03/07/24 Full Edition

Old Gold&Black

WAKE FOREST’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1916

2024 N.C. Primary results: Stein and Robinson set to face off in November

'Super Tuesday' elections occurred in North Carolina alongside 14 other states amd one territory

MADDIE STOPYRA & JAMES WATSON Editor-In-Chief and Arts & Culture Editor

Editor’s Note: e following primary election results are accurate as of March 6, according to the North Carolina Board of Elections.

Alongside 14 other states and one territory, the North Carolina primary elections occurred on March 5, also known as Super Tuesday. Polls closed and the rst results were released at 7:30 p.m.

Wake Forest students who chose to register with their campus address voted at two polling locations in Forsyth County. Students registered with a South Campus address voted at Salem Chapel, and North Campus residents went to Bethabara Moravian Church to cast their votes.

“I’m a big believer in voting,” freshman Alex Crystal said. “I think it’s good to have a say in who represents you and

what is going on.”

Seven of the 18 voters the Old Gold & Black spoke to at polling sites where Wake Forest students voted highlighted that they felt it was a part of their civic duty to vote and an important function of democracy.

To Crystal, a variety of issues are important in the 2024 election at both the state and national levels.

“[For] national [issues], I would say the economy is pretty big, along with immigration and foreign a airs,” Crystal said. “At a state level, I would say taxes, the budget and general public safety, so it kind of depends on the kind of person you’re voting for.”

North Carolina’s primaries are open to una liated voters, allowing individuals registered to vote but not with a speci c party to choose to vote in the party pri-

mary of their choice. However, unlike an open primary, voters registered with a party cannot vote in another party’s primary. Registered Democrat and Wake Forest sophomore Ollie Breese said that she voted in the party’s primary because of the party's stance on abortion access.

“ at’s the big, pressing issue on my mind for sure,” Breese said.

Forsyth County resident Patricia Brown explained that for her, the coming general election had serious implications for the well-being of American democracy.

“ is year is going to be a vote for democracy or autocracy,” Brown said.

Here are the results for the 2024 North Carolina primary elections, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Wake Forest adopts Workday Student

ALEXANDRA MEIER Senior Writer

Wake Forest is implementing the Workday Student software to be used as a Student Information System in replacement of Ellucian Banner, which hosts the Wake Information Network (WIN). e software will go live during the rst week of March when the undergraduate class schedule is released.

“Wake Forest has been planning this change for a number of years, and it is part of our larger institutional technology strategy,” Associate Provost for Academic A airs Dr. Anne Hardcastle said.

e Student Information System at Wake Forest is used to manage data and processes related to students’ education, including enrollment, nancial aid and academic records. During course registration periods, students use the system to schedule their classes prior to the start of the semester.

e Workday initiative is led by Executive Vice President Jacqueline Travisono and Provost Michele Gillespie as well as a steering committee, composed of representatives across the university. According to Hardcastle, Wake Forest is following the suit of several national universities that are embracing Workday.

“Workday is a modern, best-in-class software. It's really the top of the line, and Wake Forest is part of a wave of universities who are adopting Workday right now,” Hardcastle said.

While Ellucian Banner only allows students to plan for one semester at a time, the Workday system includes a four-year plan feature, allowing students to plan for their major, minor or divisional requirements. e site is also mobile-friendly.

e course registration process will undergo immense change in the implementation of Workday Student. e system will no longer utilize time tickets, within each classi cation of earned hours, to determine when a student can register for classes. Instead, all students in the same group of earned hours will register at the same time during the rst week of April.

“All students register the rst week of April based on classi cation of earned hours. e rst 1300 register on Tuesday. e next 1300 go on Wednesday, and so forth,” Hardcastle said.

A sign posted outside Salem Chapel voting site reads "Polling Place" on Tuesday, March 5 — the day of the North Carolina primary elections. Wake Forest students registered with a South Campus address voted here.

“ Covers the campus like the magnolia s ”

Evan Harris / Old Gold & Black

Old Gold & Black

is column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Committee

The University must work with AI, not against it

On Monday, March 4, Wake Forest sent out a short survey to students asking for their thoughts about recent innovations in the eld of arti cial intelligence (AI). is is a signi cant indication that Wake Forest is aware of the potential of AI to radically reshape the contours of students’ professional and academic lives.

What might not yet be fully understood, however, is how AI is likely to dramatically alter the higher education landscape, both inside and outside of the classroom. As such, we believe that Wake Forest must be proactive in its response to AI’s existence and rapid proliferation. In practice, this means Wake Forest should aim to work alongside AI as an inevitable institutional partner, rather than against it as an unwelcome

intruder. While it may be perceived as that by professors, AI is here, and it is not going away.

Already, AI is reshaping the admissions process. Duke University recently removed the essay portion from its application grading system due to fears over the potential usage of AI’s increasingly pro cient writing ability. While we take no stance on the usefulness of college essays in the application process, this development is illustrative of how AI’s ability to write like college students poses novel questions for the University at every operational stage.

have a major impact on students’ academic lives, and likely their in-class performance. We wait to see if this change will ultimately yield positive results.

"Wake Forest should aim to work alongside AI as an inevitable institutional partner"

As such, AI will undoubtedly

AI has proven to be capable of providing bene ts to students in the classroom. For example, the technology can e ectively summarize and organize reading material, eliminating students’ need to handwrite notes. AI also shows promise in enhancing students’ research capabilities — being able to quickly identify famous works and authors on speci c topics. If students can bene t from

Old Gold&Black

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY SINCE 1916

MADDIE STOPYRA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF stopmf21@wfu.edu

BREANNA LAWS MANAGING EDITOR lawsbn21@wfu.edu

>> NEWS

Claire O'Brien, obricc22@wfu.edu

Maria Silveira, silvmt23@wfu.edu

>> FEATURES

Natasha Heisenberg, heisng20@wfu.edu

>> ENVIRONMENT

Ella Klein, kleiek22@wfu.edu

Addison Schmidt, schmac21@wfu.edu

>> OPINION

Maryam Khanum, khanmg20@wfu.edu

Virginia Noone, noonvc21@wfu.edu

Assistant:

Dillon Clark, clardj22@wfu.edu

>> SPORTS

Andrew Braun, brauar23@wfu.edu

Sean Kennedy, kennsm21@wfu.edu

>> ARTS & CULTURE

Lydia Derris, derrlf23@wfu.edu

James Watson, watsjc22@wfu.edu

SHAILA PRASAD DEPUTY EDITOR prassp21@wfu.edu

>> PHOTO

Isabella Parolini, paroir22@wfu.edu

>> VIDEO

Jack Perez, perejw22@wfu.edu

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>> COPY CHIEF

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>> ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

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>> EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Breanna Laws (Chair), lawsbn21@wfu.edu

Maryam Khanum, khanmg20@wfu.edu

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Dillon Clark, clardj22@wfu.edu

Gray Lowder, lowdag23@wfu.edu

Jacob Gra , gra e20@wfu.edu

Carter Mcdonald, mcdocd23@wfu.edu

>> ADVISER

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Want

AI, professors will have to adapt. Alternative educational formats may arise that test the limits of an AIdictated educational experience. Inclass discussions, debates and essays can and should be used to measure educational attainment in the era of AI. And no development in AI can replace class participation as an integral part of a student’s grade.

Ultimately, we recognize the disruptive power of AI to reshape higher education, and it may yet be for the worse. It is possible — even likely — that some college students will take advantage of AI in manners that do not enhance their ability to learn. Nevertheless, there is little use for institutional yearning for the days when AI was not around.

EVAN HARRIS MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR harres22@wfu.edu

>> POLICIES

RYDER SOLBERG BUSINESS MANAGER solbrs23@wfu.edu

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Not only do we hold our newspaper and its contents to a high standard, but we also expect that those who choose to use us as an outlet for their ideas, opinions and skill hold themselves and their content to a high ethical standard.

e Old Gold & Black is published ursdays during the school year, except during examinations, summer and holiday periods, by Triangle Web Printing of Durham. e views expressed in all opinion pieces and advertisements contained within this publication do not necessarily re ect the opinions of the Old Gold & Black. As part of our commitment to reporting news fairly and accurately, we will not remove any previously published content online unless it is retracted. If an error in either our online or print content is brought to our attention, we will revise the originally published article with an appended correction. In order to facilitate thoughtful and appropriate debate, profane, vulgar, or in ammatory comments on our website are not allowed and will be deleted. Comments which incite violence, target individuals in a form of cyber bullying, or which promote ideas which vilify marginalized communities will be deleted, and proper authorities may be noti ed and involved.

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Primary: ‘Super Tuesday’ results roll in

Continued from Page 1

President

Joe Biden won the Democratic party primary for North Carolina with 83% of the vote. Biden will win all 76 of the state’s delegates.

While there were no other Democrats on the ballot, 13% of Democratic voters opted to circle “no preference” — some of which were in a protest vote over the Biden administration’s handling of the IsraelHamas war.

Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump also swept the state’s Republican primary with 66%. Challenger Nikki Haley scored 29%, not winning a single county out of the state’s 100. Unable to mount a signi cant challenge to the presumptive nominee in the “Tar Heel State,” Haley dropped out of the race Wednesday morning.

Governor

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein won 65% of the vote to become the Democratic nominee for NC Governor Tuesday night, as his current boss Roy Cooper’s second and nal term comes to an end.

Current Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson coasted into the Republican nomination with 49%, beating out State Treasurer Dale Fowell.

Stein and Robinson have now become the faces of one of the nation’s most closelywatched gubernatorial races.

Attorney General

In another closely watched race, Congressman Je Jackson won the Democratic primary for attorney general against Durham District Attorney Santana Deberry and Tim Dunn.

Jackson will face o against Republican congressman Dan Bishop this fall.

Lt. Governor

Rachel Hunt is projected to win the Democratic primary for Lt. Governor.

Meanwhile, the Republican race is headed for a runo — a second election held when no candidate met the percentage of votes needed to win. In North Carolina, a candidate must receive 30% of the votes to win the election. Hal Weatherman is leading with 19% and Jim O’Neill is comfortably in second place with 15% – they will both advance to the runo

House of Representatives

Following Democrat Kathy Manning’s announcement that she wouldn’t be seeking re-election last December, North Carolina’s sixth congressional seat turned into a high-pro le contest.

No Democrats ran for the seat, as the district became virtually unwinnable for the party following new district maps unveiled late last fall.

e Republican primary drew in highpro le support from former President Donald Trump, with his endorsee, Addison McDowell, ultimately leading on Tuesday night with 26% of the vote.

Because none of the candidates reached 30%, that race is also heading into a runo election between 2nd place Mark Walker and McDowell in May.

Winston-Salem Mayor and City Council

Winston-Salem City Council yielded Tuesday’s biggest local upset: Local restaurateur Vivian Joiner, owner of Sweet Potatoes, won the Democratic primary for Winston’s South Ward, unseating incum-

bent John Larson.

Incumbent councilmembers Scippio (D) and Adams (D) held onto their seats while Regina Ford Hall clinched the nomination for the Democratic nominee for the northwest ward. Hall will be up against James “Jimmy” Hodson in November who won the Republican primary.

State Legislature

Democrat Amber Baker, who represents State House District 72, won her Democratic primary, setting up a run for her third term in November.

Another incumbent Democrat, Paul Lowe, representing State Senate District 32, won, advancing to the general election.

Secretary of State

Chad Brown is projected to receive the Republican nomination for Secretary of State and face incumbent Elaine Marshall, who was uncontested in the Democratic primary.

Auditor

Incumbent Jessica Holmes advances to the general election in an uncontested race. Meanwhile, the Republican nominee has yet to be announced and is headed for a runo

Treasurer

Wesley Harris advances to November’s general election as the Democratic nominee, facing Republican Wesley Harris.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Statewide, most elections went as ex-

pected, but the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s race represented a signi cant upset — becoming one of the most talked about contests overnight.

Incumbent Catherine Truitt lost the Republican primary to Michelle Morrow. Morrow is a mother of ve homeschooled kids and she previously ran — and lost — for the Wake County Board of Education. Morrow was also outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Mo Greene comfortably won the Democratic primary with 68% of the vote.

Insurance Commissioner

Democrat Natasha Marcus is projected to receive the Democratic nomination.

In the fall, she will face the incumbent, Republican Mike Causey, who is projected to win the Republican primary for insurance commissioner.

Commissioner of Agriculture

Incumbent Steve Troxler is projected to win the Republican primary for commissioner of agriculture. He will face uncontested Democratic nominee Sara Tabor in November.

Commissioner of Labor

In an uncontested race, Braxton Winston II received the Democratic nomination. e Republican candidate is projected to be Jon Hardister.

Harshil Jani, Taneecia Natarajan and Jessica Barry contributed reporting to this article

Contact Maddie Stopyra at stopmf21@wfu.edu and James Watson at watsjc22@wfu.edu

Workday: Workday software goes live this week

Continued from Page 1

Another signi cant change to the registration process is that the portal will stay open after a student’s initial registration appointment, whereas in Ellucian Banner, there were open and closed periods to register for courses.

e Workday system will also no longer include preregistration — a separate registration cycle to be navigated by the academic departments for major and minor classes. To ensure students can register for courses that ful ll their degrees, Workday will employ a reserved seats tool to set aside a block of spots for majors and minors.

“We are not going to have a separate cycle for major/minor registration or student self-registration,” Hardcastle said.

Furthermore, the prerequisite override feature is another new development in

Workday. If a student wishes to register for a class that typically requires a prerequisite course or certain classi cation, this restriction can be waived in the registration system. is feature is a rendition of the POI (Permission of Instructor) approval in Ellucian Banner.

As Fall 2024 course registration looms, some students are uncertain of Workday’s ability to accommodate all students.

“Registering for spring semester classes as a freshman was a very stressful process, “ freshman Anya Huggins said. “I was hoping that the new process would make registration more e ective; however, with the implementation of no major/minor priority preference, I am not sure how much better the experience will be.”

For some students who recently declared majors, the prospect of registering for classes without the support of

pre-registration is a daunting feat.

“I am already familiar with Workday, as someone who has an on-campus work-study job, and I admit it is certainly easier to navigate than WIN,” sophomore Hope Brill said. “But even as someone familiar with the program, I don’t see how this is a better registration system, especially for rising juniors and seniors, who have nally gotten to a place where they can pre-register for classes.”

Amidst rising concerns, the university is taking action to support students and faculty who are undergoing this change.

e O ce of the Provost will be hosting “Readiness” sessions via zoom and in-person during the month of March, which will provide an overview of the advising and registration experiences in Workday. ere will also be various tabling events throughout the advising session in March to accommodate stu-

POLICE BEAT

dents as they navigate the change.

“I am hopeful that students will be well-informed by information sessions and training materials,” Chair of the Economics department Amanda Gri th said. “I know that Academic Coordinators, department chairs, faculty, and advisors have already begun familiarizing themselves with the new program and should be ready for their parts in the advising process.”

e transition to Workday Student will mark a signi cant step forward for Wake Forest, adopting a myriad of new features that aim to elevate the student experience.

“ e student experience is probably the top motivator for how we are moving through this project,” Hardcastle said.

Contact Alexandra Meier at meieam22@wfu.edu

• An individual took a scooter at Angelou Residence Hall, which was later located not damaged. e report was led at 9:04 a.m. on Feb. 28.

• ere was a disturbance with individuals and a bartender at Joyner’s Bar. is report was led at 8:50 p.m. on March 1.

• An individual was found intoxicated and unresponsive at Luter Residence Hall. ey were transported to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center by Forsyth County EMS unit 19. e report was led at 12 a.m. on March 2.

• A noise complaint was made at Palm Drive, the music was turned o and the party was shut down. e report was led at 6:53 p.m. on March 2.

• An individual had been drinking o campus with friends and when coming back to campus became sick and continued to vomit while unconscious. ey were transported by Forsyth County EMS unit 40 to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for further treatment. e report was led at 12 a.m. on March 3.

A preview of Women’s History Month at Wake Forest

A variety of events are being hosted to promote gender equity

SKYLER VILLAMAR-JONES Senior Writer

Friday, March 1 marked the beginning of Women’s History Month, which, this year, is nationally themed, “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” Wake Forest’s Women’s Center, in collaboration with several on-campus organizations, is hosting events throughout the month to promote gender equity across campus.

“I de nitely think it’s important, not only in the grand scope of our society [but also at Wake Forest] to lift up the experiences, voices and work that has been done by women,” Hannah Rehm, assistant director of the women’s center, said. “So, whether that is a faculty member, sta member or student, our hope is to highlight the di erent identities that exist within the umbrella of ‘woman.’”

e month-long celebration was originally “Women’s History Week” until 1987, when the National Women’s History Project petitioned for Congress to designate the entire month of March as Women’s History Month.

e Women’s Center, which rst opened in 2013, is open to all students and targets four outcomes for those who are involved: learn, belong, grow and celebrate. eir mission is to create a community on campus that supports anyone for whom “woman” is a meaningful identi er or experience.

Lexi Smith, sophomore and student assistant at the Women’s Center, emphasized how important it is to have events that unite women with activities that celebrate di erent backgrounds.

“It’s important to celebrate the essence of women,” Smith said. “As a feminist, there are so many perspectives of what each and every individual’s journey may look like. However, it is essential to realize that what we are enduring as women has been a movement, and it is important to recognize those who came before us.”

e Women’s Center is collaborating with many on-campus organizations, including Delta Xi Phi, the LGBTQ+ Center and the Muslim Student Association to host events throughout the month.

Rehm explained that the number of collaborations with other organizations is in an e ort to reach a larger portion of the Wake Forest community. Some of the organizations have done events with the Women’s Center in the past, while others proposed event ideas and are collaborating for the rst time. is, Rehm said, re ects the large number of experiences and top-

ics that encompass womanhood.

“We are open to collaborating with anyone and everyone whose programs align with our mission,” Rehm said. “As you can imagine, that is a large spectrum as to what womanhood is to many di erent people.”

Shell Sizemore, director of the Women’s Center, said that collaboration helps foster greater understanding of the many facets of womanhood.

“Our goal for the Women’s Center is to be a space where members of our community can connect, re ect and nd belonging,” Sizemore said in a statement via email. “We want to cultivate a deeper, more nuanced, and more critical understanding of women’s identities for our campus community.”

Rehm also emphasized how important it is to balance community building and educational activities in order to ensure that all women on campus feel supported.

“ e experience of womanhood also lands on many di erent topics that would be covered in an educational space, like discussing gender, or talking about unique challenges that women experience in Ramadan,” Rehm said.

Rehm continued: “If you take our drag brunch, for example, that is an event focused on celebration and gender expression. Salary negotiation, though, is touching on the reality of what it is to be a woman in industry. I think it’s important to take the time and effort to piece together these programs so that we make sure that people’s experiences are being valued and highlighted.”

During the month, there are several events a week for Women’s History Month, some of which are listed below. e full calendar of events can be found here.

A few events have already been hosted on campus, including a student mixer, the second annual Daring Deacon Drag Brunch, panel discussions and speaker events hosted in collaboration with numerous campus and student organizations. Several events are still available for students to participate in throughout the month.

March 11 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Parental leave workshop in the Wellbeing Center

March 12: Mobile mammography clinic

March 18 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.: O ce of Diversity and Inclusion o ce hours at the Wake Forest School of Medicine

March 19 at 3:30 p.m.: Women of Color Collective event in the Women’s Center

March 19 at 7 p.m.: Bowling night at Northside Lanes

March 20 at 4 p.m.: Women-owned business market in Farrell Hall

March 20 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.: Equal Pay Day reside chat at the Farrell Hall re pits

March 20 at 7 p.m.: Salary negotiation workshop in room 151 in Farrell Hall

March 21 at 5 p.m.: Dea-

con Dialogue: Let’s Talk Sexism event in the Women’s Center

March 22 at 2 p.m.: e Intimacy Experiment event with Rosie Danan in the Women’s Center

March 22 at 3:30 p.m.: Delta Xi Phi’s professional skills series in Pugh Auditorium

March 22 at 4 p.m.: Conversation with Rosie Danan in Z. Smith Reynolds Library

March 25 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Past, Present & Future Me: Art erapy event in the Women’s Center

March 26 at 5 p.m.: Yes, please! A Guide to Female Pleasure event in the Women’s Center

March 27 at 12 p.m.: Queer Health Series in the LGBTQ+ Center

March 27: SMASH the Patriarchy rage room

March 28 at 7 p.m.: Grace Valentine: A Women Empowerment Talk in Pugh Auditorium

March 29 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Women in Tech event in the Women’s Center roughout March, the Women’s Center is also raising money to endow the Lu Leak fund in honor of the former dean’s 60th anniversary of arrival at Wake Forest. ey are hoping to raise $100,000 to help bene t the work of future generations of women.

Smith and Rehm recognized how bene cial the Women’s Center is for creating spaces in which women can learn about and celebrate their identities.

“I think it is so important to have spaces that promote creativity, comfort and growth internally and externally on campus,” Smith said. “I’m in many spaces where sometimes my emotions are not validated. Many people don’t realize that we are on a campus that was built for the purpose of educating men. e journey of becoming a woman isn’t always necessarily the easiest.”

Rehm also said that it is equally important to recognize the positive and negative experiences intertwined with womanhood. She said the Women’s Center hopes everyone can bene t and learn from the events taking place for Women’s History Month.

“It really is just about nding pockets where we can celebrate womanhood,” Rehm said. “We want to touch on where people may be seeking more community or information around being a woman.”

Graphic posted by the Women’s Center advertising the “Birth Control Palooza” on Monday, March 4 hosted in Benson 314.

Photo courtesy of the Women’s Center

Photo courtesy of the Women’s Center Schedule listing the various events for Women’s History Month during March 2024 created by the Women’s Center.

Data Dive event unpacks the affordable housing crisis in Forsyth County

Alexandra Meier Senior Writer

Wake Forest welcomed community leaders to lead a conversation titled “Data Dive: Housing Supply in Forsyth County,” in the Lower Auditorium of Wait Chapel on Feb. 29. e event was hosted by the Ofce of Civic and Community Engagement in partnership with Forsyth Futures.

As residents of Forsyth County face an a ordable housing shortage, community members are looking to local o cials for sustainable solutions. A ordable housing applies to homeowners and renters who spend no more than 30% of their gross income towards housing-related expenses. If a resident spends more than 30% of their yearly salary before taxes and other deductions on housing, they are classi ed as “cost-burdened.”

“Nearly 24% of Forsyth County residents live in cost-burdened homes,” Senior Data Analyst of Forsyth Futures Courtney Blue said.

e event started with an introduction from Executive Director of Forsyth Futures Adam Hill, who emphasized the importance of accessibility to stable housing. Blue then provided a thorough analysis of the current market trends and a ordability metrics in the area.

e event continued with a panel discussion, moderated by Director of Community Partnerships and Experiential Learning Andrea Kurtz. Panelists included housing experts Richard Angino from Folks for Good Housing, Kevin Cheshire from the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem (HAWS) and Sandy Stinson from the Boston- urmond Neighborhood Association. Two out of the ve panelists listed in the program did not participate in the panel due to unforeseen circumstances.

According to Blue, e shortage of a ordable housing is largely explained by a metric called Area Median Income (AMI), which measures the midpoint of an area’s income distribution. Household

income that is below 100% of the AMI is below average. erefore, the residents of Forsyth County with a 30% AMI are classi ed as extremely low-income. e metric is measured on a spectrum, often heavily skewed towards higher-income households who can a ord higher rent. Consequently, 30-50% of AMI households face a shortage of a ordable housing because they can only a ord a limited selection of housing options.

In Forsyth County, the AMI spectrum disproportionately favors higher-income households, creating a surplus of luxury housing and a shortage of a ordable options according to Blue.

“For the 30% AMI households in Forsyth County alone, there is a 13,000 unit shortage of a ordable rental homes,” Blue said.

Another explanation for the a ordable housing crisis is that the cost of living and household income are not increasing at proportional rates in Forsyth County. is disparity has grown in the past decade, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which the housing market has yet to recover from, according to Blue.

“ e current median home value is nearly $250,000 in Forsyth County, which is a 24% change from 2010,” Blue said. “Contrastly, median employment income has only increased 3% since 2010.”

While the event surely lived up to the expectations of a “data dive,” e orts also focused on solutions for alleviating this shortage of a ordable housing. HAWS has a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, which provides subsidies to families to rent vacant units. However, this government program has its limitations. e program requires participation from property owners, which many are reluctant

to do because of the paperwork and administrative burden. HCV also has a waitlist and time limits on nding housing once the voucher is issued to households. Furthermore, tenants have minimal recourse if landlords do not upkeep the property under the terms of this program.

“HAWS has a limited supply and waiting list, which has not been open since 2018,” Blue said. Panelists also o ered their expertise on devising tangible solutions to mitigating the complexity of this crisis. Angino dispelled the misconception that the government takes sole responsibility for expanding housing accessibility in Forsyth County.

“One of the biggest tools is getting employers to understand that it is not the government’s job to provide housing for their employees,” Angino said. “Employers automatically assume that counties and cities will gure it out for themselves.”

According to Kurtz, e Wake Forest campus has an important stake in this issue as the biggest employer in the greater Winston-Salem area. is position grants the university an opportunity to address the a ordable housing challenge and foster community well-being.

“Our target audience is those who are interested in housing in the community, but we are really speaking to Wake Forest,” Kurtz said. “As the largest employer in our community, the university has a unique relationship to a ordable housing.”

Housing stability is statistically connected to other social indicators such as child development, better health and increased economic opportunities. Panelists and attendees spoke to the larger idea that a ordable housing is essential to fostering thriving communities.

“We have an a ordable housing de cit in Forsyth County that will require a multi-faceted strategy to resolve,” event attendee Allyson Gold said.

Despite these obstacles, it is imperative to increase the accessibility of a ordable housing in Forsyth County so that households of all income backgrounds can thrive in the community.

“If we want to be an economically vibrant city, we have to ensure that we are providing housing across the economic income spectrum,” Kurtz said.

Contact Alexandra Meier at meieam22@wfu.edu

Photo courtesy of Forsyth Futures

FEATURES

Wake ‘n’ Shake executive board expresses gratitude

The dance marathon gears up for its 18th annual fundraiser

ANITA DONGIEUX Staff Writer

Since its inception in 2006, Wake ‘n’ Shake has taken over Wake Forest’s campus by storm. e 12-hour, standing-only dance marathon that raises money for the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund is Wake Forest’s largest philanthropy event on campus. Wake ‘n’ Shake has been established as the largest entirely student-run event on Wake Forest’s campus, raising over $3 million.

e end of the night proves to be an emotional and re ective time for all participants: those from all corners of campus come together to remember those they have lost and who they came to dance for at the beginning of the day.

“It is a symbol of resilience and shared commitment,” Student Director Jamie Wander said. “ is funding has been instrumental in propelling groundbreaking initiatives, including the development of a new therapeutic drug to increase survival of pancreatic cancer patients and the purchase of nanoparticle generation and detection equipment.”

Wander is in her second year serving as a student director. Now a senior, Wander began her involvement in Wake ‘n’ Shake as a freshmen committee member. Her sophomore year, Wander served as an executive board member and then began her role as senior director her junior year at Wake Forest.

“I’m honored to serve my second year as student director … it has easily become one of the most meaningful experiences I have had during my time at Wake Forest,” Wander said. “I’ve had several family members and close friends battle cancer, so this cause is very meaningful to me.”

e hard work that Wake ‘n’ Shake’s executive board puts in to hold the annual event has a direct impact on the Winston-Salem community. e funds raised by students help to save the lives of patients and support families at the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Not only does Wake ‘n’ Shake’s funding go toward therapeutic drug initiatives and improved medical equipment, it also supports the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hispanic Patient Navigator position, which en-

hances Hispanic patients’ access to care, increases clinical trial participation and bene ts racial health equity.

Junior Katie Romhilt described Wake ‘n’ Shake as “an opportunity for the entire community to come together for a better cause.”

Romhilt rst got involved in Wake ‘n’ Shake as a freshmen on the morale committee. On the morale team, Romhilt helped participants stay engaged and excited during the long event — planning dances, creating fun activities and boosting the spirits of all students involved.

“Being on the morale committee, I was so moved by the collective and inspiring space that it drove me to increase my involvement in the event,” Romhilt said.

Romhilt has been on the tech executive committee for the past two years, in which she is in charge of producing

content for and leading up to the event.

“It is really cool to document an event that feels so important for the community,” she said.

Junior Dean Moro began his Wake ‘n’ Shake journey last year on the local outreach committee. Moro’s work on the local outreach team was to reach out to sponsors in and around Winston-Salem in order to set up various sponsorship events, receive donations and help expand ongoing fundraising campaigns prior to the event.

After being a part of this committee, Moro decided he wanted to get more involved, as he had also been a dedicated participant for years. is year, Moro is on the corporate sponsorship executive committee. Moro’s role is to engage with corporations and companies that are a liated with Wake Forest to solicit donations for the event. By networking with businesses in the area, Wake ‘n’ Shake is able to increase their donations outside of participant funding.

Moro stated that Wake ‘n’ Shake’s inclusivity is what makes the event so special.

“Everyone can play a role together. It is one of the few events on Wake’s campus where it doesn’t matter who you are,” he said.

Lily Matthews, a senior on the Wake ‘n’ Shake executive board, discussed how her role in the event has been the most rewarding experience of her life.

“Wake ‘n’ Shake is vital to our community and teaches us college kids a vital lesson: one person can generate monumental change,” Matthews said.

Matthews also noted the domino-like e ect that Wake ‘n’ Shake participation generates on campus.

“One person could get their friend to sign up for Wake ‘n’ Shake, who then gets donations, who then gets inspired by the cause and raves about the experience,” Matthews said.

Anyone can participate in Wake ‘n’ Shake, no matter one’s campus a liation, grade level, major or experience. Because of this, Wake ‘n’ Shake is a testament to the power of community and the collective determination to create a world free from the impact of cancer. is year, Wake ‘n’ Shake will take place on March 23.

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Members of the Wake ‘n’ Shake executive board smile with the Demon Deacon at last year’s dance marathon, which took place on March 25, 2023.

Katie Romhilt/Old Gold & Black

Seniors Emily Oh, Jamie Wander and Owen Ghaphery (from left to right) pose for a photo together. They are this year’s student directors for the annual Wake ‘n’ Shake event.

The funding from the National Science Foundation will be used to study unethical decision-making in supply networks

HOPE ZHU Staff Writer

California, Ohio and North Carolina may be far apart, but faculty members from the states’ higher education institutions are teaming up for an engaging research initiative that brings together scholars from diverse disciplines.

Stacie Petter, the area chair and professor of management information systems at the Wake Forest School of Business, and her research team secured close to $1 million in funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in September 2023. Their project focuses on exploring unethical decision-making in supply networks and bridging gaps between academic fields.

“Dr. Petter is an outstanding researcher and teacher who works on societal problems and technology solutions,” Jeffrey Camm, senior associate dean of business analytics at the Wake Forest School of Business, said. “Her area of research is well aligned with our program supporting collaboration.”

How the project came about

Since joining Wake Forest in 2022, Petter, who has a PhD in computer information systems from Georgia State University, has centered her research on the beneficial and harmful impacts of technology. Petter spearheaded a project targeting illicit activities within supply networks, addressing sex trafficking in the massage industry by teaming up with Gisela Bichler of California State University, San Bernardino and Felipe Aros-Vera of Ohio University.

Traffickers around the world are quick to exploit every new technology that comes their way. They use violence, fake job offers and fraudulent education opportunities to deceive and exploit their victims. At every step of their illegal activities, traffickers rely on web technology. Today, around 50 million people worldwide fall victim to modern slavery.

“We study information technology to understand how people, groups, organizations and society use and manage technology, and what are the impacts, positive or negative, associated with it,” Petter said. “One of the things that we’re trying to better understand is why people make illicit or bad decisions — decisions that lead them down a criminal or an unethical path.”

The idea of integrating information systems to combat human trafficking emerged from Petter's collaboration with Laurie Giddens, an assistant professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. These two women were united in their mission to harness their information systems expertise to address this global challenge.

Building a larger team

In 2020, Petter and Giddens secured a $250,000 grant from the NSF, assembling an interdisciplinary team of academics, law enforcement experts, district attorneys and non-profit professionals. Collaborating across engineering, business and social science fields, they leveraged their diverse backgrounds in supply networks, network analysis, human trafficking and information technology to devise strategies for combating illegal supply chains.

As Petter embarked on this project with Giddens, she came to recognize the limitations of her understanding. While she possessed a firm grasp of the intricacies of technology within a business setting, she lacked knowledge in areas like crime.

“We have a limited perspective of the world, so we wanted to put together this larger team with the first NSF grant,” Petter said. “We tried to find people who have the knowledge that we don't have.”

For example, while collaborating with Bichler, a criminology professor, Petter learned how massage parlors may resort to illegal services for a competitive edge. Aros-Vera, an industrial engineering faculty member specializing in logistics, provided expertise on supply networks including customers, suppliers and logistical operations.

Petter, on the other hand, brought her knowledge of the commercial and business dimensions of human trafficking to the table.

“Our research may be able to inform organizations on how to review financial records, which are electronic, and use technology to try to see if other transactions are happening at unusual times of day,” Petter said. “We hope to provide insight on indicators that suggest that maybe something illegal is happening here and find ways to intervene.”

Petter also knows how competition can drive businesses to prioritize profits or seek advantages, even in morally gray areas.

“It was really about trying to get the right mix of people and thinking through the problem that we all offer something unique to,” she said. “From my perspective, I understand the business side of it.”

The project so far

With the current funding of $1 million, Petter and her team shifted focus to spotting online signs of illicit activity, using models and simulations to understand decision-making in the underground massage industry — specifically among providers, buyers and

suppliers. They plan to adapt these models to study similar dynamics in sectors with potential illicit supply networks, like agriculture and pharmaceuticals.

Using “agent-based modeling,” which operates like a virtual game with predefined rules for interacting agents, researchers simulate the spread of illicit activities in the supply chain and identify potential system vulnerabilities.

“We're going to use theory and insights from literature and [interviewees] who have knowledge about those who engage in illegal activity,” Petter said. “We know from criminal justice research the percentage or the nature and why people make these decisions, so we're going to start with using existing theory and understanding and then try to figure out how people get to these bad decisions.”

Petter eagerly anticipates the project's next phase, scheduled for the spring and fall of 2026 semesters, in which students from Wake Forest University, Ohio University, and California State University, San Bernardino will join to extend and apply models in diverse sectors.

“We want to further integrate similar research funding from the project, like [what] Dr. Petter did, into our current plan or experiential learning opportunity, so that faculty can bring their research back into the classroom,” Camm said.

With options in agriculture, pharmaceuticals or consumer products, students will explore industry nuances and model implementation.

“We're going to do a joint class across all three universities for two different semesters,” Petter said. “One semester is likely going to be about understanding the nature of the industry and how the model would apply. Then in the second semester, a group of students will try to apply the model and see what we can learn and if there are things that are similar or different across industries.”

The project's success metric is to identify interventions and employ laws, policies, regulations and business practices to curb illicit decisions. Petter's team — collaborating with an advisory board of law enforcement, industry experts and academics — will ensure that the suggested interventions, promoting legal and compliant behavior, are not merely theoretical but culminate in a clear and implementable outcome.

“Ultimately, our project embodies the concept of radical collaboration, demonstrating how different universities and disciplines can work together creatively to tackle complex societal issues,” Petter said.

Contact Hope Zhu at zhuq21@wfu.edu

Stacie Petter, professor of management information systems at the Wake Forest School of Business, poses next to her com-

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Making sustainability sustainable for businesses

How North Carolina is becoming one of the most promising homes for green investment

NICK LAMBRINOS Contributing Writer

In November 2021, Toyota announced the creation of a lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in Liberty, NC to expand its supply of electrified and hybrid vehicles. The investment will total $13.9 billion and will house jobs for 5,100 employees. The site’s battery production is set to run entirely on renewable energy by its opening in 2025.

Similarly, in March 2022, VinFast Automotive selected Chatham County, NC as the location for its debut North American assembly and battery plant. The $4 billion investment is scheduled to create the most jobs in North Carolina’s history for an economic development project with 7,500.

When commenting on the new facility, NC Governor Roy Cooper said that the state “is quickly becoming the center of our country’s emerging clean energy economy,” and it shows. Electric vehicle (EV) builders have abundantly found a home in North Carolina since the start of the 2020s.

Between March 2021 and October 2023, several manufacturers — Arrival Automotive, Boom Supersonic, Wolfspeed Inc. and Forza XI — an nounced plans to construct facilities in Charlotte, Greensboro, Siler City and Marion. These companies pro duce various transportation alternatives includ ing electric vans and buses, sustainablyfueled airliners, electric boats and EV batteryenhancing technology.

Along with EVs, Cooper postulates that North Carolina has been proactive in promoting itself as a primary tax-friendly domain for all green busi nesses — a partnership that is returning signifi cant economic stimulation for the state in tax rev enue, community development and job creation.

“The Inflation Reduction Act has helped the climate business in Southeastern states,” Meiburg said. “Businesses like to face fewer regulations, and historically there have been fewer barriers to industrial activity in North Carolina than in some other states.”

What North Carolina has to offer

While North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality has set its goals to reduce electric power sector greenhouse gas emissions by 70% below 2005 levels by 2030 and attain carbon neutrality by 2050, much of the investment attraction is in the state’s commitment to cost savers. North Carolina has instituted rebates and low interest loans on energy-efficient projects and equipment, renewable energy certificates (RECs) and property tax discounts on solar energy electric systems. For example, $130 million of Boom Supersonic’s new $500 million facility is supported by government incentives.

There is no shortage of geographic potential either. According to the Economic Development Partnership of North

The “intangible” factors

Meiburg also suggests that there are several additional components to environmental initiatives that factor into location choices.

“Many states offer similar incentives packages, and ultimate investment decisions can depend on the state’s business climate and other intangible factors, such as the quality of an area’s environment,” Meiburg noted. “Traditional factors such as workforce availability, education systems, land and housing costs, utility costs and transportation infrastructure [are also relevant considerations].”

In addition to its wave of green investments, North Carolina has been named CNBC’s No. 1 state for business for the last two years. Workforce, the ranking’s heaviest-weighted metric — which North Carolina sits at No. 1 in — is evaluated by the availability of skilled workers, specifically regarding STEM personnel, workers with college degrees and industry-recognized certificates, right-to-work laws and worker productivity based on economic output per job.

Legislation brings business

What is constituting such a flock? Legislation is certainly in the equation. In the context of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and its creation of the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program, sustainable hard asset investment has been thriving. Through the EIR, $5 billion in loans through Sep. 30, 2026, with a total cap of up to $250 billion, have been appropriated for “projects that retool, repower, repurpose or replace energy infrastructure.”

Additionally, the IRA established a clean energy financing program worth $40 billion for projects that qualify for the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which “calls for the development of grants, demonstration and testing initiatives and tax incentives that promote alternative fuels and advanced vehicles production and use.” The funding is aided by $3.6 billion in credit subsidies to support capitalizing costs.

Dr. Stan Meiburg, the executive director of Wake Forest’s Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability believes that the IRA and state-specific legislation has made certain states, including North Carolina, more friendly to climate business.

for electricity production from nu clear power and No. 4 out of all states for installed solar capacity — holding over 8,500 megawatts in service. Although the state’s power grid controller Duke Energy — which operates a state-enforced monopoly regulated by the North Carolina Utilities Commission — has positioned itself against many independent power projects and favored a more gradual energy transition, it does have an updated Carbon Plan in which the company commits to phasing out coal by 2035. This better aligns with North Carolina’s clean energy laws under least-cost and reliability mandates.

Will Eley, green jobs program manager at the Piedmont Environmental Alliance, discussed the pressure that citizens have placed on Duke Energy to transition away from fossil fuels.

“The environmental community is always pushing Duke [Energy] to strengthen their commitments to a rapid, just transition to clean energy,” Eley stated. “Despite recent impediments, progress is still happening. We are excited about [Duke Energy’s] forthcoming ‘tariffed on-bill’ efficiency program and their PowerPair solar+battery rebates,” which are designed to upgrade energy effectiveness and benefit installers of solar/battery systems in the minimization of additional power plants, respectively.

Increasingly, North Carolinian employers are receiving funding to enhance training programs for the clean energy workforce. The U.S. Department of Commerce issued two Good Jobs Challenge grants of $23.7 million to North Carolina A&T State University and $11 million to Hampton Roads Workforce in August 2022. The Halifax Lighthouse Solar Camp, training high school students to work in solar and wind energy jobs began in May 2021. All of these subsidies contribute to North Carolina’s initiative to expand its specialized capabilities with green projects.

Beyond the workplace, investors and employees alike are appreciating North Carolina’s standard of living. According to the Council for Community & Economic Research (C2ER), North Carolina’s cost of living index — compiling housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care and miscellaneous goods and services — stands at 96.1, which is 3.9% below the national average.

Concerning schooling, U.S. News & World Report ranked North Carolina No. 3 out of all Southeastern states in its general education index, and No. 9 overall out of the 50 states in higher education. Only Florida is ranked higher from the region in the latter.

People want to and are moving to North Carolina with their businesses, and having the third highest net domestic migration out of the 50 states between 2020-2023 shows it. The Tar Heel State has transcended its age of tobacco and textiles and, if it continues to act diligently in accordance with the seemingly immutable trend towards all things green-powered — a payoff could be near and major.

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Unraveling the threads of greenwashing

How fast-fashion companies misrepresent their products to claim sustainability

ANNA BEIM Staff Writer

Even amidst the climate crisis, consumerism is at an all-time high. Fast fashion companies have given rise to mass-produced, inhumanely produced, cheap clothing –– harming the environment and the laborers who make the clothes. However, new social pressure begins to hold fashion companies responsible for environmental degradation, while rewarding those who take the lead in sustainable business practices.

Making a business model sustainable may seem like it would only increase supply costs for companies, but recent data from studies such as the Business of Sustainability Index suggest otherwise: sustainability sells. 68% of consumers in the study said they are willing to spend more money on sustainable products, a number that has been steadily increasing each year.

Kendall Hermanson, a junior at Wake Forest and a member of the Wayward sustainable fashion club, said that purchasing sustainable clothing is a top priority for her.

“When [buying new clothes], I buy them from a sustainable company that I know is actively working to reduce their carbon footprint and waste impact on the planet (brands like Reformation, Patagonia, etc.),” Hermanson said. “It is very important to me that my clothes are sustainable because the fashion industry is responsible for a signi cant portion of human-caused greenhouse emissions and global wastewater.”

While consumer consciousness of sustainability is growing, she noticed that many people continue to purchase from unsustainable fashion companies. According to Hermanson, the social pressure for eco-conscious production in the fashion industry must continue to improve.

“[Wake Forest] students frequently buy clothes for social events…and I have found most of these clothes are from horribly wasteful companies like Zara, Shein or Amazon,” Hermanson said. “In general, I believe that we need to put more accountability on companies to produce sustainable clothing, so that consumers will buy sustainable products without having to think about it.”

While the rise of sustainable business behaviors in response to social pressure is celebrated, a shadow looms over this progress for environmentalism — cast by a phenomenon known as greenwashing.

Greenwashing refers to a marketing strategy that uses false or misleading claims to convince consumers that the company is more sustainable or environmentally friendly than it is. With greenwashing, companies attempt to reap the bene ts of sustainable marketing without spending money or effort on valid eco-friendly production.

As greenwashing seeps into the marketing strategies of several companies, fashion has become the main perpetrator of this prevalent issue.

To cut down on greenwashing in marketing, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) developed a Green Claims Code in 2021 that outlines requirements for sustainable claims. However, a study conducted by the Changing Markets Foundation revealed that almost 60% of fashion sustainability claims breached the CMA guidelines.

One major brand repeatedly put under scrutiny for greenwashing is H&M. Although H&M notably contributes to fast fashion with its rapid production of short-lived clothing, the company has made numerous attempts to market its clothes as sustainable. A class-action lawsuit was led against H&M in 2022, alleging various instances of greenwashing in H&M’s sustainability campaign called the “Conscious Collection” line.

First released in 2010, the collection touts products made with “at least 50% of more sustainable materials,” such as organic cotton and recycled polyester. However, the investigation by Changing Markets found that clothing in the Conscious Collection contained a higher percentage of synthetic bers than its main collection. While most of these synthetic bers have been recycled, they have little positive e ect on the environment, as their short-lived use ends with the product in a land ll or incinerator.

A shocking 96% of H&M’s sustainability claims violated the CMA guidelines. e vague wording often used, such as “sustainable materials” aids in the proverbial wool H&M attempts to pull over the eyes of consumers –– there is no third-party veri cation of any use of organic or recycled materials.

Countless companies like H&M utilize these forms of greenwashing to increase sales. e widespread nature of this phenomenon poses a great risk for the future of environmentalism while breaking a necessary trust between consumers and businesses. Luckily, there are several ways consumers can avoid getting swindled by blanket statements of sustainability.

Dr. Angela King is an associate teaching professor at Wake Forest.

King instructs a sustainable fashion course called Little Green Dress.

“ ere are many di erent layers [to consider],” King said. “ e rst, most basic layer is the production of the materials that are used to produce the clothing. Does that production use a ton of water or fossil fuels?”

As King suggested, sustainable fashion e orts at the ber production level focus on reducing water use, fossil fuels, carbon emissions and energy consumption. Beyond this, companies must consider the use and runo of chemicals in the process, since fer-

ti lizers, pesticides and toxic dyes are often administered for plant-based materials.

“ e chemicals [in fertilizers and pesticides] don’t just disappear. If they are sprayed on a eld, where do they end up? Where does the runo go?” King asked.

However, sustainable fashion extends beyond the production of materials and bers. King discussed the importance of considering the global transportation process that the textile industry encompasses and its carbon footprint, as well as the energy and emissions associated with several steps in fashion production.

“While it’s very sustainable to grow [hemp or bamboo], the processes used to convert it into textiles are not sustainable,” King said. “So it can be marketed as, ‘ is is great for the environment; it uses so much less water’ — and that may be true — but you have to look at the whole picture.”

Even if a company markets certain elements of a product as more sustainable, this strategy can deceptively conceal other unsustainable elements of the production process that negate its eco-friendly claims.

Based in Winston-Salem, the HanesBrands clothing company provides a good example of what proper claims of sustainable action look like. For 14 years in a row, HanesBrands has been awarded the EPA’s Energy Star Partner of the Year for e ective energy management. It was also one of two fashion companies awarded an A- by the Carbon Disclosure Project for its action and transparency of carbon emissions and water usage — the highest grade given to a company.

HanesBrand has provided detailed sustainability claims supported by third parties and transparent disclosure reports. e company has a website dedicated to the transparency of its environmental impact and sustainability e orts, linking information and data disclosures of waste, energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption.

After understanding the principles of sustainable fashion production, consumers should learn to tell the di erence between vague sustainability-related terms with little to no evidence provided and transparent disclosures of environmental impact or sustainability accomplishments.

Greenwashing in the fashion industry highlights the importance of genuine sustainability e orts and trust between businesses and consumers. By supporting transparent and eco-conscious brands, we can drive positive change and work towards a more sustainable fashion future.

Addison Schmidt contributed reporting to this article.

a chance to visit Happy Hour and Major Tomms –– this week I have an exciting new thrift store ready for you all.

e next vintage shop on my list is Finders Keepers, located in a charming booth inside the vintage and handmade emporium, Design Archives. e owner, Riley Phillips, has curated a to-die-for selection of unique, quirky and charming pieces. is past weekend, I stopped by her pop-up booth at Winston-Salem’s Vintage Show, which has been held annually in March at Wise Man Brewing. e clothing is the perfect blend of coquette and Y2K, showcasing trendy, distinct styles and patterns. From gorgeous corsets to slip dresses to handbags, there was a plethora of items to t almost any vintage shopper. I picked up a darling ‘90s-inspired top covered with groovy grandma-esque patterns.

Before I go, I’ll leave you with my personal second hand shopping tips! Even though through thrifting we are minimizing our carbon footprint, it’s important to remember that overconsumption, even when buying secondhand, is extremely harmful.

When thrifting, take your time to really consider what speaks to your individuality. Can you see yourself wearing it in ve years? Are you only interested in buying it only because of what’s trending? Sometimes it’s worth it to walk away from an item, think about it and then come back –– just to make sure it wasn’t an impulse purchase.

inking deeply about your purchases, second-hand or not, helps put more thought into what you consume. Asking yourself questions about your shopping habits can ensure you pick out quality, timeless and cute pieces — and cut down on your personal waste. Not only does this help prevent overconsumption, but it helps you build an authentic collection of goods that you’re proud of. Plus, you can feel assured knowing that you did so sustainably!

at’s all the inside scoop I have for now! I’ll see you all next time on Secondhand Stories!

e views expressed in all opinion columns represent those of the article’s author, not the opinions of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board

Biased AI is dangerous AI

Progressive values threaten the promise that AI once displayed

JACOB GRAFF Senior Columnist

When OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022, the public found a groundbreaking egalitarian information system at their ngertips. e promise of this new technology seemed in nite. Less than two years later, the idealistic optimism that once guided society’s openness to AI has since faded — and for good reason.

Arti cial Intelligence (AI), especially large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, are guided primarily by two key factors: the data that scientists have fed to the algorithm and the parameters by which hand-picked reviewers determine how the model uses that data.

e potential for political values to in uence AI is therefore inherent in its design. But few would have been cynical enough during its earliest stages to predict just how politicized AI has become.

Instead of becoming the next great technological innovation, AI has become the next great iteration in our all-consuming culture war.

Science points to systemic biases

ere is mounting evidence that AI models are structurally incapable of political neutrality.

In a peer-reviewed study, researchers found that various LLMs exhibited explicit bias towards certain political positions.

ChatGPT is especially notable for its left-wing biases, with GPT-4 possessing a “signi cant and systemic political bias” towards liberal political and cultural values, according to researchers at the University of East Anglia.

Systemic biases are only possible if the algorithm is “infused with assumptions, beliefs and stereotypes found in the reams of data” and the organizing instructions of its human overlords.

Perhaps surprisingly, it is human involvement in AI, not the training data, that poses the greatest risks to systemic neutrality.

Jeremy Baum and Jonah Villasenor of the Brookings Institution make the critical point that modern AIs are built by reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF), which opens them up to human in uence.

“RLHF is a process that uses feedback from human testers to help align LLM outputs with human values. Of course, there is a lot of human variation in how ‘values’ are interpreted,” Baum and VIllasenor said. “ e RLHF process will shape the model using the views of the people providing feedback, who will inevitably have their own biases.”

OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, the world’s foremost leader in AI development, has stated with 100% certainty that the employees of a company have the ability to create biases in AI. And with most AI development occurring in the progressive bastion of San Francisco, ethicists have openly expressed worry that AI will reect the left-wing groupthink within the city.

ere is no escaping the reality that the development of AI has re ected progressive orthodoxies in programming and reinforcement. What has occurred as a result is therefore wholly unsurprising.

What “woke” AI looks like

Despite AI’s cultural biases being known, the situation has not yet been remedied. In fact, recent events have demonstrated that companies have refused to alter their AI to the extent necessary to remedy its short-

comings. e signi cant fanfare that accompanied the launch of Google’s Gemini LLM very quickly dulled to a hushed murmur as its failures, and Google’s biases, rose to the fore.

After it became clear that Gemini had a (well-intentioned) goal of generating diverse images, rightwing accounts on X exposed the folly behind many of Google’s AI priorities by procuring an embarrassing series of historically-inaccurate images.

“We should collectively recognize that AI must not become the gatekeeper of our academic conciousness. At present, its aws are too evident to let it become society’s guiding light.”

When prompted to visualize the Founding Fathers, a group of older white men, it generated images of Latino and Black men. It doesn’t stop there; depicting Vikings as predominantly African-American is ahistorical, and there have never been any female, Indian popes. Yet Google persists in its all-consuming quest for diversity to rede ne, or rather recolor, history.

is problem is not limited to the edges of the culture war, however. ere are actual problems that arise when diversity is prioritized over historicity. When asked to depict the Nazis, Gemini generated a group of racially-diverse Nazi soldiers. Clearly, in Gemini’s retelling, Hitler embraced diverse and inclusive hiring practices.

It is true white people are overrepresented in the art and images that AI was fed on, and that Gemini needed to ensure that its AI did not replicate a bias towards white individuals. But what occurred was a vast overcorrection and the creation of an equal and opposite bias. If you aren’t willing to draw a group of all white men, you shouldn’t be willing to draw a group of all-Black women.

With that being said, AI visualization is highly specific. It does not account for the numerous other formats that AI’s bias continues to be expressed within.

What “woke” AI reads like

Megan McArdle, a columnist at the Washington Post, recently wrote that she was intending to write a column about how “woke visualization” was a relatively minor problem, all things considered.

at plan changed when visualization capabilities were temporarily turned o , and text responses were its replacement. e subsequent output changed her outlook entirely.

She wrote, “As [textual] absurdities piled up, things began to look a lot worse for Google — and society. Gemini appears to have been programmed to avoid offending the leftmost 5% of the U.S. political distribution, at the price of o ending the rightmost 50%.”

Like others, she stress-tested AI, and AI failed. Its boundaries were somehow arbitrary, but not arbitrary enough. For example, it would write toasts praising Joe Biden but not Donald Trump. It did the same for the controversial Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) but not Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA), who refused to bow to Trump’s

quest to overturn the election. Gemini praised rightleaning New York Times columnist David Brook, a noted Trump critic, but not the more conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat, who’s more sympathetic to a Trump presidency.

ese examples beseech us to question not only how AI makes decisions, but to question the decisions it makes. Unfortunately, it is all too obvious that, for the vast majority of users, they will be either too young or too naive to question what AI presents to them as mainstream fact.

e danger, of course, is that AI will present only one side of any debate unless speci cally asked otherwise. e algorithm consistently takes left-leaning positions on political, cultural and social issues. But AI was never designed to inculcate its chosen values in the minds of its users. However, in reality, it does just that.

AI should not be “for” a rmative action. It should not be “for” equity or “for” BLM. But critically, it should not be “against” these issues either. Opinions on these topics cleave via the grain of our political ideologies — the public health of our society demands that we represent these debates as the debates they are or have become rather than how we wish them to be.

Until that time comes, we should collectively recognize that AI must not become the gatekeeper of our academic consciousness. At present, its aws are too evident to let it become society’s guiding light.

ere is hope for the future

e poor state of the present does not negate the possibilities of the future. While the industry has largely abandoned the open-access ethos that OpenAI (hence the name) once envisioned, AI as a product can be resurrected if the necessary steps are taken.

Google has already started improving Gemini’s visualization systems. But doing so behind closed doors does not address the fundamental question of transparency. Companies must abandon the secrecy that clouds AI development in light of these recent scandals.

Without knowing “what happens between the prompt and what we collect as data,” said Fabio Motoki, one of the paper’s authors, there is little optimism that the necessary changes will occur. Google and OpenAI, among others, squandered the goodwill they previously had cultivated by launching explicitly biased systems.

Moreover, companies can try to lter out all biased content in their data sets, but it is an impossible task.

Instead, AI developers should practice what they preach. If companies want AI’s outputs to be diverse, then its inputs must be diverse, which can be achieved by extending the de nition of diversity to viewpoints as well as race and gender. Because if those groups are lacking in representation in the AI industry, then surely so is the proportion of non-progressives, as Altman himself alluded to.

Moreover, woke AI su ers from the same characteristics as bad writers do — they editorialize. When AIs pass judgment on the question itself, they risk getting caught up in an all-encompassing game of cultural hegemony.

Return AI to its original function, and we will see AI resume the perch it was perhaps always destined to take on top of the modern world.

Refuse, and the world will recognize that we have ceded control of knowledge itself to amorphous systems that do not have our best interests at heart. OLD

Wake Forest’s South Asian community feels divided

South Asian or South Asian-American identities on campus should be familiarized with each other

AMEERA MOINUDDIN Staff Columnist

Inclusion, or to include, is an action by which all people irrespective of race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexuality and so on, are made to feel part of a group. To include this, you must remove all barriers to equal opportunities and treatment. However, the idea of inclusion stems from the acknowledgment of this plethora of di erent identities.

So what happens when the barriers to inclusion happen to fall within one of these identity groups?

ere is no shortage of social media posts plastered with slogans like “embrace your uniqueness” or the occasional “don’t try to t in when you were made to stand out.” As pleasant as it is to think of these performative messages as being transformed into our reality by one simple repost, this positivity surrounding inclusion seems to be restricted to the white grids of Pinterest or a poster stuck around campus.

I have seen many similar, cliched messages either reposted on my peers’ Instagram stories , or stuck to the walls of their dorm rooms. However, in my opinion, there is a lack of actively carrying out what these frivolous messages preach: to embrace one’s own unique identity.

Speci cally, I would highlight the South Asian community at Wake Forest to be somewhat out of touch with their Brown identities, which only deepens an already existing divide between American-Desi and Desi International students.

Casual racism

For a long time, South Asians have been the easiest target for casual racism, with many of us being “othered” from early childhood.

I use “casual” and “easy” in the same sentence as racism because quite honestly that is how prevalent this phenomenon is. Making fun of an Indian accent may have been done by one of your friends, or maybe you have found yourself shaking your head in what is known as the “Indian head wobble.” In fact, I am sure I have pulled out the Indian accent once or twice just for a laugh. But that’s where the situation gets awkward — why am I as a South Asian using the subtle racism card against my own kind just for a weak laugh from some friends?

e whole idea of South Asian racism has found its catalyst in the self-hatred many South Asians had developed from an early age. A prime example would be Net ix’s “Never Have I Ever.” Whilst the main character Devi was the representation many South Asian-American girls had been waiting for, was the representation we were asking for a character rooted in self-hatred?

It’s no secret that creator Mindy Kaling adores putting forward self-hating brown characters wanting to dispel every

trace of their South Asian identity in the disguise of a “Strong brown female lead,” but must we carry this narrative into real life?

If you’ve watched the series, you might recall the episode where Devi walks into a co ee shop wearing a traditional out t, and immediately a young, white girl asks her if she is “dressed as Princess Jasmine.” is treatment of South Asians, or really any POC, and their traditional garb being equated with “costumes” is what I feel fuels the need for some of us to distance ourselves from our culture as easily as if taking o a “costume.” In fact, this scene reminded me of something I witnessed last semester after a SASA (South Asian Student Association) event where a group of people I had just watched dance Garba, walk into ZSR in full cultural attire but walk out in Western clothing.

From what I deduced, in order to avoid any looks or comments, they had swiftly changed into what might be considered ‘normal clothes’ just to walk back to their dorms.

ough I do doubt the men would have been mistaken for Princess Jasmine any time soon.

Being South Asian had never been “appealing” to the West until its subtle gentri cation made it more easily digestible.

e West scrunched noses at our food until one day we woke up to the news that “chicken tikka masala” and “mango lassi” were now cool. Our clothes were too glittery, too costumelike, too gaudy until Coachella decided lehengas and bindis were the new “boho aesthetic.” Whenever I hear white people tell me they love Desi food, I hold my breath until they nish their sentences with “I love butter chicken!” each time. is is not to say I have something personal against butter chicken, but just a plea for people to expand their de nition of our cuisine, our culture.

Wake Forest, despite it undoubtedly being a white school, has strong populations of Black, Latin American and Chinese students. Yet within our South Asian population, I have felt the divide.

e South Asian experience at Wake Forest

Unlike the other communities, in which a secure and collective identity is inherently visible, I see the South Asian community at Wake Forest as partitioned into two parts: South Asian-American and South Asian full stop. is divide is a blatant communication barrier between those who are international students and those who identify themselves as Indian American or Pakistani American and so on. is divide isn’t unnoticed by members of the community. Countless times I have seen a fellow international, South Asian student switch up their accent when talking to someone who wasn’t ‘brown brown,’ adding an American twang to it, or enunciating their vowels. Maybe we feel as if it will get us to be accepted into this circle of people who look like

us, but otherwise feel so di erent from us that they could be aliens.

You may be wondering what I mean when I say “brown brown.” When I meet people who look South Asian, the rst indicator that they’ve been raised in the West is that they draw o their South Asian knowledge from what seems like meme pages. ey hold perspectives on South Asia that are drawn from stereotypes and jokes made about that part of the world. On top of that, they usually haven’t spent much time there, making it apparent that their ideologies come from their parents’ experiences. at is what it is not.

To me, “brown brown” South Asians are students who don’t make unnecessary jokes about their culture to make the other person feel comfortable. However, I do understand that this is more di cult to achieve when having grown up in the West.

I acknowledge that when the only connection to your South Asian culture you may have is a character like Devi from “Never Have I Ever,” who is presented as self-hating with a distorted connection to her own culture, it may be hard to nd a role model for a South-Asian Americans that embraces their heritage..

Which leads me to question: have we, as South Asian students at Wake Forest created a space for ourselves here or are we just trying very hard to squeeze ourselves into the spaces that are left vacant?

Recently, Wake Forest students had the opportunity to attend “Holiday Fest,” which felt to me as being a celebration of seemingly unrelated holidays. Do we not think we deserve to take up enough space to demand separate celebrations for Diwali, Holi, Eid, Ramadan and everything in between? Was Holiday Fest the only time we could appear to embrace our South Asian identities, and it be socially acceptable? Or if I walk out in a Pakistani out t on Eid, will I be looked at how Devi was looked at in that co ee shop?

As someone who has spent the entirety of my life in places where I was part of the majority, in the Middle East and Pakistan, it has been easy to accept and appreciate my South Asian identity — which is why I recognize it would be entirely di erent when growing up on this side of the world. I assume that years of American-Desi’s trying to separate personal identity from brownness have noticeably left a gap when interacting with people who are, well, brown brown. After years of trying to distance ourselves from our brownness in Western environments, we must learn, or go the extra mile, to undo these impacts of the idolization of whiteness.

Being South Asian or South Asian-American are identities that I am not trying to alienate from one another, but rather familiarize with each other. In the brown identity we share, I believe it is time we remember that our brownness does not come o with our lehengas or with the last bite of naan.

Contact Ameera Moinuddin at moina23@wfu.edu

Isabella Parolini/Old Gold & Black

On Nov. 4, multiple student-run organizations at Wake Forest hosted Holiday Fest, an event intended to celebrate South Asian festivals. The event featured South Asian cuisine, dance performances and was open to all Wake Forest students.

‘Flopowski’ ruins court storming

On Feb. 24, Duke player Kyle Filipowski and a Wake Forest fan collided, causing a country-wide debate

MATTIE STILLERMAN Staff Columnist

With less than two seconds left in the game, Wake Forest fans young and old could feel the exhilaration of impending victory. e Demon Deacons were about to take down the then-No. 8 Duke Blue Devils in an epic second-half comeback for their 15th home win.

e Joel (Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum) was vibrating as students prepared to storm the court to celebrate one of the greatest upsets in Wake Forest basketball history. is is what college basketball is all about. at day would be remembered as the day the mighty underdogs took down a nationally ranked team. Media headlines would praise the players and the thrilling energy of the home win.

At least that’s what I thought.

e coliseum collision

You cannot search for Wake Forest basketball on Google without seeing the endless headlines about the Filipowski incident. With 1.8 seconds left on the clock and a two-possession game, it was clear that the game was over even before the buzzer sounded. It was no surprise that students were going to rush to the court.

Four Duke players — Tyrese Proctor, Jeremy Roach, Jared McCain and Mark Mitchell — cleared the court quickly as fans ran toward Wake Forest’s power ve. However, there was one Duke player left standing on the court. Seven-foot center Kyle Filipowski lingered at midcourt as a wave of students rushed the court. As Filipowski slowly walked o the court, he collided with a Wake Forest fan, allegedly causing an injury to Filipowski’s knee.

But who was at fault? Was it the excited Demon Deacon fan or the seven-foot Blue Devil player?

I have seen multiple shots and angles of the incident at various speeds and still can’t decide who initiated contact. An overhead shot of the incident leads some fans to believe Filipowski stuck his leg out in front of the Wake Forest fans to intentionally trip them.

If Filipowski did try to trip the fan out of anger, I doubt he tried to cause any serious harm. Now, I can understand why Filipowski may be upset and embarrassed enough to trip a fan after losing to the unranked Demon Deacons. I wouldn’t like it either if Hunter Sallis dropped a whopping 29 points on my sorry team.

However, could Filipowski have taken a page out of former Duke player Grayson Allen’s dirty playbook? Allen played for the Blue Devils from 2014 to 2018 and had several documented incidents of tripping opposing team players.

After Filipowski collided with the storming Wake Forest fan, he was seen being carried o the court limping and wincing in pain.

Flopowski disguises bruised ego with knee injury.

Filiposwki did not hesitate to play the victim and tell the world that he su ered a knee injury in the violent court storm ing at LJVM. But Duke’s Head Coach Jon Scheyer said it was his ankle. I am pretty sure Filipowski would even have to think about which part of his leg he pretended to hurt. Here lies my biggest gripe against Duke and Filipowski — they milked the injury to overshadow an embarrassing loss to an unranked team.

In an interview with WFMY news, Filipowski addressed the events of Saturday’s game. He said, “I felt a bunch of hits on my body. is was one of the worst of them. Like I said, it’s really ridiculous how the situation was handled.”

Drama queen!

First of all, Filipowski was merely tapped on the back by one fan. To say that he su ered multiple blows all over his body is quite dramatic. Secondly, if he truly did su er a serious career-ending injury, he would not have played 30 minutes in the game against Louisville four days after the alleged injury. e Louisville game further demonstrated that the injury had no impact on his game — as his stats were above his average.

To hear Filipowski retell the incident, you would think he was Mufasa and the Wake Forest students were the wildebeest stampede in “ e Lion King.” e only thing that was hurt was Filipowski’s bruised ego after such a big loss. He couldn’t admit defeat without making the Wake Forest win about himself.

Hypocritical Blue Devils

In a post-game interview, Scheyer said that courtstorming needs to be banned as it puts players at risk.

“How many times does a player have to get into something where they get punched or they get pushed or they get taunted right in their face?” Scheyer asked.

Scheyer did emphasize that the incident should not take away from the Wake Forest win; however, he contributed to Filipowski’s sob story by insinuating the center was “punched” and “pushed.” Duke does not understand what it is like to be an underdog on their home basketball court. e fact that Duke has just now decided to show concern over court storming when a lower-ranked team has beaten them is hypocritical.

Duke was in Wake Forest’s position this past fall when they beat Clemson in a football upset at home. ere was no concern for the safety of the opposing team when Duke stormed the court after their great win.

Court storming needs to stay

To be fair, court storming does have its risks. While I don’t think Filipowski deserves to be the poster child for anti-court storming by any means, I do think the tradition needs to be made safer. ere is a risk when the barrier between the stands and the eld or court is broken. But how often do court stormings happen and how often are players injured?

e small chance that a player gets injured should not lead to the complete eradication of this event. Rules should be put in place to make sure the other team can clear the court. Of course, no one wants to see anyone get hurt, but court storming should not be banned.

e people calling for court storming to be banned are announcers, journalists and former players who haven’t rushed a court in decades. Court storming exempli es what college basketball is all about — the electric connection between the players and the fans.

While it is hard not to look at college players with millions of dollars in NIL deals as professionals, at the end of the day they are students. ey are our classmates and friends. When our team wins a game, alumni and current students feel as though we played and won the game ourselves. Again — the bond between the fans and the players is a part of what makes college basketball so unbelievably special.

As a student who attended the game against Duke, I can con dently say it will be one of my most memorable moments as a college student. Getting to storm the court was one of the best feelings in the world. I took pictures with my friends surrounded by players and the student body. I called my dad and uncle who are Wake Forest alumni, and we were all beaming with pride. Seeing the quad adorned in toilet paper still makes me smile thinking about it. ese are the memories people will tell their kids about years into the future.

While Scheyer and older basketball fans think it is time for court storming to end, I sure as hell don’t agree.

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

SPORTS

Sean Kennedy, kennsm21@wfu.edu

Andrew Braun, brauar23@wfu.edu

Second half struggles doom MBB

Wake Forest Men’s Basketball dealt with a familiar feeling Saturday night.

After coming into the game with a 3-10 record away from home, the Demon Deacons had a chance at what would be a high-quality win, facing the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, VA. at chance was squandered during the second half, as they were downed, 87-76.

It all looked good from the start for the Demon Deacons. e game opened with a hot shooting outside, with 3-pointers from the entire starting lineup: Hunter Sallis (11pts, 5reb), Andrew Carr (7pts, 3reb), Kevin “Boopie” Miller (21pts, 6ast), Efton Reid (13pts, 6-9 FG) and Cameron Hildreth (12pts, 4ast). All hit their rst shots of the night from downtown — and the same went for reserve players too, like Parker Friedrichsen, who made his rst two attempts from three.

Meanwhile, the Hokies executed half-court offenses e ectively to keep themselves at a manageable de cit. Designed plays for the likes of guards Hunter Cattoor (26pts, 5-10 3PT) and Sean Pedulla (15pts, 6ast) saw them take (and make) open shots from the perimeter, all while pounding the ball inside to center Lynn Kidd (21pts, 9reb).

e Demon Deacons, however, did not stop their barrage from deep. Friedrichsen and Miller hit even more shots from downtown to put them 9-10 from three and up as much as 15 points.

“ e game plan worked in the rst half,” Wake Forest Head Coach Steve Forbes said.

An 8-0 run from Cattoor and Pedulla shaved the de cit back down to seven points, but Miller hit a series of mid-range oaters and a pair of foul shots to put Wake Forest up nine heading into halftime.

After the break, the Demon Deacons continued to shoot from deep — but this time to no avail.

Missed threes from Miller, Carr and Hildreth allowed the Hokies to respond on the other end and

pull within four. An 8-0 run fueled by a pair of Cattoor 3-pointers pulled the Hokies back into the lead — with Wake Forest unable to respond on the o ensive end.

“Hunter Cattoor played outstanding,” Forbes said.

“He’s a really good player and killed us there in the second half.”

e Hokies continued to ride through Cattoor and Pedulla, with them combining to go 5-7 from threepoint land in the rst ten minutes of the second half. at led to an eight point Hokie lead, ring up the home crowd at Cassell Coliseum.

“We didn’t execute on either side of the ball in the second half,” said Forbes.

After a bucket by Padulla, he and Reid went chestto-chest, resulting in a technical foul called on the latter. Cattoor took and made both free throws to put the Hokies up double-digits. After timely shooting from Cattoor, a 6-2 run by the Hokies’ Kidd put them up by as much as 16 points.

“If we’re scoring the ball, we’re pretty good on both sides of the ball,” Forbes said. “When we don’t score the ball, then that carries over to defense and we don’t do well on the other end.”

Wake Forest didn’t give up, going on a 7-0 run of their own to bring the de cit down to nine points. Despite this, the Hokies closed the game out, with the nal score, 87-76.

Afterwards, Forbes spoke of what went wrong in the second half — a common theme behind a good amount of road appearances.

“Coming out of the locker room, I’ve tried a lot of things, and it’s just not working,” Forbes said. “I’ve never coached a team that has played like this in the second half, and ultimately that’s on me.”

e Demon Deacons return back to Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, March 9, to take on the Clemson Tigers. Tip-o is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network.

OLD GOLD & BLACK

Wake Forest's Parker Friedrichsen (20) drives to the rim against Virginia Tech's MJ Collins (2). Friedrichsen scored 12 points in the matchup, including four three-pointers from deep.

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

Cameron Hildreth (2) guards Virginia Tech's Hunter Cattoor. Cattoor became a huge factor in the Hokies' offensive attack, scoring a season-high 26 points.

All-around outing leads Baseball to 9-0 win

With 11 hits and zero errors, the Demon Deacons found that their bats were just as hot as their gloves

NATHAN FISHER Contributing Writer

Wake Forest Baseball (10-1) secured their seventh win in a row at the Couch against the Elon Phoenix (4-7), coming o of a close game against Binghamton on March 2. Wake Forest’s starting pitcher was 6-foot-5, right-handed Michael Massey (3-0, 0.71 ERA). e starter for Elon was the 6-foot-2, right-handed pitcher Nolan Straniero (0-1, 13.06 ERA).

Opening up the game, Elon’s leado

man Kenney Mallory Jr. stepped to the plate boasting a threatening 0.543 batting average — but was quickly made work of by Massey, who caught him looking to secure his rst of many strikeouts.

Wake Forest would open up the scoring in the bottom of the rst, when Seaver King launched a two-run shot to bring Nick Kurtz, who was walked, home.

By the bottom of the third inning, Massey had already put together four strikeouts, and the Demon Deacons would continue to build his run support after

Adam Tellier converted a long 3-2 at bat into a solo shot to left eld.

e fth inning was all that Wake Forest needed to build the momentum to win. Massey had struck out seven batters up to this point, and in the bottom of the inning, Wake Forest tacked on ve runs in ve hits —- including a three-run bomb to right eld by Kurtz, setting the fans in the Couch ablaze.

After an e ortless two more strikeouts by Massey, Head Coach Tom Walter pulled him from the mound. Massey walked to the dugout to thunderous applause, putting up a menacing nine strikeouts in just 5.2 innings.

“He’s de nitely trending in the right way,” Walter said in a post-game interview.

Save for a solo shot by Jake Reinisch, the rest of the game was quiet. Wake Forest would throw in three more pitchers: Zach Johnston, Will Gervase and Blake Morningstar, who let up a combined total of zero runs and secured seven strikeouts.

After the game, Walter sang praises for both Massey and the rest of the bullpen.

He said that Johnston’s change-up and slider have only gotten more deceptive, saying similar things about the quality of Gervase’s breaking balls.

“I know we got a little battle-tested yesterday for sure, which was good,” Walter said. “We needed that. But it was good to rest up and win today. Our next eight games are certainly going to be the hardest of the season.”

Wake Forest is set to play Big Four rival Duke at David F. Couch Ballpark this weekend. First pitch on Friday is set for 6 p.m. on ACCNX.

Will Zalatoris

Former Men’s Golf star has made a name for himself in big moments and on a big stage Keeping up with

AVIKAR KHAKH Staff Writer

In the golf universe, talent often emerges from unexpected corners, and Will Zalatoris stands as a prime example of this phenomenon. A former Demon Deacon standout, Zalatoris has quickly ascended to become one of the best golfers on the global stage. His journey from collegiate golf to the PGA Tour is a story of talent, dedication and perseverance — along with

an unwavering passion for the game.

Born in San Francisco, Calif., Zalatoris’ love for golf began at a young age, fueled by family members and a natural talent that quickly caught the attention of coaches and competitors. e prodigy honed his skills through junior tournaments before making a name for himself on the collegiate level.

During his time at Wake Forest, Zalatoris showcased exceptional skill and devotion to the sport. Whether it was re ning his swing,

perfecting his putting technique or enhancing his mental game, Zalatoris approached every aspect of his craft with unwavering focus and commitment. He became an essential player for the university’s golf team, consistently delivering impressive performances on the course. His collegiate career was highlighted by numerous honors, including being named the ACC Player of the Year in 2017 and earning All-American honors multiple times.

Upon graduating from Wake Forest in 2018, Zalatoris leaped to professional golf, setting his sights on the PGA Tour. e transition from collegiate to professional golf is notoriously challenging, but Zalatoris tackled it head-on, undeterred by the immense learning curve and intense competition.

Zalatoris’ breakthrough moment came in 2020 as he earned his Korn Ferry Tour card after a series of impressive performances. He quickly made his mark on the tour, securing multiple high nishes and garnering attention for his consistent play.

However, it was Zalatoris’ remarkable performance at the 2021 Masters Tournament that catapulted him into the global spotlight. Despite being relatively unknown to casual golf fans, Zalatoris delivered a stunning performance, nishing as the runner-up behind eventual champion Hideki Matsuyama. His poise and sheer talent on golf’s greatest stage left spectators and fellow competitors in awe.

Since his performance at the Masters, Zalatoris has shined on the PGA Tour, cementing his status as one of the game’s brightest young stars. His impressive play throughout his career has earned him widespread credit from fans, analysts and fellow players, with many predicting a bright future lled with championship victories and accolades. As he continues to engrave his name into golf history, his journey from being a Demon Deacon to a global sensation serves as evidence regarding the impact passion and determination can have on one’s career.

Katie Romhilt/Old Gold & Black

Katie Romhilt/Old Gold & Black Tate Ballestero (0) congratulates Jake Reinisch (31) at home plate. Reinisch launched a 406-foot bomb in the matchup.

Blake Morningstar (4) winds up during a relief

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Former Demon Deacon standout Will Zalatoris has impressed since turning professional, including a 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship title.

Photo courtesy of Brian C. Cox/Getty Images Zalatoris waves his cap to a packed Masters Tournament crowd.

The team rides trio of spectacular performances from Brennan, Haas, Kennon to compete at the Ford

TEE JOHNSON Contributing Writer

e Wake Forest Men’s Golf team put together one of their strongest performances of the season at the Inaugural Invitational at the Ford, placing second and shooting a combined 841 (-23). Hosted by Georgia Southern University, the tournament was played at e Ford Field and River Club GC in Richmond Hill, GA.

e Demon Deacons came out hot in round one, posting an exceptional score of 271 (-17) and gaining a healthy lead on the rest of the eld. e veterans started strong, with senior Michael Brennan shooting a 67 (-5) and junior Scotty Kennon shooting a 68 (-4). e freshmen also got o to a good start, with Tom Haberer and Kyle Haas both posting scores of 68 (-4).

e second round proved tougher for the Demon Deacons, but the squad still managed to post a 283 (-5) and held a 12-shot lead over the chasing pack. e likes of Brennan, Haas, and Haberer maintained scores below par, and Wake Forest stood in great position heading into the nal round.

As the third and nal round unfolded, the Demon Deacons’ lead began to evaporate. Wisconsin put together a remarkable 274 (-14), stealing the win by a single stroke.

“We didn’t play great today, but [had] some real quality shots down the stretch,” Wake Forest Head Coach Jerry Haas said

after the invitational. “We will continue to work on representing the Demon Deacons.”

Round three was the weakest performance from the team, only managing to shoot 287 (-1). Brennan and Haas concluded the nal round by posting scores of 71 (-1), helping them to individually

nish eight under par and tied for third. Kennon made back-to-back birdies on both the front and back nine, helping him nish tied for eighth. Haberer nished the nal round at No. 20, and junior Collin Adams nished tied for No. 33.

Despite not closing out the win, there are plenty of positives to take away for the team. is second place nish earned the Demon Deacons 35 NCAA Division I points and helped propel them three spots higher to No. 40 nationally.

“What a place we were treated to this week. We had a great time at Ford Field and River Club. anks to Georgia Southern for hosting,” Coach Haas concluded.

Next on the agenda for the Wake Forest Men’s Golf team is travelling to the 39th annual Louisiana Classics at Vermilion Links Club in Lafayette, La., hosted by the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns. e Demon Deacons will look to build on a strong showing both at the Ford and at the Wake Forest Invitational at Pinehurst No. 2 and continue to improve as the season progresses.

Contact Tee Johnson at johntg23@wfu.edu

Yellow Jackets’ Ndongo hits game-winner to stun Demon Deacons, ends undefeated home run this season

SEAN KENNEDY Sports Editor

e Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets got their revenge, and in a very big way, downing the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 70-69.

e last matchup between the two squads saw the Demon Deacons lead wire-to-wire, defeating the Yellow Jackets 80-51 at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta, GA. e opposite occurred Tuesday night — a thriller that saw Georgia Tech prevail.

e opening stages of the game went all Yellow Jackets — and by a far margin. Behind second-chance opportunities and a series of four 3-pointers from guards Miles Kelly (19pts, 3reb) and Kowacie Reeves, Jr., (8pts, 2ast) and forward Tafara Gapare (11pts, 6reb), Georgia Tech was up 12-0 at the rst media timeout.

“Georgia Tech really hurt us on the glass in the rst half,” Wake Forest Head Coach Steve Forbes said.

On the other end, the Demon Deacons had nothing going. ree quick turnovers lent Georgia Tech chances at fast break opportunities, which to Wake Forest’s bene t, they often squandered. e de cit grew even larger too, as the Yellow Jackets extended their lead to 17 points.

“We were just trying to survive,” Forbes said. “We got down 21-4 and it’s hard to win that way.”

e Yellow Jackets kept going with their o ensive onslaught afterward too.

Georgia Tech’s forward Baye Ndongo (9pts, 11reb) hit just his fourth 3-pointer of the season to put the visitors up 19, just ten minutes into play.

Despite the de cit, a 7-0 run got the Demon Deacons rolling again, as guard Kevin “Boopie” Miller (12pts, 2ast) knocked down a three and forward Andrew Carr (6pts, 4reb) fed forward Efton Reid (11pts, 6reb) inside for a slam. Wake Forest got within 10 points but dealt with slight foul trouble as Carr had to sit down with two fouls.

Behind a few mid-range oaters from Naithan George (16pts, 3ast), Georgia Tech scratched themselves back out to a 14-point lead going into halftime.

Coming out of the break, the home crowd tried to lift up the Demon Deacons, rising on their feet as they got within eight points. Cameron Hildreth (17pts, 2reb) had an impressive coast-tocoast opportunity, which the guard took for an and-one at the rim.

“After the way we played in the rst half, I told our guys, ‘ e NCAA Tournament is on the line here,’ we have to play,” Forbes said. “We have to leave it all out there and we can’t come back and feel like we didn’t empty our tank.”

After Hildreth completed another andone minutes later, the Demon Deacons found themselves down three points and back in the game. e guard became a spark on both sides of the ball, with 11 points and two steals within the rst ten minutes of the second half.

“ e positive is that we didn’t settle in the second half,” Forbes said. “We got inside their defense, got to the basket and to the foul line.”

Although Wake Forest came crawling towards a close game, Kelly tried to close the door. e guard knocked down consecutive jump shots to put the Yellow Jackets back out to a seven-point lead with seven minutes remaining.

at de cit barely wavered until after the nal media timeout, when a costly turnover from Miller led to a fast break layup for Kelly at the other end. Putting the Yellow Jackets up ve with time ticking down.

Miller redeemed himself over the next two o ensive possessions, scoring a tough basket through contact and a pair of free throws to put the Demon Deacons down by a single point with 36 seconds remaining.

Afterward, another error from the Yellow Jackets gave Wake Forest life. After inbounding the ball, Georgia Tech guard Kyle Sturdivant (3pts) traveled, resulting in a turnover. Hunter Sallis (22pts, 4reb) capitalized on the other end, giving the Demon Deacons their rst lead of the game with 18 seconds remaining.

en: devastation.

On an inbounds play, Ndongo put a dagger in the Demon Deacons’ at-large NCAA tournament hopes. After receiving the ball, he was able to nd an open space near the basket and knock in a layup to put the Yellow Jackets up one with

under a second left.

After a slip through Miller’s hands, the Demon Deacons fell, 70-69. e loss represents Wake Forest’s rst home loss of the season.

“ at’s what happens when you don’t respect the game in the rst half,” Forbes said. “Credit to Georgia Tech for coming in here and getting one.”

e Demon Deacons return back to Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, March 9, to face the Clemson Tigers. Tip-o is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network.

Contact Sean Kennedy at

Isabella Parolini/Old Gold & Black Hildreth (2) dominated both sides of the ball in the second half.

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics the Ford. Haas drew with fellow Demon Deacon Michael Brennan.

ARTS & CULTURE

Lydia Derris, derrlf23@wfu.edu

James Watson, watsjc22@wfu.edu

'Sense and Sensibility': WFU Theater 'Combines humor with sentimentality'

The acclaimed production from Wake Forest's theater department transported viewers to another period

CAROLYN MALMAN Staff Writer

From Feb. 16 to Feb. 18 and Feb. 22 through Feb. 25, the Wake Forest eatre Department presented “Sense and Sensibility,” a play by Kate Hamill adapted from Jane Austen’s novel. On Feb. 22, I attended the show at the Ring eater at Scales Fine Arts Center and was thoroughly impressed by the execution of such a classic story.

Walking into the theater felt like stepping back into a magical period that I loved getting to be a part of. e oor was painted with ornately designed colorful owers, the room was illuminated with a uorescent pink hue and oating icicles suspended from the ceiling. I knew that this would be a highly immersive and holistic sensory experience; I would not merely be an audience member, but a member of the times.

At the beginning of the performance, I was impressed by how quickly the audience connected with the actors. e “gossips” were the driving force of this production, especially the performance delivered by senior Evan Souza, embellished with highly expressive and engaging looks at the audience. Not once did I feel a lull in the near two and a half hour performance, as the audience appeared continuously entertained. Every actor brought a distinctive animation to their characters, which made the viewing experience particularly dynamic and involved.

Many characters o ered memorable performances. Among those include Fanny Dashwood played by freshman BG Cave. Howling at her dinner guests was both hilarious and also deeply unsettling as she selectively mocked women for how, in her opinion, they seek out a man to tie down.

Following his portrayal of a gossip, Souza delivered an emotional performance as Colonel Brandon. A little awkward, it’s initially unthinkable that he could be with outspoken Marianne Dashwood. However, it’s endearing how much he obviously cares for Marianne. It’s hard not to love Colonel

Mike Liu/Old Gold & Black

Brandon because of Souza’s emotional performance; he excels in his craft and embodies a character and their motivations seamlessly. Souza’s performance so e ortlessly illustrated Colonel Brandon’s character development and made audiences enveloped in the progression of his relationship with Marianne.

ere were many unforgettable performances in “Sense and Sensibility;” however, the two female leads, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, were the main standouts. Two sisters that could not be more di erent, yet share this special bond that the audi-

ence can connect with. eir bond is characteristic of a realistic sibling relationship, showcasing the duty to love those who we grow up with — even if their decisions get on our nerves.

I recently spoke with sophomore Isabella Biricik about what it meant to play Elinor Dashwood in this production. She remarked that “playing Elinor was a beautiful opportunity for [herself] as [she] got to learn the mannerisms and attitudes of people living in Jane Austen’s period.” More than this, she “felt like there was a lot about Elinor which [she] resonated with, which made it easy to connect with her.”

Biricik, an English major with minors in theater and psychology, also performed in previous Wake Forest eater performances including “Backstory” as Ainsle, and in “Witness for the Prosecution” as e Other Woman. In addition to these feature roles, she was an assistant director for a student run production put on last semester, the “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Of these, however, “Sense and Sensibility” has been her favorite. Biricik believes that “Sense and Sensibility” “combines humor with sentimentality, which deeply engages the audience.” It is clear that Biricik’s sentiments about the play are re ected in each person in the audience’s gasps, laughs and smiles throughout the portrayal of these classic characters.

In typical Jane Austen fashion, this play was lengthy and at times hard to follow due to the size of the cast. However, each actor had undeniable energy throughout the entire performance, which allowed for consistent engagement from the audience. is performance was extremely fun and excelled with its portrayal of a narrative that felt distinctly human. I felt proud to be a Wake Forest student as I watched actors put on this production with such inspiring passion.

WFU eater Department debuts “Urinetown the Musical” on April 5-6, 11-13, 7 and 14 in Scales Fine Arts Center.

Contact Carolyn Malman at malmci22@wfu.edu

Mike Liu/Old Gold & Black

The cast of "Sense & Sensibility" enjoyed a two week-long run at the Ring Theater. "It was a beautiful oppurtunity," said actress Isabella Birick.

John and Fanny Dashwood, played by Bennett Haara and BG Cave, hold hands in the intimate setting of the Ring Theater as they share a tender moment at the crux of the performance.

MARYAM KHANUM Senior Writer

e genre of horror ction contains multitudes. From serial killer slasher narratives where a hapless victim is chased around a forest, neighborhood or mansion, delaying their gruesome (and inevitable) death, to terrifying tales of the paranormal in which dead loved ones make unexpected returns, horror can entail a plethora of di erent stories, agents and representations.

However, sometimes the most terrifying narratives are grounded in reality or in history. It is the historical narratives of Native Americans, and the brutalizations they faced, that form the unsettling foundations for the horrifying works of renowned author Stephen Graham Jones.

Specializing in horror and science ction, Stephen Graham Jones is proli c in the art of the unsettling. His 2020 novel “ e Only Good Indians” marries this special interest with his own identity as a member of the Blackfeet Tribe. Graham paints a gruesome narrative surrounding a fearsome antagonist, “the Elk-Headed Woman,” who terrorizes the ve Blackfeet protagonists in the novel in a slasher fashion that is truly Jason-Vorhees-esque.

ough his most popular works may lie within the same genres, Jones still retains an incredible amount of creative range — as was demonstrated with his visit to Wake Forest University on Feb. 20. He performed readings of some of his other works, including a work of prose he described as “not an essay, not a story either” regarding his motivations for writing.

The indigenous American author creates horror from history

is piece was incredibly striking, consisting of some of the most intriguing free-verse poetry, breaking its own fourth wall by being all about writing in the rst place. He continued by performing a reading of a screenplay that he described as a “footnote on tickling,” enlisting a volunteer from the audience to read with him for this piece. e piece, which centered around a ctional alien species that reproduced through tickling, had the whole audience in ts of laughter — which was much more lighthearted than Jones’s horror ction everyone was so used to.

Jones’ latest project “Earthdivers” follows this theme in how it takes a turn away from the riveting (yet frightening) tales and narratives of ctional horror that he

is so well known for — a turn into the land of comic books and graphic novels. “Earthdivers” follows a team of Indigenous outcasts seeking to subvert an apocalypse by destroying the very thing they observe as having caused the end of times in the rst place: America. In this enthralling science ction narrative, Jones enlists social perceptions of race and religion, depictions of violence and even philosophical rationalizations (as someone who majored in philosophy in college) to critique modern-day institutions and structures of power that continue to in ict oppression today.

“Earthdivers” tackles some incredibly controversial topics about America’s history,

and hence was received very di erently by di erent political groups. During his visit to Wake Forest, Jones talked about how conservative television show host Laura Ingraham even discussed the comic’s rst volume “Kill Columbus” on her show “ e Ingraham Angle,” criticizing it harshly. Ingraham stated that the book’s content was “absolutely bonkers” and proceeded to blame “Earthdivers” and similar media for the miseducation of today’s youth in regards to American history.

However, this is exactly the type of criticism Jones wanted to hear, at least from Ingraham or people who align with her politically. In an interview with, Jones talked about how “Earthdivers” was meant to ru e feathers with its bold political messaging.

“Oh, and? I hear that Laura Ingraham kind of spoke disparagingly about Earthdivers on some show she has — in the context of what she wants to be ‘Columbus Day,’ I guess — so… to me, that’s a win,” Jones said. “If you’re making the right people mad, then you’re maybe aligned properly.”

Overall, Jones is not a good writer simply because of his ability to produce genuinely terrifying narratives, build complex worlds in his stories or explain the philosophical dilemmas behind time travel through his work. His ability to create tales that not only draw so heavily from the real world, but go as far as to comment on and critique modern systems of injustice despite being purely ctional, is awe-inspiring and monumental.

The exhibition attempts to help students connect with history beyond the textbook

SKYLER VILLAMAR-JONES Staff Writer

Commemoration of signi cant events requires the preservation and interpretation of stories across generations. For the voices of Holocaust victims, it requires the talent of artists to reimagine their words for a contemporary audience.

e “Words, Music, Memory: (Re) presenting Voices of the Holocaust” exhibition was created to translate the words of Holocaust victims into living works of art. It includes 10 panels that feature various Holocaust victims, visual art created by local high school students and a monitor that displays the coinciding lecture and musical performance.

e traveling exhibition is on display in the Wake Forest LAM Museum of Anthropology through March 6.

“Ultimately, our goal for the exhibition is to create a living memorial experience,” Adina Langer, curator of the exhibition and of the Museum of History and Holocaust Education at Kennesaw State University, said. “We also want to inspire others to connect with the past through music and art, a rming the humanity of those who experienced traumatic history.”

On Nov. 18, 2021, the North Carolina state legislature passed the Gizella Abramson Holocaust Education Act, which mandates education on the Holocaust in all public middle and high schools in the state beginning in the 2023-2024 school year.

e Anti-Defamation League’s annual Audit of Antisemetic Incidents reported a 30%

increase in antisemitic incidents in North Carolina, from 30 in 2021 to 39 in 2022.

e legislation is intended to combat such incidents and to inform students about the more than six million Jewish people who died during the Holocaust.

Dr. Andrew Gurstelle, academic director of the LAM Museum, said that commemorating the Holocaust fosters knowledge beyond the facts that many are taught in school.

“I think a lot of students already know about the Holocaust,” Gurstelle said. “ e exhibit isn’t necessarily teaching Wake Forest students something new, but it serves to talk about memorialization. Both about the Holocaust and in general, it serves to question how we should memorialize violent and di cult histories.”

e exhibition began as a musical performance by Senior Associate Dean of Admissions Sheena Ramirez, who performed “In Sleep the World is Yours” by Lori Laitman, a song based on the poetry of Holocaust victim Selma Meerbaum-Eisinger. To help analyze poetry from the song, Ramirez contacted Langer, her roommate during her freshman year at Oberlin College. e two collaborated to create the exhibition as a way to formally engage with the poetry of Holocaust victims.

Each panel of the exhibition features the original words and modern artistic interpretations of eight Holocaust victims, including Franta Bass, Selma MeerbaumEisinger, Anne Frank, Eva Heyman, Krystyna Zywulska, Shmerke Kaczerginski, Nelly Sachs and Elie Wiesel.

One panel features an excerpt from Elie Wiesel’s “Night:” “Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my

soul and turned my dreams to ashes.”

Accompanying facts about the Holocaust victims’ lives and original writings are illustrated portraits of them and information about various artistic interpretations of their words, including musical scores, plays and other performances.

e exhibition also features visual art contributions from students of West Forsyth and Mount Tabor High Schools, including “ e Butter y Project,” which includes a butter y made from sneakers decorated in honor of various Holocaust victims and a poem from a boy in a concentration camp.

“I really like the purple [panels] that tell you about important gures from the Holocaust, like Anne Frank,” Wake Forest freshman Gavin Godfrey said. “ e colors, and the fact that they go basically from oor to ceiling, de nitely makes them stick out to me.”

Beside the exhibition is a monitor that displays the accompanying lecture and musical performance. e lecture, given by Dr. Laurence Sherr, composer of the musical performance and professor of music at Kennesaw State University, details the artistic suppression of Jewish people during the Holocaust.

Sherr explained that art created by Holocaust victims provides unique insight into their experiences.

“I seek to build a bridge to the past, so that we may remember the suppressed musicians of the Holocaust,” Sherr said. “[I hope] to bring to light, to life, the music the Nazis attempted to suppress and the culture they tried to exterminate.”

e accompanying musical performance, sung by Ramirez, featured adaptations of work

from Holocaust victims. Ramirez emphasized how e ectively music enhances emotion through the combination of powerful words and musical elements.

“ e act of commemoration is something that is a special gift we can give through music,” Ramirez said. “As a composer, you are infusing your own interpretation into the poetry. You’re reaching a core raw emotion that is very di cult to do with just poetry or just music. e layering of commemorative qualities takes the work to another level.”

Erin Ryan, sophomore and research assistant at the LAM Museum, said that artistic commemoration humanizes Holocaust victims in a way mere words cannot.

“We have a responsibility to pass down [the Holocaust victims’] stories so that the atrocities they witnessed will never occur again,” Ryan said. “Commemorating the work and lives of Holocaust survivors reminds us of the human beings behind their stories. Using many forms of imagery and art helps visitors to the museum immerse themselves in the stories of these writers and artists in ways never felt before.”

After the exhibition’s display in the LAM Museum, it will be displayed at Elon University.

“What’s so beautiful about the project is that it’s not a static piece,” Ramirez said. “Every iteration adds something, and the people who engage with the exhibit are able to add in their own personal re ections through art, poetry and music.”

Part of Jones’ event involved the performance of some of his prose out-loud, the highlight of the event for many attendees.

Maryam Khanum/Old Gold & Black

Oh’ Calcutta invites the American palate into the world of Indian cuisine

The upscale Indian-fusion restaurant has proven hugely successful in downtown Winston-Salem

MELINA TRAIFOROS Senior Writer

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, nearly 40% of small businesses closed their doors and 20.6 million workers were unemployed. Nevertheless, Gopal Chandarana decided to take the leap and open Oh’ Calcutta in downtown Winston-Salem.

“Everybody was saying that I was making the wrong decision,” Chandarana said at a four-person table in his restaurant’s main dining area — a plate of beet and sweet potato croquettes and two cups of Indian chai between us.

Food service is in Chandarana’s blood. At 15-yearsold, he worked at his uncle’s restaurant in Kolkata, India. At 20-years-old, he left India for the United States and picked up odd jobs as a dishwasher, salad maker and waiter. Despite earning an automotive engineering degree at Forsyth Technical Community College and moving on to work for Toyota, Chandarana’s true passion remained for ne dining. After over 30 years in the U.S., Chandarana decided it was time to return to his roots — and so he opened his own restaurant.

Each dish on Oh’ Calcutta’s menu balances Eastern and Western avors, drawing upon classic American menu items and both delicacies and street foods from all over the Indian subcontinent. In a culinary market saturated with bland chicken tikka masala — a curry invented by a British chef and eaten only by Westerners — Oh’ Calcutta is a delicious breath of fresh air.

“A lot of people don’t eat Indian food because they think it’s spicy,” Chandarana said. “I have tried to create a menu which is very edible.”

He continued: “Every item on the menu has a story.”

For example, the rst among Oh’ Calcutta’s o erings is calamari — yes, the crispy squid hors d’oeuvre served at practically every Italian restaurant in the country. Paired with chaat masala and a vindaloo aioli, however, the dish transforms into a testament to how Indian and American avors can shine side by

side. Mango and mint chutney co-exist with a simple side of brussel sprouts; Indian beer is listed next to a classic chardonnay.

e croquettes Chandarana let me sample had excellent textural variety but lacked a complex avor pro le. If you, like me, prefer a little more punch, the gunpowder chicken is unbeatable. ese little morsels are ten leagues above the best chicken wings you’ve

ever had, and I dream about the garlicky zing of their ginger, garlic and Kashmiri chili sauce.

One frustration South Asian people often express is that, despite the proliferation of homogeneous Indian restaurants in America, there is no such thing as a singularly “Indian” style of cooking. e entree section draws from culinary traditions across the country’s 28 provinces, many of which have a distinct language and cultural identity.

Oh’ Calcutta serves Indo-Chinese Tangra momo dumplings and black bass in a mustard cream sauce from the owner’s native Kolkata. Chandarana said he was nervous that American customers wouldn’t order goat, a staple in Eastern India, but the dish is a customer favorite. e dish’s rezala sauce pairs well with the must-order tru e and parmesan naan.

Tikka masala and samosas can still be found on the menu — you can’t serve Indian food in the United States without them — but alongside authentic dishes, they round out the menu exceptionally well. Oh’ Calcutta’s o erings are a testament to everything Indian cuisine has been and can still become: a blend of centuries-old traditions and a long colonial history that never stops evolving.

“I’ll start by saying I LOVE Indian food,” Yelp reviewer Mike L. said from Statesville. “So it takes a lot for me to say ‘this was over the top outstanding.’ But this place made my day.”

Despite being skeptical, Mikaela B. from East Bend agreed: “I really did not think I liked Indian food. e rst bite I took of this food, I knew I was in for a treat.”

Oh’ Calcutta celebrated its rst birthday last month. With Downtown Winston-Salem Inc.’s Downtown Excellence Award and “Eat. Drink. With Restaurant Week’s” Best New Restaurant Award already under its belt, the upscale Indian-fusion restaurant is a roaring success. If the rave reviews and 4.6 stars on Yelp don’t convince you, the gunpowder chicken appetizer will.

Oh’ Calcutta features a wide range of menu options, including croquettes (pictured above). Their dishes draw from culinary traditions across the 28 providences of India.

Katie Romhilt/Old Gold & Black

Katie Romhilt/Old Gold & Black

Oh’ Calcutta has won mulitiple awards including the Downtown Excellence Award from Downtown Winston-Salem Inc., within one year of its opening.

Saying ‘cheese’ amid despair

Juan Antonio Bayona’s ‘Society of the Snow’ reveals poignant truths about the complexities of human nature

JIMENA ELMUFDI Staff Writer

As the cinema award season comes to an end, I can’t help but think back to one of the lms that caught my undivided attention earlier this year. “Society of the Snow,” by the Spanish lmmaker Juan Antonio Bayona, recounts the story of a tragic plane crash carrying a Uruguayan rugby team in 1972.

From feeling the excitement of planning their trip to Santiago, Chile to watching them get out alive in the desolate Andes mountains, viewers watched the rugby team overcome one challenge after another, followed by one death after another. A plane crash, avalanche, unbearable temperatures and starvation forced the nal sixteen survivors to use everything and anything to stay alive. But, aside from the inconceivable series of events that Bayona showcases and the unmatched cinematography of Pedro Luque, that showed a fearful environment in a surprisingly beautiful light, there was one detail that struck me.

As I saw these men — some of them as young as me — go through

incomparable moments of hardship, pain, grief and utmost uncertainty and trek through indescribable complications, I argue that this story at a baseline is not just about resilience. It’s about uncovering the complexities behind simple human nature, something we seldom get to see, and that this occasion forced to reveal amongst these young men.

In many lms based on a true story, the director usually presents the audience with actual images of the events, the people or the places that were recounted in the lm, so that a connection between what was recreated and what occurred can be made. Visual evidence is not always attainable and when we do get to see original depictions of what movies like this show, it leaves a signi cant impression on the viewer. Many lm critics praise the authenticity of Bayona’s lm, and this was certainly made possible due to the thorough interviews conducted with the survivors and the original images that were taken throughout this 72-day tragedy.

It was these images that struck me.

Saying that these men went to

hell and back might even be an understatement yet, in the pictures that depict the survivors at the site of the plane crash, we see smiles. It is inconceivable that after enduring so much terror, the sight of a camera immediately entices us humans to look up towards the lens and smile. No matter what. It is ingrained in our brains to ‘pose’ for a photograph and to smile when capturing a moment. I could take this thought and explore what this says about the reality behind today’s authenticity and ‘staging’ images that a ect what we may perceive to be truly honest. But I want to say that ‘pretending’ or blurring the lines of authenticity was the last thing that this group of boys intended to do when smiling for these pictures.

I want to argue that during these moments, it all came down to simple human instincts; their mental state had been so tortured that their judgments were set to autopilot. eir hyper- xation of nding normalcy and their craving for habitualness made their current state of despair pause for a moment as they smiled for those pictures. ey did what they knew, what they would’ve done if they

‘Killer’ sudoku

LOGAN JACOBS Contributing writer

were sitting together in an alternate location. ey smiled because that was all they had left in them: to lean into what felt natural after being faced with the unnatural.

Details that illustrate a glimpse of innocent human nature are present in various moments throughout the lm. Bayona made sure to let these moments shine because they also helped construct a much more meaningful and multilayered story. It is seen when the news of their highly anticipated rescue comes back, and they rush to gather some pieces of the airplane to take. Or when they helped each other comb their hair and groom their beards so they would look ‘presentable’ even after being airplane survivors. It is seen as they huddle in the hospital room oor because, after 72 days stranded in the Andes, you begin to rethink the idea of comfort.

It is seen everywhere, humans simply being human

Contact Jimena Elmufdi at elmumj20@wfu.edu

Normal sudoku rules apply. (the numbers 1-9 can only appear once in each row, column and 3x3 box.)

Within each cell, all numbers must add up to the cell number provided.

Numbers cannot be repeated within cells.

Hint: the numbers in each row, column and 3x3 box add up to 45.

* e colors of the cells are only meant to delineate them, they have no other meaning.

Contact Logan Jacobs at jacolb22@wfu.edu