The Commonwealth Times; September 8, 2021

ROBERT E. LEE MONUMENT TO COME DOWN

KATHARINE DEROSA News Editor

THE TOWERING ROBERT E. LEE MONUMENT

is set to come down on Wednesday morning after over a year of legal entanglements.

Gov. Ralph Northam ordered for the statue to be removed on June 4, 2020, 10 days after the murder of George Floyd in Minneanpolis. However, Northam’s executive order was blocked by appeals of Monument Avenue residents.

The residents stated Northam’s order contradicted an 1890 deed and 1889 joint resolution from when the statue was erected. The 1889 joint resolution stated that the Virginia Governor must hold the Lee monument “perpetually sacred.” The 1890 deed bestowed ownership of the Lee Monument and the grounds surrounding it to the Commonwealth.

On Sept. 2, the Supreme Court of Virginia declared those appeals invalid, allowing the statue to come down.

“Governor Northam’s order to remove the Lee Monument did not violate the Constitution of Virginia, and that all of the Taylor Plaintiffs’ claims are without merit,” stated Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn in the court’s opinion.

Virginia’s Department of General Services is in charge of removing the statue. It released a statement on Sept. 2 calling the removal “extremely complex.”

“Following the court’s decision, we are moving swiftly to remove the Robert E. Lee statue as directed by Governor Northam,” DGS stated.

The Robert E. Lee monument is the largest remaining monument in the United States, coming in at 12 tons, according to a release by the Joint Information Center, which is providing updates on the monument’s removal. The monument is also the only Confederate statue remaining on Monument Avenue.

The 40-foot pedestal, which has been graffitied over multiple times, will remain in place until a “final disposition” has been determined, according to the JIC. Richmonders placed memorials for Black people who died at the hands of police around the pedestal. The area’s fate will be determined by a “community-driven effort to reimagine Monument Avenue,” according to the JIC.

DGS erected a fence around the public area surrounding the monument in anticipation of the statue coming down over eight months ago on Jan. 25. A warning was sent out by Virginia General Services early that morning.

During the removal of the monument, a time capsule from 1887 will be taken out and

replaced by a new one with artifacts from the past 18 months. Artifacts will highlight racial justice protests and the COVID-19 pandemic. Northam released a list of the included artifacts, including an expired vial of COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine, photos from a Stop Asian Hate protest, a Black Lives Matter sticker and poetry from middle school students dealing with a pandemic.

The area around the statue became known as Marcus-David Peters Circle in the summer of 2020 as it was reclaimed by protesters during the Black Lives Matter protests throughout the city. Peters was a VCU alumnus who was shot and killed by a Richmond Police Officer on I-95 while experiencing a mental health crisis. He is the brother of Virginia gubernatorial candidate Princess Blanding.

Princess Blanding is running as an independent candidate for Governor this fall. She announced her candidacy last December, according to Virginia Public Media.

Blanding stated in

a press release that people have pushed for Lee’s removal before protests in the summer of 2020. She stated the removal “has been a long time coming.”

“Calls for real action came when community members across all intersections united to take an unshaken, fearless stance to not only see that the monuments were immediately removed, but to demand that our legislators not just say that Black Lives Matter, but take concrete steps to show that Black Liberation Matters,” Blanding stated.

The Robert E. Lee monument has towered over Monument Avenue since 1890. Blanding stated that it reminds Black people that Monument Avenue is a space of gentrification.

“The Lee statue along with the rest of the fallen Confederate tributes to the Lost Cause have long lived on Monument Avenue doing their job to remind us of our shameful past,” Blanding stated.

Professors call on VCU to enforce vaccine mandate

The Robert E. Lee Monument is set to be removed Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. Photo by Megan Lee

Photo by Megan Lee

I feel like some people just have a problem with people telling them what to do.”

Esha Mittal, sophomore biology major Students walk past Shafer Court Dining Center on Monroe Park Campus.

Photo by Megan Lee See VACCINE on page 3

Stories of the week

national: Over 40 million known cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the United States.

international: The Climate Action Network is calling for U.N. Climate Talks to be postponed, due to high coronavirus cases and low vaccination numbers in poorer countries.

KATHARINE DEROSA

News Editor

GREEK LIFE ORGANIZATIONS

gave away free goodies, taught chants to students and created email sign-up lists in anticipation of recruitment at the Student Organization Fair. One week later, the university announced a freeze on fraternity and sorority recruitment and intake.

UNIVERSITY FREEZES GREEK LIFE RECRUITMENT

“Recruitment is what keeps chapters alive,” Portillo said. “You want to make sure that you’re getting quality people.”

The freeze came as a result of Dyad Strategies’ external review of Greek life on campus, according to Dean of Students Reuban Rodriguez. VCU hired the firm back in March and its findings were released at the beginning of August.

“All new fraternity and sorority member activities, including recruitment and intake, are postponed until further notice,” Rodriguez stated in the announcement. “The university will announce the dates on which fraternities and sororities are authorized to resume these activities.”

Director of Communications for Student Affairs Matt Lovisa said the decision was made on Aug. 2. The announcement was made to the public on Sept. 3. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life is working with Greek life organizations to potentially allow recruitment this semester, Lovisa stated in an email.

Lovisa stated Greek life organizations were present at the Student Organization Fair because it was open to all student organizations.

“Although fraternities and sororities are not allowed to recruit and intake new members, they are still allowed to represent and conduct normal operations as student organizations at the university,” Lovisa stated.

In a previous interview, senior economics and finance major and Phi Gamma Delta member Michael Portillo said recruitment is the most important part of fraternity operations and oftentimes costs the most money.

We just completed the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life search and will be launching a search for a Hazing Prevention Coordinator who will assist in putting this program together by Summer 2022, if not, sooner.”

Lovisa stated all Greek organizations must have at least eight members at any given time to be registered with the university.

“You need to let people know that you exist,” Portillo said. “We’re always trying to broaden our pool, get to know more students with certain majors, more honor college students, more students from nontraditional backgrounds to join.”

Alcohol is also banned from all events held by recognized student organizations where undergraduate students are present.This recommendation is in compliance with Dyad Strategies’ report, which states it is unrealistic for the university to

expect un derage people to not participate in alcohol consumption.

The university released its internal review in conjunction with the Dyad Strategies external review. The university’s review states which recommendations from Dyad Strategies the university will take.

The reviews stemmed from the death of freshman Adam Oakes on Feb. 27. Oakes’ family says he died of hazing at a Delta Chi fraternity party. Delta Chi was put on ceaseand-desist orders the day after Oakes’ death and officially expelled from campus on June 3, three months after Oakes’ death.

Senior Vice Provost for Student Affairs Charles Klink sent out a campus-wide announcement on March 2, announcing the hiring of Dyad Strategies and the university’s commitment to “a safe and healthy campus.”

“Simply put, this cannot happen again,” Klink stated. “VCU is dedicated to acting now, and will be ready to do more pending outcomes of the police investigation.”

The university’s anti-hazing plan will not be established until Summer 2022, according to its internal review. Lovisa called the installment of the anti-hazing plan “sequential” because many steps are tied to new administrative positions.

“We just completed the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life search and will be launching a search for a Hazing Prevention Coordinator who will assist in putting this program together by Summer 2022, if not, sooner,” Lovisa stated.

Other recommendations the university intends to take additional time to review include a diversity, equity and inclusion plan, revamping the Big Brother program and developing recognized off-campus housing for members of Greek life.

Matt Lovisa, spokesperson for VCU student affairs

Kappa Delta Rho fraternity members line the streets at New Student Convocation on Aug. 23 before the university announced Greek life organizations cannot intake new members.

Photo by Megan Lee

Zeta Tau Alpha was one of the many sororities lined up to cheer on students at New Student Convocation before the University announced Greek life organizations cannot intake new members. Photo by Megan Lee

Professors call on VCU to enforce vaccine mandate

EMMA CARLSON Contributing Writer

Continued from front page

The university announced disciplinary measures leading to possible withdrawal for students who do not comply with VCU’s vaccine mandate, on Friday.

The university announced a vaccine requirement for students on June 7 and again for faculty and staff on Aug. 9, stating that students who do not comply with the mandate would receive a hold on their account. On Aug. 31, the American Association of University Professors chapter at VCU wrote to university president Michael Rao requesting more decisive action be taken.

“It is reasonable to expect that any student not following this directive would not be allowed to physically be on campus and potentially endanger the health and lives of others,” the AAUP letter stated.

Penned by chemistry professor Everett Carpenter, president of the VCU chapter, the letter cited the delta variant causing a surge in COVID-19 cases as well as hospitalizations and deaths among the unvaccinated.

The university released an announcement on Friday with updated disciplinary action for vaccine noncompliance. Students and employees who have not been vaccinated or have not reported an exemption will have to undergo weekly surveillance testing, according to VCU spokesperson Michael Porter. Students who don’t show up for surveillance testing will face disciplinary action.

“Students who do not report for testing will face disciplinary action up to and including administrative withdrawal from classes for the fall semester,” the announcement stated. “Students will receive a warning if they miss one test; if they miss two they will be administratively withdrawn.”

The delta variant continues to dominate COVID-19 cases in Virginia. From the week of Aug. 25 and onward, the seven-day moving average of new cases per day in Virginia was around 3,000, and deaths per day in Virginia averaged at around 16, but is decreasing, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

“We sent the letter because there was quite a bit of anxiety among faculty about how the vaccine mandate was being enforced, and the lack of clarity we had,” Carpenter said in an interview.

Students who receive a hold on their account based on the lack of COVID-19 vaccine documentation are not allowed to change their fall course schedule. In addition, they will not be able to sign up for spring classes. However, they can still access their transcripts and grades and apply for a diploma, according to VCU’s records and registration website.

“This hold does nothing to address the clear and present danger these unvaccinated students pose to the rest of the VCU community who dutifully received their vaccinations,” the AAUP letter stated.

The AAUP at VCU requested a meeting with Rao and related administrators to discuss solutions to the current situation of noncompliance. The letter cited the University of Virginia as having a more severe consequence of disallowing students on campus who did not comply with COVID-19 vaccination requirements, according to UVA’s Policy Directory webpage.

As of Tuesday, there are 692 students who have not complied with the mandate, with 262 being fully online students, according to Porter.

Carpenter felt that VCU’s reluctance to announce withdrawing students stemmed from a desire to support student success at the university. Administrative withdrawal could potentially cause students to not return to VCU, Carpenter said.

Sophomore biology major Esha Mittal felt the vaccine mandate was a “matter of public health” and agreed with a stricter policy, given the Pfizer vaccine’s full U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.

“I feel like some people just have a problem with people telling them what to do,” Mittal said.

Vaccinated in late March before VCU announced the mandate, Mittal felt the withdrawal punishment coming from not adhering to required surveillance testing was “fair.”

“It’s a tricky area. You don’t want to force somebody to do something they don’t want to do,” Mittal said, “But it’s reasonable to ask if you’re not going to get the vaccine.”

Carpenter also felt the updated disciplinary action for noncompliance will be effective.

“I think we’re moving in the right direction now,” Carpenter said. “I just hope everyone complies and we don’t have to withdraw anybody.”

Local organizations work to help Afghan refugees

CARLSON Contributing Writer

As Afghan refugees enter the United States seeking asylum, many are landing at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, before making their way to military bases in the state, as well as in Texas, New Jersey and Wisconsin, according to a National Public Radio article.

Many local organizations are providing services to refugees. Members of the VCU and Richmond communities can provide aid through monetary or physical donations and volunteer services.

ReEstablish Richmond is a nonprofit organization in Richmond with the mission of “connecting refugees and new immigrants to the resources needed to establish roots, build community, and become self-sufficient,” according to their website.

Laura Jones, associate director of ReEstablish Richmond, noted that many of the organization’s current Afghan clients were reaching out for help to assist family members in leaving Afghanistan.

“That has been the primary focus of our work these last few weeks,” Jones said, “Specifically connecting them to the resources that are available.”

In Afghanistan, the Taliban began taking control of provincial capitals on Aug. 6. The organization captured the country’s capital, Kabul, by Aug. 15, just a few hours after the Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, according to the BBC.

“That assumption — that the Afghan government would be able to hold on for a period of time beyond military drawdown — turned out not to be accurate,” stated U.S. President Joe Biden in a White House press release.

Biden announced U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 30, marking an end to the 20-year war. The war was started in retaliation against those responsible for the 9/11 attacks, according to a White House press release.

The last U.S. military aircraft left Afghanistan on Aug. 31, yet diplomatic missions continued, according to BBC.

Some of the recent work ReEstablish Richmond has been doing involves determining evacuation eligibility of clients’ family members and enrolling them on evacuation lists, according to Jones.

ReEstablish Richmond is also in need of volunteers, especially English tutors and individuals who speak Dari or Pashto. No educational background is required, and with a high potential for incoming evacuees to settle in Virginia near family, this need will likely increase.

Volunteer English tutors will have access to English as a Second Language training and educational material, along with connections to other ESL tutors in the organization, according to Jones. Individuals can sign up on ReEstablish Richmond’s website.

“A big part of volunteering is consistency. Showing up every week, whether on a FaceTime call or whatever,” Jones said, “Letting that client know they’re going to be talking or interacting with someone who is much more familiar with life and language and customs and culture here, and just helping them feel more welcome.”

Both Woody and Nelsen Funeral Homes in Richmond are gathering supplies for refugees located in Fort Lee, in Virginia. Items of critical need include baby formula for infants greater than one year old, sports bras and leggings for women and girls, electric kettles and more, according to Woody and Nelsen President Lacyn Barton.

Donations can be delivered to any of the Woody or Nelsen Funeral Homes between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday.

Fort Lee requests that donated clothing items not be from thrift stores or contain logos or inappropriate images, as to provide a better welcoming experience for refugees. Summer clothes for all age groups are preferred.

The Pace Center, located near Monroe Park, held a gathering on Sept. 1 to discuss recent events in Afghanistan and their effect on the VCU community. Pace is a ministry of the United Methodist Church, according to their website, and they hold blood drives, food pantries and community meals among more for the local Richmond community.

The Pace Center is also hosting “Cards of Hope” on Sept. 10 for VCU students to make cards to welcome Afghan refugees, according to director of The Pace Center, Rev. Katie Gooch. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their chapel on 700 W. Franklin St. Gooch mentioned that the International Rescue Committee is in need of volunteers to assist refugees in their resettlement process. Opportunities with the IRC include welcomers, personal shoppers and drivers, among others. More information can be found on the IRC website.

For more information on how to volunteer, visit reestablishrichmond.org/ volunteer-opportunities or rescue.org/ volunteer.

EMMA

Students, some masked and unmasked, walk through Monroe Park Campus. Masks are required in all indoor spaces and in outdoor situations where six feet of distance cannot be maintained. Photo by Megan Lee

Illustration by Lauren Johnson

Inside VCU student-athletes’ name, image, likeness deals

NOAH FLEISCHMAN

Contributing Writer

WHEN THE NCAA APPROVED the name, image, likeness policy over the summer, VCU freshman forward Jalen DeLoach said he immediately knew the first person he wanted to work with — Migos rapper, Quavo.

DeLoach said the partnership was a mutual feeling, as he was the first student-athlete contacted to promote Legends, a clothing brand the rapper has partial ownership in.

DeLoach’s relationship with the rapper dates back almost four years since he joined Team Huncho, Quavo’s Amateur Athletic Union team.

“I want to start giving back to where I’m from,” DeLoach said of his goal with NIL deals. “I want to do as many deals and sponsorships as I can, so I can give back to my hometown.”

The NCAA’s NIL policy went into effect on July 1 nationwide, allowing all student-athletes to work with companies to use their name, image or likeness to promote and sell products.

In his deal with Legends, DeLoach currently receives free products to promote on social media, but he said that could change toward the end of the year, when the two sides will talk about the possibility of a monetary contract.

“I thought it was a money maker, that’s all I thought about,” DeLoach said of the NIL legislation. “I thought, ‘I could make money off my name.’”

There are multiple VCU student-athletes that are utilizing the NIL policy, mostly through product deals like DeLoach’s.

Men’s basketball players have been able to rake in the most deals so far, two months into the new college athletics landscape,

ranging from fitness subscription boxes to wristbands.

Other student-athletes have been able to secure deals, most notably with media company Barstool Sports. Baseball’s redshirt-sophomore outfielder Cooper Benzin and junior right-handed pitcher Evan Chenier; and track senior Sebastian Evans have all been announced as brand ambassadors with Barstool Athletics.

company, but they can’t sign it without having it approved by the Athletic department, according to Brown-Jones.

Brown-Jones said the process isn’t time consuming and the longest part was getting the contract approved — which took about a day.

According to VCU Athletics, student-athletes aren’t allowed to partner with or promote “casinos or gambling, including sports betting; alcohol products; tobacco and electronic smoking products and devices; cannabis, cannabinoids, cannabidiol, or other derivatives; drug paraphernalia; adult entertainment; weapons, including firearms and ammunition; substances banned by the NCAA; or products or services that are illegal.” Student-athletes also can’t work with competitors of existing VCU sponsors.

Sophomore forward Mikeal BrownJones inked a deal with Jacked in the Box, a monthly subscription box for gym gear and supplements, at the end of July and became the company’s first college athlete.

The Philadelphia native said securing his first deal before classes and the season began was big for him, as he was able to learn how the process goes with signing a brand deal.

“It was kind of like a weight off my shoulders because I now got both feet in the door,” Brown-Jones said. “Now, I know exactly what to do and how to do it.”

At VCU, the student-athletes are allowed to find their own brands to work with and put a contract together with the

VCU Athletics has partnered with SAIL — Student-Athlete Image & Likeness — to help prepare the student-athletes for NIL-related deals. The Atlantic 10 and VCU also partnered with software company INFLCR as well to help increase student-athlete’s access to resources.

“We’re just trying to have them learn as much as they possibly can about their own brand and what their value is, and how to make sure they’re in the best business relationships as well,” said VCU Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin.

McLaughlin added that the department will still be able to use student-athletes on billboards and promotional materials.

Brown-Jones, who was connected to Jacked in the Box by a friend, said the NIL deals will allow him to build his resume, making connections and showing the business side of the 6-foot-8-inch forward.

“You never know what can happen,” Brown-Jones said. “The more relation -

ships you have, the more networks you have … the more opportunities will be presented for you.”

McLaughlin said that the NIL policy will help student-athletes learn how to be a professional athlete or businessperson after graduation.

“I think anything that we do in college, we’re trying to get them ready to be done with us when they graduate,” McLaughlin said. “I really look at NIL as just another way. … They’re going to be able to create value for what they do.”

Though Brown-Jones’ deal is a product deal, he said the company has allowed him to give input on what he thinks should change or improve within the subscription boxes. He added that he speaks to them almost every day, either through the phone, text or on social media.

Not all the VCU student-athletes have used the NIL legislation to make money. Sophomore guard Jamir Watkins used it to host a free basketball camp for kids in Trenton, New Jersey — his hometown.

“I really just wanted to do it to give back,” Watkins said. “Where I come from, it’s not really easy. People aren’t motivated by the right things, so I tried to do a free camp to show the kids that there’s different options — there’s another path you can go instead of the wrong path.”

Since the NIL landscape is young, DeLoach believes when the team takes the court at the Stuart C. Siegel Center in November, more partnerships and sponsorship deals will come.

“Once we start playing games and they see me play, it’s going to be a whole different story,” DeLoach said. “Right now, we’re just practicing, but once we start playing in the Siegel Center, it’s definitely going to turn up a notch.”

Illustration by Lauren Johnson

Photo illustration by Bailey Wood

I thought it was a money maker, that’s all I thought about. I thought, ‘I could make money off my name.’”

Jalen DeLoach, VCU freshman forward

From left: Sophomore forwards Mikeal Brown-Jones and Jamir Watkins are just two VCU athletes that have taken advantage of the new NCAA policy that allows NCAA athletes to profit off of their name, image and likeness. Photos by Megan Lee

ARRICK WILSON

Contributing Writer

LAST SEASON, THE VCU MEN’S soccer program struggled for success with a record of four wins, three losses, and three ties. Now, the Rams have been stepping up to the challenge of playing against some of the topranked teams in the nation.

“I think past success doesn’t determine current or future success,” said head coach Dave Giffard. “We have good players — if we stay healthy and continue to improve,

STRONG START:

Men’s soccer keeping up with nationally ranked teams as season begins

those good players will likely produce good performances. There’s no guarantee in results. So we can play well and lose, we can play badly and win.”

The VCU men’s soccer team defeated the formerly No. 7 Wake Forest on Aug. 26 and tied with No. 4 North Carolina on Aug. 29.

Giffard said that he attributes the senior athletes as being the biggest keys to success for the team as a whole. The Rams currently have eight seniors leading the team.

“So I would imagine if that group stays healthy, they’ll have more good performances than not,” Giffard said. “I would imagine that they would have some success as the year continues on. The better they do, the better we do, quite frankly.”

During the 2-0 match up against the Wake Forest Deacons, the black and gold were led by goals scored by freshman midfielder William Hitchcock and senior midfielder Simon Fitch. Senior goalkeeper Mario Sequeira also made five saves to help win the game.

“It was awesome to just contribute to the team’s success in any way I could,” said

Fitch about scoring the third goal of his career. “Obviously, being a defender, most of the time that occurs for me on the other end of the field, but it felt great to punch one in.”

The Rams continued their start by tying with North Carolina 1-1. Sequeira had a highlight game against the Tar Heels, making a career-high 13 saves.

and an assist in the first three matches of his college career; the freshman was also named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week for Aug. 26-29.

“Now, people are doing better, happier, healthier — mentally and physically,” Giffard said.

Senior defender Zeron Sewell was named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week for Aug. 26-29. Sewell was also named Player of the Week for Aug. 31 by TopDrawerSoccer.com.

The Morant Bay, Jamaica, native has started in all three games this season.

“You’ve seen it with Zeron [Sewell] this week, he won a couple of accolades nationwide, he’s a beast,” Sequeira said.

On Saturday, the Rams lost 1-0 to No. 13 Florida International; junior defender David Garcia scored a corner kick in the 73rd minute. Sequeira made 10 saves for the Rams that night.

Up until the loss to FIU, the men’s soccer program was ranked No. 12 on the NCAA Division I United Soccer Coaches poll. The Rams are now unranked, but are leading the points among unranked teams with 76.

However, Giffard said he hopes that the team’s strong start may be enough to continue the momentum forward the rest of the season, as the Rams will have to face two more ranked teams. Men’s soccer will match up with No. 23 St. Louis and No. 9 Indiana on Oct. 9 and 27, respectively.

“It was a really proud moment for myself, I think,” Sequeira said. “You don’t really understand the value of those things until the game is over.”

Freshman midfielder Damian Gallegos also scored his first collegiate goal, an essential point to the tie against the top 10 opponent. Gallegos has earned three points

“The reality is, we have a lot of good players, and now the majority of those players are in a better place and playing better,” Giffard said. “Therefore, we are going to have more success.”

The Rams will play Charlotte on the road on Friday at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on CUSA.TV.

Freshman midfielder David Hughes traps the ball in an exhibition versus the University of Akron on Aug. 20. Photo by Megan Lee

Men’s soccer head coach Dave Giffard speaks to his sideline during an exhibition match against the University of Akron. Photo by Megan Lee

The reality is, we have a lot of good players, and now the majority of those players are in a better place and playing better. Therefore, we are going to have more success.”

Dave Giffard, head coach

GAME RESULTS

SEPTEMBER 2

WOMEN’S SOCCER – AT ODU

WON 2-0

VOLLEYBALL – VS. TULANE

WON 3-2

Four Points Tallahassee Seminole Volleyball Invitational

VOLLEYBALL – VS. SAMFORD WON 3-0

Four Points Tallahassee Seminole Volleyball Invitational

SEPTEMBER 3

VOLLEYBALL – AT FLORIDA STATE LOST 3-0

Four Points Tallahassee Seminole Volleyball Invitational.

SEPTEMBER 4

MEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY – SPIDER ALUMNI OPEN 5th of 7

WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY –SPIDER ALUMNI OPEN 6th of 8

MEN’S SOCCER – AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL

LOST 1-0

Familiar faces in new volleyball coaching staff

KAITLYN FULMORE

Contributing Writer

The volleyball coaching staff has been revamped once again for a second straight season — this time, with familiar faces to the program.

Former VCU setter Cecilia Blanchard (née Aragao) has returned as a graduate assistant, a position previously held by newly appointed assistant coach Aaron Gordon.

Head coach Jody Rogers said that making the coaching decisions was easy.

“When you’re looking for assistants you want them to be highly driven and self-motivated, and bring positive energy and high energy into the office, into the gym,” Rogers said. “Both of these two people have high levels of that.”

Gordon joined the coaching staff last year as a graduate assistant. Before VCU, Gordon spent four years as a student manager for the University of Florida.

“He brought so much energy and experience with coaching the girls,” Rogers said. “It was easy for me to elevate him because he works so hard, and he wanted to get there.”

After one season of working with the team, Gordon is excited to have a larger role on the staff.

“I think the biggest thing is having a stronger role on the court from a coaching standpoint,” Gordon said. “As a G.A., I was really focused on filling in the holes, but now I can take that stronger role in terms of leading drills, and building relationships with the athletes.”

Gordon works alongside fellow assistant coach Kevin Maureen Camp -

bell, who was brought on to the coaching staff March of 2020. Campbell agreed with Rogers that promoting Gordon was an easy choice.

“Aaron proved himself every day, it was a no brainer for our entire program,” Campbell said. “Aaron comes from a high level of experience, he’s been in the gym with high-level programs. He knows how to do the work and is a great glue to our program.”

370 blocks, ranking sixth on the Rams’ all-time list.

“She was a hard worker, even as a student-athlete,” Rogers said. “I was excited because I knew the energy she brought as a player was going to translate to her being a G.A.”

The shift from being on the court to being on the sidelines is both challenging and exciting, according to Blanchard.

“When you’re playing you get caught in that ‘practice, practice, practice,’” Blanchard said. “But when you’re coaching and you see them getting better, it is really exciting.”

Since Rogers took over as head coach in 2013, she’s led the team to three consecutive Atlantic 10 championship victories, received the A-10 Conference Coach of the Year title twice, and currently is 162-76 in eight seasons.

With COVID-19 restrictions loosening, and fans being allowed back in the stands, Rogers said the staff is excited for the upcoming season — especially now that masks are no longer required for the athletes during play.

MEN’S TENNIS - AT WAKE FOREST

WAKE FOREST UTR ROUND OF 16: WON

SEPTEMBER 5

FIELD HOCKEY – AT VILLANOVA

WON 7-1

WOMEN’S SOCCER – AT EAST CAROLINA LOST 2-0

MEN’S TENNIS - AT WAKE FOREST

WAKE FOREST UTR

QUARTERFINAL: WON

SEPTEMBER 6

MEN’S TENNIS - AT WAKE FOREST

WAKE FOREST UTR

SEMIFINAL: LOST

Blanchard returns to VCU to take over Gordon’s previous position as a graduate assistant after playing professionally in Europe, for Calcit Volley in Slovenia and Quimper Volley 29 in France.

“When you go pro it’s a different level,” Blanchard said. “Every season I’m adapting to a coach and I’m learning what I like and don’t like from that coach, so I think it’s a more mature volleyball view.”

Rogers coached Blanchard from 201314. During her four years at VCU, Blanchard racked up 3,392 assists, ranking third on the Rams’ all-time list, and had a total of

The Rams kicked off their season at the JMU Invitational on Aug 27-29 beating Illinois State and sweeping JMU. The team ended the weekend 2-1 after a tough 3-1 loss to High Point. The following week the Rams finished 2-1 at the Four Points Tallahassee Seminole Volleyball Invitational, beating Tulane and Samford and losing to Florida State.

“We all are type A,” Rogers said. “We all are very competitive, but we all want the best for each other, so that’s why we work well together.”

We all are very competitive, but we all want the best for each other, so that’s why we work well together.”

Jody Rogers, head coach

Coaches Cecilia Blanchard and Aaron Gordon. Photo courtesy of VCU Athletics

Photo illustration by Bailey Wood

On this day

First Fridays Art Walk continues to shape Richmond arts community during pandemic

SWAAY COOK

Contributing

Writer

MUSIC ERUPTS FROM ALL AROUND. CHATter can be heard from onlooking crowds. The galleries and museums are visited slowly at first, but as the night goes on the crowds begin to grow.

The First Fridays Art Walk, hosted by the Downtown Neighborhood Association, has been a monthly event highlighting Richmond arts for over 20 years. A variety of businesses participate, including local museums, galleries, theaters, restaurants and shops.

“People have come out and are showing off their outfits. It makes me so happy to see people looking for any excuse to dress up,” said Georgia Clay, a First Friday event attendee.

However, at the peak of uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, galleries and museums have had to adapt. The pandemic initially caused many galleries and businesses to close and multiple First Fridays to be cancelled.

“COVID has greatly affected the way in which we are able to present exhibitions to the public, from standard mask requirements to more exhibition-specific adjustments — like the opening of our normally closed back doors so that visitors can move through the space and allow for easier social distancing,” said Park Myers, curator for the 1708 Gallery.

Myers said that for 1708 Gallery, First Fridays are a way for them to connect with the local community through art. They are also beneficial because they connect businesses with people who are immensely interested in the art they display and the artists that create the art, creating relationships through a mutual appreciation of art.

The First Fridays event resumed in May of this year. Since reopening, businesses that participated in First Friday events have put in place their own COVID-19 measures, including Prabir Mehta, the Gallery5 board of directors chair.

Galleries, museums and shops in the Richmond area have implemented preventative measures such as temperature checks, proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result and allowing for more open space to provide a safe environment for exhibitions.

“We have been checking temperatures for entry since we have been reopened. We don’t want anyone with 100-degree temperature getting in here and potentially infecting others not just with COVID-19, but who knows what,” Mehta said.

Egbert Vongmalaithong, assistant curator of commerce and publications at the Institute for Contemporary Art, said the ICA has been “thinking outside the box” in order to offer events that people will enjoy, even if they’re not in person.

“I think mostly we want to foreground intimate meaningful experiences which is something that I think can be challenging to do,” Vongmalaithong said. “We have been able to present some experiences that have let people safely engage with the institution.”

He said that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the ICA to find new ways to interact with visitors and bring other art forms to life while still maintaining safe social distancing. Although the pandemic brought a lot of challenges to art institutions, it caused a lot of them to find new ways to present art from local artists.

The ICA organized a hotline called 1-844-NOT-ZOOM where artists sent in audio clips, so when people called the

number, they would hear different types of non-visual artistic content.

“So audiences would dial in and listen to it, it might be like a poem or it might be like a musical piece or it might be a sound piece — something that was to be experienced through the phone,” Vongmalaithong said. “The goal was to create an intimate experience.”

Vincent Mangano, a Richmond native who attended this month’s First Friday, said that he was hesitant to attend the event because the activities didn’t seem like they were open to people who weren’t artists or artistic elites.

Magano said he has noticed changes to the event to include more artists of color throughout the years. Gallery5’s most recent First Friday exhibition was entitled “Mother India,” and featured culturally influenced art, shlokas — or poetic blessings — and an Indian rock band.

However, he said that the events later started to feel more inclusive and open to all people, making it more of a community event.

“There have definitely been more POC art being exhibited and people who aren’t white going to these events. Most people who went were very involved in the art scene and now it seems like the general public goes to see the art,” Mangano said. “You get more people who wouldn’t normally see this stuff in their day-to-day life.”

With First Fridays open to the public again, many of the participating businesses are glad to showcase their work at the monthly events.

“First Fridays are great because they have allowed for this region’s network of art to have an opportunity to shine,” Mehta said. “I enjoy that Gallery5 gets to participate in it.”

In 1974, President Gerald Ford pardoned former President Richard Nixon of all federal crimes.

A First Friday attendee views an exhibit on display at Anne’s Visual Art Studio Gallery.

Photo by Mohamad Baltaji

Photo by Mohamad Baltaji

VCUARTS SOPHOMORES REFLECT ON

VIRTUAL

ART

FOUNDATION

CLASSES, freshmen enjoy hands-on learning

SAHARA SRIRAMAN Spectrum Editor

FRESHMAN CHARLOTTE ABRAMS NEVER thought she would learn and grow so much as an artist in her first month at VCUarts. She credits the support of her in-person Art Foundation classes to her progress.

Abrams, an art foundation major, said that she has enjoyed all of her program classes, most of which are in person this semester. She’s loved getting to work with other students who have different backgrounds and art interests than her.

The AFO program is for first-year VCUarts students, and teaches the fundamentals of different forms of art. The program is meant to help students decide what kind of art they want to pursue while working with other arts students.

“You can tell that the staff was always willing and ready to help you and I actually have learned a lot of different techniques, even after only being here for two weeks,” Abrams said.

Completion of the AFO program is required for all students who hope to enter into the design and visual arts departments, including fashion design, painting & printmaking, art education and graphic design. The required classes can be taken throughout VCUarts freshmen’s first year, for a total of 32 credit hours.

Last year, the program offered classes with various modalities; in person, hybrid and completely virtual. This year, all AFO courses are being offered in person.

Teresa Engle, the interim director of communications for VCUarts, stated that studios were offered for students to take advantage of last year. She stated although most classes were online, students were still able to utilize studios, labs and equipment.

“The Art Foundation program continued to offer our studio course curriculum to students as well as provide a robust calendar of student engagement opportunities outside of the classroom,” Engle stated.

Engle stated that at the end of the last academic school year, students filled out an exit survey; 81% of students said that the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t impact their major choice. The AFO program took into account feedback from both students and faculty last year in order to improve the program.

Abrams said that she’s able to learn effectively because of the interactive and in-person nature of her AFO classes this year.

“Especially with visual arts, it’s kind of hard to learn online because there’s no hands-on activity but the fact that all of the classes where I’m learning to create art are in person, it’s been extremely beneficial,” Abrams said.

She said the program has allowed her to feel more confident in her work when she shares it with other people and receives feedback from them, making her classes feel more personal.

“It’s definitely helped with communication, I feel like with me. Especially because they’re all in person, I don’t have to worry about being awkward or anything because everybody’s in the same boat,” Abrams said.

However, for some VCUarts sophomores, experience within the AFO program last year wasn’t as rewarding.

Second-year painting and printmaking student Zoe Perry said all her classes last year were online out of choice, making it difficult for her to collaborate with other students and her professors. She said although she was more comfortable learning

from home, she wishes she could’ve gotten the complete learning experience from her AFO classes.

She said she didn’t get to experience a lot of the opportunities that come with being on campus like meeting new people, enjoying after-school activities and creating relationships with students.

I’ve

“I feel like I missed out on a lot of, not just like gaining skills and getting experience a lot faster than I would online, but

also just building a relationship in general with people,” Perry said.

She said that in-person AFO classes would have been more beneficial because her professors would have worked to develop her art skills in person as opposed to through a computer screen.

Perry said a lot of her fellow students didn’t enjoy the fact that they had to try different kinds of art for the program, but Perry knew that it would ultimately help her grow as an artist. She said the program helped her decide what kind of art medium — painting and printmaking — she wanted to pursue.

“I’ve heard students say, ‘I don’t know why they’re forcing me to do this because it has nothing to do with what I want to do in the future,’” Perry said. “But, it’s all adding to your experience as a well-rounded person and artist.”

Perry said there’s not much VCUarts can do to ensure last year’s freshmen get benefits from their classes because most of them were online, but she hopes the school will offer some in-person AFO classes for those who didn’t get them last year.

“If they actually want to do something for the students, the people who took most of their classes online, their tuition shouldn’t be the full tuition,” Perry said.

She said although the learning gap was small, learning art requires collaboration in order for students to become well-rounded artists.

heard students say, ‘I don’t know why they’re forcing me to do this because it has nothing to do with what I want to do in the future,’ but, it’s all adding to your experience as a wellrounded person and artist.”

Zoe Perry, sophomore painting and printmaking student

A VCUarts student works on a clay project in class. Photo by Faith Redd

A VCUarts student works in the studio on an easel. Photo by Faith Redd

EDITOR'S LIST OF FILMS TO WATCH

“Promising Young Woman” (2020)

Cassie Thomas, played by Carey Mulligan, keeps a list of men who sexually assault women while they’re drunk to ensure they don’t take advantage of women. She uses this vigilantism to come to terms with her friend’s traumatic sexual assault and death. After finding out more about the people from her past, Cassie decides to plan the ultimate revenge plot to avenge her friend.

Available on Amazon Prime | 90% Rotten Tomatoes

“Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal” (2021)

VA Pridefest postponed due to COVID-19, OFFERS OTHER LGBTQ EVENTS INSTEAD

MIA RICHARDS

Contributing Writer

With the rise of COVID-19 cases and the delta variant in the city of Richmond, the decision to postpone this year’s Virginia Pridefest on Sept. 25 was not made lightly by the event’s organizers.

The Richmond event that celebrates LGBTQ diversity and inclusivity, annually held at Brown’s Island, is now rescheduled for June 2022.

“A decision [was] needed to be made by the end of July or August, as the COVID-19 cases began to increase,” James Millner, the program director of VA Pride, said. “In the course of a couple of weeks, a very difficult decision was to be made.”

The Virginia Department of Health has predicted that throughout September, the rate of COVID-19 positivity will continue to rise, which would cause a significant negative impact on the festival if it were to happen when originally scheduled. The event was postponed due to the increase in positive cases in Richmond.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Richmond is over 20,500, with the seven-day moving average of new cases per day at nearly 107, according to the VDH.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that masks should still be worn during large events inside but not when outdoors. However, when in places that have a high number of cases and presence of the delta variant,

it is recommended that people wear masks, even outside.

Myriam Kadeba, the director of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at VCU, said the organization plans to work with the Richmond community to organize pride events in October. With logistics continuing to be finalized, Kadeba plans to arrange a pride ride throughout the city.

According to Kadeba, OMSA hopes to collaborate with VCU’s Recreation and Well-Being, University Counseling Services, VCU Globe and Equality VCU to make the event happen.

Haley McGowan, a second-year VCU student, said they were looking forward to

attending their first pride festival. Since last year’s festival was cancelled, they were excited to attend this year.

“It really is disappointing to see the festival be cancelled again,” McGowan said. “I am very glad, however, that the necessary precautions are being taken to keep Richmond safe.”

McGowan plans to attend other pride-related events that will take place within the community.

Millner said that in an effort to continue to have celebrations in Richmond, Diversity Richmond and VA Pride have created numerous events to allow the community to honor pride.

On Sept. 24, “Pride After Dark: Leather and Lace” will be happening in conjunction with Pridefest and Diversity Richmond. This 21-and-up event will feature local drag performances, dancing and an appearance by the House of Prodigy, a Pennsylvania-based ballroom house that has appeared on the show, “Legendary.”

Millner said to keep the community safe, there will be a limited capacity as well as required tickets with proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.

He said that the decision itself was made with the health and safety of the Richmond community in mind.

“At the end of the day, we are doing what is right for the people. We did not want to put anybody in danger and we take that responsibility very seriously,” Millner said.

For more information on pride events that will happen in Richmond this year, visit www. vapride.org/events.

This documentary follows the story of the 2019 college admissions scandal, known as Operation Varsity Blues, where parents paid millions of dollars to help their children get into top universities across the country. This film examines the privilege wealthy families have, especially when it comes to controlling their children’s futures.

Available on Netflix | 88% Rotten Tomatoes

“Chef”

(2014)

Written, directed, produced by and starring Jon Favreau, this film is about disgraced chef Carl Casper, who opens a Cuban food truck with his son after quitting his job at a restaurant. They drive the truck across the country, serving delicious food that becomes very successful. As Casper becomes more attached to the food truck, he works to put together his broken family while reconnecting with his cultural roots.

Available on Netflix | 87% Rotten Tomatoes

“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” (2010)

When teen Scott Pilgrim falls for Amazon delivery girl on skates, Ramona Flowers, he must battle her seven evil exes in order to date her and stay alive. Designed to look like a video game, this film features striking visual effects and a star-studded cast.

Available on Netflix | 82% Rotten Tomatoes

“Dangal” (2016)

This biographical film follows former Indian wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat, who trains his daughters to carry out the dream he never got to fulfill. After intense and seemingly harsh training, the girls start competing in tournaments where they continue to win against boys. As they become better and gain national recognition for their wrestling, the Phogat sisters defy both wrestling and gender expectations.

Available on Netflix | 88% Rotten Tomatoes

“Palm Springs” (2020)

Andy Samberg stars in this romantic comedy about two strangers who meet at a wedding and get stuck in a time loop together. Since there are no real consequences for their actions and they can’t really die, the pair take extreme risks as they relive the day over and over. However, when they come to terms with their past and their new life, it forces both of them to confront the truth and own up to their mistakes.

Available on Hulu | 95% Rotten Tomatoes

Have suggestions for our watchlist? Email spectrum@ commonwealthtimes.org

At the end of the day, we are doing what is right for the people. We did not want to put anybody in danger and we take that responsibility very seriously,”

James Millner,

VA

Pride program director

Illustration by Bharathi Mathivanan

Richmond residents gather at Brown’s Island for PrideFest in 2019. CT file photo

Virginia Pridefest 2019 offered events such as drag performances and concerts. CT file photo

Quote of the week

“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.”

— Henry James

MONICA ALARCON-NAJARRO

Contributing Writer

AS I NERVOUSLY WALKED INTO MY HIGH school class the morning Virginia Standards of Learning, or SOL, exams were taking place, I remember the daunting feeling of relying on a test score in order to pass my classes. Preparation for these exams is not easy and outside factors such as jobs, family and access to materials to prepare can hinder a student’s journey to academic success.

Each year, students in Virginia schools spend all year studying material in order to pass a single test in five subjects at the end of their academic year, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made SOL exams harder for disadvantaged students to do well on.

Educational racism is a problem in schools which students of color, especially Black students, face to this day. It has not only been seen through test scores but through implicit bias from instructors who overlook the academic excellence Black students have, either by disproportionately leaving Black students out of gifted and talented programs or lack of support from their teachers.

One Friday morning, while perusing the headlines of the Richmond TimesDispatch daily newsletter, I came across one intriguing yet familiar headline in the news: “Virginia students’ performance on Standards of Learning tests plummeted during pandemic.”

Reading through the article, I realized that this was not a new topic for me. Even in high school, I was aware of the advantages that certain schools had over others, allowing their students to perform better on standardized examinations such as Advanced Placement and SOL tests.

During my high school years, I realized many of the students who attended

higher-income schools had access to professional tutors outside of the class to help pass exams such as AP and SOL tests.

Meanwhile, many students in my high school looked for school-based programs to help prepare for exams due to either not having time for extra help or not having the financial funds.

It dawned on me that a student’s test score was not necessarily a reflection of their intelligence or motivation. Factors outside of their control such as fluency in English, the school district they lived in and having parents with the time to help them understand the material all played a role in whether they were successful or not.

While in high school, I experienced this firsthand. As a writing tutor, I helped several students with tasks varying from understanding grammar conventions to writing AP essays. At one point in my senior year, I was asked to help nonnative English speakers prepare for the English SOL.

For these students, success on the SOL was indispensable: it would ultimately decide whether they would be able to move up to the next grade or have to stay back and retake the exam.

Working with the tutees, I realized that many students were unprepared, and had circumstances that caused intense barriers in their education. As chatter filled the room, I recall hearing that many of these students had younger siblings to take care of at home and prioritized their families over school; others had to pick up shifts to help out with income.

I remember being partnered up with a girl who was a grade below me to work through the questions with. I could see in her eyes that she was extremely tired and the last thing on her mind was studying for a test completely in English, a language that she was still learning.

As bad as the barriers that she had to deal with when studying for the SOL

were, the COVID-19 pandemic has only made things worse.

Not only has online learning worsened test scores for public schools, the statistical percentages that Black and Hispanic students are barely passing these exams shows how alive educational racism is in county schools.

In Virginia, students of color are struggling to keep up with passing rates.

According to the Virginia Department of Education, in the 2020-21 SOL test results, Black students in the city of Richmond had a pass rate of 36% for reading, 18% for mathematics and 30% for science. Meanwhile Hispanic students had a pass rate of 38% for reading, 23% for math and 35% for science.

Educational racism is affecting the way future generations are learning in school. Students of lower-income schools are either not being given updated school materials such as laptops, or have no way of affording notebooks, pencils, etc.

Not only that, but it’s seen through the investments made for certain school districts. Wealthier school districts are gaining higher budgets due to their enrollment predictions.

These higher budgets include an extra $5 million going towards schools in Chesterfield and nearly $10 million going to Prince William County’s schools.

According to an article from Virginia Public Media, schools that are more rural and lower income are losing money as their enrollment predictions were inaccurate following the pandemic.

Money and privilege are the most detrimental factors that determine whether or not a child gets an education. There needs to be higher investments in education for areas such as Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield.

Students should not be deprived of future career prospects because of the inequity in the education system.

CARING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT IS A PRIVILEGE NOT MANY HAVE Tea Time with Tagwa

TAGWA SHAMMET Opinions Editor

Tea timers, our planet is dying. This isn’t a new discovery. It isn’t something that comes as a surprise. Throughout the last few decades, the topic of saving our environment has made its way to the forefront of discussion. From politics to classrooms, living rooms to debate floors; we’ve pleaded with one another to care about our Earth.

But, as we proceed to have this conversation, it becomes more and more clear who is leading the charge: white people.

While the sentiment is appreciated, the blatant majority of white people discussing the environment opens up the concern of whether all interests are being heard. Furthermore, it enhances the idea that environmental concerns and issues are merely one dimensional and look the same to everyone.

In reality, our negotiation with the human race to save the planet is more than just going vegan or biking to work. It is a privilege. And before you jump down my throat to let me know that this planet is my responsibility just as much as it is yours, give me the chance to explain.

I’ll ask you a simple question: How can you go vegan if you can barely afford a bag of chips?

Many of us don’t understand the gravity of poverty. To wander around in the night, not knowing where you’ll be putting your head to rest or where your next meal will be coming from. There are people that live in this shared world that lack basic human necessities such as food, shelter and water. To expect them to prioritize this Earth over themselves screams privilege.

Such an expectation also holds underlying tints of white privilege. According to the 2018 U.S. Census data, 73.9% of those living in poverty in the United States are people of color. It’s not a coincidence most environmentalists today are white.

Take Greta Thunberg. A young teenage environmental activist most known for challenging world leaders to work urgently to alleviate climate change, Thunberg became a social media sensation. In 2019, she was Time Magazine’s Person of the Year.

Thunberg is a young white girl from Sweden. Her activism is an inspiration. But, it’s also the perfect presentation of privilege in climate change mitigation. She has become the face of the movement. In turn, perpetuating the concept that environmental activism is only open to white people.

One frequent topic discussed during climate change conversation is the way we eat. From vegetarianism to veganism, many environmental activists encourage the removal of meat and other animal products from our diets. They encourage us to eat organic food

rather than processed grocery items, which is easier said than done.

Organic grocers such as Whole Foods seem accessible in theory, but they are far too expensive for a single mother of four who can barely keep the lights on in the house. They are too expensive for the man who will sleep on a bench by the bus stop tonight. They are too expensive for the teenage boy who is taking care of his younger sister with no parents. On an even lower scale, they are too expensive for college students who can’t even afford their textbooks.

I wanted to test my theory, so I decided to do a price check between some of my weekly grocery purchases. As expected, Whole Foods was far out of my budget.

A pound of Honeycrisp apples at Lidl would cost $1.29. At Whole Foods, it would be $3.99.

A pound of chicken breasts would cost $2.89 at Lidl. At Whole Foods, it would cost $8.99.

A carton of eggs at Lidl would cost $0.69. At Whole Foods, it would cost $5.69.

For a handful of everyday items at Lidl, I’d spend $4.87. For those very same items at Whole Foods, I’d spend $18.67.

This is just a simple example of the intersectionality that exists within environmental activism. Not everyone’s life is as easy as yours. Not everyone has the capability to spend $18.67 on three organic items.

You see, those in poverty are not a threat to our environment; they are victims of our society. They don’t have the privilege to care about eating organic foods when they can barely find a consistent form of shelter. Being poor is not a choice. These people are not choosing to not care about the environment. They just aren’t fortunate enough to prioritize it.

I’ve heard an argument made by many environmentalists that claims the Earth is defenseless so we must fight for it. Those in poverty are also defenseless and we must fight for them. This Earth does not belong to white people. It does not belong to Black people. It does not belong to any one group of people. It belongs to all of us. Yet, those who claim to care about it most continue to disregard the human life that suffers on Earth. And that’s the tea.

Educational racism is stopping bright minds from excelling in school

Illustration by Karly Andersen

Illustration by Lauren Johnson

Eye for an Eye by Craig Blacksmith

Shafer Negotiations by Lauren Johnson

Food Court by Alex Dowdy

THE

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Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle

PARTING COMPANY

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

By Brad Weigmann

PARTING COMPANY

By Brad Weigmann

6 Too big for one’s own good

7 Script writer

8 Messi’s uniform number

9 Nastase

Sponsored by

Los Angeles Times

Sunday Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Contact Dominique Lee @ leeds3@vcu.edu

Los Angeles Times

Sunday Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Parting Company by Brad Weigmann

Level 1 2 3 4

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, please visit sudoku.org.uk

Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle

HELP WANTED!

Distribution Manager

The VCU Student Media Center is looking for an individual who is available Wednesdays to deliver copies of The Commonwealth Times newspaper, as well as our other publications, to locations on both the Monroe Park and MCV campuses. Additionally, you are responsible for assessing our distribution strategy and tracking delivery and pick-up counts each week, and reporting the numbers to the manager via Google spreadsheets on a weekly basis.

The newspaper is delivered to the SMC, at 817 W. Broad St., usually by 11 a.m. or noon most Wednesday mornings during the academic year. By the end of the day Wednesday (around 5 p.m), copies of the newspaper must be distributed to racks on campus and across the city. This position pays $9/hour for 7 hours every Wednesday. The route takes 3-4 hours to complete. This position is physically demanding. It entails pulling a cart/wagon loaded with publications around both VCU Campuses. The cart is heavy and there is a lot of walking involved.

This position is only available to currently enrolled VCU students who have a functioning car on campus. Applicants MUST have a valid driver’s license AND a working vehicle to be able to complete this job!

Required Qualifications:

Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record

Working vehicle that the student has regular access to on campus

Availability most all day on Wednesdays

Current VCU student

Ability to lift 30 lbs.

Contact: Mark Jeffries at mjeffries@vcu.edu

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