The Commonwealth Times; Oct. 9, 2019 by VCU Student Media Center

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VOL. 61, NO. 8 OCTOBER 9, 2019

‘College is all about the parties’ … and one study wants to know why New program shifts focus from substances to students EDUARDO ACEVEDO Contributing Writer Senior Jason Tsoi stood outside an apartment building in the Fan, making sure the doors behind him didn’t stay open too long, as the loud music made nearby windows shake. “College is all about the parties,” said Tsoi, a criminal justice major, with a bottle in his hand. As some students continue to spend their weekends going out to party and drink, a new research project at VCU and a grant worth more than half a million dollars may change the way the university assesses alcohol abuse. Two researchers, Danielle Dick, director of the College Behavioral and Emotional Health Institute, or COBE, and Joshua Langberg, associate dean for research at the College of Humanities and Sciences, have received $600,000 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in a three-year grant to research, develop and test an alcohol abuse prevention program. The program focuses on the underlying factors that cause college students to drink, instead of the current methods that focus on consumption and drinking safety. “What we know is these current alcohol

Whiteness is like a continuum that never leaves. It’s like a ghost that has haunted every moment of my life at all times.” Xaviera Simmons, artist

‘Great Force’ exhibition opens at ICA

Story on page 7

prevention programs show limited effectiveness,” Dick said. “All of the alcohol programming focuses only on current alcohol use.” For the last decade and a half, this has been the case with most alcohol abuse prevention programs on American college campuses. “It’s all about giving students feedback on how their drinking compares to other students,” Dick said, “getting them to think critically about their substance use and if it interferes with anything in their life.” Environmental science major Mia Morrison said the university should do more with its alcohol abuse prevention programming. “I think [prevention] should be more about how to stop these behaviors instead of these statistics that you really don’t get much from,” Morrison said. Anna Disisto, a freshman, said a program focused on stopping substance abuse would be “much more helpful than programs telling you to simply not to drink.” Dick and Langberg’s research will focus on predispositions students face based on their “externalizing” and “internalizing” genetic codes that wire our brains and influence the way we see the world. See DRINKING on page 2

2 The Commonwealth Times

Stories of the week

national: The first black mayor of Montgomery, Alabama, was elected Tuesday after winning by more than 16,000 votes. international: Following the stabbing of a 14-year-old boy in Canada, two teenagers were charged with first degree murder and two were arrested.

Red Brigade activist group waits outside mayor’s office to declare climate emergency KATHARINE DEROSA Contributing Writer With bodies cloaked in red and faces smeared with charcoal, members from the Richmond Extinction Rebellion protested at City Hall on Monday to deliver a statement of climate emergency to Mayor Levar Stoney. The protest began on the observation deck and continued to the mayor’s office, where the group was met with resistance, and finished with a march around the first floor and a “die-in,” which is meant to resemble death, on the City Hall steps. The Richmond sector of Extinction Rebellion protested in conjunction with many Extinction Rebellion groups around the world such as those in London, Wellington, New Zealand, Berlin and Dublin. Protesters around the world dressed in red to symbolize the “mourning of the planet.”

We’ll just wait. This is about a climate and ecological emergency that we’re facing. Christiane Reiderer, protester At the beginning of the protest, the group fell silent and began processing in a single-file line. A woman at the front of the line, Mara Robbins, led the slow pace barefooted with her palms facing the sky. Some of the protesters who were not dressed in red carried banners and flyers that read “Walk humbly now” and “Do justly now.” The group took up almost all of the hallway area outside the mayor’s office. The sole speaker for the group, Christiane Reiderer,

Richmond Extinction Rebellion protested on the City Hall steps Monday afternoon. Those not dressed in red cloaks participated in a “die in” meant to resemble death. Photo by Katharine DeRosa approached the security officer on duty and asked to speak with the mayor, who refused to see the group without an appointment. “We’ll just wait,” Reiderer said, “This is about a climate and ecological emergency that we’re facing.” Reiderer then told the officer they would speak to anyone from his office, saying that the information they had prepared was “very important.” While Extinction Rebellion was silently waiting, many people had to walk through the crowd to move throughout the floor. People’s eyes widened as they turned the

corner and a few asked the security officer what was going on. Eventually, the mayor and Extinction Rebellion came to a compromise, as Stoney agreed to allow one member inside his office to present the declaration to him. Mara Robbins was silently selected to go inside Stoney’s office. After the presentation of the letter, the security officer led Extinction Rebellion down to the first floor, where the protest continued and eventually exited out onto Broad Street. Those not dressed in red participated in a

“die-in,” where they laid on the steps of City Hall in silence for 11 minutes — one minute for every year there is left to prevent climate change, according to the IPCC, or Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “Die-ins” have become a popular form of protest in recent years as they are meant to symbolize death and were recently used by those in attendance at the worldwide climate strike in Richmond on Sept. 20. After the 11 minutes were finished, Robbins drew the Extinction Rebellion’s symbol on the steps of City Hall with charcoal before departing.

DRINKING

Researcher says developing alcohol problems has less to do with substance itself Continued from front page “Externalizing refers to how we are all different in how much we seek out risk and how … impulsive we are,” Dick said. “The other side is the internalizing pathway … which relates to how we respond to stressful life events and how prone we are to anxiety.” People who tend to internalize are more likely to use substances to cope, Dick said, while people who are more impulsive and externalize things use them “because it’s fun.” “A lot of what contributes to who ends up developing problems with alcohol is not specific to alcohol at all,” said Dick, who is a professor in the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics.

When people are unaware of personal underlying factors, such as impulsivity and tendency to take risks, they lose a key way of knowing if they are at a greater risk of abusing alcohol and other substances. “If you are not cognizant of these traits and you allow them to get away from you, then they can lead to potential problems,” Dick said. Some students still aren’t so hopeful that alcohol abuse prevention programs will get better. Summer Natour, a freshman, worries that prevention programs won’t be able to target exclusively social drinkers. “I think a lot of people drink because it’s socially acceptable when you’re at a party and you say, ‘Oh, my friends are drinking,

Trash accumulated outside of an apartment in Richmond’s Fan District after a Thursday night party. Photo by Enza Marcy maybe I should drink,’” Natour said. “It’s a lot harder to target with a study or a program if you only feel the need to drink when you’re with friends.” Chemistry major Grant Hairston says

the subject of alcohol and substance abuse is taboo on college campuses, and that limits the ability to prevent abuse. “We’re young, if we want to do something, we’re going to do it,” Hairston said.

Wed. October 9, 2019 3

Abner Clay Park renovation’s fencing torn down, Food Not Bombs nonprofit relocates to Monroe Park KATHARINE DEROSA Contributing Writer Richmond Police announced Tuesday they are looking for at least five people who they say cut down fencing placed for a renovation project around Abner Clay Park on Sept. 30. Police said in a Facebook post that it cost $2,000 to put the fencing back up, and people shown in photos of the incident are wanted for destruction of property, trespassing and/or possibly attempted grand larceny. Richmond Councilwoman Kim Gray says renovations on Abner Clay Park in Jackson Ward are necessary, while members of a nonprofit that serves food to homeless people are frustrated at having to move to another location. Food Not Bombs, which operated at the park every Sunday, posted images on Sept. 26 of chain link and barbed wire fencing that was placed around the perimeter of the park. The post said group members, longtime parkgoers and meal distribution patrons weren’t notified that the fence would be put up. “This is a pattern of displacement of some of the most marginalized residents from city parks,” the post said. “It furthers the gentrification and displays a lack of concern towards lower income residents in nearby public housing.” As a result of the renovations, Food Not Bombs is returning its Sunday meal distribution to Monroe Park, where it had operated prior to the renovations that closed the park for about two years in fall 2016. Gray said she found the criticism “insulting” because there has been talk of renovations for years, and she thinks the Jackson Ward community deserves the coming improvements to park. “We’ve been marginalized in our city,” Gray said. “We [ Jackson Ward] are not designed to have a park filled with active

and high people approaching the kids.” Kurt Vinlander, a volunteer with Food Not Bombs, said the group has never had a problem with unsafe people approaching children. “Richmond Food Not Bombs has been here for 25 years and it’s never been an issue,” Vinlander said. “Just because somebody has substance issues doesn’t mean they’re a danger around kids.” Vinlander said children volunteer to help in the kitchen and serve food with their parents. “And food’s not exactly dangerous for kids,” Vinlander said. Gray said she is eager for the renovations because the park “needed an update.” There are many inclines and steps, she said, making it difficult for people who use wheelchairs or walkers to get around. One Food Not Bombs volunteer, Aaron

Bish, is not excited to relocate to Monroe Park, saying now the group has to email ahead of time to serve food at Monroe Park, has to stay in certain areas and can’t give out items other than food. According to Monroe Park’s website, all charitable food distribution must be registered ahead of time by phone or in person. “We served there [Abner Clay Park] every Sunday for 23 years,” Bish said. “[Now] if there’s another event going on, we can’t be there. That’s part of the reason why we stayed in Abner Clay Park.” Bish said he thinks the relocation could be an opportunity for VCU students to become more involved with Food Not Bombs; many volunteers are students or recent graduates. “Back in the day, students avoided going into Monroe Park because they wanted to avoid the homeless,” Bish said. “I guess it could be an opportunity to talk about our organization.” The Monroe Park Conservancy website says it follows Virginia Department of Health guidelines for food distribution, which state that charitable donations are exempt from state and local regulations. Organizations, such as nonprofit homeless shelters and hunger prevention programs, can accept food prepared in private homes or unlicensed facilities. Food Not Bombs will keep the same time schedule and will be serving food in Monroe Park at 4 p.m. on Sundays.

lenged their beliefs.” The new center opened up in Oliver Hall, and the director plans to create an association for Asian students within the School of Education. “We will have our own Asian student association to provide continuous support for students,” said Director of the Asian-American Educational Studies Center Yaoying Xu. “We recruit them but we also want to ensure that in addition to the university, we can provide continuous support through the school level.” The new center’s mission aims to partner students, scholars and educators from The center is temporarily located on the fourth floor of Oliver Hall in the School of Asian countries to collaborate and explore Education until renovations are complete. Photo courtesy of VCU School of Education educational and cultural topics to create a meaningful niche. Multiple programs have been completed or will be completed this semester: • Early childhood education/early elementary practicum in spring 2019 • PreK-20 Program in summer 2019 • Research conference at Jiangnan University in fall 2019 KATIE HOLLOWELL early childhood/early elementary practicum Collective international research lab Contributing Writer and U.S. PreK-20 Summer Program, two The center will also open up an exchange of the programs at the center she helped program to China to “establish and mainThe new Asian-American Educational facilitate. tain strong partnerships with universities Studies Center opened in the School of “These short-term abroad opportunities from China and other Asian countries,” Xu Education this semester to build stronger at VCU had offered these visiting students said. partnerships with international Asian uni- so much to learn, both personally, profesA VCU News release stated there are versities and local Asian communities. sionally and culturally,” Jiang said. “Their two visiting scholars at the center this year Education doctoral student Yingying exposure to a different education system, from Shanghai Normal University’s School Jiang said visiting students were exposed instructional strategies and administrative of Tourism and Shanghai Lixin University to new opportunities and beliefs from the definitely opened up horizons and chal- of Accounting and Finance. The goal is to

spread the program to India and Vietnam and extend the program from one year to three years. The center is temporarily located on the fourth floor of Oliver Hall in the School of Education until renovations are complete. The new center will be completed next year and is located on the third floor of Oliver Hall near the breezeway. Xu says the new center will have meeting rooms and cubicles for students to come and do work together. Originally not in the plans, she believes adding the cubicles and areas for students to hang out together will bring together Asian students from across campus. “The center offers another opportunity for representation of our community,” said in an email from Kristina Nguyen, Vietnamese Student Association member and current School of Education graduate student. “It would be a great way to celebrate and learn about other Asian American cultures - i.e. Chinese, Indian, Burmese, Thai, Japanese etc.” One of the goals for the center is to “strengthen the Asian community at VCU through increased Asian student enrollment,” Xu said. According to university data, there were 753 Asian international students enrolled last year. The number of Asian American students enrolled at VCU has increased from 3,495 students to 4,032 students in 2018, according to the university’s Institutional Research and Data Support.

Food Not Bombs handed out food in Monroe Park on Sunday, where it plans to hand out free meals until further notice. Photos by Katharine DeRosa addicts.” Tamara Jenkins, spokesperson for the City of Richmond’s park, recreation and community facilities, said the park will see improvements to its sidewalks, plaza and athletic field. The park renovations, which are scheduled to be completed in September 2020, include a basketball court and a new pavilion structure. “The improvements to the area will create an open and inviting space that can host a variety of events, while still keeping with the charm of the Jackson Ward neighborhood,” Jenkins said in an email. Abner Clay Park has been home to Food Not Bombs for three years now, and Gray says it hasn’t been a practical use of the park space. “I agree with feeding the community, but I don’t agree with making the community unsafe for the kids,” Gray said. “We have drunk

New Asian American center connects students, partners with international universities

4 The Commonwealth Times

The invention, created in part by Tracey Dawson Cruz, will process DNA faster. Photo by Raelyn Fines

Professor’s invention processes sexual assault data faster at lower cost NAOMI GHAHRAI Contributing Writer

Backlog in processing DNA evidence from sexual assault cases is an issue in many cities. According to a 2017 study by RebecA VCU professor’s invention will process ca Campbell of Michigan State University, sexual assault data for about $10,000 less there are about 200,000 to 400,000 untestand more than five hours faster than current ed sexual assault kits in U.S. police departmethods. ments. DNA evidence is generally collected Chair of the Forensic Science Depart- in a rape kit or other sexual assault kit. ment Tracey Dawson Cruz developed the When sexual assault evidence is taken, it device in collaboration with James Landers, may contain both the perpetrator’s and the a chemistry professor at the University of survivor’s DNA. Virginia. “One of the main reasons for the backlog

is because of the amount of DNA mixtures inherent in sexual assault samples,” said Jordan Cox, senior research associate and lab manager who works in Dawson Cruz’s laboratory. Dawson Cruz and Landers created a tabletop device about the size of a shoebox that separates cells from a mixture through the use of antibodies, chemicals and centrifugation — a technique that separates particles from solution. In order to use the device, an analyst would place a swab of DNA evidence on a plastic microchip that has different chambers, then insert the microchip into the device. “[Our device] condenses several hours — 8, 9, or 10 work hours — that may spread across multiple days in a crime lab, to a hands-free analysis that happens in about 90 minutes,” Dawson Cruz said. “It takes the processing in lab from the very first step all the way through the point where the analyst will put [the DNA] on a sequencer for final interpretation.” Dawson Cruz said the cost of hardware for her invention is about $1,550, rather than an estimated cost of $12,000 of laboratory instruments used in the traditional method. The device is able to work with skin cells, buccal cells — which are from the cheek — saliva, vaginal epithelial cells and semen. Dawson Cruz says her research team has not done much work with blood. “It doesn’t matter who the victim is or what their gender is,” Dawson Cruz said. “In this version of the device, if you have a sample that contains semen of sperm cells, those cells can be separated from the other

cells that are not sperm.” Dawson Cruz says one of the goals before commercializing the invention is to decrease the failure rate, which is currently around 5-10%. She also hopes to improve the time needed to process the DNA and to be able to separate more than two different types of cells, in the event of rape with multiple perpetrators. “We are hoping over the next year or so to continue working on improvements in the chemistry and improvements in the time for processing,” Dawson Cruz said. “Hopefully, during that time, the VCU Innovation Gateway office will work on finding an industry partner that might be interested in licensing our patent to bring it to commercialization.”

Tracey Dawson Cruz holds the device that would process DNA data for about $10,000 less. Photo by Raelyn Fines.

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Wed. October 9, 2019 5

Stat of the week

Junior midfielder Maite Sturm was named field hockey Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 7.

Senior middle blocker Jasmin Sneed, left, broke the all-time blocks record this season. Photo by Wessam Hazaymeh

Block party: Sneed, volleyball dominate the country in blocks NOAH FLEISCHMAN Sports Editor When senior middle blocker Jasmin Sneed rises above the net, there’s a good chance the ball won’t make it over. The San Antonio, Texas, native has a knack for blocking a volleyball at the net, but her love for blocking a ball came from a different sport: basketball. Sneed said timing a block in basketball is similar to timing jumps in volleyball. “I just have always been a defensive player,” Sneed said. “I just have always loved blocking in volleyball and basketball. Blocking is just everything for me.” Sneed has anchored volleyball’s defensive presence during her four-year career, leading the Rams to the top of the NCAA’s block list this season. Sneed sits on top of the total blocks list with 112 as an individual and the team does as well with 214. Redshirt-senior middle blocker Jaelyn Jackson sits third in total blocks in the NCAA with 87. Sneed is second in the nation in blocks per set, and she uses that as motivation to chase the No. 1 spot in both blocks per set and total blocks. Earlier this season, Sneed broke the career blocks record set by Tori Baldwin last season at 519. Sneed currently has 617 career blocks, and she said she wants to keep extending the record “to put it out of reach” of those to come. Blocking has been a staple of coach Jody Rogers’ program. Her first recruiting class had the best average blocks per set in the country in 2017 with 3.29 and total blocks (381.5). This season, her second recruiting class is in its senior season and sits atop the nation as well. Over the last three weeks, Jackson and Sneed were named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week after standout blocking

Top-5 NCAA Leaders in Total Blocks By school VCU

UCF

Maryland

Stephen F. Austin

Houston

214

175

173

172

By player Jasmin Sneed

Katie Myers

Kayla Dinkins

Jaelyn Jackson

Michelle Glover

VCU

Maryland

Tulane

VCU

UIC

112

87 Information compiled by Noah Fleischman Infographic by Kamryn Gillham

matches. Sneed earned the honors the past two weeks in a row. Sneed averaged 2.25 blocks per set against La Salle and Duquesne, while Jackson averaged 1.69 per set over the Carolina Classic. Rogers said when she finds out one of her players has won an award, she tells them right away. “It’s a great accomplishment and they need to know that,” Rogers said. “You get more with honey than you do with vinegar. When they do something great, you have to embrace it.” When Sneed floats in the air and brings the ball down with force, she can count on hearing shouts of a familiar saying in the

gym. Senior libero Madalon Simpson created “#BlocksByJazzy,” and she yells it when Sneed logs another block. “That feeling just electrifies me and my team, and we get really crunk and all come together,” Sneed said. At times during the season, the Rams had multiple blocks in a rally, making it tough for the other team to earn the point, and it mostly ended with VCU earning the point on a block. “It’s like I’m playing patty-cake or pingpong,” Sneed said. “I’m just like ‘nope, nope, just nope.’ Those plays are so much fun. I’m going to keep blocking, let’s see who wins.” During some matches this season, Sneed

said teams started to “tip” the ball over the net, instead of hitting it over. “It’s just great because after that you’ll see the other team get scared and not wanting to hit through our blocks,” Sneed said. “We’re like ‘OK, you’re scared now.’” When she jumps, Sneed’s forearm, almost up to her elbow, goes over the net to try to block the ball, creating a tough barrier to get past. Rogers said that when she sees a VCU middle blocker jump to contest an attack, she’s confident it will not make it over the net. Sneed agreed. “My team, we’re a wall and I love it,” she said.

6 The Commonwealth Times

Following ACL tear, Tallent seeks win BEN MALAKOFF Contributing Writer Last season — her best at VCU — an ACL tear forced senior midfielder Alyssa Tallent to miss the rest of the season. Tallent had to watch her team fall in the Atlantic 10 championship match for the second year in a row. However, this time, there was nothing she could do about it. “I had all these hopes of winning the tournament,” Tallent said. “Having to switch from that perspective to now having to be the biggest cheerleader on the sideline, that was really hard to deal with.” Tallent was in her 12th game of her

Senior midfielder Alyssa Tallent has logged one goal and two assists this season. CT file photo junior year when the injury took place. She was on pace for her best year statistically, scoring four goals and logging five assists before missing the rest of the season. VCU finished the season 16-4, ending in a 5-1 loss to Saint Louis in the A-10 championship game. Tallent was eager to return to the pitch. “It’s my last season, and so I knew that I just had to give it everything I have,” Tallent

said, “because I never know when my last game is going to be.” On Aug. 22, Tallent started in the Rams’ first game of the season on the road against High Point. “My emotions were everywhere,” Tallent said. “I wanted to cry, basically, it’s just so long, just like watching it from the sidelines. And finally being able to step back on the field — I was so happy.”

It did not take long for Tallent to pick up where she left off during her junior year. She scored in the second game of the season against Longwood on Aug. 25. Now, in her final year, Tallent’s leadership abilities continue to develop. During her junior and senior years Tallent has taken it upon herself to push through and become more of a leader. Going into her junior season, the team had not lived up to Tallent’s standards. She said everyone had to step up. This season, the Rams dropped their first two A-10 matches to Duquesne and Saint Louis. Tallent said it’s all about getting the nerves out and not being complacent during games. “It’s all internal stuff that we have to work on,” Tallent said. “But we’re slowly trying, and they know that we only have so many games left. And so hopefully it’s just a turnaround from here.” Before graduating, Tallent wants to bring a championship ring and trophy back to Richmond. Two straight losses in the championship game and a season-ending injury last season are motivation to take the team even further, Tallent said. “Winning the A-10 is nothing we can’t do,” Tallent said. “We are by far the best team in this conference.”

Volleyball’s senior leadership shines through ADAM CHEEK Staff Writer Volleyball’s senior class is one of the most decorated in the program’s history after back-to-back appearances in the Atlantic 10 final, an A-10 title and the team’s first NCAA appearance in 2017. With eight seniors on the roster, coach Jody Rogers said she has strong core leadership. “These players have been playing with me for four years now, so they know how everything runs,” Rogers said. “They’ve had a lot of success [and] can let the younger players understand what it takes to be at a high level.” With the departures of only two seniors last year, the team is largely the same, but the roles of the eight seniors have changed. “I feel more like [we’ve] kind of come together as a family,” senior outside hitter Vicky Giommarini said. “It’s really comfortable.

And as a leader, I feel that they really understand whenever. ... I find it difficult to express myself, I feel like they’re knowing me.” During the seniors’ career at VCU, the Rams have recorded a winning record every season and a combined record of 8031, including 27 straight victories in their 2017 campaign and a win at the A-10 championship.

Once you inspire people, they’ll do anything for you if they believe in what you’re doing [and] what you’re saying. ... When people have that trust factor, it’s a big deal.” Jody Rogers, volleyball coach

Senior middle blocker Jasmin Sneed leads the country in total blocks with 112. Photo by Jon Mirador

Senior opposite hitter Gina Tuzzolo described the seniors’ chemistry and that of the rest of the team as a sort of nonverbal communication on the court. “That trust that we’ve built over time … we communicate really well with each other, because we have been with each other for so long,” Tuzzolo said. Rogers said she’s proud of how the seniors have grown and have helped the underclassmen develop as players and as people. “Once you inspire people, they’ll do anything for you if they believe in what you’re doing [and] what you’re saying,” Rogers said. “When people have that trust factor, it’s a big deal.” Milestones abound for the long-tenured players, most recently for the 6-foot Giommarini. The Rome native tallied her 1,000th career kill against Duquesne on Sept. 29. Giommarini was named MVP of the A-10 tournament in 2017 after racking up 16 kills and 15 digs in the title game against Dayton, while Tuzzolo earned All-Atlantic 10 tournament honors.

Senior outside hitter Vicky Giommarini logged her 1,000th career kill this season. Photo by Jon Mirador Assists have come in record numbers this season from senior libero Madalon Simpson, who has recorded a career-high 44 assists this season. Senior middle blocker Jasmin Sneed broke the program’s all-time blocks record earlier this season and has logged 617 career stops. After two consecutive title game appearances, Rogers knows her players understand what it takes to win at that level and praised them for inspiring their teammates. “We need to be at a high level each time we go out and play who regardless of who it is,” she said. “They’re fighters. I love this group.” Both Giommarini and Tuzzolo say their

four years on the black and gold roster have meant a lot to them. “Coming from another country and everything, they really helped me through a lot. They’re like a big piece of me right now,” Giommarini said. “Literally my second family here. Without them, I don’t know what I’d be doing.” The players are proud of the atmosphere they’ve established and the opportunities they’ve had. “To be able to grow along with that culture has been so meaningful,” Tuzzolo said. “I never imagined that I’d get to play in the NCAA tournament. [We have] a family that we’ve kind of put together and been able to grow so much together.”

Wed. October 9, 2019 7

On this day

In 1940, musician John Lennon was born in Liverpool, U.K.

Clockwise from left: “Swear it Closed, Closes It” by Sable Elyse Smith, Xaviera Simmons in front of “Capture,” an Aria Dean piece and “Untitled” by Carrie Mae Weems. Photos by Wessam Hazaymeh

ICA’s newest exhibit digs deep into race and inequality IMAN MEKONEN Spectrum Editor

pon entering a wide room with bright natural light, a large turquoise arch — composed of several large octagons — towers overhead and immediately greets incoming viewers. This powder-coated aluminum steel represents the cold and distant relationship of a family that lacks intimacy and warmth. The sculpture is “Swear it Closed, Closes it” by Sable Elyse Smith, and it’s on display at the Institute for Contemporary Art as an introduction to the site’s newest exhibition, “Great Force.” “Great Force” was curated by VCU alum and ICA assistant curator Amber Esseiva, and it discusses racial constructs in historical and contemporary contexts.

Esseiva graduated from VCU in 2009 and co-curated the ICA’s inaugural exhibition, “Declaration.” “Throughout the work that you see on view, there is a collective refusal to reproduce the events visually, in which black lives were subjugated, forced into white supremacy,” Esseiva said. The ICA premiered this exhibit to the public on Friday as a part of its opening reception celebration, which featured a live DJ set, a “Provocations” performance by Chino Amobi and a live window painting of “Monument of Color” by featured artist Tomashi Jackson. “Great Force has been a long time in the making, it’s an honor for us to present the artists that are shown here,” said ICA director Dominic Willsdon. “The ICA team has worked long and well on this project.”

Throughout the exhibition’s two levels, the 24 artists depict portrayals and stories of contemporary African Americans with comparisons to slavery and institutionalized racism. The exhibit includes film, TV, sculptures and paintings. “The artists on view all utilize sorts of strategies and different mediums to grapple with events that make history of injustices most evident,” Esseiva said. New York artist Xaviera Simmons is one of the featured artists — she created a digital video installation titled “Capture.” “I spent a year really thinking about the topic at hand, like thinking about the actual conversation at hand that Amber was constructing,” Simmons said, “and then thinking about the nuances that need to happen in the conversation — but also thinking about the weight.”

The artwork is spread across three televisions suspended in the air. Each monitor displays something different: a list of slaveholders’ names, a video of Simmons arranging vibrant plants and a black-and-white display of falling spherical figures. “Artists, we can push, but we really can’t solve these issues. These are centuries-old issues in this country that are now being excavated,” Simmons said. “So for me, I really wanted to have a few different minds inside of the work, so there’s no one conclusion but there is a sense.” The piece is intended to overwhelm the senses by alternating with different paces and levels of serenity. “Whiteness is like a continuum that never leaves. It’s like a ghost that has haunted every moment of my life at all times,” Simmons said. Esseiva said the title of the exhibition, “Great Force,” is derived from a quote by James Baldwin, who examined the “force of whiteness and the counter force of black radical resistance and the color line, both as a conceptual and physical site.” Baldwin’s influence — as well as other 19th century thinkers such as W.E.B. DuBois and Frederick Douglass — and contemporary artists inspired Esseiva in the creation of the exhibition. “History is such a present context. It’s a very particular task to be a cultural institution dedicated to the present and future in a place where historical legacies and historical traumas of our lives every day,” Willsdon said. “In many ways, the story of the United States is the story of race.” “Great Force” will be on display at the ICA until Jan. 5. To learn more, visit icavcu.org.

“Monument of Color” by Tomashi Jackson was created on a glass wall during the opening reception. Photo by Wessam Hazaymeh

8 The Commonwealth Times

Ethan Hawke visits Byrd for ‘Blaze’ screening

UPCOMING EVENTS See something

THURS. 10/10 Fall Jazz Festival

The Department of Music will perform in its fall jazz festival in the Singleton Center. Tickets are $7 in advance, $10 at the door and free for VCU students with ID. To buy tickets, visit the VCUarts music website. 8 p.m., Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall of the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts (922 Park Ave.) $7-10

ANDREW RINGLE Managing Editor Ethan Hawke started his acting career at the age of 14 — since then, he’s found fame through his starring roles in “Dead Poets Society” and, more recently, in the A24 indie favorite “First Reformed.” But last year, Hawke found himself offscreen in the director’s chair for the first time. The actor and director spoke in a Q&A at the Byrd Theatre on Sunday after a screening of his directorial debut “Blaze.” The 2018 biopic features Blaze Foley, a country singer of the ’80s whose music was largely forgotten after he briefly experienced the rockstar lifestyle before his untimely death in 1989. It captures intimate moments from Foley’s relationship with his wife, Sybil Rosen, who helped screenwrite the film. Here are the highlights from the event’s Q&A and Hawke’s interview with The Commonwealth Times. Responses have been edited for space and clarity.

FRI./SAT. 10/11-12 Richmond Zinefest Actor and director Ethan Hawke visited the Byrd Theatre on Sunday to promote his newest film, “Blaze.” Photo by Liza Hazelwood wrong. I love their performances, I love the music, I love the guy who shot the film, I love the guy who edited the film. I love the woman I wrote it with, I love the woman who I produced it with. It’s hard to do that when you are in big business, everybody’s trying to make a living. But in this, we found a way.

On Blaze Foley: The beauty of Blaze Foley is that nobody has heard of him. And so we had this stockpile of gorgeous music that you don’t know, that most people don’t know, and we could make a movie. His life lent itself to the story of creativity.

On showing his film at The Byrd: There’s so little respect for cinema anymore. People watch “The Godfather” on their phone. I mean, I do. Everything gets downloaded and soundbited and excerpted. Our attention span is getting smaller. When you see a place this beautiful and you see the kind of respect it pays to the idea of a community getting together and watching a movie, it makes the movies better. Because you see how your friends relate to it, you see how your community relates to it, and it gets treated with respect. I love it.

On working with friends: I made this movie with a bunch of people that I love. And if you’re really doing that, nothing can go

On the difference between acting and directing: Every experience informs the one coming, and sometimes it informs it

in positive ways and sometimes negative. I’ve had a long time of working as an actor, and it felt fun to be able to try to create an environment where actors could excel. That’s the fun of directing, is giving other people a chance to succeed. On Hollywood: These big-budget movies, they do all the work for you. The music cranks up, close-up on the eye, the tear falls. There’s no doubt how you are supposed to feel. You’re not allowed to have your own reactions. … Most contemporary movies to me look like a Heineken ad. They look like they’re selling something, there’s a product you can buy after this is over. My daughter says this the best — most modern movies make you feel like shit about your own life. How come I don’t look that good in tights? How come I’m not a superhero? How come I don’t meet blue people and fall in love? Or whatever it is. I like the kind of movies that are about ordinary life so that our lives are as magical as they are.

23 years of 64 bits: a look back on the N64 JONAH SCHUHART Contributing Writer Nintendo fans rejoice — Sept. 29 marked the 23rd anniversary of the Nintendo 64. The console sold more than 32 million units over the course of its six-year lifespan. That sounds like a huge number but, believe it or not, the console that gave us classics like Super Mario 64 and the original Super Smash Bros. isn’t even in the top 15 highest-selling consoles of all time, according to IGN. This is surprising, considering the amount of influence the N64 had on video games during its own era as well as going forward. The mid ’90s held some major technological advancements for video games. Consoles could now be made powerful enough to display 3D graphics and environments instead of being (mostly) limited to 2D pixel-art. The development of CD-ROMs meant that it was now more possible to mass-produce and store these new, more complex games. Nintendo fixed this problem by making the N64 the first controller ever to have an analog stick. Despite its odd, three-handled design, the N64 controller definitively proved the analog stick was almost a necessity for moving in 3D games with precision. Without an analog stick, N64 titles like Super Mario 64 would never have been made because using a D-pad — like many

Illustration by Lauren Johnson

PS1 games did — would’ve made jumping at precise angles nearly impossible. This is especially important because Mario 64 is the game that laid the groundwork for all 3D platforming games (games revolved around jumping around game levels on platforms) to follow, and continues to set the standard for how creatively a platformer can be played (thanks to its dedicated speedrunning community). But even without counting platformers, the N64 boasted a heavyweight game lineup. Its two Legend of Zelda titles, Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, pioneered the 3D adventure game format. This went on to directly influence popular games such as Dark Souls, God of War and pretty much everything else. Their James Bond game, 007: Goldeneye, is one of the earliest first-person shooter games on console, and is basically the grandfather of Halo. Other Rare games such as Banjo Kazooie and Conker’s Bad Fur Day followed in Mario 64’s footsteps with amaz-

ing, open-ended platforming games. What this amounts to is that the N64 was at the forefront of its time. It carried one of the most acclaimed game lineups of all time, introduced the world to an entirely new way of controlling games and did it all using obsolete cartridge games instead of CDs. So, given all of that, it seems like a no-brainer that the N64 would easily be in the top 10 highest-selling consoles of all time, and yet it isn’t. But it is obvious that the N64 influenced later consoles that would eventually outsell it, especially when looking at other Nintendo properties. The company still keeps that same approach to console design by evolving the hardware in new ways. They’ve done everything from putting an analog stick on a three-handled controller, to making an entire console focused on motion-controls with the Wii, eventually creating the first home-handheld hybrid console with the Switch. That same influence is still obvious in Nintendo’s newer games as well. Super Mario Odyssey and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for the Switch upheld the reputations of their N64 predecessors. Each of them took what made their original 3D counterparts so amazing — such as Mario 64’s tight movement controls and Ocarina of Time’s open-world game design — and expanded on it. Even if the N64 isn’t as popular as one might expect, it’s impossible to ignore just how much influence the system and its games had on the consoles and games we play today.

The main branch of the Richmond Public Library is hosting the 13th annual Zinefest. It will hold programs on Friday including “Kitchen Witchcraft,” “The Zen of Zines” and “The Importance of the QTPOC Storyteller.” There will be tabling on Saturday for zines and vendors. For more information, contact zine.fest@ richmondzinefest.org 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., The Richmond Public Library (101 E. Franklin St.) Free.

Do something

THURS. 10/10 VCUDine Fall Food Truck Festival

VCUDine will host a food truck festival for dining plan holders from restaurants such as Curbside Creations, Opa and Carytown Burger and Fries. Event attendees can enter to win an Apple Watch or Airpods from RamTech. For more information, contact Lauren Hay at lhay@ vcu.edu or 804-828-1148 or visit vcu. campusdish.com. 4-8:30 p.m., Cathedral Place, outside Shafer Dining Court.

SAT. 10/12 Fall Fest 2019

The Residential Hall Association will be celebrating fall with a night of music, games and food. Admission is free with a VCU ID. 5-8 p.m. Commons Plaza, University Student Commons (907 Floyd Ave.)

Learn something LETTER TO THE EDITOR THURS. 10/10 Presentation on Afro-Latinx Identities

VCU’s Office of Multicultural Student Affairs will host a discussion about Afro-Latinx identities, led by VCU Spanish professor and Spanish Instruction Community Liaison Anita Nadal. For more information, contact Kim Green at greenk2@vcu.edu. 1-2 p.m., University Student Commons, Room 215 (907 Floyd Ave.) Free.

THURS. 10/10 Free Vegan Cooking Demonstration

The Veg Club is doing a cooking demonstration and family dinner. It will teach students how to make vegan ricotta and baked ziti. For more information, contact @vegclubatvcu on Instagram. 6 p.m. West Grace North kitchen (912 W. Grace St.) Free.

SUN. 10/13 Monumental Care: Plant Giveaway

Plants from Rashid Johnson’s “Monument” will be given to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, contact Meredith Carrington at mtcarrington@vcu.edu or 804-8281088 or visit the ICA’s website. Noon-5 p.m., The Institute for Contemporary Art at the Markel Center (601 W. Broad St.)

Wed. October 9, 2019 9

Quote of the week

“If you believe in a cause, be willing to stand up for that cause with a million people or by yourself.” — Otis S. Johnson

Illustration by Sammy Newman

I appreciate your white guilt, but I don’t want it TAGWA SHAMMET Opinions Editor Dear White People, This isn’t a Netflix show. This isn’t a Justin Simien movie. This is real life. There’s a serious elephant in the room that we need to discuss: your white guilt. I’m sure some of you are thinking, “I don’t have white guilt.” Maybe you don’t. But maybe you aren’t aware what white guilt truly is. Think on your life, think back to your last interaction with a person of color; did you pick your words more carefully so you wouldn’t come off sounding racist? Did you stay quiet because you thought you’d offend someone? Have you made fun of yourself and your privilege? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you’re suffering from white guilt. Well, my diplomatic white peers, I appreciate your white guilt, but I really don’t want it. You see, your white guilt actually does more harm than you think. I appreciate the abundance of care you have for my feelings, but your delicate tiptoeing around me makes me wonder: What would you say if you didn’t filter your words so carefully? Your political correctness leads to uncomfortable, disingenuous conversations that feel forced and one-sided. Your self deprecation causes painfully awkward silences because I have no clue how to respond to you. The worst thing your white guilt does is make you the center of attention. Isn’t that what you’re trying to avoid? White people, let me set the record straight for you: It’s truly not that deep. I understand that you feel shame on behalf of your oppressive ancestors, but I don’t need you to apologize to me every five minutes. If you feel so compelled to reimburse me for the past, I take Paypal, Venmo, Cashapp and just straight cash. What I don’t take is your constant self-reproach and condemnation.

I know you don’t mean harm with your actions; in fact you mean the complete opposite. I understand that this comes from a sense of you wanting to be my ally. I get it, you voted for Obama, and I see that you have black friends — you don’t have to keep reminding me. I’m going to let you in on a secret: Your “I’m not racist” act just makes you microaggressive. Whether you want to admit it, your cautious treading around me allows me to believe you have a preconceived notion as to how I’ll react. Due to your implicit prejudice, you probably think I’ll get angry and hostile because you’ve offended me. Well, that in itself is microaggressive.

The worst thing your white guilt does is make you the center of attention. Isn’t that what you’re trying to avoid?” Tagwa Shammet, opinions editor Microaggressions are more than just insults and explicit prejudice. They come in all sorts of forms such as implicit bias and uninformed stereotypes. Sometimes, we don’t even know we’re being offensive until it’s too late. I’m not saying your white guilt is offending me, I’m saying your white guilt is unnecessary. I promise you, as long as you’re not out here being wildly racist, it’s not that deep. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating for ignorance on white people’s end — that happens more than enough without my approval. I’m just coming to the conclusion that you don’t need to go through an agonizing cycle of self-hate in order to realize

your white privilege. Sulking in your white privilege, forcing me to coddle you in this systematically burdening era, isn’t getting us anywhere. Frankly, it’s just annoying black people. Black people, and all people of color, aren’t asking you to diminish yourself so we can all be on the same level. We’re asking that you remove your institutional barriers and help lift us up. White guilt isn’t going to close the pay gap. As a black woman, I’m still set up to earn 61 cents to the white man’s dollar. White guilt isn’t going to release the disproportionately incarcerated black male population from prisons. One in every three black men will still be incarcerated, as opposed to the one in every 17 white men. White guilt isn’t going to stop the police brutality against black communities. Botham Jean, Oscar Grant, Sandra Bland, Mike Brown and so many unarmed black people are still dead, and will continue to die. My favorite quote is one by Angela Davis: “I am no longer accepting things I cannot change. I am changing things I can no longer accept.” Well, my darling white people, if you’re so guilty about what your ancestors did, start making a better future for communities of color. Davis said this while your ancestors oppressed her, while they held her down and tried to strip her of her will to be great. Since you’re so obviously distraught about the past, fix the damage your predecessors did. You apologizing to me in the privacy of a classroom, a party or wherever we are isn’t going to help me. I want your help to build up my community. I’m tired of you telling me that slavery makes you uncomfortable or that you would have marched side-byside with Martin Luther King Jr. I’m tired of you bragging about how Obama is your favorite president or how Beyonce is one of your icons. Sitting in a history classroom, having all the white students stare at me during the slavery unit, made me feel far more than

discomfort. I still march forward with the vision of MLK and my ancestors. Obama and Beyonce are my idols because they showcase black excellence in this white society. Don’t belittle me by saying my struggles are suddenly yours. They’re not. Racial equality is apparently difficult, it’s not going to happen overnight. But, for as many of you white people plagued with white guilt, there are those without any sympathy for the black community. Start educating your fellow white people with all this lovely information you’ve learned to stay politically correct. Let them know about how Flint, Michigan, still does not have clean drinking water. Let them know about how Botham Jean’s white killer only got 10 years in prison for murdering an unarmed black man in his home. Let them know inner city school districts with minority-majority schools still have the lowest graduation rates in the United States. Let them know how while the United States poverty line is at 11.8%, the black population makes up more than a fourth of that number. Let them know that they continue to do what your dreaded ancestors did: Oppress the black community. White people, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate your white guilt, but I want you to do more with it. Rather than bathing in your self-pity and wallowing in self-hate, start making a difference. Take that anger and shame to your nearest community of color and see how you can help them. I genuinely mean this and it’s the last time I’m willing to say it: I don’t want your empty apologies. Actions speak louder than words, and right now, your lack of action is speaking volumes. The only way to cure your white guilt is to stop sulking in your shame and hate and start advocating for racial justice. That’s the only apology we want. Sincerely, The Black Community.

10â&#x20AC;&#x192;The Commonwealth Times

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

Seeking Employment 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 Sammy Newman illustrations@commonwealthtimes.org STAFF WRITERS Adam Cheek, Sports Ryan Grube, Sports Quentin Rice, Spectrum STAFF ILLUSTRATORS Erin Joo

To The Pumpkin Patch by Sarah Brady VCU STUDENT MEDIA CENTER ART DIRECTOR Jeffrey Pohanka designers@vcustudentmedia.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Andy Caress Kamryn Gillham Bobby Miller designers@vcustudentmedia.com AD SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Dominique Lee advertising@vcustudentmedia.com WEB MANAGER Vacant 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

Local Squirrel Guide by Sammy Newman

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.

Wed. October 9, 2019 11

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

Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle TIME FOR “A” CHANGE