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WAKE FOREST’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1916 VOL. 108, NO. 16
T H U R S DAY, JA N UA RY 2 0 , 2 0 2 2 “Cover s the campus like the magnolias”
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Humanities Professor hosts climate change talk
BY EMILY TORO News Editor toroer20@wfu.edu
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Alumni of the Wake Forest University School of Business accredit their career successes at top accounting firms to their professors and the holistic business curriculum.
A new study shows Wake Forest School of Business graduates BY BREANNA LAWS Staff Writer lawsbn21@wfu.edu According to a report from higher education research group OnlineU, Wake Forest School of Business graduates are more likely to earn jobs at a “Big Four” firm than at any other business school. The report, which collected data from over 100 universities and 300,000 alumni, showed that more than 26% of Wake Forest accounting graduates are now employed by either Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG or PwC, the top four accounting firms in the United States.
This is not the first milestone of success that the Wake Forest School of Business has reached over the past several years, particularly in the accounting department. The School of Business has retained the highest Certified Public Accountant Exam pass rate more often than any other school in the last 20 years. Additionally, the accounting program had a 100% employment rate for 2019 graduates within three months of graduation and has been consistently recognized for its ability to send graduates to high-level accounting firms. These accolades follow other significant rankings of the School of Business, one of which being The Economist’s second-place rating of the School of Business as a top choice for career opportunities.
“I’m not surprised to see the success Wake is having placing students at the top firms,” said James Barker, a 1993 accounting program graduate. “Wake is a national recruiting school for all the firms and Wake grads tend to be top performers among their start classes.” Another 1993 accounting program graduate, Jessica Good, also holds the Wake Forest Business School in high regard. “I'm proud to be a Wake Forest University accounting graduate, and the program has been great for decades,” Good said. Some alumni reflected on their careers since graduating from the School of Business and commented on how the professors and curriculum have set them up for success.
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“We are now faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. ” Wake Forest Humanities Professor Dr. Corey D.B. Walker commenced a climate change webinar on Jan. 17 by reciting this 1967 quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It seems King’s famous words persist all these years later in today’s conversation surrounding environmental justice. Walker hosted the webinar entitled, "The Fierce Urgency of Now: Climate Change, Environmental Justice, and the Fate of Democracy," which explored the work of the Virginia Interfaith Power and Light. The VIPL is an organization whose mission is to “collaborate among people of faith and conscience to grow healthy communities by advancing climate and environmental justice,” according to their website. The webinar highlighted co-directors Kendyl Crawford and Dr. Faith Harris’ connections to the organization’s mission — and more broadly — their efforts to embody a similar vision to MLK’s call for urgency and hope for a united community. “Perhaps this is our call to realize Martin Luther King’s dream of a beloved community on a planetary scale,” Walker said. Crawford and Harris work with faith leaders and communities who continuously suffer environmental injustices, and as a result, a poor and destructive quality of life. “We work with communities all over Virginia,” Harris said. “We recently started working with faith leaders and communities [in the southwest] who are fighting a critically important battle for their quality of life. They are inundated daily with noxious gasses from a landfill that actually keeps them from being able to sleep at night, and the fumes are so strong and overpowering that their children are vomiting.” Harris continued: “We bring in the faith lens and encourage them to draw upon the power they already have and make that connection.”
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“ respect sanctity of a snow day University should This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board.
The warm feeling of fondness that is associated with memories of snow days can be shared by most Wake Forest students, whether they were lucky enough to be from a hometown with snowy winters or a town where the rare snowfall is a town-wide celebration. With the advent of virtual learning, that joy and warmth may have disappeared. On Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, Wake Forest’s administration responded to snowfall and dangerous weather conditions by transitioning all classes to a virtual format. On both Tuesday and Wednesday, students have been spending what would once be considered a “snow day” sitting in front of their computer screens, completing in-class and homework assignments.
While learning is imperative, snow days provide crucial morale boosts to the student body... allowing students more time to focus on their mental wellbeing via a snow day appears to be a nobrainer.
Before the introduction of the Zoom format across American education, institutions of higher learning like Wake Forest would cancel all classes in the event of inclement weather. Now, that practice has disappeared. This is harmful, because for both students and professors, sudden transitions between course modalities can be jarring and can lead to a decrease in the quality of Wake Forest’s vaunted educational experience. Further, for professors
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who have children enrolled in WinstonSalem/Forsyth County Public Schools — which did, in fact, close completely for this most recent storm — balancing childcare with virtual teaching can also be difficult. The detriments of not having snow days are clear, but benefits of allowing students to have class-free snow days are also numerous and long-lasting. Of course, the primary advantage of deciding to cancel classes would be the prioritization of student health and safety. Although learning is imperative, snow days provide crucial morale boosts to the student body. After the university’s history of pursuing the implementation of wellness days, allowing students more time to focus on their mental wellbeing through
a snow day appears to be a no-brainer. Yet, the administration has continued to ignore measures that could promote the health of students for policies that keep the university open at all costs. There are professors within the university who are dedicated to correcting this misstep. For example, T. H. M. GellarGoad in the classics department has a snow day policy on his syllabus stipulating that if in-person classes are canceled, his class will be canceled. Period. We encourage the university to adopt a similar stance. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop into new and unforeseen stages, our university must maintain the wellbeing of their students as their first priority. Returning to a snow day policy of no classes will help in that effort.
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News| Old Gold & Black
Climate: Activists discuss environmental justice Harris elaborated on a similar project she worked on, in Buckingham County, VA., which she details as a “perfect example of a new way of looking at this work.” “We did work in Buckingham County [and saw] people that had worked all their lives, saved their money, followed the rules, participated in community and then there comes a possible compressor station — larger than anything that has been tested on — and these people experience an interruption of their peace.” Later in the discussion, after detailing their work, Crawford apologized to Walker for expressing frustration regarding the issue of climate change being deemed political. “We as people can’t live three minutes without air, three days without water or three weeks without food, so just the fact that we have politicized something that is so fundamental and basic to survival always astounds me and makes me very frustrated,” Crawford said.
She continued: “This should not even be political. What’s political about a breath taken? What’s political about your children having healthy food?” Harris felt similarly to her co-director, asserting that the work they do comes not from a political place but rather a place of service. “The work is really showing people the power they have to influence others, legislatures and administrators,” Harris said. Walker furthered the conversation by asking the women about their work to inspire change in all individuals, specifically those apathetic to the presence of climate change. “Trying to combat dualistic thinking is one of the things that is really important in building our theory of change,” Crawford said. “That dualism has gotten us into a lot of trouble. It limits what people are willing to work toward. That’s one of the things we are trying to do, widen people’s perceptions.”
Harris continued the discussion by presenting another obstacle that seems to challenge their vision: capitalism. “What we face most often is people of faith or faith leaders who are more capitalist than they are Christian,” Harris said. “They are more concerned about wealth and power and garnering it for themselves — and maybe a few in their community — than they are about the call upon all creation to be that beloved community . . . we deal with a lot of apathy and conformist responses to the issue.” Crawford further unfolded why capitalist thinking continues to affect humanity and the vision for environmental justice. “Being up against white supremacy and capitalism — you can imagine — is a big hill to climb,” Crawford said. “I often think that if I were to design a problem that would challenge humanity the most, I would design something like the issue of climate change — something that requires
a whole globe of people to work together — because, especially when you think about capitalism, you have materialisms, you have short term thinking, inequality and disposable people.” MLK’s aforementioned 1967 quote continues like this: “ . . . Over the bleached bones and jumbled residues of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words, too late.” Inspired by MLK’s words, Harris and Crawford emphasized the notion that climate change will never be resolved until people “address, undo and create new systems,” as Harris puts it. She suggested these new systems should focus on fostering our creative selves to engage economics, politics and social issues. Crawford concludes by emphasizing the need for united, urgent action. “You are needed; there is space for you and you are welcome,” Crawford said.
Activity fair moves to February due to COVID The Student Involvement Fair,
“We are looking forward to featuring newly-chartered organizations and hope students will come out to learn what op-
portunities are available,” Forbes said. The event will still be held, as previously planned, on the fourth floor of Benson
University Center from 4-6 p.m. Anyone looking to get involved is encouraged to attend.
BY CHRISTA DUTTON News Editor duttcd20@wfu.edu
The Spring Involvement Fair, originally scheduled for Jan. 19, has been postponed until Feb. 2 due to concerns around the highly contagious Omicron variant. Erinn Forbes is the Assistant Director of Student Organizations and Programs. She cited COVID-19 concerns as the reason for the event being postponed. “We decided to postpone this event due to the likely increase in cases we might be seeing as students return to campus from various home and winter vacation locations,” Forbes said. “We want to allow time for this contagious variant to run its course before we pull together an event that is going to have a lot of students together in one indoor space.” Despite being held later in the semester than anticipated, event organizers remain optimistic that the Spring Involvement Fair will accomplish its goal of connecting students with clubs and organizations on campus, both new and old.
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest
POLICE BEAT Miscellaneous:
Underage Consumption/Drug Offenses:
• • • •
Student in Poteat Hall consumed 6-7 shots underage at an unknown location and became sick. Offender refused transport. The report was filed at 1:27 a.m. on Jan. 14. Student in Babcock Hall consumed alcohol underage at an unknown location. EMS responded and transported to Baptist Hospital. The report was filed at 2:14 a.m. on Jan. 15. Students in Babcock Hall are suspected of using marijuana. One marijuana joint was found nearby. The report was filed at 10:51 a.m. on Jan. 15.
• • • •
An unknown Wake Forest football player was removed from Last Resort and WFUPD removed football players from the property with no incident. The report was filed at 12:09 a.m. on Jan. 14. Unknown subject(s) forcibly entered a desk drawer and removed a cash box containing $1.25. Continuing investigation. The report was filed at 1:10 p.m. on Jan. 14. Unknown subject(s) transferred paint onto the victim’s vehicle. The incident appeared to be accidental. The report was filed at 7:17 a.m. on Jan. 14. Refused caller advised two male subjects were sledding behind a moving vehicle. Report was filed at 4:57 p.m. on Jan. 16.
Page 4 | Thursday, January 20, 2022
Old Gold & Black | News
Business: Wake grads earn top jobs Currently, Barker is working as a consultation partner in Deloitte’s national office. Over his career, he has worked for two different accounting firms. He has also worked out of four office locations, including international locations. Barker highlighted the excellent job security he has experienced even during economic downturn. “Good accountants seem to always be in high demand,” Barker said. Good also believes that the professors of accounting hold a large amount of influence over their students. “The consistency in the culture of the program and the dedication of the professors to prepare students
for the accounting technical world is stellar,” she said. “The professors also strive to challenge the students to become strong business people, problem solvers and leaders.” Now well into her career at PwC, Good believes that the teaching at Wake Forest is still positively impacting her today. “This focus on a holistic business education has served me well for almost 30 years and continues to prepare current graduates for successful careers.” Mark Evans, the Associate Dean for Accountancy, agreed that the Wake Forest accounting program does well at preparing its students for their future endeavors. “The program is rigorous yet personal and market-driven, yet conceptually grounded,” Evans said.
Among the many benefits of the School of Business’s curriculum are the Graduate Consulting Projects (GCP) in the Masters in Management program (MSM). The GCP allows a designated team of students to work directly with a businesssponsored client in order to further develop vital professional skills. Evans emphasized the ability of professors to connect with their students, as well as to stay updated on the current climate of the business world. “The Accountancy faculty get to know each and every student, and we stay closely engaged with the profession so that we know what is on the horizon in business and accounting.” Evans also gave praise to the alumni of the accounting program who have been earning positions at top firms
at outstanding rates and making the School of Business proud. “Our young alums consistently receive high marks from employers on their work ethic and their ability to understand and complete complex analytic tasks,” Evans said. He also emphasizes the successes of the accounting graduates that have been settled into their careers for longer periods of time. “Our seasoned alums continue to assume impactful leadership roles in business and accounting,” he said. The Graduate School of Business began classes on Jan. 15. Both the undergraduate and graduate accounting programs hope to continue to provide cutting-edge education for their students so that students are fully equipped to keep earning positions at prestigious firms.
Snow forces TEDxWake to cancel event This updated is provided by the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board
In a late-night Instagram post, TEDxWake announced that it is canceling its in-person event, which was scheduled for Jan. 22. Originally, concerns about inclement winter weather expected for this weekend caused TEDxWake organizers to move the event to an online modality. However, that decision lasted only a few hours. In the Instagram post, the TedX team wrote: “Thank you for all the love this year. To honor our speakers, we will be fully canceling this year’s event and inviting the speakers back next year in hopes of giving them a full experience.” The post continued: “Devastated does not begin to describe what the team is feeling, but we can’t wait to put on a bigger and better conference next year. We would like to give a huge shoutout to our seniors, who were our rocks and biggest inspirations, you will be so incredible missed. You’ll hear from us soon enough!” The theme of the event, “wavemakers”, coincidentally was supposed to focus around the positive power of disruption. Allie Haggerty, president of TEDxWake, shared her views on the intended theme with the Old Gold & Black for the original article that was to be published previewing the Jan. 22 event. “When something that life-changing happens, there’s lessons to learn and people to touch through those lessons,” Haggerty said. If the lineup of speakers remains the same, attendees at the 2023 conference can expect to hear from Peabody Award winners, Wake Forest professors, business executives and more. More information about the cancellation can be found on the TEDxWake Instagram page, @tedxwakeforestu, or on its website www. tedexwake.com.
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Wait Chapel dons a red glow in anticipation of the TEDxWake event. The event was
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I also think that part of my transition process is creating more formalized communication opportunities, so President Wente and I are creating a roundtable discussion where we’ll work with various student groups and literally invite students to the table. Another area that will inform my vision is really thinking about the campus experience from a perspective of different strengths. There are certainly challenges, but I tend to look at what’s going on right here and how we can take this small phenomenon and then scale it more broadly.
BY CHASE BAGNALL-KOGER Features Editor
Dr. Shea Kidd Brown is the recently-appointed vice president for Campus Life, the administrative division which includes Campus Recreation, Residence Life and Housing, Campus Police, and several other programs. After serving as the associate vice chancellor for student life and dean of students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Brown began working for Wake Forest at the beginning of January 2022. In the words of President Susan Wente, Brown “has a gift for connecting in meaningful ways with students and campus partners and is committed to ensuring all students can feel a sense of belonging and thrive here.”
What are some of these strengths, and what are some challenges that you may anticipate this semester and throughout your tenure?
What inspired you to start working in higher education?
Wake Forest is known nationally for its work around well-being; there are a number of resources available on campus, not just one place that students can go. Also, the teacher-scholar ideal is something that really attracted me here. Other strengths are the academic reputation: our students are very bright and come from a lot of different pockets. From an opportunities perspective, I believe that students want more open opportunities to talk with administrators about their experiences and to be able to communicate with administrators not only when something’s going wrong. So I think being able to create a huge opportunity for us is to create those forms, just like you know, the roundtable discussions that we will begin. I think there were some challenging conversations that took place in the fall, so we are now able to come back to those and think about what we learned from that.
I think it started back when I was an undergrad, but I didn’t know it yet. I was really enthusiastic about the campus experience, and I think it was because I didn’t necessarily arrive at college super confident and benefitted greatly from people who saw things in me that I didn’t see myself. After undergrad, I had a very short stint in sales, then called my mentor, the Vice President for Student Affairs at my undergraduate University, and shared that I wasn’t fulfilled. I had thought about student affairs as a profession, but I really never pursued it, and it was then that he encouraged me to think about that again. In retrospect, there were people all along the way who were modeling who I wanted to be. It was really the impact that those individuals had on me during my four years of undergraduate that propelled me into this career.
Is there anything you would like students to know about you?
What led you to accept this position at Wake Forest? When this opportunity emerged it seemed like something I wanted to learn more about because of the reputation that precedes Wake Forest. There’s such a rich history of how this university operates and the students that it attracts. Based on my career portfolio I thought I could really meld the things that I had learned so far in my career with this position. Through the inter way for students to form relationships, just like I did with my mentor. I met him on the steps of the student center; he asked me my name and my story. And years and years later, even today, he’s someone that I consider a mentor and think about. So I think campus life
really helps students to find their identity and find their leadership identity. Leadership doesn’t have to be situated in a position formally, but it really is this constant desire to wake up and be a better person today than we were yesterday. What is your vision for Campus Life?
I really approach a new position as one where we are all teachers and all students, so a big part of my job is to learn about Wake Forest and to forge deep relationships with faculty and staff, alumni, family members and students. I think that will help form the vision as I see what’s working and what’s not working.
I want to be an approachable, accessible leader and so I welcome and invite the hellos and I invite students to make an appointment; if they want to connect with me one-to-one, I’m certainly open to that. I’m also very active on social media so students can follow me on Twitter and Instagram. I think lastly we all have a story, and our story has meaning and purpose so I’m excited to be a part of helping students make those connections along the way, as they’re figuring out who they want to be and what their identities are, and where they’ll go from here. Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Page 6 | Thursday, January 20, 2022
Old Gold & Black | Features
Alpha Kappa Psi opens doors for its members As spring rush begins, AKPsi members highlight the fraternity’s many opportunities BY CONNOR MCNEELY Editor-in-Chief mcnecb19@wfu.edu
The “Meet the Major” events allow for applicants to have one-on-one conversations with brothers in their field of interest in order to gain perspective on how AKPsi can provide resources and experiences for people in different majors. AKPsi leadership is working to change the assumption that their fraternity is strictly for business majors. The “Speed Dating” session is a more general period of connection-building with as many brothers as possible before initial rounds of cuts are made. The first three sessions are then followed by a social event, which applicants will attend if they have received an invitation. The social event is followed by a resumé review session and a final professional interview in which members from AKPsi evaluate the applicant’s professionalism, resumé and whether or not they would fit with the fraternity. A separate application accompanies the rushing process. In this form, the applicant is asked about their interest in the organization as well as some unconventional questions like “why do you think only a small percentage of the population earns over $150K?” The recruitment process for AKPsi is determined in large part by the rush chairs within the
fraternity, who oversee the decision in the initial round of cuts. However, after the rushing period has ended, all AKPsi members participate in a final vote in order to induct new members. Once students have joined the fraternity, they have access to AKPsi’s numerous benefits, which include professional networking opportunities, resumé and professional interview development as well as informal social events on campus. Olivia Fondie, the marketing chair for AKPsi, has benefited significantly from the fraternity’s extensive network of connections. Fondie has acquired four professional internships as a junior — one of the opportunities was at Ethica, a sustainable fashion company started by a Wake Forest alum. Fondie is not currently enrolled in the business school and is majoring in Communications with minors in Psychology and Film. “Because we’re the business fraternity, everyone thinks that [AKPsi] is only for business school people,” Fondie said. “We’re really one concentrated place for a diverse group of students with different majors,” The values and benefits of AKPsi have changed many members’ lives at Wake Forest. The fraternity offers more than profession-
al connections and important resumé and interview skills. “Before joining AKPsi, I was feeling kind of lonely, like I didn’t have a place on campus. I was interested in marketing and wanted to join an organization with like-minded people. Joining AKPsi has really opened a new social door for me. I now have a place where I can meet people who are super motivated and passionate, who are also fun to be around,” Fondie said. Although the road to AKPsi can be rigorous and the organization is perceived as extremely exclusive, many students have worked through rejection in order to join the fraternity. Olivia Fondie rushed AKPsi twice and eventually ascended to a prominent position within the organization. “I think during my initial rush, I just didn’t meet enough brothers and do enough networking,” Fondie said. “It’s important to take time to meet as many people as possible during rush so that you can be well connected.” AKPsi is starting its rush process with a casual informational meeting at Farrell Hall on Jan. 24 from 6-8 p.m. Interested students can apply at www.akpsi. wfu and can find more infor mation on the fraternity’s Instagram “@akpsi_wfu.”
Alpha Kappa Psi — AKPsi — is the business fraternity at Wake Forest University. The organization defines itself as a “unique, prestigious association of students, professors, graduates and professionals with common interests and goals” that “provides the opportunity to cultivate business excellence, leadership development, employment readiness and lifelong brotherhood.” On campus, AKPsi is commonly known as the first step into the business world and, more specifically, the illustrious undergraduate program at the Wake Forest School of Business. Upon opening AKPsi’s website, one is confronted with the image of a sharp-looking suit and some purposeful history of the organization. In a way, this is quite similar to the general manner in which students at Wake Forest are first exposed to the fraternity. During rush season, many students will appear on campus wearing professional attire throughout the day. This is all part of the fraternity’s selection process and an effort to acquaint brothers with proper etiquette and professionalism that is standard in modern business. AKPsi President Jack Sullivan was adamant about the positive opportunities that his fraternity provides to prospective members. “Members receive benefits such as mentorship from older members, interview preparation and learning how to communicate with professionals,” Sullivan said. “I highly encourage anyone considering rushing to do so because AKPSi provides its brothers with so much more in addition to business skills.” AKPsi is known on campus for its rigorous application process and its selectivity in choosing new members. The rushing process begins with an informational session, followed by “Meet the Major” and “Speed Dating” sessions. Applicants must also create short introduction videos in Courtesy of @akpsi_wfu on Instagram which they give an elevator pitch as to why they should be accept- Current brothers of Alpha Kappa Psi gather to celebrate a new semester. AKPsi proed into AKPsi. vides new opportunities for leadership, networking, business excellence and more.
Old Gold & Black | Page 7
Features| Thursday, January 20, 2022
RedCupWake: How to Run a Meme Page What does it take to manage one of Wake’s most-followed Instagram meme accounts? BY COOPER SULLIVAN Multimedia Managing Editor sullcg20@wfu.edu When Amy Foley direct-messaged RedCup ACC in Dec. 2020 asking if she could revive the Wake Forest account of the larger RedCup News organization, she didn’t expect much. Maybe it would provide her an opportunity to post some Wake Forest-related memes and get a few laughs. Thirteen months, 293 posts and nearly 3,000 followers later, the junior from Lake Forest, IL. can say she’s done a little bit more. After getting the go-ahead, RedCupWake was completely under Foley’s direction. Tasked with growing the brand, she was essentially starting from scratch. Foley reached out to friends Hanna Vasconcello and Jonathan Gharib, both sophomores at the time, in order to help expand RedCupWake’s presence towards TikTok and Twitter. Foley also contacted other RedCup affiliates in hopes of some advice and guidance. “I’ve tried to model our page after the RedCupCanes’ one because theirs has done so well at their school [University of Miami (FL)],” Foley said. Foley however, noted that the relationship between accounts is more than just emu-
lation. There is a group chat that the account heads use to bond and work together. Foley is very organized when it comes to coming up with content to grow the RedCupWake brand. “I have a meme notebook where I draw out all my memes,” Foley said. “I normally organize it into like, ‘what topics are relevant’ and then ‘what formats do I want to use’. Then I will try to match them. It doesn’t always work out that way and sometimes I have to go searching.” Foley admits that while she does not want to just cover one topic, she would like to focus more energy on sports-related content since “that’s what people want to see.” But one of the main challenges she and Vasconcello — who is in charge of the RedCupWake Tiktok account — both face is being the line between “too niche” or “just right”. “When I was first given the account, I started writing a whole bunch of ideas on my phone of sounds that I wanted to use with certain punchlines,” Vasconcello said. “Ideas would just come from things on campus that annoyed me, caught my attention or made me laugh … most of my Greek Life or sports memes are inspired by friends, though, I’m not really in those groups.” Foley said that working with various campus groups like TedX or Good Uncle has brought her joy. “It was nice to have people recognize me through Redcup Wake, and any way I can help
another organization at Wake Forest is always good.” Running one of the most popular meme pages on campus isn’t as simple as mocking something up, clicking “post” and watching the likes roll in. And now that Vasconcello is abroad for the spring semester, Foley will have to maintain the account mostly by herself. “Last semester, I had a little bit of trouble [keeping up] just because I got really busy,” Foley said. “My posting decreased — I’m going to try to change that this semester, because I should have a little bit more time on my hands — but it is a lot to keep up with sometimes. Especially when you have deals with other people.” “Right now, the main goal for [Foley] is to grow the Instagram account,” Vasconcello said. “She has always had a full schedule on top of running RedCupWake, so I can’t imagine it’ll be more difficult.” Last year, Foley worked in the Fan Experience & Sales program for the Athletic Department, so attending football or soccer games meant going as an employee, not as a student. Another stipulation was no pregame tailgates or sitting in the student section, both aspects of games she very much enjoyed, and by default, less time spent creating content, sports-related or not. She is still very thankful for all the appreciation she receives, even if she didn’t post as much as she wanted. “Matt James commented on one of our posts, Nick Sciba followed me and reposted some-
thing on his story. I think A.T. Perry reposted the meme I made of him,” Foley said. “Even though he’s just reposting it, for someone who to say, ‘I spent time thinking about this,’ it’s a nice gesture. So I’m just happy that people like some of the stuff I create.” As for what’s in store for RedCup Wake for this spring semester, Foley wants to brush up her video editing skills and post more video content. The TikTok will most likely be on hiatus until Vasconcello returns. At some point, though, there will a quick trip down to Office Depot to buy a new notebook.
Photo courtesy of Amy Foley
Amy Foley is the founder and manager of the RedCupWake Instagram.
Equestrian Team returns to intercollegiate competitions The team will compete in both dressage and hunt seat shows this semester BY CHASE BAGNALL-KOGER Features Editor bagncm21@wfu.edu Winston-Salem’s “college town” feel may lure Wake Forest students into thinking that they have experienced the entirety of the area, but just 15 minutes from campus, Hidden K Stables provides an entirely new set of opportunities: horseback riding training and the ability to connect with new people — and horses. These stables have become a home away from home for members of the Wake Forest Equestrian Team. At least once a week, team members gather there for formal horseback lessons with trainer Michelle Hargreaves, a British Horse Society (BHS) qualified riding instructor and owner of Hidden K Stables. In their own time, riders can come by for “hack rides”, less structured rides where they can hone their individual skills and technique. “Riding horses has been really important to me my whole life, so it’s great to be able to do that in a new and interesting capacity here at Wake Forest,” senior Anna Lawrence said. The team is separated into two distinct styles of equestrian competition — hunt seat and dressage — several members compete in both categories. The hunt seat team rides courses that include series of jumps and hurdles. These competitions are overseen by the Intercollegiate Hunt Seat Association (IHSA), a non-profit established in 1979 to regulate and judge competitions in hunt seat riding.
Meanwhile, the dressage team riders work with horses to improve joint discipline and responsiveness. These competitions consist of completing a prescribed series of movements and are organized by the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA). Preparing for either of these competition types is no light work. An away show may involve traveling around the area to compete against schools such as Emory & Henry, NC State and Virginia Tech, over the course of a weekend. In the days preceding a “home show”, hosted in Wake Forest’s own backyard, riders typically put in extra hours preparing horses, cleaning stalls and
equipment; and perfecting their skills. Home shows are unique because during these events, riders from both the dressage and hunt seat teams compete. Also, since the Equestrian Team is responsible for providing horses for these shows, the riders can compete on horses with which they have bonded. “I really connected with one of the horses … he was particular about who rode him, so I had to do some of his retraining at the barn, and I really enjoyed that,” sophomore Isabel Brunker said. Though “home shows” were temporarily put on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic, the team plans to
host an intercollegiate event — an IDA show — for the first time in two years. IHSA shows are typically larger and therefore are still on hold to limit potential exposure to COVID-19. Despite some remaining restrictions, the team is now able to return to regular practices and competitions after abiding by a more relaxed, unofficial practice schedule during 2020 and Spring 2021. “Since I came to Wake in the middle of the pandemic, I was a little worried about keeping myself safe and interacting with other people, but being on the equestrian team helped me make connections,” Brunker said. Compared to other college equestrian teams, Wake Forest’s team is smaller, but not less dedicated. Between staying overnight on trips to getting up early to feed horses before a show, the experiences of being on the Equestrian team create a tight-knit community that includes people from different areas and backgrounds. “I had a good time this past semester when we had a double-header horse show in Virginia,” senior Brooke Wilhelm said. “We went to a restaurant and watched the NC State game and had a lot of fun.” The team typically holds tryouts at the beginning of the fall semester. Although horseback riding can be an extremely technical sport, students of all experience levels are welcomed; there is even a class of competition that requires contestants to have less than five hours of formal training. For more updates on the Equestrian Team, follow it on Photo courtesy of @wfu_equestrian on Instagram Instagram @wfu_equestrian or visit its Senior Grace Lyons, one of the members of the Equestrian Team website at https://wfuclubequestrian. competes at Tyron International Equestrian Center over Fall break. wixsite.com.
OPINION
T H U R S D AY, J A N U A R Y 2 0 , 2 0 2 2
PAG E 8
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Sophie Guymon, guymsm20@wfu.edu Maryam Khanum, khanmg20@wfu.edu
OLD GOLD & BLACK
The views expressed in all opinion columns represent those of the article’s author, not the opinions of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board
If Biden fails to make his mark, will anyone? Despite being handed a great deal of crises, Biden is unlikely to join the ranks of F.D.R. and Lincoln BY OSCAR BRAY Contributing Columnist brayol20@wfu.edu
Crisis is indispensable to the American presidency. Little else provides such an open pathway to obtaining political power and ensuring a historical legacy. It was the great regret of Bill Clinton that no such great crisis occurred during his presidency and that he was in essence denied the opportunity of enshrining himself among the likes of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Today the likes of Lincoln and F.D.R. stand in a political majesty built on the accomplishments in the nation's most perilous times. A third contender, George Washington, lies in a similar position, defined and deified by his wartime accomplishments — though they pre-date his presidency. Seemingly, the common factor among these men lay in their respective abilities to adequately deal with crises that struck the very heart of the country: three wars and a catastrophic economic depression. So it appears to the newly-inaugurated president hoping to leave their respective mark, that there is — ironically — nothing that one might wish for more than a good, honest disaster to take care of. Since he was sworn into office, President Joe Biden has inherited a plethora of disasters. Among these is a pandemic that has surpassed the death Photo courtesy of Teen Vogue toll of the Spanish flu — and the combined total American deaths in both world wars — and sent In the year since Biden's inauguration, he has failed to effectively capitalize on the potenthe country into a spiral. He inherited the office tial for greatness that has been presented to him by the pandemic and other crises. from an administration that actively attempted to challenge the legitimacy of the government and for decisively addressing each crisis grow worse abandonment of drone strikes — no one seems to care. was left to pick up the pieces of a deeply rattled by the day. capital city in the wake of the mass mobilization Without a doubt, the great American presiden- Biden has certainly not flawlessly addressed against his electoral victory. The world’s leading tial forebearers of disaster management faced the pandemic issue — nor any others — but no climate scientists predict an impending climate equal domestic hostility, if not greater. F.D.R.’s American president has ever conducted their ademergency — one which was already proving Congress actively threatened to impeach him and ministration flawlessly. However, it is quite curito be difficult to address before the pandemic. Lincoln had to go as far as to suspend habeas cor- ous that even in his victories, the attention has Abroad, Biden has taken to the task of withdraw- pus for war dissenters. But they faced such hostil- instead been put on his many failures above his ing from Afghanistan — and now of navigating ity with as many followers as they had enemies, successes. Perhaps it is that he inspires little of the tension on the Russo-Ukrainian border — all and Biden seems to have enjoyed no such luxury. the same following enjoyed by his predecessors. while attempting to find a new balance of power But why? Biden is no Lincoln. Nor was F.D.R. It must be more than just that. in American dealings with the People’s Repub- Yet given the great scale of disasters which have Whether it is mass media, increased political lic of China. Such disasters may fall short of the befallen him, it seems surprising that Biden has mobilization or simply a plain new political conSecond World War or the American Civil War, proven to be one of the presidents with the most sciousness in the American people — the time of but they should portend the opening route for enemies and the least number of friends. the president as a national hero has ended. One another sanctified American president to join Is it because of a denial that the scope of these should be sure to not overstep in analyzing the disasters is anywhere near as great as what F.D.R. the ranks of F.D.R., Washington and Lincoln. past with the lens of today. To say that the most But this has clearly not happened. At the mo- and Lincoln faced? Perhaps. But apparently, a highly regarded presidents did not face sizable ment, Biden faces an ever-diminishing ap proval great body of the American population recogniz- criticism and attack for their administrations in rating — he is trapped in the low 40s at a time es the immense scale of these crises while simulwhen presidents typically enjoy the height of taneously viewing Biden as a poor president and their time is a fallacy. their popular support. opposing his agenda. Is it related to his legisla- But it is also true that in spite of that backlash, His attempts at deal-brokering in Congress tive attempts then? Perhaps. But the withdrawal they maintained networks of vertical power, held have been barely better than mixed; he does not from Afghanistan was wildly popular before he the strength to dictate the mechanisms of party enjoy a firm grip over his own party and he has did it — so perhaps it was his failure to extract and state and in large part, the political agenda certainly found little success in any attempts to the American troops without casualties. He was and directed forward those who worked beneath bring oppositional figures into his own camp. ridiculed for the drone strikes which took the them. It seems unlikely that today, or in the fuHis party faces dire odds in the 2022 midterm lives of civilians during the withdrawal — and ture, the likes of such presidents with their power elections and it would appear that his prospects yet, despite popular support for the resulting and enduring historical favor will be seen again.
Thursday, January 20, 2022 | Page 9
Opinion | Old Gold & Black
“ causes loss of identity Social media Social Media
Social media thrives on comparison, making a strong sense of self elusive
Conor Metzger
College students tend to focus a lot on who they are becoming — we spend so much time thinking about this that we start to see our self-identity as something that we can change. Some would argue that this tendency to express ourselves in a selective way is a part of our nature. I would argue, however, that this mutable sense of self has been exacerbated by media companies that have turned a profit by co-opting people’s lives and insecurities — especially the lives of college students. College is a time in which people find out who they are. We move out of our parents’ house and our family’s shadow in order to try to develop our own sense of self. Entering freshman year, we discover what we like, what we hate, what motivates us and what
People end up shaping their identity around fabricated posts, which inevitably leads to disappointment." doesn’t. College can be an amazing time to figure out the trajectory of one's life, but sometimes this path is altered when survival instincts kick in and tell us that success lies in doing what everyone else is doing. We then start to conform to what the people around us are doing, because being in a group provides belonging, strength and improved wellbeing. This has been the case throughout history, making self-identity rather elusive. However, companies like Meta and Twitter have amplified this beyond measure. Now, with the click of a button, people can see what everyone in the world is doing, allowing them to compare themselves to others every minute of every day. People see others posting the positive aspects of their lives only, making them feel as if they are doing something wrong and need to change something about themselves. There is a more subtle phenomenon occurring within our social media feeds — other than an increase in division
and lessening of wellbeing — a loss of our sense of self. People wonder why it is so easy for a person to lose themselves in a group, whether it be a political party or extremist ideologies like Q-Anon and ANTIFA. It is because we have become so addicted to what our feeds are putting on our screen, that we forget who we are and mold our identity to whatever the algorithms show us. AI recognizes the posts you interact with and presents suggestions based on their content. Oftentimes, you don’t even have to interact with the post — algorithms have become so advanced that they can measure how long you pause on a certain post compared to other posts. It’s easy to understand how a student at a school like Wake Forest might think that success can only be found by doing what their friends are doing — the same friends who seem to have their life figured out based on their Instagram grid. The truth is, people end up shaping their identity around fabricated posts, which inevitably leads to disappointment. But this does not deter people from continuing to go on social media — the disappointment then creates a neverending cycle of trying to find the next
thing that will make their life better. It is hard to stomach the fact that many people in our society — especially college students who account for a large percentage of social media users — are addicted to their feeds. Social media addiction is generally not compared to drug use, but there are similarities that cannot be overlooked. An addict is someone whose identity starts to change as they use drugs, doing whatever they can to chase the next high. Social media has replicated this effect in most of the population. If we don’t act now, we will find ourselves losing our identity, becoming a face in the masses that companies manipulate for their ads. I encourage you to examine how often you are comparing yourselves to others, so that you don’t end up losing the things that make you who you are. I want to close with a thought from the show “Mr. Robot”, which posits that “changing the world [is] just about being here, by showing up no matter how many times we get told we don't belong ... if we refuse to budge and fall in line ... the world can't help but change around us.” Don’t let the media co-opt your life. Change the world by being you.
“ Regulatory agencies need strengthening Legal Reform
The absence of regulatory barriers in prosecutorial immunity is not conducive to justice
Ethan Wearner
In a viral clip that made national headlines last fall, Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Schroeder strongly admonished Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger for his cross-examination of Kyle Rittenhouse, who was on trial for a number of murder charges. Rittenhouse’s defense team claimed that the prosecution was attempting to provoke a mistrial by disregarding pretrial evidentiary rulings and questioning Rittenhouse on his post-arrest silence. Ultimately, Schroeder’s actions proved unsuccessful, and Rittenhouse walked on all charges. Although this exception was dealt with, prosecutorial misconduct is not always held in check. Take the recent exonerations of Muhammad A. Aziz and Khalil Islam, who each spent over 20 years in prison after being falsely convicted of killing Malcolm X. After fielding complaints about the state’s conduct, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office investigated the case and found that the FBI and the New York Police Department had both withheld evidence from defense attorneys that would
In seeking courtroom justice, and in seeking courtroom eftice." have likely led to the acquittal of both men. These recent examples of prosecutorial misconduct raise a seemingly timeless question among reform advocates — do prosecutors deserve absolute immunity from their conduct at trial? The United States Supreme Court took up this question in Imbler v. Pachtman. Imbler, who had been convicted of murder, claimed in a civil suit that Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Richard Pachtman knowingly used false testimony and suppressed material evidence at his trial. Imbler’s suit was dismissed by the U.S. District Court and the Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal. The central question of the case was whether the Civil Rights Act of 1871 — which subjects all public officials to liability for violating a citizen’s civil rights — shields prosecutors from liability for purported civil rights violations. Despite this, not all public officials can be sued for a redress of grievances. Judges and legislators, for instance, generally receive absolute immunity when acting within the course of their duties as public officials. Accordingly, the Supreme Court read the section 1983 statute of the aforementioned Civil Rights Act to be in harmony with general tort immunity. As such, the Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors have absolute immunity — and so
cannot be sued — for misconduct related to their advocacy in the courtroom. Those who defend the ruling — as the court did — claim that prosecutors would be distracted from their duties as public officials if they were subject to frivolous lawsuits for otherwise proper conduct. Proponents of prosecutorial immunity also contend that attorneys may refuse to take up a case in fear that the accused will file retributive litigation at the conclusion of a trial — regardless of whether the claim has merit. Those opposed to the protections afforded to prosecutors generally argue that the absence of regulatory barriers has allowed the state to use unethical — and perhaps even illegal — trial tactics to wreak unwarranted damage on the rights of the accused. These scholars further suggest that district attorneys in particular are incentivized to wrack up as many convictions as possible in an effort to get reelected. It is concerning that the vast majority of both state and federal cases are settled by plea bargains. There are few enforcement mechanisms to protect the accused from prosecutorial misconduct behind closed doors. In response to these concerns, some counter that voters will take note of prosecutorial misconduct and that state bars can discipline attorneys for unethical behavior. However, a report published in 2003 by the Center for Public Integrity found that of the “2,012 cases across the United States since 1970 in which a judge reversed a conviction, reduced a sentence or dismissed charges … because of prosecutorial misconduct … only 44 cases …
resulted in any kind of disciplinary review of the prosecutor.” Additionally, a recent report published by the University of Pennsylvania Law’s Quattrone Center found that of the 7,207 claims of prosecutorial misconduct in Pennsylvania between 2000-2016, the state’s courts allowed 1,775 to remain unaddressed without issue. Worse, though, is that out of the 5,432 claims that were addressed, the state’s courts found instances of prosecutorial misconduct in only 204. The authors of the report conclude that a closed-door discovery process makes it exceedingly difficult to identify instances of prosecutorial misconduct using only “publicly available sources.” With these concerns in mind, it is tempting to call for a strict reexamination of the checks and balances in our judicial system. Some have spent twenty, thirty, even sixty years in prison for crimes they did not commit due to dishonest, negligent, and even malicious officers of the court. While reform is certainly needed, an abrogation of absolute immunity would not create a better or more efficient legal system. Pragmatic reforms, such as installing a governmental regulatory agency with broad oversight capabilities, seem far more beneficial than discarding immunity altogether. Strengthening the power of regulatory agencies will help prevent the state from withholding and tampering with evidence or making false or prejudicial statements during trial. In seeking courtroom justice, let us not discard efficiency, and in seeking courtroom efficiency, let us not discard justice.
Page 10 | Thursday, January 20, 2022
“
University Dining
The kiosks do little to solve the service in the Benson Food Court
Robert Yount younrj18@wfu.edu
Every year, Wake Forest waits until students leave for break to complete projects on campus that are considered improvements or repairs. These can be larger projects — such as the installation of newer sidewalks this past summer — or smaller projects such as the new Chick-Fil-A kiosks. In all honesty though, the kiosks are neither an improvement nor a repair. For reference, there are three kiosks on one of the marble counters near Chick-Fil-A, in the area formerly referred to as "the line." The rope barriers no longer lead patrons to the front counter to place their orders but instead towards one of these kiosks, immediately eliminating interaction with the employees.
Xenophobia
Cultural
Old Gold & Black | Opinion
Ultimately, the new ChickFil-A kiosks are inefficient and will degrade relationships [between students and employees]." Students then place their own orders — powered by GrubHub — and receive a number before waiting in the vast space in front of the counter. The only time students truly interact with the employees is when they ask for their drinks, as GrubHub does not provide a drink selection option along with the rest of the meal. This is a stark contrast from when students could simply tell an employee what drink they want with the meal. Additionally, the new space, coupled with the reorganized rope barriers, has furthered the traffic jam between Yamas and ChickFil-A — which was already an issue prior to the kiosk update. It's difficult to see any of this as an improvement. The only other possible explanation for the installation of the kiosks is that the university saw a repair that was needed to remedy the
“ tolerance
East Asian food that goes beyond ity is met with xenophobia
Selinna Tran transn19@wfu.edu
“I feel like she’s filmed this from the future when we start to grow food on other planets” — a fairly simple, harmless comment left on the TikTok of Emily Mariko, a “lifestyle influencer” sharing a video of her preparing food for Japanese New Year. After another scroll down the comments section, another user commented: “I don’t think even she knows what she’s making at this point.” Another: “Anime food?” Another: “Emily babe I’m starting to feel scared.” The list goes on. What could be considered seemingly harmless truly displays the surface level of xenophobia and “otherness” experienced by East Asian Americans. The content of the video contained nothing more than cooking with traditional Japanese deli-
traffic problem in Benson. However, rather than resolving this issue, the kiosk line seems to be exacerbating it. Even when it is not peak Benson hours — everyone knows when that is — the line is still long enough to where you have to awkwardly break people up just to get through. This feat may be more difficult than Moses parting the Red Sea. The employees aren't the issue, either. Chick-Fil-A already has a national reputation of employees that go above and beyond for customers, and the workers here at Wake Forest are no different (I may or may not get four sauces instead of the usual two without asking because they already know me). This is not an argument against new technology either — using GrubHub or even Tapingo to order meals on campus can be much more efficient, especially at restaurants like Shorty's. I can place an order at Shorty's hours ahead of time and it might be ready when I get there. This may seem like an overreaction or a personal problem that I'll get over in a week, which is a fair argument. However, I've asked Chick-Fil-A employees how they
feel about the new system and they have shared their own resentment. I've also overheard the general manager say that ordering will soon become mostly digital, which could potentially eliminate some jobs. From my understanding, many other students share my sentiments about the kiosk system, as well as the feeling that they're missing out on forming personal connections with employees. I'm in my final year at Wake Forest, and throughout my time here, I've witnessed several efforts to maintain a positive relationship between students and employees. We all know of our beloved Netta, who just retired last semester. Many of us know of Maria in the Magnolia Room, who always greets with enthusiasm. The installation of the kiosks in Chick-Fil-A to all but replace ordering at the counter threatens to replace the personal connections that students form with employees. Ultimately, the new Chick-Fil-A kiosks are inefficient and will degrade those relationships, which are a hallmark of the Wake Forest community.
proves to be limited
Tolerance towards other cultures [only extends] so far... there is a limit to how much culture can be expressed and accepted in America. " cacies, like fish cakes, datemaki and other foods that hold different symbolizations to ring in the new year. For some, the food is unfamiliar — understandably so, due to the cultural barrier — but this unfamiliarity has yielded a space to be downright disrespectful to aspects of culture that are different from what is considered “normal.” Emily Mariko is a half-Japanese individual whose videos focus on promoting a healthy and visually aesthetic lifestyle. For the most part, Mariko’s videos consist of silent cleaning, cooking preparation and lifestyle guides — videos which generally exist within the bubble of “normal” American cultural standards. There was a noticeable shift in Mariko’s content with the approach of the Japanese New Year, akin to Lunar New Year — a holiday celebrated by a majority of eastern and southeastern Asian countries — as Mariko shared a glimpse into the traditions in which she partakes. For many, the extent of “acceptance” towards a culture that is different was reached when Mariko began sharing traditions beyond the accepted
foods of “salmon and kewpie mayo.” Mariko grew to fame for her salmon and rice bowls, bringing to mainstream media the ingredient known as kewpie mayo, a Japanese mayonnaise that is a component of many East Asian dishes. This dish took the world by storm, as people of all different backgrounds reveled in the deliciousness of the dish. However, it seems that tolerance towards other cultures extended only as far as the condiment. This builds towards a phenomenon that many Asian Americans face, which is that there is a limit to how much culture can be expressed and accepted in America. Americanized and accepted East Asian foods including but not limited to Hibachi dishes, sushi rolls — but not the ones with raw fish or “weird additions” — and crab rangoons. It appears that any dish that goes beyond the confines of American familiarity is ostracized and labeled as “other-worldly” and “weird” — acts that lend to xenophobic tendencies. I have personally experienced this phenomenon on a daily basis. Growing up, I frequently worked at my family’s restaurant — a Japanese establishment — where I continually heard various remarks about the food options: “What the f*** is udon? I want the regular lo mein noodles” — because the word udon was too different, no inquiry into the component of the noodle — only a conclusion drawn based on the word.
“You guys have sushi rolls?” — followed by an examination of the rolls we have available and then, “Ew. Why do you have a roll called Spider Roll? Is there raw fish in that? That’s nasty.” That customer proceeded to order the California roll, which is the most culturally accepted and recognized sushi roll in American culture. Despite these remarks and the comments left on Mariko’s post, I still feel a sense of pride in seeing Mariko bring traditional East Asian dishes to mainstream media. Mariko’s fanbase is quite vast and her videos exist in the genre of American upper-class lifestyle and popularity that draws on American culture and influence. As a result, her fanbase presumably differs from another Asian American lifestyle TikToker who has a smaller, niche fanbase that focuses on sharing traditional East Asian dishes. This is why Mariko’s decision to share aspects of her culture is a big step to bringing awareness of cultural differences into the spotlight of popular culture in America. There have been many critiques from niche and small content creators on Mariko’s rise to popularity and questions as to the appeal of her content, but I am glad that Mariko is using use her platform and her popularity to share parts of her life that don't normally exist in American popular culture.
SPORTS
T H U R S D AY, J A N U R Y 2 0 , 2 0 2 2
PAG E 11
Online at: www.wfuogb.com twitter: @wfuogbsports editOrs: Essex Thayer, thayse20@wfu.edu Christina DeNovio, denoca20@wfu.edu
OLD GOLD & BLACK
MBB secures vital win over Virginia After trailing by seven points, the Demon Deacons went on a BY CHRISTIAN ODJAKJIAN Staff Writer odjact18@wfu.edu After falling to Duke at home on Jan. 12, the Wake Forest men’s basketball team (14-4, 4-3) secured its second road victory of the season against Virginia (107, 4-3) on Saturday, winning 63-55. The Demon Deacons trailed 47-40 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest before embarking on a crucial 13-0 run that gave them a lead they would never relinquish. “This has to be the grittiest, grimiest, toughest win that we’ve had in my tenure,” Wake Forest Head Coach Steve Forbes said. “It was a back and forth, physical game and our guys handled that very well.” That 13-0 run featured three-pointers from senior guard Daivien Williamson, senior forward Isaiah Mucius, and two tough layups from senior guard Alondes Williams. To cap off the run, Williams fired a pass to a cutting Jake LaRavia who threw down an emphatic slam to give Wake Forest a six-point lead. The lead
then dwindled to four over the next few minutes. “Hats off to Wake Forest for making plays down the stretch,” said Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett after the game. With under two minutes remaining, Wake Forest needed a bucket to create some breathing room. As the shot clock winded down on the possession, the ball found Mucius in the corner. Mucius drove to his spot at the elbow, elevated and hit a tough turnaround jumper, which put the Deacons up 59-53. “I knew I had to make a play,” Mucius said. “Big time players make big time plays.” Williams and Mucius each made two free throws in the final minute to seal the deal. After a difficult first half of the game, Williams turned on the jets down the stretch to help lead his team to a win. At halftime, Williams had only scored two points and had turned the ball over three times. The second half was a different story. Williams scored 14 points, along with six rebounds and four assists after the break. Four of those rebounds came on the offensive glass. Williams has struggled with turnovers for the last couple of games, recording eight in Saturday's contest after giving seven away against Duke.
LaRavia led the Deacs in scoring with 15 points, while also adding four rebounds. Mucius scored 12 and grabbed eight rebounds. Williamson recorded 12 points and shot 3-5 from the three-point line. Wake Forest put together a very strong defensive performance in the game, holding Virginia to a 36.2 shooting percentage. Twice in the game, the Cavaliers suffered scoring droughts of over 5 minutes in length. Bennett’s Virginia squad is notorious for their slow pace of play, which allows them to win games even though they only average 62.7 points per game, which is 332nd in the NCAA. Wake Forest was able to hold them below that number. “We played really good defense for the entire game,” Forbes said. “We held them to 36 percent on their home court. I’m really proud of my team.” “I thought we left a lot of baskets out there,” Bennett said. Although their offense is not very proficient, Virginia’s defense is — and was still — very strong. They allow an average of just 58.4 points per game, which is good for the 10th best scoring defense in the nation. It was ugly for the Demon Deacons at times, but they were able to break down the Virginia defense when it mattered
most. Wake Forest won the rebounding battle 35-31 in the game. Virginia had won nine straight meetings against the Demon Deacons, who had not won in John Paul Jones Arena since 2009. After losing close games on the road to Miami and Louisville to start ACC play, this was a key win for a Demon Deacons team that currently has an NCAA Tournament-caliber resume. Any ACC road win is a big boost. Following another road matchup against a struggling Georgia Tech squad, on Wednesday, Jan. 19, Wake Forest will host a talented North Carolina squad on Jan. 22 at the Joel Coliseum.
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Junior forward Jake LaRavia (team-
Women's basketball falls in two ACC matches The losses move Wake Forest's conference record to BY ESSEX THAYER Sports Editor thayse20@wfu.edu This past week, Wake Forest women’s basketball followed up their loss to Florida State by losing twice. On Jan. 13, the Demon Deacons fell 64-74 at home against No. 20 Notre Dame, and then lost 57-65 to Pittsburgh. The two dropped games extend Wake Forest’s losing streak to three and move Wake Forest completely out of ESPN’s Bracketology, which includes the first eight teams not included in the bracket. In their effort against the Irish, the Demon Deacons were once again buoyed by sophomore superstar guard Jewel Spear, who led the team in scoring with 17 points, including five three-pointers. In addition, Spear crossed over the 600-point barrier, a feat completed just 42 games into her young career. In their second game of the week, the Deacons traveled to Pittsburgh, where they fell in a close match against the Panthers. Spear had a career night again for Wake Forest, earning her second-career double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Spear’s efforts on the boards were a microcosm of Wake Forest’s rebound-
ing performance in the game. Their 48 rebounds were a conference-high for any game this season. Junior forward Olivia Summiel also made history against Notre Dame, recording her first career double-double. She led the team in rebounds for the sixth time this season with 11, while also adding 12 points to the statline. In the first quarter, the Irish built a quick 20-12 lead with the help of graduate forward Maya Dodson, who recorded 22 points on the night. Notre Dame was also aided by better shooting from the field than Wake Forest. With the Irish shooting 50%, the Demon Deacons could only make 31% of their shots. In the second quarter, Notre Dame was able to extend their lead to 47-32, with Wake Forest managing to only record 10 points. At halftime, junior guard Khia Harrison and Spear led the Demon Deacons with 5 points each, while 14 of Wake Forest’s 32 points came from the bench. To begin the third quarter, Wake Forest mounted a small 5-0 run off of a made shot from Summiel and a three-pointer from Spear. Despite the hot start, Notre Dame won the quarter by nine points, extending their lead to 58-34. In the final quarter, though, the Demon Deacons mounted a comeback, beginning with an 8-0 run. Midway through the quarter, Spear notched her fourth and fifth three-pointers to close in on the Irish. Despite a 17-8 run in the final four
minutes of the game, the deficit was too large to manage, allowing Notre Dame to leave Winston-Salem with a 10-point victory. Wake Forest Head Coach Jen Hoover expressed after the game that there was much to learn from the loss. “We need to be better in the details from the start of the game,” Hoover said. “Notre Dame played really well from the start and jumped out to the early lead. I am proud of the fight we showed at the end of the game and the way we battled in the fourth quarter. We will learn from this one and be better for it the rest of the season.” In the first quarter against Pittsburgh, the Demon Deacons hung close with the Panthers. With 6:13 left in the quarter, a three-pointer from Spear gave Wake Forest their first lead of the game. With Pittsburgh trying to pull away with less than two minutes left in the quarter, a threepointer from freshman guard Elise Williams pulled the Demon Deacons within two. Despite their efforts, the Panthers were able to escape the quarter with a sixpoint lead. Both teams struggled from the field in the second quarter. Wake Forest went 3-13 (23%), while the Panthers hit four of their 18 shots (22%). Following a Pittsburgh score to begin the quarter, the Demon Deacons went on a 6-1 run that brought them within three points of the lead. From that point on, though,
the Panthers responded with a 10-3 run of their own to end the half with a 29-21 lead. Wake Forest came out of the half hot, beginning the quarter on an 8-0 run to even the game. Junior guard Niyah Becker contributed four points during that stretch. In response, the Panthers reclaimed the lead with a six-point scoring streak of their own. After a bucket from Williams to end the streak, the Panthers came right back at Wake Forest with another 8-0 run, allowing them to enter the final quarter with a 42-36 lead. Wake Forest would not go away just yet, beginning the final quarter with fourstraight points to close the Pittsburgh lead to two. From there, the Panthers ended the game on a demoralizing 8-0 run to finish off the Demon Deacons hopes of a win. “This is a tough one, but as I have said before it is never easy to win on the road in this league,” Hoover said after the game. “I thought we played well in stretches but we need to carry that consistently throughout the entire game. We will get back to work this week before we look to bounce back in front of our fans Thursday.” The two losses on the week move Wake Forest to 12-6 on the season, but just 2-5 in conference play, which is good for 10th in the ACC. They will look to end their three-game losing skid at home in the Joel Coliseum against Clemson on Thursday.
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Most games ended in blowouts as several teams will look to stay on track in the next round BY IAN STEFFENSEN Staff Writer stefip21@wfu.edu
Bengals 28 - Raiders 19 The Cincinnati Bengals were keen to change the course of history and end their 31-year playoff drought without a victory. Paul Brown Stadium was electric throughout the course of the game, and the Bengals were able to control the momentum from the first whistle. Bengals QB Joe Burrow made several impressive throws and showed his mobility in the pocket despite his ACL injury last season. The game was not without controversy, however, as late in the first half “Joe Cool” rolled out of the pocket towards the sideline and fired a pass to the back of the endzone for the second touchdown of the game. Officials initially believed Burrow was out of bounds and blew a whistle while the ball was in the air. Therefore, the play should have been ruled dead
Old Gold & Black | Sports
and Cincinnatti should not have been awarded the score. Las Vegas’ Derek Carr, making his playoff debut, did his best to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter. The Raiders offense made one final drive with 1:51 left, but Carr threw an interception to Germaine Pratt on the Bengals’ nine-yard line, sealing the game. Burrow and the Bengals are on to the next round, where they will face the No. 1 Tennessee Titans. Bills 47 - Patriots 17 Many believed this AFC East matchup would be a close game, as both the Patriots and Bills split their regularseason series. However, the Buffalo Bills laid down the gauntlet on the Patriots and showed no mercy. Josh Allen threw for five touchdowns and the Bills made history by becoming the first team to score on each of its seven consecutive possessions. Belichick and the Evil Empire had no answer for the Bills explosive offense and defense. Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones struggled in the frigid temperatures; he threw two interceptions and looked listless for much of the game. The Bills fanbase, also known as the Bills Mafia, came out in full force for
Photo courtesy of CBS Sports
this game and were the key to the team’s success. The Bills look like a contender, but they will have their hands full when they face the defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs away from home. Buccaneers 31 - Eagles 15 The Buccaneers controlled this game from start to finish. Tampa Bay shut down the Eagles rushing attack, forcing Jalen Hurts into poor throws. Tom Brady has continued to age like a fine wine. Despite missing key starters such as Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown and Leonard Fournette, Brady was able to find his stride with Mike Evans, who reeled in one touchdown and recorded 117 receiving yards. The only thing standing against the Bucs at this point is depth. All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs suffered a right ankle sprain, and center Ryan Jensen is also dealing with an injury following the game. Tampa Bay’s offensive line will be tested next week in the divisional round where they face the lethal defensive line of the Los Angeles Rams. 49ers 23 - Cowboys 17 Cowboys fans will continue to tell themselves “this is our year”, only to go on and lose in the first round of the playoffs. The Niners controlled the game from the beginning and built a commanding 23-7 lead to start the fourth. Yet they still kept the door open for the Cowboys, who began to mount a comeback and pull close in the fourth. Dak Prescott had plenty of time on what would be their penultimate drive but overthrew his receiver to turn the ball over on downs. The Cowboys’ luck did not run out, though, as Deebo Samuel came up inches short of the first for the Niners. This gave Prescott one more chance. With 14 seconds remaining, Prescott ran the ball up the middle and slid with around
The class of early enrollees is headlined by DL Eli Hall, a four-
a touchdown and threw for two more despite a team loss. This season, Griffis boasted a 71% completion percentage and 3,053 passing yards.
offseason, he is the 115th ranked player in Florida’s 2022 recruiting class. Johnson’s Riverside High School also dropped its latest game in a neutral playoff.
BY AINE PIERRE Online Managing Editor pierav20@wfu.edu
Eli Hall, DL At Crest High School in Shelby, North Carolina, Eli Hall competed in both basketball and football. On the gridiron, Hall posted an impressive defensive performance, with 32 total tackles (24 solo), 21 hurries and five tackles per game, all high above the national average. Crest High School’s most recent game was a loss in a neutral playoff match. Hall, a four-star, could be a plug-and-play piece in a reestablishing Demon Deacon defense that has struggled at times over the past few years.
Jalen Swindell, OL In the Queen City, OL Jalen Swindell has led Chambers High School to a phenomenal 51-6 record in his four years, according to GoDeacs.com. By MaxPreps calculation, he is ranked No. 1 in his position in North Carolina. Chambers High School fell in its latest game in a neutral playoff.
In Wake Forest’s newest football class, five recruits have decided to join the team a semester early in order to compete in spring practices. The Old Gold & Black will continue to report on their progress throughout the spring and their eventual careers at Wake Forest, but for now, here are a few introductions. Brett Griffis, QB Hailing from Broad Run High School in Ashburn, Virginia, Griffis is a promising dual-threat quarterback. Named 2021 Season MVP by BURG Sports Network in Virginia, he led the Broad Run Spartans to the Class 4 State Championship Game, in which he rushed for
Derell Johnson, II, OL From sunny Jacksonville, Florida, the site of Wake Forest’s most recent football victory comes offensive lineman Derell Johnson II. 247Sports listed Johnson as one of Wake Forest’s best recruits of the
Kobie Turner, OL Rounding out Wake Forest’s early enrollees is Clifton, Virginia’s own Kobie Turner. In his football career, Turner has played several positions. On three carries in 2017, Turner averaged 21 yards, eclipsing the national high school average. Following his high school career, he played for the University of Richmond, where he earned Second Team All-American honors. In his college career, he has registered
eight seconds on the clock. However, the ref had to set the spot for the ball and bumped into Prescott while doing so, which cost the quarterback crucial time. Prescott did not get the snap off in time and the game ended. The Niners will face the No. 1 Packers at Lambeau Field in the divisional round. Chiefs 42 - Steelers 21 Ben Roethlisberger may not have had high hopes for this game. In press conferences before the matchup, he jokingly said the Steelers did not stand a chance. There was a slight glimmer of hope early on for Pittsburgh when TJ Watt had a scoop-and-score to bring the Steelers to an early 7-0 lead. After that, the Chiefs were in the driver’s seat. Patrick Mahomes threw for 404 yards and five touchdowns in the blowout win. The Chiefs were slow to get rolling in this one, and it will be interesting to see if this issue has an impact on their divisional matchup against the red-hot Buffalo Bills. Rams 34 - Cardinals 11 Everything went right for the Rams and all went wrong for Arizona. The two titans of the NFC West clashed in the first-ever Monday night playoff game in NFL history. The Rams defense was unstoppable, constantly making Cardinals QB Kyler Murray uncomfortable in the pocket. On offense, Matthew Stafford and the Rams quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead. In the next series, Murray was pressured in his own end zone. In order to evade the defenders, he heaved the ball into the air only for it to be returned for a pick-six. The game was seemingly over from there, as the Cardinals couldn’t flip the switch to mount a comeback. Stafford earned his first career playoff victory and will face the Buccaneers in Tampa.
35 tackles for loss and 15 sacks on the defensive side of the ball. Following his time with the Spiders, Turner will look to provide much-needed-depth to an offensive line that could lose several key pieces to the NFL.
Sports | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, January 20, 2022 | Page 13
Deacon Spotlight: Miles Lester BY CHRISTINA DENOVIO Sports Editor denoca20@wfu.edu
A redshirt senior from Wichita, Kansas, Miles Lester is soaking up his final year as a part of the Wake Forest basketball team. Lester’s college basketball career began at Rice University. After his freshman year, the guard decided to transfer to Wake Forest. Lester sat out his sophomore season after he walked onto the team due to NCAA transfer rules. Now, for his final semester, he has earned an athletic scholarship. CD: When did you start playing basketball? ML: I started playing when I was four or five years old — and then started playing competitively in third or fourth grade. I’ve loved the sport ever since then. CD: How did you end up at Wake Forest? ML: I went to Rice my freshman year and decided to transfer from there. One of the coaches on the staff was from my hometown, and I talked to him a little bit in high school. I came out here on a visit and enjoyed it. I wanted a school that had a business school because they didn’t have one at Rice, and that was something I wanted to major in. That was a big selling point. Another was that Wake Forest is in the ACC, which is one of the best college leagues for basketball. I was also drawn to the academics and small community. All those factors stood out, and the basketball tradition combined with the academic prestige really appealed to me. CD: How was the transition from Rice to Wake Forest? ML: It was pretty easy because both schools were pretty small and heavily focused on academics, but a lot different in terms of school spirit in sports. There’s not much of a sports culture at Rice. And obviously, the last couple of years, Wake Forest has had some success in football, and we’re having more success this year in basketball. Other sports have been really, really good since I’ve been here, like tennis and soccer. And so I think the biggest kind of transformation was being a part of a school that actually cared about sports and people that are excited about what’s going on in the athletic community. Also, in regards to the people here, I think it’s a more friendly and outgoing community. CD: What was your experience like sitting out during the 2018-2019 season? Did you learn anything valuable? ML: I would say it was pretty difficult, just because there are things you think you can do to help the team and you’re not able to pretty much do anything because you have no chance of playing. But, I also think it was a really good learning experience because I got to settle in academically, and I got to focus a lot on schoolwork because I couldn’t travel. Also, there are just a lot fewer daily tasks you have to do when you’re sitting out, so I could actually focus on my academics pretty hard that year. I was also able to learn more from a basketball standpoint because I was watching all the time, so I was able to learn a lot more about the game. CD: The team has had a strong start to this year’s season. How do you plan to continue being successful? ML: We focus on it pretty much just day-by-day trying to win and get better every practice. We’re not overlooking anything. Obviously, there are some teams and ACC games that the fans and the students probably think are more important than the team might. We focus on each game because every game is important, but going into practice, we do the same things every day. It somewhat changes based on who we’re playing because we have to prepare for certain teams, but in terms of
how we practice, it’s the same thing every day. And that’s kind of the mindset we all have — taking it one day and one game at a time. At the end of the day, Coach Forbes always reminds us that we’ll see how many wins we’ll end up stacking up and measure our success at that point. We see a lot of stuff talking about if we’re going to be in the tournament or not and that we’re kind of on the bubble. And right now, we’d be in if the season ended tomorrow. But at the end of the day, we’ve won some good games, and we’ve lost some games against good teams. We’re just focused on each day in practice and each game and then count them up when the season’s over. CD: Is there one team on your schedule that you’re especially excited to play? ML: Duke is always the biggest game of the year, just because in regards to basketball, they’re all you ever hear about. And then Kentucky, Kansas and Duke are the three big names you always hear about growing up. The top NBA recruits often go to Duke. It’s a similar academic school, too. That’s the game that you always target at the beginning of the season. Obviously, it showed when we played them that there’s a lot of fan support. That was probably the most packed the Joel has been since I’ve been here. I think this year, the UNC game coming up next week will be a pretty big game because right now they’re second in ACC, and we’re right there along with them. And, again, it’s a North Carolina school. They’ve had a lot of tradition and prestige, and I think we’ve only beaten them one time since I’ve been here, out of like, five or six tries. And it’d be pretty good to get that win, especially in front of the home crowd. CD: As one of the older players, do you try to take on a leadership role? ML: I think we have five seniors that are either grad or undergrad transfers, so we do have an older team. The seniors go against the freshmen pretty much every day in practice, and there’s a lot of teaching and learning points that happen on the court. And then off the court, the newer guys sometimes don’t know where their classes are, and they’ll text me or another one of the older guys and ask us where a building is. We’ll help them out and send them a picture from the directory. There’s a lot of things on and off the court that all the other seniors and I help the freshmen out with. CD: Can you describe your relationship with your coaches and teammates?
CD: As a senior, is there anything you’d like to accomplish before you graduate, either academically or athletically? ML: I’ve been here for four years, and Isaiah Mucius is the only other one that’s been here for four years. We’ve never won two games in the ACC tournament — I don’t even know if we’ve won one game. But winning a game, winning two games or winning the ACC tournament would be kind of the first goal. Also, we’ve never played in the NCAA tournament, so another goal would be to make a run in the NCAA tournament. We’ve only made it once in the last 10 years, and the team used to make it pretty much every year. I think that’d be huge for the program and also, just for guys like me and Isaiah who have stuck it out for four years when a lot of winning wasn’t happening. CD: Looking back at your years at Wake Forest, what has been your favorite memory? ML: I would say the night we beat Duke two years ago is probably the best experience I had in terms of basketball since I’ve been here. We were down like the whole game, and then came back and hit a shot to go to overtime. And then, we ended up running away with it in overtime. Like I mentioned earlier, we hadn’t won a lot of games, and they were top 15 in the country. Duke’s always a big game. We stormed the court — that was the only court-storming that I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here, so that was definitely memorable. And just seeing all my friends who are not on the team and getting to celebrate with them after the game on the court was awesome. We were all really excited about what we did and it was really cool. And then, going to the quad after and seeing like 1,000 students all pumped about what was going on and seeing all the excitement around what happened that night. We got to see how much it meant to like the Wake Forest community and the students. It was a pretty, pretty cool night and experience overall. CD: What are your goals for the future after your time at Wake Forest? ML: I worked with a venture capitalist company this summer that invests in early-stage sports tech companies. I either want to go into the investing world and do something similar and invest in startups or work for a startup. So hopefully, in 10 years, I’ll either have begun my own startup, or I’ll be working for a startup in the sports tech world.
ML: I have a really good relationship with the coaching staff and all the players. This is the best team chemistry we’ve had since I’ve been here. We hang out all the time off the court. We spend a lot of hours in the locker room even when we probably don’t even have to be there; we just like to hang out with each other. I live with all the older guys downtown in an apartment complex. We’re always hanging out here. It has been a little more difficult lately with COVID-19 spiking up again, but in the summer and the preseason, we were hanging out all the time. It’s kind of helped on the court, because even when we’ve been down in games, we’ve never started yelling at each other, and we’ve never had any internal conflicts. Our attitude has always been that we just have to keep working and to come back in the game. If not, we can just look ahead to the next game. The team has a really good bond, and that kind of extends into the coaching staff. We all love the coaches, and they’re all supportive of helping us get better and trying to win games, but also caring about us off the court. And I think when your coaches care about you just as much off the court as on the court, it’s very beneficial to the team and individuals because you know they’re in your corner. Just overall, everyone has a really good relationship with the coaches, and they’ve been rePhoto courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics ally good about focusing on school and other stuff outside of basketball that will help us 40 years in the future Miles Lester earned an athletic scholarship and not just while we’re here. for the second semester of his senior year.
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O n l i n e at : w w w. w f u o g b . c o m e d i t O r s : Josie Scratchard, scraja20@wfu.edu Adam Coil, coilat21@wfu.edu
OLD GOLD & BLACK
Film | Macbeth
"Macbeth" adaptation underwhelms viewers BY ADAM COIL Life Editor coilat21@wfu.edu
A24 took a step back this past year with its latest release, "The Tragedy of Macbeth". A24, which has been a shining light in the film industry for its ability to produce movies that are off of the beaten path and progressive, opted for the easy route and made an uninspired version of an already celebrated play. The film is directed by Joel Coen, who is known for his films such as “No Country for Old Men”, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and “Fargo”. Starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, the stage was set for a spectacular viewing experience. How can it go wrong? Well, it can’t, really, and that’s exactly where my criticism lies. Before I start critiquing, though, I would like to highlight all of the things that I loved about this movie. One thing about Coen’s adaptation that is impossible to deny is the overwhelming
success of its visual design. Coen builds a hyperdramatic, intense world that compliments the jarring psychological states of King and Lady Macbeth. The harsh, black-and-white lighting works well with the brutalist architecture that dominates its set design, especially when the main characters are in castles. Long shadows and concealed faces are prevalent throughout and contribute to growing tension and uneasiness. Another highlight of the film was Frances McDormand’s performance as Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth — for me, at least — has always been the most fascinating aspect of “Macbeth”. McDormand truly brings this infamous schemer and manipulator to life. Her guilt causes her to experience a palpable, psychological decay. It is all the more impressive when one considers the fact that she is significantly older than the woman that Shakespeare envisioned when he originally wrote the play. Finally, the depiction of the three witches eerily enhanced the film and put me on the edge of my seat from the opening shot. I thought it was also a nice touch that the witches often take the form of ravens throughout the film. So, yes, the movie did look great, and I don’t think that any major mistakes were necessarily made, but I still cannot consider it a success.
When I left the theater, I simply disappointed. I felt — and I still feel — as if I didn’t get anything out of the experience. Most of the time, when I watch an adaptation of something that I have already read, I can come away from the experience with a new insight into the story or at least get to know how someone else saw the story differently from me. It’s no secret that adaptations are dubious territory — look at “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” — but there remain some truly outstanding adaptations out there. The best adaptations toe that line between remaining true to the author’s original vision and giving the audience something to digest and turn over in their minds. I think this is one reason why “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is both a fantastic movie and book because Stephen Chbosky was able to direct the movie adaptation of his own novel. He was able to show viewers everything that he wasn’t able to detail in the book, but that was because he also knew exactly what the book was trying to say and how to say it. “The Tragedy of Macbeth” symbolizes a trend in cinema that has been taking place for some time now which is that most mainstream movies are not that original. Book adaptations, needless sequels, war movies and superhero movies dominate the box office, leaving little
room for small, independent and unique filmmakers to have their stories shown. This is one of the main reasons why I’ve loved the A24 films of the past — they were able to bring untold stories to the forefront of the conversation. Movies like “Moonlight”, “The Lobster” and “It Comes at Night” are all groundbreaking — or at least rare — in their own ways, and they got people talking. There is not much to say about “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, aside from the fact that it looks amazing and tells Shakespeare’s story accurately. It’s especially disappointing when I think about A24’s take on “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight”, which was refreshing and captivating. “The Tragedy of Macbeth” begs the question, “for what purpose do we watch movies?” Should movies inspire us and make us look at the world in a new light, or should they be an outlet through which we can turn off our brains for an hour or so? When we’re driving home from the theater, do we want to be turning over a question in our minds, or do we want to simply smile because the good guy defeated the bad guy again? Of course, I think there should always be room for both, but the movie industry is an industry, and one of the two options makes more money than the other.
Music | Rap Rundown
Student provides update on the current state of rap
A lot has happened recently in the world of rap, so I am going to highlight some of the biggest moments.
ain’t bring nothing to the table when I’m the table?” His writing reminds me more of the Yeezus era than anything recent, which I love. I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up his diss on Pete Davidson — “God saved me from that crash / Just so I can beat Pete Davidson's ass (Who?).” The idea that God saved Kanye from a car crash just so he can beat up some kid from Staten Island is obviously ridiculous, but as long as this beef keeps motivating Kanye to drop more music, I’m all for it.
Kanye West and The Game Drop “Eazy” It’s hard to believe that Kanye West released a song on time, but it might be even harder to believe some of the things Ye says in this song. Some of my favorite lines are — “no more counselin’ / I don’t negotiate with therapists” and “how I
Pushin P’s with Gunna and Future From what was mostly a weak and uninspired album release from Gunna, one gem emerged. On "Pushin P", Future raps, “She not a lesbian, for P, she turn Pesbian (Pushin' P, I'm pushin' P)” What does P mean? What does it mean to “push P”? What is a Pesbian? Those are all fair
BY BRODY LEO
questions. P used to be just a substitute for “player”, but now it seems far more flexible. Regardless of its direct translation, P has seemed to retain a positive connotation. You might be wondering, how does one be more P? Gunna provided us with some examples in a recent Breakfast Club interview. He said, “jumping in a person’s beef or situation when you don’t know what’s going on is not P, [but], putting your people in position is P. Bossing your b**** up is P. Risking your life to feed your family is P.” It may be too early to say, but the invention — or reinvention — of this term may serve as a cultural reset in hiphop and a revolutionary moment in the history of the English language.
Earl Sweatshirt Returns With "Sick!" Sweatshirt’s last three releases have been marked by dark production, an apathetic delivery and lyrical themes of depression and grief. These aspects resulted in some of the most emotionally-charged hiphop music ever. In his most recent album "Sick!", Sweatshirt departs from this signature style for something brighter and more eclectic. While the themes of depression and grief remain, he raps about them in more of the past tense. Sweatshirt still addresses difficult topics like the ongoing pandemic, but there is a new sense of hopefulness and optimism that is new for Sweatshirt’s music. The results vary in his new sound experiment, with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has remained the center of some songs sounding more like unfinattention in the world of hip hop following his release of Donda. ished ideas than others.
Earl Sweatshirt follows up "Feet of Clay" with his latest, "Sick!". Drake’s Hot Sauce Incident I don’t think I can write very much about this but I had to include it — please, just look it up. It's worth the read. Some Upcoming Releases There’s a long list of artists that have teased at an upcoming album in some way: Kendrick Lamar, Denzel Curry, Joey Bada$$, Kid Cudi, A$AP Rocky and Freddie Gibbs, just to name a few. It’s even rumored that Kanye West will drop a Donda 2. We don’t have many release dates, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these artists didn’t drop. Unfortunately, Playboi Carti and Kanye West have made it fashionable to not drop when they say they will, and I just hope these artists don’t follow in their footsteps.
Life | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, January 20, 2022 | Page 15
Film |
&
Miyazaki produces fantastic anime THE HOT LIST Hayao Miyazaki produces
BY OLIVIA FONDIE Contributing Writer fondoj19@wfu.edu
When you browse various streaming services in the hunt for your next viewing experience, what do you seek? Comfort? Laughter? Escape? Maybe even a thrill? If this is true for you, look no further than Hayao Miyazaki, a masterful Japanese filmmaker. Miyazaki has established himself as one of the finest directors of his generation. Studio Ghibli, the animation film company behind Miyazaki's films, has crafted stunning animation that not only pleases the eyes and ears but also the soul. At the heart of every Miyazaki film is an emphasis on the power of imagination. In several movies, such as “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Spirited Away” and “Ponyo”, the main character is a child. By avoiding the advanced and complex inner workings of adulthood, Miyazaki is able to explore the value of children's love for one another and their naive exploration of the world around them.
In “My Neighbor Totoro”, two young sisters, Mei and Satsuki, seek out adventure in the wilderness around their new home. The sisters come in contact with kind spirits in both their home and the forest surrounding it. At first, their father is wary of the sister’s claim that she has seen a giant forest spirit named Totoro, but because he supports their imagination, he encourages them to share their adventures with him. By focusing on children and the power of imagination and wonder, Miyazaki is able to create worlds in which adults and children alike can find an escape. A major reason why older people watch movies for younger demographics is that they seek to travel back to a simpler time. Innocence and youth go hand-in-hand in each Miyazaki film, making for a highly engaging — and sometimes even nostalgic — viewing experience. In an age of anxiety, it is no wonder that many viewers tend to gravitate towards films that do not pose real conflicts or threats. Miyazaki films typically contain a benign plot that comforts in a quietly blissful way. Hayao Miyazaki follows in a long line of Japanese filmmakers who have been influenced by a deep cultural love and respect for nature. He views nature — specifically forests — as awe-inspiring and enchanting.
Miyazaki displays this viewpoint in several of his films. In “Ponyo'', the ocean is filled with sweet and loving creatures; in “Spirited Away”, river spirits are worshipped; in “My Neighbor Totoro”, forest spirits are essential in helping trees grow. The depiction of nature in Miyazaki films also contributes to the comforting nature of each movie. For many — like myself — being in nature is soothing and replenishing. When it is not possible to be in a forest or physically near a body of water, Miyazaki's films provide a beautiful, virtual immersion in nature through meticulously detailed and colorful animation. Miyazaki’s anime represents the pinnacle of the art form. His palette is colorful, soft and playful, yet highly detailed. This graphic style creates a view of nature that is aesthetically pleasing and cinematically sophisticated. The overall effect is like a very intense, colorful dream filled with images that can be either light-hearted or haunting but always memorable. For those who have never seen a Miyazaki film, I would recommend “Spirited Away” as a great starting point. It’s not his first film, but it captures the elements that make his work so compelling and much better than any other.
Literature |
BY LAUREN CARPENTER Contributing Writer
Louisa May Alcott’s "Little Women" is widely accepted as a revolutionary novel in the American canon and has been loved by many since its publication in 1868. Despite its age, "Little Women" continues to inspire generations of readers by exploring the feminist power of choice and portraying the necessity of reliance on others — regardless of gender. The story follows the journey of the four March sisters — Meg, Amy, Beth and Jo — to womanhood as they grow up during the American Civil War. The uniqueness of the novel stems from the individuality of each sister, which at the time of the book’s publication was a revolutionary representation of women. Historically, women have comprised the main audience of "Little Women". Many have been inspired by Jo March, the rebellious spinster eager to carve her own path and avoid marriage. In 1868, women were rarely — if ever — represented in such a powerful and individualistic light. Jo’s character sparked conversations about gender equality among many and presented the radical idea of women living entirely for themselves. For the first time, a life of free choice for women was presented as a possibility in literature. Influencing one of the first
waves of feminism, Jo’s character galvanized many women and girls to defy the confining gender roles of American society. For its time, "Little Women" was an astounding addition to feminist literature. However, what is even more fascinating is the novel's continuous influence on new generations of readers. The story is interpreted around the world through
Feminism is still alive, as demonstrated in women's marches around the world. many lenses, introducing new lessons and perspectives that inspire conversation. The resurgence of "Little Women" — which can possibly be attributed to Greta Gerwig’s 2019 film adaption — has once again reached young generations of readers. The story explores powerful lessons of gender equality that may have been previously overlooked. Once again, Little Women pushes society to re-evaluate the core of feminism. One of the most important quotes in the novel is “just because my dreams are different than yours, it doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.” Spoken by Meg March, the sister who dreams of tra-
ditional marriage, motherhood and wealth, this quote represents an important idea featured in modern feminism. The beauty of feminism in modern times is the celebration of women’s choices, including those that fulfill classic gender roles. While Jo’s character was an important representation of women in a society laced with sexism, it’s easy to read "Little Women" and overlook the beauty of Meg’s choices. Meg represents the power of decision just as much as Jo does. It’s easy to slip into a growth mindset that deems gender roles as counterproductive to feminism when, in reality, it’s a powerful embrace of individual choice. To disregard gender sounds regressive, but it can actually be a radical practice. "Little Women" takes place during the American Civil War, and the March family is constantly on the verge of poverty. Their next-door neighbors, the Laurences, are wealthy but lonely. As the story progresses, the families grow to care for each other on both materialistic and emotional levels. It is a beautiful depiction of people relying on others regardless of gender and status. Reliance on others — throwing gender roles aside — is the heart of modern feminism. It places importance on treating everyone with equality regardless of gender identification. This can create unity in modern society. "Little Women" continues to be a fascinating and revolutionary piece of feminist literature, helping form fresh ideas about gender equity from multiple perspectives. It is more than worthy of a read due to its ability to prove itself a timeless feminist masterpiece.
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Gina Ortiz enjoys her first snowfall!
Page 16 | Thursday, January 20, 2022
Old Gold & Black | Life
Artist Spotlight: Maggie Hodge
Maggie (‘25) likes to experiment with complementary colors and explore aesthetic opposites in her work. She draws inspiration from her own femininity and her years growing up in the American South. Her already diverse portfolio employs a vibrant range of emotions and colors. With a blend of surreal, abstract and pop-culture elements, Maggie’s work is both visually and emotionally appealing.
BY ADAM COIL Life Editor coilat21@wfu.edu
Down: 1. A thane who let three witches ruin his life 2. Bostwick’s lonely brother 4. Biden; in NYC 5. This “band” is actually just one guy 8. _____ Life; for brothers and sisters Across: 3. What comes before tea and Fett 6. Home of the Demon Deacons 7. His birthday was last Saturday 9. You can catch Zendaya in this show on HBO 10. A better version of Apple Music 11. The Velvet Underground’s favorite fruit
The Crossword
Art courtesy of Maggie Hodge