The Hawks' Herald | March 18, 2021 by Hawks' Herald

www.rwuhawksherald.com Vol. 33, Issue 14 FREE

Dining staff hope to re-implement sustainable practices and educate students on personal waste contribution

COVID-19 on campus: One year later

Jimmy Sadowski Herald Reporter Plastic containers. Plastic lids. Disposable straws. Paper cups. Plastic cup lids. These are all common takeout supplies that have become a pandemic staple for many dining locations. Roger Williams University is no exception in that regard. Disposable takeout supplies can have a harsh effect on the environment and the university wants to make its practices more sustainable as soon as COVID-19 protocols allow for it. Bon Appetit Controller and Marketing Manager Stephanie Keith said no definite timeline exists to bring back the sustainable dining practices RWU had before the pandemic. “We [RWU dining] have no set plan at all,” Keith said. “It’s kind of looking forward and that we will start to be able to lessen the social distancing and physical distancing requirements and get Upper Commons as well as all of our other dining locations back to where they were pre-COVID [with sustainability].” “I think that everybody knows that we’ve been going through a ton of paper and plastic disposables because of COVID and having to offer takeout service,” Keith said. “At our core, we don’t really like doing that. We’ve always tried to reduce paper, plastics and what we throw away, especially single-use stuff.” Keith said RWU dining has been implementing some sustainability practices since in-person dining in Upper Commons resumed a few weeks ago.

See

DINING on page 2

Emily Dvareckas / The Hawks’ Herald Students living on campus or taking in-person classes have been getting tested for COVID-19 twice per week since the beginning of the semester.

Rachel Dvareckas Managing Editor One year ago students were trying to adjust to remote learning from their homes while the pandemic progressively got worse. Hope of returning to campus to finish the semester lessened as the days went by. This year, students are on campus attending hybrid classes, wearing masks wherever they go and getting tested for COVID-19 twice per a week. During the fall, students were able to stay on campus the entire semester as most followed university guidelines and safety protocols. Now, students are halfway through their second semester of dealing with COVID-19 on the Bristol campus.

During the fall semester, the university saw a 0.2% positivity rate with 184 tests coming back positive throughout the semester. Now, as of March 17, there is an overall positivity rate of 0.27% with a total of 113 tests coming back positive since Jan. 19. Looking at RWU’s Bristol campus in comparison to the town of Bristol and the rest of Rhode Island, the university has reported fewer positive cases. During the week of Feb. 14 to Feb. 20, the university had four positive cases while Bristol reported 42 and the state reported 2,108 positive cases. The relatively low number of positive cases and compliance with university guidelines has allowed students to feel a little sense of normalcy on campus. Clubs and organizations are

now able to request to meet in person and in-person and hybrid events with protocols in place have been happening on campus. Some students like sophomore El Segall are still staying on the safe side. “I’m just being extremely cautious. I’m trusting the community to be safe, but in the end, it’s better safe than sorry and I just don’t want to risk my safety,” Segall said. “I’ve been really careful about where I go and when I try to avoid Commons at rush times.” As the university continues to create a functioning campus atmosphere amid the pandemic, students should still be following safety guidelines to ensure the health and safety of the campus community.

SECTION EDITOR

Isabella Gentile igentile470@g.rwu.edu

DINING

NEWS

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

from page 1

“Right now, we’re asking not only students but our own service staff to remember to make to-go dining an option,” Keith said. “Not to automatically take the to-go box, paper bags, cutlery, all of that disposable stuff.” Some RWU students dine in using to-go materials as well, according to Keith. “So many people take the to-go disposables and just sit down and eat too which is a problem,” Keith said. General Manager of RWU Dining James Gubata said that when students dine-in using to-go supplies, he offers them a learning experience. “We are talking with students and approaching them in a nonconfrontational or non-corrective action approach,” Gubata said. “It’s like, ‘Hey I see you’re having lunch with us today and I hope you’re enjoying the food. It’s nice to see students in the dining hall again, but I do notice that you have a bag and that your food is on disposable take-out plastic ware. You can imagine if all 2,400 students on the meal plan did this we’d have 2,400 times the packaging and that’s just for one meal.’” Keith said she has led Bon Appetit at RWU in marketing efforts to encourage students to take part in more sustainable dining practices.

“It’s super simple,” Keith said. “I created small eight by 11 signs, some larger posters and then details that can go on around each station in the Upper Commons reminding students if they can, if they are going to be dining in with us, choose reusable.” “Tell anyone who is serving you that you’re going to be dining in and they will put your food on a reusable plate,” Keith said. “That’s going to be our push [for more dining sustainability] for the foreseeable future. Sophomore Luke Carey said he thinks the university has been making a solid effort toward sustainability. “The university is taking steps toward sustainability and they have good intentions,” Carey said. “They are doing the best they can and Roger Williams has definitely been on top of it. Where we are at now, I’m happy to see my people back on campus enjoying themselves and I definitely give the university props.” Sophomore Gavin Johnston said he thought the university could potentially monitor how much disposable product they use. “I wish there was a better way to monitor how much take away supplies we are actually using,” Johnston said. “Hopefully soon dining will open back up [fully] and then take out will no longer be a thing.” Gubata said he personally has not tracked anything specific in regards to how many to-go supplies RWU dining has used, other than his purchases of

March 18, 2021

paper products, which have gone down somewhat. “I haven’t tried to self manage my time to analyze things I know are only temporary,” Gubata said. “I don’t want to over-analyze temporary situations.” “I know this pandemic has gone through a whole gamut of situations and you know one day we can do 50% more than what we can do today. To try and track all of that on a micro level is not going to give me any return,” Gubata said. Gubata said he pays more attention to the student culture in terms of how they use take out, what they need, what they want and what will be better for them next year. That analysis will factor into how student meal plans are designed moving forward. He also said RWU dining can encourage students to

dine in more and use fewer disposables, but students are responsible for how much they do that. “Individual choices, smart individual choices can yield the biggest return on sustainable investment, which we all have an obligation to uphold,” Gubata said. Other than encouraging students to dine in more and use fewer disposables, both Gubata and Keith said there would not be any large changes to how dining is currently set up. “I’m not sure there is a more viable option right now in regards to sustainability [in dining],” said freshman Garrett Breton. “Dining will continue to evolve and we’ll do it the best we can,” Gubata said.

THE GAVEL

Your source for Student Senate news Hi Hawks! The Student Senate was on recess this week, so we did not have a General Senate meeting or committee meetings. Make sure to check out our meeting next week when Provost Everett and Dean Jacobs come by to chat with us! As always, 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.

SECTION EDITOR

Luke Brennan lbrennan935@g.rwu.edu

OPINIONS

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

“Hurricane” Rubin Carter and his parallels to George Floyd Luke Brennan Opinions Editor As the trial of Derek Chauvin is about to begin, we should take this time to remember that George Floyd was far from the first Black person to have their civil rights trampled on and certainly not the first to have been unjustly killed by a police officer. While you have heard about the recent murders of Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the less recent murder of Trayvon Martin, you have probably not heard the story of “Hurricane” Rubin Carter. In 1966, middleweight boxer “Hurricane” Rubin Carter was arrested for the murder of three people at the Lafayette Bar & Grill in Paterson, New Jersey. During the trial, the state’s only witnesses were Alfred Bello and Arthur D. Bradley, who alleged they saw Carter and John Artis walking out of Lafayette holding a shotgun and a pistol before driving away in a white car. Bello admitted he was there as a lookout for Bradley, who was breaking into a nearby warehouse. Bello also stole money from Lafayette’s register as three people lay dead on the floor. How any reasonable human being could think these two men were credible witnesses is beyond me. It was later revealed that both Bello and Bradley received money and a reduced sentence for testifying against Carter and Artis. Beyond that, there was no evidence connecting Carter and Artis to the triple murder, as the weapons were never found and the two survivors of the murders, Hazel Tanis and Willie Marins, did not identify Artis or Carter. Yet both were convicted of

triple murder on June 29, 1967 and sentenced to three life sentences. Carter and this case received widespread attention and support, with legendary boxer Muhammad Ali joining the fight to release him from prison alongside numerous civil rights leaders. After visiting him in prison, singer/songwriter Bob Dylan wrote the song “Hurricane,” detailing Carter’s unfair trial and imprisonment. Dylan also included the song on his 1976 album “Desire.” Eventually, after years of litigation, Rubin Carter was released from prison in November 1985 at 48 years old. Artis had been released in 1981 on parole. On the surface, there are many similarities between Rubin Carter and George Floyd; both were accused of a crime and decided guilty by police officers based on no evidence. There is one obvious difference, however: George Floyd was murdered. George Floyd did not get a trial. George Floyd did not get a jury of his peers — just when this American citizen needed his rights the most, they were taken away. What was the alleged crime he was murdered for? Using a counterfeit $20 bill. If you have not listened to Bob Dylan’s “Hurricane,” you owe it to yourself to give it a listen. It spreads awareness of the plight of “Hurricane” Rubin Carter, who lost 17 years of his life for a crime he did not commit. His struggle is echoed in the murder of George Floyd, both having been denied justice, all because of the color of their skin. As Bob Dylan wrote in the song, we should all be “ashamed to live in a land where justice is a game.”

Courtesy of In Memoriam Day on CreativeCommons.org Boxer “Hurricane” Rubin Carter, whose unjust imprisonment in 1966 draws many similarities to the murder of George Floyd.

March 18, 2021

Is the Amazon unionization destined to fail?

Courtesy of Christian Wiediger on Unsplash Some Amazon workers in Alabama are fighting for a unionized workplace and are facing backlash from the company.

Sam Elwell Herald Reporter The United States has seen a large push for social and political change, whether it be to restructure law enforcement or flipping the White House and Congress to democratic leadership this past year. The fight for labor rights and safer working conditions was bolstered throughout the pandemic. Millions of essential workers spent this time continuing to work uninterrupted by COVID-19. Because of this, the topic of working conditions came back in full force as people tried juggling their health and well-being with the need for financial support. I believe the pandemic, among the other permanent societal changes it may bring, will keep the topic of labor rights at the forefront of American politics. For more than a month, a struggle in Alabama has swept across the nation as one of the largest unionization efforts the U.S. has seen in decades. Since Feb. 8, voting has been underway for an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama to form the first union within the trillion-dollar e-commerce giant. The vote would result in the warehouse becoming part of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. Workers cite constant uninterrupted hours with scarce breaktime, close monitoring of their production quotas and failure to address harassment in the workplace as major factors in speaking out. Amazon, a notoriously anti-union company, has spent this time running a harsh campaign against unionization through posters plastering the walls of the warehouse along with automated text messages to its employees encouraging them to vote no on their union authorization cards, citing regular union dues being taken out of paychecks. Additionally, the company has been spreading the hashtag

#DoItWithoutDues and has launched a website bearing the same phrase. Despite these efforts, the movement has garnered too much support, both in the country and abroad, to be dismissed so easily. House Education & Labor Committee member Andy Levin along with 50 other U.S. representatives sent a letter to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos showing their support for the union and asking the company to cut down on its anti-union messages. President Biden released a statement expressing his support for labor unions and that he “made it clear…that [his] administration’s policy would be to support unions organizing and the right to collectively bargain.” Longtime labor rights activist, Senator Bernie Sanders, also expressed his support for the union in an interview with The Washington Post where he said: “If they can win, I think that will send a message to workers all over this country that if you are prepared to stand up and fight, you can win a union, you can win better wages and better working conditions.” What will happen if more than 5,800 workers organize for the first time in Amazon’s history? Can it succeed? While I try to stay optimistic about such issues, it cannot be ignored that Amazon has great influence across the world and has squashed unionization attempts in the past, most recently in 2014 with a Delaware warehouse. It is strict on those who do attempt to speak out for labor unions. Additionally, this is taking place in Alabama, a state not particularly supportive of organized labor. Though the sentiment and support exist, the uphill battle that these workers face provides a significant challenge and if successful, may lead to similar movements across the United States. The unionization vote will be counted and finalized on March 30.

SECTION EDITOR

Amy Martin amartin052@g.rwu.edu

FEATURES

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

March 18, 2021

Women who paved the way: Highlights Emily Dvareckas Photo Editor In light of Women’s History Month, The Hawks’ Herald has featured important women from throughout history every day. The first week highlighted women who have paved the way in science. The second week highlighted women in politics and the third week highlights women in sports. Check out each day’s article on rwuhawksherald.com.

Women who paved the way in science highlight: Alice Ball Alice Ball was born on July 24, 1892 in Seattle, Washington. She graduated from Seattle High School in 1910 and went on to attend the University of Washington where she studied chemistry and received her degree in pharmaceutical chemistry. Two years later, in 1914, she received another degree in pharmacy. She then transferred to the College of Hawaii where she became the first woman and first Black graduate after receiving her Masters of Science in Chemistry in 1915. She was offered a teaching position as well as a research position at the university after her graduation. By accepting this offer, Ball became the first female professor at the school. She accomplished these achievements by the age of 23. While working in the laboratory, Ball began seeking remedies to the disease now known as leprosy. The research she conducted resulted in the first injectable leprosy treatment. Ball’s findings and treatment were dubbed the “Ball Method” and helped alleviate leprosy symptoms for thousands of people across a 30-year span. For the first time, people diagnosed with leprosy were able to live without symptoms and live normal lives. Her discovery changed the lives of people around the globe. Unfortunately, she was unable to see the full impact of her work. She passed away on Dec. 31, 1916 at the age of 24 following a lab accident. After her death, President of the College of Hawaii Dr. Arthur Dean continued her research and completely took credit for her discovery, even going so far as to label the treatment the “Dean Method.” In 1922, Dr. Harry T. Hollmann, assistant surgeon at Kalihi

Hospital, published a paper giving Alice Ball the credit she deserved. Dr. Hollmann was the person who urged Ball to look into chaulmoogra oil, the main ingredient in the treatment. Ball spent such a short time on Earth but in the time she did have, she created hope for thousands of people.

Women who paved the way in politics highlight: Danica Roem Danica Roem was born on Sept. 30, 1984 in Virginia. In her younger years, Roem was the lead vocalist for Cab Ride Home, a melodic death metal band. The band performed more than 120 shows, including a tour in the United Kingdom. She graduated from St. Bonaventure University with a degree in journalism. She worked as a journalist for more than 10 years. She wrote for The Gainesville Times starting in 2006 and then went to work as the news editor for The Montgomery County Sentinel in 2016. During her journalism career, Roem received seven awards from the Virginia Press Association. In 2017, Roem ran for the Virginia House of Delegates as the Democratic candidate. Her opponent was Republican Bob Marshall, a 13-term incumbent who spent most of his campaign trying to smear Roem for her gender. She won the election, earning the seat for the 13th district of the Virginia House of Delegates and becoming one of the first openly transgender elected officials in the U.S. In 2019, Roem was re-elected after beating Republican Kelly McGinn. She dedicates a lot of her efforts to advocating for the LGBTQ community with a focus on healthcare accessibility, as well as working to better the community on a local level.

Women who paved the way in sports highlight: Katie Sowers Katie Sowers was born on Aug. 7, 1986 in Kansas. When she was eight years old, she began playing football. She attended Hesston College, Goshen College and the University of Central Missouri, where she graduated with a master’s degree in kinesiology. While finishing her studies at Goshen College, she was denied a coaching position for an amateur basketball team due to her sexual orientation. This denial fueled her determination to succeed. She began playing for the Women’s Football Alliance while studying at Goshen College. She played for the West Michigan Mayhem as well as the Kansas City Titans. While playing for the Titans, Sowers became a member of the United States women’s national American football team. Her team won the 2013 International Federation of American Football

(IFAF) Women’s World Championship. She continued playing as a quarterback and defensive back until 2016 when she suffered a hip injury and retired after eight years. In the same year, Sowers began working as a wide receiver coaching intern with the Atlanta Falcons. In 2017, she left Atlanta to work as a seasonal intern for the San Francisco 49ers as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. She soon became a full-time offensive assistant. That year, the 49ers made it to the Super Bowl and Sowers made history as the first woman and first openly gay coach in a Super Bowl. She left the 49ers after the 2020 season. Sowers is only the second fulltime female coach in the history of the NFL and she hopes her work can help promote inclusivity within the organization.

How to cope with no spring break Amy Martin Features Editor The semester is reaching its halfway point this March and midterm exams and projects are starting to pile up on students. Now is as important a time as any for a break, but COVID-19 has made that difficult. Roger Williams University cancelled spring break for this academic year. This decision has introduced more challenges, especially for students. Without a break, students are more likely to experience burnout. On top of living during a pandemic, the stress of school is taking a toll on students across campus. With no spring break for students to look forward to, how will they avoid succumbing to stress? Here are some ideas for ways to cope with no spring break:

1. Schedule time for self-care:

Scheduling time for self-care at least once a day in students’ busy schedules can make a huge impact. It can help prevent burnout and ease the anxiety that comes with the pressure of academics. Whether it is an hour of relaxation or practicing a hobby, it is essential for students to have time to focus on themselves rather than school.

2. Make small, safe plans with friends: While still adhering to COVID-19

restrictions, students can make plans with their friends. Getting off campus would be especially helpful to break up the repetitive school weeks, including going on small adventures to places like Colt State Park, which is a 10 minute drive from campus.

3. Have healthy reminders:

It is important for students to remind themselves that they are currently living through a pandemic. It is okay that they are not feeling as motivated as they were a year ago. Setting reminders for them to take it easy on themselves could help them step away from unhealthy thinking habits and expectations.

4. Wellness days:

It is important for students to have breaks, now more than ever. The surprise study break day RWU held for students was helpful for many to recharge from their busy lives. While this is not a choice for the students, perhaps the university could think of more ways to allow breaks that do not interfere too much with course plans and events. Students deserve recognition for their hard work and should not be expected to work consistently under such stressful circumstances, especially with no spring break planned.

SECTION EDITOR

Megan Julian mjulian020@g.rwu.edu

SECTION MANAGER

Kristen Dansereau kdansereau387@g.rwu.edu

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

SPORTS March 18, 2021

‘The goal is to make these men better people’ New RWU baseball coach preps his team for the season and for life

Megan Julian Sports Editor When he was hired as the university’s new head baseball coach last December, Kevin Kelley did not get the opportunity to know his team like a new coach normally would. Kelley first met his team over Zoom, where he wanted to introduce himself and let the team know what they were getting. “I had my first meeting with the guys right after I was appointed. I wanted them to know what they were getting which was an energized coach full of intensity,” Kelley said. Kelley wanted to do everything in his power to be able to establish relationships with the players right off the bat. He scheduled individual meetings with each of the 43 members on the baseball team. “I asked about their family, what they

like to do for fun, if they had a job and I had them elaborate on those in order to create a bond as much as I possibly could over Zoom,” Kelley said. Once a person to person relationship is created, there is a trust that is established between player and coach. He values this interpersonal relationship. “I think that trust is the most important part of being a coach,” Kelley said. “I want them to trust every move I make and I want to trust theirs and how you do that is by asking about their personal lives. That is something that I believe distinguishes good coaches from great coaches.” Kelley came into this role with some experience as a collegiate athlete. He played baseball at Suffolk University where he started as a walk-on player and worked his way to become a threeyear starting player and captain of

Megan Julian / The Hawks’ Herald Coach Kevin Kelley said one of his favorite parts about being the new head coach is having his home field right outside his office.

Megan Julian / The Hawks’ Herald Coach Kevin Kelley huddles with the baseball team to go over practice plans.

the team his senior year. He also was the previous Head Coach at Rutgers University-Newark and Associate Head Coach of University of Massachusetts Boston. As for RWU’s baseball program, Kelley plans to build a program for sustainable success. “The goals for the program are to recruit talent, retain talent and develop talent,” Kelley said. “It is all about academics as well and getting a student athlete who can handle the rigors of college baseball.” Kelley will also be teaching his players how to be better people. “Every Wednesday, we talk about something that will make them a better person, whether it will be how to tie a tie or just how to have a conversation with somebody,” Kelley said. “Baseball aside the goal has everything to do with building you men that will help society in a positive way.” Captain Danny Roth, a graduate student on the team, said Kelley pushes them all to be the best. “Coach Kelley pushes us to get better every day. I know it has only been a couple weeks but it feels like he has been my coach for years and he is really good at developing relationships with us. It has been really great so far,” Roth said. Kelley has various goals for the team,

including to win 30 or more games, have the team become a force within the region, win regular season, conference playoff and make it to regionals. “There is one goal that we will try to achieve and that is win the game that is in front of us,” Kelley said. Joey Gulino is also a team captain and graduate student on the baseball team. He said Kelley is a players first type of coach. “He is really great with creating good relationships with everyone on our team,” Gulino said. “He came in here with a plan and a goal for us to be successful and to win.” Chris Flynn, senior captain on the baseball team, said the two assistant coaches Kelley has brought in have been great too. “They seem to be working really well together. We have seen a lot of progress within our team during this past month alone,” Flynn said. Coach Kelley is looking forward to being able to go out and compete with the team. “After losing baseball for a year it puts things into perspective. Every day is not guaranteed and neither is every baseball season,” Kelley said. “I will be making relationships with all the players on the team that will last a lifetime.”

SECTION EDITOR

Isabella Gentile igentile470@g.rwu.edu

PUZZLES

DESIGNER

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

March 18, 2021

PHOTO CLUB WINNER:

Jaquelin Beaulieu

Theme: Sunrises/Sunsets

THE HAWKS’ HERALD The student newspaper of Roger Williams University

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PHOTOGRAPHERS Megan Julian Emily Dvareckas

CORRECTIONS There are no corrections this week.

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REPORTERS Spencer Wright Veronica Rodriguez Jimmy Sadowski Sam Elwell

SECTION EDITOR

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

ARTS & CULTURE

Bailee Maston bmaston760@g.rwu.edu

March 18, 2021

Keynote panel highlights Ernest J Gaines’ writing and inspirations

Veronica Rodriguez Herald Reporter

On March 15, Roger Williams University’s John Howard Birss Jr. Memorial Program showcased the “Talking About Race Through Storytelling and Music” keynote panel which centered on reflections pertaining to “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” by Ernest J. Gaines. The panelists included author Danzy Senna, archivist and professor Cheylon Woods and musician Michale White. It was not necessary to read the book prior to the panel, but it certainly helped viewers comprehend the speakers’ reflections in a greater way. The event started at 7 p.m., kicking the conversation off about Gaines and his sources of inspiration within his writing. The speakers agreed that his biggest source stemmed from his aunt Augusteen. Woods shared that Augusteen raised Gaines and his siblings. What was special about his aunt was that she could not walk and although a reason was not given for

this disability, that did not stop her from engaging with her community. Augusteen acted as a leading force in Gaines’ life as she went about life normally. She cooked, cleaned, tended to the garden and taught Gaines and his siblings how to do the same. The local community went to her for conversations, to share sermons and would bring their children to watch her. She was a presence that commanded the love and respect of those around her because that is what she gave in return. She was a force that reminded Gaines to always remember who came before him and what those individuals had sacrificed. Following this conversation, Senna was asked why storytelling would be used to talk about race. She started by speaking of her great respect and love for Gaines. Black writers are often expected to be anthropologists or political activists and there is a certain expectation that they are there to teach, go on social media and share what they think. Senna expressed that Gaines’ refusal to do that was what made him a

great student and teacher of the human experience. In comparison, white artists, especially white male artists, are not often asked what the point or position of their work is. Gaines wanted to illustrate that the voices in his work and in his characters were no better or worse than he was or than we all are as humans. He absolutely refused to speak against any of his problematic characters because doing so would splinter people’s opinions; they would no longer focus on his work as a whole. Every character was worthy of human experiences, flaws, greatness and complexity. For these reasons, he actually rejected the role of storyteller to keep that space and to protect his characters. White was called next to talk about how music tells a story. This part of the conversation was lengthy and very engaging. He even took out his clarinet to play a few notes in order to emphasize how Gaines became inspired. That was another thing about Gaines; as inspired by Faulkner and

Twain as he was, music also heavily influenced him. White spoke about the different music found in Louisiana and how musicians have a similar role to writers in telling a story, the advantage in instrumental music being that no one knows exactly what you are saying. Gaines himself compared writing to music. Black music influenced him more than Black writers. His biggest influences were blues and jazz and he was interested in the stories, nuances and the variations found in the notes. Gaines wanted to and did write the story of people’s lives as music did. Woods made the comparison that when you write dialogue, you are listening to the music of dialogue or ‘how people speak,’ and that is what Gaines alluded to when he said he listened to the voices. While discussing his passion for music, the idea was brought to light that anyone could learn to play an instrument. Read the full story at www.rwuhawksherald.com

Self-taught student artist creates Instagram account for digital art commissions Emma Bartlett Arts & Culture Editor Sophomore Cyrus Gossett recently took his artistic talents to the next level by creating an Instagram account that accepts art commissions. His account @king._.cys includes examples of his work along with commission prices from $5 to $35. Gossett’s work ranges from humans and animals to light NSFW and blood/gore. Individuals who are interested in his services can direct message his art account. Gossett’s journey as a mostly selftaught artist began in sixth grade. Like many kids growing up, Gossett had art class in school but he never received any professional training. When his sixth-grade art teacher brought in her 19-year-old daughter to draw for the class, Gossett took interest and knew he wanted to do the same. Using art books to teach him how to draw, Gossett drew traditionally until several years ago when he acquired a tiny tablet to do digital work on. The tablet did not have a screen and hooked up to his laptop where he would have to look at the computer screen while drawing

on the tablet. To make the digital art easier, Gossett would hand draw an image, upload it to the computer and color it digitally. For his high school graduation, Gossett received a Wacom Cintiq 16 drawing tablet which had a screen that Gossett could draw directly onto. Using Krita, a graphics editor designed for digital painting, Gossett continued drawing his favorite things: characters and people. “Being able to make characters and put them out in the world is my favorite part because I can express parts of myself in these characters,” Gossett said. Having people fall in love with the characters that come from his mind is an important part of Gossett’s art making. Part of sharing his work came with deciding to take commissions, which was a big step for Gossett. “Commissions were very daunting to me because you had to be a ‘good artist.’ I told myself I’m going to get to this point where I’m good enough for myself and then do it,” Gossett said. “But then one day I said screw it. I’m never going to stop growing as an artist and might as well put myself out there.”

Gossett’s biggest influencer is Snailords, a popular webtoon artist who posts animated comic series online. A huge fan of Snailords and his digital art, Gossett’s dream job consists of becoming a comic book artist. Getting started as an artist can be difficult and people easily put themselves down for not being “good” from the beginning. The important thing is to stay driven and keep

practicing — especially if you’re having fun. “Don’t let your experience now determine what you’ll be able to do... As long as you push through it, you can make some beautiful stuff,” Gossett said. To view Gossett’s artwork and find out more about his commissions, search @king._.cys on Instagram.

Courtesy of Cyrus Gossett Gossett’s favorite digital art creations consist of characters and people.

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

March 18, 2021

A big night at the Grammys “The Great Escape” is a

story of loss and survival

Spencer Wright Herald Reporter A tragic story told by one who lived through it, Paul Brickhill’s book “The Great Escape” is a story of loss, hope and survival. Centered around Luft Stalag III, a prisoner of war (POW) camp from World War II, this book follows the prisoners as they build an elaborate system of escape tunnels by fashioning tools out of discarded metal and trash and scavenging wood from the prison huts to frame tunnel networks. Brickhill was a pilot during WWII but his plane was shot down and he ended up in this camp. His story is captured by this book, as well as the stories of many other prisoners, most of whom

Courtesy of Cosmopolitan UK At this year’s 2021 Grammy Awards, Taylor Swift took home Album of the Year for her “Folklore” album.

Adam Zerman Business Manager Going into the Grammys, there were several artists who many people believe were snubbed from being nominated such as Juice Wrld and Pop Smoke. Both rappers recently died and had albums released after their deaths which did very well. Wrld’s “Legends Never Die” debuted at number one on Billboard’s album charts and is still top ten on Spotify and Billboard. Meanwhile, Smokes’ “Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon” also debuted at number one on Billboard and currently ranks fourth on Spotify and number three on Billboard. Surprisingly, both artists received zero nominations. The biggest snub of the year, however, belonged to The Weeknd. His album “After Hours” debuted as number one on Billboard and after releasing last May, the single “Blinding Lights” currently sits at number one the Billboard Hot 100 and has spent 65 weeks on the charts peaking at number one. Furthermore, the song has become the fourth most-streamed song in Spotify history and many consider it to be the best song of the year. With that being said, The Weeknd received zero nominations. As for the big winners, Megan Thee Stallion received the first Grammy of the night. Winning three of four nominations, Stallion went home with Best New Artist, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for her “Savage Remix,” winning her first three Grammys.

PLEASE RECYCLE

Other winners included Harry Styles for Best Pop Solo Performance in “Watermelon Sugar” and Dua Lipa for Best Pop Vocal Album with “Future Nostalgia,” while Taylor Swift took home Album of the Year for “Folklore” and Billie Eilish won Record of the Year with “Everything I Wanted.” The most surprising win of the night came when H.E.R won Song of the Year for “I Can’t Breathe.” The night truly belonged to Beyoncé, who won four Grammy Awards. She won Best Music Video and Best R&B Performance while also winning Best Rap Song and Performance as a feature on Megan Thee Stallions’ “Savage Remix.” What made the night for Beyonce was the win for R&B performance which gave her the most Grammy wins of any female artist and most wins among all male and female singers. Some of the night’s best performances included Black Pumas’ debut performing “Colors” and DaBaby’s powerful version of “Rockstar” with Roddy Rich and a choir of elderly judges behind him. Other big numbers included Silk Sonic’s first public performance with Anderson Paak, Bruno Mars singing “Leave the Door Open” and a tribute to Little Richard. Billie Eilish performed “Everything I Wanted” while BTS sang “Dynamite” all the way from South Korea. Maren Morris and John Mayer also rocked the stage performing “The Bones.”

would never make it out alive. “The Great Escape” captures tense moments as German guards searched repeatedly for the tunnels, with the most suspenseful moments occurring when escape plans were put into action. The tragic deaths of the escapees who were ultimately caught added to the novel’s suspense. In an effort to pay respect to the prisoners, Brickhill included pictures of the prisoners with whom he interacted with. He also created drawings of escape tunnels and the camp layout to help the reader picture the camp and its surroundings. While the novel is a short read at only 264 pages, it is packed with detail that will keep any individual interested in turning its pages.

Local breweries to visit this spring Kayla Ivan Arts & Culture Manager If you are looking for something fun to do locally and are 21+, check out these nearby breweries that can make weekends all the more exciting. Ragged Island Brewing: Portsmouth, Rhode Island This brewery is located at 200 Highpoint Ave. with a taproom available to view. With opportunities for inhouse sampling and several drinks on tap lined up, Ragged Island Brewing is a great spot to visit. Customers can find a rotating selection of drinks on the company’s website along with options for online ordering, take out and gift cards for family and friends. Taproom hours vary based on the day of the week. For more information, please visit raggedislandbrewing.com. Twelve Guns Brewing: Bristol, Rhode Island Located on 549 Metacom Ave. right here in Bristol, this brewery is open for weekend festivities. With no reservations required and eight rotating beers on tap, this is the perfect place to be with friends. Try the brewery’s Nutty Professor (a pastry stout brewed with peanut butter) or its Hang Loose (a lager brewed at ale temperatures) which are both delicious options. Online ordering is available

for purchasing four packs of beer and merchandise such as stickers and sweatshirts. For more information, please visit twelvegunsbrewing.com. Coddington Brewing Company: Middletown, Rhode Island This brewing company was founded in 1995 and serves the best 100% natural beers. Located on 210 Coddington Highway, this establishment boasts a full menu of food and more than a dozen beers to try out, with craft beers changing often on its online menu. Reservations, however, are needed for lunch and dinner. For more information, please visit coddbrew. com. Troy City Brewing: Fall River, Massachusetts Established in 2017 and located in one of Fall River’s textile mills, Troy City Brewing is a certified independent craft brewer. Making small batches of unique beers, this local business is an essential destination for a weekend celebration. With favorites such as their New England IPA and Raspberry Wheat Ale, this brewery provides customers with a rich selection of tasty drinks. Located on 16 Anawan St., the taproom is open for eating and beer, along with online ordering through their website. For more information, please visit troycitybeer.com/menu.

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