03/07/24 Full Edition

Old Gold&Black “Covers the campus like the magnolias”

VOL 110 , NO. 11

MARCH 7, 2024

WA K E F O R E S T ’ S S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 6

Wake Forest adopts Workday Student ALEXANDRA MEIER Senior Writer

Evan Harris / Old Gold & Black

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.

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: The 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 first 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 affairs,” 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 unaffiliated voters, allowing individuals registered to vote but not with a specific 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.

“That’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.

“This 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 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). The software will go live during the first 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 Affairs Dr. Anne Hardcastle said.

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

The 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. The site is also mobile-friendly.

The course registration process will undergo immense change in the implementation of Workday Student. The system will no longer utilize time tickets, within each classification 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 first week of April.

“All students register the first week of April based on classification of earned hours. The first 1300 register on Tuesday. The next 1300 go on Wednesday, and so forth,” Hardcastle said.

See Primary, Page 3

See Workday, Page 3

What's Inside NEWS Womens History Month at Wake Forest Page Four

FEATURES Wake 'n' Shake executive board expresses gratitude Page Six

ENVIRONMENT Making sustainability sustainable for business Page Nine

OPINION "Flopowski" ruins court storming Page Thirteen

SPORTS Second half struggles doom MBB Page Fourteen

ARTS & CULTURE 'Sense and Sensibility': WFU Theater Page Eighteen

Old Gold & Black This 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 field of artificial intelligence (AI). This is a significant 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 have a major impact on students’ that by professors, AI is here, and it is academic lives, and likely their in-class not going away. performance. We wait to see if this Already, AI is reshaping the change will ultimately yield positive admissions process. results.

Duke University AI has proven to be recently removed the capable of providing "Wake Forest essay portion from its benefits to students application grading in the classroom. For should aim to system due to fears over the technology work alongside AI example, the potential usage of AI’s can effectively increasingly proficient summarize and organize as an inevitable writing ability. While reading material, we take no stance on institutional partner" eliminating students’ the usefulness of college need to handwrite essays in the application notes. AI also shows process, this development is illustrative promise in enhancing students’ of how AI’s ability to write like college research capabilities — being able to students poses novel questions for the quickly identify famous works and University at every operational stage. authors on specific topics.

As such, AI will undoubtedly If students can benefit from

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.

Old Gold&Black THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY SINCE 1916

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

BREANNA LAWS

SHAILA PRASAD

EVAN HARRIS

RYDER SOLBERG

MANAGING EDITOR

DEPUTY EDITOR

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

BUSINESS MANAGER

lawsbn21@wfu.edu

prassp21@wfu.edu

harres22@wfu.edu

solbrs23@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

>> PHOTO Isabella Parolini, paroir22@wfu.edu >> VIDEO Jack Perez, perejw22@wfu.edu >> SOCIAL MEDIA Lucy Roberts, robels20@wfu.edu >> COPY CHIEF Alex Keating, keatam23@wfu.edu

>> OPINION Maryam Khanum, khanmg20@wfu.edu Virginia Noone, noonvc21@wfu.edu Assistant: Dillon Clark, clardj22@wfu.edu

>> WEBMASTER Christina Tran, tranth21@wfu.edu

>> SPORTS Andrew Braun, brauar23@wfu.edu Sean Kennedy, kennsm21@wfu.edu

>> EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

>> ARTS & CULTURE Lydia Derris, derrlf23@wfu.edu James Watson, watsjc22@wfu.edu

>> ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Ava Cofiell, cofiac20@wfu.edu Breanna Laws (Chair), lawsbn21@wfu.edu

Maryam Khanum, khanmg20@wfu.edu Virginia Noone, noonvc21@wfu.edu Dillon Clark, clardj22@wfu.edu Gray Lowder, lowdag23@wfu.edu Jacob Graff, grafje20@wfu.edu Carter Mcdonald, mcdocd23@wfu.edu

>> ADVISER Pheobe Zerwick, zerwicp@wfu.edu

Want to write for us? Email wfuogb@gmail.com

>> POLICIES Our job as a newspaper is to be a platform for all voices, not just the ones we agree with. However, we reserve the right to reject advertisements that are vulgar, inaccurate, obscene or violate Wake Forest’s policies on nondiscrimination, diversity, equity, and inclusion as they pertain to student organizations. We will also reject any advertisements that promote illegal activities according to the state of North Carolina.

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.

The Old Gold & Black is published Thursdays during the school year, except during examinations, summer and holiday periods, by Triangle Web Printing of Durham. The views expressed in all opinion pieces and advertisements contained within this publication do not necessarily reflect 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 inflammatory 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 notified and involved. >> SUBMISSIONS The OGB welcomes submissions in the form of story tips, columns and letters to the editor.

Letters to the editor should be fewer than 500 words, and columns should be around 500 words. Send yours via e-mail to stopmf21@wfu.edu the Monday before publication. We reserve the right to edit all letters for length and clarity. No anonymous letters will be printed. >> ONLINE MEDIA Web: wfuogb.com Facebook: facebook.com/ogb1916 X (Twitter): @wfuogb Instagram: @wfuogb TikTok: @wfuogb Sports X (Twitter): @wfuogbsports

News | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, March 7, 2024 | Page 3

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 significant 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 final 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 Jeff Jackson won the Democratic primary for attorney general against Durham District Attorney Santana Deberry and Tim Dunn.

Jackson will face off 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 runoff — 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 runoff.

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-profile contest.

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

The Republican primary drew in highprofile 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 runoff 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 runoff.

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 significant 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 five 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. The 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 significant 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.

The 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 fulfill 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 classification, this restriction can be waived in the registration system. This 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 effective; 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 finally 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.

The Office 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. There will also be various tabling events throughout the advising session in March to accommodate stu-

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 Griffith 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.”

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

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

Contact Alexandra Meier at meieam22@wfu.edu

POLICE BEAT • • • • •

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

There was a disturbance with individuals and a bartender at Joyner’s Bar. This report was filed at 8:50 p.m. on March 1.

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

A noise complaint was made at Palm Drive, the music was turned off and the party was shut down. The report was filed at 6:53 p.m. on March 2.

An individual had been drinking off campus with friends and when coming back to campus became sick and continued to vomit while unconscious. They were transported

by Forsyth County EMS unit 40 to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for further treatment. The report was filed at 12 a.m. on March 3.

Page 4 | Thursday, March 7, 2024

Old Gold & Black | News

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

ics that encompass womanhood.

“We are open to collaborating with anyone and everyone whose Friday, March 1 marked the beginning of Women’s programs align with our mission,” History Month, which, this year, is nationally themed, Rehm said. “As you can imagine, “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and In- that is a large spectrum as to what clusion.” Wake Forest’s Women’s Center, in collabora- womanhood is to many different tion with several on-campus organizations, is hosting people.” events throughout the month to promote gender eqShell Sizemore, director of the uity across campus.

Women’s Center, said that col“I definitely think it’s important, not only in the laboration helps foster greater ungrand scope of our society [but also at Wake Forest] to derstanding of the many facets of lift up the experiences, voices and work that has been womanhood. done by women,” Hannah Rehm, assistant director of “Our goal for the Women’s Centhe women’s center, said. “So, whether that is a fac- ter is to be a space where members of ulty member, staff member or student, our hope is to our community can connect, reflect highlight the different identities that exist within the and find belonging,” Sizemore said umbrella of ‘woman.’” in a statement via email. “We want The month-long celebration was originally “Wom- to cultivate a deeper, more nuanced, en’s History Week” until 1987, when the National and more critical understanding of Women’s History Project petitioned for Congress to women’s identities for our campus designate the entire month of March as Women’s His- community.” tory Month.

Rehm also emphasized how imThe Women’s Center, which first opened in 2013, portant it is to balance community is open to all students and targets four outcomes for building and educational activities those who are involved: learn, belong, grow and cel- in order to ensure that all women ebrate. Their mission is to create a community on on campus feel supported. campus that supports anyone for whom “woman” is a “The experience of womanhood meaningful identifier or experience. also lands on many different topics Lexi Smith, sophomore and student assistant at the that would be covered in an educaWomen’s Center, emphasized how important it is to tional space, like discussing gender, have events that unite women with activities that cel- or talking about unique challenges ebrate different backgrounds. that women experience in RamaPhoto courtesy of the Women’s Center “It’s important to celebrate the essence of women,” dan,” Rehm said.

Schedule listing the various events for Women’s History Smith said. “As a feminist, there are so many perspecRehm continued: “If you take Month during March 2024 created by the Women’s Center. tives of what each and every individual’s journey may our drag brunch, for example, that con Dialogue: Let’s Talk Sexism event in the look like. However, it is essential to realize that what is an event focused on celebration we are enduring as women has been a movement, and and gender expression. Salary negotiation, though, is Women’s Center March 22 at 2 p.m.: The Intimacy Experiment event it is important to recognize those who came before touching on the reality of what it is to be a woman in with Rosie Danan in the Women’s Center us.” industry. I think it’s important to take the time and efMarch 22 at 3:30 p.m.: Delta Xi Phi’s professional The Women’s Center is collaborating with many fort to piece together these programs so that we make skills series in Pugh Auditorium on-campus organizations, including Delta Xi Phi, the sure that people’s experiences are being valued and March 22 at 4 p.m.: Conversation with Rosie DaLGBTQ+ Center and the Muslim Student Associa- highlighted.” nan in Z. Smith Reynolds Library tion to host events throughout the month.

During the month, there are several events a week March 25 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Past, Present & Rehm explained that the number of collaborations for Women’s History Month, some of which are listed Future Me: Art Therapy event in the Women’s Center with other organizations is in an effort to reach a larg- below. The full calendar of events can be found here.

March 26 at 5 p.m.: Yes, please! A Guide to Female er portion of the Wake Forest community. Some of A few events have already been hosted on campus, Pleasure event in the Women’s Center the organizations have done events with the Women’s including a student mixer, the second annual Daring March 27 at 12 p.m.: Queer Health Series in the Center in the past, while others proposed event ideas Deacon Drag Brunch, panel discussions and speaker LGBTQ+ Center and are collaborating for the first time. This, Rehm events hosted in collaboration with numerous campus March 27: SMASH the Patriarchy rage room said, reflects the large number of experiences and top- and student organizations.

March 28 at 7 p.m.: Grace Valentine: A Women Several events are still avail- Empowerment Talk in Pugh Auditorium able for students to participate March 29 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Women in Tech in throughout the month. event in the Women’s Center Throughout March, the Women’s Center is also raisMarch 11 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Parental leave workshop ing money to endow the Lu Leak fund in honor of the former dean’s 60th anniversary of arrival at Wake Forin the Wellbeing Center March 12: Mobile mam- est. They are hoping to raise $100,000 to help benefit the work of future generations of women. mography clinic Smith and Rehm recognized how beneficial the March 18 from 12 p.m. to 1 Women’s Center is for creating spaces in which womp.m.: Office of Diversity and en can learn about and celebrate their identities.

Inclusion office hours at the “I think it is so important to have spaces that proWake Forest School of Medimote creativity, comfort and growth internally and cine externally on campus,” Smith said. “I’m in many spacMarch 19 at 3:30 p.m.: es where sometimes my emotions are not validated.

Women of Color Collective Many people don’t realize that we are on a campus event in the Women’s Center that was built for the purpose of educating men. The March 19 at 7 p.m.: Bowl- journey of becoming a woman isn’t always necessarily ing night at Northside Lanes the easiest.”

March 20 at 4 p.m.: WomRehm also said that it is equally important to recogen-owned business market in nize the positive and negative experiences intertwined with womanhood. She said the Women’s Center hopes Farrell Hall March 20 at 1 p.m. and 5 everyone can benefit and learn from the events taking p.m.: Equal Pay Day fireside place for Women’s History Month.

“It really is just about finding pockets where we can chat at the Farrell Hall fire pits March 20 at 7 p.m.: Salary celebrate womanhood,” Rehm said. “We want to touch Photo courtesy of the Women’s Center negotiation workshop in room on where people may be seeking more community or information around being a woman.”

Graphic posted by the Women’s Center advertising the “Birth 151 in Farrell Hall March 21 at 5 p.m.: Dea- Contact Skyler Villamar-Jones at villsc22@wfu.edu Control Palooza” on Monday, March 4 hosted in Benson 314.

News | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, March 7, 2024 | Page 5

Data Dive event unpacks the affordable housing crisis in Forsyth County 2IÀFH RI &LYLF DQG &RPPXQLW\ (QJDJHPHQW ZHOFRPHV KRXVLQJ H[SHUWV WR DGGUHVV WKH ODFN RI DIIRUGDEOH KRXVLQJ income that is below 100% of the AMI is below average. Therefore, the residents of Forsyth County with a 30% AMI are Wake Forest welcomed community leaders to lead classified as extremely low-income. The a conversation titled “Data Dive: Housing Supply in metric is measured on a spectrum, often Forsyth County,” in the Lower Auditorium of Wait heavily skewed towards higher-income Chapel on Feb. 29. The event was hosted by the Ofhouseholds who can afford higher fice of Civic and Community Engagement in partrent. Consequently, 30-50% of AMI nership with Forsyth Futures. households face a shortage of affordable As residents of Forsyth County face an affordable housing because they can only afford a housing shortage, community members are looking limited selection of housing options. to local officials for sustainable solutions. Affordable In Forsyth County, the AMI spectrum housing applies to homeowners and renters who disproportionately favors higher-income spend no more than 30% of their gross income tohouseholds, creating a surplus of luxury wards housing-related expenses. If a resident spends housing and a shortage of affordable opmore than 30% of their yearly salary before taxes and tions according to Blue. other deductions on housing, they are classified as “For the 30% AMI households in “cost-burdened.”

Forsyth County alone, there is a 13,000 “Nearly 24% of Forsyth County residents live in unit shortage of affordable rental cost-burdened homes,” Senior Data Analyst of Forhomes,” Blue said. syth Futures Courtney Blue said.

Another explanation for the affordable The event started with an introduction from Exhousing crisis is that the cost of living ecutive Director of Forsyth Futures Adam Hill, who and household income are not increasing emphasized the importance of accessibility to stable at proportional rates in Forsyth County. housing. Blue then provided a thorough analysis of Photo courtesy of Forsyth Futures This disparity has grown in the past the current market trends and affordability metrics in decade, exacerbated by the COVID-19 ǡ the area. pandemic, which the housing market has ǣ Ǥ The event continued with a panel discussion, yet to recover from, according to Blue. to do because of the paperwork and administrative moderated by Director of Community Partnerships “The current median home value is burden. HCV also has a waitlist and time limits on and Experiential Learning Andrea Kurtz. Panelists nearly $250,000 in Forsyth County, which is a 24% finding housing once the voucher is issued to houseincluded housing experts Richard Angino from Folks change from 2010,” Blue said. “Contrastly, median holds. Furthermore, tenants have minimal recourse for Good Housing, Kevin Cheshire from the Housemployment income has only increased 3% since if landlords do not upkeep the property under the ing Authority of Winston-Salem (HAWS) and Sandy 2010.”

Stinson from the Boston-Thurmond Neighborhood While the event surely lived up to the expectations terms of this program.

Association. Two out of the five panelists listed in “HAWS has a limited supply and waiting list, of a “data dive,” efforts also focused on solutions the program did not participate in the panel due to which has not been open since 2018,” Blue said. for alleviating this shortage of affordable housing. unforeseen circumstances.

Panelists also offered their expertise on devising HAWS has a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) According to Blue, The shortage of affordable program, which provides subsidies to families to rent tangible solutions to mitigating the complexity of housing is largely explained by a metric called Area vacant units. However, this government program has this crisis. Angino dispelled the misconception that Median Income (AMI), which measures the midits limitations. The program requires participation the government takes sole responsibility for expandpoint of an area’s income distribution. Household from property owners, which many are reluctant ing 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 figure it out for themselves.”

According to Kurtz, The Wake Forest campus has an important stake in this issue as the biggest employer in the greater Winston-Salem area. This position grants the university an opportunity to address the affordable 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 affordable 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 affordable housing is essential to fostering thriving communities.

“We have an affordable housing deficit 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 affordable 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 ϔ Ƭ the economic income spectrum,” Kurtz said. ϐ Ƭ ǣ Ǥ ʹͻǤ Contact Alexandra Meier at meieam22@wfu.edu

Alexandra Meier Senior Writer

FEATURES

PAGE 6 THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024

OLD GOLD & BLACK

Natasha Heisenberg, heisng20@wfu.edu

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. The 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.

The end of the night proves to be an emotional and reflective 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. “This 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.”

The 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. The 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-

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. content for and leading up to the event. hances Hispanic patients’ access to care, increases clinical “It is really cool to document an event that feels so trial participation and benefits racial health equity.

Junior Katie Romhilt described Wake ‘n’ Shake as “an important for the community,” she said.

Junior Dean Moro began his Wake ‘n’ Shake journey opportunity for the entire community to come together last year on the local outreach committee. Moro’s work for a better cause.”

Romhilt first got involved in Wake ‘n’ Shake as a fresh- on the local outreach team was to reach out to sponsors men on the morale committee. On the morale team, in and around Winston-Salem in order to set up various Romhilt helped participants stay engaged and excited sponsorship events, receive donations and help expand during the long event — planning dances, creating fun ongoing fundraising campaigns prior to the event. activities and boosting the spirits of all students involved.

After being a part of this committee, Moro decided “Being on the morale committee, I was so moved by he wanted to get more involved, as he had also been a the collective and inspiring space that it drove me to in- dedicated participant for years. This year, Moro is on the crease my involvement in the event,” Romhilt said. corporate sponsorship executive committee. Moro’s role Romhilt has been on the tech executive committee for is to engage with corporations and companies that are the past two years, in which she is in charge of producing affiliated 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 effect 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 affiliation, 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.

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black This year, Wake ‘n’ Shake will take place on March 23.

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. Contact Anita Dongieux at dongap21@wfu.edu

Features | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, March 7, 2024 | Page 7

ͅͳ 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

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

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

Old Gold & Black | Features Page 8 | Thursday, March 7, 2024

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ENVIRONMENT OLD GOLD & BLACK

Ella Klein, kleiek22@wfu.edu Addison Schmidt, schmac21@wfu.edu

PAGE 9 THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024

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 — announced plans to construct facilities in Charlotte, Greensboro, Siler City and Marion. These companies produce various transportation alternatives including electric vans and buses, sustainablyfueled airliners, electric Addison Schmidt/Old Gold & Black 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 businesses — a partnership that is returning significant economic stimulation for the state in tax revenue, community development and job creation.

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.

“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 Pa r t n e r s h i p of North

C a ro lina, NC ranks No. 1 in offshore wind energy potential on the East Coast, in the top five nationwide for electricity production from nuclear 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.

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.

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.

Contact Nick Lambrinos at lambna21@wfu.edu

Page 10| Thursday, March 7, 2024

Old Gold & Black | Environment

stories Unraveling the threads of greenwashing Secondhand Finder’s keepers,

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 significant 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 benefits 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 filed 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 fibers than its main collection.

While most of these synthetic fibers have been recycled, they have little positive effect on the environment, as their short-lived use ends with the product in a landfill or incinerator.

A shocking 96% of H&M’s sustainability claims violated the CMA guidelines. The 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 verification of any use of organic or recycled materials.

Countless companies like H&M utilize these forms of greenwashing to increase sales. The 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.

“There are many different layers [to consider],” King said. “The first, 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 efforts at the fiber production level focus on reducing water use, fossil fuels, carbon emissions and energy consumption. Beyond this, companies must consider the use and runoff of chemicals in the process, since fer-

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

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

However, sustainable fashion extends beyond the production of materials and fibers. 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, ‘This 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 effective 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. The company has a website dedicated to the transparency of its environmental impact and sustainability efforts, 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 difference 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 efforts 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.

thrifting is cheaper

BEZA ZELALEM Senior Columnist

Addison Schmidt contributed reporting to this article.

Hello again, my fellow sustainable fashion lovers! I hope you got a chance to visit Happy Hour and Major Tomms –– this week I have an exciting new thrift store ready for you all.

The next vintage shop on my list is Finders Keepers, located in a charming booth inside the vintage and handmade emporium, Design Archives. The owner, Riley Phillips, has curated a to-die-for selection of unique, quirky and charming pieces.

This 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. The 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 fit 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 five 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.

Thinking 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!

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

Contact Anna Beim at beimal21@wfu.edu

Contact Beza Zelalem at zelam22@wfu.edu

OPINION OLD GOLD & BLACK

Virginia Noone, noonvc21@wfu.edu Dillon Clark, clardj22@wfu.edu

PAGE 11 THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024

The 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 fingertips. The promise of this new technology seemed infinite. Less than two years later, the idealistic optimism that once guided society’s openness to AI has since faded — and for good reason.

Artificial 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.

The potential for political values to influence 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 There 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 “significant 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 influence.

“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. “The 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 reflect the left-wing groupthink within the city.

There is no escaping the reality that the development of AI has reflected 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.

The significant 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 flaws 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 redefine, or rather recolor, history.

This problem is not limited to the edges of the culture war, however. There 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

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.

These 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.

The danger, of course, is that AI will present only one side of any debate unless specifically asked otherwise. The 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” affirmative 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 flaws are too evident to let it become society’s guiding light.

There is hope for the future The 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 filter 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 definition 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 suffers 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.

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.

That plan changed when visualization capabilities were temporarily turned off, and text responses were its replacement. The 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 offending 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 Contact Jacob Graff at grafje20@wfu.edu

Page 12 | Thursday, March 7, 2024

Old Gold & Black | Opinion

Wake Forest’s South Asian community feels divided South Asian or South Asian-American identities on campus should be familiarized with each other

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.

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 different identities.

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

There is no shortage of social media posts plastered with slogans like “embrace your uniqueness” or the occasional “don’t try to fit 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.

Specifically, 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?

The 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 Netflix’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 coffee shop wearing a traditional outfit, and immediately a young, white girl asks her if she is “dressed as Princess Jasmine.” This 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 off 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.

Though 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 gentrification made it more easily digestible.

The 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 finish their sentences with “I love butter chicken!” each time.

This is not to say I have something personal against butter chicken, but just a plea for people to expand their definition 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.

The South Forest

Asian

experience

at

Wake

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. This 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.

This 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 different 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 first indicator that they’ve been raised in the West is that they draw off their South Asian knowledge from what seems like meme pages. They 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. That 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 difficult 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 find 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 outfit on Eid, will I be looked at how Devi was looked at in that coffee 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 different 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 off with our lehengas or with the last bite of naan.

Contact Ameera Moinuddin at moina23@wfu.edu

Opinion | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, March 7, 2024 | Page 13

‘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. The 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.

The 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. This is what college basketball is all about. That 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.

The 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 five.

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 off 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 off 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 suffered a knee injury in the violent court storming 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. This was one of the worst of them. Like I said, it’s really ridiculous how the situation was handled.”

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

Drama queen!

First of all, Filipowski was merely tapped on the back by one fan. To say that he suffered multiple blows all over his body is quite dramatic. Secondly, if he truly did suffer a serious career-ending injury, he would not have played 30 minutes in the game against Louisville four days after the alleged injury. The 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 “The Lion King.” The 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. The 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.

There 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. There is a risk when the barrier between the stands and the field or court is broken. But how often do court stormings happen and how often are players injured?

The 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.

The people calling for court storming to be banned are announcers, journalists and former players who haven’t rushed a court in decades. Court storming exemplifies 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. They 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 confidently 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. These 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.

ϐ ǯ ǡ Ǥ ʹͶǤ Contact Mattie Stillerman at stilmk23@wfu.edu

SPORTS

PAGE 14 THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024

Follow us on X and IG @wfuogbsports OLD GOLD & BLACK

Sean Kennedy, kennsm21@wfu.edu Andrew Braun, brauar23@wfu.edu

Second half struggles doom MBB 'HPRQ 'HDFRQV ¿UVW KDOI VKRRWLQJ SXWV WKHP DKHDG EXW VHFRQG KDOI OHWGRZQ OHDGV WR DQRWKHU URDG ORVV SEAN KENNEDY 6SRUWV (GLWRU

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. That chance was squandered during the second half, as they were downed, 87-76.

It all looked good from the start for the Demon Deacons. The 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 first shots of the night from downtown — and the same went for reserve players too, like Parker Friedrichsen, who made his first two attempts from three.

Meanwhile, the Hokies executed half-court offenses effectively to keep themselves at a manageable deficit. 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).

The 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.

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

An 8-0 run from Cattoor and Pedulla shaved the deficit back down to seven points, but Miller hit a series of mid-range floaters 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

Cameron Hildreth a huge factor in

(2) guards Virginia the Hokies' offensive

Evan Harris/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.

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 offensive end.

“Hunter Cattoor played outstanding,” Forbes said.

Tech's attack,

Evan Harris/Old Gold & Black

Hunter Cattoor. Cattoor became scoring a season-high 26 points.

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

The Hokies continued to ride through Cattoor and Pedulla, with them combining to go 5-7 from threepoint land in the first ten minutes of the second half.

That led to an eight point Hokie lead, firing 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 deficit down to nine points.

Despite this, the Hokies closed the game out, with the final 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.”

The Demon Deacons return back to Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, March 9, to take on the Clemson Tigers. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network. &RQWDFW 6HDQ .HQQHG\ DW NHQQVP #ZIX HGX

Thursday, March 7, 2024 | Page 15

Sports | Old Gold & Black

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 off 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). The starter for Elon was the 6-foot-2, right-handed pitcher Nolan Straniero (0-1, 13.06 ERA).

Opening up the game, Elon’s leadoff

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 first of many strikeouts.

Wake Forest would open up the scoring in the bottom of the first, 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

Katie Romhilt/Old Gold & Black

Tate Ballestero (0) congratulates Jake Reinisch (31) at home plate. Reinisch launched a 406-foot bomb in the matchup.

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

The fifth 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 five runs in five hits —- including a three-run bomb to right field Katie Romhilt/Old Gold & Black

by Kurtz, setting the Blake Morningstar (4) winds up during a relief fans in the Couch ǡ ϐ Ǥ ablaze.

He said that Johnston’s change-up and After an effortless two more strikeouts by slider have only gotten more deceptive, Massey, Head Coach Tom Walter pulled saying similar things about the quality of him from the mound. Massey walked to Gervase’s breaking balls. the dugout to thunderous applause, put“I know we got a little battle-tested yesting up a menacing nine strikeouts in just terday for sure, which was good,” Walter 5.2 innings. said. “We needed that. But it was good “He’s definitely trending in the right way,” Walter said in a post-game interview. to rest up and win today. Our next eight games are certainly going to be the hardest Save for a solo shot by Jake Reinisch, the of the season.” rest of the game was quiet. Wake Forest Wake Forest is set to play Big Four riwould throw in three more pitchers: Zach Johnston, Will Gervase and Blake Morn- val Duke at David F. Couch Ballpark this ingstar, who let up a combined total of weekend. First pitch on Friday is set for 6 p.m. on ACCNX. zero runs and secured seven strikeouts.

After the game, Walter sang praises for Contact Nathan Fisher at both Massey and the rest of the bullpen. ¿VKQD #ZIX HGX

Keeping up with Will Zalatoris Former Men’s Golf star has made a name for himself in big moments and on a big stage 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. The 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 refining his swing,

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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

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. The 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 finishes 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, finishing 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.

Photo courtesy of Brian C. Cox/Getty Images

Zalatoris waves his cap to a packed Masters Tournament crowd.

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 filled 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.

Contact Avikar Khakh at NKDNDV #ZIX HGX

Old Gold & Black | Sports

Page 16 | Thursday, March 7, 2024

ǯ ϐ Ǧ The team rides trio of spectacular performances from Brennan, Haas, Kennon to compete at the Ford TEE JOHNSON Contributing Writer

The 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 The Ford Field and River Club GC in Richmond Hill, GA. The 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 field. The veterans started strong, with senior Michael Brennan shooting a 67 (-5) and junior Scotty Kennon shooting a 68 (-4). The freshmen also got off to a good start, with Tom Haberer and Kyle Haas both posting scores of 68 (-4).

The 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. The likes of Brennan, Haas, and Haberer maintained scores below par, and Wake Forest stood in great position heading into the final round.

As the third and final 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 final round by posting scores of 71 (-1), helping them to individually

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics

finish eight under par and tied for third.

Kennon made back-to-back birdies on both the front and back nine, helping him finish tied for eighth. Haberer finished the final round at No. 20, and junior Collin Adams finished tied for No. 33.

Despite not closing out the win, there are plenty of positives to take away for the team. This second place finish 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. Thanks 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. The 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.

ϐ ͵ Contact Tee Johnson at the Ford. Haas drew with fellow Demon Deacon Michael Brennan. johntg23@wfu.edu

Yellow Jackets’ Ndongo hits game-winner to stun Demon Deacons, ends undefeated home run this season SEAN KENNEDY Sports Editor The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets got their revenge, and in a very big way, downing the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 70-69.

The 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. The opposite occurred Tuesday night — a thriller that saw Georgia Tech prevail.

The 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 first media timeout.

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

On the other end, the Demon Deacons had nothing going. Three quick turnovers lent Georgia Tech chances at fast break opportunities, which to Wake Forest’s benefit, they often squandered. The deficit 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.”

The Yellow Jackets kept going with their offensive 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 deficit, 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 floaters 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 first half, I told our guys, ‘The 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. The guard became a spark on both sides of the ball, with 11 points and two steals within the first ten minutes of the second half.

“The 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. The guard knocked down consecutive jump shots to put the Yellow Jackets back out to a seven-point lead with seven minutes remaining.

That deficit barely wavered until after the final 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 five with time ticking down.

Miller redeemed himself over the next two offensive 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 first lead of the game with 18 seconds remaining.

Then: 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 find an open space near the basket and knock in a layup to put the Yellow Jackets up one with

Isabella Parolini/Old Gold & Black

Hildreth (2) dominated both sides of the ball in the second half.

under a second left.

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

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

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

Contact Sean Kennedy at kennsm21@wfu.edu

ARTS & CULTURE OLD GOLD & BLACK

Lydia Derris, derrlf23@wfu.edu James Watson, watsjc22@wfu.edu

PAGE 17 THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024

'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 Theatre 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 Theater 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. The floor was painted with ornately designed colorful flowers, the room was illuminated with a fluorescent pink hue and floating 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. The “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 offered 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

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.

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

There 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 different, yet share this special bond that the audi-

Mike Liu/Old Gold & Black

The cast of Ring Theater.

"Sense & Sensibility" "It was a beautiful

enjoyed a oppurtunity,"

two week-long run at the said actress Isabella Birick.

ence can connect with. Their 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 Theater performances including “Backstory” as Ainsle, and in “Witness for the Prosecution” as The 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 reflected 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. This 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 Theater 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

Page 18|Thursday, March 7, 2024

Old Gold & Black |Arts & Culture

ϐ The indigenous American author creates horror from history MARYAM KHANUM Senior Writer The genre of horror fiction 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 different 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 fiction, Stephen Graham Jones is prolific in the art of the unsettling. His 2020 novel “The 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 five Blackfeet protagonists in the novel in a slasher fashion that is truly Jason-Vorhees-esque.

Though 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.

Maryam Khanum/Old Gold & Black

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

This 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 first 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. The piece, which centered around a fictional alien species that reproduced through tickling, had the whole audience in fits of laughter — which was much more lighthearted than Jones’s horror fiction 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 fictional horror that he

and hence was received very differently by different political groups. During his visit to Wake Forest, Jones talked about how conservative television show host Laura Ingraham even discussed the comic’s first volume “Kill Columbus” on her show “The 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 ruffle 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 fictional, is awe-inspiring and monumental.

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 first place: America. In this enthralling science fiction 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 inflict oppression today.

“Earthdivers” tackles some incredibly Contact Maryam Khanum at controversial topics about America’s history, khanmg20@wfu.edu

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

SKYLER VILLAMAR-JONES Staff Writer Commemoration of significant 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.

The “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.

The 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, affirming 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.

The 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.

The 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. “The 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 difficult histories.”

The 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. The 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.

The exhibition also features visual art contributions from students of West Forsyth and Mount Tabor High Schools, including “The Butterfly Project,” which includes a butterfly 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 figures from the Holocaust, like Anne Frank,” Wake Forest freshman Gavin Godfrey said. “The colors, and the fact that they go basically from floor to ceiling, definitely makes them stick out to me.”

Beside the exhibition is a monitor that displays the accompanying lecture and musical performance. The 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.”

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

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

“The 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 difficult to do with just poetry or just music. The 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 reflections through art, poetry and music.”

Contact Skyler-Villamar Jones at villsc22@wfu.edu

Thursday, March 7, 2024 | Page 19

Arts & Culture | 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 fine 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 flavors, 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 first among Oh’ Calcutta’s offerings 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 flavors can shine side by

Oh’ Calcutta has won mulitiple awards including Award from Downtown Winston-Salem Inc., within

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

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

Katie Romhilt/Old Gold & Black

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.

the one

Katie Romhilt/Old Gold & Black

Downtown Excellence year of its opening.

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. The 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. The dish’s rezala sauce pairs well with the must-order truffle 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 offerings 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. The first bite I took of this food, I knew I was in for a treat.”

Oh’ Calcutta celebrated its first 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.

Contact Melina Traiforos at traimg21@wfu.edu

Old Gold & Black|Arts & Culture

Page 20|Thursday, March 7, 2024

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 films that caught my undivided attention earlier this year.

“Society of the Snow,” by the Spanish filmmaker 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 final 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 films 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 film, 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 significant impression on the viewer. Many film critics praise the authenticity of Bayona’s film, 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 affect 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. Their hyper-fixation of finding normalcy and their craving for habitualness made their current state of despair pause for a moment as they smiled for those pictures. They did what they knew, what they would’ve done if they

were sitting together in an alternate location. They 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 film. 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 floor 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

‘Killer’ sudoku LOGAN JACOBS Contributing writer

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

Contact Logan Jacobs at jacolb22@wfu.edu