091620 Daily Beacon

Volume 139, Issue 5 Wednesday, September 16, 2020

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

ORGANIZATIONS LIGHTING THE WAY FOR DIVERSITY

2

DIVERSITY SPECIAL ISSUE

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2020

DAILY BEACON STAFF AND POLICY INFORMATION

Letter from the Editor: The importance of intersectionality

On a campus as large as UT’s, there is great potential for diversity. Tens of thousands of people attend our school, each with their own EDITORIAL unique story and background.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Alexandra DeMarco Although UT remains a predominantly MANAGING EDITOR: Calista Boyd white institution, it is still home to students, COPY CHIEF: Allie Justis faculty and staff of all religions, ethnicities, CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR: Sarah Rainey nationalities, sexualities and gender identiCITY NEWS EDITOR: Jake Yoder SPORTS EDITORS: Ryan Crews & Ryan Schumpert ties. In order to fully support one another DIGITAL PRODUCER: Austin Orr because of, not despite, our differences, it is OPINIONS EDITOR: Elijah Hunt essential that we as Volunteers learn to emPHOTO EDITOR: Sydney Goodsell brace the opportunities provided by intersectionality and diversity — the opportunity to support those who are similar to us and difADVERTISING/PRODUCTION ferent, and the opportunity to learn a thing or ADVERTISING PRODUCTION MANAGER: Carlos two along the way.

Padron Intersectionality stresses the importance ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER: Emelia of considering multiple demographic variSandreuter ables at once in order to gain a better underADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES: Evan standing of how particular groups become Alexander, Jonus Camp, Alex McAllister, Dylan the targets of discrimination. When we start Scott viewing our world through the lens of interADVERTISING PRODUCTION ARTISTS: Hailey sectionality, we gain a better understanding Morash, Caroline Waters, Victoria Wheelock of how those different from us experience CONTACTS struggles that we haven’t — and maybe even TO REPORT A NEWS ITEM, please email a better understanding of how we have been editor.news@utdailybeacon.com or discriminated against or have contributed to call (865) 974-2348 TO SUBMIT A PRESS RELEASE, please email discrimination. pressreleases@utdailybeacon.com TO PLACE AN AD, please email beaconads@utdailybeacon.com or call (865) 974-5206 ADVERTISING: (865) 974-5206

beaconads@utk.edu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: (865) 974-3226

editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com

AURORA SILAVONG Contributor

editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com

CORRECTIONS POLICY:It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or sta� members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to managingeditor@utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206.

The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee on Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. The o�ces are located at 1345 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 379960314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year or $100/semester. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com

The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner.

Vol means all.

Resources for transgender students: Housing, hormone therapy

MAIN NEWSROOM: (865) 974-3226 LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor must be exclusive to The Daily Beacon and cannot have been submitted to or published by other media. Letters should not exceed 400 words and can be edited or shortened for space. Letters can also be edited for grammar and typographical errors, and Letters that contain excessive grammatical errors can be rejected for this reason. Anonymous Letters will not be published. Authors should include their full name, mailing address, city of residence, phone number and e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters submitted without this information will not be published. The preferred method to submit a Letter to the Editor is to email the Editor-in-Chief.

This year has been a great learning experience for many Americans — and humanity in general — in many different areas of life, but behind all of the year’s major events is one truth: differences among us are beneficial, not harmful. Diversity is a positive attribute, not something that should divide us.

As students, we are at a unique position in our lives, where we have access to an education that is valuable not only through what is taught in the classroom, but also the experiences that accompany the degree — experiences that can include friendships with people who may be exactly like you and others who couldn’t be more different. Experiences with friends you’ve known from high school and others who moved to Knoxville from halfway across the world.

In this issue, we highlight just a few of our campus’s minority student organizations and people, among a few other subjects. We do not claim to represent or attempt to represent groups which we are not a part of, but instead hope to draw attention to the importance of diversity on our campus.

As the university continues to top the Princeton Review’s list of most unfriendly colleges for LGBTQ youth, it can be a daunting experience as a transgender student at UTK, especially when it comes to living on campus.

There is no cohesive policy governing accommodations for transgender students. Most residence halls are segregated by biological sex, leaving transgender and other gender nonconforming students with no easy options for dorms. Transgender students are not guaranteed the ability to live in spaces corresponding to their gender identity, which could potentially jeopardize their mental health and irritate their gender dysphoria.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, gender dysphoria is the “conflict between a person’s physical or assigned gender and the gender with which he/she/they identify.” A transgender student may feel severe distress in gendered housing, especially when it comes to using bathroom facilities or being referred to by their “deadname” — the name a transgender person was assigned at birth, but no longer goes by.

Richard Swearingen, assistant director of administrative services at University Housing, explained that his department is able to waive the residency requirement for freshmen students if needed.

“While our focus is on assisting the student in having a full residential campus experience, if the student feels like living off campus is the best path to meet their needs I can authorize an exemption to the first-year residency requirement,” Swearingen said.

Swearingen is also the first point of contact for any student seeking special housing accommodations. Transgender students who wish to live on campus are encouraged to reach out to him and discuss their individual situations.

“Students with questions related to gender identity and housing accommodations reach out directly to me on an individual basis, and I schedule a follow up meeting with them,” Swearingen said. “We have an intentional conversation to understand their exact needs and expectations, and to discuss customized and flexible solutions.”

While trans and non-binary students may have limited options on campus, finding offcampus accommodations is relatively easy.

There is no shortage of affordable apartments in Fort Sanders and surrounding areas, and with abundant public transport, it is easy to get around even without a personal vehicle. The

university operates a website where students can search for apartments and rooms for rent, and there is a roommate search function as well.

Regardless of housing status, the university offers an array of resources for transgender students. UT’s Commission for LGBT People issued a resource guide for trans and non-binary students. The Pride Center is open and happy to assist trans students, although COVID has forced them to close their Melrose Place lounge to walk-ins.

Another important health resource on campus is the Center for Health Education and Wellness, located in the Student Health Center.

Both the Pride Center and CHEW offer safe sex supplies, as well as sexual health programming geared toward LGBTQ youth.

The Gender Clinic at the Student Health Center is also a great, albeit lesser-known, resource for those transitioning. It is located in the Sports Medicine Clinic, and the staff can help with hormone therapy and other related health matters.

Students interested in their services should not schedule an appointment through the regular appointment booking system, but instead should contact the Sports Medicine Clinic directly at (865) 974-5663. Students should keep in mind that certain services may not be available due to COVID-19.

DIVERSITY SPECIAL ISSUE

Wednesday, September 16, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

3

‘A sense of belonging’: Alpha Kappa Alpha a pillar of community, ongoing support MADELYN MUSCHEK Staff Writer

Founded in 1908 at Howard University and brought to UT in 1970, Alpha Kappa Alpha is the nation’s first historically African American sorority within Greek life. Today, the women of AKA continue to create networks, resources and support for their local communities, while bringing together like-minded women who share a common goal.

AKA is rooted in five targets: historically Black colleges and universities for life, women’s healthcare and wellness, building one’s economic legacy, the arts and global impact.

At UT, AKA’s Zeta Delta chapter focuses on all of these targets, organizing events and taking action to spread awareness.

For example, the women of AKA at UT created a video that went viral interviewing students and spreading awareness about historically black colleges and universities through trivia and question-and-answer games. In creating a video that not only gave viewers a laugh, they were able to further educate students and viewers about HBCUs. The chapter has previously raised $1 million for HBCUs through their own donations, and

this year, the public will be given the opportunity to participate in the fundraising event, allowing for even more resources for HBCUs. Another important target is women’s healthcare and wellness, which UT’s chapter supports in different events. AKA has hosted self-defense classes with UTPD in order to empower women against assault, and last semester, AKA hosted mobile breast cancer screening for women in Knoxville.

In addition to providing the Knoxville community with resources, AKA helps their members grow in service and strength past graduation through their networks and support system.

Carmen Danley, senior majoring in human resource management and international business with a minor in business management, is the president of UT’s Zeta Delta chapter. Danley spoke about how AKA has impacted her life and feelings of belonging within the organization through lessons she’s learned.

“I think this lesson that I’ve learned is really about sisterhood for me, understanding that joining this organization, I was given access to a network of women who are likeminded, who all strive for success, who all understand they need somebody to lean on, who all understand it takes a village,” Danley said.

Danley shared her experiences of being a hu-

man resource intern and learning that she was working with and being mentored by people that were also in AKA, adding that this was a meaningful experience.

“Whatever endeavors that I’m trying to be the best in, I look around and there’s someone who shares the same sisterhood with me, and I think that’s so encouraging to have people as you climb the ladder, to have people who look like you,” Danley said.

It’s clear that the women of AKA feel supported and proud in their sorority membership, extending past Knoxville and UT into the greater alumni community.

Kailynn Johnson, senior majoring in journalism and electronic media, serves as the programming chair, social media director and vice president of the chapter. Johnson spoke about her experiences with AKA, sharing some of the same feelings of support as Danley.

Johnson was inspired to join the sorority by her grandmother, who was also in AKA, and felt this was a way to stay close to her memory. As a legacy member, Johnson’s time in AKA is near to her heart, allowing her to feel connected to family across the US. “One way I wanted to continue her legacy was of course to continue my journey into higher education, but I also knew that being her legacy in Alpha Kappa Alpha would mean so

much more to me,” Johnson said.

Johnson summed up her experience and feelings about AKA in what seems to be a common experience within the sorority: belonging.

“It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made coming to college, I’ve gained 39 sisters and whenever we go to conferences, I make those connections with people,” Johnson said.

Through the networking, community service and commitment to continual support, AKA continues its legacy as a connection point for sisterhood in the African American community.

THE DAILY BEACON’S

COMING

September 23rd

4

DIVERSITY SPECIAL ISSUE

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Students for Migrant Justice advocates for immigration reform on and off campus EMILY STILES Contributor Students for Migrant Justice is a relatively new organization on campus that is fighting an old fight. Co-founders Luis Mata and Taylor Dempsey began the organization in early 2020 after recognizing the need for a bridge between the university and the migrant community in Knoxville.

Their mission — to educate the UTK campus and Knoxville community on the immigration system, mobilize with partners on and offcampus and build strength amongst student immigrants on and off campus — could not be more relevant in Knoxville today.

Since 2017, the Knox County Police Department has participated in agreement 287(g).

This is an agreement with ICE that deputizes local law enforcement as immigration agents.

Knox is one of two Tennessee counties participating in 287(g), the other being Greene County. There are only 25 participating counties nationwide.

“287(g) incentivizes racial discrimination, exacerbates fear between our migrant community and law enforcement, and separates families due to nonviolent offenses,” Mata and Dempsey said.

On Aug. 19, Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler issued a public statement in response to several anti-287(g) protests that have taken place at the Knox County Sheriffs Office, in addition to Spangler’s home and place of worship.

After telling a brief story of a family that tragically lost their son at the hands of someone who had entered America undocumented, he made his decision on the agreement clear.

“I have deliberated and decided that not only will I not rescind the current contract with 287(g), but I will sign the contract each time it comes up as long as I am sheriff of Knox County, in furtherance of my duly sworn responsibility to protect the citizens of Knox County,” Spangler said in the statement.

Students for Migrant Justice’s response via an Instagram post on Aug. 27 took a strong stance against Spangler’s statement, claiming he “continued false narratives and inaccurate information” in pursuit of fear and control.

They went on to explain that over half of 287(g) detentions in Knox County are not related to violent crimes like those Spangler cites in his response, but rather traffic violations.

“Once someone is convicted — not charged — on a local offense, they are taken without notice, ripped from their families, communities and homes and are put into the deportation pipeline,” the SMJ statement said.

SMJ went on to acknowledge the relation-

Daily Beacon Poll Results (%)

9/7: Are you satisfied with the COVID-19 safety precautions UT currently has in place?

9/10: Did you consider taking a semester or year off due to COVID?

ship between 287(g) and police abolition, a political vision that is gaining steam in response to the most recent wave of the Black Lives Matter movement.

“We will come together to reimagine a future where resources go directly to the people and to community centers, and not spent on police patrols and policies that ultimately harm Knoxville and Knox County,” the statement said.

Additionally, Mata and Dempsey explained that detention beds are another local threat to migrant justice.

“The deportation machine is alive and well here in the Knoxville community. Immigration enforcement policies are terrorizing our communities. Not only do we have the 287(g) program in Knox County, but we also have the detention bed Intergovernmental Service Agreement, or IGSA, as well,” Mata and Dempsey said. “The detention bed IGSA is a contract where ICE pays Knox County to hold ICE detainees in the jail, where they are usually transferred to Louisiana for deportation. This creates a monetary incentive for racial discrimination in our community.”

In addition to the above mentioned policies, SMJ also works to inform students and the Knoxville community about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

The Department of Homeland Security

DB Online

Yes

32.6%

DB Twitter

Yes No

49.2%

No

50.8%

memorandum is a temporary relief from deportation for people who were brought to the United States as children without documentation. Despite the Trump administration’s efforts to pause and rescind DACA, this June the Supreme Court decided to reinstate the policy back to its original 2012 form.

Ten days after the court’s decision, the Department of Homeland Security issued a memorandum under the direction of Acting Secretary Chad Wolf that goes against the SCOTUS decision and places more restrictions on those who are receiving or may receive DACA. “Our organization decries and stands against Chad Wolf and the Trump administration’s cruel memorandum,” Mata and Dempsey said.

In response to how a student can help progress immigration reform, Mata and Dempsey say the best way a student can be an advocate for migrant justice is to support people of color and their voices.

“Advocacy has many iterations, and there are plenty of avenues to do so here in the Knoxville community, and SMJ is here to help create that bridge,” Mata and Dempsey.

Though this semester is looking very different than most, SMJ is still committed to pursuing its mission. Mata and Dempsey encourage all to follow SMJ on Instagram and Twitter, @ UTK_SMJ.

DB Instagram

Yes

No

55%

45%

67.4%

Yes

No

50%

50%

Yes

No

Yes

No

48.8%

51.2%

48%

52%

DIVERSITY SPECIAL ISSUE

Wednesday, September 16, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

5

UT’s first Black woman SGA president Karmen Jones discusses obstacles, importance of teamwork in influential campus position SARAH RAINEY Campus News Editor

The University of Tennessee student body held its annual Student Government Association elections this spring. However, things were much different than in years past.

Due to the world facing a pandemic, the election process was entirely foreign to all campaigns in the running. They had to think in ways they never had before and utilize forms of communication more efficiently than ever.

The election was also different this year, though, because the UT student body elected its first-ever Black woman SGA president: Karmen Jones.

Although all campaigns worked diligently and creatively this spring, the Change campaign came out on top, with Karmen Jones reaching this incredible milestone as the first Black woman SGA president. But, this feat was not achieved easily.

Of course, the pandemic created many issues for all campaigns involved, but Jones faced other difficulties and had other experiences on her way to becoming SGA president.

It all started Jones’ freshman year at UT in First Year Council. She started with various leadership roles, taking things step-by-step to see what she could do inside the organization.

However, Jones noticed a few things during her time in FYC.

“Being one of the few Black women in SGA at the time, a lot of times I was very aware that I was being tokenized in certain settings,” Jones said.

“I was also aware that every year I got closer to the [SGA] election season that I could participate in or control, I knew that usually Black people wouldn’t run for number one; they always ran for number two. They were kind of willing to be a token in that role, because a lot of

times they are used in that way when it comes to campaign season here at UT.” Jones adds that she was asked countless times by her peers if she was going to run for vice president, which is the role they assumed she would go for. Jones challenged this assumption, though, feeling that going for the vice-presidential position would not be beneficial to the student body or to herself.

Crediting a book by Stacey Abrams entitled “Minority Leader: How to Lead from the Outside and Make Real Change,” Jones mentions that Abrams informs minority leaders that they have to work to break their own glass ceilings.

Jones says that with this book and a lot of prayer, along with a great team at her side, she was able to make it to the position.

Abrams’ book also encouraged Jones to put herself out there more than she had previously.

“As a woman, and as a Black woman, you struggle sometimes with [wondering], ‘Am I capable? Am I actually qualified?’ But, the fact of the matter is that if you’re Black and a woman, more than likely you’re working two or three times harder than the people around you anyways. You worked hard to get into that space,” Jones said.

“First, I had to overcome the inner obstacle of, ‘Am I really worth this position? Am I on the same level as my predecessors?’”

Additionally, Jones had to deal with naysayers who “didn’t know how she would do in racialized situations.” There were several people who discouraged her from running for SGA president, even though she spent time working on diversity and inclusion in her FYC experience during her freshman year.

Jones is used to having these hard conversations, but she was still faced with confrontations from those who did not believe in her.

Jones and her campaign dealt with many difficult situations in which they had to maintain poise and keep pushing against the odds, but she is thankful that the student body saw her campaign’s vision for UT and chose them to lead.

Another trial Jones has faced is misunderstanding.

“I had to deal with people mistaking my being very pro-Black for being anti-other things.

That’s not what being pro-Black is. Ultimately, it all worked out. But now, in the role of president, it’s hard because … I don’t think people really understand the line that a majority of people of color [executives] have to walk when we walk into these spaces of power and influence,” Jones said.

“We don’t have the privilege to approach administration in the same way that, maybe, a white liberal person would, because we are automatically called ‘aggressive.’ … The way that people of color and our exec. have to navigate this is completely different than any other year.”

Meanwhile, the SGA presidential role comes

Karmen Jones (second from left) with Change SGA campaign members (from left to right) Raj Patel, Emma Kate Hall and Cody Ramangkoun. Photo courtesy of Natalie Campbell with other unanticipated challenges. Jones adds that, unfortunately, there is no guide to being SGA president. Plus, the added problems of the pandemic, along with racism, have created an entirely new and unique battle that Jones has faced.

The experience thus far, though, has been great for Jones, thanks to her faithful executive team.

“I have a great team, and I really love my exec.; I value them, we help each other in all the capacities that we can,” Jones said.

Emma Kate Hall, student services director for SGA, shared similar sentiments of warmth for her colleague.

“I met Karmen my first semester at UT, and I was immediately struck by her spirit. Her empathy guides everything she does, and that’s exactly what makes her such a dynamic and encouraging leader. It’s rare to find someone with such ambition and high expectations who is truly motivated by serving others and only pursues opportunities that make things better for the people around her,” Hall said.

“Karmen is not just a strong leader, but also a steady teammate. She would go to the ends of the earth for anyone on her team, and as student body president that now includes all Vols.”

Hall has also noticed that Jones has a knack for being a student leader and wants the best for the student body.

“Karmen’s heart belongs to the service of others, and there’s nothing she won’t do to advocate for change for the benefits of students on this campus. She makes me a better leader, a better student and a better Vol, and we are all better off for knowing her,” Hall said.

It is clear that there is a tangible feeling of togetherness within the SGA executive team,

led by Jones. While there is great teamwork, though, it does not mean that holding the position is an easy task.

“This role is different,” Jones said. “When you look at it from an external lens, like when I was watching other student body presidents, I didn’t know that it would be all of this. I get what [previous presidents] were saying when [they] said it was the toughest job. You’re not just being a public figure; you’re managing a whole student-led department.”

According to Jones, being SGA president is also much more than just taking photos and doing public relations; there is an entire managerial aspect to the position.

Jones is both honored and grateful to hold such an influential position that the UT student body has entrusted her with, and it reaffirmed some of her doubts. “[Becoming SGA president] reaffirmed that maybe I’m doing something right in life, and maybe I’m not a dumb college student that doesn’t know how to navigate this,” Jones said.

“It gave me a lot more confidence. When I walk into a room, I just know that, ‘hey, you worked hard to be here, you have the ability to take up space and you deserve to take up space.’”

The position holds numerous responsibilities, though, and Jones ensures that this is not simply a position of ‘“clout.”

“There are a lot of endless nights, a lot of fixing things, trying to work with people … it’s a lot. You don’t really get a lot of time to rest,” Jones said.

Despite the trials Jones and her team have faced and will face, she adds that she loves her position, and she is looking toward the future and is excited to see where what she has learned and experienced will take her next.

DIVERSITY SPECIAL ISSUE

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2020

wutk

6

“THE 7”

1 BAND OF HEATHENS

2 GUIDED BY VOICES

3 4

BULLY

GLASS ANIMALS

5

The Divine Nine: Historically Black Greek organizations ASHLEY JACKSON Staff Writer

Since the early 1900s, historically Black fraternities and sororities have played a significant role in shaping African American history and culture.

These prestigious organizations, founded on the campus grounds of historically Black colleges, have since centralized the importance of enhancing the advancement and relationships amongst Black students and professionals through their acts of service.

The Black Greek organizations, also known as the Divine Nine, earned their title due to their many acts of service and pivotal roles in enhancing the livelihood of people of color during and after their times as active members. These fraternities and sororities are made up of many of our most notable and well acclaimed leaders and influencers.

Among many notable members of these Black fraternities are Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Steve Harvey and Shaquille O’Neal; the list goes on with thousands of names. Not only do the fraternities have some big names, but as do the sororities. Former first lady Michelle Obama, civil rights leader Shirley Chisholm, music sensation Alicia Keys, Pulitzer Prize winning author Toni Morrison and many more are members of Black Greek sororities.

ALL THEM WITCHES

6 TOOTS & THE MAYTALS

7 THE NUDE PARTY

To me, being a member of Delta Sigma Theta means being a leader, giving your best self in everything you do.

ASHLEY HEYSER DELTA SIGMA THETA MEMBER

Most groups in the Divine Nine made their debuts on the illustrious campus grounds of none other than historically Black college Howard University. Howard welcomed its first Black Greek organization in 1908: the ladies in pink and green, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

The ladies of AKA stand behind sisterhood and self-fulfillment through volunteering.

Members of this sorority hold bonds and friendships near and dear to their hearts and promoting unity among college women is very important to them. AKA members make it their duty to serve all mankind.

To join the ladies of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority on the grounds of Howard University were the men who wear purple and gold, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. In 1911, three undergraduate men founded Omega Psi Phi. For these men —

Brothers of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity march in the MLK Day Parade on January 21, 2019 in Chilhowee Park. Lailah Blackwell / The Daily Beacon manhood, scholarship, perseverance and uplifting others are their cardinal principles. This fraternity has created men of significant character and intellect. Many of the men America has grown to love are Omega men.

To follow were the women who make crimson and cream go well with anything, the divine ladies of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. DST was founded on the campus of Howard University in 1913 by 22 women at the university. These women stood for academic success and assisting those in need. Their most rewarding act of service was their participation in the Women’s Suffrage March in Washington, D.C. Ashley Heyser, a University of Tennessee Alumni and member of Delta Sigma Theta, explained what membership in a Divine Nine sorority means to her.

“To me being a member of Delta Sigma Theta means being a leader, giving your best self in everything you do. It truly is a sisterhood being a part of such an amazing organization. To be able to follow in the footsteps of the 22 women who made it possible for a woman like me today means a lot. I couldn’t imagine not rocking crimson and cream,” Heyser said.

Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority were the last, but certainly not least, to grace the grounds of Howard University. These two organizations are often viewed as the sister and brother duo. The two both stand for service, scholarship and granting civil rights to all. No other fraternities or sororities are constitutionally bound as Sigma and Zeta are.

Known as the “ice cold brothers in black and gold,” the men of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity incorporated were founded in 1906 on the elite ivy league campus of Cornell University. They were the first Black Greek intercollegiate fraternity.

Members of this organization take pride in hu-

manity, freedom and individual dignity when it comes to enhancing the manhood of its members.

The men of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity made their debut at Indiana University in 1911. The organization has over 100,000 members who continue to stand for the spiritual, social, intellectual and moral welfare of all members. The men of Kappa Alpha Psi rely highly on Christian ideals and achievement.

Johnathan Chaffen, a University of Tennessee Alumni and member of Kappa Alpha Psi, explained what the organization means to him.

“Becoming a part of this organization meant so much to me and still does. To know the history of my fraternity and what my founders had to endure to make it possible for me and other black men teaches me every day that I can’t let my trials and tribulations stop me from reaching my true potential. My fraternity was birthed in a world of hate toward people that look like me. So, to see the change that has come since keeps me going,” Chaffen said.

Iota Phi Theta fraternity incorporated was the last organization to make up and complete the Divine Nine. It was founded in 1963 at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members were the last to gain full acceptance into the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Twelve men founded this fraternity with hopes in always keeping their focus on the strengthening and mental growth for the African American community. This organization is dedicated to keeping a vision that builds tradition.

Many other Black Greek organizations have followed in the footsteps of the Divine Nine and continue to play an important role in service, scholarship and the advancement of people of color in all professions.

DIVERSITY SPECIAL ISSUE

Wednesday, September 16, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

7

Muslim Student Association hopeful to provide community despite difficulties of pandemic DANIEL DASSOW Staff Writer When Huda Zein-Sabatto was in the eighth grade, she started the first Muslim Student Association at her high school in Nashville.

The child of immigrants from Syria, she says that the organization quickly felt like a family, where Muslim students could come to find community and protection against the hardships of being a religious minority.

“Since then I have loved being part of an organization that helped identify me and made me proud to be Muslim,” Zein-Sabatto said. “I no longer felt like I was the only Muslim or only hijabi or the only one that went and performed my prayers and regardless, it always feels good to know there’s someone else like you out there and that you have people to fall back on if anything were to happen.”

Now a senior studying biochemistry and neuroscience, Zein-Sabatto is the president of UT’s chapter of the MSA. After serving as secretary her sophomore year and vice president her junior year, she has the opportunity to lead the MSA through what is perhaps its most trying year to date.

Zein-Sabatto was elected to her position amid the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring. Like many other annual events, the association had to cancel its Showdown retreat in April, where several MSAs from the region were expecting to come together to compete and find community in the Smoky Mountains. Now, Showdown is just

one of many events that will look different for the club.

In normal times, the MSA would put on celebrations of various Muslim holidays, share meals, pray together at a local mosque and host outreach events meant to educate the non-Muslim community on campus and in Knoxville. Now, it is uncertain if the organization will be able to host any in-person events.

Zein-Sabatto takes on an almost elegiac tone when describing the times before the pandemic.

“MSA forever has always been a family type of organization. We always would do practically everything and anything together,” ZeinSabatto said. “All the nights we would meet up at the Annoor Masjid for our nightly prayer just a few minutes away from campus, then grab some dinner or dessert after, are now something we look back at and wish we did more of.

Praying together between classes at Hodges in the silent room on the fifth floor does not happen anymore.”

As with any student organization, the MSA is critically concerned with how to welcome first-year students to a campus that feels completely different.

“I think the hardest thing this year because of COVID might have been having our annual welcome night for the incoming freshmen and a welcome back for the [upper] classmen online,” Zein-Sabatto said. “It just did not have the same vibe as when we did it on the HSS lawn and had a barbecue all together and connected through games and icebreakers and actually got to connect with everyone.”

Noah Osman, a junior studying chemistry who serves as secretary for the MSA, says that the organization was a crucial component in making UT feel like a home for him when he transferred from the University of Georgia two years ago.

He wants to use his position to make certain that first-year students get something approximating his experience.

“What’s really weighing heavily on my heart is being able to provide this authentic experience for new members to the MSA as well as new students to UTK,” Osman said. “When I came I was nervous about that, being able to find a community, and I was blessed enough that we weren’t going through a pandemic when it was going on.”

Since the start of the school year, the MSA has hosted an online Q&A for incoming freshmen, as well as a welcome meeting complete with Kahoot and other activities. Osman says that both of these events were well-attended, and he and the other leaders are optimistic about the year ahead, even though they are disappointed at the difficulty of connecting with students in a pandemic.

“Everyone is leaning in the direction of positivity,” Osman said.

In addition to creating what he calls a “network of support” for Muslim students, Osman says that his favorite part of working with the MSA is the chance to educate the wider nonMuslim community about his faith.

Last fall, the group hosted a “Hijab Panel” of female hijabi students who spoke and answered questions about what it means to wear

a hijab, or a traditional head covering. The MSA also hosts an annual “Fast-a-Thon,” where they raise awareness about the importance of fasting rituals.

“It’s always nice to be able to meet other Muslims and support other Muslims and become friends,” Osman said. “But more than anything else, I would say that what excites me is whenever we have the opportunity to do outreach or whenever we’re able to communicate with people who are not Muslim and teach about Islam and what it means to be Muslim.

That really excites me.”

Zein-Sabatto is also hopeful that the MSA will continue to create meaningful relationships between Muslim students this year, especially given its connection to the local Muslim Community of Knoxville, with whom the organization frequently partners for holidays and service to the community.

Though it may take creativity, the leaders of the MSA remain committed to their years-long purpose of making Muslim students feel less alone, whether through small-scale in-person events or online.

“There are so many people that will make amazing friends just through our events, and I think that is so lovely that we are able to create this safe comfortable space for people to connect and make a friendship of a lifetime,” Zein-Sabatto said. “I live to continue to offer these opportunities to people and just making them feel like they are not the only ones out there.”

Centro Hispano’s impact on community through the eyes of student volunteers CALISTA BOYD Managing Editor Serving East Tennessee and Knoxville’s Latino community, Centro Hispano sits less than 10 minutes from UT’s campus on 2455 Sutherland Ave. It functions primarily as a resource for supporting the Latino community in the areas of education, workforce development, family engagement and community building.

Examples of resources available at Centro Hispano include: English classes, after school programs for children, mentoring programs, vocational workshops, business planning and more. The staff at Centro-Hispano is largely comprised of volunteer workers, some of those including UT students that volunteer to lead ESL classes.

Lily Hardwig, a junior triple-majoring in Global Studies, English and Spanish, worked as an intern for children and family and has also been volunteering with Centro for over a year.

Hardwig explained that the scope of Centro Hispano’s reach goes beyond online learning.

“They write tons of grants and get grants to distribute resources to the community.

They help hire lawyers for legal advice, there are conversation tables every night, there is a diabetes prevention program, they have business development and they hold Latino awards to celebrate Latino excellence in Knoxville,” Hardwig said.

The aims of Centro Hispano are to provide holistic improvements to the Latino community in the region.

Hardwig explained that Centro Hispano has been working remotely since early spring, and all of heir classes are being done online. She said she has students that zoom in from outside of Tennessee, and even the U.S. — with students zooming in from Colombia, as an example. The online environment has made language practice and instruction more accessible.

Senior in Audiology and Speech Pathology Allie Ruhlander, a volunteer ESL teacher at Centro, also emphasized the importance of Centro Hispano’s resources in this time of social distancing.

Ruhlander spoke on the importance of English communication as a skill that Centro Hispano focuses on providing assistance with.

Centro aims to develop the non-native English speaking community’s confidence in verbal

communication.

“With quarantine life, Centro has been working on zoom because since everything is online, people have less exposure to English,” Ruhlander said. “Many parents involved in the program want to continue using English in the home. A lot of the students express how important Centro is in their day-to-day life in order to strengthen their English skills.”

With restrictions on going out and socializing, people rely on Centro Hispano to provide a safe environment to practice and enhance their communication skills.

“Having the chance to practice English in a comfortable environment gives people a chance to express things outside of specific inclass activities,” Ruhlander said.

Providing an environment where non-native english speakers can comfortably converse with one another and improve their confidence.

Centro Hispano’s community includes a diverse population of people, including students from all age groups and students of all different cultural and national identities.

“You never really know where people are going to come from. More recently, I’ve been

teaching a lot of students from Colombia and Venezuela, but I also have students from all over Mexico, other parts of South America and Central America,” Hardwig said. “It is really interesting because they all share a language, but they obviously have very different cultures that they have grown up.”

The diversity within the Centro community encircles not only sole Spanish speakers, but also many different identities found among the wider Latino community.

Ruhlander spoke about how it is not uncommon to hear other languages than Spanish in the learning environment.

“I had students speaking Arabic, students speaking Portuguese … I had a lot of different languages in the classroom,” Ruhlander said.

“Centro Hispano is able to advocate inclusivity for all kinds of language speakers wanting to enhance Spanish and English skills.”

Their programs enhance cultural awareness all throughout the region. Centro wants to help the Latino community by helping them sharpen the tools to be integrated in Knoxville and Tennessee, but they also wants to help educate the larger public and raise awareness about different aspects of the Latino community.

8

DIVERSITY SPECIAL ISSUE

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Worship Directory SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY & WORSHIP TUESDAY DISCIPLESHIP Scan for more information about virtual and in-person gatherings!

Our ministry is a community of faith for college students dedicated to living life alongside one another and offering love and support through all situations.

Finding all-gender bathrooms on campus ALLIE JUSTIS Copy Chief

With the LGBTQ communities around Knoxville starting to grow and thrive, many people within the last decade or so have been calling for more all-gender bathrooms on campus. Recently, those calls have been heard, and UT administration has begun including all-gender bathrooms into new construction plans around campus, as well as converting old “family restrooms” into all-gender restrooms.

However, many people who would like to take advantage of these new inclusive bathrooms don’t always know where to start when looking for an all-gender bathroom on campus. So, here’s a list of many of the all-gender restrooms on campus and where to find them.

On and near the Hill On the hill there are all-gender restrooms in seven different buildings, which can be beneficial if you’re a STEM major and are spending most of your time on and around the Hill.

First, Austin Peay has bathrooms on the third and fourth floors in rooms 308A and 408A. In the Dougherty Engineering Building there is a bathroom on the first floor in room 110B. In the middle of the Hill in the South College Building, across from Ayres Hall, there are bathrooms on the second and third floors in rooms 200 and 300.

Hesler Biology, the Jesse Harris Building and the Mossman Building are listed as having all-gender bathrooms, but the room number is not given.

Central campus

If you would like to have your church or Religious organization in the worship directory, contact us at admanager@utk.edu

For all of those non-STEM majors or people just looking for a good place to study, there are nine buildings that have all-gender bathrooms in the central part of campus. First, there’s the Art and Architecture Building, where the allgender bathroom is across from Einstein Bros.

Bagels on the first floor. Next door is the Ceramics Building, which also has a bathroom on the first floor in room 103.

The Clarence Brown Theater, next to HSS, has a bathroom in room W011B. Then, at HSS there is an all-gender bathroom on the ground floor in room G055A. In Strong Hall, there is an all-gender bathroom on the bottom floor in room B002.

The most well known of all bathrooms is the all-gender bathroom in Hodges Library on the second floor in room 241. In the Music Building, there is also a bathroom on the first floor in rooms 111 and 112. Across from Massey Hall,

there are bathrooms in rooms 115 and 116 of Greve Hall and on the second and third floors in Henson Hall. There’s also a bathroom in Melrose Hall in room F next to the Pride Center.

Finally, the Student Union Phase Two is listed to have an all-gender restroom, but the room number is not listed.

Dorm halls For students living in dorms this semester, many residence halls have worked on putting in all-gender bathrooms in their buildings as well.

In Laurel Hall there is an all-gender bathroom on the first floor in room 126. Orange Hall and White Hall also have inclusive bathrooms on the first floors in both building — room 138 for Orange and 124 for White. Stokely also has an all-gender bathroom on the first floor in room 102. Finally, the Sorority Village Center has two all-gender bathrooms on the first and second floors in rooms 103 and 206.

Miscellaneous Last but not least, on some of the random parts of campus, there are a surprising amount of all-gender bathrooms present. The first and best example of this is that almost all stadiums at UT are listed as having all-gender bathrooms. In Neyland, there are bathrooms in the South and East entrances in rooms 217, 567, 131A, 136A and 218D; also, there are all-gender bathrooms in the new Skybox addition on the first, second, fifth and sixth floors.

In the Regal Soccer Stadium there is one on the first floor in room 105. In the Sherri Parker Lee Stadium there is a bathroom in room 104 on the first floor, and Lindsey Nelson Stadium has one in room 216 on the second floor. Also, Temple Hall has bathrooms on the first, second and ground floors in rooms 209, 210, 103 and B004. Finally, the Student Health Center has all-gender bathrooms on the first floor in room 116T and next to the Counseling Center in room 239.

While many resources for people looking for all-gender bathrooms have been listed here in this article, there are still many more that didn’t make the cut. For more information on where to find more all-gender bathrooms, visit the Pride Center’s online resource list. Additionally, a map of available all-gender bathrooms is available on the UTK Maps site, as well as a map showing exactly where the buildings are located on campus.

PUZZLES & GAMES

Wednesday, September 16, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

9

the daily beacon

crossword & sudoku

your morning coffee’s best friend.

Daily Egyptian 9/14 Crossword 5

STR8TS No. 506

Medium

Previous solution - Easy

6 5 9 7 5 7 6 8 4 6 7 9 5 4 3 2 2 3 4 5 1 2 8 4 7 1 3 1 2

2 9 5

3 7 9

5

1

4 5 7

6 1

© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

4 5 9 6

8

4

You can find more help, tips and hints at www.str8ts.com

8 5 6 1

4 8 7 6 9 5

Across

2 1 4 1 2 3 3 2 3 7 8 9 6 7 8

3 2 5 6 4 3 5 6 7

How to beat Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

SUDOKU No. 506

Very Hard

Previous solution - Tough

5 7 2 7

8

7 6 1 7 6 5 5 1

7 5 2 3

9 4 3

6

The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

1 9 7 3 8 2 6 5 4

8 5 3 1 4 6 7 2 9

4 6 1 7 3 9 2 8 5

5 3 8 4 2 1 9 6 7

7 2 9 6 5 8 4 1 3

2 1 6 9 7 3 5 4 8

9 8 4 2 1 5 3 7 6

3 7 5 8 6 4 1 9 2

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

5 9

4

6 4 2 5 9 7 8 3 1

2 5

© 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

6 4

PuzzleJunction.co

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Str8ts, Sudoku and other puzzles, check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store at www.str8ts.com

1 4 8 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 20 22 23 24 28 30 31 33 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 45 47 48 49 52 55 57 60 62 63 64 65

Cut off Aeneid To and ___ Roof Wonderland girl Appeal Dill seed Jamborees Expel Majestically Hateful Age Affirmative vote Egg holders Retrieve Mollusk Gazelles Adolescent Macaw Fuse together Dig Shade trees Goal Brink Porters Locomotive type Saddle horses Disease controller Wildebeest Watering hole Tern Revolves Thought Transported, as gas Workspace Perjurer Fling General knowledge studies

1

2

3

4

11

12

15

16

18

19

22

23

5

29 33 37

39

40 43

34

54

60

59

55 61

APPLY ONLINE TODAY

56 62

68

Copyright ©2014 PuzzleJunction.com

66 Allow 67 Not daughters 68 My (Fr.) Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Hermit Gr. letter Conservation org.

Young bird Performed on stage Cooking additive Swindle Grippe Thing, in law Cereal grain

11 13 14 19 21 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34 36 37

Challenge Compass point Cornbreads Caustics Some Moth-eaten Conditions Sp. ladies (Abbr.)

Craze Wife of Hagar the Horrible Single Spirit More anile Fir, for example Espouses Pa. neighbor

puzzles Wednesday.

NewNew puzzles every every Monday and Thursday.

NOW HIRING DRIVERS & COOKS

51

49

65 67

66

50

46

64

63

27

35

48

58

26

41

47

57

25

21

30

45

53

10

38

44

52

9

14

24

36

8

17 20

32

42

7 13

28 31

6

38 41 43 44 46 49 50 51 53 54 56 57 58 59 61

Golfer Ernie Meet Sweetener Ostrich relative Electrodes Cubic meter Blighters Queries Old records (Abbr.)

Mouth parts Garden man Under the weather Expire Consume In favor of

THE DAILY BEACON

10

DIVERSITY SPECIAL ISSUE

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Vols’ young Samoan-Tongan star linebacker Henry To’o To’o driven by family RYAN CREWS Sports Editor During Tennessee’s rollercoaster 2019 season, one of the consistent bright spots for the Vols was the play of freshman star Henry To’o To’o. The young linebacker from California’s powerhouse De La Salle High School quickly became a key part of the Tennessee defensive unit, playing in all 13 games, starting 12.

He finished the year with 72 tackles and a place on the SEC All-Freshman Team as well as beginning 2020 on the Watch Lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Butkus Award and Bednarik Award. While he was unavailable for comment during fall camp, Tennessee Media Relations provided an episode of their in-department podcast The Slice, where To’o To’o talked about how his Samoan-Tongan heritage.

“I’m Samoan-Tongan. … The main center of each culture is family, faith. Coming from the Polynesian culture, we’re huge on those two things,” To’o To’o said.

To’o To’o grew up in an impoverished area of Sacramento, California, south of town in a home of eight -- at times, 10 — people. As To’o To’o recounts, his early surroundings contained gang violence, and his family helped

him and his siblings through.

“It’s kind of a rough neighborhood, lot of violence, lots of gangs around there. My parents did a great job of keeping us out of that,” To’o To’o said. “My mom and dad were big on football. They kind of raised [us] up around playing football, but the way my dad raised us was using football to be a way to get an education. …

The way my dad taught us, education is the key to all things, having knowledge about things.”

As for what family means to him, To’o To’o spoke very highly of the bonds and support family provides in Polynesian cultures.

“Family is huge, being from the Polynesian culture background. We’re centered around family. Family is everything to us. When in doubt, when the whole word turns against you, your family will always be there. Your family will never turn their back on you. They will always be the one you can turn upon,” To’o To’o said.

To’o To’o holds his family to the highest regard and knows he can always turn to them for inspiration.

To’o To’o further explained how Polynesian culture impacts the way his family dynamic is extremely tight knit.

“I love my family to death, all my brother and sisters, all my cousins that I grew up with. I don’t really call them cousins because we have

#11 Henry To’o To’o in the 2020 Tax Slayer Bowl. Connor Morss / The Daily Beacon a relationship that I call them my brothers and my sisters. I love them that much that I can have that tight of [a relationship] and that is how it is in the Polynesian culture,” To’o To’o said.

The influence of To’o To’o’s SamoanTongan heritage even affects how he plays the game of football.

“I think I just want to make the best impression. I want to be able to make everyone that is of Samoan and Tongan, or everybody that is related to me, I just want to make them proud,” To’o To’o said. “That’s the biggest part, it’s to be able to make everyone around me happy and to make them proud, to make them know that I’m trying the best for them.”

Tennessee culture committee dedicated to making change among athletes RYAN SCHUMPERT Sports Editor This summer, in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmad Arbery and Breonna Taylor, Tennessee’s football program founded a culture committee to help provide players with a voice and way to enact change at UTK. Former Tennessee quarterback and assistant head coach Tee Martin is heading up the group with players being able to join on a volunteer basis.

“We started speaking openly as a staff and we just brought up an idea to have a committee or something like that,” Martin said on Tennessee football’s The Slice podcast. “It didn’t have a name, but the idea of it was to create a platform for our student athletes to have a voice, to speak their feelings and to take that and create an action plan at the University of Tennessee that will make some changes. And it’s really that simple.”

Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt praised the new project and its effects thus far.

“It’s been really good,” Pruitt said. “It’s something Tee has done a fantastic job of heading up and getting our players involved and getting feedback. Once he’s getting the feedback, it’s us acting upon it.”

The group is open to coaches and players alike regardless of race. Martin sees it as a way for everyone to make a difference however they can.

“I didn’t want to announce to the media who was a part of it,” Martin said. “It’s not

about that. It’s about their voices being heard in-house, and us collectively as a family, a Tennessee family, bringing about change.”

The group has helped bring in guest speakers, including the first African American football player at UT Lester McClain, helped register the whole team to vote and came up with the idea for Tennessee to wear black uniforms in its Oct. 17 matchup with Kentucky. Tennessee plans to auction off the jerseys after the game with proceeds benefiting local charities that help Knoxville minorities and youth.

The group meets multiple times a month, giving players an opportunity to voice what’s on their mind and bring any idea or issues to light.

“We meet around every week or so, but it’s been pretty good,” quarterback Jarrett Guarantano said. “As you can see we’re making a change around the University of Tennessee, and that’s a tribute to the actual university and the people that are a part of this university that are allowing us to help make a change in the world.”

Last month, Trey Smith and other members of the group coordinated a rally on UT’s campus with athletes across Tennessee sport teams.

The large turnout of supporters marched from the torchbearer statue to Ayres Hall while giving opportunities for people to speak including Smith, Matthew Butler and Solon Page III. “This rally has been planned with our players and other student-athletes across our

A crowd of supporters march down Volunteer Boulevard during the Black Lives Matter March on August 29, 2020. Nathan Lick / The Daily Beacon campus for several weeks,” Pruitt said before the protest. “I think, when we talk about platforms, here at Tennessee we’re going to use our platform to help create change and be at the forefront of it. Our players believe in it, our staff believes in it, our administration believes in it. So we’re going to continue to support them in this movement ... and it’s something we’ll continue for years to come.”

The protesters expressed desire for change in a number of ways while specifically wanting the university to employ more African Ameri-

can professors and faculty members and to include a zero tolerance for hate speech clause to the Student Code of Conduct.

The rally was attended by a plethora of UT coaches including Martin and Pruitt.

“Centro Hispano is primarily advocating for the Latino community in Knoxville, but from my classes, I can tell that they are really great at including all people,” Ruhlander said. “They are inclusive, and diversity does matter.”

DIVERSITY SPECIAL ISSUE

Wednesday, September 16, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

11

Black Student Union plans for a year of collaboration, community ALEXANDRA DEMARCO Editor-in-Chief

Just over two weeks ago, numerous UT athletes led a March on UT Knoxville against systemic racism. The march had a wide turnout, attended by students, faculty and children alike. Among the crowd on that hot Saturday in August was Zachary West, a senior student in political science and the newly-elected president of the Black Student Union West spoke at the march, which was partially organized by one of his closest friends, football player Trey Smith.

The event was an impactful introduction to the semester for the BSU, West says.

“It was a great event to kickstart everyone into taking action, everyone finding that motivation. I feel like that set the tone of the year, not only that people are still willing to fight for something that’s so important during a pandemic, but also seeing the allies we have with many different, other organizations, communities because we saw many people come out. Many people were in support, so I think events like that have definitely fueled us to go on and continue ... I feel like that was kind of that spark to ignite a passion in everyone again,” West said.

The BSU, which has moved all of its events online for the time being, exists to provide community and support for Black students on a predominantly white campus, as well as draw attention to important social causes and create progressive changes.

The organization typically holds meetings for its members and additional events, one of which is a voting literacy program imple-

A supporter raises a Black Lives Matter sign during the Black Lives Matter March on August 29, 2020. Nathan Lick / Daily Beacon mented in November. This year, the program will be particularly robust in preparation for

the presidential election.

And although the BSU does not currently have any marches planned, West says that any students wishing to hold a march who feel they do not have the platform to do so are welcome to reach out to the BSU. Another of the BSU’s most prevalent annual events is How to Survive and Thrive at a PWI (predominantly white institution), during which student leaders, faculty, all people of color and more gather as a panel to vet students questions’ regarding life as a student of color at a PWI. The BSU is currently in the process of moving the event online for this semester.

Navigating life at a PWI is an integral part of the college experience for many students in the BSU, including West, who has experi-

enced the difference between being a Black student at a historically black college and a Black student at a predominantly white institution. He joined UT’s BSU after transferring from Morehouse College, a historically Black university in Atlanta, Georgia, as a sophomore.

“I felt comfortable [at Morehouse]. There was not really a day that I was reminded that I was Black,” West said. “It was just an allaround safe place, and all encouraging and everything. There were not really the distractions that I would have on campus here.”

West then joined the BSU in search of a community that understood the struggles he experienced after leaving Morehouse.

“Coming [to UT], it was like okay, this is different, you could say culture shock type — how can can I navigate and make this college experience what I wanted, because I’m paying money to be here like everyone else,” West said. “I want to feel safe as well, knowing that I’m not alone and other people also share that struggle. We can all bounce tips on how to navigate better.”

The BSU has truly become a commu-

Suppoters leave Circle Park as the Black Lives Matter March begins on August 29, 2020.

Nathan Lick / The Daily Beacon nity on campus, West explained, where students support one another and become close friends while cheering on peers’ growth and personal development — the type of community whose members happily answer their phones in the middle of the night when another member is in need.

“We kind of created a little home and everything where we all feel comfortable with each other, where we all feel close with each other,” West said. “It’s just comfortable vibes all around and everything, and I think that’s the main thing that we wanted to stress ... to make sure people had those safe spaces they feel like they can go to.”

Vanessa Jackson, another member of the BSU and junior in retail and consumer scienc-

I think that’s the main thing that we wanted to stress... to make sure people had those safe spaces they feel like they can go to.

ZACHARY WEST PRESIDENT, BSU

es, also highlighted the sense of community the BSU provides.

Unlike West, Jackson has never attended a historically Black college; she also spent years in private school, where she was one of just a couple other Black students.

“I know what it’s like to be in an environment like this from a very young age, because I’ve been in private school for the first half of my life, and there’s been about probably two other Black people in my entire grade, so I already kind of know how to navigate,” Jackson.

Although her experiences growing up pre-

pared her for life at a predominantly white institution, Jackson has still found a sense of community and created meaningful friendships through the BSU. “My favorite part is the community. I’ve met so many cool people from the BSU. We all just share really similar ideas and everybody’s different. Once you join, you automatically have like 20 friends, which is great cause I started freshman year. ... You just know you have people around you who are willing to help you no matter what,” Jackson said.

Like many other student organizations, the BSU has been forced to rethink the way it maintains its sense of community in the midst of the pandemic. The group has been communicating mainly through group messages and social media, and members are sure to check up on one another during these challenging times.

And despite those difficulties presented by the pandemic, the BSU still has a progressive goal for the school year. West hopes to unite other Black and people of color student organizations under a common interest, explaining that in years past, a sense of competition has been felt among these different groups.

“What we want to see this year and going forward is more unity between us and all of the other Black organizations, organizations with people of color and everything,” West said. “The direction we want to take this year is to be that hub of uplifting everybody and not creating this idea that we’re all competing against each other, because that’s how I felt it was in some previous years. We are going to have normal meetings with the executives of other organizations — if we want to have an event, plan it all together and come together as a united front so that it doesn’t look like just a bunch of different organizations with the same goal — one whole.”

12

DIVERSITY SPECIAL ISSUE

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Student organizations creating community, fostering diverse spaces JAKE YODER City News Editor The best way to make Rocky Top feel like home is to get involved on campus. Even in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still plenty of organizations meeting in person or online.

With so many different organizations at UT, it can be easy to miss some that highlight diversity and inclusion. Here are just a few of these organizations that you may not be aware of.

The Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers The Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers is an organization for Asian students studying science or engineering at UT to come together for fellowship. SASE UTK focuses on diversity, community and professionalism to help students reach their full potential in their academic lives and future careers.

The Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers meets each Wednesday via Zoom. For more information about SASE UTK, you can visit their Instagram (@saseutk) or email Vicki Tang, the organization’s public relations director, at wph612@ vols.utk.edu.

Black Musicians Alliance Minority musicians looking for a safe place to belong and make music may want to check out the Black Musicians Alliance. The Black Musicians Al-

liance provides an equitable, non-elitist place for people to learn about minority musicians, composers and leaders. The BMA also acts as a liaison between students and administration, ensuring that students’ voices are heard.

The Black Musicians Alliance meets every Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Haslam Music Center.

Those looking for more information on the BMA can email Lauren Goldston, the BMA’s membership and recruitment officer, at lgolds@vols.utk. edu.

Gaymerz Gaymerz is an organization that brings together those in the LGBTQ+ community that also happen to be fans of video games. The organization is a safe space for those of all sexual orientations and gender identities to play and discuss video games of all kinds.

Gaymerz usually meets each Friday in HSS 103B from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. but, due to the pandemic, now holds its meetings online through its discord server. For more information about Gaymerz or to get the invite code to the organization’s discord server, email Promise Brown, Gaymerz’ president, at pbrown47@vols.utk.edu.

Manthan - Indian Student Association Manthan – Indian Student Association at the University of Tennessee is an organization designed to provide a platform for UTK students of Indian origin to come together and celebrate the

Leading Women of Tomorrow with Congressional Candidate Renee Hoyos at an event last fall.

Photo Courtesy of Leading Women of Tomorrow history and culture of India as well as promote cultural understanding between India and the United States. Manthan welcomes new students to UTK and helps them grow accustomed to college life in all possible ways.

Though Manthan usually meets once a month in person at Hodges Library, they now meet online via Zoom due to the pandemic. For more information about Manthan, email manthan.knoxville@ gmail.com.

Leading Women of Tomorrow Leading Women of Tomorrow UTK is an orga-

nization that aims to bridge the gender gap among public representatives and encourage women to pursue leadership. According to the organization, women comprise only 23.3% of legislatures across the world. LWT UTK partners with colleges and universities across the world to launch a series of programs to encourage women to take leadership positions and make their voices heard.

Leading Women of Tomorrow UTK meets once a month via Zoom. Those looking for more information can follow the organization on Instagram (@lwtutk) or email Ella Russell, LWT’s vice president, at erusse23@vols.utk.edu.

8 upcoming virtual events for offering discussion on diversity, inclusion BEN WINIGER Staff Writer UT grows more diverse by the day. Such diversity means more varied opinions and outlooks to consider. Education is key when tackling minority issues, and there are plenty of UT events that provide such education.

Here are a few occurring this month.

Safe Zone at UT Sept. 14 & 17

Safe Zone UT is a workshop series based on sexuality and gender awareness and understanding. The event seeks to teach participants basic language related to gender and sexuality. It will also point LGBTQ+ students toward campus resources and teach participants the skills they need to stop discrimination.

The event will be held on Sept. 17 from 3 to 5 p.m. Participants are required to register online.

Rocky Topics Sept. 16 Rocky Topics has returned. Shea Kidd Houze, dean of Student Life, and Professor Joe Miles, an associate professor of psychology, will host the event.

This month’s topic is “COVID-19 and Communities of Color,” focusing on how the pandemic has affected minority communities. The event will occur on Sept. 16 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Lunch and Learn Sept. 17 “Lunch and Learn” is conversation series sponsored by the UT Libraries’ Diversity Committee. It is the first such conversation of the

semester. The theme is “How to Be an AntiRacist - From Theory to Practice.” Panelists include Professor Kirsten A. Gonzalez, Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion Camille Hall and Clarence L. Vaughn III. The event will occur on Sept. 17 from 12 to 1:30 p.m.

“Machismo: Masculinity & Mental Health in the Latinx Community.”

The event will occur Sep. 22 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Participants are required to register online.

Systemic Racism & Campus Climate at UT Sept. 18

The Cost of Hate Symposium is a multi-part discussion and lecture series on how hatred impacts student and city communities and harms society. The symposium’s first part will focus on anti-racism and the costs of racial oppression for society at large.

City Councilwoman Amelia Parker will moderate discussion. The event will occur Sep. 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. Participants are required to register.

“Systemic racism” is a complex term. This event looks to clarify the concept for those unaware. Professor Jioni Lewis and Professor Michelle Christian will explain the concept of systemic racism, its history and how it has affected UT’s students of color.

The event will occur on Sept. 18 from 12 to 1 p.m. Participants are required to register online. #LIFT_ME Series Sept. 22 The #LIFT_ME Series, organized by the Students of Color Empowerment and Support Group, aims to create a space for students of color to connect over shared experiences and build community. The next in the series covers

The Cost of Hate Symposium, Part 1 Sept. 23

Stay up-to-date with virtual events this semester by checking out utdailybeacon.com.