Vox Magazine January/February 2022 Issue by Vox Magazine

LIFT OFF IN HOT AIR BALLOONS PAGE 24

GET YOUR GAME ON AT THE PUB PAGE 31

FROSTY THE SPORTS FAN PAGE 35

THE VOICE OF COLUMBIA  JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

MISSOURI IS AT THE HEART OF THIS GRAND GENRE’S RICH HISTORY. PAGE 18

The Juliani Ensemble Sun., February 13, 7pm • Missouri Theatre

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Neighbor Day

Wed., February 23, 6:30pm • Jesse Auditorium

STOMP Tues., February 15, 7pm • Jesse Auditorium Wed., February 16, 7pm • Jesse Auditorium

Polish Wieniawski Philharmonic Orchestra

Sun., February 27, 7pm • Jesse Auditorium

Visit www.concertseries.org or call 573-882-3781 for more information on our amazing lineup! ConcertSeries

FROM THE EDITOR

PARALLEL UNIVERSES

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF COURTNEY PERRETT MANAGING EDITORS EMMY LUCAS, REBECCA NOEL

was born three years after Apartheid ended in South Africa. Apartheid, which means “apartness” in Afrikaans, was a legislative system of racial segregation against people of color. When the Nationalist Party was voted into office in 1948, they enforced exclusionary practices that divided white and nonwhite people — the latter of whom made up the vast majority of the population. Even though Apartheid was met with resistance from the rest of the world, these laws perpetuated institutional oppression and injustice for more than 50 years. Similar to Jim Crow laws in the U.S., Apartheid laws meant that people of color were restricted from existing in the same spaces as white people. For example, residential neighborhoods and transportation and school systems were all fractured based on racial difference. Apartheid was outlawed in 1994 with the formation of the Democratic Republic of South Africa and the birth of the Rainbow Nation, Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s description of the post-Apartheid country. In this issue of Vox, race is a main focus. One of my favorite pieces is an essay that explores the writer’s experience as a Black

woman at a renaissance festival — a space in which she’d been taught Black people didn’t historically exist (p. 7). This story examines the centuries-long genealogy of Black people who occupied positions of royalty in European medieval times and pays tribute to the long history of Blackness that is often neglected in American education systems. As such, it was important to Vox to cover the ongoing conversation surrounding the often misunderstood principles and applications of critical race theory. The FAQ (p. 10) examines everything from the origins of the theory among law professors to its politicization in schools, where the only goal is to educate students about race in a critical analysis of American history. In this issue, you’ll also read about the roots of ragtime music that finds its influences in Missouri’s Black community, including Scott Joplin and Columbian J.W. “Blind” Boone. It is my hope that these stories not only illustrate the need to dismantle racist systems but also to pay tribute to the Black communities, continuing to forge forward in a culture built on white supremacist ideals.

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR GRACE COOPER ONLINE EDITOR KATE TRABALKA ART DIRECTORS MAKALAH HARDY, MOY ZHONG PHOTO EDITOR MADI WINFIELD MULTIMEDIA EDITOR ALEX FULTON ASSISTANT EDITORS CULTURE HANNAH GALLANT, TONY MADDEN, EVAN MUSIL EAT + DRINK VIVIAN KOLKS, MADDY RYLEY CITY LIFE SAVANNAH BENNETT, JARED GENDRON, COLIN WILLARD DIGITAL EDITORS TIA ALPHONSE, PHILIP GARRETT, SASHA GUMENIUK, ALEXANDRA HUNT, SHULEI JIANG, HANA KELLENBERGER, KATELYNN MCILWAIN, ZOIA MORROW, JULIAN NAZAR, ANNA ORTEGA, RASHI SHRIVASTAVA, NIKOL SLATINSKA, CEY’NA SMITH CONTRIBUTING WRITERS NOAH ALCALA BACH, LAUREN BLUE, ANGELINA EDWARDS, ISABELLA FERRENTINO, ATHENA FOSTER-BRAZIL, ANNA KOCHMAN, CHLOE KONRAD, CELA MIGAN, ELISE MULLIGAN, MIA RUGAI, DANNY RYERSON, ANNA SAGO, STEPHI SMITH, SOPHIE STEPHENS MULTIMEDIA EDITORS ERIK GALICIA, AUZZIE GONZALEZ EDITORIAL ASSISTANT BRADFORD SIWAK ART ASSISTANTS JACKIE LAMB, MARTA MIEZE, HEERAL PATEL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR HEATHER ISHERWOOD DIGITAL DIRECTOR SARA SHIPLEY HILES EXECUTIVE EDITOR LAURA HECK

Courtney Perrett Editor-in-Chief

Behind the issue The first ragtime song I heard was “The Entertainer” as a preset on a Casio keyboard when I was 6. At the time, it seemed like a vestige of some unknown past. But when I found out about the genre’s deep connection to Missouri, I wanted to understand ragtime’s legacy. KBIA reporter Xcaret Nuñez and I (left) soon discovered a vibrant, passionate community that cherishes the music while also recognizing its pained history and its hopes for the future. To hear the jubilant “ragged” rhythms that continue to inspire people around the world, you can listen to KBIA’s audio story on kbia.org.—Evan Musil

Correction: In the December issue, the hours for Cajun Crab House Seafood Restaurant were incorrect. The restaurant is open Tues.–Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Mondays. Photography courtesy of Courtney Perrett and Evan Musil

OFFICE MANAGER KIM TOWNLAIN

Vox Magazine

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MAGAZINE Cover Design: Moy Zhong VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CULTURE 13

A page for all seasons Get wrapped up in this nifty papermaking hobby.

Sole searching These shoes weren’t made for walking — they were made for collecting.

Bringing people together FEATURES

The colors and faces behind Columbia’s murals.

EAT + DRINK

The Missouri rag

Take a musical journey through Missouri’s syncopated history as the heart of ragtime.

Game gurus Roll the dice at mid-Missouri’s first board game pub.

Gentle giants

Hot wings and saucey things

Find peace in the sky with hot air ballooners.

IN THE LOOP

Spice up your Super Bowl party with fare from Columbia’s wing joints.

Refreshed and reloaded

Local restaurants serve a side of atmosphere with their dishes.

Here’s how local entrepreneurs hope to reboot Columbia’s old industrial quarter.

CITY LIFE

A Black girl finds her crown

Sleeping on the benefits Rest easier by redefining what sleep means to you.

A Vox writer ponders what it meant to her to attend a Renaissance fair as a Black woman.

What is critical race theory? Experts clear up some of the misconceptions around this highly discussed theory.

The dinner’s in the details

Freezing cold fun Try these frigid winter activities if the cold never bothered you anyway.

Vox Picks Whether you’re a foodie, roadie, movie buff or ballet enthusiast, there’s something for everyone this winter.

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Photography by Nicole Gutierrez, Cleo Norman, Sara Williams, courtesy of Cara Alexander Stark and illustrations by Makalah Hardy

BLACKNESS AND RENAISSANCE FAIRS P. 7

Refreshed and reloaded The Arcade District is racking up businesses and playing for a new stage in its history. BY ERIK GALICIA

UNPACKING CRITICAL RACE THEORY P. 10

Work trucks roll through a tight stretch of Fay Street on an early November morning. The bustle is reminiscent of a historic district’s golden era. Years of effort from local entrepreneurs and property owners are culminating in a new dawn for Columbia’s old industrial quarter. Its potential, they say, is not only for shopping and dining, but also as a space for both budding ventures and existing local businesses. They hope it can rival the success of downtown. The district roughly comprises the stretch of Fay Street between Roger Street and just past Wilkes Boulevard. Logboat Brewing Company, which broke ground in 2013, draws crowds to

Photography by Katelynn McIlwain, illustrations by Moy Zhong, and photography courtesy of Witches and Wizards Arcade

Witches and Wizards Arcade is the latest addition to a band of businesses driving growth on Fay Street.

a once-vacant warehouse at the district’s southern end. Steps away, the Ozark Mountain Biscuit food truck sits outside its new brick-and-mortar spot. Other businesses such as tech-accessories brand Printiva and advertising firm Woodruff hint at the sector’s startup potential. One of the area’s developers, Bobby Campbell, calls it the Arcade District in an ode to past meanings of the word “arcade” — arched architecture, shopping centers and technological innovation. Game is its name One of the new venues in the district is an actual arcade. Campbell opened the Witches and Wizards Arcade on Oct. 30,

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

IN TH E LOOP BUSINESS

which is located near College Avenue. “It’s a geek cave,” Campbell says. “It’s for people who grew up with arcades, love sci-fi, want a place they can go to and have a good time and their kids can enjoy.” This niche gamer den serves alcohol and features a large projector screen for throwback shows and new premieres. Street Fighter grunts and Star Wars fighter jet sounds reverberate through the space. Many of the machines, Campbell says, are genuine ’80s arcade cabinets. Centuries of spirits North across the tracks from the arcade is Six-Mile Ordinary, a distillery that holds the history of seven generations. Owner Maury Allen’s ancestor, Isham Allen, owned the original Six-Mile in Virginia, which sheltered colonists rebelling against the British during the Revolutionary War. In 2018, Allen opened the current distillery in the industrial building on Fay Street as a tribute to his family legacy.

NEW IN THE ARCADE DISTRICT Witches & Wizards Arcade Games and drinks 601 N. College Ave. Fri.–Sat. 5–9 p.m. 886-5113 Six-Mile Ordinary Spirits distillery 700 Fay St. 673-6974 Gravity Apple repair shop 1000 Pannell St. Suite A Mon.–Thurs. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 443-1555

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Allen says Six-Mile adds to the craft characteristic already present in the district. Empty bottles awaiting spirits, including vodka, gin and tequila, slowly roll along a conveyor belt. Six-Mile serves these drinks while its specialty bourbon needs to age for five more years before serving. A tasting room is also under construction within the classic sheet-metal structure. “When people come here, they’re going to learn how everything works,” Allen says. “They’re going to hear things that they wouldn’t hear in other places.” Teaming up through tech Farther north, around the corner from music brand Bluecentric and its record store, former Columbia School Board member Jonathan Sessions has found a new home for Gravity, the Apple repair and service provider he first opened downtown in 2015. Sessions has a history in the area. After its initial run out of his nearby home, his first business, Sessions Con-

sulting, found a space on Fay Street and Wilkes Boulevard. Gravity is set up in the warehouse next door. Gravity employs several university students, reflecting the district’s goal of a space that retains graduates of Columbia’s institutions. The firm also hosts K-12 students in its garage for hands-on learning. “One of the great things about this environment: You’re getting the kids out of the classroom and getting them into an environment that’s showing them how an actual business is operating,” Sessions says. “We provide training at our core.” Gravity handles tech services for the nearby Woodruff, Logboat and Ozark Mountain Biscuit and Bar. These symbiotic relationships might be yet another symbol of what’s to come for this classic district. “There’s so much opportunity here,” Sessions says. And the people of the Arcade District are hoping to level up growth for local startups.

I N T HE LO O P ESSAY

A Black girl finds her crown Her first trip to a Renaissance festival led one Vox writer to an unexpected sense of belonging. BY KATELYNN MCILWAIN

he rows of cars facing the fairgrounds for the Central Missouri Renaissance Festival were a paradox of modernity and antiquity, 2021 facing 1550. I stepped out of my friend’s Chevy Equinox, holding the sides of my medieval dress sutured up with Joann’s Fabrics thread and clothespins — gold, to be extra regal. The green cape trailing behind me hid my sorry attempt at playing seamstress, and the gold leaf clips in my hair — also a last-minute Joann’s find — pulled together my look. It was some parts princess, other parts woodland but altogether mine. I walked through the rows of cars with a knot of dread in my stomach and an adrenaline rush that set the hairs on my neck on edge (or, maybe that was just the October chill). Will it be a fun Illustrations by Moy Zhong

time? Will other people be dressed up? Do I even belong here? As a Black woman, I felt like a walking paradox, too. Seeking adventure When I heard about the festival in September, I decided it would be one of my senior-year “lasts.” There’s something about being on the precipice of graduation that made me want to surprise myself with something new, almost as if the looming 9-to-5 work days, taxes and bills would sap up too much energy for adventure. As the festival approached, though, I started having doubts about stepping into a space that I knew would be mostly white. Granted, that’s certainly not an unusual circumstance given I’m in the mid-

Katelynn McIlwain steps into A.D. 1550 during the Central Missouri Renaissance Festival. Before attending she set out to learn what her place in the 16th century might have been. She discovered royalty.

dle of Missouri. But as I shopped around for a dress — and friends to accompany me — I thought about the younger me, growing up with the same inner dilemma: being too Black for white spaces but not Black enough for diverse spaces. Back in my hometown, a small city nestled in northern Illinois, I attended a predominantly white elementary school. As much fun as I’d have with my classmates playing pretend at recess or during class plays, my curly hair and pink barrettes always drew their attention, innocently curious but still somewhat ostracizing. In middle school, all of the students in the district converged in two buildings. I attended the school closest to my house, which was the more diverse of the two. For the first time in my youth, I was surrounded by more students of color

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

IN TH E LOOP ESSAY

This painting by Matthias Grünewald depicts Saint Maurice (left), patron saint of the Halle monastery, meeting Saint Erasmus (right), patron saint of Cardinal Albrecht von Brandenburg’s royal household. According to legend, Saint Erasmus escaped persecution at the hands of Christians by fleeing to Mount Lebanon, where he survived on food from a raven. Legend says he was later thrown into prison, rescued by an angel and then died as a martyr.

than I’d ever been. And even though that should have felt welcoming, it didn’t. I knew I didn’t fit in with the other Black kids, especially Black girls. We didn’t speak the same. We didn’t dress the same. I wasn’t cool. At home, I’d play The Legend of Zelda games with my older brother. I’d read fantasy books like The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima. I’d watch television shows like Reign or Deltora Quest. I loved losing myself in these dated worlds, rich with fantasy and adventure. But even in those fictional stories, where the authors could curb reality in favor of fantastical creatures, I’d seldom find a character who looked like me. I guess in the decision to include dragons or Black people, dragons won out.

The Queen of Sheba, believed to come from Ethiopia, is depicted in a regal and elegant gown. She is one of several in the 45 panels that highlighted Biblical stories.

A quest for reality The festival itself looked deceptively small from outside the gates, but as soon as we stepped in, the tents seemed to sprawl endlessly. Most people were dressed up in medieval garb and several donned pirate hats or elf ears. I perused tents filled with swords and jewelry, even buying a pearl necklace that the mer-

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

chant fashioned right in front of me, straight from the oyster. Everyone I interacted with was welcoming; some even complimented my outfit. But despite everyone’s kindness, I still felt incredibly awkward, just like the younger me who knew I didn’t quite belong. Or, did I? I realized before attending the festival that I’d never actually confirmed for myself my ancestors’ existence before the U.S. was founded. My memory of Blackness was bound to the pages of my high school history books, in which everything began for us as slaves in continental America. I wondered if there was more to our story. My search for an answer led me to Kristin Kopp, an associate professor of German studies and an affiliated faculty

member in Black studies at the University of Missouri. I spoke with her via Zoom. In her course about the history of Black people in Germany, Kopp teaches from medieval texts dating back to the 1200s, texts where there are characters who resemble me. The characters aren’t slaves. They aren’t civil rights activists. They’re members of African kingdoms who are envisioned like other courtly societies in Europe, Kopp says, with skin differences that represent distinct geographies but aren’t written through a lens of racism. “It’s a discussion that we have every week,” Kopp says. “Students will say, ‘I took ancient history, even here at MU, and no one ever told me that there were African popes, that there were African Roman emperors. I didn’t know that. Why didn’t I learn that?’” Yeah. Why didn’t I learn that? As Kopp showed me a website her class helped develop that documents Africans in medieval Europe, I was shocked to see depictions of Black women dressed in royal garb. My instincts were screaming at me that this had to be fake. But no, Kopp says. It’s real, and the politics of teaching are to blame for why I’d never seen this reality growing up. Teachers teach what they learned at their universities, Kopp says, where the story of Blackness begins in 1492 when slave traders who had previously targeted Eastern Europeans began targeting Africa. We know the story from there. But before then, things were different. During my call with Kopp, I was silent for a while as I considered the way racism was created not only to justify discrimination, but also to cut off centuries and centuries of the history of Blackness in the world. “That’s depressing,” I said. I thought of the younger me who would have killed to see herself in history books, not just as a constant victim of trauma, but also as the princess she’d become when she played pretend. But while I lamented the past, Kopp had an eye on the future. “Getting our mind around the world before biological racism — it’s like a gift,” Kopp says. “It’s a gift to be able to know what humans were capable of, and that it doesn’t have to be like it is right now.”

Photography courtesy of Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen

I N T HE LO O P ESSAY

She sees her students’ passionate reactions to the material she teaches and feels hope, not despair. “These people are saying: ‘I don’t want to live in this world like this. What do I need to know? What can I do? What can be done?’” Where fiction turns to fact As I was finishing a round of the festival grounds, my friends and I happened across a vendor selling crowns. They were gold and silver, some tall and sprawling, others smaller bands that could hug your forehead. There was a gold one that caught my eye. It was bejeweled with deep green emeralds. On a whim, I decided to buy it. As I tried it on in the mirror, the vendor asked if I’d need clips to help it stay on my head. I smiled and told her no, probably with more confidence than a simple decline warranted. I beamed at my reflection in the mirror, seeing that my coarse, kinky hair that I used to scorn as a child under the ire of my mom’s hot comb was sturdy enough to hold the crown on my head with no additional help. My hair was made for this. I was made for this. And with my conversation with Kopp in mind, I knew my reflection wasn’t a baseless fantasy. And this wasn’t just a personal revelation. For the remainder of the festival, there were others reacting to my purchased token of royalty. A boy in a knight costume bowed in front of me. Another man wearing a king’s crown dipped his head at me, saying, “Good day, your majesty.” Sure, it was a renaissance festival, and everyone was just playing their parts. But I wonder if there was more to it than mere courtesy. I wonder if those moments reflected Kopp’s hope that seeing a time before biologically justified racism might be a lighthouse on the journey to dismantling racism as we know it today. The festival ended with a large concert; the musicians played bagpipes and fiddles and sang with the gathered crowd. I stood toward the back and noticed some other Black people in the mass. I wondered if they’d grown up like I had, feeling on the outs for their interests within a community too ofPhotography by Katelynn McIlwain

ten painted as a monolith. I wondered for how long they’d been visiting these festivals, finding a home for their appreciation of a different time. I regret that I first visited a renaissance festival on the eve of my venture into adulthood. After all, I’m sure if I’d pushed past my insecurities and visited sooner, I would have developed an outfit that wasn’t hanging on by that Joann’s gold thread. But I’m looking forward to attending another round of festivals once the weather warms up again. I long to let my Blackness exist in those spaces, just as it used to centuries ago. It doesn’t seem like playing pretend anymore. Although it’s a reality obscured in our American textbooks, it’s real. I do belong.

A renaissance festival incorporates roles for nobility, artisans and mercenaries such as The Order of the Red Boar.

Katelynn McIlwain wears the crown she purchased from a vendor at the Central Missouri Renaissance Festival. It fits on her head perfectly and matches the emerald dress she customized for the festival’s 16thcentury period.

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

IN TH E LOOP FAQ

What is critical race theory? Vox turned to scholars to explain the theory that’s frequently misunderstood in conversations about race and education in the U.S. BY ANGELINA EDWARDS

ver the past year, there have been increased discussions about the term critical race theory, now known commonly as CRT. What was previously a theory talked about almost exclusively in law schools and other academia is now being debated in local newspapers, voter forums and school board meetings. All too often the burden of explaining and defending the theory falls on scholars and journalists of color — an expectation that requires them to perform extensive emotional and intellectual labor. It happens so often because of the general misunderstanding of critical race theory in the media, among parents of schoolchildren and the broader population. Listening to scholars of color when they speak and taking the time to educate oneself is vital to combat this misunderstanding. In light of the misinformation and tension surrounding critical race theory, it was difficult to find people who were willing and able to talk publicly about this topic. Vox contacted 16 people — at MU, Columbia Public Schools and other universities. Seven never responded, four declined and three expressed interest but weren’t able to contribute. What follows are the answers from two scholars along with outside research and context that shed light on how to understand the definition and origins of critical race theory and why it has become politicized and misunderstood. How did critical race theory originate? Critical race theory originated among law professors in the ’70s and ’80s in the aftermath of the civil rights movement, says S. David Mitchell, professor

Give me your tired,

your poor,

at the MU School of Law. Legal scholars and critical theorists including Derrick Bell, Alan Freeman, Mari Matsuda and Richard Delgado wanted to critically examine the legal systems in the U.S. by using race as the central focus. What’s the theory all about? Overall, critical race theory is about recognizing that race is a core part of society and how the law shapes relationships between race, racism and power. One of the main tenets of critical race theory is that racism in America is not abnormal or unintentional, Mitchell says. Racism is embedded in the structures and systems of the U.S., whether this bias is explicit or less visible. Although the U.S. has moved past its more obvious forms of racial discrimination and segregation, there is still evidence of racism that is perpetuated by structural, social and economic factors, Mitchell says. An example is the economic depressions in residential areas caused by redlining, or the treatment of Black neighborhoods as having less value. In practice this meant that Black homeowners had more restricted access to government-insured homeowner assistance and were steered away from property in residential areas made up of mostly white families and businesses. Mitchell also described how racism is seen in social factors such as the way Black people have been treated while driving, walking and existing in public spaces. “There’s an expectation that you aren’t supposed to be somewhere where you are,” Mitchell says. For example, three white men were found guilty of murder in November for shooting 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery,

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

an unarmed Black man, as he jogged through a residential neighborhood in south Georgia in 2020. Another pillar of critical race theory is that race is not a biological construct, but rather a social one. In other words, it rejects the myth that race affects a person’s biology, which previously was used to uphold systems that treat non white people as fundamentally different and therefore deserving of less. Critical race theory also takes intersectionality, a term developed by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, into account. Intersectionality recognizes that gender, sexual orientation, ability and class might influence how individuals are treated under the law in addition to race.

Understanding critical race theory is one step in confronting how America’s history of racism and white supremacy is far too often ignored.

I N T HE LO O P FAQ

YES, IT’S COMPLEX

Your huddled masses...

Critical race theory takes inspiration from social and political philosophy, Black nationalist movements and important civil rights figures. It is born out of critical legal studies, a framework that addresses status, power dynamics and social biases in the legal system. Although critical race theory originated among law professors, its ideas and concepts have entered other fields, says Jonathan Feingold, Boston University law professor. Sociologists, education scholars and economists are among those who identify as critical race theorists or draw on its principles to inform their work.

How has the theory become politicized? Mitchell says critical race theory has been politicized to obscure and deflect conversations about other issues in the political realm, such as the insurrection at the Capitol in January 2021. Another reason the theory has been politicized is that it has been misidentified with school curriculum, Mitchell says. “What is taught is a critical analysis, and if that critical analysis unveils the dark side of American democracy, then that’s a reality,” Mitchell says. Last May, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt signed a letter with other state attorney generals asking that the Biden administration reconsider proposals that supposedly encouraged teaching Illustrations by Moy Zhong

critical race theory in K-12 education. In reality, the two proposals did not refer to critical race theory explicitly and instead promoted teaching “projects that incorporate racially, ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse perspectives.” The theory itself is largely not taught in K-12 education, but content and materials that can or are being taught in high school or elementary school might happen to address certain principles of critical race theory. “Imagine CRT like math,” says Jonathan Feingold, associate professor at Boston University School of Law. “You’re not going to teach calculus to first graders … but you’re going to teach them math because at the end of their

K-12 experience, you want them to be literate in math. If we thought of race in the same way, then you could imagine a K-12 curriculum that’s introducing layering and complexity with respect to race, so that after your high school experience, you leave with a more sophisticated, nuanced way to think about this thing that we call race.” Misconceptions about the theory have also come from media outlets that have misrepresented facts by suggesting there was a culture war and well-established controversy over critical race theory, Feingold says. “For the media to suggest that there was a controversy suggested that there were two sides to the CRT debate when it wasn’t two sides, in part because it was never about facts, and it was never about CRT,” Feingold says. What has happened in Columbia about the theory? In September, Missouri state Rep. Chuck Bayse called for the resignation of CPS Superintendent Brian Yearwood over concerns that aspects of critical race theory were being taught at Hickman High School. Prior to this, the Columbia School Board accepted a grant to review The 1619 Project, an initiative written by Nikole Hannah Jones and published by The New York Times Magazine that seeks to put race and the consequences of slavery at the center of discussions about American history. The grant does not require that The 1619 Project be taught in Columbia’s public schools, but rather offered monetary support for teachers in the district to evaluate resources from the project and consider key questions about racial inequalities. “Columbia Public Schools does not have CRT,” Michelle Baumstark, chief communications officer for Columbia Public Schools, wrote in an email to Vox. “We don’t teach it, we don’t have CRT, and we aren’t trained in CRT. We also have no plans to adopt CRT in our schools.” Critical race theory isn’t divisive, Mitchell says. It’s a way of acknowledging the importance of race and engaging in a critical analysis of history.

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

IN TH E LOOP VOX PICKS

Vox Picks for

JAN/FEB

Pig out...

On a savory combination of booze and bacon at the Missouri Bacon and Bourbon Festival at Bur Oak Brewing Company. Various spirits, cocktails and, of course, beers will be available to try along with bacon treats. Enjoy live music and hang out at the brewery to eat, drink and fall in love with bacon all over again. Bur Oak Brewing Company, Feb. 5, 1–4 p.m., $20–40

Each month, Vox curates a list of can’t-miss shops, eats, reads and experiences. We find the new, trending or underrated to help you enjoy the best our city has to offer. BY MADDY RYLEY

Visit... Celebrate...

Black History Month with Columbia Parks and Recreation Department activities. Watch a romantic drama about the first date between former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama in Southside With You. The historic first couple met on the Southside of Chicago in 1989 when Barack was a law associate and Michelle was an attorney. Also celebrate Missouri’s rich gospel music scene at the Gospel Explosion and Soul Food Dinner Musical Celebration with performances from mid-Missouri artists and groups followed by some soul food. Southside With You, Feb. 9, Armory Sports Center, 701 E. Ash St., 6 p.m., free; Gospel Explosions and Soul Food Dinner Musical Celebration, Feb. 27, St. Luke United Methodist Church, 204 E. Ash St., 4–7 p.m., free

Grab a bite...

From the new to-go kitchen at Café Berlin. The café is turning what used to be a commissary kitchen for mobile food vendors into a kitchen devoted to to-go orders. Or, if pasta is more your taste, take home traditional Italian flavors from Pasta La Fata’s stand at the Columbia Farmers Market before its permanent location opens this spring, a goal that owner Michelle La Fata has been working toward since she began operations in 2016. Café Berlin, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m, closed Tuesday; Pasta La Fata, 9 a.m. to noon at the farmers market

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Unbound Book Festival as it starts a new chapter. For the first time since it began in 2016, the festival is expanding its boundaries to take over downtown Columbia April 21 to 24. “Bringing the festival downtown makes our goal of bringing these events to Columbia more achievable,” says Alex George, executive director of the festival. In addition to new venues, the festival is including Sunday workshops and discussions focused on the craft of writing in the schedule. Watch for event announcements at unboundbookfestival.com.

Listen to...

Country’s Kolby Cooper, rock band Augustana and electronic-funk band SunSquabi at their tour stops in Columbia in January and February. Texas-native Cooper will take The Blue Note stage in support of his tour for his latest EP, Boy From Anderson County. Augustana’s indie rock songs such as “Boston” have been part of opening acts for The Chicks, Andrew McMahon and the Wilderness. SunSquabi, Rose Music Hall, Jan. 20, 8:30 p.m., $17 in advance, $20 day of; Augustana, Rose Music Hall, Feb. 5., 8 p.m., $25; Kolby Cooper, The Blue Note, Feb. 19, 9 p.m., $17 in advance, $20 day of

Photography

courtesy of Kevin Condon,

Unbound Book Festival

and Creative Commons

FIND YOUR SOLE MATE P. 15

MURAL, MURAL ON THE WALL P. 16

A page for all seasons

Hand-crocheted sweaters are in style, and banana bread and sourdough had their moments. Papermaking is another athome and accessible art trend. Here’s a how-to guide with tips on how to try your hand at this craft.

Looking for a new winter hobby? Papermaking is a hands-on and environment-friendly craft.

Tools of the papermaking trade First, you’ll need a mold and deckle, commonly made as a wood box frame with metal screening that’s used to form sheets of paper. These can be purchased online and at craft stores. “You don’t actually need a lot of fancy equipment at all,” says Mary Sandbothe, education and outreach director at Columbia Art League. She recommends building your own mold and deckle with window screening and

BY SOPHIE STEPHENS

Photography by Sara Williams and courtesy of Lisa Bartlett and Unsplash

During the papermaking process, you can change the thickness of the pulp, or the ratio of pulp to water, depending on how thick you’d like the paper to be, Jo Stealey says.

wood from a hardware store. Then you’ll need fibers. An easy, environment-friendly source of fibers is to upcycle paper such as junk mail or unwanted notebook pages. Later, try adding other fibers to change the texture or look of your paper. Helen Hiebert, an artist and author of papermaking how-to books, recommends using plant fibers in her book The Papermaker’s Companion. “Every plant material can be processed to make paper,” says Jo Stealey, a former MU fibers professor. “One of the really fun things to make paper with is onion skins or bok choy.” Before using these kitchen scraps, Stealey says to steam the fibers until they’re soft. Next, you’ll need felts to press the wet pages between. Spare cotton or wool bed

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C ULTURE ARTS

sheets are a good at-home option. Papermakers will often stack pages in the felts to make a post, or a tower of wet pages. Use cinder blocks or anything heavy on top of your post to press out the excess water. All’s well that blends well Pulp is a thick solution of water and torn fibers that can be made at home with a blender. Stealey recommends using pre-soaked paper to make it easier on the blender. The pulp should be thick enough to handle but not too dry or runny. Add more fibers or water as needed to adjust the consistency. “Slowly drop those small pieces of paper into the blender until the blender changes sound,” Stealey says. “You can hear it working harder.” Once the fibers are blended until fine, the pulp is ready. Gathering form Fill a tub with water. It should be large enough for the mold and deckle. Add a handful of pulp to the tub and stir it in the water. Then, dip your mold

and deckle into the tub and pull up to collect the pulp onto your frame. “It’s such a meditative process,” Sandbothe says. “It’s kind of entrancing, I guess.” Paper is forgiving, so if your sheets pull incorrectly or your pulp isn’t right, you can pull it again. “As long as it’s not dry, you can still make it into a better sheet.” Dry something new Once your pulp has been pulled onto your mold and deckle, you’ll want to

Left: Jo Stealey made this collage titled Landscape XII with handmade paper and machine stitching. Right: Drying paper on a clothesline works great, as long as you don’t mind paperthat’s not completely flat, Mary Sandbothe says.

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place it on the felt to dry. To do this, gently flip your mold and deckle to place the paper flat on your felt. Stealey recommends having a sponge and rolling pin on hand to help remove excess water. The paper is ready when you can successfully peel it from the felt. From there, you can leave it on another surface or hang it up until it air dries. Once it’s ready, use it in a journal to jot your next crafting idea on or as wrapping paper to cover your next gift.

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Photography courtesy of Jo Stealey and Mary Sandbothe

C U LT U RE FASHION

Sole searching Columbia sneakerheads are willing to foot big bills when it comes to landing the hottest kicks. BY SARAH BUSH

ike a museum protects its most priceless art collection, MU student Hanna Salha rarely opens the shoeboxes in her closet. Boasting a more than 30 pairs of shoes worth more than a year’s rent, Salha is a self-proclaimed sneakerhead. A sneakerhead is someone who puts copious amounts of time and money into buying, trading, reselling and collecting shoes. Some of these shoes are rare, some exclusive and some viewed as a staple to have in any collector’s closet. Many sneakerheads chase after shoes so expensive, they might never come out of the box. “A lot of people are scared to even wear them because they know the value will go down,” Salha says. The sneaker game Fashion crossed over with pop culture in the mid-1980s when brands such as Nike, Adidas and Reebok became big contenders in the sneaker game. Labels worked with household names to establish brands of their own, which attracted more sneakerheads. For example, in 1985, Michael Jordan collaborated with Nike to release the ubiquitous Air Jordan. In 2015, Nike collaborated with Drake to release his own exclusive line. One of Drake’s pairs, OVO-White, a collaboration released in 2016, has a resale value of over $1,000. “A sneaker could just bring in a whole different market,” says local rapper and sneaker customizer and collector Nicholas Horton. The sneaker industry reached a value of $78 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $103 billion by 2026, according to Statista Research. Photography by Sara Williams

The anticipation builds Brands treat sneaker drops much like movie premieres or album releases and build months of hype leading up to the release. By promoting sneakers as exclusive and limited edition items, there is a frenzy around certain pairs. “I’d have to ditch school, go get the sneakers, and then just try to come back before the next period,” Horton says. Horton says his interest started when he was 12 years old when his older brother got a job at a sneaker store. He would do chores around the house or save his lunch money to afford a new pair of kicks. “In middle school, I always used to sell candies at lunchtime,” he says. “I used to save that cash in a jar and wait until I got $200 to $300.” Most sneakerheads try to buy sneakers at a lower cost and resell them

Sneakerhead Nicholas Horton has had a kick for kicks since he was 12 years old. He originally studied to become a cobbler but now collects and customizes sneakers. Horton completes two to three customized pairs per month.

Many of Nicholas Horton’s designs feature various cartoon characters based on the customer’s interests. After putting together a mock-up for the client, Horton gets to work on shoes like these Cat in the Hat Vans Old Skool sneakers.

for a profit. Salha says she’ll buy shoes at what she calls “hype” stores in the Chicago area and resell them for double, sometimes triple, the amount she bought them for. “I’ve made probably around seven grand,” she says. “60% of that goes into reinvesting in shoes, and the other 40 will go to bills, necessities, or more shoes for myself.” A personal touch Before sneaker customization became his game, Horton spent more than four years studying cobblery, or shoemaking. He originally wanted to create his own shoes but opted for shoe customization instead, which was a cheaper creative outlet. Customization adds another element of value to sneakers. Shops on eBay or Etsy specialize in turning sneakers into one-of-a-kind custom kicks. “I could just buy these sneakers I was already buying and just customize them and design them the way I want for people,” Horton says. He buys shoes at retail price and sells them for more than double the original cost once he adds the customizations. The new kicks might even feature cartoons such as Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat. Horton says that shoes provide a great sense of community among sneakerheads. “I had a sneakerhead teacher one time,” he says. “ We would sit down at lunch and talk about sneakers that we bought. The connection between sneakerheads ... it’s crazy.”

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CULTURE ART Adrienne Luther painted this mural in Flat Branch Park to celebrate people who use Missouri trails. Luther says designing the mural was emotional because it had been so long since she’d seen children able to play in big groups due to social distancing.

Bringing people together Walls don’t have to separate us. With an artistic touch, they can build a sense of community. BY ANGELINA EDWARDS

or thousands of years, murals have been a way of documenting history and reflecting the values and customs of communities. “I would consider cave paintings to be the first murals, if you look at the history of cave paintings and humans wanting to make a mark and document their existence,” says Catherine Armbrust, an adjunct faculty member for the MU School of Visual Studies and the director of the George Caleb Bingham Gallery. Columbia’s public spaces are decorated with murals that document the city’s people and the values they want to share. Paul Jackson’s prominent mural at the corner of Broadway and Hitt Street reminds Columbia citizens of the beauty and value of nature with its whimsical landscape. David Spear’s recent mural of John William “Blind” Boone, an influential Black composer and jazz pianist, on North College Avenue documents the history and importance of Black artists from mid-Missouri.

WHAT MAKES A MURAL?

By definition, a mural is any art that is directly painted onto or applied to a wall. The term mural comes from the Latin word “murus,” meaning wall. Artwork ranging from amateur graffiti art to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel are all murals, showing the diversity of style and themes possible on a wall.

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Murals enable individuals to connect with Columbia’s history and with other people in the city who might not otherwise cross paths. Encouraging collaboration Local artist Adrienne Luther says mural work allows her to connect with businesses in town, which pay to have murals painted as a kind of renovation. During the height of the pandemic, Luther says she worked with many businesses that used their Paycheck Protection Program loans for art. “I’ve gotten to connect with a lot of the small business owners in town, and it’s really felt like such a community,” Luther says. “There is a network of small businesses that want to work together to keep each other afloat, and they also want to support local art and have that integrated into their business.” Local artist James Hopfenblatt began doing murals in 2012 when he was asked by a landlord to paint a mural for an art walk event. After the art walk, Hopfenblatt asked if he could paint murals on the sheds on the landlord’s property on Rogers Street. The landlord granted him free

reign to paint graffiti murals on the sheds. “Having those sheds and having those walls, I would sometimes bring people that were passing through Columbia that I knew that were also graffiti writers or artists, and I would tell them, ‘Hey, let’s paint a wall together,’” Hopfenblatt says. The landlord who owned the sheds has now sold the properties, and Hopfenblatt’s murals are no longer on display, but he has created other graffiti murals for places in town such as Jabberwocky Studios. Valuing community and righting wrongs Luther painted a mural this June in Flat Branch Park of children holding hands and playing together. She wanted the mural to celebrate people who use Missouri trails. Luther says painting the mural helped her connect with other artists as they collaborated on the project. While painting in Flat Branch Park, she talked with some of the unhoused people in the area and built connections with them. “Even if we all stalled out for about a year and a half, there’s still these common gathering places that aren’t going anywhere,” Luther says.

Photography by Cleo Norman and courtesy of Adrienne Luther

C U LT U RE ART

Lisa Bartlett, another local artist, has also worked on a mural that enabled her to connect with the community. Bartlett designed a mural in 2011 for the Roots N Blues Foundation’s Blues in the Schools program, which taught music history in local educational programs. Bartlett designed the mural, located outside of the Columbia Academy of Music, with the help of local elementary school students. The students drew pictures of musicians on paper, and then Bartlett decided on about ten of the drawings to include. “That’s what’s cool about public murals,” Bartlett says. “You get the community engaged. We got a construction company that donated scaffolding, and then people from all walks of life came and volunteered to do the painting.” Some property owners and businesses even donate walls for muralists to use. For Bartlett’s Blues in the Schools mural, local property owner John Ott volunteered the wall to support the project. Some murals, such as the recently removed Boone County Courthouse murals by painter Sid Larson from 1994, show Photography by Cleo Norman

how murals’ removal can represent cultural shifts and changing values. The murals at the courthouse were removed on Oct. 7, 2021, after people expressed concern about the images of extrajudicial punishments, such as whippings by law enforcement, Black men in chains and Bill Callahan, known as an “Indian fighter,” pointing a gun at an Indigenous man. The push to remove the murals was led by Boone County lawyers, who believe the images can intimidate people who are already distrustful of the judicial system. Make it home Murals are also a way of giving back to the people and places that make Columbia home. Local artist Cristina Núñez says murals can provide spatial awareness and a sense of uniqueness that these spaces otherwise would not have. “That place is that place and cannot be another,” Núñez says. “They (murals) give orientation and a sense of place.” Núñez, who grew up in Venezuela, used to do large-scale paintings on canvases but changed her style when she moved to Columbia. To give back to her new home,

Lisa Bartlett’s mural in the North Village Arts District faces East Walnut Street. Bartlett owns and operates Artlandish Gallery in The District, which offers branding and marketing tools for aspiring designers.

she painted a mural of a vase of flowers outside of local business International Cafe and one on a building at Four Oaks Farm. The floral theme in her murals is her way of decorating the city to feel more like home. “Anytime I move, I just feel at home when I start painting someplace and when I have plants and flowers around,” Núñez says. “Putting big paintings of plants outside is like a plant I’m putting in my new house. It’s to feel at home.” VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Ragtime, a catchy, foot-tapping genre from the turn of the 20th century, can trace its roots and its biggest hits to Missouri. Story by EVAN MUSIL Design by MOY ZHONG Photography by SARA WILLIAMS

n a weathered but restored brick building in St. Louis, musician T.J. Müller pulls from a stack of slim boxes and unsheathes a paper roll punched with holes. He places it in a compartment above the keys of a player piano and hooks the rolls into place. The sheet is stamped with a label: “Maple Leaf Rag” by Scott Joplin. Müller sets his feet on two large flat pedals and cycles at a quick and steady rate. The piano sings to life with a catchy, tumbling melody set against the even one-two beat of the bass. This is ragtime, the American musical phenomenon at the turn of the 20th century that has its roots in Missouri. From 1901 to 1903, this brick building was the home of Scott Joplin, who’s commonly dubbed the King of Ragtime. He composed over 40 rags including the popular song “The Entertainer,” which was likely written in the cramped quarters of this home. Now, the building is named the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site and serves as a museum and time capsule from another era, when streetcars ran the streets and people packed rows of houses in an increasingly segregated neighborhood. Müller works at the site, giving tours and preserving the home’s history. When he’s not teaching visitors about ragtime music, he’s performing it on trumpet in early jazz bands. He’s drawn by ragtime’s definitive feature: a syncopated, off-beat melo-

dy paired with a bouncy on-beat bass. This “ragged” rhythm gave the genre its name, and it’s the same quality that made Joplin’s 1899 “Maple Leaf Rag” a nationwide success — its sheet music sold over half a million copies by 1909. It’s the quintessential ragtime song, and Joplin wrote and published it in Sedalia. Missouri is a crucial part of ragtime’s history. Ragtime still has its devoted, modern-day fans — a small community of performers, historians and enthusiasts spread across the world. They organize festivals, with one of the most popular ones in Sedalia. They host radio shows, such as Ragtime with Joy on Columbia’s KOPN. They write new compositions, and teach the style’s tradition and ShowMe roots. “Missouri is such an underdog in terms of musical history,” Müller says. “So much influential music was created here, but it always gets skipped from the narrative.” As a genre developed by Black musicians, ragtime’s complicated legacy is tied up with racism. But the timeless beauty of its rhythm and melodies encourages modern enthusiasts to explore questions of injustice and continue spreading the music. Müller was born and raised in England but left college at the University of Edinburgh and moved to St. Louis in 2013 to tour with a jazz band. Even after leaving the group, Müller says he felt the need to stay and work in Missouri, ragtimers’ musical home.

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Drop the needle No one knows exactly when ragtime originated, but scholars estimate the style started taking shape in the 1880s. As Black folks fled the South to try to escape oppression and search for opportunities, many traveled up the Mississippi River and settled in Missouri. The arrival of the railroad hastened the flow of people and musical ideas, and Black American and European influences converged. There’s no written music from this period; songs were spread by ear only. Ragtime didn’t even have a name when it was first introduced to white audiences at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. A young Scott Joplin from Texarkana, Arkansas, attended the fair before moving to Sedalia to join its vibrant Black community. He studied composition techniques at the city’s George R. Smith College in 1895, which allowed him to document the burgeoning musical developments in sheet music. Joplin mentored many influential musicians while in Sedalia, including Missouri ragtimers Arthur Marshall and Scott Hayden. Joplin mostly performed in brothels and saloons, which were often the only places that allowed Black musicians to play. These seedy settings and association with the Black community made white Americans fascinated with ragtime as a racy escapade. However, Joplin disliked this perceived moral looseness, says Susan Curtis, a professor emeritus of history at Purdue

University and a Joplin biographer. “He thought it gave ragtime a bad name,” she says. “He encouraged people to write this great music but not associate it with a kind of lower-class bad behavior.” As ragtime became popularized in the 1900s, white musicians and audiences appropriated the music and ascribed racist lyrics and imagery to rags. Racist stereotypes plastered on many sheet music covers appealed to white perceptions of the music. “It was kind of a racial masquerade that (white audiences) were playing to what they thought Black people represented,” Curtis says. By the 1910s, many Black ragtime originators were overlooked in favor of imitative white performers and composers. Joplin started printing his own compositions in 1898 with music publisher John Stark. When “Maple Leaf Rag” became a smash hit, Joplin left Sedalia for St. Louis. He continued writing rags in his rented room, but he aspired to write theatrical music. He moved to New York, penned two operas and published one, Treemonisha, in 1911. It tells a story of a young Black woman who uses her education to ward off ignorance and save her community. Joplin couldn’t gather enough funding to perform it in its entirety, likely owing to class and racial biases. He died at 49 from syphillis in 1917 with little money to his name. Fifty miles away from Sedalia, Columbia was home to another eminent ragtime figure: composer and performer John William Boone. A childhood illness left Boone blind, and he was nicknamed “Blind” Boone. Although other performers with disabilities were marketed as gimmicks, Boone’s manager and close friend John Lange Jr. promoted Boone’s

Scott Joplin (above) would have used a player piano (left) to play his compositions using special sheet music rolls.

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Photography courtesy of Wiki Commons

John William “Blind” Boone and his wife, Eugenia, spent their lives giving back to Columbia.

concerts under the phrase “Merit Wins, Not Sympathy,” with his musical skills as the only highlight. He traveled the country performing in churches and theaters. Boone’s abilities are enshrined in myth. Spectators would say his forceful fingers would tear away every key of a piano during a performance, says Clyde Ruffin, chair of the John William Boone Heritage Foundation in Columbia. Another rumor spread that the powerful rumbles of his infamous piece the “Marshfield Tornado” fooled an audience into thinking a real storm was striking. Boone’s programs would include a mix of rags, classical works and his own compositions. Boone lived from 1864 until 1927 in a house on Fourth Street in Columbia, where the Blind Boone Home remains today. “He had a true heart, a giving heart for the city of Columbia,” Ruffin says. Boone would play piano for the neighborhood children and open his doors to the community. He donated money to Columbia College and the Second Baptist Church next door to his home. When his wife died three years after him, all of their belongings were left outside the home for anyone to take. “Although we’ll never discount the levels of poverty that existed here, there was also another story of achievement, success and prosperity, and this house is a symbol of that,” Ruffin says.

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Currently playing e By the ’20s, the emergence of jazz mad in d ragtime seem obsolete. It remaine note side a as des deca for ows the shad res. and steppingstone for newer gen ic mus ime ragt , ’70s early the in Then, new saw a sudden revival that inspired a sts. usia enth of n generatio One reason for the resurgence was g, the award-winning 1973 film The Stin with its anachronistic soundtrack com ther prised entirely of Joplin rags. Ano orperf ted estra orch fully first was the mance of Treemonisha, which premiered in Atlanta in 1972. Larry Melton, a dedicated ragtime that historian for over 50 years, attended He ent. stud uate grad a as ance perform dreturned to Sedalia inspired and foun in ed the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival 1974, which intended to bring high e class musicians together to celebrat now mid-Missouri’s ragtime heritage. It’s vals festi ime ragt est larg two the one of in the U.S and typically held outdoors in late May and early June. Virginia Tichenor directs the other ifestival, the West Coast Ragtime Fest val in Sacramento, California. Tichenor has hails from St. Louis, and ragtime late surrounded her since birth. Her ady father, Trebor Tichenor, had alre o amassed an impressive archive of pian des rolls and sheet music over some deca just when the revival hit. “The phone rynever stopped ringing,” she says. “Eve me, one wanted to talk to him about ragti about Scott Joplin and about learning the history here in Missouri.” Pulling inspiration from modern enstyles of bluegrass, folk and rock, ks. thusiasts began composing new wor craft These compositions brought back a that’s still practiced today. The renewed interest spread to Columbia in the ’90s and toward John e. A William Boone’s dilapidated hom ragdevoted group of historians and the time aficionados rallied to restore n house in a nearly 20-year process, Ruffi ion says. Columbia Parks and Recreat a Department stabilized the house, and n contractor remodeled the inside. Ruffi

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searched antique stores for furniture to recreate the original home’s elegant interior. It opened in 2016, not as a mus eum but as a community space available to all, which was how Boone wanted to leav e it after he died, he says. Lucille Salerno was instrumental in sustaining ragtime’s legacy in Columbia. As former chair of the “Bli nd” Boo ne Fou nda tion , she app lied for grants for the home’s restoration. She hosted her own ragtime radio hou r on KOPN and served on several festi val boards, including the Scott Joplin Festival, which awarded her an Outstan ding Achievement Award. She also organize d her own event in Columbia, the “Bli nd” Boone Ragtime and Early Jazz Fest ival, by asking performers at Sedalia’s festi val to make the quick trip east. The 2012 event was ragtime player and composer John Reed-Torres’ first encounter with Columbia. Since then , the Los Angeles musician visits almo st every year. Reed-Torres discovered ragtime as a kid in the ’90s when he heard Jopl in’s “The Entertainer” blaring from an ice cream truck. Growing up in South Cen tral Los Angeles as an Afro-Latino, he became fascinated when he learned Scot t Joplin was also Black and that ragt ime had a strong Black heritage. “There’s only a small handful of people of color within the ragtime com munity,” Reed-Torres says. He belie ves some of this is due to lack of prop er exposure; many people only hear ragtime in cartoons or Western movies with saloons. But he also believes the genr e’s historical baggage leads to it being ignored. “I know a lot of Black musician s that don’t want to touch it,” Reed-Tor res says. “But that was just the world (earl y ragtimers) lived in. They had to navi gate it the best they could.”

Reed-Torres’ love for ragtime’s enduring sound has pushed him to shar e the legacy with everyone. He perform s rags around L.A. and across the country to draw people to the genre. He formed the Ragtimers Club Facebook group, whic h remains the hub of the ragtime com munity today with nearly 1,200 members . He would visit Columbia to dress up as Boon e for performances and bring the musician back to life, and his ragtime admirati on cemented his connection with Salerno. After 19 years, the “Blind” Boone Festival halted in 2015 after health concerns prevented Salerno from filing for grant money. The festival never returned , and Salerno died in July 2020. “She was a champion of ragtime,” Reed-Torres says. “I mean, she was hardcore. She was heav ily invested not only in the preservation of the music but the people who played it.” Reed-Torres says Salerno valued youn g ragtimers and booked them hotel room s when they toured Columbia to ensu re they were able to keep performing.

Photography courtesy

of Wiki Commons

Musicians perform at the 1990 Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia. The festival, which began in 1974, is one of the two largest ragtime festivals in the country.

What’s up next Joy Rushing spends her Sunday mornings flipping through CDs and airing her picks on her KOPN radio show, Ragtime with Joy. She took over Salerno’s ragtime block when she retired from the station, and Rushing has been broadcasting tunes and interviews to listeners around the world for 10 years. Rushing is a ragtime devotee but a self-described introvert, and she isn’t looped into the community. “Part of that is me not being aggressive enough in going out and meeting people,” she says. “I tend to go to ragtime festivals and listen.” Still, Rushing immerses herself in ragtime’s players and qualities, and she hopes her show inspires the same personal joy in the music that it brings her. She also knows that keeping it alive means dispelling the dismissive notion of ragtime as outdated music. “If young people don’t carry on the music, it’ll just sit on somebody’s shelf,” Rushing says. “People won’t be able to

love it like I do.” Several festivals try to expand their reach by holding competitions for young performers. The Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival plans to nationally recognize an under-18 player next year and invite them to take the stage, says Doug Freed, president of the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Foundation. The festival also selects an artist in residence every year to teach ragtime’s roots in Sedalia public schools.

The Gaslight Squares are an early jazz band with an appreciation for ragtime.

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Reed-Torres says he has seen ragtime still resonate with younger generations, and social media helps them connect. “There’s Gen Z kids now on Facebook and TikTok, and they have their own little ragtime chat groups,” he says. Reed-Torres had a 13-year-old ragtime composer thank him for his videos. Melton knows younger performers don’t necessarily translate to a younger audience. “It’s something that people grow into as the popular music of their generation grows old,” he says. But he’s optimistic that ragtime isn’t going away anytime soon. “I think some of the best rags are being written right now.” Speaking of modern ragtime, on a Friday evening, in a narrow, dimly lit wine bar in St. Louis, Müller’s band the Gaslight Squares warms up on its usual stage. A concoction of trumpet, clarinet and piano fill the chattering air with jubilant melodies. The steady bass measures the pulse of the room and reflects the lighthearted unwinding after a long week. It’s Müller’s ideal setup. “I hate recording in sterile environments,” he says. “I want to be in the corner of some noisy bar. People are drinking, having a good time, thumping out some ragtime with other buddies who love the same thing.” As the band takes a break, Virginia Tichenor, who’s visiting from California, strolls up to the piano and lays down “Swipesy” by Joplin. The tune slides, jaunts and hops, and Tichenor’s body mimics every alternating beat with genuine love. The crowd slips out of conversation, diverts its attention to the sound and falls into a trance — aware of a master at work. There’s a sense that this is how ragtime is meant to be appreciated: by forming connections in crowded places across generations over a syncopated rhythm.

T.J. Müller, pictured playing a trumpet, is a ragtime aficionado— when he’s not showing visitors around the Scott Joplin House, he’s usually performing it.

FOR MORE BEHIND THE MUSIC... ...and to learn about the efforts to preserve ragtime in its musical home, check out KBIA’s in-depth audio feature by Xcaret Nuñez on kbia.org.

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

St o ry Lauren Blue Ph o t o s Nicole Gutierrez D e sign Makalah Hardy

Pilot Jan Sines leads a flight on the balloon Coddiwompler with the help of her crew. Sines runs the hot air balloon business BalloonStormers with her husband, Gary Sines.

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Gentle

giants

Hot air balloons lift riders and pilots away from the day-to-day to travel wherever the wind blows.

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M M

any people are awestruck when they see hot air balloons float through the sky. Hot air ballooning is a recreation and a profession that has thrived in Columbia for more than two decades, dating back to when the city hosted the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship from 1995 to 1997. Ben Humphreys is one enthusiast who worked to become a licensed pilot. His history with hot air balloons traces back to infancy when his family won a photo contest, where the prize was a ride in a hot air balloon. Despite being the subject of the winning photograph, baby Humphreys wasn’t able to lift off. Instead, his brother and mother took the ride. But at age 12, Humphreys was finally able to join in. “I saw a balloon flying, and I told (my mom) that she owed me a balloon ride since I was the one in that picture that won,” Humphreys says. “So I talked her into it.” Humphreys ended up going on a BalloonStormers ride with his uncle. Not long after, he started helping on their crew by assisting during takeoff and landing. At 13, Humphreys had his own balloon and began learning to fly. He was piloting solo by 14, got a private certificate at 16 and obtained his commercial certificate at 18. Now at age 24, he is flying at his own operation, Skyview Balloons, which he founded in 2019. Jan Sines, founder and owner of BalloonStormers, has been a pilot for HOW TO almost 50 years. When she first saw a TAKE OFF balloon floating over Nebraska’s skies in the early ’70s, she knew piloting was Skyview Balloons A private ride for two meant for her. passengers is $700 “It’s an adventure,” Sines says. “You and lasts 45 to 60 hop in an airplane, you know where minutes. A tethered you’re going. We don’t know where flight that allows up we’re going to end up. There’s nothing to 50 people an hour and ascends up to that’s like ballooning.” 50 feet is $1,000 George Thomas, pilot of the balper hour. 303-2261 loon Tiger Paw Express, began his ballooning career 28 years ago as a crew BalloonStormers member. He was initially drawn to the A balloon that allows up to four passengers peaceful nature of hot air balloons, and for 45 to 60 minutes after a few years of crewing, he got an costs $1,200. opportunity to buy his own balloon. 814-4000 Today, he is still hooked on flying.

Jan Sines readies for a flight with the help of her crew.

Sines pulls the side of the balloon, named Coddiwompler, during inflation. The balloon’s name means to travel with intent to an unknown destination.

Sines blasts the propane burner, or the balloon’s engine, to heat air. This causes the air to become lighter and rise, lifting the balloon. This process takes 15 minutes or less.

Chase crew members Neal Brandy, Marianne Jay and Gary Sines help guide the balloon to the street after landing in a neighborhood.

Getting a flying license isn’t an easy feat, Thomas says. Like a driver’s license, it requires many hours of training and hands-on practice. Aspiring pilots attend ground school to learn about equipment and safety practices. They must also take a Federal Aviation Administration written exam for a private certificate, as well as receive flight instruction from a commercial pilot. Once a pilot is approved to fly solo, they take an oral and flight exam from a designated examiner. Passing this test grants novice pilots free reign to fly commercially. In general, becoming a pilot requires a minimum of 10 hours of flight time before it’s possible to get a private license; for a commercial one, they must complete 35 hours, Humphreys says. But piloting is just one aspect of ballooning. “The easiest part of my job is actually flying the balloon,” Humphreys says. There are other responsibilities such as maintaining the balloon’s fabric and burner, keeping an eye on the weather to know if it’s safe to ride, cooperating with landowners for takeoffs and landings and complying with FAA regulations. Part of the allure of flying in hot air balloons is the opportunity to see the world from a new perspective and take a break from the expected as the balloons sail into the expansive sky. Thomas and Humphreys travel all over the U.S. and Mexico for festivals. Both Thomas and Sines have flown over Canada, and Sines has globe-trotted to Puerto Rico, Taiwan, China and competed in the Women’s World Hot Air Ballooning Championship in France. “Some people call balloons ‘gentle giants,’ and it’s just nice to be part of a sport where you can fly and enjoy the tranquility and peace and quiet of being up in the air,” Thomas says. “Coupled with that is the opportunity to share that with other people and give them an opportunity to see balloons.” Sines agrees. One of the aspects she enjoys most about ballooning is the thrill she and others feel when they’re airborne. “You get to make the people on the ground happy, and the people in the balloon are happy,” she says. “So for me, it’s wonderful.” Additional reporting by Nicole Gutierrez.

“A four-day celebration of art, music, and film, transforming downtown Columbia into a one-of-a-kind creative wonderland.”

true/false film fest March 3-6, 2022

S E S S A P L L A NOW! ON SALE

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BOARD GAMES AND SMALL PLATES P. 31

DINING AND DECOR P. 32

Hot wings and saucey things Let Vox guide you toward the perfect chicken wings for your Super Bowl watch parties — you’ll win no matter the final score. BY ANNA KOCHMAN

Stadium Grill serves up wings in BBQ, buffalo, thai or chipotle BBQ sauces.

Photography by Madi Winfield and courtesy of Unsplash and Casa Maria’s

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

E AT + DRINK FOODS

Mark your calendars — the Super Bowl is Feb. 13 this year. The fan favorite is the food at your watch party, and nothing says football like chicken wings. Not sure where to pick up a bucket of hot wings smothered in spicy or smoky sauce? Vox spoke with local restaurants about what makes their wings unique (and how spicy their most popular sauces are) so you can snag some crowd-pleasers for your get-together. Como Smoke & Fire Como Smoke & Fire, a family-owned barbecue joint in north Columbia, has been slinging brisket, pulled pork and other BBQ favorites since 2013. But the menu isn’t complete without smoked and flash-fried chicken wings. “We dry rub them, smoke them, cool them and then flash-fry them to order after they’ve been smoked,” says Patrick Hawkins, a manager at Como Smoke & Fire. “So that brings back out that smoky taste and also gives it that crispy edge.” Hawkins says if you’re looking for a smoky base flavor, Smoke & Fire is the way to go. // Price: $10.99/pound Two sauces to try Parmesan garlic: “It’s not really about the heat on that sauce, but it’s got the heat to it,” Hawkins says. “It’s more about [the flavor].” // Spice level: Easy n’ cheesy.

Classic buffalo: He says the heat is equivalent to Frank’s RedHot sauce. Snag these if you’re looking for a little kick without burning your mouth off. // Spice level: There’s a kick. Gumby’s Pizza Columbia mainstay Gumby’s offers “famous wings” with seven different sauce options. Shift manager Erica Hampton says the wings are baked in their pizza oven. “They tend to get a little crispier since they’re well done,” Hampton says. // Price: $12.49/pound for boneless, $11.99/pound for bone-in Two sauces to try Garlic n herb dry rub: Hampton says pair these wings with honey garlic dipping sauce for a unique flavor you won’t find anywhere else in town. // Spice level: Born to be mild. Buffalo: This sauce is smack in the middle on spice level and is a great option for fans of moderate heat. // Spice level: Heating up. Wingin Out These wings are bound to be good because they’re the main item on Wingin Out’s menu. “We cook everything fresh; it’s all cooked to order,” says Nikki Frost, a cashier at Wingin Out. “It’s also non-

WHERE ARE THE WINGS?

Como Smoke & Fire 4600 Paris Road, 443-3473, comosmoke andfire.com Gumby’s Pizza 1201 E. Broadway or 912 Rain Forest Parkway, 874-8629 or 7778998, gumbys columbia.com Wingin Out 916 E. Broadway 449-9464, winginout.com/ home-columbia Stadium Grill 1219 Fellows Place, 777-9292, stadiumgrill columbia.com

GMO, so nothing’s been modified. It’s just good, wholesome chicken.” With fried Oreos, milkshakes and mozzarella sticks also on the menu, you can’t go wrong. // Price: $13.99/pound for boneless, $9.99 for 10 bone-in wings Two sauces to try Hot honey: Despite the name, it’s a milder sauce with a sweet flavor. // Spice level: Feel the tingle. X-hot insane: Frost says that not only is the sauce itself spicy, but it also contains pepper flakes throughout. // Spice level: Not for newbies. Stadium Grill Buried amid Stadium Grill’s huge menu of American fare, you’ll find a hidden treasure — award-winning wings. “What makes us a little different than some is we have breaded bone-in wings,” Vaughn says. “It seems to be pretty popular.” // Price: $14.99 for 10 bone-in wings, $8.99 for 12 boneless wings Two sauces to try Buffalo: “There’s hot sauce [in it], but it’s not a burn-your-face-off type of sauce,” Vaughn says. // Spice level: You might break a sweat. Insane: Vaughn says the sauce’s heat is because it’s habanero-based, and though there’s spicier sauces, it’ll leave you sweating. // Spice level: Order a glass of milk.

Wings can be served with sides such as fries or tots, and ranch dressing can help take the edge off of particularly hot wings.

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Photography by Madi Winfield

E AT + DRI N K NIGHT LIFE

Game gurus

liqueur, lime juice and club soda. Ochoa also recommends the popular Villainous, named after the Disney-themed game, which is a mix of vodka, blue curaçao, pineapple juice and lemonade. The pub also serves craft beers from Columbia’s Logboat Brewing Co. and wines.

Cara and Adam Stark serve up nibbles and classic fun at the first board game pub in mid-Missouri. BY ELISE MULLIGAN

hen you see a brightly colored board game, what comes to mind? The time you bought out the Boardwalk in Monopoly in colored cash? Or what about that 54-point word that your dad still gives you grief for in Scrabble? The sheer number of memories that can be made is endless and also somewhat comforting. Downtown Jefferson City features a pub that brings this same feeling to life with its twinkling lights outside and its wall of carefully chosen board games and homey decor inside. It’s the type of place where you can get a classy cocktail at the bar and then settle down with a group of friends for a familiar game of Clue — or any of the board games in the bar’s vast collection.

ends and hosts trivia nights on Thursdays. Adam works at the pub all day, every day. Cara only remembers two times that Adam hasn’t been the one to close, one of which was the night of their honeymoon. “When you feel like something represents what you want to put out into the world, then it’s easy to invest all your time and energy into it,” Cara says, while Adam nods in agreement.

Check the color (above) before you play for the best board game experience, possibly while grazing from a charcuterie board (below).

Their game of life Owning and operating mid-Missouri’s first board game pub is not a casual venture for Cara and Adam Stark. Ever since meeting in college, the couple have shared a passion for board games. The chess board they received on their wedding day still sits atop an end table at Cork & Board. Cara and Adam bought the restaurant, then called Cork & Provisions, in October 2019, and initially continued the previous owner’s standard fine-dining experience. It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic forced the restaurant to move to takeout only that Cara and Adam began thinking about rebranding. In June 2020, they rolled the dice on their rebranded board game-themed pub. The Starks’ passion for running their business comes in handy, especially when the pub takes up most of their free time. While Cara also has a full-time job at a law firm, she’s at Cork & Board on the week-

Cork & Board candyland The combination of upscale and casual aesthetics is reflected in the menu, which ranges from snacks and small bites to premium themed cocktails. In between dice rolls and wheel spins, customers can munch on mac and cheese, hot dogs or bagel bites toasted with warm cheese or meats. They also have nibble bowls with mix-and-match M&M’s, animal crackers, gummy bears and other sweets for snacking in between turns. Cara and Adam also serve cocktails that can be paired with charcuterie “cork boards” of colorful cheeses, cranberries, sausage, beet chips, gluten-free crackers and house preserves. Daniela Ochoa, a waitress and bartender at Cork & Board, sometimes experiments with new drink concoctions, one of which became the cocktail Mrs. Peacock. The drink, named after a character in Clue, contains bourbon, elderflower

CORK & BOARD

Photography courtesy of Cara Alexander Stark

124 E. High St. Jefferson City Tues.–Thurs. 3–10 p.m. Friday 3 p.m. to midnight Saturday noon to midnight 635-3643

Clue into the community Cork & Board is one of a kind in the state with its extensive collection of over 150 games, which was carefully curated with help from Columbia’s Valhalla’s Gate Games. Customers pay a “library fee” of $5 per group and gain access to the entire selection with guidance from Cork & Board’s “game gurus,” who are staff members prepared to help you select the perfect game for your group’s style of play with no pressure. The goal, according to the Starks, is to create an environment that is casual enough for relaxing activities yet perfect for a romantic evening. “We’re a really intimate space,” Cara says. “It can work for your friends, it can work for your date and it’s 100% unique to anything else you could go to in Jefferson City.” Or Columbia, too, for that matter. This is because board games bring people together, Cara says, whether by creating cross-generational connections or strengthening the dynamics in a relationship. “Even if you do know each other really well, playing board games is still a good way to learn about each other,” Cara says. The Starks take this to heart. Despite all the time they spend there, they never seem to get bored of board games. “All of our friends know that if they want to see us, they can come to Cork & Board,” Cara says.

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

E AT & DRINK RESTAURANTS

Jewish bakery,” says Amanda Rainey, owner of Goldie’s Bagels. Rainey imbues her space with Jewish culture by displaying items such as her cookbook collection, tchotchkes and a menorah. Another personal touch is the pickle-printed wallpaper. “People that want to support local businesses flock into local businesses when there’s a certain vibe,” Rainey says. Local woodworker Andy Werth is making a bench and shelving for the new building space. Painters out of Chicago are creating gold leaf signs like the old-school design style of New York and Chicago bagel shops, which commonly use the gold lettering on glass doors and windows.

The dinner’s in the details From family heirlooms to hydroponic planters, local restaurants are offering flair alongside meals to create dining spaces that dazzle. BY SOPHIE STEPHENS

hoosing where to eat is a decision that’s as much about food as it is atmosphere. Decor, seating and art all affect the dining experience. Some local restaurants are focused on creating spaces that serve vibes as good as their food. Ms. Kim’s Fish and Chicken Shack 505 Nichols St., Fulton For Kim Perry, owner of Ms. Kim’s Fish and Chicken Shack, the location of her eatery in Fulton aims to invoke nostalgia. Using decor and appliances from her family, Perry has created a space that feels more like a home than a restaurant. “It reminds (customers) of their grandma’s kitchen, or their mother’s kitchen,” Perry says. The homey feel comes from the old fridge, stove and biscuit table, which are items Perry received from her grandmother. “It just brings a fuzzy feeling to people,” Perry says.

Catalpa 302 Main St., Arrow Rock Liz Huff, owner of Catalpa, says she rebranded and is remodeling her restaurant to make the design more modern. She wants her space to carry the aura of an upscale restaurant while keeping the food affordable. “The idea is for people to walk in here and be like, ‘Wow, this does not look like a pizza and burger place; this looks like a modern fine-dining restaurant,’” Huff says. Huff tried out her modern design ideas with karaoke, a hydroponic planter that holds edible flowers and herbs and TVs that serve as mirrors or art galleries. When Catalpa reopens, there will be seating areas with varying design styles, including a screened-in porch, mid-century style loft and a goldthemed bathroom that “is going to glow.” Goldie’s Bagels 114 S. Ninth St. “It’s going to be like your neighborhood

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The gold window signage at Goldie’s Bagels (above) is reminiscent of the design style of New York or Chicago bagel shops. At Casa Maria’s (below), local artist Cindy Scott helped the restaurant fuse Mexican and midMissouri culture, such as creating a sugar skull wall.

Casa Maria’s 1305 Grindstone Parkway Co-owners Crystal Umfress and Jesus Mendoza of Casa Maria’s want to provide mid-Missouri with a festive Mexican dining experience. Before they chose a space to open their restaurant, the two knew they wanted to work with local artist Cindy Scott. They began with a base theme of Agave and then included others like Dia de los Muertos. Scott also fused mid-Missouri within the space, including art that depicts the Big Burr Oak Tree. Umfress and Mendoza wrote in an email, “The artistic appeal was something that we wanted to incorporate due (to) art bringing people of all backgrounds together.”

COMING SOON Goldie’s Bagels, which moved into the old Harold’s Doughnuts downtown location, soft opened Dec. 18. Catalpa has a tentative reopening date of early February.

Photography by Lily Dozier and courtesy of Casa Maria’s

SEIZE THE SEASON P. 35

Sleeping on the benefits Feeling low on energy? Cranky? The culprit could be how you sleep. BY ABIGAIL RUHMAN

With only so much time in a day, how we spend our waking hours is important. But hectic schedules can often leave busy bees to neglect an important part of their day: sleep. Sleep deprivation is common. More than one-third of Missouri adults report sleeping less than the recommended minimum of 7 hours a night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also notes that 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep issues such as insomnia, narcolepsy and restless legs syndrome. Resting serves some important functions. It helps restore the body physically, prevents health issues and benefits mental processes like memory storage and emotional regulation. So why are so many people not getting enough of it?

Some habits can be developed to promote sleep. A few include dimming lights in the evening and not eating big meals before hitting the hay.

Photography by Haley Singleton and Illustrations by Makalah Hardy

Slumber saves the body People should consider sleep as one of the most important components of health, says Christina McCrae, an MU professor and director of the School of Medicine’s Mizzou Sleep Research Lab. “We hear a lot about diet and exercise,” McCrae says. “We don’t hear as much about sleep. But many people consider sleep to be the third leg of basic, foundational health behaviors.” When people don’t regularly get enough sleep, they have a higher risk of developing health problems such as heart issues, stroke and lower natural immunity, according to the Cleveland VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

CITY LIFE HEALTH

Clinic. In addition, people who suffer from insomnia are more susceptible to developing cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease, says Ashley Curtis, an assistant professor at MU’s Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Sciences and director of the Cognition, Aging, Sleep, and Health Lab. Barriers to your bedtime Fixing a broken sleep routine might be easier said than done. Even when many people try to get enough sleep, mental or physical barriers deprive them of precious pillow time. One culprit is insomnia, a condition in which someone struggles for an extended period of time to fall asleep or stay asleep, says Mary Beth Miller, an assistant professor in MU’s Department of Psychiatry and lab director at the university’s Health Intervention and Treatment Research Lab. Insomnia can be a short-term condition that lasts months, but some might suffer from chronic insomnia for years or decades. Insomnia can be triggered by stress or poor sleep habits. According to the Cleveland Clinic, there’s even a term for COVID-19 stress-inspired insomnia: “COVID-somnia.” The pandemic disrupted many people’s regular sleep schedules due to increased social isolation and shifts in work life, causing changes in sleep habits. Those with insomnia can treat it by making behavioral changes that promote sleep, such as dimming lights in the evening and avoiding exercise before bed. In contrast to insomnia, sleep apnea is a condition that affects someone when they are actually sleeping. A person with the condition will stop breathing during the night, so their brain forces them to wake up as an emergency response, Miller says. “The person doesn’t remember waking up unless something else happens,” she says. Mild sleep apnea is characterized as a person waking up less than five times an hour, Miller says. However, someone with severe sleep apnea can be affected more than 20 times an hour. Professionals prescribe a mask to those who suffer from this condition called a continuous positive airway

SLEEP HYGIENE

Tips to optimize your ZZZ’s. Naps Don’t take them late in the afternoon, says Ashley Curtis, a professor in MU’s Department of Psychiatry. Doing so can disrupt buildup in your sleep drive. Cut out bright light Mary Beth Miller, MU Psychiatry professor and lab tech, suggests dimming lights in the evening and avoiding blue light from screens. Routine Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule. The body functions on a 24-hour circadian rhythm. If you stray from it, then your body needs time to adjust.

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

pressure mask, also known as a CPAP machine. It circulates a steady stream of oxygen to a person’s airways to keep them sleeping throughout the night. A badge of dishonor America’s sleep problem runs alongside the nation’s hustle culture, which highlights productivity over leisure and even discourages sleep. Curtis says this notion should be laid to rest. “Sometimes, it’s almost seen as a badge of honor,” Curtis says of those who pride themselves on work while sacrificing sleep. “You’re like, ‘I didn’t sleep at all last night,’ and being busy, staying up late, getting up early — all of those are seen as things that have value.” For Curtis, changing people’s attitudes toward sleep and self-care means we have to do a better job educating them on sleep’s importance. Still, those willing to change their habits might not know which habits they should break. Some answers include avoiding screens at least an hour before bed. Miller also says to avoid drinking caffeinated beverages and eating big meals before bed, noting that digesting large amounts of food keeps

the body more active than it needs to be. “The whole point of you falling asleep is that your body takes a rest,” she said. It’s also healthy to set a routine time for waking and going to sleep. But those with chronic sleep issues face a different situation. “For the majority of people with chronic conditions, they’ve had this for 10 years or longer,” Curtis says. “It’s not necessarily about changing just sleep hygiene. It’s more about going in and changing the mechanisms that are sustaining insomnia.” To create a healthy sleep environment, people should try to match the total time in bed to the total amount of sleep needed. Rather than tossing and turning under the sheets, a person who can’t sleep shouldn’t try to force it. A good strategy is to leave the bedroom and do something non-stimulating, such as read a book, until tiredness naturally arrives. This helps build a stronger association between one’s bed and the act of sleep, Curtis says. Miller adds that no matter how frustrating it is to struggle with trying to sleep, do not watch the clock. “It just makes people more anxious, and then it makes it harder to go back to sleep.” Illustrations by Makalah Hardy

C I T Y LI FE RECREATION

Freezing cool fun Avoid catching cabin fever with these chilly winter activities. BY EVAN MUSIL

he first frost of winter comes with the allure of staying indoors and wrapping up in a blanket with hot chocolate in hand. But just because it’s colder doesn’t mean you have to hibernate. There are plenty of activities in Columbia and nearby that are best when the snow is piled on and the ice is thick. Vox scooped up some ways to have a flurry of fun this winter. Each activity is rated by freeze factor, which is the necessary degree of chill required on a scale of one to five. Ice hockey For fast-paced action to thrill away your chills in the form of ice hockey, drive down to Jefferson City for the nearest rink in mid-Missouri, Washington Park Ice Arena. During the winter, this humble ice palace draws people from a 90-mile radius, says Chad Brown, the hockey director at Jefferson City Parks. If you’re new to the game, the rink offers Stick & Puck sessions that allow players to learn hockey basics in an informal setting. Once you are comfortable, you can test your new skills in a drop-in game. “They’re pretty low-key,” Brown says. Competitive leagues can get physical and chippy, but drop-ins are more casual and cordial. But be prepared: Hockey demands some core strength. “You’re going to be working your butt off and sweating a lot,” Brown says. Maintaining balance while skating at high speeds can be tricky, but once you have it down, strength conditioning and practicing stick-handling can sharpen your shot and improve your game. Safety tip: Brown says well-fitting equipment — such as shin guards, elbow and shoulder pads and face shields — can protect you from hockey’s brute nature. “Dental insurance isn’t a bad idea,” he adds. Freeze factor: TTTTT (it’s indoors after all!)

Winter trails Pristine snow and gleaming icicles are reasons to take a cold tour through more than 50 miles of trails in Columbia, says Janet Godon, a planner for the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department. Columbia trails are open year-round; all you need is enough layers to keep warm. If you’re feeling adventurous, try snowshoeing or biking with studded winter tires. Cross-country skiing isn’t common in Columbia, but it has its regulars. Although the MKT Trail isn’t landscaped for it, Godon says some people traverse the trail on skis when there’s enough snow. She’s even heard of skiers at L.A. Nickell Golf Course, which isn’t officially open for skiing, but it’s allowed. Safety tip: Take note of icy paths, and be cautious, particularly on the wooden bridges. Freeze factor: TTTTT

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services recommends going outside between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on cold days and taking frequent indoor breaks to prevent hypothermia.

bit easier (than normal fishing),” says Ashley Edwards, the community education assistant at Missouri Department of Conservation. Once you’ve drilled a hole in the ice with an auger, all that’s left is dropping the line. Trout is the most popular fish during the winter, and they’ll readily bite to avoid wasting energy finding other food in the cold. Edwards recommends using special mini rods and either wax worms or night crawlers. Safety tips: Ice fishing is slow-paced but can be dangerous. “You never want to go alone,” Edwards says. Edwards suggests bringing a pick; it can help with making the hole or pulling yourself out of the icy water should you fall in. And don’t go if there’s snow, as the compact layers can make the ice melt more quickly. Freeze factor: TTTTT

Ice skating and sledding Every few years, Stephens Lake will freeze to at least 4 inches thick and becomes prime for ice skating. Godon recommends making the special chance to skate on the lake a family event. Skaters can hold a winter picnic by the lake or light a campfire at the park. If you don’t want to step on the ice, Stephens Lake Park is also home to one of Columbia’s most splendid sledding hills. If you take turns and mind your space to avoid crashes, sledding can be an exciting alternative to skating. Safety tip: Never skate alone, and always remain visible to others. Avoid skating near cracks, slushy patches or any parts of the ice that look darker, which indicates thinness. Freeze factor: TTTTT Ice fishing Columbia residents with a fishing license can grab a bucket and ice fish when the ice on Cosmo-Bethel Lake hits 4 inches or more in thickness. “It’s actually a little

Collage by Moy Zhong and archive photography by Trenton Almgren-Davis, Jessi Dodge, Haley Singleton, Gracie Smith and Antranik Tavitian

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

CALENDAR

TO-DO LIST Your curated guide of what to do in Columbia this month.

ARTS

Priya Suresh Kambli: Buttons for Eyes Priya Suresh Kambli shares her migrant experiences through photography. Her most recent project, “Buttons for Eyes,” explores loss, memory and cultural hybrid identity. This story is told through manipulated family photographs, altered artifacts and cultural practices. Kambli is also giving a lecture at MU. Exhibit is Dec. 6–Feb. 3, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., free, George Caleb Bingham Gallery; Lecture is Jan. 26, 6:30 p.m., free, 101 Swallow Hall, 881-7547

Black History Month Film Columbia Parks and Recreation Department presents the film Southside

With You, a biographical film about the meeting of Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson, also known as the Obamas. Feb. 9, 6 p.m., Armory Sports Center, free, 874-6379

The Scary of Sixty-First The award-winning film The Scary of Sixty-First is about two women who move into a New York apartment previously owned by sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The film won the Best First Feature Award at Berlin International Film Festival in 2021. Jan. 12, Ragtag Cinema, 441-8504

Literature Lovers’ Night Out In a Zoom event hosted by three Midwestern bookstores, including Columbia’s Skylark Bookshop, author

Parker Sawyers and Tiak Sumpter portray young Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson in the 2016 film Southside With You.

Marie Benedict will talk about her new novel, Her Hidden Genius. The story follows the short life of British chemist and X-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin and her work to discover the structure of the DNA molecule. Feb. 3, 7 p.m., free, litlovers.com/events

The Bald Soprano The Bald Soprano is an absurdist comedy production about two couples that engage in banter, storytelling and poems over dinner. Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m., Warehouse Theatre, $16, 876-7199

SO CAN YOU. 36

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Photography courtesy of Miramax/Roadside Attractions Name

C ALE N DAR

Other attractions include a wedding dress fashion show and complimentary mimosas. Jan. 16, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Holiday Inn Expo Center, $15–18, centralmoweddingexpo.com

FOOD

Wine and Whiskers

Todd Barry Get to know comedian Todd Barry as he brings his dry wit to Columbia. Barry has a 2017 Netflix special, Spicy Honey, and has appeared on many late night talk show stages. Feb. 10, 7 p.m., The Blue Note, $25, 874-1944

CIVIC

Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program Orientation Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri is the only refu-

gee resettlement agency in mid-Missouri. The agency’s orientation is required to volunteer and covers the experiences of refugees locally and around the world. Jan. 13, 5:30–7 p.m., Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri Office, free, 442-7568

Central Missouri Wedding Expo Bride St. Louis brings its bridal show to Columbia for an afternoon to showcase some of the latest wedding trends and offer wedding planning seminars.

Attendees must make online reservations for the Wine and Whiskers event. Pairing salty food, such as bacon, with sweet bourbon contrasts and enhances both of the flavors.

Cozy up with a cat and drink some warm spiced mulled wine during this cold season. There will be cheese, baked goods, fruits and veggies along with two glasses of wine and coloring pages for each person. Attendees must be 18 or older. Jan. 21, 5:30 p.m.; Jan. 22, 5:30 p.m.; Papa’s Cat Cafe, $20, 449-2287

Bacon and Bourbon Festival It’s not the B&B you were thinking of, but definitely something you should try. At this festival, there will be samplings of bacon, beer, bourbon, fine spirits and cocktails. Enjoy live music in addition to the drinks and snacks. Feb. 5, 1 p.m., Bur Oak Brewing Company, $20 no-alcohol admission, $40 general admission, 814-2178

Save a life. Don’t Drive HoMe buzzeD. BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING.

Photography by Olivia Anderson and courtesy of Unsplash

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

C ALENDAR

MUSIC

SPORTS

If you can’t make it to Elton John’s upcoming Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, get the next best experience by seeing Midwest Elton John tribute group Elton Dan & The Rocket Band. The group performs songs from seven of Elton John’s classic albums, including Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Madman Across the Water. Jan. 15, 8 p.m., The Blue

The Louisville Cardinals visit the Tigers in the last home competition before the Mizzou Qualifier. The men’s and women’s swim and dive teams both compete. Jan. 8, 11

Elton Dan & The Rocket Band

Note, $10–12, 874-1944

The January Lanterns Album Release Party Married folk-pop duo The January Lanterns will celebrate the release of its first full-length album with a party and performance featuring special guest Katie Anne. Jan. 21, 8 p.m., The Blue Note, $8–15, 874-1944

Ulysses Owens Jr. & Generation Y Drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. returns to the “We Always Swing”

Swimming and Diving

a.m., Mizzou Aquatic Center, Free, 884-7297

ROC 7K Trail Run Jazz Series for two shows as part of the “Sundays @ Murry’s” schedule. This time, Owens is the leader of the Generation Y quintet, which features four of his students from The Juilliard School. Feb. 6, 3:30 and 7 p.m., Murry’s, $20–47, 449-3009

Brittney Spencer

Swimmers break the water at the Mizzou Invite in November.

Complete Rhett’s Outdoor Challenge and race through Rhett’s Run mountain bike trail on foot in this 7K event. The race will award top three finishers in each age category. Register before Jan. 6 to guarantee a race shirt. Jan. 21, 9 a.m., Cosmo Park, $35, 874-7460

Harlem Globetrotters

Roots N Blues performer Brittney Spencer returns to Columbia on her first headlining tour, In a Perfect World. Fellow country artist Abbey Cone will perform as the opening act. Feb. 11, 8:30 p.m., Rose Music

The world-famous exhibition team stops in Columbia for an evening of full-court fun. The group’s Spread Game Tour includes new characters and a dunk contest. Feb. 8, 7 p.m.,

Hall, $16–20, 874-1944

Mizzou Arena, 884-7297

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

Photography by Ciara McCaskill/Archive

photo finish

STRONGER TOGETHER PHOTOGRAPHY BY OWEN ZILIAK Uriah Whitecalf hugs his dog, Butter, during a November event at Flat Branch Park in Columbia. Beside him rest the new coat and boots he picked up from Operation Safe Winter’s last distribution drive of 2021. Throughout the day about 60 other people joined in to choose warm clothes, food and hygiene products. In the four years since its creation, Operation Safe Winter has focused on equipping Columbia’s unhoused population with gear and resources to prepare for the colder months. “I woke up this morning thinking about healing,” says Shaun Brown, an attendee. “It’s a very fortunate thing for the homeless.” Additional reporting by Mae Bruce

VOX MAGAZINE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022