The Profile | March 2017

THE HENDRIX COLLEGE

ROFILE VOLUME 105 ISSUE 4

MISS HENDRIX

MISS

HENDRIX CONTESTANTS

CHARITIES

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MISTER HENDRIX? CK WEEK SCHEDULE

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P ROFILE Editor-in-Chief: Brooke Nelson Managing Editor: Casey Hawkins Business Editor: Chirag Lala Layout Editor: Jessica Emerson Layout Editor: Liz Green Photo Editor: Megan Prettyman Copy Editor: Sydney Meyer Photographer: Leah Headley Photographer: Aditya Katke Photographer: Konrad Witkowski Staff Writer: Marlee Bird Staff Writer: Jenson Chier Staff Writer: Peyton Coffman Staff Writer: Barrett Goodwin Staff Writer: Hunter Herrera Staff Writer: Adam Williams

HENDRIXprofile.com .

Online Editor: Sarah Gilmour

Advisor Jamie Groat

MISSION STATEMENT As a student-run and student-funded newsmagazine, The Profile uncovers the smart edge to campus culture: the people, places, ideas and trends that curious, confident students and faculty want, need and ought to know. By critically examining issues important to the Hendrix community, The Profile aims to act as a catalyst for change, a tool for transparency between the student body and faculty and a source of inspiration for its readers to begin thinking globally and acting locally.

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THE HENDRIX COLLEGE PROFILE

A NOTE FROM CAMPUS KITTY

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ince 1949, Campus Kitty has been a fixture on our campus.

What was once a one week, $1,000 campaign is now a year-long fundraising and awareness effort led by your classmates and friends. We are two of three members who are fortunate to have been a part of this group for the last four years, and we believe in the mission of this nonprofit now more than ever.

CK, as our group is commonly known, is steeped in tradition. We know, however, that this organization must continue to adapt and improve. Miss Hendrix is now a show that strives to properly represent drag culture and educate students who might not otherwise have the experience to watch or participate in such a performance.

CK has also changed the way we fundraise and charge for events so that all students can play a part in our charitable giving. Additionally, we have brought representatives of our nonprofit partners on campus for the past two funding cycles so that students can directly engage with the organizations and issues to which they are contributing. Close to 90 percent of the money we raise comes from the Hendrix community; we hope we can continue connecting them with the causes they support.

Campus Kitty (and all students, faculty and staff, by extension) should be proud of all of the committee’s accomplishments. In April, Campus Kitty will have awarded over $100,000 in grants to non-profits in central Arkansas with gifts from thousands of individual donors. We’re thankful to have worn our “Beat Rhodes” shirts, cheered on our friends at Miss Hendrix, and stacked poker chips with you this entire time!

See you in Staples, Mark Hickey and Morgan Carrico Campus Kitty Co-Chairs

CONTENTS

VOLUME 105 ISSUE 4 MARCH 2017

Miss/Mr. Hendrix pg. 12

NEWS

4 Gender Identity in Dorms

How will ResLife accommodate the spectrum?

6 Philanthropic Funding

OPINION

How should student activity money be spent?

FEATURE

8 Miss Hendrix Contestant Bios

Meet the contestants of this year’s competition

10 Charity Spotlight: Lucie’s Place A look inside the LGBTQ-friendly shelter

12 Miss...and Mister Hendrix?

Male contestants compete for first time this year

14 Campus Kitty Week Schedule

SPORTS

15 Rock Wall Renovations

Pardon My Fro pg. 18

Rock Climbing pg. 15

Gender Identity in Dorms pg. 4

The new paths climbers can expect

17 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Season updates and interviews

18 Pardon My Fro

CULTURE

Three students explore the Natural Hair Movement

MARCH 2017

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NEWS

GENDER IDENTITY: HOUSING EDITION H

undreds of liberal arts colleges around the country provide gender-neutral housing for students who don’t identify with traditional gender identities. Hendrix does, as well; however, the degree to which gender-neutral housing is a priority for the school has been debated.

“There are very limited options, particularly for underclassmen, in terms of gender-neutral housing,” sophomore Lex Ellenthal, co-founder of Transgender Representation, Advocacy, Networking and Support at Hendrix (TRANS@HDX) said. “I think some people really prefer gendered housing, and I would not begrudge anyone that, but I do think we should have further options. If just one of the girls’ dorms was made to be a gender-inclusive or gender-neutral dorm, I think that would make a huge difference.”

Ellenthal defines themself as genderflux, a term which they say accurately captures their gender fluctuations on a day-to-day basis.

Living in Raney Hall last year came with many challenges, particularly because everyone in the dorm was assumed to be female. However, Ellenthal tried to make changes that would help the dorm become more inclusive.

“It was a big deal last year when we got the bathroom signs switched from ‘Ladies Only’ or ‘Girls Only’ to ‘Residents Only’ to make it more inclusive,” Ellenthal said.

On the other side of campus, sophomore Jordan Borst was living in Martin Hall. Identifying as non-binary, they noted the struggle of being defined by a residence hall. “Even though I’ve lived with roommates who are really chill, this idea of being a ‘Martin Man’ has always been impossible because I don’t identify as a man,” Borst said.

As much as Hendrix claims to be liberal and forward-thinking, it’s no secret that gender expectations still define huge parts of student life. For Borst, the experience of living in Martin is intriguing, even though it comes with difficulties. “It’s interesting to observe, because you can see interesting parts of masculinity that aren’t necessarily toxic, but that can also be toxic at times,” Borst said.

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WITH GENDER-NEUTRAL HOUSING, HENDRIX STILL HAS ROOM TO GROW MARLEE BIRD Last October, Hendrix formally announced plans to build the Miller Creative Quad where Hulen Hall now stands. The building will be used for many purposes, including new co-ed living spaces. John Omolo, the director of Residence Life, said that the plan is to have some single rooms and some suite-style living spaces in the quad, with about 100 beds in total.

Ellenthal acknowledged that Hendrix is trying to make strides, even if the problem is not completely fixed.

“I think Hendrix is taking a lot of steps to become more inclusive, and everyone that I’ve worked with in the faculty and staff has been really understanding and really accommodating,” Ellenthal said. “Dean Wiltgen was very open to us starting TRANS@HDX…and Residence Life, despite the fact that it was a little chaotic getting me assigned to a room, did make an effort to make me feel comfortable.”

Omolo remembers when gender-neutral housing at Hendrix first began in 2007, when a couple of students came to his office and said they needed a place for gender-neutral living. Since that time, genderneutral housing has become an official option for anyone seeking more flexible, inclusive living options. Students must go through an application process, and after they are selected, they are placed in either Huntington or Market Square South. Upperclassmen typically live in Huntington, while underclassmen live in Market Square South.

Gender-neutral housing is open to anyone with a particular living situation. For instance, siblings who may want to live together or friends who can’t normally live together because of gender restrictions are able to, thanks to gender-neutral housing options.

“When people live where they want to live, they perform better, they’re happier and they just enjoy school more because there are no limitations,” Omolo said.

Yet gender-neutral housing comes with some concerns from parents, students and the administration. Borst understands these concerns. “From a business perspective, I see why Hendrix would keep [gendered housing] in place, because it attracts more people and

NEWS

WHEN PEOPLE LIVE WHERE THEY WANT TO LIVE, THEY PERFORM BETTER, THEY’RE HAPPIER, AND THEY JUST ENJOY SCHOOL MORE BECAUSE THERE ARE NO LIMITATIONS.

Photos by Aditya Katke

-JOHN OMOLO, DIRECTOR OF RESIDENCE LIFE makes people feel safer, and I’m not going to mock anyone for feeling unsafe when they’re surrounded by someone of a different gender, because those attacks do happen.” Yet they noted that misconceptions still define ideas of gender-neutral housing. “[Attacks] can also happen in those single-gender spaces,” Borst said. “In Martin, sexual assaults can happen between a man and a man. In Raney, a sexual assault could happen between a woman and a woman.”

In other words, Hendrix’s housing needs to find a new perspective.

Yet everyone can agree that the college supports improving access to gender-neutral housing.

“We are making strides, but we’re just not there yet, and in the meantime it’s really uncomfortable,” Ellenthal said. “I think there are a lot of temporary solutions that could be put in place very easily that we’re really not considering. We’re really thinking in the long-term, like putting in this new dorm that won’t be ready for a couple of years.”

The solution to the issue is not yet clear, and many ideas are float-

ing around as possible options. Ellenthal believes that there are temporary solutions that can be enacted right now.

“We have a relatively large non-binary population on campus, which I know from running TRANS@HDX, but it’s not like we would take up a whole dorm,” they said. “If we were just given a floor in Raney, Veasey or Galloway, you could put anyone there, regardless of designated sex.”

Borst believes that Hendrix needs to make a huge leap forward with gender-neutral housing, although they admitted that the school might not be ready for it just yet.

“We need to create specifically co-ed spaces, more like Couch, or eliminate it all together and maybe make Hendrix one day an entirely co-ed campus,” Borst said.

Omolo said it best when he noted that the steps Hendrix has taken are not yet complete. “We open the door, but we don’t open it wide. It’s just partially open.”

MARCH 2017

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OPINION

MODERN LOATHING BARRETT GOODWIN

PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING: IS OUR STUDENT ACTIVITY MONEY BEING PUT TO GOOD USE?

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veryone knows about Campus Kitty and the fundraising events they hold on campus for non-profit organizations in Central Arkansas. However, what students might not think about is how Campus Kitty and other philanthropic student organizations are funded.

Students pay $175 a semester as their Student Activity Fee. This money is pooled together to create the Student Activity Fund, from which Senate allocates funding every spring to various student organizations via the Spring Allocations process.

Recently there has been student concern raised that philanthropic clubs, which use Student Activity money to host events, “double charge” students by requiring an admission fee.

Freshman Leah Crenshaw is the Freshmen Senator and serves on Senate’s Financial Committee (FinCom). She explained that FinCom tries to be responsible with Student Activity money, and thus is hesitant to give much funding to events and groups that might not be able to engage enough students to justify the allocation. This spurred Senate to change the way philanthropic clubs as a whole receive funding, to go into effect during this year’s Spring Allocations period. The new model is that Senate will loan these clubs the money they need, and then that amount will be paid back after the event or activity. The club keeps whatever is left after the loan is repaid. There is also a minimum limit for the loan: if the event raises $100 or less, then

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that club does not have to pay Senate back.

Crenshaw points out that with the rule change, philanthropic clubs that request Senate funding will be far more likely to receive it since the Student Activity money will be paid back. Smaller organizations will be able to request money to hold bigger events because of these changes, even if they don’t have the same name recognition of more established philanthropic student organizations on campus. One such organization is Campus Kitty.

Junior Kendra Schwartz is the Vice Chair of Campus Kitty, in addition to serving as Village Senator. Her perspective is that as well-intentioned as the change may be as far as student concerns over “double charging,” this new funding model will definitely affect how Campus Kitty operates going forward.

“Basically what this is going to turn into is we might not be able to help as many people [as we have in the past], as we won’t make as much,” Schwartz said.

She hits at an important point about nonprofits: if costs increase, the amount of money for charity dramatically declines.

It could be argued that in the past, philanthropic student organizations have not always operated along the lines of “real” non-profits, in that their costs were subsidized by Student Senate. Still, not every organization has had the benefit of such financial support. This rule change helps smaller fundraising clubs that have not always had much help from FinCom. Yet this change might also have unintended

consequences for such groups. Smaller clubs would benefit from more funding, but they also have much smaller margins than clubs like Campus Kitty.

A perfect example is Advocates for World Health (AWH), which focuses on helping hospitals in traditionally underserved communities.

Junior Alysha Hemani serves as AWH President, and she has a unique take on the change.

As a fairly new student organization, AWH has had to figure out how to raise money without much Senate funding for events—the precise reason for the new loan model. However, she argues that the model could be an obstacle in and of itself.

“Raising money is not as easy as it sounds,” Hemani said. “People think, ‘Oh, do a bake sale and you’ll just get money automatically,’ but if you use money [for supplies, etc.], that comes out of your fundraising money.”

This brings up an important philosophical question for the Hendrix community: How should we best support these student organizations that do great work raising awareness and money for important causes? This rule change raises that question and offers a possible answer. While the debate will no doubt continue on how to best allocate Student Activity money, in the meantime we students can continue to find ways to support our big-hearted fellow Warriors and the hard work their student organizations do.

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FEATURE

MISS HENDRIX 2017 Photo by Leah Headley

MARCH 2017

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FEATURE

MISS HENDRIX DAE-ANUS TARGARYEN MR. LOVE YOUR GIRL Mr. Love Your Girl, your favorite 2000s R&B singer, has just arrived from 2008 in the time machine. You remember him. His sexy, yet romantic voice blasted through the earbuds of your pocket MP3 player. You stared dreamily at his cute pout on his album cover. You even remember when he cut off his braids…

But you also know the story. Mr. Love Your Girl is in with her love, but she’s dating another man. Another man that doesn’t treat her right. After watching her become unhappy, go underappreciated and have bad sex, Mr. Love Your Girl has decided he can’t go on any longer without her.

Taking the stage by storm, Mr. Love Your Girl sees this as his chance to finally get her back. He’s going to tell his story and give the best serenade of his life. Will she let him love her?

CAPTAIN JACK SWALLOW Why is the rum gone? Well, this time it is because the Black Pearl has been taken from Captain Jack yet again. He begged; he pleaded; he even did some “favors” that earned him his last name “Swallow.” His only hope now is to buy the Pearl back with the only currency he knows: treasure. He hopes to win the Miss Hendrix crown, with its gleaming gold and precious jewels, and exchange it for his beloved ship. Captain Jack Swallow brings with him his tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature that gives him a pretty good idea of what happens beneath his fellow contestants’ petticoats. Although not all treasure is silver and gold, he can never turn down a pearl necklace.

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Dae-anus Targaryen is the Queen of the Anals, Khaleesi of the Great Ass Sea, Mother of Drag-ons and the rightful heir to the Iron Bone. She has heard that Hendrix, and indeed the entire country, has fallen to a tyrant King hailing from the land of ‘Alternative Facts.’

He has enchanted the people with his golden hair and ‘huge’ hands, but Daeanus has experience training unruly creatures to do her bidding, and she will show America ‘How to Train Their Dragon.’ With a firm hand and some riding skill, Dae-anus will break the chains that bind, and show you how a real Mother of Drag rules. Dracarys.

PRINCESS JIZZMINE She is a dazzling Arabian Nights beauty, hailing from the “hole”y city of Aghraballs. Princess JizzMine loves talking politics and eating sticky sweet baklava—among other things. She has spent the majority of her life living behind the palace walls, but she is ready to see a whole new world. In her free time, she enjoys the occasional street rat and likes to play with her big tiger pussycat. She knows how to stroke a big brass one, too.

Three rubs and her genie always comes.

When she gets her three wishes, she plans on wishing for a thief in the streets and a tiger in the sheets, world peace and her third wish is to let “a lad in...” if you know what I mean.

Rest assured that this girl doesn’t tolerate monkey business. You’ll have to be a straight up gem if you want to ride her magic carpet for a thousand and one hot nights. Only a special Diamond in the Rough will fill in her hidden Cave of Wonders. And as soon as the Sultan chokes on Jaffar’s magic rod, Jizzmine will be taking over the family business. Prep yourselves, because this Middle Eastern queen is about to take you “over sideways and under”—and rule your world.

ci ca hu sh ev A th R ha w al tim

tri so al M tit

M co na es M m th to m

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FEATURE

CONTESTANTS

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en ss htrd re ils.’ his euly he eir me he a

PARIS THE HEIRESS

MELICKA MCCAVITY After moving to the large and luscious city of Los Angeles, Melicka McCavity caught her first big opening through her huge appearance on Feelmore Girls where she was serving up her baked goodies for everyone’s midnight munching pleasure.

Afterwards, her name was spread thick on the tip of everyone’s tongue after her first RRated role in Brideslaids. Even though we have recently seen Melicka bustin’ ghosts with her gloriously ginormous girl group, we all really know that Melicka’s favorite pastime is bustin’ nuts.

Whether she’s putting Mike in his place, tripping with her grandma, or stealing someone’s ID to get into the club, Melicka always brings The Heat. Ultimately, Melicka McCavity is looking forward to claiming the title of “Queen of XXXL-Rated Comedy.”

Aside from her work in film industry, Melicka considers herself to be a culinary connoisseur. Her favorite foods include bananas, real beef hot dogs, Twinkie’s, peaches, melons and Slim-Thick Jim’s. And while Melicka ain’t missin’ no meals, she would much rather be eaten than eat. Although all that delicious food means she isn’t a 36—24 to 36—Melicka is only concerned with you measuring up to her standards.

Melicka comes to Miss Hendrix 2017 to lick the competition and to show everyone that big is beautiful, bodacious and badass. She’ll be making the haters wish they could have these treats. So, let’s admit it.

You all have someone bigger and better to be doing.

Get ready to party like it’s 2007: It’s Paris the Heiress! Heir to the Hilton fortune, reality television star, target of the tabloids, supermodel, socialite, might have had an album or two… Paris is pretty much famous for being famous. However, there’s no need to be intimated by this blonde bombshell.

And don’t be quick to judge Paris the Heiress because she is also a feminist. The original pop culture icon strongly believes that women have every right to be just as proud as men are of their healthy sex lives.

That’s hot! Alas, she still falls victim to the paparazzi, but please don’t believe everything you read. Keeping a low profile to avoid negative press, Paris graciously gave the spotlight to her former closet maid, Kim Kardashian. But no shade, no tea here, you silly bitch! Paris says Kim is welcome to organize her closet anytime she wants to show her appreciation. So charitable!

But for now, Paris is ready to turn you on, turn you out and give you something to talk about. It’s the year of the Heiress, and she’s ready to leave her mark on Hendrix, sealing it with a kiss. Now THAT’S hot!

Photos by Leah Headley

CHERRY MAGNUMS Wandering through a dark forest in postapocalyptic America, Rosemary Churchill stumbles upon a mysterious dark entity named Billy Franklin. Now, Rosemary has had 665 boyfriends in the past, but she can tell this tall, handsome beast was different.

The entity promises that if she comes with him, he will offer her a life of milk and honey.

He then transforms Rosemary into Cherry Magnums: bringer of destruction and debauchery. Going from an innocent blonde to a crazed redhead, Cherry has a revelation and learns that if she wants rapture and delight, she must be willing to crack a whip.

Cherry has been given a mission to bring a new world order and plunge the world into an eternal darkness by doing the worst thing a 20-something can do: dancing provocatively. With an old pair of Ugg boots, and a band of demon soldiers, Cherry is ready for kingdom to come…hard.

MARCH 2017

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FEATURE

TAKING SHELTER LOCAL HOMELESS LGBTQ YOUTH HAVE ONE PLACE TO TURN

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here are approximately 14,000 homeless youth in the state of Arkansas. Homeless LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) young adults make up 20 to 40 percent of the homeless youth population in America. There are six homeless shelters in Little Rock alone. Within the entire state of Arkansas, there is one shelter for LGBTQ youth.

Along with being refused service at many shelters within the state due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, homeless LGBTQ young adults are more likely to suffer from abuse and sexual assault than their heterosexual and cisgender peers.

Lucie’s Place opened its doors in 2011 as a homeless shelter for LGBTQ youth in Little Rock. The most common case at Lucie’s Place is a child being rejected by their parents from their home due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

While many students know that attendance at events like Miss Hendrix support the nonprofits that Campus Kitty selects each year, the true impact isn’t always made explicit. Campus Kitty will allocate nearly $5,000 toward Lucie’s Place in order to provide food for their residents for an entire year, and that is just one of 10 organizations that is being funded.

“Lucie’s Place is named after my good friend Lucille Murry Hamilton, who passed away in 2009,” executive director Penelope Poppers said.

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Art by Nicola Bryan

JESSICA EMERSON

“She was a young transgender woman who came out very early in life in Arkansas, who had to force everybody to acknowledge her for who she was. She would have never been one our clients because she always had housing and a family that loved her, but this is a way to remember her.”

Poppers began Lucie’s Place after working with the homeless population in Arkansas.

“I saw a great need for services that are specific to homeless LGBT young adults in our community,” Poppers said. “They face some pretty specific challenges and discriminations when they are on the streets. Many shelters in the area have religious views that are anti-LGBT, and anti-LGBT sentiment trickles down into their programming. Some shelters outright don’t allow LGBTQ people to enter; some do, but make life there so bad that people don’t want to stay.”

Due to capacity issues, Lucie’s Place hasn’t seen as much growth as they had intended to, but they have made a significant impact on the Little Rock community. Since 2012, they have housed and taken care of nearly 200 youth. The shelter is easy for youth to access and tailored to each resident’s specific needs.

“They just walk in the door, and that’s sort of it,” Poppers said. “We do an intake process, and we treat everyone differently. It’s hard to say specifically what the process is depending on what their needs are. People hear

about us through word of mouth or from another agency. They will either call and schedule an appointment, or they will just walk in.

Either way, it’s fine.”

Lucie’s Place provides housing, food, cell phones with minutes, utilities and bus passes for all of their residents. While they are similar to other shelters in the services they provide, they offer a different type of solace to their residents.

“One of the things we know about anybody from the ages 18 to 25 is that they want to be around their peers,” Poppers said.

“They don’t want to be in a shelter with 100 people that are twice or three times their age. Sometimes what we see is no matter how LGBTQ-affirming a shelter is, young people want to be around their peers, and they want to be in an environment that is specific to their peers. That’s not available anywhere but here. We really see people thrive because of that.”

“NO MATTER HOW LGBTQAFFIRMING A SHELTER IS, YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO BE AROUND THEIR PEERS.”

2017 NONPROFITS CONWAY CRADLE CARE Conway Cradle Care is designed to help teen parents finish their education while providing emotional support. Campus Kitty will be providing funding that will allow for professional development and transportation for the Mentoring Outreach Program.

PRIDECORPS Pridecorps works with the young LGBTQ population of central Arkansas to create a supportive and safe community. With funding from Campus Kitty, they will be able to hire a Program Coordinator to facilitate and develop programming and recruit youth.

ARKANPAWS Arkanpaws works to ensure that every animal has a home. Their services include rescuing, fostering and rehabilitating. They are in need of help to finish updating their kennel facilities and are receiving funding from Campus Kitty in order to do so.

-PENELOPE POPPERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Many residents of Lucie’s Place are there to get back on their feet, but they are not limited or pushed to accomplish goals that they do not want to set for themselves. Their future is in their own hands, assisted by the staff at Lucie’s Place.

“We have case managers that work with them, but primarily they take the initiative to move themselves forward. We don’t have any guidelines set. But, everyone needs to get their GED and be working full-time, or trying to work full-time,” Poppers said.

“If people want to continue their education or pick up a trade, or save up money to move to another city, it’s up to them. They set their own goals with their case managers, and then they work through those own their own. There’s a lot of independence built into the programming, and that’s intentional.”

Many shelters allow a resident to stay one night, but Lucie’s Place offers a sense of stability to the youth that live there while encouraging them to work to meet their goals.

“The house is only there to act as an in-between point so that we can give people somewhere stable,” Poppers said. “They have an address. They can have mail sent to a phone. They can have their own number to put on a resume or job application.

Those basic things really give them the base of what they need to move forward, and then after that, it’s up to them.”

Most nonprofits receive federal funding, but Lucie’s Place does not. Citizens within the community support the organization in full.

“Our funding is nearly entirely from community members,” Poppers said. “We don’t receive any city, state or federal funding. We have received some grants throughout the years. We just received a large grant for $50,000, which we will be using to purchase our next home. But that has been the largest by far, but other than that it has mostly been community members donating five or 10 dollars here and there.”

Due to their lack of consistent, stable funding and small staff, Lucie’s Place is continually looking for volunteers.

“If anyone wanted to get involved they would sign up to be a volunteer, which is on our website: www.luciesplace.org,” Poppers said. “We have volunteer trainings throughout the year that we require. But if people want to get involved in a less intense capacity, we are always looking for groups and individuals who are interested in doing bake sales, garage sales and donation drives on behalf of Lucie’s Place.”

CAMP ALDERSGATE Camp Aldersgate is the only nonprofit organization in Arkansas solely dedicated to serving youth with special needs in the environment of an outdoor camp. Campus Kitty will fund a visit to the American Camp Association 2017 National Conference.

OZARK MISSION PROJECT Ozark Mission Project connects volunteers with families who need construction projects completed. With the help of Campus Kitty, OMP will be able to send four children to camp at no cost to their families and complete construction projects in North Little Rock.

COUNSELING ASSOCIATES: HAVEN Help for Abuse Victims in Emergency Needs, also known as HAVEN, is a nonprofit organization that serves as a residential shelter for young girls who have become wards of the state.

Campus Kitty will fund the installation of a new security system.

THE SAFE PLACE The Safe Place is a nonprofit organization, serving Conway and Faulkner counties, that provides immediate safe shelter plus services for victims of domestic violence and their children. With funding from Campus Kitty, Safe Place will purchase a bed bug zapper.

SENIOR CITIZENS OF FAULKNER COUNTY The goal of the Faulkner County Senior Citizens Program is to help seniors age 60 and older remain healthy and active. With Campus Kitty’s funding, they hope to continue meeting the nutritional needs of senior citizens in Faulkner County.

SINGLE PARENT SCHOLARSHIP FUND Single Parent Scholarship Fund helps single parents of Faulkner County reach their educational goals, awarding scholarships in spring, summer and fall semesters. Campus Kitty is providing funds for more scholarships.

MARCH 2017

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FEATURE

MISS...AND MIS T COMPETITION WELCOMES FIRST FEMALE CONTESTANTS

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or years, students have enjoyed watching the spectacle that is Miss Hendrix. The dances, the contestants, the outfits—for everything that Miss Hendrix is and does, it has always been entertaining. Yet Miss Hendrix is also a tradition that has constantly grown and changed over the years. The most important changes have been in order to create a show that is more respectful and representative of the material where it draws its inspiration.

At this year’s Miss Hendrix competition, students will see something that hasn’t been a part of Miss Hendrix since its inception at Hendrix College. This year, female contestants will be able to compete to win the crown, because both drag kings and drag queens will now be contestants. Anna Caroline Lee and Anna King, both seniors at Hendrix College, are competing this year as male characters that they have created.

This is a first for Hendrix. As long as the competition has existed, it has been treated as a drag show available only to male contestants who then create female personas and characters. Both Lee and King were excited about this opportunity to represent drag king culture to the rest of the campus.

Lee was inspired to take this opportunity to compete in Miss Hendrix because of her love for performing. When other opportunities to dance at Miss Hendrix came and went, Lee decided to take matters into her own hands.

“I wanted this really bad, and if someone else was not going to give me a chance, I’m just going to do it on my own,” Lee said.

In light of this change, it’s important to note some challenges that drag kings may have to face that drag queens may not. Drag queens emphasize exaggeration of their body parts in order to appear feminine, while drag kings have to emphasize that which makes them seem more masculine.

However, Lee noted that both drag kings and queens have a lot in common, as well.

“They both are dressing up as characters to embellish their own characteristics and bring out their personality rather than hide it,” Lee said.

King was also inspired to perform, but for different reasons. “I thought it was time for there to be not just drag queen contestants, but also drag kings,” King said.

King also saw the importance of this change and said that she “wanted to be a part of that change for Miss Hendrix—and not just on the character side, but on several other aspects, as well.” She is interested in gender and the human body and thought this would be great learning experience.

When discussing other changes that Miss Hendrix may need to make in the future, King stated that she wants to see the competition really focus on the roots of the drag culture movement it portrays.

“That’s what we’re paying homage to; that’s the roots of drag,” King said.

King believes it is important to recognize where drag culture comes from and whom it has most benefited. She also has a lot of hope for Miss Hendrix to continue changing in years to come.

Tonya Hale, director of Student Activities, has already seen an amazing transformation of the Miss Hendrix competition over the years that she has worked at Hendrix. She saw the origins of Miss Hendrix as more representative of a “Womanless Beauty Review” and is glad to have seen Miss Hendrix change into something more meaningful.

“It’s been a work in progress,” Hale said. “If this is about drag culture, we need to understand that drag is for everyone.”

Hale believes that this change is especially important because of the

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TOP: Senior Carl Napolitano struts down the runway during the Miss Hendrix competition in 2016. His character, Flannery O’Cummer, was said to care for 40 colorful peacocks, “the only cocks she ever needs in her life.”

RIGHT: Senior Evan Mitchell performs his dance during the Miss Hendrix competition in 2016. His character, Evian Michelle, challenged the competition’s gender stereotypes and won first place.

S TER HENDRIX ADAM WILLIAMS impact it can have on the students in the audience. “There might be some students who still don’t understand it, but maybe it will allow some students to dig deeper and start thinking about gender, masculinity and femininity, and what it all means,” Hale said.

“IF THIS IS ABOUT DRAG CULTURE, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT DRAG IS FOR EVERYONE.” -TONYA HALE, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES Concerning the title of Miss Hendrix, Hale said that it might be a question for the future. She deferred to the students to ultimately be the agents of change in this respect. “It may be something we stick with, and people understand it to be something different,” Hale said.

Hale stated that other changes had been made to this year’s Miss Hendrix competition. The swimsuit portion was removed in favor of a new dance portion with the contestants that will allow them to showcase their characters even more. Also, the special guest portion of the show will be very important this year because Hendrix was able to book drag queen Katya Zamolodchikova of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Katya became famous after starring on “RuPaul,” a television show in which drag queen contestants compete against each other for prestige and cash prizes.

Hale stated that this change was ultimately a necessary one to make.

“We wanted to be as progressive as possible and celebrate this culture,” she said. “Drag culture is so important to the LGBTQ community, and we wanted to honor that.”

King noted that there is a unique pressure that she feels as one of the first female contestants in Miss Hendrix.

“I’m on a mission,” King said. “I just want some first-year, second-year student in the audience to look at me and say, ‘That can be me in two or three years.’ I want it to mean something to someone.”

Photos by Lexi Adams

PEYTON COFFMAN

TRUMP, TURTLES AND TIARAS

A VERY SERIOUS INTERVIEW WITH THE CONTESTANTS OF MISS HENDRIX The Profile: If you could give Trump a makeover, what look would you give him and why?

Melicka McCavity: First off, if Cheeto Man is comfortable with his current look, I can’t complain. But, as a bit of a busted queen myself, I do have some tips. Drag is a very exaggerated form of make-up and everything, but seeing as Mr. DJT is not our first drag president, I need him to tone down on the bronzer. Also, he needs some better wig glue to keep those edges in check. And finally, I’d suggest that he eats some big, healthy meals to help fill out those notoriously loose suits he wears.

Princess JizzMine: I would give him the look and attitude of an authoritarian Middle-Eastern sultan. On second thought, he’s already so good at that. Perhaps I may let him be.

Dae-anus Targaryen: Trump would look best with a bit more of a tan. I know a couple dragons who would relish the opportunity to give his skin that lovely orange glow he has been searching for...

Mr. Love Your Girl: I don’t know anything about makeovers, but I do think my barber could give him a fresh cut.

The Profile: If you had a giant turtle, what would you name it and where would you ride it?

Melicka McCavity: Why it gotta be “giant?” Regardless, I would name my turtle “Gordito.” And like me, Gordito would not be expected to walk long distances, especially with me on its back. Could you imagine? Poor baby.

So, Gordito and I will be ridin’ in style to our favorite destinations, such as Djibouti and Uranus.

Princess JizzMine: My turtle’s name would be “Sea-Rat,” and I would ride him to see a Whole New World (contingent upon visa approval in United States).

Mr. Love Your Girl: Well, it would really just depend on if my girl likes the turtle or not. I’ll let her name it and ride it to her house.

The Profile: If you are the next Miss/Mr. Hendrix, in what size storage unit will your tiara/crown be stored in 10 years?

Melicka McCavity: I think it’s funny that you all think I’m going to take that crown off my head long enough to put it into storage. Also, since there’s no cash prize, I doubt I’ll be able to afford a storage unit for the headpiece. So, I guess I’ll just have to wear it around everywhere, and you all will just have to keep gagging on my deliciousness.

Princess JizzMine: That is a horrible question. If? Why is this peasant from The Profile asking me questions? What is The Profile? Obviously, the crown will get its own palace.

Mr. Love Your Girl: I mean, I don’t think I’d put in a storage unit. I would let the two most important women in my life, my mom and my girl, put it on display.

The Profile: If you could have a mixed drink named after you, what would be in it, and why?

Paris the Heiress: There’s already like multiple mixed drinks named after me in many clubs all over the world. But if I got to create my very own that was truly inspired by me, it would have vodka and vitamins because that’s, like, the only things I let inside my body.

Cherry Magnums: It’s like a Shirley Temple, except ironically, you don’t add a cherry. What you add instead is Everclear, and you keep adding it until the drink is no longer pink.

MARCH 2017

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FEATURE

CAMPUS KITTY WEEK SCHEDULE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24:

Miss Hendrix ticket sales (5:30 p.m.)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27:

Bike-A-Thon (10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Burrow)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28:

Awareness Day

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1:

Martin/Veasey Auction (6:30 p.m. in Worsham)

THURSDAY, MARCH 2:

Caf Theme Day and ZaZa karaoke night (9 p.m.)

FRIDAY, MARCH 3:

Red Light Revue (6:30 p.m. in Worsham)

SATURDAY, MARCH 4:

Miss Hendrix (8 p.m. in Staples)

Campus Kitty’s Silent Auction continues all week and will be posted on the game room windows. The cutoff time for bids is Friday, March 3, at 5 p.m.

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THE HENDRIX COLLEGE PROFILE

P

ROCKY START

SPORTS

FRESHMAN MAKES IMPROVEMENTS TO ROCK WALL

JENSON CHIER

T here’s

change coming to campus, and it’s not the new Welcome Center or the alcohol and drug policy proposal.

This change is across the pedestrian bridge in the Wellness and Athletic Center (WAC), where freshman Elliot Peterson is updating the rock wall.

MARCH 2017

Photo by Konrad Witkowski

15

SPORTS Peterson’s passion for climbing began at a young age.

“I have been climbing since I was eight years old, so for 11 years,” Peterson said. “I started because my babysitter and family friend was one of the first employees of the Little Rock Climbing Center, and she took my brother and me. Dave Madsen, who teaches at the wall at Hendrix, was manager at the same time and my first coach.”

Madsen was a professional climber at the time, but today, he works on the Rock Wall at Hendrix—the same wall that Elliot Peterson is currently trying to re-build.

Although it has been a staple of the WAC since the gym was built, the wall’s holds haven’t been re-set for some time.

“It is a good wall, but it is out of date,” Peterson said. “Many of the routes that are up right now have been up for over a year, and so many of the holds are dirty. All the wall needs is a lot of work, and it can be [put] back in shape.”

Madsen appreciates what his former pupil is doing.

“I love that Elliot is coming in and setting routes on the wall.

It’s always nice to have a fresh perspective and multiple styles of routes set. It also helps with my teaching, because it allows me to show different moves or sequences to my students that I may not get with just me setting them.”

Still, what Peterson has set out to do is no easy task.

“The hardest part was starting,” Peterson said. “It is daunting to stand under a 30-foot wall that needs to be entirely updated, meaning entirely new routes and cleaned holds.”

However, Peterson has already worked out a routine for the reconstruction. Along with two coworkers from the Little Rock Climbing Center, he sets every Thursday and route-sets in the afternoons. So far, they have set three new routes and one boulder problem and have stripped three ropes on the wall. As the semester goes on, the wall will continue to be updated, little by little.

Madsen’s work at the Rock Wall is motivated by his passion for climbing, which began nearly 25 years ago. He hopes that passion will continue for generations at Hendrix, thanks to these updates.

“It’s a great way to introduce climbing to another generation, and it can be a sport that they continue on for their entire lives,” he said.

Peterson shares that passion. “I love the climbing community, because regardless of where I move later in life, I know that I will have a climbing gym where a community of people who are all passionate about climbing will be waiting.”

“I KNOW THAT I WILL HAVE A CLIMBING GYM WHERE A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL PASSIONATE ABOUT CLIMBING WILL BE WAITING FOR ME.” -ELLIOT PETERSON

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THE HENDRIX COLLEGE PROFILE

Photos by Konrad Witkowski

ki

SPORTS

PLAYING PAST

ADVERSITY

WARRIOR BASKETBALL SURPASSES SEASON’S CHALLENGES

A

thletes at Hendrix have a glow about them. Positivity oozes from any Warrior athlete or coach, and basketball is no exception.

Despite a challenging year so far, the Warriors remain committed to success and having a good time while achieving it.

Both the men’s and women’s teams have had an up-anddown year, with the men’s team being fourth in conference play with a record of 10-11, only one game behind first. While that isn’t a dazzling record at first glance, the SAA is notorious for tight competition in basketball. “I am very pleased with where we are right now,” Head Men’s Basketball Coach Thad McCracken said. “Granted, there have been some close games that we simply haven’t finished the way we would have hoped, but our group has learned from these experiences and continues to move forward in a positive direction.”

A huge part of the men’s team’s gritty success has been the scoring of sophomore Preston Smith.

“I work as hard as I can everyday to help my team succeed,” Smith said. “I want to be the best possible teammate I can be to all of the other guys around me. I hold myself accountable of having a strong work ethic and being a good teammate.” His hard work has translated to a steady stream of scoring, especially from the three-point range.

Photo courtesy of Cody Usher

JENSON CHIER

The women’s team also sits in a good position, as long as they finish strong in conference play. At 12-10, they have been bolstered by the amazing play of junior center Sara Dyslin, who has averaged 20 points and 15 rebounds per game over the last month. Head Women’s Basketball Coach Drew Gaeng looks to lead them on a win streak later in the season.

But there’s more to the story for these teams than the numbers can tell.

Both programs have perhaps the most demanding in-season schedule of any of Hendrix’s teams. “Being a student-athlete is very difficult and definitely takes time adjusting to,” Smith said. “The biggest thing I had to learn was time management in my schedule, especially at a school like Hendrix where it is so strong academically. I have to take care of my business in the classroom first and foremost before taking care of my business on the court.”

This academics-first attitude also influences the coaches. “I try to approach coaching more from a teaching perspective,” McCracken said.

“While the guys in our program have been playing basketball for a long time, there is always something new to learn or things to change. I enjoy the practices much more than I do the games, and with the current group of players we have, they make my job easy by showing up ready to work and with a great attitude.”

MARCH 2017

17

Culture

PARDON MY FRO Photos by Aditya Katke

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THE HENDRIX COLLEGE PROFILE

Culture

THANKS TO ODYSSEY,THE NATURAL HAIR MOVEMENT ARRIVES AT HENDRIX HUNTER HERRERA

“I

s it just a trend? Is it just something that people want to do?

Or does it actually mean something?” Seniors Laruen McHenry, Jasmine Watkins, Alundra Dickson and freshman Nugget Settles asked these questions when they came up with the idea for their recent Odyssey project, Pardon My Fro, during which they spent time in New York and then Paris, studying the Natural Hair Movement, or Mouvement Nappy as it is called in France, that began during the Civil Rights era in the 1960s.

For many people, hair defines a part of who they are; it’s how they express themselves. The Natural Hair Movement, something these four Hendrix students learned is more than just a trend, began when African American women felt that European beauty standards of straight hair robbed them of their identity.

“Hair can be so much more than hair,” McHenry said. “It can be an attitude change. It can be a spiritual thing. It can be so many things.”

Dickson, McHenry, Settles and Watkins decided to go beyond Hendrix to discover a new perspective of natural hair beyond their local and personal one. They wanted to discover what natural hair means to people in a different country.

“I hoped to learn how it affected other people with natural hair in -LARUEN MCHENRY their day-to-day life and what it personally meant for them to be natural,” Settles said.

“We also wanted to see how natural hair is perceived by other people in those communities,” McHenry said.

Rather than stay at school and only study the movement in the library or classroom, the four learned about the movement through the personal experiences of real people with natural hair.

“What we learned was it is not as big of an issue [in Paris] as you would think,” McHenry said. “Paris is ‘Little Africa.’ You wouldn’t imagine the different hairstyles and the things that are deemed acceptable in Paris.”

For McHenry, Paris provided a more accepting atmosphere in terms of natural hair. In her words, she felt “liberated.” When she returned from Paris, she cut her hair short and has let it grow naturally since. “You shouldn’t be worried about others or how they perceive you,” she said. “It’s all about how you feel. I felt a little self-conscious at first after chopping all my hair off, but I find a freedom in who I am now.”

The Natural Hair Movement became a worldwide phenomenon when it was inspired by the Civil Rights era. “When the Movement first began back in the 60s, it was started as an act of defiance against the Eurocentric idea of beauty,” Watkins said. “It was all about being educated about Black culture and defying what society said we were supposed to be. It was to refuse weaves and relaxers and express that you were educated and knew where you came from. It was all about defining oneself against an oppressive culture.”

Natural hair for Civil Rights leaders stood for more than just fashion. “A lot of the Civil Rights leaders, they probably wouldn’t call it ‘natural,’ but that’s how they rocked their hair,” McHenry said. “I feel like then, it was a symbol. A symbol of ‘We are black. We are proud.’”

In December, the group traveled to New York to have an United Statesoriented view of the movement, which they could then compare to their experience in Paris. They spent time in Brooklyn, Harlem and Manhattan, as well as other areas, to find multiple perspectives and ideas on the diversity of New York. The women were able to see and photograph Angela Davis’ hair in a museum. Even their mode of transportation became another opportunity to learn and gain a new perspective.

“We were sitting on the subway a lot. And people were staring at you.

Or sitting really close to your face.

Or standing really close to your face,” McHenry said. “It was just interesting to see how people would look at your hair or how you were perceived.”

In New York, the diversity-rich zip codes did not seem to translate into diverse hairstyles. While at first this seemed disappointing, the experience allowed the students to view New York differently than Paris.

“New York was more about perception and how we, wearing our natural hair, would be perceived,” McHenry said.

In Paris, the girls visited a salon and met with stylist Necole Pembrook, owner of Polished Hair Care, who is well-known for her support of natural hair.

“Necole embodied a natural essence that was breathtaking,” Watkins said.

Originally raised in Richmond, California, Pembrook traveled to Paris as an adult and started her salon as a second-generation beautician. Since then, she has encouraged women to express their beauty through their hair. She offered the women plenty of insight on the Movement, from what she was told happened in the 60s, to what she experienced in the 90s as a young adult, to now, as the Movement has shifted and manifested across time.

“Necole has definitely played a big part in my natural hair experience and the way I think of my authenticity,” Watkins said.

In the end, the meaning of natural hair and the depth of that meaning depends on each person’s experience.

“The importance of natural hair is tethered to the individual,” Watkins said. “Natural hair is not only about the expression of one’s identity, but to some it may be about fashion and the latest trends, and to others it may be an issue with the healthiness of their hair. I cannot place natural hair in a box when it is a circular concept. It relates to the individual and their idea of what natural hair is.”

HAIR CAN BE SO MUCH MORE THAN HAIR. IT CAN BE AN ATTITUDE CHANGE. IT CAN BE A SPIRITUAL THING. IT CAN BE SO MANY THINGS.

MARCH 2017

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