The Hoya: The Guide: November 3, 2017

the guide F R I DAY, N O V E M B E R 3 , 2 0 1 7

DC NIGHTLIFE FADES OUT

ILLUSTRATION BY VALERIE MA/THE HOYA

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the guide

friDAY, November 3, 2017

Fading Lights: Decay of DC Nightlife William Leo

Hoya Staff Writer

Unbeknownst to most Georgetown students, just a 10-minute walk from the front gates sits a building filled with rich musical history. Although its stage has since been retired, it is here where Jimi Hendrix once played, where U2 made its American debut and where big names in rock music, from Mick Jagger to the Dire Straits, performed to cheering crowds.

Here, at the Bayou nightclub, concerts had the power to transform crowds of eager students into passionate lovers of music and to uplift small musical acts into global phenomena.

Stores have come and gone and generations have dawned and passed, but nightclubs, bars and music venues have always been constants in the Georgetown neighborhood. However, increasing gentrification and rising property prices in the now-expensive neighborhood have affected the nightlife industry.

Looking back through the archives of The Washington Post and local papers and talking to longtime residents, one finds that Georgetown was once a very different neighborhood. There was a time, not long ago, whe Georgetown was home to a thriving ecosystem of clubs and bars. It was grittier, and it was less glitzy, but some residents find that it had more character.

Dance bars are largely located in downtown Washington, D.C., and Georgetown has been left with college bars and sever-

STEPHANIE YUAN/THE HOYA

Mexican bar and restaurant El Centro, top, was once Third Edition, a largely student-populated bar featured in the 1985 movie “St. Elmo’s Fire.” Third Edition and other historic bars, like Cellar Door, bottom, have been forced to close due to gentrification.

al prominent music venues. A number of these venues stand out in Georgetown’s storied history.

Down by The Bayou Throughout the 1980s and ’ ‘90s, the most popular venue in Georgetown was the now-defunct Bayou. Situated right under the bridge on K Street, where an AMC theater now operates, the club and bar was a mecca for the musical trends of the period.

“

High rents force long term establishments, iconic to the Georgetown neighborhood, to relocate or close, only to be replaced with generic national clothing stores.”

ALANA MCGOVERN COL ’18

A display ad from The Washington Post in 1939 features a snapshot of the founding of a pirate-themed bar called the Pirate’s Den, founded by a man who believed he was a reincarnated pirate.

As the years went by, the club changed hands, and in 1953 it was re-established as the Bayou, a jazz spot run by Michael and Bobby Tramante.

As “The Bayou: D.C.’s Killer Joint,” a documentary produced by Dave Lilling, chronicles, the Bayou has a special place in the history of music in the United States.

Music was changing rapidly, and artists needed to perform at popular but not overly expensive venues. With college students and young professionals from around the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area eager to have a good time, all the necessary ingredients for a fantastic concert experience were present. Even in that period, Georgetown was relatively upscale, but the Bayou learned to survive as a friendly hole-in-the-wall.

The club was nationally renowned, attracting attention from far beyond the boundaries of the DMV, reported CNN in 1999.

But in that same year, the Bayou was closed and purchased by Millennium Partners and Eastbanc Inc., with plans to build a residential complex and theater. Now, students and residents of the neighborhood unknowingly walk the halls of the historic concert venue each time they take a trip to the movies.

Bars Facing Barriers The Bayou was not the only prominent nightlife spot to face obstacles to its sur-

friday, NOVEMBER 3, 2017 Poseurs served as a punk rock hot spot before closing down in 1989, though its regulars often reunite to celebrate old times.

Poseurs is now the location of the Running Company storefront. Rhino Bar and Pumphouse, also on M Street, opened in 1998, and was a thriving college bar until it shut down in 2015 due to high rental costs.

Club Monaco now occupies the space of the former student hotspot.

Alana McGovern (COL ’18), who is a writer for the Fourth Edition, completed for her senior project a sociological history of Georgetown’s bar scene. In her research, McGovern noted that Poseurs hosted famous artists like Jimmy Buffet, Patti Smith and Carole King between 1965 and 1981.

Nightlife also used to be far more diverse, comprising many different types of bars, according to longtime D.C. resident Thomas Yates.

“There were a couple big dance bars that were mostly gay, but some straight people came. There was one leather bar,” Yates said. “There were country western bars. That stuff has all gone away.”

The presence of bars and clubs has dwindled, as they have also become more homogenous.

“In particular, in my experience in gay bars, it was kind of edgy, which was an excitement in itself,” Yates said.

Now, he views the gay club and bar scene as significantly smaller than it was when he was growing up.

Popular hotspots like Nation and Tracks 2000, both located in the Navy Yard, are among a handful of clubs that rose to prominence among D.C.’s gay community in the 1990s. Both have since closed, in 1999 and 2006, respectively, and their properties were used as the construction sites for office buildings.

Shifting Neighborhood Dynamics Many of the hot spots in the Georgetown bar scene have been featured in popular culture. The largely student-populated bar, Third Edition, now the site of El Centro, was even featured in the 1985 Hollywood movie “St. Elmo’s Fire,” alongside local pub The Tombs.

Although many of these bars have since closed down, Martin’s Tavern remains as a memory of time past. Established in 1933, Martin’s Tavern is a quintessential Georgetown establishment, appealing to wealthier clientele, compared with the grittier bars of the 1980s that attracted younger crowds.

The story of Georgetown’s nightlife paints a picture of a changing society and transforming communities.

“High rents force long term establishments, iconic to the Georgetown neighborhood, to relocate or close, only to be replaced with generic national clothing stores that can afford the high rents,” McGovern wrote.

Residents of D.C. recall the effects of rising property prices and gentrification on the neighborhood.

“Almost all of Northwest D.C., west of the park, was pretty affluent … If you went east then it was less so. There were certainly pockets. There was a lot gentrification that went on,” Yates said.

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Businesses like the Bayou simply could not adapt. The Bayou was founded the year before segregation ended in D.C., in 1953, and closed in 1999. In this time, Georgetown’s music scene saw the rise of rock and roll as well as the emergence of other popular music genres.

But now, the neighborhood’s music and nightlife scenes have dwindled from their heights in the 1980s due to the inexorable tide of economic change and local regulations. In 1989, a liquor license moratorium in Georgetown was instituted by the D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Board due to complaints from residents about nightlife being disruptive. This moratorium expired in 2016, but during its 27 years in effect, stifled the growth of the bar and restaurant industries.

“Georgetown’s bar and clubbing scene has moved away, due to high rents and the ban on liquor licenses,” McGovern wrote.

Shifts in society have also influenced the changes the neighborhood has seen.

“When I was in my 20s, you could get away with being more drunk than you can now,” Yates said.

Shifting norms about drinking and partying culture have come to form a very different type of nightlife.

Further cultural shifts over time will certainly continue to shape the way the bars and clubs industry operates in Georgetown and influence the ways in which we engage with music and nightlife. But looking back and surveying the cultural history of the area can remind us of the richness of our community and invite us to venture again into the bright lights of the city.

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TOP: WILLIAM CROMARTY/THE HOYA, BOTTOM: TCLF.ORG

Jazz club Bayou, top, was replaced by a residential complex and theater in 1999. Punk rock hot spot bar Poseurs closed in 1989, and its building is now the location of the Running Company.

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the guide

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017

POR OTRO LADO

The Art of La Plática Grace Laria

M

y host family owns a wooden, semicircular table that sits between the television room and the kitchen, surrounded by shelves filled with souvenirs collected over years of travel. They told me the table, which seats at least six people, came with t he apartment when they purchased it, a fixture from the previous owner’s decor.

One of the first Spanish words I learned in Mexico was the verb platicar, which essentially means to chat or discuss. Its noun form, plática, straddles the line between aimless small talk and a formal conversation that naturally arises of a shared sense of familiarity between its participants who can sit comfortably in the little silences that punctuate each topic.

Whether sipping coffee in the morning over the roar of traffic from the highway below or attempting to slow my rapid eating as I gulp down my host mom Lupita’s delicious dinners, I have had the best pláticas gathered

around that oddly shaped table, sharing a meal with the Mexican family — Lupita and her two adult children, Gina and Gonzalo — who opened their home to me in August.

Reaching for another pan de muerto, a type of Mexican sweet bread, Gina once bemoaned the popularity of the movie “Frida,” which has caused many tourists to overlook the works of Mexican artists such as José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros as they wait in long lines outside of Kahlo’s home in Coyoacán. On another occasion, Gonzalo paused his work to offer his perspective on the Trump administration’s decision to repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and outlined the response of the Mexican government to the potential deportation of thousands of DACA recipients across the Southern border.

Lupita, who usually remains quiet during my pláticas with her children about current social issues in Mexico, always listens attentively when I ask for advice about traveling or solving conflicts with friends. She has the rare ability to react perfectly to whatever drama I bring to the table as she scoops another spoonful of homemade paella onto my plate.

I love to watch Lupita cook. From my place at the table, I can see her dart from the stovetop to the pantry, keeping a watchful eye on the sizzling meat and heaping generous amounts of cheese onto tacos. She approaches me with

my plate almost sheepishly, saying, “A ver si te gusta” — “Let’s see if you like it” — to which I always grin and reply, “Sí me va a gustar” — I’m sure that I will. Like a mother hen, Lupita flutters around the room for another minute before settling into her seat across the table, ready to begin our daily plática.

Sometimes, she invites friends or family over for something to drink, and I happily listen to their strong chilango, or native, accents bounce off the walls of the apartment. I particularly enjoy the company of one of Lupita’s oldest friends, whose dyed, blood-red hair matches her fiery personality. Lupita’s friends speak fluidly across the table, drawing upon years of shared experiences as their long, painted fingernails lovingly peel the petals of pumpkin flowers, or stack the corn tortillas whose scent makes my mouth water.

When my parents visited me in Mexico City last week, my host family kindly invited them over for dinner, and I braced myself for an evening of my parents’ fumbling Spanish and awkward silences. To my surprise, thanks to the warm hospitality of Lupita and her children’s English skills, the dinner was an absolute delight, filled with laughter, tostadas and of course, tequila.

Seated between my parents and across from Lupita, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the loving care shown to me by my

host family, their willingness to welcome a stranger, and her parents into their home and their endearing fear that one spoonful of picante, hot sauce, would wreak havoc on my gringa stomach. They gave a sometimes lonely, always hungry American a home in the chaos that is Mexico City, and that is a hospitality I can never fully repay.

Lupita has hosted students in her home for 14 years. Earlier this week, two German women who stayed with Lupita eight years ago came to the apartment for dinner, one of them accompanied by her Spanish boyfriend. The other married a Mexican man and works at a German school in Mexico City.

Seated around the table once again, I marveled at the continuity of the study abroad experience and the extraordinary generosity of my host family, wondering about my own future as the German students, now eight years older, laughed with Lupita over old photos taken during their stay. When I say goodbye to Lupita and her family in December, I know we will part ways in anticipation of our next plática at her table, as Lupita bustles around her kitchen and the streets below vibrate with the perpetual traffic of the city.

Grace Laria is a junior in the College.

TESTING TRUISMS appears online every other Tuesday.

CHRONICLES FROM COPENHAGEN

Catalan Independence Through American Eyes

W

Grant Olson

hile on the plane flying into Barcelona, Spain, this past weekend, I was struck by the visuals of the rocky Pyrenees Mountains carving a deep swath across the Iberian Peninsula from 30,000 feet in the air. How fitting it was, I thought, that I was about to disembark into Europe’s rockiest political situation: the Catalan independence movement.

Although I was a little nervous about exploring a city undergoing intense political disruptions, I was more excited to get a feel for an already vibrant metropolis bustling with all sorts of activity — political and otherwise.

I arrived in Barcelona on Oct. 27. Between the time when I departed Copenhagen for Barcelona and the time when I turned my phone back on after the flight, I was alerted that Catalonia had officially declared independence and that the Madrid government had invoked Article 155, dissolving the Cata-

lan government and imposing direct rule over the region. It was clear that I was in for an exciting weekend getting a firsthand view of a major world issue.

Barcelona, Catalonia’s capital, sits on the coast of the Mediterranean in the northeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. Catalonia technically operates as a largely autonomous community within Spain, with its own police force, public broadcaster, parliament and president.

The Catalan independence movement began in 1922 when the political party Estat Català, or Catalan State, was formed. Following Catalonia’s declaration of independence on Oct. 27, the central government in Madrid dissolved Catalonia’s office of the president with Article 155. Although attention is currently on Catalonia, many other autonomous regions within Spain, such as Galicia and the Basque regions, have similar disputes with Madrid over sovereignty and nationality.

Visiting Barcelona, it is easy to entirely forget the dispute taking place in Spain’s government.

Barcelona exudes magic and is filled with modernist architectural marvels such as the dominating Sagrada Familia, which completely overwhelms its viewers with its sheer power, and the Parc Guell, which allows visitors uninterrupted mountainside views of the city and the Mediterranean. Both of these Catalan marvels were

designed by Antoni Gaudí, the Catalan architect whose style defines the city.

Walking the streets of Barcelona in between sightseeing these architectural wonders, I was struck by the sheer number of Catalan flags hanging from balconies and graffiti of the word “Sí” spray-painted to symbolize support for independence. It seemed completely fitting that the vibrant red, blue and yellow of the Catalan flag would be draped across this distinctive city.

Before my arrival, I was expecting everyone to be constantly up in arms about the political situation and the city to be at a standstill.

But contrary to my expectations, nothing really seemed out of the ordinary. The city hummed along and for the most part, you could walk through the city for an entire day and not know anything about the conflict between the local and national governments.

There were, however, the occasional exceptions of secessionists and their pro-Spain opponents decked out in their respective flags walking throughout the city and the roar of the occasional protest in a city square. Barcelona exuded an odd aura of seeming completely normal while at the same time grappling with intense questions on the conflicts between national and cultural identity.

Though one might think at first glance that the secessionist movement is in line with

the other nationalist movements that have wracked the globe recently — Brexit, or the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, the U.S. presidential election and the success of the far-right parties throughout Europe — the Catalan independence movement does not fall easily into any category.

The EU has declared that it does not recognize Catalonia as a proper, independent international actor, and Donald Dusk, the president of the European Council, wrote on Twitter on Oct. 27, “For EU nothing changes.

Spain remains our only interlocutor.”

Though Catalonia’s bargaining power with Spain stems from its role as one of the most significant and dynamic economic centers of the country, that the EU continues to reject Catalonia speaks volumes about Europe’s view on continued nationalistic agitation.

Although the idealism of the Catalan independence movement is laudable and perhaps even achievable within the Spanish political system, I believe that the institutional hurdles of actually seceding from Spain are too much of a risk for Catalonia — in much the same way that Brexit has proven to be misguided in the United Kingdom.

Grant Olson is a junior in the College.

CHRONICLES FROM COPENHAGEN appears online every other Tuesday.

the guide

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017

MUSIC

THE HOYA

THIS WEEK’S TOP FIVE

Homecoming Weekend Traditions

NEW RELEASES

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TAILGATE ON THE LAWN

Nothing is more quintessential to college than forgetting about work for a while and tailgating. Come this weekend for the annual Homecoming Tailgate on the Hariri and Regents Hall Lawn. Alumni will join current students before the Hoyas’ homecoming football game to cheer on their favorite team. Tickets are $15 in advance for students and $25 for walk-in admission.

OFFSET

TY DOLLA $IGN

OFFSET AND METRO BOOMIN TY DOLLA $IGN ‘DON’T JUDGE ME’ ‘RIC FLAIR DRIP’ Rapper Offset has been producing hits nonstop. Like his cousin, Quavo, he has developed his own skills and public profile beyond their rap trio, Migos, and has evolved into one of rap’s most sought-after solo acts. “Ric Flair Drip” is a banger off of his new collaborative album with 21 Savage. With executive production by Metro Boomin, “Ric Flair Drip” has all the makings of the perfect rap tape. Offset has a dominant presence on the track, effortlessly navigating the beat, transitioning from chorus to verse and back again with poise.

With some clever bars, the track is undeniably catchy and is sure to be kept on repeat.

Bringing together Future, Swae Lee and Ty Dolla $ign, who have three of the smoothest, most distinctive voices in hip-hop and rhythm and blues over wavy production, “Don’t Judge Me” yields a polished finished product. The rappers do not touch on any new subject matter, but rather on an oftendiscussed topic: emotional issues surrounding drug use. Thematically, it is best summarized through Future’s simple croon, “I’ve been doing drugs, don’t judge me.” Ty Dolla $ign is at his best as he drives the track forward with passion and leaves space for Future and Swae Lee to make their mark.

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RACHEL PLATTEN

WEEZER ‘HAPPY HOUR’

RACHEL PLATTEN ‘SHIVERS’

On their 11th album, “Pacific Daydream,” Rivers Cuomo and his band, Weezer, continue to produce stellar music. Standout track “Happy Hour” is a song about disguising fears of estrangement and self-medication with a mellow sound and familiar melodies as Cuomo sings, “I need happy hour on sad days.” Cuomo weaves a relatable tale, singing about how he wants to escape the crushing weight of work responsibilities and proving Weezer’s continued relevance.

Rachel Platten touches on every corner of pop music on her new album “Waves” with “Shivers,” her next dance-pop hit.

With a zealous electronic sound, the rising star discusses the incredible chemistry she has with a significant other, which gives her “shivers.” Platten delivers a charismatic, emotional ballad, which is sure to be a popular radio hit in the coming weeks and months.

HISTORICSITES.DCPRESERVATION.ORG

TRADITIONS DAY ON FRIDAY

Come to Copley Lawn on Friday between 12 to 3 p.m. to enjoy Georgetown’s annual Traditions Day. Hosted by the 1634 Society and the Senior Class Committee, this event will feature student organizations, performances and, most importantly, food. This is the perfect event for Hoyas who want to know more about the history of Georgetown and the traditions that make it special.

FILE PHOTO: ALEXANDER BROWN/THE HOYA

FOOTBALL ON COOPER FIELD

Following the tailgate comes the main event, the football game on Cooper Field in which the Georgetown Hoyas will play the Lafayette Leopards. The football team has had a difficult year, with a seven-game losing streak, but with a home team advantage this Saturday, fans are hoping that the Hoyas will turn their luck around. Tickets are $10.

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HOMECOMING.GEORGETOWN.EDU

OPEN HOUSE AT HEYDEN OBSERVATORY

The Heyden Observatory is opening its doors for an open house Friday with guided tours conducted by members of the GU Astronomical Society. The observatory is celebrating its 30th anniversary and the strong Jesuit heritage of science and astronomy at Georgetown. The event is being held from 4 to 6 p.m.

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Mr. Georgetown is the annual effort of the Georgetown community to pick the “best” bachelor in the senior class. There are multiple rounds in the event in order to pick the most eligible bachelor. This year, there are 20 different contestants, sponsored by some of the largest clubs on campus, contending for the crown. This event runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday night.

CAROLINE PAPPAS FOR THE HOYA

MR. GEORGETOWN

GEORGETOWN PROGRAM BOARD

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the guide

friDAY, November 3, 2017

exhibition

‘Visionary’ Perspectives on African Art Alexandra Brunjes Hoya Staff Writer

ALEXANDRA BRUNJES/THE HOYA

This Saturday, “Visionary,” a new exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, opens to the public. The exhibit explores different perspectives on African art in seven distinct rooms.

“Our primary goal is simply, ‘Look closely, see further,’” said Kevin Dumouchelle, exhibit co-curator, during the press preview for the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art’s upcoming exhibit, “Visionary.”

Opening on Nov. 4 and remaining in the museum as part of its permanent collection, “Visionary” is set to be the largest long-term presentation of the museum’s collection in over a decade.

The exhibit consists of over 300 works of art spread over nearly 6,000 feet of the museum’s second floor. The pieces are organized into seven rooms, each exploring a different perspective on art.

Although Africa is the second-largest continent and contains 55 countries, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is the only museum dedicated to the exploring Africa’s art over time, according to Karen Milbourne, another curator of the exhibit.

“We are an international platform speaking to the complexity and creativity of Africa’s art,” Milbourne said. “Visionary” contains more than 30 artists from 27 African countries.

Milbourne also emphasized the ways in which the museum’s curators worked to prevent the collection from becoming static and to draw visitors in.

“We want the museum public to feel invested in what lies within our walls,” she said.

Two of the artists who contributed to the exhibit, Ghada Amer and Mary Sibande, were present at the preview tour. Both are previous recipients of the Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship, a program that invites artists to come to the museum to do research that strengthens their work.

Amer and Sibande are also this year’s African Art Awards Dinner honorees.

Sibande is a practicing artist based in South Africa whose work focuses on stereotypes about and the depiction of women.

“It’s a great honor to receive this award,” Sibande said, “It’s a reminder of where I am in terms of my practice.”

Amer was born in Egypt, grew up in Europe and now lives in New York. In her work, she provides commentary on cultural identity and the ambiguity of the term “African American.”

Upon being honored with the award, her first, Amer said, “It’s wonderful because it feels like my art is being understood and appreciated.”

“Visionary” is intentionally broad-based and pluralistic in its exploration of how African artists have added meaning to objects. It does this by leading visitors through seven artistic perspectives: those of collectors, scholars, artists, patrons, performers, museums and museum visitors themselves.

The first room of the exhibit, “Love at

First Sight,” tackles the first perspective — that of the collector. This room houses pieces from the Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection, many of which have not previously been exhibited.

“This is the canon,” Milbourne said.

“You’re seeing the single most famous pieces of African art.”

The heart of the exhibit is “Visionary Artists,” the largest room located in the center of the exhibit space. “Visionary Artists” explores artists, artistic agency and the execution of creative vision.

“We’re trying to get visitors to see differences where they previously saw homogeneity,” Milbourne said. “Schools need to change their conversations about the African continent.”

In “Looking Lab,” museumgoers are encouraged to pause while viewing the works of art and look for important visual details.

“We’re saturated with images and tend to buzz by them,” Milbourne said. “This room is meant to make people stop and think.”

Milbourne also noted that many viewers come to museums expecting to be handed iPads and to interact with the art electronically. She emphasized that this is not the way this exhibit functions, and that she and her fellow curators hope to encourage people to appreciate the physical works themselves.

“The Smithsonian is the home to the things, not their virtual representations,” she said.

“Moving Arts,” the sixth room in “Visionary,” expands upon the notion of interaction and seeks to answer questions about how the works of art and ideas have traveled. A video screen shows clips of arts in motion, such as dance, divination and masquerade performance.

“African artworks were not designed to be seen the way we see them here, sitting in glass vitrines mutely, quietly,” Dumouchelle said.

Lines on the floor lead visitors around the room to different quotes, which each explain the different ways in the arts can be in motion: “Instruments are played,” “objects are handled” and “masks dance.”

“Visionary” is a coherently designed, compelling exhibit that leads visitors through various viewpoints of African art. Through the generosity of contributors and the curatorial work of people like Milbourne and Dumouchelle, the National Museum of African Art succeeds in creating a multifaceted narrative on African artists and demonstrating the breadth and diversity of African art.

As Milbourne explained, “This is the place where the story is starting to change.”

“Visionary” is available for viewing at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art beginning Nov. 4. The museum is located at 950 Independence Ave. SW. Admission is free.

the guide

friday, november 3, 2017

Laila’s Wisdom Special to The Hoya

Hip-hop artist Rapsody, otherwise known as “Carolina’s Finest,” has provided casual rap listeners with tantalizing glimpses at her skill over the past few years. Her features on Kendrick Lamar’s legendary 2015 album “To Pimp a Butterfly” and Anderson .Paak’s 2016 album “Malibu” have established that she is a rising female rapper with plenty of potential.

Rapsody’s dedicated fans have seen the magic of her latest album, “Laila’s Wisdom,” coming for a while. After some promising recent releases, namely the 2012 “Black Mamba” and 2016 “Crown” EPs and the 2012 studio album “The Idea of Beautiful,” she has finally emerged from the shadows of underground success.

Her entrance into the hip-hop mainstream is not quiet, either.

A sample of Aretha Franklin’s powerful, soulful voice on “Young, Gifted and Black” kicks off the album. The sample, courtesy of producer Nottz, not only makes a powerful statement on black pride, but also sets the tone for the rest of the record.

In the title track, Rapsody cites her idols, Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen, a confirmation that “Laila’s Wisdom” is a record that celebrates blackness and womanhood in all of their glory.

After asserting her pride in “Laila’s Wisdom,” Rapsody continues with “Power,” a single that was released before the album. The song is a testament to Rapsody’s confidence and skill, and she does

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album review

Rapsody faris bseiso

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 not let Kendrick Lamar’s feature on the track overshadow her own prowess.

On “Power,” the beat is hard, and Rapsody’s raps match the sound. She displays deft wordplay, rapping, “I got it from my God / he said a good shepherd don’t trip over what they heard,” as she reflects on her rise to fame, the lessons she has learned from it and her newfound role in the rap industry. In this case, she sets the bar for herself at the 5 percent of “top emcees.” Here, she makes subtle reference to the Five-Percent Nation, a movement founded in Harlem, New York in the 1960s, which teaches that black people were the original people on Earth.

From this point onward, the album’s sound becomes influenced more by jazz and funk. These influences are most evident on tracks like “Pay Up” and “U Used 2 Love Me.” Rapsody’s musical style continues the exciting trend of jazz and funk fusion reminiscent of Lamar’s 2015 album, “To Pimp a Butterfly,” sharing the same trademark sounds — such as saxophone by musician Terrace Martin — that made Lamar’s album stand out.

But to reduce the project to an imitation of “To Pimp a Butterfly” does not do it justice at all.

Though it is true that both albums utilize an impressive range of jazzy instrumentation, that is one of few similarities between the two. While Lamar applied an unpredictable dynamism to his voice, Rapsody keeps her flow consistent. The grace that comes with her old-school flow allows her to open up and be introspective in ways others cannot.

RAPSODY

Rapsody’s reflective nature allows her to look back at others’ stories, not just her own.

To witness her insightful rapping, look no further than the album’s final track, “Jesus Coming,” in which she discusses death with sensitivity rarely found among her peers.

Rapsody is able to address her own thoughts and insecurities and make them universal at the same time. Whether she is lamenting Western beauty standards in “Black and Ugly” or expressing pride in her femininity in “Sassy,” she makes sure her songs can be appreciated by all kinds of people.

One can compare the various facets of

Rapsody’s craft to a variety of established characters in hip-hop. She has Cardi B’s confidence and brashness paired with the vulnerability of Andre 3000 and the lyrical dexterity of Lauryn Hill. Her oldschool style is a salute to hip-hop purists, sweetened by her myriad reverential references.

There are no clear radio hits on the album, but that does not appear to be Rapsody’s purpose. On “Laila’s Wisdom,” listeners will find bold social commentary and a showcase of the artist’s lyrical skills. Rapsody is evidently more focused on improving her craft than getting airtime or sales, foreshadowing more quality music to come.

RAPSODY

Rap artist Rapsody’s latest album, “Laila’s Wisdom,” incorporates influences from jazz and rhthym and blues, producing a sound reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album “To Pimp a Butterfly.” Rapsody uses the album as a platform to voice her insecurities by singing about Western beauty standards on “Black and Ugly.”

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THE HOYA

friDAY, november 3, 2017

Movie review

TELEVISION review

Stranger Things

A Bad Moms Christmas

Starring: Finn Wolfhard, Millie Brown Directed by: The Duffer Brothers 

Starring: Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis Directed by: Jon Lucas 

Meghan decourcey

alexandra brunjes

Hoya Staff Writer

Since the release of its first season in the summer of 2016, Netflix’s “Stranger Things” has received immense praise, winning five Emmy awards. In creating the show, filmmakers Matt and Ross Duffer, professionally known as the Duffer Brothers, wanted to pay homage to the pop culture of the 1980s; many describe the hit series as a cross between ’80s hits “The Goonies” and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” The much-anticipated second season, released Oct. 27, builds upon the horror and thrill of the first season, exceeding fans’ highest expectations.

The second season of “Stranger Things” brings viewers back to Hawkins, Ind. in 1984, a little more than a year after the events of the first season. The effects of the Upside Down alternate dimension on the young Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp, have not gone away, and his mother, Joyce, played by Winona Ryder, desperately attempts to help him return to normalcy.

The traumatic events of the first season also have lasting impacts on the other boys — Dustin, played by Gaten Matarazzo, Lucas, played by Caleb McLaughlin, and, in particular, Mike, played by rising young actor Finn Wolfhard. Mike was the closest to Eleven, played

by Millie Bobby Brown, a mysterious girl with psychokinetic abilities, and her unexplained disappearance leaves him tormented.

Sudden crop failures and Will’s strange behavior make it apparent that the creatures from the Upside Down are still very much alive. What ensues is the ensemble, including Hopper, the chief of Hawkins’ police department, played by David Harbour, and the older kids — Nancy, played by Natalia Dyer, Jonathan, played by Charlie Heaton, and Steve, played by Joe Keery — working together to understand the new unknown evil in town that seems even stronger than the monster Demogorgon that terrorized Hawkins in the first season.

The two main storylines of the second season center on Will and Eleven. Will’s relationship to the creatures in the Upside Down is still not fully understood, and Eleven’s mysterious past has yet to be explained.

Although these storylines drive the plot, the other characters also have their moments to shine. In season one, the different groups of

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characters — the kids, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas and Eleven, the teenagers, Nancy, Jonathan and Steve, and the adults, Joyce and Hopper — rarely crossed paths. However, in season two, these lines are broken down; each person, no matter what age, plays a necessary and equal role in the fight against evil.

The impressive ensemble expands this season, including four new characters: Kali, played by Linnea Berthelsen, Max, played by Sadie Sink, Billy, played by Dacre Montgomery, and Bob, played by Sean Astin.

Kali, the leader of a criminal gang in Illinois, is introduced in the opening scene of the first episode. Although she does not live in Hawkins, a tattoo on her wrist that reads “008” indicates a clear connection to Eleven and her past at Hawkins Laboratory. Max and Billy are stepsiblings with a rocky relationship who move to Hawkins and enroll in the school.

Max catches the eyes of Dustin and Lucas, and the boys try to convince her to join their group of outcasts. Billy’s unpredictable behavior and his quest to become the new king of the school cause trouble with Steve.

Finally, Bob, Joyce’s new boyfriend, is a welcome addition, providing much of the comic relief in the series. He does not know the truth about Will, and his carefree attitude only further underscores the evil that the other characters cannot escape. Astin also played one of the children in “The Goonies,” a clear tribute to the ’80s blockbusters that inspired the show.

The Duffer Brothers have every detail down to a tee with the new season of their hit show.

Every choice is spot-on, from the characters’ costumes to the Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale lawn signs that line the streets. This season takes place around the time of Halloween, so the costumes also reflect the times.

With the release of “Ghostbusters” in early 1984, it makes perfect sense that the boys, being the science fiction lovers that they are, would recreate the uniforms and equipment.

The show’s ’80s-based musical soundtrack further grounds the audience in the past. Devo’s “Whip It,” the Scorpions’ “Rock You Like A Hurricane” and Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” are just a sampling of the hits. It would not be the ’80s without synthesizers, so much of the show’s original score, including its iconic theme by composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, makes extensive use of them.

“Stranger Things” has picked up such a large following because it takes what is familiar and flips it upside down. Many of the conventions that we see in ’80s movies — the oblivious parent, the hostile alien and the dangers of suburbia — are inverted. The show’s second season heightens the horror, and the threat of the unknown remains ever-present. Though the characters try to lead normal lives, it is only a matter of time before they realize that evil is still within Hawkins and they must reckon with the consequences.

Hoya Staff Writer

“A Bad Moms Christmas,” sequel to the 2016 film “Bad Moms,” released Nov. 1, is a relatable comedy sure to leave audiences both anticipating and dreading the holiday season. Written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the comedy depicts the annual struggle of three moms attempting to make Christmas perfect for their kids — while suffering the less-than-perfect reality of what it takes to make this happen.

Centering on the initial film’s ensemble of “bad moms” — Amy, played by Mila Kunis, Kiki, played by Kristen Bell, and Carla, played

by Kathryn Hahn — “A Bad Moms Christmas” chronicles the transformation of the mothers’ holiday stress into a determination to reclaim Christmas for themselves. The trio’s motivation to host the perfect holiday is motivated by the arrival of their own mothers.

After all three grandmothers show up and disrupt their daughters’ lives, the sanity of the moms quickly falls apart as they try and figure out how to cope.

Amy’s mom, played by Christine Baranski, is overbearing and full of unrealistic expectations; Kiki’s mom, played by Cheryl Hines, has no sense of boundaries and even frequently wears clothing with her daughter’s face on it, while Carla’s mom, Susan Sarandon, is a rebellious drifter who seems to only visit her daughter when in need of money.

The film dramatically unfolds as each “bad” mom attempts to deal with her own mother without sacrificing the joy of Christmas.

The primary strength of “A Bad Moms Christmas” lies in its relatability, which is anchored in the realistic depiction of the responsibilities that moms have during the holiday season. Kunis’ character, Amy, exclaims: “I’m a huge ball of stress from Christmas to New Year’s!”

The film also succeeds in portraying the authentic friendship between the three protagonists. The moms are undoubtedly more focused on their families than on their friendship, but when they are together — decorating Christmas trees and dancing with a mall Santa, Christmas shopping or simply drinking away their stress — their sharing and joking is comical and a wonderful demonstration of female friendship.

The impressive relatability and comedy of this film can be attributed to the incredible performances of the cast. Two particularly notable performances were those of Sarandon and Baranski, both of whom hit the nail on the head in playing their roles of unwelcome, overbearing mothers. Peter Gallagher, who played Amy’s father Hank, also injected a dose of charm into the film — on the rare occasion that his wife took a pause from speaking.

HUAYI BROTHERS PICTURES

Although hilarious, the mother-daughter relationships portrayed in the film did have some unrealistic aspects that detracted from the film’s accessible message. For example, Kiki’s mother admits to sitting quietly in her daughter’s room each night and watching her fall asleep, and even to knowing details of Kiki’s sexual relationship with her husband. Her over-exaggerated nature attempts to come across as comedic but ultimately falls flat.

Another case is Amy’s mother, who acts at times incomprehensibly stern in a manner that seems unrealistic, particularly considering the loving nature of her husband and the laidback lifestyle of her daughter.

Arguably the most frustrating part of the film is the continuous buildup of anger without a notable climax. There are constant mother-daughter quarrels, particularly between Amy and her mother, but there is not a moment where the audience truly gets the satisfaction of a conflict between the characters, despite the film’s plot seemingly building up to a point of dispute. This lack of resolved tension is out of balance with the over-the-top nature of the rest of the film.

However, viewers do get the satisfaction of seeing the “bad moms” begin to understand and then repair their relationships with their mothers.

“A Bad Moms Christmas” is satisfying because it is purely comedic and does not masquerade as more than it is; its goal is light comedy, and that is exactly what it delivers.

The film does not do more than scratch the surface with relation to weighty subject matter, but this allows for unencumbered laughter and holiday excitement. The film delivers the laughter and cheer that make for a Hallmark holiday movie, but with the added punchiness of the lead cast of comics.

The film’s directors, Lucas and Moore, have expressed their interest in continuing the “Bad Moms” series, and if the sequels are at all reminiscent of “A Bad Moms Christmas,” they will leave viewers feeling uplifted.

the guide

friday, november 3, 2017

Movie review

THE HOYA

B9

Movie review

Thor: Ragnarok

Suburbicon Starring: Matt Damon, Julianne Moore Directed by: George Clooney 

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett Directed by: Taika Waititi 

Kathryn Baker

Jiwon Noh

Hoya Staff Writer

Hoya Staff Writer

“It’s another Sunday in Suburbicon.”

This nondescript statement, which appears at the end of the film, highlights the mediocrity of George Clooney’s sixth directorial effort, “Suburbicon.”

Clooney’s reputation as a director has recently been tarnished by films like “The Ides of March” in 2011 and “The Monuments Men” of 2014, which received mixed to poor critical reviews, but the highly anticipated thriller “Suburbicon” seemed like it could bring Clooney some redemption.

“Suburbicon” has all the makings of a great film: an all-star cast, including Matt Damon and Julianne Moore, a script by Joel and Ethan Coen and commentary on a relevant social problem — the persistence of racism in the United States. Unfortunately for Clooney and talented cast, “Suburbicon” is a film filled with too many storylines, yet devoid of any action or interesting characters.

The film centers on Damon’s character, Gardner Lodge, a suburban businessman whose family is torn apart one night when two mobsters break into his home and chloroform his entire family, killing his wife, Margaret, played by Julianne Moore. Although Damon delivers a fair performance given the lackluster script, his character and his motivations are never fully fleshed out.

After Margaret dies, her twin sister, Rose, also played by Moore, spares no time in assuming her role as matriarch of the Lodge household and beginning an affair with Gardner, leaving Gardner’s son Nicky, played

by Noah Jupe, caught in an uncomfortable, disturbing situation. The movie attempts to capture the remaining action from Nicky’s point of view, however, Nicky hardly speaks and this viewpoint only serves to disorient the audience and muddle the remainder of the film’s plot.

After a slow-moving first half, the film picks up in its second act with the exciting introduction of Roger, a nosy accountant played by Oscar Isaac. Sent to investigate Gardner’s handling of money following his wife’s death, Isaac manages to deliver comedic lines in the film’s otherwise tense plot. As Roger begins to pry into the Lodges’ household, he begins to break down the superficial world that Gardner and Rose have created for themselves. In this way, Roger is one of the few dynamic characters who does not merely exist as an accessory to the plot, but also helps to move the story along.

As if the main storyline surrounding the Gardner family was not tangled enough, Clooney adds an additional subplot concerning race relations in America. Although it had the potential to be a thought-provoking element in the film, this storyline ultimately fell flat: The Mayers family is the first black

With Marvel Studios, it seems like the third time is the charm.

The third Captain America movie, “Captain America: Civil War,” pitted beloved superheroes against each other in an epic clash of morals and personal feuds, and the third Iron Man movie, “Iron Man 3” was Marvel’s most personal, emotionally charged film to date.

Now, the third Thor film, “Thor: Ragnarok,” has proven that the Marvel superheroes are not just epic and burdened by the weight of the world, but they are funny as well.

At the end of “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” Thor leaves Earth for Asgard in search of the powerful supernatural Infinity Stones, and the Hulk goes into hiding. Both characters were notably missing from “Captain America: Civil War,” but they make dramatic returns to the Marvel cinematic universe to fight off Asgard’s greatest threat in the latest Thor film.

The opening scene features Thor dangling from a chain and talking to himself, marking a turn from the conventional seriousness and Asgardian grandeur that often begins films in the Thor franchise. Moments later, Thor fights off a gigantic flaming monster and helicopters with Mjolnir, his hammer, in typical action film fashion. The rest of the movie is hilarious, yet maintains its status as a noteworthy Marvel blockbuster.

Chris Hemsworth reprises his role as Thor for the fifth time. The first and second franchise movies failed to find worthy opponents to confront him; instead, in the first film, Thor battled his hubris and in the second, he was blinded by love. While traditionally he has been one of the blandest Avengers, under Taika Waititi’s direction, he breaks free from the shackles that confine his character and is reinvented.

Instead of forcing Thor, a Nordic god, into the human world and belittling his powers, Waititi acknowledges those powers and plays with them.

Thor’s fight scenes are set to classical rock, not dignified orchestral pieces. His hair is shorter and he sports crimson face paint instead of his dramatic crimson cape. This is not the majestic Thor we have seen before — he is new and better.

Marvel took a leap of faith in giving the reins to Waititi, a New Zealand actor-turned-writerand-director known for small indie films with a $2 million budget, not Hollywood blockbusters with a budget nearly a hundred times larger than that.

But that risk pays off: Waititi brings personality and comedy to a franchise that has grown to epic proportions. Superhero movies usually serve humor as a side dish, but Waititi makes it a centerpiece, and he does so successfully.

That being said, Waititi cannot be given all

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

family to move into the all-white town of Suburbicon, causing immediate tension.

This tension continues to fester throughout the film, culminating in a night of violent riots that cause destruction to the Mayers family’s home.

Although the subject matter is important to discuss and topical, given the events in Charlottesville this summer, Clooney fails to give this storyline adequate screen time.

He introduces the likeable Mayers family only to focus on the silly antics of the starstudded white family across the street. The film’s point about racism is unclear because the characters’ underlying motives toward the Mayers family receive little attention. If the film was hoping to deliver a serious social commentary with “Suburbicon,” it woefully missed the mark.

The film had redeeming qualities, however. Its soundtrack, by composer Alexandre Desplat, succeeded in creating an aura of suspense, which one can only assume Clooney and the Coen Brothers intended to create, even when the dialogue failed to do so. The sound effects, too — the eerie tick-tocks of the clock and the heightened thudding during moments of action — serve to manipulate the audience’s emotions.

Additional elements of the film, like Robert Elswit’s cinematography and Jenny Eagan’s costumes, manage to convey the intended rigid tone and picturesque atmosphere, but that does not do much to overcome the film’s other shortcomings.

With “Suburbicon,” Clooney aims to show that the lives of the white, upper-class Gardner family are selfish and frivolous, particularly when compared with the lives of the Mayers family, who face many obstacles in their attempts to lead normal lives. Although the film’s initial premise is compelling, the film commits the fatal flaw of using the Mayers family as a prop rather than as a point of interest and development. In his commendable effort to illuminate the legacy of white supremacy, Clooney sacrifices conviction and engaging dialogue, branding “Suburbicon” as yet another failure in his directorial resume.

MARVEL STUDIOS

the credit — the film has a stellar cast.

Hela, played by Cate Blanchett, exiles Thor and Loki to Sakaar, a junk planet on the other side of the universe.

Blanchett is at once sultry and sinister.

Though she is the film’s main villain, she plays a small role. Yet, that is exactly what this film needed. Hela is not another all-powerful villain that can only be defeated by Thor and Loki, but rather a villain that will let the movie breathe a little.

Mark Ruffalo delivers a solid performance as Bruce Banner, who is also the Hulk. Thor and Banner are a surprising pair — Thor likes to hammer his way out of situations, while Banner is decidedly gentler, at least when he is not in Hulk form. The classic “odd couple” pairing works and the physical juxtaposition between Hemsworth and Ruffalo is a source of comedy.

No Thor movie would be complete without fan-favorite antihero Loki, played splendidly by Tom Hiddleston. Hiddleston and Hemsworth consistently have chemistry in the Thor franchise, and this film is no different. They mix humor with rivalry, which fits in well with their established dynamic.

Waititi’s direction is at its best on the distant planet Sakaar,which is the setting from the film’s most memorable sections, from the tastefully hilarious dialogue between characters to the exhilarating fight sequences atop moving UFOs. On Sakaar, viewers meet Tessa Thompson’s Scrapper 142, a drunken and hilarious collector for the Grandmaster, the eccentric ruler of Sakaar played by Jeff Goldbum.

At its heart, the film is equally hilarious and heroic. Waititi finds the perfect balance: For every epic battle, there is an equally epic joke. The film is exactly what Thor and the Marvel cinematic universe needed, delivering a refreshing reinterpretation of difficult characters who sometimes border on archetypal. To produce more successful films, Marvel should consider bringing back Waititi.

B10

THE HOYA

the guide

friDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2017

fEATURE

REPUBLIC KOLACHE

Chris Svetlik (SFS ’09) is the co-founder of Republic Kolache, a shop that sells kolaches, a traditional Czech pastry. Svetlik’s pastries incorporate influences from Texas and Washington, D.C. The kolaches are currently sold wholesale to Whole Foods, as well as to local coffee shops, including Uncommon Grounds and Midnight Mug on campus.

Tex-Czech Pastries: Changing the Cafe Scene

EMILY GREFFENIUS Special to The Hoya

Family traditions shape lives. The most recent business venture of Texan native Chris Svetlik (SFS ’09) is a testament to the enduring influence of tradition and heritage. Republic Kolache, co-founded with fellow Texan Brian Stanford, embraces not only Texan culture but also the old customs of Svetlik’s Czech family, the first member of which arrived in the United States in the late 19th century.

When Svetlik was young, he and his siblings would go out to visit his grandmother. More often than not, she would be making kolaches, the pastry that now serves as the pillar of Svetlik’s business.

Though the word might seem foreign to some, Svetlik notes the commonality of the baked good.

“It is actually very familiar,” Svetlik said in an interview with The Hoya. “It is dough with filling, something that every culture throughout history has had a version of.”

At its core, the kolache might just be a piece of kneaded dough with filling, but it carries with it the story of an entire people. It is this story that Svetlik hoped to share when he and Stanford founded Republic Kolache in 2015.

From helping his grandmother when he was young to messing around with test batches on the weekends with Stanford, Svetlik began to perfect his skills.

“Each year, I would get a little bit better, not knowing that one day I might be doing this on my own,” Svetlik said.

Svetlik says this business is his way of carrying the torch and ensuring that his own Czech traditions can be passed on to another generation.

Extolling the diversity of Texas and the

quirky aspects of the state’s culture even before launching Republic Kolache, Svetlik grasped this opportunity to hone his message and pass it along through a language everyone speaks: food. “[The business] gave me a platform to explain and not just tell, but show where I come from, how we do food and drink and how we build spaces around food and drink,” Svetlik said. “Sharing the story was the biggest goal in all this.”

Selling kolaches in Washington, D.C., however, presented a new challenge.

“We wanted to put our own spin on kolaches,” Svetlik said, noting that he and his business partner tried to develop a pastry tailored specifically for the District. Neither purely Czech nor purely Texan, the resulting kolaches riff off of D.C. themes, maintaining their original multicultural roots while nodding to the people and communities here in the District.

These ideas came to fruition in Republic Kolache’s half-smoke kolache. Staying close to typical Texan ingredients and flavors of sausage, cheese and jalapenos, this kolache incorporates the half-smoke sausage, an iconic D.C. food staple and a close relative of the sausages one might find in Texas.

“It’s our nod to D.C. as well as where we came from,” Svetlik said. It has been their most iconic item to date, and kolaches and coffee on Saturday mornings have become a ritual for their customers who visit shops where the pastries are sold.

Republic Kolache has yet to open up a brick-and-mortar store, though a storefront is one of their present focuses. In the meantime, Republic Kolache holds weekly pop-up shops on weekends and sells wholesale to Whole Foods and lo-

cal coffee shops, including Uncommon Grounds and Midnight Mug on campus.

Svetlik is excited about creating Republic Kolache’s own space in which to serve their customers, but the team has also enjoyed reaching a wide swath of people through their wholesale practices.

“Through wholesaling to coffee shops, we have these moments in which we’ve had the opportunity to illustrate what kolaches are to people who have never heard of them before,” Svetlik said. “Here and there, you’ll walk down the street and hear a reference to a kolache or see someone order one in a coffee shop, and that’s always a proud moment. Truly, many people in D.C. would not have known what kolaches were if it wasn’t for us.”

By drawing from his familial and Texan

traditions, Svetlik has effectively introduced a new and exciting pastry to the coffee shop industry through Republic Kolache. Challenging the idea of what might count as a breakfast pastry, the kolache differs from a donut enough to catch people’s attention but resembles one enough for people to give it a shot.

In Svetlik’s father’s household, it was a common custom to prepare kolaches on weekend mornings, anticipating the possible arrival of guests. It was a demonstration of warmth and courtesy to have fresh kolaches waiting.

Republic Kolache’s business maintains this sense of hospitality. By tailoring to Washingtonian tastes, Svetlik and Stanford have made it easy to sit at their table and get a taste of their culture, melding culinary influences from across the globe into a delectable pastry.

REPUBLIC KOLACHE

friday, november 3, 2017

the guide

THE HOYA

B11

3BORO: Hoya Alumnae Launch Athleisure Startup Kathryn Baker Hoya Staff Writer

Throughout their three years together at Georgetown University, Samantha Hiranand (COL ’11), Berin Bezmen (MSB ’10) and Odile Liu (MSB ’10) formed an unbreakable bond despite their diverse backgrounds and personalities. Today, those same differences serve as the inspiration behind 3BORO, the trio’s emerging company for athleisure clothing, sportswear designed for both exercise and everyday use.

3BORO’s name is derived from the women’s love for the diversity and energy present in the various boroughs of New York City, where Bezmen and Liu currently live. On its Instagram, the group has started the hashtag #BOROGals series, through which they feature a woman in the brand’s signature clothing and include a blurb detailing her aspirations and hobbies. Hiranand, Bezmen and Liu know they do not have the same resources as larger companies, but nonetheless they want their feed to accurately capture the daily lives of ordinary women.

“Right now, what’s being represented in the media is not the full spectrum of women,” Liu said in an interview with The Hoya.

The hope is that this initiative will promote the brand’s goals of inclusivity and global connectivity.

“A lot of the messaging marginalizes a big chunk of how people connect with each other,” Liu said.

Founded in 2016, 3BORO aims to promote a community-centered culture, a strategy Liu says contrasts with those of big name-brand athleisure companies like Nike or Lululemon, which have centered their campaigns on competition and individualism. 3BORO’s message of inclusivity and acceptance draws from the trio’s own friendship.

“Odile, Berin and I are very, very different people,” said Hiranand, who is based in the Philippines. “But we all met and became very good friends, and now we’re working across borders.”

Although Hiranand, Bezmen and Liu are passionate about their company, fashion was not always on their radars.

While at Georgetown, Bezmen and Liu studied business, and Hiranand had a background in finance from helping with her family business back home in the Philippines. It was not until Hiranand returned home to the Philippines in 2015 that the idea of a fashion startup began to take form.

Hiranand realized that, unlike in the United States, where athleisure is a major industry, the Asian markets were not being offered high-quality, affordable and stylish athletic wear.

Similarly, Bezmen and Liu were drawn to the accessibility and adaptability of athleisure attire.

“Wearing workout clothes is part of our daily lives,” Hiranand said. “It’s become a part of what we wear daily.”

Because exercise is often turned into a social activity as well as an opportunity to relieve stress, the women wanted 3BORO’s products to be affordable and versatile to fit the lifestyle of every woman — while still being fashionable.

The brand’s first collection draws inspiration from New York City’s architecture.

For example, the geometry on the leg of the brand’s Lexi leggings was inspired by the architecture of the Empire State Building. The bright fuchsia color of the Bowery leggings is inspired by the building’s daily light displays. Even the Maddie sports bra is inspired by the suspension chords hanging on bridges in New York City.

Hiranand, Bezmen and Liu took the time to make sure they found the perfect breathable fabric by speaking to experts.

They have been able to reuse the fabric in several of their clothing items. The fact that just one fabric can serve several purposes ensures that both the environmental and consumer costs of 3BORO’s garments remain reasonable.

Right now, 3BORO is a three-person operation, but Hiranand, Bezmen and Liu are aiming high. After their Kickstarter campaign ends on Nov. 5, the company’s next step is to officially launch their first collection and expand their designs and marketing; 3BORO has already surpassed its crowdfunding goal of $6,000 by $3,808.

Hiranand, Bezmen and Liu plan on utilizing the funds to initiate an e-commerce site in the United States and a wholesale presence in the Philippines.

They recognize that there may be obstacles in entering the athleisure market, which has already been penetrated by big-name brands, but the three are determined to challenge themselves and distinguish 3BORO by promoting its inclusivity, fun designs and appreciation for diversity.

When asked to give advice to other young entrepreneurs, Hiranand, Bezmen and Liu emphasize the importance of being patient, doing research and taking time to discover where your true passions lie.

“Some people immediately jump the gun and start a business, and when it doesn’t go where they predicted, they are stuck in an unstable position,” Hiranand said.

The three also encourage entrepreneurs to be confident and not pay undue attention to their critics.

“You’re not going win if you try to satisfy every person,” Bezmen said.

3BORO is moving forward, but Hiranand, Bezmen and Liu are determined to stay connected to the Georgetown community. Looking back, the women of 3BORO wish they had been more in touch with female entrepreneurs during their time at the university.

Now, Hiranand, Bezmen and Liu want to serve as role models to young Hoyas and entrepreneurs hoping to take the world by storm.

3BORO

KICKSTARTER

3BORO

3BORO

graphic by: saavan chintalacheruvu/the hoya