Novemb er 22, 2021
Th e o f f i c i a l s t u d e n t n e w s pa p e r o f Wi l l i a m P e a c e Un i v e r s i t y
Traditions Resume After Year of Disruptions Life isn’t back to normal, but it’s getting closer. Read more about traditions that returned this year, and the holiday traditions students are looking forward to celebrating, on pages 4-5.
By Dezarae Churchill Staff Writer
As the crisp November air sweeps us into the holiday season, we reflect on the past year. COVID 19 came through like a tidal wave, destroying our routines and forcing us to adapt to its uncomfortable demands. Many of us experienced holidays without loved ones; some grandparents met their grandchildren for the first time over Zoom calls and FaceTime chats. The climate of our world changed in ways we couldn’t have imagined. With the fresh wounds of the pandemic subsiding, we welcome the return of missed traditions. This semester we have seen the return of live theatre, the NC State Fair, and spectators at sporting events on campus. Now, the feel-good season is upon us, and many students will be returning to cherished holiday traditions as well. Students gathered for the Tree Lighting Ceremony Nov. 16 on Main Lawn to begin the holiday festivities. Many students are looking forward to large family feasts and exchanging gifts with their loved ones. Cole Robbins, a junior business administration major, recollects one of his favorite holiday memories. “I remember walking downstairs and I wanted two things,” Robbins said. “I wanted a gas powered scooter and a sock monkey. The sock money was riding the gas powered scooter.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Students and other members of the WPU community gathered on Main Lawn Nov. 16 for the lighting of the Christmas Tree on campus, one of several traditions returning this year. Photo by Izabelle Dessi
Events Celebrate November As Indigenous Peoples Month By Dezarae Churchill Staff Writer
November is Indigenous People’s Heritage Month and North Carolina is home to one of the largest Indigenous populations east of the Mississippi River. About 3% of North Carolina’s population is Indigenous, or more than 300,000 people, according to Census data. The North Carolina tribes are the Eastern Band of Cherokee, Coharie, Lumbee, Haliwa-Saponi, Sappony, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of Saponi Nation, and Waccamaw-Siouan. To honor them, the William Peace University Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, or DEI, organized a series of events, including a craft night, movie night and an online forum. On Nov. 29, the office will host a discussion centering around “IRL,” a collection of poetry by Tommy Pico on Zoom at 5 pm. T he Nov. 9 discussion “Native at
at Peace” created a space for conversation and celebration of those belonging to Native communities.It featured WPU senior Shelby Wolfe and alumna Megan Hoffner, and was led by Leah Young, director of the DEI office. The event began with a land and labor acknowledgment before the web chat — as do all DEI events — noting that the land on which WPU is founded was unethically procured from Indigenous people, and the foundations that built our city were built upon the backs of forced servitude. Young asked the panelists a series of questions relating to their experiences as Indigenous people. Here is what Hoffner and Wolfe had to say. Family ties Hoffner regards her connection to family and community as the predominant source of identity. Keeping
families close is one of the foundations of Indigenous culture, as well as honoring their ancestors. Hoffner also said that in giving someone handmade art, they are presenting a piece of themselves as part of the gift. “We really strive to do things with goodness in our heart,” she said. Hoffner shared what her mother said when she was young; that stuck with her throughout her life: “Any space that I inhabit is Indigenous, I don’t know how to inhabit any other way.” Growing up, Hoffner recalled her childhood history lesson and the word choice of “Indian,” and the stares coming from every direction of the room. She feels comfortable with identifying as Indian, though she says she’s seen the discomfort expressed by her white peers. While she has often found herself to be “the token Indian,” she struggles
Basketball Bounces Back to the Herm By Jacob Liddicote Staff Writer
WPU men and women’s basketball season teams returned to the court this month, regaining a sense of normalcy this fall with fans in attendance after spectators were prohibited by COVID restrictions last year. Assistant men’s coach Jamal Stokes reveled in the lifted restrictions and expressed his excitement for the new season. “Not having [fans] be able to be in there was rough,” said Stokes. “You know the Herm is a very special place and one of the things that makes the Herm so special is the atmosphere.” The men started their season at Campbell University in Buies Creek Nov. 9 and earned their first win against Johnson & Wales University Nov. 17, bringing their record to 1-1. The women came home to Raleigh for a Nov. 19 matchup at St. Augustine’s University after two away games in Virginia and Maryland
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Basketball Bounces Back to the Herm, and Students Return to the Bleachers
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 that brought them to a 1-1 record. See the full schedule at Gopeacepacers.com. Claude Shields, men’s basketball head coach, was excited to return to a full schedule of practices and games. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to assess the progress of the team and areas of growth. “You get to learn through success and failure, and then play at any conference schedule, and everyone didn’t have that last year,” said Shields. “So I think getting back to that to where we have a longer runway to learn from our mistakes.” COVID forced the basketball team to adapt to many challenges. They were unable to play a full season last year and had no preseason or time to create comradery. Women rebound from controversy Last semester, the women’s basketball team made the state championship, but did not play in the game in protest. The players sat out in an act of solidarity when an opposing team member called a WPU student a racial slur and the WPU player was punished for her response. “Most of the season is getting back what we should have,” said Myla Barnes, a
senior basketball player. “We should have won last season with everything happening to our own former player, all the racial slurs and everything that was going on, it was tough for us.” Barnes said she hopes to rebuild relationships among team members -- and see success on the court. “As a team, we’re a family, and if one’s down then we’re all down,” she said. “Now we’re coming back hungry…I’m looking forward to getting a W and getting that championship this year.” Women’s coach Marquetta Dickens says the team will focus on “guard heavy play.” “You know that would be in both our offensive and defensive schemes and defensively really getting out there even more than we did last season to take advantage of our athleticism,” said Dickens. C ierra Baker, senior criminal justice major, reflected on her remaining time with her teammates. “By being in practice …. or being on the road with them, just experiencing that for like the last time is really all I’m focused on and of course I want to win,” said Baker. “As a senior it really can be all bittersweet as the
P eace Alum Leads Masterclass By Emily Freer Staff Writer
DJ Curtis began his theatre career back in preschool. However, it wasn’t until his freshman year of high school when he discovered his passion for theatre after being cast as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. This was a pivotal moment for Curtis, who is now a Portland-based actor in the theatre community. He was set on attending East Carolina University, but his plans began to shift during his gap year. That year, Peace College began to transform into William Peace University, complete with a brand new musical theatre program. Mary Katherine Walston, his voice teacher in high school, convinced him to accept the audition invitation from the department director. Four years after graduation, Curtis returned to WPU’s campus to facilitate a masterclass with current musical theatre students in October. “I'll never forget the feeling I had on my audition day,” said Curtis, “Although I had been on that campus a few times prior I had felt in that moment a sense of what home felt like. Everyone was so kind and welcoming.” The audition was a success, afterwards he was taken directly to the admissions office. They decided that he must attend WPU after watching his audition video. “They fought for me. I hadn't experienced that often and I knew that they cared about me,” said Curtis. Curtis says that his time at WPU was
Curtis says that his time at WPU was “true preparation.” From learning values that he still treasures today, to friendships he continues to strengthen, he was able to learn how to step into uncertainty with bravery. Since Curtis’ graduation in 2017, he has been booked and busy. He challenged himself to grow as a person. He has been able to travel to new places and meet many new people, some who are kinder than others. He says that he stretched himself as he learned to move through uncomfortable situations. “There are obstacles we face in all things that we do, but surmounting those things truly does give you strength and wisdom to be able to embrace more of the ease that you deserve in life,” said Curtis, “My career has been very rewarding and I hope to see even more successes as I continue to tell stories.” He prepared for the masterclass in a number of ways. He recalled previous masterclasses he attended and what helped him. He wanted to make sure that the information and feedback he gave was necessary for shaping any material, not just what was presented that afternoon. “I remember one class in particular that gave me a huge breakthrough with Micheal Deleget,” said Curtis, “He talked about how life on stage is like the layers of an onion and how you keep peeling those layers back to get closer to the heart of the characters and the piece overall.” Above all else, he wanted to make sure
DJ Curtis on stage during a masterclass for students. Photo by Emily Freer
relationships and connections you have made feel like they are going to disappear.” Talking about the team feeling as one really can be something as simple as buying into what the team and coaches believe. Many players and spectators share the same sentiments. They are excited to
“Everybody come out, it’s fun seeing your team win,” said Beau Bryant, senior in Exercise and Sports Science. “We’re hoping that that will have fans and will be able to get some fuel to come out and watch the games and we hope we’ll see some students and some local community members out there.”
Women’s basketball team plays in Herman. Photo by Jacob Liddocote Above all else, he wanted to make sure that students were comfortable. Ashlynn Charles, a sophomore musical theatre major, was one of four students who performed at the masterclass. They all prepared an audition piece to perform then got to work with Curtis for about 15 minutes. “I felt really comfortable with DJ there, he didn’t make me nervous at all,” said Charles, “I felt free to make performative choices. I love being able to perform for my peers!” To prepare, Charles chose a song that resonated with her, suited her voice, and proceeded to practice for an hour every day. She reflected on her experience and found some similarities in her feedback to previous notes given to her. “I realized a lot of what DJ was saying was things I’ve heard from my voice teacher!” said Charles, “Hearing the same thing from different sources really proves that’s the kind of thing I need to work on!”
Getting to come back and work with current students sparked so much joy for Curtis. He was inspired by their drive and their passion, and was grateful to witness them grow in their art. “Every student who stepped on that stage arrived with bravery and they were attentive and took risks,” said Curtis, “They all had gorgeous voices and each sparkled in their own unique way. We truly got to go on a journey in each piece.” As he leaves for New Mexico to pursue his next role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, he encourages students to enjoy the moment because where you are now is not the final destination. He also adds not to stress too much about “success”. He said that as long as you're giving it your all, you are doing the work and that’s all that matters. “I hope to see them on a stage one day and cheer them on from the audience.” Curtis concluded. To follow DJ’s journal, you can find him on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Inside Look at New WPU Degrees By Georges Abi-Aad Staff Writer
As the simulation and game design program, or SGD, continues to expand at William Peace University, other areas of gaming such as esports are starting to gain attention. This semester, WPU introduced both an esports & gaming administration degree program and an interactive design bachelor’s degree. In the past, developing video games has been associated with the stereotype that it is not a “real job.” However, exponential growth in the market for video games in recent years has helped to debunk this stereotype. Now, esports must come to face similar challenges to break similar stereotypes. The worldwide esports industry is estimated to grow at a rate of 400% within the next decade, to reach a value of a little over $4 billion dollars, according to Data Bridge Market Research. It is almost certain that careers in esports are here to stay. “I encourage them [skeptics of esports] to do more research and understand that with esports and gaming administration we’re just in the infancy of it, and it’s continuing to grow at a very rapid rate,” said Roger Christman,
department head for communication and simulation and game design. Not only is the industry for esports expanding immensely, but the degree goes further than just video games and into a world of business, said Christman, who oversees the new degrees. Just like any other professional sport, the skills needed to coach a team and market the event is reliant on the type of game that is being played. “But beyond that, it’s going to be the understanding of distribution, the backbone, the servers, and the infrastructure of any kind of competitive environment or place that will be necessary to facilitate the throughput of that game or the needs for that game at a competitive level,” said Christman. Introducing Interactive Design The interactive design degree is another innovative major new to WPU. Interactive designers are crucial to our ever-evolving technological world. They solve design problems from phone applications to gaming and education. “Look at the pocket computers that we all carry” and the application “of that user design and user experience,” said Christman, referring to mobile phones.
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Indigenous Peoples Month at WPU CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 to be “the token Indian,” she struggles with the perception of her classmates’ misplaced belief that she could speak on behalf of the Native community. Wolfe remembers her first grade lunchroom, at her predominantly white school. “You can’t sit with us because you’re chocolate milk, referring to the fact that I was brown and they were white,” Wolfe said. “I didn’t understand because it was first grade. That was the first time my parents sat me down, and said that will probably happen more often the older you get.” The statement “What are you?” and “what percentage of ‘x’ are you?” are two microaggressions Indigenous people experience. Wolfe reflects on how that can diminish one’s identity; whether someone is full Native or multiracial, they share the same culture. Talking microaggressions Wolfe is a transfer student and experienced discrimination from her previous school. The basketball coach would make derogatory remarks about her Cherokee heritage, causing her to leave the school. Indigenous people are often misrepresented in the media, and are classified as “other.” The lack of space provided in the media is often frustrating. Once Hollywood has a certain ethnic category filled, they often use the same actor to represent the community
repeatedly. The example Hoffman used was actor, Gil Birmingham, best known for his role in Twilight. In her opinion, he has also become a “token Indian” in that sense. Overall, Hoffner said she woul ons. “I wish more people were comfortable about being ignorant, but open to learning,” Hoffner said. How can non-Native folks center the needs of Indigenous and Native folks? The speakers offered several ideas. Listen to the Red Justice Podcast, which highlights the missing and murdered Indigenous women and is hosted by two Lumbee women from Hoffner’s tribe. Donate to the missing women website, and help bring awareness to the indecencies faced by Indigenous people. Listen to the stories of Indigenous people. Tik Tok is an incredible tool that creates a platform for education. By using #indigenous hashtags, you can learn more about Indigenous communities by listening to firsthand experiences. Buy from local artists who choose to share part of their culture with you. Young said she purch ased hand bead earrings from an Indigenous woman, and felt it was important to hear her story. Read Native stories. Start with IRL by Tommy Pico, and attend the discussion Nov. 29. Signup information is available in The Pacer.
An Inter-Tribal Pow Wow took place at Dix Park in Raleigh on Oct. 30, bringing together Indigenous people from across the state. Photo by Megan Hoffner
As the interactive design and user experience skill sets grow in value to most modern companies, the number of job opportunities available rises as well.“ We want to bring that here to Peace because our community demands it, and we want our students to be prepared for those kinds of careers,” Christman said. “Rich career fields are seeking employees with interactive skills.” Similar to esports, career fields such as marketing look towards excellent interactive design, and the industry is growing at a fast pace as technology evolves. “It’s taking a lot of the elements of graphic design, except just accelerating them to where we’re gonna be with the technology,” said Christman. Interactive design is needed for any company that has external communications or works with the development of applications. Designing efficient ways for users to interact with
the company’s products is the best way to remain forward-facing and innovative. Some of the leading companies in the world that desire employees with skills in interactive design include Google, Apple, and just about any company that deals in advertising. Over the years, the gaming and design fields have faced stereotypes, from video games causing people to be more violent in real life to graphic designers being socially awkward to both areas not being treated as a “real job.” What both the esports and interactive design degrees do in conjunction with SGD is not only educating the new generation on gaming and technology, but encouraging them to not be afraid to turn their hobbies into professions. As WPU takes these steps toward creating more gaming and design-related degrees, a wide variety of unbridled talent in the form of creative students wanting to take their passions to the next level will take those degrees head-on.
Along with the esports and interactive design majors, WPU has created an esports lab for students. Photo by Georges Abi-Aad
Historic season for soccer
Pacer Neighton Soccer came to an eventful end this fall for both men and women. For the men, this was an historic season, as the team secured the first ever regular season USA South title for a men's sport at Peace -- as well as finishing with the best season record yet, 12-2-1. The team was ranked #1 in the USA South as well as being top in the nation for goals scored per game early in the season. As the season went on, they crowned a new all-time scorer, senior Ivan Ponce, Photo courtesy of WPU Athletics with 33 career goals. For the women this was a building year as a new head coach was introduced. Under the new coach they were able to defeat Meredith College for the first time in program history. Even as they adjusted to a new coaching style, there were many close contests and tough losses. As the team develops, more wins are expected. For more information, go to gopeacepacers.com. -Jacob Liddicote
Students React to Texas HeartBeat Bill By Jordyn Prince and Emerson Scollo The United States has been divided on the subject of abortion for years, with some people believing abortion is a basic health care right and bannining it is a violation of womens rights, while other believe that if a woman gets an abortion, she is willingly killing a baby. In May 2021, the state of Texas passed the “Heart Beat Bill,” a law that restricts abortion access to women. Women who are past 6 weeks pregnant are no longer allowed to get an abortion, even in cases of incest or rape. Though this particular law is only in Texas, it has caused an uproar of emotions from those who are pro-choice all over the country. “This highly upsets, and scares me as a woman in America,” said Hope Feeney, a freshman at William Peace University. “Even though I personally do not live in Texas, because of Texas making that law, it can now start a bunch of new laws in other states including our state.” In the state of North Carolina, the limit for a woman getting an abortion is if the fetus is at a viable state, meaning if the fetus could survive outside the womb, it is too late to get an abortion. But many WPU students still felt the Texas law has national implications. “The ban does affect me,” said junior Kaylah Derilus. “It affects how I vote. I can either vote for more laws to pass like the abortion ban or against it. It could also affect me because this ban could lead way into more laws that control women’s bodies.” In most states in the US, this is also the case. A map from CNN shows the limit on abortions in each state. In a majority of the states, the limit is at the 20-24 week mark in the pregnancy. States such as Arizona, Georgia, Indianna, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkensaw, North Dakota, South Dakota and South Carolina
Arkensaw, North Dakota, South Dakota and South Carolina are already working to follow Texas’ lead to come out with laws that are similar. Florida has already introduced one very similar but just a little less restrictive making exceptions for situations that include rape, incest, and medical emergemcies that are life threating. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both expressed their opposition to the Texas bill in a statement after it passed. “This all-out assault on reproductive health effectively bans abortion for the nearly 7 million Texans of reproductive age,” said Vice President Harris. In an informal poll done by students attending William Peace University, 94% of students (86 out of 91) felt either upset, angry, scared or anxious in reaction to the new law. “It could have come from a number of things like religion, misogyny/ sexism, people thinking that they should have opinions on lives that are not theirs,” said freshman Gabirellle (Kijo) Hemingway. A major aspect of the new abortion bill that make so many people angry and scared is that it seems as if lawmakers are just in the interest of controlling womens bodies. Most women aren’t able to even tell that they are pregnant by the six-week mark. Some people, however, believe that the bill is a good thing. They believe that as soon as a fetus has a heartbeat that it is alive and it should be unlawful to kill it. “I don't like telling someone else what to do with their body as much as the next person,: says Tori Suhre, “but people also have to consider that when a women is pregnant it is no longer just about themselves and their body; they have another person inside of them, and that person matters too.”
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WPU Students on Stage Again By Emily Freer Theatre returned to WPU with productions of The Wolves in October and Working in November, allowing student performers to feel the rush of performing on a stage again and other students go to watch their friends excel on stage. Theatre professor Amy Pridgen, who directed both productions, was glad to return to traditional shows after COVID-19 forced the department to use alternative types of performances. “I think we’d all admit none of it has compared to being in an actual theatre with a group of actors and a live audience,” said Pridgen “The energy in that environment is unbeatable. We’re finally getting that back, and it feels incredible.”
Photos courtesy of WPU Theater
State Fair Returns
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One beloved tradition that returned to Raleigh this year was the N.C. State Fair, held Oct. 14-24 at the State Fairgrounds in West Raleigh. Many residents returned to the annual event, which was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, to enjoy the novelty food, attractions, and games. Here are some images of the fun captured by Georges Abi-Aad.
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The Return of Traditions and Holiday Cheer CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Santa hit a homerun that year, and set the bar for Christmases to come. Every Christmas Eve Robbins spends the evening at his grandma’s house and opens one present in anticipation of Christmas morning. After feasting on traditional turkey, or the occasional “turducken,” his family heads to the theatres to watch the latest release.
We are never too old to enjoy the spirit of the holidays. Anne Evans, a junior communications major, appreciates the luxuries that come with adulthood. A rule in her household is that everyone must eat breakfast before opening gifts on Christmas morning. When she and her brother approached adulthood, her father began waking them with breakfast
and an accompanying breakfast shot. Being a fan of all things breakfast, Evans is waiting with anticipation for the return of WPU’s late night breakfast tradition. Last year the pandemic threw a wrench in many holiday plans, and WPU junior, Taylor Griffith knows this all too well. A few days before Thanksgiving last year she found
Tree Lighting Welcomes WPU’s Holiday Season By Dezarae Churchill
WPU hosted one of the season’s most anticipated events -the annual tree-lighting ceremony. The event took place Nov. 16 on Main Lawn as dusk approached. The heartwarming air of familiarity left students and faculty feeling inspired and optimistic of a holiday reminiscent of Christmas past. Holiday music filled the lawn, and students were excited to welcome the holiday season on campus. Staff, students and community members held a candlelight vigil as they sang along with “Joy to the World.” “It is a pleasure to have you all here to
celebrate the lighting of the lawn,” said WPU President Dr. Brian Ralph. “This is a tremendous festivity that we always enjoyed, especially prepandemic. And so it’s great to be able to reinstitute this celebration this evening.” The countdown to the tree lighting followed, while a crowd circled around the fountain in the middle of the lawn holding lit candles. The smiles and hope for the holiday season were soon brightened by the warm lights of the tree. The celebration concluded with hot chocolate and marshmallows.
After the tree was lit, people circled around the gleaming lights to snap a couple of pictures for the start of the holiday season. Complimentary pictures were also taken and printed for anyone who wanted to pose in front of the tree. WPU’s campus was decorated a few days prior by SGA officials, led by SGA president Dillion Garbrant.
out she had COVID-19. Griffith is a Florida native, and her father is Ghanese. Her family’s traditional holiday meal is curry chicken served with roti, an accompanying flatbread. While she was grateful to receive a plate, unfortunately she wasn’t able to taste much. This year she is looking forward to a COVID-free holiday. Her family is traveling from Florida to stay with her the week before Christmas. She will be creating new traditions this year, as it is her first holiday season away from home. Living off campus with her girlfriend has allowed her the freedom to decorate and celebrate the season in a new fashion. With travel restrictions eased, many are excited that this holiday season will be more enjoyable. Dillion Butler, a junior majoring in sports medicine management, has family in Maine and California. He looks forward to seeing his grandparents this season. “In 2020 I couldn’t see my grandparents. I didn’t want to risk them getting COVID from me, or the possibility of me getting COVID, so I stayed home,” Butler said. Honoring their Hispanic roots, Butler’s family often has traditional Mexican
food for Christmas. A couple of his favorites are tamales and enchiladas. Hands down, his favorite holiday is Christmas. He loves the spirit and the connectedness of the season. He loves giving and receiving gifts and enjoys the time spent with family. While we are resilient in nature, many of us found ways to make the holidays memorable despite the lurking presence of the pandemic. WPU welcomed visitors back to campus this semester to take part in other traditions as well. On Oct. 7, WPU SGA hosted their annual Traditions Dinner in the Belk Dining Hall. This celebrates the university’s past with the students being served by faculty and family style meals that were traditionally held in the Hall. Students were excited to partake in the event this year as it is a deeply beloved tradition at WPU. Some of us will be returning to old traditions this year, while others are embracing change and creating new ones. Many wait for this time of year with anticipation, and we are grateful to see the return of memories from holidays past.
Photo by Izabelle Dessi
Student Traditions Brian Martinez By Emily Freer
From tamales to the beach to “abuelita” chocolate, Brian Martinez has a variety of traditions to look forward to this holiday season. Martinez, a junior theatre major with a minor in communications, is from Coral Springs, Florida, while his family is from Guatemala. Here are some highlights of his traditions that he shared in an interview with Emily Freer: “My Christmas is very Hispanic. Thanksgiving is very different. You know, since it is an American holiday, it’s obviously more of the typical American tradition the way we celebrate it, but for Christmas that’s where we just throw everything out the door that is American.
We celebrate on the 24th, we spend it with Dominican and w h i c h Colombians. in Latin So it’s cultures definitely a is called mixed part of Noche traditions, and Buena, it’s a lot of fun. which is We hug “ g o o d it out. We’re night.” like ‘Merry O u r C h r i s t m a s ,’ , Christmas do a little hug ‘ g e t and then we together’ Photo courtesy of Brian Martinez start opening [starts] around 8 p.m. We have presents. We have a little moment our dinner, and then at midnight where we recognize what we celebrate the arrival of Christmas is about. And then we Christmas by being loud. We have celebrate by eating, spending time drums. We use pots and pans. We together, and drinking Coquito, have all these styles like different which is basically eggnog. Caribbean instruments because My mom typically
makes our tamales. The way we do it is on a banana, instead of a corn husk. So it is not dry, it’s more softer, it is a little bit more flavorful and saucier. Since we’re from Florida, we like to go to the beach, not to get into the ocean itself, but just going on walks to the beach because there’s a nice temperature and usually they have these really cute displays of lights. Always have hot chocolate on Christmas. No matter how hot it is in Florida. My mom makes this abuelita chocolate. So it’s not your basic like out of a packet and like water like mom makes it out of milk and cinnamon sticks and all this fun stuff.”
Didi Samlouius
By Jacob Liddicote
Moving from Haiti to the United States can mean a big change in everything you know and do, particularly your holiday traditions. Since WPU student Bloody “DIDI” Samlouius experienced this seven years ago, he has adapted to many new traditions and changed his thoughts about others. In an interview with staff writer Jacob Liddicote, Samlouius said he was “glad to be able to celebrate new traditions while still being able to celebrate his old ones in new ways.” Here are some highlights of their talk: “It was weird because,
in Haiti, I’m a Christian. And the Christians in Haiti don’t celebrate Halloween. It’s like they think it’s like the devil but I guess it’s tradition, right. So when I first got here, we were doing Halloween. I was kind of weird about it. I didn’t get dressed up my first year because my mom from back home will be like, “Why are you celebrating Halloween?”, but the family I was here with was like “It’s okay. It’s just trick or treat.” “I didn’t know what [Thanksgiving] was like when I first got here. They were like, “please give us something you’re thankful for,” and I was like “what is that”? So I’ve liked it because
I’m very family-oriented, and I’m a family type of guy. I was raised in a family and being around the family kind of is a strong thing. You get closer with your family as much when you’re around them so I do like Thanksgiving. New Year’s Eve is like Independence Day in Haiti. As a family, we get together and even families we haven’t seen in years come over to the house and we cook pumpkin soup. It’s like a traditional thing in Haiti, everyone in their family, like, everywhere you go.. they’re cooking pumpkin, pumpkin soup, and even if you’re not family, you’re from the streets Photo courtesy of Didi Samlouius like you’re welcome to come in.”
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Features
C ostumes Should Appreciate, Not Appropriate Other People’s Cultures By Dezarae Churchill Staff Writer
Halloween can mean costume parties or passing out candy to the neighborhood goblins, but it can also be a time when you are likely to see someone wearing a culturally inappropriate costume. Some of these so-called “costumes” might even perpetuate racial stereotypes. The top five such costumes on a list compiled by Bustle.com are Ninja, Voodoo Doctor, Native Princess, Day of the Dead Skulls, and Geishas. The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at William Peace University held the discussion “Our Culture is Not a Costume” Sept. 27, highlighting these cultural insensitivities and how to combat them. One example they discussed is Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos, a celebration of life and remembrance of deceased family members. Sugar skulls and other treats are left out during the celebration to honor lost loved ones. During the celebration, families paint their faces in the style of Calaveras. Sometimes we see Americans use this style and paint the “sugar skulls” on their faces for Halloween. Calaveras have deep spiritual significance, and aren’t just “pretty skeletons”. Jasanee Killins is a sophomore anthropology and English Major and DEEP leader. She highlighted the dichotomy of white privilege and marginalized people. Her sentiments were that it is bizarre to want to put someone’s else’s face on for the day. But to do it without the ability to comprehend their identity, or validate their struggle, is disrespectful. Without firsthand experience
of a racialized America, it is difficult for white individuals to see how deeply racism is woven into American culture. Therefore, it is impossible to understand how damaging it is to impersonate others on Halloween. “Even with good intentions, you could be appropriating cultures,” said Killins. She encourages us to steer away from cultural stereotypes altogether. Another DEEP leader, Kiera Williams, was also a part of the discussion. She said to dress us as your favorite celebrity is great, but it’s never okay to alter your pigmentation. If you want to be Queen Bey, tease your hair, wear your best mini dress, but skip the dark bronzer and deep foundation. Many of these costumes are either hyper sexualizing a group of people, such as the Indian Princess costumes, or they are playing into the worst stereotypes about a group of people. We see this when people choose to wear Indigenous attire. They often are seen wearing animal hide, ceremonial headdresses and a slightly painted face. The face paint is reminiscent of the stereotype of Indigenous being “savages,” while headdresses in native tribes are known as war bonnets and worn with pride and exhibit honor. America has deep wounds with both Indigenous and Black communities. The common excuse of those who wear cultural attire as costumes is that they didn’t know any better. “Context and nuance is important
Illustration by Heather Spataro in America, there’s no excuse,” said Williams, a WPU junior who is majoring in biology. Halloween has a tradition in America of highlighting our history of racial ignorance and insensitivity. There is a level of unawareness or disregard with respect to costumes resulting in appropriation and disrespect. The allure of Halloween is spending the night as someone or
something that you are not. Dressing up as Frankenstein is acceptable, because we can’t actually become a subhuman fictional character. But wearing culturally significant attire on Halloween often falls within the realm of cultural insensitivity. While imitating a person is adoration, imitating a culture is appropriation.
women. Debrin Adon, a 17-year-old senior from Worcester, Massachusetts, has only one thing on his mind when it comes to talking about college. “We’re more focused on money… like, getting that paycheck,” said Adon. “If I go to college, I’ve got to pay this much and take on all this debt.”
lege in the future, I have a job right now that I can live off of so I am doing fine at the moment,” said Snowden. Many students who are currently enrolled in college do not regret their decision, like Dylan Cross, a junior at WPU. “College has helped me learn a lot about people and how the career field works and I’ve learned directly from those with experience in the video production field,” said Cross. Merino feels the same way about college as Cross does. “I would say co llege was the right choice for me because of my personality type, it gave me structure and a clear long term goal to work for, my degree,” said Merino. The respondents of the survey were also asked what they would be doing if they did not attend college. Out of the 27, 19 responded that they would be working some type of job. The answers varied from being a YouTuber to starting their own business. This data shows that some men believe that they can get a good foundation job out of high school without a college degree. Vian Villa, a sophomore business major at William Peace University, was one of the respondents for the survey. Villa enjoys attending college but also tends to reflect on why he came to college and what his life would be like if he decided not to come to college. “I decided to come to college to work on furthering my education and also because I was able to continue running cross country and track,” said Villa. “I believe that if I made the decision to not attend college right now, I would be working construction with my dad and working on growing my YouTube channel on the side.”
Why Is There A Decline Of Men In College? By Billy Gay and Jacob Allen
Researchers have been puzzled as to why a smaller percentage of men are attending college on a year to year basis. While the number of college students dropped overall in Spring 2021, a trend likely related to the pandemic, male enrollment saw a 5.5 percent drop from the previous year, compared to a 2 percent decline in women, according
and mental health problems were a cause of this decline. These are not the only reasons why students may pass on college. Some students develop an early dislike for school, which may influence their choice to continue education through college. A Michigan study found that there was a 71 percent increase in boys who said they
Statistics from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center show that fewr men are attending college.
to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Out of the 603,000 student decrease between both genders, men accounted for 400,000 of it. “I think that people are starting to figure out that college isn’t a requirement and life is much more complex than following a single path,” said Matthew Merino, a senior at William Peace University. Adam Young, a 19-year-old Wilmington, North Carolina native, decided to not attend college after graduating from high school in 2020. “I wanted to focus on myself and get a job and potentially join the military later in life,” said Young. An informal online survey of 27 students was conducted asking male college students why they think there has been a recent decline in men going to college. Out of the 27 respondents, 17 said that they believe that there are better opportunities for them. Other respondents believed that the COVID-19 pandemic
disliked school from 1980 to 2001. Spencer Snowden, a 21-year-old grocery store stocker, is one of the men who lost his motivation to continue into higher education. “I hated going to school, I understand that I needed it to function as a human but it was extremely boring,” said Snowden. Another young male, Vijay Dawah, shares a similar feeling with Snowden on his experience in the education system. “When I did go to college, I had no motivation or drive for it so I was usually spaced out during classes and I just found it boring,” said Dawah. Other men decided that going to work and earning money was a higher priority than receiving a college education. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the 16.5 million people aged 16 to 24 not enrolled in school, 82.5 percent of men were in the workforce compared to 75.4 percent of
Merino also explained that college may not be required for certain interests or professions. “Music producers are an example of people who do not need college at all,” said Merino. “If you learn a single program and get really good at it, and promote yourself, you don’t necessarily need college.” Some of these men end up regretting not going to college because it limits their options down the line. Dawah is one of these men thinking about giving college another chance. “I think I will be going back to college in the future because most good paying jobs require some sort of degree,” said Dawah. “I think it is important to go to college and get an education so you can be prepared for the real world and also so you can have more job opportunities.” Others may not feel confident enough to dive back into college, like Snowden. “I am not sure if I will pursue col-
Features
LByights , Camera, Action: Movies Are Back Izabelle Dessi Staff Writer
Open the ticket booths, and let the movie screens be lit once again. Movie theaters are starting to open their doors after the pandemic closed them last year. Films are making their long awaited debuts back to the theaters. It’s time to purchase your tickets, grab the buttery popcorn, and recline to a great movie. Slowly, production companies are releasing more movies only to theaters to try and get viewers back. However, it remains unknown if films will be able to make the box office numbers that everyone knew before the pandemic started. After recently seeing Dear Evan Hansen, a coming of age musical that was released only in theaters, Alexus Hickok, a sophomore biology major at William Peace, reflects on what she missed about the movie theaters. “I loved it,” she said. “It was definitely fun to get out of the house and have that feeling of normalcy back.” James Bond: ‘No Time To Die’ was a film that was only premiering in theaters, which meant being delayed for what felt like a million years. After finally
Students Fight
By Trisa Patel Staff Writer A sophomore at the University of Iowa claims that she was drugged, raped and videotaped by members of the fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, also known as FIJI, in September 2020 -- and the controversy has grown ever since. The fraternity has faced no repercussions from the university or Iowa City Police. A crowd of over 2,000 students gathered in front of the fraternity house on Aug. 31, 2021, demanding the members be held
being released on Oct. 8 after an 18 month delay, James Bond debuted with earnings of $56 million on opening weekend, according to Variety. The film fell a little short of the expectation put on by the anticipation of leading actor Daniel Craig’s last Bond film. However, revenue was better than many expected due to the film’s delay and some movie goers’ hesitancy to return to theatres. The James Bond film could be the beginning of movie lovers becoming more comfortable with taking off the sweats and breaking out of the comfort of their couches to revel in the smell of popcorn, reclining chairs, and an epic flat screen. But, what about the beloved at home releases we have become so accustomed to? Will people still want to go out to the theaters when it will soon reach them from the comfort of their home? Warner Bros. has announced that they will continue to release movies to their streaming platform partner, HBO Max. CEO Jason Kilar said they intend to release 10 movies in 2022 to HBO Max while still releasing films to theaters.
for
Justice
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Photo by Izabelle Dessi According to an article from the Do not fear, at-home movie Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. plan premiers will not disappear anytime soon, for distribution will “continue to evolve though certain movies will only make a and continue to innovate in ways that not debut in theaters. So the debate between only work with consumers and fans, but waiting for it to reach your own screen or also work for our business partners,” said going to see it in the cinematic setting is Kilar. back on.
FI J I A l l e g a t i o n s
responsible for their violent actions. College students worldwide have gathered to raise awareness of assault, by petitioning and protesting. The victim called the Iowa City Police and told the responding officer that she woke up the day after a party at FIJI, with no memory of the night before. In a video, shared on the application “Group Me,” two fraternity brothers were seen assaulting the victim. A detective
located a photo on one of the accused students’ phones. According to court records, the detective stated the photos confirmed the identities of the alleged suspects. The petition entitled “Ban Fiji Forever UNL” on change.org has over 495,000 signatures out of the goal of 500,000. University of Nebraska sophomore, Rose Felice started the petition to hold the fraternity accountable.
Sexual assault is common on college campuses, and students at WPU are joining the fight. “These members should respect women and since they are representing the school they should align with the schools values. Fiji should be held to the same standards as other clubs,” says WPU freshman, Mary Langer. Everyone deserves to be respected and protected, especially at their university. WPU students can connect with Pubic Safety Officers and staff at The Joyner House for resources and support.
of their heroes were doing at home while stay at home orders were in session. Like Spiderman making croissants and Wolverine doing a puzzle. Marvel even made a comic series titled “The Vitals” that told real life stories about medical professionals during the
#Creators4Comics was able to raise over $400,000 dollars to help keep comics shops up and running during COVID. The Comic Book United Fund worked on providing relief efforts for comic stores as well, and also helped out the employees that were affected by the
Since conventions like Comic Con and other large comic book entertainment events were cancelled due to COVID-19, many fans flocked to purchase missing comics from their sets. Whether it was an in-shop purchase or an online order, comic books were flying off the shelves. There was also a surge of Marvel and DC fans wanting new stories with their favorite characters due to a shortage of other content. 2020 became the first year in over a decade to not have a Marvel Studios release, and many other movies were pushed back or put into limbo. While movies became uncertain, fans surged to comic book stories because they carried through. Covid-19 has shown people many things through its effects on society and now what individuals consider the new norm. However, even though many companies couldn’t counter the new challenges the pandemic brought, the comic book industry was able to thrive. Read more features by scanning:
H ow H ave C omic S tores S tayed A float Through Pandemic? By Heather Spataro Staff Writer
The drastic amount of businesses that have had to shut down due to COVID-19 it brings about the question: how have comic stores been able to stay afloat? When COVID hit, it caused many companies to change business practices, and when Diamond Comic Distributors (the biggest comic book distributor in the market) ceased production on March 30, 2020 it could have been the end for comic stores everywhere. However, it seems that neither COVID nor the distributor shutting down stopped comic book stores from making profit. Internal Correspondence version 2 released graphic novel sales showing that there was actually an increase in comic book sales by 6% in 2020 compared to 2019. With this in mind, how did comic book stores not only stay afloat during the pandemic but also increase their profit? Like many businesses during the pandemic, comic book shops have swapped to online purchases and curbside pick up. However, comic book companies have gotten creative in their attempt to stay relevant. Famous comic book companies such as Detective Comics (DC) and Marvel took to Twitter in order to promote COVID-19 preventatives, with both showcasing their characters taking precautionary measures towards COVID. Such as The Flash washing his hands for 20 seconds, and Batman getting takeout pizza with his Batmobile. Marvel also showed what each
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Illustration by Heather Spataro pandemic, according to Screenrant. Another major contribution towards keeping comic book stores open was the multitude of campaigns used. Two of the biggest ones utilized were The Comic Book United Fund and #Creators4Comics.
pandemic. But that still doesn’t explain why the number of comic book sales shot up during COVID. Well, according to The Hollywood Reporter, this drastic increase in comic book purchases is largely due to fans hoping to complete their collections.
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People of Peace
WPU TikTok Star: Holding Out for a Hit By Brian Martinez
Image taken from Fuko’s TikTok Page When Justin Fuko uploaded his first TikTok video in 2018, he was inspired by a friend who had recently blown up on the app with over a million views. For his own first viral video, Fuko did a challenge where he pranked his mother into saying an inappropriate statement without her noticing. The video reached about seven thousand views -- a huge number at the time, before the app exploded in popularity. “The video started to get hundreds of likes and at the time I was like, holy crap,” said Fuko. “Me and my boyfriend were walking through Target and we checked back and it had seven thousand views. This was my star moment!” A native of Apex, Fuko started his first semester at William Peace University in August, and is majoring in musical theatre. He’s also an avid TikTok creator whose videos reach thousands -sometimes millions -- of people. After his first account was erased for breaking community guidelines, he took a quick health break from TikTok before starting fresh in early 2019. His first hit video on the second account was a love letter to North Carolina. He made a video about how much sugar he adds to his sweet tea and it blew up with many North Carolinians commenting and sharing the video. “I added like four cups of sweet tea mix into my sweet tea in the video,” said Fuko. “People from North Carolina loved it! It had like twenty thousand likes.” Fuko’s favorite video gained him 12 million views. In it, he is dueting with another creator who is talking about a TikTok filter with wings. Fuko returns in drag, lip syncing to “Holding Out for a Hero” from Shrek 2 and dressed up as the film’s Fairy God mother using the filtered wings. Students of WPU started to realize who he was and began commenting on the post, which helped Fuko make friends on campus. “I met Justin at the beginning of the school year at one of those welcome events,” Justin at the beginning of the school year at one of those welcome events,”mother using the filtered wings. Students of WPU started to realize who he was and began
commenting on the post, which helped Fuko make friends on campus. “I met Justin at the beginning of the school year at one of those welcome events,” said musical theatre senior Emily Freer. “One of my friends had told me in the spring semester that there was this guy who was big on Tik Tok joining the theatre program. So I already knew who he was , but I hadn’t met the kid yet.” Fuko has always loved performing and Tik Tok has been an outlet for him to be himself and entertain others. With a heavy rehearsal schedule and class workload, he still finds time to create the videos. His most recent hit was filmed during one of the show nights for Working - A Musical. In the dressing room he pretended to have senior Alexa Parker be his girlfriend and he would then do a challenge that has been popular on TikTok for couples. He was recently featured on the popular Instagram account that highlights college experiences. In that TikTok, he made fun of the fact that he has an emotional support cat in his dorm and that he would have to hide his cat during the room inspections with the RAs. Fuko plans to keep creating Tik Tok videos about his college experience and life as a gay college student. He also plans to keep working on his drag and displaying it on his TikTok account. He has a strong passion for the art form, and dreams of making it on RuPaul’s Drag Race once he is old enough to audition for the popular television show. Unlike many popular TikTokers, he does not plan on branching out to other platforms like Youtube. Fuko says he enjoys the TikTok community and the fun interactions he gets to make on the app with other people, though he admits there have been less happy effects, like an argument with his father over his videos. Although TikTok is what he enjoys doing and is passionate about it, he does not rely on it as his big personality trait. “I am more than my number of followers on Tik Tok,” said Fuko. “That is no t me. I like to think that I am a fun person to be around regardless of the fame I have gotten from Tik Tok.”
Anthropology’s Impact Throughout His Life
By Billy Gay
As a young boy growing up, Melomo believes that anthropolDr. Vincent Melomo didn’t know what ogy has a powerful impact on the lives of anthropology was, and his path in life was his students. not very clear. Accounting, counseling, “Anthropology allows students and journalism were a few of his future to see themselves differently, and to see options. others differently,” said Melomo. “If I can At 53 , Melomo is now an get students to see how those things that associate professor of anthropology and they do that they thought were normal chair of the department of culture, history, are actually particular or peculiar, it puts and politics at William Peace University. them in a different position to being open After teaching anthropology at Peace for to understanding others.” over 20 years, Melomo believes he has Dylan Cross, a communications chosen the right path in life. major at Peace, said he learned new per Melomo grew up in a diverse spectives in Melomo’s class. community outside of New York City. “Melomo taught me new ways to After attending an affluent Catholic middle think about the world and the people in school and moving to Tennessee for high it,” said Cross. “If I could use one word to school, Melomo developed a growing describe him it would be ‘impactful’.” interest in the subject of anthropology. Melomo’s motivation for teach “What drew me most to ing goes beyond the classroom. anthropology is the way of understanding “What I hope is that by examthe kinds of perspectives that it offered,” ple and how I interact with people, I can said Melomo. “I found anthropology’s create more passionate and more open focus on both our biological selves as well people,” said Melomo. “Going through as the specificity of culture and how that my day, I might encourage that spirit shapes us to be especially powerful in among others more through my classes terms of understanding my own self and and through working at a university.” world.” Andrew Gilleskie, a junior at Melomo’s experience in college Peace majoring in criminal justice, said at Adelphi University fostered his passion Melomo is both knowledgeable and acfor anthropology through immersive cessible. learning. Many of his class assignments “Not only does he know what had him out in the field looking at artifacts he is talking about in terms of the subject in museums, participating at weekend matter, he’s also very good interpersonaldigs, and connecting with the people of ly wise,” said Gilleskie. “He just has a very the community. good presence in the classroom.” “I found myself just enjoying doing that stuff,” said Melomo. “I like going to museums, I like being outside on a weekend working in the ground, and that basic Photo Taken From a Video Made by Billy Gay experience When made me interested in doing more with he is not teaching and grading, Meloit.” mo enjoys spending time with his fam Melomo’s goal wasn’t always ily, watching shows with his children or to be a teacher. However, tutoring and spending time outside. He also enjoys leading discussions during his time as an reading news articles on various topics undergraduate built up his confidence. and seeing what is being learned about Melomo later became a teachers assistant our world. during his graduate work at Binghamton Looking back on his life, Melomo University, where earned his master’s and has no regrets choosing anthropology as doctoral degrees. it has impacted him in many ways. “I loved having a class and I “Anthropology has changed my loved having students,” said Melomo. “I life in terms of whom I have been able loved feeling like I could engage people to interact with,” said Melomo. “I feel in and open their eyes and get them to many ways that I have definitely chosen think about things they didn’t think about the right path, there are many things that suit me very well and are very rewarding.”
WPU A LUM I S T HE C REATOR B ehind P acers G ame -D ay P osts By Izabelle Dessi
Have you ever wondered who makes the game day graphics for the athletics page? Or the minds behind the camera that help stream athletic games? Well that is Shelby Lombardo and the Athletic Communications department. Lombardo is the Assistant Director of Athletic Communications for William Peace University and a WPU alum who handles game coverage, social media, and statistics on WPU teams. “So that’s everything from statistics, scoreboard, Game Day workers, PA live stream all of that for game days,” says Lombardo. “Then day to day we do all the social media for the website and for Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.” In the department there is Ozzy Peralta, Director of Athletic Communications, and Lombardo. Then there are also
student interns and work study students who help out. “She really makes it to where it’s like just another director, not really an assistant director. She does a good job of delegating,” says Peralta. Peralta describes Lombardo as being organized in a way that kept the department not one but two steps ahead. She’s always prepared to face challenges or anything that could possibly trouble the department. “So those qualities among just being a very diligent person at what she does and taking it very seriously and very good creativity,” says Peralta. “So that’s something that I think goes a long way.” Before working at Peace, Lombardo, 28, attended Peace, graduating with a degree in writing in 2018. She went
let me do photography at every game,” receive a Masters in Science in Comsays Lombardo. munications from NC State University. The internship and hands-on Lombardo was taking classes at Wake experience helped Lombardo find her Tech when she way to working in the knew she wanted Athletic Communications to major in writdepartment after graduing and, at the ating. time, thought she Lombardo has hopes wanted to work in that the department will publishing. continue to grow and try “I was new things for the future, taking a class with from making graphics, Roger Chrisman improving the live stream, and I enjoyed the adding more work-study video part of that students and interns. class and making “I think we can grow in content. Then just small ways like that and working with Kelly improve what we already and Ozzy I really have,” she said. just thought that it Courtesy of WPU Athletics