UAB’S OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER
VOLUME 61, ISSUE 4
Expect a detour How the ALDOT constructions are affecting the Birmingham community
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019
Blazer News UAB re-enacts the Roe v. Wade trial, sparks conversation
P. 3 CityLifestyle Artists from across the South perform at The Fire House
PHOTO BY KRISTINA BALCIUNAITE/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF In the two-week span of the Red Mountain Expressway ramp closing, nearby businesses, student commuters and suburbanites functioning in the downtown area have already dealt with its impact.
Myles Womack CityLifestyle Editor mjw3@uab.edu
Traffic delays, detour routes and construction zones have recently become a part of Birminghamians’ morning and evening commutes. As construction continues for interstate improvements, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) relayed drivers should continue to expect delays, according to their website. Earlier this month in an advisory ALDOT an-
nounced construction crews are preparing to close “portions” of I-59/20 through downtown Birmingham for Phase III of the I-59/20 Central Business District Bridge Project. The bridges along I-59/20 and portions of I-65 through Birmingham’s Central Business District were constructed over 45 years ago and were originally designed to accommodate 80,000 vehicles per day.
See I-20 Page 5
P. 4 Sports
What to expect this softball season
P. 7
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opinion
CAREER STIGMA
Money doesn’t Don’t forget your values equal success TRUMP
Destyni Cravens Opinion Columnist dcravens@uab.edu It was a late Saturday night, after a long 8-hour shift at Arby’s, I could not wait until my work for the day was over. Ten minutes before I clocked out, a middle-aged man drove through the drive-through to order a late-night snack. When he came to the window, he was readily smoking a cigarette and did not hesitate to blow the smoke straight into my face. Experiences like this make fast-food Cravens jobs extremely difficult to bear. I’m pretty sure a wealthy CEO would never have to worry about getting lung cancer at the expense of someone else’s bad habit. Jobs like a janitor, taxi driver, cafeteria and fast food workers are just some examples of the most stigmatized jobs of this century. Since when did doing the dirty work correlate directly with the least appealing types of jobs? The stigma surrounding “easy” jobs has made workers feel much more inadequate. One customer commented that I have a “good leadership approach,” yet I could not believe her due to others viewing my job as “easy.” I kept thinking “How can I have leadership when this job is supposed to be simple?” Most of these “easy” jobs require workers to deal with the hardest task in the world…pleasing people. The problem is not the job itself, but the stereotypes that come with the job. Whenever an individual sees a janitor, their first instinct is to think this person is dirty or even poor. At fast-food restaurants, customers sincerely believe none of the employees can identify money or count to ten. The reason the stigma surrounding “easy” jobs is so present in society today is because people hold the belief that success equals money. Janitors, who do not make a lot of money, are characterized as being unsuccessful even when cleaning may be their passion. Before you judge someone based on their career choices, make sure to understand that a job does not determine the value of a person.
ILLUSTRTION BY JOHN HILLER/STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
but states on the anniversary of the violent white Jordan Smith nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia that he Opinion Columnist “condemns all kinds of racism.” smithj16@uab.edu The hatred of Trump exposed the true entitlement that whites have felt they have had for years. Since Trump’s election, loud racists have been emboldened. There has been a 74 percent Have we become comfortable with values increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes, police that we do not agree with? have been called on the innocent acts President Donald Trump, is the highof black individuals, “build that wall” has light of every news and radio station, the become a recurring claim and putting topic of conversation and daily newspaimmigrant children in infestation cages per. Trump is depicted as impulsive, unjust diminishes the vision of America. predictable and living down everyone’s We have failed to actively address expectations of how the head of state racial inequality but instead according to and government should behave. Time justified the dismissal of claims of racial He has attacked the Department of inequality as simple cries of victimhood. Smith Labor’s fiduciary rule, delayed court proAmericans have grown comfortable ceedings on the Obama’s administration’s with racism resting of the foundation of this expansion of overtime, and repealed the Fair Pay country’s politics. We are blinded. and Safe Workplaces Executive Order. Trump’s hate that is used We have become the sias bait for many has heightlent majority representing a ened awareness in comnon-confrontational attitude munities and governtoward the policies and the ment institutions for practices of this nation. woke individuals. The released FBI reports According to reveal that hate crimes have Pew Research Cenjumped for its third consecter, nearly six-in-ten utive year in a row an astonwomen have begun to ishing 17 percent dominating pay increased attention local and world news. Nearly to politics since Trump’s three out of five hate crimes election, compared were motivated by race and with 46 percent of men. ethnicity. Among the public, 15 Trump broke out the racpercent of people have ism that was kept quiet. attended a political event, Does Trump’s racial rally or protest. etiquette against colored We have to evade individuals affect how colored the historical wounds, take on people are treated? Dr. King’s dream, and reject the lie Trump was the loudest of Trump’s American dream. We must and most persistent voice to attack respond effectively to crimes and hate that the nation’s first black president, he left Jews out of a Holocaust remembrance statement, victimize broadly across our horizons. funded ads that associated Native Americans with drug use and crime and has repeatedly called Mexicans rapists and criminals. He overlooks racial sensitivity. Share your thoughts Trump gave a false misleading claim on black employment when he said “African-American with us! youth is an example: 59 percent unemployment rate,” banned Muslims, criticized the Black Lives Matter movement shortly after the shootings of black men in Louisiana and Alabama, criticized Puerto Ricans in a claim that “they want every@kaleidoscopeuab thing done for them,” argued that immigration was changing the “character” of the United States,
blazer news
Roe v s. Wade
PAGE 3
FASHION
Details to bump your fashion from a B to an A
Julianna Moreno Blazer News Reporter jumoreno@uab.edu
Trevor Stewart Operations Manager at BlazeRadio tstew99@uab.edu
A reanacment of one the most famous cases in history helps abortion laws come to light
Imagine the perfect outfit. The belt matches the watch, the watch matches the wallet and the wallet matches your eyes. Now, imagine an outfit that is almost perfect. The elements of the outfit all complement each other until you get to the socks. They clash. And not only do they clash, they take away from the whole ensemble. This small, yet significant, detail takes you from a A to a B. A B is not bad per se, but given the option of getting an A, who would choose a B? So why do you settle for a B? You woke up earlier to color coordinate your outfit. You might even have PHOTO BY KRISTINA BALCIUNAITE/ given the outfit a quick EDITOR IN CHIEF brush with the lint roller. Everyone is going to give you a double take anyway since it’s a noticeable improvement over the C average you wear to your 10 a.m. psych class. Yet, their second glance feels less friendly than their initial look over, and the praise you were receiving is becoming watered down. A couple of fashion hacks when wearing you dress to impress outfits are; make sure your shoes and belt match. If you want to take that a step further make sure your socks coordinate with your outfit as well. Attention to detail can be the extra credit you need to bump your fashion grade up. Something as simple as double checking to see if your fly is down can save you embarrassment. Alternatively, a wrinkled button down shirt might cost you a job opportunity. Society may never admit it, but we judge harshly based on appearance and first impressions are everything. While your clothes don’t make you, they can influence the way you see ourselves; so do yourself a favor and make sure that even on your off days you put a little TLC into your appearance. In the words of ASAP FERG stay “Gucci down to the socks”.
PHOTO BY DREW CRENSHAW/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER 46 years after Roe vs. Wade Members of Generation Action took on of judges and jury to made a dent in the right of reanact Roe vs. Wade. abortion, birth control and much more in regarding women rights, essence of it all,” said Vishwadha of the state or that of this unborn the case remains relevant today. Gunda, junior in philosophy. child. If this is a civil liberty it is a On Tuesday, January 22, After the performance, pancivil right.” Generation Action presented a elist Dillion Nettles, a leader in Pamela Sterne King, panelist theatrical performance arguing the ACLU of Alabama’s legislaand Assistant Professor in the the Roe vs. Wade trial. It was tive advocacy and policy initiaDepartment of History, said the followed by a diverse issue of mopanel discussion where rality should audience members could also be raised ask questions related to in this discushow this case may affect sion. women currently if over“In 1873 turned. The organization the U.S. also presented points as passed the to why abortion should Comstock stay legal in the U.S. Law, which Generation Action at forbid inforUAB is an organization mation going that focuses on emthrough the powering and educating mail that was Planned Parenthood and obscene and sex education throughout immoral,” King campus. said. “That Shreya Pokharel, Vice includes birth President of Generation Action tives, gave an overview to the control. The Griswold decision and Producer of “The Argument audience how much as a nation allowed birth control to be acof Roe V. Wade,” said their preswe have progressed to guarancessed by married women, with ident, Erica Webb, wanted to tee basic, women rights. the implication that the married open a new medium to express “I think it was interesting that woman could have access to activism and show the organizaWeddington raised the topic of birth control without the hustions passion for rights. interest with state versus the inband’s help. It took a real punch “I’d read about the trial in my dividual,” Nettles said. “Of course, on the gender assumption that classes before and even disultimately the court determined men have the right to decide cussed it, but watching it really that the woman’s right to choose these things.” brought it into perspective, and it her own interest supersedes that allowed me to truly capture the
I’d read about the trial in my classes before and even discussed it, but watching it really brought it into perspective, and it allowed me to truly capture the essence of it all. - Vishwadha Gunda
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citylifestyle
NIGHTLIFE
Firehouse renewed as DIY music venue
Southern bands fill Avondale music space Haley Hodges CityLifestyle Reporter hhodges1@uab.edu The audience came to life as Jackson Gafford, lead vocalist and lead guitarist of Captain Kudzu, strummed his first guitar stroke. Friday, January 25, four bands from all over the South filled the Spring Street Fire House with nose ring and high-waisted jean wearers. Contrasting the freezing temperatures of the night, the energy of the show was flamingly electric. “I love Birmingham,” said Will Ingram, lead singer of Wieuca, an Athens based psycwh rock band. “Its music scene is underrated. There’s so much energy and motivation in the people to go out to shows, and I think that’s taken for granted sometimes.” Ingram said the goal of their band is to locate the beauty in the horrible and conversely. Duality plays a huge part in Wieuca’s music, he said. Combining these ideas with a couple of electric guitars, made their performance explosive. They played songs from their albums “There Is No Balance” and “Guilt Complex.” The Fire House is the local music hub located in the heart of Avondale, where many bands got their start and continue to return years afterward. Because of the venue’s small size, the sound was upstaging Saturn, Avondale’s biggest music venue just across the street from the Fire House.
“What I’m passionate about, the thing that keeps me going, is being able to play my favorite music with my favorite people,” said Walker Scott backup guitarist in Captain Kudzu. Scott said that the venue played an important role in the atmosphere and outcome of the show. “[The Firehouse] has a real DIY ethos to it,” Scott said. “The space really empowers the artist to perform and write and express. And although venues like Saturn are bigger and have regional music industry connections, nothing compares to the ‘from the ground up’ process of The Fire House.” Dogwood Lung played a heartfelt set with songs from their debut E.P., Gestures, along with a couple of new projects. With breathtaking lyricism and indie sound, Dogwood Lung showcases a style that mirrors the aesthetic of Big Thief and Snail Mail. “It feels like a house show, but there’s a much better sound,” said Rose Farrington, lead vocalist and lead guitarist of Dogwood Lung. “Like the best of both worlds, you know.” Having performed at Sloss Music and Arts Festival, Captain Kudzu took on the stage and had the biggest reaction of all of the night’s performances. “We hold onto a lot of complex unconventional musical ideas but not in a way that makes it inaccessible,” Scott said. “It’s not pretentious. It’s psychedelic rock music that even my mom enjoys.”
I love Birmingham. Its music scene is underrated. There’s so much energy and motivation in the people who go out to shows.
- Will Ingram
PHOTOS BY HALEY HODGES/CITYLIFESTYLE REPORTER ABOVE: Lead singer and guitarist of Captian Kudzu,Jackson Galford BELOW: Vocalist of Wieuca. an Athens based psychedelic rock band.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019
PAGE 5
I-20 From FRONT
PHOTOS BY KRISTINA BALCIUNAITE/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ALDOT is using a segmental bridge design for the new bridges downtown. According to 5920bridge.com, the same stretch of interstate has the highest rate of traffic flow in Alabama, carrying over twice the number of vehicles than it was intended to accommodate. By 2035, this number is expected to increase to over 225,000 vehicles per day. In the two week span of the Red Mountain Expressway ramp closing, nearby businesses, student commuters and suburbanites functioning in the downtown area have already felt its impact. “It makes it more difficult for me personally because I used the I-20/59 route to travel to campus from Springville,” said Tanner Burckhard, sophomore in communication management. “The extra back roads and scenic routes I take now elongates my current drive time by another 10 to 15 minutes, so it can be very stressful getting to class.” According to 5920bridge.com, the interstate project is being paid for through a combination of funds from ALDOT, the Federal Highway Administration and the Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization and is expected to have a total cost in excess of $700 million. “Overall I don’t mind that the construction is taking place because it is bringing a better outcome for the city, providing new and more efficient roadways,” Burck-
hard said. “Our city of Birmingham was selected to host the 2021 World Games and I believe this is just another stepping stone to show the world how great of a host city we can be.” Neighboring businesses in the Uptown district such as Octane remain optimistic through the project’s development. “The surrounding neighborhood always has foot traffic from the courthouse, art museum, BJCC, and people who live on Northside and near the airport,” said an anonymous source from a Uptown business. “Traffic is definitely heavier coming to and from the area, but maps and road updates are easily accessible online.” In attempt to lessen the impacts of these delays, ALDOT advises motorists to consider adjusting arrival and departure times and all commercial vehicle and through traffic should use I-459. “I think the end result of the bridge being built will do wonders for traffic in that area,” the anonymous source said. “More lanes to and from, safer merging and traffic patterns, all the best things that come with well-built infrastructure.” According to 5920bridge.com, the infrastructure is “functionally obsolete and must be replaced in the interest of public safety” to ease the flow of commerce and traffic through Birmingham’s CBD.
TUESDAY, JANUARY. 29, 2019
sports
PAGE 7
UAB WOMENS SPORTS
PHOTOS COURTESY OF UAB ATHLETICS
UAB are returning ten players while welcoming ten newcomers this season. Five of the ten returners are starters, plus the Blazers return three of four pitchers.
Softball steps up to plate for 2019 season New players joining the team will bring new strengths Michael Calhoun Sports Reporter mcal37@uab.edu
We are just two weeks away from the opening day for the UAB Softball team. The Lady Blazers open up their season on Feb. 7, at Mary Bowers Field at 6 p.m. They are led by Jimmy Kolaitis, the second permanent head coach in the history of the program. Kolaitis comes to UAB from the University of Oregon where he was an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator as well as the hitting coach. During his time there, the Ducks put together a 256-42-1 record, winning four Pac-12 Conference Championships, finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the nation in 2014, 2015 and 2018 and made three trips to the
Women’s College World Series. “I am extremely humbled and excited to be the next head softball coach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham,” Kolaitis said. “I would like to thank Mark Ingram and Dan Carlson for the opportunity and trust to run this program.” Not only does Kolaitis bring four seasons worth of experience to UAB, he also brings experience from his tenure at the National Pro Fastpitch League (NPF). Kolaitis worked with the Scrap Yard Dogs and the Chicago Bandits. As the pitching coach for the Scrap Yard Dogs in 2017, Kolaitis worked with Monica Abbott, who won Pitcher of the Year and broke the league record for strikeouts in a season. The Scrap Yard Dogs won the NPF Championship in 2017. With the Chicago Bandits, he served as an assistant coach, working with the likes of Vicky Galindo, Abbott and several national team participants and two players from the Japan Olympic team. The Blazers are coming off a 26-32-1 campaign where they went 15-8-1 in conference play, good enough for second overall in the conference while
also winning the western division outright. UAB will return ten players while welcoming ten newcomers this season. Five of the ten returners are starters, plus the Blazers return three of four pitchers. “I think we have a chance to do something special this season,” Kachel said. “We have a lot of girls returning from last season and everyone is ready to finish what we started last year.” Erwin was a first team selection with England landing on second team and Kachel receiving the nod on the all-freshman team. Erwin was also named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Mideast Third Team. Erwin was also named to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference team for the upcoming season. “I was honored that I was chosen to represent UAB on some postseason teams, but at the end of the day it didn’t mean very much to me because as a team we didn’t get the job done,” Erwin said. “We feel like there is unfinished business for us as a team and I can’t wait to get out on the field this year.”
TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019
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CROSSWORD 1. An individual, small feature that may determinte the success of one’s outfit. 2. A landmark decision issued in 1973 by the US Supreme Court on the issue of the constitutionality of laws that criminalized or restricted access to abortions: ___ v. Wade. 3. The department that is executing the constructions on I-59/20. 4. Female sport that has a new season coming up at UAB. 5. A person who holds a legal or ethical relationship of trust with one or more other parties. 6. The interstate that is closed due to construction. 7. An Athens, GA, based psych rock band that performed at the Fire House Friday, January 25.
Editorial Board Spring 2019
1.
Kristina Balciunaite Editor-in-Chief kribal@uab.edu
2. 3.
Sufia Alam Managing Editor sufia@uab.edu
4.
Lakyn Shepard Art Editor layshep@uab.edu
5. 6.
Myles Womack CityLifestyle Editor mjw3@uab.edu
7.
VACANT Blazer News Editor
Previous issue’s crossword solutions: 1. Blazer. 2. Zeigler. 3. Art. 4. Denim.. 5. I-459 6. Woodfin. 7. Monogramming. 8. Horse. 9 Aldot. 10. Metoo.
VACANT Opinion Editor
Corrections Corrections from previous issues will appear here.
Interested in working with the Kaleidoscope? Apply on HireABlazer or contact kribal@uab.edu for more information. No experience is required.
EVENTS CALENDAR Management Fundamentals Medical Towers, 419A 9 a,m. - 11 a.m.
Parachute Show w/ Janet Simpson Saturn 8 p.m.
Taste of Homewood 2019 Rosewood Hall 5:30 - 8 p.m.
BioGlam Couture Runway Art Show The Vault 8 p.m.
Brew with the Crew Collat School of Business 1 - 3 p.m.
4th Annual Posters, Pints & Pies Alabama Center for Architecture 7 - 9 p.m.
Best Medicine show 2019 Fundraiser Avondale Brewing Company 7 - 10 p.m.
Career Readiness: Hire-A-Blazer Education Building, 241C 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
C4 3rd Annual Heritage Ball 2019 The Purpose Center at Dannon 6 - 11:30 p.m. Sonic Visions Music Documentary Festival Saturn 3 p.m.
Art After 5: Galentine's Day Exhibition: Microlove Birmingham Museum Saturn of Art 3 p.m. 7 - 10 p.m.
Exhibition: Young Gifted Black Studio 2500 3 p.m.
Live Music Mondays The Pizitz 7 p.m.