NEWS | 3 Face to Face Speaker Forum welcomes Yo-Yo Ma
FEATURES | 5
OPINION | 8
SPORTS | 11
LIFE | 15
VOL. 108, NO. 20
WA K E F O R E S T ’ S S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 6
Agudelo
Old Gold&Black
FEB. 24, 2022
“Covers the campus like the magnolias”
WFU hosts annual Founders' Day Convocation The event celebrated the university's successes while also acknowledging its past failures NATASHA HEISENBERG Contributing Writer
On Thursday, Feb. 17, Wake Forest University held its annual Founders’ Day Convocation. The ceremony, which took place in Wait Chapel, celebrated the university’s legacy, commemorating the strides Wake Forest has made in the academic sphere and beyond, while also acknowledging the aspects of its history that do not serve as points of pride. The event featured a variety of speakers, including members of the Wake Forest faculty and senior Bea Pearson. Susan Wente delivered the opening address and reflected on her first year at Wake Forest. She emphasized the importance of “acknowledging where we have fallen short” in an effort to “empower ourselves to strive forward.” Additionally, she posed the question that guided the remainder of the ceremony: “What does it mean to be a founder?” Wente’s introduction was followed by a reflective speech from Dr. Erica Still, Associate Professor of English and Associate Dean for Faculty Recruitment, Diversity and Inclusion. Still began by discussing Maya Angelou’s impact on the university and her thoughts regarding Angelou becoming the first African American woman on U.S currency. As Still described, she experienced mixed emotions regarding this gesture and called attention to the irony of a
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest University
Wake Forest held its annual Founders' Day Convocation in Wait Chapel on Feb. 17. President Wente delivered the opening address and reflected on her first year at Wake Forest. Black woman existing on a currency that was used to buy and sell African Americans to enslavers. However, Still concluded with the symbolic nature of the quarter itself and noted the presence of a Black woman on a coin that people collect signifies the importance of Angelou’s life and actions.
The next portion of the ceremony included a pause and reflection for the members of the Wake Forest community lost since the last Founders’ Day Convocation. To honor these individuals, the Wake Forest Choir performed while a video montage of campus was shown to the attendees. The names and graduation
years of each person lost were displayed across the screen. The presentation paid special homage to Cheslie Kryst, a Wake Forest School of Law and Wake Forest School of Business graduate who committed suicide this past January.
See Founders' Day, Page 3
Anneliese Bruner delivers keynote address Author of "The Nation Must Awake" speaks on the effects of the Tulsa Race Massacre
BREANNA LAWS Staff Writer
“We have to seize the stories that are all around us, within our families and communities,” Anneliese Bruner, Wake Forest’s 2022 Black History Month keynote speaker said, introducing the topic of her Feb. 16 lecture. Bruner is the great-granddaughter of a Tulsa Massacre survivor, Mary E. Jones Parrish, and wrote an account of this massacre entitled “Events of the Tulsa Disaster”. In 2021, Bruner republished
this account along with a collection of additional testimonies and ref lections, under the title “The Nation Must Awake”. This story was the primary focus of her address. Bruner spoke on her personal connection to the events in Tulsa and how this event remains relevant today. In her address, Bruner read excerpts from Parrish’s account, and she told the story of the Tulsa Massacre through her own eyes, as well as the eyes of her family. “Individual family history inspires me to preserve the truth of Tulsa as my way to pay forward
what my great-grandmother left for my family,” Bruner said. In addition to ref lecting upon this historic tragedy, Bruner also addressed how these events correspond to contemporary issues regarding democracy and racial tension. She spoke on history erasure and the lack of education on how Black identities are connected to American history. “It's part of the fullness of American history, and we should all embrace it,” Bruner said. Event organizer and president of Black Student Alliance Jacob Thomas hoped the event would do
exactly what Bruner set out to do — bring attention to the significance of Tulsa and present a holistic view of American history that includes the Black experience. “I wanted to make sure that there is an acknowledgment of the historical relevance of [Tulsa],” Thomas said. He continued: “It goes beyond just representing Black culture. It’s making sure that my full-bodied presentation of Black experience comes with the exploration of challenges with privilege and power.”
See BHM, Page 4
Old Gold & Black This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board.
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Black History month highlights importance of antiracism As Black History month comes to a close, the Old Gold & Black recognizes that a single month is not enough to properly honor the contributions Black students, alumni, faculty, staff, administrators, community members and many more have made to Wake Forest University. Wake Forest’s Black History Month 2022 events, many of which the Old Gold & Black covered in the News and Features sections, have been testaments to the enduring excellence of Black artists, musicians, writers and scholars on this campus. We applaud organizations such as the Black Student Alliance and the Intercultural Center for the informative and evocative programming they have conducted throughout this month.
Additionally, during this year’s Black History Month, late Professor of English Dr. Maya Angelou was honored as the first African American woman on U.S. currency. Due to this fact, more attention has been paid to the incredible contributions Angelou made to this community while she was here, and rightfully so. Celebrating Black excellence at Wake Forest is crucial. However, it is also essential that Wake Forest intentionally do the work of atoning for its participation in — and legitimization of — white supremacist violence from the institution of slavery to eugenics. The university has taken critical first steps in its work to remove the name of slaveholder and former University President Washington M. Wingate from buildings and roads.
The next step is to critically question the ways in which the university has promoted and still promotes white supremacy. Additionally, Black students on Wake Forest’s campus face daily instances of violence, as well. We encourage students to find Instagram posts on @dearwfu to see examples of these disgusting acts of racism. We call on students to think critically and intentionally about the ways in which they are passively or actively promoting anti-Black racism and to root those practices out of their lives. We also applaud the administration’s antiracist work and eagerly await its continuous action against these patterns of hate. The lessons and shared experiences of Black History Month show that Wake
Celebrating Black excellence at Wake Forest is crucial ... it is not enough for Wake Forest not to be racist, it must be antiracist. So let us begin the earnest work of making Wake Forest an anti-racist institution. Forest is a place where Black excellence has flourished, and they also show that white supremacist violence has had and does still — regrettably — have a home here, too. As Angela Davis says, it is not enough for Wake Forest not to be racist, it must be antiracist. So let us begin the earnest work of making Wake Forest an anti-racist institution.
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News | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, February 24, 2022 | Page 3
Founders’ Day: President emeritus receives award Continued from Page 1
Another Convocation tradition, awarding of the Medallion of Merit, took place after the senior oration. The recipient, former Wake Forest President Dr. Nathan O. Hatch, was honored with remarks from colleagues and a video montage that was shown to the audience. Hatch was commended for his dedication to the university and his commitment to the university’s motto “Pro Humanitate”. The ceremony concluded with remarks from Dr. Jonathan Lee Walton, dean of the School of Divinity. Walton ref lected on Wente’s opening question and expressed that every individual on this campus plays a defining role in creating a welcoming environment that strives for excellence. “These names — your name — can establish the direction of our future,” Walton said. “Let’s use our names each and every day.”
Following this tribute was an address from Dr. Anthony Marsh, a dean of the College. Marsh underscored the 187-year-old history of student orations at Wake Forest and detailed “the art of the spoken word”. This tradition, as Marsh stated, rests on a core tenet of the liberal arts education — communication skills. The senior orator for this year’s ceremony was Bea Pearson. Following the pattern of the other speakers, Pearson highlighted both the prideful and shameful chapters of Wake Forest’s history. Pearson went on to describe her experience as a Black woman at the university, expressing how at times she “remained uncomfortable” among her peers. Yet Pearson continued with her appreciation for her continued growth at Wake Forest, demonstrating how she has learned that “being uprooted allows you to Contact Natasha Heisenberg at f lourish”. heisng20@wfu.edu
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest University
President Wente honors president emeritus Hatch with the Medallion of Merit for his dedication to the university.
Face to Face Speaker Forum welcomes Yo-Yo Ma The Grammy-award-winning cellist speaks on the interconnectivity between music and humanity MADDIE STOPYRA Contributing Writer
On Feb. 16, the Face to Face Speaker Forum held their first event of 2022 at the LJVM Coliseum with Grammyaward-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Moderated by chief arts correspondent at “PBS NewsHour” Jeffrey Brown, the event highlighted Ma’s time as an adolescent as well as his thoughts on the impact of music on the human experience. The Face to Face Speaker Forum is a Wake Forest University-based program that hosts influential individuals who share their knowledge with the Winston-Salem community. In its 20212022 season, Ma is the fourth guest speaker, succeeding former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Malcolm Gladwell. Ma has received significant awards, including the National Medal of the Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal
of Freedom in 2010. Alongside his musical achievements, Ma has pioneered and contributed to many organizations that fight for social change. Ma is a U.N. Messenger of Peace and the first artist to be appointed to the World Economic Forum’s board of trustees. When asked about the impact of the speaker forum, assistant director of Face to Face Katie Wolf explained that its focus on a variety of topics aims to benefit the Winston-Salem community as well as Wake Forest University’s student body. “Not only will this program bring our community face-to-face with world-class individuals, but it will also serve as a fundraiser for student scholarships,” Wolf said. “Proceeds from the program will go to need-based recipients at Wake Forest.” Brown began the conversation with Ma by inquiring about Ma’s time as a college student. “I floated through college, but I can say that for the last 46 years, everything that I’ve been engaged in has had some-
thing to do with a connection I made in college,” Ma said. Connection quickly became a theme throughout the conversation. After reminiscing about his adolescence and upbringing, Ma spoke about the connection between humanity and music. He explained how sound waves can physically touch the skin, which served as a comfort to many in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. “One thing I took away [from the event] was that I admired how much he valued people and connecting with them,” freshman Thomas Peterson said. “He said that music is a way to ‘touch’ people and connect their conscious selves with their unconscious selves, which recalls memories and emotions.” To display the relationship between music and other forms of art, Ma asked Brown if he would read one of his poems while he played his cello. Brown read a poem entitled “Dedication” as Ma began to play. “I am normally not a poetry fan, but I loved how [Ma] took something so
short and created this beautiful piece of music,” audience member Alexandra Ensrud said. “It was jaw-dropping.” The event concluded with Ma inviting the Wake Forest String Quartet to perform with him. He even offered his cello to a student cellist, senior Morgan Lyke, to play during the performance. Audience members were astonished by Ma’s kindness in this moment. “Ma’s selflessness was put on full display when he graciously exchanged his cello with [Lyke], creating a very special moment for her,” Peterson said. The next Face to Face Speaker Forum event will be on April 12 in Wait Chapel. Wake Forest will welcome Dr. Sanjay Gupta, neurosurgeon and Emmy awardwinning chief medical correspondent for CNN. More information about this upcoming event and the Face to Face Speaker Forum can be found on their website: facetoface.wfu.edu.
Contact Maddie Stopyra at stopmf21@wfu.edu
POLICE BEAT Underage Consumption/Drugs: • •
A student in Davis consumed alcohol underage and was transported to Baptist Hospital. The report was filed at 1:23 a.m. on Feb. 20 WFUPD assisted WSPD on a possible alcohol consumption and drug use occurring on Long Drive. No one was at this location, and there were no signs of alcohol or drugs. The report was filed at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 20. Miscellaneous:
• •
Two vehicles were involved in a crash at the intersection of University Parkway and Long Drive. One of the vehicles involved was a Wake Forest student. The report was filed at 11:04 p.m. on Feb. 19. A complaint was made of a large bonfire creating a smoke condition in the areas of Long Drive, University Parkway and Deacon Place. SAE fraternity members reside at this residence, but the students initially denied that they were Wake Forest students. The three students eventually provided their Wake Forest ID cards. The report was filed at 12:52 a.m. on Feb. 20.
CORRECTION •
The Police Beat from the Feb. 10 issue erroneously implied that the subject(s) who took cuttings from the Reynolda Gardens Greenhouse — which was mistakenly referred to as the Reynolda Village Greenhouse — were students. The identity of the subject(s) has yet to be confirmed by Wake Forest Police.
Page 4 | Thursday, February 24, 2022
Old Gold & Black | News
BHM: Continued from Page 1 Bruner also commented on the rise of racial tension in the U.S., drawing upon the Jan. 6 insurrection in a reflection upon how political upheaval is obstructing democracy. “That experience of Tulsa is a warning to us now to recognize the gravity of letting the nation’s political temperature reach a boiling point,” Bruner said. She continued: “We are faced with the issues of short term comfort, denialism and normalcy bias. We must face squarely the dangers confronting us as a society and commit to prioritizing a renewed democracy and rebuilding together.” After her address, a Q&A style panel was conducted with Bruner and two moderators, senior Bea Pearson and Dr. Donovan Livingston, Assistant Dean, Office of University Collaborations and Office of the Provost. One of the ques-
tions posed by Bruner was “what are the most critical changes that need to occur within the education system in order to promote a more truthful and historically accurate society?” Pearson replied: “I think it requires a change in mindset. The modern, binary description of our society is black and white, but we all belong to many, many groups. First and foremost, our commonality is that we are all Americans. I would hope and pray that people will take this as American history.” In his reflection on the event, Thomas said that he was glad to see Black history “elevated to a position where people may deem it important enough to be taught in schools”. “It is important, and it is something that should be acknowledged,” Thomas said. While Black History Month is coming to an end, students can still celebrate by
attending upcoming events held by the nect with alumni through the sharing of Black Student Alliance and the Intercul- experiences and professional knowledge. tural Center. One event coming up is a Black Professionals Forum on Feb. 26. Contact Breanna Laws at which will allow Black students to con- lawsbn21@wfu.edu
Bruner’s book “The Nation Must Awake” is a retelling of her great-grandmother’s account of the Tulsa Massacre.
WFU music students compete in annual competition The Giles-Harris Music Competitions allow student musicians to perform for cash prizes KATHLEEN KERR Contributing Writer
Wake Forest University music department students participated in the 45th Annual Giles-Harris Music Competitions on Feb. 19 in Brendle Hall. The competitions were funded by a donation from alumnus Paul Sinal in honor of his piano teacher at Wake Forest, Christopher Giles. They were later renamed the Giles-Harris competitions after retired piano teacher Lucille Harris. Sinal and other donors supplied the prize money to make the competitions possible. Students enrolled in music lessons at Wake Forest were given the opportunity to prepare pieces and perform in front of accomplished musicians from the region. Seven prizes were awarded — two $1000 prizes and five $500 prizes. “The competitions are an opportunity for a student to put that extra polish on their music and to really focus to the utmost on their performances,” Music Department Chair Peter Kairoff said. “Really, all the students are winners, in a way, because they push themselves to achieve a level
they might not have otherwise. They really rise to the challenge, and it’s great to see how well our students are able to perform.” The awards ceremony was held after both competitions. In the piano competition, junior Eric Wang won the first place Paul Sinal Prize, senior Liat Klopouh won the second place Marc and Kirk Elvy Award, and freshman Katherina Tsai won the Ward Virts Prize for Pianistic Expressiveness. In the open competition, senior Brianna Coppolino won the first place Joseph Pleasant Sloan & Marguerite Nutt Sloan Award, and sophomore Jacob Kathman won the second place Patricia Sloan Mize Award. Sophomore Nicole Namath won the Richard Heard Award for Outstanding Performance by a Singer, and freshman Kyria Pidherny won the Award for Outstanding Performance by a Non-Music Major. Tsai started playing classical piano in the first grade as a way to participate and serve in her church. She now appreciates that the competitions allow her to watch and listen to her peers perform. “I got involved with Giles-Harris to connect with the music community
Six individuals prepare and perform in the piano competition for the opprtunity to win one of three awards.
From left to right, Kyria Pidherny, Jacob Kathman, Brianna Coppolino and Nicole Namath celebrate their wins in the open competition awards. on Wake Forest’s campus and to be able to witness my peers’ talent in different instrumental and vocal areas,” Tsai said. Klopouh was also looking forward to hearing her peers’ musical talents. “I think I’m most excited to hear other students in the department perform,” Klopouh said. “Scales is a funny place because we see the same people walking in and out all the time, but we never get to hear them play unless there’s an event.” Klopouh began playing the piano when she was four years old after her parents enrolled her in lessons. She has participated in the Giles-Harris competitions each year since she was a freshman. “It’s a great opportunity to set a goal to keep myself accountable and practice consistently,” Klopouh said. She continued: “I don’t major or minor in music here so I appreciate the department giving non-majors an opportunity to participate.”
Wang also started playing the piano when he was young and spent a lot of time playing during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. At Wake Forest, Wang takes lessons with Dr. Larry Weng, an assistant professor of piano, who encouraged him to enter the competition. Wang also enjoys playing the piano in Benson and for the patients at the hospital where he volunteers. “I always enjoy sharing my music, whether it’s with judges, such as at the competition, with my peers or with the public,” Wang said. He continued: “Due to the pandemic, performance opportunities for amateur musicians like me aren’t exactly abundant, so I’m just excited about the opportunity to play my music for more people.” To see more events from the music department, visit their Instagram: @wfumusic. Contact Kathleen Kerr at kerrke21@wfu.edu
FEATURES
Chase Bagnall-Koger, bagncm21@wfu.edu Meredith Prince, prinmc21@wfu.edu Asst: Una Wilson, wilsui20@wfu.edu
OLD GOLD & BLACK
Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
PAGE 5 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2022
DEACON PROFILE
Pilar Agudelo MADDIE SAYRE Contributing Writer
between administration and students, but we also want students to feel comfortable coming to us. The goal for this committee is to be a place for students to come where they can feel supported and safe.
Pilar Agudelo is a junior from Portland, OR majoring in Politics and International Affairs and serves on the Sexual Assault Prevention, Support and Accountability (SAPSA) committee as co-chair. Agudelo helps guide the SAPSA committee to work with Student Government, university administration and students to create a safe and supportive environment and to promote healthy sexual behaviors and relationships on campus. Agudelo continues to lead SAPSA while studying abroad in Venice, Italy this semester.
How do you, personally, want to promote and influence safe and healthy sexual behaviors on campus? For me, it’s really being willing to have conversations with people. When people make certain jokes, I think it’s about having both the courage and understanding to be like, “hey, I know you’re joking, but those are the kinds of jokes that influence behavior.” We see this a lot with our understanding of consent across the U.S. and across our pop-culture references; there’s a misconception about the involvement of drinking with consent. A lot of our education reinforces drinking as the root cause of these bad situations when that’s not necessarily true. A lot of the time those situations are about power dynamics. I know I just talked about something very serious, but the other way to engage students is to have fun with it, like with my work with the Office of Wellbeing when we helped plan Sex Week last fall. There are ways to open up the floor to communicate about happy and healthy sexual relationships, and so the other goal of mine is really engaging students with fun ways to talk about sex.
What sparked your interest in taking a leadership position in SAPSA? The reason that I became co-chair was a combination of Student Body President Ally Swartzberg thinking I’d be good for [the position] and me wanting to work in this area. I have spent a long time working on sexual health matters. In high school I worked with Planned Parenthood, teaching sexual health education in public schools in Portland, OR, and I became very passionate about positive sexual health and consent education. When I came to Wake, I became involved with the Office of Wellbeing and helped start a sexual health working group for the Office of Wellbeing in the Women’s Center. I had a lot of experience talking with survivors and students about sexual health, so the committee was something I was really passionate about. I also think that I had the kind of previous experiences to help back up what I wanted to continue working on. I have been part of Title IX processes before, as an RA and as a witness, so I was familiar with that aspect as well. Can you describe you and your committee’s relationship with the Wake Forest administration? How do they support you and your efforts? I would say there’s a combination of factors. The first is that Jackson Buttler and I, as co-chairs, meet directly with administrators on either a bi-weekly or sometimes weekly basis. Eventually, the goal is to bring people into the committee space to have important conversations moving forward, and I would say that right now a big part of our focus has been planning for the release of the campus climate survey. A lot our time is spent talking to administrators about when that survey is happening and what the components are, then reporting back to our committee and getting their feedback. Then, we report back to the administration.
What do you feel you have accomplished this year?
Photo courtesy of SJ Willis
Can you tell me more about your work on the climate survey? The Campus Climate Survey is a survey that a lot of universities across the country conduct, and it’s usually used to measure the campus climate and gauge student perception of the resources on campus or the lack thereof. It’s a way for a university to do a more in-depth dive into how their campus is unique from other campuses and to really understand what specific issues they need to face, target or reflect upon in terms of solutions. The role of the SAPSA committee in that regard is to help advise on what the rollout of that survey looks like, support students taking it and communicate the results of the survey. Once the survey is done and everybody has submitted responses, our job is to also advise on potential policy changes and answer questions about how to reach students.
Are there any other specific objectives you are hoping to achieve through your participation in the committee?
The campus climate survey is specifically focusing on sexual misconduct and assault on campus. As a committee, and personally, the belief is that this really is an issue. We may not know the exact nuances of the issue, so that’s what the survey is trying to do — to find out what we need to do at Wake in order to target education interventions and positive sexual health interventions. The second big goal is to be student advocates and activists. It’s really important that we are reflecting on what students need and want, especially students who are often marginalized in these conversations. I think a third big goal is to bring some understanding to campus that we as a community are a resource for students. We’re not just doing the communication
I think one of the things for me personally that I’ve also come to appreciate is setting foundations for other students. On average, students are here for four years and while I would like to say that all the change in the world can happen during that time, the reality is that that is not always the case. I think for me, both recognizing that fact and understanding that I’m not going to see everything that I want to see on Wake Forest’s campus happen in my time here. It’s also being willing to set roots for students to continue doing the work I’m doing in their own ways and with their own unique strategies. I would say the second part of that appreciation is really working to build trust with students. Building my relationship with students is something that was really important to me. The hope is that even years from now, those students will still feel comfortable reaching out to me and connecting over a Zoom or FaceTime call. Having those connections is rewarding for me and helps other students feel better about their experiences at Wake Forest. Contact Maddie Sayre at ayrmm20@wfu.edu
Page 6 | Thursday, February 24, 2022
UNA WILSON Asst.Features Editor
The fire that erupted at the Weaver Fertilizer Plant came as a surprise to many, yet an investigation into the racial history of Winston-Salem reveals a pattern of environmental inequity that affects the lives of both Winston-Salem residents and Wake Forest students alike. On the evening of Monday, Feb 1. a fire ignited at the north end of the Weaver Fertilizer Plant and spread rapidly, leading city officials to urge the roughly 6,500 residents within a onemile radius of the fire to evacuate their homes. Although Wake Forest’s campus is situated outside of the endangered zone, its proximity to the blaze provoked many students to stay at nearby hotels, the homes of friends outside the city. The privilege of an easy evacuation that many Wake Forest students had was not shared by most local residents as they left their homes Monday evening. At a Winston-Salem City Hall meeting on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 17, one local resident spoke of having to move her disabled mother out of their home, along with her wheelchair and multiple days’ worth of clothes. North Hills Elementary school was also within the one-mile radius of the fire. Its learning went virtual for Tuesday and Thursday during the week of the fire, leaving many parents without childcare and kids without proper learning assistance. Wake Forest English Professor Dr. Dean Franco specializes in comparative race studies within his department. A Winston-Salem local, Franco is familiar with the community near the Weaver plant and was able to relate the tragedy
of the fire to other instances of racial inequity he had studied in his academic career. “Even if a fertilizer plant existed before the development of residential housing in the neighborhood around Weaver, there ought to be some way of mandating that that industrial plant follow some kind of regulations that makes it safe for the residents.” Franco said. “There was a clear discrepancy between the experience of those residents and the experience of Wake Forest students with relation to the fire.” As students returned to campus over the weekend following the fire, residents were still left with many concerns for both their physical and financial wellbeing. Chemical runoff from the fire has affected the nearby Muddy, Mill and Monarcas creeks. Although air quality near the plant has returned to safe breathing levels for residents, many are still concerned about the particulate matter from the fire leaching into their food, clothing, countertops and soil. While the thousands of evacuees that were urged to evacuate their homes have returned, many have been left with financial burdens after being away from home for nearly a week. The fire prevented many residents from being able to go to their jobs, either because their occupations were within the mile radius of the blaze or because they didn’t have access to the necessary transportation. Love Out Loud, a local nonprofit, has been accepting donations to distribute to those affected. Concerns have been raised, however, that residents are not being adequately financially assisted by Love Out Loud’s relief efforts. “The non-profit is requiring receipts from residents for reimbursement,” Dr. Corey Walker, head of Wake Forest’s
Old Gold & Black | Features
“[You] ... need to go breathe the air those people breathe, see and experience what their life is like, to develop the necessary empathy needed to understand inequity.” African American studies program said. “If you go to stay with your mom and eat her food and use her water and electricity for that week, how can you prove what you consumed in receipts?” Furthermore, as Walker pointed out, seeing low-income, primarily African American residents affected by industrial environmental tragedy is not an uncommon or new phenomenon. Although the Weaver Fertilizer Plant was built before the residential homes surrounding it, the value of properties close to the fertilizer plant is significantly lower than other neighborhoods in Winston-Salem.
Una Wilson / Old Gold & Black
Winston-Salem residents voiced their concerns at a City Hall meeting regarding health, financial, and environmental issues in the aftermath of the Weaver fire.
These homes are affordable to people who work in lower-income jobs and are predominantly communities of color. “The proximity of the affected communities to Weaver isn’t just some isolated happening. If you start to look at the history of Winston- Salem, you can see a land-use pattern develop, going all the way back where Negro tenements were located in relation to the railways passing through Winston.” Walker said. Crystal Dixon serves on Wake Forest’s President’s Committee for Race, Equity, and Inclusion. Over the past couple of years, she has worked with academic departments to define what it means for each of them to make equitable progress, whether that be opening up conversations about race, being more aware of diversity on campus, or holding events to educate students about Black history. She also collaborates with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to coordinate engagement between Wake Forest and the surrounding Winston-Salem communities. In a class she teaches on the intersection between race and sustainability, she asked her students to consider what it would be like to experience tragedies like the Weaver fire consistently. “I said, ‘you all were panicking for five days of the Weaver situation, imagine living in that kind of situation for an entire lifetime.”’ Dixon said. “It’s no coincidence these people live here either, they’ve been targeted. Since the 1930s, a practice called redlining has placed certain communities near toxic environmental conditions because the property values are lower and they are cheaper places to live, but they are also really the only affordable places to live for under-resourced communities to live.” Professor Dixon also mentioned that, while it’s good to be aware of the environmental inequity surrounding the Weaver situation, the next step is spreading that awareness to others. “Wake Forest is very much in our own little bubble.” Dixon said. “It would be great if we had some kind of immersion experience for Wake Forest students, just so they could walk around N. Cherry St. or the Boston-Thurmond neighborhood and experience what life is like less than a mile away from campus.” Francoagrees.“Thereismoralblindness in bringing students to campus and not educate them about their surroundings,” he said. “The Wake Forest community ought to start understanding that it has obligations of reciprocity and mutuality with its proximate neighbors, including the residential community just north of campus that was displaced by the fire.” Furthermore, Dixon explained that, while being aware of environmental racism is important, it’s entirely different to live it every day. “It’s not enough to volunteer at places like Campus Kitchen or somewhere on-campus. You really need to go breathe the air those people breathe, see and experience what their life is like, to develop the necessary empathy needed to understand inequity.” Contact Una Wilson at wilsui20@wfu.edu
Thursday, February 24, 2022 | Page 7
Features | Old Gold & Black
Wake Forest seniors join Teach for America KATHLEEN KERR Contributing Writer
This year, as Wake Forest’s seniors start preparing for life after graduation, four students have decided to join Teach for America in its mission to change the education system from the inside. Teach for America is a nonprofit, national organization that recruits leaders to teach in lowincome communities in order to give all children access to a good education. With a network of more than 60,000 teachers, it trains educators to work in public schools across the country. These four students, Lillian Remler, Julia Gray Peters, Alexander DeNovio and Hannah Bullock have committed to teaching for at least two years with Teach for America starting in August. Remler first heard about Teach for America through one of its representatives. Though she did not plan to go into teaching, Remler decided to apply after learning about their mission to end inequitable access to education.
In the fall, Remler will start teaching middle school English Language Arts at UP Academy Oliver in Lawrence, MA. “I did not start at Wake Forest thinking I wanted to go into education, but I’ve found my time as a tutor and a ballet teacher’s assistant to be some of the most fulfilling aspects of my time here,” Remler said. “This led me to realize that becoming a teacher is something I am passionate about.” On the other hand, DeNovio knew he wanted to teach after
Photo courtesy of Teach for America
TFA recruits leaders to give all children access to good education.
graduation, and he applied for the corps after hearing about Teach for America from alumni. He plans to go back to his hometown in Prince George’s County, MD, to teach either middle or high school biology. “Like everyone who joins, I want to make a difference in the community and school that I’ll be working in. Hopefully my students will also learn a thing or two about biology,” DeNovio said. Peters decided to join the corps after discovering Teach for America at the Wake Forest career fair. She is passionate about improving the U.S. education system and contributing to a more educated nation. “As someone who experienced the public education system in a privileged setting, I know that equitable funding and ample resources can provide students with a wide breadth of knowledge and an eagerness to learn,” Peters said. “All students deserve an education that supports and prepares them for any life path they choose.” Peters is currently interviewing with schools, and she hopes to
work in the Boston area and teach secondary history or social studies. Bullock heard about Teach for America through LinkedIn during her junior year and got involved in their work early. She accepted an offer in October and will be moving to Atlanta in May to train for her job teaching K-8 special education. While she is teaching, she will also be working towards a Masters of Science in Education through an online Teach for America program with John Hopkins University. She is hoping to continue teaching after her two years in the corps. “I believe that teachers play such a crucial role in student development and outcomes, which is why it is important for teachers with a desire to make an impact and a willingness to grow and learn as you go are put into classrooms with high needs,” Bullock said. “I hope to not only be a teacher to the students that I’ll teach, but an advokerrke21@wfu.edu
Adla provides students with easier ways to shop BELLA ORTLEY-GUTHRIE Contributing Writer
Wake Forest students may have noticed gray and pink bags scattered outside individual dorms on campus — each bag with a shiny tint and giant pink letters on them. These bags are a part of Adla, a community-based fashion delivery service that allows hundreds of Wake Forest students to try on clothes and then purchase the ones they want. In 2018, CEO Holly Leslie was 21 when she began Adla as a student at Queen Mary University of London. The idea stemmed from a challenge Leslie and her friends faced struggling to find clothes for spring break. They felt as if there were tons of clothes out there, but nothing was the right fit or color. With returns and online shopping being a hassle, Leslie’s solution stemmed from providing a try-on then buy service. From there, Adla came to the U.S after being funded by Y Combinator, the same start-up company that funded corporations like Airbnb, Coinbase and DoorDash. After testing in San Francisco, the first launch at college campuses began at High Point University and then moved to Wake Forest University in August 2021. Leslie described Adla as a rapidly growing line with the first deliveries going to Angelou dorm with three users, the next week 20 and then 40 users. Now hundreds of Wake Forest Students sign up for Adla, and Adla’s silver bags line the
hallways of dorms like Martin, Dogwood and Poteat. Adla’s delivery process consists of three steps. First, three to four clothing items are dropped off at the specific dorm. Following the drop off, the Adla clients have a 24-hour window to try on the clothes, then they pay for what they want and leave the remaining clothes in the bag to be picked up. The catch? Adla shoppers don’t have to pay to try on clothes — whatever they do want to buy can be bought via a text link. Adla’s items range from $17-50 offering brands like Princess Polly, Urban Outfitters, Outdoor Voices and Zara. “I feel really lucky to have found what I wanted to do at an early age,” Leslie said. Starting a company at age 21 taught Leslie not only how to market herself as a female entrepreneur but also the act of conscious leadership. To be a strong leader, she needed to take care of herself. The principle of self-care applies to Adla’s leadership but also in the care of their employees. Not only is the delivery aspect essential to Adla, but Adla prides itself on being a community-based company with all of its delivery workers, packing workers, and warehouse workers consisting of majority female employees. “The social aspect is really important to the product,” Leslie said. The community aspect ties to the Drop Days, where the Adla ‘Elves’ (delivery workers) drop off new batches of clothes. “People describe it as Christmas because it’s this collective experience where
everyone almost feels like they’re getting a present,” Leslie said. Adla hires over 22 ‘elves’ to deliver their bags. A majority of them include Wake Forest students like freshman Holland Tyson. Tyson started working as an “Adla Elf” after trying their product in September 2021. “It’s turned into something huge,” Tyson said. What started as a team of two Adla elves has grown into a group of 22 girls, going around dorm by dorm delivering bags and meeting people. Adla plans to extend its exclusive services throughout the semester and summer; with 19 schools currently on their waitlist,
they plan to scale within the next few months. Adla is not just a shopping service but a community — a place for people to come together, try on clothes and support each other. Leslie remains excited about Adla’s future and encourages young women wanting to start their own business to “Don’t stop, just keep going.” To get an Adla bag and sign up, visit Adla online at tryadla.com or check out Adla’s Wake Forest Instagram @Adla_wfu CEO Holly Leslie’s Instagram: @hollzleslie
Photo courtesy of Holly Leslie
Adla allows students to receive a weekly mixed bag of clothes from popular brands with no subscription fees.
OPINION
PAGE 8 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2022
OLD GOLD & BLACK
Sophie Guymon, guymsm20@wfu.edu Maryam Khanum, khanmg20@wfu.edu
The views expressed in all opinion columns represent those of the article’s author, not the opinions of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board
Dow Jones Club Members of Wake Forest's Dow Jones Club discuss recent economic developments OLIVER STOUGHT, KEVIN CRAWFORD, DREW PIERCE, JACOB JENSEN & ALYSSA ANTON
"Fintech" Oliver Stought What is the metaverse? More people are asking this question every day, especially since Facebook rebranded itself as "Meta" this past fall. With significant interest and investment from companies such as Microsoft, Sony and Apple, the metaverse could potentially be the next big thing. The metaverse is a 3D virtual world in which users can interact with one another. The metaverse could be a virtual office or a place to hang out with friends — the possibilities are truly endless. Meta and Microsoft are the two biggest players in the metaverse market at the current moment but are taking slightly different routes. Meta is leaning towards a reality that is dependent on headsets, which fit over your eyes and immerse you in a virtual reality. Microsoft is taking the augmented reality route, which involves a headset that still allows you to see but also projects objects on the screen in front of your eyes, such as a virtual ruler. We are still in the early stages of the metaverse, and it may be more than 10 years before the vision of Zuckerberg and others for the metaverse become a reality, but the plans and funding are certainly there. International Markets Kevin Crawford Beijing’s Zero COVID-19 policy has been strained as the Omicron variant has swept the globe. The implications for trade and the supply chain are tremendous. Ningbo, the world’s third-largest port suspended operations after cases were detected in the province, leading to further increases in the backlog of containers trying to leave China. Disruptions like these will only become more common if China decides to keep its zero-case policy. While the Winter Olympics were in full swing, Beijing was eager to maintain these rules. The Wall Street Journal reported that a week’s trade delay at Ningbo would affect approximately $4 billion in value. The supply chain seemed to be recovering to meet world demand, but Omicron has changed that. The implications both within China and the larger world are dramatic. Inflation is a major concern among Western leaders, so fixing supply chain disruptions has become a major political objective. Domestically, the Lunar New Year demand for goods has only exacerbated the strain on shipping, which has seen air freight rates climb 50 percent since mid-January. It will be interesting to see how Beijing changes its COVID-19 policy as the rest of
Photo Courtesy of iStock
in impacting the global economy, leading to shifts in operations in economic spheres. the world moves into living with the COVID-19 virus. China may be forced to ease its rules if port disruptions make the cost of trade too high for some firms. Financial & Fixed Income Drew Pierce After a historic bull run, financial markets are off to a rocky start in 2022. The Standard and Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) and NASDAQ 100 are down approximately 8.7% and 14%, respectively, on the year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) latest report revealed that January prices were 7.5% higher than a year ago. From restaurant meals to used cars, consumer prices are rising at the fastest pace in 40 years. With target inflation of 2.0% year-overyear, the Federal Reserve plans to increase interest rates starting in March by an anticipated 25-or-50 basis points (one basis point equals 0.01%). While the Federal Reserve has not lifted rates in three years, they hope to drive down inflation by disincentivizing borrowing and incentivizing savings in order to cool off the economy. However, many economists worry that hiking interest rates will do more harm than good. The global pandemic has disrupted supply chains globally. Consequently, consumers are paying higher prices for goods due to increased input costs for producers and reduced supply. Unfortunately, raising rates will not solve these issues. Instead, the action by the Federal Reserve may slow the economy and stunt economic growth while high inflation persists. Beyond the issue of high inflation, alarms have been ringing on Wall Street because of the narrowing spread between 10-year and two-year treasury bonds. Recently, the dif-
ference in yield has dropped to a concerning level of less than 50 basis points. Ultimately, we may be headed towards an inverted yield curve or negative spread, which has preceded every American recession. Market Sell-Off, IPOs, and Robinhood Jacob Jensen In 2021, investors began to sell off riskier financial assets due to fears of interest rate hikes, supply chain constraints and a multitude of other uncertainties that carried into the start of 2022. Companies with negative to minimal earnings have suffered the greatest losses, while the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and NASDAQ have declined from highs by 5.99%, 8.30% and 14.93% respectively. Unfortunately for investors, companies that recently listed their shares of stock for the public to purchase have not escaped the shifting market. These initial public offerings (IPOs) had a record year in 2021, with 1,035 IPOs across all sectors — 23 of them occurring on the popular trading platform Robinhood. Robinhood claims to “democratize finance for all”, but the IPOs on its platform have had disproportionately greater losses when compared to the broader market. After examination, stocks with IPO access on Robinhood have had a median loss of 22.80% from their IPO price and a median loss of 54.15% from their previous highs. In comparison, losses among all 2021 IPOs sit between 9% and 14%, meaning IPO access through Robinhood has experienced roughly double the losses of comparable IPOs as well as quadruple the decline compared to the NASDAQ highs.
Energy Bonds are Back Alyssa Anton As oil and gas prices bounce back from the pandemic, investors are grasping onto the opportunity to get in on energy bonds now that companies are able to generate cash again. In 2020, JPMorgan reported that energy debt had accounted for around $47 billion of high-yield defaults. Financially weaker companies had either gone bankrupt or restructured their debt, leaving room for higher quality companies to take over the market, per the Financial Times. Now that these bigger companies are recovering, they are working towards reducing their greenhouse gas emissions from operations. This is an appeal to more investors that will look at companies with good credit that are also looking to improve themselves environmentally. More governments and businesses are investing in low-carbon energy sources, and even as they continue to do so, fossil fuels will still be the energy field's frontrunner. The transition to renewable energy has numerous opponents, most notably those that are seeking increased investment yields. As prices on oil and gas increase, energy companies have been able to allocate their debt to reduce their costs, which makes them more attractive to investors. These price increases also allow these companies to invest in processes that result in lower carbon emissions. Ironically, many of these companies are falling into ESGs that open them up to an even bigger investment pool. Contact Wake Forest Dow Jones COO Madison Rosenthal at rosemp20@wfu.edu
Thursday, February 24, 2022 | Page 9
Opinion | Old Gold & Black
2022 Winter Olympics
Eileen Gu embraces multicultural identity Freestyle skier Eileen Gu inspires others into self-acceptance Shaila Prasad
Contributing Columnist prassp21@wfu.edu
"When I'm in the U.S., I'm American. When I'm in China, I'm Chinese." When I read this statement for the first time, I couldn't help but pause. What struck me was the ease with which this phrase settled with me. Eileen Gu is an 18-year-old freestyle skier, born and raised in San Francisco CA, who took the 2022 Winter Olympics by storm, winning three medals for China. I watched her dominate every competition in awe, despite the heavy controversy that undoubtedly weighed on her shoulders — one which began a couple of years prior. In 2019, Gu won the gold medal for the U.S. at the World Cup, allowing her to compete in the Olympics. A couple of days later, she met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and was offered a spot on China's Olympic team. The decision was up to her. Depending on who you ask, what seems like an obvious answer to this offer is far from it. I can’t imagine what Gu went
through during the four months she waited to make her decision, but I can understand some of the confusion. To many, this decision would define her identity, and the turmoil hurts. I am an American citizen who was born in Singapore and raised in New Delhi, India. Using Gu’s words, when I'm in the U.S., I'm American. When I'm in India, I'm Indian. I get it. But not many people do, and it can be a struggle. Today, Gu is loved by millions of people from all over the world — many from both the U.S. and China. Gu shared that her desire when joining Team China was to unite the two countries she called home. It's noble. Giving China a symbol of success for the Winter Olympics does not have to be labeled a betrayal, but as a society, we are so insistent on labeling others. We let these labels heavily influence our perceptions of those around us. But what if someone needs multiple labels? In the U.S., people like Will Cain — a host for Fox News — are opposed to her decision. They believe Gu took advantage of America's resources and "[turned] her back on that in exchange for money". Furthermore, Chinese social media influencers such as Zhang Cailing and Chen
Xiaoyu are also critical of Gu. Both argue against the similarity of Gu's upbringing to girls in China and thus believe she should not be advertised as a role model. To people who agree with all three of them I ask, what about the men? There are currently multiple white American men representing Team China in the Olympics. Some names include Jeremy Smith — who goes by Jieruimi Shimisi when playing — and Jake Chelios — who goes by Jieke Kailiaosi. Both represented the Chinese ice hockey team in the 2022 Winter Olympics, despite having no previous connection to China. If there was any backlash, it wasn't publicized. Gu's story is being twisted to tell young women what they can or can't identify as — but she continues to resist. In an interview questioning her choices, Gu responded that "people sometimes don't know what to do with other people when they're not fitting in a box". I've found this to be true. I went to an American international school in New Delhi, and all of my friends spread across the globe. We were used to a complicated response to a simple question: "where are you from?" I didn't realize how rare this community was until I moved back to the U.S. for college.
I am in no way comparing my childhood to Gu's predicament regarding which Olympic team to compete for. But to those who think her decision was wrong — selfish even — I wanted to provide thoughts from someone who gets it, as I’m sure many do at Wake Forest. Gu was raised by two strong Chinese women who didn't let her forget her Chinese heritage amidst inevitable American influence. Feeling at home in multiple places is a beautiful thing, something my parents have also always attempted to help me understand. But honestly, it still just sucks sometimes. I don't like the nervous butterflies I get when someone asks me where I'm from, whether here or in India. In the U.S., it’s rare for people to think I’m Indian as well as American. In India, my accent is enough to mark me as a foreigner. So to Gu, rising Stanford freshman, IMG model, Met Gala attendee and recipient of many luxury sponsorships, I say that I am proud of you for doing what feels right for you. You get up every day to help girls worldwide pursue freeskiing — among other passions — but what you might not realize is that you are inspiring people like me not to settle. Our multicultural backgrounds should not be ignored, but embraced.
Yemen
Unity in Yemen is not a logical solution
“
Ethan Wearner
Contributing Columnist wearep19@wfu.edu
Within a month, the war in Yemen will have reached its eighth year. These years of intense fighting have produced what many consider to be the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The conflict has killed over 100,000 people. More than 20 million Yemenis are in need of humanitarian support. Twelve million are estimated to be in acute need, and roughly five million Yemenis will be at risk of famine this year. The world’s forgotten war began in 2014, but its roots can be traced back to the legacies of imperialism and the failed unification of the north and south regions. The conception of Yemen as a unified state — a myth promoted by successive imperial powers — is contrary to the country’s historical trajectory. Yemen’s social and political divisions remain a barrier to any meaningful peace efforts. Historically, there has been a division between north and south Yemen. North Yemen was occupied by the Ottomans from 1872 to 1918, who brought the north into the empire-wide program of Tanzimat reform. These reforms — coupled with the encroaching presence of the Ottomans — marginalized the long-standing Zaydi-Shia imamate in the north, resulting in revolt. By
1918, Zaydi-Shia Muslims declared north Yemen the independent Mutawakkilite Kingdom. The colonial period put the north and south on different trajectories, with the north being consumed by infighting between republicans and monarchists. The Mutawakkilite Kingdom survived failed coups d'états in 1948 and again in 1955. The imamate remained until 1962 when civil war broke out between republicans and monarchists. Both Egypt and the Soviet Union supported the north’s revolutionary republicans, while Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan and the U.K. supported the monarchy. Republican forces eventually prevailed and the Yemen Arab Republic was officially recognized by 1970. South Yemen was designated as a province of British India in 1937. By the start of the Cold War, the British could no longer maintain a stable presence in Yemen. Pressured by the National Liberation Front (NLF) and the Front for Liberation of Occupied South Yemen (FLOSY), the U.K. declared a state of emergency in 1963. The NLF assumed power by 1967 and the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) — the Arabian Peninsula's only outspoken communist nation — was born. The secular socialism of the PDRY was undoubtedly a product of its unique historical trajectory. It is no accident that the south became a secular, socialist society while the north became a tribal republic. North and South Yemen were thus independent states by the late twentieth century.
Unless peacemakers recognize the ahistorical nature of [unitary sovereignty], Yemenis will continue to [face] the world's worst humanitarian crisis." However, relations remained uneasy, culminating in the South Yemen Civil War in 1986, which took a significant toll on the south’s administrative apparatus. By 1989, the Soviet Union was poised for collapse, leaving South Yemen without its primary benefactor. The socialist south reluctantly accepted a unification plan with the Yemen Arab Republic, which was finalized in 1990. Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former president of North Yemen, came to govern the country. As Saleh consolidated his power through tribal alliances, a Zaydi-Shia group called the Houthis gradually rose to prominence in the north. In 2004, Hussein Badreddin alHouthi launched a nearly six-year rebellion against the nascent Yemeni government. While Saleh suppressed the insurgency, his grip on power began to slip by 2011. The Arab Spring renewed calls for reform and equality across the Arab world. Protests erupted in Change Square but were violently suppressed by snipers. Although Saleh claimed plausible deniability, Yemenis had seen enough, and his vice president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi assumed the presidency. A national conference sought to calm the waters but dramatically failed. Saleh allied him-
self with the Houthi movement, seizing the capital of Sana’a and advancing south toward Hodeidah. He was placed under house arrest in Sana’a but managed to flee. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to restore unitary sovereignty and maintain Hadi’s presidency. Ironically, Saleh again switched course and allied himself with the coalition. Infighting between the Houthis and forces loyal to Saleh led to Saleh's death. The present conflict in Yemen is typically viewed through a lens that does not reflect historical realities. Many — particularly in the American media — suggest that the Houthis and Iran are responsible for the continuing war and ensuing humanitarian crisis. There is some truth to these allegations of proxy warfare, but the reality is much more complicated. Hidden beneath the jubilee of the Arab Spring were renewed calls for north-south secession. Many in Yemen were dissatisfied with the result of unification in 1990 and remain so today. By reviewing the historical and cultural trajectory of the north and south, the follies of unity become even more apparent. Although Saleh recognized these divisions, his government proved incapable of containing the north and south within the confines of a fragile nation-state. Repeated attempts at federalism have failed, but many continue to believe that unitary sovereignty is the only solution to Yemen’s political dilemmas. Unless peacemakers recognize the ahistorical nature of this proposition, Yemenis will continue to face the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Page 10 | Thursday, February 24, 2022
Old Gold & Black | Opinion
Social Media
Donald Trump launches“new social media app Truth Social advertises itself as an app against political discrimination
Maryam Khanum Opinion Editor khanmg20@wfu.edu
In 2021, a plethora of popular social media apps, including Twitter and Facebook, banned former President Donald Trump from using their platforms following riots at the Capitol building on Jan. 6. A statement released by Twitter confirmed that this decision was motivated by Trump's incendiary comments on the platform. “After close review of recent tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them — specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence,"the Twitter Safety account posted. “Due to the ongoing tensions in the United States and an uptick in the global conversation in regards to the people who violently stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, [Trump’s] tweets must be read in the context of broader events in the country.”
Over a year later, on Feb. 21, 2022, Trump launched his own social media app, Truth Social, which claims to be a “social media platform that is free from political discrimination.” The app allows users to post “truths”, and “re-truth” one another’s posts. Truth Social is geared toward allowing users to share their thoughts and opinions without having to face any censorship barriers. Out of curiosity, I downloaded the app. I was prompted to create an account using my email address, which I did, and was then redirected to a page informing me that my account had been created successfully, but that I had been placed on a waitlist “due to massive demand.” I was given a waitlist number, but I was reassured that I was “not just another number” to Truth Social. The app told me my number was 427,633, which made me think there were about 400,000 people on the waitlist, but I received an email later informing me that I had been bumped up to number 347,633. A quick Google search revealed that almost everyone who joined the app had a similar experience of being given one waiting list number and being emailed another completely different one. This discrepancy, coupled with the fact that you cannot find user data about the app anywhere, left me with
Now, with a social media app he can control himself, Trump is attempting to establish a platform where no one can hold him accountable." no idea as to how many people actually joined the app or were on the waitlist. My experience with the app was fairly straightforward, but others didn’t fare so well and experienced many additional issues. According to CNET, "people who downloaded the app reported seeing error messages when they tried entering a birthdate, e-mail or phone number to create an account. "Something went wrong. Please try again," the message read. Considering Trump’s track record with misinformation, I’m doubtful of the truth-spreading cause the app claims to have. In the months leading up to the 2020 general election, he engineered a scenario that would allow him to claim voter fraud despite the election being completely fair. He encouraged his supporters to vote in person on Nov. 3, while constantly disparaging mail-in ballots and remote voting. When the results of the mail in ballots obviously favored Biden, Trump cried foul. Throughout this ordeal, the social media platforms
Trump used to deliver his message placed labels on each of his posts, warning his followers of the misinformation present in his narrative. The purpose behind Truth Social, though never explicitly mentioned, is obvious. When Trump relied on independent platforms such as Twitter, there was always an independent, objective party to keep him in check and hold him accountable for his statements. Twitter did hold him accountable through warning other users of the inaccuracy of his statements and banning him from their platform entirely for inciting violence. Now, with a social media app he can control himself, Trump is attempting to establish a platform where no one can hold him accountable for the narratives he chooses to present. Whether it is spreading misinformation regarding COVID-19, blatantly lying about the results of the 2020 presidential election or instigating his following into a literal riot, Trump is creating a space where he can say whatever he wants without being answerable to a third party. Truth Social being “for the truth” is simply a guise, and another means for the former president to wreak havoc upon America’s democracy.
Ukraine Escalation
International action in Ukraine crisis is imperative “ James Li
Contributing Columnist lijw21@wfu.edu
On Feb. 20, U.S. Intelligence indicated that Russian commanders had been given the order to invade Ukraine in severaldays. On the 22nd, Russian troops entered Ukraine, although officials have stopped short of calling it an invasion. The Federation Council of Russia authorized use of troops in Ukraine. Fighting has already claimed the life of at least one Ukrainian soldier in separatistcontrolled regions of Ukraine. The separatist states have called for all able-bodied men to render assistance to their militaries. As the countries seem poised for war, a tough global response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions is beginning to take shape, even as he remains defiant. The problem here is that Ukraine and NATO are not providing a united front. Germany — which is reliant on Russian gas imports — is cutting off a Russian oil pipeline. French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to emphasize the European aspect of the crisis —- much to the chagrin of his American and British allies — while U.S. President Joe Biden is firmly committed to sanctions and diplomacy. The Ukrainian army also happens to be undermanned, underequipped and underfunded when compared to that of the Russians.
Why is Putin doing this? What is his endgame? Publicly, Putin has stated that the threat of Ukraine’s entry to NATO is the reason behind his threats of war, but behind the curtains, a different story is in play. Petroleum and natural gas exports form a significant portion of Russia’s economy. In a climateconscious and pandemic-ridden world, petroleum — and by extension Russia’s economy — appears to be threatened. Despite its vast geographic territory, Russia has a population of roughly 146 million — which is relatively small in comparison to America’s estimated 332 million. Despite the unfortunate statistics, Russia might have a bright future as climate change progresses. While coastal cities flood in the next few decades, the Siberian interior — which is currently cold and largely inhospitable — will warm up and allow for the exploitation of its natural resources. This could fuel Russia’s survival and growth through the rest of the century, a very appealing prospect for a grandly ambitious man like Putin. Putin has previously remarked that the fall of the Soviet Union was the fall of “historic Russia” — perhaps he wants a return to the “good old days” of Russian imperialism. This possibility hinges on Russia’s survival for the next couple of decades. As a multinational state, Russia has had its fair share of ethnic tension and separatism, highlighted by historic issues in the region of Chechnya. If Russia loses strength to decreased oil exports and a loss of international face, these tensions could arise again.
ous, but the threat of seeming rather than being is even more dangerous ... if action isn't taken, the future could be grim." If nothing changes, we will see history repeat itself. Following a stratagem similar to the 2014 invasion of Crimea, Russia will likely occupy Ukraine in a swift but violent conquest, and the international community will watch from a distance, slapping sanctions and diplomatic protests on Russia. Russia will have proven that — in spite of its current state — it can hold out against NATO militarily and diplomatically. Putin will have earned his place in Russian history textbooks alongside emperors, tsars and great conquerors. Fighting fire with fire is a dangerous idea, but the threat of seeming rather than being is even more dangerous. Instead of allowing a war to happen, there are a few actions that the United States or its NATO allies could take to pressure Russia away from open conflict. One option would be to deploy NATO personnel in Ukraine. Although this would reinforce Putin’s accusations regarding a Ukrainian entrance into NATO, any harm done to these personnel could be construed as an attack on a NATO country, invoking Article 5 of NATO regarding collective defense and leading to a war Putin would be unable to afford. Perhaps this could be enough to bring him to the negotiating table.
Another option would be to engage in cyberwarfare against Russia. Cyberwarfare is a constantly evolving field, and what could be construed as an act of war is incredibly vague. Russian operants have committed numerous attacks on American and Ukrainian infrastructure and voting equipment without punishment. Even though the United States does not have the same reputation as a harbor for hackers, American intelligence agencies have proven their effectiveness in this field. In 2009, a computer virus was used to attack the Iranian nuclear weapons program, causing many centrifuges to spin themselves to destruction. Similar attacks could cripple Russian military equipment and infrastructure before a potential attack is launched. At the end of the day, a war in Ukraine would be horrific. The 41 million people in unoccupied Ukraine would have to deal with gunfire, bombardment and the deprivation of basic services and security as the frontline advances across the nation. Ukrainian civil liberties would be suspended, and government institutions would collapse — families would also be torn apart. Refugees fleeing from war would flood the rest of Europe, further exacerbating the migration crisis already occurring there. If action isn’t taken, the future could be grim. The opinion expressed in this article is based on information that was available Tuesday, Feb. 22.
SPORTS
Christina DeNovio, denoca20@wfu.edu Essex Thayer, thayse20@wfu.edu
Follow us on Twitter @wfuogbsports OLD GOLD & BLACK
PAGE 11 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2022
MBB secures crucial victory over Irish The win gives Wake Forest breathing room in its quest to return to the NCAA Tournament CHRISTIAN ODJAKJIAN Staff Writer
Wake Forest’s men’s basketball was put to the test this past week, taking on both the first and second place teams in the ACC. Last Tuesday, the Demon Deacons (217, 11-6) dropped a heartbreaker to No. 9 Duke (23-4, 13-3) 76-74 in a hostile Cameron Indoor Stadium. On Saturday at the Joel, Wake Forest bounced back and came away with a 79-74 victory over a red-hot Notre Dame team (19-8, 12-4). With the score knotted up at 74 in the final seconds of the game, Duke freshman Paolo Banchero drove to the basket and missed a layup. However, sophomore big man Mark Williams was right there to slam it home and give the Blue Devils the lead with less than a second remaining. There was some controversy about whether or not the play was basket interference — which was the call on the floor — but the referees went to the monitor and decided to count the two points. After the put-back dunk, sophomore Damari Monsanto had a shot at a fullcourt heave to win it, which was incredibly close, but it ricocheted off the backboard and rimmed out of the hoop. Duke was dominant for the first 25 minutes of the game, leading 57-38 five minutes into the second half. The game was shaping up to be a blowout, with the whistle never going Wake Forest’s way and star player Alondes Williams in foul trouble. “We kept battling,” Wake Forest Head Coach Steve Forbes said after the game. “I’m very proud of my team.” The Demon Deacons finally found their stride in the second half and exploded on a 23-6 run, which cut the deficit to
just two with eight minutes left to play. Duke stretched the lead back to nine with four minutes to go, but Wake Forest kept fighting, forcing turnovers and making plays to give themselves a chance to win. “We changed the game when we put our big lineup on the floor,” Forbes said. “It caused them some problems, we finally got some stops and we were pretty good in transition.” This big lineup features Williams (6’5”), Monsanto (6’6”), Jake LaRavia (6’8”), Khadim Sy (6’10”), and Dallas Walton (7’0”). "There's not many teams in the country that can throw out the size that Wake has at every position,” acting Duke Head Coach Jon Scheyer said, who coached the second half of the game because head coach Mike Krzyzewski wasn’t feeling well. Following the trip to Durham, Wake Forest hosted a Notre Dame team that entered the game having won nine of their last ten. Wake Forest started the game strong, but the Fighting Irish caught fire from deep, as five different players combined to knock down nine long balls. They led by as much as 12 in the first half. Star freshman Blake Wesley scored 15 points for the Irish in the opening period and finished the game with 24 points, drilling six three-pointers. "A big key was that we weathered the storm and went into halftime only down six,” Forbes said. Notre Dame played a zone defense for most of the game, which gave the Demon Deacons some trouble. Offensively the team was pretty stagnant in the first half, settling for some subpar looks. Forbes and his staff made an adjustment in the second half in order to create more motion and isolate his players in the post.
Wake Forest outscored Notre Dame 44-33 in the second half, connecting on 18-34 shots, while the cooled-off Irish made just 10-23. This game came down to the wire. Senior forward Isaiah Mucius knocked down a huge three with 80 seconds left to play to stretch the lead to five, but Notre Dame’s Cormac Ryan answered with a three of his own 12 seconds later. Williams drove to the basket, spun and laid it in. Sy performed well on Saturday, especially in the second half, rebounding the ball and scoring in the post. Sy finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Williams was very effective in the second as well, scoring 17 on 8-13 shooting. He finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds. LaRavia scored 20 points, making 1011 free throws. He dished out five assists and grabbed nine rebounds as well. If LaRavia grabbed one more rebound, he would have become the third Demon Deacon with a double-double in the same game. Wake Forest dominated on the boards as a team, out-rebounding the Fighting Irish 43-27, including a 16-2 advantage on the offensive glass. The big lineup that Forbes utilized in the Duke game was effective once again. “We were going to have to score and make shots to beat them,” Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Brey said. “What a waste of bullets that you make 14 [threepointers] on a night and you can’t get out of there [with a win].” Entering the game, Notre Dame was 11-0 in games where they knocked down 10 or more three-pointers. Over 8,000 fans were in attendance at the Joel Coliseum and created a great home environment that was active and engaged in the victory.
“That was easily one of the best crowds we have had this year,” LaRavia said. “They were super loud; it was a great atmosphere.” "The crowd was unbelievable today,” Forbes said. “I think they helped us a lot down the stretch." The win over Notre Dame was a crucial one in terms of making the NCAA Tournament. After dropping close ones to Miami and Duke, the Demon Deacons couldn’t afford to miss out on this opportunity to add a quality win to the resumé. Wake Forest is now safely in the field heading into the last three games of the regular season, but a bad loss would do damage in terms of seeding. After a trip to Clemson for a Wednesday night battle, Wake Forest hosts Louisville at home on Feb. 26. Contact Christian Odjakjian at odjact18@wfu.edu
Photo courtesy Wake Forest Athletics
Senior Isaiah Mucius and coach Steve Forbes celebrate a key play.
Baseball leads off season with 3-0 sweep The weekend included victories over Lafayette, Georgetown and VCU ESSEX THAYER Sports Editor
After a disappointing losing season in 2021, Wake Forest baseball returned to David F. Couch Ballpark with a chip on their shoulder. By the end of the weekend, the Demon Deacons were 3-0 for the first time since 2016. Against Lafayette on Friday, a program-record tying 16-run inning pushed the Demon Deacons to a 25-3 victory. The following day, a strong, five-inning debut from freshman pitcher Josh Hartle led Wake Forest to a 9-1 win over Georgetown. On Sunday, the Demon Deacons’ bats allowed them to climb back against VCU, a team that made the NCAA Tournament last season.
On Friday, starting pitchers Rhett Lowder for Wake Forest and Luke Benneche for Lafayette dueled for the first two innings and didn’t surrender a run. In the third inning, however, sophomore Lucas Costello drove in redshirt sophomore Pierce Bennett to give Wake Forest a 1-0 lead. The real damage was done in Friday’s fifth ending. After loading the bases, Benneche walked two straight batters, bringing in two runs. Redshirt sophomore Adam Cecere then brought home Costello with a single, and a walk on the next at-bat extended the lead to 5-0. After that, Benneche’s night was over. Later in the inning, Bennett hit the first home run of the season for the Demon Deacons — a grand slam — to give
Wake Forest an 11-0 lead. A three-run home run later in the inning by sophomore Brock Wilken gave the Demon Deacons even more cushion. Despite three runs being tagged on by Lafayette in the sixth inning – all against graduate Jacob Grzebinski – Wake Forest added eight more runs in their half of the sixth. Leading 25-3, closer Reed Mascolo finished the game off in the seventh inning, with both coaches deciding to end the game early. After the game, Wake Forest Head Coach Tom Walter was pleased with the five-inning shutout from Lowder. “I think Lowder threw the ball really well tonight,” Walter said. “Lafayette came out aggressive early but Rhett did a great job getting ahead in counts early.”
On offense, the performance of the night came from Bennett, who went 3-3 in the fifth inning alone on the way to a five-RBI game. The next day, Wake Forest relied on their pitching to bring them the victory. After a five-inning, one-run performance by Hartle, the Demon Deacons closed out the final four innings with scoreless performances by redshirt sophomore Derek Crum, redshirt freshman Will Andrews and sophomore Camden Minacci. The bullpen combined for 12 strikeouts while only allowing one walk. After throwing 30 pitches in a scoreless first inning, Hartle settled down for a comfortable second, keeping the score tied at zero.
See Baseball, Page 12
Page 12 | Thursday, February 24, 2022
Old Gold & Black | Sports
Baseball: Wake Forest starts season 3-0 Continued from Page 11 From there, Wake Forest took off in the bottom of the second, scoring three runs off a double by freshman Nick Kurtz and a single by sophomore Jake Reinisch. In the third inning, the Demon Deacons scored off another single by Reinisch, bringing in Kurtz and redshirt junior Brandon Tinsman to bring the lead to 5-0. Looking to extend the lead in the fourth inning, Wake Forest added three additional runs with the help of Wilken, Cecere and freshman Danny Corona.
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Following a fifth-inning single to bring in Georgetown’s first run of the day, Hartle shut the door for the rest of the inning to end his day in good position for his first collegiate win. From there, the bullpen delivered another scoreless performance, and a final eighth inning run allowed the Demon Deacons to coast to the 9-1 victory. In their final game of the weekend, Wake Forest was tested against a strong VCU team, yet was able to find a way to pull out the victory. With sophomore Teddy McGraw on the mound, the Demon Deacons once again began the game with two scoreless innings. In the third inning, Wake Forest put two runs on the scoreboard with home runs by Reinisch and Kurtz. In the fourth and fifth innings, the Rams responded, scoring four runs. In both innings, McGraw was able to stop the bleeding by working around several baserunners. In the fifth inning, a sacrifice fly by Turconi brought Wake Forest within one. Two home runs by Cecere (two-run in the sixth, solo in the eighth) allowed Wake Forest to take a two-run lead.
After McGraw provided six quality innings with four earned runs, the Wake Forest bullpen once again came in clutch. Redshirt junior Brennen Oxford pitched one hitless inning, while redshirt sophomore Eric Adler closed the game with two scoreless innings. “Brennen Oxford was awesome and Eric Adler was darn-near unhittable at times tonight,” Walter said of the bullpen’s shutdown performance after the game. Despite what he called a “good team win,” Walter did find parts of the Demon Deacons’ game that needed work. “We did not stack enough quality atbats,” Walter said. “We cannot rely on the home run for offense every game. We were clutch in some moments, [but] we need to be able to punch runs across in other ways and we did not do that today.” After a fantastic start to the season, Wake Forest will now look to continue their winning ways in a weekend series at home against New Jersey Tech. Contact Essex Thayer at thayse20@wfu.edu
Brennan wins Genesis Collegiate The victory allowed the Wake Forest golfer to play in the PGA Tour event Staff Writer
Last Monday, sophomore Michael Brennan won the Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase at Riviera Country Club. The Leesburg, VA native shot an impressive 66 (-5) to capture the title and earn a spot in the upcoming PGA TOUR event Genesis Invitational at Riviera, which began on Thursday. Riviera Country Club is known for being one of the most difficult courses on the PGA TOUR schedule each year. Its deep bunkers and slippery greens provide a brutal test for even the best golfers in the world. “I drove it straight today, that helps a lot,” Brennan said of his success. Wake Forest golfer Will Zalatoris played alongside Brennan in the showcase and commented on Brennan’s power throughout the round. “I’ve obviously gained some distance, and he was hitting it 10, 15 [yards] by me,” Zalatoris said. “I’m one of the longer drivers on Tour and he’s hitting it by me, so, especially on a 7,300-yard golf course, that helps a lot.” Brennan’s 66 was enough to win by two shots over Washington’s RJ Manke (68) and three shots over Arizona State’s David Puig (69). After an exciting Monday, the stage was set for Brennan to make his TOUR debut as the only amateur in the field at the Genesis Invitational. Before the tournament started, Brennan had the opportunity to play a practice round with four-time major champion Rory McIlroy and get some advice from the seasoned TOUR pro. As they walked off the 18th green after their practice round, McIlroy
advised the sophomore: “play your game. Take it in stride.” Currently hosted by Tiger Woods, the Genesis Invitational typically features the best players in golf. Last week’s edition included all 10 of the Top-10 players in the world golf rankings. World No. 20 Joaquin Niemann set the tone from the very start of the tournament, shooting a pair of 63s on Thursday and Friday to set a new 36-hole record at Riviera at -16. Brennan opened up on Thursday with a steady 71 (E), then fell back on Friday with a 73 (+2). At +2 for the tournament, Brennan missed the cut by two shots and did not make it to the weekend. However, he showed serious promise during his first 36 holes on the PGA Tour. During the weekend, Niemann continued to dismantle each obstacle that Riviera threw at him, shooting 68-71 to win the tournament at an incredible 19 strokes under par. The Chilean star became the first wire-to-wire winner of the Genesis Invitational since Charlie Sifford did it in 1969. With his victory, Niemann brought home a whopping $2,160,000. Just two shots behind Niemann was Wake Forest alum Cameron Young, who finished T-2 at 17 strokes under par. A 62 (-9) on Friday gave Young the low round of the tournament, and he eventually played in the final pairing with Niemann on Sunday. His stellar play over the course of the tournament earned him $1,068,000. On top of that, his impressive performance against the best players in the world could give him a big confidence boost for the rest of the 2022 golf season. Young’s former roommate Zalatoris also made the cut and ended up just outside the Top-25 at six strokes under par.
Overall, it was a thrilling week for the Wake Forest golf program. Brennan’s victory at the Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase and his PGA TOUR debut were major accomplishments. Young’s second place at the Genesis is tied for his highest finish in his career (he also finished T-2 at the 2021 Sanderson Farms Championship). Zalatoris did not play his best, but he still squeezed out a T-26 finish. The Demon Deacons are making waves across the golf world, and that doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon. Contact Nick Hayman at haymnh19@wfu.edu
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Tennis competes at ITA Championships Contributing Writer
Grueling. That’s one way to describe the men’s tennis team’s schedule so far. After starting off the season with a historic 45-1 record in the first seven matches, the schedule became littered with ranked opponents and tough battles. Before this weekend, six of the team’s last nine matches have been against ranked opponents, including two against the former No. 1 Tennessee and current No. 1 Ohio State. This weekend, the road did not get any easier, as the team traveled to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, which features the 16 best teams in the nation. In the bracket, Wake Forest placed as the No. 8 seed, which bought them a rematch with the No. 9-seed Georgia Bulldogs. In the first matchup, Wake Forest won due to the dominance of Siddant Banthia and Jakob Schnaitter in their doubles match. On Friday, the match was tied 3-3 and it all came down (again) to sophomore Filippo Moroni. Tied at one set apiece, Moroni pulled out the third set, giving the Demon Deacons their fourthranked win this season. “It was a big battle,” Men’s Tennis Coach Tony Bresky said. “The team showed a lot of toughness across the board. It was awesome to see Moroni in the last match again. He handled like a champ and continues to grow in confidence in those clutch moments.” The win paved the way for a rematch against number one ranked Ohio State, who dominated No. 16-seed Washington 4-1 the day before. Unfortunately, the Demon Deacons suffered a similar fate. The Buckeyes came out rolling in singles play, with Wake Forest’s Jurabek Kamirov falling to number six ranked Matej Vocel, and Wake Forest’s Banthia falling to Robert Cash, who improved to 11-2 on the year. OSU grabbed two more singles victories in straight sets, quickly clinching them the four to nothing win. The loss sent the Demon Deacons to the consolation bracket to take on the Texas Longhorns. After Taha Baadhi, Schnaitter, and Eduardo Nava all compiled singles victories in straight sets, the Demon Deacons found themselves in a familiar position. Once again, Moroni had the ability to clinch the win. In another three-set battle, Moroni outlasted Eliot Spizzirri 6-3 in the final set, giving Wake Forest a 4-2 win over the Longhorns. “I thought we were resilient,” Bresky said. “We’re a program that fights and we expect to be in these kinds of positions.” The Demon Deacons come away from the tournament with two wins, which after a demoralizing loss to Ohio State, is something to be proud of. Contact Jack McKenney at mckejs20@wfu.edu
Sports | Old Gold & Black CHRISTINA DENOVIO Sports Editor
Though it’s only her first year at Wake Forest, Carolina Chacarra is already a shining asset to the Women’s Golf team. Chacarra’s older brother, Eugenio, also attended Wake Forest for his freshman and sophomore years. Carolina credits him for much of her personal success with the sport due to his support and role as a competitor growing up. At the UCF Challenge earlier this month, the freshman from Madrid, Spain finished with the best 54hole score in Wake Forest program history and tied for the second-lowest in NCAA history. At the event, the Demon Deacons finished a whopping 45 strokes under par and won by 14 strokes, with Chacarra at 19 under. Recording 18 birdies over 54 holes, Chacarra’s Wake Forest career has already begun on a high note. With the possibility of becoming professional in the future, Chacarra looks to continue this stellar performance through hard work and dedication. Christina DeNovio: When did you start playing golf? Carolina Chacarra: I started playing golf when I was eight years old. My big brother plays golf, so I was following him. I started competing in Spanish events when I was 10, and I started playing international events around 13 or 14. CD: What was your experience growing up with a brother who played the same sport as you? CC: We’re really supportive of each other, but we’re also really competitive. We play against each other over winter break, when we’re back home. We train together, and we push each other hard. However, neither of us wants to lose! We have to see each other that night at dinner, and it’s tough to lose and then to have to be around the person who beat you afterward. That said, it’s really nice having each other because it makes us both work hard. Also, he’s much better than me, so I usually lose every single day, but it’s still really fun. I actually consider myself really lucky to have a big brother I can play golf with. CD: Did you play other sports growing up? What made you choose golf? CC: I used to do horseback riding, and then there came a time that I couldn’t do both things. I had to decide, and I chose golf. When I was playing golf back at home, I used to travel to every single tournament with my friends and that was really nice. For example, with my Spanish team, it would be between 10 and 15 girls traveling together. Even though golf is an individual sport, I’d still have my friends there and get to travel around the world. It was just such a nice experience. For horseback riding, it was just me and my parents — you can’t really travel with a team. I like having my friends there because a round of golf is
Thursday, February 24, 2022 | Page 13
Carolina Chacarra Deacon “Sportlight”
almost five hours, so you get to spend a lot of time with people. CD: How did you choose Wake Forest? CC: The main reason I chose Wake Forest is because of its golf program and the golf facilities. Also, my brother went to Wake Forest, and he loved it. It was an advantage knowing everything about the school already from his experience. I came with him during his official visit, and then when he started. Due to COVID-19, I couldn’t have my own official visit, but I pretty much knew the place, and I wanted a small school. I wanted a close community, especially as an international student. The girls on the team are super nice, and the coaches are kind as well. It was easy for me to choose Wake Forest. CD: How was the cultural shift moving from Spain to the United States? CC: I went to an American school, so I knew a bunch of kids from the United States. Socially, I didn’t expect much change. The biggest thing I would say is that the food is really different. In America, you have drive-thru service and fast food — you eat fast. In Spain, we take two or three hours for a meal. Also, the time at which people eat is very different. Dinner here is at like 6 p.m., and in Spain we don’t eat dinner until like 9 or 10 p.m. I’m very happy here, but the food is also what I miss the most about home. Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics CD: What’s your favorite part of being on the Chacarra is looking ahead to the Darius golf team? Rucker Intercollegiate event on Feb. 28. CC: My favorite thing about being on the team is having my teammates there for support. Also, we’re holes, some bad holes. But getting the win was a really close to each other, so it’s like a family. Because really nice feeling. I’m so far away from home, they’re like my family and my coach is like my second mom. There’s a sup- CD: What are you looking forward to this seaport system I have. If I go through a rough time, I son? know they’re always there. We push each other to train, too, so that also really helps me become a bet- CC: Our main goal is to win the NCAA Tournament, so we work hard for that. For the other ter golfer. Spring tournaments, our goal is to play as best as we can. Obviously, we all want to win, but we will CD: What does a typical day look like? keep working hard as a team and keep pushing each CC: We have workouts Tuesday and Thursdays other. I want to keep learning and growing both as from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m., then we’ll go to class. I’m a person and a golfer. done by 1 p.m. every day of the week, so that’s really nice. Then, we train from around 2 to 5 p.m. On CD: Do you have aspirations to play professional weekends, we go to the course and play some holes. golf?
CD: How did it feel to get your first win at a col- CC: Yes. First, I want to finish university and have legiate event, and to have Wake Forest win over- my degree. But if I reach a high enough level to play professionally, I would like to try it. all? CC: It was really nice. The tournament was a bit weird because we were supposed to play 18 holes every day for three days. However, due to weather and storms on the last day, we played 32 holes the second day and then we only had four holes left on the third day in the morning. It was kind of weird because we got stopped in the middle of the round, and I’ve never experienced that before. But it’s really nice to win, especially with the team, because the hard work of the offseason is paying off. It was really good to see that because every girl on the team works really hard. And then, individual win — I’m happy that also my work paid off there. But it was kind of crazy — I was playing and I kept thinking “what’s happening?” Everything was going super well, and in golf, normally you have some good
CD: What is your major? Do you have a dream job for when you’re done playing golf? CC: I’m undecided, but I’m in between psychology or English. If I major in one, I’ll probably minor in the other, but it depends on how the training for golf goes. In the future, I would like to do something related to sports. After everything — if I don’t turn professional — I love golf, and I love sports, so I feel like I would do something in the world of sports, but I don’t know right now. Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Contact Christina DeNovio at denoca20@wfu.edu
PAGE 14 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2022
LIFE OLD GOLD & BLACK
The Bully-Boss: It’s a sign of how far women have come that they can also be criticized when they abuse their power. In “The Devil Wears Prada”, Miranda Priestly is editor-in-chief at a fashion magazine corporation. She is portrayed as a domineering, controlling and nasty tyrant. We tend to think of men in these roles, but abuse of power is not exclusive to one gender. Characters like Priestly are challenging precisely because they make viewers step back and rethink gender stereotypes. We may reject Priestly's destructive abuse of power, but we can still respect that she earned it in the first place.
OLIVIA FONDIE Staff Writer
The early years of Hollywood were significant for women. In the 1930s, platinum blondes were steering men to their bedrooms, and women were the strong, steady forces that held marriages together. In “Mildred Pierce” (1945), Joan Crawford demonstrated that a woman could succeed as a tough business executive. The femme fatale prototype that emerged with 1940s film-noir showed women as crafty manipulators of vulnerable males, twisting them to commit murder and other crimes. These powerful female leads set the stage for a new generation of women in the modern film era, even as themes changed to suit the times. Some strong female archetypes appear in recent films such as The Academic, The Bully-Boss, The Final Girl and The Revolutionary. The Academic: You probably wouldn’t have guessed that I’d go with Elle Woods from “Legally Blonde” (2001). After all, Woods begins as the exact opposite of an academic prototype. She’s a rich, stereotypically blonde sorority girl who poses for calendars and puts all of her resources into snagging the hottest fraternity guy on campus. In the hyper-compet-
Photo courtesy of IMDb
Elle Woods arrives at Harvard in an
itive world of Harvard Law School, Woods uses her quirkiness and unique perspective on life to prove herself to her contemporaries. What makes “Legally Blonde” a fun comedy is the fact that Elle goes against the grain and succeeds in a world that judges her too quickly. Another classic example of an academic female lead is Hermione Granger from the "Harry Potter" series. Granger is the quintessential academic member of the squad who is always there to lead the way and save the day.
The Final Girl: The horror genre has played on every imaginable character trope — the naive girl who is killed off first, the stoner who couldn’t care less about where he is, the arrogant jock and the well-known “final girl”. The "final girl" trope is one that I applaud. I enjoy seeing a female character still standing at the end of the film having overcome the attacks of a predator who is typically male. Examples of final girls in films range from Sidney Prescott in “Scream” (1996), Laurie Strode in “Halloween” (1978) and Dani Ardor in “Midsommar”. These three women fight, outsmart and eventually survive their usually male oppressors. Ardor’s case slightly differs from the rest as she is taken in by a cult that kills her awful boyfriend
Adam Coil, coilat21@wfu.edu Josie Scratchard, scraja20@wfu.edu
to truly free her. Nevertheless, Ardor stands alone, having overcome grief, loss and the pressures of societal expectations. Final girls take the weak woman stereotype and flip it on its head. The Revolutionary: Recently, a new form of strong female characterization has emerged: the revolutionary. This is a woman who seeks to change things in her life or in society and doesn't care what others think. Revolutionary characters include Lady Bird, Veronica Sawyer from “Heathers” (1989) and Coraline. These three leads share common traits — they are quirky, outspoken and learn a lot about themselves. Each of these leads shows how female characters can be revolutionary without a male counterpart to lead the way. Lady Bird tries to fit in with the popular group at school but eventually learns that she is strongest with her true friends. Sawyer has a tumultuous relationship with a sociopathic murderer and is freed via his death. Similarly, Coraline emerges powerfully as she single-handedly fights off monsters, being the one to save her male companion. Each of these characters are determined, strong and manages to outwit those who try to bring them down. They are models of fearlessness in the face of oppression from men, parents or society.
Kids grow with their favorite childhood stars ABBY KOMISKE Staff Writer
Everyone has their all-time favorite Disney show from childhood — something that they are willing to defend with everything they have. For me, that’s “Hannah Montana”. I grew up watching "Hannah Montana", along with the iconic runner-ups “Phineas and Ferb”, “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody”. There’s something about the 2000s era of Disney that really hits home. Sometimes, when I’m too lazy to watch something new on Netflix or Hulu, I return to comfort shows or play soundtrack music. They just don’t make sitcoms or teen romance like they used to. For those who may not know, "Hannah Montana" features Miley Cyrus as Miley Stewart, a high schooler with a pop-star alter ego, Hannah Montana. With episodes like “Get Down to Study-Udy-Udy” and “The Way We Almost Weren’t”, Cyrus related to everyday school problems like tests, the fun of friendship and more serious matters like the importance of family and honesty. It had the perfect amount of amusing, meaningful and fun entertainment. Because of these aspects, I’ve related to the actress. The show holds wise truths in the middle of nacho cheese jerky, ‘oooh tss’, peanut butter with pickles and Billy Ray Cyrus jokes. I have various reasons for “Hannah Montana” being my favorite Disney show. The most obvious is that the songs are iconic. In my mind, nothing can beat my favorites: “The Best of Both Worlds”, “Nobody’s Perfect” and “Ordinary Girl”.
Not everyone can create such great content so early in their career, but "Hannah Montana" had no problem performing while tackling typical teen issues, too — which is pretty impressive. Stewart dealt with school, love triangles, keeping her Hannah Montana identity secret from nosy high-schoolers and performing for thousands of fans at the same time. I, like many in my generation, have grown up with the artist and changed with her. "Hannah Montana" premiered in 2006 and ended in 2011, giving us four great seasons and “Hannah
Montana: The Movie” (2009). That’s a solid seven years of development and attachment. However, after the show ended and the Disney image faded, Cyrus opened up her career to what she wanted for herself. It was time to grow up, for both her and me. That’s a particularly hard thing to do for someone so famous — especially since she started out as a Disney kid, which already has connotations of a go-lucky, kiddy personality — but she has publicly supported her origins while expanding her content. Cyrus deserves major respect because some Disney-starters are embarrassed by their child-
Photo courtesy of IMDb
The title character of "Hannah Montana" is a role model for an entire generation, even in the years since the show's end.
hood careers rather than embracing them. As a fan, you don’t want someone to regret giving you something so pertinent to your own childhood. Cyrus received major backlash for growing out of her childhood role, especially when she came out with “Wrecking Ball”. But the showcase of her authentic self is admirable. Cyrus has had her fair share of mix-ups and mistakes, but then again who hasn’t? It all depends on how you react and learn from situations — which I think she has. Recently, Cyrus hosted her own New Year’s Eve show and had a wardrobe malfunction. Her top loosened in the middle of a live TV performance on NBC — but she quickly recovered from the situation, put on a blazer and continued to sing “Party in the U.S.A.” She even laughed about it, which is something I’m not sure a 13-year-old pop-star or present-day me could have done. At the end of the day, Cyrus has participated in her fair share of controversies, but she isn’t afraid to do what she wants and needs for herself as a person and an icon. Now, I’m not a huge celebrity tracker, and I don’t care much for Hollywood trends, but I’ve always followed Cyrus for nostalgia's sake. It would be hard not to — I committed back when my mom bought me Hannah Montana crayons, a backpack and a microphone. It’s been a long time since I’ve watched “Hannah Montana” after a hard day of second grade, but it will always have a special place in my heart. After all, it's just as Hannah Montana says, “you can say goodbye, and you can say hello, but you'll always find your way back home."
Life | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, February 24, 2022 | Page 15
Examining the rise of nerd culture Nerds have made their way into popular culture over recent years JOSIE SCRATCHARD Life Editor Not too long ago, a nerd was considered to be someone who read comic books, obsessed over “The Lord of the Rings” and spent afternoons at the arcade. Nerds were harassed constantly for their hobbies to the point that many kept them hidden. However, the last few decades have unraveled the seclusion of nerd culture, carrying these hobbies and subjects into mainstream territory for everyone to enjoy. With the production of “Star Wars” (1977) and “Superman: The Movie” (1978), state-of-the-art computer-generated imagery (CGI) coupled with never-before-seen action sequences lured audiences of all different interests to the previously fabricated realm of nerdom. As computers and other electronic devices entered into the equation, video games became a new force on the market. Consoles like the Nintendo NES and Atari took over household television auxiliary ports, blurring
the lines of the common entertainment consumer and the traditional nerd. Nowadays, you can catch almost anyone planning to see the new Marvel movie on opening weekend, playing Xbox or geeking out over Star Wars Land — the stigma has diminished tremendously. Mainstream media and popular culture both have played a large role in the popularization of traditionally nerdy activities. This makes them more palatable to the average person. After all, if Jason Mamoa is willing to put on tights to breathe life into the image of Aquaman, then there’s a supremely simple explanation as to why the masses are willing to herd in front of their screens. As popular and beloved actors and actresses line up to portray characters from comic books and "nerdy" literature, nerd culture becomes permissible in society. There’s no denying the nerdy paradigm was one of a skinny boy with a collared shirt and glasses, so once that notion goes by the wayside, people are able to run rampant with their new, socially acceptable interests.
Although nerd culture has spread to the masses and become far less stigmatized, there are still elements that are vilified. Games like “Dungeons and Dragons” and “World of Warcraft” remain tethered to the image of the outcasted nerd, and the normal person can never dare to cross that threshold without fear of social defamation. Why is this the case? Popular culture hasn’t even dared to touch the deeper dimensions of nerd culture. If the subject can’t be turned into a movie or show, it probably won’t ever be considered worthy outside the world of nerds. Despite this, nerds don’t really seem to care. Many people who have found their place in nerd culture have become gatekeepers of their beloved hobbies. For instance, many fans of Robert Jordan’s “The Wheel of Time” series hold it so close to their hearts that the thought of a production company attempting to create a television show fills them with disdain. Fans of the series believe the story shouldn’t be introduced to those who haven’t read it because they hold a strong sense of entitlement for their dedication to the series.
Finding meaning in the unthinkable ALLYSA SOLTREN Staff Writer "But she’s so smart and hardworking." "But she has rosy cheeks and a soft, bright smile." "But we shared notes with each other in Anatomy class." These were just a few waves of the tsunami of thoughts rushing through my head. They came after my sister checked her phone one summer afternoon and suddenly couldn’t stop saying, “holy s***.” Then she read the message to me. And just like that, my old classmate and friend was gone. The next few hours of that day just went on. I messaged my other friends. My sister told our dad, who then came to me to ask if I knew anything. I had to tell my mom. Throughout all of this, a horrifying thought attempted to break loose. When I received another message from my friend who had found out more, this thought was set free to rampage throughout my mind and memories. She made an attempt on her own life, and she couldn’t escape it this time. Reading the details made me think more of her mother. I wasn’t there, but I could clearly hear the screaming and sobbing. The very next day, I heard a song in the mall that was painfully ironic in both its message and its reminder of her. The day after that, I realized that I had never considered that my first high school reunion would be at a funeral. The sight of her released a whirlwind of emotions, most notably anger, but I still don’t know to this day whom I was angry at. We offered our condolences and any other words we could muster to her family, and then we had to leave. I had to get myself ready to move back onto campus for my second year of college. I took a picture of her with me. My Notes app was filled with as many details I could
remember about her over the course of 12 cial part of the timelines of so many family years. I became more motivated to pay ex- members, friends and teachers. Society needs to pay more attention. tra attention in Abnormal Psychology class, and not just because I had declared Psy- The suicide rate of adolescents and young adults has been on the rise, resulting in the chology as my major. I researched bipolar disorder. Constant alarming amount of orange flags and perdoubts nagged me about whether I de- petually swollen red eyes of parents. All of these people should have had more served to call her my friend. I wrote a letter to her mother. I haven’t yet experienced a time to journey through life. There were day where she didn’t cross my mind. There more goals to achieve and new ideas to are pieces of her everywhere, like in the stu- consider and cultivate. There were other dious enthusiasm of a classmate, the sweet people for them to discover and share a world with. So many things were lost along intonation of a passing girl’s voice or in the with my friend’s passing, but her true legblonde fade of another girl’s hair. acy should not be how she left the world. But none of these things could reverse She was a wonderful person who loved what had already happened. good things and was desperate to escape the Mental Health Week took place this past immense pressure and pain. Her joy, virweek. It certainly felt a bit different for me tues and desires are what we should bring this year than it did last year. This time, to other people who need it. the little colored flags so carefully arranged Even though she’s no longer here, she in Tribble Courtyard meant something else. can still help others stay around if only we My friend’s death became one of those or- learn how to help. We need more converange flags, but according to the sign, she sations and understanding, more research was only one of a thousand college students and solutions, more remembrances and preventions. So I’ll continue to remember within that flag. And there were hundreds of orange flags. things like her warm brown eyes, her love I wondered how many of them were plant- for Disney songs and her dream to become ed thanks to social and academic pressures a teacher. I don’t want the lights within to be extinon top of pre-existing mental illnesses. guished too soon for anyone else. When I visited her social media account, I wasn’t there to unfollow. I just wanted to look around and know more about what National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 she enjoyed. That’s how I found the location tag of one of her posts, titled “SomeCrisis Text Line: where in Time.” 741741 I realized that she was right. Somewhere in time, we’re acting out a made-up story on the playground. Somewhere in a class- University Counseling Center Crisis Asroom, we’re racing each other to finish a sistance: 336-758-5273 math problem first. Somewhere else, we’re posing together in our graduation gowns For life-threatening emergencies call for our mothers who take an exorbitant 911. amount of pictures. With every accomplishment and kind Contact Alyssa Soltren at remark, she made sure that she was a cru- soltac20@wfu.edu
In fact, some nerds are so protective over their favorite stories and hobbies that they gatekeep them even when conversing with fellow nerds. They’ll ask them painfully specific questions regarding their knowledge of the nerdy topic in order to confirm their depth of interest in the subject. What many nerds fail to realize is that if their activities were represented in popular culture and enjoyed by more people they would also become less stigmatized. More people would be accepting of — and even take part in — events like Comic-Con and the reading of comic books. But maybe some elements of nerd culture are meant to be secluded from the majority of society. Maybe nerds like living in their sheltered world of hobbies because it is simpler than attempting to relate to those who simply “like” something instead of completely immersing themselves in it. Maybe nerd culture is destined to remain as such, instead of melding with popular culture. Contact Josie Scratchard at scraja20@wfu.edu
THE HOT LIST "TOP 10 INTROSPECTIVE NOVELS" BY MARYAM KHANUM
1.
"Nausea" by Jean Paul Sarte
2.
"Ward No. 6 (and other stories)" by Anton Chekhov
3.
"Killing Commendatore" by Haruki Murakami
4.
"Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka
5.
"No Exit" by Jean Paul Sarte
6.
"The Mandarins" by Simone de Beauvoir
7.
"The Trial" by Fyodor Dostoevsky
8.
"The Third Policeman" by Flan O' Brien
9.
"Travels with My Aunt" by Graham Greene
10.
"The Yellow Wallpaper (and other stories)" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Page 16 | Thursday, February 24, 2022
Old Gold & Black | Life
Dealing with existentialism in college SELINNA TRAN
Sometimes, I look out at the night sky and try to count each individual freckle of the night sky — the stars. Like freckles on a face, some are smaller than others, and some are more concentrated in one spot. The current topic for my Earth science course is exploring the formation of the Earth and the vast unknown that is our universe. Humanity is currently learning just how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. We are merely a speck, or even smaller when put into perspective of the entire world of space. It’s hard not to get existential when exploring such concepts that ques-
tion the significance of one’s being. I do not believe that questions of how, why and what will ever be answered in regards to our place in the universe. And honestly, I don’t really want to know. Even when I look out into the sky and see the nothingness beyond the stars that go far beyond what my eyes could ever see, I do not feel any smaller in my position outside of Magnolia Residence Hall. In fact, I feel more alive. The cold and vast expanse that is our universe should pare down the magnitude of my place on Earth, but yet, I feel only empowered knowing that we exist. We exist out of rare chance, or because of some intelligent creator, or whatever one may believe, but we are here.
That is why our Earth, the space, our universe, is just so beautiful — to a point that is indescribable, and it is hard to depict this emotion without becoming pretentious (which I fear this rambling of an article is already heading toward). I suppose that the purpose of this article is to mainly share that life may not be as hard as we make it out to be, because we are miracles that exist in space. Or maybe, life is just as hard — maybe even harder — than we consider it to be, because even as a speck, we feel every emotion of pain, pleasure, anger, regret and more with an even higher magnitude. It is hard to be a college student — living and interacting in so many circles while simultaneously figuring out exactly what we want to do as
our looming graduation date comes around. Sometimes these thoughts get so overwhelming that I just shut them out and take things one step at a time. When I look out at the night sky — at all the stars and galaxies beyond ours — I am able to ground myself in these swirling thoughts and find a sense of peace. I look at the moon, a symbol in so many fables, stories and cultures to represent or signify many things, but most often a feminine presence of life, death and the cycle that connects them. Maybe there is something there — in the vast night sky — that could resonate with the weary mind of a college student. Contact Selinna Tran at
Wes Anderson Was Snubbed ADAM COIL Life Editor
Across: 1. Put this on some pizza and you have a 2022 Best Picture Nominee 5. Like the one about Gilgamesh 6. The author behind “Drive My Car” who loves cats and Shinjuku Station 10. Before; to Shakespeare 12. Frolics energetically 13. Corn goes on this 14. They can be birds or fruits 15. Miley Cyrus had a party in here 27. He covered GQ this month
Down: 1. What you hit a baseball with, in an off-putting green color 2. I See You 3. Jason Bateman stars in this drug-feueled Netflix drama 4. “The Power of the Dog” director 5. Pretty colors? 7. Orange-colored Amur carp 8. America’s Most Wanted; abbr. 9. It’s out of this world! abbr. 11. Brave bus boycott catalyst Contact Adam Coil at coilat21@wfu.edu
