The Vindicator- March 2021

Vindicator Cleveland State University’s Arts and Culture Magazine

MAR 2021

WONDER WOMEN Throughout American Histor y

+

Celebrating Trans Women

17

MAR

MARCH 2021

what’s in this issue?

3

Check Us Out Online

4

Calendar

5

Letter from the Editor

6

Meet Our Contributors

Arts 7

Weird and Wonderful WandaVision

by ERIC SEITZ

9

The Bechdel Wallace Test In 2021

by LYNN NICHOLS

23

WONDER WOMEN

THROUGHTOUT AMERICAN HISTORY

BY MEGAN MULLALY

Culture 11

The History of Women’s Month

by CLAUDIA UGBANA

Beauty + Wellness 27

When Your Feeling Overwhelmed

by LAUREN KOLESZAR

29

Essential Stretches For Any Remote Learner

by SAMRA KARAMUSTAFIC

31

Not your Average Period Panties: Joyja Review

by ABIGAIL PREISZIG

Social 33

Modern Feminine Feats

by MEGAN BARANUK

CELEBRATING TRANS WOMEN

35

15 Apple Arcade Games Reviewed In One Sentence

by ERIC SEITZ

BY MAX TORRES

13

Poetry 37

Flint

by ANABEL BACH

39

Foray into the Opal Night

by ERIKA GIFFORD

COMMUNITY FRIDGE CLEVELAND

BY ABIGAIL PREISZIG

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 2

EDITOR’S LETTER

CHECK US OUT ONLINE

REVAMP YOUR LIFE THIS SPRING

THE VINDI.COM

“Celebrate the refreshing and transformative energy of this season with a few simple habits that you can throw into your day-to-day routine. ” — SAMRA KARAMUSTAFIC

THE VINDI.COM

Women’s Empowerment “This will continue to change people,” she said. “Hopefully in a positive way and make women and young girls and even more seasoned women feel their power.” — TYISHA BLADE THE VINDI.COM

Seven Pillars Design Co. “How a love for creativity and

#VindiAsks: What are your plans for the summer?

helping people turned into an epiphany that led this CSU alum to start her own business.”— JILLIAN VANDYKE

12% SCHOOL

63% WORK

@vindi_csu stay up-to-date with all things Vindi on Instagram

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25% TRAVEL Follow us on social media to participate in our next poll! @VINDI_CSU

MARCH 2021

w h a t’s h a p p e n i n g i n

M A R C H 3/24 Trivia Night

Social Justice Trivia Night Join URGE (Unite for Rproductive and Gender Equality) for our social justice trivia night! The event will be fun AND educational with the opportunity to win prizes!

3/26 Virtual West African Dance Class

Have fun with the entire family with this West African Dance Workshop with Djapo Cultural Arts Institute that brings together community for Women’s History Month. Djapo is a Wolof word meaning “come together.”

6PM-7PM, VIRTUAL, FREE 6:30PM–7:30PM, VIRTUAL, FREE

3/29 - 4/4 Cle Mac ‘n’ Cheese Week

Cleveland Mac ‘n’ Cheese Week is seven days of paying homage to the comfort food classic. Each participating restaurant will feature their own take on mac n’ cheese. Let your Mac ‘n’ Cheese Week Passport take you on a Cleveland exploration; map out your week, try new restaurants, challenge your taste buds, and share your experiences on social with other Cleveland mac ‘n’ cheese lovers.

3/27 Self Defense

Cle: Grl Pwr Self Defense Krav Maga Cleveland bringing you the ultimate empowering self-defense and all things GRL PWR event! Think upbeat fun getting down and dirty for things like bear hugs, choke holds and more! Feel like a badass!.

1PM–3PM, WARRENSVILLE HTS, $15

3PM–12AM, DOWNTOWN, $5

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 4

EDITOR’S LETTER

The Cleveland State Vindicator was founded as a Black student newspaper in January 1970.

FROM PAST

TO PRESENT

H

appy Women’s History Month! This issue is packed with articles centered around women, and we have plenty of content that centers around celebrating women. Some of our articles

include more information on the Bechdel-Wallace test (if

you don’t already know what that is, check it out now!), a list of recent female firsts, a photo spread on trans women and our cover story (written by Megan Mullaly) covers women who changed what it means to be a woman. These are all stories that you do not want to miss, and there’s plenty in between! New writer Abigail Preiszig writes a review on the Joyja period panties, and interviews the woman behind @communityfridgecle. I’m so excited for all of you to dig into our latest issue!

Megan Baranuk EDITOR–IN–CHIEF

5 | VINDICATOR

MARCH 2021

Faculty Advisor Julie Burrell Web Specialist Daniel Lenhart

MEET OUR

CONTRIBUTORS STAFF HEADS Megan Baranuk Editor–in–Chief

Megan Mullaly Managing Editor

Eric Seitz Copy Editor

Asha McClendon Art Director

Jillian VanDyke Asst. Art Director

Lauren Koleszar Features Editor

Courtney Byrnes Arts Editor

Lynn Nichols Culture Editor

Samra Karamustafic Beauty Editor

Claudia Ugbana Social Editor

Megann Rosecrans Online Content Editor

WRITERS Megan Baranuk Samra Karamustafic Eric Seitz Lynn Nichols

Max Torres Multimedia Manager

JUNIOR DESIGNERS Lauren Koleszar Megan Mullaly Abigail Preiszig Claudia Ugbana

Devin Benko Stefany Belasic Hannah Mosley Megan Mullaly

Jillian VanDyke Emily Williams Emma Splete

POETS

ARTISTS & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Anabel Bach Erika Gifford

Max Torres

Disclaimer The content of the Vindicator does not necessarily represent the opinions of Cleveland State University, its students, faculty, or staff: nor does it represent the members of the Vindicator staff or our advisors unless otherwise stated. The editor reserves the right to comment on any issue that affects the student body in general as well as the multicultural community at large. Letters to the editors and other submissions are accepted, however they must have the authors name, address, major if applicable, and telephone number. All submissions become property of the Vindicator and the Vindicator reserves the right to edit submissions as deemed necessary. Magazine and newspaper theft is a crime; limit one per person.

2121 Euclid Ave, MC 471, Cleveland, OH 44115 216–687–2118 THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 6

ARTS

WEIRD AND WONDERFUL

WandaVision

WRITTEN BY

Eric Sietz ILLUSTRATIONS BY

Asha McClendon The low-down on WandaVision and its implications on the MCU’s brave new world.

7 | VINDICATOR

A

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

WandaVision’s premise is cute — two Avengers

retro-style sitcom featuring an unequiv-

move to a suburban town and try to blend in, despite

ocally dead Avenger and his grieving girl-

their powers and unique characteristics. However,

friend was hardly the most anticipated

the premise is not what makes Marvel Studios’ first

series when Marvel Studios announced

foray into television so stellar. If WandaVision were

its slew of titles coming to Disney+. For

a cake, its sitcom premise would be the cake stand

many, it was not even not the least anticipated series

— a sturdy yet beautiful stand; one that will hold

(I said what I said). Furthermore, the show’s slow-

up the beautiful cake that sits on top of it; it’s not

burn rollout that had its first few episodes basking in

what you came for, but it sure does help make the

their sitcom-iness was met with mixed reviews.

experience a great one. After all, a cake would just

However, WandaVision’s arrival has made a cul-

be a pile of mush if it didn’t have a stand hoisting it

tural splash, trending on social media platforms

up. Watching those first three episodes and all their

like TikTok and Twitter and sweeping the world as

sitcom-y glory is what gave episode four its oomph.

Marvel Studios’ first offering since July 2019. More

Showing Monica get un-blipped in the hospital and

than halfway through its freshman season, Wanda-

then cutting to the Marvel Studios intro would have

Vision has proven that good things do in fact come

been less awe-inspiring if the show had already

to those who wait.

explained the goings-on of life outside Westview.

When episode four “We Interrupt This Program”

However, audiences go in blind, entering episode

broke from the show’s sitcom-with-a-dark-un-

four with only knowledge of life inside Wanda’s

derbelly format to explore the world outside of the

make-believe town.

sitcom, the audience promptly went — and I’m about

Episode four even nods to the silliness of the sitcom

to use a technical term here — absolutely bonkers.

with meta references from adorably relatable char-

WandaVision has struck the perfect balance between

acters Darcy and Agent Woo. Episode four’s genius

the reality-bent Westview and the characters outside

is rooted in its references to the bizzaro-coaster

trying to figure their way in, and the show’s new-

that the first three episodes just forced audiences

found alternating format displayed that this wasn’t

to endure. Agent Woo’s line sums it up perfectly:

the complete divergence from the MCU’s formula

“The universe created a sitcom about two Avengers?”

that audiences thought it was.

Yes, Jimmy. It did — the Marvel Cinematic Universe

MARCH 2021

hers and Vision’s hands, but the technology of the 1950’s was nowhere near what we see Wanda’s magic portrayed as now, so the scene features two clips bumped up against each other, flashing from a shot of their ringless hands to a shot of their hands with rings on them. The genuineness of that moment is hit home with the very visible fact that their hands are in slightly different spots when they have the rings on them.

The MCU is not afraid of altering the status quo (see Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers Infinity War), but its series like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Daredevil notoriously have little to no bearing on the heavy-hitting films that the MCU is known for. WandaVision proves that this is no longer the case: aAfter months of fans speculating whether the X-Men would arrive in the MCU, WandaVision shattered the wall that separated the two universes with a single cliffhanger scene at the end of episode five. This simple crossover cameo will have ripple-effects throughout the upcoming films from the studios. Further, WandaVision is the first in what is being called a “loose trilogy” story that also includes Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (in which Wanda will also appear) and the untitled third Spider-Man film.

Perhaps the show’s greatest feat, though, comes

created a sitcom about two Avengers. Darcy’s growing mirrors the audience’s own growing affection — though we were skeptical at first, wondering when the classic MCU magic would come into play, we’ve grown to love its cheesy sitcom format. For being a series that completely ignores much of the world around it, WandaVision is the MCU’s most fourthwall-breaking, meta-referencing, homage-paying

PHOTO CREDIT GOOGLE IMAGES

work that the studio has put out.

WandaVision is many things. One of its major attributes is that it’s a love letter to various eras of sitcom television. Episodes one and two wowed audiences with their attention to detail in creating sitcom episodes of the 50’s and 60’s that felt true to their respective eras.

The series’ music alone is unprecedented magic — Frozen songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez wrote the theme songs for every decade-themed episode so far. The result of mashing together of the MCU with sitcom television results in genius songwriting, complete with nods to the events of the MCU and nods to the state of the show’s plot at the time. The songs themselves are stellar works as well, complete with true-to-era instrumentation and vocals.

Further, the show progresses in its production technology as the decades advance — in episode one, Wanda uses her magic to put rings on both

in its ability to juggle a serious, MCU-level plot and

“

a sitcom plot at once, making them intertwine with one another as they go along. This is best evidenced in episode five: As Wanda’s fake world seems to be

WandaVision

crumbling around her, so too does the actual plot of the sitcom episode. The storyline of the twins convincing Wanda and Vision to let them adopt a dog

is the

feels truncated and clumsy, and this is on purpose —

MCU’s most fourth-wall-

as Vision grows suspicious of Wanda and as Agnes’s strange nature comes to the surface, the doomed dog storyline reflects Wanda’s descent into turmoil that she reaches at the end of the episode. Vision’s mistrust in her as well as her own guilt over her (presumed)

breaking,

misdoings not only causes poor Sparky to die, but

meta-

also makes her effort to teach her boys about the

referencing,

justify bringing Vision back to life in an attempt to

— work that

her boys that running from their grief is wrong?

the studio

of raising thought-provoking questions on morality,

permanence of death to fall flat — if Wanda could

“

affection for the sitcom midway through the episode

has put out.

run from her grief, what makes her qualified to tell The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a master-class duty, grief, and survival. WandaVision is simply the latest in a long line of stellar storytelling journeys.

I didn’t need more of an excuse to continue watching what Marvel has in store, but if you are looking for a reason, let WandaVision be it. It’s got, like, 80 reasons. In each episode.

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 8

ARTS

THE

BECHDEL

WALLACE TESTIN 2021 WRITTEN BY

Lynn Nichols

Examining the history and nuances of an iconic pop culture metric

S

iUr Modern film criticism often involves analysis of diversity and representation in the cast and plot. In these progressive discussions, most of us have heard of the Bechdel-Wallace test, more commonly

known as the Bechdel test. The Bechdel-Wallace test is the most well-known method of evaluating the way women are depicted in a film. As we continue to use it as the standard for feminist analysis, we should take the time to revisit the origins and impact of the Bechdel-Wallace test from the 1980s to the present.

The test is widely credited to Alison Bechdel, the cartoonist known for her graphic novel “Fun Home.”

The idea behind the test was described in Bechdel’s famous comic strip “Dykes to Watch Out For,” in print from 1983–2008. This conversation that would become the Bechdel test was first printed in an early installment from 1985 titled “The Rule.” Two characters walk through a movie theater and discuss their taste in film. One explains that she will only watch a movie if its script can fulfill “three basic requirements. One, it has to have at least two women in it who, two, talk to each other about, three, something besides a man.” When her friend observes that that sounds “pretty strict,” the first woman agrees, and remarks half-jokingly that she hasn’t been able to watch a movie since “Alien” (released 1979).

As feminists continued to discuss the strip through the years, many added the stipulation to rule number two that the two female characters must also have names. This version is reflected in the criteria for bechdeltest.com, an active database where users grade films according to the three requirements. As a quick glance at the recent pass/fail lists will show, surpris-

9 | VINDICATOR

ingly many contemporary films fall short of those standards more than thirty years later. According to the analysis and reviews at bechdeltest.com and mediaversityreviews.com, one third of the Best Picture nominees from the 2020 Academy Awards outright failed the test, while another third passed on narrow technicalities. Only “Jojo Rabbit,” “Little Women” and winner “Parasite” definitively passed with complex conversations between plot-significant, clearly named female characters.

The Bechdel test has taken on a life of its own in pop culture, which has led to some distance from Alison Bechdel’s original intentions. In a 2015 interview with NPR, she discussed the inspiration for “The Rule” and credited the idea to her friend Liz Wallace.

She continued that she would be “very happy” if the film fans and critics who use her test would call it the Bechdel-Wallace test instead. As Megan Garber wrote for The Atlantic, a test meant to highlight the importance of conversations between women should “recognize that dialogue” between Bechdel and Wallace in its name.

When we apply the Bechdel-Wallace test in film analysis, we must also keep in mind what exactly it is measuring. Some viewers and critics celebrate films that pass the test by using phrases like “passes the Bechdel test with flying colors,” essentially praising films as feminist because they meet the three requirements, but that misses the original point. The characters in “The Rule” are not discussing the films that they enjoy, nor the films that they find meaningful, but rather the films that are worth seeing in the first place. Considering its original context within a lesbian-centered comic strip, “The Rule” speaks to the alienation that women who love women experience when they don’t see any developed relationships between women in entertainment media. What

MARCH 2021

Bechdel conveys in the strip is that these standards

production team have two women in every depart-

ought to be the bare minimum, but so many films

ment. Meanwhile, director Lena Waithe’s test asks

can’t even go that far.

whether the film depicts a Black female character in

RELEASES THAT PASS THE BECHDELWALLACE TEST:

In recent years, many critics have elaborated on the

both a position of power and a healthy relationship.

dangers of assuming that the Bechdel-Wallace test

In the test by screenwriter Noga Landau, a film fails

indicates whether a film is feminist. Films may pass

if a central female character dies, becomes pregnant

the test for superficial reasons without actually cen-

or causes a problem in the story arc of a male lead.

tering women in the story. A conversation between

Finally, director Rachel Feldman proposes a scoring

friends about what to eat for dinner is enough to

system in which a film earns points for meeting cri-

pass the Bechdel-Wallace test. But if later in the film,

teria such as a female director, or a crew made up

one of these female characters dies to advance the

of at least 50 percent women. Of the top 50 releases

•

male lead’s story arc, the other one marries the lead,

from 2016, no one film could pass all 13 applied tests.

Happiest Season

and there are no other named women with speaking

When we consider all of the possible tests and

roles, we should still question whether it is an inclu-

scores, it becomes clear that no one test can measure

The High Note

sive, feminist film. Furthermore, as Anna Waletzko

a definitive best way to include women in film. That

points out in an article for HuffPost, a film can depict

is how we should approach the original from “The

•

a woman’s experiences and development in rich de-

Rule,” too. The ideas of Alison Bechdel and Liz Wal-

tail but still fail the test: if there are only two charac-

lace cannot singlehandedly end all of the misogyny

ters in the entire film, for example, and the other is a

and inequity in the film industry. But their work is

man. Used on its own, the Bechdel-Wallace test does

still meaningful because it introduces a framework

not account for intersectionality either. A film could

for thinking critically about representation and in-

pass the test and center women in the plot, but still

clusion. “The Rule” is valuable commentary on out-

fail to represent women from diverse racial, cultural

dated ideas about a woman’s place in the narrative.

and class backgrounds.

The Bechdel-Wallace test challenges us to consider

Recently, the Bechdel-Wallace test has inspired discourse about other metrics to evaluate the role of gender in film. In 2017, FiveThirtyEight compiled a list of alternative tests created by and named for women in the film industry. One by director and producer Kate Rees Davies requires simply that the film

our media from every angle and ask ourselves: who is included in the conversation?

Bill & Ted Face the Music • Emma.

• The Half of It

•

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom • The Old Guard

“

What Bechdel conveys in the strip is that these standards ought to be the bare minimum, but so can’t even

“

PHOTO CREDIT GOOGLE IMAGES

many films go that far.

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 10

CULTURE

THE HISTORY OF

WOMEN’S MONTH Claudia Ugbana A look into the history of why women are celebrated through the month of March

W

omen’s History Month is a celebration of women everywhere, along with their achievements and

contributions

to

society.

This month also serves as a re-

minder of the women who fought for several years and gained the rights for women to vote and hold positions in office. Most importantly, Women’s History Month serves as a symbol of how women have made — and continue to make — paramount additions all around the world.

The presidential proclamation of Women’s History Month was a long and courageous battle which took many years to achieve, and has evolved over time.

What began as a single day to acknowledge women across the world, was later turned into a week long celebration, before the month of March was officially dedicated to womankind.

Women’s history celebrations began as a local festivity in Santa Rosa, California, over four decades

11 | VINDICATOR

“

ago. In 1978, the Education Task Force of the

Women’s

Women’s Day: one day in the year dedicated to

History

cal women, men and children enthusiastically

Month is a

presentations that drew in hundreds of entries.

celebration of

parts of the country was simply not enough, so

women - their

proclamation official.

achievements

and historians lobbied for national recogni-

- contributions

when President Jimmy Carter issued the first

to society.

History Week was created. As the celebration

Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women executed a “Women’s History Week” celebration, to line up with International the celebration of all kinds of women. The loparticipated in special contests and classroom However, women celebrating the week in various

“

WRITTEN BY

the women lobbied law officials to make this

In 1980, a combination of women’s groups

tion. They were successfully granted approval presidential proclamation, and thus, Women’s spread across the nation, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Oregon and Alaska were just a few of the states that developed and distributed a curriculum that encompassed the history of women. As the years passed, many states across the nation adopted National Women’s History Week on different dates, until 1986. A total of 14 U.S. states had adopted the national holiday

MARCH 2021

OTHER IMPORTANT MILESTONES FOR WOMEN DECLARED IN THE MONTH OF MARCH: MARCH 1, 1972 The U.S. Senate passed Title IX, a law which prohibits sex discrimination in all federally funded education programs.

MARCH 2, 1903 The Martha Washington Hotel became the first women-only hotel to be opened in New York City.

“

MARCH 3, 1913 The first women’s suffrage parade took

In today’s modern world, Women’s History

“

Month and International Women’s Day are celebrated in varying ways.

place in Washington, D.C. MARCH 8, 2014 An organization established to highlight the contributions made by Catholic women into society was created. Thus, National Catholic Sisters Week was created.

PHOTO CREDIT ADOBE STOCK BY MARINA

MARCH 12, 1912 by that year, causing a state-by-state action to lobby

This year’s theme, an ode to the recent election and

The first Girl Scouts meet-

Congress into declaring the month of March National

a continuation from 2020’s theme, is Valiant Women

ing was held in Savannah,

Women’s History Month by 1987.

of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced.

Georgia.

The U.S. was not the only country that fought for

Although this theme accurately describes the past

a change in the world, however. In 1908, the famous

year, it remains timely, as we can look back at the

Women’s Day March in New York City piqued the

many female activists who refused to be silenced

interests of a German socialist in Europe named

over the years. We can look at examples such as Alice

Clara Zetkin. She presented the idea at a women’s

Paul, who led the women’s suffrage movement, Mary

conference, gaining the approval of 100 women who

McLeod Bethune, who founded the National Council

were in attendance. From that conference, Interna-

of Negro Women and paved the way for Black wom-

tional Women’s Day was then acknowledged by 1911

en, and most recently, Stacey Abrams, who helped

in Germany, Austria, Denmark and Switzerland.

register at least 800,000 new voters in the state of

In several countries all across the world, the move-

Georgia for the 2020 presidential election.

ment spread and took life in many different ways,

The theme has varied over the many years and

from thousands of women gathering to march in New

has been created by other organizations dedicated to

York City, to a group of many different women from

uplifting and celebrating women. The United Nations

17 different countries in Europe, to the presidential

(UN) has sponsored the annual holiday, observed in

MARCH 31, 1888

proclamation of a month-long celebration. Women’s

several countries all around the world since 1975.

The National Council of

History Month has become a worldwide event to

When adopting the responsibility of the observance of

Women of the U.S. was

honor the women who started it all; however, the

International Women’s Day, the UN cites its reasons

officially formed.

celebration has since evolved.

as, “a move to recognize the fact that securing peace

In today’s modern world, Women’s History Month

and social progress and the full enjoyment of human

MARCH 1917

and International Women’s Day are celebrated in

rights and fundamental freedoms require the active

A political group dedicated to

varying ways. The National Women’s History Alliance

participation, equality and development of women;

women’s suffrage named The

(NWHA) has declared an annual theme for the month,

and to acknowledge the contribution of women to the

National Woman’s Party was

dating back to the very beginning of its declaration.

strengthening of international peace and security.”

officially formed.

MARCH 17, 1910 Camp Fire Girls, the very first interracial, non-sectarian American organization for girls was established.

MARCH 22, 1972 The Equal Rights Amendment was also passed by the senate, a constitutional amendment guaranteeing rights regardless of a person’s sex.

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 12

FEATURE

FRIDGE CLEVELAND INTERVIEW WITH ALEX QUANDT

13 | VINDICATOR

MARCH 2021

WRITTEN BY

Abigail Preiszig PHOTOS BY

Max Torres

Lifelong Clevelander Alex Quandt has fought to eliminate food-waste increases due to COVID-19 by starting Community Fridge Cleveland, a volunteer-based refrigerator and dry pantry setup that provides accessible healthy food to members of the community for free.

C

ommunity Fridge Cleveland (CFC) is a

hoped. I think a lot of people are so used to the idea

community refrigerator that offers free

of charity that mutual aid can seem unrealistic or

food to anyone, regardless of proof of

even intimidating. Julie, the owner of The Root Café,

aid or income level. The local project was

was a lifesaver. I’d been having meetings for months

started by Alex Quandt, who lives on the east side of

before we were put in touch, and right off the bat, her

Cleveland with her husband and one-and-a half-year-

attitude was, “Let’s get started.” She and her staff

old son. After having her son, Quandt began working

have been so generous and have given us the ideal

from home, and she began the CFC project in July

environment for the project.

2020. This isn’t Quandt’s first endeavor as an active member of her community — before starting CFC, she worked as an event planner and did crafts at a senior living community. As she set her heart on starting a community refrigerator, she began looking for a physical fridge, an accessible public location, food and monetary donations and enthusiastic volunteers. By November, the first refrigerator had found its home at The Root Café in Lakewood!

ABIGAIL PREISZIG: What inspired you to start Community Fridge Cle (CFC)?

ALEX QUANDT: I had seen some community fridges on Instagram that had been met with really great success in their city and figured, why not here? We have such a vibrant and tight-knit community, and I thought that we could really make a difference here.

AP: What do you hope CFC can contribute to our community?

AQ: I hope that we can provide a safe space for our neighbors to be able to connect with one another. The platform of the Fridge has allowed me to connect a lot of people with one another to share more than just food — household goods, services, furniture, fundraising, etc. This community is super powerful.

AP: What do you desire for the future of CFC? AQ: Expansion! I’d love to have Fridges in more neighborhoods around Cleveland. I have two donated refrigerators in my garage as we speak, just waiting for hosts. I have people DMing me all of the time that their neighborhood could benefit from this project. I want this loving community to get bigger

AP: What is the goal of CFC?

and better in 2021.

AQ: I believe that everyone should have access to

AP: Who manages CFC?

free, healthy food. The idea of food scarcity is a myth-- there’s plenty of food that gets thrown out for one reason or another all of the time. The goal is to create a sustainable food-sharing program that reduces food waste in our area. We are not the haves giving to the have-nots, we all eat this food!

AQ: It’s just me on the administration end. I have an invaluable group of volunteers who checks the Fridge to sanitize it and make sure that things are looking good and are within date. I do the big shopping hauls with money that we get through Venmo, and the rest of the food comes from direct donations within the

AP: What has surprised you most since starting CFC?

community.

AQ: This community grew so fast! Since I’m a working

AP: What are the criteria to host a Fridge?

mom, this wouldn’t be possible without a network of volunteers and community members willing to help out. So many people were on board right away.

It still amazes me how many wonderful people are excited to be a part of this project. It’s so energizing!

AP: What has been the most challenging part of starting and maintaining CFC? AQ: Finding hosts has by far been the most challenging part. I’ve had a lot of meetings that didn’t go how I’d

AQ: All that’s really needed is an accessible space and electricity! The addition of another refrigerator to an electricity bill results in an increase of under $20 per month. Fridges should be in places that allow foot traffic and are accessible by public transit.

AP: Who can take from the Fridge?

AQ: Anyone at all. We don’t check documentation or income, which is what makes mutual aid so much

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 14

FEATURE

15 | VINDICATOR

MARCH 2021

more beneficial than government aid or charity.

on Venmo. It’s easier for some people to donate what

Anyone is able to walk in and take what they want

they can toward a haul than it is to physically go

and leave what they don’t because everyone deserves

donate in person themselves!

access to food. I take things myself sometimes that

AP: How do I volunteer with CFC?

we could use in our house!

AP: What can be found in a Fridge? What should be donated?

AQ: The Fridge is typically full of fresh produce, surplus from local bakeries, pantry staples and dry goods. We keep things vegetarian to be respectful to our host since The Root is a vegetarian café. Things should be labeled and within date. Because of food safety laws and COVID, we can only accept prepared items that have the ingredients clearly labeled and were prepared in a food-safe grade, professional environment. I always say that you should only donate something to The Fridge that you would be comfortable eating yourself or feeding your family.

It’s often easy for people to access things that are high in sodium and heavily processed, so my ultimate goal is to make food that’s good for our bodies just as accessible. We also often have baby food and formula, disposable masks, reusable bags, hand sanitizer and menstrual care products!

AP: How can I donate to CFC? AQ: We accept donations during The Root’s business hours. You just walk in, and there’s our fridge and a

I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS

AQ: Anyone can always directly message me about volunteer opportunities! Full disclosure: I am awful about check ing my email regularly, so DM will guarantee I get back to you a lot faster.

AP: Who makes the graphics for your Instagram?

They are great!

AQ: Me! Thank you. It’s so fun. I love messing around and making dumb memes to send my husband, so it’s been so sick that people like them!

TO FREE,

AP: Anything else you would like to add?

HEALTHY

AQ: If this project resonates with you, be sure to reach

FOOD.

markets and tell them about us. I need all of the help

out to your favorite cafés, shops, restaurants, and that I can get so that we can expand this project all over the city! If you are unsure of what to say, there are phone call templates available on our Instagram.

If you want to learn more about Community Fridge Cle and how to donate, find them on Instagram and Venmo, @communityfridgecle.

dry goods cabinet next to it! We also accept donations THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 16

FEATURE

WONDER WOMEN Throughout American Histor y

17 | VINDICATOR

MARCH 2021

WRITTEN BY

Megan Mullaly

Black woman to win a

Celebrating the American women that fought for women’s rights and gender equality, as well as female firsts around the globe

W

custody battle against a slave-owning white man.

After

escap-

ing to freedom and

ith March being Women’s His-

recovering

tory Month, it’s the perfect

Truth began working

her

son,

time to get acquainted with the

as an abolitionist and

American women that have re-

women’s rights activ-

defined what it means to be a

ist. She traveled the

female in America. Before America was founded as

United States, giving

its own nation, women were already challenging the

speeches on the inhu-

idea of womanhood and fighting for equal rights in

manity of slavery and the inequality women — es-

this land. Recognize with us some of the women that

pecially Black women — faced in America, as well as

challenged the idea of a male-dominated America

publishing written works on the subject.

and fought for women’s rights and gender equality

Truth’s most popular speech, “Ain’t I a Woman?”

throughout its history.

detailed the inequalities women faced. While fighting for Abigail

Adams

was

the wife of the second President of the United States, John Adams, and the mother of the sixth President of the United States, John Quincy Adams.

Her

husband

often

sought her advice on

women’s rights in general, it also heavily emphasized the lack of recognition white women’s rights activists gave to the increased inequality Black women faced.

Truth faced retaliation, as she was both Black and a woman. She was often accused of being a man, and in one of these instances she pulled open her shirt and revealed her chest. While Truth faced increased adversity, she navigated it with courage and grace, and ensured Black women were not left out of the women’s rights movement.

political matters, and

Elizabeth Cady Stanton followed in Abigail Adams’

she had so much im-

footsteps and led the women’s rights movement

pact on early American politics that Abigail Adams

throughout the mid- to late-1800s. She was raised

is sometimes considered a founder of the United

by a conservative father and a progressive mother

States of America. Adams is one of the earliest and

who supported the fight for women’s rights. Eliza-

most documented American feminists. She was an

beth’s father was one of the wealthiest men in the

advocate for women’s rights and gender equality.

state, and she was able to get a better-than-aver-

She also felt that women should not have to submit to laws that oppressed them and fought for women to seek out an education.

In a famous letter to her husband, she wrote, “Remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands.

Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will PHOTO CREDIT GOOGLE IMAGES

not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” This foreshadows the relentless battle women have been fighting for gender equality.

Sojourner Truth was born into slavery, but escaped with her daughter when she was 29. Two years later, she went to court to recover her son. Truth won the legal battle against her son’s owner and was the first THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 18

FEATURE

age education. When her brother died at the age of twenty, she told her grieving father she would try to live up to her brother’s name. To this, her father responded, “Oh my daughter, I wish you were a boy.”

In 1840, Elizabeth married Henry Brewster Stanton.

During their wedding, Elizabeth and her husband had the word “obey” taken out of the ceremony. She later wrote, “I obstinately refused to obey one with whom I supposed I was entering into an equal relation.” After getting married, Elizabeth and her husband moved to Boston where she was surrounded by women’s rights activists and progressive male counterparts. Because she had an above-average education, Stanton was equality could only be obtained with legal action. In order to take action and gather support, Stanton wrote the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments that detailed women’s oppression — most notably, women’s inability to vote. Stanton also worked to organize a two-day women’s rights convention. It was the first women’s rights convention in American history and had 300 people in attendance. These attendees were invited to sign the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments, which went on to be “the single most important factor in spreading news of the women’s rights movement around the country.”

Stanton also worked to fight the excessive consumption of alcohol, which was considered a women’s rights issue because men had control of a family and its finances, even if they were alcoholics. She attended the 1852 temperance convention in New York, but was told by the chairman that women were only there to listen and learn and should not express their opinion on the matter.

Stanton also fought for dress reform and divorce reform. Bloomers (pants worn under knee-length dresses) were brought to New York in 1851 and were adopted by women’s rights activists as they represented the working woman. After two years, activists returned to traditional floor-length dresses, as the controversy took attention away from the fight for gender inequality. Stanton fought for divorce reform by detailing the unfairness of the husband holding complete control of the family and the inability for a woman to file for divorce if she was unhappy in her marriage. She gave speeches around the U.S. and published an essay calling activists to fight the legal system’s strict divorce laws.

Susan B. Anthony was a women’s rights activist and is well known for her impact on the women’s suffrage movement. She was raised in a family that had a passion for social reform, as her brother worked closely with the anti-slavery movement. When Anthony took a job as Canajoharie Academy’s headmistress for the female department, she took issue with 19 | VINDICATOR

“ Sex

the fact that she was paid much less than her male

education had been outlawed,

counterparts. While Anthony didn’t have a great education, she took initiative in educating herself on social reform issues.

Like Elizabeth Stanton, Anthony took part in adopting bloomers. The two of them worked closely within the

and when

women’s rights movement. Stanton had seven chil-

women

was unmarried and free to travel the United States.

asked how

strategy while Anthony traveled the U.S., delivering

dren and was often trapped at home, while Anthony Because of this, Stanton would perfect their ideas and speeches crafted by Stanton. Anthony also worked to

to avoid

fundraise money for the women’s rights movement,

unwanted

as its biggest hindrance was lack of funding. Because

pregnancies,

didn’t support his wife’s activism she would be unable

male doctors

After the end of the Civil War, Anthony began to

would simply respond, ‘Abstinance.’

“

able to study law books, and she soon realized gender

men controlled the family’s finances, if the husband to fund the movement. focus on women’s right to vote. She traveled the U.S., giving lectures on the importance of granting women the right to vote and recruiting women for the women’s rights movement. In 1872, Anthony registered to vote and cast a ballot in the election. She was later arrested for illegally voting, and her trial kickstarted a national debate. The news reached women around the U.S. and garnered more support for the suffrage movement than ever before. Anthony continued to fight for women’s rights for the rest of her life; but the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, wasn’t passed until 13 years after her death.

Margaret Sanger was a sex educator and birth control activist who established the organizations that have developed into Planned Parenthood. She was born in 1879 and was raised by her father, a women’s rights activist. Sanger married in 1902 and had three

MARCH 2021

children. In 1911, the

the American Birth Control League and the Clinical

family’s house in the

Research Bureau. The new program became known

suburbs of New York

as the Birth Control Federation of America, but the

City burnt down, and

name was changed to Planned Parenthood Federation

they

moved

down-

of America due to conservative pressure opposed to

town

where

Sanger

the term “birth control.” Sanger went on to help found

and her husband got

the International Planned Parenthood Federation

involved in local pol-

and served as president until she was 80 years old.

itics. Sanger’s polit-

She also encouraged philanthropists to donate to the

ical activism led her

development of a birth control pill. This would lead

to write “What Every

to the first FDA-approved, commercially produced

Mother Should Know”

birth control pill. Margaret Sanger continued to fight

and “What Every Girl

for women’s rights and publish her writings on the

Should Know,” which were columns on sex educa-

importance of sex education and contraception until

straight to the point, and this blunt discussion of sex outraged readers.

While writing for the New York Call, Margaret Sanger also worked as a nurse for low-class, immigrant women.

During this time, she treated women that incurred injuries from self-induced abortions. Sex education had been outlawed, and when women asked how to avoid unwanted pregnancies, male doctors would simply respond, “Abstinence.” While Sanger didn’t support abortions, she recognized that the need for abortion would cease to exist if women were given the proper information. In order to combat the censorship of sex education, Sanger began a campaign to fight government censorship and launched a newsletter, The Woman Rebel, to provide women with information and promote contraceptives. Sanger sent the newsletter through the U.S. Postal Service and was charged with violation of postal obscenity laws.

Instead of standing trial, Sanger fled to England where she spent a year refining her stance on sex education and contraception, citing overpopulation as a main concern of censoring educational information. When Sanger returned to the United States, she brought a European form of contraception with her, even though they were against the law. Sanger also opened a family planning and birth control clinic, which she was arrested for nine days later. She was able to post bail and returned to the clinic, but was

“

her death in 1966.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a U.S. Supreme Court Justice from 1993 until her death in September of 2020.

The dean... asked, ‘Why

She was born in 1933 to Nathan Bader, an immigrant from Ukraine, and Celia Bader, the daughter of Polish immigrants. Celia often took Ruth to the library to kickstart her education and this early ac-

are you at

tion led Ginsburg to graduate from high school at

Harvard

arts degree in government from Cornell University

Law School, taking the

only 15 years old. She went on to earn a bachelor of and was the highest-ranking female in her class.

Ginsburg gave birth to her first child in 1955, but instead of being a stay-at-home mom, she enrolled in Harvard Law School a year later. She was one of

place of a

nine women in a class of 500 students, and classes

man?’ ...and

The dean hosted a dinner for the female students

went on to

taking the place of a man?” Ginsburg mumbled

graduate first in her class.

were held in a building with no female bathrooms. where he asked, “Why are you at Harvard Law School, that her husband was also in law school and “it was important for a wife to understand her husband’s work.” Her husband was offered a job in New York

“

tion included in the New York Call. The columns got

arrested again and charged for running a public nuisance. Her arrest sparked a nationwide fight for sex education and contraception that led to the New York Court of Appeals deciding that doctors could lawfully prescribe female patients contraception.

After being released, Sanger opened the American Birth Control League and established the Clinical Research Bureau, the first legal birth control clinic in the United States. For the majority of the following two decades, Sanger traveled the world to give lectures on the importance of sex education and contraception. In 1937, Sanger oversaw the merger of

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 20

FEATURE

City, and when Ginsburg asked to complete her third

To make money while advocating for gender equality

year at Columbia Law School, the same dean denied

and civil rights, Sheila worked a number of laborious

her request. She transferred to Columbia Law School

jobs and drove a taxi for ten years. She took issue with

and went on to graduate first in her class.

the terms “Miss” and “Mrs.,” as they referred to a

Afterward, she worked with the Columbia Law School

woman solely based on her relationship to a man and

Project on International Procedure in Sweden. While

attempted to popularize the term “Ms.” as the title

in Sweden, Ginsburg realized just how unfairly women

used to refer to a woman regardless of their marital

were treated in the United States. Women in Sweden

status. While her attempts to popularize the term were

weren’t expected to be stay-at-home mothers and it

first ignored, a friend suggested that Sheila start a

was normal for them to have a job, unlike in the United

magazine titled “Ms.” The magazine was published in

States. Swedish women had questioned why they were

1972 and quickly grew in popularity. As the magazine

expected to be the primary caretaker of children, keep

circulated, so did the term “Ms.,” and it quickly became

the house clean, and keep their husbands fed.

the default title used to address a woman regardless

When Ginsburg returned to the United States in 1964,

of her marital status.

she began her legal career and focused on furthering women’s rights and gender equality. In 1980, she was nominated and became a judge of the United States Supreme Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit; and in 1993, she was nominated and became a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

While serving as a Supreme Court justice, Ginsburg defended her position as a women’s rights advocate.

She was an influential voice in issues such as United States v. Virginia that declared state-funded schools must admit students regardless of gender. Ginsburg was also influential in the decision to allow women to sign a mortgage or open a bank account without a male co-signer, pushed for equal pay and protection of pregnant women in the workplace, and preserved women’s right to choose through the protection of Roe v. Wade.

Sheila Michaels was an American feminist that popularized the term Ms. as the default title for a woman. She was born in 1939 with the name Sheila Kessler. Around the age of three, Sheila was sent to live with her grandparents, as her mother didn’t want to live with a young child, and took their last name, Michaels. When Sheila was eight years old, she moved back in with her parents and her last name became Kessler once again. In 1957 she attended the College of William and Mary, but was expelled due to the controversial nature of the civil rights-focused articles she wrote for the school newspaper. Around this time, Sheila’s parents also disowned her due to what they deemed “extreme” political activism. They asked her to change her last name back to Michaels, as they no longer want to be associated with their daughter.

21 | VINDICATOR

Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player with 39 Grand Slam titles. King is a women’s rights activist; and in 1973, she won the “Battle of the Sexes,” a match against Bobby Riggs. At the time, King was 29, and Riggs was 55. Riggs had taunted female tennis players by claiming male tennis was superior and that at the age of 55 he would be able to beat any female player. He had originally challenged King to a “battle of the sexes” match, but she refused and Margaret Court took King’s place. Court was ranked number one female player in the world, but Riggs had a quick victory and ended up on the covers of “Sports Illustrated” and “Time”.

Riggs’ taunting escalated, and King accepted the “Battle of the Sexes.” It was to be aired on prime time television and the winner would take home $100,00 (about $576,000 today). King stated that she “had to win,” and she defeated Riggs in three straight sets in front of 90 million viewers. King knew that beating Riggs would be a huge win for women, as she stated, “I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn’t win that match. It would ruin the women’s tour and

MARCH 2021

“

While the fight for gender equality is far from

not be running for reelection. Harris was endorsed by

match between King and Riggs was made into a film

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden,

starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell. It reignited the

she led the race for the entirety of the campaign, and

fight for gender equality, as it came during the heated

ultimately won the seat in the 2016 general election.

debate around U.S. soccer’s gender discrimination.

In January of 2017, Harris announced her intent to

Since winning the Battle of the Sexes, King used it to

run for president in the 2020 general election. She

back her fight for gender equality and continues to

withdrew from the running in December of 2019,

advocate for it today.

but eight months later she reentered the election

Kamala Harris is the first female vice president of the United States. She was born and raised in Oakland, California, by her immigrant parents. Her mother moved to the U.S. from India and her father from British Jamaica. They both attended University of California, where Harris would later attend law school. Harris became the deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California, in 1990; and four years later, she was appointed to California’s Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and the Medical Assistance Commission. In 2004, Harris ran for district attorney of San Francisco against two male candidates who were both more known than her. She advanced to the general election runoff and posed fierce arguments against the incumbent. In the end, Harris won 56% to 44% and became the first person of color elected as district attorney of San Francisco.

as Joe Biden’s running mate. While women have run for vice president in the past, the Biden-Harris victory marks an important turning point in American history: Kamala Harris is the first female vice president, as well as the first African-American and Asian-American vice president.

Throughout American history, women stood up to a male-dominated society in pursuit of gender equality. From fighting for the right to vote to being elected the first female vice president of the United States, women have broken and continue to break the glass ceiling. While the fight for gender equality

over, we can recognize and thank the women that have... redefined what it means to be a female in

“

affect all women’s self-esteem.” In 2017, the famous

America.

is far from over, we can recognize and thank the women that have fought to establish themselves in a male-dominated world and redefined what it means to be a female in America.

In 2010, Harris ran for attorney general of California.

While her male opponent led for most of the race, he conceded after a prolonged period of ballot counting, and Harris became the first woman elected as California’s attorney general. In 2016, Harris ran for U.S. Senate after Barbara Boxer announced that she would THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 22

FEATURE

23 | VINDICATOR

PHOTOGRAPHED (Left to Right): Joliee Blak Colon, Camilla Keener, Dakota Rosier

MARCH 2021

TRANS

W MEN PHOTOS BY

ILLUSTRATIONS BY

Max Torres

Devin Benko

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 24

FEATURE

L U F E C GRA

E C R E FIbold

L U F E C GRA

E C R E FI

d l o b 25 | VINDICATOR

d

MARCH 2021

L U F E C GRA

L U F E GRAC bold

E C R E I F

E C R FIE THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 26

BEAUTY + WELLNESS

WHEN YOU’RE FEELING

OVERWHELMED WRITTEN BY

Lauren Koleszar

We sometimes learn health and wellness tips later in life that we often wish we knew a lot sooner. Organized into tidbits for your convenience are ten habits that’ll curb your lack of sleep, acne, stress, and more.

S

bacteria, which grow in the fibers of the washing tool and creep into your pores when your pores open up during a hot shower. Even worse, after you’ve scrubbed yourself “clean,” the bacteria that enter your pores during the hot shower will get trapped in your skin once you step out of the shower and into the cooler air. The cool air will tighten up your pores,

iIf you’re feeling overwhelmed, chances

and the bacteria will stay inside. It’s better to use a

are that a variety of physical and social

washcloth that you clean after every use, or, better

factors are the culprits. Throughout the

yet, just use your hands.

course of your day, you can implement wellness practices that feel like hidden

You Don’t Need to Give Up Coffee

gems once you put them into practice. If you make

There’s a trend of “giving up coffee,” as if it’s

some small changes to your daily behavior, the stress

some secret wellness hack, but don’t be mistaken:

will seem more manageable and you’ll be in a much

It actually packs a lot of health benefits into one

better headspace to conquer it without becoming

cup. The problem with many a person’s coffee

obsessed with it.

habits is the loads of flavoring and sugar included in specialized drinks. Calories in the form of liquid

MORNING

sugars are significantly more fattening than those in solid sweets, and all that excess sugar will end

Detox with Water

up dragging your stamina down in the long run. A

You don’t need anything fancy to do a deep cleanse

cup of black coffee, on the other hand, is high in

of your gut every morning, just a tall glass of water.

antioxidants, boosts your metabolism, and improves

Drinking ample amounts of water is important, but

mental stamina. Opt for a low-sugar coffee option

the time of day that you drink water is important as

that isn’t too heavy on additional cream, and you’ll

well. Drinking a glass of water at least thirty minutes

be consuming one of the healthiest beverages on the

before you have your first meal of the day will

planet.

cleanse your body of toxins, restore your gut health, decrease bloating throughout the day, and boost your

AFTERNOON

metabolism.

Accept Compliments Take a Look at Your Loofah

It’s easy to fall under the impression that ignoring

Replace your shower loofah once a month or stop

compliments or refusing help is modest or selfless,

using them. Loofahs are breeding grounds for

but in a way, you’re refusing the kindness another

27 | VINDICATOR

MARCH 2021

person is extending toward you. Think about a time

EVENING

when you intentionally complimented someone.

When they refuse it, your genuineness is being

Finish Today Before Yesterday

denied. If someone compliments you, thank them.

If you fall behind on responsibilities, focus on

If someone offers to pay for something, let them.

what today brings before working on catching up.

Accepting kindness is the right thing to do. Like

Otherwise, you risk falling into a cycle of catching up

author and journalist Robin Abrahams once wrote,

on things and feeling hopeless, whereas a fresh start

“Deflecting someone who compliments you isn’t

on a new day is likely just what you need to push you

modest, it’s insulting.”

through any extra work left over from days before.

Quit Complaining

Learn How to Say “No”

Complaining isn’t inherently bad, but when it

Hot take: you’ll do more if you agree to do less. Do you

outweighs

a

have a habit of saying yes to every opportunity that

sign you’re due for a self check-up. You cannot

comes your way? If you’re afraid of letting someone

completely control your thoughts, but you can rewire

down or missing out on something, remember that

your thinking patterns. If you’re used to thinking

when you pile too much onto your plate, it’ll be

negatively, it’s probably because you’ve trained

harder to balance, and you’ll end up spilling food all

neural pathways in your brain to link that way.

over the floor. Set boundaries between yourself and

Practice thinking more about the nature and direction

the opportunities that present themselves to you.

of your thoughts, and don’t convince yourself that

Remember, saying “no” to new projects is saying

you don’t have any control over them.

“yes” to those to which you have already committed

being

proactively

grateful,

that’s

your time.

Stop Multitasking Wash Your Pillowcase

abilities, but science shows that you accomplish less

Are you washing your pillowcase every week? If not,

and produce lower quality results when multitasking,

chances are high that this is the reason your face is

versus working single tasks one at a time. Multitasking

breaking out so often. Do a quick Google or YouTube

may serve us well sometimes, especially in college.

search and you’ll quickly see that washing pillowcas-

Maybe you just can’t avoid watching lectures during

es every week is a beauty secret everyone seems to be

lunch or drafting essays while at work, and that’s

discovering too late in life.

fair. But truth be told, you’ll enjoy life more, work harder, and feel more satisfied when you work on

Detox your physical and mental headspace using

tasks one-by-one.

these ten suggestions on how to refresh your daily routines. Simple things such as learning how to say

Working Less Is Working More

no and cutting down on sugary drinks are small parts

If you give yourself limits to work within, you’ll trick

of a large goal that will ultimately bring you effective

your brain into focusing at a higher ability and end

peace and clarity.

up getting more done. Let’s say you have a to-do list of ten items for today. If you stop planning there, you’ll probably end up getting a few of those things done. More likely than not, you’ll end up staring at your computer screen trying to figure out how to start that essay and wander around the kitchen for a while before deciding what to make for dinner. If you want to get everything done on your to-do list, give yourself limited time for each task. Work on your essay for one hour. It might not get finished, but you’ll have an hour’s worth of focused writing. Once that hour is up, move on to something else. We tend to try and work in chunks of time instead of evenly distributing it throughout the day. If you divide your time evenly, you’ll get some work done in every category of your to-do list rather than accomplishing two things.

“

But truth be told, you’ll enjoy life more, work harder, and feel more satisfied when you work tasks one-by-one.

“

We all like to pride ourselves on our multitasking

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 28

BEAUTY + WELLNESS

ESSENTIAL STRETCHES FOR ANY REMOTE LEARNER WRITTEN BY

Feeling tense after sitting at your computer Samra Karamustafic for a few hours? Check out these simple stretches that will make aches and pains ILLUSTRATIONS BY after a Zoom class a thing of the past.

Hannah Mosley

R

emote learning has its fair share of benefits: you can attend class while be-

computers for a few hours that that causes us to feel pain and discomfort?

Well, according to Start Standing, an organization that’s striving to educate others on the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle, any muscle tension from sitting can be boiled down to five main causes:

ing wrapped in your comforter without

Looking down at your screen:

shame or judgment, you don’t have to

The human head weighs about 11 pounds. So, whenever

worry about spending all that money on

you tilt your head forward, like when you’re scrolling

parking passes or wandering aimlessly through the

through your phone or typing away on a laptop, you’re

parking garages, and many more. But, like with any-

straining the muscles of your neck and upper back.

thing else in the world, remote learning has its draw-

Staying in this posture for a few minutes, let alone a

backs too, especially when it comes to your physical

few hours demands a lot of extra work for your neck

health. If you’ve found yourself waking up with some

and upper back.

more back or neck tension than usual, no, you’re not aging prematurely it’s most likely because of your posture!

Think about it: due to a lot of classes moving to a remote format, many of us are spending a significant chunk of our days sitting in one spot, hunched over our laptops. Whether it’s because you’re attending a lecture on Zoom, typing up an essay, or taking a study break and watching a YouTube video, your screen -time has increased dramatically since the start of the pandemic. According to a study conducted by Eyesafe, the average screen time for an 18+ individual was estimated to be over 13 hours during March of last year! So if the average person is spending that much time in front of a screen, imagine how much of their day is taken up by sitting in one single spot!

But how does it work?

29 | VINDICATOR

What is so bad about sitting and working on our

Rolling your shoulders forward: Activities like sitting, driving, texting, and working on a computer or laptop can contribute to rounded shoulders, which can then cause pain around the neck and the upper back.

Leaning forward from your lower back: If you find yourself leaning forward from your lower back when you’re typing on a laptop, you’re putting a great deal of pressure on the vertebrae of your lower spine, which then compresses your disks and leads to that lower back pain that you may be suffering from.

Holding your elbows too far away from your body: It might not feel like anything is actually happening when you hold your elbows too far away from your body, but doing so for more than a few hours every

MARCH 2021

day will start taking a toll on your body. That’s because the farther you place your elbows away from your torso, the more strain you’re putting on your

your body will begin to lock up, causing pain that can

cS

When you’re sitting in one position for hours at a time,

Pe

Sitting for too long:

tr et

ch

shoulders and upper back.

range anywhere from your neck to your wrist. That’s why a good rule of thumb is to take mini “walking breaks” every 30 minutes. Now, this doesn’t mean that you need to go for a walk around the block or anything it can be as simple as a quick one to two minute stroll around your house or office.

If you find yourself coming to the realization that you do most of these on a daily basis, you’re not alone! The good news is that you can take practical stepsthere are practical steps that you can take to make working on your computer a more comfortable experience.

Your main priority should be to incorporate lifestyle changes that will help you strengthen and improve your posture. You can do this by buying a laptop stand that will help keep your computer at eye-level (goodbye, hunchback!) or even a back-brace that’s designed to “train” you to stand up taller.

arm toward the ceiling. Turn your gaze upward toward the ceiling at the same time. Try to deepen the stretch every time you exhale. Switch sides and repeat.

Seated Figure 4 Take a seat and place your right ankle over your left thigh. Place a bit of pressure on the inside of your right knee with your right hand. Then, with your back straight, lean forward slightly. As you hold the stretch, try applying a tad more pressure each time you exhale. Switch sides and repeat.

Of course, we all know that improving your pos-

Pec Stretch

ture isn’t an overnight process. But if you’re looking

Stand up straight and interlock your hands behind

for ways to get immediate relief from any muscle

your back with your palms facingwhile keeping your

tension, try doing a few stretches! Check out these

hands down toward the floor. Then, squeeze your

four4 stretches that you can incorporate into your

shoulder blades together and hold for 15–30 seconds.

day-to-day routine. They’re simple, they’re easy,

Repeat as needed.

and you don’t need any fancy equipment to do them.

Reclining Spinal Twist

Lunge with rotation

Lie down on your back and bring your right knee in

Begin in a standing position and step forward with

towards your chest. Extend your right arm out to the

your right foot into a lunge. Make sure that your knee

side, at shoulder height, with your palm facing down.

doesn’t extend past your toes. Place both hands on

Place your left hand on the outside of your right knee,

either side of your right foot, then lift just your right

then slowly bring your right knee across your body and toward the left. Keep your left hand resting gently on your right knee, then turn your head to the right.

Hold this stretch for 15–30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

S e at e d Figure 4

inal T ing Sp Reclin

wist

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 30

BEAUTY + WELLNESS

NOT YOUR AVERAGE PERIOD PANTIES: JOYJA REVIEW WRITTEN BY

ILLUSTRATIONS BY

Abigail Preiszig

Emma Splete

Joyja is a period panty company that aims to replace pads and tampons, and I had to put them to the test.

P

eriods are ugly, and so are the underwear I wear during them. That is why Joyja,

the

“Happy

Period

Panties,”

caught my eye when they appeared on my Instagram feed. Joyja sells absor-

bent panties in so many fun colors, styles and patterns intended to take the place of pads and tampons.

They also have a great mission: “To make periods better for everyone.”

According to Joyja’s website, about 350 million people do not have access to sanitar y products during their periods. Period-product accessibility is an important cause to Joyja, which is why for every pair of underwear purchased, they donate a pair to a person in need. Reusable period products are also better for the environment by keeping single-use period products out of landfills and conserving resources. Finally, they save you money because you are not spending money on pads and tampons every month.

The Joyja panties come in four different absorbency levels for every stage of your period. Each pair has four layers that work to absorb moisture, neutralize odors, prevent leaks, and keep you comfortable all day long. They are also relatively affordable, retailing between $20 and $35 a pair. After doing my research, I had to try them out to be sure they are as effective as they sound.

I bought five pairs of Joyja underwear in various styles and absorbance powers. They did not add a fourth absorbency level until after I placed my order, so I was only able to try out levels one through three.

31 | VINDICATOR

MARCH 2021

My total came to $100, including shipping. Their

rise fit of this pair. I feel like my cramps were not as

website was functional, and I received my underwear

painful because the undies hugged my ovaries in all

in two weeks. The packaging was discrete: a salm-

the right places!

on-colored bag made from recycled plastic that fit

right in my mailbox.

and fourth day. I even gave Alice a second chance

I continued this tampon strategy into the third

and I did not experience any leakage. By the fifth

“

They

also have a great mission: “To make periods better for everyone.”

The five styles I purchased are

day, my period was light enough to give Leah and

Cindy in Jet Black, a cheeky cut that costs $20 with

Cindy a tr y, both of which have an absorbance

an absorbance power of one. The feel of this style is

power of one. Both pairs worked well — I did not

a bit like a swimsuit bottom.

experience any leakage!

Leah in Classic Blue, a thong that costs $20 with

Every single pair of the Joyja period panties are

an absorbance power of one. The feel of this style

very comfortable and do not feel any different from

is super soft.

regular underwear. However, wearing them took

Alice in Festive Fuschia, a bikini cut that costs $25

some getting used to because I would feel my-

with an absorbance power of two. The feel of this

self bleeding, have a brief moment of panic and

style is just like normal cotton underwear.

remind myself that this is what Joyja underwear

A mel ia i n Camouflower, a high-rise cheek y

is meant for!

cut that costs $25 with an absorbance power of

These underwear are also a lot more breathable

three. The feel of this st yle is super silk y and

than a pad. When I wear a pad, it tends to trap a

probably my favorite.

lot of moisture, making me feel sticky, stinky and

The last style I purchased is Blake in Zest of Life.

uncomfortable. I did not have this problem with the

This style is a “teen midi brief” and has an absor-

Joyja underwear. I noticed less of an odor and felt

bance power of three. This pair is the thickest of the

a lot more comfortable and confident while on my

five, feeling much more pad-like in the crotch. The

period. I also did not have to worry about a visible

sizing is also a bit different because it is intended for

pad line when picking out my outfits.

younger people. This style did not fit me so I ended up gifting them to my younger sister. I love that they

Washing the underwear:

have fun styles for people new to the period party!

Joyja suggests rinsing out the underwear in soapy

This would have made me feel a lot more comfortable

water, machine washing them, and letting them air

talking about and experiencing my first period.

dry. When rinsing the underwear out in the sink it was quite jarring to see all of the blood coming out

First impression & experience:

of them. I liked wearing them into the shower and

I received my underwear on the second day of my

rinsing them off there a lot better. When machine

period, which is the heaviest day. I was eager to try

washing them I was worried that leftover blood would

them out. Upon opening the package, I was very

stain my other clothes, but that did not happen! The

surprised by how normal they felt. Each pair is a bit

underwear I bled through did not stain whatsoev-

thicker in the crotch, but it is not too noticeable. I

er, and each pair looked and smelled brand new

was disappointed that the absorbance power is not

after being washed.

indicated on the tag or the underwear. I also could not tell by feeling them so I made a blind guess as

Final thoughts:

to which pair to wear that day. This was a mistake. I

I love what Joyja stands for as a company and found

chose Alice with an absorbance power of two. Within

their underwear to be efficient, cute and comfortable.

two hours of wearing them, I went to the bathroom

Although I genuinely enjoyed these panties, I do not

and they had begun leaking out at the edge of the

think they will completely take the place of pads

underwear. By the time I got home, I had bled through

and tampons. I found it more convenient to change

the underwear completely. This did not give me the

a disposable period product every few hours than to

best first impression.

change and rinse out a pair of underwear, especially

The next day I consulted the website and wore

during the first few days of my period when my flow

Amelia with an absorbance power of three. Typically,

is heavy. Despite not completely giving up dispos-

I put a tampon in before work, wear a pad, and then

able period products, these will be something I do

take out the tampon halfway through the day and

use monthly and recommend to anyone who feels

bleed onto the pad. I tried this strategy, but instead

comfortable trying them out.

of a pad I just had my underwear. It went super well!

I had no leaks the whole day. I also love the high-

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 32

“

SOCIAL

MODERN FEMININE FEATS WRITTEN BY

ILLUSTRATIONS BY

SARAH FULLER

Megan Baranuk

Emily Williams

Sarah Fuller has broken into a male-dominated industry as the first female to play in a Power Five football game. For those of you who may not be sport-savvy,

Our list of modern day female firsts

Y

ou’ve probably heard of Susan B. Anthony and Amelia Earhart, but what about Sarah Fuller? Or Becky Harmon?

Both of these women compose part of our list of modern female firsts, along

with household names, such as Billie Eilish and Jill Biden. Read on to discover modern prominent women who’ve shattered the glass ceiling.

BILLIE EILISH This name should sound familiar! Billie Eilish has become a household name since her 2016 debut track, “Ocean Eyes,” appeared on SoundCloud when she was a mere 13 years old. Eilish’s debut album, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?,” dropped in March of 2019, was a smashing success, and propelled the teenager to fame. Eilish became the first female to win all four General Field categories in one Grammy Awards ceremony on January 26, 2020. Eilish took

the Power Five football conferences are five separate conferences that are considered to be the best of the best in Division I college football. Fuller is a football place kicker for the Vanderbilt Commodores. Fuller is only 21 years old, and we can expect to see her go on to continue shattering records in the sports universe, as she is also the goalkeeper for Vanderbilt’s soccer team of the same name.

BECKY HAMMON Becky Hammon exists in a similar vein as Sarah Fuller, breaking records in basketball history. Hammon, 43, is the first female acting head coach in NBA history, specifically coaching the San Antonio Spurs.

JILL BIDEN - NON CATHOLIC FIRST LADY Jill Biden made history as the first non-catholic First Lady in the White House! Read more about Dr. Jill Biden and Kamala Harris in our cover article, Wonder Women, by Megan Mullaly.

home Best New Artist, Song, Record, and Album of

AVRIL HAINES - FIRST FEMALE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE

the Year. Next time you listen to “Ocean Eyes” or

Avril Haines currently serves as the first female

“Bad Guy”, you’re listening to an important part of music history!

33 | VINDICATOR

Director of National Intelligence under the Biden

MARCH 2021

administration. Haines is familiar with the White House, as she served under the Obama administra-

STACEY CUNNINGHAM

tion as principal national deputy security advisor,

Stacey Cunningham is the epitome of a female pen-

legal advisor, and assistant to the president. Before

etrating an extremely male-dominated field. Cun-

working in the political scene, Haines has had quite

ningham is technically the second female president

the adventurous life. She worked as a car mechanic

of the New York Stock Exchange, but she is the first

throughout her college years to earn extra cash, learned

female president with full control over the exchange.

how to fly a plane, fell in love with her instructor,

Cunningham assumed her position on May 22, 2018.

married him, then opened a successful bookstore café.

Cunningham’s career within the New York Stock Ex-

To learn more about this multidimensional woman,

change began with an internship in the 1990s, which

check out this article online: https://msmagazine.

then turned to a floor clerk role, which Cunningham

com/2021/02/08/pat-mitchell-women-biden-cabi-

continued until 2005. After a brief hiatus, Cunningham

net-avril-haines/

rejoined the New York Stock Exchange in 2012, and then ] assumed the role of chief operating officer in

JANE CAMPBELL

2015. Cunningham studied at Lehigh University, and

Next up on our list is Jane Campbell, a notable past

has been named one of BBC’s 100 Women in 2018.

graduate from Cleveland State University! Specifically, Campbell graduated from the Maxine Good-

TAYLOR SWIFT

man Levin College of Urban Affairs. Campbell made

If you don’t already love Taylor Swift (but don’t let

history as the first female mayor of Cleveland from

the Swifties on the Vindicator staff know that), here’s

the years 2002-2006, gaining her mayorship at the

an excellent reason: Taylor Swift made music histo-

age of 48. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on May 19,

ry as the first woman to win the Album of the Year

1953, Campbell is 67 years old today. She is aligned

award TWICE. The albums in question were Fearless

with the Democratic party.

(2010) and 1989 (2015). If you haven’t listened to these albums yet, speed over to Spotify or Apple Music to

JENNIFER KING

listen now! Topically, a great song to listen to after

Jennifer King made history in the sports sector as

concluding this article is “The Man,” a song touching

the first African American woman assistant position

upon the struggles a woman faces in a career versus

coach in NFL history, specifically for the Washington

her male counterpart.

Football Team. She was placed into this position after her coaching internship concluded. King’s monumental

SARAH MCBRIDE

moment in history commenced THIS year on January

This name might be familiar, as Sarah McBride made

26, 2021. King’s experience with the Washington

history as the first openly transgender U.S. Senator.

Football Team began as the offensive assistant after

McBride represents Delaware, and is the highest

her time at Dartmouth College. She went on to intern

ranking openly transgender female. Years prior to

from 2018 to 2019. In addition to her internships, she

her position in the Senate, McBride interned at the

has also attended multiple NFL coaching clinics from

White House, making her the first openly transgen-

2015-2018 and participated in the NFL Women’s Career

der women to work in the White House in any role.

in Football Forum. Impressively, King even has her

McBride’s secured Senate position is a giant step for

own football playing experience! King is a seven-time

the LGBTQ community, as representation in politics

All-American quarterback and wide receiver for the

is central to our democracy. McBride’s assumption

women’s tackle team, Carolina Phoenix.

to office took place on January 21, 2021.

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 34

SOCIAL

15 WRITTEN BY

Eric Seitz

APPLE ARCADE

GAMES REVIEWED IN ONE SENTENCE

App Store’s success has been unrivaled,

All of You 6/10 Despite its intriguing — and often satisfying — Angry Birds-esque physics-based puzzle system, All of You’s gameplay hook proves to be little more than a gimmick, and many puzzles can be solved through

and it (likely accidentally) ushered in an

trial and error.

L

ess than two years old, the Apple Arcade’s game library continues to grow, as does the allure of its $5 monthly price tag. The

I played as many Apple Arcade games as I could in two weeks — here’s my one-sentence review of each one.

era of mobile gaming that has proven to be one of the most lucrative forms of entertainment. Apple Arcade is the tech giant’s capitalization on the success of the App Store — but Apple Arcade promises to shed the ickiness of microtransactions and gacha schemes that dominate the mobile gaming scene.

Apple Arcade is a sleek all-star team of highly curated titles that aims to convince consumers to throw another chunk of change Apple’s way. It’s a step that might just manage to bridge the abyssal gap between mobile gaming and console gaming. Available with cross-saves on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, not only is it gaming’s sexiest offering — it’s wherever you want, however you want. But just how well does its library of games stand up?

Grindstone 9/10 Neither adult-swim style visuals nor hyperviolence have ever been my cup of tea, however, Grindstone proves that two wrongs sometimes do make a right — its gameplay, reminiscent of Bejeweled, evokes a tangible satisfaction in mowing down dozens of enemies, and its universe is both fleshed-out and charming.

What the Golf?

10/10 Pitching itself as “the golf game for people who hate golf,” What the Golf? is a silly, party-style mini-golf game, and its wacky levels, forgiving quick-reset system, and reference-heavy universe make it the perfect sort of video game comfort food.

35 | VINDICATOR

MARCH 2021

Mini Motorways 8/10 Stripping the job description of a civil engineer to its most basic form, this strategy road planning sim has sweetly short levels that capitalize on its arcadey leaderboard system, though its replayability dwindles quickly.

Patterned 7/10 Besides its honorable effort to showcase talented illustrators, Patterned does not attempt to tread new ground in the realm of puzzle games — great for mobile play, this game provides quick, easy-to-solve puzzles that form beautiful patterns once completed, and at that, it excels.

Over the Alps 8/10 A narrative-driven game in which your choices affect the outcome, Over the Alps delivers a moody, enthralling story that has me second-guessing every decision I make; but in a game where your choices mean everything, its narrative beats can feel confusing and sometimes misleading.

Sonic Racing 5/10 The mascot racing genre is a cornered market, with Mario Kart’s ubiquitous success sucking up all the oxygen in the room, and Sonic Racing does little to dethrone Mario Kart, feeling unoriginal, slippery, and distinctly mobile-game-y — plus the game’s main mode being online multiplayer, gives it a barrier of entry to newcomers who may find themselves frustrated at frequent losses early on.

PHOTO CREDIT GOOGLE IMAGES

Nuts 8/10 Employing a stunning art style, beautifully unobstructed with its first-person perspective, Nuts has the player doing the mundane task of setting up surveillance cameras to track squirrel movement in a forest, and the result is a relaxing three-hour-long

overall experience slightly more tolerable, with an interesting blend of genres (turn-based tactics and randomly generated levels of rogue-likes).

Takeshi & Hiroshi 9/10 A rooted, brilliantly told story that acts as the perfect vehicle for what can only be described as a “reverse RPG,” Takeshi & Hiroshi takes what gamers know to be the tropes of traditional turnbased RPGs and turns them on their head, challenging players to be the designers of a video game within a video game.

Outlanders 8/10 This unforgiving yet encouraging town management sim presents the player with scenarios that contain seemingly reasonable objectives, then attempts to murder the player repeatedly as they fumble their way over the finish line — needless to say, I could hardly put this one down.

Dear Reader 4/10 This game prides itself in literary wordplay, however, its puzzles are hardly puzzling, and I found myself able to solve them while only paying about 60% attention; polarizing itself from those who might not enjoy reading very much and threatening to bore bookworms to sleep, Dear Reader fails to secure any audience.

Decoherence 6/10 Focusing on strategizing on the fly, Decoherence is a blend of the twin-stick shooter and tactical arena fighting genre that offers players a wide gamut of options and methods of approaching each level, however, the tutorial chucks all of the game’s mechanics at the player, making the learning curve

vignette, wrapped neatly in a satisfying storyline.

incredibly steep, likely to turn away newcomers.

Operator 41 6/10

Overland 8/10

A good gameplay hook with an interesting but in-

Depicting a cross-country road trip that takes place

accessibly low-color-contrast artstyle, this stealth

during the apocalypse, this turn-based tactical

puzzler is criminally short — I was able to start and

strategy game delivers digestible, square-shaped

finish it in less than one class period (sorry Professor)

levels that players must find the best possible route

— and it hardly gives the concept a chance to prove

out of before being attacked by enemies — Overland

whether or not it has legs to stand on.

has struck the balance between managing resources

Dread Nautical 5/10

to feel samey.

and reaching an objective, though its levels begin

A low-poly isometric tactical battle game with brutally sour voice acting, Dread Nautical’s presentation is hard to bear, but it’s gameplay manages to make the

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 36

POETRY

flint mind like apathy precious pride blind, send calvary selfs divide skin from soul body turn, prole ambition burn fractured, firm hands like coal grave dug, hole sick lesson learn massa be, stern cotton be bloody sunken shawl water be muddy wounded crawl bologeon brown hues hungman gonna lose affixed between knot and the gallows cough up a blood clot aim the arrows fire steel

WRITTEN BY

Anabel Bach

37 | VINDICATOR

flint

PHOTO CREDIT ADOBE STOCK

MARCH 2021

Foray into the Opal Night WRITTEN BY

Erika Gifford Let’s leave behind the dingy grays of working nights and holidays, by seeking out adventure grand.

With youthful hearts we’ll step out and foray into the opal night with green and purple seeping light on raindrops dripping down the street to swath the night in bittersweet.

What’s left behind will seal our fate we pull onto the interstate, take out the rainbow-oil-spillturned-heat-map GPS until— we find our way through lofty heights of elephants at city lights, or blackened sins to underline with rivers turned to turpentine.

Where just outside the city wall the evening blossoms into fall, and slinking fur and shiny tooth goes kissing men and missing youth.

Through paint-swatch puddles ripple hues of whispered pink and taboo blues or water-color scandal reds like fading into stranger’s beds.

We stalk this all evading air from youth gone by through disrepair, but ridicule the antique thought

PHOTO CREDIT ADOBE STOCK

of liberty and dreams we sought.

The clock strikes midnight here below where blue and green turn to merlot and mellow with the single thought of what we did, not what we ought.

THEVINDI.COM ­­ | 38

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