Vol 23 | 2 | 3.29.2021
Women Between The Lines
Table of Contents Vol 23 | 2 | 3.29.2021
STAFF
Managing Editor: Kendall Little News Editor: Natalia Ribeiro Features Editor: Darlene Antoine Sports Editor: Richard Pereira Web Editor: Marcy Wilder Advisors: Ilene Prusher, Wesley Wright
Creative Director: Michelle Rodriguez-Gonzalez Photo Editor: Eston Parker III Entertainment Editor: Elliot Rodriguez Business Manager: Joseph Acosta Copy Desk Chief: Gillian Manning Staff Writers: Brianna Smith, Taylor Reid
4 Shattering the Glass Ceiling 8 From Tampons to Town Hall Meetings 12 Owl Star 14 The Woman, The Legend 16 Making an Impact: Geanny Joseph Ruiz 18 United in Dance 20 Meet the Women in Student Government
Want to get involved? Contact: Marcy Wilder | Web Editor Email: mwilder2019@fau.edu
Publisher: FAU Student Government. The opinions expressed by the UP are not necessarily those of the student body, student government, or FAU.
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Cover Art by: Michelle Rodriguez-Gonzalez On Cover: Kendall Little, Marcy Wilder, Darlene Antoine, Gillian Manning, Natalia Ribeiro, Brianna Smith, Taylor Reid.
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Editors’ Letter
The UP Editors
To celebrate Women’s History Month, the women of the University Press decided to write and design our second women’s issue. This issue highlights several unique women who decided to share their talents and determination with the FAU community, whether it be through coaching, advocating for students, or even dancing on the football field. 100 years ago, we would not have had the social standing to be journalists or designers. We would have been limited to housewives or maids. Though the women’s rights movement has made strides toward equality, we aren’t completely there yet. A record number of women are serving in Congress as of 2021, but they still only make up a little more than 25% of the 535 total members. Violence against women and girls still remains a global issue. While there is still work to be done, this issue celebrates the steps toward equality taken by the wonderful women of FAU. As you flip through these pages, you’ll read about women who are fighting for their place in the STEM field, women who serve as activists and advocates for feminism, and women who could one day fill seats in Congress. You’ll also see how women have had an impact in media over the years throughout the issue in our editors’ picks pages, which highlight women in music, TV, and movies. We hope that after reading this issue, you’ll feel the same spark we did; a spark that doesn’t dim or extinguish over time. It’s the same spark that encouraged Betty Friedan to write “The Feminine Mystique” and kickstart the second wave of feminism. It’s the same spark that inspired Marie Curie to pursue groundbreaking discoveries in chemistry. It’s the same spark that motivated Kamala Harris to defy all odds and become vice president of the United States. It’s a spark to celebrate women’s accomplishments and a spark to keep fighting for equality, no matter what it takes.
- Kendall Little, Darlene Antoine, Gillian Manning, Natalia Ribeiro, Marcy Wilder
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Shattering the Glass Ceiling By: Gillian Manning The stories of three determined women in STEM Women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have historically been a minority in these male-dominated fields, and while diversity is on the rise, students today are not strangers to this imbalance. According to the American Association of University Women, men outnumber women majoring in STEM fields and women only make up 28% of the STEM workforce, and engineering is the field with the smallest female presence.
Alany Jaury Alany Jaury is studying for her Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and is treasurer of the university’s chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. She began her journey in STEM at a young age, being very involved in her high school’s robotics club.
From top to bottom: Nafisa Shikdar, Alany Jaury, and Sameerah Hingoo.
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With her bedroom covered in space memorabilia, her passions are clear: Jaury wants to work for NASA. Her goal is to one-day be involved with NASA’s Artemis project which aims to send the next man and the first woman to the moon by 2024, and she hopes to be involved with other multi-planetary missions.
“The majesty of a big machine taking something into space...it’s amazing,” said Jaury. She has begun following that dream by getting involved with NASA’s virtual L’SPACE (Lucy Student Pipeline Accelerator and Competency Enabler) Academy this spring. The L’SPACE Academy is an educational program for students. It is made of two smaller programs, and of those two, Jaury is involved with the Mission Concept Academy. These programs collaborate with NASA’s Lucy Mission, which aims to explore the asteroids surrounding Jupiter. With a team of students from across the country, Jaury engineers plans and technology that could potentially help NASA land on the asteroids and other planets such as Venus. The women-to-men ratio is relatively equal in the NASA program, according to Jaury, with many of her group’s leaders being women, but her experience at school does not fully reflect that. “You take notice that you’re a minority,” said Jaury who explained that her classes and clubs are still male-dominated.
Nafisa Shikdar Nafisa Shikdar graduated from FAU with her Bachelor’s in electrical engineering in 2018, a degree that she fought hard for. Shikdar lived in Bangladesh when she was younger, and after graduating high school, she knew she wanted to be an engineer but due to her family’s wishes, got married instead. Soon after, her husband began to emotionally abuse her; he wouldn’t let her out of the house and became enraged if she chose to study or do other activities. As a result of the abuse, Shikdar became depressed and with her mother’s support, she moved to the U.S. in 2013 and got a divorce at the age of 19. Shikdar began her studies at FAU in 2014 and because she was the only member of her family and friend group in the U.S., struggled with depression and loneliness. These struggles were heightened by her heavy course load and the fact she was working at Dunkin’, the FAU Learning Center, and an ice cream shop all at once, leading her to work seven days a week.
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“I used to feel very lonely. I was working two to three jobs so that I could start my education,” she said, “I didn’t have time to think about myself.” Shikdar was afraid of being judged by her peers and blamed herself for what she was experiencing. She was sometimes so overwhelmed that she couldn’t leave her car after arriving on campus, causing her to miss classes and exams. “I didn’t feel like studying or doing anything,” Shikdar recalled, but after speaking with advisors on campus, she began to feel more motivated.
Alany Jaury. Photo courtesy of Jaury.
Before starting at FAU in 2020, Jaury studied at the University of Central Florida and experienced her male peers making romantic or sexual advances to her. These advances, Jaury expressed, seemed to be based on the fact that she was one of the few girls in the program, not because her peers had a personal interest in who she was as a person.
During her second year at FAU, Shikdar began getting involved with STEM clubs on campus and some of her cousins later joined her in the states. Shikdar combatted her depression with her involvement in extracurriculars, getting active, and eating better. Over a couple of years, Shikdar began to feel much healthier and got her grades up. “I would get a lot more support than I did, people would judge me less,” Shikdar said when reflecting on how her experience may have changed if she was a man. “I got judged by my society, my community a lot.”
“I’m just a girl and they’re interested in a girl, not because I’m Alany,” she said. Jaury has only experienced FAU virtually due to the pandemic and although she’s excited for in-person classes to begin, she is nervous about experiencing the same type of attention. Jaury is conscious of how she expresses herself through clothes, keychains, and her hobby of longboarding because it may attract unwanted attention and wishes she could just focus on her classes. In addition to her goals in space exploration, there are things she would like to achieve closer to home. Many young girls find themselves interested in science or being astronauts but “as you grow older, society pushes that it’s a guy’s career,” she said and expressed her hope that girls will see that engineering can be right for them too. While the classes are hard, Jaury expressed that sometimes it feels like professors want students to fail, she is still motivated to graduate. “You’re going to feel uncomfortable in life,” she said, “if you’re passionate about something, that will drive you.”
Nafisa Shikdar. Photo courtesy of Shikdar.
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“I was a point of attention,” said Shikdar. In 2015, she won the Academic Excellence award but that isn’t the only thing that made her stand out from her peers. During her electrical engineering classes, she was often the only girl present and when graduation came, she was the only woman to walk across the stage. “People just think that [men] are supposed to do engineering,” she said. Because she was the only woman in her class, she was able to receive a lot of help and support from university staff along the way with professors and advisors cheering her on. “Whenever I did good people would say, ‘oh she did great!’... That makes me feel very appreciated,” said Shikdar. Throughout her journey thus far, her mother was a great source of support as well. “She always told me that I’m going to be someone, that I’m going to be something, and to not give up,” Shikdar said. Her mother graduated from college but chose to be a stay-at-home mom to take care of Shikdar and her siblings, a sacrifice that Shikdar is very thankful for. “Even when there would be no one to support me, she was always there and she always trusted me,” said Shikdar. “She’s my role-model.” Shikdar looks up to her mother for her dedication and her ability to be resilient and grounded despite her own struggles. “Don’t cry in the parking lot instead of the lab. No, no, no, I’m kidding,” she laughed while offering advice. “It’s going to be okay, just step out of your car, or whatever cage you’re in at the moment, and just walk through the building and talk. It doesn’t matter who you’re talking to, just talk… Sometimes people can see things that we can’t. Just talk to someone and [know that] hard times don’t last forever, just like good times don’t last forever. Don’t give up and talk. It’s worth it.” Shikdar also encourages women to speak out if they’re ever treated unfairly and to work where they are appreciated. “Speak out and let other people know, that creates awareness,” she said.
Sameerah Hingoo
Sameerah Hingoo is studying for her Bachelor’s in biology on the premed track and is a member of the university’s chapter of the American Medical Student Association. She strives to one day be a dermatologist. After she graduates, she aims to help other students through education regarding mental and physical health and by creating more political awareness through community activism. One way she has gotten involved is through the Coral Springs Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) where she has volunteered for safety-related events. Her favorite moment working with CERT was in 2016 when Hillary Clinton hosted a rally in the area. Hingoo was there with CERT to provide water and help those who passed out or otherwise required medical attention.
“It made me feel so much better and I want to do that for people too,” she said. Hingoo’s doctors in the past have mostly been white men but she has experienced racism and colorism from white and non-white doctors that she has seen and is vocal about the medical field’s racial biases with her peers. “People don’t think about diversity when coming into the field,” said Hingoo. One dentist with a similar ethnic background thought Hingoo was lying about her pain level and when Hingoo complained the doctor became agitated and provided too high of a dose of novocaine which resulted in Hingoo’s left eye turning in, leaving her temporarily cross-eyed. Another instance was with a white male OB/GYN, a doctor who specializes in the female reproductive system. Without her knowledge, the doctor performed a small procedure that altered her body. “He didn’t have to do that but he did it anyway,” she said. The prejudice she’s experienced has not been limited to the doctor’s office. One time in high school, Hingoo explained, another student said “I believe all Muslims should be in concentration camps,” and her teacher had done nothing about it. Amongst her peers at FAU, she’s experienced misconceptions about her religion and people telling her what she can and cannot do because she is Muslim. She also becomes wary when peers are vocal about their support for politicians with a history of racism and is concerned about how they will treat patients wearing hijabs or how they might treat Black women, who are often victims of medical racism. According to Medical News Today, Black women are three to four times more likely to die as a result of pregnancy-related causes than white women and a 2016 study showed that 73% of the white medical students who participated held the false belief that Black people are less susceptible to pain. Though people have tried to tell her that her religion is a barrier to the medical field, Hingoo believes that there are many similarities. Like in medicine, Muslim religious practices emphasize cleanliness, according to Hingoo. One example is how Muslims are traditionally meant to pray five times a day and before doing so, must rigorously clean themselves in a process similar to surgeons before beginning an operation, even cleaning up to their noses and mouths. “For me, it feels good, I feel closer to God and I feel more confident in what I’m studying,” said Hingoo. Hingoo is excited to see how future generations transform the medical field and the positive changes that they might bring. “Just go for it because there’s nothing stopping you. I’ve had a lot of setbacks financially, racially, ethnically, religiously, everything you could think of. But I overcome it,” said Hingoo.
Hingoo’s passion for science and medicine began at a young age, it first began with her admiration for her pediatricians and it continued to blossom as she grew. “In fifth grade, I showed an interest in science and my teacher started calling me Dr. Hingoo and for some reason when she started doing that I got so motivated and inspired to become a doctor,” she said.
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“The biggest thing for me is diversity in the medical field,” said Hingoo about her current goals. Hingoo is Muslim and was nervous about going to a dermatologist due to the general lack of training regarding skin-tones but was recently pleasantly surprised when a doctor knew how to provide her with effective treatment.
Sameerah Hingoo. Photo courtesy of Hingoo.
Women in Media Woman-Centered Music Illustrations by: Michelle Rodriguez-Gonzalez
Kendall Little Managing Editor
The Man - Taylor Swift (2020) Simmer - Hayley Williams (2020) 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton (1980) I Miss the Misery - Halestorm (2012) Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne (2006)
Darlene Antoine Features Editor
Forgive Me - ChloexHalle (2020) Plastic Hearts - Miley Cyrus (2020) Telepatia - Kali Uchis (2020) Sukidakara - UMI (2019) Up - Cardi B (2021)
Marcy Wilder Web Editor
Rain On Me - Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande (2020) no body, no crime - Taylor Swift ft. HAIM (2020) Gasoline - HAIM with Taylor Swift (2021) Neutron Dance - The Pointer Sisters (1983) Charming - Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (2017, Original Broadway Cast)
Gillian Manning Copy Desk Chief
forever fifteen - Mothica (2021) Ghost- Envoi (2013) Illusionist - Future Palace (2020) Daughter - Doll Skin (2017) Ignorance - Paramore (2009)
Natalia Ribeiro News Editor
Maria - Hwasa (2020) Dear.Rude - JeA ft. CHEETAH (2019) Don’t Touch Me - REFUND SISTERS (2020) Love Again - Dua Lipa (2021) Look At Her Now - Selena Gomez (2019)
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From Tampons to Town Hall Meetings By: Kendall Little FAU NOW is making changes in the FAU community in big ways At the end of the Fall 2020 semester, Joi Dean cleared the shelves at her local Target of any menstrual products it carried, but not for her own use. After receiving quizzical looks from other shoppers and even the cashier, she drove her tampon and pad-stocked car to different charities in the area and donated all $800 worth of menstrual products. This was only one of the events the FAU chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) held this semester. Some were less extravagant, such as hosting virtual meetings about activism or organizing two town hall meetings to discuss racial issues at FAU, but all brought a difference to the FAU community. Dean felt that FAU students typically operate in small, like-minded groups and she wanted to bring about a change. “I really want to bring people together,” she said. “I want to bring in these people that might agree with feminism or might be a feminist and might not know it.” NOW is full of accepting and diverse members, but Dean wanted to branch out and bring in people who wouldn’t ordinarily have conversations about feminism or other types of equality. So Dean reached out to Sigma Chi Fraternity. Together, the frat and the feminists volunteered at Boca Helping Hands, which is a non-profit that provides food, medical, and financial assistance to those who need it.
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Group photo of FAU NOW. Photo courtesy of Alex Liscio.
“NOW goes above and beyond when it comes to educating, discussing, and advocating for change,” she said. NOW is designed to inform the FAU community about topics like feminism, LGBTQ rights, and racial equality. Though the FAU chapter of NOW was founded in 2017, the national organization was founded in 1966 by Betty Friedan. Friedan led the women’s rights campaign in the 1960s and even sparked the second wave of feminism with her 1963 book, “The Feminine Mystique.” From petitions to protests, the founding members of the organization fought long and hard for their rights. 51 years later, the feminists of FAU brought NOW to the Boca Raton campus to continue the fight for true gender equality.
From general meetings every Tuesday that are open to all to special events and opportunities for bonding, NOW has an opportunity for every student to get involved.
“We cover a wide range of topics and that really gets you to see the world for what it is,” NOW member Rafaela St. Juste said. “Knowledge is power and the more I went to NOW meetings, the more confident I became in talking about subjects.”
Eshanie Whitehead, a freshman English major, says that she joined the organization because of how dedicated the members are to making a change.
NOW isn’t just for informing, its members say. It’s also an inclusive group of people that help each other develop their views and beliefs.
1970
1996
2017
After an intense NOW campaign, the Equal Rights amendment is passed
NOW publicly declares their support for the LGBT community
NOW established a chapter at FAU
1966
NOW is founded by a group of women including Betty Friedan and gained over 300 members
1986
NOW organized first East/West Coast March for Women’s Lives
“It gives you the ability to see the world [through] different lenses and not be so narrow-minded. NOW has been a place where I have been able to express my feelings and be validated by other people. And that’s the most refreshing part,” she said.
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NOW is the lead organizer of an anti-war march in NYC
Officer Highlights Joi Dean
Joined: 2017 Became President: 2018
Whitehead shared a similar sentiment. “I love NOW because it’s inclusive without a catch - you’re free to be yourself with judgment or fear while learning leadership skills!” she said. The chapter officers now hold weekly meetings over Zoom where everyone is encouraged to attend, no matter their gender, sexual orientation, race, or religion. In the meetings, topics like performative activism, civil disobedience, and women’s rights history are discussed by officers and members. The goal is to inform and inspire change within the community.
Joi Dean. Photo courtesy of Jasmine Bridget
Before the pandemic, members of NOW would set up tables in the breezeway to share what they’ve learned with students that passed by -- hopefully inspiring some to get involved with the organization or join the fight for equal rights.
Over the four-year course of her FAU academic career, Joi Dean won the Student Executive Leader of the Year Award, spoke at the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in Washington D.C., and spoke on a National Public Radio (NPR) podcast.
The NOW officers have big plans for the rest of the Spring 2021 semester.
“Getting in front of people and pretending like I know what’s going on was very much an act until it kind of started working,” she said.
“Some of my goals for NOW this semester include continuing to advocate effectively and grow prosperously despite the pandemic keeping us separate for the most part!” Vice President Lillie Feller said.
Dean spoke about feminism on various panels, including three for Women’s Equality Day.
Dean ensured that any upcoming events would be safe for members to attend. “We’re trying to do kind of a hybrid model of some in-person things with some virtual things. For the in-person things, obviously we’re trying to be COVID-friendly and we’ll be masked and outdoors,” she said.
“It’s interesting to see the support for Women’s History Month, which is great, and it’s cool, but what are we going to do besides that? How are we going to make sure that women feel safe walking around campus at night? How are we going to make sure that we don’t promote a rape culture on campus?” she said. Dean touched on the inconsistencies in support for women, even among women-led organizations. “You’re posting about Women’s History Month, but then if a woman comes in that doesn’t look like you and think like you, or is gay, or is different than you, you look at them sideways,” she said. “If you’re going to fight for some women, you need to fight for all women, especially trans women.”
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Melinda Avila. Photo Courtesy of Alex Liscio.
Melinda Avila Joined: 2018 Became Treasurer: 2020
Melinda Avila wants to become a teacher who advocates for marginalized students. Being part of NOW is one of the many steps to get her into a classroom. Taking part in NOW allowed Avila to become a better ally for marginalized communities, a skill that she feels is valuable to have when going into the field of education. “I am allowing myself to learn because I am a cis-gendered woman so I don’t know some of the struggles of non-gender-conforming people or the LGBTQ community. I get to learn different perspectives and different outlooks on life and I feel like I can be a better ally,” she said. Other than being an ally, Avila reflected on some of her accomplishments as not only as a woman, but as a woman of color.
Lillie Feller. Photo Courtesy of Alex Liscio.
Lillie Feller
Joined: 2019 Became Vice President: 2020
Feller is the first person of color in her family to pursue higher education and plans to be the first to attend graduate school as well. “I never thought of going to college as an accomplishment until I joined NOW,” she said. “College is drilled into our heads as a norm, but so many people that look like me are becoming the first to have this opportunity, and that is an important thing to take note of.” Feller has plenty to be proud of, including her identity as a woman of color. “I spent a long time wishing I had an easier path to tread, but being a woman of color is a unique and wonderful gift. Our ancestors are the foundation of literally everything this world has amounted to,” she said. To Feller, being a woman is more complex than it seems.
“I’m proud of my GPA and I’m happy that I got scholarship opportunities,” she said. “I think I underestimated my capabilities as a student.”
“To me being a woman has nothing to do with femininity; it has to do with finding strength in vulnerability, being unapologetic in your power, and continuing to enrich the world with light and love,” she said.
Avila shared that she is proud to be a woman, even though she experiences a fair share of subtle misogyny.
Feller believes that she is enriching the world through NOW.
“I think being a woman is really living in your truth. As women, we are all multifaceted. To me it’s not so constricted in like femininity, like being masculine. It’s more like embracing your troubles and triumphs.”
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“With NOW I’ve been able to learn so much about different inequalities and injustices that I can now share with other people in my life,” she said. “NOW has become an incredible platform of information that I am privileged to pass on to people in my life that are curious about how to get involved, how to effect change, and how to advocate for equality.”
Women in Media Movies with a Female Lead Illustrations by: Michelle Rodriguez-Gonzalez
Kendall Little Managing Editor
Legally Blonde (2001) Mamma Mia! (2008) Mulan (1998) Captain Marvel (2019) Roman Holiday (1953)
Marcy Wilder Web Editor
Happiest Season (2020) Heathers (1988) Set It Up (2018) Morvern Callar (2002) Columbus (2017)
Natalia Ribeiro
Darlene Antoine Features Editor
Hidden Figures (2016) Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) Proud Mary (2018) Clueless (1995) Princess Diaries (2001) She’s The Man (2006) Wild Child (2008)
Gillian Manning Copy Desk Chief
Julie & Julia (2009) Death Becomes Her (1992) Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) Alien (1979) Whale Rider (2002)
News Editor
Oceans 8 (2018) Wonder Woman (2017) Second Act (2018) V For Vendetta (2005) Frozen (2013)
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Owl Star
By: Brianna Smith Photos courtesy of Eston Parker III Grasping the weight of her dreams, Allen’s perspective on the way she views life has been shaped around her biggest ambition.
A late start doesn’t have to mean an early ending. This is especially true for graduate transfer student, Jacaira “Iggy” Allen, who made her way back to her home state of Florida and decided to spread her wings a little further as an Owl on the FAU women’s basketball team. The guard started her hoop career in the eighth grade, where she was inspired to pick up a ball by her sister who began playing before her. Allen eventually joined a traveling team called the Miami Suns in her freshman year of high school, which helped advance her game as the team traveled across the country competing with the best of the best. “After ninth grade, I started to get a little better. I was working out over the summer and I joined the Miami Suns,” Allen said. “We got it working with them—that’s a travel team and I was traveling to several states playing basketball, competing at the highest level.” It was then that Allen’s journey had just begun. The more work she put in, the more progress she began to see as she was growing into the player she needed to be on the court. Those who know Allen would say that she tends to lead, something that she notices during the game, but also outside of the gym. “I’m like the leader of all of my friends,” Allen said. “I don’t know, I guess I’m this trendsetter because of my social media influence, so I lead and I’m followed by many people.” Allen has a good following on her Instagram page with a little over 6000 followers. Her transparency of who she is and her personality is shown all over her social media and it is no wonder why she has a considerable following. “Off the court, Iggy is a comedian. She is always cracking jokes and doing skits for her social media accounts. She is always dancing and having fun. On the court, she is very intense and passionate. She is a serious competitor. A very hardworking player,” Allen’s teammate junior guard Bre Beck said.
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Iggy Allen warms up before facing FIU on January 15, 2021. In her studies as a MED Educational Leadership major, Allen has learned things in the classroom that she can apply in her athletic career. “I’m learning to be more patient because my major isn’t the easiest, there’s definitely a lot of reading, so I’m learning a lot of patience and I’m projecting that back onto the court,” Allen said. In Allen’s major she’s learning as life skills and lessons that she can take with her far beyond a classroom setting. Her goal of making it to the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) will require the skill she has already honed—leadership—to truly compete at the national level. “There are several adjectives to describe Iggy but the biggest ones being that she is competitive, passionate, generous, complex, talented, funny, and very caring,” head coach Jim Jabir said.
With the willingness to learn, comes the opportunity to grow, and having this mindset, Allen has the chance to meet her ultimate destination. “My dreams and my aspirations, they grew bigger and I just want to reach my fullest potential,” Allen said. “And my fullest potential that I can reach playing basketball would be to reach the WNBA.” Grasping the weight of her dreams, Allen’s perspective on the way she views life has been shaped around her biggest ambition. There are times in life where one can walk alone, and then there are times where the support of others is that fuel to keep going. For Allen, her fuel is her mom, sister, and godmother who are the main three people she can count on. “My sister, like I said before, was the one who influenced me to pick up a basketball so she is like my biggest supporter,” Allen said. “If I look in the crowd and I don’t see her I’m just mind-boggled, I just can’t really function. I’m always looking up to see if she’s there.” The importance of family and a village extends beyond Allen’s immediate family and onto her FAU squad where she has been able to create an atmosphere where she receives love and gives it right back. “One thing that makes her unique is her perseverance. She obviously has been to many schools and has never really had her time to shine. But her spirit is very contagious and she stays true to herself regardless of the situation,” Beck said. Since her transfer from the University of Miami, Iggy has had an exceptional season with the Owls as she has become the only Owl to be named on the All-Defensive first team and the second to win C-USA’s All-Conference First Team and won Newcomer of the Year. “It’s definitely a huge milestone, I have so much more that people haven’t seen yet and I just want to make sure that I show all that on a collegiate level and then transfer that to my professional career,” Allen said. To those who have similar dreams and aspirations as Allen, she has one message: “Chase your dreams. Whether they match your friends’ dreams or not, just go and do what you want to do. If I could go back and talk to myself when I was 14 years old, I would just tell myself to keep on going and that’s what I’m doing right now. You never want to regret anything so always push forward and chase your dreams.” Growth, aspiration, work ethic, leadership, and patience—the key ingredients Allen has already stocked on her shelf for her recipe for a successful basketball career. “The sky’s the limit for her with her talent and her work ethic,” Beck said.
Iggy Allen reacts after draining a shot against Southern Miss on February 27, 2021.
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The Woman, The Legend By: Taylor Reid
Joan Joyce continues to make an impact on and off the field as a renowned athlete and coach. She’s played at least 25 sports, dominating in each one, from golf to bowling. She’s been inducted into 20 different halls of fame. Ted Williams, the late professional baseball player, was no match for her fast-flying drop balls. Joan Joyce started coaching the FAU women’s softball team in 1994. She currently leads a team of 24 players. Joyce built the women’s softball program in nine months from the bottom up when she started coaching. According to the FAU Sports website, she led the first softball team to a 33-18 record in their first year while also earning coach of the year awards from the Atlantic Sun Conference and Palm Beach County. The teams under the head coach have been successful from the first year to now. The women’s softball teams throughout the years went to 12 conference championships and made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, eight consecutive in each. “My pitching staff have been shaky,” Joyce said about her current team. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the 2020 season to a halt and adjustments to the 2021 season. Joyce brought on 12 new team members under her wings as they play top 25 teams in the NCAA despite setbacks last year. “We’ve been playing pretty good for most of the time,” Joyce said. The Owls opened up the 2021 Conference USA on March 21 with a six-inning 8-0 victory over FIU. While Joyce is known for her successes in softball and leading the team for 27 seasons, she is just as accomplished in other sports. “I moved down to Florida to play golf,” said the multi-sport athlete, referring to the move she made later in life. The first time she started putting seriously, she was 35 years old and golfed in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). In 1982, Joyce broke the LPGA and PGA record for the least amount of putts (-17) in a single round. This was a Guinness World Record.
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Joan Joyce looks around from the dugout. Photo courtesy of FAU Athletics. When the record-breaking athlete moved to Florida, she would give golfing lessons on the greens of Deer Creek Country Club in Deerfield Beach, Fla., a 10-minute car ride from FAU. That is where she was recruited to coach a sports team at the university. Her reputation preceded her, she recalled. The name she made for herself from being an accomplished basketball, softball player, and golfer from the northeast and from her travels around the country caught up to her in Florida. Back in 1994, when Dr. Anthony J. Catanese was president of the university, he and an athletic director were golfing at Deer Creek when they met Joyce. She said Dr. Catanese pulled her to the side and recruited her to coach. That is how she ended up coaching the softball team.
Joyce is originally from Waterbury, Conn. where she resided with her family on Tudor Street. She recalled moving about three times with her family, but all within two miles of her first home. At 12-years old, she helped build one of the homes her parents bought. Joyce had two other siblings growing up: one brother and a younger sister. “My mother worked from three to 11,” Joyce said. Both her parents had different work shifts. Her father played basketball and softball when he was not working. “My brother and I learned how to play both sports,” said Joyce. Her dad taught them to play when he was in charge of them while her mother was at work. Joyce was never into the arts like her sister, so she stuck to sports. During the winters in Waterbury, she would take a shovel in one hand and carry her basketball under her other arm to a court near her Waterbury home. Joyce shoveled the snow off the court before practicing basketball, the sport she first loved. By the end of her time on the court, all the dirt and snow had turned to mud. Moments like these paved the way for her extensive sports career in basketball where she played in national tournaments in the AAU as a teen. During the off-season, she improved her craft at softball with the Brakettes. Joyce also formed a volleyball team called the Connecticut Clippers and they played national tournaments in the United States Volleyball Association (USVA). “Well, it’s like man, when she called me to recruit me I was a really shy person…She told me, ‘Open up your mouth,’” said Chan Walker, a member of the first women’s softball team at the university. She currently works alongside Joyce as the associate coach of the team.
Walker and Joyce were out at a tournament one summer where t-shirts were being sold. A woman bought five shirts and walked up to the both of them, wanting to meet Joyce in particular. “You just got 5 shirts to have her sign?” Walker asked the fan. “I would be in heaven if I was being coached by her,” the woman replied to her. Walker knew about Joyce and her accomplishments but never fully knew Joyce until being under Joyce’s guidance and working with her, especially seeing her off the field. “She really doesn’t like speaking in public, but she’ll do it well,” Chan said. Joyce was supposed to deliver an eight-minute acceptance speech at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s (NFCA) 2013 Hall of Fame induction ceremony. She spoke for 42 minutes, mostly about the history of softball. She even quizzed audience members on the history, verbally buzzing them if they got the answer incorrect. “She remembers every detail,” Chan said. “Everyone will tell you the same thing.” About a dozen of the first women Joyce coached in softball at the university remain in contact. “She brought all of us together,” Walker said. “We’re still friends to this day.” Walker said this was because being under Joyce’s guidance was like being part of a family. According to a book about herself, Joyce refers to players on the teams she coached as her kids.
Walker remembered being intimidated by Joyce when they first met at a national softball tournament in St. Louis, Mo.
“I owe everything to her, really. She brought this little girl out of Connecticut to Florida…and believed in me,” said Brandie Cotton who now resides in Indiana. Cotton is a former catcher for FAU’s women’s softball team. Joyce recruited her in 1994.
“This woman invented softball…Just a legend in her own right,” Walker said, referring to Joyce.
Off the field, Joyce continues to impact the lives of the women she coached. “She’s a special guest on vacations,” Cotton said. Joyce often makes special appearances whenever Cotton and the other alumni vacation around the country every couple of years. Cotton credits the tight-knit bond of the team to her former coach. Joyce helped pave the way for women in sports. “Well, the sports thing… I have never met a multi-sport athlete that was a woman,” Cotton said. “That just broke the barrier in my mind.” Even though she broke world records, played dozens of sports, and now coaches, Joyce does so in humility. “In her office, she has all her Hall of Fame stuff,” Walker said. “At home, nothing.” While Joyce would not brag about all her achievements, Tony Renzoni wrote a book about her life and sports career entitled Connecticut Softball Legend Joan Joyce. But Joyce’s impact extends beyond the 240 pages of words and pictures. Walker, Cotton, and the rest of their softball family plan to take a trip to Connecticut in the summer to watch a musical about their coach that the Legacy Theater will showcase every Saturday in June. “Joanie,” Cotton said, using a nickname that people in the northeast refer to Joyce by. “That’s my lady.” Joan Joyce watches her team play. Photo courtesy of FAU Athletics.
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Making an Impact: Geanny Joseph Ruiz By: Marcy Wilder Meet the Assistant Director for the Office for LGBTQ+ Initiatives and Allyship.
Geanny Joseph Ruiz. Photo courtesy of Ruiz.
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For the past two years, Geanny Joseph Ruiz has been the leader of LGBTQ+ initiatives for the Center for Inclusion, Diversity, Education, and Allyship (IDEAs). Having graduated from FAU in 2013 with a bachelor’s in communication and being a member of the Communications Honor Society, she knew FAU was a place she could make an impact long-term. “When the opportunity presented itself to return as a professional, I decided to take it,” said Ruiz in an email to the University Press. Ruiz has always had an affinity for helping marginalized communities, she said. “Prior to my time at FAU, I worked as a project specialist for a non-profit organization [that] provided mental health and substance abuse services throughout Broward County. Working in public health revealed to me the unique challenges and inequities that much of the LGBTQ+ community faces,” said Ruiz. This non-profit was the Broward Behavioral Health Coalition, whose mission is “to advocate and ensure an effective and efficient behavioral health system of care is available in Broward County.” When asked what she felt her biggest accomplishments were, Ruiz said it was the “completion of the Campus Pride Index and bridging support systems for LGBTQ+ students across the campus/institution.” The Campus Pride Index is a national benchmarking tool for higher education institutions “to create safer, more inclusive campus communities.” This index was created by the non-profit organization Campus Pride. Currently, FAU has an index number of 4.5 out of 5 stars with 40/50 sections completed. “We knew that upon completely [the index] that we’d be able to have a clear idea or clearer sense of where we were falling short in terms of policy, programming, procedures, and what gaps needed to be filled,” said Ruiz. Ruiz explained the Center was very excited about receiving a 4.5 this year. In 2017, when they first submitted to the index, the school was scored a 3.5. “We [have] made a marked improvement,” said Ruiz. One of the jobs Ruiz has is facilitating cultural competency trainings.
“Facilitating cultural competency trainings has always been and always will be the most challenging and fulfilling aspect of my role,” said Ruiz. “Having conversations about identity, equity, and inclusion can be challenging due to the complexity of these themes, I have learned the importance and value of truly leaning into the work.” The purpose of the trainings is to equip attendees with the knowledge to be a better ally to communities they may not identify with. Ruiz is working on enhancing the programs that the Center of IDEAs already offers. “Some initiatives to look out for [are] Ally Week coming up April 5-9, a revamped LGBTQ+ Peer Mentor Program launching [in] Fall 2021, [and] advancements to Safe Zone curriculum and offerings.” As for Women’s History Month, Ruiz said the month is important because of the visibility it provides. “Women’s History Month is an opportunity to highlight the phenomenal contributions women have made to society. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness about the issues and inequities women continue to face,” said Ruiz. While it was hard to pick just one, Ruiz said her favorite memories so far at the Center for IDEAs “all involve witnessing the academic, professional, and social growth of my students and fellow colleagues.” While the FAU community still has a lot of growing to do, Ruiz has two words of advice: “Keep going.” Ruiz said that phrase is important to her with her job in higher ed. “Processes can feel slow but in actuality, policy procedure is forever changing and so the seeds you plant today will grow eventually. So, you just keep going and heading in the direction you feel is right,” said Ruiz. For Ruiz, “keep going” is a rule of thumb. “[It’s something] I tell my students too, a lot of times they may come in and feel at a loss because of whatever circumstance they may be dealing with—just to hear don’t give up, keep going, even if it’s just one step at a time. You don’t have to worry about next year, or tomorrow, really just worry about today and moving into the next moment.”
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United in Dance By: Natalia Ribeiro
Behind the awards is a team of dedication, hard work, and practice. You might have seen them at sports games or heard about them through social media. But how much do you know about the university’s award-winning dance team? The dance team has been around since 1988, when it used to be called FAU Motion at that time. The program took a break and returned in 1996. The team calls the dancers Fly Girls, as the university’s spirit program consists of both the cheerleading and dance team. Although cheer and dance teams are under the same program name, the teams aren’t mixed together. “It began under the direction of Anessa Castello,” said head dance coach and spirit coordinator Claudia Soto, who is an alumna. “She was also my coach, my first year.” While COVID-19 has made the season different for the dancers, they learned to not take anything for granted. Due to the pandemic last year, they were not able to compete at their Nationals competition. Nationals are basically a competition where the team will compete against different college dance teams from around the country. “It’s so important to always be in the moment and [be] thankful for the opportunity that we have to dance,” said team captain Trinity Kueter. “You never really know what tomorrow holds.” The team has gained recognition in the past couple years. Three of the last four seasons had the team place in the top five in the nation at the National Dance Alliance (NDA) competition. “Our highest placement was second in 2018,” said Soto. “That is pretty awesome as a coach to see them succeed.” Potential and a strong foundation in dance are two aspects that the team looks for in prospective dancers.
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3rd year veteran and co-captain Annalise Calvert performs during the 2020 season. Photo Courtesy of FAU Dance Team.
“What we do want to make sure is that they have the potential to get to the point of all being similar dancers,” said Soto. “It’s really kind of individual potential.” Throughout the Fall semester, the dancers commit anywhere from 10 to 12 hours of practice per week, in addition to any of their game performances. In the Spring semester, hours range from 12 to 14 as the dancers practice for their performance at nationals. “It just really depends on how much practice you need and how caught up we are,” said Soto. The dancers learn a variety of styles throughout their season. Hiphop and pom for entertainment performances at sports games and jazz for nationals.
“I had heard great things about the program and following them on social media [,] it really solidified that I did want to come here and try out for the team,” said Machado. “It’s one of the top reasons I came here.” While being part of a team requires a lot of hard work and commitment, the memories the dancers and coaches make are priceless. “My favorite memory was taking the nationals stage in 2019,” said Kueter. “That’s been one of the most amazing experiences, that feeling is probably one I’ll never forget.” For a dance team coach, the dancers are students first and then athletes. Seeing them graduate is an accomplishment in itself.
“I think we’re a well rounded team,” said Soto.
“One of the biggest accomplishments is watching them be a college graduate at the end,” said Soto.
It’s performances like the nationals routine that will get dancers to try-out, according to Kuether. After her sister showed her the FAU Dance Team 2018 Nationals Video, their performance inspired her to try-out for the team.
It also helps knowing that a former team member got a big opportunity. Alumna Rachel Marshy graduated in 2020 and is now a cheerleader for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the most recent Super Bowl earlier this year.
“I [didn’t] know if I was gonna make it but I wanted to try out,” said Kueter. “I’m super happy that I did because it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
Machado is extremely proud that Marshy was able to be a part of the dance team in her college days.
For second-year member Elizabeth Machado, the dance team is the reason they chose to attend the university.
“It’s just very eye opening that even though it is dance, so many other doors and opportunities may fly open that you might not get to experience without being a member of this team.” Machado said.
The girls on the dance team walk out to the stadium during the 2019 session. Photo courtesy of FAU Dance Team.
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Meet the Women in Student Government
SG representatives advocate for female empowerment, representation in politics.
A few of the women representatives of the Student Government (SG) have chosen to speak out about their passions and inspirations in honor of Women’s History Month. Rules and Policies Committee Chairwoman Samantha Malone, Rules and Policies Committee Rep. Nicole Abreu, and Ways and Means Rep. Jami Meyer are speaking out about what it means and the challenges that come with being a woman in the field of politics. Meyer started in Student Government in the fall of 2020, and she says she hasn’t seen any inequitable opportunities in terms of gender disparities but Meyer explained that she faced subtle issues of gender within the classroom. “There has been a bit of mansplaining, just because I am a business major, and it is more male-dominated,” said Meyer. Despite facing subtle instances of gender disparities in the classroom, Meyer explained that the necessity for women to be in political and business roles is important for representation.
By: Gillian Manning & Darlene Antoine
Malone echoed a similar sentiment on the lack of women in SG being represented as speakers, pro tempore, and parliamentarians. She consciously changes her tone of speech in an attempt to get certain points across to the men in the room. “I have many ideas, and I do get my point across. I feel like when I say things, I have to say them in a way, where it isn’t demanding, but nice. I feel like [the voices of men in Student Government] carry a little stronger across the house,” Malone said. “Especially since our speaker is a male, our parliamentarian is a male, and our pro tempore is a male. Their voices carry a lot stronger across the House.” However, Malone explained that she has not faced any hurtful remarks based on her gender or race. She insisted that the men in the student government are not only inclusive but also trying to learn more along the way to be both collaborative and supportive in the space for all members.
“I haven’t seen any women in student government try to be the Speaker of the House, at all. I feel like if there was a woman as the Speaker of the House, it would open up so many doors for women here at FAU in leadership positions. I’ve only ever seen two speakers, and from what I have heard they’ve all been guys, I haven’t heard about a female speaker, pro tempore, or parliamentarian,” said Meyer. Malone’s experience in student government is fueled by her ambition to advocate for the representation of women of color in politics. From the moment she met Florida Senator Audrey Gibson at a young age, not only did she see a representation of herself, but the opportunities that could pave the way for inclusion in politics. According to Catalyst, a global nonprofit organization that aims to build better workplaces for women, women hold 27.1% of the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives while men hold 72.9%. Women hold 24% of the seats in the Senate while men hold 76%.
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Ways and Means Representative Jami Meyer. Photo courtesy of Meyer.
Abreu joined SG this spring and while she didn’t intend to have a career in public service, she now finds the idea much more attractive than she would have even a year ago. Becoming more involved in her campus community has inspired Abreu to use her passion for mathematics to pursue a career in economics or within the federal government. “I want to find something that I can use to positively benefit my community,” said Abreu. From her current position she hopes to encourage others to get involved with campus activities and promote mental health awareness and advocacy. “I think it’s really important,” said Abreu. “I think that getting involved with clubs and organizations can help mental health.” Part of her efforts to promote mental health has been organizing an event scheduled to take place in April called Destroy the Stigma in partnership with the Psychoeducational Programming club, also known as PEP Talk. Abreu’s discussions are already impacting how her fellow colleagues in the House of Representatives talk about mental health. “It opened up the floodgates for the House to be very open,” she said and explained that their conversations have made it more common for representatives to discuss their schoolwork and how they are feeling.
Rules and Policies Comittee Rep. Nicole Abreu. Photo courtesy of Abreu. “Just be yourself...Don’t be afraid to take action and if you want to do something, just jump on it. Don’t let anybody convince you that you can’t do it,” said Abreu. According to the United Nations, 119 countries have never had a woman as their leader, and currently, women serve as Heads of State or Government in 22 countries. Catalyst states that women hold 142 seats out of the 535 in the U.S. Congress. When asked about why women are still behind in terms of representation and inclusion in the field of politics, Malone pointed out that the concept of fear has a strong influence over societal expectations. “Women are still definitely a minority in politics because of this fear from opposing groups. The fear that they have for women because women are very impactful. We do make the change, and we are very influential to all different groups no matter the age, gender, or race,” Malone said.
Rules and Policies Committee Chairwoman Samantha Malone. Photo courtesy of Malone.
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Women in Media Shows with Female Leads
Illustrations by: Michelle Rodriguez-Gonzalez
Kendall Little Managing Editor
Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) Grey’s Anatomy (2005-present) New Girl (2011-2018) The OA (2016-2019) Ratched (2020-present)
Marcy Wilder
Darlene Antoine Features Editor
Wynonna Earp (2016-present) Marvel’s Jessica Jones (20152019) Buffy the Vampire Slayer (19972003) Anne with an E (2017-2019) Charmed (1998-2006)
Web Editor
The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020) The Umbrella Academy (2019-present) WandaVision (2021) Stranger Things (2016-present) Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir (2015-present)
Gillian Manning Copy Desk Chief
Natalia Ribeiro News Editor
It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020) Encounter (2018-2019) My Life as a Teenage Robot (2003-2009) Get Revenge/Goddess of Revenge (2020-2021) Killing Eve (2018-present)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017-present) Raised By Wolves (2020-present) Schitts Creek (2015-present) The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-present) Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
