Distraction Summer 2019

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

summer 2019

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

summer 2019

P R E T T Y BOY ROCK

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

summer 2019

the gnarly

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

summer 2019

neonoir

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summer 2019 issue no. 40

guide photo

the guide

16

11

28 special section

in the loop

60 fashion

health & wellness

74

50

main event

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION

1

CONTENTS CROWD FAVORITES 8 DAY-CATION MODE SAVOR THE SECRET 12

11

Explore some of Miami’s best places to catch some sun or wind down after a long week.

And, of course, do it in style.

DECK OUT YOUR RENTAL

16

College chic is just one read away – learn how to take your rental to the next level with our tips.

VAMOS DE TAPAS 20 BREAK WITH REALITY TRAUMA, CHANCE, DESTINY! 32 RIGHT TO FIGHT 37

28

Take a look inside the systems that take root in cults, including their divisive and charismatic leaders, as well as their vulnerable followers.

POWER OF THE PRESS 40 F*CK THA POLICE 44 HOLDING ON TO HOPE WHERE IS MY MIND? 54

50

Miami is particularly affected by H.I.V. and is working toward a permanent cure. In the meantime, we have hope.

NEO-NOIR

60

Cowboy hats and shadows shroud clean, monochromatic looks in mystery with touches of sleek leather and Western flair .

PURSE FIRST 66 PRETTY BOY ROCK 68 THE RAD & THE GNARLY TRIPLE THREAT 78 2

DISTRACTION

Introduction

74

The Univerity of Miami is full of skateboarders zipping by en route to class – it’s time we learned a bit more about them.

letter from the editor As we wrap up the final issue of the year, it seems especially fitting that this issue’s theme is power. It feels this way for a couple of reasons. For one, our contributors and staff members will be transitioning into new roles for the upcoming school year – a transition that requires adjustment to new positions of power. I am confident, as always, that they will do this gracefully and with ease. More so, the concept of power is especially illustrative of just how much this team is capable of accomplishing. Their talents, you could say, are superhuman. Though our masthead reveals some of our staff ’s secret superpowers, it’s no secret to anyone that this staff is brimming with talent.

Before joining Distraction, I had never been surrounded by such creative, passionate and remarkable individuals. In each of my roles, but especially this one, I have learned so much from those around me. Last minute photoshoots, stubborn design layouts and hours on end of editing makes for a prime environment for growth. For all of this, I am so grateful.

No matter my personal attachment to the magazine, none of this would be possible without my amazing team. Liv, you have guided this magazine more than you know. Your influence is steadfast, and I cannot wait to see where life takes you. Joey, your wit and loyalty are undeniable.

No doubt, your talent is, as well. Elizabeth, your capabilities are wide in range and it shows.

Your willingness to step up to the plate, no matter the task, will take you far in life. Gianna, I have seen you grow so much over the past year. You have become a true photography queen and my lifelong noise buddy. Sonia, you have challenged this magazine in all the best ways. You encourage our growth and we are better for it. Chabo, you have become my right-hand-man and my go-to for, well, pretty much anything. Thank you for always providing fire playlists and a good time, too. Isabella, you have a gift for words unlike any other, and there’s nobody else I would want to entrust this magazine – my baby – to next year. Gab, your determination is more than impressive, it’s admirable. You push me to do my best and be my best.

To Stano and my entire staff, thank you for allowing and trusting me to bring my ideas to life by leading the magazine. Each page of every issue has bared my heart and soul and is truly shaped by the influence of my family, friends, peers and fellow distractioners.

So, for the last time, I invite you to get lost in these pages. To use this magazine as your safe haven and happy place – it is certainly mine. Read through, feel inspired and #getdistracted.

Love You forever and Go ’Canes,

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

summer 2019

the gnarly

Distraction took a trip to the skatepark. Photographers Sonia Broman and Olivia Stauber got up close and personal with the skaters to snap these action shots.

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

summer 2019

neonoir

art_direction & photo_sonia broman.

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

summer 2019

Model Tommy Huerter rocks a dewy look styled and applied by Fashion Editor, Abby Podolsky. Buckle up – it’s time to do the Pretty Boy Rock. art_direction & photo_gianna sanchez.

Model Virgo Martinez serves looks for “Neo-Noir” – Distraction’s take on the classic film genre. Monochromatic mystery served as the underlying vibe for this moody shoot. art_direction_olivia stauber. photo_sonia broman.

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

summer 2019

Everyone loves a good superhero to root for. Here is Creative Director Olivia Stauber’s stunning take on the classic, American superhero. art_direction & illustration_olivia stauber.

P R E T T Y BOY ROCK

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION

3

giving a mean Miranda Priestly impression

the

team

making fire playlists

Teddy Willson Editor-in-Chief

Olivia Stauber clone stamp and liquify in Photoshop

DISTRACTION

Gabby Rosenbloom

Executive Editor

Managing Editor

Joey Haas

Jorge Chabo

Creative Director -30-

Art Director -30-

Sonia Broman

Gianna Sanchez

Elizabeth Pozzuoli

Co-Photo Editor

Co-Photo Editor

PR Manager

being super gay

4

Isabella Vaccaro

Introduction

Digital Editor

being in two places at once

behind what is your secret superpower?

The Staff

the scenes

“-30-” indicates staff member is graduating

The Guide Editor_Abby Washer -30In The Loop Editor_Kathryn Ford Special Section Editor_Olivia Ginsberg Health and Wellness Editor_Kayla Foster Fashion Editor_Abby Podolsky Main Event Editor_Elisa Baena Assistant Art Director_Kelvine Moyers Assistant PR Manager_Keagan Larkins Social Media Manager_Anja Reese Business Manager_Andrew Leonard -30Faculty Adviser_Randy Stano

finding the best sesame chicken

DISTRACTIONMAGAZINE.COM Assistant Digital Editor_Gabrielle Lord Web Editor_Tiana Torkan Culture Blog Edior_Abigail Adeleke Fashion Blog Editor_Makayla Manning Food Blog Editor_Dakota Regan Travel Blog Editor_Marissa Vonesh Videographer_Elinor Howells Videographer_Travis Laub

The team had a great time cooking, syling and eating the beautiful tapas you see in our “Vamos de Tapas” food shoot.

Contributors Natalie Abatemarco, Writer Anya Balsamides, Writer Kay Ann Henry, Writer Elyse Waterman, Writer Hunter Crenian, Photographer -30Gabriela Nahous, Photographer Sidney Sherman, Photographer Jacqueline Dubois, Designer Jess Morgan, Designer Rachel Rubi, Designer Giselle Spicer, Designer Melonie Chinnici, PR Katelyn Gavin, PR Jaime Harn, PR Corinne Issa, PR Devon Laffey, PR Eliana Litos, PR

shooting webs out of my hands

Co-Photo Editor, Sonia Broman, snaps stunning photos of our models during the “Neo-Noir” fashion shoot.

worming my way to the front of a concert because I’m so tiny

section opener illustrations_elizabeth pozzuoli.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION

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6

DISTRACTION

The Guide

the guide

The Guide captures the thoughts of the Miami hipster and slaps them on the page. Despite being in-theknow, prententious is not in the Guide reader’s vocabulary. Starbucks is out and typewriters are in. If you ever need a suggestion for the best kombucha in Miami, The Guide has you covered.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION

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CROWD favorites

There are parts of Miami that shine brighter than others, many of which are sophisticated joints that offer quality entertainment. These places, sprinkled throughout the Miami community, are guaranteed to spark some fun. words_kayla foster. photo_hunter crenian. design_marissa vonesh.

o p e n s t a g e c l u b

TEA &

POETS

2325 Galiano St., Coral Gables Looking for something a little more sophisticated? Open Stage Club is the spot for you. Complete with a tasteful menu and full bar, Open Stage Club is the perfect location for performers and spectators alike.

If you’re interested in taking on the stage as either a musician or comedian, just register online and choose your date. You can even choose to have the audience rate your performance or have it taped.

Audience members can elect to give their rating anonymously to keep the atmosphere light. With events that range from smooth jazz to open-house karaoke, there’s something for everyone on almost any day of the week.

8

DISTRACTION

The Guide

5701 Sunset Dr., Suite 126, Miami

Right down the street from campus at the Shops at Sunset, Tea & Poets hosts an open mic every Wednesday night.

Starting at 7 p.m., grab a cup of tea, settle into a seat in the front and listen to Coral Gables’ very own perform. This is also the perfect place for newer performers who may need some community support to build their confidence. And for those just coming to listen, do not worry. There is no cover for Tea & Poets, so sit back, sip on some delicious tea and enjoy the show.

Tea and Poets is the ideal place for those in need of caffeine but avoiding coffee. They have a wide selection of different teas and their own alcoholic creations dubbed as “tea cocktails.”

The vibe at Lagniappe is very calming. Pick out your favorite bottle of wine, grab a seat near the stage and enjoy the music.

LAGNI APPE HOUSE 3425 NE 2nd Ave., Miami

If you’re looking for a venue to host your upcoming party or get together, look no further. Sweet Caroline karaoke bar is the perfect spot for a night on the town with friends – sing your heart out!

As one of the most popular latenight spots for University of Miami students, Lagniappe offers an impressive selection of wine and delectable charcuterie boards. The venue also boasts live music every night of the week, with Fridays and Saturdays reserved for a local act opening for the main performance.

This venue has no waiters, so just choose your charcuterie and absorb the good vibes of a classic New Orleans jazz bar.

TITA NTIC 5813 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables

SWEET 1111 SW 1st Ave. #107, Miami

CARO LINE

This karaoke bar in Brickell opened in June of 2018 and has been thriving ever since. Every Wednesday-Sunday night, guests can host karaoke parties that are sure to entertain and loosen up even the most uptight of participants.

If karaoke really isn’t your speed, Tuesday’s entourage of local standup comedians won’t disappoint.

We are nearly certain most of you have ended up at Titanic a few more times than you’d like to admit. We get it – it’s just too convenient to refuse. Titanic offers the perfect drunk food every night, but if you go on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Sunday, you’re in for a treat. Tuesday is Jazz Jam night, Wednesday is Blue Jam and Sunday is Karaoke night.

But, if we’re being honest, every night at Titanic is fun, whether you remember it or not.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION

9

quiz

WHAT KIND OF ENTERTAINMENT ARE YOU?

START I THINK OF MYSELF AS

hold the spotlight

I PREFER TO

keep to myself

an individualist

I COULD MORE EASILY DISCUSS

a team oriented person

music

IT IS YOUR FIRST DATE WITH SOMEONE - GIVEN THE OPTION, YOU’D

be active – outside, bowling, doesn’t matter as long as I’m moving

be romantic – conversations, candle-lit, all that jazz

IF I HAD TO CHOOSE A UM SPONSORED EVENT, I’D CHOOSE

PET PEEVE

skipping songs

movies

IN HIGH SCHOOL I WAS A

Sportsfest, duh.

drama kid

jock

plot ruiners

Patio Jams, all the way.

MY SNACK nachos

popcorn

athletic authority

music maven

theater thinker

film fanatic

You love sports, and no one is blaming you. On your next night off, indulge yourself in a Marlins game or go practice your swing at Top Golf.

You live with your earbuds in, no judgment. Check out some live jams by heading to Club Space’s The Ground, Churchill’s Pub or Ball and Chain.

Whether it’s high or low brow drama, you can find a connection with a live theater performance. If you haven’t yet, check out Colony Theater.

Netflix may be your second bff, and you secretly love movie theater seats. Break the normal movie routine by visiting O Cinema or Tower Theater.

10 DISTRACTION The Guide

Fontainebleau Miami Beach 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach For a true all-day luxury experience, head to the Fontainebleau, located in the heart of Miami Beach. This 5-star hotel offers an extensive day package for $185, complete with access to the spa, pool, beach and dining options. The package consists of one 50-minute facial or massage at the Lapis Spa, as well as access to the spa facilities, including the world-renowned Ritual Water Journeys. After relaxing in the spa, indulge in a fixed-menu two-course lunch at the oceanfront Mediterranean restaurant, La Côte. Then, guests are free to enjoy access to the gym facilities, pool and beach.

St. Regis 9703 Collins Ave., Miami Beach If you are 21 or older and don’t want to be surrounded by a bunch of college hooligans, look no further than the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort. This $90 day pass provides a serene getaway from the madness of Miami. Here, you can enjoy the adult-only tranquility pool or the main resort infinity pool.

The pass also includes a sun chair and an umbrella on the beach, as well as access to the rain showers, aromatic steam room and Finnish sauna. This experience is sure to be the relaxing staycation you’ve been craving.

Standard Spa 40 Island Ave., Miami Beach

Don’t forget to pack the essentials when you invest in one of these luxury day passes. If you plan to relax, bring a book and headphones. If you want to use the gym, take your gym bag with you. Of course, if you don’t want to burn, grab some sunscreen.

Life can get crazy, particularly during college.

Luckily, we live in a city jam-packed with stunning spas and hotels right beneath our noses. Take a break, take a breath and enjoy one of the many luxurious day passes Miami has to offer. words_gabrielle lord. photo_gabriela nahous. design_jess morgan.

In college you are surrounded by people 24/7, and sometimes you need a break from everyone. The Standard Spa in Belle Isle is a more secluded alternative to South Beach. For $75 Monday-Thursday and $150 Friday-Sunday, you will explore the serenity of bathing by working your way through their holistic and hydrotherapy circuit, inspired by bathing cultures.

Then, feel free to wander around the meditation garden which boasts a fire pit, day beds and a swing. After finding your zen, don’t forget to make use of your access to the pool and beach.

SLS Brickell 1300 S. Miami Ave., Miami If beaches aren’t your thing, try the SLS Brickell. This glamorous hotel offers two rooftop pools, hot and cold plunge pools and poolside food and drink service from the Altitude Pool Deck. When you’ve had enough sun, head to the fitness center or spa facilities, complete with a sauna, steam room and relaxation lounge. For only $40, this day pass is a steal.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 11

e h t r o Sav

SECRET words_anya balsamides. design_olivia ginsberg.

Miami is highly regarded for many cultural aspects, but the one that truly never disappoints is its food.

This city is brimming with restaurants of all different cuisines, providing both locals and tourists the ultimate foodie’s dream. What’s more, select restaurants throughout the city offer secret dishes that are omitted from the typical menus and are only available to those in-the-know. These treasures may very well be the mouthwatering jewel that you’ve been craving.

PINCHO FACTORY......................................................$ Foreman Burger 30 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables Can’t decide between a grilled cheese and a burger? With the Foreman Burger on Pincho Factory’s secret menu, you don’t have to. This burger begins like any other Pincho burger – topped with lettuce, tomato and, of course, the secret sauce. But instead of buns, the Foreman Burger is held between two gooey grilled cheese sandwiches. Just ask for this dish in person, and you can thank us later.

NaiYaRa........................................................................$ Sushi Doughnut 1854 Bay Road, Miami Beach Sushi burritos are something special – but have you tried a sushi doughnut? Just head over to NaiYaRa, a modern Thai restaurant in Miami Beach, for your first – and new favorite – savory doughnut. This brilliant creation has a circular base of rice and seaweed that’s carefully wrapped in salmon, avocado and caviar.

And the best part? Two words. Unlimited. Toppings.

Coyo Taco....................................................................$ Yogi Bowl 2300 NW 2nd Ave., Miami Coyo Taco is known for its fresh ingredients and crispy tacos, but its best-kept secret – it’s not the bar in the back, although that’s cool too – is its Yogi Bowl. This secret bowl, with a quinoa salad base, is topped to perfection with grilled cactus, corn, onions, salsa and pico de gallo. Just ask for the Yogi Bowl during your next Coyo Taco visit. And don’t forget: hand-made guacamole and chopped cilantro are included.

12 DISTRACTION The Guide

Fooq’s........................................................................$ Bucatini Carbonara 1035 N. Miami Ave., Miami Pasta is delicious at any time of the day; just ask the chefs at Fooq’s, who secretly serve up Bucatini Carbonara at breakfast, lunch and dinner. You might come for this fragrant, hard-to-resist dish, which features eggs, smoked pancetta, two different types of parmesan cheese and fresh black pepper, but you’ll stay for the cozy atmosphere and unique Persian-French environment. You’ve had breakfast for dinner, but now it’s time to try dinner for breakfast.

Mondrian Caffé..........................................................$ Poke Pineapple Bowl 1100 West Ave., Miami Beach If you’re willing to spend a little more, don’t miss the poke pineapple bowl at the Mondrian Caffé.

Not featured on any menu, the poke pineapple bowl is a Mondrian Caffé secret that not many people know about. Generous amounts of fresh salmon, tuna, avocado, tomatoes and red onion come served in a hollowed-out pineapple. The stunning view of the ocean is just a plus.

s n i x i F e h t l l A Bulla Gastrobar

Côté Gourmet

2500 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables •Cuisine: Spanish •Brunch: $27 per person plus an additional $18 for bottomless sangrias and mimosas •Lunch: $18 for two courses, $23 for three courses

9999 NE 2nd Ave., Miami Shores •Cuisine: French •Lunch specials vary per day Tuesday: Cassoulet Wednesday: Chef Amina’s Selection Thursday: Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina Friday: Bouillabaisse Saturday: Coq Au Vin Sunday: Meurette Eggs

Novikov Miami 300 S. Biscayne Blvd., Miami •Cuisine: Japanese •Lunch: $23 for three courses Special Lunch Menu: Choice of miso soup or seaweed salad, choice of appetizer, choice of entrée. Add dessert for an additional $6.

Zest Miami 200 S. Biscayne Blvd., Miami •Cuisine: Caribbean •Lunch: $24 for two courses •Lunch: $28 for three courses

Miami Spice 2019 •Runs August 1 to September 31 •Features three-course meals at awardwinning restaurants across Miami for highly discounted prices •$23 for brunch/lunch •$39 for dinner

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 13

14 DISTRACTION In the Loop

in the loop

In the Loop is the yin to The Guide’s yang. Take your favorite, feel-good topics and dig a little deeper. From the delicious foods that everyone knows and loves, to the hobbies that you never knew you would come to love so much, In the Loop takes what’s in your heart and places them deeper into your mind.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 15

DECK OUT YOUR RENTAL Moving off campus after freshman year is liberating. You are finally free from the confines of the freshman dorms and, for the first time, begin to feel like an adult. You excitedly walk into your brand new rental, and it looks, for lack of a better term, blah.

Here are some easy tips for spicing up your first rental apartment. words_natalie abatemarco. photo_gabriela nahous. design_kelvine moyers.

The smallest details can make the biggest impact. Don’t overlook the basics like hand towels and decorative trays. These inexpensive additions create a beautiful space on a budget.

16 DISTRACTION In the Loop

BAR CARTS Red solo cups and cheap vodka bottles on top of your fridge can feel pretty drab if you don’t live in a frat house. A bar cart adds sophistication and class to any apartment. Make getting ready for a night out – or an evening in – a little more stylish by displaying all your booze in one sleek spot. Bar carts come in numerous colors, shapes and styles, so there’s no doubt that you can find one to fit your apartment’s vibe. Add an ice bucket, a few glasses, accessories and, of course, your poison of choice, and you’re set!

PLANTS Being cooped up in a dreary apartment, buried under mounds of homework, can sometimes feel rather miserable and keep us yearning for the outdoors. So, let’s bring the outside in.

With a vase and your favorite farmer’s market flowers, you’ve just made a lovely, living display perfect for any countertop.

Switching up the colors for various seasons and holidays is a great way to make your home away from home feel that much more inviting. Larger plants are a fantastic way to bring the lush greenery of Miami indoors. Pro tip: buy fake flowers from the dollar store for everlasting beauty without the maintenance of a real plant. “Having plants – real or fake – can definitely elevate your mood and add an element of calmness,” said Elyse Waterman, a senior at the University of Miami studying journalism and marketing, who wholeheartedly believes in the importance of designing your space well.

THROW BLANKETS After a long day of class and homework, nothing tops curling up on the couch and enveloping yourself in a furry blanket. A throw blanket is the best accessory to make your down time that much cozier. Toss a throw blanket with simple colors or small details onto a couch or chair, and it will instantly enhance the aesthetic of your room. It will certainly make the room more inviting – swanky even. Knitted or faux fur blankets are the practical solution to a drab living room.

INTERIOR DESIGN A bar cart is a fun way to display your drinks, alcoholic or not, while clearing up space in your kitchen shelves. Tie in your personal style by using statement pieces, baskets and plants.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 17

INTERIOR

SMALL DETAILS

DESIGN

Bathroom items, kitchen accessories and other essentials can make or break your look. It is important to stick with the theme in your apartment to maintain a cohesive space. Waterman pays attention to every detail, “even the things people usually gloss over, especially in the kitchen.”

Sponges, soap and hand towels may seem unimportant, but if you’ve made it this far with your trendy home, why not go the extra mile?

“I have pink sponges and lavender dish soap and a pretty silver fruit bowl I got for $8 from IKEA,” Waterman said. “I put hardly any effort in, but it makes all the difference.” These minute details are easy and affordable ways to put the finishing touches on your home.

AREA RUGS

ACCENT MIRRORS

OPEN CONCEPTS

One of the best ways to spice up cold wooden floors is an area rug. A simple rug that goes with the color scheme of your apartment will immediately tie the atmosphere together. An area rug is a small detail that makes a big impact on a room. If your style is more retro, try a shag rug in your living room. For a trendy and bohemian look, opt for a woven or fiber rug.

Wayfair, Overstock, Haymarket, World Market and Urban Outfitters all sell a wide variety of rugs, so finding one that suits your style isn’t a challenge.

West Elm, a high-end furniture store, is the inspiration for Waterman’s apartment. No matter your vibe, an area rug is one of the easiest ways to add a little something to your space.

Who said mirrors have to be on the wall? Play around with angles and lighting in your apartment to find the best spot for a mirror. Decorating with a large, full-body mirror adds style and glamour, while a small, vintage mirror adds sophistication. Waterman pulls off a full-length aluminum mirror in her apartment. But be careful, “mirrors will reflect the mess, too, if it’s not organized,” Mosleh said.

“I didn’t hang up the mirror; I laid it on the wall, which gave the room a studio-like feel and added some depth I didn’t have before,” she said.

The studio vibes in her apartment are definitely a product of some great focal pieces – especially this mirror.

“Whether a large space or a small space, you must always look at what the demands of the space are and the people living in it,” said Roxane Mosleh, an interior designer out of New York.

When considering where to put your sofa or how to arrange your chairs, keep an open floorplan in mind.

“I chose to have the chaise facing the balcony so that it would open the room up instead of sectioning off the living room and the kitchen,” said Waterman, who strategically placed her performance-washed canvas sofa to transform her living room.

18 DISTRACTION In the Loop

BASKETS Camouflaging storage in an apartment can be quite the challenge. Textbooks spilling onto the kitchen table, piles of shoes and miscellaneous belongings rarely seem to be in their places. Baskets and bins are simple fixes to clutter in your apartment. Choose a few of the same baskets to have throughout the apartment, and designate a purpose to each one. Switch up the sizes of your bins for contrast and to make sure every trinket throughout your space has a home. Baskets with similar themes, colors and textures to other elements in the room will bring everything together.

Running out of space? Storage containers underneath the bed are a fantastic way to hide your things. Waterman certainly took advantage of some storage tricks by installing additional shelves and four shoe racks in her closet in order to hide her hefty suitcases and bags.

“All of these things have helped me keep my room clean, even if my closet isn’t necessarily clean,” Waterman said.

INSPIRATION West Elm, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Umbra and Society6 are Waterman’s top picks for apartment inspiration.

Browsing home decor websites or observing styles in furniture stores are great ways to get a feel for your taste. Tumblr and Pinterest are also good places to scour for style.

“When I use Tumblr, I feel like a curator or creative director of some sort,” Waterman said. “I get to establish a magazine-like mood board of what I like.”

She recalls a specific instance in which her style was inspired years ago. “I remember seeing a room with white fluffy blankets and a neon sign over the bed, which really sparked my interest in neon,” she said. Years later, Waterman has turned that inspiration into a reality and added elements of her own personality throughout her apartment.

The bedroom is the place where people tend to spend most of their time at home, so a calming color palette is vital. Here, a simple piece of art and warm lamps provide a sense of serenity.

Decorating your space with pops of color can give a boring room new life. Picking table accessories with similar colors to those in the books is a subtle way to tie the room together. You can also incorporate your personal voice through wall art.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 19

Spanish tapas are best enjoyed with company, whether at a bar, restaurant or dinner party. They are the beloved witnesses of belly-laughs and heart-tohearts, bringing people together since the 13th century.

An ensemble of friends gathered around a table with a jarra de sangria and tabla de jamรณn is the ultimate way to unwind at the end of the week. words_elisa baena. photo_gianna sanchez. design_teddy willson. food styling_dakota regan.

20 DISTRACTION In the Loop

T A good trick to ordering tapas is to start with the heavy dishes and end with something light. Begin your meal with bread and a few croquetas, and then end with some seafood tapas. We recommend gambas al ajillo or chipirones en su tinta.

hese small Spanish dishes can be served as appetizers or a whole meal.

Tapas feature hot and cold variations of seafood, beef, dairy and vegetables, all paired with simple ingredients that are, nevertheless, packed with flavor.

A meal comprised of tapas generally begins with a glass of sangria, or Spanish red wine, accompanied by a tray of serrano ham, Iberian cheese, olives and warm Spanish bread, followed by hot tapas served in sizzling pans or hot ceramic plates.

You can enjoy various food groups at once, like freshly fried creamy goat cheese croquetas alongside delicious octopus skewers cooked with paprika and olive oil.

With good food and company, tapas can elevate a night out or spice up a meal at home. Try these traditional tapas to bring the flavors of Spain into your kitchen.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 21

tortilla de patata Unlike Mexican tortillas, a Spanish tortilla is thick and fluffy and made with a base of egg and potato.

It is baked in the oven like a casserole and enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A staple at all Spanish bars and restaurants, tortillas are usually available throughout the day. Tortillas are often made with chorizo, ham, cheese and mushrooms. Delicious in a sandwich or accompanied by Iberian ham and cheese, there is no wrong way to enjoy a tortilla de patata.

If your cooking skills are lacking, pick one up at the Delicias de España bakery just fifteen minutes from the University of Miami Coral Gables campus.

croquetas Unlike the Cuban croquetas you can buy at cafeterías in Miami, the Spanish croqueta is a mass of fried dough with a bechamel base. Upon first bite, its golden skin breaks and the savory filling oozes out. One of the most popular croquetas is the croqueta de jamón, which is made with jamón serrano, a type of drycured Spanish ham. Other popular croquetas are made with salt cod, goat cheese, squid and chicken.

huevos rotos For those that love fried eggs, potatoes and ham, huevos rotos is the perfect marriage, consisting of medium fried eggs over a bed of potatoes and serrano ham. Once the tapa is ready, pierce the egg yolk and let it run over the potatoes and ham. The yolk is absorbed by the fried potato while the ham becomes silky and tender. The salty and savory combination of flavors will make every bite deliciously worthwhile.

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Just like tapas should be enjoyed with company, these small dishes should never be enjoyed on their own. Tapas are an exciting gastronomic experience because you can try numerous flavors – and food groups – in the same meal.

patatas bravas

gambas al ajillo

This bar food’s savory simplicity makes it a mainstay at all Spanish restaurants, including many with Michelin stars. Patatas bravas are chunks of potatoes fried in olive oil, streaked with garlic or roasted tomato alioli along with brava sauce, a spicy tomato topping.

Gambas al ajillo is a shrimp dish cooked in garlic and olive oil, served on a small pan that is still crackling and whistling. This is a simple way to cook shrimp that doesn’t require much preparation or skills in the kitchen. The coastal comfort food is filling yet light, with flavors that are not overly complicated. Gambas al ajillo pairs best with warm Spanish bread.

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Bulla Gastrobar

Delicias de España

2500 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables

4016 SW 57th Ave., Miami

Located in Coral Gables, Bulla is perfect for a fun weekend dinner. The croquetas served at Bulla are accompanied by sweet and tangy fig dipping sauce. We recommend ordering a jarra, or jug, of red or white sangria for the table, too.

For a quick but heavenly tortilla sandwich after class, head to one of Delicias de España’s three locations, the closest of which is perched along Red Road. Delicias de España is also a market, and all of the products are imported straight from Spain.

Barceloneta South Beach

Xixon

1400 20th St., Miami Beach

2101 SW 22nd St., Miami

Like Bulla, this South Beach saloon has reinvented traditional Spanish tapas by using unconventional flavors. They are known for making their chorizo dishes a bit on the sweeter side by adding cider, honey and apples. Take a trip to South Beach, and you will feel like you hopped on the next flight to Spain!

This traditional Spanish restaurant makes you feel like you’re dining in the wine cellar of a family home in suburban Madrid. The multi-level restaurant features a wine cellar and breezy outdoor terrace that are lovely spots for dinner and lunch. But be warned— one round of goat cheese croquetas won’t be enough.

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Restaurants like Barceloneta reinvent classic Spanish dishes by including both classic and unconventional ingredients. Their Bikini C24 sandwich is not your standard Spanish grilled cheese. The chef grills it in truffle oil and uses mozzarella instead of Iberian cheese.

BOUTIQUE STUDENT CO LIVING SPACES

2

AWESOME

LIVING

OPTIONS LIVE AT HOUSE CALL TODAY!

786.235.4800 HOUSE57LIVING.COM

is hiring We are always accepting contributors.

Find the application on our website.

Questions? Email our incoming Editor-in Chief, Isabella Vaccaro at ixv96@miami.edu.

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26 DISTRACTION Special Section: Power

special section: power

Power means something different to everyone. For some, minds run to physical prowess; for others, a pervasive social influence. Every manifestation of power, though, relates to one fundamental thing: our capacity and desire to control other people. This Special Section challenges you to examine different power dynamics and consider the implications that stem from the pursuit of power.

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with

Cult disciples usually do not even know that they are bound by the skewed mentalities of their leaders. The girl in this photo is physically bound – not a far cry from the reality of these manipulative groups.

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Power preys on the vulnerable. It eats insecurities, chews them up and spits them back into a machine that turns and turns, becoming more and more controlling.

Power can make the weak feel strong, the poor feel rich and the insecure feel secure. words_olivia stauber. photo_sidney sherman. design_olivia stauber.

ower like this has been harnessed by numerous toxic people throughout history, but seems to find a snug, comfortable home inside groups of people who become dazed by it. This overwhelming power is specifically harnessed in the minds of the enigmatic people who lead cults – selfappointed leaders who use this power to make others bend to their self-serving will.

Over the past few years, the explosion in popularity of the true crime drama has ushered in a renewed fascination with a specific niche of true crime – cults.

There are currently four feature films in production about the Manson Family murders. Documentaries and reenactments of Jonestown, Children of God and other cults have been created, as well.

The difference between stories of horrific disappearances or serial killers and those of cults is that there are still many active cults in the world today, although their practices and recruitment have shifted and adapted over the years. Because the average age of cult recruits range anywhere from 18 to 25, college students can more easily imagine how someone may fall into these manipulative and mysterious groups.

University of Miami professor Dr. Elyse K. Hurtado, who looks at cults in her social psychology class, says research on vulnerable groups points to a number of risk factors. “There are some psychological factors

that tend to contribute, in that they tend to come from dysfunctional backgrounds,” Hurtado said. “They might be looking for financial support, emotional support or be vulnerable in that way in which a cult might meet a need that they have.” The most important factor seems to be personal crisis. Cults attract someone who feels alone, alienated or disillusioned – someone who is searching for meaning or a sense of belonging.

It is important to note that people who find themselves in these groups are not predisposed because of a weakness, mental illness or personality deficit. It is the culmination of a perfect storm – being at a certain point in life, feeling a certain way and crossing paths with an individual who can read you like a book and whose charisma feels like a guiding hand in the dark.

Cults and their leaders offer solutions in two ways, according to Dr. David W. Kling, chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Miami. “[For people who join a religious movement, they may feel] a disconnect between the real and the ideal; that is, there exists a tension between life as they know it and life as it should be,” Kling said. “Sociologists have labeled this ‘an acute felt tension.’ In short, they’re disillusioned or dissatisfied with life as they know it.”

They also often have a belief that religion will solve whatever part of their life they are dissatisfied with and are typically at a turning point in their lives with little attachment to social networks or family.

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The real power that fascinates in this situation are the leaders and tactics they use to exercise power over their recruits. They often come from a background of trauma and dysfunction. They have incredible charisma and self-serving narcissism. So, how do they go from being the leader of a church – like Jim Jones, for example – to giving orders for mass suicide out of fear that the government is coming for them and their followers?

Dr. Hurtado emphasized that this shift isn’t a quick one and is usually sparked when leaders “keep breaking with reality.” In Jim Jones’ case, his break with reality came in the form of drinking, drugs and sex.

“It happens slowly,” Dr. Hurtado said. “You have to get in the mind of someone with narcissistic tendencies, the drugs addiction, the sex, the alcohol. Over time [Jones] becomes more and more perverse, more and more strange. The thinking becomes more and more twisted – he had to keep breaking with reality.”

It is this progression that explains the willingness of cult members to follow their leaders down these increasingly darker paths. The Paramount Picture miniseries, “Waco,” details the 51-day standoff between the FBI and leader of the Branch Davidians, David Koresh.

In it, Michael Shannon, the actor playing FBI negotiator Gary Nosener, says that “there’s a paradox to power. The more force you bring to a situation the more likely you are to receive resistance.”

In Jonestown, Jones would have ceremonies where his followers would drink punch that wasn’t spiked to get them used to the idea of drinking it that way. This subliminally prepared them for his larger ask – drinking punch they knew would end their lives.

Charles Manson would ask his newer girls to perform smaller tasks, which would then escalate to asking the girls to use sex in order to find places to live, which eventually led to the infamous Manson Murders.

Easing their followers into darker, twisted ideas and bringing them into their progressive breaks in reality can be seen as a practice in obedience. To be obedient, you must be following an authority.

Dr. Kling discusses how charisma can be seen as a type of authority, saying, “typically, cult leaders possess charisma or certain personality gifts that attract people to them. Charisma is a kind of authority that is recognized by others. It’s different from our modern legal or rational form of authority where authority goes with the job description.”

To explain this, Dr. Kling gives the example of the

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Cults can bind their followers, suppressing their original thoughts and beliefs. Once they get stuck in this mindset, it is hard to break free.

president of the United States.

While in office, the president holds tremendous authority. His exit from the oval office, however, coincides with his loss of authority.

Appearance, voice, confidence and grandiosity of an individual, Dr. Kling said, are all indicators of charisma to their followers.

The famous psychological study, called the Stanley Milgram experiment on obedience, specifically looks at the conflict between obedience to authority and personal conscience. In short, the subject was paired with another person. The two of them drew to see who would be the “learner” and who would be the “teacher.” The experiment was skewed so that the subject was always determined to be the teacher, and the learner was one of Milgram’s planted people.

The learner was set up with electrodes and was taught a list of words. The teacher then tested him on his memory and was told by a charming scientist in a floor-length, crisp white lab coat to administer an electric shock to the learner every time he made a mistake, increasing the shock level with each wrong answer. The volts went all the way up to 450 watts – a shock the learners knew was strong enough to kill a person. About two-thirds of the participants went all the way up to 450 at the direction of a “person of authority,” the scientist.

If you compare this response to obedience with the practice of increasing the intensity of what followers are being told to do, the common ground is the charismatic authority figure. Since this specific type of authority is given by others, not taken on by oneself, the authority figure gains more power

as their following increases.

With this understanding, it becomes clear how a single person can control so many people with such force. The authority is used as a tool of manipulation. When you add the fact that followers often live side by side with their leader, engaging in sexual acts and doing drugs with them, lines become blurred and the reality of the situation becomes all encompassing.

Charisma is a powerful thing.

When we consider the things to which we give authority in our own lives, often simply because they are shiny, convincing and hold promises of grandeur, we must ask ourselves, at what point is the authority misplaced? At what point does that power become poison? Trusting in something or someone who seems larger than you can seem easy. Trusting yourself and continuously evaluating your own reality, on the other hand, is not.

Cult followers are blinded by teachings that create a false sense of reality. They see life through a veil, limiting the scope of their vision.

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The Tale of a Hero

32 DISTRACTION Special Section: Power

Close your eyes. Picture a superhero. You’re probably envisioning a burly man with luscious locks, rippling muscles and a chiseled jawline. Well, take a second and reevaluate. Over time, our societal definition of what a hero looks like has become skewed. words_gabby rosenbloom. design and illustration_olivia stauber. comic strip_ jacqueline dubois.

T This illustration has some of the classic symbolism attributed with male superheroes – a mask, a chiseled jawline and a strong fist. Comics do, however, represent much more than masculinity alone.

Elements of fantasy, trauma and triumph map the human condition with the adrenaline of the supernatural.

The power of a superhero is deeper than a cape and a pair of latex tights. Superhero movies and comic books have had societal influence for years – especially now, in the age of the revamped “Wonder Woman” and “Black Panther.” In a world chock full of reality checks and practicality, it’s freeing to take the time to escape.

Although Superman is commonly believed to be the world’s first superhero, superhero culture actually began in 1936, two years before the birth of Superman. Centaur Publications introduced the first ever masked crime fighter, The Clock, unknowingly sparking a revolution in the process. It was The Clock that inspired two young men from Cleveland to create the character that would change popular culture for the super. National Comics, now known as DC Comics, built upon their success with Superman and, in less than a year, introduced Crimson Avenger, The Sandman and Batman.

Monomyth. The word sounds chimerical and hazy. Its definition, however, is simple. A monomyth is the journey of a hero. It is a trope often found in

movies, books and television shows. Most comic book and superhero movie plotlines are centered around this template. A super protagonist receives a call to adventure, usually aided by some supernatural ability.

They face challenges, hardships and villains – if you will – reach a turning point or resolution and the cycle starts over again. We see it all the time. The question, then, becomes “why?”

Why do we care to follow the journeys of fictional characters? Well, whether in ink or on screen, people see themselves in these larger than life, fantastical creations.

But it is not always the supernatural, all-powerful aspects of these characters that people are drawn to – it is the genuine and human moments. Comic culture was created to support and represent the outcasts in society.

“The people who created superheroes come from marginalized communities, and it’s a way to elevate their voice and talk about the issues that they have faced,” said Sam Streich, an actress and self-proclaimed comic nerd.

Streich is currently starring in an off-Broadway in New York City show called “The Scarlet Savior,” in which

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It’s a BIRD! It’s a PLANE!

she plays a badass, singing supervillain.

When people endure hardships, it is common to look for solace in fiction.

For comic books and superhero movies, in particular, there are three worldly forces found in these storylines that we, as viewers, can relate to.

The first is trauma. An article published in Smithsonian Magazine in 2013 cites Batman as a prime example of this. After watching the death of his parents, Bruce Wayne commits to fighting crime and evil. Watching a phenomenon like this can trigger a similar response in the viewer. One way of enduring and overcoming trauma is by igniting “self-induced growth,” which has the power to encourage people to make positive changes.

The second force is chance. Chance is tricky simply because it is entirely out of one’s control. That being said, things that happen by chance are typically considered to be the most human.

Lastly, destiny. When something is seemingly prophesied, we are more inclined to rise to the occasion if we have seen a superhero do so.

Samantha Higgins, a sophomore at the University of Miami, relates to this experience first-hand.

“I was always drawn to Spiderman’s witty sense of humor and that he was just a normal person under it all – he just happened to get lucky with a radioactive spider bite,” Higgins said.

“The idea of the character facing real life hardships intertwined with their heroism is what drew me to them in the first place and what solidified that obsession with them.”

In a way, watching a movie or reading a comic book is an intimate way for a person to cope with tough

circumstances. It is both willful and willing. People invite these characters into their consciousness because it feels like somebody understands.

The moments in between, when the power subsides, are when we see them for their humanity. These moments are the reason people continue to come back to superheroes. These are the moments in which we see ourselves in the larger than life characters that grace pages and screens worldwide. The beauty in this is that those instances are the exception, not the rule. After several chapters or 90 minutes worth of a movie, when we catch a glimpse of the true human nature embedded in these characters, it brings great comfort.

Because the worlds in which these characters exist are so astutely similar, and yet vastly different from our own simple lives, they serve as a valuable and cathartic way to grapple with our own, very non-super, stressors.

“With most of entertainment failing to remark on the issues that the public is facing, comic books go against the flow, pushing to try and note the issues they find to be pressing – to spark some change or at least some discussion about it,” Higgins said.

In a 2012 article, The Atlantic relates this phenomenon to 9/11. “The sight of Midtown being annihilated in this film as superheroes fight back, and cabs and cars and office buildings and even Grand Central Terminal are destroyed is a sight that resonates, but only just,” wrote Atlantic reporter Jen Doll. “It’s not as painful as it could be, because it is a world in which things would have gone differently.”

As time passes, we find opportunities to find elements of ourselves within

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these characters. With the release of “Wonder Woman” in 2017 and “Black Panther” in 2018, minority representation is taking over screens now more than ever.

“Representation matters, and it’s refreshing as a woman of color to be able to see myself in movies,” said Briana Earhart, a 22-year-old University of Miami graduate. “It was something I never got as a kid.”

On a cultural level, the implications of superheroes and comic books allow creators “to make commentary on the society around them at large,” Streich said. “A lot of comic book characters and stories are allegories for actual historic events and people.”

The WWII era was the Golden Age of comic books. Captain America was created with the intention of boosting morale and patriotism. Comic books and superhero movies provide useful outlets for young generations to begin facing significant issues in a manageable and comprehensible way.

“I remember when the first Iron Man came out,” Higgins said. “Many kids in my school, myself included, were taken aback at the parts of the movie where Iron Man was captured and tortured by terrorists in Afghanistan. Our parents rarely, if ever, mentioned the severity of the war, and by watching the movie, we were able to get a small taste of just how bad it was.”

Comic book and superhero culture is a way for people to find elements of themselves in larger-than-life characters.

It’s an outlet for people to understand the world around them. In a world where good always triumphs over evil, we can begin to set higher standards for ourselves and make strides toward “truth, justice and the American way.”

Igniting self-induced growth!

While comic books celebrate characters with superpowers and super-human abilities, this genre has indubitable powers of its own.

Comics serve as platforms for inspiration, imagination and social change, alike.

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IMBeCILE!

YOU

A University of Miami Saga

It’s a normal day on the University of Miami campus.

A football player zips by on an electric scooter.

The Gucci shoes of a passerby are destroyed. The football player is unphased.

The scooter runs through a puddle.

You imbecile!

You just ruined a $5,000 pair of shoes.”

Make no mistake, you WILL be hearing from my legal team!

SPLA SH!

Gucci gal is angry, to say the least.

36 DISTRACTION Special Section: Power

THIS is UM.

to T H RIG

T H G I F Prioritize your body and mind by learning how to defend yourself.

While classes don’t guarantee your safety, they can help you feel powerful enough to act when necessary.

The America of today is fraught with fear and anxiety regarding safety. It seems that every day we hear news of people being attacked on the street, in an Uber or even in their own homes. One way to yield power over these fearful times is self-defense. words_abby washer. photo_sydney burnett. design_rachel rubi.

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SELFDEFENSE classes are one of the few things that provide a sense of

POWER to survivors of physical attacks.

Your attacker plans to attack you, so you should plan to fight back. This is the mindset of model Ariana Sverdlen, a third-degree black belt in karate and a junior at the University of Miami, who has spent the last seventeen years honing her physical and mental skill sets for any situation.

With proper training, even a small, fragile person can learn to overcome a person twice their size. But what if this power is taken too far? Who gets to decide when self-defense becomes more than just a form of protection?

Thousands of Americans live their lives looking over their shoulder, investigating odd noises coming from outside their windows and looking people up and down as they pass by.

Most of the time, paranoia overwhelms the realistic likelihood of one’s fears coming to fruition. So, these individuals end up rushing home and locking the doors behind them, followed by a deep exhale and a slowing pulse.

But when that fear turns out to be reality, how can we protect ourselves? How far can we go if fight instincts kick in?

Florida’s “stand your ground” law gives people the power to use force, even if it is deadly, to defend themselves if they fear for their lives or great bodily harm. The statute has been debated in the news since its creation in 2005.

According to The Tampa Bay Times, the case that served as the basis of this legislation, took place in 2004 and involved a man named James Workman. Workman, then 77, and his wife, were sleeping in an RV outside their home when a man named Rodney Cox, 35, broke inside. Workman shot him twice and Cox died before arriving at the hospital. Workman and his wife had to wait almost three months in anxiety-ridden agony before prosecutors decided that the shots were justified. Weeks later, the “stand your ground law” was introduced.

Arguably the highest profile case regarding the “stand your ground” statute involved a Hispanic man named George Zimmerman being acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter after killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager, in 2012.

While the statute has been highly debated in the media for over a decade, the popularity of non-deadly forms of selfdefense have risen, especially among younger generations, leading to a more critical attitude toward “stand your ground.”

Aja Pollack, a University of Miami senior majoring in communication studies, was attacked on May 16, 2018, on a street in Toronto while walking with her mother and sister.

“He jumped off a planter, landed on me from behind and I just went down,” Pollack said. “At first, I thought it was my sister, because we used to mess around like that all the time, but it was actually a 250-pound man.”

Pollack has suffered from extreme anxiety and panic attacks since she was young, so she started taking boxing and

38 DISTRACTION Special Section: Power

other self-defense classes when she was 12. Pollack said it might have turned out differently had the man come at her from the front.

“I am confident that I could have done something to protect myself if I saw it coming,” Pollack said. “Of course, the one time it would actually come in handy, the guy came from behind so there was nothing I could do.”

Pollack immediately knew something was wrong once she hit the ground. The man eventually stole her purse, ran away and left her on the concrete. Pollack suffered serious injuries as a result of the trauma, both physically and mentally.

“I tore every muscle, ligament and tendon in my right shoulder,” Pollack said. “I basically fractured my scapula, cracked some back ribs and have a lot of nerve damage.”

Pollack’s labrum, which is the cartilage in her shoulder, and shoulder cap were also torn completely in half. She had surgery on December 17, 2018, and had to get her labrum, shoulder cap and capsule reattached with anchors, metal mesh, screws and sewing. She wore a sling on her shoulder for almost ten months and was only recently able to take it off.

Pollack suffered severe mental repercussions from the incident, and now she regularly sees a therapist three times a week for two to three hours at a time.

“I really worked so hard to overcome how severe my anxiety and panic attacks would get, and right when I was feeling normal, this happened,” Pollack said. “So now I have to rebuild and figure out new ways to cope and calm myself, so I know how to be alone and still feel safe.”

Pollack said she relives the incident daily and will often grab the person next to her if she is walking down the street and a stranger gets too close. Her mind automatically goes into shock and she forgets how to use all of her skills.

While the outcome of the attack was not as Pollack had imagined while training in self-defense, she spoke in high spirits, hopeful for her recovery.

“My shoulder is fixable, my psyche is treatable and my purse is replaceable, so I am okay,” Pollack said.

Pollack’s story is one of many that should encourage young adults to educate themselves on self-defense techniques and skills that could potentially save them from suffering from a similar experience.

Learning even basic self-defense techniques is not only a good start to prioritizing your body and mind, but it is also proven to improve self-confidence and facilitate empowerment. While safety is never guaranteed, having these skills better prepares people to be smart, know their options and feel powerful enough to act when necessary.

SQ UAR E UP University of Miami’s police department offers two different free self-defense programs available to students, faculty and staff.

The Self-defense Awareness and Familiarization Exchange program (S.A.F.E.) is a two-hour class just for women where they are taught awareness, risk reduction and basic physical techniques.

The Rape Aggression Defense program (R.A.D.) is a more intense, 12-hour self-defense class, also just for women, that is done in multiple sessions. This program provides a diverse set of practical physical techniques along with a capstone portion during which attendees undergo a real-world simulation and use the techniques they have learned on an instructing male officer.

Both courses can be booked at any time with UMPD through the Self-Defense Campus Program Coordinator, Alexandra Martinez.

Reach her at 305-284-1105 or aam307@miami.edu.

Do not allow yourself to become a victim. Instead, become an expert at controlling your natural “fight or flight” instincts.

Build up your reflexes and enhance your situational awareness, all while channeling your inner James Bond in a self-defense class.

PROTECT. EMPOWER. Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 39

Since the birth of the free press, it has always been just that – free. The same holds true today, despite the turbulence of our political environment and the advent of fake news. words_ kay ann henry. design_kelvine moyers. illustrations_bella halili & miko marfori.

POWER of the

PRESS 40 DISTRACTION Special Section: Power

T

he role of the press, in terms of politics, has allowed it to take on the moniker “the fourth estate.” This term was coined with the idea that the press is the figurative fourth branch of government. Because of the power that we, the American people, have bestowed upon the press, they have become a systematic force tasked with investigating, reporting on, verifying and questioning governmental and public matters.

“The mission of the journalist is to tell the world what’s wrong and, in some cases, what’s right,” said Fred Blevens, an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Communication.

“But news doesn’t come in bows and packages; it isn’t nicely wrapped things.

It’s not up to the journalist to fix the world, and I think that’s where some of the criticism of journalism comes from.”

The history of scrutinizing the press industry began in 1690 when Benjamin Harris published the first edition of Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestic in Boston. Publick Occurrences became the first newspaper to be muzzled by authorities – it was published in a time when newspapers were seen as disobedient or rebellious.

Harris didn’t care. He published and circulated his papers anyway.

Soon, newspapers in big cities like New York and Philadelphia began to take partisan points of view, immersing themselves in the politics of the time.

It was a new era for journalism – one that the First Amendment encouraged.

Thanks to social media, the public receives news within seconds.

Yet, it’s important to check the source before believing its contents. Unlike news organizations, social media has no standards when it comes to the validity of information posted online.

Blevens urges that journalism is actuallly meant to stir up controversy and show divergent opinions.

“The basic definition of investigative journalism is to reveal things someone doesn’t want you to reveal,” Blevens said.

“There are some people that say that’s what all journalism should be.”

The First Amendment outlines several freedoms and rights: the right to peacefully assemble, the right to free speech, the right to petition the government and the freedom of the press. These freedoms are the foundation for many national values.

Even in today’s journalistic landscape, the First Amendment continues to be questioned. Many argue that, ever since he set up camp in the Oval Office, President Trump has challenged these freedoms by passing measures that threaten the First Amendment, such as subverting religious freedom by implementing a travel ban and calling for a change in libel laws to make suing reporters easier.

“The attack on the press is terribly misguided,” Blevens said matter of factly. “You know in history, there were people who called for President Lincoln’s assassination. And Lincoln’s response was that they should be free to write whatever they want. We haven’t had too many presidents who would be that generous and kind toward the media.”

The press has always been subject to criticism, and the criticism has become harsher over the prevalence of fake news. Misinformation and deceit

Because of the power that we the american people, have deliberately bestowed upon the press, they have become a systematic force

speak no Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 41

At the heart of it, journalists are public servents. There duty is to tell us what is wrong and what is righ t with the world.

hear no Be wary when absorbing information. It is easy to become desensitized to the phrase “don’t believe everything you hear,” but it is particularly important to heed this warning now.

42 DISTRACTION Special Section: Power

have been around for a long time, but the phenomena of fake news seems to be more than just deceit. It’s a potent cocktail of advertising systems, social media algorithms and a presidential election that gripped the world.

Government officials also use the term “fake news” to criticize reports they disagree with. Many Americans believe that fake news is a threat to democracy. So, in order to sift through and find the truth, people must be especially critical of the sources from which they get their information.

Ana François, a professor of media management at the University of Miami School of Communication, stresses the importance of protecting ourselves from unreliable web sources.

“First, we can limit our consumption of news to reputable news organizations, as opposed to hear-say, friends’ viewpoints on social media or websites with extreme viewpoints,” François said.

“We can also increase the number of sources we access for news at both ends of the political spectrum. And, finally, we can support news media financially by paying for content through subscriptions.”

Sam Terilli, a professor of communication ethics at the University of Miami School of Communication and former legal counsel to the Miami Herald, said that people trust

information on the internet too easily.

What they don’t realize is that there is little to no restriction on what fake sources can push onto readers.

“People on social media, propagandists for one view or another and sites pretending to be legitimate news organizations have no such standards, and no one should rely on them,” Terilli said. “One would never knowingly go to a doctor or dentist who was not trained, respected and trustworthy.”

That being said, there is a line, albeit a blurry one, between ensuring media accuracy and avoiding censorship. At the heart of it, journalists are public servants. Their place in a democratic society is to provide a space and forum to comment on issues that the American public deems important, to inform the public of important matters that may not be common knowledge but deserve attention and to serve as the government’s watchdog.

The role of the press will continue to be of vital importance so long as we, as a society, value the freedoms ensured by our democracy. Many things will change: presidents will change, laws will change, journalism itself will change, but the need for the press will not. There will always be a mission for truth – that’s the power of the press.

POWER of the

PRESS

Case Closed Here is a look at four of the most important court cases that defined the power of the press in U.S. history.

Cohen v. San Bernardino Valley College (1996) A tenured English professor was disciplined for violating the school’s sexual harassment policy by often using profane language, having discussions of bestiality and reading articles he wrote for a pornographic magazine. The teacher sued in federal court under claims that his First Amendment right and his right to due process were violated.

The court held that the policy was unconstitutional, and that the offense didn’t fall within the policy’s definition of sexual harassment.

When a person decides to become a journalist, they take on the intrinsic responsibility of making sure the information they publish is true.

Journalists have the power to sway public opinion, so they must be vigilant.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) A group of students were expelled after wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. The parents of the students sued the school district for violating the students’ rights. In a 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court decided that students “do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate,” and that the First Amendment protects students right to political opinions.

R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul (1992) In this case, several teenagers burned a cross on a black family’s lawn, and one of them was charged under a local ordinance which “prohibits the display of a symbol which arouses anger, alarm or resentment in others on the basis of race, color, creed, religion or gender.” The Supreme Court ruled that the law was unconstitutional and violated the students’ First Amendment rights.

Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District No. 26 v. Pico (1982) Three school board members removed books from its libraries that they argued were “antiAmerican, anti-Christian, antiSemitic, and just plain filthy.”

Students challenged the action stating that it violated their First Amendment rights. The Supreme Court agreed. The plurality opinion said that “local school boards may not remove books from school library shelves simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books and seek by their removal to prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion or other matters of opinion.”

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words_jorge chabo & elyse waterman. design_olivia stauber.

Music is a versatile form of art, bringing inspiration and light to people in all corners of the world. However, it can also be used as a tool to expose the truths of our society.

Hip-hop artists, in particular, have infiltrated the music industry with purpose, speaking out on race relations and police brutality through thoughtful and insightful lyrics.

44 DISTRACTION Special Section: Power

N.W.A. paved the way for contemporary artists to confront these issues with the release of their iconic anthem “F*ck Tha Police.” Following this track, many hip-hop artists, like Tupac and LL Cool J, began to speak up and incorporate their views through their music and lyrics, as well.

The popularity of N.W.A.’s track pioneered this movement, sparking a trend of artists speaking out against law enforcement. Through artistic expression, these issues were brought to the forefront of American consciousness, demanding commentary from policymakers and civilians.

Suddenly, rappers were called on by the media to offer their perspectives on historical flashpoints, such as the Rodney King beating and the 1992 L.A. riots. Although these events took place in the ’90s, history repeated itself with the death of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old unarmed boy who was fatally shot in front of a townhouse he was staying at.

The townhouse was located in The Retreat at Twin Lakes, a gated community in Sanford, Fla. Martin’s mere presence in the private community alerted George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch coordinator who later killed him for seemingly suspicious behavior. Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges, shocking the nation in one of the most controversial court cases to date.

Although Martin was not killed by a police officer, his

death undoubtedly illustrates a darker side of America – one where racially charged brutality is swept under the rug and disregarded. The lack of justice for Martin reiterated that racism is ingrained within our culture, leaving many feeling both hopeless and infuriated.

Artists such as Jay Z and Wyclef Jean integrated the slain youth’s story into their music and paid tribute to him through various protest songs, proving that music is instrumental in the movement towards positive social change.

Again and again, artists question the status-quo with statements and pieces calling out the worst of authority.

“Artists, since at least the Renaissance, have been making social, political commentaries through their art,” said George Gonzalez, a professor of political science at the University of Miami. “Art, for better or worse, is a salient venue of politics.”

Gonzalez makes an important point when discussing the impact of art and, specifically, hip-hop music. While many tracks ignite powerful pushback to police brutality, some are more aggressive than others. Released in 1992, American metal band Body Count’s song “Cop Killer,” written and composed by Ice-T and Ernie C, respectively, showcases the rage African Americans felt during this time period.

While “F*ck Tha Police” started the much-needed conversation on excessive police brutality, “Cop Killer” instilled fear in officers around the nation with its violent lyrics rooted in revenge and hate. This is especially apparent with the verse, “Cop killer, it’s better you than me, Cop killer, f*ck police brutality! Cop killer, I know your mama grievin’ (f*ck ’em!), Cop killer, but tonight we get even, yeah!”

However, Dawyen Sekajipo, a master class facilitator at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music interpreted “Cop Killer” differently. Sekajipo is a musician himself, going by the stage name “Sekajipo ForthePeople.” He writes his own powerful acoustic hip-hop songs that meld poetry and storytelling into one.

“Music is an escape. Music is healing,” Sekajipo said.

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Certain artists incorporate these incidents within their music as part of the healing process, while others avoid it completely. Sekajipo appreciates the acknowledgement though, even if it’s controversial, adding that expression through music “shows that you’re not blind to what’s really going on in the world.”

Flashforward 26 years to Childish Gambino’s highly celebrated release of “This is America,” a non-violent, hatefree song that spoke volumes to our generation and its lack of progression. “The lyrics were vague,” Sekajipo said, “but the music video was so powerful.”

The music video, which has been streamed over 524 million times, echoes images of discrimination and police brutality throughout America’s history with images of Jim Crow, elements of street violence and the public’s overwhelming apathy and desensitization toward such crimes.

In the midst of all the chaos, Gambino continues to dance along to the tune of a simple rap song – ignorant of the issues that continue to affect the black communities within America.

It is these ideals that mirror those of the ’90s. Hip-hop music, then and now, not only grants a voice to the black community to speak out against police brutality, but it also serves as a medium of communication between news and reality. The L.A. riots resulted in over 50 recorded deaths, 2,000 plus injuries and approximately $1 billion in damages.

It was a community in dire need of help. As reported by NBC News in 2017, “integral to the story of the L.A. riots were the lyricism of such prominent figures as Ice Cube, Ice-T and Dr. Dre. Through the music, the needs of the people of South L.A. were finally heard echoed worldwide.”

With racial tensions high and police brutality under closer-than-usual scrutiny in recent years, society ought to look to the messages of ‘90s hip-hop to inspire yet another wave of massive outcry, mobilization and the desperate petition to do better.

Think back to the ’90s – do you see the boomboxes, feel the reverb? The songs on these retro cassettes represent some of the most socially-charged tracks from the ’90s until now.

46 DISTRACTION Special Section: Power

MIX IT UP Each song on this playlist has a unique style, yet they share one very important quality. They all make commentary on the status of American society and politics, specifically misconduct within the police force.

Spanning from N.W.A.’s “F*ck Tha Police,” released in 1988, to Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” released exactly 30 years later, rappers and musicians are still making political and social commentary through their art.

Use your Spotify code scanner to listen to Distraction ’s playlist of politically-charged hip-hop hits.

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health & wellness

Genuine and free-spirited, Health and Wellness gives a holistic take on physical, mental and spiritual restoration. Living by the mantra “my body is a temple� can be just as easily done as it is said with the wisdom that Health and Wellness has to offer. So, sit back and soak up our insights.

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HOLDING ON TO HOPE First documented in 1959, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) quickly became the most feared and mysterious disease in the United States. Underneath the fear and mystery, however, is an even more defining force behind AIDS. Hope. Patients and their loved ones turn to hope when there seems to be nothing else left.

Though there is no official cure, two people have seemingly been “cured� of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (H.I.V.), the virus that causes AIDS, after receiving bone marrow transplants. words_kathryn ford. design & illustration_jacqueline dubois.

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H.I.V. attacks healthy cells in the human body that help fight off disease and infection, ultimately weakening the body’s immune system.

“Infections that we encounter every day and that our immune system can fight off now become life-threatening,” said Dr. Mario Stevenson, a worldrenowned H.I.V. researcher based in Miami. Without treatment, H.I.V. destroys your immune system, leaving you defenseless to sicknesses.

Ten years ago, a man named Timothy Ray Brown, known as “The Berlin Patient,” was the first patient to be cured of H.I.V. Recently, a second patient, referred to exclusively as “The London Patient,” has been cured. As explained by Dr. Stevenson, both H.I.V. patients, who are now cured, had lymphoma, which requires a bone marrow transplant for treatment.

A donor with a specific mutation in the CCR5 gene was carefully chosen.

Found in about 1 percent of Caucasians, this specific genetic mutation causes cells to be H.I.V.-resistant. When the bone marrow was given to the cancer patients with H.I.V., their immune systems, which had been destroyed by radiation, were now full of H.I.V. resistant cells. As H.I.V. could no longer infect the new cells, it seemed to disappear completely from the body.

Having two patients in long-term remission is an accomplishment, but the dangerous and costly treatment required is not feasible for everyone with H.I.V. In fact, “around 30 individuals have gone through the procedure, and most of them have died because of the transplant itself,” said Stevenson.

When asked if this was a breakthrough in finding a cure to H.I.V., Dr. Stevenson was very clear that, no, this was not. However, he

did say that these cases “triggered the field to think, could we come up with a similar strategy to cure the H.I.V. infection?” The answer is yes, thanks to the science that made it possible to genetically engineer DNA. Though Dr. Stevenson recounted that this could be very dangerous because gene editing has the potential to become life-threatening and generally is not supported by the scientific community.

Thanks to science, H.I.V. drug therapies are safe and effective. With a single pill a day, H.I.V. patients can live normal lives. However, this hasn’t stopped scientists from continuing the search for a more definitive cure.

Stevenson and other researchers in Miami are currently working on a cure that could be available globally to those with even the most limited resources.

A cure to H.I.V. may no longer be an unattainable, far away dream.

The first step to treating H.I.V. is getting tested. Since its discovery, the stigma surrounding H.I.V./AIDS has coined it the disease of homosexuals or heroin addicts. But, the truth is, the disease doesn’t discriminate, especially in Miami, which is “the number one city in the country for new H.I.V. diagnoses,” according to Stevenson.

He said that because Miami has been slow to respond to the epidemic, “now we’re paying the price.” As the reported cases of H.I.V. are declining nationwide, the numbers in Miami-Dade County are still on a steady rise.

Traditionally, conservative Florida legislators have been hesitant to draw attention to the epidemic of H.I.V. even though, across the country, Florida accounts for “six of the top 20 metropolitan areas for H.I.V. /AIDS diagnoses,” Stevenson said.

The reason? Florida has not had easy

Holding on to hope is a vital part of a patient’s battle with H.I.V. Medical professionals truly believe that a cure is on its way, even though the process seems sluggish – it is happening.

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While the number of H.I.V. patients in the United States has steadily declined, Miami-Dade County’s numbers have continued to grow. This is likely due to a grave lack of access to PrEP.

access to Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a one-a-day H.I.V. treatment and prevention pill, which has drastically reduced the number of H.I.V. cases in big cities like San Francisco, New York and Washington D.C. The city of Miami is not quite at the forefront of H.I.V. prevention, but steps are being taken to end the epidemic. By working with state officials Dr. Stevenson and his associates have recently been able to provide testing and PrEP to the “hotspots,” or high risk areas of H.I.V. around Miami through discrete vans and mobile clinics.

Dr. Stevenson said this has been very successful so far, and PrEP can easily end this epidemic and stop the spread of H.I.V. over time – but there is still a long road ahead.

University of Miami is home to Florida’s first needle exchange program. The law that approved the exchange program was passed on World AIDS Day in 2016. Since then, the program has exchanged nearly 300,000 needles, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The UM needle exchange program was only a guinea pig project for the Infectious Disease

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Elimination Act (IDEA), and the state has yet to provide funding for clean needles elsewhere.

As the University of Miami continues to grow, it is quickly becoming the most progressive institution in Miami when it comes to the local H.I.V. epidemic. The Health Promotion and Care program (HPAC), is a clinical research program on the Miller medical campus with the focus of providing “direct services related to mental health and behavior health that can facilitate the prevention of H.I.V.,” said Audrey Harkness, a post-doctoral fellow working with HPAC. In addition to providing many counseling services, they also provide H.I.V. testing at many community events.

Many people at risk of H.I.V. try to distance themselves from the disease, and HPAC does “a lot of activities with the community to bridge the gap and destigmatize it,” said Joey Waknin, the community outreach coordinator of HPAC. “Some people think that if you’re on PrEP, then you’re very sexually promiscuous instead of taking care of your own health and making sure that you have control of your health.”

HPAC Survey Want to get involved with the treatment and prevention of H.I.V.?

Scan the QR code to participate in HPAC’s community survey! Help HPAC with their research, and you may even be eligible to participate. If you or someone you know is HIV positive or or just wants to get involved, HPAC may have a spot for you. If you can’t be directly involved in research, don’t worry, HPAC offers a wide variety of community events that work to end the stigmas against HIV. Monthly movie nights at the Hôtel Gaythering are free of charge and offer drink specials as well safe sex swag like condoms and lube. For something a little more personal, the #PillowTalk series encourages open conservations on topics like relationships, self love, the five classic languages of love and faith in a safe environment.

Check out their Facebook or follow them on Instagram @umhpac to see what events are on the calendar.

In addition to hosting events like movie nights, speed dating and even fashion shows, HPAC helps people get through the mental health barriers that may be stopping them from taking care of their sexual health. Unknown to many, testing, treatment and most importantly, PrEP, is very accessible to people who are willing to get treatment.

The Lennar Medical Center is not just for strep throat – it provides H.I.V. testing and can prescribe PrEP to students.

UM’s counseling service is another resource for those living with H.I.V. Getting tested and knowing your status is the most important thing to do, according to Harkness and Waknin.

It is important to keep in mind that H.I.V. does not discriminate. No matter your age, race, gender or sexual orientation, nobody is immune to H.I.V. Be aware, stay educated and have an open dialogue with your partner about H.I.V. While the H.I.V. community continues to hold on to the hope that one day medical professionals will come up with a more permanent cure, it is imperative that we each do our part to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.

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The room was dimly lit and gaping.

Lounging on a sprawling couch was a thirty-something man wearing a black fedora, a pair of sleek wire rim shades perched atop his nose. I couldn’t see his eyes. For all I knew, he could’ve been sleeping behind those glasses. words_ isabella vaccaro. photo_gianna sanchez. design_gabby rosenbloom.

Mindfulness means to clear your head from unwanted thoughts and hone in on your truest intentions. In our artistic take on this concept, Elise Sharkey’s head is broken in two, releasing a band of elegant butterflies from her peaceful mind, represented by blue skies.

girl rested her elbow daintily on his shoulder.

She looked just as aloof.

Her gaze was unwavering, her form-fitting Lulus and sports bra indicated she had just worked out, though I couldn’t see any sweat.

The rest of the room felt peaceful.

A towering bookshelf, which was as wide as it was tall, lined the front of the room, housing books about spirituality, meditation and things I hadn’t, until now, ever been inclined to read about.

Yet, I was here, sitting cross-legged on a circular puff pillow on the floor of a mindfulness class – an eight-week, somewhat-secret class taught by a medium who was going to teach us how to access our psyches and change our lives by looking inward.

As the rest of the class filtered into the room, I suddenly understood that the girl resting her elbow wasn’t just being aloof. And the guy with the shades was definitely not sleeping. And the middle-aged Hispanic man sitting on the floor with his eyes closed and palms resting on his knees was probably not praying. They were preparing for class. They were being mindful. There was no Instagram scrolling or Facebook scanning. There was some quiet chatting, but mostly, there was only awareness, meditation and breathing.

Myk Likhov, CEO of Modern Ōm, a mindfulness company that organizes classes, group meditations and festivals, said the class, called “Realized Thinking,” is exclusive to Modern Ōm insiders – twenty or so dedicated

members whom Likhov saw fit to work on these advanced techniques.

“It’s not your basic mindfulness course,” Likhov said. “It’s, like, next level.

It’s about sharing the understanding that everything we encounter in the physical realm is actually a manifestation of what’s inside of us. It’s deep as hell, and it’s so empowering.”

Vladimir Angert, a local healer who says he has always felt in touch with the unseen world, leads the class in realizing the relationship between the internal and external selves through mediumship and meditation.

“If you stubbed your toe, if you’re ill for a particular reason, if you’re in a relationship that has certain attributes, you can look at those and gauge what’s going on inside of you,” Likhov said.

“And if you want to change what’s happening on the outside, you refine yourself. You correct yourself.”

Although I felt like a mindfulness expert sitting with some of the most serene people I’d ever encountered, after two and a half hours of class, I stumbled out of the Modern Ōm dumbfounded, clinging to a hoard of newly discovered secrets that seemed so special, I just couldn’t keep them to myself.

So, here is the secret to everything you’ve ever wanted in life. Shocker – it’s mindfulness. Mindful magazine defines mindfulness as “the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”

Unfortunately, our collective

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addiction to staring at tiny screens and receiving an overload of information has turned mindfulness into an afterthought.

It’s not often that you see anyone just sitting. Our brains have been trained to consume, consume, consume – and that is exactly what mindfulness aims to combat.

“The world is not designed, in its current fashion, for human well-being,” Likhov said. “I say that because we’re always overstimulated. We are over-inundated with information from the phones, from the computers, from texting, calling, from brands, from politicians trying to get us riled up, from news outlets.”

So, when you do steal away a little time for yourself, how can you be mindful? It can be as simple as sitting and listening to five inhalations and five exhalations of your breath, Likhov explained. Even this thirty-second activity can change your body chemistry and rewire your brain to be more relaxed.

Likhov urges that, “we’re always pushed in the direction of stress, and without implementing practices in your life, you won’t get a respite from that external stimuli. You have to set aside time for meditation, journaling, breathing, spending time on the beach, laying with your dog, just time for yourself, because the world will take all of your attention.”

James R. Doty, acclaimed neurosurgeon and author of “Into the Magic Shop,” an autobiography detailing how Doty’s life accomplishments can be traced back to meditation, says the first step to getting what you want is to relax your body.

Once your body is relaxed, you can train your mind through meditation. And once your mind is quiet, you can open your heart. With an open heart, Doty explains, you can start manifesting anything – the job you want, a soulmate, financial stability – through intention and visualization.

Doty came from a poor family, had an alcoholic father and a highly unstable home life. Using these four steps – relaxation, meditation, opening of the heart and visualization – he was accepted to medical school after failing undergraduate school, healed his deep familial wounds, navigated his way out of massive financial debt and rose to become the renowned surgeon he always wanted to be.

People often associate mindful practices with the yogi or hippie type, but mindfulness can and should be used by anyone who wishes to manifest greatness, like Dr. Doty, or Scott Rogers, a professor at the University of Miami School of Law and director of the Mindfulness in Law program.

Rogers said that many law students are advised to and choose to take mindfulness classes because “mindfulness is used for focus and concentration, cultivating greater intuition, meaning you can see more clearly and intuit more directly what you’re really inspired to do and not be so affected by distractions and beliefs and misconceptions.”

On top of his role at the law school, Rogers is also the adviser of Miami Mindfulness, University of Miami’s meditation club. As my next stop to mindfulness, the club welcomed me with open arms – and minds and hearts, too.

“Miami mindfulness is not just for students, it’s for everyone, but it’s mainly just students who come,” said Ana

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Dobrescu, a University of Miami senior and president of the group. “Our goal for every single meeting is to bring about a state of increased presence in everyone, and hopefully they can sort of nurture that presence as they go about their day.”

As I sat amongst the diverse group of students – each member so different, but unified in their desire to grow in their practice – I was, again, astonished by the power of mindfulness. We discussed the difference between emotion and intuition, concluding that you must override emotions to hear your intuitions, which are your ultimate guiding path.

I thought back to Modern Ōm and the gaping room where I learned about the power of the internal. Suddenly, it was as if I had finally gotten it. Mindfulness was no longer a bunch of little lessons here and there or scattered puzzle pieces.

“I think it’s important for absolutely everyone in this world to practice mindfulness,” Dobrescu said. “I can see the difference in me. It helps me in literally every aspect of my

“ .” life. I think it makes people a lot more aware of themselves. It makes them better people.”

I realized that mindfulness wasn’t just something to consider trying out. It is the channel through which you can ascend the trivial and exasperating parts of life. By being mindful, you raise your vibration level, thus moving a little closer to the spiritual realm and a little farther away from the struggles of the “human experience,” as Angert called it.

“Mindfulness will improve the quality of your life in general,” Likhov candidly and confidently affirmed.

Whether you’re more relaxed, whether it’s because you get to tune into what you really want, you get to know yourself more, you’re more resilient, you can deal with the shit that life throws at you in a more composed manner.”

My mindfulness odyssey didn’t stop in the room at the Modern Ōm or at the UM arboretum where they host Miami Mindfulness every week. No, thanks to Likhov, Angert, Dobrescu, Rogers and my fellow pupils, I’ve learned that mindfulness and meditation are lifelong practices that are as essential as brushing your teeth or taking a shower. They can help you overcome just about anything – and they are probably the closest thing to magic we’ll harness on this Earth.

The Family of Harriette Rose Katz lovingly dedicates this page to the memory of their matriarch, icon and mentor.

“Hashkiveinu Adonai Eloheinu l’shalom, v’ha’amideinu malkeinu l’hayyim. Ufros aleinu sukkat sh’lomekha... Aleinu v’al kol amo yisrael, v’al y’rushalayim.”

Harriette Rose Katz was a force of nature. She nearly single-handedly created and curated the event industry. HRK was fiercely dedicated to and incredibly generous with her family, both the ones she was gifted by blood as well as the friends she considered family. She was a leading example for women in the workplace as she founded and ran her own event planning company for 40 years. The grandmother of Distraction’s Managing Editor, Gabby Rosenbloom, HRK had a special place in her heart for this publication and the University of Miami community. The world has lost a beautiful soul but her light and example will continue to shine forever.

You will dance in our hearts forever, our Dancing Queen. We love you. * Thank you to the members of the University of Miami community and beyond for your generous donations.

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fashion

Fashion keeps an eye looking forward, showcasing the best in style. Whether it’s bringing a new look to light or bringing back some chic, retro style of the past, our readers are given a peek into what trends are on the come-up. Fashion is for those individuals looking to make a bold statement, whether it’s an expression of yourself or the world around you.

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Origin Unknown The newest thing has rolled into town, and it’s you. Pairing hype cargo pants with a thrifted blazer jacket makes for the perfect combination of unexpected.

Reed: holding jacket from Stolen Projects, wearing a hat from Party City and thrifted pants.

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Fascinated by high-key photos and the lighting seen in noirstyle film, Distraction set out to cultivate our own neo-noir.

Monochromatic looks shrouded in shadow that echo the mystery in this iconic film style creates looks that are timeless and sophisticated in any era.

neo-noir

photo_sonia broman. design_joey haas. styling and makeup_abby podolsky & olivia stauber. models_reed gannon, virgo martinez & maryah dinane.

Noir Noise Take on a classic by styling your everyday oversized button down shirt off the shoulder with a Western vest.

Maryah: wearing vest thrifted from Paris, top from Lambert, shorts from Zara and shoes from Acne Studios.

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neo-noir Monochrome Mystery Only a beret could complete this all black ensemble.

When playing with monochromatic looks, mixing textures is key.

Maryah: wearing jacket from Stolen Projects, top and jumpsuit from LF Stores and thrifted shoes.

Virgo: wearing top by Yeezy and pants from Tommy Hilfiger.

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Film to Fashion Inspired by a film style where lighting reigns king, the clothing remains clean and chic.

Reed: wearing jacket from Stolen Projects.

Virgo: wearing jacket from Stolen Projects and an AYM crop top.

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Loaded Layers Whether off the streets of a Western film or in New York City, layering basics and textures adds dimension to your ensemble and is topped off perfectly with a hat.

Simple Snake A snake skin print in a retro shape – bonus points for it being thrifted – easily elevates any basic and makes sure you still standout.

Virgo: wearing jacket from Stolen Projects, AYM crop top, shoes from Adidas and a hat from Party City.

Reed: wearing jacket from Stolen Projects and a hat from Party City.

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Reed: wearing jacket from Stolen Projects and a hat from Party City.

neo-noir

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PURSE FIRST

The new “it” bag just came out and you’re dying to get your hands on it, but the funds just aren’t there. That is until you stumble upon a resale website and find a designer bag for a fraction of the cost. You make an offer, instantly upgrading your style. words_olivia ginsberg. photo_sonia broman. design_isabella vaccaro.

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PURSE FIRST

“

one person’s

t r a s h is another person’s

t r e a s u r e .

Fendi is known for their balance of playful colors and shapes that challenge convention.

Whether you want a black and brown crossbody or a leather backpack with a Fendi monster, resale websites feature what is timely and timeless. If you want a fun bag that won’t be on trend forever, you don’t have to spend a fortune.

n an age where social media makes it easy to flaunt your stuff online, having designer accessories is valued more than ever. As young adults, it can be hard to drop thousands of dollars on one high-end piece, especially when operating on a college student’s budget.

However, there is a way to be fashionable without breaking the bank. Platforms like Depop, Poshmark, Mercari and Tradesy let people resell designer goods at a discount, allowing the everyday consumer to transform their closet into one that would impress even Kylie Jenner.

People of all ages are using resale sites to make extra money. Samantha Linden, a sophomore at UM studying accounting and finance, never thought that when she made her mom an account on one of these sites that she would end up being a Poshmark ambassador with over 70,000 followers.

“I definitely did not know she would be so good at using these sites,” said Linden. “I made her the account because she kept asking me to sell her things for her, and now she is way better at selling than I ever was.”

Linden’s mother, Caroline Linden, became a Poshmark ambassador, which is an accolade given to those in the community who have a great rating, are very active on their account and interact with other sellers. Because she was selected, her items are automatically pushed to Poshmark users via their suggested items pages.

“I think she puts a lot of effort into her account which made her so successful; she always shares other users’ posts and helps others out,” said Linden. “She also has reasonable prices, ships out her items quickly..”

Caroline, whose full-time job is being a property manager, said she strongly believes reselling platforms have grown exponentially because of their relative accessibility and manageable user experience.

“I think it’s just because of the internet boom,” Caroline said. “Instead of having to give away stuff, you have an option to actually get something back for it. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.”

Caroline said her best-selling items are those of designer brands. Brands like Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Chanel sell out the fastest. Although Linden has never had a problem with questions of authenticity, she did say it is important to watch out for it on resale platforms. Looking at reviews are an important step in staying safe on these sites.

“You can lose your ambassador status if you get negative

Louis Vuitton bags are staples on resale websites. You can find dozens of items in the classic monogram design, as well as those harder-to-find limited edition items. Look to resale websites for classic and unique styles at discounted rates.

reviews,” Caroline said. “On sites, they show your actual rating, so it really makes a big difference.”

Some resellers have begun cross-promoting their listings on social media sites, especially Instagram. They generate a following that can translate to sales on Depop or Poshmark.

Famous Depop reseller Bella McFadden, or iGirl, as she is known online, created a booming resale business by taking advantage of other social networks, which then also turned her into an internet personality and YouTube content creator.

Caroline, on the other hand, was able to garner her following inside the resale app. Instead of social media, she created connections with other sellers and customers.

“At first, I was trying to get followers by following people,” Caroline said. “Once I became a Poshmark ambassador I started to gather up more followers. I don’t aggressively go after them anymore, instead people just follow me after I share an item.”

Caroline also said another way to get items noticed is by dropping prices slightly to make people think they are getting an even better deal. Although Linden said it is a great way to make extra money, designer resale usually only allows sellers to break even, rather than make a profit.

The lesson here is that the next time you are going starryeyed over a designer bag, don’t shell out a month’s worth of pay. Instead, peruse resale sites, search for your best option and find your next lightly-used show-stopper.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 67

68 DISTRACTION Fashion

P R E T T Y BOY ROCK T

“

he age of social media and YouTube has launched the male makeup trend into mainstream media, driven by moguls like James Charles and Jeffree Star. The once female-dominated industry is now becoming more inclusive, thanks to the deconstruction of gender norms and the openminded spirit of Generation Z. “Nowadays you see more guys wearing makeup – not just the regular concealer and foundation, but full on eye shadow, lashes and highlighter,” said University of Miami junior Noelle Barreda, who started wearing makeup when he came to college. “It’s changing; it’s becoming more of a norm.”

Makeup did not always provoke feelings of gender exclusivity, though. According to Byrdie, an all-things-beauty digital media outlet, centuries went by in which men wearing makeup was the norm. Dating back to the Egyptians, makeup was part of a man’s daily routine.

From the black kohl eyeliner worn by Egyptians to denote wealth to the powdered faces of the aristocrats of Elizabethan S Y M B O L O F P O W E R England, makeup was used by men as a symbol of power and status. It wasn’t

AND STATUS...

For centuries, men wearing makeup was deemed taboo, but now that those societal constructs of masculinity are being broken, men in makeup are taking to the streets, runways and the covers of your favorite fashion magazines. words_keagan larkins. photo_gianna sanchez. design_teddy willson.

“

DECIDED TO GO GENDERLESS...

until the mid-1880s, with the influence of Queen Victoria I of Great Britain and the Church of England, that cosmetics became overtly feminine.

With the rise of the more sexual and gender-fluid Generation Z, cosmetic brands are choosing to make more inclusive decisions when it comes to the advertisement of products. In October 2016, CoverGirl named YouTuber James Charles their first male spokesmodel. At the time, he had less than 1 million subscribers. Now, Charles has over 15 million subscribers, a testament to the rise of makeup for men.

“The male makeup trend was all started by influencers, and if they weren’t the first ones to do this in front of the world, I feel like there wouldn’t have been any marketing towards males,” said Barreda. “They are the reason it first became popular, then accepted and, eventually, marketable.”

Brands like Milk Makeup have decided to go genderless when advertising their products, instead focusing more on the product itself. Giorgio Armani created a line of tinted lip balm called “For Him/For Her” in a previous fall makeup collection.

Anastasia Beverly Hills also hopped on board by promoting

Tommy Huerter puts the “Rock” in “Pretty Boy Rock” by flaunting a look done by Fashion Editor Abby Podolsky. A little goes a long way when using gloss, shadow and, of course, some eyeliner. Pulling off a daily dewy makeup look is just as common for men as it is for women.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 69

P R E T T Y BOY ROCK Going genderless has never looked better. Many cosmetic brands have increased production of gender-fluid products to appeal to a larger audience. Huerter’s look shows us just how charming this cutting-edge craze can be when executed properly.

their Moonchild Glow Kit with male models.

The editorial fashion world has also begun to embrace this movement. Men wearing makeup now grace the covers of high-end fashion magazines and, while it wasn’t unusual for male models to wear makeup, the designers whose runways they walked down are now promoting their own lines of makeup made with men in mind.

“When I worked for Dior, they launched their new Backstage foundation line,” said Barreda. “They made it clear that anyone could wear the foundation, and it has been used by numerous male and female models.”

Luxury brands like Dior, Chanel, Tom Ford and Marc

70 DISTRACTION Fashion

“

FORM OF SELF Jacobs have even created lines E X P R E S S I O N . . .

of makeup products specifically for men. The recent “Boy de Chanel” product line includes everything from foundation and concealer to brow pencils and lip balm. Makeup has become a form of self-expression, a concept these brands hope men are more likely to buy into and accept.

“It [makeup] means creativity and security,” said Barreda.

“You can be as creative as you want and let your inner artist out – and you can hide your insecurities.”

One thing is clear: male makeup is here to stay, and it is redefining the definition of masculinity thrust upon us by an exclusive and gender-biased society.

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72 DISTRACTION Main Event

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Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 73

the gnarly

The skatepark is is an outgoing and welcoming community, and skaters are always showing off new tricks. Gonzalo Lopez, a 20-yearold automotive technician and selfproclaimed skater, shows off his kickflip here.

words_jorge chabo. photo_sonia broman & olivia stauber. design_joey haas.

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Anthony Ortiz performs a common skate trick by grinding down a stair rail. Ortiz, 20, unwinds at the skate park after long days as a sales agent for a telemarketing company.

“you have to endure a lot of pain to get good.”

Outside of a skatepark, street skating is mostly illegal. Across the country, from California to New York and even down to Miami, there are laws that prohibit street skating. Some laws are more lenient than others depending on the neighborhood, but street skaters are technically criminals.

However, to what extent?

t

alon Smith, a freshman studying computer science and creative advertising at the University of Miami, has been skating for four years now and has had his fair share of run-ins with the law.

“You do break the law,” said Smith. “Police come up to you and you’re arguing with them saying, ‘why can’t I be here? Why do I not have the right to do something that isn’t harming anyone?’”

That aspect of rebellion, paired with their carefree attitude is what makes skateboarders cool. “Skateboarders are known as cool and edgy, and everyone kind of wants that,” Smith said.

That innate desire to “be cool” is what makes their influence on music and fashion so strong. It’s a community of individuals who come together and share their tastes, while others look to them to see what trends are coming up next.

These trends eventually get picked up by designers and artists.

Originating in California, skating was actually something surfers did on their downtime when the waves were just not cutting it. Considered “sidewalk surfing,” skating was a simple sport with no barriers to entry – all you needed was a board.

After Vans established itself as the skater shoe in 1966, other brands started to catch on establishing skating as not just a side-sport for surfers, but as a main sport for all. Once the “Ollie”, a trick in which the skater flips himself and his board in the air without using his hands, was invented, street skating spread across the country and the rest of the world.

By the ’80s, Thrasher magazine had set the tone for skate culture with a core scene of punk rock, complete with the slogan “Skate and Destroy.” It was clear that skaters were cool, and their influence was spreading toward music and fashion.

Through the ’90s and early 2000s, skaters showed off their skills and spread their influence through skate videos filmed on camcorders. The music paired with the videos accounted for the spread of dominant music genres within skate culture.

The two umbrella genres, being rock and hip-hop, also included alternative, pop-punk, metal and even jazz.

So, what do Metallica, Green Day, N.W.A, Sonic Youth and Tyler the Creator have in common? Their music is ultimately counter culture and rather anti-pop. They go against the grain, much like skaters do.

“It’s a mish-mash of this world of the hegemony of the skater and hegemony of counter-culture, the resistance of pop-culture,” says Dr. Brent Swanson, professor in musicology at the University of Miami. “Skaters tend to be countercultural rather than invested in pop culture. You have these two worlds converging.”

One interesting example is skaters listening to jazz musicians, specifically John Coltrane. “People are listening to John Coltrane while skating. Jazz is one of these mediums where you think ‘Well, why John Coltrane?’ He was a bit of a countercultural figure in the 1960s,” Swanson said. “There tends to be these associations with figures that are associated either with mainstream historic pop artists like The Beatles,

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 75

Daniel Sablan is in his last year of high school, and although he prioritizes his school work, Sablan loves shredding at the skate park.

Sablan said that “as a 10-year-old boy, I was fascinated by the skaters.”

the gnarly then you also have these other artists who were not necessarily pop artists but were big in other rights. They’re perceived as these big figures with historical weight to them.”

In Miami, skate culture is seen through its art. Although there are plenty of skate parks throughout the city, many skaters favor certain parks, like the ones under the highways downtown or near the run-down marina entering Key Biscayne. All these spots are made apparent by their graffiti art. Much like the art on the bottom of skateboards, the graffiti is messy and bright. The art is as countercultural as the music and as criminal as street skating itself.

This same theme follows into their fashion influence. From jeans of all cuts and washes and short-sleeve shirts worn over long-sleeve ones to chunky shoes and all sorts of spunky color combinations, skater fashion is anything but ordinary. The skater fashion scene today finds influence in hip-hop artists such as A$AP Rocky and Tyler the Creator, both of whom stamp their designs as out of the ordinary.

For Tyler, a piece by The New Yorker said, “The Golf Wang pieces do not aspire to practicality: they are meant to be the loudest items in your closet, statement pieces delivered with a shriek – barely palatable, but impossible to ignore.”

Much like his music, he’s doing what he wants and making a statement out of it. Tyler has always been averse to the common rapper, resorting to lyrics about how he feels. In the article he says, “I wasn’t into sports. I liked pink and shit.”

Similarly, A$AP Rocky just released his own take on skater shoes in a collaboration with famous skater, Dave Mayhew. In an interview with GQ, Rocky explained that people hated his shoes where he grew up, and yet he loved them.

“It was seen in passing by skaters here and there, but predominantly, there were no people really rocking that shit in the hood, whatsoever,” he said.

76 DISTRACTION Main Event

Although a lot of this fashion is influenced by skate culture, it may not be followed by real skaters.

“Just because Zumiez carries a certain clothing line, it doesn’t mean that brand has a core following with actual skaters,” said Mike Walker, a journalist, sports analyst and longtime skater. On the other hand, Walker notes that there is “a lot of diffusion of skate culture even if those kids do not skate themselves.” This shows the pervasiveness of the culture.

The magnitude of skate culture’s influence on music and fashion has grown so much over the years that it has morphed into its own sort of style. And as much as being a rebel defines skating, there is also an aspect of enduring pain that Smith feels differentiates posers from actual skaters.

“That’s definitely one thing that separates skateboarding from any other sport,” Smith said. “You have to endure a lot of pain to get good. It is physical pain you have to endure.

“I was going up a kicker, jumping from one ramp to another; I kicked my skateboard out and landed right on the ark of my foot on the other ramp. Then, I fell and landed on my wrist. I ended up developing a ganglion cyst that I had to get surgically removed.”

Although painful, Smith saw his cyst as a learning experience to take more caution while skating. “Real skaters go through pain – you have to put something out there in order to call yourself a skater.”

Skating: It all comes down to being an outsider. “With skateboarding, many people still see it as the domain of punk kids up to no good, although this is a negative and largely untrue stereotype, to say the least,” Walker said. “But, at its core, yes, skateboarding is about being an individual, being, to an extent, a rebel, an outsider.”

It’s a culture – a shared community of rebellious ideals with individuals willing to endure pain to feel free and alive.

“skateboarding is about being an individual, being to an extent a rebel, an outsider.”

Each skater has his or her own background story, but the one language they share is skating.

Kareem Rampie’s skater side is not his only persona – he is a busser at the Cheesecake Factory as well as a retail associate at Vans.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION 77

T R I P L E T H R E A T 78 78 DISTRACTION Main Event

Across the room, a dapper man and cautious young woman sat beside a desk, their chairs facing, their bodies angled slightly opposite one another. It was an old desk. The laminate wooden surface and dinged-up, rusted metal legs indicated it was a well-loved piece that had probably stuck around for at least a couple decades. words_teddy willson. photo_kent lantaff. design_giselle spicer.

On top of it were some books. Seven stacked up, four supported by a bookend and one flipped upside down as if it had been set down and was holding the place of its reader. A barely-visible, white telephone was tucked in the corner of the desk, covered by crumpled papers. The spiraled chord hung behind the table, unplugged. Amidst the mess was a tall, foggy bottle of vodka and an unassuming, almost empty glass.

The drink and the books, in particular, were passionate topics of discussion between the two. Well, mostly for the gentleman. He spoke of a poet, whom he called a prick, his wife’s drug addiction, which may have been caused by his own drinking problem – or maybe it was vice versa, – and how, either way, he was ready to turn himself over to the “higher power.” The girl? She just sat, stoicly, and nodded, inserting the occasional “yes, sir,” “no, sir.”

The scenario unfolding was captivating. So much so, that all these details were processed in an impressively short

“Broadway is just another place or production where you’re expected to be professional, know your shit and do your job well.”

amount of time. What was even more intriguing than the scene, however, was that this was just a rehearsal. Well, not even a rehearsal. It was class.

The dapper man, a professor, and the cautious young lady, a student. The scene unfolded in Room 204 of the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Miami. Perched on the second floor atop the lobby of Hecht Residential College, the UM theater department is a bustling place where students shout their lines at each other from across the hall and multiple pianos can be heard playing different – and not always complimentary – scores at any given time. But during this particular performance, all of that noise stopped. It was drowned out by the sheer attention the actors commanded.

While of course impressive, there is nothing out of the ordinary about this picture. In the department, where being

ranked fifth in the nation is an undeniable yet rarely gloated accomplishment, this scene is commonplace – routine, even.

From the audience, Professor of Practice and Artistic Director Michael Bush engaged in a dialogue with the student director and his casted actors about how the play can be interpreted and carried out. Bush would know – he spent over 36 years working on Broadway as a director.

The relationship between professor and student is comfortable, as it seems to be across the entire theater department. “It’s like a family, and I’m the crazy uncle,” Bush joked. “It’s very familiar.”

This familiarity certainly works in favor of the department’s success. For one, positive relationships create positive environments. But more so, this closeness allows the students’ quirks to reveal themselves. Once picked up on, these quirks are tailored by professors until they are transformed into the performer’s trademark or selling point.

“This program takes what some schools would call our ‘flaws’ and says, ‘OK, this is helpful – nobody else can do this

the way you can do this, so we’re going to sell that and make it your selling point,” said Nicole Delsack, a junior majoring in musical theater at the University of Miami.

This is the philosophy of the University of Miami’s theater department. It’s not a one-stop-shop, one-size-fits-all kind of place. It’s a “you be you, and we’ll sell that” kind of place.

“We are not a school that will get you and then make you fit into a cookie cutter. I’m not interested in that,” said N. David Williams, Director of the Bachelor of Fine Arts Conservatory and celebrated pianist and composer. “If you were let into this school, it means I want you. I’m not going to try and make you into someone else. That’s dumb.”

In most years, the department receives applications from well over 700 students. Only 22 spots are given. The competitiveness of the program speaks volumes to the kind of talent that the department holds. Last year, 16 alumni appeared on Broadway. This level of esteem means that every student who is admitted has unique and remarkable qualities about them, each incredibly talented in their own right.

Trent Saunders puts on a dramatic performance during a 2010 rendition of “Hedda Gabler,” which was first put on in the late 1800s. “Hedda Gabler” incorporated one of the first neurotic female protagonists in theatrical history along with characters such as Eilert Lovborg, an alcoholic, and George Tesman, a not-so-academic “academic.”

Heath Saunders (center) soaks in the applause as the lead roll of Snoopy in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.” The 2009 cast for this musical comedy, adapted from the renowned television cartoon “Charlie Brown,” is small in numbers but strong in talent.

Summer 2019 DISTRACTION79

Further, the age-old idea of being a “triple threat,” a term used to describe those in theater who are great at acting, dancing and singing, has become less of a rarity and more of a necessity. “When I was in college, being a triple threat was special,” Williams said. “Now, it’s just what you have to be.”

If there’s anywhere that this sentiment rings true, it’s the case of the Saunders siblings, three department alumni, each of whom have gone on to impressive careers in theater, playing roles on Broadway and other nationally acclaimed venues and tours. As Williams put it, “the gods of theater smiled on them.”

Alanna, the youngest of the trio, followed the path of her older brothers, first Heath, then Trent, by studying musical theater at UM. Despite their shared genetic makeup, the Saunders are each brilliant actors but for varying reasons.

“Heath is consumed with asking questions and trying to get answers,” Williams said, nostalgically. “Trent is just this joyous creature on stage, and Alanna exudes love.”

While a student, Heath, who graduated in 2011, was a founding member of Theatre Action Group, or TAG, which is still operating today. “The student organization acted as a producing arm, a bit of a student union and a social organization,” Heath said. TAG’s biggest effort each year is producing their annual ’Canes Care benefit concert, benefitting Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS. Though all three Saunders have Broadway credits to their name, Heath emphasizes that making it on Broadway is not the only tell-tale sign of great success. “Broadway is just another place or production where you’re expected to be professional, know your shit and do your job well,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be the goal or end game.”

Alanna, who graduated in 2014, feels that her time at UM provided her the ability to remain confident and stay grounded, despite the competitive nature of the industry. “We know we aren’t alone in this business,” she said. “And being able to walk into an audition and know what your strengths are and what you bring to the table separate of what everyone else can do is the only way to survive.”

All of this starts in the classroom. UM’s theater department caters to all three aspects of the “triple threat,” though mainly through the lens of acting. It was in this respect that Trent truly felt in his element. “My favorite things he did were in class,” Williams said. “He was feisty in class. He probably thinks I hated that about him, but it’s what I loved the most.”

The Saunders siblings, in all their success and limelight, give massive credit to their professors at UM for nurturing them into the actors they are today. “These are still my kids even though they have all this cred, but my students look at them like gods,” Williams said.

Regardless of status, Williams notes certain indicators of any promising theater student. “Humanity, drive, dedication.

The fourth one is kind of ineffable,” he said. “It’s uniqueness and individuality, but it’s something about their individuality that they are so proud of. Something indomitable. Something that cannot be broken.”

It’s this special something that makes Miami’s Department of Theatre Arts so exceptional. The Saunders trio, blessed as they are, are only three prime examples of the unique kind of students who come through Miami’s program.

80 DISTRACTION Main Event

Heath Saunders acts in a solemn scene of “Rent” as Tom Collins after losing his boyfriend, Angel, to H.I.V. AIDS. This rock musical entails a rollercoaster of emotions, and Saunders does an outstanding job of portraying the hurt of losing someone important.

Alanna Saunders plays a vital role in this 2011 performance of “Night Train to Bolina.” Set in the 1980s, this magical realism dreamscape takes the audience on a journey through the unknown territories of Latin America during the time of guerilla warfare.

The play delves into dark themes of exploration and bleak reality.

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