The Commonwealth Times; January 31, 2024

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VOL. 68, NO. 2 JANUARY 31, 2024

Attendees hold up signs at City Hall. Richmonders attended the meeting regarding a ceasefire resolution. Photo by Maggie Root.

PALESTINE ACTIVISTS URGE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION BEFORE CITY COUNCIL

JACK GLAGOLA News Editor

Signs crowded the room as pro-Palestine activists took over the public comment period at the Richmond City Council meeting last Monday. They want the city to issue a resolution supporting a ceasefire in Gaza, which is currently the site of a massive retaliatory bombing campaign and ground invasion by the Israeli Defense Forces, according to BBC. A coalition of groups including Virginia Coalition for Human Rights, American Muslims for Palestine and Students for Justice in Palestine staged both the lineup of speakers as well as a small rally outside City Hall after the meeting.

Three speakers from the coalition took the stand before the assembled council members following a discussion about bike lanes on Westover Hills Boulevard in Forest Hill.

The first speaker, Mads McElgunn, who is Jewish, said Jewish values of “justice, repairing the world and preservation of life in all its forms” are not represented by Zionism or Israel.

Jasmine Cuellar, the second speaker and an environmental studies major at VCU, said Richmond should “lead by example” and “call for a ceasefire and lifting the siege on Gaza”.

The final speaker, Roxane Rucker, cited Martin Luther King Jr., and said his birthday last week gave “us another opportunity to reflect on his prophetic word,” she said.

“He once said ‘the ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty of the bad people, but the silence over that by the good people,’” Rucker said. “We are asking the Richmond City Council to be part of a growing worldwide force for a ceasefire. Let us not be silent, good people, let us stand and call out oppression and cruelty in all its forms.”

Joshua Bennett, a fabrication shop proprietor and adjunct faculty member at VCU, said the “genuine moral outrage” he felt brought him to City Hall.

“It seems like we haven’t been able to get any movement on our federal elected officials,” Bennett said. “But hopefully we can get some movement on our local elected officials and actually get them to take a moral stand.”

Bennett said he hopes to see local elected officials start to put more pressure on higher levels of government.

“This is the level that higher elected office recruits from, and it sort of goes up the chain,” Bennett said. “I can’t expect our elected leaders to make a moral stand, but maybe they’ll make a pragmatic stand when they see how many people are outraged by this.”

We are asking the Richmond City Council to be part of a growing worldwide force for a ceasefire. Let us not be silent, good people, let us stand and call out oppression and cruelty in all its forms.”

Roxane Rucker speaker at the city council Richmond City Council did not adopt the ceasefire resolution. Organizers plan to press the resolution again at the next meeting, according to Jasmine Cuellar.

Sara Jamal, a pharmacist, said she feels it is important to stand up for Palestine now.

“Richmond city itself has really stood up in a big way in 2020 for the rights of persecuted people, and I think that this is basically just a continuation of that advocacy for civil rights for persecuted individuals in the United States and globally,” Jamal said.

The Confederate statues lining Monument Avenue became flashpoints for demonstrations in 2020 following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to NPR. Jamal said “we are at a historic time” and things will change.

“I’ve been following this issue for well over 30 years now, and this is just unprecedented in terms of the support that this particular cause has had, and the fact that people now understand what is going on,” Jamal said.

Zaferia Zolotas, a nanny and Richmond resident, said she wants to show any support for a ceasefire she can.

“What else is more important? Putting some pressure on people who do have some power is absolutely necessary right now,” she said.

Zolotas said she has a lot of faith in the next generation to make change.

“They’re doing a lot of things, and they will change the world,” Zolotas said. “We need to help them. We need to make sure they have the footing for this.”

Cuellar, one of the speakers at the meeting and a first-year environmental studies major at VCU, said in an interview she believes the Palestinian cause is intersectional with many others.

See PALESTINE on page 2

VCU wants to turn Grace Street into a campus “main street”: What could that look like?

VCU is planning to turn Grace Street into a “campus main street” as part of the One VCU Master Plan.

Photo by Arrick Wilson.

See GRACE STREET on page 3

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The Commonwealth Times

Stories of the week

national: House Republicans move to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. international: Three U.S. soldiers killed and over 30 wounded by drone strike in Jordan.

PALESTINE Continued from front page “It’s important to advocate because I think the liberation of Palestinians is the liberation of all people,” Cuellar said.

Cuellar said that even though the resolution, if adopted, would not change any laws, it would put pressure on higher levels of government.

“Especially with Richmond being a capital city, that holds some weight,” Cuellar said. “It puts pressure on the state governments, which puts pressure on the federal government — it’s a trickle-up effect. It’s not going to happen overnight, right? It’s a gradual thing. That’s why you’re seeing these resolutions passed in a lot of cities.”

Two California cities, San Francisco and Oakland are among the other cities that have passed resolutions supporting a ceasefire, according to AP. The coalition plans to present a petition at the next city council meeting and also

have conversations with individual council members, Cuellar said.

“It’s easy to just look at these people like they’re just vessels. They are people at the end of the day,” she said. “I think appealing to that and making them understand that as a human being this is your job — not just as a councilperson — you have a moral duty as a human to advocate for other humans.”

Cuellar said people need to make their voices heard.

“People need to call their representatives, call their city council members, email your city council members — come out. Show up in numbers,” she said. “They’re going to visibly see that and be like, ‘Wow, there’s a lot of people here — people that really care about this.’ That’s what they need to hear.”

Mohammed Hasan, a Richmond resident, said advocates have to keep being hopeful.

“We have to always be optimistic and we have to always make sure that we keep the pressure on, and they will change,” he said.

Hasan, who is originally from Tulkarm, a city in the West Bank north of Jerusalem, said

“everywhere you go in the world, no matter where you go, there is always a Palestinian.”

“Why? Because we have no land and we were dispersed all over the world,” Hasan said. “One day we will be back. You don’t give up your home — your home is your home.”

A small group opposed to the resolution held up signs and distributed flyers displaying names and pictures of Israeli hostages captured by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Oct. 7, approximately 110 of which are still in Gaza, according to the Associated Press.

Amy Scharf, a retired nonprofit executive, said the resolution has “no business before city council.”

“I don’t believe our city should be engaging in foreign affairs,” Scharf said.

Drew Alexander, a retired teacher, said the conflict is complicated and it is “easy to say ‘the bombs are dropping, it’s evil, it’s bad.’”

“It’s a powerful thing to say, but it’s not 100% accurate — you can’t put that on a poster. It’s just a very difficult decision for everybody,” Alexander said.

Why? Because we have no land and we were dispersed all over the world. One day we will be back. You don’t give up your home — your home is your home.”

Mohammed Hasan Richmond resident

Flu season at VCU: How students can stay healthy NICK CAFFACUS Contributing Writer The flu season this winter brought more than just influenza to VCU students, according to reports from the Virginia Department of Health.

Many Richmonders are still suffering from a plethora of respiratory illnesses, many of which can share similar symptoms, according to the CDC. “I think that can be really confusing for all of us, clinicians included,” said Nancy Bell, a nurse practitioner at VCU Student Health Services. “If you have a fever over 101 for more than 48 hours, then it’s something to say ‘hey, maybe I should get that checked.’”

During the week of Jan. 14, 4.6% of emergency department and urgent care visits were due to an influenza-like illness, or ILI, according to surveillance data from the Virginia Department of Health. This is down from 6.9% during the week of Dec. 17, 2023, per its earlier report.

An illness is considered an ILI when an individual exhibits a fever as well as a cough or sore throat, according to the CDC. This blanket term is used because influenza symptoms are not always specific, and patients often are not tested specifically for the flu.

In addition to the flu and COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is also going around, according to VDH data.

The CDC warns that RSV is particularly dangerous for premature and very young infants, as well as older adults.

A shortage of Beyfortus, a new RSV vaccine for babies, is forcing the Children’s Hospital of Richmond to prioritize giving

the vaccine to at-risk babies in the NICU with lung or heart conditions, according to the VDH. Anyone can catch RSV and become contagious, even though some who catch it may only display mild, cold-like symptoms, according to the CDC. Bell said there are a number of steps students can take to help avoid getting sick in the first place.

“I think one of the easiest things that’s kind of been drilled into us with COVID is proper hand hygiene,” Bell said. “So anytime I go home, the first thing I do is wash my hands.”

Most adults should get their flu shots, with rare exceptions for those with certain conditions of the heart, lungs or certain other illnesses, according to the CDC. Bell said staying current on COVID-19 boosters as well as the yearly flu shot is a good idea.

“Every student a t VC U h a s a free flu shot waiting for them,” Bell said.

“With the COVID vaccine, we actually don’t have this most recent booster, so we encourage people to go to pharmacies.”

Bell said she also warns students not to undervalue maintaining proper nutrition and sleep habits.

“If you are feeling a little iffy, or if you’re

around a lot of people who are sick, then I would say we want to prioritize making sure that we’re getting enough rest,” Bell said. “Also eating things like fruits, vegetables, healthy foods to give our body the resources it needs to hopefully fight those germs off.”

The CDC website currently states that Richmond is at a “medium” le vel f or COVID-19 hospital admissions. For areas at this level, their recommendation is that those at an elevated risk of a more severe illness continue to wear masks.

Individuals with elevated risk include those 50 years and older, those who are immunocompromised or those who have certain underlying health conditions, such as chronic heart or lung disease that can amplify the severity of an infection, per CDC guidance.

Bell recommended students look into some of the resources available to them that Student Health “would give anyone that comes in for a lot of common illnesses.”

The Student Health Services website contains printable handouts for many health problems that include recommendations for over-the-counter and self-care treatments, according to Bell.

Brushing off serious symptoms as inconsequential is common for some, according to Bell. She encourages students to be proactive in getting checked to avoid serious illnesses such as strep throat or pneumonia, she said.

“If you’re a sick student, and you look online and it says we don’t have any openings, that’s because we’re saving a space for you when you call us,” Bell said. “The majority of the time we’re able to see you that same day.”

When dance and choreography major Frances Baker felt a fever coming on, she couldn’t participate in her dance class, she said.

“I went to Rite Aid and I talked to the pharmacist because that’s free, and then I got what he said to get,” said Baker. “And then I went home and slept. But then if it progressed I probably would have gone to the clinic.”

Niko Donaldson, a commerce major, said he has maintained the habit of maskwearing since the outbreak of the pandemic.

“Since COVID had happened it was kind of really scary because when my dad gets sick, he gets really sick,” Donaldson said. “So I have a very strong fear of getting sick myself.”

Illustration by Vivian Trinh.

Wed. January 31, 2024

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VCU WANTS TO TURN GRACE STREET INTO A CAMPUS “MAIN STREET”:

WHAT COULD THAT LOOK LIKE?

‘For Lease’ signs on vacant buildings along Grace Street. VCU is planning to turn Grace Street into a “campus main street” as part of the One VCU Master Plan. Photo by Arrick Wilson.

ANDREW KERLEY Audience Editor VCU wants to turn West Grace Street into a campus “main street,” according to the ONE VCU Master Plan, the document guiding VCU’s physical development for the next decade.

The ONE VCU Master Plan was approved by the board of visitors nearly five years ago, according to its website.

The plan included the Children’s Tower downtown and the STEM building on Franklin Street, both completed in 2023.

VCU now plans to build more academic spaces and student housing on both ends of the corridor, as outlined by the plan.

Additionally, the street will be lined with “small pocket parks” and “furnishings to encourage informal gathering and outdoor dining.”

Every two years, the board of visitors updates VCU’s Six-Year Capital Plan, which highlights projects proposed by the master plan to focus on in the coming biennium. The most recent plan, approved last year, noted prioritization for new housing on the 900 block of West Grace Street, a new Honors College dorm and a new “interdisciplinary arts and education building,” which will be located where the old Honors building currently sits.

VCU spokesperson Michael Porter said none of the projects have been initiated, though the plan’s website shows the new Honors College Dorm to be the furthest along. The dorm is in the pre-planning phase and its construction could be completed in fall 2026.

“Please note that although all prioritized projects will be examined and considered, not all will move forward,” the SixYear Capital Plan reads. “Timelines are optimistic and approximate, and projects may take longer to complete. This plan is revised and updated based on progress and new information every two years.”

Additionally, VCU does not own any of the properties along the 900 block where they intend to build housing, according to Porter.

Multiple properties along the street, not owned by VCU, appear to be abandoned or not in use, including the musically historic building where the venue “Strange Matter” used to be. Others, like 931 W. Grace St.,

have “up for lease” signs in their windows.

Gabriel Gotera has been living in the area for years and works at multiple restaurants along the corridor. He said the “big fear around the block” is that VCU will buy up all the businesses and raise the cost of rent.

“VCU brings in a lot of business,” Gotera said. “But, in the off-season when students go home, it’s bad.”

Last year, VCU bought two properties along West Grace Street, one of them containing the local bar and music venue Ipanema Cafe, according to a previous report

by The Commonwealth Times. VCU Real Estate Foundation said they are assessing the buildings for the university’s needs.

Local restaurant Village Cafe sits at 1001 W. Grace St. The eatery has been a staple of the corridor since 1956.

Photo by Andrew Kerley.

Seth Campbell, the owner of Ipanema Cafe, told The Commonwealth Times they do not expect the cafe to leave the location any time soon, adding that he “loves seeing students come there and having fun.”

Nisha Vhundevalel and Mya Jackson, both undergraduate students, said they enjoy going to West Grace Street to get food and shop, but it isn’t their ideal place to hang out.

“I feel like there are a lot of VCU places here already and the local spots are really fun to go to here and there,” Vhundevalel said. “There’s also the swipe system so it’s like, ‘I don’t wanna spend money, I need to go to a VCU place.’”

Jackson said that she’d like the street to have more “easy sitdown spots,” something VCU included in their plan.

“I like being around the regular business too,” Jackson said. “Y ’know, seeing the people who live here.”

“Chill Will,” a local resident, has regularly sat at the bar in Village Cafe for 25 years. He said he prefers West Grace Street the way it is now as opposed to two decades ago.

“It’s mostly a college community right now,” Will said. “At one point there was a biker’s club and a lot of bars, radical bars.”

Will said the street doesn’t need any “wild bars” or “radical groups” to be great.

“We can make a change, but let’s not forget about the elders,” Will said. “Look out for those that can no longer make a change.”

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The Commonwealth Times

AI has VCU divided as new regulations are released

Illustration by Kirsten Sturgill.

BRI STEVENS Contributing Writer Governor Glenn Youngkin signed Executive Order 30 last week calling for new AI education guidelines and information technology standards to ensure “safe and ethical use,” and keep AI conducted transparently so it can be trusted, safe and secure.

Instances of “safe and ethical use” under Executive Order 30 include protecting teachers’ jobs against AI, barring AI from making decisions without human help and securing individual data.

Governor Youngkin stated in his press release, “My administration will utilize the $600,000 in proposed funds outlined by my Unleashing Opportunity budget to launch pilots that evaluate the effectiveness of these new standards.”

Jeffrey Kraus, director of executive communications in the VCU Provost office, stated in an email, “We are still reviewing the order and understanding what it means for VCU’s academic operations.”

VCU professors feel divided on the use of AI in the classroom. English professor Geoff Bouvier sees AI software in a far more negative light, but communication arts professor TyRuben Ellingson said AI is a vitally important tool.

“It’s the most profoundly important invention, maybe to ever exist,” Ellingson said.

Ellingson said he believes faculty should learn how to use AI. “We need faculty who understand the tool very well,” he said. “We have to be involved in this. We have to know it.”

Artificial intelligence is providing avenues to look at it in new ways or research it in new ways or come up with new ways to consider old problems, that’s where the real power of it all is.

I believe it will advance human understanding and knowledge.”

TyRuben Ellingson communication arts professor

Ellingson said restricting the use of AI is problematic because it will be embedded directly into software.

“The idea that you could tell a student ‘don’t use AI’ is profoundly problematic,” Ellingson said. “Microsoft Word is going to have an AI assistant built into it.”

AI will advance human understanding of old problems and consider research in a new light, Ellingson said.

“Artificial intelligence is providing avenues to look at it in new ways or research it in new ways or come up with new ways to consider old problems, that’s where the real power of it all is,” Ellingson said. “I believe it will advance human understanding and knowledge.”

Ellingson said not to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” simply because AI has a few unwanted traits.

English professor Geoff Bouvier said

the opposite — said he thinks AI is the beginning of the end of human creativity.

“I think the use of AI in creative endeavors is sad,” Bouvier said. “I think that technocrats putting their money into technology to replace talent is very sad.

Instead of using technology to replace the pencil pushers and the bean counters — there are a bunch of human jobs that no one wants to do that require zero creativity — but instead we’re trying to use AI to replace imagination and talent, which is absurd.”

AI-generated writing is easy to spot, as each student has their own style of writing that AI cannot mimic, Bouvier said.

“They either learned how to write with a standardized test and learned fiveparagraph essays and mastered the art of the generic ridiculous sounding, machine sounding essay, or they plugged it into ChatGPT. Easily spotted,” Bouvier said.

They either learned how to write with a standardized test and learned five-paragraph essays and mastered the art of the generic ridiculous sounding, machine sounding essay, or they plugged it into ChatGPT. Easily spotted.”

Geoff Bouvier English professor

Bouvier said professors who condone AI and claim it’s an important tool concern him.

“You come to a creative writing class, your writing is the product of your imagination, that is your human essence,” Bouvier said. “And to download that to a machine? It’s really an ethical issue. Professors who support the use of AI are essentially supporting plagiarism.”

Edwina Sesay, a student at VCU, said AI is often misused and taken advantage of.

“It has its advantages and at the same time it has its disadvantages because some students take advantage of the situation,” Sesay said. “They just copy and paste the answer without going through the steps, which is very harmful to their future.”

Garrett Crouse, a VCU student, said that teachers should take the lead with AI. “I know it’s helpful to some people,” Crouse said. “It could be better used if teachers tried to incorporate it themselves into class.”

Paula Yepez Hurtado, a VCU student, said AI can help people understand concepts, but work produced

by AI differs from human work.

“AI can help you in multiple ways, it can help you understand more concepts,” Yepez Hurtado said. “It shows that it’s something made up by a computer, and it’s not the same as from just a human brain.”

Wed. January 31, 2024

5

Stat of the week

VCU fourth-year guard Joe Bamisile had a game-high 25 points in the 74-67 win against Loyola Chicago, according to VCU Athletics.

VCU beats Loyola Chicago in a highly physical Atlantic 10 match-up ANDREW MCGHAN Contributing Writer

VCU second-year center Christian Fermin celebrates after a dunk against Loyola Chicago. Photo by Andrew Hill.

VCU men’s basketball defeats Loyola University Chicago in a 74-67 victory in the Siegel Center on Jan. 23.

With the win, VCU improves to 4-2 in conference play and their win streak jumps to four wins in a row, according to VCU Athletics.

The game was very physical with both teams having players in foul trouble.

T h e R a m s c om b a t e d Loyola’s physicality by trying to play without taking too many dribbles when attacking on offense, according to VCU head coach Ryan Odom.

“Just try not to play off the bounce,” Odom said.

“When you have it on the ground already and while they’re guarding you, it’s really hard to get away from them.”

The beginning of the first half was a physical battle where players from both teams missed shots, were blocked or simply turned the ball over.

It was a defensive clinic where both team’s offenses didn’t look pretty.

At the 16-minute mark of the first half, VCU fourth-year Joe Bamisile, second-year Toibu “Tobi” Lawal and first-year Michelle Belle subbed into the game.

The game started with Loyola winning the tipoff, and the first basket was not made until the 18-minute mark when Loyola first-year Miles Rubin scored a driving layup, according to Statbroadcast.

After the substitution, VCU went on to 15-9 before the next media timeout was called with Joe Bamisile contributing six of the 15 points, making the score 19-13, according to Statbroadcast.

Coming out of the media timeout, Loyola started to claw away at the VCU lead and by the six-minute mark, Loyola took the lead, according to Statbroadcast.

Once Loyola took the lead they went on a 8-2 run.

Loyola took the ball out on the left sideline with 30 seconds remaining in the first half and VCU graduate student Kuany Kuany stole the ball.

Kuany then passed the ball up to Bamisile who caught it and scored a threepoint buzzer-beater.

Bamisile said his teammate graduate student Sean Bairstow told him earlier in the game to look to shoot more threes.

“Sean was actually telling me a couple plays earlier that I need to seek the open three when they fully tuck in, and my moment came and shot it,” Bamisile said.

When Bamisile scored that buzzer beater the Siegel Center erupted with cheer.

The crowd really helped the team win back some momentum in the first half, according to Odom.

“Just another great atmosphere here at Siegel, really thankful for the crowd in their ability to give us a boost,” Odom said.

At halftime, the score was Loyola 36 and VCU 33, according to Statbroadcast.

The second half started as physical as the first half, with both teams playing hard on defense to the point where no one could make a shot.

At the six-minute mark, Bamisile stole the ball and scored a layup and a shooting foul was called on Loyola second-year Jayden Dawson, according to Statbroadcast. VCU went on a six-to-one run with momentum going VCU’s way.

In the closing three minutes, VCU had the ball as the shot clock winded down.

Kuany received a pass, scored a threepointer and fouled. Kuany completed the four-point play, which ended up being the game-sealing play. The final score was VCU 74 and Loyola 67.

Bamisile and Kuany were the two leading scorers for the Rams, according to Statbroadcast. Bamisile had 25 points off of a 52% field goal percentage, and Kuany had 16 points off of a 71% field goal percentage.

Kuany scored 16 points, a season-high, and only missed two shots, according to Statbroadcast.

Kuany said the practices and preparation leading up to the game helped him be able to make plays for his team.

“I think it goes with practice. We all prepare for these moments and then taking the right shots,” Kuany said. “We’re turning down good shots for great shots, and those great shots happened to be in my hand a couple of times today.”

The VCU Rams will face the University of Richmond at home for the Capital City Classic on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 4 p.m.

6

The Commonwealth Times

Rams dominate in double-header KYLER GILLIAM Contributing Writer

VCU second-year Emma Valletta awaits a serve from a GMU in her singles match.

Photo by Andrew Hill.

VCU third-year Yelizaveta Karlova and VCU second-year Emma Valletta shake hands with GMU fourth-years Emily Wirt and Jenin Alasadi prior to their doubles match.

Photo by Andrew Hill.

VCU third-year Yelizaveta Karlova awaits a serve from a GMU player.

Photo by Andrew Hill.

The VCU women’s tennis team had a dominant day, winning both of their matches against the North Carolina Central University Eagles and George Mason Universit y Patriots in a doubleheader on Friday, Jan. 26.

The two victories put VCU’s spring season record at 4-0 and it is their third straight win where they have swept the opposing team, according to VCU Athletics.

VCU head coach Vivian Segnini praised the team’s consistency during this dominant run.

“Every day when they come here, to fight and to have a good attitude and have that consistency, and I think the results are showing that they are able to do it,” Segnini said.

The day started off with a match against NCCU where the Rams won all three doubles matches.

The first doubles match to conclude was a match between VCU third-year Anja Draskovic and first-year Tania Isabel Andrade Sabando and NCCU fourth-year Isabelle Exsted and first-year Maria Gabriela Mejia Arenas, which saw a 6-1 victory for the Rams, according to VCU Athletics.

Draskovic stressed how integral it is to build connection and chemistry for double matches with a young team.

“Most of the girls are new and freshman, so it’s really important just to get that connection, especially during doubles,” Draskovic said.

VCU third-year Yelizaveta Karlova and second-year Emma Valletta defeated NCCU third-year Kennedy Hill and second-year Candice Bernier 6-2 to clinch the doubles point for VCU, according to VCU Athletics.

The last doubles match to conclude was when VCU first-years Tiziana Rossini and Emma Rizzetto beat NCCU second-year Alejandra Hidalgo Vega and first-year Patricia Palencia 5-3, according to VCU Athletics.

The Rams were up 1-0 in the overall score before the singles matches started.

Rizzetto claimed victory in the first match to conclude when she defeated Palencia 6-2 in both sets, according to VCU Athletics.

The second match to conclude saw Rossini defeat Exsted 6-0 in the first set and 6-2 in the second set, according to VCU Athletics.

VCU’s fourth overall point and win was clinched by Valletta when she defeated Hill 6-1 in the first set and 6-2 in the second, according to VCU Athletics.

Draskovic then defeated Bernier in the fifth match to conclude, winning both sets 6-4, according to VCU Athletics.

Karlova defeated Hidalgo Vega 6-3 in the first set and 7-6 (4) in the second, according to VCU Athletics.

The last single match to conclude was between VCU first-year Mariam Ibrahim and Mejia Arenas, which saw the firstyear winning both sets 6-2, according to VCU Athletics.

VCU won their first match against NCCU 7-0, according to VCU Athletics.

Segnini said she felt like her team was prepared for this double header due to their practice regime.

“They’re used to practicing a lot and

playing a lot of matches, so this was not new for them,” Segnini said.

VCU’s second match of the day came against GMU at 6 p.m. This was the team’s first action against an A-10 opponent in the spring season.

The Rams started off hot, winning all of their double matches against the Patriots.

The first double match to conclude was the team of Ibrahim and Draskovic defeating the team of GMU third-year Dana Edson and first-year Cenan Liu 6-0, according to VCU Athletics.

The second match to conclude was between the team of Rossini and Rizzetto battling the team of GMU third-year Lauren Splett and first-year Brooklyn Siegel. The first-year duo would win the set 6-0, clinching the doubles point for VCU, according to VCU Athletics.

Karlova and Valletta defeated GMU fourth-years Emily Wirt and Jenin Alasadi 6-4 in the last doubles match to conclude, according to VCU Athletics.

Karlova defeated Wirt in two straight 6-0 sets to give VCU’s first singles point, capping off an impressive day for the reigning A-10 performer of the week, according to VCU Athletics.

Karlova is trying to handle the expectations of receiving an award like that.

“Big expectations from everyone, but I’m just trying to stay there, stay focused and enjoy the game,” said Karlova.

Draskovic then defeated GMU graduate student Ruju Chauhan 6-1 in both sets, according to VCU Athletics.

Segnini was prevalent during Draskovic’s single match, and the thirdyear said she knows how important it is to have her coach’s support.

“I like just to get support during my matches,” Draskovic said. “She shows that somebody is there to support you after every point and just to make sure that you’re focused.”

The third singles match to conclude saw Ibrahim defeat Edson 6-1 in the first set and 6-2 in the second set. Her victory clinched the win for the Rams, putting the team up 4-0 in the overall score, according to VCU athletics.

Valletta gained another point for the Rams in her victory against Liu, defeating her 6-1 in the first set and 6-3 in the second set, according to VCU athletics.

Rizzetto then defeated Splett 6-0 in the first set and 6-1 in the second set clinching VCU’s last official point. The final official score was 6-0, according to VCU athletics.

Rossini played a one-set unofficial match against GMU second-year Maitree Diksha Rout, Rossini would win the match 6-3 with all of the support of her teammates watching on.

Even though this team is accumulated from talent across the world, the team connection is strong and is recognized by the players, according to Karlova.

“We never knew each other before, it’s just crazy that we bonded this well,” said Karlova.

VCU won every set they played on the 26th, and a total of six sets ended in a 6-0 victory, according to VCU Athletics.

The Rams’ next match will be on the road against the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 11 a.m.

Wed. January 31, 2024

VCU’s men’s basketball will face the University of Richmond Spiders in the Capital City Classic on Feb. 3 here at the Siegel Center.

The CT Sports staff chose their notable players for this matchup.

Richmond Spiders

VCU Rams ALEXIS WASHINGTON Contributing Writer

Jordan King - The Spiders are led by their fourth-year guard Jordan King. King leads the Spiders in points per game with 19.0, according to ESPN. King is an efficient scorer, having a field goal percentage of 47.7%, according to ESPN. King also shoots a high percentage from the three-point line, shooting 42.0% from behind the arc, according to ESPN. King is coming off a 32-point performance in a win against George Washington University.

That was King’s third 30-point game of the season, King has the most 30-point games in a season for a Richmond Spider since the 2016-17 season, according to Richmond Athletics.

Richmond’s recent success can be attributed to King’s offensive performances. The Spiders will need King to produce on the offensive side to pick up a victory against the Rams.

Joe Bamisile - The six-footfour-inch fourth-year guard Joe Bamisile is an explosive threelevel scorer, according to VCU Athletics. Bamisile’s ability to shoot behind the arc has been a key part of VCU’s winning streak. He made seven threepoint shots against St. Louis on Friday, Jan. 19, according to VCU Athletics. On that same night, he scored a career-high of 29 points. Bamisile returned the next game and put up another 20 points against Loyola Chicago, according to VCU Athletics. He averages 13.5 points and three rebounds this season, according to ESPN. This athleticism is nothing new to Bamisile, he is a veteran transfer who has played in more than 60 college games, according to VCU Athletics. He was out during the first half of the season due to his eligibility being denied but has made his mark on the court.

VIOLET VELASQUEZ Contributing Writer

HAYDEN BRAUN Contributing Writer

Isaiah Bigelow - The Richmond Spiders acquired graduate student Isaiah Bigelow in the 2022-23 season as he transferred from Wofford College in South Carolina. This six-foot-seveninch forward fit right into the Spiders’ program as he ranked second in the A-10 for defensive rebound percentage, and ninth in the A-10 with 5.9 defensive rebounds per game. He also led Richmond in points scored off the bench scoring 234 points, according to ESPN. This season Bigelow is maintaining offensive dominance shooting .451 from the field and .845 from the foul line, according to ESPN.

Max Shulga - The six-footfour-inch fourth-year guard is currently leading VCU with an average of 14.7 points per game and is top three in rebounds and assists on the team. Shulga has a very elite free throw percentage at 86.3%. He has the most three-pointers scored and attempted with a 38.7 three-point percentage on the season, according to ESPN. Max Shulga is certainly a key player to VCU’s success and is going to need all that and more against the Richmond Spiders who are on a nine-game winning streak, according to Richmond Athletics.

VCU VS. RICHMOND

KYLER GILLIAM Contributing Writer

SCOUTING REPORT:

GAME RESULTS

JANUARY 21

WOMEN’S TENNIS VS. UPENN WON 7-0

JANUARY 23 MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. LOYOLA CHICAGO WON 74-67

JANUARY 24 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. DAYTON WON 73-62

JANUARY 26 WOMEN’S TENNIS VS. NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL WON 7-0

WOMEN’S TENNIS VS. GEORGE MASON WON 6-0

JANUARY 27 MEN’S TENNIS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE WON 4-3

MEN’S BASKETBALL AT DAVIDSON WON 63-58

JANUARY 28 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AT GEORGE MASON LOST 60-47

MEN’S TENNIS VS. ARIZONA STATE LOST 4-3

JANUARY 30 MEN’S BASKETBALL AT ST. BONAVENTURE LOSS 67-62

Illustration by Killian Goodale-Porter.

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MALACHI KEYS Contributing Writer University of Oklahoma transfer Joe Bamisile has been just what the doctor ordered for VCU’s Men’s basketball team.

VCU is the fourth stop for the fourthyear six-foot-four guard out of Monacan High School in Chesterfield.

“He is one of the hardest working kids that I have ever coached,” said Monocan head coach RJ Spelsberg. “He brought energy to practice and games. He was always smiling and a super teammate and never pouted when taken out of games. He was mature way beyond his age in high school.”

In his first game at Monocan, Bamisile scored a school-record of 53 points. During his high school tenure, Bamisile was firstteam all-region, and first-team all-state and led the state in scoring at about 29 points per game according to Spelsberg.

“Joe could shoot the three and finish at the rim in high school,” said Spelsberg. “He was strong and explosive. He put in extra work behind the scenes that most high school kids do not. That’s what separated him from the rest.”

After brief stints with Virginia Tech, George Washington University, and the University of Oklahoma, Bamisile said he wanted to switch it up again and return home.

Although Bamisile grew up just 25 miles outside VCU’s campus, the fourthyear said he did not foresee the Rams as a destination in his younger years.

“Growing up, I never thought I would go to VCU,” said Bamisile. “Now it is cool to be back home and appreciate VCU in a way that I did not before. I’m really happy I got the opportunity to be from here and play here.”

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, d u e t o N CA A regulations and restrictions, Bamisile could not participate in the season’s first 10 games.

Before Bamisile was able to compete, the VCU men’s basketball team started 5-5.

Since Bamisile has been activated for the season, the team has been 8-2.

VCU head coach Ryan Odom has seen the team’s improvement and recognizes Joe’s contributions to the team.

“Joe fits exactly what we wanted not only as a basketball player but also as a person and a student,” said VCU head coach Ryan Odom. “He is an amazing worker. He is committed to doing his best way before the games. His preparation every day, his ability to stay ready in an uncertain situation was remarkable.”

VC U h a s w o n their last 5 consecutive games with the fourthyear contributing heavily on the court. In the last three games alone, the veteran has averaged about 21 points per game.

With VCU more than halfway through their season, the Rams will need Bamisile’s contributions as they enter A-10 play, go on to the conference tournament and potentially beyond. Luckily, the Richmond area native said he feels he can play his style of basketball at VCU. “I am in a position where coach Odom empowers me to be myself and be an aggressive scorer. My teammates look for me whenever I am open,” said Bamisile.

“Overall from top to bottom, I feel empowered to play how I play.”

Photo by Kobi McCray.

Player Profile:

Joe Bamisile returns home to play for the Rams

Wed. January 31, 2024

On this day

Today in 1919, Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the U.S., was born.

ART CENTER CONNECTS ARTISTS WITH THE COMMUNITY, WORKS TO INSPIRE

SAMANTHA GRANADOS Contributing Writer The sound of live music and socialization filled the air as attendees and artists gathered at Art Works for its 4th Friday Art Show opening ceremony on Jan. 26.

The event debuted four new exhibitions that will continue through Feb. 17, according to the Art Works website. This past 4th Friday included the “Simply Photography” exhibition, a juried exhibition by J. Molina-Garcia, two solo shows by Wendy Nelson and Grace Whitley and the monthly “All Media Show.”

Art Works launches four to six new exhibitions from different artists every fourth Friday of the month, according to Jessie Boyland, the gallery director of Art Works. The public is invited to come and meet the artists to talk about their work while enjoying live music and refreshments. The monthly events are free and start at 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Art Works, a full-service art center located in Manchester, is committed to being a community-centered resource for both artists and art enthusiasts, according to Boyland. In addition to the exhibitions offered, the art center includes 82 artist studios and they also host classes, workshops, mentorship programs and internships.

“We really try to plug into all the different ways that we can be a resource for artists and art lovers,” Boyland said.

The goal of these art galleries and exhibitions is to connect the artist with the community, according to Boyland.

Art Works hopes the art lovers who attend 4th Friday think it’s exciting to be able to meet the artists and tour the studios.

“Hopefully people are inspired to make art or think about things in a new way,” Boyland said. “The purpose of art in general is to make people think.”

Art Works hopes events like this give both upcoming and established artists the chance to receive recognition for their work and even make a sale, Boyland said.

The art center strives to assist its artists every step of the way, whether it’s dealing with the placement of a piece or promoting exhibitions on social media.

Molina-Garcia was selected as the juror for the “Simply Photography” exhibition as they have over a decade of artistic experience creating art that restores the spiritual life of queer and Latin American communities, according to Molina-Garcia.

She specifically focuses on the diasporic communities of Central America and El Salvador in the United States.

Photographers submitted their work for the “Simply Photography” exhibition in an open call-for-entries. Different pieces were then selected by Molina-Garcia for first, second and third-place cash prizes, according to Molina-Garcia.

When reviewing the photographs submitted, Molina-Garcia focused on correcting a common social misunderstanding about photography, she said. People can mistakenly believe it is death-oriented, fixating on capturing a frozen moment entombing the past. However, Molina-Garcia believes each time a new observer sees an image it changes them, as photographs speak to a viewer.

Wendy Nelson, a featured wildlife and animal photographer in one of the current

Art Work’s 4th Friday Art Show on Jan. 26 debuted four new exhibitions.

Photos by Anthony Duong.

exhibitions, focused her pieces on black cats to challenge the misconception that they are bad luck, she said.

Rather than a simple picture, she captures the mood, excitement and passion of these cats, according to Nelson. She enjoys hearing what attendees interpret from her artwork because they often surprise her by seeing things differently than what she expects; it gives her a chance to look through other perspectives.

Nelson appreciates the variety of exhibitions at Art Works, she said.

“It’s giving people the opportunity to really not only get their own work seen but to view other people’s work and to get inspired and interested in art of all different types,” Nelson said.

Sydne Moseley, an attendee who has lived in Richmond her entire life, believes Manchester has become a lot more diverse in recent years and considers it to be the more “artsy” area of Richmond, she said.

She believes Art Works’ exhibitions are captivating and has considered renting out a studio space for herself.

Moseley also enjoys how Art Works is open for everybody and how artists’ voices can be heard, helping them get on their feet in the art scene, she said.

“I think our main goal is just spreading awareness that we’re there and inviting people to come and letting them know that we make it really accessible,” Boyland said.

Art Works is open from Tuesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free admission, according to the Art Works website. A calendar of Art Works’ current and upcoming events can be found on its website.

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Shirlene Obuobi, M.D. will share her lecture “Narrative Medicine and Identity” at James Cabell Branch Library on Feb. 6. Photo courtesy of Emily Fisher.

ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH

LECTURE PROVIDES ‘TOOLS TO A BETTER FUTURE’ SOFIA HUSSAIN Contributing Writer

T

he James Branch Cabell Library at VCU will host their annual Black History Month lecture on Feb. 6 at 7 p.m., bringing a fresh and singular voice presenting the emerging field of graphic medicine, according to the VCU libraries website.

Shirlene Obuobi, M.D., a GhanaianAmerican physician and cartoonist, will deliver her lecture “Narrative Medicine and Identity” at VCU Library’s annual Black History Month Lecture, according to the VCU libraries website. Her comics focus on the challenges of being a GhanaianAmerican woman in medicine as well as the stresses of facing medical school.

Obuobi creates comics that provide healthcare knowledge for an audience with various literary skills, she said.

“It’s important to me in my work to give my patients as much access to healthcare knowledge as possible,” Obuobi said. “I specifically like to write fiction and comics to educate people across literacy levels — I think it’s very efficient and effective.”

Her lecture will highlight the importance of patients’ knowledge and advocacy, according to Obuobi.

“If you’re a patient, you deserve to understand your condition and advocate for yourself,” Obuobi said. “A lot of my work is advocacy, I draw attention to issues that are not talked about in practice.”

Obuobi hopes her use of comics can inspire individuals pursuing medicine not

to discard elements of personal significance during their medical journey, she said.

Comics play an important role in the medical narrative, said Grace Gipson, assistant professor in the Department of African American Studies at VCU. “It opens multiple doors for people to learn something new,” Gipson said.

Obuobi shows unique ways to dive into different networks without leaving the field of medicine, Gipson said.

“The library is offering a chance for everybody to participate in gaining this knowledge, not only a selective group,” Gipson said.

Gipson said she hopes that the yearly lectures can create conversation for the campus to continue building on the topic of Black history.

There is always something to learn from the annual lectures, said Clyde Ledbetter, assistant professor in the Department of African American Studies at VCU. The meaning behind Black History Month often gets lost, and it is important to know what we need to prioritize when organizing the annual lectures, according to Ledbetter.

“People need to get a more thorough understanding of what Black History Month is,” Ledbetter said. “We can see what in African American history can give us lessons to make sense of the period we are in now and give us the tools to a better future.”

Registration is free and online; the lecture can be viewed in person or on Zoom.

Wed. January 31, 2024

‘EVOKE SPIRIT OF CALM’: Market features self-care products SALMA ESCOTO Contributing Writer Outdoors on a rainy day, small businesses selling self-care products lined up around the Main Line Brewery.

The Self Care Sunday Market hosted by Artisan Events occurred at the Main Line Brewery on Sunday, Jan. 28, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., where small local businesses set up tents to sell artisan products based on the market’s theme of self-care.

The Artisan Events company plans various themed events every month. This event’s theme was based on self-care, according to Morgan Sharrett, the founder of the Self Care Sunday Market.

The theme of self-care came from the idea of New Year’s resolutions, according to Sharrett. This is the first market of the new year and it’s the best time for the theme of self-care and self-improvement, she said.

Along the theme of self-care, Sharrett had her own vision for the market.

“Purchasing something for you — for yourself. That’s gonna make you feel good,” said Sharrett.

Vendors based their products around the theme of self-care, such as essential oils, jewelry and candles, according to Sharrett.

Keona Sweeden is the founder of Aroma Bar, an essential oils brand that she started on Etsy. Sweeden’s view on self-care is based on routine, she said.

Sweeden learned the importance of a self-care routine from running a homemade essential oil business. She implements selfcare in her daily life by utilizing essential oils and aromatherapy in her nighttime routine, she said.

“Essential oils — they just wow, they evoke spirit of calm,” Sweeden said.

Aromatherapy is one of the ways that she implements self-care into her daily routine and chooses to use it for combating anxiety, Sweeden said.

There was an abundance of homemade natural products that emphasized the selfcare aspect of the market, according to Christina Hague, the founder of Essentially Chris. Hague sold essential oils with all-

natural ingredients that wouldn’t irritate sensitive skin or those with allergies.

“I want to just make sure that I have a product for everyone that walks up to me,” Hague said.

Hague wants everyone to be able to experience the calm that essential oils bring without worrying about allergic reactions, she said.

Hague offers the service of custommade oil blends for the needs and ailments of customers, such as athletes or those who suffer from migraines and asthma, she said.

Kristine Laura, founder of Kape Lola, gave out coffee samples from the Philippines at the market.

Coffee is a form of self-care since it can help someone start the day refreshed and ready to go, Laura said. A warm cup of coffee is how Laura experiences and shares self-care with customers.

“It keeps you warm, and you relax while you drink coffee. It makes you feel good and it wakes you up in the morning,” Laura said.

Attendees Hayden Roberts and Heather Tarr found out about the market via Facebook. The pair came in for a “girls’ day out” based on self-care, Roberts said.

Shopping for new products makes Roberts look forward to her self-care routine, she said.

The pair also said they enjoy the small local businesses available at the market.

Tarr especially enjoys browsing markets to support local businesses, she said Despite the gloomy and rainy weather, Roberts enjoyed walking around and checking out all of the self-care products available for sale. Roberts said it was a good way to do something fun and get out of the house.

“I think you always just need little moments in your day that you set aside for yourself,” Roberts said.

Tarr agreed that the market’s self-care theme during January, right after the New Year’s celebration, was at the right time.

She also enjoys a nice day to treat herself on a “girls’ day out” on the search for new products emphasizing self-care, she said.

Self-care products, jewelry and treats filled vendor booths at The Self Care Sunday Market at Main Line Brewery on Jan. 28. Photos by Kaitlyn Fulmore.

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ADVERTISEMENT

Wed. January 31, 2024

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Quote of the week

“Dr. Phil is hiding something. Otherwise, why wouldn’t he use his last name?”

— Gary Shandling

Humor:

PRODUCTIVE PROCRASTINATION

DYLAN HOSTETTER Opinions Editor “What is a productive procrastinator?” you ask? Well, seeing as how I consider myself the greatest productive procrastinator on this side of the Potomac, I feel that I have the authority to enlighten you.

One that productively procrastinates does not revel in a family-sized bag of wavy potato chips to delay their time away from a pressing assignment, but takes that time to tackle other important tasks.

Everyone on this Earth procrastinates at one time or another — it is a human reaction to external pressures. Hundreds of thousands of pounds of unfolded laundry lay on unmade beds this very second. MLA headings to academic essays sit lonesome atop a blank page on every college campus in the continental United States.

It is within the time between the inception and completion of these tasks that we true productive procrastinators do our best work. In the time that Mozart was

procrastinating his opera “Don Giovanni,” he taught his pet starling to sing. That right there is a role model.

Some people look down on serial procrastinators, saying they are just plain lazy, impatient and don’t know how to finish any task they start, but I would argue against that. I believe procrastinators are some of the most productive people on this Earth. To give you a further example, let me tell you about a recent day in my life.

Monday afternoon, in anticipation of a large illustration assignment I had been procrastinating, I sat down at my drawing board to brainstorm. Though, since no artscene-shattering ideas came to my mind immediately, I got a little antsy.

To ease my brain, I began to organize my paintbrushes — a productive act. That went well until I noticed one was slightly frayed, so I stopped organizing and set out immediately for the art store — I could finish it later.

I picked out the perfect paintbrush, but the line at the register was immense, and

as I stood there waiting I could begin to feel my skin crawl. I threw the brush to the ground and abandoned the line — after all, I could always buy one later.

Instead, I figured I would be productive and head somewhere a little more physically stimulating — the gym. Once there, the rock wall attracted me immediately.

As I climbed, I could not help but think the colorful hand-holds looked like little M&Ms sticking out of a fresh baked cookie.

That made me hungry, and I figured I could put off working out until later, so I dropped off the rock wall mid-climb.

Thankfully those two people were below me to break my fall, or I could have gotten seriously injured.

I figured I would reward all of my productive procrastination with some cookies of my own, so I headed back to my dorm. Once there, I realized that I did not have an oven to bake anything in, so I had to use the microwave instead.

As it turned out, putting raw cookie dough in the microwave for 40 minutes

does not yield the results you would expect.

I grabbed a towel to try to put out the flames, but my arms were already pretty tired from the rock wall so I let it be — I could always put the fire out later.

The good news is that all of this productive procrastination finally gave me an idea for my illustration. I was told that I received a good grade the next day but was sadly unable to attend class, as apparently burning down an entire dormitory and unhousing 2,000 students makes me liable for arson charges.

There’s no need to feel bad for me, as this is not the worst situation I have ever found myself in.

Once when studying abroad, I put off renewing my passport and as a result was stranded in a small Russian town for nearly four months. I did learn to make a mean kasha while I was there though, so — productivity!

Illustration by Arly Cardozo.

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2023: The year of divisive video game movies

Illustration by Abigail Gleeson.

RYAN HUMPHREY Contributing Writer You would have to be living under a rock to not have heard about either of the two biggest video game film adaptations of 2023. “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” were alike not only in their financial success but in their controversy, with each franchise’s fans upset with the unfavorable critical responses.

As someone who is — to some degree — a fan of these franchises, I would love to say that I was satisfied with the films, but sadly, I found myself more on the side of the critics.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” was the more positively received of the two, and for good reason — it has a love for the source material that shines through in every frame. I smiled every time I saw a character or heard a piece of music I recognized from the games, but unfortunately, all the references in the world can’t save it from a lackluster script.

With an unimaginative story that progresses at a breakneck pace for fear of losing the attention of the children in the audience, the film comes across as utterly devoid of substance. It’s not hard to think of a basic character arc for a Mario Bros. movie

— Mario learns to value Luigi’s help, and the kids in the audience learn to let their little siblings play with them — but the duo is split up for most of the runtime, and the film misses its chance to mine even basic emotional depth from its characters.

It was strange seeing adults so upset over mild criticism of a movie about Super Mario — particularly given the film’s clear disregard for them — but it wasn’t that strange. After all, kids who like Mario grow up to become adults who like Mario.

In the end, it just seems the movie rights should have been given to a studio more suited to making films that all ages enjoy.

That’s not to say that Illumination’s films are incapable of entertaining adults, but compared to their competition like Pixar or even Dreamworks, they come across as the most kid-centered.

The criticism of “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was more severe, with the film being lambasted for its weak plot and lack of scares. Despite the original creator’s involvement, the film seems unaware of the games’ biggest strength — the terror of being stuck in a single room and hunted by unkillable monsters.

Rather than monitoring the cameras until 6 a.m. when the murderous animatronics go back to sleep, our protagonist spends his

night shifts lounging around, sleeping on the job and having banal dreams where he talks to the ghosts possessing the machines.

The anxious solitude and quirky unease of the games are gone, leaving an overly self-serious plot that seems more devoted to explaining things to the audience than scaring them — likely in part due to the high number of young fans.

Many defended the movie by saying things along the lines of, “It gave the fans exactly what we wanted,” but if that’s true, I have a hard time telling what it is that they even like about the games. Video games are more than just collections of lore and character names — they have gameplay, and that gameplay should factor into the content of the movie. The film could have been something really fun and unique had it leaned into its video game origins instead of shunning them.

As fans, we should appreciate the work that went into these projects, but that doesn’t mean we should just accept whatever we are given. I didn’t go into these kids movies expecting masterpieces, but I at least hoped for things like basic character development and respect for the source material. I didn’t want just any adaptation. I wanted a good adaptation, and in this sense, critics of the films are advocating on my behalf.

To an extent, the controversy makes sense. If you’re a young fan having the seemingly once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing your favorite characters on the big screen, it’s easy to feel as though naysayers are just trying to spoil your fun. However, the sheer scale of the backlash took me by surprise.

With everyone being able to have their voice heard online, the divide between critics and audiences has gotten smaller and yet has become massively polarized.

Many hold bitter perceptions of critics as pompous elites trying to dictate what others are allowed to enjoy.

However, the truth is that critics are just people with their own opinions. They don’t have the power to deny you your enjoyment — nor do they have the power to erase these films’ financial success and incoming sequels, which are already major victories for satisfied fans.

Of course, critics sometimes have objectionable takes, but do we really need to argue every time the Rotten Tomatoes audience score differs from the critics’ score?

If you enjoyed these films, that’s great, and as long as you’re secure in your own opinions, no one can take that away from you. I say we give the war a rest.

Wed. January 31, 2024

THE CT STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR Peggy Stansbery stansberyp@commonwealthtimes.org

Reasonable Resolutions by Killian Goodale-Porter

MANAGING EDITOR Katie Farthing farthingk@commonwealthtimes.org COPY EDITOR Nevaeh Bouie bouien@commonwealthtimes.org NEWS EDITOR Jack Glagola news@commonwealthtimes.org SPORTS EDITOR Thai Wilson sports@commonwealthtimes.org SPECTRUM EDITOR Emily McCauley spectrum@commonwealthtimes.org OPINIONS EDITOR Dylan Hostetter opinions@commonwealthtimes.org PHOTO EDITOR Arrick Wilson photography@commonwealthtimes.org AUDIENCE EDITOR Andrew Kerley audience@commonwealthtimes.org

ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR Killian Goodale-Porter illustrations@commonwealthtimes.org STAFF WRITERS Bersabeh Kemaw

VCU STUDENT MEDIA CENTER DESIGN EDITOR Solimar Santoyo designerssmc@vcu.edu GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Solimar Santoyo Victor Romanko Olivia McCabe Gabriel Molina designerssmc@vcu.edu

Multiple Alarms by Olivia McCabe

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Jessica Clary claryj@vcu.edu CREATIVE MEDIA MANAGER Mark Jeffries mjeffries@vcu.edu BUSINESS MANAGER Owen Martin martinso@vcu.edu

ABOUT THE CT The Commonwealth Times is the award-winning independent student newspaper at VCU, since 1969.

The CT staff maintains all editorial and operations discretion. There is absolutely no prior review by the public, university or VCU Student Media Center administration or staff. The Executive Editor writes and manages the Operations Budget.

ADD YOUR VOICE The opinions pages of the CT are a forum open to the public. Contributions are welcome by email to Dylan Hostetter, by mail or in-person at 817 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23220. Opinions expressed are those of individual columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Commonwealth Times.

Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The CT staff.

The Commonwealth Times strives for accuracy in gathering news. If you think we have made an error, please email the appropriate section editor.

Corrections will appear on the news pages and/or online. One CT per person. Additional copies can be purchased at the Student Media Center for $1 each.

COPYRIGHT The Commonwealth Times is the award-winning, editorially independent student news source for Virginia Commonwealth University. All editorial content is determined and produced by students.

Opinions expressed in The Commonwealth Times are not necessarily those of the college. All content © 1968-2024 The Commonwealth Times. No part of The Commonwealth Times may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

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THAT’S AMORE

Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle

Los Angel es Ti mes Sunday Cr osswor d Puzzl e

By Gary Larson & Amy Ensz

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30 Dune plants Parseghian beam programsKazakh here!” lake 98 Close 36 Arboreal marsupial 118 Balder’s father 31 Scottish herders, 86 “If I Ruled the 108 Sealy rival 32 Island of French 40 Nouveau-Mexique, 37 Hypoallergenic 99 Self-referential 119 Legislative branch informally World” rapper 110 County officers Polynesia known for par exemple makeup brand 100 Eggy87 bunInfomercials, e.g. is mindful and of 33 Noble gas that’s that 113 Daughter black-sand beaches 41 Japanese wrestling 39 Bouillon __ Oscar 34 Language of 102 “Tár” 91 roughly 1% of theintrospective?

Gluttony, e.g.

Cronus and Rhea 42 Buddhistcentral who has 42 Leave everyone Blanchett Mexico nominee atmosphere 121 Bent116 One well-versed 93 Creeps in attained nirvana amazed?

104 Abate 122 “Middle Child” 38 “Programs! Git __ 35 __ gin fizz 96 Risk territory competition? palhere!”

47 Farm 36 female 107 Get-well program, rapper programs Arboreal marsupial 98 Close 118 Balder’s father43 Buzz Lightyear’s 44 Shade 49 Glissade garb 123 “Being 40tree Nouveau-Mexique,briefly99 Self-referential 37 Hypoallergenic 119the Legislative branch poem 50 Sushi rollmakeup topper brand Ricardos”that grain” roleis mindful 45 par exemple 109 “Waves 100 of Eggy bun andLaudatory 51 Tristan __ __ 124 Basilica areas color102 “Tár” Oscar Japanese wrestling 39and Bouillon introspective? 46 Cross41product 48 Tech startup?

52 Like much of 110 Takes off 125 Almond shade 42 Buddhist who has 42 Leave everyone nominee Blanchett 121 Bent Montana amazed? 126 “Shucks!”

111 Boneless cut attained nirvana 104 Abate 122 “Middle Child” 52 Actress Russo 53 “hehe” 54 Dworshak structure 112 Bygone blades 127 Labor agcy.

43 Buzz Lightyear’s pal 107 Get-well program, 47 Farm female rapper 56 Smacks 55 Gets a49move on garb slot 128 Vegetarian source 44 Shade tree 113 Carpentry Glissade briefly 123 “Being the 57 Legal50 term that roll topper of proteinRicardos” role58 With 62-Across, 114 Farm females 45 Laudatory poem Sushi 109 “Waves of grain” barbershop means mind” holder 129 Coarse 46 Cross product115 Tire swing 51“guilty Tristan and __ color 124file Basilica areas 60 Greets type off 48 Tech startup?117 12-point 52silently Like much of130 Conquers 110 Takes 125 Almond shade standard 59 DVR 52 button 62 See 58-Down 120 Winner all but cut Actress Russo Montana 111 ofBoneless 126 “Shucks!”

We 64 Broke54 off Dworshak from a three Olympic DOWN 53Light “hehe” structure 112 Bygone blades 127 Labor agcy. 61 “All the group55 Gets a move on1 Astrological women’s basketballslot ram 56 See” Smacks 113 Carpentry 128 Vegetarian sourceCannot novelist 66 Supermodel Banks 58 Anthony With 62-Across, championships: 57 Legal term that 2 Jollity of protein 114 Farm females maybe 67 In-house means water “guilty mind” Abbr.

3 Rock129 collector? barbershop 115 Tire swing holder Coarse file 63 Ring bearer, 65 Camera type, briefly 122 Indeed.com source? listingtype littleConquers standard 60 Greets silently 4 Very130 117 12-point 59 DVR button 62 See 58-Down 120 Winner of all but 61 “All the Light We 64 Broke off from a three Olympic DOWN Cannot See” group women’s basketball 1 Astrological ram championships: novelist Anthony 66 Supermodel Banks 2 Jollity Abbr.

63 Ring bearer, maybe 67 In-house water 3 Rock collector?

65 Camera type, briefly 122 Indeed.com listing source?

4 Very little

THAT’S AMORE

Level 1

2

3

THAT’S AMORE by Gary Larson &Patti AmyVarol Ensz Edited by

L os A ng el es Ti m es Sun day C ro ssw ord Pu zzl e Edited by Patti Varol

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4

Level

Sudoku

1 3

By The Mepham Group

3

4

Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) containsSolution to Monday’s puzzle every digit, 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

1/31/24

1/15/19 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, visit

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2

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

DIFFICULTY LEVEL 1

2

Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle

sudoku.org.uk

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