The Commonwealth Times; February 16, 2022

Commonweal� Times

BAILEE PADGETT Contributing Writer

HARVARD LAW AND HISTORY PROFESSOR

Annette Gordon-Reed visited the James Branch Cabell Library on Thursday, Feb. 10 to deliver VCU’s 21st annual Black History Month Lecture about her most recent 2021 publication, “On Juneteenth.”

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, honors the day Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, in 1865 and announced that the over 250,000 enslaved African Americans had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation had been decreed over six months prior, according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The audience included VCU alumni, students and staff to hear Gordon-Reed’s lecture — including VCU alumna Stephanie Holt, who said she has a connection to the VCU library’s book club and staff.

“The event was wonderful and very informative. I learned a lot about Texas history, which isn’t generally taught in Virginia, as well as the African American viewpoint which is always interesting in understanding between people,” Holt said.

The lecture discussed the historian’s viewpoint on the journey the United States has taken to reach the prevalence of Juneteenth today, including Texas’ origins as a state and discrimination against African Americans with personal accounts and anecdotes from Gordon-Reed.

Juneteenth became a state holiday for Virginia after former Gov. Ralph Northam proposed the executive order in 2020, according to the Governor of Virginia’s website.

University spokesperson Sue Robinson stated that the VCU library’s office compiled a list of potential speakers before selecting Gordon-Reed. Gordon-Reed offers one of the most authoritative voices on race and history in America, according to Robinson.

As the first African American recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for history, Gordon-Reed is recognized as a nationally significant public intellect and a leading scholar of U.S. history, according to Robinson.

Dean of Libraries and university librarian Irene Herold helped coordinate this event for students and faculty members in the community, according to Robinson. Herold supervises the James Branch Cabell Library on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus and the Health Sciences Library located on the MCV Campus, according to VCU library’s website.

author gives Black History Month Lecture in Richmond “ON JUNETEENTH”

The Black History Month Issue

First to get fired, last to get hired: The dilemma of Black coaches in the NFL

Illustration by Bailey Wood

We need change. That was a number one reason. I know there’s a sacrifice there’s a risk to that but, at the end of the day, we need change.”

Brian

Flores, Former NFL head coach

STORIES OF THE WEEK

NEW COMMON BOOK HIGHLIGHTS UNTOLD STORY OF FIRST HEART TRANSPLANT IN VIRGINIA

VARSHA VASUDEVAN Staff Writer

THE UNIVERSITY SELECTED “The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South,” as the VCU 2022-23 Common Book, according to the VCU Common Book website.

The selection occurred a year after author Chip Jones called on the Medical College of Virginia, or MCV, to make an apology, according to a previous report by The Commonwealth Times.

Director of the Common Book Program Felecia Williams stated in an email interview the Common Book Program aims to provide “insightful text” to apply in and out of classrooms.

“We believe ‘The Organ Thieves’ will allow our firstyear students and others across campus to engage with content that is meaningful and applicable to all disciplines and fields,” Williams stated.

The chosen Common Book for the year is intended to inspire students to consider social issues through an “interdisciplinary lens,” according to the website.

Williams stated the Common Book is selected by the Common Book Selection Committee, which is made up of staff and students from the university. The committee recommends three texts to the dean, who consults with the provost to make the final decision, according to Williams.

Williams stated the program seeks to select texts that focus on a variety of issues and themes like climate change, poverty and eviction, voter suppression, immigration and incarceration.

The book tells the story of Bruce Tucker, a Black factory worker who was admitted to MCV in 1968 for a head injury. There, he was pronounced brain dead and his heart was then surgically removed and transplanted to a white man without the consent of Tucker’s family. This is the story of the first heart transplant

operation in Virginia, according to a previous report by The Commonwealth Times.

Jones said he was honored the book was selected by VCU, despite the book’s criticism of the university’s past medical practices.

“I think it shows a real intellectual honesty by the leadership now,” Jones said. “I’m heartened, no pun intended, that the leadership now, especially on the academic campus, sees the relevance of addressing a lot of past injustices.”

Despite pushing for a public apology from MCV for Bruce Tucker’s treatment, Jones said he doesn’t think it is likely to happen.

Jones said he initially was going to write a book about the race to successfully complete the first heart transplant surgery, but changed course when he learned about Bruce Tucker.

He said he learned the story from an interview with former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder in 2017. He said he will never

forget how Wilder described Tucker’s brother, William Tucker, when they did not receive any compensation for the “heart being taken.”

“He [Wilder] said it was like his [William Tucker’s] entire life, like 50 years old or so, his entire life of being discriminated against, you could see it on his face,” Jones said. “I’m like, ‘this is a different book than I started out writing.’”

Chair of African American studies at VCU Shawn Utsey said the book’s selection as the Common Book is an “honorable” effort by VCU to “come clean and confront their past.”

“This is surely a step forward,” Utsey said. “Whereby they are acknowledging what happened, and making it [the book] accessible to students who could also appreciate the contributions, although involuntary, of the Black community.”

Utsey said that by embracing and learning from stories like Bruce Tucker’s, the university is providing a good example of how to handle historical trauma to incoming students and discuss the historical exploitation of Black people in medical history.

“It provides a lesson as to how race has always been used politically,” Utsey said. “It also offers a cautionary tale of how we should not be manipulated by politics, in terms of race, gender [and] sexual orientation.”

In addition to the Common Book Program, the VCU Office of Health Equity’s history and health initiative aims to draw attention to historic discrimination in medical treatment in order to “contribute to a health process that will bring meaningful change,” according to the VCU 202021 annual report.

Utsey said that VCU should continue sharing stories like Bruce Tucker’s to credit Black people’s contributions to MCV.

“It would be unusual that VCU or MCV didn’t own slaves,” Utsey said. “I’d like to see them [VCU] uncover that story, so we can know the true extent of the degree to which Black people built the medical college.”

NATIONAL: U.S. suspends avocado imports from Mexico INTERNATIONAL: Scientists have reportedly cured HIV in a third patient following a stem cell transplant

Chip Jones.

Photo courtesy of Chip Jones

“The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South,” has been selected as the VCU 2022-23 common book. Photos courtesy of Chip Jones

I think it shows a real intellectual honesty by the leadership now. I’m heartened, no pun intended, that the leadership now, especially on the academic campus, sees the relevance of addressing a lot of past injustices.”

Chip Jones , Author

UNIVERSITY FACULTY ANALYZE YOUNGKIN’S EXECUTIVE ORDER BANNING CRITICAL RACE THEORY

KATRINA LEE News Editor

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed 11 executive actions on his first day in office on Jan. 15, the first of which banned “ending the use of inherently divisive concepts, including critical race theory and restoring excellence in K-12 public education in the Commonwealth,” according to the executive order.

VCU professor of African American studies Adam Ewing said critical race theory is trying to investigate the history and the current “manifestations” of race.

“Critical race theory is just a way to try to understand the world. It is very important to take note when people take an idea or a set of tools and they turn it into a boogeyman,” Ewing said. “Why does the idea of investigation and knowledge production seem so scary?”

The order was one of Gov. Youngkin’s promises for his “Day One Game Plan,” which was part of his platform throughout his campaign for governor, according to his campaign website.

“We’re going to press forward with a curriculum that includes listening to parents’ input, a curriculum that allows our children to run as fast as they can, teaching them how to think, enabling their dreams to soar. Friends, we are going to reestablish excellence in our schools.” Youngkin said in his election night address.

Critical race theory is a framework of legal analysis that explains race as a “culturally invented” categorization utilized to oppress people of color, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

Critical race theory is not in the Virginia Department of Education’s

curriculum, according to PolitiFact, as of Nov. 2021.

“Critical Race Theory and its progeny, instruct students to only view life through the lens of race and presume that some students are consciously or unconsciously racist, sexist, or oppressive, and that other students are victims,” the order states.

The executive order’s rationale stated the teaching of critical race theory and concepts like it constitutes as political indoctrination in schools.

Political indoctrination involves persuading people to believe certain ideas, values, and ideologies related to politics and governance, according to Sage Knowledge.

Professor Ewing said that the executive order’s use of the term political indoctrination to describe critical race theory is contradictory.

“It’s interesting that it is being framed as political indoctrination. It’s a very Orwellian idea that you would invoke political indoctrination about people trying to learn something about their society as a way of restricting access to knowledge, which of course is the very definition of political indoctrination,” Ewing said.

Critical race theory is a body of critical scholarship that grew out of the legal field and is a tool that has been expanded to interrogate how racism operates within society, Ewing said.

“The idea that critical race theory is being described as political indoctrination suggests that the thing is indoctrination is

the assertion that racism is a structuring force in our society,” Ewing said. “I think it speaks to the broader purpose of these initiatives, which is essentially to deny racism as a serious problem in American life.”

In late January, the governor’s office established an “email tip line” for parents to report suspected cases of “critical race theory” and “divisive practices” being taught in Virginia schools, according to NBC12.

In accordance with the governor’s stance on critical race theory, a Cornell Law School professor launched a website in opposition to critical race theory being taught in schools. The site claims that around 200 universities and colleges teach critical race theory, including VCU.

“The very premise of the exercise of trying to f ind teaching of critical race theory and using it as proof of what? That VCU is doing something sinister?” Ewing said. “The Governor uses the term ‘political indoctrination’ and I think that really needs to be unpacked.”

Ewing said he never thought he would see balant “active suppression” of education.

“To be clear, I am absolutely furious about this executive order. I think it is very dangerous,” Ewing said.

VCU political science professor Amanda Wintersieck said that even though it is within the rights of the governor to release an order like this, she expects there will be future lawsuits against this order.

“I fully expect we will probably see some legal action as it relates to this. There

are some parts to this particular executive order where they bring attention to the civil rights act, specifically title four and title six,” Wintersieck said.

“The way that they are using this is to ban quote on quote reverse racism and that is very questionable intent.”

Wintersieck said while critical race theory has only ever been taught at the higher levels of education, not in K-12 public schools in Virginia, she said she had a particular issue with the wording of the executive order.

“It [the executive order] says banning critical race theory and its progeny, so this means anything that stems from critical race theory,” Wintersieck said.

“They are attempting to limit conversations about struction inequality in our systems, that’s not critical race theory, that’s just discussions about how the world works.”

Wintersieck said that she believes not having conversations like concepts about critical race theory is holding back progress towards democracy and fails to address structural inequalities.

“Those structural inequalities are linked to the fact that white Americans as a whole exist in positions of power and have sought to maintain those positions of power,” Wintersieck said.

“From this has naturally flowed power imbalances, as well as wealth inequality imbalances and a number of problems across the board. It’s really unfortunate that we seek to limit our children’s understanding of these biases.”

Editor Grace McOmber contributed to this report.

Managing

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order banning the teaching of critical race theory and concepts like it in public education. CT File Photo

They are attempting to limit conversations about struction inequality in our systems, that’s not critical race theory, that’s just discussions about how the world works.”

Amanda Wintersieck , Political science professor

New VCUDine location launches, other locations delayed by supply chain challenges

DAVINA EFETIE Contributing Writer

ANEW CAMPUS DINING LOCATION, ZA’ATAR, opened in the University Student Commons on Monday after delays due to supply chain shortages.

The location was slated to open last year mid-fall along with Steak ‘n Shake, which has been further delayed due to supply chain challenges with equipment orders, according to VCU spokesperson Anna Obermiller. Steak ‘n Shake, which features a diner-like menu, is not projected to open until March 14, Obermiller stated in an email.

“We have received all of the materials needed for Za’atar to open, but we are still waiting for additional equipment to open Steak ‘n Shake,” Obermiller stated.

Sophomore music student Adam Jones said it is nice to have another dining option other than Chick-fil-A at the University Student Commons. Jones said he ordered chicken shawarma with roasted vegetables and feta cheese on Za’atar’s first day.

“This is really really good, I’m surprised it’s only one swipe and it is arguably a lot healthier than Chick-fil-A and Steak ‘n Shake, so it’s nice,” Jones said. “It’s nice to have a healthy option.”

Jones said he will “definitely” be coming to Za’atar again.

A new on-campus grocery store, Ram City Market, originally slated for last semester, hasn’t opened yet. The store is projected to open early this spring, according to a previous report by The Commonwealth Times.

Freshman pre-dentistry student Camille Berry said she and her roommates are looking forward to the launch of Ram City Market.

“My roommates and I are vegetarian, we always go to either Target, Kroger or Whole Foods,” Berry said, “Those places

are a bit far from campus, and so if the grocery store was open, it would have been really great.”

VCU students opted to replace Freshii and Taco Bell based on results from VCUDine’s student survey conducted in the fall of 2020. The new dining locations were established to hopefully expand student options and combat the lack of food options on campus according to the report by VCU News.

Junior photography and film student Camille Pratt and junior photography student Kalia Perry both expressed that the dining locations on campus always close early and there aren’t a lot of options available.

At Panda Express, there’s only a little bit amount of vegetables we can put in. If we’re spending this much on a meal plan, then it should be better, especially for on-campus students as that’s our only option.”

student Bella Love created a petition titled “VCU Dining Plan Reform.” Love sent out the petition for other students to sign so that VCU can make adjustments to the meal plan and not continue to “scam their students of money.”

Associate professor Youngmi Kim researched food insecurity at the university. She stated in an email that food insecurity of VCU students was about 35% before and after the pandemic onset.

Kim stated lack of awareness of campus resources such as the Ram Pantry, which is a resource for students committed to provide and help “mitigate the effects of food insecurity,” according to their website, aids the increase of food insecurity around the university.

“Food insecure students tend to report poor mental health, worries, and difficulty in concentrating on their academic work,” Kim stated

Kim stated healthier options and new dining locations provided on campus could help combat the issue of food insecurity among students, however their financial situations should be considered.

Kalia Perry, Junior photography student

“My schedule is so late and it’s always a struggle to figure out what to eat other than Panda Express and Canes,’’ Pratt said.

Although Perry said she doesn’t have any dietary restrictions, she expressed that besides AVO Kitchen, VCU students are mainly eating chicken and fried foods everyday.

“At Panda Express, there’s only a little bit amount of vegetables we can put in. If we’re spending this much on a meal plan, then it should be better, especially for on-campus students as that’s our only option,” Perry said.

In response to the lack of dining options, VCU

“They were not necessarily the same students. Some students are food insecure at some points and not at other times per their resource availability/ support, which is commonly reported in food insecurity research,” Kim stated.

“That would be helpful, but also a reasonable price looks like one important criterion because many students shared that they can’t afford campus food options and the food quality is not satisfying,” Kim stated.

Executive Editor Katharine DeRosa contributed to this report.

Illustration by Laura Bendick

Students wait in line at the Commons for the newly opened Za’atar on Feb. 14. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore

§ports CT

ARRICK WILSON Sports Editor

THAILON WILSON Contributing Writer

Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd.

That’s right, baseball is back full swing this spring. The Rams are back at the Diamond, playing multiple key and exciting matchups, this season.

The 2021 Atlantic-10 champions start their season on Feb. 18 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina versus Rider University. Redshirt junior Evan Chenier said in a Tuesday press conference that he was eager to get back to the championship game, granting a wish from his freshman year.

“That was a feeling like no other and I want to do it again for sure. So anything I can do, we can do to get back to that, go back to the championship, win another ring. I’m ready to do it,” Chenier said. “That was something I’ve wanted to do since I got here, and that was like the wish I made freshman year in orientation. We got one so I want to get another one real bad.”

Here’s a list of key matchups to look forward to this season, with a mix of non-conference and conference matches.

NO. 6 OLE MISS, FEB. 25-27

On Feb. 25, the Rams will face off against the Rebels for the first game of the series at Swayze Field in Oxford, Mississippi.

The black and gold are going to face off against Ole Miss, who is ranked No. 6 in the country by USA Today Sports. The three-game series will occur later this month and will be the first time in school

ARRICK WILSON Sports Editor

ELLA FLOYD Contributing Writer

VCU REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE TYLER

Locklear was named second-team preseason baseball All-American. Locklear is no stranger to success, with the team picking up 17 awards in a strong season last spring that brought the Rams to the Atlantic-10 title.

Locklear took the road less traveled, sitting out and redshirting his freshman year, then playing the next year as his redshirt freshman year. Redshirting refers to an athlete pausing their athletic participa tion, often to prolong their ca reer, according to the Mer riam-Webster Dictionary.

“My experience as a redshirt freshman was kind of a little different than most because of the leadership role the coaches trusted me

STAT OF THE WEEK

VCU BASEBALL PREVIEW:

history the Rams will go against the Rebels. Ole Miss made it to the NCAA Tuscon Super Regionals last season, according to Ole Miss Athletics. Head coach Shawn Stiffler said in a Tuesday press conference that the program is ready to play high-level teams on the national stage.

“The expectation of this program is to play in the NCAA tournament every year — and to do that you have to be in those type of settings,” Stiffler said. “I’m a huge believer of when these guys were thinking about playing college baseball, they weren’t thinking about playing at 9 a.m. in front of nobody. They were thinking about playing in these best of the best in the biggest, brightest settings they could play.”

ATLANTIC-10: DAYTON, APRIL. 29-MAY. 1

The two teams met in the A-10 conference championship last year, where the Rams defeated the Flyers. Redshirt third baseman Tyler Locklear said in a Tuesday press conference that the team is looking forward to making it to the next A-10 conference championship.

“Tom Brady always said the best one is the next one. So that’s kind of the goal for us. We’re a winning program and kinda, that’s the high goal and that’s pretty much the only thing on our mind at this point,” Locklear said.

The Rams will be facing off against the Dayton Flyers in a three-game series starting April 29. The black and gold have a close-knit rivalry against the flyers, having an overall record of 10-6 against the Flyers since 2013, according to VCU Athletics.

NO. 13 EAST CAROLINA, MARCH 25-27

The Rams will be going to Greenville, North Carolina to face the East Carolina Pirates in a three-game series on Mar. 2527. Currently, the East Carolina Pirates are ranked No. 13 in the country by USA Today Sports. The Rams are coming into this series on a two-game winning streak against the Pirates in 2018.

LIBERTY, MARCH 15

The Rams will be hosting a game against the Liberty Flames at The Diamond baseball stadium here in Richmond.

The Rams defeated the Flames 4-2 in their last meeting, according to the VCU Athletics, last April. The Flames received six votes for USA Today sports Top 25.

OLD DOMINION, MARCH 1

The black and gold will be hosting a three-game series here in Richmond, Virginia against the Old Dominion Monarchs at The Diamond baseball stadium. The Monarchs are currently ranked No. 24 on Baseball America’s ranking board. The last time the Rams faced the Monarchs, the Rams lost 3-5 on March 23, 2021. Head baseball coach Shawn Stiffler said that he was looking forward to seeing this new group of players play in this upcoming season.

“I’m just ready to get going and start working with these guys. I know we’ve been working for the last nine months, but when you get in the games, it’s different,” Stiffler said. “And start getting a chance to watch them through their good times and your struggles. And so just building off that new energy and what’s next for the program.”

The Rams will start their

with at the end of the fall at a younger age with the senior-heavy roster that we had,” Locklear stated in an email.

Locklear was named an All-American by the scouting website Perfect Game. According to its website, the organization is one of the largest amateur baseball scouting services in the world, hosting more than 1,000 showcases and tournaments each year. Being named an All-American by Perfect Game is determined not through a voting process, but rather selected based on a combination of factors including statistics from the previous year and player ranking rela -

In Perfect Game’s Jan. 5 release of their picks for the 2022 Preseason All-Americans, only 10 college athletes including Locklear received the honor of being named Second Team Hitters. VCU assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Rich Witten stated in an email that Locklear was worthy of the awards he gathered last season.

“Tyler was certainly deserving of the accolades he received after the 2021 season. He proved to be one of the most dominant position players in the country,” Written stated.

Locklear, however, would receive the news of his prestigious award in a hotel room while traveling to a tournament in Starkville, Mississippi with the team.

“I didn’t even know at first and it was really cool to hear that and see how all the work that gets put in finally was worth it and was rewarded,” Locklear stated. “We had games to win so it was a short-lived celebration and we had to be focused to win.”

Despite the expectations one may think this award would carry, Locklear stated he isn’t worried about the pressure getting in his way.

“Receiving the award didn’t really add any pressure other than just people now know who I am and game plans will change a little bit,” Locklear stated. “I just continued to stay within myself and not let that take over.”

Locklear, an Abingdon, Maryland local, had a breakout start with VCU baseball, quickly becoming one of the top home run hitters in the country. He ranked No. 31 in the nation in home runs, according to the NCAA.

At Archbishop Curley High School, Locklear was an all-around athlete according to Locklear’s high school coach, Joseph Gaeta.

“Tyler was one of the most committed players at the school in recent history,” Gaeta stated. “He was consistently the most dominant player on the field in HS [high school] his junior and senior season.”

Locklear played a part in the VCU Rams ending their season winning the 2021 Atlantic-10 Baseball Championship for the first time since 2015. He would also walk away with 17 individual awards from various associations, as well as becoming the first player in the history of the conference to win both Atlantic-10 Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season.

“The news about that was really exciting because becoming the first to do that, with all the talent that has played throughout the years, was really exciting and also humbling because of how prestigious it was,” Locklear stated.

With spring rapidly approaching, assistant coach Witten stated he is confident that Locklear has the keys to another season of success.

“I have confidence that Tyler will perform well this upcoming season. The biggest reason for that is because Tyler is, first of all, a great teammate who loves to win,” Witten stated. “When you have a player as talented as Tyler that also demonstrates leadership by example and work ethic, his results on the field will take care of itself.”

Junior Lauryn Freeman set a VCU school record for the 60-meter hurdle event on Saturday, Feb. 12 with a time of 8.49 seconds, according to VCU Athletics.

Redshirt sophomore Tyler Locklear talks to teammates at Liberty on March 21, 2021. Photo courtesy of VCU Athletics

The Rams are looking to knock it out of the park this season

Redshirt sophomore Tyler Locklear bats against Davidson on April 18, 2021. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore

First to get fired, last to get hired: The dilemma of Black coaches in the NFL

ARRICK WILSON Sports Editor

URRENTLY, IN THE NATIONAL Football League, or NFL, out of the 32 present teams, there are only two African American coaches. This is unacceptable, as over 50% of the players are African American, according to statista.com.

In other words, NFL, there is a problem.

The double standard is evident with African American coaches. Former head coach Brian Flores, who is African American, had two back-to-back winning seasons and led the Miami Dolphins to almost playoff berths with 19 wins.

In spite of his success, he was fired. It’s mind blowing to think that an African American coach’s time with a team is shorter than someone with a lighter skin tone. For example, in two seasons, North Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule has only won 10 games and still has his job. The difference is evident.

Flores was fired from his previous job on Jan. 10. He was allegedly fired because of a negative relationship with the Dolphins’ front office personnel, according to ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington’s tweet. After the surprise firing, Flores was in the running for the New York Giants head coach position, because he was considered one of the best available coaches.

Flores filed a class-action lawsuit on Feb. 1 against the NFL, the Miami Dolphins, the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos. The lawsuit accuses the NFL of racial discrimination in their hiring practices and a breach in the Rooney Rule, which requires the NFL to interview diverse coaching candidates, according to the NFL operations.

In a text message from New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, provided on page seven of Flores’ lawsuit, Belichick

congratulated Flores for receiving the job. The kicker was that Belichick informed Flores three days before his interview. Belichick had mistakenly texted the wrong Brian, as Brian Daboll got the job.

“Got it — I hear from Buffalo & NYG that you are their guy. Hope it works out if you want it to!!” Belichick stated in a text. “Sorry — I fucked this up. I double checked & I misread the text. I think they are naming Daboll. I’m sorry about that.”

This blunder by Belichick could cause other people of color to earn head coaching jobs, if the lawsuit is successful.

In an interview with the ESPN talk show “Get Up,” Flores was adamant about the need for reform in the NFL.

“We need change. That was a number one reason. I know there’s a sacrifice there’s a risk to that but, at the end of the day, we need change,” Flores said.

“I know many very capable Black coaches, some of my staff, who I know if given an opportunity, or when given an opportunity, they’re going to go and do a great job on their interview, and I would just hate for that to be a waste.”

It is no question that the NFL needs change. The league has been stagnant, continually denying diversity in coaching — there are plenty of capable Black coaches who can step up and be a head coach.

Plenty of African American coaches are put into lesser roles instead of head coaching positions, like Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy has won a Super Bowl and led the Chiefs to multiple successful offensive seasons. Multiple NFL teams have interviewed Bieniemy, but overlooked him.

Chiefs All-NFL wide receiver Tyreek Hill said he was surprised to see that Bieniemy has not gotten a head coaching job yet.

“I’m not a GM [general manager] or anything, but I will say coach Bieniemy has helped me out a lot [as] a man, player ... It’s very shocking that he didn’t

get a job. ... His time will come,” Hill said according to ESPN’s tweet.

Many have spoken out, seeing as the NFL’s coveted “Rooney Rule” was broken in light of the Flores situation. Popular ESPN writer and commentator Stephen A. Smith commented on the Rooney Rule’s defectiveness in this situation on his show “First Take.”

“In 2003, when the Rooney Rule was instigated, essentially compelling you to at least interview African American coaches and give them something close to a fair and equitable opportunity, there were three African-American coaches in the national football league,” Smith said. “We are 19 years removed from the institution and implementation of the Rooney Rule, and there is now one head coach.”

Since the episode aired, another Black head coach, Lovie Smith, has been hired by the Houston Texans.

The Rooney Rule has been insignificant and hasn’t changed anything to spark diverse leadership among teams in the NFL. Black coaches have continuously been denied progress many times throughout the tenure of the rule.

Flores said that he was determined to adjust the mindsets of the owners of the NFL, who refuse to hire African American coaches.

“I think we need to change the hearts and minds of the people making those decisions. That’s why, you know, we filed the lawsuit,” Flores said.

ESPN journalist and broadcaster Taylor Rooks tweeted about the situation, stating that there weren’t enough African American coaches in the NFL.

“There are not enough black head coaches given a chance in the NFL. I’m not here to argue the merits of this lawsuit….I’m just here to say that the sky is blue,” Rooks stated in a tweet.

The NFL has a problem that needs to be fixed. There is a major need for diversity in the league. There are no excuses for why African American coaches do not have jobs in the NFL. These individuals are qualified and well-equipped to coach teams. Things need to change as soon as possible for the league — viewers deserve to see diverse leadership among NFL teams.

Game Results

MEN'S TENNIS - AT DUKE LOST 4-2

MEN’S BASKETBALL - AT GEORGE MASON WON 85-70

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

WOMEN’S TENNIS - AT ETSU WON 4-0

WOMEN’S LACROSSE - AT JOHN HOPKINS LOST 15-6

FEBRUARY 13

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL - AT DAYTON WON 60-58

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

MEN’S TENNIS - VS. DELAWARE WON 7-0

MEN’S TENNIS - VS. MORGAN STATE WON 4-0

FEBRUARY 15

MEN’S BASKETBALL - AT FORDHAM WON 66-61

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

UPCOMING GAMES

WOMEN’S LACROSSE - AT OLD DOMINION 3 P.M.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL - VS. ST. BONAVENTURE 6 P.M. ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

WOMEN’S TENNIS - VS. RICHMOND 2 P.M.

MEN’S BASEBALL - VS. RIDER 2 P.M.

MEN’S BASKETBALL - VS. RICHMOND 7 P.M.

Illustration by Jewel Nguyen

I know many very capable Black coaches some of my staff, who I know if given an opportunity, or when given an opportunity, they’re going to go and do a great job on their interview, and I would just hate for that to be a waste.”

Brian Flores, Former NFL head coach

§pectrum CT

ON THIS DAY

Documentary highlights Black hair discrimination in schools

ZAHRA NDIRANGU Contributing Writer

THE SOON-TO-PREMIERE SHORT DOCUMENtary “Policing Joy” explores the treatment of Black women and girls in school and highlights the issue of hair discrimination. The film will premiere at JxJ Film Festival in Washington D.C. on March 6 and will play at the fifth annual Los Angeles Black Film Festival.

VCU education professor Danielle Apugo, who wrote and produced “Policing Joy,” said her experience in the education world, both as a K-12 teacher and as a college professor, played a role in her involvement in the film.

“I’ve always been interested in Black hair, Black culture and what it means to be Black in America,” Apugo said. “I was interested in how it collides in certain spaces. What about us causes such tension?”

Hair discrimination is the regulation and prevention of natural hairstyles, like afros, braids and locs, to remove Black individuals from schools and the workplace, according to the NAACP’s website.

Often times, these discriminatory practices present themselves in the form of dress codes seeking to prevent “distractions” in the education environment and leading to higher suspension rates of Black women and girls, according to NPR.

Apugo said she drew inspiration from her own experiences with her natural hair and considers herself to be an “OG naturalista,” wearing her natural hair since 2007. This was prior to the increased prevalence of the natural hair in the Black community brought about by a natural hair movement on social media, according to an Atlanta University Center study.

“In that process of wearing my natural hair, I noticed immediately it affected the

way that people treated me,” Apugo said. “I was departing from the norm of straight, silky hair and the style that evokes a certain kind of aesthetic.”

Apugo said she hopes the film serves as an educational opportunity for nonBlack viewers.

“Resources like this are really important because they are accessible and they can deliver a large amount of information in a small punch,” Apugo said. “We need more of these resources that spark ideas that lead to conversations.”

The film features interviews from those who have experienced hair discrimination to Black hair specialists, education specialists and other experts, such as psychologist and hairdresser Afiya Mbilishaka. She and Apugo previously published an article titled “Brushed Aside,” which focused on hair discrimination experiences of Black girls in K-12 schools.

“I would hope that Black girls watching this film would recognize that there is a system of racism and oppression that is targeting them and attacking their beauty,” Mbilishaka said. “It becomes our job as Black women and girls to disrupt that system.”

Mbilishaka said she hopes the documentary brings a new sense of understanding for its non-Black viewers.

“I’m hoping that people can have awareness and knowledge around the daily policing that Black people have to go through from childhood,” Mbilishaka said. “There are significant physical and psychological consequences that we face from going through these experiences that mainstream America doesn’t recognize.”

The film’s director, Tracey Renee’, said she was drawn to the project because of its ability to give young Black girls the vocabulary to talk about their experiences with hair discrimination.

“I think the message is important to get out to little Black girls who probably can’t communicate what is happening to them,” Renee’ said. “We want to let them know that these things do happen but they can protect themselves and that they are beautiful.”

Renee’ will talk at the film’s screening in Washington D.C. on March 6, according to the documentary’s Instagram.

“Policing Joy’ has an opportunity to reach a wider audience and spark conversations of awareness and what is going on with hair discrimina tion,” Renee’ said. “It can create awareness for young Black girls that loving their features is essential and not to let society feel otherwise.”

James Baskett, the first African American man to win an Academy Award in 1948, was born on Feb. 16, 1904.

‘Policing Joy’ has an opportunity to reach a wider audience and spark conversations of awareness and what is going on with hair discrimination. It can create awareness for young Black girls that loving their features is essential and not to let society feel otherwise.”

Tracey Renee’, Director of Policing Joy

Tracey Renee’. Photo courtesy of Tracey Renee’

‘Policing Joy,’ a documentary on Black hair discrimination, will premier at JxJ Film Festival on March 6 in Washington D.C. Photo courtesy of Tracey Renee’

A film poster showcases the documentary ‘Policing Joy’ by Tracey Renee’. Photo Courtesy of Tracey Renee’

BAILEE PADGETT Contributing Writer

“ON JUNETEENTH”

“ANNETTE GORDON-REED’S work speaks to our times, illuminating history that does not shy away from the harrowing and tragic, but is based upon scrupulous scholarship and examination of primary source documentation,” Herold stated. “She exemplifies scholarly research that makes a librarian’s heart sing.”

author gives Black History Month Lecture in Richmond

the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in Texas, according to Gordon-Reed.

During the lecture, Gordon-Reed talked about her family’s history, and how writing the novel would integrate her own personal experiences and accounts. Growing up in Conroe, Texas, members of her family wouldn’t spend the night for fear of the town’s reputation, according to Gordon-Reed.

“My parents decided to send me to a white school, that would be their choice. I had gone to school at Booker T. Washington, which was a K-12, the school for Blacks in Conroe, where my mother taught,” Gordon-Reed said during the lecture. “My older brothers were in Booker T. as well, but they wanted to send me to Anderson Elementary School, which was a white school.”

Gordon-Reed said the decision her parents made was their contribution to the civil rights movement during the mid-1960s. Her schooling made her similar to Brown v. Board of Education’s famous Ruby Bridges,

The role she played within her community as the first African American child to enter Conroe, Texas’ school system helped to kickstart the integration period for other schools at that time and demonstrated the power which one individual had to instill change, according to NPR.

“Occasionally there would be delegations of people who would kind of come and stand in the doorway and look at the scene, one Black child with the other 20 and 25 kids, So I knew it was a big deal.”

Gordon-Reed said.

Her studies have altered the conversation about slavery in the United States by navigating the comprehension of race and the underrepresented in the Colonial Era of America, according to an article by Gordon-Reed.

She has received prestigious accolades including

VCUarts student advisory board organizes first market

MIKAYLA HEIGHTSHOE Contributing Writer

The sun shown down on the ring of tables lining the amphitheater’s grass steps as students and pedestrians crowded around artists who sold their diverse products, from original character designs and fanbased prints to masks, buttons, greeting cards and t-shirts.

The Communication Arts Student Advisory Board, or CASAB, held an art market by The Compass at 914 Park Ave. on Feb. 12 for students in the communication arts department to sell their artwork, including sophomore communication arts student Vivian Trinh.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to just get your art out there and just meet new people and get the experience,” Trinh said.

The CASAB is a student-run organization within VCUarts in the communication arts

department that advocates for students, disputes fair job opportunities and addresses any concerns students may have regarding the department, according to CASAB chair and junior communication arts student Jane Rinaldi.

Starting an art market for students to sell their work has been a goal of CASAB since the board’s creation in 2020, according to Rinaldi.

“This is a way for comm art students to get some experience. A way that our people make money is through market events like this, or tabling at conventions,” Rinaldi said. “So, we wanted to give students an opportunity.”

Rinaldi said their focus this semester is to build more community within the communication arts program, such as introducing more events like game nights and sip-n-paint.

“I think it’s extra important, considering Zoom school, there hasn’t been much opportunity for people in communication arts during this time to have friends and feel like they’re a part of something,” Rinaldi said.

The market was composed of 20 tables, two artists per table, with a first-come, firstserve sign-up and a community table for those who could not be present but wanted to sell their art, according to Rinaldi.

Rinaldi said they hope to make a communication arts market a regular occurrence, specifically every first Friday of the month to align with Richmond Art District’s First Friday, a signature city event that opens galleries, shops and more to celebrate art, according to Rinaldi.

Rinaldi took on the responsibility of starting an advisory board after a mass email was sent out to communication arts students for a job opportunity not up to industry standards, such as underpaying for

the Pulitzer Prize in History, making her the first African American woman to achieve that honor. Her most renowned work, “The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family,” also won the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 2008 according to the Harvard University website.

The lecture came to a close with questions from members of the audience,

both in person and on Zoom. She signed copies of her book following the Q&A.

Gordon-Reed said during the lecture that the idea for her novel began at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic , following one family’s and one society’s part of a larger journey to realize the ideals expressed in the United States’ Declaration of Independence.

“I know that as a historian, I’m not supposed to believe that there’s inevitable progress, that’s what [Thomas] Jefferson believed,” Gordon-Reed said. “But the takeaway is that we each have a role to play to try to fulfill that promise.”

commission that required long hours, and feared that inexperienced students would be taken advantage of, according to Rinaldi.

Rinaldi said they immediately reached out to VCUarts administration about the potential exploitation and found the department had previously tried to put an advisory board together.

VCUarts administration believes CASAB is an important organization for the department, especially given the size of the program, according to Chair of Communication Arts Matt Wallin.

“We have almost 500 students, and given the size, community becomes something that’s really important for the student body to be able to maintain in our building and beyond,” Wallin said.

fun setting,” Wallin said. “But it forces the individual artists to be able to talk about their work and communicate with people who may be interested in what it is that their jam might be.”

This market has been “really helpful” for students who have never done market or sales before, according to sophomore communication arts student Lili Linder.

I think it’s extra important, considering Zoom school, there hasn’t been much opportunity for people in communication arts during this time to have friends and feel like they’re a part of something.”

Wallin said the advisory board is a “great way” for students to self-organize and communicate, and this market allows students to gain experience.

“I think stuff like this is such a great experience because it really forces the individual artists in a big group, in a safe and

“I hope to get my name out there,” Linder said. “I hope to make comics one day, so getting my name out there is a very big step for me.”

Students, parents and teachers came out to support the artists throughout the day, including VCU Digital Illustration and Concept Drawing professor Morgan Sawyer.

“It’s fantastic. I love seeing all the student work and the level of progression,” Sawyer said. “I’ve gotten to teach most of these students and see them grow and their talents really flourish. The initiative to come out and put your work in front of people is really hard and fantastic to see.”

Annette Gordon-Reed signs her book ‘On Juneteenth’ after her lecture at the James Branch Cabell Library on Feb. 10. Photo by Jay Stonefield

Jane Rinaldi CASAB chair and junior communication arts student

Kristen Rankin sells large digital prints at the student run art pop-up on Feb. 12.

Photo by Jay Stonefield

Emily Leary’s table houses several items of chickens and various other animals as stickers, prints, magnets and cards.

Photo by Jay Stonefield

VCUarts alumna’s research highlights women, people of color in VMFA exhibition

GABRIELA DE CAMARGO GONÇALVES Spectrum Editor

SELNA SHI Contributing Writer

VCUARTS GRADUATE MADELEINE

Dugan spent her last semester at VCU researching and recontextualizing historical art for the “Man Ray: The Paris Years” exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

During this time, Dugan was responsible for helping to research the photographs featured in the exhibition. Dugan, a VCUarts craft and material studies alumna, said she spent time in the James Branch Cabell Library looking through its databases. She said she scoured through Vanity Fair magazine archives and eBay Inc. to find vintage magazines related to the exhibition.

“Research wise, it was kind of like a treasure hunt. I would have moments where I was like, ‘oh my God, I finally found it,’” Dugan said. “Something that we have been looking for that kind of puts all the puzzle pieces together.”

from his time spent in Paris during “Les Années folles,” French for “the crazy years,” the time of cultural prosperity in the French capital between the two World Wars. The exhibition features portraits of cultural icons, including artist Pablo Picasso, author Ernest Hemingway and fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, according to the VMFA’s website.

As a part of her research, Dugan focused on Ruby Richards, an African American singer and dancer who worked in Paris. She is the subject of Man Ray’s 1938 portrait “Ruby Richards with Diamonds,” which is featured in the exhibition. Dugan said Richards was a “star” in her own right.

We kind of rediscovered her legacy,” Dugan said. “That felt really empowering, being able to give back voices to women who had otherwise been written out of history, either because of racism, sexism, or just the men in their lives overpowering them.”

“We kind of rediscovered her legacy,” Dugan said. “That felt really empowering, being able to give back voices to women who had otherwise been written out of history, either because of racism, sexism, or just the men in their lives overpowering them.”

During her research, Dugan spoke with members of Richards’ family about her life and career. “Introducing Ruby Richards,” an onstage talk hosted at the VMFA on Feb. 3, discussed Richards’ legacy, according to Dugan.

and strong women who deserve to have their stories told,” Dugan said.

Dugan’s research on Richards is ongoing and will potentially be used in a book by the VMFA’s exhibition curator Michael Taylor, according to Dugan.

“Madeleine was involved in every aspect of this exhibition, including research, design, layout of the galleries, programming, and writing for the catalog,” Taylor stated in an email. “Her contributions to the exhibition were immense and are still continuing with things like her live poetry readings in the galleries every Wednesday. I am so proud of everything that Madeleine has done to make ‘Man Ray: The Paris Years’ a success.”

Taylor stated he hopes the audience will leave the exhibition with a better understanding of Man Ray’s techniques and accomplishments, as well as the stories of his subjects and their lives in Paris.

VCUarts professor A. Blair Clemo, Dugan’s former ceramics professor, said he encouraged Dugan in her artistic practices and the ability to connect narrative threads to tell stories in her own work.

“One of the most important things an artist does is paying attention; to materials,

to processes, to the field and the world around them. Curators need this fundamental skill too, to be able to look deeply, highlight connections and content that others may miss and to reveal that to an audience,” Clemo stated in an email.

“Madeleine’s background as an artist is more than a foundation in making things with her hands, it’s the ability to unpack meaning from visual language.”

Dugan said she hoped to work with forensic facial reconstruction when pursuing her degree, but, after her work with Man Ray, she wants to continue her studies for a doctorate focusing on curating and research.

“But I definitely want to do curatorial, and research, because I think it’s just so rewarding,” Dugan said. “And it’s fun. It’s just something that I enjoy. I really like puzzles, and being able to solve the puzzle.”

The exhibition, which opened on Oct. 30, showcases the work of Man Ray, the pseudonym for Emmanuel Radnitzky, an American visual artist and photographer. Man Ray is best known for his contributions to the surrealist movement— an art movement that highlighted the illogical and unnerving in post-war Europe from the 1920s to the 1940s, according to the Museum of Modern Art.

Visitors to the exhibition can view over one hundred of Man Ray’s photographs

“I think people just forgot about her or, you know, as I think, unfortunately, a lot of people of color end up being written out of history, because it’s white people who are telling the history the whole time,” Dugan said.

Dugan said she feels “extremely lucky” to have been a part of the research and said she was inspired by the idea of giving voices back to Man Ray’s subjects, specifically women and people of color.

“A lot of women in the show have been written off as the wife or ‘tragic love interest’ of men whose names we know of, when in reality, they were artists, gallery owners, writers

Man Ray: The Paris Years, will be on exhibit until Feb. 21, 2022. For tickets, visit the VMFA’s website.

Managing Editor Grace McOmber contributed to this report.

Madeleine Dugan, VCUarts graduate

VCU alumna Madeleine Dugan holds her research notebook, where she uses an unsolarized photo of Man Ray to identify the camera he is holding. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore

Madeleine Dugan was photographed by Jeffrey Allison as a part of VMFA educational video about Man Ray’s process of solarization. Photos by Jeffrey Allison

Opinions CT

MYA HARRISON Contributing Writer

“The person I will nominate [to the Supreme Court] will be someone of extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity — and that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court,” President Joe Biden said upon announcing the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

One of the many things Biden promised in his 2020 campaign was that he would nominate a Black woman as the next Supreme Court justice. The time has finally come for him to keep the promise he made two years ago.

I believe this will be a monumental event, not just for Black people, but for all Black women across the country. To say the least, it is very disappointing that we have never had a Black woman as a Supreme Court justice.

Seeing a Black woman become a Supreme Court justice will be another reason why we should continue fighting to get more minorities in higher roles of authority, especially within the government. These decisions will help with representational discrepancies we have had over time. Having a Black woman brings an unprecedented perspective to the court.

Since 1789, there have been 115 Supreme Court justices, and for the first 180 years of the Supreme Court only white males served as justices. These white men were solely responsible for judging the constitutionality of the most important events in our country.

For example, do you remember when the all white male Supreme Court ruled in favor of “Separate but equal,” which segregated African Amercians from white Americans in 1896 during the “Plessy v.

Ferguson” case? Not only was this not in the best interest of Black people, but it also paved the way for the creation of Jim Crow Laws.

As time has passed, we have seen the Supreme Court become more diverse. There was a realization that we should appoint people who are diffe rent and can bring unique perspectives to the table on top of their obvious required qualifications.

Biden has created a shortlist of Black women who are his potential nominees for the nation’s highest judicial body. Ketanji Brown Jackson and Leondra Kruger are two Black women who could have the chance to serve on the Supreme Court once Stephen Breyer finishes up his term, according to The Washington Post.

Many have supported Biden’s nominee decision, but others feel this is not a fair, wellthought out option, including Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Collins believes that Biden’s decision to nominate a Black woman is politicizing the nomination process.

“I believe that diversity benefits the Supreme Court,” Collins said in an interview on ABC News. “But the way that the president has handled this nomination has been clumsy at best.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

While I do understand where Collins might be hesitant about this situation, she is painting this picture that Biden rushed this decision. Saying you want something to be diverse and using your privilege and power to do something about it doesn’t mean you are acting politically.

On top of what Biden said about nominating a Black woman, he also said he wants “someone of extraordinary qualifications.” It is not like he is picking someone random for his nomination; it goes without saying that the person he will nominate will be extremely qualified.

On another note, the people who think Biden is being racist for saying he will use his power to put a Black woman in a higher

ranking position should understand what racism really is. If anything, this decision is the opposite of racist because he is using his power to uplift a specific group, not put down and certainly not to oppress.

While the story of this nation has been dictated by white men in positions of power for far too long, I’m inspired by the progress that has already been made and that will continue to occur.

We saw Thurgood Marshall nominated as the first Black Supreme Court justice in 1967.

Sandra Day O’Connor was nominated as the first woman Supreme Court justice in 1987.

Clarence Thomas, another Black man, was nominated in 1991, and Sonia Sotomayor was nominated as the first Latina woman in 2009.

Now, it’s time to see a Black woman as a Supreme Court justice.

Black history must be expanded in schools, global in scope

ISHAAN NANDWANI Opinions Editor

John Henrik Clarke. Bayard Rustin. Mamphela Ramphele.

Perhaps you’ve heard their names before; perhaps you haven’t. While they may not be ubiquitously known or actively discussed in Black history, these figures have been instrumental in efforts for equality and justice for Black people on a global scale.

Clarke spearheaded the movement to bring African Studies to American universities; Rustin, a gay Black man, planned the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and Ramphele was critical in the fight for equality during the South African antiapartheid movement.

This Black History Month, it’s important to celebrate not only the legacy of the Black American figures who have been revered throughout history for their instrumental efforts in fighting for civil rights — Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, W.E.B. Du Bois — but also the unsung heroes who have revolutionized Black history both domestically, but worldwide.

Additionally, we must expand African cultural studies at both the primary and

professional school levels and consider cross-cultural influences, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the intricate Black narratives that have laid the foundation for our society today.

This semester at VCU, I’m taking “Afro-Latinx Cultures,” a world studies topic course exploring the vivid African influence in Latin America. The course navigates one of many facets of Black history, but in a few short weeks, I’ve learned about critical aspects of Black history that I hadn’t learned before in my 15 years of school.

Insightful discussions about the Underground Railroad’s reach into Mexico and Vicente Guerrero — the first Black president of Mexico, who freed all slaves in Mexico more than 30 years prior to President Abraham Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation — have greatly expanded my worldview.

I had always considered Lincoln as the primary pioneer in the abolition movement from a legislative perspective; however, I hadn’t considered how far ahead Mexico was in comparison to the U.S. in this respect. It had a Black president

almost two centuries before the U.S.; moreover, its anti-slavery work warrants critical discussion and cross-cultural comparison.

Yet our schools don’t teach us that history. While I’m certainly grateful for the advances we’ve made in expanding race-based education throughout my lifetime, including the introduction of African Studies as a primary area of study accessible at colleges and universities, more should be done to educate the general public on these important aspects of Black history that are not talked about enough.

Here at VCU, we can start by requiring an African Studies elective for all students. I suggest interweaving classes with a detailed discussion of Black history in Richmond in order for students to understand the rich and vibrant stories of the Black men and women who fought for their rights years ago on our own soil.

Additionally, classes need to teach Black history outside of the U.S., exploring how these influences have shaped our current perspective and understanding.

In order to cultivate a new generation of students with a global perspective, it’s essential for our education system to delve more deeply into the different facets of Black history.

“The more you know of your history, the more liberated you are.”

Nomination of first Black woman to Supreme Court should be celebrated NOT DEPRECATED

Illustration by Sarah Brady

Illustration by Sarah Brady

Mascots go to lectures too by Rena Bridge

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TYPEFACES

All of the typefaces used in this issue were created by Black typographers. The typefaces are Freight and Birra designed by Darden Studio and Martin by Vocal Type Co.

Confidence Vanished by Anthony Duong

Early Morning Fire Alarm by Shannon Fritz

MAKE MINE A TRIPLE

MAKE MINE A TRIPLE Pam Amick Klawitter

By Pam Amick Klawitter

ACROSS Willing partner Dapper dudes Break-even transaction Eye Is on the Sparrow”: hymn Easily played Hilarious sort Thelma, to Louise, vice versa Mae: Whoopi’s “Ghost” role *Game piece with “6” on it on an Rx Baskin-Robbins treats 27-member gp. Good way to plan GPS command Toon maker of a female road runner costume Garland’s girl sizes, initially Curtain holder Pool hustler found in a fizz __-Dazs many a bow Selfish pair? Take advantage Fluish symptoms Lends a hand some road repairs to the pot Yard opening Skin soother Name above “The Lady and Her Music” on a 1981 Broadway poster Kikkoman sauces One of two field borders Where it’s at will if you will” Neither partner

Sudoku Sudoku

City on the Orne

“Taxi Driver” director 85 Tony Soprano’s “Got it?” 86 Really nails 87 Marked down 88 Trickeries 89 “Don’t think so” 91 Aries mo. 93 Put down 94 Grammy winner Morissette 97 Offspring 100 Word with panel or system 103 Overhaul 104 Bring on board 105 Maracaibo, por ejemplo 106 Munch Museum city 109 Fashionable Taylor 110 Caesar’s 601 111 Tussaud’s medium 112 School yr. division

Like clams on the half shell 74 Bert in Oz 76 “I didn’t __ be here” 78 Informed, with “in” 79 Ref. that added “chapstick” in 2021 81 Base bars 83 City on the Orne 84 “Taxi Driver” director 85 Tony Soprano’s “Got it?” 86 Really nails 87 Marked down 88 Trickeries 89 “Don’t think so” 91 Aries mo. 93 Put down 94 Grammy winner Morissette 97 Offspring 100 Word with panel or system 103 Overhaul 104 Bring on board 105 Maracaibo, por ejemplo 106 Munch Museum city 109 Fashionable Taylor 110 Caesar’s 601 111 Tussaud’s medium 112 School yr. division

Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, please visit sudoku.org.uk

Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

By The Mepham Group

MAKE MINE A TRIPLE by Pam Amick Klawitter

Sponsored by OMSA