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s t u d e n t n e w s pa p e r o f w a s h i n g t o n a n d j e f f e r s o n c o l l e g e w j r e da n d b l ac k . c o m W a s h i n g t o n , P e n n s y lva n i a April 2, 2021
WHAT’S IN THIS WEEK’S PAPER... CURRENT EVENTS
Novelist Jill McCorkle Speaks at W&J
After Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s bombshell interview with Oprah on Mar. 12, reports have been published saying Queen Elizabeth is hiring a ‘Diversity Czar’ for the royal palace. -P.7
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DIVERSITY
Beyond the physical health of the public, one very important aspect one must not forget, especially as a college campus and community, is the heavy impact this pandemic has had on everyone’s mental health. -P.11
OPINIONS Given the timing of [Moxie’s] release, the diverse cast and talent of Poehler herself, the film set high expectations for itself that it ultimately did not deliver on. -P.16
SPORTS
On Mar. 27, the Washington & Jefferson College men’s lacrosse team earned their first win of the season in an impressive 12-5 victory over Thiel. -P.18
WJREDANDBLACK.COM
Courtesy AJC.com
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2 April 2021
Monti’s Introduces Mobile Coffee Cart Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff
favorite coffee drink to get at Dunkin. Once the time window was closed for submissions, 15 random participants were chosen and given a $10 Dunkin gift card! The SAB has done a great job all year with incorporating the remote students into the on-campus activities they are always putting on. Remote student Kendle Haught says, “I think SAB is doing a great job
On Mar. 23, the Student Activities Board (SAB) in collaboration with the Office of Student Engagement put on a fun Dunkin-Donuts inspired coffee cart for the on-campus students at Washington & Jefferson College. The Mobile Monti’s cart (which SAB has officially changed the name to “SAB Pop-Up Cart Sponsored by the Diner”) provided different kinds of donuts and lots of coffee for the W&J students’ day off. The idea was thought up to be a midterm stress reliever, since the day off did coincide with the week of midterms this semester. On-campus student Joseph Figura visited the SAB pop-cart and was very excited about this midterm stress buster. He said, “I was really excited when I found out that SAB was giving us free donuts and coffee! I think it was a great and fun idea, especially during midterm week so I could break up my studying with a fun activity.” Not only did SAB provide a free midterm stress reliever to the on-campus students of W&J, but they also sponsored an Instagram activity so remote students could participate as well. SAB sponsored a giveaway on their Instagram page on Mar. 23 in which remote students were to comment on the SAB’s Instagram post their
“I think it was a great and fun idea, especially during midterm week so I could break up my studying with a fun activity.” - Joseph Figura with incorporating events that they are having on campus and providing an alternative activity for remote students! This makes my remote learning journey not so difficult, because I am still able to participate in activities!” Haught is a freshman this year so she is especially thankful to SAB for helping her make new friends and participate in fun activities with other students at W&J! Overall, the SAB Pop-Up Cart was a complete success for both students on-campus and students remote this semester!
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CAMPUS NEWS 3
Novelist Jill McCorkle Speaks at W&J Sofya Williamson Red & Black Staff
Labeled by the New York Times as “a born novelist,” Jill McCorkle has an impressive writing collection under her belt consisting of four short stories and six novels. With two of her novels published shortly after college graduation from a small publishing house in a literal shed in a backyard, McCorkle has now settled her work in Best American Short Stories, The New York Time Book Review, The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction, The Washington Post and many more. From sitting as the chair of the department of creative writing in Harvard to now a faculty member of the Bennington College Writing Seminars, McCorkle had years of experience to share with the hungry English students of Washington and Jefferson College on Mar. 24. When asked what some of her writing processes are, she attributed her short memory to the recent use of note taking, specifically the hurried action of jotting something down. She said, “A short story can be a collection of post it notes and napkins. You go down a rabbit hole, and like a fun puzzle, put the pieces together.” In the public reading, McCorkle explained just how refined this “note taking” can be, as the audience was swept into the characters’ lives of her newest
Courtesy AJC.com
Jill McCorkle shares her many experiences of writing and teaching to eager Washington & Jefferson College students.
novel, “Hieroglyphics.” Adia Muhammad, an excellent undergraduate English student and role model to many, was quoted expressing admiration for how much comedy and tragedy walks hand in hand in each of McCorkle’s works, and effortlessly McCorkle chalked up a lot of it to the process of revision, stating that she loves revision in the whole writing process. Although writing is to her, and many other writers will agree, an important relationship that can’t be severed no matter the changing circumstances, revision is the part where you
refine and fall in love with your piece. As a seasoned writer, McCorkle’s views on revision are quite different than that of an undergraduate, because often college writers will revise hastily and ultimately inefficiently, so the conversation was turned to questions on character development and theme. McCorkle gave a touching piece of advice about finding unique characters, stating that “finding the emotional truth” should be the goal before settling on appearances and outward expression. She stressed that theme doesn’t come first and urged writers to
not think so hard about these things and instead just write it down and figure it out later. McCorkle is a firm believer in allowing the characters to set the theme, not the other way around, and this new novel portrayed just that. She stated it was a mess at the beginning, but here the audience is, listening with rapt attention as she sampled the lives of Lil, Frank, Shelley and Harvey. McCorkle’s voice carried such beautiful emotion and simultaneous nostalgia that all the Zoom attendees were wrapped in the story.
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W&J Hosts Women’s History Month Panel Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
There is a great deal of content for Women’s History month on podcasts with powerful women to other Washington & Jefferson College panels with women, however, the “Where Does Your Power Lie? Women’s History Month Panel,” hosted by Student Engagement on Mar. 25 was by far one of the most inspiring ones to experience. The panel consisted of a diverse array of people from professors like Dr. Candy DeBerry, a professor of biology and Dr. Vdovichenko, an assistant professor of Russian, and Dr. Tara Fee, an assistant professor of English, to alumni like Kelly George ’98 who majored in chemistry and English and went on to get her PhD in organic chemistry
and Barbara Lange’88 who majoredin chemistry and German. The panel also featured Chef Amira, who joined W&J in 2019. The wholesome energy and bittersweet moments and advice on the Zoom call were indescribable, not to mention the beauty and tenderness in all the stories that these women were brave enough to share. In talking about the power they felt they had, many women talked about an alternative type that they thought they possessed: the power that comes from more silent, introverted personalities. One of the things that continued to inspire me and many other women about the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg was the juxtaposition between her silent and quiet nature and the extraordinary strides she made in gender equality and the idea that a feminist and a woman with power, doesn’t always need to be the loudest person in the room. Dr. Tara Fee talked about beginning to realize that her introverted nature is not actually a weakness, but
Courtesy scientificamerican.com
The late Ruth Bader Ginsberg inspires many women on the panel.
a strength as it helps her to be more intuitive with her students and form deep connections. Dr. DeBerry added on, describing herself as an “extroverted introvert” and saying that her “social awkwardness” was something that gave her a unique perspective. These individuals were also incredibly honest about the lowest points in their lives – both personal and professional, and how to build up from there. Chef Amira mentioned that to her, the very definition of power is this resilience and the ability to pick yourself back up each time you fall. After losing her husband, she talked about how powerless she felt. But when she reflects, she says she was able to survive and thrive, live and love, and help others again and for that she is incredibly proud of herself. Dr. DeBerry mentions the power of just being easy on yourself when life happens and “to not go with it when life goes wrong” in the words of Chef Amira. Dr. Vdovichenko mentions that her Frozen-adapted motto is al-
ways just “doing the next right thing.” She said that when she feels lost, she simply needs more time, so she could continue to move forward, and just do the next right thing at the time gives her time to think of what her next big step should be and distances her from those feelings of emptiness. The shared experience of overcoming adversity that is captured in the phrase “womxn supporting womxn” was echoed and relayed on this Women’s Day panel. From the warmth Chef Amira emanated and the support that all the other faculty on the Zoom call gave to each other to the sheer pride and joy in Dr. DeBerry’s voice while mentioning all the women in her life who motivate her, each panelist stressed the importance of a tribe of women. As Dr. Vdovichenko says, it really takes a “cloud of women”—“from the women behind me in the grocery store who doesn’t care that my kid is crying” to those who also know what it’s like to be the only person in the room.
Courtesy weho.com
This discussion was in part a way to celebrate National Women’s HIstory Month.
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Campus News 5
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Career Service Announcements Robert Maxwell ’43 Student Internship Endowment Application Due April 15 at 5PM Are you completing a Summer 2021 Internship? Need Marketing Your Student Leader
funding? Do you meet these eligibility requirements?
Experience
- You are currently a sophomore or junior enrolled at W&J
Date:
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returning to the College the following academic year
Time:
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Type:
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Calendar to access the Zoom link
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Your student leader experience helps
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you gain transferable skills and career
internship that will be completed in summer 2021
competencies that will help you be
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competitive in the job market! Learn
- Preference will be given to first time Maxwell candidates
how to identify, market and sell your
- Previous Maxwell Scholars will be considered as funding
student leadership experiences on
permits
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Event:
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Professional and Career Pathways!
TO APPLY, please send the following documents as attachments in a single email to maxwell@washjeff.edu: Completed Maxwell Internship Award application, current résumé, current W&J transcript from WebAdvisor, copy of the internship offer/confirmation
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Current Events 7
Current Events
Queen Elizabeth Hires ‘Diversity Czar’
Courtesy Forbes
Queen Elizabeth responds to Oprah interview by hiring a ‘Diversity Czar’.
Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff
After Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s bombshell interview with Oprah on Mar. 12, reports have been published saying Queen Elizabeth is hiring a ‘Diversity Czar’ for the royal palace. In the interview, Markle and Prince Harry accuse Queen Elizabeth and the royal family of racism and discrimination in their family and palace. All of this comes
after Markle exposed that there were some saddening and infuriating conversations about Archie. She told Oprah, “In the months when I was pregnant, all around the same time, so we have in tandem the conversation of he won’t be given security, he’s not going to be given a title, and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.” This and along with many other situations is what made Markle and Prince Harry speak out about the problems, especially racism, in the royal family. In response to this, Queen Elizabeth
is now taking action to improve this reputation. The royal family has repeatedly denied these allegations but are continuing actions to stop them. The Queen not only has hired a diversity czar but is also requiring the royal family to engage in an upcoming “listen and learn” exercises in which the royals will “seek independent views” on how they can improve their inclusion of minority groups and the LGBTQ+ community. A palace source recently said that, “This is an issue that is taken very serious across the Households.” They go on to say that the royal family stated,
“We have the policies, procedures and programs in place, but we haven’t seen the progress we would like and accept more needs to be done. We can always improve.” Even though Prince William came out with a statement saying that “we are not a racist family,” Queen Elizabeth still seems to be taking this as a serious matter and handling is it internally. This interview held such influence on people everywhere that people everywhere and citizens of London are calling for Queen Elizabeth to be removed as head of state and for the idea of a royal family to be reconsidered.
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2 April 2021
London Murder Sparks #MeToo Movement Resurgence Lekhya Kollu Red & Black Staff
The abduction and murder of English woman, Sarah Everard, ignited conversations about women’s safety across the U.K and internationally. Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, went missing on the walk back from a friend’s home in South London on Mar. 3. Everard followed many of precautions women are recommended to take when out alone
at night— she wore bright clothing, stuck to well-lit roads and called her boyfriend during her walk—and yet, she still wasn’t safe. After a police search throughout southeast England, her remains were found in a wooded area outside London on Mar. 12. A police officer, Wayne Couzens, has been arrested for her kidnapping and murder. Couzens, who had been arrested just three days prior to Everard’s disappearance for an alleged indecent exposure incident, is set to have his plea hearing on Jul. 9. In the days following Everard’s murder, women have used social media to share the precautions they have to take to feel safe in public spaces, from walking with their keys between their
knuckles to pretending to be on a phone conversation when walking alone at night. Conversation has also included ways men can make women feel safer when they are alone at night, whether it is by keeping distance when walking, or switching over to the other side of the street when crossing paths. Many organizations planned vigils for Everard shortly after her body was found. Police, however, warned against the vigils, as the gatherings would violate COVID-19 restrictions. While some organizations did call off their vigils, others went ahead, including one on Clapham Common, a park near Everard’s last sighting. Police broke up this event and detained many attendees. Now, they
face heavy criticism for their actions during the vigil, which included trampling memorials and holding down attendees by force. Home Secretary Priti Patel has said that she has ordered an independent inquiry of police activities during the Clapham vigil. Everard’s murder has brought attention to global issues surrounding the harassment of women in public spaces. U.N. Women, a United Nations agency, has reported that in some of the world’s major cities, up to nine out of 10 women feel unsafe when out in public. The agency has urged the British government to do more to combat the problem of sexual harassment in public spaces.
Courtesy Al Jafreeza
Protesters gather in Parliament Square following Everard’s death.
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Current Events 9
Atlanta Spa Attack Reveals Anti-Asian Racism
Courtesy New York Times
Victims of the hate crime are mourned in Atlanta.
Lekhya Kollu Red & Black Staff
On Mar. 16, eight people lost their lives in a series of shootings at three spas in the Atlanta area. The eight killed were identified as Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, Paul Andre Michels, Soon Chung Park, Hyun Grant, Suncha Kim and Yong Ae Yue. Of these eight, six were Asian.The shootings have brought attention to the epidemic of anti-Asian violence across many Western nations. Anti-Asian hate crimes have been on the rise due to the pandemic, as West-
ern politicians like former President Trump continued to blame China for the outbreak of COVID-19, calling COVID-19 names like the “China virus.” While anti-Asian crime is nothing new in the US, hate crimes against Asians have more than doubled during the pandemic, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. Many Asian-Americans are facing instances of physical and verbal abuse due to the false belief that they were responsible for bringing COVID-19 the US. Additionally, while the pandemic has hurt many businesses nationwide, Asian-American businesses have been disproportionately hit, as many people have chosen to avoid them due to fear or discrimination. The issue is not just
an American one. Hate crime statistics from the UK show that between June and Sept. of 2020, there was a 96 percent increase in hate crimes against people of East Asian appearance compared to the same time from the previous year. Susana Ye, a Spanish journalist who made a documentary about Spain’s Chinese diaspora, says that crimes against Asians are severely underreported by the Spanish press. Victims themselves also tend to underreport crimes, due to language barriers, fears of deportation and a general tendency among older generations to stay silent when these incidents occur. “I think that people pick violence, verbal violence and physical violence because they don’t expect us to react at all,” Ye said. “They are used to us keeping a low profile.”In other European
countries, like Belgium, Germany and France, it is hard to even get an idea about the scale of the issue, as these countries do not collect ethnicity data for historical reasons. It is clear, however, that the wave of Anti-Asian sentiment has reached these countries as well. Security for All, an organization that represents more than 40 French Asian associations, estimates that in 2019 there was a hate crime against an Asian every two days in just the Paris area. Spokesperson for the organization, Sun-Lay Tan, emphasizes that Asians will no longer stay silent. “Our parents dealt with racism, but they accepted it because they wanted to integrate into the country,” he said. “We are the second generation of immigrants in France, our responsibility is to speak out.”
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Diversity
Asian-Americans Fetishized in the U.S. Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
On March 19, a gunman entered an Atlanta spa and shot eight women, six of whom were Asian. The gunman claimed he was “sexually addicted to the temptations’ that [these Asian workers] offered” and has opened the conversation about the fetishization of certain ethnicities – specifically of Asian women. There is a sickening juxtaposition that comes about when studying the history of sexual perceptions of Asian women. In her book “Hypersexuality Of Race,” film scholar Celine Parreñas Shimizu says after the US invaded Korea and many soldiers brought home “war brides,” pornography came about that romanticized this hierarchical relationship. She says, “This was the first time that Asian women were in pornography that I saw, versus white women in yellowface. They were romanticizing the compatibility of a docile war bride, as an ideal American wife, because she was sexually servile but also a domestic servant.” The tragedy in these ideas of these stereotypes is that Asian women are submissive and docile
and make good housewives yet they’re also physiologically different and “temptresses” are that they are both identities and roles meant to serve others, yet neither capture the complexity and humanity that every woman deserves. And this leads to a dangerous slippery slope towards dehumanization and the attack on Asian spas we saw last week. Yet it’s also important to consider how our systems have reinforced these stereotypes in our society. Nancy Wang Yuen, a sociology professor specializing in race and ethnicity in media at Biola University says that American pop culture has almost singularly captured Asian women as a prostitute (citing the 1987 movie “Full Metal Jacket”) or an “exotic lotus flower” who dies at the end of the movies only further fostering the juxtapositional stereotype of Asian women and falsely giving all Asian women an air of “want it but can’t have it,” in Yuen’s words. Shimizu expands on this saying that even before “Full Metal Jacket,” productions like “The Good Woman of Szechuan” in 1880s and “Madame Butterfly” in 1904 both exploited this notion that women are so sexually accessible and will continually and constantly love, even if they are not loved back. The roots of these perceptions in the media – largely US invasion of Asia during the Vietnam and Korean war – has engendered these stereotypes. For
starters, the idea in our politics that Asia is a place to dominate and take over may have inadvertently translated into disgusting idea that Asian women are “something to takeover or take possession of.” When American G.I.s would travel to Asian countries, camp towns with many sex workers would pop up for Asian women to survive and earn money. The prevalence of camp towns around G.I. bases also helped feed the notion that soldiers could have inexpensive and constant access to Asian bodies and that Asian women merely served for the pleasure of White men. U.S. legislation has only perpetuated these stereotypes,
particularly the Page Act of 1875 (which preceded the Asian Exclusion Act of 1882) which banned prostitutes (and inevitably – many Asian women because of past stereotypes) from entering the country. While the racial awakening America is currently having has certainly fostered the conversations on stereotypes of Asian women, actively combating these perceptions through continued education of all (especially of law enforcement, one of whom who justified the gunman’s actions as “having a bad day”) and fairly representing Asians in media is the only way citizens can get through this.
Courtesy Houston Chronicle
Experts say the Atlanta shooting reflects the fetishization of Asian American women.
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Diversity 11
COVID-19 Impacts Mental Health Alex Wagner Red & Black Staff
It is crazy to think the world is over a full year into the COVID pandemic, and it feels like not much has changed in the past few months. Obviously, the beginning was the worst, but little did the world know that this was something that would become normal, well into the year 2021. Beyond the physical health of the public, one very important aspect one must not forget, especially as a college campus and community, is the heavy impact this pandemic has had on everyone’s mental health. The early months of the pandemic showed a clear and drastic change in the mental health of both students and adults; Life had changed as everyone knew it, leaving us grasping for anything normal, but ultimately feeling lonely and strange. The CDC has included a section on their website to address these concerns of mental health, as they are just as important as those who have been physically affected by the virus. “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major effect on our lives. Many of us are facing challenges that can be stressful, overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children,” according to the CDC. Many who had already been dealing with mental health issues have unfortunately gotten worse over the past year. In comparison, those without any mental health issues have seemed to gain these problems as a result of the pandemic. The biggest issue has been depression and anxi-
ety. The forced distancing has caused many to disconnect from family and friends, leaving them alone and desperate for help and interaction. The media has also been a problem in this rise of depression. With the news and our social media constantly updating us on the pandemic, we can’t help but
focus on the negative. “Take breaks from watching, reading or listening to news stories, including those on social media. It’s good to be informed, but hearing about the pandemic constantly can be upsetting. Consider limiting news to just a couple times a day and disconnecting from phone, TV, and
computer screens for a while,” advises the CDC. Overall, mental health conditions have risen with the growth of the pandemic. If you or someone you know is dealing with similar issues, visit the CDC website for help and ideas to help your mental state.
Courtesy World Health Organization
Many people have experienced an increase of stress, exhaustion and other complications that worsen mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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2 April 2021
Dr. Mona Hanna Atisha Exposes Flint Water Crisis Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
Dr. Mona Hanna Attisha is a Flintbased pediatrician working at Hurley Medical Center with Iraqi descent and strong pride in and cultural ties to her Middle Eastern family and heritage. She rose to national prominence for her leadership and “whistle-blowing” of the Flint Water Crisis and played a fundamental and instrumental role in bringing the Crisis to light and leading initiatives to mitigate the impact of lead on the children she serves. She has chronicled this story in an inspiring, and incredibly informative novel What the Eyes Don’t See. From the get-go, I could relate to many aspects of Dr. Attisha’s story seeing as how she was a Brown woman, a first-generation immigrant, a longtime Michigander and has always been dedicated to marginalized populations. Descended from parents who fled the Sadam Hussein regime and built a life for themselves in America with little in her pocket, she explores how her roots have really shaped her work ethic and that this background of grit and perseverance helped during her lowest moments during her fight for the children for Flint. She also draws inspiration from her public health heroes like John Snow and Alice Hamilton, who went against the common beliefs of the time to identify causes of the Cholera epidemic and serve impoverished immigrants at the Hull House respectively. The Flint Water Crisis, unearthed in 2016, was a result of a cost-saving measure made by the Snyder adminis-
tration in 2014 from the dirtier Detroit Water system. Though the administration was aware of heightened levels of lead and reports of brown water in the taps of their residents (the majority of whom were low-income Black residents), the government took a series of intentional steps to cover up these reports till Dr. Attisha. While she delves into the logistics and technicalities of her fight in the book, the underlying themes of depending on her diverse team of people (not solely pediatricians, but also fellow public health workers, teachers and others truly invested in the health of children) and her constant advocacy against letting “convenience drive policy” citing the way an eight-page memo published about “high lead levels in Flint” should have immediately prompted government officials to stop in their tracks were some of the most powerful and universal themes. Dr. Attisha also describes medical sociology and health disparities alluding to the fact that the crisis might have been given more thought and urgency by officials had Flint not been a town with 40 percent of its residents below the poverty line. She also details why she loves the field for her ability to be a humanitarian, mathematician, statistician and health provider all at once but says that the interaction between companies/corporations and public health has not always worked to the benefit of the American people saying that there has continually been this “safe until proven guilty” standard that has allowed smoking, lead in paint, asbestos and many things we call public health “no-no’s” now to be in our products. But perhaps the most beautiful and tragic part of the book is its title. While the phrase was initially drawn from something a mentor told At-
tisha—“The eyes can’t see what the mind doesn’t know,” as a motivation to consistently stay educated on new medical discoveries—it has many applications in the field of public health. Lead has no smell, taste, or visible indicators, so no one could see the lead in the water. We often can’t see broad public health concerns such as, flu trends, HIV, cancer and blood-lead
levels until we are so deep in the thick of them. Overall, What the Eyes Don’t See is a wonderfully weaved story of resilience, public health and governmental corruption; it has something for nearly everyone—from medical-oriented people to those interested in policy to readers just looking for an inspiring and real story featuring a woman of color.
Courtesy Penguin Random House
What the Eyes Don’t See by Dr. Hanna-Attisha is an account of the Flint Water Crisis.
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opinions Red & Black
Opinions 13
Marvel’s Shows Uphold Brand Quality Sofia Jenkins Red & Black Staff
Marvel began phase four of their Marvel Universe recently with their new television shows including “WandaVision” and “Falcon and the Winter Soldier (FWS),” the latter being the most recent. These are the first Marvel television shows that fall in the Marvel universe, so they are a pretty big deal for Marvel fans. FWS takes place after the hit movies “Infinity War” and “Endgame,” which concluded phase three of the Marvel Universe. It stars Anthony Mackie as the Falcon and Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier. The show has only come out with two episodes so far, but they have incredible amounts of details
that always leave fans with questions and suspicions about what is going to occur next. In the first episode (spoiler alert), we see the Falcon working for the United States government trying to restore the peace that “The Blip” destroyed after “Infinity War.” Then we see the Winter Solider having nightmares and attending therapy to try and cope with all the damage and pain he caused while his brain was being controlled by Hydra. The first episode ends with the US government revealing that they have named a new Captain America (after the real Captain America retired after restoring the timeline in “Endgame”), which comes as a surprise to the Falcon because the real Captain America wanted him to take his place, but he gave up that title because he believed there could never be another Captain America. In the second episode, we see Falcon and Winter Soldier finally
team up to try and stop the “Flag Smashers,” and they meet the new Captain America for the first time, which causes some issues. They realize that the leaders of this new group are all super soldiers, so it brings up a lot of painful memories for both Falcon and the Winter Soldier. These shows have become such a hit for the Marvel company because of all of the hidden “Easter Eggs” that they hide in the episodes that give fans a clue into events that will occur in the future. Fans also enjoy these shows especially because of all of the different conspiracy theories that they can create and enjoy after finishing an episode. After the masterpieces of “Infinity War” and “Endgame,” fans were worried that the Marvel Universe would not be the same because of all of the pivotal characters that were lost. Marvel has quickly shown us that that will just not be the case.
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Courtesy Disney+ Originals
Anthony Mackie poses as Falcon in this poster for Marvel’s new show.
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2 April 2021 Red & Black
CDC Finds Support for Reducing Distancing Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
On Mar. 19, the CDC changed social distancing guidelines in school, saying “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is updating K–12 school guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms. CDC now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings.” And while this may come as a surprise for many of us with pandemic fatigue who’ve had six feet drilled into our heads for over a year now, many scientists and public health organizations have been advocating for this change for a while. The American Pediatric Society has been saying that three to six feet social distancing in schools is recommended and the World Health Organization recommends a one meter (closer to 3 feet) social distancing guideline as well. So why has the official change been made now? And why was the initial guideline six feet and not three feet? A researcher at Virginia Tech University interviewed by The New York Times says that the six feet guideline really has no origin but that it is predicted to have come from an ancient (centuries-old) study that said respiratory molecules (which was believed to be the mode of transmission of COVID-19 at that point) can only effectively travel six feet. Dr. Ashish Ja also agrees, saying he never really saw a purpose for a social distancing guideline of six feet. However, a direct
comparison of COVID-19 rates with three feet vs. six feet social distancing guidelines was never really made causing the CDC to recommend six feet guidelines up till this point. This appears to be a fair assessment on the part of the CDC. To balance the negative impacts of COVID-19 absolutism and the necessity of safety guidelines, sticking to the six feet guideline based on what was known at the time seemed fair. But that has changed. A Mass. study (that included around half a million students) published in the Journal of Infectious Disease where some school districts adopted a three feet guideline, and some adopted a six feet guideline (both with universal masking) found no statistically significant difference in COVID-19 rates in students or staff. NPR reports similar data from Fla. and Mo. Considering that schools are often safer environments given we have not seen major outbreaks in schools, and administrators and teachers have better control of the environment, it is understandable that the CDC has adjusted its guideline so more students may be allowed in the classroom. After a year of hybrid or completely virtual learning, the mental health of many students is suffering and accepting a little more risk (through still calculated and carefully implemented risk) in favor of heightened engagement and improved mental health among students is most definitely a fair choice. But as with many other situations, contextual factors and conflicting opinions must also be considered. Not all are happy with the decision, such as Dr. A. Marm Kilpatrick, an infectious disease researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz who claims the Mass. study results did not produce
Courtesy CNN
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky announces social distancing decrease in schools.
conclusions sound enough to accept three feet social distancing guidelines in schools. It should also be noted that communities surrounding the Mass. schools had lower COVID-19 rates. It was easier to avoid COVID. Therefore,
implementation of the three feet guideline should only be considered if ventilation is maintained in schools and if mask compliance in the school but also in the surrounding area is high.
2 April 2021
Red & Black
Opinions 15
Loyola-Chicago Helped Desegregate Basketball Paul Collier Red & Black Editor
In the past couple years, LoyolaChicago’s men’s basketball team has captured the attention of the sports world through their appearances in March Madness. In 2018, they tied the record for the lowest seed to make a final four, and they lost in the sweet sixteen last Saturday after upsetting the one seed Illinois. Loyola’s team chaplain, Sister Jean, who was 98 years old in their first run in 2018 also gained national attention for her support of the Ramblers. But this is not the first time this program has seen success, and the last time they were this popular on the national stage, their success was integral to diversity in basketball. Prior to the 1962-1963 basketball season, there was a “gentleman’s agreement” that no team would play more than three Black players at one time, as a part of upholding white superiority and disparaging integration in the sport. Other teams even had to follow state rules that banned all-white teams from playing against integrated schools, such as Mississippi State, who, according to state court orders, were forbidden from playing any team with a Black player. However, Loyola coach, George Ireland, defied this agreement by not only starting four Black players, but by having his first substitute be a Black player, meaning he often played with an all-Black lineup. Loyola was also a top 10 team the entire season, setting them up for the NCAA tournament.
Likewise, Mississippi State was a top 10 team that Coach Ireland considered to possibly be the best in the country. However, many segregationists, including Miss. Governor Ross Barnett, wanted to keep sports from becoming segregated, which led to Mississippi State turning down tournament bids in the years prior. Supported by University President D.W. Colvard, the state college board decided in an 8-3 decision to allow Mississippi State to play, a decision upheld by the state supreme court only a day before the team was set to leave for the tournament. Mississippi State still snuck their starters out of the state to avoid lawyers or protestors. As fate would have it, the radically integrated Loyola-Chicago team would meet the all-white Mississippi State in the sweet sixteen game known as the “Game of Change,” where Loyola would win by ten on their way to their first, and only, national championship. This cemented a legacy of diversity and integration in college basketball, immortalized in 2013 when Loyola’s 1962-1963 team became the only team inducted into the national collegiate hall of fame. In fact, Mississippi State would allow its first Black student in 1965. In 1966, Texas Western and its five Black starters defeated the allwhite Kentucky team in the NCAA Championship game, now cemented in the movie “Glory Road.” The SEC allowed its first Black player in 1967. This makes Loyola-Chicago a major institution for the progress of desegretgation and black equality in American society and culture. In a sport dominated by historicallywhite schools, its promising to see a trailblazing program find success.
Courtesy Wikiwand
A Loyola player shoots over a player from Mississippi State in the 1963 sweet sixteen game called the Game of Change.
16 Opinions
2 April 2021
Red & Black
Netflix’s ‘Moxie’ Fails at Valuable Inclusion Akansha Das Red & Black Staff
Amy Poehler directs and stars in one of Netflix’s newest films, “Moxie,” a story of the shy, introverted Vivian (Hadley Robinson) who becomes motivated to fight the sexism in her school after learning of her mom’s rebellious and feminist past. Given the timing of the film’s release, the diverse cast and talent of Poehler herself, the film set high expectations for itself that it ultimately did not deliver on. Starting with the positive, “Moxie” most definitely highlights the various microaggressions women and girls face in school that can really damage their self-esteem at an already sensitive age. From double standards on dress code violations to having a class “list” ranking girls on various physical features to many of the girls being told they have “big emotions” and “shouldn’t get too riled up” when they try to report any of these demeaning incidents, “Moxie” certainly addresses the most problematic aspects of the “traditional high school experience.” The film also highlights the various ways that men interact with feminism movements, from the “hypermasculine-jerk/jock” archetype who often perpetuate traditional gender norms and gender inequality to men like Vivian’s love interest, Seth, who fully supports the Moxie clan (the main protagonists fighting their school’s sexism) in their walkouts and their advocacy to have a female nominee for a sports scholarship. The display of a bystander male teacher who isn’t quite sure how to respond to
the girls breaking the dress code and wearing tank-tops was as comedic as it was important in highlighting the neutrality many men try to take in feminist movements when not knowing quite what the “right” thing to say is rather than taking time to educate themselves on the ways they benefit from male privilege and how gender inequality can hinder their own initiatives. Yet, I am conflicted on the film’s handling of intersectionality. Complaints of Black women like Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Peña), who complains about girls merely being judged for their hair and “asses,” are not given any more thought or depth. The film also touches on the challenges of Asian women in handling the conservative natures of their families that adhere to more traditional gender norms and the feminist preachings of the often White women around them – as seen with Vivian’s interactions with her best friend Claudia (Lauren Tsai). But as Petrana Radulovic says in her “Moxie” review, sometimes the film feels like a “checklist” of wokeness and inclusion. Yes, the film does include women of color, women romantically attracted to other women, a single mother and a woman in a wheelchair – but does it give their storylines equal importance as Vivian’s? Not really. Many storylines about women of color are merely portrayed in the context of Vivian’s reaction to them. There are also many unanswered storylines. At a party, two of the girls of the Moxie clan kiss, paving the way to a potentially impactful storyline of two lesbian women, but the interaction is ultimately never addressed. Similarly, during an emotional breakdown Vivian is distraught over her dad not talking to her anymore only to never
have this plot addressed again. Even as Emma (Josephine Langford) comes forward and accuses Mitchell of sexual assault in front of the school, the trauma of her experience is not fully addressed as the film here delves into a celebration of mainstream feminism a
couple minutes later. All in all, “Moxie” is an optimistic, tightly packaged coming-of-age PG-13 movie that ultimately doesn’t delve into intersectional feminism and emotions surrounding sexual assault and family detachment it had potential to do.
Courtesy Wikipedia
Actors pose in a promotional poster for Netflix’s ‘Moxie.’
sports
2 April 2021
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17 Sports
Former W&J Baseball Players Face Off as Coaches
Courtesy gopresidents.com
Martin’ 19 and Crummer ‘19 celebrate 2019 Regional Championship.
Nick Krugh Red & Black Editor
On Saturday Mar. 27, Coach Mountain and W&J Baseball experienced a first in its history. For the first time in Coach Mountain’s 19 years as a coach, he had two former players on the field with him, but this times as coaches.
W&J assistant coach Josh Crummer ‘19, who played under Coach Mountain for four years was on the field. Also on the field was Westminster assistant coach Clay Martin ’19, who also played under Coach Mountain fo four years. This was a unique and rare experience. “It was definitely odd to look across the field and see Clay (Martin) in a different uniform,” said assistant coach Crummer. The two former players were very succesful as
players for Coach Mountain. Martin holds the all-time save record for W&J and Crummer is tied for third in alltime doubles hits. Both coaches were here for the 2017 and 2019 World Series runs, both being major contributors to the 2019 run in their senior season. The 2021 Washington & Jefferson College baseball team went on to take all four games from the weekend series. However, Coach Martin and the
Titans did not go down easily. All but one game was decided by one or two runs. The Titans even held the lead late in two of the four games before the Presidents came back to win, one of which came on a walk off walk. The Presidents look to keep rolling this week against Geneva. The baseball team is four wins away from tying the program best 16 game win streak set in 2019 by Crummer, Martin and company.
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2 April 2021
Men’s Lacrosse Earns First Win
Courtesy gopresidents.com
Grant Allison ‘21 scans the field of play.
John Kieber Red & Black Staff
On Mar. 27, the Washington & Jefferson College men’s lacrosse team earned their first win of the season in an impressive 12-5 victory over Thiel. W&J saw four players turn in four-point
games in the victory. Brendan Tribeck ‘21 and Carter Watts ‘23 scored twice and assisted twice, while Reilly Oliverio ‘21 had himself a one goal, three assist game. The attack was led by Alex Strain ‘22, who recorded five goals in the victory. The Presidents came out swinging. Midfielder Liam Sullivan ‘21 scored the games’ first goal within seconds of the start of the game. Although, after Thiel tied the game with 9:50 left to play in the first, the game remained
scoreless for almost the rest of the 1st quarter. With 90 seconds to play, Watts gave the Presidents a 2-1 lead. Two faceoff wins later from Nicholas Grosch ‘21, who went 13-19 at the X, the Presidents buried two quick goals and found themselves up 4-1 heading into the second quarter. For the rest of the first half, Strain dominated the Thiel defense. Four second quarter goals from Strain, along with one from LSM Luke Geister ‘22, gave W&J a 9-1 lead. Despite a
strong effort from Thiel to crawl back into the game, it wasn’t enough to stop the Presidents from securing their first win 12-5. “It feels good to get our first win under our belt”, said Strain. “I think we’ll be able to ride this momentum as we head into the conference games this week.” Goalie Henry Beardwood ‘23 tallied nine saves in the win, and Grosch snagged a game-high 10 ground balls. The team looks to stay hot as they take on Franciscan on Mar. 31.
2 April 2021
Red & Black
19 Sports
Student Athlete Spotlight: Colin Robinson
Courtesy gopresidents.com
Colin Robinson ‘23 eyes up putt attempt.
Alex Wagner Red & Black Staff
There are so many wonderful student athletes on Washington & Jefferson College’s campus this spring, as many of the team’s seasons have been back after a break due to the coronavirus pandemic. Among all of these student athletes, we wanted to highlight one golfer in particular. Colin Robinson ’23, is an unbelievable golfer, being one of the most tal-
ented players on the men’s golf team. Although W&J is known for its quaint atmosphere, Chicago is where Robinson calls home. The golf team and outstanding coach is what brought him to our small campus, as well as his Grandfather who is a notable alumnus. Robinson has played golf his entire life, but did not become a competitive golfer until close to high school. Playing college golf quickly became a goal of his. It didn’t take long for Robinson to make his mark in the Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC). His freshman year he was awarded the PAC Player of the Year, PAC Newcomer of the Year, All-PAC First Team, PAC
Golfer of the Week and the PAC Rookie of the Week three separate times. “I knew I was able to achieve a lot in my college career, but did not imagine how well my first year as a freshman would have gone. Sure, there were some tournaments I felt I could have played better, but overall I feel I made myself and my coach proud,” said Robinson. Robinson not only gained a deeper appreciation for the game, but found surprising perks to joining such a dedicated and close-knit team. With the men and women under the instruction of Matt Kluck, Robinson was able to practice with all of the golfers
and make lasting relationships. “I met some of my best friends through golf. Besides finding teammates, I found friends I can count on, on and off the course. Some became my brothers in Phi Kappa Psi, and I even met my girlfriend on the women’s team,” shared Robinson. Beyond playing golf, Robinson has worked for his own country club as a caddy for many years, helping others perfect their understanding of the course. Golf has truly become more than just a sport for this sophomore. W&J is excited to see what the future holds for Robinson, after an already successful start to his college career.
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2 April 2021
Last Week’s Scores Mar. 27 W&J Baseball vs. Westminster: 4-2 W W&J Baseball vs. Westminster: 7-6 W Men’s Soccer vs. Chatham: 5-1 W Women’s Soccer vs. Chatham: 0-2 L Men’s Lacrosse at Thiel: 12-4 W Women’s Lacrosse at. Thiel: Cancelled
Mar. 28 W&J Baseball at Westminster: 10-6 W W&J Baseball at Westminster: 5-4 W
This Week’s Games
Courtesy GoPresidents.com
Mar. 31 W&J Volleyball vs. Thiel: 7:00 PM Men’s Soccer at Waynesburg: 7:30 PM Men’s Lacrosse vs. Franciscan: 7:00 PM Women’s Lacrosse vs. Franciscan: 4:00 PM
Apr. 2 W&J Baseball vs. Geneva: 1:30 PM W&J Baseball vs. Geneva: 4:30 PM
Apr. 3 W&J Baseball at Geneva: 11:00 AM W&J Baseball at Geneva: 2:00 PM Courtesy GoPresidents.com
