The Oakland Post 1.24.2024

A Trusted Source of Independent Student Journalism since 1987.

CAMPUS SAFETY

Ranks 7th in national study PAGE 3

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

KOD AWARDS

Student leaders recognized PAGE 10-11

Volume 49 l Issue 12 l January 24, 2024

ROARING LIONS

Detroit heads to NFC Championship PAGE 18

2 | JANUARY 24, 2024

EDITORIAL BOARD Autumn Okuszka Editor-in-Chief aokuszka@oakland.edu Payton Bucki Content Editor paytonbucki@oakland.edu Megan Judy Managing Editor meganjudy@oakland.edu

EDITORS

Courtney Blackett Photo Editor courtneyblacket@oakland.edu Brock Heilig Sports Editor brockheilig@oakland.edu Chloe Kukuk Campus Editor chloekukuk@oakland.edu Olivia Chiappelli Arts Editor oechiappelli@oakland.edu NOSTALGIA & OUTRAGE Vistors, young and old, can enjoy the OU Art Gallery’s newest exhibition, “Nostalgia & Outrage,” now through March 24.

PHOTO COURTESY OF COURTNEY BLACKETT

MARKETING Evelyn Gandarilla Marketing Director evelyngandarill@oakland.edu

DISTRIBUTION Rory Strachan Distribution Director Zachary Oberdier Distribution

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Katie Reid Photographer

Brian Einowski Ads Director

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ads@oaklandpostonline.com

REPORTERS

Gracie Murray Reporter Dayshawn Fields Reporter Noah Francis Reporter Ana Gjorgjevski Reporter Chelsea Bossert Reporter Moe Del Rosario Reporter Summer Weathers Reporter Kurt Szymanski Reporter Noah Thomason Reporter Mallory Waligora Reporter Adrian Jimenez Morales Reporter Evan Blanchard Reporter

CORRECTIONS CORNER: The Oakland Post corrects all known errors of fact. If you know of an error, please email editor@oaklandpostonline.com.

ADVISING

Garry Gilbert Editorial Adviser gjgilber@oakland.edu 248.370.2105 Don Ritenburgh Business Adviser ritenbur@oakland.edu 248.370.2533

CAMPUS OU ranks 7th in national campus safety study CHLOE KUKUK Campus Editor

According to AcademicInfluence.com’s recent campus safety rankings, Oakland University placed 7th nationally. It is the only school in Michigan listed in the top 15.

The rankings are based on compliance with the Clery Act, the number and activity of security officers on campus, the number of blue light emergency phone stations, escort services, surveillance systems and technology, shuttles for students, lighting maintenance, how low the crime statistics are and the quality and quantity of mental health offices and services.

Oakland University Police Department (OUPD) Chief of Police Mike Gordon said the ranking feels “rewarding.”

“My philosophy as the police chief is that campus safety is everyone’s responsibility,” Gordon said.

“We’ve all heard the saying, ‘If you see something, say something and then do something,’ and that is very, very true, and we buy into that philosophy, from my office all the way down to my officers.

“We try to spread to the communities that are necessary for everybody to be engaged in campus safety,” Gordon added. “It takes an entire community to keep our community safe.”

Vice President and Academic Editor of AcademicInfluence.com James Barham cited the lower-than-average violent crime rate of 12.2 in Rochester, Michigan as one reason the university ranked in the top 10.

The campus crime rate is even lower.

“Oakland University experiences only .61 violent crimes per 10,000 people and 3.67 property crimes per 10,000 people, extremely low numbers compared to other universities,” Barham wrote.

Some of OU’s other key safety features and services include more than 210 blue light emergency phones, SAFEwalk escort, women’s self-defense classes, roaming officers, nearly 800 CCTV cameras and campus phones that reach OUPD when 911 is dialed.

OU has been regarded as one of the safest campuses in the United States for several years.

Previously, the university was ranked 3rd nationally in safety in 2021 in a study conducted

by CollegeMagazine.com.

PHOTO BY COURTNEY BLACKETT

JANUARY 24, 2024 | 3

Despite OU’s historically high performance in safety rankings, Gordon said there are plans in the making to create an even safer campus.

“One of the initiatives that we’re committed to is continuing to spread or further our access control equipment on this campus so that if we have to lock down the campus in an emergency, the exterior doors of the primary buildings will be equipped with that,” Gordon said. “That will help go a long way in securing campus should we have to lock it down.”

Additionally, Gordon added, the university spent over $600,000 to upgrade access control CCTV cameras in 2023.

“We just went through and we kind of updated all of our equipment, just showing that the university is very dedicated, very committed to safety,” Gordon said.

Ultimately, Gordon said, the community needs to be involved to keep the campus safe.

“Sometimes I hear people say, ‘I saw something that didn’t look quite right but I didn’t want to bother the police.’ I want our community to know they’re never bothering the police when they call,” he said. “So call us. Report suspicious behavior.

If you have concerns about somebody else, call us about that.”

“We’re here to investigate. We’re here to keep us all safe. But it takes everyone to partner with us to be able to keep this community as safe as it is.”

More information about campus safety can be found in the 2022 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. OUPD can be reached at info@oupolice. com with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Continuing Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy on day of service ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Reporter

Continuing Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of community advocacy, Oakland University’s Office of Student (OSI) Involvement kicked off African American Celebration Month (AACM) with MLK Day of Service.

An ensemble of diverse arts-and-crafts stations brought the Gold Rooms of the Oakland Center to life on Wednesday, Jan 17. The heavy snow and delayed class start did not discourage approximately 150 attendees who started arriving at around 9:50 a.m.

“Service was a really big part of MLK’s legacy,” OSI graduate assistant, Katie Zvonek, said. “We would really like to keep that going. Volunteering is a big part of what we do here at OU as well.”

The hygiene, literacy and activity kits crafted by attendees were sent to local community partners ranging from The Bottomless Toy Chest to Detroit’s veteran services. Letter writing, drawing activities and rock decorating were also available for students to express their gratitude towards the community.

The Leadership and Volunteering Center (LVC) and the Center for Multicultural Initiatives (CMI) were also instrumental in this year’s MLK Day, as they integrated a recent focus on community service and networking with local nonprofit partners.

“Earlier this year, we did a volunteer fest where students could work with almost 20 different community partners,” Zvonek said.

The MLK Day event, Zvonek said, was “very graciously” sponsored by the Alliance for Coalitions for Healthy Communities (ACHC). Thus, students weren’t the only ones giving back to the community, as the latter provided —through on-campus and off-campus collaborations — the opportunity for volunteering itself.

Even though the event was oriented towards supporting local nonprofits and charity organizations, it also served to bring OU students together.

“I enjoyed it because you get to interact with your hands and talk to people around you,” Hayle Monjaras, a senior, said. “My favorite part of the event was honestly, how welcoming everything was. How different the event was to things we see most of the time… I’ve never been to a type of event like that.”

In addition to the students, Zvonek said faculty members, coaches and athletic staff attended.

By 5 p.m., with a large number of attendees still finishing their crafts, the event came to a lively end.

The level of student involvement reflects a great start for the month-long African American Celebration. It also reflects the diversity of the celebration month as informative events like the Black Hair: Politics, Discrimination and the CROWN Act event took place a day after MLK Day of Service.

Monajaras also reflected on the balance between interactive and informative events during AACM. “There are going to be other events that can show you something and you can learn from them,”

Monjaras said. “I think they could use the whole aspect of doing things with your hands and also finding a way to give information at the same time.”

The Day of Service event not only honored Martin Luther King’s legacy but also OU community members.

“This event has been hosted several years in a row,” Zvonek said. “Last year it was put on by Daryl Blackburn who unfortunately passed away last summer.”

The strengthening of campus and local communities through art echoes and honors the accomplishments and history of its members.

For more information about AACM’s events, visit CMI’s website.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VOLUNTEER SUNCOAST

CAMPUS

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CMI hosts African American Celebration Month opening ceremony GRACIE MURRAY Campus Reporter

An opening ceremony for African American Celebration Month (AACM) was held on Tuesday, Jan. 16, hosted by the OU Center for Multicultural Initiatives (CMI).

During this ceremony, the CMI pays tribute to African American culture and heritage.

Rae Johnson, OU lecturer, field coordinator and member of the AACM committee, said the main goal of the ceremony was to bring people together. “[The point is to encourage] the campus community to partake and participate and engage with others who are different from themselves and letting students know what this month is all about, why we celebrate,” Johnson said.

The ceremony was also on National Day of Racial Healing, which is part of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation efforts. The goal of the day is to facilitate racial healing to promote racial equity.

“For the National Racial Day of Healing, it is a day

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

where we come together, all people of all different kinds of life, race and ethnicities to heal from past traumas that have impacted our community,” Johnson added. “What we wanted to do is, here today, have a community with food, breaking bread, but also honoring those who have come before us.”

Johnson put a QR code on the projector with a statement above that said “Honoring those who have come before us.” Students scanned and listed African Americans who have impacted their lives in some way.

The list included memorable names such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman.

There are many resources around OU to help minorities around campus, Johnson said, including the Golden Grizzly Pantry, Grizz Garments, CMI and Veteran Services.

“Every campus unit serves black and brown students or those who have been historically minoritized,” she said. “Every campus unit is putting in the effort to learn how to support students who are diverse.”

Johnson said that diversity is very important to college campuses because it will only continue to grow.

“When we look at our communities, they are increasing and getting more diverse. We are seeing folks from different countries and speak different languages… also having a multitude of different identities,” Johnson said.

Paige Burns, a second-year student attended the opening ceremony.

“I feel like black history should be celebrated yearround,” Burns said.

The full list of AACM events is available on CMI’s website. For additional information and resources, email cmi@oakland.edu.

SPB’s Improv Night takes improvisation beyond the stage ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Reporter

The audience, the Student Program Board (SPB) staff and actors at Oakland University’s Improv Night synergized to create spontaneous comedy prompted by nearly a dozen improv activities.

On Thursday, Jan 18, the Oakland Center’s Ballrooms welcomed the audience with popcorn and a contestant entry form to greet a group of six actors from the GoComedy improv group.

“We’ve always been kind of worried. Improv can be a hit or miss,” SPB Vice President and Special Events Director Ula Tuskenyte said. “I wasn’t sure what to expect. We’ve had a comedy in the past… but that was like two years ago.”

Nonetheless, a delayed comedy comeback on campus did not discourage the 35 students who

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPB

attended the event. The largest crowd made up of the Oakland Improv Club greeted the cast with a warm and exhilarating ovation.

Doug Kolbicz, the show’s host, and resident company director of GoComedy introduced the “AllStar Showdown,” a five-act show in which two teams of three actors compete to win free tickets for three audience members.

The six lucky audience members were randomly chosen from the contestant entry forms, containing questions like “What is your dream job?” or “An unusual occurrence.” Along with other categories — including movie styles, specific locations and favorite celebrities — all of the entry forms were used as prompts for the ten improv activities on stage.

“The believers” team faced off against the “undeclared team” in a 90-minute contest filled with witty puns and improvised comedy. The show revolved around the collaborative improvisation of the audience and actors, creating a constant engagement reflected by the continuous outburst of laughter.

The first act encompassed a jeopardy game and a “changing styles” dynamic. In the “changing styles” dynamic, two participants from opposing teams recreated a father-and-son discussion that went from a dark romance to a holiday special atmosphere.

The actors weren’t the only ones improvising.

Before the event, Tuskenyte realized that there wasn’t a technology director for the event.

“This requires tech,” she said. “But, we have Logan from the radio station.”

Adding comical sound effects during the event, WXOU staff, including General Manager Logan Pizzuro, took the improv night spirit beyond the stage.

Back in the spotlight, two audience members

were taken upstage to participate in a “filler” activity in which they delivered the punchline for premises set by the actors. This characterized the tone of the show and became the most engaging act as the audience contemplated a mixture of amateur and professional improv.

“It was very encouraging, I enjoyed getting new ideas,” Henry Tussey, president of Oakland Improv Club, said. “It was good to see the professionals come and do it.”

Kolbicz highlighted the great synergy between actors and audience, united by the passion for improvisation.

Kolbicz said he was glad to learn that the audience was comprised of an improv club and improv students.

“That’s always good because they are already into it,” he said. “The main thing is being confident, and [this is] a whole room of confident people.”

The show continued with satires of Oscar-winning moments and the recreation of a family drama set on a pool section at Target. The particular enactments had almost everyone laughing, something that Tuskenyte took note of.

“Sometimes it’s like, quality over quantity, and I think we had good quality, so even though there were less people, everyone had a great time,” she said.

The last dynamic was based on recalling the inside jokes developed throughout the show and calling back running gags that formed a synergy between the audience and actors. The final game, “Innuendo,” encompassed Kolbicz’s vision of the event —“a show that hasn’t been seen before, and will never be seen again.”

For information about upcoming events, visit SPB’s website or Instagram.

FEATURES

JANUARY 24, 2024 | 5

2024 Keeper of the Dream Award recipient: Nosaiba Lela NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

Nosaiba Lela grew up in the Rochester Hills area, exercising her passion for literature and reading throughout her academic journey. While she felt unsure of what area of study to pursue in her freshman year, she quickly realized pursuing English would allow her to incorporate her hobbies into a full-fledged career.

In her sophomore year, Lela joined the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, which changed her life.

“It has made me a better person, a better friend, and I have met some of the most incredible people through that job,” Lela said. “It’s given me connections that I never could have imagined, and opportunities I never could have imagined.”

One of these connections was her boss Drew Huff, the assistant director of campus visits at OU. Huff was the one who introduced and drove Lela to apply for the Keeper of the Dream Scholarship.

“He reached out to me and was like, ‘Hey, I think that you’d be really good for this, if you need a letter of recommendation, I’m here for you.’” Lela said. “He has probably been one of my biggest champions and supporters, and I’m so grateful to him.”

Through her work at the Undergraduate

Admissions Office, Lela has been doing her best to help students of all backgrounds find their place in OU. “I talk to so many who would run small businesses even in high school, who say things like, ‘I don’t even think I’m gonna graduate high school,’” Lela said. “Even if they don’t end up going to college, I didn’t want their time here to be filled with that kind of energy. I wanted them to be able to look around and, and see a place for themselves here.”

Lela and her team make an extra effort to help guide students, promoting a mission of equity instead of just equality.

“There’s something called equity that we need to familiarize ourselves with because every group is going to have something that different that they need,” Lela said. We have to use different approaches, especially with these kids whose parents didn’t go to college, so college isn’t even on their radar. How do I make it seem more accessible?

How do I make them feel like they’re seeing they’re heard and they’re understood? Those kids are my driving force for the work I do in admissions.”

While her parents have been a huge inspiration and support for Lela, her support group on campus is just as strong.

“I have some really close friends as well as my supervisors,” Lela said. “They have been immensely supportive and have never turned away my ideas

or my complaints. All my friends in admissions, because I really do consider everyone there as friends, have been my inspiration, my support and my motivation.”

With her time as an undergraduate coming to a close, Lela is thinking about attending grad school, with a special focus on studying publishing and editing. While she dreams of being able to incorporate travel into her work through speaking, attending conferences and networking, Lela is flexible and open to the opportunities this next chapter in her life leads her to.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OAKLAND PRESS

FEATURES

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Sada Reed: OU student displays their artwork at The University of Michigan PAYTON BUCKI Content Editor

In the past few years, Sada Reed has seen their passion for art bloom. This January, Reed was accepted into their first art exhibition: the Anishinaabek art show at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. The show welcomed Anishinaabek artists to create pieces that represented the relationship between humans and the natural world.

Reed utilized a traditional Ojbwe ink printing technique to create their piece, entitled “Isopod”.

According to Reed, “Isopod” is a homage to bugs, nature’s soil keepers.

“The whole theme of the gallery was one’s relationship with their plant relatives. The best way I could describe that in my art was through bugs,” Reed said. “I used the roly-poly [also known as isopods] as inspiration for my work. Roly polys give back to the soil whatever they take from it; I believe humans ought to follow the isopod’s example when interacting with nature.”

Surrounding the roly-poly in “Isopod” are fiddlehead ferns.

“Those [fiddlehead ferns] are the first food that pops up every spring, which has great cultural significance to the Anishinaabe people,” Reed said.

As an Anishinaabe and Apache Native American, Reed draws inspiration from cultural heritage when

PHOTO COURTESY OF SADA REED

creating their art.

“I try to make artwork that is meaningful. I enjoy making art about nature,” Reed said. “I enjoy making symbolic art that connects to my culture and my plant and animal relatives.”

Reed is the president of the Native American Student Organization at Oakland University. Reed’s involvement with the organization, especially their work on the university’s Native American Heritage site, provides the artist with additional inspiration.

“I am constantly doing work out there [on the Native American Heritage site] – a lot of manual labor,” Reed said. “I find myself thinking about my work on the site a lot. I often see various birds and plants when I’m out there, which inspire me to create art.”

Reed participated in the art installation process before the official opening of the gallery.

“I was there the night before the gallery opened delivering my art piece and all the other artists were there too,” Reed said. “[The completed exhibit] is stunning and beautiful. I got to meet some of the artists and talk to them. They are the most down-toearth people.”

Reed describes the process of setting up the art show as exhilarating. Reed plans to participate in future exhibitions, with the intention of testing out new techniques and themes.

“I don’t necessarily feel the need to stick to one art medium,” Reed said. “I’d like to test out different approaches in my discipline. What drives me is having something new to create.”

The Anishnaabek art show is Reed’s debut public display of their work, but the exhibition will certainly not be their last. Reed sees the art show as a springboard for their future career as a professional artist.

Reed’s artwork will be featured in the Anishinaabek art show at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor until Feb. 25. The exhibit will be located in the hallway and west lobby galleries of the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N Dixboro Rd. Ann Arbor, MI. Those interested in viewing regular updates on Reed’s art progression can follow their Instagram, @sada.lynn.

The Academic Success Center: Reimagining student support services DAYSHAWN FIELDS Features Reporter

Oakland University provides countless support resources to ensure the success of its community members. Some services are tailored to a student’s specific challenges, other services provide broad support.

Campus resources are essential for college students to reach their highest potential. Despite this, Ross E O’Hara of Psychology Today found that a majority of college students are not aware of the resources available to them. O’Hara cited a Tyton Partners survey that showed only a fifth of the 2,000 students surveyed utilized tutoring, financial aid counseling, career advising or mental health counseling.

One of OU’s support services is the Academic

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

Success Center (ASC), located inside Wilson Hall, the recently renovated building in the center of the main campus. The Academic Success Center’s mission is to provide residents with the help they need to succeed in the classroom, and beyond it.

Despite its main office being in Wilson, the ASC provides support to campus residents and commuter students. Students can utilize the resource to learn better ways to budget their time, effectively take tests and improve their study skills.

“We have four main services: tutoring, study groups, supplemental instruction and academic support appointments. More details are located at oakland.edu/ asc,” Cash said.

These services have directly had an impact on students’ return to academic success. One story in particular stands out in Cash’s mind.

“Amy Ward, our Academic Support Coordinator, was integral in the motivation and determination of a student to return to OU, who was on probation and subsequently dismissed from the university for two semesters. Amy met with this student while she was attending the community college and was anxious to return. Amy helped her with time management, study skills and supported her motivation to return by meeting with her several times over these semesters.

This student is now registered and back attending OU,” Cash said.

While studies show that students sometimes do not utilize the resources available on college campuses,

the ASC looks to combat this trend through several changes and initiatives.

“When I started as the director [of the ASC] in 2020, I knew our reputation and name needed to change. We were known as the Tutoring Center, which signified one support. However, we do so much more. Some students are hesitant to seek out support as it may be embarrassing to ask for help. We’ve tried to help this with a name change, the Academic Success Center.

Our tutors and staff are also friendly and supportive.

We have a beautiful space to study and in addition to getting academic support, students can surround themselves with like-minded peers,” Cash said.

The Academic Success Center is indeed so much more than just tutoring. Through the ASC, students can find help in getting involved on campus, which directly correlates to success in the classroom.

“This concept is extremely important as students need to build networks of friends in every course.

Sometimes this could be through extracurricular involvement and student organizations, or group work in a class or any of the many other activities at OU. It’s important to feel connected with others in challenging moments in coursework. Last semester we supported an impromptu study group for a math course at the request of a student. All students were invited to join and a new group was formed, possible friendships developed and support was provided by our tutors,” Cash said.

Students can find more information about the ASC at its webpage on OU’s website.

FEATURES

JANUARY 24, 2024 | 7

‘It’s great to be back home:’ An exclusive interview with Peter Lucido MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter

On Thursday, Jan. 18, The Oakland Post sat down with Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido to conduct an exclusive interview. Lucido is a proud Oakland University alumni, and he described his experience as a golden grizzly as “the best times of his life.” He also touched on the different aspects of his job as a prosecutor, his goals for the future and advice to current OU students.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

The Oakland Post: For the readers who don’t know what the Prosecutor of Macomb County does, could you explain your job?

Lucido: “The prosecutor is a Minister of Justice.

The prosecutor is the one that will go ahead and prosecute cases like child support and paternity. The prosecutor will also enforce the collection of the child support. In addition, the Prosecutor handles misdemeanors, felonies and appeals possibly all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. The prosecutor also sees that justice is done, which means providing fairness to both the accused and also the victims.

The prosecutor is also the one that will institute the charges based on the investigation, as well as the evidence that’s brought in by the police department.

The police may go out and monitor to see more.

Prosecutors are the ones that collect and assess all of the evidence. We don’t do any investigation.”

The Oakland Post: Your job deals with a lot of serious issues, but can you talk about one of your favorite aspects of your job?

Lucido: “I get to meet people, not so much in the best situations and scenarios, and I help them to progress and get closure in their life from things that have happened. No one ever stood up and said they wanted to be a victim. So when I meet the victims for the first time, I have to be sympathetic to the fact that they didn’t want this to happen. They’re going through a difficult time, and also that we get them on the road to recovery the best we can.”

The Oakland Post: You graduated from Oakland University for your bachelor’s degree. Can you talk about your time here at Oakland?

Lucido: “It was the best experience as well as the most interesting time in my life. It was the first time I lived away from home. I lived in the dorms, I lived in Hamlin and then I went over to Van Wagner and I became an RA. I liked learning about people

during the evening hours when you have time to talk after you get done studying — that was the most enjoyable. I got to see that people came from all across walks of life. I enjoyed meeting people and listening to where they saw their future and enjoyed building those relationships.”

The Oakland Post: Given your experience taking night classes to get an MBA and working through law school, do you have any advice to students working through part-time jobs or similar schedules?

Lucido: “Stay busy. Life is a lot to juggle, so if you learn it in your years going to college, the burden won’t be so bad when you get out of college when you’re going to juggle even more. So it’s nice to work, even if it’s part-time. Go ahead and learn time management because that’s one of the biggest skills to have in life. Give yourself a chance to do time management now because it will help you long term and in the long run.”

The Oakland Post: Although you oversee Macomb County, have you had any experiences in your job that has dealt with Oakland County?

Lucido: “The Tri-Counties of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb do have a common thread and that’s this: if crimes are committed in one county, they seem to go through and do other crimes in other counties. Somebody from Wayne may come to Macomb and commit a crime or somebody from Macomb may go to Oakland to commit a crime.

We have cross jurisdictional engagements with one another as it relates to law enforcement officials. We work collaboratively with other law enforcement officials from outside the jurisdiction in Macomb.”

The Oakland Post: What projects have you been involved with recently?

Lucido: “I’ve started new units and created new methods of handling criminal justice. I’ve been around criminal justice literally all my life.

That’s the only job I ever really had. When I look at college students, there’s violence and crimes of a nature of significance. Things like stabbings, shootings, bomb threats and destruction of property on campus. I am open to ideas if the students would like to tell me how to reduce violence in our classrooms and off campus. Let the student tell me what they want to tell the disruptive students.

I would like to use a message that students can understand. I may be out of touch, but I’m not stupid. Enough is enough. It’s not wanted and it’s not going to be tolerated on our campus.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF NOLAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE

The Oakland Post: What are your goals for 2024?

Lucido: “To help others as much as I can. I’d like to pass on to the students at Oakland University a philosophy that I hope they can believe in. If God gives you a full life, you should use the first 25 to 30 years to educate yourself in anything that you know will make you happy in life. The next 30 or 25 years, you should work as hard as possible. Make all the money you ever wanted to make. Then the last 25 or 30 years try to leave an imprint in this world that will make others enjoy this world. I’m already on the back nine, as they say. I’ve educated myself as you’ve known, and I’ve already worked as hard as I ever could. But I’m not done working yet because I think the things that I’m doing are making a real difference for the future.”

The Oakland Post: What advice would you give to students hoping to follow in your footsteps?

Lucido: “Be true to yourself. Don’t change your beliefs based on others. Be the one that stands up and asserts your position and why you firmly believe it. Just be true to yourself. I think it’s tough to be a student today, especially in a world that’s so controversial about everything. No matter what you want to say. Sometimes you stop before you say it, because of the repercussions. Don’t be that person.

You have every right to speak the way you feel.

And somebody else is supposed to respect what you may say. They may not agree with you but at least respect you and don’t fight with you.”

8 | JANUARY 24, 2024

Pups bringing pawsitive vibes to Oakland University NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

On January 18, Oakland University was visited by the Pawsitive Changes therapy dogs. Two friendly canines and their owners were able to drop by to help students relieve their stress. The visiting pups warmed the hearts of the students who passed through the Oakland Center.

One of these therapy dogs was Goldie, a goldendoodle.

Her owners, Anthony Gallina and Victoria Martinuzzi, are both OU alumni, with Gallina still working on campus as the director of corporate relations for the School of Engineering and Computer Science.

“We needed a hypoallergenic dog because we have family members who are allergic, and so the goldendoodles are the perfect dog for that,” Gallina said. “So we did try to rescue them, but they were adopted very quickly. It was an opportunity for us then to find a good breeder and one that we knew had good genetics, so we lucked out with this one.”

Martinuzzi enjoys it when Goldie brings joy to others.

Martinuzzi recalls her favorite memory with Goldie.

“Probably going to Children’s Village, which is the local county detention facility,” Martinuzzi said. “The first time we went there, the kids absolutely loved it

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAWSITIVE CHANGES

and she made their day. I think that was a really special memory to kind of just bring joy to those kiddos.”

Another therapy dog who came to visit Oakland University’s campus was Estelle, an Australian Shepherd. Although she has no tail to wag, you can tell how happy she is by the smile on her face. Her owner, Vickie Meredith, recalls how she first met Estelle.

“I’m friends with her breeder, and the breeder was training her to be a service dog, but she was too friendly and she couldn’t maintain her focus,” Meredith said.

“She put her up for sale and we got her.”

FEATURES

While Estelle was meant to be a service dog, her old job was passed down to her litter of puppies.

“When we got her we agreed to breed her one time, so we bred her to a phenomenal Australian Shepherd service dog,” Meredith said. “The intent of the litter was to get service dogs, and he was deceased, so they were pupsicles. Two of the puppies are already service dogs, alerting for seizures, and we kept one that didn’t make that cut.”

Through their time together, Meredith’s favorite memory with Estelle was being able to raise and take care of Estelle’s puppies.

“I wasn’t supposed to raise the puppies,” Meredith said. “The breeder was gonna do it, but she got COVID five days after she gave birth. So I raise puppies from age five days to eight and a half weeks. Oh my gosh.

Beautiful. Wonderful. Horrible.”

For students who missed out on the opportunity to meet these therapy dogs, the Pawsitive Changes therapy dogs will be visiting the Oakland Center consistently every two weeks throughout the semester.

To learn more about the Pawsitive Changes service, please visit their website at www. pawsitivechanges.org.

People of OU: Robert Naubert, Oakland’s newest men’s basketball assistant coach EVAN BLANCHARD Sports Reporter

“Let’s go, run it.” Robert Naubert yells at the start of practice. After that, if you blink, you will miss him.

Naubert can be spotted holding a pad during layup lines, hammering at players and urging them on with playful trash talk. In the next moment, Naubert is demonstrating how to drive the lane and kick out with aggression. While the team stretches, Naubert can be spotted courtside doing pushups.

This is all a normal hour for Oakland’s newest men’s basketball assistant coach, Robert Naubert, referred to collectively by the players as Coach Bobby, Coach B and Bobs.

Energy and enthusiasm are things that Naubert has always had in spades. After all, one does not become a professional basketball player in Germany at 5-foot-10, 150 pounds without having a lot of drive.

For Naubert, it all began in seventh grade – an enjoyment of basketball turned into a deep passion that would guide his life and career.

Coach Bobby talked about transitioning from playing the basketball ‘for fun’ to pursuing a professional career in the sport.

“I remember thinking okay, now I really want to be good. I gotta catch up to all the people that played for so long,” Naubert said.

Although Naubert received offers from some

Division 1 schools, he opted to play for Madonna, a small college in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Throughout his athletic career at Madonna, Naubert was a threetime all-American.

Upon graduation, Naubert went overseas to Germany to play professionally. He earned allleaguer status for his two years there.

Coach Naubert credits his time overseas to building who he is now as a coach.

“You’ve got a lot of time on your hands [when playing professional basketball]. If you don’t use that free time, you’re just wasting it. My biggest thing was just getting better,”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT NAUBERT

Naubert said.

Naubert’s experience in Germany helped develop his enthusiasm and hands-on approach to coaching. To combat the language barrier when coaching the junior national team, Naubert would have to demonstrate drills himself.

Upon returning to America, Coach Bobby knew that he wanted to continue his career in basketball through coaching. He became an assistant at Madonna before working at Central Michigan. He also coached teams at Iowa Western Community College and Garden City Community College before accepting the assistant coach position at Oakland University.

In the same way that Naubert used his passion for the game to progress his career, he now focuses his energy on developing other players.

Naubert especially values building strong relationships with the staff and players.

“Kids don’t care what you know, it’s that they know you care. When you have to have a difficult conversation with them, hopefully, they can look back and say, ‘I know that he cares about me,’” Naubert said.

For Naubert, the most important thing is being together in a battle and having players’ trust.

Oakland newcomer Jack Gohlke – the team’s starting shooting guard – recognizes the value of a coach like Naubert.

(Continue on our website)

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OU student leaders recognized for advancing MLK’s vision at KOD Award Ceremony

Past and present Keeper of the Dream Award recipients gather at Oakland University on MLK Day. Photo courtesy of Robert Hall Photography/Oakland University

In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. climbed the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. In the speech, Dr. King expresses his vision of America: a nation where people are judged for the content of their character, not by the color of their skin.

Sixty years later, the legacy of Dr. King continues to live on at Oakland University. On Jan. 15, MLK Day, OU hosted its 32nd annual Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Awards Ceremony, where seven exceptional students were honored for doing their part in keeping Dr. King’s dream alive.

After an extensive application process, Nosaiba Lela, Tayion Williams, Tuger Xiong, Ashamoye Mullings, Shamiah Woods, AJ Joseph and Kayla Smith were chosen as the 2024 Keeper of the Dream honorees. Each student was chosen based on their academic performance, leadership qualities and commitment to promoting unity on OU’s campus.

“I applied for the Keeper of the Dream scholarship because I wanted to show other young women that it is possible to step outside of the box and help others on campus be more well-rounded human beings,” Mullings said.

The Keeper of the Dream Awards Celebration would not be possible without the dedicated staff, faculty members and students who organize the celebration. Glenn McIntosh, the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer at OU, is proud of the university’s homage to Dr. King’s legacy.

“For me, Dr. King’s legacy is about service — service to others for the betterment of others. Here we are now still in that fight for social justice,” McIntosh said. “At Oakland University, we want everyone to have the freedom to explore whatever they want to and to become whatever they want to be.”

Each year, the Keeper of the Dream organizers invite a community activist to deliver the ceremony’s keynote address. This year, Loni Love was invited to be the special guest speaker.

Love, a native Detroiter, attributes her rise from rags to riches to her perseverance in seeking a better life for herself through education.

“You have to put in work to fulfill your dreams. MLK put in work for years. His first thing was education,” Love said. “Growing up, no one talked to me about college. When I graduated high school, there was never a discussion about higher education. We have to keep having discussions about how important education is.”

Love shared what Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech means to her.

“I carry a little bit of Dr. King within me every day. Dr. King’s dream was a society where we are judged not by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character,” Love said. “I always try to work on my character. I was raised in a tough situation, and I was able to get out.

I want to be an example for that child who may be in a really tough situation. Through my platform, I want to show people that they can pursue their dreams, no matter their situation.”

For those interested in learning more about the Keeper of the Dream awards, please visit Oakland University’s webpage.

STORY BY PAYTON BUCKI | DESIGN BY MEGAN JUDY PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROBERT HALL PHOTOGRAPHY/ OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

12 | JANUARY 24, 2024

‘Nostalgia & Outrage:’ OU welcomes newest art exhibition CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Reporter

The snow, sleet and even power outages might have pushed back the opening to “Nostalgia & Outrage,” but Oakland University’s newest art exhibition was finally unveiled to the public on Jan. 20, 2024.

Curated by the OU Art Gallery’s Director, Dick Goody, “Nostalgia & Outrage” features works from Michigan artists Adrian Hatfield and Mary Fortuna.

“We got together and talked about the show in May [of 2023] and we did an interview. I didn’t have a title for the show, but it came out during the interview — we were interested in the idea of ‘nostalgia and outrage,’” Goody said.

The interview — which is available for purchase in a pamphlet showcasing the artist’s work in the exhibition — covers the artists’ personal and creative histories, along with how their works came to be.

“There are commonalities with both of you, aspects that overlap, for instance, you’re both interested in natural history. You’re both at times irreverent, and you’re both fetishistic with your motifs. What other concerns do you think you share?” Goody asked the artists in the interview.

“We both have a sense of humor and we’re both anxious or pissed off at the state of the world. A lot of art historical references show up. We’re sort of pinging all over the place,” Fortuna said.

“I think we both use storytelling or narrative as a hook. We both use archetypal characters in our work,” Hatfield said.

One of Hatfield’s most striking works in the exhibit is a multifaceted cultural-collage painting, where there are two main subjects and points of interest. One, is DC Comics’s, Swamp Thing, stopping a moving car — whose headlights illuminate the creature but also penetrate the scene as a whole. Second, is the Titanic sinking into the ocean, with people in lifeboats helplessly watching as the metal behemoth succumbs to the depths of the Atlantic.

Fortuna, on the other hand, is a sculptor who deals with the surreal. Her work deals with a lot of real-life — reptiles, arachnids, human body parts, birds — that borders on the absurd sometimes.

“I was given the freedom to, anything I wanted to put in motion I could put in motion and if I could get it done and get it up on the walls — Dick wasn’t saying no to anything he was just encouraging, encouraging, encouraging,” Fortuna said.

These two artists might have a few things in common thematically, but why connect them in this way? Why at OU? “Putting these two together is really a way to reconnect with the Detroit art scene,” Goody said.

Fortuna, who now lives in Traverse City, and Hatfield, who is a professor at Wayne State University both commented on how OU benefits from all of this positive exposure through the arts.

“Oakland has also been putting on some of the best shows in the Detroit area for as long as I lived here…

Looking at either beautiful or aesthetically interesting things, if it can challenge you to think about things differently, that’s a bonus,” Hatfield said.

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“Under the guidance of Dick over all these years it’s extraordinary. [He] has done an amazing job for the students, for the artists, for gallery visitors, for everybody,” Fortuna said.

Goody took me behind the scenes of the gallery, literally. Behind the fake walls of the exhibition, there are hundreds of art pieces — sculptures, masks, paintings, etc. It was a look into not only the gallery’s history but OU’s history.

“We don’t have enough space, we’re a museum because of all of this stuff. It gives a bit of dimension… The idea is to bring people and art together,” Goody said.

We slipped into his office, where he remarked on some of the paintings’ stories. One piece has bits of road scraped off from Michigan Avenue, which Goody remarked, glows in the dark.

“It’s a cultural space, it’s a hub for discourse,” Goody said.

We went back out into the white room — filled to the brim with art — once again. It finally hit me that after covering the gallery for the past semester this place really is a treasure at OU. Everyone should be here and experience both nostalgia, outrage and every other emotion.

Those interested in the exhibit can visit the OU Art Gallery Tuesday through Sunday from 12-5 p.m. in room 208 of Wilson Hall until Mar. 24.

PHOTO BY COURTNEY BLACKETT

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‘The Traitors’ season 2 premieres GRACIE MURRAY Campus Reporter

On Jan. 12, 2023, a reality TV series that had a ‘murder mystery game’ twist called “The Traitors” premiered on Peacock and captured a lot of attention.

Exactly one year later, season 2 was released.

“The Traitors” was the number one original reality series on BBC. The show also won an award at the Primetime Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Casting For a Reality Program.”

The show is loosely based on a Dutch series called “De Verraders,” which was created in 2021.

It is also based on the party game “Mafia.”

This show is hosted by Alan Cumming, a Scottish actor who starred in movies such as “Circle of Friends” and “Nightcrawler” and played Fegan Floop in the “Spy Kids” trilogy.

“The Traitors” has roughly 20 contestants.

There are 2 teams, named the “Faithful” and the “Traitors.” The objective of the game is to eliminate all other contestants on the other team to take home the grand prize of $250,000.

During the day, the contestants for both teams solve challenges to either add money to the grand prize or get a shield to be protected from being “killed.” Although the shield may prevent instead of help from being killed, it doesn’t grant immunity from being eliminated from the group vote.

At the end of the day, all contestants sit down at a round table and decide who should be voted off the show and why that person should be banished.

At night, contestants from the “Traitors” come

together to then decide who to eliminate from the game.

When a contestant gets eliminated, they have to show what team they were on. If the contestant that is being eliminated is from the “Traitors,” the team of “Traitors” can decide whether or not to recruit another player to join their team.

For the “Faithful” contestants, they won’t find out who has been eliminated until the next day at breakfast.

Once the game has come down to the final four, the contestants get to vote on how to continue the game.

They can either “end the game” or “banish again.”

If a single vote picks “banish again,” the

JANUARY 24, 2024 | 13 contestants will sit again and pick who to banish, which circles back to another choice of “end the game” or “banish again.”

The “Traitors” must eliminate all of the “Faithful” contestants to get the grand prize. For the “Faithful” contestants, if they eliminated the “Traitors,” then they would split the grand prize.

If a single “Traitor” contestant makes it to the end, they steal the entire grand prize from the “Faithful” group.

At the end of season 1, Cirie Fields, who had been on several seasons of the show “Survivor” secured the win for the “Traitors.”

Will the “Traitors” win back-to-back seasons, or will the “Faithful” prevail and take the win away?

You can now stream “The Traitors” on Peacock.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VOX

‘Saviors:’ Green Day’s newest polished pop-punk opera CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Reporter

After four years of patiently waiting, Green Day’s newest full-length studio album, “Saviors” was released on Jan. 19. The album has been described as Green Day’s return to form and their best, most cohesive project since “American Idiot” — which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

However, I have a dreadful confession to make: I did not get the hype for Green Day’s “classics.”

Sure, the hits are great. “Basket Case,” “Brain Stew,” “American Idiot” and “When I Come Around” are undeniably influential in their respective musical lanes. As concise records, I find most of Green Day’s output mediocre.

While “American Idiot” triumphs and basks in the glory of its rock opera, Green Day ends up bombing on most of its albums. “¡UNO!,” “¡DOS!,” and “¡TRÉ!” flop hard as Green Day’s over-saturation of 2012, “Revolution Radio” fails at cashing in on the overly produced pop-rock sound of 2016, “Father of all…” simply sucks, “Nimrod” plays it too safe off of the success of “Insomniac” and frankly — aside from the hits — 1994’s “Dookie” does not work as an album for me.

With this being the case, I should not have liked “Saviors” as much as I did. Green Day managed to be all the things I thought they were not capable of: polished, timely, refined, catchy and — most importantly — fun again.

The opening track, “The American Dream Is

Killing Me,” powerfully alludes to the housing crisis as well as financial and political instability that has plagued the 2020s — critiquing the classic idea of “The American Dream.”

“From sea to shinin’ sea/Whitewashed upon the beach/My country under siege/On private property,” lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong sings.

The third track, “Bobby Sox,” is probably my favorite song on the album. It is a robust bisexual anthem where Armstrong asks, “Do you wanna be my girlfriend? Do you wanna be my boyfriend?” —

PHOTO COURTESY OF FilmMagic

a not-so-subtle nod to Armstrong’s sexuality. The track also impressed me instrumentally and vocally, with both aspects reminding me of early 2000s Linkin Park-esque nu-metal.

The mixing and overall production on this record are really solid, clean and polished. Unlike “Revolution Radio,” it doesn’t come off as too tidy — there is some clear grit in the mix. The bridges and choruses in almost every track are very clever and progress the songs nicely.

Other highlights on the record include “Dilemma,” “Coma City,” “Strange Days Are Here To Stay” and “Father to a Son” — the last of which is a beautifully touching track about Armstrong’s commitment to fatherhood despite his struggles in life.

Tracks like this are the reason why Green Day has stuck around for as long as they have. The emotional potency found in tracks like “Father to a Son” on this album and on other records such as “Wake Me Up When September Ends” and “21 Guns” really cements Green Day as a capable rock band.

Hopefully, this album will not get lost in the swath of releases in the coming months. While this album is special for Green Day fans, will it have the staying power to be considered one of the band’s smash hits?

Rating: 3/5 stars

14 | JANUARY 24, 2024

The 2024 Emmys: Reunions, sweeps and kisses MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

“Better late than never” was the Emmys’ motto this year, with the show broadcasting four months behind schedule — but still managing to deliver a great night filled with wins and losses on Monday, Jan. 15.

The Emmys saw very similar results to those of this year’s Golden Globes, with familiar names like “Succession,” “The Bear” and “Beef” winning big awards again.

“Succession” had 27 total nominations and successfully nabbed six of them.

These awards included Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Kieran Culkin, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Sarah Snook, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Matthew Macfayden, Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and, of course, Outstanding Drama Series.

Another successful sweep for the final season of the show and a beautiful farewell.

“It was a great sadness to end the show, but it’s a great pleasure to do it,” creator Jesse Armstrong said during his acceptance speech for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.

Tied with “Succession” for the most Emmys won during the night was “The Bear,” which also won six awards.

“The Bear” won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Jeremy Allen White, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Ayo Edebiri and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The show also won Outstanding

Writing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Series.

Was I excited for “The Bear” to sweep? Yes. Am I still confused about why it’s categorized as a comedy?

Also, yes.

One can’t discuss “The Bear” without speaking about the chaotic and fun onstage kiss between Matty Matheson and Ebon Moss-Bachrach that had even “The People’s Princess” Ayo Edebiri surprised.

Following closely behind the number of wins for “Succession” and “The Bear” is Netflix’s “Beef,” with a total of five wins.

These wins included Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Steven Yeun, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Ali Wong, Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.

“I wouldn’t be standing here without my parents, my amazing parents, my mother and my father, who I so wish was alive to share this moment with me. My hilarious father who loved me unconditionally and taught me the value of failure,” Ali Wong said in her acceptance speech.

The Emmys also took time out of their presentation to honor those who have passed in the television industry with performances of “See You Again” and the “Friends” theme song “I’ll Be There For You” by Charlie Puth and The War and Treaty.

Some of the honorees included Matthew Perry, Norman Lear and Andre Braugher among others.

The Emmys was also home to some television

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reunions including the 19-year-running “Grey’s Anatomy” with Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, Katherine Heigl, James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson taking the stage together.

This year’s Emmys recorded an all time low in viewership with 4.3 million viewers, a drop from the 5.9 million viewers who watched the ceremony in 2022.

The Emmys has had a decline in viewership since 2013.

Overall, I would say the 75th Emmy Awards was a success despite being several months late. The show was entertaining to watch — even though other shows dominated its airtime — and the bar was low after the Golden Globes hosting debacle.

The next major awards show to come is the 96th Academy Awards premiering Sunday, March 10.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EURONEWS

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JANUARY 24, 2024 | 15

Kali Uchis enters her señora era with ‘ORQUÍDEAS’ album release MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

Following the release and success of “Red Moon in Venus,” Kali Uchis announced her new album “ORQUÍDEAS” on Oct. 9, 2023 on Instagram. Fans waited until the release of the album on Jan. 12, 2024. And yes, it was worth the wait.

The Spanish album title “ORQUÍDEAS” translates to “orchids” in English.

“The flower, for me, it always symbolized timelessness, femininity, luxury. It has an eerie, mystical quality about it as well. It’s also the national flower of Colombia, so for me it all tied in,” Uchis said in an interview with Billboard News.

“ORQUÍDEAS” opens with a fast-paced intro entitled “¿Cómo Así?” When I first listened to the song I had to take a step back as it was different from some of her past work, but it truly grew on me with its changing beats and beautiful vocal range from Uchis.

Using the song to introduce the album to listeners told them what the album consisted of and what the themes explored were going to be: self-assurance, love and desire.

Following the fast-paced song was another similar song entitled “Me Pongo Loca,” which follows the theme of the desire for a relationship with emotions on display instead of hidden.

Throughout the album, Uchis has five features, the first of which is “Igual Que Un Ángel” with Mexican singer Peso Pluma. Pluma has been gaining traction recently following the success of his latest album “Génesis.” The song is a beautiful love song

using synth-pop, and is one of the album’s most popular songs — and one of my favorites.

“Pensamientos Intrusivos” and “Diosa” follow a similar theme of wanting to give it all for love. Both songs are about telling another person how much they would do for the other’s love and how far they would go for it. The former is the singer telling, and the latter is the singer receiving.

“Perdiste” talks about how a former lover has lost the singer, and how much better the singer is without them. “Young Rich & In Love” and “Tu Corazón Es Mío...” are the complete opposite despite being one after the other, and instead focus on new love and how devoted the lovers are to each other. “Heladito” is similar in this way.

“Te Mata,” “Muñekita” and “Labios Mordidos” were all released prior to the album’s official release date as almost teaser songs to what the rest of the album would hold.

“Muñekita” includes features by El Alfa and JT while “Labios Mordidos” includes a feature by Karol G — some notable names with the reggaeton community.

“No Hay Ley Parte 2” is a call back to “No Hay Ley” — released back in 2022 — with a feature by Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro who is often referred to as the “King of Modern Reggaeton.” The song has a club dance feel, although all of the songs do.

In my opinion, Uchis saved one of the best songs for last. “Dame Beso // Muévete” is a song that should sound familiar to any Latino whose mom would blast merengue in the early mornings to clean the entire house. This song was the perfect way to close out the album, and I’ve definitely already used it to clean my room.

“It’s a merengue, but there are parts that are not conventional. This wouldn’t pass in a traditional song, but it’s the blender she puts it in,” executive vice president of Interscope Geffen — Uchis’s record label — Nir Seroussi said in an interview with Rolling Stone.

“ORQUÍDEAS” has currently surpassed 200 million streams on Spotify — Uchis’s fastest album to achieve this.

With this album’s release, Uchis also announced her pregnancy with Don Toliver, and her next album is set to release later this year.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

PHOTO COURTESY OF CATALYST

POLITICS

16 | JANUARY 24, 2024

College Republicans of OU hosts luncheon with Peter Lucido MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter

On Jan. 18, the College Republicans of Oakland University hosted a luncheon with special guest Peter J. Lucido, the Prosecutor of Macomb County. While at the luncheon, students asked questions and had a meaningful conversation with Lucido. Several of the members of the club hope to break into politics or government work, so getting first-hand information from an experienced politician served as inspiration.

Lucido spoke about the importance of his time shadowing and interning at a young age. When Lucido was an undergraduate student at OU, he spent time interning in the legal field. While at the luncheon, he spoke about the importance of his shadowing experience.

“Oakland also gave me a chance to work off campus as a probation officer where I had a chance to learn about the law,” Lucido said. “That was the closest thing I could get to law school before I spent all my time, all my money, and all my energy. So I went and took that opportunity.

“I got in my car and drove off the campus and drove to 1200 North Telegraph. I went in and said I’d like to be a probation officer. It was because I could speak in a courtroom. It was because I could engage with the president of the accused and then the convicted. I could also learn how judges treat people in society. That’s the experience I had that solidified while I went to law school,” Lucido added.

While at the luncheon, visitors from the Michigan Freedom Fund (MFF) spoke about the organization. The MFF fights to champion conservative principles on behalf

of Michigan taxpayers. Limited government, increased government transparency and constitutional protections are some of the prominent values of the organization.

The nonprofit organization is run by Michiganders, catalyzing a grassroots movement.

“I’m an Oakland alum, graduated in April, and I’m now involved with the Michigan Freedom Fund. So we’re a conservative advocacy organization, working in the State House districts around the state. So if you guys are looking for opportunities to get involved in State House campaigns, or the extra organizations that kind of go into state house campaigns, definitely reach out and contact me,” Sam Palmers, Regional Advocacy Director of the 55th District, said.

The College Republicans’ mission is to provide a voice for conservatives and help develop young leaders.

The club hopes to bring together students with similar political beliefs and provide a meaningful change for the community. Ideas such as liberty, individualism and self-determination serve as the foundation for the club.

Past events for the club included a meet and greet with the Mayor of Rochester Hills Bryan Barnett, a luncheon with Congresswoman Lise McClain and a watch party of the Desantis vs. Newsom debate. Whether it’s local or national politics, the College Republicans of OU cover a wide range of topics.

The College Republicans typically host special events in place of traditional meetings. Additionally, they also collaborate with the College Democrats of Oakland University. The two groups will occasionally host debates or political discussions.

For more information about College Republicans, email them at oaklandcollegerepublicans@gmail.com or follow

their Instagram @oucollegerepublicans. You can also find further information on their GrizzOrgs page.

For more information about getting involved with MFF, contact Palmers at spalmeter@ michiganfreedomfund.com. You can also visit michiganfreedomfund.com or call (989)-670-8585.

Lucido is looking for students to join his internship program this year. If interested in learning about the government or law, this opportunity would be perfect for Oakland students. If interested in applying for the internship, email your resume and cover letter to prosecutorinternship@macombgov. org or visit their website.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MACOMB DAILY

The rising tide of anti-LGBTQ+ hate and its origins NOAH THOMASON Political Reporter

The mass shooter of an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs who killed five people has pleaded guilty to 50 hate crime charges in a federal court. These charges come after the assailant was convicted of five counts of murder and forty-six counts of attempted murder.

The hate crime charges may be a surprise to some people because the shooter identifies as nonbinary.

A nonbinary person has a gender identity that is not exclusively male or female. Nonbinary individuals can have many different gender identities with different pronouns such as “they/them” or nonbinary individuals may not identify with any gender.

The shooter’s nonbinary identity has been questioned by those following the case for several reasons, with the primary one being that they took on the identity after the shooting. This has led many to feel that the identity was chosen disingenuously.

The shooter’s identity has led some to question whether a nonbinary person could be charged with committing hate crimes against a group they identify with.

According to the Associated Press, a person may be charged with hate crimes against people from the same group as they identify with because of the language of hate crime laws. Regardless of the authenticity of the shooter’s identity, a person can be motivated to hate people of the same group as themselves.

This shooting speaks to a broader problem of hate crimes and fearmongering against LGBTQ+ people in the United States.

Hate against LGBTQ+ people has always been an issue. Unfortunately, the problem has grown worse in recent years. In 2022, hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community based on sexual orientation rose by 13.8% since 2021 and attacks based on gender identity rose by 32.9% since 2021. The FBI crime statistics report showed 1,947 attacks based on sexual orientation in 2022 which was up from 1,711 attacks in 2021.

There will be instances of hate crimes that are not reported; so, the number of attacks on LGBTQ+ people is higher than the data suggests. This can be due to people not reporting the crimes committed against them. It could also be due to states and cities not pressing charges for hate crimes.

The primary reason for the recent rise in hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community is the rise in antiLGBTQ+ politicians whose rhetoric and legislation villainize the LGBTQ+ community. In 2023, the U.S saw a sharp uptick in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, with over 520 broadly anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in state legislatures and 220 bills that specifically target transgender and nonbinary people, with 70 antiLGBTQ+ laws passing that year according to the Human Rights Campaign.

This legislation takes the form of bans on genderaffirming care for transgender youth, bans on drag performances, sex and gender education bans and more.

Most legislation has targeted young people in some way, either by banning books or other information that would make them aware of LGBTQ+ people or that would affirm the gender of transgender youth.

These bans serve the primary purpose of creating

a narrative that being LGBTQ+ is an inherent threat to children and, thus, that members of the LGBTQ+ community must be kept away from minors.

These bans also help to create a narrative that minors cannot be LGBTQ+. These bans suggest that anyone under 18 whose identity is not cis-gendered and heterosexual, has been corrupted by LGBTQ+ people and their allies.

These stereotypes are very harmful to LGBTQ+ people, including minors who are trying to understand themselves and are in a susceptible position to marginalization.

Rhetoric and legislation that targets a group of people will marginalize them and provide moral justification to those who disparage the LGBTQ+ community.

In light of the contemporary and historical challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community, the public ought to question whether it is acceptable for politicians to fearmonger about the LGBTQ+ community and to create legislation that further marginalizes the community.

JANUARY 24, 2024 | 17 POLITICS How the Houthis have disrupted global shipping NOAH THOMASON Political Reporter

Significant events have been occurring in the Red Sea in the past few weeks. The Houthis have been actively threatening and inflicting violence to disrupt global shipping in the region.

The Houthi armed rebel group formed in 1990 in the northwestern Saada province of Yemen, which borders Saudi Arabia. The group became prominent in 2014 due to their rebellion against the Yemeni government. This caused the government to lose control of the capital and led to a long civil war in Yemen, with the Houthis controlling most of the western side of Yemen.

The Houthis are a Shia religious group with political and religious alignment with Iran. This has put the group in conflict with Saudi Arabia because Iran and Saudi Arabia are opposed for geopolitical and religious reasons. Since taking the capital in Yemen, the Houthis have been in a war against the Yemeni government.

The Yemeni government is recognized by Saudi Arabia and the United States. Conversely, the Houthis are supported by Iran.

The Houthis have been attacking ships going through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea since Nov. 19, which has significantly affected global trade. The rebel group has been able to do this because the area the Houthis control is at the narrowest part of the Red Sea. The geography of the region makes it easier to raid and attack ships attempting to cross through.

Disruption of global trade through the Suez Canal is

impactful because a significant amount of trade between Europe and Asia goes through this region. Trade through the Red Sea makes up 15% of global shipping traffic and the attacks on shipping vessels have dropped freight container volume through the Red Sea by 65% from expected values according to Reuters.

This has caused shipping to move through the much longer route from Europe and past South Africa and into Asia which adds 10-14 days to the voyage. The rerouting may cause noticeable delays in the arrival of products and materials, which would, in turn, affect the availability and price of products.

The Houthi attacks have not happened in a vacuum.

The attacks began in response to the invasion of Gaza by Israel, which the Houthi rebels opposed.

The Houthi rebels claim that they are targeting ships with potential ties to Israel to pressure Israel to end the invasion, according to Al Jazeera.

While the attacks have affected Israel’s trade, especially in the port city of Eilat, there is no information on how the Houthis determine whether the ships they attack have ties to Israel. Regardless of what ships are being attacked, it is clear that the Houthi rebels at least want to appear that their fight is in solidarity with Gaza.

There is also speculation by some experts that the Houthi attacks are an attempt to gain political power.

The U.S. has responded to these attacks with multiple strikes on Houthi missile positions. The U.S. has promised to continue the attacks until the rebels cease their attacks on global trade. It appears that the strikes have not dissuaded the Houthis from further attacks.

“Well, when you say working are they stopping the Houthis? No, are they gonna continue? Yes.” President Joe Biden said.

To the Houthis and their supporters, the attacks on global shipping are a necessary step to stopping the invasion of Gaza. To others, the attacks appear unjustified and unrelated to the invasion of Gaza.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AP

18 | JANUARY 24, 2024

Brock’s Thoughts: Sights set on Super Bowl?

BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

The Detroit Lions might play in the Super Bowl.

This isn’t satire. This also isn’t some pipe dream dreamt by the most unrealistically optimistic and biased Lions fan.

No. The Detroit Lions might actually be playing in the Super Bowl.

It would be something no one on planet Earth, past or present, has witnessed. That’s because it’s never happened. Not once.

But that can all change on Sunday night in Santa Clara, California, where the No. 3 seed Detroit Lions will take on the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game.

The winner will advance to, you guessed it, the Super Bowl.

As evidenced by the nation-wide watch parties, the top-tier commercials that cost millions of dollars to air and the heavy celebrity attendance, the Super Bowl is a big deal, regardless of who’s playing.

Petitions have actually been created to make the Monday after the Super Bowl a national holiday — it’s that big of a deal. Parties, wings, chips, dip, beer, betting — it screams America.

But Sunday’s matchup between the Lions and 49ers will feature two teams whose fanbases simply aren’t comparable when it comes to how significant an appearance in sports’ biggest, most important game would be.

San Francisco has been to the Super Bowl seven times. That’s not to say fans wouldn’t be ecstatic with

an eighth appearance — especially given the game will take place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, a lessthan-600-mile trek from northern California — but it’s just not the same as it would be for Detroiters.

The Niners have also played in two of the last 11 Super Bowls. Granted, they lost both times.

But Detroit needs this.

The Lions have never been to a Super Bowl. It’s been well documented. This is only the team’s second chance to play for a shot at the big game. This has also been widely discussed.

It’s a storied franchise built on winners like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Steve Young up against a historically lowly, inept franchise built on decades of heartbreaking loss and failure.

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Detroit needs this one. It would change the culture, and it would get the never-been-to-a-Super-Bowl monkey off the franchise’s back.

Now, from a strictly football perspective, is San Francisco the better team? Yeah, probably. The 49ers are the higher seed, they’ll have the best player in the stadium in Christian McCaffrey and from top to bottom, their roster is seemingly better than Detroit’s.

But on Sunday night, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, not much of that will matter.

As evidenced by the Green Bay Packers’ drubbing of the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round, seeding certainly doesn’t mean anything other than the fact that it determines where the games are played.

And best-player-on-the-field Patrick Mahomes couldn’t hero ball his way to a victory over the Lions in the season opener.

Anything can happen on Sunday night. The team needs this game. The city needs it.

There have been numerous personal stories from fans explaining just how much this playoff run has meant to them. Whether it’s an intimate moment witnessing a victory with a loved family member or a moment a fan has dreamed of their entire life, this playoff run has transcended the confines of sports.

It’s a way of life.

And on Sunday night, 60 minutes determine the fate of the team, the fans and the city.

Sixty minutes.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUNFU HAN

Oakland dominates in tri-meet against SVSU and Hope College KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

On Friday, Jan. 19, the Oakland Swim and Dive team impressed against the Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) Cardinals and the Hope College Flying Dutchmen at the Oakland Aquatics Center.

The men’s team outscored the Cardinals 180-112 and bested the Flying Dutchmen 235-47, while the women’s team defeated the Cardinals 200-97 and the Flying Dutchmen 227-72. The win comes six days after OU defeated the Xavier Musketeers at home.

The meet spanned 32 events and featured a variety of competitions. From the 1000 Free to the 200 Back and the 400 Free Relay, nothing was off the table in this three-team meet. Notably, most events featured at least two heats among men and women.

For the men, Christian Bart improved his event wins from 14 to 15 on the season. Jack Wike and Micah Scheffer also took home two event wins in the meet.

Wike improved on seven wins from five, and Scheffer reinforced his win total to six from four.

As for the women, Jordyn Shipps won three events in the meet, bolstering her event wins from nine to 12.

Furthermore, Mia Englender and Sam Thiessen improved their season totals to five wins and four wins, respectively.

In addition to great performances in the lanes, Ellie Chalifoux and Liam James commanded the diving board. Chalifoux placed first in 3-meter diving and 1-meter diving, while James took second in 3-meter diving and first in 1-meter diving.

The meet started with a 200 Medley Relay. Both the

women and the men competed in two separate heats and promptly dominated their opponents.

First, the women’s ‘C’ and ‘D’ teams took the pool and managed first and second placements, respectively, in their heat. Following the impressive start, the ‘A’ team overtook SVSU’s ‘A’ team on the final lap, while the ‘B’ team placed third during their heat.

Next, the men’s ‘C’ and ‘D’ teams dominated, placing first and second, and the Grizzlies impressed again in the next heat. The ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams held first and second for the majority of the race until SVSU’s ‘A’ team overtook OU’s ‘B’ team for second place in the final lap.

With the 1000 Free next, it was a thriller for both the women and the men. In the women’s race, Englender and Lola Laenen competed. Despite being in third place early in the race, Englender came all the way back to finish first, clocking in at 10:29.82, while Laenen finished in fourth with a time of 10:49.38.

As for the men, Jonas Cantrell and Kieron Bezuidenhout held second and third place throughout the majority of the race. But as the race neared its end, Cantrell was right behind Cardinal swimmer Benjamin Wainman and finished just 0.23 seconds short of first with a final time of 9:16.68. Bezuidenhout finished in third place, clocking in at 9:51.21.

The last event of the meet was the 400 Free Relay.

This event was once again under the complete control of the Grizzlies.

In the women’s first heat, the ‘C’ team finished first, and in the second heat, the ‘A’ team followed up with yet another first-place finish. On the other hand, the men’s ‘C’ team clinched first, while the ‘A’ team

concluded the meet with another victory.

Next, the swim and dive team will battle the Cleveland State University Vikings on the road on Friday, Jan. 26, before competing in the Horizon League Championships in Indianapolis, Ind., from Wednesday, Feb. 14, until Saturday, Feb 17.

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

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JANUARY 24, 2024 | 19

Oakland beats Youngstown State, secures sixth straight win KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

The Oakland men’s basketball team took care of business on Wednesday, Jan. 17, beating the Youngstown State University (YSU) Penguins at the OU Credit Union O’rena to claim the team’s sixth straight conference win.

“I’m happy that we won, and obviously, it’s an exciting time for us,” head coach Greg Kampe said.

“That’s a really good basketball team with a really good coach. They did some good things against our zone today that we haven’t seen before.”

Chris Conway was the top scorer for the team, tallying 17 points from all three levels of the court.

In addition to Conway, Trey Townsend and Blake Lampman also scored in double figures. Townsend scored 16 points, while Lampman found nylon for 11 points.

To start the game, the Penguins claimed an early double-digit lead, going on a 13-0 run while holding the Grizzlies scoreless through the first five minutes of the half. The Penguins found some easy buckets down low while staying active on the glass as YSU pulled in four offensive rebounds during their run.

Despite the slow start for the Grizzlies, the team battled back throughout the rest of the first, as OU’s defense prevented YSU from running away with an excessive lead. In addition to some solid defense, the Grizzlies started to piece the puzzle together on offense, scoring 22 points in the final nine minutes of the half.

Although the Grizzlies couldn’t take the lead

from the Penguins for the rest of the quarter, OU was able to erase the original 13-point deficit and trailed 31-28 at the end of the half. Notably, the OU defense held the YSU offense to shoot just 36.1% from the field and 18.1% from deep.

At the start of the second half, Townsend hit a wide-open three to tie the game at 31 points each.

Following Townsend’s game-tying basket, the Penguins jumped to a six-point lead as the team capitalized on a 14-9 run.

Responding to YSU’s run, DQ Cole took matters into his own hands, scoring eight straight points in

a minute to give the Grizzlies their first lead. In the next two possessions, a free throw from Tuburu Naivalurua and a 3-pointer from Jack Gohlke extended the OU lead to six points.

Throughout the remainder of the second half, YSU was able, at one point, to tie the score at 52 with nine minutes to go. Despite the Penguins’ resurgence, the Grizzlies were able to hang on to the lead as the game came down to the final possession.

With OU leading by one point and the Penguins in possession with the shot clock turned off, Rocket Watts intercepted a YSU inbound pass.

Subsequently, YSU was called for goaltending on a Watts layup attempt, and the Grizzlies’ defense locked up for a final time to win 70-67.

“Our defense gave us a chance to win this game,” Kampe said. “You win championships; you win games many ways. But teams that are built on defense usually play a lot of close games, a lot of games like this, and right now, we just believe we’re going to win.”

Next, the Grizzlies will take on the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix on Thursday, Jan. 25, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers on Saturday, Jan. 27. Both games will be played on the road.

“We’re feeling good, but it doesn’t really matter,” Lampman said. “We’re looking ahead to our next game… We got to have a quick memory and keep the momentum going.”

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

Detroit Pistons make move prior to trade deadline SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

The NBA’s trade deadline is February 8, and the Detroit Pistons have already made a move to acquire Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala from the Washington Wizards.

In return, the Wizards received Marvin Bagley and Isaiah Livers and will also receive two future second-round picks in 2025 and 2026.

How this trade helps the Detroit Pistons With the addition of Gallinari and Muscala to the team’s rotation, this offers valuable veteran experience to the roster, which is what the Detroit Pistons have been missing all season long in order to work and build towards success.

With this new trade move that was made by general manager Troy Weaver, this has created a lot of cap space and gives the Pistons at least $60 million in free agency.

Breaking down the newest additions The 35-year-old Danilo Gallinari will be a factor in adding a wealth of knowledge to the team. Going beyond his mentorship role, his scoring abilities would seamlessly integrate with the dynamic playstyle of Cade Cunningham, creating a synergy that could see the veteran capitalizing on open looks facilitated by Cunningham’s elite playmaking skills.

Furthermore, his presence on the court contributes significantly to the Pistons’ ongoing efforts to strengthen their floor spacing, which will allow for fluid ball movement and cohesive team play. This

feature aligns with the Pistons developmental goals, emphasizing the importance of spreading the floor in order to completely maximize their offensive plays.

Complementing Gallinari’s addition, the Pistons also welcomed in 32-year-old Mike Muscala, a versatile player with various skill sets. Muscala, who stands at 6-foot-10, will provide the Pistons with scoring in the frontcourt.

Defense has been an area and a focal point that’s been a major topic of discussion from previous seasons to even now, and it still needs to be one of the main priorities in order for the Pistons to have meaningful games. With this trade, that can start to happen.

With the combination of two bigs in Gallinari and Muscala, the Pistons have brought in players who bring rebounding to the table and rim protection.

They also take up space on the floor with their size and length and can potentially be great off-ball defenders.

Their presence down low also adds some depth to the Pistons defensive lineup. In essence, as the Detroit Pistons navigate their restoration process with the addition of veterans, this can help bring a winning mentality to the team, and their experience will be a huge component in shaping the team’s offensive identity, especially when it comes to efficiency from beyond the arc.

The Detroit Pistons need to be a team that is competitive, sustainable and able to contend consistently. As the team continues to develop and make these adjustments, there are hopes that the Detroit Pistons can turn things around and win games, and adding valuable veterans to this young core is a great start in order to do so.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

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20 | JANUARY 24, 2024

Brooke Quarles-Daniels’ heroics seal deal in 83-81 victory SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

Brooke Quarles-Daniels owned the narrative in Oakland’s win against the Green Bay Phoenix at the OU Credit Union O’rena.

With a mere 11 seconds ticking away in the fourth quarter, she put the team on her back and scored the game-winning shot.

The quarter kicked off with both teams showcasing their hot shooting. However, as the pace slowed down, it became a battle of aggression.

A quick foul called on Oakland sent Green Bay freshman Maren Westin to the line, setting the stage for a dramatic turn of events.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES

She ended up missing both free throws, and Oakland was able to box out and grab the rebound. In a swift play, Kennedie Montue’s timely layup tied the game up at 81, giving her 23 points.

Green Bay’s Natalie McNeal was then fouled and sent to the free throw line, where she also missed both of her free throws, presenting the Grizzlies with a golden opportunity to seal the deal. Surely, it was QuarlesDaniels who not only understood the assignment while doing so but executed it with finesse. She confidently knocked down the silky-smooth jumper, even with three Green Bay jerseys closing in on her.

The OU Credit Union O’rena pulsated with electric energy as the Grizzlies made a huge statement and came out with the win, with a final score of 83-81. QuarlesDaniels reached her career-best of 27 points.

“I knew I had the bucket,” Quarles-Daniels said after the game. “I’ve been feeling it all game. Without my teammates and my coaches supporting me, the bench was amazing, the fans were amazing. It was crazy, we knew we needed this win. We’ve been battling a lot of adversity, and it just means a lot to my team. We’re sisters, we’re family. Glad to be here, man.”

This victory gave Green Bay its first loss in its last 10 games and its first loss in the Horizon League.

Throughout the game, the Grizzlies knew what they had to do and applied great defensive pressure, making it hard for them to break their exceptional zone defense.

The game witnessed the Golden Grizzlies’ abilities to exploit opportunities, sticking to their system and remaining true to playing Oakland basketball, even when Green Bay made a run. They held their ground, unleashed their full potential and showed just how

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resilient of a team they are.

“They’re amazing. I’m so proud of them,” acting head coach Deanna Richard said. “Bottom line is, we defended our little tails off tonight, and at the end of the game, everybody’s like, Brooke downhill, and it works every time. It ended with her having the ball in her hands, and that’s exactly what we wanted. You know who to go to, and it’s money every time.”

It was a big win for Oakland, giving them the momentum that they need as the season progresses and as they continue to find success.

What’s Next?

The Golden Grizzlies will now bring that same fight that they have in them and host Cleveland State University on Thursday, Jan. 25, at the OU Credit Union O’rena. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.

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