer ball, we are on the field constantly. It’s not a bad thing, but your body does get fatigued over time. But, having the staff that we have makes it so much more enjoyable.

You know, if we didn’t have [Associate Head Athletic Trainer] Jeff Strahm or [Assistant Director] Mark Seaver, and all of our pitching coaches and city coaches, it really would be a different scenario.

CD: The baseball team has been dominant this season. Why do you think the performance has been so strong?

EA: I think the reason we’re playing so well is because this team has bonded a lot better than in years past.

There’s no age on the team — you’re not seen as a freshman, you’re not seen as a senior, but instead as a teammate. I feel like in the years past, that wasn’t the case.

We really play for each other — that’s the best way to play baseball. If you’re trying to play for yourself or play

Thursday, March 31, 2022 | Page 13

Eric Adler

Deacon “Sportlight” for the draft, you’re not going to do well and the team is going to suffer. For example, say somebody gets out.

There’s two outs, so that guy at bat is going to try extra hard to pick him up. I think that’s part of the reason we’ve been so successful.

CD: What’s your favorite activity to do with your teammates that’s not playing baseball?

EA: I think my favorite activity is probably playing pool.

I used to be terrible at pool, but over time, we’ve just played it so much. I’m getting better at it. We also have two cornhole boards in our locker room, and we actually have a tournament going on right now. I’ve never played more cornhole in my life.

CD: Are there any teams you’re looking forward to playing in particular?

EA: I’m looking forward to playing in Louisville — two of my really good friends are on that team. I’m also looking forward to going up to Boston to play Boston College — I think that’s going to be really fun. I’ve never been there, but I hear it’s a really pretty city. And then hopefully, playing a team like Vanderbilt or a team in Omaha. I feel like that’d be awesome — playing and hopefully beating them.

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics

CD: The baseball season is very long and has a high The baseball team begins a three-game volume of games. How do you keep your body and series against Boston College on Friday. mind sharp throughout the four months? brothers. My oldest brother played football. He always EA: We work a lot with what we call staying neutral. says he didn’t have the mental capacity for baseball, so That’s just understanding that baseball is a mix of highs he stopped playing when he was really young. And then and lows, and you can’t grab onto the highs and lows John, my middle brother, played football and lacrosse too much because that’s when you suffer. So what stay- and never really got into baseball. My dad was always ing neutral means is just understanding that your suc- happy that I was just playing sports — he never really cesses and your shortcomings are all part of the game. cared what sport I played or which one I would take That’s more of the emotional aspect of it. And then, with seriously. He always wanted me to be active, and that’s the body, you just have to find what works for you. I why I play multiple sports. He played football in colmeditate a little bit in the mornings, and I do a bunch lege, but his brother played baseball at college, both at of yoga and stuff like that at the field. It’s like a second Missouri. He understands how much of a grind baseball form of meditation — it just kind of clears my mind as is and what it takes to play baseball. And he thought I’m stretching my body. Meditation is just a side effect that it would be a great route for me and supported me of it. That’s what works for me. But I know guys will do through that. breathing exercises like box breathing and all these different methods. It’s really individualized, but it’s about CD: Do you have a favorite baseball player? what works for you.

EA: I think my favorite player is Mike Trout. He’s probCD: What are the most important things you’ve ably the best player of all time. My favorite pitcher is learned so far in your time at Wake Forest?

Jack Flaherty, who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals. I think he and I are very similar, all the way down to the EA: The main things I would say are time management mental game of baseball. We throw and carry ourselves and how to deal with failures. I think the biggest part very similarly. He’s a very successful pitcher. is how to deal with failures. It goes along with staying neutral. Given that baseball is a failure-oriented sport, CD: What’s your major, and what are your post-gradit’s important to be able to understand your emotion uation plans? when you fail and you come up short. You put so much time and effort into it. That’s what’s gonna make you EA: I’m a Communication major. I want to play profesbetter in the long run. It makes you understand what sional ball and try to make it to the big league. If that you need to put into it to better yourself for future games doesn’t work out, I want to do some form of medical or whatever lies ahead. It’s just really not grabbing onto sales. My dad’s a radiologist, and then my brother’s a past failures because I’ve seen players that will grab onto physical therapist. My other brother is working to be an that and it just kind of spirals. Then, there are the guys orthopedic surgeon right now. They’ve been around the who don’t really think about it. And you could say that medical field, but what they’re doing is not really for me. they’re dumb or whatever, but they tend to be the better I think some of my strengths are talking to people and players. So it’s just kind of finding that fine line between creating relationships. The field of sales is based on your focus and overthinking. own personal success and like getting deals done. In the medical field, there’s so much opportunity to make solid CD: When you’re pitching, is there anyone you keep money — and money’s not everything, but it does help. in mind or anyone you want to make proud when you I think that would be fun because it can end up being on step on the mound? Is there anyone who inspired you your own time. When you start out, you have to work to play the sport? for somebody, but later on you can work remotely and have more independence.

EA: I always think about my parents, especially my dad, because of the sacrifices he’s made. When I’m on the Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity mound, I’m not thinking about anything but the game, and brevity. but when I put the work in off the field and before practice, I have him in mind. I just want to make him happy Contact Christina DeNovio at because of everything he’s put into me. I also think of my denoca20@wfu.edu

PAGE 14 THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2022

LIFE OLD GOLD & BLACK

Adam Coil, coilat21@wfu.edu Josie Scratchard, scraja20@wfu.edu

The writer, director and producer introduces viewers to weird new worlds BEN WILCOX Staff Writer

Yorgos Lanthimos' movies are weird, and weird might be a bit of an understatement.

He has been described as “Wes Anderson’s evil twin” — and for good reason. The Greek filmmaker has an off-kilter style that carries a certain kind of cleverness and charm.

As a part of Greece’s “weird wave”, Lanthimos has shown himself to be a master of his craft. Lanthimos broke into the film industry in 2009 with his film “Dogtooth”, a Greek drama about a father and his adult children that have been removed from the outside world. The movie has a unique plot and earned him a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards. Although "Dogtooth" is an interesting enough breakout feature, it’s how Lanthimos has decided to follow it that cements him as one of the best active directors.

In 2015, Lanthimos wrote and directed “The Lobster”, a film about a man who has 45 days to find a new partner after his

wife leaves him. If he’s unsuccessful, he’ll be turned into a lobster. What is truly amazing about the execution of this movie is that it could easily be turned into a goofy concept in less careful hands.

Lanthimos focuses on interrogating the feeling of loneliness and the lengths to which people will go to avoid it. “The Lobster” is a well-executed dark comedy, using the notion of the absurd within the plot to tell a somewhat heartfelt and quirky story that feels weird but not strange.

As far as strange stories go, it doesn’t get much stranger than “The Killing of a Sacred Deer”. Lanthimos’ 2017 film is a psychological thriller that is an eerie blend of Stanley Kubrick and Wes Anderson. In this style, long, symmetrical dolly shots in the halls of a hospital help build this bubble of suspense that hangs throughout the movie.

Not to give away too much of the plot, but the film is said to be an adaptation of the story of Iphigenia from Greek mythology and is just about a parent’s worst nightmare put to screen. Barry Keoghan is fan-

tastic in this role, so if you wonder why the actor from “Dunkirk” is now showing up in everything from “The Green Knight” to “Eternals” and a very important cameo in a recent blockbuster, this film is the reason why.

Lanthimos’ most recent feature-length film is probably his most well-known and

Photo courtesy of IMDb

Emma Stone stars in "The Favorite", a period piece about English nobility.

widely-acclaimed: “The Favourite” (2018).

He turns what could be a stuffy period piece about two cousins jockeying over the favor of the Queen of England into another clever dark comedy with a focus on skewering the politics of a “divinely-appointed” monarchy.

One way that he captures this in “The Favourite” is by using a wide-angle fish-lens shot that distorts the image but also allows for very athletic camera movement. Again, Lanthimos keeps his work feeling weird and off-kilter, while simultaneously staying true to the story he wants to tell.

After rewatching all of his English language work, it seems very evident why he’s been dubbed the king of Greece’s weird wave. His films are uniquely crafted and deserve more attention. They garner wholehearted recommendations and should be sought out. Also, you should mark your calendars for his next release, “Poor Things”, scheduled for later this year.

Contact Ben Wilcox at wilcbr19@wfu.edu

Digital media shapes narratives regarding the tragedy of war ALYSSA SOLTREN Contributing Writer

Five weeks ago, we woke up to a different world — a world where the Russian government was mobilizing its troops against Ukraine. A military conflict, a refugee crisis and an international threat of this scale had not been seen by this many people living in the world today.

Our world just came one step closer to poking a beast that hadn’t been awoken for 77 years — World War. But what have we learned already?

Since the beginning of the semester, I’ve probably watched more war movies than you’ve seen in the last few years of your life. I’ve become absorbed in this genre for a number of reasons. I’m currently taking a course about European history, and we’ve just arrived at the World Wars. I was really anticipating the course because my pre-college curriculum had somehow managed to skip this topic every year since seventh grade, and now we’re facing the possibility of a large-scale war. But as I’ve been sitting here in my dorm at three in the morning, I began to ponder how our attitudes towards war have been shaped over time.

Historically, the media has influenced how people view war. Before the 20th century, the act of going to war and fighting for one’s country was commonly seen as a glorious and even romantic deed. Theater productions and propaganda portrayed soldiers as fighting with honor and often winning due to their nobleness. Even if they died, they died

with satisfaction. World War I was quick to shatter that notion. Streets that were filled with young men who were proud to enlist themselves in the military were soon desolate.

These young men often found themselves not on bright battlefields where they could display their most righteous valor but in hellish landscapes where they focused on how to survive until the next day. This served as a harsh wake-up call to anyone after the war, including veteran and author of “All Quiet on the Western Front”, Erich Maria Remarque.

Not only do I admire this book, but its 1930 film adaptation holds up today as a faithful rendition of the source material with its themes of tragic youth and illusory nationalism.

Cinema arose on the heels of this book, World War II and a subsequent outpour-

Photo courtesy of IMDb

"Saving Private Ryan" (2013) depicts the atrocities of war.

ing of new stories about the wars. Despite these war movies trying to be realistic, the medium in which their stories were presented was still largely designed for entertainment, so war continued to be a sensationalized topic. Perhaps this was a particular attitude within the United States because we had fought on the winning side of both major wars. We seemed invincible … but we weren’t.

Later movies such as “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan” were at times met with horror and disgust by audiences due to their extremely violent content, but survivors and veterans of the events portrayed in the films appreciated the visible accuracy of their experiences.

These facts of their lives, as unfortunate as they were, had still been waiting to be fully accepted by their society.

Another major theme that was gaining popularity towards the end of the 20th century was pacifism, as seen in “Grave of the Fireflies” and “The Iron Giant”.

The creators of these movies shifted their focus from the battlefields to the everyday communities that were affected by war. It was made evident that the domestic front of war is just as important to consider and that the price of war may be too devastating to pay because of this.

And now here we are in the 21st century — a time of many new changes. With the rise of the internet came the rise of information and misinformation. This era has also seen the expansion of consumerism into virtual domains largely through the use of social media. It is true that people act differently on the internet than they do in real life, but what they

see online still shapes how they think.

Any topic can become disfigured in importance and meaning depending on how it’s treated online — and war is no exception. As a member of Gen Z, I’ll admit that we have a bad habit of making jokes about topics that should be taken seriously. In both the events of a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad and Putin’s order of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I had encountered numerous memes and jokes about the start of World War III. We are becoming increasingly disconnected from the gruesome losses our world suffered some time ago. Although this is not necessarily our fault, it is still our duty as a future generation of adults to understand the gravity and consequences of these historical events. There are other, better ways than social media to learn about the wars that ended the lives of many and transformed the lives of so many more.

We can take history courses, read books or watch war films that get it right.

Although many movies from the past decade tend to emphasize the spectacle, movies such as “War Horse”, “1917”, “Dunkirk” and even “Jojo Rabbit” still manage to capture important messages about the values of life, humanity and perseverance. I hope that we will be able to take in all aspects of these stories of war — from the ugliest moments to the brightest acts of compassion — and learn to mature into the leaders that our fragile world needs. So — for everyone’s sake — please let the sleeping beast lie.

Contact Alyssa Soltren at soltac20@wfu.edu

Life | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, March 31, 2022 | Page 15

Godzilla serves as metaphor for human destruction The monster originated in Japan amidst nuclear fallout scares UNA WILSON Asst. Features Editor On March 1, 1954, just one year after the detonation of the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the U.S. Military tested a hydrogen bomb near Bikini Atoll. The bomb was ten times more powerful than the ones that devastated Japan during WWII. Video footage of the explosion shows a mushroom cloud of incomprehensible size blossoming in the ocean. The cloud of smoke formed spiny ridges — reminiscent of reptilian spikes. The ocean pulsed with concentric ripples the size of typhoons.

Roughly 100 miles east of the blast sailed the Lucky Dragon No. 5, a Japanese tuna boat. White ash floated down to the deck like snow, and as the crew held their hands out in dismay, some vomited blood over the rails. Two weeks later, the ship reached Yaizu, its home port. The men were hospitalized in Tokyo, and six months later, the radio operator died. Japanese doctors named the cause of death as radiation poisoning.

The residents of Bikini Atoll who evacuated

were assured that they would only be temporarily relocated. In January 1948, about 18 months after the Bikini islanders were evacuated, the residents were starving to death. What little fish they could gather were now poisonous. Months of pleading to the U.S. Navy for aid went ignored.

Further relocations to other neighboring islands were frivolous, as each island was wrought by food shortages and dangerous waters.

Tragedy for those who were poisoned became inspiration for those who were artists. Japanese film producer Tomoyuki Tanaka felt compelled to make a film that played on growing nuclear fears and the rising popularity of monster films.

Eight months after the explosion, “Godzilla” (Gojira) opened in theaters. A giant, radioactive monster awoken from its slumber after nuclear tests ravages and flattens hopeless cities. In the decades that followed, "Godzilla" became the longest-standing film franchise to date, with 36 movies made since Tanaka’s film in 1954. Though the plot of each movie varies slightly, most films use the giant lizard to make commentary about the hubris of humanity, technological advancement without wisdom and ecological destruction.

Rising fears of nuclear war and the dangers of radiation poisoning most likely fueled Godzilla’s origin story. Unlike the fisherman near Bikini Atoll, however, Godzilla is immune to the dangers of nuclear radiation. In fact, Godzilla is typically depicted drawing on nuclear power to fuel his attacks. Amidst the nuclear arms race of the Cold War, this radioactive monster was unhindered by what most feared was inevitable mass destruction.

Godzilla rarely allies with any side. Whether the monster is on the side of humans or against them is ambiguous in many of the films. Like the Earth, Godzilla generally remains unphased by the wars and political decisions of humans. The monster awakens, flattens entire cities and then recedes into the ocean.

In recent years, concerns about climate change and environmental destruction have translated onto the screen, altering the narrative of Godzilla. The movies are increasingly centered around Godzilla ‘restoring balance’ to a planet plagued with overpopulation, disease and overconsumption. Godzilla is now a symbol of nature both taking revenge on humans for their hubris and being a victim of that hubris. Leveling cities, annihilat-

Streaming services alter music forever The prevalence of streaming services forces musicians to seek different avenues for revenue FINNEGAN SIEMION Contributing Writer Before 2010, digital platforms for streaming music, like iTunes, provided not only an online outlet for listening to music but also an increasingly cost-effective and seamless way to do so in comparison to physical media. You may even remember the times of purchasing songs off your iPod for $1.29 or an entire album for not much more than $10. You could plug your headphone jack into the aux port and begin streaming your freshly downloaded music in seconds, all without having to leave your house.

Fast forward 10 years, and you now have access to nearly every song in the world, readily available, wirelessly, with the click of a button — all for a mere $10. Streaming services have not only revolutionized the music industry and the way we interact with music, but they have also disrupted the trend of physical media that has existed in the industry since its conception over 100 years ago.

As the music industry has evolved, so has its process of recording and selling music. As such, the culture around an album’s design and release format has grown to contribute a lot to the experience of listening to and owning music.

When album cover art emerged in the 1960s, physical media was revolutionized. What often accompanies an LP in an official release is not only its physical artwork but additional photos, informative background information and even some additional merchandise. And truthfully, this tradition is still carried out today as artists continue the release of physical media. However, since the inception of streaming services, this culture has changed drastically.

With the meteoric rise of streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Soundcloud, there has been a forceful change in the way music is consumed and made. Within a single decade, musicians and record labels have had to transition from earning a good sum of profits from selling physical wares to abandoning the market of selling CDs and vinyl records almost entirely.

Unless initiated by a record label, artists will

independently sell their physical media along with most of their merchandise. Physical media has become less of a source for listening to music, and more an extra way to support and represent your favorite artists. Now, what does this mean for the industry? Should we be using streaming services? And if so, how does this affect the artists?

Well, it is quite remarkable to witness such a rapid and forceful shift of market structures in the industry due to streaming services. Music industries have had to shift to a performancecentered profit model for the artists and labels as a result of streaming services. For some context, artists are paid between $0.003 - $0.005 per stream via Spotify.

Photo courtesy of Forbes

Spotify continues to dominate the streaming service industry.

This means even for artists like Drake, opportunities for large profits are uncommon within streaming services. Shifting to a performanceheavy way of life for artists is not something new to the industry, but its impact stretches farther than one would think. Artists have turned to an over-emphasis on live music as a means to stay financially independent and the results have exposed some clear flaws.

The prime example of this would stem from the recent COVID-19 outbreak. Upon the commencement of the national pandemic — and subsequent lockdown — musicians were forced to close up shop just like any other small business

owner at the time. The possibilities for incomes were limited — with no live performances and a lack of reliability in regards to receiving small business relief grants.

The pandemic corrupted the live performance model of business for musicians while exposing the true implications of bargain prices for streaming services.

Through the pandemic, support for the restructuring of streaming services ramped up, with more artists bringing public attention to the issues surrounding streaming services.

Alternatives have arisen over the past few years — most notably the rise of Bandcamp, a streaming platform featuring a restructured payment model to better compensate artists. This is accomplished by the seller dropping Bandcamp's cut of the profits from 15% to 10% once a seller reaches proceeds of $5,000. Some artists have even gone as far as to create their own devices for streaming music, such as Kanye West exclusively releasing his latest album, “Donda 2”, on his “STEMPLAYER”.

As listeners become aware of the apparent “theft” occurring amongst streaming platforms and artists — and as alternative resources for streaming become available — should they continue to use streaming services? I think I could safely say that all of us would like to see our favorite artists be paid more, but very few, if any, would step forward and cancel their Spotify subscriptions.

Today, there are more options for streaming music than ever before, and your personal freedom to choose how you invest in your favorite artists factors into this. I think that without drastic changes in the market, current platforms like Spotify will continue to thrive, and consumers will continue to benefit from the low price points provided.

However, freedom of personal expenditure with the variety of ways to support artists leaves you, the consumer, with the real choice; how do you want to support your favorite artists?

Contact Finnegan Siemion at siemfj21@wfu.edu

ing advanced weaponry, taking millions of lives — Godzilla both destroys civilization and restores natural order.

One of the reasons Godzilla has remained relevant for so many years is his versatility as a monster. As opinions have changed throughout time and new technologies have brought forth new panic, the king of monsters has been an ever-changing embodiment of humanity’s greatest fears. Godzilla is a living documentation of our historical collective anxieties and cultural foils.

Yet, the indifference with which Godzilla regards humankind is comforting.

Humanity is time and again placed at the mercy of this radioactive dinosaur, a loss of control that stands in stark contrast to the narrative of human achievement we boast today. Maybe we subconsciously desire to hand the reins over to natural order — to be freed from the bonds of modern society. Perhaps, the real monster, the real “Godzilla” — is the very frightening reality we already live in.

Contact Una Wilson at wilsui20@wfu.edu

THE HOT LIST TOP 2022 OSCARS MOMENTS

1.

The slap

2.

Will Smith proceeding to win an Oscar

3.

"Dune" winning everything

4.

"The Power of the Dog" going 1/11

5.

Troy Kotsur winning an Oscar

6.

Megan Thee Stallion in "We Don't Talk About Bruno"

7.

Lady Gaga and Liza Minnelli

8.

Timothee Chalamet going shirtless

9.

"Dos Oruguitas" live performance

10.

You not knowing the Oscars were happpening

Old Gold & Black | Life

Page 16 | Thursday, March 31, 2022

"Encanto", "Turning Red" explore familial struggles New animated movies fuel the conversation on generational trauma MELINA TRAIFOROS Contributing Writer

Ask any girl about her relationship with her mother or grandmother, and she will either sigh, laugh or utter a curse word — and often times all three.

Growing up is hard. How is a teenager supposed to discover herself while she lives in the shadow of the women that people expect her to become? Disney, and its subsidiary Pixar, have recently released films exploring this complicated question.

"Encanto" soared in popularity during the holidays. With a cast of magical Colombians exhibiting the diversity of Afro-Latino families and acclaimed composer Lin-Manuel Miranda behind the score, the movie was an assured success. A hit song from the film, Photo courtesy of IMDb “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”, remains secDisney's 2021 family musical, "Encanto", utilizes its ond on the Billboard Hot 100.

However, hidden behind the colorful ani- breath-taking visual effects to complement the poignant story. mation is a deeper message about generational trauma. A tear-jerking scene depicts young strength, must shoulder the weight of the self-discovery with maintaining her mother Abuela Alma, the family’s matriarch, losing family’s every issue. In “Waiting on a Mira- Ming’s approval and the family curse that her husband while fleeing a village raid. His cle”, Mirabel, the protagonist and sole family causes her to transform into a giant red pansacrifice bestows upon the family’s children member without powers, heart-wrenchingly da whenever she gets emotional. sings that her lack of powers makes her feel Difficulties between mothers and daughand grandchildren supernatural gifts. ters often arise because the two have a strong Abuela copes by raising her family to use worthless.

The younger characters portray unhealthy bond based on the daughter’s obedience. their gifts generously to ensure the magic continues protecting them. Lost in grief, familial roles: golden child, peacekeeper, cha- A teen fears losing this relationship if she changes, but change is an unavoidable part Abuela begins reducing her family’s worth meleon and scapegoat, among others.

Director Domee Shi further explores this of growing up. A disparity grows between a to the usefulness of their supernatural power.

The graceful Isabella must only create perfect theme in her recent release "Turning Red", daughter’s true personality and the person pink blossoms and Luisa, blessed with super- in which thirteen-year-old Mei balances her mother thinks she is.

Homelife becomes an identity crisis. As Mei puts it, “I do make my own moves, it’s just that some of my moves are also hers.”

Living a double life is not sustainable. In "Turning Red", Mei’s daring and energetic inner self is represented by the panda, which she must banish in order to follow the family tradition.

When her grandmother arrives and Ming transforms from surefooted to nervous, the generational cycle becomes clear: Ming learned that her maternal duty is expecting perfection. How could she parent any differently?

The greatest strength of these movies is their lack of a true villain: the older women love as they were taught to love. The new generation rises above their ancestors’ destructive legacy.

Scrolling through Tik Tok showed me that I was not alone in resonating with these characters. User after user admitted to feeling suffocated by familial expectations. Like Mei and Mirabel, many spent their childhoods searching for ways to become more lovable.

Protagonists confront their relatives with drastic consequences, but oftentimes things must break before being rebuilt. The creators of these films give fans the chance to begin difficult conversations with a movie night.

Contact Melina Traiforos at traimg21@wfu.edu

Hitchcock: the man behind the camera OLIVIA FONDIE Staff Writer

Sir Alfred Hitchcock — the “Master of Suspense” — is a legendary filmmaker known for 53 acclaimed psychological films spanning five decades from 1920 to 1976.

While he never received an Academy Award for his work, he may be the most famous and admired film director in motion-picture history. Growing up in London in the early 20th century, Hitchcock often felt sheltered and lonely due to his obesity.

As a child, Hitchcock experienced odd and severe punishment from his parents — his mother would demand he stand at the end of her bed for hours, and his father would send him to the local prison to be locked up for 10 minutes for bad behavior. His films later became an outlet for expressing the impact of his troubled upbringing.

Hitchcock was a serious and dedicated filmmaker, yet he loved to pull pranks on set. These pranks ranged from the innocent placement of Whoopee Cushions under people’s chairs to handcuffing two leads together and pretending to lose the key, to even sending actors boxes of mice or spiders to trigger their phobias.

His dark humor and his joy in tormenting other people for fun also inspired his work as a director. Hitchcock was famed for mapping out every detail of a film be-

fore shooting it, using his great visual gifts to steer and manipulate the emotions of the viewer down to the finest detail. The victimized boy became the victimizing director.

In his film, “The Lady Vanished” (1938), Hitchcock made his first of many cameo appearances. Once his series of cameos began, film lovers would continually search

Photo courtesy of IMDb

for Hitchcock in each film. He is often seen getting on a train or bus, walking through a crowd or even carrying an instrument.

There is also something known as the “Hitchcock Blonde”, a mysterious, sexually appealing and, of course, blonde female lead who represents Hitchcock’s ideal woman. A perfect example of this trope is Grace Kelly, who acted in “Dial M for Murder” (1954), “Rear Window” (1954), and “To Catch a Thief ” (1955).

Hitchcock enjoyed exerting his control over Kelly as he wore her down on set.

In another instance, with Tippi Hedren, Hitchcock tormented her and caused her to have PTSD. When filming a scene in “The Birds” (1963), Hitchock used string to tie real birds to Hedren’s body in a confined space. She was then attacked by the birds, leaving not only her character scarred, but also her own mental wellbeing.

On a personal level, Hitchcock was an emotionally flawed human being. As a filmmaker, he exploited his internal conflicts in the service of creating films that have revolutionized the psychological thriller genre.

To understand Hitchcock’s films, we cannot easily separate the art from the artist or ignore how his emotions play a key role in the development of his many masterpieces.

Alfred Hitchcock, known for his mastery of suspense, poses Contact Olivia Fondie at with a prop gun for "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1955). fondoj19@wfu.edu