The Commonwealth Times; February 20, 2017

February 20, 2017 • Vol. 58, No. 20

The independent press of Virginia Commonwealth University

NEWS Planned Parenthood • 2

SPECTRUM GerryRigged • 9

SPORTS Track & Field • 6

SEEKING SANCTUARY Groups urge officials to do more for city’s immigrants HIBA AHMAD Online News Editor Activist group ICE Out of RVA, alongside more than 100 protesters, rallied outside City Hall demanding Mayor Levar Stoney formally declare Richmond a “sanctuary” city last Monday.

Following the rally, demonstrators filled City Council in support of the cause. Carolina Velaz, an organizer of the event and member of ICE Out of RVA, said she applauds Mayor Levar Stoney for the first step, but more needs to be done.

“We’re talking about stopping the criminalization of our people,” Velaz said. “The directive is a move in the right direction, but we need the policies to back it up.”

PHOTO BY ERIN EDGERTON

—continued on page 4

OPINION HB 2257 • 11

“Thinking of tomorrow” For Syrian refugee family: a new chapter

HIBA AHMAD Online News Editor SARAH KING Executive Editor A collection of small white houses sit quietly at the center of a suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of Richmond’s city limits.

In the taut winter air outside, a group of gradeschool children streak past each other, shouting breathlessly in their native tongues, in relentless pursuit of a soccer ball.

At the surface, the scene is unassuming — perhaps even mundane — but from inside many of the surrounding dwellings, the view posits a stark contrast to what the inhabitants once knew.

Mere miles from the heart of VCU’s Monroe Park campus, the cluster of modest houses have not yet become homes for many of their tenants: refugees who recently resettled in Richmond, many from wartorn parts of the Middle East.

From inside one of these houses, Khalid — a Syrian refugee who asked, for his family’s safety, that their last names not be used — depicted the journey he, his wife and their two young children, Muna and Muhammad, endured in fleeing their country’s civil war.

“We saw everything,” Khalid said, speaking through a translator, Ahmed Abdeen. “What Americans see on TV is not even 1 percent of what is actually happening (in Syria).”

For Khalid and his family, the arduous journey to the United States began in December 2012. Nearly four years later, just days after the conclusion of the November 2016 presidential election, they arrived in Richmond having survived repeated losses, displacement and hardships.

In the weeks since, the family has been doing their best to settle into their new neighborhood, but that has not been difficulties, either.

Considering how difficult it was to enter the country — even long before the Trump administration took office last month — Khalid said he frankly expected better from the U.S. government.

—continued on page 9

Protesters condemned the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Richmond outside City Hall last week.

News

News

Confirmed: Betsy DeVos Uncertain future for Title IX, student debt AUSTIN WALKER Contributing Writer SARAH KING Executive Editor Students and faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University have reservations and concerns for the future of higher education following the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of the Department of Education.

DeVos became the topic of national headlines after her first hearing before the U.S. Senate in January, where she expressed her views on topics ranging from guns in schools to federal regulations regarding disability and gender. Notably, DeVos has no experience working with public schools, which nearly 90 percent of the country’s students attend.

Deirdre Condit, Ph.D., the chair of the Political Science department at VCU, said it’s possible there will be a repeal of programs such as Title IX, one of the federal Education Amendments of 1972, which protects against discrimination on the basis of sexuality and gender in federally funded education programs. The law currently protects LGBTQ students from discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation, too.

“Part of the Title IX requirement that’s been

most talked about recently was instituted by executive order under the Obama administration,” Condit said. “I would not be surprised if President (Donald) Trump, in fact, reversed that.”

During the Obama Administration, the scope of Title IX law was significantly broadened, and resulted in a number of universities, including VCU, facing federal investigations by the Office of Civil Rights for non-compliance. The list currently totals 309 cases at 227 colleges and universities, according to a Feb. 18 report by the New York Times.

DeVos said during her confirmation hearing that she did not yet have a position on Title IX, and her office declined comment to the New York Times on Friday.

Additionally, CNN reported on Feb. 2 that evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. — the president of the private, Christian non-profit Liberty University located in Lynchburg, Va. — will lead a higher education task force devised by President Donald Trump. “(Falwell) has an interest in eliminating what he feels are overreaches by the federal government, particularly the Department of Education, as pertains

Gerrymandering

or Democratic clustering?

Gerrymandering is when state legislatures redraw voting districts based on constituent data, with the intent to skew future elections in favor of their party. Legislators on both sides of the aisle have shown support for redistricting reform, but during this year’s General Assembly session, the Republican-majority House and Senate struck down the most of the proposed legislation.

—continued on page 3

GERRYMANDERING SIMPLIFIED

—continued on page 4

Sports

PHOTO BY ERIN EDGERTON

story on page 5

40% red 60% blue

0 red districts (0%) 5 blue districts (100%) BLUE RULES!

2 red districts (40%) 3 blue districts (60%) BLUE RULES!

3 red districts (60%) 2 blue districts (40%) RED RULES! information from vpap.org

INFOGRAPHIC BY DESIREE CHOE

Rams squash Spiders to win 8th straight

news

The Commonwealth Times

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CRIME LOG

(All data obtained from the VCU PD daily incident log)

Spectrum

2/13/2017 Hit and Run 20 S. Plum St. Reported by Outside Agency

Simple Assault - Domestic 1024 Kinney St. A female subject advised that a known female subject as saulted her.

Reported by Outside Agency

2/14/2017 Destruction of Property - State 1000 W. Grace St. Pending

Theft From Building Cary St. Gym 101 S. Linden St. Pending

False Pretenses/Swindle Local Eatery and Pub 1106 W. Main St. Reported by Outside Agency Shoplifting ABC 1217 W. Broad St. Reported by Outside Agency Hit and Run 34 N. Lombardy St. Reported by Outside Agency Hit and Run 700 W. Broad St. Reported by Outside Agency Fraud - Credit Card 1500 W. Broad St. Reported by Outside Agency Robbery - Individual 900 N. Lombardy St. Reported by Outside Agency

2/15/2017 Alcohol Violation 500 W. Grace St. Closed. CBA

In this section:

Richmond refugees. Travel ban.

Planned Parenthood. ICE Out of RVA. Gerrymandering. VP retirement. Coal ash.

Mental health. Secretary DeVos confirmed.

“Thinking of tomorrow”

After fleeing war-torn Syria, a refugee and his family begin a new life on the outskirts of Richmond —continued from page 1 “The language barrier is what prevents me from finding work and connecting with the community,” Khalid said. “The Muslim community here does what they can, but I just wish I had a stable job to get back on my feet.”

Khalid and his family were resettled through a United Nations program that provides two months of rent assistance, food stamps, $25 per child and access to English classes.

But Khalid said his family’s two months are up, and he is desperately seeking work to maintain the roof under which he was interviewing.

The situation presents a callous irony.

The Syrian civil war that Khalid and his family fled has cost many citizens much more than just their shelter. The conflict has prompted premature deaths for upward of a half million people and displaced nearly 11 million more, according to statistics by the European Union.

“Imagine going out with your family to get groceries and coming home to find everything that you know completely destroyed,” Khalid said.

The crisis has catalyzed global conversations about terrorism and national security, to include, notably, in the U.S. On Jan. 27, Trump’s administration issued the now-infamous executive order banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries —

including Syria. when considering remaining casuTrump’s repeated justification for alties and foiled attacks, he wrote, the order has been in defense of na- “there is simply no pattern suggesttional security and anti-terrorism ef- ing that recent immigrants or refuforts, but critics argue the ban may gees are the current terrorist threat miss the mark in that regard. in the U.S.” “The number of Syrian refuKhalid said many of his famgees who have ily members launched terhad plans to Imagine going rorist attacks in seek asylum in out with your the U.S. stands the States, but at zero,” Assohave put their family to get ciate Professor plans on hold of political sci- groceries and coming indefinitely in ence at VCU, home to find everyresponse to the William Newban. thing that you know mann, Ph.D., The Ameriwrote in a completely destroyed. can Civil LibFebruary col- (...) Is there anyone erties Union umn.

“Since took the order September 11, who doesn’t miss to court the 2001, roughly their family? Everyone night it was is100 people have sued. Multiple been killed in I grew up with, my states filed US-based at- memories, my life — similar suits, tacks by radiand ultimately cal Islamic ter- it’s still all (in Syria). a nation-wide rorists. Three stay was grantquarters were killed in only three ed on the ban. attacks, all perpetrated by U.S. born The decision has been upheld by terrorists.” the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals The original executive order in San Francisco. barred anyone travelling from Iran, Charlie Schmidt, the ACLU of Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan Virginia’s public policy associate said and Libya from entering the U.S. the ACLU will continue holding the for 90 days. It also suspended the U.S. government accountable when US Refugee Admissions Program it infringes on the rights of citizens for 120 days. Syrian refugees were and noncitizens alike. banned indefinitely from entering “Why does the ACLU defend the country. non-citizens? Easy — it is the right Furthermore, Newmann said thing to do.” Schmidt said. “Justice

and equality in our country does not depend on citizenship status.”

Following the court’s decision to strike down the order, the Trump Administration has drafted a new version exempting visa and and green card holders, along with dual citizens, from any of the travel restrictions.

But Khalid said it’s time for people to critically consider what refugees are running away from.

He pulled out his phone and pressed play on a video recorded by a Syrian news outlet. The footage depicted a flattened building amidst indistinguishable piles of rubble.

Khalid said it had been relatively clear the night of the recording, but the “stars were replaced with dust and ashes” after the missiles dropped, and the evening’s calm was unapologetically fragmented by the distinct sound of syncopated screams and sirens.

He glanced up from the screen to explain, flatly, that he had been in the building next door to the one missiles had diminished to rubble that night.

Khalid also recounted some of the lesser-known horrors of the civil war — ones he said reporters less assimilated with the terrain seem to overlook completely.

Nights in the Middle East are characterized by calm, cool air deficient of much humidity or wind, but the benign weather, he said, is the catalyst for a death storm when chemical weapons are deployed, a —continued on page 9

Simple Assault 9 S. Brunswick St. Pending

Alcohol Violation Broad and Belvidere Resi dence Hall 700 W. Broad St. Closed.

Drug Violation 700 W. Grace St. Closed.

Hit and Run 400 Hancock St. Reported by Outside Agency

2/16/2017

Alcohol Violation Ackell Residence Hall 1100 W. Broad St. Closed. CBA Hit and Run Henry Street Deck West 200 N. Henry St. Pending Shoplifting Rite Aid 520 W. Broad St Reported by Outside Agency Embezzlement Rite Aid 520 W. Broad St. 2/16/2017 Fraud - Credit Card 500 W. Broad St. Reported by Outside Agency

2/17/2017 Abduction/Kidnapping/Alcohol Violation 00 N. Laurel St. Unfounded Alcohol Violation B1200 W. Broad St. Closed. CBA

Reporting suspicious or emergency situations to the VCU Police Department can help solve crimes, provide emergency assistance that may save a life and help deter criminal activity.

Download the VCU LiveSafe mobile phone app to report crimes anonymously.

To contact the VCU PD call (804) 828-1196.

For an on-campus emergency call (804) 828-1234.

For an off-campus emergency call 911.

Virginia AG praises temporary block on Trump’s travel ban AMELIA HEYMANN, Contributing Writer Attorney General Mark Herring praised a federal judge for issuing a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration’s temporary ban prohibiting people from seven mostly Muslim countries from entering the United States.

Herring said the ruling suggests that he will win his lawsuit alleging that the ban violates the Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of religion.

The injunction issued last Monday by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema of Alexandria will last until the case goes to trial. Herring said people affected by the ban “can have a lot more confidence knowing that the commonwealth will likely win at trial.”

In granting the motion for a preliminary injunction, Brinkema cited Herring’s argument that President Trump’s executive order violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion.

“The Commonwealth has produced unrebutted evidence supporting its position that it is likely to succeed on an Establishment Clause claim,” Brinkema wrote.

“The ‘Muslim ban’ was a centerpiece of the president’s campaign for months, and the press release calling for it was still available on his website as of the day this Memorandum Opinion is being entered.”

Trump said he issued his executive order to ensure national security. He said he was putting a temporary halt on admitting visitors from seven countries that the Obama and Bush administrations had identified as terrorist threats.

“It is the policy of the United

States to protect its citizens from foreign nationals who intend to commit terrorist attacks in the United States; and to prevent the admission of foreign nationals who intend to exploit United States immigration laws for malevolent purposes,” reads the executive order, which put a 90-day ban on people coming to the U.S. from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia.

In a telephone conference call with reporters last Monday night, Herring said the Trump administration had “no evidence to support the bald claim that it was about national security.”

Herring said the Virginia case differed from other cases challenging the executive order. The states of Washington and Minnesota also sued over the issue and received a temporary injunction to block the executive order. A threejudge federal appeals court panel last week refused to toss out the injunction and reinstate the travel ban.

“While Washington and Minnesota alleged other violations including the Establishment Clause, the court was really focusing on due process — where in Virginia, the judge really went to the heart of the Establishment Clause case,” Herring said.

Herring, a Democrat, called Trump’s travel ban “unlawful, unconstitutional and un-American.”

“The overwhelming evidence shows that this ban was conceived in religious bigotry and is actually making Americans and our armed forces less safe at home and abroad,” Herring said.

On Twitter, Trump criticized the injunction, saying, “The threat from radical Islamic terrorism is very real, just look at what is happening in Europe and the MiddleEast. Courts must act fast!”

Advocates rally for Planned Parenthood on eight Virginia campuses The Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia hosted a rally in the Commons Plaza at VCU on Wednesday, one day after a bill was passed in the Senate that would defund the family planning organization.

ALEXANDRA SOSIK Contributing Writer Rallies took place at a total of eight schools.

Statewide youth organizer for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, Nia Bentall, organized the VCU rally. Bentall said Planned Parenthood is trying to get more people involved.

“We are building the Virginia Generation statewide network of young people across college campuses of Virginia that are taking action for Planned Parenthood,” Bentall said. “Today was our statewide day of action.”

Bentall said the governor’s race is going to be PPVA’s “biggest fight” in 2017, adding a “friendly governor” like Gov. Terry McAuliffe makes a lot of difference.

House Bill 2264 passed the senate 20Y19N on Feb. 14. The bill, sponsored by Del. Ben Cline (R-Amherst) would prevent organizations from receiving government funds that provide abortions not qualified for funds under Medicaid. Abortions aside from cases of rape, incest, and “gross fetal anomalies” are included.

Bentall said abortions only comprise 3 percent of nationwide services provided by Planned Parenthood, and closing clinics would drastically affect millions of people.

“Being able to access reproductive healthcare, it’s often a woman’s only medical appointment for that year,” Bentall said. “If those clinics are shut down, they often won’t

have anywhere else to go. It’s the difference between seeing a doctor and not seeing a doctor a lot of the time.”

Mayor Levar Stoney’s senior policy advisor for engagement and NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia board member, Lisa Speller-Davis, was among a group of speakers at the rally. Speller-Davis said defunding Planned Parenthood would be disastrous on a national level.

“Mike Pence is a longtime opponent of women’s health,” Speller-Davis said. He is the first politician to introduce legislation in congress to defund Planned Parenthood, and has spent his entire career attacking Planned Parenthood and the care provided to millions across the country.”

PPVA volunteers, both students and community members, held signs that read, “I stand with Planned Parenthood” while others stood behind tables taking signatures and information from students who wanted to get involved with the organization.

VCU student and Generation Action Virginia member, Hunter Madden, emceed the event. Madden, an openly gay student, said the bill’s success in the General Assembly doesn’t surprise him, but he will continue to stand with Planned Parenthood.

“There’s always going to be something to fight back against,” Madden said. “It’s exhausting but it’s a fight that we have to fight.”

McAuliffe vetoed an identical bill last year, and said via Twitter he will veto the bill again this year.

UPDATE: Planned Parenthood Advocates of VA announced that the Virginia Senate just passed the Birth Control Access Act which allows women to get a year’s supply of birth control at one time. Gov. McAuliffe is expected to sign off on this bill.

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, February 20, 2017

VP of Advancement announces she is retiring in March

ICE Out of RVA

PHOTO BY CASEY COLE

SARAROSE MARTIN Staff Writer

—continued from page 1

Activist group ICE Out of RVA, alongside more than 100 other protestors, demonstrated in and outside City Council last week, partially in response to a mayoral directive that did not fully establish Richmond as a “sanctuary” city.

The rally was in response to a directive issued by Stoney on Feb. 6, which reiterated the city’s commitment to inclusiveness of all residents-- regardless of national origin, immigration or refugee status, race, creed, color, age, gender, disability or sexual orientation.

Stoney’s directive followed President Donald Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order banning the entry of citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries into the U.S. Although the courts have temporarily halted the order nation-wide, a second executive order issued the same day addressing internal security is still in effect.

The latter executive action demands cities and local law enforcement, even those declared “sanctuaries,” must cooperate with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to remove non-citizens as part of the 287(g) agreements.

Stoney’s directive also addresses this aspect, stating Richmond Police will not consent to participate with the Immigration

Customs Enforcement 287(g) agreements, and will not inquire about national origin or immigration status of individuals they come into contact with.

Claire Gastianaga, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Virginia, said that she’s happy that the Mayor has agreed to not sign a 287(g) agreement mentioned in the directive.

This agreement, she said, would embolden local police and ICE officers to enforce both civil and criminal immigration law, which they are not necessarily required to do.

“This current initiative is not about terrorism or people who are here without authority,” Gastianaga said. “This current initiative is about making Americans uncomfortable with people who are not white.”

Mayor Levar Stoney attended the council meeting on Monday night, and listened to what Velaz, who pushed council members to implement city-wide racial bias training for police officers and social work-

ers, had to offer.

At the end of Velaz’s testimony, Fifth District councilman Parker Agelasto announced the City Council had appointed five members to a task force intended to establish a human rights commission in Richmond.

“That’s the first action we’ve taken tonight and begins the efforts and work towards wanting our city to become more inclusive and understanding of our diversity,” Agelasto said.

Both Gastianaga and Velaz said that they are willing to work with the city to help implement new policies, but will continue to monitor interactions between residents and law enforcement.

“Our country is a nation of immigrants,” Gastianaga said. “The idea that we should close the door now is deeply offensive to our American way of life and our values.”

Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Marti K.S Heil will retire at the end of March, after almost four years at Virginia Commonwealth University and 41 years in nonprofit, higher-education philanthropy.

Heil oversees the $750 million Make It Real Campaign, VCU’s largest fundraising campaign ever that is scheduled to run through June 30, 2020.

“When I was recruited to come here one of the things that the president and the board of visitors wanted to do was to launch a comprehensive capital campaign,” Heil said. “So I was really one of the architects behind the campaign.”

Heil said the eight year campaign has reached 62 percent of the goal, or $465 million, with more than 78,000 donors. The Make It Real campaign has three specific objectives -- people, innovation and environment.

“What’s been so rewarding for me is the ability at several universities to be able to understand the distinct need that a university has,” Heil said. “And help them articulate what that need is and help make a match with a donor that feel passionate about that and is willing to make a significant investment in that area.”

Heil plans to return to Indiana where she grew up and began her career but said she will miss the relationships built between colleagues at VCU and the reward of witnessing lives impacted by donors.

“Being able to make a difference in the lives of not only those who receive the gifts from donors but also making a difference in donor’s lives,” Heil said. “The joy that can come from a donor that has made an investment and recognizes and for the first time realizes that had it not been for their scholarship a student wouldn’t have been able to go to school. It’s pretty magical.”

Vice President of University Relations Pam Lepley said President Rao will appoint an interim Vice President in the near future, as well as launch a national search to fill the position.

Gerrymandering - or Democratic clustering?

—continued from page 1 MARY LEE CLARK Staff Writer MAURA MAZUROWSKI News Editor

• SJ 290 a proposed constitutional amendment that states, “No electoral district shall be drawn for the purpose of favoring or disfavoring any political party, incumbent legislator or member of Congress, or other individual or entity.” It is sponsored by PHOTO COURTESY OF VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEBSITE

David Toscano, the minority leader in the Virginia House, did the math and didn’t like the results.

“All five statewide offices are held by Democrats, and the presidency has been won by Democrats in Virginia for the last three cycles,” he said. “Yet 66 percent of the House of Delegates are Republicans.”

The Democrats do better in the Virginia Senate, where they are outnumbered just 21-19 by Republicans. Almost as lopsided as the state House of Delegates is Virginia’s delegation in the U.S. House of Representative: It has seven Republicans and four Democrats.

Toscano and other Democrats blame that imbalance on gerrymandering — the drawing of political districts to favor the party in power.

“We face a real uphill struggle, and it shows in the legislation that is getting defeated as well as the legislation that they are getting passed,” Toscano said.

Last week, for example, the General Assembly marked “crossover day” — the deadline for bills to pass their chamber of origin or be declared dead for the legislative session.

Of bills sponsored by Republican delegates, 59 percent have won House approval and are still alive, according to a Capital News Service analysis of data from the Legislative Information Service. Of bills sponsored by Democratic delegates, just 25 percent survived crossover.

However, many legislators dispute the notion that unfair redistricting practices have disadvantaged Democrats and ensured Republican legislative dominance.

“It has nothing to do with gerrymandering. Nothing could be further from the truth,” said Jeff Ryer, communications director for the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus.

Ryer said the Republican majority in the General Assembly simply reflects where people live: Republicans tend to live in rural areas while Democrats tend to cluster in more densely populated areas, such as Tidewater and Northern Virginia.

Sen. Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover) agrees. In an op-ed this month in the Richmond-Times Dispatch, he discussed what Democrats see as evidence of manipulated districts: “A state in which Republicans have lost seven statewide races in a row has a majority Republican congressional delegation and legislature.”

McDougle wrote, “That is not the result of gerrymandering, but an easy to understand consequence of Democrat voters living in communities surrounded by other Democrat voters.”

In other words, he explained, “Democrat voters often reside in clusters, living in localities that vote overwhelmingly for Democrat candidates.”

Last fall’s presidential election was a case in point, McDougle said. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won only 40 of Virginia’s 133 localities. But by winning the most populous localities, often by “staggeringly large” margins, Clinton captured the statewide vote over Republican Donald Trump.

Bill Oglesby, an assistant professor in VCU’s Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture differs in opinion. Oglesby said gerrymandering explains why Democrats have so little power in the General Assembly.

“Even a conservative editorial page like the Richmond-Times Dispatch has said in a state that votes blue statewide on a consistent basis, there’s no justification for having two-thirds of the House be Republican,” said Oglesby, who recently directed and produced a PBS documentary titled “GerryRIGGED: Turning Democracy on Its Head.”

John Aughenbaugh, a political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, said both Democrats and Republicans have used gerrymandering, depending on which party is in the majority when political lines are redrawn every 10 years.

Three redistricting proposals won approval in the Senate and have been sent to the House for consideration:

Sens. Jill Vogel, R-Winchester, and Janet Howell, D-Reston.

• SJ 231 another constitutional amendment, would create an independent commission to redraw legislative and congressional districts after each census. It is sponsored by a group of Republicans and Democrats.

House minority leader David Toscano contends Virginia’s districts are skewed, particularly in his chamber.

“In Virginia, like a majority of the states in the country, the state legislature controls the redistricting process after every census is taken,” Aughenbaugh said. “It puts a heavy premium on which political party is actually in control of the General Assembly after the census results come out.”

When the Democrats controlled the General Assembly, they drew the lines to benefit their party, Aughenbaugh said. He said no one is innocent, but it is a problem that must be fixed.

“Most political scientists would like to see greater competitive races, whether we are talking about state legislative seats or House of Representatives,” Aughenbaugh said. “We would like to see greater competition.”

The lack of competition is evident in statistics compiled by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. When the 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates were up for election two years ago, 61 of the races were uncontested — with just one name on the ballot.

Despite being in the minority in the House and Senate, Democratic legislators have an ace up their sleeve. They can play it when Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe vetoes legislation, as he has done to 71 Republican-supported bills since taking office in 2014.

Republicans need a two-thirds majority in both chambers — 67 votes in the House and 27 in the Senate — to override a veto. They’ve never been able to muster that. As a result, not one of McAuliffe’s vetoes has been overturned.

But Democrats’ ultimate goal is to change the way political districts are drawn.

At the start of the legislative session, legislators — including some Republicans — introduced 13 bills and proposed constitutional amendments intended to take the politics out of redistricting. All of the proposals originating in the House died in the House Privileges and Elections Committee.

• SB 846 sponsored by Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, would require Virginia to use an independent commission if a court declares a legislative or congressional district unlawful or unconstitutional.

All of those measures have been assigned to the House Privileges and Elections Committee, the House graveyard for its own bills that would have changed redistricting.

SEE MORE: in Spectrum, page 9, for coverage of VCU professor Bill Oglesby’s documentary, “GerryRIGGED,” which explores the and history and consequences of Gerrymandering.

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news

The Commonwealth Times

Gov. seeks funding Environmentalists disappointed by for mental health House amendment to coal ash bill screenings in jails

information from Julie Rothey

PHOTO BY TYLER HAMMEL

JULIE ROTHEY Contributing Writer

Speaking to reporters, McAuliffe said about 16 percent of Virginia’s jail inmates were “known or suspected” to be mentally ill.

McAuliffe called on the legislature to approve a $4.2 million budget request TYLER HAMMEL Contributing Writer Gov. Terry McAuliffe urged Virginia legislators last Friday to include in the state budget funding to conduct mental health screenings in jails and to hire investigators to examine suspicious jail deaths.

In a meeting with reporters, McAuliffe addressed a topic that many law enforcement and mental health experts say is critical: About 16 percent of Virginia’s jail inmates were “known or suspected to be mentally ill,” according to a study last June.

“We need someone in those jails who can determine if someone has an issue with mental health,” McAuliffe said at a news briefing.

In a letter to legislative leaders, he called on the General Assembly to approve his budget request for $4.2 million “to provide for training of jail staff in mental health screening and to provide grants to jails for mental health assessments.”

McAuliffe also asked for $200,000 for the Virginia Department of Corrections to hire two investigators “to review deaths and other major situations in local and regional jails.”

The request for the investigators was spurred by the death of Jamycheal Mitchell in 2015. Mitchell, who suffered from schizophrenia, was placed in the Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth after stealing about $5 of snacks from a 7-Eleven.

Although a judge ordered that Mitchell, 24, be sent to a psychiatric hospital, he ended up staying in the jail for four months, losing 40 pounds, until he was found dead in his cell.

McAuliffe had asked for money for jail death investigators and mental health services in jails in the proposed budget that he submitted to the General Assembly in December. Both the House and Senate eliminated the money for mental health screenings. The House eliminated both investigator positions; the Senate kept one.

To fund the requests, McAuliffe proposed cutting funding for an upcoming commemoration of historical events at Jamestown. In 2019, the state will mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of the House of Burgesses at Jamestown, as well as the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in the English colonies.

The budgets being prepared by the House and Senate would provide $10 million for promoting and hosting the commemorative activities. McAuliffe suggested cutting that amount in half, to $5 million.

McAuliffe generally praised House

and Senate leaders on the budgets they have crafted. Lawmakers still must work out differences in a conference committee and have both chambers approval a final budget before the legislative session ends Feb. 25.

Legislators must revise the second year of the $105 billion budget that the General Assembly adopted in 2016.

That’s because tax revenues fell short of projections, causing a shortfall of more than $1 billion.

Both legislative bodies and McAuliffe agree that state employees and teachers deserve more compensation; however, they have proposed different ways to achieve this.

McAuliffe suggested a one-time, 1.5 percent bonus for state employees. The House and Senate proposed a 3 percent pay raise for state employees, with a targeted increase for state police, Capitol police and sheriff’s deputies.

The Senate budget sets aside about $83 million to give K-12 teachers a 2 percent raise. In contrast, the House proposed taking $62 million from the state lottery and giving to local school boards to use for teacher pensions or salaries.

“While each chamber has chosen its own method for addressing teacher compensation, I applaud both for keeping our teachers in the mix for discussion during conference,” McAuliffe wrote in his letter.

He said education was another area of agreement.

“I am especially pleased to see that we agree on the need to protect public education from any programmatic reductions in funding,” McAuliffe’s letter said. “Public education is the backbone of a growing economy and our collective actions have demonstrated its priority and our shared commitment to protect public education from the effects of slow revenue growth.”

In his session with reporters, McAuliffe said Virginia’s budget situation is complicated by uncertainties in Washington over federal funding for Medicaid, the health care program for lowincome Americans.

The federal Affordable Care Act encouraged states to expand Medicaid. But President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have vowed to repeal the ACA. This might involve replacing Medicaid with block grants to the states.

Virginia did not expand Medicaid under the ACA. The non-expansion states might receive smaller block grants than the states that expanded Medicaid, McAuliffe said.

“If they block-grant Medicaid, that is very problematic for the commonwealth of Virginia,” he said.

A bill approved by the House last Friday would require Dominion Virginia Power to study whether its controversial coal ash ponds might pollute the water, but environmentalists say the legislation doesn’t do enough.

SB 1398 would require energy companies to identify the risks of heavy metals polluting the groundwater and alternatives methods of disposal when they apply for a permit to decommission a “coal combustion residuals unit,” commonly called a coal ash pond.

The ponds, a mixture of the byproduct of coal combustion and water, are often near rivers. Dominion has four sites around Virginia containing millions of tons of coal ash. The company hopes to close the ponds by treating and discharging the water and then burying the remaining coal ash with a protective seal.

The Senate passed the potential legislation on a 29-11 vote on Feb. 7. The bill said Dominion would have to complete the environmental assessment on a coal ash pond before getting a permit to close the facility.

Additionally, the director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality “shall issue no draft permit to provide for the closure of any CCR unit until he has reviewed and evaluated the complete assessments and all comments received relating to that CCR unit,” the bill stated.

However, the latter language was dropped in the version of the bill that the House passed 96-1 last Friday. Under the House-approved version, the Department of Environmental Quality would not have to consider the environmental studies when granting permits to close coal ash ponds.

The House version mandates the DEQ director “shall not suspend, delay, or defer the issuance of any permit” pending the completion of the environmental assessment.

“In deciding whether to issue any such permit, the Director need not include or rely upon his review of any such assessment,” reads the new language.

Environmentalists were upset that the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources had removed the stronger language from the Senate version of the bill.

“There were some really important pieces that were removed,” said Jamie Brunkow, Lower James riverkeeper for the James River Association.

Brunkow said the group is especially disappointed that, under the House version, the DEQ wouldn’t have to wait for the environmental reports before granting a permit.

“You might say that the only thing that remains are some of the ashes of the first bill,” Del. Mark Keane (D-Fairfax) said when introducing the bill on the floor.

Dominion wants to close its coal ash ponds at: · Possum Point Power Station on Quantico Creek in Prince William County · Bremo Power Station on the James River in Fluvanna County · Chesterfield Power Station on the James River in Chesterfield County · Chesapeake Energy Center on the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake The James River Association said it found arsenic and other heavy metals in the groundwater near the 13 million tons of coal ash stored at Dominion’s Chesterfield location. But leaving the ash in ponds isn’t an option, either. Both North Carolina and Tennessee have had untreated coal ash flood rivers, causing environmental damage.

Nate Benforado, staff attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center, said that his organization supports the work the General Assembly is doing but that there’s still more to do.

“Most notably, whether it makes sense to continue the closure permitting process while DEQ is waiting to receive more detailed information that would help make sure we get these sites closed right the first time,” Benforado said.

The bill would apply only to coal ash pits in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, all of which are owned by Dominion.

Under the legislation, Dominion would have to include in applications for a “dewatering” permit: · A description of any water pollution from the coal ash pond and possible solutions · The feasibility of recycling the coal ash · The possibility of removing the coal ash to a lined landfill · A demonstration of the “long-term safety” of the closed coal ash pond Coal ash rose to the forefront of environmental activism in Richmond a year ago when Dominion received a permit to release the treated wastewater from its coal ash ponds at the Bremo Power Station into the James River. The James River Association and the Southern Environmental Law Center successfully campaigned to have the requirements of the permit increased.

The process of dewatering Bremo coal ash ponds has started, but the coal ash remains. Dominion’s plan is to “cap in place” the pits, by covering them with plastic and soil.

Brunkow said there is still risk for contamination in this method.

Dominion officials say the process will not pollute the water.

Other options are moving the coal ash to another, more modern lined landfill or recycling the ash into cinder blocks and concrete.

The move to dewater coal ash ponds came after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued rules two years ago calling for the closure of dormant coal ash ponds after the spills in North

Students, staff concerned about DeVos confirmation —continued from page 1 to colleges and universities across the country,” said Liberty University spokesman Len Stevens in an email to CNN. Stevens specifically said Title IX is one of the areas Falwell viewed as being over-regulated.

Falwell endorsed Trump last January, only a week before the Iowa Caucus primary — an area comprised of a large evangelical population of voters.

Trump also visited Liberty last January.

The CT reported more than 8,000 Liberty students attended the event.

“We need the second amendment, don’t let anyone take it away,” Trump said to the event attendees, “If i get elected it’s totally protected.”

A month prior to Trump’s visit, Falwell made headlines for urging students to conceal-carry firearms to prevent incidents similar to the November shooting in San Bernardino, Calif.

According to the Washington Post, exit polls showed white evangelical Christians voted for Trump by an 80-16 margin against Hillary Clinton in November.

Condit said she thinks that even if the new administration didn’t touch Title IX, there are other aspects of the U.S. education systems that Republicans are eager to change.

“They want to dramatically change the education system in the United States, at all levels,” Condit said. “I think that means some pretty serious incursions into how universities are funded, who gets to go to college, what kind of monies are available.”

Rhiannon Pyle, a student in the VCU Department of Sculpture and Extended Media, said she’s not hopeful that some of

INFOGRAPHIC BY DESIREE CHOE

Where are Dominion Power’s coal ash ponds located across the state?

the programs Obama put in place will stay in place for the next four years. In addition to concerns about inclusion and diversity, she said the costs of going to school worries her.

“We’re all thinking about student loans,” Pyle said. “I’m hoping that somehow, something is going to happen about the rising cost of tuition.”

During an April 2016 press conference with student reporters, President Obama announced his administration aimed to enroll 2 million more people in the Pay As You Earn initiative — a program that caps the amount borrowers repay on their student

I think that means some pretty serious incursions into how universities are funded, who gets to go to college, what kind of monies are available.

Deirdre Condit, Ph.D. Chair, Political Science Dept. loans to 10 percent of their monthly income,

by April 2017.

Nearly 5 million student borrowers were already enrolled in income-driven repayment plans like Pay As You Earn – up from 700,000 in 2011, according to then-U.S.

Secretary of Education John King.

Richard Cordray, director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said about 43 million Americans have student loan debts in a press call the day before Obama’s announcement last year.

In Virginia alone, there are more than 350,000 federal student loan borrowers – totaling more than $10.5 million in outstanding debt. Nationwide, the volume of outstanding federal student loan debt has doubled in less than a decade to about $1.3 trillion.

“That is more, in fact, than any other category of consumer debt in America except mortgages,” Cordray said.

During a three-hour-long Senate confirmation hearing last month, DeVos stated that neither she, nor anyone in her family, had ever needed to take out a student loan.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) questioned how much DeVos’ family had contributed to the Republican party over a number of years, stating he had heard the figure to be $200 million.

“That’s possible,” DeVos responded.

Another VCU student, business major Emily Himes, also said she has concerns over higher education’s cost and accessibility.

“I just don’t think (Trump) wants to see more diversity in our colleges,” Himes said.

“I feel like we were heading in the right direction before, but so many people won’t be able to afford going soon.”

Condit said — as evidenced by the shaky implementation of Trump’s executive order regarding immigrants and refugees — it’s likely there would be similar pushback if he were to try similarly controversial measures regarding education.

sports

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, February 20, 2017

5

Stat of the Week:

So far, in the first two lacrosse games of the season, sophomore Molly Barcikowski leads the Rams in goals with five.

PHOTOS BY ERIN EDGERTON

Rams squash Spiders to win 8th straight Junior guard Jonathan Williams sported a well-rounded stat sheet against the University of Richmond with 15 points, four assits and three rebounds.

Richmond The Rams completed the season sweep of inter-city archrival the University of Richmond Friday, knocking off the Spiders 84-73 to pick up their eighth straight victory.

The win moved VCU to 50-28 all-time against U of R, with the Rams picking up their fifth straight win against their fellow Richmonders.

There was more than just seven miles of real estate separating the two teams Friday night at the Robbins Center, as the Black and Gold dominated much of the stat sheet. The Rams won the battle in shooting percentage, assists and rebounds. After a poor showing Tuesday against Saint Joseph’s University that saw VCU outscored 34-18 in the paint, the Rams were able to have their way with their Richmond counterparts, holding a 40-22 advantage down low.

Senior guard JeQuan Lewis and junior guard Jonathan Williams set the tone for the Rams as the point guard duo combined for an impressive 31 points, 9 assists and 10 rebounds on the evening. Senior guard Doug Brooks added 10 points and the freshman guard duo of Samir Doughty and Malik Crowfield contributed nine each.

In all, eight players chipped in seven-or-more points for the Black and Gold Friday. Coach Will Wade said this kind of total team effort was what put the Rams ahead.

“I thought everybody who put on a VCU uniform tonight helped

us out,” Wade said in his postgame press conference. “It was a good, good road win for us. This is the best we’ve played on the road in a while and we’ve got to build on this.”

Coming off a tight victory against a struggling St. Joe’s Tuesday that saw Wade visibly frustrated with his squad’s performance, the Rams came prepared to respond against their crosstown rivals.

“I knew we were going to play well tonight,” Wade said. “We were ready to go. This was the best we had prepared, best we’d practiced since we were getting ready to go play Baylor. We were ready to rock and roll.”

With just four games remaining in the regular season, Wade emphasized the importance of carrying this momentum forward as his squad approaches the postseason.

“We’re in a dogfight here for the league and our postseason lives,” he said, “and we’ve just got to keep scratching and clawing and battling everyday.”

Although it’s easy to look toward the Rams’ two big road games down the stretch against the University of Dayton — a game that could decide the conference’s regular season outright champion — and the University of Rhode Island, Wade reiterated the importance of taking the rest of the season one game at a time.

“We’re not skipping ahead to anything,” he said. “We have to rest ourselves up and get ready to play St. Louis, then we’ll worry about who we play next.”

Although the VCU head man was trepidatious about his team’s

chances at a first-ever outright A-10 regular season title, he made sure to mention the significance of Friday’s victory.

“This was a big one,” Wade sdded. “It was a big one, no doubt about it.”

St. Joseph’s For the seventh straight game, the VCU Rams came out victorious, knocking off the visiting St. Joseph’s Hawks 91-81 Tuesday night at the Siegel Center.

In VCU’s 97th consecutive sellout game at the Stu, Lewis erupted for a historic performance.

The senior guard put up a careerhigh 34 points on 9-of-15 shooting from deep, ultimately falling just two buckets short of Troy Daniels’ single-game three-point record.

“I tried to just kind of find open spaces,” Lewis said. “Once a good shooter sees the ball go in a few times, it kind of opens up. The rim seems so much bigger than it really is and you just have to keep shooing.”

Junior forward Justin Tillman completed his sixth double-double of the season, adding 14 points and 13 rebounds for his fourth-straight double-double performance. Doughty joined the double-double squad, chipping in 10 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds, falling just two boards short of an elusive triple-double, and Brooks added 12 points on what was perhaps the senior’s best all-around performance of the season.

Although the Rams’ offense flowed freely behind the sharpshooting prowess of Lewis, the team’s defense faltered.

“We didn’t want to guard tonight,” Wade said, “and if we give that effort the rest of the year, it’s going to be a long, long end of the season.”

St. Joe’s, who, coming into the game, were just 3-10 in conference play and were missing their top two scorers in Shavar Newkirk and Lamarr Kimble, were able to nearly go tit for tat with the red-hot Rams.

“That wasn’t a walk in the park (for VCU),” Hawks coach Phil Martelli said after the game.

“There were a lot of people that assumed, ‘well, how could this team hang around?’ But they needed 91 to beat us.”

The Hawks shot nearly 50 percent from the field and dominated their hosts in the paint, seemingly scoring at will down low.

“We got outscored 34-18 in the paint,” Wade said. “That’s supposed to be our bread and butter.

Luckily we made some shots tonight, but that isn’t going to get it done.”

The VCU head man appeared visibly frustrated as he took to the podium to address the “disappointing” play following the victory.

“Luckily, JeQuan bailed us out offensively and Doug and Johnny bailed us out defensively,” he added.

“Outside of that, we didn’t have many good performances.”

Despite the Rams’ poor performance, the Black and Gold were able to squeeze out the victory and hold onto their spot atop the A-10 standings heading into their highly-anticipated matchup with their cross-town rivals Friday night.

ATLANTIC 10 BASKETBALL

The Rams continue their quest for their first-ever outright regular-season Atlantic 10 title as they take on the visiting St. Louis Billikens Wednesday before heading north to face the fourth-place Rhode Island Rams on Saturday.

Seniors salvage a saintly victory RODNEY ROBINSON Contributing Writer

St. Joseph’s Senior leadership was the engine for the Rams as three seniors scored in double figures in a dominant 77-60 victory against St. Bonaventure University on Saturday, Feb. 18.

The key turning point in the game for the Rams was the second quarter. The Rams outscored St. Bonaventure 20-6 in the second and they never looked back.

The Black and Gold continued their hot shooting and balance on offense, shooting 51 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from the three-point line.

Senior guard Keira Robinson led the Rams with 15 points Saturday. Senior guards Mooriah Rowser and Ashley Pegram both added 14, respectively.

After an off game by the VCU bench in the last matchup against Saint Joseph’s University, the Rams came back and have a strong showing as they edged St. Bonaventure’s bench 39-34.

Defensively, the Rams were lights out.

St. Bonaventure shot a low of 37.3 percent from the field in the matchup. The Rams also held St. Bonaventure to a dismal 10 percent from behind the three-point line.

The Rams also held a slight edge in the rebounding department, 37-33.

St. Bonaventure The Rams fell short against St. Joseph’s on Wednesday, February 15 by a final of 80-70.

The Black and Gold kept pace with the Hawks in the first period, and the sides went into the locker room deadlocked at 33 apiece.

However, the third quarter proved to be the turning point in the matchup. The Rams struggled on defense in the third, and St. Joseph’s caught fire, shooting 71.4 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the 3-point line to pull away from VCU. VCU was outscored in the third quarter 26-15 as they shot a game-low of 58.3 percent from the free throw line and 40 percent from the field. The scoring run by the Hawks was too much for the Rams, and the ladies from Philly never looked back.

St. Joseph’s worked inside-out effectively against VCU, as they outscored the Rams 34-22 in points-in-the-paint.

Another huge advantage the Hawks held in the matchup was bench points as they outscored VCU 30-12.

The lack of bench production from the Rams placed added pressure on the starters to generate more points, proving to be the Rams’ downfall in the second half as the starters began to tire noticeably.

Senior guard JeQuan Lewis poured in a career-high 34 points on 9-16 shooting against Saint Joesph’s last Tuesday.

VCU had a balanced attack on offense with three players scoring in double figures in the matchup. The Rams were once again led by Robinson as she had a team high 19 points and shot 3-of-4 from beyond the threepoint line.

Senior guards GG Goodhope and Isis Thorpe also contributed double figure scoring on the day. Goodhope came away with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting and Thorpe added 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting.

With the A-10 tournament just around the corner, the Rams look to continue their impressive play in their penultimate contest of the season against Davidson, at the Siegel Center, on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

PH

O OT

BY

ER

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CM

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STANDINGS Women’s Teams George Washing ton Dayton Saint Louis Saint Joseph ’s Fordham La Salle Duquesne VCU Richmond George Mason St. Bonaventure Davidson Massachusetts Rhode Island

Atlantic 10 12-3 12-3 12-3 11-4 10-5 9-6 7-8 7-8 7-8 6-9 4-11 4-11 3-12 1-14

Overall 19-8 18-9 22-6 14-13 19-10 16-11 14-14 14-14 13-15 13-15 9-18 6-21 9-19 5-22

Men’s Teams VCU Dayton Rhode Island Richmond George Mason St. Bonaventure La Salle Davidson George Washing ton Fordham Saint Louis Massachusetts Saint Joseph ’s Duquesne QU

Atlantic 10 12-2 12-2 9-5 9-5 8-6 8-6 8-6 7-7 6-8 6-8 4-10 3-11 3-11 3-11

Overall 22-5 21-5 17-9 15-11 18-9 16-10 14-11 14-11 14-13 12-15 9-18 13-14 10-16 10-17

EZ

Senior guard Ashlee Mitchell recorded a season-high six points in VCU’s 77-60 win against St. Bonaventure.

INFOGRAPHIC BY ERIC NGO

NICK VERSAW Staff Writer

sports

The Commonwealth Times

6

Press Box

ILLUSTRATION BY IAIN DUFFUS

The future is female

They listen, they want to get better. They’re competitors. They want to win. It’s not about whether it’s coming from a male or a female.

Jen Welter, Arizona Cardinals

SOPHIA BELLETTI Sports Editor It’s no secret that women with qualifications comparable to men are rarely afforded opportunities equal to their male counterparts — particularly in the world of sports.

From the media room, to the sidelines, to the locker room, female sports fanatics are gaining traction.

Most recently, U.S. track and field Olympian and gold medalist Natasha Hastings landed a position training dozens of college athletes for the NFL draft last week but approached the field with with one sensible worry.

“My concern coming in was even though I had the credentials to train the players, I was a woman,” she said.

But to her surprise, that did not hinder her work.

“I wasn’t sure how football players would react to a woman leading them,” Hastings said.

“Would they respect me? Would they care if I was a woman?

“None of them cared. … They’ve been great.

The biggest thing I’ve taken away from all of this is that athletes are athletes. An athlete wants to learn how to be the best, and they don’t care who they learn it from. They don’t care if it’s a man or a woman teaching them.”

In the ever changing world of sports, there may not be a more unique and qualified coach than Hastings.

In 2013 Hastings finally captured a long-awaited USA Outdoor championship, cruising past the line with a time of 49.94 to earn her place atop the podium. Hastings has been a fixture of Team USA’s 4x400m relay, with six international relay medals to her name. In 2008, Hastings earned her first Olympic gold medal in the 4x400 meter.

In 2012 she added an individual world medal to her trophy case with a bronze medal at the 2012 World Indoor Championships. Hastings (52.57) had third-leg duty in the women’s 4x400m at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships where Team USA won their first-ever gold in the women’s 4x400m relay at a World Indoor Championships in American record fashion.

While women training men for the draft and combine isn’t unprecedented, a number of NFL officials spoke out, saying it’s exceptionally rare.

Hastings is the most recent individual to play a role in the continuing story of how women are gaining influence in the NFL. In 2015, Sarah Thomas made history and was named the NFL’s first female game official. Then and still the only woman referee, Thomas serves as a mentor to other women looking to join her — and she says there are several women now going through the NFL’s development program.

Thomas dismisses any prejudice she may have faced as a result of being a woman in the maledominated industry. But the very first room full of men that she walked into was when she went to a meeting about high school officiating.

“There was a gentleman that was talking at the front of the room,” said said. “He completely stopped talking and just watched me. I looked at him and said, ‘Is this where you become a football official?’ He said a few choice words to me. I thought, ‘What have I gotten myself into?’ But I’m so competitive, so I just said, ‘I’m going to try my hand at this.’”

During her high school officiating days, she was asked to tuck her hair under her hat and not wear makeup so her gender would be less obvious to the crowd. It was about perception, she said.

Thomas says other officials didn’t want people to say, “’Oh, that’s a girl, she knows nothing about football. Why is she out here?’”

Thomas did tuck her hair in but opted to wear makeup.

That same year, Jen Welter became the first female coach in the history of the league through a coaching internship with the Arizona Cardinals.

Like Hastings, Welter worried about the stigma following women coaching in the NFL, but to her surprise, the players complied and listened.

“They listen, they want to get better,” Welter said. “They’re competitors. They want to win. It’s not about whether it’s coming from a male or a female…”

Welter knows how to connect with players so well because she was one.

In 2014, Welter became what the Indoor Football League’s Texas Revolution believes to be the first woman to appear in a men’s pro game in a non-kicking position.

Less than a year later, the Bills hired the first full-time female assistant coach in Kathryn Smith, who served as a special teams quality control coach.The NFL has made significant strides since Al Davis hired Amy Trask as the first female team CEO in 1997.

Although she was just fired while the Bills were cleaning house for new coach Sean McDermott, Smith’s position is still monumental and will likely find a job with another team.

At Monday’s training session, Hastings said there were 30 to 40 players at the TEST Football Academy in Martinsville, New Jersey. This is the same facility that did the combine and pro day work for players such as Patrick Peterson, Joe Flacco, Ryan Clady and Jevon Kearse, among several dozen others.

Kevin Dunn, owner of the academy, said they are currently working with 44 players.

“Having an Olympic gold medalist like Natasha here to help pinpoint the fine details of linear speed mechanics,” Dunn said. “(It) is an incredible opportunity for these guys to master the 40-yard dash.”

This isn’t to say she will change the world or become the next NFL commissioner. This is a simple tale about someone trying to help players improve their draft lot. Most of the time, those people are men. This time, it’s a woman.

In addition to holding the Women’s Careers in Football forum at the Pro Bowl, the league held its second annual NFL Women’s Summit at the Super Bowl, which was designed to introduce teenage girls to successful women in a variety of careers.

This past season, 13 years after establishing the Rooney Rule, which requires that the league interview minorities for head-coaching jobs and other positions, the NFL decided to extend the rule to cover female candidates for front-office positions.

While the NFL taking a seat at the inclusionary table a good decade after the rest of corporate America doesn’t warrant a pat on the back, it does appear that the league is making an effort to reach out to women beyond creating pink-colored jerseys.

JESSICA WETZLER Contributing Writer For the second year in a row, VCU women’s track and field captured the Atlantic 10 indoor title with 126.833 points in Fairfax on Sunday.

The women’s team’s victory marks the third A-10 track and field title for the Rams in the past three years. Coach Jon Riley was also awarded honors Sunday night, taking home the 2017 Atlantic 10 Indoor Coach of the Year award.

“These girls came out and competed like they wanted it more,” Riley said. “They came out with an attitude that they weren’t going to lose.”

Junior Taylor McCormick kicked off the event Sunday, and was one of the Rams’ five individual champions. McCormick broke the school record in the triple jump en route to winning the event.

Freshman Kayla Smith won Rookie of the Meet, taking home gold in the 400-meter event and placing in two others.

Freshman Alexis Willis won the 60-meter, junior Nichelle Scott won the 800-meter and senior De’Nisha Smith won first in the 60-meter hurdles.

VCU’s 4x800 relay team also won gold.

The 4x800 relay team, in its first showing all season, came out and edged a fast George Mason University squad for the championship, finishing just 0.16 seconds ahead of the Patriots. The team, consisting of Scott, sophomore Ashley Greenlee, senior Emily Dyke and freshman Ashley Brown won after a huge surge by Scott, the anchor, who put the Rams ahead.

The men’s team placed five athletes, finishing eighth at the championship.

Junior Shawn Scornaienchi found power in the shot put, finishing second with a personal record mark of 15.08 meters.

Freshman Ian Davis placed second in the 60-meter hurdles with a personal record-setting time of 8.22 seconds. Junior Bigal Harrison had a second-place finish in the 400-meter run with a time of 48.77.

Junior Kareem Payne earned a silver medal in the 60-meter dash finals, finishing with a time of 6.85 seconds. He also placed seventh in the 200-meter dash.

Sophomore Jamik Alexander placed third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.00 seconds and finished in seventh in the 60-meter dash.

On Saturday, VCU had 17 athletes advance to the finals of their respective events for the championship.

Five Rams scored points for the team.

“We’ve deposited blood, sweat and tears, now it’s time to withdraw success,” said coach Riley prior to the championship meet.

With several athletes ranked first in the A-10

Championships, the expectations were set high for the weekend.

“I’m excited about my group’s potential in this championship setting. We have been working all year towards this and the last week or two I’ve seen some amazing things happening,” Riley said. “I won’t be surprised, but I’m sure more than a few competitors will be.”

Senior Racheed Davis earned two points for VCU in the long jump after leaping 6.76 meters and finishing seventh in the event.

Kayla Smith and sophomore Latrice Morris won their heats in the 200-meter run prelims to advance to the final with times of 24.98 and 25.13, respectively.

Junior Devon Thompson finished first in his 400-meter run preliminary heat with a time of 49.19 to advance to the final. Junior Bigal Harrison also qualified with a time of 49.70.

Scott won her heat with a time of 2:13.36 to advance to the 800-meter run final.

Payne and Alexander each finished first in their heats of the 60-meter dash. Payne had a time of 6.88 seconds and Alexander crossed the line in 6.90 seconds. Each also qualified for the final of the 200-meter dash, with Alexander finishing first in his heat in 22.05 seconds.

Morris and Willis dominated their heats to advance to the final of the 60-meter dash. Morris ran a time of 7.64 seconds while Willis put up a time of 7.66 seconds. Freshman Dajae Goulet also qualified for the final, coming in second in Willis’ heat with a time of 7.78 seconds.

Ian Davis advanced to the final in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.31 seconds.

De’Nisha Smith and freshman Khoi Banks advanced to the finals of the 60-meter hurdles with Smith placing third and Banks placing seventh in the preliminaries. Banks also finished fourth in the long jump with a leap of 5.59 meters.

The Black and Gold had three lady Rams qualify for the final of the 400-meter run. Kayla Smith finished second with a time of 55.27 seconds while sophomores Ann Sheehy and Taylor Watkins finished sixth and eighth.

Sophomore Sakia Konin scored two points for the Rams in the heptathlon, finishing seventh with overall in the event. Konin hit a personal record in the 800-meter run portion of the event, running a time of 2:33.57.

Greenlee finished fourth in the 500-meter run preliminaries with a time of 1:15.60, allowing Greenlee to advance to the final.

The fastest preliminary time in the 1,000-meter run was made by Brown. Brown advanced to the finals with a time of 2:56.23.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY VCU ATHLETICS

A-10 indoor track & field championship: Women coast into first place

Junior Nichelle Scott won her heat in the 800-meter Saturday at the A-10 Championship.

The distance medley relay team consisting of junior Courtney Holleran, sophomore Candice James, freshman Judith White, and Dyke finished seventh in the event with a time of 12:11.44.

Senior Ashleigh Banks hit a mark of 16.38 meters in the weight throw to finish fourth in the event.

Sophomore Camora Sanders hit her first mark above 15 meters after hitting a mark of 15.14 meters.

Assistant Coach Ethan Tussing has been encouraged as many of her athletes have shown progression in their respective events.

“Our mindset is to go in and do what we do, don’t go in and try to overdo because if you try to do more

than you are capable of then you get poor results,” coach Tussing said. “If you aim too high, you get less than what you came in with.”

Director of cross country and coach Nicole Cook has been coaching some of the athletes since the fall and they always manage to impress her.

“This particular group of athletes is definitely the most talented group of athletes that I’ve had together at one time,” Cook said. They are unique in that they are all driven to get better and want to achieve a higher level of success.”

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, February 20, 2017

7

Baseball shuts-out No. 5 Seminoles Sunday

ZACH JOACHIM Sports Editor

Baseball kicked-off the season in Tallahassee, where the Rams shut-out the fifth-ranked Florida State Seminoles Friday night before dropping the second and third contests of the weekend series.

A Sunday matinee rubber match was left to decide the winner of the season-opening series between the Rams and Seminoles, but the Black and Gold’s Friday night momentum did not carry over into the weekend as they fell for the second consecutive game, this time by a final of 11-3.

The ‘Noles put up three runs in the second frame and never looked back. Every FSU starter had a base knock in the contest, and the team

put together 13 as a unit.

Senior left-hander Brooks Vial got the start on the bump for VCU and was credited with the loss. He surrendered four runs on six hits and four walks in just four innings of work, but did not receive much help from his teammates behind him, as only one of the runs was earned. The Rams committed two errors on the day.

The Black and Gold came close to putting together a big inning in the third and seventh frames, but FSU pitching excelled at minimiz-

PHOTO BY JULIE TRIPP

Senior closer Sam Donko converted his first save of the season Friday night in VCU’S 3-0 win over Florida State University.

ing the damage in scoring situations — VCU left nine runners on base.

Senior Logan Farrar, the Rams three-hitter and star outfielder, went 0-for-4 and left three runners on.

Saturday Baseball’s season-opener celebration was short lived, as they dropped the Saturday edition of the three-game series by a final of 12-3.

Sophomore sensation starting pitcher Michael Dailey was hit with the loss and got knocked around in just three and a third innings of work. The 2016 Atlantic 10 rookie of the year and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American did not look himself while surrendering seven runs, six of which were earned, on five hits and five walks.

Cole Sands got the win on the bump for Florida State in five and two-thirds innings pitched. He did not give up an earned run on four hits, two walks and two punchouts.

VCU freshman catcher Josh Simon earned his first collegiate RBI in the top of the sixth when his base-knock through the right side of the infield scored junior designated hitter Mitchel Lacey, who rocked a double off the left field wall earlier in the frame. The rally chased Sands from the game and forced the ‘Noles to go to their pen.

Freshman Steven Carpenter made his VCU debut when he pinch-hit in the top of the ninth.

The infielder and Quinton, Va native knocked a one-out single into shallow left field for his first collegiate hit. Farrar scored him with a sac-fly to pick up his first RBI of 2017.

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Friday The Rams featured a talented and experienced pitching staff in a 3-0 victory over their ACC hosts to kick off the season.

The Black and Gold returned their full arsenal of arms from the 2016 team, and skipper Shawn Stiffler said he knows he can lean on his staff in 2017.

“We were fortunate enough to return all our pitchers from last year,” said Stiffler. “The entire rotation we have on hand is our biggest strength.”

The formula Friday night was one Ram fans recognize well. Junior starting pitcher Sean Thompson combined with senior relievers Matt Jamer and Sam Donko to produce a one-hit shutout of the ‘Noles.

As a freshman in 2015, Thompson was instrumental in the program’s first ever run to the super-regional round of the NCAA tournament. The latter half of his sophomore season was derailed by injury, and Thompson’s ability to return to his freshman form could have a significant impact on the Rams’ overall success in 2017.

Donko led the nation in saves in 2016 with 20, but credits much of his success to the staff around him, particularly his set-up man Jamer.

“Matt Jamer probably set me up for 15 of those 20,” Donko said.

“The guys around me really make it easier to go out there and perform.”

Thompson was credited with the win after allowing just one hit and three walks over five innings of work. He struck out six Seminoles.

Jamer pitched the sixth, seventh and eighth innings without giving up a hit. The southpaw induced two flyouts, four groundouts, a doubleplay and struck out two.

Donko slammed the door and picked up his first save with a onetwo-three bottom of the ninth.

Freshman short-stop Paul Witt

led VCU in hits on the day with three. The nine-hitter was involved in all three scoring plays, as he crossed the plate twice and knocked another run in with a double — the Rams’ only extra base hit of the contest.

The sides traded scoreless frames through the first four innings. The ‘Noles threatened in the bottom of the fourth, but Thompson struck out junior outfielder Rhett Aplin with two outs and a runner on third to keep the tie intact.

VCU broke the deadlock in the top of the fifth. After junior left fielder Haiden Lamb reached on his second bunt-single of the day, coach Stiffler gave the sign for a hit-and-run with Witt at the plate.

The freshman laced a double into the right field gap and Lamb, on the move, scored to give Witt his first collegiate RBI and the Rams their first lead of the season.

Senior first baseman Darian Carpenter scored Witt later in the inning with a sacrifice-fly to right field after junior leadoff man and third-baseman Daane Berezo advanced Witt to third on a ground out.

Carpenter tacked on an insurance run and his second RBI of the day in the top of the seventh with a single up the middle to score Witt, but Donko and Jamer insured Florida State would have no aspirations of a late rally.

Baseball will take the week off before traveling to Charleston Southern University for another threegame series next weekend.

The Rams’ home opener is scheduled for Feb. 28 against Old Dominion University. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

spectrum

The Commonwealth Times

On this day...

in 1872, the New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art opens.

The evolution of hip-hop to rap

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

rap of the 2000’s is often seen in the mainstream and many of the top 40 artists are as far removed from issues which formed hip-hop in the first place. But artists like Jon Connor, Kendrick Lamar, NoName and Vic Mensa are actively addressing the same social inequities like their predecessors did 40 years ago.

Whether you call it rap or hip-hop - at the core it has always been about Black survival throughout history.

OU

Kelly Wombold, owner of Chocolates by Kelly on 414 W. Broad St., describes owning a small business in Richmond as “hectic, tough (and) not for the faint of heart.”

Wombold said she was faced with a lot of pushback as she started the process of opening her business, but her persistence won out. Her business has been up-andrunning for about eight years now, but Wombold only opened her current location four months ago.

“Along the way, there’s been a couple of key points that people have said that keep me moving forward,” Wombold said. “If you know you have a winning product then you can fix everything else that is going on. You have to maintain that product.”

On March 3, the shop will debut a local artist’s work and the public is invited to stop by, taste chocolate and talk to the artist. Chocolates by Kelly also recently introduced a new service: custom chocolate bars.

Any message can be put on the bars, and they are sold in packs as large as several hundred and as few as just one bar. Recent engravings have included statements like “wine makes you cute” and “you’re hot like a dumpster fire.”

Growing up, Wombold knew she wanted to own a candy store. Her dream to be a chocolatier started as early as six-years-old when she and her mother would visit her grandmother’s house in Philadelphia. Going to grandma’s house was more than freshly baked cookies for Wombold, it was gourmet chocolates and treats.

Wombold put her passion for chocolate in the past for a while as she got older, but after her grandmother passed away, it became a way to preserve her grandmother’s memory. Wombold and her mother visited Philadelphia and took classes that would eventually lead to going beyond the preservation of her grandmother’s memory and becoming Wombold’s life and passion.

Previously, Wombold’s shop was located at Westover Hills in the Southside. During those years, she said a lot of days consisted of her sitting in the shop without

any customers. She said the only way to describe that is “disheartening,” but her efforts ultimately pulled through.

Her son, Josh, now works alongside his mother, and grew up watching her persevere even when business was at a stop. Compared to the small, shared space where they were previously located, Wombold said the new location allows them to offer classes and hold events.

“We really have the independence here to do whatever we need to,” Wombold said. “My very best advice would be to not underestimate the challenges.”

She added that her advice to people hoping to own a small business or become a chocolatier is that “both require patience and grit.”

Chocolate has been Wombold’s passion for a long time, but when she needs a break from so much sweetness she enjoys fixing things and learning more about the machinery she uses at work.

“I’m definitely one of those kids that want to take it apart and see what’s on the inside,” Wombold said. “I hope one day when I get time for a hobby I could build a car.”

Aside from repairing, Wombold said she has recently delved into painting. On one wall of the shop a local artist, Janine Matthews, is displayed for purchase, and on another wall hangs Wombold’s own work.

“I only started painting because I needed stuff on the walls,” Wombold said. “The place was bare. I thought, ‘well, I’ll give it a shot.’ Next thing you know I’ve got paintings.”

Wombold, a VCU alum, reminded current students to take a second look at the classes they take. She remembered the horrified looks on fellow students’ faces when she walked into an introduction to chemistry class.

“As a chocolatier chemistry is important to what we do,” Wombold said. “Math, measuring, calculating it’s all important to us. What I wanted most was to use what I do to bring together practical application with that field of study. So, students should remember to really think about what they can do with that knowledge and I think it helps with the learning process a lot.”

QI ZH

EMMA SUE SIMS Contributing Writer

Y JIA

Chocolates by Kelly recently rolled-out a new service: engraved chocolate bars sporting customized messages.

IO N B

An inside look at Chocolates by Kelly

“I said a hip hop, Hippie to the hippie, The hip, hip a hop, and you don’t stop, a rock it” Sound familiar? The lyrics made airwaves in 1979 when The Sugarhill Gang released, “Rapper’s Delight.”

It was the first major hip-hop song to make the transition from park jams, DJ turntables and Local MC battles in Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and other ghettos in the east coast to mainstream airwaves.

Since the arrival of the first slave ships in the 17th century, music in all its forms has been central to the Black American history experience The role of melody as tool of survival, expression and rebellion is rooted in the violent history of slavery, reconstruction and Jim Crow. It’s a rich tradition found in gospel, folk, blues, jazz R&B and arguably most famously in rap and hip-hop.

In 1987, Chuck D, the lead of the explicitly political rap group, Public Enemy, said, “Rap is Black America’s CNN.” Hip-hop formed out of the same strain of struggle and survival. The genre was created by inner-city, primarily black, youth across New York. Though, the universal focus of hip-hop on uplifting the community led to it quickly involving Puerto Rican influences also present in the same dilapidated though communally lively ghettos as many Black Americans.

These youths were called B-Girls and B-Boys and incorporated graffiti artists, DJ’s, like Funkmaster Flex, Pete Rock, MC Lyte and Afrikka Bambaattaa with fast paced story-like rhythms first famously captured by Slick Rick da Ruler.

It was founded in systematically created ghettos with prime focus on engaging in social justice via the traditional means of music used for centuries. But this time, it involved an unexpected blend of spoken word poetry, D.C. based go-go music, funk, jazz and dance which over time, has evolved into what we now generally call Rap. But what is Rap? What is Hip-Hop? Does it matter?

The words hip-hop and rap are used synonymously today. However, the debate started in the mid 1980’s as the music became more popular - though still heavily stigmatized - in the mainstream.

Krs-One and DJ Scott La Rock were a duo making upBoogie Down Production. They were one of the first groups to distinctively drop the funk based rhythms in exchange for more jazz based sounds. They would later influence groups like De la Soul, Tribe Called Quest and Digable Planet.

La Rock was murdered a few months after the release of their debut album, Criminal Minded (1987) but Krs-One has continued to be a politically active artist and commentator. He himself identifies as continuing in the tradition of hip-hop - even if it wasn’t in the most traditional sense and said the distinction laid in the fact that, “Rap is something you

do, Hip-Hop is something you live.”

The genre has become internationally popular and is no longer the music uniquely owned by youths of underground rebellion.

Skepta dominates a uniquely British bred genre known Grime. Komy in blends Moroccan, American and French influence. In France and Belgium, Stromae has created an electronic-classical synth sounds while MHD’s is staking influence in a genre known as Afrotrap - the blend of West African sounds with the grittiness of Atlanta trap music. There isn’t a place on Earth where the influence of Rap can’t be found.

Even within America, the genre has branched a million ways. In the mid-80’s, hip-hop retained strong elements of its earliest roots but as the decade ended and entered the 90’s distinctive styles began to form.

Groups like N.W.A. epitomized gangsta rap and G-Funk. Alternative, jazz based rap was captured by Arrested Development and Pete rock & CL Smooth.

Outkast became the first group to put Atlanta on the map as a epicenter of rap culture. Women like Missy Elliot, Queen Latifah, Lil’ Kim and the duo, Salt N’ Pepa were making the strongest presence known.

There are criticisms to be had. The more funfocused, sarcastic albeit political nature of the earliest hip-hop records in the 1970’s were more focused on social justice. That is the inherent core of hip-hop, to address real issues with a new form of music made from the oppressed for the masses. However, because of its relatability and its easy access - afterall all someone really needed was drum (or a bucket ) a group of people, a turntable and their voice - hip-hop attracted anyone who felt unseen, unheard and wanted a revolution in a time of post-political upheaval of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. Rap is a general subfield of hip-hop and rap itself has become a never ending web of intersectional sounds, ideas and unheard voices Unlike previous decades, DJ’s and Producers today are generally more behind the scenes - not part of the center movement as they were in the golden age of hip-hop. Rap is far more personality and lyrically based than the earliest day well - beats matter but the rhymes, and whose spitting them, matter far, far more.

The bing

T R AT

Marsha Johnson

A transgender pillar of the 1960’s LGBTQ+ community

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end up somewhere different,” Lindsey said.

When asked about the meaning of her middle name, Johnson once responded that the “P” stood for “Pay it no mind!” — resembling her fierce attitude. In retrospect, however, her work should be acknowledged, and the said irony is that it’s been paid no mind for far too long.

Johnson paved the way for current African-American LGBTQIA trailblazers, like famed drag queen RuPaul and transgender actress Laverne Cox. Johnson was a revolutionary and part of the legacy of Black History — and it’s time Johnson is recognized as such.

ST

Bred from a necessity to unpack and commemorate the work of black plight, Black History Month serves as a crucial time of the year. During the month of February, a time to focus on powerful black luminaries, more often than not many are still excluded from such observance.

More specifically, these overlooked models tend to be African-Americans of the LGBTQIA community.

While ironic and quite counteractive, the lack thereof of black LGBTQIA representation during February only heightens the need to retell the stories of the marginalized and disenfranchised; people often lost in the pages of history tend to be the ones who fought to rewrite it the most. They are people like Marsha P. Johnson.

During the late 1960’s and onward, Johnson was a pillar in New York City’s LGBTQIA community. An activist for gay liberation, Johnson reveled in her struggle as a transgender woman. Born Malcolm Michaels Jr. on June 27, 1944, Johnson transitioned and changed her name after 1966 when she moved to Greenwich Village in New York City. There, she experienced firsthand the hardships that came with living as an openly transgender woman in an unaccepting society.

Members of the LGBTQIA community and movement faced challenges finding employment and housing. Without proper financial and structural support at the time, Johnson was inspired to co-found STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) with her close friend and fellow drag queen, Sylvia Rivera, in 1970.

The organization became a lifeline for people in the movement. In a 1998 interview with Workers World Newspaper, Rivera recalled the organization’s reach and legacy.

“STAR was for the street gay people, the street homeless people and anybody that needed help at that time,” Rivera said. “Marsha and I had always sneaked people into our hotel rooms. Marsha and I decided to get a building. We were trying to get away from the Mafia’s control at the bars.”

One of the few bars that welcomed all identities was the Stonewall Inn. On the night of June 28, 1969, law enforcement police raided the establishment which lead to a violent riot.

The person who ignited it all was Johnson, who was there celebrating her 25th birthday. She was described by those at the scene as “screaming and yelling and throwing rocks and almost like Molly Pitcher in the Revolution or something” in David Carter’s 2004 book, “Stonewall.”

The Stonewall riots sparked the gay pride and liberation movement in the fight for LGBTQIA rights in the United States. Last year, nearly 50 years after the riots, the Stonewall Inn was named the first U.S. National Landmark dedicated to the LGBTQIA-rights movement.

Throughout the 80’s, Johnson was an AIDS/HIV activist, most notably doing work with ACT UP New York (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power). In addition, she famously worked with legendary photographer and fellow gay activist Andy Warhol.

Johnson was photographed by Warhol in his “Ladies and Gentlemen” showcase, which helped reshape the landscape of the movement. In 1992, Johnson passed away mysteriously. Her death was reported a suicide at the time, but in 2012 the case was reopened and discussed as a possible homicide.

Treva Lindsey, a Black Queer Studies professor at Ohio State University, noted Johnson’s impact, believing that she must be mentioned and celebrated for her role in black history.

“I think that Marsha, if we were to center her (…) in that conversation and start from someone like her to map back this long history of activism and struggle of justice, of triumph, of creation and invention, we

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MUKTARU JALLOH Staff Writer

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PHOTO BY ERIN EDGERTON

SIONA PETEROUS Spectrum Editor

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www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, February 20, 2017

Sam’s Take

“The Great Wall” stands upon a shaky foundation SAMUEL GOODRICH Staff Writer

PHOTO BY SARAH KING

Professor produces documentary on gerrymandering and its consequences Journalism professor Bill Oglesby produced the documentary, which was screened at Cabell Library last week.

GEORGIA GEEN Staff Writer Cabell Library hosted a showing of “GerryRigged: Turning Democracy On Its Head,” produced by VCU assistant professor of journalism Bill Oglesby on Feb. 13.

The hour-long film was created in conjunction with NPR and PBS’ Community Idea Stations, and advocacy group OneVirginia2021.

“I think (gerrymandering) is an issue everywhere. It’s something I think is relevant to certainly anywhere in Virginia,” Oglesby said. “I think there’s lessons for Richmond and for every community.”

Gerrymandering, the film’s topic, occurs when state legislatures redraw voting districts based on demographics of residents according to race or party affiliation with the intent to skew votes in favor of winning future elections. Districts are can be redrawn with every census, based on the new data.

“GerryRigged” conveys how gerrymandering results in oddly-shaped districts.

Filmmakers showed individuals maps of voting districts across the country and asked what the pictures looked like. A dragon lying on its side and Michael Jackson were just a few of the answers respondents gave.

Oglesby said this “gameshow”-esque section of the film was one of the creative efforts to make the message more clear.

Explaining gerrymandering often warrants the use of maps and technical terms, which is why Oglesby said the design of the film

was important — to include aerial landscape shots filmed with drones.

According to “GerryRigged,” the effects of gerrymandering have led to extremely high re-election rates for congressmen and members of state legislatures, without legitimate representation of the population — ultimately creating a more gridlocked government.

People have to wake up to the fact that this is the ethical issue of the day for our politics.

Brian Cannon, OneVirginia2021 “People have to wake up to the fact that this is the ethical issue of the day for our politics and I think they are. This film helps that a ton,” said Executive Director of OneVirginia2021, Brian Cannon.

OneVirginia2021 is an anti-gerrymandering coalition seeking an amendment to the Virginia Constitution establishing an independent, transparent group to set voting districts, Cannon said.

Cannon passed out a petition for audience members to sign in support of the cause at the film screening.

In the case of former Virginia Delegate Ward Armstrong of what was then the 10th District, the districts were changed with the intent of bumping a candidate’s residence into a different district where they would have a harder time winning election.

Armstrong moved after the 2010 census resulted in his placement into the 16th District, in an attempt to run for election in the 9th since the 10th District was redrawn too far away from his home.

Armstrong’s interview took place outside the home where he lived during his campaign for the 9th District.

“We wanted to go there because that was where he had actually moved. He literally was spending his nights there because (the house) was in his family, but it was in a different district,” Oglesby said.

Oglesby, who conducted all but one of the interviews, said his most memorable interaction was with George Allen, a former Virginia senator and governor. Before becoming governor, Allen lost his seat in the House of Delegates due to gerrymandering.

“I was really going to interview (Allen) just to find out details about his particular incident with gerrymandering, but I had not idea if he supported reform or not,” Oglesby said.

During the interview, Oglesby discovered that Allen is in favor of reform to prevent gerrymandering.

“It also helped make the point, I think, in a very graphic way that it’s a bipartisan effort. It’s not just Democrats, it’s Republicans as well,” Oglesby said.

China has become one of the biggest markets in the film industry, producing movies with massive budgets and making even larger profits. Not to be outdone, Hollywood has responded by making their blockbusters appeal more to Chinese audiences.

Now, Legendary pictures and China Film Group of teamed up to produce “The Great Wall,” a Chinese-English language blockbuster aimed at both markets. While the movie is a huge hit in its country of origin, the film stumbles in its construction, leaving audiences with an occasionallyfun popcorn flick.

“The Great Wall” follows two European mercenaries who stumble upon the titular “Great Wall” while searching for gunpowder. When they’re captured by the enormous army stationed there, the men soon discover the wall was constructed to protect China from an invading army of monsters.

What immediately caught my eye was the film’s beautiful cinematography and insane sense of scale. The camera constantly captures the immense length and depth of this impossible structure. Mixed with the eye-catching scenery, “The Great Wall” has some true “wow” moments.

The film is also colorful, playing with light and stunning imagery. Director Yimou Zhang is able to enrich many scenes with vibrant colors that make the set-piece even more memorable.

The sense of unmeasurable enormity is mostly during the battle scenes, where thousands of extras are running around on screen. Luckily, the film’s stylistic choice of putting everyone in colorful armor makes it easy to tell what’s going on in the more chaotic moments.

These action scenes are also well shot and intense, making them the highlight of the movie. There are new elements introduced in each battle, creating interesting and fun scenes of organised chaos.

Sadly, “The Great Wall” is less concerned with these set pieces and more worried about the cliche story arc and Matt Damon’s flat character.

Many of the plotlines have been done to death in better movies, and Damon brings little of his natural charisma to this performance, making him one of the weakest parts of the film.

Before “The Great Wall” released, many Westerners were concerned that this primarily-Chinese film would use Damon as a “great white hope,” where he would save the day while appropriating Chinese culture.

I’m happy to say the film plays out in quite an opposite fashion, and Damon isn’t even the hero of this story. Instead, he’s more of a device to give the American audience someone to relate to, while the Chinese tactics and culture are something to admire.

The real hero of this legend is Tian Jing, playing a female elite commander who climbs her way to the top of the chain of command. She not only has the most impressive action scenes, but also the most complexity and likable charm.

Sadly, we still spend most of the film with Damon’s character as he simply gawks at what’s going on. This leads to a disappointing climax, which somehow feels rushed despite not only having to deal with two or three plotlines.

“The Great Wall” is an awkward mixture of American blockbuster cliches and Chinese culture. There’s potential within the action scenes, but the film becomes monotonous during the down time. Yet, this film will mostly be remembered for it’s American-Chinese joint production history and not it’s more quality moments.

Rating:

If you’re really bored one night and want something to halfheartedly watch, or like to be ahead of the curve on culture time capsules.

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“Thinking of tomorrow”

After fleeing war-torn Syria, a refugee and his family begin a new life on the outskirts of Richmond —continued from page 2 been accused of using against its own citizens.

Khalid’s gesturing hands accented his blank expression as he recounted how the gas from the chemical weapons would softly sink into the floors and easily snake through homes and buildings.

“Think about the families,” Khalid said, his eyes softening as they flitted in the direction of his toddler-aged children. “I only have two kids, but some families have five or six. Their lives are being destroyed.”

When recalling Syria, Khalid said he tries to fixate on the fond memories he has of his prosperous youth when his family owned a construction company that built homes on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria’s capital city. Now, he explained, his sister and brother have found safety in Jordan and Egypt; his wife’s family moved to Lebanon.

“Is there anyone who doesn’t love or miss their family?” Khalid said. “Everyone I grew up with, my memories, my life -- it’s still all (in Syria).”

He described the acres of land his family owned when he was a boy. Outside, the soccer ball -- still swathed in the enlivened banter of the children chasing it -- thudded audibly to the ground. A smile tugged faintly at the periphery of Khalid’s tired face; he paused briefly to conjure memories of running through his family’s fields with his siblings.

“You could go anywhere in Syria and find family. You always had a home and community to turn to,” Khalid said. “I wished for better treatment and support from the (U.S.) government. In Syria, you had support and help everywhere no matter who you were.”

Initially, Khalid said he left Syria for a refugee camp in Lebanon in search of work, but he soon realized his children would not be granted citizenship, and would thus be deprived of a sustainable future, due to their refugee status.

“Your children can attend some of the best schools and go as far as becoming doctors in Lebanon, but you will not be granted citizenship,” Khalid said. “This holds you back from ever having a real job -- a real life.”

Khalid said he returned discouraged to his family in Syria, and they again tried to make the best of their situation, despite the tumultuous state of the nation. He and his wife made their final decision to seek refuge in Jordan shortly after the conflict ensured that all work, travel and business was ground to a complete halt in Syria.

In Jordan the family was admitted to a United Nations refugee camp and placed in the resettlement database. It took six months for them to be resettled permanently in the U.S. on Nov. 29 -- just 20 days after Hillary Clinton conceded the 45th presidency to Trump, her Republican opponent.

Khalid said he and his family were extremely lucky. Due to various obstacles facing families, some at the camp in Jordan had been awaiting permanent resettlement for as long as two years.

As Khalid shared his story of his family’s journey to America, his daughter Muna and son Muhammad scurried around the room on their bicycles. Both children had their mother’s big eyes and father’s kind smile.

“All I’m thinking about is tomorrow and the kids,” Khalid said. “God willing everything works out in the future, but as of now, I think about tomorrow.”

He’s not the only superhero out after dark.

VCU Career Services, now open every Tuesday until 7 pm.

University Student Commons, across from Chick-fil-A. careers.vcu.edu

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10 The Commonwealth Times

Together, Rams and Gators can do a world of good

Like you, we know the challenges facing our planet are greater than any one person or university. That’s why we admire what you’re doing and invite you to check out what we’re up to in our like-minded quest for the Gator Good. Together, our breakthroughs will help to improve the health of our global community.

As Rams and Gators, we’re showing what happens when the brightest minds come together in the pursuit of something that’s bigger than all of us.

G AT O R G O O D . C O M

opinion

www.commonwealthtimes.org

Monday, February 20, 2017 11

Quote of the week: “At times I’ve felt defeated, but it’s bills like these that light a fire within me; it’s bills like these that remind me there is a chance that one day sexual assault will merely be mentioned in history books, because it no longer occurs. ” —Laura Bryant

So it won’t happen to you:

Thank you, Delegate Filler-Corn, for HB 2257

LETTER to the

EDITOR DEAR EDITOR:

ILLUSTRATION BY SKYE ALI

LAURA BRYANT Contributing Columnist My earliest memories of health class began in the 7th grade in a dark cafeteria. It was the first year we had co-ed sex education, so as you can imagine there was lots of giggling followed by oohs and aahs at the slideshows and videos.

I can safely say I learned next-to-nothing at a time when my classmates and I were changing both physically and emotionally. The only lessons we took with us were that one boob will always be smaller than the other, and not having sex is the best — and only — way to avoid a pregnancy.

High school wasn’t much different; the only exception was the focus shifted to sexually transmitted infections, followed by projects where we lined the classroom with taglines such as “If it burns when you pee, check Web MD!” Despite the countless class periods working on these posters, there was hardly a mention of the sex that caused these diseases, or even what sex entails.

Perhaps that’s why it took me a year to realize I was raped.

It was my self-learned education on consent and partner violence from the internet at the end of my senior year of high school that spawned this realization; it was the absence of such information in my attacker’s earlier high school and middle school health classes that catalyzed my assault in the first place.

Our health classes never mentioned that if a partner consented to sex previously that didn’t mean an automatic “yes” for all the times that followed. My teachers never said that your boyfriend could take advantage of you. Perhaps that’s why mine ignored my “no”s.

Make no mistake, he was no angel. He emotionally, and occasionally physically, abused me — my only response being a stunned silence. This silence manifested into well after my realization of what happened to me, and well after moving into my dorm at VCU. It wasn’t until spring semester of my freshman year that any of this changed, and it was due to joining an organization, Virginia21, at VCU. At that time, the Virginia General Assembly was emboldened to take action against perpetrators due to the Hannah Graham murder and Rolling Stone’s article focusing on an alleged gang rape, both at the University of Virginia.

A mere two weeks after joining Virginia21 I found myself face-to-face with a state legislator listening to another student tell her story. I was to speak after her, and for the first time in two years I didn’t feel silenced; I didn’t feel like a victim. I felt like an empowered survivor.

Until students like us helped change the narrative, the General Assembly was going in the wrong direction on preventing sexual assault and helping survivors.

This year a Delegate from Northern Virginia saw there was more work to do, and that it had to affect students before they ever step foot on a college campus.

Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax) introduced HB 2257 to ensure consentbased education is included in elementary, middle and high school Family Life Education (sex education) curriculums. The bill passed the House and Senate, and

VCU Sexual Assault Resources Information: VCU Police, VCU Division of Student Affairs, Sexual Assault Resources & VCU Equity and Access Services

Immediately Contact the VCU Police at (804) 828-1234 or call 911.

INFOGRAPHIC BY ERIC NGO

The VCU Police Department is the first campus agency to implement the “You Have Options” program, which is intended to increase the number of, and decrease the anxieties of, survivors who report to law enforcement.

Through the program: The survivor has the ability to control certain aspects of a sexual asault investigation, such as who is contacted if an arrest is made.

Students can choose between engaging in a complete investigation, filing an “information only” report or engaging in a partial investigation that includes gathering evidence but not necessarily pressing charges.

For assistance, contact: The Well at 804-828-9355 or MyOptions@vcu.edu to speak with an advocate and/or schedule an appointment.

Sexual assault is not the common cold; it’s not tripping on a brick on the sidewalk or going to a basketball game.

Sexual assault is not, and should not, be a common experience for students — and yet, for decades, it has been treated as such. is now headed to the Governor’s desk for approval.

I’ve spent a decent amount of my time in the halls of the General Assembly and sitting at my desk glued to the live feed watching good bills meet their deaths. At times I’ve felt defeated, but it’s bills like these that light a fire within me; it’s bills like these that remind me there is a chance that one day sexual assault will merely be mentioned in history books, because it no longer occurs.

Four years ago I felt ashamed and forced into silence about what had happened to me, but it is because of legislators like Del. Filler-Corn and organizations like Virginia21 that allowed me to find my voice.

Sexual Assault is not the common cold, it’s not tripping on a brick on the sidewalk or going to a basketball game. Sexual Assault is not and should not be a common experience during someone’s time as a student — and yet for decades people have treated it as such.

This bill will be the first step of many to help ensure a generation of students know that a significant other doesn’t have permission to do what they please with your body just because you or your friend gets tipsy at a party — even if you’ve said yes before. This bill ensures that someone’s “No” will never be ignored again just because they don’t know better.

You may also call VCU Police and ask to be connected with a 24-hour, on-call VCU Counseling Services therapist at 804-828-1234 Seek medical attention. A health care provider can check for injuries, discuss concerns about STIs and pregnancy, and talk with you about evidence collection, also called a PERK (Physical Evidence Recovery Kit) exam. A PERK exam is free and does not require a commitment to report or press charges.

PERK exams should be completed within 120 hours (the sooner the better) and are available at:

VCU Health's Forensic Nursing Office, 1250 E. Marshall St, (804) 628-0623 St Mary's Hospital Forensic Nursing Office, 5801 Bremo Rd, (804) 281-8574

Preserve evidence. You don't have to make any decisions immediately, but if there is any chance you might press charges, it is important to preserve evidence.

Please do not change clothes or shower. If you do remove clothing, place them in a paper (not plastic) bag. If oral contact took place, try not to eat, drink, smoke, or brush your teeth.

Next Contact one of VCU’s Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence advocates for nonjudgmental support and assistance with options, especially if you are not sure what you want to do next.

An advocate is available at The Well during normal business hours or by phone or email listed below.

(804) 828-9355 MyOptions@vcu.edu OFF-CAMPUS RESOURCES Local hotlines offer confidential support, crisis intervention, and referrals to local resources for survivors of sexual violence, intimate partner violence and/or stalking.

Greater Richmond Regional Hotline 804-612-6126 The Family Violence and Sexual Assault Hotline 800-838-8238 Virginia LGBTQ Partner Abuse and Sexual Assault Helpline 866-356-6998 Hanover Safe Place 804-612-6126 or 888-370-SAFE Safe Harbor 804-612-6126

Title IX Engaging in the Title IX process does not invoke a court of law unless a separate report has been filed with a law enforcement agency. Engaging in the Title IX process will only yield an institutional (VCU) outcome based on an investigation/ resolution process conducted

by VCU’s office of equity and access services.

If you are not sure which option is best for you, please contact The Well or VCU Police through the confidential “You Have Options” program listed left.

For more information on VCU’s Title IX process, resources and reporting options, please contact Laura Walsh Rugless, Title IX Coordinator at 804-828-6404 or titleix@vcu.edu.

To report a Title IX incident online or learn more about the process, visit: http://equity.vcu.edu/titleix/

The current refugee crisis pales in comparison to the one that has not even begun. As the effects of climate change worsen, those most vulnerable around the world will be affected first.

Communities in Africa along the equator are already seeing the devastating effects of our changing earth. President Trump’s position on keeping out refugees concurrent with his belief of climate change as a “Chinese hoax” do not add up. By refusing action on climate change, the President is creating more refugees and exacerbating this issue.

Donald Trump’s refusal to act comes across clearly in his pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, has a proven track record of only caring for big business and not his constituents.

He has sued the agency he is now up to run 14 times, Pruitt is no friend to our environment.

After Democrats asked over a thousand questions at Pruitt’s committee hearing, they chose to boycott the committee’s vote, showing their major reluctance on such a disheartening nominee. In their absence, Republican Senate leadership changed the rules to allow Pruitt to advance to the Senate floor anyway.

The climate denial of this presidency will be felt for generations to come. With Scott Pruitt at the EPA, former Exxon chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson as the Secretary of State and most importantly Donald Trump as president, action on the pressing issue of climate change will be eschewed in favor of lining the pockets of Big Oil donors.

If climate action continues to stall, we will look back on this presidency and see that it as the beginning of the end of the earth and the environment as we know it today. We will not be able to promise our children a better future because our planet will be in a state of disaster.

As the oceans rise and drown communities and deserts become desolate and uninhabitable, the people who live there will move in a mass migration the likes of which we haven’t seen since the ice age. Will those to blame in this administration turn their back on the refugees they created as well?

KENDALL MASTERSON Class of 2018

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12 The Commonwealth Times

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