Issue 1, Volume 2

On THE

RECORD

VOLUME 2 > Issue 1 fall 2016

BY AND FOR THE YOUTH OF LOUISVILLE

REIMAGINING THE NEED FOR SPEED BAKING CHANGE CLICK FOR CONFIDENCE

why you should join the

CLEAN PLATE CLUB p. 24

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Ta b l e o f Contents 06 THE SPEED’S COMEBACK

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SPICIN’ IT UP

30 GOING POKEMON

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ONE LIKE FITS ALL

34 LOUISVILLE’S GREATEST

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START GAME

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

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DEVELOPMENTS

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WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT LOUISVILLE

The Speed Art Museum expands their community by making space for diverse, younger audiences.

A teen chef finds help for her business through a Louisville “kitchen incubator.“

Social media gives youth a way to promote body positivity.

Louisville game creators form a collaborative community beyond their computers.

University of Louisville students stand up by laying down in a #BlackLivesMatter protest.

REDUCE, RECOVER, REFORM Bellarmine University students partner with national organizations to fight food waste.

Players young and old participate in the hit mobile game Pokémon Go.

Muhammad Ali’s local legacy goes beyond the ring.

Teenagers take on affordable local restaurants.

Places and events that give our city its charm.

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P H O TO / / V I D E O / / D E S I G N

ZNRZA

ZNRZA.COM // BOOKING@ZNRZA.COM // 502.909.7416

ZNRZA

STAFF

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Dear Readers, According to the USDA, 133 billion pounds of food are wasted in the United States annually, almost a third of all food products. And every day, Louisville restaurants throw away unsold food because it will be stale by the next day.

Internationally, farmers purposely don’t harvest food that’s completely edible since, statistically, shoppers will leave ugly food on grocery store shelves.

At the end of 2015, Feeding America documented that 42.2 million U.S. citizens, including 13.1 million children, live in food insecure households. Food insecurity doesn’t have to be the faces of starving children on billboards, and it doesn’t have to mean that you’re begging for food on the streets. Food insecurity can just mean that you don’t know where your next meal is coming from.

Parts of our city are food deserts – areas that lack fresh produce and grocery stores. Families in these areas don’t have a reliable place to get affordable, nutritious food for their families.

But some youth in the Louisville area are working hard to change that.

The Bellarmine branch of the Food Recovery Network is a program college students started to reclaim food that would otherwise have been thrown away. The students collect food from dining facilities on campus and then donate those items to local shelters. Likewise, Emie Dunagan is an 18-year-old who just opened a bakery in Portland, a neighborhood that has traditionally been classified as one of Louisville’s food deserts.

Young people are also becoming involved in other forms of activism in the Louisville community.

In her article, writer Melissa Scianimanico shares the story of young people who have struggled with body image, but are now using social media to empower themselves and others.

Furthermore, teens are influencing institutions, like those on the new Teen Advisory Council at the Speed Art Museum, which helps museum staff choose new community outreach programs and exhibits that will interest new audiences.

Louisville is rapidly becoming a place for youth to voice their concerns about the community and alter outcomes. Young people are proving that at any age it’s possible to create change in your hometown. We hope you enjoy reading the articles about these remarkable young people, and encourage you to think about the ways you can make waves in Louisville.

Sincerely, Sam and Harper On the Record is a magazine by and for the youth of Louisville. In 2015, we transitioned from being duPont Manual High School’s tabloid-size school newspaper, the Crimson Record, to a magazine with a city-wide audience and local distribution. Utilizing our training as writers, photographers, and designers, we aim for On the Record to fill the void of youth perspective in local journalism.

On the Record is published four times a year by the students of the Journalism & Communication Magnet at duPont Manual High School, 120 W. Lee St., Louisville, KY 40208. On the Record is distributed free around Louisville. For a list of distribution sites or our ad rates, visit our website at ontherecordmag.com or email us at ontherecord@manualjc.com.

One year subscriptions are $15. Send to On the Record, duPont Manual High School, 120 W. Lee St., Louisville, KY 40208.

Editors-in-Chief Harper Carlton Sam Weible Creative Director Will Lake Managing Editor Sylvia Goodman Copy Editor Alice Deters Photo Editor Jordyn Stumpf Design Editor Ella Mays Director of Public Affairs Emily Cieminski Multimedia Editor Nyah Mattison Lead Writers Zakeya Baker • Cameron Daniel Jordan Gould • Kim Le Karac Medley Writers Lucy Calderon • Audrey Champelli Alex Cox • Kaelyn Harris • Wesley Lynch Mattie Townson • Nicole White Photo Coordinator Sarah Schmidt Photographers Mallory Siegenthaler • Kelsey Wunderlich Lead Designer Maddy Williams Designer Olivia Brotzge Art Director Dillon Pinholster Multimedia Assistant Jediah Holman Social Media Coordinator Melissa Scianimanico Advertising Team Meghan Jewell • Maya Malawi Maggie Stinnett Adviser Liz Palmer

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the

comeback

The RENOVATED Speed Museum appealS to teen AUDIENCES words by ZAKEYA BAKER & WESLEY LYNCH photos by MALLORY SIEGENTHALER design by ELLA MAYS

Tape up the wall Braylyn “Resko” Stewart, a local artist who partnered with the museum, tapes up a wall where he is painting “CARDS V. CATS.” on Aug. 24. This graffiti wall is part of the traveling exhibit “Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture.” The Speed will include a section specifically for UofL and UK’s sneakers to make the exhibit unique to the local community.

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T

he space was filled with folding chairs surrounding a stage. A microphone had been set up in the front. Slick, white walls rose up to glass railings on the second level, conveying the feel of a contemporary amphitheatre. Floor to ceiling glass windows on the second level let natural light pour in upon a diverse crowd that had gathered for the Sept. 16 event.

“All right judges, let’s see those scores,” Lance Newman, Jr. called from the stage. Tentatively, six people scattered among the crowd of nearly 50 lifted their whiteboards into the air.

Newman, Executive Director of Young Poets of Louisville and the host of the first poetry slam this year, squinted as he surveyed the scores, rubbing his eyes as he strained to see a sign in the back row.

“You need glasses, man!” shouted a voice in the crowd.

“I need something,” Newman answered, laughing. “All right, let’s see these scores. I got an 8.2,” he said, drawing loud boos from the crowd. “I got an 8.7.” More boos. “And I got a 9.0.” Now a few cheers from the crowd. “9.2.” The applause from the crowd grew. “Another 9.2, and finally, I’ve got a 9.8,” he said, drawing out the eight for emphasis.

At this, the crowd exploded.

“Remember,” Newman began, a wide grin spreading across his face, “It’s not about the points–” “It’s about the poetry,” the crowd shouted in response.

“All right y’all, that’ll bring an end to the first round of Young Poets of Louisville’s first slam of the season,” Newman said. “And let’s all remember to give a big thanks to the Speed Art Museum, who has given us this amazing space to perform.”

After more than three years of construction, the Speed Art Museum reopened its newly crafted doors on March 12, with 30 hours of non-stop activities and entertainment. And beyond opening day, the larger space has provided the opportunity to schedule programs that seek to draw in the community’s youth.

This retooling of their mission can be seen when the Young Poets of Louisville turn the lower floor of the Speed into a stage for their slam. Among the crowd are young and old, but the most notable age group is teens, who flock from all areas of town and represent a wide range of ethnic, racial and gender identities. The teens use the space to not only share their poetry, but to also meet and collaborate with other people their age. The lively scene and its clamor was a stark contrast to the formal feel of the Speed prior to its closing in 2012 for renovation.

“We’re a hub of creativity,” said Laura Ross, the museum’s Public Relations Manager, speaking of their new image. “You can come to Art Sparks and make something. There’s all kinds of different things.”

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PUMPED UP KICKS As part of the “Out of the Box”

FRESH OUT THE BOX Local artist Braylyn “Resko” Stewart’s graffiti is featured outside the exhibit on Sept. 22.

*photo courtesy of American Federation of Arts

While the Speed’s remodeling changed many aspects of the museum, one was kept. The expansion of the already existent Art Sparks has created the biggest attraction for youth of all ages since the remodel. Art Sparks is an interactive area where people of all ages can make their own artwork and participate in various hands-on activities that allow for self-expression.

“It’s not just a play area for younger ages. It’s an area for all ages,”said Taylor Bothwell, the Speed’s Community Outreach and Studio Programs Coordinator.

Input from the community was an important aspect in the renovation and reopening of the Speed, Bothwell said. Because the museum wants to continue to receive feedback from the community, Bothwell and other coordinators are launching a new program called the Teen Advisory Council (TAC). TAC is comprised of teens who will weigh in on what types of workshops they think the Speed should offer youth throughout the Louisville community.

“We want to have programs at the Speed that are for you and by you,” said Bothwell. “We are starting with a very small group that I hope to grow in the future. We want you to have ownership over the programs that you want to attend.”

Fall 2016 marks the inaugural year of TAC along with programming specifically aimed at youth ages 16 and up, like classes about screen printing and smartphone photography. Bothwell and other curators designed such workshops so that students could learn how to use everyday materials to create their own works of art.

Also new is a program called Wall Together. The first participants in the program were students from the Academy @ Shawnee, who had their photographs and interviews published in the Speed’s Satterwhite Gallery. Wall Together seeks to make its participants proficient in a certain medium and provides them with a place to display their artwork.

Jacy Brice (16), a junior at Shawnee, described her experience with Wall Together as a new way to meet people with different backgrounds.

“It was my first time going to the Speed,” Brice said. “It was fun and it made me reconsider having a career in photography.”

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sneaker exhibit that’s drawing diverse audiences, the museum features a pair of 1917 Converse All Star/Non Skid sneakers by Converse Rubber Shoe Company from the Converse Archives.

Beth Holladay, an art teacher at Shawnee, oversaw the program at her school and went with her students to see their photography on display. Holladay said that seeing her students have their work published in the Speed was one of her proudest moments, especially since teens have very little representation in institutions like the Speed.

“We are addressing the huge, empty hole of teenagers in the art museum, and that’s a really big deal to me,” Holladay said. “It’s always really little kids or grown-up adults, it’s never the in-between stage.”

The lack of youth representation is something that the Speed is attempting to change.

“The perception of the Speed before was that it was for older people,” Bothwell said. “It had a the reputation of being a little boring.”

To combat its public perception, the Speed held focus groups with people of different ages and backgrounds to find out what kind of space they wanted the Speed to be.

“We tried to really listen to the community and respond,” Bothwell said. “Another great opportunity we’ve had is our free Sundays; those have brought in people who had never visited the art museum before.”

Adding to the new opportunities, the renovations have made the new space more open and expansive, allowing curators to introduce collections and exhibits the Speed has never seen before. For visitors who are coming to see the museum for the first time after the renovation, they can see a straight shot into galleries of the past and present – what used to be and what is now the Speed Museum.

“You’ll always see something different, we’re always moving art throughout the gallery and there are always exhibitions that are changing,” said Scott Erbes, Chief Curator at the Speed, adding that they have between 900-1000 works of art on view at any given moment.

While more than 90 percent of the artwork on display is donated or on loan to the Speed, some pieces are purchased for exhibition, like that of Louisville-based artist Sarah Lyon.

m

“I initially had shows in nontraditional galleries in Louisville and then the current curator of the Speed came to a show, saw the pieces, and acquired them,” Lyon said.

One of her pieces is a photograph called “Cork-NBottle,” named after a liquor store on Cane Run Road.

Lyon said that she wasn’t sure if the curator would actually exhibit the two photographs he bought, “Cork-NBottle” and “Indiana Farmhouse.” When she found they were on display and actually got to see them on the walls during the opening weekend, she said she felt excitement and validation as an artist.

The museum has also invited local artists to contribute to traveling exhibitions. Its newest exhibit,“Out of the Box,” features the evolution of everyday footwear and hip-hop culture over the course of 150 years. The show, which has traveled to cities like Brooklyn and Atlanta, has been made unique to Louisville with graffitistyle art donated by local artists.

Upon entering the exhibit room, the smell of fresh spray-paint lingered. Braylyn “Resko” Stewart, a local artist, was working on his third mural, “Cards vs. Cats,” for “Out of the Box.” The exhibit includes shoes worn during a game by the famous John Wall, a former University of Kentucky basketball player and current player for Washington Wizards, and Yeezys by Kanye West. The exhibit includes hip-hop music that tells the cultural history of the different shoes.

“Having a show like ‘Out of the Box’ will attract people who might not be interested in looking at works of art from our permanent collection,” said Anne Taylor, Chief

Engagement Officer. “My husband, who isn’t into art, went to UK and heard John Wall’s tennis shoes were going to be in the sneaker exhibition, and he was excited to be able to come and see it.”

“Out of the Box” launched with a viewing of the Pierre Morath film “Free to Run” inside the recently added cinema, a 142-seat theatre with up-to-date technology, including a new projection system and will showcase a diverse range of American and international films twice a day.

“Out of the Box” opened on Sept. 10 and ends on Nov. 27.

Taylor and Erbes said that they have seen an increase in visitors of all ages, but they still aim to increase the number of teens walking through the doors. With exhibits and events that appeal more directly to new, diverse audiences, they hope younger people will attend their events for the first time, connect with art and get the messsage: the Speed is for them. •

“You’ll always see something different, we’re always moving art throughout the gallery and there are always exhibitions that are changing.” - Scott Erbes in WITH THE NEW The Speed Museum closed in 2012 for a 50 million dollar renovation. It reopened on March 15 with new programming.

PoeT AND I KNOW IT The director of Young Poets of Louisville, Lance Newman, Jr., emceed the poetry slam on Sept. 16.

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Spicing It up-and-coming CULINARY ENTREPRENEURS FIND A SPACE FOR SUCCESS. words by CAMERON DANIEL & MATTIE TOWNSON • photos by KELSEY WUNDERLICH • design by ELLA MAYS

E

mie Dunagan wiped beads of sweat from her forehead as she opened the oven to reveal the foundation of her project: a sheet of chocolate cake.

She had to work quickly in order to get the cake to the wedding on time. Only 14 years old at the time, Dunagan beamed at the thought of how proud her aunt would be when she arrived with the beautiful cake.

But, as she rapidly built up the base, the unspeakable occurred: an implosion. The soft cake sighed and began to fall in on itself, breaking under the pressure. As someone with no formal culinary training – and this being her first wedding cake – Dunagan was perplexed. She grasped onto what knowledge she had gained in her lifetime of baking and put the pieces together – literally. She rebuilt the cake in a fashion that allowed it to withstand its own weight, then stepped back to relish in the oncoming wave of relief. The final product was a masterpiece: a total of 16 inches wide at the base, frosted in a layer of intricate white icing. Dunagan was overwhelmed with pride. She had finally perfected her first wedding cake, and just in time to make it to the wedding.

Four years later, Dunagan is still creating cakes, but on a much larger scale. She has relocated from her aunt’s home kitchen to the industrial kitchen incubator located

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in West Louisville: Chef Space. Chef Space is a facility that supplies entrepreneurial chefs with the low-cost space, equipment, and support they need to develop their businesses. Since November 2015, it has already benefitted at least 20 start-up businesses.

Dunagan started growing her business, Em’s Delights, independently before she began working with Chef Space.

She came in already having her own website and a business strategy, but Chef Space helped her gain new connections she wouldn’t have formed otherwise. Because of Chef Space’s business aid, Emie was given the opportunity to collaborate with the popular Louisville coffee chain Heine Brothers’, which she considers to be “the biggest thing that’s happened to me.”

Now her products are sold in 11 Heine Brothers’ locations, which she described as a struggle and a triumph.

“I spend hours creating products for them,” Dunagan said. “It’s a lot to handle, but I feel I’m doing all right. This experience has taught me extreme amounts of diligence.”

This story is common among her colleagues of all ages and backgrounds, a “family” of entrepreneurs who base their businesses at Chef Space. Opened by Community Ventures, a Kentucky nonprofit with support from local and federal grants, Chef Space is based in the former Jay’s Cafeteria and

MIX IT UP Emie Dunagan, 18, has made use of the resources at Chef Space to strengthen her bakery business, making her dream of creating “pastry art” a reality. “What better way to make someone smile than to create a beautiful piece of art that they can not only appreciate visually, but tastefully as well,” Dunagan said at the Douglass Loop Heine Brothers on Sept. 21.

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is part of a revitalization effort in the Russell neighborhood. Modeled after a similar project in Washington, D.C., the kitchen incubator has nurtured other businesses like LuCretia’s Kitchen, owned by LuCretia Thompson, who practically grew up in the kitchen, given that her grandfather owned a barbecue restaurant. Her family’s history in the business, specifically in soul food, inspired Thompson to become a chef.

Thompson has dedicated the past few years to developing her business, creating her products in a large kitchen inside of Chef Space that she shares with multiple chefs. But her culinary journey started on a much smaller scale.

She drew inspiration from the memory of a younger version of herself sitting on the counter of her grandparents’ kitchen, pulling freshly harvested green beans out of a wicker basket one by one. She remembers breaking off the stem of each vegetable as her grandfather stood across the kitchen, focused on seasoning pork to be smoked and pulled.

The smell of tangy spice floated from room to room, contrasting with the fresh scent of the greens. She turned and smiled at her mother, who was stirring a pot of dark, sweet-scented

barbecue sauce that they called “liquid gold.”

Her mother playfully warned her to back away, or else she would fall straight into the large pot.

It was in that kitchen that Thompson fell in love with cooking, particularly with the rich and comforting soul food that she creates today. She continues the legacy that her grandfather started with the help of Chef Space. The once smiling little girl is now a woman acquiring her own kitchen and restaurant space.

“It teaches you everything you need to know, and gets your product out on the shelf,” Thompson said. “Whatever level you’re at with your business – whether your level is a food truck, or if they already have one and need somewhere to prep cook – it fits everyone who has a desire to go to the next level.”

Chef Space members pay a monthly fee of $600-$850 for unlimited access to kitchen appliances and equipment. Many other kitchen rental businesses charge the same price or more for hourly services, while Chef Space allows workers to come in 24 hours a day, seven days a week to use the kitchen. With a membership, Chef Space also offers business consultation, technical assistance, and marketing help. Chef Space has even historically been willing to work with specific financial situations, like it did with

“Whatever it may be, it’s a family atmosphere here, and we’re all trying to get to the next level.”

- LuCretia Thompson, Owner, Lucretia’s Kitchen

HEARTY SOUL While at Chef Space on Aug. 24, LuCretia Thompson defined soul food as a personal connection. “What does soul mean to you all? Whether it be some corn bread, some greens, whatever it is, that’s what we do,” said Thompson.

HOT CAKE Dunagan’s pastries sit on display at a Heine Brothers on Sept. 21.

Her bourbon chocolate cake is one of her bestsellers.

Dunagan when she was in high school and not making a regular salary. This economic availability and low barrier of entry allows for up-and-coming businesses to have a jump start into the highly competitive food industry.

Chef Space’s financial flexibility has allowed for a variety of entrepreneurs to improve their products and expand their businesses, which impacts the surrounding neighborhood. West Louisville, where the facility is located, is a severe food desert. Food deserts are areas, typically located in large cities, where there is a limited amount of healthy food options like grocery stores and farmers’ markets. The restaurants closest to Chef Space are Kentucky Fried Chicken and Papa John’s Pizza, and both are more than five blocks away. These restaurants are also fast-food companies known for offering foods high in sugar and fat content. While restaurants are scarce in this area, there is also a lack in grocery stores. The closest grocery store is Bismillani Food Mart, a small family business about four blocks away from Chef Space.

This lack of nutritious options can cause residents in food deserts to suffer from health issues, such as high cholesterol and diabetes. A 2006 study by the Louisville Metro Health Department stated, “In West Louisville, an area considered one of Louisville’s ‘food deserts,’ 37% of residents report having high blood pressure, 74% report being overweight or obese, and 12% report having diabetes.”

Cooks at Chef Space are fighting to diminish this problem by providing a home to multiple companies that create healthy, fresh foods for locals: V-Grits serves vegan food, Farm to Baby Louisville creates healthy, allergen-free baby foods, and Elixir Kombucha specializes in kombucha tea, a fermented tea known for benefitting digestive health. This variety of nutritious options is unprecedented in this area, and it brings a more consumer-friendly atmosphere to the market. Some businesses serve food at the Chef Space building, giving the surrounding community a place to receive easily accessible, healthy foods.

As a way to make a difference in the food community, Giselle Edwards, a chef working in Chef Space, created Younique Soul, a company that focuses on creating healthier recipes for traditional soul foods.

“My business partner is diabetic, so we have to make food that she can eat that’s not going to harm her, so we do a lot of healthy soul food,” Edwards said.

In order to achieve her goal, Edwards’ brand incorporates spices and ingredients to create dishes that mimic the taste of traditional soul foods. However, they don’t use the high amounts of grease and oil typically present in fried foods.

Another instrumental factor of Chef Space’s creative environment is the diversity among its members.

Collaboration among members inspires new, innovative

“In any industry, you just have to work your butt off all the time. Don’t sleep, you’re young, drink coffee, you’ll make it.

That’s my motto in life.”

- Emie Dunagan, Owner, Em’s Delights products. For example, member Zac Caldwell, who runs a specialty jelly business called Caldwell’s Quirky Cookery, is currently working with Elixir Kombucha to create a kombucha jelly. Experimental ventures like this one are a regular occurrence at Chef Space.

Caldwell cited another collaboration with Eric Graeser of The Missing Link, a charcuterie and butchering company.

They “teamed up to make bourbon smoked bacon a couple of months ago, and it was very successful,” Caldwell said.

“That community is vital. I would not be as successful as I am without help from all of the other people in the kitchen.”

Entrepreneurs who work at Chef Space describe the facility’s atmosphere as one that fosters that creativity and collaboration, with members consistently helping each other improve in the busy kitchen. Inside, the temperature is usually high in Thompson’s workspace as sweaty workers try to simultaneously wash dishes, bread chicken, and locate the last batch of wings. Thompson has found that this is when LuCretia’s Kitchen thrives.

“We keep the atmosphere going whether somebody has the joke for the day or somebody’s singing,” LuCretia said.

“Whatever it may be, it’s a family atmosphere here, and we’re all trying to get to the next level.”

Some members at Chef Space have reached a level of profitability that now allows them to pursue their own work spaces. Caldwell is currently working to move out of Chef Space and to get his own equipment. Emie Dunagan was recently given the keys to what will become her first bakery in the Portland neighborhood. LuCretia Thompson is striving to get her own building so she can start selling her foods to a wider range of people. Chef Space has drawn them closer to their end goal of independence and production on a larger public scale.

Members say Chef Space success stories don’t just come as a result of their access to resources, but their unique ability to band entrepreneurs together to encourage, empower, and support one another.

“Seeing how close knit we’ve become since there were eight of us to now 40, it’s so one-on-one with each member,” Dunagan said. “We’re all so diverse that we can each really learn from one another.” •

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one LIKE fits all

Local youth are utilizing social media to develop and promote positive self image. words by MELISSA SCIANIMANICO • design by OLIVIA BROTZGE

B

elle Phothirath clutched her stomach as she walked steadily towards her school, Carroll High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The scene was innocent at first glance: giddy students buzzing with first-day-of-school excitement, but it was a nightmare to 14-year-old Phothirath.

There were teens sporting all different looks, from spiffy to sparkly to spunky, yet despite the diversity among Phothirath’s peers, she felt especially singled out by bullies. In hindsight, Phothirath wished her classmates had just targeted her sense of style, but instead they were bothered by another aspect of her exterior: her weight.

Phothirath walked with her head down towards the floor, scared to make eye contact with any of the passing students as she blindly navigated the halls. As she made a beeline for homeroom, an unknown girl shoved Phothirath off her track and onto the floor. Phothirath’s single folder was now out of her reach.

“Watch where you go, fattie,” the girl said.

Phothirath’s knees ached, her palms were bruised, and she was beyond frazzled as she peered through the crowd of traveling legs for the papers that were now strewn across the walkway.

“Do not cry,” she thought, squeezing her eyes.

“Breathe.” Phothirath inhaled sharply, silently reminding herself, “You’re fine, it’s fine.”

Phothirath struggled to get out her words, “I’m sorry, I was just–” The girl’s irked voice interrupted Phothirath’s faint apology: “Maybe if you took up less space, I wouldn’t have run into you, huh?”

Phothirath timidly made her way to class, trying to convince herself that she probably would not

encounter the girl again, but the uneasiness in the back of her mind became a reality when the girl’s taunting continued daily. Days of bullying turned into weeks, and weeks into months.

“She made comments about what I wore to what I ate. She was relentless,” Phothirath said.

Phothirath had hoped high school would be a fresh start. In her words, she envisioned “a monumental moment where I could finally venture into a new territory.”

However, the torment she had faced throughout her elementary and middle school years soon became a common theme in high school as well. Even trusted adults could offer little refuge to the habitual bullying Phothirath faced.

Even adults mocked her body. In fact, Phothirath remembers one adult telling her, “Lose weight. Boys like skinny girls; people can't take fat people seriously.”

In the midst of Phothirath’s sophomore year, the bullying reached its peak, and she decided that enough was enough. Enough of her peers’ comments about how she was “too chubby.” Enough of adults’ constant judgment and disapproval of her body type. Enough.

It became apparent to Phothirath that these harsh criticisms were suppressing her self-worth and confidence. She didn’t feel comfortable in her own skin, and for her, that wasn’t okay.

Rather than continuing to endure this negativity, Phothirath created her Instagram, her safe place: @religiouslysad.

Like many teens, she started her Instagram as a place to express her interests. But as insults regarding her weight continued to plague her, the tone of her account began to shift.

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religiouslysad

“

I feel that I am an advocate for all girls and guys. Not just the curvy, busty girls, but also the skinny girls, or the average girls.

I want everyone to know that their body is unique and that someone will love it. yourstruelymelly

“

I could have seen my natural body and turned away repulsed. But today I chose to love it. To love first the parts of me unseen, but also my body, the visible part of me. I chose to be inspired.

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INSTAGRAM PHOTO COLLAGE @timothyhallll (left to right) @kanai.x @taylorsans1 @isabellmosely @michaeldiaz5 @gdarwin1 @sighgeorgia @yourstruleymelly @ryanntfoster @losdeirdre @aubreyshadle @byebyebry @conarze @sadxrobot @__taylorlittle @znrza @andromedavery @camilly_rock @lucasalldaffer @emmamartin666 @leannesarahhh

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“I turned to Instagram and posted about my body. I tried to change the negativity into positivity for myself,” she said.

Fellow Instagram users began to relate to Phothirath, the vulnerable, open girl who was comfortable enough to share a part of her life from behind the screen. Ironically, as Phothirath’s followers increased, her posts became more and more personal. Most of her posts are of herself and her body, but she also shares the more casual parts of her life, like what makeup she wants or her work troubles.

“A lot of people think I post for sexual attention or compliments, but I don't,” Phothirath said. “Yes, comments are amazing, but I post to show everyone that I love my body no matter what people say, because I'm a brave individual who loves herself.”

Phothirath’s account has skyrocketed from a mere 200 followers to an ever-growing 25,000 in the three years she has run the account.

She now sees Instagram as a means to empower others while lifting her own confidence.

Because Phothirath shares a part of her life so publicly, she has to be wary of who follows her. She says has gotten in trouble over the content of her posts and now takes precautionary measures, like keeping her account private to prevent her from being exposed again.

But other social media users sometimes throw caution to the wind and go fully public, as social media use has shifted privacy expectations since its introduction in the early 2000s.

According to Dr. Keith Campbell, head of IndustrialOrganizational, Brain and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Georgia, “Social networking websites – nonexistent just years ago – have drawn literally millions of users. Web sites such as MySpace and Facebook have been at the forefront of this migration.”

From 2003 to 2008, MySpace engaged the young adult demographic with music, music videos, and an edgy, individualistic environment that attracted users from all over the world.

As the MySpace frenzy declined, new and improved sites like Twitter and Facebook took over, followed by Instagram, which rapidly became part of pop culture in 2010. According to Tech Radar, a site that tracks technology news, these three apps have topped app charts and Google searches for years.

In contrast to social media's new place in the modern world, body image struggles – or the subjective, often negative view people have of their own bodies – have been around for centuries.

According to Campbell, the mingling between social media and body image has influenced the way late millennials see themselves, creating an unprecedented social attitude.

Dr. Cheri Levinson, Assistant Psychology Professor at the University of Louisville, claims the media’s reinforcement of physical appearance is detrimental to how people see their bodies. But maybe it’s not the consistent focus on outward appearance that is detrimental, but society’s view of what that appearance should look like.

In fact, many young social media users, like Louisville's Melissa Gibson, widely known as @yourstruelymelly, disagree with the idea that social media is a detriment.

As a 28-year-old graduate student at University of Louisville with over 148,000 Instagram followers, Gibson believes that social media has the amazing power to be used in a way that positively affects people's body images.

“For the first time in forever we have a way to put ourselves out into the world,” Gibson said, “with our own message of who we are, who we want to be, and who we see ourselves as, and that is incredibly empowering.”

yourstruelymelly

You know, for the first time in forever, we have a way to put ourselves out into the world with our message of who we are, who we want to be, and who we see ourselves as, and that

is incredibly empowering.

Gibson views social media as a peek into her life, an extension of who she is. Instagram offers her a platform to have a voice and represent herself in a society that regularly looks down on women with her body type.

“I use Instagram as a tool to define my existence as a fat woman,” Gibson said, “but I also want to fight back against the beauty standards and the lies that our society teaches us about who's worthy to feel good about themselves.”

Despite the efforts of people like Gibson, who want to use social media to empower themselves and others, Dr. Levinson believes that societal standards still play a huge role in body image. Dr. Levinson says research exploring negative body image and eating disorder prevalance points to our culture’s constant reinforcement of the concept of slim-is-superior, or “thin-ideal,” with actions as simple as offering compliments over losing weight or looking thin.

According to The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), a non-profit that supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, “cultural pressures that glorify ‘thinness’ or muscularity and place value on obtaining the ‘perfect body,’ contribute to the modern eating disorder epidemic.”

Social media fosters an environment for individuals like Gibson to counter this phenomenon. Gibson feels as if her posts provide a genuine glimpse into her reality, a reality where many conclude that she does not have the body type to live confidently. Yet, Gibson expressed that the very existence of her account fights to prove that no matter what people look like, they deserve to be valued by society, deserve to be heard, and deserve to be treated just like anyone else.

The sentiment behind @yourstruelymelly has the potential to impact countless members of the Instagram community; in fact, Dr. Levinson said that accounts like @yourstruelymelly that focus on empowerment make people more aware of body positivity.

“If there is more education on the dangerousness of focusing on a thin ideal, we will see more of a push to accept bodies of all types,” Dr. Levinson said.

Phothirath also encourages others to support the body positivity movement through her account.

“I feel that I am an advocate for all girls and guys. Not just the curvy, busty girls, but also the skinny girls, or the average girls,” Phothirath said, “I want everyone to know that their body is unique and that someone will love it.”

Although Phothirath and Gibson started their accounts as a means to express just themselves, they both agree one of the

most rewarding aspects of their accounts is the impact they have on their followers.

“It’s kind of like this two-part game where it’s challenging society to be better,” Gibson said. “It’s important to humanity that we can all encourage each other and celebrate one another.”

In Gibson’s opinion, before the presence of the internet and sites like Instagram, magazines were the primary medium that focused acutely on appearance and body, and thus held the power to define society's beauty standards. Now, through social media, individuals control what they want to post and can therefore define their message for themselves.

For example, the #Fatkini movement, a viral campaign started in 2012 by then 25-year-old fashion blogger, Gabi Gregg, features proud plus-size women taking selfies in their bathing suits, something that might have been unheard of a decade ago, when mainstream magazines were one of the only places to connect with fashion.

Although acceptance for all body types is still not entirely embraced by society, internet users have taken strides to make campaigns like the #Fatkini movement more well-received.

Dr. Levinson has noticed this trend, stating, “Bodies are amazing things and they are beautiful at every size. I am happy to see movement in our society towards this direction.”

Although there has been a noticeable shift in society's overall view of body positivity, negativity still surrounds the issue.

“Being on the internet can be really hard at times. I mean, I am acutely aware every day of how my body is perceived because people tell me on the internet,” Gibson said.

But, through the evolution of Gibson’s account and the progression of her self-confidence, she has learned to ignore insults that try to disempower her.

“I have a hard time dealing with the amount of hate I get. I break down sometimes,” Phothirath said of the negative comments on her page. “But I post about myself because I want to and because it's my body, and I'm allowed to freely post what I want.”

Phothirath finds it shocking how much her account has impacted her. She doesn't like to say it changed her, because she believes she was always the beautiful Belle she sees now.

She just no longer surrenders to societal standards that suppress her self worth.

“Some days I feel a lil’ chubby, but I still go out and rock my crop top, because I have gone so long with the mindset that my body is beautiful, and,” Phothirath said, “I've actually started to believe it.” •

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START

GAME Game developers build a local community to foster creativity. words by KAELYN HARRIS & HARPER CARLTON design by MADDY WILLIAMS

Game Changer Loi LeMix and Barry Rowe, members of Warp Zone and founders of Roaring Cat Games, promote their game idea, GalaxSeed, at the Louisville Mini Maker Faire on Sept. 12. Photo credit: Liz Palmer

Scrap Yard Warp Zone and Louisville Makes Games! members Cara Smith, Alex Bezuska, Ben Wiley and Eric Lathrop promote the game Cluster Junk at the Kentucky Science Center during at the Louisville Mini Maker Faire on Sept. 12.

“We’ve made a dozen little different games,” said Bezuska. Photo credit: Liz Palmer

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15-year-old girl Victoria Harris stood with an Xbox controller in hand, lips pressed together in concentration as she navigated a virtual ocean. She was collecting garbage to become the biggest trash island in the Pacific Ocean. She manipulated the left joystick as the timer counted down, narrowly reaching 500 pieces of trash.

When she collected the last piece, the concentration on her face transformed into a wide smile, and victory music boomed over the speakers. The game on screen is Cluster Junk, the most recent creation of Two Scoop Games, an independent game studio based in Louisville.

What most players don’t realize is that weeks, even months, of carefully calculated work had gone into just that one level. The game’s creators wrote and rewrote lines upon lines of code and wrestled with character design until the image in their heads matched the one on screen. Even before the game was released, they had played it thousands of times. All of that and more happened in a small, three-roomed building tucked on the backside of Main Street: Warp Zone.

Established in late February 2016, Warp Zone serves as a workplace for the game development community. Inside, the space is small, but not cramped; a handful of collaborators tap away on the keyboards of their sticker-laden laptops, quietly chatting with one another. A massive TV monitor is stationed at the front of the work room, projecting Warp Zone’s constantly updated Twitter feed.

Posters of classic video games hang around the room alongside promotional material for some of the games the members themselves created: “Stanley Squeaks and the Emerald Burrito,” “Birds!,” and “Lab Escape.”

“The idea is that we want to have a space where people can come and develop games, and make a living off of that,” said Cara Smith, a member of the board of directors at Louisville Makes Games!, the umbrella organization that created Warp Zone. “You don’t have to know how to code. We have people who are artists, who are musicians, storytellers, writers – we just want to have a bunch of creative people come and make stuff together.”

Currently, Warp Zone has around 20 members. The fee to become a member is $100, and includes a key to the building which gives them 24/7 access.

Members must be at least 18, but they can invite guests of any age to the facility and host events in the classroom space. Since $100 is a hefty fee for most youth, Warp Zone hosts free events open to the public as well.

Louisville Makes Games! has two main components: GameDevLou and Warp Zone. GameDevLou was created in January 2014 as a meetup support group for local game developers. Warp Zone was later created to be a physical space for what’s normally online. Instead of bonding through IMs and coding forums, developers can gather and work on their games in real life, moving the digital community into the physical world. To build the community, Warp Zone hosts events like Hack Night (an evening dedicated to coding and learning together) and bi-monthly meetups on Sundays. But the biggest events are game jams, held every three months in the workspace.

“It’s kind of like a 48-hour film festival where teams of people get together and work on one project for the entire weekend, start to finish, making a game from scratch,” said Alex Bezuska, president of Louisville Makes Games!.

During a game jam, Warp Zone’s classroom space is typically packed with small groups of people, clustered in their respective teams formed prior to the actual event. Teams stake out their space and spend hours exchanging ideas – verbally, physically, and electronically. While one team member uses a dry-erase marker to sketch the game’s visuals on a whiteboard, other members hastily type notes about the game’s narrative. By the end of the game jam, each team should have the basics of a full game laid out, ready to be transferred to the virtual world.

Events like game jams hold another purpose: adding members to Louisville’s ever-expanding web developer community. In fact, a game jam is what drew Ben Wiley to Warp Zone.

Wiley, a 23-year-old freelance web developer, had recently returned to Louisville after graduating from Davidson College in North Carolina. He discovered a game jam at LVL1 Hackerspace, a community workshop for everything from software to hardware. As a sociology major, the idea of a physical space for a digital community appealed to him. That evening, not only did he meet some of the future Warp Zone creators – Smith, Bezuska, and Eric Lathrop – but he started to create his own game.

“I’d played video games, but I didn’t know anything about making them,” Wiley said. “I didn’t think I had any aptitude for it, but I knew I could make websites. We started this game over a weekend and I suddenly realized I actually was able to program games.”

But the actual programming is only one of several components that make up a good game; art, storytelling, and characterization are equally important. If the creators don’t have an engaging, visually-appealing, and well-planned idea, no one will want to play their game.

“The main thing we’re trying to do is get over the stereotype that game development is all about code,” Bezuska said. “There are a ton of people who started coming here and realized that they could do all art or all music. It takes everything to make games.”

In fact, it’s not uncommon to be new to coding at Warp Zone. Every first and third Wednesday of the month, informal meetings called JavaScript Louisville (JSLou) Learn and Hack Nights occur, where community members, regardless if they are a part of Warp Zone, can come and work through problems they’re having with a specific program. You don’t have to be a member or a guest to attend any of the public events on the Louisville Makes Games! calendar.

Usually drawing about a dozen people with ages ranging from late 20s to early 60s, the meeting starts with brief introductions to those who came share, what projects they are working on, and how they need help.

A sort of bartering system began to emerge.

When one visitor announced he needed help with angular set up, another developer was quick to offer assistance on the condition that the other man teach him Cordova, a type of mobile app development software. The collaborative aspect of Warp Zone is only one alluring aspect.

There are also formal training sessions for youth and teenagers who are interested in learning how to code. These classes are less regular – the GameDevLou support group has held 12 since December 2014 – but are a chance to teach kids

Conference On Sept. 12, Ben Wiley talks with Eric Lathrop about his game that is under development. “Usually, if you’re working here, you end up running into other people who have an affinity,” Wiley said. Photo credit: Harper Carlton

computer skills they don’t learn in school.

Students from ages 8 to 18 gather in the classroom space to learn game development from instructors like Bezuska, who teaches a programming basics class. After he goes through a PowerPoint of the fundamental components of what makes a good video game, he sends the kids to an website where they can practice writing code and manipulating their own game.

The most recent game Bezuska uses to teach code is called Egg Catch. The objective of the game is to catch as many falling eggs on a chicken before the timer runs out.

“All the code to make the game is right in browser, like the timer for the eggs that are falling down,” Bezuska said. “So I can change the timer from every second to 10 times a second, and a bunch more eggs start falling down. The kids in the class like to change all those variables or swap out the pictures for Tootsie Rolls, or hamburgers, or whatever.”

Warp Zone is particularly important for Bezuska, as it is the physical headquarters for the game development team that he and his friend Lathrop created, Two Scoop Games. The company started in 2014 with a game called Apartment 213, and since then Lathrop and Bezuska have created 11 more games. Lathrop is also on the board of directors for Louisville Makes Games!.

Their most recent project is Cluster Junk, a game conceived in December 2015 during an online game jam known as Ludum Dare.

Since then, Bezuska, Lathrop, Smith, and

Wiley have been working together to make their idea come to life. Bezuska and Lathrop animated the game, while Smith designed the trash-filled oceanscape and the pair of eyeballs that serve as the main character.

Wiley’s nautical melody, complete with classic video game sound effects, fills the background as a player navigates the sea, trying to collect garbage to become an island of litter.

Days before its premiere, Lathrop had sat in the darkened Warp Zone classroom, clicking back and forth on his laptop keyboard. The only light came from a projection of the game, illuminating the 13-foot-long screen in the classroom. While Bezuska, Smith, and Wiley helped come up with the ideas, Lathrop’s job as the main programmer was to work out any problems a player might have.

“I want some kid to be able to walk up to our game, pick up the controller, and automatically know what to do,” Lathrop said.

“My goal is for this game to be like the latest ‘FIFA’ or ‘Call of Duty,’ where someone doesn’t have to explain to them how to play the game, they just instinctively know.”

Two Scoop Games debuted Cluster Junk three days later at the Louisville Mini Maker Faire on Sept. 10. It was also released online, giving kids across the globe the opportunity to play it on their desktop. Next up: app form.

As the players at the Mini Maker Faire concentrated on making it to the next level, they remained unaware of all the hours Lathrop spent to make it perfect. Two more strokes of the left key, one click up. Almost there, but not quite.• Fall 2016

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Developments

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#ItsBlackeningHere

photo by ALEX KING

More than 200 students from the University of Louisville gather on the steps of the Student Activities Center to hold a “die-in” in support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement on Sept. 29. The student-organized event, which used the social media hashtag #itsblackeninghere, aimed to draw attention to allegations of police brutality across the nation by interrupting the flow of foot traffic on campus. “I was surprised at the lack of people acknowledging us,” said TJ Williams (18), one of the participants that laid face-down on the ramp. “I mean, they had to see us. We were blocking the busiest place at school.”

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REDUCE, RECOVER,

REFORM Bellarmine students take initiative in the fight against local food insecurity, donating uneaten cafeteria food to people in need. words by AUDREY CHAMPELLI, ALICE DETERS, & NICOLE WHITE photos by MALLORY SIEGENTHALER • design by ELLA MAYS

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T

onya Summerlin and her crew strode through the University Dining Hall’s double doors and out into the fading daylight, a tray of red potatoes in hand. After carefully packing the goods in her car, they were off to the next location. Pairing the potatoes with a main course could easily stretch the meal to feed, say, 30 people. It would all depend on how many bagels the Bellarmine students hadn’t eaten that day. Probably around a hundred, give or take.

The volunteers entered Café Ogle, the other main campus eatery, just as it was beginning to lock up.

“They prepared way too much today,” one of the employees said as she lifted a white garbage bag filled with bagels. The bagels go stale after less than a day on display.

Summerlin, a 20-year-old sophomore at Bellarmine University, handed the bag to another student and then followed the employee behind the counter to the kitchen where the staff had put together boxes of unsold pizza. The pizza “goes bad” after about 20 minutes in the warmer. That’s the limit, at least.

The five of them loaded all of the food onto a cart and carefully wheeled it out from behind the counter. As they began to pack the food into the trunk of the car, one of the servers ran out of the building holding a bagel.

“There was one left,” the Café Ogle employee said. “I didn’t want to have to throw it away.”

The Bellarmine students drove 15 minutes downtown. As they walked through the doors of Hotel Louisville, they could hear people cheering.

“Pizza! It’s the pizza man!”

“They could be out having fun,” said Chaplain Mike Blunk, the official chaplain of Wayside Christian Mission. “They could be going out to eat, going to movies, going to dances. They could be doing homework, but they load up their car and bring food over here.”

For senior Austin Adam, the president of Bellarmine’s Food Recovery Network, bringing the food to Wayside is hardly a chore.

“It’s really rewarding,” Adam said. “I’ve definitely cried on some of them. It’s just really empowering. I grew up well off, to where I could drive down the road to get a pizza from Pizza Hut any time I wanted. It’s just really eye-opening to see how much something means to people.”

A

What’s the scoop Local Food Recovery Network co-founder Austin Adam collects donated food on Sept. 6.

The Bellarmine University chapter donates food to local shelters that would otherwise be discarded.

dam founded the Bellarmine chapter of the Food Recovery Network at the beginning of his sophomore year with fellow Bellarmine students Corbin McGuire, Jessica Bacallao, and Delaney Deely, all 19 years old at the time. Although they were interested in the organization for different reasons, they were all passionate about solving the issue of food waste.

The Food Recovery Network is a national organization working to reduce food waste through universities and colleges that donate cafeteria leftovers to local homeless shelters and nonprofits. Founded in September 2011, the Food Recovery Network is now “the largest student movement against food waste and hunger in America,” spanning 194 chapters nationwide, according to the Food Recovery Network website.

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Since its beginning, the organization has reported that it has recovered over 1.5 million pounds of food nationwide. Bellarmine alone saved well over 5,000 meals during the 2015-2016 school year, recovering 6,504.5 pounds of food. The leftovers are going to Wayside Christian Mission and Volunteers of America instead of adding to landfills around the country.

By “food waste,” the Food Recovery Network is referring to the 37 million tons of uneaten food that made up 28 percent of municipal landfills in 2013, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s most recently updated data. Food takes up more landfill space than any other trash material.

Currently, Bellarmine’s program recovers food from the University Dining Hall and Café Ogle, an on-campus dining facility home to Pizza Hut, Einstein Bros. Bagels, and other small restaurants. Volunteers collect food that has been cooked and not served, or food that will expire before the kitchens have a chance to use it.

Dalton Baker, a 19-year-old sophomore who works at Einstein Bros.

Bagels, explained how much the Food Recovery Network helps the cafeteria businesses.

“Without food recovery, we have to throw away everything,” Baker said, estimating that the total amount of money Café Ogle loses in leftovers amounts to somewhere around $400 per day.

According to Baker, before the Food Recovery Network began collecting food this year, he was throwing away about 100 bagels a day.

“I would try to take them home and give them away to the students in the dorms, but there’s not enough kids that want bagels to eat that,” he said.

Now that the Food Recovery Network has begun collecting, Baker emphasized that the relationship is symbiotic: the recoverers get leftover food, and the restaurants save on valuable trash space.

“We have a limited amount of space we can put in our dumpster for trash and a limited amount of organics that we can put in the organic trash,” Baker said. “Today we filled it up so anything left over tomorrow we have to put in the dumpster unless the dumpster fills up.

Then we’re out of luck.”

“They could be going out to eat, going to movies, going to dances. They could be doing homework, but they load up their car and bring food over here.” - Chaplain Mike Blunk Food waste isn’t just an issue at the point of sale; it’s also a problem in the early stages of the distribution process, beginning with where the food is grown.

According to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a New York City-based nonprofit international environmental advocacy group, produce may go unharvested due to pests, disease, or weather damage.

Economics also play a part.

According to the NRDC’s 2012 Issue Paper, “If market prices are too low at the time of harvest, growers may leave some crops in the field because they will not cover their costs after accounting for the costs of labor and transport. In addition, growers may plant more crops than there

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is demand for in the market in order to hedge against weather and pest pressure or speculate on high prices.”

When entire fields of fruits and vegetables don’t meet commercial standards, they don’t bring in a profit, so rather than waste the effort in harvesting, the farmer may leave them to rot. “Walk-bys” are what the NRDC has dubbed these entire fields of food that are left unharvested and plowed under.

Any food that does make it off the farm goes straight to a facility where it is carefully examined, or “culled,” to test each product on specific appearance criteria.

“If it’s a banana they’re gonna make sure the curvature is right,” Adam said. “They’re gonna make sure the color, the weight, the size and everything is perfect – how grocery stores want it.”

From there, food is sent to grocery stores and companies that distribute to universities. Any food that doesn’t make the cut is labeled “ugly produce” and is sent to a landfill.

According to the NRDC, “A large tomato-packing house reported that in mid-season it can fill a dump truck with 22,000 pounds of discarded tomatoes every 40 minutes. And a packer of citrus, stone fruit, and grapes estimated that 20 to 50 percent of the produce he handles is unmarketable but perfectly edible.”

Overall, the NRDC estimates that 40 percent of food in the United States, the equivalent of $165 billion every year, goes uneaten. That in mind, Feeding America, a nationwide nonprofit network of food banks, reports that one in seven Americans struggles to get enough to eat.

According to the NRDC, reducing losses by just 15 percent could save enough food to feed over 25 million Americans yearly.

Of course, the Food Recovery Network as a whole, including Bellarmine’s chapter, only addresses a tiny fraction of nationwide food waste; however, it’s a model of a system that may eventually work in other areas of food production. The Environmental Protection Agency’s “Food Recovery Challenge,” which urges organizations to pledge to improve their “sustainable food management practices,” exemplifies how food recovery can stretch across institutions.

Grocery stores make up one platform in need of more efficient tactics. Any time a product is nearing its expiration date, grocery stores may throw it away in order to keep shelves stocked with the freshest food possible.

And any food that makes it all the way to the cooking and serving stage could end up in the same landfill as ugly produce and expired food if someone decides not to finish a meal.

“With Pizza Hut stuff, usually they’ll throw away half their breadsticks, or with Francisco’s, they’ll throw away half of a burrito,” Baker said of the average Bellarmine customers. “But it’s mostly Flex Dollars, so most students don’t care, because it’s not actual cash.”

Indeed, according to Baker, “Flex Dollars,” or student meal plan money, account for overspending and subsequent increased waste.

According to Bellarmine’s 2015-2016 Residence Hall and Meal Plan Contract, students must forfeit all unused Flex Dollars, which can buy food at Café Ogle or other à la carte venues, at the end of the spring semester. Thus, many students may buy more food than they need in order to “spend” Flex Dollars that might otherwise go to waste. In reality, the result is a student population that buys more food than it can eat, actually increasing waste in terms of food and distorting restaurants’ calculations regarding how much food they should prepare.

“We try, but you can’t really tell how much food is going to be sold throughout the day,” Baker said. “We’ll have random rushes depending on events, and there’s no way to keep up with all the events around campus,

because students are always doing something. But we do stock every night and we try to mete it out so that our waste is minimum.”

Jennifer Skoney, the retail manager for the restaurants in Café Ogle, emphasized how difficult it is to calculate the exact “right” amount of food. Even after estimating how much food students will buy based on the previous day’s statistics, Skoney has to pad each batch of food in case of unplanned rushes. No matter how much the restaurants would like to end the day waste-free, they can’t risk running out of a popular order.

“I pad production, because I know that at some point in the day I’m gonna throw out a pizza,” Skoney said. “I’ll add a number of waste to make sure that I have those pizzas to throw out so I don’t run out, because we wanna keep our windows full as much as possible and make sure there’s always something for somebody to purchase. You don’t wanna be out of cheese pizzas just because you only made what you sold.”

One pizza will last about 20 minutes in the warmer before getting too old to sell, and Skoney accounts for this.

“So last week if I sold 100 pizzas, then I’ll do 100 plus I’ll pad our production for whatever we waste,” she said.

Of course, thanks to Bellarmine’s Food Recovery Network, the food that is made to be thrown away isn’t really “waste.”

“I feel better about the stuff I have to throw out… I feel better that it’s going to somebody who could use it and feed the homeless, or feed people who can’t afford to eat the way we all do,” Skoney said. “To me that’s an awesome thing to be able to give back. I’d rather do that any day than see it get thrown out in the garbage.”

S

tudents like Adam do more than combat food waste by making use of leftovers. Once a semester, the Bellarmine Food Recovery Network hosts a “Scrape The Plate Night,” during which students scrape the uneaten food from their trays into large trash bags. Later, the students get to see how much their waste weighs.

Adam believes that having the students scrape their own plates forces them to think more about how much food they throw away.

“Students get really frustrated with us because sometimes they feel bad when they waste their food, but it’s pretty eye-opening for most,” Adam said.

Adam and the other members also have students complete a survey with questions such as “What do you think food waste is?,” “What is food insecurity?,” “How many people in this area do you think are food insecure?,” or “Can you name an effect of wasting food?”

“It’s really more just to get students thinking, ‘Wow, we waste a lot of food,’” Adam said. “Some people didn’t comprehend and would be like, ‘Oh, I ate half my piece of pizza, that’s not food waste,’ so we had to explain to them, ‘That is food waste. You didn’t eat it all and if you don’t eat it all, it’s waste.’”

Within the next few years, Adam hopes to have students scraping their own plates every day. Currently, Bellarmine students do not regularly scrape their own plates; instead, they put their dirty dishes on a conveyor belt for the University Dining Hall staff to clean in the kitchen.

“If you don’t like what you got, you just put it on that conveyor belt that disappears behind a wall and you don’t have to think about it,” Adam said.

However, the cafeteria staff at Bellarmine sees student food waste first hand, and, with the food recovery program bringing such issues to light, they are able to directly affect change by reducing unnecessary production.

LET THEM EAT BAGELS Dalton Baker (19, Bellarmine University) grabs leftover Einstein Bros. Bagels and puts them in a bag for donation to Wayside Christian Mission on Sept. 23.

“The staff also does a great job in identifying food that could be reused instead of thrown away,” said Steve Santo, the General Manager of Dining Services at Bellarmine.

The Bellarmine Food Recovery Network reaches further than the campus boundaries, however. In its goal to educate the larger community, the Bellarmine Food Recovery Network shows a documentary and holds a discussion every spring. This past year, the volunteers showed “Just Eat It,” a film about a couple in Vancouver that lived exclusively off of recovered food for a year. Around Halloween, Food Recovery Network volunteers passed out short and easy-to-understand fliers to children at Bellarmine’s yearly “Hall-OTreats” – an event in which children and families from the community come to trick-or-treat at the Siena residence halls.

“We have food costumes and we dress up and we hand out candy, and we have a little fact sheet that’s like ‘This is what food security is,’ ‘This is what food waste is,’ and it’s in terms that kids would understand,” Adam said. “Though I’m sure not all of them read it, the ones that do are becoming socially conscious at such a young age about a big issue, and I think it’s great.”

B

ellarmine’s food recovery process is just one of the ways that youth can work to solve the issues of food waste and food insecurity. Some larger universities have been working to effect change earlier on in the system.

Schools with enough student involvement in food recovery programs will send volunteers to farms where food is being left to rot and have them bring the produce to communities that are food insecure. This process, called “gleaning,” isn’t something Bellarmine takes part in, mainly due to the lack of large or commercial farms in or near the city of Louisville.

In some cases, the fight against food waste is left to larger organizations than student groups. Many nonprofits are collecting “ugly produce” from the distribution sites before it’s taken to the dump. Even some grocery stores have stepped up their game in the fight against food

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waste; Wal-Mart now sells weather-dented apples and potatoes nationwide at a discount.

“There’s been entire grocery stores and companies that have started selling ugly produce, because it’s fine,” Adam said. “Maybe there’s a tomato that’s not perfectly round, or it’s got a little dent in the side of it. It’s still edible.”

Because the Bellarmine students and other organizations that donate food to Wayside Christian Mission don’t always have much fresh produce, Wayside is working to start its own gardening program. This initiative is meant to both emphasize healthy eating and the importance of self-sufficiency among the women and families who live at Wayside’s transitional shelter at Hotel Louisville.

With the help of Bellarmine’s Food Recovery Network, Wayside is restoring its tenants’ faith in themselves so that they can actively contribute to society. When Bellarmine students bring leftover pizza to Wayside, they are providing more than just a midnight snack.

“When these students bring in stuff like that, they’re validating them as human beings,” Blunke said. “A lot of our ladies have been told that they’re worthless, they don’t count, they’re useless.

They’re not.”

Hotel Louisville tenant Nadine Terrell came to Wayside in October 2015 and has since found a support group, gotten a job, learned how to save money, and started school. The Bellarmine program at Wayside has been a highlight during her own recovery.

The Bellarmine volunteers “are not afraid to be around somebody that’s homeless… They’re very kind, so they’re someone that I can feel safe around,” Terrell said. “They make us feel like somebody else cares and we are not alone.”

Adam can relate.

“It’s really important to know that if you’re not as privileged as some of us or don’t have some of the opportunities we have, someone out there cares about you and wants to make sure you’re getting some food,” Adam said.

“When these students bring in stuff like that, they’re validating them as human beings.”

– Chaplain Mike Blunk According Blunke, when the Bellarmine volunteers bring food, the whole place buzzes with a party-like atmosphere.

“The whole place lights up when they come,” Terrell said in agreement. “Everybody is basically waiting for the pizza.”

T

he Bellarmine chapter is currently the only Food Recovery Network chapter in Kentucky, though there are many other areas within the state that are suffering from food insecurity.

According to Feeding America, food insecurity rates throughout Kentucky range from 9.0 percent in Oldham County to 22.8 percent in Eastern Kentucky’s Wolfe County. Not only is Kentucky in need of addressing this disparity, but programs like the Food Recovery Network make it easy to get involved. On the Food Recovery Network’s website, foodrecoverynetwork.org, prospective chapter founders need only click the “Start a Chapter” button to see chapter application forms.

“You don’t have to come up with something new; all you have to do is take what’s already out there and keep it from going in the garbage,” Blunke said. “It’s good for the environment. It’s good for people. I mean, it’s a win-win-win situation.”

Adam hopes to expand Bellarmine’s services this school year by encouraging grocery stores and restaurants to donate close-toexpiration food to homeless shelters like Wayside Christian Mission instead of throwing it away. But it can be difficult to convince potential participants. Businesses may be hesitant to get involved because they’re worried about being sued; however, donors are legally protected from liability.

“There’s something called the Federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act and that protects the donor and the organization that serves the food from being sued if someone gets sick from it,” Adam said.

One of Adam’s goals is to make sure any potential donors are aware that they are protected so that the Bellarmine chapter can continue to grow and help the community.

S dONUT WASTE FOOD Dalton Baker, an employee at Einstein Bros. Bagels in Bellarmine University’s Café Ogle, packs bagels, danishes, and cinnamon twists for donation on Sept. 23.

ometimes the Bellarmine volunteers bring a feast and sometimes they’re just a few bagels shy of empty-handed, but the recipients don’t seem to mind.

“My first time was last year and it was just with Austin and we didn’t have that much food, but when we came to Wayside they were very happy,” said sophomore Katie Vulich on her second recovery earlier this year. “We didn’t have a ton, but just a little bit made them really happy.”

And that night, they had a whole tray of red potatoes. A trash bag full of bagels. A tall stack of cooled pizzas. Summerlin walked back to her empty car trunk smiling.

“We know them when we see them, yeah we know them, because they’re always smiling,” Terrell said. “They always ask us, ‘Are we doing a good job?’ Yes they are. On that I will give them 100 percent.” •

HOW YOU CAN

HELP

AT HOME

Did you know that the average American household wastes over $400 on uneaten food per year? Give your family a new goal: don’t buy new food unless you absolutely need it and don’t throw away food just because it “looks gross.” If you know you won’t eat a certain produce item before it goes bad, toss it in the freezer. Those strawberries would make a great smoothie.

AT SCHOOL Talk to your school cafeteria staff about the possibility of tray scraping – a process in which every student scrapes his or her own tray and divides the waste into recycling, compost, and trash. This can make your classmates more aware of all the food that they are throwing away.

AT WORK After-school jobs may seem to be one of the biggest impediments to volunteering, but they can be big opportunities to help. Try asking your manager to donate unsold food to homeless shelters or to start a compost pile using leftover food scraps.

IN YOUR COMMUNITY Contacting elected officials to draw attention to food waste and advocate for more recycling options around town is a smart way to make yourself heard. Community festivals and gatherings are a good place to take a stand as well; try passing out fliers or setting up an information booth about food waste.

words by ALEX COX & KARAC MEDLEY • photos by HARPER CARLTON • design by OLIVIA BROTZGE

L

aunched on July 6, “Pokémon Go” became a pop culture phenomenon overnight for people around the world. Downloaded millions of times worldwide, people became fascinated with the mobile game based on the 1996 Nintendo phenomenon. Niantic, the company that developed the game, struggled to keep up with the surge of players, resulting in multiple server crashes. The game enticed many people by providing a world of fantasy within reality, allowing players to catch Pokémon from beyond the comfort of their homes.

Indeed, part of the appeal of “Pokemon Go” is the interactive aspect of the game. Players are encouraged to travel from place to place within their town in order to capture Pokémon, play minigames at PokéGyms, and collect items from PokéStops.

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PokéStops allow players to gain beneficial items such as berries, which allow for an easier capture of stronger Pokémon, and PokéBalls, which are used to catch nearby Pokémon. The game’s creators have distributed PokéGyms – where players can battle each other to gain control over a location – and PokéStops at certain locations around the world. In the local area, players flocked to special events at the Waterfront, the Louisville Zoo, and Tom Sawyer Park, including a hugely popular recurring event in Jeffersonville called Pokepalooza.

“Pokémon Go” succeeded in drawing out a broad cross section of youth and adults, perhaps explaining its immense popularity. While some casual players may see it as just another simple app to pass the time on the bus, it has become something that changed the lives of many of its players. •

JORDAN FITZPATRICK & SHANE LORENZ Shane Lorenz (29) said he has “more or less” been playing “Pokémon Go” since it came out. When he was younger, he would watch some of the TV show and play the games “Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow” on his Game Boy. He enjoys playing “Pokémon Go” and even took over a few of the gyms (landmarks where players compete to accumulate points) for his team, Instinct.

“I took over a few by my house; me and a group of friends took over one near the Douglas Loop,” Lorenz said.

“Mostly I’ve just been adding and powering up in gyms when I see them.”

Lorenz typically plays with friends, one being Jordan Fitzpatrick (29). The two usually go out to Riverside Drive in Jeffersonville, Indiana to play “Pokémon Go” together.

Lorenz enjoys playing the game with his wife, and they usually go walking around their home.

“One of the nice things for me is that my wife has real mild depression, and there are days when she doesn’t want to go out but when I say something like, ‘wanna go Pokémon hunting?’ she’ll say, ‘yes, yes I do.’ So it’s kinda a nice little thing to get her up and going. It really helps her kinda battle that,” Lorenz said.

MAIA JANNACE & DYLAN PAYTON “I asked her out by saying that we should go Pokémon hunting when it came out,” said Dylan Payton (24), who had been writing an article for his blog about the game. “I just used it as an excuse kinda and I said, ‘Hey! We should go Pokémon hunting sometime.’ And she was like, ‘Yeah!’ And then I kinda said, ‘I’m totally asking you out by the way.’”

Payton and his girlfiriend Maia Jannace (25) now enjoy playing “Pokémon Go” together on a regular basis.

“I’ve been playing this game since the beginning and I have not once caught a Dratini,” Payton said. The two were eating at Cluckers, a sports club in Jeffersonville, when a man rode by on a hoverboard. Decked out in a Hawaiian button-down and a radio strapped to his back, the man used a walkie talkie to inform people of where different Pokémon were and how long they would be there.

“He told us, ‘There is a Dratini like seven minutes that way. It’s only going to be there for eight minutes.’ So we booked it and sprinted,” Payton said.

“We ran half a mile after eating wings and almost puked,” Jannace said. “It was totally worth it.”

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Poké Psychology Nicholas S. Noles, Ph.D., specializes in the social-cognitive development of children and works at the Knowledge in Development Lab at the University of Louisville. He has seen both children and adults playing “Pokémon Go” around town and is interested in what positive effects could result from the popular game.

“The most obvious positive aspect of Pokémon Go is that the game encourages – and in some cases requires – players to walk around,” Dr. Noles said. “There is also a social component that might encourage social interaction between children.”

But such benefits may have negative counterparts. While the game does encourage kids to go outside and explore, Noles criticized the game for having a bias towards urban

JORDAN CASEY & SPENCER ROGERS Jordan Casey (15) is a sophomore at Male Traditional High School who lives with his mom, her boyfriend, and his younger sister. His entire family, all avid players of the game, are part of Team Valor, one of three teams within “Pokémon Go.” “I saw a Venusaur,” Casey said. “We were driving by and I had to ask my whole family to stop, on a main road, just park on the side because there’s a Venusaur.”

Soon his family stopped on the side of the road so each of them could have a chance at catching the rare Pokémon.

Another time, Casey and his family went to Jeffersonville in order to participate in the monthly “Poképalooza.”

“It’s just a place where 500 or so people go every month and they just play the game. It’s been going on ever since the game released,” Casey said.

Though the national fervor has faded since it first came out, Casey and his family still play “Pokémon Go.” “The game’s popularity has kinda gone down,” Casey said.

“There are the generations of Pokémon that come, and the game only has Gen One. I’ve heard people say that they’ll get back into it once Gen Two comes out.”

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neighborhoods, and undermining the safety of kids looking for their next catch.

“If kids live in rural or residential neighborhoods,” Noles said, “then they won’t be able to participate in location-specific parts of the game. Also, keep in mind that this game asks players to walk all around their environment, and not every environment is equally safe. Walking around while looking at a phone reduces people’s situational awareness, and low situational awareness makes the world more dangerous. For example, if a child is staring at their phone, they might not notice a hole in the sidewalk, or a car passing through an intersection. On the extreme end, there are also ‘Pokémon Go’ players who are trespassing and – for older players – playing while driving, which are both very dangerous activities.” •

JEN BIDWELL-MEYER & LEWIS MEYER Lewis Meyer (46) and Jen Bidwell-Meyer (43) have both been playing “Pokémon Go” since it was released in early July.

Meyer, on Team Valor, and Bidwell, on Team Mystic, play the game in the Highlands and across the river in Jeffersonville.

“I have one co-worker that’s going to be jealous I’m doing this,” Meyer-Bidwell said. “He grew up with Pokémon and it’s one of his favorite things. He’s totally all about it and told me all these tips and tricks on how to play the game. I play mostly because I’m like, ‘Oh! Cool! I can collect these cute little things!’ I don’t go to the gyms or compete in anything like that.”

Meyer said he learned about the original game and all the different Pokémon while he was raising his son, “When the game first came out my son was about the right age to be playing it; he was probably around 7, so I heard about all of them at great lengths.”

Local Impact Poké Facts “Pokémon” has spanned many different mediums, starting with the video game series, then a card game, and later a popular cartoon with many seasons, spinoffs, and films.

“Pokémon” began with “Pokémon Red” and “Pokémon Green” versions in 1996.

“Pokémon Go” carries the hunting aspect of “Pokémon” over to the real world by placing the virtual creatures at actual locations and allowing players to catch them with PokéBalls.

There are five PokéStops and two PokéGyms at Churchill Downs, and the establishment allows special tours for players.

There are at least 721 total Pokémon currently, and as of now “Pokémon Go” contains 151.

Ramsi’s Café On the World is located in the Highlands near Mall St. Matthews, situated along a line of businesses on Bardstown Road. Out front is a simple red terracotta fountain on the restaurant’s patio. This fountain is host to a PokéStop, so quite a few people wander up to the establishment trying to gain access to more Pokémon and power for the ones that they already have. Rachel Kemp, a bartender at Ramsi’s Cafe, said she has noticed a few players who have wandered by.

“I wouldn’t say there were any more people than usual,” Kemp said, “but I would say there were some people that maybe we haven’t seen here before, or people coming at times when we may not’ve been as busy. There were some people who mentioned that that was what brought them here, that there was a PokéStop. A few them actually invited me to come and play with them after I got off work.”

Bars and restaurants around Louisville can use the presence of PokéStops and Pokémon to their advantage, taking the opportunity to gain greater foot traffic. It is common to walk around town and notice Pokémon drawn on chalkboards or rudimentary signs meant to interest players. In fact, Wild Rita’s advertised on its Facebook page that “Wild Rita’s has a PokéStop!” to signal players. According to Kemp, employees may even buy and place items called “lures” nearby during their shifts in order to attract Pokémon and game-playing customers. •

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STING LIKE A BEE On Aug. 24, kids participate in one of TKO’s after school programs. TKO Boxing, located on Breckinridge Lane, strives to take kids off the street and teach them the sport, similar to Ali’s childhood start in boxing.

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Louisville’s

Greatest

Muhammad Ali’S LEGACY AS TOLD BY HIS FRIENDS & FANS words by JORDAN GOULD • photos by JORDYN STUMPF • design by OLIVIA BROTZGE

O

n the morning of June 3, I turned my head toward my nightstand and picked up my phone. When I turned on the screen, I immediately noticed a dozen notifications that shared the same somber message: Muhammad Ali is dead. I put on my glasses to make sure I had read it correctly. My mind froze. A man viewed as invincible for decades was no more. A legend was lost.

Ali put Louisville on the map. Boxing was in need of a fresh face, and Ali quickly became just that. Ali took a countless number of hits over the years, yet he never went down without a fight, getting right back up each time he fell. This is the legacy of Ali, a man who made it all about himself until, all of the sudden, he turned his focus to others.

He died as one of the greatest sports and humanitarian icons of the 20th century.

One of Ali’s most notorious traits was his ability to talk his way into or out of any topic. Labeling himself as the best boxer in the world, Ali mastered the art of “trash talking.” His craft was both “pretty” and cocky. To his fans, no one else was better at getting in an opponent’s head. A

major part of Ali’s trash talk was backing up his words with his performance: all of Ali’s boxing accomplishments were achieved in a 12-year span between 1960 and 1972, recording 56 victories, 37 by knockout. Ali won the first 31 fights of his career, on his way to becoming the first three-time heavyweight champion the world has ever seen.

Whether it was standing firmly against the Vietnam War despite the potential loss of his title and career, or verbally beating down his opponent, people listened when Ali spoke. Whether he gave his money and possessions away or lit the flame at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics while suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, people watched. Even during his final days, Ali was treated like royalty wherever he went. His fans recognized what elevated Ali from the rest of the world – he would take bad days and make them good.

Over the span of his lifetime, Ali picked up an assortment of nicknames, such as “The Louisville Lip” and “The People’s Champion.” But few of his critics would debate his self-dubbed title: “The Greatest.”

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Photo courtesy of Natasha Mundkur

NATASHA MUNDKUR

“At the end of the day, when we are put into the ground, the color of your skin won’t be important, and he realized that.”

“Being connected to him, to his center, and understanding the importance of universal acceptance in the grand scheme. He had such a huge impact on my life, and what I am studying college. He’s just been a major factor in my high school and college experiences. He was someone who used his power for the greater good.

“I found out he died at two in the morning. I did not sleep at all the rest of that night. I got a call at six in the morning from my boss at the Ali Center, and he was crying on the

Natasha Mundkur, 19, works at the Ali Center. She was invited to give a eulogy at his funeral. phone. It was at that moment when I knew it was real. We just sat on the phone together and just cried. The whole city came together for a person they loved.

“When Muhammad came to Louisville, he would stop in and visit his center, talking to every employee like they were family. He would walk around to his exhibits and sit down and watch his fights.

“He may have been a fighter in his life, but truly he was a man at peace.”

Photo courtesy of Mark Quinn

“I was once heading off to the streets.

Boxing saved me.”

MARK QUINN

Quinn followed his father, Mike Tee, to Louisville several years ago along with the founder of TKO Boxing, James Dixon, to make this ring an area where young kids and adults could learn how to box and stay out of trouble.

Quinn nearly qualified to compete in lightweight boxing for the United States in Rio this past summer.

“Boxing saved me. It’s more than just a little activity you do after school. You can’t put one foot towards boxing and one foot out; it

“Not only was he a force inside the ring, but he was a force outside the ring as well.”

JAN WALLACE

“I started following Muhammad Ali’s fights when I was 10. The first fight that my brother and I followed was when he fought Sonny Liston. Everybody thought of course that Liston would murder him, and surprisingly that didn’t happen. Ali defeated him in seven rounds.

“When he visited New York, he usually went to Harlem. He had a huge impact on the kids there in Harlem, and children of all ages could watch him in Brooklyn where he trained for his fights.

My brother and I had newspaper clippings of him in our home; kids followed him from all over in New York.

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Mark Quinn, 19, is a boxer from Cincinnati who trains at Louisville TKO Boxing. takes up your whole life.

“Muhammad was a stand up guy. He didn’t back down from nothing, he never quit. A lot of people think that Muhammad Ali was cocky, but it really was just confidence. That’s why I am so confident in myself. Some people say I’m over-confident, and even a little cocky, but I’m just confident. I know what I can do and I can’t do. I don’t ever give up. I always give my 110 percent, and show the hard work and dedication that Ali praised.

“For me, he is the greatest.”

Jan Wallace, an avid fan since her childhood, traveled from New York to see the Ali Center.

“People were in awe when they met him. Whether it was at a sporting event, the Kentucky Derby, youth centers, college campuses, or at speeches he gave, everyone was in awe of him. He was a humanitarian first, and a legendary boxer second. When he died, I was shocked. I cried.

“Whatever goal a child had in mind – to be a doctor, a lawyer, a dentist – he really wanted children to get an education. He wanted to see our youth be educated, and to be successful as well. He was a hero here in Louisville, and there will never be another athlete like Muhammad Ali.”

*photo courtesy of John Ramsey

“The values he learned were learned from growing up in Louisville. I think Louisville should take great pride in that.”

MUHAMMAD ALI & JOHN RAMSEY One of Ali’s dearest friends, John Ramsey, first met Ali at a dinner party hosted by then-governor of Kentucky John Y. Brown in 1980. The two had been lifelong friends since. Ramsey recited a eulogy at his memorial service.

Ramsey is a radio analyst that discusses mainly Louisville athletics. Still, to this day, he hasn’t had much time to grieve since Ali’s passing.

“It just kind of hit me that he was no longer with us. He’s got an aura about him, and it feels like that he still exists because of young people who want to carry his legacy on. At the Sydney Olympics in 2000, instead of Muhammad being interested in the winner of a boxing match, he wanted to see the loser because he thought that was the person who needs him the most. He was very good about detecting who needed him the most. Who thinks about seeing the loser? Muhammad took that guy from low to high in no time. That’s when I realized how his mind works.

“I remember when we were in Ireland and they had this gathering about building a statue for Muhammad. He got out of the car and approached a kid in a wheelchair right near the

rope they were going to cut. Muhammad walks up to him, takes off his ring, and hands it to him.

“He personified what America is all about.

Say what you believe, and stand up for it. Even if people at that time didn’t agree with him, they had to respect what he was saying.

“I remember when I asked him, ‘Muhammad, do you ever get depressed, do you ever get down?

And he said, ‘Man, I’m the three-time Heavyweight Champion of the World, one of the most recognized men on the planet. I never get down.’

Aside from his boxing craft and compassionate acts, an intriguing storyline was his relationship to his hometown, Louisville.

“It’s a unique relationship. Muhammad said that Louisville was good to him, and there were a lot of open doors. No one ever told him no.”

Ramsey was on the flight back to Louisville with the casket and Ali’s family from Ali’s home in Phoenix.

“Muhammad believed that how you leave the earth really impacts your legacy. He wanted

to come to Louisville. We had an imam aboard the plane that said to Lonnie, Muhammad’s wife, and myself that ‘Muhammad could have been buried in Mecca,’ which for Muslims is such an honor. The imam says, ‘We can still turn this plane around and go there, you know,” and Lonnie said, ‘No, Muhammad wanted to come to Louisville, to be home.’

“I took that casket off the plane and said ‘hey, Champ, you’re home’ because that is something he really wanted. Here’s the most famous man in the world who’s traveled the earth, but loved Louisville.

“I think Louisville benefited from that notoriety. Not only after his fights, when he’d say he was from Louisville, Kentucky – the fact that he shaped Louisville by himself is incredible. And this city molded this great humanitarian. The values he learned were learned from growing up in Louisville. I think Louisville should take great pride in that.

“Ali’s legacy for young people should be to be compassionate, to be more than about yourself. There will never be another person like him, and I don’t think anyone will ever be equal to him.” •

Ali would have turned 75 in January. To honor his legacy and to recognize his compassion, a program called Ali 75 is calling on individuals to complete 75 hours of community service in the next year. For more information, visit the site at ali75.org or contact the Muhammad Ali Center by visiting alicenter.org.

January 17, 1942 - June 3, 2016. Farewell to “The Greatest.”

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for

Food Thought See our website for more REVIEWS

FRIED Alligator The fried alligator, as served to reviewer Melissa Scianimanico on Aug. 31, ($6.50) is one of The Seafood Lady’s specialty items.

SEAFOOD

LADY

Hours: Friday 11AM–9PM Saturday 11AM–9PM Sunday Closed Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 11AM–9PM Thursday Closed Address: 617 W Oak St, Louisville, KY 40203 Phone: (502) 210-9381 Website: None Delivery: Through BertDelivers.com

words by MELISSA SCIANIMANICO • photo by MALLORY SIEGENTHALER • design by ELLA MAYS

Soulful, Floridian-style seafood restaurants are few and far between in Louisville, so thank goodness Seafood Lady is offering well-priced seafood on the western edge of Old Louisville. On the inside, the restaurant looks like it belongs right off the boardwalk of Atlantic Beach, with its coral rugs and kitschy hanging mermaids that I have without a doubt seen in a Coastal Living decor catalog. But Seafood Lady is fronted by a cracked parking lot, not a boardwalk, and cracks in the restaurant’s walls permit a peek at what seemed to be a little market next door.

The small space looked like a literal hole in the wall, but the best places are, right?

Walking in, I immediately smelled butter and crab and Cajun seasoning – all appetizing things to most, but not to my health-crazed mother. Once she got one look at the cheesy crab fries, all thoughts of veganism were out the window.

My mom and I dined at the Seafood Lady on a Wednesday night around 5:30. The sassy banter between employees highlighted the restaurant’s casual and welcoming atmosphere, but unfortunately, the open, garage-like entrance brought bothersome flies and inescapable heat. I don’t want to seem like a snob, but I honestly find flies buzzing through a restaurant unacceptable. Maybe I just caught them on a bad day; the intense August humidity

combined with the open doors didn’t help the creepy-crawly dilemma at all.

The restaurant was pretty busy, but the line was not more than five minutes. Keep in mind there were places to sit, but it was not traditional sit-down dining. We ordered at the counter and sat ourselves, which was one of my favorite parts about the experience, considering most seafood places are more upscale. Seafood Lady is that local joint where you can take the whole family for a calm and delicious evening.

After we ordered our food, it was out in about seven minutes, a much shorter wait time than I expected. Although we were initially overwhelmed by options ranging from gumbo ($8) to fried oysters ($8), we ultimately decided on a full-plate ($25), which consisted of snow crab, jumbo shrimp, and oddly enough, a sausage, a baked potato, an ear of corn and even a hard-boiled egg.

Butter soaked the dish, blending the flavors together. The snow crab was “momapproved.” Growing up on the East Coast, she knows good crab when she tastes it, and the sweet, delicate yet fiery Cajun spiced meat definitely exceeded her standards. The shrimp complemented the crab with its buttery garlic glaze. The sausage tasted sweet and smokey, reminding me of the smell that lingers around my family barbecues. In addition, the baked potato and the corn were perfectly cooked, but

I didn’t dig into them all that much, considering the deliciousness surrounding them. Then there was the egg. I’m not the biggest egg fan, and it was a little odd in a dish of seafood, but nonetheless tasted okay.

We also decided to put ourselves out there and try some fried alligator ($6). I did not really know what to expect, but it was actually delicious. The treat was crispy, with a garlic zest that tasted a lot like chicken. I’m not afraid to say that I would get it again, hands down.

The full plate was more than enough, but we wanted to try everything. For a small group on a budget, the half plate ($15) could effortlessly stuff three people. Or for anyone on their own, the smaller dishes like the fried alligator ($6) or oysters ($8) are incredibly filling and appetizing.

To my surprise, the food was in styrofoam take-away boxes, which made the already oily and juicy feast even more messy. Although it didn’t make for the most elaborate plating, I feel like the humble white boxes along with the playful staff vibe connects Seafood Lady even more to its grassroots beginnings. Nichelle Thruston, the restaurant’s owner, got her reputation as the neighborhood’s “Seafood Lady” because she used to serve seafood on her doorstep. Her success propelled her to a food truck, and eventually to where she is now: her unique and delectable restaurant, the Seafood Lady. •

FISH TACOS Lucy Calderon ordered the fish tacos ($9.99) on Sept.15, which is one of El Molcajete’s more well-known dishes. It comes on a corn tortilla with battered fish, cheese, and a fresh slice of avocado. The tacos come with refried beans and rice as well as chips and salsa, both of which are included in the price.

words by LUCY CALDERON • photo by SARAH SCHMIDT • design by ELLA MAYS

Hours: Friday 10AM–10PM Saturday 10AM–10PM Sunday 10AM–10PM Monday 10AM–10PM Tuesday 10AM–10PM Wednesday 10AM–10PM Thursday 10AM–10PM Address: 2932 S 4th St, Louisville, KY 40208 Phone: (502) 638-0300 Website: N/A Delivery: N/A

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As I approached El Molcajete on South Fourth Street, the smell of cigarette smoke filled my nose, and I noticed three men sleeping on the sidewalk across the street. A feeling of uncertainty washed over me. The restaurant itself did not look very inviting, but as a self-proclaimed “foodie” and devout follower of the show “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” I tried to remain open-minded and optimistic in the hopes that I might discover Louisville’s next great hidden eatery.

El Molcajete is small and cozy with few places to sit. I obeyed the “Please Seat Yourself ” sign and claimed a booth. My server came over immediately to take my drink order. She returned moments later with my water and complimentary chips and salsa, which is always a plus for me.

For my first course, I ordered the guacamole ($4.50). It looked fresh and colorful, bright green with diced tomatoes and onions. Unfortunately, the flavor did not match its appearance, as it was bland and unmemorable. I would recommend adding more salt and pepper, two basic seasonings that go a long way, or maybe some tabasco sauce for an extra kick.

Then I ordered the fish tacos ($9.99), which came out fairly quickly. Their appearance was truly appetizing. The tacos were topped with pico de gallo and fresh avocado, plated with a side of refried beans and rice. The breading surrounding the fish

was extremely crispy, just how it should be. As I took a few more bites, however, I noticed that there was much more breading than fish. I was, again, disappointed. The refried beans tasted delicious but should have been hotter. Meanwhile, the rice had a perfect texture, not too soft and not too hard, but it was room temperature and lacking in the flavor one would expect from a Latin restaurant.

Determined to find an excellent dish, I tasted my dining partner’s chicken tacos ($1.75) that came on a plate of three à la carte. They were beautifully set up on corn tortillas. The tortillas were delicious, but the chicken breast was dry and more suited for customers who was watching their salt intake rather than a lover of Mexican foods. I took another chance and nibbled on the chicken quesadilla ($8), which ended up being the tastiest of all of the items that I tried. It was warm and bursting with zesty flavor. It could have used a little more chicken, but by that time I was content to taste some seasoning.

I noticed that the patrons around me seemed to know the waitress. They were not bothered by the dirty tables I noticed and half-eaten dishes placed on the tall bar counter that might have been intended for customers. Flies swarmed my food, which was annoying and unpleasant. El Molcajete sadly did not meet my expectations.•

CHILI CHEESE FRIES Reviewer Cameron Daniel ordered the meaty chili on a bed of fries on Oct. 9 when she ate at Check’s Cafe. The chili is also served on top of spaghetti, on a hot dog, or by itself.

words by CAMERON DANIEL • photo by SAM WEIBLE • design by HARPER CARLTON

Surrounded by a quaint residential area and across the street from the duPont Manual High School football stadium, Check’s Cafe is the definition of a neighborhood diner. The front patio has a welcoming family-diner feel, with a large checkered awning and multiple tables set up along the sidewalk. A large, old-school style sign reading “A Schnitzelburg Tradition” juts out from the building, hinting at the diner’s German roots. As I walked up to Check’s Cafe, I noticed that the space looked small on the outside.

But inside was a different story. When I walked in, I discovered a relaxed community that teemed with the warm nostalgia of a family restaurant. The wooden walls are covered in photos of sports players, musicians, and other Louisville legends. These pictures, combined with the checkered decor, gives the space a cool 1940s vibe. Despite the small exterior, there are plenty of seating options, with two large rooms for indoor seating as well as outdoor seating on the patios, which is great if you’re looking for a place to hang out on a nice day.

The menu is quite typical of a diner scene, with the classic chicken fingers, cheeseburgers, and french fries.

However, there are a few standout items for which Check’s is renowned. The restaurant is best known for its meaty chili, whether it’s served on a plate of spaghetti ($4.50), a hot dog ($6.95), or a bed of French fries ($6.95).

After going over the menu, I ordered at the bar and a server brought out each of my items before ten minutes had passed. The portions were much larger than I had expected. My server placed a towering portion of chili

cheese fries in front of me, which I immediately knew I wouldn’t be able to finish. The fries were so filling that they could be considered a meal.

I admit that I was expecting flimsy, McDonald’s-esque French fries, but the fries in this dish were hand-cut and fresh, with a satisfying crunch on the outside. The chili was salty and hearty, and the whole meal was covered in cheddar cheese (which was my favorite part). I decided to pair the meal with sweet tea to balance out the saltiness, which was a perfect counterpart. But, if you’re not a fan of extremely sugary sweet tea like me, you might want to skip on this one; personally, I’m always up for more sweetness.

My father ordered a cheeseburger ($4.95) dressed with lettuce, tomato, and American cheese, which I tried. It’s likely that the burger was frozen previously: it wasn’t incredibly juicy or tender. On the other hand,the lettuce and tomato were crispy and fresh, which I appreciated. Priced just under five dollars, it was well worth the cash.

If you want more of the traditional Germantown grub, Check’s Cafe has plenty to offer. The Braunschweiger sandwich ($3.50) and the Bratwurst ($3.75) have been on the menu for years. If you want to be true to Schnitzelburg or are feeling a little adventurous, these are two items I recommend.

This restaurant is perfect for teens on a budget who want a place to stop for a quick bite. Because of the relatively low prices and relaxed atmosphere, this restaurant is a great place to stop before a Friday night game or just to hang out.

On Saturdays, the diner is open until 1 a.m., so it’s a great midnight snack dive for those late-night cravings. •

Hours: Friday 11AM–12PM Saturday 11AM–1AM Sunday 1PM–10PM Monday 11AM–11PM Tuesday 11AM–11PM Wednesday 11AM–11PM Thursday 11AM–11PM Address: 1101 E Burnett Ave, Louisville, KY 40217 Phone: (502) 637-9515 Website: checkscafe.com Delivery: N/A

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HELLCREST

HALLOWEEN AT HILLCREST, OCT. 31 HARPER CARLTON, 17, Editor-in-Chief

Every October, the relatively empty streets and sidewalks of Hillcrest Avenue are flooded with hordes of people who’ve come to see the numerous Halloween decorations.

Hillcrest residents start putting up lights, blow-up figures, window clings, and other ornaments early in the month so that Louisvillians can enjoy them for as long as possible. But when Halloween hits, the streets are crammed with thousands of trickor-treaters and spectators. Many start out early, but festivities happen late into the night.

OH THE HORROR Long lines of trick-or-treaters line up on Hillcrest Avenue on Oct. 31.

Photos by Ella Mays

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CULTURAL DIVERSITY WORLD FEST AT THE BELVEDERE, SEPT. 3

SARAH SCHMIDT, 17, Photo Coordinator

As I walked onto the Belvedere, where WorldFest takes place, the whole area was alive with the sounds of Louisvillians laughing and talking while they watched different cultures perform native dances, ate traditional foods, and shopped for crafts from different countries from around the world — all in one place. WorldFest is truly a one-of-a-kind positive experience that provides an inexpensive, fun way families and friends can spend Labor Day weekend without ever leaving Louisville.

FINDING UNITY IN DIVERSITY. At the Belvedere, WorldFest attendees celebrate Louisville’s ethnic diversity on Sept. 3.

Photos by Sarah Schmidt

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ELLA MAYS

16, Design Editor

A quarter mile up a winding paved path rests the newest addition to Louisville’s parks system – the North Overlook.

After months of construction, this area at Iroquois Park now provides Louisvillians with an ideal spot to see the downtown skyline, watch the sun set, or have a picnic. The duPont Manual High School Cross Country team practices in Iroquois Park weekly and the new overlook gives runners like us the perfect ending to our hill sprints up the infamous Iroquois Park hill.

PARKS AND REC THE NEW OVERLOOK AT IROQUOIS PARK, SEPT. 14

LOOK IT OVER Families and local officials celebrate with Mayor Greg Fischer (right photo, far right) as he cuts a ceremonial ribbon at the new Overlook at Iroquois Park on Sept. 14. Photos by Ella Mays

WEIRD ART STRANGER THINGS ART SHOW, OCT. 28 WEIRD ART WORLD FEST AT THE BELLVEDERE, DATE

BARB WOULD HAVE APPROVED Fans of “Stranger Things,” the Netflix show, and art aficionados gather to view work themed around the series at Studio Post Office on Oak Street on Oct. 28.

Photos by Nyah Mattison

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NYAH MATTISON, 16, Multimedia Editor The Netflix series, “Stranger Things,” has seen a rapid rise in cult acclaim. Art shows inspired by the television show have popped up around the country, visiting cities such as Sacramento, Indianapolis, and Chicago and calling local artists to display their work. Complete with vintage arcade systems and reworked character sketches, a “Stranger Things” art show appeared in Louisville. I was surprised to see the mixing of styles and artists gathered on Oct. 28. Seeing such devotion and passion made me feel almost like a small child: I began to look at “Stranger Things” and its characters with new eyes, as if I was rediscovering the show for the very first time.

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HAVING A VOICE

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ACTIVISM AROUND LOUISVILLE

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AVALON GUPTA VERWIEBE, 18, Creative Director (‘15-’16) Protests are one of the main ways we can affect change in a democratic system that allows for freedom of speech and freedom of petition. To not take advantage of those freedoms is to spurn what makes our democracy so great. Espeically in times of turmoil and fear, I believe that a gathering together as a community to express our opinions is the is the way to best express those feelings of fear. Protests are just one example of how organization and solidarity in the community can overcome desperation.

5 SHOW UP, SHOUT OUT. Photos 1, 4, 5: In response to video that had surfaced of presidential candidate Donald

Trump bragging about committing sexual assault — comments he later dismissed as “locker room talk” — girls and their supporters march down Bardstown Road in protest on Oct. 9. Photos by Liz Palmer. Photo 2: Christian Jones, a 16-year-old junior at the Brown School, leads a protest chant during a #BlackLivesMatter march down West Broadway on July 18. Photo by Liz Palmer. Photo 3: Supporters participate in an arm-wrestling competition to benefit the local chapter of Planned Parenthood at Apocalypse Brew Works on Oct. 17. Photo by Ella Mays

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