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April 9, 2019
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Social
April 9, 2019
Editor-in-Chief Karuga Koinange Senior Editor Bailey Hendricks News Editor Mary-Ellen Davis Asst. News Editor Keri Luise
# TRENDING.
TOWSON
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WARMER WEATHER
Sophia Bates Arts & Life Editor Kerry Ingram Asst. Arts & Life Editors Alex Helms Meg Hudson Sports Editor Tim Klapac
@_txmiaxoxo towson has so many beautiful women that pop out when it gets warm and my lil gay heart is so happy
@DesMakesRaps I swear when it gets warm out Towson turns into an HBCU
Asst. Sports Editors Muhammad Waheed Jordan Kendall Staff Writers Jessica Ricks Anthony Petro Albert Ivory Glenn Kaplan John Hack Suzanne Stuller Cyan Thomas Aaron Thomas Marcus Whitman Brooks Warren Jalon Dixon
@lami410 The Towson squirrels are out and ready to fight
Photo Editor Brendan Felch Asst.Photo Editor Brittany Whitham
Staff Photographers Liam Beard Lacey Wall Simon Enagonio Nikki Hewins Lexi Thompson Tiffany Deboer Owen DiDonna Ryan Moriarty
@marge_parge the worst part of Towson is the wind
Proofreaders
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Sports E ditor Tim Klapac stands am ong the crowd, waiting to get into Cam den Yards for th e Orioles’ home opener Th ursday.
General Manager Mike Raymond Art Director Victoria Nicholson Webmaster Circulation Staff Scott Halerz Dom Capparuccini Elssa Kenfack Kirsten Tildon
8000 York Road University Union Room 309 Towson, MD 21252 (410) 704-5153 editor@thetowerlight.com thetowerlight.com The Towerlight print edition is published by students of Towson University on Tuesdays. The Towerlight is owned by nonprofit Baltimore Student Media Inc., BaltimoreStudentMedia.com. The Towerlight’s advertising deadlines are firm: Wednesday noon for space; Friday noon for art. Classifieds appear online and in print and are self-service at TheTowerlight.com/classifieds. We encourage letters to the editor and online feedback. Commentaries, letters to the editor, editorial cartoons and other editorials express the opinions of their authors and not necessarily the views of the newspaper. The Towerlight does not discriminate based on age, color, condition of handicap, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. ©2019 by The Towerlight, 8000 York Rd, Towson, MD 21252. All rights reserved.
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TIGER CAGE GRAND FINALE Tiger Cage will host the grand finale of the competition Tuesday. Finalists will go on to present to a panel of seasoned entrepreneurs and business people who will select the winner.
West Village Commons, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
‘REFUSING TO SINK’: INTERPRETING COMMUNITIES-TO-COME KEYNOTE
GREEK SING 2019
LEADING WITH PURPOSE
FAMILY ARTS DAY
Prof. Karavanta’s presentation will examine contemporary representations and ideas of community and the human, grounded in the scene of the human disaster on the Mediterranean shores.
Greek Sing is a dance competition amoung our Towson University fraternities and sororities. The proceeds of this event will help support Ailey Camp Baltimore. This is a dance camp hosted at Towson Universtiy for the youth of Baltimore.
This one-day symposium seeks to contribute to conversations about what it means to lead with purpose, particularly when creating organizational cultures that are inclusive, safe and responsive to the major global challenges of our time.
Experience the joy of being an artist at TU Community Art Center’s Family Arts Day. Drop in for a day of interactive art activities, dance workshops and gallery tours inspired by the current art exhibitions. All ages welcome.
College of Liberal Arts, 4310, 5 p.m.
West Village Commons, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Van Bokkelen Auditorium, Room 204, 9 a.m.
Center for the Arts Atrium, Noon to 4 p.m.
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Opinion
April 9, 2019
Keep Obamacare BRIAN SMITH Columnist
This week, President Donald Trump officially stated that he may pause efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act until after 2020. The announcement comes after many years of political opposition to the legislation since its enactment in 2010. Now, nine years on, Republicans have remained unsuccessful at repealing it despite controlling all major branches of government and seem to have no effective plan in place. So why this sudden change in tone from a president who made repealing this law a top priority on his campaign trail? To further examine this question, we must first recognize what this law has done to help millions of people, along with the many Republican efforts to repeal it. For starters, it should be noted that Obamacare has provided affordable health insurance to some twenty-million Americans. Through taxing big insurance companies and top one percent earners, the Affordable Care Act has successfully made good care at a fair price a reality for many impoverished Americans. Additionally, Obamacare added provisions that make it so individuals with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied health insurance because they are already sick or have certain health issues. Furthermore, this law makes it so that kids can remain on their parent’s insurance plans until they are 26 years old. This is so young people straight out of college can begin paying off loans and settling down before going into an open enrollment period of 60 days where they can find an insurance plan that best suits them. Despite the many benefits this law has proven to offer, Republicans have remained adamant to repeal it. This is due to the hysteria around the idea of socialized medicine in America. However, what Republicans fail to acknowledge is that repealing the Affordable Care Act would actually increase the deficit, something Obamacare never did despite providing government subsidized healthcare. Originally, Republicans offered the idea of “repeal and replace,” however, after many years of failing to sell Americans on their detrimental replacement plans, they instead
simplified this effort by just trying to repeal the law. Still, many moderate Republicans joined Democrats in blocking these attempts, which would strip coverage from millions and end the provisions that have gained public support such as covering pre-existing conditions and the 26 year old age limit. In 2017, Republicans passed “The American Healthcare Act of 2017,” otherwise known as “Trumpcare.” Rather than fix what they called a broken system, this bill instead stripped an estimated 22 million people of healthcare by getting rid of individual and employer mandates. Additionally, Trumpcare hiked premiums on older Americans at a rate of five times more than their younger counterparts. To pay for this legislation, Republicans will cut nearly $834 billion in Medicaid over 10 years that assists many Americans in paying for a variety of needed medical services obtained under Obamacare. So, instead of the repeal and replace plan that Republicans have promised for years, all that has been achieved are a variety of partial repeals of Obamacare provisions and various cuts in services that many Americans depend on. Rather than cutting premium costs, Republican policy has instead led to a greater gap in healthcare inequality and raised premiums for those who weren’t already kicked off their insurance plans under Trumpcare. With such a botched effort at Republican healthcare reform, it’s no wonder moderates have shied away from any full repeal on Obamacare. This is because many Americans like the idea of covering pre-existing conditions, providing a more certain future for their kids, and having access to needed medications that may otherwise be unaffordable. Before Republicans can even discuss repealing Obamacare, they should get serious about bringing real solutions to the table, and offer Americans a realistic alternative. With all the damage that Trumpcare has caused, it’s no wonder Republicans don’t want to discuss healthcare any further until after the 2020 election. After all, stripping affordable healthcare away from millions of Americans and adding to the deficit is not a solid platform message to stand on.
Speak Out on Day of Silence SAMUEL SMITH Columnist
Trigger warning for harassment, bullying, transphobia and homophobia. This Friday, April 12, 2019, thousands, if not millions, of students will take a vow of silence for the entire school day to protest harassment and bullying of LGBT+ students. There are participants in universities, high schools and it’s even gaining traction in middle schools. So, what are my feelings on Day of Silence? They’re mixed. On the one hand, I went to high schools that weren’t exactly the most LGBT+ friendly. I participated in my freshman, junior and senior years, but not my sophomore year because that high school was too hostile. The years I did see people participate, seeing not only my LGBT+ peers, but also cis and straight allies participating in Day of Silence gave me a sense of hope that there were allies at my school, that there were people to back us up if someone who hated us just for our existence targeted us. Then it came to the rest of the year, where my LGBT+ peers and friends were bullied, harassed and even discriminated against due to our gender identities or sexual orientations. I saw the way these “allies” were silent when students were bullied or harassed, or even partook in little agressions, like cracking homophobic or transphobic jokes, not making an effort to get someone’s pronouns right, or straight up trying to police an LGBT+ person’s identity. But, I think about all the days me and my friends were silent. When we had to be silent at homophobic and transphobic jokes. When we had to hear slurs used casually in conversation, or worse, hurled at us. When we found power in these slurs, only to be shut down by their continued usage. When we were told we couldn’t go in the bathroom we wanted, that we were only allowed in one bathroom, in the office, away from all our classes,
and we did so without complaint, because complaint could mean getting harassed even more. When we were told that’s what you should expect, being transgender, and just use the teacher bathroom to avoid conflict. When we were harrassed in the men’s room or women’s room, and we were silent, because we didn’t know what the world had in store for us. When the only transgender girl in school wore a bobby pin and was bullied for it, but stayed silent for fear of worse harassment. When a friend and her girlfriend were silent as a teacher harassed them for holding hands. When the teachers who misgender, deadname and harass us were not spoken to and continued to harass us even after we went up the ladder. When we tried to speak out, and speak up, but were silenced. I think back to all the stuff the LGBT+ community at my high schools (I went to three high schools) faced. I think about the fact that this doesn’t go away after high school. That jokes at the expense of our identities are still cracked, to our face. That we still can’t always use the bathroom we want because it doesn’t quite feel like a safe space. That we can’t always hold hands in public, because we’re too tired to deal with what’s at best going to be ugly stares. That friends and colleagues have to hide their identity in order to have a place to sleep at night. That some friends and colleagues don’t even have a place to sleep at night. And still, we are silent, because speaking up could mean someone listens, or someone makes it worse, and we can’t afford to risk it. Think about everyone silenced, and think about ways you can speak up this Friday. If you’re LGBT+, think about ways you can speak
up, even if it’s going from silent to a whisper. If you’re a straight or cisgender ally, think about ways you can use your privilege to help the LGBT+ community, especially on campus, and think about how you can speak up when you see or hear harassment or bullying. When I think about speaking up, I think about my little brother, who’s coming into his own LGBT+ identity (I won’t name his specific identity for privacy concerns and because I frankly don’t know). I think about the bullying he faces at school for being LGBT+. He’s a middle schooler, and yet children his age are cognisant enough of hatred and bias to throw slurs at him. I can’t help but parallel his experiences to my own. As much as I’d love for him to have better experiences, to be treated with warmth and kindness, r a t h e r than coldness and rejection, I know it’s a long road ahead for him. But, when I see that my old high school is still doing Day of Silence, when I can truthfully tell him, comparing my middle school, high school and university experiences, that it can and often will get better, that brings me hope. Seeing more and more kids, and younger and younger kids participating in events like Day of Silence and Gay Straight Alliances (or Gender/Sexuality Alliances as my final high school called it), that brings me hope. We must speak out for those who can’t. If you can’t speak out directly, speak out in your own way. Write about your experiences. Document them. Go to protests and parades. Write anonymous blog posts. Support and uplift your LGBT+ friends and colleagues. Do what you can to speak up against silence and injustice, not just on Day of Silence, but every. Single. Day.
Opinion
April 9, 2019
Life after graduation
Next steps in adulting RAQUEL ALFARO Columnist
Spring graduation is approaching, so it can be nerve-racking for new graduates, to figure out the next steps in adulting. Go with the Flow It’s common for new graduates to get into a mindset of needing their lives figured out when college ends. Let graduation sink in first. You’ve made it through years of schooling treat yourself to a mini vacation or celebration. H o w e v e r, taking full advantage of being a new g r a d can be beneficial when seeking e mp l oy m e n t because companies are always looking to hire. At the end of the day, does anyone really have things figured out? Utilize Connections Throughout schooling, teachers encourage attending network functions, joining clubs and getting involved on campus in any way. Connections help when trying to get a career or opportunities, so be kind to everyone and never burn bridges because you never know how it’ll impact your future. Additionally, internships are
“
a good way to get opportunities because companies evaluate your work ethic and when people succeed, they offer new grad opportunities. Cherish Every Moment Don’t forget the memories, good or bad, because these moments played a role in shaping you. Take it day by day. Eventually, things will fall into place. The real world has numerous opportunities to offer. It just takes finding one that fits best with you. Taking time to figure out any passions, goals and ambitions to tackle will determine what jobs will make you happy in the long run. Most importantly, go at your own pace because as cliché as it sounds, what is meant to be will be. Expectations Being a new grad can be stressful because applying to jobs is competitive. Having an open mind is a skill to learn to love because some people will land their dream jobs right away and others won’t. Just know that jobs are what people make of it. If an opportunity arises, take it because it can lead to other opportunities. In all, new grads have spent years in classes, dorms and formed relationships. Adulthood is just a few months away and these tips will help when transitioning into the real world.
Take it day by day. Eventually, things will fall into place. The real world has numerous opportunities to offer. It just takes finding one that fits best with you. RAQUEL ALFARO Columnist
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News
April 9, 2019
Off-campus murder alarms students Students perceive on-campus safer than surrounding area MARY-ELLEN DAVIS News Editor @Mel_Davis_1998
KARUGA KOINANGE Editor-in-Chief
Towson University graduate Daniel Coverston was murdered at just 22 years old a decade ago in his Towson apartment in the 7000 block of Lachlan Circle. Now, 10 years after his unsolved murder, another murder has occurred in that area. On Friday, March 29 at approximately 9:43 a.m., the Towson University Police Department (TUPD) became aware of an off-campus homicide in the 6900 block of Lachlan Circle. The Baltimore County Police Department (BCoPD) responded to a call for a victim on the ground in that area and later identified the victim as Dennis Joseph Buckley. Former TU student Khalil Zakee Yeldell was arrested last Friday as a suspect in the murder. Though many students say they generally feel safe on campus, this recent murder heightens some students’ concerns that being off campus in Towson offers a higher safety risk. “The problem isn’t Towson University,” said Silas Taylor, a senior psychology major and Towson Place resident. “The problem is outside and all of the things on the periphery.” TU Chief of Police Charles Herring said that students are more prone to crime off campus.
“You are five to six times more likely to be a victim of a crime off our campus and in the general area of Baltimore County than you are on our campus,” Herring said. According to Herring, TUPD has a Memorandum of Understanding with BCoPD stating that TUPD’s current jurisdiction includes the University’s campus, surrounding streets and any USM property that is leased, rented or owned. Anything that does not fit that description falls under the jurisdiction of BCoPD. “We meet regularly with the county to review the terms of the MOU and also the jurisdictional boundaries and we try to adjust them as we need to,” Herring said. University Communications sent a campus-wide message Friday night on behalf of Towson University President Kim Schatzel updating the TU community on the recent murder. “We remain committed to doing everything possible to keep our Towson University community safe,” Schatzel said in the message. “I want to thank the Towson University Police Department for their work toward that most important priority for us all.” Bayann Amer, a sophomore law and American civilization major and Donnybrook Apartments resident, stopped by the murder scene on the morning of March 29 when police were investigating the area. “I was pretty concerned because it was a murder,” Amer said. “I was nervous to be there.”
Amer said she feels safe walking on campus because of the blue light emergency phones, which are scattered across campus and allow students to contact TUPD. But she has different thoughts about Donnybrook. “Sometimes, I go visit my friend who lives on Garden Road,” Amer said. “I’ll leave her apartment late and get scared to walk, so I hold my pepper spray in my hands.” Despite concerns about off campus safety, TU has a good reputation among a number of students regarding on campus safety. “When I came to Towson I felt safe on campus,” said Rachel Wallace, a freshman psychology and sociology double major and Prettyman Hall resident. “Walking around, everyone was really friendly so I didn’t feel threatened.” In February of last year, Towson University ranked in the top 100 of the National Council for Home Safety and Security’s list of 2018’s safest college campuses. Just two years ago, Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) statistics showed that Towson University was the safest campus in the University System of Maryland. Towson University provides several resources like blue light emergency phones and phone apps in an effort to increase campus safety. According to Herring, the blue light emergency phones are placed so that, no matter where someone is on campus, there is always at least one visible
SAFETY TIPS: Be aware that crime can occur at any time and any place. Stay alert and attuned to people and circumstances around you. If on-campus, report any suspicious activity to TUPD by phone or by using any campus blue light phone. If off campus, dial 911. Stay in well-lit, well-traveled areas. Walk halfway between curbs and buildings, away from alleys, doorway entries and bushes. Travel in pairs. When in the residence hall never leave your room unlocked, even while making a short trip down the hall, taking a shower, or sleeping. When at clubs, bars, or drinking in groups be aware that someone could try to “spike” your drink. If your drink has been left unattended, discard it. Only accept drinks from the bartender or people you know and trust. For more safety tips, visit towson.edu Courtesy of towson.edu, Illustration by Victoria Nicholson/ The Towerlight
Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight
Former TU student Khalil Yeldell was arrested Friday as a suspect in the March 29 Lachlan Circle murder of Dennis Buckley. even at night. “People use them as a way to feel safe and secure when they’re on campus because they’re visible at night,” Herring said. “That’s why they have a big blue light on them.” Many of the blue lights also have CCTV cameras attached to provide TUPD with constant vision of campus. Maya Richard, a freshman dance and psychology double major and Douglass House resident, said she likes the blue lights and appreciates TUPD’s crime alerts, which are normally sent after a crime has already happened. Crime alerts are available to students through email and text messages. “It makes me feel good that I know they’re paying attention and reporting [crime] and keeping us all updated,” Richard said. TUPD also has the ability to see what users of the Safer Mobility phone app see when it has been activated, according to Herring. The app allows Towson community members to quickly get in touch with TUPD’s dispatch center with a “touch to call” button. The dispatch center is provided with a video and audio connection so officers can see and hear what the user does. A video connection, however, is only guaranteed if you are within the app’s geofence that surrounds the campus. Herring said that once outside the geofence, the app goes into 911 roaming mode and connects the user to the nearest 911 dispatch center as if they dialed 911. TUPD also provides safety services like Safe Walk. This allows students
walking alone to call a non-emergency number to get a uniformed officer to walk with them to their on-campus destination at any point during the day. Sophomore elementary education major and Towson Run resident Sam Harsel said that seeing TUPD patrol cars around campus is comforting. “I feel like there’s a lot of Towson police in the area, so that feels good,” Harsel said Despite a myriad of safety measures on campus, Herring said students must be proactive about staying safe too. Herring said that students should be sure to keep track of their items, making sure belongings don’t remain unattended. “The problem crime on campus for us – and that’s not to say it’s not the most serious but it’s the crime that occurs most regularly on campus – is theft,” Herring said. Herring said theft is often a crime of opportunity. When bags are left unattended in populated places like Cook Library or the University Union, it becomes easy for your items to become a target. Though TU is respected for its on-campus safety, Herring stressed that students should remain cautious about their surroundings no matter where they are. “Be aware of what you see,” Herring said. “If it doesn’t look right it probably isn’t right for you so call us. Go somewhere you feel safe.” TU community members can contact TUPD at 410-704-4444. TUPD is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
News
April 9, 2019
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Baltimore incinerator Exhibit raises assault awareness creates air pollution MARCUS WHITMAN Staff Writer
Towson University held its annual Environmental Conference Wednesday to highlight career, research, leadership and advocacy opportunities in environmental and sustainability focus areas. TU alumni Destiny Watford, this year’s keynote speaker, highlighted the impact that environmental injustices can have on the community. For Watford, one such injustice is the Baltimore Refuse Energy Systems Company incinerator, something she feels is one of the biggest issues in the community. Watford said that it creates one-third of the city’s air pollution. “To put that into perspective, there was an MIT study conducted in 2013 that showed that death related to air pollution in Baltimore City is higher than our homicide rate,” Watford said. “In spite of this, over 80% of what is burned at BRESCO could be recycled or
composted.” Sophomore Karlee Perry said that these statistics were captivating. “This was the most interesting because it was unfortunately something that was impacting me on such a personal level,” Perry said. “It was where I felt the most fire deep within, because it was something I could literally see, feel, and confirm.” Angela Ober, the Environmental Planner for the Office of Sustainability, feels that even though bringing up these topics of conversation are important, it can also be polarizing. “It’s hard to balance between feeling like your being preachy versus being truly being passionate about educating people about these efforts,” Ober said. “I think some people, I wouldn’t say don’t care, but once you start talking about things like climate change to them, some people are turned off [by] those topics.” - To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
AMANDA MURAYAMA Contributing Writer @amunders
The “What Were You Wearing? Weaving a New Narrative” art exhibition opened Thursday afternoon in Cook Library for the start of Sexual Assault Awareness Month with the goal of raising awareness about sexual assault and victim blaiming. The art project originated at the University of Arkansas in 2013 by Jen Brockman, Director of University of Arkansas Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center, and Mary A. WyandtHierbert, who oversees all the programming initiatives at the University of Arkansas’ rape education center. The poem “What I Was Wearing” by Mary Simmerling inspired the installment, which has since been featured at several other schools. Julie Potter, a Towson University associate professor in the theatre department, and TU alum Molly Cohen saw the exhibits being done at other universities and loved it. They brought it to TU for the first time this year and altered it to incorporate local stories throughout
Isabelle Bartolomeo/ The Towerlight
The “What Were You Wearing?: Weaving a New Narrative” exhibition opened Thursday to combat sexual assault victim blaming. history, adding the “Weaving a New Narrative” portion. “We added Weaving a New Narrative because I feel like this was like five years ago that the first one was done and we’ve been doing some good work in this area of raising awareness and starting to see that this is really a misconception that the victims have anything to do with it,” Potter said. According to Potter, the exhibition includes eight local stories of sexual assault along with the replicas of clothing of victims in the Baltimore community throughout history dating from the
mid 1800s to the present. The variation in clothing and similarities among their stories demonstrates the clothing of the victims never had anything to do with their attack. Potter and Cohen accumulated the stories by sifting through roughly 200 archived articles from the Baltimore Sun, picking ones they felt were most relevant. Then, they conducted interviews of prior Towson University students and community members to get modern stories. - To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
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Arts & Life
Bareilles back from Broadway Trendy TU graduates TIMOTHY COFFMAN Columnist
Sara Bareilles’ career has been on the upswing for some time now. Since she broke onto the music scene as a pop singer with singles like “Love Song” and “King of Anything,” she has held up a track record for having consistent pop gems across her discography. In the past few years, she also wrote the music for the Broadway show “Waitress” along with partaking in the NBC special of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” After a few years pursuing other musical ventures, how does Bareilles’s pop expertise hold up with time? The first thing that jumps out at you about “Amidst the Chaos” is the writing. The experience on Broadway has rubbed off on Bareilles on songs like “Fire” and “Armor,” both of which show an emotional gravitas that can only come from work in the theater. The lyrics have also taken a step up on this record. Many songs in the track listing like “Orpheus” and “Poetry by Dead Men” tackle breakups in a mature and experienced manner
that isn’t seen that often from typical pop stars. There is also a nostalgic look into the days of innocence on the song “Miss Simone,” which has a great bounce to it while staying at a very slow tempo. But at this point, the album does have its fair share of problems. Aside from the tracks previously mentioned, the other tracks on the album blend together in a blasé fashion. Though none of the other tracks are what I’d call bad, they don’t have as much of a replay value as the main songs. This made the album somewhat bloated even
though it’s only 12 tracks. If this were a concise record, I would be way more forgiving of the forgettable tracks. This was somewhat disappointing towards the end of the record with Bareilles’ duet with John Legend, “A Safe Place to Land.” These musicians do well when left to their own devices, but their collaboration on this record doesn’t come close to what they were doing in “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Also, the production on this record doesn’t do the songs any favors. - To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
Courtesy of nypost.com
Bareilles’ latest album, “Amidst the Chaos,” catched listeners up on the singer’s journey since her early 2000s “Love Song” glory.
Local band drops new single TIMOTHY COFFMAN Columnist
Water Taxi is a local band out of Westminster, Maryland and they have just released their new single called “Closely.” This band has a unique take on the typical pop formula you expect in the charts. These guys seem to be much more R&B influenced in their delivery. The guitars’ clean tone is what really gives the song its jump. Though it doesn’t play anything particularly flashy, the guitar work serves the song in exactly the right way. The R&B instrumentation calls to mind the great R&B from the late 90s and early 2000s like D’Angelo or the New Renaissance of Soul sound that we’re getting with artists like Anderson Paak. The singer of Water Taxi also gives an exquisite performance on
this track because of her soft-spoken demeanor and her ability to use her voice to subtly weave the song together. Even though the guitar may be the heart of this song, the vocals are the glue that help the whole thing come together beautifully. However, for a song that borrows a lot from R&B, the vocal sound is not necessarily a belter that you’d expect from the best of R&B. It doesn’t take away from the track in any way though. This song’s lyrics seem to aim for a feeling of intimacy, and the soft tone of her voice really help to bring those feelings across. The song does have a few subtle inflections that don’t work in its favor. One part of it comes from the production, which was through I.D. Labs in Pittsburgh, who have hosted acts like Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa. I do see a strong correlation between those artists’ sounds and this song. Some of those production techniques come together a bit clunkily. For example, the drums in this mix seem a bit too polished for my liking.
With a song that is centered around love and intimacy, the drums’ electronic sheen does seem to be a bit distracting from the rest of the track. For a lot of these slow-jam style tracks, it does make sense logistically to have a processed drum sound so that it doesn’t take away from the feeling of the track. But the one thing that R&B prides itself on is the emphasis on the groove, and when the groove is a bit too precise, it can be a bit detrimental to the overall sound of the record. While the guitar more than makes up for maintaining the groove, this song could have been even more amazing if the drums were a bit more organic in the mix. All things considered, there is a lot of potential for Water Taxi because of their unique sound. The world will never run out of fantastic slow-jams, but Water Taxi have come out with a sensual vocal and an unforgettable guitar part. This is a band that you should keep your ear close to the ground for. I can see these guys going big places in the future.
KERRY INGRAM Arts & Life Editor @Glaminista08
Raise your hand if you have been functioning with a terrible case of senioritis this entire semester (*raises both arms without hesitation). My time here at Towson is quickly coming to a close, and that means a graduation-themed Trendy Tiger was only inevitable. How can graduating be “trendy,” you may be asking? Well, if you doubt the trendiness of owning a diploma, just ask Olivia Jade and all the other individuals involved in the college admissions scandal why they were willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for one. In honor of all that will be a part of the Class of 2019, or for those who want to get in on some spring trends regardless, here are some things you can do to prepare for your graduation in the most stylishly-studious ways possible. GRAD CAP: This is one of the most important aspects of your graduation (besides your actual degree, of course). Having the freedom to decorate your graduation cap is something not all schools allow, so the fact that Towson supports this is a big win for us. Try to pick a theme that either cleverly relates to your major or ties into something humorous and trendy today. I am currently deciding between a “thank u, next” cap, a cap with the avocado-boy from Vine that says “A diploma...thankssss” or something journalism related. My advice for this is to go with something that makes you laugh and holds relevance. If push comes to shove, a “The Office” or “Parks & Rec” reference will always be a grand choice. GRAD OUTFIT: This aspect matters a little less than the first, especially since it’ll be covered during your
actual graduation. Feel free to tap into the spring/summer 2019 fashion trends, whether it be rocking a little bit of neon, lace or fun prints. Most female-identifying graduates go with dresses for this occasion, but if there’s one thing I’ve seen plenty of in the past year, it’s female #bosses wearing the most stylish looking suits and making them glam with a cute shoe. For my male-identifiers, formal and casual fashion has become even more normalized, with guys wearing structured clothing with trendy sneakers. Whatever you choose, just make sure you’re two parts glam and comfortable. This is your day - don’t make choices for anyone else but yourself! GRAD BEAUTY/GROOMING: Keep things simple here. Nothing hurts my soul more than someone who decides to dawn bright colorful eyeshadow for school spirit during a graduation. Your weekends at homecoming games are gone; stick to neutral makeup that glams you up to look like the best version of your regular self. And for my non-makeup wearers, just make sure to hit up the basics: well-kept hair, good hygiene... you know, something that would be “LinkedIn Headshot” approved. GRAD PICS: This is something I’m definitely excited for. Your grad pics are going to turn out great as long as you follow this simple formula: you living your best life + a setting that holds relevance to your college career + a prop that describes your major or you = a cute, just-cheesy-enough senior picture. Just save the soft smiles for another time; my friends still won’t let me live down my high school senior pics for that. I wasn’t #trendy back then. GRAD GIFTS: So you know how I shared my excitement for some of the previous parts of graduating? - To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
Courtesy of Jasmine Anderson
Arts & Life Editor Kerry Ingram is now one month away from her graduation from Towson University’s mass comm. department.
Arts& Life
April 9, 2019
Dumbo flies high in theaters MATT MCDONALD Columnist
“Dumbo” is the latest of the Disney live-action remakes to hit theaters. Directed by Tim Burton, this adaptation tells the charming story of a misfit elephant born into the circus, whose ears are triple the size of a regular elephant’s ears. At first, the ring-leader of the circus, Max Medici, played by Danny DeVito, outcasts and even threatens to get rid of him, but once he sees the elephant’s hidden ability of flight, he makes Dumbo the star of the show. For me, this remake wasn’t overly thrilling. This is where I started to question whether these remakes should continue or not. On one hand, it is very cool to relive the classic animated features and see them literally come to life. On the other hand, if there isn’t really a new take or nuance
to the story, it just feels like the same exact movie over again and feels like there may not have been a point to doing it at all. It’s tough, because so far I’ve really liked the live-actions. By no means is this a bad movie, it was just basic. This film’s big flaw for me was that it’s really by the numbers. Again, it’s hard considering they are remaking a movie that was made in the ‘40s. To its credit, the writers do add something new to the plot, with Dumbo becoming so famous, a rich entrepreneur by the name of V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton) takes the whole circus in to incorporate the flying elephant into one of his acts in a giant circus-amusement park hybrid named “Dreamland.” Other than this, the entire movie is basically a series one after another of scenes in which Dumbo sees a feather, debates whether to fly, and then flies or fails. It seemed so short to me, and where I thought we were at the midpoint of the movie, it was almost the climax scene.
Regarding the acting, I thought it was 50/50. Most of the actors were pretty good, including DeVito and Colin Farrell. However, I thought the kids, the daughter in particular, were very flat characters, played stiffly and only there for exposition. Additionally, as much as I love Keaton, he was way over-the-top in his character. Burton’s signature technique is grim and/or over-the-top aesthetics and characters, but here, I don’t think it worked. It just made for a cartoonish representation of a character whose goal is, like most villains, money. - To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
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Disney’s latest live-action, “Dumbo,” showcases the entertainment giant’s classic elephant in an all-new, lifelike dimension.
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Sports
April 9, 2019
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Tigers maul stags in caa victory Towson uses runs in opening and closing quarters to beat Fairfield on the road JOHN HACK Staff Writer @johnhack10
Utilizing an opportunistic performance and a strong final five minutes minutes in the opening quarter, Towson’s Saturday afternoon trip to Connecticut proved worthwhile as the Tigers defeated Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) foe Fairfield University 14-7 at Rafferty Stadium. After snapping their three-game losing streak last week, the Tigers looked to continue that momentum into their first road CAA match of the year. “I thought the first quarter, we came out ready to play,” said Head Coach Shawn Nadelen. A first quarter in which senior attacker Brendan Sunday and
junior midfielder Brody McLean contributed a pair of goals to give the Tigers (7-3, 2-0 CAA) a 5-0 lead entering the second quarter. “I thought we were doing some good things offensively, pumping in some goals,” Nadelen said. “Defensively, we were pretty organized. [Tyler] Canto helped us out with some pretty nice saves when [Fairfield] got looks.” Canto, the junior goalie, who was pulled late in the second quarter last week after giving up six goals on eight shots, was quick to rebound this week as he stopped all four of the Stags’ (5-6, 0-2 CAA) first quarter shots on cage. Despite its fast start, Towson faced some bumps in the road as Fairfield scored three straight goals in the second quarter.
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ty, followed by Sunday just 43 sec“I was really disappointed in that onds later, extending the lead to 9-4. second quarter,” Nadelen said. “We In addition to their display of just didn’t do a great job staying quick-strike offensive focused and taking prowess, the Tigers care of the ball.” excelled at respondNevertheless, the Tigers were able to Defensively, we were ing to goals allowed. Fairfield scored in extinguish some of pretty organized. the third quarter to the fire brought on by [Tyler] Canto helped get within four, but the Stags with senior midfielder Timmy us out with some Sunday scored five Monahan striking pretty nice saves seconds later. Senior midfielder early in the period. SHAWN NADELEN Alex Woodall had Redshirt sophoHead Coach another strong permore attacker Luke formance at the face-off dot, winning Fromert, who scored with just three 21 of 25 face-offs for Towson. seconds remaining in the half, gave “Between Alex winning face-offs the Tigers a three-goal cushion and then Tyler [Canto] made some heading into halftime. really key saves in transition when Towson kept its momentum going they had really good looks, he was in the third quarter, with Monahan able to shut the door, which was big scoring on an extra man opportuni-
for us,” Nadelen said. The Tigers capped off a convincing victory with a three-goal run in the fourth quarter that put the game away for good. Next, the Tigers look to stay undefeated in conference play as they return to Johnny Unitas Stadium to host the University of Massachusetts. Towson looks for revenge against UMass, the team that beat them in the CAA Championship last season. “We want to carry the momentum at what we built these first couple games and understand that UMass brings back everybody from last year and is playing at a really high level,” Nadelen said. “We gotta continue to play a little bit smarter and be a little bit more organized defensively.”
gearing up for the homestretch The focus shifts to conference play after the Tigers drop two games last week GLENN KAPLAN Staff Writer
Although its non-conference slate of games did not go to plan, Towson looked to reverse the course in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play against No. 10 James Madison at Johnny Unitas Stadium on Sunday afternoon. It wouldn’t bode well for the Tigers (2-9, 0-1 CAA) as the Dukes won 11-7. The Tigers gave up three quick goals early in the match, making it difficult to get back into the game. “Overall, our defense had a valiant effort today,” said Head Coach Sonia LaMonica. “[There’s] a few things we can do better, but ultimately our slow start on the offensive end put us behind the 8 ball in the first half.” The Tigers struggled to get any-
thing going offensively, scoring just once in the first half when freshman attacker Kerri Thornton punched in a goal with 7:06 remaining. James Madison (10-3, 2-0 CAA) took a 5-1 lead going into halftime. In the second half, Towson found the back of the net six times, including three goals from senior attacker Natalie Sulmonte and two from sophomore attacker Kaitlin Thornton. “Nat and Kaitlin are great finishers,” LaMonica said. “Against zone defenses, these goals are less about individual play and more about team offense. When we work as a unit to move and pull zone defenses, players like them get better looks to the get which translate to goals.” However, the defense allowed six goals in the second half as the Tigers failed to tighten down. “I’m focusing our team on the
small victories within,” LaMonica said. “We played a way cleaner game compared to earlier this week, limiting unforced errors. That’s a mental win. If we can bring the offensive game up to speed, particularly in the first half, we will be hard to beat through conference play.” On Tuesday night at Johnny Unitas Stadium, Towson struggled offensively again in a 10-3 loss against the No.19 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. “We gotta build on our bright spots,” said Head Coach Sonia LaMonica. “We gotta simply do a better job of learning from errors, not repeating our mistakes over and over and over again.” Within the first minute of the game, Towson trailed 1-0, but Sulmonte tied the game a minute later. She now holds a team-high 28 goals on the season. - To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com
Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight
Freshman attacker Molly Lynch drives to the net in the team’s loss to Johns Hopkins last week. Towson hosts two games this weekend.
14 April 9, 2019
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tigers sweep the weekend Winners of seven of its last eight, Towson is getting more attention CYAN THOMAS Staff Writer
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Towson dominated in four games this past week, toppling UNC Wilmington 4-3, Delaware State 5-1, Drexel 4-3, and UMES 7-0. On Sunday, the Tigers (10-11, 3-1 CAA) first faced off against Drexel (9-9, 1-3 CAA) and stole the doubles point after a win from senior Yevgeniya Shusterman and sophomore Alexa Martinez. Towson stumbled during the singles matches, but freshman Phoebe Collins’ straight set win kept the team in contention. “Against Drexel we lost three straight singles to go down 3-2 after being up 2-0,” said Head Coach Jamie Peterson. “Phoebe Collins pulled out a big win to keep us in the match and then Themis Haliou clinched the match in a three-set win.” A hard-fought three-set match won
by Haliou gave Towson the singles point and the victory over Drexel 4-3. Then, the Tigers faced off against the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (0-9, 0-4 MEAC). The doubles team of senior Lucy Gloninger and junior Claire Bedi won in a decisive 6-0 match, and the freshman duo of Amelia Lawson and Jessica Assenmacher won 6-3 to nail down the doubles point. The Tigers were up 2-0 going into the singles matches due to UMES being down a player. Bedi, Glonginger, and Martinez all defeated their opponents in straight sets. Freshman Mia Douglass rounded out the singles play for the Tigers with a straight sets win to give Towson the victory over UMES. On Friday, the Tigers persevered to defeat UNCW (8-10, 2-2 CAA) for the first time in the team’s history, which thrilled Peterson. - To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com
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Sports
April 9, 2019
Spencer Alexander Men’s Golf Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight
Freshman Hayley Horvath clears the bar in the pole vault event at the Towson Invitational at Unitas Stadium on Saturday. Horvath set a new school record with a clearance of 4.05 meters in the event.
Tigers take the gold School records set in first place finish at home MUHAMMED WAHEED Assistant Sports Editor @MuhammedKWaheed
The Tigers won the Towson Invitational with 219 points at Johnny Unitas Stadium on Saturday morning. The field and throwing athletes put on strong performances. “One thing we discussed was the fact that April was going to be our best month,” said Head Coach Mike Jackson. “Typically, because we have such a young team, it takes a lot of time to get to the performance that you really want and I think we are able to accomplish that yesterday.” Freshman Crystal Johnson placed first in the 100-meter dash, timing 11.77 seconds. “[She’s] just very competitive,” Jackson said. “Honestly, being at home gives you an extra boost, and she definitely did not disappoint.” Freshman Shamika Burton took second in the 100-meter dash with a collegiate-best time of 12 seconds. The first place 4x100-meter relay team of seniors Arianna Waller and Liz Reid, Johnson and Burton fin-
ished with a season-best time of 46.15 seconds. Freshman Hayley Horvath won the pole vault with a clearance of 4.05 meters, setting a new school record. “We had a good idea she was going to have a chance to win, and then she was able to set a new school record in the pole vault,” Jackson said. “She continues to get better and better every week.” Junior Victoria Jones-Alleyne finished first in the 100-meter hurdles, clocking 13.96 seconds. Sophomore Shelby Francis was the victor in the 400-meter hurdles with a collegiate-best time of 1:01.50. Freshman Alexandria Kitchell, Francis, sophomore Paige Keefer and Reid timed 3:48.20 to win the 4x400-meter relay. Freshman Olivia Janke finished first in the 1,500-meter, timing 4:39.31, resulting in an all-time top 10 performance for Towson. Senior Abby Gauthier timed 11:42.69, securing a win in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Freshmen Ani Boghassian-James and Starr Stover both cleared 1.62 meters with Boghassian-James win-
ning the event after a jump off. Junior Michella Obijiaku won the shot put with a toss of 15.21 meters and took second place in the hammer throw with a personal-best toss of 54.66-meters Senior Phontavia Sawyer’s throw of 45.10 meters secured first place in the discus throw while her toss of 15.02 meters captured second place in the shot put. Freshman Georgia Coleman took third with a personal-best toss of 52.31 in the hammer throw. “Some of them were very memorable,” Jackson said. “The hammer went great. [I’m] seeing the best from Michella Obijiaku and Georgia Coleman, [who] threw a huge personal best and will have a chance to make it to the USA under-20 Championships.” Towson’s next competition is the Johns Hopkins and Loyola Invitational set for Friday, April 12 in Baltimore with events beginning at 10 a.m. “I think we’ll build on what we were able to do yesterday and move higher and higher up the conference rankings,” Jackson said.
Junior Spencer Alexander led the Tigers to a third place finish at the Towson Invitational at Prospect Bay Country Club over the weekend. Alexander finished third individually with five birdies and one eagle in the tournament. Towson finished tied for first in the team standings before a tiebreaker placed the Tigers in third overall.
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