NEWS | 3 Wayward Fashion hosts 'Funkadelic' show
FEATURES | 5
OPINION | 8
Will Wahl
SPORTS | 11 Wake Forest sweeps series with Duke
LIFE | 14
Old Gold&Black
VOL. 108, NO. 26
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
APRIL 14, 2022
“Covers the campus like the magnolias”
Students pitch new ventures at Entrepalooza Members of the Startup Lab course presented their entrepreneurial ideas to students, faculty and investors KRISTEN HEILENMAN Contributing Writer On April 7, more than 400 people gathered in Brendle Auditorium in Scales Fine Arts Center to celebrate the sixth annual Entrepalooza event. Hosted by the Center of Entrepreneurship, this event allowed nine groups of Wake Forest students to present their entrepreneurial ventures. The students who presented at this event are a part of the Startup Lab class (ENT399) in the Entrepreneurship program. They applied to be enrolled in the course last September and were selected in October. This year, there were more than 70 applicants of which nine were chosen. Gregory Pool — director of the Startup Lab and assistant professor of the practice of entrepreneurship — is extremely pleased with the outcome and recognizes the timeintensive aspect of the event. “We had nine student ventures who were pitching,” Pool said. “They spent hundreds of hours working on the ventures themselves, but at least dozens of hours and dozens of run-throughs of the pitches in order to be ready for the event.” One of the student entrepreneurs is senior David Sinclair. He pitched his venture “Armago”, an app that helps university campuses organize and advertise their intramural, club and varsity sporting events. Originally from the United Kingdom, Sinclair and his friends recognized the lack of sports in university life and wanted to find a solution. According to Sinclair, Armago ran a poll that found 90% of students in the U.K. wanted more sports involvement. “We wanted to find a more fun, inter-
Photo courtesy of Dakin Moore
In front of hundreds of people in attendance, these 11 students presented their new business pitches that they have been developing in their Startup Lab class since October. esting, social way to fix the issue of sports involvement at the university level,” Sinclair said. “We came up with ‘Armago’. It’s simply an app to facilitate all of your club and intramural needs and spread all of that information regarding intramural, club and varsity sporting events all across your campus. We’re currently helping club
communities, and, in turn, university campuses as a whole, create that thriving, interactive sporting atmosphere full of actively engaged members.” Sinclair emphasizes the many positive aspects of Startup Lab — especially the support from those inside and outside the program.
“I wanted to do it because the culture in the Startup Lab program was fantastic,” Sinclair said. “Everyone was always helping each other out, and that’s a big reason why I chose to come to Wake Forest — because of the culture of everyone lending a hand.”
See Entrepalooza, Page 3
WFU classes travel to D.C. for 'ACCelerate' festival Students showcased two exhibits in 'ACCelerate': Smithsonian Creativity and Innovation Festival MADDIE STOPYRA Staff Writer
This past weekend, April 8-10, two Wake Forest classes traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in “ACCelerate”: Smithsonian Creativity and Innovation Festival. Alongside the Smithsonian Institution, 12 schools in the Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC) participated in the event. Wake Forest presented two exhibits entitled “Fake news, Fact-Checking and Facebook: Teaching Misinformation and Disinformation in the Perfect
Storm” and “Viral Outbreaks: Preparation and Prevention in a Connected World”. These two exhibits were inspired by two First Year Seminar courses taught at Wake Forest — one about misinformation on the internet and one about pandemics. Facilitated by Virginia Tech’s Institute for Creativity, Arts and Technology and the Smithsonian Institution's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, the festival was held at the National Museum of American History. Free and open to the public, the event showcased 25 exhibits across the partici-
pating schools. The official ACCelerate website gives a brief description of the festival. “ACCelerate is a celebration of creative exploration and innovative research happening at the intersection of science, engineering, arts and design from across the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Smithsonian Institution.” The misinformation exhibit focused on conspiracy theories, algorithms and strategies to combat misinformation online. Its goal was to promote news literacy and caution among internet users while consuming information online.
Amanda Foster Kaufman, a learning and instructional services librarian at the Z. Smith Reynolds Library, was involved in the exhibits and described her team and class that participated in the festival. “I was co-leading the team discussing fake news, fact checking and Facebook with Hu Womack, Meghan Webb and Roz Tedford,” Kaufman said. “All of us had taught first-year seminars in the past several years that covered these topics and several of our former students joined the trip.”
See Festival, Page 4
Old Gold & Black This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board
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Harassment has no place in the public forum Recently, a fourth-year medical student at Wake Forest School of Medicine, Kychelle Del Rosario, was placed on a leave of absence “as a result of [an] inappropriate and misleading post”, according to an official statement from the School of Medicine. In response, both local and national media have been covering this significant issue, with many internet and news personalities providing their opinions on the matter. While we have not and will not provide an editorial comment on the matter, the Old Gold & Black has provided coverage of this event in the form of both an objective news article and an opinion column from an undergraduate student. The opinion column that was published received a substantial amount of hateful comments,
as well as personal attacks directed toward the columnist. The column was also referenced in the Daily Mail, a British newspaper tabloid, as well as Fox News. What has happened in response to the opinion column published is not different from what has occurred in the hotbed of political discussion everywhere else on the internet. The problem is that this new medium allows individuals to express their thoughts and motivations without consequences. The truth is that if the majority of hate speech and derisive comments that exist on the internet were legitimate and defensible opinions, then the individuals responsible wouldn’t be afraid to put their public identities behind them. According to a 2021 Anti-Defamation League survey, 41% of Americans who re-
sponded said they had experienced some form of online harassment within the year. According to a 2021 Pew study, 20% of Americans overall said they have experienced online harassment because of their political views. These statistics, and many others, show that the American public forum is not always a safe place for discussion. Although public spaces have never been completely safe — and controversial public opinions never undeserving of contentious dialogue — we have never been in a more dangerous time for societal discussion than we are at right now. There doesn’t appear to be a clear-cut solution to this issue. And it is no longer solely a matter of “fixing” someone’s individual character.
The truth is that if the majority of hate speech and derisive comments that exist on the internet were legitimate and defensible opinions, then the individuals responsible wouldn't be afraid to put their public identities behind them." However, as citizens of a democratic society, we have a moral obligation to ensure the civility of public discussion. Even if you recognize an individual’s right to an opinion different from your own, respect isn’t shown by attempting to attack that person’s character and life in response. We will only reach progress on an issue when both sides argue in a space of accountability.
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Thursday, April 14, 2022 | Page 3
Entrepalooza : Students pitch startup business ideas Continued from Page 1 A diverse range of people attended the event — ranging from students to faculty to investors. “There were faculty there, staff was there, students were there,” Daniel Cohen, co-founder of the Startup Lab and a professor of the practice of entrepreneurship, said. “Not just the students in the entrepreneurship minor, but also students who might be interested in Afton Vechery because she built a company based on women’s reproductive health.” He continued: “We had qualified investors that actually invest in the Startup Lab teams present, and we had professors from other universities there. And we had members of our community in Winston-Salem. So, we had a very eclectic mix of attendees.” Another student who presented their venture at the event was senior Andrew Rust. He presented “ByteSize Learning”, an initiative to increase child-
hood education in computer science. “It’s an education company for children offering them instructional experiences in software or technology,” Rust said. “Anything from coding languages like Python or Java to what I call creative design or multimedia software — Photoshop, video editing, game design, music production — stuff that’s meant to give children unique technological skills that I think can be really effective in a child’s future.” Pool is optimistic that the students who presented gained real-world experience and confidence in their ventures. “First of all, I think they killed it,” Pool said. “So I hope they take away some self-confidence in the fact that they can do that, and they can talk for five to six minutes in front of a crowd of hundreds of people about a venture that they’re working on. I hope they got some good exposure that could lead to them getting some traction for the ventures that they’re working on.” Both Rust and Sinclair gained many
connections as a result of Entrepalooza and are hopeful about the future. “At the end of the day, it was more about the connections and learning more about the business world,” Sinclair said. “And that definitely happened. We went to dinner afterwards, and it was great. I mean, I’ve never heard such stories from some really, really successful people before. It was fantastic. Some of these guys are just incredible, and it just shows that there are so many great connections that can be made.” At the event, Vechery gave a keynote presentation. Vechery graduated from Wake Forest in 2011 and is the cofounder of Modern Fertility — a company designated to provide accessible, at-home fertility tests and care. “[Vechery] is just an absolute dynamic speaker and role model,” Cohen said. “She built Modern Fertility from scratch to a $225 million exit, and it was just a bonus to have her rockstar husband, Zach Perret, be the modera-
tor for this event.” In terms of the event, Sinclair hopes more Wake Forest students become aware of the opportunities it presents and, hopefully, become more involved with it. “I should say, again, the event yesterday was seriously phenomenal,” Sinclair said. “And I really do think more Wake Forest students should be aware of it and also get involved because there are some seriously fantastic opportunities that come from it.” All in all, Pool sees the positive outcome from the event and acknowledged the achievements of the students. “I think what they did was awesome,” Pool said. “I think the event was great. I hope everybody who attended just had a blast, because I know I did. And I was truly impressed with what they were able to accomplish and what they were able to do.” Contact Kristen Heilenman at heilkm21@wfu.edu
Wayward Fashion hosts ‘Funkadelic’ show The Wayward Funkadelic Fashion Show at SECCA featured ‘70s clothes from local thrift and vintage stores KATHLEEN KERR Staff Writer On April 8, the Wayward Fashion club hosted the Wayward Funkadelic Fashion Show, its second annual fashion show. The show, which took place at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), featured secondhand and vintage clothing from the ’70s. Wayward Fashion is a student-run club started by sophomore Alyse Harris and junior Virginia Wooten during the winter of 2020. The club promotes sustainability and self-expression through fashion and informs the Wake Forest and Winston-Salem communities about secondhand shopping. “It’s good for the environment as well as your wallet to buy secondhand and support small businesses,” sophomore and member of Wayward Fashion Taylor Schutt said. “By buying from fast fashion brands such as Shein and Zara, you’re supporting fast-fashion businesses, and unfortunately, it’s
pretty unethical.” Wayward Fashion partnered with thrift and vintage stores in WinstonSalem, such as Cosmic Circle, Finders Keepers, Snob Shop and Where’s Dat From. They also featured clothes from senior Christian Estrada’s brand, Estrada’s Upcycled Apparel. Fifty students modeled secondhand clothing from these curated thrift stores. “A lot of fashion nowadays is unsustainable, and the clothes are really cheap,” freshman Mary Caroline McCormack said. “You can get them fast and wear them once or twice. But [the clothes we showed] are from the ’70s — about 50 years ago — and they’re still around. Not a single piece of clothing had a tear or rip. It shows that buying sustainably sourced things can [make them] last so much longer.” In addition to fashion, the show also featured performances from two Wake Forest-based groups. Deacon Dhamaal, an Indian dance troupe, performed a dance to Indian cultural music from the ’70s, and Fifth Son, a band comprised of Wake Forest stu-
dents, performed covers of popular songs from the ’70s. After the show, there was an art market where those in attendance could purchase clothing seen in the show as well as other pieces from the featured stores. Student artists also had the opportunity to sell upcycled clothing and accessories, paintings, prints and other types of art. Compared to their first fashion show that took place outside of Scales Fine Arts Center in the spring of last year, Wayward Fashion’s shows have grown significantly. They moved to a larger venue, partnering with SECCA to allow space for more attendees, and extended the number of participants and outfits that were showcased. “[The show] this year was much bigger,” Schutt said. “Because of COVID-19 the year before, it was hard to get people to participate and come. There were a couple of performances, but I would say it was a little less organized than this year. This year, we had over 40 models compared to last year when we had 20 or 30. More people
showed up because we had it at SECCA, which allowed more people in the Winston-Salem community to come.” She continued: “We did a good job last year, but this year I feel like we really improved. We not only showed sustainable fashion, but we did a good job of promoting that it is cool to wear old things in a creative way. We wanted to show that you can be creative with your clothing and use it freely to express yourself.” Wayward Fashion continues to spread its message on campus and in the Winston-Salem community. “We hope that the students that came spread the word,” Schutt said. “My parents were there; adults and families were there. We hope that they saw that they could bring [sustainability] into their lives and show other people that it’s good to shop secondhand.” To learn more about Wayward Fashion, visit their Instagram @waywardfashion.wfu.
Contact Kathleen Kerr at kerrke21@wfu.edu
POLICE BEAT • • • • • •
Larceny An unknown subject(s) broke into an unlocked vehicle on Brookwood Drive and took a wallet and air pods. The report was filed on April 6 at 1:30 p.m. An unknown subject(s) took a backpack from the Carswell lobby. The backpack was found in the bathroom on the third floor, but the laptop was taken. The report was filed on April 6 at 1:49 p.m. An unknown subject(s) took a laptop from an unsecured backpack in the courtyard of Worrell. The report was filed on April 6 at 4:16 p.m. An unknown subject(s) took air pods left on a table in Farell Hall. The report was filed on April 8 at 1:41 p.m. A student believes their roommate is taking clothes from their room in Deacon Place. There is not enough evidence to continue an investigation. The report was filed on April 9 at 9:55 p.m. Three students reported having property taken from their house on Brookwood Drive while no one was home. WSPD are investigating the report. The report was filed on April 10 at 7:12 p.m. Underage Consumption/Drug Abuse:
• •
A student consumed alcohol underage in Taylor Hall and became sick. The student was assessed by student ERTs. The report was filed on April 9 at 2:37 a.m. A student consumed alcohol and was seen unsteady on his feet yelling and screaming in Lot N. The report was filed on April 9 at 8:07 p.m.
Page 4 | Thursday, April 14, 2022
Old Gold & Black | News
Festival: FYS classes present on course topics Continued from Page 1 At the event, museum attendees were eager to engage with the exhibit and share their perspectives. Kaufman expressed her enthusiasm regarding the public engagement with her students’ work. “I was pleasantly surprised by how busy our booth was,” Kaufman said. “Lots of people wanted to talk about misinformation, conspiracy theories and social media algorithms. I suppose that makes sense because it’s something most people have personal experience with. We had hundreds of great conversations with people about their own experiences, what we can personally do to be more mindful online and what we can do to advocate for a more responsible internet on a systemic level.” Students involved in the viral outbreaks exhibit researched recent pandemics such as Ebola and HIV, utilizing the Smithsonian Natural History Museum DIY Viral Outbreak materials. They aimed to educate attendees about viruses that leave a significant impact on communities. When asked about their main takeaways from the festivals, students
shared how they gained practical presentation skills and were able to get hands-on experience with other schools. “It really helped me to understand how much attention should go into the presentation of complex topics,” sophomore Kylee Rappaport, who presented at the viral outbreak booth, said. “It has made me want to explore ways in which public health information can be presented in ways that are easier to understand!” Alongside gaining new skill sets, students emphasized the connections they made during ACCelerate. Because of the wide array of schools in attendance, groups were able to learn from each other and discover the research being done by their peers. When asked about the benefits of attending ACCelerate, sophomore Emily Mann explained the importance of connecting with other ACC schools in academics as opposed to sports. “I think it will be really beneficial for the students participating because it gives students a sense of what other people are learning,” Mann said. “I think it is important that, we as students, are exposed to what other stu-
Christa Dutton / Old Gold & Black
The FYS on misinformation presented posters about conspiracy theories, algorithms and news literacy. dents in the ACC are doing academically rather than just sports. It can teach students how to interact with other schools and the general public.” More information regarding the AC-
Celerate Festival and the exhibits presented can be found at their website: acceleratefestival.com. Contact Maddie Stopyra at stopmf21@wfu.edu
ROAR brings new dining options to Winston-Salem The city’s newest entertainment venue is home to Fords Food Hall DAVID VELAZQUEZ Contributing Writer
Restaurant, food truck or stall at a food hall — which would you prefer to have? The restaurant industry is notoriously difficult to be successful in. About 30% of restaurants don’t make it past their first year, according to The National Restaurant Association. Food halls provide another option. ROAR opened on Jan. 29 on North Liberty Street in Winston-Salem as an entertainment venue with bowling, virtual golf, a live theater where local music groups perform and food. The food options include two restaurants — JL Caspers, a steakhouse, Est! Est!! Est!!!, a fine-dining Italian restaurant — and Fords Food Hall. The name of the food hall pays homage to the building’s past life as Twin City Motor Company. The floor where the food hall is was once a showroom for the Model A and other Ford cars.
The food hall features three open stalls — a fourth that has been announced but is not yet open, and two that are waiting for occupants. There is also a bar and beer wall. For local chef Simone Conosciani, Fords Food Hall provides an opportunity in a traditionally difficult industry to start his own restaurant. A native of Rome, Italy, Conosciani came to the United States when he was 18 years old. He has worked with food most of his life, formerly as the sous-chef at Sir Winston Wine Loft and Restaurant but has also worked at Harvest Table, the food provider for Wake Forest University, as well as Vinnie’s Pizzeria and other restaurants. “I’m really happy where I am because you know, [the owners] are really great people,” Conosciani said. “They wanna help me out. So they gave me the opportunity to [run] this place and run my own food concept.”
Photo courtesy of WXII 12
Located on Liberty Street, ROAR is an entertainment venue featuring bowling, virtual golf, live music, two restaurants and a food hall.
Conosciani and other chefs at ROAR have complete control over their menus and rather than a fixed rate rent, he splits the profits 50/50 with the owners of ROAR. His food stall, Zero Sei, specializes in piadinas, an Italian flatbread made without yeast, according to Conosciani. “I want to try to introduce American people, especially people in Winston-Salem, to something else,” Conosciani said. “Because you can’t find piadina anywhere else.” Next to Zero Sei is Andre Jones, a native of Milwaukee, WI, who came to WinstonSalem after working in northern Virginia. At Fords Food Hall, Jones is in charge of two stalls: Blue Crab seafood bar, which features oysters and other seafood options, and Dragon Fruit Asian Fare, which he plans to open soon. Jones has always wanted to run his own restaurant and his stalls at ROAR are an opportunity for him to start small. He hopes that his stalls will lead to expanding to other locations or his own brick-and-mortar store in the future. “I think they definitely have a leg to stand on their own,” Jones said. The final food stall currently open at ROAR is Correll’s American Street Food run by Joseph Correll, the operating partner at ROAR. His stall serves American staples such as wings, burgers, french fries and hotdogs. “We wanted an eclectic blend of international cuisine for the food hall,” Correll said. “It just always made sense that American street food is always going to be incredibly popular, especially with bars close by.” Food halls have been opening up and gaining popularity all over the United States Since 2016, more than 223 food halls have opened with another 165 proj-
ects being announced, according to Cushman and Wakefield, a commercial real estate firm. “Upscale food halls have been popular for a long time in Portugal and in parts of Europe,” Correll said. He continued: “Compared to a food court or food trucks, the purpose of the food hall was to offer a more upscale dining experience with a laid back atmosphere.” Another sector in the food and beverage industry that has been on the rise is food trucks. From 2013 to 2018, the number of food trucks in the United States nearly doubled from 3,281 to 5,970, according to the United States Census Bureau. Just like having a stall at a food hall, owning a food truck is a way in which people can enter the restaurant business without having to invest in a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Que Viva! serves Latin American street food and is just one of the many food trucks that have popped up throughout Winston-Salem. “We did try in the beginning to have a couple of stationary locations, but it didn’t work,” Jessica Balseca, one of the co-owners of Que Viva!, said. “Opening a restaurant is considerably more expensive.” Que Viva! is constantly on the move from Bailey Park to Wake Forest University or as far away as Greensboro. They post a weekly schedule on their Instagram account, @quevivagrill. Que Viva! will have been open three years in April, before ROAR was an option. “I think ROAR is beautiful,” Balseca said. “It’s awesome. What a very cool thing. It’s good for them, and it’s good for the small businesses that are able to take advantage of that opportunity.” Contact David Velazquez at velad18@wfu.edu
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PAGE 5 THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022
North Star provides local community for LGBTQ+ residents SOPHIA MARCHELI Staff Writer What does it look like to create space for LGBTQ individuals in a mid-sized town in the American South? North Star LGBTQ Community Center, located on Burke Street in Winston-Salem, seeks to answer this question — and after two years of significantly reduced programming due to COVID-19, it is back in action. “It’s never been more important than now to hold this programming,” said Mary Jamis, ex-board member at North Star and local activist and business owner. “COVID-19 has been extremely isolating, especially for queer people. In many respects, North Star is one of a limited selection of resources that LGBTQ folks in WinstonSalem can tap into.” North Star is a grassroots non-profit organization that seeks to enrich and empower the lives of LGBTQ individuals in the Triad area by offering various social, support, and educational opportunities for adults and youth. COVID-19 has been a huge obstacle for North Star’s programming. Some programs, like Alcoholics Anonymous “Rainbow Room,” continued to meet on Zoom. Rainbow Room is an opportunity for members of the LGBTQ community who
are dealing with addiction to connect and unpack this experience in a space free of homophobia or transphobia. Beyond Rainbow Room, nearly all other programming paused for the duration of COVID-19 restrictions, with only occasional virtual events. The Center restarted in-person community drop-in hours last month on Saturdays for the first time since 2020. Engaging the youth demographic in the Triad is a priority for North Star. They aim to make queer youth feel heard and safe. When North Star was founded in the early 2010s, its founders were acutely aware of
Photo courtesy of North Star LGBTQ Center
The North Star LGBTQ Community Center provides a space to connect.
heightened statistics of homelessness and suicide for LGBTQ youth and aimed to create support for this population, according to Jamis. North Star’s work with LGBTQ youth continues to take many different forms, including its Youth Leadership Council for middle and high schoolers, a youth book club restarting this month, and events at local schools (like a student-led forum on inclusivity at West Forsyth High School last fall). Students sometimes travel over an hour to North Star in search of community from neighboring towns like Mount Airy. Ashley Davis, North Star’s intern and coordinator of the Youth Leadership Council, said: “It’s so important to create space for youth to build that community, especially when they are facing problems, whether that is in school, legislation, or otherwise.” The organization is run by volunteers like Davis, though as funding allows, they sometimes employ a part-time center manager, according to Deb Marke, the Vice Chair of North Star’s Board of Directors. North Star is funded by grants and donations, which pay for rent and programming. North Star’s work does not happen in a vacuum. In recent weeks, stories on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law have circulated nationwide. This bill bans classroom
instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity, and LGBTQ advocates have said that it will harm the mental and physical health of LGBTQ students across the state. North Carolina is no stranger to anti-LGBTQ legislation: in 2017, the state legislature passed HB2 or the “bathroom bill”, which targeted transgender people by placing strict regulations on bathroom use. “This space was created because in all the ways that Winston-Salem is progressive, we are still in North Carolina,” said Marke. “Forms of homophobia and transphobia may not always show up in the most overt ways, they show up in policies.” What’s next for North Star over the coming months, and even years? According to Marke, it’s unclear whether downtown is where the need for North Star is anymore in terms of accessibility. North Star may not remain on a public bus line, which is an important mode of transportation for many visiting the center. North Star’s Board of Directors plans to continue considering this issue as the situation develops. Regardless of North Star’s potential move, Marke expressed enthusiasm for programming and outreach to come.
Contact Sophia Marcheli at marcsl19@wfu.edu
“Six Hundred Degrees” provides upscale dining in Winston-Salem ABBY FURMAN Winston-Salem’s Innovation Quarter has its newest addition in the form of an upscale restaurant with a live fire kitchen and bar: Six Hundred Degrees. After working for both River Birch Lodge and Willow’s Bistro, and planning for three years, Travis Myers and Ryan Oberle opened their own restaurant, Six Hundred Degrees on March 8. Their favorite aspect of the restaurant is its live fire kitchen, which is fitting as the restaurant’s name emerged from the fact that 600 degrees celsius is the temperature at which wood burns. “My partner and I have just always envisioned this plan of an all wood-grill restaurant. Everything we cook like our ancestors did,” said Myers, the restaurant’s head chef. “Basically blending old with new, so old craftsmanship with new variations and new ideas.” Their vision for locally-sourced food can be seen through their menu as some of their dishes include classic North Carolina shrimp and grits, or NC trout. Some of their more unique dishes have Asian inspired fusion with their southern roots such as spicy cucumbers and Korean Style Pork Short Ribs. Myers got his start in the culinary world
at an early age as his first introduction was watching his mother cook traditional southern dishes at home. From there, he had an interesting turn as he spent 15 years working retail for the GAP. Although he joked saying that some people will “mock” him for his time in retail, he found it to be crucial towards his development and work in the restaurant industry later. “It decided who I was going to be as a person. They helped me with core management structures. When I went to college, that solidified my goal. I knew what I wanted to do,” said Myers. After leaving retail, he attended the Culinary Institute of America located in Hyde Park, New York and known as the top culinary school in the US. After his graduation from the institute, he returned home to North Carolina and started at River Birch Lodge where he met Ryan Oberle. From there, they moved to Willow’s Bistro where Myers was the chef and Oberle was the general manager. In August of 2018, Myers won the chefof-the-year award from the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA). After competing in the association’s ‘chef showdown’ his specialty “duck two ways” dish, which incorporated many of North Carolina’s home grown ingredients, won him his title. The momentum
from winning this title led Myers to start food, and I want great service and great looking for a place to start his own restau- cocktails and great desserts but that’s all part of the experience. That’s the package.” rant, he said. So far, Myers and Oberle have seen a posAfter meeting with a broker and being introduced to their new space in the In- itive attendance in their restaurant and are novation Quarter along with its landlord, looking forward to what lies ahead for Six Myers and Oberle felt this was the spot for Hundred Degrees. Jason Thiel, President of the Downtown their new restaurant, Myers said. Much of the essence of Six Hundred De- Winston-Salem Partnership said, “We regrees is rooted in their connection to the ally welcomed them to the downtown comNorth Carolina community. From local munity. It is really nice to see folks makarchitects like Stitch Design Shop which ing such a big investment in downtown. It designed their interior, to local artists like shows positively for us.” Mona King whose work hangs inside. “We are honored to hang Mona King’s art in our home. We are so grateful that furmae19@wfu.edu our city is rich in cultural arts. Everything is sourced from our backyard,” said Oberle. Myers drew on his memories from going to Disney World in Florida with his family. While he described the trip being at times chaotic, fun, or difficult, when he left at the end of the day carrying his daughter who was fast asleep from all the excitement, he realized that at the end of the day, every moment was part of the overall experience and feeling. Myers said: “We create an experience. It all happens from the moment you make the reservation. It transcends from the host Photo courtesy of Heard it Here from when you first walk in. It’s the experience and that’s what we sell. I want great kitchen and a variety of unique dishes.
Page 6 | Thursday, April 7, 2022
Old Gold & Black | Features
Thursday, April 14, 2022 | Page 7
Features | Old Gold & Black
Retention pond downtown protects the city The man-made pond serves an important purpose in keeping the surrounding landscape functional MASON JOHNSON Contributing Writer
Walking past Wake Downtown, you find yourself on Long Branch Trail, with a hill to your left and downtown Winston-Salem to your right. Over that hill is a large, grassy field and a pond. You might think, “what is that man-made pond doing in between me and US 52?” Some people walking on Long Branch Trail have never noticed the retention pond over the crest of the hill. Wake Forest student Lily Robinson takes classes at Wake Downtown and walks the trail, but did not know there was a pond so close by. “There’s a pond on the other side of that hill? I had no idea,” said Robinson. Amber Dover, a downtown resident, was taking a Sunday afternoon walk on Long Branch Trail with her puppy, very near the retention pond, but she did not know it was there. “I live at the Link Apartments building in Innovation Quarter, but I did not know there was a retention pond right here,” she said. Other students are more familiar with the landscape. Hayden Sample is a Wake Forest engineering student who takes classes downtown every day. “I actually did research last summer that dealt with the tubes that go in and out of a retention pond in Georgia, but I’ve always been curious to
know more about how it works, especially since there is one so close to where I take classes,” she said. Stormwater flooding has been a problem in downtown Winston-Salem as new development has skyrocketed in recent years. According to the United States Geological Survey, when new development is added to an area, the land changes and the chances of it flooding are affected in many ways. This is because development removes vegetation and soil which increases runoff when it rains. The Innovation Quarter Community Director Lindsey Schwab said that the retention pond was built “for the purpose of the collection of
Photo courtesy of “Heard It Here”
The somewhat-hidden retention pond sits near the Innovation Quarter downtown.
approximately 500 acres of surface runoff.” The retention pond was put in by Griffith Enterprises Incorporated. Their president, Alan Griffith, was the environmental coordinator for the project. Around $800 million has been invested in the redevelopment of Research Parkway and the stormwater retention pond cost approximately $16 million according to Schwab. This retention pond was designed for stormwater runoff control and increased water quality in the Yadkin River, since the city creeks eventually drain into the river. The American River website explains that Winston-Salem’s runoff, as well as runoff from many other communities in North Carolina, drains into the Yadkin River. Keith Huff, the Winston-Salem City stormwater director, explained how the retention pond improves water quality. “First, this device has two pretreatment strainers to remove floatables and other debris that gets washed into the upgradient storm drainage system,” he said. “Then, as water passes through the strainer vaults it goes into a forebay, where the flows are slowed down and particulates settle out of the water column. The plants around the pond uptake nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. Fecal Coliform bacteria are also killed via UV as bacteria passes through the pond.” According to the Winston-Salem Stormwater Prevention Department, stormwater management is crucial in any new development and
many communities see the value in managing additional stormwater runoff. When it is not managed properly, it causes problems downstream. Courtney Di Vittorio, a Wake Forest faculty member, has a Ph. D in civil engineering and a Professional Engineer degree in civil engineering and applied mechanics. Her research focuses on hydrology, remote sensing, modeling frameworks, decision support tool, optimization, geostatistics and water resource management. Di Vittorio explained that retention ponds are typically designed to offset runoff from new development. There is computer software that is used to calculate what the size of the retention pond has to be to help the landscape work like how it was pre-construction. Retention ponds can help water quality depending on how they are constructed. Retention ponds slow down how fast water enters the stream and can be filtered through a medium. The Innovation Quarter has announced that phase two of their development will include a linear, 15-acre park next to the retention pond that will be called Fogle Commons. Its published plan for Phase Two of its new development states that the retention pond will be incorporated into the park landscape. This development is expected to begin in 2022. Contact Mason Johnson at johnml20@wfu.edu
DESK provides opportunity for educational outreach The annual event brings the local community together to provide desks for Winston-Salem elementary schools ADDISON SCHMIDT Contributing Writer Discovering Education through Student Knowledge, or DESK, is an annual spring festival hosted at Wake Forest where students, parents and their children come together to design and paint new desks to provide a more engaging study space for elementary students. The annual event will take place on April 20. DESK began 22 years ago when two Wake Forest students recognized the immense need for school supplies among kids they were tutoring at Old Town Elementary School. DESK has continued to raise money and support for young students in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County area every year since. DESK Director Hannah Bullock, a senior from Winston-Salem who has been involved with DESK since her freshman year, enjoys seeing the impact that DESK has on the community she grew up in. “I grew up in Winston, so it’s just really cool to see Wake Forest expanding into these communities and these schools that, to be honest, I didn’t even know had such a high need,” Bullock said. DESK started as an initiative mainly to provide desks to students at Old Town who didn’t have access to workspaces at home but quickly moved into an effort to raise funds for other educational efforts as well. “Our event gears toward raising money for school supplies, physical desks, and the Wake Forest University Freedom School,” Bullock said. After hitting pause on their annual in-person event over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DESK is excited to once again host their desk-building extravaganza this spring. Junior Claire Mahoney, another member of DESK’s Directorship, highlights the excitement that DESK members have going into this year’s
event. She also discussed the difficulties of coor- with Mr. Brad [Shugoll], just having a great time desks on. Students can also help by donating to dinating DESK efforts in the midst of the pan- being together and getting things done so we can support the cause or volunteering to help with make the event as successful as possible,” Ma- set-up or takedown on the day of the event, demic which will occur from 3-6:30 PM. “Last year we had a lot of difficulties with honey said. Interested students should sign up by scan“Being able to be in a room with everyone and COVID-19, with having kids on campus and ning one of the numerous QR codes posted having the event how we really wanted it to be,” just seeing how big our team is and how hard Mahoney said. “So, bringing it back this year for everyone is working was so powerful,” Bullock around campus. To learn more about DESK, the whole experience, with the kids there, for the said of DESK’s recent in-person, all committee students should follow @wfu_desk on Instagram or visit their webpage at https://commukids, I’m really happy that we’ve [almost] made it meeting, “it really was a testament to how far our nityengagement.wfu.edu/students/educationalprogram is reaching.” to this huge event.” outreach/desk/ DESK is currently seeking teams of five stuAs with many aspects of campus life post-pandemic, however, DESK isn’t returning in exactly dents each to be partnered with one elementary Contact Addison Schmidt at the same form. This year, DESK is raising mon- school-aged buddy and their family to build schmac21@wfu.edu ey for multiple schools, as opposed to their exclusive partnership with Old Town Elementary. In an effort to raise funds for multiple schools, DESK has been holding fundraisers both on and off campus in recent weeks. Members of the fundraising committee were set up outside of the Benson Food Court last Thursday afternoon to raise money for the Wake Forest University Freedom School. Last Thursday night, both Mahoney and Bullock manned a booth outside of the Last Resort Bar (LR) and sold pizza and donuts to students. “Wake students, when they buy a $3 slice of pizza, they don’t realize just how far that goes,” Bullock says of the over $600 DESK raised at LR on Thursday. “That’s 12 desks and then some that we were able to provide students just from those [funds].” In addition to monetary donations, students can also contribute to DESK’s efforts by dropping off school supplies in boxes placed in each of the freshman dorms. Although DESK’s main event happens every spring, both Mahoney and Bullock say they cherish their experience with DESK even outside Photo courtesy of Wake Forest University of the building of the desks. “We’ve had so much fun getting everything The 20th DESK event in 2019 saw over 400 Wake Forest stutogether as a team, having our weekly meetings dents, faculty and staff come out to Poteat Field to paint 42 desks.
OPINION
PAGE 8 THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 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
Oval Offense Ketanji Brown Jackson's appointment will bring the Court closer to its ideal of "Equal Justice under Law" AINE PIERRE
Online Managing Editor
Last Thursday, April 7, the U.S. Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court. When she assumes the seat currently held by retiring Justice Stephen Breyer this summer, she will be the first Black woman to hold the title of justice and also the first former public defender. Jackson — monikered KBJ — earned the vote of all 50 Democrats in the Senate, as well as three Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah. All eleven Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted no. Many Democrats slammed those same Republican members for their conduct during the hearing, in which Senators such as Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee asked questions about child pornography sentencing, Critical Race Theory and the definition of a woman. These questions aimed to cast doubt on Jackson’s ability to be an impartial jurist, but Jackson did not take the bait and stayed on message. However, as an article from Oprah Magazine pointed out, the constant interruptions and quoting of Martin Luther King, Jr. to try to cast antiracism as racism smells of misogynoir (misogyny directed towards Black women). Republicans, however, contend that their recent nominees to the Supreme Court had to deal with what they deemed to be unfair treatment and questioning from the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary. Yes, they are still mad that someone dared to accuse Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault and that the Judiciary Committee — gasp — investigated it. I find the Senate’s confirmation process, however, to be much less interesting than what will now happen when Jackson is invested as justice next term. As mentioned previously — and in probably every article you have read about her — Jackson is a former public defender. She joins the Supreme Court with eight other prosecutors. In the past, the Supreme Court has shown extreme deference to law enforcement in civil rights claims and in upholding criminal convictions. It will be interesting to see if Jackson follows that trend or has a bit more sympathy for complainants bringing Habeas Corpus and Civil Rights Act petitions under 42 U.S.C. §1983 — which allows citizens to sue the government for civil rights violations. According to the Legal Defense Fund, Jackson has served on a sentencing commission and seems to understand what discretion judges have and do not have in sentencing. She also seems to be decent at deciding the limits of qualified immunity, which puts a high procedural bar around suing officers of the state for violations of constitutional rights, especially in her ruling in Patterson v. the United States. However, in Page v. Mancuso, Jackson held that probable cause must be evaluated in hindsight. I disagree — I think the Constitution serves to protect our rights to the fullest extent and that even if an act committed is wrong in hindsight, plaintiffs should be able to recover damages for that wrong. As a public defender, Jackson experienced firsthand the destruction incarceration can cause to a person’s life. To have no remediation for wrongful incarceration if it was only wrong in hindsight, to me, abandons those who have had their lives destroyed. Jackson has also not
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Photo courtesy of Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
In a historic move, Jackson has been confirmed to the Court following a series of contentious hearings, making her the first Black woman and former public defender to serve.
While any Supreme Court nominee is important and historic, Jackson’s nomination is especially historic due to its trailblazing nature." firmly stated if she would overturn any qualified immunity doctrine in her time as a Supreme Court justice. According to the disability advocacy group The Arc, Jackson’s writings on the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) show that she is wary about how many opportunities those on death row have to appeal their sentences based on new information. AEDPA did away with successive appeals, meaning that for most people facing the death penalty, there is only one opportunity to receive federal habeas relief. New evidence can change that and save lives. Recently, for example, the Innocence Project and the FBI published a report that said hair comparison evidence that was used to convict countless defendants was not based on scientific fact. Additionally, new evidence about an intellectual disability or new diagnostic criteria can prevent a defendant from being executed, as it is unconstitutional for the state to kill someone who is intellectually disabled. These new
forms of evidence can be life-saving, so for Jackson to have reservations about this evidence being accepted is worrisome. On other certain hot-button judicial issues, Jackson has been spot on. In her limited decisions on abortion access, she has supported the right to have an abortion as currently outlined in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey. She has also made her commitment to protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans clear, as is evidenced by her favorable reviews from groups like the Human Rights Campaign. Both abortion and gay rights cases will come up next term. While any Supreme Court nominee is important and historic, Jackson’s nomination is especially historic due to its trailblazing nature. It is important to put things into perspective. Ultimately, unless something changes in the next two months, Republicanappointed justices will still hold a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court when Jackson is sworn in. As such, Jackson’s first half-decade on the Court will likely see some dissents. But, as Justice John Marshall Harlan — who wrote the lone dissent in Plessy v. Ferguson — would tell you, sometimes dissents turn into majority opinions, and it is important to get those thoughts out there. I hope Jackson follows the line of great dissents turned majority opinions, and I hope her tenure on the Court will get the United States closer to the ideal inscribed atop the Supreme Court’s doors — “Equal Justice under Law.” Contact Aine Pierre at pierav20@wfu.edu
Opinion | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 14, 2022 | Page 9
Politics
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Manchin's coal investments display corruption Senator Joe Manchin's questionable ties to the coal industry may contextualize his political decisions Natasha Heiseberg Staff Columnist heisng20@wfu.edu
For years, the name “Joe Manchin” has never fully settled amongst Democrats and Republicans alike. Instead, it has lingered in the air as decisions regarding voting rights, social policy and infrastructure dominate the Senate floor. Uncertainty surrounding the direction of Manchin’s support has stalled policy. In recent months, however, Manchin has become associated with a new and even more controversial aspect of his role as a public servant: his involvement in the dying coal industry. As a moderate Democrat hailing from West Virginia, Manchin has opposed the majority of climate legislation put forth by members of his party. Thus, Manchin’s decision to block President Joe Biden’s ambitious spending bill — which proposes to combat the climate crisis through greenhouse gas emissions reductions — was unsurprising. The revelatory facet of Manchin’s stance, though, can be found in his personal ties to the coal industry within his home state.
West Virginia’s economy is intrinsically intertwined with coal. Bituminous coal, a variety of this fossil fuel, is a primary export of the state and makes up 12% of the United States’ coal that is generated by West Virginia. Furthermore, West Virginia stands as the largest bituminous coal-producing state in the country and the second-largest coalproducing state. Fossil fuel corporations consistently dominate the economic sphere in neighboring Appalachian states as well. Yet this enterprise possesses vast environmental consequences for West Virginia and the nation as a whole, not only in its combustion and subsequent emissions, but also in its excavation and refining. During the process of coal mining, waste rock is removed and typically discarded. Throughout the mining of bituminous coal, these scraps can be collected and gathered to form garbage of bituminous (gob). By itself, gob does not harbor a plethora of profitable qualities, but when it is combined with lowquality coal as a cheap source of volume, it provides a combustible source of energy. Decades ago, during Manchin’s rise to power as a West Virginia senator, he entered into the coal business with
This controversy highlights the drastic and pertinent demand for advancements in the realm of environmental justice and policy." the Grant Town power plant. This action resulted in revenue directly servicing Manchin’s individual finances, as he became the sole provider of gob for Grant Town. Even more questionably, Manchin was promised a percentage of Grant Town’s profits from selling this energy back to the very constituents who elected him. Over the course of this endeavor, Manchin’s wealth grew by the millions. Conversely, West Virginia remained the second-poorest state in the nation, with 16% of residents living below the poverty line in 2019. Manchin’s expansive series of connections to the coal industry create a significant conflict of interest in the debate centered around climate policy. Despite this, Manchin has vehemently defended his position in relation to the Grant Power plant, stating that he was not in violation of Congressional ethics. This oversight in U.S. policy demonstrates a clear necessity for stricter regulations directed toward public of ficials. Regardless of Manchin’s lack of
moral qualms with leveraging his power to protect a corporation that his own business is partnered with, his ability to continue this relationship unobstructed by law underscores the flaws within our legislative system today. Moreover, this controversy highlights the drastic and pertinent demand for advancements in the realm of environmental justice and policy. The environmental hazards associated with the harvesting of gob — namely groundwater contamination and air pollution — disproportionately plague disadvantaged residents in the low-income communities that these coal plants establish themselves in. Although the fossil fuel industry has shown time and time again that profits precede environmental and public health concerns, the senator representing West Virginians should prioritize their wellbeing and side with those who elected him to public office, not the company enlarging his pockets. The time has come for Manchin to prioritize his role as a public servant over his net worth. While it is evident that he does not share this sentiment, his autonomy to determine his involvement with Grant Power and gob must end, for the integrity of both U.S. democracy and the planet.
Campus Issues
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Oscars controversy highlights broader issues Conor Metzger Staff Columnist metzcr19@wfu.edu
“The slap”. In thirty seconds, one action became a dominating headline over the next week. People took to Twitter to express their reactions and “intellectuals” were quick to post their theories about how “the slap” was the latest example of male aggression or had something to do with systemic racism — these were real headlines that I saw. It caught the attention of millions of people, but it left things that matter out in the cold. It is ironic that this “slap” happened at the same award ceremony that nominated a film discussing this very issue. Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up” examined America’s focus on celebrity culture and the impact the media can have by distracting us from real issues — like a comet heading to destroy Earth. A lot of critics felt the film was too heavy-handed in its metaphor for climate change, but I think the recent Academy Awards proved that it was spot on. We’re losing our ability to focus on relevant, pressing issues in favor of the cheap conversations about celebrities and their personal lives.
To demonstrate this, let’s take a look at the stories that were mostly ignored in favor of a new “hot take” about Will Smith and Chris Rock. For one, the Biden administration slipped up when the President called for a “regime change” in Russia. The administration was then forced to walk back their comments so that they wouldn't upset a major nuclear power. There were developments in an apparent conflict of interest within our Supreme Court, involving Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife. We also witnessed the beginnings of a greater economic toll on the working class caused by China’s lockdown, due to their moronic “Zero-COVID” policy. Perhaps the kicker to all of this is the UN releasing a new climate report saying that the world is on a "fast track" to disaster and that harmful carbon emissions have never been higher in human history. It’s funny because it seems “Don’t Look Up” was onto something, considering that I did not see any of the talking heads or pundits discussing this whatsoever. In fact, a daily look at YouTube’s trending page shows that all people really care about is what new movie is coming out, what Denzel Washington’s take on “the slap” is and whatever weird challenges the YouTube community is up to.
However, the easy way out causes stagnation, and it takes power away from the people and puts it toward the elites." To put it simply: we are distracted. We are so quick to become worked up over nonsensical issues that even when something that should provoke concern makes its way into our collective consciousness, it does not concern us for more than a few days until the next shallow debate regains the spotlight. But what is the cause of this? We did it to ourselves. If we keep clicking on videos and articles about these shallow concepts, then corporations and algorithms will keep feeding us the same material through a positive feedback loop. We should not expect corporations to fix this since it is smart to give the consumer what they want. But the next logical question would be why humans gravitate toward the shallow end in the first place? This is a little harder to accept, as it can be explained by the fact that the easy issues are the safer ones. They don’t require much mental capacity and they don’t question many of our preexisting beliefs. However, the
easy way out causes stagnation, and it takes power away from the people and puts it towards the elites. I have written many articles in this publication addressing this and why our future concerns me greatly. The Metaverse, to give an example, is another step down this road, leading us to a point where we become indistinguishable from the humans in “Wall-E.” It would be in our nature to opt into a virtual life where the real world and all its complexities and faults are just sources of noise we can turn down. Yet, ignoring these problems will only make them worse. We saw this in “Don’t Look Up”, where the humans either ignored the comet or trusted the corrupt elites to save them. I hate to spoil the movie for you, but let’s just say humanity did not learn anything and instead stayed stagnated. Because of this, I am going to suggest a wild idea and say that we should not let our world be destroyed by climate change, nuclear war or authoritarianism. We should respect the democratic system our country was founded upon and demand better from our media. We need to force ourselves to think through complex issues and arrive at our own conclusions. If we can do this, then we may just be able to keep ourselves alive for another century.
Page 10 | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 14, 2022 | Opinion
Labor Unions
Union challenges corporate power dynamics “ The formation of the Amazon Labor Union is a promising step towards better working conditions Aaron Nataline
Contributing Columnist nataae21@wfu.edu
A monumental event has recently challenged the power dynamics between large corporations and their laborers. For the first time in Amazon’s history, employees at a warehouse have solidified a union under the National Labor Relations Board. On April 1, the board reported that the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) organized Amazon’s attempts to extinguish a Staten Island warehouse’s unionization when the employee election resulted in a 2,654 to 2,131 vote in favor of the ALU. The formation of this grassroots union allows workers to take a huge step towards taking power back from the company. That power is only small in relation to the expansive reach and economic dominance that Amazon can flaunt, which is why this union victory has instantly become a landmark event. Few expected workers to win the battle because their opponent is a juggernaut of influence and wealth. But the shockwave that the ALU has inspired will increase the potential for unionization amongst workers across the nation. Christian Smalls, the president of the ALU, has remained vocal about the positive change his union can help empower. On April 5, four
days after the successful election, Smalls tweeted that he had been “contacted by workers in over 50 buildings nationwide” for initial guidance in accumulating the necessary voice and outreach to unionize. Imagining Amazon executives becoming worried about the increasing popularity of the new union — as well as the exponential growth its influence can lend to media exposure — creates an incredible picture. The ALU has ratified its national recognition during a time in which the lopsided power struggles between gigantic corporations and their workers are constantly claiming news headlines. Every day, more and more online spaces are filled with complaints of COVID-19 negligence and injury potential in warehouses operated by companies such as Amazon. In June 2021, BBC News reported on a research study that found that Amazon’s injury rate 5.9% worker injury rate was approximately 80% higher than those of competing companies in the United States. In November 2021, CBS News announced that Amazon would forfeit $500,000 in a settlement regarding claims that the company had withheld accurate COVID-19 case numbers from its workers in California. Without the collective power a union offers, corporations can afford to be apathetic toward these workspace issues. Without a union encouraging resistance toward fear-inspired compliancy, workers are more susceptible to exploi-
[The ALU] deserves to be celebrated for the courageous grit it took to win the election against Amazon's anti-union messaging." tation and underwhelming pay. The ALU puts employees in a position to fight for the health benefits and financial credit that all workers deserve. In August 2020, the Economic Policy Institute reported that in comparison to non-union workers of the same education and skill level, workers with union contracts earn 11.2% more in wages. Unionized workers gain easier access to paid sick leave as well as job preservation during particularly strenuous times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The ALU will prove an essential step in preventing Amazon from discarding concerns related to the pandemic in the future. As the first official union bound together by workers of the company, the ALU will encourage more voices to be heard across the country regarding health and safety policies. These effects will not be constrained to Smalls’ Staten Island, NY warehouse. In time, the rights that his union fights for will be picked up by blooming unions across Amazon’s multinational operations. Smalls and his worker-led union deserve to be celebrated for the courageous grit it took to win the election against Amazon’s anti-union
messaging. Even after the National Labor Relations Board’s verification of the ALU, the company continues to battle the voting results. Amazon has filed 25 objections to the board alleging that the election was held under compromising conditions. The response not only aims to redo the election, but to plant fear and doubt within the ALU’s members and around its image. The allegations of an invalid election have failed to break the confidence of the ALU. The latter responded by releasing a statement on Twitter. “[Amazon] made false claims that ALU members coerced their coworkers, despite the fact that members are Amazon workers with no coercive authority," the press release read. "However, the Board has in fact found merit to charges that Amazon’s managers and consultants have engaged in coercive behavior during the campaign,” the press release read. The ALU refuses to back down from an immensely powerful company that wishes that the voices of workers would remain within warehouse walls. Luckily, Smalls and his historic group of union members understand that their fight is worth the benefits workers will gain. In another tweeted press release, Smalls properly enunciated the win his coworkers have earned over Amazon. “We want to thank Jeff Bezos for going off to space, because while he was up there, we were organizing a union,” the tweet read.
Defamation
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Wake Forest must be mindful of libel laws The verdict in Oberlin College and Gibson Bakery should serve as a learning experience for Wake Forest Ethan Wearner Staff Columnist wearep19@wfu.edu
In a 3-0 decision last week, an Ohio Court of Appeals panel upheld a verdict rendered in a 2019 defamation suit requiring Oberlin College to pay $31 million to Gibson’s Bakery. Barring another appeal, the liberal arts college must pay the local bakery $25 million in punitive damages and $6 million in legal fees. Gibson’s Bakery, located in Oberlin, Ohio, has been in service for more than 130 years. At the time of its initial suit, the bakery was owned by David R. Gibson and his son, Allyn W. Gibson. The controversy in this case began on Nov. 9, 2016, when three African American students from Oberlin entered the bakery. David Gibson’s son, “young Allyn,” believed that one of the students was shoplifting and using a fake ID to purchase alcohol. The student fled the store before being apprehended by Allyn Gibson. The other two students exited the store and became involved in the altercation. Upon arrival, the police arrested the three students. The students eventually pleaded guilty, receiving no jail time in exchange for restitution, the public statement and the promise of good behavior. Rumors quickly spread at Oberlin that the students had been racially profiled by Allyn Gibson. A protest was planned for 11:00 a.m.
the following morning. A one-page flyer was prepared and distributed at the protest which charged the bakery with being a “RACIST establishment” having a “LONG ACCOUNT OF RACIAL PROFILING and DISCRIMINATION.” The flier singled out Allyn Gibson as having racially profiled the male student and having “assaulted” him. That morning, around 200 to 300 students attended the protest. Dean of Students Meredith Raimondo and other members of the college also attended. Raimondo allegedly gave Jason Hawk, a reporter with the Oberlin News-Tribune, copies of the flier and consent to its distribution. Other administrators allegedly worked to distribute the flyers as well. Raimondo assisted students who were requesting reimbursement for items used during the protest. The college also supplied the protestors with pizza and coffee. Later that evening, the Oberlin Student Senate passed a resolution urging students to cease all support of the bakery. The Senate echoed the remarks contained in the flyer by claiming that the bakery had a “history of racial profiling and discriminatory treatment of students and residents alike” despite having no evidence to that effect. The Senate resolution was then emailed to the entire student body and hung in a prominent display case in the Oberlin student center. The resolution remained there for nearly a year. Neither Raimondo nor the college prevented the publication of the resolution or its display in the student center. The college refused to take any corrective measures despite requests to
The university must be more vigilant of the publication of statements that could ... damage the lives of students, faculty and the community." do so by the Gibsons. The Gibsons have lost as much as 50% of their business and been dragged into the national spotlight. The Gibsons rightly filed suit in 2017. Libel laws can be difficult to understand and vary by state (as in Gertz v. Welch). Generally, to establish defamation in the state of Ohio, a plaintiff must show (1) that a false statement of fact was made, (2) that the statement was defamatory, (3) that the statement was published, (4) that the plaintiff suffered injury as a proximate result of the publication, and (5) that the defendant acted with the requisite degree of fault in publishing the statement (as in Am. Chem. Soc. v. Leadscope, Inc.). While the Supreme Court has historically been wary of attempts to silence otherwise constitutional speech in the guise of a libel claim (as in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, which made it harder for public figures to sue for defamation), protections against defamation are especially important. As established in Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co., “defamation law developed not only as a means of allowing an individual to vindicate his good name, but also for the purpose of obtaining redress for harm caused by such statements.” While it is worth asking whether the “sub-
jective experience [of racism can] be the foundation for a fact, as opposed to the more logical description as an opinion,” as the Cincinnati Law Review says, “the… libelous statements in this case include much more than calling the Gibsons ‘racists.’” Without attempting to wade beyond my depth on libel law, I still find the court’s reasoning compelling. As established in Mann v. Cincinnati Enquirer, “in determining whether a statement is defamatory as a matter of law, a court must review the statement[s] under the totality of the circumstances.” Clearly, under this standard, Oberlin College acted with the requisite negligence needed to prove liability under Ohio’s defamation laws. The college refused to take remedial measures and actively supported student protestors and the Student Senate in the publication of defamatory statements about the bakery. Wake Forest must learn from the Oberlin decision. Each year, the university supplies funding and support to student organizations. The university enables its students to voice their opinions — leaving them at least partially liable for defamation claims. The mere existence of sanctioned platforms from which students can voice their opinions does not entitle them to absolute protection or exemption from defamation suits. While we should not aim to deconstruct a space for the free exchange of ideas, the university must be more vigilant of the publication of statements that could expose them to civil liability — or damage the lives of students, faculty and the community.
SPORTS
Christina DeNovio, denoca20@wfu.edu Essex Thayer, thayse20@wfu.edu
Follow us on Twitter @wfuogbsports OLD GOLD & BLACK
PAGE 11 THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022
Photo Courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest sweeps series with Duke The Demon Deacons are now ranked No. 23 in the NCAA by Baseball America ESSEX THAYER Sports Editor
For the first time in their 2022 ACC campaign, Wake Forest baseball was able to finish the job. Following a series in which the Demon Deacons could not close out the third game to sweep their opponents, Wake Forest returned to Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem and did just that against Duke, never winning by fewer than three runs. Following the series sweep, Baseball America ranked the Demon Deacons No. 23 in the country, yet the NCAA rankings have yet to give credence to a team that is 25-7 and ranked No. 14 in the RPI. On Friday, a 5-2 win, sophomore starting pitcher Rhett Lowder put forth what might be his best performance in ACC play this season, going seven innings with only two runs earned. The Wake Forest bullpen followed Lowder by closing the
door with two hitless innings. “We needed a good start from Rhett, and he came through for us,” Wake Forest Head Coach Tom Walter said after the game. “I was really happy with Rhett this evening. He did a nice job keeping [Duke] off the basepaths for the majority of the night.” In a 6-3 Saturday victory, the Demon Deacons bullpen was once again dominant. After a five-inning, two-earned-run performance by freshman starter Josh Hartle, the bullpen did not allow a run over the last four innings. In the series-sweeping 16-11 win on Sunday, the Wake Forest bats were the star of the show. The Demon Deacons hit four home runs in the game, one each from sophomore Brock Wilken, freshman Nick Kurtz, redshirt junior Brendan Tinsman and redshirt sophomore Adam Cecere. “It's great to get a win and certainly great to get a sweep,” Walter said after the win. “It was good to see Brock have a
big day with his big three-run homer and then his two-out RBI there. The two-out RBIs [in the eighth inning] from Tommy Hawke and Brock were huge.” For the first four-and-a-half innings on Friday, Lowder and Duke starting pitcher Marcus Johnson pitched flawlessly, holding their respective opponents scoreless. Lowder was especially impressive, not allowing a Blue Devil hit until the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fourth, though, Wake Forest finally broke through. With Wilken on third and Cecere on first, sophomore Jake Reinisch knocked a single to deep right field, bringing in both baserunners and giving the Demon Deacons a 2-0 lead. In their next inning at bat, Wake Forest added to their lead. After Kurtz bunted on base and Wilken got on with a single, redshirt junior Michael Turconi homered to right field, extending his team’s lead to five.
Despite a run in the sixth inning and a solo home run in the seventh, both allowed by Lowder, sophomore Crawford Wade and sophomore closer Camden Minacci each pitched a hitless inning to secure the Wake Forest win. The victory gave the Demon Deacons their best 30game start since 2006. After the game, Walter was complimentary of what he felt was a full-team effort. “This is what Friday night ACC baseball is,” Walter said. “You've got to hit it, pitch it and catch it, and we did that tonight.” As opposed to the previous evening, both teams jumped on their respective opponents early in the game. In the first inning, Duke got on the scoreboard because of poor defensive play by Wake Forest. Following a game-opening walk, the baserunner stole second base and reached third on a passed ball.
See Baseball, Page 12
Page 12 | Thursday, April 14, 2022
Old Gold & Black | Sports
Baseball: Continued from Page 11 Then, the Blue Devil scored on a fielder’s choice. In the bottom of the inning, though, Wake Forest hit right back. With one out and a runner on third, Tinsman hit a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home Kurtz to even the score. In the top of the second, Duke retook the lead with a two-run home run. From there, the Demon Deacons did not allow another run. Trailing by two, Wake Forest cut its deficit in half in the second inning. With redshirt sophomore Pierce Bennett on first base, Kurtz doubled to center field, bringing the runner all the way home. In the next inning, Wake Forest tied the game when Reinisch doubled home freshman Chris Katz. Then, they took a 4-3 lead when Reinisch himself was brought home by a Kurtz single. In the fourth inning, the Demon Deacons doubled their lead with a solo home run by Tinsman. Wake Forest added their sixth and final run in the seventh inning, when freshman Danny Corona scored fellow freshman Tommy Hawke
on a sacrifice fly to deep center field. “It’s always good to win a series in this league,” Walter said of the team’s third ACC series win. “It’s hard to do.” Wake Forest took control of the seriesclinching game early on Sunday. In the first inning, the Demon Deacons recorded their first run on a Tinsman sacrifice fly, scoring Kurtz. Then, with Turconi on third base, Reinisch singled, extending Wake Forest’s lead to two. In the third inning, Wake Forest seemingly blew open the game, scoring six runs. With Cecere and Reinisch on base, Bennett doubled to left field, scoring the first baserunner. Then, a Corona single advanced Bennett and scored Reinisch. After Kurtz brought home Bennett, Wilken ignited the Wake Forest dugout with a three-run home run to right field, giving the Demon Deacons an 8-0 lead. In the sixth inning, Duke got itself on the board with two runs, but Wake Forest immediately responded in the next half inning with three of their own, all coming on a Tinsman home run. In the seventh inning, both teams knocked balls out of the park. After a solo shot from the Blue Devils in the top
of the inning, Kurtz responded with a solo home run himself, giving Wake Forest a 12-3 lead. In the eighth inning, Duke made their final push at a comeback, scoring seven runs, four of which came on a grand slam. But, Wake Forest increased their lead with a four-run bottom half of the inning which included a Cecere home run and 2-RBI doubles by Hawke and Wilken. Despite one run scored in the ninth, the Wake Forest lead proved to be too large for Duke, and Wade closed out the game. After the game, Walter was pleased that Wade could finish the game and quash a furious late-game comeback attempt by the Blue Devils. “We would have gone to [closing pitcher Cam] Minacci if we had to, but we certainly didn’t want to,” Walter said. “You know they were going to keep fighting. [I’m] just glad we didn’t have to go to Cam.” The series sweep moves Wake Forest to 9-6 in the ACC, good for third place in the Atlantic division. The team will remain in Winston-Salem this weekend to
face the struggling Clemson Tigers with hopes of securing a fourth series victory. Contact Essex Thayer at thayse20@wfu.edu
Photo courtesy Wake Forest Athletics
Camden Minacci closed the first two games of the series with no-hit innings.
Demon Deacons compete at The Masters Will Zalatoris IAN STEFFENSEN Staff Writer
Hello friends, the 86th edition of the Masters was truly a tradition unlike any other. Augusta National welcomed back its patrons, as the atmosphere and roar of the crowd returned to those hallowed grounds. In the talented field of golfers, Wake Forest alums Cameron Young, Webb Simpson and Will Zalatoris competed to earn the coveted green jacket and title of Masters champion. Wake Forest had more representatives competing in this Masters than any other school in the ACC. The Demon Deacons fought long and hard against a course that provides the hardest challenge for any golfer, but ultimately
it was World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler who came out on top. Cameron Young, in his rookie year on the PGA Tour has been making quite a splash. Thanks to runner-up finishes in two events and his ranking inside top-50, he secured an invite to the Masters — his first. Young graduated from Wake Forest in 2019, where he was a three-time All-ACC selection. In his first Masters appearance, Young struggled to find his stride. In his opening round on Thursday, he shot five over par but managed to birdie two holes including Hole #13 Azalea of the famed Amen Corner. On Friday, Young came out strong, shooting even par through the first three holes. Yet on the back nine, he struggled and shot another 77. Young was +10 for the tournament
Photo courtesy of Instagram/willzalatoris
After finishing in second place behind champion Hideki Matsuyama in 2021, Will Zalatoris finished in sixth place of the 2022 Masters.
and missed the cut, but with his strong start on the PGA Tour, a maiden victory could be on the horizon. In his 11th Masters appearance, Webb Simpson looked to find his rhythm after coming off numerous injuries. Simpson has finished in the top 20 in each of the last four Masters, including his careerbest fifth in 2019. In his opening round, Simpson managed to shoot one under par to keep him in the hunt tied for ninth. In his second round, Simpson didn’t fare quite as well, ending up with a 74 to make the cut at one over entering the weekend. Saturday’s conditions proved to be a challenge for all of the golfers in the field — the cold temperatures and swirling wind wreaked havoc on the scorecard. Yet, Simpson persevered with three birdies to end the day at one over. On Masters Sunday, Simpson struggled on the front nine with four straight bogeys on Holes 4, 5, 6 and 7. He managed to finish strong with three straight birdies on the back nine to close out his round with a score of 76. Simpson finished in a tie for 35th and was six over par for the tournament. Before last year’s tournament, hardly anyone had heard of Will Zalatoris. But thanks to a second-place finish in his Masters debut last year, he has become a household name and was favored to win the green jacket this year. Zalatoris opened his second stint at the Masters with a score of 71. He followed up on Friday, shooting even par to go into the weekend one under par. The conditions of Saturday posed quite a challenge for Zalatoris as he posted six bogeys, including a double bogey on the 13th hole. He ended his round with a score of 75, and was two over to start on Sunday. In Sunday’s round, Zalatoris played one of the best rounds at Augusta, and proved
that he may well be seeing green soon. He had seven birdies, including three in a row on Holes 8, 9 and 10. He mastered Amen Corner, landing the green in two on Hole 13 and coming away with a birdie. He had back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 and pars on 17 and 18 to finish out his round. Zalatoris shot 67 on the day, which was the second-lowest stroke count on Sunday behind Rory McIlroy’s 64. Zalatoris finished three under and in sixth, his second consecutive top-10 finish at the Masters. With an outstanding showing last year and strong performance this year, a green jacket could be in the near future for Zalatoris. This year’s Masters contained many captivating storylines and provided great entertainment for golf fans all over the world. Tiger Woods returned for his 24th Masters, following his car accident last year. Despite not playing in a tournament in over 18 months, he put together a great performance, made the cut and showed his resilience. Scottie Scheffler, this year’s Masters Champion, put on a dominant performance during each of his four rounds. With the chasing pack, Scheffler remained calm and collected to hold on for his first major victory. Rory McIlroy, who is still seeking his career grand slam for majors, posted a 64 on Sunday to finish in second. He finished on the 18th hole from the bunker for his final birdie. The Demon Deacons Young, Simpson and Zalatoris represented Wake Forest well in this edition of the Masters. With their strong showing, and start to the season there will certainly be wins on the PGA Tour for Wake Forest. Contact Ian Steffensen at
Sports | Old Gold & Black CHRISTINA DENOVIO Sports Editor
Redshirt junior Kenton Bachmann is preparing for his academic graduation in May by putting everything into his sport and his school work for this last month. The Knoxville, TN native is a crucial part of both the cross country and track & field teams, though he describes himself as more of a track runner. The journey hasn’t always been easy for Bachmann, as he went nearly three years without setting a personal record. In his junior year, however, Bachmann put an end to the drought by beginning the season with a new PR in the 1500m (3:56.46) at the Raleigh Relay. He also finished No. 16 at the ACC Championships in the 800m and No. 23 in the 800m at the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round. So far this season, Bachmann set a new PR in the 1000m (2:29.38) at the Hokie Invitational and took first place in the DMR (9:53.42) at the Bob Pollock Invitational. With the ACC and NCAA meets still ahead, Bachmann looks to end his college career on a high note with the support of his family, coaches and teammates.
Thursday, April 14, 2022 | Page 13
Kenton Bachmann Deacon “Sportlight”
Christina DeNovio: When did you first start running cross country? Did you play other sports growing up? Kenton Bachman: I first started running in sixth grade. I ran middle school cross country for my county. Both my parents are runners — my mom was a collegiate runner. They wanted me to try out running, but at the time, I was also a soccer player. I played club soccer until eighth grade. I also played middle school basketball. I played a lot of sports as a kid because that was something that my parents valued. Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
CD: Would you say your parents inspired your love for running? KB: Yeah, they’d always watch track meets on TV. A lot of people probably don’t do that. A lot of people run high school track and middle school track, but you don’t tend to get much viewership on the professional level. My parents knew all the runners, and they were heavily invested in the sport. My mom ran collegiate track and cross country at the University of Tennessee, so that’s something that shaped my background. My sister runs track at the University of Alabama. My dad played college football at the University of Iowa, so sports have been really important in the lives of my family members. CD: What do you like most about running? KB: I like seeing progression and watching results happen. I’m a results-oriented person, so I like seeing the hard work that I put in to try to get PRs pay off. I like watching my teammates run — I’ve driven to their cross country meets just to watch. Our team has grown a lot since I came as a freshman. In the last decade, Wake Forest cross country has gone from being at the bottom of the conference to placing third the past two years. We won the regional cross country meet, and I drove to Louisville to watch the team achieve the goals we had set. CD: Have you encountered any adversity as a runner? KB: Track takes time. I hadn’t set a personal best in around three years. In my junior year, I ran a breakthrough time at our conference meet where I ran a 1:48 for the 800, which was my first time going under the 1:50 barrier, which is pretty big for me. I went from being kind of a nobody in the conference to finishing fourth at our conference meet just like that. It just takes years of hard work. You’ve got to go through hills and valleys as a track & field athlete.
blend was really marketable to my family and to me. I wanted to get the best education and the best athletic experience that I could have, and the coaches really sold that to me. And also Winston-Salem has some really great trails — Salem Lake, the Reynolda House Trails. Runners like pretty places to run, so that was really appealing. CD: What’s your favorite distance to run? KB: I’d say the 800m run is my favorite. It’s a race where you can have multiple approaches to it, where long sprinters can run it, or cross country runners can run it. There’s a lot of variety to the style of racing. It’s two laps, but a sprinter would take it out hard and try and hang. Someone with more aerobic training could come from behind at the end and kick past the field to win. I’d say I’m someone that’s kind of in the middle ground of that. I run 50 - 60 miles a week on average, which is on the higher end for a runner, but that really helps me to finish the last 100 meters of the race strong. CD: What was the biggest adjustment coming from high school to college running? KB: Everything gets taken to a much higher level. Academics was a challenge at Wake Forest at first. The time management side of things and getting adequate sleep were new. You have to maintain your stress. I try to go to bed by 11 p.m. every night because we have practice in the morning from 6:30 to 7 in the fall. We have afternoon practice in the spring. But, that first fall of freshman year was really difficult. The people on the track and cross country team don’t have the same experiences as other students in sports because we need to really focus on our rest and our bodies or we will break down. It just takes a lot of time management to be a successful student athlete.
ments where I saw all the hard work pay off. Another moment would be this year’s distance medley relay. I ran the 400 leg, and we finished fourth out of the conference as well. We hadn’t placed that high in quite a while, so it’s pretty cool to see the team do well. I wouldn’t be as successful as I am if it wasn’t for my coaches, teammates and parents. They are people that motivate me every day to do the things I do, even when it’s tough. CD: What are you most looking forward to in your final weeks at Wake Forest? KB: I’m just looking forward to graduating. I’m getting a degree from a prestigious university — that’s just exciting. That was always a dream of mine. I probably wouldn’t be in the situation I am today if it wasn’t for athletics and the support that I get from student athletes services and academic services. I have the ACC meet coming up soon in early May. We have East Regionals meet in late May. Then, hopefully, I will compete at the NCAA meet in June in Eugene, Oregon. So that’s the end goal right now. CD: What’s your major? What are your post-graduation plans? KB: I’m a communication major right now. I think marketing would be cool — it’s something that I’ve taken a couple of classes in. I took one of Professor Polly Black’s classes about marketing. It was an eyeopening experience on the world of marketing and a great introduction to the topic. The stuff you learn in the communication major is very practical. After graduation, I’m going to pursue a Master’s in management degree. I’d like to do a one-year business school degree. I will also be competing in track & field for a fifth year.
CD: What made you choose Wake Forest?
CD: What’s your favorite accomplishment from Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity your time at Wake Forest? and brevity.
KB: I think Wake Forest is the perfect blend of a Division I athletic program with strong academics. That
KB: I’d say finishing fourth of the indoor conference meet for the 800m race. That was one of those mo-
Contact Christina DeNovio at denoca20@wfu.edu
PAGE 14 THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2022
LIFE OLD GOLD & BLACK
Adam Coil, coilat21@wfu.edu Josie Scratchard, scraja20@wfu.edu
Anime Convention provides a much-needed outlet The event acts as a place where fans can display their interests without fear of judgment BELLA ORTLEY-GUTHRIE Staff Writer
A sea of vibrant red, purple and yellow hair is visible at Winston-Salem's Benton Convention center. Adolescents, adults and families of mixed ages weave in between each other — some wield intricate silver swords, while others adorn glittery wings on their back. Upon walking into the convention center, some might think they had stepped into another world. In a way, they have — this is the distinct world of an anime convention. The Triad Anime Convention ("Triad Con") meets from Mar. 18-22, drew attendees from across the Piedmont Triad. Anime is a style of animation originating from Japan marked by distinct colorful graphics, flashy storytelling and rich characters. Anime acts almost as a sub-set culture with an extensive fanbase and community. At these anime conventions, cosplayers, fans and artists gather because of their love of the genre. However, because of this unique subset of culture, anime is often criticized and stigmatized, called out for being childish, weird, and even “satanic”. What the stigma fails to recognize is the community and freedom that anime conventions provide. It's a place in which people from all backgrounds and identities can come together to reckon with the best and worst parts of themselves. Descending the escalators inside the convention center, tables line hallways leading to game rooms, expo rooms and dealer rooms. People crowd together outside the rooms and along the hallway walls — some posing to take photos by the entranceways and others awaiting entry into talks with guest artists. Service dogs accompany cosplayers, and groups of friends sit in corners of the long hallway, watching videos on their phones and talking. Three blocks south of the Benton Convention Center, away from the convention hub and near the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, is a jagged rock pavilion. Lined with concrete steps and open in the sunlight, it’s a place in which people take prom photos and displaced citizens sleep for the night — but it’s also a place where anime cosplayers meet. Posing on the rocks stood ten cosplayers. The cosplayers helped each other pose for photos, straightening each other’s robes and pushing back wigs against the harsh North Carolina wind. Sounds of laughter, Tik Tok references and compliments filled the space. Upon first glance, everyone seemed like life-long friends, but in reality, this was some of their first times meeting each other. Of the ten cosplayers, I spoke with MC, Vi, Imani and Hannah. MC and Vi were Winston-Salem natives and siblings who created an Instagram group to find people to join their cosplay group for Triad Convention. They stood beside each other, smiling and looking at the cosplayers around them. Besides MC and Vi, the group had only communicated in the months leading up to the event through text messages. However, no one could tell that, because they all blended seamlessly — a cohesive family. They watched out for each other — making note if a fellow cosplayer was off to the side or seemed tense. MC and Vi stood close together, helping each other with costume snags and keeping an eye on the time before heading back to the convention.“Can I take a photo with you?” A young boy asked, approaching Vi and MC. Everyone looked like superheroes, especially MC. MC, dressed as Shinobu from the anime “Demon Slayer”, donning a white cape with decorative butterflies.
MC started attending anime conventions in 2017, buying their costumes mainly online. Now, they make a variety of their costumes on their own like their Shinoubu costume with an intricate butterfly clip crafted from a PBC board and spray glitter adhesive. “I highly relate and identify with this character,” MC said. MC relates to Shinobu in being the protective sibling and keeping their family together. MC said that coming as a group to an anime convention is special and brings them a sense of power. “I feel powerful. It feels like wow …we’re living our best life,” MC said. And they do look like they’re living their best life with MC and Vi looking happy, confidently posing for each other and the camera. Vi stood next to MC dressed as another character from “Demon Slayer”, Mitsuri. Vi — an eight-year veteran of anime conventions — dressed in a white overcoat with a braided pink-and-green-streaked wig. Mitsuri is often made fun of for her looks and eating habits and often restrains her eating. “I think it’s a nice message — to eat and just be yourself. I just want to tell her: eat, girl, eat!” Vi said. Vi later said that Mitsuri is really self-conscious like herself and that cosplaying gives her the confidence to feel and act free. “Like Mitsuri, I need to tell myself to eat at times. Like, if I want to eat, to eat,” Vi said. To the right of MC and Vi stood Imani, another cosplayer and South Carolina native dressed as Tokito from “Demon Slayer”. She stood beside her partner Damon, who was cosplaying as Tokito, wielding a samurai sword. Triad Con makes her 25th anime convention. “In my real life, I like having fun, but feel kind of standoffish at times, like quiet and to myself. And that’s the same with this character,” Imani said. For Imani, the anime convention acts as an open space, one where making friends and being herself is easy. “If you don’t know anyone at an anime con, you can literally go into the video game room and start playing a game with somebody or literally scream at someone for liking their cosplay and knowing their character — and then build it from there,” Imani said. Sitting on the rocks across from Vi, MC and Imani was Hannah, cosplaying as Sketchy the Fox from the anime “SK8”. She sat on the concrete with her hands running through her hair. “It’s such a great atmosphere — especially for people who can’t be themselves at home,” Hannah said, her black eyeliner glittering in the sun. For MC, Vi, Imani and Hannah, there’s a pattern of acceptance that comes about through cosplaying. Victoria Albarn, one of the head organizers of Triad Anime Convention aimed to make the convention not only accepting of the attendees but to extend this motion of inclusivity to the volunteer environment, as well. “Usually the way that it works is that anime conventions end up too much like a business. And it makes people feel like their voice isn't meant to be heard if they have a suggestion, or if they have a problem. And we're an anime convention — we're a bunch of people who've usually got bullied anyways, but we don't want people to feel like that in a space like this,” said Albarn. The workers at the convention aspire to facilitate a welcoming environment with volunteers stationed around the convention center — attentive to the needs and cosplays of attendees and complimenting each other’s costumes. “And so we always try to kind of look around and if we'd see somebody who may not be feeling the most welcome like if they didn't come with friends … and you can kind of see them standing on the outside. A
Bella Ortley-Guthrie/Old Gold & Black
Cosplayers Dama, left, and Imani, right, dress up as their favorite characters from different animes. lot of our staffers will say things like, ‘Hey — question — do you like to people-watch? Do you want to do a badge check with us because, usually, we have two people indoors?’ We want to make sure that this con stays a place to make friends because it's such a niche community,” Albarn said. The convention’s niche community aspect brings all humans together to celebrate their love for each other and anime. Walking around the convention center as an anime novice, I was in awe of the costumes and how cosplayers emulated specific details in their costumes. Cosplaying provides people a sense of agency — it gives them the means, power and space to express themselves and explore their identity. It provides a space for individuals to step back and view themselves through another lens and grow self-confidence to not only love others but to accept themselves. In the hallways of the convention center, a group of cosplayers stood clustered in a circle. A man stood taking photos of another man in a wheelchair. The man in the wheelchair was decked out in a silver costume — his arms and legs detailed with silver spray and mechanical designs. With the help of his friend at his side, the man sitting down pressed a button on his chair, enabling himself and the costume to stand up in full form — a silver transformer-esque figure. Pride beamed across his face as people complimented his costume. What I realized at this moment was that it didn’t matter if you knew the anime or not — people and children stood in awe at the superhero in front of them. This moment encapsulated the spirit of the anime convention and community — that while the anime characters might be fictional, they offer the power for anime lovers to become superheroes. Contact Bella Ortley-Guthrie at ortlbs21@wfu.edu
Life | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, April 14, 2022 | Page 15
'Morbius' flops in eyes of both critics and the public The latest Marvel production sparks wave of hilarious memes BEN WILCOX Staff Writer “Morbius” is an act of hubris. After facing many setbacks and delays, the Sony/Marvel venture aspires to be an intense character study of two men faced with the challenge of fighting off a rare disease and the lengths each will go to survive. However, it falls short of its goal by a large margin. “Morbius” is what you get when studios assume they can release anything so long as it could potentially belong to a superhero franchise. They expect audiences to eat it up. “Morbius” is symptomatic of a disease that is becoming increasingly prevalent in Hollywood. The film is not that bad, but it is far from a good movie, even though everyone on set — from Jared Leto to Matt Smith — seemingly puts forward a legitimate attempt at making the tragedy of Dr. Michael Morbius come to life. The core issue with the movie is the script, which lacks any sort of depth or self-awareness — two things that it desperately wants to try
to show off at every turn. There are scenes where Leto’s Morbius struggles with the curse he has brought upon himself that are smushed together with Smith’s character goofily dancing around, enjoying his new disease-free body. This is also supposed to take place in the same universe as the recent “Venom” movies, but based on the two drastically different tones and characters, it is nearly impossible to imagine that the world Venom lives in is the same one that Morbius inhabits. All of this is part of a greater effort to potentially construct a larger cinematic universe where the rogue gallery of Spider-Man villains teams up for a future “Sinister Six” movie. It feels like we are due for a movie like this one every five years or so, where a studio wants to force all of their iconic characters into one movie, regardless of whether or not it makes any sense. Sony has already tried to do this — and failed — by stuffing “The Amazing SpiderMan 2” with villains and easter eggs hinting at a “Sinister Six” movie on the horizon. Then, in 2017, Universal attempted to set up their “Dark Universe” of monster movies with
the Tom Cruise-led “The Mummy.” It’s the perfect example of Hollywood putting the cart before the horse. Instead of trying to find a unique tone and vision that will keep audience members entertained, these films opt to play to the lowest common denominator and come off as lazily-made, “color-by-the-numbers” features. A bright spot in the gray cloud that is “Morbius” is the endlessly entertaining role in meme culture the film has played online. From being the “Batman movie for real adults” to “becoming the first movie to sell a trillion tickets,” the “#MorbiusSweep” being promoted online is everything that the movie should have been. It is ludicrous that this movie could even be considered a major release from a major studio — and the tone of the movie should have reflected this. Instead, what shows up on screen is a dark and dreary mess that doesn’t know whether it wants to be a serious drama about a man who can’t control the curse he brought upon himself or be the quippy, empty meal that most Marvel movies have become as of late. It’s a forgettable movie that I’d recommend skipping for now.
DOOM and Dilla: Paving a path for underground hip hop FINNEGAN SIEMION Staff Writer Everyone knows figures like Biggie Smalls and 2Pac in the rap industry as well as the braggadocious lifestyle of mainstream rappers and the chart-topping hits from Drake every year. The trap beats with repeated syncopated hi-hats make an appearance on nearly every hip-hop track heard today. Auto-tune vocals, laughably large chains and an abundance of colorful sports cars surround the culture of mainstream hip hop. Yet, these mainstream characteristics do not encapsulate the entire scope of hip hop. If you look beneath the surface of mainstream hip hop, you’ll find an underbelly of artists and sound that embraces going against the grain — led by a comic book supervillain who relentlessly raps about food, rapping without a chain and about the perception of time. If you do not know who I’m talking about, you are probably not alone. The masked rapper/producer MF DOOM has solidified his name in the folklore of underground hip hop while simultaneously paving the way for artists occupying the limelight of the underground scene today. Ask any underground hip hop fan about MF DOOM, and it is almost guaranteed they will be able to spit a few iconic bars. That’s because while Pac, Biggie and Dre were leading hip hop in the late '90s chasing fortune and fame, DOOM be-
gan to make a name for himself by sticking to what he knew best: cartoons, food, fairytale-like storytelling and boom-bap beats. DOOM released his first project “Doomsday” in 1999 and attracted attention for his unique style. It was clear that DOOM was comfortable with not chasing a glamorous lifestyle, building his career under the persona of a comic book villain. DOOM created and controlled his image under a mask, giving himself the freedom to shape his character as he wished. What lies beneath the mask is a mystery — you can only use what DOOM provides lyrically and sonically to draft your own perception of what lies beneath the mask. This freedom is rare in hip hop because the image of a rapper is often tied to their real-life identity. DOOM was able to push the boundaries of rap. No longer is it the case that rap is supposed to “sound” or “look” a certain way. For example, on the “MADVILLAINY” track, “Operation Lifesaver: aka Mint Test”, DOOM takes you through a dinner date with a lady who has unbearable breath, and he contemplates if and how he should tell her. His 2004 record “MM… FOOD” uses food analogies throughout to explain his perception of the world. DOOM proved that nothing defines hip hop — no particular sonic style, topic or lifestyle. And ultimately, I think this is what separates the mainstream from the true underground hip hop.
Photo courtesy of Forbes
MF DOOM was instrumental in fostering a new environment within the hop hop community that was more inclusive and experimental.
Not to hate on mainstream hip hop — I still love chart bangers — but there’s certainly less pressure beyond what the mainstream media covers. Every action, song and movement is judged and analyzed by media and fans alike, creating the pressure to maintain a certain lifestyle or sound. For underground hip hop, however, there is encouragement to appear different and run astray from social norms. This sense of freedom is a partial driving force behind why underground hip hop is appealing. Underground hip hop mostly revolves around relaxed, drum-focused beats that use samples to drive the track. Many producers take liberty with sample selections as well, testing the limits of what is possible with sampling. It is often the case that the deeper the sample sound bites are underground, the more unique and talented they will be. Producers will take sound bites from 1950 TV shows all the way to Beastie Boys’ vocals to mix, reorganize and repurpose in beats. Legendary producers like J Dilla and Madlib revolutionized sample chopping with their distinct styles. Dilla invented the style of chopping records purely to the kicks and hits of the drum set, ignoring overlaying melodies. What emerges is a clean drum beat, giving Dilla the creative freedom to craft basslines and pair vocal inflections for a remixed melody. Madlib is the king of crate digging. He pulls perfect sample loops from records and pairs them to make beats. The quality of a beat can often outshine a rapper’s verse, even if the verse is a solid one. This highlights the importance of hip hop’s two-step process, as no great track exists without both rapper and producer pulling their own weight. Raised on the foundations laid by DOOM, Madlib and Dilla, artists currently occupying the underground scheme continue to push the limits of hip hop. From Earl Sweatshirt to the rap trio Griselda, sample choices continue to be more obscure and verses continue to evolve in rhyme and flow. As mainstream hip hop evolves with pop culture and TikTok, the hidden world of the underground continues to push the perceived technical and cultural limits of hip hop.
Photo courtesy of Forbes
"Morbius" fails to live up to audience's hopes of success. Contact Ben Wilcox at wilsui20@wfu.edu
THE HOT LIST TOP 10 THINGS TO SAY LOUDLY AROUND A TOUR GROUP
1.
"Yeah, luckily I only have, like, three exams tomorrow"
2.
I love it here. Everyone listens to Skrillex
3.
Wake Forest is so eco-friendly... everyone wears the same outfit every day!
4.
Did you hear about that girl that got hit by a hammer last night?
5.
Do you know anyone here that has found joy or meaning in their life?
6.
Yeah, well, all I've had today is an iced coffee
7.
It's too bad Wake Forest has so much mold in the dorms
8.
Administration should really do something about those ghosts in NCA
9.
There's no way our football team ever does that well again, right?
10.
I am a bucket for oats
Page 16 | Thursday, April 14, 2022
Old Gold & Black | Life
Wayward Fashion Take a glance at some of the looks from the sustainable club’s latest show ABBY KOMISKE Staff Writer
The Wayward Fashion Club presented a sustainable fashion show on the night of April 8 at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), which is across from Reynolda Gardens. The outfits for the show were curated from local thrift stores by Wake Forest students, with up-cycling as the focus for the 70s-themed Funkadelic looks that graced the runway. A pre-runway event took place within one of the galleries. Wake Forest’s Indian dance troupe, the Deacon Dhammal — whose deep red and bright gold lehengas might have stolen the show before it even started. Afterward, Fifth Son — a student band — gave the audience a fantastic pre-runway performance with two funky songs. After the runway, the audience was invited into an open market for sustainable products — jewelry, purses, leather jackets, knit hats, antique jean jackets — from local artisans and vendors from the Winston-Salem and Wake Forest communities. The main event of the night was the fashion show, in which the models worked their way
around the back of SECCA, strutting down the cobblestone steps and around the audience before circling back into the building. SECCA itself is worth nothing. It is where the museum’s fusion of regal, old southern mansion meets postmodern glass, ceramic tiles and metal to create this valuable and beautiful multidimensional building. The outfits the models wore were electric, funky and super groovy. Coming from local thrift shops — Cosmic Circle Vintage, Snop Shop, Finders Keepers Vintage, wheresdatfrom and Estrada Upcycled Apparel — the outfits reflect the creativity of Wake Forest’s students. Think of any and every shade of jean jacket, platform Converse, curvy bellbottoms, high and low-waisted jeans and amazing, heeled platforms. Models wore classic white Nike Blazer ‘77 shoes, pale yellow and deep red corduroy, pink plaid, bold and glistening velour — you name it. So many trends were brought back to life, making me think that I was in “The Bad News Bears” or some other non-horror 70s movie. The show was beautiful, bold and entirely eccentric. Some outfits made me ready to end
my bank account once and for all, while some made me thankful that I was born in the 2000s. Either way, the designers matched outfits and looks perfectly with their models, working to create looks that manipulate old clothes into something entirely new. So, on to my top looks. Opening the runway was a baby blue, elegant ball gown with a sweetheart neckline and short-sleeved ruffles. While the look might remind some people of regrettable prom dresses, this 70s floor-length dress stole the show. It was gorgeous and regal, recalling the 70s’ emphasis on color, texture and dexterity. The model’s entire look affirmed the groovy theme, with her hair and makeup accentuating the vibe. My next favorite is tied between two very contrasting outfits. The first was a matching blood-red, velvety corduroy set — the pants were just a little flared at the end, and the button-down featured gold and silver patchworks on the chest and upper back. The palm trees, moon and stars were so fun and engaging. The other was reminiscent of my old family photos of my dad getting up to trouble — the model sported beat up vans, high white socks; ripped
yellow jean shorts from Levi’s and an orange, red and white button-down. What really made the outfit great was that the aforementioned button-down plaid shirt had sleeves that flowed in the wind as the model strutted. Another classic look — one that I really think should come back in full — was a model’s brown Converse, white, high-waisted pants, satin orange top and a mid-length trench coat in show-stopping red and white. It bordered just between current clothing trends and 70s throwbacks. Also, while my mom may tell me jean-onjean outfits really don’t work anymore, I still think there is a time and place to appreciate that bell-bottom and worn jean jacket look, especially with retro white, blue and red Nike’s — like one of the models in the show. The fashion show was once again a big hit for Wake Forest’s Wayward Fashion Club, which was able to truly showcase how easy it is to buy and revitalize sustainable clothing while having a fun time. If you missed out on the show, just check out their Instagram @waywardfasion.wf. Contact Abby Komiske at komiak21@wfu.edu
Katie Fox / Old Gold & Black