The Commonwealth Times; Aug. 21, 2019 by VCU Student Media Center

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VOL. 61, NO. 1 AUGUST 21, 2019

VCUARTS SUMMER SHAKE-UP

Tapia on leave Lawsuit dropped Brixey resigns Photo by Gessler Santos-Lopez

VCUarts professor accused of racial profiling will not return to teaching this year CHRISTINA AMANO-DOLAN Contributing Writer

CUarts professor Javier Tapia will not be teaching this academic year — but will remain a tenured professor — following a racial profiling investigation and lawsuit he filed against the university. The School of the Arts Dean Shawn Brixey, one of the defendants in the suit filed by Tapia, stepped down at the beginning of the month. Associate Dean Nancy Scott was appointed acting dean until an interim dean is announced. A national search is being conducted, but it remains unclear when the position will be permanently filled. Brixey will remain a tenured faculty member in the School of the Arts and an affiliate faculty member at the College of Engineering, focusing on creative research and other activities. Brixey told the Richmond Times-Dispatch speculation that his resignation is related to Tapia’s lawsuit is “baseless and has nothing to do with the decision.” Tapia, a painting and printmaking professor who has taught at VCU since 1988, called security on

Caitlin Cherry, a black visiting professor sitting in a secured lounge within the Fine Arts Building. Believing his actions were racially motivated, Cherry filed a racial discrimination complaint to university officals the same day. “VCU anticipates that Professor Tapia will resume teaching duties at some point in the future, but that date has not yet been determined,” university spokesman Michael Porter said in an email. Although an internal investigation conducted by VCU exonerated him of any wrongdoing, Tapia was placed on paid administrative leave on Nov. 19 pending further investigation. This prompted Tapia to file a lawsuit against several VCU officials and the university. The suit demanded a lift on his suspension and $1 million in damages. Following a dismissal of the lawsuit by mutual agreement in July, Tapia was removed from eServices, which students use to register for classes. He previously appeared on the site as the professor for two painting and printmaking courses. See VCUARTS on page 1

Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2018

Friday, Dec. 28, 2018

Javier Tapia calls security on Caitlin Cherry. Cherry files a racial discrimination complaint to university officials believing it was racially motivated.

Tapia files a $1 million lawsuit against former VCUarts dean Shawn Brixey, painting and printmaking chair Noah Simblist and university President Michael Rao.

Thursday, Oct. 28, 2018

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Painting and printmaking chair Noah Simblist sends an email to students and faculty notifying them of the incident.

VCUarts students and others conduct a sitin at the provost’s office.

Monday, Oct. 29, 2018 VCU begins investigating Cherry’s complaint.

Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018 VCU concludes its investigation and informs Tapia of its conclusion that his conduct toward Cherry was not based on her race or color.

Monday, Nov. 19, 2018 Tapia is placed on paid administrative leave pending further review.

Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018 Students demand university officials address the incident with Tapia at a forum in the University Student Commons.

Wednesday, May 1, 2019 The VCUarts Student Coalition, then known as the PAPR Student Coalition, organizes a sit-in on the third floor of the Fine Arts Building protesting Tapia’s return.

Thursday, May 9, 2019 A small group of VCUarts students meets with Rao, Brixey and provost Gail Hackett as a result of May 1 sit-in.

Monday, July 15, 2019 All parties in the lawsuit file for the case to be dismissed in federal court.

Monday, Aug. 5, 2019 The university announces Brixey’s resignation. Compiled by Christina Amano-Dolan Infographic by Andrew Caress

NEWS GRC lounge 3

SPORTS Blue Jays pitcher 5

SPECTRUM Art museums 8

OPINIONS Mass shootings 10

2 The Commonwealth Times

Stories of the week

national: Police officers in Phoenix, Arizona, are now required to document when they point a gun at a person. international: Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned Tuesday.

$150k contract renewed for former Gov. Wilder

The contract was renewed during an external sexual harassment investigation HANNAH EASON News Editor Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder’s contract has been renewed after an external investigation found him responsible of kissing a student more than 60 years his junior without her consent. Wilder’s contract was renewed on May 31, three months after the beginning of the sexual harassment investigation, and more than two years after Sydney Black, a former VCU student, says Wilder kissed her in his condo without her consent after a birthday dinner. The contract states Wilder will hold a part-time position as a distinguished professor for the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. The $150,000 contract, which began July 1 and ends June 30, states Wilder cannot teach more than nine hours during the spring semester, nine hours during the fall semester and six hours over the summer. Wilder’s contract does not clearly state what Wilder will teach, but he does not have any courses listed in eServices, an online portal used to register for classes, for fall semester. The document was signed by the L. Douglas Wilder School’s interim dean, Susan Gooden. Political science major Megan Blackwood said that women who step forward in Virginia with sexual assault allegations aren’t taken seriously. “I think it’s a travesty of justice,” Blackwood said, “but if you look at Virginia politics, it’s on par.” The junior said she believed the system should be fair and just, regardless of political party. “To blatantly disregard people who come forward against members of our own party because it makes us uncomfortable,” Blackwood said, “it’s a cop-out.” The investigator hired by VCU, attorney Jody Shipper, found Wilder responsible for non-consensual sexual conduct, and cleared him of sexual exploitation, sex-gender based discrimination and retaliation. Wilder released his response contesting

Wilder will be a part-time professor at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Photo by Gessler Santos-Lopez the investigation’s findings on his personal blog, Wilder Visions, on July 22. “I have stated that the allegations were proven to be untrue and that the ‘truth will out,’” Wilder stated in the post. “I do not accept responsibility for any non-consensual sexual contact and have filed a ‘contesting statement’ outlining the violations, bias and inherent flaws in the investigation.” July 23, Wilder posted his official statement contesting the findings in an attachment to the blog post, stating there were inconsistencies in the evidence referenced in the investigation, as well as Black’s statement. Wilder further states in an attachment to the post that the evidence used in the investigation was “false, lacks credibility and reflects glaring inconsistencies.” “We are pleased the investigation has validated Sydney’s report to VCU about Mr. Wilder’s conduct,” Black’s attorney,

Jason Wolfrey, said in a statement to The Washington Post in July. Elizabeth Gersony, a social work major, said she understood why VCU made the decision to renew Wilder’s contract, but it has its faults. “The investigation was still going, they hadn’t arrived at a conclusion yet,” Gersony said. “At the same time, they didn’t have evidence confirming he was not someone who had participated in sexual harassment behavior.” The freshman said she wished there was less skepticism associated with sexual assault victims. “Although it is feasible for someone to try to use a sexual assault charge to come at a person of power,” Gersony said, “it’s also extremely feasable for someone in a position of power to actively use their role to get away with that kind of thing.”

Emily Anderson, a homeland security and criminal justice major, said by renewing Wilder’s contract, it could cause other sexual assault victims to feel like they’ll be “overlooked.” “It kind of shows that VCU is supporting the mistreatment of students by hired professionals,” Anderson said. “He’s done a lot for the city of Richmond, but knowing about the investigation makes me sad.” Photography major Joe Castellucci said that a suspension of Wilder while the investigation was undergoing would have shown VCU was taking the situation seriously. “I think he should have at least been suspended,” the junior said. “We have too many people in power like that.” VCU spokesperson Michael Porter said in an email that the university could not release the investigative report on the allegations against Wilder due to privacy concerns.

VCUarts

VCUarts prof accused of racial profiling not teaching this year Continued from front page It remains unclear whether the decision to remove Tapia from the courses was a result of the settlement. Shortly afterward, the university announced Aug. 5 that Brixey would be stepping down. As repor ted by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the settlement agreement states that Tapia will spend three semesters on unpaid leave, starting this fall. In spring 2021, he will be on paid research leave for the semester, then placed on educational leave. In fall 2021, Tapia will be assigned a paid semester-long project, where he will develop techniques to potentially incorporate into the School of the Arts and new curriculums for his courses.

The university will pay $98,500 to cover Tapia’s attorney fees. In the months following the initial incident, a string of protests erupted from VCUarts students, including more than 40 students who flooded into the provost’s office in April for a sit-in with a detailed list of five demands: • Mandatory training for current faculty, staff, and new hires that “dismantles white supremacy and other systems of oppression” • The diversity of VCUarts professors reflects the diversity of the student body by 2021 • The creation of a template for inclusive curriculums or syllabi that includes people of color, LGBTQIA, and

non-western perspectives • An additional course evaluation in the middle of the semester • A midterm student climate survey to evaluate a student’s satisfaction with their learning environment On May 1, the VCUarts Student Coalition, previously called the PAPR Student Coalition, organized a sit-in on the third floor of the Fine Arts Building. The coalition is a student organization that has spearheaded several protests following the incident between Tapia and Cherry. “We the students of VCUarts will not tolerate problematic and discriminatory staff and faculty on our campus,” an Instagram post by the coalition stated. “Faculty who failed to facilitate an inclusive

learning environment… outed transgender students, used incorrect pronouns or discriminated based on race/ gender/ sexuality/ nationality/ religion.” On May 9, members of the VCUarts Student Coalition met with VCU President Michael Rao, Brixey, provost Gail Hackett and other officials as a result of the previous sit-in. “It’s about changing the system. How does the system work in favor of the students?” painting and printmaking graduate student Luis Vasquez La Roche said in a phone interview. “My problem is beyond Tapia. My problem is with a majority of the faculty being white straight men and white straight women. How do we have representation for LGBTQA students?”

Wed. August 21, 2019 3

Freshmen temporarily living in GRC lounges

OD numbers drive police to integrate naloxone in medical kits CHIP LAUTERBACH Contributing Writer

HANNAH EASON News Editor As of Sunday, more than a dozen students were living temporarily in Gladding Residence Center lounges while waiting for permanent dorm assignments. Mathis Lotongo, a freshman living in one of the temporary rooms, said he didn’t know he was placed in a lounge until he arrived on campus Saturday. “It wasn’t clear to me that I’d be in a lounge, I thought I’d be in a room,” Lotongo said. Lotongo, who lives on campus without a car, said he was worried about moving his belongings to a different dorm without a vehicle. He also said his mother was upset, and contacted VCU Housing about the situation. Lotongo said he was moved to a permanent room in GRC 3 on Monday. Each floor of GRC has two lounges, one facing Laurel Street and another

Mathis Lotongo says he learned he was placed in a lounge when he arrived to GRC. Photo by Vaila DeYoung facing Pine Street. Pine Street lounges, labeled as the “100 side” of the building, have been made into private dorms by taping paper over the hallway-facing windows. Floors 2 through 12 have one lounge taped off. Some doors have name tags, but it is unclear if the rest house students. GRC, the $96 million dollar freshman residence hall that opened to students in fall 2018, houses up to 1,518 students. The 360,000 square foot building was rebuilt after being torn down in August 2016. VCU accepted about 4,500 first year students for the 2019-2020 academic year, and

there are approximately 6,000 students living on campus, most of whom are freshmen. Cabaniss Residence Hall, a 10-story high-rise dorm on the MCV campus, will not house first year students this year. The dorm built in 1967 previously held freshmen, who primarily depended on the Campus Connector to travel between the MCV and Monroe Park campuses. Starting this semester — as the result of a deal between the university and GRTC that allows students to use public buses for free — the Campus Connector no longer runs between the two campuses.

New degrees fast-track students to tackle teacher shortage HANNAH EASON News Editor Travis Cooper, a special education teacher at St. Joseph’s Villa, said he would’ve majored in special education had it been offered when he attended VCU. Cooper, who graduated in 2018 with a major in history and english, said a focus in teaching could have shortened his time in school, as well as jump-started his career. “Majoring in teaching would be great because you get the experience earlier,” Cooper said. “You get to learn more about the field earlier in your time in college.” Starting this semester, the School of Education will offer five new undergraduate degrees designed to address the teacher shortage affecting classrooms across Virginia. The programs include specializations in early childhood, elementary, secondary, health and physical and special education. These undergraduate degrees give students an option to major in teaching. Previously, students studied a content major, such as science, and then later received their teaching credentials. VCU’s new programs put students on track to enter the profession in four years, instead of the previous five and a half years. “This way, students who come in as freshmen right now and know that they want to be a teacher, are moving into a teaching job a year earlier than they would be with the MT [Master of Teaching] program,” said Joan Rhodes, an associate professor and chair of the department of teaching and learning. Rhodes hopes the shortened time span could attract more students to the field, alleviating the financial challenge of additional years in college. Teaching and learning professor Lisa Cipolletti said the programs were crafted to take students off campus — and into their future classrooms — sooner.

Lisa Cipolletti, Al Byers, Lisa Yamin, and Joan Rhodes discuss five new teaching majors. Photo by Hannah Eason “Not only are they going to be working with mentor teachers who are passionate about what they’re doing,” Cipolletti said, “but [they will have] those honest conversations about the challenges and skills needed in the field.” All students in the curriculum will take a required course in teaching English language learners, a high-need area of education. The programs also include a focus in home environments and urban environments. According to an August 2018 report from the Migration Policy Institute, three districts in the Richmond area have more than 2,000 students learning English, including Chesterfield County with 5,437, Henrico County with 5,060 and Richmond with 2,562. Richmond had the largest teacher to pupil ratio in Virginia for kindergarten through seventh grade, with 18.23 students per teacher in the 2017-2018 school year, according to a report by the Department of Education. “When developing our programs, we made sure that we didn’t cut any corners,”

said Lisa Yamin, director of undergraduate programs for the School of Education. In the elementary program, the degree requires additional science and math classes, which is not typical of all programs for that age group, Rhodes said. “I’m really proud of that,” Rhodes said. “I feel like when our students leave here, they are very competent and they’re going to help build some of the needs we see in the higher grades in STEM as well.” Al Byers, a visiting scholar in STEM education, says he is at the “forefront” of the science, technology, engineering and math education field, working to reduce the deficit math and science teachers. “There is a high need for personnel in STEM jobs, and a lack of diversity in these areas,” Byers said in an email. “We are preparing the future teachers that will ignite the spark for students to pursue more arduous coursework in the STEM fields, to keep Virginia competitive and secure opportunities in high demand (and high income) fields.”

“It feels like getting hit by a car made out of warm pillows, it just overtakes you,” said Dean Stamper of his overdose. Stamper, a transfer student who started at VCU this fall, has battled addiction throughout his life growing up in the mountains of northern Georgia. After an overdose in 2016, in which his life was saved by an EMS tech with a naloxone nasal spray, Stamper moved from Georgia to Williamsburg, settling in Richmond two months ago. With 100 overdoses in Richmond in 2017 and 13 overdoses on campus in the last year, VCU Police are continuing to train officers to administer Narcan, a nasal spray that contains the overdose reversal drug naloxone. Naloxone works by blocking the opioid receptors in the brain, reversing the effects of an overdose. “We preferred the nasal spray because of its ability to dispense quickly,” said Officer Ellsworth Pryor, a 14-year veteran and tactical combat care instructor. There are no plans for naloxone to be made available in student housing, but VCU police officers will carry naloxone inside their medical kits. The department has no near-future plans to teach students or faculty how to administer naloxone. “From Aug. 1, 2018-July 31, 2019 there were 13 reported overdose incidents in which VCU Police responded,” said police spokesperson Corey Byers in an email. “Only three of these incidents required Narcan and none were fatal.” Student group Rams in Recovery offers naloxone training classes twice per month. The classes are open to students and faculty, and certified by the Virginia Department of Health. “Rams in Recovery have successfully trained 500 students and faculty members how to properly use Narcan in a suspected overdose situation, just in the past year,” said Tom Bannard, program coordinator for Rams in Recovery. In Virginia, overdose-related deaths reached an all-time high in 2017 with 1,538 fatalities due to overdoses, according to the Virginia Department of Health. “I had lost a few friends to overdose, and my sick mind kept thinking, ‘I would really like to try what that guy had’ because I thought if it killed him, it must be good,’” said Stamper, the VCU transfer student. Now clean for three years, Stamper has been slowly putting the pieces of his life back together. “I got clean, and that was my life for the first two years. Now I have a job, and I am going to finally get my degree finished here at VCU,” the mechanical engineering major said. Stamper, 28, looks back on his brush with death and is grateful that he was given a second chance. “No matter how awful I felt, that was the most life-affirming experience for me,” Stamper said. “I’m glad that I don’t have to live my life like that anymore.”

4â&#x20AC;&#x192;The Commonwealth Times

Mental health days generate discussion on excused absences NAOMI GHAHRAI Contributing Writer Following the recent advocacy for mental health days from students in western Virginia and Oregon, VCU students and professors are expressing their opinions on excused absences on the basis of mental and emotional health. In Montgomery County, Virginia, superintendent Mark Miear expressed his support for mental health days after students created the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Montgomery County Students for Mental Health Awarenessâ&#x20AC;? group. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We see the mental health of our students as a priority and have many initiatives in addition to the possible mental health day proposal,â&#x20AC;? Miear said in an email. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are in the process of contacting the Virginia Department of Education to make sure this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t conflict with their policy. If there is no conflict, we will then have our school board attorney review the policy prior to presenting to our school board.â&#x20AC;? In public K-12 schools in surrounding Henrico and Chesterfield counties, mental illness is not included among reasons students can miss school. The student wellbeing program coordinator in VCUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Honors College, Christy Tyndall, commented on the importance of wellbeing education and the path toward alleviating mental health stigma. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rather than mental health days, I would like to see increased well-being education for both faculty and students throughout VCU,â&#x20AC;? Tyndall said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Faculty should be ed-

ucated about what to do when approached by students experiencing distress, use of appropriate language, recognizing signs of mental distress and where to refer students for support.â&#x20AC;? Knowing where to go during a mental health crisis can also make an impact, Tyndall said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In addition to learning about self-care and personal strategies for wellbeing, students need to be educated about resources on campus and where they can go for support when needed,â&#x20AC;? Tyndall said. A recently-passed Oregon bill allows students to take mental health days, expanding the reasons for absences to include mental, emotional or behavioral health. Students in Oregon, after the passing of the new mental health bill, can take up to five mental health days in a three-month period. The students who advocated for this mental health bill wanted to change the stigma surrounding mental health. VCU sophomore student Carly Wells says recognizing the stigma around mental health is more complex than allowing mental health days. Professors generally count total absences and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t classify sick days or mental health days. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like a small solution to fighting mental illness is not to add mental health days on top of sick days,â&#x20AC;? Wells said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but to normalize the necessity of students taking mental health days in general, and to prevent professors from undermining that necessity.â&#x20AC;?

Second-year student Lisa Balogh said having a support group to fall back on during a difficult time could positively impact a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mental health day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think if students need to take a mental health day, they may discuss with their parents, guardians, or loved ones exactly why they need to take a day off from school,â&#x20AC;? Balogh said.â&#x20AC;&#x153;This opens the door to talking to their support system about their mental illness, and hopefully result in the students receiving proper treatment.â&#x20AC;? VCU professors and departments establish different attendance policies, so there is no overarching definition of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;sick dayâ&#x20AC;? at VCU. The non-profit organization Mental

Health America found 74.1% of youth in Virginia experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts do not receive mental health services or the proper treatment. The stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s average is 10 points greater than the national average of 64.1%. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicide is the third leading cause of death in youth ages 10 to 24. Students may schedule an appointment at 804-828-6200 or in-person with VCUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s counseling services located in the University Student Commons, Room 238. Moreover, those struggling with thoughts of suicide can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-784-2433.

Departments and professors have different attendence policies, and there is no overarching definition of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;sick dayâ&#x20AC;? at VCU. Photo by Wessam Hazaymeh

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Wed. August 21, 2019 5

Stat of the week

Junior midfielder Samantha Jerabek and senior midfielder Alyssa Tallent were named preseason All-A-10 selections this year. Jerabek scored a team-high 11 goals last season.

Sam Ryan gets to know small town rookie ball

Right-handed pitcher Sam Ryan logged 61 strikeouts for the Rams last season over 53 1/3 innings. Photo courtesy of VCU Athletics NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor

went to the weight room to take his mind off things. The 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher was HE BUS PULLED UP TO CALFEE PARK in the middle of lifting with Tim Kontos, in Pulaski, Virginia, and Sam Ryan VCU Athletics’ director of sports perforgot off the bus, ready to make his pro- mance, when Kontos noticed Ryan’s phone fessional debut against the Pulaski Yankees. blowing up. What he didn’t expect was to see a packed “I was in the middle of a set and I had stadium in Southwest Virginia. my phone on me because I’d gotten calls Ryan, who was drafted in the 12th round the day before saying be ready during this by the Toronto Blue Jays this year, was ex- round and this round tomorrow,” Ryan pecting to see a small crowd in the stands said. “I looked at my phone and I had got— something that the Appalachian League ten drafted. A couple other guys from VCU is accustomed to. were in there with me, and we all started “At first it was like ‘holy crap’ because going crazy.” my first couple games in the Appalachian Ryan had two days to get home, pack up League there wasn’t anybody sitting in the his stuff and head to Florida to report to stands, 500 fans or so,” Ryan said, “Then the Blue Jays facility. So after he was done we pull up to the Yankees’ home field and celebrating with his VCU teammates, Ryan there was 5,000, and they’re heckling the drove back to Northern Virginia. crap out of you.” There were actually 3,312 people in atSMALL TOWN LIVING tendance that night, but that was the biggest crowd he had seen in the minors. In the minor leagues there are six levels, “But at the end of the day, it’s baseball,” starting with rookie ball all the way up to Ryan said. “I threw my first pitch as hard as Triple A — the final step to the major leagues. I could, and it worked out. I was like ‘ah, it’s Most draft picks start at the lowest level, the same game.’” rookie ball. That’s where Ryan was sent after That night the Bluefield Blue Jays’ de- Florida, to Bluefield, West Virginia. fense was not behind Ryan, who allowed The population of Bluefield rounds out five runs, of which only one was earned. The to just under 10,000. Ryan’s new teammates right-hander gave up five hits, walked two shared their opinions of the small town batters and logged the first two strikeouts before he arrived, and he stuck those in of his professional career. the back of his mind. But they “undersold” Bluefield, Ryan said. “They made it sound like there was nothDRAFT DAY ing, but I mean it’s kind of cool,” Ryan said. Ryan knew he could be selected in the “It’s in the country, it has a different culture, MLB Draft, but didn’t want to sit around almost. All there is, is an Applebee’s and a waiting for his phone to ring. So, the junior Bob Evans. It’s a nice town, it’s a lot of fun.”

The Fairfax, Virginia, native grew up about 20 miles outside of Washington, with a population of more than a million. Just a little bigger than the town of Bluefield. Ryan enjoys Bluefield, “I’ve always loved being outside. There’s all sorts of places to hike and fish. I’m a big fan of all that.” The small town provides an escape from playing baseball every day, whether that’s by hiking or playing basketball with his teammates.

ON HIS OWN

At the college level, everything is regimented, from practice routines to lifting. When players move on to the professional level, they are on their own. Ryan has to design his own workout plan and throwing program, an adjustment from having “everything laid out for you,” he said. Ryan said routines are very important for baseball players, especially pitchers. “You have to have a routine, so your arm is not tired when you throw,” Ryan said. “So EXCHANGING CULTURES before you throw you have to warm it up. Baseball is “America’s Pastime,” but has [You] have a routine during your throwing evolved into a worldwide sport. In the Ap- so you can work on what you need to work palachian League about 42% of players are on that day.” natives of Latin American countries. He credited VCU pitching coach Mike The Bluefield Blue Jays are no different; McRae with turning around his collegiate of the 36 players on the active roster, 20 of career by implementing new routines. them hail from Latin America. Ryan noRyan tossed 53.1 innings for the Rams in ticed the diversity of the team and wanted his final season wearing the black and gold, to bridge the language barrier. recording 61 strikeouts and only 19 walks. “There’s a big difference between a guy “I went from a guy that didn’t really throw that grew up right outside D.C. and a guy that hard, just like an average bullpen arm, that grew up in the Dominican,” Ryan said. to being a starter a majority of my sopho“Now, we exchange stories, I’m learning more year to being one of our big bullpen Spanish and teaching them English.” arms my junior year,” Ryan said. “He taught One story Ryan heard while playing for me the importance of routines, and I’ve just Bluefield was that “Some of these guys never stuck with what he taught me.” got to take a hot shower before they came to the States and that’s mind boggling to me.” THIS SEASON Ryan and some of his Latin American teammates are teaching each other both Ryan has appeared in nine games for Spanish and English to try to mitigate the the Bluefield Blue Jays, starting seven times. language barrier. He has logged 31 1/3 innings, recording 24 “Me and a couple of the guys have a strikeouts and walking seven with an ERA deal where they can only talk in English of 6.61. to me, and I can speak in Spanish to them,” Ryan said.

6 The Commonwealth Times

Rogers, Rams to use last season as motivation BEN MALAKOFF Contributing Writer The Rams’ last season came to an end at the Siegel Center at the hands of Dayton in the final set of the Atlantic 10 Championship, leaving a sour taste in their mouths. “Every time we step on the court we just think about that moment and how much it stung and hurt to see another team take something away that we really worked for but of course fell short of,” senior middle blocker Jasmin Sneed said. Coach Jody Rogers echoed Sneed’s disappointment. “It was on our floor, and we lost in five [sets],” Rogers said. The Rams have won at least 19 games each season since 2016. Within that stretch, the black and gold have been A-10 semifinalists, A-10 champions and made an NCAA tournament appearance in 2017. “To be honest, it’s the culture,” Rogers said. “And this is the kind of players we get. The type of student athletes that work hard not only on the court but in the classroom and we just keep on trying to get that at a high level.” Now going into her seventh season with the Rams, Rogers looks to repeat 2017’s success when the team won the A-10 title. The Massachusetts native is in her 23rd year of coaching in the NCAA and has surpassed 500 career wins. Before coming to Richmond, Rogers was head coach at the University of Indianapolis for 16 seasons. In 2012, Rogers led the Greyhounds to the Division II Final Four. The Rams have nine seniors heading into this season, including two redshirt-seniors. With the large group leaving the program after this season, Rogers wants her team to be more leadership driven so all players can continue to develop on and off the court. “There’s going to be a lot of girls that can talk and lead through experience but we also need girls who are also the freshmen and sophomores to have leadership skills too to learn what they can do and what they can’t do,” Rogers said. Rogers said the leadership qualities

Above: Junior outside hitter Paula Neciporuka logged a career-high 171 kills last season for the Rams. Right: The Rams recorded 313 blocks as a team last season. CT file photos learned on the team will carry into the players’ lives after volleyball. One of the Rams’ veterans is Sneed, who was named to the A-10 conference first team, ranked fourth nationally in blocks last season and one of the team’s outspoken leaders. “Her motor is unbelievable,” Rogers said. “She works daily on her craft and she’s such a mentally tough kid, and that’s why she’s persevered and gotten better each year.” The San Antonio, Texas, native was named A-10 defensive player of the week four times last season and moved up to second on the Rams’ all-time block list with 505. “She’s one of those kids that’s results orientated. She sees results in something, she goes all 100% off the wall,” Rogers said. Now with a new season, Sneed has set a list of goals for herself and her team. “My main focus is beating myself from last year,” Sneed said. “Just being the best player I can possibly be while I’m here.

And also with my team, our goal is, of course, is to win the A-10 championship and then go further than the first round of the NCAA.” Sneed also believes the newcomers on the roster will make a big difference during the season. “I think who will make the most impact is Jaelyn Jackson,” Sneed said. “She’s very explosive. She has a powerful arm swing. She’s such a good teammate.” Jackson, a redshirt-senior middle blocker who transferred from Baylor, grew up in South Chesterfield, near Richmond. She recorded 130 kills and 115 blocks during her career in Waco, Texas. But even if most of the players are the same from last year’s roster, the team has a different mentality now. “Our culture is changing,” Sneed said. “We make sure we are holding each other accountable.”

The Rams have a tough non-conference schedule this season, playing multiple Power Five schools including Ohio State, Virginia Tech and UNC Chapel Hill. Both Rogers and Sneed agree that it will be the little details the Rams focus on that help them succeed during this season. “We push each other to the next level,” Sneed said. “All the new people and all the existing players, we make sure that we are elevating each other every practice, every sprint, every rep and I really enjoy that about my team.” The Rams were selected to finish second in the A-10 this season in the preseason poll, receiving two first-place votes. The Rams open the season on the road Aug. 30-31 in the Sports Imports Classic against Texas Tech, Lehigh and Ohio State.

Field hockey’s young talent returns with a drive to improve RODNEY ROBINSON Contributing Writer

to make decisions at speed, really translates to having success in a game.” Field hockey looks to improve upon last The Rams have a young year’s record-setting season after the Rams team this upcoming seafell to the top-seeded Saint Joseph’s in the son, with eight incoming Atlantic 10 Championship 1-0. freshmen and 10 returning “The end goal, I’d be lying if I didn’t say players. Although the team this, is to win the A-10 regular season and is young, Bean stresses that postseason championship, so that we can the freshmen have “the ultimately be competing in the NCAA same expectations as the Championship,” coach Stacy Bean said. upperclassmen.” Junior midfielder Maite Sturm logged seven goals and 11 assists last season en route to being named The Rams had a program-setting seven With only two seniors First Team All-A-10. CT file photo wins in A-10 play over the past season. The this season, leadership by black and gold also played their way into committee and being a player-driven team ers in the country to make the national “A lot of things have to go right in any the conference championship before falling are important to Bean. All-Rookie Team. team season to get the end result, but now short to Dayton. “That’s really the most functional type of “We just look for them to keep growing that we have everyone pulling in the same The past two years have been very suc- team dynamic you can get,” Bean said. “The as people and growing as players and not direction, it’s a lot easier,” Bean said. cessful since Bean took over the program in teams that I’ve had over the years and who’ve settling for, ‘Hey, we had a great freshman January 2017, logging a 26-13 record over outperformed expectations … are the teams year,’” Bean said. The Rams open the season Aug. 30 on the that span. Bean pointed to recruiting and that are player lead and player driven.” Junior midfielders Maite Sturm and road against Lafayette. Their first home the tempo of training as reasons for the Last season, freshman defensive player Svea Sturm and Field were named to the game is Sept. 6 against Long Island Univerturnaround. Janne Wetzel, freshman midfielder Mack- All-A-10 Preseason Team this season. sity, and A-10 play starts Sept. 20 against “We try to emphasize training at the enzie Williams and freshman defensive The Rams look to build on their success cross-town rival Richmond. tempo we play at,” Bean said. “Just really player Litiana Field all made the All A-10 over the past season, and Bean is excited setting up situations where our kids have Rookie Team. Field was one of 16 play- about her team’s mentality.

Wed. August 21, 2019 7

Women’s soccer primed to battle for A-10 title ADAM CHEEK Staff Writer After going 16-4 and advancing all the way to the Atlantic 10 Championship, the women’s soccer squad looks to perform even better with some new names on the roster. Among the departures from last season were standouts forward Kelly Graves and goalkeeper Audrey Sanderson, both of whom graduated. Graves was named an assistant soccer coach at the University of Illinois-Springfield. She scored seven goals in 2018, good for second best on the team, while Sanderson was an intimidating presence in the net — saving 50 of 65 shots all season and recording seven shutouts. The team went 9-1 in conference play and 8-1 on its home turf in 2018, scoring 45 goals in 20 games and averaging a little over 15 shots per match. “I think that we’re poised to try to not only repeat that but make something even better of this season,” coach Lindsey Martin said. “We have a lot of pieces in place to do so, we have a ton of great players returning to us and we added some new faces as well.” Martin begins her seventh season with the Rams, having taken the black and gold to back-to-back appearances in the A-10 Championship in 2017 and 2018. Senior Alyssa Tallent returns for her final season after suffering a late season-ending injury last year. Martin says Tallent is rebounding well and is in a position to kick off this year’s campaign. “She’s been incredible in her recovery,” Martin said. “She doesn’t look like she’s missed a step … it’s like she was never out.”

en assists en route to leading the team in both categories. The Rams’ eight new players, including three transfers, will play alongside the returners who make up a majority of the roster. The transfers include junior defender Paige Franks from the University of Tennessee, a versatile player Martin hopes will be a valuable utility player. Senior midfielder Katie Waring — who was named Division 3 All-American at Lynchburg — is also versatile, playing some forward and center back as well. Kelly Graves scored seven goals for the black and gold in Sophomore goalkeeper her senior season last fall. CT file photo Brecht Haakma is a Netherlands native who comes The coach praised Tallent for her mettle from Texas Tech. Haakma and sophomore and drive to get back into playing form in goalkeeper Grace Young will battle it out the offseason. for the starting goalie spot throughout the “Credit to her for putting in the work in season. the offseason to keep herself in a good place Among the five freshmen on the roster, physically and mentally, as well to overcome Martin highlighted freshman midfielders that kind of injury,” Martin said. Anna Bagley and Sophie Brophy. Martin pointed to redshirt-senior for“[They] are probably having the best ward Amanda Tredway as a player who preseasons so far,” Martin said. “Anna is a could step up once the season begins. The crafty little midfielder that reminds me a lot fourth-year veteran is an attacking player of a young Alyssa Tallent, so I think it’ll be who will step into some of the graduated good for her to play with Alyssa for a year Graves’ team roles, while former Graves un- before Alyssa graduates so she can learn derstudy Idelys Vazquez, a sophomore, will and grow into that role. step into the target forward role. Martin described Brophy as a “good-statAdditionally, junior midfielder Saman- ured, 5-foot-9 holding mid” and said Brotha Jerabek returns after a breakout 2018, phy could learn from senior midfielder Inwhen she scored 11 goals and recorded sev- grid Brouwer, who has been the starter in

the holding midfield position for the last three years. Although Brouwer is coming off an injury and missed preseason, she will return early in the regular season. The team will face plenty of in-state rivals throughout the year, including Old Dominion University and Richmond. “Anytime we play those in-state teams, I think the team feels a bit of ‘this should be our state’ and that we want to kind of dominate those games and show what we’re about,” Martin said. The Rams were dominant in A-10 play, posting a 9-1 record last season, and Martin believes the tough non-conference schedule this season will help the team gear up for A-10 play. “We try to play teams that are in other conferences that do well and that will challenge us and we will challenge them,” she said. “We obviously hope to get a win, but also hope to continue to grow so that you’re peaking at the right time, which is conference season.” The coach looks forward to the 2019 season and hopes to improve on the team’s 16-4 mark from last year. “I think we’re a fun attacking team, I think that we play a high-pressure style and we play the game the right way,” she said. “We like to possess and we love to attack, and I think that’s an exciting style to watch and we hope that the fans come out. I know our players love the home environment, so the better that we can make the environment for them … the more success we’ll have.” The Rams’ first home game is on Aug. 29 against Loyola (Md.), with the match kicking off at 7 p.m. at Sports Backers Stadium.

Men’s soccer returns with more experience, hungry to win NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor A year ago, men’s soccer shocked everyone by winning the Atlantic 10 regular season title for the first time in program history after graduating seven starters from the year before. Of the seven seniors that left the team, five of them went on to play in the professional ranks. After losing a majority of the starting 11, coach Dave Giffard had to rebuild and restart what he called “a three year cycle.” “It was a big reload, rebuild situation a year ago, and in the first year of the cycle we were able to win the regular season title for the first time,” Giffard said. “We were probably one game out of an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament again, and I thought it was a pretty successful first go around.” The Rams took the regular season title going 6-1-1 in A-10 play, only falling to Dayton on the road in a tight 1-0 loss. During the historic regular season, the Rams defeated No. 20 Old Dominion at home 4-0 and fell in overtime to eventual NCAA runner-up Akron 4-3 in Richmond. As the Rams head into the second year of the cycle, Giffard said more players know what it takes to win at the college level. “I think the difference we see in training every day and in preparations there’s just more guys that know and understand what it takes,” Giffard said. “There’s more guys that know what they bring to the table and know what they can do at this level.” The Rams return a core of their starters from a year ago, but they did lose several standout players, including many who signed pro contracts. Midfielder Siad Haji was selected No. 2 overall in the MLS Draft by the San Jose Earthquakes; goal-

Community College, will help fill in the Rams back line this season. “Those guys are going to be new faces to the team for the fans,” Giffard said. “I think there’s a lot of excitement with them in midfield.” Redshirt-junior forward Biska Biyombo returns this season after only playing in the first four games due to injury. The Congo native was granted a medical redshirt due to his injury. This season, the Rams will play another competitive schedule; last year, they squared off with four NCAA Tournament teams. “I think part of it is we’ve been in the NCAA Tournament at-large three separate times, and you don’t get in the tournament by not playing against the best competition, especially from a league like ours,” Giffard said. The Rams earned at-large bids to the Junior goalkeeper Mario Sequeira recorded 59 saves in 18 appearances for the Rams NCAA Tournament in 2012, 2013 and last season. CT file photo 2017. The black and gold were the overall No. 12 seed in 2012, making it to the seckeeper Joe Rice and midfielder Eli Locka- helpful,” Giffard said. “Mario [Sequeira] ond round. by signed with the Richmond Kickers; and and Alex are both really intrinsically motiNotably, the black and gold will travel midfielder Peter Pearson inked a deal with vated people, but it’s always nice when the to Akron, Ohio, to face the Zips for the Tormenta FC. guy next to you is getting his reps in is very second year in a row. Akron fell in the Na“That happens every year, good quality strong and is pushing you maybe that little tional Championship game last season to guys move on,” Giffard said. “You really extra 5% more.” Maryland. don’t look at it in terms of you’re not just goFetterly, who brings Division I experi“We just try to go play the best teams ing to plug in a guy to do what that guy did. ence, started four games last season for the we can. I think it gives us opportunities for The group typically evolves and looks a little Lobos. He made 16 saves last season for resume-boosting wins to help us with an atbit different and it plays to the strengths New Mexico, allowing only three goals. large and help us with our seeding,” Giffard and the qualities of the dominant players Sequeira appeared in all 18 games last said. “I think it’s important to be prepared that are ready to step into those roles.” season for the Rams, recording 59 saves, also it’s not the first time you played other The Rams added several new faces to the lowing 17 goals and posted a 9-6-2 record top quality opponents.” roster including goalkeeper Alex Fetterly, in the net. who transferred from New Mexico after his The Rams also added freshman midfield- Men’s soccer opens the season against freshman season. er Celio Pompeu and redshirt-sophomore Middle Tennessee State Aug. 30 at Sports “To add another guy who’s ready to play midfielder Fiorre Mane to bolster the mid- Backers Stadium at 7 p.m. college games and who’s already proven to dle for the black and gold. Junior defender do that at a good level, I think that’s really Toranosuke Abe, a transfer from Barton

8 The Commonwealth Times

On this day

In 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state.

Alumni transform shed into art gallery ANDREW RINGLE Managing Editor The shed behind the house in South Highland Park was overgrown and full of junk when alumni Kim Peters and Noah Hook first moved into the neighborhood in July. The unassuming structure was a forgotten storage space — like many garden sheds, its contents became neglected over time as nature slowly reclaimed its territory with an army of weeds and tiny insects. It’s now cleaned out and nearly revitalized, standing about 12 feet tall with a small six-paned window and a white screen door on its face. And the shed’s latest caretakers, best friends Hook and Peters, are transforming it into a public art gallery called the Rump. Described on Instagram as “a dirty shed for fine art,” the Rump Gallery intends to break the mold of prestigious exhibition spaces. There’s no application fee, and it will be available for almost any kind of artistic gathering by early September. “We’re trying to take away from the class of gallerists,” Peters said. “Gallery and art has a sense of prestige to it, so we’re trying to strip it down.” Hook and Peters both graduated from VCUarts this spring, and they’ve been friends since meeting in the Artist’s Colony at Johnson Hall their freshman year. Hook studied painting and printmaking, and

VCUarts alumni Noah Hook and Kim Peters stand outside their backyard shed, which will soon become the Rump Gallery. Photo by Jon Mirador Peters studied graphic design. Peters also worked as a Student Media Center graphic designer at The Commonwealth Times. The pair started restoring the shed as soon as they moved into their new house with two other roommates in July. They quickly realized how the space might be useful for local artists hoping to show work. “Noah took an immediate interest in the shed and wanted to clear it out,” Peters said. “And then it wasn’t until later when we were like, ‘Oh, we should turn it into a gallery.’”

Hook said he found about 26 buckets of paint, which he stashed around the yard and in the crawlspace, a king-size mattress and construction materials while gutting the formerly neglected shed. “The shed is its own entity,” Hook said. “People are going to come in the first time and be like, ‘Oh, we’re in this dark dirty shed. What’s going on here?’ … But at the same time, it’s coming with none of the high pristine pressures that a white wall gallery space is going to have.”

Hook and Peters are both artists, and they’ve experienced firsthand the inaccessibility of professional art galleries. They say their humble shed can be a safe space for artists with experimental and unfinished projects, which might be rejected by the ritzy curators of other institutions. “I think that Richmond specifically could use a lot more space for young emerging artists to be able to show their work and do it cheaply in a way that really is benefiting them more than anyone,” Hook said. But the Rump isn’t trying to be something it’s not — Hook and Peters say they realize it’s just a shed, and they want incoming artists to know what to expect. “We’re just asking people to acknowledge the fact that it’s a shed, and maybe the work that you’re putting in a gallery that has lights, electricity and air conditioning is different than the work that you’re going to be putting in the Rump Gallery,” Peters said. The first artist scheduled to show work at the Rump is LaRissa Rogers, an alumna of the painting and printmaking department. Hook said he couldn’t speak to the nature of Rogers’ work, but he’s excited to host her in September. The Rump is open to hosting a variety of events this fall, including performances, film viewings, artist talks and workshops. To apply or to find more information, visit noahhook.net.

A beginner’s guide to art museums in RVA IMAN MEKONEN Spectrum Editor Visiting the diverse art galleries in Richmond can take you on an historical, “Magic School Bus”–like adventure into different cultures, time periods and mediums of art, without having to go far. Richmond has a vibrant and diverse community, so it makes sense that VCU’s art school is top-ranked and has previously been named the best public arts program in the country (not to toot our own horn or anything). But some students may not know how rich the art scene in Richmond is. Whether you’re a freshman or upperclassman, and whether you know everything or nothing about art, this guide is for you. Included is a short list of the art galleries that contribute to the art scene and the overall Richmond experience. Take a day trip and visit one or more of the following museums. VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS General admission: Free Address: 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. Hours: Open 365 days a year, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays until 9 p.m. Website: vmfa.museum This historical art gallery has a comprehensive and vast selection of different artifacts, sculptures and other forms of art from different parts of the world. One walkthrough isn’t enough to see everything the VMFA has to offer.

Its big white walls and glass windows are reminiscent of childhood museum exploration, and it still feels this way. If any overwhelming feelings come to you while browsing the walls, there are several experts available to answer questions, give directions and provide background information on artwork. The museum also includes a cafe and an outdoor garden, perfect for having a picnic when the weather permits. VCU INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART Admission: Free Address: 601 W. Broad St. Hours: Tuesdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesdays 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Thursday-Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Website: icavcu.org This fairly new addition to VCU’s campus immediately sticks out with its unique geometric shape and shining silver color, greeting newcomers as soon as they enter the area. Created in 2018, the Institute for Contemporary Art shows national and international work to inspire students. Art students are often spotted working at the front desk and guiding visitors around the exhibits. Professors of all departments bring their students to view the works, connecting them to their own studies. The gallery contains three levels, each with different exhibits, that take the visitor through different settings to explore and appreciate art.

With its convenient location on campus, it’s easy to visit this intimate gallery on the weekend, or even during breaks between classes. The ICA occasionally offers tours, lectures and interactive sessions on various topics. VISUAL ARTS CENTER OF RICHMOND Admission to the gallery: Free Address: 1812 W. Main St. Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily Website: visarts.org The VisArts Center stands in Richmond’s historic Fan District, and serves as a hub for art classes, exhibitions, writing

classes and summer camps. The red brick building connects the people of Richmond to art by offering classes. Topics such as knitting, ceramics, embroidery and writing are taught in the building’s classrooms by the artists themselves. The center includes the True F. Luck Gallery, which hosts up to five art exhibitions a year. Its spacious room is used for self-guided tours, exhibit receptions and has white walls filled with enjoyable art. All artwork seen in the gallery is for sale to the public. The galleries listed have interactive activities, events and exhibitions to check out throughout the year. For more information, visit the links under each gallery name.

Illustration by Ashlyn Rudolph

Wed. August 21, 2019 9

UPCOMING EVENTS See something

WED. 8/28 ‘A Boy Named Charlie Brown’

The Byrd Theatre is hosting a 50th anniversary celebration of “A Boy Named Charlie Brown.” Tickets are $4. For more information, contact preserve@thebtf.org or visit www.visitbyrdtheatre.org. 10 a.m.-12 p.m., The Byrd Theatre & Foundation (2908 W. Cary St.)

THURS. 8/19-23 VCU Free Store Open House

Illustration by Karly Andersen

How ‘Fast & Furious’ went from shotgun to the driver’s seat BRANDON SHILLINGFORD Contributing Writer “The Fast and the Furious” is a franchise that has not only survived, but thrived, by adapting to the ever shifting Hollywood landscape. How so, you ask? Well take a seat, start your engines, and don’t fasten your seatbelt because apparently in this universe if you don’t click it, you don’t get a ticket. While it was a commercial success (mostly due to its relatively small budget), the first film, 2001’s “The Fast and the Furious,” was released to middling critical reception and in retrospect, is generally considered one of the worst films in the franchise. While the first film, along with its sequel “2 Fast 2 Furious,” was not outrightly panned, the executives at Universal Studios felt like the series hadn’t made enough money to justify a third film. That, along with both Diesel and Walker declining to appear in said film in favor of pursuing other projects, almost led Universal to scrap plans for a theatrical release of “Fast 3.”

‘Fast & Furious’ took an opportunity to do something bold. It changed franchise filmmaking from a dull, mid-budget, action thriller that was a product of its generation, to a chaotic 200 million dollar series of blockbusters that’ll stand the test of time.” Brandon Shillingford, contributing writer And then, from out of the darkness and into the light came a genius, a hero, a visionary named Chris Morgan. Morgan’s the man who single-handedly saved the “Fast and Furious” franchise. With only one screenwriting credit to his

name in the 2004 thriller “Cellular,” Morgan stepped into Universal Studios and pitched the idea to introduce a new character who was a former member of the crew and to kill him off in “Tokyo Drift.” This led Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) to Tokyo in search of answers for his friend’s death. Although “Tokyo Drift” marked a low point for the series in terms of box office numbers, it was another huge turning point for the franchise. It stopped taking itself so seriously and allowed its larger-than-life characters to be part of larger-than-life stories. This shift broke open a world previously restricted to small-scale DVD player heists and undercover drug busts. Now, the same characters could drive cars out of airplanes and throw nukes at submarines. It led to more sequels, spinoffs and billions of dollars in ticket sales and merchandising. From the soft reboot that followed, “Fast & Furious,” the franchise was rejuvenated with a renewed sense of energy and style. They brought in Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Luke Hobbs, and the rest is history. As the films got better, so did the box office receipts and critical reception. Even with the increasingly outrageous stunts and set pieces, the franchise’s roots have remained grounded in what made these films work. They even started throwing in subtle themes of corrupt governments, corporate greed and the militarization of law enforcement. One of the most prominent themes of the series has always been masculinity. This franchise has a complicated relationship with toxic masculinity. “Fast & Furious” embraces it by blowing things up, driving really fast, and having no regard for others. But it also breaks down toxic masculinity, exploring what “real” masculinity is, and there’s a deeper purpose to it. From Dom, to Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), to Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker) and Hobbs, all of these guys are defined by their masculinity. By the way they talk, the way they look, the beer they drink, and the cars they drive. But behind all of the crude remarks and violent amounts of testosterone, is a surprising amount of sadness, insecurity and complexity. The men take pride in who they are at the beginning, defined by this uncanny need to preserve that sense of hyper-masculinity with their actions. In that behavior, there’s fear that expressing love and appreciation for the

other men in their lives will damage their sense of masculinity they’ve worked so hard to maintain. They often feel frustrated and threatened, so they take it out on each other, verbally and physically. But it’s once they spend more time together, and risk their lives for each other over the course of 15 years, that they begin to see there’s more to all of them than this misconception of masculinity. Is it perfect? No. Are there some gaps in the films’ logic? Absolutely. Should we give them credit for attempting to add depth to what could easily be considered some of the flattest and one-note characters ever put to screen? Maybe. Look, they’re trying, and that’s more than you can say for most of Hollywood these days. When the “Fast and Furious” films focus on male friendships and the dynamics and impact of chosen family, they’re at their best. So far, one of the most iconic scenes of the 21st century was the closing moments of “Furious 7,” when Dom and Brian drive their separate ways as a tribute to Walker, who played Brian and died in the middle of filming. It’s a fitting and moving tribute to a relationship that had defined this franchise since its inception. As much as people love making fun of the characters and the “family,” there’s a sincerity and charm you won’t find in Marvel movies or other franchises. It’s a series that, despite all of its flaws, the billions of dollars it’s made, and its post-postmodernist complexities, remained faithful to Morgan’s vision. With “Hobbs and Shaw,” that vision of an epic and branching cinematic universe with a wildly diverse range of characters and stories has finally been realized. “The Fast and the Furious” took an opportunity to do something bold. It changed franchise filmmaking from a dull, mid-budget, action thriller that was a product of its generation, to a chaotic 200 million dollar series of blockbusters that’ll stand the test of time. The franchise challenged stereotypical ideas of masculinity and heteronormativity, and because of that, Hollywood will never be the same. But with all that being said, if Hobbs and Shaw don’t kiss, “The Fast and the Furious” is canceled. Visit commonwealthtimes.org to read the full version of the story.

VCU’s Office of Sustainability is inviting newcomers to visiting the newly opened Free Store. The shop is a resource on campus for students to donate or take free items, such as home goods, art or school supplies, books and more. Come to see how it works as well as what items are available. 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Office of Sustainability (201 N. Belvidere)

Do something

WED. 8/21 Mindful Dorm Room Decorating

The VCU Honors Wellbeing Program is hosting a dorm decorating session in the multipurpose room of the Honors College. All supplies and instructions to create wall decor are provided as well as Insomnia Cookies. For more information, contact honors@vcu.edu. 6 -7 p.m., VCU Honors College (701 West Grace St, Room 1303)

WED. 8/21 Chair Yoga

VCU Human Resources and Recreational Sports are hosting chair yoga for 45 minutes on the MCV campus in the Jackson A. Ward Conference Room. Contact Cindi Phares at cphares@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1521 or visit training.vcu.edu for more information. 12-12:45 p.m., Larrick Student Center (900 Turpin St.) Free

THURS. 8/22 Bike and Laptop Registration TO THE EDITOR withLETTER VCU Police

Students can come to register their belongings with the VCU Police. Doing so will allow devices to be identified if they are stolen or lost. Free U-Locks will be given to those who register their bikes. 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Larrick Student Center (900 Turpin St.) Free

Learn something

FRI. 8/23 Student Organization Fair

Find your club at VCU at the Student Organization Fair. Groups such as greek life, student media, sports clubs and culture clubs will be in attendance. 3-6 p.m., University Student Commons (907 Floyd Ave.) Free

THURS. 8/22 Thurgood Marshall: A Life in American History

Celebrate the life of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice. Dr. Spencer Crew, Interim Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, delivers a lecture about his new book, “Thurgood Marshall: A Life in American History” as well as a discussion about Marshall’s legacy and career. For more information, visit virginia history.org. 12-1 p.m., Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (428 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.) Free

10 The Commonwealth Times

Quote of the week

“There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.” — mahatma gandhi

Another day, another shooting TAGWA SHAMMET Opinions Editor Another day, another shooting. Another day in the land of the free, the home of the brave — another heart-wrenching amount of lives lost to unnecessary gun violence: to preventable, avoidable gun violence. Within a span of less than 24 hours, 31 innocent people were maliciously taken from this world. Over the weekend of Aug. 2, two mass shootings happened in two American cities — collectively ending in the murder of 31 innocent people. On Aug. 2, 22 residents of El Paso, Texas never went home. Hours later, nine Dayton, Ohio residents lost their lives. Surprised? I wish I could say I was. However, mass shootings have become normal in the United States. These shootings have become an epidemic. In fact, there have been more shootings this year than there have been days. According to the non-profit organization Gun Violence Archive, as of Aug. 5, the 217th day of the year, there had been 225 mass shootings in the United States of America. Yet, no matter how ordinary these shootings have become, we seem to constantly center the conversation around some sort of political agenda. Whether it be a call for gun regulation or a plea to pay more attention to mental health, we gravely overlook the lives carelessly taken. Today, I want to write a more emotional, yet rational tale, rather than further my personal political ideologies. It’s difficult not to think about where the next shooting will be. It’s difficult not to fear that the next shooting could affect me. Just think of how many times we’ve all, VCU students and Richmond residents, received a VCU alert warning us about some form of shooting. West Broad. North Belvidere. West Marshall. Main. I’ve read about shootings in all these areas, and more, plenty of times — and I’m only a sophomore this year. Just a few days ago on Aug. 10, police in Richmond responded to a shooting at a sports bar on Midlothian Turnpike. Four innocent people were shot, however, all thankfully survived. Just two days ago, on Monday, Richmond police, yet again, responded to a shooting in Creighton Court. A man was left with a gunshot wound, yet thankfully survived as well. These shootings happen so close to us at VCU. We here about Dayton and think, “Thank God I’m not in Ohio.” We hear about El Paso and think, “Thank God I’m not in Texas.” We think, because these shootings are not close to us, we don’t need to be as concerned. Well, there are mass shootings and acts of gun violence happening right here. Creighton Court is less than five miles outside Monroe Park campus. Is that close enough to care? We hear about schools like Columbine, Parkland, Virginia Tech, and it’s unrealistic to firmly believe that VCU can’t be added to this infamous list. I won’t lie: It’s easy to sit here and bash Trump, the Republican party and anyone who cannot see these senseless killings are primarily a result of the loosely restricted gun industry in this country. It’s easy

Illustrated by Evan McGrady to blame bullies for their mistreatment of others and to point fingers at families and friends who couldn’t see the signs to prevent such tragedy. It’s easy to use those affected, whether lost or having lost someone, as political ammunition to further political causes. However, what’s not easy is genuinely comprehending and sympathizing with the pain endured by families and friends of the victims of these heinous murders. We’re constantly subjected to hearing: “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” Now, imagine hearing the names of the victims with the same frequency with which we hear that phrase. I cannot even begin to recall the last time I’ve collectively seen all the names of those lost during American mass shootings. Aside from the Washington Post’s extensive list of the 1,196 U.S. mass shooting victims since 1966, there isn’t much coverage regarding the full display of all victims. That’s just as disheartening as using the “saddest ” story as political capital. For every mass

shooting in this nation, a few victims are primed as political gold; their loss is utilized as a conversation starter, as opposed to just letting the shooting itself be the most heartbreaking piece of it all. We read stories like this, about these lives ruined by senseless acts, and we cannot even begin to fathom the pain these people are being forced to feel. My dad believes there is no longer a place in the U.S. that is safe. We’ve seen shootings at schools, universities, stores, malls, cinemas, parks, concerts. Everywhere. As a nation, we need to become more sympathetic to one another. Yes, we need to have the conversation about regulated gun laws, mental health and being nicer to one another. Yes, we need to begin to try to minimize — and hopefully eradicate — the amount of mass shootings that occur in this country. But, until that happens, we need to start centering our focus and attention to helping those heroes who have fallen victim to fruitless brutality.

JORDAN AND ANDRE ANCHONDO

LOIS OGLESBY

A couple recently blessed with a beautiful, healthy two-monthold baby boy in El Paso, Texas. A couple that was parenting a five year old girl. A couple full of youth and love. A couple that died protecting their son. On Aug. 2, a baby boy and his older sister lost their parents. That day, a family was shattered.

A mother raising two children: a two-month-old son and a sevenyear-old daughter in Dayton, Ohio. She was working tirelessly to provide for her children, just trying to return to her usual lifestyle prior to having her baby. A mother who was brutally shot on her first day out. On Aug. 3, a baby boy and his older sister lost their mother. On Aug. 3, a family was shattered.

EL PASO Javier Amir Rodriguez David Johnson Arturo Benavides Jordan and Andre Anchondo Sara Esther Regalado Moriel Adolfo Cerros Hernández Gloria Irma Márquez María Eugenia Legarreta Rothe Ivan Manzano Juan de Dios Velázquez Chairez Leonardo Campos Jr. Maribel Campos Angelina Silva-Englisbee Maria and Raul Flores Jorge Calvillo Garcia Alexander Gerhard Hoffman Teresa Sanchez Margie Reckard Elsa Libera Marquez Luis Alfonso Juarez DAYTON Megan Betts Lois Oglesby Saeed Saleh Derrick Fudge Logan Turner Nicholas Cumer Thomas McNichols Beatrice Warren-Curtis Monica Brickhouse

Wed. August 21, 2019â&#x20AC;&#x192;11

THE CT STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR Georgia Geen geengr@commonwealthtimes.org

Flirts by Carleigh Ross

MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Ringle ringlea@commonwealthtimes.org NEWS EDITOR Hannah Eason news@commonwealthtimes.org SPORTS EDITOR Noah Fleischman sports@commonwealthtimes.org SPECTRUM EDITOR Iman Mekonen spectrum@commonwealthtimes.org OPINIONS EDITOR Tagwa Shammet opinions@commonwealthtimes.org PHOTO EDITOR Jon Mirador photography@commonwealthtimes.org AUDIENCE EDITOR Alexandra Zernik zernikal@commonwealthtimes.org ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR Sammy Newman illustrations@commonwealthtimes.org STAFF WRITERS Adam Cheek, Sports Quentin Rice, Spectrum STAFF ILLUSTRATORS Currently Hiring

Move In by Ellie Erhart VCU STUDENT MEDIA CENTER DESIGN EDITOR Jeffrey Pohanka designers@vcustudentmedia.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Andy Caress Yosef Mirakov Cohen Kamryn Gillham designers@vcustudentmedia.com ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Currently Hiring advertising@vcustudentmedia.com (804) 828-6629 WEBMASTER Chrislin Hearn webmaster@vcustudentmedia.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Evan McGrady distribution@vcustudentmedia.com DIRECTOR Allison Bennett Dyche abdyche@vcu.edu (804) 827-1975 CREATIVE MEDIA MANAGER Mark Jeffries mjeffries@vcu.edu BUSINESS MANAGER Currently Hiring

Hot Goth Summer by Jeffrey Belfield

ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER Currently Hiring

ABOUT THE CT The Commonwealth Times is the award-winning independent student newspaper at VCU, since 1969. The CT staff maintains all editorial and operations discretion. There is absolutely no prior review by the public, university or VCU Student Media Center administration or staff. The Executive Editor writes and manages the Operations Budget.

ADD YOUR VOICE The opinions pages of the CT are a forum open to the public. Contributions are welcome by email to Tagwa Shammet, by mail or in-person at 817 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23220. Opinions expressed are those of individual columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Commonwealth Times. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The CT staff. The Commonwealth Times strives for accuracy in gathering news. If you think we have made an error, please email the appropriate section editor. Corrections will appear on the news pages and/or online. One CT per person. Additional copies can be purchased at the Student Media Center for $1 each.

12 The Commonwealth Times

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Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle DONE TO A T