V O X M A G A Z I N E / / 1 2 . 1 0 . 1 5 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY
Race is a construct. Yet amid continued discrimination,
protests and task forces, it has a
profound effect on how we live our lives.
A team of writers explored what race means for those at MU. These stories — of being “the only,” of learned racism, cultural assimilation and failed diversity initiatives — all seek to answer the question:
WILL IT EVER BE ONE MIZZOU? PAGE 7
This week
Online
DECEMBER 10, 2015 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 48 | PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
BEHIND THE SCENES: RACE ON CAMPUS
Feature
Race has long been an issue at MU and continues to divide the campus. These stories challenge us to face the reality of racism and examine our own biases to help create a more inclusive future. PAGE 7
Hear from the writers of this week’s feature as they discuss what challenges they faced and the lessons they learned during the reporting process.
V O X M A G A Z I N E / / 1 2 . 1 0 . 1 5 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY
WINTER WONDERLAND
NEWS & INSIGHT
Cold weather is no excuse to stay inside all day. From the Polar Plunge to ice fishing, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the great outdoors this season.
With proposed legislation, advocates hope to put an end to LGBT discrimination in the state. PAGE 4
BARREL FEVER
Just disc it. The Columbia disc golf community expands with the opening of a new course and increased interest in this offbeat sport. PAGE 5
THE SCENE
How important is a college degree for a career in music? Three musicians march to the beat of their own educational drums. PAGE 19
Logboat Brewing is mixing up a new batch of beers that have been aged in barrels for some unique brews.
PAGE 7
With a diverse background and unique perspective, the newest member of the UM Board of Curators, Yvonne Sparks, hopes for a greater sense of community on campus. PAGE 23
ELIZA SMITH
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Growing up in Kansas City, I remember feeling self-conscious about my pale skin. Unsatisfied with the neutral and peach-toned crayons I used to draw self-portraits, I was under the impression that God hadn’t “colored me in yet.” It’s interesting that I was so aware of my whiteness as a 5-year-old because I spent the next 20 years of my life mostly forgetting about it. I recognize now that this unawareness is the foundation of my white privilege. Our feature this week was put together by a writing class that spent the semester asking one another difficult questions about race on campus, in Columbia and in the country. They have journeyed a long way together, and it is evident from their work. We start with AnDrea Jackson, whose first-person narrative of being a black student on MU’s campus (Page 8) gives me chills each time I read it. It’s followed by a very different but compelling piece from Thomas Dixon (Page 9) about his move from a diverse Illinois community to MU. Reading their stories together reminds me that our narratives do not have to contradict or collide. We can attest to one another’s diverse truths. Alongside the feature is a timeline of racial tension at MU (Page 10), beginning in 1892 when the MU football team forfeited to the University of Nebraska because the school refused to take the field with Nebraska’s black running back. The events recounted are both unsettling and familiar. This investigation into the lived experience of race is essential to our growth as individuals and as a community. Being part of the process in sharing these stories is another sort of privilege — and a responsibility.
Editor: Eliza Smith Deputy Editor: Bryan Bumgardner Managing Editor: Haley Pitto Creative Director: Tracee Tibbitts Digital Managing Editor: Abby Holman Art Directors: Ben Kothe, Madison Alcedo Photo Editor: Alex Menz iPad Art Director: Morgan Purdy VoxTalk Editor: Ciera Velarde Multimedia Editor: Haley Reed iPad Assistant Art Director: Megan Bedford Calendar Editor: Carson Kohler News & Insight Editors: Sarah Dettmer, Adrienne Donica, Kendyl Kearly The Scene Editors: Veronica DeStefano, Abby Kass, Casey Nighbor Music Editors: Scott Germanetti, Rebecca McGee, Sara Trimble Arts & Books Editors: Christine Jackson, Hannah Pederson Contributing Writers: Paul Albani-Burgio, Madison Feller, Niki Kottmann, Bayli Martin, Patrick McKenna, Cassa Niedringhaus, Molly Olmstead, Annie Rees, Dan Roe Editorial Director: Heather Lamb Executive Editor: Jennifer Rowe Reporting Beat Leader & Digital Director: Sara Shipley Hiles Writing Coach: John Fennell Office Manager: Kim Townlain
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PHOTOS BY HANNAH STURTECKY/MISSOURIAN; JOHN HAPPEL/MISSOURIAN
Q&A
VOX STAFF
WILL IT EVER BE ONE MIZZOU?
FROM THE EDITOR
Author Carolyn Mulford breaks through tropes with her young adult fiction and series of spy novels featuring strong female characters. PAGE 21
levels in the body using a saliva test. An article in the Dec. 3 issue incorrectly identified the test. It also mischaracterized a Pela Cura patient’s diagnosis. The patient had hypothyroidism with symptoms of sleeplessness, fatigue and depression.
A team of writers explored what race means for those at MU. These stories — of being “the only,” of learned racism, cultural assimilation and failed diversity initiatives — all seek to answer the question:
CAN’T GET ENOUGH VOX? DOWNLOAD THE IPAD APP
BOOKS
Correction: Dr. William Trumbower determines hormone
protests and task forces, it has a
We’re social.
Hi, hi, Miss American Pie. Five reasons to catch musical legend Don McLean, who is gracing the stage at the Missouri Theatre this week. PAGE 20
COVER DESIGN: TORI HEPPERMANN
Race is a construct. Yet amid continued discrimination, profound effect on how we live our lives.
No great story ever starts with someone eating a salad. Ye Olde Lady & Pint and Wolf’s Head Tavern bring the European pub vibe to Columbia. PAGE 6
MUSIC
320 LEE HILLS HALL COLUMBIA MO 65211 573-884-6432 VOX@MISSOURI.EDU ADVERTISING: 573-882-5714
Radar
Vox’s take on the talk of the week
HOLIDAY HAVOC
MURRAY CHRISTMAS
How we plan to spend the holidays: 5% Catching up on reading
35% Hibernating
30% Spending time with friends and family
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROTTEN TOMATOES; ILLUSTRATIONS BY TRACEE TIBBITTS
30% Enjoying home cooking
How we actually spend the holidays: 30% Binge-watching Netflix
5% Obligatory religious service
10% Drinking wine 15% Forgetting the names of distant cousins we only see during the holidays
25% Explaining to family why we’re still single
15% Drinking more wine
BREAKING BARRIERS
Gov. Jay Nixon signed Executive Order 15-09 last week to improve gender pay equity through a recommended set of guidelines. Although the Missouri Equal Pay Act was passed in 1963, the wage gap remains an overwhelming issue. Between 2008 and 2012, full-time working women in Missouri earned only 71 percent what their male counterparts earned. The Woman’s Foundation and the University of Missouri are developing the guidelines and will release them in April 2016. Statistics from 2008–2012, study by the University of Missouri Institute of Public Policy
Bill Murray is dope, and everybody knows it. In a shocking turn of events, Murray was cast in Wes Anderson’s next stop-motion film. This news came after the release of the actor’s A Very Murray Christmas special on Netflix. Anderson-Murray collabs make sense, but the duet with Miley Cyrus in the special? Unexpectedly great. 2 CHARITY
“She got a rent check, so I pay her rent check”... ... is what we assume 2 Chainz was thinking when he decided to furnish single-parent and disabled veteran Dierdre Plater’s home in Palmetto, Georgia, and pay her rent for an entire year. The rapper’s philanthropy is funded through his charity, the T.R.U. Foundation.
Written by: Sarah Dettmer, Scott Germanetti, Christine Jackson, Tracee Tibbitts and Sara Trimble
True or False? Schlafly Pale Ale
is made with English hops, English malt and English yeast.
TRUE. Schlafly Beer is a proud sponsor of True/False Film Fest. 12.10.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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NEWS & INSIGHT
A state in debate
Gay marriage is legal, but so is LGBT discrimination in Missouri BY KELSIE SCHRADER
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Sedalia in October, and a Monroe City newspaper refused to publish another couple’s wedding announcement. PROMO and Progress Missouri work together to educate the public on this loophole in Missouri’s discrimination policies, recognizing that, especially after gay marriage was legalized, many people assume discrimination isn’t allowed. “People think it must be illegal to fire someone because they’re gay or to evict them because they’re gay, and I have to tell people, ‘No, you can totally do that,’” says Rigel Oliveri, MU associate law professor with a discrimination emphasis. “People think it’s all done, the fight is over. You can get married on Saturday and fired on Monday.” Some state representatives say MONA would hurt business, but the advocates have found more than a thousand businesses that support the legislation and don’t believe it would negatively impact their businesses, Gilmore says. Sixteen cities in Missouri, including Columbia, have municipal ordinances that add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes in some form, but many are limited. In Columbia, discrimination punishment can include a fine of up to $1,000, a 30-day maximum imprisonment or both, says Rose Wibbenmeyer, assistant city counselor and staff liaison to the Human Rights Commission in Columbia. Regardless, these city ordinances are a sign of hope for many advocates pushing for statewide discrimination protection. Webber will refile the legislation for a vote next year, and the House Speaker will schedule the vote. Because of the Senate’s 2013 approval of MONA, advocates are hopeful that next year, the legislation will go further, and Missouri will take statewide steps towards equality.
ILLUSTRATION BY BEN KOTHE
It’s 2015. Gay marriage has been legal nationwide for nearly six months, and LGBT advocates celebrated the Supreme Court decision. Although Republicandominated Missouri government had to accept gay marriage, discrimination against members of the LGBT community still runs rampant — and it’s completely legal. For the past seven years, State Representative Stephen Webber, a House Democrat, has worked to pass the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act (MONA) to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Missouri Human Rights Statute. Currently, the statute protects individuals from discrimination in employment, housing and public areas if it is based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, age or familial status. Because the law doesn’t explicitly mention sexual orientation and gender identity, LGBT discrimination is protected in Missouri. Webber has been the main sponsor of the 17-year-old MONA for six years but says House Republicans have blocked it for the past 13 years, though the Senate approved it in 2013. “There’s a lot of extremists in the Missouri Republican Party who just don’t believe in tolerance when it comes to sexual orientation.” Without this legislation, the LGBT community is unable to fight discrimination. The 2013 Jackson County case of James Pittman made this issue all too clear. The plaintiff said he faced many instances of harassment at his job before being fired for being gay. He cited multiple discriminatory incidents in his claim, including his company president asking Pittman if he had AIDS. The October ruling from the chief judge in the appeals case acknowledged Pittman’s discrimination but stated that because sexual orientation isn’t included in the Missouri Human Rights Statute, Pittman could not sue, leaving him powerless against his mistreatment. Advocacy groups around Missouri such as PROMO and Progress Missouri are trying to change this gap in discrimination protections. “Think about all the many people who are just like James Pittman who don’t have the opportunity to come forward,” says Rashaan Gilmore, senior field organizer for PROMO. “They’re just out of luck.” Instances of LGBT-based discrimination aren’t isolated. A gay couple was denied a wedding venue in
NEWS & INSIGHT
On par with the pros A new disc golf course could give Columbia a leg up on the competition BY MADELYNE MAAG
Columbia Disc Golf Club members play Ring of Fire at the 31st Mid-America Open in AlbertOakland Park, one of three Columbia parks that currently has a disc golf course.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GABE WILKERSON
In Strawn Park on the city’s west side, the Parks and Recreation Department is building a new disc golf course. The course, which will open next spring, could mean big things for the city’s thriving disc golf community. John Houck, owner of the disc golf planning and consulting firm HouckDesign, has been essential in the arrangement of the course. He helps communities design challenging and environmentally integrated courses. “I spend hours walking around each hole, observing each obstacle and looking for three key features,” Houck says. These features — rolling terrain, dense forests and precarious water hazards — challenge players to rely on strategy rather than physical ability, he says. Strawn Park fits all three criteria, and the championship-level course has the potential to bring more tournaments to Columbia. Gabe Wilkerson, president of the Columbia Disc Golf Club, is hopeful the new course will allow the club to host a championship tournament soon. The organization is one of the oldest disc golf communities in the country and is open to people of any age or experience level. “Before I got involved with the disc golf club, I had never been involved in
such a diverse social activity,” Wilkerson says. The club continues to grow with 150 current members. Columbia has three disc golf courses in addition to the one being built at Strawn Park. These courses host some of the most popular tournaments in the nation, such as the Ice Bowl. The tournament started in Columbia and takes place every winter. No matter the weather, players from across the country flock to Indian Hills Disc Golf course to toss their discs down each fairway. Adam Morrison, a longtime player for the Columbia Disc Golf Club, says the tournament setting is vastly different from a normal day on the course. “The competition at these tournaments is so large in comparison to just playing day-to-day disc golf,” Morrison says. “You can’t just focus on one person challenging you. You have to focus on getting through each course.” Strawn Park will be a great addition, says Morrison, who has played at three world championships and won the 19-and-under championship in 2012. “I think it’s a great asset to the disc golf community and going to change the level of how we play,” Morrison says of the more challenging course. “It’s going to make everyone who plays it better.”
KNOW YOUR DISC GOLF LINGO Ace: Similar to the hole-in-one in golf, this is when the disc lands in the basket on the first throw.
Drive: A fast, long-distance throw considered to be one of the toughest in the game.
Tee pad: The concrete area where players first throw their discs.
Mid-range: A type of disc designed for a slower, more precise throw.
Hyzer: A backhand throw useful for arcing around obstacles.
Tomahawk: When a player throws the disc vertically over his or her head. 12.10.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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THE SCENE
Anatomy of a pub
Two new taverns bring a taste of Europe to Columbia There are several types of bars in Columbia. At college bars, you can expect cheap but strong drinks and a loud atmosphere. Wine bars boast a classy, quiet environment and talk to friends, and music venues offer a chance to see live bands while sipping drinks.
BY MARGAUX SCOTT PHOTOS BY JOHN HAPPEL AND ERJUN PENG
Columbia residents also seem to enjoy a place to relax, have a beer and eat some comfort food. The newest additions to the Columbia scene are two pubs that give a nod to each owner’s heritage. Ye Olde Lady & Pint is a British one while The Wolf’s Head Tavern
is an Irish pub. Both opened in the past couple months and have already gained a regular crowd. Based on traditional pubs from across the pond, each brings different elements to Columbia. Here’s a breakdown of how the two stack up.
Fish N Chips is a staple at Lady & Pint.
Wolf’s Head switches up its menu with sandwich specials.
Ye Olde Lady & Pint
The Wolf’s Head Tavern
Background: With 25 years in the restaurant industry, Doug Marsden used his experience to help open a British pub, a niche he felt Columbia was missing. He wanted a pub where you could get a burger and hang out. Marsden’s English theme comes from his heritage: A town in England bears his surname. “Obviously, it’s different than English pubs,” Marsden says. “We keep the beer above 59 degrees, which is the cellar temperature there.”
Background: When Trey Quinlan’s lease on upscale eatery Trey Bistro expired earlier this year, he decided to try something new. He, his brother Boen Quinlan and a third partner, Aaron Warren, decided to open an Irish pub instead. Wolf’s Head is named for wolves’ prominent place in Irish mythology. Their goal to become an Irish version of Cheers is becoming a reality. The pub has several returning customers already. “I go there three or four times a week,” regular patron Kevin Wooldridge says. “It’s laid-back and welcoming.”
Atmosphere: What once was El Maguey Mexican restaurant on Conley Road is now adorned with handcrafted dark wooden accents. Soccer team scarves hang on a wall separating the bar from the dining area. Small trinkets such as teapots add to the English theme. European football is a constant on the three flatscreens. “We don’t want to be a sports bar. We want people to come in and wind down and enjoy their pint,” Marsden says. Food and Drink: Lady & Pint features European beers, with Guinness and Harp on draft, among others. There’s a strong British influence on the menu, but it also offers burgers, soups, salads and more. Favorites include Shepherd’s Pie, Bangers and Mash and Fish N Chips. The Bangers and Mash is regular pub sausages YE OLDE LADY & PINT with grilled onion and served on top of garlic Suite U, 21 Conley Road mashed potatoes. Bubble N Squeak, similar to 777-5140 a potato cake, is made with sautéed cabbage, ladyandpintcolumbia.com carrots, onions and mashed potatoes. 6
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Atmosphere: With a wide-open space, the bar sprawls across an exposed brick wall as the focal point. Previously Chim’s Thai Kitchen, the pub is subtle when bringing in an Irish vibe. “You could probably walk into Wolf’s Head and guess it’s an Irish bar,” Boen Quinlan says. “We’ve got plenty of Guinness stuff on the wall, and some of the food is Irish. There aren’t shamrocks hanging everywhere, though.” Food and Drink: The bar offers a shot and a beer for $5 and $2 Fireball shots every time a fire truck leaves Fire Station #1 across the street. The pub serves lunch, dinner and, on the weekend, brunch. With a mix of traditional Irish fare and eclectic creations, the THE WOLF’S HEAD TAVERN food has been well-received. Lunch and dinner 201 N.10th St. favorites are the Irish Reuben, Fish N’ Chips, 777-8654 Mac N’ Cheese and The Hot Mess, which is their thewolfshead.com version of a Cuban.
RACE
ON CAMPUS
PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES; JUSTIN L. STEWART/MISSOURIAN
Protests in 1974 and 2015
T
hose who passed by the University of Missouri’s iconic columns last year undoubtedly noticed a large black, gold and white banner hanging high in between the middle two pillars. Bordered by MU’s statement of values, the anniversary display was meant as an ode to the university’s relentless pursuit of respect, responsibility, discovery and excellence throughout the past 175 years. It was a “happy birthday, beautiful,” if you will. But to say these have been the only sentiments expressed by Mizzou faculty, staff and students for nearly two centuries would be false. The university was established in 1839, 22 years before the start of the Civil War. Fighting broke out among the northern and southern states in 1861 and continued until 1865. By the end of the war, MU had existed for 26 years before the idea of free black men, women and children ever became a national reality. Over the course of the next century, MU was a campus of progression in other issues. But it took 111 years before the university accepted black students. Black students were not allowed at MU in 1879 when the first woman was allowed to practice law in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. Black students were not allowed at MU in the 1890s during construction of Red Campus, the buildings surrounding the quad, nor in 1913–1914 during construction of White Campus, the buildings east of the quad. MU did not admit black students until 1950, as activist group Concerned
Student 1950 points out in its name. Missouri is, historically, a state that has remained inside its comfort zone. It was a border state during the Civil War and home to militia members from the Union and the Confederacy. Its stance on Lloyd Gaines’ admission to MU Law School and the separate but equal doctrine led to a 1938 decision from the U.S. Supreme Court. But staying inside the comfort zone hinders change. Perceptions of race have progressed in the 65 years since black students were first admitted to MU, but prejudice remains in the hearts of many. Sifting through those beliefs and starting conversations means dredging up internal, lifelong biases and judgments, but doing so is vital to understanding one another. The following stories are diverse in content but united in purpose: to delve deeper into past and present issues of race on campus, including psychological and first-person perspectives. The writers faced the discomfort of personal biases; they attacked the lie that everything is OK and took a step back from their own experiences to better understand those of others. MU has been in the spotlight for recent incidents of racial tension on campus, but such outcry is nothing new. This package covers over 100 years of history, through times of lynchings, segregation and activism. It aims to give context to the recent protests and racial climate. With these stories, the concept of “One Mizzou” is dismantled, and segregation is scrutinized beyond a black-and-white issue. We hope it sparks conversations and challenge perspectives.
Perceptions of race have progressed in the 65 years since black students were first admitted to MU, but prejudice remains in the hearts of many.
—Grace Pinegar 12.10.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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SILENT
NO MORE
It’s time to speak the truth and tell the stories too many refuse to hear By AnDrea Jackson Photos by Sarah Bell
Racism does exist here, AnDrea Jackson says. Instead of denying it, we must acknowledge it, expose it for what it is and help dismantle it.
Let me tell you a story. It was a Wednesday afternoon, and I had just stepped onto the muddy tarp floor of the Concerned Student 1950 campsite when three white male students approached. They said they were there for support. They claimed to have brought the protestors food. But what they offered was a single pack of crackers, an already opened Hershey’s bar and fake smiles. They recorded the moment on an iPhone, and it was apparent to us they weren’t there to help. They were there to harm. When we confronted them, they feigned disbelief and questioned our doubts about their sincerity. Then they walked away. I was furious. Did they not hear me when I told them I was a journalist? Did they ignore me when I said I was a witness to their charade? Did they even care? What angered me most wasn’t their act of ignorance; it was their puzzled looks when we rose up against it. As if we weren’t supposed to react. As if we were just supposed to take it. The audacity of such an idea. But I’ve been encountering this type of attitude since the day the tents came down. I’m not trying to bash white people. That’s not my intent. However, there is a portion of Columbia’s white population that is still — after all that has transpired — in denial about our present-day reality. And they would rather us black folks stay quiet about it. They tell us to get over it. Ignore the offenders. It’s better that way. Better for whom? Would it be better for MU student Corie Wilkins to get over the day he was singled out for being black at the campus bookstore? He was pulled aside when the alarm went off. But when it sounded again, he watched as white students passed by. No one said a word. It was a painful experience, and it hurt him more than the fives times he’s been called the n-word on campus and around town. Marquise Griffin, another MU student, was called a gorilla. A group of drunk white guys shouted it as he 8
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walked past their balcony downtown. They pointed at him, beat their chests and gave a loud hoot. This was one of five racist incidents he experienced in his first five months in Columbia. It was an unexpected welcome to a place he was ready to call home. These are the stories we’re being told not to tell; the ones they say don’t matter. These are the everyday struggles of the black population at Mizzou. They’re being dismissed as isolated incidents and called fabrications. Why? So white people can dodge hard conversations? So they won’t be made to feel uncomfortable? So they can avoid acknowledging their white privilege, an admission that could rock the foundation of their self-confidence? But white privilege is revealed by a white person’s ability to choose. People of color rarely have a choice because at some point in our lives, we’re going to be challenged by a discriminatory action, a derogatory word or a disparate circumstance, whether directly or indirectly, that will pull us into the conversation. Underrepresentation qualifies as a disparate circumstance. The opportunities in which minorities see themselves represented on the MU campus are extremely rare. Take a look around. Almost every photo on the walls of university buildings tells a story of the institution’s white history and its white traditions. Unless we are in a space such as the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center, our cultures are practically invisible. Denial of our missing faces is not an option. In September, I was invited to a ceremony to receive an award for an article I’d written. It didn’t take long for me to realize that out of about 65 journalists who
represented big and small newspapers across the state of Missouri, I was the only black person in attendance. There’s a term for that type of experience: It’s called being “the only.” Immediately, an uncomfortable feeling came over me. I was acutely aware of my blackness. If you’ve never been the only, it might be hard to understand the intensity of it. Everything that makes me different felt like it was on display, from my hair, to my facial features, to the gait of my walk. And then I saw her, a person with skin like mine. She was carrying a tray laden with food. I looked at her. She looked at me. And we smiled at each other in a moment of understanding and acknowledgement. On that day, I didn’t see myself in the faces of the other journalists in the room. I saw myself in the face of a servant. History had revealed itself in an unsettling way. I realize there are still going to be some white people in Columbia and at Mizzou who — AnDrea Jackson won’t believe our stories. They’ll discount our black experiences and look the other way. They’ll say we’re exaggerating, we’re overreacting, we’re whining about things that history and affirmative action have overcome. They’ll not be swayed by articles, teach-ins or one-on-one conversations. It’s a disheartening thought. But I will not let their disbelief silence me. Last month, I had a moment of clarity, the kind that stirred my soul and awakened a deeper understanding. It was triggered by an article I read: “The Radical Vision of Toni Morrison” by Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah in The New York Times. In it, Kaadzi Ghansah asks, “Who will tell the stories we don’t tell ourselves?” I will. I will tell the stories.
“On that day, I didn’t see myself in the faces of other journalists. I saw myself in the face of a servant. History had revealed itself in an unsettling way.”
“
This is one of the many ways white privilege quietly manifests itself: My skin color is the majority, so it’s a non-issue. I never really have to think about it, so I rarely did. — Thomas Dixon
It’s important to look structurally and historically in the mirror, Thomas Dixon says.
I didn’t used to be racist. When I graduated from Niles North High School in 2012, our student body was 57 percent nonwhite and spoke more than 70 languages. Schools in Skokie, Illinois, were diverse when I started kindergarten. The district prided itself on diversity before I had any idea what it meant. To us kids, cultural differences were the norm, so our integration developed as naturally as our friendships. I remember pausing Grand Theft Auto on a third-grade play date so my friend, who happened to be Muslim, could pray with his brothers. His skin was brown and mine white, but I thought nothing of it. As we grew older, we became aware of our racial and cultural differences and began to see each other for them. We teased often, but offenses happened one-on-one and never escalated to group tension. I once lashed out at a friend during sophomore year chemistry for making fun of my pale skin; it didn't take me long to realize my overreaction and apologize. The ingrained nature of our multiculturalism created ease where tension would otherwise rise. I wish that made the social tension at MU easy for me to see. It was there when I first visited campus and later when I settled into Schurz Hall. But the first time I really considered it was 4 a.m. on a Saturday in the KCOU studio, marked only by a fruitless tweet I sent: Why is Mizzou so segregated? This was halfway into freshman year. I’d made almost exclusively white, Christian friends. I knew this was wrong, but seeking friendship in someone specifically because they weren’t white felt disingenuous. I realized this dilemma stemmed from the social climate, but instead of trying to solve it, I rationalized what it had given me. My friend group was geographically diverse, and by hanging out with
A SILENT
SHADOW
only white people, I was experiencing something new — that’s what college is all about, right? So I subconsciously learned to be white in a predominantly white place. Probably the first way to do this is to forget about race. Once I rationalized the problem, it seeped into the background of my life. This is one of the many ways white privilege quietly manifests itself: My skin color is the majority, so it’s a non-issue. I never really have to think about it, so I rarely did. The only time it came to the forefront was in conversation with someone who wasn’t white. I found I’d become hyper-conscious of my race, and my whiteness took on a new meaning in my personal identity. I felt it carried a connotation of ignorance at best, and a history of oppression at worst. I became overly concerned with proving that connotation wrong, but in reality, this internal conflict just made me anxious. I spoke less about race, fearing that I’d come off wrong and contribute negatively to a tense environment. The last thing I wanted anyone to think was that I was racist. But I am. Not in the sense that I misperceive biological differences or discriminate based on color — not internally nor interpersonally. But racism also exists on a third, structural level, in systems such as our colleges, courts of law and communities. As a community, MU is largely segregated and always has been. So when I hang out with only white people in the student center, at bars and at parties, I’m contributing to segregation. I’m contributing to a structure that creates tension and deepens the ink of America’s color lines. I’m helping them play out in institutions with much graver consequences. And when I continue to take what this structure gives us, I fall into the constricting role a history of American
”
A look at segregation on campus from a white perspective By Thomas Dixon
segregation molded for me, shirking the one I knew as a child. I fall into a sea as white as this page to which humans as black as these letters exist in perpetuated relation. In silence and rationalized denial, I cast a shadow. I create the darkness. This structural understanding requires that I see myself in a historical racial role, in which the fallacy of race itself is rooted. It’s uncomfortable because doing so diminishes my complex self to one quality — whiteness — that’s beyond my control. Ironically, that’s the point: No one likes to be minimized. The catch for me is when it comes to this systemic reduction, white is the best thing for me to be. The gift of such absurd privilege in the midst of unequal circumstances creates another kind of discomfort: white guilt. It’s a discomfort with the continuing history of oppression and privilege inherent in my whiteness, and it’s echoed in the uneasy silence I’ve kept in conversations about race. I continue to accept my racial role in spite of this discomfort and because of it. Its history is stronger in Columbia than it ever was in Skokie, a town full of immigrants. I’ve wondered for two months now: How I can reconcile this history? How can the cycle be stopped? I’ve started asking these questions with my own observations and reflections, through reading and writing, in conversations turned arguments with friends and family. I get the feeling these are unanswerable questions, or at least that a post-racial horizon is not within sight. But the asymptotic nature of the search doesn’t change much for me. In pursuit of the horizon, I know my shadow will shrink. 12.10.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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ASSIMILATION IN AMERICA
MU fosters partnerships with international universities, but students from overseas don’t always feel welcome By Grace Pinegar
Columbia race relations through time Racial tension at the University of Missouri did not start with Concerned Student 1950. Nor did it start in 1950 when the university was required to enroll black students. To better understand the narrative of race on campus, it’s necessary to go back more than 100 years. By Carson Kohler
1892
The University of Missouri forfeits to the University of Nebraska after refusing to play against Nebraska’s black running back. The Inter-State Association enforces a fine, so MU agrees to play the game the following season. 10
VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 12.10.15
1896 Tension rises when the University of Iowa’s first black football player, Franklin Kinney Holbrook, runs for a touchdown and scores against Missouri. Chants begin: “Kill the nigger!”
— Jia Lim
Another international student, Jia Lim, is originally from Malaysia and graduated from MU with a degree in magazine writing this summer. She recalls being aware that resources existed to connect her to other exchange students, but she found it difficult to become friends with native students. “American students are really collective,” she says. “It was hard for me to find where I belong. Americans already have a cultural identity.” Even her first American roommates weren’t a welcoming introduction into the culture. She and another woman from Malaysia subleased their rooms without knowing why they were available. They soon learned the two remaining roommates were “trouble-makers” who created an uncomfortable living environment, Lim says. “They would bring drunk people home at 4 a.m. and be laughing and cursing,” she says. “They wouldn’t do any chores.” Like Zhang, Lim had traveled far from her country only to find adjusting to this new home difficult. The creative director of the Multicultural Center, Young Kwon, is an AsianAmerican student. She coined the phrase “racially catcalled” to describe her experiences with racism in Columbia. “When I was walking down the street, random people like racially slur me, like ‘Oh hey, get me some wonton soup,’” she says. She has no words for how these instances make her feel. Kwon believes all students, regardless of background, have a responsibility to take interest in and educate themselves about other cultures. Racist remarks stem from an ignorance that might not exist if people took the time to create relationships with and learn about people different from them. “I think it’s important to keep each other accountable,” Kwon says. “I know I’m still learning that; I’m a shyer person. The conversation can definitely be uncomfortable, but I have to explain why it’s not okay to do certain things.” MU fosters and supports many official organizations which exist to connect diverse students, such as the International Center, the Multicultural Center and Mizzou’s Asian American Association. But these groups, with all the good they do, cannot combat ignorance on their own. “It’s necessary for everybody to be courageous enough to keep everybody in check,” Kwon says. “I think individuals should seek education themselves and try to reach out. If they have questions, they can certainly ask, but it’s not my duty to educate everybody on this campus.”
1912
1910
On July 12, Horace Williams, a man who has identified with MU longer than any other person, dies. His funeral is said to be one of the largest funerals held in Columbia for a black man, according to the Columbia Tribune. Williams worked for the university for more than 60 years as a janitor and “private servant to professors and faculty,” according to The Savitar.
The Tigers again refuse to play the University of Iowa, specifically citing Archie Alphonso Alexander, the black lineman. He’s forced to sit out. Iowa’s President George MacLean attempts to cut a deal with Missouri for future games. President A. Ross Hill of Missouri responds: “ ... Missouri will not play against any team that has a ‘nigger’ on it.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SAVITAR/UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Rui Zhang was born and raised in Wuhan, China, the capital of the Hubei Province. The city has jurisdiction over 13 districts and, as of a 2013 census, is home to more than 10 million people. By comparison, the city of Chicago has a population of less than 3 million. Zhang says he considers Wuhan to be a small city. The largest city in China is Shanghai with a staggering population of more than 22 million. Zhang spoke little English when he arrived in Chicago in the fall of 2014. Even while trying to find a taxi at the airport, he knew what he wanted to say but lacked the ability to communicate it properly. “When I first arrived at Chicago O’Hare Airport, there were four of us, so we have like eight luggages total,” he says. “We asked a lady where to get a taxi, and she said we need a van. I didn’t know what van is, so it was embarrassing.” For the first several months, understanding English was difficult for Zhang. He had trouble connecting with people because of language barriers. “Having a good conversation is really important, and that requires you know lots of things about culture,” Zhang says. MU partners with Wuhan Institute of Technology, so Zhang used the opportunity to come to Columbia and get a degree in chemical engineering. This degree plan consists of classes such as Biomass Refinery Operation. He had to quickly learn difficult vocabulary just to understand his assignments, but when Zhang first arrived, he was still trying to understand American sitcoms. Now, Zhang has made friends who celebrated his Sept. 10 birthday this year. At a Thursday night meeting with his community group from The Rock Campus Church, they burst into an off-pitch rendition of “Happy Birthday” while a student leader brought out a homemade cake. Watching this scene, you wouldn’t guess that Zhang’s first seven months at MU involved little interaction. His routine was to wake up early, work out at the MizzouRec, go to class, study, eat, watch movies at home and repeat. He didn’t reach out at first because he needed twice as much time as native English speakers to complete complex homework assignments. “In class, half of the words are what we have never learned about,” he says. “We have to learn the vocabulary first and then understand what (the professor) is talking about.”
“American students are really collective. It was hard for me to find where I belong. Americans already have a cultural identity.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MISSOURIAN ARCHIVES
Rui Zhang says understanding English was a major obstacle he faced during his first several months in Columbia. Learning vocabulary is one thing but having real conversations is another, he says. Zhang is studying chemical engineering at MU. Photo by Sarah Bell
“
1923
I think it’s important to keep each other accountable. The conversation can definitely be uncomfortable. — Young Kwon
On April 21, 1923, the Columbia Evening Missourian runs a story on Page 1: “A negro man made a brutal attack on a young white girl on the MKT path near Stewart Bridge in broad daylight yesterday afternoon.” The man is Charles T. Scott, an employee at the university. Scott denies the claims, and a trial is set for May. However, on April 28, a mob of about 40 men break into the Boone County Jail and take Scott. They march to Stewart Bridge where they tie a noose around his neck. Hundreds of spectators gather to watch the lynching. According to reports, Scott shouts his innocence before his body falls downward. Death is instantaneous.
Lloyd Lionel Gaines graduates from Lincoln University, a historically black school in Jefferson City, with a degree in history. He wants to pursue law. But MU, rather than accepting black students into its law school, opts to pay for students’ out-of-state tuition and send them elsewhere. Gaines sues the state court. He loses, but lawyers for the NAACP take his case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
1936
Lucile Bluford
”
Lucile Bluford is accepted into graduate school at Missouri School of Journalism. But when she arrives at Jesse Hall to enroll, registrar S.W. Canada turns her away despite the Supreme Court ruling for black students’ right to enroll. “Canada said the Lloyd Gaines case isn’t finally decided, and he hadn’t heard yet what was supposed to happen,” Bluford says in a 1993 interview with the Columbia Missourian. “Now, you know that’s crazy, but that’s what he said.” Bluford goes on to fight injustices against black students and faculty in higher education.
1938
1939
On Dec. 12, 1938, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that MU must admit Lloyd Gaines into its law school or provide a law school equivalent in Missouri. One night in March 1939, Gaines tells his friend he’s going out to buy postage stamps. He’s never seen again and was likely killed, which ends the legal dispute over which school he would attend in the fall. His case helps pave the way to Brown v. Board of Education and the outlaw of segregation in public education.
Lloyd Lionel Gaines 12.10.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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BREAKING BREAD & BARRIERS Weekly dinners transcend cultural differences and transform neighbors into family By Jessica Vaughn
1950
new people by inviting them over for dinner or offering a tasty welcome gift. For both Chang and Lam, food is not just a necessity for the body but also for the soul. In some Asian cultures, noodles are a symbol of longevity. They have sustained nations, regions and families for thousands of years. It was egg noodles that supported Lam’s family in the Neighbors Diana Chang, Alejandra Gudino, Hieu Lam and Laura Bergin make south of Vietnam in the 1970s. it a point to eat together weekly since last September. The meals provide a safe “Egg noodles were the space for serious conversation and a lot of laughter. Photo by TANZI PROPST foundation of our livelihood,” Lam says. “(My family) would wake up somewhere around 2 in their languages become a barrier to their friendship. the morning, make a fresh batch of egg noodles “She is such a gift,” Bergin says. “She reminds me every day.” of my mother so much. We’ll be sitting there at the This sort of business is passed down through dinner table, and we’ll all be talking, and Alejandra generations and families. will interpret for her. It’s nice to bring her into the “It’s like a legacy,” Chang says. “When you don’t conversation.” have a 401K you could pass on to someone, this is, in a But even without an interpreter, on warm summer way, a legacy because it’s someone’s livelihood.” evenings when the women share a glass of wine and a Chang’s family fled Vietnam in the late 1970s cigarette on the back porch, their understanding of each around the same time Gudino’s left Argentina during other is clear. “A lot of times, it’s not so much what you “La Guerra Sucia,” or The Dirty War. Their shared say but how your spirit is in that moment,” Bergin says. immigration stories were another connection, but Bergin smiles and passes the bread to Gudino. mostly, they connect with neighborhood friendliness. After a year of sharing a table, the neighborhood Bergin was the first of the neighbors to move to women have become a family. So when partners Chang her house on the lane. She formed friendships with her and Lam began to realize they were outgrowing their previous neighbors, but never like the ones she has with home, they couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness at these women. the thought of moving. “It’s just really nice to know my neighbors that “We love our neighbors,” Chang says. “When well,” Bergin says. “We share and borrow stuff from you make decisions in your life thinking about your each other. It’s really nice to make that neighborhood neighbor, that speaks volumes of your relationship.” connection.” Each woman has her own story and reason for Bergin speaks very little Spanish, and Gudino’s ending up on a cul-de-sac in Columbia. But they all mother speaks even less English. But neither of them let have the same reason for staying: one another.
A 1949 campus poll revealed that 4,000 of 6,000 students favored admitting black students to MU. In 1950, Cole County circuit judge Sam Blair orders black students to be admitted. Gus T. Ridgel is among nine of the first black students admitted to MU that year. “I knew what the policy was at that time,” Ridgel said in a 1996 Columbia Tribune article. “When I submitted my application, it was returned, and they had drawn a circle around where you designated race, saying as a Negro you needed to apply to Lincoln [in Jefferson City].” But even after Ridgel is admitted in 1950, black students are only admitted if Lincoln University does not offer a program equivalent. Gus T. Ridgel
In 1961, Kappa Alpha Psi becomes the first recognized minority student organization on campus and the first black fraternity. In 1968, the men of Alpha Phi Alpha, another black fraternity on campus, propose the establishment of the Legion of Black Collegians. The organization was recognized in 1969, and LBC’s first president, Ettie Collier, submits a list of 11 demands to Chancellor John Schwada to help address racism on campus. 12
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1968
1969
Arvarh Strickland becomes the university’s first black professor. In 2005, as he looked back on 27 years of teaching history, he told Vox he’d like to be remembered as a respectful man: “I respected all people, regardless of color or creed, and I respected other people’s beliefs.” Arvarh Strickland
PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF XIAOJIE OUYANG/MISSOURIAN; MISSOURIAN ARCHIVES
On a misty Sunday evening in October, eight women gather around a 100-year-old table draped in a colorful woven cloth. The wooden chairs creak beneath them. Conversations whirl in the air above them. It is almost impossible to keep up. Diana Chang calls her mom to have her explain the history behind Chinese moon cakes. She speaks Vietnamese. Alejandra Gudino’s mother leans in to discuss the spicy food. She speaks Spanish. Laura Bergin and Hieu Lam chat in English about their days. For the past year, food has brought these four women together at this table, where they are transcending cultural differences, maneuvering language barriers and forming friendships. They do not look the same. They do not have the same experiences. But they do have the same love for home-cooked meals and good conversation. Gudino believes that food is a catalyst for conversation. It gives people a reason to get together, a method to get to know each other. As Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator for the MU Family Nutrition Education Programs, she knows that these catalysts are vital for creating a healthy environment. Some nights when these neighbors come together for dinner, they have philosophical debates, other nights lighter talk of the town. But tonight, food and culture are the main topics of conversation. How does each person relate to food? What significance does it have in their lives? The dinners began shortly after Chang moved to a neighborhood by Stephens Lake Park last September. She popped her head over the lot’s privacy fence and shouted at her new neighbor. “Hey!” she said. “I’m grilling tonight. Do you want to eat?” Her neighbor, Gudino, unphased by Diana’s abrupt invitation, said yes. Then, from the opposite side of the yard came a gentler call. “I can bring something, too!” Bergin said. Chang has always used food as a way to get to know
THE PSYCHOLOGY
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SAVITAR/UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES; MISSOURIAN ARCHIVES
OF RACE
In a society divided by race, ‘color blindness’ interferes with conversations of progress By Sophia Conforti
Let’s say two people walk into a room. One is a person of color, who, from preschool, started cultivating ideas of race. At this young age, if asked who is the prettiest or smartest, he or she is more likely to answer in terms of skin color. Bad characteristics will be linked with darker skin tones. By early adolescence, this individual has started the lifelong, nonlinear process of understanding his or her racial identity. The next person in the room is white. This individual might negate the existence of his or her racial identity, consciously or unconsciously, because he or she is part of the societal norm. Unless experience has proved otherwise, this person might likely perceive race to be a non-issue. The problem in this hypothetical situation, which often mirrors reality, is the minimization of race, or “color blindness,” according to Kira Hudson Banks, a psychology professor at Saint Louis University and consultant on racial equity for the Ferguson Commission. Ideally, regardless of life experience, people need to discuss their racial identities freely in order to better understand one another. But colorblindness hinders effective conversation about race, Banks says. If society doesn’t acknowledge race, neither person can accurately discuss his or her racial background, or try to understand the “other’s.” Banks describes this colorblind problem as a major hindrance to current race discussions. “Because we’ve been raised in different racial spaces, we don’t always understand where each other is coming from,” she says. “Being colorblind does not decrease bias but increases it because we are ignoring (race).” Race is a social construct. According to Harvard professor of History of Science Evelynn Hammonds in the 2003 PBS three-part documentary series Race: The Power of an Illusion, race is human invention used to “categorize the perceived
There is more genetic variation within a racial group than across the racial spectrum as a whole, according to anthropologist Dr. Robert Sussman.
1985
1974
A black homecoming queen was crowned in 1969, and a black homecoming king in 1984, but never had both been black at the same time until 1985. When the game’s halftime announcement is made, the crowd goes silent. A smattering of boos, mostly from alumni, ensues. According to the AfricanAmerican Experience at the University of Missouri, homecoming king Marvin Cobbs said of the win, “This isn’t exactly Dr. Martin Luther King’s march in Selma, but it is really quite an accomplishment when two blacks win on a white campus.”
biological, social and cultural differences between human groups.” To Hammonds, race is something we can think ourselves out of. “We made it, so we can unmake it,” she says. In reality, thinking ourselves out of racism might not be plausible when many think race is a biological attribute. But scientific evidence linking race and DNA is nearly nonexistent, according to many experts such as Robert Sussman, an anthropologist at Washington University in St. Louis and author of The Myth of Race: The Troublesome Persistence of an Unscientific Idea. There is more genetic variation within a racial group than across the racial spectrum as a whole, Sussman says. Skin color alone doesn’t predict genetic diversity. Yet, the facts remain muddled, and society continues to ascribe racial distinctions to biology. This is, in part, due to a widening knowledge gap. The lack of explicit race education in schools allows for educators to gloss over important racial histories, Banks says. Without these histories, be it slavery or Japanese internment camps, the implication stands that society is beyond race. Like sex and politics, race is often considered a taboo topic for discussion, namely because it’s uncomfortable. People generally don’t want to be pegged as a racist, Banks says, so instead they wait for things to get better or disappear entirely. Beverly Daniel Tatum, psychologist and author of Why Are the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?, illustrates that it’s this cycle that allows for ongoing racism: “If we wait for perfection, we will never break the silence. The cycle of racism will continue uninterrupted.” Banks says this discomfort is not unavoidable. “It’s not something you can get beyond until you get more accustomed to having the conversations,” she says. “It’s kind of like when you work out. If you do a hard workout, you might not be able to walk the next day. But if you keep working that muscle, it just doesn’t hurt as much because your body is used to it.” Eventually, as people push race discussions past the point of discomfort, Banks says issues of racism will hopefully be answered from a view of social construction and not biology. It’s through this type of dialogue that two people can walk into a room, move beyond potential color blindness and achieve a greater understanding of each other’s racial identity. With this comprehension, conversations that can cultivate racial acceptance within society might finally begin.
1986
The University of Missouri invested $102.3 million in companies doing business in South Africa, according to an AP report. Protesters build a shantytown in Francis Quadrangle to symbolize the South African apartheid. Their goal is to stop the university from investing money in companies that are not treating blacks fairly. Five months later, the Board of Curators vote 5-2 to pull investments.
In April, a list of 15 new demands were submitted to Chancellor Herbert Schooling. The Legion of Black Collegians sends a memorandum to black students that cites examples of racism in July. The next month, the LBC requests a resolution to address the university’s failure to increase black faculty and students as previously promised. UM System President C. Brice Ratchford rejects the plan, citing it “was not made in the best interest of the university.” A peaceful demonstration with 500 participants takes place at Francis Quadrangle on Sept. 11 when the demands aren’t met. The incident puts a spotlight on the university and sets a tone for future negotiations.
12.10.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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WHY WE AREN’T ONE MIZZOU A campaign for unity fizzled into a misunderstood brand for the university By Lauren Rutherford
2002
1991 14
In 1989, students gathered in Speaker’s Circle to challenge the University of Missouri to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. In 1991, the university recognizes it as an official holiday.
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start the One Mizzou Steering Committee with the goal of forming a One Mizzou General Body, the movement’s people-power on campus. At the same time, Hosseini recalls One Mizzou advisors Hammond and Struble being told by Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin’s administration to step away from the initiative. “Our advisors were told to stop advising us,” Hosseini says. “They were told flat out, ‘You are not going to do this anymore.’” This type of threat and intimidation seemed implausible at first. Yet last month, nine college deans stepped forward and called for Loftin’s immediate removal. They cited the “toxic environment through threat, fear and intimidation” that he created. The third One Mizzou week took place in fall 2014 with administrative disapproval looming in the background. Orange is the New Black star Laverne Cox delivered a charged message, and the diversity panels resumed conversations. From here, it seems the movement for inclusivity became about each minority or marginalized group’s agendas. As Hosseini puts it, there were little pockets of social justice happening everywhere; just not as one, united movement. “One Mizzou was allowed to die by the administration,” Hosseini says. “It wasn’t (Loftin’s) thing. It wasn’t his brand.” In December 2014, hundreds of students dressed in black participated in a die-in as part of the MU4MikeBrown movement. Later that month, administrators met with students involved with the demonstration. Collectively, they decided to re-evaluate and eventually end One Mizzou a mere four years after its creation. The events of this semester are a testament to the power of the MU student body. This time, the university will need something more than One Mizzou to fix the issues plaguing campus.
Mykael Wright becomes the first black MSA president. “I didn’t put any added pressure on myself because I was the first black president,” he says in a 2007 article in The Maneater. “It’s not like you get a cookie or anything for stuff like that. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you’re the first or the last.”
Between 1:30 and 2 a.m. on March 1, two individuals are spotted running away from the Black Culture Center. When the sun rises, students gather as the news spreads via Facebook and Twitter: Cotton balls are scattered in front of the center. They remain until 2:30 p.m. A townhall meeting is held with more than 300 people in attendance. The incident is considered a hate crime.
2010
PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF MISSOURIAN ARCHIVES; WONSUK CHOI
Brady Deaton called the initiative his “proudest moment” more campus organizations, but low meeting attendance as chancellor. quickly became a problem. But four years after the launch of One Mizzou, why is Ahad Hosseini, former One Mizzou council member the MU community more broken than before? and One Mizzou Steering Committee coordinator, It was April 7, 2011. A large, white banner was rolled says this was the first time the initiative faltered. With out on top of tables. A stack of folded T-shirts sat nearby. more organizations involved, the focus began shifting A huge flock of students crowded the Student Center’s toward programming. But without a solidified vision for main floor. Deaton announced the One Mizzou initiative achieving inclusivity and diversity, the initiative started to for a more inclusive campus. Student leaders signed the lose steam. banner and pledged to promote a purposefully inclusive Not long after the council started meeting, Mizzou and diversity-minded campus community. Athletics simultaneously unveiled its own slogan for a The years preceding the reactive initiative weren’t One Mizzou marketing campaign. picture-perfect as that 2011 day. In 2010, cotton balls “Athletics just kind of took the brand and started littered the lawn of the Gaines/ making money off of it,” Oldham Black Culture Center in “Our advisors were told to stop Billingsley says. “It was a huge an act of hate. Only a year later, in advising us. They were told flat hiccup in our relationship.” September, racial slurs were found The logos were different, out, ‘You’re not going to but the phrase was the same, spray painted on Hatch Hall. do this anymore.’” even if the two campaigns “The vision for One Mizzou when it started was honestly to — Ahad Hosseini had completely different end the racism and bullshit that goals. Hosseini says this was was happening on this campus,” problematic for the cause: former Missouri Students Association President Xavier Athletics brought more attention to the phrase “One Billingsley says. Billingsley ran for MSA President in Mizzou,” but it didn’t capture the intended meaning 2011 on a platform supporting the initiative. behind it. Deaton’s diversity initiative began as a council of “Being a part of One Mizzou was just a part of being presidents and vice presidents from MSA, Graduate a feeling,” says Hosseini. “The feeling of appreciating Professional Council and Legion of Black Collegians, others and respecting what they feel is really all One along with the guidance of Craft Studio coordinator Mizzou was supposed to be.” Kelsey Hammond and former LGBTQ Resource Center But Hosseini says he doesn’t believe most students coordinator Struby Struble. understood the true intent of the movement. Many In fall 2012, during the first One Mizzou week, simply sported the drawstring backpacks and keychains Billingsley had raised thousands of dollars for events and thought it was a nice idea. Yet Hosseini says members promoting diversity and a keynote speech by Maya of minority communities were often frustrated to the Angelou. point of tears. The result was excitement among students, and In fall 2013, the second One Mizzou week passed many wanted to be involved with One Mizzou. The One with little planning and little attention. Mizzou Council expanded to include leadership from The following spring, the council decided to
THE POWER
OF AN ATHLETE
PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF MARK KAUZLAURICH; MU ATHLETICS
From silence to activism: the stories of black athletes at MU By Christian Clark “That boy can’t stay here.” The words hung in the air like a foul odor. “What do you mean?” MU basketball coach Sparky Stalcup asked. “That boy can’t stay here,” the motel clerk said again. It was clear to everyone on the MU basketball team that winter night in 1958 who the words were directed toward: Al Abram, a 6-foot-5 sophomore from St. Louis, the Tigers’ lone black player and the first black scholarship athlete in MU’s school history. The MU basketball team arrived at the Houston motel minutes earlier. The Tigers were scheduled to play Rice University the next day. All they wanted was a meal and some rest, but the motel clerk wouldn’t budge. He insisted that Abram couldn’t stay. Abram stood alongside his teammates in silence. “It was in a time when he couldn’t say anything,” says Joe Scott, Abram’s teammate on the 1958–1959 team. “And you don’t know what to say to him. It was a really uncomfortable, bad situation.” However, Stalcup’s ethnicity gave him the power to speak up. He screamed at the hotel clerk, but none of it did any good. The shouting eventually gave way to resignation. The team would have to improvise so that Abram had a place to sleep. Someone floated the idea that Abram could stay the night at Texas Southern, a historically black college just south of downtown Houston. It wasn’t perfect, but the team was out of options. So Stalcup made the arrangements, and Abram spent the night in a Texas Southern dorm alone the night before the Rice game. During warm-ups the next day, Abram’s blackness once again became painfully obvious. “Al was the only black person in the gym that night,” Scott says. None of it appeared to rattle Abram. Everything he shot seemed to find the bottom of the net. He finished with 23 points — more than a third of Missouri’s total in the team’s 68-62 win over Rice. Powerless to speak out against the discrimination he’d encountered in Houston, Abram protested the only way possible that winter night in 1958: by scoring. His family members say Abram rarely, if ever,
2014
brought up the racism he dealt with in Columbia or on the road. His wife, Glenda, says she didn’t find out about her late husband being denied a hotel room until years after it occurred. Abram died in 1982 after a career in finance with the city of St. Louis and the IRS. Nearly six decades have passed since Abram stepped foot in Columbia. In that time, hundreds of other black athletes, including MU legends Norris Stevenson, Kellen Winslow, Derrick Chievous, Larry Drew, Brad Smith, Jeremy Maclin and Kim English have made their marks. Many, if not all, have encountered discrimination in one form or another. Stevenson, who became the first black MU football player to receive a scholarship shortly after Abram earned his basketball scholarship, was denied service in a Texas hotel dining room. But before all of these stories, there was Abram. More than 57 years after that night at Rice, MU football player Charles Harris stood on Carnahan Quadrangle wearing a black hoodie with the words “I Can’t Breathe” printed across the chest. It was Monday, Nov. 9, and in front of him waited a horde of media. To his left stood teammates Ian Simon and J’Mon Moore. Behind him were roughly two dozen black football players, black students associated with the Concerned Student 1950 movement and about as many tents. Camera shutters clicked as Simon, a team captain, read an official statement on behalf of the football team. Just two days before, the MU football team aligned with Jonathan Butler, a black graduate student on a hunger strike, and Concerned Student 1950. Together, they pushed for UM System President Tim Wolfe’s removal. Some students on campus felt Wolfe had mishandled far too many racist incidents on campus and disliked his lack of response to incidents across the state. The football team entered the fray on Nov. 7 by announcing its intentions via Twitter to boycott games and practices until Wolfe was ousted. Fewer than 48 hours later, Wolfe, along with Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, stepped down. In light of events, media from across the country
The jury decides not to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson, who shot Michael Brown in August. At 11:45 a.m., students stage a “Hands Up Walkout,” which lasts more than an hour and a half and includes 4 1/2 minutes of silence to represent the 4 1/2 hours Michael Brown lay dead in the street. Students also lay on the ground and participate in a die-in. The protests are for Michael Brown but also represent racial inequality.
Al Abram was quiet about the racism he experienced at MU. He let his athletic talent speak for him.
descended on Columbia. Many sought to understand why the football team became involved. The group gathered on Carnahan Quadrangle seemed ready to disperse after Simon finished reading the statement. But before the group could leave, Harris spoke up. “Let this be a testament to all of the athletes across the country that you do have power,” the MU star defensive end said. “It started with a few individuals on our team, and look what it’s become. Look where it’s at right now. This is nationally known, and it started with just a few.” In some ways, Harris’ statement was true: The boycott was the brainchild of a handful of black MU football players. It gained national attention almost instantly. It accomplished Butler’s goal within 48 hours. In other ways, though, the football team’s power move was decades in the making — a moment made possible in part by black MU athletes who’d come before them, a diamond that resulted from untold amounts of pressure and struggle. Fifty-seven years after Abram had to remain silent in that Houston motel lobby, black MU football players united against racial injustice. Radical change was already under way as Simon, Moore, Harris and other black players stood on Carnahan Quadrangle in November addressing the media. On a day when mixed emotions swirled around the uncertainty in leadership and thoughts about if the racial climate at MU could truly improve, at least one thing was certain: This time, black athletes’ voices were heard.
2015
Recent events share an uncanny resemblance with the past: a list of demands, shared experiences of racism via letters or Twitter hashtags, protests and vandalism at the Gaines/ Oldham Black Cultural Center. Now the university asks, “What now? Where do we go from here?”
12.10.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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RACE BY THE NUMBERS
A lack of racial diversity among students and faculty has been cited time and again as something that needs to change at MU. While the university is making attempts to improve inclusivity, numbers show that the campus population is still overwhelmingly white. Here’s how the numbers behind the criticism actually break down. – BY MATTHEW PATSTON
Enrollment by race: Comparing 2005, 2014 and 2015 This fall, MU’s enrollment grew to about 35,000 students. Most MU minority populations increased along with overall enrollment. Over 1,000 more black students attend MU now than in 2014. White students saw the largest net increase in the past nine years, growing by 4,346 students. The number of Native American students decreased by 92, and students who chose not to report their race information decreased by 520.
30,000
NUMBER OF STUDENTS
25,000
20,000
15,000
27,073
In 2005, white students were 81 PERCENT of the student body. In 2014, white students were 76 PERCENT of the student body. In 2015, white students make up 75 PERCENT.
2005 2014 2015
In 2005, black students were 5 PERCENT of the student body. In 2014, black students were 7 PERCENT, and the percentage is the same this year.
26,921
22,727
The amount of non-resident international students continues to increase at MU, this year filling 7 PERCENT of the student body.
10,000
5,000 2,553 2,544 161 69
752 798
American Indian
Asian
779
1,052 Black
Hispanic
N/A 15 15 Pacific Islander
886 951
2,417 2,507 1,374 465
N/A Two or more races
Non-resident Int’l
985
453
Unknown
White
RACE AND ETHNICITY
“
We’ve got to be truthful. We’ve got to put the facts on the table. We’ve got to understand the ugly, ugly history that permeates everything we do in our institutions in this country. Once we get the truth on the table, I think we’re poised to reconcile those differences and move forward.
”
—Mike Middleton, at the press conference where he was named interim president of the UM system
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ACT scores of MU students Average ACT composites of MU enrollees by race (per subjects in 2013 Arcidiacono and Koedel study). The highest possible score is 36.
22.25
The study also examined colleges across Missouri and predicted the following graduation rates:
Black students
White students
25.88
61.1% White men
White women
66.2%
66%
68.7%
43.0%
51.3%
Graduation rate for black students at MU
Overall graduation rate at MU
Black men
Black women
INFOFORMATION COURTESY OF MIZZOUDIVERSITY; PHOTO BY TAZ LOMBARDO/MISSOURIAN
0
64
1,165 1,214 484
Racial and ethnic distribution of full-time faculty at MU, 2014 Demographics of professors at MU have shifted over time, but the overwhelming majority of full-time faculty are white. The chart on the right shows the numbers, percentages and distribution of full-time faculty members at MU by race and ethnicity.
Two or more races, 15 0.51% Pacific Islander, 3 Unknown/not reported, 28 0.1% 0.95% Asian, 492 16.67%
Hispanic, 92 3.12%
MU tenure/tenure-track faculty The distribution of tenure and tenure-track professors changes less often than full-time faculty because of employment standards of tenure. Still, demographic shifts are clear.
Race
2006
White
908 / 83.01%
821 / 75.5%
Asian
124 / 10.63%
108 / 15.44%
Hispanic
27 / 2.32%
47 / 4.31%
Black
40 / 3.43%
34 / 3.12%
Black, 96 3.25%
2015
WHITE, 2,220 75.2% SOURCE: MU INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH
Native American
1 / 0.0008%
2 / 0.18%
Pacific Islander
0 / 0%
2 / 0.18%
Two or more races
N/A / 0%
3 / 0.27%
Unknown/Not Reported
6 / 0.05%
11 / 1.01%
Race in Greek life STARTING IN 2015, all MU fraternities and sororities must submit documentation that their chapter held an intercultural/cross-cultural education session and at least 60 PERCENT of chapter members attended.
INFOGRAPHICS BY TRACEE TIBBITTS
Before 2015, this session was recommended, but documentation was not required. Neither the Interfraternity Council nor the Panhellenic Association monitor diversity statistics. OF THE NINE MU CHAPTERS in the National Pan-Hellenic Council, an association of historically black Greek organizations, EIGHT ARE ON RESTRICTIVE STATUS, meaning they must attend regular meetings with the Office of Greek Life to work toward meeting the minimum standards of diversity, member development and philanthropy, according to the MU Fraternity and Sorority Standards of Excellence.
English proficiency at MU IN OCTOBER, the Academic Affairs Committee raised the minimum English
proficiency requirements for non-native English speaking students. The most common indicator of proficiency used in higher education is the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL.
61 88.73
MU’s current TOEFL minimum for admission. This is tied with the University of Arizona for the lowest such requirement among members in the Association of American Universities. A minimum of 79 has been proposed for MU. Average TOEFL score for AAU members
Individual schools within MU would maintain the right to require higher TOEFL scores for students. The current requirements for the Internet-based test, by school:
61
College of Arts and Science College of Engineering College of Agriculture, Food and Resources School of Natural Resources College of Human Environmental Sciences
100
College of Education School of Journalism School of Nursing School of Health Professions
79
College of Business and Public Administration
12.10.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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Get the story on Columbia’s latest showings. MOVIE REVIEWS VoxMagazine.com
MUSIC
School of rock Aspiring musicians offer perspective on the need for college degrees Now more than ever, young people are under pressure to get a college education. College enrollment increased 24 percent from 2002 to 2012, according to the most recent data from the National Center for Labor Statistics. As of 2014, 35 percent of Americans had received bachelor’s degrees. In 1995, only 23 percent did. But the importance of graduating from college is questionable for musicians across the
Ray Wild performs all over Missouri. The band draws inspiration from the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin.
PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF IMANI COBBS/MISSOURIAN; RACHEL MALLIN
JACK PRITCHETT RAY WILD When Jack Pritchett and three of his friends decided to play a set at an open-mic night in 2013, they were just trying to have some fun. But two years later, Pritchett and those same friends are still playing together, only now as the Columbia-based band Ray Wild, a vintage rock group. “We’ve come so far in the last two years,” he says. “It’s crazy to look back at all of that.” The band plays two or three shows every month. Along with playing in Ray Wild, all of the band members are students. Pritchett is a junior studying business at MU. When he graduates, Pritchett says he wants to work in advertising and come up with creative ideas behind ads. Balancing school and the band can be difficult for Pritchett and the rest of Ray Wild. He understands school is important, and getting his degree is something both he and his family want. Pritchett also has a firm belief that if someone knows what he or she wants in life, they should make every effort to make that desire a reality. And Pritchett wants to play music. “It’s just this constant struggle,” he says. “If we know this is what we want to do, then what the hell are we doing here?” Even though he does feel this struggle every day, it would take “something huge” to get the band to drop out of school, Pritchett says. He attributes this to the pressure he and his friends face from their families and from society as a whole. “There is that sentiment out there,” he says. “You’re taught that if you don’t get a college degree, you’re never going to get ahead, and that’s rough.”
BY STEPHEN DAW
country. Although getting a degree can provide more opportunities for a future in the music business, many big names, such as Adele, Beyoncé and Eminem are extremely successful without degrees. Local musicians fall on both sides of the spectrum, and there doesn’t seem to be a right or wrong answer about the necessity of earning a college degree.
In 2014, Rachel Mallin released her solo EP, The Persistence of Vision. It focuses on using synthesized melodies.
Tara McPherson has a busy schedule. She splits her time between band practices and running her own business.
RACHEL MALLIN RACHEL MALLIN AND THE WILD TYPE
TARA MCPHERSON INTEGRO
Rachel Mallin used to balance college at MU with her musical career. Along with being a student, Mallin and her band, Rachel Mallin and the Wild Type, an indiesynthetic pop band, tried to find success in Columbia. Eventually, the group realized they had more traction in Kansas City, and Mallin found herself constantly commuting on the weekends. “I got pretty sick of I-70,” she says. At the end of her sophomore year, Mallin faced a difficult decision: Stay in school, or stay in her band. She chose the latter and was the first person in her immediate family not to graduate. This ambitious decision created considerable family tension. She planned to study audio production. Mallin’s choice to leave MU came mainly from her personal philosophy: Strike while the iron is hot. Now 20, she says she’ll never be this young again, and youth is incredibly important in the music industry. “It’s almost as if as your age increases, what you can bring to the table as a new artist decreases,” she says. Mallin still struggles with her decision to leave MU. She says even now, she feels the anxiety of what it means not to be a college graduate. But she also recognizes that at the end of the day, if this opportunity doesn’t work out, she always has the option to go back to school. Although the nerves remain, Mallin is confident she can find success. The band has been given a series of opportunities, such as opening for the world-famous alternative group Metric and recording an EP at Element Recording Studio in Kansas City. Which will be released on Feb. 29, if things go according to plan.
Tara McPherson performs as a saxophonist and vocalist in three bands: her own band, Integro, a Pink Floyd cover band Interstellar Overdrive and the jazz combo Blue Earth. McPherson also gives private saxophone lessons at Tara Capri Music. “Sometimes it can get to be a lot to handle,” she says. “But I just love doing it all.” McPherson graduated from MU with a Bachelor of Arts and a certificate in music entrepreneurship. The latter comes from a relatively new program in the School of Music at MU; students are taught how to turn their passions for performing into businesses. “It’s called creating a portfolio career,” McPherson says. “You have all of these projects that you work on, which you support through your full-time job.” Although she ended up with a degree and a certificate, McPherson says she started out as a music education major before realizing she wasn’t interested in teaching in a school. She wanted to perform. “You should do what you love to do,” she says. However, many students feel the same way but choose to go through with the music education program because it’s considered the “safe route.” “That’s why I loved the music entrepreneurship program,” she says. “It allows me to do what I love and not have to compromise for something I don’t want.” Although she says her degree was worth all the time and money she spent in college, McPherson says not all musicians need a degree. As long as musicians who want to succeed in the music industry know the potential consequences, she says they don’t necessarily need to pursue higher education. 12.10.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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MUSIC
American legend Drive your Chevy to Don McLean’s show at Missouri Theatre BY JOHN HENIFF not be releasing bubblegum pop radio hits this late in his career (or ever), but his music has a timeless feel, and his sound is still iconic. “American Pie” has been referenced too many times to count in pop culture. Here are five reasons why seeing McLean perform at the Missouri Theatre should be a can’t-miss event on your calendar this weekend.
1. He’s no one-hit wonder. “And I Love You So” is one of McLean’s most underrated love songs. Elvis Presley often covered it in concert; it was one of his favorites. And that’s just scratching the surface of McLean’s impressive catalog of almost 350 songs.
2. He has a song for every mood. If you’ve had a long day and you’re feeling down, listen to “Vincent” to help you mellow out. If you’re in the mood to shake off the haters in your life, look no further than his cover of the folk song “Sittin’ on Top of the World.”
3. Through the years, he has collected many awards and accolades. McLean is a legend in the American music scene. He’s an inductee in the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame class of 2004. Broadcast Music Inc. certified that “American Pie” has more than 3 million radio plays. He also received an honorary doctorate from Iona College in New Rochelle, New York.
4. He has a lot more in common with Drake than you’d think. One of McLean’s earliest hits was “Castles in the Air.” He sings about losing interest in the superficial city life and looking for something more meaningful in a relationship. It’s very similar to what Drake sings about in his latest hit, “Hotline Bling.” History repeats itself, even in the music industry.
Don McLean is still making music at 70. He released his 20th album, an 11-track folk rock album titled Addicted to Black, in 2009.
5. “American Pie” in concert should be on your music bucket list. The fact that music legends, such as Madonna, have put their own twist on this anthem should inspire you to see him perform live. Weird Al Yankovic even created a Star Warsthemed parody.
e h t r o f e d a m d n a H 13 South 9th Street, Columbia, MO 65201 20
VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 12.10.15
573-442-0211
MISSOURI THEATRE Saturday, 7 p.m. $32–57; $2 discount, veterans, seniors, faculty and staff; $5 discount, students, 882-3781 concertseries.org
! s y a d H o li
BluestemCrafts.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF VERTIGOGEN/FLICKR
In the midst of the 1970s music scene, singer-songwriters captivated audiences with just instruments and their voices. Don McLean, one of the remaining symbols of this era, is making his way to Columbia. McLean has been touring for more than 40 years and is still going strong. But with younger generations, his name isn’t as well-known. Granted, he might
BOOKS
More than damsels in distress
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAROLYN MULFORD
Local author Carolyn Mulford blends passions for fiction and feminism in her novels It’s no surprise that Carolyn Mulford writes novels about strong, smart girls and women. Mulford has loved reading since she was a little girl on farm in Kirksville. “I read anything I Carolyn Mulford, novelist could get my hands on,” she says. “It didn’t matter if I was interested in the genre. If it was in print, I read it.” Sometime between the fifth and sixth grades, stories began to fill her mind, and she had to put them to paper. But it wasn’t until eight years ago that her first novel, The Feedsack Dress, was published. After Mulford earned her masters degree in journalism from MU in 1962, she spent two years in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia and more than three decades as a nonfiction editor and freelance writer. She also edited several national newsletters, including Writing That Works, a desktop seminar for corporate writers and editors. In 2002, Mulford decided to turn her attention away from non-fiction and began working on novels.
BY MAKENZIE KOCH
Since her first book came out, she’s published three says she made her female characters do everything she more novels, which make up her Show Me mystery wanted to do and more. “If my damsels are in distress, series. The fourth book in the series, Show Me the they’re damn well going to get out of it themselves,” she Ashes, ships to stores later this month, and she’s already says. working on a fifth. Mulford’s passion for gender equality But Mulford hasn’t forgotten her doesn’t stop with her characters, says roots in young adult fiction. Her new friend and local author Alice Reese. YA historical novel, Thunder Beneath Mulford and Reese are both members My Feet, will be published in January. of the Columbia branch of the American Set in 1811, the novel focuses on Association of University Women, 14-year-old Betsy, who is left at home which advocates for women’s rights and with her younger brother when their education. Mulford has donated money mother travels south to bring their from her book sales to the organization. injured father home. Four days later, “She is an avid supporter of women’s the New Madrid earthquakes rock rights throughout the world,” Reese Missouri, and Betsy must cope with says. “She’s done the lion’s share of fear and hardships to save her brother bringing this to the attention of our and four strangers in her community. chapter of AAUW and focusing some of “When I moved back here, I sort the organization’s resources on helping of wanted an interim project between women in need.” Ex-spy Phoenix Smith’s stpry the mysteries,” Mulford says. “I was But Mulford remains humble. “A lot of drawn (to the New Madrid earthquakes) continues in Show Me the people have done much more than I have,” Ashes, out in January. initially by the fact that the river ran she says. backward, and the landscape changed. It doesn’t matter if she’s working on As I got into it, I was fascinated by the community, and fiction or making a difference in the real world. Mulford it just all came together.” is dedicated to empowering women any way she can. Mulford’s books feature independent women who MORE ON VOXMAGAZINE.COM fight their own battles and solve their own problems. Looking for something to add to your Growing up, Mulford envied men because they did all reading list? Find full descriptions of the “fun stuff.” When she began writing novels, Mulford Mulford’s novels online. Paid Advertisement
Divorce & the holiday season: Survival tips to consider Stange Law Firm, PC
If you are currently going through or have recently gone through a divorce, child custody dispute, remarriage or any other family change, the holidays can be a painful and stressful reminder of the way things used to be. They can also make the current holiday feel foreign by comparison. This is a problem that can easily continue through Christmas, New Year’s and any other holidays you may celebrate around this time of year. Thankfully, there are ways to survive and even thrive during the holidays despite the family law issues you may have recently experienced. Perhaps the best way to get through the holiday season is to prepare in advance, including social, emotional and mental preparations. If you go into the holi-
days with dread and expecting the worst, this attitude will likely be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Conversely, if you are expecting things to be the way they have always been in the past, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Reasonable but positive expectations are likely the best way to ensure that you enjoy the holidays. If your divorce means that you could end up spending the holidays alone, there’s still time to change your plans. Reach out to family and friends, and there’s a good chance that you’ll be invited to join the celebrations others are having. Isolation is definitely something you should avoid, especially if you are already feeling depressed and lonely. Finally, you should change your holiday to-do list in whatever way is going to help you this year. Maybe you are known for being a generous gift giver but have neither the energy nor the extra money this year. It’s perfectly fine to scale back right now. You can do your
shopping online and perhaps send gifts through the mail rather than hand-wrapping and delivering gifts personally. You can even skip gifts altogether if that’s what you need to do. The holidays are a time for joy and celebration, but that might look and feel very different just after a divorce. Don’t be afraid to do what you need to do this year to make peace with the holidays. If you are going through a divorce, Stange Law Firm, PC can help. We have lawyers available to discuss your options with you. When you retain our firm, you will receive access to your case and lawyer through Your Case Tracker in addition to receiving your lawyer’s personal cell phone number. Call today to schedule your free 30-minute consultation.
Access our mobile website with a mobile device.
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STANGE LAW FIRM PC
Stange Law Firm, PC Boone County Office 1506 Chapel Hill Road Suite H Columbia, MO 65203 Phone: 573-303-8605 www.stangelawfirm.com The choice of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Kirk Stange is responsible for the content. Principal place of business 1750 South Brentwood Blvd, Suite 401, St. Louis, MO 63144. Neither the Supreme Court of Missouri/Illinois nor The Missouri/Illinois Bar reviews or approves certifying organizations or specialist designations. The information you obtain in this ad is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorneyclient relationship has been established. Past results afford no guarantee of future results and every case is different and must be judged on its merits.
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THIS WEEK IN COLUMBIA
The to-do list CIVIC
must wear helmets. Sunday, 5 p.m., Lucky’s Market, Free, 442-2128
Unbound Book Festival Book Fair
ARTS & CULTURE
of gifts for a chance to win $3,000 in cash and $1,500 in prizes. Saturday, 6:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., Downtown Columbia, $10, 443-3216
Keith Alberstadt
Mad Men Holiday Soirée
Add to your library, and support the upcoming Unbound Book Festival to be held at Stephens College in April. Enjoy readings by local authors, a children’s storytime and a raffle while you shop. Saturday, 9 a.m., Barnes & Noble, Free, 445-4080
Subaru Share the Love Adoption Special
Thinking of bringing home a fuzzy, new family member for the holidays? Now’s your chance. University Subaru has joined the Central Missouri Humane Society to share the love. Adoption fees are discounted to $2 for the weekend. Sat., 12–7 p.m.; Sun., 12–3 p.m., Central Missouri Humane Society, Free, 443-7387
It’s a Wonderful Ride: Holiday Lights Bicycle Tour
The weather outside might be frightful, but that doesn’t mean you should put your bikes away just yet. Join the GetAbout Columbia staff on a tour of Columbia’s festive holiday decorations through downtown and the surrounding area. There will be complimentary treats to warm you up after the ride. Wear your best Christmas outfit, and decorate your bike for a chance to win prizes. Bikers
You might recognize him from the Late Show, Last Comic Standing or Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Alberstadt is also a fulltime contributing writer to SNL’s Weekend Update. He cracks up his audiences with his hilarious stories and witty disposition. Thurs., 9 p.m.; Fri., 9 p.m.; Sat., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., Déjà Vu Comedy Club, $9–10, 443-3216
Party like it’s 1967 with this swanky, Mad Men-themed holiday bash. Nosh on some hors d’oeuvres, and sip retro cocktails. Dapper ’60s attire is encouraged. Saturday, 7 p.m. doors; 8 p.m. show, The Blue Note, $20, 874-1944
FOOD & DRINK
This rapper from Peoria, Illinois, mixes up elaborate autobiographical tracks over mesmerizing mellow beats. Thursday, 8 p.m., Café Berlin, $5, 441-0400
Reading Day Study Party
Grab your study beer, some pizza and a table near an outlet at iTap this Reading Day. Mother’s Brewing Company will be taking over some of the taps, and pizza is free with your beer purchase. Friday, 12–3 p.m.,International Tap House, Free, 443-1401
6th Annual 12 Bars of Christmas Pub Crawl
It’s the most wonderful time of the year to get dressed up and support a good cause. The annual 12 Bars of Christmas Pub Crawl is here. A wristband will get you into 13 bars with exclusive drink specials. Find Santa and his magical bag
SCREEN In the Heart of the Sea (PG-13)
Owen (Chris Hemsworth) battles the sea and a mammoth-sized whale while on the whaling ship Essex in this film based on the true story that inspired Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. He and his crew must brave storms, starvation and their own morality in this epic drama. F, R RUNTIME = 2:01
Still playing
MUSIC Pizza Boy
Wolf Alice
Coming all the way from North London, alternative-rock band Wolf Alice will perform songs from its latest album, My Love is Cool, including the hot single, “Freazy.” Thursday, 8 p.m. doors; 9 p.m. show, Rose Music Hall, $15, 875-0588
Friday Happy Hour: Planet Jazz
Come for a drink, and stay for the jazz. This band won’t disappoint with its unique blend of reggae, swing and Cajun sounds Friday, 5 p.m., Rose Music Hall, $5, 875-0588
Creed (PG-13) F, R The Good Dinosaur (PG) F, R The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (PG-13) F, R Krampus (PG-13) F, R The Letters (PG) R Love the Coopers (PG-13) R The Martian (PG-13) R The Night Before (R) F, R The Peanuts Movie (G) F, R Room (R) RT Secret in Their Eyes (PG-13) R Spectre (PG-13) F, R Spotlight (R) RT Suffragette (PG-13) RT
Theaters F = Forum R = Regal
RT = Ragtag = available in 3D
Check out movie reviews on VoxMagazine.com.
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Q&A A CONVERSATION WITH YVONNE SPARKS
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF MISSOURI GOVERNOR JAY NIXON
New Board of Curator member has a strong passion for inclusivity and sees value in all people and beliefs BY MEREDITH MCGRATH
Yvonne Sparks remembers growing up in the cabin her great-grandfather built in Troy, Missouri. She remembers shucking corn and shelling peas, making jelly and fetching spring water. She’ll never forget sitting on the porch swing with her grandmother or the winding route the black students’ school bus took, where she developed a love for nature through the bus windows. Sparks would never relinquish any of these memories. But she would trade the memories of not being able to go through the front door of the café in town or being called names every day as she walked to the black bus at the end of the school’s driveway. In high school, Sparks was the only girl of four black students in her class of 160. She graduated as valedictorian and student council president. She has a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, two master’s degrees from St. Louis University and Webster University and a Harvard certificate in public policy. She served the city of St. Louis on various boards as a nonprofit executive, community development banker and public engagement consultant. She is currently the vice president and community development officer for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Sparks was appointed to the UM System Board of Curators on Nov. 13 by Gov. Jay Nixon. She will serve a six-year term, pending confirmation by the Missouri Senate. Of nine curators, she will be the second black curator and one of two women currently on the board. “The biggest thing I learned from working with Yvonne is to listen deeply,” says Orvin Kimbrough, a former student and colleague of Sparks’ at the
Vashon/JeffVanderLou Initiative, an organization devoted to improving the quality of life in St. Louis neighborhoods. “We started off working in a very challenged community, and she always listened to the residents.” Kimbrough says Sparks will bring dynamism, cultural knowledge and optimism with her to the board. How do you think your experiences have prepared you for this role as a curator? That I have both a rural and urban background, that I’ve transcended worlds. I’ve always lived on the cusp of movements: the women’s movement, the black movement, the environmental movement. All of these things have been part of my life’s experience. But then, I feel that I’ve always done public service. I ran nonprofits for the majority of my career, so it feels natural. This is an opportunity to give something back and to use my life experiences, my education and my great love for working with students. What is the role of the Board of Curators? Beyond ensuring that the quality of instruction and classwork are top notch, a university has to be a place that socializes people, some of whom are away from home for the first time. They’re exposed to diversity on all levels, not just ethnic and racial, but diversity of thought. As a curator, that’s where the tone is set for the institution. We’ve got to embrace all thought and not automatically reject anyone. Why did you choose to accept this position? I didn’t ask for it, but the opportunity came to me. And given what’s happening on UM campuses
and campuses all over the United States, I felt that if this came to me, there must be something I have to offer. If this came to me, I need to step up because I believe that if you’re called upon to do public service based on who you are and not your connection, you either step up or you step off. And I chose to step up because I believe there’s important work to do. How did you first respond to the events that happened on campus this fall? I wasn’t surprised. It has happened over and over again. I know how it feels, and I know it’s not overblown because it keeps happening. The same thing that was asked in 1969 is still being asked today. There are many issues to be dealt with, and they’re legitimate. People were participating in the civic life of the campus community, and there has to be a response. Some things require a response that is institutionalized; some require the tweaking of programs, maybe big changes, little changes, but people need to feel they’re being responded to, no matter what their issue. What advice do you have for the students, staff and faculty at MU? To act like a community. To value everyone. To understand that when you leave that campus, you’re going into a world that is diverse in thought, in opportunity. Living in this microcosm of a community is where you can practice that and embrace it and be prepared for the world because after all, that’s what you’re there for. 12.10.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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MIZZOU:
It’s time to talk Putting Columbia’s race conversation in perspective
Understanding the mental health crisis on college campuses
PAGE 5
PAGE 8
Saving face Cosmetic surgery in Columbia is booming, but patients still encounter stigma for undergoing procedures PAGE 5
BRO, DO YOU EVEN THRIFT?
Stores offer gently used clothing for men PAGE 4
MASTERS’ PIECES
View and purchase work by modern greats at Sager Braudis
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Feeding Columbia BEYOND THE BINARY
Clothing shop helps people dress outside of gender norms PAGE 4
ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE Businesses provide an inclusive space for customers with autism PAGE 3
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Documentary recreates the life of Missouri artist George Caleb Bingham PAGE 13
IT’S VOX WITHOUT THE NEWSPRINT MUSIC. DINING. NEWS. MOVIES. EVENTS.