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Thursday, July 25, 2019

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

inside

‘U’ student dethroned of pageant title

NEWS

Regents Board of Regents talk Ann Arbor campus planning at final summer meeting >> SEE PAGE 3

Miss World America strips Kathy Zhu of crown over controversial tweets

OPINION

Family

Emily Considine illustrates why catching up with family can feel like an interview >> SEE PAGE 5

ARTS

Art Fair Follow a Daily editor’s journey to find an obscure ring at the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair >> SEE PAGE 7

MICHIGAN IN COLOR

To the left

Dierra Barlow shared her thoughts after an uncomfortable encounter wearing gender non-conforming fashion

>> SEE PAGE 9

SPORTS

Basketball Howard meets with local beat writers about acclimating to new job

>> SEE PAGE 12

NEWS .................................... 2 OPINION ............................... 4 ARTS...................................... 6 MiC......................................... 9 SPORTS................................ 10

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MELANIE TAYLOR & CATHERINE NOUHAN ALEC COHEN/Daily Vistitors walk through the Ann Arbor Art Fair in downtown Ann Arbor, which was met with high temperatures and stormy weather Saturday.

Extreme weather affects Ann Arbor Art Fair products, turnout Annual fair brings over 1,000 artists downtown FRANCESCA DUONG Daily Staff Reporter

From Thursday, July 18, through Sunday, July 21, hundreds of tents filled with paintings, carvings, clothing and food lined the streets of downtown Ann Arbor for the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair, a conglomerate of the Street Art Fair, Summer Art Fair, State Street Art Fair and South University Art Fair. Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the Ann Arbor Art Fair boastsed over half a million attendees and one thousand artists. Karen Delhey, executive director of the Guild of Artists and Artisans, said planning the fair requires a lot of coordination between different organizations. She explained the planning process for the next fair starts a week after the current one finishes. The Guild of Artists and Artisans is specifically in charge of the Summer Art Fair, but Delhey said collaboration is required. Delhey said

their mission was to provide marketing opportunities for artists and businesses. “We have over 1,000 juryselected artists,” Delhey said. “Nowhere are you going to see this concentration of fine art in one place.” Studio owner Dale Rodgers has enjoyed his ability to market his work through the art fair. “This is one of the greatest buying-energy crowds, “ Rogers said. “It’s a massive show. Because of the scale, you’ll meet buyers here from all over the country that come to the show” Mark Lewanski, who owns a namesake glass studio, has been selling at the fair for 10 to 12 years and agrees with Rodgers’s sentiment. “It’s a really good show,” Lewanski said. “There’s so many people that come in here that can afford my work, so I can always sell enough to do well.” Obtaining a spot of the art fair is considered selective. Delhey said once an artist applies, they are scored by jurists, with the highest scoring submissions receiving invites. For the Summer Art Fair, over 600 applications were received to fill 375 slots. University of Michigan Business freshman Gabriel Correa attended the Art Fair for

the first time and said he ejoyed the atmosphere. “I’m originally from Puerto Rico, so this is all new to me,” Correa said. “I think this is a really cool setting. It’s really family-friendly.” Temperatures rose to above 90 degrees throughout the fair, just like the past year’s art fair. Kaylan Mitchell, owner of the Getup Vintage said she saw the direct effects of the hot weather on her tent. “I’d be in the tent and ladies, especially older ladies, would walk up to the tent, take one glance, look at me and say, ‘It’s too hot’ and walk away,” Mitchell said. “People don’t want to put clothes on their sweaty bodies. Definitely sales were down just because people didn’t want to be trying on clothes in the heat.” In addition to the hot weather, the fair was greeted by strong storms on Friday and Saturday. A down power line led to reports of a car explosion and injuries. Despite artists rushing to weigh down their tent and cover their artwork, tents still slid around the street and were blown over, leaving some artists’ work completely damaged.

Read more at michigandaily.com

2 NEWS

Thursday, July 25, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Panel looks at life with disabilities Speakers examine ‘U’ policies for students with disabilities KRYSTAL HUR

Daily Staff Reporter

University of Michigan students, faculty and staff gathered at Rackham Auditorium on Monday afternoon for an event titled the Disability Inclusion Panel: Making U-M Events More Welcoming & Accessible. The event was co-presented by the International Institute’s Inclusion Culture Liaisons Committee and the Disability Culture at U-M Committee and co-sponsored by the Global Scholars Program and the Council for Disability Concerns. Panelists included Dr. Shanna Kattari, an assistant professor at Sudoku the Syndication School of Social Work and LSA Women’s Studies Department;

Elizabeth McLain, a School of Music, Theatre and Dance Ph.D. candidate; Seif Saqallah, a thirdyear Law student; Solomon Furious Worlds, a second-year Law student and Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Disability Rights Student Organization; Dr. Feranmi Okanlami, Director for Medical Student Success in the Medical School’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Kayla Williams, a School of Information alum. Ashley Wiseman, associate director of the Global Scholars Program, served as co-organizer of the event with Ashley Bates, the program manager for the Zell Visiting Writers Series. Wiseman also moderated the panel. The panel started with Bates introducing herself and the event. During her introduction, Bates acknowledged her involvement in the event as an able-bodied person.

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Detroit community members meet for a cookout and to discuss the new school on Marygrove College’s campus, a result of a partnership between the University and Detroit Public Schools.

‘U’, DPS launch new high school School of Education creates new training program based off medical residencies

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Thursday, July 25, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

NEWS 3

Regents meet for final summer meeting

Board examines construction plans on Ann Arbor campus Public commenters address climate, investments, medicine BARBARA COLLINS

Summer Managing News Editor

The University of Michigan Board of Regents met at the Richard L. Postma Family Clubhouse Thursday afternoon for the fifth meeting of the calendar year. At the meeting, the board discussed Ann Arbor campus planning. University President Mark Schlissel opened the meeting by thanking UMFlint Chancellor Susan Borrego for her work at UMFlint. Borrego, who has been chancellor since 2014, will finish her term at the end of July and be replaced by Debasish Dutta. “Chancellor Borrego, as we bid you farewell, I want to thank you for your leadership and commitment to the University, the region and the people that your campus serves,” Schlissel said. Borrego thanked the board for their support of UM-Flint. She said UMFlint has remarkable students, faculty and staff. “I think the UM-Flint campus is a remarkable place to be, and it’s been an honor to be there,” Borrego said. “I look forward to what happens for it and with it in the future.” Schlissel recognized six new distinguished professors. He then discussed the board’s efforts to examine the relations between the three University campuses, which he said the board promised to consider at last month’s meeting in which five speakers from One University spoke regarding the campaign’s goals. “The board, the chancellors and I are always engaged in discussions about how to promote the longstanding excellence of each of our campuses and the success of our students,” Schlissel said. “Following the board’s guidance from when I was hired, we’ve worked to expand synergies and contribute to the unique

missions and priorities of our three campuses.” University planner Sue Gott gave a presentation on the ongoing and future renovation projects on the Ann Arbor campus. Gott said the goals of the project include enhancing campus life, emphasizing sustainability, honoring tradition and strengthening connectivity.

Plans are also in place to construct a new residence hall on Central Campus to replace Mary Markley Residence Hall. Gott said the University plans to repurpose Mary Markley as an additional medical center. “There may be real benefit for supporting our clinical mission by repurposing this site long-term for another

ALEX HARRING

Summer Managing News Editor

Public commenters spoke about medical processes, funding equity, investments and climate change at the University of Michigan Board of Regents meeting Thursday afternoon. Westland resident Allie

of her child and believes this resulted in a miscarriage. She said her predicament could have been avoided if there was more accountability and that she is not the first person to raise these concerns. “U of M was on a fishing expedition at my children’s expense,” Parker said. “I asked you in February and I’m asking you again: How

MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily Westland resident Allie Parker speaks about medical practices at a University of Michigan Regents meeting.

Gott focused her presentation on plans for North and Central Campuses. Currently, more than eight University buildings are under construction, including the historic Michigan Union and the LSA building. Gott said the University looks to expand development on North Campus. “Our largest land area of our campuses is North Campus,” Gott said. “ … It is really, out of our five campuses, the place where we will want to continue directing growth and new development opportunities in our future.” Future plans include moving the School of Dance and School of Information onto North Campus, rebuilding the Fleming Administration building and constructing a new School of Pharmacy.

patient care use,” Gott said. Gott said property purchased on South Fifth Avenue would be a great location for a new residence hall. The location is slightly closer to the Diag than Markley. An additional new residence hall on North Campus will also replace Northwood housing. When renovations are complete, Gott said approximately one third of students living on campus will reside on North Campus. “As we continue to see us reach the end of the useful lives of our Northwoods facilities, we would like to develop that area more densely as we replace those units,” Gott said. Read more at michigandaily.com

Parker delivered a list of changes to medical processes at the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. Parker — who spoke about this issue during the February meeting — said her family endured psychological, emotional and physical trauma because a University physician inaccurately attributed one of her children’s injuries to parental abuse. In February, Parker said the University Child Protection Team — comprised of doctors at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital — accused her and her husband, James Parker, of child abuse. The Parkers were then brought to court over this alleged child abuse, with the judge ultimately dismissing the case. Parker claimed in Feburary that this legal process unnecessarily stalled the treatment

many families will need to stand here with another horror story before something is done?” Students and faculty expressed support for the One University campaign, a coalition aimed at creating funding equity the three University campus. UM-Flint student Matthew Baldwin shared his experience as a nontraditional student. Baldwin said the Board of Regents should align itself with the goals of 1U to ease the burden of students in the University system. 1U has asked for the Go Blue Guarantee and funding from the Victors for Michigan campaign to be limited to the Ann Arbor campus and expanded resources to support programs such as study abroad and Diversity, Equity

and Inclusion at the Flint and Dearborn campuses. At the board meeting in May, a 1U spokeswomen said the coalition had the support of six board members. “You, the University of Michigan Board of Regents members, have a story you can tell here today,” Baldwin said. “By having equitable funding amongst our three campuses, you can tell one of expanding opportunity, one of dignities, one of respect for faculty and students, one of solidarity.” Multiple public comments addressed concerns around the potential closing of the Livonia Outpatient Surgery Center operating rooms. Members of the board reiterated that no decisions were final. Stacy Roth, a nurse at the Livonia Outpatient Surgery Center, read a letter from a surgeon at the center, concerned about the possible shut-down of the center in three years. She said shutting down the center would be “counterproductive.” Monica Sirven, clinical assistant professor and medical director of the Livonia Outpatient Surgery Center, said the operating rooms service the community and has consistently been profitable for Michigan Medicine. The board is considering expanding its health system, though the operating rooms at the Livonia Outpatient Surgery Center are not currently included in this plan. Sirven said she hopes the board will reconsider. “Surgeons want to operate at the Livonia Surgery Center,” Sirven said. “The long-term opportunity to keep patient access open in this area will be worthy of the investment if new ORs are included.” Last week, Bridge Magazine published an article with information that showed the board voted to invest endowment money into the Detroit Renaissance Real Estate Fund, which is owned by FDR’s two business principals. Read more at michigandaily.com

4 OPINION

Thursday, July 25, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com

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Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s Editorial Board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

ALEXANDER SATOLA | OP-ED

fter gaining independence from Russia in 1991, the government of Estonia set out to distinguish itself as a hub for technological innovation. Today, 99 percent of public services are available online to its 1.3 million citizens. However, despite all of the technological innovation evident in the e-Estonia project, its most impressive accomplishment has been maintaining trust with the public. As we know from our everyday interactions, if we put our faith in someone and they deceive us, we aren’t likely to trust them again. The same is true for people and their governments. Estonia has demonstrated a digital transition where a government consistently delivers on its promise to provide valuable services to its people. This environment of confidence is essential to any healthy democracy. A good democracy has both elements of trust and distrust. On the one hand, citizens need to keep a close eye on their leaders to prevent abuses of power, which is why in the United States we have frequent elections and consent of the governed. However, people should also express faith in public institutions when they are found to be fair and legitimate . The U.S. has a lot to learn from the Estonian model, especially when it comes

Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and op-eds. Letters should be fewer than 300 words, and reference something previously published by the Daily, while op-eds should be 550 to 850 words about a topic of choice. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.

What Estonia can teach us about trust

to residents’ trust in public institutions. According to the Pew Research Center, only 17 percent of Americans say they trust the federal government to do the right thing always or most of the time. This level of distrust can be found across multiple levels of government as well. One of the most egregious examples of government deception is the Flint water crisis, in which the city government diverted contaminated water from the Flint River to cut costs. For much of 2014 and 2015, government officials told residents the water was safe to drink despite the evidence that there were still dangerous contaminant levels. Even now, as officials assure residents the pipes are replaced and the water is safe, many residents still drink only bottled water. On top of political scandal, inefficient administration can also embitter citizens. American civic activities like voting and paying taxes, for example, are practically designed to be vexing. In order to vote, Americans have to brave a complicated voter registration process, fig ure out confusing residency and early voting rules and take off work on election day. The U.S. tax system is also notoriously complicated, with people filling out a plethora of forms each year only to send the government information it already has.

So what does Estonia do differently? To start, the voting and taxation processes in Estonia sound utopian. In 2005, Estonia became the first country in the world to facilitate online i-Voting. People can cast their ballots from any device connected to the internet and are even able to change their vote during the pre-election period. Additionally, filing taxes takes only five minutes on average and 98 percent of tax declarations are filed online.

A good democracy has both elements of trust and distrust. The backbone of this digital society is the e-ID card, which gives residents access to secure digital services. The card is equipped with a chip and two pin codes for security and serves as a legal travel ID, national health insurance card and digital signature. In addition, residents have agency over their personal data. Using their ID card, they can access a portal with a log of everyone who has viewed their data. They enjoy strong

protections on the consentbased use of their sensitive personal information, which creates transparency with the authorities. Skeptics will be quick to point out that Estonia is relatively small and has a public that already buys into its government acting like an idealistic Silicon Valley startup. If Estonia really is a special case, then it can’t offer much to large countries who can’t afford to start from scratch. Also, some of the central tenets of e-Estonia, like national ID, are unlikely to gain a footing in the United States. Think tanks such as the Cato Institute and the ACLU have labeled national ID as a dangerous threat to individuals’ rights, giving the government wide-ranging surveillance capability over citizens. The federal government has a history of violating citizens’ privacy, so the public must indeed think critically about any proposed improvements to the current system. That said, government e-services that make people’s lives easier already exist in the United States. The website USA.gov provides links to a number of online applications, including passports, federal assistance programs and immigration. Smaller state and municipal governments are also experimenting with e-services. For example, in Washing ton D.C., residents

can apply online for a driver’s license, pay parking tickets and explore some of the city’s open data initiatives. Like American tech startups, governments should be more aggressive about providing a better user experience to their constituents. It is also the job of governments to clearly communicate the value of e-services. Saving time and reducing hassle are great incentives, but if these aren’t properly relayed, then public programs will forever lack legitimacy and adoption. Equally, when things go wrong, the government must act fast to regain trust. Despite discovering a major vulnerability in the e-ID system in 2018, the Estonian government worked closely with experts and the public to turn a potential disaster into an opportunity to bolster its cybersecurity. The Estonian digital transition started out with a high level of public confidence, and it was able to maintain it by granting the population with transparent, innovative services. Though the most obvious way to keep the trust of the public involves avoiding activities that prompt distrust, U.S. policymakers should also further consider the merits of bringing traditional public services into the digital age. Alexander Satola is a rising junior and Senior Opinion Editor at the Daily.

Thursday, July 25, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

EMILY CONSIDINE | CONTACT CARTOONIST AT EMCONSID@UMICH.EDU

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JOIN THE MICHIGAN DAILY EDITORIAL BOARD Come meet with our Editorial Board to contribute to the conversation and discuss current events on campus. Editboard meets on specific Wednesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. in the newsroom, 420 Maynard St. Contact the Summer Editorial Page Editor, Erin White (ekwhite@ umich.edu), with questions about how to get involved.

OPINION 5

SAMANTHA DELLA FERA | COLUMN

Anger towards Ariel and AOC are one in the same

t’s been a busy July. In one of the hottest months in recent memory, it’s no surprise that tensions and hot button stories are boiling over. From Hollywood to the White House, people are getting angry. Too often, that anger has been directed at people — particularly women — of color. At the beginning of the month, Disney announced Halle Bailey as the actress playing Ariel in the live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid.” Many thought Bailey, a young, talented R&B singer and star on the show “Grown-ish,” was the perfect choice to play the coveted role of Ariel. Others quickly pointed out what they deemed to be an unacceptable attribute: She’s Black. Following what should have been a career-making announcement for Bailey, critics jumped at the opportunity to accuse Disney of erasing the true story of Ariel. In a since-removed change.org petition, many people signed their names in support of a recast of Ariel. Because these signators can believe that a mermaid exists and has a crustacean best friend, but having to watch a movie with a Black woman in it? That’s asking just a bit too much of them. Of course, the criticism of Ariel’s casting is coming from a place of racism. Unlike the stories of Pocahontas or Mulan, Ariel’s race is of no importance to her story. Her story is about having your voice stripped away from you, being misheard and misunderstood. Coming from that angle, there is no one better to play that role in 2019 than a Black woman. Thankfully, most of the backlash to the casting was discovered to be trolls, and it has mostly died down. That brings us to now. It’s the middle of July, in the midst of a noticeable chasm in Democratic ideology, and all eyes were on a publicized spat between Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and junior Con-

gresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The trouble started after AOC and “The Squad” — the nickname given to the foursome of AOC, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib — voted against a House bill to send funds to the border that they saw as writing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents a dangerous blank check. Never one to stay out of the spotlight, President Donald Trump tweeted that “Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all)” should “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.” Though the women were

The criticism of Ariel’s casting is coming from a place of racism.

not named, it is clear that Trump’s tweet was directed at “The Squad,” a group comprised of all women of color who have been vehemently outspoken against Trump since the beginning. The tweet obviously caused a storm of backlash, as the “go back to where you came from” trope has deep, racist roots. Since then, Trump has tweeted more disgusting things, and the House voted to condemn his words, though many Republicans were appalled that Pelosi called the president’s words racist. So what do these two things, Ariel and Trump’s tweets, have

in common? The fury at a Black Ariel and the racist language of our president, coupled with the support of his party, are one in the same. It’s an anger that has manifested in parts of America towards seeing people put in positions where they allegedly don’t belong. It is no surprise that Donald Trump is a racist: He has been proving it since the 1970s. Yet people are constantly surprised that the people who back him just don’t care. But of course they don’t care, because they agree. Trump was recently asked if it concerns him that people saw his tweets as racist and white nationalist groups are standing by him. He said, “It doesn’t concern me because many people agree with me. And all I’m saying — they want to leave, they can leave.” Republicans didn’t leave in the eight years they spent hating Barack Obama, questioning his citizenship and blocking every action he tried to take, and Democrats aren’t going to leave now. It drives Trump and his backers crazy to see Hispanic, Black and Muslim women in Congress, because they don’t think these women have a place in the government. People don’t want a Black Ariel because it feeds into their white supremacist narrative that they are being replaced or cast aside. We have to stop dancing around these outbursts by labeling them as “racially charged” or “politically motivated” — they’re just racist. To beat around the bush is not to declare that the problem exists, which only allows it to grow and hide behind the cover of politics as usual. Call it out — on the House floor, in movies, wherever it needs to be heard. The Trump presidency will end, but the stain he left on this country and the fires he’s reignited will burn on. Now’s the time to start stamping them out. Samantha Della Fera can be reached at samdf@umich.edu.

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6 ARTS

Thursday, July 25, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

MUSIC NOTEBOOK

WIREIMAGE

Young Thug and his many clones: A story of creation JIM WILSON

Daily Arts Writer

It’s undeniable: Young Thug is the current rap generation’s most prominent inf luence. Before Thug, it was Lil Wayne. Wayne inspired an entire generation of rappers, including Kendrick Lamar and Young Thug himself. Interestingly, Kendrick’s mixtape C4 showcased him as nothing more than a Lil Wayne clone. When I say “clone,” I mean that Kendrick and others were attempting to build a career based on what made Lil Wayne famous. The same goes for Thug; at the beginning, he, too, was a Wayne clone. Just listen to “Take Kare” featuring Lil Wayne. The resemblance is uncanny. Today, Kendrick Lamar and Young Thug are two rappers that will always turn heads with any of their new material. Few have attempted to be a Kendrick clone, but many, many rappers in the new generation are attempting to channel their inner Thug. Thug’s career has been a tour de force and has given his army of understudies plenty of material to expand upon. Throughout his career, Thug has sputtered out countless different f lows,

vocal inf lections and non sequiturs. It’s too much for one individual to even attempt to imitate. Because of this, each Thugger clone sounds distinct. It’s as if Young Thug reproduces asexually via fragmentation, like a sea sponge, with each clone latching onto a certain part of Thug’s persona and building an entire career out of it. Interestingly, Young Thug has embraced his clones and has even signed a few of them to his label, YSL Records, as if to raise them. Plenty of rappers are affiliated with YSL Records, including superstars like Drake, Lil Baby and Lil Uzi Vert, but few are actually signed, demonstrating the effort it takes to make it as a Thugger clone. THE CLONES Lil Duke The first of Thug’s clones is none other than Lil Duke, also known as YSL Duke. Duke is per-

haps the most straight-laced of Thug’s protégés, and he is also the longest tenured. In fact, he’s been signed to YSL Records since 2015. While he doesn’t share any of Thug’s sartorial tendencies, Duke was born from Thug’s slick-talking, greasy street raps. He twists tales of sipping lean and hustling with a spitfire, gravelly f low, just like Thug. However, he varies in his delivery and beat selection, often sticking to a low vocal register and the typical Atlanta trap-type beats. He is essentially Young Thug if Young Thug were purely a street rapper, and it’s glorious. Required listening: “Good Luck” featuring Young Thug and “Run It Up.” Gunna Gunna is the most famous of all Thug’s clones. In fact, he’s probably even more popular than

Interestingly, Young Thug has embraced his clones, and has even signed a few of them to his label, YSL Records

his forebear. He is essentially the Reader’s Digest version of Young Thug. He doesn’t rap about much more than his drip, but he uses autotune as impeccably as Thug does. Gunna takes Thug at his most melodic and processes it to make it even more accessible. He has evolved into a more independent artist at this point, but early in his career, the Thug inf luence could not be shirked. And, as an added bonus, he shares Young Thug’s left-of-center fashion choices. Required listening: “Pedestrian” and “Mayors” featuring Hoodrich Pablo Juan. Strick Strick, similar to Duke, is a much more subdued version of Young Thug. Take Young Thug at his vibiest and turn the animation and fanfair down to zero, and that’s Strick. He also takes on Thug’s more calculated and lyrical side, as he is a multi-platinum songwriter who has written for the likes of Travis Scott (“Coordinate”) and Juicy J (“Ballin”). He is the most up-and-coming of Thug’s signees, so keep an eye out for his new releases. Required listening: “Wishing on a Star,” “Vevo” and “STS” featuring Young Thug. Lil Keed Imagine the craziest of Young Thug’s f lows and vocal inf lection, and make a rapper out of it. That’s Lil Keed. In fact, Thug frequently refers to him as his son, which speaks volumes to the figurative passing of the torch from Thug to Keed. At one point, Thug even gifted him “Proud of Me,” an old, very sought after demo. Keed is the latest YSL signee to make a splash, especially with his recent tape Long Live Mexico. His only downfall is that he often leans too hard on his voice’s high pitch, a problem that Thug does not share, thanks to his use of modulation. The student is quickly approaching the skill of the master, so it’ll be interesting to see how Keed’s career develops.

Required listening: “Proud of Me” featuring Young Thug and “Zoned Out.” Lil Gotit While Lil Gotit isn’t signed to YSL Records (he’s signed to Alamo, home of Lil Durk, another YSL affiliate), he is more heavily affiliated than it seems. He’s actually the younger brother of Lil Keed, who is no doubt a big inf luence on his sound. Gotit is like Thug at his most energetic. He’s bouncy, he’s having fun and he’s sure to leave his mark on listeners. He also has the same penchant for off-kilter beats as Thug does. He’s not trying to be conventional by any means, just like Young Thug. Required listening: “Surf,” “Da Real HoodBabies”and “Drop the Top” featuring Lil Keed. Dolly White and HiDoraah Even Young Thug’s own sisters are his clones. These two embody the side of Thug that’s dedicated to f lexing and shit talking. They’re really good at it, probably better than Thug is. HiDoraah has a full voice and on top of rapping, is good at singing too. Dolly White is little more gravel-voiced but is a better rapper. They complement each other well. They’ve got f lows for days, but they can get a little stale. However, they just started rapping seriously and don’t have many songs yet, so it’ll take time for them to develop their sound. That said, they are a great duo and are bound to be noticed in today’s rap climate. Required listening: “Expensive” and “Lay Down.” Anyone can try to croon and chirp like Thug does, but it takes effort to do it and stand out from the clone crowd. Though the rappers on the list started off purely as clones of Young Thug, they all show signs of breaking this mold, which speaks volumes to how influential Young Thug has been. Without Wayne, we wouldn’t have Kendrick or Thug; without Thug, we won’t have rap’s next superstar.

The student is quickly approaching the skill of the master, so it’ll be intersting to see how Keed’s career develops.

Thursday, July 25, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

COMMUNITY CULTURE NOTEBOOK

ALEC COHEN/DAILY

My quest for a ring at the 2019 Ann Arbor Art Fair EMMA CHANG Senior Arts Editor

Art Fair season in Ann Arbor just ended, and, this year, I had a mission: to find a specific ring from a specific artist who had a booth at the fair two years ago. The problem was I only had a vague memory that the artist was a woman who made jewelry out of antique silverware with her husband. I tried Googling “antique silverware jewelry” beforehand, but there was a surprising number of people on Etsy who make things out of antique silverware. So, out into the field I went. The Ann Arbor Art Fair is a yearly affair and has been a city staple for the last 60 years. Artists from all over the country flock to the streets, only to sit in a small, white booth in what is often 90-degree heat. It’s magical. And, according to the Ann Arbor District Library archives, not much has changed. In a series of photos from the summer of 1971, artists stood by their wares, just as they do today, and I, as a faithful Art Fairgoer, am still confused by some of the things people choose to make. For instance, take Jane Hawkins and her macramé, or Victor Ing and his prints, a style of art that is still favored by the Art Fair today. This year, I saw what looked

like paintings but were actually images made entirely out of string. Vastly different mediums and subjects, yet the artists still have their audience scratching their heads, wishing they could craft something similar. The next closest thing to being able to do it yourself, of course, would be to buy it from the artist. It’s fulfilling to support an artist, to know that your hard-earned money is supporting a tangible thing that others can enjoy, rather than handing it off to the corporate entities that are so entrenched in our lives. That said, the masked capitalistic vibe of the Ann Arbor Art Fair did nothing to deter downtown businesses, local or otherwise. The fair is a time of sales galore from MDen to Urban Outfitters, Cherry Republic to Moosejaw. It’s not only a place to find eye-catching paintings of seascapes, but also a new dress or hiking boots at half the price. This shouldn’t be surprising, though — in the 1985 Street Art Fair brochure, it’s revealed that the fair actually started as a partner to the Summer Bargain Days of local businesses. A fitting beginning for one of the biggest attractions Ann Arbor has to offer. Aside from the actual art and the sales, the other appealing part of the fair is the people-watching. The number of times I saw someone walking around drinking from a full-sized fruit is surprisingly

high for day-to-day life, but, at an art fair, what else would I expect? People come from all over the country, not only to showcase their art, but to look around and do some of their own shopping. I spoke to one woman doing just that as she visited the city from Texas. Though a seasoned art fair shopper, this was her first time at the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Even better, she was scoping out the competition for her son, the artist (what he actually makes, I didn’t quite catch.) Her goal was to figure out what people are doing and how they were doing it so he could adapt his techniques and stay relevant to the art fair circuit. But where am I in my hunt for the ring? Sadly, after walking up and down the various branches of the fair, I found myself coming up empty. It seemed I was going to remain ringless, a sad fact given how I decided the Ann Arbor Art Fair was my moment to become a ring person. It’s not that there weren’t any rings; there were plenty of jewelers (and potters and painters) throughout the fair. I just couldn’t find the kind of ring I had been picturing ever since I lost the original in the depths of my grandparents’ couch. Fear not. I persevered like any good shopper, kept an open mind and stumbled on some really great pieces that weren’t just rings. Further down Liberty Street, closer to where it intersects Fifth Avenue,

there was a man selling bowls. But not just any bowls, vegetabowls. (I’m mostly mentioning them here because of the magnificence of the pun.) Although an interesting concept, I didn’t end up purchasing any because the bowls themselves weren’t really my idea of dinnerware. Instead, I found solace on Main street with Corbé, a Detroitbased pottery company. The brand catches a shopper’s attention with mini vases in a white wire basket sitting just outside of the booth, but then it’s the patterns that force someone to really consider how great this pottery actually is. There’s a spotted design reminiscent of a dalmatian mixed in with strong oranges, blues and a speckled motif that somehow all came together into a cohesive aesthetic. My parents bought four of their mugs and a vase. The most surprising part of this year’s art fair, though, was running into a Utah-based artist, The Bearded Jeweler. A first-timer, he and his wife both had booths on Thompson, just outside The Michigan Daily’s building. I knew his jewelry from a Sunday market in Park City where my whole ring hunt originated — which is also where his wife just launched her own brand. So, imagine my excitement when I found out he was here

ARTS 7

in Ann Arbor! Though his pieces aren’t made from antique silverware, they’re gorgeous in their own right, and both he and his wife were fun to talk to. Despite the welcome surprise of running into The Bearded Jeweler, my ring hunt was still on, and I was getting frustrated. It was hot; I had worked four shifts at MDen with one more to go, and I was still ringless. What was a girl to do? As always, it was my mom who came to the rescue. Both my parents enjoy walking around the Art Fair. With both kids employed at stores in the heart of it, they had plenty of reason to stroll around the area for hours — serving as an extra pair of eyes on the lookout for some rings. It was on North University, booth NU714, that my quest for rings finally ended. Made out of a variety of silverware, the rings manage to be both delicate and edgy and a marvelous way to assuage my ringless woes. The Ann Arbor Art Fair is a unique experience — some townies enjoy all it has to offer, in spite of the absurd heat and its painstaking traffic, while others leave town that weekend to avoid the tourists that descend on Ann Arbor. Whichever way you choose, just remember to shop local, and send me an email if you see any rings worth wearing.

8 NEWS

Thursday, July 25, 2019 The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Presidential candidates partake in forum Question-and-answer panel addresses 2020 voters during Detroit NAACP convention at COBO Center CLAIRE HAO

Summer News Editor

Ten presidential candidates addressed African American voters at the 110th National Association of the Advancement of Colord People National Convention on

Wednesday morning at the Cobo Center in Detroit. The presidential candidates forum included nine Democratic candidates: former Vice President Joe Biden; Sen. Cory Booker; South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg; Julián Castro, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;

Classifieds

Sen. Kamala Harris; Sen. Amy Klobuchar; former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke; Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Bill Weld, a former Massachusetts governor challenging President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination, was also present. Trump has said he “very much

Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com

Release Date: Thursday, July 25, 2019

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

FOR RENT

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Diet food phrase 6 Puny pencil 10 __ gin fizz 14 Ancient market 15 Long Island Iced Tea coloring provider 16 Double-decker checker 17 Detergent sold around Yankee Stadium? 19 Village People megahit 20 Good to go 21 Put up 22 Fell off 23 Title characters, typically 25 Tetris shape 26 Chicken __ 27 Jingle for a detergent ad? 33 Stuck, with “down” 35 Game official 36 Mediterranean tourist site 37 “Go team!” 38 Detergent for fishing equipment? 41 Same old routine 42 __ sax 44 Charge 45 Large sea ducks 47 Directors in charge of a detergent? 50 Junior prom attendee 51 G.I. chow 52 “Snowy” bird 54 No-sweat class 57 Copier of old 59 Member of the fam 62 Quickly down 63 Detergent for seasonal cleaning? 65 Kon-Tiki Museum city 66 Acorn droppers 67 Three on a par-five, say 68 Hard on the ears 69 Military outpost 70 Composition for nine

4 Prince Valiant’s son 5 Many an offshore bank account 6 Go downhill fast 7 __ the line 8 Film beekeeper 9 Keep out 10 Color named for a natural phenomenon 11 Spot for a nest 12 A while back 13 “Good grief!” 18 Atlantic catch 22 Stately tree 24 Brain scan, for short 25 __ White, Jennifer Hudson’s role in the film “Dreamgirls” 26 Fluffy-eared critter 28 Pushy type 29 “V for Vendetta” actor Stephen 30 It may have an arrow 31 Store, as ashes 32 Title pets in a Lilian Jackson Braun mystery series

33 Thin nail 34 “Moll Flanders” novelist 39 Cause of a brewed awakening? 40 Ammonia component 43 “Heavens!” 46 Snider of Twisted Sister 48 Sports __ 49 End 53 High-ranking off.

54 Earth Day subj. 55 “Understood” 56 “Mr.” on a sci-fi bridge 57 Film-rating org. 58 Bothers 60 Like much chitchat 61 Borscht vegetable 63 Blubber 64 Confucian path

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wanted” to attend the convention but could not because of changes to the date and format. He said he agreed to deliver a speech, but NAACP wanted to engage in a question-and-answer session. In a press release ahead of the event, Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO, emphasized the importance of ensuring Black voters are able to make their voices heard and counted. “The upcoming 2020 presidential election is one of the most pivotal elections in our lifetime and will be heavily influenced by the Black electorate,” Johnson wrote. “We must ensure we’re electing officials who will help us set policy priorities that will bring about positive change for communities of color.” In 2016, Black voter turnout decreased for the first time in 20 years, after surpassing white voter

turnout for the first time in 2008 and then in 2012. In 2016, 42,598 fewer Detroiters cast their ballots than in 2012 — and Trump won Michigan with less than 11,000 votes. Each candidate was given 10 minutes to appeal to Black Americans in the audience and watching at home: two minutes of opening remarks, seven minutes of answering questions posed by moderator CNN journalist April Ryan and one minute for their closing statement. Warren addressed the audience first, discussing her housing plan, which features a “first-of-its-kind” down payment assistance program for lowincome families living in formerly redlined neighborhoods.