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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021
VOLUME 116 ISSUE 14
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FOOTBALL
Mullen out as Florida football coach HE HAD BEEN HEAD COACH SINCE 2018
By Ryan Haley Sports Writer
Samantha Harrison // Alligator Staff
Florida football coach Dan Mullen, pictured during a Nov. 13 game against Samford, was fired Sunday.
Congress plans to investigate UF UF HAS UNTIL DEC. 2 TO RESPOND
By Elena Barrera Alligator Staff Writer
Amid UF’s decision to bar three political science professors from testifying, a congressional subcommittee announced an investigation into whether UF violated the first amendment Thursday. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Rep. Jamie Raskin sent a letter to UF President Kent Fuchs Thursday expressing their deep concern about the recent challenges to academic freedom at the university. The House Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties will be investigating the extent UF has undermined the integrity of academic freedom, according to the letter. “For a top-five public university to not allow nationally and
SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT Family legacy fulfilled
internationally renowned experts to use that expertise to help make public action better, it flies in the face of the mission of the public university,” Schultz said. In the letter, Schultz and Raskin requested documents and communications regarding the creation of UF’s conflicts-of-interest policy and its denials of faculty requests to engage in outside activities. They have requested this information be sent to the committee by Dec. 2. UF received the letter and is preparing a response to send back, UF spokesperson Hessy Fernandez wrote in an email. UF also owes documents to its accrediting body around the same time to comply with its accreditation investigation sparked by the same issues, said John Hardt, the vice president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
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“We are also concerned that, possibly due to pressure from trustees, politicians, or others, UF has adopted and enforced a conflicts policy that undermines the academic and free speech values that are essential to American higher education,” the Congress members wrote in a press release. Schultz said their main concern now is their suspicions of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ heavy hand over the university and its decisions. This concern is the “driving force behind the need” to send this second letter and open an investigation, she said. Four out of the 13 board of trustees at UF have direct political ties to the governor. The school has also been taking heat for following the governor’s lead on controversial COVID-19 policies. @elenabarreraaa ebarrera@alligator.org
Dan Mullen has coached his final Florida football game. The fourth-year coach who stood at the helm of the Gators program since the 2018 season was fired Sunday, first reported by On3 Sports’ Matt Zenitz and ESPN’s Chris Low. Mullen finished his tenure with the Gators with a 34-15 overall record and a 21-14 record against Southeastern Conference opponents. Florida is currently 5-6 for the 2021 season, including 2-6 in the SEC, and Mullen lost nine of his final 11 games against Power Five opponents. The former Florida offensive coordinator and quarterback coach won two championships with Florida in 2006 and 2008, and his head coaching stint started with promise. He inherited a team, which went 4-7 and 3-5 in the SEC in 2017 and led it to consecutive 10-win seasons. He finished 10-3 with a victory over Michigan in the Peach Bowl in his debut season, and he improved to 11-2 with an Orange Bowl victory over Virginia in his second effort. Florida finished both seasons within the top seven on the final Associated Press rankings. The early 2020 season appeared to be Mullen’s breakout. He won eight of his first nine games, reaching as high as No. 3 in the AP poll. He won the SEC East division in 2020 and came within six points of beating Alabama in the conference championship. Quarterback Kyle Trask finished as a Heisman finalist, and tight end Kyle Pitts became the highest player ever drafted at his position when the Atlanta Falcons pulled him fourth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Everything came undone for Mullen in 2021, however. After an early 31-29 home loss to then-No. 1 Alabama, Florida seemed again poised for a prominent season. The Gators promptly lost five
No confidence
Faculty Senate rebukes UF’s COVID-19 policies, pg. 4
Transgender Day of Remembrance
A candlelight vigil was held at Bo Diddley Plaza Saturday, pg. 7
of their final seven games, including a 34-7 thrashing by No. 1 Georgia and unranked conference road losses to Kentucky, Louisiana State, South Carolina and Missouri. Mullen lost three of his four career games to the Georgia Bulldogs and rival coach Kirby Smart. Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and offensive line coach John Hevesy were also fired Nov. 7 following the loss to South Carolina. The final nail in the coffin seemed to be Saturday’s overtime loss to Missouri. Florida took the ball with about a minute to play and roughly 40 yards from field-goal range, but ran the ball out to head to overtime. Both teams scored a touchdown on their first overtime possessions, but Missouri went for two and converted to send the Gators packing. Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin, who met with the media Sunday afternoon, said he came to the decision to fire Mullen when he woke up Sunday morning. Mullen turned down the chance to coach the Florida State game this weekend in order to not serve as a distraction. He didn’t, however, consider waiting to fire Mullen until next week. “Once you get that feeling, it’s time to do something different — you need to go ahead and do it,” Stricklin said. Stricklin said he would start the process of finding a new football coach immediately. Mullen released a statement on Twitter several hours after the news became public, saying he was grateful for the chance to coach at Florida. “The program has a bright future ahead with the young talent on the team,” Mullen said in the statement. Despite Mullen’s termination, Florida can still become bowl eligible with a victory over FSU, with running backs coach and special teams coordinator Greg Knox serving as the interim head coach. @ryan_dhaley rhaley@alligator.org
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2 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021
Today’s Weather Two candidates, Gainesville voters prepare for runoff election
VOLUME 116 ISSUE 14
NEWSROOM:
Matt Howland, Cynthia Chestnut will face off Jan. 25 By Meghan McGlone and Jiselle Lee Alligator Staff Writers
After following the results closely from their respective watch parties, Gainesville City Commission candidates Cynthia Chestnut and Matt Howland are gearing up for their next challenge: a runoff election. Following Chestnut’s lead of 5% in the City Commission special election to replace former Commissioner Gail Johnson, she and Howland will move forward to a runoff election Jan. 25 because neither candidate surpassed 50% of the vote. Voters who supported the other three candidates — Scherwin Henry, Patrick Ingle and Gabe Kaimowitz — are now tasked with making another choice. Both candidates have adapted their campaign styles to attract more voters. Howland, a first-time Gainesville City Commission candidate, said he was honored the voters chose him to continue his campaign. To adapt his campaign for the runoff, he plans to ramp up outreach efforts, knock on more doors and engage with voters. “No one is going to match my energy and focus,” he said. “We are going to be in the field every day doing exactly what we did before, except this time we’re going to work twice as hard.” He said his campaign focuses on his interactions with Gainesville residents one-on-one. Howland believes his interactions with voters and door-knocking may have helped bolster turnout. The turnout for the election was 13%, better than the lower than 11% in the last city commission election. Now that the runoff race has whittled down to two candidates, Howland said the choice between him and Chestnut will show the future direction of Gainesville. “The voters get it,” Howland said. “The voters know that this race is absolutely about a choice for the future.”
Chestnut, a seasoned politician who represented Gainesville on its City Commission and as its first Black female mayor, won the most votes Tuesday. “I am grateful to all of the people who voted for me to give us the first place victory,” she said. Despite the fact she wished for a win on the first ballot, Chestnut said she’s ready to move forward in preparing for the runoff. She said her experience is what sets her apart from Howland in the runoff election. “We both have new ideas of what to do and how to do it, but I am the one who has the experience of implementation,” she said. “We don't have time to wait around for someone to learn the job.” Armando Grundy-Gomes, a 40-year-old Gainesville resident, said he was a strong supporter of Scherwin Henry because of his past record on the City Commission and his views on equity. Henry served two terms from 2006 to 2012 representing District 1, which encompasses much of East Gainesville. However, Grundy-Gomes said
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he respects the voice of the voters who chose Howland and Chestnut for the runoff election. “I supported Scherwin Henry unapologetically. I believed in him — still do,” Grundy-Gomes said. “But the voters thought differently. And that’s all we can do is move forward.” Despite Henry not moving forward to the runoffs, Grundy-Gomes said he plans on researching Chestnut and Howland before voting in the Jan. 25 election. “We should take part in our government,” he said. “Not the minority, but the majority of us that live here … Local government affects us all.” @meggmcglone mmcglone@alligator.org @jiselle_lee jlee@alligator.org
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021 ALLIGATOR 3
Celebration Pointe kicks off holiday season More parking may be with tree lighting ceremony, live music
coming to Midtown
ABOUT 150 PEOPLE GATHERED TO SEE 40-FOOT TREE ILLUMINATE
THE STANDARD CAN OPEN ITS RESIDENTIAL PARKING GARAGE TO THE PUBLIC
By Serra Sowers Alligator Contributing Writer
Celebration Pointe kicked off the holiday season with a tree lighting ceremony Friday evening. A 40-foot artificial tree decorated with ornaments, lights and a 4-foot star on top was the center of attention. The free event kicked off at 5:30 p.m. and lasted until 6:15 p.m. The crowd of about 150 people gathered for the tree lighting, a performance excerpt of Cinderella by Danscompany of Gainesville and some opening remarks. Speakers included president of the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce Eric Godet, and Celebration Pointe marketing coordinator and event organizer Angela Chan. Godet spoke to the crowd and encouraged them to explore Celebration Pointe and local businesses throughout the holidays. Haven Copeland, 17, who plays the role of Cinderella, took to the area in front of the tree with five other ballerinas to perform a variation from her dance company’s upcoming show. This was Copeland’s first holiday event of the season, and her family attended in support. One of her cousins even flew in from California to spend time with them. “This celebration meant a lot to me to see the kids in the audience smile and being a part of the magic of the holidays,” Copeland said. Dr. Brian Stover, a pediatric oncologist with UF Health Shands,
By Meghan McGlone Alligator Staff Writer
Lauren Witte // Alligator Staff
Coco (middle), Anthony (right) and Evelyn Buscemi, 4, stand in front of Celebration Pointe’s Christmas tree after Evelyn turned on the lights on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021. and his patient “supergirl” Evelyn, 4, led the tree lighting with a countdown. When they reached the count of one, she flipped a lifesize light switch, turning on an array of lights and smiled with awe. From the tree to the surrounding decorations, Celebration Pointe came to light. Evelyn’s parents, Coco and Anthony Buscemi, were grateful to share the moment with their daughter. “We are just so happy to be able to come out and celebrate,” Anthony said. Following the tree lighting, ballerinas from Danscompany posed in a winter carriage float for pictures while Christmas music blasted from nearby speakers. The Prime Time band played at the Promenade stage until 9 p.m. A night of festivities for families and people of all ages drew a crowd of about 200 at the restaurants and seating around
the stage by 6:30 p.m. Children danced in the grassy areas as others posed for pictures with giant ornament decorations surrounding the plaza. Sweet smells from Kilwins dessert shop mixed with the movie theater popcorn scent from patrons nearby. A soft glow came from the firepit in the center of the plaza, where people huddled to keep warm as the night grew colder. This was Celebration Pointe’s third annual tree lighting ceremony. Chan said this year was different, following the COVID-19 pandemic, but the intentions were still the same. “We want this to bring out hope for a lot of people in the community,” Chan said. “We want to show them that this holiday season can be great.” Serra Sowers is a contributing writer for The Alligator.
The Standard can now open public parking spots in its residential garage — but some students are worried about the safety of the garage itself. The Gainesville City Commission voted Thursday to allow The Standard, located at 1360 W University Ave, to open its residential parking lots to the public. The change comes amid an effort pioneered by Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos. The apartment complex can choose whether to allow the public to use the parking garage, which previously wasn’t a permitted option. Parking in Midtown and on campus is limited and The Standard has empty spaces, and Hayes-Santos said that is why he proposed the change. The Standard is the only apartment building in the area that had the parking restricted against the public, he said. The Standard has 1,146 spaces in the garage, with 684 spaces available for residents, according to a report from the Gainesville Sun. Another 462 spots are also set aside for nearby businesses — which could now be reallocated for public parking as well. Hayes-Santos said he spoke with the owners of The Standard at Landmark Properties before bringing the proposal to the Commission, and they are in support of the change. The Standard did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.
“Parking in Midtown has been a continuing, worsening issue of being able to find available parking,” he said. “So people who may be visiting their friends can park there or maybe going to the University of Florida. There’s just not really many places to park for the public in the Midtown area.” Commissioner Reina Saco spoke in support of the change at the City Commission meeting Thursday, saying that street parking is limited and oversold. “I think opening it up to the general public is the best we can do since the space is already there and empty,” she said. However, not all residents at The Standard are supportive of the potential change. Joie Chitwood, a 20-year-old UF marketing junior, said the parking garage isn’t too crowded and there is space for public parking. But he said he’s still worried about too many cars driving around in the garage with tight turns. “I have almost gotten into a bunch of car accidents in the garage,” he said. “It’ll just become more dangerous.” Melanie Moreno, a 19-year-old UF public health and psychology sophomore, said she shares similar safety concerns. She parks her scooter in the garage and said people drive recklessly through the narrow lanes. “It’s already scary enough, so I can’t imagine having a bunch of other people and more cars there,” Moreno said. “I feel like it would just be a risk for a lot of people.” @meggmcglone mmcglone@alligator.org
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4 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021
UF Faculty Senate passes COVID-19 ‘no-confidence’ resolution as rebuke toward administration SENATORS PASSED RESOLUTION 70 TO 31 AND REQUESTED WRITTEN BALLOTS TO PROTECT VOTERS’ PRIVACY
By Camila Pereira Alligator Staff Writer
UF Faculty Senators passed a resolution of ‘no-confidence’ Thursday in UF President Kent Fuchs’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic after three months of concerted effort. First drafted in August, the resolution detailed UF faculty and staff’s dissatisfaction with the state’s and university administration’s COVID-19 policies. Faculty concerns have ranged from in-person teaching requirements without social distancing or masking and vaccination requirements to the school’s lack of flexibility to accommodate at-risk faculty. The resolution passed with a 70-31 vote. The vote does not determine if anyone in the administration is fired. It states that the faculty and staff have no confidence in UF’s leadership — a rare agreement among faculty to publicly scold the administration. The resolution was first introduced to the faculty senate as an item to vote on in a meeting Oct. 21, but the senate voted to not pass it. Prior to the vote, President Fuchs delivered a report explaining how the COVID-19 transmission rate is low in the community and in Florida compared to other states across the country like California, Texas and New York. As the faculty senate moved to address the ‘no-confidence’ resolution, UF Faculty Senate Chair David Bloom said the Senate Steering Committee unanimously voted the ‘no-confidence’ resolution down. In addition to Bloom being the faculty senate chair, he also sits on the board of trustees making him part of the administration being scrutinized by the ‘no-confidence’ vote. The Steering Committee, headed by Bloom, is an administrative body. It serves as the executive committee of the faculty senate, deter-
mining the agenda for each senate meeting. The committee determined the resolution was redundant and failed to provide a path forward or solutions to improve the university’s policies, he said. Bloom then opened the floor for the senators to discuss, where many expressed the necessity to pass the resolution to hold the administration accountable. “Maybe some language is redundant, but it’s not a redundant voice and yesterday we learned that,” a faculty member said. “We passed two resolutions yesterday, one was from the [Advisory Council of Faculty Senate] and one was from the faculty senate, so I believe this is our voice whether you support it or not.” Hannah Vander Zanden, an assistant professor in the Biology department at UF, then called for a motion to vote using paper ballots, which let senators vote anonymously. According to UF Faculty Senate’s bylaws, at least 20 senators need to vote in favor of the motion for it to pass. Over 30 faculty senators voted in favor of using signed written ballots. The faculty senate continued addressing the rest of the action and information items on the agenda as the votes were counted. Bloom interrupted the meeting to state the resolution had passed before quickly returning to the meeting. Mark Hostetler, a professor and extension specialist in the UF Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Department, said he has mixed feelings about the vote. He is worried about how the university can move forward and prepare for a possible COVID-19 surge this year. “With everything that’s happened over the last few months, faculty are very concerned about academic freedom and academic governance,” he said. However, Hostetler said even though UF was hamstrung by politics, UF Health and the hundreds of people working on UF Screen Test and Protect, have done an amazing job to keep UF safe as possible. UF spokesperson Steve Orlando wrote in an email he agrees with Hostetler’s sentiment as
UF Health employees and students have kept the university safe over the past 20 months. Orlando said the university will continue to follow state and federal mandates and laws regarding health policies and protocols and urges everyone to be fully vaccinated, including with the now-available booster shots. Hostetler also said there is a prominent issue with the process of how the UF Faculty Senate runs. “There is sadness in the faculty that this collegiality, this ability to speak our minds, whether you’re tenured or untenured is being stressed,” he said. “I’ve been here for 20 years, this is the highest point of stressors.” The faculty senate met for an emergency meeting Wednesday regarding UF’s decision to bar professors from providing expert testimony. It voted on the academic freedom resolution, which asked UF for an outside investiga-
tion into the matter. That resolution took two weeks to form and pass, whereas the ‘no-confidence’ resolution took almost three months. Hostetler said he blames Bloom as he could have pushed for the resolution to be addressed earlier. He said, as faculty, they should consider removing the president, the provost and anyone in the general counsel from any of the committees. The reason being that some faculty are scared of retaliation from administration. “To have them at our faculty meetings, in our Steering Committees, puts a chilling effect on people to speak their voice, and that’s unfortunate,” Hostetler said. @CamilaSaPereira cpereira@alligator.org
Aude Gagnon-Roberge // Alligator Staff
David Bloom, UF Faculty Senate chair, distributes ballots after the senate decided to cast a secret vote on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021.
Shadowing program gives pre-health students experience as pandemic restrictions remain MEDI-GATORS PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS WITH THEIR CAREER DECISIONS AND GOALS
By J.P. Oprison Alligator Staff Writer
When the COVID-19 pandemic took opportunities away from prehealth students, Alyson Moriarty created her own. Moriarty, student director and Medi-Gators co-founder, created the Medi-Gators Virtual Shadowing Program, which offers job shadowing and mentorships to students. The program helps expose participants to healthcare professions. Its virtual format on Zoom makes shadowing more accessible for underprivileged students and parents providing for their families while fulfilling academic obligations. Regardless of their background, Moriarty gave everyone studying medicine at UF the chance to not only discover their career goals but learn different perspectives and make an impact on healthcare. Students interact with professionals from the College of Medicine and other hospitals. Faculty present case studies, show videos
from the operating room, describe career paths and discuss topics like diseases and disorders. Moriarty said she coordinates faculty to give hour-long presentations. Two presentations are given three days a week. Most speakers are women, and nearly half are from minority backgrounds. “We do that purposely so that students feel like they have someone that represents them in healthcare and they can see themselves there in the future,” Moriarty said. The program is a free service compatible with any device with internet access, and participation doesn’t require a specific wardrobe or involve transportation challenges. Moriarty said she struggled to find shadowing last Fall as a premed UF student because of pandemic restrictions. As a first-generation college student, she didn’t have connections to shadowing. “It’s accessible for any student regardless of their background or where they come from,” Moriarty said. While about 360 students participated in Medi-Gators its first semester last Fall, the program grew to welcome about 1,200 students
over the second and third semesters, Moriarty said. About 1,500 registered this Fall. Moriarty estimated more than 4,000 students have participated. The executive team might work with UF to make Medi-Gators a required course for pre-health students, Moriarty said, so they can make more-informed career decisions and have more access to mentors and research. But tuition for the course would limit its access. Medi-Gators might also allow students outside of UF to participate. The program gave shadowing access to Vanessa Ramos, a 19-year-old UF nursing sophomore who broke her leg two months ago in an electric scooter accident. She said she wasn’t allowed in the hospital for shadowing because of her injury, so the virtual program filled that void. While she was considering going into orthopedics before her injury, after being a patient, she was set on it. Her surgeon was a colleague of the orthopedic oncologist surgeon who was interviewed by Medi-Gators in the summer, giving her someone she could eventually shadow.
“It gave me a really good background, and just in general someone to reach out to,” Ramos said. While Medi-Gators could later add an in-person format, Moriarty said its executive team is focusing on ensuring the virtual aspect is accessible enough. If in-person experiences are offered, the virtual aspect will remain. Even after in-person shadowing becomes more available, Moriarty said Medi-Gators will continue. Students shadow 30 and 40 faculty in six to seven weeks, which is nearly impossible to do in-person. Dr. Pouya Ameli, Medi-Gators co-founder and assistant professor of neurology and neurosurgery in the Division of Neurocritical Care, said he discusses diagnoses in his field and his daily life. He emphasizes the importance of different roles coming together to care for patients. “Finding — if you’re interested in a healthcare career — the role that’s most suitable for your goals is really the core goal of Medi-Gators and the biggest motivation for any of the presentations,” Ameli said. Medi-Gators is focused on enhancing access for underrepresent-
ed and underprivileged students, Moriarty said. The program features faculty speakers from underrepresented backgrounds to increase representation in healthcare and help students understand healthcare disparities, said Sionika Thayagabalu, an 18-year-old UF nutritional sciences freshman. Her time as outreach chair this Fall made her realize healthcare is an inclusive field, showing students have the potential to make change. Listening to speakers from different backgrounds and specialties makes students from minority backgrounds feel welcomed and gives students diverse perspectives, Thayagabalu said. When they work in medicine, they’re more understanding of different views and can better cooperate with others in a diverse environment. “Being able to do that is just incredibly rewarding,” Thayagabalu said. “It’s something that is really promising for the future of Shands and also Gainesville and local communities.” @joprison joprison@alligator.org
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021 www.alligator.org/section/opinions
Column
Time for UF to clean house
U
F President Kent Fuchs, Provost Joe Glover, Dean Michael Perri and Dean Colleen Koch should resign immediately. Dan Mullen’s team giving up 52 points to Samford made for an unpleasant few hours, but the actions of Fuchs, Glover, Perri and Koch have permanently damaged the university’s reputation and abdicated its mission. Through extensive reporting and court filings, it is safe to conclude that Fuchs and Glover are more concerned about protecting Gov. DeSantis’ ego than they are about upholding the university’s mission to “share the benefits of its research and knowledge for the public good.” Fuchs and Glover banned expert testimony from three political science professors renowned for their work on voting behavior, two law school professors with over 60 years combined service to UF and a professor from the medical school with expertise in public health and pediatrics. And the cases in which Fuchs and Glover forbid them from providing testimony? Cases that sought to protect voting rights, uphold Florida’s constitutional amendment allowing those with felony convictions to vote (which two thirds of voters supported) and allow for interventions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The reason? This expert testimony would be “adverse to the university’s interests.” The definition of the university’s interests has yet to be provided. Instead, the only information we have learned is that UF has a Director of Crisis Communications and Assistant Vice President for Conflicts of Interest on the payroll. The only response from Fuchs and Glover has been to set up a taskforce that is rife with conflicts of interest. Fuchs and Glover have attempted to turn the academic three-legged stool of teaching, research and service into a one-legged stool of satisfying the governor’s political desires. They have yet to realize this one-legged stool will always fall over, through
accreditation investigations, poor faculty and student morale and a drop in the rankings. In doing so, Fuchs and Glover have not only ignored the university’s mission but have also tarnished the university’s reputation and violated faculty’s constitutional rights and collective bargaining agreement. Meanwhile, Perri and Koch enabled the fast-tracked hiring of Dr. Joseph Ladapo, something many suspected and something that Mike Swain we now know to be true thanks to reporting from the Tallahassee opinions@alligator.org Democrat. Throughout this pandemic, Ladapo has repeatedly been on the opposite side of his new colleagues in medicine and public health, whether it was his support of hydroxychloroquine — a drug with risks but no benefits, according to clinical trials — his opposition to FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccines — which clinical trials have found to be safe and effective — or his participation in a press conference alongside Stella Immanuel who believes in the existence of “demon sperm” and “alien DNA.” The deans of the medical and public health colleges, respectively, should have not only considered Ladapo’s non-evidence-based beliefs and their impact on the health of Floridians, but also the integrity of the faculty hiring process. Instead, they were “closely involved in shepherding Ladapo through the hiring process.” Without the resignations of Fuchs, Glover, Perri and Koch, where does this end? Will medical students be taught that masks are not necessary in the operating room? Will faculty be forbidden from conducting research that is contrary to the governor’s beliefs? Will PhD students be prevented from publishing a dissertation on a topic that makes the governor uncomfortable? Will the university’s accreditation be revoked? It is time to salvage UF’s reputation and for the university community to focus on its mission. Mike Swain is a Ph.D. Candidate in the UF Department of Epidemiology
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Alligator. The Alligator encourages comments from readers. Letters to the editor should not exceed 600 words (about one letter-sized page). They must be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s name, classification and phone number. Names will be withheld if the writer shows just cause. We reserve the right to edit for length, grammar, style and libel. Send letters to opinions@alligator.org, bring them to 2700 SW 13th St., or send them to P.O. Box 14257, Gainesville, FL 32604-2257. Columns of about 450 words about original topics and editorial cartoons are also welcome. Questions? Call 352-376-4458.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PERSONNEL AT THE VA AND SHANDS
Nurses, Floor Staff, Maintenance, Doctors, Technicians, Food Service, Secretarial, and everyone else for saving my life this past stay and treatment. All of you kicked in, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You’re an awesome team, and thanks again for letting me still be here for a while longer. —Tom
6 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021
Local farming festival raises community agriculture awareness ALMOST 2,000 PEOPLE PASSED THROUGH THE CADE MUSEUM FOR CREATIVITY & INNOVATION SATURDAY
By Alexandra Harris Alligator Staff Writer
The smells of wood smoke and freshly squeezed Hamlin oranges wafted through the festival air outside of the Cade Museum near Depot Park Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, a trio of string musicians played over the laughter of children trying out their lumberjack skills. A team of children faced each other, gripping the handles of a two-man saw. Heaving back-andforth in a seesaw motion, the metal teeth carve through the bark of a thin tree log. To the beat of folk music, the grinning duo triumphantly carries back the sliced log as a memento for their family. Local farmers taught almost 2,000 members of their community about Florida agriculture at the Farm Bureau Food and Agriculture Festival and the Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention. Hosted by The Alachua County Farm Bureau Young Farmers &
Ranchers, 21 vendors sold products ranging from varieties of cheese to succulents. Food trucks supplied global cuisine spanning Cuba to Venezuela and back home with American hot dogs, barbecue and ice cream. Kevin Korus, a Young Farmers & Ranchers board member, said he started the festival with a vision to promote education within Alachua County, bridging the disconnect between mindless grocery store trips and knowledge of where food comes from. “To see their eyes light up,” Korus said. “We see people who don’t normally get out on the farm.” Buying from local farms, Korus said, supports local economies, reduces shipping costs and protects the environment. It minimizes the ecological effects of shipping and makes sure food is fresh. “You’re not shipping steaks across the U.S.,” Korus said. “You’re buying them local.” The festival also creates an avenue for local farmers to expand their reach, he said. Having the Cade Museum open its doors for free is a big draw for the community. Kevin Lussier and his family
Esha Nair // Alligator Staff
He Zheng pets a goat, one of the numerous farm animals at the Farm Bureau Food and Agriculture Festival on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021.
begin milking their 80 jersey cows before sunrise at 5 a.m. Amid this daily discipline, Lussier, the owner of Hawthorne Creek Creamery, still made it out to the festival to show off the work of his small artisan dairy farm that produces cheese: gouda, Havarti, swiss and tomme. After 60 days of aging, he said, the cheese makes its way to local restaurants and is soon to be on the shelves of Publix Super Markets and Winn-Dixie. Lussier said when people drive by or pick up orders, they realize it’s a family operation. “It’s a passion of ours,” Lussier said. “We’re with those animals every day. We’re making sure those animals are cared for.” Lussier is also the chair of the Alachua County Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers and said this event is special to him. He’s happy to be back after the festival took a hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “They’re able to come here and get a view of what our world is,” Lussier said. “We’re trying to connect a nonagricultural audience with the agriculture that’s in their backyards.” Especially during the pandemic, Lussier has seen a lot of consolidation in the agriculture industry and supply chain issues. The festival, he said, demonstrates how farmers across all industries have a passion for what they do and are working amid industry challenges. “We’re proud to be able to feed this country,” he said. “It’s just nice to be able to make the cheese right there in Hawthorne.” Other attendees were drawn to a single glass case. Inside, they saw crawling swarms of honeybees. The worker bees scrambled over each other, caring for their queen and hive. Tatiana Sanchez, donning silver bee earrings, said she wants people to gain an appreciation for the pollinators, working as the commer-
Esha Nair // Alligator Staff
Celina Li, 20, UF biology junior, uses a machine that separates corn from the cob during the Farm Bureau Food and Agriculture Festival at the Cade Museum on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. cial horticulture agent for Alachua County and UF-IFAS Extension. People should protect all pollinators, she said, because they contribute to one-third of specialty crops, including fruits and vegetables. “They are such an important part of agriculture,” Sanchez said. “Everybody needs to eat.” Farther down the lines of tents stood a goat flocked by children. His mellow blue eyes and goatee are inviting, and the children hug his white fur and befriend him. A farm goat at heart, Jack never left his home in Archer –– until Saturday. It’s his debut in the big city, and he’s taking in all the sights and sounds. The 2-year-old Nigerian dwarf goat is typically a breed for meat goats. But Jack is just a pet. “You’re a very lucky goat,” passersby told him. “Baaah,” the goat replied. Jack belongs to Mary Lee Sale, who brought him onto her farm to teach her son about agriculture as he grows up. “It makes them put something else before themselves,” Lee Sale said. She helps children aged 5 to18 work on projects ranging from areas like citizenship, communication
and creative arts as part of the 4-H program. She teaches them leadership, empathy and other life skills within the UF-IFAS and county partnership. Lee Sale said she was glad to see all the families with young children at the festival. “The cool thing is kids want to do that, they don’t shy away from it,” she said. While the 4-H program has grown, she said its roots remain in agriculture. “Everything that you’re wearing comes from agriculture,” Lee Sale said. “The roads that you drive on, the cars that you drive in — everything has roots in agriculture.” As a festival organizer, Korus said he hopes it grows to include more vendors that represent all of the local commodities, ranging from dairy, beef and goat to watermelon, strawberries and squash. “Whatever you grow locally, we want you represented here at the event,” Korus said. The Young Farmers & Ranchers plan to host another festival in the fall of 2022. @harris_alex_m aharris@alligator.org
UF-made satellite headed to space late December A satellite, or CubeSat, made by UF students and faculty will be conducting an experiment in space By Allessandra Inzinna Alligator Staff Writer
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will take off on a resupply mission for the International Space Station Dec. 21. A small UF-made satellite, roughly the length and width of a Subway footlong sandwich, will venture into space along with it. The project is planned to test a coating called solar white and see if it’s possible for a spacecraft to withstand extreme temperatures. The approximately $520,000 project was funded by the Launch Services Program, a branch of the NASA Kennedy Space Center, said Riccardo Bevilacqua,
principal investigator on the project. When a spacecraft gets too hot, fuel begins to boil off. The satellite, also known as a CubeSat, holds four coin-shaped metallic samples. Two samples use the standard coating for NASA spacecrafts and the other two use solar white, Bevilacqua said. If successful, the new coating will allow components of the spacecraft to passively cool, or regulate temperature with little to no energy consumption. UF began work in 2018 after receiving the contract from LSP. The project is also known as PATCOOL, or Passive Thermal Coating Observatory Operating in LowEarth Orbit.
The team of astronauts aboard the ISS will eject it from the spacecraft in January, along with several other collegiate-made satellites, Bevilacqua said. Bevilacqua, a former UF professor, wrote and submitted the proposal. As someone who has studied and admired aircrafts for over a decade, he considers this the achievement of a lifetime of work. “I would like to be the one pushing it out from the ISS, but unfortunately, I cannot,” he said. “It’s very exciting.” The number of students and consultants working on the project has fluctuated throughout the years. Michael Kennedy, a 23-year-old UF aerospace engineering
master’s student, has worked on the satellite since 2019. “I can’t believe they let kids do this,” Kennedy said. “But actually having it get turned over was an amazing feeling, that something that I actually had my hands on is going to go to space.” After astronauts aboard the ISS eject the CubeSat, Bevilacqua, who now teaches Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and a couple of UF students will issue commands to activate it and begin collecting data from the samples. @ainzinna ainzinna@alligator.org
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021 ALLIGATOR 7
Gainesville holds candlelight vigil for Transgender Day of Remembrance SEVERAL SPEAKERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE TRANSGENDER, DISCUSSED THEIR EXPERIENCE
By Erina Anwar Alligator Contributing Writer
Gainesville commemorated victims of transphobic violence at a candlelight vigil for International Transgender Day of Remembrance Saturday. About 40 people came together to remember those who had lost their lives to transphobic violence world-
wide. The annual vigil at Bo Diddley Plaza was hosted by TranQuility, Unspoken Treasure Society, UF LGBTQ Affairs, Pride Community Center of North Central Florida and UF Pride Student Union. The day of remembrance is observed Nov. 20. It was founded to remember Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered in 1998. Hester’s death led to a movement to memorialize transgender victims of homicide around the world. The vigil featured six guest speakers and a recitation of the names of more than 400 transgender murder victims since the last TDOR. The
Lauren Witte // Alligator Staff
Karina A., TranQuility volunteer, lights a candle during a vigil for Transgender Day of Remembrance at Bo Diddley Plaza on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021.
youngest victim was 13-years-old. Paige Mahogany Parks, founder and executive director of the Jacksonville Transgender Awareness Project, spoke Saturday about how Black transgender people are especially subject to violence and discrimination. “Black transgender women suffer the most,” Parks said. “When it comes to jobs, when it comes to health care, when it comes to education, when it comes to housing — we are always last for everything.” Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe attended the event to issue a proclamation to officiate Nov. 20 as a day to honor people who have died due to violence toward transgender people. “On the one hand I feel so grateful to live in a city that honors and affirms ... our trans community,” Poe said. “But I’m also so incredibly heartbroken that once again we will stand here, and we will listen to names of the slain out of hatred, meaning that our task is not yet complete.” TranQuility, a transgender community group in Gainesville, reached out to community members in Gainesville, especially the LGBTQ+ community, to attend the vigil. Coach, president of TranQuility, described the organization as a safe space where transgender individuals can find a sense of community. TranQuility meetings have poetry and spoken word performances, music and other social events. “When you realize you’re trans
and find out that there are people that are like you and are trying to help you, it is a wonderful feeling,” Coach said. “It’s like thinking that you’re alone in the world and then finding out you have a huge family.” Other community groups were also present to advise and provide resources for the attendees. Jianna D’Addario, president of UF Planned Parenthood Generation Action, spoke about the importance of understanding health disparities within the LGBTQ+ community. She mentioned how they’re often denied access to proper health care and medical treatment. “There’s a need for support and resources for the queer communities on campus,” D’Addario said. “Really understanding the barriers that exist for the queer community is important to make sure that the liberation that they deserve is upcoming, especially in regards to health care.” Liam Heindl, 27, said he was violently assaulted earlier this year and was scared to seek treatment at an emergency room because he was a transgender man who had previously been denied medical treatment. “I ended up needing emergency surgery [after the assault] due to the blood loss,” Heindl said. PFLAG, a national LGBTQ+ outreach organization, was also present at the event. PFLAG has programs that advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, recruits allies and provides counseling and support to families of LGBTQ+ people.
Elizabeth Husband, a volunteer with PFLAG, also spoke of proposed Florida legislation that would put more health barriers for the LGBTQ+ community. Husband spoke about the prejudice in HB 211, a bill that criminalizes gender-affirming surgeries for transgender youth. This bill will be proposed at the upcoming Florida legislative session in January. Health care is not the only obstacle the transgender community faces. Katie Zeile, Florida Guardian ad Litem’s community outreach director, said LGBTQ+ youth, especially transgender youth, are overrepresented in homeless youth or those placed in the child welfare system. Guardian ad Litem is a Florida organization that provides resources and legal aid to children who are removed from their caregivers due to abuse, neglect and abandonment. They work closely with LGBTQ+ youth to connect them with services for legal name changes, medical services, legal assistance and other resources. The event concluded with an open mic, inviting the attendees to speak about their experiences. Heindl addressed the transgender community with advice. “In the beginning it’s very rough, and the hardest thing is to not compare your journey to others. Transitioning is not an overnight miracle. It takes time. Have patience,” he said. Erina Anwar is a contributing writer for The Alligator.
Guaranteed income program breaks down barriers for formerly incarcerated PAYMENTS WILL COME IN MONTHLY CHECKS
By Troy Myers Alligator Staff Writer
Community Spring fellows believe a criminal sentence shouldn’t impact lives after people serve their time. The nonprofit organization, which is known for breaking down structural poverty and supporting low-income people through monetary support, is running Just Income GNV. The privately funded pilot program, designed by formerly incarcerated individuals, assists formerly incarcerated people to re-enter society with a guaranteed income. Community Spring hires fellows, specifically those who have been impacted by poverty, to identify systemic forces that spur further economic difficulties. The 20202021 fellowship class created the Just Income GNV program. The guaranteed income program is currently in the application period, which ends Dec. 1. About a week later, a randomly selected group of 115 people will be selected to receive $7,600 in the next 12 months. Kevin Scott, a 47-year-old Gainesville resident and project manager, has been involved with Community Spring since January 2020. To qualify, Scott said participants must be an Alachua County resident who has been released from a Florida state prison, a federal prison, a Florida county jail with a new felony conviction or began felony probation in Alachua County on or after June 1. “We know how difficult it is to come out and the struggles that are so ubiquitous for people that have been incarcerated,” Scott said. “The odds are very much against you.” The guaranteed income disbursements start with a $1,000 payment for the first month in January 2022 and $600 for the next 11 months for the 115 randomized participants.
Out of the group, five voluntary participants will be part of a storytelling cohort. Scott said they will share in-depth written or video experiences about their lives moving forward while receiving the payments and will become the faces and names of the program. The 2020-2021 class developed other programs that support formerly incarcerated people and low-income households, like Torchlighters Re-Entry Support and CS Direct. Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe helped spur the efforts to start the guaranteed income pilot program by joining Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, a nationwide network of mayors advocating for an income floor for all Americans. Just Income GNV is being independently evaluated and researched by the Center for Guaranteed Income Research at the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Lucius Couloute, a professor of sociology and criminal justice at Suffolk University. The researchers’ goal is to determine if a guaranteed income can mitigate societal barriers for formerly incarcerated people for a successful re-entry to society while unlocking the inherent potential within every person. “The research will certainly have a huge role,” Scott said. “We’re hopeful, we think, from our own experience, that this will be a positive.” Tequila McKnight, a 45-year-old Gainesville business owner, is serving as the participant coordinator. McKnight said she hopes the program will combat recidivism, the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend. She believes a steady flow of income could change people’s lives. “It’s going to show that people are being put in prison or jail because of what their wallet shows,” McKnight said. “It happened to me.” She said she’s thankful for the research effort, and she’s ready to grow this program to help as many formerly incarcerated people as possible. “I want it to go to whoever needs it because I went
Manna Robertson // Alligator Staff
through that,” McKnight said. “I know how hard it is.” The project’s main goal is to continue uplifting lowincome families and people in Gainesville while bringing more awareness to the difficulties of formerly incarcerated individuals. “Will an income have an impact on how a person feels about themselves and their role in the community?” Scott said. “It’s about money, but it’s also about more than money.” Scott and McKnight said they are reopening the applications again in January 2022 for the second group of lottery-style selected justice-impacted individuals. The payments for the next group will begin in March 2022. @Troy_Myers1 tmyers@alligator.org
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021 www.alligator.org/section/the_avenue
SHOPPING
Market encourages customers to shop local this holiday season THE ‘BETTER THAN BLACK FRIDAY’ MARKET TOOK PLACE AT 4TH AVE FOOD PARK FRIDAY
By Veronica Nocera Avenue Staff Writer
Whether for better or worse, few sales can match the grandeur of Black Friday — a shopaholic fever dream characterized by long lines, sky-high discounts and stampedes of frantic shoppers. But as the annual sale inches closer, local artists, makers and curators are finding ways to make this complicated, capitalist legacy their own. Sitting Swan hosted its ninth community market at 4th Ave Food Park from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday. More than 15 local vendors gathered in the outdoor area, selling art and thrifted clothing alongside the park’s existing food vendors. Advertised as the “Better than Black Friday” market, the event aimed to challenge Black Friday’s corporate chaos. “Every time you spend money, you cast a vote with your dollar,” said Mia Crisostomo, marketing coordinator for Opus Coffee and 4th Ave Food Park. “If you’re going out and buying from these corporations, then that’s what you’re actively supporting.” Crisostomo, 22, runs Sitting Swan with Alexa Cuk, who started the organization in October 2020 while working at a coffee shop in Orlando. When Cuk moved to Gainesville, Crisostomo joined her to showcase local businesses at 4th Ave Food Park. In February, the park hosted its first Sitting Swan market. Now that the holiday season is approaching, Crisostomo and Cuk wanted to give residents the opportunity to support local artists while buying gifts for friends and family. Crisostomo said Black Friday is just a marketing tactic big businesses can afford to implement by taking advantage of planned obsolescence, or the intentional creation of a product to be temporary. “Instead of buying from these huge businesses that can afford
to throw products at you, you actually get to come to a market and meet the people who made the stuff that you’re purchasing,” Crisostomo said. “It’s a much more meaningful way to spend your money.” Local markets like Sitting Swan break this cycle of consumerism, she said. Community members purchase hand-crafted items and support local artists in the process. Minca Davis, a 20-year-old UF advertising junior, was one of the vendors at the Better than Black Friday market, where she sold stickers, collage prints and handmade notebooks. She started vending in October 2020 at the Bazar À La Carte vintage market and has participated in close to 15 more markets since, including every Sitting Swan market she’s been available for. Davis grew up in Gainesville, but she said she only recently noticed the rise of smaller local markets like Sitting Swan. Still, she said she’s found a strong sense of community among other local artists. Like Crisostomo, Davis said she found markets an effective way of battling consumerism. Especially among younger generations, she said, fast fashion is exacerbated by social media microtrends and inexpensive online retailers such as Shein and Fashion Nova. Markets make vintage clothing and art far more accessible, Davis said. Reginald Nelson, 38, sold products from his company, Daily Burn Candle Studio, at the Better than Black Friday market. The company launched online in April, selling all-natural, eco-friendly candles made from vegan soy wax. A candle fanatic himself, Nelson said he was shocked to find that the chemicals released from candle burning can be toxic to pets and children, and overexposure to fumes has been linked to lung cancer. With his business, he said he’s trying to bring clean, safe fragrances into homes. “I have two kids and two dogs, so I want to make sure I’m protecting my family,” Nelson said. As the owner of a small business, Nelson said that when
people choose to shop local, they’re not only receiving a better quality product — they’re putting food on someone’s table. And as a Black business owner, he said he’s proud to promote clean living through candles, something he hasn’t seen many other Black male business owners do. Compared to a Black Friday sale, Nelson said markets offer a more personable experience. Often, he said, customers will tell him the nostalgia of scents remind them of a forgotten childhood memory or a lost loved one. More than anything, Nelson said, shopping at markets likesuch as Sitting Swan brings something to the table that a Black Friday sale alone cannot. “I think all of us local businesses are trying to show that we can produce the same, if not better quality, products,” he said. @vernocera vnocera@alligator.org
Lauren Witte // Alligator Staff
4th Ave Food Park is seen on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021.
FOOD & DRINK
New coffee shop, kava bar KavaGator opens in Gainesville THE COFFEE AND KAVA SHOP HAS PLANS TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT NON-PHARMACEUTICAL ALTERNATIVES TO ANXIETY
By Anushka Dakshit Avenue Staff Writer
Lining the shelves of KavaGator are pastries inside a display case. The smell of sweet milk and coffee grounds fill the air. The chalkboard menu posted on the wall indicates that this is no ordinary coffee house. The business, located at 185 East University Ave., opened in September and has introduced Gainesville to a different kind of coffee shop. Julia Brensel, the owner of KavaGator Coffee Shop, describes the business as a “coffee shop that turns into a botanical bar.” What makes KavaGator different from most coffee shops is it serves kava, kratom, blue lotus and other botanical substances with sedative effects in its teas and coffees. Kava has been used for thousands of years in Polynesia, while kratom has been used in Southeast Asia, Brensel said. It recently came
to the United States and is especially popular in South Florida. She describes kava as “nature’s Xanax.” It is sold in health food shops and is often taken as a way to treat anxiety. According to Brensel, both kava and kratom are legal and can be used as an alternative to pharmaceutical medications. At KavaGator, people can reap the benefits of these substances while enjoying it with different flavors or in beverages they already love, like kava-infused cold-brewed coffee. The kava, kratom and other botanical substances are brewed by Brensel’s personal brewer. From there, Brensel and her staff add other teas and flavorings to create different drinks. Brensel wanted to bring the business to Gainesville for people who are interested in incorporating botanical substances like kava into their lifestyle. As someone who doesn’t drink alcohol often, she wanted to find an alternative to an alcoholic bar where people could sit, have a good time and relax in an area steeped with the scent of tea leaves instead of the stench of beer. “We haven’t even been open for two months, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” Brensel said. “There’s a lot of people who appreciate my vision.” Brensel, who has a degree in restaurant and
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hotel management, has been heavily involved within the wellness industry. Before founding KavaGator, she was a personal trainer. After traveling throughout Europe and spending lots of time in different bars, she decided to start one of her own. Brensel describes KavaGator’s atmosphere as a fusion of the European chic style she was inspired by with the music and ambiance of South Beach Miami, which has been one of the more popular spots for kava in the U.S. KavaGator isn’t the only kava bar in downtown Gainesville. Mai Kai Kava Bar, which has been in Gainesville for a few years, is another tea and coffee bar that sells kava and kratom. But Brensel doesn’t see the other bars as competition. “The more places like this that exist, the more the public knows about it,” Brensel said. “If we’re the only ones, then the whole burden of educating the public is just on my shoulders.” Heather Casey, one of the owners of Mai Kai Kava Bar, expresses similar attitudes. For Casey, all kava bars have a uniqueness to them. “Our business has not been affected at all. We have a huge following. We have some amazing regulars and products and we set the bar high,” Casey wrote in an email. “We look at it in a positive way that brings more awareness
on kava and kratom.” Unlike coffee, which most people already know about, Brensel said kava and kratom are things that people need to be introduced to and educated on. Brensel tries to have extensive conversations with customers about the benefits of the botanical substances she sells, which takes time. She said that while some things might be similar, KavaGator’s brewing techniques are different from the ones used at Mai Kai Kava Bar. KavaGator also differentiates itself from its neighbors by selling pastries and baked goods from local Gainesville vendors like Luke’s New York Bagels and Uppercrust Bakery. With plans to renovate and make KavaGator’s outside sitting area cozier and more modern, Brensel hopes to draw in more customers as time goes on. As KavaGator looks to gradually establish itself as a kava bar and coffee shop, Brensel said Gainesville can increasingly become more involved in exploring the benefits of kava, kratom and other botanical substances. @Anushkadak adakshit@alligator.org
Gators great returns home
Caeleb Dressel, who took home five Olympic golds in Tokyo this summer, announced he’s returning to Gainesville to train with UF coach Anthony Nesty, pg. 11
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5 solution on page 10 Release Date: Monday, November 22, 2021 Release Date: Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Los LosAngeles Angeles Times Times Daily Daily Crossword Crossword Puzzle Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
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ANSWERS: 1A-Blazer 5A-Nudge 6A-Bleak 7A-Settle 1D-Banker 2D-Audible 3D-Element 4D-Pickle B-Clark Gable
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solution on page 10
10 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021
Wanted
The American Cancer Society Road to Recovery Volunteers Needed!
VOLUNTEER DRIVERS NEEDED to transport cancer patients to treatment. Flexible schedule. Training and liability insurance provided. Please call 800-227-2345 if interested.
St. Francis House is a homeless shelter located in downtown Gainesville. Our mission is to empower families with children to transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency by providing case management, housing, food, training and educational resources in a secure environment. If interested in volunteering please contact the volunteer coordinator at 352-378- 9079 ext 317 or sfhcoor@stfrancis.cfcoxmail.com St Francis House depends on monetary support from individual donors and community businesses in order to provide meals to the homeless and the hungry. To make a donation by mail, please send checks payable to St. Francis House P.O. Box 12491 Gainesville Fl 32604 or our website at Stfrancishousegnv.org
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ScrabbleGrams solution
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021 www.alligator.org/section/sports
FEATURE
Gators recruit carries on Florida family legacy JAYDEN GIBSON WILL SUIT UP FOR THE SAME PROGRAM AS HIS FATHER AND UNCLE
By Elena Barrera Alligator Staff Writer
A wide-eyed 9-year-old Jayden Gibson watched from the stadium as the Gators stormed the field. Man, it’d be cool to be down there. He wouldn’t realize that eight years later, he would one day get a chance to rush onto the gridiron dressed in orange and blue. Jayden, now a 17-year-old 4-star wide receiver recruit from West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida, committed to UF Oct. 13. His decision not only advanced his football career but also a family legacy. He will suit up for the same program as his father, Kelvin Gibson, and uncle Chris Gibson. Football tied his family together. They spent family weekends in the backyard throwing and playing flag football. Jayden’s mother, Kimberly Gibson, remembers how Jayden enjoyed every spare moment outdoors. “Aside from school, church and our faith, we’ve had sports as a family connector,” she said. “It’s something that we all enjoy and are passionate about.” The day Jayden was born, his father strolled into the hospital room with a football to place
over the crib. At 6 months old, he was holding the ball. He could throw it by the time he could walk. It was always football for Gibson. “It’s been a dream since I was a kid to just make sure that I was doing everything right to be able to be in this position,” he said. And to achieve his goal, he didn’t solely rely on his talent. West Orange head coach Michael Granato noticed Jayden was always the first at meetings. “He doesn’t really believe in an offseason,” Granato said. “He works on his speed, strength, his route running, his technique day in and day out, 365 days a year.” Jayden often worked out by himself. People always told him he should pursue basketball because of his 6-foot-5-inch frame. He instead used that as motivation to prove he could be a good football player. When the pandemic temporarily halted sports, Jayden helped coordinate team workouts and practices for anyone able and willing to come out. His work ethic motivated the rest of the staff and team. “For a young man to be able to do that at that age really speaks volumes to his desire to be great,” Granato said. “He’s got a knack for really bringing people together.” Gibson’s mix of hard work and talent earned him 39 offers across the country. Georgia,
Auburn, Tennessee and Baylor are just some of the programs that vied for his attention before he pledged himself to the Gators. And Jayden plans to bring his hardworking reputation to his new team. The early enrollee believes he will be an asset for UF’s offense when he steps foot in Gainesville January 2022. When he stood on the sidelines of Florida’s game against Alabama Sept. 18, Jayden saw a glimpse of his future before his eyes. The fans’ energy is what he looks forward to the most in the Swamp. “First home game,” he said. “That’s what I can’t wait for.” Despite the Gibson’s Florida football family history, they would have supported Jayden at whatever school he chose. He was strongly considering Georgia and Miami but ultimately chose Florida because it feels like home due to his family legacy and trips to Gainesville. He couldn’t pass up UF due to its prestigious academic reputation and football coaches, including wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales. “I’m overjoyed,” Kimberly said. “I can’t even put it into words. It’s something that you hope would happen, but you don’t quite know for sure that it will happen until it does.” Watching Jayden do what he loves over the years and seeing it all amount to the things he once dreamed about is an indescribable experience for
Courtesy to The Alligator
West Orange’s Jayden Gibson pictured in his high school uniform. Kimberly. But it all traces back to the first time she realized his aspirations would become more than a dream. Jayden ran an 80-yard touchdown — his first touchdown — in the second grade. Kimberly shed a few tears as she watched from the stands. “People probably thought it was just because it was a touchdown helping win the game,” she said. “It was so much deeper than that. At that moment, I knew this child was going to
take it further than anybody in our family.” That’s when he grew from the boy who tuned into Saturday football for Florida games to a future highly sought recruit. In a few months, Jayden will don his own jersey, lace up his cleats and storm the same field as the players he admired as a child. Hey look, we made it. @elenabarreraaa ebarrera@alligator.org
SWIMMING
Caeleb Dressel joins Anthony Nesty’s growing Olympic tree The seven-time Olympic champion announced his move to train under the Gators head coach on Instagram By Jackson Catellano Sports Writer
After a dominant 2020 Tokyo Olympics which saw him earn five gold medals, Caeleb Dressel decided he will return to the University of Florida to continue his training under Gators head coach Anthony Nesty. The move means that Dressel will no longer be mentored by legendary swim coach Gregg Troy, who coached Dressel collegiately at UF. Troy left the Gators
in 2018 to continue coaching a group of Olympians which included the former NCAA champion. “I feel whole knowing I will have Troy as a mentor, friend, and most importantly a role model forever in my life,” Dressel said on Instagram. “This man has taught me more than he will ever know in and out of the water.” Nesty, who took charge of the Florida men’s swim program in 2018 and became the coach of both the men's and women’s
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programs this season, now has a large group of Olympians under his guidance. Dressel completes a four-headed monster of medal-winning American swimmers under Nesty’s tutelage, as he joins Gators Bobby Finke and Kieran Smith as well as Olympic legend Katie Ledecky, who announced her move to train under the esteemed coach in late September. Beyond the group of U.S. Olympians, Nesty also coaches international Olympians Eric Friese and Amro Al-Wir. Nesty was
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nominated for the USA Swimming Coach of the Year award in October. “I am beyond grateful for this opportunity to be in this training environment with this very special, talented, and driven team,” Dressel said in his announcement. Time will tell, but Anthony Nesty has built a strong group of Olympians under his name for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
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For updates on UF athletics, follow us on Twitter at @alligatorSports or online at www.alligator.org/section/sports.
@jaxacastellano jcastellano@alligator.org
12 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2021
FOOTBALL
The 2021 Florida football team didn’t play as a team Former coach Dan Mullen was relieved of his duties Sunday By Zachary Huber Sports Writer
Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin decided to part ways with former head coach Dan Mullen on Sunday afternoon after a 24-23 loss to Missouri in overtime. The choice came after the Gators fell to 5-6 in 2021 and lost nine out of their last 11 games versus Power Five opponents dating back to last season. How did it happen after three consecutive trips to New Year’s Six bowl games? It’s simple; football is the ultimate team sport. Florida failed to sustain success in all three phases of the game, a problem that plagued Mullen’s team back to the 2020 LSU loss. The 2021 Florida season felt like a life-size game of Whac-A-Mole, where a new issue reared its head every week. In Week 3 versus Alabama, Florida’s defense surrendered 21 points in the first quarter while the offense failed to get in gear. The slumbering start forced the Gators to play behind the whole game and, despite outscoring the Crimson Tide 26-10 in the final three quarters, falling two points short.
Their defense stood firm two weeks later, allowing 224 yards of offense in a Week 5 game against Kentucky. However, Florida’s offense floundered against the Wildcats, with eight false start penalties and a blocked field goal attempt returned for a touchdown to lose 20-13. The Gators fell in a 49-42 Big 12-style shootout to Louisiana State when they failed to overcome four turnovers from quarterbacks Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson. The defense also surrendered 321 rushing yards to the fourthworst rushing offense at the time. Tigers running back Tyrion DavisPrice shattered former Georgia running back Herschel Walker’s record for most single-game rushing yards against Florida with 287. The next week versus Georgia, Richardson coughed up three turnovers in the last 2:22 seconds before halftime, generating 21 points for the Bulldogs. Once again, the defense rose to the occasion. UGA would have only won 13-7 without those 142 seconds. Neither unit showed up versus South Carolina, as the Gamecocks whooped Mullen and Co. 40-17. The blowout led to the firing of defensive
coordinator Todd Grantham and offensive line coach John Hevesy. Florida’s offense needed 70 points and a career day from Jones to stave off the Samford Bulldogs. The defense still gave up 52 points, the most an SEC school ever allowed to a Football Championship Subdivision foe. Newly appointed defensive coordinator Christian Robinson and his unit rebounded quickly, keeping
the SEC leading rusher, Tyler Badie, in check for 19 rushing yards in the first half. Florida’s offense only offered up six points in return. Badie eventually caught fire and finished with 27 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown, which led to another Gators loss. The overtime loss served as the nail in the coffin for Mullen. It also means Florida will finish with a 2-6 record in SEC play, its worst mark since the conference expanded in
1992 and only finishing higher than Vanderbilt in the SEC East. The best teams in college football like Georgia, the Crimson Tide and Ohio State, found ways to win when one facet of their team slacked. Stricklin will start searching for a new head coach, but he needs to make sure the new leader of the program gets the Gators to play like a team. @zacharyahuber zhuber@alligator.org
Samantha Harrison // Alligator Staff
Former Florida football coach Dan Mullen pictured during a game on Nov. 13.