entrepreneurs protectors
samaritans givers philanthropists
humanitarians home–givers feminists
mentors volunteers angels
helpers warriors entrepreneurs MAY 2015 VOL XIV ISSUE VI SYRACUSE NEW YORK Your student fee
COFFEE & QUIRK
CONTENTS MAY 2015 Wheels of Progress 22 Syracuse University offers a welcoming and accepting social and academic environment to students and staff with disabilities. But logistically, the university still falls short—even the majority of the Dome, which can seat almost 50,000 people, is inaccessible to wheelchairs.
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EDITOR'S LETTER FEEDBACK PEEPS CLICKBATE
Full Bloom 34 This season marks a revival of the 70s. Modern hemlines subtly combine with retro silhouttes, like bellbottoms, to bring us back to an era of groovy garments. Follow the lead of high-fashion retailers like Prada, Derek Lam, and Saint Laurent to bring new vibes to your wardrobe.
Music Madness 44 Music festivals these days aren't your mom and dad's Woodstock. Forget peace and love; Now it's all about PLUR. From ACL to Bonnaroo, get ready for a festivalfilled summer. 2 5.15
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Cover Design by Abby Legge
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JERK THIS What you should hit up and bitch about this month.
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BACKDROP ESF Greenhouse
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TOTALLY UNSCIENTIFIC POLL World Naked Gardening Month
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SEX One Time, at Camp...
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FRAMED Textile
SMUT FEATURES 28
BITCH OPINIONS 14
Clicking for Good?
Donating to NGOs on Facebook may feel good, but these donations don't support nonprofits' needs. 16
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21
Online Life Support Social media allows users to intervene when they witness suicidal posts—but how effective is this? Love Yourself to Death Ignoring obesity creates a society where unhealthiness is not just accepted, but promoted. Lips are Movin' Labiaplasty was one of the fastest-growing cosmetic surgeries in 2014, but it's more than just a simple tweak.
Coffee & Quirk The Kind Coffee Company boasts coffee prestige and eccentric personality.
GAWK FASHION 42
STRIPPED Stand out and stay cool this summer with lightweight and bold tees. A T–shirt and shorts have never been so chic.
BACK OF BOOK 58
DISCOVERSYR Landmark Theatre
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SPEAKEASY Jack Hogan
61
OBITCHUARY THOT
62
CLOSET CASE The Skin I'm In
63
FORM AND FUNCTION Like a Jerk
NOISE ARTS & MUSIC 48
Jerk Awards These philanthropic people rock the community with their activism and passion.
54
REWIND The Beatles
55
ALTRUIST Lady Gaga
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AMPLIFIED LIPSTIK
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SYNAPSE MAYhem
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Michelle Malia EDITOR
Kelley Anne Rowland
Maia Collette Henderson
MANAGING EDITOR
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
EDITORIAL
Heather Rounds ASST. FEATURES EDITOR Michaela Quigley ARTS AND MUSIC EDITOR Rebecca Shafer ASST. ARTS AND MUSIC EDITOR Susanna Heller OPINIONS EDITOR Eric King ASST. OPINIONS EDITOR Rachel Lockhart STYLE EDITOR Annika Downs ASST. STYLE EDITOR Chazz Inniss RESEARCH EDITOR Gigi Antonelle COPY EDITOR Rachel Young FACT CHECKER Brontë Schmit FACT CHECKER Julia Smith FRESHMAN INTERN Nicole Engelman FRESHMAN INTERN Katherine Fletcher FEATURES EDITOR
DESIGN
Abby Legge Kristie Cordon, Bianca Kim, Sofia Russo DESIGN DIRECTOR
DESIGNERS
ART
Ryan Brondolo Katrina Ragland STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Sam Maller, Spencer Bodian, Renee Zhou, Rina Matsuno–Kankhetr ILLUSTRATORS Frances Matos, Rob Byers, William Smith IV ILLUSTRATION DIRECTOR
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Kaitlynn Cooney Anagha Das, Kennedy Patlan, Ashley Brolin, Spencer Bistricer PR DESIGNER Elizabeth Ching COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR PR REPRESENTATIVES
WEB
Laura Cohen WEB EDITOR Caroline Cakebread ASST. WEB EDITOR Tanya David, Zoë Malliaros, Leah Strassburg WEB DESIGNER Shawna Rabbas PHOTO EDITOR Adham Elsharkawi DIGITAL INTERN Serena Sarch DIGITAL DIRECTOR
BUSINESS
Maria Ingaglio Anna Goodell AD REPRESENTATIVE Marisa Stark, Estella Xian PUBLISHER
AD DIRECTOR
CONTRIBUTORS MULTIMEDIA
Olivia Monko ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Abby Schwartz ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Chris Sechler ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Adriana Ascencio SOCIAL EDITOR Jensen Cannon SOCIAL EDITOR Aidan Meyer MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Yvonne Lee, Natasha del Amo, Kelsey Jae Burke, Dayna DiJoseph, Audrey Morgan, Kait Hobson, Julia Olteanu, AbbyLeigh Charbonneau, Katie Lynn Drozynski, Bethany Bourgault, Madison Schleicher, Chaz Delgado *Correction: The April issue misstated the names of our assistant web editors. They were Tanya David, Zoë Malliaros, and Leah Strassburg. Jerk apologizes for this error.
Melissa Chessher ADVISER
Through its content, Jerk is dedicated to enhancing insight through communication by providing an informal platform for the freedom of expression. The writing contained within this publication expresses the opinions of the individual writers. The ideas presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Jerk Editorial Board. Furthermore, Jerk will not be held responsible for the individual opinions expressed within. Submissions, suggestions, and opinions are welcomed and may be printed without contacting the writer. Jerk reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions at the discretion of its editors. Jerk Magazine is published monthly during the Syracuse University academic year. All contents of the publication are copyright 2014 by their respective creators. No content may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the Jerk Editorial Board.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES Grey’s Anatomy has put me under its spell—wacko medical mysteries, love triangles, and all. Grey’s offers a fantasy world where heartwarming medical miracles happen often. But in real life, these issues are serious and real, and they affect people in ways those of us who go unscathed will never understand. Yet in this issue, we try to do just that, to understand. On page 22, we share the experiences of both a professor and graduate student who face the daily struggles of using a wheelchair on a largely inaccessible campus. Their stories will hopefully inspire progress and change. We also delve into technology’s growing impact on the dangers of depression and other mental illness (page 16). And because we tackle the topics you’d rather avoid, we examine the dangers and hypocrisy behind the positive body movement. Obesity is a life-threatening condition that leads to other chronic diseases, so why do people confront it with acceptance while confronting underweight individuals with disapproval? Julia Smith shares her childhood struggle with obesity on page 18. Educate yourself on real–life issues, read up on some musical festivals (page 44), and then return to soap-opera land, where a whole world of actions sans consequences awaits you. After all, a little fantasy never hurt anybody. Keep on Jerking,
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FEEDBACK You're probably swamped with final projects, but thanks to those of you who still find time to read JERK and provide some commentary. Chris Rosenbluth, @ChrisRosenbluth [April 1] Wearing my 1st gen @jerkmagazine t-shirt bc I found my old back issues & realized it’s been 10 yrs since I worked on the last issue. Brittany Muller, @mullerbrittany [April 7] The April edition of @jerkmagazine reminded me of my naked grandpa in his hot tub #bougie
SHOW US SOME LOVE Jerk Magazine 126 Schine Student Center Syracuse, NY 13244 @jerkmagazine jerk@jerkmagazine.net jerkmagazine.net
StillShameless, @shamelessatSU [March 27] Amazinggg content this month @jerkmagazine killin' it like always. #mustread #jerktoit Sam Cousineau, @SamCous94 [April 1] Made it @jerkmagazine for a tweet about dissing trevor cooney #blessed FOLLOW, DON’T LEAD
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@jerkmagazine
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Jerk contributors Photography by Katrina Ragland
YVONNE LEE / Senior / "Landmark Theatre" It was really exciting to cover the Landmark Theatre. It’s incredibly beautiful and a testament to Syracuse’s past—one of those places I’ve always marveled at while driving by. As a senior, it’s just a reminder that I’m running out of time in Syracuse to do the things I’ve said I want to do.
NATASHA DEL AMO / Sophomore / "Clicking for Good?" As riveting as technology-aided fundraising is, I found myself losing focus while conducting late– night research. All I wanted to do was eat brown sugar Pop–Tarts—but when I reached for one, I only came across the strawberry flavor. While writing for Jerk, I realized I’m a Pop–Tart snob.
DAYNA DIJOSEPH / Freshman / "Full Bloom" It was awesome working with Jerk. I was very impressed with the location and wardrobe for the Gawk feature. Everyone was very professional and well–organized. It was a very collaborative effort and everyone was respectful of one another’s ideas. I could tell everyone on set was very passionate and wanted to do the best job possible.
KELSEY BURKE / Senior / "LIPSTIK" When you meet someone for the first time for an interview, there’s always that awkward “Are you…?” moment. While I was waiting to interview LIPSTIK, a Jess lookalike confidently sat down and started talking to me. When I asked where the rest of the trio was, she got flustered and said, “I’m not in a band!” and ran off. The real LIPSTIK appeared before I could fully process what happened.
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JERK THIS
HIT
SHIT WE LIKE
SPRING SALT MARKET
May 1—2 A real-life Etsy store, minus the shipping and handling.
BREW & VIEW AT THE PALACE THEATRE
INTERNATIONAL NO DIET DAY
May 3 What could be better than brewskies and a movie?
May 6 Here's to eating all the food and celebrating our bodies.
WARRIOR RUN SYRACUSE
HOT CHIP'S WHY MAKE SENSE
ERIK LARSON AT THE ONCENTER
May 9 The perfect athletic event for the fighter in you.
May 18 We are ready, we are ready for new tunes.
May 19 Try not to fan girl for this NYT best-selling author.
SHIT WE LIKE TO AVOID
BITCH
CRAWFISH CLAM FESTIVAL
GODSMACK AT THE ONCENTER
May 2 Hopefully this seafood did not come from Onondaga Lake.
May 5 A complete disgrace to the world of alternative music.
FOOD PRESENTATION PITCH PERFECT 2 CULINARY CLASS May 9 Food is for grubbin', not for lookin'.
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May 15 It's all over once Fat Amy sings.
JOHN MELLENCAMP AT THE LANDMARK THEATER May 8 No more ditties about Jack and Diane.
SYRACUSE RACE WEEKEND May 15—17 How about those bike lanes on Euclid?
BACKDROP Our library's best-kept secret.
Green Thumbs
Syracuse weather might be dreary nine months of the year, but the ESF greenhouse mimics summer time all the time.
By Kait Hobson
Photography by Chaz Delgado
It always smells like long-awaited summer vacation on the roof of Illick Hall on the ESF campus. Citrus fruits like limes, lemons, mangoes, and grapefruit bloom on trees within the tropically tempered and brightly-lit greenhouse. In a city notorious for harsh winters and many months void of vegetation, ESF’s greenhouse offers an escape. On the fifth floor of Illick Hall, 13 compartmentalized rooms house over 2,000 types of trees, shrubs, and other foliage for all to enjoy and observe. Terry Ettinger, the greenhouse manager, says the greenhouse is used to teach ESF students how plants grow, evolve, and interact with one another. However, this space has been used for many other nonscientific purposes, such as high-fashion photo shoots for Syracuse University design majors and editorial spreads, as well as a place for the general public to explore. The greenhouse was part of the original building in 1968 and was redesigned in August 2013 following structural damage to the roof. Ettinger and his three work-study students are the only team that tends to the plants. He says they still have about 2,000 more plants to move back into the newly renovated greenhouse from a separate ESF location about five minutes from campus. The plant nursery currently boasts three particularly important spaces for the world-
renowned faculty at ESF and the students that study below them. In one compartment, a professor is examining the ability of plants to detoxify contaminated soil—an important asset for cities like Syracuse that sit atop salty ground water. The second area holds puny trees that could one day possibly grow up to 200 feet. Faculty members have genetically modified the American chestnut tree to remove a blight that has restricted its growth over the past century. If these trees, the largest east of the Mississippi River, reach their maximum evolutionary potential it would be the “holy grail” of scientific experiments, Ettinger says. The third space costs about $1 million dollars on its own. This section of the greenhouse features a containment space for faculty to perform research on invasive insects. Regardless of the weather conditions, the greenhouse provides a view of the city of Syracuse, a stable enviroment to study and explore plant life, and a refreshing smell of citrus flowers, which are typically found in Syracuse only in the summer months. While Ettinger admits to eating a piece of fruit or two during his eight years managing the greenhouse, he suggests visitors keep the fruit on the trees, so that people can continue to learn about where the fruit they purchase in the produce aisle comes from. JM
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CLICKBATE What We're Getting Off To On The Web This Month
JERKMAGAZINE.NET We know you have it bookmarked, but just in case.
Girl On Girl
Phases of Summer Break
Tired of searching "girl-on-girl" and only finding porn? We are, too. If you’re into women simultaneously making art and social commentary, Girl on Girl is for you. We went behind the scenes of the latest show, #SADGIRLSCLUB, for a unique girlon-girl experience.
You may think all you want to do is get out of Syracuse. One second you're singing of all the good summer has in store, then you’re suddenly feelin’ more of a “Summertime Sadness” vibe. Our guide to the emotional stages of moving back home helps you handle the freedom-to-boredom shift.
WHILE YOU'RE CLICKING AROUND...
lolmythesis.com
@MorningPorch
Tired of staring at your own capstone, distinction, or thesis for hours on end? Feel like you could sum up your lengthy paper in one simple phrase? You’re not alone. Students from all around the world submit summarized versions of their theses to show you that, yes, years of work can be summed up in one sentence.
Pennsylvania resident and poet Dave Bonta introduces a new form of live-tweeting 1 with his updates from his front porch. If the homogeneous atmosphere of the Twittersphere is a bit too much for your literary hipster-heart to handle, check out Bonta’s musings; they'll remind you of a digital-age John Steinbeck.
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TOTALLY UNSCIENTIFIC POLL
WORLD NAKED GARDENING DAY Working with greenery may not be your thing, but maybe it would be if you could get your hands dirty—in the nude. On May 2, strip down and get digging.
WHAT WOULD YOU PLANT WHILE GARDENING NAKED? a. Pussy willows: no explanation needed. (30%) b. Tomatoes: These plants are self-pollinating, just like we are, if you know what we mean. (8%) c. Cucumbers: You don’t need to know where these are going. (44%) d. Oranges: School spirit has never been so sexy. (18%)
WHO DO YOU NOT WANT TO SEE GARDENING NAKED?
YOUR MOM. (64%)
WHO ON CAMPUS IS MOST LIKELY TO GARDEN NAKED?
a. ESF students: no shoes, no shirt, no pants, no problem. (48%) b. Graduating seniors: You lost your ability to care around the same time you lost your pants. (22%) c. Freshmen: There are worse ways to make a name for yourself. (8%) d. Professors: tenure, bitches. (22%)
WHERE ON CAMPUS WOULD YOU GARDEN NAKED? In front of the admissions office: It’s a great place to make a scene. (60%)
WHAT IS WORLD NAKED GARDENING DAY’S POLITICAL AFFILIATION? No affiliation: This event has enough controversy without bringing in politics. JERK
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SEX
ONE TIME, AT CAMP... Finger Lickin' Good
This summer, I was hooking up with another camp counselor. We were having sex in a tent outside a bar we all go to on our nights off, and his friend said they had his order of wings. He didn’t want the wings to get cold, so he asked his friend to feed him them through the opening of the tent. As we had sex, I watched him eat wings from a floating hand the entire time.
Straight Shot
I was giving this boy head on a tennis court at camp. I thought I heard someone coming, so I moved my head just before he came and it got all over the tennis court. The next day I was back on the court for a tennis tournament and had to play a match in full view of the giant dried up jizz stain that we left from the night before.
Making Waves
I was getting with one of the ski counselors all summer, so I earned the privilege of having sex in the ski boat at night. We forgot the condom wrapper in the boat. The next day, the head of the waterfront found it and told us not to “fuck in the office again.”
Cock Block
One night off I was hooking up with the waterfront director on the beach. Mid-hookup, my co-counselor called me to tell me that one of my campers was really sick and they needed me back ASAP. I left the foreign man on the beach and ran back to my cabin only to find that there was no real problem. She just wanted me to order a pizza with her.
Cliff Hanger
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It all started as an innocent truth or dare. The dare? To give my crush a lap dance while wearing only a mint chocolate chip Clif bar box over my dick. So as I began to make my moves, the box fell. A hand—can you guess whose?—took hold of my package. Everyone else made eye contact and then quickly left the room.
FRAMED
ART IMAGE
Textile Mirabel Kermond senior, ceramics "The first thing that I think about is texture. Is the yarn soft against my skin? Would this make a nice scarf, or is it better suited for a tapestry or a table runner? These are questions that I ask myself. The next thing to consider is color. Even if I only work with three main colors, like in this scarf, other tones are created where one color interlocks with another color. The final thing that I think about is the pattern. For this scarf I wanted the colors to do the talking, so I chose a simple and classic plaid twill. The yarns are a cotton and silk blend and a cotton and hemp blend."
To showcase your work on "Framed," email art@jerkmagazine.net. JERK
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BITCH
CLICKING FOR GOOD? Sure, clicking the donate button on Facebook may feel good, but are new online donation methods the best thing for all nonprofits?
By Natasha del Amo
Illustration by Will Smith
Usually, when we look at our phones, we Cross to fundraise for current crises and expect a text message from one of our to reach a certain population that has friends asking, “What your plans are for never been seen by big donors before. The the night” or a parent asking if you finally “Donate” button and the “Causes” app on got that grade back—never have we been Facebook have raised tens of millions of happier that we don’t have read receipts on. dollars over the years. Millennials are the reason text and Within three days of the 2010 Haitian social media fundraising efforts are picking earthquake, the Red Cross text messaging up. New generation humanitarianism fundraising campaign raised more than is a fancy term for the industrial beast eight million dollars. And herein lies the capitalizing on our unlimited data plans. problem: All of the biggest examples Mobile-access fundraising is used to of success relating to technology-aided easily mobilize potential donors because fundraising are from the American Red texting is one of the most popular means of Cross, one of the world’s most recognized communication. Fifty-one percent of 18 to organizations. Would these campaigns be 27-year-olds access the Internet from their as fruitful if they were not branded with the phones more than any other device. Internet scarlet cross that is practically synonymous users in the United States access Facebook with humanitarianism? more than any other social network. Big Not likely, at least according to social networking sites generate a lot of fundraising consultant Robert Sharpe, who revenue and reach large pockets of the attributes much of the organization’s success global population that nonprofits covet. to its congressional charter. The charter Big nonprofits do just the same, but basically states that the Red Cross has a raise much more money and have a "special" relationship with the government, much larger audience than other non- making it what Sharpe calls a “quasigovernmental organizations. The “Donate” governmental organization.” There are only feature on Facebook is a perfect example a handful of nonprofits that have this leg of the partnership between nonprofit and up, and this allows them to play on a bigger technology, a strategy used by the Red stage than nonprofits that don’t have this
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relationship with the federal government. This connection with such a powerful entity gives the nonprofit credentials and a big name, which results in private donations en masse. Richard Walden, CEO of an emergency response nonprofit that brought aid to Haiti after the earthquake, explained the limited donation pool, saying that “as a donor, you’re thinking if your house burns down or there’s an earthquake, you might need [the Red Cross], too.” So we enable the squashing of noncongressional chartered NGOs because a whole new population of donors has been mobilized? Fantastic. These donations might even prove that Millennials aren’t as self-involved as we’re made out to be. Not really. It is, after all, human nature to do what others around you are doing, and NGOs use this to their advantage to gain more donations and maintain their monopoly on charity. Yes, that’s right. On Facebook, if you donate to a cause, it will share that you did—unless you choose to remain anonymous. A TechImpact survey found that 67 percent of respondents “Like” a nonprofit organization on Facebook because they want to show their friends and family that they support a cause. You
make the donation right after receiving an urging text or Facebook notification. Your BFF donated to the Red Cross, so now you have to do the same. Turning fundraising into a competition allows us to put less thought into the cause we are donating to, than we put into our last Instagram caption. Though mobile fundraising is a forum for most nonprofits, the name recognition of these big “quasigovernmental organizations” plays into the thoughtless and entitled donating patterns that occur toward prominent and accessible fundraising campaigns. Our motivation to donate to charity for the sake of inclusion, rather than a genuine desire to mollify a crisis, shows that there is a huge issue with the humanitarianism monopoly that big NGOs hold. Technologyaided fundraising may stimulate relief efforts, but it stifles the grassroots effort that nonprofit campaigns are founded on. And yet, even in the face of an environmental crisis and capitalization of humanitarianism, we still thumb away mindlessly at donate buttons on our iTunes and Facebook accounts, wondering whether our $5 donation will be enough to achieve martyrdom. Shocking. JM
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ONLINE LIFE SUPPORT The anonymity offered on sites like Tumblr and Reddit helps users open up about topics they wouldn’t normally discuss on a public platform. But a recent trend allows others to intervene when those thoughts turn suicidal. By AbbyLeigh Charbonneau
Illustration by Rob Byers
In March 2013, there was a knock at Jessica Woods’* door. Her mother answered and found three policemen outside. They told her that they’d just received a call about Jessica attempting to commit suicide. Her mother had been downstairs cooking dinner and was completely unaware. The four went upstairs and found Jessica in the bathtub, unconscious and covered in vomit, three empty prescription bottles on the floor. Jessica was transported to the hospital and later received counseling to get the help she needed to cope with her depression. Her mother had known Jessica had problems at school, but was oblivious to the intensity of her depression and suicidal ideations. Jessica had never mentioned them—out loud, at least. She had, however, posted about them on her Tumblr account. The alert to the police came from 3,200 miles away in Sheffield, England, where her friend saw a concerning post on Jessica’s blog and messaged another friend from Jessica’s town to call the police. The Internet's use as an anonymous platform is not new. Chat rooms and social media sites such as Tumblr and Reddit
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have granted people anonymity for years. What is new, however, is the surge in its use as a place for vulnerable, but nonvocal, individuals to get help. With the stigma toward mental health issues in society today, it’s not surprising that many feel uncomfortable speaking out about their depression or anxiety. The stigma surrounding mental illness is obvious in the recent media hysteria regarding the apparently intentional crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 by its co-pilot on March 24 that killed all 150 people on board. When it was discovered that he had previously been treated for a non-disclosed mental illness a slew of headlines like “Why On Earth Was He Allowed to Fly,” “Madman in Cockpit,” and “Killer Pilot Suffered From Depression” popped up. With this as the public example we’ve set, it’s no wonder that an estimated two-thirds of people living with depression never seek treatment. The anonymity of the Internet has provided a space for people to seek help without fear of social retribution. This platform is particularly helpful for those in other socially marginalized groups,
BITCH as we’ve seen in recent cases like the tragic suicide of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teen who left a suicide note on her blog after failing to gain acceptance from her parents and the public. This vigilante effort—however noble— to support people who are suffering, has several glaring flaws. One merely has to Google “Tumblr suicide help” and a slew of pages like Tumblr SuicideWatch, You Matter Lifeline, Suicide Prevention Blog, and Suicide Is Preventable appear in the results. Under the cloak of anonymity, many have found that they are able to speak out and find help in these online communities—and in turn, virtual communities have responded by filling a void and providing suicide prevention platforms. A study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry found that 39 percent of subjects preferred online support groups to face-to-face counseling. Ninety-one percent reported that they found online support groups to be helpful. Unfortunately, these sites’ layouts appear unmistakably feminine: a large misty rainbow superimposed over a beach sunset, an explosion of purple butterflies with curly font, encouraging messages accompanied by flowery borders, cheerful cartoon birds, or a close-up shot of two kids holding hands. This can be especially hard for men, who feel the added pressure of rigidly structured gender roles that tend to paint mental health issues as weak and any sign of emotion as emasculating. These pages can actually work to further alienate men, deter them from seeking help, and downplay the reality that depression affects all individuals regardless of gender or sexual orientations. Reddit has responded to this problem with SuicideWatch, a gender-neutral forum that allows anyone to post about their problems, which helps them find support, links them to sources, and gives them the
ability to talk freely about their emotions. Posts on the subreddit forums prove that people feel like they cannot speak about their issues in real life: women, men, sexual assault victims, and those struggling with their gender identity or sexuality. One user who posted on the subreddit forum admitted he experienced suicidal thoughts “more often than I’d admit to anyone I know.” For people who have found acceptance in online communities, using that space to talk about their emotions just makes sense. It’s important to remember online support groups are no replacement for professional counseling services. They do not provide a permanent solution. A moderator for Reddit’s forum admitted this in an interview with Slate, saying that “Reddit is a terrible place to try to do suicide intervention. The subreddit doesn’t exist because anyone thinks it’s a good idea to do suicide intervention here. It exists because there are people who only feel comfortable here. And they need to talk to somebody.” The people who respond in these communities are not qualified counselors or mental health professionals. They are, however, empathetic listeners, people who have encountered their own problems. And above all, for those with depression who often feel isolated, they are someone. But until we change the shaming dialogue around suicide and depression and become more accepting of those who already feel stigmatized, these websites provide a muchneeded, though limited, safe space. Online support communities are not a substitute for professional counseling, but the Internet has proven that it’s good for more than cat videos and Ryan Gosling memes—and that can be the difference between life and death. *Name has been changed. JM
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LOVE YOURSELF TO DEATH What started out as positive pushback against fat shaming is now headed down a dangerous path toward an obesity epidemic. By Julia Smith
Illustration by Ryan Brondolo
All my life I was big. Some call it curvy, others say fat, and the assholes from my fourth-grade class went with “Jumbo Julia.” My friends always told me to stop being so self-conscious and to love myself, while my parents stayed silent when I grabbed seconds at dinner. Pediatricians took my measurements and consulted my mom about my exercise habits. It was never directly discussed with me, as if my weight and I were separate entities, as if I couldn’t handle the truth. It was like my weight didn't matter. I mean, if no one ever said anything, then why would I worry? Flashback: A few months into my junior
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year of high school, I went in to see my doctor for my annual check up. The nurse takes my blood pressure and then asks for me to step on the scale. I tentatively take off my shoes and socks—hoping that maybe footwear is causing the scales to tilt—and step on the machine. My weight appears in kilograms, so I assume I’m doing okay when I read it as the nurse jots it down. My doctor walks in, stares at the number, looks up at me, and I know this isn’t going to be a regular annual check-up. The next 20 minutes become muddled and blurred, words flowing in and out. Diabetes. High blood pressure. Cholesterol.
BITCH I am shaken out of my lull by a shiny fat camp brochure being thrust in my face. My face feels hot, my skin prickles. Me? I’m not fat. No. On the drive home, my mom explains how the camp could be a great step to getting healthy, but all I can think about is that Disney Channel movie Heavy Weights and how I’ll have to smuggle in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. The blurring begins again, and now I’m naked on cold tile, staring into my bathroom mirror and crying. In disbelief, I stand on the scale. I look at my face, take a deep breath, and look down. That number can’t be right. Jump off, jump back on. The number reappears. Tears fall as I grab my stomach, confused, angry, embarrassed. Why had no one told me before? Now we acknowledge the elephant in the room. In America from 2009 to 2010, more than 109 million adults—more than one-third of the population—were obese. That number has hovered in the same danger zone for the past five years, and it continues to cripple our health care system, as well as our bodies. With this plateau in obesity rates came a swell in advertising campaigns of the "just love yourself" variety, encouraging women to accept their bodies the way they are. This is a positive idea in theory, and most notably made famous by Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign, but it comes with some major flaws. Yes: Big. Is. Beautiful. But when does big become unhealthy? When does big create serious—and preventable—health issues? There is a cultural phenomenon of not discussing obesity but openly shaming the underweight or seemingly skinny, even though in most countries, being overweight kills more people than being underweight, according to the World Health Organization. Let’s be clear: Fat shaming is equally as
evil as skinny shaming. Neither have any benefit. But when influential companies like Dove try to tell consumers what is healthy—and more notably, what isn’t—it gives millions of Americans distorted perceptions of health. If we take a closer look at the Dove campaign, we realize that it neglects to show thin women. It’s understandable that thin women get a majority of the advertising space, and Dove wanted to show larger women who historically don't get the spotlight, but leaving out these women goes too far. The pushback against fat shaming has created a new flawed system of skinny shaming. “I recognize that being naturally thin is uncommon in regards to the average woman’s body,” says Camille Francis, senior and model for Jet Black Boutique in downtown Syracuse. “But so many times naturally thin body types are left out of healthy body campaigns. It makes it seem like being thin cannot be done healthily or isn’t considered real. It makes me feel like I cannot be proud of who I am.” When it comes to promotion, using people who are unhealthy on either end of the scale is irresponsible. The socially responsible thing to do is to promote a broad spectrum of healthy body types.This should replace the current standard. Thankfully, the media have begun to implement this new standard. In April, France imposed a ban on excessively thin models based on their body mass index, which calculates someone’s height and weight to analyze body fat. In 2006, Italy and Spain implemented their own versions of this standard. While this is important, I can only wonder if people would applaud in the same way if these changes went the other direction. If this is the way the we want to
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TALKING ABOUT OBESITY IS EQUATED WITH FAT SHAMING. THIS IS BACKWARD. IT WILL NOT SOLVE THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC. AT SOME POINT, BIG IS NO LONGER BEAUTIFUL. IT'S DEADLY.
beautiful. It's deadly. Someone with a BMI above 30 is considered obese. It increases one’s chances of high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers to name a few risks. And the numbers don't lie: Obesity is one of the largest preventable diseases affecting America. "Epidemic" may sound alarmist, but this is a vast, pervasive occurrence that bogs medical costs. Obese individuals pay conduct advertising in 2015, fine. But it's $1,429 more per year than individuals who irresponsible for the media to have this are of healthy weight, according to Darlene double standard. M. Foote, a public affairs specialist for the Companies that promote body Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. acceptance sound like a great idea on paper, The estimated annual cost of obesity in the but they skirt around the big issue of U.S. was $147 billion in 2008. The most obesity. These companies are applauded preventable cause of disease in America, for swapping thin models for bigger smoking, cost $96 billion in 2012. models, as if it's sinful to be thin. This is When studies emerged in the beginning also apparent in pop culture through artists of the 20th century linking smoking to like Meghan Trainor—“I’m bringing booty cancer, heart disease, and strokes, President back, go ‘head and tell them skinny bitches Richard Nixon signed legislation banning that”—and Nicki Minaj—“Fuck the skinny cigarette ads on TV and radio. However, bitches in the club.” when studies linked obesity to a slew of This uprising of marginalizing skinny preventable diseases, there was no women—and reclaiming of curvy bodies— presidential action or national call for implies that a multitude of body shapes change. Tobacco-related healthcare costs cannot coexist. Besides the fact that this are lower than obesity-related healthcare system is clearly flawed, the acceptance of costs, and still obesity is discussed less. larger shapes can seriously misguide Both are preventable and deplete valuable women who are truly unhealthy. Growing resources that could be spent on nonup, I was told to love my body and screw preventable diseases. the haters—which I rightfully did, until I There must be a way to discuss obesity became obese and developed serious openly without shaming, because choosing health issues. Obviously the media do not silence only contributes to the problem control how we treat ourselves, but they more. There is not all-encompassing shape our society and influence our ideas solution, but we can start by showing the of what is and isn't healthy. wide array of healthy bodies that are still The body acceptance discourse not represented. Start showing the short dismisses obesity as a real issue because and petite women. Show more people of talking about it is equated with fat shaming. color and of different ethnicities. Represent This is backward. It will not solve the obesity people with scars. Hell, show me with all of epidemic. At some point, big is no longer my stretch marks. JM
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LIPS ARE MOVIN' Labiaplasty is the fastest-growing body modification surgery in the United States, but this trend has a few problems under its folds. By Gabriela Riccardi
Illustration by Frances Matos
The newest trend in cosmetic surgery hits below the belt: labiaplasty, the aesthetic enhancement of a lady’s “lady parts,” is one of the fastest-growing procedures in the U.S. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported a 49 percent increase in labiaplasty procedures just between 2013 and 2014, recording more than 7,500 operations in the last year. While that may be just a fragment of the millions of cosmetic surgeries performed annually in the U.S., we should take a serious look at labiaplasty as a new surge in beauty-based alterations and question why more women are opting into the procedure now. Labiaplasty is an operation that reshapes or minimizes the skin that surrounds the vaginal opening. While the procedure has been around for decades, it existed purely for corrective purposes: enlarged tissue, postpartum stretching, and the like. But recently, we’ve seen a shift in who’s going under the knife. According to a 2011 study by the International Society of Sexual Medicine, 87 percent of women who chose to undergo vaginal rejuvenation surgery did so solely for cosmetic purposes.
While we associate cosmetic procedures with enhancing the outward, a new look for your labia is ostensibly more private. In an era where sex tapes make superstars— especially of the Internet-breaking variety— the pressure is on to emulate new standards for even our most personal parts. Some might say it’s a natural progression from allover spray tans and Brazilian bikini waxes. But labiaplasty is more than just a deeper drop down the rabbit hole. This procedure is permanent, and it presents serious risks. Look at the fact that many doctors, some without experience in surgery, have hopped on to the labiaplasty hype. Surgeries can be botched. Some women suffer painful scarring, bleeding, yeast infections, and even a loss of sensation. So unless there’s medical need, we need to draw the line at this dicey procedure. This growing trend is a sign of a society that will continue to find an increasing amount of “flaws" in our anatomy. After all, this isn’t the first time that beauty standards have invaded the bedroom, nor will it likely be the last. If penis-reshaping procedures were to hit the market, we’re betting there would certainly be a healthy client base. JM
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WHEELS OF PROGRESS Syracuse University historically spearheads disability rights and education, but faculty and students with disabilities struggle with lack of accessibility on campus. By Audrey Morgan
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Photography by Spencer Bodian
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Professor Peace teaches bioethics and disability rights at Syracuse University.
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SMUT Bill Peace's prognosis told him he wouldn't live past the age of 21. In 1969, 9-year-old Peace hurried downstairs to catch his favorite cartoon, Speed Racer. At the bottom of the stairs, he let out a blood-curdling scream. ”I had rockets of pain from my toes exploding in my chest,” Peace says. ”I thought I was going to die.” After 30 spinal taps, three massive surgeries, and a rare neurological diagnosis, he became a wheelchair user at 18, when most people his age were earning their diploma. Peace spent the majority of his adolescence in hospitals and wards among terminally ill children, most of whom he saw die. His own diagnosis had a 95 percent fatality rate. ”So here I sit a middle-aged man, saying, ’Good Lord, what am I doing alive?’” Peace says. There was no technology or Ronald McDonald Foundation for sick children in the 70s, Peace recalls. ”Our job was to stay Peace continues to work to increase awareness in the hospital and stay in bed until we felt about issues in disability services both in his classes better, or died,” Peace says. ”How do you and elsewhere around campus. survive? You read.” The term ”accessible” refers to the guidelines of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) that require sites, buildings, and "SYRACUSE FALLS DOWN ON facilities to accomodate people with THE PRACTICAL THINGS, THE disabilities. Signed into effect in 1990, the LITTLE THINGS. THIS IS WHAT ADA prohibits employers, public places, MAKES IT SO FRUSTRATING TO transportation, and state and local BE HERE." government services from discriminating —Bill Peace, professor against people with disabilities. Despite the ADA standards, Peace He became a scholar at a young age. ”I notices flaws in wheelchair accessibility at was the morbidly sick kid reading SU. This summer, Peace was invited to Siddhartha at age 10,” he says with a laugh. participate in the philosophy department’s He now teaches anthropology and bioethics annual conference, which focused on at Syracuse University, where he was disability. Two scholars with disabilities named the Jeannette K. Watson were to stay at the Sheraton Hotel. The Distinguished Visiting Professor two years event organizers responsible for the ago. Peace relies on the university to be scholars’ transportation informed Peace accessible since he uses a wheelchair. that the hotel’s wheelchair van was broken.
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SMUT From his own experience, Peace guessed with disabilities the right to a public the van wouldn’t be repaired in time. He education. He later founded the Center on called one of the scholars, who uses a Human Policy at SU, which was crucial in heavy-powered wheelchair, and told her to closing the abusive state institutions for make alternative arrangements at the those with disabilities. airport. At the conference, the buffet was so In 1990, another SU professor, Douglas high Peace couldn’t see what was for lunch. Biklen, published the first article on ”Syracuse falls down on the practical facilitated communication and suggested things, the little things. This is what makes alternative ways of communicating other it so frustrating to be here,” Peace says. ”I than talking. A person who uses assistive don't really experience any social type on an iPad owes this method to discrimination here, but I've been to events research conducted by Biklen. "While that make you shake your head and say, people saw what somebody can't do, [the ’What were they thinking?’” university] saw what people could do," Syracuse University has a long, Peace says. distinguished history with disability rights. SU continues to spearhead the This legacy is carried on today in the disability rights movement with the disability research conducted by the Burton Disability Cultural Center, the only one of Blatt Institute, named after Professor its kind in the nation. Burton Blatt. ”I think we have a pretty unique In 1969, the same year Peace let out campus in the sense that it is multithat blood-curdling scream at the bottom of dimensional and Syracuse prides itself on the stairs, Blatt became a director in the going above compliance,” says Annette School of Education. He went on to provide Jenner-Matthews, a counselor and outreach testimony in the case that gave children specialist for Office of Disability Services
Peace navigates the narrow corridors of Hendricks Chapel, which he says are hardly accommodating to those with regular wheelchairs.
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SMUT (ODS), which provides wheelchairaccessible classrooms and furniture and reviews students’ schedules to assess their travel time from home to class. Still, Peace can barely fit his wheelchair through the first-floor bathroom in Huntington Hall, which houses the Disability Studies Department. Graduate student Michael Roberts experiences similar frustrations at SU. At 14 years old, Roberts dove into an inflatable pool and broke his neck 10 days before his freshman year of high school. After three months of rehabilitation, he returned to school in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the neck down. He now studies disability law in the College of Law and lives in the nearby Campus West apartments with his service dog, Illy. Roberts recalls a time when he tried to attend a free game for students in the Carrier Dome, where only three out of 14 entrances are accessible. The entrance for Otto’s Army, Gate E, is not one of them. Because Roberts attempted to enter
Roberts, a law student at SU, has been in a wheelchair since he was 14 years old.
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through an accessible entrance that was not intended for students, the guards gave him a hard time. When they did eventually let him through, he was unable to sit in the student section with his classmates. The only platform accessible to wheelchairs was already occupied by visitors. Roberts
"IF I GO TO AN ANTHROPOLOGY MEETING, I AM 95 PERCENT OF THE TIME THE ONLY SCHOLAR PRESENT WITH A DISABILITY. IT'S A REALLY ISOLATING, SAD EXPERIENCE. WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, ACCESS IS IRRELEVANT." —Bill Peace, professor
was forced to sit behind the band, where he could barely see the game. According to Peace, while there has been conversation about the Dome’s inaccessibility, these talks won’t turn into action any time soon. The fact that SU is located on a hill in one of the snowiest cities in the United States poses a whole separate set of issues. Jenner-Matthews says the Grounds Department has a list of accessible routes that receive priority snow removal treatment. If it snows overnight, department employees work until the early morning until the roads are clear—but removal happens less when it snows during the day. Once this winter, Roberts got stuck in a snowdrift and needed assistance to get out. There is a list of numbers students can call with snow removal requests, including a 24-hour emergency number, but Roberts says, ”it seems that they’re always retroactive as opposed to proactive in their
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Roberts' service dog, Illy, is more than just a companion. Illy travels with Roberts everywhere he goes and assists him with daily tasks.
efforts.” According to Roberts, the Grounds Department will often plow in a straight line, leaving the cutouts on the side of the road covered in snow and ice. ”I'll be going along and two seconds before I notice they didn't do the cutout, I almost go flying into the street,” Roberts says. Transportation to off-campus venues also proves spotty. After a law school event at the Genesee Grande Hotel, the snowfall was so bad that buses stopped running. With the sidewalks covered in snow, Roberts had no choice but to steer his wheelchair down the middle of the road for the mile back to his apartment with his service dog beside him. "I'm sliding around and there are three cars behind me. I'm thinking, ’I’m going to get run over or Illy’s going to get run over,’” Roberts recalls. SU also suffers from a lack of representation among faculty. ”If I go to an anthropology meeting, I am 95 percent of the time the only scholar present with a disability,” Peace says. ”It’s akin to being the only black person in a room of 200. It’s a really isolating, sad experience. Without
representation, access is irrelevant.” Peace also notes that there are no accessible houses available to Syracuse faculty and the waiting list for an accessible apartment can be 8 to 12 years. ”The solution is to make faculty housing for faculty with a disability.” When SU administration created an ADA coordinator position in response to protests by THE General Body, Peace applied. He was turned down in favor of finalist Louis Altman, an attorney with a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling. While Peace doesn’t doubt Altman’s qualifications, he is bothered by the glaring difference between him and the finalist: Altman does not have a disability. ”His job is not going to be advocating for students and faculty with a disability, but to prevent the university from getting sued,” Peace says. ”I am sure the university, with good reason, is very concerned about my degree of advocacy work, because my approach to that job would’ve been to be an aggressive advocate for all people on campus with a disability.” JM JERK
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Coffee
& Quirk
An indiscriminate brick building in West Syracuse provides scant customer service in the conventional sense, but houses strong caffeinated brews and unorthodox personality. By Brontë Schmit
Photography by Sam Maller
The eccentric vibe of the establishment hits nearly as hard as the smell of coffee. The interior resembles a mix between a thrift store and a college student’s apartment with drab furniture and stacks of tattered books crammed under the counter. The utility-sized bags of coffee beans along the back wall reveal the shop’s true intentions. Blue vases line a bookshelf and a couple sits close together on a weathered blue couch. The Kind Coffee Company is not your average coffee shop. Perhaps that’s
because it’s not a coffee shop at all. Owner and sole employee, Doug Nicolaisen, prides his business on being a coffee-roasting company. It’s a no-nonsense, straight-tothe-point locale where people can enjoy good coffee, and good coffee alone. Kind Coffee’s history adds to its charm and the hole-in-the-wall vibe. While tapestries drape from the ceiling and a neon coffee sign adorns a back shelf, Nicolaisen claims that the one-room shop has never been decorated. The trinkets lining the walls
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Doug Nicolaisen weighs out a one–pound bag of beans on West Fayette Street.
Doug Nicolaisen fills a one–pound bag of dark– roasted beans.
A spectrum of bean roasts is displayed at the coffee company's counter.
The Kind Coffee Company's building, which sits less than a mile away from downtown Syracuse, doesn't present the look of a typical coffee shop. The company is considered the best coffee roaster in the city.
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SMUT are more of an accumulation. The collections that cluster around the shop are reminders of when Nicolaisen originally opened the shop to sell Persian rugs, hand-blown glass, China, and other trifles. In the beginning, Nicolaisen sold lowvolume, high-dollar products along with his coffee to help keep the business going. Whatever didn’t sell then is now scattered through the space—and it's still for sale. Somehow, the jumble of knickknacks doesn’t create a chaotic atmosphere. Nothing seems out of place. Even Nicolaisen’s feathered fedora fits right in.
“I OFTEN GET CALLED THE COFFEE NAZI BECAUSE I’M THE ONLY ONE HERE. JUST LIKE ANYONE, I HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS.” —Doug Nicolaisen, owner On this day, Nicolaisen wears a baggy, black T-shirt with the store motto, “Once you go black, you never go back.” This brazen quote suggests to customers how they should drink their coffee. Paired with his bearded face and scraggly ponytail, this motto attests to Nicolaisen’s eclectic character. “My customer demographic is people that can put up with me,” Nicolaisen says. “I often get called the Coffee Nazi because I’m the only one here. Just like anyone, I have good days and bad days.” At many food establishments, customers expect the employees to dote on them. But not Kind Coffee. Nicolaisen is adamant on people knowing that this is a coffee-roasting company—not a café. He's not there to cater to anyone. Some might consider his mannerisms off-putting, but he believes his coffee will sell regardless of customer service. He does care about his customers, though, especially when it comes to their coffee education. His passion for coffee
may as well be christened as a faith, given his enthusiasm on the matter. He often pushes customers to sample his coffee or eat the coffee beans straight to assert their distinctive quality. Along with the unconventional ambiance, the shop also has no bathrooms or Wi-Fi and sells only a few items besides water and coffee. Recently, Nicolaisen even scratched cappuccinos and lattes off the makeshift whiteboard menu. If he sells someone a latte, he believes it makes him a coffee shop owner. Those drinks assume too many bells and whistles. Instead, Kind Coffee emphasizes drinking coffee sans cream or sugar. “Coffee is like a mixed drink,” Nicolaisen says. “If you can’t drink it without the mixer, it’s crap. Why drink something that you can’t drink if you don’t fix it?” Nicolaisen takes pride in the fact that his coffee is savory enough to enjoy without all the usual excess and frills. When the shop first opened, 32 origins of coffee beans were roasted, culminating in 361 possibilities. The company sells 11 roasts and exhibits the roast choices in a rolling display on the counter. Kind Coffee revolves around quality and does not sell roasted beans more than one day old, unless specifically requested. Just enough of a single roast is kept on hand to last until the next day. Any beans that remain at the end of the day are brewed and sold as coffee. Nicolaisen roasts the beans depending on a combination of the day of the week and the strength of the coffee—the further into the week, the stronger the roast. The usual customers know to come on specific days depending on how dark they like their coffee. Nicolaisen usually uses onethird of a pound of beans for the coffee to accentuate its potency. “People are sick of
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SMUT weak coffee,” Nicolaisen says. “Business doubled when I put the word ‘strong’ on the sign outside.” The company sign is a staple of the business. The dog in a car is modeled after the logo on the front cover of the children’s book “Go Dog, Go!” and paired with the words “hot coffee to go.” It has claimed nearly the entire outside wall for almost 15 years. It is so well known in the area that customers often refer to the company as the place with the “Go Dog, Go!” logo rather than by the actual name, Nicolaisen says.
across town. The allure is in the coffee. “You get addicted to the quality,” Nicolaisen says. Nicolaisen explains that while coffee is categorized as a food, many people treat it as an addiction. “Unfortunately, coffee is like cigarettes to a lot of people. People who smoke cigarettes don’t smoke a different brand every day. That’s the fix,” Nicolaisen says. “I try and break them out of their addiction to see that it is a food. If they do, they’ll try it differently.” Kind Coffee combines its dedication as a roasting company and to coffee education by encouraging customers to invest in “IF PEOPLE COME IN THINKING OF THEIR home brewing. To do this, people need the EXPERIENCES IN A COFFEE SHOP, proper, high-caliber equipment. For qualityTHEY’LL NEVER WANT TO COME BACK. driven brewing, $20 coffee grinders and BUT IF THEY COME IN THINKING OF A nothing less than a French press is sufficient. COFFEE ROASTING COMPANY, THEY’LL Broke college student aside, Nicolaisen says NEVER WANT TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE.” the majority consider it a worthy investment. —Doug Nicolaisen, owner Nicolaisen believes there’s no such thing as When Nicolaisen originally illustrated expensive coffee if you brew it yourself. A the sign himself, art majors from local pound of coffee beans makes 24 cups of universities frequently came in and coffee, saving you the trip and money from comment on the sign saying they could redo purchasing a single cup a day. And the it for $1,200. more customers do solo, the less customer “I didn’t want someone who could do it. service one has to encounter. I wanted someone who could do graffiti,” Putting quality over quantity has kept Nicolaisen recalls. “So I went to the local the business running for 19 years. This is high school and said, ‘Who have you kicked partly why Nicolaisen insists that people out recently for graffiti art?’ They gave me understand that Kind Coffee is not a café. “If two names right off the top of their heads people come in thinking of their experiences who did it for the paint and the ability to put in a coffee shop, they’ll never want to come it on a wall.” back,” Nicolaisen explains. “But if they come The sign serves as the company’s only in thinking of a coffee roasting company, form of advertising other than word of they’ll never want to go anywhere else.” mouth. It catches people who otherwise The joint doesn't exist to provide the might drive around the corner of West customers with garnished beverages and Fayette Street and miss the venue entirely. stylized pastries. It exists to present them Instead, the sign turns drive-by traffic into with a commodity that they can’t refuse. the company’s largest demographic. And Despite the shabby furniture, knickknacks customers always return, Nicolaisen says, galore, and the eccentricity of the one-man whether they are coming from around the show, the customers return. And they do so corner, Tipperary Hill, the university area, or for the coffee. JM
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Visual and Performing Arts graduate students Neven Lochhead and Eeva Silvonen take a break from planning an upcoming art show to admire Kind Coffee's interior.
A life's worth of collected books, prints, and figurines are displayed around Kind Coffee.
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Full Bloom
GAWK
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GAWK DAYNA Dress: Topshop $95;
CHANNEL YOUR INNER 70S GODDESS WITH FULL FLARED SILHOUETTES, RETRO SHAPES, AND DOUBLE DOSES OF DENIM.
Shoes $80.
Stylist: Annika Downs | Photographer: Renee Zhou Makeup Artists: Nayeli Jimenez | Model: Dayna DiJoseph
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GAWK FEATURE
Dress: Topshop $95; Shoes $80.
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GAWK
GAWK FEATURE
Sunglasses: ASOS $22; Top: ASOS $45.
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GAWK FEATURE
Jumpsuit: VLabel London $130; Choker: River Island $18; Shoes:
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GAWK Top: New Look $55; Jeans: Blank NYC $72; Shoes: ASOS $69.
GAWK FEATURE
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Top: American Retro $82; Jacket: Glamorous $76; Scarf: ASOS $10; Skirt: Zara $60; Shoes: Truffle $68.
GAWK FEATURE
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GAWK
GAWK FEATURE
Top: ASOS $54; Cuff: Forever 21 $12.50;
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Bangle: River Island $10.
STRIPPED
DOWN TO
Forget fancy cuts and seams—these simple shirts say it all. Photography by Katrina Ragland
Style by Chazz Inniss
1
2 Uniqlo SPRZ NY $20 The Laundry Room $68
1 / STATEMENT Brands that do it best: Moschino, The Laundry Room How to wear it: With boyfriend jeans for an effortless weekend outfit. What it says about you: “I wear my thoughts on my sleeve.”
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2 / GRAPHIC Brands that do it best: Uniqlo, Givenchy, Comme des Garçons How to wear it: Under a denim jacket for a cool, classic look. What It says about you: “I like to look at art, so why not wear it?“
STRIPPED
THE TEE 3
4
Buy Me Brunch $28
Asos $81
3 / SLOGAN Brands that do it best: Missguided, Être Cecile, Buy Me Brunch How to wear it: Try a high–low combo with a blazer. What it says about you: “I'm a party animal and I'm not afraid to show it.“
4 / EMBELLISHED Brands that do it best: Fendi, Kenzo, Markus Lupfer How to wear it: With your everyday basics to bejewel your outfit. What it says about you: “I like to add a little flair to my life."
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NOISE
Music Madness Whether you vehemently detest EDM or live for PLUR and Kandi, there's no denying the recent boom in music festivals. But what does that surge mean for avid festivalgoers? By Rebecca Shafer & Susanna Heller
Illustration by Rob Byers
On a sunny day in April in Indio, Calif., thousands crowd around a stage. A palm tree shades some of the crowd, who are enjoying one of many sets at the three-day music and arts festival, Coachella. One festival goer notices motion to her right—something is scurrying up the tree. Looks like a squirrel—but no. It’s a human, dressed in a squirrel costume. The squirrel-man proceeds to climb up the entire 50-foot palm tree just to sit up at the top and enjoy the view. For a regular attendee of music festivals, that act might not seem particularly out of place; especially within the confines of a huge festival like Coachella. No shortage of oddities exists once you enter the gates of a music festival. Our affinity for watching live music only seems to be growing, along with the booming, multi-billion-dollar EDM industry. More festivals emerged in the year 2013 than any year before. According to research conducted by ticketing service Eventbrite, one in 10 people attended a music festival in the 2013-2014 season. When it comes to Millennials, that statistic rises to one in five. And as eight of the top 25 festivals in the EventBrite survey were EDM-centric, those two criteria seem to be correlated; Millennials are eating up the electronic music that is spat at us, while the industry chomps on the measly dollars from our pockets. As the artists at these festivals shift, so too does the culture. But attendees at music festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza will tell you that the culture shift hasn’t hindered all the long-time attendees from year to year.
Six Festive Hacks
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Baby wipes will replace showers for the weekend. It's okay, everyone else is doing it too, we promise.
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Wear a watch—your phone will die, but you need to know the time so you don't miss Andrew McMahon playing at 3:17.
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Keep your phone on airplane mode to save battery, then agree on a meeting place so you don't lose your pals.
5
A disposable camera can replace your dead iPhone when the time comes. Bring one and stick it in your fanny pack!
3
Bring hella Gatorade (electrolytes!). This weekend may not be about cleanliness, but it is about hydration.
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Type your contact info in a note, screen shot it, and set it as your lock screen background. Some kind soul will return it.
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Coachella Witnessing squirrel-man climb up a tree at Coachella hardly phased Paige Forbes, a threepeat attendee of the widely-popular music festival. Forbes, a sophomore illustration major, can’t name too many specific crazy things that she’s seen at the festival, because at Coachella, you really do see it all, and it goes by in a blur. “You do whatever you want for three days,” she says. “You listen to music, you eat food, you meet people. You’re running around being a hippie, and no one’s judging you.” Founded in 1999, Coachella now includes two weekends of live music in April. Coachella always invited a mix of popular and lesser known performers of different genres. That variety still exists today, though Forbes notes that several electronic artists are performing this year. “It was founded for rock and alternative,” she says. “But it’s cool.” Still, Forbes has the mindset common in repeat festivalgoers: “I can’t miss it now,” she says. “It’s a thing. I’ve gotta keep going.”
Electric Zoo This past March, Patrick Morgan was sentenced to eight months probation for selling Molly to Jeffrey Russ; Morgan and Russ both called Syracuse University their home. But in 2013, Russ overdosed on Molly he purchased from Morgan and died during Electric Zoo—a three-day EDM-centric festival that takes place during Labor Day weekend on Randall's Island in New York City, that is more commonly referred to as “EZoo.” Nalae White, a sophomore television, radio, and film major, attended EZoo for the first time that year. She intended to take part in the insanity for all three days, but the festival administrators decided to cancel the last day’s performances. But despite the losses and negative backlash, the festival returned to the island the next year, which White attended. EDM-focused festivals create a welcoming atmosphere, and White thinks that contributes to their popularity. The rave culture includes rituals like the exchange of Kandi, which White says “has gotten out of control.” People will come to the festival with their arms covered in the beaded bracelets that ravers exchange in the spirit of PLUR—peace, love, unity, respect. If this all sounds very drug-dazed, it probably is. “It’s a way more loving atmosphere than I would’ve imagined,” White says, “And maybe that’s because everyone’s rolling face.”
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Ottawa Blues Fest On the other side of the border, certain festivals still promote different, less definitively PLUR messages. Ottawa Blues Fest began in 1994, and although EDM artists do show up, this year OBF is welcoming musicians from Jason Aldean to Hoodie Allen to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. The musical appearances differ from year to year, probably in attempt to keep up with the festivals that draw in our live music-loving generation. Collin Jacobs, a junior civil engineering major, attended OBF for the first time in 2012, and has continued to go back every year since. He first wanted to attend to see Colin James, a Canadian blues singer and songwriter. Jacobs and his mom went together his first year. Since then, Jacobs has seen a number of different artists, including Nickelback,—“They were actually really good!” —The Tragically Hip, and Weird Al. Although the festival is starting to bring back newer, more "hip” artists that bring in a younger crowd than the typical jazz and blues ones, Jacobs says that he plans to continue going back in the future; he only lives an hour away from Ottawa. For him, it’s all about the music. “As much as I like listening to the CD and everything, I love hearing groups live when they’re so much better,” he says.
Lollapalooza Sophomore television, radio, and film major Marissa Ondra was reclining under a tree after a long day of festival-going when a passerby walked up to her and poured ice on her. “I was like ‘WTF man?’ and then he said ‘What? You looked hot.’ Then he walked away. That kind of thing is totally normal,” Ondra says. Lollapalooza was founded in 1991 as a farewell to the band Jane’s Addiction. The festival ran as a tour until 1997 and was resurrected in 2003 as the festival we know now. While the festival’s origins are in alternative music, it has recently featured EDM, rap, and indie acts. One stage, Perry’s–named for the festival’s founder Perry Farrell–showcases exclusively EDM acts. “Perry’s is really just for drunk high schoolers,” Ondra says. “I graduated from Perry’s after a year and moved on to real stages with good music.” Lolla is rapidly growing and gaining national recognition. The festival used to travel to fans, but now fans travel to the festival. Plus in 2010, Lolla started rolling out international festivals. Now you can catch it in such locations as Sao Paulo, Berlin, and Santiago.
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Bonnaroo When it first began as a jam band festival in 2002, Bonnaroo sold 70,000 tickets without a single promotion. The four-day festival now attracts nearly 100,000 attendees. The ‘Roo is held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn. and has become a mecca for OG hipsters. Now, the epic four-day campout is recognized as the quintessential music festival of our generation. Three-year Bonnaroo vet, Braunsen Bozek, a senior earth science major, describes his experiences at the festival as “unreal.” When he first attended in 2012, Bozek had the opportunity to see the archetypal jam band: Phish. Bonnaroo has started to introduce more modern acts while still honoring its roots. Recent performers include Elton John, Neutral Milk Hotel, David Cross (never-nude Tobias Fünke), and Chance the Rapper. Though it's been attracting increasingly mainstream acts over the years, the vibe at Bonnaroo has remained consistent. “Everyone’s so close, it really is a community,” Bozek says. “The first year I went I started setting up camp at 4 a.m., and everyone was just running around, trying to get to know each other as fast as possible.”
Austin City Limits Inspired by a PBS series of the same name, the Austin City Limits music festival started in 2002. Since then it has evolved to one of the nation’s largest music festivals. As of 2012, it spans two weekends. Though it is run by C3 Entertainment, the same group that puts on Lollapalooza, it’s almost never talked about above the Mason Dixon Line. But those who are in the know, are in the know. ACL takes place in early October and boasts a diverse lineup annually. Over the past few years, artists like Kings of Leon, The Eagles, Kanye West, The B52s, and Bright Eyes have performed at ACL. Cailyn Lewis, a junior information management & technology major and Texas native, attended the festival six consecutive times, from 2007-2012. Lewis returned to the festival year after year for two main reasons: the people and the music. It’s not uncommon to see festival regulars of all ages sporting sports bras and Birkenstocks. “Everyone is just hanging out, making friends, and smoking weed,” she says. “Even the cops are smoking. There’s no rules.” In recent years, flower crowns and crop top clad teens have made an appearance at ACL. Doing your hair and makeup for a festival might seem like a good idea, but it just doesn’t make sense if you’re going to spend 12 hours dancing in 110 degree weather. “Attending a music festival for years and years and years means more than just looking cute and taking pictures,” Lewis says. “You’re just going to listen to the music.” JM
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The Fifth Annual
JERK Awards The fifth annual JERK Awards are here to recognize some of the most influential people in the Syracuse community—and hopefully inspire you to follow their lead. We’ve awarded fearless feminists, humble humanitarians, and plenty of those in between who are doing what they can to better our beloved city.
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Guardian of the Year Ahmad Mims A former Oswego basketball player and Syracuse native, Ahmad Mims serves as a police officer for the Syracuse Police Department. In a country plagued by tense relationships between law enforcement and citizens and in a city often acknowledged for its high crime rate, Mims aims to build a communicative relationship between Syracuse police and residents. He hopes that an increase in opportunities to voice concerns and ask questions will result in a community that will continue to become transparent. As a two-time recipient of the Officer of the Month honor and an officer who braves the dark by working the midnight shift, Jerk thanks Officer Mims for his dutiful service to Syracuse. “I love the Syracuse Area and community. I want to do everything in my power to make this city safer for all, citizens and police,” he says.
Good Samaritan of the Year Emily Key Emily Key found inspiration for the “Yes Means Yes” movement from California’s shifting rape culture. Key, a senior and the programming director for the Panhellenic Council, saw a need for our campus to address rape culture and educate students. Key organized the weeklong “Yes Means Yes” campaign. Key spent the week tabling in Schine and speaking to all Panhellenic While Key believes Syracuse is full of chapters about the purpose of the campaign. resources for sexual assault victims to Sororities hung Key's handpainted banners reach out to, she thinks the route for people outside of their houses to show support. To looking to press charges could be improved. culminate the week, keynote speaker Erin After graduating, Key hopes to take the issue Foley visited and spoke about women’s of women’s empowerment to a national empowerment and empowering others. level when she gets out into the world.
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Humanitarian of the Year Andrew Lunetta Taking up residence in a 250-square-foot home might not sound like the most enticing living arrangement. But for some in the Syracuse area, that’s a pretty sweet deal. In November 2014, LeMoyne College graduate
Love Your Melon is a nonprofit organization that aims to donate a beanie, winter hat, or baseball cap to every child battling cancer. As of April 7, Love Your Melon achieved its hat-selling goal of 45,000—the number of children undergoing cancer treatment in the country. For every hat purchased, one is given to a child. Junior public relations and political science major Michelle Sagan helped the organization reach its goal. Last summer, Sagan traveled to the West Coast on a tour bus with other college students as a part of the Love Your Melon crew. Her group sold hats and visited hospitals and Ronald McDonald houses in superhero costumes, surprising children with hats. Syracuse is currently ranked 12th in the country for sales, mostly behind schools in Minnesota, where the business started. Thanks to Sagan, the charitable hat with the LYM logo embossed on a leather patch became the winter trend at SU.
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Andrew Lunetta founded an organization called A Tiny Home For Good with the goal to build three connected tiny homes on the South Side of Syracuse by this summer. The long-term plan is to build 70 of these units throughout Syracuse to provide housing for the homeless who struggle to find proper shelter. “It pains me thinking that they have to live in a shelter, or choose to live outside because the apartments that they could be living in are bedbug-infested and shit doesn’t work,” Lunetta says. “That hurts me because they’re my good friends and I don’t want to see my friends suffer.” Lunetta also started an organization in 2011 called Pedals to Possibilities, which hosts group bike rides and provides bikes to participants. Though Lunetta stepped down from his role as the director of Pedals to Possibilities, he still actively bikes alongside the homeless.
Trendsetter of the Year Michelle Sagan
NOISE Big Brothers of the Year Project GRIND Project GRIND strives to empower the next generation. The five founders—Jacob Friesen-Grant, Demarquez“BLACK” Grissom, Bilal Vaughn, Tony Wright Jr., and David L. Jackson—are all Posse scholars looking to share the blessings and opportunities that they received by mentoring inner city youth. “Being at Syracuse University, which has a communities. They started at the Westside huge endowment, and then being in the city Academy mentoring sixth, seventh, and of Syracuse, which has some of the most eighth graders and hope to expand their impoverished communities in the country...I efforts to cities like Miami, Chicago, and New felt like we had a duty to create a connection Orleans. “Our plan in general is to reach the between the university and the city,” Grant community. Whether that’s the Syracuse says. Their current focus is on young men community or whatever community, we attending school in the city's South and West want to empower young people. Project Sides. The organization encourages them to GRIND is not just an organization, but also not only work toward their dreams but also a movement across the world,” BLACK says. to become better men and give back to their “Greatness Resides In Non-stop Dedication.”
Bread-Giver of the Year John Tumino
In My Father’s Kitchen stands on the corner of a rundown intersection in East Syracuse. Most of the surrounding buildings are vacant with boards nailed across their windows. But inside IMFK, a brightly painted room is arranged with big bowls of candy and donated furniture. John Tumino sits on the edge of a couch in his
nonprofit’s office space. Tumino’s work with Syracuse’s homeless population centers around relationships and food. As a former chef, Tumino’s best dishes serve as a gate to developing genuine friendships with the chronically homeless individuals who cluster beneath bridges and underpasses. While he is committed to fulfilling material needs, Tumino is truly inspired to learn the stories behind their battered cardboard signs. As he learns their stories and earns their trust, he can encourage them to seek help for addictions, transition indoors, and begin leading healthier lives. For years prior to founding the nonprofit in 2011, Tumino thought that he was going to be a missionary in Costa Rica—but he discovered his calling in his own backyard. JERK
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Philanthropist of the Year Jillian Lynch
Sophomore Jillian Lynch began planning for OttoThon, a 12-hour dance marathon, before she even moved onto the Syracuse campus. Lynch was in charge of the dance marathon at her high school in Illinois, and she knew that Syracuse didn’t have a dance marathon like many large schools. So before the summer of her freshman year, Lynch contacted the Children’s Miracle Network with hopes of bringing a similar event to Syracuse. She created an executive board of 18 students and by the end of the spring 2014 semester, OttoThon officially became a recognized student organization. The event, held from Feb. 28 to March 1, raised a total of $84,013.33 to benefit Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. The marathon raised more money than any philanthropy at SU. Lynch plans on continuing her work with OttoThon for the rest of her time at SU.
Actual Sorority Move: Empowered Greek Women week. The campaign encouraged Sara Eckhardt women and men on campus to embrace a message of empowerment and selfSara Eckhardt, a junior broadcast and acceptance by taking a photo while holding a digital journalism major, founded the “I am sign that says “I am Enough." The campaign Enough” campaign on campus. In October, received positive feedback and is expanding as a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, beyond SU; Wayne State University's “I am Eckhardt, along with the rest of her sorority Enough” week was in March. sisters, watched a TED Talk by Brene Brown about the power of vulnerability. Sara was inspired by the talk and one of its most prominent messages: “I am imperfect, and I am enough.” She knew it was a message that deserved to be shared with everyone in Greek life, other students at Syracuse University, and beyond the boundaries of this campus. With the support of her sisters, Eckhardt created a Facebook page and partnered with SU’s Panhellenic Council to launch a social media photo campaign on campus during
Feminist of the Year
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Mentor of the Year
years, Branagan and his wife Lynn, a special education teacher, have been involved in Sean Branagan the local foster care system. Through this, Branagan has learned how to level with Sean Branagan, the director of the students from different backgrounds in Center of Digital Media Entrepreneurship different circumstances. “Sometimes it’s just at Syracuse University, has amassed a like okay, you got a tough break. I feel bad, quiet kind of success. Though his humble, but you gotta go, ” he says. self-deprecating attitude may deceive you, Branagan is kind of a big deal; he has had a profound affect on the lives of countless SU students. In 2011, Branagan founded the Center of Digital Media Entrepreneurship, which focuses on fostering student-run startups. Since then he has coached hundreds of students through their entrepreneurial ventures with a tough-love kind of attitude. His coaching philosophy focuses on honesty and being real: The students he coaches know that they’re not unicorns. Though his approach may not be typical, it’s certainly effective. For the past 30
Crispin of the Year Ralph Rotella Five years ago, Ralph Rotella of Discount Shoe Repair saw a homeless man outside of
his shop. Without question, he motioned for him to sit inside the shop. Honing in on his skill of correctly identifying someone’s shoe size just by looking at his feet, Rotella went to the back of his shop and returned with a pair of black, sturdy, size 10 boots for the man. They fit, and the man went on his way with his new shoes. Although the man didn’t say thank you, Rotella still felt satisfaction in helping him, so he decided to give back to the Syracuse community the only way he knew how: by donating shoes. Along with Rescue Mission, he began providing shoes for anyone who is in need during the holidays. During the first year of the shoe drive, Rotella gave away 65 pairs; the most recent effort gifted a whopping 7,015. His goal for 2015 is 10,000 pairs. Most of the shoes have been donated by customers and community members; some are repaired or cleaned before being given away.
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REWIND
THE BEATLES
Kanye shouldn't be the only reason you know Paul McCartney's name. By Bethany Bourgault
Illustration by Ryan Brondolo
On New Year's Eve, Kanye West dropped to “Can’t Buy Me Love“ that was featured the first single off his upcoming album. The in the film A Hard Day’s Night, and the song, “Only One,“ features music icon and stand-alone videos for “Strawberry Fields ex-Beatle Paul McCartney. Forever“and “Penny Lane.“ Fans went wild over the release of the The Beatles defined the pop culture of song, but couldn’t seem to wrap their heads an era. They were the first to rock the longaround a name they didn’t quite recognize haired “mop” look that became increasingly on the track. One Twitter user said: “I don’t popular in the late 60s through the 70s, and know who Paul McCartney is, but Kanye helped make psychedelic drugs mainstream. is going to give this man a career w/ this “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,“ anybody? new song!!“ The tweet got an alarming 800 Fans of all ages continue to listen to retweets and isn’t alone in its sentiments. The Beatles. Their music has been featured Maybe this is bougie of us, but how the on The Simpsons, inspired the cult classic hell can you not know who Paul McCartney film Across the Universe, and has been is? Damn Millennials. covered by artists like Arctic Monkeys and This month marks the 45-year Jimi Hendrix. And let’s not even talk about anniversary of The Beatles’ final album, Let how One Direction is a freaky reincarnation It Be. Though they haven’t dropped a new of boy bands past. single in as many years, The Beatles remain We still have Beatlemania today as relevant as ever. because their songs are filled with timeless Let’s talk facts: The Beatles not only truths that every generation can relate to. pioneered multiple-track digital recording, That, and they’re really catchy. but they also literally changed the way we Two songs on their last album speak view music. The films and cartoons that to their journey and their grace in handling featured their music were among the first unmatched fame. After a long and winding of their kind; most notably the music video road to success, they chose to let it be. JM
WE JUDGE
ALBUMS BY THEIR SINGLES. 54 5.15 • JERK
Album
Song
Release Date
Mumford and Sons
Wilder Mind
"Believe"
May 4
The Tallest Man on Earth
Dark Bird is Home
"Sagres"
May 12
Snoop Dogg ft. Charlie Wilson
BUSH
"Peaches N Cream"
May 12
Artist
Rating
ALTRUIST
PODCASTS LADY GAGA By Rachel Lockhart
THE DEAL: Lady Gaga dropped her first album The Fame in 2008. Ever since, her name has been synonymous with outrageous outfits, mile-high hair in every imaginable shade, and bizarre music videos. But for about the past year, Gaga has been throwing it back to her more subdued roots, starting with an album colab with jazz singer Tony Bennett. They released Cheek to Cheek together in September 2014. While the word traditional would never describe Gaga, her wardrobe has changed in accordance— not one meat dress in sight. All of these changes culminated at the Oscars, when Gaga delivered a stellar live Sound of Music tribute performance.
sad about ourselves. As a society, we have a hard time processing people who act outside the norm. We like to write weirdness off as a fallback, something for people who have nothing else to offer. We like to think that people like Gaga choose to dress in eye-catching outfits as a cheap gimmick to get attention and distract us from their lack of talent. So we decide that quirkiness is their only thing. And only once the mask is removed do we start to recognize and admire their true talent.
THE DEFENSE: Good is good is good: If we started listening to our parents and stopped judging books by their covers, we would realize that. It’s ridiculous that we can be so blindsided by THE ISSUE: the exterior that we can’t give credit where Afterward, the Internet blew up with people’s credit is due. Lady Gaga is a classically expressions of complete shock and disbelief, trained pianist and a versatile musician with reveling in Gaga’s newfound talent. Twitter songs that range in style from pop and rock was buzzing with tweets like “Watched Lady to EDM and jazz. Many of her songs speak Gaga’s Oscar performance. Again. For the powerful truths. Most of all, she is a kick-ass umpteenth time. Still amazed. I am now a vocalist. But if Gaga returned to her meat fan.” And a tragic amount of articles about dresses, that’s all we would talk about. It the performance discussed how much Gaga wouldn’t matter if she continued to impress. had to prepare, as if it were a miracle that Once again, her talent would be overlooked. she pulled it off at all. If you want to bash Gaga, do so based on the merit of her songs—if they’re not for THE (LARGER) ISSUE: you, they’re not for you, and that’s okay. Any loyal little monster could tell you But don’t judge her solely based on what that Gaga’s raw musical talent has been she wears, because you’ll be missing out. there since day one. While many of them To Gaga and everybody else that lives life were ecstatic that she was finally getting on the weird side: Keep doing what you’re the public recognition she deserves, the doing. All the haters are just going to have universal reaction tells us something really to get the fuck over it. JM JERK
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AMPLIFIED
What they Jerk to: Holy Child, Circa Waves, The Avener | Active since: 2014 | Sounds like: Basement Jaxx, Duke Dumont, Detroit Swindle By Kelsey Jae Burke
Photography by Madison Schleicher
Jerk Magazine: If you were stranded in the 60s, what modern album would you bring with you? Rowan Epstein: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West. I don’t usually love hip-hop the most, but this is the most beautifully made, fully conceptual record of our generation. Jessica Tranter: The full discography of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Is that cheating? Connor Nackley: Aphex Twin’s new album, Syro.
JM: What’s your favorite part of being in an electronic music trio? JT: Just getting to be with my best friends and actually doing something productive and strangely rewarding.
JM: Why the name “LIPSTIK”? JT: The idea was to represent our femininity, because “girls can’t DJ.” We got that a few times. I forget where that started. RE: It was early last semester, this one girl was talking to one of our friends and it was us three together, and she turns to Connor and was like, “So basically you’re LIPSTIK and you do everything.”
JM: What’s next for LIPSTIK? JT: Actually, we wanted to take this opportunity to announce that I’m going to be stepping back into a full-time managerial position. RE: We’ve grown a lot as a group. She’ll still be involved creatively, with lyrics especially, but for performance it’ll just be Connor and me going forward. JM
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JM: You have to obliterate one music festival forever, which do you choose? CN: EZoo. Definitely. No music festival should be a Big Brother experience. RE: Everything went to shit. The line-ups are awful.
SYNAPSE
MAYhem May can be a scary month. The most haunting part might be walking across the stage to receive your diploma, fruitlessly searching for an internship, or readjusting to life under your parents’ roof. But we're gifting you with plenty of mystery and mayhem to prime you for tearing yourself away from your beloved Cuseland. Jerk is here to help you sort through what’s spooky and what’s kooky.
NETFLIX: Between In the town of Pretty Lake, turning 21 means something other than buying rounds of beer and finally tossing out your terrible Pennsylvania fake ID: It means death, caused by a mysterious disease that has wiped out literally everyone 21 and over. Jennette McCurdy—your favorite iCarly sidekick circa 2007—stars as a pregnant teen in the series, premiering on May 21.
NON-FICTION: Empire of Deception The roaring 20s: a time of flapper dresses, speakeasies, and masterful hitmen. On May 19, check out this biographical book by Dean Jobb, who tells the all-true tale of Leo Koretz. Koretz, a Chicago-based lawyer, pulled off a wild Ponzi scheme by persuading unsuspecting men and women to invest millions in him under the façade of investing in Panamanian oil and timber. Let’s call this book the equivalent of watching the always classy Leonardo DiCaprio snort coke out of a stripper’s ass.
TV: Wayward Pines In this FOX mini-series, a secret service agent, played by Terrence Howard, travels to the not-so-quaint town of Wayward Pines, Idaho, to search for two missing federal agents. As he comes closer to discovering the truth, the agent finds himself losing touch with his own life. Tune in on May 14 and watch him attempt to escape the creepy-ass town unscathed.
FICTION: Come to Harm Keiko Nishisato never dreamed that she would one day move from her home of Tokyo to the small, sad town of Painchton, Scotland. Life in Painchton is idyllic, but when things turn from quirky to eerie, Keiko is faced with some difficult questions: Why don’t any young women live there? Is there something deeper behind the overwhelming sadness? As Keiko uncovers the truth, life becomes a bad dream that seems to literally never end. Devour Come to Harm on May 8.
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DISCOVERSYR
In 1928, when the theater first opened, the main lobby featured a chandelier designed by Louis Tiffany, along with an exotic grand mural.
LANDMARK THEATRE Considered a chic venue in its heyday, the Landmark Theatre still offers art and talent to Syracuse.
By Yvonne Lee
Photography by Spencer Bodian
Housed in a nondescript building downtown, the Landmark Theatre looks unremarkable from the outside. The drab exterior gives no hint to the grandeur inside. The glass doors give way to the foyer and its gilded, hand-carved columns and ornate ceilings. The room appears all gold except for a bright mural in the backdrop. With its wall adornments and ornate theater boxes, the 2,900-seat auditorium is no less impressive. The architecture is reminiscent of an ancient faraway temple. The Landmark opened in 1928 as the grandest theater house in town. The theater showed silent films and admission cost twenty five cents. One of the main draws was the air-conditioning, then considered
a modern luxury. In its heyday, uniformed doormen greeted guests as they waited to get into the packed building. Theatergoers could smoke in the cigar lounge downstairs or sip on cocktails while admiring the Japanese pagoda fishpond. “The whole city would come down,” says Steven Dimarzo, the Landmark’s director of finance and administration, “Salina Street was booming and there were grand department stores all around, it’s very different from what it’s like today.” Old–fashioned theater houses began to close as multiplexes became increasingly popular in the 1950s and 1960s. No exception to the trend, the Landmark closed in 1975 before public agencies and private
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DISCOVERSYR
Thomas Lamb, who designed the original silent movie theaters on Salina Street, was commissioned as the architect for this building.
The main auditorium houses 2,900 seats draped in red and gold.
A security guard stands in front of the grand mural in the lobby of the Landmark.
donors stepped in to save it. Volunteers raised money and restored the theater and the Landmark was named in the National Register of Historic Places. The theater doesn’t face any risk of closing but still depends heavily on community efforts and donations to operate. The building and the shows performed within it represent the art culture of the area. The theater has hosted many Broadway shows and iconic performers like Tony Bennett, Harry Belafonte, and Bob Dylan. Upcoming acts at the Landmark include John Mellencamp and Lindsey Sterling. Dimarzo says they are trying to expand
their programming and will soon announce two big-name acts. In addition to housing performances, the Landmark also acts as a venue for events ranging from fundraisers and weddings to formals. Even if you’re not a theater person, it’s worthwhile to pay a visit to the Landmark— there are few buildings like it. “By being here, you can pick up on the history and just feel the energy of this place,” says Dimarzo. The remnants of yesteryear—a washbasin in the ladies’ room and a fireplace in the men’s restroom lounge provide a glimpse into a different era. It’s the ultimate throwback. JM
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SPEAKEASY
FILMING WITH THE STARS
SU alum and producer, Jack Hogan, talks about producing Sia's "Chandelier" music video, which recently received a Grammy nomination. By Julia Olteanu Jerk Magazine: What do you do on the set of a music video? Jack Hogan: Typically, a standard day on a music video could be 14 hours. It’s up to me to make sure that we get everything done in that time. I need to make sure that everything is running smoothly, like leasing the record label people, meeting the commissioners, and making sure that the talent and manager stay happy. I worked on Katy Perry’s “Hot and Cold” video and if the zebra ran away, it would have been my problem. JM: What made you decide to become a video producer? JH: One night at a wedding, maybe it was the cocktails, I was like “Why am I not pursuing my dream?” At the time, I was actually a substitute teacher in Auburn schools. I figured out that it was a month away from the application deadline at Syracuse. I applied and I didn’t get in. But I was the first one accepted the next year. JM: What were you doing when you heard that "Chandelier" got nominated? JH: I was actually producing a Three Musketeers commercial on set. I started getting crazy texts from everyone saying, “Oh my gosh, Chandelier just got 60 5.15• JERK
nominated.” I kind of had a feeling that it would get something. JM: What is your favorite moment working with Sia? JH: The first time I saw Sia, we were looking at the stage to book and I remember thinking “I don’t know what this is, but I think that I’m a part of something special.” It really couldn’t have gone more smoothly. It was like the stars were aligning. JM: Have you ever worked on a project and was glad when it was over? JH: There was this Mick Jagger video for his group Super Heavy. It was one of those, “Oh my gosh, I need to get Mick Jagger out of here,” because you’re just so worried. We had security people on the roof of the New York set. It was like, “Please just get these five celebrities out of my hair.” I just felt like the babysitter on set. JM: What advice would you give to other artists who want to become producers? JH: No dream is unattainable. If you think that you can’t do it, just try. And you have to work hard. There’s no entitlement. Unless you’re a cousin to a Kardashian, you’re not just going to fall into the lap of success. JM
OBITCHUARY
CAUSE OF DEATH: Overuse By Katie Lynn Drozynski That Ho Over There, affectionately known to family and friends as THOT, passed away in her home last Friday after a long battle with cultural appropriation. THOT dedicated her few short years on Earth to passionately describing women and men of supposed promiscuity by their relative location. Born in Chicago in 2012, THOT was raised in the care of rapper Chief Keef, who introduced her to the limelight in his music video for “Aimed At You.” Her parents, Oh Hai There and Bitch Move Over, left THOT at an early age, believing that it was better that she be nurtured in Chicago where she could be a part of the growing slang community with her friends Ratchet (2005—2014) and On Fleek (2014—present). According to friend and videographer Duan Gaines, Keef told him to “show no love for a THOT,” a clear indication of a difficult childhood for the young Ho. THOT was constantly overshadowed by her older, more successful brother Thought, an intellectual with far more name recognition and credibility than his younger, more streetwise sister. However, THOT overcame her rough upbringing and triumphed as a rising star
Illustration by Frances Matos on Twitter and in the vernacular of anyone throwing shade. She shattered gender and racial stereotypes, finding application in all races and sexes. After her staggering and sudden rise in popularity, THOT became fodder for derisive puns. Tater THOTs, Wet THOT American Summer, THOT town summer in the city, and THOT Pockets became too much for the fragile THOT to bear. Eventually, after the introduction of THOT Wheels, she succumbed and died quietly, surrounded by family and close friend Chris Brown. She is survived by her brothers Thought and Deduction as well as a half sister, Ho Bag. THOT was set to appear on Chief Keef’s forthcoming mix tape “Thot Breakers.” Its intended February release was postponed due to THOT’s horrible heath and the album will instead be released posthumously in THOT’s honor. THOT’s funeral will be live tweeted by a team of trash-talking experts assembled to memorialize THOT in 140 characters. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in THOT’s honor of the Juicy J Scholarship Fund for Twerking. JM JERK
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CLOSET CASE
THE SKIN I'M IN These students love their skin, birthmarks and all. Photography by Renee Zhou
“It matches my dad’s butt birthmark and my sister has one too—it runs in the family. It also kind of looks like a chameleon. Sometimes I can’t find it, so I guess you could say it camouflages. I want to get a matching tramp stamp of a chameleon on the other butt cheek, and I hope I can convince my dad and sister to get it as well. It will be our new family symbol.”
“My shoulder blade birthmark reminds me of my childhood. I first discovered it when I was about 4 years old. I think it looks like a goldfish about to eat food, which reminds me of the goldfish I had as pets when I was younger. Their names were Goldie and Bubbles-Blossom. I liked the Powerpuff Girls, but I had some weird angst toward Buttercup.”
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KIARA GARCIA
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REBECCA PLAUT
“My friend and I have matching birthmarks—sort of. Mine is on my upper arm and his is on his lower arm. Our birthmarks are almost complete mirror images of the other’s. Our friendship wasn’t a perfect match, but at least our birthmarks were. At first, I thought mine resembled South America or Africa, but after looking at it again, it looks exactly like the island of Barbados.”
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GARET BLEIR
FORM & FUNCTION How To Dress Like a Jerk
Jerk apparel Not-so-subtly hinting to everyone that you’re part of the coolest cult on campus. Color streak Because you’re trying out this new “edgy” look.
Facial expression Your stupidity is inspiring my next Bitch piece. Venti Starbucks cup I can't hang out this weekend, I have editorial proofs.
Jerk issues Obnoxiously flooding the halls with your raw talent.
Large bag Enough room for your notes and your ego.
Stylists: Annika Downs, Chazz Inniss Photographer: Renee Zhou Model: Kelley Rowland
JERK
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