Midas Magazine Issue 2, Spring 2021

MIDAS MAGAZINE

Spring 2021

MIDAS MAGAZINE est. 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE Welcome back, reader, to Midas Magazine’s second issue. Lots of exciting things have happened since our inaugural issue came out in December of 2020. In January of this year, the magazine received departmental status within our Student Niner Media Department at UNC Charlotte. We received recognition and success from our first issue and since then, our staff has grown.

There is also a lot that has not changed since then. When this issue comes out, like most of us, I will be completing my third exam season within a virtual setting. This semester, the world reached the year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a year of tremendous loss and grief.

A sentiment I hear often from my fellow class of 2023 is one of empty regret: If only we had known what was coming. If only we had known that one extended semester of freshman year was all we would get of the typical college experience, we would have done everything— attended every sports event, appreciated every time we sat next to peers in a lecture hall, gone to every party, joined every student organization, the list goes on.

Two and a half semesters of virtual learning leaves many of us not just exhausted, but with the question: How can we as students have a sense of community, of identity? All of my classmates this past school year existed exclusively to me as little rectangles on Zoom. I existed exclusively as a little rectangle on Zoom. Even the incredibly talented group of students that comprise this staff have yet to be around each other in person. A creeping feeling comes along that wonders if this is all our shared journeys will ever be.

I would be remiss if I did not share the silver linings that seem to grow in number for me every day. For the first time in my career as a UNC Charlotte student, I have been able to witness the beauty of our campus in Spring.

As a freshman, I made a few friends through student organizations that, a year later, have become like family now. I take every opportunity I can to be on campus- to soak in the sun at the tables in front of the Student Union, to lie in a hammock near the Star Quad, to attend my virtual classes in the library, and more. My fondest memories of this year are due, in part, to their simplicity- playing soccer with my friends in the field across from Levine Hall, evening picnics at Hechenbleikner Lake, cooking dinner with my roommate, walking to the Halal cart for late night snacks. Lately, I find the most joy in seeing the campus slowly repopulate as the warm weather and the arrival of COVID vaccines invites us to exist among each other in our authentic full selves, no longer merely a little rectangle on Zoom.

I hope that this magazine provides a space we all desperately need - a space to exist, be present, be authentic, and be together as a community. While we will continue to publish Midas Magazine in a digital format, my hope for next year and for future editions of this magazine is one of presence - that the Midas Magazine staff and I can hand out copies of our latest issue together on campus. I hope to see you all there! Until then, stay safe and continue creating the community that will see us through these hard times. I look forward to seeing you on the other side!

With hope, Claire Hambrick Founder/Editor-in-Chief

Alex Duncan-Leaving His Mark in CLT

BY ABBY STAPELTON

pg. 6 When Art is Wearable

BY KAVYA KUMAR

pg. 16

Middle C Jazz

BY MADISON SMITH

pg. 22

ReclaimingCreativity

BY SIERRA DUCKETT

pg. 26 Going Groovy for Spring

BY CHRIS GRISSETT & CLAIRE HAMBRICK

pg. 34 Searching for Happiness

BY KASEY VARNER

pg. 42

Protect Asian LivesMarch

BY CHRIS GRISSETT & CLAIRE HAMBRICK

pg. 48

1 Alex Duncan-- Leaving His Mark in CLT BY: ABBY STAPLETON

ALEX DUNCAN Leaving His Mark in Charlotte

BY ABBY STAPELTON

J

ust walking past him on the street, one might assume that this 5’10’ bulky guy might have had some college sports in his background, or just really likes the gym. But with the former, you would be correct. Alex Duncan was a safety and cornerback for the UNC Charlotte 49ers from 2015-2018. But now graduated, Alex has found a new way to leave his mark in the community, through art.

If you are a native to Charlotte, I’m sure you’ve had a chance to see his work either while enjoying a delicious meal at places like Yakiko Hibachi Grill uptown, Cilantro Noodle in Plaza Midwood, and soon Ninety’s Ice Cream across from campus, or while getting your lift on at gyms like CrossFit Doors of Daring and ShipWreck Athletics & Performance Center. And these are just to name a few.

Alex has done close to 40 pieces around the Charlotte area. He creates murals for businesses, restaurants, gyms, and anyone searching for a pop of artistic color and flair to add to their establishment.

Although Alex finds success and enjoyment in what he does now, art was not always his end goal.

A native to the triangle area in North Carolina, (Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Durham) Alex had a dream of playing football in the NFL. “Football was always my number one dream…I always kind of did sketches and drawings, just like any kid would do anything. And I would get compliments every now and then. But I never thought anything of it because I was just streamline focused on football.” This dream first brought him to the Naval academy where he played for a year. “My family was really proud of me, like, I’m going to be an officer, whatever, whatever. And I’m playing football.” But he soon decided that Navy Football was not for him and found his place on the team at UNCC. As an athlete on scholarship, Alex wanted to get the most out of the education he was gifted, so he decided to add Art to his English major, shooting to graduate with a doublemajor. “I just joined our art program because why not? It would be fun.”

To say he was busy would be an understatement. “It was very challenging to juggle being an athlete, an art major, and an english major. It was…people don’t really realize that when you’re an athlete, that it’s almost like a fulltime job.” But his ability to create projects in the short amount of time that he did while juggling practice times, team meetings, and other classwork led to an increased confidence. “I would go in and turn in these projects that were done in an hour or just a short amount of time, and it would be just as good if not better than some of the people in the class. And that’s where I was like, ‘dang, I could really be pretty good at this.’”

When did you first notice an interest in art?

“My junior year of high school, I joined an art class to get girls. That was the whole mission.--I’m giving you the candid, the uncut (laughs).--Yeah, my intention was, I’m going to join an art class for an elective. And there’s a whole bunch of girls in it. So, we’re going to see what happens. That’s kind of where I started. But over time, within that year, I was like, wait, everybody is so much better than me at this art thing. And I’m not trying at all. My competitive spirit came out a little bit. That’s where I started developing just a bit, taking it a little more serious, but I’m still just there for the wrong reasons.”

“And then my senior year—this is a funny story—but my senior year, I got a girlfriend and I wanted to ask her to prom. So, my first ever mural technically was like this big bit of artwork I made on this huge piece of paper. It was big. But it was asking this girl to prom. So that was technically my first version of a mural…that’s the lover boy story.”

Alex kept up with his art here and there throughout college, but when he received

some devastating news, he really had to re-evaluate his goals and dreams. His junior year, Alex tore his ACL, a season-ending injury that can take as long as a year to recover from. When he got this news, he referred to his motto: “controversy equals opportunity,” which allowed him to really cultivate his curiosity and talent for art.

Known on his team for drawing tattoos and doodling, Alex now had a chance and some time to really focus on elevating his level of art.

“I didn’t know what the opportunity was. I knew that it was, like, ‘Okay, I’m going to come back stronger.’ But I also took the opportunity to get better at other things and focus on my other talents as well. So, my major in art, that was one thing I started focusing more on.”

When did you first realize you could really do something serious with art?

“It still hasn’t registered with me that I’m an artist. I tell myself that I am.

People tell me that I am. And people are starting to see me as that. But for forever, you know, I was an athlete, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

“So, when I was on the football team, my big thing was to always treat everybody on the team with respect, whether it’s a first, second, third9

string, or fourth string. And one guy on the team was a fourth-string or walk-on. And when you’re first or second string it is kind of as if you’re the big dog. But for me, I wanted to be in a good relationship with the first string, as well as the guys who are fourth string or walk-ons. So, it was important for me to have a good relationship with him. I talked to him now and then and, you know, he told me that I was one of his better friends on the team. Then he ended up quitting the team. And when he quit the team, a week or two later, he called my phone and said, ‘yo, dawg, I need you to draw on the wall. I’m opening up a vape shop.’”

“He opened up a shop and he asked me to draw on the walls. And I was like...draw on the walls? What does that even mean? I didn’t even know what murals were. And so that’s where it started. I took his request: draw on the walls, and I was like ‘Let’s do it’.

Then I started doing a whole bunch of research on it and whatnot. Like how do you draw on the walls? I had never painted before in my entire life. So, this thing he’s asking me to do, I’m like, well, let’s just make it a mural. I’ll paint on the walls. That was my first ever mural.”

“So yeah, the defining point was when I tore my ACL, and I got an opportunity that I didn’t know was coming. And it was from somebody 10

that I could have not been on good terms with. And, the rest is history, I guess, as far as that goes.”

Do you have a favorite of your pieces?

“I don’t necessarily have a favorite piece. I guess I’m just always looking forward, so this is hard. But my favorite overall experience was the Life is Good Project, mainly because I did a video of it, and it was a whole journey in the metropolitan area. So that might be my best overall experience. My favorite mural may be soon to come, with some of my future projects.”

Did the pandemic have an effect on your work and progress in 2020?

“I don’t want to be weird and say it doesn’t have a negative impact, but it didn’t really have a negative impact on business. Because even if business slows down, there are different ways to make it work.”

“My clients are very good clients, because—and this is something that a lot of artists can take, or really anybody—most of my business, and most of my clients, come from one or two sources; probably 90% of my business comes from one or two sources. So, I spend a lot of time and a lot of energy cultivating relationships with only a few select people. People need to know that connections are very important, but when people say connections are important… It

means cultivating really good relationships with a few people.

And you cultivate those relationships by going above and beyond, going what they call an extra mile for those particular clients. And you don’t have to give them discounts on whatever, but, you know, you want to do them favors, and then they’ll want to give you those favors back in some form. I think that’s the reason why my business didn’t really hit a downslope when COVID hit. It was because of those guys.”

Photo by Griffin Zetterberg Instagram: @gdzphotography

“But the hard part for me was, and not hard in that it set me back, but hard in that it made me face who I was, because you had to spend a lot of time alone. You’re not really going out. You’re not really seeing a lot of faces. You kind of have to be grounded in yourself and deal with mental health. Whether it’s extreme or a very small amount of mental health issues. I picked up meditating. If I need to do work, I’ll leave my phone in a certain area for a certain amount of time, so you’re just not distracted all the time. People forget that being in a social environment kind of takes you away from all the distractions.

And sometimes when you’re with your teammates, with your clients or just doing morestuff, it

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kind of distracts you from any negative thoughts you might have. So that was the challenge. And I think that was a challenge for a lot of people: just dealing with your mental.”

Obviously, COVID-19 has had a huge impact on industries around the world and people had to face challenges that they had yet to experience. But within 2020, another topic to be discussed is the racial injustices that occurred and movements that brought some people together and tore others apart.

“In the beginning of 2020 I was seeing the memes, like ‘this year sucks’. And me being a positive guy, I was like, no I don’t believe that, but 2020... hits different. That year is going to be remembered for real.”

“Last year was really eye-opening. It was eye-opening for a lot of people.”

“I’ve always been a super big Colin Kaepernick supporter. I preached his name and what he was trying to accomplish. Everywhere I went, I mean, I know I was annoying to a lot of people.

Because that’s what I talked about a lot: inequality, police brutality, all of these different things. I’ve talked about them constantly, with everybody that knows me.”

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“I think that was a challenge for a lot of people: just dealing with your mental.”

-Alex Duncan

“When George Floyd died, that was a breaking point for me. Because, you know, I have firsthand experience with that. Maybe not police brutality, but first-hand experience with racial inequality, not necessarily just to myself, but my family. And I’ve noticed my friends going through it and whatnot, but I’ve had some traumatic experiences.”

Alex touches on the importance and difference of frustration felt by people who might have been blind to police brutality before or hadn’t ever experienced it firsthand, compared to hopelessness and fear felt by others who have been aware of these actions or have experienced this trauma who now wonder if anything will ever change.

“Yeah, seeing George Floyd die… it hits different for certain people. If someone that’s white, or you know, someone that’s never experienced that particular trauma, if they see that, it’s like, ‘oh, shit, that’s bad.’ Obviously. But then you have someone that has actually experienced it. They experience it a whole different way. They have to relive that kind of trauma. They had to look at it and, you know, you got grown men that cry over this type of stuff.”

shined light on their true colors. And with everyone inside on their phones due to the pandemic, people were seeing and sharing what was happening through social media.

“Stuff was brought to light though. What happened was bad, it was really bad, but it was good in the sense that it exposed who was who and what people believed.”

“And then it was also exposing some things that made you think, ‘How did we not see this before?’ Like the fact that the confederate flag was inside the Mississippi flag design, or the fact that they fly confederate flags outside of certain state buildings and still sell them in stores. Or the Bubba Wallace situation. So many situations that were being exposed that were prevalent before, yet people weren’t paying attention to them. So the George Floyd situation was really a breaking point.”

“Also, COVID had people indoors, and they were actually looking at this stuff and seeing it and being able to experience it without going to their normal jobs or going out and partying and being distracted from what was actually happening. So last year, there was anger, but it was productive.”

2020 was also a time of exposure. It exposed how people truly felt on the matter and

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Alex got a chance to use his art for something more meaningful and something that hit closer to home for him. He was asked to design shirts for the athletes at UNC Charlotte to wear in celebration and recognition of Black History Month.

“I’m proud to do it. There is a good reason for me to do it because I have a lot of emotion and experience that I am able to put into it. I don’t think that Reagan Hill (Associate AD for UNCC) knew about the situation that happened to me a while back before she asked me to do it. My older brother died a while ago, basically because of the things that we were marching for last year. So it was a good opportunity for me to put my emotions and how I felt into my artwork and also do a piece of artwork that means something, rather than just do something that looks pretty for a business or whatever. It has a deeper meaning to me. So, I was all for it, and I told Reagan, it was kind of fate to be doing this because there’s not really 14

anyone else that can do it and have it hit the same way.”

What went into the design of the shirt and why did you choose the figures you did?

“I wanted it to focus on sports, which is why Mohammad Alli was kind of the main figure, and then you’ve got Serena Williams, Jackie Robinson, Colin Kaepernick...I also had to add in Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., and Barack Obama. What I wanted to focus on was obviously Black history, but I wanted to focus on another part of black history that is a little bit uncomfortable. Maybe two years ago they wouldn’t allow this shirt because it does have Collin Kaepernick in it, and it does have Muhammad Alli and protest-type activists, and a lot of people are still probably uncomfortable with it.”

“It’s not meant to make you feel uncomfortable, but it’s meant to display the non-cliché activists that we don’t normally see displayed. For a school like Charlotte,

it’s kind of a risk to put Colin Kaepernick on a shirt because we are pretty much in the south.”

“It was really cool that Reagan and everyone involved thought that was a good idea. Like, even Angela Davis, it was cool they thought adding her was a good idea because she is also very controversial. So, that was the biggest thing with this shirt—shining light on other activists or important black figures that don’t normally get that attention. But of course, including Martin Luther King Jr., Barack Obama, etc.”

What do you have in the works for the future?

“Look out for my rooftop mural, that’s the biggest thing I have going right now, most stressful, but definitely going to have the most reward for it. I’m trying to get more into canvas painting, let em know—canvas painting, that’s me. And just scaling up the business more, but look out for that rooftop mural.”

Alex provides great insight into his artwork, background, and some feelings that have been brought about in the past year. Some saw it as frustrating or heartbreaking.

Others found it productive and eye-opening. But, hopefully, overall it was a chance for everyone to grow.

I look forward to seeing Alex’s work in the future and you should keep your eyes out too! Follow his work on his Instagram:

@art_by_dunc

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2 When Art is Wearable.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KAVYA KUMAR IG: @capturedbykavya

WHEN ART IS

WEARABLE

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Jada Arroyo IG: @all_smilesz 19

Yashmitha Lenin IG: @yvsmt

20

Keith Amboya IG: @mahalkeitha

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3 Middle C Jazz & The Importance of Live Music BY: MADISON SMITH

MIDDLE C JAZZ

BY MADISON SMITH

M

iddle C Jazz club in Uptown Charlotte shows us why we need live music now more than ever.

I stepped into the reception lobby of the Middle C Jazz Club on a clear and brisk Thursday night. Immediately I felt a warming relief from the incredible pressures that the pandemic has brought upon its Uptown Charlotte neighboring businesses and sparsely attended restaurants. It only took a few bars of music to seep out from the club’s interior for my anticipation to stir. I couldn’t remember the last time I experienced live music. To spoil my impression, a night at Middle C Jazz exceeded my expectations. It was an intimate and unforgettable musical experience filled with laughter, nostalgia, and a sense of belonging like no other.

Assistant manager Cree White, Hospitality Concierge Lizzie Taylor and Managing Director Teddy Johnson meet visitors right inside the door with

friendly conversation and proper COVID precautions that we are all used to. A quick pump of hand sanitizer, a once-over wave from a bacteria wand, a temple thermometer check, and the night begins. Like all Charlotte-Area restaurants, all patrons entering the building must wear a mask, but they are only required until you are seated.

Taylor led me into the club and asked if I had a seating preference since I was a little early. I told her I’d like to sit near the front, and as I lowered myself into my chair, a waitress approached my table with a cold glass of water. There was a menu to order food such as flatbread, plates of finger food and deserts.

Looking around, the audience was mature and dressed nicely.

Some wore cocktail dresses and some wore button down shirts. The website advises that the club’s “dress code” is whatever reflects one’s personal style. There was slight chatter in the room before the show and everyone was filled with the same feelings of excitement. Headliner Adam Mcknight and a jazz band stepped onto the stage and introduced themselves.

The first song of the night was Luther Vandross’s “Never Too Much.” Heads 24

bobbed and feet tapped all across the room.

People sang along with smiles on their faces, mesmerized by the band’s jazzy rendition of this track.

The band prepared to play their second song of the night when I slipped out of the room and back to the front of the club to get some insight from White and Taylor about Middle C Jazz. When I asked both women about their favorite part of the club, they both used the same word: “community.” Taylor explained how amazing it is to see returning club members interact with one another to help support live music in Charlotte.

The club also has a livestream subscription so those who can not make the trip Uptown can enjoy the great vibes from the comfort of their home.

“Larry Farber, the club’s founder, just had this vision of live music in Charlotte,” Cree White tells me after I asked how Middle C Jazz got started. She disclosed that she was once a jazz singer herself and had come to Charlotte in hopes of starting her own club but joined Farber as soon as she found out about his club’s opening. The club is fairly new, opening only a year and a half ago and reopening after lockdown just six months ago. White also does booking for Middle C Jazz. As a former artist, she has traveled many places but states ‘without bias’ that this is the best jazz club she has been to.

“Middle

C Jazz is a sweet elixir—

addictive and

healing” MADISON SMITH

On my way back into the club, I got the opportunity to ask Hospitality Concierge Lizzie Taylor about the changes COVID has brought to Middle C Jazz. She told me that she could easily run down a list of statistics when it comes to reduced capacity and other safety precautions, but if she were to give a more meaningful answer, she would say that it has allowed guests to value the music more. “The shows, now, are very alive and emotional… People need music.”

Looking around the secluded and velvety decorated room, it was easy to see that she was right. One night spent in this club is a soulful recharge; it’s a reminder that amidst even the most unrecognizable circumstances, music can bring anyone together.

Eyes were glued to the stage the rest of the night. Jive comments from regulars to musicians were shouted in between sets. Adam Mcknight poured his soul into his singing performance and the crowd laughed as he sipped his water and took a dramatic deep breath when he finished each song. The little moments were the ones that I remember the most: Eric’s guitar solo and Noel’s puns at the piano before the last song of the night. Taylor was right. The pandemic had affected the club in a meaningful way. Being a part of that small audience felt like a privilege and I left already wanting to buy tickets to the next show. No matter the artist or band, the size of the crowd, or the circumstance, Middle C Jazz is a sweet elixir—addictive and healing. I have no doubt that they will continue to thrive as the warmer months lure people out of their homes to enjoy the rich sounds of a genre of music that speaks to all of us in a different way.

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4 Reclaiming Creativity Using Creative Outlets as a Form of Self-Expression BY: SIERRA DUCKETT

RECLAIMING

BY SIERRA DUCKETT

W

hen I was five, I wanted to be an artist. I remember getting watercolor paint on the floor because I couldn’t be bothered to stay on the paper.

I remember drawing smiley faces on flowers and rainbows because I was happy and I wanted my pictures to be happy, too. And I remember the sketchbooks filled with still-empty pages because as I got older I somehow forgot how to be real with my art.

When I was twelve, I wanted to be a writer. I remember club meetings at lunchtime, making friends over a shared love of storytelling. I remember that feeling of pride when I showed my favorite teacher my writing, something so personal and so real, before I became my worst critic and decided I wasn’t good enough to be a writer.

When I was eighteen, I wanted to be a photographer. I remember taking classes, being praised for my shots, and winning second place in a local competition.

I remember my plan to major in photojournalism in college; I wanted to tell stories of people that are too often left untold. I wanted to tell my story. Then I realized how difficult, competitive, unrealistic that career would be, and I figured photography was no longer worth it.

It seems the world tries so hard to stifle creativity, and I regret the ways that I let it stifle mine. I let my art become buried beneath a capitalist demand for productivity. My own thoughts echoed the words I hear: what’s the point in writing that story if it won’t make you a living? What’s the point in taking that photo if it won’t get you a cent? I regret the ways I let the world silence my art because I lost a part of myself in the process.

“What’s the point in writing that story if it won’t make you a living? What’s the point in taking that photo if it won’t get you a cent?”

SIERRA DUCKETT The past year or so has left me with a very different perspective in life, a sentiment I’m sure many can relate to. I’m learning not to take so many things for granted. I’m learning how to step back, give myself a break, let myself breathe. I’m learning to unlearn all of the thoughts that have kept me from being creative, that have held me back from returning to the hobbies of my childhood, ones that I left behind in my misguided attempt of growing up.

Amidst all the stress of the past year, art has reclaimed a place of importance in my life, serving as a creative outlet of emotion and expression that I’ve relied on to get through the difficult times. I let my art speak for me when I feel like I can’t speak myself. And I’m sure I’m not alone.

Whether it’s through photography, music, writing, or something else entirely, so many of us have been using art to help us through life in the pandemic.

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S

“The photographs speak for themselves when I cannot.”

ydney Ly’s interest in photography began in her senior year of high school. Fascinated by the idea of exploring photography through a DSLR camera, and enjoying the way there is always some way to improve and grow as a photographer, Sydney grew to love photography for the memories and stories that each photo holds.

Photography became a means of self-expression.

“Sometimes it can be hard to express myself with words,” Sydney says. “Therefore I use photography as a medium to express my emotions and feelings. The photographs speak for themselves when I cannot.”

Just as the famous saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. For Sydney, there is a certain beauty in photography because of the stories behind each image she takes. What words cannot express, photographs can, and the stories held in

them are just as worth remembering, and just as important to tell.

The world — and our sense of normalcy — has changed a lot over the past year, with the pandemic keeping everyone home and our reality quickly becoming more virtual than ever before. Like many others, Sydney found herself staying home most of the time, but these stressful and uncertain times gave Sydney the opportunity to look at life through a different lens (quite literally), a sentiment she explored through her photography. As she describes, “I found myself taking photos of precious moments I spent with my mother, who has raised me ever since I was born and would constantly work to make ends meet, who is suddenly stuck at home. Photography pushes me to cherish the small moments in my life even more.”

“I found myself taking photos of precious moments I spent with my mother.”

-SYDNEY LY

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“Music was one thing I could always depend on to get me through those hard moments.”

A

lex Lloyd, currently a freshman at UNCC, is the guitarist for the rock/altcore band Forever We Roam (@foreverweroam). His passion for music began back in 2017 when he first picked up the guitar, and he was ecstatic when given the opportunity to be a part of Forever We Roam in September of 2019. Music has been a big part of his life ever since. “There’s just so much possibility with it,” he says. “It feels like I could easily do this for the rest of my life.”

For Alex, there are an infinite number of possibilities when it comes to how music can be created and molded.

“I use music to express myself by writing songs that mean something to me,” Alex says, “or about something that has had an impact on my life that I would like to share with the world in hopes that maybe others could find solace in knowing they aren’t alone. For example, I’ve struggled with anxiety for most of my life, and I find that writing down all my thoughts, and using this to create a product of music to share, is a very rewarding and satisfying experience.”

The past year has brought an overwhelming whirlwind of negativity and chaos, and Alex often turns to music to express the negative emotions that have built up over the months. Particularly during the spring and summer of 2020, Alex found it difficult to stay afloat amidst all the stress and anxiety, so he turned to music as a therapeutic outlet — whether he’s creating it or just listening to it, music served as a sort of catharsis, a way to get out and express all that he was feeling.

Music is Alex’s true passion, something that will always be a part of him no matter which direction life takes him. “My goal with my music,” Alex says, “is to reach out to people, let them know they aren’t alone, and we all go through stuff that absolutely sucks. And that’s okay.”

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“ It’s time we reclaim our creativity.”

SIERRA DUCKETT

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“Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes.”

If there’s one thing that Professor Jen Byrd has taught me over the years, it’s the importance of writing of our truths, of telling our stories. Now more than ever it feels like we are losing ourselves in the pain and chaos; our stories get ripped from our hands before we learn the words needed to tell them. Our stories are told for us, broadcasted to the news in all its inaccuracies and exaggerations, spread through the media in a whirlwind of confusion and strife, and the truths get left behind in the process. We feel compelled to believe the lies they tell about us, to follow the stereotypical storyline to the predicted end. Society has written our stories for us — without us — and we are left trying to erase what at times feels etched into stone.

end of the year, performing a spoken-word piece to a crowd of people — telling my own story, for myself.

These are the lessons Professor Byrd has taught me over the years. “When I share my own personal story,” she says, “when I stand up in front of a group of folks who don’t look like me, or don’t share my background, I hope that my audience sees me for the person I am. No longer can they place upon me a script they have written for me.”

Whether we write intending to share it with the world, or just to keep it as a whisper to ourselves, there is a sort of power that comes from taking back control of our stories, of our truths. If nothing else, writing can be cathartic, a way to release everything we’ve been through, everything we’ve been told to keep locked inside in order to keep up the

“W

hether we write intending to share it with the world, or just to keep it as a whisper to ourselves, there is a sort of power that comes from taking back control of our stories, of our truths.”

SIERRA DUCKETT

Words are a powerful thing. I left high school knowing how to write a paper and analyze a book, but it wasn’t until my first semester at UNCC that I began to see the importance of writing outside an academic setting, outside of the “silly little hobby” from my middle school years. It’s 2018 — my first semester — in a class I decided to take on a whim, and I’m given an assignment where I’m told to just, “Write:” a vague prompt, no word requirement, just me and my thoughts on paper. It was honesty, it was vulnerability, it was freedom to express my thoughts in a way I’d never taken the time to do. It was the catalyst that eventually found me, at the 32

pretense that everything’s fine. We are so often encouraged to push away and ignore the emotions society has deemed negative — the anger and sadness and pain — and we’re left feeling invalidated, invisible, silenced.

As Professor Byrd says, to create an outlet for the feelings that have been suppressed, “to give voice to those emotions — anger, pain, frustration, feeling stifled and silenced, feeling stereotyped and unseen — that is how we put our finger on the real and tough issues. That is how — personally — we can

begin to free ourselves, and that is how — societally — we can learn from others’ stories to see them as human and worthy of being heard, understood, cared for. This is how we see that they matter — that their anger matters; their anger is valid.”

Writing and storytelling have the potential to change our society for the better, if only we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and honest with ourselves, even if — for the time being — it’s only for ourselves. For anyone struggling with getting to that point, with allowing yourself to speak your story, your truth, I suggest following Professor Byrd’s advice: “Take your time. Only write about what you feel comfortable. Write on your own, in your own space, and for your own journals.” Write for the world if you want, but write for yourself, first.

And, above all, “Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes.”

Whether it’s the stories captured in photographs, the emotions expressed in music, the truths told in writing, or something else entirely, creative outlets offer so much potential as a means of self-care and selfexpression. In these difficult times, it’s more important than ever that we find healthy ways to escape reality, to revel in our inner child long forgotten, and to cherish the little moments we’ve learned not to take for granted.

The past year or so has taught me something incredibly valuable: I am an artist, and a photographer, and a writer, and so much more. I refuse to let the world stifle my art any longer.

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5 Going Groovy for Spring!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: CHRIS GRISSETT IG: @CHRISLEVIFILMS & CLAIRE HAMBRICK IG: CEHAMBRICKPHOTOS

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K I C K IT

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“Much like the season, my first full Spring semester at UNCC has been one of rebirth and renewal.”

-RAZAAN ABNOWF class of ‘23

MODELS: RAZAAN ABNOWF ELIZA CYRIAC JORDAN ALLEN KASEY VARNER

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Spring Equinox

by Kasey Varner

I’m flirting with the universe like never before; Cherishing the sun in the palm of my hands And sharing butterfly kisses with the moon Life is breathing all around once more.

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6 Looking For Happiness as a College Student in 2021 BY: KASEY M. VARNER

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CHING R

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HAPPINESS

BY KASEY VARNER

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he world in which we live currently feels like everything is balancing on a very, very steep edge. A world set in a smoky fog where uncertainty is just something to come to terms with. As someone who struggles with anxiety, uncertainty is not a comfort; it’s like a weapon threatening my mental health.

Being a college student was hard enough in person, but now as I approach my senior year, I’m struggling to keep up with the ‘to-do list’ of a college student in America. Network, be a part of multiple clubs, make friends with professors, apply to yet another scholarship, find an internship, get hired, and finally, enter the workforce to work until you can afford to retire.

Not only am I terrible with networking, however, but internships are also the major halting point for me and many of my colleagues. Oh, how wonderful it would be to find a paid internship; one where I can make a liveable wage to eat food and live in a safe environment. In 2021, that’s a reach when you’re a college student, especially as a literary arts student. Unpaid internships for art students are meant only to gain experience, so all of the work that you produce for a company or organization is uncompensated. That experience will translate into a career, even though the college degree that you have spent thousands on is where you gained most experience with the craft.

All of what I am describing has been up for discussion in most of my conversations with my peers. We all have a struggle with how to proceed into a life that has a focus on work, money, and success. We are American students, brought up in a capitalistic ideal of success and that’s all there is to it. If you look at other countries outside of the United States, you might see a focus on life itself. The question then becomes, how can we as American college students get to a lifestyle focused outside of academics and a career?

The 2021 World Happiness Report contains Scandinavian countries in the top 7 of happiest countries measured by life evaluations, positive emotions, and negative emotions on a daily scale. Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden all topped

“Oh, how wonderful it internship; one where wage to eat food and live 44

the charts with the United States ranking at 19. According to the World Happiness Report in 2020, “The Nordic countries are characterized by a virtuous cycle in which various key institutional and cultural indicators of good society feed into each other including well-functioning democracy, generous and effective social welfare benefits, low levels of crime and corruption, and satisfied citizens who feel free and trust each other and governmental institutions.” However, there seems to be a general backbone to the happiness levels that these countries have that we can take a closer look at and strive for.

The one commonality to these countries is that they all have a government that has social welfare benefiting the citizens of the countries. Having social welfare can allow people to have the freedom to live their lives without having to worry about such things as paying off medical bills and paying off college tuition.

Having these two stressors in American life out of the way, it seems that there would be a lot more to do with our time. Imagine not having to worry about whether or not you can afford to buy an EpiPen or an inhaler. In countries with social welfare systems, it is assumed that you need these medications for living and thus it should not be a burden for you. These burdens would be lifted off your shoulders if the American political system became one to serve the people and not the corporations that benefit from student loan debt, cheap labor, and life-saving devices and services.

would be to find a paid I can make a liveable e in a safe environment” KASEY VARNER 45

While looking at international scales of measuring happiness, we have to begin to look inward. As we look more closely at happiness within our own lives, when was the last time you connected with a loved one?

When was the last time you told them that you loved them, and not just as a routine? Friendships, partners, family, and pets (arguably who are family) are all within your circle for interaction. Use this time to laugh with one another just for a small fraction of time that is a break in your busy day. So much is happening around us and we need each other. Relationships are the outer core of happiness, with the absolute core being within yourself. Have a self-care night, eat the snack that you’ve been craving for weeks, put away the phone, and relax. You deserve these small moments for yourself.

Yes, the grass can be greener on the other side, however, the grass can also be greener where you nourish it. I love Charlotte and all that is growing within this city: local shops, greenhouses, parks, breweries, light rail stops, the list goes on. I just can’t help to think that there is a life in another world that is beyond the sectors of living to work and to make money. I want to be there. I want my life to mean something to me despite all of the tragedies that continue to unfold globally. I believe that by eliminating these self-induced constraints of jobs and work, that there will be time to find who we really are. Finding the truths within ourselves is the core meaning of our livelihood and happiness.

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7 Protect Asian Lives March

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: CHRIS GRISSETT IG: @CHRISLEVIFILMS & CLAIRE HAMBRICK IG: CEHAMBRICKPHOTOS

On Saturday, April 10, hundreds of students and community members gathered at Romare Bearden park in Uptown Charlotte to march in solidarity against Anti-Asian hate and to protect Asian lives. The march was organized and led by UNC Charlotte’s Asian Student Association, a student organization that strives to improve the appreciation of political, social, cultural, and artistic interest of the Asian/Asian American society. The march included student speakers, community members, and activists, and took place accross the street from where a racial hate crime took place against a Korean-owned convenience store, Plaza Sundries, just two weeks prior. * *From @uncc_asa on Instagram

ASA 2020-2021 Executive Board President: Ben Huang ‘22 Vice President: Chris Fong ‘23 Treasurerer: Flora Zeng ‘23 Secretary: Kevin Nguyen ‘22

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“I think the main thing for us was that we didn’t want to sit around and do nothing. Like posting a statement and just making an infographic doesn’t really do much. We wanted action so we decided to plan the march. It was a long process and a first time for many of us. I’m so thankful that we had a bunch of help from other organizations that had experience planning these things.”

--Jadyn Keobouala, Public Relations for ASA on behalf of their Executive Board

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DR. OTHELIA LEE

Professor in the school of social work at UNCC, on how it felt to attend the march:

“I’M SO PROUD. THEIR STORIES ARE SO AUTHENTIC, THEY ARE REALLY SPEAKING FROM THEIR MIND AND I THINK THAT IS VERY POWERFUL. THEY WANT TO BE THE CHANGE AGENTS, THEY WANT TO CRATE A DIFFERENT WORLD THAN DIFFERENT GENERATIONS. IT MAKES ME FEEL VERY OPTIMISTIC.” 57

“We wanted to make sure our message highlighted solidarity and unity.”

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-Jadyn Keobouala, Public Relations for ASA on behalf of the Executive Board

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the MIDAS TEAM WEBSITE: MIDASMAGAZINE.COM INSTAGRAM: @MIDAS.MAG MIDAS MAGAZINE IS A PROUD DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT NINER MEDIA

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EDITOR IN CHIEF CLAIRE HAMBRICK

DEPARTMENT HEADS KYNDALL SEARS PROMOTIONS DEPARTMENT

KASEY VARNER

WRITING DEPARTMENT

JAMES BOURKE

DESIGN DEPARTMENT HEAD

PROMOTIONS TEAM MARIA SOLANO KYLIE JOHNSON BRENDA MORALES FLORES NYAH BUNN

WRITING TEAM SIERRA DUCKETT ABBY STAPLETON REEM ABNOWF MADISON SMITH VASILIKI GKOULGKOUNTINA

PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM CHRIS GRISSETT KAVYA KUMAR ELIJAH COLE SYDNEY LY LEXI RAINES

DESIGN TEAM TIMOTHY SCHAEFER MELISSA HERNANDEZ From the MIDAS TEAM to all of our readers, Thank you!

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