The Commonwealth Times; September 29, 2021

11 INDICTED IN CONNECTION TO FRESHMAN ADAM OAKES’ DEATH

KATHARINE DEROSA News Editor

ELEVEN PEOPLE WERE indicted on Friday in connection to the death of VCU freshman Adam Oakes, as a result of a seven-monthlong investigation led by the Richmond Police Department, according to RPD spokesperson Tracy Walker.

Out of the eight people arrested, seven were taken into custody by VCU Police and one by Virginia State Police. The other three individuals turned themselves in on Monday, according to Walker. After a Sept. 27 hearing, seven more were released on bond, according to an article by CBS 6 Richmond.

The Oakes family released an emailed statement on Friday with a list of seven things that can be learned from Adam’s death and the recent arrests. The list includes stopping hazing, “being brave” by standing up for others, calling emergency services and “hug your loved ones and let them know you care.”

“Time is precious,” the Oakes family stated. “We would give anything to hug Adam one more time, see the smile on face, or hear his laugh, but we can’t because of the actions these young men took that evening in February.”

Villanueva, Jason Mulgrew, Christian Rohrbach, Colin Tran, Enayat Sheikhzad, Andrew White, Alexander Bradley and Robert Fritz have been charged with “unlawful hazing of a student.” Corado, Kuby, Tran, White, Bradley and Fritz were additionally charged with “purchase, giving alcohol to a minor.”

Nine out of the 11 people indicted are currently enrolled in the Fall 2021 semester, according to university spokesman Michael Porter. Sheikhzad is a graduate of the university and White is not enrolled in the Fall 2021 semester. Andrew White has no relation to Courtney White, cousin of Oakes.

University public relations could not indicate the disciplinary status of the nine students as of Sept. 28, however, CBS 6 Richmond reported seven have been suspended.

The Oakes family also stated they are grateful for the “relentless effort, diligence, and perseverance” of Major Crimes Detective Michael Gouldman and Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Alison Martin. Gouldman led the investigation of Oakes’ death, according to RPD.

A majority of the individuals: Kuby, McDaniel, Medina-Villanueva, Mulgrew, Rohrbach, Tran, White, Bradley and Fritz will have a court session at 9 a.m. on Oct. 4 in the Richmond City Circuit Court at the John Marshall Courts Building.

Oakes was pronounced dead by Richmond Police on Feb. 27 after he was found dead at a West Clay Street residence the morning after attending a Delta Chi event, the fraternity Oakes pledged. Oakes’ family says a hazing event led to his death.

VCU’s chapter of Delta Chi was suspended the morning after his death and officially expelled from campus on June 3, according to a university statement.

The cause of death was ruled accidental due to ethanol toxicity, a type of alcohol poisoning, according to a May 25 report from the Richmond Medical Examiner.

The seven-month-long investigation was conducted by the RPD in collaboration with VCU Police and the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, according to Walker.

Hazing is considered a class one misdemeanor in Virginia, which is punishable by up to 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine or both.

The international headquarters of Delta Chi released a statement condemning the actions of the former members of the VCU chapter following the arrests that were made on Friday, Sept. 24.

Benjamin

Corado,

Quinn Kuby, Riley McDaniel, Alessandro Medina-

“Our entire family has faith in the judicial system and we appreciate the driving efforts for justice,” the Oakes family stated. “To the young men charged, we hope you learn from your criminal acts and never, ever forget what you and Delta Chi did to our sweet boy, Adam Oakes.”

“No family should ever have to experience what the Oakes family has experienced,” Delta Chi stated. “Delta Chi remains committed to continued cooperation with all law enforcement agencies and efforts.”

Clockwise from left: Benjamin Corado, Robert Fritz, Quinn Kuby, Riley McDaniel, Jason Mulgrew, Christian Rohrbach, Colin Tran, Alessandro Medina-Villanueva and Andrew White. The photos of Alexander Bradley and Enayat Sheikhzad are unavailable. Eleven individuals have been charged with “unlawful hazing of a student,” six were charged with “purchase, giving alcohol to a minor.” Photos courtesy of the Richmond Police Department

Adam Oakes.

Photo courtesy of the Oakes family

Stories of the week

national: President Joe Biden received a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, tells Americans to get vaccinated. international: Two transgender women, Tessa Ganserer and Nyke Slawik, won seats in the German Parliament for the first time in the nation’s history.

City Council declares City of Richmond to be in a state of climate emergency

KATRINA LEE

Contributing

Writer

Richmond has become one of the 2,006 local governments across the world to declare to be in a state of climate emergency, according to the Climate Emergency Declaration and Mobilisation website.

On Sept. 13, Richmond City Council members voted to pass a resolution declaring the “existence of a climate and ecological emergency that threatens the city of Richmond, the surrounding region, the Commonwealth of Virginia, civilization, humanity, and the natural world.”

Barry O’Keefe, a Richmond climate activist, stated in an email that he has been advocating for this declaration since 2019 through awareness, protests and petitions. A week before the vote, O’Keefe, other climate activists and City Council members gathered for a Climate Emergency Rally on the steps of Richmond City Hall to advocate for this resolution.

“With Richmond now regularly breaking annual rainfall and temperature records, Richmonders are already feeling the direct impacts of the accelerating climate emergency,” O’Keefe stated in a press release.

Sheri Shannon is the co-founder of Southside ReLeaf, a local nonprofit which works to address environmental and climate justice issues in South Richmond.

“Our communities cannot afford inaction from its leaders as our health, livelihood and life expectancy are on the line,” stated Shannon in O’Keefe’s press release. “Right now, Southside residents bear the brunt of decades of disinvestment and harmful policies that has left generations of Richmonders displaced, under-resourced and marginalized.”

The resolution was originally introduced on July 27 by Richmond’s 2nd District City Councilwoman Katherine Jordan. She stated in an email that the climate crisis was one of the primary reasons she ran for office.

“The resolution expresses our unified commitment on council to being an environmental leader in the region, and when realized through the required follow-up legislation (resolutions are non-binding) it will help protect our businesses and residents from the worsening effects of climate change,” Jordan stated in an email.

Climate change continues to increase the intensity and number of national disasters, including massive wildfires, doughts, hurricanes and floods, according to the United Nations. Global temperatures are expected to rise by up to 3.2 Celsius by 2100 as well.

Climate change is “a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional and global climates,” according to NASA.

Associate professor Scott Neubauer, who teaches in the biology department, said this climate emergency reflects both “foreseeable, imminent” risk that the city of Richmond is facing as well as a sense of urgency to deal with the climate crisis.

“If we look at the data, we can see things are beginning to change,” Neubauer said. “Every year since 2016, we have been experiencing the highest temperatures that humans have ever recorded on the planet.”

Director of Sustainability at the VCU Office of Sustainability Ann Kildahl said it was “good” to see the city council make this declaration and that VCU is

moving in the same direction to limit the university’s impact on the Earth.

“I think the effect on VCU will be to reinforce our commitment to addressing climate and broader sustainability challenges in the months and years ahead,” Kildahl said.

steps” to enact policy that decreases the city’s impact on the environment, stated O’Keefe.

“The City must reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 45 percent from 2010 levels by no later than 2030, and reach net zero by 2050, in order to stabilize a 1.5° C (2.4° F) temperature increase to have a chance at avoiding profound and disastrous impacts on the city’s local climate, ecosystem, and communities,” according to the resolution.

Some policy commitments made by the resolution include to electrify the city’s vehicles, to increase funding to the city’s Urban Forestry work and to adjust the Office of Sustainability so that it has more power to enact its recommendations, according to O’Keefe’s press release.

The resolution also addresses how climate change has been and will continue to “disproportionately impact Black neighborhoods in South and East Richmond,” which contributes to the reasoning of declaring a state of climate emergency.

2020 was the second-warmest year recorded, right behind the 2016 temperature record. 2020 was 1.84 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the baseline 1951-1980 mean, according to NASA.

Due to the passing of this resolution, Richmond can now begin taking “meaningful

The resolution also commits to create a new Office of Sustainability for the city to “oversee a community-wide mobilization effort to be implemented by all departments and agencies of the City, and provide for the powers and resources necessary to coordinate the City’s climate and environmental programs.”

O’Keefe explained how his children are one of the driving forces for his advocacy and push toward this declaration.

“I have two children, ages one and four. God willing they will live into the 2090s and beyond, and stand to suffer greatly at the hands of our generation’s ignorance and cowardice,” O’Keefe stated in an email. “We have no right to remain inactive with so much precious life at stake.”

Illustration by Seulgi Smith

I have two children, ages one and four. God willing they will live into the 2090s and beyond, and stand to suffer greatly at the hands of our generation’s ignorance and cowardice.”

Barry O’Keefe, climate activist

City Hall is located in downtown Richmond, where City Council members recently voted to declare Richmond in a state of climate emergency.

Photo by Alessandro Latour

DAVINA EFETIE Contributing Writer

VCU HEALTH ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF the Office of Health Equity on Sept. 14, which will be housed in the VCU School of Medicine on MCV campus.

Sheryl Garland, chief of impact health at VCU Health and the appointed executive director of the new office, said that she worked very closely with members of her team to “identify ways to integrate the principles of health equity into the core missions of the university and health system.”

She said she worked closely with current Senior Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the School of Medicine Kevin Harris, who holds a doctorate in public policy and administration.

“We took our time to really try and understand and get the right people around the table to come up with ideas that we thought could make a difference,” Garland said.

Garland also said that it took her and her team members about a year of planning. She wanted to ensure that her team members all spoke the same language and understood what the core issues were from both a university, health system and community perspective.

“As a hub, we connect the talent and expertise that exists at the university and the health system with that of community organizations to develop and build partnerships focused on addressing health inequities and disparities. We hope our work will substantially reduce the negative impact of defined social determinants of health,” according to its website.

Anika Hines, assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Policy, said that health equity means that every person has equal opportunity

VCU launches Office of Health Equity to

address health, racial disparities

to obtain their highest level of health. Hines also holds a doctorate in health and public policy.

These opportunities not only include having the privilege to visit the doctor but opportunities associated with “structural barriers,” according to Hines. Examples of structural barriers include people not having access to healthy food, exercise and obtaining an education that could position themselves to earn money and live a healthy, desirable life.

Hines said that race has become one of the most prominent structural barriers in health disparities because certain groups of the population aren’t adversely stressed disproportionately to the point where it affects their health.

“African Americans were slaves and that initial saying of being property and not humans has trickled down through the ways we

have been treated over centuries,” Hines said. Hines said public policies that were set in place unequally treated minorities, such as the practice of red-lining, in which mortgage renters only allowed Black people to buy homes in certain communities.

“When you think about pollution or source pollutants, Black communities and other minorities are more likely to be sat next to those,” Hines said.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an increase in health disparities as it adversely exposed groups of a population that had already been marginalized to being further marginalized, according to Hines.

“During the pandemic, disparities persisted as people of color had higher rates of infection, hospitalizations and deaths and largely that’s because of their social exposures that were in jeopardy, such as shelter,” Hines said.

VCU Health takes COVID-19 research on the road with mobile-RV laboratories

LINDSEY WEST

Contributing Writer

VCU Health recently joined the National Institutes of Health in researching COVID-19 in children ages 0-25 and their biological families, as children are increasingly experiencing long-term symptoms postCOVID-19, according to Assistant Dean of Research, Scholarship and Innovation at the VCU School of Nursing Patricia Kinser.

Children ages 0-19 are accounting for 35.8% of new COVID-19 cases in the Richmond area in the last four weeks, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

“Compared to this time last year, the infection rates in children, it’s astronomically higher,” Kinser said.

Children ages 12 to 15 are eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech

COVID-19 vaccine, according to the VDH. Children 11 and under are currently ineligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, which has resulted in a recent spike of cases, Long said. Vaccinations for children 11 and under will become available in descending age groups, starting with children ages 9-11.

The Pfizer vaccine is looking to submit data for vaccine eligibility in children by early October and Moderna is expected to follow suit by early November. Children ages 5-11 will receive 1/3 of the adult Pfizer vaccine dosage and children ages 6 months to 5 years will receive 1/10 of the adult Pfizer vaccine dosage, according to the VDH.

Long-term effects of COVID-19 in children include fatigue, “brain fog,” difficulty concentrating and mental health symptoms, Kinser said. The NIH recently allocated $417 million in studying longterm COVID-19 effects and recruited

VCU Health to join the Life-Course Examination of General Affect and Neurocognitive Changes Following COVID-19 Infection (LEGACI) program.

“The reason we’re doing this study is to understand why some people who got COVID-19 are still sick many months after being infected, how this affects the body,” Kinser said. “We want to understand the myriad of symptoms and long-term outcomes that children and family are experiencing whether or not they had an infection.”

Partnered with Brown University, New York University, and Northeastern

University, the LEGACI project is analyzing “prolonged cardiac symptoms, respiratory symptoms, altered smell and taste, etc.,” according to Kinser.

VCU Health will be taking data collection devices directly to the patients and test subjects by constructing mobile laboratories, according to Kinser.

Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020 by the World Health Organization, there have been 22,544 reported cases in Richmond, among which Black people make up 52.2%, Hispanics or Latinos 13.2% and white people 28.9%, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

Nearly 70% of the COVID-19 deaths in Richmond have been among the Black and Latino communities while 28.9% of deaths were among white people. Throughout the pandemic, Black and Latino communities hospitalized with COVID-19 are more than five times the rate of white residents, according to the VDH.

“We should be encouraged if we think of health inequity as something that resulted from flaws in a system we created, rather than something that stems from the inferiority of a particular population,” Hines said.

The Office of Health Equity has collaborated with VCU Libraries, along with other departments, including the department of African American studies and the Humanities Research Center to curate programs such as the History and Health: Racial Equity series to combat racial inequalities in health which are offered to community members, students and staff members.

The office has also partnered with other aspects of VCU such as the Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success, according to Garland.

Health equity is a matter of social justice and serious evaluation of the public policies that have manifested as health disparities over the centuries would help to combat the injustice, according to Hines.

“If we take deliberate action to support and provide resources to communities that have been systematically under-resourced and locked out of opportunities, then we can help move towards equity,” Hines said.

Ages 70+

Ages 0-9

Ages 10-19

Ages 50-69

“So essentially we’re retrofitting small RVs and putting all of our equipment into those RVs: mobile MRI machine, EEG, EKG, blood drawing station, everything so that we can actually take these to where families are instead of depending upon families to come into an academic health system, which can be sometimes overwhelming to families in the first place,” Kinser said.

Ages 30-49

Ages 20-29

Black populations have the highest rate of cases, hospitalizations and death in Richmond, according to the VDH.

“So, families of color, for example, are disproportionately affected by COVID and also tend to not be able to participate in research studies for a variety of reasons,” Kinser said. “So, this whole concept of being able to bring the research to those communities or bring the lab to those communities, we’re trying to cut down on barriers for these families to participate.

VCU Health is continuously looking for participants ages 0-25 who both have had COVID-19 and have not had it.

Public Information Officer for Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Cat Long has been collecting COVID-19 data weekly since the start of the pandemic.

“Most of our cases, zero to nine year olds, particularly, of the age range of our residents in Richmond and Henrico are experiencing more cases than the total cases they have previously,” Long said.

Virginia is expecting a COVID-19 vaccine for children to soon be approved, Long said.

“The upcoming possibility that vaccines will be approved at five to 11-year-olds will be a big protective factor,” Long said.

VCU Health buildings are located on the MCV campus in downtown Richmond. Photo by Alessandro Latour

Illustration by Lauren Johnson

Source: Virginia Department of Health Infographic by Jayce Nguyen

Emancipation and Freedom Monument unveiled at Brown’s Island

EMMA CARLSON

Contributing Writer

THE NEW EMANCIPATION and Freedom Monument was unveiled on Brown’s Island by the Virginia Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission on Sept. 22, according to the commission’s website.

The 12-foot bronze monument was designed by Thomas Jay Warren and depicts a man breaking free from shackles and a woman holding a child, symbolizing freedom from slavery.

Gov. Ralph Northam, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan were in attendance at the unveiling ceremony, according to the MLK Memorial Commission website.

“We talk often about the need to make sure that we tell and teach the full and true story of our shared history,” Northam said at the unveiling ceremony. “How we must ensure that everyone understands where we have been so we can build a more inclusive future together.”

At the base of the monument are the names and biographies of 10 African Americans from Virginia who aided in the emancipation and freedom movements prior to 1865 and up through 1970, according to the MLK Memorial Commission website.

Warren’s designs for the statues were solidified in 2014, and the statues began the assembly process in 2020, according to the MLK Memorial Commission website.

“Dedicated to the contributions of African American Virginians in the centuries-long fight for emancipation and freedom, the monument highlights notable African American Virginians who have made significant contributions to the emancipation and freedom of formerly enslaved persons or descendants,” the MLK Memorial Commission website stated.

The new monument on Brown’s Island comes exactly two weeks after the Robert E. Lee statue was removed from Marcus-David Peters Circle on Monument Avenue on Sept. 8. McClellan serves as the chair of the MLK Memorial Commission.

“This monument captures the triumph of emancipation and the hope of freedom emerging from the tragedy and trauma of slavery,” McClellan stated in an email. “I hope that every Virginian who looks upon the figures will feel their nobility, pain, and

hope, and will be inspired to keep moving forward for freedom and equality.”

The MLK Memorial Commission chose the names at the base of the monument based on public feedback, from which 10 finalists were chosen. Among the names are Nat Turner, Lucy Simms and Dred Scott, according to the commission’s website.

Turner led the first successful slave revolt in Virginia in 1831, and Simms served as an educator at a segregated school in Harrisonburg, Virginia, until her death, according to the website.

Scott was the defendant in the landmark Supreme Court case, Dred Scott v. Sandford, which led to the infamous decision that individuals of African descent were not considered United States citizens, according to the MLK Memorial Commission website.

“Richmond and Virginia have come a long way,” Stoney said at the ceremony. “And while there is still much work left to do, we are moving in the right direction.”

More information on the monument and all the individuals commemorated can be found on the MLK Memorial Commission website.

The 12-foot bronze Emancipation and Freedom statue was unveiled on Sept. 22 on Brown’s Island in Richmond. The statue depicts a man breaking free from shackles and a woman holding a child. Photo by Megan Lee

Stat of the week

5 VCU men’s basketball games to look forward to this season

ARRICK WILSON

Contributing Writer

BASKETBALL SEASON IS gearing up, which means a fresh schedule has been announced. The VCU community is close to being in that familiar atmosphere again, with energetic fans and lively music from the VCU Pep Band. This year brings a new and exciting season for the men’s basketball team, as it is another tough but thrilling schedule for the Rams. For fans of VCU men’s basketball, here’s a list of games to look forward to this season, with a mix of nonconference and rivalry matches.

VCU AT ODU: DEC. 11 (TBA) 1

The rivalry between the Monarchs and Rams still stands to this day. The Rams will face the Monarchs for the 97th time. The Rams lead the rivalry all-time at 52-44. Last season, the black and gold defeated the Monarchs 77-54 for the second time in a row. The game will be held in ODU’s Chartway Arena at the Ted Constant Convocation Center for the first time in two years. In the last ten matchups, the Rams have ruled the rivalry, 8-2.

ATLANTIC 10 — VCU VS. ST. BONAVENTURE: MAR. 1 (TBA) 2

VCU will face A-10 champion St. Bonaventure two times over the course of the season.

The Bonnies will be returning with the majority of last season’s players, including Osun Osunniyi, who was named A-10 Defensive Player of the Year. The Rams defeated the Bonnies only once in the three times they played, falling to the opposing team in the A-10 championship. This season, the Rams will try to avenge their losses from last year.

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE OPENER — VCU VS. GEORGE MASON: DEC. 30 (TBA) 3

This game will open Atlantic 10 conference play for the Rams. Last season, the Patriots and the Rams split the season series, both accumulating a win against each other. The Rams defeated the Patriots 66-61 in January, then lost 79-76 in an overtime thriller in February.

ATLANTIC 10 — VCU AT RICHMOND: JAN 29 (TBA) 4

The Rams will face the Spiders in the annual Capital City Classic. The Rams lead the classic all-time, 55-31. The men’s basketball team will look to continue their dominance over it’s local rival. Spider fans should be excited to watch graduate students and A-10 honor players, Grant Golden and Jacob Gi lyard, come back and start for the Spiders for another season — their fourth as start ers. Both A-10 honor players are four-year starters for the Spiders. Golden used his last year of eligibility and Gilyard became a graduate student.

BAD BOY MOWERS BATTLE

4 ATLANTIS — VCU VS. SYR ACUSE: NOV. 24 AT 5 5

The Rams will partake in an ear ly-season tournament versus some of the top ten teams in Division I basket ball. Last season, the Rams captured third place in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic. The Rams could possibly face the reigning NCAA champions, Baylor, if they defeat the Syracuse Orange in the first round of the tournament. This is a game for transfer students and newcomers like Marcus Tsohonis to show us what they’ll bring this season.

This season will be interesting as the black and gold will play in front of 7,500 rowdy spectators in the Stuart C. Siegel Center for the first time in over a year. This season, the Rams will try to bring their 10th all-time conference tournament championship win, and the team will try to gain their second A-10 championship win since their first in 2015. There is much to expect from the Rams this season.

VCU men's soccer senior defender Zeron Sewell was named Atlantic 10 Co-Defensive Player of the Week.

From left to right: Sophomore forward Jamir Watkins, senior forward Vince Williams Jr., sophomore forward Mikeal Brown-Jones and junior forward Hason Ward.

Photo by Megan Lee

VCU men’s basketball huddles together during a game earlier this year. Photo by Megan Lee

Photo illustration by Bailey Wood

THERE IS NO ‘PERFECT BODY,’ not even in sports

TAGWA SHAMMET Opinions Editor

This story discusses body dysmorphia and eating disorders. It may be triggering for some readers.

THROUGHOUT HUMANITY, OUR SOCIETY has struggled to define what the perfect body is — curvy, muscular, skinny, fat. All of these words present an extremely toxic environment within the conversation surrounding an individual’s body.

The concept of the perfect body has created a consistently harmful view of oneself. Many people of all ages, genders, etc. struggle with their body image. Between disordered eating and body dysmorphia, the perception of one’s body has provided major insecurities to many.

There is a large misconception that athletes are excused from these insecurities. That could not be further from the truth.

Think about it: athletes’ entire careers are contingent on their bodies. A gymnast must be light on her feet. A defensive football player must be strong. A sprinter must be fast. All of these requirements can affect an athlete’s body and their image.

As a society, we’ve begun to move away from encouraging toxic body images, instead focusing on body positivity. However, this evolution seems nonexistent in the sports world. Coaches and staff continue to push athletes into unrealistic body goals that are unhealthy.

It isn’t just eating habits that come into play due to these body image issues. Athletes have a desire to strengthen their bodies — some don’t care about the cost. Athletes have even undergone surgery to help their bodies keep up with their sports.

Former Olympian Kristen Maloney shared her story with ESPN, retelling the horror stories of the eight surgeries she underwent when she was a gymnast to help fix her foot. Nearly 20 years later, Maloney is still suffering with the aftermath of her operations, the worst being her regret.

Maloney did not undergo her surgeries for cosmetic reasons, however her surgery just goes to show how much work an athlete puts into maintaining their body. Maloney changing her body can have a direct effect on how she views her body.

Athletes can develop serious body dysmorphia simply because their body has been changed, which can encourage other unhealthy habits.

Earlier this year, the University of Michigan sought to understand disordered eating in athletes. Their research found a massive correlation between disordered eating in female athletes and the power dynamic found within their coaching staffs.

The research focused mostly on NCAA Division I female runners. I found this to be such a sufficient test group.

In high school, I was on the track and field team as a discus and shot put thrower. I witnessed the gruesome training the track runners had to endure.

They were constantly conditioning themselves to be light on their feet and run faster. However, many of them had extremely concerning relationships with food. Instead of replenishing their bodies with food before and after a practice, they stayed away from food to enhance their speed.

eating among female runners is twice as high as non-athlete peers.”

The fundamental issue within this dilemma is the perpetuation of these toxic body images by coaching staff. A coach is meant to be someone who has your best interest at heart, someone who encourages your success. They are supposed to be a mentor to athletes all over.

However, when a coach encourages body image ideals within their teams, they can directly harm these athletes and their self image. If a person were to call a stranger in the street fat, there would be uproar. How come we don’t reciprocate that outrage when it comes to athletes?

GAME RESULTS

SEPTEMBER 23

WOMEN’S SOCCER - AT ST. BONAVENTURE

WIN 1-0

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER 24

GOLF

Sept. 24-25

18TH OF 18

WILLIAM H. TUCKER INTERCOLLEGIATE (ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.)

MEN’S TENNIS

Sept. 24-25

OVERALL 0-3

ELON INVITATIONAL (ELON, N.C.)

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Sept. 24-26

OVERALL 10-4

JTCC BEDFORD CUP (WASHINGTON, D.C.)

FIELD HOCKEY - VS. SAINT

JOSEPH’S LOSS 3-1

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

VOLLEYBALL - VS. FORDHAM WIN 3-0

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER 25

MEN’S SOCCER - VS. DAYTON

WIN 2-0

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

VOLLEYBALL - VS. RHODE ISLAND

WIN 3-0

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER 26

FIELD HOCKEY - VS. LA SALLE WIN 2-0

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

WOMEN’S SOCCER - AT GEORGE MASON WIN 4-1

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

VOLLEYBALL - VS. SAINT LOUIS LOSS 3-2

ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER 28

MEN’S SOCCER - AT VIRGINIA LOSS 3-1

This is a normality in many teams across the world. In fact, the University of Michigan noted, “The prevalence of disordered

I understand that athletes have certain weight and body goals that they must upkeep. However, I will never be supportive of the bullying athletes endure. They are still human beings. Sure, they may be more physically gifted than the rest, but they work extremely hard to attain their goals. One of those goals should not be reaching an absurdly “perfect” body.

When a coach encourages body image ideals within their teams, they can directly harm these athletes and their self image.”

Tagwa Shammet, Opinions Editor

Illustration by Lauren Johnson

On this day

VCU fashion alumna recognized nationally, expands fashion presence

SAHARA SRIRAMAN Spectrum Editor

METAL CHAIN BREASTPLATES

that reflect the sunlight, blush-colored velvet suits and leather mini handbags are just some of the pieces featured in VCU alumna Kylie Rose Carroll’s clothing collection, Divine Proportions.

Rose’s collection was chosen to be part of the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Fashion Future Graduate Showcase 2021, and launched on the CFDA’s Runway 360 website on Sept. 7 for New York Fashion Week. The program itself is meant to highlight the talent of 2020 fashion graduates and honor the difficulty they faced in school during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to its website.

Rose, who is a current fashion student working to get her Master of Fine Arts in the Parsons Paris fashion design and the arts program, said she was nominated for the award by one of her fashion professors.

“They were seeking nominations of graduates who the faculty members felt were the up-and-coming names and brains of fashion, with an emphasis on things like having a greater purpose as a designer,” Rose said.

She said the clothing collection, Divine Proportions, is focused on how societal standards of beauty for women can be harmful, especially because women are often told they need to look a certain way that forces them to fit into society’s standards of beauty. A lot of the inspiration for this project came from Rose’s journey with

learning how to love and appreciate her own body, according to the artist.

“I deeply relate to the societal pressures to, like, watch your appearance and watch your weight and have your hair and makeup done,” Rose said. “Things I think can have really negative and harmful effects on women and have had really negative and harmful effects on me.”

She said that although she was inspired by her own femininity, her clothing and accessories can be worn by anyone, regardless of their gender.

“It exists beyond an experience that someone who identifies as a woman might have,” Rose said about her clothing line. “I think everyone experiences this in different ways and it’s very universal.”

She said she wanted this project, along with most of her work, to challenge society’s disapproval when it comes to talking about body image issues.

“It’s about challenging the way things function, the way you think about things, what you are told you should be expected to be or how you think you are expected to act,” Rose said.

She said that she tried to savor and feel proud when

her pieces launched on Runway 360’s site on Sept. 7, even though she is currently in school. She felt even more of an honor to be recognized on the site when she saw other designers she was a fan of on there as well.

“It’s pretty amazing and it’s an amazing opportunity,” Rose said.

She said VCU taught her to get the most out of all her experiences, even if they are limited. Rose also said she believes that you can only get what you want if you put the effort in.

“I got everything I could out of my experience at VCU and that was because I took a lot of initiative on my own, the professors were always there to help you,” Rose said. “I was really able to design my own experience at VCU and get the most out of it as possible.”

Hawa Stwodah, an assistant professor of fashion design, said she first worked with Rose when she was a sophomore, preparing her design package for the International Fur Federation’s ReMix Student Fur Design Competition, which Stwodah oversaw.

“It was great seeing her develop as a designer

because she really wanted to master her craft,” Stwodah said.

After Stwodah worked with Rose when she was applying for fashion scholarships, she was her professor during Rose’s last years at VCU. Stwodah also mentored Rose when she was in the process of applying to be a finalist for the CFDA award.

“She’s a forward thinker, she is going to change the structure of the industry,” Stwodah said. “That is something we’re always trying to push in our students; make a change, make it better, do something new.”

Kimberly Guthrie, associate chair of the VCUarts fashion design and merchandising department, said that Rose was “extremely resourceful,” always going above and beyond with her work.

“She knew what she needed to do to get the project done but was always curious and wondered about what work could she do or in what way could she think to make that project elevated,” Guthrie said.

Guthrie said that she is proud of Rose for having her pieces displayed on Runway 360 and is glad that Rose and her work are getting the recognition they deserve.

She said Rose’s work isn’t mainstream, but will have major effects on the industry, such as challenging fashion norms and pushing for the restructuring of aspects of the industry, including inclusivity and sustainability.

“It might seem like a small representation, but its ripple effects are bigger and I think she will inspire all of the students behind her,” Guthrie said.

In 1988, the space shuttle Discovery left the Kennedy Space Center to release a satellite into orbit.

She’s a forward thinker, she is going to change the structure of the industry”

Hawa Stwodah, assistant professor of fashion design

1: Model Michelle Owusu wears pieces from Kylie Rose Carroll’s clothing collection, including the twotone leather coat dress and the leather breastplate. Photo courtesy of Elissa Rumford

2: Model Shelby Davies wears a beaded leather harness top, beaded breastplate bustier and drawstring slip dress. Photo courtesy of Elissa Rumford

From left: Amani Synclare, Michelle Owusu, Shelby Davies and Rubén Pagán-Ramos. Models wearing various pieces from Kylie Rose Carroll’s clothing collection, Divine Proportions, which was chosen to be part of the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Fashion Future Graduate Showcase 2021. Photo courtesy of Elissa Rumford

HADIA MOOSVI

Contributing Writer

A TV RESTS ON THE WALL OF a dark, black room as the proverb, “Home is where one buries their umbilical cord,” fades in on the screen. A person is seen cutting a bamboo tree from the ground that is tied to their body by what resembles a bloodstained rope.

Surrounding the TV are elements from the video — dimly lit bamboo trees in the corners of the room, a bloodstained rope meant to resemble an umbilical cord, a small tree in a glass display case and a wood crafted axe that sits beside the glass box.

Hien Nguyen, a VCUarts senior studying sculpture, created two forms of visual work for her exhibition titled “In the Theme of Home,” which tells the story of displacement and losing a sense of home through the lens of an immigrant.

‘In the Theme of Home’ tells the story of displacement through the immigrant lens

The exhibition is being showcased at The Anderson, an on-campus VCUarts gallery, until Oct. 2. It includes both a performance video, “Somewhere the Driftwood Will Land” and an installation, “Up-Rooting.”

Nguyen was born and raised in Saigon, Vietnam, and said the concept of the installation is centered around her personal experience after moving to America at the age of 17, where she grappled with the question “what is home?”

“At one point I realized my parents’ house is their home but not my home, and Vietnam is no longer my home. I’ve been so far from it,” Nguyen said. “Here, I can try to fit in, but in the back of my mind I am an immigrant and I’m a person of color. I was being challenged like, ‘Okay so, what is home?’”

Nguyen said her first time thinking of the concept was during her sophomore year when she visited her parents’ home in the suburbs of Virginia. There, she passed by a bush of bamboo trees that reminded her of Vietnam, which inspired her to use them in the exhibition.

“It’s a metaphor for my motherland country,” Nguyen said. “The image of the bamboo tree had appeared in a lot of Vietnamese art and literature for a thousand years. We use bamboo to build houses and contain fruit.”

Alongside using bamboo as a metaphor for her homeland, Nguyen said she used a rope which resembles an umbilical cord to show the Southeast Asian ritual of umbilical cord burial. The performance video also shows the cord being cut and regrown, which she said is a metaphor for the trauma involved when moving away from a home country.

“I think it’s very clean and well put together as an installation. I felt like all my senses were engaged when I walked in,” said Aida Lizalde, an exhibit attendee and VCU graduate student. “So there’s a lot of technical skills that went into the pieces.”

Nguyen then tied all the elements into the proverb she used for the performance video, “Home is where one buries their umbilical cord.”

“Every time I turned to my parents’ house, I’d see the bamboo and the proverb kept spiraling in my brain,” Nguyen said.

I think it’s very clean and well put together as an installation. I felt like all my senses were engaged when I walked in. So there’s a lot of technical skills that went into the pieces.”

While the exhibit was independent from her classwork, Nguyen said her experience at VCU helped in creating her work and establishing the overall concept of her

exhibition the past three years. Nguyen submitted her work for consideration to The Anderson in the summer of 2021 before it was approved by the gallery.

She said certain pieces in the exhibit, including the axe and the performance video, were assignments from her previous classes at VCU.

Nguyen said her craft professor, Vivian Chiu, and sculpture professor, Kendall Buster, played a role in helping her as an artist. With their help, she was able to get experience in using certain materials, such as plexiglass, to perfect the work in her exhibition.

Buster said it is critical that Nguyen’s work is being showcased at The Anderson, so her experience can be heard.

“The Anderson gallery gave a student who is definitely stellar in terms of their output, productivity, seriousness; gave them this opportunity to have an exhibition of this kind,” Buster said. “It talks about this idea of being uprooted. But imagine talking about being uprooted through the metaphor of a bamboo tree that has been ripped off. I think it speaks so eloquently.”

Lizalde said Nguyen’s work in the exhibit impacted her as a multimedia artist and graduate student herself.

“It challenges me to make sure my work is up to standard,” Lizalde said. “It’s exciting to see that undergraduate students are actually getting enough space and a platform to put their work out there.”

Nguyen said she hopes her work can make anyone going through the same experiences, including VCU students and the overall Richmond community, to feel as if they are not alone in feeling displaced.

“I was hoping seeing my work would give the people who are a lot like me — in a situation where they’re having an existential crisis — that comfort of knowing like, ‘Okay, I’m not the only one feeling like something’s messed up,’” Nguyen said.

VCU Cabell First Novelist Award granted to ‘Luster’ author Raven Leilani

ZAHRA NDIRANGU

Contributing Writer

New York-based author Raven Leilani was awarded VCU’s Cabell First Novelist Award for her debut novel, “Luster.” The story centers on ideas about race, class, gender and sexuality located amid the backdrop of New York City.

“It was a really really beautiful surprise. Finding out I was up for it was really deeply cool,” Leilani said.

VCU’s Cabell First Novelist Award is granted each year to an author, whether that be from VCU or beyond, who presents excellence in their premiere novel. The award is now in its 20th year and has become a staple in the VCU Master of Fine Arts creative writing program.

The uniqueness of the award stems from the fact that it is almost entirely run by VCU students in the M.F.A. program, according to VCU English professor Thomas Didato.

“The award was built to honor new writers and to offer a chance for M.F.A. candidates to learn more about the publishing process,” stated Cabell First Novelist Award Fellow, Ty Phelps. “It is truly a joint effort between the M.F.A. program, the broader English Department, and the library.”

Leilani’s book centers around the story of a young Black woman, named Edie, as she becomes entangled with an older married man and his family, eventually moving in with them.

“For me the project was to write a story about a Black woman who doesn’t have it all together yet, who’s making mistakes and who, on the page, is allowed the room to make mistakes,” Leilani said.

This desire to tell a story about the need for human connection is what fueled Leilani to write the book in the first place.

“What was exciting to me was beginning to write a story about the complications, the joyful complications, the frustrating complications, of being a Black woman who is doing her best to survive but also seek out intimacy,” Leilani said.

The characters in Leilani’s novel are complex and often morally ambiguous, adding a personal, human touch to the story, according to the author.

“Ms. Leilani explores these topics in a way that feels natural and driven by the humanity of each character,” Phelps stated. “This novel is both timeless and quintessentially modern.”

NPR called the book an “exotic hybrid,” stating that “Leilani writes as if she’s stabbing the keyboard with scalpels made of

class resentment and memories of racism and misogyny.”

In addition to these subjects, Leilani also details central human themes as well, such as romantic desire and being an outsider.

“One of the big themes in ‘Luster’ is desire,” Phelps stated. “And not a static, fixed sort of desire that is so often represented in media, but a messy, ever-shifting type of desire that feels much truer to life, and much harder to render in fiction. This is a desire that is fraught and complicated and illogical and deeply human.”

Leilani’s novel has garnered a great deal of attention in the literature world, with her novel winning awards such as the Kirkus Prize, which highlights exceptional fiction works; the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, which features debut fiction novels; and the John Leonard Prize, which awards a debut novel in any genre.

“The prose, on a sentence-by-sentence level, is gorgeous but real, and doesn’t distract from the story even as it frequently dazzles,” Phelps stated. “The characters are complex, compelling, and dynamic. But most of all, I found myself constantly surprised by this book. It winds up places that are just totally unpredictable, but the twists never feel forced or out of character. The book really fires on all cylinders.”

For Leilani, the acclaim for her first book is more than she could have imagined for herself as a Black novelist.

“More than anything you hope that people will pick it up and read it and approach it with an open mind, but the rest of the real concrete recognition I’ve gotten, including from VCU, has been a dream and has really affirmed me on this journey,” Leilani said.

“And I’m like, ‘why am I thinking about this thing so much?’ It’s like an itch that you’ve got to scratch or make work for.”

A piece from Hien Nguyen’s “In the Theme of Home” accompanies her installation “Up-Rooting” and performance video “Somewhere the Driftwood Will Land.” Photo by Megan Lee

Raven Leilani was awarded VCU’s Cabell First Novelist Award for her debut novel, “Luster.” Photo courtesy of Nina Subin

Aida Lizalde, exhibit attendee and VCU graduate student

New exhibit uses natural elements to highlight pain, experiences of enslaved people

SAHARA SRIRAMAN Spectrum Editor

A25-MINUTE VIDEO DISPLAYED ON A projector shows close-up images of soil and dirt while playing sounds of singing, crying and wind blowing — setting the tone for Dineo Seshee Bopape’s exhibit, titled “Ile aye, moya, là, ndokh...harmonic conversations...mm.”

Bopape’s exhibit opened at the Institute for Contemporary Art on Sept. 25 and spotlights the experiences of African Americans who were traded, enslaved and mistreated during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. These themes are represented through different mediums of art such as video, sculpture and animation.

Bopape visited the places where she got the natural materials for the exhibit in order to strengthen the connection between her and the art.

She said that this exhibit highlights the connection between the past and the present, emphasizing that the pain felt by her ancestors deserves to be acknowledged.

“How can we heal the wounds that we have, even people who think that they’re not involved,” Bopape said. “It somehow affects all of us.”

“Ile aye, moya, là, ndokh...harmonic conversations...mm” uses materials made from soil and water that were taken from plantations, ports and trading posts in places where slaves were traded and worked, including Virginia, Louisiana, Senegal, Ghana and South Africa. The exhibition itself is meant to honor enslaved people who fought for their freedom.

The first part of the exhibit’s title translates to “earth, wind, fire and water” in different African dialects. “Ile aye” translates to “earth” in the West African dialect Yoruba; “moya” translates to “wind” in South African dialects Nguni and Sepedi; “là” translates to “fire” in the Ghanaian dialect Ga; and “ndokh” translates to “water” in the Senegalese dialect Wolof.

The exhibit itself, however, is transcendent beyond languages, cultures and dialects, honoring the experiences of those who escaped enslavement and those who did not through the universal form of art as a form of communication, according to Bopape.

Bopape said she wanted to work with soil and water because they’re parts of the earth that always remembers the past, no matter how much time has passed.

Associate Curator at the ICA Amber Esseiva, who also curated the exhibit, said that the work provides an all-encompassing understanding of the world and its history.

“This show really gives you a global picture of how these sites are connected and how these moments are not really isolated,” Esseiva said.

Esseiva said that the natural material, no matter how accessible it might be, always carries a historical significance and it’s up to the artist to utilize it in a way that conveys that significance in a concise and powerful way.

EDITOR'S LIST OF FILMS TO WATCH

“This is Paris” (2020)

Paris Hilton, known for her inherited wealth and iconic fashion, is not often taken seriously by the public. However, in this documentary that can be streamed for free on YouTube, she talks about the trauma she experienced as a child, showing a vulnerable side of herself and her life that will insight empathy for the heiress.

Available on YouTube | 63% Rotten Tomatoes

“Cowspirary: The Sustainability Secret” (2014)

This environmental documentary follows an amateur filmmaker as he tries to uncover the destructive nature of factory farming and why this issue is not being addressed. It exposes the negative environmental consequences of this process, prompting viewers to rethink their role as consumers.

Available on Netflix | Unrated on Rotten Tomatoes

“Love Wedding Repeat” (2020)

On the day of his sister’s wedding, Jack, played by Sam Claflin, struggles to keep chaos from ruining the day amidst trying to win over his dream girl, Dina, played by Olivia Munn. In a “Groundhog Day”-esque scenario, multiple versions of the day play out as the wedding faces threats including a crazy ex-boyfriend and a misplaced champagne glass filled with a sedative.

Available on Netflix | 35% Rotten Tomatoes

This

“The texture and the possibilities of what you can do with a material that people kind of look over often, you know, dirt is dirt,” Esseiva said. “Dirt can become paint, it can become video, it can become sculpture; that multifaceted nature of that material feels really important for the show.”

“Always Be My Maybe” (2019)

Amber

The walls of the exhibit are made out of different kinds of clays and soils that originated from multiple parts of the world, appearing in various colors and textures. Handmade sculptures are scattered around the room; some Bopape worked to create out of Virginia bricks from demolished houses.

Bopape said that she was inspired to create an exhibit like this, one that included the physical materials of land that used to be where enslaved people lived along with the historical backgrounds of those places. She believes it’s important for people to visit this exhibit and learn about the history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

“It’s clear that there’s many things to work through,” Bopape said.

She said she also wanted to create an exhibit that honored the scars of those who suffered, including an enslaved man, Gordon, whose photos became famous because they showed the extent to which slaves were beaten and whipped. Also known as “Whipped Peter,” Gordon was a slave who escaped before becoming a symbol of the cruelty shown toward African American slaves at the time.

“The scars on Gordon’s back looked to me like water and made me think about how flesh expands and contracts,” Bopape said. “And what can we do about the pain of the past, the pain that’s still with us.”

Jennifer Schooley, an attendee at the exhibit, said she thought it was amazing that Bopape actually visited the places where she got the materials, making that connection between the artist and the work even stronger.

“She visited these places to have a spiritual connection with the place, the earth, the water and the animals,” Schooley said. “It’s the intersection between the conceptual and the real, turning that thought process into something material.”

Andrew Clarke, another attendee at the exhibit, said that he wants to take in all aspects of the exhibit, overwhelmed with all of the different sights and sounds. He said he’s trying to comprehend that the materials of the art surrounding him are connected to his ancestors.

“This art was made from the soil of my ancestors, it makes me feel connected to African Americans and all the stuff that came before me,” Clarke said.

He said he’s amazed that Bopape was able to utilize the earth’s elements to create an exhibit like this, especially because they are not something he thinks about on a daily basis.

“Like, we walk on soil every day and we never think about it,” Clarke said. “To utilize that as the medium to create art, so we’re all in here looking at it.”

He said the exhibit validates the experiences of his ancestors who suffered, making him feel more connected to the message Bopape is communicating through her art.

“As a Black man living in Richmond, it’s dope to realize the liberties I take for granted today wasn’t available to those before,” Clarke said.

Sasha starts cooking simple meals for herself as a child in San Francisco, falling in love with her best friend Marcus before they tragically drift apart. Fifteen years later, she’s a celebrity chef in Los Angeles, extremely wealthy and successful. When she reconnects with Marcus, who is still trying to get his music career off the ground, they’re both reminded of their pasts and feelings for each other.

Available on Netflix | 90% Rotten Tomatoes

“Someone Great” (2019)

After music journalist Jenny, played by Gina Rodriguez, breaks up with her boyfriend of nine years, she and her two best friends decide to have one last adventure in New York City to distract Jenny before she leaves for her new job in San Francisco. While Jenny reflects on her newly ended relationship, the three enjoy their last night together while evaluating their different futures.

Available on Netflix | 83% Rotten Tomatoes

“Loving” (2016)

Based on an interracial marriage in the 1960s that led to the Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia, this film follows Richard and Mildred Loving as they defend their then-unacceptable relationship. Their story aligns with the current events that were happening throughout the country at that time, including the historic March on Washington.

Available on Netflix | 88% Rotten Tomatoes

Have suggestions for our watchlist? Email spectrum@ commonwealthtimes.org

show really gives you a global picture of how these sites are connected and how these moments are not really isolated ”

Esseiva, Associate Curator at the Institute for Contemporary Art

From left: Institute for Contemporary Art Associate Curator Amber Esseiva and Dineo Seshee Bopape, the artist of “Ile aye, moya, là, ndokh...harmonic conversations...mm,” describing the pieces of artwork as attendees observe different parts of the exhibition.

Photo by Jon Mirador

Artist Dineo Seshee Bopape poses in front of the exhibit’s largest installation, Master Harmonizer, which is a 25-minute video projecting close-up images of soil and dirt while playing sounds of singing, crying and wind blowing.

Photo by Jon Mirador

Quote of the week

Menstrual products are not a privilege;

TAGWA SHAMMET Opinions Editor

I REMEMBER SITTING IN MY MIDDLE school algebra class, feeling as gross and disturbed as ever. I had been feeling nervous and sick all day, but I couldn’t pinpoint a reason. I asked my teacher to use the restroom, running to see what the feeling in my stomach was. I never imagined that I would see a deep red color on my underwear.

I was 12 years old when I got my period. And just like every other girl out there, the first time I ever got it felt like a nightmare. Sure, we had learned about a woman’s menstrual cycle in our health classes; but nothing can truly prepare a girl for that initial fear that comes with seeing blood on your underwear.

When I got home, I told my mother about everything and she congratulated me on being a woman before she handed me a pad. I always found that to be so peculiar — while I was terrified out of my mind due to what felt like the never-ending stream of blood coming out of me, my mother and aunts were celebrating my womanhood.

What I hadn’t realized was that womanhood was going to be extremely expensive. For too long, individuals across the world have dealt with the same enemy: the price of menstrual products.

For the first few years of my life after I got my period, I never had to worry about the price of pads. My dad had always made me feel comfortable enough to ask him

THEY ARE A RIGHT

lives. We do not desire to lose ourselves in the sense of depression, nor do we enjoy enduring the stabbing pain of cramps.

Menstrual hygiene is not a privilege. In fact, the United Nations has defined menstrual hygiene as a human right. Therefore, the lack of access and affordability to menstrual products is a violation of human rights.

Nothing is more anxiety inducing than thinking I bled through my pants during my period. I am constantly looking over my shoulder and asking my friends to check for me. And I’m not the only one, because I do the same for all my friends as well. What makes it worse is if I bleed through my underwear. Now, on top of the actual embarrassment, I have to worry about the financial burden of having to purchase more underwear.

to pick up products for my sisters and I. He never complained about the prices so I never knew how expensive menstrual products truly are.

When I got to college, most of my finances became my own responsibilities. I knew that I’d worry about groceries, transportation, rent and everything else, but I’d never thought of the reality that menstrual products would be a part of that list.

The concept of charging individuals for a natural portion of their bodies and lives seems extremely backward to me. A period is more than just blood. It toys with your emotions, it provides physical pain in cramps, vomiting, migraines; in short, periods are a week of torture for many.

billionaire’s trash is the lower class’ treasure

MONICA ALARCON-NAJARRO

Contributing

Writer

Our society is built on overconsumption in societal trends such as fashion and smartphones, particularly Apple products. Apple has released a new iPhone annually, and due to their high demand, people fall for their gimmicks and end up buying a new phone regardless of whether their current one works or not.

Recently, Apple released the new iPhone 13 lineup which includes minor upgrades in camera quality and longer battery life. For me, it seems like a new iPhone each year is a bit excessive as most of the time the upgrades done are very minimal.

Yet, people seem to be addicted to getting a new model as they value minimal improvement and the status symbol a new iPhone brings. Corporations across the U.S. tend to thrive off of people who buy unnecessary items just for status in society.

For example, Kim Kardashian spent $200,000 on wrapping her Lamborghini Urus for a Skims Instagram PR stunt — which she most likely won’t even use — while some lower income households don’t have the means to even afford a car.

The large sums of money wealthy people waste on unnecessary things such as Kim Kardashian’s PR stunt could have been used to better the world like donating the money towards a philanthropic cause or bring awareness to important issues.

The idea that there are people in this world going hungry, without shelter and suffering when there are plenty of resources is bewildering to me.

I can’t even wrap my head around the net worth of billionaires such as Jeff Bezos, whose net worth is $177 billion. That is completely outrageous for a single person to have. Bezos could easily end world hunger with the money he has or donate it, yet he can’t seem to do either of those things and thrives off of overworking and underpaying his Amazon workers.

With the amount of money these wealthy individuals have, they could solve the U.S. food insecurity crisis. The wealth gap is just adding another layer of inequality between the classes as the rich are wasting valuable resources that could be donated or given to lower-income households.

Sure, they were able to find success through fame and their companies, but there comes a point where the amount of money they can donate won’t break the bank, as they would either make it back or still have enough to live with their assets.

They could be changing lives, yet decide to selfishly focus on their own lives without helping others. I believe wealthy corporations and people should do more in donating their surplus to shelters and help out communities instead of wasting their money either throwing out surplus or buying unnecessary luxury items to boost their own egos.

So, to add on monetary stress on top of that is an exploitation beyond belief. A 50-count pack of Always maxi pads at Kroger is $10.49. For many people, including myself who tend to purchase this exact pack, $10.49 is pretty expensive.

When I used to work as a front desk assistant on VCU’s campus, I used to make $7.50 an hour. That means that in order to buy one box of pads, I had to put in nearly two hours of labor. Even though the minimum wage has increased to $9.50 in Virginia, many people are still using countless hours of labor to purchase menstrual products.

A period is not a choice. We do not wake up and choose to have a week of torture every month of the year for most of our

As expensive as these products are, I am blessed enough to still have the financial means to purchase them. Even if it is with my last few dollars. However, some individuals don’t even have enough money to purchase a box of pads for $10.49. They barely have enough to feed themselves. Staying on top of their menstrual hygiene has been distorted into a privilege rather than a right.

To expect people to give up their last few dollars to pay for something they cannot control is absurd. It is disrespectful and unacceptable. Menstrual hygiene is a right and it should be treated as such. Nobody should have to pay for any menstrual products — and that’s not up for debate.

To put it into perspective, in 2020, about 13.8 million U.S. households were food insecure, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Millions of people went to bed hungry and laid awake wondering where their next meal would come from. Millions of families suffered daily. Millions of parents felt the burden of not being able to feed their children and themselves. Millions of children went to school hungry and came home hungrier.

Meanwhile, Kardashian wasted $200,000 for some likes on Instagram. It is eternally disheartening to see people in the streets of Richmond — barely make it through the day — then turn to Instagram to see the rich flaunt their money.

I am fortunate enough to not have to worry about where my next meal will come from so I cannot begin to imagine the anger and sadness those in poor communities must feel. However, I can completely sympathize with their frustration.

We live in a world that will always prioritize privilege over human rights.

Instead of reallocating our resources to fit the needs of every single person on Earth, we are letting a select few fulfill their wants. It is called the 1% for a reason. Most of us are lucky if we can get by, while some people have a net worth that could single handedly end world hunger.

We need to realize that this constant drive for more is what will hinder us from equality. It is a disease that will eat away at our society until we have no more left. It is insane to think that this time next year, another iPhone will hit the stage. But, this time tomorrow, another person of color will sleep on the streets of Richmond; alone, cold and hungry.

So, whether it be food surplus, excessive iPhone productions or the 1%, wealth inequality will always continue to be a danger to our world.

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”

— BoB Marley

A

Illustration by Lauren Johnson

Illustration by Lauren Johnson

Creative Writing by Jesse Beck

Morning Motivation by Lauren Johnson

Motivation by Loki Bischoff

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