Monday, June 17, 2024

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MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2024

VOLUME 118 - ISSUE 37 Not officially associated with the University of Florida

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Freedom Festival unites Gainesville community to commemorate Juneteenth HUNDREDS OF ATTENDEES GATHERED TO CELEBRATE

By Morgan Vanderlaan Alligator Staff Writer

Valentina Sarmiento // Alligator Staff

Kinley Murray and Clara J. Foltz costar in Alachua Children’s Theater’s rendition of Peter Pan as Wendy and Peter Pan respectively at Santa Fe high school on Friday, June 14, 2024. Read more on pg. 4.

Offering services ranging from handmade goods to climate surveys, multicolored tents sprawled across downtown Gainesville to commemorate Emancipation Day, Juneteenth and the idea of freedom and equity for all.

The third annual Freedom Festival, hosted by the nonprofit Nathan Ross Inc. in partnership with the City of Gainesville, was held at Bo Diddley Plaza June 15 as a part of Alachua County’s Journey to Juneteenth celebration. Despite dispersing early due to rain, hundreds attended the event.

Food trucks and informational booths lined the plaza while musicians and dancers performed live on stage.

Lakesha Fountain owns Foundational Framework, a company that specializes in African clothing and accessories. Events like the Freedom Festival are all about bringing

out the community, she said.

Black history will be lost if it isn’t taught, she said, and through sharing awareness of Juneteenth people can celebrate one another to create “peace and harmony.”

Brianna Oswalt, a Santa Fe alum and Alachua County resident, attended the event as a member of Santa Fe Planned Parenthood Generation Action. Engaging as many groups as possible in events like the Freedom Festival is vital, she said.

“I believe it’s one of those standpoints of nominating freedom,” Oswalt said.

Oswalt and her organization advocated for awareness of Amendment 4, which will appear on the November election ballot with aims to enshrine abortion access in the state constitution.

Terri Bailey, Bailey Learning and Arts Collective nonprofit owner, said it’s time for Black history to be more widely recognized.

“It’s really important that the young people and the older people understand the significance of

SEE FREEDOM FEST, PAGE 5

Biden prevents UF Gator Band from leading D-Day parade in Normandy

Band members share ups and downs of trip

By Kamala Rossi Alligator Staff Writer

Hours passed aimlessly as the summer sun beat down on UF’s Gator Band in a parking lot outside Omaha Beach in France.

Clad in orange and blue with instruments in hand, they stared down an unlikely blockade to their overseas performance in commemoration of D-Day. The culprit: President Joe Biden.

Trapped by French security and the U.S. Secret Service, the only place they could

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT The Avenue: 'Tha Cookout'

Story description finish with comma, Black fathers celebrated in Gainesville pg# festival. Read more in The Avenue on pg. 7.

come and go from were their buses.

UF’s marching band “The Pride of the Sunshine” traveled to Normandy, France, to perform for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. World War II veterans, world leaders and people from all over also traveled for the momentous occasion.

The band was supposed to play a total of five performances, but it missed its two performances at the D-Day parade. Instead, UF band members were stuck in a cemetery parking lot for five hours behind a barricade of the U.S. Secret Service.

Peaceful Paths

CEO steps down, pg. 5

El Caimán: Festival de Piano Une a músicos en UF, pg. 8

Band Director Jay Watkins said the trip took about a year to prepare and organize.

The mayors from Colleville-sur-mer and Saint-Laurent-sur-mer invited the marching band to play in the 80th anniversary D-Day parade, Watkins said.

The D-Day parade was supposed to take place June 6, the actual anniversary of DDay, but was moved to the following day to accommodate Biden and other world leaders coming to speak at the event.

“We were supposed to go over there and be the lead group in the D-Day parade along

Omaha Beach and then we were supposed to do a standstill concert on the beach,” Watkins said. “All of that was canceled because of President Biden deciding to come back to Normandy American Cemetery that day.”

The band participated in a wreath-laying at the Normandy American Cemetery and memorial recital June 7. The Normandy American Cemetery is where the American soldiers who were killed during World War II were laid to rest. They delivered “moving” performances of the French national anthem, “Amazing Grace” and “America

SEE GATOR BAND, PAGE 4

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Today’s Weather UF’s Jacksonville campus received $75 million from the state. What’s next?

Classes are planned for Fall 2025

By Timothy Wang Alligator Staff Writer

Gov. Ron DeSantis approved $75 million for UF’s Jacksonville graduate campus in the “Focus on Florida’s Future” budget June 12, edging the campus closer to its required $300 million for construction.

For more than a year, UF has been making progress toward establishing a graduate campus in Jacksonville, obtaining approval from the Board of Trustees and permission from the Board of Governors to establish a temporary campus location in downtown Jacksonville.

UF President Ben Sasse announced plans for the campus in February 2023 — a day after he assumed the post — and it has since become a tentpole of his strategic plan.

The Jacksonville campus has received support from the City of Jacksonville, the University of North Florida and the Jacksonville Jaguars, who offered the fairgrounds near EverBank Stadium as the campus’s permanent location.

UF will sublease a temporary location in downtown Jacksonville with classes set to start Fall 2025.

There will be nine graduate degrees offered.

Funding and partnerships

Kurt Dudas, a partner at a wealth management firm, was tapped by Sasse in October to lead the Jacksonville initiative. Dudas, who now serves in Sasse’s cabinet as a UF vice president, wrote in an email that about $260 million of the required $300 million has been raised for the campus as of June.

On top of the $150 million the campus has received from state appropriations, the City of Jacksonville donated $50 million and UF received about $60 million from individual donations and supportive businesses. Donors include the Jacksonville-based CSX Corporation, and Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, according to The Florida Times-Union.

“I have spent the past several months getting to know the Jacksonville community and have found it to be welcoming and dynamic,” Dudas wrote. “I have no doubt this will be a constructive partnership.”

Sasse received letters of support for the Jacksonville campus. One letter came from Moez Limayem, president of UNF who recommended the formation of a joint task force between both universities. The task force was officially created during the March 27 Board of Governors meeting.

“We don't want to offer the same thing in the same town,” UNF Vice President Paul Eason said. “It just doesn't make sense to compete directly like that. We want to create complementary academic programs, look for ways for our faculty to collaborate more in either teaching or in research and potentially share spaces that are built by Florida taxpayer dollars.”

The task force is composed of UNF and UF deans from their respective colleges of medicine, engineering, business, computer science, law and construction and Vice Presidents Dudas and Eason.

“Jacksonville is a major metropolitan market, so the more we can do to create an educated workforce, the better,” Eason said.

Mark Halley, president of UNF’s United Faculty of Florida chapter, said faculty have questions about the Jacksonville campus and want to be involved.

“You're at a university that's kind of the premier university in your area and another university is moving in town,” he said. “People wonder, 'OK, what's that mean for me?

What's going to happen next?'”

Halley said the Jacksonville campus is coming at a time when UNF is trying to be classified as an R1 Doctoral University with Very High Research Activity under the Carnegie Classification.

“We're hoping that the rising tide will raise all the ships,” said Tobias Huning, vice president of UFF-UNF. Curriculum

The Jacksonville campus will offer nine graduate degrees, including three exclusively at the campus: a master’s in management with an artificial intelligence concentration, a master‘s in engineering management in data analytics and a master’s in computer science.

“The workforce-oriented degrees will feature new curricula that integrate the latest advances in artificial intelligence and data analytics to serve the state’s rapidly growing needs in business, engineering, health sciences, law and related fields,” Dudas wrote.

During a Board of Trustees meeting June 13, he said a hospital risk and compliance program for mid-career nursing students and a master’s in medical entomology were also being considered.

Prospective location

Dudas announced during the June 13 UF Board of Trustees meeting that the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center and the fairgrounds

VOLUME 118 - ISSUE 37

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near the EverBank Stadium are being prioritized for UF Jacksonville campus’ permanent location. A decision will be made either late summer or early fall.

UF will begin renting about half of the fifth floor of the JEA headquarters building near downtown Jacksonville as a temporary location for the campus in July. The floor has about 10,500 square feet of space and will have classrooms, study rooms and a lounge. The Jacksonville campus will remain at that location for several years until the permanent campus is constructed.

During the Board of Trustees meeting, Dudas said UF will establish administrative offices and the UF College of Design, Construction and Planning’s architecture graduate program in the JEA building this fall.

He said classes are on track to start in fall 2025.

The master’s in architecture program will be relocated from CityLab Jacksonville to the temporary site, according to the Jacksonville site approval request.

The campus will be a Type III campus, which enrolls between 300 and 1,000 students, although Dudas wrote UF aims to have “north of 1,500 students in five years.” The site approval request said many students will attend part-time classes in the evenings and weekends. The permanent campus will have student housing.

The tuition rate is still being worked on, Dudas wrote. UF is anticipating hiring 81 professors for the campus.

UF already has an established academic health center in Jacksonville that has faculty and students from the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy.

The Florida Semiconductor Institute, which received $80 million from this year’s state budget, could be at Jacksonville in the future. Its current location has yet to be decided, Dudas wrote.

“It's been there for a while for the University of Florida, but we never really put it all together,” said UF Board of Trustees chair Mori Hosseini during the June 13 meeting.

“Financial technology and medical technology, put them all together under the same roof, and with our hospitals, that's really going to make a big difference.“ @timothyw_g twang@alligator.org

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Biden blocks band performance GATOR BAND, from pg. 1

the Beautiful,” Watkins said.

After the wreath-laying ceremony, the UF band and other bands who participated in the ceremony planned to leave directly from there for the parade.

“We basically played one song and had to leave and then everybody was stuck in the parking lot at the cemetery for about five hours,” Watkins said.

After negotiating with French security and the U.S. Secret Service, Watkins said they were able to get out of the parking lot.

However, U.S. Presidential motorcades also closed down all roads within 10 miles of the Normandy American Cemetery.

The U.S. Secret Service did not respond for comment.

Michaela Valenti, a 20-yearold UF music and business junior, was one of the many students looking forward to performing at the parade.

“We were just so disappointed because that's why we were there,” Valenti said. “We were going to represent UF and America, and we just didn’t get to.”

The parade was delayed in an attempt to give the band time to get to Omaha Beach, where the parade was taking place, but with the amount of traffic from the buses of students and other bands that were supposed to play at the parade, the parade had to go on without them.

“After the five hours they were like, ‘You have 30 minutes. We’re opening the roads. You have 30 minutes to get out,’ and it ended

up being longer than 30 minutes because there was no one moving,” Valenti said.

During their five hour delay, she expressed discomfort the band faced, including not having access to bathrooms and not being able to leave the parking lot at all.

“We were trying to entertain ourselves but like, we are in the cemetery parking lot… it was just the worst spot we could’ve been,” Valenti said.

She also said nearby bathrooms were closed for the majority of the time the band was stuck in the parking lot.

Rebecca Sheffield, a 20-yearold Santa Fe health service administration junior, was disappointed in being unable to perform at the parade.

“I feel like that was one of the coolest things we could have ever had the opportunity to do,” Sheffield said. “He [Biden] knew there was a parade happening. He knew that people were performing in a parade and to put everyone's lives on hold for somewhere that you’ve already been… I don’t know, I just feel like it's kind of disrespectful.”

Though the band wasn’t able to perform at the D-Day parade, it was still able to make its other three performances.

The band ventured to the town Falaise, where it had its first performance of the trip on the anniversary of D-Day. Their second was at the Normandy American Cemetery memorial for the wreath-laying ceremony.

For their third, the band had an hourlong less ceremonial performance at the Basilica of Sacré Coeur de Montmartre.

Sheffield said the trip was a “once in a lifetime opportunity,” and despite missing out on playing in the parade, the trip was not spoiled.

Dillon Welde, a 22-year-old UF aerospace engineering fifth year, said the parade still went on, but no bands were able to march since another marching band was stuck in the parking lot.

The bands also missed out on marching with World War II veterans for the parade, but many students were lucky enough to meet some of them on their flights.

The 80th anniversary of D-Day is the last decade anniversary that

World War II veterans would likely be alive for, Welde said.

Though Welde didn't interact with the veterans, he heard stories from his fellow band members. Particularly, a 99-year-old named Irving was among other veterans on their flight from Orlando to Philadelphia.

“He was walking and talking and totally lucid… he loved to talk to people,” Welde said. “So a bunch of the band kids got to talk to him about all of his experiences. He was such a friendly guy.”

He said there was a big difference between the atmosphere in Paris compared to the atmosphere in Normandy.

In Normandy, the band was always being thanked for coming from America, Welde said, but in Paris he said it felt different.

“In Paris, we would walk around with our Gator merch, and

we’d be like, ‘Oh God, there’s an American coming in’ … but there was a little bit of annoyance,” Welde said.

Welde connected his experiences to the friendly history the United States has with France.

“In all of the performances there was always somebody speaking saying, ‘America and France have always been friends,’” Welde said. “You can’t say that about a lot of countries.

We’re historically very good friends, and you can see that in the different performances that we did.”

The band may not have been able to march on Omaha Beach, but nonetheless, it was a once in a lifetime experience, Sheffield said. @kamalarossi krossi@alligator.org

Courtesy to The Alligator

Kate Breaux playing bagpipes as part of Florida Gator Band performance in Mont-Ormel, Normandy, France on Thursday, June 6, 2024.

Alachua Children’s Theatre presents all-inclusive production of ‘Peter Pan’ Young actors performed for an audience of over 100

By Sara-James Ranta Alligator Staff Writer

In Neverland, children in glittery shoes and tulle tutus waved tambourines and ukuleles, waving to their parents from onstage. Slip-ups were met with improv and high-fives.

The Alachua Children’s Theatre showcased three “Peter Pan” performances at the Santa Fe High School auditorium June 14-15 for a crowd of over 100.

Amber M. Zekić, ACT artistic director and founder, said she created the organization as a way for her three children and others in the community to participate in theater when other local groups can only accept small numbers. “[My kids] haven’t really had a chance to just get out there and do it,” Zekić said.

Other parents told her their kids had auditioned for other plays but didn’t make the cut, or the rehearsal locations were too far away to manage, she said.

But in “Peter Pan,” those children aged 5 to 17 had the opportunity to dance across the stage in full ensembles of fairies, lost boys, mermaids, crocodiles and pirates.

Zekić and her assistant director, Alison Cotgreve, took two months to adapt the story and the script, she said. They found songs in the public domain and adjusted the lyrics to fit bet-

ter in the script without instrumentals. Production began April with children’s small group practices once a week over eight weeks.

The organization’s first play was a 2023 showcase of “Alice in Wonderland” with 21 children. However, Zekić said she experienced financial hardships making the organization a reality.

“I started it really on my own,” she said. “I hadn’t done it before.”

From painting and building sets to ticket sales, parents of actors played a vital role in supporting the production.

“I think it would’ve been more challenging if the parents weren’t more supportive,” she said. “There is no way we could’ve done it without all the volunteers.”

About a year later, the production of “Peter Pan” was inclusive to all those interested in participating, featuring a cast of 50 young actors. In costumes of glitter, tulle and animal onesies, they kicked off their first performance June 14.

Zekić was backstage during the production coaching the performers as they hustled on and off set.

“They’re all excited, and you tell them, ‘Break a leg! Break a leg!’” she said. “Their smiles are just beaming.”

Kinley Murray, a 10-year-old Gainesville

resident, played Wendy Darling, complete with a British accent. The production helped her find her voice and meet new people, she said.

“I’ve been a stronger singer,” Kinley said.

“I’ve never done any acting camps or anything.” Lauren Murray, a Gainesville resident and Kinley’s mom, said she appreciated ACT’s welcoming atmosphere throughout rehearsals.

“Everyone is included,” she said. “[Kinley] has met kids from all over the place. She’s gotten to meet kids who are older than her, which is great for role-modeling.”

Viewing it as a parent, she said Zekić’s positivity as director was important.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her without a smile on her face,” she said.

Peter Pan, played by 14-year-old Clara Foltz, was cold and egoic. Her adaptation of the character was different from the movie depiction, which she said she took on after reading the script.

“Everyone’s just like falling all over him,” Foltz said. “He wouldn’t be the type of person to be like, ‘stop it.’ He’d be like, ‘Feed my ego, feed my ego.’”

Newberry resident Amy Foltz said her daughter’s development improved greatly throughout the production.

“It’s been incredible,” she said. “The atmo-

sphere Amber [Zekić] created allowed her to have that space to try things out and not feel so self-conscious.”

Laelia Zekić, a 10-year-old Fort White resident and Zekić’s daughter, took on the role of Tinkerbell. In a fluffy green tutu, Laelia said she wanted her role to be comedic.

“When I started, I was really scared,” she said. “But once I got the part and the play actually happened, I was super excited. Now I know I can do anything if I put my mind to it.”

In 1988, Zekić and Cotgreve were in their own production of “Peter Pan.” Both of them recalled wearing darker stage makeup and wigs to play the role of the “Indians,” which have been deemed by fans as a culturally insensitive representation of Native Americans.

“Back in the ‘90s, it was not a conflict at all,” she said. “This time, I knew we had to be more sensitive.”

Instead of “Indians,” Zekić and Cotgreve casted a group of girls to play the “brave girls” who wore flower headbands and were the “nature protectors,” which played off the lost boys characters.

“I think it really worked well,” she said.

“It’s taken the story a little bit further.”

Looking ahead, ACT will premier “The Little Mermaid” in spring 2025. @sarajamesranta sranta@alligator.org

MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2024 ALLIGATOR 5

Juneteenth FREEDOM FEST, from pg. 1

Emancipation Day and what is now known as Juneteenth,” she said.

Exhibits like the Alachua County Remembrance Project help reinforce the history of why Juneteenth education is needed. The exhibit permanently displays soil from 50 Alachua County lynch sites from 1867 to 1916 and is open during the Freedom Festival.

Leslie Wooten is a member of the Democratic Women’s Club of Alachua County. The organization provided voter registration and election information at the event.

She said commemorating Juneteenth is “fantastically important.”

“Our African American community has damn little enough to celebrate,” she said. “I think we should all, including white people, celebrate with them.”

Sereen Hussain and Emma Crall attended the event as a part of HealthStreet, a UF community engagement program focused on Gainesville

health concerns.

The Freedom Festival provides an opportunity to learn more about Black culture for those who aren’t African American, which Hussain said is an opportunity they may not have had otherwise.

Since the 2023 enactment of House Bill 999, there have been sweeping changes to K-12 and higher education curriculum, with critical race theory as a topic of contention. From the temporary banning of AP African American Studies to the “Stop the W.O.K.E.” Act, Black history has been a target of censorship at all levels of state curriculum.

NKwanda Jah said the hate she has seen in the world today is comparable to the hate her ancestors saw 100 years ago. She serves as a representative of Empower, an organization dedicated to promoting clean energy in Alachua County.

“In the times we’re living in, where we’re not even supposed to talk about Black history,” she said.

“If we don’t understand our history, we’re going to repeat it, as we are now.”

Rain caused attendees to leave early, but there was no shortage of

smiles as people sought shelter under the remaining tents before the event was washed away by the storm.

Wanda Burrnett-Walker, founder of Joffe' Creations, a business that sells one-of-a-kind mosaic creations, said accessible Juneteenth programs help city residents work on cultural understanding.

“It’s a way for us to recognize what happened as far as slavery,” she said. “And of course it recognizes what we are as a community and how we can come together to spread a lot of love and understanding about our different cultures.”

Andre Pressley, a Gainesville resident, said Black history is a lot more than just what is read in books or seen on television.

“My mom is Juneteenth history.

I am Juneteenth history. We are all Juneteenth history,” he said. “So, I figured that if we come and celebrate together, it will spread more light.”

Alachua County’s Journey to Juneteenth celebration will continue through June 19. @morgvande mvanderlaan@alligator.org

Morgan Vanderlaan // Alligator Staff

People gather for the Juneteenth Freedom Fest at Bo Diddley Plaza on Saturday, June 15, 2024. -

UF’s International Piano Festival brings musicians to campus for a week of lessons and performances YOUNG STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE COME TO CELEBRATE MUSIC AND LEARN FROM DISTINGUISHED PIANISTS

By Avery Parker Alligator Staff Writer

A lone pianist perched above a Steinway piano with his eyes shut. As his fingers flitted across the keys, hundreds of concertgoers leaned forward in their seats in search of what the music might tell them.

The pianist, Evan Mitchell, performed for a crowd of hundreds at the UF School of Music June 9 as part of the International Piano Festival, hosted by the College of the Arts from June 8 to June 15.

“Music, especially in performance, is one of the most profound ways for people to commune with something mysterious, maybe bigger than themselves that is fundamentally human,” said Mitchell, who is also the festival’s assistant director.

The weeklong festival aims to assemble “promising young pianists for lessons and masterclasses with distinguished piano teachers from North America and across the globe,” according to its website. It included full concerts, recitals, masterclasses and performances by UF faculty, high school and college students along with world-renowned pianists.

This year’s guest artist teachers were Angela Park, recipient of Canada’s JUNO Award for Classical Composition, and Daria Rabotkina, winner of the 2007 Concert Artists Guild International Competition.

Gabriel Collante, a 19-year-old Santa Fe music sophomore, said his lesson with UF assistant professor of piano Hsiang Tu helped him develop his sense of musical imagery.

“He’s always like, ‘Think about this part [of the music] like it’s darkness, but there’s a small glimpse of light,’ or, ‘Try to think you’re the roots of a tree,’” he said. “When you visualize how you want it to feel, that really helps.”

The festival also allowed Collante to ex-

pand his mentorship network, he said.

“It’s been cool learning from other people besides my piano teacher and meeting other pianists. I don’t really get that experience when it’s just me and my teacher,” Collante said.

Larissa Samson, a 17-year-old UF music and English rising freshman, said the festival gave her an opportunity to prepare for her incoming freshman year in the program.

“I’m going [to UF] in the Fall, so this can give me an in to get to know the professors,” she said.

Assistant director Evan Mitchell said student participants in the festival receive private instruction and masterclasses with teachers to help provide them with coaching and mentorship.

Students are matched to a partner with whom they practice a set of duet music throughout the week, culminating in the festival’s final concert: the duet recital.

Connecting students who have similar interests is another important aspect of the festival, Mitchell said.

While the festival encouraged students to improve their practical skills, it also aimed to develop their knowledge of music theory, piano literature and non-piano instruments through seminars and demonstrations with UF School of Music faculty, including professors Laura Dallman and Laura Ellis.

Mitchell said that “eye-opening” demonstrations of the organ, harpsichord, carillon and other instruments may expose students to types of music they would have otherwise remained unaware of.

“I think it’s important, sharing the talent that’s here with the broader UF and Gainesville community,” Mitchell said. “It gets [the UF School of Music’s] name out there and gets it well established on folk’s radar as a place where really top-notch performances and instruction is happening, where students are getting a really broad-based, immersive experience in music.” @AveryParke98398 aparker@alligator.org

Theresa Beachy, long-term CEO of Peaceful Paths to leave CURRENT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH SERVICES CRYSTAL MORROW WILL SERVE AS INTERIM CEO

By Kairi Lowery Alligator Staff Writer

For over 50 years, Peaceful Paths, a state-certified domestic abuse network and shelter, has been a resource for victims in the North Florida region. The center provides resources like emergency shelter, a 24-hour helpline, victim advocacy, crisis counseling, support groups and other services to survivors of domestic violence.

Although the organization underwent several progressive changes since its creation in 1974, its purpose remains the same: to save lives and create change.

An integral part of this change was Theresa Beachy, who has been with the nonprofit organization as chief executive officer since 2000.

However, Beachy will be leaving Peaceful Paths, and starting Oct. 1, taking a new position as an organizational strategist for the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.

In her new position at the CNE, she will continue to work with nonprofit organizations like Peaceful Paths, as well as other mission-based organizations in the community to help them excel.

“We’ll be working with nonprofit organizations to build advocacy, strengthen their boards, strengthen their business acumen, increase their leadership and strategic development strengths,” Beachy said.

These organizations include ones directly funded under the Alachua County Children’s Trust, an independent special taxing district in accordance with the Florida Statutes and Alachua County ordinances. Agencies funded under the Children’s Trust include organizations like Help Me Grow Alachua, Healthy Start of North Central Florida, Teenswork Alachua, Peaceful Paths and many others.

Beachy has over 31 years of experience, including serving as an education coordinator at the Eckerd Youth Foundation. This new position will be a new challenge to look forward to, she said.

With her absence comes the need for a new interim CEO of Peaceful Paths. As of June 11, Crystal Sorrow, 46, director of education and youth services, was appointed to fill the position.

During this transition, Beachy and Sorrow will serve as coCEOs from July 1 to Sept. 30, during which Beachy will mentor and assist Sorrow.

Throughout her time as director of education and youth programs since 2020, Sorrow has grown and expanded the reach of a violence prevention education program providing eight to nine weeks of curriculum for young people, teaching them assertive communication, consent, boundaries and red or green flags in relationships.

“I really feel that prevention is the key for the future and for

decreasing intimate partner violence,” she said. “The more education and skills that we can get young people as they’re building relationships, the better our community is going to be.”

In her new position as interim CEO, Sorrow aims to continue the legacy of hope at Peaceful Paths.

“Hope is so important to people, to our survivors and just having people know that we’re still going to be there, be there providing services and we are still in the community as an active resource,” she said.

From being an English major at UF to volunteering at a feminist bookstore, her love for social justice and education shone through, she said.

“I think educating people on domestic violence and healthy relationships was a natural progression. I’m really excited to continue in that vein,” Sorrow said.

While it is unsure if Sorrow will become the long-term CEO, she hopes she will be considered for the permanent position at the end of the interim period.

“The final decision will rest with the board of directors who I will be working with this summer, but I do hope to be considered for the permanent position,” she said.

As Peaceful Paths celebrates 50 years of service, Sorrow looks forward to serving in this new position in the coming months, according to a news release. @kairiloweryy klowery@alligator.org

MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2024 www.alligator.org/section/opinions

Column

Leave it to the professionals: The trend of legislative attacks on higher education in Florida

S

ince the recent overturning of Florida’s restrictions on transgender care for minors and adults, I can’t help but think about the recent wave of bigoted jabs at higher education in our state.

Almost a year ago on July 1, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 256 — a bill specifically intended to limit the power of unions in the state.

The challenge that the Florida Legislature forced upon us has developed in several ways. While we have seen a growing community stand behind our unions, we have also seen an escalation of attacks on the groups we have a responsibility to protect.

Repercussions of 256

Our legislature has loved wasting their time on poorly-written bills that end up costing the state more money.

SB 256 has successfully forced several unions into perpetual member organizing and has already decertified many. But the bill has also overwhelmed the Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC), the entity responsible for union certification.

PERC is self-described as “a small, independent, quasi-judicial agency,” and we are seeing firsthand how this bill is going to burden PERC officers.

Any union that hasn’t reached 60% membership must file a card campaign for certification, which requires 30% of the bargaining unit to send in ‘interest cards’ to call for an election. This paperwork and the election that would follow it is conducted by PERC. To get some numbers in perspective: UFF-UF and UF GAU alone have a bargaining unit of around 4,300. Aside from just our locals at UF, there are approximately 600,000 unionized public sector employees in Florida.

Basically: lots of mail, lots of paperwork and lots of money because

the state has to cover half of the postage.

I can’t help but wonder if it may just be cheaper and more efficient to leave unions alone and spend those funds on better wages and benefits for our public sector employees.

The list goes on

Senate Bill 846, known as the “Countries of Concern” bill, caused panic and protest among international students. It outlines the necessity of an additional screening process for new applicants (e.g., faculty, graduate assistants) and academic relations (e.g., research grants, joint research endeavors) from China, Russia, Venezuela, Cuba, Syria, Iran and North Korea. The screening process ought to determine the ‘risk’ and ‘value’ of these applicants and cross-country associations, but there is no rubric nor definition of risk and value that the Florida Legislature has provided nor one that UF has adopted.

The hiring process for international graduate students from these countries following the passing of the bill has become unrealistic and even resulted in some departments completely ignoring applications due to the lack of clarity on the process.

With 1,100 graduate students from China alone (with an unclear count on how many have been hired as graduate assistants and would have been impacted by this bill had they applied later), the impact of SB 846 on the research UF loves to boast will be much more apparent in the coming years. The bill effectively removes power from experts in the field to create the best possible academic and research programs, and puts this power at the hands of the politicallymotivated.

Post review has essentially turned tenure into five-year increments, with

department chairs, college deans and universities’ chief academic officers conducting reCassie Urbenz views at the opinions@alligator.org conclusion of each period.

This is another heinous attack on academic freedom and the lives of experts in the field.

Tenure is an integral part of academic freedom, as it protects experts in the field from being fired at will if their research contradicts the politics of the university and the overarching legislature.

It also creates a new layer of precarity within academia, making professors continuously worry about competing in the job market. This is sure to be a detriment to their lives, their teaching and science as a whole by imposing a norm of fast science.

The Florida Legislature has admittedly started a transformation of education in the state, replacing expertise with biased curricula and politicallymotivated actors; this is not education, and it is not science — and it is bound to make UF a place people run from rather than run to.

We hope that these changes bring a new wave of voters and inspire more organizers to work together to elevate the voices of those most hurt by these initiatives. One thing is abundantly clear: it is time to leave it to the professionals and write laws that support the education of students and the lives of workers.

Cassie Urbenz is a UF firstyear graphic design and visual communications graduate student and GAU Co-President.

Column

Recognizing queer student activists

I

at the frontlines of struggle

co-organized my first protest the spring of my freshman year, opposing House Bill 1557 or the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. During our march through Gainesville, dozens of community members swelled the crowd while others heckled us with homophobic slurs.

Since then, the Florida Legislature has only further restricted LGBTQ+ rights, expanding “Don’t Say Gay” to grades four through 12, severely limiting access to genderaffirming care, enacting a transgender bathroom ban and preventing transgender people from changing their gender on their driver’s license. Each moment of repression has met resistance from the LGBTQ+ community, especially at UF, which has often found itself in the center of state-waged culture wars.

Queer activists, however, receive unique vitriol when speaking up. “Fa—t” is a classic insult thrown out at protests, but the harassment sometimes crosses a line into physical attacks when hecklers throw drinks or jump at protesters.

In one chilling instance, a Gov. Ron DeSantis aide tweeted “new tourism ad?” over an image of a queer protester in Gainesville holding the sign “Ron DeSantis killed me.”

Whether the demonstration concerned reproductive rights, climate justice, academic freedom, living wages or police brutality, I have always seen queer student activists at the forefront. In this position, however, we also face the brunt of the backlash.

Last month, after police arrested nine pro-Palestine protesters, their mugshots quickly spread through online right-wing circles. Hundreds

of tweets attacked them for their visible queerness, mocked their appearance, Rey Arcenas spread their opinions@alligator.org personal information and shared deadnames. The contempt shown for the nine arrested protesters, particularly aimed at the queer protesters, showcases the distinct risk that we take when we organize for human dignity.

Pride Month commemorates the 1969 Stonewall uprising, when the queer community in Greenwich Village violently demonstrated against police brutality and state persecution. Decades later, the queer and trans activists that spearheaded the uprising failed to receive the appreciation they earned. Silvia Rivera’s 1978 “Y’all Better Quiet Down” speech criticized the LGBTQ+ celebrations that left her behind. Celebrated as a central figure of the uprising, it is easy to forget that Marsha P. Johnson’s body was found in the Hudson River in 1992, and her case remains unsolved.

If we, as a queer community, want to celebrate the advancements we have achieved in the last few decades, we must rally around the queer activists that have and continue to push the boundaries.

In a renewed era of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in Florida, the queer activists who continue to risk it all provide hope for everyone.

Rey Arcenas is a UF history and women’s studies senior.

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.

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CULTURE

‘Tha Cookout’ promises inclusivity, ‘vibes’ for Gainesville HOSTED BY ASHLEI AND MALCOM ASKEW, THE EVENT CELEBRATED GAINESVILLE’S BLACK FATHERS

By Sabrina Castro Avenue Staff Writer

Throughout the tranquil greenery of Cynthia Moore Chestnut Park and Clark Butler Nature Preserve, laughter and camaraderie echoed through the trees as Gainesville locals gathered for “Tha Cookout,” a vibrant celebration organized by Ashlei and Malcom Askew. The June 16 afternoon event marked not only a celebration of Juneteenth but also a tribute to fatherhood and community spirit.

The Askews run Keller Williams Gainesville Realty Partners, a real estate agency in Gainesville. But the duo’s commitment to uplifting the community goes beyond helping through real

estate to different kinds of events, such as “Tha Cookout.”

“One of the ways we want to give back to our community is by organizing more events that bring the community together and focuses on positive Black culture,” Ashlei Askew said.

“Tha Cookout” was a free event for attendees of all ages with an array of activities designed to create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.

From a Spades tournament and a “Shoot Your Shot” basketball challenge to local vendors and storytelling sessions, the event offered something for everyone.

“There is a lot of stereotypes out there about our demographic, but we are really passionate about reclaiming that narrative, challenging those stereotypes and just showing the world who we are,” Ashlei Askew said.

The sounds of favorite old and new school music paired with delicious cookout favorites provided a relaxing backdrop as families, friends and neighbors mingled under the hot

Florida sun.

Crystal Rushing, owner of MKKS Event Decor and More, was a partner in the event.

The collaborative effort behind “‘Tha Cookout” aims to support Gainesville’s Black businesses, she said.

“We have partnered to get together and create SupportBLKGNV,” Rushing said. “That’s just a business where we are collaborating with the community and bringing together businesses to uplift the Black community.”

SupportBLKGNV is a community platform in Greater Gainesville dedicated to empowering and connecting the Black community through spotlighting businesses, promoting cultural events and providing essential local resources.

It aims to foster inclusivity and celebrate Black excellence within the region.

The Askews are also hosting an upcoming Chess N’ Chill event scheduled for the Juneteenth holiday.

“All of our events are inclusive. We don’t

exclude anyone,” Ashlei Askew said. “Everyone is able to come, but they are curated for our culture.”

“Tha Cookout” was not only a celebration of cultural heritage and community but also a testament to the power of local initiatives in promoting inclusivity and positive change for local Black community members and entrepreneurs like 21-year-old Kione Forrest.

Forrest, CEO of Gainesville Christian community arts center Til I Die, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be invited to “Tha Cookout.”

“They got a lot of love for Gainesville. This is something that specifically East Gainesville needs,” Forrest said. “It’s a great opportunity to come and table, come and love on everybody.

The vibes are immaculate. There’s a lot of love if you look for it.” @sabs_wurld scastro@alligator.org

MUSIC

Rate and review: ‘BRAT’ by Charli XCX

The musician’s latest album took the internet by storm, marks a new era of pop music

By Bonny Matejowsky Avenue Staff Writer

Whether it’s the chart-topping queer pop of Chappell Roan or the catchy songwriting of Sabrina Carpenter, it’s safe to say this summer has proved that pop is in good hands. But a certain lime green al-

bum shines above the rest.

In a year when the messy indie sleaze aesthetic has Generation Z in a chokehold, “BRAT” by Charli XCX couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect time. Released June 7, it’s already the highest-rated album of 2024 so far on Metacritic.

Its simplistic album cover quick-

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ly became an emblem of the chic and chronically online on social media.

Though on its face it’s a collection of hyperpop, EDM and club music, the album digs deeper and shows a side of an internet it-girl we don’t often see.

This is not to say her previous

work lacks depth — her 2020 album “How I’m Feeling Now” delves into a pop perspective of the frustration we all experienced during the COVID-19 lockdown. And I’m not afraid to say that her 2014 hit “Boom Clap” is a Tumblr-era classic and will always hold a special place in my heart.

But where “BRAT” rises above the rest is in its consistency. There isn’t a skippable track on the album, which can be difficult when the songs jump between different

styles and attitudes.

Throughout the record, Charli explores the dichotomy of her identity as a bratty club kid who doesn’t care what others think versus the part of her that second-guesses herself and questions the life she’s built.

Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/the_avenue @bonnymatejowsky bmatejowsky@alligator.org

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Intramural club brings students together. Read more on pg.

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El festival internacional de piano atrae a músicos al campus de la UF para una semana de clases y conciertos

Jóvenes de todo el mundo visitan para celebrar la música y aprender de pianistas distinguidos Por Avery Parker Escritora de El Caimán

Un pianista se sentó frente a un piano Steinway con sus ojos cerrados. Mientras sus dedos viajaban de un lado a otro en las teclas, cientos de asistentes se inclinaron en el borde de sus asientos para escuchar lo que la música podía contarles.

El pianista, Evan Mitchell, tocó al frente de un público de cientos de personas en la Escuela de Música de la UF el 9 de junio como parte de el Festival Internacional de Piano, organizado por el Colegio de las Artes desde el 8 de junio al 15 de junio.

“La música, especialmente en concierto, es una de las cosas más profundas que puede conectar a los humanos con una fuerza más significante que ellos, que es fundamentalmente humana”, dijo Mitchell, quien también es el director ayudante del festival.

El festival, que duró una semana, se trató de unir a “pianistas jóvenes prometedores para darles lecciones y master classes con maestros distinguidos de Norteamérica y todo el mundo”, según su website. El festival incluyó los conciertos, recitales, master clases y sesiones por la facultad de la UF, estudiantes de la escuela y la universidad, y pianistas famosos.

Ashley C. Hicks // Alligator Staff

An announcer celebrates during the award ceremony of the UF International Piano Festival on Saturday, June 15, 2024.

Este año, los maestros invitados eran Angela Park, receptora del premio canadiense JUNO por la composición clásica, y Daria Rabotkina, ganadora del

concurso del gremio internacional de los artistas concertistas en 2007.

Gabe Collante, un estudiante de 19 años de música de segundo año en Santa Fe, dijo que su lección con el profesor de piano Hsiang Tu le ayudó a evolucionar su sentido de las metáforas musicales.

“El enseña diciendo, ‘piensa que esta parte de la música es la oscuridad, pero hay un vistazo de la luz,’ o, ‘imagina que tú eres las raíces del árbol’”, dijo. “Cuando puedes imaginarte como sienta la música que te gustaría tocar, eso te ayuda mucha”.

También, el festival le permite a Collante aumentar su red de tutores.

“Ha sido genial aprender con pianistas que no son mi maestro y conocer otros pianistas. No puedo experimentar esas cosas cuando estudio con mi maestro sólo”, dijo Collante.

Larissa Samson, una futura estudiante de música e inglés de primer año de 17 años en la UF, dijo que el festival le dio la oportunidad de prepararse para su primer año de universidad.

“Estudiaré [en UF] en el otoño, así puedo conocer a los profesores ahora,” dijo.

El director ayudante Evan Mitchell dijo que los estudiantes en el festival recibieron instrucción privada para proveerles con

apoyo y tutorías.

Los estudiantes se emparejaron con un compañero con quien practicaron un conjunto de música a dúo, culminando en el último concierto—el recital de duetos.

Conectar estudiantes similares era otro aspecto importante del festival, dijo Mitchell.

Al mismo tiempo, el festival tenía el objetivo de mejorar el conocimiento de los estudiantes en teoría musical, literatura de piano y otros instrumentos aparte del piano con seminarios y demostraciones con facultad de la Escuela de Música de la UF, incluyendo a las profesoras Laura Dallman y Laura Ellis.

Mitchell dijo que las demostraciones “reveladoras” del órgano, clavicémbalo y carillón expusieron a los estudiantes a tipos nuevos de música.

“Creo que es importante, compartir el talento que hay aquí con la comunidad UF y la comunidad Gainesville”, dijo Mitchell.

“Eso ayuda [la Escuela de Música] a ser conocia por sesiones e instrucciones serias, como un lugar donde estudiantes pueden recibir una experiencia envolvente en música”. @AveryParke98398 aparker@alligator.org

El Festival de la Libertad une a la comunidad de Gainesville para conmemorar Juneteenth CIENTOS DE ASISTENTES SE REUNIERON PARA CELEBRAR Por Morgan Vanderlaan Escritora de El Caimán

Traducido por Jose Carmona Esritor de El Caimán

Ofreciendo servicios que van desde productos hechos a mano hasta encuestas climáticas, las tiendas multicolores se extendieron por el centro de Gainesville para conmemorar el Día de la Emancipación, Juneteenth y la idea de la libertad y equidad para todos.

El tercer festival anual de la libertad, organizado por la organización sin fines de lucro Nathan Ross Inc. en colaboración con la ciudad de Gainesville, se llevó a cabo en Bo Diddley Plaza el 15 de junio como parte de la celebración del Viaje hacia Juneteenth del condado de Alachua. A pesar de dispersarse temprano debido a la lluvia, cientos de personas asistieron.

Camiones de comida y puestos informativos bordearon la plaza mientras músicos y bailarines se

presentaban en vivo en el escenario.

Lakesha Fountain es dueña de Foundational Framework, una empresa que se especializa en ropa y accesorios africanos. Eventos como el festival de la libertad tratan de sacar a la comunidad, dijo ella.

La historia negra se perderá si no se enseña, dijo, y a través de compartir la conciencia sobre el Juneteenth, las personas pueden celebrarse mutuamente para crear “paz y armonía".

Brianna Oswalt, una exalumna de Santa Fe College y residente del condado de Alachua, asistió al evento como miembro de Santa Fe Planned Parenthood Generation Action. Involucrar a tantos grupos como sea posible en eventos como el Festival de la Libertad es vital, comentó.

“Creo que es uno de esos puntos de vista de nominar la libertad”, dijo Oswalt.

Oswalt y su organizacion promovieronla conciencia sobre la enmienda 4, que aparecerá en la boleta electoral de noviembre con el objetivo de consagrar el acceso al aborto en la constitución estatal.

Terri Bailey, propietaria de la organización sin fines de lucro Bailey Learning and Arts Collective, dijo que es hora de que la historia

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negra sea más reconocida.

“Es realmente importante que los jóvenes y los mayores entiendan el significado del Dia de la Emancipación y lo que ahora se conoce como Juneteenth", afirmó.

Exhibiciones como el Proyecto de Recuerdo del Condado de Alachua ayudan a reforzar la historia de por qué se necesita la educación sobre el Juneteenth. La exhibicion muestra permanentemente tierra de 50 sitios de linchamiento del condado de Alachua desde 1867 hasta 1916 y está abierta durante el Festival de la Libertad.

Leslie Wooten es miembro del Club de Mujeres Demócratas del Condado de Alachua. La organización proporcionó registro de votantes e información electoral del evento.

Ella dijo que conmemorar el Juneteenth es “fantásticamente importante”.

“Nuestra comunidad afroamericana tiene muy poco que celebrar", afirmó.“Creo que todos deberíamos, incluido los blancos, celebrar con ellos”.

Sereen Hussain y Emma Crall asistieron al evento como parte de Health Street, un programa de participación comunitaria de la Universidad enfocado

Lacrosse player breaks records. Read more on pg. 11.

en las preocupaciones de salud de Gainesville.

El Festival de la Libertad brinda una oportunidad para aprender más sobre la cultura negra para aquellos que no son afroamericanos, lo que Hussain dijo es una oportunidad que de otra manera no habrían tenido.

Desde la promulgación de la Ley 999 de la Cámara de Representantes en 2023, ha habido cambios radicales en el currículo de K-12 y educación superior, con la teoría crítica de raza como tema de controversia. Desde la prohibición temporal de los Estudios Avanzados (AP) de Historia Afroamericana hasta la Ley “Stop the W.O.K.E.”, la historia negra ha sido un objetivo de censura en todos los niveles de currículo estatal.

NKwanda Jah dijo que el odio que ha visto en el mundo de hoy es comparable al odio que vieron sus ancestros hace 100 años. Ella sirve como representante de Empower, una organización dedicada a promover la energía limpia en el condado de Alachua.

“En los tiempos en los que vivimos, donde ni siquiera se supone que debemos hablar sobre la historia negra”, dijo ella. “Si no entendemos nuestra historia, vamos a repetirla, como lo estamos

haciendo ahora”.

La lluvia hizo que los asistentes se fueran temprano, pero no faltaron las sonrisas mientras las personas buscaban refugio bajo las tiendas restantes antes de que el evento fuera arrasado por la tormenta.

Wanda Burnett-Walker, fundadora de Joffe Creations, un negocio que vende creaciones de mosaico únicas, dijo que los programas accesibles de Juneteenth ayudan a los residentes de la ciudad a trabajar en la comprensión cultural.

Andre Pressley, residente de Gainesville, dijo que la historia negra es mucho más que solo lo que se lee en los libros o se ve en la televisión.

“Mi mamá es la historia de Juneteenth. Yo soy la historia de Juneteenth. Todos somos la historia de Juneteenth”, dijo él.“Así que pensé que si venimos y celebramos juntos, se difundirá más la luz”.

La celebración del Viaje hacia el Juneteenth del Condado de Alachua continuará hasta el 19 de junio. @morgvande mvanderlaan@alligator.org

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MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2024 www.alligator.org/section/sports

WOMEN'S LACROSSE

Florida’s Liz Harrison cements herself as a Gator great with excellence in circle HARRISON OWNS THE SINGLE-GAME, SINGLE-SEASON AND ALL-TIME RECORDS FOR DRAW CONTROLS FOR FLORIDA LACROSSE

By Max Bernstein Sports Writer

Florida lacrosse senior attacker Liz Harrison didn’t score a single point in the 2024 season, but that didn’t stop her from making program history.

Where Harrison excels is in the draw circle. On May 16 in the NCAA Division I Tournament Quarterfinal matchup against No. 4 Maryland, Harrison stepped into the circle with the Gators holding a 5-0 lead.

When the ball went into the air following the draw, Harrison was surrounded by two Terrapins. She reached up her stick with her right hand and scooped the ball while seamlessly evading defenders.

That was just one of the hundreds of possession wins Harrison awarded UF in her career at Florida.

As the Gators’ draw control specialist, Harrison started in the center of the field in all of Florida’s 23 games during the 2024 season.

Harrison’s role as a draw control specialist is to win possession. An opposing draw control specialist pushes

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff

Florida attacker Liz Harrison fights for a draw control during the Gators' 14-13 loss to the Terrapins on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. their stick against hers while a referee places the ball into the back of the head of their sticks. The purpose of the draw is to push the sticks together to launch the ball up into the air and take possession of it before the opposing team.

The senior attacker did her job among the best in the nation last season. She recorded the third most draw controls across NCAA DI Women’s Lacrosse with 230 possessions on the year.

Gators assistant coach Christina Esposito praised Harrison for her impact in the circle.

“Liz is a rare gem when it comes to the draw,” Esposito said. “She’s always focused on the details of her craft and puts the time and effort in to maximize her toolbox making her such a threat to play against.”

Harrison’s average of 10 draw controls per game ranked fourth in the nation in 2024.

Her strength earned her several

honors this past season. Harrison was named to the 2024 Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Organization All-American Third Team while also a member of the 2024 AllAtlantic Coastal Conference Second Team.

Her skills didn't stop there. Harrison also excelled off the lacrosse field to be named to the 2024 SEC Academic Honor Roll.

“I feel like coming in, everyone wants to set records or make their name known,” Harrison said. “For it to actually happen and kind of follow your dream is something that’s really cool.”

However, her position on the field hasn’t always been a focus point.

Over the summer, the NCAA implemented new rules to make women’s lacrosse less physical. Green cards, or one-minute penalties, are given for contact such as holding, pushing, tripping and forcing. The new ruling makes it more difficult to cause turnovers, so the draw is now ever more important to gain possession.

For Harrison, the key to a good draw is keeping the ball close and adjusting to her opponent’s movements, she said.

Harrison also thrives when the ball is in the air. She’s shown great ability to extend toward balls that usually would be out of her reach.

Her efforts to make high-level plays

allow the Gators to gain extra possessions over their opponents.

On March 6 against UC Davis, she set a program record with 19 draw controls in a game. She later broke the program record for single-season draw controls March 23 against Old Dominion. Four days later in a game against Liberty, she broke the program record for all-time draw controls.

Harrison’s work in the circle also makes life easier for the rest of her team.

Graduate student midfielder Paisley Eagan said she’s happy the team has someone who is up for the challenge of taking the draw.

“She’s good at giving us directions and correcting things as she sees them,” Eagan said. “I’m really happy we have someone who’s up for the challenge and has done such a great job with it.”

Florida lacrosse exceeded all expectations in the 2024 season, going 20-3 and finishing the season as the No. 4 ranked team in the nation after a miraculous Final Four run.

Harrison ends her collegiate career with 440 total draw control wins, and she will now head into graduate school, remaining at UF as she works toward a master’s degree in marketing. @maxbernstein23 mbernstein@alligator.org

INTRAMURALS

Florida Running Club fosters friendships and community on the run THE CLUB IS ONE OF THE ONLY ACTIVE CLUB SPORTS IN THE SUMMER AT UF

By Krisha Sanghavi Sports Writer

When Hannah Hosay stepped onto the UF campus in 2020, she didn’t encounter the vibrant Gator spirit most freshmen experience.

Instead, she faced the challenges of a pandemic-ridden university adapting to COVID-19 regulations.

But like any other freshman, the now 22-year-old sought to join clubs and organizations to meet new people. As a former soccer player, she wanted to stay connected to the sport, but club soccer wasn’t an option.

Undeterred, Hosay looked at the limited choices and discovered the Florida Running Club, one of the few active clubs ongoing throughout pandemic times, she said. She decided to join, and said that decision would lead her to some of her most memorable college experiences and lifelong friendships.

The Florida Running Club is the only recre-

ational and competitive UF RecSports running club for its students.

The club has two requirements — be a UF student and sign a safety waiver. With no mandatory practices, time qualifications or club dues, its accessibility attracts runners of all levels and backgrounds.

“I think as a club, we’re really flexible and open,” Hosay said. “[We] make sure that we are really uplifting every kind of runner, no matter their ability.”

Hosay, who served as president during her junior and senior years, witnessed the club’s growth from obscurity to a thriving, well-known organization at UF. When she joined in 2020, the club had roughly 15-20 active members, but now membership has surged to 50-60 members.

“We just attract a lot of people with different abilities, which leads to a bigger population of people,” Hosay said.

Her investment in the club awarded her more than friendships. The regular practices dropped Hosay’s 5K running time by two minutes.

“I really do think it’s due to having a community of runners supporting you, pushing you, and cheering you on,” Hosay said.

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But the club offers much more than just running. What truly brings the members together are the social gatherings. The events foster a sense of community, allowing the runners to bond over shared experiences and interests beyond their athletic talent.

“We’re not always about running or racing,” Hosay said. “It’s also about doing fun things around the community.”

Twenty-year-old junior Ashley Hilmes was a member of the club for her freshman and sophomore years. In her junior year, she was inspired to join leadership and now serves as the social coordinator. “[I] love going to all the social events, getting Krishna [lunch], doing things like that, going to the springs, all that fun,” Hilmes said.

“Just running [club] is a huge blast.”

The social outings gave the runners an opportunity to enjoy each other’s company away from running. It was these events that built the club’s welcoming and supportive environment paving the way for its members’ lifelong memories and friendships, Hilmes said.

“I've been hosting a lot of socials, and I think that helps get people excited too, but mostly just that we all want to run and we're

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glad to do it together,” Hilmes said.

For the last two years, the club introduced a prom to give former seniors from the class of 2020 another chance to experience a milestone they missed.

After COVID-19 hindered his ability to attend prom, 20-year-old UF senior Pablo Moreno took the club’s initiative as a chance to experience something he otherwise never would have.

“It was nice to do all that with all the people you care about, and dress up nice,” Moreno said. “It’s a big club, so not everyone’s there at the same time… [prom] is one of the big things where 70 plus people are all there together.”

Moreno attended practices and races during his sophomore and part of his junior year, until an injury sidelined him at the beginning of this year. Despite not being able to run, he found solace in attending the club’s scheduled practices to socialize with friends.

“Even though I could barely run for the next couple of months, I was still going to practice just to talk to people,” Moreno said. “It was a nice way to end the day.”

Follow us for updates

For updates on UF athletics, follow us on Twitter at @alligatorSports or online at www.alligator.org/section/sports.

@krishasang sanghavi@alligator.org

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