February 27th, 2019

The Times-Delphic Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019

Volume 138, No. 19

www.timesdelphic.com

Drake students work to combat homelessness

DRAKE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN REGGIE’S SLEEPOUT. This is an event where participants sleep outside to experience what homeless people go through on a daily basis. The event raises awareness about homelessness in Iowa. PHOTO BY CASSANDRA BAUER | CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Sam Amadeo Staff Writer sam.amadeo@drake.edu @samamadeo

Recently, there has been a string of days where the temperature was negative 20 and the windchill was tinkering somewhere around negative 50.

Most of us were able to weather it out in heated rooms and buildings with full meals to warm us up.

That was not the case for the 11,890 homeless citizens living in Iowa, 3,805 of which live in Polk County alone according to Hope Ministries.

Though homelessness in Iowa decreased 0.3 percent from 2017, according to a Channel 13 report, long-term homelessness increased by over 8 percent that year.

In a state known for extreme weather conditions in both summer and winter, some Drake students advocate that more can be done to end this crisis facing many citizens.

Drake’s Neighborhood and Community Engagement Manager, Ryan Arnold, described how the university is working to combat the problem.

“Drake has been involved with

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Reggie’s Sleepout since 2005 and hosts the event every fall,” Arnold said. “It is an annual event to raise awareness about homelessness in our own community and all around the state of Iowa.”

Reggie’s Sleepout started in 2001 after a homeless young man named Reggie was found dead due to exposure.

Homeless deaths are still a problem in the state as 24 homeless citizens died in 2017 from exposure, according to a Register report.

During Reggie’s Sleepout, people sleep outside in boxes, tents and sleeping bags to get a sense of what homeless citizens go through on a nightly basis.

In 18 years the Sleepout has had over 10,000 particparants and raised more than $1.7 million.

Moreover, Drake fraternities and sororities have been involved in several homelessness projects over the years, and Colleges of Pharmacy and Law have provided free medical services and pro bono legal work.

Drake has also worked with organizations such Joppa in 2017, building “tiny homes” for homeless citizens.

Still, there is much more to be

done Arnold said.

“One out of five youths in Iowa do not know when their next meal is coming,” Arnold said.

Nearly 25 percent of all homeless households in Iowa include children.

Arnold said a way for Drake students to help by using “little pantries”. Similar to “little libraries,” these pantries are mailbox sized and shaped, and can be filled with non-perishable items such as diapers and peanut butter.

Three of these pantries are located on Drake campus, one on 2507 University Ave. right outside St. Catherine of Siena.

The city of Des Moines has published initiatives in the past in order to prevent and decrease homelessness in Des Moines; however, some organizations advocating to halt homelessness in Iowa, such as Jopaa, are critical of the city government.

According to Iowa Public Radio, in 2014 the city government posted eviction notices at eight homeless camps in one month.

Community Development Director Phil Delafield stated that the reasoning behind these evictions from makeshift homes and camps was due to community complaints.

In many cases these homeless citizens attempt to find shelter at the Central Iowa Shelter and Services and similar shelters, but these shelters only have so many beds to offer.

Additionally, many homeless citizens are wary of going to shelters, especially those with children and mental health problems who fear for their safety and being in such a crowded space.

Mayor Frank Cownie and City

Council members Chris Coleman and Connie Boesen were reached for a comment but none of the three responded.

If one is interested in volunteering or interning to help homeless Iowans and stop homelessness in the state contact Central Iowa Shelter and Services, Youth Emergency Services and Shelter or Joppa. Additionally pantries can be found at http:// mapping.littlefreepantry.org/.

STUDENTS SLEEP IN TENTS AND CARDBOARD BOXES while participating in Reggie’s Sleepout. PHOTO BY CASSANDRA BAUER | CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Drake Opera Theater conducts Falstaff Savanna Bous Contributing Writer savanna.bous@drake.edu

The Drake Opera Theater conducted Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff, a classic Italian tale that took center stage in the Performing Arts Hall, on Feb. 22-24, 2019.

The Friday and Saturday showings started at 7:30 p.m with the Sunday a matinée taking place at 2:00pm.

This production of Falstaff was put on by Stefano Vignati, director and conductor, and Leanne Freeman-Miller, music director.

Freeman-Miller has been teaching as a voice professor at Drake University for over 20 years.

Stefano Vignati is in his third year working at Drake but has dedicated his entire working career to Opera.

This was the first opera done by the duo at Drake University.

“It’s difficult but it’s short,” Vignati said. “It’s an opera for the young.”

Falstaff is about a man who sends two identical love letters to different women. Both women are aware of what happened and plot

their revenge. Congruently, their husbands see the letter as well and plot revenge because they think they’ve been cheated on.

“The women are smart and constantly ahead of the men,” Alice Lind, assistant director, said.

“The women are very clever in this show which is where a lot of the humor comes from.”

Lind is a current senior and has participated in the Drake Opera since freshman year. She started out in the chorus and now she is the lead mezzo soprano as Dame Quickly.

Diego Valdez was invited to participate as the lead tenor.

Vignati and Valdez originally met in Italy.

“My first experience working with Drake students was actually in Italy, but I was blown away by the level of talent Drake students have and the fact that they’re all undergrads because they’re all so young and all so good,” Valdez said. “I feel like Drake is uniquely blessed with really talented singers.”

A wide age range is present in the Drake Opera Theater. Freshman

to seniors to professional operatic singers all come together for Falstaff.

Usually, the annual Drake opera occurs later in the spring. With less time, the rehearsals for Falstaff started the third week of school in the 2018-2019 year.

A commitment like this took quite a lot of work ranging from a minimum of four hours of rehearsals a week, outside coaching and individual work.

“I’m always excited when everything comes together,” Freeman-Miller said. “When

the orchestra arrives, when students put their costumes on and their makeup – suddenly their transformed. It’s magic.”

After months of practice and planning by the opera members and staff, the show opened.

“It will make you laugh, we’ve worked our butts off and opera is truly for everyone,” Lind said.

“I feel like especially now with our generation and how strongly we relate and express ourselves through music and pop culture that’s entirely what opera is about.”

FALSTAFF was preformed from Feb 22.-24. The opera was conducted by Vignati and Freeman-Miller. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE OPERA THEATRE

02 | News

Feb. 27, 2019

News Innovation Studio encourages student entrepreneurship Taryn Ripple Staff Writer taryn.ripple@drake.edu

The Drake University Innovation Studio aims to foster entrepreneurship among students by stimulating creative thinking and providing opportunities for them to create and build.

On Wednesday, Feb. 20, the Studio hosted an event that invited students to make their own vinyl stickers. The event, which took place in the Innovation Studio located in Meredith Hall, was attended by several dozen students who stopped by to create a personalized sticker.

To make their own custom sticker, students first used computers to pick out a digital outline of what they wanted their sticker to look like.

Next, they scanned the image to a tool called the Silhouette Cameo, a device that contains a blade to cut a sheet of vinyl into the desired shape. The Silhouette Cameo then carved along the shape’s outline.

Students were able to easily remove excess material by hand, and their sticker was complete.

Learning how to make a DIY sticker isn’t the only skill students who partake in Drake’s Innovation Studio programs can gain. The studio offers its participants a number of opportunities to explore their creative sides and to experiment with different types of technology.

“The Innovation Studio exists to try to get students to think more creatively,” Chris Snider, professor of the journalism department, who helps run the program said.

The sticker making program is only one of many activities offered

by Drake’s Innovation Studio.

The group typically hosts at least one event per month with events range from student presentations to hands-on activities such as the vinyl sticker making day.

Snider explained that the sticker making project is one of the studio’s most popular activities as it’s fairly simple and quick to do.

Other events from the Innovation Studio include T-shirt screen printing, creativity fairs and 3D printing demonstrations.

Snider said that a mission of the Innovation Studio is to knock

down barriers that may stand in the way of a student’s goals or ideas.

Snider used the example of app developing to illustrate this point: if a student has an idea for an app but doesn’t have the skills or means to make one, the Innovation Studio is a good resource for that student to use in order to find someone who can help them bring the idea to life. Snider explained that, in this way, the Studio is meant to help students connect with one another to advance ideas and creativity.

The Studio can be a gateway to entrepreneurship, and the experiences that are gained from the Studio can eventually lead to something on a grander scale, like starting a business or creating a product.

According to the Drake Innovation Studio website, “The Drake Innovation Studio’s goal is to help foster creativity and entrepreneurial spirit on Drake University’s campus.

We want to help students make connections on campus and in the Des Moines community.” They also host an innovation week which poses a series of challenges for students to complete.

Snider also noted a student group known as the Innovators, a club that convenes to build and create together.

The Innovators often host events on Saturdays for students who are interested in innovative and creative activities such as the ones promoted by the Innovation Studio.

According to Snider, the Innovators are a great group to consider joining as a prospective or aspiring creator.

VINYL STICKERS were printed out in an event hosted by the Innovation Studio. PHOTO BY TINA INTARAPANONT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

From ELM to Adams Academy: Leadership programs at Drake seek to cultivate future leaders Peyton Maulsby Contributing Writer peyton.maulsby@drake.edu

There are several leadership programs at Drake, inside and outside of the classroom.

Many think they know what leadership means, but these programs take a unique approach on how to build those leadership skills up.

Kristin Economos, the director of student leadership programs outside of the classroom, discussed the different programs she oversees and what the benefits are of each individual program.

The first program is the Emerging Leaders Model, or ELM for short. This is a seven week workshop series for first-years that teaches them how to have habits, routines and relationships that are worth following.

Leigh Carlson, a current member of ELM, shared what she thought of this program so far.

“To my surprise, the program is not just interacting with people,” Carlson said. “Actually, it’s very little about interacting with people and just the structure of leadership.

More so it’s about gaining a better sense of self and being your best self. And I think it’s wonderful because you cannot lead other people and you cannot direct other people if you are not at your best.”

The second program is Adams Academy, which was the

first program created under this umbrella.

The Adams Academy is a semester-long, intensive leadership experience for sophomores, juniors and seniors.

The objective is that, once you’ve developed strategies and skills in ELM to be at your best self, then you can be at a place where you can successfully lead other people. So this program is more of what you’d expect from a traditional leadership program, but through a different lens because of the foundations of treating yourself

One of the most important things that you can gain as a college student is the selfawareness and the social skills to be an influence to the people that you’re around. well first.

Under this umbrella, the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute, or DVALI for short, also covers three events every year.

Every semester, Drake hosts a Sussman Leadership Conference, which most recently took place

this past week on Feb. 23. The event hosts a speaker with a new leadership perspective for all Drake students to hear from and learn from.

DVALI also hosts two other events in the spring semester. One is the Florence Meyers Wallace Lunch, which is an opportunity for student leaders to meet with the Board of Trustees members in April.

The last event is the Adams Leadership Convocation, which recognizes and celebrates the achievements of student leaders on campus.

One may not consider themselves to be a leader; however, Economos recommends one should take part in these programs.

“I think leadership is something that a lot of people still think about in terms of positional power,” Economos said. “So ‘I’m only gonna need to be a leader if I’m gonna be a boss or supervise people’ but I think that one of the most important things that you can gain as a college student is the self-awareness and the social skills to be an influence to the people that you’re around, to make them feel known and valued and heard and to work well with them to get positive change to happen and get things done. And I think that when you look at leadership that way, everybody not only has the ability to be a leader, but everybody has, really, the requirement to be a leader.”

STUDENT SENATORS posing with keynote speaker Zachary Wood who spoke about leading across the divide at the Sussman Leadership Conference. PHOTO COURTESY OF GIADA MORRESI

Student senate meeting discusses sustainability, funds Will Bredensteiner Staff Writer will.bredensteiner@drake.edu

In coordination with the Drake Environmental Action League, Student Body President Jose Garcia-Fuerte is working towards making Drake more environmentally sustainable with regards to energy efficiency.

“Work is being done,” GarciaFuerte said.

The Student Development Fund, from which the student senate pulls funds from for one-time funding requests, currently has 59 percent of its budget remaining at $28,496.

One can apply for one-time funding requests on the student senate’s webpage at drakesenate.com.

Occupational therapy student Sara Schankerman came to senate to request funds to present research findings at the National American Occupational Therapy Association Conference in New Orleans.

Schankerman requested $900 to cover travel, registration and lodging. In total, around 20 Drake students will be attending the conference and only one other student has requested funds from

senate. Schankerman will be receiving academic credit for attending the conference.

There was deliberation among the senate as to whether they should allocate student funds to academic credit and whether any of the other 20 students have the same right to come to the senate and request the same funds.

For academic credit, it is against student senate’s bylaws to allocate funds if credit is involved, but last semester the senate did approve the Self Care Fair even though the coordinator was receiving academic credit.

“We should at some point should have been more conscious about the consequence and precedent,” Vice President Bakari Caldwell said. The motion did not pass.

Drake Outdoor Leadership Club came to senate to request $2,192.50 to cover travel and registration costs for their conservation trip to Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Twelve students are expected to go.

Part of the trip is “working with the American Chestnut Foundation we (DOLC) will help plant seeds for the spring season and aid in their efforts to restore a species that

has been historically and culturally important in America.”

There were some concerns that this trip was a Spring Break trip rather than a conservation trip, but it was brought up by Senator Ian Klein, “It is a trip that just happens to be over Spring Break.”

It was proposed and passed to strike $100 from the motion because there were days over the trip where conservation service was not being conducted. The motion overall was passed.

Movement Ministry came to seek organizational approval to be an official group on campus. The purpose of Movement Ministry is to “move in a deeper relationship with Jesus and others through devotion, service and community.”

Movement Ministry meetings are open to all regardless of religious affiliation and will seek on promoting awareness of mental health issues. The group was not approved, but one many contact danella.sahadeo@drake.edu if they are still interested in joining.

Psi Chi came to seek organizational approval to be an official group on campus.

According to their website, the purpose of Psi Chi is to “encourage,

stimulate, and maintain excellence in scholarships of the individual members in all fields, particularly in psychology, and to advance the science of psychology.”

Psi Chi members must be a second semester sophomore or higher and have a GPA of 3.40 or above. Psi Chi is open to psychology majors and minors. Psi Chi plans on putting on events such

as panels. Psi Chi was approved as an official student organization. If you are interested in joining, they can contact michelle.gereau@ drake.edu.

Student senate meets in Cowles Library, in “The Fishbowl” Room 201, on Thursdays at 9 p.m.

Students can also view the meeting at live.drake.edu/dbs/. All are permitted to attend or watch.

Feb. 27, 2019

03 | Features

Features Drake department gives spotlight to womens’ issues

WOMENS AND GENDER STUDIES DEPARTMENT hosted a happy hour event in Medbury last Friday. The event featured student speaker Jocelyn Rimes, who shared her experience in the Netherlands, learning about the difference in national identity and sexuality between the Netherlands and the U.S. PHOTO BY TINA INTARAPONONT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Taryn Ripple Staff Writer taryn.ripple@drake.edu @TarynRipple

On Friday, Feb. 22, Drake University’s women’s and gender studies (WGS) department hosted a happy hour featuring a keynote speech from junior Jocelyn Rimes. The event took place in the Medbury Honors Lounge and offered its attendees food, drinks and conversation.

Rimes, who is majoring in English and LPS with a concentration in women’s and gender studies, is a student worker for the WGS program. During the happy hour event, Rimes spoke about her semester abroad in the Netherlands and how national

identity, sexuality and race differ in terms of Dutch and American ideals.

While abroad, Rimes did work for the Black Archives, an organization whose mission is to preserve and collect pieces of African American history and to make them accessible to the public.

One of Rimes’s responsibilities was to build and maintain the group’s digital archive, which is constantly growing and changing along with history.

Rimes explained that she originally came to Drake as a biology major, but switched to a more artistic area of study upon discovering departments like WGS and LPS. “I like learning about systems in society and how gender and

sexuality play into that,” Rimes said.

The happy hour event was also a celebration of the end of the program’s supply drive for survivors of human trafficking. The drive, which had been an ongoing project for two years, collected donations of basic necessities like toiletries, feminine products and other personal items. Members of the WGS program packed the donations into backpacks and presented them to representatives from Teens Against Human Trafficking at the Feb. 22 happy hour.

Junior Melanie Dahlstrom is also a student worker for the WGS department. Dahlstrom is pursuing a double major in English and religion with a concentration in

women’s and gender studies.

Dahlstrom said that the women’s and gender studies field is an important subject to be knowledgeable about as it is applicable to a lot of other fields and can enhance one’s professional life.

“Being able to work for the department is really meaningful,” Dahlstrom said. “It’s fun to help in whatever way possible.”

Professor Melisa Klimaszewski of the English department is the director of the women’s and gender studies program at Drake.

She explained that the happy hour events hosted by the WGS department are open to everyone and is a chance for those who attend to socialize with other attendees and to learn more about

the WGS program.

Klimaszewski said that the WGS happy hours can also be opportunities to spotlight the work of students pursuing concentrations in the gender studies field, like Rimes’s speech about her experience abroad in the Netherlands.

Klimaszewski described the Feb. 22 happy hour as a way for those involved in WGS to celebrate the end of their work on the supplies drive and to connect with the community as a whole.

“I think it’s still a really important movement on campus,” said Klimaszewski about the WGS program. “It supports work on gender and sexuality in a unique way that students and faculty still really appreciate.”

Drake resources ease students’ internship search Ashley DeLarm Staff Writer ashley.delarm@drake.edu @ashleymd161

While trying to balance any mixture of classes, work, extracurriculars and social activities, it can be difficult for college students to gain real world experiences prior to graduating.

In today’s competitive economy, internships and previous work experience are valued by potential employers, explained Annette Watson, a liaison in the office of Professional and Career Development Services at Drake University.

“Internships are always pretty competitive just because to have that related work experience on your resume when you apply for a full-time job is a great selling point to have,” Watson said.

Despite the fact that internships can be difficult to obtain, Drake’s website says that many students complete at least two internships before graduation. The University offers opportunities for resume and cover letter critiques, mock interviews and general preparations for the professional world as well as several resources to find and apply for positions.

One of the resources being used by the faculty and students of Drake University, as well as employers nationwide, is Handshake. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication Internship Coordinator Carlyn Crowe explained that Handshake is a

useful tool for students to find opportunities as well as employers to search for potential interns.

“It’s the premiere way to connect directly with employers if you want to, or you can use your profile site to inform faculty or advisors or career services people of what you’re interested in and what you’re doing,” Crowe said.

“We’ve had great success with Drake as far as interns go,” Jenni Hipwell, the Human Resources manager at Zirous, an IT consulting firm located in West Des Moines said. “We’re looking for someone who’s eager to learn and as long as you have the drive, you’re eager and you’re professional, we’d love to have you on board.”

Drake services along with networking opportunities helped Liz Rambhia, a junior mathematics major at Drake, find the Traveler’s Insurance Business Intelligence and Geospatial Internship program last summer. Rambhia gained real world experience in the business intelligence industry by working in teams to learn about the business itself, while preparing for the end of summer presentation “I’ve learned to network and not really be afraid to speak up in a room full of adults or people that are much more experienced than me, so I think that’ll be a valuable experience to talk about in future job interviews,” Rambhia said.

“Get as much information as possible on your handshake profile as soon as possible because you never know when somebody might be looking to match you up with somebody,” Crowe said. She

went on to explain that networking is a large aspect of the career preparation process, but in today’s digital world, having a professional online presence is essential, and Handshake is Drake’s resource for creating that presence.

“I would encourage students, we can help no matter where you’re at,” Watson said. The Office of Professional and Career

Development Services averages over one thousand appointments a year assisting students in preparing for their professional careers.

Everyone from first-years looking for help building their resumes to seniors searching for full-time positions have resources that are available for them year-round at Drake.

As far as internships go, career

services professionals from several of Drake’s colleges have explained the value they add to a student’s portfolio. One may explore Handshake, Drake Media Gigs, and major Facebook pages frequently, and meet with Professional and Career Development Services on the second floor of Aliber Hall or in Meredith 120 for an experience kickstart.

04 | Features

Feb. 27, 2019

Scientific explanation for butterflies in your stomach

Features Diversify your knowledge with two majors

Drake eases the pressure of double majoring

Olivia Hecker Contributing Writer olivia.hecker@drake.edu @OliviaHecker

Julie LaFranzo Contributing Writer julie.lafranzo@drake.edu @JulieLafranzo

As you may have guessed, the sensation of having butterflies in your stomach is not actually bugs in your stomach. There is a scientific meaning behind it and it starts with something called your fight-orflight response. This response is what you get when you are scared or frightened or uncomfortable with something and you choose to either fight or run away from it. Dr. John Grohol, the founder and CEO of Psych Central, stated in his article “What’s the Purpose of the Fight or Flight Response?”, that this response existed very early on in the evolution of humans and occurs to ready the body to a perceived threat in our environment.

For me it sometimes feel like I’m going to throw up and you can feel your heart beating.

The reason you get these butterflies scientifically is that when you go into the fight-or-flight response there is an adrenaline rush in your brain that causes extra blood flow to areas where it needs it, like your legs to run away. But, if one part of your body is getting more blood flow, then another needs to be getting less blood flow and so your body will send less blood to your stomach to compensate.

The nerves in your stomach can sense that loss of blood flow due to the loss of oxygen (because blood carries oxygen throughout your body) and those nerves could be what is causing the butterfly feeling in your stomach because of the signals those nerves are now sending out.

Kassadie Mink, president of Crawford Residence Hall, described the feeling as if something is “tapping your stomach”.

“For me it sometimes feels like I’m going to throw up and you can feel your heart beating really fast,” Mink said.

People feeling like they are going to throw up is actually quite common because of that loss of blood flow. Butterflies are often caused by nerves and being in a situation that is unfamiliar, and so for Mink, she experienced butterflies when she first started as president.

“My first few decisions, I had butterflies because I was afraid I was going to mess it up,” Mink said. “[But] as I’ve become more comfortable in the role that I’m taking the butterflies start to go away and I know how to handle it.”

Cece Sanchez has a different perspective as a theater major.

“Anytime we open a show it’s just this feeling of ‘oh god what’s going to happen,’ but the more you do it the more you get used to it,” Sanchez said. “I try not to let that happen because when you do let go of those nervous it brings down the quality of the performance.

Because, for me, it keeps me on edge and keeps me alert.”

This is a benefit of butterflies for some: keeping you on edge. So for Sanchez, and some other theater majors, it’s important to have that to focus. For others, butterflies can be a disadvantage because it can make one lose focus if they are uncomfortable in those meetings and fearing throwing up is not the best in that particular situation. And yet, many get butterflies whether they want them or not.

It’s not uncommon for students at a university to consider committing to more than one major.

Double majoring is seen by many as an opportunity to diversify one’s level of knowledge. With many options for majors, it may be hard to only choose one. Ask almost any Drake student what their major is, and one will likely hear more than a single word response.

Nick Mitchell is a first-year student at Drake double majoring in Computer Science and Data Analytics. Although he is already double majoring, he is looking into adding a minor outside of those fields. Mitchell decided to commit to these two majors when he saw a lot of overlap between the two fields “A lot people had spoken to me about double majoring while I was still considering going to Drake,” Mitchell said. “Of course it will also look great on a resume!”

Mitchell would recommend double majoring to incoming freshman or those considering it,

especially if the fields the student is looking into double majoring in are similar.

“There will be a lot of overlap, so it won’t be a lot of extra work,” Mitchell said.

Senior Riddhi Soni, double majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience, said she wanted to double major because psychology and neuroscience complement each other “very well in terms of science.”

Soni plans on attending medical school after graduating from Drake.

Throughout her college career at Drake, Soni shadowed doctors from the Atlantis Fellowship abroad in Patras, Greece and also had a chance to intern as a Direct Support Professional in Des Moines at Mainstream Living.

Soni said double majoring will likely help her in the near future with medical school.

“Double majoring helps make me a well-rounded student and able to see things from a different perspective,” Soni said.

Like Mitchell, Soni recommended other students to get out of their comfort zone and double major, if it is something they are passionate about.

Leigh Carlson, a first-year

student, is not only double majoring but also triple minoring.

Leigh is majoring in International Business and International Relations. Her three minors are Spanish, Economics and Studio Art. Carlson said although no one particularly recommended double majoring or triple minoring to her, Drake has made it very easy for her pursue this.

Carlson stated that by having such a wide range of majors and minors, Drake has allowed her to explore her interest and gain a diverse range of knowledge.

“Double majoring is also very beneficial to me because of the two available fields that pair my different interests,” Carlson said.

Drake offers over 140 majors in six colleges and schools: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business and Public Administration, School of Education, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and the Law School. Drake recommends students meeting with their advisor or a representative within their field of interest to consult with about your career plans and discuss different majors, minors or concentrations.

Feb. 27, 2019

05 | Sports

Sports

Women’s baskeyball defeats Evansville and Indiana St. Bulldogs now riding a six-game winning streak; retain No. 24 in AP rankings Hannah Cohen Staff Writer hannah.cohen@drake.edu @seamammals

The Bulldogs took on Evansville (1-13 MVC) and Indiana State (1115 MVC) this past weekend to finish off their February homestand and keep their first-place rank in the Valley and AP No. 24 rank. They first faced Evansville on Friday and got a 66-39 win and held the Aces to only scoring three points in the third quarter, the fewest Drake has allowed in a quarter since the switch to the quarter system in 2015.

To add to the two wins, Sara Rhine surpassed her 1,500-career point mark in her second basket in the Evansville game, Brenni Rose had a conference high of 13 points to lead just behind Rhine and Becca Hittner got a game-high 33 points versus the Sycamores. The Bulldogs held Indiana State to a third quarter of only scoring eight points.

I thought we did a really good job of having some fun today and getting some ball movement.

The match against Indiana State started off less smoothly than the Evansville match, as both teams failed to put a basket in until three minutes in when Hittner stole the ball and Rhine put one up off the glass.

SENIOR GUARD SAMMIE BACHRODT gets ready to explode up to the basket against the Indiana State Sycamores. The Bulldogs took home the W, beating the Sycamores 96-77 to bring their winning streak to six games. PHOTO BY HANNAH COHEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

“We just tried to create a little bit too much,” head coach Jennie Baranczyk said. “You have to credit Indiana State, I think they do a great job on the defensive end and it was really hard when we came to halftime.”

As the first half continued, the lead changed 12 times and the Sycamores maintained a lead for the majority of the first quarter until Hittner and Sammie Bachrodt put up a couple of threes to get a 27-23 lead at the end of the first.

“I think we had our moments this game,” Hittner said. “We were able to bounce back from those moments that weren’t so good and reset ourselves and get back to playing [our game].”

In the second, both teams regrouped and went basket to basket with five more lead changes but Drake achieved a 48-43 edge on the Sycamores, yet shooting percentage went from 70 in the first down to 33 in the second.

“I thought we did a really good

job of having some fun today and getting some ball movement,” Hittner said. “We were really able to pick up the ball in the second and get some baskets out of that.”

After halftime the Bulldogs had their highest scoring quarter adding 28 to the board to get a solid lead and despite Indiana State getting 28 in the fourth, they still could not beat Drake. Other leaders in this game include Rhine with 21 points, Dean with 16 and Bachrodt with 10.

“They are a really physical team,” Baranczyk said. “It’s really nice when you can look at the stat sheets and [see that] we are sharing the ball really well.”

Drake heads to Missouri State this weekend to seek revenge against the Bears and keep the conference lead after they head to Southern Illinois to play the Salukis March 1 at 6 p.m. Travel to Missouri State will be provided by Drake and students can sign up for bussing this week.

Men’s tennis team joins national rankings at No. 46 Erin O’Boyle Staff Writer erin.oboyle@drake.edu @erin_oboyle1

The Drake men’s tennis team had another busy weekend with double headers on Friday, Feb. 22 and Saturday, Feb. 23. However, the excitement started long before Friday’s double header.

Last Wednesday, it was announced that the Drake Men’s Tennis team was nationally ranked at No. 46 on the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Along with the national team ranking, Tom Hands and Vinny Gillespie entered the individual ITA rankings at No. 64 for Hands and No. 72 for Gillespie. This wasn’t senior Tom Hands only recognition last week.

Hands, from Fulbourn, England, was named the Summit League Men’s Tennis Player of the Week on Feb. 19 for his play during the Utah State, Indiana and UC Santa Barbara matches that were played two weekends ago.

Hands was undefeated at No. 2 singles all weekend, with an upset of No. 25 nationally ranked UC Santa Barbara player Joseph Guillin. Hands also played at No. 3 doubles with Calum MacGeoch over the weekend, and was undefeated there as well. Hands commented on this recognition.

“Getting any recognition for how I play is a privilege and always helps the confidence to know I need to keep doing the same thing,” Hands said. “I just stay focused on each game as it comes and try to keep my energy high every time from when I step on the court till when the last ball is struck! That and having the belief that I can beat anyone playing my game.”

With the Summit Player of the Week and a new national ranking

under their belts, the Bulldogs entered their busy weekend with a match against nationally ranked No. 15 Oregon. With a 10-1 record, Oregon came into Friday’s match with the upper hand. The Bulldogs managed to secure wins at No. 2 singles, where Hands battled long and hard to ultimately clench the win in the first set score of 6-3, then falling in the second set 2-6, and finally winning the match in the tiebreaker 7-6. The Bulldog’s No. 1 doubles team, Vinny Gillespie and Barnaby Thorold, also managed to upset a nationally ranked doubles team in a set score of 6-4.

Ultimately, the Bulldogs lost to Oregon in a final score of 1-6.

With no time to sit and analyze their match against Oregon, the Bulldogs jumped into their second match on Friday against Omaha.

In an impressive show of strength, the men’s tennis team secured wins at No. 2, No. 3, No.4, No.5, No. 6 singles and No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to ensure a team win over Omaha, 6-1.

The next day, the Bulldogs began their second double header of the weekend with a match against North Dakota. In another impressive sweep of their opponent, the men’s tennis team swiftly took down North Dakota.

Gillespie at No. 1 singles defeated his opponent in set scores of 6-3, 6-4. Summit Player of the week, Tom Hands, won in both sets 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. No. 4 singles player Calum MacGeoch won 6-4 in both of his sets to claim the victory for the Bulldogs. Senior Ben Clark at No.5 singles won in 6-2, 6-4 set scores and Finley Hall at No. 6 singles similarly won his match in 6-4, 6-2 set scores.

All Drake doubles teams won their matches, with Gillespie and Clark at No. 1 doubles winning 6-2, Bayo Philips and Hall at No. 2 doubles fighting until the end with

REDSHIRT-SENIOR BAYO PHILIPS carefully grabs onto his racket during a match over the weekend. The team of Philips and Finley Hall defeated the No. 2 doubles team from Nebraska 6-2 . PHOTO BY TINA INTARAPANONT| STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

a set score of 7-6, and finally No. 3 doubles Hands and MacGeoch with a final set score of 6-1. The impressive effort by the Bulldogs against North Dakota resulted in a 6-1 overall match score that bumped Drake to a season record of 9-4.

The Bulldogs weren’t done yet.

At 6 p.m. on Saturday night, the Drake men’s tennis team hosted the Nebraska Huskers at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center. Hands at No. 2 singles won 6-3, 6-2. No. 4 singles player Bayo Philips clenched the Drake victory against his opponent in 7-6, 6-4 set scores.

Calum MacGeoch at No. 5 singles won with set scores of 6-1, 6-4 and No. 6 singles player Ben Clark finished with a 6-2, 6-2 end score.

Again, the Bulldogs doubles teams

displayed their resilience against the Huskers and had another overall sweep in the doubles department.

Philips and Hall, at No. 2 doubles, were victorious with a 6-2 set score. The same can be said for No. 3 doubles team consisting of MacGeoch and Hands who also were victorious with a 6-2 set score. No. 1 doubles, Gillespie and Thorold, were in the lead with a 5-4 set score, however the match was left unfinished. Overall, the Bulldogs pulled out the win against the Corn Huskers in a 5-2 overall match score. This win against Nebraska marks the third win for the Bulldogs over a Big Ten team, making them 3-0 against Big Ten teams this season.

With four matches in under 36 hours, it may come as a surprise

that the Bulldogs pulled out such impressive scores. Tom Hands, who is one of the leaders on the team expressed how important it is to be in the right state of mind for scenarios like these.

“Staying focused and keeping your individual and the team energy high is important, because that is when we play our best,” Hands said. “When we’re bouncing off each other’s energy we’re seriously up there with the best teams in the country!”

With a 10-4 record for the season the Bulldogs will travel to Wichita, Kansas to face Oral Roberts University and Wichita State University on Friday, March 1 and then up to Minnesota to play the Golden Gophers on Sunday, March 3.

06 | Sports

Feb. 27, 2019

Sports Drake Softball sweeps the Razorback Invitational Hannah Cohen Staff Writer hannah.cohen@drake.edu @seamammals

Drake softball continued the start of their season this past weekend in their second tournament of the year, the Razorback Invitational hosted by Arkansas. Drake played and won a total of 5 games and added to their season record of 10-4.

They started off the tournament playing IUPUI (2-9) on Friday, Feb. 22 and swept the Jaguars in a 5-0 game with Nicole Timmons, pitcher, allowing IUPUI one hit for the entirety of the game as she dominated the mound for all seven innings and got a career-high 13 strikeouts in her second-ever shutout.

The Bulldogs got two of their five runs in the bottom of the first and the first inning proved to be crucial in both games. Libby Ryan, infielder, drove in the first of two runs versus IUPUI in her first at bat and managed to steal home. In the second match of the day against SEMO (8-6), Kennedy Frank, infielder, nailed a single down the right foul line and got two runs in followed by freshman utility Alexia Lara’s double into left leading two more to score.

After the two wins on Friday,

Drake added another two in a 7-5 rematch against SEMO and 3-1 win over No. 12 Arkansas (9-4).

Versus SEMO, Mandi Roemmich, infielder, led Drake going .750 for the match with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI. In the second-consecutive win over SEMO, Drake started off hot holding SEMO in the first and adding three runs up under the support of Timmons. SEMO came back in the second and scored five, but Drake held them for the rest of the game to get the victory.

Drake continued to bring the heat against Arkansas Saturday when Nicole Newman, pitcher, upped her winning streak to two and got a two-run double in the first to keep Drake ahead the entire game. She pitched a complete game with 11 strikeouts to mark her fifth match of the season with more than 10 strikeouts.

“Beating No. 12 Arkansas was really good for us,” Roemmich said. “It was good to come back from last weekend and to come back strong. Our pitching was really together and on our hitting we really started jumping on them early in the games.”

To finish off the invitational, Drake faced SIUE (5-5) Sunday morning and got a 3-2 win to finish the tournament going 5-0.

Timmons added another win to

DRAKE SOFTBALL PITCHER Nicole Newman stares down a pitcher before her at-bat during the UNI Dome Tournament in early February. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS

her 6-2 season record pitching 6.2 innings with seven strikeouts before Newman relieved and got out of bases loaded only allowing one run in the sixth.

The Bulldogs scored all three of their runs in this game after Roemmich and Macy Johnson, outfielder, got back-to-back walks and Ryan drove Roemmich in with

her fifth single of the tournament.

Three more consecutive walks led Frank and Taryn Pena, infielder, to get the last two runs.

Next, Drake heads to Tucson to face No. 14 Arizona on Thursday, Feb. 28 before kicking off the Wildcat Invitational, which runs through the weekend. The Bulldogs are set to play Arizona

again, Kent State, James Madison and Minnesota twice.

“I’m really excited for this weekend, we have some really good challenges,” Roemmich said. “[As far as the tournament goes], this is the best set of teams we’ll play all year so it will be a good challenge for us to see where we’re at.”

Men’s basketball in three-way tie for first in MVC Drake Lohse Staff Writer drake.lohse@drake.edu

All week long, the Bulldogs have been locked in a dance with the top spot in the MVC Conference.

It started last Tuesday night.

Drake hosted Bradley at the Knapp Center, where the Bulldogs have posted a 12-2 record this season.

Their three-game winning streak, hot off the loss to Loyola back on Feb. 5, helped propel them to a three-way tie for No. 1 in the Missouri Valley with Loyola and Missouri State.

The Braves spread the ball at a torpedo’s pace, and had Drake on their heels early. The Bulldogs spent the better part of the opening half playing catch-up with Bradley’s high powered offensive.

D.J. Wilkins put up seven quick points to spark an 11-2 Drake run as time waned in the first period.

Capitalizing on the momentum, Drake took a convincing 42-36 lead into the locker room at the half.

Loyola. Missouri State. Drake.

Those are the three teams that were vying for control of the MVC Tuesday night. With an 8-8 conference record, Bradley had nothing to lose in Des Moines.

The Braves came out firing in the second half. They opened with a 17-9 run. Bradley looked smooth, delivering on 7-for-10 from the floor to Drake’s abysmal 4-for-13.

The Braves wrestled away a 55-53 lead at the under 12 media timeout.

In a game that featured 10 lead changes and 11 ties, nothing was certain. Senior standout Nick McGlynn hit an easy jumper from the block to bring the Bulldogs within one. The bucket sent the Bulldogs off on a tear. With just under five minutes, Drake held on desperately to a 70-65 lead.

The action wasn’t over. Bradley countered with a run of its own, inspired by forward Elijah Child’s thunderous dunk off the fast break.

The Braves found themselves back within three, and only 38 seconds remained.

Garrett Sturtz refused, downright refused, to let the Bulldogs fall. The first-year from Newton shattered a Braves fullcourt press, sending a long-range missile down court for Nick

SOPHOMORE POINT GUARD Noah Thomas pushes the ball up the court against Illinois State University on Sunday. The Bulldogs fell to the Redbirds for the second time this season 60-67. Drake currently is tied for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference with Loyola and Missouri State. In Drake’s remaining two games of the regular season, they face Indiana State and Missouri State. PHOTO BY HANNAH COHEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

McGlynn. McGlynn buried the easy, crowd-pleasing dunk, and gave Drake a comfortable five point lead.

We were able to get to the free throw line and that was able to keep us in the game while our offense sputtered.

On the ensuing possession, the 6’3” Sturtz muscled his way up over 7’1” Elijah Childs for the game clinching rebound. The buzzer sounded on a 77-68 Bulldog lead, and Drake found itself in sole possession of the number one position in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Sturtz’s late-game contributions were telling of a team effort Tuesday night. The Bulldogs needed all hands on deck for an uptempo battle. Sporting his signature headband, Anthony Murphy tied his career high with 12 points, and senior Brady Ellingson continued his greatest hits tour with 17 points and two threes.

“We did a nice job of being in attack mode and forcing the issue,” Ellingson said. “We were able to get to the free throw line and that was able to keep us in the game while our offense sputtered.”

But the tango for first place was far from over. Drake’s first place glory was short lived. A Wednesday night Missouri State loss provided hope, but Loyola downed Southern Illinois the same day. The Bulldogs went from tied, on top, to tied again within 24 hours.

Missouri State redeemed itself with a win on Saturday, and once again, the battle for the top seed in the MVC was a three way headlock. Drake departed for Illinois State with first place ambitions and statistics on their

side. The Redbirds dropped Drake at home the last time the two met, but the Bulldogs have only lost twice to the same opponent once this season.

Nick McGlynn and Tramell Murphy combined for 31, but woeful shooting from the perimeter (26 percent) sent the Bulldogs packing, at the business end of a 67-60 loss.

Drake was unable to shake the Redbirds, but Loyola fell to Southern Illinois Sunday night. At the end of a whirlwind week, the Bulldogs were right back where they started— knotted three ways for control of the MVC. “It came down the wire again,” Drake head coach Darian DeVries said. “We weren’t quite ourselves in the first half, but came back in the second half, competed hard and did a nice job getting the game even. Down the stretch, we weren’t able to convert on some opportunities and they had some guys make some big plays.”

Drake looks to break the threeway tie once again on Wednesday, Feb. 27 when they play host to

Indiana State at 7 p.m.

How the rest of the MVC is doing: Team

Conf.

1. Drake 2. Loyola 3. Missouri St. 4. UNI 5. Bradley 6. Illinois St. 7. Southern Il. 8. Valparaiso 9. Indiana St. 10. Evansville

10-6 10-6 10-6 9-7 8-8 8-8 8-8 7-9 6-10 4-12

Ovr. 21-8 17-12 16-13 14-15 16-13 15-14 15-14 14-15 14-14 10-19

Feb. 27, 2018

07 | Commentary

Commentary Learning life lessons through movies What can viewers learn from “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?”

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY was redone and released in Oct. 5, 2013. It follows Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) through daydreams that lead to real world adventures. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON Grace Baumeister Contributing Writer grace.baumeister@drake.edu @gracebaumeister

Ever since I was younger my family would go to the movies.

Even though prices of popcorn and tickets changed, the fact that my family went never did. We would swarm to the screen like moths drawn to a flame. Whether we saw the films through Blockbuster, the television, or now Netflix we would always come back for a glimpse of another life. These movies helped us escape from the real world for a minute and transport away to a new reality. Every film had a message or a theme. To be completely honest I am a sucker for uplifting movies.

Movies that are unrealistically wrapped in a bow show me a glimpse of a world unlike my own where I have no influence over the outcome.

My all-time favorite movie is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It was released in 2013 and is based off of a book by the same title. It stars Ben Stiller as the main character, Walter. Many people haven’t seen the movie, yet it has something about it that has an unshakeable hold on me. I believe this is due to the message that it portrays to anyone who is watching. For those who have never seen it the movie is about a man, named Walter, who

works for Time magazine. Walter always daydreams about what his life could be like. He goes on amazing adventures during his daydreams in which he is the hero.

Due to a series of events he goes on his own adventure and eventually stops daydreaming about what his life could be like. This is because instead of walking the edge of the unknown he takes the plunge and his life is better for it.

What would have happened if I had put myself out there and taken the risk?

I am a more introverted person so sometimes I can hold back when I want to say or do something.

Afterwards, I always have the question, “What would have happened if I had put myself out there and taken the risk?” This movie puts that question to the test and shows that sometimes it is best to put yourself in a new

experience. You could avoid so many contemplative showers if you just trusted your gut and let loose The idea of putting yourself in a new and uncomfortable situation is daunting. I always measure the pros and cons of what would happen if I took a risk. Whether it was on orientation day and I was introducing myself or just joining a different club on campus my nerves controlled my actions. However, what I never seem to weigh is the unknown benefits that could come from these situations. I suppose this is because since I didn’t take the risk I could never even begin to know what the benefits from the situation might have been.

Don’t risk it for the biscuit is a common phrase that I have heard many times. However, what I have learned from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is that sometime you must risk it for the metaphorical biscuit. When life gives you lemons you shouldn’t spend time wondering if people will like it before you start squeezing them.

No, you grab the lemons and make the lemonade because who knows, maybe everyone loves lemonade and they were super thirsty. It may all pay off in the end. So make that lemonade and risk it for the biscuit because is a life without risk but full of regrets worth it? I don’t think so.

Interpretation of society following Oscars Ivy Beckenholdt Managing Editor ivy.beckenholdt@drake.edu @iv_why_98

Yes, I think it was very kind of Chris Evans to help Regina King onstage at the Oscars. No, I don’t think he should be regarded as a hero.

At the Oscars Evans put his arm out for King to ensure she wouldn’t fall and suddenly Twitter was praising him as a “gentleman.”

People published an article titled “Chris Evans Helps Regina King to the Stage at the 2019 Oscars, Proves Chivalry Isn’t Dead.”

I know that some may say I’m thinking about this too critically or that I’m too much of a feminist, but honestly why are people rewarding men for having common courtesy?

Focusing on how “nice” a man is takes away from the true meaning of the Oscars. It was a monumental night for communities that have historically been left out of the Oscars.

Roma, a Mexican drama, won

three well deserved Oscars. Roma focused on the life of a domestic worker in Mexico, a focus that has been historically taboo. In an industry that often highlights the lives of exciting historical figures it was refreshing and important to showcase a film like Roma that broke away from the typical mold. Roma won for best director, cinematography and foreignlanguage picture.

Alfonso Cuaron, filmmaker, in his acceptance speech stated, “I want to thank the academy for recognizing a film centered around an indigenous woman, one of the 70 million domestic workers in the world without work rights, a character that has historically been relegated in the background in cinema,” Cuaron said. “As artists our job is to look where others don’t.”

This should have been the main focus, in my opinion, of the Oscars.

The president recently called for a declaration of emergency regarding the border wall. In a time when the leadership in the United States often refers to people from

Mexico as a threat, it is important for us to determine the truth for ourselves. As a white person, I think it is my responsibility and the responsibility of other white people to recognize our privilege and to use it to bring attention to issues that disproportionately affect people of color. The recognition of the success of people of color is important because it can inspire children and people of color in a world that often ignores them.

This is why it frustrates me that a large focus on Oscars night is that Chris Evans helped Regina King up the stairs. Regina King should have been recognized for winning her first Academy Award for Actress in a Supporting Role.

As a society we should not applaud white men for not being toxic.

We should not applaud anyone for doing the bare minimum. We should applaud those who create, work and advocate for the rights of others. We should recognize and applaud the work of people of color.

BEN STILLER has starred in many other movies, including the Night at the Museum trilogy and Tropic Thunder. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON

08 | Commentary

Feb. 27, 2018

Commentary R e i n v e n t i n g Smollett the iconic doll

Jussie Controvery

Barbie’s newest makeover

Emma Brustkern Contributing Writer emma.brustkern@drake.edu @emma.brustkern

Savannah Kluesner Staff Writer savannah.kluesner@drake.edu @savannahkluesner

On Jan. 29, when news of the alleged attack against Jussie Smollett broke, I was utterly outraged. Smollett, well-known for playing Jamal on the hit television show “Empire,” was reportedly the target of a hate crime.

Smollett reported the details of his alleged attack to the Chicago Police Department, stating that he was assaulted by two individuals who yelled out racial and homophobic slurs and told him this was “MAGA country.”

Additionally, Smollett told police that his attackers poured an unknown chemical substance on him and wrapped a noose around his neck.

The surge of support following the incident was massive. Fans, as well as activists, rallied around Smollett, posting messages on social media praying for his well being and praising him for his strength. Many people viewed it as a prime example of the society we live in, given that the number of hate crimes in the United States has gone up in recent years. According to the FBI, hate crimes rose 17 percent in 2017 alone. Furthermore, a 2018 study by the Human Rights Campaign shows that 67 percent of black LGBT youth surveyed had been verbally insulted and 30 percent had been physically threatened. Many people are aware that it’s a dangerous world for people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Even so, the fact that someone with a certain degree of fame had been targeted felt like a punch in the face. If even celebrities like Smollett weren’t safe, how could anyone like him feel comfortable roaming the streets?

So when police said they had taken suspects in for questioning, I had hope that there would be justice for this situation, that the queer community and people of color could at least have one win under their belt. Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of the story.

The details that are to come are among some of the most baffling I have ever seen. After a pair of Nigerian brothers who were assumed to be the attackers were taken into custody, the police released them and said they were no longer suspects. Instead, police identified Smollett himself as a suspect in the case, claiming that the entire attack was faked because Smollett was unhappy with his salary. The police allege that Smollett paid the brothers, one of whom was an extra on “Empire,” to stage an attack against him.

Smollett turned himself in on Feb. 21. He faces a felony charge for disorderly conduct for allegedly

You can tell a lot about a culture based on the toys it markets toward children. When I was little, interactive baby dolls were all the rage. The goal was to be as realistic as possible; there were dolls that wet their diapers, dolls that gurgled and cried and dolls that moved their heads and spoke. The Barbies, too, were interactive. They sang and talked, they were made of rubber so that they could bend like a gymnast, and they even had their own pets that could use the bathroom like real animals. Although these dolls seemed to be highly realistic, there was one thing missing: diversity.

Besides the occasional Barbie with a darker skin tone, every doll was the same. They were all perfectly proportioned with the same miniature height measurements and waistlines. The Ken dolls were always buff and beautiful; no Ken ever had facial hair or even a different facial structure.

Uniformity was sold to children in every box.

Today, as the world opens its eyes to the beauty of diversity, Barbie and Ken are reflecting these societal changes, one plastic package at a time. Today’s Barbies come in all shapes, sizes and skin tones; the Barbie Fashionista line is especially in tune to this, making cute and lovable clothing for dolls that are petite, curvy, and tall, among other characteristics.

The dolls themselves are more and more diverse; beside a tall, beautiful African-American doll stands a short, curvy redhead, while a gorgeous Asian doll waves to aisle-goers. And the makeover

JUSSIE SMOLLETT has been starring in Empire since 2015 as character Jamal Lyon. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

filing a fake police report. Although his lawyers say that they are going to mount an aggressive defense on Smollett’s behalf, his situation is arguably dismal as police say they found phone records that show he talked to the alleged attackers before and after he was allegedly assaulted, and a text from Smollett that shows he paid the brothers $100 to buy supplies.

Smollett is innocent until proven guilty, and that is something I will maintain until a verdict is come to. However, if Smollett did lie, it is a complete and total betrayal of the communities he has strived to fight for and represent.

The pain and anguish I felt for him, that the communities who were affected felt for him, has turned to confusion and anger.

The fact that someone would use hate as a weapon to promote their own career is beyond despicable.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I am deeply concerned about the repercussions of Smollett’s alleged falsehoods.

This one highly publicized story is already serving to discredit hate crimes as a whole. Even prior to this case, victims of violence have had to answer to critics regarding the credibility of their attacks, only serving to further traumatize them. If Smollett’s story is false, as law enforcement believes it to be, then he is only causing more trauma for some of our countries most marginalized communities.

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The backlash resulting from his potentially made-up attack could likely discourage other victims of hate crimes from coming forward for fear of not being believed.

After news broke that Smollett might be lying, I immediately felt disheartened. And yet, at the end of the day, I am not sorry that I believed Smollett’s story. No one, especially those from the black or queer community, should feel shame or guilt for believing him.

The fact of the matter is, whether or not the attack on Smollett is real, hate is alive and well in America. The Matthew Shepherd Foundation reports that since Smollett came forward with his version of the story, 410 hate crimes have been documented.

Those numbers should alarm you, and they need to be given the same amount of energy and passion that we originally gave Smollett.

I think it’s important for anyone following this story to remember that false reports are the exception, not the rule. If Smollett did lie, that is truly detestable, but it won’t stop me from continuing to believe victims. There are people out there who are suffering due to the hatred of others. Those individuals are in need of compassion and sympathy.

I’m proud to say that I will continue to believe victims, and I will continue to speak out against homophobia, racism and any kind of bigotry. I hope you all will do the same.

is not just for the ladies; Ken dolls have been given a makeover as well. From dad-bods to man-buns, Ken dolls also sport a variety of features and characteristics, a far cry from last decade’s dolls. These changes, however, extend far beyond physicality.

While Barbie has been pushing their famous “I can be anything” line for a long time by giving their dolls a variety of jobs and careers, they have gone even farther today, including even the most obscure and wonderful occupations in their latest line. This Christmas, while shopping for toys for my nieces and nephews, I found a beekeeper doll, complete with her own hives, bottles of honey, and tiny bees that clipped into the beehives.

Another toy for sale was a male barista dressed in an apron with a description of what a barista does on the back of the box. Gone are the days of beach Barbies and dream playhouses only; now Barbies and Kens have jobs to do and complex lives to live. Finally, “I can be anything” extends beyond the world of science and politics, proving that baristas, too, are an important part of society and can also make a difference in the world.

While Mattel still has a lot to do when it comes to inclusion and representation, I think that this sight is incredibly heartwarming. For the first time since Barbie and Ken’s inception, they are finally made to look like any little girl or boy who plays with them, something that could not have been said even 10 years ago. Children no longer have to feel left out while playing dolls.

These new toys also encourage children to follow their dreams, no matter what those dreams may be.

That’s a lot of hope to be found in a small plastic package.

BARBIE has recently been redefining their dolls to become more relatable to younger boys and girls. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON

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