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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2024

VOLUME 118 - ISSUE 23 Not officially associated with the University of Florida

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Alachua County initiatives work to protect land from increasing development

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Environmentally significant lands are preserved through conservation, agricultural easements By Kylie Williams Alligator Staff Writer

On their farm in Alachua, Anne Shermyen and John Shermyen have acres of cow pasture, woodland trails for horseback riding and a big vegetable garden. When they reached retirement age, the Shermyens began to consider what would happen to their 85-acre property in the future. “Part of this is really making a family decision about your legacy,” said 70-year-old John Shermyen. “Your heirs, do they share your vision and values of how you want to maintain and preserve the property?” Ultimately, the Shermyens decided to enter into a conservation easement, a legal agreement involving development rights, with the Alachua Conservation Trust. The Shermyens still own their property but have given up development rights to the trust, which permanently preserves the land as an ecological sanctuary. In Alachua County, more than 30,000 acres have been protected under similar land agreements. In January, the trust facilitated an agreement with a 550-acre dairy farm in Gilchrist County. The farm has been owned for multiple generations by the Wat-

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Women's Golf finish with comStory description Gators ma, pg# set up “big sis” program. Read more on pg. 11.

son family, who will receive $1.54 million through the easement. While the Shermyens donated their land in the easement, most landowners receive a payout for giving up development rights. Estate planning, debt alleviation and tax write-offs are some of the financial benefits that can come from entering land agreements, Alachua Conservation Trust Executive Director Tom Kay said. While some landowners have concerns over government regulation and property rights, Kay said, the agreements are flexible and able to be negotiated. “If there’s certain things you want to see in an easement, you can certainly keep it in,” he said. “They’re pretty unique structures, but they’ve also been around a pretty long time.” One of the greatest challenges with land easements is competition from developers, especially as Florida’s population and development rate continues to grow. Land prices have exploded, making it difficult to compete with developers who can pay well above a property’s appraised value, Kay said. However, many landowners

SEE CONSERVATION, PAGE 5

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff

Freshman forward Thomas Haugh shoots a 3 pointer during the Gator’s 10th straight win over the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Read more online at alligator.org/section/sports.

UF Health receives $500,000 grant for East Gainesville mobile food pharmacy THE AWARD WILL ALSO BOOST INTERPRETER PROGRAMS, UBER HEALTH COLLABORATION

By Zoey Thomas Alligator Staff Writer

Lakesha Butler has worked at UF for just a year and a half. But she’s been tackling Gainesville health disparities since her first day on the job. Most recently, the UF Health chief culture officer, formerly the chief diversity officer, won a $500,000 grant from the Florida Blue Foundation to combat food and health insecurity in East Gainesville.

Outdoor Spaces

City to begin $2.5 million project, pg. 5

The Avenue: Music

Jordan Burchel commits to one song a day, pg. 6

Butler’s team will use the grant in three ways: to create a mobile food pharmacy delivering healthy groceries throughout East Gainesville, to work with Uber Health to bring people to appointments and to train more students as interpreters. “As we are training our students, we want them to be able to see the whole patient,” she said. “If I'm asking them to be more physically active, maybe they don't have sidewalks to be physically active. When they don’t come to their appointments when scheduled, maybe there's a transportation barrier.” East Gainesville residents have historically lacked access to resources abundant on the west side of

the city surrounding the university. The predominantly Black area faces higher poverty and lower health insurance rates than the other side of Main Street. Butler submitted the application in September, and UF announced she won the grant Feb. 12. Her team’s next steps include buying a van or truck, finding faculty to oversee health students throughout the process and looking into food supply, she said. Food on the move

The idea for the program started with data, Butler said. The most recent Community

SEE UF HEALTH, PAGE 4

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Weather The UF Today’s Divine Nine celebrates Black History Month BROTHERS AND SISTERS GATHER FOR EVENTS ALL THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY TO CELEBRATE THEIR HERITAGE

By Annie Wang Alligator Staff Writer

From the day it was created, Black History Month has been tied to historically Black fraternities and sororities. Carter G. Woodson, a 19th-century scholar who is credited as the founder of Black History Month, was a brother of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. This month, the brothers of the Omicron Zeta Chapter of Omicron Psi Phi Fraternity gather to celebrate Woodsen’s legacy and Black History Month. “Most people don't really understand [Black history] because they didn't go through the struggles, or they weren't the ones who went through the pain and the suffering to get there,” said Jahkari Smothers, basileus, or chapter president, of the Omicron Zeta Chapter of Omicron Psi Phi. “They're just the ones that are reaping the benefits.” The National Pan-Hellenic Council, or Divine Nine, is a coordinating body that consists of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity.

Smothers said for Black History Month, his fraternity is hosting a golf tournament Feb. 24. The fraternity will offer a scholarship to first-year UF students and community college transfers. Smothers said it’s important for students to educate themselves and know their history. “As a community, we need to celebrate our history and know it, because if not, we'll be doomed to repeat it,” he said. “Teaching Black history in schools is necessary, and teaching all histories is necessary so that people know where they come from, and they will really take the time to appreciate the things that they do have now.” The Divine Nine promote academic excellence for African American students on predominantly white campuses. It also provides them with a space to address pertinent issues within the Black community, said Ammir Thomas, vice president of Theta Sigma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Thomas said there are four national programs his fraternity focuses on: Go-to-High-School, Goto-College; A Voteless People is a Hopeless People, Project Alpha and Brother's Keeper. The projects are meant to educate, distribute resources and provide companionship for community members. The Divine Nine also has its own traditions, such as stepping and strolling. Stepping and strolling is a collective, choreographed dance between a specific fraternity or sorority, often consisting of clapping

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and stomping in a rhythm. “We use [stepping and strolling] as a symbolic way to honor our ancestors in a way in which we express ourselves as well,” Thomas said. For Black History Month, the UF Black Student Union organized 28 days of programming. All Black organizations are able to program with the BSU to host any event of their choosing. Roggernsy Jacotin, president of the Theta Sigma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, said his fraternity is hosting an event with the Black Student Union Feb. 23 called the Golden Night of Unity. The event is meant to help alleviate homelessness by bringing the community together to collect clothes and assemble care packages, Jacotin said. “I think our main focus as a chapter is to help the most underserved populations as possible,” he said. “A lot of time, we feel like [the homeless] population is neglected, and we just want to give back.” @wynwg awang@alligator.org

Pickleball creates competition, community in Alachua County AS PICKLEBALL EMERGES, RESIDENTS SHOW THEIR LOVE FOR THE SPORT

By Kairi Lowery Alligator Staff Writer

No matter the weather, Alachua County residents can be seen on bright-blue courts in town with tennis shoes laced up, a paddle in one hand and a bright-yellow, plastic ball in the other. On the court, competition can be fierce. Off the court, the community is welcoming. Pickleball, a sport very similar to tennis, has taken the world by storm. First originating from boredom and badminton equipment in 1965, pickleball has now emerged as the fastest-growing sport with a 40% increase in popularity in recent years. While beginner levels of pickleball are more common, there are also varying levels of advancement within the sport, said Danny Wuerffel, a former Gators quarterback, the 1996 Heisman Trophy Winner and father to UF Club Pickleball player Jonah Wuerffel. “Don’t tell the Gator football fans, but pickleball is probably my favorite sport I’ve ever played,” Danny Wuerffel said. After a prolific career in football,

Danny Wuerffel looks forward to his upcoming 50th birthday in May, and will be eligible to play tournaments in the senior pickleball league. Pickleball was somewhat of a gift to Danny Wuerffel, one which he found after his retirement from football, as it allows him a strong sense of community and friends as well as remaining active, Jonah Wuerffel said. “He’s never been happier to get older because then he can play in the senior group,” Jonah Wuerffel said. The game itself is much easier to pick up than tennis, he said. “Even if you’re a grandpa or a little kid who has never played, it’s easy to start playing, and that’s the best part,” Jonah Wuerffel said. Pickleball players aim to keep a pickleball, similar to a wiffleball, inside the lines of a court, while hitting diagonally to teams of two in order to reach 11 points to win. Beyond the physical game of pickleball, the community surrounding it is incredibly welcoming. Random people will say, “Hey, come play with us,” and then turn into lifelong best friends, Jonah Wuerffel said. “Pickleball is more of a community where you can just be down to earth,” he said. Local clubs are also starting to recognize pickleball as a real sport,

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one young children want to learn and play. Pickleball wasn’t a very demanding sport when Jonah Wuerffel started as a YMCA pickleball instructor before the coronavirus pandemic, and it was oftentimes hard to find anyone who wanted lessons, he said. However, now he sees entire summer camps devoted to pickleball, speaking to the emergence and popularity of the sport. At the Alachua County Sports and Event Center, pickleball is in higher demand, said Mary Rossow, pickleball coordinator and USA Pickleball ambassador for the county. Radd Sports initially reached out to Rossow before the event center was open, saying it was bombarded with phone calls and emails from players in the pickleball community wanting more dedicated courts, rather than multi-use courts, which tennis and basketball players can use. “We only have like four dedicated, public pickleball courts in all of Alachua County, and that’s at Northside,” Rossow said. Read the rest online at alligator.org @kairiloweryy klowery@alligator.org

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Food pharmacy UF HEALTH, from pg. 1

Health Needs Assessment showed zip codes from East Gainesville fall in some of the highest food insecurity percentiles in the state and have high rates of cardiovascular-related deaths, Butler said. With a mobile food pharmacy, UF health providers can “set up shop” in various parts of East Gainesville. There, physicians will prescribe foods to patients based on their medical needs, Butler said. For example, a provider might recommend low-carb groceries to a diabetic patient. By putting the food pharmacy on wheels, Butler hopes to help patients even after they leave UF Health facilities. Instead of sending East Gainesville residents back into the food desert that caused their diseases, the new model will look at patients as “whole people,” she said. “It’s both a tall task but very exciting,” she said, “to know that this will impact the community in a very positive manner.” Some aid programs for Gainesville’s Black community have been criticized for lack of resident input. The Bright Community Trust housing project, a Habitat for Humanity collaboration with a stated goal of building affordable housing in the historic Porters Quarters neighborhood, notified only one homeowner of the construction now taking place in their backyards. By contrast, UF Health hosts quarterly community meetings at Lincoln Middle School, where Butler and other leaders can update residents on their services and listen to how those services can be tailored to community needs, she said. Delphine Jackson, a 75-year-old

Gainesville resident, said she’s happy to see any services UF Health can provide for the East Gainesville community. During her 40 years as a member and leader in Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Jackson has seen UF Health partner with the church to fight Black health disparities in areas from cancer support to mental health, she said. Partnering with UF Health is just one way the church fights food insecurity in its community, Jackson said. GBAME also runs its own aid programs, like monthly food giveaways that serve 80 families per month out of a makeshift drive-thru from the building’s front walkway. “The church is supposed to be like a hospital, where we reach out to the lost,” she said. “We know there’s a need, so we try to fulfill that need.” Translators and transport: Identifying clinics’ needs

UF Health already stretches past its West Gainesville zip code to serve East Gainesville residents through the Equal Access Clinic, a studentrun clinic network with both mobile and permanent locations throughout the city. Equal Access Clinic will now be a hub for the new programs. Olivia Packham, a 20-year-old UF health science junior, is excited not just about the mobile food pharmacy but also other facets of the grant — especially its stipulation to train more students as medical translators, she said. The two-year Eastside clinic volunteer said her clinic often has just one bilingual student on staff per night, who must run between patient rooms to serve a large number of

Spanish-speaking patients. Packham also looks forward to the extended Uber Health coverage, whose benefits she thinks the clinic will see “right away.” With the organization’s current cost restrictions, it can’t pay for transportation for someone who lives more than 10 miles or 20 minutes from the clinic, she said. Working at Eastside has been an “eye-opening” experience for Packham, who grew up in a financially stable home and didn’t have to worry about access to healthcare. The 10-minute drive from her apartment to the clinic brought her out of her UF bubble, she said. Packham hopes to be a doctor one day, and she’s glad Equal Access has given her hands-on experience listening to and helping people with limited health resources, she said. “If we're having a hard time understanding our patients, I can only imagine how hard it is for them to understand,” she said. “The most rewarding part is getting to know a couple of those patients’ stories and seeing their lives change in the time I’ve known them.” Jacksonville as a blueprint

The idea for a mobile food pharmacy was inspired by a similar — but stationary — food pantry at UF Health’s Jacksonville location. UF Health Jacksonville discovered in 2021 about 20% of Duval County residents face food insecurity, said Ross Jones, director of the UF Jacksonville Urban Health Alliance. Most of them live concentrated in the city’s urban core. “Jacksonville is a much bigger city than Gainesville,” he said. “But when you look at our life expectancy, you can drive five minutes or five miles away, and there’s a 20-year difference in life expectancy.” Jones had “modest expectations” for how building the pharmacy would help patients with diseases.

Adriel Bolocon // Alligator Staff

The UF Family Medicine building located in East Gainesville on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. But the results have exceeded his team’s expectations, with over 74% of patients stabilizing or lowering their blood pressure as of July 2023, he said. Jones, a double Gator alumnus who moved back to his hometown Jacksonville after graduation, thinks building a similar program in Gainesville will be a big help for East Gainesville residents, he said. A stationary pantry works in Duval County because the UF hospital is “dead in the middle” of Jacksonville’s urban core, said UF Jacksonville Chief Diversity Officer Ann-Marie Knight. By contrast, Shands Hospital is an inaccessible commute for many East Gainesville residents. Neither the Shands to North Walmart or Shands to Santa Fe bus routes cross the Main Street divide. Only 10 of the 41 total Gainesville bus routes have stops in East Gainesville. Knight chats with Lakesha Butler, her Gainesville “counterpart,” every

couple of weeks to discuss how ideas like the food pantry can be adapted from Jacksonville to Gainesville, she said. “Many hands make light work,” Knight said. “The more we can work together, the easier the work is to lift, and we can leverage the synergy of each other’s operations.” Butler has already received great feedback and excitement about the program, she said. The project is still in its beginning stages, and she hasn’t yet identified what students or even patients will be involved, she said. But she’s determined to cover every detail “with care” moving forward. Butler came to UF with two goals — to learn through listening and to take action along the way. Her work on this grant could see East Gainesville residents reaping the benefits of both. @zoeythomas39 zthomas@alligator.org

Budget adjustments spur questions about Gainesville’s approach to gun violence prevention In an amended budget, the city proposed to reallocate $400,000 in gun violence prevention and at-risk youth programs By Henry DeAngelis Alligator Staff Writer

Amanda Goldsmith was only 17 when she was shot by a man she refused to date. Twenty-three years later, she is a volunteer with Moms Demand Action and uses her experience to educate the Gainesville community. “This is my path,” she said. “My purpose is to reach survivors, to get them resources and to bring about the awareness that this is a growing public health issue.” She first told her story publicly at a city commission meeting in February 2023, when Gainesville declared gun violence a public health crisis. More than a year later, she is back at city hall, hoping to protect funding meant for gun violence prevention programs. The Gainesville Regional Utility, trying to recover funds from the city, left a $1.4 million hole in the city’s budget. And more holes are likely to come, as GRU wants to slash the $15.3 million General Services Contribution it pays to the city. Cutting the GSC would lead to city-wide budget cuts, according to a memo sent by City Manager Cynthia Curry. Gun violence prevention is no exception — the city proposed at its Feb. 15 meeting to reallocate $400,000 in gun violence prevention and at-risk youth reserves to help rebalance its budget. Although the commission preserved $150,000 for prevention programs by cutting

money from unstarted projects, $250,000 set aside for at-risk youth programming was reallocated elsewhere. This move prompted community members to question the viability of the city’s approach toward gun violence prevention. “I urge the city to think outside the box and work closely with your community partners and advocates to keep our communities safe,” Goldsmith said to the commission. At the State of the City address Feb. 12, Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward lauded the city’s efforts to address gun violence throughout 2023. To date, he said the city has spent $53 million towards gun violence prevention and created a new staff position, a gun violence prevention and intervention manager, to begin work in early March. This position is separate from the police and is funded until 2026 by American Rescue Plan Act funds, the Biden administration’s $1.2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. The money on the chopping block would be used by this manager to create programs within the community. However, City Commissioner Bryan Eastman, a member of the City Finance Committee, said the necessity of filling budget holes was greater than the need to keep money for later. “The decision [was] to either lay off staff members and existing programs or to shut down a program that had funding behind it but had not been stood up yet,” Eastman said. “There's no people that would go home with-

out a job in the morning because of the decision we have made. That may not be true for the next one.” He said the city will listen and respond to the community to set priorities for future budgetary decisions. However, some community members feel the cuts help reveal the city’s perspective on gun violence prevention. “They want to justify [cutting funds] as if it’s something trivial, or some philosophical debate, or what we got is addressing jobs,” said Chanae Jackson, organizer for Florida For All, a statewide coalition aiming to fight for a democracy, justice system and economy that affords all people the freedom to live their own version of the American Dream, according to its mission statement. In October 2023, she wrote an open letter to the city commission calling for increased funding for youth organizations and community-based solutions to gun violence, which received 215 signatures. She said cutting the $400,000 would hinder that goal. “Over and over again, they showed that the priorities are not our young Black youth,” she said. She recommended money be taken away from the police department. Although state law prohibits local governments from reducing law enforcement budgets without state approval, Jackson said the city shouldn’t continue to raise the Gainesville Police Department’s budget.

GPD saw a 5.1% increase in its general budget, compared to 2023, and received $9 million of the city’s $53 million gun violence prevention pool. It used these funds to bankroll the Brave, Overt Leaders of Distinction Program; gun buybacks, increased placebased policing and other initiatives. Throughout these funding increases, Gainesville also saw a 30% rise in gun-related deaths, going from 10 in 2022 to 14 in 2023, according to GPD data. And two people have died since the start of the year, with 13 incidents of shots being fired. “How is it that you keep giving them money to reduce crime, but crime is going up?” Jackson asked. As the city moves past this budget decision, harder ones certainly loom in the future. Susan Bowder, 76, is also a volunteer at Moms Demand Action. She lost her daughter Sarah to gun violence in 2012, in an incident stemming from domestic abuse. She said gun violence is related to numerous socio-economic issues, such as lack of education and family dysfunction. She emphasized the importance of long-term, continued funding. “We have to start with protecting our youngest children so that they don't grow into victims or criminals,” she said. “I can’t think of a greater priority.” @hadeangelis hdeangelis@alligator.org

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2024 ALLIGATOR 5

Conservation easement CONSERVATION, from pg. 1

have a personal or familial connection to their property. The idea of their multi-generational farm being turned into a subdivision is often heartbreaking for landowners, Kay said, which inspires them to turn to conservation easements. Much of the trust’s work depends on landowners having the conviction to conserve their property, the organization’s agricultural conservation specialist Justice Diamond said. While the final decision lies with the landowner, the trust is there to help them through the process, he added. “Having that kind of goal and vision for your land is a really good driving factor for successful projects,” Diamond said. “It means they’re not totally in it for the money, they’re in it because they really want to see the land protected.” For some land purchase agreements, the trust works alongside Alachua County Forever, a program in Alachua County’s Environmental Protection Department. The county’s land purchasing is funded through Wild Spaces & Public Places, an initiative that was re-approved by Alachua County voters in 2022. Through the Wild Spaces & Public Places program, a halfpenny surtax is collected on purchases in the county. This surtax will provide Alachua County Forever $151 million over the next 10 years to be used for land conservation. Alachua County Forever has the goal of permanently protecting 30% of land in the county

from development by 2030, Land Conservation Manager Andi Christman said. So far, 23% of land in Alachua County meets that standard, Christman said. While the county is on track to meet its goal, she said, it will take consistent effort from citizens and leaders to actually achieve it. She’s hopeful the program will be able to make a difference in the environment, but Christman said she still has reservations that development will permanently damage Florida’s ecosystems. “There’s still this very strong will amongst many of the citizens of Florida to still protect this wonderful place,” she said. “But I think we’re also all concerned and aware of the urgency.” When deciding what land to conserve, certain qualities make a property high-priority, Christman said. Areas with lots of wildlife and connectivity to the Florida Wildlife Corridor, a statewide network of conserved land, are some characteristics high up on Alachua County Forever’s list, she added. Protecting water resources is also a priority for Alachua County Forever, as many of Florida’s natural water bodies are impaired. Developing land near these water bodies can often lead to heavy pollution, Our Santa Fe River President Joanne Tremblay said. The Santa Fe River has suffered a reduction in flow from overpumping, as well as pollution from agriculture and housing developments, Tremblay said. As development in Florida continues to grow, Tremblay hopes land around the Santa Fe River and natural springs will be protected.

Gabriella Aulisio // Alligator Staff

Farmer John Nix moves a bale of hay with a tractor near his cow pasture on Saturday, April 15, 2023. “Our springs are beloved among so many,” Tremblay said. “We don’t want to see them further impaired.” John Shermyen and Anne Shermyen’s farm is a part of the Santa Fe River Basin and also serves as a buffer to the San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park. After spending decades in Florida, the couple has seen the effects of development in the state. Protecting water resources and

native wildlife is especially urgent, Anne Shermyen said, and is part of the reason the Shermyens decided to enter their own property into a conservation easement. “The only way to really be successful in protecting Florida’s natural lands is through direct purchase,” Anne Shermyen said. On March 23, the Shermyens will be honored at the Annual Conservation Stewards Awards

for their support of the organization. While they’re excited for the recognition, the Shermyens hope the event will also inspire others to participate in land conservation. “It’s lovely to be honored,” Anne Shermyen said. “But we’ve just been doing this because it’s important to us.” @kyliewilliams99 kyliewilliams@alligator.org

Gainesville to begin $2.5 million-plus venue project for larger outdoor events

on property acquisition to help provide parks for City has made plan for Festival and Arts Park project cusing people that don’t have easy access to them,” he said.

By Bailey Diem Alligator Staff Writer

Rebecca Nyros has attended the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire on and off since her daughter began middle school in 2014. However, its frequent location changes in recent years have made the 55-year-old Gainesville resident question whether her city has the space for such events. The fair hasn’t taken place at the Alachua County Fairgrounds since it was sold by the county to the United States Army and moved locations in 2019. For several years after the move, the event took place in a field off Archer Road near Haile Plantation. This year, it was reduced to one weekend — instead of its usual three — and was hosted downtown at Depot Park. “They don’t seem to have a permanent place,” she said. “They don’t seem to have a large enough place that they can use and set up and have enough parking and not impede traffic.” Nyros isn’t sure Gainesville has enough space to efficiently host outdoor events of a large size, she said. “You would need to have not only the space to hold the Faire and the vendors, but you would have to have parking,” she said. “You would have to have at least two roads

that were access points for that space to make sure there weren’t terrible traffic backups and delays.” Despite Gainesville's growth, residents and officials both recognize a need for a large-scale entertainment venue locally. There are no large outdoor venues within a four-mile radius of the city limits, said Leslie Ladendorf, assistant director of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department for the city. But the city has plans to find and construct a new space to host events of this size, she said. “Funding has been allocated for the Festival and Arts Park project, which would create a 60-plus acre event venue to host small to large-scale events,” she said. “This project is in the early stages of trying to identify suitable property near the City of Gainesville.” The project would primarily be funded through the Wild Spaces and Public Places surtax, with an initial $2.5 million already allocated to begin the project, she said. Jason Maurer, the Alachua County Parks and Open Space director, said the surtax funds most outdoor space projects taken up by the county, which allocates portions of it to municipalities within, such as Gainesville. In addition, the county has a master plan to determine which areas need a park or other space, he said. “Our master plan identifies where we need to be fo-

Maurer recognizes the importance of spaces of this type, he said. “People want to be outside, and they want to be able to enjoy open spaces,” he said. “To look at that and prioritize that, I think, is important for our community, and I think our community has made it known that they want to see more of that.” While Gainesville and the surrounding area may lack spaces for large outdoor events and festivals, some residents find the city and its parks to be a good space for outdoor exercise and recreation. Shauna Dixon, a 62-year-old Gainesville resident, started a local parkrun in the city in 2018. The parks in and around Gainesville, including Depot Park, have been the perfect location for hosting the weekly 5K events, she said. “Depot Park is a gem in the middle of the city,” Dixon said. “I’m there every Saturday morning and Depot Park is probably one of the prettiest parks I’ve seen in a very long time and it’s perfect for our use.” The parks seem to reflect Gainesville’s character, she said. “They’re all unique to Gainesville because of the scenery and the beautiful flora and fauna,” she said. @BaileyDiem bdiem@alligator.org

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2024 www.alligator.org/section/the_avenue

MUSIC

Gainesville musician finds success, one song a day CHALLENGING HIMSELF TO WRITE A SONG EVERY DAY, JORDAN BURCHEL TRAPPED HIMSELF IN GARAGE

By Bonny Matejowsky Avenue Staff Writer

If there’s one thing for certain about Jordan Burchel, he’s committed to the bit. The 33-year-old Gainesville musician has taken up an ambitious challenge: writing, producing and recording one song a day for an entire year. Though he’s seen increased followers and traction on his music since he began, the challenge wasn’t a carefully planned marketing campaign. It started, rather, as a spur-ofthe-moment decision, he said. In May, Burchel impulsively pushed himself to write and record a song in one day for an Instagram post. In writing the caption, he offhandedly added “1/365.” But the phrase — one that could have easily remained a one-off joke — turned into a personal test. On a whim, Burchel decided he would write, record and post one song a day for the next 364 days. “It was wildly irresponsible just committing myself to this knowing that we were gonna have a baby,” Burchel said. His wife Samantha Moss, who was pregnant at the time, said she thought of all the potential challeng-

es that would arrive when she first heard about it. “I honestly don’t think I imagined him getting this far. We had a baby, for Pete’s sake!” Moss said. Beginning the personal challenge May 4, he’s succeeded each day since, gaining new followers and songwriting capabilities along the way. “It’s very much an unintentional stumbling into something that ended up being good from a career perspective and a creative perspective,” Burchel said. To him, coming up with a new idea for a song each day isn’t the hard part. His secret: just not caring, he said. “I think people get really hung up on wanting to make something good every time they sit down and make something,” Burchel said. “And that makes you stop making it.” His songs explore a variety of themes, he said. Some days he writes about deep topics such as the passing of time or existentialism. Other days, he takes the narrative less seriously. “Some days that means I’m writing something that’s pretty light and stupid,” Burchel said. “One day I wrote a song about soup.” But it hasn’t always been a walk in the park. For the first two months, he considered quitting the challenge every day. The hardest time during the process, he said, was the five days he spent writing songs in the hospital

while his daughter, Sidney, was being born. He spent each morning restless, recording songs in the hospital food court. But the doctors didn’t complain. “I came into our floor where we were, and I heard myself singing in the hallway,” Burchel said. “And all these doctors were huddled around their phone watching me and my wife singing on a song we had posted right before we came in.” Another difficulty he’s encountered, he said, is overcoming his monotonous cycle of thinking of a song, writing it down and recording it every day. One change he made was trapping himself in his garage. Noticing he’d been gaining social

media traction at about 100 songs in, he announced on social media that until he reached 3,000 followers, he would only be writing and recording his songs in his garage. Soon after, the growing follower count slowed. What he thought would be a much shorter commitment, ended up being 139 days of garage-restricted music making. “He’ll be writing his song in his head throughout the day,” his wife said. “We put the baby to bed and he’d rush out to the garage to record his song in what feels like 10 minutes.” Since making it out of the garage and back into the comfort of his airconditioned home, he said he cer-

Madilyn Gemme // Alligator Staff

Jordan Burchel pictured on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2024.

tainly doesn’t miss it. “It became this surreal thing,” Burchel said. “You go out somewhere and someone would be like, ‘Who let you out of the garage?’” While he continues to endure this challenge, he’s also been pursuing his side hustle, Pink Dino Corp., a music production company that aims to help other artists. Chris Hillman is a Gainesville drummer who has collaborated on various musical projects with Burchel, and he currently co-runs a private rehearsal and recording space with him. The pair met in 2015 after a local Applebee’s hung up photos of them unknowingly for a local music collage. The two bonded at the restaurant over the novelty and have been collaborating ever since. “[Burchel] has no end to his spring of creativity,” Hillman said. For the 365th day of his challenge, Burchel has been collecting the names of Gainesville musicians to record a “We Are The World” inspired music video. “Song 365” is the only one that has already been written. His goal is to bring in around 100 local artists. But once the last day is over, he will not be done with yearly challenges. For each month in the following year, he plans to put out an album a month using collections of the 365 songs he wrote. The challenge seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. “It was just a bit,” Burchel said. ”I just committed very hard to it. And I think that’s kind of the secret.” @bonnymatejowsky bmatejowsky@alligator.org

MUSIC

Independent Black talent push creative boundaries in Gainesville’s art scene BLACK VISUAL ARTISTS, SONGWRITERS AND DESIGNERS EXPLORE THEIR STORIES THROUGH ARTISTIC MEDIUMS

By Benjamin Miller Avenue Staff Writer

Gainesville’s local art scene is home to a diverse array of fashion designers, musicians, writers and artists. An important component of its culture is the Black creatives that have paved the way for many following in their tracks. The distinctness of these artists lie in the diversity of their work and messages. These mediums range from electric DJ sets to intimate art exhibitions meant for inner reflection and deliberation. Through these unique methods, Black voices highlight the importance of local Black history and culture.

June Julyart, also known as ‘JulyArt,’ is a 27-year-old fashion designer from Lakeland, Florida. Despite his expertise, Julyart said he had to constantly work at evolving his craft. “I had to learn how not to create like I did before,” Julyart said. “I practice [fashion design] for myself because I have to respect myself first and I need validation from me first.” In addition to fashion, Julyart also makes music. He said it’s universal, and listening to it can shape listeners’ moods. “[Music] is beautiful,” Julyart said. “When I think less about creating, I create more.” Leviticus Grimes is a 29-year-old local rapper, model and DJ. Grimes said he started DJing last year because clubs and parties didn’t play the music he wanted to hear. “I feel like I am actively telling [my story],” Grimes said. “It’s not necessarily one of these stories where I came from eating sugar sandwiches, but it’s just the story of, ‘Sometimes the Black guy can enjoy himself just being

Keep up with the Avenue on Twitter. Tweet us @TheFloridaAve.

who I am.’” Grimes said the How Bazar, an art-centered creative space downtown, is an avenue for networking and meeting local artists. “[How Bazar] is a great space,” Grimes said. “You can say you’d be in New York and never know who you’re going to run across. It’s almost the same thing like that.” Grimes said being a local Black artist has been challenging. His use of vulgar language during his performances can lead to problems with booking future shows, he said. “In certain shows, I’m not the safe bet I would have been before,” he said. But despite these setbacks, Grimes said, he continues to battle his difficulties through the practice of his passion — music. Keiaria Williams is a 31-year-old Gainesville artist. Between Jan. 5 and Feb. 1, her solo exhibit, “The Mother Portraits,” was on display at the Hippodrome Art Gallery. “The show was born out of the desire to un-

derstand who my mom was,” she said. In five paintings, Williams depicted her mother’s mugshots, taken between October 2002 and November 2003. Williams said the mugshots were from her mother’s battle with addiction throughout her life, which took an emotional toll on her during her childhood. “This is how I work through things,” Williams said. “This is the only thing I have to offer when it comes to vindicating someone from their past.” Williams said the most challenging part of painting the pieces were the eyes, citing them as the last detail she added to the portraits. “They are something personal not just to me, but to her,” she said. “These are her images.” These Black voices influence the local landscape, aiming to preserve a rich and multifaceted history through their art. @men_mbiller bmiller@alligator.org

“Embrace the Hyphen”

UF hosts panel on multiculturalism. Read more on pg. 8. Scan to follow the Avenue on Spotify

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2024 www.alligator.org/section/opinions

Column

Floridians need to vote yes on 4

f you have seen the bright pink Planned Parenthood Generation Action table on campus, you have been asked to sign the abortion ballot initiative. Ballot initiatives get a bad reputation on college campuses, as some paid petitioners who are just doing it for the money and are not invested in the cause can be very pushy. However, it is important not to let this skew your narrative of this pivotal campaign. Floridians Protecting Freedom launched the campaign back in May 2023. A coalition of pro-choice organizations, including Planned Parenthood, have worked in tandem to get abortion on the ballot in Florida. Since the Florida 2022 legislative session, the supermajority of Florida Republicans has been more and more regressive on abortion policies. During the 2022 legislative session, a 15-week ban was

passed, with no exceptions for rape and incest. Florida Republicans painted this legislation as a compromise bill. In summer 2022, when Roe v. Wade was overturned, this sparked a nationwide precedent to trigger laws of restrictions to abortion being passed. When a historic event occurs, the common question is, “Where were you?” The day the decision came out, I was in my bed. I woke up that morning, ironically, to my birth control alarm. I picked up my phone to find a stream of texts from my younger sister breaking the news, one being: “I am leaving this country.” It was heartbreaking to hear this hopelessness from my 15-yearold sister. I immediately texted my friends in the organizing sphere to coordinate our protesting efforts. The next day, I went to protest the overturn of Roe v. Wade in Downtown Gainesville; the streets were filled with so many people from various backgrounds. The large number of people who were passionate about reproductive rights gave me a glimmer of hope. During the 2023 legislative session, an even more regressive bill was passed, a six-week ban. People able to get pregnant

would likely not know they were pregnant at six weeks. In addition, this bill increased the funding for crisis pregnancy clinics (CPCs) from five million to 25 million dollars in state funding. CPCs do not require licensed medical professionals and are created and funded by extreme anti-choice organizations. During the 2024 legislative session, a Paulina Trujillo total abortion ban was proposed in the opinions@alligator.org House. This bill is not expected to have a counterpart filed in the Senate, so we should be safe. However, the idea of this even being proposed is terrifying. Read the rest online at alligator.org/opinions. Paulina Trujillo is a UF women’s studies and political science senior and legislative & political director of the UF Planned Parenthood Generation Action.

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.

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El Caimán

LUNES, 19 DE FEBRERO DE 2024 www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman

La campaña de 'aceptar el guión' aloja un panel de discusión sobre el multiculturalismo PROFESORES DE LA UF, OFICIALES DE LA CIUDAD DISCUTEN LO QUE SIGNIFICA SER UN 'NIÑO DE TERCERA CULTURA'

Por Laura Quintana Escritora de El Caimán

Traducido por Eluney Gonzalez Escritora de El Caimán

El equipo Bateman de la UF CommuniGATORS de el colegio de Periodismo y Comunicaciones [College of Journalism and Communications] organizó un panel de discusión el 13 de feb. para su campaña 'aceptar el guión', en colaboración con la revista Culturs. De acuerdo con Janelle Puckering, una estudiante de cuarto año de relaciones públicas e inglés de la UF de 22 años y la líder de la campaña, el equipo empezó la campaña de aceptarel guión' para alcanzar a un grupo de diversas personas en la comunidad de Gainesville. “El objetivo en el que estamos trabajando es crear comunidades multiculturales dentro de Gainesville y espacios seguros para personas de diversos orígenes”, dijo Puckering. La idea del panel es que los estudiantes salgan sintiéndose inspirados y viéndose en roles de poder, dijo ella. “Estas son mujeres realmente poderosas que espero inspiren a los estudiantes y que puedan verse en sí mismos estos roles en el futuro”, dijo ella. El panel cubrió temas de identidades interculturales y lo que significa ser parte del ‘guión’. “Aceptar el guión básicamente significa aprovechar todas sus identidades culturales”, dijo Bianca Romero, una estudiante de cuarto año de relaciones públicas en la UF de 22 años. “Algunas personas tienen múltiples guiones, como yo soy nicaragüense y cubana y guatemalteca y estadounidense y se trata de equilibrar estas diferentes identidades culturales”. Ella dijo que la campaña opta por que las personas aprovechen el multiculturalismo debido a la falta de perspectiva. “El tema principal de nuestra campaña es

simplemente unir a las personas a través de experiencias compartidas”, dijo Romero. “No solo su identidad o su cultura”. Hacer que las personas sigan su campaña es uno de sus principales objetivos. “Esperamos poder conseguir que más personas simplemente sigan nuestra campaña, acepten el guión y se involucren con el multiculturalismo”, dijo Romero. Dra. AJ Jung, una profesora asistente de enseñanza en el centro Dial [Dial Center] e investigadora de Niños de Tercera Cultura [Third Culture Kids], era una de las oradoras invitadas en el panel. Ella compartió ideas sobre su motivación para hablar sobre el multiculturalismo. “Como niña de tercera cultura, no sabía a donde pertenecía”, dijo Jung. “Y como académica, comencé a investigar sobre niños de tercera cultura. Siento que ahora hay una palabra para mí. El guión es una palabra me ha dado un sentido de pertenencia, un lugar en este mundo”. Jung también dijo que sintió que no hay solo una forma de identificarse; eso es lo que significa ser multicultural. “La idea de aceptar el guión ha cambiado mi comprensión de dónde estoy situada y cómo pertenezco y con quién pertenezco, quiénes son mis personas”, dijo la Dra. Jung. “Así que la experiencia de entender las identidades con guiones ha hecho mi experiencia en la vida dramáticamente mejor”. El guión no tiene solo un significado para todos, cada persona puede crear el suyo propio, dijo Jung. Cuando las personas se dan cuenta de eso, pueden aprovecharlo y no verlo como algo negativo, dijo. “Tratar de encontrar espacios y formas de expresar nuestras propias identidades híbridas ocultas es una lucha constante. Creo que nuestra sociedad está volviéndose más receptiva a eso en general, y eso me da una gran esperanza. Ser multicultural significa que te preocupas menos por las dicotomías y más por las mezclas y las variedades, los matices y los sabores de la vida”, dijo Jung. Iman Zawahry, una profesora en el CJC y productora de cine, habló sobre su película “Americanish” y cómo aborda las luchas de las

Madilyn Gemme // Alligator Staff

Commissioner Reina Saco pictured at the International Center on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

identidades multiculturales en el panel. “Hay tres mujeres musulmanas separadas”, dijo Zawahry. “Todas tienen diferentes sexualidades y cómo todas nos reunimos y todos tenemos los mismos deseos y amores y gustos. Desmitificar los estereotipos de que las mujeres musulmanas son tímidas y vergonzosas e hípersexualizadas”. Para ella, la película también juega en su auto-identificación como mujer musulmana en los EE.UU. “Soy morena. Soy musulmana. Soy mujer. Soy egipcia, soy sureña y soy estadounidense”, dijo Zawahry. “Entonces, tengo muchas multiinterseccionalidades “Pre-comprender para crear paz, crear amor, crear aceptación y pertenencia”, dijo Zawahry. “Saber que no estás solo y que todos venimos de diferentes lugares, y todos tenemos que experimentar exactamente las mismas cosas”. Zawahry dijo que la ignorancia en la comunidad se debe a una falta de comunicación y entendimiento entre nosotros. “Poder ser aceptado, poder ser escuchado, y que tengas la misma experiencia que yo”, dijo Zawahry. “Y lo estamos logrando, y so-

mos 'exitosas', entonces es realmente importante. El multiculturalismo hace que América sea lo que es, lo que desafortunadamente no se ve porque solo nos enfocamos en una cultura a la vez”. La comisionada general de la ciudad de Gainesville, Reina Saco, la tercera oradora en el panel, dijo que espera que los estudiantes puedan ver que personas mayores que ellos comparten experiencias similares. "Existen más personas con una variedad de experiencias que se sienten muy cómodas hablando sobre esto y cómo somos más similares que diferentes", dijo Saco. "Creo que eso realmente resonó con los asistentes, al ver un poco de ellos mismos y de otras personas, y al ver que no son solo estos tres panelistas". Saco quiere que las personas hablen sobre sus diferentes identidades y las normalicen. "No es una sorpresa si escuchas a personas hablando español en el campus. No es una sorpresa si ves a alguien usando hijab, no es una sorpresa si ves a una pareja del mismo sexo", dijo Saco. "Creo que eventos como este brindan la oportunidad de hacer preguntas, de vernos como personas". Para aquellos que hablan varios idiomas, ganar confianza para hablar su lengua materna no es fácil, pero Saco les insta a hacerlo. "Una de cada cinco personas es inmigrante o habla un primer idioma que no es el inglés", dijo Saco durante el panel. "Ve y habla tu idioma con todos sin avergonzarte, y simplemente normalizalo. Haz que sea normal escuchar otros idiomas". Saco dijo en el panel que cree que el multiculturalismo es el futuro. "Creo que el multiculturalismo es el futuro. Creo que el multiculturalismo es la mejor versión de la globalización", dijo. "Donde llegas a aceptar y adoptar y resaltar los pedacitos de diferentes culturas que te hacen ser tú, en lugar de elegir una cultura homogénea". lquintana@alligator.org @LauraCQuintana1 @Eluney_G egonzalez@alligator.org

The ‘Embrace the Hyphen’ campaign hosts speaker panel on multiculturalism UF PROFESSORS, CITY OFFICIALS DISCUSSED WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A ‘THIRD-CULTURE KID’

By Laura Quintana Alligator Staff Writer

The UF CommuniGATORS Bateman Team from the College of Journalism and Communications organized a speaker panel Feb. 13 for its campaign ‘Embrace the Hyphen,’ in collaboration with Culturs Magazine. Janelle Puckering, a 22-yearold UF public relations and Eng-

lish senior and the team leader for the campaign, said the team began the ‘Embrace the Hyphen’ campaign Feb. 5 to reach a diverse group of people in the Gainesville community. “The goal that we're working on is to create multicultural communities within Gainesville and safe spaces for people of diverse backgrounds,” Puckering said. The idea for the panel is for students to walk away feeling inspired and seeing themselves in roles of power, she said. “These are really powerful women who I hope inspire the students and they can see themselves

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Track and Field

in these roles in the future,” Puckering said. The panel covers the topics of cross-cultural identities and what it means to be part of ‘the hyphen.’ “Embrace the hyphen basically means embracing all of your cultural identities,” said Bianca Romero, a 22-year-old UF public relations senior. “Some people have multiple hyphens, like I'm Nicaraguan and Cuban and Guatemalan and American, and it's about straddling those different cultural identities.” The campaign opts for people to embrace multiculturalism due to the lack of perspective, she said.

UF juniors emerge as team leaders. Read more on pg. 11.

“The whole theme of our campaign it's just bringing people together through shared experiences,” Romero said. “Not just your identity or your culture.” One of the team’s main goals is to see people embrace their efforts, she said. “We're hoping that we can get more people to just kind of follow our campaign, embrace the hyphen and engage with multiculturalism,” Romero said. AJ Jung, an assistant instructional professor in the Dial Center and Third Culture Kids researcher, was one of the guest speakers at the panel. She said her own early

identity struggles motivated her to speak about multiculturalism. “As a third culture kid, I didn't know where I belonged,” Jung said. “And as an academic, I started researching Third Culture Kids. I feel more like there's a word for me. The hyphen is a word which has given me a belonging, a place in this world.” Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/elcaiman.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2024 www.alligator.org/section/sports

WOMEN'S GOLF

The big sister program: How Florida women’s golf brings its team together COACH EMILY GLASER FOUND A UNIQUE WAY TO UNITE HER TEAM BEFORE THIS SEASON

By Hannah Getman Sports Writer

When Inés Archer first stepped on UF’s campus, she felt what most college freshmen feel upon arrival: fear, excitement and confusion. Not only was she an international student, she was also about to join a women’s golf team full of upperclassmen and experienced players she barely knew. “University of Florida, it’s such a big school,” Archer said. “I was really scared coming up here and then seeing those senior players that are really good. You don’t speak the same language. It’s not my native language. It’s always hard.” The Florida women’s golf team came into the 2023-2024 season with a unique split in the class of its players. The roster included a majority of upperclassmen and new players. Coach Emily Glaser, who is in her 12th year as head coach, wanted to find a way to unite her team by using her seniors' experience to its advantage. From this, the big sister program was formed.

“We called it a ‘big sis’ program,” Glaser said. “We had four new players… and then four seniors at the time so we thought this is a unique opportunity to kind of align them together so that they could help each other.” Younger players now feel more comfortable asking certain questions to another member of the team, rather than the coaches. Each new player was matched with a veteran player who was deemed her ‘big sis.’ The big sister would answer any questions the new player could think of, from how the golf course works to what to buy for their dorm room. They also took their little sister out for dinner, ice cream and around campus to make her feel welcome. “She’s doing a great job,” said Archer about senior Maisie Filler, her assigned big sister. “We’re three new freshmen, and everything was new for us and really stressful the first few days. And so, I think I spent maybe 10 hours calling Maisie like, ‘Hey, I need help.’” She also mentioned the help she received from all the older players on the team. Archer reaches out to them with questions about school, golf and other personal matters, she said.

UAA Communications

Florida women's golf coach Emily Glaser and Maisie Filler at Mark Bostick Golf Course on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021. But it wasn’t just the freshman who got something out of this experience. Fifth-year Jackie Lucena enjoyed the new energy these players brought in and said their youth makes the team environment more fun. Lucena wanted to do her part as a leader on the team to make the new players comfortable in their new environment. “It can be intimidating to ask questions in a room with everyone on the team,” Lucena said. “‘Where’s this class? How do I do this? How do I see the nutri-

tionist?’ So it just kind of takes the pressure off, and just someone you could automatically go to that’s not your head coach.” Filler, the No. 2 ranked player in the country, said she was excited for what the freshmen could bring to the team. “I was a bit nervous just because our team dynamic is interesting in that we have such a split of older and younger,” Fuller said. However, she had nothing to worry about. The program quickly worked its magic.

Filler said the veteran players have been guiding the newcomers, and it’s been a positive dynamic watching the team grow since the fall. Getting the team adjusted and comfortable with school and each other as quickly as possible clearly worked for the Gators. They are currently the No. 9 women’s golf team in the country with three tournament wins this season. “I think it’s definitely been crucial in our success on the golf course,” Filler said. “We all just have the same mindset and goals in what we want to do, and we all just get along really well. It’s been really awesome to see that.” Archer, who has been a major contributing player in the Gators’ lineup, now feels acclimated to the program and like a true part of the UF community. “I feel so grateful and so proud because it’s such a big school, and also you represent not only yourself or the team, you represent Gator nation,” Archer said. “When I came here, I understood that and I’ve never felt that way before.” @hannahgetman hgetman@alligator.org

TRACK & FIELD

Sam Austin, Ryan Maseman lead UF track and field mid-distance group under pressure Austin, Maseman have stepped into leadership roles during their junior seasons By Emma DiNicola Sports Writer

Florida track and field athlete Sam Austin stands at the line, shakes his left hand twice and takes a deep breath. The 800-meter run is about to start. The gun fires and Austin takes off, careful to keep a good pace out of the gate. His teammates watch Austin as he looks to conquer another record in the 800. He’s under pressure to perform because of his experience as a decorated mid-distance runner on the team. The junior from Winter Springs, Florida, currently holds the fastest 800 time in Gators track and field history with a time of 1 minute, 46.06 seconds. Coming into his junior season, the pressure to lead the mid-distance group to suc-

cess was mounting. Nearing the end of his third collegiate indoor season, Austin, along with having the fastest 800 time in Gators history, was named to the 2023 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Indoor First Team All-American and the USTFCCCA Indoor Second Team All-American in 2022, both for the 800. “I would say some of the other guys look toward me because I have the fastest time, and I’m the most experienced,” Austin said. “I guess there’s a little bit of pressure there, but it’s also nice knowing that I’m helping lead the future 800 group.” Ryan Maseman, a fellow junior and transfer from the University of Alabama, has also stepped up in a leadership role this season. He said the newer team members look up to him and Austin for tips on

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training, race strategies and advice. “We have three freshmen this year, and I think all three of them have really looked at Sam and I for advice and everything,” Maseman said. “It’s been really good for the both of us to step into a leadership role this year with those younger guys.” Younger mid-distance team members like freshman Miguel Pantojas have flourished in the team atmosphere fostered by Austin and Maseman. Pantojas joined his teammate at No. 10 on UF’s Top-10 list for the 800 with his time of 1:48.08 at the 2024 Tyson Invitational. In regard to the mid-distance group atmosphere, Pantojas said everyone in the group is close and always there for one another. He said the group is “like family.” The younger members of the group understand the importance of getting along

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with and supporting their teammates. “I think good team culture is really important,” Pantojas wrote in an email. “We motivate each other to be the best version of ourselves and create a successful environment every day.” “We’ve got a good group this year, it’s been a lot of fun at practice,” Maseman said. “I know that going forward I am going to be able to have some good races.” Austin and Maseman said a strong team and group culture is essential to being successful and enjoying the victories. As both a leader and member of the high-performing group, Austin gets to experience firsthand the benefits that come with group chemistry. He said it’s amazing to be a part of the strong team the mid-distance group has created. While Austin’s leadership has a signifi-

SEE TRACK & FIELD, PAGE 12

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12 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2024

Team leaders TRACK & FIELD, from pg. 11

Isabella Morales // Alligator Staff

The Gators men’s cross country team runs in the Mountain Dew Invitational on Sept. 15, 2023.

cant impact on the team, it is by no means an authoritarian act. His teammates respect his role but certainly don’t take it too seriously. Maseman said they call Austin their “fearless leader.” Despite all the expectations that come with the success of Austin’s first two years, he tries not to let exterior pressure impact his or his team’s performance. Especially not rankings or polls. “Rankings really never matter to us,” Austin said. “As a team … we’re never projected to win, and we always end up making good shots at it. [Rankings] are nice and they’re fun, but it’s really just one meet at a time.”

The concept of “one meet at a time” is something Austin always tries to instill in his group. He said every time the group steps on the track, he urges the team to give it their all and helps them realize some days will be better than others. Ryan Maseman hopes to continue this group mindset through the end of the season. “I’m just looking forward to hopefully… getting it right on [SEC Indoors] and maybe I can go out there and run a fast time and get on a plane to nationals with Sam,” Maseman said. Austin and Maseman, along with both Gators’ track and field teams, will look to claim the SEC Indoor Championship in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Feb. 23-24. @emdinicolaUF edinicola@alligator.org