Vox Magazine June Issue by Vox Magazine

OFFSTAGE, BUT ONLINE PAGE 5

JUNE 2020 • THE VOICE OF COLUMBIA

IN THE KITCHEN AT FLYOVER PAGE 23 JOB HUNTING? TRY THESE TIPS PAGE 30

AC T I V E Even if the “how” of activism has changed, it’s clear Columbia hasn’t lost sight of the “why.” p. 14

VO I C E S

FROM THE EDITOR

CERTAINLY UNCERTAIN

E DI T OR I N CHI E F SARAH EVERETT DE PUT Y E DI T OR MEG DONOHUE M AN AGI N G E DI T O R ELENA K. CRUZ

DI GI TAL M AN AGI N G E DI T O R CAMERON R. FLATT

o much of being an editor is about control and routine. Every time I place a comma where it needs to be or look up the proper way to spell something according to the AP Style Guide, I’m reminded of this. Every time in this issue when I wanted to say for certain whether a restaurant or a bar or a hair salon would be open in June, I was reminded of it. In the print magazine world, everything is planned one to three months ahead. In February and March, for example, we’re already planning for summer. This is great when you are, like me, a control freak, and terrible when you realize there is no control or routine anymore. It has always been impossible to predict the future, but it feels a million times less possible these days. It seems fitting, then, that this issue highlights so many people who have faced the unpredictable this spring, as we all have. From performing artists who are now playing online (p. 5 and p. 11) to chefs cooking for carryout only (p. 24) to teachers talking to students online (p. 29), we’re highlighting people whose daily work has drastically changed.

In our feature for this issue, “Active Voices” (p. 14), we’re talking about people who have created change in Columbia and beyond, and we’re exploring how activism has changed over the past 50 years — including in recent months. I’ve lived in Columbia since I was 4 years old. I can remember when Cool Stuff was on Broadway, when the downtown Shakespeare’s Pizza was the only Shakespeare’s Pizza and when the tallest building in Columbia wasn’t a parking garage. I’ve seen the city grow and evolve, but lately the change feels rapid and constant. I hope this issue (and all of the local journalism happening right now) serves as a sort of time capsule for the shifts going on in Columbia at the moment, and I also hope it opens your mind, as it has mine, to change. Summer has always been a time of change in Columbia. Classes end. Campuses empty out. The weather gets warm and then suddenly unbearably hot. For me in the past, summer has meant new jobs or internships, new cities, new experiences. This summer, I’m not totally sure what the next couple of months will look like. But nobody is.

ON L I N E E DI T OR GABY MORERA DI NÚBILA CR E AT I V E DI R E CT OR HOPE JOHNSON ART DI R E CT OR S SAM BALMER, MADISON WISSE PHOT O E DI T OR DEREK RIEKE M ULT I M E DI A E DI T O R SAM MOSHER AS S I S TAN T E D IT O RS CULT UR E CHRISTIÁNE-TRÉSOR CRAWFORD, SARAH HALLAM, NICOLE SCHROEDER, KATHERINE STATER, EMMA VEIDT E AT + DR I N K LAUREN BROCATO, BROOKE KNAPPENBERGER, LAURA SIGMUND, VICTORIA TRAMPLER CI T Y L I F E SIOBHAN CONNERS, MADISON CZOPEK, EMILY LENTZ, HANNAH MCFADDEN, ABBIE WILSON DE S I GN E R S MITCHELL BARTLE, TAORU HUANG, CHLOE KHAW, MEREDITH LEHMAN, IVY HETTINGER-ROBERTS DIGITAL EDITORS JESSE BAALMAN, BRY BARBER, DELANEY EYERMANN, MOLLY JACKSON, CLAUDIA KHAW, CHRISTINA LONG, MADELYN ODEN M ULT I M E DI A E DI T OR S MEGAN OOSTHUIZEN, GRACE VANCE CON T R I B UT I N G W R I T E R S ADAM COLE, GRACE GLANDER, REID GLENN, KAITLYN HOEVELMANN, ZEPHYRUS LI, KIRA LOVELL, EMMY LUCAS, TYLER MESSNER, GRANT MILLER, VERONICA MOHESKY, SPENCER NORRIS, JOE NOSER, DIANA PANUNCIAL, MATTHEW UNTHANK

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR HEATHER LAMB DIGITAL DIRECTOR SARA SHIPLEY HILES EXECUTIVE EDITOR JENNIFER ROWE OFFICE MANAGER KIM TOWNLAIN

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@VoxMagazine SARAH EVERETT Editor in Chief

Behind the issue When we started putting this activism package together, we thought we’d have a collection of stories about how activism has changed over the years and shifted more online. Often, it no longer looks like it did on Sept. 11, 1974, when 600 MU students participated in a rally organized by the Legion of Black Collegians to advocate for a more inclusive and diverse university (the protest shown on this month’s cover). But before we knew it, COVID-19 affected what activism looks like altogether as large group gatherings evaporated. Uniting for a cause in modern times certainly has changed, but not like we thought. — Victoria Trampler Corrections: In the May issue, the story about tigers misstated the permits required to own big cats in Missouri; Missouri requires a Large Carnivore permit from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Also, the May table of contents reversed the names on the photos of Samantha Alexander and Sam Pokharel.

Photography by and courtesy of Derek Rieke and MU Digital Library

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MAGAZINE Cover Design: Taoru Huang VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Active voices

Activism has long been part of the fabric of Columbia. In this collection of stories, Vox rounds up protests that made an impact (such as the 1986 anti-apartheid demonstrations, left), the places people have made their voices heard, and the many ways locals continue to forge forward. BY VOX STAFF

IN THE LOOP

CULTURE

EAT + DRINK

CITY LIFE

Performers find different levels of success on the virtual stage.

COVID-19 strikes the comic book world.

Spend a shift with the Flyover restaurant staff as they adapt to changes amid COVID-19.

Thinking of adopting a pet during quarantine? Avoid these faux paws.

Vox Picks

Listen local from your living room

Rosé, Father’s Day and more ways to celebrate this summer.

Online, musicians are still performing, so you don’t have to miss the show.

The show must go online

Empowering others through advocacy Jessica McNear shares the lessons she has learned while working at Boone’s domestic violence shelter.

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Comic shops meet their new nemesis

All in a day’s work

Around the world in a few links

Shaking things up at your home bar Stir up an Old-Fashioned, or taste test your own Moonshine Sour with the help of local bartenders.

No need for a passport or plane ticket; all you need is the internet to visit exhibitions in Missouri and beyond.

A twist on citrus

It only takes a few minutes to whip up fizzy lemonade and orange juice drinks that taste like summer.

When life is on paws

Q is for quarantine Teachers and students are still reeling from the emotional whirlwind of moving their classes online.

Revamp your resume Yes, you can find a job during a pandemic, and these tips can help.

Photography by and courtesy of Missourian Archive, Rob Harris, Sammy Elfanbaum, Devin Rodino and Tristen Rouse

THE BEST OF JUNE P. 7

HELPING THE HELPERS P. 8

Comedian Rob Harris hasn’t been able to perform in front of an audience since such events canceled around the state. Instead, he fills his time at home with gardening, spending time with his daughter and writing new material for future shows.

The show must go online Recorded videos, livestreams and virtual events — while people stay home, local performers find new ways to entertain. BY EMMY LUCAS As quarantining efforts due to the COVID-19 pandemic keep people home, performers of all kinds, such as comedians and classical musicians, find themselves without an audience.

Photography courtesy of Rob Harris

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

IN TH E LOOP CULTURE

Artists and organizations have created new ways to stay connected to their communities while adapting to local and national guidelines. “Nobody knows how long it’s going to last, and nobody knows what normal is going to look like,” says Diana Moxon, KOPN radio’s host of “Speaking of the Arts,” an hour-long show about news and the arts in mid-Missouri. “In the absence of any definitive answer, everybody is just being so creative and nimble,” she says. Banding together Social distancing guidelines hit performers particularly hard, says Monica Palmer, director of development for The Missouri Symphony. “Musicians by their very nature make their music together, so any time you tell musicians who are part of an orchestra that they can no longer be together, that immediately takes away their art form and their way of creating,” she says. To cope, the symphony has created various virtual experiences for the community to stay connected to its art. The Missouri Symphony published its past performances on YouTube, created virtual events and set up a fund to help its musicians. The fundraisers include MOSY Mixer, a night when anyone can join an online chat room to talk about composers and their music, and Coffee with the Conductor, a Saturday morning conversation with the symphony’s maestro via Zoom. The Missouri Symphony also created the show Mister MOSY’s Neighborhood, paying homage to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, to teach 5to 10-year-olds about music as a therapeutic tool. Episodes and events are available on multiple online platforms including Zoom, Facebook, YouTube and the symphony’s website. Palmer says the symphony is looking for ways to give back to the community that has supported them for 50 years. She hopes that if and when people are able to give, they keep this organization in mind, but she knows finances aren’t secure for many. To help, Moxon recommends supporting performers by buying a ticket to a virtual performance or donating to a local band via Venmo.

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Interrupted laughs The same difficulties prove true for comedians. Local comic Rob Harris says he misses out on connecting and interacting with his audience if he performs through podcasts and Instagram live events. “It messes with my energy,” Harris says. “I’m not saying it can’t work that way. It’s just I haven’t figured out a way to make it work for me.” “A lot of our stuff is based on crowd reaction or just the energy of the room,” says Kovoski George, a comedian and producer for the live comedy event The Laughs Below. Although neither he nor Harris has done any virtual shows while

Although some local entertainers like The Missouri Symphony have found ways to reach audiences online amid venue closures, others like comedian Kovoski George (above right) find virtual performances difficult.

at home, they both have written material for future performances, and George has designed new merchandise Palmer says artists’ new digital outlets have helped communities experience the arts in new ways and cope with the uncertainties of the pandemic. Moxon agrees and says that’s why continued support for local organizations and performers is crucial. “We want to go back to being in crowded theaters and cinemas and music venues,” she says. “If we don’t support them somehow through this period of shutdown, then there’s a chance they don’t make it to whatever the new normal is.”

Photography by and courtesy of The Missouri Symphony, Maria Duhova Trevor and Madison Perry/Archive

I N T HE LO O P VOX PICKS

Vox Picks for

JUNE

Each month, Vox curates a list of can’t-miss shops, eats, reads and experiences in and around Columbia. We highlight the new, trending or criminally underrated — so you’re always informed of the best our city has to offer. BY LAURA SIGMUND

Toast…

To summer days with some rosé. June 13 is National Rosé Day, but you can celebrate all month long by kicking back with a glass of your favorite pink drink. If you’re looking for a blend from grapes grown closer to home, Les Bourgeois Vineyards offers two selections from Missouri: its Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine and the Collector’s Series 2017 St. Vincent Dry Rosé. They’re even available for mail order. Les Bourgeois Vineyards, 14020 W. Hwy BB, Rocheport, Brut Rosé, $30; St. Vincent Dry Rosé, $18, missouriwines.com

Celebrate…

Father’s Day with a gift for your favorite grill master. Two local butcher shops — Barred Owl Butcher and Table and Hoss’s Market and Rotisserie — offer curbside pickup for selections of beef, pork and chicken. Barred Owl owner Ben Parks says availability of cuts depends on the animals butchered that day, but most cuts are ready either the same day or within two days of ordering. Barred Owl will have dry-aged wagyu beef options prepared for Father’s Day. Barred Owl , 47 E. Broadway, barredowlbutcher. com; Hoss’s Market, 1010 Club Village Drive, hosssmarket.com

Give…

Blood to the Red Cross Columbia Blood Donation Center. Giving blood keeps the supply robust, especially because recent blood drives have been canceled due to pandemic closures. Joe Zydlo, the Red Cross external communications manager, told the Missourian that 192 blood drives have been canceled in the MissouriArkansas region, meaning 7,337 fewer donations. To make an appointment, call 1-800-733-2767 or visit Red CrossBlood.org. Walk-ins are not accepted.

Plant...

Some new vegetation. If you’re looking to get your hands dirty, it’s not too late to sow some seedlings. June is a good time to plant summer perennials such as coneflower, blanket flower and black-eyed Susan. Are you more of a foodie? Now is the time to plant pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage seedlings. You can pick up seedlings at Strawberry Hill Farms or Helmi’s Garden, which also has garden supply kits. Strawberry Hill, 3770 MO-163; Helmi’s, 7201 South Nursery Road

Photography courtesy of Unsplash

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

IN TH E LOOP Q&A

Empowering others through advocacy

by trauma. Some of them will come and talk with our counselors because they know they’ve experienced that. They’re wanting to empower others; they just might not realize how triggering it might be even if it’s 10 years later.

Jessica McNear shines a light on True North’s mission and impact.

What has this role taught you? I feel like things happen every day that just reaffirm why I’m here. I think that that’s been really helpful and just kind of a reinforcement of “this is where I’m supposed to be” and where I think I held a lot of resentment toward my ex for all of that. I came to the realization of this wouldn’t be my life had I not experienced this stuff, and while it was terrible, you can take it and turn it into something really great and giving back to the community. I think one of the other really great things about being in this role is being able to share it with my daughters and hopefully put them on a trajectory that is different than what mine was.

BY GRACE GLANDER

essica McNear started at True North as a hotline coordinator before taking on the titles of domestic violence victim advocate and volunteer coordinator. Now, she is the training and volunteer coordinator of True North, which supports those affected by domestic and sexual violence. According to True North’s website, the shelter has been around since the 1970s to provide victims shelter and transitional support. McNear has worked at True North for six years, and the majority of her job focuses on client services and training. She ensures that all volunteers are prepared to hear traumatic stories and respond in a compassionate way. Volunteers go through five days of training, which includes shadowing the role they are interested in. Elizabeth Herrera Eichenberger, executive director at True North, says McNear has had a tremendous impact. “We love having Jessica on the team,” Herrera Eichenberger says. “She’s making sure that we are keeping up with best practices and that volunteers are engaged, properly trained and always looking at what’s new and relevant to the work we do.” How did you get involved with True North? I had previously worked for the state of Missouri Department of Social Services as a youth specialist, and a past outreach advocate came and talked to my group about the mission of the agency. I immediately knew I needed to be a part of True North. I was really blessed that (True North’s) former Executive Director Barbara Hodges brought me in, had me interview and offered me the position. It totally changed the trajectory of my life. It wasn’t until I was in the domestic violence advocate role that I realized that I had been in an

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

abusive relationship for a long time. It’s been interesting that this is where I ended up and then reflecting on what an impact domestic violence has had on my own life. How has your outlook on life changed since working here? I have the privilege to work exclusively with people who want change in our community, and that’s really powerful, especially in the world that we live in. My view on the world has changed in that there are still really good people and really phenomenal people who go to the ends of the earth to help people that they don’t even know. Some have been impacted by violence, and that’s their paying it forward to kind of stand in solidarity with victims and survivors. How do you support volunteers who deal with difficult situations? Lots of conversation. Lots of follow up. I always have an open-door policy where they can come in and talk any time. We have some volunteers who have been impacted one way or another

True North Training and Volunteer Coordinator Jessica McNear has been part of the organization for six years. The True North crisis line is 875-1370.

What is a favorite True North story? We actually had a guy who applied for an overnight residential victim advocate. He was fresh out of college, and it was like, “That’s cool, but why do you want to work at a women’s shelter overnight?” He said, “I used to live (at True North) with my mom as a kid, and this was the turning point in my life.”

Photography by Photographer Name

AND THE BANDS PLAYED ON P. 11

Comic shops meet their new nemesis

COUCH-BASED GLOBETROTTING P. 12

As a non-essential business amid pandemic shutdowns, Distant Planet had to close its doors and change its approach.

The stay-at-home orders weren’t so super for local comic shops. BY ADAM COLE “It was just going to be a record year until all this hit. That just makes it a little more heartbreaking,” says Distant Planet Comics & Collectibles co-owner Brandy Cross. Like other comic book sellers in town, Cross closed the shop when the city and county issued guidelines about which stores could remain open. As closure orders begin to relax, store owners are figuring out the best way forward and assessing how their businesses have fared. Distant Planet was

Photography by Nicole Schroeder

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

CULTURE COMIC BOOKS

selling a record number of books until the pandemic forced changes to the store’s business model. Cross closed the store to walk-ins and started selling books curbside and through the mail. Now, the shop is nowhere close to usual sale numbers, Cross says. “The problem with things like curbside delivery and mail order is that it takes you about five times the effort to get about a third of the sales.” When the city of Columbia announced a stay-at-home order on March 24, Cross and her staff cleared out their customers’ subscription boxes, where Cross places any copies of comics from series customers are reading, and closed the store’s doors. Part of what influenced the decision to close was the lack of new inventory coming in. Diamond Comic Distributors — one of the world’s largest comic book distributors — requested on March 23 that no more products be shipped to its warehouses until further notice. Other companies have since followed suit. The distributor planned to reopen May 20, but that was pushed back. Additionally, Free Comic Book Day, one of the largest events for local comic shops across the

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

nation, originally scheduled for May 3, was also postponed. In the meantime, local comic stores are doing what they can to continue making money, whether that means making digital sales or getting books to customers through other methods. Rock Bottom Comics co-owner John

Free Comic Book Day, the Black Friday of comic book shops, was postponed indefinitely. Rock Bottom Comics opened in 1973 and is Missouri’s secondlongest operating comic bookshop.

Evans drove as far as Sedalia and Marshall to deliver comics. “It’s not a big deal,” Evans says. “It’s not like I’m doing anything else.” Evans says comic deliveries are infrequent, and they aren’t making the same amount of money as before because his store is geared toward foot traffic. Struggling comic shops are finding revenue from some unlikely places. Websites such as bookshop.org return some profits to smaller booksellers by giving them a percentage of their sales. Small comic publishers such as TKO, Source Point Press and Black Mask Studios also partner with local stores to return a portion of sales to stores that carry their products. The store owners were not concerned that their store would struggle to outlast the pandemic. Rock Bottom Comics reopened the store for walk-ins with reduced hours, and as the city’s and state’s closure orders relax, Distant Planet expects to reopen May 21. Both shop owners are monitoring the situation to determine what is best for them and their customers. Check their respective Facebook pages for up-todate information. As the stores press forward in the aftermath of COVID-19, it’s unclear what the permanent impact will be in the long run. “Everything’s up in the air,” Cross says. Photography by Nicole Schroeder

C U LT U RE MUSIC

Listening local from your living room With venues closed, Columbia bands get creative to connect with fans. BY TYLER MESSNER

or the majority of the spring and the beginning of summer, live music venues such as The Blue Note, Rose Music Hall and Eastside Tavern remained closed. “We’re working hard to reschedule as many shows as we can,” Pat Kay, talent buyer at The Blue Note and Rose Music Hall, wrote in an email to Vox. In the meantime, local bands are connecting with fans online. Online busking and raffles Members of The Hooten Hallers, a Columbia-based blues-rock band, are each doing their part to raise money for the band and interact with listeners. Lead singer John Randall is performing on Facebook Live and sharing his usernames for Venmo and PayPal as a virtual tip jar for fans. Drummer Andy Rehm raffled off merch, including an old drumhead he painted with a Hooten Hallers design, in a livestream. Saxophonist Kellie Everett sewed face masks and sew-on patches that were auctioned off. “We’re trying to figure out other ways that we can all be a part of and leave our mark on these shows like we would if we were all playing together,” Randall says. Violet Vonder Haar, the lead singer of Violet and the Undercurrents and a local music instructor, has also turned to performing on Facebook Live with virtual tip jars. She says she believes this time in isolation will increase people’s appreciation for live music. “That magic is something we can never recreate with even the best quality livestream, and I can’t wait to feel it again,” Vonder Haar wrote in an email to Vox. She is interacting with both fans and students online. Private music lessons are Vonder Haar’s primary source of income. PivPhotography courtesy of John Randall

oting to online voice, guitar, ukulele and piano lessons was a bit daunting, but Vonder Haar and her students have found ways to make the socially distant lessons work. Vonder Haar has been performing “Kids Songs with Violet” at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays on her Facebook page. One reason she began this show was because a student in her music class at Windsor Street Montessori School told her that, aside from the weekend, they only liked waking up on Wednesdays because it was music class day.“That comment rang through my head as everything began shutting down,” she wrote. Another band that has adapted to virtual performances is Post Sex Nachos, a Columbia-based indie rock band that released its first full-length, self-titled album on April 19. Originally scheduled to play an album release show April 30 at Rose Music Hall, members of the band instead celebrated the album’s release through a livestream on Quadio Media, a music streaming service geared toward college students, and the show has been rescheduled for Sept. 10. The band released a music video for its new track “In the Bag” during quarantine. The video was recorded entirely via a Zoom conference call, in which lead singer Sam Elfanbaum, bassist Chase Mueller, drummer Hunter Pendleton and lead guitarist Mitch Broddon each take up a quadrant of the screen. Broddon says he thought the Zoom video was a good way to display the band’s goofy nature, which normally resonates through its performances at Eastside Tavern or MU’s Traditions Plaza.

CONCERT TICKETS

At Rose Music Hall and The Blue Note, ticket holders can request a refund, but many are keeping their tickets for reschedules, talent buyer Pat Kay says. After all, concert tickets stuck to the fridge are a sign of hope.

light of the changes. Pendleton says Post Sex Nachos’ livestream release show received more engagement than he expected. The band’s monthly listeners went from 13,000 to around 23,000 in a week, he says. Mueller says the new listeners have given him a gratifying feeling after all the hard work the band put into its debut album. Randall of The Hooten Hallers shares a similar sentiment and says more people are watching artists perform on Facebook — something he never thought about doing previously. Randall says another positive of this experience is the humanizing effect of seeing musicians everywhere resort to playing shows online. “It’s nice to see artists of all types and all levels, really, kind of reduced to this same thing,” Randall says. “We’re all in this together.”

A positive note Online fan engagement has been a welcome addition for these musicians in VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

CULTURE EXHIBITS

Around the world in a few links No need for a passport, airfare or even a museum ticket. These online exhibits are just a click away in Missouri and beyond. BY HANNAH MCFADDEN

f you’re getting restless in your house, trips to the grocery store might not be exciting enough. Luckily, you can find adventure without leaving quarantine using these virtual exhibits and experiences from around the world.

one piece of artwork in its arsenal every week and includes a short article about the art. The Museum of Art and Archaeology also has longer virtual exhibits, such as Reframing the Renaissance Print and Salvador Dalí: Memories of Surrealism.

Missouri Museum of Art and Archaeology The museum’s Mizzou North location is closed indefinitely, but its curators know how to feed our art appetites. Since closing to follow stay-at-home orders, the Museum of Art and Archaeology has launched Weekly Friday Feature, which highlights

Saint Louis Zoo Pop into the zoo’s iconic penguin enclosure via webcam from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to see Humboldt penguins and horned puffins swim and splash around. The zoo has an additional rotating webcam that switches to a new animal exhibit every day at 9 a.m. On Mondays, dive into the polar

Exhibitions all over the world have opened up for virtual display, including the Saint Louis Art Museum, which shows the work of artists like Vincent Van Gogh. Shown here is his “The Sower.”

bear tank, or swing into the gorilla enclosure on Wednesdays. The full schedule is on the Saint Louis Zoo website. Saint Louis Art Museum There are three online exhibitions offered by the Saint Louis Art Museum, and in addition to the artwork and history on the pieces, the virtual features include curator commentary, YouTube videos and maps of the areas from where the art originated.

600 Businesses, 100 Restaurants, 50 Square Blocks

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VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Photography courtesy of Rik Klein Gotink, Harderwijk

C U LT U RE EXHIBITS

Choose from collections such as Millet and Modern Art, The Shape of Abstraction or Javanese Batik Textiles. The museum also offers an Object of the Day to highlight specific pieces in its collections. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art The online interactive exhibit Passport to India also dips into other South Asian and Middle Eastern countries to create a well-rounded online art experience. Click through the Kansas City-based museum’s Islamic art exhibit photos, watch a video about Pakistani American welding artist Asheer Akram, and listen to commentary about featured relics. There’s even a section to inspire related at-home craft ideas. National Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History has uploaded tours of its past, current and permanent exhibits. It also includes behind-the-scenes footage at its research centers and additional tours. Each virtual tour includes an on-screen map and ar-

rows that guide your experience. If you’re looking for a specific area of the museum, exhibits are listed with links, so you can jump right to what you want to see. NASA Langley Research Center This virtual tour’s landing page lets you choose which building on NASA’s research campus to explore. With each building and room, view a map, photos and videos with commentary explaining what types of experiments and studies are done there. You can go inside the flight simulators in building 1268A by using the 360-degree camera, which is complete with helpful guides. Or go into the subsonic wind tunnel, where scientists conduct tests for safe takeoffs and landings, in building 1212. International Sistine Chapel You don’t have to crane your neck to look up at Michelangelo’s ceiling masterpiece. Just use your mouse to click and drag around the chapel. Then use the zoom feature to get a closer look. Explore every painted figure, and get lost in the details.

SEE MISSOURI SIGHTS FROM HOME All virtual tours and exhibits can be accessed from organizations’ websites.

Museum of Art and Archaeology maa.missouri.edu Saint Louis Zoo stlzoo.org Saint Louis Art Museum slam.org The NelsonAtkins Museum of Art nelson-atkins.org

Great Wall of China Not only does this tour let you “walk” across different sections and through the watchtowers of one of history’s greatest architectural feats, it also offers a beautiful view of the Chinese countryside. Marvel at the Great Wall of China’s cobbled architecture, and see sunsets and vast hills and snow on mountains. Even better, travel across several of the monument’s sections without getting tired. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Put on your ruffled collar, and brush up on your English 101. The 360-degree view of the massive Globe Theatre in London includes links to photos and videos from past shows, as well as descriptions of each location and detail within the theater. There are also sound bites from previous shows to listen to as you scroll through your tour. If this tour isn’t immersive enough, you can watch free YouTube Premieres of past shows, with show availability changing every two weeks.

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Fr o ha m p s e ic v o ke t Int l ve s i ro d o gn du ve s to ct rt ion he pos by pa ting Sp st en 50 onli ce ye n e , rN ar or s. acti ris v

The scene is hard to imagine: 2,000 Columbians gathered on MU’s Francis Quadrangle. Firebombs lobbed into ROTC headquarters on campus. An effigy of the U.S. president incinerated while a crowd cheers, “burn, baby, burn.” The National Guard positioned inside Jesse Hall, guns pointed at the main doors, loaded guns aimed at the main doors in case protesters tried to storm the atrium. MU students lived this in May 1970, two days after the May 4 Kent State massacre. For the 1.8 million Americans conscripted to fight in the Vietnam War, the issue was life-or-death, as was their right to protest it. This May marked the 50th anniversary of those protests, and things have changed. “Things were very, very different at that time,” says Michael Ugarte, a professor emeritus of Spanish at MU and lifelong activist, recalling his activism in decades past. Demonstrations required leaflets, doorto-door visits and face-to-face organization. When he participated in the anti-apartheid demonstrations on MU’s campus in the late ’80s, students erected an entire shantytown on the quad and refused to leave until they were arrested. Researching issues required trips to the library. Activism was something you showed up for. Now with the ease of the internet, activism efforts are on a spectrum. People can show up as much or as little as they’d like. Activism can be tweeting

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

ism

out a hashtag in solidarity with a movement, such as #MeToo, or it can mean RSVPing yes on a Facebook event for a rally. Now, activism has changed even further as showing up in masses is a threat to public health and safety. Ugarte currently is holed up in his home in Albacete, Spain, a provincial capital south of Madrid. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he could be accosted by police just for leaving his apartment, never mind participating in a demonstration. Activists, like the rest of the world, have entered a strange new territory. At the time these stories were written, it was safe to assume activism would be stuck online for the foreseeable future. A week later, protesters across the nation exercised their right to assembly to ask that stay-at-home orders be lifted, while other groups rallied for orders to remain in place. By nature, activism is uncertain. There are never any guarantees. Perhaps that’s cold comfort. But what is certain is that, one way or another, people have always made themselves heard. They are making themselves heard today, and they will continue no matter what tomorrow looks like. Activism is Columbia’s history. It is our future. It is what we put on our dinner plates. It is the words we put on paper and the words we choke back. It still matters in an uncertain world. Maybe now more than ever.

May 1970 was a benchmark year for student activists on MU’s campus. Following the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and the Kent State massacre, students held multiple hunger strikes and demonstrations. PHOTO COURTESY OF MU DIGITAL LIBRARY

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1970 Anti-war hunger strike May 11: More than 2,000 MU students gathered on Francis Quadrangle to protest the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and bring attention to the four Kent State University students killed for challenging it.

Activism in Columbia

1974 Legion of Black Collegians rally Supported by a rally of more than 500 students, the Legion of Black Collegians presented MU with a list of 15 demands. These included the implementation of a fund to supplement black faculty members’ salaries and to increase diversity among faculty and staff. All demands were met before August 1974.

1986 Shantytown protests

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Many people have left their mark on our city with their marches, signs and outcries for the greater good. These are some of the events that shaped Columbia. BY ZEPHYRUS LI

In solidarity with anti-apartheid movements, MU students protested the university’s investment fund in South Africa. Students built a shantytown on Francis Quad to symbolize the living conditions of black South Africans. They held rallies and marches on campus. MU police tore down the shantytowns after three days. The following year when protesters rebuilt them, police tore them down again and arrested 41 people. In December 1987, UM system curators voted to divest all funds in South Africa.

2008

Genocide protest The Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, STAND Mizzou, organized this July 15 protest in solidarity with people killed in the genocide and ethnic cleansing in Sudan. They asked the UM system to stop investing money in companies operating in Sudan.

Photography courtesy of MU Digital Library, Columbia Missourian/Archive and Ann Hermes

2019 Sutu Forte’s tree protest

Craftivism calls

Forte, a 67-year-old local resident, scaled a red oak tree in Columbia and camped in it for a week to protest trees being cut to extend the Shepard-to-Rollins nature trail. She was removed by law enforcement. Forte’s nonprofit, It’s Our Wild Nature, and other residents supported the cause, but could not stop the construction of the trail.

Stitching for safety, locals join the fight against COVID-19 by making masks. BY JESSE BAALMAN

2017 Mid-Missouri Solidarity March This rally and march has been held in conjunction with other women’s marches nationwide each January since President Trump’s inauguration. An estimated 1,600 people attended this march locally in 2018 while 3.7 million people across at least 500 different cities took part in their own rallies.

2015 Concerned Student 1950 protest

2008

Marches against Iraq War On July 19, demonstrators gathered outside of the post office on East Walnut Street to march in protest of the Iraq War. A group of counter-protesters faced them across the street. The march ended outside the courthouse, where several hundred people gathered in silence.

Student activist group Concerned Student 1950 led a series of protests regarding race and the rights of minority students. The group presented eight demands to make campus safer and more inclusive for students of color. The movement escalated when MU graduate student Jonathan Butler went on a seven-day hunger strike. Butler advocated for graduate students’ rights, such as restoring health insurance. It peaked when the MU football team boycotted practice and games. This attracted national attention and resulted in UM System President Timothy Wolfe and MU Chancellor Bowen Loftin stepping down.

Photography by Sarah Bell/Archive and Zhihan Huang/Archive

cross the nation, there is a shortage of personal protective equipment. As Columbia’s largest organized effort, the goal of MU Health Care’s mask project is to collect a total of 100,000 masks made by volunteers. Mary Beck, chief nursing officer, says that amount should last several months. For those who wish to volunteer, the process is simplified by kits that provide fabric, elastic and mask pattern directions. Each kit contains materials for 50 masks. “We’ve had well over 23,000 masks made and over 18,000 in the community being sewn,” Beck says. “We need 100,000 because this need for masks is for the long haul. This is not just for right now.” The MU Health Care team asks that masks be made in a pet-free environment to protect people who have pet allergies. “Even though we have them cleaned, it’s still best to not have pets in the setting where the masks are sewn,” Beck says. Volunteer Lisa Tschopp’s mother taught her how to sew on her grandmother’s old sewing machine. “I’ve made 150 masks,” Tschopp says. Although she’s not a frontline worker, Tschopp says she wanted to do her part to fight the pandemic. Her mom, Kris Rose, has been helping her make the masks when she comes over to visit. “It’s taking awhile, but we’re at home,” Tschopp says. “I love having a project to work on. I can pin them while I’m watching the news.” After she signed up through the city of Columbia website, Tschopp says she gets emails telling volunteers when to drop off masks or pick up kits, and the facility is well-marked to show volunteers where to go. “Their happy, smiling faces are always there to receive them,” Tschopp says. Beck says the masks are cleaned before going into circulation with patients, visitors and nonclinical staff in MU Health Care hospitals and clinics. Looking ahead, MU Health Care anticipates to receive and use all 100,000 masks. “It’s really complex to look to the future,” Beck says. “As businesses start to reopen and students come back to town, we don’t know if — or what — the spread will be like. We need to continue to maintain safety at all times.” You can sign up to help at como.gov/volunteer/covid/ and drop off all PPE donations at 2910 LeMone Industrial Blvd. Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Places of change Public spaces have always been hotbeds for social movements. Take a visual tour around five such locations in Columbia. BY REID GLENN Columbia residents and students have long exercised their rights of free speech and assembly. We explore these epicenters of activism, from marches to sit-ins to shantytowns.

McAlester Park: Before the grassy area nestled between The District and MU was known as Peace Park, it was called McAlester Park. After the U.S. invasion of Cambodia in April 1970 and the Kent State massacre on May 4, 1970, students participated in several demonstrations the following week. On May 11, an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 students and faculty gathered at Francis Quadrangle to protest. Bill Wickersham, an assistant professor of recreation and park administration, advised student protesters and participated in several demonstrations. Columbia police officers arrested 30 people — including Wickersham — in an attempt to break up the protests. When protesters refused to disband, then-MU Chancellor John Schwada met with student leaders and members of the Faculty Council. One year later, Wickersham presided over an unofficial renaming ceremony at McAlester Park to commemorate the protests. Peace Park now holds popular Earth Day celebrations every April 22, though this year’s festival was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Conley Plaza: On Feb. 2, 1987, following the shantytown protests on the quad, then-UM System President C. Peter Magrath designated Conley Plaza as the only area on campus where speakers don’t need permits. Now called Speakers Circle, the plaza can, on any given day, host evangelical preachers, fundraisers, food trucks, bike mechanics and hacky sackers. Located right in the center of the MU campus, it is presented by the university as an open forum — a place where anything goes, so long as speakers do not disrupt classes or pedestrian travel.

Photography by and courtesy of Randee Kaiser/Archive and Barb Kuesting

Boone County Courthouse Plaza: Most recently, the largest and loudest protests in town have been the annual Mid-Missouri Solidarity Marches. Held in conjunction with and in support of the Women’s March on Washington every January since President Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration, the Solidarity March has refocused its purpose away from protesting the president’s policies to instead highlighting political involvement. The March represents a myriad of causes including environmental awareness, human rights, registering to vote, reproductive rights and taking a stand against domestic violence. In Columbia, activists have focused on marching in the downtown area, eventually culminating in a rally at the Courthouse.

Memorial Union: In February 1969, Barbara Papish, a graduate student at MU, was expelled and arrested for distributing an underground newspaper at Memorial Union that featured a cartoon on its front cover of policemen raping the Statue of Liberty and the goddess of justice. Papish appealed her expulsion all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled 6-3 in favor of Papish. The court reinforced an earlier decision saying “the mere dissemination of ideas — no matter how offensive — on a state university campus may not be shut off in the name alone of ‘conventions of decency.’ ”

The Minute Inn: The Minute Inn used to sit on the northwest corner of Providence Road and Broadway. It was there that 17-year-old Jim Nunnelly decided to take a stand by sitting down. In April 1960, Nunnelly and eight of his friends, four black and four white, strode through the front door of the Minute Inn diner and sat down at the lunch counter. The quiet and nonviolent protest ended after only a few minutes when the owner threw Nunnelly out. Weeks later, Nunnelly graduated from Douglass High School and then attended MU.

Photography by and courtesy of MU Digital Library, Tom Hella/Archive and Carolyn Bentlage

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Nutrition with a mission Make any of these dietary changes to lessen your environmental impact. BY CHRISTINA LONG hat you eat matters, and not just for your health. Consumers can take ethical and environmental stances by changing what they put in their grocery carts. Although it’s true that one person’s actions can’t stop the greenhouse effect or bring an end animal cruelty, there are actions that, if made collectively, can make a difference. We investigated four methods, rated from 1 (least difficult) to 5 (most difficult).

Switch to nondairy milk Difficulty: 1 The facts: Ray Massey, professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics at MU Extension, says changing consumer habits can have a pretty big impact on farming practices. Consider plant-based milks, which typically produce only one-fourth of the carbon emissions produced by dairy milk and require less land to create. Nondairy milk options include almond, oat and soy milk. Although almond milk has lower greenhouse gas emissions, the production process uses a lot of water — significantly more than any other plant-based milk. How to: Weigh the pros and cons, including cost and taste, when you peruse the dairy aisle. At Hy-Vee, for example, a half-gallon of Central Dairy 2% milk is about $2.50, while a half-gallon of Silk soy milk costs twice as much.

Think before you pick your protein Difficulty: 2 The facts: Humans need protein. There’s no getting around that. Meat is the most common protein product in the U.S., but there are plenty of plant-based proteins, and they vary greatly in their environmental impacts. Beef is by far the most damaging in terms of greenhouse gas emissions because it requires extensive land use and feed production and because cows naturally release large amounts of methane. Poultry is the least-damaging animal protein, but plant-based proteins like beans and nuts are the winners in terms of low emissions. How to: Massey says there’s no perfect protein

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Cow milk

Almond milk

Soy milk

Oat milk

Water use per gallon of milk (in gallons)

165.918

98.018

7.398

12.682

Emissions per gallon of milk (in kilograms)

12.112

2.649

3.785

3.407

Average greenhouse gas emissions per 8oz of product (in kilograms)

Beef

Pork

Farmed fish

Poultry

Beans

Nuts

80.286

17.236

13.608

13.154

1.814

0.454

source: “There’s this dance that occurs. A conventional farmer is going to put on an herbicide, which an organic farmer does not like, but an organic farmer is going to till the soil, which an environmentalist would not like.” Livestock can actually be pretty efficient, depending on how they are raised. Massey says he believes it matters less what you’re eating and more how much you’re eating. In the U.S., the amount of meat we consume per capita is three times the global average. The Food and Nutrition Board, which sets recommended dietary allowances, suggests

only 10% of daily calories come from plant or animal protein, but for the average American, that number is closer to 16%. “We would probably have a much better reduction in greenhouse gases if we just ate what we needed instead of what we wanted,” he says.

Eat locally and seasonally Difficulty: 3 The facts: Shipping food products can come with high environmental costs. Out-of-season produce might have been shipped long distances

Illustrations by Taoru Huang

to your area, and shipping processes can produce large quantities of carbon emissions. By shopping locally, you’re buying in-season products that haven’t had to travel as far from the farm to your fridge. How to: Several places in Columbia provide local products, including Root Cellar and the Columbia Farmers Market. Still, consumers have to decide what “local” means to them. For example, all vendors at the farmers market are based within a 50-mile radius of the market. Farmers Market Executive Director Corrina Smith says, “For us, it’s that radius, and it’s that opportunity to talk to (the vendor) … You get to ask them, ‘How is this raised? Did you spray? Did you not? Grass-fed? Or not?’”

Go vegetarian or vegan Difficulty: 5 The facts: Although meat can be produced efficiently, removing it from your diet is a fast way to slash your carbon footprint. Many people, including the owner of Main Squeeze Café, Leigh Lockhart, choose to go vegetarian to take a stance against animal cruelty. Factory farms raise large numbers of livestock in confined spaces and damage the environment through high methane emissions and large amounts of animal waste that pollutes water supplies. “When you really embrace the information and have the information, it’s very hard to keep eating meat,” Lockhart says. Some people go one step further and switch to a vegan diet, which removes animal byproducts, such as eggs and dairy, and is even more environmentally and animal-friendly. How to: A major dietary change like this requires planning and self-discipline. Lockhart became a vegetarian about 35 years ago. She knows it’s not easy for everyone to commit to a plant-based diet but advises people to “take it easy on yourself, and give yourself lots of grace. Do what you can, and try to explore the new foods that are out there that are making it so much easier for people to eat a more plant-based diet.” Whatever substitutes you choose, be sure to do your homework, and find out what its environmental and ethical pros and cons might be.

Paying it forward How a lot of locals give a little to make Columbia brighter. BY MATTHEW UNTHANK hile a single volunteer’s efforts might seem small, volunteering your time adds up. In 2019, the U.S. collectively volunteered over 8 billion hours, contributing work valued at over $200 billion. Volunteers at Columbia’s food bank alone logged more than 100,000 hours. Whether you’re giving an hour of your time or donating an hour’s worth of your paycheck, these organizations rely on locals to put in the good work and make our community better.

Voluntary Action Center For over 50 years, the Voluntary Action Center has provided assistance with health, food, education, housing and other basic needs for Boone County households with incomes at or below double the federal poverty level — $52,400 for a family of four. The VAC initiates programs yearround, including Homes For Computers, Warm Up Columbia and the Back to School Health Fair. Its Summer Fan Program provided 340 donated electric fans in 2019 to low-income families to help beat the summer heat. “It takes those gifts both large and small to cumulatively make the difference that we all make together,” says VAC Executive Director Nick Foster. The VAC also relies on support from the community. Over 35% of its $490,000 projected annual revenue comes from fundraising and individual and corporate donations. In addition to monetary and supply donations, the center accepts volunteer work for help with its seasonal programs and typically sees more than 500 volunteers per year. Find out more at vacmo.org.

The Veterans United Foundation A quick turn off Forum Boulevard and onto Veterans United Drive is all it takes to reach the headquarters of Veterans

United Home Loans. It’s the nation’s largest supplier of VA loans and the largest private employer in Columbia, with more than 2,500 local employees as of January 2020. It’s also the parent of the Veterans United Foundation, which launched in 2011. The foundation is funded by VU employees, more than 90% of whom donate at least 1% of their salary to help the cause. It partners with and supports various community-focused organizations such as Heart of Missouri United Way and the Veteran’s Urban Farm program. The Foundation also gives to veterans and military families. Recently, VU provided 250 meals a day from local restaurants to Columbia’s health care workers and pledged $1 million toward COVID-19 relief by working with comohelps.org to help provide the necessary resources to combat the pandemic. Find out more at enhancelives.com/how-we-help.

The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri provided over 24 million meals to people in need in 2018. The bank supplies about 140 food pantries and other food organizations across 32 counties — from Kirksville to the Lake of the Ozarks — and is the only food bank in Missouri to provide to the organizations for free. In 2019, 15,120 volunteers helped the food bank in and around Columbia and contributed over 100,000 hours of volunteer work. The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Columbia is no longer taking in-person volunteers for roles because of COVID-19. Instead, the bank has started new at-home volunteer programs, such as writing letters to accompany the senior and veteran food boxes, creating masks for the food bank workers and knitting scarves for the future winter months. Find out more at sharefoodbringhope.org.

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Activism is in session

In today’s class, five young activist groups rally for their causes. BY DIANA PANUNCIAL

Educating for the environment rom environmentalist Greta Thunberg to feminist Malala Yousafzai and even Columbia’s own Emma Winter, who marched at the Boone County Courthouse in fall 2019 to raise awareness about global warming, young activists far and wide have been taking a stand. Kids all over Columbia are making their voices heard about the causes they are passionate about.

In fall 2019, Asia Smith, 17, founded and became president of her high school’s Battle Environmental Protection Agency. She says she focuses on educating her classmates about climate change and environmental issues. Regular BEPA meeting activities include sharing tips on how to conserve resources at home and in the classroom, project planning for planting trees and quizzes that allow members to measure their carbon footprints.

114 of those pounds being food waste. “It really concerned my students because Grant is one of the smallest schools in Columbia,” Poage says. Poage’s class wrote several letters to the city and petitioned for Grant Elementary to start a recycling club called the Green Team. The class also made waste-free lunch flyers and composting displays. At the end of the yearlong project, Grant Elementary reduced its food waste to 63 pounds per day.

Protesting gun violence Promoting indigenous inclusion Upon coming to MU from Pueblo of Isleta, an unincorporated native community in New Mexico, Ryder Jiron says he was disappointed by the lack of community among Native American students. So, he joined Four Directions. He was determined to grow the organization at MU and to make the campus more indigenous friendly, Jiron says. Now president of the club, Jiron says Four Directions’ mission has always been threefold: to provide community, to advocate for native students on campus and to educate others about Native American history. The club also provides a means of unifying native students. “I can finally name more than 10 native students that live on campus,” he says.

Tackling food waste

Climate Leaders at Mizzou is another young activist group. It advocates for a sustainable future. In September 2019, the group participated in a global climate strike and involved students from local schools.

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Last school year, Columbia Public Schools joined a national recycling competition and encouraged students throughout the district to take initiative. Kerry Poage’s fifth-grade class at Grant Elementary School focused on a specific question: “How can we reduce food waste in our school?” Poage says. The class teamed up with the city to conduct a waste audit during lunch. In one day, they discovered the school had accumulated 224 pounds of trash, with

Kewpies Demand Action is a local chapter of Students Demand Action, which is a national student activist group rallying for the elimination of gun violence through common-sense solutions while still protecting the Second Amendment. Lindsey Oberle, 17, has been a member of Hickman High School’s chapter since it formed in 2018. Every year, the group goes to the state Capitol to protest for gun sense on Advocacy Day on Feb. 26. Oberle says protesting can sometimes make her feel powerless when lawmakers don’t seem to be listening, but it can be invigorating when other Demand Action groups come together.

Advocating for life Members of the Tolton Catholic High School’s Pro-Life Club participate in March For Life in Washington, D.C.; volunteer at My Life Clinic, a nonprofit medical clinic in Columbia offering help to pregnant women; and pray outside of Columbia’s Planned Parenthood. While others might protest outside of Planned Parenthood, President Ashley Kippes, 18, says the club prays in support of women. “Women that go there and see others praying outside, they know we’re there for them and not trying to go against them,” she says.

Photography courtesy of Barb Kuesting

BE YOUR OWN BARTENDER P. 25

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS P. 26

All in a day’s work The executive chef of Flyover gives an inside look at how his staff is adjusting to a new normal. BY GRANT MILLER For Adam Wells-Morgan, executive chef and co-owner of Flyover, the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting shutdowns presented a daunting challenge. But he and the Flyover team proved they were up for the challenge, he says. “We’re adapting to the situation, but I still get to do what I love, and I’m grateful for that,” he says.

Bartender Maddy Melton takes phone orders at the restaurant. When ordering, you may find dishes such as fettuccine bolognese or Midwestern mac and cheese on the menu.

Photography courtesy of Unsplash and Adam Wells-Morgan

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

E AT + DRINK RESTAURANTS

Wells-Morgan, a Columbia native, helped open Flyover in 2016. He started his culinary career at age 10 by cooking in his grandmother’s kitchen. He has been working as a chef since 2001 and finally achieved his dream of opening a restaurant with Flyover in 2016. Pre-pandemic, the restaurant was usually busy with a relaxed, social atmosphere, Wells-Morgan says. But after stay-at-home orders went into effect, that experience changed. Now, Wells-Morgan, who frequently works by the wood-burning oven, cooks for a vacant restaurant. His meals, once served to eager faces around tables, are served to an empty bar, which has been converted into a takeout assembly line. The staff uses the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram accounts to let customers know they’re open and operating — albeit under different conditions. Wells-Morgan is adjusting and finding a new normal. Here’s what a typical day looks like for him at the height of the stay-at-home orders in April. Noon: Wells-Morgan shows up for work a few hours before Flyover opens. He sanitizes everything — doorknobs, tables, the bathroom — before firing up the oven. His staff arrives around 1 p.m. to prepare the kitchen and handle carryout orders, which weren’t part of Flyover’s regular business before. Wells-Morgan sanitizes everything again before opening. 3–4 p.m.: Flyover opens at 3:30 p.m., and Wells-Morgan and the staff immediately start fielding takeout orders. Online orders are constantly on the ticket line, which keeps Wells-Morgan busy cooking. He ensures the food is up to standard and the oven is sanitized. At his busiest, Wells-Morgan had 28 orders at once. Flyover still sees a lot of business. Staff members work the same hours they normally would have as constant carry-out orders keep them busy. Wells-Morgan says he’s thankful for the work and grateful for his staff. “I have a very competent crew,” he says. His team keeps up with the accelerated pace and continues to keep Flyover running smoothly. “I am glad to constantly provide customers with good food,” Wells-Morgan says.

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

5–7 p.m.: Flyover is at its busiest during the dinnertime rush. The bar is perpetually at capacity with carryout orders, and the staff diligently works to get them to customers. Wells-Morgan is exhausted by this time, but he says he’s committed to providing his customers with quality food and service. “I appreciate every order we get,” he says. While Flyover still serves plenty of customers, Wells-Morgan says the

Flyover is open Tuesday to Saturday from 3:30 to 9 p.m. To place an order for curbside pickup, call 825-6036.

restaurant industry sees the smallest profit margins of any type of business. “Everyone needs help,” he says. “We’re just not accustomed to being closed.” Gratuities make a difference, he says, and the money goes to the staff working that day. 8:30–10 p.m.: Wells-Morgan is preparing to close, and he and his staff get to rest after a harrowing day. “These are good decompression hours,” he says. Wells-Morgan has a keg of Stag, his crew’s favorite beer, on standby. “It’s just a time to chill out and talk about the day, ask each other how we can improve,” he says. “They’re like my second family, after all.” Wells-Morgan says people should feel safe eating takeout from restaurants to help keep them afloat. As stay-at-home guidelines shift, he will decide how to move forward. One change: In response to the success, Flyover has had with carryout orders, Wells-Morgan says the restaurant will continue to offer it once the dining room reopens.

Photography by and courtesy of Stephanie Mueller/Archive and Adam Wells-Morgan

E AT + DRI N K COCKTAILS

well. “Orange bitters is super-common and super-delicious in an Old-Fashioned,” Ruth says.

Shaking things up at your home bar Mix top-knotch drinks from the comfort of your kitchen with a few ingredients and these tips from local experts. BY MADELYN ODEN

aking a good drink doesn’t require a fully stocked bar. We enlisted the help of local mixologists Andrew Ruth and Billy Giordano to teach us how to make their signature cocktails from home. Ruth is Barred Owl Butcher & Table’s bar manager, and Giordano is Room 38’s manager. With a shaker and a few ingredients at the ready, you can try your hand at making professional-level drinks without having to hit the bars. Ooh La La Barred Owl Butcher & Table This naturally sweetened concoction combines citrus and peach flavors and will surely take your upcoming virtual happy hour to the next level. Ingredients: ½ ounce honey simple syrup, 1 ½ ounces of your favorite brand of vodka, ¼ ounce aperol, ½ ounce lemon juice, ½ ounce orange juice and 2 dashes peach bitters. To make: Place all the ingredients in a shaker, and mix well. Pour the drink into a cocktail glass. Ruth says you don’t have to worry about fancy presentation at home. “You can place it in a glass with ice and sip on it around the house.” How to make honey simple syrup: In a pot over low heat, mix 1 cup of honey and 1 cup of hot water. It needs to be just warm enough to stir together until it’s blended evenly. You can store this in the fridge to sweeten other drinks, too.

ounces of your favorite whiskey. To make: Pour the simple syrup and bitters at the bottom of a glass and mix. Then top off with your go-to whiskey and a few ice cubes. The drink should be fairly strong, so be sure not to dilute it with too much ice. To garnish, you can use an orange peel for bourbon and a lemon peel for rye whiskey. Ruth suggests using an orange peel for sweeter whiskey and a lemon peel for drier or spicier whiskey. How to make an easy simple syrup: Place ½ teaspoon of white cane sugar at the bottom of a glass. Add 2 to 3 dashes of bitters on the sugar, and add about ¼ ounce of water. Muddle that in the bottom of the glass. Voila! Simple syrup. Alternatives: If you have orange bitters around your house, that works as

Gather up six ingredients and a shaker, and you can make a fruity Ooh La La at home. When dining rooms closed due to COVID-19, restaurants such as Barred Owl and Room 38 offered carryout cocktails.

Moonshine Sour Room 38 Bright, vibrant flavored cocktails are a signature at Room 38. The bartenders use all fresh ingredients in their drinks to make sure they’re well balanced. “We do a lot of infusions, so a lot of fresh fruits and herbs go into our infused alcohol,” says Giordano. “And then we use a lot of fresh juices and fresh fruits, fresh herbs just in general to prepare our cocktails.” Ingredients: 1 ½ ounces pineapple, jalapeño and cilantro-infused clear whiskey, ½ ounce agave syrup and ½ ounce fresh lime juice. To make: Combine all of the ingredients into a shaker. Mix for 10 to 15 seconds then strain it over a glass with ice. Garnish with fresh jalapeño slices. How to make pineapple, jalapeño and cilantro-infused whiskey: Slice two jalapeños once lengthwise. Combine jalapeños with seeds, half a pineapple chopped and a handful of fresh cilantro in a container. Add a bottle of clear whiskey. The mix should sit for at least three days before straining to use.

Old-Fashioned Barred Owl Butcher & Table The Old-Fashioned is a staple in any bartender’s arsenal, and for good reason. With just three ingredients, you, too, can create this classic cocktail. Ingredients: 1 teaspoon simple syrup, two to three dashes of bitters and 2 ½ Photography courtesy of Devin Rodino

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

E AT + DRINK

A twist on citrus SHE SNORES MORE THAN I DO, BUT I STILL LOVE MY HUMAN. — BANDIT adopted 11-26-09

Diverse programming you can’t find anywhere else. It’s community radio!

KOPN

89.5 FM live streaming at kopn.org 26

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

You don’t need high-priced kitchen equipment to make these two fizzy drinks that are perfect for summer. BY BRYANNA BARBER

une means it’s (finally) time to ditch the hot coffee and hot chocolate for iced drinks. Learn how to make two fruity concoctions that are simple twists on classic beverages and take only minutes to prepare. A citrus reamer will help with juicing, but if you don’t have one, roll the fruit firmly on the countertop before squeezing to help you get the most juice. Sparkling lemonade Use a reamer or strainer over a cup or jar to juice three to four lemons. Pour 1 teaspoon of sugar (or more if your sweet tooth is talking) into the lemon juice, and stir for about 30 seconds. Top it off with 8 to 10 ounces of sparkling water. Flavored sparkling waters add extra goodness. I used a bottle of dark morello cherry and pomegranate Pellegrino for a fizzy, fruity lemonade I could drink every day. Tinker with the sugar amount to create the right level of tart or sweet for your taste buds. Sparkling orange juice Let’s be real: Fresh orange juice is a pain to make. By the time you reach the bottom of the bag of oranges, you barely have enough juice for a good-sized glass. So for this recipe, you’ll only need a few oranges. The ratio will be about 50% juice and 50% sparkling water. Cut three to four oranges in half, and squeeze the juice into a glass. Oranges are a bit tougher than lemons to juice, so rolling and squeezing them against the counter first really helps. Use a wire strainer to catch the pulp if you don’t like it in your juice. Top if off with your favorite flavor of sparkling water. That’s it! Deliciousness without all the elbow grease. Photography courtesy of Unsplash

TEACHERS GONNA TEACH P. 29

BUILD YOUR RESUME P. 30 Re sume Re pa

irs !

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When life is on paws Even in a time of uncertainty, animals still need loving homes. BY KAITLYN HOEVELMANN Social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led many people to bring home new pets. All of the Central Missouri Humane Society’s adoptable dog kennels and cat cages are empty, Associate Director Michelle Casey says. “Part of the reason is because people have time for those dogs to transition in their home, bond with their dog,” says Melody Whitworth, founder and director of Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue. “The weather’s getting nice, so they can be out and about with their dog,” Whitworth says. Fostering pets during this pandemic benefits not only the animals, but also the humans. “Especially if you’re stuck home and you need some companionship, fostering is just an amazing way to change the lives of shelter animals,” Casey says. However, bringing a new pet home also comes with new responsibilities and struggles. Although adopting is more commonly talked about, fostering is important because it helps the pet transition from a shelter to a home. Whether it’s temporary or permanent, here are some do’s and don’ts for bringing home a new pet:

Central Humane Society Associate Director Michelle Casey says the shelter tries to match people with pets that will fit their lifestyles.

Photography courtesy of Tristen Rouse

Do consider financial costs. “The first year of dog ownership can be $1,000 or more depending on the dog’s specific needs and size,” says Jordan Holliday, brand marketing specialist with Embrace Pet Insurance. Many rescue groups and shelters provide training and basic pet supplies to people newly fostering pets, but it is important to take cost into account.

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

C I TY LIFE PETS

The cost of adoption can include shelter fees, food, additional fees for renters, yearly vet visits and health check-ups for dental work, vaccinations or heartworm medication. Students in Columbia often want to adopt but are unaware that their landlords might raise rent fees if they get a pet, Whitworth says. As far as purchasing pet supplies during the pandemic, local stores such as Lizzi & Rocco’s and Treats Unleashed are providing online or curbside shopping options. Don’t think about your foster pet as your own pet. Although letting go of foster pets can be difficult, it can help to take on a different mindset. “We tell our foster parents that in order to keep a good mindset about fostering and letting the dogs go, you just pretend like you’re pet sitting and you don’t know when Mom and Dad are coming home,” Whitworth says. Sammi Gregory, who has been fostering from the

Kaelyn Sturgell kisses her cat that she adopted from Central Missouri Humane Society. It’s hard to care for abandoned kittens with no mother because they have to be fed every two hours, says Michelle Casey of the humane society.

Physical needs such as food and water are important, but foster animals must be socialized to fit in with a forever family.

Central Missouri Humane Society since November, suggests thinking of foster dogs as “sleepover buddies” until they find a home. However, if the right fit does come along, adoption is an option. Fosterfailing, which happens when foster parents end up adopting their foster pet, is a common phenomenon. Almost all of the staff members at the shelter have foster-failed at least once, Casey says. Do spend time mentally and physically training a dog. Getting active with dogs and going on walks can help soothe their anxiety from joining a new home, Gregory says. Stimulation prevents behavioral issues. “I think people don’t spend enough time with their dogs, exercising them, bonding with them, giving them mental stimulation, training,” she says. “People don’t realize how much training a dog needs to become mentally and physically happy.” And it helps people as well: 93% of dog owners say one of the best ways to destress is by taking their dog for a walk, according to a report from pet care site Rover.com. Do maintain a routine. Whitworth says this goes for fostering and adopting. Creating food, crating and potty schedules during quarantine can help cushion the transition that dogs will face when humans return to the outside world, she says. Don’t foster or adopt on a whim. Making sure a pet is a good fit for your home

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is important, Gregory says. Whitworth points out that there will be life after quarantine. She wants to prevent people who are fostering from thinking that the project ends after quarantine. “If the dog’s not adopted, you have to continue to take care of it until it gets adopted,” Whitworth says. As far as adopting goes, consider what fits your lifestyle. Don’t just get a pet because it looks cute, says Giulia Hall, operations director of the animal rescue group Second Chance. Different types of pets fit in better with different lifestyles. “If you are lazy, don’t get a dog breed that needs a ton of exercise just because it’s pretty,” Hall says. Don’t expect everything to go smoothly. Going to a new home can be a scary situation for animals. “It may take them a little bit of time to warm up,” Casey says. She suggests giving an animal at least three days to start to adjust. It can sometimes take a week or two for an animal to get comfortable, she says. It’s also important to remember you’re not alone — the Humane Society will help with any issues in the transition, such as housebreaking or litter box training. Do foster at the right time. “There will be a second wave in the rescue community after this pandemic is over because people are going to be financially strapped, and a lot of times that’s when they relinquish their animals to the shelter or they reach out to rescues,” she says. Kitten season, which typically begins around March, is in full swing. “We’re always trying to recruit new volunteers and new foster parents who are comfortable learning how to handle neonatal kittens because that’s certainly a need that we have,” Casey says. She expects to see a significant increase in newborn kittens coming into the shelter throughout the rest of the spring and summer. “We’re just hopeful that you (fosterers) find this to be a very rewarding experience and continue to foster even after this pandemic is over because hopefully now people realize the need of foster homes in our community,” Whitworth says.

Photography by Yehyun Kim/Archive and courtesy of Tristen Rouse

C I T Y LI FE EDUCATION

Q is for quarantine With the close of the school year, teachers reflect on the emotional toll of moving online. BY JOE NOSER

ori Hantak walked into her March 16 staff meeting at La Petite Ecole expecting a normal day. Instead, she and other faculty were tasked with transitioning the private, French language immersion school to online-only teaching. Just one day later, the shift was complete, and Hantak and her fellow staff members were suddenly facing a virtual challenge. Hantak is among teachers nationwide who moved to online learning due to school closures designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. “It’s been a wild ride,” Hantak says. “It was a pretty big feat.” Amid the uncertainty of the first few weeks of the pandemic, Hantak’s plan provided a road map for the students, all ages 11 or under, to follow as the school year progressed online. The effort didn’t go unnoticed by their parents. “I had just an influx of emails after the first week just saying ‘thank you’ with Photography courtesy of Claire Herndon

pictures of kids doing crafts, so that was probably the moment that makes it all worth it,” Hantak says. La Petite Ecole’s average class size is only 10 kids, so the faculty doesn’t have many problems helping its students get access to the necessary technology and internet. However, Hantak still had to face the daunting task of helping her students make sense of why their world changed. “You can imagine how heartbreaking those moments are when you have a little boy say, ‘Ms. Tori, Ms. Tori, when do I get to see you in class?’” Hantak says. She tries to emphasize the novelty of online learning with her students by emphasizing how fun it is to spend time on the computer and at home with their parents. “They just don’t understand, and you still have to keep their morale up, but it definitely takes a toll on yours,” she says. At Gratz Brown Elementary School in Moberly, Kaylee Vitt teaches special edu-

Claire Herndon’s classroom at Alpha Hart Lewis Elementary sits empty as the school switched to virtual lessons. It will remain vacant for a while as in-person summer school is canceled for June and July.

cation elementary students, and she says connecting with students is difficult online. “It kind of takes away all the good parts — seeing the kids and physically being able to watch them work and watch them learn,” she says. “You don’t get to do that with online teaching.” Claire Herndon, who teaches fourth grade at Alpha Hart Lewis Elementary School in Columbia, didn’t have as jarring of an online transition as Hantak. When Columbia Public Schools went online, the district provided packets for the elementary school students to complete at home. Herndon had enough time to create her own supplemental packets for her 18 students to make sure that their learning stayed consistent with previous lessons. Still, she has experienced her share of interruptions, too. Like Vitt, those interruptions have had a significant effect on some of her students. “There are kids that I can look back on and see (when) we started to change courses and have that awesome growth in behavior or academics, and then it just kind of got cut off,” Herndon says. Despite the hardships, there have also been moments of joy, such as when one of Herndon’s students greeted her with excitement when she dropped off supplies at their home. She hopes that excitement and gratitude carry over when students finally return to the classroom — whenever that may be. “This has kind of given me a cool window into how much some of the kids love and appreciate each other and me,” she says, “because now they’re finding ways to express that because they’re not seeing those people as often.”

Before the school La Petite Ecole went online in March, Tori Hantak had no idea she would have to find ways to teach her young students remotely. VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

CITY LIFE

Resume Guidelines

JOBS

Revamp your resume

Experience

Contact

Job hunting during the coronavirus pandemic is daunting but not impossible.

Education

BY GRACE GLANDER

nemployment rates across the U.S. have skyrocketed. In Missouri during March, 196,290 initial unemployment claims were filed. For comparison, during a one-week period from the end of March into early April, 82,399 unemployment claims were filed in the state compared to about 2,639 in the same week in 2019, according to USA Today (an over 3,000% increase). As businesses remain closed, the claims continue. To help you feel prepared as you enter (or re-enter) the job market, Vox gathered tips on landing a job in this difficult time. You can still job hunt during a pandemic Amanda Nell, senior coordinator of student services at the MU Career Center, says it’s important for job seekers to “adjust their expectations because all industries have been affected to some degree,” but she says not to give up. She recommends reaching out to people you know — including coworkers, classmates and employers — to express that you’re looking for a job. Nancy S. Imbs, a licensed corporate etiquette specialist at Polished., says “professionals will empathize with you and want to help you succeed.” Part-time work or temporary jobs are an option, Nell says. Create a plan B to help you reach your longterm goals. It might mean you receive lower pay or a less flashy title, but you can pick up a job that helps you network or gain transferable skills. She said graduates can try to align their skills to suit needs in industries that are still hiring, such as health care, grocery, delivery, online learning and remote communication. Imbs advises people to treat job hunting as if it is a job itself. “Invest in the process and spend quality time each day in your job search. Start each day with a to-do list of what you would like to accomplish. You will feel more productive when you have an action plan,” she says. You’ll want to avoid these missteps Don’t go overboard with color, Nell says.

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It can be important, but use moderation. Oversharing personal information can also get your resume put in the “no” pile. Nell finds resumes get tossed when they include a picture. Instead, she advises including the link to your online portfolio or LinkedIn profile. Nell also recommends not disclosing your date of birth or your address, particularly if you need to relocate for the job. Using boring or generic adjectives won’t show employers why you’d be a unique and valuable hire. Anne Williams, president of JobFinders Employment Services, says people shouldn’t use vague words such as “professional,” “creative” or “hard worker.” If someone wants to use the word “creative,” they can change it to “resourceful,” “innovative” or “agile.” If someone is a good communicator, for example, they need to expand on that statement by saying they are a skilled persuasive writer and a confident public speaker. Nell says highlighting unique strengths and abilities through a summary or bullet points is key. Hobbies or interests that aren’t related to your professional goals have no place on your resume. Those are nice talking points, Williams says, but space on your resume is limited and should be used for your professional accomplishments. The same goes for references. Williams recommends printing off a separate piece of paper with your references that you can then hand the hiring manager along with your resume. You’re right for the job; prove it Creating a master or running resume is a good place to start. Document everything, and don’t worry about wording or length at first. Write down clubs, organizations, jobs, service learning projects and even class projects for students. After you get everything down, you can cherry-pick experiences that most relate to what you’re applying for. Ask yourself, “What kind of skills did I either acquire

Skills

Re s ume Re p a Interests Experience

irs ! The white resume is pristine while the orange resume contains resume taboos, such as photos and hobbies.

Other stuff

Limit your resume to one page. Resumes should be kept this short because recruiters will only look at them for a few seconds, according to The Muse.

or hone doing these kinds of things?” Nell says. Visualize what you’ve accomplished, and figure out what you can develop further on paper. Have an easy-to-read and engaging format. Keep bullets and indentations consistent, and maintain a balance of ink and white space. Nell says she has seen resumes that are messy or hard to read get passed over even when they have quality content. The summary statements that give a hiring manager a brief explanation of your skills and experiences should be powerful and compelling. “To me, it’s like a movie trailer,” Nell says. “You’re like, ‘oh, I want to read more.’” If you’re switching jobs mid-career, highlight your skills that apply to the new job. Nell recommends LinkedIn learning courses and other professional development opportunities, too. With these tips in mind, your resume will make a great first impression. Once you land the interview, remember to be yourself. Your hard work will pay off.

Illustrations by Madison Wisse

photo finish

Fade to black PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELIZABETH UNDERWOOD After the sun sets, the screen rises. Worries of the pandemic fade away. B&B Moberly Five and Drive reopened May 8, and the drive-in’s projectors lit up with showings of Groundhog Day and Space Jam. With movie theaters still closed in most areas, drive-ins could see resurged interest. The Moberly theater implemented some new measures, including having employees wear masks and gloves, to help keep the original socially distanced movie experience safe. Visit the theater’s website at bbtheatres.com for screenings.

VOX MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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