The Towerlight (November 12, 2019)

Towson’s campus and community news source

TheTowerlight.com

November 12, 2019

After 23 years at TU, Towson’s director of photographic services, Kanji Takeno, is leaving his legacy of smiles behind, pg. 6

d r a c e n o

Photo by Brendan Felch, Illustration by Victoria Nicholson/ The Towerlight

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November 12, 2019

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Montgomery College Winter Session Online courses begin December 23.

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Social

November 12, 2019

Editor-in-Chief Bailey Hendricks Senior Editor Tim Klapac

News Editor Keri Luise Asst. News Editor Sophia Bates

TOWSON

TRENDING.

#

KANJI RETIRING

@_Lanoo_

Arts & Life Editor Meg Hudson

If you didn’t make it to Kanji’s Insta feed, did you really go to Towson?

Asst. Arts & Life Editor Grace Coughlan

Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editors Jordan Kendall Muhammad Waheed

Senior Staff Writer Mary-Ellen Davis

@_JoeBoss Bro Kanji from Towson retiring?

Streets is done

Staff Writers Alex Best John Hack Grace Hebron Lauren Heyl Suzanne Stuller

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@Ana_bananaaa_ Son I CANNOT believe Kanji is leaving Towson!!!!! Sweetest man who gave me a shot and was the best mentor I could ask for, Audaz Photography wouldn’t even be a thing if it wasn’t for him

Aaron Thomas Brooks Warren Kayla Wellage Marcus Whitman

Photo Editor Brendan Felch Asst. Photo Editor Amanda Bosse

@darriqueenn Staff Photographers Owen DiDonna Nikki Hewins Ryan Moriarty Karl Reimer Lacey Wall

Kanji a Towson gem. He shall never be disrespected! Lmao The Tows on Club Tennis team parti cipated in Tows community serv on’s “Town and ice event on Oct. Gown” 26. Courtesy of @t u_tennis on Twitt er

Production Staff

Proofreaders

General Manager Mike Raymond

Art Director Victoria Nicholson

Webmaster

Circulation Staff Jack Baker Anthony Capparuccini Scott Halerz Kirsten Tildon

8000 York Road University Union Room 309 Towson, MD 21252 (410) 704-5153 editor@thetowerlight.com thetowerlight.com The Towerlight print edition is published by students of Towson University on Tuesdays.

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PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

TEDXTOWSONU

GETTING BI @ TU

ANNUAL VETERANS FILM SERIES

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAME

President Kim Schatzel will share updates on the presidential priorities as well as her outlook for great things ahead. A reception will immediately follow the address.

Join us for a powerful and engaging evening at Towson University, as we proudly host our very own TEDx event.

This year’s theme: Creating Opportunity.

Making space for bi+ students of all genders to find shared support and discuss topics related to bisexuality and related identities.

The TU Military & Veterans Center and the TU Department of Electronic Media & Film present four films, including “The War Tapes” and “Lone Survivor,” exploring contemporary conflicts.

The reigning CAA champion Towson Tigers host Mount St. Mary’s for their “Sneaker Game.” Fans are encouraged to break out their best kicks.

A prize will be awarded to a fan who is voted to have the “best” shoes on.

Kaplan Concert Hall, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

WVC Ballrooms, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

CSD Unity Lounge, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Van Bokkelen 204, 7 p.m.

SECU Arena, 2 p.m.

Follow us @TheTowerlight!

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Opinion

November 12, 2019

Baltimore’s bag ban is a step in the right direction Not quite the blue wave people wanted HUMZA YAQOOB Columnist

An ongoing battle against single-use plastics is finally making major headway in Baltimore City.

Since 2006, a ban on plastic bags, one of the most common forms of litter, has been introduced to Baltimore City Council nine separate times.

The latest of these ban proposals was initiated by Councilman Bill Henry of north Baltimore over the summer.

By requiring retailers to only offer plastic bags at a fee, Baltimore is expected to join the Maryland municipalities of Chestertown, Takoma Park, Westminster, and Montgomery County in implementing this kind of regulation.

The ban offers exemptions to plastic bags used to carry fresh fish, meat or produce, newspapers, dry cleaning, or prescription medication. A version of the proposal, initially advanced in City Council, also included a provision exempting some thicker plastic bags, which became a subject of controversy among legislators.

Councilman Henry pointed out that this provision would render the proposal ineffective in its goal: nobody would take home slightly thicker plastic bags with the intention of reusing them.

Retailers could simply replace

“thin” bags with “thick” ones, and the problem of plastic waste would be exacerbated rather than addressed, as the thicker bags would be even more resistant to degradation.

A version of the proposal without the “thick” bag provision was voted on in the City Council on the night of Nov. 4, and was met with near-ubiquitous support, receiving 13-1 votes in favor. In this proposal, plastic bags will have a 5 cent charge, with 4 cents going to retailers, and 1 cent going to the city.

Retailers found to violate this policy three times would be fined up to $1,000. The bag ban proposal will be voted on once more at the Council’s Nov. 18 meeting before being sent to the desk of Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young.

Mayor Young has stated that he intends to approve the ban.

The success of this iteration of the Baltimore bag ban so far, and the rejection of the “thick” bag provision that would render it ineffective, is a great step forward in tackling our area’s litter problems.

Tackling the problem of single-use plastic doesn’t end here: the Maryland State Legislature needs to take action on implementing a state-wide bag ban policy.

State representatives have the power to smooth over the differences between local legislation, and make a greater overall impact on plastic waste reduction.

SAM JONES Columnist @SamJones1776

Ever since Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016, the left has claimed that a blue wave is coming. Sure, they took over the House of Representatives in 2018, but failed to make any progress in the Senate. Additionally, a lot of the Democrats that won office in 2018 were moderate candidates in Trump districts, that did not run on an anti-Trump platform. So no, 2018 was not your blue wave.

Now, the 2019 elections are in the books, with many eyes pointing to the governorship of Kentucky. Now, it is important to remember that Republican incumbent Matt Bevin was the least popular governor in America.

Bevin spent four years aggressively pushing a conservative agenda, that involved extremely unpopular bills such as requiring health providers to show patients pictures of fetuses before performing abortions. Another wildly unpopular bill included a “right to work” policy that undercut unions and repealed public works employees base salaries.

This scorn opened a large opportunity for Democratic Can-

didate Andy Beshear to step in and take the governorship for the Democrats. Beshear won by a mere five-thousand votes, and the state of Kentucky which Trump won in 2016 by nearly 30 points now has a democratic governor.

President Trump flew to Kentucky the night before the election to endorse Bevin. The media made this governorship race headline news for the next 24 hours, until eventually Bevin was defeated.

However, the media ignored other results from Kentucky that were largely in favor of the GOP. Republican Daniel Cameron made history, winning the attorney general seat over the former Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo. Cameron also is set to become the first African-American to be elected to the state’s attorney general. In fact, the only position in the state of Kentucky that the Democrats won was the governorship.

Another key race that the media claimed had implications on Trump’s 2020 race was Virginia.

Democrats won majorities in the State House, and Senate giving the Democratic Party full control over the state that had previously been a swing state.

Among the many Democrats elected in Virginia, Joe Morrissey defeated incumbent state Senator Rosalyn Dance. Morrissey, who

is now 61 years old, was jailed in his 50’s for having sex with his 17-year-old secretary, to whom he later married. Morrissey claims he never did anything wrong, but plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge and spent six months in jail for “contributing to the delinquency of a minor.”

With Trump constantly claiming he will “drain the swamp” and attacking the elites of Washington D.C., it doesn't surprise me that Virginia has now flipped in favor of the Democratic Party.

Northern Virginia absolutely carried the election for the Democrats, as most of the counties voted for Repulican candidates. Virginia could definitely be against President Trump’s re-election bid in 2020, however I don’t think any strong conclusions can be built from election results of 2019.

Republicans elected a Republican governor in Mississippi, and again elected majority republicans in Kentucky. Yes, Democrats had a large win in Virginia and a smaller win in Kentucky, however these two states will not be enough to defeat Donald Trump in 2020. Candidate choice will play a large roll into the hypothetical stoppage of Trump’s presidency, along with battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Ohio that all went for Donald Trump in 2016.

In order to defeat the president, the media should focus on those states, instead of crying “blue wave.”

Tales of the Tigers: Blackboard Blackout

Comic by Augustina Ugbaja/ The Towerlight

T c

Opinion

November 12, 2019

Remember to love yourself, even in your layers JASPER GRISWOLD Columnist

The days are getting colder and layers are getting piled on. For some, it’s an inconvenience – it’s harder to move, it’s stuffy… but for me, it’s a wonderful change.

If I’m wearing bulky clothing, it’s harder for people to see my curves that tell them I’m trans or cause them to assume I’m a girl. Cooler months mean I can wear hoodies, and not just my sleeveless hoodie I affectionately call my “dysphoria hoodie” because I wear it when I’m feeling bad about my body.

But when everyone looks like a marshmallow, it’s harder to assume their gender and easier to appear as a gender you’re intentionally presenting as. But while it is easier to feel body positive in the winter, it’s important to love ourselves year-round.

Society paints the picture of beauty as white, cisgender, skinny, and able-bodied. But beautiful

bodies exist in all shapes, colors, and forms. Being that this time is one that you may feel more confident, this is a great time to try and push your boundaries a bit.

Do you notice your wardrobe has a lot of dark colors in it? Add a pop of color. Even something simple like a different cut of shirt or a fun pattern on a jacket. Try to express yourself! But most importantly, wear what makes you comfortable and happy.

Even though this is a time we can cover up much of what society deems unattractive, that doesn’t make us go away. There are still trans people, fat people, disabled people. And we should be proud of who we are.

Long sleeves may cover blemishes, vitiligo, or scars, but would you still love yourself if someone could see? Because you should.

You should look in the mirror and see someone beautiful and worthwhile, because I promise you there are people who look at you and see that.

Cooler times are coming, bundle up and take care of yourself.

Boomers have always been wrong KAYLA HUNT Columnist

We have adopted many stories, myths, and advice from generations before us, some of which we may pass along to our children as well. Whether it be cold/flu remedies or stories with hidden morals, we have always been taught that older is wiser.

However, many younger generations are not pleased with the advice that has been given to them and passed on by ‘baby boomers.’

"OK Boomer” is a trending phrase that is used to describe younger generations attitudes to the conventions of older generations.

The phrase gained popularity after U.K. lawmaker Chlöe Sawbrick used it to silence a member of Parliament while she was speaking about the lack of action toward the future within government.

#BoomerAdvice is a hashtag that has been trending on Twitter. The hashtag embodies users debunking advice that older generations have given them because they are outof-touch and no longer apply in the world that we live in today.

The most popular tweets associated with #BoomerAdvice have surrounded the shift in work conditions and career expectations. “‘You can’t just apply for jobs online. You have to get out there! Drop off resumes, call them every day!

Go pound the pavement.’ #BoomerAdvice,” wrote @MegMcA. This tweet has gained a lot of attention and many Twitter users are in agreement that this statement is common advice they have received from older people and how it no longer applies today. It is accurate that online job searches have increased, thanks to the emergence of job boards such as Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn. Social media is also growing as a recruitment tool among employ-

ers. According to Jobbatical, 84% of organizations are currently using social media as a way to recruit and 9% of organizations who don’t have plans to do so in the future.

Although it is true that applying to jobs in person are becoming less common, one aspect that has not shifted from generations is the importance of networking.

According to a survey conducted by LinkedIn, it was found that almost 80% of professionals consider networking to be an important factor in career success.

There have been some boomers that have actually decided to participate in the hashtag as well: “Hi millennials, let me share with you how hard it was growing up being a boomer.

TV was b&w AND we had to go to the TV to change the channel.

Our grandmas often gave us undies for Christmas.

- To read the rest of this column online, visit thetowerlight.com

Thank you, TU Tigers, for cleaning our neighborhood On Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the Towson Chamber of Commerce and the Towson Communities Alliance sponsored a cleanup of greater Towson.

Many Towson University students took part in the cleanup in a number of communities. We in Loch Raven Village requested two crews of students to clean two areas on the fringe of our neighborhood that require special attention.

Fellow resident Diane Davenpark and I supervised and assisted 15 students from TU's Club Tennis program who worked conscientiously for nearly three hours, making those areas debris-free and a pleasure to look at.

Village residents, especially those who walk and play alongside those newly-cleaned areas, have good reason to thank the

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Club Towson volunteers who devoted a good part of their Saturday in service to this community.

Well done, students!

- Bruce Knauff, Loch Raven Village resident

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News

November 12, 2019

The legend of Kanji KERI LUISE News Editor @keri_luise

“Kanji, my man!” “Can we get a flick?” “Good to see you, Kanji!”

“Kanji, take my picture!”

Students at Towson University have made a celebrity out of Kanji Takeno, director of photographic services on Towson’s campus.

But this semester, after 23 years, Takeno is retiring from his campus photography duties.

Takeno came to Towson in September 1996 and has worked hard to capture student smiles ever since.

“He somehow manages to be everywhere on campus at once,” said senior Dan Kolton.

Kolton, a tour guide, orientation leader and student director at Towson, has had his picture taken and posted on Takeno’s social media many times throughout the semester.

“Going into this semester, Kanji had maybe taken four pictures of me,” he said. “All of a sudden, I can’t go anywhere on campus without running into him… But in all seriousness, I will miss him and miss bantering with him nearly every day.”

Sophomore Jordan Deveaux has also been impacted by Takeno’s large presence on campus.

“I’d describe him as really affirming,” she said. “That’s probably the first word I think of just because everyone feels beautiful or handsome because he makes you feel that way. He allows students to feel like they have a place at Towson no matter what kind of student you identify as.”

Takeno reflected on getting his job at TU and how it made him feel.

“One day I saw a classified ad in the newspaper, I applied, and I interviewed twice,” Takeno said.

“And then I got the job. I was so happy. Just like that, really.”

Ever since then, driving around campus in his famous golf cart, Takeno has taken countless pictures as he “wanted to deliver top, world-class photography to Towson University.”

“I want something great,”

Takeno said. “I want the great pictures. If there’s any chance I can get great pictures I just want to do it.”

Takeno’s push for greatness has made his friends and acquaintances see him as a bit stubborn according to him, but he still pushes.

“I always tell them nothing is impossible, I’m going to make it,” he said. “And they thought I was obnoxious. But I’m here, I’m happy. So, I made it, somehow.”

“He just loves the students and the campus; he never gets tired of it,” Towson University President Kim Schatzel said. “The guy can walk around every single day and find something to take a photo of that shows joy. And he gets different perspectives and you can just tell by his pictures that he loves to see people smile.

We’re really gonna miss him and he’s irreplaceable.”

Kolton has experienced Takeno’s “positive personality and friendliness” constantly around campus.

“You always know when he is around,” Kolton said. “Not just by the golf cart, but by the smiles and positivity of the surrounding environment. There is no replacing a man like Kanji. A friend, photographer, and excitable personality.”

TU sophomore Dionte Gray got his first picture taken by Takeno this semester and has seen the “big role” and impact Takeno plays on TU’s campus.

“He brings a lot of positivity, honestly,” Gray said. “And the fact that he’s just out here taking pictures, doing what he loves, it makes other people happy just to see that he plays a big role on this campus.”

According to Takeno, “as long [as] students are involved [I’m] happy.” But Towson’s Marching Band has been one of his favorites – he even has his own personalized marching band jacket.

“Kanji is pretty much equivalent to a celebrity in the marching band,” said junior Summer Mankey. “He’s one of the most wholesome, kind spirited, hardworking, and supportive people I’ve ever met. For the TUMB, he has become part of our culture and we definitely won’t forget the

time he took to capture all of our special [and] fun moments for us to remember forever.”

Sophomore and marching band member Savannah Renee Floyd will also miss Takeno’s presence on campus.

“He’s one of the sweetest men that I know,” she said. “Seeing him instantly brightens my day.

I know a lot of us will be affected by his leaving, and after he does retire, people will still talk about him and will miss him. He has created long lasting memories for everyone to cherish.”

Takeno had quite a journey before even coming to Towson.

Born in raised in the small fishing village of Kogushi, Japan, with nothing but ocean and mountains, Takeno began learning English at the age of 12 so that he could go out and experience the world.

He eventually went to a university in Tokyo where a professor from Loyola University New Orleans visited and helped Takeno to study photography in the United States.“He took care of the arrangement for me to come to Loyola University New Orleans,” Takeno said. “And then, I was planning to stay there a couple years and then go back to Japan, and then

40 years later I’m still here…. I’ve visited but never left U.S.” Growing up, Takeno thought “photography is cool,” but never believed he could actually become a photographer. So, since he spoke English well, Takeno thought he could teach English to Japanese kids so “they can go to the world, see the world.”

Photography and teaching were Takeno’s two big dreams. And before he knew it, Takeno’s dreams were coming true.

He majored in photography at Loyola University New Orleans and received his master’s degree at the Maryland Institute College of Art in 1983. Takeno then worked many freelance jobs before finding a place at Towson.

Takeno doesn’t only take pictures at TU. He is also a professor of Japanese language.

A few years into being at TU, the campus needed someone to cover a Japanese language class and Takeno happened to be available.

“I always wanted to teach,” Takeno said. “It was supposed to be temporary, like a one-semester thing, but 20 years [have now gone by].”

Sophomore AnLi Edwards is one of Takeno’s past students

from his Japanese language classes and “love[s] that he really cares about the students.”

“He’s such a wonderful professor because he’s very funny,” Edwards said. “But the main thing is that he really, really cares about the students and succeeding. So, he just wants kids to be able to succeed.”

According to Takeno, his dreams have come true at Towson University.

“I think I did okay,” Takeno said with a proud smile on his face.

“This is what I want to do and I’m lucky to be able to do this.”

Takeno will continue teaching Japanese language, two classes next semester, but he also plans to spend more time at home with his wife and with some home renovations.

And he will continue with his love of taking pictures.

“Don’t give up your dream,” he said. “It might be tough, but it will happen if you keep trying.

You find the photography you want to do, the company you want to work for, just find the one right place, I found it, here.

Don’t give up. Dreams, they come back to you. I will never give up.”

Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight

Kanji Takeno, Towson University’s director of photographic services, is retiring after 23 years. Takeno will remain on campus as a Japanese professor, but he is looking forward to spending more time at home.

News

November 12, 2019

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Queer Wellness Week Peer educators promote health GRACE HEBRON Staff Writer

Towson University celebrated Queer Wellness Week with events throughout the week of Nov. 4th, offering resources to students in the LGBTQ+ community.

Co-sponsored by TU Student Activities, Center for Student Diversity, Student Health Services, Campus Rec and The Counseling Center, the week ranged from a Q&A panel,“Finding an LGBTQ+ Friendly Therapist,” to the first-ever TU Ball “Work, Study, Pose,” at Johnny Unitas Stadium.

Other events throughout the week included “Take Pride Ride!

Spin Class,” a workout class at Burdick Hall set to a playlist packed with queer-pride anthems and other tunes by LGBTQ+ artists. Fall Health Fair came later in the week, where student organizations and local vendors offered safe-sex item giveaways and other wellness resources.

These programs, said Allison Seeley, MPH Coordinator of Health Education and Promotion at Student Health Services, are a large initiative coming from Center for Student Diversity, Student Health Services, and Student Activities.

“Throughout the planning of these events we consulted with the Queer Student Union, GenderBLUR, In the Life, the Counseling Center, Diverse Minds Peer Educators, and Campus Rec,” Seeley said.

The week also featured guest speakers Zosia Zaks and Cavanaugh Quick.

Zaks, from the Hussman Center for Adults with Autism at TU, shared how gender diversity is often linked with neurodiversity in the third installment of “Full Spectrum, a Queer Lecture Series.”

Also part of the week, the lecture “Sex Ed Without the Sex,” Quick, a New York-based sex educator and clinical social worker, approached sex from a LGBTQ+ perspective to share ways students can use communication skills to promote sex-positive dialogue and experiences.

The guest speaker also shared their theory that trans, queer, and queer/trans individuals are descendants of dandelions in “Wildflowers and Weeds -- a Lecture in Queer and Trans Resilience.”

Quick opened the lecture with a story of a college friend who, as a child, had picked and attempted to

eat a dandelion after discovering that the perennial plant was edible.

“It was very dry and cloying and gluey and kind of stuck in the back of her throat,” said Quick, who grew up knowing dandelions as weeds and recalled laughing at the story.

“I don’t have a memory of my mom sitting me down and telling me how evil dandelions are,” Quick said. “I just remember my whole life being told that if you see one, you should pick it -- get rid of it.”

Quick used the dandelion as a metaphor for acceptance and understanding.

Despite what they learned growing up, Quick would soon learn about the copious benefits of dandelions; how they are resilient by nature and adaptable almost anywhere.

“All parts of them are useful in some way,” Quick said. “They’re incredibly robust.”

Quick, who is queer, trans, polyamorous and AfroLatinx, said that much like dandelions, queer and trans people are “an inevitability.”

“We are proof that someone somewhere has always chosen to test their own reality and lean into it and invite curiosity into their experience regardless of what somebody else was saying to them, or about them, or trying to say for them,” they said.

Seeley hopes that the more than 300 students who attended these events took away similar positive messages.

“Throughout this week we touched on a lot of important topics and brought in a lot of local resources who serve LGBTQ+ communities,” Seeley said. “I hope students feel more connected to those resources, and more comfortable reaching out.

I also really hope that students take away a feeling and sense of community on our campus.”

Sophomore international studies major Emily Simmons, who heard about Queer Wellness Week during her International Perspectives of Women class, described Quick’s lecture as informative and praised TU’s choice to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

“It’s just amazing, being part of a heteronormative culture, that Towson was able to provide a Queer Wellness Week and show that they’re not conforming to the heteronormative culture,” said Simmons.

ALEX BEST Staff Writer @Ayedabest

Towson University’s Diverse Minds Peer Educators hosted a series of mental health-positive events on campus throughout the week of Nov. 4 during Minority Mental Health Week.

During the week, members of the campus community were invited to explore ways of mental health self-care and healing from around the world in the Union, reflect on things they are thankful for in West Village, and participate in a positive affirmation photo booth.

“The main goal is to increase awareness about mental health and wellbeing, especially in diverse communities,” said Counseling Center Diversity Coordinator and staff psychologist G Wei Ng. “That’s the main theme that drives all of the events this week.”

Other themes of the week included normalizing the conversation around mental health and the promotion of the use of gratitude to build resilience within individuals in marginalized communities.

During the “Fall Health Fair” event, students were able to paint words of affirmation of pumpkins to take home with them. These pumpkins

are meant to be positive reminders of an individual’s resilient qualities.

“I think Minority Mental Health Week helped to destigmatize mental health and mental illness, which was one of the underlying threads woven throughout the week,” said Keeba Gardner, who serves as coordinator of inclusion and resiliency skills for the Counseling Center.

“It’s really impactful to for students to see other students who look like them running this programming.”

Gardner went on to highlight how the week also gave them the opportunity to collaborate with other peer educator groups the Counseling Center offered, such as the Body Image Peer Educators for the “Diverse Minds, Diverse Bodies” event.

The week was the first in what the group hopes becomes an annual event, with the week’s most impactful events being repeated.

While Ng and Gardner oversaw, student peer educators, such as junior psychology major Anais Assi, were largely responsible for the coordination of the week.

Assi originally got involved with Diverse Minds after working at the Counseling Center and being recommended by one of her supervisors.

According to Assi, she was particularly attracted by the diversity and mental health aspect of the group com-

pared to other peer education groups.

“Diverse Minds was different in that they talked about mental health in the terms of diverse communities,” said Assi. “I come from a diverse community and I know that in mine it wasn’t something that was talking about it. Growing up, I always thought ‘why is nobody talking about this?

Wouldn’t it benefit everyone to talk about it?’”

Ng hopes that this week’s efforts will encourage more students to explore becoming Diverse Mind peer educators like Assi.

“We’re a small group – only six, so it was a challenge for us this semester to staff some events as all of our peer educators are full-time students as well,” said Ng. “We’re hoping to recruit more so we can build upon what we have and continue the important work we do.”

While Minority Mental Health Week has ended, Assi encourages students to follow the group’s social media as a way to stay engaged with the topics touched on at the events.

“Minority mental health isn’t just the week for us, it’s the basis of the whole [peer education program],” said Assi. “We host a plethora of events throughout the year that we like showcasing as well.”

Annex begins demolition

Brendan Felch/The Towerlight Demolition of Stephens Annex has begun to make way for a new park quad.

The quad, which was announced during homecoming weekend, will be dedicated to Julius Chapman, Towson University’s first dean of minority affairs and will feature seating and greenery for students. The quad will have tables and chairs that are able to be easily moved around.

“Pending weather, the removal of Stephen’s Annex should be completed in the next few days and the grounds will be redone before the end of the month,” according to TU Director of Media Relations and News Matt Palmer.

During the first week of the fall semester, non-toxic mold inside of the structure caused faculty to move suddenly out of their offices and relocate throughout campus.

- Compiled by Bailey Hendricks, Editor-in-Chief

10 November 12, 2019

Arts & Life

Essential sex social skills

Conquering College

Things to say to yourself today VICTORIA NICHOLSON Art Director @ToriNickel

Norma Sorto/ The Towerlight

Cavanaugh Quick visited Towson Wednesday to talk about the importance of having proper sex social skills as a means of practicing safe sex for the safety of our community as a part of the Queer Wellness Week.

NORMA SORTO Contributing Writer

Cavanaugh Quick, a queer, trans, polyamorous, Afro-Latinx sex educator presented their lecture, “Sex Ed Without the Sex,” in the West Village Common Ballrooms on Nov. 6th.

Quick lectured on the importance of having proper sex social skills. They argue that having proper communication skills with your partner(s) is more important than knowing about contraceptives with regards to practicing safe sex.

The event was coordinated by the department of Student Affairs, the Health Center, the Office of Inclusion & Institutional Equality, and the Center for Student Diversity.

Quick has been designing and presenting workshops regarding personal autonomy since 2007, and more recently has been discussing proper social skills as an essential tool in practicing safe sex, as opposed to only discussing contraceptives like traditional sex education.

Quick earned a bachelors in neuropsychology and sociolinguistics at Sarah Lawrence College in 2012, with a Masters in social work from University at Albany in 2018. They describe

themselves to be an “adventurer with a passion for critical thought and personal autonomy.”

“I don’t think [the education of sex as a social skill is] just important, I think it’s a necessity and an ethical responsibility when you have a collection of people of any age,” said Quick. “Especially young folks who are moving into adulthood and learning stuff that they haven’t had the opportunity to learn before or maybe getting to exercise differently because we are at different levels of control in our lives at this point.”

Quick’s lecture explored various areas of sex education which do not involve sex, such as how talking about sex can increase safety within the community.

They explained the foundation of sex education to be consent, informed decision making, and boundary setting. Quick also explained the foundation in understandinig sex social skills to be an understanding of the four C’s: Confidence, Cooperation, Communication, and Curiosity.

Allison Seeley, coordinator for health education and promotion at Towson University, believes that it is important for universities like Towson to provide resources for students to be aware of sexual health.

“Part of my job is to oversee all our sexual health education

and promotion programming.” said Seeley. “I think is certainly a topic that a lot of college students are interested in learning more about, we really have a wide variety of knowledge about. I think is really valuable to have a lot of conservations and opportunities for people to explore all the different areas of sexual health and well-being.”

The lecture offered information regarding sexual health without discussing sex as a practice but rather a conversation to be had.

Washington, a sophomore, thought that the event was helpful for students to learn about sex education.

“I believe [the event was helpful] because it mainly talked about the social skills behind being with a sexual partner,” said Washington. “Seeing what’s okay or not okay, and what’s okay for them and not just you, it’s not just centered around you but considering the other person as well.”

To learn more about sexual autonomy and consent, check out TU’s Sexual Health Awareness Group (SHAG), where according to their website, students “share the common interest in eradicating sex-related stigma, promoting body autonomy, and good consensual sex for those who want it.”

10 positive affirmations that should be repeated daily: “I love my body:” You are uniquely you. Your curves, color, hairy legs, everything is beautiful and you deserve to see that. Wake up in the morning and look at yourself in the mirror and say, “Damn, aren’t I sexy?” Trust me, as long as you feel confident in yourself nobody can convince you otherwise.

“I am in charge of how I feel and today I choose happiness:” When you start your day, remind yourself that your feelings and actions is what ultimately chooses how your day goes by. I like to start my morning in bed scrolling through pinterest, or other social platforms, by looking up positive quotes/illustrations. By doing this I automatically manifest a productive attitude for my day.

“I am proud of myself:” If you got up this morning and were able to pick up this issue of the The Towerlight, go you! Be proud of yourself! Most people struggle everyday with the task of getting out of bed.

“My value is not dependent on my productivity:” Sometimes you just need to rest, and that is okay! Just because you need a self-care day doesn’t mean you are lazy. You are strictly taking care of yourself.

“I am enough:” This one is so important to me.

Growing up in a difficult childhood I never felt like I was truly good enough, but today, in this moment, I know I am. I am enough for myself and that is what is important.

“I can do all of the things I set my mind to:” You have to be your number one supporter. I’m sure this is a repeated phase you have heard multiple

times, but really, you can do anything you set your mind to. Don’t stop at the word no! Find loopholes, try harder, don’t give up on yourself because once you do that it allows other people to do the same.

“I am allowed to take time to heal for myself:” Healing is a fundamental step that many people forget to think about.

You can’t just flip a switch and be okay, it’s harder than that. Find things that mentally and physically make you feel better. Personally, I love to do yoga, read a good self-help book, and steep my favorite tea bag.

“I am doing my best and that is enough:” I get ridiculously overwhelmed by my classes, trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and working enough to pay my bills on time.

I try to figure everything out at once. One thing that helped me is to take one step at a time.

Try to figure out what you need to do in the present and then add on to what you need to do in the future. During this process repeatedly tell yourself, “I am doing what I can and this is my best.”

“My needs and wants are important:” Being able to understand your needs and wants should be a priority. You have to live in your body, why not try to understand yourself better!

In an overwhelming situation take a step back and ask yourself, “Am I getting what I need/want out of this?”

“I am grateful for my loved ones, I am so loved:” The amount of strength and love my family shows me daily is what makes my days worth it. Being a role model to my younger brothers and cousins is my favorite job yet. I am grateful to have a boyfriend that loves me unconditionally and friends who support my weekly career decisions, yep, thanks Brookie. Your guys’ love makes my life worth living and I am truly blessed.

Arts & Life

November 12, 2019

11

ROARING REVIEWS

Netflix’s “Let it Snow”

Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Now that the Halloween season has passed, for many, it’s time to roll out the mistletoe, the eggnog, and enjoy Netflix’s holiday film incursion. Kicking off the season this year is a book to screen film “Let it Snow.”

TYRONE BARROZO Columnist

With Halloween over, it’s now the Christmas season (Thanksgiving fans need not apply) and that means that filmmakers are just dying to force holiday cheer down everyone’s throats.

Enter “Let It Snow,” Netflix’s Christmas romantic comedy based on a young adult novel of the same name.

The novel was co-written by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. The story line follows three “holiday romances,” similarly to the film “Love Actually,” except that each storyline is unrelated.

Days leading up to the premiere of the film, I was reasonably skeptical about the quality of the story despite the movie attracting a few moderately notable names such as Shameik Moore (voiced Miles Morales in “Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse”), Jacob Batalon (played Ned, Peter Parker’s friend in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), and Joan Cusack (voiced Jessie in “Toy Story”). And, after just having witnessed the story unfold, I was correct in my suspecting a rather mediocre festive tale.

The length of the film stretches and attempts to connect three story lines, known respectively in the books as “The Jubilee Express,” “A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle,” and “The Patron

Saint of Pigs.” Keep in mind that this is a 92-minute movie, so each subplot probably gets about 30 minutes—a sitcom episode’s length—of development.

The first subplot focuses on Julie, a girl who’s recently been accepted into Columbia University but is hesitant to leave for school due to her mom dealing with an undisclosed illness.

Julie, while stuck on a train, bumps into Stuart, a runaway pop-star just trying to have some holiday fun and solitude from his touring schedule.

Julie is an archetypal character who isn’t starstruck with Stuart who’s a stereotypical mistletoe-crowned dreamboat who’s down-to-earth and reluctant of his fame.

The second subplot, “A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle,” revolves around Tobin, a “nice guy” who is secretly in love with his best friend Duke, his tomboyish best friend of the opposite sex. Tobin wants to tell Duke that he’s in love with her but he throws a baby fit because he suspects that she might be romantically interested in a college hunk who helps them procure a keg of beer for a holiday party. As one would suspect, the emotionally immature twerp is rewarded for his jealousy at the end of the film because this was the storyline written by John Green in the novel.

And the last subplot, “The Patron Saint of Pigs,” follows two friends and their high school love lives. Dorrie, one of the friends, struggles to talk to her crush while Addie, her paranoid bestie, attempts to track down her

boyfriend who she suspects is cheating on her. Dorrie spends the entire film trying to flirt with her crush at her job, waitressing at a local diner, while Addie gets lectured by a tin foil wearing tow truck driver who spouts platitudes and boomer-isms about smart phone usage. Arguably, the best part of the film is when the tow truck driver drops Addie’s phone off of a highway bridge because it’s essentially a crappy homage to a “Black Mirror” episode.

If, at this point in the review, those plot-lines seem as predictable and one-dimensional as they seem, it’s because they are. Watching this film was a labor. The movie had editing and scene composition on par with Lifetime Original soap operas. Every five minutes, some poppy indie song is playing in the background for no reason at all. Scenes are forgettable and there’s nothing visually striking in this movie.

Cookie-cutter dialogue is prevalent in this film. There’s not one scene that I can recall that deviates from the formula of small talk, a reply with some “quirky” remark, followed by intense goo-goo eyes. Granted, the audience for this movie is for young adults; however, that shouldn’t be an excuse to make a lackluster movie from a script that did not deserve attention in the first place. There are plenty of great holiday films that don’t faff about with their stories and actually respect viewers. But, needless to say, “Let It Snow” is not one of them.

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12 November 12, 2019

Arts & Life

Shane Dawson “Conspiracy Palette” controversy

Courtesy of @Shane on Youtube

Amidst the release of Shane Dawson’s collaborative eyeshadow palette with Jeffree Star, fans seemed to have forgiven the duo’s controversial pasts to purchase the “Conspiracy Palette.”

After its initial launch on Nov. 1, Jeffree Star reported to have sold 1 million units of the palettte within 30 minutes despite the Jeffree Star Cosmetics website crashing.

BOLUPE OLASEINDE Columnist

Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson are among a list of notable Youtube channels that have been known for their racist pasts. Even though they have apologized, social media users still believe that an apology is not enough to rectify their past indiscretions. Their Youtube stardom has allowed them to reach ultimate success even while amassing a huge hate train along the way. The release of their new eyeshadow “Conspiracy Palette,” has brought up some sour memories which led to an uproar on social media.

Jeffree Star has been a social media influencer ever since gaining notoriety on MySpace back in 2006. He joined Youtube in 2014 to promote his newly founded cosmetics brand, Jeffree Star Cosmetics and quickly grew into one of the most subscribed beauty Youtube channels. Since he started to gain fame on Youtube, Star has been on the receiving end of legitimate criticism that dates back to his MySpace days.

Those criticisms were largely focused around his racist actions during his time as a music artist.

After unending pleas to address

his past, Star was then pressured into apologizing, after a long period of ignoring users complaints, in 2017 with a Youtube video titled “RACISM.” Although he apologized— seemingly sincerely, he has never been able to shake off the villain that is social media receipts.

Dawson has also had a shady past.

Shane Dawson began his Youtube career in 2008 and quickly rose to fame. And like Star, Dawson has been under fire for multiple videos degrading black women and using racial slurs against black people.

These videos were recognized as skits and comedy shows Dawson did when he first started his Youtube channel. Similarly to Star, Dawson also apologized for these videos after pressure from his audience.

Can we accept their apology and move on? There is a statute of limitations on condemning someone for past mistakes, right? The answer is yes. Beyond extreme viewpoints from very energized viewers, their critics have given them a chance. But after Star’s public spat with famous Youtube beauty guru, Jackie Aina in 2018, reintroduced fans to his racist past. Star’s former hair stylist Daved Anthony Munoz, shared screenshots where Jeffree calls Aina a gorilla, which has a deep rooted racial history for black people.

Dawson was not free of controversy either. In 2018, Dawson debuted documentaries “The Mind of Jake Paul” and “The Secret World of Jeffree Star.” Viewers condemned him for supporting people with racial scandals. This made fans believe they were back to their old ways.

Star and Dawson’s past is not a new topic, but the release of their new palette caused a call to boycott the launch. Social media users took to Twitter to share evidence of Star and Dawson’s multiple acts of blatant and appalling racism towards black people and black women especially while reprimanding those who still supported the launch of this new palette.

One Twitter user (@jihyoskatara) said, “jeffree star said he wanted to throw battery acid on a black womans face to make her skin lighter. shane dawson did blackface, said the n word, and gives other racists a platform. but sure buy their ugly ass palettes.“ This tweet gained over 40,000 retweets and 120,000 likes.

The user continued in a following tweet saying, “i don’t care if it was a long time ago or if they apologized, they aren’t entitled to anyone’s forgiveness. and there’s no way you can tell me that they didn’t know it was offensive. they aren’t 12.”

In today’s culture the public has

made it a point to hold public figures accountable for their ignorant behavior, so why are so many people rushing to buy Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson’s new eyeshadow palette?

According to Tube Filter, Jeffree Star revealed that one million “Conspiracy” palettes were sold within 30 minutes of the launch.

This collaboration broke a Jeffree Star Cosmetics record and even shut down the site for a few hours.

With both of them having such a troubled past, it is up to the public to hold them accountable, especially after evidence of disingenuous reformation. To us, it may be simply buying a palette or participating in the fun world of social media; but in actuality, it builds wealth for Star and Dawson. This is not a ploy to nail them to the cross forever, it is about being a responsible consumer and understanding how we build up those that are undeserving. No you are not racist if you buy their products or watch their Youtube videos. But you are complacent in the culture of racial disharmony. There are many makeup brands who have great products that you all could learn to fall in love with.

Here’s a list of five blackowned makeup brands worthy of your consumerism: Beauty Bakerie Cosmetics:

Beauty Bakerie is vegan and cruelty-free making them a great place to shop. They also start their shade ranges from Darkest to Lightest where it is traditionally Lightest to Darkest for makeup, which appears to say that lighter skin isn’t the default, it’s just another shade.

Coloured Raine Cosmetics: Here’s another cruelty-free and vegan brand. Their pigments from the eyeshadows to the liquid lipsticks are very opaque which makes the products very long lasting.

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna: Fenty Beauty was a trailblazer for the diversity campaign in cosmetics. Rihanna created shades that fit all skin types, even including people who are Albino. And of course, it is cruelty-free.

Juvia’s Place: They are known for their highly pigmented eyeshadow palettes, colors that are sure to pop on dark skin, with great imagery of black women on their packaging. This brand is also vegan and cruelty-free.

The Crayon Case: This brand plays on our nostalgic heart strings with their Crayon Box palette that went viral on IG and even got the attention of Crayola.

This brand started from very humble beginnings and the owner continuously gives back to the community.

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14 November 12, 2019

Sports

Tigers open season with a pair of home wins Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight

Senior guard Brian Fobbs is shooting 55% through the first two games of the season. Towson opened the season with a pair of home wins, defeating George Washington and Bryn Athyn. The Tigers will be playing their next four games on national TV as they face Florida on Thursday, followed by a three-game set in the Gildan Charleston Classic next week.

TIM KLAPAC Senior Editor @pacofkla AARON THOMAS Staff Writer @3zzzUp

An offensive explosion occurred inside SECU Arena as Towson rolled to a 100-31 victory over Bryn Athyn College on Friday, Nov. 8. The Tigers (2-0, 0-0 CAA) had four players in double-figures and hit the century mark for the first time since 2013.

“I liked our guys' energy especially on the sidelines and our unselfishness, which I think is going to be a trademark of this group,” said head coach Pat Skerry in an interview with Towson Sports Network. “It's a good group of guys to be around. I can't say that enough, but they understand that we have a long way to go.”

The shooting efficiency in the first half was key for Towson, shooting 63.4% and 55.6% from 3-point range.

Freshman forward Charles Thompson finished one point shy of a double-double while grabbing 17

rebounds in the win. Thompson’s rebounding efforts placed him within the top 10 for single-game rebounding performances in Tigers history.

Freshman guard Nigel Haughton led Towosn with 17 points in just 19 minutes of game time. Redshirt junior forward Juwan Gray and freshman guard Jason Gibson scored double-figures off of the bench for the second straight game.

“My teammates have done a great job of helping me get involved,” said Gibson. “I've been doing everything I can to get my other teammates involved as much as I can but vI can shoot too.”

The 69-point victory is the largest margin since Skerry took over as head coach in 2011.

Towson made the most of its first season opener at home since 2013 with a 72-58 win over George Washington. The Tigers earned their first win over the Colonials since 1981, snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Washington, D.C. school.

“It was a good win over a good Atlantic-10 team who is very wellcoached,” said head coach Pat Skerry. “I really like our group despite being so banged up, but it is a different team in terms of unselfishness and

ball movement.”

Gray, in his first competitive basketball game in 594 days, led Towson with 19 points coming off the bench.

Gray, Gibson, who was also making his Tiger debut, contributed to 30 Towson bench points.

“It felt good, all the hard work that I put in last season and this offseason is starting to pay off,” Gray said.

A balanced team effort was the key to success for the Tigers as four players scored in double figures, including a career-high 18 from sophomore guard Allen Betrand and 12 from senior guard Brian Fobbs. Betrand credits the offensive improvement to better ball movement from newcomers such as Gibson.

“Our point guards are really moving the ball and last year we didn’t buy in and that’s why we lost,” said Betrand. “This year everybody is buying in and everybody is playing together as a team.”

The turning point in the game was a 13-2 Towson run in the final 3:31 of the first half to give the Tigers a 32-23 lead heading into halftime.

Betrand, who also set a career high with 15 shot attempts, scored eight points during that run.

“I wanted to show my hard work and show everybody that I could

score the ball,” Betrand said. “I think the first year, [Skerry] didn’t trust me very much because I was a freshman. But now he sees what I can do.

I can do it all.”

George Washington would get as close as six points in the second half before Towson pulled away for good.

Intensity and pressure on defense were key to holding the Colonials to under 40% shooting in the game. The Tigers forced turnovers four turnovers in the game’s first three minutes.

“We always pride ourselves on being a good half-court defensive team and it starts there for us,” Skerry said. “I think the other thing I hope I’ve done better as a coach is the better our offense runs, the easier it’s going to be for our defense.”

George Washington would finish the game with 15 total turnovers, which Towson scored 17 points off of.

The win was the Tigers first in a season opener since they started the 2016-2017 campaign with a 67-61 victory at George Mason.

“I couldn’t get our group to win close games last year,” Skerry said.

“We’ve started by changing some things offensively and we implemented and worked on it and we’re in a decent place right now.”

Following Towson’s Monday night game against Kent State, the next game for the Tigers will be Thursday, Nov. 14 against the University of Florida. The game can be seen on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.

“We’ve got a whole lot of challenging games coming,” Skerry said. “We got to keep getting better so hopefully we’re talking about getting somewhere we hope to get to.”

Towson’s next home game isn’t until Dec. 10 when the Tigers host the UMBC Retrievers at 7 p.m. at SECU Arena.

NEXT@ 12/10 HOME 7:00pm

Sports

November 12, 2019

towson falls to aztecs Mayo’s double-double not enough on the road BROOKS WARREN Staff Writer @Broookksss

Towson is off to an inauspicious start to the season after dropping their record to 0-2 against San Diego State University. The Tigers (0-2, 0-0 CAA) continue to search for answers in finding out the preferred rotation and trying to put together a full 40-minute performance.

“It’s not quite what we expected but we’re going to bounce back and make sure that we stack up against the rest of the teams we play,” senior forward Nukiya Mayo said.

The Aztecs won 80-72 behind a balanced offensive effort from five double-digit scorers, led by junior guard Tea Adams 16 points and sophomore guard Mallory Adams’s 15 points. Senior forward Nukiya Mayo and redshirt senior Qierra Murray (nine points, six assists )tied for a game-high 39 minutes, while Mayo recorded her second straight double-double of the season with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Redshirt junior guard Kionna Jeter followed up with 15 points and eight rebounds.

“That’s my goal for the season to be playing the way that I am,” Mayo said. “Because I know that

will be what it takes to win another championship.”

Just like against Penn State, the Tigers started off really well on defense, holding the Aztecs to just 29% shooting from the field in the second quarter. The Tigers held a 39-31 advantage going into the half. However, that lead wouldn’t last with San Diego State seizing the momentum and shooting 66.67% in the third quarter.

“Some of our backup players I thought would be able to get in to step in is kind of a difference for them and a different level,” head coach Dianne Richardson said.

“They didn’t perform to what I thought and so we had to keep our starters in a little longer.

We’re working on that, and working on rotations and who does well with whom and who can replace whom on the floor in crucial situations.”

In the third quarter the Tigers strung together two straight scoring possessions that created a 12-point lead off a Jeter 3-pointer.

That 45-33 lead steadily evaporated after the Aztecs responded with an 11-0 run, cutting the deficit to a one-point game with six minutes left in the quarter.

“We just have to make sure that we hit them before they hit us after halftime,” Mayo said. “Not relax,

not take a break.”

Not to be outdone, Murray fed Jeter for a mid-range jumper and brought the deficit back to 47-44, allowing the Tigers to exhale for just a moment. Murray converted on a long two to keep the Aztecs at bay 58-55, but the Aztec’s onslaught persisted. The Aztecs momentarily took the lead off a pair of free-throws from Adams moments later. The Tigers left the period clinging on to a one-point lead after junior center LaKaitlin Wright scored on a layup.

At that point the Aztec’s momentum was undeniable, and San Diego State rode it in a back-andforth final quarter. Despite the final differential being eight points, the Tigers fought back and another layup by Wright did keep the deficit to 75-72 with a minute left on the clock. That was the last bucket the Tigers scored.

“It’s getting the rotations, getting the chemistry,” Richardson said. “Me as a head coach I gotta get those rotations together. I’m working on those things, (it’s) not something we could’ve worked on before we got into live games.”

Following Monday night’s game against the University of San Diego, Towson will host Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday, Nov. 16. Tipoff from SECU Arena is set for 2 p.m.

Olivia Finckel Volleyball

Senior outside hitter Olivia Finckel guided the Tigers to another weekend sweep of conference foes. Finckel registered 31 total kills in victories over UNC Wilmington and College of Charleston as Towson secured the CAA regular season championship.

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Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight

Redshirt junior guard Kionna Jeter drives to the basket in Towson’s season-opening loss to Penn State.

Jeter is averaging 16.5 points per game this season and was named to the preseason All-CAA first team.

15

16 November 12, 2019

Sports

tu dances with the seawolves Flacco throws two touchdowns in 31-14 win over Stony Brook JORDAN KENDALL Asst. Sports Editor @jordankendall54

The Tigers found their rhythm offensively late in the first half and never looked back. As the offense gained momentum, so did the defense as Towson (6-4, 3-3 CAA) defeated Stony Brook 31-14.

The Tigers forced three turnovers, including two interceptions by redshirt senior linebacker Keon Paye.

His second came in the end zone late in the game to seal the win.

“Bend don’t break, we gave up some really big plays but we stifled their run game hard which was what we had to do,” head coach Rob Ambrose said. “And while we did give up big plays, we played great red zone defense and that’s been getting better every week and you can see it.”

Redshirt senior quarterback Tom Flacco threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt sophomore running back Adrian Feliz-Platt rushed for 88 yards on 13 carries.

Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Darian Street caught a 68-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to extend the Tigers lead.

The Seawolves (5-5, 2-4 CAA) went deep, gaining 40 yards on a completion inside Towson territory to end the third quarter. Two plays later Paye intercepted his second pass.

Despite giving up four completions over 20 yards, the Tigers defense remained focus and knew they had to make some stops.

Our guys are resilient, find a way, and it means a ton to them,” Ambrose said. “Not gonna let down, give it everything they have. We talk about never having an empty tank, that’s not from the head, that’s from the heart.”

Stony Brook used a blocked punt to cut the Towson lead to 24-14 with a two-yard touchdown.

Both teams played physical and there were multiple instances of pushing and shoving after the play. There were no penalties from these confrontations, but it was clear it was a playoff atmosphere

for both teams.

“It is playoff football, its win or go home, it was last week and it was this week against two incredibly impressive opponents with great history of success, great players and coaches,” Ambrose said.

In the Tigers first possession of the second half, Feliz-Platt ran for 48 yards on two plays to set up a Flacco touchdown pass to redshirt senior wide receiver Shane Leatherbury.

Towson took advantage of three offsides penalties and senior running back Yeedee Thaenrat scored a touchdown to increase the Tigers lead to 17-7 at halftime.

Towson capped off a 60-yard drive as Leatherbury scored a touchdown on a reverse.

Freshman defensive back Jeremiah Wynn made his first career start, and the Seawolves attacked him deep early. Despite his interception earlier in the quarter, Stony Brook targeted him and scored a 44-yard touchdown.

Despite some early struggles offensively, the defense never quit and eventually found their rhythm.

“Didn’t make any adjustments just did our job,” Ambrose said. “For a football play to go well, usually 11 guys gotta be perfect.

In those cases we had nine, we had 10, but we didn’t have 11 and we buckled down, tightened up a little bit and all of sudden we look like the offense we’re supposed to be.”

To end the first quarter the Seawolves completed a 71-yard pass to the Tigers 15, however, Wynn recorded his first interception to end their drive.

Midway through the first quarter, Flacco connected with redshirt junior wide receiver Caleb Smith for 41 yards.

The Tigers failed to score a touchdown inside the five and Towson settled for a senior kicker Aiden O’Neill field goal. O’Neill’s 60th field goal set the CAA record for most field goals made.

“Somehow, he keeps putting it together game after game, year after year he’s been a tremendous weapon,” Ambrose said.

- To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com

Lamar Jackson isn’t the league MVP yet JORDAN KENDALL Asst. Sports Editor @jordankendall54

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is having an impressive second season. He has led the Ravens to a 7-2 record after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 49-10.

He’s considered an MVP candidate with half the season remaining. I don’t think he’s the MVP, but he’s got a strong case and it wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up winning.

His passing numbers aren’t MVP level As a quarterback, the most important stats are passing yards and touchdowns. Jackson barely cracks the top 20 in passing yards, which usually prevents a quarterback from entering the MVP race. Players such as Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston and

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew are both having better statistical seasons. There are rumors that Winston will not be the Buccaneers starter in 2020, and Minshew was benched for quarterback Nick Foles. Neither of them is close to winning MVP but have been better passers so far.

Despite his lack of passing numbers, Jackson has been one of the best quarterbacks this season. His ESPN QBR is fourth-best with a 76.0. He has not thrown an interception in seven of his first nine games, including the last four.

Against New England, Jackson only threw six incompletions, showing progress as a passer, which is a good sign for Ravens fans. I agree with the experts that he needs to improve as a pocket passer and not rely on scrambling to find someone open. But right now it’s working and it is helping Baltimore win games. The unique aspect of Jack-

son’s game is his playmaking with his legs, which is the reason he is considered an MVP candidate.

Front “Runner” for MVP? Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson are both mobile quarterbacks.

They can use their legs to buy time to find someone open and have the arm to throw accurate passes. Jackson does this, but he looks more like former NFL quarterback Michael Vick. He’s more willing than Wilson or Watson to scramble and turn upfield, and his elusiveness is as good as most running backs. He’s a unique player and can make a game changing play at any moment.

Jackson’s greatest impact is rushing, and his stats back it up.

In his last four games, he has over ten carries.

- To read the rest of this column online, visit thetowerlight.com.

The Celtics are thriving under the radar JALON DIXON Columnist

Coming off of a year of locker room turmoil and roster turnover, the Boston Celtics have come into this season exceeding expectations so far as they sit atop the Eastern Conference with one of the best records in the league.

Entering the season, expectations for the Celtics were low to say the least. They lost two former allstars in guard Kyrie Irving and center Al Horford to free agency. Rotational pieces such as guard Terry Rozier and forward Marcus Morris also moved on to new teams over the summer. And to make matters worse, in an offseason like no other where stars across the league were signing to new teams, the Celtics were left with former Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker and Portland Trail Blazers forward Enes Kanter. One could say that

these were all signs of bad things to come, but for head coach Brad Stevens and the Celtics, this was a chance to overachieve.

Alongside the Los Angeles Lakers, the Celtics sit atop the league with only one loss through seven games. With a record of 6 – 1, Stevens has this team playing team basketball and you can see it through the numbers. The Celtics currently have five players averaging double-digit points with three of them averaging 20 or more.

Former all-star forward Gordon Hayward is showing that after being two years removed from his ankle injury, he has the capability to return to that all-star level. Hayward is averaging 20.3 points, a team-high 7.9 rebounds, and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 60.8% from the field and 44.4% from the three point line. As a product of Brad Stevens’ system from when they both were at Butler, this healthy version of Hayward was thriving in his role until he suffered a fractured left hand in the team’s win over the

San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.

The two players who have really carried this team so far have been guard Kemba Walker and forward Jayson Tatum. After playing three years of college basketball in the New England area for the Connecticut Huskies from 2008 - 2011, Walker has been on fire so far in his return to the city of Boston.

Walker currently leads the team in scoring with 24.3 points to go along with 5.1 rebounds and four assists. During free agency, Walker was seen as nothing less than maybe the third piece to a Lakers’ super team. Now he is leading the Celtics to a hot start as the primary option on a championship contender in the East.

As for Tatum, in year three the development of his overall offensive game is beginning to emerge.

Tatum is averaging 21.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists, making him the team’s second leading scorer and rebounder.

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