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THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 2020 VOLUME 95 ■ ISSUE 9

LA VIDA

SPORTS

Local beekeepers educate on importance of bees.

Bowman benched, Colombi to start.

OPINIONS

PG 3

PG 5

Drag empowers community, allies.

ONLINE

LGBT+

Watch Raider Rundown on our Instagram @dailytoreador.

PG 4

ONLINE

INDEX LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU

3 5 4 3 5 2

SPIRIT

Masked Rider discusses responsibilities, COVID-19 changes

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

The Masked Rider rides Fearless Champion down the field during the game against The University of Texas at El Paso on Sept, 7 2019, at the Jones AT&T Stadium. The Red Raiders defeated the Miners, 38-3.

By AMANDA HAMPTON Staff Writer

The Masked Rider is a wellknown symbol for Texas Tech and has an important role this year as she creates excitement for fans during COVID-19.

Cameron Hekkert, a senior sports management major from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, said she wanted to be the Masked Rider because of the opportunities Tech has given her.

“The Masked Rider would just be the perfect way to be able to give back to the school,” Hekkert said. “Also,

to represent them and show other people how many great opportunities you can have when you come to Tech.”

One important responsibility is taking care of Fearless Champion, Hekkert said. She is in charge of Fearless Champion’s daily feeding and care.

“Every morning and every night, I go to campus and feed him and make sure he has water and make sure he’s feeling good,” Hekkert said.

Hekkert also ensures Fearless Champion gets enough exercise to stay in shape, especially during football season, she said. She rides Fear-

less Champion three to four times a week, but on a game day week, she rides him every day.

The most well-known role of the Masked Rider is her presence at football games.

Hekkert’s gameday routine starts by getting Fearless Champion eight hours before kickoff in order to ride him for one to two hours, so he has less energy during the game, she said.

“Then, I’ll bring him back to campus, and that’s when my assistants show up and we’ll wash the truck and the trailer, and we’ll wash Fearless,”

Hekkert said.

Once Fearless Champion has been taken care of, Hekkert said she begins to get ready for the game by curling her hair and putting on makeup.

Hekkert’s favorite part about being the Masked Rider is interacting with former Red Raiders, hearing their stories and being able to bring back memories for people she said.

“Everyone knows who you are, and they know that rush of adrenaline when you’re running on the field,” Hekkert said. “That all kind of comes back when they see you.”

Jennifer Covell, a senior animal

sciences major from Edgewood, New Mexico, said Hekkert is a good Masked Rider because she is great at interacting with the public.

“She’s great at relating to people and emulating what Texas Tech strives to be,” Covell said.

Like most programs, the Masked Rider had to make changes due to COVID-19.

Tech Spirit Program Director Stephanie Rhode said the biggest change is the number of appearances the Masked Rider makes.

SEE MASKED RIDER, PG. 2

CAMPUS

Tech sustainability efforts face impact of pandemic

By ADÁN RUBIO News Editor

Increasing sustainability continues to be an issue for universities striving to conduct operations while also staying green.

After a campus shutdown related to the COVID-19 pandemic, how Texas Tech proceeds with sustainability efforts this semester may be different in ways.

When university campus shutdowns occurred across the nation, some university administrations utilized the shutdowns as an opportunity to reassess energy needs, according to pv magazine USA. Some U.S. colleges and universities are wanting to hit carbon reduction goals sooner, while others are looking for new options for sustainability.

After a few months of students being back on the Tech campus, how the university will conduct sustainability efforts could involve different measures.

Carey Hewett, campus sustainability officer and managing director for the Tech Operations

Division: Business Services, said the campus closure in the spring impacted the university’s sustainability in several ways.

“We were able to reduce and eliminate steam across campus,” he said. “There was nobody in the buildings for the most part, which allowed us to reduce the operation of our chillers and boilers down in the central plant, so if we’re producing less chilled water and steam, obviously we’re saving energy.”

In addition, Hewett said air handlers on campus did not have to run at their normal schedules while campus was closed. The campus closure allowed the university to reduce the schedules for these air handlers.

“It also allowed us to go in and work on the efficiency and the airflow of the air handlers,” Hewett said. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic issues, we increased the outside airflow to 30 percent in all our buildings, made sure our filters were changed out during that downtime, so we were ready to go when the campus came back.”

The reduction of some shuttle services, which requires less fuel, and the number of buses running on campus is another way the campus is being more energy efficient, Hewett said.

Along with these changes in energy efficiency, Hewett said the campus closure had other benefits to campus systems.

“Well, I think it has allowed us to open up the campus with all of our systems at peak condition,” he said.

Along with different methods to be more energy efficient on campus, recycling efforts are other factors that could affect a university’s level of sustainability.

Karen Marin, sustainability coordinator at Tech, said there are different opportunities in the city for the Tech community to recycle.

It is encouraged that students, faculty and staff use the City of Lubbock recycling centers, as the Tech Recycling Center managed by Tech University Student Housing still is closed. For some people who do not live on campus, utilizing the city’s recycling centers may be

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

The Texas Tech Recycling Center is located at the Physical Plant Annex. It has closed until further notice due to COVID-19. more convenient.

City of Lubbock recycling locations include the Southside center at 1631 84th St., the Northside center at 208 Municipal Drive, the south Milwaukee center at 7308 Milwaukee Ave. and the North Quaker center at 4307 Adrian St.,

according to the City of Lubbock website. Visit the website for more information on operating hours, satellite locations for recycling, instructions and information on what materials are accepted.

SEE SUSTAINABILITY, PG. 3

2

NEWS

OCT. 15, 2020

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

HEALTH

Pandemic, other hazards warrant Halloween costume prep

By JAVIER BACA Staff Writer

Preparing for Halloween this year may consist of more costume planning than one expects.

Whether it be the side effects of poor quality makeup and colored eye contact lenses or the need to accommodate medical masks in one’s costume, there are different costume preparations a person may need to make to keep oneself healthy this year.

The COVID-19 pandemic is one health risk Halloween lovers will need to learn to work around, as certain activities, such as traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating, are considered high-risk activities that should be avoided, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although, certain moderate- or low-risk activities still could involve wearing costumes.

For certain activities consisting of multiple people, protective masks still are encouraged, according to the CDC. A costume mask is not a substitute for a protective mask, and protective masks should not be worn under costume masks to prevent issues with breathing.

Along with COVID19-related precautions for costumes, issues related to costume hazards are other problems people may want to avoid.

Regarding the color contact lenses some people wear as a costume accessory, Dr. Kelly Mitchell, professor in the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, said there is more to prescribed contact lenses than just the ability it gives the user to see clearly. Prescribed lenses are shaped and fitted for the person who is going to use the prescription.

“A prescribed contact lens, besides the power it gives, has to sit on everybody’s eye differently in order to be safe,” Mitchell said.

A prescribed contact lens is determined by a physician, such as an optometrist or an ophthalmologist, Mitchell said. There are several risks for people who go to cosmetic stores who get colored contact lenses because they want dress up for Halloween.

“It is going to probably distort your visual quality right off the bat because you aren’t going to be blinking quite as normally,” he said. “Your blink rate helps wash the eye surface and

keeps the surface clear of debris. If you get a contact, such as a cat eye with a slit pupil, that will limit your field of view, and you may not be seeing through all of the pupil.”

When people are prescribed contacts, Mitchell said they are sterilely made and packaged in the same sterile solution, Mitchell said. It is similar to taking a prescription medicine. If one buys one contact lens from a store, the lens will not be in the same solution as the other lens.

The costume-based contact lenses are just a piece of plastic that are not properly packaged, Mitchell said. These contact lenses also are ones that can cause other problems. “ Yo u p u t y o u r s e l f a t a risk to develop two things,” he said. “It could be an infectious conjunctivitis, which is pink eye, or it could be a corneal ulcer, a rough spot and an infection on the clear part of the eye, what you really see through.”

The store-bought contact lenses are not made based on the criteria used to decide whether to put a prescribed lens on someone’s eye, he said. A contact lens is a medical device and, therefore, has to be prescribed in order to improve vision. However, the final print on these cosmetics will often say they are to be used to improve vision.

There possibly are other ways to get safer contact lenses prescribed by doctors in order to achieve a different look in a safe way, Mitchell said. But one needs to call other doctors in the community and see what they can offer.

Along with issues regarding colored contacts that are not prescribed, a person preparing their costume may need to consider the effects of makeup used for costumes.

Dr. Michelle Tarbox, associate professor of dermatology at the Tech HSC, said she has seen a fair amount of makeup reactions and prefers for people to avoid the various uncom-

fortable experiences involving these makeup reactions during Halloween.

“You want to pick a costume makeup for your skin that will not likely cause you to break out,” she said.

“The big mistakes I see people make are either they use something that is not intended for skin use. Some are using acrylic paint, spray paint or markers on their skin. Since these are not intended to be used on the skin, you don’t know if the ingredients are going to be skin-safe.”

In order to have a healthy and happy Halloween, Tarbox said it begins with which product one chooses to use.

One specific type of product that people need to avoid are makeups that are oil- or alcohol-based, Tarbox said. These makeups are much more likely to cause breakouts.

“Sometimes I see the mistake where people will use makeup they have left over from the year before, which is a bad idea because bacteria can grow in that intervening time and cause breakouts, irritations or rashes,” she said. “You can even catch viral bacterial or fungal infections if you share makeup.”

When sharing makeup, Tarbox said one runs the risk of catching a virus that causes cold sores if the person one is sharing the makeup with has an active cold sore. A person can catch the bacteria that cause the skin infection impetigo or can catch the fungus that causes ringworm.

Halloween is not a time to be lazy about what makeup one uses for his or her skin, Tarbox said. People need to take the time to think about what product they are going to choose, as this is the product that will directly go on one’s skin.

“If you can go for a water-based or liquid-based formula, this is much preferred over oil or alcoholbased makeup,” she said.

“It is better to use theatrical makeup over Halloween makeup because this makeup is made for pro-

MASKED RIDER

viously that’s going to be a little bit shorter.”

In previous years, the Masked Rider would have made about 160 appearances by now, Rhode said.

So far, Hekkert only has

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “On a normal year, we do about 300 appearances,” Rhode said. “This year, ob-

fessionals and is a higher grade of product. Hypoallergenic makeup such as Snazaroo or Blue Squid are considered safer makeups as well.”

If a person is unsure about what makeup will work best for them, they have a fair amount of time before Halloween to prepare their costume, Tarbox said she suggests conducting a use test. She said to conduct this test, a person needs to use the product on a small area of their skin, preferably on the forearm, and leave it on for a couple of hours. After time is up, remove the makeup with a cleanser and watch the skin over the next four-to-five days to see what it does to the skin.

If one uses either prescription or over-the-counter acne medication, Tarbox said he or she should give themselves a brief, two-day break before using Halloween makeup because the medication can potentially make the skin more sensi-

tive to products that could cause irritation.

Holden Jackola, a sophomore student in the School of Theatre and Dance from Austin, said he has been doing makeup for theater since high school.

“Most people will get their Halloween makeup from somewhere, such as Party City because that is the only place people know about,” Jackola said. “Out of suggestion, I would go to Amazon because they have better quality and are more likely to have a good research background behind the product.”

People will often go for the cheap $5 palette at these stores, Jackola said.

If one wants to be as realistic as can be, it is possible to do so with these palettes.

But one could get better quality and safer makeup from another store.

For more information about celebrating Halloween amid the pandemic, visit the CDC website.

been able to make about 50 appearances at events.

Although it is disappointing not being able to do as many appearances, the smaller number of appearances has made being the Masked Rider even more special, Hekkert said.

“Everyone has that extra level of excitement when they see us because everything has been shut down for so long,” Hekkert said.

“I think people get really excited because things are going back to normal.”

Despite these changes, Hekkert said she is trying to make the most out of the time she has as the Masked

Rider by focusing on the positives to not making as many appearances at events this semester.

The job of the Masked Rider is exciting, which can make time go by quickly, Hekkert said. The smaller number of appearances allows her to slow down and enjoy her time because she does not have to feel rushed about making appearances at Tech and local events.

“I only have so much time to do this,” Hekkert said. “It has really helped me to appreciate how much time I do have and make the most of it.”

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CAMPUS

LA VIDA

Page 3 Thursday, OCT. 15, 2020

Local beekeepers educate on importance of bees

By EMMA SIPPLE Copy Editor

The Caprock Beekeeping Association hosts events and other learning opportunities to educate people about bees.

Vice President and Texas Tech graduate student Melody Harrington and Treasurer Wendell Tucker are both local hobbyist beekeepers who help educate others.

Harrington grew up eating honey as treat and had always been around honey and bees, she said. She got into beekeeping after enrolling her kids in a 4H beekeeping club at a nature center in Northern Virginia.

Tucker got his start in beekeeping after his daughter gifted him a beehive for Christmas several years ago, he said.

“They are very interesting insects,” Tucker said. “They both have individual behaviors. And they have colony behaviors. So,

SUSTAINABILITY

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Despite the difficulties the closure of the Tech Recycling Center poses, Marin said should still recycle and be mindful of the different recycling locations in Lubbock.

“But we are still encouraging students and everyone at the Texas Tech community to really notice that we still care about sustainability,” she said, “and even without the recycling center on campus, there’s still other places across the city where students, staff, faculty, whoever can go and recycle their material.”

For individuals on campus, Marin said the use of single-use plastics, such as those used in masks, gloves or wipes, has grown with the rise of COVID-19.

“And so, something that could be done is maybe transition to reusable masks.

They can wash at home and not have to worry about throwing them out every time you use them,” she said.

“You can also, instead of us-

the colony makes them behaves like an organism. And of course, each individual has its own individual behaviors. And they’re just very interesting.”

Harrington said she has learned a number of things in her time beekeeping, but most of all she has learned patience.

“Just like anything in life you learn patience,” Harrington said. “You can’t force the bees to do what they don’t want to do as in hurry up and make all this honey. You have to let them develop their own rhythm within conjunction or with whatever area they’re at.”

There are several types of jobs that involve beekeeping.

There are the professional beekeepers who make most of their income through bees and honey, Tucker said. Both Tucker and Harrington are hobbyist beekeepers.

There are pollinators who rent their bees out to farmers for

pollination, Tucker said. California Almonds is a company that does this. There also people who sell bees, and there are people who sell beekeeping equipment.

Bees are responsible for pollinating about 80 percent of fruits and vegetables, Tucker said. Cattle feed like alfalfa and clover also rely on

bees for pollination Depending on the type of pollen the bees harvest, the color of the honey can also differ, Harrington said. For example, when she lived in New Jersey, there was cranberry honey that had a pink color.

Local unpasteurized honey can also have little bits of com-

ing gloves, you can move to just washing your hands frequently, or using hand sanitizer and things like that. It kind of is just using small steps to build sustainability.”

Despite the different campus energy efficiency methods or the multiple ways individuals can alter their lifestyles to be more sustainable, recognition of these efforts could be impactful for an institution, especially after facing closures resulting from the pandemic.

The university participates annually in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) report, Hewett said.

STARS is a self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability and be ranked among other participating schools, according to the AASHE website.

Currently, Tech has a bronze ranking that is valid through Feb. 27, 2023.

An institution’s final score will depend on the percentage of

points it earns, which can be as high as 100 points, by pursuing relevant credits in areas including Planning and Administration, Academics, Engagement and Operations and by pursuing four additional Innovation and Leadership points, according to the AASHE website.

The bronze rating represents a college or university that has a score between 25 and 44 points, according to the AASHE website.

Tech got the results of a bronze designation this past year. Hewett said.

“Well, it’s measuring our efforts, our recycling efforts; it’s measuring our efforts to have classes that are related to sustainability, degrees that are related to sustainability, programs and projects on campus that go on that are related to sustainability,” he said.

Along with these factors, there can be other reasons why a campus may be considered sustainable.

An institution’s sustainability encompasses the equity and inclusivity of its campus, not just efforts to recycle, Marin said.

“[STARS] encompasses also things you wouldn’t necessarily think of as sustainability, but in order to have a sustainable campus, you do need to consider those factors as well,” she said.

Seeing if a college or university is purchasing from underutilized or local businesses to reduce certain emissions is another factor to consider for sustainability, Marin said.

There always are efforts to be more sustainable on the Tech campus, Hewett said.

“It’s just very important for the campus to realize that there are sustainability efforts going on every day around this campus. It does take a village,” Hewett said.

Highlighting the different sustainability efforts on campus is one task the Tech Office of Sustainability has, Hewett said. The office encourages people to let them know of these efforts.

“So, that’s something Texas Tech can be proud of,” he said.

“Being a sustainable campus is important for Texas Tech, and I know it’s important to our stu-

RILEY MUMME/The Daily Toreador Bee collects pollen on flowers near the Meat Sciences building on Oct. 2, 2020.

mon allergens inside it, which can help people who have allergies by acclimating their immune systems to it in small doses, Harrington said.

Education is also important to both of the beekeepers.

There was a booth at the South Plains Fair for the beekeepers to educate others on bees and their importance to the world, Tucker said.

There are several problems threatening bees, Harrington said. One of them is a varroa mite, which feeds off of the developing larva and making the future adult bees weaker. Another problem are wax moths that will get inside hives and destroy them.

Both of these problems have natural solutions.

A more recent and more talked about problem is colony collapse, or when all the bees have left the hive completely, Harrington said. Bees will leave

the hive normally if they feel as if the environment is too hostile for them to live in.

However, the bees will leave, but will leave the honey they have made inside the hive.

“I will tell you if you take and opened up that honey that they made and set it out, because bees are notorious thieves, they will rob honey, and if there’s any honey or sweets out, they will grab it all…The bees will not touch that honey,” Harrington said.

The honey is contaminated, most likely from pesticides and other chemicals, Harrington said, which is why it is important for people to change their habits to make it safer for pollinators.

The Caprock Beekeeping Association hosts their meetings every third Thursday of the month at the Freeway Bible Church at 6 p.m.

dents, faculty and staff as well.”

One can share information about campus sustainability efforts via a Tech Operations Division survey or by emailing operations.sustainability@ttu. edu, Marin said.

“Because one of our challenges, right now, is trying to gather data from departments

because there could be projects or something going on across campus that we don’t know about,” she said, “and so, gathering information is a big component of what we do as well.”

For more information on sustainability efforts visit the Tech Office of Sustainability website.

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OPINIONS

Page 4 Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020

COLUMN

@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com

Drag empowers LGBT+ community, allies D

rag is an art, a lifestyle, a means of escape. Drag is defined as the ability to gender-bend into looking like the opposite gender.

Whether it’s a male genderbending into a Drag Queen or a female gender-bending into a Drag King, it provides a moment of escape from reality and is a way to find one’s self-identity, as it did for me.

A while ago I wrote a column about the struggle of coming out to friends, family and society. However, that is only the external struggle people have to deal with; the internal struggle of learning how to come to terms with your own sexual identity. For me, it was through drag.

Imagine waking up every morning hating who you are, hating that you were

Mateo Rosiles is a junior journalism major from Lubbock.

born this way and wishing you could be someone else.

People saying you were an abomination and the world would be better off if you just disappeared.

Those words start sinking into your psyche, you start believing them even though they are far from the truth. It’s a constant battle you must face trying not to succumb to their words.

Then one day, someone shows you life isn’t just black and white; there is actually something worth living for. That you have a purpose in this world, that you belong and deserve to

be just as happy as everybody else in the world.

The person who pulled me out of seeing the world as black and white showed me a world that is full of life; one that celebrates flaws and differences within the individuals.

A world that has no rules that you have to abide by; one that sparks limitless creativity and recognizes the many facets of gay culture and categories society has forced upon us.

Categories where we are judged on how femme or masc we are determines how much society will allow us to fit in. Labels that no matter how much power or influence we gain, we won’t be able to shake.

However, Queens take those labels and turn them into labels of empowerment. They take terms

like femme, butch, prissy, f*g, and create art styles out of them and transforms their meaning.

They also inspired me to reclaim my sexuality, use it to inspire others and pave the way.

Queens overexaggerate femininity characteristics to the point it becomes comedic. Others take it more seriously and transform themselves into models.

There are so many different styles of drag that it is truly a spectrum.

Their quick-witted humor and their ability to read anyone just adds to their charm and character.

They don’t let anyone walk over them, and if someone throws shade at them, they’ll throw it right back.

They recognize we are the outcasts of the world and take that knowledge and create their own rules in this world; knowing there is nothing the outside world can do about it. They bend and create new rules so much so that they even created a new language.

From every “yas queen” to “I’m gagging, floored, deceased,” it is a testament how much courage and confidence Drag Kings and Queens have. No matter how much the world hates them or puts them down, the kings and queens will just give the world a middle finger and keep living their lives.

The world and art of drag inspired me to be who I am today and to come

to terms with my sexuality. The fact the Kings and Queens are themselves no matter how much the world hates them, is the inspiration I need for me to keep being who I choose to be: my true self.

They also inspired me to reclaim my sexuality, use it to inspire others and pave the way to normalize being gay, trans, bi and anything in-between in a world that hates us. They are able to take back once derogatory terms and use it to build themselves up.

No matter if you’re a part of the community or if you’re an ally or not, we can all learn from them. We can learn how to be free, how to live our lives and how to let no one stop us from doing so. @MateoRosilesDT

COLUMN

Music sparks discussion on social and racial issues When Googling the basic necessities of life, you will likely find many results that will say water, food, shelter and fire. A vital to basic survival for humans. Delving deeper provides interesting results, stating that human psychological needs include sanitation, touch, sleep and personal space.

As humans, we are social creatures and tend to thrive best in communities and within these communities lies one of the most overlooked basic needs for survival: art. From dancing to paintings to theatrical plays, we as humans

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Evan Ray is a junior DMPC major from Sugar Land. seemed to have a deep desire and need for art.

It’s no secret that we all can love it to varying degrees. However, our appreciation as of late has cast a shadow over the true value of art in recent years.

It is time we start paying attention to the details of what is being said, heard and shown in art.

In 2018, famous rapper and hip hop artist, Meek Mill, released his album named “Championships.”

Social media and bloggers alike were in a frenzy over a verse within the album, on the song, “What’s Free,” specifically the verse by Jay Z , who was a featured artist

on the record.

At one point in the verse, Jay Z had some lines roasting Kanye West, whom they have had a love/hate relationship over the past decade, and plenty of people were quoting him in Tweets and articles; talking about how great the verse was.

Nevermind the lines in question about 15 to 20 seconds of a three-and-ahalf-minute verse discussing things, such as current rap/hip hop culture and the financial state of black folk inside and outside the music industry.

It seemed all the important things weren’t really heard, or people would just write it away as, “verse of the year”. The song was nominated by Black Entertainment Television, also know as BET, for bestfeatured verse, and not for Jay-Z's verse; but for another feature on the record (of

which it still did not win).

The song was little more than a footnote in the year of music for 2018.

As powerful as art is, it cannot change everyone’s mind about what might be an important social issue.

When these messages are put down into our books and movies, people love to praise it. It’s art, after all. It was meant to be enjoyed to a certain degree. However, at what point do we stop just hearing the sound of a record, a movie or anything and start actually listening to the message that was laid down?

There are plenty of arguments to be had for messages in various forms of art

that have seemingly flown over the public’s head. Even something seemingly as harmless as memes popularized on social media can devalue the statement of art.

It’s time to start taking action on these social issues, and it does not exclude the organizations that love to praise social messages.

The Grammys love to praise socially-aware music and give them “points” for it.

However, they have clearly not listened to the meaning of said music.

Just this last January at the Grammys, they awarded Tyler, The Creator ’s album “IGOR,” best rap album of the year despite there being little rapping on the entire project. It would appear they have profiled Tyler for either his music in the past or his skin color and just slapped him into a category that the album did not actually fit in.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION © Copyright 2020TexasTech University Student Media/The Daily Toreador. All DT articles, photographs and artwork are the property of The DT and Student Media and may not be reproduced or published without permission. The DailyToreador is a designated public forum. Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

@EvanRayDT

COLUMN

Learning self-love through artistic movement Nalani Nuylan is a junior journalism major from Leander.

I may not look it, but I am proud to say that I am Iraqi. My mom was born in a small village north of Baghdad, then immigrated to the United States. Due to my upbringing, I identified to be more culturally Iraqi than American. I love my cultural and ethnic heritage, but to say it didn’t have its drawbacks is an understatement.

Though I could write about living in post 9-11 America or what the 2013 ISIS-Crisis has done to my role as an Iraqi American, I want to address a more universal topic that we are seeing more and more: women.

Recently, Arab artist Sarah Bahbah launched a photo series called, “3eib”

meaning, “shame on you.”

This derogatory slang term was used toward women who were being too sexual or too outspoken in the eyes of Arab society. The purpose of the project is to encourage women to take back their sexuality for themselves and bring awareness of sexual abuse.

Honestly, this kind of project didn’t surprise me when it came across my Instagram feed. In the days of the internet, WAP and people wanting Kamala Harris to be vice president, hearing about feminism manifesting in other countries isn’t too far-fetched.

For me though, it isn’t another country. The Middle East consists of many countries, but culturally, being Middle Eastern allows for some common ground that feels familiar and cozy. Seeing another Arab woman embrace her beauty in all her entirety is inspirational. Added with

the layers of sexual abuse, I can’t help but have a massive amount of respect.

It’s a little-known fact that some cultures aren’t known to talk about the hard stuff. Personally, in my general household, I didn’t have this problem, but in social gatherings, I noticed it.

Own the fact that I may not know all the customs of my Iraqi culture, but I am still proud to be a part of it.

Growing up, I felt like girls were taught to have a certain level of performance and expectation that they needed to meet to feel socially accepted. Because I was “American” and “only half” on my mom’s side, the level of expectation was different and unfair.

Nonetheless, if something were to happen to a young lady’s integrity, regardless of the situation, the girl victimized. Thankfully, it’s not like that now, but I can’t forget how that way of life impacted me as a child and how that mentality is still prevalent around the world.

Seeing “3eib” be shameless and celebratory of self and culture has allowed me to gain a deeper sense of pride for myself, especially in the slightly taboo place of my sexuality and the potential guilt that comes along with it. Sure, I was always proud of being a woman.

But could I have conversations about my desires and “Western” views of feminism with my mom and aunties? No. But now I connect the two realms of being Iraqi and being a woman together with no judgment of myself.

As the series comes to an end, I can’t help but think

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If a report is wrong or misleading, a request for a correction or clarification may be made by calling (806) 742-3393 or emailing dailytoreador@ttu.edu.

If people going to start acting out the change they praise art for, it must start someplace.

If you do not agree with the message being said, you aren’t obligated to switch opinions by any means. If your opinion about mental health in our communities is set in stone, it is very doubtful that watching “Joker” is going to change your mind about anything.

It is the people who agree with the message that must enact the change.

As powerful as art is, it cannot change everyone’s mind about what might be an important social issue.

That duty falls onto us, the viewers and listeners.

If we truly do care about the topics being talked about, we must use these stories to create or reinforce our resolve to see the issues changed.

of what Bahbah said in an interview with Forbes, “The reason I’ve called this series ‘3eib’ is to claim my power back. There is going to be critical lashing from the Arab world—it’s almost guaranteed—and this is the weapon they’re going to use against me, so I thought I might as well own it.”

Might as well own it.

Own the fact that I may not be a size two, but still beautiful nonetheless.

Own the fact that I’m not pursuing to be a medical doctor, but I love that I get to write every day.

Own the fact that I may not know all the customs of my Iraqi culture, but I am still proud to be a part of it.

Own who you are, in all your authenticity.

If you want to see Bahbah’s series “3ieb,” you can go to her Instagram, @sarahbahbah, to see her work. @DtNalani

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vision 2020: Will mailed-in ballots be delivered on time?

Can you trust the U.S. Postal Service to deliver your ballot on time?

If you plan on voting by mail, election officials say it's best to do it as early as possible so your ballot gets to its destination well before Election Day, which is Nov. 3.

Postal officials have repeatedly said the agency has

LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,

more than enough capacity to handle the surge of ballots this fall, and its leaders have committed to prioritizing election mail.

But on-time delivery rates vary widely depending on where you live, and the service has been falling short of its internal goals to deliver all first-class mail within five days.

signature, phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown. We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be emailed to dailytoreador@ ttu.edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.

On top of that, each state has different rules on whether it accepts mail ballots that arrive after Election Day. Some policies are the subject of court cases and could change before Nov. 3, so voters should check with their local election officials if they're unsure.

All that is to say, the earlier you mail your ballot,

the better.

It has been a tumultuous few months for the Postal Service. This summer, the agency's new leader, Louis DeJoy, a major donor to the GOP and President Donald Trump, set in motion a series of controversial policy changes that have delayed deliveries nationwide.

Then, not too long after

GUEST COLUMNS The Daily Toreador accepts submissions of unsolicited guest columns. While we cannot acknowledge receipt of all columns, the authors of those selected for publication will be notified. Guest columns should be no longer than 650 words in length and on a topic of relevance to the university community. Guest columns are also edited and follow the same guidelines for letters as far as identification and submittal.

DeJoy took over, Trump openly admitted he was starving the Postal Service of coronavirus relief money to make it harder for the agency to process ballots. The combination of Trump's remarks and DeJoy's policies have led to a lot of distrust in the agency and fears about political manipulation.

EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The DailyToreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The DailyToreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.

SPORTS

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OCT. 15, 2020

5

FOOTBALL

Bowman benched, Colombi to start

By ZACH RICHARDS Sports Editor

In a press conference on Wednesday, Texas Tech head football coach Matt Wells confirmed that junior quarterback Henry Colombi is the current starter for Tech football. Wells said Colombi has already began taking snaps with the team’s starters, and Bowman has been shifted down to second huddle reps.

Colombi has gotten ingame experience the last two competitions for Tech against both Kansas State and Iowa State.

The first start of Colombi’s Tech career came against the Wildcats on Oct.3. The opportunity came after sophomore quarterback Alan Bowman suffered a lower leg injury after an illegal hit. Bowman was sidelined for the rest of the competition, and Colombi took his place.

While Bowman was on the field, Tech’s offense was stagnant, and scored no points through the first half. After Colombi’s entry, the Red Raider offense marched down the field and got into field goal territory right before halftime but was unable to convert on the field goal.

Following the halftime period, Colombi was more engaged on the offensive end.

After zero points in the first half for Tech, the new, Colombi-led Red Raider offense put together threestraight scoring drives. He looked more comfortable, and Wells spoke on it following the game.

“Henry has been in this offense for three years now, so he knows it and he’s practiced it since he’s been at Tech,” Wells said.

Against the Wildcats, Colombi threw for 244 yards (30-42) with two touchdowns and an interception, accord-

MADELINE DIFFEE/The Daily Toreador

Offensive coordinator David Yost talks with sophomore quarterback Alan Bowman during his practice with the Texas Tech football team at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Mar. 5, 2020, at Jones AT&T Stadium. ing to ESPN. Despite the loss, Colombi proved that he could lead the Red Raider offense on productive scoring drives.

The Utah State transfer brought Tech back from down 14 points against Kansas State, which almost resulted in a victory.

Colombi’s smooth transition into Tech’s offense can be attributed to the fact that he’s essentially been in it throughout his collegiate career.

In fact, Wells and offensive coordinator David Yost recruited Colombi out of Chamindae Madonna College Prep high school back in 2016.

The Hollywood, Florida, product threw for 1,520 yards (72-100) with 14 touchdowns and only three interceptions his senior year, according to Tech Athletics. But the former Utah State staff admired more than Colombi’s mere throwing ability.

The same year, Colombi rushed for 590 yards on 26 carries, according to Tech Athletics. He averaged 22.7 yards per carry as a senior and led his team to the state

title game.

Henry has been in this offense for three years now ... he knows it.

Colombi’s running game has transferred to the collegiate level, and although Wells would not describe him as a definitive dual-threat quarterback, he gives the offense another element on the ground.

“I just think, and so does David, that we just have to have the ability at QB to be able to move in the pocket,” Wells said. “You can have in this offense a pocket passer who was limited mobility, but it just really limits what you can do.”

On the season, Bowman has four rushes for 21 yards, according to ESPN. In contrast, Colombi 14 rushes for 51 yards.

Even though the numbers

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are closer than expected, a lot of Bowman’s runs out of the pocket have been a very seldom result of a forced run; unlike Colombi, who has the ability to run more comfortably and will resort to his feet more willingly.

At Utah State, Colombi was mostly a backup quarterback, but he still got in-game experience from time to time.

As a sophomore, he had 221 total passing yards (2029) with two touchdowns and one interception, according to Tech Athletics.

He also had 14 rushing attempts for 31 yards, including one rushing touchdown.

Colombi threw for more yardage in his Red Raider debut (239) yards than his entire sophomore season as a sophomore at Utah State (221).

Next game at Tech, the situation was almost identical, but instead of injury, Bowman and the Red Raider offense were just struggling.

In the first half, Tech had 69 yards of total offense in contrast to the opposing Cyclones’ 325, according to ESPN. Bowman and the Red

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change at quarterback,” Wells said. “Henry Colombi is going to start against West Virginia. I think he’s played well.”

The Red Raiders have started the season 1-3. A record that they are looking to improve, but will not dwell upon. Wells also does not blame Bowman for the rough start.

“Alan (Bowman) has played okay, he has not played bad,” Wells said. “He is not the reason we’re 1-3.”

The bye-week for Tech will give them a chance to recover physically.

Also, timing seemed to be particularly good for the choice to bring Colombi to the forefront of the offense, as the bye-week gives him an extra chance to play with the starters and build chemistry.

Wells said that Colombi has already began getting reps with the first team starters, and that Bowman is now getting reps with the second team.

Although Wells has put in place a new starting quarterback, he is not ready to give up on his two-year starter.

“At some point, Alan Bowman will be given another chance. I just don’t know when it is,” Wells said.

Currently, Bowman sits ninth in the conference out of 10 quarterback in pass efficiency, according to Big 12 stats. He sits at a 131.7 efficiency rating despite having a pair of top-five receivers in the conference as outlets.

The Red Raiders will look to improve on all fronts moving forward against the Mountaineers after their bye-week.

But for now, Tech will continue to scheme and game plan internally in the time they do not have an opponent. @ZachrichardsDT

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Raiders also did not enter the red zone at all through two quarters of play on offense.

Tech’s only score came from a blocked punt which led to an immediate touchdown.

Offensively, however, the Red Raiders were scoreless.

With no sign of life halfway through the fourth quarter, Wells and Tech’s coaching staff made the decision to sit Bowman and insert Colombi; a decision that had an immediate impact.

On Colombi’s first possession of the game, he and the Red Raiders drove 88 yards, which included a fourth down conversion, and rifled an 18-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Erik Ezukanma for Tech’s first offensive points of the game.

The drive included eight total passes, six of which were completed, for 63 yards.

Colombi also showed his ability to run, as he tallied three rushes for 15 yards as well.

Colombi had one more drive with the fourth quarter winding down, but was stopped on fourth down. Colombi only had two drives on the game, but exceeded Bowman, who had 10 total drives, in every statistical category.

Bowman finished the game with 97 passing yards (13-22) with no touchdowns, no rushes and a quarterback rating of 96.1, according to ESPN. In contrast, Colombi finished his two-drive outing with 115 passing yards (10-12) with one touchdown, and six rushes for 11 yards, which would have been more if he was not sacked, and a 191.3 rating.

After their current byeweek, the Red Raiders are scheduled to play against West Virginia at 4:30 p.m. at Jones AT&T Stadium on Oct. 24, and Colombi is expected to start.

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SPORTS

OCT. 15, 2020

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SOCCER

Big 12 releases mid-season rankings

AUTUMN BIPPERT/The Daily Toreador

LEFT: Senior forward Kirsten Davis yells to her teammates during the Texas Tech vs. Baylor game. RIGHT: Redshirt senior Jordie Harr attempts to kick the ball around Baylor’s Taylor Moon during the Texas Tech vs. Baylor game at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at the John Walker Soccer Complex. The Red Raiders tied with the Bears, 0-0. Tech is eighth overall in the Big 12 standings with three goals in four games.

By ARIANNA FLORES Staff Writer

The Big 12 soccer season is about halfway done, and each team is looking to solidify a spot atop the conference heading into November.

West Virginia currently leads the Big 12 with a 4-1-0 record, according to Big 12 Sports. Oklahoma State is the only team this season to beat the Mountaineers in a 2-1 double-overtime victory.

The Red Raiders lost 2-1 against West Virginia at home on Oct. 9, according to Tech Athletics.

The Mountaineers have conceded five goals and have scored 11 goals so far this season, according to Big 12 Sports. West Virginia has the third-most shots in the Big 12 with 71, while averaging 6.20 goals per game Texas Christian University stands at second in the Big 12 with a 3-0-1 record, according to Big 12 Sports.

Though the Horned Frogs

have not lost a match, they tied 0-0 in double overtime against Baylor in their first match of the season.

TCU senior midfielder Yazmeen Ryan leads the Big 12 with 17 shots and averages 4.25 shots per game, according to Big 12 Sports.

Ryan also leads in gamewinning goals with two and has four points in total.

Oklahoma State holds a 3-1-1 in both conference play and overall after tying Baylor 0-0 and losing to Oklahoma 1-2, according to Big 12 Sports. Cowgirls’ sophomore midfielder Olyvia Dowell is behind Ryan with 20 shots in five games while averaging four shots per game.

Oklahoma State senior forward Gabriella Coleman is tied with West Virginia senior midfielder Stefany Ferrer-vanGinkel for the most goals so far. Coleman has three goals in five games, according to Big 12 Sports.

She also has the second-most

shots on goal with nine, averaging 1.80 per game.

Kansas has a 3-1 record in the Big 12 and in four games, have three goals and two assists, according to Big 12 Sports. The Jayhawks are averaging two points per game and have a total of 34 shots with 17 of those being shots on goal.

The fifth-best record in the Big 12 is held by Baylor with a 1-1-3, according to Big 12 Sports. Though the Bears have not had more than one victory, they have the second-most shots in the conference with 73. Baylor has three goals in five games and has allowed two goals to reach the back of their net.

Freshman forward Mackenzie Anthony is the only Baylor player on the individual leader board for the Big 12, according to Big 12 Sports. Anthony has 11 shots on goal, the most in the conference, and averages 2.20 shots on goal per game.

Iowa State and Texas

both hold a 2-3 record, according to Big 12 Sports. The Cyclones have four goals in five games and have 44 shots in the season. Iowa State has 13 points but has conceded six goals.

Texas has the ninth most saves in the conference with 18 in five games, according to Big 12 Sports. The Longhorns have a total of nine goals in five games and have allowed six goals this season.

Freshman forward Presley Echols has earned the most points in the Big 12 with five points in the three games she has played.

Echols has two goals and one assist for Texas along with her teammate, junior midfielder Julia Grosso, who has five points in five games.

Tech is eighth in the Big 12 standings with a 0-2-2 record and has three goals in four games, according to Big 12 Sports. In those four matches, the Red Raiders have allowed five goals to be scored against them but

have 20 saves this season.

Tech has eight points so far this year, averaging two points per game.

Junior midfielder Charlotte Teeter is third in the conference for the most points after scoring two goals and one assist. Teeter has five points with the Red Raiders. Senior forward Kirsten Davis has 16 total shots with nine shots on goal for Tech.

The Red Raiders have five more games this season, according to Tech Athletics.

Oklahoma holds a 0-2-1 record and has only played three games, according to Big 12 Sports. The Lady Sooners have played the least amount of games among the Big 12 conference with only three completed games.

In those three games, OU has 16 saves and allowed four goals from their opponents, according to Big 12 Sports. The Lady Sooners are the only team in the Big 12 without any assists, but they have recorded two

goals this season with both of those goals against the Red Raiders in the 2-2 tie earlier this season.

Kansas State is the only team that has lost every match so far this season with a 0-4 conference and overall record, according to Big 12 Sports. The Wildcats have one goal and one assist in four games along with three total points.

Kansas State has the most goals scored against them in the Big 12 with 15 goals allowed, according to Big 12 Sports. The Wildcats also have the least amount of shots in the conference with 29 shots.

The Red Raiders return to Fort Worth at 7 p.m. on Friday for their match against TCU. The match will be streamed to ESPN+ subscribers.

“All Big 12 games are so unpredictable, I mean any team can win at any moment,” sophomore defender Hannah Anderson said. @AriannaFloresDT