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

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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

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.