The Hawks' Herald | Feb. 25, 2021 by Hawks' Herald

www.rwuhawksherald.com Vol. 33, Issue 13 FREE

“We have to be the roses that grow out of the concrete” MSU hosts Dr. Yusef Salaam for its Honoring Black Resilience event

Emily Dvareckas Photo Editor Dr. Yusef Salaam was 15 years old when he and four other teenage boys were arrested and later convicted for the rape and assault of a 28-year-old woman in New York’s Central Park. To many, Dr. Salaam is recognized as one member of the Central Park Five. He would go on to serve six years and eight months of a five to 10 year sentence for a crime he did not commit. In the years following Dr. Salaam’s incarceration, he became a motivational speaker, author and coach in order to help people break through boundaries. The Multicultural Student Union (MSU) invited Dr. Salaam to speak to the RWU campus to discuss the inequalities within America’s justice system on Feb. 23. Nathalia Monte, secretary of MSU, played a key role in setting up the online event as committee co-chair. She believes it is important for the RWU community to hear what Dr. Salaam has experienced and the many injustices that marginalized people have faced, because many members have not shared the same experiences. “This type of discussion is important in every climate, whether it is political or not. We need to get away from the idea that when we discuss Black issues it is only important on the sole basis of politics. These are human rights issues, not a debate on people’s lives,” Monte said. “I hope attendees take away that these are situations that are still happening in these communities. Racism and injustice to BIPOC are something that is not of the past, but present and relevant in today’s society,” Monte said. “I also hope that students learn that racism can be uncovered in many different cases. In Dr. Yusef Salaam’s case, it was shown through the Department of Justice system. These types of racist acts and behavior are still shown today in all institutions, including education, healthcare, politics and housing.”

Courtesy of MSU Zoom MSU hosted Dr. Yusef Salaam who gave a moving keynote address followed by a Q&A session.

The event began with an introduction of Dr. Salaam’s story, which started in 1989 when he and the four other boys were arrested. After the introduction, Dr. Salaam brought forth his memories from that year. “April 19 of 1989 was when I was awakened from the American Dream to the American Nightmare,” Salaam said. Dr. Salaam described his feelings as he walked into the prison complex and began remarking on the echoes of the word “guilty” that filled his ears before he was even sentenced. When asked for his last statements at his sentencing, Salaam said, “sitting here at your table does not make me dinner, just like being here in America doesn’t make me an American.” He reminisced on the moment his life trajectory changed after being asked “who are you?” He realized he had to look at life in a positive light instead of a negative one, even as he sat in prison as a teenager for a crime he did not commit. He went on to talk about how Black children are plagued by the future, of either being dead or in prison by the age of 21, and described it as a gravitational pull toward a life of prison. Once in prison, Dr. Salaam took the

chance to define who he is to himself, starting with meditation. He fought against the preconceived notion that he belonged in prison because of the color of his skin and the seemingly destined path of life. “I didn’t want to die in there. I had to refuse to accept the meaning that they had given my life,” he said. He brought up the irony in how it took 13 years for the truth to come out, an unlucky number for many and a lifetime for the Central Park Five. He highlighted the large number of people involved with the Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization that works to exonerate wrongly convicted individuals, and mentioned how DNA is such a small piece of evidence that has exonerated so many. After Dr. Salaam’s 30-minute keynote address, MSU held a moderated Q&A session beginning with questions from BIPOC students on campus. MSU treasurer Jarielys Polonio opened the session with a question regarding changes that need to be taken to fight inequalities in the justice system.

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SALAAM on page 2

Sen. Whitehouse, Rep. Cicilline give RWU community inside look at second Trump impeachment trial Isabella Gentile Editor-in-Chief For Rhode Island congressional delegates, one impeachment resulted in a variety of important lessons. A historic second impeachment of the same president gave them the opportunity to re-strategize and alter tactics they used the first time around. U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Rep. David Cicilline and UNC School of Law Professor Michael Gerhardt shared their learning experiences with students in the Roger Williams University School of Law’s Tuesday night webinar. The event centered on incitement, insurrection and the second Trump impeachment. Cicilline began drafting articles for the second impeachment on Jan. 6, while the assault on the U.S. Capitol was still ongoing. The following week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi named Cicilline and eight other House impeachment managers to prosecute the trial. Realizing certain language might have worked against them during the first impeachment, the managers chose to focus strictly on the facts, walking through the events that led up to and happened on that day. “When we presented this case and when we prepared for it, I don’t think there was a single House manager that didn’t break down,” Cicilline said. “The night we saw that introductory video, it was hard to watch. You just couldn’t help but be overwhelmed.” Sticking to the facts required evidence to try to prove the former President’s guilt. This included video footage, Trump’s own admissions and statements through his social media posts from the days leading up to and the day of the Capitol attack. Cicilline and the other impeachment managers presented all of this to demonstrate why they thought the former President should be charged with inciting insurrection.

See

IMPEACHMENT

on page 2

SECTION EDITOR

Isabella Gentile igentile470@g.rwu.edu

NEWS

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

February 25, 2021

COVID-19 impacts college application process Sierra Gorkun Herald Reporter College admissions are among one of the many things affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Amy Tiberio, Roger Williams University Dean of Admission, provided an inside look at the changes that have taken place this year at RWU and other colleges throughout the nation. Tiberio said that due to the pandemic, almost every aspect of the college application process is behind its typical schedule. While this means RWU’s application numbers are slightly behind where they typically are at this time of year, Tiberio said there is no need for concern. “While I’m optimistic about meeting our enrollment goals, I don’t think it’s realistic to expect that the application volume is going to end up matching last year’s volume just because of everything going on,” she said. Due to a lack of in-person interaction in high schools, there have been less opportunities for counselors to reach

out to a variety of students and assist them in their process of applying to colleges, which affects some students more than others. “The population of students who are first-generation or low-income or from underserved communities and underresourced communities are impacted at an even greater rate,” Tiberio said. This means that ultimately there has been a decrease in application rates from these populations. Many typically in-person admissions opportunities such as college fairs took place online this year. According to Tiberio, RWU admissions implemented other online opportunities such as admissions interviews between prospective students and admissions counselors or alumni to connect one on one and learn about the university. Tiberios shared that nearly 400 people took advantage of this opportunity. The university has also been hosting specialized sessions such as how to apply to college, how to write your college essay and how to afford college. “This positions us as a place that is willing to help and willing to work with

THE GAVEL

Your source for Student Senate news Hey Hawks! This week had a rainy and windy start but here’s hope for better days ahead. This week Vice President of Student Life John King made a rainy night much brighter with some happy news about lifting a few COVID-19 restrictions on campus. On Monday night, the number of available spots for each Fitness Center session increased from 35 to 45. Furthermore, seated dining in Lower Commons will be open to students by next week. We voted on a bill that would prevent graduating seniors from voting in the Senate Elections. This bill did not pass because many of the Senators feel it is important for seniors to have a say in leaving their campus better than they found it. In addition, the Senate voted on a bill allocating funds for the purchase of new MagicInfo TVs on campus, including an 85 inch screen outside of the Recreation Center. This bill passed. We also passed another bill regarding senate vacancies, spring elections and freshman and transfer elections. We passed a bill to update our mission statement, so make sure to check that out. There was also a bill to appoint Alli Schoenfeldt to the position of SLIC Chair that passed unanimously. Congratulations, Alli! Please look for an email about Student Achievement and vote for yourself or a peer who has demonstrated participation and leadership skills throughout the year. Also, make sure to apply to the Student Senate Scholarships prior to March 10. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter @RWU_Senate and try to attend our weekly meetings on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. over Zoom. You can find the Zoom link on our Hawk Link by clicking on our weekly meeting event. The Zoom link will be available as the location.

families and students and are really here for them, and I think that really builds that relationship and trust,” Tiberio said. The pandemic resulted in limited opportunities for campus visits. According to Tiberio, RWU has been offering limited capacity in-person visits since June. Yet, whether it be due to personal discomfort or state travel restrictions, far fewer students have visited the RWU campus this year than in the past. August, a month with typically high visitation numbers due to many events occurring, saw 754 student visits in 2019. In 2020, there were only 201 visits in August. One major change in the college application process this year is the increase of schools that have temporarily become SAT and ACT test-optional. This is largely due to the inability of many students to take these tests due to a large number of cancellations because of the pandemic and safety concerns. Even though most colleges have gone test-optional, Tiberio said a level of mistrust still lingers for families, who worry students

will be judged by these schools for not having test scores. This has led to remaining pressure on students to take the tests, even if it means taking drastic measures, such as travelling many states over to find an open testing site. While these changes do not really have an impact on RWU, as the university has been test-optional for many years now, Tiberio has seen a change in the percentage of students who submitted their test scores with their applications. In previous years, around 65% of applicants included test scores while around 35% did not. Those numbers flipped this year, with only about 35% of applicants including test scores while 65% chose not to. Tiberio pointed out an interesting phenomenon, regarding an increase in applications to Ivy League schools as they also moved to a test-optional format during the pandemic. She said it will be interesting to watch the impact of this, as those admissions decisions will not be sent out until around April.

SALAAM

on. He expressed how important it is for him to speak on his experiences and help other people understand the issues found within the criminal justice system and how speaking of this is one way of healing. He spoke about how people call out for equality and not revenge and detailed how people don’t realize there is a difference. Dr. Salaam ended the Q&A with advice on self-preservation. “My advice to preserve your own self in hard times is to constantly wake up when your brain is operating at 10 wave cycles. The first few moments of your awakening,” Dr. Salaam said. “Constantly surround yourself with visual vision boards or mental vision boards, see those notes reminding you you are excellent.”

from page 1

“The system is not actually alive and well. The system is alive and sick. The system is not broken but it is actually operating exactly as it was imagined,” Salaam said. The next question asked if he believes in abolishing the police, to which he called for the creation of a new system and referenced a Jewish organization that has successfully policed themselves in the city of New York. A webinar attendee asked Dr. Salaam how he is at peace after everything he has gone through. He described how it was necessary to remain positive in order to find peace and be able to move

IMPEACHMENT

from page 1

“It was important to tell the story to the American people so that they understood what this former President’s culpability was and hopefully history has recorded it,” Cicilline said. Whitehouse, who voted to convict Trump, said the House managers executed a “carefully done, superb” presentation, praising performances by Cicilline, Rep. Joe Neguse and Rep. Jamie Raskin. The senator also detailed some of the irritations he experienced during the trial, saying the jury was tampered and frustrating to be part of. “There was almost no way that you were going to get enough Republican senators to vote to convict,” Whitehouse

said. “Trump would have had to come in to confess and ask to be convicted I think for that to happen.” The Senate voted to acquit Trump, falling just 10 votes short of the 2/3 majority necessary for conviction. Despite the acquittal, this trial saw the largest bipartisan vote for impeachment conviction of a U.S. President, with seven Republican senators joining 50 Democratic senators voting for conviction and 43 voting against. “I very firmly believe that they won their case, with the public and with history, and of course with their consciences,” Whitehouse said. “Indeed, at 57-43, they actually kind of won the case, they just didn’t get the removal and the proper judgment. Read the full story at www.rwuhawksherald.com

SECTION EDITOR

Luke Brennan lbrennan935@g.rwu.edu

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

OPINIONS February 25, 2021

Let’s talk about the big F-word

Emily Dvareckas Photo Editor

Let’s talk about the F-word. No, not that one, the other one. Let’s talk about being fat. That’s right I said it. I’m sick of how taboo the word fat has become. I am fat, I have always been fat but I haven’t been able to call myself fat without people almost 100 pounds less than me saying “no you aren’t, don’t say that.” But why? Why can’t I call myself fat when I am, objectively? It has taken me so long to get to a point where I can call myself fat aloud, so let’s talk about it. Growing up, I was always the biggest person in the room. It was something I always noticed, whether it was in the classroom, a birthday party or even a store. I always scanned the room when I walked in to compare myself to my peers and constantly realized I weighed the most. Ten years later, I have come to realize this is not normal. People do not usually walk into a room and guess the weights of everyone occupying the space. I have always struggled with my weight and looked at my body as something to be ashamed of. I don’t like eating in front of people because I am convinced they are thinking about

how I am fat and judging what I have on my plate and how much of it I have. I try as hard as possible to not bring attention to myself in every situation I find myself in because I do not want people to see what I look like. I have never worn clothes that showed any glimpse of what my body actually looks like as a way to lie to everyone around me. Truly, the only person I was lying to was myself. Of course, people could tell I was fat — wearing a baggy sweatshirt cannot cover up what the scale projects. Of course, summer would always creep up on me and quickly force me to shed my only shield as I physically could not keep a sweatshirt on. Aéropostale was my greatest enemy with its slim fit t-shirts that could barely hold one of my arms, but I was determined to fit in during elementary school. This resulted in me wearing shirts from the men’s section of the store. Looking back at pictures, I cannot help but shudder at what the way I used to dress. If I could go back in time to 10-yearold Emily, I would tell her, “don’t worry, kid, it gets worse.” I find it necessary to point out that I was always active growing up. I played recreational sports during elementary school and went on to play softball and

Should there be a maximum wage?

Luke Brennan Opinions Editor

It does not take an economist to know that we have a serious income inequality problem in America. The simple fact is you cannot survive on minimum wage in this country. While there have been talks of raising the minimum wage under the Biden administration, there is little talk of another potential solution to this problem: installing a maximum wage for Americans. According to a 2019 report by the Economic Policy Institute, total CEO compensation growth from 1978 to 2018 was 1,007.5%. This is in comparison to average workers’ compensation growing by just 11.9%. If this does not make you outraged, nothing will. The concept of a maximum wage is not foreign to the United States. In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt proposed a 100% tax on individuals who earned an income above $25,000 which, adjusted for inflation, would be about $400,000 in 2021. During the 2020 election, eventual winner President Biden repeatedly stated that

if elected, he would only raise taxes on the same class of Americans Roosevelt was talking about. According to the population database Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS), 2.23% of the workforce made more than $250,000 in income. Given that .6% of the American workforce made $500,000 or more, it is safe to assume that less than one percent make over $400,000 in income. That would mean that only a fraction of the American population would experience a decrease in pay as a result of a maximum wage. At the same time, the large amount of money that would be going to CEOs can instead go toward people who actually need it, including those who live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to put food on the table for themselves and their families. Our income inequality has only gotten worse in recent years. Unless we do something about it, it will continue to grow and more people will be unable to support themselves financially. With the way things are trending, that person could be you.

field hockey through middle and high school. I was working out regularly in high school but never lost a ton of weight. That being said, I would love to weigh the same as I did when I was in 6th grade, which would still be more than many of my friends weigh now. Speaking of doing anything to lose weight, let’s talk about diets. Something so familiar to fat people, especially fat children is the saying “it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change,” which is not true. I know this because even during my “lifestyle changes” I would have “cheat days.” Dieting never worked. I never dropped the advertised inches off my waist. I have been wearing an XL shirt since at least sixth grade and I do not remember wearing anything smaller than an XL in my life. Now, I’m just done with diets. All they do is make me feel worse about myself as I stay the same weight, eating broccoli and closing my eyes as I try to convince myself it is a cookie. The Body Positivity Movement has helped me view myself in a better light in the slightest bit. I actually wear tank tops and shorts that go above my knee. Even though I remain self-conscious the whole time I’m wearing them and wishing I put something else on, it is a step in the right direction that I put it

on in the first place. So, why am I writing about being fat now? It is not like I just realized I was fat. The reason I am bringing this up now is TikTok. I do not know if my TikTok “For You Page” knows I am fat but I do keep seeing bigger women on there. These women have become empowered by the Body Positivity Movement, which of course is a great thing. The problem lies within the comments. I torture myself reading comments that I know will anger me, but I can’t help it, I love reading strangers’ drama. Most of the comments are centered on how unhealthy the woman in the video is and how she’s going to die early in life. I myself have been lectured about my cholesterol more times than I can count. A health-related comment could be true in some cases, but the issue is not whether a commenter is right or wrong. The issue is that they are saying it in the first place. These commenters do not know her and will most likely never see her again, so why do they have to comment about her health? Why does this one person’s fatness affect other people’s lives? I do not understand why it matters if someone is fat, especially if that person is a stranger on the internet.

SECTION EDITOR

Amy Martin amartin052@g.rwu.edu

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

FEATURES February 25, 2021

Gaming with the From oysters to

Esports Club

newspapers, these Black historical figures played important roles in Rhode Island history Emily Dvareckas Photo Editor As Black History Month comes to a close, it is important to move into March with a better understanding of Black history and its role in American history. Students are taught about the impacts of revolutionaries such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and Harriet Tubman. As important as these individuals are, they are not the only historical figures who have made a great impact. The following list includes just a few of the historical players in Rhode Island history.

Courtesy of the Roger Williams University Esports Club Sport The logo for the RWU Esports Club Sport.

Amy Martin Features Editor Sometimes, playing a few rounds of a video game is the best way to unwind. On the other hand, playing competitively in a virtual multiplayer game can be a great energy release. Here at Roger Williams University, one club sport offers the opportunity to do both. RWU’s Esports Club is a competitive gaming group on campus that holds non-varsity club sports status. The club plays a wide variety of video games, including League of Legends, Super Smash Brothers Ultimate and Hearthstone. They also compete in collegiate leagues and will play a regular season before entering into playoffs, similar to other sports teams. Currently, they are competing through the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) against more than 100 other colleges. “Our teams have been performing exceptionally this season with the Overwatch and Hearthstone teams being undefeated so far and the others not far behind them,” said Esports Club co-President John Harron. “RWU Esports has made itself known as a force to be reckoned within our debut season with the ECAC.” The club sport has each of its seven

active teams practice at least three to five times a week, on top of meeting as a larger group bi-monthly to discuss news and team standings. Given the online nature of esports, COVID-19 did not cause major changes in terms of how the group functions, as players do not need to see each other in person to practice. Esports Club aims to create an environment where students are able to come together and play their favorite video games, whether it be competitively or casually. Anyone is welcome to join and more video games can also be added to accommodate all club members’ interests. “Not only do we hope to provide a competitive community that esports thrives with, but we also hope to provide a place for players to hone their skills and improve,” said coPresident Michael Delli Carpini. “Sometimes players become a part of our community with great potential and through working with our players, we can see them improve and maybe even become a part of our teams.” Esports Club streams most of its matches on its Twitch account: twitch. tv/rwuesports. More information about other matches and scheduling can be found on its club discord: https://discord.com/invite/nt4sQSG.

Emmanuel Manna Bernoon Bernoon was a former slave who was emancipated in 1736 by Gabriel Bernon. At this time, freed slaves started their new lives using the surname of their former owners. Emmanuel strayed from this norm by adding an extra “o” to the surname, thereby creating his own name. After being emancipated, Bernoon opened the first oyster and ale house in Providence with his wife, Mary. Not only was this the first oyster and ale house, but it was also the first restaurant in Providence. Mary Dickerson - Dickerson originally lived in New Haven,

Connecticut, but moved to Newport in 1865. In 1872, Dickerson opened a dressmaking store on Bellevue Avenue, the first store on the avenue owned by a Black woman. She had clientele from some of the most prominent families in Newport, especially during the summer. In 1895, Dickerson founded the Women’s Newport League. In 1896, she and Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin established the Northeastern Federation of Women’s Clubs. She founded the Rhode Island Union of Colored Women’s Clubs in 1903. John Carter Minkins - Born in Virginia in 1869, Minkins wrote for his school’s newspaper and created a column titled “Among our Colored People.” He eventually attended Brown University where he continued to write in support of Black causes. In the 1890s, Minkins moved to Providence and wrote for different newspapers, keeping important issues in the headlines. Minkins would also go on to own and edit for the Rhode Island Examiner. Then, in 1906, he became editor-in-chief for the Providence News Democrat. Minkins was the first Black editor of a newspaper that catered to the white community. Throughout his career, Minkins was a fierce advocate for equal rights.

Mr. Cup/Fabian Barral on Unsplash John Carter Minkins became the first Black editor at a white newspaper and wrote for several newspapers in Rhode Island.

SECTION EDITOR

Megan Julian mjulian020@g.rwu.edu

SECTION MANAGER

Kristen Dansereau kdansereau387@g.rwu.edu

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

SPORTS February 25, 2021

Dancers are athletes too Hawkettes President challenges traditional idea of what an athlete is

Megan Julian Sports Editor An athlete would typically be described as someone who needs strength, agility, balance and coordination. All of these are obtained through rigorous training and practices

Courtesy of Natalia Villareal Senior Natalia Villareal is currently President of the Hawkettes Dance Team at Roger Williams University. She is pictured performing in a show in 2018.

to not only keep athletes strong and flexible, but help them build up the stamina needed to perform. Senior Natalia Villareal, President of the Hawkettes Dance Team, said a dancer would be described using this exact terminology. She believes that when a person thinks of an athlete, they should be seeing dancers in addition to traditionally categorized athletes. According to Villareal, athleticism is needed in order to be a dancer. “A lot of our dancers can be found in the gym working out on the daily. Strength training and conditioning is really helpful for dancers,” Villareal said. During their training, dancers will work out each part of their bodies. “Core strength is incredibly important for dancers because it helps us stay balanced. Leg strength helps with high leaps and jumps,” Villareal said. “For our pom dances, we use arms with every movement so it’s always good to work on those too.” Staying in shape for a dancer means always working on flexibility and maintaining strength within their muscles. It is also crucial for dancers to have stamina, so that they have the

energy to finish their routines. Dance team practices consist of stretching, a form of conditioning, exercises that span across the entire dance floor and finally, learning and perfecting the choreography. Villareal said stretching is necessary to prevent any injuries, as it helps prepare the muscles during practice or competing. “Rolling out with a foam roller or using a massage gun, on top of ice/ heat really helps rejuvenate the sore muscles,” Villareal said. “Rest is always important and we always stress to our team that they need to take care of their bodies and learn what they need to do to be successful.” When COVID-19 struck, the sense of routine for the dance team was severely impacted. Dancing as the team knew it drastically changed. “Last semester, we had to have hourlong practices when normally we are accustomed to having up to three hours at a time, twice a week. This was definitely a challenge as we are trying to prepare for competition, but we tried to incorporate Zoom practices and other initiatives to make up for the lost time,” Villareal said. “Overall, the restrictions have made it difficult for us in terms of

preparation for competition, but also have made it challenging for aspects of team bonding and having everyone get to know each other.” The team had a lot of hours of Zoom practice and was finally able to have in-person practices last semester. They will be continuing to do so this semester. “Luckily, there were no positive cases recorded in any of the dance programs last semester, so we are all really proud of that,” Villareal said. Villareal said it is disheartening that this is her senior year and so many great parts of the dance team have been taken away, “I have remained grateful for any opportunity to dance. It might look a lot different than we are used to, but we try our best to make the most of things and try to keep everything as ‘normal’ as we can.” Villareal expressed feelings of frustration with her final season being uprooted, but she also acknowledged her understanding of the university guidelines. Read the full story at www.rwuhawksherald.com

Spring athletes express excitement about potential season

Kristen Dansereau Sports Manager

Spring sports practices began a few weeks ago here at Roger Williams University and athletes are excited to hear they may potentially get a season. When COVID-19 struck last year, all spring sports were canceled as a result of the university going fully remote and sending students home. Athletes have not been told any specifics about competing this spring, other than the fact that the planned start date for the 2021 spring season is March 27. With this year potentially being an eligible playing year, athletes are very excited. Senior athletes are especially happy in hopes of playing their final season at the university. They want to make the best of this year by working hard and enjoying each moment. “Since this will be my last season, my main goal is to stay healthy and do everything I can to enjoy my last few months with this team,” said Tyler Marchioni, a senior runner on the track

and field team. “Running fast times are great and have always been a goal of mine each season but with everything up in the air, my other goal would be to make the most of the season and the time spent with my team.” The teams are all gearing up for a successful year of competition. “Our main goal for the season is to win the conference,” said Timothy Mullane, a senior on the men’s lacrosse team. “We consider ourselves a very experienced team as most players in this senior class have seen playing time throughout our four years here, so we plan to use that leadership and experience to be in a position to win every game we play this spring.” Ellenor Fleming, a senior captain of the softball team, said her team wants to win a CCC title but all players are grateful to be back on the field in general. Fleming heard from her coach that new guidelines and procedures, such as more frequent testing, may be put into place for the potentially occurring competitive games. Mullane said men’s lacrosse is fully

prepared for a season of playing many teams, as long as the teams follow the same testing protocol as RWU. If a team is not following the same guidelines, then they will look to fill that spot with a team that is. All athletes are staying positive during

these uncertain times. Practicing has been a great incentive to allow the athletes to maintain this mindset. They make sure to remain connected through chats, book clubs, bonding during practices and occasionally eating meals together.

Courtesy of RWU Athletics Current senior attackman Tim Mulllane competing in the men’s lacrosse team’s 2019 season.

SECTION EDITOR

Isabella Gentile igentile470@g.rwu.edu

EDITOR’S DESK

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

February 25, 2021

EDITORIAL: Reflecting on Black History Month

As we print our last issue for the month of February, we find it is important to look back on what February means. Most notably, this month is one to celebrate Black History and educate ourselves on that actually means. For so long, our schools have taught history from a white-centered standpoint, based on the writings and documents of white historical figures. Documents written by people of color exist and detail a very different viewpoint of the same history. Living in a country that whitewashes its history makes it difficult for people who do not identify as a person of color to understand the history of their fellow citizens. It is not difficult to find out that our editorial board is not as diverse as our student body. We understand that we view the world differently based on the color of our skin. We are not able to understand what some of our peers go through or how race has affected their lives. Journalism has always been a vital aspect of society as it serves to communicate information to the public. Our goal as journalists is to help deliver all information possible to the

campus community and we hold ourselves to the highest standards when it comes to remaining impartial and delivering truthful information. With that being said, our goal is to understand what our peers’ history looks like and we must go beyond the month of February for that. The end of Black History Month is not the end of learning about Black history. People who have never experienced what being Black in America is like, members of our board included, must hold themselves accountable for understanding the differences and injustices that still exist for people of different races. It is more important now than ever to educate and understand so that we can protect our BIPOC peers. Injustice plagues our nation. It always has, which is why we must be able to identify and stop the inequities. We know we can do better in regards to reporting on issues that affect a wide variety of groups of students, ones we may not identify with ourselves, and we aim to consistently improve. We are always open to comments on how we can improve to better serve our campus community.

Rachel Dvareckas / The Hawks’ Herald Black History Month is coming to an end, but we should continue to educate ourselves on Black history.

THE HAWKS’ HERALD The student newspaper of Roger Williams University

2020-2021 STAFF DIRECTORY

DISCLAIMER

THE HAWKS’ HERALD is a student publication. The views, statements, opinions, depictions, and/or representations (expressions) contained herein are solely those of THE HAWKS’ HERALD and do not, and are not, meant to represent or be attributed to the expressions of Roger Williams University, any trustee, officer, agent, employee, student, or representative of Roger Williams University, and either are such expressions authorized, accepted, or condoned by the university. THE HAWKS’ HERALD is dedicated to providing news to the university in a fair and accurate manner.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

SPLO ADVISOR

FACULTY ADVISOR

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

CHIEF DESIGNER

PHOTO EDITOR

ARTS & CULTURE MANAGER

SPORTS EDITOR

FEATURES EDITOR

SPORTS MANAGER

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

Isabella Gentile igentile470@g.rwu.edu

Janine Weisman jweisman@g.rwu.edu

Emily Dvareckas edvareckas213@g.rwu.edu

Emma Bartlett ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu

OPINIONS EDITOR Luke Brennan lbrennan935@g.rwu.edu

PHOTOGRAPHERS Emily Dvareckas Rachel Dvareckas

CORRECTIONS There are no corrections this week.

The Hawks’ Herald · Suite 212, Campus Recreation Center · 1 Old Ferry Road · Bristol, R.I. 02809

Kayla Ivan kivan850@g.rwu.edu

Amy Martin amartin052@g.rwu.edu

BUSINESS MANAGER Adam Zerman azerman020@g.rwu.edu

Adrianne Harris aharris@g.rwu.edu

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

Megan Julian mjulian020@g.rwu.edu

Kristen Dansereau kdansereau387@g.rwu.edu

REPORTERS Sierra Gorkun

SECTION EDITOR

SECTION MANAGER DESIGNER

Emma Bartlett Kayla Ivan ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu kivan850@g.rwu.edu

ARTS & CULTURE

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

February 25, 2021

PHOTO CLUB WINNER: Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia

Noah Flores

(The Moonlight Edition)” releases to the public

Kayla Ivan Arts & Culture Manager

Theme: Textures

After the success of her second studio album “Future Nostalgia” in March 2020, Dua Lipa revealed she had a few unreleased tracks that she would potentially release at a later date. After collaborating with other artists such as Miley Cyrus on their single “Prisoner,” Lipa surprised fans with a deluxe edition of her album. The album, released on Feb. 11, features four new tracks along with the original album of pop hits such as “Break My Heart” and “Levitating,” which held a spot in the top five of Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart at the time of release. Her collaborative songs are incorporated on this version, including the track with Cyrus, “Not My Problem” featuring JID, “Levitating” featuring DaBaby and “Un Dia (One Day)” featuring J Balvin, Bad Bunny and Tainy. When discussing the unreleased tracks, Lipa referred to her newest single “We’re Good” as a sultry, risky song that deviates from her disco, funky pop sound. “When I was creating this record, I wanted it to feel like a form of

escapism,” Lipa said in an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music. With COVID-19 still impacting individuals’ daily lives, she hoped people would feel happy listening and find an escape with her. As a woman in the industry, Lipa understands it is harder to break through and make yourself known. “For women, it’s a lot harder to solidify yourself as an individual in music,” Lipa said in an interview with British Vogue last month. “In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to prove ourselves so much to the point that maybe we run ourselves into the ground of being like, ‘I must be heard.’ But that is the world we’re in right now. I like to prove that I can do it. I’m stubborn.” The cover of the record features Lipa in a blue and black bodysuit with thighhigh black boots, standing in front of a full moon backdrop. Her name is in space gray letters to keep with the tone of the updated edition. The album is an electric project that will be sure to bring joy to listeners. As Lowe said, “’The Moonlight Edition’ celebrates an album that met the moment — and allowed its creator to conquer the world.”

RWU’s John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Program moves to virtual platform this year Emma Bartlett Arts & Culture Editor Since 2001, the Roger Williams University Library’s John Howard Birss, Jr. Memorial Program has honored a significant or culturally impactful book each year. The selection committee seeks literary work that is close to celebrating a notable anniversary and is valuable to the university community. This year, the RWU library is recognizing “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” by Earnest J. Gaines. The fictional autobiography tells the story of race in America through the eyes of an ex-slave whose life takes place from the end of slavery to the Civil Rights Movement. “This book, which really takes on issues of race and a history of race in America through a very personal lens, felt like the natural pick given the moment we’re in culturally,” said Adam Braver, library program director and associate professor of Creative Writing.

The exhibit is normally held in person, but it was launched digitally this year due to COVID-19. “There has been an online exhibit since 2004 but [it] has not been as sophisticated as this,” said Christine Fagan, the university’s collection management librarian. Currently, the digital exhibit holds manuscripts, reviews, foreign language editions, student art and more research surrounding Jane Pittman. There is also a timeline listing the historical progression of events that occurred throughout the character’s life that gives context to the period. Gaines is also highlighted on the exhibit through photographs, interviews, correspondence and a list of his other written works. The website is also highly interactive, with photographs that turn around and reveal information as well as pages that make sounds when you digitally turn them. Heidi Benedict, the university archivist, worked on this as well as shortening Gaines’ interviews so

students could engage with the content without having to commit a lot of time to the process. Between scanning, digitizing and formatting the archival work, the process of creating a more elaborate and interactive website has been stressful, but it has also had its benefits. “It changes the audience from being something that is meant for people in one space to something that is accessible to really all of the world. The exhibit goes beyond our community and friends. It’s now open to anyone in the world who’s interested in getting more insights about Gaines,” Braver said. In the past, the exhibition was limited by space, which meant not all of the archival research students and faculty discovered could be included. With the online exhibition, more information can be uploaded and the website can continue growing. The RWU community, therefore, has access to more rich material than they would have previously in a physical exhibit.

For this program, the RWU library connected with the Ernest J. Gaines Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in June and began working on collecting material for the exhibition. The center obtained all of Gaines’ papers after he passed away and was very willing to share the information they had. Since then, they have helped digitize information for the exhibit. In normal years, archival work would be selected by RWU fellows who would travel with a staff member to another library to conduct archival work. With different circumstances in 2021, the RWU library and Ernest J. Gaines Center worked closely in gathering materials for the exhibit. In addition to the digital exhibit, there will be three events for this program. On Feb. 24, the Rogers Free Library in Bristol will host a virtual book discussion starting at 7 p.m. Read the full story at www.rwuhawksherald.com

SECTION EDITOR

SECTION MANAGER DESIGNER

Emma Bartlett Kayla Ivan ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu kivan850@g.rwu.edu

ARTS & CULTURE

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

8 virtual games to play with friends Emma Bartlett Arts & Culture Editor Push that homework aside and charge your computer or phone for a night filled with virtual games to play with friends. Catching up with buddies who stayed home this semester or are living off campus is always fun, and there is no better way to reconnect than with a weekend night filled with games that will keep you laughing into the early morning hours. Be sure to check out the following virtual options.

Settlers of Catan If you and your friends enjoy strategic games that involve trading and forming alliances with other players, Settlers of Catan is the right fit for you. Best played on the computer, users build houses and cities with resources such as brick, wood, wheat, stone and sheep. The goal? To be the first person to reach 10 victory points through settlements and special cards.

Cards Against Humanity As one of the most popular board games for young adults, the Cards Against Humanity web app provides an online platform where you and nine other friends can meet and play. Choose one game creator who selects the packs of cards and shares the private room code with everyone else. If you want to meet new friends on the server, select the game public option so others can jump into the game.

Among Us Among Us has recently attracted the attention of game players of all ages and is able to be played with up to 10 people. Private sessions can be made by one user creating a room and sharing a unique code with friends. In this game, there are either one or two imposters who go around killing crewmate players. The remaining crewmates guess the imposter through the chat function where players can give their alibis of where they were during the killing. Each game takes approximately 10 minutes, so you will have a lot of time to complete multiple rounds.

Skribbl.io This game is basically an online

PLEASE RECYCLE

version of Pictionary and is best played on the computer. One player uses the drawing board to create an image for others to guess. The remaining players guess the drawing with the chat bar function. If you are close to the correct word, the game will tell you. The point system is then based on how fast people guess the correct answer. For the drawer, points will also be awarded based on how quickly and easily people came up with the right answer.

February 25, 2021

Why writing is beneficial for everyone

Heads Up! You can find Heads Up! on the Houseparty app. All but one player has access to the word and must give them hints for what it is. The more correct answers you get in a round, the better. Heads Up! is a fast-paced game and gives each player a minute of guessing time. Points are tallied at the end with the winner being the individual who scored the most correct answers.

Mario Kart Tour If you are looking for nostalgic childhood memories, indulge yourself in playing Mario Kart Tour with friends. You and seven others can take to the racetrack and outmaneuver each other on the road. It is guaranteed that once you start playing, it will be hard to stop.

Kahoot! Interested in creating your own trivia game? Use Kahoot! to entertain your friends on a Friday night. For this to work, have each player create their own Kahoot game and take turns playing each other’s creations. You can personalize it as much as you would like. Using Zoom to screen share the site and answering the questions on your phone works best. Speed and correctness will earn you more points and help you earn your way to the podium.

Monopoly As some people put it, Monopoly is the game that never ends. However, as a beloved classic, investing time into one game every now and then can be entertaining. All rules are the same and up to four people can join using the Monopoly app. Be sure to set up a Zoom call so you can see your friends and talk while you play.

Emily Dvareckas / The Hawks’ Herald Writing can benefit your life in more ways than one.

Kayla Ivan Arts & Culture Manager Although writing might not be of interest to everyone, being able to communicate in the most effective way possible is conducive to success. Whether you are studying biology or architecture, writing is a tool most students will use in some capacity in their future endeavors. Writing can range from technical to creative, with many genres in between. One aspect remains true: writing is beneficial for everyone. Writing helps improve communication skills within the workplace. In many ways, an employee who can express ideas in a clear and concise manner is an important asset to reaching company goals. Employers search for individuals who are able to put their thoughts into words and tasks get done when there is clarity. According to Essay Masters, “communication is one of the most crucial aspects of the working world. It’s needed to form trusting relationships, close business deals, conduct interviews, draw in customers and retain clientele, etc. And it’s needed to accomplish things, that’s for certain.” There are many advantages to writing outside of the professional world. Selfexpression can be further explored through writing, whether that be from

a creative standpoint or in one of self-discovery. Voicing your opinions and thinking through your emotions are just a few features to tap into while writing. According to HuffPost, “writing allows us a way to collect our otherwise scattered thoughts and ideas and channel them into a single beam of information. It opens up a new dimension for the mind to move into and, consequently, creates a space for unparalleled expression and imagination.” Becoming more aware of the benefits of writing can bring your interests back to the explorative side of the craft, which many find helpful throughout the writing process. Writing allows you to improve your mental health by looking inward and bringing your emotions forward to reflect in a physical, written way. Gaining awareness of your personal reality is a great starting point if you are feeling stressed or in a bad place mentally. Writing also allows your focus to improve and eliminates stress in times that are hard to get through. Remember that diary you had as a child? Documenting the day could be a helpful tool in processing your experiences and finding the light in tough situations. Writing is everywhere. Regardless of whether you consider yourself to be a writer or not, writing can benefit your life in more ways than you might have realized.

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