September 28, 2018

THE APPALACHIAN Sept. 28, 2018

USC RACE AND EQUITY CENTER REPORT PAGE 2

EQUINOX CELEBRATION WELCOMES FALL PAGES 10-11

CLUB SPORTS: APP STATE APPARATORS PAGES 14-15

News

Sept. 28, 2018

App State ranked last in North Carolina by black student equity report Moss Brennan । @mosbren । News Editor

A

pp State was given an F in Representation Equity, a D in Gender Equity, a D in Completion Equity and a C in Black Student-to-Black Faculty Ratio in a 50-state report conducted by the USC Race and Equity Center.

The report was conducted to study the status of black students at every four-year, non-specialized, public postsecondary institution in the nation, according to the USC Race and Equity Center.

Shaun Harper, founder and executive director of the race and equity center, said less-diverse schools are scattered across the country. He also said the study shows the widespread ways in which public institutions are failing black students.

“I think all credible reports, like this one, are important for self-examination,” Willie Fleming, App State chief diversity officer, said in an email.

North Carolina’s overall equity index score was a 2.23 while App State’s overall score was 1.00. Western Carolina came in second to last with a 1.25 score and the highest score was UNC-Pembroke at 3.00.

Harper said one goal of the study is for schools to collaborate. For example, schools that receive an A in a category would teach best practices to schools in their state that scored poorly in the same category. Harper said each category is important because it gives institutions to see specifically where they are failing.

“Some schools need to understand: sure, you got black students to come there, but you failed them once they got there,” Harper said.

The USC report only provides

2

Nora Smith । @noraagracee । Editor-In-Chief

data about black students. It does not provide any data related to other races or diverse identities.

“Other kinds of diversity are important on campuses, too, but our goal was to show the areas where institutions could improve for black students,” Harper said.

For App States Student Government Association, they believe that reports like this are important.

“SGA as an organization understands how important it is that these reports come out and that they happen because they expose the true inequalities of higher education,” Gaby Romero, sophomore anthropology major and director of social sustainability, said.

Kendall Rankin, Black Student Association graduate assistant studying public administration with a focus in diversity management, said he thought having different identities and perspectives in the classroom would expand academic freedom.

The study was done based on statistics from the 2016-2017 school year and involved 506 public institutions in all 50 states.

Romero said they thought diversity is already being improved as the Honors College is made up of 25 percent of diverse students. Three years ago it was 12 percent.

“I absolutely think that the grades will get better,” Romero said. “I think we have already seen huge growth when it comes to that and I feel like we’re going to see more in the future.”

App State’s highest grade was a C in Black Student-to-Black Faculty Ratio. The ratio of black students to black faculty at App State is 35-to-1.

“In my program I’m focused on diversity management and a lot of the research shows that the more diverse of faculty staff that you have, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to recruit students from other marginalized populations as well,” Rankin said.

Black students make up 3.6 percent of the student population for the fall 2018 semester while white students make up 82 percent of the student population, according to App State Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning data.

“I think (this report) has shown what we’ve always known: That there are students who don’t feel comfortable and don’t feel represented,” Romero said.

While this report was done on the 2016-17 statistics, Fleming said he believes that App State will have a better grade in the future.

“Our overall university population is now the most diverse in university’s history, and our underrepresented population has grown more than 35% in four years,” Fleming wrote.

“It is important we are not only improving numbers but that we are also working on a culture of inclusive excellence.”

Fleming also wrote that App State is always striving for improvement and that people should read this report as well as App State’s own institutional data.

“I truly believe our students, faculty and staff believe in inclusive excellence and in valuing all people, and we are working every day as a campus to live these values,” Fleming wrote.

To download the complete report, visit https://race.usc.edu/.

College/University

Equity Index

College/University

Equity Index

Appalachian State Univeristy

1.00

UNC Charlotte

2.50

East Carolina University

2.25

UNC Pembroke

2.25

North Carolina State University

2.75

UNC School of the Arts

3.00

UNC Asheville

2.75

UNC Wilmington

2.50

UNC Chapel Hill

2.00

West Carolina University

1.25

UNC Greensboro

2.25

Graphics Credit: Efrain Arias-Medina Jr.

News Brief App State suffers from uptick in malicious email activity Brooke Bryant ― @laurenbrooke_x3 ― News Reporter

I

T Support Services sent an email to students, faculty and staff in regards to an increase in malicious email activity occurring the past few weeks and how to not become a victim of email attacks and fraud attempts.

In the email, IT Support Services acknowledged recipients on the many forms that email attacks can take with the five most common being phishing attacks, malicious email attachments, fake job emails, sender spoofing for cash transfers and fake fundraisers.

Phishing attacks usually consist of fraudulent emails with links to pages that once a person clicks, it will steal their user IDs and passwords, which is also a common theme in malicious email attachments. If someone receives a malicious email attachment and clicks on it, attackers can gain control of their device.

Fake job emails and fake fundraisers will advertise in order to get people to participate in illegal monetary transactions. Sender spoofing for cash transfers consists of individuals impersonating someone else to convince them to transfer funds.

IT Support Services ended the email by saying that the three major steps someone can take to protect themselves are to report suspicious messages, not click on links or open attachments of suspect messages and make sure their computer stays up to date.

The email also asked to forward suspicious messages to phish@appstate. edu for the IT Information Security team to review.

News

Sept. 28, 2018

New National Pan-Hellenic Plots and Garden to be dedicated Saturday Michael Edgerton। @TheAppalachain । News Reporter

T

he under construction National Pan-Hellenic Plots and Garden will be officially dedicated at 10 a.m.

Saturday, as part of the events for Homecoming Week.

The ceremony will be located in the quad between I.G. Greer Hall, Roess Dining Hall, and the BB Dougherty Administration Building.

Historically, the plots can be traced

back to the end of the Civil War, in which seized Confederate lands were divided into 40-acre plots and utilized for homestead development, according to the NPHC’s website.

Today, these symbolic Plots and Garden are a place of celebration for the National Pan-Hellenic council.

Each organization will have their own garden plot, which will include the organization’s crest, founding date,

charter date and the names of charter members, NPHC chapter president Inna Colon-Villafranca said.

Colon-Villafranca said the plots are a place for them to be recognized.

The project had been in the works for 11 years, beginning with the passage of the Student Government Association Senate Bill 040-024, but hadn’t officially begun until the land was dedicated last homecoming. It

The NPHC Plots and Garden is under construction between IG Greer Hall and the tennis courts on East Campus. The project is projected to be finished by the end of the semester.// Photos by Brendan Hokestra

was then that the NPHC announced to alumni and members that the project would require $50,000 to construct, Colon-Villafranca said.

“The alumni really took charge of it. A plot committee was established with a design team, financial team and education team,” Colon-Villafranca said.

Along with alumni support the NPHC formed a partnership with the SGA, who Colon-Villafranca said, “really helped move it along.”

“The community has been very supportive. Our excitement was contagious,” Colon-Villafranca said.

Colon-Villafranca continued and said the plans for the unveiling ceremony include a speech by a chapter representative and a chapter member in regards to the history of plots, and the journey of how App State came to have a garden plot. After each plot is unveiled, alumni and students will be welcomed to reflect and celebrate.

The plots will be open for student reflection but may also be used for different Greek life events such as socials or fundraising, Colon-Villafranca said.

SGA pop-up shop helps students ‘Look Smart’ Anna Dollar । @Anna_Carrr । News Reporter

O

n Sept. 12, the Student Government Association and Career Development Center partnered in Rough Ridge on the fourth floor of the Plemmons Student Union for the first “Look Smart” shop, marking the beginning of a no cost series of PopUp Shops.

The “Look Smart” shop collects donations from faculty, staff, students and members of the Boone community to lend students business-style clothing, whether that be business casual or professional.

“It is to supply students with the attire they need for interviews, whether that be for a job, an internship or a scholarship,” Savannah Fonvielle, chief administrative officer of SGA and senior management major, said.

Since shopping for professional clothing can add up, this program works to take some stress off of students that need more clothes, Fonvielle said.

“It was an idea that sprang out of necessity,” Rawdon Marroquin, graduate assistant for the Career Development Center, said. “Working with stu-

dents and part of the student affairs, we noticed that students don’t always have access to professional clothing, so it was over a few years of transition that we noticed that there is that need for students to have professional clothing and professional items.”

Walking into an interview with a more refined look can allow people to have confidence that they are putting their best foot forward, Marroquin said.

Out of the 80 students that attended the first “Look Smart” shop, 35 were able to find items that they

could use, Geralyn Mitchell, assistant director of Career Development Center, said.

The first shop had more business casual than business professional clothing. There is also a desire for more blazers, sports coats and pant suits for men and women, Mitchell said.

If you have donations, there is a bin in the SGA office, the Career Development Center, Student Affairs and one in the sustainability office that could be used for the next shop, Fonvielle said.

Crime Log

SEPT. 23

12:52 a.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol Bowie Hall

Student Referral

SEPT. 23

11:44 a.m. | Possession of Marijuana Gardner Hall

Cleared by Arrest

SEPT. 23

10:37 a.m. | Possession of Marijuana 105 Parking Lot Cleared by Arrest

SEPT. 22

1:15 a.m. | Information South Lot PVA/Baseball Field Information Report

SEPT. 22

3:21 a.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol Cannon Hall

Cleared by Arrest

SEPT. 22

1:37 a.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol East Hall

Cleared by Arrest

SEPT. 22

12:48 a.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol Cone Hall

Cleared by Arrest

3

News

Sept. 28, 2018

Gacek seeks to embody freedom of speech, incorporate all perspectives Connor Beatty । @BigBeatty16 । News Reporter

Tyler Gacek, recently elected to serve as a freshman senator to SGA. // Photo Courtesy of SGA

B

eing a freshman political science major and first-year senator, Tyler Gacek aspires to be a voice for all students while also bettering himself and campus by obtaining different political perspectives.

Raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Gacek moved to Concord, North Carolina, three years ago where he graduated from Cannon School.

Gacek participated in model U.N., took advanced political science and government courses, and played violin and mandolin for the orchestra. This past summer, he interned for Richard Hudson, the North Carolina district eight house representative .

“I was a delegate for Cannon School’s model U.N. team, and through that, I realized I really loved to debate,” Gacek said.

By acquiring experience in formal debate and expressing opinion through representing others, Gacek said he believes student government was a step in the right direction toward his goal of running for political office.

Gacek’s mission as a freshman senator is to be a voice for those on

4

campus who do not want to suffer backlash. He strives to be available for all students who wish to express their beliefs, especially those who feel their opinions do not matter.

“I want to be a voice for students on campus who are afraid to speak their mind,” Gacek said. “I want to take the brunt of political harshness so others don’t have to.”

Gacek said he chose to attend App State for the natural beauty and because its atmosphere is different than what he is accustomed to. Gacek said he wants to be seen as open-minded, respectful and a resource for others who want to share their opinions.

As a new face in campus pol-

“... I knew that he had a lot of passion and motivation just by seeing the way that he operates, ...” itics, Gacek said he wants the public to see that he cares about people and the right to freedom of speech.

He encourages others to speak out and debate in a respectful and formal manner.

“I believe that intelligence can be gained through perspective, but perspective does not derive from intelligence,” Gacek said. “I wouldn’t learn any other opinions by going to a campus that just agrees with me.”

Gacek said another one of his goals is to expand clubs to fulfill general education requirements. As a member of the student affairs committee, Gacek said he hopes for a wider variety of credit opportunity for existing classes or clubs that are educationally or physically intensive.

“I believe there are plenty of club

sports that should count towards physical education requirements and there are many music programs that should count towards fine arts requirements,” Gacek said. “For example, marching band should count for both because it is very physical and very musical.”

Michael Maldonado-Melgar, freshman healthcare management major and friend of Gacek, said Gacek is determined to foster relationships between the entire political spectrum.

“I noticed that Tyler is very receptive to others’ opinions and is very willing to cooperate, which is an important aspect of leadership,” Maldonado-Melgar said. “Tyler is very passionate, focused and determined.”

Maldonado-Melgar said he has only known Gacek since the beginning of the academic school year but he quickly became friends with him and enjoys spending time with him socially.

“Upon meeting Tyler, I knew that he had a lot of passion and motivation just by seeing the way that he operates,” Maldonado-Melgar said.

“Tyler is also very selfless and always looks into how he can help others before thinking of himself.”

Dylan Bucey, freshman political science major and Gacek’s roommate, said Gacek wants what is best for the university and will fight for those ideals.

“We will never agree on actual political issues,” Bucey said. “However, I know he is determined to fight for what he believes in.”

While experiencing his first semester at App, Gacek said that he plans to bring unity to everyone on the political spectrum while representing the idea of free speech.

“Even though I have my own opinions, I must learn to understand others’ beliefs,” Gacek said. “I am going to work towards ensuring free speech and political discourse on this campus.”

Aiyana Willoughby looks forward to University College senator position Michael Edgerton । @theappalachian । News Reporter

Willoughby said she wants to be someone that students can count on.

Willoughby said she has a devotion to public service made evident by her work with the Plemmons Leadership Scholarship. As a member of the 40-member leadership program, Willoughby takes part in weekly meetings to discuss how to better campus. Recently she said she aided in the organization of the Walk for Awareness that took place Sept. 4.

Eyes towards the future, Willoughby said she definitely wants to run for SGA president and knows she

Aiyana Willoughby is one of five newly elected freshmen to the SGA Senate. //Photo Courtesy of SGA

A

iyana Willoughby, freshman journalism major, was elected as a Student Government Association University College Senator.

“I felt like it would be a disservice to App to not run,” Willoughby said with a laugh.

Having served as student body vice president at East Meck in Charlotte, Willoughby is no stranger to the inner workings of student government.

“I already knew how to do it,” Willoughby said. “I had experience in high school communicating with staff.”

Though she said she doesn’t have any grand plans for the Senate, the beneficiary of the Plemmons Leadership Scholarship, a scholarship that prepares students to become leaders, she prides herself on being receptive to her constituents.

“...I’m also honored that out of all the other well-qualified students, I was chosen...” can do it. Until she can make her bid for presidency, however, Willouhgby said she is thrilled to serve as senator.

“I’m extremely humbled,” Willoughby said. “I can’t believe I have the opportunity to jump right in as a first-semester freshman. I’m also honored that out of all the other well-qualified students, I was chosen to represent 3,000 people. I’m excited to start writing legislation that matters and speaking up about important issues.”

Aside from her work with the SGA and the Plemmons Leadership Scholarship, Willoughby can be found working with the Appalachian Popular Programing Society on the Spirit and Traditions Council.

News

Sept. 28, 2018

Ray For NC hosts Education Summit Connor Beatty । @BigBeatty16 । News Reporter

R

ay Russell, candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives 93rd District Seat, and his campaign hosted an “Education Summit” on Sunday at Appalachian Ski Mountain to share thoughts on how North Carolina can, and does, make education great.

“This event gives us the opportunity to push out the details of our faults in education in North Carolina,” Russell said.

The room was filled with future and current educators, retired teachers, parents, North Carolina Association of Educators presidents and representatives, county commissioner candidates, and board of education candidates.

“The quote that I love so much that I’ve seen Ray use recently is, ‘if we fail our schools, we fail.’ He gets it.

Education is the first priority in terms of our future,” Gary Childers, candidate for the Watauga County Board of Education, said.

Before the speakers presented, attendees were treated to food and music. Many engaged in conversation and collectively shared their support for Russell and his plans for education if elected.

“He has a unique ability of saying this really does affect every single one of us, regardless of our age, our education and where we live,” Willow Larson, Ray For NC intern and sophomore elementary education major, said.

Russell has been a computer science professor at App State since 1991. Before teaching at App State, he taught at Virginia Commonwealth and Freed-Hardeman University, according to Russell’s website.

“The values for education is understanding it’s our future. Our students of today are our citizens of tomorrow,” Larson said. “They need to be respected and supported. We need to respect and support their teachers. If you add those things together, you’re going to get an incredible citizenship later on and incredible students now.”

Russell said that education has always been a passion for both him and his wife Rhonda as they are both

educators. He also said that his wife was an early childhood educator for 22 years but is now a senior lecturer at App State in the Department of Family and Child Studies.

“The saddest thing I can think of is some kid in a rural county or inner city with a talent that never gets tapped,” Russell said. “Could they be the next scientist? Could they be the next musician? That is the saddest thing that can happen in the state of North Carolina, and I think it is happening.”

The special guest of the event was Jeff Jackson, North Carolina senator for the 37th District, who gave a speech sharing thoughts on the current standing of education and changes he hopes will be made.

“If we can impact just 1.5 million kids, that’s the biggest political win right there,” Jackson said.

Russell also accepted an endorsement from the NCAE. Jennifer Lacy, fourth grade teacher at Park-

way School and NCAE President for Watauga County, and George Zeller, seventh grade language arts and social studies teacher at Ashe County Middle School and NCAE President for Ashe County, presented Russell with the endorsement.

The NCAE is a professional association of public school employees who act as a voice for educators by advocating for those in the profession and for protection in the classroom, according to NCAE’s website.

“We need Ray. He’s going to be here for education no matter what.

He’s seen it through his own profession and his wife’s profession,” Lacy said.

A few of Russell’s proposed methods for improving education are supporting early childhood funding, guaranteeing teachers pensions and health care and changing how student testing impacts students and rewards for teachers.

“One way to value teachers is to pay them for the work they do. I mean, it’s numerous hours, before school, after school and on the weekends,” Lacy said. “The only thing we’re hoping for is the value in our pay for the work that we do.”

Russell and his campaign will host several more events about specific causes and debates on campus before election day on Nov 6.

1

2 1. Ray Russell addresses the audience of his education summit in conjuction with North Carolina Sen. Jeff Jackson. 2. Candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives Ray Russell hosted Sunday night’s education summit at App Ski Mountain. Russell and Jackson held the summit to celebrate Russell’s endorsement by the North Carolina Association of Educators.// Photos by Paola Bula Blanco

5

News

Sept. 28, 2018

Hunter sprints bottles of water to coast

Appalachian state athlete supplies florence survirors with more than 14,000 bottles of water Emily Broyles । @Em_Broyles । News Reporter

C

ameron “Cam” Hunter, sophomore molecular biology major and App State track team member, lives almost 304 miles from the Florence-devastated North Carolina coast, but the will to make a difference stands close. Collecting thousands of water bottles for survivors, Hunter is far from being finished.

Starting as a conversation with fellow resident assistant and sophomore recreation management major Caitlyn Brewer, days before Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina’s coast, Hunter turned App State’s hopes to help the coast into a reality. Brewer, passionate about having empathy for those no matter the location, is appreciative of her and Hunter’s teamwork to start the cause.

“I was a part of the initial conversation and idea, and he moved forward with his water bottle drive,” Brewer said in an email. “Cam is extremely passionate and extremely

driven. He had this idea, and he has ran with it full force.”

Hunter made it clear he had to do something to help, ignoring the five hour drive to eastern NC. He knew his position as athlete could truly make the RA’s and his dreams a reality by calling Pierre Banks, App State football alumnus and director of student-athlete development.

“I told myself, ‘what is there that I can do to help out?’” Hunter said. “(Banks) thought it was great, so he ended up stating, ‘well, if you can get the water, I’ll find you a source of transportation, and I’ll get you an area to put them in.’”

Before Banks allowed water to be stored in Kidd-Brewer Stadium, Hunter collected cases of water in his dorm, lining the walls of the room.

“I filled my closets with them,” Hunter said. “I put them anywhere I could.”

At the beginning of the water drive, Hunter and his team collect-

Cam Hunter, creator of the “MAKE AN IMPACT” intiative, has raised over 9,500 water bottles to donate to the victims of Hurricane Florence.// Photo by Vince Fortea

6

ed 410 cases in four days. The group has recently taken a break in collecting water and donations, regrouping after receiving almost 14,000 water bottles from 545 cases.

“We don’t necessarily have a limit yet. We plan to keep going for a while and will probably start sending them off sometime next week,” Hunter said. “We’re looking for drop off locations now.”

Sophomore english major and App State Popular Programming Society member Sarah Kelley said she is ecstatic with the group’s success so far and with Hunter’s leadership and friendly personality. Many from Kelley’s coastal hometown of Wallace, North Carolina, were affected

by Florence, so she finds pride in the water drive’s efforts in helping small communities.

“Knowing that I am here and can’t help breaks my heart, so participating and helping Cam with this mission was so important,” Kelley said in an email.

Kelley met Hunter through APPS and they later became best friends. Now, she is not only a friend, but a fan of Hunter’s charity work and mindset.

“When he wants something done a certain way he is definitely not afraid to tell you (but honestly with something like this who isn’t),” Kelley said in an email. “This water drive is personal and seeing him so passionate about helping others he doesn’t even know makes me so proud of him.”

While friends and family are proud of Hunter and his accomplishments so far, Hunter is proud to go to a school that supports minorities so highly. After being accepted to UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina State and UNC-Charlotte, App State was an easy pick for Hunter.

“I chose App State because they chose me,” Hunter said. “There’s so

Hunter displays his dorm room crammed full of water bottles. Hunter’s “MAKE AN IMPACT” initiative’s goal is to collect 25,000 water bottles to support the victims of Hurricane Florence.// Photo courtesy of Cam Hunter

many opportunities for minorities.

Any other school, I’m thinking, ‘maybe I wouldn’t be able to do this.’”

Along with being the head director of the water drive, Hunter serves as an athletic senator in student government and the residential association council for Bowie Hall.

He is also a member of APPS and Habitat for Humanity.

Hunter takes App’s athletic slogan “Make an Impact” seriously not only on the track, but everywhere.

“I’m more than just an athlete and use that slogan throughout any organization or club I’m in,” Hunter said.

Besides the numerous possibilities Hunter saw and chased at App, he said he felt at home with his twin brother and high school peers at the school. He is satisfied and motivated here in Boone.

“I’m happy that I’m here,” Hunter said. “Go App, let’s make an impact.”

Sept. 28, 2018

News

7

Arts and Entertainment

Sept. 28, 2018

Employees from Carolina CBD taking inventory of their products before the Hemp Festival at Folklore on Sept. 21.// Photo by Nate Fordyce

LOCAL CBD DISTRIBUTORS ADVOCATE EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE OF NORTH CAROLINA

HEMP INDUSTRY A

s public opinion about the effects and misconceptions of Cannabidiol oil continues to intermingle with those about psychoactive cannabis, Facebook group Hempformation hopes to clear the air.

8

Savannah Nguyen ред @TheAppalachian ред A&E Reporter

On Sept. 21, founders of Hempformation made their debut in Boone at Folklore with two other local CBD distributors, Carolina Hemp Company, located in Asheville, and Carolina CBD, located in Charlotte. In addition to selling their products, each group presented their mission state-

ments and offered complete transparency by allowing attendees to ask questions. Topics ranged from the potential agricultural impact of the hemp industry, especially for rural communities such as Boone, to the mounting medical benefits of having the option to choose CBD as an alter-

native to medications.

Brook Meeks, a mother of two, sat on a park bench as one of her children babbled to himself while attempting to eat an apple he marinated in the dirt as the other child tumbled on the jungle gym. Keeping an attentive eye on her kids, Meeks si-

multaneously opened up about CBD oil and how it inspired her decision to start Hempformation.

Brook Meeks said life after the birth of her first child came with little motivation, emotional distress and anxiety. It was not until her partner noticed that when taking their weekly

Arts and Entertainment

Sept. 28, 2018

1 visit to the river, she became so stricken with anxiety that it became apparent she was no longer her normal self.

At the time, Brook Meeks said she did not know how to identify what she was going through. Discovering she was experiencing postpartum depression took years. During that time she took measures to seek out holistic remedies as well as therapy and acupuncture in an attempt to treat something she could not identify.

After her second child was born she started to experience more intense postpartum side effects, Brook Meeks said.

“It got to the point where I was having a very hard time leaving my house,” she said. “I was so angry and so scared.”

The week she made an appointment to see her doctor about getting prescription medications to treat her anxiety, she discovered CBD oil.

Needless to say she cancelled her appointment.

“Within 32 hours my whole life changed,” Brook Meeks said. “In the week my anxiety was gone and I was more present with my children and my partner.”

She finally “got her sunshine back,” as her partner Seth Meeks put it.

Brook Meeks currently sells CBD oil and is a firm advocate for its medicinal implementation as is her

business partner Lynn Daly.

Daly called it an unwavering fire, a flame that ignited her desire to pursue the cause of legitimizing the mainstream use of CBD oil in North Carolina.

The source of Daly’s ambition comes from watching her friends benefit from the use of medical marijuana and CBD. “A friend of mine was suffering from severe endometriosis about a year ago and she went into full remission,” Daly said.

The recovery of her friend occurred without the use of prescription drugs. Before Daly suggested using hemp, her friend was using steroids and prescribed medications to no avail.

Today, Daly and Brook Meeks both work with Hempworx, a direct-to-retail brand that distributes CDB to individuals through a completely online interface. Through the online medium, Hempworks is able to connect individuals with resources that allow them to distribute CBD where it is legal.

The Hempworx website is verified by the FDA and claims to provide complete transparency for its customers and distributors. They also claim all hemp crops are free of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and in addition are tested to measure potency as well as test for contaminants

such as heavy metals, mold and cannabinoid content, according to the site’s main page.

Thanks to the Industrial Hemp pilot program provided through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. Daly and her husband hope to grow their own hemp in the future.

Hemp production is currently not legal under the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. However, with the federally protected pilot program individuals can grow their own hemp crop provided they can supply documentation proving they have farm income.

The pilot program also only permits the cultivation of hemp if the farmer is transparent about how they plan to sell their product. For this reason, sellers often align themselves with distribution companies if they do not already have an established business of their own.

“For North Carolina this is literally going to change the face of agriculture,” Daly said.

“Since its creation in 2014 CHC intended to set a high standard for the CBD market today and for the future,” Patton Cardwell, a cofounder of the Carolina Hemp Company, said.

They are currently working with local and regional farming communities as well as local educators, industry leaders and manufacturers to bring

2 1. Carolina CBD’s infused bath bombs were on display along with many of their other CBD products. 2. Brook Meeks and Lynn Daly from HempWorx show off their new CBD infused products at FolkLore on Sept. 21.// Photos by Nate Fordyce

jobs to thousands of people, according to the Carolina Hemp Company.

“We follow a biologist model in that we get out of the way of the plant and stay as close to nature as possible to produce something that people feel good about putting in their bodies,” Patton said. “We know there is a time for hemp and a time for prescription medications, but if there is an opportunity for someone to use CBD we would like to let them know they have that option.”

This possible alternative to synthetics is also proving to be a more economic option for families, especially for individuals living with epilepsy.

Cardwell said he has a client who buys CBD oil to treat his son’s epilepsy. Over the course of nine weeks the

son after taking regular doses of the hemp oil has not suffered from a seizure and is being weaned off of his prescription medications.

“They were spending $400 a month, $400 they were spending for something that continued to cause him to have seizures,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell added that despite medication not only did the boy continue to have seizures but he also experienced mood swings and had difficulty focusing in school. Now the family only pays $99 a month for a supply of CBD oil.

“It is the centerpiece of what we do because there continues to be so much stigma but ultimately after education the experience is what will bring people to deeper understanding,” Caldwell said.

9

Arts and Entertainment

Sept. 28, 2018

EQUINOX CELEBRATION MARKS NEW SEASON FOR T

A P PA L A C H I A N

ROOTS GARDEN Christine Dudley । @chridud । A&E Reporter

he sun was setting as students, members of the Boone community and their dogs gathered for the first Equinox Harvest Celebration in the Appalachian Roots Garden on Sept. 21.

The event celebrated the bounty grown in the Roots Garden’s second growing season.

One table displayed an arrangement of pumpkins, gourds and flowers grown in the Roots Garden.

Another table held a vegetarian and vegan-friendly potluck, including roasted chestnuts, greasy beans, apple pie, and pickled vegetables.

There were ceramic plates for the food and blankets spread out on the ground for eating and socializing.

App State alumna and garden manager Sydney Blume and the garden interns organized and planned the event. Over the summer, Blume said her team knew they wanted to do an event based around the equinox.

“By recognizing the equinox and also having it be a harvest celebration, we can take the time to have space to share our gratitude for the bounty that we produced over the summer,” Blume said. “Gratitude is

so important no matter where you come from.”

The garden interns led crafts and workshops, including making your own herbal tincture, which many of the guests participated in.

Thomas Cooper, a local herbalist and App State alumnus, led an herb walk and gave expertise on medicinal plants of the Appalachian mountains.

“Herbal medicine is about being in the present and in the flow,” Cooper said as he introduced goldenrod, the first plant in his walk.

Many of the attendees used jars to collect fresh herbs and plant matter for their tinctures while Cooper led the walk. He described the medicinal and therapeutic uses of the broadleaf plantain, creeping charlie and others.

Johnell Hunter Sr., who leads Bless the Children Program of Winston-Salem with his wife Deborah Hunter, gave advice about herbs. He provided dried sage, eucalyptus and rosemary to attendees so that they could create their own tea bags. He said his favorite herb is rosemary because it can be used for improving memory, alertness and pain relief.

Several interns from the Office

1

2

3

1. Georgia Golden, garden intern and president of the App State Gardening Club, enjoys a meal outside at the Howard Street Roots garden. 2. Blake Hornsby, a local musician and an intern with the Office of Sustainability, played a variety of instruments throughout the Equinox Harvest Celebration. 3. Sydney Blume, the campus garden coordinator, maneuvers a table downhill with a group of sustainable development majors.// Photos by Haley Canal

10

Arts and Entertainment

Sept. 28, 2018

of Sustainability were at the celebration to educate attendees.

Gaia Lawing, sophomore sustainable development and studio art major, set up a blanket with Sustain Appalachian stickers and bottle openers as free giveaways. Lawing was one of the interns there to educate people about the Office of Sustainability. She elaborated on how the interns help people sort, compost and recycle trash at the football games.

Blake Hornsby, a senior sustainable development major and intern at the Office of Sustainability, provided live music for the event. Hornsby described his style as a combination of experimental acoustic, folk and psychedelia. He said that the interns also give recycling and trash bags out to tailgators on game days to cut down on littering.

The location of the celebration, the Appalachian Roots Garden, broke ground on Earth Day in 2017, but Blume said planning for it happened months in advance. Lee F. Ball Jr., chief sustainability officer, had a great deal of influence in establishing the Roots Garden.

“We were looking to start another campus garden a few years ago,

2

and this was kind of a nice piece of real estate sitting here,” Ball said.

Before the university purchased the land, Blume said there were three houses at 721 Howard St., which is now the location of the garden.

“We thought it’d be better than a parking lot or a building for the time being,” Ball said.

Blume said the purpose of the Roots Garden is not only to provide fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs, but also a space where any member of the community can gather.

“Part of this event and other events that we’re hoping to have is really looking at connecting people not just to the garden but to all of the cycles that are involved,” Blume said.

For at least one attendee, Blume achieved that goal. Freshman environmental science major Carli Back said her favorite part of the event was the community aspect.

“Everyone sat down on blankets and ate from the harvest and it was so wholesome and beautiful,” Back said.

Blume said she hopes to make the Equinox Harvest Celebration an annual event at the Roots Garden, in addition to the harvest event held in October.

1

3

4

1. The table spread at the Equinox Harvest Celebration featuring food entirely grown on campus gardens or sourced from local producers. Pictured is pumpkin dip, salted chestnuts, cashew spread, Stick Boy bread, greasy beans, vegan cornbread and garden grown gourds. 2. Sydney Blume asks those who attended to “sit in that gratitude for the bounty that the past season has been.” 3. Gaia S. Lawing, a sophomore majoring in sustainable development and studio art, attends the celebration representing the Office of Sustainability. 4. Johnell Hunter Sr., who runs the Bless the Children gardening program in Winston-Salem, and his wife Deborah Hunter were at the celebration Sept. 21. He taught a workshop Sept. 21 on some of his organic practices and therapeutic herbs.// Photos by Haley Canal

11

Arts and Entertainment

Sept. 28, 2018

SKATEBOARDING CLUB RIDES TO A

T

he Human Powered Transportation Club on campus aims to change perceptions of skateboarding culture while supporting the Boone community, but there are some hurdles to cross.

The Human Powered Transportation Club, or HPT, was created without mention of skateboarding because of the legal implications. It’s a club that ties environmentalism and community outlook with skateboarding.

Just last year, the legality of skateboarding was being questioned by App State students, since App State was only one of three schools in the UNC system to still ban skateboards.

The others were UNC-Asheville and Western Carolina University.

Johnny Brown, patrol commander of university police, told The Appalachian last year that it had been rumored the policy against skateboarding arose because of some damage done by skateboarders on campus. The Student Government Association during the 2017 school year expressed their efforts to abolish the policy with multiple bills, but limited progress was made since the town of Boone had the ultimate say in the policy, therefore overriding any campus level efforts.

Nathan Godwin, an App State alumnus and the president of the club last year, stressed that skateboarding was safe. The source of misunderstanding for skateboarding is caused by the absence of communication, Godwin said.

CLEAN ENVIRONMENT Alexander Hubbell । @therealalexhubb । A&E Reporter

Garrett Gourley, junior anthropology major, gathered his now 20-plus member club for a campus cleanup on Thursday. This semester at App State marks the first time skateboarding was legally allowed on campus.

The club aims to “erase the negative stigma of skateboarding,” altogether by cleaning up trash every week around campus and being responsible on the board, Gourley said.

This is the club’s third campus-wide cleanup this year, however this was one of the first meetings since the policy change.

The specifics of the new policy allows for freedom on campus, as long as four wheels stay on the ground and skateboarders stay off King Street, Ashley Winecoff, the former president of HPT and current member, said.

Even though the policy for skateboarding on campus has been updated, the club was precautious at first, and even now the police watch the

skateboarders during their meetings.

The first time the club completed a campus cleanup they carried their boards the entire route, Gourley said.

Thomas Richmond, a senior commercial photography major and member of the club, said he feels the club has diminished the stigma against skateboarding and has found a welcoming community in Boone.

There is a substance to skateboarding that is inclusive to all majors, personalities and lifestyles, Richmond said.

The club doesn’t stop at impacting the community at the campus level. It strives to help the entire community, from trash pickups to foster home skate lessons, Richmond said.

While it may have seemed like there was little space for skateboarding on campus and in the community a year ago, the club members tell a different story.

The HPT club has been supported by a core downhill community and

a culture of skateboarders that has brought many professionals through the region, Richmond said.

Richmond said skateboarding in the Appalachian mountains is mostly undiscovered by people in the community.

“Skating DIY parks, the bowls on the east coast and outer banks, then the downhill in the eastern North Carolina region,” are all parts of North Carolina skateboarding history, Richmond said.

Members of the club are hopeful the club will continue to grow as fast as it has, and the outlook on skateboarding will continue to positively change, Richmond said.

The club is the beginning of a snowball effect in the right direction and is always accepting new members, Richmond said.

If you would like to join the club, contact Gourley by email at gourleygb@appstate.edu about meeting times and further inquiries or visit OrgSync for club information.

1. President of the Human Powered Transporation Club Garrett Gourley and former president Ashley Winecoff, conduct an interview about the club’s goals and how they plan to erase the negative stigma of skateboarders. 2. Gourley conducts a trash pickup around Anne Belk Hall before making plans to go skating with his club.// Photos by Ethan Brown

12

Arts and Entertainment

Sept. 28, 2018

R U N N I N G

ON SUNSHINE

Appalachian State organization brings sustainability awareness to Boone Christina Beals । @christinalala_ । News Reporter

Team Sunergy’s new vehicle ROSE, meaning “Racing on Solar Energy,” was designed and built soley by App State students.// Photo courtesy of Chase Reynolds, Appalachian State University Communications

A

pp State conveys its sustainability mission through wind turbines and solar panels, but in 2013, a new effort in local sustainable technology was introduced.

Team Sunergy, a student-run and led campus organization, works to represent and uphold App State’s sustainability efforts through building solar vehicles and stimulating

the Boone community to think globally, according to Team Sunergy.

Senior environmental physics and policy major Kali Smith is the organization’s business director and focuses on fundraising, outreach, press coverage and social media.

Smith accidentally joined Team Sunergy as a sophomore economics major when she was walk-

ing through App State’s Club Expo and was stopped by a member of the team.

“I said to myself, ‘you know what? You have to find a club that you can relate back to your major in some way,’” Smith said. “Team Sunergy is a club where I have free reign with interacting with businesses and talking to them about how sustainability works and

why it matters.”

Sustainability is a talking point for businesses to support Team Sunergy and is also represented through the team’s car designs.

“We’re trying to make people rethink the way they see transportation,” Smith said. “That’s one of the biggest reasons we’ve made our newest car, R.O.S.E., look the way the she does. She looks like a car that everybody wants to drive.”

Racing on Solar Energy (R.O.S.E.), Team Sunergy’s second -generation solar vehicle built from scratch, is their first two-passenger car.

The exterior design is sleek yet spacious, with its wheels peeking out from under the light gray shell of the car and sporting the western North Carolina ‘828’ area code and team sponsors on the side.

It also has rechargeable batteries and wall-charging ports, while also satisfying safety, accessibility and utility requirements, according to Team Sunergy.

Chris Tolbert, founder and longtime mentor to Team Sunergy, has been alongside the team during their car competitions, including the 2018 American Solar Challenge last summer.

“App State being represented at the American Solar Challenge is just another opportunity to show the ability that it is possible to travel across the U.S. on this type of technology,” Tolbert said.

Team Sunergy also promotes their sustainability efforts locally by attending campus events with their

solar vehicle.

Lucas Tax, senior physics major, is Team Sunergy’s lead electrical engineer and focuses on electrical systems used by the team such as motors, battery protection and embedded systems.

During outreach events such as football tailgates and campus summits, Tax aids in telling students about the team’s evolution from Apperion, the team’s spring 2015 car, to R.O.S.E. “Apperion is a single-seat, efficient car, but kind of looks like a lunch tray on wheels with a cockpit in the center,” Tax said. “It’s cool, but it’s not super practical. What we did with R.O.S.E. was make a coup-type design with plenty of room, more like an actual car.”

Apperion is featured in a Team Sunergy promotion video created by App State and uploaded to their YouTube channel titled “Runnin’ on Shine,” narrated by Dave Blanks, App State production assistant and audio engineer.

During the 2016 Formula Sun Grande Prix in Wampum, PA, Apperion and Team Sunergy made their debut by placing 3rd place overall, according to the video.

“A podium finish for this young team not only marked their place on the map for collegiate solar sports, but also marked the beginning of what was yet to come,” Blanks said in the video.

Team Sunergy will be presenting R.O.S.E. at the Homecoming Parade on Saturday and the App State Fall Open House on Oct. 6.

13

Sports

Sept. 28, 2018

A P P S TAT E

Q U I D D ITC H APPARATORS

WELCOME EVERYONE Franklin Bogle । @TheAppalachian । Sports Reporter

I

The App State Apparators practice quidditch during practice on Tuesday at Duck Pond Field.

14

f you stroll or ride past Duck Pond on a Tuesday or Thursday night after 5 p.m. you are bound to see something that looks familiar: three poles, all different sizes, sticking from the ground with a large hoop attached to the end of each one. You would also see a deflated volleyball being tossed at these hoops by various players running around while holding onto their ‘broomsticks’ underneath their legs.

The field looks like something out of your favorite J.K. Rowling novel, and that’s because it is.

The Appalachian Apparators, App State’s very own Quidditch team, was formed in 2009, according to the website for the United States Quidditch Association. One of the first teams to begin to play the sport in North Carolina, the Apparators started what was at first a trend but now a popular club sport.

The basic rules of Quidditch stem from the beloved “Harry Potter” novels but according to junior chaser Luke Siegfried, the game has taken “a more professional turn in the past few years. At first it was just a bunch of friends running around pretending it was Quidditch, but now we have the United States Quidditch Association as an over-

arching body for all teams and they produce a rulebook each year that everyone should follow.”

These rules include the normal game rules, such as number of players and length of games. It also includes some more advanced social rules for 2018. There are six players, three of which are chasers. The chasers are the players attempting to score the quaffle, or deflated volleyball, into the large hoops for points.

All chasers must “always have one hand on their broom, which is actually a long piece of pvc pipe, and if they drop their broom they will be penalized. Much like how in basketball you have to dribble or in soccer you can’t use your hands,” Siegfried said.

Along with the chasers you also have two beaters, whose main goal is to knock chasers off their brooms with bludgers. The bludgers in the QSA aren’t iron balls like in the wizarding world, but instead they are three small dodgeballs. Siegfried has been a member of the team since he was a freshman and said he believes that the beaters can control the game.

“The beaters can really determine if the chasers score. They are the defense. If they hit a chaser hold-

Sports

Sept. 28, 2018

1 ing the ball with bludgers then the chaser has to physically remove his or herself from the broom and drop the ball in place, then run back to his hoops and touch each hoop before reentering play,” Siegfried said.

Attempting to stop the chasers that get past the bludgers is the keeper, whose job is exactly how it sounds. The keeper is like the goalkeeper in any sport, his or her one job is too prevent the opposing team from scoring in the hoops. The hoops range from 3 feet to 6 feet.

The 6-foot-hoop is in the middle while a 3-foot and a 4.5-foot-hoop stand by its sides.

There is also the seeker and the snitch — the part of the sport that most Harry Potter fans remember.

Harry sometimes had trouble with the snitch and so do the players in the QSA. This is because after the 18 minutes of regulation finish the snitch reveals itself. In this league the snitch is a person dressed in yellow with a small tail and nothing they want to do to the seeker to prevent being caught is off limits.

They can push the seeker, they can tackle him, they can even take the seeker’s broom and throw it across the field to stay in play. Siegfried said the longest he has ever

seen one go was “20 minutes — and it was for the other team.”

Now along with the basic rules of Quidditch there are also some social rules that each team must abide by when putting their team onto the field. There are rules in place to make sure the teams truly are co-ed, Josh Bartlett, junior chaser, said.

“No more than four of one gender on the field. This is an important rule in any co-ed sport, but especially in our day and age it allows for a team composition to be representative of who we are as a country today,” Bartlett said.

Bartlett is a former beater who will be switching to chaser this year.

He is also one of the team captains.

He believes this rule is great because it allows “the opportunity for non-binary, female, and male players to all be represented in a time where representation is so important. I believe that this rule definitely helps female players make sure they have field time, although we as a team are almost evenly split so we wouldn’t notice much change without the rule.”

Barlett and Siegfried are both juniors who have been playing Quidditch since their freshman year and thoroughly enjoy the sport. Bartlett said it’s tough to determine what he

loves most about it but the relationships are what mean the most to him.

“Probably the supporting and family-like relationships that the team members have with each other (are my favorite),” Bartlett said. “At no point is it only about how well can we play it’s more like we are here to have fun and enjoy hanging out,” Bartlett said.

Both said they expect the team to be good this year. They play in tournaments all around the United States and look forward to winning a few this year.

“There will be a tournament in Boone in early October, round robin style,” Siegfried said.

The date has yet to be set but when it is they will make sure they get an announcement out so that anyone can stop by and watch the game. They also welcome anyone who wants to join. They have two teams this year — a black and a gold squad. Practices take place from 5:15-6:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Duck Pond.

So if you’re a fan of “Harry Potter,” a fan of a friendly environment, or looking for a new physical activity stop by Duck Pond. In the world of Quidditch, everyone is welcome.

2 1. Keepers, Chasers, and Beaters race around Duck Pond Field Tuesday night during quidditch practice. 2. Member of the Quidditch team praticing on Tuesday night at Duck Pond Field. The team has practices every Tuesday and Thursday.

15

Sports

Sept. 28, 2018

GAME DAY

Saturday, September 29, 2018 / 3:30 PM / ESPN+ / Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, N.C.

Appalachian State (2-1, 0-0 Sun Belt)

VS

South Alabama (1-3, 0-0 Big South)

Game Notes:

App State will kick off their Sun Belt schedule this week with South Alabama, who played their first Sun Belt game last week against Texas State and won, 41-31. The Mountaineers are coming off a dominating 72-7 win over the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, their first game since playing the Charlotte 49ers on Sept. 8. The Sun Belt Conference preseason polls released before the season predicted that App State would finish first in the East Division, while they predicted South Alabama would finish third in the West Division.

History/Details of the Game:

This will be the third meeting between App State and South Alabama and the first since 2015, according to winsipedia.com. The series record stands at 1-1, South Alabama winning their first ever meeting in 2014 by a score of 47-21 and the Mountaineers coming away victorious in their last meeting in 2015, 34-27. App State’s all-time record of 607-337-28 is No. 16 all-time while South Alabama’s record of 53-53 is No. 90 out of 130 teams.

PLAYER TO WATCH POINTS PER GAME

51.67 - 28.8

D’Andre Hicks #22 Running Back

PASSING YARDS PER GAME

282.33 - 213.2

Rushed for 150 yards on 11 carries against Gardner-Webb

RUSHING YARDS PER GAME

243.3 - 129.5

Had a 73-yard carry for a touchdown against Gardner-Webb Recorded 5 carries and a reception against Charlotte

PENALTY YARDS PER GAME

81.67 - 98.2

3 KEY POINTS Prevent Penalties: App State kept things clean as a whistle against Gardner-Webb, recording no penalties. Through their first four games, South Alabama has averaged 98.2 penalty yards per game, nearly 20 more than the Mountaineers. If App State can avoid making too many mental mistakes, they should be able to count on South Alabama making some of their own.

16

Hold On to the Fotball: Thirty of South Alabama’s 115 points scored this season have come off of turnovers, good for over 25 percent.

While the Jaguars offense may not be the most potent, their defense is good at creating opportunities that they then capitalize on. For App State to win, they will need to be smart with the football and avoid giving South Alabama too many free chances to score.

Run the Football: App State’s running game finally broke out in full effect against Gardner-Webb, rushing for over 400 yards as a team.

So far this season South Alabama has allowed over 800 rushing yards from their opponents, an average of 206 per game. Running the ball has always been App State’s bread and butter so look for it to be a big game on the ground for the Mountaineers.

Opinion

Sept. 28, 2018

T H E K AVA N A U G H

SCANDAL

Q’S CORNER: Kaepernick ad hides Nike’s conservative support

SHOULD BE ABOUT THE VICTIMS, NOT THE ACCUSED

By: Nora Smith, Editor-in-Chief; Victoria Haynes, Managing Editor; Sydney Spann, Visual Managing Editor; Mariah Reneau, A&E Editor; Mickey Hutchings, Photo Editor

D

NORA SMITH EDITOR IN CHIEF

IRA DAVID LEVY ADVISOR

EDITORIAL

espite Nike’s recent progressive ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick, progressives should be wary of supporting the company.

A recent report from the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to tracking money in politics, found that in 2018 Nike employees and its PAC donated $424,000 to the Republican party and its candidates compared to only $122,000 for the Democratic party and its candidates.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!”

Trump said at a 2017 rally.

He, along with many other members of the Republican party, have spent the last two years criticizing Kaepernick and other kneeling players incessantly.

Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, donated $1.5 million to Knute Buehler, the Republican candidate in the Oregon gubernatorial race.

It’s clear that Nike is a company that firmly supports the Republican party, so why did they throw their lot in with Kaepernick?

For the money of course.

As of Sunday, Nike stock has risen over 6 points since the Sept. 4 announcement of the Kaepernick ad. The campaign has allowed the company to add nearly $6 billion to its market value.

It’s clear that Nike made a measured choice with the Kaepernick campaign that paid off. It garnered them good will with progressives, and a hefty chunk of change in its pockets.

But this recent data shows Nike’s true colors: GOP red.

Progressives take heed, any dollar you spend on Nike products might end up in the pockets of the party of Trump.

VICTORIA HAYNES MANAGING EDITOR

JULES BLAYLOCK CHIEF COPY EDITOR

MOSS BRENNAN

Q RUSSELL

MARIAH RENEAU

PATRICK MCCABE

BROOKS MAYNARD

RACHEL SASSER

NEWS EDITOR AE EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

INDEPTH EDITOR

INCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT

MULTIMEDIA

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee Sept. 27 after at least two women have come forward accusing him of sexual misconduct.

Christine Blasey Ford, Palo Alto University professor and the first woman to come forward about Kavanaugh, originally attempted to stay anonymous by submitting a letter to Senate Democrats. On Sept. 16, she decided to come forward publicly. On Sunday, Deborah Ramirez, a Yale classmate of Kavanaugh’s, had her similar story of sexual assault published in The New Yorker.

Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels’ lawyer, came forward recently announcing that a third woman, a former federal employee, accusing Kavanaugh of misconduct hired him to address the case.

This all comes amid the outpouring of testimonials from sexual assault survivors over the past year and a half, proving that the spread of these allegations runs wide.

Despite this, Kavanaugh still has unwavering support from President Trump, who also has a score of sexual assault accusations leveled against him.

The Kavanaugh scandal is important not only for the future of the supreme court, but for every person who has experienced sexual assault.

A story like this isn’t news to us: it isn’t shocking or tear-jerking.

This is a daily occurence that we have been hearing about repeatedly for years. This has happened to our friends, family or even us. The case bleeds into a larger culture – one where survivors refrain from com-

ing forward for fear of not being believed.

The same people that scoffed at these women for not coming out sooner are the same ones who create a culture of disbelief and victim-blaming.

Yet, most of these stories are being written by men, even when the majority of victims are women and LGBTQ-identifying people.

We decided to come together as femmes of the Editorial Board to write this piece as a way of taking back the narrative.

Journalism is a male-dominated profession, with 39.1 percent of daily newspapers being comprised of women, according to American Society of News Editors. Politics show this same trend, with women holding only 27 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives and 36.8 percent of the Senate, according to Catalyst. The numbers alone show that the stories of women and LGBTQ people often are drowned out.

The Washington Post published an opinion piece by E.J Dionne Jr., a male columnist, about the “ugliness” of Kavanaugh’s confirmation and the validity of his accusers.

Scroll down the list of recent New York Times op-ed columns. There are pieces written by women, like Maureen Dowd’s piece about sexual assault victims coming forward about their powerful accusers. Some pieces, however, are by male columnists like Ross Douthat, who argues that Kavanaugh has to be given “charity” regarding his burden of proof. Or maybe a better read is by columnist Bret Stephens, who argues that Kavanaugh’s first accuser SYDNEY SPANN

VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR

MICKEY HUTCHINGS PHOTO EDITOR

EFRAIN ARIAS-MEDINA JR. GRAPHICS EDITOR

LOGAN BERG VIDEO EDITOR

BRAXTON COATS WEB EDITOR

should be “heard, but not automatically believed.” Male opinions about Kavanaugh and #MeToo can also be found in The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times. We are not arguing that there is anything inherently wrong with these pieces, only that the people writing them cannot fully represent those impacted by these events.

Even The Appalachian is guilty of this. We haven’t done our part in writing about the movement, or how it has affected our campus. Going forward, this is a promise to do better for our readers, staff and faculty that have been affected by Kavanaugh and all other instances of highly talked about sexual assault. Going forward, we need to make sure the primary writers of these stories are femmes.

Men are already too much a part of this story. Bring the narrative back to how femmes are affected, how Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez’s lives will forever be changed by the continuation of these events.

What does it say about the culture of sexual abuse if a man who has allegations against him becomes one of the nine most powerful decision-makers in the United States?

And how does it further that culture if the overwhelming amount of people discussing its validity are not the majority of victims?

On Thursday, at least two women will stand and take back the stories of their assaults. Today, we take back the narrative of femmes who are doubted and derided for telling these stories.

BUSINESS

Q Russell । @q_m_russell । Opinion Editor

CRISTIAN MCLAUGHLIN BUSINESS MANAGING

STEVEN CAUGHRAN ASSITANT BUSNESS MANAGER

MELISSA ALSUP MARKETING DIRECTOR

17

Et cetera

Sept. 28, 2018

SCRAMBLED EGGS By: Neil Agnew d Eggs FOR for Dessert DESSERT

BY NEIL AGNEW

1

2

3

4

10

11

14

15

5

6 12

18 20

24

9

16

19 23

8

13

17

22

7

25

28

29

31

32

35

36

38

39

26

21 27

30 33

34

37

Down 1. Forty Winks 2. Italian sparkling wine 3. It may be high for one on the dean’s list 4. Allocate cards, in a game 5. Subject of a J.D. Salinger short story 7. Opening through which light passes 8. Draped over, as a shelter 9. Over’s opposite 12. NBC’s “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck 17. Exclamatory Greek expression 19. See 40 across* 21. Ostrich relative 23. Cross the threshold of 24. Present the gift of honor 25. See 40 across* 26. Greek mathematician known as the “father of geometry” 30. Provokes 34. California wine region 37. Org. feared by drug dealers

40

Across 1. See 40 across* 6. See 40 across* 10. Egyptian cobra 11. Time zone for NY or NC 13. Write down 14. After school org.

15. I love, in Italian 16. Finish 17. Technology found in new TV and cell phone displays 18. Way on a map: Abbr.

20. Discourage from doing something 22. Tarnish 27. Scurrilous allegations, mainly of corruption 28. Ending for meth or prop?

29. Portend 31. Game-extending periods 32. Environmentalist’s prefix 33. Otolaryngologist, colloquially 35. Kind of suit?

36. Word after iron or scantily 38. To and ____ (moving side to side) 39. Adviser 40. Incomprehensible jumbled speak.... or a hint to deciphering the starred clues.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK The Peel│@thepeelreview on Instagram

Comic Credits: Chloe Mason | @iggystop TH E COVER:

Sydney Blume took on the position of Campus Garden Coordinator after graduating from the sustainable devleopment program in May. Blume has worked to integrate school gardens and the greater community through projects and events, such as Friday’s Equinox Harvest Celebration// Photo

by Hayley Canal

18

App News

Sept. 28, 2018

WHAT TO DO Paid Advertisement

Submit Announcements

App News is a service of the Division of Student Affairs. Email editor@theappalachianonline.com for submissions with subject line: APP NEWS PAGE. Submissions should not exceed 100 words and must include the event title, date/time, location and cost, and a contact email, phone and/or URL. Announcements will be edited as needed and will run as space allows. Preference is given for events that are free or have a nominal cost.

calling all creators!

The Peel Literature and Arts Review is App State’s student-run literary arts publication. We are seeking students to submit their creative works for review and possible publication. Submit your art, music, design, poetry, prose, fashion and more at thepeelreview. submittable.com. Find more information by visiting thepeelreview. com or following us on social media @thepeelreview.

needed! political cartoonists

The Appalachian student newspaper is looking for students interested in getting their political cartoons and illustrations published. Use your illustration talents to express your opinions and commentary on current events. Email editor@theappalachianonline. com for questions or interest.

design the appalachian

Want to lay out this paper? Have a flair for graphic design?

Email editor@theappalachianonline.com to express interest! Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) preferred but not required. Opportunities available for student designers of all skill sets.

FRIDAY, Sept. 28

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29

SUNDAY, SEPT. 30

MONDAY, Oct. 1

Homecoming Shirt Sale

Come Canoe the New River

Rock Climbing Little Lost Cove Cliffs All day Student Recreation Center

Exercise is Medicine Month 10 a.m.—2 p.m.

Sanford Mall

“A Quiet Place”

Men’s Rugby vs. Western Carolina University

Men’s Lacrosse Alumni Match

11—12 p.m.

Plemmons Student Union 12—3 p.m.

I.G. Greer

“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”

All Day Student Recreation Center

11 a.m.—1:30 p.m..

State Farm Fields

11 a.m.—2 p.m.

State Farm Fields

Women’s Rugby Alumni Match

7—9 p.m.

Greenbriar Theatre

The Open Tailgate Party

TUESDAY, Oct. 2

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 3

THURSDAY, Oct. 4

FRIDAY, Oct. 5

Senate Meeting 6:30—7:30 p.m.

Plemmons Student Union

Internship and Job Fair 12—4 p.m.

Holmes Convocation Center

Graduate and Professional Schools Fair 10 a.m.—2 p.m.

Career Development Center

Pick up the new issue of The Appalachian at newsstands across campus!

12—3 p.m.

Durham Park

Appalachian Coming Out Day 1—5 p.m.

Sanford Mall, Plemmons Student Union Hispanic Heritage Festival 6—9 p.m.

Plemmons Student Union

12—1:30 p.m.

State Farm Fields

The Appalachian Full Staff Meeting 7—8 p.m.

Plemmons Student Union TerraBANG and Foxy Moron 8—11 p.m.

Legends

19

An Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Radio Station of the Year Finalist

Your college Your station Your music

Join The Appalachian!

Meetings are in Plemmons 217 Sundays and Thursdays at 7 p.m.