October 20, 2016 THURSDAY VOL. 103, NO. 6 NEVER A DULL MOMENT
Student Activist pg 4
Campus Vegan Org pg 5
Athlete Success pg 6
Campus | Student Feature
Art student earns third solo show By EMILY NICKLES A mix of figure paintings and metal work is what you will find in the graduate studio of Carrie Adamson-Riefler. Adamson-Riefler is obtaining a Masters of Fine Arts, with a concentration in painting and sculpture. She has had three solo shows since transferring from UNT during her undergraduate and currently has a show in the 010 Gallery in the Student Union. Her work focuses on the human figure – however since her undergraduate studies began,
Adamson-Riefler poses with one of her works-in-progress.
Adamson-Riefler’s paintings have evolved in their composition. During her undergrad, AdamsonRiefler was painting animal heads on human bodies in an anthropomorphic style reminiscent of the ancient Egyptians. As a master’s student, she has chosen to remove the animal heads and create a steady mix of subjects, experimenting with color and movement in the paintings. Unsure of how the anthropomorphic paintings were conveying her message, AdamsonRiefler progressed to “…only showing the human side and showing different versions of the psyche, the fractured psyche.” Her paintings are about portraying psychological issues or mental illness. “Some people close to me have issues with this and I see that it’s an important issue to talk about. A lot of times there’s stigma attached to it, so then people don’t really want to talk about it as much,” explained Adamson-Riefler.
Despite the silence that exists in discussion of mental illness, Adamson-Riefler is prepared for the challenge: “My goal is to bring it to fruition, to light, so that people can talk about it in a comfortable space.” Her graduate show will incorporate more metal, such as copper plate applied with patinas. The patinas creates a chemical reaction on the metal—essentially eating away at it. “That kind of has a correlation with chemical imbalances that can happen in people when they’re dealing with disorders,” Adamson-Riefler said, later pointing out the imperfections on a sheet of metal created by shotgun pellets. On top of being a graduate student, Adamson-Riefler teaches Basic Drawing and Figure Drawing as an adjunct in the TWU Art Department. She also volunteers her time to teach Painting-at-the-U once a month, a Student Union program open to all students who
Campus | Program
Holiday Gift Program provides support to TWU students with kids during the holiday season
Smiling coyly, Adamson-Riefler sits poised in her reading nook.
pre-register. Adamson-Riefler has been featured alongside other artists in 2016 through the Graduate Painters Collective, VAST and 500X Hot and Sweaty to name a few. She will have a reception tonight in Dallas for Alterra International Emerging Artist Exhibition at the Butler Brothers Building, where Adamson-Riefler’s artwork will be on display for a month.
Oil on copper plate painting, on display in the 010 Gallery. All photos by Emily Nickles
Community | Event
KINSHIP FAIR SERVES LOCAL FAMILIES Denton organizations collaborated to support kinship families of Denton By HENRY JONES
Graphic by Kyra Marshall
By HEATHER HINES Students who are parents can still have Santa Claus wiggle down their chimney this year with a sack of goodies for their children. TWU students with children, living on or off campus in Denton, Dallas and Houston, who cannot afford Christmas presents for their children may apply to be a recipient of the holiday gift program by contacting Assistant Director of Commuter and Distance Education Student Services Jessica Burchfield. Applicants have until Nov. 6 to apply for the program and sponsors will be contacted by Nov. 11 with information about the child they will sponsor, including clothing sizes and a Christmas wish list. Burchfield said: “The meaning and the mission of this university can really be seen through this program. If you ever want to see what it means to be a part of a
supportive community and what that looks like, this is the primary example. We want all of our students, including non-traditional students who have children, to be successful and graduate from Texas Woman’s University and the Holiday Gift Program is just one of the ways we do that.” The Holiday Gift Program allows TWU students, organizations and employees to sponsor children, providing their families with either a monetary donation or personal Christmas presents a child has asked for. All the children who take part in this program belong to students who might struggle to provide their children with presents. Burchfield said: “The reason that we can sustain this is because we have TWU community members and some external sponsorship, as well as just students who are just willing to give back. We’re a really giving community and we know
there is a need here and people are meeting the need. Everyone knows about this program, everyone loves giving back to this program.” The Holiday Gift Program has been a part of TWU’s history for 25 years and since 2005, has served over 2,400 children. Burchfield said: “Some of my favorite times are when someone who was a recipient of this program gets back on their feet and they will give back to the program. It’s a really neat program, it’s one of my favorites of the entire year.”
Contact Jessica Burchfield at JBurchfield@twu.edu for applications and information on how to sponsor a child this Christmas.
Saturday Oct.16, Organizations gathered around Pioneer Circle to provide social support and resources to local kinship families. Each fall, the TWU Social Work Department collaborates with Denton CPS, Court Appointed Special Advocates, The Young Lawyers, local businesses, and other TWU departments to organize the kinship fair. The organizations work to create a fun and safe environment where families can enjoy games and activities while receiving some of the resources they need. “Parents can come, let the kids go, and let the kids have fun,” student assistant and leader of the social work community outreach program Tessa O’Connor. Kinship caretakers are typically grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends who provide and support the children when they are removed from their biological parents because of maltreatment. Kinship care helps ensure children are placed in homes where they may feel familiar and comfortable. These families may not always have adequate resources to support the children. Before the fair, families met with CPS to discuss their needs. The organizations and volunteers
were successful in providing these resources, including diapers, wipes, coats, family photos and other items at no cost to the families. In addition to the resources provided, the community also collaborated to provide activities for the families. Children could enjoy bounce houses, music, motorcycle rides, explore a fire truck and other activities. When families arrived, they were greeted by the Welcome Walk, a new addition to this year’s fair. Volunteers lined up to cheer the guests as they entered the fair to help them feel welcome. Families then could have their photos taken and design custom frames to take home. Guests then explored the rest of the fair, taking part in carnival games organized by TWU organizations to win prizes, enjoying a bounce house, and picking up the resources provided to them. O’Connor said: “My favorite part is the community spirit and the community support. It’s a very vital part to their success.” In addition to the activities and resources provided to the guests, the Kinship Fair also serves to illustrate all the community support behind the kinship families.
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Voices
Thursday, October 20, 2016 twulasso.com
The Lasso Editorial Staff
Opinion I Scandal
Clown Lives Don’t Matter
Editor-in-Chief
Emily Nickles enickles@twu.edu
Managing Editor Johnna Headley jheadley@twu.edu
Page Editor
Amber Robertson arobertson5@twu.edu
Page Editor
Jennie Posadas jposadas@twu.edu
Graphic by Kyra Marshall
Social Media Editor
By KYNDAL COLÓN
Henry Jones wjones5@twu.edu
The internet has coined this year’s greatest scandal #clowngate2016 and the web has been overflowing with real and fake videos and pictures of
Graphic Designer
Kyra Marshall kmarshall3@twu.edu
Afraid of being female
Jordan Kiefer jkiefer@twu.edu
Reporter
By MORGAN VILLAVASO
Heather Hines hhines1@twu.edu
Reporter
Emily White ewhite5@twu.edu
Reporter
Kyndal Colón kcolon1@twu.edu
Reporter/Distributor Morgan Villavaso mvillavaso@twu.edu Tabitha Gray tgray4@twu.edu
Advisor
Rhonda Ross rross7@twu.edu
Matter movement is a fallacious attempt at drawing attention to a group of people who get to take off their afros and face paint at the end of the day; Black people don’t get to wipe themselves off and integrate back into society. The BLM movement began in protest of police brutality and the blatant disregard for Black bodies; the only person who’s been killed during #clowngate2016 was a 16-year-old male who was recently stabbed to death by a prowling clown in Pennsylvania. The number of people of color who have been unjustly murdered numbers in the hundreds just in 2016 and continues to climb every single day. For clowns to feel like being put out of work until Halloween passes is even remotely comparable to the pathetic current state of race relations in the United States is laughable at best and disgustingly racist at worst.
Opinion I Gender
Copy Editor
Photographer
terrifying creepy clown sightings all across the globe. Multiple school lockdowns, riots and one stabbing has left real clowns no other choice – defend themselves or lose business. Clowns have been losing so much business,
in fact, that they’ve organized a march in Tucson, Arizona on Oct. 15 under the name Clown Lives Matter. The idea behind the march is to quell the killer-clown fears that have resurfaced. Clown actors are starting to feel this fear in their pockets. Who wants to hire a clown for their kid’s birthday party after watching videos on Instagram of unsuspecting citizens getting chased by eerily-fast clowns? In hopes of a successful march, the Arizona Daily Star claimed that a flier for the event said: “We want the public to feel safe and not be afraid, so come out, bring the family, meet a clown and get a hug.” These clowns mean well, I’m sure, but ripping off the Black Lives Matter movement is unnecessary, ignorant and just plain wrong. Just as the Blue Lives Matter movement tried to conjure up persecution that wasn’t there, the Clown Lives
According to the National Institute of Justice, one in five women will be raped while in college. According to my anxiety, I am one walk to the commuter lot away from becoming a statistic. I, like many Americans, have lived the majority of my life with an anxiety disorder. As stated by the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., effecting about 18 percent of the adult population. Unsurprisingly, women are over twice as likely to be effected by anxiety disorders as compared to men. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, a woman is raped in the U.S. every two minutes. How many minutes are left before that woman is me? My anxiety asks me questions like this on a daily basis. I live at the intersection of my gender and my anxiety. What exactly does this mean? For me, it means never studying at the library after dark. It means always looking behind my back
while I walk. It means panicking when a man I don’t know knocks on my door. It means being afraid to live alone. It means being afraid of the boys my roommates bring home. It means nervously watching out for other girls at parties. It means being afraid of getting home from work too late. It means involuntarily thinking about how easily my windows could be broken into while I’m trying to fall asleep. It means simultaneously trying to drown out the sound of drunken men yelling in the street. It means wondering if they, too, know how easy it would be to get in my home. It means never getting any sleep. Some days, I am not sure if my exhaustion is a symptom of my anxiety or a result of trying to outrun it. I am tired of being afraid to be female. I am tired of intrusive thoughts and intrusive fondles. I know there are other people who have similar experiences. I am tired of feeling like I am not allowed to speak up about it. If any of this resonates with you, please speak up.
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News | Campus
Thursday, October 20, 2016 twulasso.com
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Campus | Festivitiy
Halloween must come early
Annual Boo-at-the-U serves surrounding community and students with families
WHO’S WHO OF TWU Q: What would you like the presidential candidates to talk about that they haven’t talked about yet, or just brushed over?
Sophomore Early Childhood Education Arlington, TX
Rachel Stewart
“The police brutality that’s going on right now because I think that’s a really big subject that’s kind of been brushed aside, but needs to be taken care of.” Junior Kinesiology Carrollton, TX
Mashaal Bhimani
“I would really like them to emphasize Islamophobia more because I know Trump’s like, ‘They need to have a form; they need to check-in.’ I don’t understand why that’s such a big deal.” Sophomore Music Therapy Dallas, TX
Alison Quarles
“I guess the main thing I wish they would talk about is college in general. Bernie Sanders went in strong on it, and as soon as he fell out of the running, college students interests just kind of dropped.” First-year Nursing McKinney, TX
Nicole Mimms
“I want to be a nurse so I’d like to hear more about health care plans and stuff like that because, I guess in turn, that would affect me and my job.” Sophomore Dental Hygiene Katy, TX
Kaira Edwards
“Tuition, just because I’m a college kid. I know Bernie Sanders talked about it, and Hillary talked about it. It was mostly Bernie though.”
By JENNIE POSADAS The campus and local community can enjoy Halloween a little early this year. TWU is holding its annual Boo-atthe-U on Oct. 20 on the lawn of Hubbard Hall. The event is meant for children but gives TWU students the option to dress-up for Halloween. Starting at 5:30 p.m., the event is free to the surrounding Denton area, but it is recommended to donate one canned food to the TWU pantry. Guests can expect to enjoy trunk or treat, a haunted house, carnival games, train-rides, inflatables and massive amounts of candy! Children in past years had enjoyed zombies wandering the garden. Make sure to come by and see if they have returned from the dead. Parents can also be at ease knowing that the event is secure and their children can enjoy the event safely. With recent hoaxes of scary clowns, parents have been on guard, but they will be happy to know that DPS is always available on campus to protect and serve the TWU vicinity. If you have any questions, contact the Director of the Student Union & Conference Services, David Sweeten at dsweeten@twu. edu or 940.898.3641.
Compiled by Kyndal Colón and Tabitha Gray
Community | Events
CAMPUS AND LOCAL BRIEFS Mentally friendly and seasonal activities to checkout in Denton By JORDAN KIEFER
Road Trip to Six Flags Over Texas Fright Fest Need a break from mid-terms? On Fri., Oct. 28, Campus Activities Board will travel to Six Flags Over Texas to go to Fright Fest. The bus will leave at 4:30 p.m. and return to TWU at 1 a.m. Tickets are $15 at TWUCABTickets.com and includes park entry, transportation and 1 meal and drink ticket. Soccer Game Come out on Sun., Oct. 30 at 2 p.m. to support the soccer team in their last home game of the season. The Pioneers will be taking on the Falcons from UT-Permian Basin. This is also senior day, so show your support and appreciation for the students graduating this year. Holiday Pinterest Party On Mon., Nov. 7, CAB will be having a Holiday Pinterest Party in the Student Union second floor lobby from 5:30-7 p.m. There will be plenty of fun, plus holiday crafts for you and your friends. This is a free event for students. Painting-at-the-U Create your own masterpiece with the Student Union on Mon., Nov. 14 from 7 -9 p.m. This class is only $5 and the tickets can be purchased at TWUCABTickets.com. There will be an instructor helping you create your own work of art. Celebremus! Fall Choir Concert The Music Department proudly presents the Celebremus! Fall Choir Concert on Tues., Nov. 15 from 7:30-9 p.m. at Margo Jones Performance Hall. This event is $5 per
person and children ages 12 and under are free to listen to the beautiful voices of the choirs of TWU. Denton Music Theatre – Shrek The Denton Music Theatre is putting on Shrek: The Musical. Performance Dates will be Oct. 21-23 & Oct. 27-30 with the Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday performances at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 on www.musictheatreofdenton.com/ shrek.html. Denton Community Market The Denton Community Market is held every Saturday until the end of November, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Located at Carroll Blvd. and Mulberry St., it is a local art and produce market. There will be live music, fresh local produce, delicious on-site food and locallyproduced handmade arts and crafts. Concert Orchestra: Halloween Spooktacular Halloween Spooktacular is an evening filled with costumes, dance, music and food. The UNT Orchestra and Tuzer Ballet will be part of this fun-filled event on Mon., Oct. 31 starting at 8 p.m in the Murchison Performing Arts Center. Attendees are invited to wear their costumes to the performance. Tickets are $8 and can be found at http://thempac.music.unt.edu/. First Friday Denton Experience Denton’s local art scene on Fri., Nov. 4. Local art galleries and businesses will have activities from 6-10 p.m. with hours varying. It is a great way to look at different types of art from people in the Denton area.
Photo by Tabitha Gray
Boo-at-the-U hosts activities for children, such as face-painting, and trick-or-treating experiences on the safety of TWU’s campus.
Photo by Tabitha Gray
Photo by Tabitha Gray
Above: Student volunteers from campus organizations dress up for the event. Many groups have a theme at their station.
Education Abroad
Fair
Wednesday, October 26 11:00am-1:00pm Student Union 2nd Floor
Find out:
When to plan Where you can go What classes to take How to pay for it
educationabroad@twu.edu twu.edu/education-abroad Pioneer Center for Student Excellence 940.898.4114
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Community
Thursday, October 20, 2016 twulasso.com
Campus | Feature
Graduate student combines art with activism
Govindnathan takes a unique approach to social activism combining her love of art and a passion for helping women By MORGAN VILLAVASO “When I applied to college to come to the United States, I made it a point that my educational career from that point onwards was going to be a combination of art and social activism, and it has been ever since.” Said Graduate Teaching Assistant Pallavi Govindnathan. Pallavi Govindnathan is a PhD student in the Department of Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies (MWGS) and an artist who has exhibited in Canada, Thailand, India, Pakistan and the U.S. Govindnathan has orchestrated an unique marriage of fine art with MWGS and her experience as a South Asian woman of color in academia. Born in India and raised in Thailand, Govindnathan moved to the states to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Savannah College
of Art and Design, followed by a Masters in Painting and New Genres from the San Francisco Art Institute. Women’s issues have always been a primary focus of Govindnathan’s artistic practice and research: “I remember writing in my application to TWU that I’m coming in as an artist, and I’m going to leave the program as an even stronger artist,” she says. In her experience, consolidating disciplines provides the opportunity to bring new ideas, perspectives and dialogues to academia. She recalls many cases in which fellow artists argued that feminism is over; women have equal rights and anyone who thinks otherwise is living in the past. “As a woman of color from two developing nations, India and Thailand, I have seen women be burned by their husbands. I have seen women have acid thrown
Photo by Tabitha Gray
Govindnathan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design and a Masters in Painting and New Genres from San Fransisco Art Institute.
on them by their partners and be put into prison for committing moral crimes. [I have seen] young girls forced into sex trafficking. Is it really over? Is there really equality?”
Community | Theatre
art. “Not too many…South Asian scholars have studied Baroque and Renaissance art history. I feel like this is an interesting opportunity… to bring into dialogue a perspective of a woman of color talking about western art,” says Govindnathan. “Usually, it’s the European scholars who come and study Asian history. In some ways it’s very exciting, because the roles are kind of reversed.” After her time at TWU, Govindnathan hopes to bring more theoretical discussions of feminism and women’s studies into the art world while continuing to pursue her artistic career.
Govindnathan is currently teaching Gender and Social Change and working on her comprehensive exams. Her dissertation examines the overlap of female and heroic representation in western Italian
Her art can be viewed online at pallavigovindnathan.squarespace. com and vimeo.com/user5397985/ videos.
Community | Festival
DULOCK COMES TO DENTON Denton’s ofrenda
Celebrate the fall holidays with Day of the Dead Festival
By JOHNNA HEADLEY
On the weekends of Oct. 21 and Oct. 28, the Music Theatre of Denton will present “Shrek: The Musical” at Campus Theatre on Hickory St. The Lasso got to know the cast behind the major characters, Paul Iwanicki, playing Shrek; Sara Kennedy, playing Fiona; Anthony Ortega, playing Donkey; and John Tillman, playing Lord Farquaad. What is one of your favorite scenes to rehearse? Iwanicki (Shrek): “The end of act 1! The song is called “Who I Would Be.” It’s basically where you break down Shrek, and you find out he’s not really that tough – he really is just a big ‘ole sweetheart underneath.” Kennedy (Fiona): “One of my favorite scenes to do is ‘Morning Person.’ We do a lot of tapping with the singing and dancing – what more could you want in a musical? It’s one of my favorites because out of nowhere everyone starts tapping.” Ortega (Donkey): “My favorite scene is with Shrek and Donkey. They are in the dragon’s cave and it smells bad. Donkey thinks it’s Shrek and he gives him a lot of sass and attitude.” What has been one of the most challenging aspects about playing your character? Iwanicki (Shrek): “The accent is hard. You know, it wont be Mike Meyers or Brian D’Arcey James for that matter, but it will be there. That will probably be the number one thing, until I have to put on the makeup and prosthetics – that’s a whole other ball of wax to deal with.” Kennedy (Fiona): “A big challenge is coming into it with a fresh mind because you have the story of ‘Shrek’ and the story of Fiona. Trying to come in and make it my
By HEATHER HINES
Photo of @mtdshows Instagram
own instead of having a carbon copy from the musical or the movie and bringing my own flare to it.” Tillman (Lord Farquaad): “The allusion that I’m playing this really short fella, when I’m over six feet tall is a little difficult. The audience is in on the joke the whole time, so it’s fun to play with that.” Ortega (Donkey): “It is really hard to play a character everyone knows so well and to not be an exact replica. I want people to know that yes, that is Donkey, but I don’t want to be a copy cat.” What has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of playing your character? Kennedy (Fiona): “With Fiona, I’m not really acting on stage – I relate with her mannerisms and how ‘ogerish’ she is. The cast is phenomenal and it is so fun to work with them.” Tillman (Lord Farquaad): “I love the story about being yourself and accepting others with their differences.” Donkey: “I get to run around and just have fun and be silly on stage!” To buy tickets, visit http://www. musictheatreofdenton.com/shrek. html.
Sugar skulls and cobwebs with fake spiders decorate windows in shops lining the Denton square as businesses prepare for Denton’s Day of the Dead Festival which will be held on Oct. 29. Since 2011, Denton’s Day of the Dead Festival has brought coffin races, pumpkin patches, comedy horror shows and salsa competitions to town. The creator of the festival claims the celebration mixes the best of autumn holidays together. Founder and Creative Director of Denton’s Day of the Dead Festival, David Anzaldúa explained on the festival’s webpage: “To a musician like me, Denton has always been a blend of many different talents and genres of music. This artistic blend of talent and styles led me to create the concept behind Denton’s Day of the Dead Festival. Why not have a festival that reflects the diversity of the people of Denton? Something not altogether Dia de los Muertos, or Halloween, or harvest related, but a little bit of everything?” The festival may be attended by anyone at no charge, although certain things at the festival do cost money. Participants in the Salsa cook-off competition must pay a $20 entrance fee and be prepared to make two gallons of salsa for a chance to win The Salsa Cup. The deadline for registering in the coffin races has passed, but everyone is welcome to watch the races. Many college students from the Denton area find their way to this festival where allyou-can-eat chips and salsa only costs $5 and a chance to participate in a twilight lantern parade while dressed in costume are found and well-received.
Photo by Tabitha Gray
Above: A young woman crosses the finish line at the coffin race in 2015. Below: A gentleman dressed as a skeleton with a painted skull face.
Photo by Tabitha Gray
Are you a woman who has experienced a traumatic event?
You may be eligible to participate in a research study! A student in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program at UNT is conducting a research study examining how traumatic events affect attention and other mental skills. Each participant will be entered into a drawing for a $20 Visa gift card. Additionally, all participants will receive a brief research report on how their psychological and cognitive functioning compares to others. If you wish to participate, please email Erin Sullivan at erinsullivan2@my.unt.edu or call 940-565-3788
Lifestyle
Thursday, October 20, 2016 twulasso.com
Lifestyle | Column
By EMILY NICKLES For the first time at TWU, there is a vegan vegetarian organization on campus, or VVO for short. Sophomore Business and Nutrition major Shiraz Soltani started looking into creating a community for vegan and vegetarian students during her first year on campus. This year, she has made a safe haven for vegans and vegetarians a reality, where they can share recipes, trade information and unite in activism. “I was so passionate about it, I just had to. Nothing worth it comes easy…It was too important not to be started,” she said.
STAFF
PIC KS Q: What is your favorite halloween candy?
As a vegetarian on campus, I have felt alone before, so when I saw Soltani’s poster in the Blagg-Huey Library, I was filled with a sensation of something near to joy. I invited her to meet with me at the fountain last Friday and chat about her lifestyle. Soltani became a vegan about two years ago: “I chose the vegan lifestyle when I started learning about what happens with animals, and the agriculture, and when it comes to our health and the environment. I started to watch documentaries and reading books about it. It started getting to me, to the point where eating meat started actually grossing me out.” She shared that she had thought becoming a vegetarian was enough until she started doing more research. “I knew in my heart that I wanted to be vegan,” Soltani explained. For her, it was a choice based on her conscience and a sense of responsibility for the state of our planet. While some vegetarians or vegans seem to have a superiority complex about people who become vegan/vegetarian for solely health reasons, Soltani had a positive outlook: “I think it leads to a domino effect, honestly, because the more they get into it, the more they realize the bigger picture. It’s more than
all about anything sugarfilled, so naturally I enjoy grabbing a couple of bags of both the corn and candy pumpkins while grocery shopping. Also, even though the pumpkins have the same ingredients, I swear they taste just a tad better than the corn.
really old-fashioned candy but I’ve always liked how they are tart and make my tongue feel. Call me boring, but I used to get really excited when I would get a bunch during my trick-ortreat days, way back when. They have always been my number one candy.
just health, it’s also saving the planet, really.” Soltani has a theory, that if more people were to live a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle, the less people will buy meat and, therefore, institutions that take advantage of animal lives will close down — also promoting a healthier planet. “We’re basically voting with what we buy. If I want Domino’s pizza, if I keep purchasing it, it’s going to keep being in business. But if I stop, or go down to Domino’s to get their vegan pizza, because they’re allowing that competition to be there, that’s okay. They know, they keep track of that stuff.” Her advice, for people interested in changing their lifestyle to vegan or vegetarianism, is to educate yourself. The
Photo by Emily Nickles
Sophomore Shiraz Soltani, founder of the Vegan Vegetarian Organization on campus. VVO also interacts with the local Denton Veg Society.
a bit of spooky into the Halloween version makes it suitable for the holiday. Otherwise, they’re the same. Placing the candy in the freezer makes them surprisingly better.
Editor-in-Chief Oh snap. Kit-Kat’s have the most delightful combination, with a crunchy wafer and milk chocolate coating. You can bet a bag of those don’t last long. I’ll eat a couple snack sizes to satisfy a chocolate craving or hey, treat yo’ self after a long week of classes and work. Donna and Tom had the right idea.
AMBER ROBERTSON
Page Editor Being 24, I haven’t gone trick-or-treating in quite a long time. So for me, the candy I get is whatever is on sale come Nov. 1. So my favorite is really whatever is left, as long as chocolate is involved. My favorite chocolate would have to be Ghirardelli Dark & Sea Salt Caramel, even though that’s probably not something you get on Halloween.
Copy Editor My favorite Halloween candy is also my favorite candy period: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. These sweet chocolate and peanut butter candies are one of my comfort foods year-round. Around Halloween, they come out in little pumpkin shapes. However, they don’t look like that for long, as I eat them as quick as I can.
Reporter Caramel Apple Suckers are the best and they always remind me of Autumn. Sweet, delicious caramel on a green apple sucker is a dreamy combination. Even the colors are reminiscent of a crisp Halloween. Despite these being my favorites, I usually just end up with my little sister’s reject candy.
Managing Editor Some people hate candy corn. Actually, most people hate it. However, I am
MORGAN VILLAVASO
HENRY JONES
JENNIE POSADAS
Page Editor My favorite Halloween candy is Smarties. They’re a
Reporter Candy corn will always and forever be my one true love. Candy corn loves me unconditionally. Candy corn never makes me feel bad about myself. Candy corn never leaves me (until Halloween is over). Candy corn is my soulmate – the other end of my red string.
Social Media Editor My all-time favorite candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Year-round, they’re pretty boring. But adding
Graphic Designer Every Halloween, I always try to stock up on Snickers. I prefer the “minis” for portion control, but either way I end up eating at least a pound of chocolate. My sister and I would always trade candy at the end of trick or treating. She would get my sour candy and I would get all of her chocolate.
TABITHA GRAY
HEATHER HINES
JOHNNA HEADLEY
to me and the idea that they last longer than a piece of chocolate.
KYRA MARSHALL
EMILY WHITE
EMILY NICKLES
first time Soltani became a vegetarian, she said she reverted back to her old ways. Soltani attributed this to her own lack of education and motivation. She emphasized that it is harder to maintain a lifestyle when you are just looking to lose weight, it’s not a diet or fad and it is easy to make up excuses. “I don’t ever see myself going back, I think it’s one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made,” expressed Soltani. VVO meets every other Tues. at 8 p.m. On Nov. 1, they will be in the Free Speech Area passing out informational flyers and answering questions about their lifestyle. VVO will also be hosting a Fall Potluck soon. For more information, like them on Facebook, Veg Org of North Texas or Instagram, VVOTWU.
KYNDAL COLÓN
JORDAN KIEFER
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Reporter Jolly Ranchers may not scream Halloween, but they were the only non-chocolate candy I liked to find in my plastic pumpkin on Oct. 31. The different and sometimes intense flavors still appeal
Reporter/Distributer Mounds is probably my favorite Halloween candy because it meets my two most basic criteria: (1) it contains dark chocolate and coconut, and (2) it is alarmingly cheap. Its sister candy, Almond Joy, is pretty cool too. Honestly, gift me either of these and we will instantly be friends.
Photographer Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! Something about the cooler weather makes this delicious mix of peanut butter and milk chocolate the perfect little sweet treat during Halloween! I always stock up on peanut butter cups to give out to trick or treaters and hope for some leftovers!
All photos were acquired online for the purpose of open review and commentary.
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Sports
Thursday, October 20, 2016 twulasso.com
Sports | Soccer Feature
Soccer player scores admission to College of Nursing By HEATHER HINES
Photo courtesy of TWU Athletics
Senior Nursing major, midfielder and forward Alisa Velasquez (#4) playing against West Texas A&M on Sept. 23.
nursing school.” A Nursing major, Velasquez will begin attending TWU’s College of Nursing in Dallas this spring. Velasquez said: “I’m really excited. I heard a couple weeks ago and I just cried on the bus
Sports | Volleyball
TWU falls 2-8 in LSC play
on the way to an away game. I had to check the email like 500 times to see if it really had my name. All my hard work paid off.” She knew she wanted to pursue nursing as a future career after Velasquez began volunteering at Cook Children’s Hospital.
Velasquez said: “I’d like to be a pediatric nurse because I just really love kids and I always want to help them. I just have this strong will to help and I feel like, in the healthcare field, if there is a kid in pain, I’ll do anything and everything to help them.”
SCOREBOX
THE
Running swiftly with her teammates, senior midfielder and forward Alisa Velasquez dodged athletes from the opposite team and sent the black and white, grass-covered ball flying towards the other team’s goal. Velasquez began playing soccer for TWU in 2013 and has loved her positions on the field ever since. Velasquez said: “It’s a lot of sprinting and I do get tired a lot of the time, but I actually really enjoy it. Even though it’s really hard to score, or get past players and build up to get a goal, I wouldn’t want to play any other position — I like how hard I have to work for that.” Velasquez attributes her motivation to do well on the field to support she receives from TWU community members and professors like Dr. Paul Ingram and her family’s faith in her: “Both of my parents have actually encouraged me, but my Dad — he’s always been there in the blistering cold or the heat of Texas. He’s always been there for me and always been supportive, on and off the field. He’s always been my number one fan.” Having played on TWU’s soccer team for three years now, Velasquez plans to continue playing if her health allows for it. “I’ll play if I’m needed, but I’ve had seven concussions already. If I get one more, [my athletic trainer] already informed me and my coaches that I’ll be done for the rest of the year,” Velasquez expressed, “It’s kind of bittersweet having it come to an end, but I know I have to because of my head. But it’s all for the best because I need my brain for
Volleyball
TWU Volleyball played UT Permian Basin(L) on 10/14 and West Texas A&M(L) on 10/15.
Texas Woman’s vs. UT Permian Basin Score by Sets 1 2 3 4 5 UT Permian Basin 25 25 18 22 16 Texas Woman’s 22 21 25 25 14 Texas Woman’s vs. West Texas A&M Score by Sets 1 2 3 4 5 West Texas A&M 25 13 25 10 15 Texas Woman’s 19 25 21 25 13
Soccer
Photo by Tabitha Gray
By JOHNNA HEADLEY Last weekend, on Fri., Oct. 14 and Sat., Oct. 15, the Pioneer volleyball team hosted two Lone Star Conference games, both of which resulted in 3-2 losses. The game against the University of Texas at Permian Basin began at 7 p.m. on Friday and was designated as the “Dig for a Cure” game. After falling short, by merely three and four points, the Pioneers lost the first and second sets, respectively. Bouncing back with a 25-18 third set win, TWU went on to win the fourth set 25-22 before battling it out in the fifth and final set with a 16-14 loss. Several Pioneers had two double-digit statistics. Senior middle blocker Sara Oxford recorded 22 kills and 10 digs and senior right side hitter Briley Cole swung for 15 kills, while first-year setter Katy Ranes had 34 assists and 21 digs.
On Sat., Oct. 15, the Pioneers headed back to Kitty Magee Arena to face off with another LSC competitor, West Texas A&M. Beginning the match with a 25-19 set loss, TWU rallied back to defeat the Buffs 25-13. Unable to continue momentum from the second set, TWU lost the third set 25-21 but managed a 25-10 victory in the fourth set. Unable to reach 15 first, the Pioneers dropped the final set to move them to a 2-8 conference record. Oxford continued to dominate for the Pioneers with a career-high 24 kills and 13 digs. Sophomore Makayla Mayfield changed positions from outside hitter to libero for the first time in her career, tallying 31 digs. LSC play will continue with matches at Kitty Magee Arena on Fri., Oct. 21 against Angelo State University at 7 p.m. and Tarleton State University on Sat., Oct. 22 at 2 p.m.
TWU Soccer played A&M-Commerce(L) on 10/12 and Midwestern State(W) on 10/16.
Texas Woman’s vs. A&M-Commerce Score by Halves 2 1 Total 0 2 A&M-Commerce 2 0 0 Texas Woman’s 0 Texas Woman’s vs. Midwestern State 2 Score by Halves 1 Total Midwestern State 0 0 0 Texas Woman’s 1 1 0