The Commonwealth Times; October 19, 2022

VCU alcohol violations plummeted, students switching to cannabis.

SELNA SHI Contributing Writer

ALCOHOL VIOLATIONS ON VCU CAMPUS HAVE decreased 93% within the past five years and a 72% decrease in liquor law referrals, according to VCU Police’s annual report released last month.

David Guevara, a freshman living in Gladding Residence Center, said cannabis is more popular than alcohol among students due to health reasons.

“Students smoke weed because it helps with anxiety and depression,” Guevara said. “Weed is also more accessible.”

Virginia recently legalized possession of one ounce of cannabis for adults over 21 in 2021, according to Virginia law.

VCU changed their approach in 2020 to respond to alcohol and drug violations in the dorms. Instead of dispatching a police officer, a housing staff member, such as a resident advisor, gives students violation referrals, according to Corey Byers, senior public relations for VCU Police.

“We believe change in the protocols impacted the data on alcohol-related infractions. This was about the same time that cannabis was decriminalized in Virginia,” Byers said. “There were also fewer students on campus during the pandemic was likely a factor, and comparisons for all the pandemic time periods’ data are not consistent with a regular academic year.”

Senior political science student Karen Dorgbadzi said the decriminalization of marijuana in Virginia has definitely allowed more students to have access to it.

“I don’t personally know anyone who buys from dispensaries, but most people have friends who are over 21 for access to alcohol or weed,” Dorgbadzi said.

Other Virginia schools — like James Madison University and Virginia Tech — have had alcohol violations increase within the past three years, according to their annual

VCU Liquor Law Arrests

University of Virginia had a consistent liquor law violation between 2019 and 2021, with 328 in 2019, 319 in 2020 and 325 in 2021, according to their annual security and fire report.

Matt Lovisa, director of Communications and Marketing in Student Affairs, said VCU prohibits the unlawful possession and use of marijuana since it is considered a controlled substance under the current alcohol and drugs policies of federal law.

The possession of paraphernalia such as “roach clips, bongs, pipes, blow tubes, bowls, and any type of water pipe is also prohibited,” according to the student code of conduct.

In VCU residential dorms, students who are over 21 are not allowed to possess or consume alcohol in common areas such as bathrooms and lobbies, but are allowed within their assigned room, according to Lovisa.

If an underage student is caught with alcohol or any student is caught with cannabis in their dorms, they’re required to dispose of the substance while a Resident Advisor, or RA, is present, according to Rhoads Hall RA Sanjana Davis. The student will receive a write up as a warning.

“Just don’t do it on the dorm premises, go somewhere else so RAs don’t have to write you up,” Davis said.

After the first write up, if the student violates the alcohol and drugs policy again, the issue will go to the student code of conduct, according to Davis.

Christina Tillery, first year graduate student studying counseling education, said students might prefer cannabis over alcohol due its after effects.

security and fire reports. In 2019, JMU had 30 liquor law violations and in 2021, it increased to 109. For Virginia Tech, the university had 532 liquor law violations

in 2019 and 631 in 2021.

JMU has about 60% of the undergraduate and graduate enrollment that Virginia Tech has for this fall.

“Weed is considered ‘non-addictive’ and more natural. People use it to self-medicate and there are no hangovers,” Tillery said.

VCU’s Monroe Park Campus has seen less alcohol violations over the last five years. Photo by Kaitlyn Fulmore

Infographic by Tess Wladar

IT COSTS OVER $150 TO SECURE A U.S. passport, according to the U.S. Department of State’s website — VCU is helping 50 students bypass that cost.

VCU received and matched a grant from the Institute of International Education’s American Passport Project to soon award 50 first-year students their first U.S. passport, according to Associate Vice Provost for Global Initiatives Jill Bowman.

The Global Education Office will identify eligible students and support them through the process of applying for their first-time passports during Passport Day, an on-campus passport application event on Oct. 28, according to the Global Education Office’s website.

“The cost can be daunting, and so to be able to take that away by providing the support in different ways, I think can really be a game changer for students and study abroad is a transformational

experience for students,” Bowman said.

The goal is to encourage students to “engage globally.” This includes looking into possible study abroad opportunities, finding an internship abroad, participating in an exchange program and other opportunities internationally, Bowman said.

Recipients of these passports are specifically part of the university’s TRIO program. TRIO is a federally funded program that supports undergraduate students by providing guidance and resources for first-generation, low-income and students with disabilities, according to director of Global Learning Stephanie Tignor.

“We’re just happy that this passport is going to raise awareness among this particular population that tends to be underrepresented in these kinds of experiences so that we can, hopefully, engage them in multiple ways over the time that they’re with us at VCU,” Tignor said.

LEARN HOW TO VOTE, WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER

JACK GLAGOLA Contributing Writer

ELECTION DAY IS COMING ON Nov. 8 — and VCU students have the day off.

VCU Votes co-chair Jacqueline Smith-Mason said this will give students more time to cast their ballot, as they won’t have to be late to or miss class. Students must have a vote plan and know where they’re registered, she said.

“For instance, if a student is registered to vote in Richmond, but lives outside of the City of Richmond and decides to go home because classes are canceled, they should vote early,” Smith-Mason said.

A vote plan includes knowing whether one will vote by mail or in-person, knowing their polling location or ballot drop box, how they will get there, and reviewing a sample ballot, according to Smith-Mason.

Students can log in to elections.virginia. gov to find voter registration and polling places. If students are registered to vote at

their campus address, they may vote in-person at the University Student Commons.

Early votes and absentee ballots are also available from the website. Absentee ballots must be submitted by Nov. 8.

Only one slate of candidates are on the students’ ballots this year, as there are no local elections taking place in Richmond.

The candidates are running for Virginia’s 4th Congressional District — which encompasses a swath of southeast Virginia from Richmond to Chesapeake.

Voter turnout for midterm elections are often lower than presidential elections, according to the Pew Research Center.

Young people are also less likely to vote, with roughly 56% of Virginians aged 18 to 29 voting in the 2020 election, according to Tufts University.

Stories of the week

national: Paul Flores has been found guilty of first-degree murder by a California jury in the 1996 murder of Kristin Smart.

international: The United Nations discuss aiding Haiti amidst humanitarian crisis.

Students to receive firsttime passport with new university grant

KATRINA LEE News Editor

VCU is one of the 40 universities selected to receive this grant, according to IIE lead Lindsay Calvert.

We recognize that some students might not even think about the opportunity to study abroad or going overseas or going outside of their country, because of just the cost of a U.S passport.”

Lindsay Calvert , IIE lead

IIE is a global not-for-profit that designs and implements international education strategies and program services, according to the organization’s website

One of the main goals of this project is to alleviate the very first obstacle students face when thinking of studying abroad, Calvert said.

Universities eligible for this grant must be a member of IIE and submit a grant proposal to the organization to be selected, according to Calvert.

“Finances can be a barrier for students at any stage in their planning,” Calvert said. “We recognize that some students might not even think about the opportunity to study abroad or going overseas or going outside of their country, because of just the cost of a U.S. passport.”

VIRGINIA’S 4TH DISTRICT HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE

DONALD MCEACHIN, is the incumbent Democratic representative for the 4th Congressional District. McEachin has been in office since 2016. He leads the United for Climate and Environmental Justice Congressional Task Force and is a member of numerous House committees, according to his website.

He is running on a progressive platform focusing on environmental and equity issues, according to his website.

LEON BENJAMIN , is the

Republican challenger for Congress. He previously served in the United States Navy and is a pastor at New Life Harvest Church, according to his website.

He is running on a conservative platform focusing on constitutional and crime issues. He has also been endorsed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, according to his website. Benjamin ran against McEachin last election cycle and lost.

Illustration by Killian Goodale-Porter

Stat of the week

Freshman leads women’s soccer in goals

“I love the experience here, I love all my coaches and I think that’s really important that you are surrounded by people and teammates that you love, want to be here for, and play for,” Sarver said. “Off the field I have so many friends here and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”

Relationships and bonds help the team play as a collective, pushing the team towards success, Sarver said.

“I feel the chemistry I’ve developed with my teammates off the field helps me on the field by translating that bond in the way we play with each other,” Sarver said.

VCU junior Anna Bagley said Sarver’s abilities have improved the team over all by providing motivation.

“Kendyl has had a dream of a freshman year so far, obviously a very good player. But the thing that separates her from the rest is her mindset,” Martin said. “I’ve rarely, if ever, coached a freshman like Kendyl. She brings energy and intensity, this competitive edge to the way that she trains and performs every single day.”

Sarver’s personality has a direct correlation to her success, as well as the team’s success, Martin said.

“She’s confident in her own skin which makes her likable and a good teammate and I think that’s been really the X factor in her success this year,” Martin said. “She’s a great soccer player, but that confidence and mindset she brings is what really sets her apart from the rest.”

MARCUS WILSON Contributing Writer

VCU freshman midfielder Kendyl Sarver is a success on the soccer field, helping the women’s soccer team on their six-game win streak and leading the team in scoring with eight goals, according to VCU Athletics.

The pressure has not steered her off course, Starver said.

“It’s just a huge motivator to know that I’m being recognized for something, but it’s also recognition for my team,” Sarver said. “I love getting the recognition, but I definitely try to stay focused on our collective as a team.”

Sarver received the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week award consecutively with her performances against the University of Pittsburgh on Sept. 8, as well as A-10 counterpart St. Bonaventure University on Sept. 22, according to VCU Athletics.

“Kendyl has been a burst of energy, as a freshman com ing onto this team,” Bagley said. “She’s done what any newcomer wants to do when coming onto a team. Humble, but confident in her abilities. She has pushed the entire team and made us all better.”

Sarver’s talent has also been seen as something that will open the doors for future team success, Bagley said.

“Having Kendyl is even more dangerous for us because when other teams see how talented she is, they’re going to guard Kendyl a little bit more and that just opens up opportunities for other players to score,” Bagley said.

VCU head coach Lindsey Mar tin said she noticed Sarver’s abilities from early summer training and is not surprised by the talent Sarver is displaying to help the Rams win.

pick of the week

THAILON WILSON Staff Writer

For this week’s CT Sports pick of the week, I have the Los Angeles Clippers defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the Los Angeles’ teams first matchup of the season on Thursday, Oct. 20.

The Clippers went into the season regarded as one of the most all around balanced teams in the league, but it added some pieces which include former NBA All-Star John Wall, as well as a rotational center in Moses

Brown, according to CBS Sports.

The Lakers added some pieces by signing Dennis Schröder and Patrick Beverley, according to CBS Sports. These additions will add more depth to the lineup for sure, but it doesn’t change their defensive liabilities and overall guard play by a significant margin.

While the Lakers have LeBron James and a potentially healthy Anthony Davis, their struggles on the offensive boards and guard play with Russell Westbrook will be hard to cover up. Davis and James

will have to play at a high level on both sides of the floor, and with James’s age and Davis’s health issues, I do not know if that is possible.

The Clippers were able to sweep the Lakers in the regular season last year, according to the NBA. This was without Kawhi Leonard the entire season.

The Clippers should be able to handle the Lakers with a healthy Leonard and Paul George, along with a well-balanced roster.

VCU freshman midfielder Kendyl Sarver dribbles the ball against a defender in a game against University of North Carolina Greensboro on Aug. 28.

Photo by Alessandro Latour

VCU freshman midfielder Kendyl Sarver looks to score against the defense in a game against University of Pittsburgh on Sept. 8. Photo by Alessandro Latour

VCU women’s soccer won its sixth consecutive game on Sunday, Oct. 18, defeating Fordham University 4-2, according to VCU Athletics.

Men’s basketball opens up the season with annual scrimmage

while Baldwin had 15 points and six assists. Rhoades said DeLoach’s offseason has led him to become an offensive force for the Rams,

“He’s in the best shape of his life and he’s gotten stronger,” Rhoades said. “JJ [DeLoach] has done a great job. He had a great summer. You see his ability, and he has very good basketball IQ and good feel.”

Redshirt sophomore Jamir Watkins played for the first time in over a year after tearing his ACL, according to VCU Athletics. Watkins had 10 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes of play.

“He’s a wing with great ability, great size, nose for the ball. He can make threes like you saw today. He put the ball on the floor and can challenge guys at the rim. He’s tough,” Rhoades said. “He gives us a great spark. We sure could have used them last year, that’s for sure.”

Freshmen forward Toibu “Tobi” Lawal, forward Christian Fermin, forward Obinnaya Okafor and forward Alphonzo “Fats” Billups III all participated in the scrimmage. Lawal, a London, England native stood out by earning 10 points and two blocks, along with many rim-grazing dunks.

Lawal has the ability to be a great versatile player for the black and gold in the future, Rhoades said.

“He’s got a lot of great potential and upside — he plays really hard. He’s just, you know, super athletic,” Rhoades said. “I like to say it’s coaching, but it’s not when you have a guy like him that can go after the ball, and just pursue the basketball and block shots so he can be a really good player for us.”

GAME RESULTS

OCTOBER 11

GOLF - AT PURDUE PURDUE FALL INVITATIONAL 8TH OUT OF 15

MEN’S SOCCER - AT NORTH CAROLINA LOST 1-0

OCTOBER 13

WOMEN’S SOCCER - VS. LOYOLA CHICAGO WON 1-0

OCTOBER 14

WOMEN’S FIELD HOCKEY - AT MASSACHUSETTS LOST 2-1

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL - VS. DAYTON LOST 3-1

OCTOBER 15

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY- AT XC23 INVITATIONAL 8TH OUT OF 9 Charlottesville, Virginia

The VCU men’s basketball team debuted its new team on Saturday, Oct. 15 in the annual black and gold scrimmage, highlighted by high-flying dunks and new basketball members.

VCU head coach Mike Rhoades said he expected mistakes in the scrimmage but was happy with the outcome of the game.

“I knew we’d have to watch a couple things today that will be corrected on Monday, but I thought they really competed and tried to play the right way most of the time,” Rhoades said. “There’s a lot of excitement. There’s a lot of good pieces out there.”

The format of the game was different this year with junior guard Adrian “Ace” Baldwin Jr. and sophomore guard Jayden Nunn being team captains. Nunn was the team captain for VCU Gold and Baldwin was the team captain for VCU Black. Both team captains drafted their own rosters, according to a VCU basketball tweet.

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Gold defeated Black 55-50. VCU graduate forward Brandon Johns Jr. led Gold with 13 points and four rebounds, while sophomore Nunn also had 12 points and three assists.

Johns, who transferred to the university this offseason, was all over the court for the team. Rhoades said having John’s mentality has been great for the team.

“He’s been so much fun to coach since the day he got here. Positive energy, so into it, loves VCU,” Rhoades said. “You would have thought he’s here for four years. Pretty cool, but when he gets on the court, he can play.”

Sophomore forward Jalen DeLoach led Black with 18 points and six rebounds,

The Rams were picked third to win in a preseason poll of A-10 coaches and media members, according to VCU Athletics. Baldwin was named to the preseason first team, while Nunn was also named to the preseason third team, according to the A-10 website. It should be an interesting new season for the Rams.

The Rams will officially start their regular season with an exhibition game on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. against Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. The game will be played at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. For ticket information, visit vcuathletics.com.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL - VS. DAYTON WON 3-1

MEN’S SOCCER - AT DAYTON LOST 1-0

OCTOBER 16

WOMEN’S SOCCER - AT FORDHAM WON 4-2

WOMEN’S FIELD HOCKEY - VS. PROVIDENCE

WON 4-2

OCTOBER 18

GOLF - AT LITTLE ROCK 2ND OUT OF 16 Little Rock Invitational

VCU sophomore guard Jayden Nunn dribbles the ball against defense. Photo by Guy Enkh

1. VCU sophomore guard Jayden Nunn shoots free throw shots at the line.

Photo by Guy Enkh

VCU redshirt sophomore guard Jamir Watkins dribbles past defender.

Photo by Guy Enkh

3. VCU freshman forward Toibu ‘Tobi’ Lawal looks to score against the defense.

Photo by Guy Enkh

ARRICK WILSON Sports Editor

On this day

The 2018 ‘Halloween’ film reboot, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, makes a record $77 million for a horror film with a female lead.

PODCAST FESTIVAL OFFERS TWO DAYS OF LIVE TALKS, EXHIBITIONS

CHLOE HAWKINS Spectrum Editor

People from a variety of different backgrounds and ages attended multiple workshops, guest talks and art exhibitions at Richmond’s first podcast festival from Oct. 14-15 at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU.

Virginia Public Media and the ICA hosted the RESONATE Podcast Festival. The idea of this festival was to supply the skills, education and resources needed for the production process of podcasting, according to VPM’s community engagement manager Terry Menefee Gau.

“What I’m hoping for personally is that this lets people tell stories from their own experiences and ideas,” Gau said.

This weekend-long event is the first podcast festival to happen in Richmond, according to Gau. She said Chioke I’Anson, the podcast festival’s host, reached out to VPM after needing funds to cover the production of this event.

“It’s gone beyond just a money partnership,” Gau said. “We became a partnership in ways that we haven’t with any

other organization in recent years.”

I’Anson said the best part of this event is that these guest speakers are professional podcasters who know how to be informative and entertaining on a microphone. I’Anson said he is very happy with how the event went — especially the first day.

“Every talk that happened … was very engaging, funny and impactful,” I’Anson said. “It’s the best-case scenario.”

I’Anson created this festival to answer all the frequently asked questions about podcasting in one single event, he said. These questions include how to edit, interview, market podcasts and negotiate podcast deals, according to I’Anson.

“We wanted to make something where you could come to it over the course of just a couple days, and find answers and resources to get started,” I’Anson said.

The exhibition “Standing Resonance” attached to the event is composed of three collective works: the summer camp alumni’s final projects, Brooklyn-based sound designer James T. Green’s artworks, and an interactive podcast called “The Secret’s Hotline” where strangers can anonymously call into the show to tell any secrets they have, according to I’Anson.

“We need to accept that podcasts can be

an artistic practice,” I’Anson said. “There’s been a long tradition of audio art, and we’re trying to add to that.”

The most important thing I’Anson wants this event to do is help people connect with one another and help spark creativity, he said.

“A lot of people have a desire, or passion and that has to be met with technical knowhows — that’s what RESONATE is doing,” I’Anson said.

People are interested in what this event will look like next year, or if it will happen at all, according to I’Anson. He said he hopes the ICA is able to facilitate an event like this again.

The first RESONATE podcast performer on Friday was Amanda Hickman, former interim director of the Association of Independents in Radio. The process of creating her talk started when a conversation with I’Anson began about how hard it is to find the resources to begin the podcasting journey, Hickman said.

“A lot of podcast 101 videos are clickbait, or lack information,” Hickman said. “So that was my mandate, to talk about the resources available to people.”

Hickman incorporates both the skills side of things, as well as the money-making

side in her talk, according to Hickman. She said she is happy with all the inspiration that was felt in the sessions.

“There’s no substitute for coming out of a session and making eye contact with someone who also thought it was interesting,” Hickman said. “That’s how you make collaborations — by accidentally bumping into people.”

Festival attendee and VCU alum Abigail Snider decided to attend to grow their own podcasting skills and connect with people for freelancing audio opportunities, Snider said.

The main job they do for clients is help edit and produce their podcasting shows, according to Snider.

“I started editing and realized how easy it came to me,” Snider said. “In engineering we used computer softwares for so many different things.”

Snider graduated from VCU with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2015. The event helped affirm Snider’s career path, they said.

“If anything it’s just boosted my confidence,” Snider said. “I just feel so at home at this event — for that alone I’m happy to be here.”

VCUarts alum stars in

Tyler Perry’s ‘A Jazzman’s Blues’

PEGGY STANSBERY Contributing Writer

VCUarts alum Joshua Boone recently starred in his biggest production to date — Tyler Perry’s “A Jazzman’s Blues” that debuted on Netflix last month.

This love was further cultivated at VCU, and he became inspired to pursue a path on Broadway, according to Boone. Boone said the university helped him grow and learn ideas that spoke to his work and the world.

“VCU exposed me to life in a way that I saw the seeds of that exposure all around me when I left school,” Boone said.

Boone headed to New York after graduating in 2010 and pursued a career on Broadway, film and TV, according to Boone. There he eventually landed roles within those industries.

“I have always wanted film and TV more than anything in terms of storytelling,” Boone said. “But coming up through the public school system and my teachers getting me involved with theater, I developed a distinct love for the stage.”

Boone said he was drawn to “A Jazzman’s Blues” because of its script and themes of humanity.

“As a lesser known actor you want the opportunity to showcase what you can do, and this script offered that through and through,” Boone said. “I was grateful for the themes involved in the story that hopefully help humanity in the process, because that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.”

People are focused on fighting for their specific cause without realizing they are helping promote a separatist culture, Boone said. He hopes the film shows how connected humans are.

“We are further distancing ourselves from each other than finding the commonalities,” Boone said. “I hope this film helps us see our commonalities more.”

Boone said he hopes the film will attract more work that aligns with his goals.

Whatever form his art takes, Boone said he wants to “lead with love” and create art that makes people feel something unique.

“The overarching goal is to have an impact on the human psyche, the human conscious and the human spirit through this work in a way that helps humanity on the grandest and largest scale,” Boone said.

VCUarts Theatre Professor David Toney said Boone’s acting in “A Jazzman’s Blues” is acting that you don’t see everyday.

“I don’t think that you see acting like that everyday where the actor isn’t the most important thing, but the story is the most important thing,” Toney said. “What I liked a lot about what Josh did is that he was completely unselfconscious.”

Toney used the opening scenes of “A Jazzman’s Blues” for instruction in his class, he said.

“I actually played it for my acting class so they could see what simple acting is, not in a sense of easy, but as in what it looks like to simply do what an actor does,” Toney said.

VCUarts theatre performance student Avery Johnson said Boone helps show VCU students that opportunities are out there.

“It shows we are getting good training by coming to

VCU,” Johnson said. “It really is inspiring to see someone else, especially a man of color, do it and be the leading man in a movie like that which has so much depth.”

There was a lot of buzz in his classes about Boone’s role in “A Jazzman’s Blues” and students felt excited to see a VCU alum starring in a Netflix film, Johnson said

“For the students, one of the things about becoming a professional actor is your feeling that you can do it,” Toney said. “Because this is a very tough profession, you really need to have faith in yourself. I think what Joshua represents is a signpost that I can do this too.”

It shows we are getting good training by coming to VCU.

It really is inspiring to see someone else, especially a man of color, do it and be the leading man in a movie like that which has so much depth.”

Avery Johnson, theatre performance student

VCUarts alum Joshua Boone poses for a headshot.

Photo courtesy of Drew Gurian

Richmond’s Craft + Design show returns after shutdown

BAILEE PADGETT Contributing Writer

Members of Richmond’s community walked through Main Street Station while indulging in unique art after a twoyear shutdown due to COVID-19.

We really have retained the best artists in the country, because they say Richmond is one of the most hospitable places. This region has a very art-buying and art-interested community that loves to engage with an audience that really knows what they are buying.”

Stefanie Fedor, Visual Arts executive director

“We are amazed really, the work is incredible,” said Richmond local and attendee Erin Harper. “I love coming to these things because you get to see the love and passion that goes into the things these artists make.”

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond presented its 58th annual Craft + Design show at Main Street Station from Oct. 14-

16, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The Visual Arts Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and supporting the creative life of all people, according to its mission statement. A jury of five craft collectors, artists, or art overseers look at applications from artists around the country in different media categories. These artists are then chosen and invited to come and set up their shops to create a balanced and thoughtful show over the course of three days, according to executive director Stefanie Fedor.

This year, featured artists were able to visit Richmond and display their crafts and artwork for the community of art-lovers to experience. The weekend was full of activities, with a preview party on Friday night and Richmond Magazine’s Susan Hable as a speaker on Sunday, according to the Visual Arts website.

“Throughout the weekend we have a big beer garden and demonstrations from teachers,” Fedor said. “We also have the clay olympics with different ceramics that battle each other so we have plenty going on over the weekend that is geared to a wide audience.”

The featured artist this year is Sarah Djarnie-Brown, the owner of Shop Volta, a handmade doll shop. Each of her dolls were created through salvaged resources including wood, fabric, wool and various other recycled materials, according to Visual Arts website.

“A lot of my stuff is one of a kind, and it’s about sustainability and to be the featured artist this year and to be working with VisArts — it’s such a huge honor,” Djarnie-Brown said. “When I found out I was going to be the featured artist, I was

really happy to be working with them.”

The Visual Arts staff invited her to apply for the show after showcasing her work at the Smithsonian’s Future Focus craft show earlier in April for her first craft show, according to Djarnie-Brown.

“These shows are really new to me so for someone to accept my work is amazing,” Djarnie-Brown said. “I have been doing this since about 2018 so I wasn’t sure which avenue I could showcase these dolls, so being accepted in itself was an honor to me. The Visual Arts Center has been helping people explore their creativity since 1963, and so I think being able to go to a space is incredible.”

Volunteers of the Visual Arts Center helped to organize and manage the event. Taren Woelk is a local member of the community and heard about the event after attending classes offered at the center, Woelk said.

“I have taken a few classes at the visual arts center and I saw that they had this going on and I wanted to give back to this group because they have a lot going on,” Woelk said. “They do a lot of really cool stuff and I learn a lot there.”

After undergoing the COVID-19 shutdown and having to have an online market, the event returned in-person with over 150 artists displaying their works, according to Stefanie Fedor.

“We really have retained the best artists in the country, because they say Richmond is one of the most hospitable places,” Fedor said. “This region has a very art-buying and art-interested community that loves to engage with an audience that really knows what they are buying.”

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1. The handmade dolls made by artist Sarah Djarnie-Brown wear matching accessories.

Pine resin sculptures put on display at the Craft + Design 2022 show.

Guests take in the bright lightbulb sculptures at the Craft + Design 2022 show. Photos by Ryan Dutcher.

VMFA exhibition explores symbolism, cultural significance of guitars

EMILY RICHARDSON Contributing Writer

THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE Arts’ current exhibition invites museum visitors to explore the guitar’s symbolism in multiple mediums from the 19th century to present day, including interactive features.

The “Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art” exhibition is curated by Leo Mazow, VMFA’s Louise B. and J. Harwood Cochrane Curator of American Art, according to the museum’s website.

The exhibition features 125 works of art and 35 musical instruments, highlighting the guitar’s cultural significance. The instrument appears in American art more than any other instrument, according to the exhibition’s website.

you’re not really familiar with guitars or the history of guitars, it’s very informative.”

Artworks in the exhibition include Charles White’s “Goodnight Irene,” an oil painting of singer Lead Belly playing the guitar; and Thomas Hart Benton’s “Jessie with Guitar,” a large oil painting of Benton’s daughter, an aspiring folk musician. Among artwork of guitars and people holding and playing them, the exhibition also features physical instruments of various makes and designs.

The exhibition also involves a number of features inviting visitors to interact with the art. One installment provides two guitars visitors are allowed to touch, pick up and play.

“Personally, I love the interactive portion,” said gallery associate Amber Thornton. “We’ve had some amazing guitarists come in, so it’s been really fun to hear them play.”

It

Arthur Scott VMFA exhibition visitor

The artworks are divided into 17 sections, all linked by the premise that the guitar as a visual motif has enabled artists to address public and private histories, according to a placard outside the exhibition.

The sections highlight the guitar’s significance across various cultures and demographics. “Guitar-Wielding Women,” for example, explores the guitar as a symbol of both sensibility and empowerment for women posed with them in various artworks, according to a placard in the exhibit.

“The Guitar in Black Art and Culture” highlights the guitar motif as an expression of the identity and pride of Black musicians, according to a placard in the gallery. The artworks on display in this section affirm that African American music is American music, and any attempt to separate them is forced and fictitious.

The exhibition offers a thorough analysis of the guitar’s place in American culture and history, according to the gallery associate Kamryn Gillham.

“It touches on a lot of topics, from gender, to race, to sexuality,” Gillham said. “If

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Another interactive feature is the Richmond Sessions studio, specially constructed for the gallery. Over the exhibition’s run, various visiting musicians will record live songs and discuss their use of the guitar as an expressive tool, according to a placard outside the studio.

The Richmond Sessions intend to expand on the exhibition’s exploration of the guitar as a subject, symbol and storyteller’s companion, according to the VMFA’s website.

“They have the list of artists on the website, but they don’t say when they’ll show up,” Thornton said. “If you’re here on the right day, you might get to see some live music.”

Visitor Arthur Scott, a lifetime guitarist and guitar collector, said he had hoped for more focus on guitarists from Virginia in the exhibition.

“I probably went in with way too big of an expectation, but there are a lot of very famous musicians from the Commonwealth,” Scott said. “I get it, though, they were trying to cover a lot. I still thought it was very informative.”

Scott found the interactive aspects of the exhibition particularly fascinating.

“It was refreshing to see a handson component,” Scott said. “You’re not just appreciating the guitar from afar, you’re able to touch it, play it and feel it. It was really cool.”

“Storied Strings: The Guitar in American Art” will be on display in the VMFA’s Altria Group Gallery until March 19, 2023. Admission for college students with valid identification is $10.

4. Harmony model guitar with Supertone design displays the ‘singing cowboys,’ made circa 1938-1950.

5. (from left to right) Gibson Guitar Corp. and Fender Musical Instruments Corp. guitars glow in the exhibition.

6.

was refreshing to see a hands-on component. You’re not just appreciating the guitar from afar, you’re able to touch it, play it and feel it. It was really cool.”

Lonnie Holley’s 1984 piece ‘The Music Lives after the Instruments Is Destroyed’ is made out of burnt musical instruments, artificial flowers and wires.

‘Three Folk Musicians’ by Romare Bearden reminds its audience of the guitar and banjo’s roles in blues and that honor the work of African American artists, according to the painting’s placard.

A 1939 Super 400N by Gibson Guitar Corporation shines in the exhibition.

The 1930 Style O guitar by National String Instrument Corp. adorn the colorful wall of the exhibition. Photos by Kaitlyn Fulmore

Quote of the week

Blockchain allows us to opt out of current systems that fail us

FRANCESCA BERCASIO Contributing Writer

To understand why our current systems in place are prone to disruption, one must acknowledge the inefficient nature of humans.

Political, economic and cultural structures have established hierarchies with middlemen in every process. The term used to describe this state is centralization, where trust is concentrated within a few, if not one, authority figures or organizations. Money is one of the oldest concepts used to assign value, but its fallibility lies in that it requires trust to do so.

Take our monetary system. We trust that the U.S. Mint will keep the same metal composition in the production of coins. We trust that the Federal Reserve will manage the supply of dollar bills to maintain their value. We trust that credit agencies, such as Equifax, will report accurate data to other parties.

The fact is, pennies are not purely made of copper — they are made of zinc coated with copper and stopped being solely copper in 1982. A dollar’s purchasing power has decreased by 86%, with $1 in 1972 worth $6.99 today. Equifax is still reporting erroneous amounts of credit score data, making consumers look like riskier borrowers than they originally were.

You may feel betrayed, but centralized systems perpetuated by humans were always flawed to begin with— often leading to corruption and coercion.

This reality is nothing new and has existed since the onset of human civilization. To fund the Battle of Thermae during the

Roman Empire, the Roman authorities decided to decrease the purity of their silver coin, the denarius, by adding other elements to its composition. With more coins in circulation, the government could spend more, which in turn, transferred wealth to those maintaining the armies and left the people with worthless money.

every participant involved. Blockchain technology creates a decentralized system by constructing, duplicating and distributing a digital record of all transactions across every computer in a given network.

These networks exist through the facilitation of cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency, known as “crypto,” is a native digital currency. I use

dollars with the Federal Reserve. Instead, Bitcoin relies on all of the computers in its network to produce bitcoins and crosscheck their own digital record of bitcoin transactions between each other.

There is always a layer of trust involved, but our trust should not be the backbone of the power structures that exist today. With the increasing development and usage of decentralized technologies, our need for this centralized state of trust becomes obsolete and with that, what we hold valuable changes. So if trust is the problem, how are we supposed to exchange value that does not directly depend on it?

The ultimate method of removing the need for trust between centralized figures is through blockchain technology. Opposite to centralization is decentralization ˘— the distribution of power among

the word “native” because the surface-level difference between a cryptocurrency and a dollar balance shown on your phone is that the dollar balance can become tangible at any point in time as physical bills or coins, whereas cryptocurrency cannot. Cryptocurrencies are enabled by blockchain technology to document every single crypto transaction across their networks. In short, everything is digital.

There are many different cryptocurrencies out there, but within the context of money emerges Bitcoin.

The core difference between a cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin and our dollar, is that Bitcoins have no central issuer compared to

Nick’s Picks

NICHOLAS BARAHONA Staff Writer

No central issuer means that there is no single point of failure. In order to successfully invalidate transactions, a bad actor would have to control at least 51% of the participating computers within the network. Such attacks require the energy needed to alter the digital record on top of the energy used to validate transactions. This would amount to more computing power than all actors in the network combined, making it not only energy intensive but expensive as well. From this, it is nearly impossible to alter, change, or revert transactions in the Bitcoin network since a bad-acting computer would be rejected by thousands of other computers with the correct transaction record. In addition, the duplicated and distributed digital record is completely public, for those who are literate in the field to see what’s happening in real-time.

These innovations are new, with the real-life applications of blockchain technology only being 13 years old.

With blockchain technology, the decentralized networks of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency remove our need to trust, providing some of the most compelling alternatives to our modern paradigm of society. We must be ready for this innovation and consider its future implications.

Catch a taste of the Caribbean at Jamaica House

elcome to Nick’s Picks. Join me, Nick Barahona, on our journey through the city of Richmond where I review and showcase the different cuisines and restaurants in close proximity to campus, from the lens of a VCU student. I welcome you to an exciting time ahead filled with great deals and good eats.

This week we take our palates on a journey down to the Caribbean as we check out Jamaica House, a restaurant that has been proudly serving the Richmond community for the past 28 years.

Jamaica House was first founded on West Broad Street in 1994, and moved a few blocks away from its original location two years ago. Currently located at 416 W. Broad St., it is a 10 minute walk from Monroe Park.

Owner Carena Ives said she founded Jamaica House because of her desire to establish a vibrant Caribbean taste in Richmond, which she felt there was none of at the time of the restaurant’s opening. Being of Chinese and Afro-Jamaican ancestry, Ives was also inspired by her roots and her mother’s cooking.

Jamaica House offers ample space for customers to dine, and exudes a vibrant Caribbean atmosphere with bright yellow walls. They also provide outdoor seating, with two to three tables and chairs out front.

I really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and service at Jamaica House. Walking into the restaurant an hour before closing, I was surprised to see it crowded and buzzing with orders. Despite the craze, the host was patient and warm, even cracking a couple of jokes as he helped me decide what to get.

Ives said the restaurant’s mission is providing the best hospitality.

“We want customers to walk through those doors and feel welcomed and at home with their experience here at Jamaica House,” Ives said.

There are a wide variety of food options available at Jamaica House, including soups, salads, paninis, burgers, seafood, freshly pressed juice and desserts. For a few of the appetizers and almost all of the main entrees, it has small and large portion options to choose from that usually differ between three and four dollars. Main entrees such as the jerk chicken, oxtail, island fried chicken, curry goat and pepper steak are all served with two sides that consist either of rice and peas, white rice, stewed cabbage, or salad.

I ordered a small jerk chicken entree for $8 that included rice and peas

and stewed cabbage. I also ordered a beef patty and coco bread side that both sat around $2 each. In total, my meal came out to be about $13 before tip, which is relatively inexpensive for an entree and two sides.

The jerk chicken was bursting with flavor and juice with every bite. The entire plate tasted fresh and complemented each other well. Getting some rice with a bit of the stewed cabbage and the chicken all together made for an excellent bite. This dish left me satisfied but also sweating, as it had a bit of heat behind the flavor; I would especially recommend it for those who love spicy food.

The beef patty was probably one of my favorite parts of the entire meal, as it was also flavorful and went well with the ground beef and flaky bread. The coco bread was a nice side for the spicy chicken and re minded me of Hawaiian Bread, but slightly less sweet.

I asked owner Ives what she recommends to anyone wanting to try Jamaica House for the first time, and she said there was “no need to com plicate it,” and to come in and try one of their beef patties and freshly pressed limeade.

Jamaica House may have just found itself another regular at their restaurant

after my experience. With their good vibes, fair pricing and large quantity of food, this is an easy thumbs up and 5 out of 5 for me. Catch me there soon grabbing an oxtail entree, cheeky veggie patty and a freshly pressed drink to go with it all.

As always, eat up!

For all things food, feel free to check out @nxreview on Instagram and TikTok for many more recommendations

“The thing I absolutely love about food is it’s a common thread that connects us no matter what culture we come from.

— Poh Ling Yeow

Illustration by Killian Goodale-Porter

Illustration by Danielle Murphy

Spooky Visitor by Anthony Duong

Spookaholic by Danielle Murphy

Pumpkin Carving by Rena Bridge

By Gary Larson & Amy Ensz

By Gary Larson & Amy Ensz ACROSS

By The Mepham Group

Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis