Monday, August 7, 2023

Cross Creek celebrates late author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ birthday

ATTENDEES SHARE THEIR LOVE AND CONNECTIONS TOWARD THE LATE RAWLINGS OVER CUPCAKES AND MANGO ICE CREAM

By Emma Parker Alligator Staff Writer

On a hot summer day, Cross Creek residents gathered in front of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ house and celebrated the late author’s birthday.

She would have turned 127 years old Aug. 8.

The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Birthday Celebration, which ran from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 5 at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings State Park, included speeches about Rawlings’ community impact, live music, food as well as a walking tour through her property.

The Friends of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Farm and the state park have worked together and hosted Rawlings’ birthday celebrations for almost 25 years.

Rawlings put Cross Creek on the map when she and her husband, Charles Rawlings, moved to the rural town in 1928. She wrote her Pulitzer Prize-winning book “The Yearling” and other popular works

Gainesville students concerned about gun laws, safety after deadly shooting Gainesville community weighs

AP Psychology remains an option for high school students

By Amanda Friedman & Gabriel Velasquez Neira

By Vivienne Serret Alligator Staff Writer

A deadly July 30 shooting raised several questions about the future of gun safety around university campuses — particularly in Florida — with the passing of HB 543.

On July 30, at approximately 2:42 a.m, multiple gunshots were fired near 900 West University Avenue.

There were two victims who died and one injured, according to a public release from the Gainesville Police Department.

The Gainesville Police Depart-

ment arrested Ja’zier Antonio Myers, who was allegedly seen on surveillance video at Bodytech Tattooing and Piercing on University Avenue for allegedly shooting the first, deceased, victim in the head, according to the GPD arrest report. UF Shands Hospital announced the death of the second victim after they were found in front of the Checkers Drive-In on University Avenue. The third victim was found near the restaurant with a gunshot wound to the buttocks. Witnesses around the scene

Sawyer Lamers // Alligator Staff

Eli Tragash (left) and Virginia Carr (right) perform with their band, The Front Porch Backsteppers, at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park on Saturday, August 5, 2023.

Schools officials are uncertain about how the course can be taught under new state laws

UF Student Government

Senate President exonerated for second time

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By Vivienne Serret Alligator Staff Writer

The Student Government Rules and Ethics Committee met June 17 for nearly four hours to consider the expulsion of Senate President Oscar Santiago Perez (Change-District D) after Minority Party Leader Bronson Allemand (Gator-District A) said he would file a case during the announcements section of the June 13 Senate meeting.

Allemand’s charges against Santiago Perez included malfeasance, moral turpitude and forgery. These charges pertained to Santiago Perez allegedly filling out a voter record for former Change Sen. Anaum Virani at the Feb. 21 Senate meeting.

Santiago Perez was exonerated of all charges, and they believed the committee made the right decision given the inconclusive evidence.

Communist Party Leader Alfredo Ortiz also filed a case, titled the Fabrication Investigation, in regard to the June 17 trial where Santiago Perez was exonerated of all charges in a four-to-one vote.

Before the July 11 Senate meeting, Ortiz filed a memorandum to

the UF Supreme Court calling for a more in-depth investigation of the events that took place.

“If Oscar indeed fabricated a voter record, that should come to light so that future senators know not to engage in similar conduct in the future,” Ortiz wrote. “If he did not, then his innocence should not be subject to uncertainty because it would not be fair to his reputation.”

Ortiz believes Santiago Perez was vindicated on a technicality because the investigation was cut short due to the Rules and Ethics Committee lacking the ability to subpoena more evidence.

They don't have any further comments regarding the case, Santiago Perez said, and the evidence speaks for itself.

After Ortiz filed the case to the Supreme Court, special investigator Jesse Dieterle was appointed to the case.

Dieterle emailed questions to all members present at the June 17 trial. Only Allemand, Santiago Perez, Sen. Zoe Richter (ChangeCALS) and LGBTQ Caucus Chairperson and Judiciary Vice Chair Joaquin R. C. Marcelino responded.

Allemand included all instanc-

es of mentions of “student government property” he could find in SG’s governing documents.

“I believe that it is reasonable to believe that the voter records which we use in our Senate sessions translate to Student Government Property as they are disseminated by the Senate Secretaries which are employees under Student Government,” Allemand wrote.

Richter wrote to Dieterle the definition of what constitutes SG property is not related to the hearing she attended.

“Please refer to the minutes and recordings,” Richter wrote. “Respectfully, I am not going to recompile evidence that is publicly available.”

Dieterle does not believe there is probable cause to further inquire whether Santiago Perez misused Student Government property, he wrote.

He concluded there is no probable cause to open an investigation on the basis of this complaint — further exonerating Santiago Perez for a second time.

@vivienneserret vserret@alligator.org

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Special Investigator didn’t find enough probable cause to hear the Fabrication Investigation

Several UF Board of Trustees donate $1.3 million to DeSantis’ presidential PAC

BOT CHAIR MORI HOSSEINI IS ONE OF THE TOP DONORS

By Garrett Shanley Alligator Staff Writer

Several members of the UF Board of Trustees donated more than $1.3 million to Never Back Down, a super PAC funding Gov. Ron DeSantis’ 2024 presidential bid.

Board Chair Mori Hosseini donated $1 million to Never Back Down through his companies ICI Homes Residential Holdings LLC, Intervest Construction of Jax Inc., MHK of Volusia County Inc. and CC North Central LLC. Hosseini previously supplied DeSantis with a golf simulator in 2019 and private flights as recently as February.

Hosseini is one of at least seven other individual donors to donate more than $1 million to the political action committee.

Trustees James Heavener, Richard Cole and Patrick Zalupski donated a combined $360,000 to Never Back Down. DeSantis appointed Cole and Zalupski to the board in 2020 and 2023 respectively.

Never Back Down raised more than $130 million since February and spent nearly $34 million as of June 30, FEC filings revealed July 31.

Over half of its contribution transferred from De-

Santis’ political action committee Empower Parents, formerly known as Friends of Ron DeSantis.

The Campaign Legal Center, a self-identified nonpartisan watchdog organization, filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against the donation in May.

DeSantis and Empower Parents allegedly violated laws prohibiting the use of soft money, money not subject to federal limits and reporting requirements, according to the complaint.

Ten of 13 trustees have donated more than $1.2 million to Empower Parents since 2018.

PACs are not the only avenue the trustees have used to support DeSantis’ presidential run.

Trustees Hosseini, David Brandon and Daniel O’Keefe each donated $6,600 to DeSantis’ principal presidential campaign. The campaign has raised more than $20 million since its launch in May, according to FEC filings.

Never Back Down CEO Chris Jankowski is hopeful for DeSantis’ White House prospects.

“$150 million raised from across all 50 states between DeSantis for President and Never Back Down shows what a formidable movement is behind Governor DeSantis,” Jankowski wrote in a statement. “The future of the Republican Party is Governor Ron DeSantis.”

@garrettshanley gshanley@alligator.org

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the Republican Party of Iowa’s 2023 Lincoln Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, July 28, 2023.

Florida Supreme Court hears dispute about UF’s 2020 COVID-19 shutdown

A potential class-action case may be brought against UF

By Sally Brown Alligator Staff Writer

The Florida Supreme Court will review a case about UF returning fees paid to the university during the COVID-19 shutdown to students.

Anthony Rojas, a UF graduate student, filed the lawsuit against UF in April. The lawsuit seeks refunds of fees students paid for healthcare, transportation and athletic services the university failed to provide because of the shutdown.

The issue is a “question of great public importance,” according to the justices’ order.

The main focus of the lawsuit is if UF made a breach of contract when services connected to fees were not provided.

A divided panel of the First District Court of Appeal said the case should’ve been dismissed by the Alachua Circuit Judge. As a result, Rojas’ attorneys went to the Supreme Court in January.

In the First District, UF is protected from liability by sovereign immunity, Judge Rachel Nordby said. In this legal concept, agencies can endure breach-of-contract lawsuits even if it is shown the contract has been violated.

Nordby and Judge Lori Rowe expressed sympathy in their seven-page opinion. They elaborated, “if there were a sufficient contract attached to his complaint, we would affirm the trial court [decision not to dismiss the case] without hesitation. But without such an express, written agreement … sovereign immunity bars the action.”

The Supreme Court was asked to review

the question of whether sovereign immunity “bars a breach of contract claim against a state university based on the university’s failure to provide its students with access to on-campus services and facilities.”

In his dissent, Judge Scott Maker, who had been on the First District Court of Appeal and is now the Fifth District Court of Appeal, wrote “Little doubt exists that an enforceable written contract of some sort exists; if one did not, the university would have difficulty collecting tuition and fees for services because of the lack of mutuality.”

The UF case handles only the question of fees, not tuition.

This case is one of many similar cases throughout Florida and the country seeking similar compensation.

Similar cases were brought against State

University Avenue shooting

SHOOTING, from pg. 1

stated Myers entered a vehicle while holding a firearm. Myers claims he has no recollection of what occurred and told GPD he was possibly drugged, according to the arrest report.

This shooting comes after debate over the “constitutional carry law” went into effect July 1. HB 543 allows Floridians to carry concealed weapons without a governmentissued permit.

Local students are worried about their safety in the downtown and near campus areas after the shooting.

Jared Craig, a 21-year-old UF public health student, initially had plans to be in the area of the shooting to go out with friends to get a drink.

Craig didn’t end up going out,

and he was glad he didn’t, he said.

Craig was shocked but not surprised about the shooting given the state of Florida relaxing rules meant to keep us safe, he said.

“I think that this is a common and unfortunate story we see repeated daily across the US,” Craig said.

Crag recounted a May altercation where guns were involved on the same part of downtown where he just was. He believes a lot of UF students and Gainesville residents have been in situations where they are near gun violence, he said.

“I definitely think that the University of Florida, in collaboration with the city of Gainesville, GPD and the state need to work together to address safety in midtown and downtown,“ Craig said.

Craig hopes UF can work with the community to improve safety around campus, he said.

“The University of Florida owes it to its students to advocate for safety not just on campus, but in the spaces that students live, have fun in and work — like downtown and midtown.” Craig wrote.

Daniel Gutierrez, a 23-year-old UF alumnus, has lived in Gainesville for five years. He graduated from UF in 2022 and has witnessed multiple shootings during his time in Gainesville.

“I have heard, unfortunately, shots fired late at night,” Gutierrez said. “It's something that's on my mind.”

Gutierrez believes safety has only gotten worse since his time as an undergraduate to now postgraduate studies. He recalled a time in early May when a deadly shooting took place near downtown bars Simons, Arcade Bar and University Club.

Ryan Ruiz, a 20-year-old Santa

Advanced Placement in Florida

AP PSYCH, from pg. 1

nonprofit that manages Advanced Placement courses — and the Florida Department of Education debated the future of AP Psychology in Florida last week.

The College Board announced Thursday its AP Psychology course was “effectively banned” in Florida due to the class’s section on gender identity and sexual orientation. Schools that censor the course's required content will lose the AP designation for the class, the nonprofit added.

Instruction on the topics is prohibited in Florida’s K-12 classrooms under the state’s recently enacted expansion to the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

However, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr., notified school superintendents that students could take AP Psychology “in its entirety” as long as the class is taught “in a manner that is age and developmentally appropriate,” in a Friday letter.

“College Board has suggested that it might withhold the 'AP' designation from this course in Florida, ultimately

hurting Florida students,” Diaz wrote. “AP Psychology is and will remain in the course code directory making it available to Florida students.”

Earlier this year, Gov. Ron DeSantis rejected a preliminary version of the nonprofit’s AP African American Studies course for including topics such as Black queer studies and intersectionality, which he said defy state law.

Florida officials asked the College Board for reassurance the AP Psychology course curriculum complied with Florida regulations and laws in June. The College Board dismissed the request, refusing to modify its courses in light of newly enacted state legislation.

Diaz’s letter raises questions for school officials about how the course’s section on gender identity and sexual orientation can be taught in compliance with state law.

“We will be seeking additional clarification on the language in the commissioner's letter — particularly the section on 'age and developmentally appropriate' and what that means in light of state law,” said Jackie Johnson, Alachua County Public Schools spokesperson, in a

statement.

appeals courts at Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida A&M University and Miami Dade College. The FAU and Florida A&M cases were appealed but are now on hold because of the UF case. The Florida Supreme Court declined the University of South Florida’s appeal Jan. 5.

Adam Moskowitz is a Coral Gables attorney representing Roja.

"We are not challenging the required tuition or the ensuing diploma, but all of these other charges that were physically impossible to take advantage of during the height of the pandemic,” Moskowitz said.

@sabrown_22 sbrown@alligator.org

Fe College animal science student, believes shootings are just going to continue with how things are in Florida.

More should be done about campus safety, Ruiz said, but is not sure what can be done given the passing of HB 543.

“[Florida’s] making it easier to hold these guns in public,” Ruiz said. “All of Florida, at least from what I've seen, is doing a bunch of dumb s–t.”

Ivana Jordan, a 19-year-old UF behavioral and cognitive neuroscience student, heard about the shooting after a friend sent an article about it in a group chat.

Jordan hasn’t heard much news coverage about the shooting and finds it sad. She used to feel safe around downtown and midtown, but knowing about the shooting has made her more nervous and aware of her surroundings.

Jordan doesn’t believe UF can do much about off-campus incidents, but Florida legislators can. Yet

Roughly 28,000 Florida students took AP Psychology last year with the course’s sexual orientation and gender identity section. The subjects have been part of the course’s unit on developmental psychology since launching around 30 years ago.

Former AP Psychology students were disappointed by the conflict and the possibility of others losing the course, as it had a significant impact on their high school experience.

Derek Simon, a 21-year-old UF psychology senior, said taking the course in high school inspired him to pursue a career as a researcher in the field. The course did an excellent job of providing a base understanding of psychology, he said.

However, he was alarmed by the recent controversy.

“The current state of AP Psychology in Florida is truly sad and troubling,” he wrote. “Politics has no place in the domain of scientific inquiry, regardless of what is being studied.”

Kanna Isabel Agnila, a 20-year-old UF psychology junior, also took AP Psychology in high school. The class helped Agnila with her comprehension of human behaviors and learning theories.

“It provided a safe space for me to not

haven’t done enough, if anything at all, she said.

“I honestly feel neglected by our government sometimes, especially with all the shootings,” Jordan said.

Jordan believes pressuring legislators about the importance of gun safety might persuade them to make a change, she said

“Keep putting pressure on them and hope that maybe eventually they’ll care about us,” Jordan said.

Myers is currently being held without bail and has been appointed a public defender according to court documents.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 352955-1818 or can remain anonymous by contacting the Alachua County Crime Stoppers at 352-372-7867.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. @vivienneserret vserret@alligator.org

only express my identity and mental health but also learn content that is relevant today,” Agnila said.

AP Psychology helps destigmatize mental health issues while informing students on treatments, prevention, risk factors and other pertinent information that is often overlooked in the regular curriculum, she said.

“To deny people access to this course and its contents is doing the future generations a massive disservice,” Agnila said. “Controlling education, especially access to all of the curriculum due to homophobia is not right and detrimental to everyone.”

In response to Diaz’s letter, the College Board released a statement late Friday, confirming that Florida school districts should be able to offer the class.

“We hope now that Florida teachers will be able to teach the full course, including content on gender and sexual orientation, without fear of punishment in the upcoming school year,” the College Board wrote.

@amandasfriedman @gvelasquezn afriedman@alligator.org gvelasquezneira@alligator.org

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ 127th

AUTHOR, from pg. 1

such as “Cross Creek” and “South Under the Moon” there.

Rawlings died at age 57, due to a ruptured aneurysm.

The Friends of the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Farm raffled off fresh marmalade made with ingredients grown on the farm and sold various pieces of work written by Rawlings for donations.

Attendees enjoyed cupcakes, drinks and mango ice cream as an homage to Rawlings’ own mango ice cream recipe in her popular cookbook “Cross Creek Cookery.”

Attendees could also tour Rawlings’ house and farm. The tour shut down after the event for maintenance until October.

Eli Tragash, a 33-year-old fiddle player for local band the Front Porch Backsteppers, has played at the event for six years but has enjoyed Rawlings’ work his entire life.

“I've just always been a fan of her writing and the park, coming to the park growing up,” Tragash said. “It’s always a pleasure to play here.”

Not only did locals come for the celebration, but visitors across the state made the journey to come and celebrate the life of one of their favorite authors.

Lisa Bone, a 64-year-old environmental educator and musician, traveled with her husband, Charlie Bone, to the state park as it marked their first stop on their road trip from Sarasota, Florida to Jacksonville.

Bone was first introduced to the park when she applied to be a park ranger in the late ‘80s but never got the job. The event was her first

opportunity to visit in 40 years.

“[The event] was lovely… the excitement [was] over Marjorie as a writer and as a person… how she incorporated her life into the community and kind of brought people together,” Bone said.

Rawlings created famous works of fiction, and was a star neighbor and caretaker of the land.

Donna Green-Townsend, the 65-year-old president of the Friends of the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Farm Inc., expressed her long admiration for Rawlings and her dedication to sharing the significance of Rawlings’ work.

“She was a true neighbor. I mean that’s just our story,” GreenTownsend said. “Everybody has a story to tell about Marjorie…She hung around with folks like Ernest Hemingway, but yet she loved her neighbors.”

Green-Towsend created a documentary titled, “From Novel to Move: The Yearling in Florida” where she spoke with locals connected to the production of the movie and how Rawlings’ work impacted them.

The documentary will be aired on WUFT- TV Broadcast at 9 p.m. Aug. 8.

“So even if you don’t know where Cross Creek is, or Florida or have never been here [Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings State Park]. Who can’t relate to a child having to grow up and realize that sometimes you have to go from childhood to manhood?” GreenTownsend said.

@emmaparkerg

eparker@alligator.org

Sawyer Lamers // Alligator Staff Gainesville-based musical trio, The Front Porch Backsteppers, perform during the celebration at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park on Saturday, August 5, 2023.

Sawyer Lamers // Alligator Staff

Attendees were entertained by parrots and other animals around the property at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park on Saturday, August 5, 2023.

Gainesville’s beauty industry: hairstyling with a twist

GAINESVILLE HAIR BRAIDERS PUT CARE INTO EVERY BRAID

By Aubrey Bocalan Avenue Staff Writer

Editor’s Note: This is the third story in a series about Gainesville’s beauty industry.

Looking good takes time. Hair braiders understand this more than most. They will spend hours, sometimes days locking hair into the perfect strands.

They have different titles from stylist to cosmetologist to beautician. Nonetheless, they all offer the same service: their passion in hopes others find their confidence.

Temeka Parker

There is a little girl squirming in the salon chair. She’s been there for several hours. Every few minutes she asks to go to the bathroom while a half-empty can of soda waits on a table nearby. The room smells of hair gel and shampoo.

Sitting patiently behind her, fingers flying to finish another braid, is Temeka Parker, a 42-year-old full-service cosmetologist at A Nu Twist, located at 1031 NW Sixth St. From braiding cornrows to making her own wigs, Parker has a variety of skills that are useful in

the hair industry. She can also dye hair and give haircuts.

Parker has styled hair since she was in ninth grade. After high school, she joined the Air Force for five years before returning to the world of hair braiding.

She always knew she would go back to styling hair. It’s her passion, she said.

“If I didn’t have to make a living out of it, I would do it for free and still be fine,” she said.

More than just a service, styling hair offers the opportunity to learn about and from new people.

Since going to hair school in Jacksonville, she kept several loyal clients until she moved to Gainesville in April.

Though she’s only been in Gainesville for a few months, she has more than 20 years of professional experience that leaves nearly every customer satisfied. She hopes to start a non-profit organization to take client satisfaction a step further.

The organization will provide free hair services to domestic abuse shelters, addiction treatment centers and veterans. However, she also plans on getting professional life coaches and therapists to volunteer to help those struggling with mental health.

“When they’re walking out, they’re not feeling good just on the outside, they’re feeling good on the inside,” she said.

That is her favorite part — seeing people

happy with their services.

“I like to see the end result and the response I get from people who like their hair,” Parker said.

As Parker presented the mirror and revealed the final look, the little girl smiled and squealed with joy. After she ran her fingers through her new hair, the little girl turned to Parker and made one last request.

“Can I have a hug?” she asked.

Omolola Akala

Many people say home is where the heart is. But to Omolola Akala, a 33-year-old beautician, home is where she gets to braid hair. She wants her chair to feel comfortable to others.

“I always make sure they have maximum satisfaction because that’s what is paramount to us here,” she said.

If she is working by herself, braiding can take around 6 hours, but that can change depending on the hairstyle. Because it takes so much time, she tries to make everyone feel at home, often offering food, drinks or phone chargers.

Akala considers herself to be more introverted but doesn’t mind making the effort to speak with customers, especially if it makes clients more comfortable. She doesn’t just make other people feel at home. Styling hair also makes her feel closer to home.

Akala grew up in Nigeria but came to the United States to study beauty. Her mom, who used to braid hair in Africa, inspired Akala.

Hair braiding is believed to have originated in Africa, as a way to differentiate between tribes and social classes, according to Genesis Career College.

When she originally came to the U.S., she settled in Chicago. However, the weather did not agree with her, so she jumped at the opportunity to move to Florida two years ago, she said.

Once she arrived in Gainesville, she started working at Mariame African Hair Braiding located at 1113 N Main St. Since the store opened, she’s had several clients that always ask for her specifically whenever they want their hair done.

One thing Akala has noticed is that the braiding culture is different in Africa than in the U.S. They have a more communal society whereas the U.S. is more individualistic, Akala said.

While she respects clients who may not want to talk, in Africa, people don’t have as much of a choice.

Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/the-avenue @aubreyyrosee abocalan@alligator.org

Summer housing crisis leaves students temporarily homeless

MANY STUDENTS GET RESOURCEFUL

FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS IN THE SEMESTER

By Leia Ulrich Avenue Staff Writer

UF student Taylor Bornstein left his apartment at The Standard for the last time July 31. The 21-year-old UF political science senior packed most of his things and was left with just the essentials to get him through the day.

He dropped off his keys at the leasing office and went to class.

Bornstein had a few days to find a couch to sleep on or a room to stay in. He had no luck.

With nowhere else to go, Taylor drove two and a half hours to his parents’ house in Orlando.

He was fortunate to have a teacher who understood his situation and allowed him to continue his five credit course virtually. He will commute this Tuesday for a major assignment, but the rest of his assignments will not be in person. The class relies on face-to-face communication, so his grades have suffered since he left Gainesville, he said.

“It would be nice to see if the university could offer some support,” he said.

Students whose yearlong leases ended are now displaced, and many still have Summer B courses until Friday. Most leases end July 31, and the dates for move-in vary.

Circa Properties residents can move in Aug. 10. Residents of The Hub apartments and Lyons Corner cannot move in until Aug. 18. They have the possibility for early movein, but the available dates are after classes have ended.

Newly constructed complex UFORA pushed its move-in date as late as Sept. 15.

In addition to not having somewhere to live, many students and parents have expressed frustration over being charged for a full month of rent when the move-in date is midway through the month.

Ava Lucke, a 21-year-old manager at 2nd Avenue Centre, said most student housing in Gainesville is done on an installment basis. The overall price of renting the apartment for the year is divided into equal payments, she said. As a result, tenants are required to pay the entire cost of the first month’s rent.

The complex needs a full three weeks between leases because each apartment takes about five days to be inspected, painted and deep cleaned, Lucke said. There are about 300 apartments at 2nd Avenue Centre.

“We do understand that people have classes, and they’re coming from different properties to ours,” Lucke said. “We have early move-in options and then we also have transfer-in options for people who are coming from other properties that our company owns.”

The transfer-in process is a one-day move-in window Aug. 7 for residents of 2nd Avenue Centre, Royal Village and University Club Apartments to move to any of the other locations.

Some students found that new housing

opportunities have been beneficial.

Forest Weiss, a 19-year-old UF business sophomore, decided to move out of his dorm and into a friend’s room. He lived in Beaty Towers and considered moving into Hume Hall for the summer, but he grew tired of dorming and wanted something different. He moved into a house with a full kitchen, living room and porch.

“It felt more like a homey experience rather than the college dorm feeling,” he said.

He will be moving into his fraternity house next year, so this is his only time to live in a house during his first half of college.

Some students enjoyed this time between houses. Others were left with no choice but to leave. The issue is not easily resolved since apartment complexes need time to prepare and students need a place to live.

@ulrichleia lulrich@alligator.org

Isabella Ferrie and Diego Perdomo // Alligator Staff

Inside a dusty office off 13th Street

Ijoined The Independent Florida Alligator before I even moved to Gainesville. I didn’t know what life would look like for the next four years, but I knew that I wanted this paper to be a part of it.

While I half-listened to countless Zoom meetings from my notoriously moldy freshman dorm, I listened to upperclassmen’s anecdotes about what being in an in-person newsroom felt like and how journalistic passion and college-aged antics merged. As a Fall 2020 freshman — ahem, a COVID-19 freshman — The Alligator office just felt like a mythical place.

I often say I joined the newsroom through the backdoor, never covering breaking news or exposing the results of impressive investigations. I just wrote what I knew: the communities that I grew up in and the topics they care about.

El Caimán raised me as a reporter. Before any intro class taught me anything, I learned how to write a story by translating those of my peers. Covering Hispanic communities and working at our Spanish desk taught me what it’s like to use what your life experience as a strength.

Caimán, often an afterthought rather than an established section, is the reason I stuck with this whole journalism thing. I owe it a lot.

It helped me gain the confidence to dare to write what I didn’t know. After Caimán introduced me to Gainesville, the Avenue threw me into the depths of local culture headfirst, showing me the quirkiest, strangest and coolest things the city hides.

More importantly than what I covered, however, The Avenue gave me a found family of like-minded culture fiends who also got their hearts broken every time a well-thought-out adjective got edited out of a profile and who also had way too much to say about Taylor Swift.

I have a lot of things to be grateful for, and the friends I made at that desk are usually high on my list. I hope they know that.

I found my place in these corners of the newsroom and somehow stuck around for long enough for them to trust me to take on a managing editor position. So now I’m here, six semesters later, saying goodbye and still pretending to hate this place.

I’d be surprised if staff members two semesters from now even hear my name. I didn’t particularly focus on building any form of legacy but on creating an experience for myself that would make all the work worth it.

A place on a masthead, an impressive byline: those things go and get forgotten. What really counts, I think, is the people and the memories they have with you.

The editors who shape you as a reporter, the life-long friendships that spark from office small talk, the memories in and outside the newsroom that we get to share with each other, the complicated network of interpersonal relationships that brews if you stay for long enough, the

sense of community — those will remember you.

I learned somewhere along the way that, like much of Gainesville, The Alligator is a transitional space: constantly following the cyclical motions of fresh-faced students joining, staying for a while, learning some stuff, and then leaving.

Some try to hold on to the paper for longer than it holds on to them, but I’m more excited to look back on it.

There’s some beauty in being part of something bigger than yourself. There’s comfort and humility in knowing that no matter what, the paper will keep going for years after you’re gone like it has for the past century.

And yet, after three years, two desks, a pandemic and many valued friendships, this summer was the first time I understood what pre-COVID staff meant when they talked about being at the office.

To be contrived by space and time, trapped in a room with a dozen other people collectively stressing to meet a midnight deadline and to still have the energy and vibrancy to remind you of the passion that brought you here in the first place, I think that’s what they meant.

I will never forget how it felt sitting at an overcrowded table of editors and reporters filling every seat they could, bouncing ideas off each other about how to make a sentence sound better or what synonyms to use.

If I took nothing else from the past three years, I’d be content just experiencing the loud eruptions of laughter and the endless layers of overlapping conversation and banter that filled our dusty office room with more noise than the walls were intended to support.

All that thoughtful chaos and even the inevitable exhaustion I felt by the time our deadline neared (which I tried to hide behind dark sunglasses every Sunday midnight) made it worth it.

I’ve never felt prouder to be a part of something than I felt this summer.

Whether it was our special editions highlighting AAPI and Pride month and celebrating Juneteenth and demystifying hundreds of Florida laws, or even something as simple as a picture of two ladies dressed in pink for the Barbie premiere going on our front page, all my favorite papers came from the last few months. A lot of my favorite memories did too.

I could’ve told you what it meant to work at The Alligator at any point in the past three years, but I don’t think I would’ve gotten it right.

Villarroel was the Summer 2023 Engagement Managing Editor of The Independent Florida Alligator.

Alittle more than two and a half years ago, my first “Big Three” hired me for one of the lowest-paying positions we have on staff, and I was overjoyed. I didn’t even know you could get paid for this, and those few extra dollars were so exciting to me.

I joined our staff when COVID-19 restricted us from meeting in large groups. I got to know the people who I now look to for advice and guidance on Zoom.

I cherish the beginning of my time here, and it allowed me to grow as a journalist. But I really only fell in love with The Independent Florida Alligator when I stepped into the Gainesville Sun building and met dozens of very real people in our very real office about one year ago.

I had worked in a few newsrooms and with multiple rounds of The Alligator staff by then. However, the friendships I made last Fall propelled me to the position I’m in now and helped me gain the confidence to run this newsroom.

So, after six semesters on staff, I can tell you from personal experience and things I’ve witnessed, this is what happens when you join The Alligator staff.

At first, you come in thinking, “How hard can it be?” Maybe you had some writing experience in high school, or you took JOU3101 Reporting and got a good grade. You’re a little nervous but still excited. Your first editor will gently (or not so gently) shoot you down but also show you where to improve. You should be grateful for this honesty; you’re not going to get advice like this from anyone else, anywhere else.

If you can survive your first semester, I promise you it will get easier. You’ll come back prepared, and you’ll publish the best work you’ve ever done. Quickly, you’ll move up the ranks, and soon enough you’ll be three or four semesters in.

I couldn’t have done this without the editors who came before me. I worked under two desk editors and five sets of managing editors during my time here. I thank them endlessly for the patience and opportunities they gave me.

I traveled to Nashville with two of my closest friends to take photos at the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament in March. I covered an event featuring Gov. Ron DeSantis, and I reported alongside other state news organizations as a 20-year-old UF sophomore. Among the many articles I wrote for the paper, I particularly liked my stories about a lack of Gen-Z in funeral care services, a Dr. Anthony Fauci look-alike contest and a woman who drives around rural Florida in a hand-painted hippie-style van.

This semester was the most rewarding experience of my Alligator career. We published The Alligator’s first Asian American and Pacific Islander History Month special edition paper, which was an extremely important and personal accomplishment. We remained committed to LGBTQ coverage throughout the summer and especially during Pride Month. We published a paper exploring significant legislation DeSantis enacted July 1. We also reestablished The Alligator’s communication with the university president this semester, and we will continue seeking transparency from the UF administration going forward.

I really couldn’t have done it all without the two people who make up the other, equal parts of our “Big Three”: Kristine Villarroel and Jackson Reyes.

Kristine, we were always on the same wavelength. We thought the same and edited the same. You have no idea how much that meant to me. Cheers to six semesters — where we somehow managed to miss each other for half of those semesters!

Jackson, thank you for being the person I can rely on most. You kept me sane and drove me insane. I’ll always have your back, and I’m so excited for you to continue making this place a fun learning environment.

Thank you Claire Grunewald, Kyle Bumpers, Alan Halaly and Christian Casale for being the friends I made along the way. Each of you mean so much to me and have helped me mentally prepare to move on.

When you decide this place is the place for you, you’ll be glad you gave it a shot. You’ll feel so rewarded by the professional experiences that come with the job. You may shed a few tears. You may also get to laugh. Regardless, if you choose to join The Alligator, I hope you also get to experience the love and friendship it can offer. Because that’s what happened to me.

Kristine

Jiselle Lee was the Summer 2023 Editor-in-Chief of The Independent Florida Alligator.

Kristine Villarroel @ktnedelvalle kvillarroel@alligator.org

Jiselle Lee @jiselle_lee jlee@alligator.org

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Van Daalen finds home at Florida as international student-athlete

The freshman won an SEC indoor and outdoor championship

By Hailey Hurst Sports Writer

International track and field student-athletes relocate to the United States every year to pursue an education and a sports career.

Netherlands native and Gators freshman Alida van Daalen took that risk when she joined the Florida track and field program and made her debut in January.

Within a few months, she held a SEC indoor and outdoor title in shotput and was awarded the 2023 SEC Outdoor Women's Freshman Field Athlete of the Year.

Her decision to commit to UF’s track and field team was not an easy one despite the accomplishments to come.

“People were DMing me, ‘Oh are you interested in going to the U.S.?’” van Daalen said. “I didn’t reply. I didn’t know I wanted to move to the U.S. because I had my mom as my coach.”

van Daalen grew up training under her mother in Rotterdam and earned her first gold in discus at the European U20 Championship 2019. She became a standout athlete after she participated in major championships over the past three years.

Gators throw coach Eric Werskey consistently reached out to van Daalen for several months in 2022.

“I would actually message her directly and she would always kindly say, ‘No I'm not interested,'” Werskey said. “I think it was like four to six times she just told me flat-out no.”

It wasn’t until he reached out to her mother that van Daalen became

interested in hearing more about the school.

“Whenever you initially reach out about potential scholarship opportunities, they don’t fully understand what that encompasses,” Werskey said.

Van Daalen met Werskey during her first official visit to UF’s campus in October 2022. A few weeks later, she made her commitment to the team.

“I was in my comfort zone and if you are in your comfort zone, you’re not growing,” she said.

Van Daalen arrived on campus two months later to start her new chapter as a member of Florida's track and field team.

There was a significant change in culture from the Netherlands to the United States for the incoming freshman.

”The food was the biggest culture shock,” van Daalen said. “You’re used to a certain way to eat, and it changes a lot.”

Van Daalen missed her mom’s cooking. The dining hall and American food could not compete with traditional homemade meals.

Food wasn’t the only change in pace for the European champion.

“The competitions in the U.S. are much tougher,” van Daalen said. “It was hard at first but it made me tougher to perform at a higher stage.”

There is much more range of competition in the United States compared to what she experienced in Europe, van Daalen said.

“You need to be prepared for what’s coming,” van Daalen said. “Everybody wants to win in the U.S.,

in 2023

everybody is very good.”

Although the challenge was promising, van Daalen said moving away from home can be a difficult transition.

“I’m a very big family person,” van Daalen said. “That was I think the hardest part, I would not see my grandparents for a long time and my other family members.”

Van Daalen gained support from her new family in the Gators track and field program. She said everyone in the program motivated each other through training and competition. Despite the support, van Daalen didn’t know what to expect upon arriving in Gainesville.

“You don’t know how coach Werskey coaches, how the group responds to you as an athlete, and how the school helps you with whatever you need,” she said.

She quickly discovered a sense of community among her coaches and teammates that made her feel more at ease.

The two-time European champion in the discus quickly adjusted to competing without her mom coaching right by her side.

Her goal became to continue what her mom helped her achieve in her youth.

“In the beginning, you have no idea what you are doing, so just get the help that you need and let the people of the University of Florida and the Gators support you,” van Daalen said. “And when you’re ready to do it yourself, you can do it yourself.”

@haileyjhurst hhurst@alligator.org

The unbreakable relationship between the Gators’ gymnastics and diving teams

THE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FRIENDSHIPS BEYOND THEIR SPORTS

By Krisha Sanghavi Sports Writer

In a SEC school with 17 different varsity sports teams, it’s difficult to find a bond like the Gators gymnastics and diving teams’ camaraderie.

The two UF teams have developed an unparalleled connection beyond the realm of competition to make true memories off the mat and out of the water.

This unique relationship started last summer when both teams shared the same weight room schedule. The Gators be-

gan working out together almost every day and found themselves enjoying each other’s company.

“We just worked out together and had a great time, because workouts were more chill,” said former Florida gymnast Leah Clapper. “It started forming a connection between the teams.”

During their training sessions, they took notice of the commonalities between the two sports and wanted to test their limits in the others’ discipline.

“Basically, I had the idea that I wanted to jump off the 10-meter diving board at some point in the summer,” Clapper said. “We scheduled a time to go and practice with the divers, just to mess around, and had the best time.”

The athletes began to film “Gym versus Dive” videos showcasing their skills in the others’ sport. The videos earned millions of views on Instagram.

Both teams viewed the videos as an occasion to challenge

themselves while getting to know each other.

“It was just really hilarious switching sports,” she said. “The videos started going really viral. That was kind of the start of it.”

The teams’ biggest fans became each other. The athletes championed their support by showing up to the others’ meets.

Skip Donald, a senior Gators diver, explained how having the gymnasts at the meet felt different because they understood the sport like no one else.

“You don't get that kind of relationship with a football player and a soccer player or a basketball player and a baseball player, but gymnastics and diving are very similar," Donald said.

Their shared understanding of their individual sports fostered a sense of mutual respect for both disciplines.

Knowing there’s a group of friends who truly get the sport, it

SEE FEATURE, PAGE 12

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff

Florida freshman field athlete Alida van Daalen winds up a discus throw at the Florida Relays Friday March 31, 2023.

Friendship between sports

Florida dream comes true

be hard on her so she will succeed, he said.

FEATURE, from pg. 11

SOFTBALL, from pg. 11

for the sport for McCusker.

el, so he had an impact on my growth as a person and an athlete," Reagan Walsh said.

Her fellow Gators have noticed her con fidence in her ability to change positions on the field when things get tough.

makes us feel good that they come to watch us, he said.

At the gymnastics meets, the divers sat with many of the gymnasts’ family members to shout their endless support for the team.

Her growth as an athlete and as a Gator was made possible by the support of her parents and teammates, she said.

Likewise, the divers heavily appreciate gymnastics because diving was rooted in the sport. Many of the divers began in gymnastics and then switched sports for personal reasons.

Walsh — who’s near the end of her second year — recognized she has support from her father, teammates and coaches, she said.

“Those girls don’t see their family every day, but they see us every day,” Donald added. “So then when we sit with their family … it’s more of a comforting feeling.”

"I've seen her work and the growth she has had,” UF shortstop Skylar Wallace said. “I think she's known you're not going to be perfect at all times."

Senior diver Anton Svirskyi recognized the importance of gymnastics in his sport.

"The people at the University of Florida are great and have definitely impacted me as a player, but also as a person," Walsh said.

With such regular attendance at each others’ meet, the athletes have adapted new views to their own sports.

Riley McCusker, a sophomore

“Gymnastics is definitely the backbone of the sport,” he said. “I feel like the farther you go, especially in college, the more you pull away from that.”

Walsh has displayed confidence and an eagerness to win to the fans who come out to support her in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. She batted in a season-high six runs against Illinois State Feb. 11 and has a batting average of 0.353 this season. Her control at bat and ability to find the right pitch is big in late innings, Wallace

Practicing gymnastics with the team and watching them provided him an opportunity to revisit the

"As a parent, I just want to love and support her — tell her it's all right,” he said. “Then on the other hand, you have to be competitive, and you have to push her to make sure she knows you have to do

He will forever support his daughter, he petitive level, he’s been hard on Reagan and understands the tough times she might

"It's a tough balance,” he said. “But I

“If you would have told me that I would be really good friends with the girls on the gymnastics team, I probably would’ve thought that you were crazy,” Lumia said. “But

@krishasang ksanghavi@alligator.org

Diego Perdomo // Alligator Staff

Friendship between sports

Florida dream comes true

be hard on her so she will succeed, he said.

FEATURE, from pg. 11

SOFTBALL, from pg. 11

for the sport for McCusker.

el, so he had an impact on my growth as a person and an athlete," Reagan Walsh said.

Her fellow Gators have noticed her con fidence in her ability to change positions on the field when things get tough.

makes us feel good that they come to watch us, he said.

At the gymnastics meets, the divers sat with many of the gymnasts’ family members to shout their endless support for the team.

Her growth as an athlete and as a Gator was made possible by the support of her parents and teammates, she said.

Likewise, the divers heavily appreciate gymnastics because diving was rooted in the sport. Many of the divers began in gymnastics and then switched sports for personal reasons.

Walsh — who’s near the end of her second year — recognized she has support from her father, teammates and coaches, she said.

“Those girls don’t see their family every day, but they see us every day,” Donald added. “So then when we sit with their family … it’s more of a comforting feeling.”

"I've seen her work and the growth she has had,” UF shortstop Skylar Wallace said. “I think she's known you're not going to be perfect at all times."

Senior diver Anton Svirskyi recognized the importance of gymnastics in his sport.

"The people at the University of Florida are great and have definitely impacted me as a player, but also as a person," Walsh said.

With such regular attendance at each others’ meet, the athletes have adapted new views to their own sports.

Riley McCusker, a sophomore

“Gymnastics is definitely the backbone of the sport,” he said. “I feel like the farther you go, especially in college, the more you pull away from that.”

Walsh has displayed confidence and an eagerness to win to the fans who come out to support her in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. She batted in a season-high six runs against Illinois State Feb. 11 and has a batting average of 0.353 this season. Her control at bat and ability to find the right pitch is big in late innings, Wallace

Practicing gymnastics with the team and watching them provided him an opportunity to revisit the

"As a parent, I just want to love and support her — tell her it's all right,” he said. “Then on the other hand, you have to be competitive, and you have to push her to make sure she knows you have to do

He will forever support his daughter, he petitive level, he’s been hard on Reagan and understands the tough times she might

"It's a tough balance,” he said. “But I

“If you would have told me that I would be really good friends with the girls on the gymnastics team, I probably would’ve thought that you were crazy,” Lumia said. “But

@krishasang ksanghavi@alligator.org

Diego Perdomo // Alligator Staff