UAB’S OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER
VOLUME 60, ISSUE 8 1
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2018
‘You are the movement’ BLAZERNEWS - P. 2 UAB cancels Mock Trial program. Has the core curriculum run its course?
CITYLIFESTYLE - P.6
#MeToo founder Tarana Burke visits campus
Mallorie Turner Staff Reporter maturn31@uab.edu She was first a victim of sexual assault when she was six years old, and again in her early teenage years. At the time, the words she searched for surpassed the ones she knew as a young girl. Years later, Tarana Burke became the spokesperson and face of one of the biggest sexual assault awareness movements in history.
New hot spots added to Five Points. Vintage shopping guide.
Read on page 4
How amendments will impact Alabama. OPINION - P. 10 Athletes can be activists too. UAB should be more accomodating toward Humanities students. PHOTO BY DREW CRENSHAW/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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PRE-LAW
blazer news
Mock trial overruled This semester the mock trial program was offically shut down for the first time since its start in 1995.
UAB lacks funding to keep pre-law exercise program Lauren Moore Blazer News Editor lrm33@uab.edu Joseph Dease, UAB alumni and Mock Trial Team coach, said he had no interest in studying law when he originally joined the team as a freshman in 2004. However, through his four years spent participating on the team as an undergraduate, Dease said he realized he had a real interest in trial advocacy. This interest led Dease to apply to law school and eventually come back to UAB as a coach for the team. Dease said that the UAB Mock Trial program serves as a resource for students of all majors, not only teaching them discipline and law but also helping them to find themselves. During a mock trial, students participate in fictional court cases, having the opportunity to both be members of the defense and the prosecution teams. Dease said that the Mock Trial Team also competes against other schools, giving members a chance
to travel and compete nationally if qualified. Being a part of the team also offers pre-law students unique opportunities for scholarships both during and after undergrad compared to their pre-law peers. According to the UAB Mock Trial Team website, students who have participated on the team for at least one semester are eligible to apply for the UAB Pre-law Advisory Board (PLAB) Scholarship. However, this semester, the mock trial program was officially cancelled due to lack of funding, the first cancellation the program has seen since its start in 1995 according to Jeffery Walker, Ph.D., chair of the criminal justice department. “The effect on law students is not the largest impact of the cancellation,” Dease said. “The program has helped hundreds of students with no interest in law school. It has done so by developing their public speaking abilities, their ability to think on their feet and by developing their self-confidence.” Walker said that the funding issues for the team began around five years ago after the longtime annual chili cook off fundraiser for the team was cancelled. After this, Walker said that both he and Robert Palazzo, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, tried to keep the team funded, finally falling
PHOTO BY DREW CRENSHAW/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
short this semester. Walker also said that the team normally had about 15 studens involved. Mariah Welter, UAB alumni and assistant Mock Trial Team coach, said that since she joined the program as a sophomore in 2014, participation either grew or remained steady from year to year, yet the budget dwindled each semester. In order to solve this problem, Welter said several members volunteered their time and resources to plan a fundraising initiative, but someone in UAB’s administration always shut it down. “In response to the cancellation, several alumni and current members reached out to administration in hopes of an explanation, but what we received in response was a generic email that was full of falsehoods and did little to address our concerns,” Welter said. “We were told that efforts had been made to reach out to alumni to raise money, but no alumni had received such a call, email or letter. Erica Webb, a senior in political science and English and a pre-law student, said that she was looking forward to taking part in the program for her senior year before its sudden cancellation. “Without this program, pre-law students are not going to be prepared to do what they need to do,” Webb said.
“The rules are so intricate that actually being able to put them to use is how we learn them.” Walker said that the team requires $20,000 a year to not only compete locally but to be able to travel and compete on a national level. Walker said he doesn’t want to offer the program if it cannot cover the cost of traveling to competitions. “We’ve talked to people, we’ve encouraged students to talk to people and we’ve tried all of this stuff to do fundraising, and we never really got any traction at all,” Walker said. “I was hoping by now I’d be able to have plans in place to keep it going, but I’m still hopeful. It’s still very high on my priority list.” Walker said he hopes the program can have the funding to be up and running again by the Fall 2019 semester, and that he hopes to integrate the Mock Trial team as a part of strengthening the future of the pre-law program. “[Walker] would offer no specifics of how shutting down one of UAB’s few pre-law programs would work to strengthen it,” Welter said. “In my opinion, this is yet another attempt from UAB’s administration to stifle programs that don’t cater specifically to STEM students.”
BLAZER NEWS
TUESDAY, OCT. 16, 2018
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BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
The other scary part of October Students share stories and tips to combat the disease Lea McMillian Staff Reporter leaamcm@uab.edu
Lisa Kerr, Ph.D., Director of Student Success at the Vulcan Materials Academic Success Center, said there are three things that come to mind when she hears the word cancer - family history, loss of life and the impact that it has on others. While the month of October brings Halloween, weather changes and midterms, it is also a time to reflect on a more serious issue, as it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many students have personal ties with this month and disease, advocating that breast cancer be taken more seriously. Many people know someone who has lost someone to cancer or know someone that’s still fighting,” said Janice Parker, sophomore in
Breast Cancer Prevention Tips: - Avoid exposure to radiation and evironmental pollution. -Be physically active. -Keep a healthy weight. -Don’t smoke. -Limit alcohol use. * Information provided by mayoclinic.org
psychology. “There is a stigma that awareness should only be made known for that month, but the problem is much bigger than that. It is important that even if you can’t relate that you can still be empathetic to the issue.” Kerr said that she believes cancer is often recognized as one word and one disease, when in reality the subject is broad and diverse. “There is a very versatile concept of the disease,” Kerr said. “There is a stigma that needs to be removed in adolescents, and as you change be aware of your body.” Rachel Harrell, junior in psychology, said that she often finds herself getting precautionary check-ups because cancer runs in her family. She said her father died from leukemia and her aunt from breast cancer. “Most people find themselves thinking that it will never happen to them, never will they have such a disease,” Harrell said. “When you have a parent that dies from cancer, it changes the way that you view it. Go and see a doctor even if you don’t think anything is wrong, and if there is something then they are able to catch it early.” According to breastcancer.org, about one in eight U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. “It’s hard to see family go through chemo and surgeries and always worry,” said Brendan Johnson, sophomore in medical industrial distribution. “I believe that breast cancer has a negative impact on society, and more awareness needs to be made.” Kathleen Pridgen, M.D., Acting Director of Student Health Services at the Student Health and Wellness Center, said that cancer in general is a heterogeneous disease, so it is hard to have one general view of cancer. Pridgen said that breast cancer is no different, as there are several different types and they all tend to behave differently. Pridgen said that women should be aware of that because breast cancer can be very different for many women, the decisions around monitoring and screening need to be an individualized discussion between women and their health care providers.
When you have a parent that dies from cancer, it changes the way that you view it. Go and see a doctor even if you don’t think anything is wrong,
ART BY LAKYN SHEPARD/ART EDITOR.
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What I want for young women and at the same time all survivors…is that they feel safe and not vulnerable in their communities. - Tarana Burke
PHOTO BY DREW CRENSHAW/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Burke spoke at the Alys Stephens Center on Tuesday, Oct. 9, in part of UAB’s institute of Human Rights fall lecture series.
#METOO From FRONT
“What I want for young women and at the same time all survivors…is that they feel safe and not vulnerable in their communities,” Burke said. “That they have the voice to say ‘This is what I need’ and for people to respond to that need as opposed to what they’ve decided what they need.” #MeToo began in 2006 as a campaign to empower girls and women of color who had been victims of sexual violence. Burke has since made a career of educating and empowering those who have been impacted by sexual violence. Starting in her teens, Burke became an advocate for human rights, creating programs to help young girls in marginalized communities. Her internationally acclaimed movement, #MeToo, came to be when she was left speechless as a young girl told
her she had been sexually assaulted. In this definitive moment, Burke wished she had found the words to say “me too.” Burke spoke at the Alys Stephens Center on Tuesday, Oct. 9, in part of UAB’s Institute of Human Rights (IHR) fall lecture series which includes a lineup of champions for human and civil rights. As MeToo has gained more prominence, its original message has been left distorted, according to Burke. Many believe the movement is solely about taking down powerful men in Hollywood or ruining the lives of brothers, sons and husbands. Burke dismisses these claims, saying the movement is truly about survivors of sexual violence moving forward with their dignity still intact. “Don’t be distracted by the media,” she said. “Don’t let other people tell you who this is for or what it’s for. You know in your heart what it’s for. You are the movement.”
In light of the Brett Kavanaugh sexual assault allegations and Bill Cosby’s prison sentence, many have had trouble visualizing these men as rapists based off their character at face value. Cosby was seen as “America’s Dad” from his beloved role in the TV series “The Cosby Show”. Kavanaugh was known for being a trusted political figure from his work as a US Circuit Judge. Burke said she feels that it is best for people to learn to diverge the person from the image they present if said person were to face allegations of sexual violence. Mandy Parente, M. Ed. UAB’s Interpersonal Violence Prevention Coordinator, said she praises the Me Too movement for how it has changed the way sexual assault is discussed. “I think that MeToo has been instrumental to the work of interpersonal violence prevention, not only here at UAB but also around the world,” she said. “The shift in the way that folks engage in conversations about sexual
violence has been extraordinary.” Parente added that students, faculty and staff should be aware of the policies and laws that protect them and encourages those within UAB’s community to learn more about resources available to them. As the closing statement, Burke invited listeners to put forth work in the fight against sexual violence. Her wish is that those who were present that evening exercise their agency in eradicating injustices faced by survivors of sexual assault. “Anytime I come to have a community conversation, my ultimate goal [is]…for people to come away with real understanding of what the movement is and where it came from and what our goals are moving forward,” Burke said. “We have a unique historical opportunity right now and if we don’t change how we talk about it, we’re going to lose it.”
BLAZER NEWS
TUESDAY, OCT. 16, 2018
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CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS
Getting down to the core of classes The importance of taking courses unrelated to the major Myah Clinton Staff Reporter mkc16@uab.edu When it comes to core curriculum, theatre is a class that Maggie Phillips, sophomore in psychology, could do without. “I just don’t really have a use for that in my field I want to go into,” she said. “I don’t really even enjoy watching theatre.” UAB is working on a new Signature Core Curriculum to better fit the needs of students. The new curriculum, which is one step of UAB’s Strategic Plan, will replace the current one that has been in effect since the 1990s, according to the Signature Core Curriculum webpage. “The core ought to feel as important to the overall undergraduate degree as the major does,” said Alison Chapman, Ph.D., professor and chair of the English department, who also serves as one of the three co-chairs for the UAB Signature Core Committee. Chapman said the new curriculum is still in the research phase. The committee is collecting feedback from students and looking at how other schools changed their core curricula. Stephen Miller, Ph.D., associate professor in the UAB Department of History, teaches Western Civilization I and II, which fall under the Area IV core curriculum requirements in the UAB course catalogue. Miller said he can tell whether students like his class or not. “For some, it’s obvious they are pre-med and nursing students and they’re there because they [have to be],” Miller said. “They just want to get their grade and get out. Then there are others who really like it, who sit up
ILLUSTRATION BY SAVANNAH DONALD/STAFF ILLUSTRATOR front and then they tell me afterwards that [lecture] was so cool. Some people even change their major to history.” Miller said that class sizes should not exceed 45 students. “I would go back to the smaller classes, because other professors, not me, when they teach 101 and 102 [Western Civilization I and II], they continue to assign papers and essays, which helps students learn how to write,” Miller said. Anna-Katherine Escoto, junior in biomedical sciences, said that she also would like to see smaller core
classes. “Whenever I walked into my chemistry class the first day, [there were] 200 people and I wasn’t expecting that,” Escoto said. “I do feel a disadvantage to the core classes is that there are so many students and your professors aren’t really available to see everybody.” Ishani Rewatkar, senior in psychology, said she thinks that students should simply be required to fulfill a set number of core curriculum credit hours instead of being told that they have to take specific courses.
The core ought to feel as important to the overall undergraduate degree as the major does. - Alison Chapman
Some students also think core classes take away priorities from their other classes. “They take away time from my anatomy class,” said Catherine Saunders, sophomore in nursing. “That’s what I really want to concentrate on, but I have to study for English when I really should be concentrating on my major instead of something I most likely will never use again.” Mike McConnell, Ph.D., academic advisor for the Vulcan Materials Academic Success Center, hosted a workshop on Demystifying the Core Curriculum, on Friday, Oct. 12. McConnell offered tips to students about how to make core classes better fit their schedule and major, such as taking some classes online and taking classes that fulfill both core curriculum and major requirements.
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TUESDAY, OCT. 16, 2018
citylifestyle
RENEWABLE FASHION
CITYLIFESTYLE
PAGE 7
COMMUNITY GROWTH
A vintage voyage
New hot spots warm up Southside Businesses open at Five Points, create more foot traffic
Navigating the B’ham’s stores for classical clothing
PHOTO COURTESY OF MOMOTARO From left: Steve Alexander, Chair of the Five Points Alliance; Ben Yu, Manager of Momotaro; Valorie Abbott, City Council President; unknown and Bill Stoeffhaas, Communication Officer cut ribbon during the opening of Momotaro, a new restaurant at Five Points, Wednesday, Oct. 10. Bella Tylicki Staff Reporter btylicki@uab.edu
PHOTO BY AMY LAWHON/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Manitou Supply, in addition to selling vintage items, host monthly events open to everyone. Myles Womack Staff Reporter mjw3@uab.edu As older pieces of clothing, shoes and accessories make a comeback, local stores in Birmingham offer spots for classic trends. Manitou Supply is a vintage clothing store that has a collection of outfits and accessories for various styles and occasions. “We have a curated selection of 70s, 80s and 90s casual apparel, including a nice collection of vintage denim pieces,” Luciana Giovinazzo said, co-owner of Manitou Supply. “We also carry some modern items, such as designer toys, bags and
handmade jewelry.” This past weekend Manitou featured one of its many events located in its shop in the MAKEbhm space, located on 4000 3rd Ave S. “We have a wall dedicated to art, where we feature a different artist every month, with an opening night event,” Giovinazzo said. “We also do vintage markets, pop-ups and more.” David Brown, co-owner of Manitou, first opened the store on Etsy in 2009. “You can come to shop, or just hang out and see some of the art on our walls,” said Brown, “We truly enjoy being able to promote our own aesthetic voice and outsider fashion and design interests. It’s a blast.” Brown, who was born and grew up in Birmingham said he feels that they are a part of “a new wave of artistic entrepreneurship” in Birmingham.
PHOTO COURTESY BY MEMORY LANE
Memory Lane specializes in sporty and pop culture items. “I think it’s a trend that is growing pretty fast now, especially among college students,” said Giovinazzo, “But older people also know how to appreciate vintage, especially if it’s a piece they remember from their childhood, like David and I do.” Zoe’s in Forest Park, located on 3900 Clairmont Ave S, has a wide selection of vintage clothing for women’s fashion, costume design and accessories. “We have clothing from the 30’s and 40’s to the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s,” said Jackie Folk, store volunteer. “We also have a lot of soft, gentle worn clothing. We have a small selection for guys but we do have cool and funky t-shirts and jackets.” Folk said that the store has a large selection of Halloween costume
inspired items as well. Chris Smoot, owner of Memory Lane, offers vintage clothing that is focused on sports, television and pop culture. “Space Jam was my favorite movie growing up so mostly everything even the store’s logo is Space Jam themed,” said Smoot. Smoot, whose hometown is Bessemer, wants to provide “affordable” prices for younger people that may not be able to buy the more expensive pieces of clothing and shoes. “I don’t see it [vintage clothing] going anywhere because everything is already old” said Smoot.
One of Birmingham’s historic districts, Five Points South is making a comeback. “Five Points, to me, has become the new pulse of the city,” said Stephen Foster, president of the Five Points South Neighborhood Association. “To me, it’s the heartbeat of Birmingham.” Foster grew up in northeastern Jefferson County but moved to the area in 2014 in hopes that Five Points would follow the wave of revival rippling throughout Birmingham. Five Points is reaching heights unseen since the late 1970s and 1980s, and its darkest era began in the 1990’s when it was populated with night clubs, Foster said. Foster said he speculated that the revival was ignited by the development of Railroad Park, the northern border of the district, but what kept it going was the unified dedication of “merchants, residents, religious groups and everybody coming together and saying, ‘Let’s start a foundation. Let’s create something new. Let’s do this the right
way and do this together.’ ” That is when the Five Points Alliance was born. A civic redevelopment organization and initiative of local economic development agency REV Birmingham, the Alliance is comprised of the Neighborhood Association (NA), merchants, residents, churches, nonprofits, professionals and any other stakeholders in Five Points. Steve Alexander, Chair of the Five Points Alliance, called the NA a “chamber of commerce” and “cheerleader” for Five Points. The neighborhood association is working with the Five Points Alliance, an initiative of REV Birmingham, to increase the intergenerational appeal of the district said Alexander. “They’re very close to having 30 restaurants and bars and shops that [students] can come to just in two square blocks, the heart of Five Points,” Foster said. Students that live on campus or anywhere between Vulcan and Railroad Park can come to the meetings to share ideas, vote on neighborhood policies, and make connections with the new businesses coming to the area. Wednesday, Oct. 10, City Council President Valerie Abbott cut the ribbon
at Momotaro, the sixth of seven new businesses in Five Points’ Pickwick Place, a development on 20th St, just across from newly opened bar/arcade The Woolworth. “This is an exciting day,” Abbott said. “We are thrilled to have more wonderful restaurants.” Since August 2017, the occupancy rate at Pickwick jumped from 32 percent to 74 percent according Style Advertising. Libertine’s Pizza Co. will soon succeed Momotaro Cafe as the seventh new business to open in Pickwick. Since January 2017, a total of 13 new businesses flocked to Five Points creating over 200 new jobs and totaling nearly $80 million in investments according Style Advertising. REV Birmingham, a partner of the Alliance, works across Birmingham’s commercial districts to cultivate cultural and economic vibrancy. “Nothing creates better vibrancy than great businesses like [Momotaro] that give people a reason to get out and walk around,” said Atticus Rominger, a representative of REV. Rominger said that while it is good for businesses to fill vacant buildings, it may be “an office space where most of their people spend their time indoors,
put on their headphones and work on their computers the rest of the day,” Rominger said. “Businesses like [Momotaro Cafe] really help to create that foot traffic and help to create experiences of value.” Momotaro Cafe is open near two other college campuses in the U.S. Proximity to UAB is a huge selling point for Five Points. “They want to be an option for college students,” said Evan Miller, property manager. “Birmingham beat out Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans, Charlotte and some of your other big cities in the Southeast.” According to Miller, Five Points is reclaiming its status as the number one place to go out in Birmingham. “Why Birmingham?”said Ben Yu, the manager at Momotaro Cafe. “Why Five Points? It is the perfect space for what we do at Momotaro. We wanted to bring something new and unique to Birmingham. We wanted to be among the first cafés in the south to offer our fresh and unique Asian cuisine. Everything from the food to the décor in our café is designed to be eye-catching. We pay a lot of attention to detail and really try to stand out because when our guests come here, we want it to be an experience.”
CITYLIFESTYLE
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STATE POLITICS
Birmingham City Council Highlights
What’s on your ballot? The amendments which may change Alabama’s constitution Myles Womack Staff Reporter mjw3@uab.edu
Bella Tylicki Staff Reporter btylicki@uab.edu The future of the Carraway Hospital Campus is bright since Corporate Realty purchased the property from the Lovelady Center. Since its closing ten years ago on Halloween in 2008, the vacant facility has been an eyesore of the Northside and a neighborhood nuisance. The local realty group has been collecting public opinion through open houses and forums for several months. A consistent priority for both the developer and the community is walkability, a characteristic that directly promotes safety and economic vibrancy. The most recent plan shows the mixed-use complex including housing, retail, dining, entertainment, medical facilities and even a hotel. Corporate Realty hopes to begin construction in 2019. The Council allocated $1 million to Public Works for six brush trucks to combat the plight of debris plaguing Birmingham streets. Several councilors blamed residents but mostly contractors for the problem and said that in addition to better cleanup efforts, the City should crack down on code enforcement as a preventative measure. “People who have lawn services dump their clippings and all that on the street and expect the city to be responsible for it,” Sheila Tyson, councilor, said. Alternatively, taking debris to the landfill incurs a fee which is why roadside dumping is so prevalent. “I really would implore you all to enhance enforcement of illegal dumping, specifically in my district,” said Hunter Williams, councilor.
On Election Day voters in Alabama will be given the opportunity to cast their vote for many of the federal and state officials. There will also be four statewide constitutional amendments on the upcoming ballot this election. Here’s a guide to Midterms on November 6.
I II
Amendment 1 proposes that a person’s religious beliefs cannot be affected by his or her political or civil rights. The amendment would allow for the display of the Ten Commandments may be displayed on public property. The amendment also specifies that no public funds can be used to defend its constitutionality.
Amendment 2 proposes to recognize and support the rights of unborn children and the rights to life in all manners considered lawful. This makes no exclusions for women who are victims of rape or incest, or women whose lives are in detriment due to their pregnancy. The ambiguous wording could additionally allow for the state to outlaw invitro-fertilization, several forms of birth control, and could even allow for the criminal prosecution of women who experience miscarriages or stillbirths. The amendment also states that the constitution of this state does not protect the right to abortion or require the funding of abortion. Abortion is currently legal in all fifty states due to the landmark ruling of Roe v. Wade, however, if the Supreme Court overturns this ruling, passing Amendment 2 would make abortion illegal in the state of Alabama under all circumstances, as listed above.
Oct. 22
III IV
Amendment 3 proposes changes to the makeup of the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama. First this amendment states that the Board of Trustees will continue to be made up of members of the congressional districts as constituted on January 1st, 2018. If Alabama loses a congressional district during the Census 2020 no changes will be made to the Board of Trustees. Second, the amendment will remove the State Superintendent of Education from automatically gaining membership on the Board. Third, this amendment will cut the requirement that members of the Board retire after their 70th birthday.
Amendment 4 proposes that if a vacancy in either the house of Representatives or the Senate occurs on or after October 1 or the third year of the quadrennium (four years), the seat would remain vacant until a successor is elected at the next general election. This means that if a legislative seat is open late in the term, the Governor would not call a special election to fill it. If this amendment is approved, it would prevent elections that decide a winner after the last legislative session of the four-year period.
is the General Election registration deadline in Alabama. Register at vote.gov.
TUESDAY, OCT. 16, 2018
CITYLIFESTYLE
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HYGIENE POVERTY
Period brings ‘menstual movement’ Local organization combats period poverty through ‘radical generosity’ Ceri-Lune Renneboog CityLifestyle Editor cerilune@uab.edu
Period products are taxed as luxury items in most of the fifty States, making their prices even more inaccessible to thousands of people with periods throughout the country. Despite menstruation being another biological bodily function, antiquated laws still perpetuate necessary hygiene products as items of comfort, rather than items of need. Period, a non-profit organization labelling themselves as the “menstrual movement,” is hoping to combat the stigmatization of menses and the accessibility of period products across campuses all over the U.S. The Period movement focuses primarily on starting chapters on campus, leaving a disparity for many menstruators outside of college campuses. Greater Birmingham Period was started to combat period poverty at all levels regardless of educational or socioeconomic status. Due to misperceptions about periods and unfair legislation regarding reproductive health, thousands of people, particularly houseless and incarcerated populations, lack proper access to affordable hygiene products regardless of their cost. Greater Birmingham Period was started by Lillie and Asher Stubsten, founders of Birmingham’s Free Store, to further bring inclusivity to the Period movement. “Our mission is to provide for people’s reproductive and sexual health needs in a way that is radically generous, anti-capitalist, queer-affirming and anti-racist,” said Asher Stubsten, co-founder of GBP. “We hold an empathetic place for all people.” The organization meets at Linn Park once a month to dispense free period product packages to people who otherwise don’t have regular access to them. The organization has several goals, and while offering free
PHOTO COURTESY OF GREATER BIRMINGHAM PERIOD
The Greater Birmingham Period gathers menstrual hygiene supplies to give out at Linn Park. products is the groups primary focus, they also want to help orchestrate legislative change in regard to period policies in order to make policies more trans-inclusive as well as making products more accessible. “It’s so much more than what we do in the park,” Asher said. “We are specifically creating a space for trans-menstruaters. We want to go beyond women’s shelters and wom-
through the help of their Red Rag Zine. The miniature ‘magazine’ features stories, poems and art from local menstruators and the experiences and struggles with they have had with their periods. “One of our main pillars is ending the stigma around periods,” Lillie said. “We want people to talk about it.” The organization is currently accepting submissions for their October Halloween Red Rag Zine through their Facebook page. Lillie and Asher Stubsten are also the founders of Birmingham Free Store, founded in collaboration with Greater Birmingham Period, which provides the city’s residents with free access to clothes, toiletries, books, and much more. “With both organizations, we serve folks with radical generosity” Lillie said. The Free Store and Greater Birmingham Period will both hold their next event next Sunday, October 28 in Linn Park from 1-3 P.M. during which the organizations will be handing out free period packages and offering a collection of free items for those otherwise lacking access to them. “Greater Birmingham Period is an amazing organization and their model of radical generosity has accomplished a lot in a very short time,” said Mark Linn, graduate student and volunteer for the Birmingham Free Store. To donate to Greater Birmingham Period, or the Birmingham Free Store, contact Lillie Stubsten via Facebook. GBP is currently accepting all donations of tampons, pads, condoms and diapers; the Free Store is accepting clothing, books, art supplies, toiletries, backpacks, handbags and home goods.
The community gives and the community takes.
en’s bathrooms.” The Greater Birmingham Period relies on the community for donations, preferably in the form of pads and tampons, though also encourages donations of condoms, and diapers. “It’s mutual aid,” Lillie Stubsten said. “The community gives and the community takes.” Greater Birmingham Period works to destigmatize menstruation
- Lillie Stubsten
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POLITICS IN SPORTS
opinion
Athletes have the right to be active Parker Rose Opinion Columnist pdrose@uab.edu When athletes take a stand, the whole world sees them. The brave act is forged inside our memories as it comes across our TV screens. Although there is a new wave of activism within sports, the aura of protest has always been there. October 16 will mark the 50th anniversary of the famous Black Power salute at the Summer Olympics. Demonstrated by Tommie Smith and John Carlos, it sent a powerful message that athletes can be activists as well. Athletes have a right to protest because the issues that affect us affect them too. They are not immune to oppression by any means. Being an athlete gives them an opportunity to entertain their fans by participating in their sport of choice, but they shouldn’t be confined to that, they are Americans too. In a country that was built on the ability and privilege, there should not be any restrictions on an athlete. This idea is not just coming to the forefront as athletes have been protesting for decades. From Jesse Owens and Muhammad Ali to LeBron James and Colin Kaepernick. All of this occurred to me when the Fox News host Laura Ingraham criticized LeBron James for speaking out against Trump, she responded with telling him to keep his political views to himself and “shut up and dribble.” Why shouldn’t athletes speak on politics if they are too Americans? One might say that it is not their place but if your president has his hand and his Twitter in every facet of American life, then yeah you have a
right. One might say that it is not an athlete’s place to be an activist, but if your president can tweet his every impulse of thought, why can’t a football player kneel occasionally? In protesting, one is putting everything on the line for this right. When Ali refused to go to Vietnam in 1967, he was arrested and stripped of his boxing titles and banned from boxing for three years. His words of protest included the fire and controversy Ali was known for as he said in a BBC interview in 1966, “They never called me n***. They never lynched me. They didn’t put no dogs on me. They didn’t rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. Shoot them for
ILLUSTRATION BY SAVANNAH DONALD/ STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
what? How can I shoot them poor people? Just take me to jail.” Ali was way ahead of his time, not only defying the American status quo, but demanding that America to look at itself in the mirror regarding its lack of humanity towards people of color. To the athletes that do not protest, I believe if you have a platform to speak out on you should use it. It’s crucial especially in these times. I want to have faith in this but every athlete is not that brave or an activist. Some are just there to play their sports but that’s how these agencies want them to be. They want them to be silent because they know what could happen if these powerful figures decided to turn against them and defiantly protest. Honestly, the ones that are not protesting are giving more power to these people and halting their resistance because sports would not be entertainment anymore and politics would be even more in our faces. The other side of this is the threat of the ones that do protest. After Kaepernick’s protest in 2016, the NFL provided repercussions, or better yet, firing the protesters. Not only are they silencing these athletes by taking away their livelihood they are making a choice for them like a master to his slave, a slave for entertainment. No matter how much these big agencies try to silence athletes, they have a chance to really change things in our nation but the agencies want to keep them under their control and every arena is a plantation. Despite all of this, there are some brave ones out there and as we put our faith in them, others will follow in their footsteps, as they have done for decades.
TUESDAY, OCT. 16, 2018
OPINION
PAGE 11
ACADEMICS
Humanities are important too Kameryn Thigpen Opinion Columnist cchs2017@uab.edu
As a humanities student at a largely STEM/PreHealth college, it’s easy to get defensive. Especially when it constantly feels as though most of the attention is being paid to those students – whether its funding for more extracurricular activities or seemingly higher faculty support for student organizations. So, it comes as no surprise that the suspension of UAB’s Mock Trial team was a “shot heard ‘round the world,” in the humanities community. “I’m doing everything I can to get it back for the fall [semester],” said Jeffrey Walker, Ph.D., Department Chair of Criminal Justice. According to Walker, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the Mock Trial team has had so many funding hardships. However, the beginning of these hardships is easily definable and comically simple – when faculty and students stopped doing their annual chili cook-off fundraisers. One might think that the solution to this problem is to simply start fundraising again, right? Well, yes, except for the fact that fundraisers require something that very few people seem to want to give – their time and effort. Walker said he received many nasty emails from students and alumni when it was announced that the program could no longer fund students, but when he turned it around on them to help him come up with solutions, there was little more than radio silence. It seems like most defenses in support of more funding for the arts in higher education are little more than rhetorical, and that needs to change. However, that’s not the only thing that needs to change. According to Madi March, senior in criminal justice, who was formerly the captain of the Mock Trial team, a large part of the lack of student interest and faculty support had to do with navigating the complex bureaucracy of a university. The roadblock which rests in the way of many students is simply that they don’t know who to go to when they have a problem or feel that they have an interest that isn’t being met. Do they go to their professors? Their advisors? The Dean? The President? And, as we know from studying human behavior, the more steps you add into the process of solving a problem, the more you reduce the likelihood that someone will solve it. So, for students with hectic schedules, it poses as an even bigger
problem. ILLUSTRATION BY LEISHA CHAMBERS/STAFF ILLUSTRATOR Moreover, it can be intimidating to reach out to faculty or administrators, since you never know how your request might be received. They, too, have busy schedules and are protective of their time. “By the time they get their head around what they want to change, they are about to graduate,” March said. So not only do students and faculty need to be consistent in their efforts, UAB needs to do a better job at making it easier for students to communicate their concerns and opinions when it comes to things that are important to them and Instead of looking at communities and neightheir education. borhoods in terms of crime or health, individually, At the very least, they need to be informed. studies would start to appreciate the ways in which March said that she wasn’t even aware that the these two modes of inquiry intersect and affect one program had shut down until she started receiving another. texts from other angry, confused students. “You can’t claim to be a well-rounded university Even to a school that is renowned for its without adequate support for the Humanities,” said pre-medical and medical programs and facilities, March. the necessity of humanities programs needs to be We need to re-discover the value of humanities recognized. in higher education, and that happens with con“Medicine isn’t all about hard sciences,” March sistent support from faculty, students, and adminsaid. “Health is directly tied to social factors.” istration. There also needs to be more avenues of Several humanities departments have addressed this by working closely with the other, more communication between the student body and UAB’s administration. science or health-oriented departments in order to “Humanities is how our society will move forexemplify the benefits of collaboration. ward,” March said. “I’m doing a ton of work with Public Health in order to create multi-level studies,” Walker said.
TUESDAY, OCT. 16, 2018
PAGE 12
CROSSWORD
Editorial Board Fall 2018
1. 2.
Kristina Balciunaite Editor-in-Chief kribal@uab.edu Previous issue’s crossword solutions:
4.
Sufia Alam Managing Editor sufia@uab.edu
1. Cosby. 2. Harlem. 3. Chicken. 4. Alcohol. 5. Halloween. 6. Overwhelmed. 7. Dwarf.
5. 6.
Lakyn Shepard Art Editor layshep@uab.edu
7.
Lauren Moore Blazer News Editor lrm33@uab.edu
8.
Ceri-Lune Renneboog CityLifestyle Editor cerilune@uab.edu
1.. A formal or official change made to a law, contract,
4. Last name of activist who initiated the #MeToo
constitution, or other legal document
movement and visited UAB last week.
2. The tradition of welcoming back former and current
5. Menstrual hygiene product.
students and community members to celebrate a
6. The ability to make considered decisions or come to
university’s existence..
sensible conclusions.
3. The activity of cutting object or design from a hard
7. A style in fashion oriented toward retro items.
material as an artistic work, oftentimes on pumpkins.
8. Asian restaurant that opened at Five Points last week.
EVENTS CALENDAR Spirit Display Competition HSC Ballrooms 6:30 p.m. Homecoming Comedy Show HSC Ballrooms CD 8 p.m.
Blazer Spirit Food & Toiletries Drive HSC Promotional table 12:30 - 2 p.m.
Panel discussion: How Germany Has Come to Terms with Its Past Birmingham Civil Rights Institute 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Fight Song Competition Hoops Season Tip HSC Ampitheater Off 6 p.m. Bartow Arena 7 p.m. Blaze the Night/Pep Rally Pancakes & Karaoke Mini Park HSC Dining Area Following Fight 9 - 11:15 p.m. Song Competition
Homecoming Parade UAB Campus 12 - 1 p.m. An Evening at Hogwarts McWane Science Center 5 p.m. The Rocky Horror Masquerade Ball Alabama Theatre 6 :30 - 11 p.m. The Loft Show Mom’s Basement 8 p.m.
UAB Football vs. North Texas Legion Field 6:30 p.m. Magick City Witches Ball Workplay 7 p.m. - 2 a.m. Spooky Art Party The Upsidedown Plaza 8 p.m.
The Market at The Pizitz The Pizitz 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Music/art: Yellow House ll 1518 13th Street South 7 - 10 p.m. Fundraiser dance: Swing is the Thing Clunhouse on Highland 6 - 10 p.m.
Entrepreneurship Speaker: Craig Wilson University Boulevard Office Building, Room 108 1 - 2 p.m.