The Sandspur Volume 123 Issue 12 by The Sandspur

Issue 12, Volume 123 Thursday, December 1, 2016

page 3

Page Page #2 •• SECTION OPINION

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Thursday, 2014 Thursday,September December11, 1, 2016

Human rights concerns under a Trump presidency Two political science students examine eight human rights that could potentially come under attack in a Trump presidency. Raquel Leon Ragen Doyle

Writers

Environmental Rights A healthy environment is necessary for all other rights to be preserved, which makes environmental rights human rights. President Obama campaigned on reducing dependence on fossil fuels and becoming a world power in renewable energy. Trump has vowed to lift restrictions on energy reserves such as coal and oil and cancel funding to UN climate change programs. He has labeled climate change a hoax and could abandon the Paris Climate Pact. Reproductive Rights In order to live healthy and digniﬁed lives, women need to have autonomy over their own bodies. Under President Obama’s administration, our nation has advocated for women’s right to reproductive freedom and supported the notion that governments should not intervene in private family matters. Trump will likely nominate conservative, pro-life Justices to the Supreme Court who may threaten to overturn Roe v. Wade. He wants to ban abortions and “punish” women who get them, defund Planned Parenthood and repeal the Aﬀordable Care Act. Foreign Policy in Syria The war in Syria is the worst humanitarian crisis since WWII. President Obama has staunchly resisted any military action against the Assad. Since 2011, the U.S. has been the single-largest donor of aid ($6 billion). The number of refugees we will resettle this year has increased to 110,000. Trump has made it clear his main priority will not be humanitarian assistance, but rather killing ISIS terrorists at the risk of civilian casualties. Given his “unique” relationship with Vladimir Putin, the possibilities of cooperation with Russia and allowing war-crime-committing Assad to remain in power also seem to be likely options. Human Rights of Immigrants and Migrants There are some 11 million

undocumented workers living in the United States. Although they pay billions in taxes each year and represent a vital portion of the workforce, undocumented workers are still among the most vulnerable and exploited workers in America. Human rights by definition are NOT dependent on citizenship, but rather on simple humanity. Trump’s anti-immigration policies would not only trigger a constitutional crisis, they would be severe violations of human rights. Use of Torture Torture is one of the most clearly defined and unarguable human rights abuses. President Obama campaigned to reduce inhumane interrogations and for the closing of Guantanamo Bay. Guantanamo remains open, but there are restrictions in place that prevent abusive interrogation techniques. Trump has publically supported “enhanced interrogation techniques,” and advocated for killing the families of terrorists—a war crime in itself. Civil and Political Rights Some Constitutional scholars and human right activists have expressed concern over Donald Trump’s commitment to civil and political rights, particularly the right to due process and whether or not he will extend due process to immigrants, Muslims, and suspected terrorists alike. Trump’s campaign emphasized the need for “law and order” in the inner cities. He has expressed support for discriminatory stop-and-frisk policies, the profiling of mosques, disenfranchisement through restrictive voter ID laws, and libel laws against journalists. Commitment to Human Rights Internationally Despite the leadership position on human rights the U.S. took during the 20th century, its record of promoting and protecting human rights since then can be said to be mixed at best. The U.S. has still not ratified most of the major international treaties. When it does ratify a treaty, the U.S. usually adds a reservation or declaration to it that negates protection of certain rights. Furthermore, the U.S. Constitution

fails to recognize the economic, social, and cultural rights guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). Amnesty International has said it has serious concerns about the strength of commitment it expects to see from the United States under Donald Trump. It is highly unlikely that with a Republican-controlled Congress the U.S. will make any progress ratifying any of these treaties or continue the same level of commitment to the international human rights system. Healthcare The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being.” The Aﬀordable Care Act insured 20 million Americans who were previously uninsured. Trump has been an avid supporter of repealing and replacing

the ACA, which will leave millions of citizens uninsured. (One positive note: he does not believe in denying healthcare because of preexisting conditions.) He supports a Health Savings Account, which allows the purchase of health insurance across states. Interestingly, after his election, Trump deviated from his original stance, saying he plans to reform, not repeal Obamacare. The purpose of this article is not to discourage people or create fear and distress. It is simply an attempt by two political science students to create awareness about human rights. It is imperative that people be aware of their rights, how they are currently regarded under the Obama administration, and how they will likely be changed during Trump’s time in oﬃce. Awareness and education is the only way to protect and promote human rights at home and abroad.

Rollins College Student Media would like to thank the support of

The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reﬂect those of Rollins College.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Page 3 • FEATURES

Fitness center ‘Last Lecture’ series given revamps over holiday break at Dave’s Boathouse Rebecca Candage

Web Copy Editor

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Prior to rFla, there was still the Honors neighborhood; while the instatement of four new neighborhoods three years ago might have brought with it a lot of change for Rollins undergraduates, this was not the case for those who enrolled or were planning to enroll in the Honors Program at Rollins. One of the staples of the Honors neighborhood has always been participation in the Senior Honors Capstone. This course is almost entirely focused on giving participants the key skills they will need to be able to plan and carry out a successful presentation. At the end of the semester, students present a lecture—similar to a TED Talk—to an audience consisting of community members and their peers. Dr. Chong, the professor who taught the Honors Capstone this semester, explained, “The curriculum tries to encapsulate what it means to have a liberal arts education and to integrate what Honors students have already learned so far. We have had faculty members from different departments and divisions speak to our class about their greatest professional passion through TED-style lectures.” This year, some students opted to present their “Last Lecture” at Dave’s Boathouse on the evening of November 16. These presentations had been honed, in some fashion, for the majority of the semester: drafts had been written and revised, PowerPoint presentations had been created, smaller versions of the presentations had been conducted, and feedback had been given. . . “In some ways, Dave’s is a really diﬃcult place for a student to give a public presentation,” continued Chong. “There are people walking in and out, and lots of noises and other distractions. For someone who is new to public speaking, it can be very disconcerting. But in other ways, Dave’s is a perfect place to host an event like this, where stu-

As of Nov. 22, Darryl’s Fitness Center in the Alfond Sports Center has been completely closed for renovations. The building itself will not have any changes made to it; the renovators are working with the same amount of space as before. However, when the center reopens in January, it will look like a completely transformed, polished extension of the gym. The renovations start with removing all of the present equipment and putting in new flooring. Once this is completed, the fitness center will receive some new fitness equipment and televisions to better serve its patrons. The team is also incorporating a more efficient floor plan to support the advanced equipment and make better use of the available space. Matthew Cassidy ‘18, who

gym wasn’t closed so early, but I know it’s going to be worth it in the end.” The few weeks lost for renovation will ultimately be well worth the time and eﬀort. These innovations will be instrumental in the development and teaching of physical education classes required by the college in order for students to graduate. Choosing to begin renovations in the last weeks of one semester and planning to reopen at the beginning of the next was also a smart decision. Though it does interrupt schedules, it coincides with the decrease in focus devoted to exercise that occurs during ﬁnal exams, which are quickly approaching. As long as everyone regards the fresh equipment with respect, no other renovations are expected in the near future. The current changes will be of great use in keeping Rollins students healthy and moving for a long while.

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Staff Writer

dents can casually join in, have something to eat or drink, and learn something new along the way.” Five students—Elina McGill ‘17, Katherine Ammon ‘17, Victoria Villavicencio ‘17, Meghan Wallace ‘17, and Michael Dulman ‘17—presented at Dave’s Boathouse; their talks were all moving, and the subject matters ranged from mind-blowing to inspiring. “The students have done really well to link their personal experiences and passions to a broader academic topic. . . Overall, the students’ presentations have been really fascinating and really diverse. They cover a wide spectrum of academic disciplines, from literature to psychology to chemistry to economics,” continued Chong. Elina McGill’s presentation focused on the imagination and how one can best employ it; Katherine Ammon’s talk discussed issues with the mental healthcare system and the concept of involuntary confinement; Victoria Villavicencio’s lecture fixated on her experiences with the immigration process and universal concerns regarding anti-immigration sentimentality; Megan Wallace discussed economically burdened areas like Detroit and the impact of the Tiny Home movement on such areas; Michael Dulman explored the myths surrounding our notion of a separation of church and state. Having neared the end of their Rollins careers, the students had only positive things to say about the Honors Program and the Senior Capstone. Dulman said, “The Honors Program has exposed me to ideas and perspectives from every major at Rollins, from Psychology and Physics to Chemistry and Communication Studies. The Honors Capstone has taught me how to explain ideas from my field to different audiences through a variety of media. I can express better my passion for my subject and inspire that passion in others.”

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has been working on this project for over a year, reports that, to the best of his knowledge, no new fitness classes are being created in response to the various developments. The tentative reopening date is Jan. 16, just before the new semester starts with the first day of classes on Jan. 18. However, the new installments have taken away from some students’ rigorous workout schedules. Many visit the sports center often to stay in shape, especially those who need extra workouts in order to keep and enhance their position on sports teams. Rebecca Hopkins ’20 is a frequent visitor of the sports center, using the equipment to exercise four times a week. In response to these recent changes, she said, “Well, I love the amenities that the fitness center offers, and I think it’s going to be even better once the new renovations are in place. I wish the

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Page 4 • FEATURES

Feast of Funk and Soul Food a rockin’ good time Three hours north of Orlando, the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park hosted the first annual Feast of Funk and Soul Food festival, drawing musicians and foodies alike Sloane Klene

Writer

November 19 and 20 marked the debut of the first annual The Feast of Funk and Soul Food festival, held at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. As the title of the festival reveals, this event was not only host to some spectacularly funky shows but also to a menu that alone was worth the three-hour trip from Orlando. With classic southern entrees including prime rib sliders, a Louisiana shrimp boil, and fried chicken ‘n’ waffles, the menu proved to provide an exceptional pregame for mama’s Thanksgiving dinner. Feast of Funk brought in a variety of celebrated chefs from across the South, such as New Orleans’ Crawfish King, Chris “Shaggy” Davis, and Oprah’s former personal chef,

Art Smith, each serving up some unforgettable chow. The festival also featured two Florida-based breweries, Dunedin Brewery out of—where else?—Dunedin and 81Bay Brewing Co. out of Tampa. After fueling up on bites and brews throughout the day, everyone was ready to hit the music hall as night fell for seemingly endless funk and boogying. While I am certainly partial in my opinion, I thought Saturday night’s sets rocked the music hall on a whole new level. The Groove Orient, a local Orlando band, kicked oﬀ the night with an unbelievable performance—a feat typical of the group. I am a regular attendee of The Groove Orient’s Tuesday shows at Tanqueray’s in downtown Orlando; if you have not attended their Tuesday shows, it

is a must to see at least one while you are at Rollins. The show is free, the beer is cheap, and the music is as addicting as the breakfast croissants at Dianne’s. Their most recent Suwannee performance was filled with classic originals, which you can check out on Spotify. They are certainly a crowd pleaser; all five of their members are extremely versatile in styles and instruments, creating an unmatched fusion of sounds. Topping off the festival Saturday night was The Nth Power, featuring esteemed guest artists Jennifer Hartswick, Skerik, Farnell Newton, James Casey, Daniel Sadownick, and Brian Thomas with their passionately delivered tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire. If anyone somehow missed out on getting down on the dance

ﬂoor before these guys came on, they certainly did not miss it this time; the ﬂoor was packed with music lovers old and young alike, all sharing the spice of life.

I certainly caught the boogie fever this weekend, so I had a lot to be thankful for when the latenight snacks rolled out as the stage lights went down.

Photo courtesy of Sloane Klene

Spotlight on Rollins Coalition for Sustainable Development The Coalition argues for the divestment of school funds in fossil fuel companies and the reinvestment of those funds into renewable energy Tamara Vuckovich

Writer

The reality of climate change, the capability to invest in renewable energy sources, and possible actions that could make Rollins a greener campus are just a few examples of the topics that Rollins Coalition for Sustainable Investment (RCSI) educates the student body about. Scott Novak ’15, started the coalition during the fall of 2015. The idea behind his movement for divestment came from Naomi Klein’s book, This Changes Everything. To put it in simpler terms, divestment is pretty much the opposite of investment. The divestment movement’s purpose is to challenge individuals, groups, corporations that do not conduct business on moral and ethical grounds by removing ﬁnancial

support previously granted them. Recently, RCSI has been raising awareness on fossil fuel divestment, and there have been fundraisers held on campus in support of Standing Rock. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, along with many other supporters, has protested the government’s construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) through their sovereign land. The DAPL would directly aﬀect the tribe’s water supply, leading to contamination, as well as that of many other inhabitants that live along the Missouri River. If we invest in companies that build pipelines like the DAPL—among them many popular banks— then we are complicit to the environmental and human rights catastrophes that they will inevitably cause.

When speaking to members of RCSI, leadership’s three main goals were stated clearly: “freeze any new investment in fossil fuel companies immediately, divest within two to ﬁve years from direct ownership and from any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds, and direct at least 1% of previous fossil fuels investments into renewable energy and other socially sustainable funds.” RCSI works with the students and faculty to ensure the investments made on the college’s behalf align with RCSI’s mission statement. The organization has made great progress by convincing the Rollins College Board of Trustees to invest $400,000, or 10% of funds, in the MSCI Low Carbon Target fund. RCSI promotes the power of

the individual. Positive actions that can be taken on a daily basis

“

RCSI reminds us that it is never too late to start making a change

are as simple as recycling and replacing light bulbs with compact ﬂorescent bulbs. Reducing your

intake of beef can go a long way as well. Banks such as JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup pour billions of dollars into supporting fossil fuels; moving your bank account to an institution that does not invest in fossil fuels is a small step in making a huge diﬀerence. RCSI holds weekly meetings at the Sullivan House on Thursdays at 5:00 p.m. The organization stays active by holding events, tabling around the Cornell Campus Center, passing out petitions, and more. The organization will also have a table at the German Festival coming up in December to provide more information on their latest involvements. RCSI reminds us that it is never too late to start making a change, even if it seems like a small one. The time is now.

Page 5 • FEATURES

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Provost Singer sets sights on new goals New VP for Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Susan Singer outlines her goals for the upcoming semester after meeting a wide variety of Rollins students Christina Fuleihan

Staff Writer

Hailing from the much colder state of Minnesota, our new Vice President for Academic Aﬀairs and Provost, Dr. Susan Singer, has been adjusting to the sunshine-ﬁlled Rollins life throughout this past semester. Having sponsored several several “Conversation with the Provost” sessions to get to know a variety of Rollins’ diverse students, Singer has been welcomed by Bonners and athletes alike. Singer’s Conversations have been an especially enriching way to delve into the community dynamics here at Rollins College. “My appreciation for the deep engagement of students in their academic lives, student government, athletics, community engagement, Greek life,

music, theatre and more grows every time I meet another Roll-

Dr. Susan Singer. Photo courtesy of Rollins 360

ins student. . . I’ve learned how committed our students are to

understanding different perspectives and engaging in the challenging conversations, not just in the classroom, that lead to greater understanding. The desire to learn is reflected in conversations about participating in intellectually challenging courses from day one,” stated Singer. These sessions have been useful and ingenious vehicles to aid a new administrative faculty member in understanding the goals and concerns of students on campus. Unsurprisingly, Singer has a lot of experience under her belt. For instance, prior to her position at Rollins, she directed the Division for Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation. During the past semester, Singer has identified some areas in which she would like to fo-

cus on moving forward: namely, how the rFLA program has some room for improvement and continued growth. The Academic Affairs administrative structure is also looking to be redesigned for efficiency now that the College of Arts and Science and the College of Professional Studies have been unified as the College of Liberal Arts. “Strategic planning is helping us design improved strategies to get better at this, whether you are aiming to move right into the workforce or have your sights on graduate or professional school,” Singer said. And, it seems that “Conversations with the Provost” sessions have been a great tool not only in getting our new Provost acclimated to the Rollins environment but also in helping her identify major facets of the Roll-

ins student identity. Moving forward in her goal to help ensure a meaningful education for current and future Tars, these Conversations with students Singer has had—and will continue to have—prove eye-opening. “Thinking about how each of you weaves together your narrative about your liberal arts education and how course choices, internships, international experiences, research experience, community engagement work, work study jobs, and other skills, such as coding, uniquely positions you for your post-Rollins adventure is a good and important challenge,” claims Singer. After talking to so many students, she would know! “Conversations with the Provost” will continue in the Spring Semester. All students are encouraged to participate.

were introduced to a Charmander spawn point. We’ve also joined some sports teams for the term. Micah’s furthering her martial arts education with Aikido, a form of martial arts more focused on chi, takedowns, and conserving energy than sparring or force. It’s been a nice, relaxing change— but she’s ready to get back to kicking and punching people. Meanwhile, Sianna has found that the Pole Fitness Society— which, honestly, is exactly what it sounds like—is a fun way to get some exercise each week. The club offers pole fitness lessons, weekly practice sessions, and yearly competitions for all skill levels. Sadly, we’ll have returned home before Sianna’s first recital, but the skills she’s learned will last a lifetime. Though we miss our clubs at Rollins (unbi-

ased shout out to the best—The Sandspur!), it’s been fun to try new things at Lancaster. Who knows, maybe when we return, we’llstart Rollins’s ﬁrst Pokémon Pole Dancing Society!

Study abroad: club, cards, and overcommitting Micah Bradley & Sianna Boschetti

Writers

Back in Freshers’ Week, we attended the Freshers’ Fair, where clubs—or “societies,” as everyone here calls them—set up tables to recruit new members in the Student Union building. Well, clubs and students advertised inside and outside two buildings, around a field, down by the film building, and pretty much anywhere they could for what must have been at least a mile-long line of freshers. Imagine Rollins’s Involvement Fair, but five times the size and with acrobats, live-action role players (affectionately known as LARPers), and pole dancers all desperately competing for the attention of first-year students. Being the involved students

we are, my fellow students and I picked up flyers for so many societies that we would need a Time Turner to join them all. The next week was a busy one as we flitted from one club’s free “taster” session to another. As the weeks wore on, we only ended up staying in a few of the clubs we originally tried, but for good reason – not only do clubs here meet multiple times per week, but they also require decent financial investments. The average club seems to charge around three to ten pounds for an each term of membership. Some clubs, especially sports organizations overseen by instructors, charge per session. Fortunately, much of the money you put into a society goes toward activities, like the ever-prominent “social.” The bars on campus are frequented

by societies holding their socials, where members unwind and drink together in a casual setting. Other popular social events include dinner and club nights— literally just a night of clubbing, but with your fellow society members. In the end, we settled on a couple of societies to join individually and as buddies. Our favorite society is indisputably Pokémon Society. Each week, the club meets to play the video games, watch the anime, learn the card game, or just compete for the honor of winning Pokémon trivia (we came in second, despite being an hour late). Some weekends, the club goes into town to play Pokémon Go, and they even let us use their WiFi so we can play along too. Yes, we caught the elusive, European-only Mr. Mime, and we

Page 6 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, December 1, 2016

‘Voices of Light’ honors Joan of Arc The latest performance by the Bach Festival, “Voices of Light”, is an engrossing spectacle detailing the life of Joan of Arc. Esteban Meneses

Writer

Joan of Arc, the cross-dressing virgin saint, mystic, and genre-defying warrior who historically struck huge blows to the patriarchy, was the subject of the Bach Festival’s latest performance on Nov. 18. Voices of Light is an engrossing multimedia experience, a spiritual marriage of contemporary choral music and classic film. Sponsored by the Winter Park-based, nonprofit spiritual arts initiative GladdeningLight, the Central Florida premiere of Voices was an engrossing journey into the mystifying nature of the French heroine who heard the whispers and shouts of God. Originally premiered in 1994, the project consists of an opera-oratorio by New York composer Richard Einhorn synced to the intensely emotional narrative of Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 silent film, The Passion of Joan of Arc. Its distinctive, jarring shots and obsessive-

ly repetitive close-ups of actress Renee Falconetti as Joan are enhanced by Einhorn’s poetic musical representation of her trial and execution. Assembled from literature by female mystics from the middle ages, his libretto is in Latin, Old French, and Italian. On Saturday evening’s performance, from darkness, a procession of nine female singers holding candles approached the altar of Knowles Memorial Chapel and intoned an angelic medieval plainchant that set the mood of the 75-minute event. On a screen that stretched across the chancel above Artistic Director John Sinclair, the ﬁlm was projected. Consisting of professional members of the Bach Festival Choirs and students from the Rollins College Choir, the vocal forces were in top form, even as they were shrouded in semi-darkness. Their dynamic level was kept in restraint under Sinclair’s control, beﬁtting the religiously somber subject matter, although female voices seldom

soared above with balance and precision. Falconetti’s deranged, wideeyed mania was sometimes offset by the gentleness of Einhorn’s minimalistic score, as she is tormented by the clergymen for wearing men’s clothes. The imagery was generally enhanced by surges of passion from choir, orchestra, and soloists. The film and the oratorio stood on their own as full-fledged composites of the narrative in their respective media, but reached glorious heights as a combined effort. Baritone Juantomás Martinez and tenor John Grau were strong on their own, but in the duets they tended to oppose each other more often than they blended. There was more discord between the duo than harmony, and Martinez’s stronger dynamic force unfortunately overpowered Grau. A singular beatific moment was the solo viola da gamba—a 15th-century fretted string instrument related to the lute— introducing the female voices

in the choir as Joan recited the Lord’s Prayer onscreen. The Vice-President of the Viola da Gamba Society of America, Lisa Terry, was a fine soloist in her first performance of the piece. One of the most memorable moments of the score is the “Torture” sequence; the orchestra, choir, and soloist captured its pure simplicity and contrast between soprano and choir. Clara Rottsolk sang the solo part with soulful sheen, matching the pain depicted onscreen. But the clarity of her tone lacked dynamic inflection toward the end, and the choir did not quite achieve the loud staccato punches of the “Glorious wounds” recurring phrase. The ethereal “Sacrament” section was unsurpassable in the celestial quality of the voices. The contrasts were crystal clear and colorful, with dynamics rising subtly over a perfectly attuned crescendo in the low strings, and capped by the choir’s earnest call for Joan to come into “the palace of the king.”

Mezzo-soprano Morgan Davis Peckels provided a stellar, liquid tone in the “Karitas” section. The delicate solo cello accompaniment allowed Peckel’s soft dynamics to be fully appreciated, as she delivered a mournful ode of love toward the end of the oratorio. Sinclair’s precise conducting kept the faster tempos in check. He conducted not only to the score but to the film itself, with a playback of the film on a small screen over his music stand. During Arc’s burning at the stake, he accomplished perfect balance in the choir, over a clear ground bass and mellifluous woodwinds in the orchestra. As the film ended and Sinclair signaled the last beat, a deferential moment of silence hung solemnly across the chapel. “So God, King of Heaven, wills it,” ended the libretto, as Joan was executed for heresy. And so ended a spiritual, quasi-religious experience at Rollins College, to fervent applause from an enraptured audience.

Rollins Studio Art majors present exhibitions Six Studio Art majors presented works on a variety of topics for their Senior Art Exhibition. Maura Leaden

Writer

I walked into the Cornell Fine Arts Studio looking for room 103. Since this was the studio and not the museum, I was expecting presentation-style displays of student artwork in front of a seated audience and in a classroom. Therefore, when I ventured down the hallway into the brightly-lit, white gallery, I was stunned and impressed by the professional and intriguing way in which the artwork of Rollins’s hardworking Studio Art Seniors was displayed. Lis Carter ’17, one of the six Studio Art majors, explained that “we’ve all been working on our individual concepts since the end of last year, for our Junior Portfolio Review,” which is a presentation to the Art Department of the works that each student has created throughout their time at Rollins. At that time, Carter shared, they began to establish “how those pieces were going to work

into what we’re going to create for our ﬁnal exhibition project this spring.” According to Carter, students had been working on the development of their concepts for quite some time prior to the exhibition. The dedication committed in deciding upon and executing each concept was evident in the unique creations of each student. Topics included representations of masculinity in the gay male community, self-objectiﬁcation, cyclical elements and human connections as related to nature, the ambiguity of perception, exploratory work with unusual materials and unpredictable techniques, and the humanization of American historical documents associated with systematic oppression. This year’s six senior Studio Art majors, in respective order to their chosen concepts, are José Gonzalez, Elise Bellamy Hickman, Lis Carter, Abbey Toshie, Claire Block, and Lisa Worley. Their variety of topics led to in-

teresting, provocative, and visually appealing works of art, which promise a great collection of dynamic pieces for next semester’s final presentation. I gained insight into the process and meaning behind one of the artist’s pieces of work when I spoke to Lis Carter. Her piece, titled I Noticed the Eyes in the Rhododendron and the Neurons in the Cosmos and made of materials including wood, acrylic, ink, stain, mirror, glass, and fishing line, was one of the most captivating pieces due to its magnificent size and colorful composition. Carter shared that it took “probably twenty to twenty-four cumulative hours” to complete. The most interesting part about her piece is how she created it. “It’s an acrylic paint board, so you just pour paint together and kind of let it do its thing.” Carter explained, “the fact that the paint combines together to create these forms organically, emulates the way that life also happens… you can manipulate it a little bit, and push paint certain

directions, but I would never be able to recreate exactly that.” Overall, this experience provided a rewarding and knowledgeable lesson for the six Studio Art majors, and gave onlookers

a glimpse into the type of work that all students and faculty will be able to view at the end of next semester in the more prestigious showroom of the Cornell Fine Arts Museum.

Page 7 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, December 1, 2016

‘Moonlight’ redefines LGBT films Mason Fox

Columnist

Moonlight is the ultimate character study in what it is like to be young, black, and gay in an impoverished, drug-ridden neighborhood in Miami. That said, Moonlight is also the type of movie that cannot be put into a single category neatly; it transcends film, and as a member of the audience, I could not help but stand up and clap when the ending credits ran. Moonlight is a perfectly executed story from its score and pacing to its incredible characters, but the film is ultimately held together by the terrific performances of every single member of the cast. The main character, Chiron, is played by three different actors, and they all nail his characteristics perfectly. While the audience is able to notice that there is a new actor, it never feels that they are watching a different person.

Poster courtesy of imdb.com

Moonlight is broken into three acts, all following the story of Chiron at different stages of his life: young adolescence, midteens, and young adulthood. Part one, titled “Little,” introduces Juan (Mahershala Ali), who is the neighborhood drug dealer. He finds Chiron at this point, known as Little (Alex Hibbert), hiding in an abandoned crack house after being chased by a group of boys who wanted to fight him, calling him “gay.” Juan becomes little Chiron’s mentor, offering him the affection and emotional grounding he needs. As we learn the circumstances of Chiron’s unhappy life, we come to understand that his mom is addicted to crack, and Juan is the one who indirectly sells it to her. Part two, titled “Chiron,” shows us Chiron’s life in high school. A lot has changed, but a lot has stayed the same, too. He is tormented every day by bullies, his addict mother, and his

uncertain sexuality. The only comfort he can find at this point is from Paula (Naomie Harris), Juan’s wife. Things only get more confusing for Chiron as we learn more about his friendship with Kevin, also played by three actors (Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome, and André Holland). It is in part three, titled “Black,” that we learn just how severe Chiron’s identity crisis is and how much his character has changed over the course of the film; he is completely different, though it would be a mistake to spoil the specific ways in which he has transformed here. Moonlight was one of my favorite movies of the year, and without giving too much away, I recommend you go watch it. It is a movie that is good for the soul, breaking down dangerous social constructs. I certainly think it deserves an Academy Award, and I would rate it a 9.5 out of 10 as an all-around terrific film.

Jewish Book Council hosts two authors Rebecca Candage

Writer

Dr. Yudit Greenberg, professor and Director of the Jewish Studies Program, partnered with the Jewish Book Council to host a book signing and reading at Rollins with two authors, Erza Ginter and Leah Kaminsky, on Tuesday, Nov. 15. After an introduction by Dr. Greenberg, the authors provided a short summary of their works. Kaminsky was the first to read an excerpt from her book, The Waiting Room. She weaved a tale of a woman seeking for a place to fix her broken heel, who ended up facing the grumpy worker at an old shoe repair shop. She then explained that, fittingly, the main character, Dina, is named after Alice’s cat from Alice in Wonderland, who waits outside the entrance to Wonderland but never ventures in. Dina spends much of her life flitting from event to event, until the threat

of terrorism forces her to face a past that haunts her and to live actively in the present. Kaminsky said that much of the character resembles her own life: a Jewish woman married to an Israeli man; the daughter of an influential, passed on mother. Growing up in Melbourne, Australia and hearing the stories her mother told about her life is what inspired this work of fiction. Next, Ginter read from his work, Have I Got a Story For You, compiled from forty-two stories translated into English from The Forward, an American Yiddish newspaper. The story he chose to share, after changing his mind at the last moment, was about a woman and man meeting for the first time in a fish market. The two young Jewish lovebirds married before the story ended. The bumps in their relationship had an incredible bittersweetness that made a few members of the audience chuckle in a knowing manner.

Though there was a small turnout, the authors brought students and patrons from the Winter Park community together. The intimate setting was perfect for questions and general discussion after the reading. Several people from the community chimed in, to Dr. Greenberg’s delight. Major subjects were the impact of immigration on past and future generations and the “old world,” or home country, in comparison to the new. Some spoke of locations, like Kaminsky’s fictional shoe repair shop, where pieces of their native country could be found years later and miles away. Ginter pointed out that newspapers have been called “the first drafts of history,” and that much of the world our elders grew up in is preserved in old microfilms of the press. He went on to say that these, along with classes throughout his life in Yiddish, inspired him to help create his book. “These authors gave me a

new perspective on my Jewish roots and the old world that my family has told me stories about. When they read parts of their book, I felt as if I had been transported into another time with my ancestors,” said Rachel Wasserman ’19. Clearly, both

stories made the audience feel submerged in their rich histories. While these books are very meaningful to those who share their Jewish culture and heritage—and rightfully so—they are still accessible to any reader interested in a good story.

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Thursday, December 1, 2016

Women’s volleyball finishes season in Sunshine State Conference Manny Rodriguez

Writer

With the three games that they had left, the Tars volleyball team didn’t give up, but played with everything they had. In their previous eight matches, the Tars have taken their opponents to at least four sets, three matches going a full ﬁve sets. The ﬁrst game was against the Eckerd College Tritons for the second time this month. It was a great game, with the last few minutes racing by in an in-

tense heat. However, the match ended with a 2-3 loss for the Tars. Their next game was on November 18t against Lynn University, and Rollins—perhaps a little shaken—was unable to stop the dynamo squad that had won their last ﬁve matches. The Lynn Univesity Fighting Knights have climbed the conference standings after straight victories over Florida Southern, Saint Leo, Eckerd, and Tampa. In the ﬁrst two sets of the game, it was back and forth, with both sides playing with great

aggression and tact. During the third set, Rollins took advantage of the Fighting Knights’ sluggish playing and took lead. However, during the fourth set, Lynn snapped back into action, rushing out to an 11-3 lead before shutting the door on a potential Rollins comeback. There was a silver lining: even with the loss, Junior Bri Civiero had a high of 20 kills and moved into tenth place in the program record books for kills in a season with 469 total. The match had a total of 16 tied scores, as well as 8 diﬀerent

Photo courtesy of Jim Hogue Photos

lead changes, 6 of which happened in Set 3 where Rollins took the victory on that set. The Tars were brought to a record of 11-19 and 3-12 in the SSC play. On Saturday, they entered into their ﬁnal game against the Buccaneers. It was a special night because seniors Katlyn Sawyer and Kate Stefanski were recognized for all that they had done for Rollins and the team. With high energy in the air, the Rollins volleyball team made their ﬁnal match of their 2016 campaign count, earning a hard-

fought five-set victory over Barry University with flair. Both teams traded hard blows to enter into a hotly challenged fifth set, seeing who would win this game. Bri Civiero led the way for the Tars with 14 kills that night, followed by Stefanski and Shannon McDonough ’18 with 11 apiece. Katlyn Sawyer posted five kills of her own, gaining a season high in the final match of her collegiate career. Sam Schlesman ’18 and Stefanski each put up six blocks as well, putting a season high team total of 16 blocks. Katlyn Sawyer definitely made her Senior Day count, posting 5 kills on 22 total attacks, both a season high. The match saw the score tied 20 times, including eight times in set 5, as well as 6 different lead changes. The Tars conquered the competition by a final score of 15-13, closing their last game with a happy ending. Rollins College closes out the year with a record of 12-19 and 4-12 in the Sunshine State Conference. According to Coach Robinson, the Tars have a lot to be proud of. “Tonight’s game was such an incredible culmination of all that this group has worked towards this fall. I could not be happier for our seniors to send them out with a win as well as great individual performances by both of them. They have meant so much to this team and have consistently given their all day in and day out to make Rollins Volleyball better. There is no question that they have left an incredible legacy on and off the court of what it means to represent yourself, your team, and your school in a first class manner. We will miss them greatly, but we will certainly build on all that they have given to this program.”