Monday, Feb. 27, 2023

Ukrainians find strength in Gainesville community, 1 year into war

FEB. 24 MARKED ANNIVERSARY

By Claire Grunewald Alligator Staff Writer

After losing everything when her home of Luhansk, Ukraine, was occupied by pro-Russian separatists in 2014, Natalia Pluzhnyk moved to Severodonetsk, Ukraine. There, she worked on the front lines of the war in eastern Ukraine as a volunteer — all while being terrified Russia would try to seize her home again.

To ensure the safety of her teenage daughter and provide her with an opportunity to attend college, she moved to Gainesville in 2017.

“I didn’t see any prospects of a safe future,” Pluzhnyk said.

Pluzhnyk, now a 47-year-old Gainesville resident, has witnessed all three cities where she lived in Ukraine — Luhansk, Severoddonetsk and her hometown Bakhmut — be destroyed in 2022.

For many Americans, Feb. 24 is the date the war between Russia and Ukraine began.

Spring Student Government elections: A voting guide

LEARN ABOUT CAMPAIGN PLATFORMS, HOW TO VOTE

By Amanda Friedman Alligator Staff Writer

UF Student Government Spring elections begin Feb. 28, where the executive branch seats — student body president, vice president and treasurer — along with 50 Senate seats are on the line after a contentious campaign cycle between Gator Party and Change Party.

Polls will be open Feb. 28 and March 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

at Reitz Printing Lab, Health Science Library, Norman Library, Levin College of Law, Broward Recreation Room, Springs Recreation Room, Southwest Recreation Center and Heavener Hall.

The ballot will also feature a constitutional amendment allowing students to vote on whether or not to swap gendered language, like “his/ her,” with “their” in the UF Constitution.

A valid ID and GatorLink username and password are required to vote. Remote voting options are

SEE SG VOTING, PAGE 4

However, for Ukrainians, this date is only a reminder of conflict that’s gone on for nine years.

Even thousands of miles away, Pluzhnyk fears for the state of her home country one year after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but she has found support and comfort from fellow Gainesville residents, she said.

“I felt and feel the support of the local community every day,” Pluzhnyk said.

On Feb. 24, 2022, hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers invaded Ukraine, and airstrikes targeted major cities. Russia’s invasion caused Europe’s fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II, according to the United Nations.

Since that day, the UN estimates show the invasion has left at least more than 8,000 civilians dead and over 13,000 injured. Nearly 18 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and around 14 million have been displaced from their homes.

State bill could eliminate gender studies, grant hiring power to trustees

Bill may ban talk of racial discrimination

By Alissa Gary Alligator Staff Writer

A proposed Florida House of Representatives bill containing a widespread conservative outlook on higher education and a reflection of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ vision for Florida universities was filed Feb. 21.

If passed, House Bill 999 would ban the instruction of gender studies and critical race

theory, give hiring powers to each state university board of trustees and allow them to call post-tenure review at any time for any purpose. It would also prohibit any campus programs or activities that say people are discriminated against because of their race, sex or national origin.

The contents of the bill reflect a longstanding conservative mission in higher education, said Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola,

the bill’s sponsor.

Andrade noted there’s a clear distinction between civil rights history and critical race theory. While the bill does oppose critical race theory, it doesn’t seek to erase established American history, like the Civil Rights Act or the Jim Crow era.

“The constant conflating of the two is something that feels a little bit in bad faith and dishonest from my perspective,” Andrade told The Alligator. “There's an

SEE HB 999, PAGE 4

Kamryn Bailey // Alligator Staff

Natalia Pluzhnyk, 47, wrapped in a Ukrainian flag stands in the crowd of Ukrainian Gainesville residents at Depot Park Friday, Feb. 24, 2023.

Today’s Weather

UF alum selected as Gainesville’s first chief climate officer

Dan Zhu plans for greener Gainesville vision

By Jack Lemnus Alligator Staff Writer

UF alumna and former associate researcher Dan Zhu has combated rising sea levels in Indonesia and planned greener buildings in China.

After traveling the world fighting climate change, she’s now back to serve the city she’s called home for over 12 years.

Zhu began her position as the city of Gainesville’s first chief climate officer Feb. 27.

As the effects of global warming become more visible and Floridians become more climate conscious, the role was created to make Gainesville more sustainable and equitable by developing a climate action plan, Zhu said.

“For environmental issues, it’s literally like planning for the future,” Zhu said. “We have only one planet, and we need to take care of it.”

Since 2020, the city and county have been collaborating on a climate action plan to assess the effects of climate change. The increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather, such as floods, heat waves and droughts, is on the top of the list, director of the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department, Stephen Hofstetter, wrote in an email.

Hofstetter considers lack of coordination to be one of

the biggest challenges for environmental protection in general, he said, so he’s ecstatic to have someone like Zhu on the team.

“It will be great to have a point person at the city to bounce ideas off and collaborate with on our climate-related challenges,” Hofstetter said.

Zhu graduated from UF with a doctorate in urban and regional planning in 2015, and she is a certified planner for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, LEED, which guides the construction of affordable, lowcost buildings.

Her training prepared her to tackle climate issues around the world. In Shenyang, China, she worked on one of China’s first LEED-certified university campuses, assuring it wasn’t only energy efficient but also a healthy environment to live in.

While working abroad, she said the most challenging part of her job was educating locals on the climate concerns that most affect their neighborhoods.

In Pangkalpinang, Indonesia, there was little public awareness about the flooding that ravaged the area, so Zhu and her team led neighborhood workshops to teach locals about sea level rise and mitigation, she said.

But one problem kept arising: the language barrier.

Every night after dinner, Zhu and her team would gather to

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study Bahasa Indonesia — the country’s official language — learning enough of it to properly communicate in just a week.

“We were able to prepare a grand master plan in shortly two weeks, which is really amazing,” Zhu said.

As nations are continuously forced to work together on their own climate action plans, Zhu said, the major issue is communication across different languages and cultures.

But even among people she shares a language with, educating the public is still a rigorous task. Many still don’t understand the true dangers of climate change, Zhu said.

“Sometimes, people don’t realize how serious it could be,” she said. “Not everyone agrees that they need to plan for the future.”

Back in the U.S., Zhu continued her mission as a planner in Marion County, where she researched greenhouse gas emissions and pressed for a low-carbon footprint. Since January 2022, she’s worked for the Gainesville Department of Sustainable Development, with achievements like improving the city’s sidewalk lighting.

“I feel like Gainesville is actually heading in the right path for climate mitigation,” Zhu said. “[It’s] ahead of the curve.”

After her graduation in 2015, Zhu didn’t know she’d return to work for the city. She couldn't deny the allure of Gainesville’s natural wonders like Paynes Prairie or the abundance of trails and greenery that make her feel at home, she said.

When she assumes her new position, the first agenda item is to reach out to the city’s stakeholders and learn of the most pressing issues in the community, she said. This will require working with local leaders at the city and county levels, along with Gainesville residents.

Aside from her work with the city, Zhu serves as secretary of the American Planning Association in Alachua County. She helps students gear themselves toward a career in sustainability and conservation, so they, too, can preserve and protect the planet.

@JackLemnus

jlemnus@alligator.org

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Dan Zhu is Gainesville’s first chief climate officer.

Voting begins Feb. 28

only available to students who requested an absentee ballot.

The UF Senate represents SG’s legislative branch, which authors, debates and enacts legislation. Senators’ legislative decisions influence the allocation of SG’s roughly $23 million dollar budget, such as funding student organizations and events.

The executive branch comprises of the student body officers, agencies, cabinet and executive secretaries. Each division of the branch has separate duties: the student body president holds a position on the UF Board of Trustees; secretaries act as liaisons between the UF community and SG; agencies specialize in particular student needs, such as voting; and cabinets provide programs and outreach to students.

Gator Party, which currently holds a supermajority in the Senate and dominance over the executive branch, has a slate of 49 Senate candidates and three nominees for its executive ticket. Change Party, which won 27 Senate seats in the Fall, has 45 Senate candidates as well as three executive ticket candidates on its slate.

Change Party’s executive ticket includes both candidates with and without prior SG experience: student body president candidate Faith Corbett, former Senate minority party leader, vice president candidate Kacie Ross, a Machen Florida Opportunity Scholarship recipient and member of UF Black Student Union and treasurer candidate David 'Jonner' Delgado, president of Liquid Propulsion, an engineering-focused student design team.

The Gator Party’s executive ticket all currently hold SG positions. Student body president candidate Olivia Green is the Senate president; Clara Calavia Sarnago serves as the Leadership and Service Di-

vision chair, and Nyla Pierre, who has served as a senator since Spring 2022, is a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Students Taking Action Against Racism (STAAR) agency.

Gator Party

The party’s campaign platform focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, improving the accessibility for on-campus academic, lifestyle and transportation resources and reforming the student organization funding model.

“We need to elect an executive ticket that will build for the future,” Calavia said during the SG debate Feb. 21. “One that works to create an inclusive and accessible campus and that will enhance the student experience. Our ticket has been committed to our platform and goal since day one.”

Gator plans to advocate to establish LGBTQ and Asian American and Pacific Islander institutes, simi-

lar to the Institute of Black Culture, to provide safe and supportive oncampus spaces for these communities.

Additionally, Gator said it aims to help UF reach Hispanic-Serving Institution status, which would provide increased resources for the Hispanic community on campus.

“Gator Party has always cared about DEI,” Pierre said. “We really want students to feel safe on campus.”

For on-campus academic, lifestyle and transportation resources, Gator proposes expanded access to free textbooks online, emergency housing to assist students experiencing temporary homelessness, reviving the Stay Fresh Laundry Grant and supplying free sexual health resources to dorm residents in partnership with GatorWell.

Regarding graduate students, Gator would seek to provide free graduate research materials and increase the number of SNAP buses traveling to graduate residential communities.

“Some people rely on SNAP to get to and from class, especially

a lot of grad students that live in Tanglewood Village,” Green said at the debate. “So, increasing SNAP, especially there, will be really important.”

To tackle concerns about student organization funding, Gator’s executive ticket has pledged it would meet with 100 student organizations within the first 100 days of its term and establish a new student organization funding model.

The Gator-controlled Student Organization Funding Review Ad Hoc Committee recently released a report providing suggestions for amending the funding model: adjusting the maximum amount of funding an organization can request and extending the period of time for requesting funding. Gator Party announced plans to split the funding request process across multiple days Feb. 26.

Change Party Change’s campaign centers around restructuring funding for student organizations, expanding funding for mental health services and a permanent 24/7 library resource, combating issues like food insecurity and sexual assault and developing environmental sustainability initiatives.

“There is only one reliable option for students and that is Change,” Corbett said during the SG debate. “We are here to restore faith in your student government.”

To fund initiatives such as a permanent 24/7 library resource, improvement of mental health services, securing free meals for student workers, a 24/7 Southwest Recreation Center and free printing in all academic spaces, Change would reallocate funding from Student Government Productions and ACCENT Speakers Bureau.

president and treasurer engage in a debate moderated by Marna Weston in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023.

Gender studies threatened

HB 999, from pg. 1

obvious distinction between the two.”

Although the bill draws parallels to DeSantis’ January higher education proposals, the bill wasn’t written in coordination with him, Andrade said.

The Board of Governors will aid universities in removing majors or minors related to critical race theory, gender studies and intersectionality or any similar studies deriving from those concepts, the bill writes. The universities themselves will be responsible for interpreting the law if the bill passes, Andrade said.

UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldan declined to comment on the bill.

There were 567 undergraduate students enrolled in the women’s studies major as of March 2022, according to UF Institutional Planning and Research.

Amanda Hiatt, a 19-year-old UF women’s studies and political science freshman, first heard about HB 999 in an email from her women’s studies professor.

Immediately, she was in shock that it existed, she said.

If the bill passes, Hiatt will seriously consider transferring to an out-of-state university to pursue her major, she said.

“I feel like it is extremely hypocritical,” she said. “There's a lot of conversation right now about censorship and what conversations people can and can't have. For them to get rid of these majors that people elect to take is censorship in the most basic and most obvious form.”

When it comes to faculty, as it currently stands, the dean, department chair and provost conduct post-tenure reviews. Under HB 999, a university’s board of trustees may review a faculty member’s tenure at the request of the board chair.

Tenure protects faculty’s ability to research controversial topics, Amanda Phalin, UF Faculty Senate chair and business professor, told The Alligator.

“If somebody can be fired at any time without review by subject matter experts, without recourse or a grievance, that is not tenure,” she said.

Given the success of the state university system — which Phalin said was No. 1 in the country in a Sunday statement —

For sexual assault prevention and safety efforts, Change says they plan to improve the availability of lighting and blue lights on campus and require Green Dot training, a sexual assault prevention instruction, for student organization lead-

and the status of UF as the No. 5 public university according to U.S. News and World Report, she argued there’s no need to change the way Florida higher education operates.

“I just want people to know that if something like this moves forward, we will no longer have a state university system,” she said. “We will have a government-run training school.”

The bill also assigns exclusive faculty hiring power to each school’s board of trustees. The board may delegate that power to the university president, but the president may not further delegate the task.

Currently, faculty search committees are composed of several members, including current faculty in the department that is hiring. If HB 999 passes, the board and president would not be required to consider the recommendations of faculty or outside groups.

The university may not support any programs, including by providing grants or funding, that promote diversity, equity and inclusion or critical race theory, according to the bill.

Universities would also be prohibited from using diversity statements or political identifiers in the hiring process. The current UF Honors Program director search, for

ers.

“I think that our party, especially since the inception, has been a huge advocate of [sexual assault] prevention,” Corbett said. “In terms of student safety, saving lives, saving mental health and saving the student experience.”

Environmental sustainability makes up a significant portion of Change’s platform. They want to establish UF as carbon-neutral by 2025, expand renewable energy practices in SG-run facilities, develop a long-term and sustainable graduate housing plan and launch free community gardens on campus.

“We are in a very critical time when it comes to the environment,” said Jonathan C. Stephens, Change Party’s campaign manager. “It's time that our university helps us, especially as a student government … take sustainability to the next level.”

Change would also work to increase base funding for student organizations and create a more equitable and fair student organization funding model, such as an extension of the period of time organizations would have to submit funding requests.

“I've seen firsthand how our funding process is flawed,” Delgado said. “Our organizational funding process needs to ensure that everyone is getting truly a fair shot at being able to get these funds.”

A leading source of friction among the parties is the need for prior SG experience as critical to man the executive branch.

While Gator claims that Delgado and Ross are unqualified to manage the responsibility of their potential new roles, Change argues as a student government, it’s most important for SG leaders to represent a diversity of student voices.

For questions regarding the upcoming election, students can contact Supervisor of Elections Ethan Halle or visit the SG office on the third floor of the Reitz Union.

@afriedmanuf afriedman@alligator.org

example, required applicants to answer a question on diversity.

Lisa Scott, a tenured UF psychology professor, is most worried the erasure of DEI will make the university ineligible for grants. Several grants require diversity training and support for a diverse student body, she said, and the lack of either will lose the university money.

Grant money is used to support research and students on the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels, Scott said.

“Everybody in higher ed should be alarmed,” she said. “We should be enraged.”

After a landslide victory during the 2022 midterm elections, Florida Republicans are emboldened to pursue the political and ideological objectives they’ve discussed for years, Andrade said, including in higher education.

“We have a strong mandate from voters in the state that they believe in the policies we've been espousing,” he said. “It's just a good time to follow the mandates that voters have put us in places of power to implement.” @AlissaGary1

Gabriella Aulisio // Alligator Staff

The Change Party and the Gator Party’s candidates for student body president, vice

War ravages homeland

Mark Milley, the most senior U.S. military general, estimated in November 2022 that around 100,000 Russian soldiers and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed or injured in the war by that point.

To commemorate the anniversary and honor the lives lost in the war, Ukrainian members of the community held different events throughout Feb. 24.

About 50 members of Gainesville’s Ukrainian community gathered at Depot Park to spend time supporting each other. Attendees brought Ukrainian flags, food and candles to light in memory of the lives lost during the past year.

Earlier in the day, about 40 people including UF students, professors and community members gathered in the Plaza of the Americas to commemorate the anniversary at a “365 Days of Defending Freedom” event. The UF Ukrainian Student Association held the demonstration and displayed 52 photos from the invasion — one from each week of the past year.

Oleksandra Nelson, a 20-year-old UF microbiology and cell science junior, led the event’s organization as the UF Ukrainian Student Association president.

When Nelson arrived on campus, she wished for a circle of people with a similar background. It wasn’t until the invasion that she was able to find a community of Ukrainians, she said.

“We quickly mobilized as a community, and I feel it provided a great amount of comfort to all of us,” Nelson said. “Especially at the beginning of the war when we all felt intense fear and uncertainty.”

The Ukrainian community Nelson found helps her stay motivated to continue holding fundraisers and educating the Gainesville community about her culture, she said.

Although Nelson is far away from Ukraine, she believes it’s important to do her part by educating the community while her friends and family risk their lives on the front lines of the war, she said.

“These people do not get tired of risking their lives to defend the future of their country,” Nelson said. “So, we cannot get tired of doing our work on the educational front and raising money to support them.”

Many Gainesville residents have worked beyond the past year to provide aid to Ukraine.

William Wharton, a 91-year-old Gainesville resident, has visited Ukraine about 100 times to conduct Bible teachings and offer humanitarian aid.

His wife, Lyubov Wharton, a 65-yearold Ukrainian Gainesville resident, said she often came with him; the last trip the couple took to Ukraine together was in 2017 and Lyubov’s last trip was in 2021.

The Whartons frequently talk about returning to Ukraine but don’t know when they’ll be able to make the trip.

Lyubov’s sister and other family members still live in Ukraine, she said. She was able to communicate with her friends and family, until the past week after a school in the Bakhmut area that was home to a power generator used to charge phones was bombed.

“Since then, I was not able to get connected with anybody because that was the source of people charging their phones,” Lyubov said. “So, I have not talked with anybody.”

Within the University City Church of Christ, the Whartons are able to support those in the country by coordinating donations from the church to Ukraine.

“We’ve sent over 7,000 pounds of clothing, bandaging, peanut butter and other things to people who have nothing at this point,” Lyubov said.

One of the most important items they have been trying to donate is clothing that will keep citizens warm. Gainesville residents and organizations, including consignment store Flashbacks Recycled Fashions, have donated clothes, she said.

“We hear from other churches and other groups, and when they ask, we tell them what we know about the needs of people,” William said.

Kseniya Chumachenko, a 27-yearold Gainesville resident, who was born in Odessa, Ukraine, attended the demonstration at UF Feb. 24. She finds it heartwarming when non-Ukrainians join demonstrations and offer words of support, she said.

“Sometimes that’s all it takes to know that we are not alone,” Chumachenko said.

Chumachenko encourages everyone in the community to help by doing small activities such as sharing updates on the war on social media, donating or being a conscientious voter, she said.

After leaving Ukraine during her childhood, Chumachenko lived in Illinois and Kansas. Six months ago, she moved to Gainesville to work at UF as a biological scientist and has been able to quickly find a community of Ukrainians that offers each other support.

“It helps for us to talk among ourselves in our native language, Ukrainian, and be there for each other,” Chumachenko said.

@grunewaldclaire cgrunewald@alligator.org

Gainesville Police Department reinstates K-9 unit after month hiatus

By Aidan Bush

Alligator Staff Writer

Marking over half a year since a police K-9 tore out a man’s eye during a traffic stop, the Gainesville Police Department’s K-9 unit announced its return from a monthlong hiatus.

GPD confirmed in a press release the unit was reinstated Feb. 17 after staff restructuring in January. Following changes of assignment and the retirement of one K-9 named Roo, the team currently consists of two officers and two dogs.

With experienced handlers and constant training improvements, the unit was a large part of their crime-solving efforts, GPD spokesperson David Chudzik said. K-9s are important for locating missing people, finding evidence and catching suspects at crime scenes, he added.

“We just think they’re such an important and vital part of how

we fight crime in this city,” he said.

In July, officers pulled over Gainesville resident Terrell Bradley for an alleged traffic violation, an incident that ended with a K-9 attack in which he lost his eye. Later, GPD conducted an internal investigation and there was community backlash.

Bradley still faces criminal charges from the incident, both from resisting arrest and an unlicensed gun found in his car at the scene.

Three officers on the scene shared photos of the injuries, and officers Andrew Milman and Matthew Shott were reported to have “inappropriate and insensitive” text conversations about the incident.

“It twas the nastiest thing ever his eye was split open and just hanging outside of his face,” Milman said in one text.

“I saw the pictures BRAVO,” Shott replied.

Bradley’s attorney, Gregory Durden, requested a financial settlement from the city Feb. 21, arguing the violence was unnecessary and resulted in upward of $250,000 in medical bills for Bradley.

“The force used against him was unjustified by any standard,” Durden wrote in a letter.

None of the officers involved in the incident are currently on the K-9 unit, Chudzik said.

More recently, the city held a Police Advisory Council meeting Feb. 22 where public members advocated for it to address the K-9 unit. While not on the meeting agenda, some members expressed concern and called for training or structure changes within the unit.

Council member Kali Blount said a lack of immediate removal of the canines and structural changes sets up the unit for further danger to the public.

“You don’t need a dog who can destroy the person,” Blount said

during the meeting. “You need one who can find them quick.”

A larger discussion on the unit that will be open to the public was scheduled for March, though no specific date has been added to the city’s calendar as of Feb. 26.

GPD also expects to expand the team by March and has five potential candidates. Further training with new handlers will come then, Chudzik said.

Any new dogs also go through a rigorous training and evaluation program prior to meeting handlers.

Captain Anthony Ferrara said the dogs are evaluated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement after nearly 500 hours of training with an instructor.

“The vendors complete the simple skill training to demonstrate speed, agility and ability to recognize simple commands,” Ferrara said.

They are also recertified annually, he added.

But some Gainesville residents

feel new staff and additional training aren’t enough.

Danielle Chanzes, a local activist, said the department’s work environment has a history of controversy that needs improvement rather than new staff.

“There’s a serious culture problem at the K-9 unit, and none of that has been addressed,” Chanzes said.

A Black former officer filed a lawsuit against GPD for alleged racism within the unit in late 2021.

Edward Ratliff alleged that white officers regularly used racial slurs and he dealt with harsher infractions compared to his white peers. Ratliff’s case will proceed to the federal level in April.

Bradley’s next criminal court event is set for March 14, and as of Feb. 26 the city of Gainesville hasn’t publicly responded to Bradley’s request for financial settlement.

Kamryn Bailey // Alligator Staff

Natalia Pluzhnyk, 47, (left) speaks to Sasha Nelson, 20, (right) at a gathering for the one year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine at Depot Park Friday, Feb. 24, 2023.

Unit has seen numerous controversies

El Caimán

Por Valentina Sandoval Escritora de El Caimán

María Eugenia Zelaya, una profesora de secundaria en el condado de Alachua, cree que hay algo nuevo que aprender cada día.

Zelaya divide su tiempo entre dirigir la organización sin fines de lucros Children Beyond Our Borders como directora ejecutiva, enseñar clases de español en la escuela secundaria Eastside y criar a sus dos hijos. A través de su experiencia educando, se ha convertido en una figura importante para la comunidad hispana en Gainesville.

Su pasión por liderar CBOB y enseñar a estudiantes de secundaria viene de su propia historia como migrante. Zelaya se mudó a los Estados Unidos desde Venezuela en 1992, cuando tenía 15 años, con la familia de su mamá, que es de Nicaragua.

“Creo que el hecho de ser inmigrante y de haber llegado en un momento que aquí no habían casi latinos me ha llevado a dar a la comunidad”, dijo Zelaya.

Después de graduarse de UF, donde obtuvo una licenciatura en ciencias políticas en el año 2000 y dos maestrías en ciencias políticas en 2002 y en estudios latinoamericanos en 2006, Zelaya se quedó en Gainesville para ser educadora.

Aunque trabaja en Eastside primeramente como profesora de español y coordinadora de creatividad, actividad y servicio para el programa de Bachillerato Internacional, Zelaya cree en la necesidad de expandir las lecciones que les da a sus estudiantes.

En una charla que dió en asociación con TEDxUF, Zelaya habló

sobre la importancia de enseñarle a los jóvenes sobre cómo dar paz o sobre cómo crear un cambio haciendo cosas pequeñas pero significantes.

No se tiene que intentar ser un político o diplomático para cambiar el mundo. Según Zelaya, todos pueden ayudar a crear paz.

“Puedes hacer algo pequeño por tu comunidad y estás haciendo la paz”, dijo ella.

Zelaya ha participado en múltiples programas de educación y crecimiento, entre ellos un programa con el Instituto de Paz de los Estados Unidos en Washington D.C. y un viaje a Hungría con el programa de intercambio Fulbright.

Adele Turnage, 59, la subdirectora de currículo de Eastside, dijo que aprecia los esfuerzos de Zelaya de participar en entrenamientos y programas para educarse más.

“Ella guía a través de ser el ejemplo en todo lo que hace”, dijo Turnage.

Las clases de Zelaya no son solamente sobre el idioma, expresó Turnage, sino también sobre la cultura latinoamericana, eventos de la actualidad y su impacto internacional.

Sus esfuerzos de siempre seguir aprendiendo, Zelaya dijo, son reflexiones de la mentalidad de su padre:

“Si no lo sé hacer, lo aprendo”. La oportunidad de ser directora ejecutiva de CBOB es un ejemplo claro de esa mentalidad.

CBOB tiene la misión de mejorar la calidad de vida y oportunidades de estudiantes latinos y sus familias a través de la optimización de su educación y su salud.

Zelaya empezó a trabajar con CBOB en un esfuerzo para ayudar a niños de la comunidad latina de su

iglesia con tutorías de inglés y otras materias.

En 2016, Zelaya se unió a una nueva iniciativa para proveer servicios de salud a familiashispanas, dijo Diana Montoya-Williams, un miembro de la junta directiva de CBOB. Se trata de las ferias de salud que CBOB ofrece cada tres meses, en las que hacen pruebas de diabetes, cáncer y presión arterial, dan consultas de salud y administran vacunas, entre otros servicios gratuitos.

Montoya-Williams, una residente de Gainesville de 37 años, dijo que las ferias no serían posibles sin Zelaya, pues ella tiene la habilidad de crear y mantener relaciones con las organizaciones que hacen que se puedan llevar a cabo.

“María Eugenia, como profesora, realmente personifica esa misión”, dijo Montoya-Williams. “La organización está prosperando bajo su

liderazgo”.

27 DE FEBRERO DE 2023 www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman

La directora de operaciones de CBOB, Valentina Gómez, 20, dijo que Zelaya dedica su tiempo como directora a seguir la misión de la organización.

En cada reunión para hablar sobre un proyecto nuevo, Zelaya siempre resalta cómo el proyecto va a contribuir a la misión de ayudar a la comunidad hispana en términos de educación y salud, dijo Gómez.

“Si los padres están saludables, no van a tener que preocuparse por dinero, entonces [los niños] van a tener mejores oportunidades de educación y en el futuro laboral”, dijo Gómez.

Zelaya se volvió directora ejecutiva de CBOB en 2020 y guió a la organización en su viaje anual a Medellín, Colombia, en 2022.

El viaje es de servicio, para ayudar a las comunidades de niños en

Medellín con su educación y servicios de salud, pero Zelaya dijo que también es un viaje para aprender y sumergirse en la cultura colombiana.

En el viaje del año pasado, el grupo de estudiantes, profesores y voluntarios visitaron la Universidad de Antioquia, la Casa de la Memoria, y la comunidad de la Comuna 13, las cuales sirven como organizaciones educacionales. Zelaya dijo que su grupo ayudó colaborando con huertas comunitarias y jornadas de educación para la salud.

“Yo estoy muy en contra de decir que vamos a un viaje de servicio”, dijo Zelaya. “Los problemas de nuestros países latinoamericanos son gigantescos y un viaje de servicio es una curita en una herida gigante”.

CBOB trabajó en asociación con las organizaciones Casa Huellas y la promotora de salud en Granizales, en la Comuna 1, para hacer las actividades del viaje posibles.

Zelaya dijo que espera poder tener más programas en Colombia y expandir los viajes y misiones de la organización hacía otros países latinoamericanos como Ecuador o Nicaragua.

En su experiencia como inmigrante, Zelaya dijo que ha aprendido mucho sobre unidad y ayudar a otros. Ella opina que todos somos inmigrantes sin importar de donde venimos o quiénes hayamos sido antes. Lo importante es trabajar juntos y ayudar a nuestros hermanos latinoamericanos, agregó.

“[Cuando emigras] dejas todo atrás”, expresó Zelaya. “Dejas casa, dejas carro, dejas todo. Pero lo que aprendiste nunca lo vas a olvidar”.

@valesrc vsandoval@alligator.org

Construyendo comunidad: María Eugenia Zelaya helps Hispanic immigrants with children’s education

ZELAYA TEACHES HIGH SCHOOL, RUNS LOCAL NONPROFIT

By Valentina Sandoval

Alligator Staff Writer

Alachua County high school teacher

María Eugenia Zelaya believes there is something new to learn every day.

Zelaya divides her time between managing the nonprofit organization Children Beyond Our Borders as its executive director, teaching Spanish at Eastside High School and raising her two children. Through her experience with education, she’s made a name for herself in Gainesville’s Hispanic community.

Her passion for teaching and leading CBOB stems from her own immigration story. Zelaya moved to the U.S. from Venezuela with her mom’s family from Nicara-

gua in 1992, she said, when she was only 15 years old.

“I think being an immigrant and coming here at a time when there weren’t many Latinos has led me to give back to the community,” Zelaya said.

After finishing her studies at UF in 2006 with two master’s degrees in political science and Latin American studies, Zelaya stayed in Gainesville to teach.

Although she works at Eastside primarily as a Spanish teacher, she also works as a creative, activity and service coordinator for the International Baccalaureate program. Zelaya believes she needs to expand her lessons, she said.

During a TEDxUF talk in June 2019, Zelaya spoke about the importance of teaching young people how to spread cultural peace, or how to create change by doing small but significant things.

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You don’t need to be a politician or diplomat to change the world, she said, creating a sense of peace can be a shared task.

“You can do something small for your community, and you’ll be giving peace,” she said.

Zelaya participated in multiple programs for growth and development, such as a program with the U.S. Peace Institute in Washington D.C. and a trip to Hungary with the Fulbright exchange program.

Eastide’s Assistant Principal for Curriculum Adele Turnage, 59, appreciates the efforts Zelaya has made to participate in training and education programs, she said.

“She sets an example by everything she does,” Turnage said.

The classes Zelaya teaches aren’t only about the language, Turnage said, but also about Latin American culture, current events and international impact.

OPINIONS: Gator, Change parties state their case Party leaders detail platforms, campaign promises. Read more on page 8.

Her efforts to keep learning, Zelaya said, are a reflection of her father’s motto: “If I don’t know how to do it, I’ll learn.” The opportunity to become CBOB’s executive director was a prime example of this mentality.

CBOB’s mission is to better the quality of life and opportunities for Latin American students and their families through optimizing their education and health.

Zelaya started working with CBOB in an effort to help kids in the Latin American community who attended her church with tutoring in English and other subjects.

Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/elcaiman.

@valesrc vsandoval@alligator.org

Síganos para actualizaciones

Para obtener actualizaciones de El Caiman, síganos en línea en www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman.

Construyendo comunidad: María Eugenia Zelaya ayuda a la comunidad hispana con la educación de niños Zelaya enseña clases de secundaria y dirige una organización sin fines de lucro

Minca Davis // Alligator Staff

Pop-up bakery Bushel & Peck offers unique assortment of baked goods

CAKES, PRETZELS, PASTRIES MAKE UP MENU

By Amanda Rubio Avenue Staff Writer

Cristian Guerrero doesn’t consider himself to have much of a sweet tooth. But when it comes to Bushel & Peck, all bets are off.

For the 23-year-old student, the Gainesville-based pop-up bakery — and its 24-year-old owner, Peyton Agliata — have become a household name.

“With every order, she says, ‘From scratch, with love,’ and you can truly see that in the food that she makes,” Guerrero said. “She gets that spark in [her] eyes that you get when you’re really passionate about something.”

Bushel & Peck officially opened for business in 2022, with the bakery’s first pop-up taking place Sept. 3 at local coffee shop 108 Vine.

Since then, Agliata has cherished having a front row seat to the impact her craft has had on the Gainesville community.

Through numerous pop-ups and custom orders on Instagram, Bushel & Peck offers customers a variety of flavorful baked goods — from cakes and pretzels to countless pastries.

Ever since Agliata began hosting pop-ups through Bushel & Peck, she has become fond of the fact

that the mere smell of her baked goods stops people in their tracks.

“I love the notion of food memories and creating memories for people where they taste something and it reminds them of something that they tasted years and years ago,” Agliata said. “I feel like I’m a small part of something.”

Agliata traces her baking origins back to Aug. 2021, when she began working at specialty café Wyatt’s Coffee in downtown Gainesville as the head of the business’ bakery program.

For about two and a half years, Agliata built a following of customers who would visit the coffee shop solely for her baked goods.

With enough encouragement from customers, co-workers and her boss, Agliata eventually started a food page on Instagram, @ thepretzelrat, about a year into her time at Wyatt’s.

The account served as a platform through which she could share her creations with her followers before launching her own business.

Bushel & Peck ultimately emerged from a lunch Agliata had with her mentor and the former owner of Secret Garden Bakery in High Springs, Sharon Tugman, who she affectionately calls Miss Sharon.

Tugman encouraged Agliata to have her business plans set in stone by August.

With numerous ideas for busi-

ness names floating around, she eventually opened the bakery that exists today and settled on the name Bushel & Peck, a testament to the Doris Day song Agliata’s grandfather used to regularly sing to his grandchildren.

Agliata grew up in High Springs, a town about 20 miles north of Gainesville, and recognized her passion for culinary arts from a young age.

She made a name for herself in the Gainesville food scene, winning numerous culinary competitions and partnering with prominent local restaurants as a high school student.

While considering where Bushel & Peck would be based, Agliata dwelled upon the many relationships she had fostered as she grew up and decided that Gainesville was just the place for her next culinary endeavors.

“Because of all that history, because of all those connections [and] because of all that support, I knew that Gainesville was where I was meant to start my first business,” Agliata said.

Since opening Bushel & Peck, she has had the opportunity to participate in many farmers markets across Gainesville.

Every Monday, Bushel & Peck hosts its very own pretzel day at the Grove Street Farmers Market, located at 1001 NW 4th St. Using 15 pounds of pretzel dough, Agliata

creates an assortment of pretzels for customers to choose from — including salted, everything bagel seasoned, cinnamon sugar and vegan apple pie stuffed.

Bushel & Peck has also worked with several local, independent businesses, such as Serpentine Plants + Provisions, where Agliata frequently hosts cake sales.

For Agliata, what sets Bushel & Peck apart from other local bakeries is her use of unique flavor profiles that are complementary to Gainesville.

However, for customers like Matthew Adair, a 42-year-old disabled veteran and full-time graduate student at the Academy for Five Element Acupuncture, Agliata herself is what makes Bushel & Peck stand out.

“I just think it’s amazing, mostly because of the care and the love she puts in — not just into what she does, but that she puts out into the world,” Adair said.

@amandacrubio arubio@alligator.org

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Matthew Cupelli // Alligator Staff

Gator Party: With You, For You

Gator Party’s trajectory over the past three years reflects an action-oriented agenda guided by student needs and experiences.

Time and time again, our wellresearched initiatives, dedication to open dialogue with constituents and understanding of the university’s policymaking process has guaranteed the lasting impact of changes at the legislative and executive branch levels.

With that, we would be remiss to say that taking charge on the most pressing student issues is easy in the current climate.

In the face of threats to the representation of student voices and equity in access that pose challenges for success at our Top 5 institution, the experience of our ticket and slate is uniquely positioned to fight for students.

Our initiatives in the Senate have spearheaded some of the most tangible changes since the founding of our party.

Despite hasty approaches by the other party to fast-track legislation on crucial issues, our party has remained steadfast in its commitment to thorough analysis and review of critical questions related to night-time safety, sexual assault prevention and the rise of discrimination and antisemitic hate on campus in the initial phases of our projects.

Through the ad-hoc committee, charged by Olivia Green, we tackled the student organization funding process and are working to implement a new three-day form process. This way, student organizations will have streamlined access to critical funds.

As the party of positivity, we’ve taken to Turlington, the Reitz and beyond this month and all year to engage with students to develop an actionable platform for all Gators.

Our efforts have been guided by our strong belief that Activity and Service fees should be used towards just that — activities and services — and free from encroachment by things outside its scope.

To this end, we’ve held the provost’s office accountable in our fight to bring back 24/7 libraries, to ensure your dollars are spent in the best interest of students.

With UF hosting over 6,000 international students, Gator Party recognizes the important role these students play in enriching our campus’ culture and broadening student perspectives and worldviews on this campus.

This is why we have committed to advocating for the expansion of Student Legal Services to include legal resources for international students.

Campus buildings and structures such as the National Pan-Hellenic Garden, La Casita, the Institute of Black Culture and UF Hillel serve as enduring markers of our campus’ commitment to inclusive excellence for students from underrepresented and minority backgrounds.

With recent instances of vandalism and

destruction at the Institute of Black Culture and the National Pan-Hellenic Garden, Gator Party is committed to taking actions to secure our sanctuaries through increased surveillance and monitoring.

Let’s face it, buying textbooks gets expensive, which is why Gator Party commits to providing Boundless Books.

Through our ongoing discussions with UF administration, Gator Party hopes to secure UF’s participation in the U.S. Department of Education’s Open Textbook Pilot program, which would generate savings for students, like you, across hundreds of introductory and high-enrollment classes.

We are so excited to have the opportunity to lead UF, and it is not a commitment that we take lightly.

The same energetic, tireless and positive approach that guides this campaign will guide our policy agenda in the legislative and executive branches, if elected.

Time and time again, we have supported all students, and we will continue to do that. We are here for every Gator, and the members of our party represent the diversity in experiences that make our university so unique.

Experienced leadership and the ability to challenge the status quo is needed now more than ever, and the Gator Party is proud to be the party in this semester’s elections to offer that.

We can and will serve the student body well, as we have done before.

Written by Sazzad Mahbud and Mara Vaknin on behalf of Gator Party.

You give Student Government about $19 per credit hour, amassing a $21 million yearly budget that is controlled by your student senators.

Meanwhile, your student organizations are struggling to make ends meet in an inequitable funding system, and you lack access to resources characteristic of a Ttop 5 university: accessible on-campus parking, a 24hour gym and a permanently-funded 24-hour library.

Beyond these budgetary failures, Student Government has been tainted by controversy as the Gator Party-affiliated student body president chose to approve a divisive new UF president with a history of bigotry.

In the midst of these shortcomings, one party has been working diligently to hear you, represent you and establish measures for transparency and accountability in Student Government.

Change Party has been in the Senate and around campus working toward a better UF for six semesters, and our impact has multiplied since securing one-third of Senate membership in the Fall election.

Over the last semester, our senators have worked with the University Police Department, UF housing and dorm area governments to improve nighttime and pedestrian safety on campus.

We made advancements in the way that students interact with their representatives, establishing forums like town halls to fortify a line of communication between the student body and its Student Government.

Our senators accomplished so much over the last semester — and we’re just getting

started.

This Spring, Change Party is more determined than ever to create a campus where all Gators are truly respected, represented and provided with the resources they need to succeed in a changing university environment.

The first step in doing this is to revisit that $21 million budget, identify where money is being wasted and put those funds toward initiatives and services that actually matter to students.

Change senators have historically proposed and will continue to advocate for using some of the money allocated to Accent Speakers Bureau and Student Government Productions to compensate for key initiatives.

The $60,000 wasted to bring a TikTok star — with allegations of predatory behavior, no less — to campus could have been put toward a permanent 24-hour library or used to hire another mental health counselor for the UF Counseling and Wellness Center.

Additionally, thousands of your dollars could be saved if Student Government elections were moved online. By finding innovative ways to eliminate wasteful spending, Student Government would be able to provide the services that students need.

Over the next year, Change Party will explore every avenue to give students the resources that they want, need and deserve at a Top 5 university.

We will ensure a safer and healthier UF by implementing vending machines for reduced-cost reproductive health resources, providing meal vouchers for student workers to fight food insecurity and further improving lighting on campus.

We will stand firmly against the encroachment of off-campus politics on our education while protecting and expanding initiatives for diversity, equity and inclusion.

We will further initiatives to build a greener campus by moving the Reitz Union toward solar power and advocating for sustainable development of graduate housing.

We will enhance the student experience by extending hours at Southwest Recreation Center, providing more opportunities for students to park on campus and ensuring that student organizations are properly funded.

We will fight for transparency and ensure that student voices are heard when decisions are made with that $21 million budget.

These changes aren’t only necessary, but they are achievable; a better UF is possible. When you go to the polls Feb. 28 and March 1, vote for the party of action.

Vote for the party that will truly represent you.

Vote for Change.

Written by Natalie McNamera on behalf of Change Party.

Gabriella Aulisio // Alligator Staff

Gator Party’s candidates for student body president, vice president and treasurer speak during a debate against Change Party moderated by Marna Weston in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023.

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Black women express identity through hair in sports

ATHLETES SPEAK ON HAIRSTYLE DIFFERENCES, STRUGGLES AND CRITICISMS

By Namari Lock Sports Writer

Sloane Blakely was 5 years old when she started club gymnastics. For years, she was forced to pull her hair up into a sock bun — a tight bun that was very difficult for Blakely to wrap her coily, coarse hair around.

One day, she decided to wear her hair naturally instead.

“It was a very big deal when I started wearing my hair like this in club,” Blakely said. “My club coach — she didn't like that. She was not used to it, but that’s how I would always wear my hair for practice, so why not do it for the meet?”

Black women in sports frequently face scrutiny for their hair. Many of them have to jump through hoops in order to maintain practical hairstyles while keeping their identity.

Professional athletes, such as gymnast Gabby Douglas and track runner Sha’Carri Richardson, have received backlash in recent years for the way they style their hair.

Blakely, now a sophomore, competes on

the Gators’ gymnastics team. She hasn’t faced any criticism for her hairstyles since she’s been at Florida, but she recalled her experience with her club team in Texas.

“It’s always been ‘It’s too big,’’” Blakely said. “I always second-guessed — should it be big? But that’s just how my hair is.”

There are four girls on the team who share similar hair textures, UF junior gymnast Alex Magee said. They often discuss how they’re going to do their hair for competitions with each other.

The others wear their hair out more often than Magee, who usually keeps her hair in a protective style in an effort to help it grow.

“I’m trying to grow my hair to my waist … I don’t touch my hair, I leave it alone,” Magee said. “That’s why I keep it in braids or twists with added hair.”

Magee does her homework days in advance in preparation for braiding her hair.

Sometimes, she’s able to begin braiding her hair in the morning and finish later that same evening, but it can take multiple days for her to complete her hairstyle. If she doesn’t have her hair in braids, instead wearing it out in more of a puff style, Magee sets aside three hours to do her hair for the meet either the day of or the day before.

The girls with straighter, less coarse hair usually do their hair the day of, Magee said.

FEATURE BASEBALL GYMNASTICS

UF graduate student Trinity Thomas and sophomore Bri Edwards will occasionally help do other gymnasts' hair, only needing about 15 minutes for each girl.

Magee recalls the speculations she would receive in her hometown for the way she would do her hair, especially with hairstyles which included added hair.

“If I want to change my hair, I'm going to change it,” Magee said. “Because nobody else is paying for this, and nobody else is doing my hair. It's me.”

Magee understands people with different hair textures might not understand why she does her hair the way she does. But she also believes there are ways for people to educate themselves and ask questions without being disrespectful.

Her previous coaches — who were uneducated on the history of Black women and their hair — sometimes made comments because they didn’t understand, Magee said.

“They probably weren't around a lot of Black girls growing up or girls who did the things that I did to my hair,” Magee said.

Florida sophomore volleyball player Gabrielle Essix also competes with braids because she finds it easier to style than her natural hair.

Florida gymnastics earns fifth

GATORS SECURE SEC TITLE WITH WIN AGAINST NO. 12 KENTUCKY

By Jori Rzepecki Sports Writer

Graduate student Trinity Thomas stepped off the floor in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center for the final time. Thomas’ teammates embraced her as the Florida Gators gymnastics team earned the title of 2023 Southeastern Conference regular season champions.

Thomas beamed with pride as the Gators hoisted their fifthstraight SEC regular season title, all of which she had been a part of.

The No. 2 Florida Gators (9-1, 6-1 SEC) beat the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats (7-3, 4-2 SEC) to become SEC champions for the fifth season in a row. Florida’s 198.150-point score — its second-highest score of the 2023 season — surpassed the Wildcats’ score of 197.575 to give UF the SEC title.

Florida head coach Jenny Rowland was ecstatic for her team following its SEC-clinching victory.

straight SEC title

“It blows my mind,” Rowland said. “I don’t think they quite understand what a feat that is. The coaching staff most definitely does.”

To kick off the Gators’ successful SEC season, sophomore Leanne Wong reached near perfection against the then-No. 5 Auburn Tigers Jan. 13. She scored 10s in the uneven bars and balance beam to help lift Florida to victory.

Wong joined Thomas and former gymnast Alex McMurtry as one of three Gators in program history to earn two 10s in a single meet.

Freshman Kayla DiCello became one of Florida’s biggest contributors as soon as she stepped foot in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. She’s received five SEC Freshman of the Week honors and put up bigtime performances throughout SEC play.

DiCello reached perfection for the first time of her collegiate career against the then-No. 15 Missouri Tigers Feb. 10. She was given a 10 after she delivered a flawless bars routine.

Thomas is also no stranger to success in SEC matchups.

The decorated Gator achieved history as the only gymnast in NCAA history to achieve four gym slams — meaning she has scored a perfect score in each event at least four times. She earned her fourthcareer gym slam when she obtained a perfect score on the vault against the then-No. 17 Georgia Bulldogs Jan. 27.

Thomas’ success has been a mainstay throughout the season, and she continues to inch closer to the NCAA record for most 10s in a career. She sits at 25 career 10s, which puts her three away from making history. Her most recent 10 came in the Gators’ loss to the No. 8 Louisiana State Tigers.

Thomas has been a part of the Florida Gators gymnastics team for every year of its reign as SEC regular season champions. Thomas has high hopes for the Gators’ future following their 2023 SEC title win.

Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/sports

@jorirzepecki jrzepecki@alligator.org

Florida flashes power, gains experience in pair of non-conference series

GATORS GO 4-1 AGAINST SOUTH FLORIDA, CINCINNATI

By Topher Adams Sports Writer

Freshman designated hitter Luke Heyman stood opposite Cincinnati redshirt senior pitcher Jackson Murphy.

The Florida freshman saw the pitch from the fifth-year righty and launched a deep home run over the Bearcats’ bullpen in left field. The homer started a run of three straight long balls from the Gators Feb. 26 in a win that punctuated a week of power-hitting and strong offense.

The No. 7 Florida Gators (7-1) won four of five games in a pair of series against the South Florida Bulls and Cincinnati Bearcats. UF flexed its power and hit 18 home runs across the five games, including a program-record eight-homer explosion Feb. 26.

“I don't think I've seen that,” Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said Feb. 26. “Offensively, it was a really good weekend, and we saw some good arms.”

Sophomore two-way player Jac Caglianone powered the Gators’ offensive performance. The sophomore hit six long balls through the five games. He capped off his dominant run with a three-homer performance Feb. 26 against the Bearcats.

Caglianone struggled early on the mound. He hit the second batter he faced and allowed a run after an error. The sophomore left-hander rallied to strike out six batters; he gave up two hits and three runs and walked four batters in just more than four innings of work.

Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/sports

@Topher_Adams tadams@alligator.org

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff Florida gymnast Sloane Blakely performs her floor routine in the Gators’ meet against the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. UF clinched the SEC title with their victory.

SEE FEATURE, PAGE 12

Black hairstyles in sports

FEATURE, from pg. 11

“I do wish that I had the choice to experiment with my hair because natural hair is becoming more of a thing,” Essix said. “My natural hair is a little dry sometimes, and it's hard to manage.”

Essix permed and flat-ironed her hair every day as a child to fit in with her predominantly white neighborhood.

“Especially in volleyball,” Essix said. “I really was like ‘Oh, my teammates are over here. So let me be with my teammates,’ … instead of branching out and finding my own identity in the Black community.”

Essix admires South Carolina basketball player Aliyah Boston for the vibrant colors she adds to her braids. However, she doesn’t think she could do a hairstyle like that in her sport, she said.

Because there aren’t as many Black girls in volleyball, Essix feels as though the standards are different than the ones held in basketball.

“Some of the styles that you would see and some of the actions or the way people act are perceived differently on both sides,” Essix said.

She fears her choices would be seen as aggressive, falling into the “angry Black woman” stereotype, if she tried to stand up for herself.

As a result, Essix usually sticks with a sin-

gle hairstyle — one ponytail with a smaller one on top. The ends of her braids are curled, and she thinks that’s why many people want to touch them.

“They'll just come up behind me and randomly pull my hair,” Essix said. “I feel like they don't realize that the hair is very much attached to my head.”

Florida junior Alissa Braxton — a jumper on the Gators’ track and field team — admits there are advantages to participating in predominantly Black sports.

“When we go to compete, there's tons of girls with different hairstyles, different colors,” Braxton said. “I feel like we definitely have versatility and diversity.”

Braxton competed with many different hairstyles in the past. This semester, she will be competing with locs — a hairstyle where the hair is coiled and twisted into a more rope-

like appearance. She usually did her hair before the team traveled so she would only have to neaten it up before the meet.

Now, with the locs, styling is quick and simple.

Braxton promotes the adaptability of Black hair. She believes it evolves over time, and people should be able to style their hair as they want to at the moment.

There are coaches who see makeup, hair and nails as a distraction, Braxton said. She believes this is just part of some athletes’ routines, and it’s how they become more confident for competition.

“We just like to look good, and why not look good doing the things that we love to do?” Braxton said.

@Namari_L nlock@alligator.org