Issue 9 • Vol. 101
Loyola University New Orleans • Since 1923
Oct. 20, 2023
Loyola Law World's youngest CPA joins Loyola Law professor wins "Genius Grant" By Natalia Silva
nssilva@my.loyno.edu
By Kloe Witt kgwitt@my.loyno.edu
Loyola’s Dr. Norman C. Francis Distinguished Professor of Law Andrea Armstrong has been named a 2023 MacArthur Fellow and received the “Genius Grant” for her creation of the Incarceration Transparency Project. According to the MacArthur Fellow website, this award is given to “talented individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction.” Genius grant recipients receive $800,000 in a five-year period as an “investment in their potential.” Recipients are nominated anonymously by leaders in their field and selected by anonymous judges based on their achievements and peer evaluations. Armstrong’s focus is on state and federal law governing incarceration and detention policies. Armstrong’s Incarceration Transparency Project focuses on collecting and analyzing deaths of people behind bars in Louisiana. This data is then put on a website created by Armstrong, law professor Judson Mitchell, and Loyola law students for public use.
See ARMSTRONG, page 4
James ‘Jimmy’ Chilimigras is 15 years old, a Loyola Law student, and the youngest person to pass the Certified Public Accounting exam in the world. After scoring 31 on the ACT at the age of 12, he said he had too big of a passion not to continue his studies. He said he always knew he wanted to be a lawyer because of his drive to help people. Before attending Loyola Law School, Chilimigras got his online undergrad degree at Western Governors University (WGU) during the pandemic. According to Chilimigras, he chose Loyola because it’s close to home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. “I think the community is great, and there are so many wonderful people here,” Chilimigras said. “It’s just a great place to be.” Chilimigras said he is blessed to be surrounded by people who support and guide him through every step of the process because he says “law school at 15 is not your normal.” Even since high school, his parents have curtailed the curriculum to fit his needs. Chimiligras moved at his own pace with his studies, and it usually only took him a single reading of the required textbook to pass the final exam. “What’s the point in doing all
the build up if you’re not gonna do something with it?” Chilimigras said. He is currently specializing in tax law following his undergraduate studies in accounting. He said he figured he’s going to be doing taxes for the rest of his life, so he might as well know how. Chimiligras implemented his studies in the American Association of Retired Persons by volunteering and helping the elderly with their tax prep in the local library. “I love making a local impact,” Chilimigras said. According to Chimiligras , he knows he hasn’t had a normal life, but he maintains balance through his hobbies. In his free time, he enjoys fishing and playing board games with friends. “I try to relax and go to the beach with my friends,” Chilimigras said. In addition to the support from his friends and family, Chilimigras said he appreciates the continued support of his mentors. “I still keep in touch with my undergrad program mentor to ask for guidance and advice every now and then,” Chilimigras said. His advice to young students is to go at their own pace and make the most of their academic resources. “When things are catered to you, your academic success exceeds your expectations,” Chilimigras said.
Jimmy is the youngest person to pass the Certified Public Accounting exam in the world.
Loyola law student Jimmy Chilimigras is the youngest person to pass the Certified Public Accounting exam in the world. Anna Hummel/The Maroon
Orleans Parish suffers worst voter turnout in decades 27% of Orleans Parish casts ballots in Oct. 14 state election
Sophia Maxim/The Maroon
See p. 5
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
LIFE & TIMES
8
Film • Arts • Food • Music • Leisure • Nightlife
Little Freddie King performs live on stage drawing a large crowd. Little Freddie King is an American Delta blues guitarist. Jake Hufnagel/The Maroon
While watching live performaces, attendees grabbed a bite to eat. The festival offers large selection of the best barbecue vendors in the region. Jake Hufnagel/The Maroon
Trudy Lynn sings her heart out on stage. Trudy Lynn is an American electric blues and soul blues singer and songwriter. Jake Hufnagel/The Maroon
Crescent City Blues & BBQ Fest celebrates blues culture ByKait;yn Gress kegress@my.loyno.edu
For 16 years, the Crescent City Blues and Barbeque Festival has drawn crowds for its live music, delicious food, and unique art, all available for free. This event is held by the New Orleans Heritage Jazz Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to the “music,
culture, and heritage of communities in Louisiana,” and all proceeds from the festival go to their beneficial programs. The Blues and Barbeque Festival returned to New Orleans at Lafayette Square Park last weekend, Oct. 13-15. Festival attendees sat on steps, lawn chairs, and blankets to listen to the music. Food and art vendors lined up on
opposite sidewalks at the edges of the park, making it remarkably easy to navigate their booths. The music could be heard throughout the park and in the surrounding neighborhood. The event featured two facing stages, one at St. Charles Ave and the other at Camp Street. The two stages allowed for seamless transitions between performances or, as one announcer put
it, “Are you ready for more music? Just turn around!” At the Louisiana Music Factory booth, attendees could buy CDs and other merchandise, plus meet some of the performers and get autographs immediately after their sets. Over the course of three days, the two stages saw over 18 different performers. Some from nearby, some from
further away, some new, and some regulars. On top of the music, over 15 food vendors and 23 art vendors were present. The musical occasion supported the foundation’s year-round programming, which centers on education, economic development, and cultural enrichment.
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
LIFE & TIMES
12
Film • Arts • Food • Music • Leisure • Nightlife
(Left to right) Sesher's Erik Maiwaldt and Matt Manzella perform at Art 2 Action's Friday the 13th event on Oct. 13, 2023. The event raised money for for local LGBTQ+ mutual aid. Sophia Maxim/The Maroon
Vamps for social change Art collective hosts Friday the 13th fundraiser By Sophia Maxim svmaxim@my.loyno.edu
Anton Alvarez (left), Sophia Petikas (top right), Naya Rivera, and Emma Velasquez (bottom right) perform at Art 2 Action's Friday the 13th event on Oct. 13, 2023. Sophia Maxim/The Maroon
Vampires, witches, wizards, and horror characters gathered on Friday Oct. 13 to support local LGBTQ+ causes while dancing to student bands. The event was hosted by Art 2 Action, a social justice-centered arts collective that features student musicians and artists at community events to promote social change. The organization hosted an event on Oct. 13 to raise money for local LGBTQ+ mutual aid. Loyola graduate student Adele Colson said she started Art 2 Action with her friends. Mica DeSimone and Miles Trainor, to support and reunite her community after the pandemic. “We hosted Friday the 13th this year without any budget and made it happen by pooling equipment and resources from the community- and it was kickass to say the very least,” Colson said. The event featured Loyola student bands, including Kota Dosa, Feeferella, Tired Eyes, Gatsu, Planet of the Little Green Men, and Kupid. On the front porch, local art vendors sold their hand-made knits, jewelry, and artwork and offered tarot readings to attendees. Colson said the Loyola community can expect more festive music and art fundraisers in store. “If students or anyone in the community is interested in supporting our journey, they can follow us @art2actionco to attend our next event or get involved as an artist, art vendor, or volunteer!” Colson said. “Everyone is welcome.”
THE WORKS
2
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
Submit to maroon@loyno.edu to be featured
A captain and his kitties
The Fine Line between Grief and Personal Gain
By: Anna Hummel
By: Mia Oliva We'd been here twice before. "Third times the charm". There is no charm in the eleventh hour. The concourse's silence felt sacred yet still reserved room for the impetuous inhalations and enervated exhalations. The stark night light was of no consolation, but rather assured us of the abysmal non-existence that was warm to the touch less than a day ago. We trickled in, home away from home. The palm fronds danced with the subtle wind and the water from the fountain at the heart of the courtyard wept. It did not matter where one stood with another, how one viewed the other. The proverbs of sorrow never rang truer than that night. Would we have known destiny's design, perhaps we'd wish godspeed that Friday. Now Monday comes and it will come again, but Sunday will remain yours. “Blackbird singing in the dead of night.” The notion of one being so close to living through something but missing it by the mere brush of a few weeks is tantalizing. “Take these broken wings and learn to fly”. February was when we lost you, now it was May and the whole world had changed its way of working. Fiddling with trinkets at an antique shop, our breaths halted behind our masks as if we’d heard the news yet again. “All your life you've been waiting for this moment to arise”. We locked eyes and our ducts pooled tears. Through your favorite song we knew you were here with us once again. “Blackbird, fly”. People are selfish by nature. Self-interest is the forbidden fruit that has damned us all. Each individual varies. Their authenticity wavers, be it with or without intention. “He was like a brother to me.” They say people die twice, initially and then when their name is no longer spoken. But is one’s image worth being kept alive by those who do it out of personal gain? When institutions profit off of people’s grief, grief becomes a dubious conception. A bench with the name of a friend’s late mother sits in that same courtyard where we grieved. Her mother who had passed tragically and abruptly over five years from where we stood today. She herself does not comprehend this act of lamentation. “What is grief if not love persevering?” Love becomes unconditional in the face of what is no longer tangible. In place of a face which one can no longer make known to. Genuine grief was the firm embrace amongst adversaries.
ACROSS 1. Voice of Boss Baby Actor ___ Baldwin 5. Domineering 10. #1 College Bar in America 14. Carmie’s restaurant name: The ___ 15. Father of psychoanalysis 16. One thing you might catch from The Palms’pole 17. The foundation 18. Zach Galifianakis “Between Two ___” 19.One of the names of the Norse god Thor 20. A corn pancake that is eaten in Venezuela and Columbia 22. Located in the first floor of Monroe for all Stem majors 23. An appeal to ethics 24. A nestling hawk or falcon 26. Second-most difficult ice skating jump 28. Strategic Defense Initiative abbr. 31. Group of cold-blooded individuals 33. Football stats 36. ___ Barton from “The OC” 38. Parade’s slogan “Throw Until It Hurts” 40. Emmy winner Falco 41. Mom in Bob’s Burgers 43. Shoe store in Lakeside Shopping Center 44. A word of opposite meaning 46. Marie Laveau practiced this 48. Research triangle located in North Carolina 49. Common drug for relieving pain 51. “The sixth sense” 52. Mummy character in Monster High 53. Vegan skincare option for crepey skin 55. A humming instrument 58. Campus organization with its hub in the basement of Danna center 60. What sound is amazingly sweet? 64. The capital is Tehran 65. Video games pioneer 68. A formulated thought or opinion 69. To angrily express 70. What happens here stays here 71. German for one 72. To pay the penalty for 73. Mongolian herdsmen 74. “Take a ____”
DOWN 1. “Dancing Queen” group 2. Shakespearean king 3. Stress-free state 4. Sweet food of choice neighboring the Boot 5. Really good friend 6. End of a threat 7. Plural form of serum 8. Canopy made of canvas to shelter people from the sun 9. Yards, abbr. 10. Barbie’s opposite 11. Solemn promise 12. Capital of Norway 13. Not that 21. Indian nanny 23. Online handicraft site 25. Examine in detail 27. California university with a #1 agricultural engineering program 28. Makeup problem 29. Abstained from 30. Query from Judas
32. Nickname for Angelic Upstairs vocalist 33. Spanish accent sign 34. Extinct birds 35. Mr. Dogg 37. Top exec. 39. Chairman ___ 42. Suspicious individual in the game “Among Us” 45. Jamaican Author Hopkinson 47. One grand 50. Respond to with loud laughter 52. Short adventure tale 54. First astrological sign in the zodiac 55. Pseudonym for “Light Yagami” 56. Person from the middle east 57. Amusingly odd 59. Who wore a meat dress for the MTV awards 61. Straight as _ __ 62. “You can’t see me” wrestler 63. Right on a map 65. “Choose Your Fighter” from Barbie soundtrack by singer Max 67. Orbiting lab, for short
For weekly puzzle answers, download The Loyola Maroon Mobile App Apple Store
Crosswords by Max Schweikarth & Kira Phillips
Google Play
NEWS
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
3
Artists frustrated with untimely payments By Abigail Schmidt acschmid@my.loyno.edu
Alumni award application open Applications for the 2023-24 Alumni Association Graduation Award are open now. This award is $1,000 awarded to one graduate of May 2024 of each of the four colleges of the university. The award must only be used for tuition and the student must graduate in May or the funds must be returned. Applicants must be full-time graduating Loyola students with a GPA of at least 3.0 and demonstrate financial need. Although not required, it is recommended that applicants have done community civic service and held campus leadership positions or involvement. Applications close at midnight on Nov. 5 and are available on the Loyno website.
Prayer request from community The Office of Mission and Identity welcomes prayer requests to be sent throughout campus via email to build a community of prayer and support. The following have requested support from the Loyola students, staff, and faculty: • Scott Zimmerman as he continues treatment for cancer. • Xavier Cole due to his sister-inlaw Teri experiencing a recurrence of brain cancer. • A Loyola staff member, as the husband of a close friend, who had been a member of the unhoused community and is an advocate for justice, passed away suddenly in his sleep. • Martha Alguera was recently diagnosed with lupus. • Gail Reynolds’ close cousin, Charlene Berry, has been battling breast cancer for 10 years and has received another setback in treatment. • Mehmet Dicle in the College of Business, as his wife Betul is in the ICU for treatment of recurrent brain cancer. • Marty Braud-Mason’ssister, Kelly, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Kelly's daughter Rebekah suffers from an autoimmune disease that required serious intestinal surgery and will require more surgery in the future.
Loyola musical artists have recently expressed concern over not getting paid in due time for shows and events they have done through the university. Popular and commercial music junior Diego Gutierrez manages Loyolabased band Planet of the Little Green Men, who played at the back to school bash on Aug. 19, 2023 through Howl Entertainment. In order to get paid, every representative performer was required to submit an official invoice as well as complete a contract that included the terms for the $50 payment for the performance. The band was told that if this information was submitted on time, they could pick up our paychecks the night of the concert. Gutierrez said that a venue typically arranges payment either in cash or check to be distributed the day of the performance. If they aren’t able to do this, they will either include the modified terms in the contract or generally communicate this to the artist, neither of which Loyola gave the option for, according to Gutierrez. Ben Heil, popular and commercial music junior and lead singer of the band, began emailing back and forth with the organizers of the show over concerns with their payment. According to Heil, these issues weren’t just one time problems but something the band has been dealing with on several occasions. “There have, however, been multiple school-sponsored and organized shows that have either delayed or completely forgotten about payments for us,” said Heil. “One being the back to school bash, and another being a Loyola-sponsored back to school event that was held at Chickie Wah Wah on September 2. For this show, I was required to fill out a W-9 form to get paid, and have still not received any payment whatsoever. I had emailed multiple people, including organizers of the show, representatives of Howl Entertainment, Student Life and Ministry employees, and professors at least six times before I received any helpful information, with the most helpful info being “We are working on it.’” “It seemed as though not a single
Loyola band Planet of the Little Green Men performing at Gasa Gasa on March 11. The band is frustrated with Loyola not paying them timely for performing at university events. Abigail Schmidt/The Maroon
person actually had any information on how/when we would receive our payment. It was not communicated to me, or any of the organizers of the event for that matter, until a month later and after over a dozen emails that students must be paid through HR payroll,” Heil said. Heil said there was miscommunication on Loyola’s end as well, which he said could have contributed to these issues. “‘I'm not sure who is paying these students’ was an actual quote from one of the people involved with NOLASOUND, one of the contributors to the organization of this event,” Heil said. The band finally got their direct deposit on Oct. 2, 2023, almost two months after the performance. “The negligence and obvious disregard and untimeliness for fulfilling a contract issued to a student is unacceptable and must, at the very least, be communicated more clearly in the future because this type of delay -in what is really
“This payment upset is, unfortunately, just one more incident involving Loyola University not enforcing the beliefs and standards they claim to stand for. It may seem like a very small payment, but sadly this is the type of money that funds small bands that are just starting out, and to have the school set a standard like this is plainly disrespectful,” Heil said. He and his band said they believe that if the school is trying to raise professionals, they should also be treated as such. “We have been treated fairly and professionally in every other performance environment because we value and expect mutual professionalism,” said Gutierrez. “It often seems that some Loyola staff are adamant that they will get their students involved in the real world of music industry, but will draw barriers in communication throughout the entire process.”
See PAYMENT, page 4
Final 2023-24 enrollment numbers announced
Monroe Student Library Committee meeting soon Monroe Library will be hosting their first Monroe Student Library Committee meeting Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. The initial meeting will discuss student support during finals such as study tips and resources. Committee members will also plan de-stress events for students to take place throughout the fall semester. The committee is open to all and aims to gather student experiences, needs, and priorities to make changes based on the student perspective, according to outreach librarian Iriana Lonon.
a small payment- would not be accepted as a normal timeframe in any other business transaction outside of Loyola University,” Heil said. Music industry studies sophomore and jazz musician Ben Delgado waited all summer for his payment for a performance for the business school in April 2023. “I had filled out a W-9, sent an invoice, and been emailing back and forth regarding the details of the gig so I felt confident that I was going to get paid,” Delgado said. After the gig had already taken place, Delgado still had to fill out another performance contract and was told Loyola was undergoing changes over the summer regarding student and employee payment. “I felt like I only got paid because I knew I had to pester them,” he said. According to Heil, students are upset at the “hypocrisy and lack of care for our students.”
Tanesha Taylor/The Maroon
By Eloise Pickering ewpickerl@my.loyno.edu
Campus may seem smaller now as it is confirmed that freshman enrollment decreased by 11% this year.
David Tracy, the interim vice president for enrollment management, spoke at Loyola’s University Senate Meeting on Sept. 21 regarding the official enrollment census numbers, as well as Loyola President Xavier Cole.
According to Tracy, freshman enrollment went from 863 students last year to 692. Out of state enrollment was down 21%. The definite census data shows an enrollment decrease greater than the projected number, which was estimated to be 7.5% as of early September by university spokesperson Rachel Hoormann. Although Loyola’s census enrollment was down 11%, admissions denied double the amount of applicants compared to last year, denying over 400 applications opposed to 200. Despite some declines that were larger than projected, Loyola did surpass some goals and projected numbers. According to Hoormann, the original goal for incoming law students was 190, and the projected number was 210. Cole confirmed that the official number of first-year law students was 228. Furthermore, in-state student enrollment increased, and more freshmen applied and were accepted into the honors program. Tracy also said a higher number of grad students committed to Loyola.
At the senate meeting, Cole said he and the enrollment management team have numerous ideas and plans to increase and maintain recruitment. In order to maintain interest in admitted students, administration is planning to hold summer orientation similar to other universities, according to Cole. Cole said he aims for Loyola to host events throughout the year, such as open houses during fall and admitted student days in the spring, as well as hosting bigger campus tours for interested students. He also plans to go on state and national tours to increase Loyola’s visibility. In an effort to show his gratitude, Cole sent an email to faculty and staff on Oct. 6. “We would like to thank everyone who has a hand in recruiting and retaining our students. There has been a tremendous effort from across our campuses that has paid off with very positive results,” Cole wrote. “Your commitment to providing the very best educational and campus experience for our students shines through in everything that you do and is a constant inspiration.”
NEWS
4
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
From Exile to Educator: Professor fosters social justice By the numbers
Professor Alvaro Alcazar teaches Liberation Philosophy on Sept. 27, 2023. Alcazar teaches ideals of social justice in his classes. Sophia Maxim/The Maroon
By Sophia Maxim svmaxim@my.loyno.edu
After being tortured in and exiled from the Philippines for his political activism, professor Alvaro Alcazar, Ph. D. came to Loyola to foster a community driven by social justice. This was 38 years ago. Since then, he has integrated the wisdom of his early-life experiences into his work, both in and out of the classroom. As a professor, he encourages students to take action against institutional injustices through what his students describe as non-traditional teaching methods. While studying to become a priest in the late 1960s, Alcazar devoted himself to community organizing work in the slums of Manila, Philippines where he fought against Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship.
Marcos’ regime reacted to this work by detaining and torturing Alcazar and forcing him into exile from his homeland in 1972. Soon after his exile, Alcazar arrived in the United States to continue his education. Ever since then, Alcazar says he continues to ask himself, “how do I use the wisdom that came to me that I could not process as wisdom because I was too young?” Alcazar’s experiences in the Philippines cemented his commitment to social justice activism through his faith. That commitment, he said, guides his service as a Loyola professor of religious studies. “The in-fleshness of Jesus was something that my grandmother emphasized
– that if you are given a symbol of bread, that it won’t ease your hunger,” Alcazar said. “The lesson that came to me was that I could not teach this poor community to pray if they are hungry, and that prayer is getting food, prayer is getting healthcare, prayer is sticking up to a dictator, that prayer is inconvenient, and prayer, because it's inconvenient, is no shortcut.” Alcazar began as the advisor to the Loyola University Community Action Program in 1985. Alcazar said at this time, LUCAP was primarily a charity organization. During apartheid in South Africa, Alcazar led a boycott of Shell for economically supporting and supplying oil to the country. Eventually, this boycott gained the support of Loyola’s administration. Alcazar taught in Loyola’s education department from 2001 until the discontinuation of the program in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, leaving him without a job. However, soon after, he was asked to join the Twomey Center for Peace through Justice as its Director for Urban Concerns. “I persisted, and finally, Ted Quant, who was the director of a Twomey Center, said ‘Al, I need you here. I need your social justice orientation.’” Alcazar said. Alcazar said he strived to continue the legacy of Fr. Twomey through his involvement in the Center, citing Twomey as spearheading efforts against institutional racism. “Father Twomey was really ahead of his time,” Alcazar said. “It was Father Twomey that started opening Loyola to African Americans.” Alcazar remained with the organization until its closure in 2017. “It broke my heart, but at the time, the university was struggling,” he said. Despite this initial disappointment, Alcazar said the Jesuit Social Research Institute is continuing the work and legacy of the Twomey Center. “In the past, JSRI was a research group, and the Twomey Center was focused on action,” he stated. “That’s what the JSRI is leading to now. I was praying for it, that it would go that way, and I think it’s going that way.” Alcazar said he is especially proud of
the collaboration in 2022 between JSRI and the Sociology department in enabling incarcerated students at Rayburn Correctional Center to get their degrees through a prison education program. Alcazar said he has gotten in trouble with Loyola’s administration in the past for his protest leadership. In particular, Alcazar mentioned his involvement in organizing a boycott in 1990 between Loyola and Tulane students over grape growers' use of pesticides that were harming migrant harvesters. These grapes were used in the universities' food service. According to Alcazar, the protesters committed to blocking the door to the upstairs of the Danna Center and the Tulane president’s office door until Loyola’s administration joined the boycott and prohibited the grapes from the university food service. In the end, the grape producers agreed to limit the spraying of pesticides to when the laborers would not be tending to the grapes. Additionally, Alcazar said one Loyola president scrutinized him for organizing a protest in front of the home of Bob Moffett, the chair of Freeport-McMoRan, an oil company destroying an Indonesian village by pursuing oil resources. These protests drew national attention and coverage. In this conflict with the president, Alcazar received support from his colleagues. “But my boss, who was also a Jesuit, said, if you fire Al, you had to fire me as well, so he didn’t fire me,” Alcazar said. With the Twomey Center, Alcazar led diversity training and conflict resolution teams in local schools. He said he created his “conflict escalator” model after witnessing a dispute over $5 between two high school students in the program. “Conflict goes from annoyed or irritated to upset to angry to furious to enraged, and then it explodes, and people get hurt,” he said. On Oct. 4, 1984, on the Feast of St. Francis, Alcazar made a personal vow of nonviolence with Pax Christi, a Catholic peace organization, at Loyola after an encounter with a thief who wanted to steal his watch.
See ALCAZAR, page 13
26 49 73 204
days until The Maroon 100th birthday!
days until last day of classes days until 2024 days until graduation
Financial impact of Katrina After Hurricane Katrina, Loyola vacated and/or cut 76 positions to "ease financial strain" from the natural disaster, according to The Maroon. Of these 76 positions, 48 were vacant before the hurricane had hit and 28 were laid off employees. The Maroon reported the university had estimated over $34 million in cost for salaries and damages.. Loyola had ensured faculty and staff in the immediate aftermath of the storm they would still be paid for the fall semester. This alone cost roughly $30 million. Additionally, the university promised students they would not be charged for the fall 2005 semester twice. Students who attended another university would be reimbursed and those who took the semester off would have the money refunded or rolled to the spring semester.
ARMSTRONG: PAYMENT: Continued from page 1 Armstrong said in a video posted by the MacArthur Fellows Program that the public doesn’t receive proper information on death in prisons and this lack of transparency affects the people who are incarcerated. “When we think about prisons and jails, it’s really this gap between government power being at the highest it can ever be and individual rights being at the lowest. And within that gap, that is where abuse occurs. And that is why it is critically important to shine a light in those places,” Armstrong said. According to the website for this project, the how and why a person in prison dies is often kept secret from everyone, including the person's family. This realization led Armstrong to create this project after looking at deaths in East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Armstrong said there were parents asking “is my son the only one to die this way?” This brought Armstrong to recognize this wasn’t just a problem in East Baton Rouge Parish Prison but in every prison across the state of Louisiana. “There was no one looking - no one
was keeping track of who has died behind bars, from what type of causes,” Armstrong said. “If we want to prevent deaths, we need to know why people are dying and where they’re dying.” Armstrong said she believes that transparency between the prisons and these deaths are essential and that’s what she’s doing through the project. “It is critical that data on deaths behind bars be made public. These are our jails and prisons. They are operated in our name and they are there for our responsibility,” Andrea said. According to the project’s website, making this information public and analyzing the data behind deaths is the first step in making conditions in jails and prisons known to the public. In an email sent to Loyola faculty, staff, and students, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for trategy, Justin Daffron, SJ, recognized Armstrong’s achievements. “We are tremendously grateful that she so generously shares her gifts and talents with the Loyola community and beyond,” Daffron wrote. Armstrong continues to fight for these individuals, recognizing that they
NOT AN ISSUE OUTSIDE OF LOYOLA Continued from page 3
Law professor Andrea Armstrong teaches Constitutional Law at the law school on Oct. 17, 2023. Armstrong was awarded the "Genius Grant" for her work with prison reform. Anna Hummel/The Maroon
are not just what they are incarcerated for: they are people. “People are so much more than their worst moment. They are caretakers. They are artists. They are musicians.
They are brothers and siblings and uncles and aunts. And all of that goes missing when somebody dies behind bars,” Armstrong said.
All three musicians stated they have never had issues with getting paid in due time outside of Loyola. “It appears to me that there is a bug in the way the system is designed that has gone unsolved and is more stubborn than one might think,” said music industry professor Billy O’Connell. “This is obviously a significant problem and goes against everything we hope to model for our students in terms of professional behavior and ethical standards.” O’Connell said that while he does not believe this is intentional on the school’s part, it is an issue of the “ill-suited nature of academic finance when it encounters entrepreneurial or independent contractors.” He said it would be important to have a better system put in place to avoid issues such as these, and better communication on the school’s end regarding expectations.
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
WORLDVIEW
5
Orleans parish suffers low voter turnout By Jacob L'Hommedieu jllhomme@my.loyno.edu
Devante Lewis, Ariana Lonon, Michelle Hallinan, and Blu Dimarco at Banning Books in Louisiana panel on Oct. 4, 2023. They were there to discuss the banning and challenging of books in Lousiana and answer questions by Loyola students and staff. Eloise Pickering/The Maroon.
Loyola panel discusses book challenge By Eloise Pickering ewpicker@my.loyno.edu
In the landscape of literature, a surge of book challenges is impacting libraries, schools and families state and nationwide. At Loyola, lecturer in teacher education Julia Miller organized a week of events in honor of Banned Books Week, with a Banning Books in Louisiana panel discussion occurring on Oct. 4. This panel featured four speakers each introduced by Hutchinson Distinguished Professor, Faculty Advisory for English Honors Society, and Director of Composition at Loyola Sarah Allison, Loyola history major in the teaching certification program Blu DiMarco, Loyola alumna and a local elementary public school librarian Michelle Hallinan, Loyola outreach librarian Ariana Lonon, and Public Service Commissioner, Devante Lewis. During the event, the four panelists focused largely on the process of challenging books, their personal experience with the topic and what current college students and community members can do to keep books on the
shelves. Challenged books are those which have been attempted or under review for removal or restriction based on the objection of a person or group, while a ban is a total removal, according to the American Library Association. A growing proportion of these challenged books “center on race, sexual orientation and gender, topping local libraries and mentor politics both at the level of parish and a political statement at the state legislature,” Allison said, who choked up while speaking on the subject. “Through the first eight months of 2023, the ALA tracked 695 challenges to library materials and services, compared to 681 during the same time period last year,” stated by ABC News. Many of the books that are challenged are those geared towards children and often discuss LGBTQ+ topics. One example, “And Tango Makes Three”, is a children’s picture book which includes a nontraditional family, where two male penguins were able to raise a young baby with help from a zookeeper. “And Tango Makes Three”, has been one of the nation’s most banned books since its publication in 2005, according to the ALA. The panelists discussed how taking
away books or quieting topics that discuss gender, sexuality and race in education retains hatred towards marginalized communities, and keeps children ignorant towards experiences their friends, families or even themselves, are enduring. Currently, in Louisiana's education standards, the civic section of history contains the only mention of the LGBTQ+ community, and it is in reference to the AIDS and HIV epidemic. “That can't be it. If we continue to take away the books, if we continue to take away the education all kids are going to know about is about me dying so many people just like dying,a’ DiMarco said, a member of the LGBTQ+ community. This idea of inclusion is elaborated on when focus is centered on “who tells the story”, according to Lewis. “The story traditionally has come from a cisgender white male heterosexual perspective. Those are the CEOs at the book manufacturing companies. They are the publishers. They are the editors at the newspapers. And so when you think about this moment, it's a reflection about how often we have left those spots untapped and untouched,” said Lewis. Hallinan and Lonon comment on
the importance of working with parents to deem appropriate books for their children. “We trust parents to know what's best for their children. And there will be parents who want to read Julian is a mermaid to their little kid whose older cousin may be trans[gender] and going through those experiences,” Lonon said. “Passion without action is a wasted emotion,” said Lewis. When it comes to getting involved, all panelists stressed the importance of voting and including oneself in organizations and advocacy, which are often seen as the “middle ground” between people and larger organizations/government. “Advocating for yourself and just being true to yourself as a student, but I also think, working with outside organizations, and I think attempting to mobilize students outside of the institution or whatever school it may be can be really helpful,” Dimarco said. “I want kids to feel safe and the way that we do that is by having this educational material.”
It seems Louisiana missed the memo that the state elections were last Saturday. Attorney General Jeff Landry received 51.6% of the vote, however only about 36% of Louisiana’s registered voters actually participated in the election, according to the Secretary of State. That means out of around 3 million registered voters, only about 500,000 voted in Landry as governor. The turnout was even worse in New Orleans. 27% of voters in Orleans Parish actually showed up to vote, resulting in only about 71,000 votes in the governor’s election. A vast majority of those votes went to Democrat Shawn Wilson. Those numbers are even worse than New Orleans’ 2021 mayoral elections, which had a voter turnout of 29.1%. At the time, those numbers had been excused due to recovery from Hurricane Ida, according to New Orleans WDSU. Alec Ricci, a senior political science major, sees the problem differently. The people in his age group do not feel that they are represented in government, state or federal, according to Ricci. “I think it comes down to an issue of inclusion while also reflecting public goals and intentions,” Ricci said. Caleb Giraud, another political science major, views the low turnout as a response to corruption in state government. The kickbacks political players create are akin to Huey Long, Louisiana’s 40th governor, although to a much lesser degree, according to Giraud. Giraud also mentioned that distrust in the federal government could be another cause for low voter turnout, as the distrust for the nation trickles down to the state level. “We're seeing a lot of the same problems in the federal government,” Giraud said. “[Politicians] don't want to play to their base, they want to play to the people that are paying them.” “We already have this incredibly low trust for the government in Louisiana, which is just getting pounded into the ground by the federal atmosphere which is then reflecting in the state atmosphere which is, I think, why you don't see as many voters because what are you going to do for me anyway? You haven't done anything for me so far,” Giraud said.
Government shutdown continues to loom By Guélan Zaour gkzaour@my.loyno.edu
On September 30, a few hours before a potential government shutdown, the House and the Senate voted for a modest spending bill that would keep the government open through November 17, according to the New York Times. According to associate professor of political science Sean Cain, a government shutdown is “when the government no longer has appropriated money to fund its various projects and programs”. It usually occurs during periods of divided government, when the President's party does not hold a majority in both houses of Congress. Associate professor of political science Philip Dynia explained that
a shutdown could cause trouble at many levels of American society. There would be college financial aid cutbacks, shredding of key elements of the federal safety-net directed at helping America's poorest families, further erosion or possibly depletion of federal funds for disaster relief and recovery, according to Dynia. A stopgap bill, proposed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, was approved and passed through the House and on to the Senate. The original bill did not include spending for Ukraine, however the Senate made an addendum to that, which included $6 billion to Ukraine. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida filed a motion to vacate, threatening to remove McCarthy from the speakership. McCarthy refused to concede
anything to Democrats in exchange for a vote in his favor, which led them to vote in a bloc for the motion, along with 8 Republicans. The motion passed with 216 votes in favor and 210 against, removing McCarthy from the speakership just three days after the passage of the stopgap bill. The House of Representatives' current main goal is now to elect a new Speaker. McCarthy’s ally and majority leader Steve Scalise - who represents Louisiana's 1st district, in which Loyola is embedded - had been viewed as the primary candidate, but has since dropped out of the race. If a Speaker is not elected before the Nov. 17 deadline, then there is a chance the government will shut down again.
Temporary House leader Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., talks with Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, as Republicans try to elect Jordan in a second ballot to be the new House speaker, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. AP Photo/Alex Brandon.
COMICS
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
STAFF
Assistant Editors: Chris Maldonado, Sunny Bedford, Grace Knight, Eloise Pickering, Taylor Falgout, Sophia Maxim! Comics Editors: Sofia Johnson, Grace Knight, Taylor Falgout! Associate Producer for The Maroon Broadcast: Chloe Caudle, Sunny Bedford, Matthew Richards,
Francisco Esteves, James Hufnagel, Christopher Nesbit, Leonard Jackson III, Mabel RegaladoHernanzed! Staff Writers and Photographers: Guelan Zaour, Pharell Every, Nadir Benslimane, Laci Barrow, Rodrigo Delgado, Ashlyn Bobb Collins, Napkin Calhoun, Inaki Espana, Emma Grace Condon, Ashe Gravenkemper, Daniel O' Connell!
Layout Designers: Daniel Wong
Adviser: Michael Giusti
CONTACT US Main Office (504) 865-3535 Business Office/Advertising (504) 865-3536 Adviser’s Office (504) 865-3295 Correspondence maroon@loyno.edu
6
Letters to the editor Advertising Website Twitter Facebook Instagram
letter@loyno.edu ads@loyno.edu www.loyolamaroon.com @loyola_maroon The Maroon
@loyola_maroon
Our office is in the Communications/Music Complex,
Room 328. Send mail to: The Maroon, Loyola University, Campus Box 64, 6363 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70118 The Maroon is published every Friday. Unless otherwise noted, all content is copyrighted by The Maroon. All rights reserved. First copy free to students, faculty and staff. Every additional copy is $1.00. The Maroon is printed on 30 percent postconsumer recycled content.
Oct. 20, 2023
THE MAROON
7
Oct. 20, 2023
THE MAROON
9
REVIEWS
10
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
“The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand”: A tale of loving every part of yourself By Kloe Witt kgwitt@my.loyno.edu
Although it may have the appearance of a children's book, “The Little Kid with the Big Green Hand” is a beautiful read with an important message for anyone of all ages: every part of you, even the ones you try to hide from the world, are beautiful and should be shown to the world. In the book, a little girl named Lenore is born with a BIG green hand. She has a strong distaste for this part of herself and decides to hide it from the world, covering it with a scarf and learning to function only using her other hand. This was until her family moved to Michigan where Lenore would begin experiencing even greater anxiety about beginning a new school with her BIG green hand. The anxiety got so bad, in fact, she struggled to sleep the night before school, resulting in her tightening the scarf around her hand way tighter than before. It was at that moment Lenore heard the sound - a silly voice which she couldn’t quite place. The hand began squealing that the scarf was “toooo tight.” This, naturally, shocked Lenore, as she never heard the hand talk before. A conversation struck between the hand, who has now been introduced as Chuck. Chuck begins to tell the same story as Lenore but from his point of view. In this story, Chuck was embarrassed of the small pink blob that he was attached to. He tells of this journey he went on where he tried to escape this blob - across a rickety bridge, past confused dogs, up a steep ravine, but no matter how hard
Chuck tried, he couldn’t escape the small pink blob. As he was sitting at the top of this steep ravine, watching the sunrise for the first time in his life, he came to an epiphany. He noticed that the world behind the scarf was in so much color and the sun was providing color and life to everything around them. He began to truly realize the beauty in the world he hadn’t seen before. It was during this time he discovered that it wasn’t just some small pink blob - it was a person. It was with this discovery that he came to love what he used to be insecure over. After this discovery, Chuck tells Lenore “and even though we are different that doesn’t mean we don’t feel the same… and that we can’t be a part of each other's beautiful story.” Hearing Chuck’s story helped Lenore to understand this insecurity she tried to shield from the world was something beautiful. This story helped her grow as a person, finally being able to see the world in another's point of view and realize we’re all connected. The story ends with Lenore arriving on her first day at her new school, no scarf on her hand, ready to face the world. The book may not seem like much - it’s childlike art-style and writing techniques don’t make it necessarily appealing to every audience, especially college aged students. But that’s what makes the book so amazing. It’s the perfect message needed for my peers. College is a confusing time where we can find it easy to hide away the parts we don’t like about ourselves. As we’re entering a new place with new people,
"Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar": An ode to media, relationships, and fans By Natalia Silva nssilva@my.loyno.edu
Kloe Witt/ The Maroon
we try to impress these people we meet, hoping they’ll be our new, possibly lifelong friends. Learning to love and show the world the parts of yourself you feel are flaws is hard during these times. Knowing that every part of you is perfect and deserves to be shown is the perfect message for students to hear. And it wasn’t just this message that separated this book from others like it. Author Matthew Gray Gubler spread the message of this book through pure kindness. With the launch of the book, he announced a tour in which he drove a bright green Volkswagen Beetle with a giant hand on top of it and tons of books loaded inside. He randomly dropped in places giving free signed books and meeting fans. He made a few selected stops on this tour too, including the University Medical Center Children’s Hospital in Neva-
da, his old highschool is Las Vegas, and a bookshop in New Jersey. He also converted 90’s Kids Closet on Magazine street in New Orleans to a “just one book bookshop” where fans, many of which were Loyola students, got the chance to meet him and get a copy of his book the day of its official release. He was kind to each fan, even after being there for hours on end, giving hugs, conversing, and taking photos with anyone who entered. He also told everyone to take as many copies of the book as they pleased as they were all free. Gubler’s kind personality truly made this book so much more meaningful. He isn’t just saying these words; he’s living them. It’s truly a beautiful message from a kind man.
Rating: 10/10
"Love, Theoretically": A new STEM romance By Sophie Bornefeld slbornef@my.loyno.edu
Ali Hazelwood has been known in the book community as a “romance powerhouse” but her most recent summer release may challenge that narrative. “Love, Theoretically” follows theoretical physicist, Elsie Hannaway, as she navigates her hectic life that’s filled with being an adjunct professor teaching thermodynamics (the study of relations between heat, work, temperature, and energy if you’re a communications girl and not a science girl like me) and offering her services as a fake girlfriend to her favorite client, Greg, who happens to be the brother of well-known and cold-hearted experimental physicist, Jack Smith-Turner, that Elsie just so happens to hate. While Elsie is ready to go to war with Jack for what he had done to theoretical physics in the past, she ends up finding him to be the only person she can be her true self around. When I started reading Hazelwood’s STEM romance books this summer, I was hooked immediately. She wrote my favorite trope, fake dating, incredibly well with her debut novel “The Love Hypothesis” and has since been dubbed as one of my favorite romance authors; so when “Love, Theoretically” was released this summer, written with her spin on fake dating, I jumped in the car and ran to get it the day it hit shelves. Her spin involved Elsie fake dating Greg as a second income to afford rent and insulin for her type 1 diabetes, as opposed to Jack, who we know she ultimately ends up with. While I enjoy the typical trope of fake-dating because of the mutual pining and slow burn, this spin was a lot of fun because it was something new as well as the friendship Greg and Elsie develop over the course of the book. In typical Hazelwood fashion, the female main character usually only has one other friend, who is also in the STEM field (in this book, Cece), but because of her arrangement with Greg, she was gifted
with a second important friendship. One that allowed Greg to feel free as an asexual/aromantic person and Elsie to be honest about her feelings towards Jack. Elsie, who is looking for a more permanent position elsewhere, starts to interview for a dream job at MIT, where her enemy Jack Smith-Turner happens to work, and just happens to be on the interviewing committee. Because of how extensive the interviewing process is, Jack and Elsie become incredibly close; and while
Taylor Falgout/ The Maroon
she is able to give the “Elsie” everyone else is looking for (“funny and charming Elsie” for Professor Volkov and “professional go-getter Elsie” for Monica), she is not able to trick Jack, because he sees right through her people-pleasing facade. This storyline sets up the perfect tension between the two who are supposed enemies; but that perfection does not seem to last as the chemistry between Elsie and Jack feels seemingly absent for the majority of the book.
In Hazelwood’s past books, the love and passion for one another is there in your face, making you kick your feet and giggle when the two main characters finally admit their feelings, but for Elsie and Jack, their love and chemistry did not put butterflies in my stomach like majority of my past romance readings have. Maybe it has to do with Hazelwood not focusing on Jack’s feelings until the end or maybe it’s multiple small plots going on in the background that seem to take away from their love story. Whatever it was, it did not live up to her past romance novels. What Hazelwood did well with this book was representation – in both past characters and chronic medical conditions. She featured cameos of Olive and Adam from her debut novel, “The Love Hypothesis” and Levi and Bee from her sophomore book, “Love on the Brain,” and this alone was enough to make the book worth it to anyone who is a Hazelwood fan. Something Hazelwood, or other romance authors that I’ve seen, has not done was explore medical conditions in her characters, which was unexpected but welcomed, as Elsie has type 1 diabetes and it plays a central role in who she is as a person and scientist. While I don’t know what it’s like to live with this life-long condition, it was admirable to see the representation in a love story. In no way is “Love Theoretically” Hazelwood’s best display of enemies to lovers romance, but despite its weaknesses, the book is sure to be a good time for the secret (and not-so-secret) hopeless romantics who giggle at the brush of hands touching. If you are a fan of science puns and dad jokes, relatable characters, and wanting a quick read, “Love, Theoretically” has it all for you presented in a bright orange and pink cover. While it may not be my first recommendation from Hazelwood, you are destined to love any STEM love story she writes.
Rating: 7/10
Benito Martinez, famously known as “Bad Bunny”, released his fifth solo album on Friday, Oct. 13 collaborating with newcomers and veteran artists alike, including Young Miko, Arcángel, Bryant Myers, De La Ghetto, Eladio Carrión, Feid, Luar La L, Mora, Ñengo, and YOVNGCHIMI. The album titled “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana”, with 22 tracks, started off as a stab to the media’s negative comments about his life in the introductory track “NADIE SABE”, which translates to ‘no one knows’. His songs go on to explain how difficult it is to have millions of eyes on you at all times giving their opinions without knowing him. A shift in the album happens in track three “FINA” featuring Young Miko, an upcoming new artist from Puerto Rico. This track dives more into his intimate relationship with Kendall Jenner. The whole album is fast paced and you notice how much thought he puts on his lyrics. Once you have heard the whole album you realize that there is an ongoing theme: confessions, secrets, and truth. The album is mostly trap dominated, which fans had been anticipating for years saying, “Where is 2016 Bad Bunny?” Bad Bunny poured his heart out by talking about his feelings, fears, frustrations, goals, and aspirations making this album vastly different from his last. “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar” is now available on Spotify and Apple Music.
Watch This Weekend Killers of the Flower Moon Depicts the serial murder of members of the oilwealthy Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma, a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror.
Big Mouth: S7 Change is the only constant as the characters are faced with a new school, new friends, new adversaries, and new Hormone Monsters.
Fear the Walking Dead: S8 The season takes place seven years after the previous season and has the characters living on the island known as "PADRE."
Oct. 20, 2023
THE MAROON
Every election, your rights could be on the ballot. But you can’t vote if you aren’t registered. Get #VoteReady and register to vote by visiting vote.org/chat-to-register
11
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
13
ALCAZAR: Continued from page 4 During this encounter, Alcazar said he had broken the thief’s rib and turned his knife on him, but something stopped him. “I almost killed him. But something happened. I don't know what happened, but I was told that’s how amazing grace works,” he said. “The words of [Martin Luther] King just thundered in my gut: ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.’” He said he began implementing this vow into his training program while considering the use of nonviolent actions to address anger. “I've shared this with my students, that you can come up with really practical things that you can do – some funny, some that would look weird – but that anything weird, anything funny replaces violence and hatred,” Alcazar said. In his personal practice of nonviolence, Alcazar continues singing, playing guitar, and writing haiku to diffuse anger. He shares these methods in class by performing music and challenging students to write their own haikus about social and environmental justice. Currently, Alcazar teaches Liberation Theology and Spirituality and Environment in Loyola’s religious studies department. In his teachings, Alcazar emphasizes an interfaith, spiritual approach to social, environmental, and political issues. History freshman Gabriel Carver said Alcazar prompts students to analyze
religious and government institutions that has enabled me to connect with oth- spective at Loyola. Alcazar said he is proud of the impact through a critical lens and question the er people in ways that are meaningful, in ways that are spiritual he has had during his years at Loyola, fundamenbut may not be reli- especially through his student relationtals of Christi- "He doesn't try to force you ships, and he persists in his efforts to imgious,” he said. anity. Despite his persecu- prove his community. “[Alcazar] to do things - he asks you “[Loyola] has been a good place to tion and forced deparhas really 'What could you do for this? ture from his home as work, but it’s not perfect, but that’s prechanged how a young adult, Alcazar cisely why I’m here,” Alcazar said. “I beI look at Ca- What are some ways that has persisted in his lieve in working in the system, within t h o l i c i s m ,” you can try to make things mission of social jus- the system. And I think I’ve made some Carver said. better?" tice and continues to changes.” “As a religious share his unique perperson, you — Gabriel Carver should be try- Loyola history freshman ing to change how the Catholic Church does things based on what you believe is correct.” Nursing freshman Apolline BearChild said Alcazar has a “non-traditional” teaching style with a focus on anecdotal storytelling to convey themes of the class. “He doesn’t try to force you to do things – he asks you, ‘What could you do for this? What are some ways you could try to make things better?’” Carver said. “It’s a refreshing thing to be asked.” Alcazar's Catholic upbringing informed these beliefs he shares in the classroom. He witnessed negative aspects of Catholicism that were brought to the Philippines, particularly the erasure of his ancestors’ religion. This observation prompted him to seek spiritual education beyond the church. Now, Alcazar considers himself both Professor Alvaro Alcazar teaches Liberation Philosophy on Sept. 27, 2023. Alcazar Catholic and Buddist. teaches ideals of social justice in his classes. Sophia Maxim/The Maroon. “I think it is my interfaith orientation
Submit your best captions to
Loyola_Maroon
maroon@loyno.edu
Athena Marks/The Maroon
Louisiana gubernatorial candidate Jeff Landry speaks to supporters during a watch party at Broussard Ballroom, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in Broussard, La. Brad Kemp/The Advocate via AP
Jeff Landry elected governer By Jacob L'Hommedieu jllhomme@my.loyno.edu
The state election results are in, and Jeff Landry has been voted in as Louisiana’s next governor. The race was called last night at 9:45 PM, with Landry securing 51.5% of the vote compared to runner-up Democrat candidate Shawn Wilson’s 26%. Voter turnout in Louisiana was at 36.5%, and every other candidate scored less than 10% of the vote. Landry will be succeeding Gov. John Bel Edwards in January as the 57th governor of Louisiana. He joins his fellow Republicans in the state government, who hold a majority in both the House and Senate.
OPINION Stop sexualizing breast cancer: Awareness isn't arousal
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
14
PATRICIA CABRERA Graphic design, junior pncabrer@my.loyno.edu
In the midst of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I believe it’s time for a review of our community’s history of “support” for the cause. Normally in October, I feel joyful as I scroll through social media and see how many people are raising awareness for breast cancer research. It seems, however, for every positive breast cancer awareness post, there’s an equally distasteful post that seems to demean the message it's trying to transmit. In one of these instances, I came across an Instagram post uploaded by the-sometimesnumber-one college bar in America, according to USA Today. A bar loved by most Tulane students, some Loyola New Orleans students, and feared by many: The Boot. The post was a group of boys in front of the bar promoting their yearly "Breast Cancer Awareness" t-shirt sale. The proceeds of which all go to The Breast Cancer Foundation. All of this sounds great at first until you read what the shirt says: "I Love Boobs." I don’t have breast cancer, but as a woman, this shirt enraged me. Not only is the slogan chosen for the shirt incredibly juvenile, but it completely disregards the actual purpose of the cause. Breast cancer awareness is not about the breasts; it’s about the people. The problem with phrases such as "I Love Boobs" or "Save the Ta-tas" on merchandise meant to support breast
cancer research is that it degrades the struggles, sufferings, and journeys of the people faced with this disease, specifically women. These demeaning phrases shift the focus of the cause from finding a cure for a deadly disease to ensuring that women don’t lose their sexual appeal to society. Shirts like these accommodate the cause for a misogynistic mindset that suggests women's bodies should only be preserved to provide sexual pleasure to men. No longer in these instances is breast cancer awareness the main focus, but rather the male gaze sidelines it. I believe that the message is supposed to be light-hearted, as an attempt to remove the shame of discussing the issue around breast cancer and its lack of research. However, "Each year in the United States, about 264,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women [...] About 42,000 women [...] in the U.S. die each year from breast cancer" according to the CDC. A disease that is widespread and fatal should not be dumbed down to a light-hearted slogan. Much less if the slogan reiterates the disgusting objectification of women, thus turning a humorous slogan into a disrespectful insult to those who struggle. Furthermore, how should women with mastectomies interpret phrases such as these? Should they perceive them as support? Or as a persistent reminder that they have lost something that affords them an artificial sexual value in the eyes of the ill beauty standards of our society? Beyond being a disrespectful attempt at creating levity out of a serious issue, it is attempts like these that reinforce a feeling of exploitation, estrangement, and separation amongst women from their womanhood. To those who might try to clap back at my opinion by suggesting that phrases
Grace Knight/The Maroon
such as "I Love Boobs" aren’t disrespectful or demeaning but rather a lighthearted attempt at creating something fun out of something so dire, answer this for me: Why isn't there any merch for testicular cancer saying, "I love balls" or "I love testicles"? The reason is because “rugged” men who are SO secure in their self-image would immediately condemn such slogans on the basis of them being a disgusting sexualization of their intimate features. Meanwhile, women are forced to deal with the exploitative and
objectifying manner in which a disease as serious as breast cancer is used as an opportunity to “make light” while simultaneously sexualizing the people that are directly hurt by the disease. All this to say that efforts to show ally-ship with breast cancer awareness through slogans like “I Love Boobs” ultimately betray the cause they claim to support. By no means am I suggesting that people ignore breast cancer awareness. I do think it is important, however, that we shift the focus of awareness to the lives
Making playlists is an art form Photo illustration by Sunny Bedford/The Maroon
JUNE FERNANDEZ Computer science, junior jaferna3@my.loyno.edu
In the age of streaming services, customization is mostly out of our hands. The existence of suggestions and saving doesn’t change the fact that algorithms have the most say in what we watch or listen to. However, in the realm of music lies a simple method of curation that has stood the test of time and, in recent years, has become a digital art form: the user playlist. Making playlists provides a unique opportunity for self expression, and it brings purpose and feeling together in a way that is best described as artistically therapeutic. I love playlists. I would even say I spend more time making playlists than I do actually listening to them. But, what
makes playlists an artform isn’t the fact you are throwing a bunch of songs together. The meaning behind those songs is what makes playlists a special form of expression. While it really isn’t that serious, playlists reveal more about you than your taste in music. You can make a playlist for any scenario or mood, and, whether you think about it much or not, there is a reason that certain songs fit those moods or scenarios. Your “driving playlist”, for example, might be very different from mine in both length and in the songs on it. These differences reflect the value that people place on artists or various genres. In a way, each playlist tells a story, whether that be through the name of the playlist, its description, the core artists featured on the playlist, or simply the order of songs. In a way, making playlists allows people to be their own DJ; they gather songs that they have a connection to and mix them together to make something they can resonate with. One of my recent playlists, for example, is one I’m really proud of. I’m a pretty
dramatic person at times (more so than I would like if I’m being honest), and my playlists most certainly reveal that. The title “nothing I can say or do.” would make most people roll their eyes since it sounds like something you’d find in an edgelord’s Instagram bio. But, to me that title was fitting for how I felt at that moment. I made the playlist while I was dealing with some difficult events in my life; remorse, sadness, anger, confusion, and even joy are just some of the conflicting feelings that come to mind thinking back on it. I wanted to listen to music that discusses these emotions in order to relate and find my own way of coping with them. Songs by Mac Miller and Tame Impala, for example, are featured on this 30 song playlist. However, to juxtapose and keep myself from wallowing in those emotions, I made sure to include artists whose music I sincerely love, music that, even if it just so happens to be sad, makes me feel better and calms me down; to be honest, I should just dedicate a playlist to The Strokes, Lorde, and Tyler, the Creator at this point. I really enjoyed putting thought into this, and, while this is only my personal experience, I feel that playlists give you the power to manifest your thoughts and feelings in a more perceptible way. In fact, I would say that making and listening to playlists is an effective form of therapy for me, and maybe some of
you can relate to that. Some people write or journal when they have a lot on their mind, or some people paint or create crafts to get a visual representation of how they are feeling. Editing and listening to playlists seeks to create that same scenario but with sound. Making emotions more discernible really helps some people with healing, growing, and simply going about their everyday lives. Similarly to journaling or art, you also have complete control over who sees your playlists. Whether you want to gatekeep your favorite artist, enjoy your secret obsession with movie soundtracks, or you simply don’t want people seeing your go-to songs for intimacy, you have that choice to keep it to yourself. Regardless of the reason behind a playlist’s creation, that story is what gives playlists the capacity to be an artform. It’s a unique form of digital self-expression that lets people engage with their own curated auditory experiences. Going a step further, people can choose to share these experiences with friends, peers, and even complete strangers. Furthermore, playlists can be a powerful tool for self-care and reflection. Even playlists that were haphazardly put together reflect the creator in some way, and it’s okay if you don’t think about your playlists very much. I just think we should appreciate the freedom that playlists give us to share how we think and feel.
of these people instead of their bodies. It is vital that efforts to support the cause actually show how their disease is detrimental to them and aren’t just a ploy for distasteful efforts at exploiting, sexualizing, and commodifying women’s suffering. So beware these disgusting displays of objectification while maintaining awareness for the fight against breast cancer as Breast Cancer Awareness month rolls along.
Quote of the week "People are so much more than their worst moment." - Andrea Armstrong on the Incarceration Transparency Project
Got beef with someone? We care. Write a letter to the editor letter@loyno.edu
Oct. 20, 2023 THE MAROON
EDITORIAL
15
COLUMN: Biden's border decision infringes nature's rights By C.W. Maldonado cwmaldon@my.loyno.edu
Just when Earth seems to be catching a break and effective legislation is finally being implemented, grifters in Washington - the perennial haven of the principally dubious and fiscally motivated - are waiting right there to remind everyone of the sad reality of the situation. For the unaware, President Biden has recently greenlit construction of a border wall in south Texas and in the process has voided 26 federal laws meant to protect the region from harmful development. These federal laws include the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. As if impeding federal legislature intended to protect the sanctity of the South Texan wilderness wasn’t enough; President Biden’s decision to waive these laws has also resulted in the circumvention of numerous lawsuits pertaining to the violation of these environmental laws. Snowballing into further environmental injustice is the fact that Biden’s bypassing of these laws will result in streamlining the review process for border construction which will no doubt result in greater ecological disturbance for the region as it is essentially avoiding “time-consuming reviews” that might otherwise reveal just how threatening this development is to the ecological stability of the area and how this development could even impact others of our anthropoid ilk. Biden tries to play up this image of himself as a deeply environmentally-conscious individual as seen with his bans against drilling in the Alaskan wildlands yet pulls this sort of stunt that exposes his true colors as the worst kind of environmentalist: an unprincipled one. There’s certainly a greater discussion to be had regarding immigration, population growth, and their general implications for climate change but to avoid being sidetracked, it is important to focus our attention on the current infringements taking place against both human rights and most importantly, in this Mad Farmer’s opinion, nature’s rights. It's imperative that we don't fall prey to idealizing these figures and thinking that they have our and the Earth’s best interests at heart. These are people who have so many hands in corporate pockets and who are more concerned with approval ratings and constituencies than atrocities against nature. In times like these we have to remain steadfast against any sort of filibustering meant to calm our outrage. We should be up in arms against this type of affront against nature and make vocal & direct our displeasure against unprincipled acts like these. This isn't the time to be docile and complacent in your outrage; Make every effort to have your voice heard by your local legislators and take up direct action to show that we're unwilling to sit by as our sublime natural world is exploited for the sake of “making America more secure". I don’t believe that repressing the freedom of movement is any consolation for the disruption of migratory patterns, the endangerment of species, the FURTHER erosion of arroyos by way of development, and the increased likelihood of pollutants being introduced into these ecosystems that will linger until this Anthropocene era has come to an end. This kind of attack against nature must always be responded to with extreme prejudice.
HOWLS & GROWLS HOWL to "borrowing" jokes GROWL to breast cancer HOWL to soda in glass bottles GROWL to sharpies HOWL to Hakeem GROWL to pink eyed induced mono HOWL to eco-defense GROWL to Janky Jeff HOWL to tenure
EDITORIAL BOARD Patrick Hamilton
Editor-in-Chief
Maleigh Crespo
Managing Editor for Print
Addison Laird
Managing Editor
Ayana Thomas
Diversity, Equity, and
for Digital Inclusion Officer Daniela Martínez
Maroon Broadcast Executive Producer
Maria DiFelice
Maroon Broadcast Operation Manager
Sophia Maxim
Design Chief
Anna Hummel
Photo Editor
Kloe Witt Melody Newsome
News Editor Breaking News Editor
Natalia Silva
Life & Times Editor
Jacob L'Hommedieu Worldview Editor Athena Marks/The Maroon
Loyola needs equity and inclusion As a Jesuit institution, Loyola’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion must remain its highest priority. After months without a person fulfilling the role of vice president of equity and inclusion, Loyola has said that they are changing the role by splitting the responsibilities of it in order to better serve the students. The role is being split into the VP of equity and inclusion and Director of Multicultural Studies in order to reduce the workload and stress of the position. Although the splitting of this role to better benefit students is a great thing, the vacancy comes at a time when DEI in higher education is increasingly necessary as conservatives nationwide enact a crusade against equitable and inclusive education. Here in Louisiana, with the recent election of Jeff Landry as governor, there is no doubt that he
will follow in the footsteps of other fascist Republican governors such as Ron DeSantis in fighting “wokeness” in education. Whenever right-wing politicians embark on this endeavor, they intend to destroy the integrity of the education system and implant their own falsified narratives. As Janky Jeff’s inauguration in January nears closer, it seems that Louisiana’s executive branch will be no exception and that he will do whatever it takes to destroy equity and inclusion in schools. This is especially dangerous at Loyola because diversity, equity, and inclusion are foundational to the Jesuit values and mission. We need to remain committed to fighting against this conservative rhetoric which seeks to uproot our Jesuit mission. Students will continue to protest as
long as Loyola continues to fail at taking a hardline stance in favor of creating equity and inclusivity at all levels of this institution. The school needs to understand that fulfilling this position should be one of its highest priorities – especially with the school’s recent track record of failing to commit to its own set of values, which are supposedly at the heart of everything the school does. As the school continues its search for someone to fulfill both the role of VP of equity and inclusion and the role of director of multicultural students, they must understand that whoever fulfills both roles must be cognizant of the administration’s recent missteps. They must understand that equity and inclusion in fulfillment of our Jesuit mission means working to serve the students, not just the board of trustees.
Sofía Johnson
Comics Editor
Athena Marks
Chief Visual Artist
Mark Michel
Opinion and Editorial Editor
Mia Oliva
Reviews Editor
Taylor Falgout
Senior Staff Photographer
Ava Acharya Ecoi Lewis
Senior Staff Writer Content Editor
Heather Rabassa
Copy Editor
C.W. Maldonado
Columnist
EDITORIAL POLICY The editorial on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Loyola University. Letters and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of The Maroon’s editorial board. The Maroon does not represent the opinion of administration, staff and/or faculty members of Loyola. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. Please limit submissions to 400 words. Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. the Sunday before publication. Please send all submissions — The Maroon, 6363 St. Charles Ave., Box 64, New Orleans, LA 70118. Email us your letters — letter@loyno.edu. Submissions may also be made online at www. loyolamaroon.com.
Oct. 20, 2023
THE MAROON
Catch up. Get ahead. Study abroad. An accelerated two-week session Online and experiential courses Many Loyola Core options
Registration starts on November 6. J-Term takes place January 2 – 12, 2024.
16