UAB’S OFFICIAL CAMPUS NEWSPAPER
VOLUME 59, ISSUE 3
The
Kaleidoscope UAB alum Garrett Stephens (left) walks alongside Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) (right) during a campaign rally. PHOTO COURTESY OF GARRETT STEPHENS
Bella Tylicki Metro Reporter btylicki@uab.edu
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child from Opelika graduated from UAB with a degree in political science in April 2016. He said had always hoped to enter the public sector to serve his community in the political sphere. That dream has come true for Garrett Stephens, who recently landed a position on Sen. Doug Jones’ (D-AL) staff following involvement on his and Mayor Randall Woodfin’s campaigns last year. Just as the U.S. Senate Race between Jones and Republican candidate Roy Moore began to heat up, Stephens reached out to the Jones camp after hearing of a vacancy. He took a role in the campaign’s communications and media
consulting division, and he quickly moved up the ranks to become the Central Alabama Field Director responsible for coordinating phone banking, canvassing and other events in 17 counties. Throughout the campaign, Stephens worked closely with Jones on a daily basis, and after winning the election, Jones selected Stephens to serve as his special assistant. “My role as a body man toward the end of the campaign transitioned
into this role on [Capitol] Hill,” Stephens said. “I now work on operations and logistics for the Senator, among other things.” Jones could not be reached for comment due to the recent government shutdown. This was not Stephens first involvement in politics, having previously explored his dream through internships with Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) and the Office of the Federal Public
Defender for the Northern District of Alabama. His first introduction to Woodfin, who defeated longtime incumbent William Bell in October 2017, was just days after the 2016 presidential election when he met with local politicians to discuss the results. “At the time, I had no idea who he was,” Stephens said. “It wasn’t until later that day that I realized he was mounting a mayoral run to replace Bell.”
See STEPHENS, Page 10
HOCKEY
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
‘We knew they’d be out for blood’
Panel addresses change in B’ham
Blazers split two in home series against in-state foe
Campus, city initiate a dialogue on social issues
Will Harris Social Media Director willhrrs@uab.edu
The final seconds are ticking off and the tension is building as Auburn races down the ice for a final shot. As the final slapshot went flying through the air, a UAB player blocks the final heave to sink the Tigers on Friday night. UAB and Auburn continued their rivalry on the ice Friday and Saturday night this past weekend in front of possible record crowds at the Pelham Civic Complex. UAB entered
the series with a record of 12-2-2, while the Tigers came in with a record of 7-8. Auburn held record of 4-1 against UAB all-time entering the weekend games. On Friday night, the Tigers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after Auburn’s Matt Darnel scored on an assist from Adam Kalson. Five minutes later, the Blazers answered with a goal by Cam Dickinson assisted by Kyle Feeney. In the second
See HOCKEY, Page 9
Sufia Alam Campus Editor sufia@uab.edu
“F
PHOTO BY WILL HARRIS/SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR UAB players take the ice during the Friday, Jan. 26, matchup versus the Auburn Tiger Hockey Club at the Pelham Civic Complex.
olks don’t want to be saved, folks just want what they deserve,” said Martez Files, Ph.D., an professor of African American studies and history. “We need to think about what these communities have, and what these communities need. We have to step back from this idea of paternalism, this notion that minority communities need to be
saved because we’re somehow better and superior to them.” On Wednesday, Jan. 24, members of the Birmingham community gathered to initiate a conversation of how UAB can better facilitate community engagement between the school and greater Birmingham. During the panel, topics such as avoiding gentrification, segregation existing in schools, churches and the workforce along with addressing
See PANEL, Page 5