Vox Magazine April 2023 Issue

CONNORRATLIFF✖ HE’S GOT

SURE, AT FIRST I WAS A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK BY THE WHOLE PEEING STANDING UP THING. BUT I TAUGHT HIM TO THROW A STICK AND NOW HANGING OUT WITH HIM IS THE BEST PART OF MY DAY.

STORY TIME

The other night, one of my roommates asked me to read aloud. I was winding down with a Cinda Williams Chima book, and she was chipping away at homework. “For real?” I asked, as my cheeks got hot. I’ve recently reconnected with the young adult fantasy genre, spending nights and weekends paging through teenage angst and dazzling wizardry. But I usually do it in the privacy of my bedroom, not for an audience — even of one. She insisted. So, I started reading, embarrassed to read from the perspective of 17-year-olds.

But as the book neared its dramatic end, I found myself putting on the theatrics and donning different voices, to the point where my roommate could recognize the cast of characters by name. We laughed and oohed at the story, together. I called it an exercise in not taking myself too seriously. It was surprisingly healing.

The less rigid I am, the more open I am to taking life as it is, where even the frustrating and embarrassing moments can be rebranded

as some good ol’ character development. For instance, my recent challenge of changing my residency to the state of Missouri is more than just a headache. It’s a sign of growing pains and of a bittersweet departure from my home state, Illinois. It should sting a little.

In this issue, we caught up with locals who know a thing or two about embracing every bit of our sometimes-not-storybook lives. Comedian and mid-Missouri native Connor Ratliff (p. 28) is claiming his failures as meaningful contributions to his career. Local “birthkeeper” and doula Danielle Saforek (p. 8) helps mothers embrace birthing and all its grueling and beautiful parts. And even Mayor Barbara Buffaloe breaks up her serious days with Wordle, dog walks and book reading (p. 40). Because we all need some casual chapters.

I invite you to take a page from their books and be a little more playful the next time you feel like the world’s weighing on your shoulders. Maybe this arc is a comedy.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

KATELYNN MCILWAIN

MANAGING EDITOR ABBEY TAUCHEN

DEPUTY EDITOR KRISTINA ABOVYAN

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR MARISA WHITAKER

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR GRACE KENYON

CREATIVE DIRECTOR HEERAL PATEL

ART DIRECTOR CAMPBELL BIEMILLER

PHOTO DIRECTOR SYDNEY LUKASEZCK

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR HALLE JACKSON

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

CULTURE JESSE BERLIN, LAUREN BLUE, LAUREN HUBBARD, EMMA LINGO, AMILEE NUZZO, KEARA SHANNON, MAX SHAPIRO

EAT + DRINK CHLOE KONRAD, NIA MARTIN, MELANIE OLIVA, PETRA RIVERA, ANNASOFIA SCHEVE, TAYLOR WILMORE

CITY LIFE ADAM ALLSBURY, CORINNE BAUM, ASHLEY BUTLER, SOPHIA DONIS, ABBY STETINA, TRINIDY THOMPSON, KAITLYN ZOGLMANN JENKINS

STAFF WRITERS MARA DUMITRU, TATEN JANES, SOPHIA KOCH, CHARLIE RECCHIA, KHALIA SMITH, JANE STEINBRECHER, SAM WILLS, CAYLI YANAGIDA SOCIAL & AUDIENCE OLIVIA HOLLER, AINSLEY LOWTHER, IRELAND SHELTON, MEREDITH WENDLING, SHANNON WORLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS EZRA BITTERMAN, MEGHAN LEE, EILEEN LI, STEPHANIE MEININGER, GRACE ANN NATANAWAN, MCKENNA NEEF, COLIN RHOADS, NATALIE-ELIZABETH TAN, NICOLE VOSS, AUSTIN WOODS

DESIGNERS SIREEN ABAYAZID, LIN CHOI, ASPEN GENGENBACHER, AVA HORTON, JACEY JOHNSON, MEGAN SYDOW

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR HEATHER ISHERWOOD

KATELYNN MCILWAIN Editor-in-Chief

Behind the issue

Back in November 2022, sometime during the hours I spent scrolling on TikTok, I noticed a shift. My For You page usually is filled with comedic videos, fashion hauls or recipe ideas, but all of a sudden, every other video was about ADHD and mental health. Seeing all the personalized videos of people sharing their experiences made me wonder how else social media is changing conversations around ADHD and led to me writing a feature about it (p. 24). I never thought my social media addiction would be justified, but I’ll give credit where credit is due — thanks for the idea, TikTok! — Lauren Blue

The Vox visuals team went around Columbia to capture images of Gen Z using social media. Feature designer Sireen Abayazid represented the feeling of ADHD by displacing our subjects from their environments.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR LAURA HECK

SENIOR EDITORS CARY LITTLEJOHN, JENNIFER ROWE OFFICE MANAGER KIM TOWNLAIN

FOLLOW US

Vox Magazine @VoxMag

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ADVERTISING 882-5714 | CIRCULATION 882-5700 | EDITORIAL 884-6432

APRIL 2023

VOLUME 25, ISSUE 3

PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN LEE HILLS HALL, COLUMBIA MO 65211

Cover design: Aspen Gengenbacher

Photography by Heeral Patel and courtesy of Olivia Evans VOX MAGAZINE • APRIL 2023

FEATURES

18

Unbound Book Festival

The city’s love of reading is celebrated in the eighth edition of the festival.

24

ADHD on your FYP

Breaking stigmas on ADHD, digitally.

28

The unluckiest guy

What happens when you get fired by Tom Hanks? Connor Ratliff knows.

EAT + DRINK

33

Gyro heros

The Terzopoulos family puts a Greek spin on its classic pizzeria and steakhouse.

36

Sunnier side up

Local stores provide egg-cellent options.

CITY LIFE

37

Home field advantage

Former NFL athlete returns to Columbia to find purpose outside football.

39

Activating advocacy

Learn how to advocate for your beliefs on LGBTQ+ legislation.

40

A day in the life

Get an inside look at Mayor Barbara Buffaloe’s day to day.

42

Hidden in plain sight

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis can’t always be seen on the outside.

Photography by Aidan Boyd and Ethan Weston/Archive and courtesy of Danielle Saforek and illustrations by Jacey Johnson and Campbell Biemiller

They serve up support

BY CAYLI YANAGIDA

Food, water and shelter are the basics for human survival. They’re also the greatest needs for those experiencing homelessness. Community support is vital in the effort to provide food, and that’s where groups such as CoMo Mobile Aid Collective and local restaurants come in.

According to the Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care, there were about 330 people experiencing homelessness in Boone County in 2022. But that number is hard to verify and likely is higher. Catherine Armbrust, a member of CoMo Mobile Aid Collective, says the group provides 110 to 120 servings each time it holds a lunch.

CoMo Mobile Aid Collective is a nonprofit organization that started in 2018 under the name JB Mobile COMO. It works with local businesses,

churches and restaurants to supply food and other basic necessities for Columbia’s unhoused community.

Local restaurant owners, including Main Squeeze’s Leigh Lockhart and Broadway Diner’s Dave Johnson, also have stepped in to help in various ways. Both Lockhart and Johnson have long connections to feeding those in need and don’t plan to stop anytime soon.

Healthy history

As a child in St. Louis County, Lockhart often wondered why she had a home when others didn’t. So, after she opened Main Squeeze in 1997, she looked for ways to help through food. She fed people directly from her restaurant and by delivering food, such as pans of lasagna,

Photography by Beatrice Bankavskaite/Archive and courtesy of Unsplash

The owners of Main Squeeze and Broadway Diner are among those who care for the city’s unhoused community through food.

Catherine Armbrust (center) and Kelsey Smith (right) of CoMo Mobile Aid Collective bring food and supplies to Turning Point, an organization that helps people experiencing homelessness. CoMo Mobile Aid Collective started in 2018, with one volunteer distributing food out of the back of a Subaru.

to Loaves and Fishes, an organization that provides evening meals to people experiencing homelessness.

“Decent food — food with nutrition, food that tastes good — is an inalienable right,” Lockhart says.

Lockhart continued providing for the unhoused community even after the economy took a turn for the worse in 2008. During a time when she was struggling with both the death of her father and keeping her business afloat, Lockhart says she received a $250 check from a man who asked her to use it to feed unhoused people. Unsure and startled, she didn’t know what to do. “But then I thought about my dad and what he would have wanted me to do,” Lockhart says. “That’s how it all started.”

Since last year, Lockhart has been working with CoMo Mobile Aid Collective, donating food from Main Squeeze, which is then taken to homeless shelters and encampments.

Lockhart says her food not only provides meals for those who might have allergies, but also for those who have dietary restrictions or don’t eat meat. She says that sometimes, unhoused folks might feel as if their needs don’t deserve to be met and will ignore allergies in order to find calories.

Armbrust says Lockhart has also provided CoMo Mobile Aid Collective

with commercial pots and pans, shelves, 5-gallon buckets, cases of fruit and even provides access to her refrigerators for cold water and freezers for ice.

Building community

Johnson, whose family has been running Broadway Diner since 1989, lives by the belief that he should share what he has with others. So, when the pandemic started and schools closed, he provided meals for children who no longer had access to school lunches.

Now, Johnson has five or six regulars who come by the diner every day to receive a hot meal. Even if they have housing, John-

WANT TO HELP?

The CoMo Mobile Aid Collective accepts donations of money and goods, including blankets, sunscreen, sleeping bags and more. Learn more and see a full wish list at comomobileaid.org.

son says, they don’t have the money to keep up with their needs. Usually they come to the window and get something to go, but Johnson says he encourages them to come inside the diner. “I want them to be a part of the community inside since they are part of the community outside, as well,” he says. “I really like to encourage that interaction.”

Johnson says the meals are meant to be satisfying and warm. “We try to provide something that’s gonna get them through the day,” he says.

Johnson says he worked with CoMo Mobile Aid Collective last year, providing coffee for unhoused community members who spent a couple hours waiting at Bethany Hall for homeless facility services to start in the morning. Johnson says he would like to collaborate with the collective more this year and continue to help where he can. “This business is almost 80 years old,” he says. “And as long as my family has had it, and I suspect even further back than that, if somebody is hungry, we are going to do what we can to provide for them.”

Armbrust loves and appreciates the empathy shown by businesses in Columbia.

“It’s really wonderful and important that we have so many friends who own businesses that see the humanity in others and understand the need to offer radical love and radical hospitality to them,” Armbrust says.

Photography by Anna Griffin and Clayton Steward

Broadway Diner owner Dave Johnson closes out the cash register. He has been providing food to the unhoused community for years.

Main Squeeze owner Leigh Lockhart says access to quality food is a human right.

Vox Picks for APRIL

Jam…

Out at Nacho Fest, hosted by Columbia-born rock band Post Sex Nachos. This all-ages music festival at Rose Music Hall isn’t just for fans of the

Rose Music Hall, April 29, 3 p.m., $11 general admission,

Listen…

To inspiring, empowering stories shared by 10 local women during the inaugural “That’s What She Said Columbia” production. The event is hosted by the She Said Project — its mission is to support women across the globe through storytelling about journeys to success and overcoming obstacles. Speakers include Mayor Barbara Buffaloe and former president of the Missouri chapter of the NAACP Mary Ratliff. Part of the proceeds support True North of Columbia, which provides safety and transitional support for those affected by domestic and sexual violence. Missouri Theatre, April 15, 7 p.m., $40,

To support the The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri at the annual Float Your Boat event at Bass Pro Shops Lake. Participants will sink or swim in their homemade cardboard boats in a battle to the finish line. Racers will set sail in a short course for kids or longer course for individuals, families or organizations. Proceeds make waves in mid-Missouri by supporting the food bank’s efforts to provide meals in its 32-county service area. Bass Pro Shops Lake, April 29, $25-75, floatforthefoodbank.org

Photography by Kate Trabalka/Archive and courtesy of Toby Young and Unsplash

Delivering memories

BY JANE STEINBRECHER

For Danielle Saforek, photography has always been about capturing fleeting moments.

Since grade school, she has practiced the art of candid photography. She remembers her father often having a camcorder in hand to capture events like vacations and Christmas mornings. Likewise, Saforek grew up attached to her Polaroid camera, seeking to preserve memories.

“I liked capturing things on the streets, like moments of little kids with their parents holding their hands,” Saforek says. “I really got into the beauty of our bodies and the way our features look.”

She found her niche in 2013, when a friend asked her to document the birth of her child. “It was this ‘aha’ moment for me,” Saforek says. “This is everything I’ve been wanting to do.” After a few years of building up her portfolio, Saforek officially launched The Birthkeeper Photography & Film in 2018, offering services to parents in mid-Missouri.

At-home health care

Alongside her photography services, Saforek is a professionally trained doula who provides non-medical aid throughout pregnancy, labor and postpartum. Sabia Wade, founder of Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings, instilled in Saforek the values of inclusivity, comfort and support.

“The medical system is set up as a one size fits all,” Wade says. She says her practice fulfills emotional needs the medical sector doesn’t always address and aims to personalize the experience of each client she

with. “We fill the space with a continuum of care from the prenatal phase to the postpartum phase.”

Saforek’s relationship with a client begins with a phone call. Sometimes she’s the first one to know when a client is expecting, and other times she’s contacted well into a client’s third trimester. Saforek repeatedly meets with

Photography courtesy of Danielle Saforek

works

Part photographer and part doula, Danielle Saforek supports mothers while documenting their most cherished moments.

Bradleigh David and her husband, Josh, burn the umbilical cord to sever it after the birth of their son, Cyrus. This moment was captured by photographer Danielle Saforek. “I honestly never even noticed (Saforek) taking pictures,” David says.

Kalli Schulte’s son feeds her during her labor in a birth pool. Photographer and doula Danielle Saforek was there to support the family. “She’s just one person,” Schulte says. “But she could do both (photos and videos) as well as be your support system.”

the client and offers support throughout pregnancy, and is on call starting around the 37-week mark. “It’s very unpredictable,” Saforek says. “You have to have that flexible schedule and support as a birthing photographer and a doula.”

Ending the stigma

In a 2012 column published by The Journal of Parental Education titled “Giving Birth: ‘We Just Don’t Talk About It,’ ” childbirth educator Judith Lothian writes that a dangerous cycle of fear and misinformation regarding birth can be stopped by simple conversations that are often avoided. Saforek recognizes that her photos might seem shocking to others because of how women’s bodies tend to be sexualized. “I feel for many years (birth) has been a private, hush-hush thing,” Saforek says. “I’m trying to break down those walls, and I want people to see that there is beauty behind this.” She uses her photography to frame childbirth as empowering and loving, rather than something to be feared. She aims to fully accommodate every family throughout this process, keeping the cli-

ent comfortable and content from pregnancy through the postpartum stage.

Postpartum support

Saforek experienced a dark postpartum period following the birth of her second child — an experience that influenced her decision to do what she does now. “Birth photography helps us heal postpartum,” she says. “It helps mothers cope.”

For Kalli Schulte, Saforek’s photography and videography were a source of

IN FOCUS

Based in Jefferson City, Saforek offers photography, videography and doula services throughout midMissouri. Visit thebirthkeeperllc .com for more information

comfort after she gave birth. “Even if you have a good experience, it’s still the fourth trimester,” Schulte says. “It’s a stage of healing and finding your new normal. Getting to go back and relive those moments through both photos and video helps put you back in that moment.”

Savoring every moment

As a mother of two, Saforek understands how quickly moments of parenthood pass. Bradleigh David, who hired Saforek for her home birth in 2022, is grateful to be able to look back at these time-honored memories. “Birth is one of the most magical moments in our lives,” David says. “I think getting that documented is very important.”

Danielle Saforek utilizes her background as both a doula and a photographer in childbirth settings. She can help guide clients through the pregnancy to postpartum process while also making memorable photos.

Photographer Dorothea Lange once said, “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” These words have guided Saforek in the pursuit of her passion, summing up her core ideal regarding photography: looking at life as a series of important memories. Capturing an instance as monumental as childbirth preserves the emotions and joy associated with that experience.

Photography courtesy of Danielle Saforek

She’s kind of a big dill

Local farmer Liz Graznak spreads the organic wealth, providing fresh produce from Happy Hollow Farm to the farmers market and CSA members.

BY TRINIDY THOMPSON

Liz Graznak is the owner and operator of Happy Hollow Farm, a USDA-certified organic vegetable, fruit and flower farm in Jamestown, which is about 40 minutes south of Columbia. The farm is built on the basis of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), where members regularly receive boxes of seasonal vegetables, fruit and recipes.

Graznak’s passion for farming began when she learned about CSA farming practices in graduate school. For Graznak, it became a way to address the social issues that go along with farming, such as fair pay and worker treatment. Last year, Graznak was named Organic Farmer of the Year by the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service.

This is an excerpt from an episode of the Vox Voice podcast, which you can find at voxmagazine.com.

How does Community Supported Agriculture work?

CSA works like a co-op. A co-op has people that pay to be a member and then in exchange get something. In exchange for membership in my co-op, they get a box of vegetables, flowers, eggs — you know, whatever they sign up for.

Eating seasonally is not something that most people are used to. I give a lot of recipes each week that come with the boxes because it does take getting used

to. You have to change your eating habits, but the people it works really well for, they love it.

Why did you and your wife, Katie, decide to buy the farm 12 years ago?

In Columbia, I worked at Superior Garden Center for six years. And before that, in Ashland, I worked on a farm for a year. And before that, I was working on other farms, not in Missouri. When I joined a CSA (as a graduate student), I realized that this was a career opportunity. People could do this and make a living. That started the trajectory of me trying to learn what it would take

FROM FARM TO YOUR TABLE

Happy Hollow Farm has a variety of membership options that vary with seasons and produce availability. Find Liz Graznak and the Happy Hollow crew at the Columbia Farmers Market. Visit happyhollow-mo. com to learn more.

to be able to start a farm myself, and it took me many years to get there.

The farm that we bought was a blank slate. There was nothing there. So every structure, everything I’ve built, I’ve had to dig water lines. I’ve had to put in electric. I’ve had to be the general contractor for the construction of buildings.

Does the farm require you to be up super early?

It’s a little dependent on the season, but right now (I get up at) 4:30 a.m. (or) 5 a.m. I have always been a morning person.

For the (Columbia) Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, I get up at 3 a.m. in order to be ready to leave the house. We have to go and pack up the trailer so we can drive an hour into town. And we have to be at the market two hours before the start of the market so that we can get all set up. So my day is a very long, hard day on Saturdays.

Why should people care about food production?

I mean, we all have to eat, right? All of us. And food isn’t just as simple as showing up at the restaurant that you’re eating at or showing up on the counter at the grocery store.

Somebody had to grow that food. And historically, the people that do that work are very poorly paid, very poorly treated, (and) significantly taken advantage of. So this is a social issue that affects all of us that we all should be thinking about.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

It’s growing the food for the people that I know. Feeding them. Those people eating the healthy food that I’m growing — that’s the thing that’s the most rewarding.

Photography by Molly Miller

Craft a paper trail

From printmaking to origami to paper-mache, the creative options for paper artistry are limitless.

BY MCKENNA NEEF

Columbia was merely a stopping point for Margot Apricot as she biked across the country, starting in New Orleans and heading to Chicago. What was once a means to meet up with a friend eventually became a creative oasis.

Art has defined Apricot’s life, ever since she joined a band at age 14. Originally, printmaking was a means to an end. The colorful posters she designed existed only to advertise and sell tickets for her shows. But when she explored hand drawing and carving, she discovered a passion for paper arts. Now, Apricot is a printmaking instructor at Columbia’s nonprofit art organization Access Arts.

Paper arts, as defined by Skillshare, comprises “any craft that uses paper as its main medium,” such as printmaking, origami, quilling, decoupage, paper-mache, kirigami and paper flowers. In its 2023 trend report, Pinterest Business predicted a rise in the popularity of paper arts, a shift fueled by “a desire to digitally detox.” As people seek ways to disconnect from the hustle of daily life, paper projects offer an accessible medium.

Apricot is one of many paper artists in Columbia who are creating and sharing this art form.

Art teachers

Kate Zumwalt and Sara Osman are paper artists, sisters and co-owners of Forget Not Paper, a wedding stationery business sparked by their shared love of making wedding invites. Zumwalt teaches

Photography by Anna Griffin and Aidan Boyd with photo illustration by Campbell Biemiller and photography courtesy of Unsplash

VOX MAGAZINE • APRIL 2023

Sonya Nicholson, an artist and a visual merchandiser at Bluestem Missouri Crafts, creates origami mobiles like the one in the photo overlay.

a hand-lettering course, which has become increasingly popular in recent months.

Apricot also has seen this growing interest at Access Arts through its new printmaking program. With a focus on ceramics and fiber arts, the paper arts were not an area of emphasis at this school until Apricot arrived. She noticed the studio’s few pieces of printmaking equipment were gathering dust, and she decided to propose weekly printmaking courses. “The thing about print, for me, is that it enabled me to create art that I could price in an egalitarian fashion,” Apricot says. Because printmaking provides artists with an affordable medium, she views her classes as a way to share that message.

After just a few weeks, Apricot is already seeing her passion pay off. “For the most part, people have been showing

up every week — bright-eyed and excited, making really cool work,” she says.

Sonya Nicholson, a visual merchandiser at Bluestem Missouri Crafts and the face behind Sonya Bird Studio, found her place within the paper arts world through origami. She says paper crafts offer practitioners a wide range of creative exploration. “It’s just limitless the things you can do,” Nicholson says.

Creating careers

Art comes in many different forms, and paper is among the most accessible.

Origami provided Nicholson with a form of art that brings her joy and pays her bills. “Really, I want to enjoy my process, and I also want to make a living as an artist,” she says as she weaves between the stacks of paper and craft supplies strewn around her

Photography by Lin Choi and photo illustration by Campbell Biemiller

basement studio.

Margot Apricot (above right) became a full-time artist five years ago and now teaches printmaking at Access Arts. One of her print designs is multiplied over the photo. (At left) Apricot demonstrates how to use a press.

FIND YOUR ART Access Arts hosts various workshops, listed at schoolof service.org. Group classes can be arranged in both screenprinting and block printing.

Apricot uses her art to advocate for causes she believes in, such as police abolition and the anti-capitalism movement. Her work has become increasingly utilitarian in recent years with a portion of profits often being donated.

Stepping away from the screen

As adults clock more hours in front of screens, more people have started to seek out hobbies beyond the digital realm.

Zumwalt and Osman understand this rejection of the online world better than anyone. Websites such as Minted and Shutterfly offer users the ability to design and print their own cards and invites, yet the sisters of Forget Not Paper say these companies have lost their charm. “(Our clients are) craving that physical element that they lack maybe in other areas of their life because so much is digitized now,” Osman says.

“I think that’s only gonna continue,” Osman says. “I feel like any areas of our lives where we can have these physical, beautiful things — people are still going

FORGETTHEM-NOT

Forget Not Paper is a wedding stationary business that offers services in stationary, addressing and day-of pieces. The founders create “one-of-a-kind” work with a variety of illustration concepts and writing styles.

Forget Not Paper was founded by Sara Osman (above left) and

types and care at The Hair Bar. Her goal is to provide a comfortable and open space for people of all races, backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses. Prince says what’s important about The Hair Bar experience is how clients feel after they leave.

The Hair Bar is also a family-owned business. Prince’s cousin Nae Prince is a hairstylist and owner of another shop, Flawless Beauty. Nae Prince rents out a booth in The Hair Bar, where she specializes in lace front wigs, ponytails and eyelash extensions. Nae Prince says her favorite thing about being a hairstylist is the reaction and confidence boosts her clients get from her work. “Some of my clients have alopecia at a young age,” Nae Prince says. “Once they put a wig on, they feel like a new person.”

Transforming hair and community

Through her salon, Chandra Prince offers her customers education about hair and skin care — with a side of confidence.

BY MARJAI NEAL

For the past 32 years, Chandra Prince has traveled around Colorado, Georgia, Alabama and Missouri with hair spray, flat irons and shears, pampering and servicing people’s hair and skin. Through her services, she transforms her clients’ hair and helps them feel like the best version of themselves.

After bouncing from city to city as a traveling hair stylist — renting space in other people’s salons and barber shops — she opened her first physical location of The Hair Bar at 1412 I-70 Drive SW. Prince says she asked God what her next step in the hair business

should be, and that’s what guided her to open her salon last October.

Growth from the start

As a child, Prince says she didn’t know what she wanted for a career. She was in and out of barber shops, watching her barber and cosmetologist father cut hair and pamper clients. On a whim, she applied for cosmetology school and discovered she was a natural. “I love the transformation of the beginning, middle and end,” Prince says. “They come in here like one person and leave like another.”

Prince braids hair, installs lace front wigs and educates her clients on hair

Chandra Prince’s styling services include locks, retwists, silk presses, sew-ins and more.

Joyce Hollis (below) gets her hair done by Prince. “I’ve known her for a while, but this is my first go-around here,” Hollis says.

Not only does Chandra Prince specialize in hair maintenance and styling, she also created an all-natural hair and skin care line called Chandra’s Hair and Body Love. She makes face scrubs, body butter, shampoo and conditioner. “Back in the day, we couldn’t find anything to moisturize our hair, so I started making conditioner,” Prince says.

Styling for change

Prince wanted to give back to her community, and she was able to do so with the Flourish Initiative, offering free hair services to the program’s employees. Through this pay-it-forward program, she realized she wanted to provide more services to those who are at-risk, houseless or in otherwise dire situations.

Partnering with Como Mobile Aid

Collective and Love Columbia, she offers free hair braiding, hair extensions

Photography by Anna Griffin

and facial care services to those in need in Columbia. “For men, I provide facial care,” Prince says. “I will groom their face, clean their beard, trim the nose and ear hair and shape up the eyebrows.”

After decades, Prince continues to spread love and dedication through her

work by putting smiles on her clients’ faces and boosting their self-esteem; she says that is what her job is all about. “My whole thing has always been about love,” Prince says. “Some people give tithes or volunteer; this is my volunteering for my community.”

Chandra Prince has 30 years of experience with diverse textures, styles and haircuts. Prince created her Body Love line because of a lack of hair moisturizers. It includes a variety of lotions, body butters, hair growth oils and facial scrubs.

TO THE SALON

The Hair Bar is located at 1412 I-70 Drive Southwest. To make an appointment or for further questions, contact 356-3247.

Photography by Anna Griffin

Meet a family that plays together

After an eventful year, the young musicians who make up local band drona reflect on their achievements and most influential moments.

BY SAM WILLS

Drona has had a busy year. The band released a new album, keen eyes with a grim smile, on Jan. 27 and was a part of 2023 True/ False Film Fest’s music program. Last fall, the band, which is made up of the three Raghu siblings, opened for their musical heroes in a Kansas City show. Not bad for a group of teenagers who started in their living room.

For drona members — Arjuna, 17, Surya, 15, and Pasha, 13, — musicianship runs in the family. They even use the drum set that their father, Deepak, had when he was in college. “He was actually showing us some of his music that he recorded on a four track the other day,” Arjuna says.

Growing up, the band members had access to an array of instruments at their house. “There are so many pictures of us little where Surya is playing the flute, and I’m playing drums,” Arjuna says.

A change of tune

The siblings started to focus more intensely on music during the pandemic when they were all home together. “It became really convenient for all of us to practice because we were within feet of each other at all times,” Surya says.

The band was rewarded with offers to play around Columbia after its first set at a September 2021 Darkroom Records Showcase for local students. That same year, the band released its first EP, friendz and family, and debuted its hardcore indie rock music. Only a year later, the siblings would share a stage as an opening act in Kansas City with their musical heroes, Dinosaur Jr.

“I threw up in my mouth and almost passed out because I saw (Dinosaur Jr.

singer J Mascis) over my shoulder standing there,” Arjuna says. “That was just an unbelievable surreal fever dream that we got to play.”

For many bands, this would be its greatest achievement, but drona has other ambitions. “It also inspired us to write a lot more music and make our songs super tight,” Pasha says.

Homemade melodies

The siblings mix, master and record all material at their home studio, which holds their newly updated technology.

“The new record is much clearer and warmer sounding,” Arjuna says.

Mike Hagan hosts local bands for interviews and live performances on his KOPN radio series, Open Mike Radio, and he’s impressed by drona’s abilities.

“I think they have a really unique sound that’s hard to pigeonhole as far as style goes, so I think they’re pushing the creative boundaries,” Hagan says. “They’re a great example for other aspiring mu-

Arjuna Raghu has been playing instruments since a young age (above left). The siblings (from left) Arjuna, Surya and Pasha — began playing more seriously together when they were at home during the pandemic. The band released a new album Jan. 27 and played at the True/False Film Fest for the second year in a row.

sicians, regardless of age, to just get out there and have the courage to do it.”

The band reflects this diversity of styles on its latest record with the hardcore-leaning song “over your head.”

“We like adding small songs that are an extreme turn into one specific genre,” Arjuna says. “On our last album, we had one called ‘geometry jam’ where we just tried to make it the most complex, fast math rock song.”

Gigs that give back

Arjuna and Surya attend Hickman High School, and Pasha is still in middle school. Arjuna and Surya helped found Hickman Sicc Jams — Students in the CPS Community Joining in Arts and Music Solidarity — which raises money for the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri.

“We decided to make a music club where we would try to organize and get everyone who’s interested in art and music into one more tightly knit Hickman

Photography by Lauren Spakowski and courtesy of drona

Arjuna Raghu,17 (left), plays the electric guitar during practice. The siblings started playing together as drona in 2020. Pasha Raghu, 13 (top), is the band’s lead singer — she taught herself how to play the bass guitar after her brothers showed interest in creating the band. Surya Raghu, 15, practices drums during rehearsal.

community,” Arjuna says. The band also donates the money it receives from playing shows outside of Sicc Jams. “It’s good to know that the people around us are also being helped, like the people we’d see outside who are houseless who are being helped by the

actions of just some kids,” Arjuna says. Since the formation of drona, the three-piece sibling band has amassed over 30 songs. The group’s latest album was released in 2023, and is available on streaming platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube.

Photography by Lauren Spakowski VOX MAGAZINE •

Photography courtesy of Unbound Book Festival

Bound by friendship

By McKenna Neef

Unbound Book Festival brings together nationally and internationally acclaimed authors for four days of discussion about their writing, their stories and their lives. However, Unbound builds a community of creatives that lasts much longer than the festival. Whether it’s meeting the person behind the pages or chatting with volunteers during the two-hour drive from the airport, authors come to Unbound for one thing above the rest — friendships.

This common thread sews together this year’s festival, inspired by the yearslong friendship between the 2023 keynote speakers, Patrick Rosal and Ross Gay. “They’re each other’s first readers,” says Phong Nguyen, a member of the Unbound programming committee and a featured writer. Keynote tickets are free but must be reserved on the festival’s website.

Founded by longtime Columbian and Skylark Bookshop owner Alex George,

Unbound joins together both readers and writers, inspiring a lifelong love for the written word. With a slew of authors who have deep connections with each other joining Unbound this year, the festival aims to explore and celebrate these literary bonds. Pairs of authors will speak at the festival’s Saturday panel, Pen Pals.

“It’s a way to bring together people who love books,” Nguyen says. “To talk about, think about and form a community surrounding writing and reading — a true literary community.”

Living in a literary world

Authors Christina Baker Kline and Mary Morris have built a friendship upon mutual support and sharing key advice about how to succeed in the literary industry. Morris recalls a lunch date turned guidance session. “I sat down and (she) said, ‘Take out a pencil and paper because I’m going to

POETRY PALS

The annual Unbound Book Festival takes place April 20–23 this year. The keynote features Ross Gay and Patrick Rosal in conversation at 7:30 p.m. April 21 at The Missouri Theatre. Reserve tickets in advance on the Unbound website.

DESIGN Jacey Johnson EDITING Lauren Blue, Lauren Hubbard and Chloe Konrad

In its eighth year, Columbia’s Unbound Book Festival continues to connect authors from around the globe.

tell you everything you need to know about the book publishing business right now,’ ” Morris says.

Kline, the author of The New York Times bestsellers The Exiles and Orphan Train, views literary friendships as a passing down of knowledge that ultimately broadens the success of both parties. Her 12-year relationship with Morris, author of All the Way to the Tigers and Gateway to the Moon, is the perfect reflection of this. From editing each other’s work to building communities of women authors, the pair melds the professional and the personal.

Kline says she has two worlds: her writer friends and her non-writer friends. “I get my juices in life from hanging out with people who are reading all the time, thinking about words and literature and books and criticism all the time,” she says. “Most people don’t live in that space quite in the way that we do.”

Both writers have appeared at the festival several times before, and Kline and Morris view the festival as a cornerstone for a tight-knit literary community. As part of the author discussion series on the Saturday of the festival, the two friends will explore what it means to keep meaningful friendships in the industry. They will be joined by fellow writers Will Schwalbe and Dani Shapiro at the Pen Pals panel.

Although some author friendships form over hot meals and shared connections, others take shape at the editing desk.

The journey from publisher to friend Alexander Weinstein’s friendship with Phong Nguyen was born out of professional purposes. In 2014, as chief editor of Pleiades: Literature in Context, Nguyen published the short story “Heartland,” one of Weinstein’s first published stories. During this process, Nguyen provided both advice and praise, propelling

Weinstein’s budding career. Over the following years, the two swapped novels, short stories and collections, editing along the way.

“Our friendship just naturally evolved as not just a literary friendship but as a regular, personal friendship,” Weinstein says. Ever since, Nguyen and Weinstein have been each other’s creative soundboards. The latest novels by Weinstein and Nguyen, respectively: Universal Love and Bronze Drum.

“There’s a special kind of friendship that is formed in literature where it’s kind of a creative collaboration that you don’t get from any other contacts,” Nguyen says. Weinstein echoes this sentiment, explaining that literary friendship cultivates a high level of intimacy.

“That requires trust and vulnerability,” he says.

Viet

Nguyen and Weinstein will be taking part in the author discussion series, diving into their editorial relationship and discussing the unique type of feedback that only a friend can provide.

A changing world for authors

The theme of literary connections is more prevalent than ever as Weinstein observes major changes in the literary community in recent years. “A decade or two ago, there was a lot of competition, a lot of hierarchy, which I found to be intimidating,” he says.

In the past decade, Weinstein has seen this model change drastically with the growing sentiment that writers of all levels can collaborate and put aside criticism for the betterment of their work.

“In general, I found that editors, writers, agents — even Hollywood agents and translation agents — are really a tight-knit community that’s trying to support one another and celebrate literature,” he says. This year, the festival celebrates the friendships born from this unspoken literary bond.

Photography courtesy of Unbound Book Festival/Rebecca Allen

Phong Nguyen (left) interviews Viet Thanh Nguyen at the 2022 Unbound Book Festival.

Thanh Nguyen was last year’s keynote speaker.

A novel community

The literary community in Columbia celebrates creativity as a haven for readers, writers and publishers.

By Jane Steinbrecher

With the rise of BookTok, Bookstagram and BookTube, there has never been a better time for literary expression. Or, says local author Steve Wiegenstein, a better place to be than Columbia.

With several publishing houses, such as University of Missouri Press and Compass Flower Press, local bookstores and the Unbound Book Festival, the local literary community is thriving. Meaningful connections among writers, publishers and their audiences help foster this community.

Returning home to write

Wiegenstein wanted to be a writer for as long as he can remember, and his first novel was published in 2012. Now, he’s writing his fifth book, preceded by three novels and a short story collection. He attended MU in the ’70s and moved around for work before coming back to Columbia in 2010 for a job at Columbia College. “There’s a tradition (in Columbia) of being engaged,” Wiegenstein says. “There’s a lot of book clubs in town, too. There’s a reading culture here that I think is very valuable to have.”

Columbia’s book community isn’t just beneficial to fiction writers and novelists. After psychologist Lynn Rossy moved back to Columbia — she grew up here — she published two books on mindful eating,

TO BE READ

Add to your TBR list with these local recs. Steve Wiegenstein recommends Walter Bargen, an Ashland-based poet who has published 19 collections.

Yolanda Ciolli recommends Alex George’s novels, whose name you might recognize as the owner of Skylark Bookshop and the Unbound Book Festival executive director. Lynn Rossy recommends Green Chili and Other Imposters by Nina Furstenau, another Columbiabased author.

one in 2016 and one in 2020, while also teaching classes at MU. Rossy decided to write a book so her message could reach broader audiences than the Zoom classes she was teaching. “Books make (these topics) more accessible to a larger number of people because they can read it on their own time,” Rossy says. “I think it just makes a way of getting your message out to a much wider audience.”

From page to print

Yolanda Ciolli, owner of local publishing house Compass Flower Press says Columbia is one of the best places to be creative. “Columbia is kind of an intellectual hub in central Missouri,” Ciolli says. “It’s a very attractive environment for publishing and for writers. It’s very supportive of the writing community.”

Unbound Book Festival is a place to meet industry professionals and fellow bookworms.

Columbia’s publishing houses give local authors a choice other than independent publishing, right in their backyard. These businesses help writers take their words from an idea to a reality.

Ciolli cultivates a personal relationship with her clients that isn’t always common in publishing due to an increasingly online publishing world. “Having (a publisher) here in town means you get to work with somebody one-on-one,” Ciolli says. “There are options that are online, and you might have an agent assigned to you, but you never get to meet them, you never get to sit down and collaborate. Everything is done by internet and phone. It’s less personal, and it’s less satisfying.”

Writers working with Ciolli have their work reviewed by as many as two to three people, and she meets regularly, with the writers she works with.

Another reason Columbia writers like to use local publishing as an alter-

native to independent publishing is because it offers outreach and opportunity many first-time writers could struggle to find.

Wiegenstein remembers the first time a publisher picked up his manuscript after years of rejection. “The most important advice I can give is not to give up,” Wiegenstein says. “Writing is a very discouraging activity. It’s easy to doubt yourself when you’re starting out as a writer. You have to decide what you really want to say, what’s important to you and keep at it.”

Book bash

The Unbound Book Festival is a key networking opportunity for Columbians interested in publishing their work. Ciolli was on a panel one year and says it was a great way to survey the current market for literature. She also says it’s a chance to explore all options for publishing work. Authors can figure out what’s out there, what their desired end result is and how to go about reaching that goal.

The Unbound Book Festival helps writers find publishers and like-minded authors, which Wiegenstein says is his favorite part of the event. “The best part of the festival is the opportunity to just go in and hang out,” he says.

While Wiegenstein is looking forward to the festival, he says Columbians’ access to top-tier research resources, wonderful book shops, numerous book clubs and the overall reading culture makes the town a special place to be for book people all year long.

Photography courtesy of Unbound Book Festival/Rebecca Allen

People behind the pages

Meet some of the 2023 Unbound authors before joining them at the festival.

By Natalie-Elizabeth Tan and Ezra Bitterman

Jennifer Haigh

Originally drawn to playwriting and acting, Jennifer Haigh had a unique path to literature. Haigh began pursuing fiction writing at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her advice for people striving to become better writers?

“Get your hands on the best fiction or poetry or nonfiction you can find and read constantly.”

Haigh got her latest big idea while working at a women’s clinic in Boston. Well before Roe v. Wade was overturned, she would

gather outside the clinic. She remembers the shame and secrecy she heard so often over the phone when helping arrange abortions. Her new novel Mercy Street channels these influences directly. It follows Claudia, a woman who works at a women’s health clinic that becomes overwhelmed with protesters.

Haigh appeared at the Unbound Book Festival in 2019 and was moved by her experience. “It’s a great festival because you can tell it was created by a writer,” she says. “There’s a real writerly sensibility.” In addition to meeting other authors at the festival, Haigh is looking forward to connecting more with her au dience. Jennifer Haigh will be featured on the After Dobbs panel to discuss a woman’s right to access health care and its connection to her work.

Calvin Kasulke

In 2019, Calvin Kasulke wrote a book no one wanted to publish: a workplace comedy about a man whose consciousness was uploaded into his work Slack channel. The book, Several People Are Typing, is entirely composed of Slack chats. One year later, a global pandemic upended the way work is conducted and the themes in Kasulke’s book became all too real.

“In 2020, there was a lot more interest because Slack had exploded in the early months of the pandemic,” Kasulke says. His debut novel was published in 2021. He was even approached by comedian Nick Kroll to adapt the novel into a comedy TV show. At the festival, Kasulke will dive into the challenges of digitalized workplaces and how technology and innovations invade our work lives. Kasulke says, “I am fascinated by the way that digital interfaces impact how people connect with each other and how quickly we do or don’t adapt.” Calvin Kasulke, along with Akil Kumarasamy and YZ Chin, will discuss technology and work on the Paper Jam panel.

Akil Kumarasamy

Akil Kumarasamy is an assistant professor with Rutgers University-Newark’s creative writing MFA program. She previously worked in computer programming and data management.

That, along with her upbringing in a predominantly Asian neighborhood in New Jersey, allows Kumarasamy to bring a unique perspective to her critically acclaimed books Half Gods and Meet Us by the Roaring Sea, which cover themes such as family dynamics, science fiction, queerness, artificial intelligence and war.

Meet Us by the Roaring Sea tells the tale of a woman whose life becomes entangled with an old manuscript about female medical students. Half Gods is a collection of interlinked short stories following a family and the people connected to them in the aftermath of the Sri Lankan Civil War, including a Muslim baby girl and an isolated Angolan butcher.

Kumarasamy wrote Meet Us by the Roaring Sea partially during the pandemic, which she says influenced the plot of the book. “COVID showed us how interconnected we all are, so I was trying to figure out how to write a book that makes you interact with the reader,” she says. “It’s in second person and first person plural, and it navigates ideas of compassion. The heart of the book was, ‘How do we care about each other in this digital age?’”

When finding inspiration to write, Kumarasamy looks at things from both a macro and micro perspective. “My work tries to connect places and things that seem far away and have them in dialogue,” she says. “To have them in discussion and entangle those different things. I definitely try to get inspiration from people around me, just by being part of the world and engaging with it in a meaningful way.” Akil Kumarasamy will join Alexander Weinstein and Andrew Yoon on the On a Cyborg Society panel about AI in literature.

Buki Papillon

Papillon grew up an avid reader and writer in Nigeria. When she came to the U.S. in 2002, she found herself at a crossroad. Her husband’s visa did not permit her to work, but she could go to school. She could attend law school, or get her MFA in creative writing. “The universe was like, ‘Oh, how about that writing thing? What is your excuse now?’ ” she says. She traces back her love of words to a teacher giving her a thesaurus at the age of 12. “I was blown away at how many words existed and in such vivid ways

Vanessa Riley

you could discuss a thing,” she says. Backed by a lifelong passion for writing, Papillon committed to Lesley University for her MFA in creative writing.

Papillon is bringing her debut novel An Ordinary Wonder to the 2023 Unbound Book Festival. The story is about intersex twin Oto who is forced to live as a boy despite identifying as a girl. It’s written through a lens of African mythology, art and folk tales.

This will be her first time in Missouri, but she has followed the festival for years. “This is really exciting and a dream come true,” she says. Buki Papillon is on a panel with V. V. Ganeshananthan, where they’ll discuss what it means to write from your roots.

Through her historical fiction books, Vanessa Riley has a sweeping goal: to share untold narratives about women of color to paint a more complete picture of history.

Riley’s book Island Queen is a historical novel set in the 18th and 19th centuries based on the remarkable true story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free Black woman who became one of the wealthiest women in the West Indies.

There’s a reason why Riley’s novels are set in historical time periods. “It’s during a timeframe where people assume that if you look like me, you were always in slavery, but there are people who overcame it or were never enslaved,” Riley says. “There were people who, like Dorothy, fought her way out, and we need to celebrate them as much as we know of the pain and suffering.”

Riley places the reader in their shoes and helps them understand the things the figures overcame and the way they found happiness in the midst of sorrow, which is important for underrepresented peoples. “If you’re a child reading these books, you could see everybody else being explorers, politicians or having businesses,” she says. “But your people are only enslaved, so I think it limits the possibilities,” Riley says. Vanessa Riley will be a part of the The Revolution Will Not Be Westernized panel, along with Phong Nguyen and Jocelyn Cullity.

Maryfrances Wagner

Growing up, Maryfrances Wagner was surrounded by poetry. For years, her mother wrote poems about nature, and put them in her and her siblings’ lunchboxes. Her father also wrote poems for her mother and knew many poems that he could recite from memory. Her grandfather did the same, reciting poems to Wagner

Off the page

Keep an eye out for these books and authors at Unbound:

The Women Could Fly Megan Giddings

Tapping Out

Nandi Comer

Edge Case

YZ Chin

We Should Not Be Friends: The Story of a Friendship

Will Schwalbe

Gentlewoman Megan Kaminski

Craft in the Real World

Matthew Salesses

Mill Town

Kerri Arsenault

The Devil Takes You Home

Gabino Iglesias

Signal Fires

Dani Shapiro

Deep Care

Angela Hume

in both Italian and English.

When writing her poetry books, The Silence of Red Glass, The Immigrants’ New Camera and Solving for X, this background prompted the Missouri Poet Laureate to delve into her heritage and the Italian-American experience.

Currently, Wagner is on a mission — she wants to prove that poetry is for everyone. She’s doing this in a number of ways, one of which is the Missouri Haiku Project, which will be featured at the 2023 Unbound Book Festival.

Wagner encourages non-writers to

try haiku, a form of poetry that originated from Japan and is one of the shortest poetic forms to exist. “Being the Poet Laureate, I’m supposed to serve Missourians, and a lot of people are afraid of poetry and don’t think they like it,” she says. “So I thought, everyone can start with a short poem, and the haiku is the shortest poem I know of.”

Wagner also created Tiny Books, a project where she represents other poets from the state and hands out tiny poetry books. Her goal is to get every Missourian to at least give poetry a try. Maryfrances Wagner will be hosting two haiku workshops.

STORY BY LAUREN BLUE

DESIGN BY SIREEN ABAYAZID

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SYDNEY LUKASEZCK

EDITING BY AMILEE NUZZO

hen filling out job applications, MU senior Mary Jane Tierney chooses not to report her attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Despite coming to terms with her ADHD diagnosis, she is still worried employers might see her differently due to the stigma surrounding mental health challenges.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that people are born with, says Dr. Robert Kline, a Columbia psychiatrist. There are three different types of ADHD: hyper-impulsive, inattentive and combined. People with ADHD have an imbalance of neurotransmitters that influence memory, emotion and movement. Dopamine deficiency, a common feature of ADHD, can limit the brain’s reward and pleasure symptoms, which causes difficulties with motivation, emotional regulation, short-term memory and impulsiveness. Many of these symptoms have to do with the brain’s inability to perform certain tasks while these neurotransmitters are dysregulated.

Since the bar for academic performance changes when transitioning into a college environment, symptoms of ADHD can present themselves in new ways that begin to inhibit daily life.

Tierney dealt with these issues in her transition from high school to college. Originally a health sciences major, she found it difficult to succeed despite attending classes and studying.

“Science was horrible; I couldn’t take the exams,” Tierney says. “I would study and be present, but I wasn’t gaining anything from that.” Eventually, she switched to architecture, which allowed her to see the material in front of her. She sees herself as a visual learner, so this change helped her studies.

Conversations on social media are changing the stigma around ADHD and mental health.

ADHD and Gen Z

When thinking of someone who struggles with ADHD, we often picture a student who has trouble paying attention, makes careless mistakes in school work and avoids or is reluctant to complete homework — not a straight-A student with a high ACT score. However, Kline says this description of a high-achiever fits the typical college patient with undiagnosed ADHD that he sees at his practice. This student might come to college and all of a sudden start struggling. They can’t focus in class. They feel scattered and inattentive. And for the first time, their grades are slipping.

The college students that Kline often works with fit into the demographic of 18- to 29-year-olds. As of 2021, about 84% of people in this age group say they use social media sites, according to Pew Research Center. The majority say they use Instagram and Snapchat and about half use TikTok.

According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, Gen Z is more likely than any other generation to seek, receive or have received treatment for their mental health. Respondents of the survey mention public figures such as Simone Biles or Howie Mandel sharing

their experiences with mental health and more conversations about mental health in general as part of the reason. More than half of Gen Z also say social media provides them with a feeling of support. The National Alliance on Mental Illness says social media is “opening dialogue and attacking stigma” when it comes to mental health.

While scrolling through TikTok dances, get-ready-with-me videos and selfies, you might come across one of social media’s newest trends: mental health content. The hashtag #ADHD has over 3 million posts on Instagram and over 17.9 billion views on TikTok. These hashtags have all sorts of content about ADHD, ranging from videos of personal experiences to resources for coping with ADHD.

Tierney says she has seen these trends on her own social media pages, specifically on TikTok and Instagram, which helps normalize mental health disorders. “Even anxiety, depression or any mental disorder — you’re not going to be treated any differently for having that,” Tierney says.

Although it can be helpful, there are also some downsides commonly associated with social media’s connection to

WHO TO FOLLOW:

People and pages to follow on Instagram who help destigmatize ADHD and provide support from their own experiences.

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mental health. In an article for Verywell Mind, psychiatrist Dr. Leela R. Magavi says social media can cause strong feelings of loneliness and insufficiency because people can feel connected to creators, but this short-lived connection cannot replace real relationships with friends and family. As social media raises mental

health awareness, it also can raise the risk of incorrect self-diagnosis. According to Highland Springs Clinic, self-diagnosis can be dangerous and can lead to incorrect treatment. Any worrying symptoms should be discussed with a doctor.

Trending topics

The openness of social media has affected conversations surrounding ADHD. Kline says social media has educated more people on ADHD, and “ADHD is becoming a more acceptable word in our population.” He says this can lead to people recognizing their own symptoms or encouraging friends to get tested. Another Verywell Mind article echoes Kline’s observations saying social media “has made great strides for visibility, reducing stigma, and helping people gain the insight they may have no other way to access.”

Monique Luisi, an MU assistant professor in strategic communications who was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago, agrees that social media can have a large effect on both the experience of ADHD and someone struggling with ADHD. “Before my diagnosis (I found that) social media was a very wonderful space to connect with people about experiencing mental health issues,” Luisi says.

After her diagnosis at 32, and when trying to figure out a treatment plan, she was able to use Reddit to see if others experienced certain side effects from medication. She also was able to find many resources, including blogs, podcasts and other materials, that enhanced her understanding of ADHD. As a millennial, she says she feels her generation

began the shift toward open discussion of mental health. Gen Z has taken this momentum and continued to be even more open about mental health issues on social media.

Dealing with diagnoses

Luisi has been a student for her whole life, going straight from high school to undergrad, then her master’s to her Ph.D. Before her diagnosis, she struggled to stay focused on topics that didn’t interest her.

As a Black woman, Luisi has also seen how implicit biases can have an impact on diagnosis. She says the socialization of what it means to “act like a girl” can lead to an oversight in how symptoms present in women. She also says Black children who show symptoms such as hyperactivity can be victims of biases and labeled as misbehaving. These can be huge barriers to diagnosis and lead to coping mechanisms that mask symptoms such as withdrawing from classes or needing to fidget.

Another challenging aspect of an ADHD diagnosis is the fear of being labeled. Tierney struggled with this at first, but she came to terms with the fact that she needed to be diagnosed and that it was going to help her.

Tierney was diagnosed with ADHD shortly before turning 16 and says social media has reduced the stigma surrounding ADHD and mental health challenges. In high school, she was able to get extra time during tests, but in a time when all you want to do is fit in, she says it was difficult when she started college. “You hate being that person who needs it,” she says.

When declaring her condition with MU Disability Services, Luisi was nervous because she would now be labeled as a person with a disability, and she wasn’t sure how that would affect her identity. “I realized that this label actually empowered me to get the help that I need to perform better,” she says.

Social media’s shortcomings

Although social media might serve as a resource to people struggling with ADHD, it is not without its flaws. Luisi says one of these downsides is negativity bias on social media. She says people might have to seek out specific posts that depict positive experiences with ADHD. She also says some users

on social media diminish symptoms of ADHD, saying things like “everyone’s a little bit ADHD.”

“(They’re) trying to say that people lose focus sometimes,” Luisi says. “ But (they) are actually minimizing the struggles and the challenges and the frustrations that people with ADHD face.”

Luisi says another challenge of social media is the misinformation that can be found online. It can be difficult to discover what is a quality source and what isn’t. To combat this misinformation, Luisi recommends people pay close attention to where creators get their information and examine whether the source is reputable.

If someone speculates they may have ADHD based on symptoms they have experienced or what they’ve seen on social media, contact a professional. Kline recommends starting with a primary care physician or a licensed psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD testing and diagnosis. Screening from a professional can either diagnose or rule out ADHD, or can help identify any other mental health issues that someone may be dealing with. Beyond initial screening, a patient might be given specific instructions on how to care for the mental health challenges that they are dealing with.

“Talk with a doctor, a therapist, as many people as you have access to who specialize in ADHD management, care and treatment,” Luisi says.

I THINK I HAVE ADHD: WHAT NOW?

�� Reach out to your primary care doctor for a referral or find licensed psychiatrists who provide ADHD testing.

�� When you meet with medical professionals, you can discuss your symptoms and a psychiatrist can provide diagnostic screening.

�� If diagnosed with ADHD, management tactics will be discussed and you’ll learn how to move forward with treatment.

�� If you are not given an ADHD diagnosis, a psychiatrist might help identify other mental health issues.

the

(UN)LUCK IEST guy from mid-missouri

After decades of failures, CONNOR RATLIFF is finally having his moment — thanks to his unrelenting persistence, one-of-a-kind sense of humor and, most importantly, his dead eyes.

STORY BY AUSTIN WOODS

EDITING BY EMMA LINGO

Photography by Photographer Name

Photography by Photographer Name

DESIGN BY ASPEN GENGENBACHER

Photography courtesy of Mindy Tucker

Before landing roles on television shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, before the success of his Dead Eyes podcast and before touring with the Upright Citizens Brigade, Connor Ratliff was a 17-year-old from Jefferson City set on attending MU — he was so sure of it that he didn’t even bother applying anywhere else.

Everything about the university enticed Ratliff. It wasn’t far from his hometown, he was promised a theater scholarship and he had just finished starring in the MU Theatre Department’s production of Ordinary People alongside a college-aged cast (including future Mad Men lead actor Jon Hamm). The experience left a considerable impression on him, cementing his plans to enroll and pursue a theater degree.

But his time at MU was short. After two years, it became clear he wasn’t a good fit for the university. He was cast in few plays, despite auditioning for every single one, and his drama classes weren’t much help, either. The feedback he received from professors wasn’t useful — at worst, their comments only made him self-conscious about his style of acting. “Your

way of acting is more about what you’re concealing than what you’re revealing, and that’s not really the best way to do it,” Ratliff recalls one instructor telling him. Although he transferred to the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) in London, Ratliff has never regretted his time at MU. “Sometimes you learn what you’re supposed to learn in class, and sometimes the more important things you learn are from things that go wrong or just happen to you,” he says. “You have to be on the lookout for those, so when you have a bad experience it’s not just a bad experience. You want to be able to try and learn from it.”

Ratliff has had plenty of bad experiences to learn from. Throughout his career, he has experienced countless failures — failed auditions, failed projects — culminating in his firing from the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by the most likable guy in Hollywood, Tom Hanks. This incident inspired the creation of his acclaimed podcast, Dead Eyes, which focuses on moments of personal and professional rejection.

Life is no movie; we’re not afforded the benefit of a neat three-act structure

or a pleasant resolution like our favorite characters from the screen and the stage. Instead, our journeys are nonlinear, filled with dips, peaks, stops, starts and, above all, failure after failure after failure.

The folks in the entertainment industry know this all too well. Every actor is familiar with the acute sting of rejection, and some have even turned those losses into strengths. But few have done this to better effect than Ratliff.

GROWING UP IN MISSOURI

Even as a child growing up in Jefferson City, Ratliff knew how to use a negative experience to his advantage. When he couldn’t land a part in a community theater production, he and his friends would simply put on plays of their own at a nearby park. It didn’t stop there — grocery stores, office buildings and apartment rooftops became film sets where the group made movies with a cheap camcorder. “That’s continued into my current career,” he says. “It’s way too limiting to just wait for the roles and the job offers to come along. I’m too impatient for that.”

Ratliff grew up in a creative family. His mom, Greta, was involved in a community theater in Jefferson City, and his dad, Bill, was a weatherperson for KRCG as well as the host of a local children’s television show called Showtime Ratliff’s first on-screen interview was on his dad’s show, where he discussed his role in a local production of Oliver! and the intricacies of Porky Pig cartoons.

He didn’t know it at the time, but his eventual failure and firing by Hanks was foreshadowed as early as his freshman year at Jefferson City High School. In episode 30 of Dead Eyes, Ratliff details how he was cast for a small speaking role in the school’s 1990 production of South Pacific, even though he desperately wanted to play the show’s comedic leading character, Luther Billis.

Years later, Ratliff learned of another production of South Pacific from 1974 at Skyline High School in Oakland, California. At this show, the role of Luther Billis was played by none other than Hanks.

Ratliff’s role in MU’s 1992 production of Ordinary People at age 17 was his first serious gig, inspiring him to enroll in

Photography courtesy of Connor Ratliff

Connor Ratliff performed in the 1992 MU production of Ordinary People He was cast in the play before attending MU.

the university the following year. When his sense of belonging at MU waned, he once again decided to take a bad experience and make it good, booking a plane ticket to New York to audition for LIPA, where he was later accepted.

LIPA prides itself on its industry connections. Ratliff attended knowing the school was committed to securing agents and acting work for its students after graduation. And for him, that’s exactly what happened.

“I got an agent right out of drama school, and within months of graduating I was living in London (and) I was performing a lead role at the Royal Court Theatre on the West End,” he says. “I was thinking, ‘Well, now I’m a professional actor, for real.’ I imagined all of this was going to go really well for me.”

But the specter of failure soon crept up on Ratliff once again, as he found it increasingly difficult to secure parts after his stint at the Royal Court Theatre ended. He remained in London, taking a job at Ticketmaster in Leicester Square and kept auditioning for roles, most of which he didn’t even want in the first place. “I don’t think I booked anything in the year 1999,” he says.

THE BREAKING POINT

In 2000, as the rest of the world looked forward to a new millennium, Ratliff’s acting prospects started to improve in London. Production for Hanks’ and Steven Spielberg’s Band of Brothers was in full swing, and he earned a small part in its fifth episode, directed by Hanks, who had just wrapped filming on Castaway

Ratliff was elated. This was his big break — the rising action in the overarching plot structure of his life — sure to result in more work and maybe even household-name status. After nearly a decade of ups and downs, Ratliff was finally about to be rewarded for his efforts.

Then he got the phone call.

His agent’s assistant was on the other end, panicking, frantically delivering the news that Hanks saw the audition tape and wanted to recast the part. Ratliff, Hanks felt, had “dead eyes.”

Dead. Eyes. For an actor, this might as well be a death sentence, and hear-

ing it from Hanks — America’s Dad and Woody from Toy Story — was even worse. It was a knife plunged into a festering wound, a cruel, cosmic joke, a visceral reminder that disappointment is constant and nothing ever gets better. “I had this specific kind of failure, because it happened to feature a beloved Oscar-winning movie star,” Ratliff says. “At the time, it made a bad thing feel worse.”

In 2002, he moved to New York to look for a new agent and hopefully get his career back on track. With no luck, he quit acting entirely and began working at a bookstore in lower Manhattan the following year. “I didn’t even think about (acting),” he says. “I totally gave up on the idea that I was going to be an actor,” he adds. “I found that I was less miserable (at the bookstore) than I would have been if I was going out on auditions all the time.” But Ratliff’s passion was reignited after taking improv classes in 2009 at the prestigious Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre founded by Amy Poehler and Adam McKay. Five years later, he toured with the Upright Citizens Brigade and even performed at The Shack in MU’s

Student Center. Even though he doesn’t remember the details of this performance (he says improv shows are usually wiped from his memory as soon as they’re over), he recalls a positive reception from the audience and now hopes to perform in Columbia again sometime in the future.

A lot can go wrong during an improv show if your scene partner steers things in a direction you might not like, forcing you to compromise and work toward a scenario in which you can both thrive, entirely on the spot. This environment helped Ratliff grow as an actor and a person, teaching him how to adapt in the face of uncertainty. It was a major influence on the creation of his podcast.

“I don’t think I would have made Dead Eyes without that spirit of, ‘Well, what do I have, and what can I do with it?’” he says.

By 2015, Ratliff was signed to Forte Artist Management with agent Aaron Sandler. Sandler saw Ratliff performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre that fall as a detective in an improvised murder mystery show, and was immediately smitten by his candid style. Sandler says this personable approach distinguishes Ratliff from his peers and has carried over into his podcast.

“He’s very honest about his experience with being in this business, and that connects people to him on a very personal level,” Sandler says. “Especially on Dead Eyes, where he’s really baring his soul. It

Although Ratliff enjoys acting out other artists’ scripts, one of the reasons he is drawn to improv is the desire to write his own work. “I have that impulse to come up with stuff and devise my own material,” he says.

allows people to embrace their own insecurities. He takes it with a grain of salt and laughs at the absurdity of the business.”

6 FROM PLAYS TO PODCAST

As Ratliff continued performing around New York, he quickly realized the “dead eyes” incident made for a good icebreaker — a quick, fun way of telling people who he was and how he wound up at Upright Citizens Brigade. Around this time, he frequently listened to true crime podcasts, such as Serial, in which a mystery was unpacked over the course of several episodes. This provided the impetus for his own podcast.

On the surface, Dead Eyes follows Ratliff as he investigates the reasons behind his firing from Band of Brothers But many episodes veer from this topic, and in the episodes that do focus on the mystery at hand, very little progress is made. This was a deliberate choice, as Ratliff wanted to approach the firing as a springboard for broader discussions about the nature of success and failure.

Since starting the podcast in 2019, Ratliff has brought on numerous bigname guests to discuss their own failures, including Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow and former Ordinary People co-star and fellow Missourian, Jon Hamm. In 2022, Hanks himself even made an appearance on the show, discussing the incident that gave the podcast its name, as well as his own tales of rejection.

Ratliff invokes his mid-Missouri background frequently on the show, and during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he recorded a string of episodes at his parents’ house in Jefferson City.

During one of these episodes (the eighth episode of the show overall), Ratliff interviews his parents, discusses a show business job he had recently lost and confides about his lockdown-era malaise. “We thought (the firing

from Band of Brothers) was such a big deal at the time, and really, it wasn’t life or death,” his mother says in the episode. “The worst times in your life do pass. For most people, it gets better.”

Ratliff stayed with his parents for a total of seven months and recorded episodes of Dead Eyes in a blanket fort turned recording studio. “I would lie down on my stomach and Zoom with Seth Rogen from my parents’ TV room,” he says. “It was very strange.”

Ratliff has drawn from his Missouri background in other creative ventures as well. In 2012, he put on a one-man show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York called Local Authors Night at the Mid-Missouri Public Library Ratliff played all four roles — a worker at a small library in mid-Missouri and three local authors who were there to discuss their books. One of these authors was a boorish, profane yokel who, after being kicked out of the library’s book club, wrote a book of his own so he could be allowed back.

Ratliff spent close to a year writing and developing the project, and though the Upright Citizens Brigade directors decided not to continue with it, he considers it a creative success. “It would be one thing if it bombed, but it went really well, so I felt disappointed but also relieved,” he says.

Ratliff is currently working on podcast content and was cast in Paramount Pictures’ new Mean Girls movie musical playing teacher Mr. Rapp. A documentary crew is creating a film about his Upright Citizens Brigade-born cult comedy show, The George Lucas Talk Show. Ratliff hosts in the role of the famously uncharismatic George Lucas and invites famous guests to play along. Even at this unprecedented level of professional success, he remains aware of the constant possibility of failure. But now, he knows how to cope when the time comes.

“I always try to take a moment when things don’t go right to look it over and think, ‘What can I salvage from this?’” he says. “Don’t waste too much time sorting through the rubble, but see if there’s something you can take with you.”

Ratliff has salvaged more from his personal and professional failures than most people.

Photography courtesy of Mindy Tucker and Connor Ratliff

“SOMETIMES THE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS YOU LEARN ARE FROM THINGS THAT GO WRONG.”

Gyro heroes

For decades, the Terzopoulos family has run classic eatery G&D Pizzaria.

BY SOPHIA KOCH

Leo Terzopoulos

Alex

have logged many hours in the G&D Pizzaria kitchen. The restaurant has been a local staple for over 50 years, with three generations of family ownership.

Photography by Jack Klassen and courtesy of Unsplash VOX MAGAZINE • APRIL

(left) and

Terzopoulos

To learn what’s important to the owners of G&D Pizzaria, just look around their restaurant. The Terzopoulos family is well represented in photos that hang on the walls, along with pictures of Greece and Missouri, two of the places this family has called home. In the kitchen, Pano Terzopoulos helps his young grandson make a pizza to eat for lunch. During food prep time, the family listens to Greek music and goofs off while getting work done. It’s clear they enjoy each other’s company.

For nearly 50 years, the Terzopoulos family has invited customers into the welcoming atmosphere of their family-owned restaurant. Leo Terzopoulos, 28, is the third generation of the

(From left) Leo Terzopoulos, Alex Terzopoulos and Matt Kertz operate G&D Pizzaria. Alex Terzopoulos’ son, Leo, and his nephew Kertz — along with family friend Rob Dolliver — recently became partial owners of the restaurant.

family to own the pizzeria. As a little kid, the restaurant was his playground. “This is my home away from home,” Leo Terzopoulos says. “I was raised in this restaurant for my family. I couldn’t pick another profession the way I see it.”

Terzopoulos and his cousin Matt Kertz, along with family friend Rob Dolliver, officially took partial ownership of the restaurant last year. Dolliver has known the Terzopoulos family since he was in junior high, and he started working for the pizzeria in 1985.

It runs in the family

George Terzopoulos, Leo’s great uncle, founded G&D Steakhouse in 1968 on Ninth Street. He and his brother-inlaw Gus Aslanidis then opened a second steakhouse on West Worley Street in 1970. The G&D in the names stand for George and Dino, George’s original business partner.

In 1977, George Terzopoulos’ neph-

ews Alex and Pano Terzopoulos moved to Columbia from Katerini, Greece. The two brothers worked at G&D Steakhouse when they arrived in town. Two years later, in 1979, they opened G&D Pizzaria on West Broadway, and the second generation of Terzopouloses took over. Alex and Pano’s first cousins, Alex and Angelo Aslanidis, are the current owners of G&D Steakhouse, soon to be taken over by Alex Aslanidis’ son, Michael.

G&D means everything to Pano Terzopoulos. “It’s my life,” he says. “I’ve spent more time here than anywhere.” But after years of hard work, raising their families and making their business a place that felt like home, the brothers decided to pass along ownership. Alex’s son, Leo Terzopoulos, stepped in and became the third generation of family owners. “I’ve been working my whole life like an owner,” Leo Terzopoulos says. “(I’ve) never not treated this place like my future.”

Photography by Jack Klassen

G&D today

Alex and Pano Terzopoulos still work consistently at the pizzeria as the new owners continue to uphold the family traditions: valuing each customer and being consistent in recipes and restaurant style.

From prime rib sandwiches to make-your-own pizzas, the menu has a wide selection. Greek offerings include gyros, Greek salads and souvlaki. A personal pizza with a choice of toppings is a classic order, along with specials named after Alex and Pano — Alex’s features black olives, green peppers and ham while Pano’s has ground beef, green peppers, onions and mushrooms. The restaurants also sell imported products from Greece, including olive oil, honey and feta.

“I have elderly people come up to me who have been customers for 40 years, and they keep preaching to me, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing; don’t change it,’ because people like consistency,” Leo Terzopoulos says. Lisa Bailey, a local customer at G&D Pizzaria, says she

Matt Kertz helps a customer pay their bill at G&D Pizzaria. Kertz started working at the pizzeria in 2015 when he moved to Columbia from Greece.

2101 W. Broadway, 445-8336, 11a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday–Saturday G&D Steakhouse 2001 W. Worley St., 445-3504, 11a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday–Sunday

has always felt welcomed at the restaurant and the food is consistently good.

Part-owner Kertz says the homey atmosphere helps. “It’s like going over to your grandma’s house for dinner, and it’s just a home environment,” Kertz says. “It’s very close knit.”

Alex and Pano Terzopoulos spent

day in and day out with their family for 40 years. Dolliver, Kertz and Leo Terzopoulos will continue to grow what Alex and Pano served for decades.

Some people might think it would be tiresome to work with your family. Lucky for Columbia, the Terzopoulos family does not.

Photography by Jack Klassen VOX MAGAZINE •APRIL 2023

Sunnier side up

These local egg sellers will have you wanting to put all their eggs in your basket.

BY CAYLI YANAGIDA

In 2022, the bird flu killed more than 49 million chickens nationwide. The resulting egg shortages have made the versatile source of protein more expensive.

At the beginning of last year, namebrand eggs averaged about $1.50 per dozen, according to Federal Reserve Economic Data. However, by the end of 2022, the price of a dozen Grade A eggs had risen to an average of $4.25.

Although prices have leveled out, in order to resist the shortages, some consumers have turned to local sellers for higher-quality eggs at the same price point.

A remedy close to home

When Chelsea Davis came to Columbia for college, she knew she wanted to fix a part of the agricultural system — one that fails to benefit farmers and takes advantage of consumers looking for affordable products. However, she didn’t think she’d end up as the owner of Root Cellar, a local market.

Her sustainable market plays a part in meeting the community’s current egg needs but has been part of Columbia for over a decade. At the store, Davis works with two local sellers who provide chicken and duck eggs. Root Cellar has maintained its prices for the past three years at about $5.29 per dozen.

“What we continue to do every day is make sure that people understand where their food comes from, what is happening in those rural communities and how their food is being produced,” Davis says.

Food transparency and explaining where the products come from is also important to Nicholas Van Schyndel, a 17-year-old from Mexico, Missouri,

who sells eggs locally through the Columbia Farmers Market. Van Schyndel is a ranch hand at his parents’ farm, Hedge Holler Harvest.

Van Schyndel says his favorite part of the farmers market experience is connecting with the consumer. “I’m able to educate the consumer about the difference between what I raise and what the store has,” he says. “They are able to learn the entire perspective.”

Although eggs from local farms were more expensive than the average price of eggs before the shortage, their stability kept prices from skyrocketing during the period of low supply.

Maintaining a price that falls between the two extremes is also something Van Schyndel tries to do when he sells eggs. For the last year, he has sold his eggs for $4 a dozen.

Healthy chickens, healthy eggs

Catherine Peterson, a nutritionist and associate professor in nutrition and exercise physiology at MU, says eggs have a wide variety of nutrients and contain all the essential amino acids. This unique makeup means it adds a variety to the diet.

“As a nutritionist, (eggs are) one thing you promoted to those who have a limited income because it used to be a pretty cheap source of quality protein,” Peterson says.

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs, are the opposite of small local farms. CAFOs have thousands of birds living in one space without regular access to the outdoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This can lead to the rapid spread of disease, and subsequently, the termination of all infected chickens and instability in the industry.

One of the benefits of local farms is better quality products that the chickens are fed compared to more industrial farms. “Those birds (at local farms) have access to fresh grass and fresh bugs they can eat all throughout their life,” Davis says. “That’s really the best system to have.”

Due to this difference in feed, the genetic makeup of the eggs can change as well. Local farms can produce eggs that are richer in nutrients, which results in a darker color in the yolks and creates more Omega 3 fatty acids, Davis says.

CAN’T BEAT THESE EGGS

Columbia Farmers Market

1769 W. Ash St., Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Root Cellar

1203 Rogers St., Wednesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Clovers Natural Market

2012 E. Broadway or 2100 Chapel Plaza Court, Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“A lot of things (in the eggs) can be largely determined by what the hen is fed,” Peterson says. “For example, you can give a hen more vitamin D, and they (will have) more vitamin D in their egg.”

Investing in what’s local Buying locally is more reliable when it comes to products that are traditionally cheap. When large companies control the price of eggs, it allows them to hike up the rates when the egg supply dwindles. This has led to the intense swing in egg prices, which is not something Davis has seen at her store.

“We’ve had no changes in our production of eggs, the supply chain or the price,” she says. “If we invest more in a local food system, one that is central to our communities, we are going to be more secure and have less shocks to the system.”

Investing in local sources of food is important for resisting shocks to the food system long term, Davis says. Although egg prices have fallen now, Davis says it’s important to support local businesses and farmers consistently. “This will happen again,” she says.

Illustrations by Campbell Biemiller

Local sellers have been filling in the gap of egg shortages caused by avian flu. Buying locally can help consumers avoid the price instability of corporate sellers.

Home field advantage

BY JOE MILLER

Photography by Aidan Boyd and Ethan Weston/Archive and illustrations by Campbell Biemiller

Former NFL football player Jerrell Jackson settles back in Columbia with a flourishing business and a growing family.

When Jerrell Jackson isn’t training gym members, he and his son Jace often play together around the gym.

Jerrell Jackson had goals of joining the professional football world after his four years of playing for MU. Now, his goals and aspirations return to Columbia. He values his Houston roots and football experience but discovered a new home with his family and business in the Show-Me State.

Jackson played multiple seasons in the NFL after graduating from MU in 2012 with a degree in health sciences. He played for the Texans, the Jaguars, the Bears and the Chiefs. After his time in the NFL, Jackson ended up in Canada playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. In 2015, Jackson broke his foot, and the Blue Bombers released him.

“(I was) pretty much a free agent exploring what to do next,” Jackson says. Following his release from the team, Jackson moved back home to Houston, where he tried several different jobs to make money.

“I started working jobs, just weird jobs,” Jackson says. He worked on a moving truck, delivered beers for Budweiser and was an Uber driver. The physical jobs irritated his injured foot, so he quit and started working at the front desk of a gym called Fitness Connection.

One night after work, Jackson got a phone call from his best friend and former college teammate, Michael Egnew.

The pair met over 10 years ago when they moved into their freshman dorm.

“It’s me, it’s my dad and it’s Jerrell,” Egnew says. “Those are the people I trust. Of course, Jerrell’s the first person I would call.” This phone call about a business idea in Columbia would change Jackson’s life forever. He contacted his agent and officially retired from professional football in 2016.

Although Jackson lived in Columbia for four years as a college student, he did not have the time to make it his home and take advantage of the town. “I never went past (I-)70,” Jackson says. “I never went to the deep south of Columbia. I stayed in my world as a student-athlete.”

When Jackson returned, he stayed with Egnew, and together they ran fitness boot camps. During one of these fitness sessions, Jackson met his nowwife, Victoria Jackson.

“At first, I looked at (the boot camp), and I’m like, ‘Gosh, I’m not going to that,’” Victoria Jackson says. Her friend persuaded her to go to Jackson’s event.

“He bashfully asked for my number, and here we are four years later.”

Since meeting his wife, Jackson’s business and family have expanded. He and Egnew are now co-owners of API Project Fitness, and Jackson is a father. Newlyweds Jerrell and Victoria Jackson are raising

Kaylen Rush and Lily Dudley train with Jerrell Jackson using balance balls and a volleyball. “I moved out here with hopes of figuring out what to do,” Jackson says. “I found a passion in investing in others.”

three children together. “We had a kid in 2018, and that was when I knew I’m probably stuck in Columbia,” Jackson says.

Jackson comes from a big family in Houston. His grandparents had nine children, and each of those children has about four kids. Jackson joked that there are multiple packed houses at Thanksgiving each year. “One of the things is the peace of mind I like here,” Jerrell says. “I miss my family, but Houston is very fast-paced, like you’re always ripping and running. Columbia is a little slower and it’s awesome. It’s just beautiful.”

GET IN THE ZONE

API Project Fitness offers a variety of group fitness classes and training sessions. Visit projectfitnessapi .com or email apiprojectfitness@ gmail.com to learn more.

Jerrell and Victoria Jackson enjoy this peace when they bike the MKT Nature and Fitness Trail and see different parks and neighborhoods on their rides. Jackson has found purpose and family in his former college town. As the saying goes, home is where the heart is.

“If someone asked me where I’m from, I would say Houston,” Jackson says. “But home, where I wanna be the most, is Columbia with my family.”

Jerrell Jackson sets up training cones at Athletes Performance Institute. “Owning a business relies on max effort,” Jackson says. “You get what you earn.”

Photography by Ethan Weston/Archive

Activating advocacy

Amid a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, you can use these steps to assure your voice is heard.

BY CORINNE BAUM

Missouri’s legislature made national headlines this year as elected officials filed 34 bills that target LGBTQ+ rights.

Such legislation might prompt action from community members who have never contacted their legislators before — and that’s most people. A 2018 report from the Pew Research Center found that 23% of Americans contacted their elected officials in 2018, and 10% attended a local government meeting.

Communication helps representatives gauge how constituents feel about issues. Not sure where to start? This guide is here to help.

How do I contact my representatives?

It’s most effective to call your representative’s office or stop by in person in Jefferson City. Emails can be overlooked too easily. Boone County makes up the 19th Senate district and the 44th to 47th and 50th House of Representatives districts. You can find your representatives at house.mo.gov or senate.mo.gov. For

KEEP IN MIND

These bills don’t affect LGBTQ+ individuals equally. “Most of these bills have a direct impact on trans bodies and specifically trans women of color,” says Merrique Jenson, executive director of Transformations, a Kansas City group that supports gender nonconforming youth. Transgender women of color face high rates of violent crime, but it can be hard to quantify. “The police and criminal justice system don’t often have the data collection points or aren’t capturing the violence,” Jenson says.

all communication, make sure to include your full name, address and phone number, according to the Missouri Senate website. Also let them know you’re a constituent voicing a concern.

It’s best to contact your representatives while they’re in session. The Missouri General Assembly convenes in early January and adjourns in mid-May.

What should I say?

It’s important to keep your tone respectful while conveying how you feel. “The purpose of your call is to share a personal story for why something matters to you or to be able to defend it from a professional perspective,” says Shira Berkowitz, the senior director of public policy and advocacy of PROMO, Missouri’s LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.

Consider following a script. You can find many examples online. A basic script starts with an introduction of yourself, along with a clear reason why you’re calling. Briefly but effectively describe the issue, why you feel this way and what you’d like your representative to do.

Specialized scripts that relate to specific issues or bills can usually be found on the websites of legislative advocacy organizations, such as PROMO.

How do I track a bill’s progress?

To find a bill related to your concerns, you can visit house.mo.gov and senate. mo.gov., or you can visit websites like legiscan.com/mo or billtrack50.com to browse a list of active and trending bills.

Bills are proposed and then assigned to committees, which hold public hearings and then decide on the path forward. If the committee votes that the bill be brought before the chamber floor, the bill is put on the calendar. Bills have to pass in both chambers before it’s brought to the governor.

Currently, the state Senate is fielding the most anti-LGBTQ+ bills. On March 23, it passed legislation that places prohibitions on medical interventions for trans youth, as well as a bill that creates rules about gender and youth school sports. Both bills head to the House. A Senate committee also approved Senate Bill 134, which advocates say is a forced outing bill, requiring that school personnel notify parents if a student discloses their gender identity or sexual orientation.

How else can I get involved?

Volunteering is a powerful form of advocacy. The Center Project, a LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization in Columbia, has many programs that support the LGBTQ+ community. It is also a safe space, especially on days when legislation that limits LGBTQ+ rights is proposed or passed, says The Center Project President Christi Kelly.

To volunteer, visit centerproject.org/ volunteer. Additionally, consider donating to The Center Project’s supply drives or its closet with gender-affirming clothes. These opportunities are often announced on the organization’s Facebook page.

You can also sign PROMO’s petition to stop trans youth healthcare bans at promoonline.org.

Furthermore, have intentional conversations with others in your community about queerness, gender nonconformity and the basic rights people who identify this way deserve. “A lot of times, those very personal conversations are what’s significantly going to change the needle in the long run,” Berkowitz says.

Advocacy takes a lot of work that might not always yield successful results. “We are a very strong community, and these attacks, in some ways, just make us stronger,” Kelly says.

Illustrations by Campbell Biemiller

A day in the life of Mayor Barbara Buffaloe

As she approaches the one-year anniversary of her election, Buffaloe takes Vox behind the scenes.

BY MARA DUMITRU

It’s a sunny day in Columbia, and its residents are starting to wake up. Among them is Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, whose day isn’t much different from anyone else’s.

In between board meetings and public appearances, Buffaloe’s time is dedicated to her family, walks with their pup and working out.

Buffaloe won her mayoral campaign in 2022 and will complete her first year in April. Despite the demands of her office, Buffaloe has found a balance to manage

her and the city’s needs. Her calendar looks different each day, but Buffaloe has a few habits she sticks to throughout her busy times. “It helps keep me engaged because I have such a variety of things to go over,” Buffaloe says.

6 a.m.

– The day’s getting started

First thing on the mayor’s agenda? The daily Wordle puzzle. Buffaloe and her friends have a longstanding Wordle streak, and she uses the mental exercise to wake herself up. In the meantime, her

The first thing Buffaloe does at her office, besides turning on her computer, is check the metal buffalo on her desk. “The buffalo is where they put (messages) if anyone has called the mayor’s office when I haven’t been here,” Buffaloe says.

husband, Lucas Buffaloe, prepares breakfast for their two children and brings her coffee in bed. “For Barb, every day is different,” he says. “It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen. So at least that part of her day can stay the same. She can have a little bit of time to herself, just to kind of collect herself before the day starts.”

7 a.m.

– School drop off

She walks with her son, Benjamin, to elementary school every day, a time they both cherish. Along for the trip is their

Photography by Aidan Boyd

beloved dog Neko, who enjoys the brisk walk. The rescued black Labrador mix was named after American singer Neko Case. After dropping off her son, Buffaloe works to maintain a healthy lifestyle, squeezing in a pilates class when time allows before heading to work.

10 a.m.

– The

mayor is

in

Although Buffaloe doesn’t have set working hours, she likes to create her own schedule.

“I usually try to set hours that they can expect to see me in here, so that the city clerk can check in (and) the city manager,” she says.

Buffaloe makes an effort to be in the office between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. every weekday. Those four hours are filled mostly with meetings, sometimes emails and about four cups of coffee. “A lot of people think our local elected officials don’t do a lot,” City Clerk Sheela Amin says. “I would say that that’s not true.”

Amin has worked in the city’s offices for two decades and under four different mayors, with Buffaloe as the fourth. She helps organize the city council’s dayto-day and lets them know what’s what.

During Buffaloe’s lunch, it’s usually more meetings with groups such as the Missouri Department of Transportation or the Department of Economic Development to discuss how statewide changes could affect Columbia. On the rare occasion she has a free period, she heads across the street to Sycamore with some of her colleagues for a lunch break.

Buffaloe sometimes takes this time to touch base with her husband as well.

“One of the things that we’ve really tried to prioritize is making sure that we have time as a couple,” says Lucas Buffaloe, who is a family doctor. “Wednesdays are a little freer for me, so we make time to have lunch on Wednesdays so that we have that time just the two of us.”

2 p.m.

– Family time

On the days she can, Buffaloe likes spending her afternoons at home with her children before returning to work later in the evening.

Artwork by her daughter, Ellie, hangs among many creations in Buffaloe’s office at City Hall.

A BRIEF MAYORAL HISTORY

April 1821 Columbia is founded, and Richard Gentry becomes the first mayor.

April 1989 Over 160 years later, Mary Anne McCollum becomes the first woman elected mayor.

April 2022

Barbara Buffaloe becomes the second woman to serve as Columbia mayor.

Buffaloe shows off her Wordle guesses to get the word “stage.” She plays every day and has a long streak with friends.

Buffaloe usually busies herself by helping her children with their homework, spending time with her husband or taking their dog out on walks. From watching movies with her daughter, Ellie, to cheering with Ben as Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo plays his latest soccer match — family is always a big part of her day.

7

p.m. – Out of office, but the work’s not done

Buffaloe often has late meetings and events she needs to attend.

Buffaloe recalls days when she arrived at her office at 8 a.m. and didn’t leave until 10 p.m., when the twice monthly city council meeting concluded. On other days, she talks at inaugural events or celebrations.

On average, three out of the five nights of her week are spent at various engagements. Beyond regular city council meetings, typical nighttime meetings are with local boards and commissions.

9

p.m. – Bedtime

After a long day, Buffaloe likes to unwind and go to bed early in preparation for the next. Currently reading the latest Louise Penny book, A World of Curiosities, she dedicates time to activities that help her mental health. Tomorrow, she’ll do it all over again.

Photography by Aidan Boyd VOX MAGAZINE • APRIL 2023

Hidden in plain sight

Over 1 million people in the U.S. have multiple sclerosis, a disease as unique as it is elusive.

BY JANE STEINBRECHER

On an ordinary sunny afternoon in 2011, Boone Hospital Center nurse Kim Williams was looking up.

“It was a beautiful, beautiful day; the sky was brilliant blue,” Williams says. “I had just stopped for a moment to appreciate the sky.”

When Williams was gazing at the horizon, an accidental glance at the sun left a colorful afterimage in her vision. She drove home, but after several hours the undulating, orangey-blue spots had not left her sight.

“I woke up the next morning and stared at a white wall in my house,” Williams says. “I said to myself: ‘This is all wrong. It’s still here.’ ”

After a visit to an eye doctor, a CT scan, an MRI and eight weeks of test-

ing, neurologists found signs of multiple sclerosis in Williams — specifically, relapsing-remitting MS, a condition in which the typical MS symptoms come and go, but always return.

Multiple sclerosis is a rare neurological disease characterized by the breakdown of the nerves’ protective outer coating, which can lead to limited mobility, damage to or loss of eyesight and a plethora of other symptoms.

In her job as a nurse, Williams had divided her time between University Hospital and Boone Hospital Center’s neonatal intensive care unit. Only two years after diagnosis, Williams stopped practicing.

“I hadn’t realized it, but I was having cognitive changes,” Williams says. “Over time, those worsened, and I wouldn’t be able to continue working. I also had to use

HOW TO SUPPORT

Rockin’ Against Multiple Sclerosis

a mobility aid. You can’t work on a (hospital) floor like that — you need both hands.”

Diagnosis is difficult

March was Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, and according to the MS Institute of Mid-Missouri, over 1 million Americans have multiple sclerosis. Columbia is home to the institute, where expert neurologists at University Hospital try to find new treatments. Coordinator Jamie McDonald takes pride in the institute’s innovation in diagnosis and treatment. “(MS) never goes away,” McDonald says. “We just want to get them from surviving to thriving.”

McDonald refers to MS as the “snowflake disease” because of the unique ways symptoms can manifest in a patient. Often, no two cases of

Photography by Adam Runge

Kim Williams uses a specialized mobility chair to help her climb and descend the stairs in her house. Muscle weakness is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis.

the disease are alike, and the variety in symptoms makes it difficult to obtain a diagnosis.

When Williams first had her eyesight inspected in 2011, she was told to rest and return in two weeks if the spots in her vision did not go away. “Being a nurse and a proactive person in general, I just didn’t accept that,” Williams says.

But Williams’ early diagnosis is not the norm. Some MS patients wait years for a proper diagnosis, as telltale signs of the neurological disease could appear innocuous to an untrained person. Fatigue, weariness, headaches and muscle pain are all key indicators of the onset of MS.

“I’m fortunate in that I was able to get an early diagnosis and start treatment early,” Williams says. “It’s very common for people to struggle for a diagnosis. You’re told, ‘You’re just stressed, you’re having anxiety, or here, take this pill.’ You see doctor after doctor trying to find out what’s wrong. You could wake up one morning and not be able to walk.” MS is not a curable disease. Treatments include medication, symptom management and rehabilitation.

Finding support is key Williams wishes more people understood that MS is an invisible disease. She uses a walking pole, so her symptoms are visible. But for most patients, a passerby could never guess that they have MS. Damage of the brain and spinal cord can manifest in several different ways in the body and almost none of them are visible.

Williams yearns for greater sensitivity and awareness toward MS. Recognition of symptoms leads to faster and more effective treatment. “I just wish people understood more,” Williams says. “Just because someone looks great doesn’t mean everything’s great.”

Williams recommends seeking support immediately after diagnosis. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is a popular resource among the community for finding local support groups.

“I’ve been very fortunate in my life and (with) my family,” Williams says. “My friends are very understanding and willing to learn. For people who have MS, I just don’t want them to feel alone,” she says.

WRAP YOUR BRAIN AROUND MS

Because symptoms of multiple sclerosis are so unique, they are often overlooked. Here are some important facts to understand about MS.

THE FOUR TYPES

MS can manifest in four different ways, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Clinically isolated syndrome, or CIS, is diagnosed when a patient experiences a period of MS symptoms for under 24 hours. Not everyone with CIS will go on to develop MS. Relapsingremitting MS (RRMS), the most common diagnosis, is characterized by spurts of MS symptoms that can ebb and flow but routinely return. Secondary progressive MS is diagnosed when RRMS symptoms linger and steadily worsen. Lastly, primary progressive MS (PPMS) is characterized by the continual worsening of neurological function with persistent symptoms.

KNOW THE RED FLAGS

About 42% of multiple sclerosis patients are initially misdiagnosed, according to the Integrated Neurology Services, PPLC. The most common telltale sign of MS is fatigue. Experiencing fatigue — along with numbness, tingling sensations, muscle weakness or trouble with vision — are all common early manifestations. There is no single test to confirm

WHAT’S IN A NAME

The Multiple Sclerosis Trust says sclerosis refers to the nerve damage caused by MS. In MS, the protective outer coating of nerves, the myelin sheath, is attacked by the immune system. Loss of the myelin sheath leaves the nerves highly susceptible to trauma and destruction. The illness is known as multiple sclerosis because the sclerosis can occur anywhere in the body, specifically in the brain and spinal cord.

institute Sanford Burnham Prebys, MS is the most common neurological disease in young adults. MS symptoms typically appear between the ages of 20 and 40. Although genetic susceptibility to the disease exists, MS is not hereditary or contagious.

Photography courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

ARTS Learn Studio Photography

TO-DO LIST

Your curated guide of what to do in Columbia this month.

Calling all aspiring photographers! Vidwest Studios is hosting an introductory studio photography class in collaboration with Daniel Boone Regional Library. Amateur photographers age 15 and older can reserve their spot on the library’s website. Attendees will learn the basics of digital photography, lighting techniques and working with models.

1-4 p.m., April 15, Vidwest Studios, free, events.dbrl.org, 423-742-1429

Visual Art & Design Showcase

The 2023 showcase is a chance to see art pieces from about 50 MU students. It will feature a variety of art styles and expres-

sions, including works of photojournalism, graphic design, architectural drawing, theater set design, painting, sculpting, textile and apparel design, mixed media and digital storytelling. The best work is awarded $8,000 in professional development funds.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m., April 22, Columbia Art League, free, 882-5979

Hello, Spring! Art & Artisan Market

Spend a Sunday welcoming spring and exploring local art and small businesses at Stoney Creek Hotel. Hosted by art gallery Curations573, the market will feature a wide range of products from local vendors. Rain or shine, you can get your shopping fix in. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 30, Stoney Creek Hotel, free, 442-6400

UNBOUND BOOK FESTIVAL

The annual free festival returns April 20-23. See Vox’s coverage on p.18 and unboundbook festival.com for more information.

CIVIC History on Elm

Benjamin Moore, winner of the 2022 Missouri History Book Award, will host an author talk to discuss The Names of John Gergen: Immigrant Identities in Early 20th Century St. Louis. The book will be on sale at the Richard Bookstore located in the State Historical Society of Missouri, and Moore will be signing copies. Noon to 1 p.m., April 11, State Historical Society of Missouri Center for Missouri Studies, free, 747-6366

Columbia Earth Day Festival

Go (shaw)tree, it’s your birthday. Come party for the planet at the Columbia Earth Day Festival at Peace Park. There will be

by Sarah DeLappe

The women of The Wolves navigate high school, love, loss, and identity, while discovering what it means to be a team on and off the soccer field.

live music, children’s activities and gardening tips galore. Noon to 7 p.m., April 23, Peace Park, free, 875-0539

FOOD

Xtreme Bar Bingo

It’s time to take your favorite bar activity to the next level. Dive Bar is hosting a no cost, no cover night of fun with nine rounds of bingo. Bring your friends for a chance to win deluxe prizes, including Visa gift cards and tickets to sporting events. Join the Dive Bar on Business Loop to see if you will be lucky enough to shout “bingo!” 7-9 p.m., April 13, Dive Bar, free, 607-9523

Big Wheels

Looking to spend your lunch break helping the community? Meals on Wheels of Columbia’s annual fundraiser Big Wheels is catering and delivering Panera box lunches all over town. This organization serves lunches five days a week to seniors and individuals with disabilities. Order at least three boxes for delivery by April 19 to

SHELTER PET & LIFE OF THE PARTY

secure your drop off. A vegetarian option is available. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., April 24-28, $13 per lunch box, mealsonwheelscolumbia.org, 886-7554

31st Annual Wing Ding

Are you a wing connoisseur? The Annual Wing Ding is a fundraising event that supports local programs with United Cerebral Palsy Heartland. Give back to Columbia while also voting for the best

Pups Mollie and Harper are bribed by their owner Deena Hulen to face the camera outside Lizzi & Rocco’s during the 2022 Dog Easter Egg Hunt. This year’s event is April 2.

wings in town. The competition allows local businesses to put their traditional buffalo, sauced and specialty wings to the test. 6-9 p.m., April 25, Bur Oak Brewing Company, free to attend, 814-2178

MUSIC STOMP

As part of the University Concert Series, STOMP is coming to town with a bang — and a clang. The eight-member troupe is known for entertaining audiences of all ages with rhythmically and visually striking performances. Anything unconventional can become an instrument in STOMP, including wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans and even Zippo lighters. 7 p.m., April 5, Jesse Auditorium, $53-$66, concert series.missouri.edu, 882-3781

Thrift Shop Dance Party

Dress in your best thrift shop threads at the Thrift Shop Dance Party. The event features DJ Requiem, prizes for the best dressed and giveaways all night long. Find your most unique fit and head down to this

Photography by Madison McMillen/Archive

eccentric dance party. 9 p.m., April 5, Rose Music Hall, $10 in advance, $12 day of, ages 18 and up, rosemusichall.com, 874-1944

Trizzy Fest

Don’t miss the first show of April at Sticky’s Cabana. Get ready for performances from HBK Trell, Ca$h Cam and other indie rap, R&B and hip-hop artists. Trizzy Fest is for all ages, so feel free to bring your kids. The event is B.Y.O.B, but there is a $10 charge for coolers brought into the venue. 7-11 p.m., April 8, Sticky’s Cabana, $5 entry, stickyscabana.com, 529-4408

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Produced by the Columbia Entertainment Co., playwright August Wilson’s musical drama about influential blues singer Ma Rainey is coming to CoMo. In 2020, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was adapted to a film of the same name starring Viola Davis as Ma Rainey and the late Chadwick Boseman as Levee Green. 7:30 p.m., April 13-15, 20-23 and 27-39, and 2 p.m., April 16, 23 and 30, Columbia Entertainment Co., $12-20, cectheatre. org, 474-3699

RECREATION

Lizzi & Rocco’s Dog Easter Egg Hunt

This Easter egg hunt at the Green Meadows location of Lizzi & Rocco’s promises to be a basket of fun for both you and your pooch. Proceeds go to the Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue. Registration is available online before the event or in person on the day of. 12:30-2:30 p.m., April 2, Lizzi & Rocco’s Natural Pet Market, $10 per participating dog, lizziandroccos.com, 875-2288

CoMo Retro Game Convention

From Atari to Nintendo, this is the place for video game fans to find retro games and equipment. The event will host vendors from around the Midwest and feature a few gaming tournaments. The convention will spotlight guest panelists, including video game artist Paul E. Niemeyer and representatives from the Retro Game Hunter Museum and Old School Gamer Magazine 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., April 22, $10 general, $30 VIP, Stoney Creek Hotel, comoretrocon.com, 217-825-2141

Spring Shop Hop 2023

Sales are springing up in The District. Hop around downtown to shop new arrivals and sales — there will even be complimentary refreshments. Downtown parking is free all weekend in honor of the event. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., April 22, The District, free to stroll, discoverthedistrict.com

CANINE CONNECTION

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLINE MCCONE

For Dana Williams, who is unhoused, caring for his dog, Harley, allows him to regain a daily ritual. “When we get homeless, we lose a routine,” Williams says. “Pets are not for everyone who is homeless. It gives me something to do.” For people without consistent shelter, a furry friend can bring stability and companionship. In mid-March, at a local campsite for unhoused people, Williams and Harley received dog food, a collar, a leash and a dog bone treat from volunteers with nonprofit Unchained Melodies. Photographer Caroline McCone showcases people and their pets living in unconventional spaces in her project “Man’s Best Friend” at carolinemccone.com.

photo finish