KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion Spring 2025 Magazine

LIFESTYLE + FASHION

PHOTO BY ABBEY CUTRER

KRNL OUR MISSION

The mission of KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion is to promote the individuality, creativity and uniqueness of storytelling by University of Kentucky’s students utilizing all of our publishing platforms.

KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion strives to bring awareness to the stories that inspire us — through art, human interest, enterprise, investigative, health and well-being or recreation — on and around campus and throughout our community.

Whether through words or pictures, our diverse staff invites, welcomes and embraces all perspectives, allowing us to bring to life a variety of stories that we want to tell.

Produced and distributed in the fall and spring semesters on the campus of the University of Kentucky and throughout the city of Lexington, KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion aspires to be an important voice for our community.

EDITOR’S NOTE

The best work comes from knowing oneself — and the magazine you’re holding is proof of that.

In my first semester as Editor-in-Chief, I felt like I had

to separate myself from the job. Every time I had to “be a boss,” I imagined an alter-ego branching out from my core: a more organized Laurel, a more assertive Laurel, a more

confident Laurel. The Laurel I was, the one who got this job in the first place, never felt like enough. I thought I had to become someone else to succeed — someone better.

But that lack of faith in myself held me back. It kept my first magazine from becoming all I wanted it to be because I wasn’t secure enough in my identity to call the damn shots.

This semester, I made the calls. The Editor-inChief I was meant to be was within me all along — not a distorted version of myself I had to impersonate. The more I put my true self into it, the happier I was with the product.

My goal was to do things KRNL had never done before and leave a mark on this publication that couldn’t be ignored. I wanted to tell a story of identity with this edition and I believe we accomplished that.

This issue empowers those who have had their identities judged by others. It tells the stories of those who have faced grief, addiction, and exhaustion and come

back stronger. It gives a voice to those who have had others attempt to rob them of their sense of identity. It inspires with stories of those who have broken free from expectations and made history.

The fashion in this edition exudes empowerment, confidence and selfexpression with the daring exuberance of “Camp Couture,” the spirit of upheaval of “Retro Revolution” and the fierce allure of “Unleash the Animal Within.”

These unique, eye-catching shoots are a direct result of KRNL raising the bar for ourselves. We took extra care and time with the lifestyle and fashion budgets, striving to create something students couldn’t put down. We stayed persistent through challenges, like when sources refused to get back to us or when the fashion team had to style one of the biggest groups of graduating seniors ever. We also worked together more than ever before. This edition features our first-ever collaborative lifestyle and fashion cover, as well as our first-ever in-depth, multiple-writer investigative piece.

KRNL owes its identity to the incredibly talented people who make it up. KRNL is Carlee, KRNL is Ashleigh, KRNL is Lola, KRNL is Lily, KRNL is Kristen and everyone in between. It is a beautiful amalgamation of every single one of us.

I think our identities are shaped by the people we surround ourselves with; we are the people we love. I am proud to know and love the members of this team. I am proud to lead them. I learn from them every single day and I am so thankful to have another year left with this publication, whatever my role is next.

I love the Laurel KRNL has helped me become. Self-efficacy is the key to success. I learned that from the process of creating this edition and from the stories it holds.

I’m sure this is a lesson I will relearn time and time again in my life, but I will always think back to the time I spent here and the pride I felt in what we were able to create.

I hope this magazine inspires you to appreciate the person you are a little bit more. I hope you find traces of yourself

certainly poured our hearts

TRIXIE MATTEL’S COLLEGE SURVIVAL GUIDE

Brian Firkus, aka Trixie Mattel, reflects on college, self-discovery, burnout and artistic authenticity, offering sharp humor and hard-earned wisdom on surviving your early 20s.

CAMP COUTURE: THE ART OF EXCESS

Embrace the extravagant and celebrate the queer community with over-the-top looks.

RETRO REVIVAL

Channel the transformative spirit of the 1960s with KRNL’s seniors.

AN INSIDE LOOK

SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK

KRNL dives into UK swimmers’ claims that Title IX, a system meant to protect them, failed after numerous reports of sexual assault by former UK swim coach Lars Jorgensen went seemingly uninvestigated.

UNLEASH THE ANIMAL WITHIN

Explore the untamed power of the jungle and how fashion thrives when it runs wild.

Beverly Hockersmith continues to run her cattle farm despite adversity, finding strength in nature, routine and the enduring presence of her late husband.

PASSING THE THREAD: HOW JOCKEY SILKS HAVE HELPED BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN GENERATIONS

A seasoned seamstress and a young apprentice form an unexpected but deep bond at Becker and Durski Turf Goods, where 76-year-old “Miss Sophie” Goff shares decades of derbysilk-making expertise with 26-year-old Bailey Boswell.

A WIDOW’S JOURNEY THROUGH AGE, LOSS AND LONELINESS 26 48 72 86 29 30 66 56 60 80

‘IT WAS A SAVING GRACE TO HAVE THE THEATER.’ MEREDITH KING’S SURVIVAL OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND STRUT TOWARD BROADWAY

After leaving a domestic violence relationship, University of Kentucky lecturer Meredith King followed her passion for performing and discovered her authentic self in the world of show business.

LOCKS OF LOSS AND LOVE: SPREADING ADDICTION AWARENESS TO THE LEXINGTON COMMUNITY

The Locks for Addiction fence symbolizes hope, sobriety and remembrance, with each lock representing a personal story of loss, recovery and support.

DROPPING BARS: THE CREATION OF THE VOYAGE MOVEMENT

After prison, Terry Dumphord founded the Voyage Movement to mentor at-risk youth through music.

MASAI RUSSELL: MORE THAN A MEDAL

Olympic gold medalist and influencer Masai Russell reflects on her journey, faith and ambitions beyond the track as she continues to break records.

THE FORCE AWAKENS IN LEXINGTON: SABER LEAGUE BRINGS ‘STAR WARS’ DUELS TO LIFE

The Lexington Saber League brings competitive dueling and “Star Wars”-inspired performance to reality, building community and members’ skills.

CHASE MYERS’ HINGE BINGE

Chase Myers takes on a wild dating journey through Lexington, reuniting with “three exes” Hinge, Tinder and Bumble.

WRITTEN BY LAUREL SWANZ

PHOTOS BY LILY FOSTER & JON SAMS

PHOTO BY LILY FOSTER

Brian Firkus poses for a photo on Dec. 14, 2024 at Southland Lanes in Lexington, Ky.

KRNL LIFESTYLE + FASHION

Before he was one of the most famous drag queens of all time, Brian Firkus, aka Trixie Mattel, was a pool player.

That’s why you might be able to find him at Southland Lanes, which happens to be one of his favorite spots in Lexington, Kentucky, where he frequently visits family and friends.

A lifelong hobby, pool provides Firkus a sense of calm amidst his high-energy drag career.

“My grandma had a pool table, so we played all day every day, all the time,” Firkus said while aiming his shot during a game of pool on Dec. 14, 2024. He missed the pocket entirely. “And that’s why I’m so incredible at it, so.”

Multiple families gathered at Southland at 10 a.m. that day, seemingly unaware they were in the presence of the winner of season three of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.” In their defense, he wasn’t wearing a huge blonde wig or Trixie’s signature exaggerated, dolllike eye makeup. He chooses not to get in drag in Lexington, seeing it as a place to decompress.

“Today they must have some kind of, like, family event, and I’m great with kids, so thank God I’m here,” Firkus said sarcastically. “Could you imagine me in drag at this family function right now, at the Southland Lanes in Kentucky, with the rubber breasts?”

Prior to sporting the rubber breasts, releasing chart-topping music, founding his cosmetic brand, building a global empire and becoming a cultural icon, Firkus, now 35, was a mere college freshman at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where he got a BFA in musical theatre.

College is where it all began for Firkus — where he fell in love with drag and where “Trixie Mattel” was born. It was a time for life lessons and self-discovery, as it is for many. Drawing from those formative years, Firkus has a treasure trove of wisdom to share.

So without further ado, here are some tips from your very own college fairy godmother, the one and only Trixie Mattel.

In Class Pay Attention In Class

Even when the class has nothing to do with your major, it’s 8 a.m. and your professor won’t stop droning on in the same monotone voice, you still paid to be there.

“I think I went to college hating every single thing about every like, gen ed and all that,” Firkus said. “But the truth is, you have to pay for college, and you pay a lot for it, so in retrospect, you kind of look dumb complaining about doing it because you’re paying for it.”

Plus, you never know when a class might come in handy in the future.

“If I could go back, cause like, yeah, I didn’t want to take Plants in Today’s World. But why didn’t I pay attention?” Firkus said. “Also, all my math classes I hated. Guess who owns three businesses now? Like, maybe I should have paid attention.”

from the country, doing Rocky Horror,” he said. “It was, like, everybody. It was goth people and gay people and trans people and, you know, really alternative people.

I’d never even seen people with lots of tattoos before. So it was a really transformative thing. Before I could really express myself, I could say I was a part of something that kind of expressed that for me.”

If Firkus hadn’t branched out, he never would have found that outlet of self-expression. Performing in Rocky Horror inspired Firkus to start performing in drag independently and develop the character of Trixie Mattel.

“Don’t waste your time in school just doing everything about school. They didn’t teach me about drag in school. That was all shit I was doing after school or on the weekends,” Firkus said. “So sometimes you just gotta do other shit. It sounds kind of lame, but I think if you’re going to school and just going to class and going home, really, what’s the point?”

Have Sex & Get Drunk Have Sex & Get Drunk

Firkus said he also spent plenty of time outside of class enjoying the newfound freedom of booze-soaked nights and sexual exploration, which he’d recommend on your journey of figuring out who you want to be.

“I think everybody should have a lot of sex in college. Everybody should just go get their back blown out before junior year. Do it when everything’s, you know, young and taut,” Firkus said.

College is the time to be wild and bold and practice talking to people, according to Firkus.

Firkus didn’t know who he was going to become or how far his drag career would go when he first started. He came to college with aspirations of being a musician, trying musical theatre when his music classes got boring. He was first exposed to drag from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Coincidentally, the character he played was named Trixie.

“Nobody really knows. I didn’t know what I was gonna do, but I guess I was interested in trying shit to figure out what I was gonna do. I’m glad I tried shit,” Firkus said. “I can’t believe I was 17 and I joined Rocky Horror. I don’t know what made me brave enough to do that, but I’m obviously really happy I did. I mean, that changed my whole life.”

Firkus grew up sheltered in a conservative home in the rural town of Silver Cliff, Wisconsin.

“I had barely been able to say I was gay, and I was

“With COVID and everything and the Internet, I just feel like it makes people more and more afraid of how to talk to each other. Just go flirt. Go get drunk in college, too. Just go, you know, bat your eyelashes and make shit happen,” Firkus said. “I think I had sex with so many people that I just magically made happen because I was wild enough to be like, ‘I’m just gonna go shoot my shot.’ Besides, sex is one of the only parts of college that’s free.”

Going out and hooking up in college helped Firkus come out of his shell and become comfortable with his sexuality. This became a huge part of his identity and is why so many queer kids look up to him as they learn to accept themselves.

“I met lots of different people, and I was so closeted and scared and had so much fear, and it (college) just like, beat all the fear out of me in a lot of ways,” Firkus said. “You know, not all of it, but it really helped.”

“

It’s not like you put a quarter in and turn it and get a gumball every time. That’s not what it’s like to be an artist, you know. And I just want to respect being an artist.”

— BRIAN FIRKUS

TRIXIE MATTEL

Don’t Overwork Yourself Don’t Overwork Yourself #4

Unfortunately, this is a lesson Firkus did not learn until recently, but one that is certainly applicable to the demands of college life. From July to October 2024, Firkus took a break from drag the first of his career.

“We all want to make money doing our art, but if you are doing it too much, then you’re not taking time to be inspired, and then you’re kind of pouring from an empty cup,” Firkus said. “I feel like I owe people who like Trixie my best work. I don’t owe them the most work. I got stuck doing as much as I could instead of the best things I could.”

Firkus said prioritizing quantity over quality led to him feeling disconnected from Trixie and at its worst, developing an autoimmune disorder.

“I got so burned out and got so sick and lost so much weight. I started to get in drag and kind of feel like I was a Trixie impersonator for a while like I was one of the people who dressed up as me for Halloween,” Firkus said. “I just couldn’t find it. Nothing was that funny and everything was kind of upsetting.”

He said that during his hiatus, he learned how to say “no,” focusing now on a healthier, more sustainable approach to his artistry. He’s since rediscovered the joy and authenticity in drag.

“It’s not like you put a quarter in and turn it and get a gumball every time. That’s not what it’s like to be an artist, you know,” Firkus said. “And I just want to respect being an artist.”

Firkus wishes he would’ve realized the importance of not overexerting himself sooner.

“You should do what you need to do, and manage your time in a way that every time you go out there, you are completely, fully loaded, like a gun ready to go off,” Firkus said.

Firkus said he now has less concern than ever about what other people think of him and his work — a level of peace everyone should strive for, but one he did not achieve till long after college.

Good doesn’t mean anything. Good is subjective, and it’s a waste of brain power and energy to wonder if what you’re doing is good, because nothing’s really good because good doesn’t exist.”

— BRIAN FIRKUS

TRIXIE MATTEL

PHOTO BY LILY FOSTER

College is the time for self-expression! It’s a fresh start from wherever you came from where you can be whoever you want to be. Firkus said it’s time to experiment with your hair and makeup more than ever.

“I started thrifting vintage clothes and fell in love with that,” Firkus said. “Plus, drugstore makeup is way better than it used to be.”

He also said now is the time to learn about other people’s cultures.

“Go home for other people’s holidays. Go to someone else’s Christmas, go to someone else’s Thanksgiving, and meet their mom,” Firkus said. “Go to their house. Like, that’s so fun to go meet your new friends’ families.”

But after you fill up at your roommate’s Thanksgiving, hit up the campus gym. Firkus encouraged forming healthy exercise habits in college.

“They take part of your tuition and they use it toward all these athletic things that you pay for. And then you don’t go to the gym and use it,”

PHOTOS BY LILY FOSTER

PHOTO BY JON SAMS

“Oh my God, I wasted a lot of time when I was you guys’ age (early 20s) wondering if what I was doing was good, which is a huge waste of time because good doesn’t mean anything,” Firkus said. “Good is subjective, and it’s a waste of brain power and energy to wonder if what you’re doing is good because nothing’s really good because good doesn’t exist. I was like, 20, being like, ‘I hope this is good. I hope people like it.’ It’s like, who cares?”

Letting go of “good,” doesn’t happen overnight, though, not even for Trixie Mattel.

Soon after graduating college, Firkus was making a living from drag. At 24, he competed in season seven of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” introducing the world to Trixie’s sharp wit, unapologetic vivacity and Barbie-inspired style. Despite placing sixth, the “Skinny Legend” was not soon forgotten by audiences.

“That’s when I realized, the more I put my organic self into it, the more people like it. Because then it was this balance of being this fake person, fake hair, fake everything, but if you are playing your guitar and doing the comedy in a very honest way, people like you more,” Firkus said. “And it’s not about people liking you, but people connect more.”

Trixie gained massive popularity and returned to Drag Race three years later, winning and securing her fame in 2018. The rest is history. But entering the spotlight meant more eyes on Firkus than ever before, and this only intensified his desire for people to think he was “good.”

“Once people start paying attention to you, it’s really easy to make the attention or the approval or the likes be like currency. And I was stuck like that for a lot of years, probably from when I did Drag Race the first time till, like, last year, I was very interested in, ‘Is it good,’ and ‘Do people like it?’” Firkus said.

People did like it (millions of them, actually) which led to him tormenting himself with pressure to live up to the hype.

“I was making more money than I ever had, and I had more success than I ever had, and I was more unhappy than I ever was,” Firkus said.

Firkus’s struggle and consequent hiatus helped him fully realize how harmful that thinking was.

“I almost feel like I wasted a lot of years of what could be, like, peak artistry, making sure that what I did would get on a chart, or sell tickets or get an award, and now I actually don’t care if any of that happens,” Firkus said. “I want people to enjoy it, but not at the expense of me worrying about if they enjoy it.”

Though it’s not easy to care less what other people think, especially in the college environment, he encouraged students to focus on their passions, authenticity and personal fulfillment over chasing validation or societal markers of success.

“If you think it’s funny and good, then you feel so good about it you don’t really care if people don’t like it,” Firkus said.

Freedom from the restraint of perception has allowed Firkus to live with unparalleled authenticity.

“It’s really weird to do something as counter-culture as drag and then hope everyone likes it. Like by nature, it’s not supposed to be something everyone likes,” Firkus said. “I spent a few years being like, ‘I’m not just a drag queen, I’m a musician.’ And then I was like, ‘Well, no, I’m also a stand-up comedian.’ But honestly, nowadays, I just feel like being a drag queen.”

PHOTO BY LILY FOSTER

Is it too much? That’s the point! Camp fashion is all about embracing the extravagant, the over-the-top and the unapologetically theatrical. Every outfit pushes boundaries with humor, irony and daring creativity. It’s about self-expression and rejecting norms — which is why camp fashion is so special to so many, particularly the LGBTQ+ community. Camp has been ingrained in queer culture for nearly a century, so it was only right for KRNL to highlight all queer-identifying models. This shoot is for anyone seeking the empowerment and joy of defying expectations. J. Bryan Lowder put it best in a quote featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2019 exhibit “Camp: Notes on Fashion ... “ “Camp is very serious serious about maintaining the freedom to play, which is a way of saying the freedom to live.”

WRITTEN BY LAUREL SWANZ AND LOLA KIRK TO WATCH THIS SHOOT’S VIDEO, SCAN THE QR CODE ON PAGE 81.

PHOTOS BY MADIE MCMILLIAN

PHOTO BY

ELIZABETH SOLIE

ADBI TUTU SHOES

PHOTO BY CAITLIN DUFFY

PHOTO BY GIANNA MANCINI

WEARHOUSE

SHIRT

PHOTO BY LILY FOSTER

PHOTO BY MADIE MCMILLIAN

STREET SCENE OTHER BROOCHES EARRINGS

PHOTO BY LILY FOSTER

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH HUNTER

PHOTO BY CAITLIN DUFFY

PHOTO BY LILY FOSTER

PHOTO BY SILER BARGO WEARHOUSE BLAZER NECKLACE

STREET SCENE SKIRT TIES BROOCH

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH SOLIE

| KRNL LIFESTYLE + FASHION

Beverly Hockersmith looks out the window in her den on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024 in Lawrenceburg, Ky.

A widow’s journey through age, loss and loneliness

When her husband died, most people questioned Beverly Hockersmith’s ability to maintain a 500-acre cattle farm on her own, and sometimes, she even doubted herself.

Hockersmith, an 87-year-old farmer in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, owns and operates Rie-Al farm, and has been maintaining most of the daily upkeep by herself since she lost her husband in 2012.

She has had a deep connection to the land since childhood and enjoyed all the rigorous and sometimes mundane work that came with a farm. She described herself as the closest thing her parents had to a little boy.

Until her husband, Don Hockersmith, came along, her heart belonged entirely to her family farm and surrounding herself with nature.

Beverly and Don enjoyed all things outdoors, from riding bicycles and

horses to snow skiing in Colorado where they owned a cabin. They began to travel even more in their 40s as Don played the guitar at many local events and country music shows.

She and Don spent 24/7 together — working, living and building a life. When he died, her world was turned upside down. People often questioned what she would do without him.

Beverly said she knew her strength and knew she would be OK.

“Just before he passed away, he asked … ‘What in the world are you going to do?’ And I said ‘I’m a very strong person, but you’re not going to die,’” Beverly said.

Beverly’s connection with the natural beauty around her remains strong, often overcoming the trials and tribulations of age, loss and loneliness.

In her free time, she goes into

Beverly Hockersmith walks alongside her cattle on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024.

town to be with people, eats at a family-owned restaurant in her neighboring hometown and stays busy on the farm. Upon approaching her winding gravel drive, one would most likely find her on her lawnmower, stripping the rolling hills of her front yard.

Beverly said she keeps busy to combat her loneliness.

After a bitter cold front hit Kentucky in early 2025, Beverly was stuck in her house for weeks, and since staying active and independent are pillars of her well-being, she faced some dark days.

She said for the first time, she knew what depression felt like.

“Those two weeks I (had) a lot of depression, get depressed, but I find a way to get out of it,” Beverly said.

Without access to the outside world, her way out was spending time with her thoughts, which can be scary for most, but not for Beverly.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY ALEXIS BAKER

She said she thinks about the wonderful life and husband she’s had and ultimately finds her way through.

As the winter storm settled, she looked forward to returning to her routine, which sometimes included breakfast at Huddle House, going into town for fried chicken, getting her steps in at Walmart and tending to the farm for as long as she could.

Beverly said she has recognized that the fate of the farm is out of her hands after she dies, but her grandson, Neale Shryock, and his wife share the deep-seated love of the land. With acres full of cattle, they help her out as much as they can.

While he was sick, Don told Beverly they couldn’t sell the farm. With his words in the back of her head, she turned down a $1.4 million offer, she made it clear the farm would be passed on to her only daughter, Donna Shryock. Beverly said she trusts her family will know exactly what to do when the time comes.

“He’s here. You know, I can feel his presence,” Beverly said. “Everyone said he would be so proud of me, but he was proud of me every day of his life.”

“Just before he passed away, he asked … ‘What in the world are you going to do?’ And I said ‘I’m a very strong person, but you’re not going to die.’”

— BEVERLY HOCKERSMITH 87-YEAR-OLD FARM OWNER

Beverly Hockersmith starts her tractor outside her garage on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024.

Beverly Hockersmith bush hogs a field on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024.

Locks of Loss and Love

Spreading Addiction Awareness to the Lexington Community

WRITTEN BY KATIE FEEBACK | PHOTO BY KEEGAN ROSE

TO WATCH THIS STORY’S VIDEO, SCAN THE QR CODE ON PAGE 81.

Each lock represents a story, some placed as a commitment to sobriety while some honor loved ones. They come together to make a monument that brings hope to the community of Lexington. Pam Stamper, the mother of Chelis, who lost his battle to addiction, has poured her heart and soul into this marker.

After Chelis’ passing, Stamper found inspiration through France’s “Locks of Love” bridge, which is covered with locks symbolizing eternal love.

“The more locks that go on there, the more awareness we get out here,” Stamper said. “More people looking at that fence are getting curious about what that fence is.”

Stamper said there are around 600 locks that have been placed since the fence was founded in August 2021. All of these locks have a story to them told or untold.

In the corner of Stamper’s living room is a miniature replica of Locks for Addiction. Created by her brother, its smaller size allows Stamper to cherish it in her home, easily travel with it and take it to events.

Toward the top of both fences is a lock dedicated to Chelis, who passed away at age 29. Next to Chelis’ are more locks for Jaron “Scooby” Frizalone. Scooby passed away from an overdose in 2017. His mother, Dannette Hopper, learned about the Locks for Addiction fence through Facebook, despite living in New Port Richey, Florida.

“To give others peace, I decided to make a small fence in my front

yard. I named the fence Scooby’s Story Memory Fence. We have about 30 locks on there at this time in someone’s memory,” Hopper said.

Sandie Robinson traveled across the country from California to hang up a lock of her own.

“I met some people on TikTok and met up with them. One of the girls knew about Locks of Addiction and wanted to share with us the fence. We all have a common denominator of addiction, so it was only fitting that we share the experience together,” Robinson said.

Robinson didn’t know what to expect when she saw the fence in person. The mix of sobriety and memorial locks caused a range of emotions.

“The stigma out there regarding addiction is so strong, it causes people in addiction to stay quiet, stay in shame and never actually make it out of addiction. Seeing those recovery dates just means something so deep that no one who has ever experienced addiction would understand,” Robinson explained.

James Craft, a Lexington resident, found placing a lock on the fence to be a helpful step in his sobriety journey.

“When I hung up my lock, it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Some people use the term, ‘a gorilla in a cage clawing at your back.’” Craft said. “For me, it was like there was no more gorilla. It felt great to be able to say ‘I made it.’”

Stamper’s fence has impacted

many people’s lives, whether she knows them or not.

“I think the most powerful story I’ve heard that placed locks was a mother and daughter,” Stamper said. “They were both on drugs, and the daughter got clean and helped the mom get sober. They hung their sobriety locks together. That was really touching.”

Stamper and her daughter, Aimee, believe that it is never too late for redemption. In a letter written to Chelis’ drug dealer who so deeply impacted her life, Aimee voiced her hurt and feelings.

“It’s not too late to change your path, remember, it all starts with the man in the mirror,” Aimee said.

The action of hanging a lock allows others struggling with addiction to know they are not alone. Stamper said there has always been a stigma around addiction, and she wants to refocus the issue on providing support and resources to people struggling with addiction.

“It’s easier to get help now than when my son passed away 11 years ago,” she said. “We sat and called so many places. He was only 29, he had no insurance. We called so many places trying to get him help or trying to get him in.”

In the three years since she started her project, Stamper has met countless people who share her perspective on addiction.

“I help take care of it, but that fence does not belong to me. It now belongs to the community of Lexington,” Stamper said.

The Force awakens in lexington

Saber League brings ‘Star Wars’ duels to life

WRITTEN BY ALEXANDRIA LANDGRAF | PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN KANTOSKY

TO WATCH THIS STORY’S VIDEO, SCAN THE QR CODE ON PAGE 81.

15,

Jonathan Thompson poses with his lightsaber on Wednesday, Jan.

2025, at Woodland Park in Lexington, Ky.

Mike Thompson poses with his lightsaber.

In a galaxy far, far away or at least, in Woodland Park — the hum of sabers cuts through the quiet, their clashes echoing as opponents battle with precision on the snowcovered ground.

The Lexington Saber League, a local group that trains in performance-driven improv dueling inspired by Star Wars’ canonical seven saber forms, isn’t just playing pretend. They’re turning a fantasy into a real-world sport.

In 2019, saber dueling was officially recognized as a competitive sport by the French Fencing Federation, earning the same status as the Olympic blades: the foil, épée and sabre. This development brought the iconic weapon from George Lucas’ epic franchise out of the realm of science fiction and into the arena of legitimate martial arts.

Specifically in Kentucky, there has been a growing community of saber enthusiasts, dedicated to bringing the visually captivating duels from the silver screen to reality.

“Kentucky has a long history of saber groups

starting in 2007,” Jonathan Thompson, a Jedi Grand Master said. “The groups have been growing steadily, and our league was formed to provide a competitive yet theatrical approach to saber dueling.”

This emphasis on competition and performance plays out in the unique structure of their duels, where each combatant follows specific strategies based on the saber form they’ve mastered.

“In a typical duel for our group, one person is on offense, the other on defense,” Jonathan said. “If the attack lands in the correct target area, the strike is counted. Arms and legs are worth one point, while the chest and head are worth two points.”

But just like a Padawan mastering the Force, newcomers have to start somewhere.

“When you start, I like to call them initiates,” said JJ Vires, a Sith Warrior in the league. “They start by learning Shii-Cho, the first form, which is basic. It’s all about getting them familiar with theatrical dueling and making sure they can practice safely without hurting anyone or themselves.”

There’s often a stigma around being a ‘nerd,’ but we want to provide a space where people can express themselves freely, without judgment,”

— MIKE THOMPSON DARK LORD OF THE SITH AND CO-LEADER IN THE LEAGUE

Once they pass a trial showing they’ve mastered Shii-Cho, they choose a side: Jedi or Sith.

“After that, they move on to more advanced forms and learn systems for two-on-one dueling,” Vires said. “As they progress, they take trials to demonstrate mastery of each form and earn their rank.”

Mastery, however, isn’t just about technique, it’s also about how well the body adapts to the intensity and variety of movements required.

“It’s a full-body workout,” Vires said. “I always try to break the habit in people I train early on, we’re not line dancing. We’re not just moving back and forth in one spot. We use the entire space. I’ve seen duels take place across the whole field, in every direction. You’re constantly using your arms, legs and your entire body to get into it.”

All of the discipline and training comes to fruition as the members move up the ranks, where they can focus on the style and performance just as much as mastering the technique of the forms.

“Performance is at the core of what we do,”

“Jonathan said. “Sometimes, opponents will let me spin or do a flashy move without interfering to keep the duel exciting. Even in trials, when we’re testing someone’s form, performance matters.”

The league’s focus on performance and the theatrical part of dueling opens doors for some intergalactic opportunities, from local events like the annual Christmas parade in Asheville to teaming up with the Lexington Legends.

“The Lexington Legends has been very memorable,” Jonathan said. “They contacted us for Star Wars Day, where they do a Star Wars-themed baseball game. We’ve dueled before and after the fireworks. So we’ve done that for two years and it is pretty insane.”

While the saber duels draw in a crowd, it’s the strong sense of community within the league that encourages people to keep coming back.

“We’re a small group, but we’re really close,” Vires said. “Even if someone isn’t up for dueling, they can come hang out, chat and enjoy the social atmosphere and watch some cool fights.”

We look at it as an official sport that’s fun and brings people together … that really is just fencing with glow sticks.”

— MIKE THOMPSON

DARK LORD OF THE SITH AND CO-LEADER IN THE LEAGUE

Jeffrey “JJ” Vires duels with Mike Thompson.

This sense of camaraderie extends beyond the thrill of the dueling ground, it’s also about uplifting and encouraging each other’s growth along the way.

“One of my most memorable moments was helping an initiate learn Shii-Cho,” Vires said. “It was really fulfilling to be part of their journey and see them pass the trial. The trials are much more serious compared to our regular practices, but it’s a really rewarding experience to see people succeed and test themselves.”

The league has created a place where anyone can pick up a saber, fan or not, and be embraced by a welcoming community.

“There’s often a stigma around being a ‘nerd,’ but we want to provide a space where people can express themselves freely, without judgment,” said Mike Thompson, Dark Lord of the Sith and co-leader in the league.

The league also helps members harness the Force within, cultivating members’ skills that extend past combat and into their everyday lives.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned as a leader is

patience,” Mike said. “Organizing practices, dividing tasks between teachers and students, making sure our progress is tracked to make practices as efficient as possible, it’s a big responsibility.”

While leadership comes with its challenges, Mike is always quick to encourage others to take the leap. As Grand Master Yoda wisely puts it, “Do or do not, there is no try.”

“To anyone interested in joining, just do it,” Mike said. “Don’t let hesitation hold you back. You don’t need a background in martial arts to start. I didn’t have one when I began, and you don’t need to know everything about Star Wars either.”

The league often holds their sessions on Wednesdays around 5:30-6 p.m. at Woodland Park, right in front of the white gazebo. They can be seen there every week starting in March.

“There’s one direction you can take it, that its people just swinging glow sticks around with no real care to it,” Mike said. “We look at it as an official sport that’s fun and brings people together … that really is just fencing with glow sticks.”

We’re a small group, but we’re really close.”

— JJ VIRES

SITH WARRIOR

VINTAGE THERAPY SHOES

Step back into the ‘60s with our vibrant seniors, dressed in an era that sparked the second wave of the feminist movement. As women fought for reproductive rights and equality in education and employment, fashion became a powerful reflection of their newfound liberation. Shorter dresses and mini skirts were more than a trend — they symbolized women rejecting traditional roles and demanding a voice in a male-dominated world. This shoot channels that spirit of empowerment, celebrating how communities like KRNL continue to uplift women today. As our seniors step forward into the future, they do so in the spirit of the ‘60s ready to embrace the next wave of change and redefine what’s possible.

KIRK

WRITTEN BY CARLEE HOGSTEN AND LOLA

TO WATCH THIS SHOOT’S VIDEO, SCAN THE QR CODE ON PAGE 81

PHOTO BY LILY FOSTER

VINTAGE THERAPY TOP

PHOTO BY GIANNA MANCINI

VINTAGE THERAPY

BOOTS

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VINTAGE THERAPY TOP

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VINTAGE THERAPY DRESS

STREET SCENE BRACELET EARRINGS

STREET SCENE BANGLE WEARHOUSE WATCH NECKLACE

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WEARHOUSE GLOVES

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VINTAGE

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STREET

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WEARHOUSE WATCH

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These are all allegations made in a pending civil lawsuit against one man. A man that the University of Kentucky hired, backed and praised for almost a decade.

As this story went to press, on the UK Athletics website, Lars Jorgensen has a 2,878-word bio detailing his accomplishments and accolades as head coach of the swimming and diving program.

What the university omits from his bio is everything alleged in a 98-page lawsuit, detailing numerous assault, abuse and rape allegations about Jorgensen, the majority of which allegedly occurred while he was on UK’s payroll.

WRITTEN BY ALEXIS BAKER, REAGHAN CHEN, CARLEE HOGSTEN & LAUREL SWANZ

JUNE 2012

Former Toledo coach, Mark Howard, warns UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart and former Head Coach Gary Conelly about Jorgensen’s alleged misconduct; UK hires him anyway.

Jorgensen starts as UK Associate Head Coach. 2012-2013

Editor’s note: At the time of the alleged assaults, Briggs Alexander identified as a female. As of the 2021-2022 swim season, Alexander identifies as a male. KRNL uses gender pronouns that correspond with his transition timeline in this article, per his request.

POWER, PATTERNS… PROTECTION?

The allegations detailed in this section were made in a pending lawsuit in federal court. These allegations only represent one side of the lawsuit.

At the time this story goes to print, the plaintiffs have dropped four claims against Jorgensen, including failure to train and supervise and negligence, and the court has dismissed two claims due to them not being filed within one year of the alleged events. However, state-level claims against Jorgensen and federal claims against UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart and UK remain.

According to court documents, Jorgensen is still facing multiple allegations. In court, Jorgensen, Barnhart and UK have filed pleadings denying most allegations in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit, Briggs Alexander and Jane Doe v. The University of Kentucky, Lars Jorgensen and Mitch Barnhart was filed on April 24, 2024, by Briggs Alexander and Jane Doe I, two former swimmers Jorgensen coached during their time at UK.

Alexander said that Jorgensen had groomed her throughout her time as a swimmer, starting in 2014 and beyond, manipulating and threatening her on multiple occasions.

Two examples of these alleged occasions follow:

2014

Jorgensen promoted to Head Coach; Tarrah Beyster v. Toledo lawsuit mentions his player relationship.

Alexander starts at UK and Jorgenson begins to allegedly groom her.

2014

1.

“While on the phone with Alexander, Jorgensen would suddenly begin masturbating and repeatedly asked Alexander to masturbate, so that he could listen.”

2. “Jorgensen continuously pressured Alexander to send him nude photographs and, likewise, sent Alexander unsolicited photos of his erect penis and videos of him masturbating.”

Alexander was 20 years old. Jorgensen was 46. Alexander remained at UK to obtain her master’s degree and train as an elite swimmer to break into the world of professional swimming. However, to use the university’s facilities, she needed a direct connection to the swim program.

Jorgensen gave her one.

After being hired by Jorgensen as a volunteer assistant coach, Alexander had weekly one-on-one dinners with Jorgensen that he’d set up at a local restaurant.

These dinners were labeled as “professional development,” but the lawsuit alleged they were just a backdrop for sexual assault.

According to the lawsuit, “Jorgensen fondled his erect penis through his clothes, showing Alexander ‘how hard he was.’ Jorgensen physically assaulted Alexander, touching her genitalia between her pants and underwear, under the table.”

Alexander said she would pull away, trying to object, but Jorgensen ignored it.

His response: “You know you like it.”

After dinner, Alexander said Jorgensen would walk her to the car, and then proceed to force himself into the passenger seat, where he could continue the assaults, now in a confined space.

Alexander reportedly tried to pull away from Jorgensen while he was “groping her breasts and

2017

Alexander finishes as a student swimmer and stays for master’s and elite training; Jorgensen hires Alexander as volunteer assistant coach.

Jorgensen is suspended for 6 days for unreported harassment in less than a week.

2019

First Rape: Jorgensen allegedly rapes Alexander after Christmas party, threatens her silence.

Second Rape: Jorgensen allegedly chokes, rapes Alexander at his home.

MARCH 2020

kissing her on the mouth.”

His response: “You know you like it.”

The repeated sexual assaults and abuse “took a significant toll on Alexander’s body, both mentally and physically,” leading her to end her elite swim career within two years.

But the abuse didn’t end with her elite swim career, according to the lawsuit. It worsened as Alexander continued assistant coaching.

After a Christmas party for the swimming and diving coaching staff, “Jorgensen pulled Alexander into his bedroom, pinned her to the bed by her wrists and forcibly raped her.” Alexander was 22 years old. Jorgensen was 49.

Alexander tried to get out.

“Jorgensen followed Alexander, painfully grabbed her arm and threatened, ‘If you tell anyone, I’ll ruin your reputation. I’ll tell everyone you wanted to have sex with a 50-year-old. I know you liked it.’”

Alexander did not tell a soul.

Three months later, in March 2020, Alexander said she went to Jorgensen’s house to discuss career options, since Jorgensen was her employer and coach.

While reviewing Alexander’s resume, the lawsuit alleged, it was clear his intention was not to help.

Jorgensen pulled Alexander into his bedroom, and according to the lawsuit, he forced her onto the bed and held her down by her neck.

“Jorgensen choked Alexander by the neck and taunted her saying, ‘Now you can’t talk.’”

Jorgensen then allegedly raped Alexander. For the second time.

The lawsuit stated Jorgensen would not let Alexander leave until she promised not to tell anyone.

Alexander did not tell a soul.

In the spring of that same year, Jorgensen invited

SPRING 2020

Third Rape: Jorgensen allegedly rapes Alexander on a couch.

Alexander leaves for Buffalo; Jorgensen allegedly harasses her remotely.

MAY 2020

Alexander to his house, once again for “career development.”

“Catching her unaware, Jorgensen pushed Alexander onto his couch, pinned her wrists, effectively rendering her immobile, and forcibly raped her.”

This is the third alleged rape.

In May 2020, Alexander moved to coach at the University of Buffalo, but Jorgensen still sexually harassed her from over 500 miles away, “asking her to send photos and videos of her having sex with her girlfriend.”

Alexander said she did not fulfill Jorgensen’s inappropriate request and continued to coach at Buffalo for a little over a year.

However, in July of 2021, Alexander decided to return to UK as an assistant swim coach, under the promise of Jorgensen keeping a professional relationship.

According to the lawsuit, Jorgensen did not.

When Alexander returned to UK, he started to transition from female to male, and Jorgensen “routinely made sexually explicit comments … and continually threatened that without him, he would fail.”

“Jorgensen was hostile to Alexander’s gender transition and became increasingly more aggressive with him.”

In December of 2021, Jorgensen allegedly raped Alexander for the fourth time after the staff Christmas party, as he reportedly did two years prior.

“Jorgensen told Alexander words to the effect that he needed to remind him ‘what it was like to be submissive like a girl.’”

Afterward, Jorgensen made a joke stating that Alexander “knew the drill,” as in he knew not to

Alexander returns to UK; Jorgensen allegedly resumes harassment.

JULY 2021

DECEMBER 2021

Fourth Rape: Jorgensen allegedly rapes Alexander post-Christmas party, mocks transition.

tell anyone what just occurred.

Alexander did not tell a soul.

In May of 2022, Alexander said he decided to leave his position due to trauma from Jorgensen’s repeated actions, but the abuse did not stop, according to the lawsuit.

Jorgensen, according to the lawsuit, sent text messages such as, “Don’t you remember how good I felt?”

Alexander said he hoped a face-to-face conversation would stop Jorgensen, but after dinner, Jorgensen forced himself into Alexander’s car as he had done multiple times prior.

The lawsuit stated Alexander told Jorgensen he would call the police. That did not stop anything. Jorgensen hit Alexander. Jorgensen forcefully kissed Alexander. Jorgensen forced Alexander to give him oral sex.

Alexander decided to tell someone.

WAS UK AWARE?

However, Alexander was not the first person to speak out against Jorgensen.

Jorgensen was hired at UK before the 2012-13 season as an associate coach under Gary Conelly, the head coach at the time. According to records obtained by KRNL from the UK Open Records Office, in June 2012, Conelly and UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart were given the first warning about Jorgensen.

Mark Howard, a former swimming assistant coach at the University of Toledo, where Jorgensen had previously coached, sent two emails to Conelly and Barnhart.

The emails said that a former female swimmer

Alexander quits UK; Jorgensen continues to allegedly harass through texts.

MAY 2022

Alexander and Jane Doe II report to Title IX; lawsuit alleges they were discouraged from filing.

MAY 2023

was involved in a sexual relationship with Jorgensen at Toledo.

“This is no joke at all and I cannot stomach the fact that (Jorgensen) will be coaching women again,” Howard wrote to Conelly.

Howard, according to the lawsuit, had “learned of Jorgensen’s misconduct when he discovered a video, filmed on a university camera, in which Jorgensen was having sexual intercourse with the swimmer, who appeared to be incapacitated.”

Howard reported this to the University of Toledo, but according to Briggs Alexander et al. v. The University of Kentucky et al., there were no direct consequences, and in 2012, Jorgensen was hired as associate head coach for UK’s swimming and diving program.

Howard wrote to Barnhart a couple of days after the initial email, “If I sit idly by with 1st hand knowledge then I am a man of no character. I just wanted you to know who would be at the helm of your Swimming and Diving Program.”

Barnhart never responded.

Two years later, in 2014, Jorgensen officially became head coach at UK, but former softball coach Tarrah Beyster sued the University of Toledo after being fired for insubordination. In the process, she cited what she considered misconduct by other employees — including Jorgensen.

In Beyster v. The University of Toledo, Beyster stated Jorgensen “had a long-term romantic relationship with a player” at Toledo, reinforcing the allegation Howard had emailed Conelly and Barnhart about two years prior.

Jorgensen continued to coach at UK, despite the attempted warnings from former colleagues.

JULY 2023

Jorgensen resigns with $75,000.

Alexander and Jane Doe I seek Title IX updates; unclear responses.

Alexander returns to UK as a Graduate Student Assistant in Aquatics.

AUGUST 2023

Kristi Willett, the executive director of public relations at UK, claimed the university “was not aware of the most serious allegations until this lawsuit was filed by Alexander and Doe (I),” in an email sent to KRNL on Jan. 8, 2025.

However, the university was aware in 2019, according to records obtained by the Lexington Herald-Leader, of Jorgensen failing to report sexual harassment allegations made against one of his staff members. Jorgensen was suspended for six days without pay.

The university was aware of a Discrimination, Harassment, or Sexual Misconduct Report Form submitted on Aug. 19 of that same year that cited two allegations of sexual assault by Jorgensen, one of which allegedly happened at UK.

“Coach Jorgensen had repeatedly sexually assaulted and engaged in unwelcome sexual misconduct with (redacted) when she worked at the University of Kentucky… In addition, Coach Jorgensen reportedly would go into office at the university and masturbate in front of her,” the form, obtained by KRNL through open records, said.

The form was filed by UK’s Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity (IEEO) officer Andrew Beppler after Tracey Tsugawa, the Title IX Coordinator at San Jose State University, called the university with the allegations against Jorgensen.

Women’s swim coaches at San Jose State reported these allegations to Tsugawa, as mandated under their university’s policy.

For context, the IEEO office oversees Title IX compliance. Title IX, according to UK’s website, is “a comprehensive program designed to protect members of the University community from discrimination on the basis of sex or gender, which includes Sexual Harassment under Title IX and

JANUARY 2025

UK denies prior knowledge to KRNL; no police investigations are opened.

Alexander and Jane Doe I sue UK, alleging rape and negligence.

APRIL 2024

Sexual Misconduct.”

Beppler marked the Discrimination, Harassment, or Sexual Misconduct Report Form, which contained two detailed accounts of alleged sexual assault by a UK employee, “not urgent.”

On Aug. 23, 2019, the IEEO office sent Jorgensen a letter, also obtained by KRNL through open records, that the office was notified of potential violations to “the University’s policies relating to discrimination or harassment.”

The letter stated, “If you are doing anything that might violate a policy, you should stop immediately.”

Three days after Jorgensen received this letter, he was interviewed by the lead Title IX investigator. In this interview, according to its transcript, Jorgensen denied all allegations.

Jorgensen explained, “We were friends, we went to dinner at times, we do that with our whole coaching staff … there isn’t a staff member I haven’t been to dinner with alone.”

KRNL does not know the identity of the alleged victim mentioned during this interview.

The notes from this interview, obtained by KRNL, stated that the investigators “wanted to reiterate power dynamics issue,” with an asterisked note “guidance on not taking to dinner solo.”

The matter was considered closed after that conversation, according to the interview notes, which stated that it would be kept on file “indefinitely.” Title IX’s investigation lasted one week.

Yet the university claims it “was not aware of the most serious allegations” until Alexander and Jane Doe I’s 2024 lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court. According to that lawsuit, the university was aware that Alexander had contacted the UK Title IX Office

Lars Jorgensen talks to one of his swimmers at a UK Swimming and Diving meet at the Lancaster Aquatic Center on Friday, Oct. 11, 2013 in Lexington, Ky. File Photo by

“

This is no joke at all and I cannot stomach the fact that he will be coaching women again.”

–

MARK HOWARD FORMER ASST. SWIM COACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO

Jonathan Krueger.

in May 2023 and received a form to fill out.

In June of 2023, Alexander was contacted by the Title IX Office, to discuss Jorgensen’s coaching tactics.

According to the lawsuit, during the initial interview, Alexander said he reported to Meredith Reeves, the Title IX Officer, “that he had been groomed, sexually harassed, and sexually assaulted by Jorgensen.”

KRNL attempted to contact Reeves, but she is no longer employed by the university, and her UK email address was not reachable.

The university was aware that around the same time, Jane Doe II, an anonymous accuser separate from the Jane Doe I who is suing, also reported the sexual assault and harassment she endured under Jorgensen to the Title IX Office, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleged that despite hearing both Alexander and Jane Doe II recount Jorgensen’s unwanted sexual acts, Reeves “discouraged both from formally reporting their abuse” using the reasoning that the information was “sensitive” and thought they “probably didn’t want to tell their story.”

Furthermore, Alexander said Reeves encouraged him to “go home and ‘think about what you are going to start if you choose to file.’”

The lawsuit also stated Reeves told Alexander and Jane Doe II that if Jorgensen left UK, the Title IX Office “would be ‘unable’ to investigate the allegations of sexual misconduct so the Title IX process would be ‘pointless.’”

Both of them said they made it clear that they wanted to file a report.

Fifteen days later, Jorgensen was given the option to resign from UK and signed an agreement that he would receive $75,000 from the university, according to the lawsuit.

After his resignation date, no investigation into the sexual assault allegations was done.

Alexander reached out to the Title IX Office in Oct. of 2023, wanting to confirm if any investigation would take place or if it was unlikely due to Jorgensen’s resignation.

“I disclosed my abuse and thought it was being taken care of. And months went by and I never heard anything back,” Alexander said at a Zoom press conference on April 17, 2024. “I was vigorously discouraged to not come forward and not publish this reporting.”

As of June 25, 2024, the most recently amended lawsuit stated that Alexander is still unsure what happened to his Title IX complaint against Jorgensen.

According to the lawsuit, Doe I also reached out to Reeves in October of 2023, but after no response, Doe I contacted Interim Title IX Coordinator Brandon Williams.

Williams told Jane Doe I, “There was nothing that could be done since Jorgensen was no longer affiliated with UK,” but Jane Doe I made it clear that she wanted her complaint to be investigated by the university.

On Nov. 2, 2023, the Title IX Office emailed Jane Doe I, “confirming that they would not investigate once an employee resigns but that giving a statement would allow UK to provide Jane Doe I with ‘resources’ such as counseling.”

For months, the lawsuit stated, there was no clear communication from the Title IX office. This included back and forth on whether or not they would investigate.

As of June 25, 2024, Jane Doe I was still unsure what happened to her Title IX complaint against Jorgensen.

WHO DID TITLE IX PROTECT?

On UK’s Title IX website, it states that there are two categories of prohibited behavior: “Sexual Harassment Under Title IX and Sexual Misconduct.”

The same two categories of behavior Alexander, Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II alleged and reported to the Title IX Office regarding Jorgensen.

Yet, the lawsuit claims nothing was done.

Hadley Duvall, an activist for sexual assault and abuse victims, who has also been seen on the campaign trails with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and former Vice President Kamala Harris, said Title IX’s response in this case is something she has seen before.

“The process is very … not for us (sexual assault victims). Like, that’s for sure,” Duvall said. “It is built against us. And so is Title IX.”

Duvall said she kept her experience of being raped by her stepfather as a child to herself for 10 years “out of fear of not being believed,” the same reason why many victims don’t report.

“People’s first question is, why didn’t you tell before?” Duvall said. “It’s like, if you don’t talk about something happening right then, in that moment, then it didn’t happen. And that’s just not true. The investigation process is brutal... it is not a welcoming or comforting place to speak about the most traumatic thing you’ve ever been through.”

After years of alleged abuse, Alexander, Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II shared their secrets with UK’s Title IX Office in hopes of being believed.

Alexander explained why he chose to go to Title IX over the police at the press conference.

“You never know what could happen to someone if something is reported to the police. I didn’t know if I was going to be in danger or taken seriously,”

Alexander said to the media. “I think that our (student-

athletes’) police is the Title IX Office.”

Duvall said this is exactly what universities hope students are led to believe if they want to make a report against an employee.

“Title IX is really here so institutions can say, ‘We have this in place, so don’t call the police,’” Duvall said.

But Duvall said “justice cannot be served without the police involved.”

KRNL spoke with UKPD, LexPD and the Kentucky State Police. None of them have opened an investigation against Jorgensen, making UK’s Title IX Office the only institution the former UK swimmers made reports to.

“Title IX offices are there to protect us as studentathletes when our coaches aren’t protecting us,”

Alexander said at the April 2024 press conference. “In this situation, he (Jorgensen) wasn’t. We should have been able to trust the Title IX Office, and none of us could and we didn’t know that.”

Duvall suggested the lack of justice for these alleged acts is representative of a systemic issue.

“This has definitely shown that Title IX, not only in Kentucky, but across the United States, does nothing but save the institution,” Duvall said. “Institutions would rather cover their ass than make sure they didn’t hire a rapist.”

WHO WILL ANSWER FOR THIS?

KRNL made several attempts to talk with Alexander, Jorgensen, the lawyers involved in the lawsuit and university representatives before sending this story to print.

Alexander’s legal team is aware of the story and thanked KRNL for covering this “important issue,” but ultimately declined to comment due to the “sensitive nature of the case.”

KRNL confirmed Briggs Alexander is currently employed by UK.

Jorgensen’s lawyer, Greg Anderson, responded to KRNL’s request via email on March 4, 2025. Anderson

A University of Kentucky swimmer prepares to step onto the platform on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018 at Lancaster Aquatic Center. File Photo by Michael Clubb.

stated, “Do not launch the article until we have talked.”

KRNL replied the same day with times to talk. Anderson never scheduled the meeting.

He did state in April 2024, a day after the lawsuit was filed, that the allegations made were “defamatory.” He said the accusations were in response to Jorgenson’s support for his former swimmer Riley Gaines, who is known for campaigning against trans-women in women’s sports.

“This all has to do with NCAA woke philosophy and his support of his swimmer, Ms. Gaines,” Anderson told the Lexington Herald-Leader. “The timing of it, in light of her (Alexander) statements publicly, is extremely suspicious.”

But concerns about Jorgensen were raised to the University’s Title IX Office in 2019, according to the records KRNL obtained. It wasn’t until 2022 that Jorgenson publicly supported Gaines.

Mitch Barnhart also declined to talk through a text from Tony Neely, assistant athletic director for athletics communications and public relations. It said, “We do not do interviews on pending litigation, so we will decline the request.”

KRNL attempted to contact Meredith Reeves, Jenna Wesley, senior athletic director of compliance, and Julia Phillips, deputy director of investigations of the IEEO office, and was met with the following statement from the executive director of UK’s public relations Kristi Willett:

“When we received other reports of misconduct, we followed our processes and the law,” the statement said.

Willett went on to explain that at the same time, there is more they can do to ensure the safety and well-being of the community. She said UK is implementing new “reforms” on campus.

“Those include hiring additional personnel for sexual harassment investigations; ensuring all employment

contracts and hiring letters include clear consequences for failing to report sexual harassment or assault; enhancing pre-employment screenings; and, in rare instances where a settlement with a UK employee is being considered, consulting our IEEO office regarding the status of any investigations.”

KRNL received the same statement from Whitney Siddiqi, director of issues management and crisis communication, after an attempt to contact current Title IX Coordinator Sarah Mudd.

As of February 2025, UK and Mitch Barnhart still face active claims for sexual harassment in violation of Title IX, which is the creation of a sexually hostile culture, a heightened risk of sexual harassment and deliberate indifference to prior sexual harassment, according to the amended lawsuit.

The lawsuit also contains a second claim against UK and Mitch Barnhart for sex discrimination in violation of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act: sex discrimination, sex harassment and hostile work environment.

Briggs Alexander et al. v. The University of Kentucky et al. still claims Jorgensen committed Title IX sexual harassment, and sexual discrimination under the Kentucky Civil Rights Act.

He also allegedly violated bodily integrity, sex discrimination under the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment, negligence, vicarious liability and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The lawsuit continues, allegations stand and many questions remain unanswered.

“I think we all deserve peace and healing from this time of our lives,” Alexander said.

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Lars Jorgensen talks with his assistants during the UK Swimming and Diving meet at the Lancaster Aquatic Center on Friday, Oct. 11, 2013. File Photo by Jonathan Krueger.

Passing the Thread

How jockey silks have helped bridge the gap between generations

How jockey silks have helped bridge the gap between generations

WRITTEN BY NATALIA GARCIA | PHOTOS BY SILER BARGO AND HOLLY NETZLEY

Sophia Goff sews squares onto a silk at Becker & Durski Turf Goods on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Lexington Ky. Photo by Holly Netzley.

Inside Becker & Durski Turf Goods, 26-year-old seamstress Bailey Boswell irons black square patches onto baby pink fabric. On the other side of the room, her 76-year-old mentor, seamstress “Miss Sophie” Goff, sews other pieces of fabric together.

The women are, as Boswell says, “working together but working separate,” to make a jockey silk, the jerseys that jockeys wear during horse races.

Miss Sophie, affectionately given the nickname by Boswell, has been sewing her whole life. Learning her trade from her mother, Miss Sophie would watch her sew clothes at home and eventually caught on.

From jockey silks to bridal gowns, Miss Sophie has made all kinds of things in her years as a seamstress. With five sewing machines at home, Miss Sophie simply enjoys the act of sewing, sometimes even taking silks home to finish them over the weekend.

“I just enjoy sewing. It doesn’t feel like a job, really. It’s just something I like to do,” Miss Sophie said.

“

Miss Sophie first began working at Becker & Durski when Mr. Wagner Sr. was the owner. She worked there for 17 years before moving to Germany with her husband. After returning and working odd jobs as a seamstress, Mr. Wagner Jr. found Miss Sophie about six years ago and convinced her to come back to Becker & Durski.

“We always find Miss Sophie. She tries to leave and then we bring her back,” Boswell said.

With over 20 years of experience in the silk-making industry, Miss Sophie has made her fair share of silks, one of which was for a big name in horse racing.

Miss Sophie’s favorite silk she made was one worn by Secretariat’s jockey. She was surprised when she saw her silk cross the finish line first.

“I did make the ones for Secretariat, but I didn’t know they were for Secretariat,” she said. “You go by the owner or trainer, and I didn’t know him. I didn’t know until I saw him finish. I was really excited to see it, especially him winning.”

I love her. I would jump in front of a car for her. She’s just that type of person.”

— BAILEY BOSWELL SEAMSTRESS AT BECKER & DURSKI TURF GOODS

Bailey Boswell being interviewed at Becker & Durski Turf Goods. Photo by Siler Bargo.

Sewing thread used to create Derby Silks at Becker & Durski Turf Goods.

Photo by Holly Netzley.

On top of making jockey silks, Miss Sophie has also helped teach Boswell how to make them. Despite their age difference, Boswell and Miss Sophie have formed a close bond.

“I’ve learned all of my sewing skills in regards to the silks from Miss Sophie,” Boswell said. “She’s like my grandma teaching me how to do something.”

From a young age, Boswell has been “very, very crafty,” she said. Although she had experience ranging from crocheting to sublimation, the process of making silks is very different from that of any other type of clothing.

“It’s definitely one of those crafts where … if (Miss Sophie) wouldn’t have taught me, I would’ve had no idea,” Boswell said. “There’s not really a pattern book. You don’t have a ‘Here’s your written instructions, go do it,’ so it’s definitely one of those things that has to be passed down and taught.”

Unlike other sports uniforms, every silk is the same size and made using the same stencils. The stencils used at Becker & Durski are based on sizing that Miss Sophie came up with herself. The silks are made to order due to the specific nature of their design. Colors and patterns vary based on things like personal preference or racing regulations.

“They’re simple designs when you’re looking at them but actually doing them, there’s really nothing simple to it,” Boswell said. “Even though it’s very ‘same steps over and over’ there’s nothing simple in regards to a silk.”

From simpler designs like solid colors or checkered blocks to more intricate things like restaurant and company logos, Miss Sophie and Boswell have developed a system that allows them to work efficiently while focusing on the aspects of the silk-making process

that they enjoy the most.

“We work so well together … she knows that I know that this is correct, and when I hand it to her I know that what she’s gonna do is correct. So by the end of it, our piece will come together and then it’ll be our piece from doing it separately,” Boswell said.

Miss Sophie admitted she does most of the sewing, with a laugh from behind her sewing machine. Boswell agreed with her from her station at the cutting mat.

“I just enjoy sewing. It doesn’t feel like a job, really. It’s just something I like to do. ”

— MISS SOPHIE HEAD SEAMSTRESS AT BECKER & DURSKI TURF GOODS

While Miss Sophie sews, Boswell works on the cutting and designs of the silks.

Since Miss Sophie is technically retired, Boswell has taken over the organizational aspect of silk orders, she said.

“I take the orders because it’s easier for me. I do all the pricing and talking to the customers. She’s at the point where she just doesn’t wanna do that anymore,” Boswell said. “She will if she’s here by herself and somebody comes in, but I would definitely say that I’m in charge of the organization.”

Although Miss Sophie loves to sew, she’s gotten to a point where she’s not tired of it, but sometimes she

Sewing thread sitting near a sewing machine in Becker & Durski Turf Goods. Photo by Holly Netzley.

just wants to stay home and watch Netflix, she said.

After two decades of working, Miss Sophie would rather spend her time hanging out with her greatgrandchildren and her brother. Boswell says she’s very family-oriented, which is reflected in the way Miss Sophie does her work.

“I definitely feel like she makes it feel family-ish. She’ll do anything for anybody,” Boswell said. “She definitely treats this place not like a job. She treats it like it’s something that really matters to her and she wants it to be right.”

After suddenly losing her grandparents during her senior year of high school, Boswell said she sees Miss Sophie as her grandma.

“I love her. I would jump in front of a car for her. She’s just that type of person,” Boswell said.

Because of their close bond, Boswell has learned a lot about Miss Sophie. While she knows things like the fact Miss Sophie is a night owl, or that she’s “hilarious” and isn’t afraid to make a sly comment for a laugh, it’s her kindness that has stuck out to Boswell the most.

“She just is — so kind. That is my main word about her, like so open-hearted with everybody is just really the best way to describe her,” Boswell said.

With the loss of her grandparents being so unexpected, Boswell learned not to take things for granted. Even if it’s something as unexpected as a friendship with her 76-year-old coworker.

“It kind of taught me you have to pay attention to what’s in front of you. What’s in front of you is what’s important. Don’t worry about the drama, don’t worry about this, don’t worry about that because once what’s in front of you is gone, it’s gone,” Boswell said. “That’s why I’ll sit here and talk to Miss Sophie all day long.”

Blinkers hanging

in Becker & Durski Turf Goods.

Photo by Holly Netzley.

Sophia Goff finding thread at Becker & Durski Turf Goods.

Photo by Siler Bargo.

Sophia Goff sewing at Becker & Durski Turf Goods. Photo by Siler Bargo.

The Creation of the Voyage Movement Dropping Bars

WRITTEN BY CARLEE HOGSTEN | PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN KANTOSKY

TO WATCH THIS STORY’S VIDEO, SCAN THE QR CODE ON PAGE 81.

Terry Dumphord poses for a photo on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at the Voyage Movement community center in Paris, Ky.

After Terry Dumphord stepped into federal prison and was locked in his cell, he knew he had to change his life.

But only one thing let him leave his life of selling drugs finding God.

“I used to run these streets, getting into drugs, and I found myself in federal prison,” Dumphord said. “I just really had to challenge God and remember saying a prayer: ‘If you can prove to me that you’re real, I’ll be your most loyal soldier.’ Then, he proved to me he was real.”

He said God showed him that

he could not only change his own life but also the lives of others by becoming a GED mentor at the prison. That’s what started his love for helping others and made him realize what an impact he made on his community.

“I didn’t really think I was doing anything wrong,” Dumphord said. “I’d tell myself, ‘I’m a good guy. I’m just selling drugs.’ But it wasn’t just me who was affected. There were families, communities so much harm that I didn’t see at first.”

His GED work throughout his sentence soon became his passion and the other inmates, young and old, started to look up to him. He even implemented a rule that prohibited cussing, to create an environment of respect and discipline. If someone broke the no-cussing rule, they had to do push-ups as a consequence.

Something as simple as push-ups gave Dumphord the feeling that he wanted to do this “giving back thing” forever.

When he was released from prison, Dumphord said God gave him a mission to give back to a community from which he once took so much.

That’s the moment when he created the “Voyage Movement,” to give kids a community beyond the streets.

“We’re not just making music. We’re building futures.”

— TERRY DUMPHORD VOYAGE MOVEMENT CREATOR

Chozyn Hocker talks to the other people in the studio while working on a song Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at Success Academy.

Terry Dumphord talks with Danayiah Leak before they start recording the song on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, at Success Academy in Lexington, Ky.

A decade later, on a sunny afternoon in Paris, Kentucky, the streets feel and sound different for Dumphord.

At the community center, right down the street from Paris High School, you can hear beats hum through the Voyage Movement Community Center doors.

Inside, young voices pulse in unison, rapping lyrics of hope and resilience. Confidence and a sense of possibility echo through the mission center, a place once troubled but now overflowing with promise.

Dumphord, the student’s mentor, smiles as he films their latest performance of the rap song they’ve created together, “Pushing Peace.”

He said the community center is where they share their creativity, with walls lined with posters of past music projects and positive quotes reinforcing Dumphord’s vision.

“We do a lot of wrap-around services. We have a food pantry in the back and a clothing closet,” Dumphord said. “About 50 youth come in every day to get free drinks and snacks. It’s a safe space for the youth in the community.”

From Dumphord’s after-school

programs and summer camps to a community garden and prison ministry, he hasn’t stopped growing the mission of the Voyage Movement.

His dedication goes as far as bringing his children to grow up in the “movement.”

”My kids have been passing out snacks since they were three,” he said. “They know it’s about looking out for your neighbor.”

It’s not just the family who volunteers their time, but several community members who commit their time to strengthen their efforts.

“One thing that Terry always talks about is giving back,” said Doyle Lee, a volunteer with the Voyage Movement. “It’s not work because we know that we have an opportunity to potentially impact somebody’s life.”

The job of growing youth into leaders extends beyond the center’s walls. At the Success Academy, an alternative school in Lexington, Dumphord mentors students who may face challenges in traditional schools.

His work with students provides a more personalized and flexible learning environment, as they create music like their newest song,

“Pushing Peace” which encourages teens to create music advocating non-violence.

“Mainstream music pushes violence and negativity,” Dumphord explained. “We lost a young man last week, one of the kids we mentored, to gun violence. But we can’t give up. If you save one life, it’s worth it.”

For students like Danayiah Leak, the program makes her feel like her dream of being a rapper could come true.

“People don’t usually hear stuff like this from teenagers,” she said. “It made me feel like I’m talented and like I can do anything.”

Her journey to Success Academy began when she realized she needed a more personalized educational environment as the traditional school setting wasn’t working for her.

“I really couldn’t focus in a big school setting,” Leak said. “My mind would just be off. At Success, I could just get my work done on the computer, and I was finished. Nobody was there to distract me.”

She joined Success Academy at the beginning of August 2024, with just four credits left to complete her diploma. Through the program,

Terry Dumphord walks towards the door after recording on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at Success Academy.

It made me feel like I’m talented and like I can do anything.”

— DANAYIAH LEAK GRADUATE FROM SUCCESS ACADEMY

Terry Dumphord locks the front door on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at the Voyage Movement community center.

she earned the necessary credits, and then some, boosting her GPA in the process.

More importantly, Success Academy introduced her to Dumphord after she heard he was coming to teach a group of young men about rapping. Even though she was the only girl, Leak was adamant about joining the song and showing Dumphord her talent.

Terry Dumphord talks with Paris Sims the 3rd about their game plan for the day on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, at Success Academy.

on Spotify and Apple Music.

“I really saw she had a raw talent,” Dumphord said. “She was kind of taking charge, and I noticed how the rest of the group rallied behind her.”

Leak, while working on “Pushing Peace” worked on her music solo and recently released her first song

“It makes me feel good, especially seeing people on social media reposting my songs and using them in their stories,” Leak said. “It makes me want to keep going. It inspires me.”

As a new graduate of Success Academy, Leak is on a mission to get into the studio and produce

more music. Now, Dumphord has become more than just a mentor but is planning to sign her as one of his artists at his music managing company to help her build a future.

“I never had nobody like Terry to mentor me,” Leak said. “He talks more positive stuff into me so I can make more positive music. Now I can probably make more peaceful music, too.”

Dumphord creates these relationships with all of his students, pushing them to come up with new ideas. Through his mentorship, another student Chozyn Hocker, found a community he never had.

“It gives me a sense that people care about me,” Hocker said. “It tells me I’m doing something right.”

Dumphord’s influence extends far beyond the students and inspires his team of volunteers.

“Terry’s like a beacon, man,” Paris Sims III, a teacher at the academy said. “He’s a beacon of hope and change for our students.”

By sharing his story openly and his struggles with drugs, incarceration and redemption, Dumphord gives his students something rare. He provides students with a guide who’s walked their path and came back on the other side.

“I’ve been in their shoes,” Dumphord said. “They see me as proof that it’s never too late to turn your life around.”

The Voyage Movement’s impact ripples far beyond Paris and Lexington. Dumphord dreams of expanding the program to other communities as well.

His vision is to create a network of safe spaces where youth can grow, express themselves and find purpose.

“We’re not just making music,” he said. “We’re building futures.”

Chozyn Hoker waits to start rapping on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at Success Academy.

Danayiah Leak and Terry Dumphord walk towards the front of the building to lock up on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at the Voyage Movement community center.

Chase Myers’ Hinge Binge

FOSTER

Life is one big game of carrying your oversized stack of photocopies down the school hallway. If you’re lucky and everyone wants to get lucky you’ll gently bump into another photocopyencumbered soul and spill your papers all over the floor. As you go to pick them up, your hands suddenly touch, eyes meet; one thing leads to another and soon enough you’re saying vows and popping champagne.

I’ve always believed in this version of love no matter how unrealistic so imagine my surprise when an assignment about using dating apps was brought to my desk (we don’t have desks, but it’s nice to imagine). I puffed on my imaginary cigar, slammed my hand on my imaginary desk, and said, “What gives?”

I’d tried dating apps before, and they were saying this nicely in case my parents are reading not for me. Surprisingly, dropping your guard and telling random strangers on the internet that you find them attractive is less like a gentle bump and more like sending two bullet trains at each other with broken brakes.

Needless to say, online dating and I had a rocky history. But, in true toxic relationship form, I decided to give this ex another chance. Three exes, to be exact: Hinge, Tinder and Bumble; the big three of poor life decisions. Luckily, I have an open mind, a mostly undamaged heart and too much free time on my hands, so why not try again? I mean, where else could you timidly say “hi” to someone before quickly slamming the

door in their face and running ten miles in the opposite direction? Perhaps I’ll find the love of my life. Perhaps I’ll rediscover the meaning of romance. Perhaps I’ll waste several dollars on coffee dates because chivalry isn’t dead after all. Whatever the case may be, join me on my ride through Lexington’s dating scene and the wild world of dating apps.

“In 2007, Faheem Rashad Najm — better known as T-Pain — famously said, ‘Baby girl, what’s your name? Lemme talk to ya, lemme buy you a drank’ on Shawty Snappin. Well, Mr. Pain, I think you’d be quite proud of me, as I unintentionally bought shawty like six dranks. ”

— CHASE MYERS WRITER

Chase Myers poses for a photo on Feb. 4, 2025 at Blue Sushi Sake Grill in Lexington, KY.

Date 1: Too Little, Too Late

Here’s a question: what’s the latest you’ve ever been to something? Follow-up question: what’s the latest you’ve ever overslept? Well, regardless of your answer, just know that there’s someone out there who has you beat. By a country mile.

For example, my first date, who I can only assume was several nocturnal creatures stacked in a trenchcoat given how late they slept in. “Let’s meet for sushi at 4 and get to know each other” quickly became sushi at 4:30, then sushi at 5, then sushi at 6. The only thing I got to know was the menu, which I became very intimately familiar with after re-reading it a few hundred times while I waited. To this day, when I close my eyes, I can still see the words “CALIFORNIA ROLL” imprinted on my retinas.

After playing background extra for two hours, my date finally arrived, which shocked me. It was like discovering something that didn’t exist, like bigfoot or a reason to be happy. I was hit with a very dry, “Sorry, I overslept” as they slouched into the booth, which I found far too nonchalant considering the two hours I would never get back. Well, as they always say, great things never come to those who wait, and believe it or not, the rest of the date was extremely lackluster.

I picked at the sushi with my chopsticks as every attempt at conversation was met with a square kick in the jaw. “So, do you like to read?” “No, not really.” “What’s your favorite TV show?” “I don’t know, I don’t really watch TV.” “What music do you listen to?” “Oh, a little of everything.” I didn’t even bother asking their favorite color in case they said something like, “I don’t believe in colors.”

This continued for another hour, which I’ll never get back; the conversation slowly crawled its way to finality, like a corpse dragging itself to its own grave. The second our server plopped the bill down, I snatched it up, paid, and got up to leave. The human-barn-owl told me they had a great time, and they’d love to go out again. I said OK, I’d call them. I did not call them.

Date 2: Saké Showdown

In 2007, Faheem Rashad Najm better known as T-Pain famously said, “Baby girl, what’s your name? Lemme talk to ya, lemme buy you a drank” on Shawty Snappin. Well, Mr. Pain, I think you’d be quite proud of me, as I unintentionally bought shawty like six dranks. I say unintentionally because 1: we were going for sushi, not drinks, and 2: the drinks were ordered for the table while I was in the restroom. By the table, of course, I mean all for them and none for the wide-eyed, shallowwallet-having person facing them.

This was not a bar date, but they were sure keen on turning it into one as fast as possible because I watched multiple shotglasses turn

empty in the blink of an eye, which, for those unaware, is pretty fast. Under the table, I kept counting with my fingers as they jerked their head back and forth like a drunk seesaw. One, two, three, four, shots, shots, shots, shots! It’s one thing to get to know each other sober, but a drunk person breaks the ice with a two-ton jackhammer.

I learned things about this person I should probably take to the grave, or at least to my mother’s and my next gossip session. While I appreciate their transparency, I am less thrilled by their confidence that I was happy to foot the bill. Liquid courage is a slippery slope that rapidly turns into liquid stupidity, and this person was an Olympic skier.

I was far less eager to pick up this check wouldn’t you believe it so I let myself be entertained

The apps can swear that all they wish is to see you happy with your one true love, but I see the fingers crossed behind their backs.”

— CHASE MYERS WRITER

by the drunkest person in a fivemile radius (it was a Monday night).

Several personal life stories and the saddest signature ever left on a bill later, I drove the alcohol warrior home and never heard from them again. Either I was bad company, or they just wanted to drink for free. Regardless, I learned a very valuable lesson: I should really stop going out for sushi.

If you’ve ignored everything I’ve said up to this point firstly, that’s quite rude and secondly, at least hear this. Never underestimate the power of three little words: “Sure, why not?”

Date 3: Mus-ick City

Otherwise, you’ll find yourself driving to Nashville in the middle of the night for Italian food that

the other person swears is worth the trip. But they were offering to drive, and it had been a while since I’d eaten rigatoni, so can you really blame me? For once, the date started innocently enough at coffee, with a fairly smooth conversation that gave me a disturbing, unfamiliar feeling in my gut. I think it was hope.

Unfortunately, I think my date’s drink was laced with “let’s drive to Nashville” serum because right after I suggested dinner their eyes lit up in the way only someone who’s about to say something outrageous does. Perhaps it was the hole burning in my wallet, perhaps it was the mental toll this was taking on me, or perhaps I had simply given up at this point because I agreed to drive to Nashville.

Fun fact about spur-of-the-

moment road trips: regret sets in somewhere within the first 40 minutes or when the driver starts to blast Disney Channel songs. Whichever comes first. You truly do not understand the length of 230 miles until you have driven with a stranger, never forget that.

If a drunk conversation is like a jackhammer, then a three-hour car ride is comparable to digging through Antarctica with a toothpick. Besides the Hannah Montana ringing in my ears, there were several minutes of complete silence between the two of us. We might as well have been operating a library out of their trunk with how quiet it was in there.

The icing on the cake, or, rather, the fire on the garbage, was that the restaurant was closed by the time we got to Music City. So, we

You have no matches yet.

substituted it with a restaurant that I was too angry to remember the name of, then drove off with our tails tucked between our legs. Do you know what’s worse than driving three hours with a stranger to a restaurant that isn’t even open? Realizing you have to drive three hours back home. No, the conversation was not more interesting. Yes, more Hannah Montana was played. No, there was not a second date.

If you’ll allow me to be serious for a second, I’m very aware that these three dates do not reflect the entirety of Lexington’s dating scene, and, truthfully, there were several other dates I went on which ranged from mundane to very enjoyable. The issue I take with these dating apps is that they encourage people to quickly agree to dates with a large number of people. The apps can swear that all they wish is to see you happy with your one true love, but I see the fingers crossed behind their backs. Being able to pay to see

Discover New People

the people who like your profile, for unlimited swipes and even “powerups” on Tinder that trivialize human interaction to nothing more than a casino game shows their true colors.

In removing one’s agency, they remove people’s accountability (being late), responsibility (reckless drinking), and boundaries (unplanned road trips). I need to stress that I am not trying to use these individuals as lessons or trying to attack them for their decisions. I do not know what they go through, nor was I at any point manipulated into my actions; I merely wish to relay the difficulties that came with my experience.

That said, I do have to reflect on the danger these apps pose, specifically from the perspective of a white man. I did not have to go through the same worries that many women do when meeting strangers, and, if I were to be in a woman’s place, it is highly unlikely that I would have accepted this story.

There is much to be said regarding how these apps influence the power dynamic between men and women, and how heteronormativity is so strongly pushed on these services. Ultimately, however, I worry that online dating is making us complacent in the death of genuine human empathy and normalizing the gamification of relationships. So, with that said, what’s my advice? Well, I’m not your mom, but I’ll say this: cherish the romantic feelings you carry for others. Do not attempt to send a bullet train into the wild, and do not play with other’s emotions for cheap validation and romantic flings. Otherwise, you’ll feel like a batter in Little League, hopelessly missing your swings as you hear your dad yelling, “Keep your eye on the ball!” and wondering why you just can’t get onto first base. Well, sorry Pops, but I think this batter struck out. For good this time.

STREET SCENE BRACELET BELT

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH HUNTER

74 | KRNL LIFESTYLE + FASHION

The jungle is untamed, raw and powerful, driven by survival and freedom. This primal force pushes us to be bold and break free from the confines of everyday life. In fashion, that power is captured in fierce prints, earthy textures and designs that speak to confidence. Drawing inspiration from the snake, peacock and leopard, this shoot highlights nature’s unfiltered beauty. It shows how the wild cannot be contained just like fashion when driven by instinct.

WRITTEN BY KRISTEN ROBERTS AND LOLA KIRK TO WATCH THIS STORY’S VIDEO, SCAN THE QR CODE ON PAGE 81

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH HUNTER SPRING 2025 |

STREET SCENE BANGLES NECKLACE

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH SOLIE

STREET SCENE BELT BELT CHAIN PANTS BRACELET

PHOTO BY LILY FOSTER

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH SOLIE

PHOTO BY LILY FOSTER

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH SOLIE

FASHION

PHOTO BY LILY FOSTER

Press Play

‘It Was a to Have the Theater.’

Meredith King’s survival and strut toward Broadway

WRITTEN

KRISTEN ROBERTS |

LILY FOSTER

BY

PHOTOS BY

Meredith King practices on lyra hoop before performance rehearsal on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2024, at the 21C Museum Hotel in Lexington, Ky.

Meredith King said she thanks God that her parents found her in the fetal position on the floor, in her own home, a couple of days before Christmas 2021.

“I had just prayed that somebody would come and find me, and they did,” King said.

Everything King had known about herself changed: her last name, home and passion. She said she felt lost and broken until April of 2022 when she once again started musical theater.

The 33-year-old from eastern Kentucky always had a passion for all things dance and musical theater, but when she was about 10 years younger, it was more important to her to hold a job she felt was “serious.” She said she wanted to do something that made a difference in the world little did she know, she would eventually do just that whether through a typical job or the performing arts.

After attending the University of Kentucky and receiving a bachelor’s degree in communication and Chinese studies, King went on to get her master’s in communication and a PhD. She just recently reached her tenure at UK as well, where she is a full-time senior lecturer in several communication classes.

King said she kept going down this path, this life she envisioned for herself. She got married at 22, with one semester left of college, and she said things were “fine” in her relationship.

“But then throughout my PhD and throughout COVID … things that had been toxic or things that I didn’t like, that I wouldn’t talk about nobody really knew what was going on became really abusive,” she said.

Three years ago, things came to a tipping point.

King was teaching a winter intersession class and had just started performing in some local productions.

“It just seemed like, the more confidence that I grew on stage, the more resentful I think he became and things got really, really, really scary,” she said. “And so I left on Christmas Day, 2021.”

King went back the next day and stayed until April of 2022.

Her mom told her she had to

leave, she wasn’t safe, and she agreed, she wasn’t.

“I just never imagined that my life would go like this,” King said.

Then, King happened to see a posting for a community theater audition at Woodford Theatre in Versailles for “Guys and Dolls,” a show she had previously been a part of in high school.

“I signed up to audition, and he yelled at me for three hours and I never left the house,” she said. “They asked me to come audition again, and I couldn’t do it.”

“

A week later, another round of auditions opened up and King got the courage to sneak out of her home and go. She got the leading lady role, Miss Adelaide.

said. “I didn’t feel like I knew who I was at all anymore, because I just became so small. I was one person in the classroom, in front of my students, and I was a completely different person at home. And I ended up leaving him forever during that show.”

Miss Adelaide’s love interest, Nathan Detroit, was played by King’s current husband. Their “showmance” started during that musical, over three years ago, and they got married at Lyric Theatre on Jan. 2, 2025.

I couldn’t believe how many people would reach out and say, like, ‘Hey, thanks for telling your story because I don’t feel like I can tell mine, but I’m really glad to know there’s somebody else out there.’”

— MEREDITH KING PERFORMER AND UK LECTURER

Something about the Golden Age musical and its “dumb” plot of a woman who’s been engaged for 14 years and really wants to get married resonated with King.

“She’s such a ditzy character on the surface, but she was just so fun and being that fun on stage made me realize I could be that person in real life,” King

King said that musical turned her whole life around.

She decided to throw herself into what she once considered an impractical dream of performing, showing up to Broadway open calls, getting called back for offBroadway shows and now having performed in about 30 different productions, everything from aerial arts to theater.

“It was a saving grace to have the theater,” King said.

There’s something about walking into an environment where no one really knows you, she said, and when you’re going through a difficult time in life, a new space provides an outlet where you don’t have to explain anything or dodge questions from anybody.

Meredith King reflects on her past shows “Guys and Dolls” and “The 39 Steps” in her home on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2024.

“Nobody had a clue about me; I had that opportunity to remake myself,” King said.

She didn’t know at the time what it was going to take, just that she would do it, and that resulted in her living her true dream. Dancing from a young age, King said she always told people she wanted to be a dancer, to travel and to sing.

“It’s kind of funny, I don’t think very many people end up living their childhood dream, but I’m still doing my first job, teaching and dancing,” she said.

King said she feels that she can now, as her authentic self, bring a lot more to the classroom. Teaching mainly freshman classes at UK, she said her goal is to help young, impressionable students tell their stories with confidence.

Even with her teaching job and infatuation with performing, King has found time to help numerous women who were once in her position.

In her early 20s, King worked for a domestic violence shelter because she thought it was somewhere she could make a big difference in people’s lives. Now she finds it funny that with her switch in career and lifestyle, she has been able to help so many more people leave domestic violence and toxic relationships than she ever did during her job at the shelter, she said.

King started sharing her story publicly and honestly through Instagram (gaining around 7,000 followers over the last few years) where she said several people have reached out to her for help.

“Stop waiting around for your dreams to find you, and stop waiting around for things to get better if you know they are not — just start over.”

— MEREDITH KING PERFORMER AND UK LECTURER

“I couldn’t believe how many people would reach out and say, like, ‘Hey, thanks for telling your story because I don’t feel like I can tell mine, but I’m really glad to know there’s somebody else out there,’” she said.

People also asked King how she knew it was time to leave or told her about their similar situation and asked her for advice on what to do.

She said she didn’t know, she just let herself fall apart and eventually, she had to leave.

King believes many people are ashamed or scared to tell their story because they don’t know how people will react or if they will be judged. She said she is very honored that so many people confide in her because “we all need somebody that can be a legit friend,” and listen rather than apologize for what you’ve been through.

Many times, King said people wait around for happiness or success to find them in life, and she learned that is something you have to find for yourself.

“If you’re unhappy in life, it doesn’t have to stay that way,” King said. “Stop waiting around for your dreams to find you, and stop waiting around for things to get better if you know they are not — just start over.”

Meredith King stretches before performance rehearsal on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2024, at the 21C Museum Hotel.

Masai Russell More Than a Medal Medal

AFTER A RECORD-BREAKING SEASON ON THE TRACK AND WINNING THE GOLD IN PARIS, MASAI RUSSELL SITS DOWN WITH REPORTER REAGHAN CHEN TO TALK ABOUT HER JOURNEY, THE MOMENTS THAT SHAPED HER, AND WHAT’S NEXT. PHOTOGRAPHED BY ABBEY CUTRER.

TO WATCH THIS STORY’S VIDEO, SCAN THE QR CODE ON PAGE 81.

Track and Field Olympian Masai Russell flashes her gold medal on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at The Jim Green Track & Field Center in Lexington, Ky.

The newest gold medalist in the women’s 100-meter hurdles is always running. In the hour KRNL sat down with Masai Russell, it was clear her world never stops moving.

Inside the Jim Green Indoor Track and Field Center, Russell is the picture of an influencer ready for a photoshoot. From lashes and tooth gems to the classic brown UGG slippers, you may never know that she set the new Olympic trials record this past summer or broke the collegiate record in 100-meter hurdles.

Unless, of course, you are one of her 512,000 followers on Instagram, or if you are a University of Kentucky track and field alum 10 of whom stopped by Jim Green to get the chance to meet Russell and take a picture with the Olympian.

The interview hiatus took a couple of minutes, but Russell didn’t mind. It’s just another day for the 24-yearold, who immediately offered to grab her medal to show the alums (most of whom ran for UK before Russell was even born).

Russell said a fan base is nothing new for her, but being an official Olympian has propelled her into a different league.

“I never seen one (a gold medal) before my own,” Russell said to the men as they all took turns touching the gold.

If you had told Russell at the beginning of 2024 that she would wear a gold medal around her neck at the Paris 2024 Olympics, it was already on her vision board for the year. It’s a theme in her life that Russell said she has seen time and time again.

“You know everything isn’t a coincidence,” Russell said. “It’s just been so many times like I’ve said the things that I’m gonna do, I said who I am, I said what I wanna be and it’s come to pass.”

Olympic Gold. Check. New Car. Check. 500,000 followers on Instagram. Check. NCAA Champion. No,

but she became a collegiate record holder.

Russell said “It’s all about perspective,” which is rooted in her faith, though religion was not strongly instilled throughout her upbringing. She said her parents were dragged into church while they were growing up, so they decided to be a little more relaxed when it came to Russell and her four siblings. However, as Russell has watched her trajectory take shape, she gives gratitude to God.

“I just feel like God has blessed me, so for me to use my blessings against other people or use it in a way that’s not like uplifting, it’s a disservice,” Russell said. “Just as quick as you could get it is as quick as it can get taken away.”

Russell will do everything in her power to prevent her running career from being taken away.

“It’s money on the line, this is people’s careers on the line,” Russell said. “I don’t ever want to have no setback on something that I can control.”

As an athlete, Russell’s body is her vessel to support herself on and off the track. Russell has the mindset of taking care of “what is making you do what you do.”

One injury could end an athlete’s career. One wrong decision could flip Russell’s world upside down, and she knows this but strives not to live her life in fear.

“If you live in worry and live in the what-if, then you’re doing a disservice to what you have right now,” Russell said.

What Russell has right now is a body that can not only move, but move fast, and she is putting it to work. Work for Russell means racing because training is not enough to perform at this caliber you must compete.

Competing has driven Russell since she started running track and field at eight years old, and it still gives her that “edge” today.

“My thing is like, ‘I’ll be cool with you after I beat you, right?’” Russell said.

That spirit is something Russell’s boyfriend of three years, Robbie Springfield, admires about her. “Relentless, passionate, hungry” were the three words Springfield used to describe Russell hungry being his favorite trait.

“As long as the hunger still there, everything else follows,” Springfield said. “She’s getting all this praise, all this, you know, she still want it.”

Russell still wants it. She said she wants to be “dominant.” She wants “to be the one to beat all the time,” and being a hurdler, it’s all on Russell to perform when she hits the track.

“It’s literally you, so it’s like you don’t have no one else to fall back on, you know, it’s just you,” Russell said. “You got to do your job because if you don’t do your job, like you’re not walking away with anything.”

Springfield mentioned their plans following the interview and shoot included building furniture for the new house Russell recently purchased, but Russell said they would be going to the UK versus Louisville basketball game.

“I don’t even know why she said that,” Springfield said, shaking his head with a smile. “The game’s in four hours. We got to go put her house together.”

Hours later, Russell and her gold medal were on the floor of Rupp Arena during halftime.

“Yes, running track and being an athlete is what I do and it’s who I am four to five days out of the week, but it doesn’t make up my whole entire being,” Russell said.

That outlook on her profession is one draw to her social media presence, and just like many others in Gen Z, Russell has a pretty normal start to her day, which usually begins around 9:30 or 10 a.m. (if it is her choice).

“It’s bad, but I just be sitting on my phone for hours,” Russell said. “I be like telling myself, ‘alright, get up.’”

Although most of Russell’s followers will never experience the moment of winning an Olympic gold, this morning routine of checking how posts are doing, scrolling through notifications and rewatching Instagram stories, proves the normalcy of Russell’s life off the track.

Now, take this with a grain of salt because Russell’s normal is still somewhat extraordinary. Like many others, Russell uses social media as “a way to showcase”

who she is, but the difference her audience is the whole world.

So, how does the world see Russell? If you look at her “catalog” on social media, you will find racing photos, red-carpeted events, family photos and brand deals ranging from RayBan to Hulu. It is clear to see that Russell is breaking out of the “sports box” and that excites her.

She’s not just an Olympian, a Nike athlete and a hurdler. She’s also an influencer, a sister, a daughter and a role model.

“I want to be perceived as someone who can put it on off the track. Like I could be bigger than just a track athlete,” Russell said. “I could be someone that’s like great at what she does, but she still looks like a fashionista.”

A few moments following the interview, Russell proved how much of a “fashionista” she is, trading in her sweatsuit and slippers for a Pep Dress designed by ClartFart, bright red pumps and all silver jewelry (she’s a silver girl). Russell was more than comfortable in front

of the cameras and lights, posing effortlessly.

“People see me still as someone bigger than just a track athlete … I don’t only give just athlete,” Russell said.

Don’t get her wrong, Russell is still a pretty big track athlete, one who will be added to the Jim Green Olympians wall, about 100 feet from where she did her photoshoot. Russell joked that UK should get the lifesize picture up sooner rather than later.

“My thing is like, ‘I’ll be cool with you after I beat you, right?’”

— MASAI RUSSELL

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST, TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE, INFLUENCER

“Y’all better push some people over,” Russell said. “After a couple years, y’all (the other Olympians on the

wall) gotta go because I know who just won the most recent one.”

The most recent Olympics, Russell said, was just the beginning for her. In women’s track, Russell said she will hit her prime at 27, 28 and 29 years old, so in the meantime, she is continuing to work hard and set those big goals some of which will be on her vision board for the year.

Her vision board may appear on her TikTok, something Russell mentioned she needs to do, but if it doesn’t (who can blame the Olympian whose life never stops moving), here is a sneak peek.

Russell said her vision board for 2025 will look a little different. Since there are no Olympic games this year, she plans on having the “world record” for both indoor and outdoor in both the 60 and 100-meter hurdles, “continuous faith” and quotes that will propel her into “a new era, new season, new direction, new guidance, new life.”

“Just reminding myself every day like you’ve done it before,” Russell said. “You can do it again.”

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