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January 22, 2019
COLLEGIATETIMES ‘I had to make my own light in this dark, depressive place.’
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Maya Garcia was allegedly sexually assaulted and feels betrayed by the criminal justice system and Virginia Tech. Before the night ended, Garcia consumed several different types of alcoholic drinks including mixed drinks, shots and beers. “I don’t drink heavily, ever, so that really hit me, because I don’t remember a lot about that night,” Garcia said. Although he declined to comment for this story, a police report says the alleged assailant met Garcia as they were waiting for drinks at the bar at the party. “I was dancing with my friends and I went to the bar and then I met the assailant,” Garcia said. According to Garcia, after they met at the bar, she tried to shotgun two beers. “I told him it was my 21st birthday and he used a knife in his pocket to open a beer,” she said. “So I tried to shotgun that beer … and then I tried to do another one.” After leaving the main area of the party, Garcia and the alleged assailant began kissing in a different room. “He asked to go
JESSICA BRADY, ASHLEY LONG AND ISABELLA ROSSI editor in chief and managing editors
Jan. 19, 2018, was Maya Garcia’s 21st birthday party. She was celebrating, drinking and dancing at a friend’s apartment. The night ended, however, in Garcia allegedly being sexually assaulted by another Virginia Tech student. She then pursued several avenues seeking healing and justice, but ultimately felt wronged by the criminal justice system and Virginia Tech. The assault Garcia, a Virginia Tech junior studying chemical engineering, and her friends began the night by celebrating at an apartment. Because some members of the group were underage, Garcia and five friends took a designated driver to a party at a fraternity house after leaving the birthday celebration instead of going to a bar.
ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES
ASSAULT / page 2
lifestyles
Hokie cousins co-found Customer comfort comes new fashion company first for local barber shop Zappy, started last year by cousins Eric Mbualungu and Bryan Kamenga, seeks to put Blacksburg on the fashion map. RACHEL KISER
lifestyles staff writer
St a r ti ng a fash ion company can be daunting to any aspiring fashion designer, especially when you have a full class schedule and pressure to pass all your classes. Even though Blacksburg is not the ideal fashion startup location, two entrepreneurs spotted an opportunity, and made a name for themselves in the budding world of Blacksburg fashion. Senior finance and management major Eric Mbualungu and junior BIT major Bryan Kamenga wanted to create something that
thought about the world and the people buying their product. With this, the two cousins birthed the fashion company, Zappy, in 2018. The idea of Zappy started as a childhood dream for Mbualungu, an idea that a company should represent more than profit, but a vision that one could take pride in. During our halfhour-turned-two-hour interview, they told the story of how two best friends made a fashion company and how college students should be the change they want to see in the fashion world. T houg h Black sbu rg is not necessarily a town known for its fashionability,
Kamenga and Mbualungu figured that there was no better time than the present to create a brand and develop something greater than themselves. Zappy’s wide range of edgy and street-style-inspired t-shirts, sweaters and hoodies ref lects the founders’ personal style that they want to spread throughout Blacksburg. “Clothing will be around forever, but certain clothing brands can make an impact forever,” Mbualungu said, reinforcing that Zappy fosters the customer’s self esteem through refreshing apparel for all genders and sizes while contributing to a charitable goal. Despite a lack of retail experience, they decided that the Zappy name and ideal should be a fashion company that would act as a “window of opportunity to express yourself,” Kamenga said. In the design process, they craft their custom prints, such as red velvet, classic camo and their blue splatter, to fill the Zappy logo on every shirt. Currently, all of their products are sold on the
COURTESY OF ZAPPY
ZAPPY / page 6
MEN’S BASKETBALL REBOUNDS AT HOME Tech pulls out win over Wake Forest Saturday. page 7
Anthony Harvey prioritizes the well-being of his patrons through a vivacious staff and affordable haircuts. JUSTIN ROCHA
lifestyles staff writer
Walking into Harvey’s Barber Shop, there is a feeling of liveliness that resonates from the staff and customers. From the conversations to the family members of the staff hanging around, the barber shop has placed an emphasis on creating a special aura for itself. Anthony Harvey, the owner of Harvey’s Barber Shop, has created a thriving barber shop with incredible staff, a lively environment and affordable haircuts. The shop, located right on Main Street in downtown Blacksburg, opened up in August of 2002. Located across the street from Moss Arts Center, it is close to Virginia Tech’s campus, which leads to a lot of customers. “When school is in, I can do 15 to 20 (cuts) a day,” Harvey said. Harvey grew up with a passion for giving haircuts. Growing up in Roanoke and Bedford, his interest in hair began when he was a little kid. He started cutting hair when he was 14, and from there he went on to attend the Virginia Hair Academy
OPINION: GENTRIFICATION UPLIFTING
Check out our columnist’s defense of the process. page 4
JUSTIN ROCHA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Anthony Harvey, owner of Harvey’s Barber Shop, Dec. 7, 2018.
in Roanoke. When Harvey came down to Blacksburg to open up Harvey’s Barber Shop, he wanted to make sure that there was a good environment. “You can sit around, hoorah, talk, have a good time, joke with each other; but, just because you’re doing that stuff, it doesn’t mean you have to curse or be disrespecting each other. You should just be having a good time,” Harvey said. “I want this shop to feel welcoming and have none of the craziness that would make people feel
uncomfortable.” Part of the way he helps build a good environment is through his staff. The highly skilled staff members give quality cuts, but also have a great attitude with the customers and the rest of the staff. “In a barber shop you can have five people, but if you have one person that’s never happy or finds the negative in any situation; that’s going to weaken everybody else eventually,” Harvey said. Harvey aims to hire
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ASSAULT: Garcia demands that rape result in expulsion from page 1
somewhere more private, and I said, ‘OK, but I don’t want to have sex. I’m still a virgin, and I’m waiting for someone special … Are you OK with that?’ and he said, ‘Yes.’” Garcia and the alleged assailant looked for an empty room in the fraternity house, but were unable to find one. The two, along with Garcia’s other friends, then went back to her friends’ apartment since they had an empty room. Once they arrived at the apartment, Garcia expressed once more that she did not want to engage in sexual intercourse with the alleged assailant. Garcia remembers the two of them kissing with their clothes off, but she then blacked out from the alcohol. The next thing she remembers is waking up on her stomach and thinking, “I don’t recognize this feeling,” she said. “In my head I was so confused because I thought that I had said ‘No’ twice, and I thought that he recognized that. And I finally came to realize … ‘OK, well he’s raping me.’” In that moment, Garcia had to make a decision of how to react. “There are different things that happen when you’re experiencing trauma: fight, flight or freeze,” Garcia said. Garcia thought through her options and thought about the horror stories of women being beat up after they were sexually assaulted. She did what she thought would get her out alive. “So I just froze,” she said. After the incident, Garcia and the alleged assailant went downstairs while he waited for his designated driver to come pick him up. While they were waiting, Garcia remembers one thing he said to her that still sticks out in her mind. “I remember he said I smell like sex.” The next morning, she started to comprehend what had happened to her. “I go downstairs to my friend and he says, ‘How was your 21st birthday party?’ And the first thing out of my mouth is, ‘I think I got raped
last night.’” And then the process began.
What happens next? In the days following the assault, Garcia took several steps to protect herself. She received a Physical Evidence Recovery Kit (PERK) exam at the hospital, which showed that she had abrasions on her left nipple and purple bruising on her leg and lip. She reported the incident to the Blacksburg Police Department; however, the Commonwealth declined prosecution. Although she could not specifically discuss Garcia’s case, in an emailed statement to the Collegiate
Title IX complaint regarding the assault to Virginia Tech’s Office for Equity and Accessibility.
Garcia’s appeals Ultimately, Garcia was unhappy with the Title IX process and the sanctions the respondent received. So, she appealed. One of the primary reasons that Garcia filed a student conduct appeal was on the grounds that the time from filing the complaint to learning that her appeal had been denied was, in her words, “traumatically long,” taking around 120 days. Garcia’s appeal, however, was not granted. A pamphlet on Virginia Tech’s Title IX website
that that’s not an expectation that we can meet. We also don’t want to set up students to think that that’s an expectation that they can get any sort of redress on since we know the Department of Education isn’t enforcing it.” However, even though the Department of Education is not enforcing the 60-day guidance, the Office for Equity and Accessibility at Virginia Tech still has internal checks for Title IX investigations to make sure cases are moving along properly. “Typically … if a case hasn’t finished an investigation within … 30 days for investigation, 30 days for the hearing … we’ll have a check-in internally,”
to be sure that they’re up to date, and that’s something that we do pretty much every year or two years because procedures need to be updated,” Polidoro said. “Those are our main things, and then we’re always in the process of training ourselves and bringing people in to help us figure out how to do things better.” Garcia’s other main grievance, as mentioned in her appeal, was that she believed the respondent’s sanctions did not match the finding. Part of the respondent’s sanctions include completing a Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) workbook.
SAJANEE CHITHRANJAN / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Times, Montgomery County Commonwealth’s Attorney Mary Pettitt explained key differences between the criminal justice system and the student code of conduct system used by Virginia Tech, namely differences in the definition of rape and the standards of proof used by the two systems. “The fact that we cannot proceed with criminal charges does not mean that the allegations did not happen,” Pettitt wrote. “It simply means that the allegations were not violations of the criminal code or that the burden of proof required is too great to overcome.” The criminal justice system uses the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt, which is, according to the Legal Dictionary, “that no other logical explanation can be derived from the facts except that the defendant committed the crime, thereby overcoming the presumption that a person is innocent until proven guilty.” Finally, Garcia filed a
during Garcia’s process states the following: “You have the right to a prompt, adequate, reliable, and impartial Title IX investigation of the complaint and the United States Office for Civil Rights in the United States Department of Education presumes a typical investigation may be completed within 60 calendar days following receipt of the complaint.” Director of Title IX Compliance and Title IX Coordinator at Virginia Tech, Katie Polidoro spoke to the timeline of the Title IX and student conduct processes. “The 60 days was a guidance that the Department of Education put out in 2011 that they no longer enforce,” Polidoro said. “We have always had difficulty meeting 60 days because (that) means from the day that somebody makes a report until the end of an appeal period. Right now, we try not to tell students, ‘We’ll be done in 60 days,’ because we know
TAHREEM ALAM / COLLEGIATE TIMES Maya Garcia gives her emotional speech at the gender-based violence rally in front of Burruss Hall, Oct. 24, 2018.
Polidoro said. “What are we going to do to finish this case? Or, if there’s a delay, we’re going to figure out is that reasonable? And how do we get past it?” The Office for Equity and Accessibility is incorporating several changes to its system to improve Title IX investigations after receiving feedback from people who went through the process. One of these changes is a case management system to help keep track of Title IX cases, assign tasks to different people and connect with Student Conduct more seamlessly. “We’re also just looking at our external procedures
“My rapist, who was found responsible for rape, was given a workbook … What is that going to do to teach someone or rehabilitate someone who obviously doesn’t understand the word ‘no’?” Garcia said. MVP is, according to its website, “a mixedgender, multi-racial, gender violence, bullying and gay-bashing prevention program” with “tremendous and historic success working with groups and institutions that have been traditionally difficult to engage in gender violence prevention, especially male-dominated institutions such as men’s athletic programs, fraternities, and military organizations.”
In full, the respondent received a sanction of a four-semester suspension, a required re-enrollment meeting, and he must complete two follow-up me et i ngs du r i ng h is suspension, two plans of action, the MVP workbook, three letters of acknowledgement, a ref lection paper and two educational programs that will be determined when he re-enrolls. “Rapists,” Garcia said, “should be expelled from the university when they’re found responsible during the student conduct process.” Garcia would also like this sanction to be reflected in the Hokie Handbook. Interim Director for Student Conduct at Virginia Tech Ennis McCrery spoke to why Virginia Tech does not have one-and-done sanctions, such as rape resulting in automatic expulsion. “We don’t have any policies or violations that are automatic,” McCrery said. “Our sanctionings are not formulaic. We do have precedent that we’ll rely on, but then we look at the facts of each case and each situation to determine what we believe is an appropriate sanction based on precedent. We don’t have any automatic outcomes for sanctions. I think what I can share with you is that we do and we have dismissed students for gender-based and sexual violence, but we don’t have any policy violation in which we would say ‘X sanction is always going to be applied.’” Although the decision is ultimately made by Student Conduct, Polidoro spoke about her concerns with one-and-done sanctions. “One of the things that concerns me about (one-and-done sanctions) is that I have seen that findings
see page 3
CAT PIPER / COLLEGIATE TIMES Maya Garcia, a student at Virginia Tech studying chemical engineering, attends the gender-based violence rally at Burruss Hall, Oct. 24, 2018.
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January 22, 2019 PAGE 3
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TAHREEM ALAM / COLLEGIATE TIMES (LEFT to RIGHT) Sophomore material science and engineering major George Tricker, senior aerospace engineering major Larissa Schneider, junior chemical engineering major Maya Garcia, junior sociology major Jamie Kitterman and junior systems biology major Emma Stump give speeches during the United Feminist Movement’s gender-based violence rally in front of Burruss Hall, Oct. 24, 2018. from page 2
of responsibility tend to be lower at those institutions,” Polidoro said. “If the outcome is already predetermined I think hearing officers sometimes struggle with making a finding of responsibility that’s separate from a predetermined outcome.” Additionally, Student Conduct does not include criminal findings in its process. “T he lega l system and the conduct system are completely separate systems,” McCrery said. “I think the important thing to know about that is in the conduct system we’re not looking at whether someone broke the law, we’re looking at if they violated a university policy. Sometimes a law and a policy may be called the same things, but they’re actually different.” Garcia also spoke to one-and-done sanctions, and why, in her opinion, when it comes to rape, they are a non-issue. “I don’t understand why this is an issue because if it’s rape, it’s rape,” Garcia said. “If they see that it’s obviously rape, they can’t make it less than because it happened, and I think it doesn’t make sense why they would not (find them responsible) because then they are submitting to keeping rapists on campus.” Garcia speaks at genderbased violence rally In response to the problems Garcia saw with her case, she and the United Feminist Movement held a gender-based violence rally on the steps of Burruss Hall on Oct. 24, 2018. While the rally was meant to educate people on the Title IX and student conduct processes, it also served as a gathering place for survivors and supporters. “We gave a little information about Title IX and Student Conduct and bringing them to awareness of how it’s not working and the effects,” Garcia said. “And I was a prime example of the effects and how it’s not
working and the post-effects that come to the victim and the community as a whole.” Garcia believes the rally was a success in some ways and provided opportunities for healing. “One of the symptoms of trauma survivors is we feel like we’re not worth it, or we feel like it’s our fault or like things aren’t as bad as they are,” Garcia said. “So having this rally and having people hear me … was really important for me … because it helped me shut off those voices in my head that tell me that what happened to me isn’t that big of an issue or no one cares about it.”
this is a problem and no one does know about it and that is an issue.” According to SGA, the organization is currently looking into Title IX and has created an ad-hoc committee specifically to collaborate with the university to identify pain points in Title IX and Student Conduct. SGA also issued a press release rega rding the Department of Education’s newly proposed federal regulations that could impact Title IX. The press release encourages students, faculty and staff to provide feedback in-person in the
“We still have a lot of
people who are out there who are not sharing what’s happened to them.
”
Katie Polidoro director of Title IX Compliance and Title IX coordinator this a process where they feel heard and this is part of healing, and for some people, even if the outcome is somebody’s found responsible and has a significant sanction, they still might feel that this process hurt them because you need to be pretty open and
the resources that I have. “I had to make my own light in this dark, depressive place by telling myself that I’m OK, I’m safe now, I can take action to make myself safe or surround myself with people who love and support me and keep pushing forward and make sure that
ROBERTO RAMOS-DIAZ / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Ga rcia would have preferred to see more of a response from the administration. One avenue, however, that may prove successful is through the Student Government Association (SGA). The rally provided Garcia’s connection to the association, as she was able to meet with the head of student government and the vice president of SGA and start a conversation with them. SGA investigates Title IX “Talking to SGA when I went to the open forum back in October was super successful,” Garcia said. “Having (SGA) be blown away by how big of an issue this is because they had no idea, was super important and a real eye-opener that
“I don’t understand why this is an issue because if it’s rape, it’s rape. ”
Maya Garcia junior, chemical engineering
SGA office or via email at SGA@vt.edu. The comment period closes Jan. 28, 2019. Is change necessary? Title IX impacts a large portion of students on campus, and the number of cases has risen in recent yea rs. This increase, however, could be due to the number of reports rising, rather than an increase in the number of instances of gender-based violence. “Every year, (the number of Title IX reports to the Office for Equity and Accessibility) seems to tick a little bit higher and this year we’re on track for again surpassing where we were last year in the number of reports that we received,” Polidoro said. “We still have a lot of people who are out there who are not sharing what’s happened to them.” The students who are reporting are going through the often incredibly stressful Title IX process or even taking legal avenues. “This is a hard process,” Polidoro said. “For some people, they might find
pretty exposed when you go through the process,” Polidoro said. The stress and hardships survivors face don’t disappear once a case is closed. The effects of the assault and the process can last a lifetime. “I think it’s really important people know the victims and the survivors are the ones that do the time, really, because this has ruined my life,” Garcia said. By sharing her story and raising awareness about sexual assault and the trials and tribulations that follow, Garcia said she has been working toward making a better future for herself and other survivors. “I remember when it first started, I was like ‘OK, the light at the end of the tunnel should be coming soon, right?’” Garcia said. “But I never saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m realizing that there is no light at the end of the tunnel for getting justice or feeling better about this … I have done as much as I can with the energy that I have and
it’s safer for other people. And it’s hard.” Ga rcia urges the community to collaborate to solve these issues and offer support to survivors. “I feel like there’s not a left or right. There’s no
sides to this. It is how do we help the survivor, how do we decrease gender-based violence on campus and in general, and how do we put these sexual predators behind bars or whatever we need to do to stop it from happening?” Garcia said. The Office for Equity and Accessibility also aims to provide a Title IX process that is equitable and treats students well. “I think that what’s important to know about this process is that, while it’s hard and it’s difficult, it’s also a process that we think and care a lot about,” Polidoro said. “We may not do everything perfect. I don’t know that there is a perfect in this world just because of what we’re talking about. I hope that students feel that this is a place where they can come and be treated well and be treated fairly and that there can be some kind of understanding that the folks that do this work do it because they’re invested in it. We’re not ones to shun feedback. We’re really interested in hearing from people to figure out ways to do this better.”
Read the full story online. To find out more about Title IX at Virginia Tech go to https://ctimes.co/title-ix. Editor’s Note: Mike Liu, news editor, is friends with Maya Garcia; however, he was not involved in the writing, editing or publishing of this piece.
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ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Garcia standing in front of a sign indicating that Virginia Tech is a certified crime prevention campus.
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COURTESY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE Shoppers walk by Kim Fong Market on 8th Avenue in Sunset Park. Gentrification in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn has created a dramatic change.
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Gentrification restores poverty-stricken communities
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Redevelopment of blighted neighborhoods facilitates cultural revival, economic opportunities and a new hope for the future. ne of my fondest memories comes from the time I spent in Brooklyn last summer with my brother and two sisters. Being as fiscally conservative as possible — which can be difficult to do in New York City — we stayed in a small Airbnb located in Williamsburg, a neighborhood in Brooklyn that borders Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy) and Queens. This was surprising to me, not for the fact that we were staying in someone else’s apartment or were visiting the most popular city in the world, but because I genuinely enjoyed the neighborhood I was in. Given the fact that my whole family is from — and still lives in — New York, the Big Apple never had that captivating effect or impression on me in ways it had on other people. An ethnically diverse and hipster art-filled town, Williamsburg captured everything a 20-year-old could ever want in a close vicinity. From tasteful restaurants, to coffee shops, to intimate music venues, it was the most ideal place to spend your time and money. But this happy-go-lucky melting pot of bagel-eating p h o t og r a p h e r s wa s n’t always the reality facing this Brooklyn neighborhood. Before the hipsters moved in, its residents were primarily working-class Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and Hasidic Jews — all of whom still
live here — who worked at many local factories. Drug use and gang violence were rampant, which made most people avoid this part of town. However, its residents had no idea what their neighborhood would become within the next few decades. Fast-forward to 2014, when the average cost of rent in this Brooklyn neighborhood would see a 78.7 percent increase from 1990. Old factories would be converted into luxury apartment buildings, art galleries would open and tourism would be a main source of the neighborhood’s revenue. These changes are happening everywhere across the United States, all thanks to a process called gentrification. In a broader context, Williamsburg would serve as an example as one of the most gentrified areas in New York City, and perhaps even the United States. Many people have heard the term gentrification before, either in their sociology classes or brought up so eloquently in poorly written articles by The Root and Buzzfeed. But for those who aren’t familiar, gentrification describes the demographic shift from poor to middle class within an urban community, which usually involves redevelopment and a shift in the existing culture. Although it may seem like a relatively new issue, it was actually coined in 1964 by a sociologist named
Ruth Glass. The word gentrification itself already has a negative connotation. The root/prefix “gentry” has been a term used in the past to describe the aristocrats and elite who held most of the power in society. In consequence, the argument against gentrification has been shaped as a power struggle between the rich versus the poor. However, this is expected from any far-left postmodernist way of thought. The rhetoric is clear: Those who stand in defense of gentrification are evil, profit-seeking racist white men with no sympathy for the poor. Interestingly enough, displacement is not a common problem for gentrifying areas. There is little to no evidence that supports the theory that displacement is more common among gentrifying neighborhoods than in non-gentrifying ones. In fact, displacement rates are higher in non-gentrifying areas. The notion that these areas are kicking poor people out at unprecedented rates compared to other areas is simply untrue. There are a number of upsides to gentrification. In fact, older cities can help directly and indirectly expand their tax base as newcomers enter the urban market. More tax revenue allows for increased spending on education, law enforcement, public health and infrastructure. Gentrified neighborhoods
even showed increases in household income, especially among minorities. This applies only to those who were not displaced by high cost of rent and are also working full-time jobs. One study of the 2008 census data supports this claim, finding that the average income of black Americans with high school diplomas increased substantially in gentrified areas. Another study also pointed out that these income gains are much more racially diverse compared to traditional middle-class neighborhoods. This goes to show that there is an opportunity for more wealth accumulation that doesn’t benefit only traditional white homeowners. Despite all of the benefits of gentrification, many people are still greatly opposed to the idea and its implementation. Those in opposition have resorted to protesting in order to stop this process from completely revamping their neighborhoods. From San Francisco to London, protests have actually been very effective in pushing out businesses and shying those away who dared coming there. The protesters have comically marched in high numbers with signs claiming “Gentrification Is Racism” and “Development Not Displacement.” Less civil protesters have been known to throw red paint and vandalize art galleries. However, many
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discriminatory housing practices have contributed to several of the urban conditions today. Policies such as redlining districts are to blame for segregated communities that continue to exist. In this way, economic opportunities were simply unavailable to those who wished to succeed, leaving certain minorities with the impossible challenge of achieving the American dream. Unfortunately, many of the people who oppose gentrification so passionately fail to recognize that gentrification is a symbol of hope to bring economic opportunity and urban renewal to areas devastated by terrible policy-making in the past. For example, Detroit — a city living in the wake of a post-industrial collapse — is one example that needs some form of gentrification. But should we leave the city to fester in its high crime rates and unemployment simply for the sake of baseless moral concerns? Should we not use urban renewal as means of uplifting the city, solely because it would disrupt the cultural traditions of broken houses, poverty and murder? The answer is no. Just as technological advancements may cause structural unemployment, redevelopment and revitalization of urban areas can displace certain individuals. However, we do not see any logical arguments being formulated against
the benefits of technology or the people it may negatively affect. The problem in America is not poverty alone; however, it is the concentration of poverty into specific areas that is extremely devastating. Those who live here are stuck in a never-ending cycle of generations that have little to no real income. A form of smart gentrification can uplift these communities and bring opportunities that would have never arisen without it. Pushing for mixed-income neighborhoods is the best solution to bring both sides of this issue together. It is very important to limit corporatism but to also decrease the dramatization of the minority of Americans who are displaced by gentrification. If we truly want to help poor communities, we as a society must first achieve economic progress. Whether it be by directly or indirectly benefiting them by creating more jobs or implementing social programs, it can be a step in the right direction to restore wealth into historically disenfranchised communities. You don’t own the character of your neighborhood. So put down your phones and picket signs, forget your traditions and embrace gentrification as the change America needs.
THOMAS THORGERSEN • opinions columnist • senior/political science
Modern spirituality overlooks traditional roots of faith
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Contemporary perspectives on religion focus too much on secular interpretations rather than on religious pillars and principles.
eople worship many t h i ngs. Ma k i ng money. Becoming famous. Having sex. God. Not all of these, however, are created equal. How can one validate what they worship? Divine messages, and the prophets that deliver them, remain the prime proof of religion. Prophets delivered divine messages in the form of scriptures and stories, providing believers with a way to connect with the divine. In modernity, however, the supernatural is condemned, faith in the sacred is lost and congregation is frowned upon. We are living in an age of pseudo-spirituality. The last Pew Research Center surveys conducted in 2017 showed that 27 percent of all Americans see themselves as “spiritual but not religious,”; the number of people who identify themselves as “spiritual but not religious” has increased “8 percentage points in five years.” The trend originates in
Americans’ interpretation of secularism — which is believed to be the abandonment of the sacred. This is evident in Thomas Jefferson’s attempt at taking out supernatural elements and rewriting the Bible. Many people now subject religion to the same experimentation; rather than rely on the innate truthfulness of a given prophecy, people twist religious messages to adhere to their personal beliefs. Reza Aslan’s CNN show “The Believer” is a perfect example of this phenomenon. Aslan traveled the world, showing viewers different religious practices, methods of worship, sites and scriptures belonging to the world’s many religions. In a New Yorker piece, Elias Muhanna, a Harvard graduate and scholar on Islam, pointed out the issues with the show: “‘(The) Believer’ amounts to a canny sort of Evangelism — not for any one religion in particular, but for Aslan’s own brand of universal spirituality,
which regards religions as nothing more than different languages for expressing the same meanings.” In order to fulfill their spiritual void, people unsatisfied with their own religious sect will often depart from their group and rely on gurus, meditation and yoga. Even these practices are taken out of their contexts, being practiced individually and disassociated from their textual foundations. Devoid of their origins, devoid of prophecies, scriptures and revelations, these tactics lose their claim to the unknown. That’s not to say that they’re bad things, they just don’t make one spiritual. In Abrahamic faiths, humans communicate to God through religion, building their relation with him; but by practicing western spirituality practices, people are worshipping not God but themselves. A sacredless religion is still religion, just one that intrinsically false, based upon man’s own whims. Being “spiritual but not
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religious” is a way for people to escape religious obligations; “It’s plain old laziness,” said James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor at America magazine. Aslan, however, does document a powerful thing: the power religion provides communities. When a religious sect gathers to pray, mourn or celebrate a religious holiday, it creates deeper, more personal relationships. Shared beliefs tie a community together. In that way, congregation is an exclusive practice. Not
everyone can identify with each faith, and it is precisely through that exclusivity that each member attains a sense of belonging. Without those differences, we lose the value of religion because the first step toward true religious plurality is accepting our differences. Yet, the new wave of spirituality leads us to believe that communities are irrelevant. Religion is not merely an identity or a title, rather it is a way of viewing the world. Its role in society is too large to be ignored. When will
Americans open up about the elephant in the room and have a deeper conversation about religious plurality? By enveloping ourselves in our own communities, we are able to spread our knowledge to others and bring them closer to understanding others. By doing that, we realize our humanity, attaining a level of spirituality that no 21st century secular Buddhist guru provides. KARIM ELTAWANSY • opinions contributor • senior/communication studies
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ZAPPY: Student-run fashion HARVEY: Barber searches company helps community for adaptability in shop staff from page 1
t h i rd-pa r t y websit e Teespring, but Mbualungu and Kamenga teased that a new website was launching in the next few months on which they will sell both old and new, currently top-secret, merchandise. What drew Kamenga and Mbualungu to start Zappy in college was the plethora of creative students — photographers, videographers and models — to collaborate with. “It’s drive to not only bring yourself (up) as a brand, but bring up another peer and their brand,” Mbualungu ex pl a i n e d. H oweve r, they breathe Zappy’s mission of philanthropy
and fundraising through percentage nights at stores such as Sweet Frog and in products such as the Zappy Autism Awareness Tee, which give a percent of the proceeds to a non-profit or charity. Zappy isn’t a college pastime for these entrepreneurs; their goal is to make the brand as large as Nike, while keeping it private so that they can continue being “the creator(s) and controller(s),” Mbualungu said. One day, Kamenga hopes to open a Zappy scholarship and foundation to “help out somebody first, even when we don’t have ourselves completely covered.” Even though a collaboration with Nike or Chance the Rapper continues to be a goal,
according to Kamenga and Mbualungu, to wake up every morning doing something they love with their best friend is the ultimate dream. W hen s t a r t i ng a company, especially in the early stages, the risks involved can cloud one’s mind on the worth of the end goal. In college, it means sacrificing nights out for late nights crafting mission plans, models, designs, fundraisers and every bullet point and meeting in between. However, Kamenga concluded that “when you have passion for what you are doing, it is really hard to quit when things get hard.” @Kiser_Rachel
from page 1
highly skilled barbers. How does Harvey find the perfect fit for his shop? “If I do try to find a barber to work in this shop, I wouldn’t say I have high standards of what they know how to do, but I’m going to look more for if you’re open to learn more different styles of cutting because that is the way you find a good barber,” Harvey said. One important component that Harvey recognizes is that each of his barbers have their own way of cutting hair; he wants to make sure that they can adjust when needed. “I don’t want them to sugarcoat anything for me.
I don’t want them to cut like me. But are you willing to bend a little bit?” Harvey said. “That’s what I’ve been looking for: an open person that’s willing to do better.” Harvey has worked with so many different people that it’s hard for him to keep track of how many haircuts he’s given. The shop offers both walk-ins and scheduled appointments from Monday to Friday; he even cuts on Sundays after church. “With the athletes, professors, townies, regular people and kids, it’s hard to keep count of how many (cuts) you’re doing,” Harvey said. “You might keep count for the first five to 10 but then eventually, you’ll be so focused on keeping them happy that you’ll forget all
about it.” Harvey’s passion for cutting hair and caring for the comfort of his staff and customers has helped make Harvey’s Barber Shop become the long lasting business it is today. “I think that right there helps me stay in business, you know. Listening to the customer, even if it’s a difficult haircut, learning different ways to execute the haircut. That right there kind of sets me aside from other barbers,” Harvey said.
@JustinRocha00
Want 2019 to be your year? Do what’s necessary to keep your resolutions We all know it’s a lot easier to make goals than it is to keep them. Our writer gives five simple steps to keep yourself in check.
HEATHER TROBRIDGE lifestyles staff writer
Oftentimes we’ll feel fine with where we are in our lives until we hit December. Then Jan. 1 rolls around and everybody just starts talking about change. “I wanna look better,” says one person; “I wanna feel better,” says another. Change is something that we not only crave at the beginning of a new year but strive for with the dreaded New Year’s resolution. Whether it’s to save money, spend more time with family, lose weight or live a healthier life, making a big lifestyle change is a hard task to accomplish. W h ile New Yea r’s resolutions are typically regarded as cheesy and a waste of time, it is possible to make one and stick to it. All you need is a little motivation, a positive attitude and a good resolution that is worth attaining. Start small and set goals. You can’t climb the mountain if you haven’t done the proper training first. The most important thing with making an attainable resolution is to set a realistic goal — you can’t lose 40 pounds in a month, but you can certainly lose
five. The best thing to do with a New Year’s resolution is to set one large goal and multiple benchmark goals throughout the year. You’ll be less inclined to give up and get frustrated with yourself if you don’t immediately reach your resolution as long as you are reaching the little goals on the way. Find a friend. What’s the best way to stay motivated? Your friends, of course. There’s nothing better than getting your friends and family in on your resolution. Not only can it motivate you to achieve it, but it can make what you’re doing 10 times more fun. If your resolution is to eat cleaner, find a friend you can swap recipes with and cook together. If you’re trying to save money, having a friend stay in for a movie night can wipe your FOMO away. Need a push to go to the gym? A little friendly competition is a great way to keep you in line with your goal. You don’t have to change on your own; supportive friends and family members are the biggest key for having a successful new year. Don’t be too hard on
yourself. Hannah Montana said it best: “Nobody’s perfect.” We have all given in to cheat days, and we all overspend. It happens to the best of us. There’s no point in holding yourself back all the time — if we do that, we’re more inclined to fall off the wagon. I say it’s totally fine to embrace a cheat day every once in awhile. The more you accept that you can’t always avoid cheating on your resolution, the more willpower you’ll gain to move forward. So go out to TOTS with your friends on Saturday or get Sugar Magnolia ice cream when your parents come to visit; you’ll feel great and be more conscious of your goals the next day. Visualize it. Having a hard time really seeing what you want out of your 2019? Vision boards are a great way to bring your dream into reality. The purpose of a vision board is to take images regarding your goal and paste them all in one place. It’s a visible reminder of where you’re headed and a great way to show you how far you’ve come along. You can’t apply it to every resolution, but if you’re saving
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money for your spring break trip, having pictures of your vacation may serve as a reminder to not blow your extra cash at Sharkey’s. It doesn’t have to be a vision board, either; just having something you can look at or hold may give you an extra boost of motivation.
Never give up. Don’t tell yourself you can’t do something. With enough determination, you can make anything you want to do a reality. You’re much stronger than you think and have more willpower than you know, so never sell
yourself short. If you want something in 2019, go make it happen.
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January 22, 2019 PAGE 7
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Women unable to complete upset bid against No. 8 Wolfpack in OT With Tech’s loss, NC State remains the only undefeated team in women’s collegiate hoops. The Hokies were the closest team to beating the Wolfpack in Raleigh so far. DILLON CAMPBELL assistant sports editor
Riding a four-game losing streak into Raleigh, the Virginia Tech women’s basketball team looked to end its losing skid against No. 8 NC State, the only remaining undefeated team in women’s collegiate hoops. In a showdown between two of the top scoring defenses in the ACC, the Hokies fought tooth and nail, but lose by the skin of their teeth to the Wolfpack 70–61 in overtime. The last time they beat a top 10 team was Dec. 6, 2015 when Virginia Tech defeated No. 8 Tennessee. Despite moral victories being frowned upon in the world of sports, the Hokies should hang their heads high and mighty. Although the Hokies lost, they put on an impressive performance against a premier team in a
hostile environment. The only team that has even sniffed a victory at Reynolds Coliseum this season versus the Wolfpack was the Duke Blue Devils, who lost by 12. Virginia Tech took control of the game early, jumping out to a 11–4 lead behind great team play with Trinity Baptiste, Taylor Emery, Regan Magarity and Aisha Sheppard all getting in the scoring column. At the end of the first quarter, the Hokies led the Wolfpack 16–13. In spite of Virginia Tech’s strong start, NC State started to stake its claim on the game. Throughout the second quarter and into the third quarter, the Wolfpack turned the game in their favor, going up 39–32 and starting to pull away. However, Virginia Tech refused to quit, responding with a 12–3 run that Taylor
Emery capped off with a go-ahead three to give the Hokies a 44–42 lead near the end of third quarter, their first since 8:50 left to go in the second quarter. From then on out, Virginia Tech and NC State traded baskets down to the wire with NC State capturing a late lead in the final minute. After missing a go-ahead three with Tech down 59–58 with 13 seconds to go, Emery in Larry Bird-esque fashion stole the inbounds pass, took it to the cup and drew a foul. Making just one of two from the charity stripe, NC State retook possession with eight seconds left to go and a chance to win. In what would have been the gamewinning basket, NC State’s Erika Cassell missed a contested layup, forcing the game into overtime. In ove r t i m e, the
Wolfpack’s defense suffocated the Virginia Tech offense, giving up just one basket to Regan Magarity and allowing them to pull away for the 70–61 win. Hoping to snap its five-game losing streak, Virginia Tech returns back to Blacksburg for a two-game home stint against North Carolina and Florida State. The Hokies tip-off versus the Tar Heels on Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. and the Seminoles on Jan. 27 at 2 p.m.
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No. 9 Hokies bounce back from road loss against Virginia, exorcise Demon Deacons at home 87–71 Virginia Tech’s inside-out game, Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s hot shooting night and bench play got the Hokies back on track. DILLON CAMPBELL assistant sports editor
Fresh off its 81–59 road loss to No. 1 Virginia where the team shot just 33 percent from three-point land and dished out only 10 assists, the No. 9 Virginia Tech men’s basketball team (15-2) exorcised the Demon Deacons (8-9) from Cassell Coliseum, beating Wake Forest 87–71. “It’s such an invisible line at this level and specifically to this league, home or on the road, between winning and losing,” said Virginia Tech head coach Buzz Williams. “I thought we were much more ‘us,’ and that is not to take anything at all away from the University of Virginia. They beat our brains in from start to finish in every possible way on both ends of the floor.” Early on, the Hokies used the inside-out game to get its offense into a flow, playing through big man Kerry Blackshear Jr. on the low block. After converting two straight post-ups into points, the defense started to collapse the paint, which opened up the floor for
Virginia Tech’s plethora of shooters. Nickei l A lexa nd erWalker fed off the attention Blackshear drew and was the beneficiary of some excellent ball movement, swapping back-to-back threes from the wing and setting the tone for Virginia Tech’s shooters early on. Virginia Tech’s leading scorer finished with a team-best 24 points. With the game all knotted up at 17-17 a little bit past midway through the first half, the Hokies’ defensive intensit y a mplified immensely, causing havoc for Demon Deacons’ halfcourt offense and creating easy offense with quick baskets and crisp passing in transition. From then until halftime, Virginia Tech outscored Wake Forest by 10 and took a 42-32 lead into the intermission. Coming out the locker room, the Hokies and Demon Deacons fought and scratched for control of the second half, trading baskets and playing with a sense of urgency. Following an off-balanced, heavily contested
3-pointer by Wake Forest’s Brandon Childress to put the game within single digits at 53-44, Virginia Tech responded with an 11-0 run, swinging the momentum a nd rock i ng Cassel l Coliseum in the process. However, the Demon D eacons, rem i n iscent of their win against NC State, were not rattled and refused to go away. After regrouping, Wake Forest went on a 19-9 run to reduce the Virginia Tech lead to 10 points at 73-63 with about five minutes left to go. Despite the Demon Deacons’ effort down the stretch, the Hokies successfully staved off Wake Forest’s late rally, moving to 10-0 at home and getting back to their winning ways. No. 9 Virginia Tech has just a two-day break before taking the court again for a top 15 ACC showdown against No. 13 North Carolina (14-4). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill.
AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Wake Forest Demon Deacons’ Jaylen Hoard (10) attempts a basket as Virginia Tech Hokies’ Kerry Blackshear Jr. (24) attempts to defend the basket at Cassell Coliseum, Jan. 19, 2019.
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AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech Hokies’ Kerry Blackshear Jr. (24) guards the driving lane as Wake Forest’s Brandon Childress (0) attempts to drive in a 87–71 victory by the Hokies at Cassell Coliseum, Jan. 19, 2019.
AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech Hokies’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker (4) attempts to turn the corner against Wake Forest’s Brandon Childress (0) in a 87–71 victory at Cassell Coliseum, Jan. 19, 2019.
AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech Hokies’ Justin Robinson (5) looks for an open man as Wake Forest’s Brandon Childress (0) defends him at Cassell Coliseum, Jan. 19, 2019.
PAGE 8 January 22, 2019
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Virginia Tech swim and dive dominate CAC meet The men and women both performed admirably on senior night at the quad-meet where 12 graduating seniors were honored. CLAIRE CASTAGNO sports staff writer
After going 0 –2 in Charlottesville on Jan. 12, the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams responded very well at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center against Cincinnati, George Washington and Ja mes Madison. T he quad-meet served as senior day and Virginia Tech individually honored the 12 graduating seniors. Virginia Tech came out on top in both men’s and women’s swimming and diving. Both teams dominated the competition, with the
men claiming victory over George Washington 197–91, and then later beating Cincinnati 185–108. The women downed James Madison 192–106, George Washington 213–85, and finally Cincinnati with a 175–123 decision. “It was a good meet for many reasons,” head coach Sergio Lopez Miro said in an interview with HokieSports. “It was senior day and last night we had a senior banquet and it was very exciting to really see how supportive the Hokie swimming and diving families are. We had 170 people and it was a very nice
event for our seniors and their families. Today was the culmination of our senior weekend and we had our students walk in with their parents and be recognized, it was a really good day. After this meet, the men’s team record improves to 6–1 and they are likely to continue to receive votes in the Coaches Top 25 Poll, as is the women’s team with their record now at 3–4. The men’s team scored first place points in 10 events. Senior Norbert Szabo won the 200 freestyle, shaving 0.08 seconds from his seed time, the only dropped time of the day.
Szabo also earned first in his 100 butterfly followed by Blake Manoff, Alex Hines and Henry Claesson taking second through fourth for the Hokies. Virginia Tech also swept the 50 butterfly and 100 free, being led by Ian Ho in both events. Samuel Tornqvist also had notable swims coming in first in the 200 backstroke and second in his 100 backstroke. The women’s team won six events and had two finishes in three of those six. Virginia Tech came in first and second in the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 400 IM. Reka Gyorgy contributed to that by
winning first place finish in the 400 IM and second place in the 200 backstroke. Both the men’s and women’s relay teams for Virginia Tech came in first in their 400 Medley Relays. The men and women scored highest in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events. Benjamin Schiesl and Teagan Moravek won the one-meter diving for men and women. Noah Zawadzk i and Regan Westwood came out on top in the three-meter dive for the Hokies. Next, Virginia Tech’s men and women’s team will prepare for the
TECHNOtational open to all NCAA teams at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center held from Feb. 1 to Feb. 3. After that, the Hokies move into championship season.
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