The Commonwealth Times; Feb. 19, 2020 by VCU Student Media Center

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VOL. 61, NO. 20 FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Men’s hoops fall to Dayton Flyers 66-61 RYAN GRUBE Staff Writer

VCU proposal for Navy Hill in limbo after City Council strikes project The VCU proposal would renovate the area between 9th and 10th streets, and Leigh and Clay streets. Photo by Alessandro Latour

The proposal would renovate block of Navy Hill and add hospitality housing for nonprofits KATIE HOLLOWELL Contributing Writer A VCU proposal to build temporary housing for relatives of long-term hospital patients remains pending a week after Richmond City Council voted to strike down the Navy Hill development plan. The proposal for an area in Navy Hill called “Block D” would include new office spaces for the VCU Medical Center, a facility for the families of pediatric patients and a replacement hospitality house for The Doorways, a nonprofit organization that provides lodging to patients and their families. “It’s also important to note that the D Block development requires the full cooperation and support of the Mayor and City Council to go forward,” VCU spokesperson Michael Porter said. VCU was set to appear in court Feb. 5 to determine if they would hand over documents, but released the “Block D” plan the day before, as reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. VCU rejected a Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, filed by nonprofit news site MuckRock, to see any documents or plans between VCU and NH District Corp. Charlie Schmidt, VCU adjunct political science professor and board member for Richmond For All, filed a writ of mandamus asking the court to release the document after VCU rejected the FOIA request. Schmidt said he will drop the case because the news was made public. “No one else was competing for the site development,” Schmidt said in an email. “There was no private hospital trying to swoop in and get the land. There was no competing university or other private

actor vying for the land. This was an exclusive deal between Navy Hill and VCU.” The development would replace the old Richmond Public Services building and renovate the area between 9th and 10th streets, and Leigh to Clay streets. A retail pharmacy, shopping and dining locations, and child care are included in the proposal. The plan would entail a public-private partnership, meaning the city would sell property to a private developer, which then would lease it to VCU. This would allow the development to generate long-term tax revenue for the city. President and CEO of The Doorways Stacy Brinkley said she wants this plan to be a new start for her organization and expand what it can offer for people who use the facility in the future. Brinkley said her organization has to turn away many potential patients and families because of a lack of space. The Doorways’ hospitality house accommodates more than 50,000 nights of service that include lodging, meals and support to 10,000 children and adults on average each year. Almost 50% stay longer than a month, according to VCU Health. The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Richmond, or RMHC Richmond, which provides support and housing for families with pediatric patients in the Richmond area. RMHC Richmond executive director Kerry Blumberg said in an email they also face the dilemma of turning families away. Last year, 2,431 nights of care were provided by RMHC Richmond, and studies project that by 2025, 22,630 nights of care will be needed. In 2019, the average length of stay was 8.5 nights according to VCU Health.

Blumberg said a new facility would service 30-40 more pediatric patient families than the current nine that can be accommodated. The new RMHC would include features such as immune-compromised suites, which are designed for patients with low immunity, as well as new community spaces and around 45 more sleep rooms. “Having immune compromised suites (think efficiency apartment) and expanded ADA compliant features will allow us to extend the reach of our mission and help a more diverse population of families, who are faced with a full range of pediatric acute and chronic illnesses,” Blumberg said. The plan calls for an increase in space for The Doorways’ guest rooms, from 115 to 145 rooms, and for RMHC Richmond, from 14 to 60 rooms. Brinkley says this development would ensure that a large, diverse population can continually access medical care and advanced research in our community. He said Richmond will continue to rise in the ranks of cancer research, trials and treatment; bone marrow transplants; organ transplants; rehabilitation from traumatic injuries and more. “When Richmond’s health care ratings rise, so does its ability to attract students, families, retirees and businesses to our community,” Brinkley said. Porter said an estimated timeline for the project would be 36 months, and that it is too early in the process to estimate cost. Richmond City Council voted on the Navy Hill proposal on Feb. 10 and rejected it with a 7-2 vote.

The pilot light was lit ahead of men’s basketball’s matchup against No. 5 Dayton on Tuesday night as Rams fans packed the Siegel Center for VCU’s much-anticipated date with the Flyers. But not enough gas followed for the Rams. Although the crowd brought an uptick in energy following their team’s loss to George Mason last week, the noise was not sufficient. VCU fell 66-61 to ex-Rams coach Anthony Grant and his crew Tuesday, despite freshman guard Bones Hyland’s 18 points. Dayton entered Tuesday’s contest as the highest-ranked opponent VCU has ever welcomed to the Siegel Center. The previous high came when the black and gold took on then-No. 7-ranked Virginia on Nov. 17, 2017 — a game the Rams lost 76-67. VCU fell behind in the early going Tuesday, as the Flyers opened the game on a 6-0 run after 3-pointers by Obi Toppin and Ryan Mikesell found the bottom of the net. But the Rams responded with a quick 7-0 run of their own, finished off by a layup from Hyland, and the Siegel Center was ignited. The Wilmington, Delaware, native started in the place of redshirt-senior guard Marcus Evans, who was active for the game but didn’t receive any playing time. He put together a strong showing before the halftime intermission, dropping 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting, 2-for-4 from three, to pace the black and gold in scoring. See MEN'S BASKETBALL on page 5

Freshman guard Bones Hyland totaled 18 points. Photo by Megan Lee

“BRAIDING IS JUST AS TECHNICAL AS GRAPHIC DESIGN”:

Professor draws inspiration from African identity

See BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROFILE on page 7 Illustration by Rey Carlson

2 The Commonwealth Times

Stories of the week

national: NASCAR driver Ryan Newman is awake and speaking after a fiery crash during the last lap of the Daytona 500 on Monday. international: Twenty-two people, 14 of which were children, were killed by armed men in the Cameroon village of Ntumbo on Friday, the United Nations reported.

Illustration by Ashlyn Rudolph

Students call bills prohibiting LGBTQ discrimination a step in right direction ANYA SCZERZENIE Contributing Writer Bills prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ Virginians in employment, housing and public accommodations are garnering support from VCU students, who call it a step in the right direction and say “other states should follow in our footsteps.” Two proposals to grant more protections for LGBTQ people in Virginia are advancing through the General Assembly and have each passed one chamber of the legislature.

“I feel it’s applicable to the demographics of the U.S. right now, especially with the transgender community,” said broadcast journalism senior Adoja Henderson, who identifies as bisexual. “I feel like this is a good stepping stone, and other states should follow in our footsteps.” The Virginia Values Act, which includes Senate Bill 868 — sponsored by Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria — and House Bill 1663 — sponsored by Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax — adds new protections and strengthens those already in place. It adds discrimination by sexual orientation

or gender identity to the list of unlawful housing practices. “Watching politics at work can make one feel nauseous; however, observing this year’s General Assembly is almost like living a dream,” Bill Harrison, president and executive director of local advocacy group Diversity Richmond, said in a news release. “For years, we have asked to simply be treated like everyone else … not to fear being fired or denied housing or public accommodations due to who we are.” The bills prohibit gender and sexual orientation discrimination in employment and

credit applications. They also prevent people from being discriminated against in public accommodations — meaning someone can’t be kicked out of a business or restaurant for being LGBTQ. Many VCU students, both those who identify as LGBTQ and those who do not, were happy to hear about this legislation. “I’m quite pleased with this,” said mass communications student Shane Emory. “Sexual orientation discrimination should be just as illegal as racial and class discrimination.” The House bill passed its chamber with a vote of 59-35, and the Senate version passed 30-9. Each of the bills is expected to pass in the opposite house now that Democrats control both chambers. According to a news release by the Virginia Values Coalition, Gov. Ralph Northam, House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, and Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw, D-Fairfax, all have promised to pass protections for LGBTQ Virginians in 2020. The Virginia Values Act would make Virginia the first Southern state to pass extensive LGBTQ protections, according to the Virginia Values Coalition, which lobbied for the bills. Some students said that this act is a step in the right direction, although it won’t completely fix the issues that LGBTQ Virginians face. “Even if it’s not enough to make a complete change, it’s still a step in the right direction, and I’m all for it,” said political science graduate student Sara Ghandour. Freshman political science major Genevieve Bashore says that public opinion needs to change along with the laws. “Honestly, there probably won’t be an immediate effect, but if laws change, it will probably change people’s mindsets,” said Bashore, who identifies as bisexual. “Changing policies shapes public opinion. I know that a lot of younger people are OK with being gay, but making it acceptable in the eyes of the law helps people be more accepting. Older generations didn’t have that.”

What you missed this week in the General Assembly HANNAH EASON News Editor ANDREW RINGLE Managing Editor HATE CRIME PROSECUTION BILL MOVES FORWARD IN SENATE A bill that would allow the Virginia Attorney General to prosecute hate crimes advanced out of committee on Monday. House Bill 787 would allow prosecution through Virginia’s multijurisdictional grand juries, an investigative body that analyzes and prosecutes crimes that cross county lines.

deadline. Other bills, like HB 2 which would require background checks, remain in committee. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR SEXUAL ABUSE SURVIVORS COULD INCREASE TO 20 YEARS

Illustration by Andrew Caress

the state Capitol on Monday. The conser- person’s sexual orientation or gender identiA Senate committee voted unanimously vative state senator is the first major can- ty, would become law with a signature from Monday in favor of a bill that would allow didate to announce a gubernatorial cam- Gov. Ralph Northam. sexual abuse survivors to pursue legal action paign. Chase is known for her support of up to 20 years after an incident. Currently, gun rights, and she used to openly wear a BILL WOULD BAN HOLDING A the statute of limitations is 10 years, and 20 handgun on the Senate floor and during CELLPHONE WHILE DRIVING years for abuse that happens during infan- committee meetings. cy or toward an incapacitated person. Jeff A bill that would prohibit holding a ASSAULT FIREARM BAN Bourne, D-Richmond, patroned the bill. phone while driving passed the state SenFAILS IN SENATE STATE SENATE APPROVES CONate on Monday. Current law prohibits typVERSION THERAPY BAN HB 961 would have banned the selling ing and reading messages while driving, as REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR TO and transferring of assault firearms but failed The Virginia Senate voted Monday well as holding a phone while driving in a RUN FOR GOVERNOR in the Senate on Monday in a 10-5 vote from to ban licensed therapists from subject- work zone. With a signature from the govthe Committee on the Judiciary. The meaSen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, ing minors to conversion therapy. House ernor, HB 874 would go into effect at the sure will be continued to 2021, after barely announced she will run for governor in Bill 386, which defines conversion thera- start of 2021. passing in the House before the crossover 2021 during a press conference outside py as any practice aiming to to change a

Wed. February 19, 2020 3

More than 1,000 Democrat-backed bills pass by crossover

HANNAH EASON Capital News Service

A record number of bills passed in the House of Delegates ahead of the “crossover” deadline, considered the halfway point in the session when a bill has to pass its chamber or it dies. Democrat-led efforts such as marijuana decriminalization, removal of war memorials, and an assault weapons ban squeezed past in the homestretch. Republican bills, such as one that gave the Virginia Lottery Board the ability to regulate casino gambling, also continued to advance. Delegates filed more than 1,700 bills this session, and 828 bills passed. A Virginia House Democrats release said the House has passed 37% more bills than it did during the 2019 General Assembly session. The release stated the House passed around 600 bills each year from 2016 to 2019. “We listened to Virginia and are moving together, forward,” House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, said in a press release. “Voters called for major change in the Commonwealth and we are delivering by passing practical, necessary legislation aimed at substantially improving the lives of Virginia residents.” In the House, Democrats passed 642 bills, more than half of the 1,193 bills they introduced. Republicans filed fewer bills this session — 541 bills were filed and 34% of them passed. These numbers reflect bills, and do not include resolutions or joint resolutions. Bills incorporated into other bills are classified as failing. Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, filed and passed more legislation than any other delegate. Out of 50 filed bills, 32 have passed in the House. His bills eliminated the co-payment program for nonemergency health care services for prisoners, created provisions on conversion therapy, and granted excused absences to students who miss school for mental and behavioral health reasons.

“Sen. Edwards has been in the Virginia Senate since 1996, and with the Democratic Party in the minority for the bulk of that time,” said Luke Priddy, Edwards’ chief of staff. “He had a lot of ideas for good legislation that didn’t pass in prior years.” Out of 412 bills filed by Senate Republicans, 223, roughly half of them, passed. Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, did not pass any of her sponsored bills. A total of 1,095 bills were filed A total of 1,734 bills were filed Her 21 filed bills included the creation of a Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would have prohibited abortion after 20 weeks unless under extreme medical circumstances. Chase did not respond to a request for comment. A total of 828 bills were passed A total of 663 bills were passed Chase said Wednesday on Facebook, where she often posts to her constituents, that her bills didn’t advance in committees because of her decision in November to leave the Senate Republican Caucus. “If you don’t pay thousands (pay-to-play) A total of 906 bills failed to pass A total of 432 bills failed to pass to join one of their caucuses, they will deny you of committee assignments and suspend Democrats Republicans Democrats Republicans your bills, not giving each bill a fair hearing,” Infographic by Andrew Caress Chase wrote. Other delegates weren’t as fortunate, “I offered legislation that would have Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, such as Del. John Avoli, R-Staunton, who greatly benefited the 23rd House District, said bills that include increasing the gas filed two bills which didn’t pass. He passed specifically allowing people of faith to defend tax, energy requirements, the ability of one House resolution, which does not have themselves in a place of worship, assisting localities to increase taxes, and $15 minithe full force of law and does not require new hunters be educated in the ways of the mum wage would make living in Virginia the governor’s signature. Del. Todd Gilbert, craft, and supporting our farmers,” Walker more expensive. R-Shenandoah, didn’t file any bills other said in an email. “Unfortunately, these items “These policies are not free market, than a House joint resolution. did not fall within the majority’s agenda.” they’re not good for Virginia businesses, but Four Republican lawmakers each only In the Senate, 60% of the 1,095 bills they’re not good for Virginia workers either,” passed one bill: Del. Kathy Byron, R-Bed- filed succeeded. Democrats passed 440 bills, McDougle said Wednesday on WRVA’s ford; Del. Charles Poindexter, R-Frank- 64% of what they filed. Republicans passed Richmond Morning News program. lin; Del. Jeffrey Campbell, R-Smyth; 223 bills, 54% of the legislation they filed. House of Delegates Speaker Eileen and former House Speaker Kirk Cox, In total, more Democrat bills failed than Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, called the passed R-Colonial Heights. Republican bills, 243 and 189 respectively. legislation “long overdue” in a statement While Democrats have applauded their Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, filed released Tuesday. party’s success, Republicans have mostly and passed more bills than any other sen“We have kept our promise to truly be focused on the possible impact of the new ator. He filed 60 bills, and was successful the ‘People’s House’ by passing long overmajority. Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynch- in passing 42. due legislation to protect Virginians from burg, said recently passed legislation atSen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, passed exploitation, discrimination and senseless tacked the Second Amendment, tore down 32 bills in the Senate, and his chief of staff violence,” Filler-Corn said. the economy and made it easier to “take the said they are expected to be successful lives of our unborn.” in the House.

Senate bills by crossover

House bills by crossover

Bills filed

683

412

Bills passed

440

223

Bills failed

243

189

A glance at Counseling Services' pathways MAKE AN APPOINTMENT At VCU Student Commons, Suit 238

Here is a general idea of the path you might take when receiving mental health care at VCU.

Professionals determine whether the issue is chronic or acute.

Acute problem

Chronic problem

Five to six one-on-one interactions

One-on-one or group sessions are possible, but an outside referral is more likely.

Option to attend group therapy

Student decides yes

Attend group therapy

Student decides no

Referred elsewhere

Attend therapy and help sessions with professional outside services Infographic by Andrew Caress

1,193

541

Bills passed

642

186

Bills failed

551

355

Some students feel University Counseling Services are inadequate LINDSEY WEST Contributing Writer

student connect with a community provider,” Lovisa said. According to the American Psychological Association, an average of 15 to 20 counseling sessions are needed for 50% of patients to recover, as indicated by self-reported symptom measures. The concern for mental health issues among college-age students continues to expand as reported levels of anxiety, depression, and relationship problems are on the rise. An American Psychological Association study showed 41.6% of university-age students presented signs of having anxiety, and 36.4% showed depression symptoms. Junior Luna Powell, who has attended several sessions as a sophomore and this academic year, said the advice she was given was helpful, but not enough. “Some of their advice was useful, but at the same time I think their session was not enough for me,” Powell said. Group therapy is common after one-onone counseling sessions have concluded. Insurance is not required for University Counseling Services. If a student is transferred to extended therapy, having insurance is preferable. “When making referrals, we take into consideration a student’s access to health insurance, transportation, financial situation and clinical need,” Lovisa said.

University Counseling Services offers students a range of mental health services, but an individual’s path through the system varies depending on their circumstances. And some students say what was offered to them wasn’t adequate to address their mental health concerns. “It wasn’t really what I expected,” said Adam Dunlap, a freshman psychology student who participated in one counseling session. “I was more just evaluated and then sent somewhere else rather than counseled.” Division of Student Affairs spokesperson Matthew Lovisa said in an email that students seeking counseling meet with a clinician to assess their specific needs. There are evaluations for acute mental illnesses, which are addressed by brief treatment, and chronic mental illnesses, which require longer-term care and support. The evaluation is done through paperwork that takes about 10 minutes to complete, and the services — which are short term and focused on treatment — are free to currently enrolled students. Counseling Services does not have the capacity to oversee students for a long period of time. “If longer-term care is the best recommendation for a student, UCS will help the Read the full article at commonwealthtimes.org.

4 The Commonwealth Times

Stat of the week

Senior distance runner Ashley Brown won the 1,000-meter run at the Darius Dixon Invitational at Liberty University on Saturday.

A COACHING BREEDING GROUND:

coaching staff infused with Randolph-Macon ties NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor Jamal Brunt sat in the Randolph-Macon basketball office stuffing envelope after envelope, packing recruiting letters and other written materials the athletic department wanted sent out. Although it wasn’t the most glamorous task, Brunt did the job as a part of his work study his junior year. He was in the office more often, and he began talking with and watching assistant coach Miles Wilson, absorbing information about the other side of the team: coaching. Brunt’s senior year rolled around, and he began thinking about what he was going to do after basketball. At first, he didn’t know. Then, he thought he was going to join the staff as a volunteer assistant, coaching parttime. “After he graduated, he thought he was just going to go back to Baltimore and get a job,” coach Mike Rhoades said. “I said, ‘I think you’re going to be a heck of a coach.’” Rhoades recruited Brunt as a part of his first recruiting class at the helm of the Yellow Jackets. Wilson moved on to The Citadel, and Rhoades knew who to ask to fill the vacant spot on his coaching staff. “Before I graduated, coach [Rhoades] told me that he was going to hire me,” Brunt said. “The rest is history.” Brunt and Rhoades are just two of the four coaches on the VCU men’s basketball coaching staff who coached in Ashland — assistant coach J.D. Byers and Director of Operations Jimmy Martelli also made stops at Randolph-Macon. FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACH Randolph-Macon is a small liberal arts college about 20 miles north of Richmond with an enrollment of 1,543 undergraduate students. Its basketball program has a rich history and tradition of winning, making 14 NCAA tournaments and a Division III Final Four appearance. In 1996, the small D-III school hired a young Rhoades right out of college as an assistant. Three years later, he was named head coach at 25 years old. “It was a great experience for me,” Rhoades said. “And then getting the job at 25 at the time was a huge surprise, but what an awesome opportunity. I made a lot of mistakes, but boy we had a lot of fun doing it.” Rhoades said he put a lot of pressure on himself in his first head coaching job, and that hasn’t changed throughout his career. He learned to deal with the pressure through trial and error while coaching the Yellow Jackets. “You want to win so bad. You don’t want to let your players down, you don’t want to let the people around you that are supporting you down,” Rhoades said. “So, every day was so darn important to me, but it was awesome because I learned so much.” The Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, native said he learned patience and how to motivate his players in his early years at Randolph-Macon. “Probably the biggest thing to me is finding different things to motivate and reach your players,” Rhoades said. “At Randolph-Macon, that was really important to

Illustration by Karly Andersen

me. I wanted to find ways to motivate each guy, and we still do that today.” In his 10 years leading the Yellow Jackets, Rhoades posted a 197-76 record, making four NCAA tournaments and two D-III Sweet 16 appearances. FROM PLAYING TO COACHING Brunt starred on the court at Randolph-Macon, starting all four years as a point guard for Rhoades. The Yellow Jackets made both Sweet 16 appearances with Brunt at the point and were the No. 1 team in the country during the 2002-03 season. When he accepted the coaching job from Rhoades, Brunt was coaching players who were his teammates the year before. He said the transition from player to coach was easier than expected because he was a captain for three years and was a leader on the team. “I had to create a separation there — no more hanging out off the court and stuff like that,” Brunt said. “When I did make the adjustment to being a coach and instructing those guys, it wasn’t as foriegn to them.” Brunt coached alongside Rhoades for the first two years of his career, and he noticed quickly how detail oriented Rhoades was. Brunt said Rhoades expected his players to pay close attention to detail and expected the same from his assistants. “The thing about Randolph-Macon, and even to this day, everything is done with such a high-level attention to detail,” Brunt said. “I had worked so hard, and the attention to detail was so high, that when I made the transition to Division I, it was easy for me.” Detail-oriented tendencies weren’t Rhoades’ only ask of his assistants; he needed them to be competitive, too. “He was always such a competitive leader, and you want that in your assistants too,” Rhoades said of Brunt. “When they go to do the scouting report, it’s so competitive and personal to them.” Brunt left Randolph-Macon to join Richmond’s coaching staff as the director of operations for two years before becoming an assistant. After a stop at Miami, Brunt reunited with Rhoades on Broad Street last year.

He said returning to Rhoades’ coaching staff was a good fit because of the experience they gained as coaches together. Brunt said it was also different from their days at Randolph-Macon because now he’s married with three children; both have grown and matured. “I think that’s what made both of us better, and I think that’s why he wanted me to come back,” Brunt said. “That’s why I was excited to come back, because I think I knew I could bring value, and he saw the value I could bring.” ‘IT REINFORCED ALL THE REASONS WHY I WANTED TO COACH’ A former point guard from Lebanon Valley College, just like Rhoades, Byers coached in Ashland for three years and two with Rhoades. He said coaching the Yellow Jackets solidified his reasons for pursuing coaching. “It gave me a good idea of how a bigtime program should be run. They did everything first-class,” Byers said. “The experience brought to light what I wanted to do. It reinforced all the reasons why I wanted to coach.” With Byers as an assistant, the Yellow Jackets won 66 games in his three years, including a trip to the Division III Final Four in 2010. Byers said Randolph-Macon was the biggest game of the season for the opposing teams, something he has experienced while coaching at VCU. “As people say all the time, it’s all relative. It’s tough for our guys every single night. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing or where we’re going,” Byers said. “I use things that I learned at Randolph-Macon every single day here, and I will the rest of my coaching career.” Byers rejoined Rhoades at Rice after stops at St. Francis (Pa.) and Radford, making the move to VCU in 2017. A JACK OF ALL TRADES As director of operations, Martelli is a self-described Main Street of the basketball staff. Anything related to the team has the potential to come across his desk before he

passes some tasks on to the next person. “From travel to budget to academics to anything under the sun, there’s a lot of things that need to happen for a successful program to continue moving forward, and a lot of those things hit my desk,” Martelli said. “I’m kind of directing what’s going on and making sure it gets to the right places.” Martelli was an assistant coach under Rhoades at Randolph-Macon in 2006, and he said that experience has helped him with his current position at VCU. “The experience was invaluable just from a job duty standpoint,” Martelli said. “From managerial duties, to administrative duties, to the business side of things. So just having a holistic view of a successful program and how it ran and all the details that went into it was immensely beneficial for me.” After his one-year stint at Randolph-Macon, Martelli was an assistant at Robert Morris for three years and at Rutgers for another three. He returned to college basketball for the first time in four years at VCU when Rhoades was named coach in 2017. JUST LIKE FAMILY When Rhoades left Randolph-Macon to become an assistant at VCU in 2010, part of him stayed with his coaching staff in Ashland. He was always in touch with Byers, talking about recruiting and basketball as a whole. Byers said it helped him to have a mentor like Rhoades. When Rhoades was starting off as head coach in the late ’90s, it was just him and his wife, Jody, at home. He wanted his assistant coaches to be like family. Rhoades surrounded himself with coaches he trusts in Richmond, calling the selection process a “no-brainer.” “We wanted coaches that we enjoyed being around, and we wanted coaches that were going to work so hard for us like we were for them,” Rhoades said. “What happened was we found some really good young ones that have turned into great assistants.”

Wed. February 19, 2020 5

Men’s basketball drops 3rd straight in Dayton loss Continued from front page Junior forward Marcus Santos-Silva had high praise for Hyland, who recorded a double-digit scoring output for the second time against a tough Dayton defense. “He’s not a freshman. His mentality, his maturity — he doesn’t play as a freshman,” Santos-Silva said of Hyland. “The whole team and the coaching staff, we trust him, and we just let him go off when he’s feeling it.” Santos-Silva notched his ninth double-double — 12 points and 17 rebounds — of the season. The Rams kept the margin within striking distance down the stretch, cutting their deficit to as close as 2 on a 3-point play by sophomore forward Vince Williams with

just over six minutes to play. VCU didn’t inch any closer, as the Flyers pulled away with free throws to seal the victory. The result marks three straight losses for coach Mike Rhoades and company for the first time since the 2015-16 season. Rhoades said the mentality moving forward is “no excuses,” adding that his team just needs to find a way to win the next one. “It stinks. It’s no fun. It’s driving me crazy,” Rhoades said. “But I want it to drive our guys crazy, and let’s do something about it. Today was a step in the right direction against a great team, but we’re not making any excuses around here.” The Rams will face Saint Louis on the road on Feb. 21 at 9 p.m.

Left: Freshman guard Bones Hyland started in place of the injured redshirt-senior Marcus Evans. Right: Hyland scored 18 points against Dayton. Photo by Megan Lee

Rebounding improves in Rams’ loss to Flyers NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor

Junior forward Marcus Santos-Silva logged 17 rebounds against Dayton. Photo by Megan Lee

When George Mason knocked off men’s basketball on Feb. 12, the Patriots out-rebounded the Rams by 21 — a season-high deficit. Then the Rams traveled to Richmond a few days later on Feb. 15 and were out-rebounded by 10 in the first 20 minutes. The Rams struggled on the glass over the last four games, were bullied on the boards and out-rebounded by 43. A day after the loss to the Spiders, the team held a 2 hour, 40 minute meeting that was “a lot of truth telling,” coach Mike Rhoades said. The meeting allowed the players to voice what they thought was going wrong. “When you’re around your teammates and your coaches that care about each other and love each other and your honest, it’s not to demean anybody,” Rhoades said. “But it’s ‘we expect more of you, more of ourselves, more of each other.’ We needed to have that, and I think our guys really responded to that, and they took it to heart.” On Tuesday night, No. 5 Dayton visited the Siegel Center and handed the Rams their third-straight loss 66-61, but the black and gold won the rebound battle by 10. “It was big on rebounding,” freshman guard Bones Hyland said on the preparation. “They feed off offensive rebounds and second-chance points, so try to get offensive rebounds and slow them down on offense.” Junior forward Marcus Santos-Silva led the Rams on the glass with his ninth double-double of the season, logging 12 points

and 17 rebounds. The Taunton, Massachusetts, native said he emphasized grabbing every rebound he could in the paint. “I wasn’t aggressive that last couple games around the boards, and then today I just made that a priority,” Santos-Silva said. “Just focus on defense and just getting every rebound so we could get clean catches and go off on the break.” Coach Mike Rhoades said that the Rams’ focus was to go after the ball and play physically doing it. “Hit somebody, and go get it,” Rhoades said. “We did that a lot today. Guys flying around, guys not thinking about what happened last play, just ‘in this moment I’ve got to go get a rebound.’” Sophomore forward Vince Williams logged seven rebounds against Richmond and added six more against Dayton, starting in both games for the black and gold. “He goes after a lot of them,” Rhoades said of Williams. “He’s very physical on his box outs. He clears space not just for himself, but for others.” The Rams recorded 16 offensive rebounds against the Flyers, while logging 25 on the defensive end. “[They] got a lot of offensive rebounds. ... 50-50 balls and second chance points hurt us tonight,” Dayton coach Anthony Grant said of the Rams’ rebounding. “They did a good job on the glass tonight.” The Rams travel to St. Louis to face the Billikens on Friday at 9 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

6 The Commonwealth Times

Golf utilizes offseason to heal up, refine skills RYAN GRUBE Staff Writer As golf prepares to kick off the 2020 spring season, coach Matt Ball has one goal in mind for his team: get healthy. “We got three out of seven guys hurt,” Ball said. “Not being healthy means they’re not getting to practice as much. They’ll be fine in the long run, but the start, who knows?” The Rams enter the spring campaign with sophomores Cam Barackman and Ian Peng — as well as junior Kristian Tannum Donaldson — banged up. Ball countered the injuries with a positive report on the rest of the team. He said the other guys have been progressing well, working out the kinks that come with a lengthy off-season. The months that make up the off-season can be difficult for golfers. The cold weather and shortened days often make it tough for players to practice different shots and work on course management. Luckily, for this year’s squad, the black and gold have enjoyed the luxury of a mild winter with very minimal snow. “This has been a great winter. It’s been pretty warm,” Ball said. “The guys did a good job. Most of them got to play in tournaments over Christmas break, so it hasn’t been so long since they played and worked on [their game].” Tannum Donaldson said his teammates’ game plan over the winter has been centered around working to maintain their skills going into the campaign. “Just making sure we’re all still fresh, and

Junior Kristian Tannum Donaldson was an Atlantic 10 All-Conference selection last season. Photo courtesy of VCU Athletics keeping that work up wherever we went [for winter break],” Tannum Donaldson said. “Meeting up with coaches, making sure our swings are in a good position to start the spring.” The Rams will face their schedule with a solid blend of youth and veteran leadership. Ball called last year’s team — a roster that consisted of four freshman at

the time — the most improved squad he’s ever coached. Ball said the added experience heading into the spring season is an encouraging sign for what his players are capable of in 2020. “Now they’re a little older, a little wiser,” Ball said. “It’s a good group. They’re all very familiar with their strategies. So, we’re just

trying to get better, trying to push them a little harder and just help them progress and keep moving on.” The Rams are fresh off a fall season that consisted of three top-five team finishes, including a first-place win out of 16 teams at the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational in Huntington, West Virginia, on Sept. 10. Ball and company also notched third place at the JT Poston Invitational in Sapphire, North Carolina, on Oct. 1. Tannum Donaldson said the key to success this year is not being complacent about the fall results. He said the crew must continue to strive for better performances. “Just making sure we’re not staying still, we’re always moving forward,” Tannum Donaldson said. “Challenging ourselves everyday with new drills and new ideas, and keeping that competitive spirit within the group.” With the first tournament of 2020 in just a few days in Puerto Rico, Tannum Donaldson said the mindset doesn’t change with travel. “It’s going to be a new place for all of us, so just making sure we’ve done our homework before we get there,” Tannum Donaldson said. “And then when we are there, making sure we come up with a good game plan to attack the golf course. Just like any other tournament, this is no different.” The Rams open the spring season on Sunday at the TPC Dorado Beach Collegiate in Dorado, Puerto Rico.

PRESS BOX

XFL’s altered roles make football safer, more exciting

NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor

When people hear XFL, many think of the wild style of play from its lone season in 2001. When the league made its return this year, many were skeptical about how successful it would be. The XFL is an alternate football league founded by Vince McMahon, whose season followed the NFL’s. He relaunched the league this year after it folded in 2001 due to low television ratings. The league’s reboot is going a lot better than its first go-around in the early 2000s. The games are similar to traditional football, but also altered some rules, appealing to the casual fan and the diehard alike. “It is easy to be skeptical, because it’s just now getting started,” former NFL tight end Fred Davis told The L.A. Times last June. “You’re fighting the big giant — the NFL.” Well, the XFL was a hit almost immediately after kicking off on Feb. 8 with the DC Defenders and the Seattle Dragons. In Washington D.C., more than 17,000 fans packed Audi Field, home of the MLS’ D.C. United, for the opener against Seattle. “I thought [the environment] was awesome,” Dragons quarterback Brandon Silvers told The Washington Post. “It’s a soccer stadium, but it looked damn good as a football stadium. They definitely got a nice home crowd.” The XFL shares many of the same rules as college football, but the league also adjusted a few, like altering the kickoff to make it safer for the returner. In traditional football, the kicking team’s players all line up on their own 35-yard line.

Illustration by Karly Andersen

Once the ball is kicked, they run down to try to make a play on the ball or tackle the returner. But in the XFL, the kicking team’s players line up five yards away from the returning team’s blockers at the 35-yard line. They can’t run until the returner touches the ball. This rule made the game safer without sacrificing entertainment — to the contrary, it makes the game more exciting. The kicking team can be penalized if they kick a touchback, and the ball is placed at the 35-yard line, whereas in traditional football the ball is placed at the 25-yard line. The new kickoff is a move in the right direction for a league that wants to set itself apart from traditional football and the NFL. But the NFL should also consider

implementing some of the XFL’s innovative changes. For over the last few years, the NFL has discussed eliminating the kickoff from its rules and giving the “receiving” team the ball at the 25-yard line. Instead, the NFL should adopt the XFL’s kickoff — it’s safer and more exciting because players are more inclined to return the kick, and the kicking team is likely not going to kick a touchback. This year in the NFL, only 36% of kickoffs were returned, whereas 10 years ago 76.4% were returned. In the XFL’s first weekend of play, 91.4% were returned with the new kickoff format. Not only did the XFL change the

kickoff rules, but also the extra point procedures. In traditional football, an extra point is a kick with the ball spotted at the 2-yard line, while in the XFL it isn’t a kick, but what looks like a 2-point conversion in traditional football. After a score in the XFL, a 1-point extra point is from the 2-yard line. Teams can also elect to go for a 2 or even a 3-point conversion instead of the extra point. The 2-point conversion takes place from the 5-yard line, and the 3-point conversion is from the 10-yard line. The XFL took notes on what to do this time around and improved in its reboot. Now, the NFL should take pointers from its unconventional peer.

Wed. February 19, 2020 7

On this day

In 1878, Thomas Edison was granted a patent for the phonograph.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROFILE

ZIMBABWEAN ROOTS

Photo Illustration by Rey Carlson. Image courtesy of Nontsikelelo Mutiti

Graphic design professor draws inspiration from hair salons IMAN MEKONEN Spectrum Editor PORTING BRIGHT TURQUOISE eyeliner in a brightly lit office with a ceiling-length shelf filled with colorful books is VCUarts graphic design professor Nontsikelelo Mutiti. Long before she came to VCU, the Zimbabwean-born artist grew up taking art classes, which gave her the opportunity to learn art via a hands-on curriculum from age 6 to 18. She learned different painting techniques but was very interested in design. Mutiti taught painting and drawing after high school and continued for eight years. She decided to leave in pursuit of a career in graphic design, which came after noticing the brightly colored posters, billboards and flyers in Harare, Zimbabwe. “I started to wonder what it would be like to produce work that people would come upon just by walking in the street,” Mutiti said. “There were always these posters tied to street lights and trees, taped to wire fences, and I thought they were so fascinating. ” Between finishing high school and coming to the U.S. to study graphic design, Mutiti noticed a huge disconnect between the content she was producing as a painter and the audiences that frequented the spaces. “I wanted the luxury of being able to paint whatever I wanted,” Mutiti said. “I didn’t want to paint or make artwork for the art market that we had that kind of automatically privileged the white community.” Mutiti started to lose interest in the fine art world; instead, she realized she’d rather

make art that would be accessible for her peers and people in her community. Because of this, she started to think about other ways to present her work. “There’s a lot that we’ve [Zimbabweans] gone through, and there’s a lot to say. There’s a lot that we need to kind of exchange and reflect on,” the artist said. “And I didn’t feel it was productive to be putting that work in the space of the galleries that were there at the time.”

I wanted the luxury of being able to paint whatever I wanted, I didn’t want to paint or make artwork for the art market that we had that kind of automatically privileged the white community.” Nontsikelelo Mutiti, VCU graphic design professor She believed she could help her friends in the art scene as a graphic designer by elevating their content, while also making herself known as a painter. “Because I was involved in the art scene, there were a lot of poets or musicians,” Mutiti said. “So I actually thought ‘let me go and learn to be a graphic designer, and I can make really nice posters and really nice CD covers for my friends.’”

Even though she would be making posters for musicians and concerts, she still thought it would be more interesting than painting. With this, she decided to leave teaching. After leaving painting and teaching behind, Mutiti started taking classes at the Ziva School of Vigital Arts in order to pursue the field that she found more interesting. “It was not the intention for graphic design to be the main way that I express my ideas, but I’m really glad that I learned,” Mutiti said. She continued to study at Ziva and then went on to attend graduate school at Yale. Mutiti’s identity as an African immigrant is reflected in her work. Her current projects analyze hair salons as a social space significant to the African American community; the physical environment and the art of braiding are integral parts of the culture. “Hair braiding is seen as something that is fully embedded and embodied by the identity of a black African woman,” Mutiti said. “But it is a skill that is being passed down in families and between friends.” To Mutiti, braiding is just as technical as graphic design and coding with its meticulous movements and complex patterns. She makes a point to represent the connections in different ways through pattern and repetition. Elisa Slaton, a senior graphic design major, works alongside Mutiti as her research assistant through a program in the art department. As a black graphic design student, Slaton says Mutiti is an inspiring

mentor — someone she wants to emulate further down the line. “Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of, like, black people in graphic design or let alone in the arts,” Slaton said. “She’s a really nice person to look up to … somebody that looks like you, that’s doing amazing things.” Slaton said graphic design was the best major for her because of its creative freedom. “I’ve kind of like, dipped my toe into pretty much everything so far, but I think graphic design really — especially this program — allows you to, like, do really anything you want,” Slaton said. Mutiti says teaching at VCU introduced her to learning and teaching spaces that were different from those she experienced as a 19-year-old art teacher in Zimbabwe. “I think there’s respect for each other as community members, friends, peers, before there is respect for the institution and for hierarchies,” Mutiti said, “which is very different to, you know, my engagement with education back home.” As a professor, she says she admires her current students’ work ethic and drive. “Everyone’s very invested, everyone’s very hard-working,” Mutiti said. “And being creative is not just about talent. You have to put enough time and effort, and you have to be looking at a lot of things, and you have to be exchanging. … It’s wonderful to be part of that.”

8 The Commonwealth Times

‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ pairs nostalgia with cringe JOSH CLINTON Contributing Writer One year ago, the internet was greeted by one of the most nightmarish abominations imaginable. The original design of Sonic for the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie was deemed so grotesque by the masses, Paramount did what no one expected: listen to the fans and change the design to be more faithful to the character. Instead of looking like he wants to eat your children, Sonic now looks like a cuddly stuffed animal that you’d find at Build-ABear Workshop. The change in design gave the film its reputation, and it illustrates the amount of love for the character that was put into the finished movie. “Sonic the Hedgehog” opens with a gorgeous recreation of Sonic’s home — a pop art racetrack set on a lush tropical island. The accompanying music is Hyper Potions’ “Friends,” a chiptune-infused electro-dance track that fans of the video games will remember from the reveal of Sonic Mania. Hiding in the backwoods as a local cryptid, Sonic spends 10 years absorbing societal norms by peeping on the locals while they watch movies. This results in

a radical departure from the braggadocious quipster Sonic to a hyperactive child who’s been raised on pop culture. So much of the film’s humor is comprised of movie references and what can only be described as quirky product placement. One of the last jokes of the movie is an ad for Olive Garden that was set up in the first act. On one hand, this is fitting, as Sonic was designed purely to compete with Nintendo’s Mario to compete for game console sales dominance. Much like the overall humor of the film, the plot isn’t anything special. Sonic

teams up with a local sheriff on a road trip to San Francisco to recover his portal-popping rings while evading Dr. Robotnik’s robots. While the designs of the robots themselves are pretty generic — in a sleek, iPod kind of way — Robotnik’s drill-outfitted car is a cute throwback to the first level of the original game. The cast does a fine job, but most of the humor is typical and intended for children. For every chuckle, there’s a heavy sigh, with one major exception — Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. Carrey has so much fun playing this villain that the Academy should form

a new Oscars award for having the most fun in a role. It’s like ’90s Jim Carrey is back; take all the energy from the “Ace Ventura” movies and his time as Riddler in “Batman Forever,” and you get Dr. Robotnik. If memes of him dancing in his evil lair don’t flood the internet, I’ll have lost what little faith I have in humanity. Watching the character meticulously belittle everyone around him makes me crave a Dr. Robotnik solo film. Given how the film ends, I could see a movie in the future about his solo adventures. The characters in this film form a bond, and there’s a half-hearted message about family at the end. This is a template we’ve seen time and time again, but at least now the end product won’t give children nightmares. That being said, I would totally buy a version of the movie with the original design solely for the comedic aspect. “Sonic The Hedgehog” has sped out of the ’90s and into movie theaters nationwide, and the result is a mildly entertaining (albeit extremely formulaic) family film that will largely satisfy longtime fans of the character. Rating: 3/5

Illustration by Gabbie Benda

Eco film promotes sustainable farming KATHERINE NOBLE Contributing Writer For Marty Travis, a seventh-generation farmer in central Illinois, selling local, sustainable produce isn’t just about the food. It’s about the relationships he fosters with members of the community.

VCU has a long way to go still, but we hope that the university and its students will be a part of this key moment for climate action and opportunities for advances in statewide policy on the environment.” Moira Neve, president of the Student Environmental Coalition at VCU As part of the Environmental Film Festival, VCU hosted a screening of the documentary “Sustainable.” The documentary follows the journey of Travis’ small farm and details how he engages his local community, bringing farmers and neighbors together with fresh food, land, and profit margins. Travis transformed his family’s farm and partnered with local chefs to pioneer the

sustainable food movement in Chicago. John Jones, a visiting scholar and assistant professor at VCU in the Center for Environmental Studies hosted the event. Jones also serves as part of the Sustainable Food Access Core at the Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry, and Innovation, or iCubed. Jones said they selected the film in part because iCubed has a team dedicated to sustainable food access. The iCubed team aims to promote sustainable, healthy food access within Richmond. “Sustainable” follows Chicago’s journey striving for these same goals and emphasizes that action can start on small levels and work toward affecting greater change. “Here in the Midwest, you don’t see every little farming community, you know, bustling and being vibrant and surviving,” Travis said. “So many of the conventional folks, even in our community, they’re having a hard time telling their kids to stay on the farm.” Travis saw an issue in his community and took steps to address it. He didn’t just focus on his own family’s farm but established a coalition of farmers called Stewards of the Land in 2005. The Stewards get lists from local restaurants of what produce the restaurants would like to have. Then they allot those lists based on what each farmer would like to grow. The farmers work within the seasons and constraints of what their farms can grow,

and the restaurants get fresh local produce. The screening was followed by a panel of Richmond scholars who tackled the larger issues the film presented and focused on how VCU can work on sustainability. “We [iCubed] are trying to increase discussions about sustainable food systems, healthy food systems and sustainable food access here at VCU, here within Richmond, across the state, and ultimately across the nation,” Jones said. At VCU, some students are taking action to affect environmental change in their own lives, by becoming involved with student organizations or through personal choices. Elise Ketch, a communication arts senior, works at RamBikes, a bicycle rental service for VCU students, faculty and staff. “I started working there because a technician position was open and they were looking for someone with social media skills,” Ketch said. “Last year I opened a bike shop with my dad and ran the social media, so I had specific experience.”

In addition to rentals, RamBikes offers maintenance and assembly for bikes, workshops and clinics — free of charge for all VCU students, faculty and staff. The services involve students in practical, smallscale environmental action. Ketch hopes VCU allocates more funding for sustainability initiatives in the future. Moira Neve, the president of the Student Environmental Coalition at VCU, started the club because she felt there should be an inclusive and accessible space where students can practice social and political engagement, particularly in regards to environmental action. One of the group’s goals is to connect students to other local environmental groups to create community. “VCU has a long way to go still,” Neve said. “But we hope that the university and its students will be a part of this key moment for climate action and opportunities for advances in statewide policy on the environment.”

Illustration by Kayleigh Conroy

Wed. February 19, 2020 9

UPCOMING EVENTS See something

THURS. 2/20 ICA Artist Lecture by Lavar Munroe

The Department of Painting and Printmaking will host an artist lecture from Bahamian artist Lavar Munroe, whose work includes painting, drawing, sculpture and installation art. The talk will be held at the Institute for Contemporary Art. For more information, contact Kat Wilson at papr@vcu.edu or visit the VCUarts painting and printmaking website. 12:30 p.m, Institute for Contemporary Art (601 W. Broad St.) Free.

TUES. 2/25 “The Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution” was screened on Tuesday. Film still courtesy of Brandon Burnesson.

‘The Power to Heal’

SHEDS LIGHT ON FIGHT FOR EQUAL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE JIANA SMITH Contributing Writer Chief of Health Impact at VCU Health Sheryl Garland recounted VCU’s legacy of segregated health care during the discussion of the film “The Power to Heal” at the Larrick Student Center on Thursday evening. “In the Kontos Building, there is an archway for St. Philip Hospital,” Garland said. “My parents were born at St. Philip Hospital because it was the hospital where black babies were born.” MCV’s St. Philip Hospital also trained African American nurses who were barred from attending the School of Nursing due to segregation. “The Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution” is a documentary produced by public health scholar Barbara Berney. Based on the book by David Barton Smith, the film explores the decadeslong fight for desegregation in hospitals and equal access to health care. The documentary unearths the often-overlooked story of civil rights activists such as Dorothy Ferebee, Dr. W. Montague Cobb and Dr. George Simkins. In one particularly moving scene, Dr. Brenda Armstrong of Durham, North Carolina, describes her mother’s labor and the hospital’s refusal to attend to her as her first encounter with medical racism. “In our town, we could not use the hospital,” Armstrong said. “For her final

pregnancy, my mom was going to need a C-section — the baby was big.” “She went into labor. They couldn’t get her to the colored ward, they delivered at home,” Armstrong continued, tearing up. “My brother sustained a stroke because of it.” This incident, which would inspire Armstrong to become a physician, was only one of many stories in the film that highlighted the damaging effects of the segregated health care system in the U.S.

Having intentional and out-loud conversations about institutional racism and a specific institution and what it means for our local history is important.” Jennifer Early, VCU Health senior project manager According to the 2018 film, prior to landmark Medicare legislation in 1965, African Americans were often disrespected by health care professionals. Ambulances refused to take them to hospitals, and if

they made it to the emergency room, they faced the possibility of being turned away. Some black doctors started hospitals for their communities in response to these conditions, but often did not have the funds to maintain them. Aspiring black physicians also faced problems receiving training and practicing medicine due to segregation. Still, these circumstances could not stop them. Barred from the American Medical Association, black physicians formed the National Medical Association and fought for their right to receive and practice medical care. The efforts of these physicians were recognized by government officials such as Robert Kennedy and President Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson would eventually sign into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Social Security Act of 1965, which created Medicare and provided an incentive for hospitals to integrate. After the film, many audience members said that they weren’t aware of the history of medical segregation before watching the documentary. “Having intentional and out-loud conversations about institutional racism and a specific institution and what it means for our local history is important,” said VCU Senior Population Health Project Manager Jennifer Early. “The Power To Heal” was shown as a part of this year’s “Real Life Film series,” which is hosted by the Tompkins-McCaw Library of the Health Sciences. It is the fourth film in the series to be shown this academic year. “We started the Real Life Film series to raise awareness of the fact that we have all these great DVDs and films and streaming services available at VCU,” said Deputy Director of Tompkins-McCaw Library Emily J. Hurst. “Having speakers like Sheryl or graduate students come and talk about their experiences has been really great for the people that are in attendance.”‌ “The Power to Heal” is available for checkout at the Tompkins-McCaw Library.

VCU Health Chief of Health Impact Sheryl Garland lead a discussion after the film. Photo by Jiana Smith

‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ Screening and Discussion

The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs will host a screening of “If Beale Street Could Talk,” directed by Barry Jenkins. The film is based on the James Baldwin novel of the same name. A discussion about Baldwin’s contributions to black America will follow the screening. 6 - 7:30 p.m., OMSA office, University Student Commons (907 Floyd Ave.) Free.

Do something

SAT. 2/22 Open Mic Night

The Afghan Student Association will host an open mic night with spoken word performances, music, food and other live performances. For more information, contact Nazaneen Anwari at anwarin2@ mymail.vcu.edu. 5 p.m., Park Plaza Apartments (310 W. Franklin St.) Free.

SUN. 2/23 Student Activism Lecture

University of Virginia student activist Zyahna Bryant will be the guest speaker for a conversation about the history and future of activism in the U.S. The event is tied to the Virginia Museum of History and Culture’s current exhibit, “Determined: The 400-Year Struggle for Black Equality.” Bryant is featured in the exhibit for her efforts in activism in Charlottesville. 2 - 5 p.m., Virginia Museum of History and Culture, (428 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.) Free.

Learn something

THURS. 2/20 GRTC Travel Session

There will be a learning session about how to navigate the GRTC bus system and the routes around both the Monroe TO THE EDITOR Park LETTER and Medical campuses hosted by VCU Parking and Transportation. To register, visit the department’s website. For more information, contact Kendra Norrell at commute@vcu.edu. 2 - 3 p.m., Room 1105, Academic Learning Commons, (1000 Floyd Ave.) Free.

FRI. 2/21 VMFA Artist Talk: Paul Rucker

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will host an artist talk with guest speaker Paul Rucker, a multidisciplinary artist who combines visual art, media and live performances to cover issues such as mass incarceration, police brutality and other institutional injustices. He will discuss elements of his work, including a video installation, “Proliferation,” that shows the growth of the U.S. prison system. 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Leslie Cheek Theater, VMFA (200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.) $8

Have suggestions for the events calendar? Email spectrum@commonwealthtimes.org

10 The Commonwealth Times

Quote of the week

“Time is on the side of the oppressed today, it’s against the oppressor. Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it’s against the oppressor. You don’t need anything else.” — malcolm x

Illustation by Ricardo Rodriguez

Being a police officer is a choice. Being black is not. TAGWA SHAMMET Opinions Editor

OR CENTURIES, BLACK AMERICANS

have found themselves leading movement after movement in an effort to be rewarded with the same privileges and freedoms as the rest of the nation. The civil rights movement was a prominent example of such activism. Today, Black Lives Matter advocates for collective justice for black Americans. Yet, for some reason unbeknownst to me, it has struck controversy for years. Meanwhile, the “Blue Lives Matter” movement, which is an anti-black agenda disguised as being pro-cop, seems to be growing effortlessly.

Police brutality is the latest form of assault against the black American community. For a majority of my adolescence, I’ve heard the stories of innocent black people being wrongfully murdered by law enforcement, the same law enforcement that is in place to protect the public. It’s completely disheartening to know that people who look like me — who share my color — are targets for police officers all over the nation. Police brutality is a national epidemic, and Richmond certainly has not been spared. Coming to VCU in 2018, I heard the story of Marcus-David Peters and the injustice that resulted in him being killed by police in May 2018. Peters was a 24-year-old science teacher and VCU alum who was shot by police

officers in broad daylight. He was unarmed and naked, although that didn’t seem to make a difference to armed officers. They tried to subdue Peters with a taser, and when that was ineffective, one of the officers shot him. Peters’ story becomes more enraging upon learning that then-Richmond Commonwealth Attorney Michael Herring decided not to press charges against the two officers involved, saying it was a “justifiable homocide.” This story is not a complete matter of black versus white. I am well aware that one of the officers involved in this case was black. In fact, the video of Peters being tased shows a black hand holding the weapon.

The issue isn’t exclusive to white officers; it implicates police as a whole. Like the entire U.S. justice system, police officers have managed to turn their authority into another systematically oppressive mechanism that results in the deaths of thousands of black Americans. The “Blue Lives Matter” movement only revealed itself after the already established Black Lives Matter movement began addressing police brutality. The National Police Association says that “Blue Lives Matter is a movement supporting police officers & their sacrifices nationwide.” So we are clear, I am not anti-cop; I respect their constant sacrifice. However, I am not going to support a movement that was created in hopes of overshadowing and squashing growing black activism. “Blue Lives Matter” is not pro-cop, it’s anti-black. Let me ask you: If this movement isn’t anti-black, why couldn’t it have been named something that isn’t a complete rip off of Black Lives Matter? First, and foremost, you are not born a blue life. Unlike black people, if you cannot deal with the realities that come with the job, you can take off your uniform. Secondly, saying that black lives matter does not mean we are condoning the killing of others. In a country where black people are overlooked, it only seems fit that we remind you that our lives matter, too. The only reason people tend to mistake the Black Lives Matter movement as one that encourages murder and violence is because that’s exactly what the “Blue Lives Matter” movement does. To protect and to serve. Unless they’re black, right? Black Lives Matter is not simply a movement. It is change. It is meant to bring power, justice and help build the black community. The “Blue Lives Matter” sham is just another facade meant to take the spotlight away from black people in hopes of silencing their cries. Black people are not spewing anti-cop rhetoric. Perhaps, instead of assembling yet another institutional barrier disguised as some humanitarian project, we can stop killing unarmed black Americans.

Tea time with Tagwa Caring for mental health improves the commonwealth TAGWA SHAMMET Opinions Editor Tea timers, we can all agree that living in the City of Richmond comes with a number of undeniable privileges. We can shop in Short Pump, eat at some of the finest restaurants in Carytown and spend the night walking around downtown after a beautiful day on the James River. But during those adventures, we are likely to encounter those less fortunate than us living on the streets. Some people aren’t as privileged as others. Throughout the city and our campus, no matter what street you’re on, homelessness is a visible reality. It’s become so normal to see people living on the streets that some of us tend to forget it’s even happening. As difficult as it is to say, it almost doesn’t even phase me anymore — that is, until last Saturday. I work as a desk assistant for VCU Residential Life and Housing, and as I was walking to work, I saw an older woman who appeared to be homeless talking to

herself and shivering in the cold. Seeing how I was already late to work, I hurriedly made my way inside. A few minutes later, the woman made her way inside as well, following a student who had door access. She laid on the lobby couch, and as she was completely harmless I found no point in telling her to leave. After an hour, however, she began crying and screaming. It was very obvious she was in distress. Having no experience in handling something like that, my coworker called our boss, who proceeded to tell us to call VCU Police. I immediately regretted calling. It wasn’t my boss’ fault at all — protocol is protocol. Nevertheless, that didn’t make me feel any better. Because we called, we forced her back into below-freezing temperatures when she was clearly unwell. Due to her sudden outburst, it was quite easy to assume she was not alright. Most of my disappointment laid in the fact that we had to call the police instead of a mental health specialist. I understand how this situation was treated as a matter of student safety, but

as a community, we need to be taking better care of those who lack the same resources we do. This woman was not the first nor the last person on the streets with similar issues. While VCU Police successfully and calmly removed the woman, it doesn’t negate the fact that she appeared to need more consistent help. Mental health is a serious issue, but it’s often overlooked and considered a privilege only accessible to select groups of people. In reality, it’s a necessity that must become more accessible to all, especially those experiencing homelessness. Instead of sending law enforcement — which is often surrounded by a cloud of violence and tension — we need to be bringing in people who know how to deal with Illustration by Karly Andersen mental health problems. Neglecting those who have already been forgotten by the system will make them feel more invisible. university will never truly know what We might feel bad for people who that feels like. No matter how sympadon’t know where their next meal is com- thetic we are, we will never be empathetic. ing from, but most of us attending this And that’s the tea.

Wed. February 19, 2020â&#x20AC;&#x192;11

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

Distractions by Ellie Erhart

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 Karly Andersen illustrations@commonwealthtimes.org STAFF WRITERS Adam Cheek, Sports Ryan Grube, Sports STAFF ILLUSTRATORS Erin Joo

VCU STUDENT MEDIA CENTER DESIGN EDITOR Jeffrey Pohanka designers@vcustudentmedia.com

Sorry by Mai Lan Ireland

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Andy Caress Rey Carlson Kamryn Gillham designers@vcustudentmedia.com AD SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Harrison Powers advertising@vcustudentmedia.com (804) 828-6629 WEB MANAGER Chranjitpandian Murugapandi web@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 SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Dominique Lee leeds3@vcu.edu (804) 827-1642 OFFICE MANAGER Owen Martin martinso@vcu.edu

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

For answers to this week’s puzzles, check commonwealthtimes.org/puzzles every Friday at noon.

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