Vol. C, No. 8 (April 28, 2022)

VOL. C No. 8 / April 28th, 2022

PAges 6 & 12

photo by Catherine miller COver design by Grace Dunlavy

NEWS

02

Photo Courtesy of TexasTech University

SLU CHESS TEAM WINS FINAL FOUR OF COLLEGIATE CHESS The SLU chess team continued this year’s winning streak with a victory at the 2022 President’s Cup

By CONOR DORN Editor-in-Chief

E

arlier this month, SLU’s chess team continued its dominating perfomance by winning the team’s first President’s Cup, beating out Webster University, Texas Tech University and the University of Texas at Dallas.

The President’s Cup, colloquially referred to as the Final Four of collegiate chess, was held April 2-3 on the campus of Texas Tech University. It was the first time in two years that the tournament was held in person. Each team brought four players and two alternates. Over the course of three rounds, the four teams faced off, with players earning a full point for their team with a victory and a half-point for a draw.

SLU won the tournament with a total of 7.5 points out of 12 possible points.

The victory in this year’s President’s Cup comes after SLU narrowly missed out on first place in last year’s Final Four.

Chess coach Alejandro Ramirez, a chess grandmaster and the first person from Central America to earn the grandmaster title, spoke to the University News about the team’s success in the President’s Cup and over the past couple of years.

Ramirez said: “This is an incredible success for the program. In the past year Saint Louis University’s chess team has won just about every

tournament we participated in,” referring to the Fide Rapid Online Cup and the Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championships.

In the first round, SLU faced off against UT Dallas, dominating the match with three wins, one draw, and no losses.

This convincing victory in the first round set the tone for the rest of the event. In the second round, SLU faced Texas Tech.

SLU was not able to match their dominating performance of the first round and split the match with one victory, two draws, and a loss.

In the final round of the tournament, SLU went up against Webster, who trailed by just half a point, and SLU needed a tie in the match to bring home the victory. Senior Nikolas Theodorou won an exciting game against Webster’s Benjamin Gledura, clinching a tie in the match for SLU and a victory in the 2022 President’s Cup. The team’s meteoric rise since its inception as a program in 2016 is not a matter of luck or of pure talent. “These players breathe and sleep chess. There is always a tournament to follow, play in, do commentary for. Practice tournaments keep the players sharp, and it is important to travel to them to improve,” Ramirez said.

He added: “Of course, all of this is on top of the weekly individual and group training sessions with the coaches.”

Ramirez also said: “It’s clear that team chemistry is playing a huge role in our success.”

Ramirez wanted to highlight the

play of two players in particular. Of Cemil Can Ali Marandi, a Master’s student from Turkey, Ramirez said: “Cemil Can Ali Marandi is one of the most improved players on the team, jumping from International Master when he started the program to a full Grandmaster player.”

Marandi’s undefeated score of two wins and one draw was integral to the team’s victory. Ramirez also pointed to the play of Polish Grandmaster Dariusz Swiercz, who scored 2 wins and lost only one game, as key to victory.

“Special congratulations to both, who obtained their Bachelor’s at SLU and are now completing their master’s with us. They have been part of the program since day one” Ramirez said.

Even after achieving this important milestone victory, Ramirez and his team are only looking ahead. “We have really won it all. Collegiate chess is a sport that is rapidly expanding. The next few years will bring more global events to the fray as travel and over the board chess resumes in other parts of the World. We won the World Rapid Cup online last year, and it would be great to defend it in person. We also have a pending invitation for a friendly match with Shenzhen University, the strongest university in China.”

He added: “The next couple of years will be challenging as we lose both Dariusz and Cemil Can, so it will be partially rebuilding years. However, with the team chemistry as high as it is, I expect to be winning many events.

News BECCA TOWNLEY

HEALTH POLICY POD HOSTS NARCAN TRAINING

WINS TRUMAN SCHOLARSHIP

By ULAA KUZIEZ Associate News Edior

R

ebecca Townley had expected a simple email or letter. Instead, she found that she was awarded the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship when Saint Louis University President Dr. Fred Pestello, informed her of the good news while she was in class.

The Truman Scholarship Foundation rewards aspiring leaders commitmented to careers in public service. Each year, college juniors compete for approximately 60 awards. Townley, a junior studying political science and African American studies, was one of 58 scholars selected for the scholarship this year out of a pool of 705 candidates from across the country.

“I was not expecting Dr. Pestello to walk into my class. That was a pleasant surprise and it was really great of the university to show their [congratulations],” Townley said.

Townley first heard about the scholarship when a friend casually sent her a flyer about it. She set up an interest meeting with SLU’s Competitive Fellowships and Scholarships Office to where she discussed her career goals and interests and where Dr. Brooke Taylor, told her she would be a good candidate. Despite being abroad in Madrid, she was determined to apply.

The scholarship involves essays, letters of recommendations, a policy proposal, and an interview. Upon starting her application in Fall 2021 and submitting it to SLU in December, she received the university’s endorsement and sent in her final application to the foundation on February 1.

“Before submitting it, I had

03

By Gabby Chiodo News Editor

Photo Courtesy of Becca Townley

to take the feedback I got about my application and edit some of my essays to add specifics about what they are really looking for,” Townley said.

“Then, I was just a sitting duck waiting to hear back.”

The public policy proposal that she crafted was aimed at improving healthcare for pregnant women in prisons and immigration detention facilities. This specific topic was a culmination of her interests in public health, justice and public policy.

Ten days after submitting, she learned she was a finalist for the state of Nebraska, her home state. Upon hearing this, she began practicing for her upcoming interview by doing mock interviews with some SLU advisors and faculty.

“The virtual interview was nerve-wracking because I had a lot of preparation to do beforehand. It was only 20 minutes and consisted of rapid fire questions about the policy proposal,” Townley said.

Townley’s interview panel consisted of seven top national and state leaders, many of whom were past Truman Scholars.

As a SLU student, Townley has been involved in various leadership and service organizations. After graduating, she plans to take a year of service and apply to a joint law and masters in public health graduate program at a university on the East Coast.

“I will see where that year of service takes me, where I feel called. I would love to work in research and advocacy for public policies. I find a lot of power in the community so I would love to work at a community organization that works to help marginalized individuals” Townley said.

“Promoting mind, body and spiritual well-being within a community and hopefully helping meet the needs of communities in whatever aspects and capacities I will have.”

O

n Monday, April 15, the Health Care Policy Pod in partnership with SLU’s Center for Social Action hosted a Naloxone, commonly known as NARCAN, training and harm reduction program.

The training was sponsored by the State Opioid Response 2.0 Grant through the University of Missouri St. Louis and the Missouri Institute of Mental Health.

Around 50 students were in attendance, and learned how to identify signs of overdose and administer Naloxone (NARCAN)— an FDA-approved medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose.

Currently at SLU, NARCAN is only accessible by calling DPS. This restricted access presents a unique challenge. “We know that interactions with the police can be incredibly harmful to people who use drugs and those with marginalized identities,” Casey Nichols, a senior and leader of the health care policy pod at SLU, explained.

The administration of NARCAN requires training, and the speaker from the Missouri of Institute of Mental Health, Rithvik Kondi, addressed the idea of taking a trauma-informed approach during administration. Anushah Sajwani, a SLU senior who attended the training, felt it was helpful that the speaker stressed this approach. “If you are delivering Narcan it’s important to be aware of ensuring the individual you are assisting wakes up to an environment in which they are safe and does not trigger any more anxiety than what they are already feeling,” Sajwani said.

Both the Center for Social Action and SLU’s Health Care Policy Pod want to continue to advo-

cate for student and community member accessibility to NARCAN and harm reduction. “We hope to continue these important efforts by working with SLU administration to get NARCAN readily available for all SLU students in residence halls for free and with no questions asked,” Nichols said.

After the training, students wrote letters to the City of St. Louis’s Board of Aldermen and Mayor Tishaura Jones, advocating for harm reduction policies in St. Louis. This part of the event was not sponsored by the State Opioid Response 2.0 Grant.

Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies that are designed to reduce the negative consequences associated with drug use. These policies center around the idea that that drug use and addiction should be treated by targeting the mental health issues associated with them rather than making it a criminal offense.

“Fentanyl test strips and needle exchanges, for example, are evidence-based harm reduction strategies known to save lives—but Missouri criminalizes them as drug paraphernalia,” Nichols said.

Missouri has experienced a dramatic increase in opioid use and related deaths over the last decade. Between 2010 to 2019, opioid overdose deaths in the state nearly doubled, according to the Missouri Foundation for Health.

“We firmly believe that overdose-related deaths are the culmination of a long history of policy failures and lost opportunities for harm reduction, and we want to help change that,” Nichols said.

While syringe exchange programs in St. Louis and Kansas City exist, they are only permitted through local laws and were still illegal in Missouri as of 2021. Senate Bill 360 is an act that would legalize the selling and distribution of addiction mitigation medication by a pharmacist or licensed physician.

Currently, there are no active harm reduction programs on SLU’s campus, but entities like the Center for Social Action and the Health Care Policy Pod continue to work for change and the destigmatization of drug use.

News

04

SLU JUNIOR EARNS GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL ON DISABILITY YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARD

SLU’S MODEL UN TEAM FINISHES SEASON IN CALIFORNIA

By GABBY CHIODO News Editor

O

By ULAA KUZIEZ Associate News Editor

T

he Missouri Governor´s Council on Disability (GCD) awarded Saint Louis University junior Seyoon Choi the 2021 Youth Leadership Award.

The honor “recognizes an outstanding Missouri youth (age 16-26) with a disability that has demonstrated exemplary leadership by making a difference in their community”.

“Often, I feel like even some of the most basic involvements throughout high school, such as being a part of the high school marching band made huge headlines simply because I’m blind,” Choi said.

However, this GCD award was different. He was nominated by Lynn Berger, his former teacher of the visually impaired who supported him through assistive technology in middle and high school.

“Once she found out that I became involved in the community, she believed that I’m worth being nominated for,” Choi said. “This

Seyoon Choi at the award cermony with his service dog, Kaplan

award felt as if I’m being recognized specifically due to the impacts I’ve made to the disability community, and therefore am humbled for the recognition,” Choi said.

Choi, a visually impaired student studying social work, is a research assistant in SLU’s Chrome Lab, an engineering space that aims to build technologies that agument human ability. He is also the co-chair of the communications committee of the National Association of Blind Students where he co-produces its podcast.

The award was presented to Choi at the end of the PowerUp Missouri Assistive Technology Conference which took place April 4-5 in Blue Springs, MO. Choi recalls a large audience in attendance including special education teachers, vocational rehabilitation professionals and assistive technology vendors at the banquet hall. TyReeke Garnett, a high school student in the state, was given an honorable mention for the award as well.

“Lynn always believed that despite my blindness I would be very successful and achieve a lot of great things for many years ahead,” Choi said.

n April 21, 2022, fifteen of Saint Louis University’s students traveled to Los Angeles, California to attend a Model United Nations conference hosted by the University of California, Berkeley.

The last of the academic year, this competition was the first time the team had been able to travel to California since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Rebuilding the team has been a really big focus this year for our executive board.” First-year SLU student and Model UN member, Mariya Yasinovska said.

Model UN is a popular extracurricular activity at both collegiate and high school levels.

There are two types of competitions or “committee sessions,” General Assembly and Crisis Committee.

General Assemblies encompass almost all members in which students portray members of the United Nations.

“It’s the most common form of committee session,” Hayden Turley, first-year Model UN member, and next year’s treasurer said.

In General Assemblies, delegates of each team will represent a country in an attempt to resolve a mock issue by acting in the interest of their nation. These assemblies require research and critical thinking as they face potential alliances and enemies throughout the session.

The sessions themselves are not quick endeavors.

“Each commitee session will last upwards of three or four hours,” Turley explained.

The committee session attended in Los Angeles was a Crisis Committee rather than a General Assembly. In this format, members respond to

a historically fictional event, during which Model UN participants take on the role of legitimate historical figures or countries. The session is a reenactment of the event and contributors are encouraged to use creativity and flexibility.

“You can literally do the craziest things,” Turley laughed.

The team competed on Thursday for a half-day and Friday and Saturday, attending committee sessions all day.

“The two days we were in committee we really didn’t have much time for anything besides lunch and dinner,” Yasinovska said.

“It’s really cool that we get to do that through Model UN because, going to LA and Boston, that’s not really things everybody gets to say they did during their freshman year of college,” Yasinovska said.

Not only does the team grant participants the opportunity to travel, but it also offers students the opportunity to hone several different skills. “Being able to give speeches in front of maybe 100 people, knowing how to think quickly and how to cooperate with others, these are all incredibly valuable skills that can be applied to anything in the professional world,” Turley said.

Both Yasinovska and Turley agree the team itself is also a source of connection and growth. “I’ve met some amazing people and developed amazing friendships,” said Yasinovska.

The team continues to grow its membership, having the largest number of first years the team has experienced in several years, with its doors open to all years and majors. “It’s something that really helps you break out of your shell,” said Turley “You can really make it your own.”

The team will continue its weekly meetings next year. Information about upcoming events can be found on their Instagram page and newsletter.

NEWS STUDENT WELL BEING TASK FORCE RELEASES DRAFT

05

OF STRATEGIES FOR A CULTURE OF WELL BEING

(Abby Campbell/ The University News)

By GABBY CHIODO News Editor n April 13, Saint Louis University’s new Student Well-Being Taskforce released its first comprehensive draft of strategies to move SLU “toward a culture of well-being.” With 3 different ways to interact with the draft, the SLU community was invited to review and provide feedback on the recommendations.

This announcement comes after the tragic string of suicides SLU has unfortunately experienced this academic year.

The Student Well-Being Task Force, created in Sept. 2021, is a combination of students, staff and faculty focused on finding areas in SLU’s culture that can be improved to promote the mental well-being of everyone in the community.

The task force was charged with assessing SLU’s health and well-being of students and developing recommendations to advance a culture of well-being for all students. The task force met in October and November and began listening sessions in order to do a “deep dive” into SLU’s culture. They spent March and April drafting their recommendations and creating a cohesive document.

The longest form of the task force’s recommendations is a thirteen-page document split into four sections. These sections are labeled as strategic priorities

O

and can be considered the committee’s main goals. Inside each of these goals are detailed plans, expectations, and explanations for execution by SLU. The first strategic priority is “Our commitment to student flourishing is embedded throughout the institution and is reflected in our priorities, actions, and communications.” This priority includes revision of the academic calendar and the development of a well-being toolkit that can be used by faculty, staff, and students. Eric Anderson, Assistant Vice President for Student Wellbeing and co-chair of the Student Wellbeing Task Force, explained that the toolkit is to be designed and implemented differently among departments.

“It would be a toolkit that would be available for faculty members as they develop their curriculum and classroom setting,” Anderson said.

The next strategic priority is using evidence-based approaches to support student well-being and understanding that different groups require varying approaches. When evaluating mental wellness, an evidence-based approach can mean several different things. “Assessment might look at what the resources are that we have available for students and how students are experiencing them,” Anderson explained.

Bolstering the capacity of mental health resources and developing a Student Well-Being Coalition are a few ways the task force envisions evidence-based solutions being applied.

At first glance the Student

Well-Being Task Force and the Student Well-Being Coalition share similarities. However, Anderson and the task force hope that the Coalition will be a source of accountability for SLU’s administration. “The purpose is to be a body that would ensure the strategic priorities and recommendations are moving forward,” Anderson said.

The third strategic priority has the intention of creating “spaces and opportunities for connection and belonging for all students.” This includes designating more safe spaces on campus for students that hold marginalized identities. With SLU being a predominantly white university, there are only a few spaces specifically designated for students that are in the minority.

The third priority also discusses the creation of a wellness ambassador program. While there is not a specific vision for this program in the draft, it takes inspiration from similar wellness ambassador programs at other universities. At the University of Wyoming, wellness ambassadors organize and plan events and programs focused on the well-being of students. However, in SLU’s draft, there is mention of using the ambassadors to also facilitate open dialogue about students’ mental health challenges.

Finally, the fourth strategic priority focuses on the Jesuit ideal of cura personalis or “care for the whole person.” The draft mentions allowing students to advocate for their wellbeing through “wellness plans” and the

creation of a “Big Ideas” program for well-being initiatives. Additionally, the final priority calls upon SLU to create an environment in which faculty, staff, and administrators can model self-care. This objective cites changing expectations around email responding on time off as well as adopting a policy of flexibility during times of crisis.

There is little doubt that the Student Well-Being Task Force has proposed multiple pivotal changes, but there is nevertheless a long road ahead for both the Task Force and the SLU community.

The draft is still in its infancy. When the Task Force released its draft it encouraged everyone to respond to the priorities and objectives through a survey.

Closing about ten days after the recommendations were made public, the Task Force must use this information to revise and solidify their proposal.

“We wanted to provide folks with opportunities to give different levels of feedback because we do know that [reading the draft] is a time commitment,” Anderson said. As of Monday, April 25th about 75% of respondents had given their feedback through the shorter version of the survey. While this poses a difficult challenge for revisions of the draft, Anderson is hopeful that the 25% of people who gave in-depth feedback will supplement the shorter survey responses.

After reviewing survey responses and revising the draft, the Task Force will work to finalize and submit the proposal to the University. From there, groups will work together from all departments and entities to make these priorities a reality.

For students who are experiencing the current SLU reality, the draft does offer some hope. MaryClaire Pavlick, a sophomore Public Health major, feels this hope but is also skeptical. “I think there are a lot of great ideas in the draft that would really help students. I especially think the idea of having wellness ambassadors is great,” Pavlick stated, “But I don’t think it’s going to be easy.

Everyone is going to have to work together, professors, administrators, and students, if we want to create a culture that truly does support and nurture mental wellbeing.”

06

Arts and life (Ree Miller / The University News)

VIBE 2022: Steve Aoki Brings the Club to SLU At VIBE 2022, Steve Aoki along with openers Marc E. Bassy & Matias performed for free for SLU students. ach year, the Student Activities Board (SAB) puts on a free concert in the spring for all SLU students to attend. These artists are voted on by students in the fall of every year, with this year’s nominees ranging from rock bands such as Paramore to pop acts like Kesha and even rappers like Fetty Wap. After gathering the votes and working behind the scenes to book an artist, SAB announced that American music producer and DJ Steve Aoki would be headlining this year’s concert. Alongside Marc E. Bassy and Matias, the artists performed at the Simon Rec Center on April 21 to a substantial crowd of SLU students.

The first opener of the evening was Matias, a Colombian-American artist from Philadelphia infusing elements of Spanish and English-language music together. Throughout his set, Matias performed with confidence and ease, working the crowd well and getting students who didn’t know his music to dance and have fun. He pulled from his many influences throughout the set, performing primarily in Spanish and taking command of the stage throughout. By the end of the set, it was clear that Matias was excited to perform and genuinely had his heart in the music, something that got the crowd of students excited for the rest of the evening.

Up next was Marc E. Bassy, an American singer-songwriter from the Bay Area. Students were especially excited for Bassy to show up on stage, chanting his name until he arrived to perform.

E

Immediately, Bassy brought a great performance for VIBE and the crowd was going nuts for him.

Throughout the show, Bassy and the crowd were extremely high-energy, with many moments where the crowd was singing along to every word. This part of the evening also led to a stronger light show, as the sun was beginning to set and the visuals accompanying Bassy’s set grew more vivid. As Bassy’s performance drew to a close, the crowd of students grew in preparation for the headlining act.

To put it simply, there was not a dull moment throughout VIBE’s headlining set.

To close out the evening, American DJ Steve Aoki came on stage and made the crowd go crazy. Aoki’s set immediately brought a club-like atmosphere to the Simon Rec Center. Immediately showing his DJ prowess, Aoki got the crowd of SLU students dancing as the thumping heavy-bass set started. Throughout the show, Aoki pulled from his large discography to play several of his hits, such as the Chris Lake and Tujamo collaboration “Boneless” and his remix of Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness,” as well as several deep cuts and newer releases, including a collaboration with Shaqueille O’Neal titled “Welcome to the Playhouse” and a slew of unreleased tracks.

To put it simply, there was not a dull moment throughout VIBE’s headlining set. Even students

By MATTHEW CHAMBERS & REE MILLER Arts & Life Editor / Staff Photographer who were not big fans of his were dancing and singing along to his set, as he pulled out mashups of pop hits like Calvin Harris’s “Sweet Nothing” and remixes of recent Latin hits such as J Balvin’s “Mi Gente” and Farruko’s “Pepas.” And throughout the DJ set, Steve Aoki made sure to involve SLU students with the set as much as he could. The show had several sing-along moments that the crowd ate up—including a sing-along section for an unreleased Aoki song, filmed to possibly be featured in the upcoming music video. He also brought three students to the DJ booth to help count down to the drop of his collaboration with Laidback Luke, “It’s Time,” which features vocals from MMA and UFC announcer Bruce Buffer.

As per his tradition, Aoki brought a large sheet cake to throw into the crowd near the end of his DJ set, which has been dubbed as “getting caked” by fans of his. As his DJ set drew to a close, Aoki hopped down from the booth and asked the crowd where he should throw the cake, eventually deciding to throw it into the crowd on stage left. As students cheered and those who were caked celebrated, the performance drew to a close and Aoki thanked the crowd for coming out before heading off the stage. The vibe at VIBE was high-energy and an overall success for SAB’s annual concert, marking another great installment of the yearly free concert for students.

For more photos of VIBE 2022, go to pages 12 and 13.

Arts and life

07

A St. Louis Gem: The Fabulous Fox Theatre With The Fabulous Fox Theatre back in business, Students can utilize the many benefits offered. hen it comes to Saint Louis University, there are certain milestones every student should try at least once: getting a latte at Fresh Gatherings, strolling through Forest Park on a Sunday afternoon, running through the Clocktower fountain and seeing a show at the Fox Theatre. Considering how close The Fabulous Fox Theatre is to SLU’s campus—a 15 minute walk at most—it seems like a crime for students to miss an opportunity that is so near to them!

In Fall of 2020, I was unable to experience the Fox Theatre because countless shows were postponed due to the pandemic, so when productions began to open up again, my friends and I were eager to experience the Fox for ourselves—and boy, did we! During these past few months, I have been fortunate enough to see not one or two, but three enjoyable shows at the Fox: “Mean Girls,” “Hairspray,” and “Hamilton.”

Each of these shows was a last minute decision, and it’s safe to say that seeing these plays have been some of my fondest college memories thus far.

If you have never been to the Fox, I’ll paint a picture for you: it’s easily one of the most stunning theatres I’ve ever had the privilege of visiting. From the commanding red pillars, to the golden detailing and the magnificent chandelier that hangs in the auditorium, visiting the Fox will make you feel fancy, even if only for a night. Designed by the Aronberg-Fried Company in 1928, the building was inspired by various influences. The opulent lobby with plush red carpet and a high ceiling with beautiful designs takes after a building style called “Siamese Byzantine,” which comes from the structure of ancient Indian religious buildings. The 90-foot lobby is accompanied by tall columns that are inspired by Buddhist monastery halls.

The theatre itself is named after William Fox, the man who founded the famous production company of the same name, now called 20th Century Studios. Throughout his career, he worked to establish many Fox Theatres across the United States, which today are found in Atlanta, Detroit, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego and, of

W

course, St. Louis. Fox built the theatre in replacement of the Grand Presbytryian Church in order to ensure that “residents of St. Louis no longer need to look beyond their city for the finest in entertainment.”

The Fabulous Fox opened in 1929 with a film showing of “Street Angel,” where people paid 50 cents to experience this exceptional entertainment. The theatre has only grown in success with over 15 million patrons over the years. The theatre was once even home to St. Louis’s own dancing chorus line, called The Fox Tellerettes.

While there was a decline in revenue between the 1960s and 1970s that led the establishment to briefly close, a group of Fox Associates took matters into their own hands. Upon restoring the Fox Theatre in 1981, they aimed to return the building to its original 1920s glory. Led by director Mary Strauss, the theatre was reopened in 1983 as a performing arts center with renovations that allowed for more patrons with the legacy of the original building modernized. In 1983, the Fabulous Fox Theatre received the National Trust Honor Award in light of the excellent preservation and restoration that a small group of individuals brought to the historic building.

Over the years, there have been renovations and security improvements made to the lobby and the stage as well as the notable addition of the vertical sign that hangs outside of the theatre. The Fabulous Fox Theatre has remained a beloved establishment as it nears its 100 year anniversary.

While there were limitations due to COVID-19 at the end of 2021 and beginning of the new year, the Fox Theatre is doing its best to return to normalcy. Masks were made optional on March 15 and proof of vaccination is no longer required. Currently playing at the Fox is “Hamilton,” which will run until May 15—Disney’s “The Lion King” will follow, which will run from June 1 to June 19.

Not only is the Fabulous Fox a convenient walking visit, there are deals exclusive to students as well! Students can sign up to have student rush news and discounts sent right to their email inboxes. There are also opportunities to go to the Fox and purchase RUSH tickets; all students have to do is arrive at the Fox Box office two hours prior to the show with a valid Student I.D. card.

By Morgan Hausback Arts & Life Editor

As the semester comes to an end, don’t lose hope—you can start planning for the fall. Famous shows are heading to St. Louis, including “Ain’t Too Proud” (Sept. 20-Oct. 2), “Hadestown” (Oct. 11-23), “Frozen” (Nov. 2-13), “Elf The Musical” (Dec. 20-24) and more.

The next time you are looking for a classic St. Louis outing with your friends, get dressed up, stay in the neighborhood instead and visit the Fabulous Fox Theatre.

(Andrea Porter / The University News)

Arts and life

08

Upcoming Exhibitions at the Saint Louis Art Museum And The Griot Museum

By JULIETTE CALLAHAN Staff Writer (Andrea Porter / University News)

S

tarting early summer and ending in the fall, the Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) has three new upcoming exhibits.

“Catching the Moment: Contemporary Art from the Ted L. and Maryanne Ellison Simmons Collection” will be featured from June 26 until September 11 for ten dollars per student.

Composed primarily of prints, the collection will feature more than 40 contemporary artists and around 200 selections. It will be a novel addition to the Museum’s collection of paper and American art from the last sixty years, as well as critiques on social, political and art historical issues. The exhibit will feature works from Kiki Smith, a German-American artist known for her figural representations of sexuality, birth, and the relationship between the human condition and natural realm; Enrique Chagoya, a Mexican-American artist, known for his paintings and printmaking that address secular and religious symbols relating to the cultural discord between the United States and Latin America as well as the subject of colonialism and oppression in American foreign policy; and Tom Huck, a Missouri-born American printmaker known for his large woodcuts influenced by Albrecht Durer, Jose Guadalope Posada, R. Crumb and Honore Daumier.

The collection will add a contemporary American perspective to the Museum that has only been seen in this field in its more re-

cent exhibitions and collections.

“Day & Dream in Modern Germany, 1914-1945” from The Sidney S. and Sadie M. Cohen Gallery will be featured from Aug. 26 until Feb. 26.

The collection will feature a selection of prints, photographs, drawings and watercolors that inquire on the relationship between art, the visible realm, and contemporary society influenced by German art from the activist realism to utopian idealism of artists that were influenced by the events in the first half of the twentieth century in Germany.

The title is based on Max Beckmann’s 1946 lithographic portfolio “Day & Dream” that featured his surrealistic fantasy world. The collection will feature Renee Sintenis, a German sculptor who focused her artwork on sexuality and nature, known for her sculptures of athletes, nude females and young animals that embodied her character as the 1920s New Woman with short hair and clothing, independent lifestyle and sexual liberation, and Walter Grammate, a German painter known for his symbolism, expressionism and surrealism paintings influenced by his mystical view of nature from traveling throughout Europe.

“Liliana Porter: Fox in the Mirror” will be featured on May 6 until Sept.

11. Composed as a video by Liliana Porter, a Argentine artist known for repurposed objects found in flea markets, antique stores, etc. that appear as insubstantial ornaments but offer a perspective of the imaginative artist’s process and narration

of inanimate objects. The video, in collaboration with Sylvia Meyer’s music, features mechanically theatrical figurines and animals that address humans’ range of emotions while juxtaposing political imagery in apolitical objects. Like “Catching the Moment,” Liliana Porter’s exhibition will add a contemporary Latin-American perspective to the Museum. Both exhibitions question the human condition and culture, while “Catching the Moment” and “Day & Dream” both question the natural realm and contemporary society.

The Griot Museum of Black History is located in St. Louis, only two miles north of SLU. It was originally named The Black World History Wax Museum. The name originates from the idea of the West African griot, who is responsible for collecting and preserving the history of the births, deaths and marriages that are relevant to their community through oral traditions. Like the West African griot, the museum collects and preserves the narratives, culture and history of Black people. The Museum contains collections with wax figures, artifacts and memorabilia of Black individuals who have contributed to America’s progression and their regional connection to the Midwest and American history. For a small fee, visitors can walk through the main exhibits that include wax figures, artifacts and memorabilia allowing them to interact with the art and learn about Carter G. Woodson, Josephine Baker, James Milton Turner, the Reverend Earl.

E Nance Senior and more Black figures of the last two centuries. The museum also includes an authentic slave cabin from the Jonesburg Wright-Smith plantation where visitors can interact with the cabin by walking inside and imagining the circumstances and personal lives of enslaved families. As well, visitors can walk through a model section of a slave ship from the Transatlantic Slave Trade and again imagine the conditions slaves had to endure upon being transported to the Americas. As a result, the museum allows visitors to not only view the art like SLAM, but to interact with it, creating a more personal viewing and understanding of the art rather than an observatory, reflective interpretation. At the Griot, a visitor is a part of the artistic process and interaction.

Both the upcoming exhibits at SLAM and the Griot Museum offer students an opportunity to experience American art in two different forms, one being contemporary and visual, the other being historical and interactive. During the summer, students can visit both museums for a small fee, allowing them to compare and contrast the wax figurines and memorabilia offered at the Griot that differ from the prints, photographs, drawings, watercolors, objects and videos offered at SLAM.

Arts and life

09

“ATTENTION: Miley Live” REview: Vocal Virtuosity and Popularity as a Means of Enjoyment

By DANIEL BERNAS Staff Writer hen a song ascends from momentary popularity to pop culture artifact, it goes through a process of semantic satiation. The words stop making sense, the writing stops mattering, preconceived feelings on its performer don’t register and enjoyment is derived more from the spirituality of the song’s collective familiarity than the quality of the song itself.

Miley Cyrus’ 2013 comeback single “We Can’t Stop” is a great example.

The song was never popular for its uncanny mismatch of Ke$ha style party-girl lyrics and piano balladry, with a descending chord progression that wouldn’t feel out of place on a child-friendly friendship ballad. Instead, the over-publicized reinvention of the child star turned trainwreck was so hard to turn away from that the song’s worst lyrics (including “we run things, things don’t run we” and “can’t you see it’s we who own the night, can’t you see it we who ‘bout that life?”) and faux-rebellious persona were no match for the radio play a song this controversial could have. Her follow up single, “Wrecking Ball,” another ballad significantly stronger in writing and vocals yet distracting-

W

Photo courtesy of Vijat Mohindra ly overproduced, met a similar fate as the then-still barely out of her Disney darling phase Miley Cyrus swung naked on a wrecking ball and licked a sledgehammer in its music video.

It would take four years for Cyrus to abandon this image, but in that time those two songs simultaneously became larger than Miley herself and impossible to separate from the antics of the twerking provocateur (who could forget the MTV performance?). Over the past two years, however, Cyrus seems to be just as focused on cementing her status as a top tier performer as she was being a sexual symbol in 2013 and, say what you want about her personality in the media, it’s working. With the release of “ATTENTION: Miley Live,” that has never been more apparent.

For nearly an hour and a half Cyrus flexes her vocal muscles on tracks that span all throughout her career. While 13 years is far too young to call a song old, Cyrus is at such a different place now than she was in 2009 that performing any of her pre-Bangerz material feels like she’s digging up relics of the past. This feeling is prevalent on “See You Again,” here mashed with Cher’s “Bang, Bang,” and “7 Things,”

which are enjoyable almost as much for repackaged nostalgia as they are for catchy choruses, and feeling the energy of the crowd around her makes living through her Hannah Montana era not a required experience for this phenomena. “Party In The USA,” which is as loved today as it was in 2009, meets the same fate as she closes the concert with an extended seven-minute jam version of the hit, letting the crowd sing chunks of the song and the band play her out impressively.

Rarely does a bad song become a good one, with the exception of “Bangerz,” which is transformed into a dance punk rager. Its braggadocio is far more convincing with yelled lyrics over chunky guitars than rapped verses over weak synths. However, she often brings out the power in previously mediocre songs. The mashup of “Wrecking Ball” and Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” turns the former’s emotional impact up with live instrumentation and Cyrus’ matured vocals, and as she channels Sinead O’Connor’s iconic performance of the latter she puts both songs in the same league of heartbreak and triumph. “The Climb” is perhaps the most powerful example. She extends the country ballad into an

Aerosmith style power ballad. Her vocals, which have had 13 years to mature in tone, dynamics and volume since the release of the track, soar over the pummeling drums and guitars. It’s a shockingly large improvement on an already powerful, if not cheesy song. And then there’s the case of “We Can’t Stop,” which she uses to open the concert up (with a surprising transition into the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind”).

No live performance can save the song from its clunky mix of styles, but Miley singing it at this point in her career, nearly a decade on from her reinvention, carries a mix of self-awareness, evolution, maturity and acknowledgement of her place in popular culture.

It’s hard to think about any reservations on the tune itself as a crowd of thousands sings a song that likely played a significant role in their childhoods. This is where musical semantic satiation hits, but instead of perceiving the songs as meaningless sounds, they’re perceived as significant moments in culture, ones that unite everyone in the audience through the collective joy of whatever the hell the tune is about. At that point, does it matter if the song is good?

University News 4/28/22 Sudoku

10

University News 4/28/22 Crossword

Across

1

2

Puz

PuzzleJunction.com

games 3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

14 15 13 1 Sleeveless garment 17 18 16 5 Colossal 21 22 19 20 9 Carpentry tool 13 Hindu sage 23 24 25 14 Pop 15 Come into view 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 16 Comforts 36 37 35 17 Barber’s job 18 Kind of bomb 41 38 39 40 19 “The magic word” 43 44 42 21 Digit 46 47 48 45 22 Spanish appetizer 49 50 51 52 23 Hard liquor 24 Plaudits 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 26 It may be tipped 62 63 64 61 29 Tropical tree 31 Detective’s clues 65 66 67 35 “Catch-22” pilot Copyright ©2022 PuzzleJunction.com 36 College major 69 70 68 University News 4/28/22 Word Search 37 Scrub Caribbean Islands Copyright ©2022 PuzzleJunction.com 38 Take offense 41 Section of text 8 Dromedary 64 Expunge 34 Got some shuteye A O A N B S K R U T B X L C 42 Before feeder or 65 Blueprint 9 Steamrolls 37 Beach shelter line 10 Smidgen 66 Poker term 39 Socking away A G C P R O C I R O T R E U 43 Triangular sail 11 Aerial maneuver 67 Japanese movie 40 Civil wrong N A I T F H D M P N M S M R 44 Seance sound monster 12 Madame Bovary 41 Bowling target G B N Z G J M C S A P A U G 45 Affirm 13 Gym unit 68 Safecracker 43 Indonesia city 46 Erie or 69 Pro votes 20 Mummify 46 Gangster U O I B N C Sudoku T A L Solution A Z A Z S alimentary 70 Aerobic bit 25 “Woe is me!”

Alphonse I T M D N Z M O S I N G O E 48 Suffix with 26 1962 Jimmy 47 Some brews L C O Y N A T F R S N A C I social Stewart comedy, Down 50 Composition L K D C H 1R 5N 6U 4K 7 T 8 O9 E2 N3 D 49 Fajita filler Mr. ___ Takes a 52 Gypsy’s deck 3 7 2 5 9 1 6 8 4 51 Rebellious 1 Medicine bottle Vacation 53 Glimpse A H X A O J U X P N U D L D 4 9 8 6 3 2 5 7 1 Turner 27 Cupid’s projectile 54 Narrative 2 To be, to Tiberius O X B T A C M F B R R G A R 53 Use acid 28 Not fresh 3 Prune 55 Mountain goat’s 7 4 5 3 6 9 8 1 2 Q X D G C J O W U T A S A B 56 Resort 4 Cold aid 30 Refinable rock perch 6 1 3 2 8 4 7 9 5 57 Small terrestrial 5 id ___; n’ -ce-pas? 32 Mite 58 Whipped up C M H O R 2P 8F 9Y 1R 5W7 O3 U4 T6 Y lizards 33 French 6 Foreboding 59 Chop-chop U D S S R 8E 3B 1 I 9A 2C 6 F 4 Y5 O7 A 61 Rani’s wear 7 High degree of impressionist 60 Cambodian coin R U M C A 5Y 2N 7A 8 I 4C 3 F 1 S6 R9 S 62 Variety Edgar foolishness 63 Your (Fr.) A D M U W 9 I 6D 4A 7A 1 I 5 C2 U3 L8 T

1

6 4 2

1

5 7

4

3

3 9

8 5

6

9 8 4

2

2

7

8 7 1

6 PuzzleJunction.com

A P U I L C A A A R C R I C N C C Y Y D U C C D V B Z K E I A K J A M A I C A A I S L A M O X D H I S P A N I O L A R E

M A R T I N I Q U E E V A U I O O L

C N V N H X D W R Q E S Y B A S N E

Copyright ©2022 PuzzleJunction.com

Find the solutions to this issue’s puzzles on UnewsOnline.com

ANGUILLA ANTIGUA ARUBA BAHAMAS BARBADOS CAICOS CAYO COCO COZUMEL CUBA

CURACAO DOMINICA GRENADA HISPANIOLA ISLA MONA JAMAICA MARTINIQUE MONTSERRAT NEVIS

PUERTO RICO RUM CAY SAINT LUCIA SAN ANDRES TOBAGO TORTOLA TORTUGA TRINIDAD TURKS

Q Y T A R R E S T N O M K A S S A A

photography

11

(Paige Fann / The University News)

TULIPS OF SLu (Abby Campbell / The University News)

(Paige Fann / The University News)

(Paige Fann / The University News)

(Paige Fann / The University News)

(Ian Hall / The University News)

12

PHOTOGRAPHY

VIBE 2022

By REE MILLER Staff Photographer

(Ree Miller / The University News)

photography

13

(Ree Miller/ The University News)

14

PHOTOGRAPHY

Earth day extravaganza SLU celebrates Earth Day at the clocktower

(Abby Campbell/ The University News)

Sports

15

FOUR BILLIKENS ENTER TRANSFER PORTAL

By JONAH TOLBERT Staff Writer

efore 2018, when college basketball players wanted to transfer colleges, they had to talk to their coach and administrators for their team. In 2018, it became much easier for players to transfer—however, they would also have to sit out a year.

Now, the new “Transfer Portal” creates a more efficient way for current NCAA players to transfer. They are able to inform the NCAA that they are going into the portal and in eligibility terms, they practically become a freshman again, in eligibility terms:going on college tours and finding a new school. Under the new ruling, they will not have to sit out a year and can play immediately.

This new transfer portal has a lot of athletes moving. Notable athletes are Baker Mayfield to Oklahoma, and Justin Field from Alabama to Oklahoma. This has brought about positive changes for many athletes who were unhappy at their current school. But this off-season has also brought about a lot of movement for the Billikens men’s basketball team. The transfer portal, it seems, is alight with onceBillikens.

Basketball season ended in March for the Billikens. They had made it to the NIT but suffered a first-round loss for the second year in a row. For some, this was to be expected. They would lose a tight game to Auburn (who would go on to have a 2-seed in the tournament); then, the Billikens lost to UMass who ended their season 15-17 after SLU blew a second half lead. The same story happened at a home game against St. Bonaventure, to whom the Billikens lost on the road. The Bonnies would go on to win in the A10 tournament. This also happened earlier in the season against Belmont and UAB. After a season full of almosts, Rashad Williams, Andre Lortenson, Markhi Strickland and Jordan Nesbitt all entered the portal.

The real twist came when assist leader Yuri Collins announced he would also be entering the portal. Thankfully, SLU was able to retain Collins. On a positive note, the team will get Javonte Perkins back after an ACL injury at the beginning of the season last year. The team has lost Brandon Courtney and Marten

B

Linssen due to graduation and DeAndre Jones to eligibility. That makes seven player losses and four to the portal after the transferring players have been at SLU for two years or less. Yes, most of the players probably want to start next year with Perkins back as a small forward and Terrence Hargrove staying as power forward. Francis Okoro, the projected starting center has grown a lot this past year.

Yuri Collins will man the helm of the Billiken offense as point guard, while Gibson Jimerson continues as shooting guard. Fred Thatch is a solid sixth man for Hargrove or Perkins, and Lassina Traore staying at SLU will give Okoro a sub. Other than that, the Billikens do not currently have a bench. Speculation abounds as to exactly why so many entered the portal in one year. One theory is that Coach Ford did not do enough development with his second string.

As for incomings, there is hope. SLU has Javon Pickett, a Mizzou transfer and Nick Kramer from SLU High, along with Larry Hughes from CBC, Pattonville’s Kellen Thames and junior-transfer, Sincere Parker. Losing four people is scary though, especially since these players are young, have a lot of potential and could have been good for the Billikens in the future. Also, all the pickups are guards when SLU is lacking in size, only having two big men and in need of a couple more for Ford to develop his squad. Travis Ford himself was a 5-9 point guard so he tends to like guards. A couple of his past point guards are on his coaching staff.

This will likely be a make or break season for Billikens basketball. It has been tough to watch the Billikens plateau after a lightsout 2019 season. Hopefully, later in the spring, Ford can get a big man from the portal.

Without a bench, later-in-the-year injuries could hurt Ford’s chances of making it back.

The loss of women’s basketball head coach Lisa Stone showed that the Billikens’ athletics administration is looking to the basketball programs to make a statement. After not making the women’s NIT tournament, administration deemed it time for a change.

Athletic director Chris May has stated that he wants to make it to the tournament every year.

If Ford wants to do better this year, he needs to work on his end-game seniors and make sure he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. Hopefully, there is still time for Travis Ford to write Billiken basketball’s story.

(Ian Hall/ The University News)

sports

16

(Siri Chevuru/ The University News)

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT IROQUOIS LACROSSE?

By TEAGAN ALTEMOSE Sports Editor

SUCCESSFUL IROQUOIS LACROSSE TEAM DUE TO COMPETE IN WORLD CUP LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP DESPITE BEING BARRED FROM INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL. acrosse has become quickly beloved in the United States.

It is also Canada’s national summer sport. Its roots come from the Native people of North America. The tribe with some of the greatest claims on the development of the sport is the Iroqouis. This July, the Iroqouis will have the chance to compete on one of the world’s largest stages at the World Lacrosse Games in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Iroquois have a complex history with international competition.

In 1987, the Federation of International Lacrosse accepted the Iroqouis nation as an independent member. They are the only Native American team that has been recognized and authorized for independent competition. Their first year as a full member was 1990.

In 2010, the team traveled to England to play in the World Cup only to have their entry denied in Manchester. The Iroquois nation has been issuing passports since 1923. According to United States law, they are a sovereign nation. Therefore, their travel documents should carry the same authority as any other nation. However, English travel officials stated that since their passports were not endorsed by the United States nor Canada, they could not enter. Despite attempts from Hilary Clinton, then Secretary of State, the Iroqouis were not permitted to enter the United Kingdom and were forced to forfeit their place in the tournament.

Many Iroqouis have not ever attempted to carry a passport other than those issued by the Haudenosaunee (the Native name for the Iroquois confederacy made up of the Onondaga, Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Seneca, and Tuscarora tribes). This is their tribal name. In their opinion, they should not carry a passport of a country to which they do not belong. They remain firm

L

in their belief, regardless of the fact that it often causes struggles when they attempt to travel internationally for competition.

Earlier this year, the Iroquois team ran into trouble again.

Despite placing third in the World Championship, they faced the threat of

being unable to play World

at the Games. The International World Games Association moved to bar their participation on the grounds that they are in fact not a sovereign nation and should not be permitted to compete without an Olympic committee. When public outcry forced them to reverse their decision, they did so with a stipulation. In order to attend, one of the eight teams already selected would have to forfeit their position in order to allow the Iroqouis to compete.

The gracious gesture came from Ireland.

In a show of humility, Michael Kennedy, the chief officer for lacrosse in Ireland released a

statement. He, along with the Irish national team, held that allowing the Iroqouis their spot was best for the sport.

Iroquois lacrosse players are some of the best in the nation. Lyle Thompson is one of the most famous names in the sport. While in college he broke records and brought the spotlight onto the culture surrounding Iroquois lacrosse.

Throughout his time in competition, he proudly wore his hair in a braid down his back. He played the game that he was raised to love.

For the Haudensaunee people, lacrosse is deeply spiritual. They believe that the game was originally played between land and sky animals. It is believed to be a gift from their Creator. Everything in the game is symbolic and representative. From the stick to the intricate weaving of the basket, the necessary items to play the game are gifts from the earth. They call it the medicine game. It is cultural practice to arrange a game when a member is sick. Once the game has concluded, the game ball is gifted to the individual whom the game was played to honor.

There is hope that by 2028, lacrosse will once again be part of the Olympics. If that should be the case, it is likely that there will be restrictions that once again threaten the Iroquois Nation’s ability to compete.

However, the hope is that as they slowly begin making progress, the standards will change. Even for the games in Alabama, the Iroquois still faced the threat that they might not be able to play in the tournament. The nation and team have shown, however, that they will fight for a spot they have earned.

It is a rare and unique thing in modern sports for a nation with such deep claims on a sport to continue to be one of the best at it.

After all, the Iroquois have been playing lacrosse for centuries. Come this summer, the Iroquois will look to turn heads once again. This time the statement is likely to be less veiled behind competition. This time, it is clear that standards and expectations be damned; the Iroquois are looking to ensure they are never left out of the lacrosse conversation again.

17

sports

18

oklahoma tumbles to the top Diana Jakovcevic / The University News

By SYDNEY ALTEMOSE Sports Editor

O

n April 16, 2022, Oklahoma bested Florida by .02 points upon claiming their national championship.

This championship was star studded from the beginning, as Suni Lee of Auburn helped bolster the Tiger’s scores and held some of the best performances throughout the meet. Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum, all Olympains, were present at the championship. They went on to lead their teams by scoring perfect 10’s in at least one of their events throughout the weekend. By the end of the first rotation, Oklahoma sat in last place, however, as their hopes for a national championship would take near perfect execution to come to fruition.

Michigan, the defending champions, did not make the top four by the end of championship weekend. Florida, on the other hand, put on a recruiting show in order to secure their runner-up position.

Utah, who has seen more championship meets than any other college gymnastics team, is always expected to do well. Oklahoma has good and bad years, but once 2022 rolled around, it was doubtful that many people expected a come from behind win.

While Oklahoma took the team championship, they did not have a single athlete win an individual title. Unsurprisingly for gymnastics fans, Trinity Thomas took home three individual championships as she claimed the floor and uneven bar titles in order to earn herself the title of all-around champion. Suni Lee took home the gold for the balance beam while Utah’s Jaedan Rucker took home the title for the vault.

The race to take home a championship this year was tight. With Olympians in the mix, it demanded near-perfection from all competitors. For those who have watched gymnastics closely, however, Trinity Thomas’ performance is not a break-through.

Rather, it is something she has steadily chipped away at over her college career; her three medals have crowned her time as a Gator.

Similarly, Oklahoma went into the meet as the first seed but by the first series had fallen to fourth place. To net their win, they needed near perfect execution in every event. The Sooners were able to handle the pressure as they went on to earn their fifth national title in the past eight years.

The perfect 10s present throughout the meet were a rarity. It is hardly ever this common to see so many perfect routines. Statistically speaking, the women who performed the perfect routines are currently some of the best gymnastics competitors in the world. Some could also argue that the departure from Olympic scoring measures downgraded the perfection needed throughout routines. Therefore, it only makes sense that the best gymnasts would perform so well with less strict standards. Regardless of scoring, it was some of the tightest collegiate gymnastics competition the NCAA has seen.

Competition like this helps bring a spotlight to sports like gymnastics. Tight races to compete with big, recognizable names reels people in. With a changing of hands currently happening as one generation of college gymnasts turn the page to younger athletes allows them to hand off a sport left in a better place than they had found it; Trinity Thomas being one of the

women who helped with this. With 62 teams currently in Division I competition, stellar performances like this might convince other schools gymnastics is a program worth pursuing.

Olympic sports have begun to take a back seat in college athletics. With sports like football and basketball producing some of the most highly valued athletes, it is easy for schools to funnel money into programs that will return their investment. It is also likely that the alumni go on to have big paydays and will give some of their appreciation back to the school on a monetary level. This barrier is what smaller sports like gymnastics are battling to overcome. However, interestingly enough, one of the biggest NIL deals comes from LSU gymnastics star Olivia Dunne. Performances like the 2022 women’s gymnastics national championships give hope for other Olympic sports that there is still time for a rise to prominence. Olympic sports can coexist with revenue sports and still turn an interest. Competition like this practically ensures it.

JOIN US FOR

Biscuit Tuesdays SELECT BISCUIT ITEMS FOR ONLY $5 EVERY TUESDAY!

$5

INCLUDES: - BISCUITS & GRAVY - NASHVILLE CHICKEN BISCUIT - HAM, EGG, & CHEESE BISCUIT - SAUSAGE, EGG, & CHEESE BISCUIT

AT IRON DROP IS OPEN DAILY FROM 11am-7pm 3701 FOUNDRY WAY, ST. LOUIS, 63110

20

Opinion

My new view on Marriage

By ANASTASIA HANONICK Copy Editor n late September of last year I wrote an aggressive article that articulated my strong distaste for the cultural practice many of us know as marriage. Due to boldness and high controversy of my arguments, the piece understandably warranted backlash and dissatisfactory feelings from fellow colleagues, readers and people within my social group.

However, I reserve the right to two things: 1) I reserve the right to be wrong and 2) I reserve the right to change my mind.

It isn’t news that roughly half of American marriages end in divorce, and for a long time, I allowed that statistic to cloud my judgment of what healthy marriages looked like (and, quite frankly, if they even existed). Upon writing my initial article, I concluded that the high numbers of divorce stemmed from people entering marriages with “wrong” intentions I believed were rooted in selfishness. However, upon enrolling in a course titled Close Relationships taught by the University Psychology Department’s Eddie Clark, Ph.D, I was quickly stripped of my title as “relationship expert,” humbled and put in my place. For those interested in taking the course, Close Relationships is a 4000-level psychology elective offered every Spring.

Today, I am here with a new perspective as I present this idea with full confidence: through my time in this class I have come to accept that any and all relationships, regardless of their natures or what intentions they were entered for, have the potential to last forever. The steps to obtaining and maintaining a healthy relationship are surprisingly not as complicated as one would think. However, it all depends on one key factor:

I

the individual and their attitudes towards the partnership. With that being said, my one and only intention of writing this article is that it restores one’s faith in love, even if it is just one person.

Aside from learning many meaningful lessons on having healthy arguments, communication and attachment styles, the Close Relationships unit that stood out the most was the one on love. A common theme throughout this segment was that in order for an intimate relationship to last, a friendship needed to be present, with its fundamentals being rooted in trust, care, loyalty, respect and commitment. Surprisingly, “movielike” love that manifests itself into nervousness, euphoria and butterflies in our stomachs wears out the fastest, often going away entirely after a couple gets married.

It was companionate love, however, that was identified to be the most effective and longest lasting form of intimate relationships. Its stability and increase in intimacy through the years guaranteed the most satisfactory attitudes in couples, despite being slow to warm up at first. As further emphasized in a study by Drs. Laura Stafford and Daniel Canary, the five most necessary relationship maintenance techniques were sustaining a positive attitude towards one’s partner, expressing the willingness to be open, assuring their partner in times of need, having stable social networks and sharing tasks together. They also recommended incorporating mediated communication and humor, especially during times of conflict.

However, the real gamechanger of relationship science is showcased through the work of Dr. John Gottman, also known

as the “Godfather” of relationship psychology.

Before the foundation of his well-renowned therapy workshop the Gottman Institute, Gottman and his best friend Bob Levenson found themselves in repetitive unhealthy relationships. In an attempt to find answers as to why they kept experiencing these dynamics, the two started a “Love Lab” in 1974, later joined by Gottman’s wife Dr. Julie Schwartz-Gottman in 1992. The lab implemented questionnaires that focused on areas of strength and dissatisfaction in intimate relationships, as well as interviewing couples and measuring their vitals when they interacted with one another. Over the next 45 years, the trio interviewed over 40,000 couples, and through these numbers, they were able to predict divorce or stability and happiness in relationships with an accuracy of 90 percent. The effects of the initial study were replicated by Gottman six different times.

So what predicts these factors?

What separates a couple that is at a high risk of dissolution versus low-risk? Gottman emphasized that those who were unhappy in their relationships were at a 0.8:1 positive-to-negative emotion ratio during conflict, while couples who were satisfied with one another were at a 5:1 ratio. With the index established, Gottman wondered how he could make a difference and authenticate a system for people in dysfunctional relationships to reconcile and achieve peace. This realization allowed him to develop a theory, which was that people who were in happy and fulfilled relationships all had three things in common: trust, maintaining a physiologically calm attitude

(Diana Jakovcevic / University News) towards their partner, and commitment.

“When people are calm,” Gottman emphasized, “they can take in information. They can listen. They can be empathetic. They have access to their sense of humor…But when they’re flooded, when there’s a diffuse of activation of various parts of the autonomic nervous system, they are much more likely to be in attack-ordefend mode, making it harder for couples to relate to one another.”

Gottman added that higher trust in romantic relationships leads to better intimacy and sex, while low trust leads to loneliness, emphasizing that loneliness is the number one cause of infidelity. Building trust comes from always having both parties’ best interests in mind, and doing small things one knows will bring joy and happiness to their partner. Lastly, commitment comes from what Gottman calls a “turning point”, a period during which when things aren’t going well and one’s partner may be irritable, hostile, and emotionally distant. However, if at this time an individual is cherishing their partner, loving them, and being grateful for their presence in their life, it establishes a firm and profound sense of loyalty that will significantly strengthen the relationship. Betrayal, however, happens during these scenarios during which one begins resenting their partner and creates comparisons between real or imagined alternatives.

“There is magic in love that lasts forever…” Gottman says with a smile, “and that magic is achieved through three things: calm, trust, and commitment.”

Opinion

21

Anti-choice protestors disappoint me

By PENELOPE GARDNER Opinion Editor hen I was in high school I volunteered at a hospital. One day, when I was working at the ICU desk, I witnessed a man wake up from a coma. Upon trying to pull out his intubation tubing, he promptly vomited into his tubing, choked, and almost died.

Yet, the most harrowing thing I have ever witnessed is an anti-choice protest. Just this year, bills banning abortions have been introduced in thirty states and both sides of the issue are fighting harder than ever.

In spirit of this, I want to elaborate why I find the anti-choice movement so unappealing.

First of all, the anti-choice movement’s belief that it is acceptable to go as far as personally intervening in each person’s attempt to enter a reproductive health clinic is absurd to me. I don’t see anyone harassing gas stations for selling cigarettes for the half a million people who die from smoking each year. Physically blocking people and screaming at them should never be one’s method of disagreement. Instead of spending time holding posters and shaming others, take the time out of your day to write letters to State legislators. Fight with clinic managers for all I care, but do not obstruct the individual patients. When you do that, you are directly and publicly degrading a human being, and not helping the cause at all.

As a clinic escort at Planned Parenthood, the behavior of protestors, particularly during Respect Life month, shocked me. At clinics besides my clinic location it is even worse; I’ve seen escorts and patients have mutilated dolls thrown at them and be showered in slurs I wouldn’t dare repeat. This technique is abysmal and it’s pretty horrific that anyone would act this way towards another human being, especially those they claim to respect so much.

In my time volunteering as an escort, I learned of a newer tactic of the anti-choice movement. Posing as clinic escorts, protesters wear neon vests similar to the old Planned Parenthood ones, and have an iPad to “check-in” the patient. Not actually checking anyone in, they use this to collect information to later harass the patient further. Though they claim to only use the contact information to share resources

W

about crisis pregnancy centers and other options, it’s still so horrifying to see patients trust this person, only for them to be a fraud.

The lying and spreading of misinformation by anti-choice groups is rampant; as a matter of fact, I even believed some of the lies. In all the books I’ve read, something that really seems to aggravate doctors is the term “partial-birth abortion.” The term itself is not medical; it was created by the National Right to Life Committee as a fear tactic. Antichoicers have a tendency to give out misinformed literature to passersby. “The Making of Pro-Life Activists” by Ziad Munson provides some examples of common falsehoods shared by protesters: “You’re immature for this, clinics are performing abortions for profit, abortion will cause depression, you’ll gain weight and lose your sexual appetite following the abortion.” None of these have been proven by any reputable source. Rather, they use individual stories and claim it’s fact.

Recently, I’ve seen a lot of movies and alleged documentaries about abortion which exaggerate and sensationalize an already sensitive topic. The movie “Unplanned,” for example, has enough false information to power a whole campaign. They also only present the story of the outliers. As a matter of fact, 95 percent of those who have gotten an abortion do not regret their decision. There was an entire movement in 2015, #ShoutYourAbortion, which later culminated in a book that consisted of those 95 percent sharing how happy they were with their abortions and how their lives have been bettered. The 5 percent that regretted their decision are still valid in their feelings, but only presenting their stories for agenda fuel isn’t fair. As Amelia Bonow shares in “Shout Your Abortion,” “The antichoice movement terrorized us into silence decades ago, and they filled that silence with lies.”

In the media, abortion is so villified that the strength women have in doing what is best for them and embracing their autonomy is powerful. No matter what anti-choice people say, you are not selfish, you are not immature, you are strong and I stand with you. In the book, “Shout Your Abortion” there are a few lines I will leave you with that hopefully make

you feel as powerful as they made me feel. Viva Ruiz said, “I am completely unbothered by the health care I chose, and I wouldn’t do anything differently.

Abortion is normal. Autonomy is joyful.” Miki Sodos said, “My abortion was the first empowering choice that I had made for myself in a very long time. I was drowning. I believe that my abortion was a major catalyst for me to get my life together.”

Abortion is such a complicated issue with so many circulating beliefs, but we can prove our points in front of politicians, not in front of the person struggling with pregnancy outside of a doctor’s office. Don’t fill conversations with shame and condescension; people who have abortions aren’t immature or selfish. 1 in 4 women in the United States have had an abortion and 95 percent of them are glad that they did. Choose your words wisely and stop lying.

(Diana Jakovcevic / The University News)

22

Opinion

Arundhati Roy And the Occult Politics of Caste at Saint Louis University

By ABBEY KOLLU and DEEPA SHUKA Contributors

n April 28 the Saint Louis University Library Associates will be conferring Arundhati Roy the St. Louis Literary Award at the Sheldon Concert Hall from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. On the 29, Arundhati Roy will be participating in a Craft Talk from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. in SLU’s Cook Hall.

Arundhati Roy is well known for including diverse characters in her literature, making strides in environmental activism, condemning the Indian government’s removal of Article 370 and similar legislative actions that infringe upon the rights of Muslims and other disenfranchised religious groups in South Asia.

One of Arundhati Roy’s most controversial works is not “The God of Small Things,” but “Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical Edition.” It was published in 2014 and was marketed as an introduction to revolutionary caste reformer and iconoclast Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s magnum opus, “The Annihilation of Caste.” Arundhati Roy’s intent was to introduce the Western audience to caste conflicts and divisions within India.

The publication was met with great effusiveness globally. However, it caused friction with domestic anti-caste activists, such as Anu Ramdas, editor of Round Table India, a media outlet that focuses on amplifying Dalit-Bahujan voices, who states, “We object to Roy’s text not because of her non-Dalit origin but due to her poor grasp of the seminal text and even shallower and sensational out-of-context introduction to the original text which is at risk of maligning Ambedkar.” In addition to that critique, the price of her book was ten times the cost of Ambedkar’s original work, which led to accusations that Arundhati Roy was trying to make a profit off of the adversities of historically traumatized communities.

Telugu poet and activist, Joopaka Shubadra, at an event on the “Democratic Debate on Appropriation of Ambedkar’s Writings,” when speaking about Arundhati Roy, stated, “...her efforts actually increase the intensity of pain caused by caste. Our pain. Only if you are an untouchable will you understand that pain.”

Ambedkar’s bona fide “Annihilation of Caste” is also offered in local languages, whereas Arundhati Roy’s book is only available in English, which is widely incomprehensible to the masses. This is an important difference, considering the role of English, in the British colonial state, in reifying caste

O

hegemony and endogamy in India and gatekeeping education from subalterns. Ambedkar was a Dalit scholar and his work comes from a Dalit perspective.

If Arundhati Roy is going to display Dalit plight and exploitation on a global scale, the Dalit community deserves to know what is being written about them (in languages accessible to them), such that they can critique it, since they have the valuable lived experience that Arundhati Roy does not. Lastly, not only do Arundhati Roy’s annotations in this work fail to center literature from Dalit scholars, in many cases, Roy is listed as a co-author or the only author of “Annihilation of Caste,” without Ambedkar being given proper accreditation.

Roy’s track record on caste is far from innocuous.

Roy is complicit in putting the onus on the Western audience, for whom caste is a cultural blindspot, to parse out the authenticity of her writing, rather than being upfront about her social position. It should be her duty, as a public figure and social advocate, to be mindful of the limitations of her point of view and to highlight those who speak from the margins.

During a 2020 interview with University of New Mexico Assistant Professor of American Studies, Nick Etze, when asked whether she was of Brahmin caste, Arundhati Roy stated “My mother is Christian and my father was a member of the Brahmo Samaj,” while also emphasizing the fact that her father later converted to Christianity. When asked to clarify her caste location, her response was to bring up the religious affiliations of her parents, rather than mentioning how her mother’s lineage, the Syrian Christian community, were social elites that greatly benefitted from their elevated position in the caste hierarchy and that her father’s last name, Roy, is a Bengali Brahmin caste indicator, which offers her social capital in obtaining opportunities and accolades.

Caste is so pervasive within India’s collective memory and the current zeitgeist, that it is a relevant factor for membership within any religious community. Proselytization fails to bring the sweet fruit of liberation, when it is the whole decadent fabric of society which must be reconstructed in order for caste inequity to be allayed. This is why one cannot distance or absolve themselves from the ramifications of caste, including privilege, solely based on association with a minority religion. For example, in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, caste oppression has led to segregated churches for members of the Dalit community. Caste oppression

can be comprehended through analogues to race based oppression in America, in terms of how it interacts with economic class. However, similar to race, high economic class does not necessarily bring social mobility to caste oppressed persons.

Caste oppression can also be viewed through the vantage point of queer experience, in the aspect that the marginalized face fear of being “outed” to society, especially when it comes to finding housing, employment and places of worship. Castebased discrimination is also fairly ubiquitous in that it isn’t restricted to India; it also affects Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, as well as the South Asian diaspora.

During Roy’s award ceremony, she will be welcomed with a showcase featuring a bharatanatyam dancer and a tabla performer.

Bharatanatyam is an art that has been culturally appropriated by Brahmin nationalists -- the hereditary performers of Bahujan caste heritage, who created “Sadir Attam,” have been displaced from the dance form. And it is through association with bodies of Savarna castes, bharatanatyam transitioned from being associated with hypersexuality and ignobility to the respectability it has today. Tabla and other types of South Asian percussion instruments, such as the mridangam, are made by Christian Dalits, whereas the performers and spectators of such “classical arts” are typically from caste opressor backgrounds. Even thousands of miles away from our beloved home country of India, in a Jesuit Campus on foreign lands, through the symbols the West deems so salient and emblematic of India, these types of caste politics

To continue reading this article, please scan the QR code below

Opinion

23

Importance of South Asian Representation in Media

By AMAN RAHMAN Staff Writer

I

however, “Bridgerton” producer Shonda Rhimes made one a protagonist. Not only was Kate the main character this season, but she was also able to have a romance arc without the show questioning the authenticity of her desirability.

Despite the fact that other shows such as “Never Have I Ever” are meant to be representative of South Asian culture, in many ways, they have perpetuated damaging stereotypes. Creator and actress Mindy Kaling, an Indian-American woman herself is accused of misrepresentation in her various shows. While many aspects of Kaling’s depictions hold true to various South Asian families, they are not all-encompassing.

“Never Have I Ever” portrays the main character, Devi, as a nerdy, high-strung teenager struggling to manage the strict rules enforced by her mother as she navigates her high school experience. The show gave insight into the experiences of many daughters of South Asian immigrants, where they are forced to reconcile with their cultural traditions as well as maintain the increasing demands of growing up in Western society. This could have been shown in a meaningful way that resonated with many individuals, however, the show utilized offensive stereotypes and comedy that was unappealing to many South Asian viewers.

In another Kaling show, “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” one of the Indian characters, Bela, speaks about how she had a complete physical transformation that enhanced her beauty. She explained how prior to this transformation she was “an Indian loser with acne, sweaty armpits and glasses.” The word “Indian” was completely unnecessary for the context of the scene and only perpetrated that all of the following descriptions she listed were attributed to the Indian experience. This kind of “humor” is extremely damaging and only appeals to a white audience which gives leeway for subtle racism to pass.

Being a young South Asian woman in a society where you are often represented in negative ways can be very harmful. Growing up, it was challenging to embrace my Pakistani identity,

especially because I attended a predominately white school where I did not feel represented in my classrooms. There were no positive mainstream depictions of South Asians, especially women. While there are more opportunities for showcasing South Asian experiences today, many of these depictions are at risk of misrepresenting this cultural group. Hopefully, with a more accurate portrayal, young brown women will be able to feel pride when seeing someone who represents them onscreen.

/ The University uru Ne v e ws h C i Sir

f you were to turn on your television right now, how challenging would it be to find a show with a main character that represents your race or ethnicity? For many, this is not only a rare occurrence; representation is rarely done correctly without perpetuating implicit stereotypes and subtle racism. When done correctly, though, there is often a large sense of pride and joy when realizing your group is being depicted in the mass media.

On-screen representation of minorities can also give insight into the multifaceted experiences of different identities to those outside of the group.

That being said, not all representation is good representation. South Asians in the media have repeatedly been showcased in a light that not only ridicules many aspects of the culture, but also creates false notions and stereotypes through misrepresentations.

Recently, season two of the Regency-era television show “Bridgerton” has been getting significant praise for its subtle, though positive depictions of South Asian culture. This season introduces the Sharmas, a family from India that has ventured to London for the marriage season.

The show has been celebrated for the elegance with which it incorporates aspects of South Asian practices and rituals. The Sharma sisters, Kate and Edwina are shown wearing Indian fabrics and jhumkas (cultural earrings), and carrying out the Haldi ceremony, a wedding ritual where turmeric paste is spread on a soon-to-be bride as a blessing.

The younger sister, Edwina, is also seen calling Kate “Didi,” which means “elder sister” in Hindi.

The show also did not ridicule or exaggerate accents for comedic purposes, as is seen in many other forms of media.

As a South Asian, seeing these traditions displayed on mainstream television was very exciting and I was soon telling everyone to immediately watch the show. The reason this representation was so special to me and other South Asian women is because we are often showcased as if our beauty is surprising. Darkskinned brown women are scarcely represented, even, at times, in Bollywood films themselves—

ON THURSDAYS, WE EAT SUSHI.

$5 Sushi Every Thursday AT Open Daily 7am-10pm 3701 Foundry Way, Saint Louis, MO 63110